Dana Bjornson has been appointed chief financial officer at Kansas City-based Locktons digital insurance broker, Mylo. Bjornson brings over 25 years of financial innovation, including leading new business development and mergers and acquisitions. He previously served as executive vice president, chief financial and compliance officer for the investment banking firm George K. Baum & Co. Mylo is backed by broker Lockton and the global investment firm Guggenheim Partners. The digital broker offers an insurance shopping platform that can be embedded in the customer experiences of a wide range of companies. Mylo delivers personalized coverage recommendations to small business owners and individuals then matches them with ideal policies from leading carriers at the best value. The company said Bjornson will take a leading role in positioning Mylo to scale. Mylos growth plans include expanding into new markets, offering new insurance products, predicting customers future needs through AI and machine learning and proactively recommending the right coverage for every stage of business or life taking on a lifelong advisory role with customers. Source: Mylo Topics Lockton Copenhagen, Jan 29 : Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Director for Europe, has called for "tolerance and adherence to necessary (Covid-19) measures" as the continent deals with what he termed a "pandemic paradox". "This paradox, where communities sense an end is in sight with the vaccine but, at the same time, are called to adhere to restrictive measures in the face of a new threat, is causing tension, angst, fatigue, and confusion," Kluge said during an online press briefing from Copenhagen on Thursday. According to the WHO, a total of 35 countries in the European Region have begun Covid vaccinations, administering 25 million doses, reports Xinhua news agency. However, he noted that "continued high rates of transmission and emerging Covid-19 variants of concern, have raised the urgency of the task to vaccinate priority groups". The WHO official also expressed the concern that "the increasing expectation of science and vaccine development, production, and equitable distribution, is not being met as fast as we would all like". Kluge explained that a continuance of lockdowns would be necessary to reduce the still high transmission rates affecting the region. "Let us not forget the lessons we have learned so harshly: opening and closing, locking-down and opening-up, rapidly, is a poor strategy. "The introduction and gradual lifting of measures based on epidemiological criteria remains our best option to allow economies to survive and minimise collateral effects. Our approach must be measured, it must be restrained," he stressed. The Regional Director underscored the "need to stay patient" as the pandemic has claimed the lives of over 700,000 Europeans since the coronavirus emerged, while leaving its brutal impact on economies, mental health, education, and freedom of movement. To date, 33 European countries have reported cases of the coronavirus variant first identified in the UK, while 16 confirmed the strain first detected in South Africa, according to the WHO official. "This is the time we must draw on every reserve of patience and resilience to tolerate and adhere to the necessary measures that protect our health systems from collapsing under waves of a more transmissible virus." According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the continent has so far registered a total of 32,218,360 confirmed coronavirus cases and 701,991 deaths. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Deputy PM Dan Barna says each state-owned company has its own restructuring plans and that Romania must meet, in 2021, a budget deficit of up to 7.2pct, which could lead to the dismissal of some employees working in the public system. "Each state-owned company has its own restructuring plans. We will see depending on the decision of each institution that must fall within these budget ceilings of up to 7pct deficit. The stake for us as a country is to maintain a deficit of 7-7.2pct maximum, and the budget will be built from this perspective," Dan Barna told a press conference on Friday. The Minister of Labour and Social Protection, Raluca Turcan, on Wednesday told the national television broadcaster that she intends to cap the level of bonuses granted to public employees at 30pct of the basic salary. Furious Tory MPs have accused Nicola Sturgeon of 'showboating' in a bid to 'curry favour' with the EU after she pledged to publish details of the UK's vaccine supplies. The SNP leader has been accused of taking the EU's side during an ongoing and increasingly bitter row over jabs between Britain and the bloc. Ms Sturgeon yesterday told Holyrood she intends to release vaccine supply data from next week 'regardless of what they say' despite Boris Johnson ordering her to keep the numbers secret to protect the rollout. Tory MPs claimed Ms Sturgeon - who wants Scotland to be independent and rejoin the bloc - is 'obviously more inclined to help the EU than she is the UK'. Nicola Sturgeon yesterday suggested she will start to publish data on the UK's vaccine supplies from next week Boris Johnson has warned against the move, saying it could put at risk the security of the UK's supply The EU is under increasing pressure over its vaccine rollout as it continues to lag far behind the UK. The bloc has been told by AstraZeneca that its first delivery at the end of March will be down 60 per cent due to production problems. The EU, which ordered 100million doses from the UK-based pharma giant, is now demanding UK supplies be diverted to the continent. It is also bringing forward export control measures which could block Pfizer from shipping its vaccine, made in Belgium, to the UK. The UK's supply numbers are viewed as critical in the ongoing row because Brussels could pounce on them to argue that it is not getting its fair share from drug manufacturers. The UK Government previously claimed that setting out how many doses are expected and when could breach commercial confidentiality. Ms Sturgeon's vow to publish the data sparked Tory anger, with Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, arguing it would be a 'deeply irresponsible' move. Tory former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith accused Ms Sturgeon of 'showboating to try and curry favour' with the EU because she wants an independent Scotland to rejoin the bloc. Sir Iain told The Telegraph the SNP leader 'should for once in her life, thank the UK Government, for having vaccines so people in Scotland have a better chance of surviving coronavirus than if it was stuck in the EU, which is her dream'. Tory MP David Jones accused Ms Sturgeon of 'trying to ingratiate herself with the EU, in the hope that if she won a referendum, Scotland would be allowed to join'. Conservative backbencher Peter Bone said: 'The simple truth is she has a tendency to support the EU rather than the United Kingdom. 'It is wrong, her behaviour. I would have thought she would praise the success of the UK because Scotland shares in that. If she was in the EU and not part of the UK she would still be waiting for her vaccines. Get behind the UK government and stop playing petty politics.' Ms Sturgeon said yesterday: 'I have said to my officials regardless of what they say, I think we will just go back to publishing the actual supply figures from next week, so that we all have transparency around that.' Mr Johnson, speaking during a visit to Scotland, said: 'We're in favour of the maximum possible transparency that is compatible with security of supply. 'That's the crucial thing, we've got to ensure we continue to have national security of supply.' Prisons Minister Lucy Frazer said this morning the UK Government will not be publishing vaccine supply information for 'security reasons'. Ms Frazer told BBC Breakfast: 'The Government isn't hiding anything at all. My understanding is that is for security reasons. 'But I think we've been incredibly transparent throughout since March, since the beginning of this pandemic, about how the Government is dealing with every aspect of the coronavirus. 'I think we have been extremely transparent, where it is appropriate to do so, to inform the public about how we are managing the pandemic.' ?? En vivo | La presidenta del Consejo de Ministros, @VBermudezV, amplia la informacion acerca de las nuevas medidas contra la emergencia sanitaria.https://t.co/hUMn12KZBS Plans have been submitted for the amalgamation of two non selective schools, De La Salle High School, St Marys High School with St Patricks Grammar School in Downpatrick. Controversial plans for the merger of three Co Down schools are pressing ahead which could see the formation of a new 1,600 pupil grammar school in 2022. The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) has resubmitted plans for the amalgamation of two non selective schools, De La Salle High School, St Marys High School with St Patricks Grammar School in Downpatrick. The final decision rests with the Education Minister and if successful the new school would open at the start of the 2022/23 academic year. There has been considerable opposition to the proposal, with a consultation carried out by the Education Authority (EA) resulting in 106 out of 120 responses being opposed to the merger. Parents are split on the idea, though in 2020, St Patricks Grammar School failed in a legal bid to derail the scheme completely. Plans to include a fourth school, St Columbas College in Portaferry, were dropped in 2019. CCMS has now submitted a fresh development proposal to the Education Authority for the merger, which would see the new super school initially operate on three separate sites. The proposal suggests that academic selection would also be used to select 40% of the pupil intake every year and a new public consultation on the merger will now begin. The Board of Governors of St Patricks Grammar have voiced opposition while many parents believed the plan would be detrimental to pupils living in rural areas as the closest available Catholic boys grammar school would be as far away as Newry. Other respondents said that the plans would disadvantage pupils in rural areas. An alternative plan to merge De La Salle with St Marys High School has also been suggested, leaving St Patricks to continue to operate as a grammar school in its own right in Downpatrick. The Cuomo brothers were neither talented nor funny, but the media presented them as the light in the middle of the COVID tunnel through which America was passing. Cuomo wrote a book about his wonderful self in the midst of the crisis. Andrew even won a special Emmy for his performance as an American governor during a time of crisis. And what a performance it was, because the real Andrew Cuomo was doing an absolutely dismal job of managing the Wuhan virus in New York. The single worst thing Cuomo did was to kill off New York's old people. It had very quickly become apparent that, out of the entire population, the elderly were most vulnerable to the Wuhan virus. Nevertheless, Andrew Cuomo mandated that group homes housing the elderly (retirement communities, long-term care facilities, etc.), accept from hospitals patients diagnosed with the Wuhan virus. The results were inevitable: there was a mass die-off of institutionalized elderly people in New York State. By July, it was believed that more than 6,400 older people had died in New York because of this order. By August, New York was one of four states the Department of Justice was investigating based upon an inordinately high number of COVID deaths. (The other states were New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Biden's pick for assistant health secretary, Dr. R. Levine, presided over Pennsylvania's debacle.) At the time the investigation began, reported the DOJ, "New York has the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in the United States, with 32,592 victims, many of them elderly." On Thursday, America learned that Cuomo's slaughterhouse policies were worse than everyone thought. According to New York attorney general Letitia James, the report that 6,600 elderly New Yorkers died in nursing homes was off by 50%. It turned out that the Health Department was counting only those who died in the nursing home, not those who sickened in the nursing home and died in the hospital. All told, Cuomo killed closer to 10,000 elderly New Yorkers. Aside from exposing Cuomo's true self (either grotesquely incompetent or deliberately murderous, perhaps because old people, who no longer produce wealth, are expensive), the report is interesting because James is a hard, hard leftist. In August, James announced that she was going to destroy the NRA (which has since filed for bankruptcy and left New York for Texas). She's also dedicated to destroying Donald Trump and the entire Trump family. She is a leftist attack dog and she's attacking Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo has to be feeling mighty insecure right now and he's still blaming Trump for his own failures. With yesterday's news, his deadly incompetence is on public display, and he's got to believe that James is positioning herself to challenge him in 2022, when his third term as governor comes to an end. She'd probably make herself even more popular if she arrested him for manslaughter or murder. Image: Andrew and Chris Cuomo's COVID comedy act. YouTube screen grab. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 A veteran road safety expert says police made the right call not to pursue a wayward driver as he careered through the Bourke Street Mall on Thursday. Officers were on Friday still hunting the missing man and his runaway passenger. The four-minute incident, which police say was an attempt to evade officers and not to threaten the public, reignited community fear several years after two murderous attacks claimed the lives of seven people on the same shopping strip in the heart of Melbourne. But John Lambert, who has previously been involved in reviewing police pursuit policies across the country, said chasing a driver for minor traffic matters would never be worth the risk it could cause to public safety. Tata Steel Long Products Ltd. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More In a setback to Tata Steel, its deal to sell Dutch unit to Sweden's SSAB may have come unstuck. We have carefully evaluated Tata Steel IJmuiden and have concluded that an acquisition would be difficult for technical reasons. We cannot be sufficiently certain that we could implement our industrial plan with the preferred technical solutions as quickly as we would wish. We cannot align Tata Steel Ijmuiden with our sustainability strategy in the way desired, says Martin Lindqvist, President and CEO at SSAB, said in a statement on January 29. It was in November that Tata Steel had confirmed the talks to sell the unit, based in Ijmuiden in the Netherlands. This was a fresh attempt from India's largest steelmaker to find a solution to its troubles in Europe, more than a year after a merger with Germany's thyssenkrupp was blocked by European Commission. Apart from the Dutch unit, Tata Steel's European operations include the facility in the UK. The company was hoping to sell the Dutch unit, among the most profitable steelmaking sites in Europe, to also turnaround the UK operations. The company's stock dived by over 3 percent at the Bombay Stock Exchange, as the new trickled in. It was down 3.2 percent at the time of writing. Investors would be worried about the failure to seal the deal, and what the company now does with the 1.7 billion Euros of debt on Tata Steel Europe's books. Proceeds from the sale will be used to lower the debt on the company's books. The Netherlands unit has an annual capacity of 7.5 million tonne and has 10,000 employees. Responding to the development later in the day, Tata Steel said: "Tata Steel confirms that SSAB has withdrawn its initial interest for Tata Steel Netherland business. However, Tata Steel wishes to confirm that it is committed to arriving at a strategic resolution for its European portfolio. "Tata Steels IJmuiden plant is among the most environmentally efficient and cost competitive steel producers in Europe. Currently, around two third of the business of Tata Steel is based in India with best in class, highly cost competitive assets and strong cash flows and Tata Steel remains committed to undertake significant de-leveraging in FY21 and beyond." What SSAB said "After deeper analysis and discussions, it became clear that there were limited possibilities to integrate IJmuiden into the SSAB strategic framework. Discussions with Tata Steel have therefore concluded," the company said. Lindqvist further noted that the acquisition didn't meet SSAB's overall vision for a fossil-free production. Europe has been pushing steelmakers to reduce their carbon footprint. The synergies that we saw in the transaction would not fully justify the costs and investments required for our desired transformation. This means that overall, the transaction would not meet our financial expectations, he said. The groups goal is to be the first in the world, in 2026, to supply fossil-free steel to market and to be a fossil-free company by 2045. (This is a developing story, please check back for more details) Actors Kim Sung-oh, from left, Lee Da-hee, director Kim Hong-sun and actor Kim Rae-won pose for pictures during an online media conference for "L.U.C.A. : The Beginning," Wednesday. Courtesy of tvN By Lee Gyu-lee Actor Kim Rae-won, known for his performances in romantic dramas such as "The Doctors," is set to return to the small screen after about three years off, with tvN's action-packed fantasy series "L.U.C.A. : The Beginning," which will start airing on Monday. "I've always felt intimidated by the fantasy genre. So I was going to turn this role down too," Kim said during Wednesday's online media conference for the series. But he said he changed his mind quickly when he was told about the series' production staff. Led by Kim Hong-sun, who has a track record of directing cinematic series such as OCN's "Voice" and "The Guest," the series was written by Chun Sung-il, whose work includes the popular series "The Slave Hunters." The action series is also joined by cinematographer Choi Young-hwan, known for working on hit action films like "Veteran" and "The Thieves." "I really enjoyed director Kim's The Guest. It really amazed me," the actor said. "And with such a reliable cinematographer and fellow cast, I had no choice but to jump on board." Kim plays Ji-oh who has enormous power. Courtesy of tvN The series follows genetically enhanced human Ji-oh (Kim) who was born through a project called "L.U.C.A." As he tries to hide his superpower, he finds himself being chased by mysterious figures, including Yi-son (Kim Sung-oh), who are after his power. Director Kim noted that the compelling part of the series comes from its distinctive theme. "What makes the series interesting is its unique setting and a story that makes the ending unpredictable," he said. "(The story) is about the characters involved with the project finding their identities so in the process, they go after, confront and deal with one another." Ji-oh has no clue how he got such powers nor where he comes from. As he tries to stay off the villains' radar, he tracks down the secret behind his existence. Kim said it was especially difficult to play such a mysterious character. "I am still not sure whether I fully understood the character Ji-oh. I would always come to the director with questions like 'what in the world is Ji-oh looking for?'" he said. "But I think that's exactly how Ji-oh feels. He is very curious about his identity and strives to find the answers. I was able to grasp that confusion and struggle." A scene from the fantasy action series / Courtesy of tvN Let the overreaching begin. You read here before that Republicans can be encouraged about 2022 and 2024 because Democrats will overreach. Incredibly, you didnt need a calendar to measure the time it would take. An egg timer was basically good enough. President Joe Biden has set a record for executive orders an interesting example of governance considering Democrats control the legislative and executive branch. Hes undone some of President Trumps actions and put the energy industry in his sights. His assault on the oil producing regions, energy projects and the jobs they create is unrelentless and mind-blowing. There are many reasons the president is wrong in his actions the economy, national security and lost tax revenue are three but for the president to be so intentional in the attempted destruction of an industry shows how reckless he intends to be. It will continue. It will get worse. The good news is Bidens strokes of the pen to appease the extreme left will inevitably create additional buyers remorse across the country. If Republicans can stay out of their own way, they wont have to do much except let Biden be Biden. Laurels For preparing for Midlands future. It was weird seeing a rather normal Midland City Council agenda and local governance that dealt with future planning. I take that back. It was refreshing. We credit city leaders for tackling projects that deal with potential population growth and quality of place. Now is exactly the time to prepare for that next wave of people who will inevitably come to Midland the next time the price of oil reaches a magic number. For Midland County residents. There are so many metrics that show Midland County residents have survived another COVID-19 spike, and you deserve the credit. We still see people wearing masks and being responsible in caring for their neighbors and themselves. There is a process to go through, but I salute those who were proactive and acted with a sense of urgency when COVID-19 had our community backed against the wall. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 16:35:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Friday confirmed two new imported COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections in the kingdom to 463, said a Ministry of Health (MoH) statement. The new cases were detected on a 27-year-old Cambodian woman returning from Thailand on Jan. 14 and a 60-year-old Cambodian woman coming from South Korea on Jan. 15, the statement said. "Both were found positive for the virus in their second tests after being quarantined for two weeks," it said. They are currently undergoing treatment at designated COVID-19 hospitals. The Southeast Asian nation has so far registered a total of 463 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with zero deaths and 438 recoveries, according to the statement. Enditem 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. New Delhi, Jan 29 : Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait's emotional speech with tears rolling down his face has turned the tables with more farmers thronging to the Ghazipur border after abandoning the space a day before. After the January 26 violence, police personnel were deployed in large numbers at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders following which the farmers started returning to their villages. While the number of farmers was seemingly less on Thursday, it once again began swelling on Friday. The farmers are now saying that their leader (Tikait) ended up in tears due to the government and they will not let the movement end till their last breath. On Thursday, the Ghaziabad administration had asked Tikait to vacate the protest site. However, sensing "conspiracy", he right from the stage in a speech said that a "big conspiracy" was underway against the farmers. After the crying Tikait's video went viral, farmers' started returning to the site and the Ghaziabad authorities, who were present there till late Thursday night, were forced to back down. On Friday, a lesser number of police personnel were seen while more farmers were present. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Today is the National Martyrs Day. It has been several decades since the nation has been commemorating this day, keeping four martyrs killed in 1941 at the centre. However, there are thousands of martyrs in Nepal. Of them, Lakhan Thapa is considered the first. However, he is not known as much as the four martyrs. So, what can be the best time than this to know about the first martyr of Nepal, Lakhan Thapa. and honour him? Here are six things that every Nepali should know about him: 1. Lakhan Thapa was born in Gorkha but raised in India The full name of Lakhan Thapa is said to be Lakhan Thapa Magar. However, this was not his real name. A younger one between the twin brothers, he was named Lakshman Singh Thapa at birth. He was born in 1835 in Kahule Bhangar village located at Bungkot, Gorkha. Now, the very place is named after Thapas name as Shahid Lakhan rural municipality. Lakhan Thapa completed his formal education staying in the family quarters of a relative working in the 3rd Gurkha Rifles in Almora, India. 2. Lakhan Thapa served in the army After completing his study, he returned to Nepal in 1854 and joined Old Gorkha Paltan. Thapa had gone to Lucknow Prime Minister Junga Bahadur Rana and 9,000 members of the Old Gorkha Paltan after the Indo-British government sought military assistance. He was a part of the Nepali soldiers who assisted the British Army to brutally suppress Indian rebels who were fighting for the independence of India. This was around 1857/58 after the Meerut massacre which gave birth to a military revolution against the British colony in India. 3. Suppression turned him rebel from an army man All of these incidents led Lakhan Thapa Magar and other revolutionaries to fight against the tyrannical rule of Junga Bahadur Rana in Nepal also. By 1868/69 (1925 BS), Thapa had already been promoted as the captain of the Nepal Army. However, he left his job along with his friend Jai Singh Chumi Magar in order to unite the people against the rule of Jung Bahadur Rana. With the help of the local people of his birthplace, Thapa built a strong fort there and also built a temple inside the fort. He used to unite the people coming there to worship and make them aware of the arbitrary rule of Junga Bahadur Rana and his anti-public acts. 4. He had launched an armed struggle against the government As per the historian Padam Jung Rana, Thapa had gathered 1,500 people along with weapons and supplies to attack the Rana government. He wanted to end the rule of the Junga Bahadur Rana and to establish democracy in the country. But, Junga Bahadur Rana got the information of the revolution led by Thapa. Subsequently, Lakhan Thapa and his associates were arrested from Bungkot and brought to Kathmandu. They were tortured all along their way. 5. He was killed in front of Manakamana temple And, it was decided that Lakhan Thapa and his associates would be hanged from the tree in front of the Manakamana temple of their fort premises in the presence of the local people at Bungkot, Gorkha. They were charged with treason. After they did not beg a pardon in front of the Rana government, they were all brought to Gorkha. And, at first, the leader Lakhan Thapa was hanged from the tree in front of Manakamana temple inside his fort on February 14, 1877. It is also said that he has been skinned and hanged. And, after him, all other rebels were hanged. 6. He was declared martyr in 1999 He was the first Nepali to protest against the tyrannical Rana rule. Therefore, he was declared a martyr in 1999 by the Nepal government. And, the government declared him as the first martyr of Nepal on September 20, 2015. This information was collected from the website of Shahid Lakhan rural municipality office. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Yes, Theyre Open is a web series highlighting local bars and restaurants that are open for takeout, delivery, pickup or dining during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Live streams from the featured restaurants are broadcast on the Advance Facebook page every weekday around 3 p.m. On Thursday, the Advance/SILive.com visited Enzo & Tinos Bake Shop at 1949 Richmond Ave., which is open for pickup and delivery from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The bake shop is closed on Sunday. Patrons are asked to call 718-494-2253 before placing an order. For more information, visit enzontinos.com. Yes, They're Open YES, THEYRE OPEN: Enzo & Tinos Bake Shop offers pick up and delivery at 1949 Richmond Ave. there is no delivery on Saturdays. Hours are Monday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays closed. Call 718-494-2253 to order Posted by Staten Island Advance on Thursday, January 28, 2021 Staten Island restaurant owners: If you would like your establishment featured for free as part of Yes, Theyre Open, email reporter Victoria Priola at vpriola@siadvance.com. WANT MORE YES, THEYRE OPEN? Check out the listings below or check out all of our previous coverage here. Lees Tavern, 60 Hancock St. Towne Deli & Pizzeria, 5373 Arthur Kill Road Bubbakoos Burritos, 1650 Richmond Ave. In Fine Fettle, 961 Jewett Ave. and 20 Jefferson Blvd. 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. Ask Dr. Land: How is Catholic Church's view of President Biden? Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Question: What is the significance of the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issuing a national statement "On the Inauguration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr. as 46th President of the United States of America? Amid all the hoopla of the presidential inauguration and President Bidens unprecedented flurry of Executive Orders, Archbishop Gomezs important statement has not received the serious level of attention it merits. First of all, when the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issues a statement representing 75 million American Catholics (23% of the total U.S. population) concerning the first Catholic president since JFKs inauguration six decades ago, it is an important event. When the statement is filled with as much spiritual substance as Archbishop Gomezs is, the statement deserves serious study and attention. Archbishop Gomez, the Archbishop of Los Angeles, acknowledges that working with President Biden on moral, ethical, and social justice issues will be unique, since President Biden is only the second Catholic president in American history and furthermore, is a man who professes that his Catholic faith is, and has been, very important in his life. I can empathize with the Archbishops conflicting emotions about this new relationship. I am not certain that I can explain all the reasons why, but there is something uniquely vexing about having someone from your own faith community in the Oval Office who is seriously at odds with your faith traditions convictional understanding about important, transcendent, moral issues. I have discussed this at length with both Catholic and fellow Evangelical pro-life leaders and there was virtual unanimity among such leaders that it is indeed particularly painful when one of your own is at odds with the faith. I can testify personally as a Baptist Evangelical that it was particularly troubling and traumatic when I was dealing with Baptist pro-abortion advocates like Presidents Carter and Clinton (both affiliated at the time with the Southern Baptist faith community) which I have embraced by moral conviction for now close to 70 years. It just hurts more when it is one of your own. Archbishop Gomez, after expressing appreciation for President Bidens profession of the Catholic faiths importance in his life, declares, When we speak on issues in American public life, we try to guide consciences based on beliefs that are rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the social teachings of His Church which include Gods plan of love for creation and revealed . . . truth about the human person, who is created in Gods image, endowed with God-given dignity, rights and responsibilities, and called to a transcendent destiny. He then acknowledges that these principles are reflected in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights and that as Christians we are to follow Christs commandment to love God and love our neighbors by working for an America that protects human dignity, expands equality and opportunities for every person, and is open-hearted toward the suffering and the weak. Let me say at this point that as a Baptist Evangelical Protestant I have come to have a deep and abiding appreciation for the rich tradition of Roman Catholic social thought, to which I was first introduced as a Princeton undergraduate of the late, great, Dr. Paul Ramsey, who mined that tradition deeply and often, and made sure his students understood its tremendous contribution to Western Civilization. I might also add that Paul Ramsey was a great teacher and I, am merely one among many, of his students who has never forgotten him and his influence on our lives. Having laid the moral predicate, Archbishop Gomez directly addresses the elephant in the room. The Archbishop explains that the nations bishops are given the duty of proclaiming the Gospel in all its truth and power. . . even,. . . when the Gospels truths run contrary to the directions of the wider society and culture. He then states unequivocally the painful truth that our new president has pledged to pursue certain policies that would advance moral evils and threaten human life and dignity, most seriously in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage, and gender. Then the Archbishop makes a very important, and I believe a very helpful, moral distinction. He explains that for the nations Roman Catholic bishops the continued injustice of abortion remains the pre-eminent priority. He then emphasizes that Pre-eminent does not mean only. We have deep concerns about many threats to human life and dignity in our society. But he then emphasizes we cannot stay silent when nearly a million unborn lives are being cast aside in our country year after year through abortion. The Archbishops prophetic witness to the incalculable and tragic damage abortion inflicts on the whole of society is a much needed and eloquent reminder that such sin has grievous consequences: Abortion is a direct attack on life that also wounds the woman and undermines the family. It is not only a private matter, it raises troubling and fundamental questions of fraternity, solidarity, and inclusion in the human community. It is also a matter of social justice. We cannot ignore the reality that abortion rates are much higher among the poor and minorities, and that the procedure is regularly used to eliminate children who would be born with disabilities (emphasis supplied). The concentric circles of ever widening damage done by abortion has seldom been more directly and clearly explained. And seldom has so much of eternal import been said to so many in so few words. Let us all pray that Joseph Biden is listening. A thrifty bride-to-be has created the perfect wedding favours for her guests by using 75-cent candles from Kmart. The Australian woman bought an abundance of the salted caramel scented candles and stuck personalised 'thank you' stickers on the side, in which she made on printing website VistaPrint. The idea is an excellent solution for those who are wanting to avoid spending too much money when planning special events. The candles come in a glass jar with a lid and are available in stores and online. Katy bought an abundance of the salted caramel scented candles and stuck the personalised 'thank you' sticker on the side The idea is an excellent solution for those who are wanting to avoid spending too much money when planning special events To remove the original Kmart sticker from the product, she sprayed the De-Solv-It multipurpose cleaner onto a cotton pad then wiped away the label. While this proved to be a time-consuming process, she is more than happy with the end result. In addition to the miniature candles, the woman and her fiance will also be giving coasters to their guests. Others praised the idea after it was shared on social media, and some said they have made similar favours for christenings, hen's nights and engagements Others praised the idea after it was shared on social media, and some said they have made similar favours for christenings, hen's nights and engagements. 'These are great. My best friend did this to for her wedding came up,' one person wrote. 'I've done the same for my son christening bonbonniere (green candle) but haven't gotten around to finishing them,' another said. A third added: 'I did the same for my bridal shower it was a lot of work taking off the labels but so worth it.' OSTERSUND, Sweden, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Skanska has signed a contract with Kanta-Hame Hospital District to build a new hospital in Hameenlinna, Finland. Skanska's share of the contract is worth EUR 272M, about SEK 2.8 billion, which will be included in the Nordic order bookings for the first quarter of 2021. The new central hospital building consists of 74,000 square meters divided in three parts. The hospital's services include emergency medical services as well as all major medical specialties including psychiatry. In addition to special health care functions it will provide primary health care, dentistry and acute home care as well as home hospital services. The hospital will be built by an alliance consortium where Skanska is the main contractor. The alliance also includes Kanta-Hame Hospital District and Sweco. A joint venture of architectural agencies called Team Integrated, is also part of the alliance. The construction is scheduled to begin in august 2021. The hospital will be ready by the end of 2025. Skanska is one of the leading development- and construction companies in the Nordics, with operations in building construction and civil engineering in Sweden, Norway and Finland, and developing residential- and commercial property projects in select home markets. The commercial development stream is also active in Denmark. Skanska had sales of about SEK 70 billion and more than 15,200 employees in its Nordic operations during 2019. For further information please contact: Jacob Birkeland, Head of Media Relations & Public Affairs, Skanska AB, tel +46 (0)10 449 31 34 Kari Sundelin, Project Director, Skanska Finland, tel +358 40 776 3230 Pilvimaari Heikkinen, Communications Specialist, Skanska Finland, tel +358 40 519 4787 Direct line for media, tel +46 (0)10 448 88 99 This and previous releases can also be found at www.skanska.com. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/skanska/r/skanska-builds-hospital-in-hameenlinna--finland--for-eur-272m--about-sek-2-8-billion,c3275965 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/95/3275965/1365359.pdf 20210129 FI hospital building https://news.cision.com/skanska/i/image-20210129-fi-hospital-building,c2872313 Image 20210129 FI hospital building SOURCE Skanska A 28-year-old New Jersey man was shot and killed in Camden on Thursday, officials said. Santino Thomas, of the Sicklerville section of Winslow, was found lying on the ground between two cars on the 1300 block of Browning Street around 9 p.m., the Camden County Prosecutors Office said in a statement Friday. Thomas was brought to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead a half-hour later. No arrests have been made and the investigation in ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call prosecutors office Det. Brad Redrow at 609-954-3511 or Camden County Police Det. John Waida at 856-757-7420. Tips can also be sent to ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JGoldmanNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Minister Brophy commits to deepening Irish Aid partnership with UN Women Press release Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and the Diaspora, Colm Brophy, T.D., today committed to deepening Irish Aids partnership with UN Women. Speaking at an online gathering of UN Women and partners hosted by Ireland from Dublin Castle, Minister Brophy announced that Ireland will increase its support to the agencys work in promoting gender equality and womens empowerment, in particular to respond to COVID-19. Minister Brophy said: Irelands international development policy, A Better World, has gender equality at its heart. It is central to the transformation required to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and reach the furthest behind first. UN Womens role in this is key, as well as being essential to the continued focus on gender equality as the world responds to COVID-19. UN Women is a key partner of Irish Aid as we invest in gender equality and respond to the challenges which the pandemic presents to women and girls. That is why this year Ireland will increase its funding to UN Women by almost 60%, to 4.8 million in 2021. This includes both core funding and direct support from Irelands Embassies for UN Womens work on the ground. UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka, who also participated in the online meeting, said: Irelands support to UN Women has been vital to our work in tackling gender inequalities and empowering women and girls around the world, including those facing devastating poverty, conflict and violence. The increased contribution will ensure that we can continue these critical efforts and support a COVID recovery in 2021 that is gender-responsive and that creates a better, more equal world for all. The pandemic has seen an increase in gender-based violence, the limiting of access to services and economic opportunities, and increased care work responsibilities, all of which have had a disproportionate impact on women. ENDS PRESS OFFICE 29 JANUARY 2021 Notes for Editors Irish Aid is the Governments overseas aid programme. It is managed by the Development Cooperation and Africa Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs. For further information see www.irishaid.ie Amongst OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) members, Ireland has among the highest proportion of bilateral Overseas Development Assistance targeting gender equality 76% in 2019. UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide, and has a mandate to develop the international normative framework on gender equality, to coordinate the UN system to advance gender equality, and to implement operational activities to further gender equality. Ireland has funded UN Women since its inception and is UN Womens 20th largest core contributor. On 28-29 January 2021, Ireland hosts the second annual UN Women Partner Roundtable, bringing together UN Womens key partners to discuss the strategic direction of the agency in the coming period. The event is virtual, anchored in Dublin Castle and features contributions from Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, T.D., Minister of State for Overseas Development and the Diaspora, Colm Brophy, T.D., and Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. Previous Item | South Korea's agricultural ministry said Friday it has confirmed another case of highly pathogenic bird flu at an egg farm, with the total confirmed caseload reaching 80. The latest case of the malign H5N8 strain of avian influenza was reported from Anseong, 77 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The farm was raising 790,000 chickens. Following the case, the government issued a seven-day standstill order on all poultry farms in the city. The number of cases from wild birds also piled up to reach 117. (Yonhap) Tanzania President John Magufuli on Wednesday warned the Health ministry against rushing to embrace Covid-19 vaccinations that were being promoted by foreign nations. Speaking during the launch of a public forest, President Magufuli said any decision to adopt COVID-19 vaccinations should not be taken lightly. He said: You should stand firm. Vaccinations are dangerous. If the White man was able to come up with vaccinations, he should have found a vaccination for Aids by now; he would have found a vaccination of tuberculosis by now; he would have found a vaccination for malaria by now; he would have found a vaccination for cancer by now. He said Tanzanians must be cautious of things that were being brought to them by foreign nations. Lets not think that they love us very much. This country is rich. Africa is rich, and everyone is jealous of our vast wealth. We must be very careful, President Magufuli said. He directed the Health Ministry to only adopt vaccinations after they had been certified by Tanzanias own experts, citing an example of a country (which he did not name) where girl children were vaccinated against what was purported to be cervical cancer but ended up being infertile. In a certain country, its girl children aged below 14 years were vaccinated against what was said to be cervical cancer, but it later emerged that the vaccination was meant to make them infertile, Dr Magufuli said. The Health ministry must know that not every vaccination is meaningful to our nation. Tanzanians must be mindful so that we are not used for trials of some doubtful vaccinations which can have serious repercussions on our health. DEVTRACO THE PELICAN President Magufuli reiterated that Tanzanians should continue putting trust in God while taking all the necessary health precautions. We have lived for over one year without the virus because our God is able and Satan will always fail. The Health ministry should be cautious, and avoid the temptation turn us into a country where vaccination trials are conducted freely, he said. He reiterated that he will never impose a lockdown, insisting that Tanzanians will always be free to conduct their daily undertakings, including farming, which, he said, was part of physical exercises that ultimately drive the virus away. Dr Magufuli said he was aware that some Tanzanians had gone out of the country where they received coronavirus vaccinations, which, he added, had simply introduced a dangerous virus into their bodies. Source: www.thecitizen.co.tz 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 SPRINGFIELD One of the states top public defenders is faulting Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Police Commissioner Cheryl C. Clapprood for using the bully pulpit to stoke fear. Randy Gioia, deputy chief counsel for the Committee for Public Counsel Services, reacted to comments made Wednesday by Sarno and Clapprood criticizing a Springfield District Court judges decision to release a firearms suspect from custody on the condition that he wear a GPS monitoring device. Sarno and Clapprood said the suspect, Alfonzo Dixon, 57, of Springfield, had already been ordered to wear a GPS device following his arraignment in December, but he cut it off, which led to his being arrested for a probation violation Jan. 19. Making a sweeping attack on the judiciary based on the reasoned decision of an impartial judge is both disingenuous and dangerous, Gioia said. Sarno and Clapprood each issued a statement on Wednesday criticizing the judge in the case, whom they did not name, for excessive leniency. This makes no sense, Clapprood said. This guy is laughing at the judge and our court system as he walks right back out on the streets and into our neighborhoods, Sarno said. The mayor and the police commissioner have repeatedly criticized judges for releasing people they characterize as violent, repeat offenders on low or even no bail pending trial. Court records show the presiding judge in Dixons case was Judge Michelle Ouimet-Rooke, a former Springfield lawyer appointed to the bench in 2016 by Gov. Charlie Baker. Court records also show that after Dixons arrest on Jan. 19, the district attorneys office filed a motion to revoke his release. Ouimet-Rooke denied the motion and ordered Dixon to be outfitted with a new GPS unit. He was held overnight, until he could receive the new unit on Jan. 20. Gioia said Ouimet-Rooke heard arguments from the defense attorney and the prosecutor, and then made a ruling based on the facts. That is how our system works, he said. At a time when the public needs good and truthful information about the criminal legal system and how it operates, it is frustrating to watch public officials use their bully pulpit to stoke fear through the media, he said. The citizens of Springfield, the judiciary and the constitutional presumption of innocence deserve better than this, he said. Related Content: Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the outcome of one of Dixons hearings. He was ordered to be outfitted with a new GPS unit on Jan. 19, and held until he could receive the unit the next day. By Syed Raza Hassan and Asif Shahzad KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan's government on Friday appealed to the Supreme Court to review its decision to free a British-born Islamist and three others convicted of beheading U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl, a day after the United States expressed "deep concerns" over the ruling. A panel of three judges of the court on Thursday acquitted Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh and three other Islamists, who had been convicted in 2002 on charges of kidnapping and murder of the Wall Street Journal reporter. The court ordered the men to be released forthwith if not required in any other case. The government in southern Sindh province filed a petition asking the top court to review its decision, the Pearl family's lawyer, Faisal Siddiqi, and a government prosecutor told Reuters. "We have filed three review petitions," prosecutor Faiz Shah said, explaining that the petitions would seek a reversal of the acquittal and the reinstatement of Sheikh's death penalty. "Being aggrieved of and dissatisfied with the judgment, the petitioner files an instant criminal review petition for leave to appeal on matters of law, facts and grounds," the petition said. The release orders would stand irrespective of the review petition, provincial law minister Murtaza Wahab told Reuters. "We haven't received the release orders yet," he said, adding that the Islamists were not likely to be freed over the weekend, as it usually takes some days for court orders to be sent to prison authorities. Pearl, 38, was investigating Islamist militants in Karachi after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States when he was kidnapped. A video of his beheading emerged weeks later. His parents expressed shock over the Supreme Court's decision, which U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called "an affront to terrorism victims everywhere, including in Pakistan". Washington was also prepared to prosecute Sheikh in the United States, Blinken said. (Writing and reporting by Asif Shahzad in Islamabad; Editing by John Stonestreet, Philippa Fletcher and Alex Richardson) PARIS President Emmanuel Macron of France said in an interview Friday that for Europe to be a credible partner to the United States it also had to be an autonomous partner with its own military and technological capacities, because cooperation cannot be dependence. Speaking to a dozen foreign correspondents, Mr. Macron said he had a long telephone discussion last Sunday with President Joseph R. Biden Jr. in which he explained his thinking on the future of NATO. Its not that we want to undo the existing alliances or partnerships, he said. But, he continued, Cooperating is choosing to work together for shared values and objectives. The day that cooperation becomes dependence, you have become somebodys vassal and you disappear. 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 USA Today reports that First Lady Jill Biden's first initiative is to "reunite children taken from their parents at the border under former President Donald Trump's roundly condemned family separation policy." There are plenty of tangents to go off on with respect to the role of the first lady, such as "Who elected her?" but what a first lady does is nonetheless part of our American culture. Mainly, the actions of the first lady appear symbolic to broader aspirations of the spouse's administration, with some exceptions. So the first lady's symbolic gestures are somewhat important. While it is an admirable goal to keep families together, the symbolic gesture of making this priority #1 is to be looked at. In explaining the first lady's priorities, Joe Biden has called the Trump family separation policy a "moral failing" and has vowed to form a task force to help reunite the more than 600 parents and children who remain separated. Further, Joe Biden claims that Trump has "waged an unrelenting assault on our values and our history as a nation of immigrants." What Biden's simplistic worldview of "Orange Man Bad" fails to account for is that we are a nation of laws as well as a nation of immigrants. When faced with the tough choice of how to handle families and minors attempting to enter the country without authorization, the Trump administration was bound by many hard realities and laws. Under the 1997 (Clinton-era) Flores Settlement, children cannot be detained for over 20 days. The options were to release an entire family unit into the interior of the United States or to place the children in a shelter (separate from the "parents"). For brevity concerns, not analyzed in this article is what role the U.S. should have in discouraging the notoriously dangerous journey for migrants seeking access to the United States. Is releasing families into the United States while they await trial a realistic possibility in line with enforcing our immigration laws? According to the Center for Immigration Studies, 43% of all aliens free pending trial failed to appear for court in 2017. Further, 46% of all unaccompanied children disappeared from U.S. immigration courts between 2013 and 2017, and 49% of unaccompanied children failed to appear in U.S. immigration courts in 2017. Given that close to half of the immigrants fail to appear, it would seem to the casual observer that this half of the immigrants are likely living within the United States illegally. If the nation had an on-your-honor system of paying taxes, and half of the taxes were not being collected, how quickly do you think the government would set up an agency to snag that other half of the money? Government agents would likely come up with elaborate tracking systems and assign every soul a number at birth and throw you in jail or fine you into poverty if you did not comply with the tax laws. Thankfully, Americans all voluntarily pay all of their taxes, and no such agency is needed. While hyperventilating about 545 children separated from family members, NPR breathlessly reported that "the parents of 545 children still can't be found." This led to the Department of Homeland Security issuing a statement: "after contact has been made with the parents to reunite them with their children, many parents have refused." The statement goes on to say, "[O]ut of the parents of 485 children whom Plaintiff's' counsel has been able to contact, they have yet to identify a single family that wants their child reunited with them in their country of origin." This translates to parents willingly being separated from their children in the hope that the children will get a spot in America, presumably against all current laws regulating immigration. Being that Jill Biden's goal is to reunify these children with the parents, it is presumable that she intends to reunite these families in the interior of the United States, as none of the parents desires to be reunited with his children in his country of origin. While these children are indeed humans, and minors, and in need of everyone's love and compassion, that does not negate that as a nation, we should have uniform laws about who is allowed to be within our country. In fact, we have a Congress who has sole authority under the Constitution to establish a uniform rule of naturalization. The Biden administration has a Democrat-controlled House and Senate. As such, what is stopping the Democrats from enacting a uniform rule of naturalization that allows them to achieve what they desire? Instead, we have an administration that would rather inject itself into the immigration process by having the first lady illegally reunite nonU.S. citizens with other nonU.S. citizens inside the United States as her first policy initiative. Instead of trying to achieve unity and do what is right by encouraging his party to pass immigration reform, the Biden administration is hell-bent on acting through executive directions, sowing discord, and blaming all immigration woes on directly on President Trump and the conservatives who supported him. While the task force is looking at only 600 reunifications, it is symbolically important to see that the first lady's first priority was to put Americans second with an end-run around the constitutional authority granted to her husband. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. January 29 : Kangana Ranaut has confirmed on her Twitter handle that she will play the role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in an upcoming political drama. The film will be backed by the actress production house and directed by Sai Kabir, with whom Kangana had worked in her film Revolver Rani. The news of the film and a picture of the actress in former Prime Minister India Gandhis getup is doing the rounds on social media. Reacting to it, the Panga actress tweeted, This is a photoshoot about iconic women I did in the beginning of my career, little did I know one day I will get to play the iconic leader on screen. This is a photoshoot about iconic women I did in the beginning of my career, little did I know one day I will get to play the iconic leader on screen. https://t.co/ankkaNevH2 Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) January 29, 2021 While the upcoming film is yet to be titled, Sai Kabir is currently working on the story and screenplay, and also did sessions with Kangana in Bhopal, where she is currently shooting for Dhaakad. Earlier in a statement, Kangana had said that the untitled film is not a biopic of late India Gandhi, but a period film that will help the young generation to understand the current socio-political scenario of India. The actress also revealed that several prominent actors will be roped in for the film, which will be launched on a grand scale. and will feature Emergency and Operation Blue Star. On the professional front, Kangana has three big films in her kitty. While she recently wrapped Thalaivi, the biopic of late actor-turned-politician Jayalalitha, she is currently shooting for Dhaakad in Bhopal. Kangana is also undergoing rigorous training for her upcoming patriotic drama, Tejas. Directed by Sarvesh Mewara, Kangana will play a defence pilot in the film. To look fit for the film, the actress lost a lot of weight as she will be seen in a chiseled form with toned muscles. A council whose fat cat executives were accused of jumping the Covid jabs queue admitted today they had no idea how many had been vaccinated because of medical records laws. Worcestershire County Councils chief executive Paul Robinson was among those getting the Pfizeer vaccine as an outbreak at a local care home killed 15 people. Assistant Director for Transformation and Commercial Jonathan Fitzgerald-Guy, 36, is also known to have got the treatment. He sources PPE and oversees testing for the area. They grabbed the opportunity after being told by the NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group there were spare Pfizer vaccine doses that needed to be used. Today the council insisted they had done nothing wrong but then admitted it had no idea how many staff had the jab due to medical records laws. Mr Robinson, who gets a 180,000 salary, was the most senior member of the council who got the vaccine. Mr Fitzgerald-Guy posted a message on Facebook showing his form to get the Covid jab Jonathan Fitzgerald-Guy and Worcestershire Council chief executive Paul Robinson got jabs But Mr Fitzgerald-Guy who is paid 80,000 a year - was so proud of getting the jab he even posted a snap of his consent form on his Facebook profile, despite admitting to a pal he was not in a vulnerable risk group. A source added to The Sun: How do they sleep at night? People are angry beyond belief. There are care homes, frontline healthcare staff and cops who are still waiting for their jabs, as well as some over-80s. It came just days after 15 residents at Perry Manor Care Home in Worcester were revealed to have died after testing positive for Covid-19. Currently 90 per cent of care homes in Worcestershire have been vaccinated. Elsewhere Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have not received the vaccine yet. The council said the Pfizer jab, pictured above, had to be used up in the next few hours Commenting on people having the treatment before other priority groups, Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith said: We dont want people to jump the queue because it will take jabs from people who need it most and cause chaos. Worcestershire County Council said Mr Fitzgerald-Guys current role meant he sourced PPE and made sure testing was working properly. A spokesperson insisted: This is not a case of queue jumping for the vaccination and this council doesnt condone any such behaviour. The vaccination programme for Worcestershire is run by the NHS and not by the County Council. 'The decision was taken by the Herefordshire & Worcestershire CCG in discussion with other NHS Partners to offer vaccinations, at short notice to avoid wastage, to system partners who are running essential services in response to the pandemic. 'We understand that other partner organisations in Worcestershire were also invited to ensure no vaccines were wasted, after the local Hospital Hub delivering the vaccines was unable to make use of all vaccines and because the Pfizer vaccine concerned would only remain useable for a few hours. 'The legislation around medical information means that the Council does not have access to records of which of these staff have taken up the offer. All agreed protocols have been followed throughout and in line with the JCVI priorities. The decision to offer vaccines to system partners was made by the NHS. We are aware of the sensitivity around this issue and the Council did double-check with the CCG that these offers could be made, and this was confirmed.' Photo: Lucas Jackson/REUTERS After the better part of a year was consumed by questions about the true number of nursing-home residents who died from COVID-19, there finally appears to be an answer. On Thursday, the states office of attorney general released a report finding that the Governor Andrew Cuomos Department of Health undercounted those who died in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. In response to the inquiry, according to the New York Times, the Health Department released new data that added more than 3,800 deaths to the record, bringing the total to 12,743. Those deaths were already counted in the states overall total of more than 45,000 fatalities. The report found that there were frequent inconsistencies between the number of deaths reported to the Health Department and the number reported to AG investigators. The state was not counting nursing home residents who died in hospitals. In the inquiry, Attorney General Letitia Jamess office asked 62 nursing homes for records related to onsite and in-hospital COVID deaths, then cross-referenced that data with official numbers provided by the Health Department. The deaths reported to Jamess office totaled 1,914, while the Health Departments count was 1,229. The investigation looked at around a tenth of the states total of nursing homes, suggesting that the current number of 8,711 nursing home deaths is closer to 13,000. Cuomo downplayed how the deaths were counted during a press conference Friday. Wherever they died, he said, They died. The governor, whose handling of nursing homes has complicated his self-appointed narrative of pandemic hero, said, I understand maybe the instinct to blame or to find some relief for the pain that youre feeling. But it is a tragedy, and its a tragedy that continues today. The governor drew sharp criticism earlier in the pandemic for his directive effectively requiring nursing homes to accept COVID patients from hospitals, potentially exposing vulnerable residents to the virus. The AG report also found widespread mismanagement by the homes in trying to control the virus due to a lack of staffing, equipment, and updated protocol, according to the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. James also announced that her office is investigating around 20 nursing homes that presented particular concern as well as some instances where the discrepancies cannot reasonably be accounted for by error, suggesting a possible cover-up by some facilities. As states rush to vaccinate nursing-home residents who represent between a third and a fourth of nationwide COVID deaths, public-health officials are running into roadblocks. States including Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, and Oklahoma have rerouted doses meant for long-term care facilities in order to speed up the overall vaccination. In Connecticut, D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia, many nursing-home workers have opted out of early vaccination rounds, according to the Washington Post. This is a forgotten workforce that hasnt been treated well for years, Harvard health professor David Grabowski told the Post. Weve been slow with [personal protective equipment], weve been slow with hazard pay, and all of a sudden now, they want to go fast with vaccinations . . . Theres good reason theyre so distrustful. State President Nguyen Minh Triet and US President George W. Bush hold talks at the White House as part of the formers visit to the US, June 22, 2007. The visit from June 18 to 23, 2007, the first made by a Vietnamese head of state since the war ended, took place at a time when bilateral relations have been fully normalised and made progress, meeting the two peoples interests and desires. (Photo: VNA) An increasingly competitive global market means the site is no longer viable" - GKN concerning its Birmingham plant closure plan British labour body, Unite, says proposals by GKN to shutter its plant in the UK Midlands city of Birmingham with the potential loss of 519 jobs, has left the workforce "shocked and angry." The union has also raised concerns surrounding the possible loss of skilled production from Britain at the site, which produces drivelines for GKN, but the supplier insists the factory is no longer viable in an increasingly competitive global market. "Unite is at the moment highly concerned highly skilled manufacturing jobs could be lost from the UK and transferred to factories in Europe," a Unite spokesman told just-auto. For his part, Unite national officer, Des Quinn, added: "The workforce have been left shocked and angry to learn management is looking to close this highly viable site. "Unite is now seeking urgent meetings with senior management at GKN to understand the business case and the logic behind this decision. "Unite is committed to working with GKN to find a feasible solution, which will keep the factory open and preserve the jobs of this highly skilled workforce." The labour organisation is now looking to talk to GKN management, although it was not immediately able to confirm to just-auto when those discussions might take place. GKN's Chester Road site is in the Erdington area of Birmingham and will come as a blow to the region, which has traditionally been at the heart of UK automotive manufacturing and many of its suppliers. "Proposing this closure is a difficult decision which has been made despite significant effort and investment over the past ten years to reduce the high operating costs at the Birmingham assembly site," said a GKN statement sent to just-auto. "Sadly, an increasingly competitive global market means the site is no longer viable. Supporting our people is our priority as we consult on our proposals." 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. 29 January 2021 Imperial X plc ("Imperial" or the "Company") Total Voting Rights In accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules, as at 29 January 2021, the Company's issued share capital consists of 73,285,149 Ordinary Shares of 0.1p, each with one voting right. The Company does not hold any Ordinary Shares in treasury. Therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 73,285,149. The above figure of 73,285,149 should be used by shareholders in the Company as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. The directors of the Company accept responsibility for this announcement. --ENDS-- For further information please contact: Imperial X Plc Kyler Hardy Tel: +1 250 877 1394 khardy@cronincapital.com Novum Securities Limited AQSE Corporate Adviser David Coffman / Lucy Bowden Tel: +44 (0)207 399 9400 We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. OTTAWA Premier Brian Pallister is upset the Trudeau government has still not signed off on funds it promised in June 2018 for his signature project: the Interlake flood outlets. OTTAWA Premier Brian Pallister is upset the Trudeau government has still not signed off on funds it promised in June 2018 for his signature project: the Interlake flood outlets. Ottawa says the province still doesnt have its ducks in a row over Indigenous consultation. "This is a project that needs to happen, and it needs to happen now," Pallister said at a Thursday news conference to draw attention to the issue. The premier said his meetings last September in Ottawa with federal ministers seemed to advance the file. He gave no reason why the federal government hasnt signed the $540-million funding agreement drawn up 31 months ago. "Theres much more willingness on the part of (Environment Canada) to sit down at the table with us and work through some of the issues, rather than simply stonewall us and cause more delays," Pallister said. Yet, federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna said there remains a sticking point. "Weve been clear with the government of Manitoba: we are interested in moving forward but there are certain conditions that are critically important. That includes consultations with Indigenous peoples," McKenna said, in response to questions from the Free Press. "We want to get good infrastructure built, including with Manitoba, but we need to do what is required to get there." Manitoba has produced reams of records of communications with different First Nations bands and Metis leaders. Yet, some of those bands say the calls and meetings dont amount to formal consultations, which require technical briefings and funding for area studies. Federal regulators have raised similar concerns, though Manitoba has criticized Ottawa for adding communities far downstream from the project to the consultation list. Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew said the premier has picked too many fights with Ottawa and Indigenous communities. "This is supposed to be one of the governments marquee projects, but Mr. Pallister just cant seem to get it done. Construction was supposed to start in September of last year. That hasnt happened," Kinew said. Pallister urged all Manitoba MPs, including the four Liberals, to push Ottawa to sign off on the funding. with files from Larry Kusch dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca New Delhi/Naypyitaw, Jan 29 : Just two months after Aung Sun Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) swept the general elections in Myanmar, the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia is facing the threat of a military coup. The military-backed opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in Myanmar has disputed the results of the general elections held on November 8 last year, in which the NLD secured way above the 322 seats required to form the government. It was the second general polls since 2011, when the military rule ended in the country. Earlier this week, the army had warned that it will take action if the complaints about "election fraud" were not addressed. It also hinted at the possibility of a coup. Sources on Friday told IANS that a military coup appeared to be a likely outcome given China's grip over the internal situation in the country. Myanmar's military junta, which ruled the country through the 90s and 2000s, has had the backing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). After a long struggle against the military regime for nearly two decades, Suu Kyi led Myanmar's transition to a partial democracy in the last five years. Suu Kyi, a former Nobel laureate, however, faced widespread criticism from the West when her government expelled around 700,000 Rohingya Muslims accused of perpetrating Islamist terrorism and propagating separatism. In a case filed by a group of Islamic countries at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, she has been accused of genocide of Rohingyas. However, her government, whose survival depends on the military, not only stood by the army, but also began engaging Beijing to secure investments. For China, Myanmar is of strategic importance due to its access to the Indian Ocean, the main route for China's oil imports from the Middle East. Beijing is keen on the development of overland routes for oil and gas pipelines via the Kyaukphyu special economic zone (SEZ) and deep-sea port, which will allow it to bypass the South China Sea where the US and Japan are challenging its sovereignty. While New Delhi has been interested in Myanmar's entry into Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) grouping against Beijing, China seems to have extended its backing to the military in Myanmar, amid the rapidly evolving situation in the region. India and China remain locked in a stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh since last year, while Washington-Beijing relations also deteriorated over their bilateral trade and later over the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in Wuhan city of Hubei province in China. On Friday, Australia, the sharpest critic of the Chinese government, along with other democracies including the UK and the US, warned Myanmar's military against staging a coup. A joint statement from the diplomatic missions in Myanmar, said, "We urge the military, and all other parties in the country, to adhere to democratic norms and we oppose any attempt to alter the outcome of the elections or impede Myanmar's democratic transition." United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also issued a statement, calling on "all actors to desist from any form of incitement or provocation, demonstrate leadership, and to adhere to democratic norms and respecting the outcome of the November 8 general election. All electoral disputes should be resolved through established legal mechanisms". 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. 7 day print subscribers enjoy unlimited access to yakimaherald.com Enter the LAST NAME and the 7 DIGIT phone number on your print subscription account to connect your print subscription to your yakimaherald.com account. LA MESA, CA Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, is a long drive from La Mesa, and that alone reduces the odds of jumping in the car and traveling there to see what the city's famous marmot predicts about the end of winter on Groundhog Day on Tuesday. According to the Groundhog Day legend, winter will hang on another six weeks if the rodent sees his shadow, and spring will be just around the corner if he doesn't. This unscientific ritual takes place every year in Punxsutawney, and it will again in 2021 but without the crush of thousands of reporters and visitors who flock to Gobbler's Knob, a small clearing at the top of a wooded hill a couple of miles outside of the western Pennsylvania town. The pandemic hasn't stolen this silly late-winter ritual, but it will move online because "the potential COVID risks to overcome are too great," according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club website. That means you can watch Punxsutawney Phil's prognostication from the comfort of your home here in La Mesa. The pampered groundhog will go outside with his "Inner Circle" to do his bit. In place of a crowd, Phil will be surrounded by cutouts of folks who would like to be there. Just snap a photo preferably wearing groundhog gear, according to the website and email it to director@ghogclub.com. You may be asking how what is seen by a groundhog in Pennsylvania has to do with the end of winter in our neck of the woods. Fair enough. Right now, the National Weather Service forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies in La Mesa on Groundhog Day. Enterprising Punxsutawney residents organized the first Groundhog Day celebration in 1887 around a tradition that early 19th century settlers brought to Pennsylvania from Germany. Clymer Freas, the editor of the The Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper, came up with the idea in 1886 and convinced the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, a group of businessmen and groundhog hunters, that it was a solid one. They traded groundhogs for hedgehogs, the marmot used in the German celebration, but the idea behind the observance remains unchanged: If the varmint sees its shadow, more winter is in sight; if not, spring is near. Story continues The earliest of Feb. 2 celebrations had nothing to do with groundhogs or hedgehogs. Today's lighthearted festivals around marmots borrow heavily from the ancient European Christian celebration known as Candlemas Day, "commemorating the occasion when the Virgin Mary, in obedience to Jewish law, went to the Temple in Jerusalem both to be purified 40 days after the birth of her son, Jesus, and to present him to God as her firstborn (Luke 2:2238)," according to Encyclopedia Britannica. According to tradition, religious leaders blessed candles used during the winter and passed them out on Feb. 2, the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. If the candles were distributed under clear, sunny skies, the remainder of winter would be a rough ride. But if the day was gray and cloudy, spring was on the way. Punxsutawney Phil was introduced at the inaugural U.S. Groundhog Day in 1887, and a groundhog has looked for its shadow every year under that name, sealing the "holiday" in our America's cultural heritage. A groundhog was pulled from the ground that first year and saw its shadow on Gobbler's Knob. The prediction was right for a few regions of Pennsylvania, but not the entire state. The groundhog has gotten it wrong as often as right in the last 10 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But give the varmint a break, NOAA says, noting on a webpage for all things Groundhog Day: "Predicting the arrival of spring for an entire country, especially one with such varied regional climates as the United States, isn't easy!" If you want a bit more accuracy, AccuWeather says the arrival of spring weather is expected late February to March in California. This article originally appeared on the La Mesa-Mount Helix Patch Schaap is imprisoned in Ashland, Kentucky, where he and more than 300 others contracted COVID-19 this fall, according to his letter, making him no longer afraid he would pass it onto his parents. With a release date scheduled for Feb. 2, 2023, he estimated he would have at least 18 months left in prison before going to a halfway house. President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday defended the Centres three agri laws, saying they had been paused by the Supreme Court and the government would respect the order. Addressing the joint session of Parliament, which was boycotted by the Opposition in solidarity with protesting farmers, Kovind said the government was trying to tackle misgivings over the laws. "My government wants to make it clear that before the formation of the three new agricultural laws, there was no reduction in the rights and facilities which were under the old system. Rather, through these agricultural reforms, the government has given new rights to farmers as well as new rights," he said. ALSO READ | Ram Nath Kovind on Vaccine Diplomacy, Farmers Protests, China: Highlights from President's Speech On the farm laws, he said they were passed after extensive deliberations and had "immediately benefited" 10 crore small farmers. The President also termed the January 26 violence in Delhi unfortunate, saying: "Farmers recently carried out a tractor rally. However, there was violence during the protests and there were incidents of insult to the national flag at Red Fort on Republic Day. This was very unfortunate. "If the Constitution gives us the right to freedom of expression, it also reaches us to take laws and rules seriously," he said. Thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally called by farmer unions to highlight their demand for repeal of the Centre's three farm laws. Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled by the prime minister on Independence Day. During the address, some opposition MPs, including Congress's Ravneet Singh Bittu, raised slogans like ''Jai Jawan Jai Kisan'' and demanded that the laws be cancelled. The President also touched upon other issues such as the tensions with China, Indias war against coronavirus and vaccine diplomacy. A Belfast man who beat cancer just three weeks ago has passed away from coronavirus, leaving his family distraught. Eugene Courtney (63) had completed treatment for prostate cancer diagnosed last April, receiving the good news on January 4 that it had been successful. But the family's joy turned to devastation just days later when he tested positive for Covid-19, and he tragically passed away on Monday. Daughter Nicola said: "My last message from my dad was a text saying: 'Love you lots, princess. I'm on a machine for three hours, I'll ring you later'. But he never got the chance." Mr Courtney moved from Belfast to Morecambe 22 years ago, where he worked as a taxi driver, but remained close to his family back home. Paying tribute to her "amazing" father, Sophie Courtney, another of his six children, said the past weeks had been a nightmare. She said: "Three weeks ago I was crying tears of happiness that my dad beat cancer, and three weeks later me and my family are crying because we lost him to Covid. "The last 19 days have been the worst for us. To not be able to be with him when he was all alone in hospital, to have to listen to his voice through an oxygen mask as he struggled to breathe, to have to say goodbye and have our last conversation over a FaceTime call, has been horrendous. Expand Close Eugene Courtney with daughter Sophie / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Eugene Courtney with daughter Sophie "Dad's Covid journey is just one out of millions across the world, but for each statistic there is a story of broken hearts and traumatised family and friends. "My dad truly was one of a kind. He spent half of his life in Northern Ireland and half of it in England, and in both places he really impacted people's lives. "He really loved people, he loved listening to their stories and their journeys in life, and loved making others happy. "He had this ability to make you feel like the most important person in the world when he spoke to you. If you had a problem, no matter how big or small, he wanted to listen. If you were sad, he was sad with you. If you were happy, he was the happiest for you. He just had this infectious energy which made everybody gravitate towards him." Mr Courtney's funeral will take place in Morecambe on February 11, although his relatives in Belfast likely cannot attend. Nicola said this is exacerbating their loss and grief. She said: "My daddy left Belfast 22 years ago but he never missed an opportunity to come back. And, according to his wishes, half of his ashes will be brought back to Belfast. "But right now we don't know if we will be able to even attend his funeral. My two brothers and my dad's own brothers are just devastated. This whole thing has been unimaginable, made worse by us not being able to be close to him. But we cannot thank the hospital staff enough for the way they kept in contact with us. "The day daddy told us he was cancer-free was such a good day and we had planned to have a big family celebration 'as soon as this coronavirus s*** ends', as he put it himself, but just days later he tested positive. "My daddy wasn't afraid to die, but Covid took him so fast and was so cruel. "He understood he was going to be put into an induced coma and put on a ventilator, and I know he tried to fight Covid, but he just couldn't do it." Amsterdam's zoo Artis, one of the oldest animal parks in Europe, said on Thursday it will stop keeping lions because it can't afford them due to the financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. "This was a difficult decision because the lions are part of Artis's identity," director Rembrandt Sutorius said in a statement. Park attendance was down by 50% in 2020 and it is currently closed to the public entirely, with fixed costs of 60,000 euros per day and an accumulated budget shortfall of 20 million euros, Sutorius said in a statement. Artis's two lionesses and one lion will now travel as a group in mid-February to a zoo in France where they will have more space than they had enjoyed in Amsterdam. The park said there was no chance the same lions would return after the pandemic ends, but it did not absolutely rule out the return of lions to the zoo in the future. The concrete lion enclosure at Artis, considered cutting-edge when it was built in 1927 because it relied on a moat and wall, rather than bars, to keep the animals contained, had been scheduled for a 4 million euro rebuild before the virus crisis began last year. Artis has kept lions since 1839, a year after it first opened to the public. (@FahadShabbir) ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jan, 2021 ) :Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Friday held a telephone conversation with newly appointed US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and discussed bilateral ties, Afghan peace and Daniel Pearl case. The foreign minister congratulated Secretary Blinken on assuming his office and underscored Pakistan's commitment to forge a comprehensive partnership with the United States based on convergence of interests on a whole range of issues. Antony J. Blinken was sworn in as the 71st US Secretary of State on January 26, 2021. Highlighting the transformation in Pakistan, the foreign minister stressed that the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan had a new vision that placed premium on forging economic partnership, building a peaceful neighborhood, and enhancing regional connectivity. Foreign Minister Qureshi told Secretary Blinken that peace in Afghanistan through a negotiated political settlement was one of the fundamental convergences between the two countries. He said it was essential to have reduction in violence leading to ceasefire and to work towards securing an inclusive political solution in Afghanistan. Pakistan had facilitated the Afghan peace process and remained committed to working with the United States as a partner for peace, he added. The foreign minister also highlighted Pakistan's resolute measures as well as immense sacrifices in the fight against terrorism. Secretary Blinken recalled USPakistan cooperation over the years and noted that the two countries had a range of areas to engage on. He acknowledged the sacrifices of the people of Pakistan in the fight against terrorism. In the context of recent developments in the Daniel Pearl case, the foreign minister underscored that it was important and in the mutual interest that justice was served through legal means. The foreign minister highlighted the steps being taken in this regard. Foreign Minister Qureshi and Secretary Blinken agreed to remain engaged and work together on advancing the two countries' bilateral agenda and promoting common interests in the region and beyond. New Delhi, Jan 29 : Intelligence Bureau chief Arvind Kumar and Delhi Police Commissioner S.N. Srivastava have briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the 'low-intensity blast' that took place in the heart of the national capital on Friday. "The investigation into the blast is being monitored. Nothing can be ruled about as of now," said a senior IB official. A low intensity explosion occurred near the Israel Embassy in the national capital on Friday. As per sources, the explosion took place on APJ Abdul Kalam Road in the heart of the city. A senior IPS officer said, "We received a call at the Police Control Room about a bomb blast." Fire brigade, SWAT and forensic teams rushed to the spot soon after the incident took place at around 5.05 pm. Senior IPS officers from Delhi Police's anti-terror units and officials from the National Investigation Agency have also reached the spot. "We are looking into the matter. Multiple police teams have been rushed to the spot. It is yet to be ascertained the kind of material that exploded," an officer said. As per fire department information, they received the call at 5.11 pm, and three fire tenders were pressed into service. The window panes of the vehicles parked in the nearby area have been damaged. The police are looking at the CCTV footages from the locality. "So far nobody has been injured in the incident," the officer said. The blast took place even as there was heightened security in the area owing to the Beating Retreat ceremony, which culminates the four-day-long Republic Day celebrations at Vijay Chowk. On February 13, 2012, a terror attack occured in Delhi when a sticky bomb was placed on the car of Tal Yehoshua Koren, the wife of the Israeli diplomat, in which she had received injuries. Delhi Police had then arrested journalist Syed Mohammad Ahmad Kazmi for aiding bike-borne bombers who are yet to be caught. 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 agency has warned drivers of icy roads, possible interruption of intercity traffic, and blackouts in the affected settlements. Heavy snowfalls are set to hit some regions of Ukraine on January 29. The State Emergency Service warns that during the day on January 29 in some regions of Ukraine further deterioration in weather conditions and heavy snowfalls are expected, including snowstorms in Odesa and Mykolaiv regions (hazard level red), as well as heavy wet snow in Kirovohrad region (hazard level orange). Wet snow is also expected in Cherkasy, Poltava, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions up to 10-15 cm. Read alsoEmergency level red: Snowstorms cover most of UkraineThe agency has warned drivers about icy roads, possible interruption of intercity traffic, and blackouts in the affected settlements. Blackouts amid snowstorms Some 273 towns and villages in Ukraine have reported power cuts after the safety system was activated amid the bad weather, namely wind gusts and blizzards. As of 18:00 on January 28, electricity supplies were disrupted in 153 towns and villages in Odesa region, 63 in Mykolaiv region, 53 in Kirovohrad region, and four in Kyiv region. Regional energy distribution companies deployed their repair teams to eliminate the aftermath of blackouts. Reporting by UNIAN photo: Wes Taylor Jenn Bane and Trin Garritano are the coauthors of Friendshipping: The Art of Finding Friends, Being Friends, and Keeping Friends (Workman), and the cohosts of the Friendshipping podcast, a feel-good advice show about making friends. Bane is a writer, editor and producer who has received three Shorty Awards and a Clio Award for her work in comedy writing and production. Garritano is a writer and game developer. Most recently, she contributed to Asmadi Games' tabletop roleplaying game 1001 Odysseys and the Victorian dating simulator Max Gentlemen: Sexy Business. On your nightstand now: Jenn Bane: I just finished Luster by Raven Leilani in two sittings. It's so addicting and so uncomfortable. I can't wait to see what the author does next. I also just picked up All Adults Here by Emma Straub. Contemporary fiction is my favorite genre and I have no doubt I'll love this book. Trin Garritano: I've been slowly nibbling at Written in Stone: Evolution, the Fossil Record, and Our Place in Nature over the past while. For whatever reason, knowing that we're living in just a teeny-tiny slice of Earth's vast history quells my existential dread (temporarily). Favorite book when you were a child: Bane: I loved Goodnight Moon because my mom read it to me and that meant I got to delay bedtime. Also, it was the first time I ever noticed that words and art could evoke "loneliness." I wasn't a particularly lonely kid, but the book made me feel that way when I read it. That really got me thinking. Garritano: Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time series knocked my socks off when I was 10. Experiencing science fiction that is empathetic, optimistic and deeply spiritual was absolutely brain-changing for me. Also, there's a girl in it, which blew my mind. Your top five authors: Bane: Curtis Sittenfeld, Roxane Gay, David Sedaris, Maya Angelou, Jane Austen, Joan Didion, Laura Lippman, Tana French and I know I'm over five here but I can't help it. Garritano: Ray Bradbury, Bill Bryson, Madeleine L'Engle, Garth Nix and David Sedaris, I think? I am basing this entirely on the number of books per author on my shelf. Book you've faked reading: Bane: Tess of the d'Urbervilles in English class sophomore year of high school. I just couldn't do it, I still can't and I never will. Garritano: Moby-Dick. I've been assigned to read it three separate times in school and I've gotten away with completely ignoring it every single time. In a way, I am Moby-Dick's white whale. I will never read it. I will never be captured and turned into perfume. Book you're an evangelist for: Bane: The Secret History by Donna Tartt. The tension! The quiet chaotic group dynamics! How it all unravels! I'm just forever searching for another book like this one. Garritano: How Not to Kill Your Houseplant by Veronica Peerless is a great resource for anyone who keeps plants in their home. It's clear and concise, and it gives a solid overview of care for 119 different houseplants. Book you've bought for the cover: Bane: I enjoyed Mary Shelley's Frankenstein when I read it, but I specifically bought a copy when I saw it with the blue cloth cover with anatomical hearts all over it. So morbid. Garritano: I grew up on webcomics, but Fables by Bill Willingham was the first printed comic I ever got into. Mark Buckingham drew me in with the cover of issue 67, The Good Prince. There's something about a person with a sword in their hands facing impossible odds that speaks to me. Book you hid from your parents: Bane: I didn't need to hide books from my parents, actually. I did hide video games. I secretly played my older brother's violent fantasy games on the computer and they did not love that. Garritano: Please see my next answer. Book that changed your life: Bane: Probably To Kill a Mockingbird, which is the cliche but truthful answer. Thank goodness for that book. Garritano: My eighth grade English teacher once loaned me a copy of Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, and I stayed up all night reading it so I could hide it from my parents. In retrospect, I don't think they would have cared. But it was so dark and so different than anything I'd ever read, it felt like contraband. Anyway, it melted my brain and turned me into the weird nerd I am today. Thanks, Mrs. C. Favorite line from a book: Bane: From Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass: "This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown, or to any man or number of men--go freely with powerful uneducated persons, and with the young, and with the mothers of families--re-examine all you have been told in school or church or in any book, and dismiss whatever insults your own soul." I used this in my wedding vows. Great advice in 1855, great advice now. Garritano: From Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth: "Whatever we learn has a purpose and whatever we do affects everything and everyone else, if even in the tiniest way. Whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer." This has been my guiding light for decades. Learn everything, love everyone and tread gently on the world. Five books you'll never part with: Bane: Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld (which is completely worn down and torn up from being reread so many times), A Separate Peace by John Knowles and Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. "All children, except one, grow up." That has to be of the best opening lines ever. Garritano: Code Name "Mary": Memoirs of an American Woman in the Austrian Underground by Muriel Gardiner, The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, A Testament of Revolution by Bela Liptak, National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Fossils, and Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. I like to think Jenn is the Neil Gaiman of our partnership (tight, solid writing with a dry wit), and I am the Terry Pratchett (ridiculous human being, the wettest possible wit). Book you most want to read again for the first time: Bane: The Giver by Lois Lowry. The moment when you realize as the reader that Jonas is seeing color for the very first time--I want to experience that again. Garritano: Goodbye, Chunky Rice by Craig Thompson spoke directly to the loneliness and misery of my early 20s. I finished it lying on the floor, weeping. I'm not exactly interested in an hours-long crying session again, but it meant so much to feel understood. Hungary is looking at buying coronavirus vaccines from China amid the EU's slow and shambolic jabs roll-out, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said. Orban said he could put pen to paper on a deal for Sinopharm jabs as early as Saturday, having already inked a contract for 1million of Russia's Sputnik V jabs. Hungary would be the first European Union country to accept a Chinese vaccine, if it is approved by Hungarian authorities. Viktor Orban has said Hungary could put pen to paper on a deal to buy Chinese Sinopharm jabs as early as Saturday, amid the EU's slow and shambolic vaccine roll-out Orban said he is closely watching a roll-out of the Sinopharm vaccine in neighbouring Serbia (pictured), and is ready to buy 1million doses of the jab if it goes well The EU has been left red-faced over its vaccine programme which is one of the slowest in the world, lagging far behind the recently-departed UK. One German newspaper even went so far as to brand it 'an advert for Brexit' this week. Hungary signing a Chinese contract would be a major PR coup for Beijing. Orban, who is no ally of Brussels, announced the possibility of a deal with China on state radio on Friday, after the jabs started rolling out in neihgbouring Serbia. This month, Serbia received one million doses of Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine, becoming the first European country to start a mass inoculation programme with it. Hungary, which last week became the first EU member to buy Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, has also been in talks to buy the Sinopharm drug. It said the first shipment could comprise up to one million doses. Orban said on Friday that the deal could be signed imminently, and he would choose the Chinese vaccine as he trusted it the most. The EU has been left red-faced after its jabs programme was hit by delays and red-tape while the recently-departed UK's programme surged ahead (pictured) He said if Hungary could get hold of the Chinese vaccine, it could inoculate around 1.7 million people by March. It has so-far vaccinated just 162,000. Lashing out at EU leaders earlier this week, Orban told them that 'we don't want an explanation, we want a vaccine.' Orban's government is under pressure to reopen the economy as soon as possible after last year's pandemic-driven crash led to its worst recession since the global financial crisis. Hungary holds a national election next year. On Thursday the government published a decree, accelerating the approval process for vaccines, saying emergency use approval would be given to any shot already administered to at least a million people. The Hungarian drug regulator has not yet approved Sinopharm's vaccine. BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday reiterated firm opposition to the practice of politicizing COVID-19, and expressed the willingness to promote global response to the pandemic with the international community including the United States. U.S. President Joe Biden said in an executive order the federal government must recognize the actions of its political leaders, including references to the COVID-19 pandemic by the geographic location of its origin, have fuelled xenophobic sentiments against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. He called on the federal government to condemn and combat racism and hate crimes against these people. When asked to comment, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a daily press briefing, "China's stance concerning the COVID-19 pandemic is consistent and clear." Calling the novel coronavirus the common enemy of mankind, Zhao said the World Health Organization and the international community clearly oppose the practice of associating the virus with any specific country or region. The tracing of the virus must be conducted in a prudent way, which must involve investigations and studies worldwide by scientists, Zhao said. "China is firmly opposed to the wrongdoing of tagging the virus and politicizing the pandemic." The Chinese side hopes the United States can bring the spreading pandemic under control at an early date, Zhao said, adding China is ready to work with the international community including the United States to promote international cooperation on pandemic response. 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 While several opposition parties including the Congress, TMC, NCP and Shiv Sena, boycotted the President's joint address, Kovind also highlighted the need to for a joint session of the Parliament. New Delhi : As the Budget Session 2021 commenced on Friday, President Ram Nath Kovind, while addressing both houses of the Parliament, spoke on a range of issues from the Republic Day afters protests to the steps the government has taken to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic. President Kovind highlighted how the country had come together over the last year to overcome several adversities, including the Covid-19 pandemic, floods, earthquakes, major cyclones, locust attacks and bird flu. Addressing members of both Houses of Parliament, he said India witnessed an unparalleled courage, endurance and discipline of our countrymen. Calling the incidents from Republic Day unfortunate, he spoke about lessons on law and order from the Constitution. "The insult of the holy day like the tricolor and the Republic Day happened in the past is very unfortunate. The Constitution that gives us the right to freedom of expression, the same constitution teaches us that law and rule should be followed equally seriously," he said. The President said that the three farm laws, that have seen massive protests by farmers since they were passed, had been passed after much deliberation and that there had been no reduction in rights and facilities of farmers. "My government wants to make it clear that before the formation of the three new agricultural laws, there was no reduction in the rights and facilities which were under the old system. Rather, through these agricultural reforms, the government has given new rights to farmers as well as new rights," he said. While India has been lauded by many for its vaccine diplomacy, the latest accolades came from the President himself. He said, "It is a matter of pride that India is running the biggest vaccination program in the world. Both vaccines of this program are made in India. In this crisis India shouldered its responsibility towards mankind & provided lakhs of doses of vaccines to several nations." India had gone into three months of lockdown since March and experts had said it helped reduced the number of cases in the country. President Kovind said, "I am satisfied that the timely decision taken by my Government saved the lives of lakhs of citizens. Today the number of new COVID cases is going down rapidly. The number of recoveries is very high." Saying the government was fully committed to the interests of the country, President Kovind said, "In June 2020, 20 of our soldiers made their supreme sacrifice in the Galvan Valley to protect the motherland. Every countryman is grateful to these martyrs... My govt is fully committed to protecting the interests of the country and is also vigilant. Additional forces have also been deployed to protect India's sovereignty over the LAC." Ahead of the Budget during a time when India's economy suffered greatly because of the pandemic, Kovind said, " In this period of Corona, the country has started recovering from the damage done to the economy amid efforts to save the life of every Indian. Even in these difficult times, India has emerged as an attractive place for the investors of the world." Over a year after the abrogations of Article 370 in Jammua and Kashmir, the President said that the people had supported the government's policy of development. He said, "Only a few weeks ago, for the first time since independence, the Zilla Parishad elections in Jammu and Kashmir have concluded successfully." Kolkata, Jan 29 : Hours before Union home minister Amit Shah's two-day visit to Kolkata, Trinamool Congress legislator Rajib Banerjee on Friday resigned from the West Bengal legislative Assembly. Earlier, Banerjee had resigned as state forest minister on January 22. Banerjee was an MLA from Howrah Domjur Assembly constituency. He met Speaker Biman Banerjee in the Assembly and tendered his resignation. "It is with my sincere gratitude that I am resigning as member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Serving for the people of West Bengal has been my life's greatest achievement, I am gratified for what has been accomplished during nearly 10 years of my term," Banerjee wrote on his social media page. Wishing everyone and his Legislative Assembly colleagues the best in the future, he said: "I deeply appreciate the confidence you have placed in me. I also thank the people of Domjur constituency for believing in me and I promise to stay beside you all and work for your and Bengal's betterment in the future to come." Speculation is rife that Banerjee might join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during Amit Shah's rally at Dumurjala stadium ground on January 31. Another Trinamool Congress MLA, Vaishali Dalmiya, who had been suspended from the party, is also likely to join the BJP in Shah's presence, sources said. New Delhi: India-Pakistan's partition has been one of the most sensitive issues of the country and filmmaker Gurinder Chadha's upcoming release 'Partition: 1947' deals with the final pre-Independence days. Chadha took it to micro-blogging site Twitter to share the trailer of her movie which revolves around the life of the life of Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India. Starring Huma Qureshi, late actress Om Puri and Manish Dayal in key roles, the movie gives us the glimpse of the scenario during India's partition and the entire conspiracy behind it. The trailer traces the politics and bloodshed involved in the partition. Interestingly, this Gurinder Chadha directorial was titled as 'Viceroy's House' during its release in UK, however, the title has been changed to 'Partition: 1947' for its India release. The movie is slated to release on August 18, few days after India will celebrate its 70th Independence day. Here's the trailer of 'Partition: 1947' 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 Australian Financial Review said Vietnam has become an essential cog in the global supply chains (Photo: VNA) Singapore The Straits Times of Singapore on January 28 ran an article that views 2021 as a year of opportunity for Vietnam while the Australian Financial Review (AFR) said Vietnam has become an essential cog in the global supply chains. The Straits Times wrote that the ongoing 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam is to pick new leaders and chart its next course with a strong tailwind from its recent successes. It said in his opening speech of the congress on January 26, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong hailed the country's economic development and its containment of the COVID-19 pandemic as twin major achievements. Southeast Asia's rising star does have bragging rights, the paper noted. This year can be Vietnam's breakout moment after having controlled the COVID-19 pandemic ahead of economies in the region. It can steal a march on the others, as it is probably already doing, taking up the slack as factories in the region stay shuttered while demand for tech, medical and other products surge. The new leaders it selects and the new course it sets will determine how well it does this and what role it can carve for itself in the region, according to The Straits Times. In addition, the newspaper added, it is also mindful of the domestic challenges and external uncertainties that could thwart its ambition to become an upper-middle-income country by 2025 and an industrialised economy by 2030. The article cited Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as admitting that there are shortcomings, including an economy that is not yet highly resilient. While Vietnam has privatised many state-owned firms, which make up nearly a third of economic output, are low in efficiency and account for many bad loans. The economy remains dominated by low-end assembly work rather than high-end manufacturing. The outdated higher education system also cannot turn out enough highly skilled workers. In its article on the 13th National Party Congress, the AFR said domestic tourism and everyday life are largely back to normal. It noted Vietnams leaders are focused on attracting more foreign investment as the country has become an essential cog in the global supply chains. Low labour costs and negligible barriers to entry that initially attracted multinationals such as Unilever and Pepsico in the 1990s and early 2000s remain a drawcard. More recently, electronic giants such as Apple-supplier Foxconn have become keen for opening manufacturing establishments here. The article added that the World Bank describes Vietnam as one of the most dynamic emerging countries in East Asia. The AFR also quoted Francis Wong, senior adviser to the Australia-Vietnam Business Council, as saying that one of the keys to successful economic policies for Vietnam is stable and predictable succession in the government thats driving the push towards an open economy, and that this creates confidence for investors both within the country and foreigners. Conservationist Finds Message in a Bottle on Beach From 2,500 Miles Away, Meets Sender This story was last updated in January 2021. While clearing trash from a beach, a conservationist working on the remote Conflict Islands of Papua New Guinea made an amazing discovery. He discovered a sealed glass bottle half buried in the sand, filled with grains of rice, seashells and a handwritten message. The finder, Steve Amos, who has worked in Hawksbill sea turtle conservation and plastic collection for four years, uncurled the note. It read, I suppose if you are reading this, it means that this bottle has survived its long journey and managed to safely land in your hands. It turns out, almost two years earlier, an American teen, named Niki, had thrown the bottle overboard while crossing the equator on a sailboat, hoping it would reach someone, somewhere. (L) Courtesy of Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative, (R) Courtesy of Niki Niki added that she hoped to find out where, and with whom, the bottle ended up. The Epoch Times contacted Niki and learned from her how that message-in-a-bottles journey began. On Jan. 8, 2019, my family, our crew member, and I were on a 10-day transit from the country of Vanuatu to the Marshall Islands, Niki, now 19, shared via email. The team was returning from a six-year mission providing safe maritime transportation with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Myself and our crew member each threw a message in a bottle overboard as a way to leave a memory bobbing around in the Pacific, Niki explained. Hers eventually washed up on Panasesa Island, some 2,500 miles from its original location. With help from his colleagues at Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative (CICI), Amos even managed to locate the letter writer. We are calling on the power of the almighty social media to track down the sender of our #messageinabottle! CICI wrote on Facebook on Dec. 2, 2020. Someone who knew Niki saw the post and sent her an email. I was actually just sitting on my couch working on homework for college, Niki told ABC. I was shocked, I ran upstairs, I immediately started telling my parents. Niki took to Facebook and hailed the reemergence of her letter as incredibly amazing. Amos told The Guardian that he was too excited to sleep before meeting Niki on a Zoom call, organized by ABC. After swapping stories, Amos invited his new friend to visit the Conflict Islands when travel restrictions owing to the pandemic subside. (Courtesy of Niki) Niki and her family had worked together in Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, the Solomon Islands, Torres Strait Australia, and Vanuatu. We have witnessed first-hand through the years that the need for safe maritime transportation is still vast, she told The Epoch Times. Back in the United States, Niki is attending college while her older brother joined the U.S. Coast Guard. With a new motorized twin-hulled aluminum catamaran, Nikis parents plan to go back and continue the work that God has called us to do. Meanwhile, the Conflict Islands are a prime nesting ground for turtles. Plastic collection, says Amos, is vital if vulnerable turtles are to be encouraged to the shores to lay their eggs. We ensure turtles are relocated during nesting season from outer islands to where its safer, and release them later, he told The Guardian. CICI marine biologist and zoologist Hayley Versace revealed that 900 female nesting sea turtles have been tagged since 2017. Yet, only 3 have returned to the Conflict Islands. (Courtesy of Niki) The turtles actually go back to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia to feed and forage, and only use the islands as a nesting ground, she said. Niki even hopes that her family can partner with CICI, possibly affording the chance to meet Amos in person, to assist with their conservation work in the future. 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 here: TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday [Jan. 25] urged businesses to lead the way to a fair and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic while tackling the climate crisis, adding the world had reached a moment of truth. Addressing a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum a gathering usually held in the Swiss ski resort Davos Guterres spoke of global fragilities in climate, geopolitical divides, cyberspace and disarmament with growing risks of nuclear and chemical proliferation. Related: Climate Change Poses Much Greater Existential Risk for the World Than COVID-19 We have reached a moment of truth. In 2021 we must address these fragilities and put the world on track, Guterres said. We count on businesses to play an important role by themselves and to put pressure on governments to do the right thing, he said. We need you more than ever to help us change course, end fragility, avert climate catastrophe and build the equitable and sustainable future we want and we need. Guterres reiterated his concerns about a great fracture with the United States and China split by different dominant currencies, trade and financial rules, internet, and geopolitical and military strategies. We must do everything possible to avert such a division, he said. Guterres said the fastest way to reopen the global economy was equitable distribution of coronavirus vaccines, warning that if developed countries think they will be safe if they vaccinate their own people while neglecting the developing world, they are wrong. He again called for debt relief for all countries that need it, so that no one is forced to choose between providing basic services for their people or servicing their debts. Guterres said a central objective for 2021 is building a global coalition for carbon neutrality. We must end perverse subsidies for fossil fuels We must put a price on carbon, he said. We must commit to no new coal-fired power plants and massively invest in renewable energy We need to flick the green switch.' (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Howard Goller) Topics COVID-19 New Delhi, Jan 29 : The farmers' protest on Delhi borders for over two months echoed in Parliament on Friday as Congress MP Ravneet Bittu raised slogans in their favour during President Ram Nath Kovind address. Bittu earlier arrived in the Central Hall and took a seat. During the President's address to the members of both the Houses, he first shot videos on his mobile phone and then stood up to assert that "what is happening with farmers is not good". The Lok Sabha MP from Ludhiana in Punjab spoke about the government's policies related to farmers, mentioning the three new farm laws enacted in September 2020. He then appealed to the Union government to repeal the three laws, one of the main demands of the protesters. After speaking for some time, Bittu twice raised the slogan 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan'. Before moving out of the Central Hall, he again shouted 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan'. Along with the Congress, 17 opposition parties had announced boycott of Kovind's address during Parliament's Budget Session to express solidarity with farmers, who have been protesting on the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and other places since November 26 in support of their demands. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that no seat was allotted in Bittu's name. "He entered the Central Hall by saying that his party MPs have reserved seats for the event," Joshi alleged. In his address, the President described the Republic Day violence in Delhi during the 'tractor rally' by the farmers as "very unfortunate" and said: "The recent acts of dishonouring the national flag and showing disrespect on the Republic Day are unfortunate. While the Constitution gives us the right to freedom of expression it is also expected that we abide by laws and rules with equal sincerity." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif described the policy of Donald Trump's administration on Iran as "maximum failure," noting the United States blocked Iranians' access to food and medicine through sanctions, official news agency IRNA reported. Zarif made the remarks on social media on Thursday after new US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Iran to "come back into full compliance" with the 2015 nuclear deal before Washington does "the same thing", Xinhua news agency reported. It is Washington that violated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and punished by economic sanctions other countries that adhered to the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, he said, referring to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal. Terming Donald Trump's policy a "sordid mess," Zarif said Iran "abided by the JCPOA" and "only took foreseen remedial measures." "Now, who should take the first step (to come back into compliance with JCPOA)?" asked the Iranian top diplomat. On Wednesday, Blinken reaffirmed the Biden administration's declared policy that Washington would rejoin the 2015 agreement on Iran's nuclear program if Tehran came back into full compliance. Earlier in the day, Iranian parliament's speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf visited the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant where Iran is enriching uranium at the 20-percent level as part of its Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions (SAPCS), a parliamentary decision approved last month. Qalibaf noted on the sidelines of his visit that Iran is "ahead of schedule" in its enrichment program, since 17 kg of 20-percent enriched uranium has been produced since January 4, while SAPCS requires 120 kg a year to be enriched. --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.) Starlings move to Villa Celimontana after New Year fireworks. Rome's central Villa Celimontana park has been closed due to fallen branches and the arrival en masse of starlings. The birds have moved in to roost in the park's trees some of whose branches have broken under the weight of the starlings, as they gather at sunset, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. It is believed that the birds moved to Villa Celimontana from the area around Termini station after illegal explosive fireworks on New Year's Eve resulted in the deaths of hundreds of starlings on Via Cavour. Startled by the noise of the explosions, the disorientated birds flew into walls and electric wires, their bodies left scattered lifeless on the street in what animal rights groups described as a "massacre." In addition to removing broken and dangerous branches, the city will have to clear up the foul-smelling, slippery guano left by the starlings as well as attempt to move the birds away from the park, reports Italian newspaper La Repubblica. It is not known when Villa Celimontana will reopen to the public. Photo Corriere della Sera EDITORS NOTE: NJ Cannabis Insider is hosting a two-day business and networking conference March 9-10, featuring some of the states most prominent industry leaders. Early-bird registration is open. Tickets are limited. After weeks of fruitless negotiations on penalties for underage marijuana use and with a deadline to sign two marijuana reform bills looming, Gov. Phil Murphy and lawmakers inched closer to a compromise Thursday. Talks resulted in a new cleanup bill to address the issue and discussions are continuing, according to two sources with knowledge of the negotiations. But they are far from becoming a done deal. Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly, D-Passaic, plans to introduce the bill dealing with underage penalties Friday to be heard in a Community Development and Affairs Committee hearing at 2:30 p.m. If the Legislature passed such a measure, Murphy could sign it and the two other bills legalizing (S21) and decriminalizing (S2535) marijuana into law together. Productive talks took place today, according to a legislative source who was not authorized to speak publicly about the new bill. This was a result of that. The bill is not yet available to the public, and it was not clear Thursday evening what provisions it contains. Wimberly did not immediately return a call seeking comment on the bill. A note on the legislative website says the bill revises consequences for underage possession or consumption of various forms of cannabis included in legislation passed by both Houses of Legislature. Murphy has remained optimistic about making a deal with state lawmakers on penalties for underage marijuana use, even as legislators have repeatedly called for him to sign the legalization and decriminalization bills they passed last month. But if he doesnt get the lawmakers to agree to address the issues on their own by Friday, he may issue a conditional veto. Sen. Nick Scutari, D-Union, who sponsored the legalization bill, said earlier this week he thought it would be difficult to get a majority of senators to concur with a conditional veto. On Thursday evening, Scutari said he may introduce a matching cleanup bill Friday if theres agreement among other lawmakers. He said the measure is somewhat similar to the past cleanup bill in that it would focus on civil rather than criminal penalties for at least a first offense, but did not provide further details about the plan. While hopeful the agreement could move his landmark bill forward, Scutari said it was not a done deal. The deadline for Murphy to act on the bills is Feb. 8. Many expected the governor to sign the the two bills into law by the end of 2020. But days before Jan. 1, he said he would not sign either until lawmakers made changes to establish uniform civil penalties for those under 21 who use marijuana. The current bills have a discrepancy: The legalization bill makes possession by those under 21 a disorderly persons offense, similar to alcohol. But the decriminalization bill makes possession of up to six ounces of marijuana legal for everyone, no matter their age. Instead of issuing a veto in late December, Murphy sent suggestions back to lawmakers who then developed a first cleanup bill. It sought to establish fines for those 18 to 20 caught with marijuana and warnings for juveniles. It seemed the compromise would finally push the measure over the finish line. But it fell apart days later when Black lawmakers unified to oppose the changes, saying they would lead to police targeting Black and brown teens at higher rates than white youth. While the legalization bill passed the Legislature by smaller margins, both chambers passed the decriminalization bill with veto-proof majorities. Senate Democrats sent a letter to Murphy Wednesday afternoon calling on him to sign decriminalization bill into law as negotiations continue on legalization. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Amanda Hoover may be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Ambassador W. Patrick Murphy (2nd from L) speaks with CNRP President Kem Sokha (2nd from R) at his home in Phnom Penh, Jan. 28, 2021. Cambodia should expedite the trial of Kem Sokha and restore his political rights ahead of upcoming elections, the top U.S. diplomat in the country said Thursday following a meeting with the opposition party chief facing charges of treason widely seen as politically motivated. U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia W. Patrick Murphy held a morning meeting with the president of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) at his home in the capital Phnom Penh, during which the two discussed delays in his trial and the state of U.S.-Cambodia relations. In a tweet following the sit-down, Murphy expressed support for Kem Sokha, who was arrested in September 2017 for allegedly trying to overthrow the government with assistance from the U.S. Justice delayed is justice denied, Murphy wrote. The U.S. looks forward to seeing [Kem Sokhas] political rights restored, just as we hope all Cambodians can participate in the political process. Cambodias Supreme Court dissolved the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) in November 2017, two months after Kem Sokhas arrest. His trial at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court began on Jan. 15, 2020 but was suspended in March last year on the pretext of the coronavirus pandemic and Prime Minister Hun Sen has hinted that it may not resume for years. The ban of the CNRP marked the beginning of a wider crackdown by Hun Sen on the political opposition, NGOs, and the independent media that paved the way for the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) to win all 125 seats in parliament in the countrys July 2018 general election. While Kem Sokha is out on bail awaiting his trial, his political activities are restricted, and he has largely involved himself in humanitarian work. But the opposition chief has said that even such activities are viewed with suspicion by the CPP. The head of the CNRP thanked Murphy for his visit on Thursday in a post to his Facebook page, saying he welcomed the new administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, and that the meeting had covered U.S.-Cambodia relations from the past to the future. I also thank the U.S. through its ambassador for acknowledging my work on human rights and democracy, as well as my approach to the peaceful resolution of issues in the interest of the people of Cambodia, Kem Sokha wrote. Recently, even though I lack full freedom, I remain concerned [about the people] I have met and try to help them as much as I can. Not a priority In response to Murphys tweet, Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin posted a comment on Facebook claiming that because Kem Sokha is not being detained, his trial is not a priority. He said priority is given to those in detention to avoid holding them beyond pre-trial limits and on resolving backed up cases to prevent the overcrowding of prisons. If Kem Sokha were being detained, his would have been regarded as a priority case, Chin Malin said. CPP spokesman Sok Ey San told RFAs Khmer Service that the ambassadors comments are purely his personal view and wont influence the courts handling of Kem Sokhas case. He said that due to the severity of the charges Kem Sokha faces, his case will take longer. To comment that the trial is being delayed amounts to interference in court affairs because Kem Sokhas case is with the court, he said. No individual or country can tell the court how to proceed. Kem Sokhas lawyer Pheng Heng told RFA he has requested that the court resume his clients trial on three separate occasions and had also called on the Ministry of Justice to intervene, but to no avail. He said the defense team has not received any notification from the court since Kem Sokhas trial was suspended. Pheng Heng also rejected Chin Malins claim that Kem Sokhas case is not a priority. The case is almost four years old now, he said. China Malin cant say this is a not priority case. Kem Sokha is an opposition party leader. [He] was arrested and detained. How is a case against a person with more than three million supporters not important to Cambodia? CNRP mass trial Kem Sokhas meeting with Murphy took place on the same day that the Phnom Penh Municipal Court proceeded with its trial of 60 CNRP leaders and activists on charges of incitement. Defense lawyer Lor Chhunthy told RFA that the court only questioned four CNRP activists, primarily about their personal Facebook pages. He said one of his clients, Heng Chansothy, had simply liked a comment that read liberate the country from dictators, which did not social security as alleged. Following the questioning, the trial was adjourned until Feb. 28, he said. Chak Sopheap, director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), posted a comment on her Facebook page saying she had monitored the Thursdays trial proceedings and condemned the judge for suggesting that statements protected under the right to freedom of expression amounted to evidence of incitement. In Washington, California Rep. Alan Lowenthal told RFA the U.S. should follow the European Union in linking Cambodias trade privileges to its rights record. The Cambodian governments labor and human rights abuses in the past decades must be thoroughly scrutinized and examined by the international community, he said in a statement. Together, the U.S. and the international community must bring economic and punitive pressure to make Hun Sen understand that he must live up to the promises of the Cambodian Constitution. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. WASHINGTON - Rep. Cori Bush, a freshman Democrat from Missouri,said Friday that she was moving her office at the U.S. Capitol complex away from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., for safety reasons, after claiming Greene accosted her without a mask. Meanwhile, Greene - a conspiracy theorist who has a history of making racist and anti-Semitic remarks - called Bush a liar and accused her of leading a "terrorist mob" because she supported Black Lives Matter. The allegations, which escalated throughout the day Friday, underscored the degree to which relations have deteriorated to the point of open hostility between congressional Republicans and Democrats after pro-Trump rioters overran the Capitol on Jan. 6, in a violent insurrection that left five people dead. Tensions have only increased as members of Congress prepare for the second impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump, to start early next month, and as Democrats have called for GOP lawmakers who may have had a role in instigating the attack to be censured or expelled. Friday's accusations centered on an incident that occurred Jan. 13 in an underground tunnel that connects congressional office buildings to the Capitol. Bush tweeted Friday that Greene and her staff had berated her in a hallway that day. "A maskless Marjorie Taylor Greene & her staff berated me in a hallway. She targeted me & others on social media. I'm moving my office away from hers for my team's safety," Bush tweeted. Shortly after Bush's tweet, Greene tweeted a selfie video as she walked through a Capitol complex hallway, with someone off camera yelling at her to put on a mask. Greene says it was Bush. "She is lying to you. She berated me. Maybe Rep. Bush didn't realize I was live on video, but I have the receipts," Greene tweeted, also calling Bush "the leader of the St. Louis Black Lives Matter terrorist mob who trespassed into a gated neighborhood to threaten the lives of the McCloskey's." Mark and Patricia McCloskey are the St. Louis couple who aimed guns at protesters marching through their gated community last summer. They were indicted on weapons and evidence-tampering charges, according to a court official in October. They pleaded not guilty. In the video she tweeted Friday, Greene then screams at the person to "stop being a hypocrite." In a subsequent statement in response to Greene's tweet, Bush noted that tensions had been high after the violent riots at the Capitol just a week prior and several lawmakers had contracted the coronavirus after being locked in a safe room with maskless Republicans, including Greene. "Out of concern for the health of my staff, other members of Congress, and their Congressional staff, I repeatedly called out to her to put on a mask," Bush said. "Taylor Greene and her staff responded by berating me, with one staffer yelling, 'Stop inciting violence with Black Lives Matter.' " In a Friday night interview on MSNBC's "The ReidOut," Bush said the exchange had nothing to do with Black Lives Matter but that she was calling for Greene to abide by the rules and safety protocols for all members of Congress. Bush also said she moved her office so that she and her staff would not have to waste time worrying about working in a toxic environment. "I came here to do a job for the people of St. Louis. They deserve that. And what I cannot do is continue to look over my shoulder wondering if a white supremacist in Congress by the name of Marjorie Taylor Greene or anyone else - and there are others - that they are doing something or conspiring against us," Bush told Reid. "Also, my team deserves better. They should not have to come to work and have to wonder if that door is going to open... and it's somebody that does not want to do them well." Greene, who was also elected in November, is rapidly becoming one of the most inflammatory members of Congress. She has endorsed QAnon and other conspiracy theories and promoted political violence and extremism, prompting calls for her resignation. Greene claimed all the attention on her this week has emboldened her supporters and driven up donations, saying in a statement that she "will never back down" and that "more MAGA reinforcements are on the way." In recent weeks, journalists at several outlets have unearthed numerous social media posts Greene made in the past that showed she parroted claims that deadly school shootings were staged and approved of the execution of Democratic leaders and federal agents. Also on Friday, a major Jewish nonprofit group condemned Greene for supporting an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that space lasers caused the Camp Fire, California's deadliest wildfire in history. Bush said Friday that Greene's past provocative comments should be red flags. "In the context of Taylor Greene's repeated endorsements of executing Democratic politicians before taking office, Taylor Greene's renewed, repeated antagonization of the movement for Black lives in the last month directed towards me personally is cause for serious concern," she said. House members get their office assignments via a lottery, and it's highly unusual for a lawmaker to move so soon, especially to get away from a colleague. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., reportedly ordered the office move at Bush's request, according to Punchbowl News. A Pelosi aide confirmed the report. Bush and Greene had offices a few doors from each other in the Longworth Office Building. In her tweet, Bush also called for the expulsion of any lawmaker who contributed to inciting the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol by spreading baseless conspiracy theories that President Joe Biden's election win was rigged, which would include Greene. Democrats are working to expel Greene, arguing that she promoted dangerous lies before she was elected to office, with a vote possible next week. As of Friday, nearly four dozen Democrats had signed onto a resolution to expel Greene. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who has fielded calls to at least remove Greene from her committee assignments, plans to meet with her next week to have a conversation, an aide in his office confirmed Friday. - - - The Washington Post's Felicia Sonmez contributed to this report. In response to J.K. Dineens story Regional housing plan worries S.F. officials (Front Page, Jan. 26): San Francisco officials say a regional plan for hundreds of thousands of homes could hurt working-class neighborhoods. I submit that rather than threaten the demolition of existing housing and displacement of 30,000-plus residents in neighborhoods like the Mission, Hunters Point and Bayview, San Francisco officials should pass legislation to permit the construction of multifamily homes across the city and target the Westside for development. The Westside has not meaningfully responded to San Franciscos chronic housing shortage, has a lower average carbon footprint than the Bay Area as a whole, and could be better served by transit and bike share if housing and resources were directed there. State law will not allow San Francisco to thwart its obligation to provide enough housing to meet the needs of its workforce and growing population, and the California Department of Housing and Community Development will be quick to ascertain and act if it should fail to draft a general plan that affirmatively furthers fair housing. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors should therefore follow the lead of and be more progressive than cities like Sacramento, Portland and Minneapolis when determining where the next generation of homes in the city goes. Sara Ogilvie, San Francisco Judge Trump by record Several parties have suggested that we let it slide that former President Donald Trump incited a riot. Sen. Marco Rubio, among them, suggested that to pursue this would be taking a bunch of gasoline and pouring it on top of the fire. I submit that this is a false analogy and the better way to see the situation is to compare it to a gunshot wound. If you want the wound to heal, first remove the bullet. Then, you can sew up and cleanse the injury. As for letting him run again for any office, just judge him by past performance. What has he done that he wouldnt do again? Ask the three women who have been married to him how that works out. Gordon Teekell, Oakland Fossil fuel transition Regarding Newsom changes electric car focus (Front Page, Jan. 23): Focusing on equity is not tone-deaf. As part of Californias transition to electric vehicles, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed shifting money from rebates to equity programs and charging station construction. This is a good thing, especially considering that most of those rebates have gone to high-income earners. Opponents decry the move as tone-deaf, claiming the state should instead fund COVID-19 relief for small businesses, forest management and our housing and economic crises. Its true that we are facing many crises here in California, all of which should be addressed. But, the crux of the opponents arguments seems to be that spending money to help transition our transportation away from fossil fuels is not important. This assertion could not be further from the truth. We should absolutely address the challenges of climate change and do so in an equitable way. With a surprising windfall in state revenues this year, there is no need for us to attack the essential effort to reduce transportation emissions. Philip Whitfield, Oakland Bidens already at work Regarding Larger issues to solve (Letters, Jan. 26): The letter writer argues against impeaching former President Donald Trump by stating that more important issues deserve priority (saving Americans from COVID-19, adding jobs) and ends with Again, what have Democrats done for those of us in need except continuing to harp on the impeachment of a man already out of Washington? Maybe saving lives and helping those in need feels abstract when issues like COVID-19, climate change, health care, race relations and economic inequity are on the agenda, but thats exactly why Democrats push for reform on these topics. Lives are helped, and lives are saved. After less than one week on the job, the multitasking efforts and accomplishments of President Bidens administration are in plain sight. To name a few, theyve rolled out a national strategic plan addressing COVID-19; issued an executive order for an all-of-government effort to bring emergency economic relief to families, communities and small businesses hurt by COVID-19; and are filling important Cabinet seats with seasoned experts in their field (versus loyalists and cronies). And yes, theyre striving to hold Trump accountable for inciting the violent attack against the U.S. Congress by impeaching him, so that it may never happen again. Christine Haynes, Palo Alto Impediment to Congress Regarding Trump impeachment trial the last thing Biden needs (Jan. 17): Willie Brown was correct in pointing out that the hastily crafted impeachment will serve as an impediment to Congress enacting President Bidens agenda. Furthermore, the U.S. Justice Department and state courts, instead of Congress, driven by politics, are the places where Trumps crimes should and will be dealt with. Nissen Jaffe, Sunnyvale Boards woeful decision What a slap in the face the Board of Education has delivered to the proud graduates of San Francisco high schools. Their woeful decision is wrong on so many levels. To name but four: First, their view of history is distorted as so many op-ed writers have noted. Second, their evaluation process was tragically flawed. They should be ashamed of validating this slapdash and biased process. Third, the fiscal damage is significant. The district has a multimillion-dollar deficit. What underfunded programs are going to pay for these changes? Will the money come from teachers salaries? From educational materials? From the maintenance budget? Fourth, it is needlessly destroying the heritage of graduates who identify with their high school. That imperils the funding alumni associations raise for their schools. Lincolns alumni, as one example, have distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years as college scholarships for seniors, improvements to the physical plant and grants to teachers. Lincolns alumni currently award tens of thousands of dollars in annual college scholarships alone. How will the board replace that money? The Board of Education needs to reverse its decision. It needs to focus on funding education instead of demeaning past presidents. David Whitehead, Sebastopol Inconsistent renaming I could understand a strategy to rename all schools for numbers or concepts. I could understand a decision to rename a school after an equitable, vigorous and thorough review of the comparative virtues of the titular figure in the context of time and societal norms. What dismays and embarrasses me is the capricious and unstudied rationale of the school board to rename certain schools and leave others as is. They claim the renaming is based on flawed actions or inactions of certain historical figures. However, they inconsistently do not target San Francisco Unified School District properties named for figures who collaborated with the Ku Klux Klan, who advocated for the segregation of races, who campaigned against rights for undocumented people, or whose personal indiscretions would violate todays standards of sexual harassment. In fairness, these figures are justly celebrated for actions of overriding merit. But SFUSD board members have arbitrarily dismissed that concept overriding merit in targeting the often-smaller flaws of other figures. This betrays either a lack of discipline or a willful ignorance of historical fact. They did not do their homework. BOSTON, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE: PDT) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC and subadvised by Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC, announced today sources of its monthly distribution of $0.0975 per share paid to all shareholders of record as of December 31, 2020, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Notification of Sources of Distribution This notice provides shareholders of the John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE: PDT) with important information concerning the distribution declared on December 21, 2020, and payable on January 29, 2021. No action is required on your part. Distribution Period: January 2021 Distribution Amount Per Common Share: $0.0975 The following table sets forth the estimated sources of the current distribution, payable January 29, 2021, and the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year to date from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short term capital gains; net realized long term capital gains; and return of capital or other capital source. All amounts are expressed on a per common share basis and as a percentage of the distribution amount. For the period 01/1/2021-01/31/2021 For the fiscal year-to-date period 11/1/2020-01/31/2021 1 Source Current Distribution ($) % Breakdown of the Current Distribution Total Cumulative Distributions ($) % Breakdown of the Total Cumulative Distributions Net Investment Income 0.0596 61% 0.2326 80% Net Realized Short- Term Capital Gains 0.0000 0% 0.0068 2% Net Realized Long- Term Capital Gains 0.0000 0% 0.0000 0% Return of Capital or Other Capital Source 0.0379 39% 0.0530 18% Total per common share 0.0975 100% 0.2924 100% Average annual total return (in relation to NAV) for the 5 years ended on December 31, 2020 7.09% Annualized current distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of December 31, 2020 8.64% Cumulative total return (in relation to NAV) for the fiscal year through December 31, 2020 7.90% Cumulative fiscal year-to-date distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of December 31, 2020 2.16% _________________________________ 1 The Fund's current fiscal year began on November 1, 2020, and will end on October 31, 2021. You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution plan. The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The Fund has declared the January 2021 distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "Plan"). Under the Plan, the Fund makes fixed monthly distributions in the amount of $0.0975 per share, which will continue to be paid monthly until further notice. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact your financial professional or call the John Hancock Investment Management Closed-End Fund Information Line at 1-800-843-0090, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial John Hancock is a division of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading international financial services group that helps people achieve their dreams and aspirations by putting customers' needs first and providing the right advice and solutions. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and as Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups, and institutions. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were over CAD$1.3 trillion (US$943 billion) as of September 30, 2020. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as MFC on the TSX, NYSE, and PSE, and under 945 on the SEHK. Manulife can be found at manulife.com. One of the largest life insurers in the United States, John Hancock supports approximately 10 million Americans with a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, and education savings plans. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com. SOURCE John Hancock Investment Management Islamabad, Jan 29 : Pakistan has emphasised for closer engagement with the administration of new US President Joe Biden, a Foreign Office official said, adding Islamabad valued its ties with Washington which helped maintain regional peace and stability. "We have achieved a lot by working together in the past. The logic for continued engagement and coordination is even more compelling in the context of shared geopolitical and security challenges," Dawn news quoted spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri as saying at a briefing on Thursday while replying to a query about Islamabad's strategy to engage with the Biden administration. "We look forward to working with the new administration to further strengthen our bilateral ties to make it multifaceted, sustainable and mutually beneficial and continue our partnership to achieve peace, stability and prosperity in the region," the spokesman added. Following Biden's inauguration on January 20, Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated the new President, saying that Pakistan was looking forward to build a stronger bilateral partnership through trade and economic engagement; countering climate change; improving public health; combating corruption; and promoting peace in the region and beyond. Birds nests may not be all that unusual in the Hudson Valley. But at the rural retreat of Susan Orlean, the author and writer for The New Yorker known for her animals beat, the most notable tangles of sticks and straw are not in trees but her kitchen, displayed along a neat bluestone wall just to the left of her refrigerator. Blurring the lines between indoors and outdoors seems like a priority at Ms. Orleans modernist manor, whose soaring windows look out on overlapping hills, and whose Douglas fir walls, dotted with knots, can seem to have just arrived from a sawmill. One of the wonderful things about the house, Ms. Orlean said, is you never feel guilty about being inside. With three bedrooms, two full and one half-bath, and an unusual two-sided indoor-outdoor fireplace, the 3,029-square-foot house, in Columbia County, is coming to market for the first time since Ms. Orlean, 65, and her husband, John Gillespie, 67, a financial services executive, had it built in 2005 on a former dairy farm. Chandigarh, Jan 29 : Condemning Friday's violence by a group of miscreants at Singhu on Delhi-Haryana border, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh urged the Centre to conduct a thorough probe to identify "so-called locals" who broke through tight security to attack farmers and their property. "Were they really locals?" asked the Chief Minister, while seeking a proper investigation to identify the trouble-makers and ascertain where they came from. "I can't believe that local people can turn against farmers like this. Miscreants may have been brought from other places by vested interests to foment trouble," the senior Congress leader said, adding that locals calling the farmers traitors was not something he could believe to be true. "What is happening and what happened at Singhu today is what Pakistan wants," he said, pointing out that he had been warning for a long time that Pakistan will try to exploit the unrest over the farm laws to disturb Punjab's peace. Calling for an immediate end to what he dubbed a "vilification campaign against farmers" after the January 26 Red Fort violence, Amarinder warned that maligning the farmers could affect the morale of the armed forces, 20 per cent members of which are from Punjab. "Spreading false information against protesting farmers can create divisions, which can cause problems for Punjab," he warned, urging the media to handle the situation with sensitivity. The Pakistan issue was discussed by him with Union Home Minister during their meeting, over which a lot of noise was created, Amarinder said, adding that he had told Amit Shah that drones were coming from Pakistan with weapons and drugs etc, and while many had been caught in Punjab, some may have passed through. Central agencies should investigate possible Pakistan role in the recent disturbances and violence during the farmers' agitation, the Chief Minister demanded. He advised the farmers as well the central government to continue their dialogue for a genuine settlement. The senior Congress leader also came down heavily on those calling farmers names. "People have different ideologies but you can't brand them Leftists, Maoists, Naxals and Khalistanis in this manner," he quipped. Reacting to allegations that he (Amarinder) was behind the farmers' agitation, the Chief Minister said that the "tragic part is that the BJP is indulging in all this without trying to understand why the farmers are angry; why they don't want the new farm laws." "We have small farmers and removal of MSP or ending arhtiya system will hit them hard," he said, adding that the Centre does not understand the psyche of Punjab farmers. While the Punjab farmers might have led the agitation initially, the movement had now spread across the country, he asserted. Reiterating that his sympathies and those of his government and party lie with the protesting farmers, the Punjab Chief Minister said the protesters on the Delhi borders were in the heart of every Indian farmer at present. The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks! Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics. The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc. The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics. The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates. Access to college recruiters and advisors its harder to line up higher education. Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family. Vote View Results A sensational 1.25million in a single day was raised for Mail Force to help lockdown pupils yesterday. Online fashion retailer Boohoo pledged a whopping 750,000 towards the ambitious campaign to get schoolchildren online. And a further 500,000 arrived from a generous benefactor who requested to remain anonymous. On top of that, donations from Mail readers continued to flood in, including cheques and letters from retired teachers inspired to help the Computers for Kids drive. It was the most successful fundraising day yet in an already phenomenal week. Some of Britains leading companies have thrown their weight behind the campaign, sending either cash or laptop computers. Online fashion retailer Boohoo pledged a whopping 750,000 towards the Mail Force campaign to get schoolchildren online. Pictured: Boohoo chief executive officer John Lyttle The Mail Force scheme involves laptops donated by companies which for around 15 can be securely wiped and refurbished for school use. Were proud to play part in bridging the divide Online fashion seller Boohoo is on the up having earlier this week bought the Debenhams brand. Now, with a gift of 750,000 the biggest yet it is determined to boost the chances of lockdown children. Chief executive officer John Lyttle said: Young people have felt some of the worst consequences of this pandemic, with their friendships and education significantly disrupted. So many of us take having a laptop and access to wifi completely for granted, but for many families the lack of these things is creating a very real inequality. We all have a role to play in supporting our young people and everyone at Boohoo is delighted to support the Mails campaign to tackle this divide and ensure that every child in the country has access to the equipment they need to continue their education and stay connected with their friends and family. Boohoo was founded in Manchester in 2006 with a team of four people and now has a stable of ten brands, employing 8,000 people around the world. Advertisement With schools shut until March 8 at the earliest, and as many as a third of UK families saying they do not have enough devices for their children to learn on, the need is urgent. Gavin Williamsons Department for Education is already completing a huge effort to get 1.3million computers to the neediest children making it one of the biggest purchasers of laptops in the world. The Mail Force initiative to complement the Governments drive will add even more. Last night, Boohoo Groups chief executive John Lyttle said everyone at the company was delighted to do their bit. Yesterdays other big benefactor wished to remain anonymous. But the philanthropic familys stunning 500,000 donation has sent our campaign soaring. More than 3.9million has now been raised in less than a week and every single penny will be directly spent on getting stuck-at-home schoolchildren online. Donations by our readers to our online giving page have topped 550,000 in just six days. With a further 250,000 in cheques, 25,000 in text message donations and 7,000 by phone, Mail readers have risen to the challenge in an extraordinary way. A 96-year-old grandfather called Don donated 100 plus 25 in Gift Aid on Mail Forces online giving page. He wrote: All these lovely children are the future of our great country, so lets give them all the help possible. Great-grandad Raymond Poole, who is in his 80s and donated 50, said: As an octogenarian with nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, I want to support those who need help. Retired teacher Jan gave 50 and wrote: No one should be without the tools required to enhance learning. Well done for ensuring that every child has an equal opportunity to learn at home. Lloyds Banking Group has given the campaign 1,000 laptops and Sainsburys 2,000. Other big high street names have been in touch to offer second-hand machines. Our IT specialist partner, which has contracts with blue chip firms and multinational investment banks, can turn them into home-schooling essentials in minutes. Good form: Now six Education Secretaries back Mail By JOHN STEVENS POLITICAL EDITOR FOR THE DAILY MAIL Six former Education Secretaries from across the political divide last night gave their backing to the Mail Force Computer for Kids campaign. Tories Ken Clarke, Nicky Morgan, Justine Greening and Damian Hinds applauded the incredible generosity of Daily Mail readers. They joined Labours David Blunkett and Alan Johnson, who have already spoken of the vital importance of getting laptops to children urgently so they can keep learning at home. Lord Clarke, who served as education chief in John Majors government in the 1990s, warned that many children face missing out completely on teaching without access to a computer. Some children will cope with home schooling, but there is a proportion who just wont. They wont have the laptops and will simply miss out, he said. It will widen the gap between those with very good support at home and those who will end up with no education at all. The Tory grandee, 80, added: I congratulate Mail readers for supporting this extremely good idea. Children face at least six more weeks at home after the reopening of schools was put back until March 8 at the earliest. Baroness Morgan said: It looks like we could be doing online schooling for a while longer so having access to a computer is absolutely vital to ensure all our children can continue to make progress. Miss Greening, who has campaigned on social mobility issues since leaving government, said: This is a fantastic campaign to make sure that no children lose out on education because of not having the right technology. She urged more firms to help by handing over laptops they no longer use and added: The Daily Mail campaign means we can get more laptops to more children who need them. Mr Hinds, who now sits on the Commons digital and culture committee, said: I applaud generous Daily Mail readers for stepping up in this way. We've seen what a difference a laptop can make to a child's life By HELEN CARROL FOR THE DAILY MAIL Although the Government has pledged to deliver 1.3million laptops to pupils and has magnificently managed to send 800,000 already the sheer scale of the shortage makes it a huge logistical challenge to get a device to every single child who needs one Since Mail Force launched the Computers for Kids campaign last week, the response from our readers has been truly overwhelming. Donations have flooded in from all across Britain, and every penny will make a huge difference to a child in need. Although the Government has pledged to deliver 1.3million laptops to pupils and has magnificently managed to send 800,000 already the sheer scale of the shortage makes it a huge logistical challenge to get a device to every single child who needs one. This is why Mail Force has stepped in to work alongside the Government and help secure more laptops and more funds so more children can receive the help they desperately need. Here, three head teachers who know all too well the challenges pupils are facing explain what bridging the technology gap would mean for their schools... A single mum of three was in tears...shes only got one device for them all Paul Gosling is head teacher of Exeter Road Community Primary School in Exmouth, Devon There's no doubt that the poorest children have been far more affected by these lockdowns due to their inability to access the learning. Even in those families where there is a device, if there are several siblings, the ones in secondary school tend to be given priority access as more of their learning is now online. Some 40 per cent of our children receive free school meals and, unsurprisingly, having a laptop for each child to access online learning is difficult for families who struggle to both eat and heat their homes. HOW TO DONATE TO COMPUTERS FOR KIDS CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO YOU, THE READER: How to send us donations The Daily Mail has launched a brand new campaign, Computers For Kids, to raise money for Mail Force a charity which aims to provide much needed school equipment and resources for pupils across the UK learning from home. With schools closed, we are left with the dilemma of hundreds of thousands of pupils in the UK having no access to a computer in their home. As part of this campaign, companies are donating their old laptops which, for around 15, can be wiped, professionally refurbished and made safe and fit for home schooling. They can then be delivered to a child or young person who needs one. In addition, the campaign is looking to support childrens needs in other ways such as funding brand new laptops and tablets, and assisting with data access and connectivity for online learning. Any surplus funds will be used to support of the work of UK schools via other means. TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE Visit mailforcecharity.co.uk/donate and follow the steps to complete your donation. Please don't send us your old device. TO MAKE A DONATION VIA YOUR PHONE To donate 10 - text KIDS10 to 70115 To donate 20 - text KIDS20 to 70115 TO COMPANIES: Could you give your old laptops? Upgrading office computers is something all companies do from time to time and there has never been a better time to donate old laptops. If you are a company with 50 laptops or more that you could give, please visit www.computacenter.com/daily-mail to check they are suitable and register your donation. We will arrange for collection by our specialist partners Computacenter. Please note: we cannot accept donated laptops from individuals. COMPANIES SHOULD GO TO: computacenter.com/daily-mail TO SCHOOLS: Where to apply for the computers Schools must apply to the Department for Education, which is managing the demand and prioritising the schools most in need. The Mail Force initiative means more laptops will become available more quickly. SCHOOLS CAN APPLY HERE: https://get-help-with-tech.education.gov.uk Advertisement Despite this, only two of our children both of whom are in local authority care qualified for devices through the Government scheme during the first lockdown. That leaves 15 per cent of our children 30 pupils who, either because of lack of a device or internet, cannot access any of the online learning we deliver. Meanwhile, 6 per cent of our pupils have no internet access at all as their families cannot afford wifi or a mobile phone package with data. Inevitably, parents who cannot provide what their children need are experiencing guilt and anxiety and their worries are passed on to their children. One single mum with three children, aged five, nine and 13, was in tears because she was finding it impossible to ensure they could all access their learning. She has only one device in the house a mobile phone with just 5GB of data a month. Then theres a single dad of one of our 11-year-old pupils who doesnt even have a mobile phone to which extra data could be added because he cannot afford one. We suggested his daughter come into school but he is clinically vulnerable so is anxious about her picking up the virus and infecting him. Schools can help bridge the inequalities that have been exacerbated by this reliance on technology but its going to require considerably more funding. One girl falling behind got a government laptop. Now shes excelling in her class It's up to all of us, in true Blitz spirit, to keep working until there is not a single child in the country on the wrong side of this digital divide. Our secondary school serves a broad range of families, and a third of our 600 pupils qualify for free school meals. Most of our families prioritise their childrens education and have done whatever they can to give them access to online learning. All of our teaching is now live or pre-recorded, the next best thing to being in the classroom. However, any parent is going to ensure their kids are fed before they think about getting them educated. So its a gargantuan task to get true equity through online education when there are some families who have so many struggles. Weve seen the difference a laptop can make to children who would not otherwise be able to access online learning. One Year 10 girl whose home life has been challenging and unsettled in recent years, meaning she has missed a lot of school was given a government-issued laptop and access to wifi at the beginning of this term. She has attended every online lesson, every day, since. She has gone from being behind in all her subjects to meeting, or exceeding, her targets something that would never have happened without this technology. Its incredibly gratifying to see. So far, we have been able to distribute 150 laptops to our students nowhere near the number who meet the Governments disadvantaged criteria which entitles them to free school meals. Half of these were issued by the Government, the other half we have gone, cap in hand, to local businesses and the wonderful charity Keep Kids Connected to source. Im proud of what we have been able to achieve, but there are many more children we need to get the devices out to. Then theres the issue of internet access. Too many of our families cannot afford the data for their children to work online, so we are requesting support to be able to provide them with access to wifi. With the right provision, we have seen whats possible for these children. Ash Ali is head teacher at Chessington School a comprehensive for 11 to 16-year-olds in Kingston upon Thames, south-west London 147 of our families have no computer of wifi at all We're concerned about the widening gaps in learning between the haves and the have-nots and the effect on our children in both the short and long term. Across our schools we have 147 families who have no laptop or desktop computer and no access to wifi. Many of these children do not qualify for government help as they are not classed as disadvantaged. And the numbers affected continue to increase daily, as more learning goes online and mobile phone Sim cards run out of data. Some broadband providers are giving free wifi to families who need it, but its nowhere near enough, especially for those with more than one child. Liz Cresswell was a head teacher for 12 years and is now director of Valley Learning Partnership in Calderdale, West Yorkshire. She oversees two secondary schools and three primary schools Theres more and more pressure on schools to deliver live lessons because people can see they work well, but that means children who cannot access them are becoming increasingly marginalised. These are often kids who, in part due to existing struggles at home, are the least engaged in education even in normal times and now, sadly, they have a reason to not engage. Heartbreakingly, most are not complaining to their teachers about it, theyre just resigned to their situation. Those who have qualified for government help so far had to fit the definition of disadvantaged a fifth of the children in Calderdale which means they have received free school meals or are a looked-after child in local authority care. But we have hundreds who are not classed as disadvantaged but do not have enough devices for all of their children. The effect of the growing digital divide that we are witnessing will be felt for some time. And we refuse to turn a blind eye to the families who are having to choose between putting food on the table and buying data so that their children have the same opportunities academically as their classmates. In our efforts to stem this inequality, we have been awarded a 30,000 grant from Calderdale Council and the Calderdale Community Foundation. We have also set up a crowdfunding page, which has so far raised 1,320. 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! Home Search ICH Question Everything! Purpose and Intent of this website: Wests Navalny Hypocrisy By Finian Cunningham January 28, 2021 " Information Clearing House " - The day after opposition figure Alexei Navalny was arrested in Moscow last week on his return from a provocative and prolonged decampment in Germany, Western media fell over themselves to condemn his detention. In its online edition, the US government-owned Radio Free Europe news outlet ran seven articles dedicated to Navalny out of a total of 21. One of the top RFE articles openly called for Russian people to take to the streets to demand the release of the activist. Last weekend, the US embassy in Moscow published detailed street maps of planned protests under the guise of advising American citizens on what areas to avoid potential trouble with law enforcement officers. As it turned out, several protests held in over 100 Russian cities did turn violent with several thousands arrested by police. The Russian government says these rallies were unauthorized and illegal, and therefore the authorities had the right and duty to contain them for public order. One thing is clear, however, Navalny and his supporters are being facilitated by brazen Western interference in Russias internal affairs. Can you imagine the hue and cry if, for example, the Russian embassy in Washington had published maps of the Capitol buildings prior to the January 6 violent assault there by Trump supporters? Or if the Russian embassy in Netherlands published details over the weekend of demos against the Covid-19 curfews the Dutch government has imposed? Can you imagine further the hysteria among Western governments if Russian media had published articles actually calling people out on the streets? Thats the chasm of hypocrisy we are seeing with regard to Navalny. The European Union parliament is calling for sanctions against Russia in support of this dubious agitator. Some European states Poland and the Baltic countries, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are demanding that the Nord Stream gas pipeline from Russia must be cancelled. All this anti-Russia furore ignores Russian sovereignty and laws. When Navalny fled to Germany last August, more than five months ago, claiming that he was poisoned with a nerve agent by alleged Kremlin assassins, he spent most of his sojourn orchestrating a false-flag media operation making sensational claim after sensational claim of Russian government evil-doing. Not only that but he was assisted in his provocation by Western governments, intelligence and corporate media in spinning the story that he was poisoned with a chemical weapon. No evidence has ever been presented to verify such a claim. Indeed a recent report by John Helmer shows how European authorities have actually suppressed any attempt to obtain sample data concerning the provenance of allegations about Navalny being poisoned. Nevertheless, on the back of mere assertion and innuendo it has been peddled assiduously by the West to the point where the Russian government stands accused and condemned. When Navalny returned to Russia from Germany on January 18, the Russian federal prison service had already warned him that he had gravely breached the terms of a suspended sentence for a serious fraud conviction in 2014. More especially because during his stay in German, Navalny engaged in a foreign-sponsored media plot to accuse President Putin, the Russian head of state, of attempted murder. The so-called anti-corruption campaigns run by Navalny and his confreres are long suspected of being funded by the US State Department and related Western spy agencies. He is a point-man in Washingtons attempts to subvert the Russian state by fomenting social unrest in the classic mode of American-inspired color revolution. The European states typically go along with Uncle Sams desires as they did in Ukraine in 2014, especially the rightwing Polish and Baltic countries who suffer from intense historical Russophobia. But it seems obvious that the precipitating factor for the recent push with Navalny is the Nord Stream-2 gas project. Washington has been piling pressure on the European Union over the past year to abandon the gas pipeline. Poland and the Baltic states which are most vociferous about the Navalny case are also most vocal in demands to cancel Nord Stream-2. The suspicion is they have been bought off by Washington with concessions for arms deals or subsidized future US supplies of Liquefied Natural Gas. Despite sanctions to disrupt construction over the past year, Nord Stream-2 has resumed in recent weeks the final phase for completion involving finishing some 50 kilometers of pipe-laying to the German coastline in an overall 12,000-km route from Russia. The 10 billion project will double the supply of Russian gas to the EU. From a strategic political and commercial viewpoint, the Americans are crazed by this partnership between Europe and Russia. Navalnys bizarre poison story and subsequent media agitation is central to halting the Nord Stream-2 project. So desperate is Washington to sabotage the pipeline that it is now throwing full pelt all its efforts at inciting a color revolution in Russia. The hypocrisy is astounding considering the shrill and unfounded accusations the Americans level at Russia about interference. But so too astounding is the stupid servility of European governments and media who entertain the American agenda. Germany in particular. Germany wants and needs Russian gas as it phases out dirty coal and nuclear power. Yet Berlin has indulged the Navalny nonsense with double standards and duplicity in flagrant affront to Moscow. Western hypocrisy is a gas. Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. - - " Source " - Post your comment below Registration is necessary to post comments. We ask only that you do not use obscene or offensive language. Please be respectful of others. See also Alexei Navalny: Modern Liberal Nationalism: Early Life and Career: In 2010, Navalny won a six-month scholarship to Yale Universitys World Fellows Program, a mid-career incubator for world leaders. Navalnys infamous Muslim migrants are cockroaches video with English subtitles. Navalnys infamous Muslim migrants are cockroaches video with English subtitles. At the end, Navalny shoots person representing Muslim migrants from North Caucasus. [Small correction: opener is Alexei Navalny Certified Nationalist not specialist] pic.twitter.com/XERk5qBMtn Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) January 26, 2021 Search Information Clearing House The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. 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. INDIANAPOLIS The Indiana Department of Health today announced that 2,890 additional Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 through testing at state and private laboratories. That brings to 619,995 the number of Indiana residents now known to have had the novel coronavirus following corrections to the previous days dashboard. A total of 9,504 Hoosiers are confirmed to have died from COVID-19, an increase of 34 from the previous day. Another 375 probable deaths have been reported based on clinical diagnoses in patients for whom no positive test is on record. Deaths are reported based on when data are received by the state and occurred over multiple days. Indiana COVID-19 Dashboard & Map To date, 2,930,353 unique individuals have been tested in Indiana, up from 2,920,127 on Wednesday. A total of 6,884,491 tests, including repeat tests for unique individuals, have been reported to the state Department of Health since Feb. 26, 2020. To find testing sites around the state, click here. Hoosiers age 70 and older, along with healthcare workers, long-term care residents, and first responders, are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. As of today, 503,116 Hoosiers have received the first dose of vaccine, and 122,254 are fully vaccinated. To schedule, visit https://ourshot.in.gov or call 211. The state and its partners are adding more locations for you to get vaccinated including select Meijer, Kroger, & Walmart pharmacies across the state. Vigo Countys three Kroger locations are included. All locations will show up on the state's vaccination website. It's important to note Meijer and Kroger will have their own appointment sign-up areas on their websites. Mount Greylock Committee OKs New COVID-19 Plan, Reacts to Racist Incident WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Mount Greylock Regional School Committee on Thursday agreed to a new decision-making process for moving from remote to hybrid instruction and issued a public statement condemning last week's racist incident at the high school and promising the district will "do better." The district's administration has for weeks been negotiating with the Mount Greylock Educators Association to modify the memorandum of agreement that allowed the start of classes back in September. The newly negotiated agreement "places more emphasis on local context and relies less on state provided metrics," School Committee Chair Christina Conry said. Key to the new agreement is a six-person committee to include three representatives drawn from the School Committee and administration and three representatives from MGEA. That committee will utilize two non-voting public health advisers in its conversations and meet at least once a week to review the public health conditions with regard to COVID-19. If the committee takes no action, the district will be governed by a modified version of the metrics that triggered remote or in-person instruction under the previous MOA. "If either town is 'red' per the state's color-coding metrics on a given Thursday, the district will move to remote learning effective the following Monday," Conry summarized the agreement. "If both towns are 'yellow' or better for two consecutive Thursdays while the district is in remote learning, the district will move to hybrid learning effective the following Monday." But the six-person committee has the final say, the agreement states. By a majority vote, the committee can override either of the triggers activated by the red and yellow designations. Conry said the agreement will go into effect at the end of next week, making Feb. 8 the first day that the district's three schools possibly could return to hybrid learning, which utilizes both in-person and remote learning for most students. "It's entirely possible that we could remain in remote [Feb. 8] due to COVID numbers this week, next week and the decisions of the committee," Conry said. "Families and staff need to be prepared for both possibilities and we will provide as much preparation and advance notice as possible." Conry opened the special meeting of the committee by reading a public statement acknowledging the racist Zoom bombing in a high school virtual classroom. Conry said the committee recognizes community members are looking for more details about the incident, but asked the public to understand that the Jan. 21 incident is in the hands of law enforcement. And the district is not currently at liberty to provide more information. The statement also notes that the incident shows the North Berkshire community is no stranger to the broader issue of systemic racism that pervades the nation. "In some ways, we live and work in an idyllic area, but we are not immune," the statement read. "We are not immune to the kind of hate that was perpetrated against our Mount Greylock student and we must not be complacent in its face. "Not only was this a personal hateful attack against an individual student, but it was also an assault on our entire community. Ibram X. Kendi writes, 'The only way to undo racism is to constantly identify it and describe it and then dismantle it.' The Mount Greylock Regional School Committee condemns in the strongest terms this act of racism, and we want to make clear that as a community we will not tolerate it." Superintendent Jason "Jake' McCandless later echoed the point that the Mount Greylock community is "not immune." "The Multicultural Student Union from Mount Greylock presented a letter that will be included in our next School Committee meeting in February," McCandless said. "Those students very wisely said that we cannot stand and say, 'This is not our community. This is an anomaly.' "It doesn't define our community, but this level of hate and disrespect for a fellow human being is, sadly, part of every community, everywhere." School Committee member Jose Constantine agreed. "When events like what transpired last week happen, they make clear what is ever clear for many folks in our community families of color, students of color and many people of marginalized entities," Constantine said. "I think it's important to recognize that this is a challenge, an ongoing challenge, and one that perhaps always will be." Curtis Elfenbein was one of the committee members to see hope in the way the wider community reacted to the incident. "I'm happy to have seen the outpouring in our community, both in and around the school and families from all the schools and members of the community who don't have that direct link to the school at this time but are still aware of what's happening how everyone has rallied to find ways to dig deeper into our understanding of how our kids are interacting with each other in this digital era, particularly around ideas of race, gender, gender identity," Elfenbein said. "It's really reaffirming to see how the community has come together around this." Michelle Johnson noted her appreciation for the quick response of Mount Greylock's administration and its transparency to the community when the incident occurred. As part of its discussion Thursday, the School Committee voted 7-0 to reaffirm an anti-racism resolution passed by a prior iteration of the committee in October. The new statement issued on Thursday included a call to action. "We have got to do better," the statement read. "Words are not enough. Dr. McCandless has spoken recently of the district's commitment operationally, financially, and from a strategic planning perspective to make the work of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging a core thread of everything we do at Mount Greylock. "In the coming weeks, the School Committee will review all applicable policies to make doubly sure that we are taking every policy step possible. We must also ensure that every future policy decision and budget approval we make as a School Committee should have at its core the question - how is this decision contributing to a culture of equity and belonging?" 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 state National Guard troops who helped protect the U.S. Capitol complex during President Bidens inauguration and in the days afterward experienced a COVID outbreak upon returning home, raising questions about why the troops werent tested or vaccinated for the virus before they left for D.C. and how many other units and individuals they might have infected while in the nations capital. At last count Thursday night, there were at least eight known positive COVID test results among the Washington state contingent, according to several sources familiar with details of the outbreak, including a spouse of a service member who came down with COVID upon his return from D.C. The eight guardsmen who tested positive worked closely together throughout their deployment, traveling, eating and sleeping in tight proximity to one another. Spokesmen for several other states National Guard bureaus, including those from New Jersey, Nevada and Pennsylvania, declined to say how many of their troops who deployed to D.C. have reported positive COVID cases, citing privacy laws. The lack of transparency after 25,000 guardsmen were called up to provide security for the inauguration is spurring concern that the deployment may have created a superspreader event both in D.C., where thousands of troops remain, and dozens of states when the troops returned home. At this time, it is the National Guard bureaus policy not to give specifics on Guard members who have tested positive for COVID-19, Amelia Thatcher, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey National Guard, told RealClearPolitics in an emailed statement. However, quarantine measures and other CDC-recommend standards are being followed, and medical attention will be provided when needed. Our highest priority is to ensure the highest levels of safety, comfort and health protection of our Guard members and their communities, Thatcher added. Some spouses of servicemembers who were deployed to D.C. are now questioning that commitment. They want to know why their husbands werent tested before they deployed to D.C., a preventative measure that some other states provided. Viral images of thousands of National Guard troops sleeping in a parking garage in the Capitol complex with access to only one bathroom and two stalls have sparked outrage about the troops treatment during their deployment. Top lawmakers from both parties decried the decision to send the troops to the garage, and House and Senate leaders quickly ordered Capitol police to let them back into the Capitol building and congressional offices If this is true, its outrageous. I will get to the bottom of this, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted. Just made a number of calls and have been informed Capitol Police have apologized to the Guardsmen and they will be allowed back into the complex tonight, remarked Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who lost both of her legs in combat. Ill keep checking to make sure they are. While no clear reason was ever offered for why the troops were ordered to vacate the Capitol and congressional office buildings, one explanation cited was that some troops were not wearing masks while sleeping. The group that included COVID-infected troops from Washington state had slept largely unmasked in a congressional hallway at least one night, had mingled with several other states troops and also interacted with several lawmakers, a guardsmans spouse told RCP. Several members of Congress and their staff snapped photos and shook the hands of the service members there to protect them in the days and weeks after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The Department of Defense did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the COVID outbreak among the National Guard and whether there was a testing protocol mandatory or simply recommended that the Pentagon provided to state Guard commanders. If there was no protocol for all states, each was left to its own procedures, resulting in an inconsistent patchwork of COVID-prevention and screening policies. Only two states National Guard offices Oklahoma and California told RCP they had COVID-tested troops before they left for D.C. An Oklahoma spokesman said that the pre-deployment COVID testing turned up several positive results that sidelined those guardsmen and women from being part of the deployment. Both states said they were aware of just one guard member in each state coming down with COVID after the deployment out of the hundreds of troops each state sent to Washington. California spokesman Jonathan Shiroma also said all personnel were offered their first COVID vaccination before their departure to D.C. The Oklahoma Guard also tested its troops when they returned, but California did not. Nevada National Guard spokesman Mikol Kirschenbaum said the bureau followed CDC COVID health guidelines and that all troops had their temperatures checked and completed a screening questionnaire when they arrived to check in at the D.C. Armory. Masks and social distancing were required where the missions allowed, Kirschenbaum said. When they returned home, the bureau then made rapid tests available and provided information on what to do if service members present symptoms after they return. For those that were required to stay behind (quarantine and/or isolation), a military support [staffer] has been assigned to stay in DC with them and they are being monitored by medical professionals, he added. When first contacted about the COVID outbreak within Washington state contingent, spokeswoman Karina Shagren said she knew of only one service member out of the 400 deployed to D.C. who had tested positive. Informed that the number was at least eight, Shagren said her state bureau is not tracking an outbreak among Washington National Guard soldiers and airmen who were in D.C. As I mentioned, we performed the usual health screenings before our troops mobilized and returned, she said. We arent tracking any requirement to perform COVID tests prior to a domestic mission. Our men and women traveled largely on a military aircraft and followed the direction provided by the agencies they supported in D.C. Shagren also stressed how rapidly the troops were called up for the inauguration mission. Within a week, we were asked to mobilize more than 1,000 guardsmen to support law enforcement partners at the states and nations capital, she said. Please understand and appreciate the speed at which we were moving. She also said that all of the Washington state troops sent to D.C. slept in hotels, contradicting sources who said they were 100% certain that some of the service members slept in a congressional office hallway inauguration night. Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate are demanding to know why the National Guard is retaining a heavy presence in D.C. as the government returns to business as usual. Pentagon officials said Monday that about 5,000 guard members will remain in D.C. through mid-March, when former President Trumps impeachment trial is expected to end. Some states are deploying hundreds more troops just days after most of the soldiers had returned home. A coalition of 11 GOP lawmakers, led by Rep. Michael Walz of Florida, sent a letter to Army Secretary John Whitley seeking justification for the ongoing significant troop presence. Others are objecting to plans for a permanent fence around the Capitol announced this week by the U.S Capitol Police. But Democrats are arguing more money is needed to protect lawmakers from ongoing threats of violence, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying Thursday that some of the danger is coming from an enemy within Congress. The remark spurred more questions about whom Pelosi was referring to and served as a sign of escalating internal tensions between the two parties since the attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters. Sen. Tom Cotton penned an op-ed arguing that the National Guard should be allowed to return home. The National Guard answered the call at a critical time, but its mission is now complete. Its time to reopen the Capitol Grounds to the American people, he wrote. Its time to send home the troops. Despite cold weather and uncomfortable conditions, these soldiers did their duty, in the finest traditions of the Guard. Their presence, coupled with tough federal charges against Capitol rioters, deterred any further violence; the presidential inauguration occurred without incident. Ellsworth: Did you get the message from your body? Several data sources show the exodus of residents from blue states to traditionally red states. The recent U-Haul ranking of states by migration growth is one of the most compelling; after all, that's where the rubber meets the road. U-Haul migration trends show that Tennessee had the largest net gain of U-Haul trucks crossing its borders in 2020. Rounding out the top ten are Texas, Florida, Ohio, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina and Georgia. California is no longer golden, as it ranks dead last; folks are also commissioning their U-Hauls to escape other deep blue states like New York and Illinois. The migration pattern is obvious: discontented people are fleeing putrid progressivism with onerous regulations, oppressive zoning, police defunding, and culture-canceling compulsions for more tolerant and welcoming states. States with less taxes and a business-friendly environment like Tennessee and, at least until recently, Georgia are U-Haul magnets. Many of these out-of-state transplants are more progressive than the nice natives. So why are they doing the same thing, at least politically, but expecting a different result? It's all further proof that liberalism is a mental disease. Why are they turning nice, wholesome red states purple, if not blue? It takes a lot of effort to move; in fact, it's one of life's biggest stressors. You'd think people who pack up their U-Hauls and haul...drive fast, that is...to escape liberal lunacy would be somewhat chastened rather than continuing to vote for Dems spouting the same soul-destroying socialist schemes. Georgia is also in the top 10 of the U-Haul list for 2020, with much of its growth occurring in the Atlanta metro region. Indeed, Atlanta is known as the city of transplants, and they are transforming state and local politics. Metro Atlanta has for years attracted people from other states, and look where they are coming from: NY-Newark-Jersey City, Miami region, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Hartford. Again, the migration pattern is obvious: they are fleeing dilapidated Dem-dominated cities. While Tennessee remains red, not that long ago, so was Georgia. With so much of the state's vote concentrated in the city of transplants, the state is at least purple, trending a sickly blue. Actually, Georgians just elected far-left senators who are more like "Reds"; they hardly represent traditional Southern hospitality, nor do they espouse the business-friendly policies that likely attracted the transplants. Other states in the top 10 U-Haul report, like Arizona and North Carolina, were also Republican territory, but thanks partly to interlopers from degenerating Dem domains, they are gradually developing a blue discoloration. Maybe they should've stayed put instead of polluting and over-consuming resources in our beautiful and vibrant conservative communities. After all, efforts to recall Gavin Newsom in California are inexorably progressing. Why commit to one of life's biggest challenges in uprooting family only to pursue further blue-state unhappiness? Florida senator Marco Rubio once noted that you don't see fully laden immigrant flotillas going from Florida to Cuba; nope, it's the other way around. Likewise with those U-Hauls. Presumably, many transplants boarded their U-Haul for a cross-country adventure en route to a better life in broad, sunlit uplands a place where personality, ingenuity, entrepreneurship, family, and industry soar free from the beastly bureaucrats wallowing in the blue abyss below. But instead of choosing Pleasantville, they chose Unhappiness. Liberalism is indeed a disease, and its spread is giving the nice, hospitable natives the blues. Image via Pxhere. 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. While millions of people have rightly filed unemployment claims since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, fraudsters have tried to take advantage of the system by using identity theft to file false claims. So as Americans start to receive their tax forms from employers and financial institutions, some are receiving an unexpected 1099-G form from the state, showing how much they received in unemployment benefits in 2020. Its bad enough to learn someone has stolen your identity, but you certainly dont want to be responsible for a tax bill on benefits you never received. The IRS says you should contact the states Labor Department if you receive a 1099-G for benefits you didnt receive. You can report unemployment fraud in New Jersey online or by calling (609) 777-4304. Taxpayers who are unable to obtain a timely, corrected form from states should still file an accurate tax return, reporting only the income they received, the IRS said. A corrected Form 1099-G showing zero unemployment benefits in cases of identity theft will help taxpayers avoid being hit with an unexpected federal tax bill for unreported income. It said taxpayers do not need to file a Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, with the IRS about an incorrect Form 1099-G. That form only needs to be filed if a taxpayers e-filed tax return is rejected because a return using the same Social Security number already has been filed. Unemployment benefits are taxable by federal government. While New Jersey permitted people to withhold 10% for taxes on their regular unemployment, pandemic and extended benefits, it did not give people the option to withhold taxes from the additional $600 payments from the CARES Act or the $300 FEMA Lost Wages Assistance payments in 2020. If the state has determined that you were overpaid benefits and if you have been asked to repay the money, your 1099-G will still reflect, per federal law, the amount of funds paid to you, regardless of any funds you have returned, the Labor Department said on its website. It refers people to the section titled Repayments in the IRS Publication 525 Taxable and Nontaxable Income, which explains how you should report the benefits. If the Labor Department has your email address, you should have already received your 1099-G. Otherwise, your 1099-G information will be available from the Check Claim Status tool on the unemployment website no later than Jan. 30, the agency said. It will not be available in your unemployment dashboard, the Labor Department said. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Karin Price Mueller may be reached at KPriceMueller@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Ellsworth: Did you get the message from your body? 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. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 17:26:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A medical worker receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the National Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Jan. 29, 2021. Sri Lanka's health officials on Friday kicked off the country's first COVID-19 vaccination program by inoculating a senior consultant physician at the National Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) who has been in the front lines of the pandemic, local media reported. Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama was the first medical officer to receive the jab on Friday morning, which was monitored by hospital staff and government officials. A senior nurse at the IDH was the second to receive the jab while three military officers also received the jab at the Army Hospital in Colombo. The vaccination program is underway in six major hospitals in Sri Lanka where 250,000 health line workers will be vaccinated in the coming days. (Photo by A.Hapuarachchi/Xinhua) COLOMBO, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's health officials on Friday kicked off the country's first COVID-19 vaccination program by inoculating a senior consultant physician at the National Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) who has been in the front lines of the pandemic, local media reported. Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama was the first medical officer to receive the jab on Friday morning, which was monitored by hospital staff and government officials. A senior nurse at the IDH was the second to receive the jab while three military officers also received the jab at the Army Hospital in Colombo. The vaccination program is underway in six major hospitals in Sri Lanka where 250,000 health line workers will be vaccinated in the coming days. The program kicked off after India sent 500,000 vials of the Oxford AstraZeneca which was officially handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday. Sri Lanka has to date detected over 61,000 COVID-19 patients and recorded 297 deaths since the first local patient was detected in the country in March last year. On Thursday, Sri Lanka recorded its highest ever patient count after 892 new positive cases for the virus in a single day. President Rajapaksa's senior advisor, Lalith Weeratunga who has been appointed to chair the Presidential Task Force to oversee COVID-19 vaccinations told journalists earlier this week that Sri Lanka had placed an order for 2 million doses of the Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccine from India while President Rajapaksa had also made a request to Russia to obtain the Sputnik V vaccine. Further, he said following a request to China, the Chinese government had agreed to donate 300,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine to Sri Lanka which the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka said will arrive in the country in mid-February. Weeratunga said authorities aimed to vaccinate at least 70 percent of the target groups by this year against the coronavirus. Enditem By Steve Holland and Nandita Bose WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to release jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny during their phone call this week, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday. Biden pressed Putin on a number of issues, including alleged election interference in the 2020 election, Ukraine sovereignty, the massive SolarWind cyber hack, and Navalny. On Thursday, Psaki had said Biden did not hold back in conveying his concerns about the actions of the Russian government during the call. Earlier this week, a White House statement said the two leaders agreed to have their teams work urgently to complete the extension of the New START arms control pact between the United States and Russia by Feb. 5, when the current deal expires. The arms control treaty limits the United States and Russia to deploying no more than 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads each. The details about the phone call and what was discussed come at a time when Biden is adjusting U.S. policy in a more robust way toward Russia after predecessor Donald Trump refused to take on Putin directly. (Reporting By Steve Holland and Nandita Bose, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Mark Heinrich) 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. An Army chaplain is under investigation after he saying transgender soldiers are 'mentally unfit' and 'unqualified to serve'. Maj. Andrew Calvert made the comments beneath an article published on Facebook Monday detailing President Biden's new executive order overturning a ban on transgender people in the military. Calvert, who is a member of the 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade at Fort Hood in Texas, wrote: 'How is rejecting reality (biology) not evidence that a person is mentally unfit (ill), and thus making that person unqualified to serve?' He continued: 'There is little difference in this than over those who believe and argue for a 'flat earth,' despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. The motivation is different, but the argument is the same.' An Army veteran took a screenshot of Calvert's comments and shared them to Twitter, writing: 'He cannot be trusted to support soldiers for another minute'. Army chaplain Maj. Andrew Calvert is under investigation for saying that transgender soldiers were 'mentally unfit' and 'unqualified to serve' Calvert made the comments beneath an article published on Facebook Monday detailing President Biden's new executive order overturning a ban on transgender people in the military Calvert immediately came under fire from dozens of other people on Twitter, who urged the Army to step in. 'How can this soldier be trusted to fight alongside his comrades and not betray them? Bigotry has no place in the foxhole, it is a national security risk,' one wrote. 'He's a chaplain, not a doctor. He CANNOT diagnose 'gender dysphoria' (which I think has been taken out of the ICD-10 codes, anyway). If he has a moral problem w/ someone's choice (obviously!) he needs to leave the service.' Following the outcry, the Security Force Assistant Command released a statement on their Facebook page saying that they were investigating the incident. The statement reads: 'Always remember to 'Think, Type, Post' when it comes to engaging in conversation on social media platforms. We are soldiers 24/7 and that means always treating people with dignity and respect. 'We are aware of the recent comments posted to the Army Times Facebook in regard to the ban being removed on transgender service members. This incident is under investigation. 'The Security Force Assistant Command Enterprise fully supports the Commander in Chief, Secretary of Defense and all DoD policies. The United States Army has a strict standard against any form of discrimination based on gender identity.' Maj. Calvert now appears to have disabled his Facebook page. Maj. Calvert now appears to have disabled his Facebook page The controversy comes after President Biden reversed Donald Trump's ban on transgender people serving in the military on Monday. He signed an executive order stating 'all Americans who are qualified to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States should be able to serve.' 'This is reinstating a position that previous commanders as well as the secretaries have supported and what I'm doing is letting all qualified Americans to serve the country in uniform,' he said in the Oval Office before signing the order. 'Transgender personnel, if qualified in every other way, can serve their government in the United States military,' he noted. Biden signed the order as he met with new Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in the Oval Office at the White House. Also taking part in the occasion was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, in a sign that the military is united behind the new president. President Trump put the ban in place back in 2017, specifically blocking individuals who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria from being recruited, with limited exceptions. President Joe Biden signed an executive order to reverse a ban on transgender people serving in the U.S. military - Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, Vice President Kamala Harris and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin were on hand for signing Until a few years ago service members could be discharged from the military for being transgender, but that changed during the Obama administration. In 2016, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that transgender people already serving in the military would be allowed to serve openly. And the military set July 1, 2017, as the date when transgender individuals would be allowed to enlist. After Trump took office, however, his administration delayed the enlistment date and called for additional study to determine if allowing transgender individuals to serve would affect military readiness or effectiveness. A few weeks later, Trump caught military leaders by surprise, tweeting that the government wouldn't accept or allow transgender individuals to serve 'in any capacity' in the military. 'Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail,' he wrote. It took nearly two years, but after a lengthy and complicated legal battle and additional reviews, the Defense Department in April 2019 approved the new policy that fell short of an all-out ban but barred transgender troops and military recruits from transitioning to another sex and required most individuals to serve in their birth gender. 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. Christie DZurilla, Los Angeles Times (TNS) Ella Emhoff, stepdaughter of Vice President Kamala Harris and daughter of Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, has hit the big time (and were not talking about her second-daughter status). The 21-year-old has signed with IMG Models. NOW REPRESENTING: #EllaEmhoff!, the high-profile global agency tweeted Thursday. IMG is home to the likes of Karli Kloss, Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, Gisele Bundchen and Miranda Kerr, to name only a famous few. Emhoff joins another inauguration breakout star, The Hill We Climb poet and LA. native Amanda Gorman, who signed with IMG two days ago to expand her personal brand through endorsements and editorial opportunities. (Will Natalie Biden be the next one invited to this unexpected Biden-Harris administration after-party?) Ella communicates this moment in time, IMG Models President Ivan Bart told the New York Times. Theres a cheekiness and a joy she exudes. He said he saw Emhoff on Inauguration Day, when she wore a Miu Miu coat draped with crystals on the shoulders, and decided she was communicating fashion. Bart first noticed her, however, last year when he attended a Harris presidential-campaign fundraiser. Theyve apparently been talking about making a deal since last summer. Emhoff whose mother is producer Kerstin Emhoff and brother is Cole, 26 is familiar with the business already. Shes a textile design student at the Parsons School of Design in New York City, and shes also been modeling on and off for about a year with a smaller agency, she told the NYT. The person who calls the vice president Momala has an Instagram page that spotlights her quirky vibe, including her passion for knitting. Several of her tattoos and her untouched underarm hair are also on display. Ive obviously got a bigger platform now, and Im excited to share a lot of things I really care about, and do some good, Emhoff told the NYT. In addition to a desire to bring a bit of Bushwick into the high fashion realm, she also said she was looking forward to fund-raising via knitwear. Maybe Sen. Bernie Sanders another inauguration standout knows a thing or two about that. An experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by the biotech company Novavax is 89.3 percent effective at preventing Covid-19, the company announced Thursday. Results from Novavax's Phase 3 trial in the United Kingdom demonstrated the vaccine candidate's efficacy and showed that it protected against the U.K. variant of the virus. Results from another trial, in South Africa, showed that it was also effective against the variant that emerged there, although efficacy was lower. Stanley Erck, president and CEO of Novavax, based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, said the trial results show that the vaccine "has the potential to play an important role in solving this global public health crisis." Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak Novavax, which received funding last year as part of the Trump administration's Operation Warp Speed, is conducting vaccine trials in the United States, the U.K., Mexico and South Africa. An interim analysis of the company's trial in the U.K., which included more than 15,000 participants ages 18 to 84, found that the vaccine was 95.6 percent effective against the virus and 85.6 percent effective against the more contagious U.K. variant. The findings were based on 62 infections among trial participants, who received either a two-dose vaccination or a placebo. Six of the observed infections occurred in the group that got the vaccine. In the Phase 2 South Africa trial, however, efficacy was 49.4 percent. The study was carried out on a much smaller group of 4,400 people, many of whom were HIV-positive. In trial participants who were HIV-negative, the vaccine was 60 percent effective at preventing symptomatic Covid-19, Novavax said. Novavax's analysis was based on 44 infections among participants in the South African trial, of which 15 cases were reported in the group that got the vaccine. Ninety percent of the Covid-19 cases analyzed in the trial were caused by the South African variant, the company reported. Moderna announced this week that its vaccine appears to be less effective against the South African variant, although it said protective antibodies remained above protective levels. A Pfizer study, which has not been peer-reviewed, found that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is only slightly less effective against the South African strain. Unlike the vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, which use snippets of genetic code known as messenger RNA to trigger the immune system to produce protective antibodies, Novavax's vaccine relies on synthesized coronavirus proteins to jump-start the body's immune system. National Guard troops patrol the vicinity of the Capitol hours before the inauguration of President Joe Biden in Washington on Jan. 20, 2021. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images) The Democrats Incapacity for Irony and the Threat to Democracy Commentary Talking of irony, as I did recently (see The Irony in Bidens Call for Unity in The Epoch Times of Jan. 21), I saw a headline in USA Today the same day that made me laugh out loud: Joe Biden needs a democracy czar to jump-start vital changes in elections and education. Although the USA Todays editorial staff seems not to have been aware of the oxymoronic juxtaposition of democracy and czar, the author of the article, Dick Meyer, at least noticed it in passing: This is just an incomplete and admittedly top-down list of possible paths to new political vaccines, he wrote. President Joe Biden might want to jump-start this important work by, ironically, naming a Democracy Czar. (For the benefit of educationally challenged millennials, a czar was the name given by the Russians to the absolute rulers of their country prior to 1917 and the advent of their communist absolute rulers of the next three-quarters of a century. The latter werent called czars but chairmen of the only legal party, the Communists. It will be noticed that the word chairman, unlike czar, didnt automatically signal absolutism, although, in Russia, the Communist Party chairman was even more absolutist than the czar had been. Meaning depends on context, you seethe principle also known as irony.) Alas, though Uncle Joe (also, ironically, the nickname once given to the communist dictator Josef Stalin) is no doubt entirely capable of naming a democracy czarhis flurry of executive orders this last week suggests that, like his namesake, he might want to take on the role himselfI fear that he is not capable of doing so ironically. During the past four years, the Democrats and the media have developed an apparently terminal case of irony-blindness. Even when they notice it as Meyer does in USA Today, it means nothing to themor nothing that could make them hesitate, even for a moment, in their headlong rush to control, czar-like, everything they can. Democrats Should Act as if They Won the Election, wrote Jamelle Bouie (or some headline editor on his behalf) in the Jan. 27 New York Times as his contribution to the push for absolutism. Presumably, it dawned neither on him nor on his editor that this headline could be construed as an admission that Democrats didnt win the election. You can see why that wouldnt occur to them. The context necessary to understanding the words in this way simply isnt available to them, since, in common with the rest of the media, they have made it an article of faith, not open to doubt, that the Democrats did win the electionwhich (therefore) must have been on the up-and-up. By the same token, the election they didnt win in 2016 must have been improperly meddled with by Russians in collusion with Donald Trump. Otherwise, they would have won it, too. Hillary Clinton still believes this. Even she doesnt make such self-serving logic explicit, but its ultimately what lies behind the bedrock truth, as she and other Democrats see it, on which the current effort to impeach Trump, like its two predecessors, is based. This is that Trump is an authoritarian, or a fascist, and thus a threat to democracy. Those of us with eyes to see the context in which this claim is made and the circular logic on which it is based will therefore understand that, to Democrats, democracy means nothing more nor less than rule by Democrats. How else can they assume that allegations of electoral fraud by Trump and others, instead of being a matter for investigation, are false by definitionand therefore tantamount to the insurrection for which they are now, once again, pretending to impeach him? To keep up the charade of this supposed threat to democracy, this Trumpian insurrection or sedition, more than 25,000 National Guardsmen were called on to patrol the streets of Washington during the inauguration, 5000 of whom (as The Epoch Times reported) are to remain there through mid-March. Does anyone notice any irony in this militarization of the capital against the putative possibility of a fascist takeover of the government that never comes? Anyone? Not for the first time, we outsiders can see the Democrats and their media allies as guilty of the same faults for which they blamed Trumpfrom lying about his alleged lies to trying to overturn an election. It hardly even counts as irony anymore. Its just the way they roll. And why? Because their presumed monopoly of Truth makes them, in their own eyes, immune to criticism or second-guessing by anyone who, by disagreeing with them, may be equally presumed to be, at best, in error and at worst an extremist, or a white supremacist, to be hunted down and purged from any position of power or privilege he or she might occupy. There, as we should now be able to see, is the real threat to democracy. Ironically. James Bowman is a resident scholar at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. The author of Honor: A History, he is a movie critic for The American Spectator and the media critic for the New Criterion. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. India is likely to increase allocations toward its annual food subsidy spending by 4%-6% in the budget for the fiscal year beginning April 1 to cover the cost of running the world's biggest food welfare programme, said two government sources. For the 2021/22 fiscal year, India's total outlay toward the food subsidy is expected to cross 2.1 trillion rupees ($28.7 billion), but the budgeted allocation is likely to go up by only 4%-6% from 1.16 trillion rupees earmarked in the previous year, said the sources with direct knowledge of budget discussions, who asked not to be named as ... On 27 November 2020, Mauritius submitted to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) its Second Progress Report, which captures the updated measures and actions taken to implement the FATF Action Plan. Following the submission of this report and subsequent exchange of information, a virtual face to face meeting was held between the Mauritian delegation, headed by the Governor of the Bank of Mauritius, and the FATF African Middle East Joint Group on Friday 22 January 2021. We wish to highlight that since the last face to face meeting in September 2020 and the subsequent plenary meetings in October 2020, the FATF has commended the tremendous progress made by Mauritius in implementing the FATF Action, notwithstanding the restrictions brought around by the Covid-19 pandemic. During the recent face to face meeting, the Mauritian delegation had the opportunity to provide clarifications to the FATF on queries raised by the assessors. At the meeting, the Assessors once again commended Mauritius for the sustained progress made in implementing the FATF Action Plan. The next FATF plenary session will be held in February 2021, during which the Second progress Report will be considered, along with the report of the Assessors. The Government of Mauritius reiterates its unflinching commitment to exit the FATF list of Countries under increased monitoring at the earliest. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn COVID-19 was a fear for everyone, and Bronson and her husband, Clyde, had actually already had it. But still, the family believed it was too important not to do, so they all quarantined and worked from home for two weeks to prepare for a safe holiday. Bronson and her husband drove to Colorado instead of flying to avoid any contact with others. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Despite the difficulties of 2020, Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett says he's looking forward to 2021. In a virtual city update, Mayor Bennett presented a PowerPoint about the impacts of COVID-19, last year's accomplishments and hardships, along with plans in the works for the new year. In 2020, Terre Haute saw a 25 percent increase in violent crimes. That's according to a report from Terre Haute Police. Mayor Bennett says the rise is partly due to the pandemic and its impacts. "A lot of it has to do with just COVID, people being cooped up in their house, struggling financially, you name it," he said, "It's created more violent crimes in many communities." He says the increase is part of a similar trend, seen by other police departments, across the country. Bennett says all areas saw an increase, however, he's not overly concerned as he expects numbers to somewhat decline this year. Bennett also noted the city had nine murders in 2020, which is the most he's seen as mayor. However, he says those cases were solved with quick arrests. "What I'm seeing across the state is the same increases, or similar, in cities our size, really all over," he said. Meanwhile, property crimes decreased by 12 percent last year. ---- Bennett also touched on the impact of COVID-19 in the local economy. Terre Haute saw 23 ribbon cuttings in 2020, despite the ongoing pandemic. However, the mayor acknowledged that many small businesses did not survive or are still struggling to stay afloat. One area seeing COVID impacts is the manufacturing industry, which is a huge part of the city's economy. While they are ultimately faring out pretty well, there are still some concerns. "One of the things we did hear from them is they were having trouble shipping their goods," said Bennett,"So they were able to manufacture the goods, but were having trouble accessing trucks to be able to ship their product across the United States." ---- To see the mayor's city update, in detail, watch the full video here. MANLY, Iowa - A reported bomb threat Thursday night has resulted in classes being canceled today at Central Springs. School officials said a bomb threat was made to the safety of the students at the school by "an individual(s) on the live chat line of the school districts YouTube channel." "Law enforcement agencies are involved to investigate this threat and to assure all school campuses are safe." If anyone has any information about this incident, please contact Chief of Police Aaron Pals at 641-454-2114. Classes are canceled Friday at all buildings. Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. SABA:---The project Ways to Wellbeing of the Expertise Center Education Care Saba (EC2) is among the 12 finalists for the Appeltjes van Oranje (Orange Apples) awards of the Oranje Fonds. We are so proud, said EC2 Director Henriette Jet van Heijnsbergen. During the online final day on Thursday, January 28, the nominees presented their initiatives to each other and to the jury. Ways to Wellbeing of EC2 and 11 other initiatives were selected as finalists. Besides Saba, one other Dutch Caribbean island is in the finals: the Equine Foundation from Curacao. The other 10 initiatives are from the Netherlands. This years theme for the Appeltjes van Oranje is mental power. In the PowerPoint presentation, EC2 Director Van Heijnsbergen and Youth Development Specialist/Psychologist Rayann Ramdin gave an explanation of the Ways to Wellbeing initiative. Ways of Wellbeing is a multi-faceted approach to nurture the mental wellness of vulnerable students facing challenges by developing four key dimensions of wellness: intellectual, emotional, social, and physical. EC2 started Ways to Wellbeing to help the special needs, vulnerable children cope with trauma after the big 2017 hurricanes, the current COVID-19 pandemic, and challenges with isolation, stress within their family, bullying, unaddressed learning issues, and family displacement. Special attention was given to the well-being of Sabas vulnerable children. Without wellbeing, there is no learning. Children need to feel safe and secure first before they can learn, said Van Heijnsbergen. The eight members of the EC2 team took part in multiple pieces of training and courses, mainly during the times of lockdown in the first half of last year. We decided to make good use of that time to get additional schooling so we could even better assist our clients after the lockdown, said Van Heijnsbergen. During the pandemic, EC2 has been providing online support for both the students and parents. The EC2 team uses positive ways only, teaching the students how to cope with stress, anxiety, and bullying through visual art, music, and psycho-motor exercises. "Mental wellbeing is a taboo for some, but we consider recognizing that you need to support strength. There's no taboo at EC2," added Van Heijnsbergen. There are 12 finalists, but everyone is a winner. All projects have done a fantastic job, said Oranjefonds Director Sandra Jetten. All 48 initiatives that took part in the online finals were surprised with a cheque for 1,500 euro. In April, the board of the Oranjefonds will select three winners from the 12 finalists. The winners receive a small bronze sculpture, created by Princess Beatrix, and an amount of 15,000 euro, during a ceremony in June, in the presence of Queen Maxima. A fugitive who fled to Mexico was arrested for his role in a scheme to steal credit and debit card information from shoppers at 80 locations of arts-and-crafts retailer Michaels spanning 19 states, including New Jersey, federal authorities said Thursday. Jose Tito Salazar, 44, of Riverside, California, was charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Salazar, who was indicted in 2015, was apprehended in Mexico City, authorities said. He pleaded not guilty during a video conference court hearing and was ordered detained. Salazar and co-conspirators allegedly installed devices on point of sale terminals at Michaels stores, which captured customer card data, according to an indictment. From February 2011 to April 2011, the scheme netted about 94,000 debit and credit card account numbers at stores around the country. The crew used that information to create new counterfeit cards and withdrew funds from hundreds of compromised bank accounts, the indictment alleged. Salazar and others fraudulently obtained more than $615,000 in the multi-state scam, authorities said. Two others have admitted participating in the crime, officials said. Crystal Banuelos pleaded guilty Nov. 17, 2015, and was sentenced to time served with five years of probation. Angel Angulo pleaded guilty on June 20, 2017 and was sentenced to a three-year prison term. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.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. In a career that spanned nearly seven decades, the legendary trailblazer broke stereotypes with her portrayals of strong black women on screen. Cicely Tysons career was iconic. In her long and successful acting career, she earned 11 Emmy nominations, among other awards. Her career was diverse, from her breakout role in Sounder (1972) to her guest appearances on ABCs How to Get Away With Murder, Tyson was sure to give performances audiences would remember. Following the news of her death at age 96, its no surprise that the tributes would come from some of the most prolific figures in Hollywood. One of those tributes came from prolific producer and screenwriter, Shonda Rhimes. As previously mentioned, Tyson had a memorable reoccurring role on Rhimes hit show How to Get Away With Murder. I really need this not to be true, Rhimes wrote on Twitter. She followed her message with a beautiful tribute to Tyson, recognizing the path she set for black women in the industry. These portrayals earned Tyson Emmy and Tony awards. She was an extraordinary person, Rhimes said. She had so much to teach. And I still have so much to learn. Actress Viola Davis expressed how influential Tyson was, not only in her life, but the lives of so many other young black girls. You made me feel loved and seen and valued in a world where there is still a cloak of invisibility for us dark chocolate girls, Davis wrote. You gave me permission to dream. A few days before Tysons passing, her memoir Just as I Am was published. In an interview with CBS This Mornings Gayle King, Tyson talked about her life and legacy. King shared a portion of this interview on Twitter, thanking the actor for her life and legacy. Tyson will be remembered, not only for the barriers that were broken down by her work, but also for her portrayals of nuanced characters. Her roles were inspiring and showed women of color that they could be whoever they wanted to be. A family statement did not reveal the cause of death. Amaravati, Jan 29 : Andhra Pradesh's ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) requested the State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar to choose an application (mobile app) developed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and not any alleged private app to monitor the panchayat polls on Friday. "It is hereby requested that the SEC for the state of AP may choose the apps created by the central election commission (ECI)aand desist from placing reliance on private entity," said YSRCP general secretary Lella Appi Reddy. He alleged that Kumar had disclosed about an app developed by the state election commission during a video conference with the district collectors which has been notified for use in the election process. Reddy reminded that state government app, Nigha, already exists for this purpose while there were no details of the private app developed by the commission in the public domain. Noting that the creating of a new app in the current circumstances is objectionable, he said that brining up such an app involves invitation of tender, collection of details like the name of the company, design, creation, hosting server, data accuracy, resolution mechanism and approval from the state machinery. "Transparency in the development of app is vital and the right of the public if any public money is spent and is going to decide the rights of the public," the YSRCP leader highlighted. Reddy said the exercise of creating a new app at a time when the election process has already commenced is suspicious and lacks transparency. According to the political party leader, the state election commission does not have the technical resources of its own to develop an app. He also said that if the election commission is so keen on using an app, it could have chosen the Central alternative, CVIGIL, to the state app Nigha. "CVIGIL gives live access to the server which makes it foolproof. Moreover, it is not safe if an app developed and being hosted on a private server, as the sensitive information related to the elections will be controlled by a private entity and may lead to mishandling, malpractice, loss or pilferage of sensitive data," he added. Reddy stressed that there was no need to bring a new app which may jeopardise sensitive data when the state and Central election apps already exist. A Florida man is sounding the alarm about work-from-home scams during the coronavirus pandemic after recently falling for a fraudulent re-shipping scheme. Alan Walker, who lives in Miami Gardens, lost his job as a longshoreman at the Port of Miami at the beginning of the pandemic. The father of two said he spent months looking online for new opportunities and submitted multiple applications until he received a call back for a work-from-home role in December. "I was very excited and relieved because I was already a couple of months behind on my mortgage," Walker told NBC News. He quickly accepted a "quality control inspector" position at a shipping and logistics company called Shea Post LLC. Walker said the role required him to receive packages from the company's distributors, replace the outside label on the box, then ship the item to a customer. He received and re-shipped about 19 packages, products ranging from a gold bar to power tools to vacuum cleaners. "I felt like the job was a good fit for me, and at the same time with the pandemic I wouldn't be near anyone, which was a plus for my family's health," Walker said. Walker received and re-shipped items, including power tools and a gold bar, to customers for Shea Post LLC. (Courtesy Alan Walker) However, after working for the company for 30 days, Walker said he became suspicious when he didn't receive his paycheck on time. During the virtual onboarding process, Walker provided his bank information for direct deposits along with pictures of his driver's license and social security card for a background check. He immediately reached out to the human resources manager at Shea Post LLC, who said a delay in payment was typical for new employees, according to Walker. But, when Walker followed up again on his late paycheck, the human resources manager and his direct supervisor were unresponsive over email and phone. Soon after, on Jan. 19, Walker received a letter from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, New Jersey, that said he "may be or may have been involved in a work at home scam and the items that you are receiving and/or mailing may contain stolen merchandise." NBC News obtained a copy of the letter addressed to Walker. Story continues The U.S. Postal Inspection Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "There weren't any red flags with the company until the end, because everything went exactly as they said it would go," said Walker. "But it was fraudulent, and they took advantage of me." According to the Better Business Bureau, Shea Post LLC is not an accredited business and received an "F" rating. The Better Business Bureau also has an alert on the company stating that the address provided is not its location. The pictures and names on the About Us page on the businesses' website are also invalid. Shea Post LLC did not respond to phone and email requests for comment. Complaints about businesses and job-related opportunities scams spiked in 2020 as Covid-19 put millions of Americans out of work, according to the Federal Trade Commission. "This was supposed to be a big step for me, and it turned out to be eight steps backward, and I am still in the same position," said Walker, who called his bank and credit bureaus to avoid identity theft. Walker remains unemployed and is warning those who are also out of work to do their research before taking up any new opportunities. "They took my time, effort, and energy, and it was a big slap in the face," he said. Subway describes its tuna sandwich as "freshly baked bread" layered with "flaked tuna blended with creamy mayo then topped with your choice of crisp, fresh veggies." It's a description designed to activate the saliva glands - and separate you from your money. It's also fiction, at least partially, according to a recent lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaint alleges the ingredient billed as "tuna" for the chain's sandwiches and wraps contains absolutely no tuna. A representative of Subway said the claims are without merit. Not only is its tuna the real deal, the company says, but it's wild-caught, too. The star ingredient, according to the lawsuit, is "made from anything but tuna." Based on independent lab tests of "multiple samples" taken from Subway locations in California, the "tuna" is "a mixture of various concoctions that do not constitute tuna, yet have been blended together by defendants to imitate the appearance of tuna," according to the complaint. Shalini Dogra, one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs, declined to say exactly what ingredients the lab tests revealed. "We found that the ingredients were not tuna and not fish," the attorney said in an email to The Washington Post. Two plaintiffs are identified in the complaint: Karen Dhanowa and Nilima Amin, both residents of Alameda County in the Bay Area. But attorneys for Dhanowa and Amin hope to get their claim certified as a class action, which could open the case up to thousands of Subway customers in California who purchased tuna sandwiches and wraps after Jan. 21, 2017. Dhanowa and Amin are suing Subway for fraud, intentional misrepresentation, unjust enrichment and other claims under federal and state laws. Among other accusations, the plaintiffs argue they "were tricked into buying food items that wholly lacked the ingredients they reasonably thought they were purchasing" based on Subway's labeling, packaging and advertising. What's more, the plaintiffs argue, Subway is "saving substantial sums of money in manufacturing the products because the fabricated ingredient they use in the place of tuna costs less money." They argue they paid premium prices for an ingredient that they prize for its health benefits (although the government suggests certain people limit their intake of tuna because of mercury contamination). In suburban Washington, for example, the price of a foot-long tuna sandwich at a Subway outlet costs $7.39. The same size cold-cut combo sandwich, by contrast, runs $6.19. "Consumers are consistently misled into purchasing the products for the commonly known and/or advertised benefits and characteristics of tuna when in fact no such benefits could be had, given that the products are in fact devoid of tuna," the lawsuit claims. According to Subway's nutritional information page on its website, the tuna salad for its sandwiches contains flaked tuna in brine, mayonnaise and an additive to "protect flavor." A spokeswoman for Subway said the nutritional information is up to date. "Tuna is one of our most popular sandwiches. Our restaurants receive pure tuna, mix it with mayonnaise and serve on a freshly made sandwich to our guests," said Katia Noll, senior director for global food safety and quality at Subway, in a statement to The Post. Over the years, Subway has been a frequent target for lawsuits, some more serious than others. In 2013, plaintiffs in a class-action complaint accused the chain of selling $5 foot-long sandwiches that were only 11 to 11 1/2 inches long. (The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit in Chicago eventually threw out a settlement in the case, calling it "utterly worthless.") The sandwich chain recently had to defend its bread, too, after Ireland's Supreme Court ruled that, as part of a protracted legal and tax battle, Subway's hoagie-style rolls did not meet the country's definition of a staple bread. Over the years, franchisees have sued the company, too, claiming Subway's regional structure and arbitrary inspection process unfairly pushed some owners out of business. In 2017, Subway filed a lawsuit of its own against the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., arguing that the Canadian public broadcaster defamed the chain in a report that claimed the company's poultry products contained only 50% chicken DNA. The Ontario Superior Court dismissed Subway's lawsuit, saying the CBC's investigation met the "public interest test." The plaintiffs in the current case are seeking compensatory and punitive damages as well as attorneys' fees. They also want Subway to end its alleged practice of mislabeling its tuna sandwiches and surrender profits it earned from the practice. The plaintiffs have retained the services of the Lanier Law Firm, a firm with offices in several cities, including Los Angeles. Lanier has been involved in several high-profile lawsuits, including a case in which 22 women claimed Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder products caused ovarian cancer. A jury awarded the plaintiffs $4.69 billion in damages in 2018. A disabled dog who was rescued from a Chinese slaughterhouse has been a daily dose of paw-sitivity during the pandemic. Henry Wee Wheels was found rotting alive at an animal shelter in Shanghai after a dog bite left him with a severed spine. The toy poodle suffered horrific injuries and was close to death when he was transferred into the care of Harbin Slaughterhouse Survivors, a charity that helps to rescue animals from the meat trade and medical testing facilities. Flown across China to receive urgent medical care, hope for Henry came when big-hearted Irish woman Sharon Warnock welcomed him into her Co Armagh home. The animal lover fell in love with the poodle instantly when she spotted him on the rescue centres Facebook page. Contacting the group, the 55-year-old paid 700 to get him out of the country. I will never forget seeing Henry on Facebook. I think he was so helpless and I thought I have time on my hands to work with him and give him what he needs. There was a connection, a huge emotional connection and I wanted him to have a family. He was really badly injured and he lay for three weeks paralysed with open wounds to his bones. The volunteers came under heavy criticism for not euthanising him because of the extent of his injuries. The flesh was rotting off him and he was unable to go to the bathroom so they had to scrape the excrement out of him but they knew he could be saved. Hoping to raise awareness about the barbaric meat trade industry in China, Sharon said: He was found in a government shelter among the dead bodies of other dogs, these shelters are just a bit of land where the dogs are dumped, there is no medical treatment. The group is run by three young teachers and they are doing such incredible work and need more support than ever Henry wouldnt be here without them. Fitted with a wheelchair and given a second chance at life, the pooch is wheely thriving. When he arrived he still had open wounds at that point and because of his injuries he is doubly incontinent. He was a broken wee dog but he showed quite a lot of spirit, even in those days. Now he is feisty, full of fun and just loves cuddles. He is like a baby with his nappy routine and we use incontinence pads too. He is in babygros because there is no fur on his pelvis, the nappy also pads out his wee bum and protects him. He has no feelings in his leg or backside, other than that it is like looking after any other dog. If he needs lifting or cant reach something he will let you know, he is a cheeky fella. With over 5,000 Instagram followers and rising, the poodle is proving to be an Instagram sensation. We have made TV debuts and he loves the camera, he really does. He is a wee poser. If he sees the camera he will parade himself in front of it. People love him on social media, especially now the comments from people are lovely. I had one message this morning from a person that said they had been off social media and were finding things tough and they just logged on to see how Henry is doing. He spreads happiness. Now working as a specialised therapy dog, Henry is making a huge difference in the lives of children across Ireland. We started to work with special needs children as a one-off and when I saw the way he interacted with children, even non-verbal children, I knew he had something special. Lately we have been doing a lot of specialised work with children with special needs over Zoom calls. If a child is feeling lonely or isolated I would say Henry was in that situation, he was all by himself in China. The children really connect with him and talk to him, its like Im not even there. Another child we are working with over Zoom has had extensive cancer treatment, while another child has lost both parents. The children will chat to Henry and relate to him. Henry has made a huge impact on my life. You adopt a dog that you have never met and you really do take a chance, but he is truly a little fighter and so loved by everyone who meets him. (Natural News) With the Daily Mail reporting in this new story that China-Joe Biden is getting ready to purchase 200 million more Covid-19 vaccines, giving Biden and the US a total of 300 million shots, with Bidens goal being to have ALMOST EVERY American vaccinated by this summer, one of the top-voted comments on the story is a dire warning to Americans of whats likely to come: (Article by Stefan Stanford republished from AllNewsPipeline.com) No way do 300 million people want the vaccine. Get ready for mandates. As that story reported, that 300 million total is enough for nearly the entire U.S. population, which has officially been estimated at 329 million, and therefore well over the 80% estimated to be the point at which there will be herd immunity. So while Biden is hoping for mass compliance from the masses, actually believing that purchasing that many shots will encourage people to go out and get theirs, with some states going so far that they are bringing in dentists, school students and retirees to administer the vaccines due to not enough doctors to do so, the fact that only about 1/2 of all Americans even WANT to get the vaccine is extremely concerning, with that 50% far less than what the Biden administration is shooting for to accomplish herd immunity. And with Biden also using the US military to roll out these shots across America being another hint of where this might go in the months ahead if not enough people want to take what has quite literally been the kill shot for some, what happens when 1/3 to 1/2 of the country or more refuses to get vaccinated when Biden has already purchased hundreds of millions of shots and their goal is to vaccinate at least 80% of us? As CNBC had reported in this story, theyre already thinking up things that vaccine refusers will not be allowed to do in the future, including being banned from flying, going into restaurants, entering stores as well as other venues such as concerts and movie theaters. Can you imagine never being permitted to go into a store again? From the CNBC story.: A perfect storm is brewing as Covid-19 vaccines start to roll out more widely in countries around the world. While many people cant wait to protect themselves from the virus, some are adamant that they wont get the jab, leaving populations divided into those that have been vaccinated and those that havent. As a result of the differing views, a debate could start to emerge in 2021. Should any restrictions be imposed on people who choose not to get vaccinated given they can catch and spread the virus? Its a tricky subject but governments are already looking at introducing systems that would enable authorities, and possibly businesses, to tell if a person has had a Covid vaccine or not. And as the CNBC story also reported , if we want to get a look at how they plan onall of this burgeoning tyranny, all we need to do is take a look at what China is doing now. Or even Spain! China has launched a health code app that shows whether a person is symptom-free in order to check into a hotel or use the subway. In Chile, citizens that have recovered from the coronavirus have been issued with virus free certificates. On Dec. 28, Spains Health Minister Salvador Illa said the country will create a registry to show who has refused to be vaccinated and that the database could be shared across Europe. And Chinas app will be giving their own citizens color codes, with red flags for violators, with nothing less than people being allowed, or not allowed, into public spaces based upon their coded color. With Los Angeles County, California planning to vaccine passports to allow Covid vaccine recipients to store proof of immunization on their phones another hint of whats coming to the rest of America, this important new story over at Lew Rockwell.com that Steve Quayle had linked to on his website Wednesday morning titled Horrific Latent Deaths Predicted Among The Elderly By Genetics Professor After Immunization With RNA Vaccines offers a dire warning of what awaits some who get the vaccine. I suppose there are potentially three adverse reactions (from messenger RNA vaccinesMODERNA, PFIZER). Read more at: AllNewsPipeline.com A cycle lane that runs the wrong way up a one-way street wide enough for a single car has been dubbed the most dangerous and stupid in Britain. The 100 metre stretch of road in Bradford upon Avon in Wiltshire has been labelled a death trap as cars turning left have no choice but to cross over into the cycle lane because the road is so narrow. Delivery vans take up almost the entire width of the road and any oncoming cyclist would have to take evasive action and ride up on the narrow pavement to avoid being hit. Local John Boyce told MailOnline: 'The scheme would be comical if it were not so dangerous.' A cycle lane that runs the wrong way up a one-way street wide enough for a single car has been dubbed the most dangerous and stupid in Britain The 100 metre stretch of road in Bradford upon Avon in Wiltshire has been called a death trap as cars turning left into the road have no choice but to cross over into the cycle lane because the road is so narrow Local John Boyce (pictured with his son) told MailOnline: 'The scheme would be comical if it were not so dangerous' The death trap scheme was introduced in the picturesque town as part of a plan to make it more cycle friendly. The one-way road that has been turned into a contra flow system has left people in the town angered and baffled. MailOnline watched as a delivery van edged slowly down Mill Lane with the driver given no choice but to drive in the cycle lane. The driver, who asked not to be named, was staggered by the contra-flow system. He said: I just dont get it. I dont have a very big van and my vehicle takes up over half the cycle lane. There is no where else I can go. What happens if there is a cyclist coming the other way. It is just plain stupid and a waste of time. There will be a bad accident here one day. Mr Boyce, a local traffic campaigner, also blasted the new cycle lane. He said: 'We have a contra-flow system on a narrow and badly rutted lane, into which incoming vehicles have absolutely no view of approaching cycles until too late, and they meet head-on. 'Anything bigger than a standard small saloon car cannot pass a bike in the other direction anyway.' The one-way road that has been turned into a contra flow system has left residents of the town angered and baffled One driver said What happens if there is a cyclist coming the other way. It is just plain stupid and a waste of time. There will be a bad accident here one day' In the two hours Mail Online observed the road, only a single cyclist attempted to ride up the steep incline on the edge of Bradford on Avon town centre. Numerous signs have been erected to point out the new traffic system. Another driver, who lives in a block of flats at the end of the road, said he could not understand why there had to be a cycle lane. He said: 'There are hardly any cyclists who use this way as the road is so steep. Why would they? It is a bit of a death trap as cars turning into the road cant see what is ahead of them until they have turned the corner and already in the lane. In the two hours Mail Online observed the road only a single cyclist attempted to ride up the steep incline on the edge of Bradford on Avon town centre Wiltshire Council received 681,000 from the Government to create more cycle lanes as part of the national drive to create space for social distancing and encourage more cyclists to avoid a car led recovery from the pandemic Wiltshire Council received 681,000 from the Government to create more cycle lanes as part of the national drive to create space for social distancing and encourage more cyclists to avoid a car led recovery from the pandemic. Another scheme in the town, recently named as one of the best places to live in England, has seen a busy road that runs to the nearby town of Winsley narrowed to accommodate a cycle lane. Bridget Wayman, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Highways, said: 'Both cycle lanes were checked by a road safety auditor prior to installation and again once it was fully implemented and meet the Government criteria for the creation of this type of facility. Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes The Delhi Police has made traffic arrangements for the Beating Retreat ceremony that will be held at Vijay Chowk on Friday. The ceremony will feature a special new composition 'Swarnim Vijay' to commemorate 50 years of victory in the 1971 war against Pakistan. According to the advisory issued by the Delhi police, the traffic restrictions will be in place from 2 pm to 9.30 pm during which the Vijay Chowk will remain closed for general public. Traffic will not be allowed on Rafi Marg between Sunehri Masjid roundabout and Krishi Bhawan roundabout. Parking will be available for those wanting to see the illumination at Vijay Chowk behind the water channels between Rafi Marg and at "C" Hexagon after 7 pm, the advisory said. No traffic will be allowed on Raisina Road from Krishi Bhawan roundabout towards Vijay Chowk, beyond Dara Shikoh Road roundabout, Krishna Menon Marg and Sunehri Masjid roundabouts towards Vijay Chowk. Commuters have been advised to take alternate routes like Ring Road, Ridge Road, Aurobindo Marg, Madarsa 'T' Point, Safdarjung Road, Kamal Ataturk Marg, Rani Jhansi Road, Minto Road among others. The advisory also said that buses will be diverted from their normal routes from 2 pm to 9.30 pm, adding that the entry and exit gates of Udyog Bhawan and Central Secretariat Metro stations will remain closed from 2 pm to 6.30 pm owing to the ceremony. Fifteen military bands and an equal number of pipes and drums bands from regimental centres and battalions will be participating in this year's 'Beating Retreat' ceremony. Besides, there will be one band each of the Navy, the Air Force and Central Armed Police Forces. As many as 26 musical performances will enthral the spectators at the historic Vijay Chowk. 'Beating Retreat' is a centuries-old military tradition and dates back to the days when troops disengaged from battle at sunset. New York, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jan, 2021 ) :US airlines expect a better year in 2021 after last year's disastrous showing, but the comeback will be gradual and include more pain in the short-run. On Thursday, Southwest Airlines pointed to "stalled" demand in January and February, while American Airlines described a continuation in early 2021 of the same anemic booking trends that pummelled the industry in 2020. In total, the biggest four US carriers suffered losses of $31.5 billion as Covid-19 restrictions devastated travel. The arrival of coronavirus vaccines has allowed the industry to begin to contemplate the contours of a post-Covid market. But the expectation is that a full recovery could take another two years and that leisure travel will return before business, and domestic will outpace international. "Our fourth-quarter financial results close out the most challenging year in our company's history," said American Airlines Chief Executive Doug Parker. "While we don't know exactly when passenger demand will return, as vaccine distribution takes hold and travel restrictions are lifted, we will be ready." American reported an $8.9 billion loss in 2020, compared with profits of $1.7 billion in 2019, as revenues plunged 62 percent to $17.4 billion. Like its peers, American has trimmed its capital budget, retired older aircraft, deferred delivery of new planes and reduced headcount through early retirement. It has also taken on billions of Dollars of debt to ride out the downturn. Carriers have pointed to gradual progress in lowering their cash burn rates as they contend with revenues that are only about one-third of last year's. Delta said earlier this month it expects a sustained recovery to start in the second half of the 2021, sketching out three phases of the year. After continued "demand choppiness" early in the year, the market will shift once vaccines become more widespread and travel restrictions are eased. A third phase of 2021 will see worldwide vaccines and offices begin to reopen, said Delta President Glen Hauenstein. - Critical mass on vaccines - However, Delta does not expect a full recovery in business travel until after this year. A survey of clients showed 40 percent of corporate customers see a return to 2019 levels by 2022 and another 11 percent see a full return by 2023, executives said. United Airlines described 2021 as a "transition year" towards a comeback but that it expects to exceed its pre-coronavirus profit margins only in 2023. United Chief Executive Scott Kirby said a key turning point will be once the US reaches critical mass on vaccinations, which should lead to a dramatic rise in demand once widespread vaccines means "you're not only immune from catching Covid, you are no longer a transmission vector for Covid." A full recovery will be when restaurants are back at 100 percent and not at 25 percent, and people are able to go to Dinseyland or Broadway shows, Kirby said. "Those are demand generators for aviation," said Kirby, adding there is "huge huge pent-up demand." But between now and then, the industry still faces another period of choppy, mostly weak demand. American Airlines described sales for the upcoming spring break period as a "question mark" in light of coronavirus trends. That uncertain outlook raises tough questions for the industry over staffing after airlines received $15 billion in payroll support funds from Congress that requires them to keep employees on staff through the end of March. American Chief Executive Doug Parker said he is already held talks with American's unions. In the past, some carriers have hashed out deals with labor where involuntary layoffs are averted if workers agree to reduce hours. "We are definitely going to need to address this unless demand starts to pick up," Parker 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. 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 Members of the Philippines Air Force receive a C-130H plane acquired from the US government, Jan. 29, 2021. The United States is a stabilizing force in the disputed South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region, the Philippine defense chief said Friday, adding that Manila was optimistic about a new era of ties with Washington under the Biden presidency. Manila likely will keep pursuing an independent foreign policy, but is also expected to prolong a decades-old friendly relationship with the U.S. through dealings with the new administration in Washington, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said. As for our challenges ahead, the longstanding rivalry between the United States and China will surely continue to test our adeptness in balancing our relations with both countries, Lorenzana told a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP). On one hand, it is necessary for us to continuously engage with China, not only for our existing cooperation in various areas, but also for the peaceful resolution of our competing claims in the South China Sea, he said. On the other hand, we are mindful of the role of the United States as a stabilizing force in the Indo-Pacific region and a counter-balance to China. Beijing has laid claim to most of the South China Sea using its so-called Nine-Dash Line, which the American government has struck down as frivolous. Six other Asian governments Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam have territorial claims or maritime boundaries that overlap with China. While Indonesia does not regard itself as party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of the waterway that overlap with Indonesias exclusive economic zone. Lorenzana said he was hoping to forge stronger military ties with the U.S. under the administration of President Joe Biden, who took office on Jan. 20. The year 2021 promises to start a new era for the U.S.-Philippines relations under a new U.S. president who seeks to reclaim Americas status as a world leader, Lorenzana said. Being one of Americas allies in the Indo-Asia Pacific region, the Philippines may benefit from the Biden administrations anticipated pivot to Asia strategy. He said the Philippines welcomed with great optimism" the change in leadership in the U.S. government. After all, the decades-old alliance has endured multiple changes of administrations on both sides amid numerous challenges in the relationship, he said. Upon taking office in 2016, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signaled a shift in foreign policy away from traditional ally Washington and in favor of its rival, China. He made it a priority to appease Beijing even after an international arbitral tribunal ruled that year in Manilas favor regarding the South China Sea. In late 2020, Duterte changed course at an international forum, calling out China over its legal obligations to the Philippines in the waterway. On Friday, Lorenzana said he expected the appointment of Sung Kim, as acting assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, would give Washington a deeper understanding of the Philippines. Kim previously served as the U.S. ambassador in Manila. We are hopeful that prudence and proper restraint will be exercised in dealing with other countries domestic affairs, Lorenzana said, noting that the Philippines-U.S. alliance was rooted in its shared democratic commitments. The defense secretary made his remarks a week after China passed a law that allows its coast guard to use force and fire upon ships in waters Beijing considers part of its territory. That move led to a diplomatic protest by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs this week. A day after China passed the law, a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group deployed to the South China Sea, drawing a response from Beijing. On Jan. 25, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian said it does no good to regional peace and stability for the United States to frequently send military vessels and aircraft to the South China Sea to show off muscles. Diplomatic phone call During the Friday forum, the Philippine envoy to the United States said Manila had received assurances from new U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said Blinken noted that the U.S. will stand with claimant countries and reiterated the previous administrations stance as far as Chinas maritime claims are concerned. During his first day on the job as Americas top diplomat, Blinken had a phone conversation with Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday where they reaffirmed their commitment to the alliance. He also underscored that the Mutual Defense Treaty will apply to armed attacks against the Philippines, Romualdez said, referring to Blinken. We welcome this continuation of the U.S.s strengthened policy as regard to the South China Sea. Both secretaries agreed that a strong U.S.-Philippine alliance is vital to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, even as Blinken stressed the importance of the Mutual Defense Treaty for the security of both nations, and its clear application to armed attacks against the Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific, which includes the South China Sea. In a statement, U.S. Department of State spokesman Ned Price said Blinken reiterated the position of the United States that Beijing had exceeded the maritime zones that China is permitted to claim as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea. Secretary Blinken pledged to stand with Southeast Asian claimants in the face of PRC [Peoples Republic of China] pressure. The two secretaries committed to continue building upon a relationship founded on shared strategic interests and history, democratic values and strong people-to-people ties, Price said. Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. 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. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Agartala, Jan 29 : The BJP is destroying the country that was built by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, the President of the All India Mahila Congress, Sushmita Dev, said here on Friday while addressing a gathering organised by her party demanding the withdrawal of all the three Central farm laws. Dev, a former Lok Sabha member from southern Assam, said that the BJP government has sold the farmers' interests to the corporates. Saying that the Modi government must roll back the three farm laws, the Congress leader said that prices of essential commodities and fuel are skyrocketing, while the unemployment ratio too has reached an alarming high. "The BJP government is publicising the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme, but the women and girls are facing barbaric atrocities in the BJP ruled states," she said. Dev also said that the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is doing nothing but making false promises. "Though their scheduled terms are over long back, the Tripura government led by the BJP is afraid to conduct elections to the tribal autonomous councils and the urban local bodies, because they know that if elections are held, they would lose miserably," she said. "The BJP government, after coming to power in Tripura in 2018, has been allotting government works, projects and supply tenders to contractors and suppliers from Gujarat and other BJP ruled states, depriving the businessmen, traders and contractors from Tripura," the Congress leader said. AICC in-charge for Tripura, Nagaland and Sikkim, Kuljit Singh Nagra, while addressing the gathering, said that the Biplab Kumar Deb-led Tripura government has befooled the people of the state after luring them before the 2018 Assembly polls with the promise of "Acche Din" (good days). "The likes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Biplab Kumar Deb also have the habit of making tall and bogus promises. But they do nothing to live up to the expectations. It was the Congress government led by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi which gave the princely state the status of full-fledged statehood and constituted the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council for the all-round socio-economic development of the tribals," Nagra said. He added that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had increased the number of tribal reserved seats in the Tripura Assembly from 17 to 20. "Before the 2018 Assembly polls, the BJP leaders had promised to provide 50,000 government jobs annually, but they did not give even a few hundred jobs. The BJP government has failed to deliver on all fronts," he said. On Wednesday, February 3, at 10.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host press conference entitled "Oncology 2021. Present and Development Prospects" by National Cancer Institute of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine devoted to the World Cancer Day. Participants include Health Minister Maksym Stepanov; Professor, PhD in Medical Sciences Iryna Kriachok (expected); acting Director, PhD in Medical Sciences, Honored Doctor of Ukraine Oleksadr Yatsyna; First Deputy Director, PhD in Medical Sciences, Honored Health Worker Andriy Shypko; Deputy Director for Organizational and Methodological Work, PhD in Medical Sciences Andriy Lukashenko; Deputy Director for Research, PhD in Medical Sciences Serhiy Korovin (8/5a Reitarska Street). The press conference will be available on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Media accreditation requires registration on the spot. Details by phone: (096) 422 4523, or at: nirpres@gmail.com. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 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. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Coronary artery calcificationthe buildup of calcified plaque in the walls of the heart's arteriesis an important predictor of adverse cardiovascular events like heart attacks. Coronary calcium can be detected by computed tomography (CT) scans, but quantifying the amount of plaque requires radiological expertise, time and specialized equipment. In practice, even though chest CT scans are fairly common, calcium score CTs are not. Investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital's Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) Program and the Massachusetts General Hospital's Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center (CIRC) teamed up to develop and evaluate a deep learning system that may help change this. The system automatically measures coronary artery calcium from CT scans to help physicians and patients make more informed decisions about cardiovascular prevention. The team validated the system using data from more than 20,000 individuals with promising results. Their findings are published in Nature Communications. "Coronary artery calcium information could be available for almost every patient who gets a chest CT scan, but it isn't quantified simply because it takes too much time to do this for every patient," said corresponding author Hugo Aerts, Ph.D., director of the Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) Program at the Brigham and Harvard Medical School. "We've developed an algorithm that can identify high-risk individuals in an automated manner." Working with colleagues, lead author Roman Zeleznik, MSc, a data scientist in AIM, developed the deep learning system described in the paper to automatically and accurately predict cardiovascular events by scoring coronary calcium. While the tool is currently only for research purposes, Zeleznik and co-authors have made it open source and freely available for anyone to use. "In theory, the deep learning system does a lot of what a human would do to quantify calcium," said Zeleznik. "Our paper shows that it may be possible to do this in an automated fashion." The team began by training the deep learning system on data from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), a long-term asymptomatic community cohort study. Framingham participants received dedicated calcium scoring CT scans, which were manually scored by expert human readers and used to train the deep learning system. The deep learning system was then applied to three additional study cohorts, which included heavy smokers having lung cancer screening CT (NLST: National Lung Screening Trial), patients with stable chest pain having cardiac CT (PROMISE: the Prospective Multicenter Imaging Study for Evaluation of Chest Pain), and patients with acute chest pain having cardiac CT (ROMICAT-II: the Rule Out Myocardial Infarction using Computer Assisted Tomography trial). All told, the team validated the deep learning system in over 20,000 individuals. Udo Hoffmann, MD, director of CIRC@MGH who is the principal investigator of CT imaging in the FHS, PROMISE and ROMICAT, emphasized that one of the unique aspects of this study is the inclusion of three National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-funded high-quality image and outcome trials that strengthen the generalizability of these results to clinical settings. The automated calcium scores from the deep learning system highly correlated with the manual calcium scores from human experts. The automated scores also independently predicted who would go on to have a major adverse cardiovascular event like a heart attack. The coronary artery calcium score plays an important role in current guidelines for who should take a statin to prevent heart attacks. "This is an opportunity for us to get additional value from these chest CTs using AI," said co-author Michael Lu, MD, MPH, director of artificial intelligence at MGH's Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center. "The coronary artery calcium score can help patients and physicians make informed, personalized decisions about whether to take a statin. From a clinical perspective, our long-term goal is to implement this deep learning system in electronic health records, to automatically identify the patients at high risk." Explore further AI helps find signs of heart disease on lung cancer screens More information: Roman Zeleznik et al, Deep convolutional neural networks to predict cardiovascular risk from computed tomography, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications Roman Zeleznik et al, Deep convolutional neural networks to predict cardiovascular risk from computed tomography,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-20966-2 DUBLIN, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market Research Report by Function (Assembly, Distribution, Kitting, Order Picking, and Storage), by Type (Autostore, Carousel, Mid Load, Mini Load, and Unit Load), by Industry - Global Forecast to 2025 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Research and Markets Logo The Global Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market is expected to grow from $8,046.14 Million in 2020 to $12,506.87 Million by the end of 2025. This research report categorizes the Automated Storage & Retrieval System to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Function, the Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market is examined across Assembly, Distribution, Kitting, Order Picking, and Storage. Based on Type, the Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market is examined across Autostore, Carousel, Mid Load, Mini Load, Unit Load, Vertical Buffer Module, and Vertical Lift Module. The Carousel is further studied across Horizontal Carousel and Vertical Carousel. Based on Industry, the Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market is examined across Automotive, Aviation, Chemicals & Advance Materials, E-Commerce, Food & Beverages, Healthcare & Pharmaceutical, Metals & Heavy Machinery, Retail, and Semiconductors & Electronics. Based on Geography, the Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market is examined across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas region surveyed across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The Asia-Pacific region surveyed across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa region surveyed across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. The report deeply explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market including Automation Logistics Corporation, Bastian Solutions, Inc., Beumer Group GmbH & Co KG, Daifuku Co., Ltd, Dematic Corporation, Ferretto Group SpA, Hanel GmbH & Co. KG, Kardex Group, Kion Group AG, KNAPP AG, KUKA AG, Mecalux, S.A., Murata Machinery, Ltd., Schaefer Systems International, Inc., Sencorp Inc., SSI Schaefer Systems International, Swisslog Holding AG, System Logistics Corporation, TGW Logistics Group, and Vanderlande Industries B.V.. COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, so for and, the long-term effects projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. The ongoing research amplifies the research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlaying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report is delivering insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecast, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market on the basis of Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies. The Competitive Strategic Window helps the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. During a forecast period, it defines the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market? 6. What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market? Key Topics Covered: 1. Preface 2. Research Methodology 3. Executive Summary 3.1. Introduction 3.2. Market Outlook 3.3. Industry Outlook 3.4. Function Outlook 3.5. Type Outlook 3.6. Geography Outlook 3.7. Competitor Outlook 4. Market Overview 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19 4.3. Geographic Growth Opportunities 5. Market Insights 5.1. Market Dynamics 5.1.1. Drivers 5.1.1.1. Growing demand for automated storage and retrieval system in the automotive industry 5.1.1.2. Optimum utilization of space and rise in labor costs 5.1.1.3. Better inventory control with improved accuracy, productivity, and efficiency in the supply chain 5.1.2. Restraints 5.1.2.1. High initial investment requirement 5.1.2.2. Need for technical expertise and periodic training 5.1.3. Opportunities 5.1.3.1. Increasing demand for automation in the e-commerce industry 5.1.3.2. High demand for cold chain automated storage and retrieval system in APAC 5.1.4. Challenges 5.1.4.1. Issues with operational processes due to technical glitches results in increase downtime 5.2. Porters Five Forces Analysis 5.2.1. Threat of New Entrants 5.2.2. Threat of Substitutes 5.2.3. Bargaining Power of Customers 5.2.4. Bargaining Power of Suppliers 5.2.5. Industry Rivalry 6. Global Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market, By Function 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Assembly 6.3. Distribution 6.4. Kitting 6.5. Order Picking 6.6. Storage 7. Global Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market, By Type 7.1. Introduction 7.2. Autostore 7.3. Carousel 7.3.1. Horizontal Carousel 7.3.2. Vertical Carousel 7.4. Mid Load 7.5. Mini Load 7.6. Unit Load 7.7. Vertical Buffer Module 7.8. Vertical Lift Module 8. Global Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market, By Industry 8.1. Introduction 8.2. Automotive 8.3. Aviation 8.4. Chemicals & Advance Materials 8.5. E-Commerce 8.6. Food & Beverages 8.7. Healthcare & Pharmaceutical 8.8. Metals & Heavy Machinery 8.9. Retail 8.10. Semiconductors & Electronics 9. Americas Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market 9.1. Introduction 9.2. Argentina 9.3. Brazil 9.4. Canada 9.5. Mexico 9.6. United States 10. Asia-Pacific Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market 10.1. Introduction 10.2. Australia 10.3. China 10.4. India 10.5. Indonesia 10.6. Japan 10.7. Malaysia 10.8. Philippines 10.9. South Korea 10.10. Thailand 11. Europe, Middle East & Africa Automated Storage & Retrieval System Market 11.1. Introduction 11.2. France 11.3. Germany 11.4. Italy 11.5. Netherlands 11.6. Qatar 11.7. Russia 11.8. Saudi Arabia 11.9. South Africa 11.10. Spain 11.11. United Arab Emirates 11.12. United Kingdom 12. Competitive Landscape 12.1. FPNV Positioning Matrix 12.1.1. Quadrants 12.1.2. Business Strategy 12.1.3. Product Satisfaction 12.2. Market Ranking Analysis 12.3. Market Share Analysis 12.4. Competitive Scenario 12.4.1. Merger & Acquisition 12.4.2. Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership 12.4.3. New Product Launch & Enhancement 12.4.4. Investment & Funding 12.4.5. Award, Recognition, & Expansion 13. Company Usability Profiles 13.1. Automation Logistics Corporation 13.2. Bastian Solutions, Inc. 13.3. Beumer Group GmbH & Co KG 13.4. Daifuku Co., Ltd 13.5. Dematic Corporation 13.6. Ferretto Group SpA 13.7. Hanel GmbH & Co. KG 13.8. Kardex Group 13.9. Kion Group AG 13.10. KNAPP AG 13.11. KUKA AG 13.12. Mecalux, S.A. 13.13. Murata Machinery, Ltd. 13.14. Schaefer Systems International, Inc. 13.15. Sencorp Inc. 13.16. SSI Schaefer Systems International 13.17. Swisslog Holding AG 13.18. System Logistics Corporation 13.19. TGW Logistics Group 13.20. Vanderlande Industries B.V. 14. Appendix 14.1. Discussion Guide For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yiatax Story continues Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior 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 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/worldwide-automated-storage--retrieval-system-industry-to-2025---optimum-utilization-of-space-and-rise-in-labor-costs-is-driving-growth-301217989.html SOURCE Research and Markets Nine additional community infections of COVID-19 in five northern Vietnamese localities, including one case in Hanoi, have been detected since Thursday afternoon, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control announced Friday morning. Patient No.1,581, a resident of Hanois Hai Ba Trung District and had been in close contact with the Van Don International Airport security worker who tested positive earlier this week and was registered as patient No.1553. The other eight domestic cases include one from Hai Phong City, one from Bac Ninh Province, two from Quang Ninh Province, and four from Hai Duong Province. Among those eight, the infections in Hai Phong and Bac Ninh Province had been tentatively announced by the local authorities on Thursday evening before being confirmed by the Ministry of Health. Patient No.1,561 from Hai Phong and Patient No.1,565 from Bac Ninh both reside in Hai Duong and are connected to the virus cluster in Hai Duongs Chi Linh City. Patients No.1,573 and No.1,574 from Quang Ninh had also been in close contact with the airport guard. The four new cases in Hai Duong have been confirmed as connected with the outbreak in Chi Linh City, Hai Duong. All of the new cases are currently being treated and health officials are continuing to track and trace anyone who may have come into contact with the new patients. According to the Ministry of Health, test results of more than 5,000 samples collected by four institutes in Hai Duong on Thursday are set to be released on Friday. On the same day, Hanoi authorities also start testing F1 and F2 cases of patients in Hai Duong and people who had traveled between the capital city and Chi Linh City from January 14 to date. The number of new cases from these two mass tests are expected to exceed 300. After almost two months without any locally transmitted cases, Vietnam logged a record daily count of 100 local COVID-19 cases on Thursday. The nine new cases reported on Friday morning sent the national tally to 1,651, with 1,430 recoveries and 35 virus-related deaths. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! SPOKANE, WA / ACCESSWIRE / January 28, 2021 / KBG Insurance & Financial has just announced that they have added another homeowner's insurance company to their long list of reputable insurance providers. This new insurance carrier is called Mutual of Enumclaw. The agency does this because they like to have relationships with many insurance providers so their customers always have premium options that will save them a good amount of money. Often this can add up to over $1,000 a year in savings on a homeowner's policy. Mutual of Enumclaw joins an impressive list of insurance carriers that the company uses such as Travelers, Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Progressive, Grange Insurance Association, and Nationwide. Mutual of Enumclaw is an insurance provider that was first established way back in 1898. They are not a nationwide insurance carrier as they only sell policies to those in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and Montana. They are known to be a customer-first insurance provider as they strive to live up to their motto 'Thoughtful people protecting members'. This company offers such popular types of insurance policies as homeowners, auto, and commercial to go along with less common insurances such as their family cyber protection and farm & ranch insurances. Their financial stability was rated A-excellent and A-prime by two separate distinguished insurance rating services. In 2019 Mutual of Enumclaw wrote over 459 million dollars' worth of premiums and they are quickly approaching the 1-billion-dollar mark in total assets. Being a mutual insurance company also means their policyholders are actual members of the company and have a shared interest in how the company operates. This insurance agency's co-founder, Joshua Loera, says, "Our clients have to look no further than all of the new insurance carriers that we are constantly adding to realize our level of commitment to them here at KBG Insurance & Financial. We do this to bring them the best possible insurance coverages for the lowest premium amounts. The high number of insurance options that we can present to our clients is why we have become a leading Spokane, WA insurance agency. We pledge to continue to partner with great insurance providers so our clients can continue to save as much money as possible on their premiums." Loera says that being able to offer their clients many insurance choices is why they love being an independent insurance agent. This is unlike captive insurance agencies whose clients are pretty much locked into specific premium amounts for specific types of insurance. That means all they have to offer other than set insurance rates is their good customer service. He says he never understands why someone would choose that when they not only offer their clients great customer service but add lower premium options into the mix too. The company spokesperson said another benefit their clients get from choosing them is that they can represent their clients instead of representing a particular insurance provider. This is why they continue to add more personal and business insurance clients every year. He says that they are not only known for helping their clients fill out claims but many times they will advocate on their behalf too. Testimonials show that their customers like the fact that they are buying insurance from an independent agent too. Cindy L wrote, "I absolutely loved the service they gave me. Very quick and responsive. An absolute pleasant experience. Also giving me the best price." Jenna W stated, "Derek made getting car insurance super simple! I would highly recommend KBG to anyone needing car insurance!" The spokesperson went on to say that not only do they give their clients many choices in insurance providers but they also give them many different insurance choices. This includes their reputable business insurance services in addition to commercial property, life, home, auto, and group insurance policies. They also are specialists when it comes to ensuring their clients' RVs. Those who would like more information on the different types of insurances that KBG Insurance & Financial offers can call them, send an email, or fill out the 'get quote' form that's found on their website. For more information about KBG Insurance & Financial, contact the company here: KBG Insurance & Financial Joshua Loera (509) 242-3244 joshua@kbgagency.com 601 W 1st Avenue Suite 1400 Spokane, WA 99201 SOURCE: KBG Insurance & Financial View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/626691/KBG-Insurance-Financial-Adds-Another-Homeowners-Insurance-Company-to-Their-Already-Impressive-List New Delhi, Jan 29 : Celebrity parents Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Khemu are encouraging parents to be equally involved for their baby's healthy and happy development, saying that the journey of parenting is even more rewarding when both play an equal role. "Becoming a parent is a beautiful feeling and the journey is even more rewarding when both play an equal role. No dad-duty and mom-duty, just a profound sense of responsibility, love, and care for your baby," says Soha, mother to little Innaya. The duo has collaborated with Pampers for their new campaign called '#ItTakes2' that aims to spark a positive change and strengthen the movement in support of equal parenting. Adding to it, a proud dad, Kunal says: "The journey of parenting starts even before you hold your little one for the first time. The day our little girl was born was a moment of pride for me as it was the day, I went from being a man to being a dad. I promised her that I, together with her mum, would raise her to be a strong, happy, and healthy girl." While equal parenting has a more profound impact on shaping a child's life when both partners are involved throughout, a study by Nielsen reveals that 84 per cent of fathers in India believe that taking care of a baby is primarily a mother's role. However, in recent years, men have started playing a more nurturing role in parenting. In a joint study published by top Ivy League Colleges in London, researchers found that children, whose fathers were more engaged in the initial months, performed better in cognitive tests at two years of age. The brand released a film, featuring Soha and Kunal, seeded with moments of realisation stressing the fact that while raising a baby is a beautiful journey, the involvement of both parents is important for a baby's wholesome development. Soha states:"Having walked this path with Kunal, I can confidently say that #ItTakes2 for a child's complete growth and development. I am proud to join this movement by PampersA and pledge for equal parenting. It is truly a reflection of the parenting beliefs we value most in our journey towards raising our little baby girl." Kunal added:"Taking the pledge for equal parenting by Pampers I believe that #ItTakes2 to raise your child to embrace the world and I would not trade that for anything. I also encourage fathers to take the pledge and not miss out on this beautiful journey." Abhishek Desai, Senior Director & Category Leader, Baby Care, P&G Indian Subcontinent shared:"Pampers holds a strong legacy of always being a confidence-boosting, spirit-lifting ally for parents, while ensuring the happy and healthy development of every baby. Thousands of dads today set an example of equal parenting in their own way. From changing diapers to feeding their little ones, they believe that #ItTakes2 for a baby's wholesome growth. Equal parenting goes beyond sharing responsibilities as it has the power to have a lasting impact for generations by teaching invaluable lessons of teamwork, togetherness and equality. Through this campaign, the brand hopes to start a conversation to positively change the parenting paradigm and encourage more moms and dads to join the #ItTakes2 movement." (Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@ians.in) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Welcome Guest! You Are Here: On a consolidated basis, the chemical maker's net profit rose 0.2% to Rs 200.72 crore on 0.7% decline in net sales to Rs 2,606.08 crore in Q3 December 2020 over Q3 December 2019. Profit before tax (PBT) declined 11.81% to Rs 254.52 crore in Q3 December 2020 as against Rs 288.60 crore in Q3 December 2019. Current tax expense for the quarter dropped 12.6% to Rs 54.39 crore as against Rs 62.22 crore in Q3 December 2019. The Q3 result was declared post trading hours yesterday, 28 January 2021. Tata Chemicals' income from operations on consolidated basis for basic chemistry products segment stood at Rs 1,987 crore, falling 1% Y-o-Y (year-on-year) and specialty products segment at Rs 618 crore, rising 2% Y-o-Y (year-on-year) as compared to the corresponding quarter of last year. Commenting on the Q3 results, R. Mukundan, the managing director (MD) & chief executive officer (CEO) of Tata Chemicals, has said that: "During Q3, we have witnessed sequential improvement in demand, even as we navigate the margin pressures through agile execution of cost efficiencies. While we are focusing on business continuity, the health and safety of our employees and partners, still remain our priority. In the coming quarters, we expect a greater recovery in production and demand, given the commencement of the vaccination drive in India. Our business strategy going forward will be scaling up the value chain across our verticals with increased efforts towards R&D and innovation." In its press statement, the company faced marginal issues in the export market out of the US. US and UK business did well throughout the pandemic. Witnessing certain demand issues in South East Asian markets, but overall momentum is positive. Rallis India reported a Q3 consolidated revenue of Rs 570 crore and PAT growth of 20% Y-o-Y (year-on-year) at Rs 46 crore. Shares of Tata Chemicals rose 0.48% to Rs 492.15. Tata Chemicals is a global company with interests in businesses that focus on basic chemistry products and specialty chemistry products. It is currently is the world's third largest producer of soda ash with manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. The company has a strong position in the crop protection business through its subsidiary company Rallis India. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WALLINGFORD, Conn., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aware Recovery Care, a pioneer in the in-home addiction treatment space, today announced that it has raised a significant growth investment to support rapid expansion and increased access to high-quality, whole-person healthcare. Aware's In-Home Addiction Treatment (IHAT) program is backed by a decade of experience delivering individualized, evidence-based treatment, as well as research showing that integrated medical and behavioral healthcare in the home setting enables lasting recovery. The investment was led by Health Enterprise Partners (HEP), a growth equity firm whose investors include some of the largest health systems and health insurance plans in the United States. Aware selected HEP as its capital partner given the firm's deep relationships across the healthcare industry and experience supporting innovative healthcare business models as they scale. Investment will expand Aware's innovative in-home addiction treatment program across multiple states and payors Tweet this "Aware is excited to be aligned with the right capital partner at the right time for our company," said Steve Randazzo, Founder and CEO of Aware. "Our partnership is founded on our mutual commitment to maximizing both outcomes and access to our IHAT program. With this investment, we plan to scale the IHAT platform rapidly to make this life saving treatment available to the many people suffering from the disease of addiction." Aware partners with leading payors to offer IHAT as a covered benefit to members with substance use disorder. Demand for Aware's IHAT program has accelerated in the face of increasing rates of substance use disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a 52-week, home-based biopsychosocial curriculum that leverages best-in-class technology solutions to enhance the delivery of in-home addiction treatment, Aware drives proven outcomes for its patients and significant cost savings to its payor partners. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Connecticut, one of the company's payor partners, found that 60% to 70% of its members who received Aware Recovery Care's treatment for a year abstained from drug and alcohol use during that time. By comparison, less than 10% of those who attended residential treatment programs achieved year-long abstinence. The IHAT program is Joint Commission accredited in both behavioral and home health and focuses on improving quality of life indicators that also address the social determinants of health. "Aware takes a unique approach to providing patients the opportunity for lasting recovery from addiction," said Pete Tedesco, Managing Partner at HEP. "We have been impressed by the strong clinical outcomes driven by the Company's evidence-based IHAT model, as well as overwhelmingly positive feedback from Aware's payor clients and patients. We are excited to support the Aware team as it executes on the next phase of growth." Aware's services are currently available in Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Florida, and Massachusetts. With this funding, Aware will expand its presence in existing and new geographies, partner with additional payors, and assess opportunities to incorporate additional, complementary services to its core IHAT program. "Aware has been providing a treatment-level program that transforms the home into a healthy and supportive environment since 2011," commented Matt Eacott, Executive Vice President and COO of Aware. "We take great pride as we continue to evolve to best serve our patients and customers, while leading the charge to change the face and place of addiction treatment." About Aware Recovery Care: Aware Recovery Care is a pioneer in the in-home addiction treatment industry and currently provides its novel In-Home Addiction Treatment (IHAT) program in Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Florida, and Massachusetts. Aware has served thousands of clients with its technology-enabled and holistic treatment approach that integrates both medical and behavioral health. The effectiveness of the Aware IHAT model has been validated by years of patient outcomes and payor data, supporting the thesis that the home is the optimal modality for most patients seeking recovery from substance use disorders while maximizing whole-person care. https://www.awarerecoverycare.com/ CONTACT : Meg Sisti / Aware Recovery Care/ [email protected] About Health Enterprise Partners: Health Enterprise Partners invests primarily in privately held, lower middle market healthcare services and information technology companies. Central to HEP's strategy is its unique and extensive hospital system and health plan network, 36 members of which are investors in HEP's funds. HEP seeks to invest in companies that improve the quality of the patient experience, expand access, and reduce the cost of healthcare. https://hepfund.com/ SOURCE Aware Recovery Care Related Links https://www.awarerecoverycare.com/ (Newser) A tale of betrayal went viral on Facebook this week, and now a Texas police chief has stepped downand faces charges. The post put up Tuesday by Cecily Steinmetz, of Amarillo, noted that she did not recommend the City of Stinnett, mainly due to Jason Collier being a "poor representative of your town" as the head of its police force. Steinmetz's issue: "Chief Jason Collier is living a double/triple life." She says in the post that she was his girlfriend until Monday, when she found out Collier not only had a wife and four kids, but at least two other girlfriends. Heavy.com lays out the timeline of how everything came crashing down, starting right after the couple ended a vacation in Taos, NM. In a Monday post, Steinmetz said she found out about Steinmetz's wife, Opal, and in the comments, another woman, Kristi Shaffer, then popped up and said he was dating her, too. story continues below The two started comparing notes, discovering he'd asked them both to marry him. That's when a third woman showed up in the comments and said she was also his girlfriend, while other women noted they'd had similar experiences with him, going back to 2007 (when he was still married to his first wife, Mandy). Steinmetz tells MyHighPlains.com that when she confronted Collier on his marriage, he sent her an annulment document, which she later found out was fake. After the city got wind of what was going on, Collier, also an ordained minister, was placed on administrative leave, resigned soon after, and was arrested by the Texas Rangers on Thursday. He has been charged with tampering with a government document with the intent to defraud. The bond for Collier, who could see up to two years behind bars and a $10,000 fine, has been set at $10,000. More on his alleged double/triple/quadruple/life here, including his apology video to Steinmetz. (Read more police chiefs stories.) BUCHAREST -- Romanian officials say at least five people have died after a fire broke out in a Bucharest hospital where COVID-19 patients were being treated, the second deadly hospital fire in the country in less than three months. Raed Arafat, state secretary of the Interior Ministry, said on January 29 that three patients were found dead at the Matei Bals hospital and a fourth died despite attempts at resuscitation. The body of a fifth victim was later found in one of the bathrooms, Interior Minister Lucian Bode announced in an update of the total on January 29. Bode earlier said that 60 people were transferred to other buildings of the Matei Bals Institute and another 44 to other hospitals in the capital. Health Minister Vlad Voiculescu said none of the evacuated patients had burns. The blaze, which has since been extinguished, broke out on the ground floor in one of the buildings of the hospital at around 5 a.m. According to firefighters, there were about 200 people in the building at the time of the fire, whose cause was not yet known. Matei Bals is one of the largest and most used hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in Romania. The building where the blaze broke out was built in 1953 and had been completely renovated, according to Streinu Cercel, general manager of the National Institute for Infectious Diseases. He said the patients there had medium to serious COVID-19 infections and most were using oxygen. A criminal case was opened into the tragedy, which comes after 10 people suffering from COVID-19 died in a fire in an intensive-care unit of a hospital in the northeastern town of Piatra Neamt in November. The Health Ministry has suggested the fire could have been caused by an electrical short circuit. Romania, one of the poorest countries in the European Union, is trying to manage the coronavirus pandemic with a dilapidated and understaffed health-care system. The country of 19 million has reported more than 721,000 coronavirus infections and over 18,100 deaths. With reporting by AFP and Reuters A leading private providers of residential services for people with intellectual disabilities has announced plans to recruit up to 60 healthcare workers in the Leinster region. Nua Healthcare's latest announcement will further enable the delivery of crucial services to both children and adults with complex support needs, whilst enhancing the standards of excellence in care for people with disabilities throughout the island of Ireland. Nua is seeking to recruit Social Care Workers with Level 7 or 8 qualifications and Assistant Support Workers with FETAC Level 5, to join their teams in residential care facilities and supported living services situated in counties Kildare, Laois, Carlow, Offaly and Kilkenny. Michelle Kirwan, Nuas Recruitment Manager says; this announcement is very positive for many people across the country who have perhaps lost their job recently due to the pandemic, or who wish to progress their career in social care. Amidst some truly difficult times for our nation, this presents great opportunities for people and we are pleased to be supporting employment in our local communities. This latest development from Nua will also help support progression of the Governments national policy on de-congregation by ensuring Service Users with intellectual disabilities are provided with a greater choice of appropriate accommodation as they move on from more traditional settings. Nua Healthcares facilities offer Service Users access to a much-improved quality of life, with greater independence and choice in everyday living, offering them the opportunity to live with a small group of people with similar support needs, and to have their own space within a home in the community. File photo: A Commonwealth Bank logo adorns an Automatic Tellar Machine (ATM) located in Sydney, Australia, in this picture taken November 12, 2014. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo Commonwealth Bank Boss Expects Rules for Pay Later Firms Commonwealth Bank boss Matt Comyn expects scrutiny and regulatory concerns to increase for buy now, pay later providers, despite authorities declining to impose conditions on the credit providers. Comyn on January 28 remained convinced that the likes of Afterpay and Zip, which tend to charge late payment fees rather than interest, will eventually face tighter controls. I dont think the focus and scrutiny is going to go away, Comyn said in response to a question at a technology briefing. If anything, it is going to increase, but I think there will be clearly divergent views for some time about the need for regulation and when that will most likely come into effect. Buy now, pay later providers are popular among young people, many of whom have preferred them to bank credit cards. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission last year found purchases using the new wave of services climbed 90 percent in 12 months. One in five users missed payments, which usually results in being charged a fee. Yet the regulator opted not to impose additional rules. Comyn said regulators and policy makers wanted to ensure innovation in financial services, so regulation tended to lag in emerging areas. I think the same sorts of issues are being contemplated internationally by many other countries, he said. The buy now, pay later sector has devised a code of conduct which promotes responsible lending, which will be adopted from March. CBA last year bought a stake in buy now, pay later provider Klarna, developed in Sweden. Klarnas Australia and New Zealand boss Fran Ereira said there were 575,000 users in Australia and 400 businesses accepting payments. Meanwhile the banks technology venture arm, x15, said it bought a software business catering to cafes and restaurants called Doshii. Steven Deare in Sydney There are suggestions international buyers could be returning to the city, encouraged by the success of Victorias handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Down at the Victoria Market end of the CBD, a double-storey shop at 469 Elizabeth Street changed hands for $5.2 million. 469 Elizabeth attracted 11 offers and sold on a 3 per cent yield. Credit: Records show the property, leased to Sarawak Kitchen, was previously owned by Malaysian-based billionaire Loh Kiam Chong who sold it in 2016 for $2.9 million to a local investor. It flipped again over the summer to a Chinese buyer. Tiga Commercial agents David Sia, Martin Leong and Nicholas Hii handled the transaction which attracted 11 offers and sold on a 3 per cent yield. LAWRENCE, Kan. - Kansas voters will decide next year whether the state's constitution protects abortion rights under a ballot measure approved by the state Senate on Thursday. If approved by voters, the measure - known by its supporters as "Value Them Both" - would amend the state's constitution to say there is no right to abortion and leave the power to regulate the procedure to the legislature, currently a Republican-leaning body that in recent years has tightened restrictions on abortions. Kansas would join four other states that have approved similar constitutional amendments since 2014, along with others that have enacted abortion restrictions. The measures could put the issue before the U.S. Supreme Court and its new conservative majority, offering an opportunity to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in 1973. On Thursday, the South Carolina Senate passed a bill outlawing most abortions. The measure would prohibit an abortion if a doctor can detect a fetal heartbeat unless the mother's life is in danger. The legislation also is expected to pass in the House. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden on Thursday announced several steps intended to expand access to health care as well as to reverse Trump administration policies that restricted access to abortion both in the United States and overseas. Biden said the aim of both actions was to "undo the damage [former president Donald] Trump has done." Kansas's ballot measure would effectively overturn a landmark 2019 decision by the state's Supreme Court, which ruled that the constitution fundamentally protects abortion rights and declared that Kansans have broad rights to control what happens to their own bodies regardless of federal court decisions. Republican state senators argued Thursday that the ballot measure was not an outright ban on abortion, but a way to protect what they termed as reasonable safeguards passed before the state high court's 2019 decision. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has opposed the constitutional amendment, which state Sen. Dinah Sykes, a Democrat, called dangerous, unnecessary and "the most extreme measure" ever considered by the body. Kelly has argued that it could damage the state's post-pandemic economic recovery efforts and hurt its attempt to recruit businesses and new residents. "I've always believed that every woman's reproductive decisions should be left to her, her family, and her physician," Kelly said in a Jan. 22 statement. "While I know others do not share my belief, I don't think those supporting this amendment are aware of the consequences it will have for the state of Kansas and our reputation." The move sets up what will be a heated 2022 election season in a state long at the center of the abortion debate. Kansas was once seen as one of the least-restrictive in the country, prompting the "Summer of Mercy" antiabortion protests in 1991. In 2009, George Tiller, one of the country's few third-trimester abortion providers, was assassinated in Wichita by an antiabortion extremist. In a 6-to-1 ruling, the Kansas Supreme Court - a panel that included four judges appointed by former Democratic governor Kathleen Sebelius, who later served as health and human services secretary in the Obama administration - blocked a 2015 law that banned a second-trimester abortion procedure. Antiabortion activists have long argued that ruling would negatively affect previous legislative restrictions in Kansas, including measures that require women undergo an ultrasound and receive counseling before an abortion, and that require parental consent before a minor can have an abortion. "This shows legislators are listening to the people," said Jeanne Gawdun, director of government relations for the antiabortion group Kansans for Life. "This gives them the right to vote to protect the reasonable regulations passed with bipartisan majorities over the last 25-plus years." Four states - Tennessee, West Virginia, Louisiana and Alabama - have already passed constitutional amendments declaring that their state constitutions do not protect the right to abortion or allow use of public funds for abortion, according to a tally by the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights research group. Those state constitutional amendments have led to tighter restrictions in those states, according to Elizabeth Nash, the institute's lead policy analyst. After Alabama approved its constitutional amendment in 2018, its governor signed a total abortion ban in 2019 that is being challenged in federal court. Since its amendment in 2014, Tennessee has instituted mandatory counseling, a 48-hour waiting period and other clinic regulations, Nash said. "The big picture is that this is part of the effort to undermine abortion rights nationally," Nash said. "If abortion rights are diminished at the federal level, that opens up the door for bans at the state level. These kinds of ballot initiatives have the potential to be increasingly damaging for abortion rights and access to these services." Julie Burkhart, founder and chief executive of Trust Women, which has reproductive health clinics in Wichita and Oklahoma, said that it was misleading to say that the ballot measure was not a ban on abortion, because "it absolutely is." "It will allow to the legislature to put burdensome, punitive laws into place that would further penalize people who are trying to access abortion care," she said. An emotional Nile Rodgers has revealed that he's been unable to bury his mother a month after she died because her body is in a refrigerator truck filled with covid victims. The 68-year-old Chic guitarist announced his mother Beverly Goodman, 82, had died on December 27 at a New York hospital following a battle with Alzheimer's disease. And today he told Andy Coulson on his Crisis What Crisis podcast that the coronavirus outbreak in New York means that his mother's body is still being kept in the back of a refrigerated truck, along with victims of the virus. He said: 'I mean talk about a crisis. So, today is the 26th and my Mom is still - I've not been able to make any funeral plans. 'She's in the back of a refrigerator truck because of Covid. 'It's horrible, breaking our hearts. When you go there and you see something that's so graphic like that it really reminds you of images of people thrown into mass graves.' Video from the Crisis What Crisis podcast Rodgers was speaking to Andy Coulson this week about the passing of his mother, Beverly Goodman, 82 Last month Rodgers posted this final photo taken with his mother before she passed away Nile Rodgers, 68, spoke about the crises he had experience in his colourful life on Andy Coulson's new podcast New York, though some way off the levels of the first wave, experienced a surge in winter coronavirus deaths, heaping more pressure on the city's morgues and hospitals. It is one of many cities across the US which has implemented cooling trailers as mobile morgues to cope with the number of dead people. Despite the ongoing distress to Rodgers' family, however, he was able to celebrate his mother's life on the Coulson podcast. 'My Mom and Dad were beatniks so we were all into alternative lifestyles and philosophies and all very open-minded,' Rodgers said. 'So in a strange way things were fun because they were exploratory. 'The time was all of this information, all of these alternative lifestyles, and my parents were super super, intellectual, very kind people and because of their love I was able to live through their self-centredness. 'When you're a heroin addict you can't help but be self centred, but they were still very loving, they were just victims of their addiction.' He also described how it was difficult for his mother and stepfather to deal with racial prejudice because his stepfather was a white Jew. 'But it just shows you how incredibly hip my stepfather was,' Rodgers said. Last month, he posted a heartbreaking final photo from his mother's bedside. He wrote: 'My mom #BeverlyGoodman #RIP passed away around 6am today. 'I breathed some of my 1st breaths with her and she breathed some of her last with me. My brothers and I will contact everyone soon. Today I'm numb.' The New York native had just the week before revealed his anguish at not being able to meet with her during the Christmas holidays due to the hospital's coronavirus regulations. 'The saddest part of this #COVID holiday is not being able to visit my #mom,' Rodgers said on December 23. 'She's always happy and entertaining even w late stage #Alzheimer's. I've learned to redirect or not, so she's never uncomfortable with her memory loss.' Rodgers earlier this month told The Mirror about his family history with the disease, saying he had six relatives die of the disease Rodgers has previously opened up about his family history with the disease. 'Six family members have had Alzheimer's,' he said. 'We are talking about my mother who currently has Alzheimers. And my mum's sister, my aunt, died of Alzheimers. 'And their mother, my maternal grandmother, died of it, and my maternal grandmother's sister - my great aunt - she died of it. 'And also her daughter died of it. And my uncle as well.' He told the publication about his work with the music therapy charity organization Nordoff Robbins and the impact of music to communicate with people. 'I believe that the charity does the kind of work that should be done all around the world,' he said. 'I believe that musicians are proper ambassadors and to be able to spread this kind of goodness and love all around the world is an amazing thing. 'To be at the forefront of it is a very noble cause. I have seen music get through to people right in front of me.' The Rev. John Asare-Dankwah has denied allegations that he raped an underage boy 13 years ago, a claim that prompted the Archdiocese of New Orleans to suspend him from his role as pastor of Tremes historic St. Peter Claver Catholic Church. Asare-Dankwah issued his denial in a statement Thursday, a day after a lawsuit was filed in Orleans Parish Civil District Court accusing him of raping a 10-year-old boy while hearing his confession during a weeklong retreat in Alabama in 2008. I am deeply saddened and appalled by the allegations, the statement read. These allegations are false. I have never harmed anyone in my service to God particularly any child and I am prepared to fight vigorously to clear my name that Ive worked for nearly three decades building trust as a man of God. In his remarks, Asare-Dankwah denied ever going to Alabama for a religious retreat. The only time I have been to Alabama is to visit a friend, he said. The archdiocesan priest, who was ordained 26 years ago, was visiting family in his native Ghana when news of the lawsuit broke. He issued the statement through attorney Charline Gipson. Gipson has not been hired to represent the pastor, but she said her partner Daniel Davillier had spoken to Asare-Dankwah by phone and had permission to release the statement. +2 Archdiocese suspends pastor of St. Peter Claver after he is accused of child rape in lawsuit The Archdiocese of New Orleans on Wednesday suspended the pastor of St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in Treme after he was accused in a lawsui On Friday, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said the alleged victim is a member of the organizations New Orleans chapter. We fully support this gentleman and applaud his courage to come forward publicly, SNAP leaders said in a statement. We are encouraged that Ansare-Dankwah was immediately suspended from his position and we are also glad that the accusations were immediately reported to police. His attorney, Desiree Charbonnet, also said the facts will be revealed through the trial process. My clients allegations were very specific and substantiated, she said. Archdiocesan officials said Friday they had no additional comment beyond their announcement that Asare-Dankwah is suspended from ministry while they investigate. They have said the filing was the first time they learned of the accusations and that they have reported the claims to law enforcement authorities. According to his nine-page suit, the plaintiff was 10 years old in 2008 and read frequently at Mass at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church in Broadmoor when he met Asare-Dankwah, who was stationed there as pastor during a previous assignment. 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 The suit alleges that Asare-Dankwah took a bus ride with the plaintiff and a group of other children to a seven-day retreat in Montgomery, Alabama. The priest then anally raped the boy while hearing his confession in the anteroom of a chapel, the suit says. The plaintiff claims Asare-Dankwah beat him the next morning while accusing the boy of being gay, saying homosexuality was a great sin against God. According to the suit, the plaintiff didnt report Asare-Dankwah to anyone because he was too humiliated. He said he decided to come forward after he attended his grandmothers funeral in September, saw Asare-Dankwah was officiating, suffered a flashback of the rape, and had a mental breakdown that required two hospitalizations. The plaintiff demands damages from Asare-Dankwah as well as Blessed Trinity and the archdiocese, who are accused of failing to properly supervise the priest. It is expected that the plaintiffs claim will be folded into the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case which the archdiocese filed in May as the Catholic Churchs decades-old, ongoing clerical molestation crisis continues running its course. The archdiocese did not immediately add Asare-Dankwah to its list of more than 70 priests and deacons whom it considers to have been credibly accused of child molestation over the years, with the churchs investigation into him still in an early phase. At St. Peter Claver, Asare-Dankwah was ministering to parishioners of a church that is frequently a campaign stop for politicians running for local and state offices. The Josephite Fathers purchased the church in 1920 to serve the areas African American population. Asare-Dankwah is the third New Orleans clergyman that Archbishop Gregory Aymond has suspended in recent months following accusations of sex crimes against children. +2 Rev. Pat Wattigny, Louisiana priest accused of sexual abuse, arrested in Georgia Police in Georgia have arrested Roman Catholic priest Patrick Wattigny on a St. Tammany Parish warrant accusing him of sexually abusing a mino Aymond suspended the Rev. Patrick Wattigny in October after he allegedly confessed to molesting a teen boy several times beginning in 2013, which prompted the St. Tammany Parish Sheriffs Office to arrest him. In August, Aymond suspended V.M. Wheeler from his role as a deacon following accusations that he molested a boy 20 years earlier, before Wheeler was ordained. Wheeler has not been charged with a crime but is under investigation by the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office. Presenting gifts to children in Nui Thanh and Tien Phuoc districts in Quang Nam and Danang In October 2020, a collection of floods and natural disasters ravaged Central Vietnam and affected children at SOS Vinh, Dong Hoi, Hue, Danang, putting at risk vulnerable communities across four provinces from Nghe An to Quang Nam. PepsiCos Millions of meals programme targeted these vulnerable communities. In partnership with SOS Vietnam, the programme supported the distribution of meals for residents of SOS centres and Youth Dormitories SOS Dong Hoi and Hue. Children from 700 households were aided by this programme, supporting families in several provinces and cities like Danang, Quang Nam, and Nghe An. The programme lifted the sprits of these communities in anticipation of the Lunar New Year and sought to improve the living standards of people who experienced losses due to natural disasters in affected localities. The distribution of meals took place from January 18 to 23. Each family received 100 meals, totaling over 93,000 ready-to-eat meals. The meals included rice bags, dried pork, canned fish, oil cans, sugar, salt, and boxes of instant noodles. The programme lifted the sprits of these communities in anticipation of the Lunar New Year and sought to improve the living standards of people who experienced losses due to natural disasters in affected localities including Nghe An, Quang Binh, Thua Thien-Hue, Danang, and Quang Nam. The Millions of Meals programme responds to the prime minister's No one is left behind initiative. It was initiated in April 2020 and has so far provided nearly 540,000 meals for 37,000 residents affected by COVID-19, with an approximate investment of VND8 billion ($347,820). Furthermore, in November 2020, the programme ran activities to provide an additional 150,000 meals for 9,000 people in six central provinces to help support them overcome their immediate aftermath of the natural disasters. It is our honour to continuously collaborate with preeminent partners to implement the Millions of Meals programme, said Sudipto Mozumdar, general manager of PepsiCo Vietnam and Thailand, Through this programme, we believe not only SOS Vietnam but also central residents will have a warm Tet festival after being impacted by natural disasters. The wider our initiative spreads, the more meals will be delivered to children and central residents across Vietnam. STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) - A new restaurant is open for business in Starkville, despite the struggles faced during the pandemic. The owner of Restaurant Tyler and Bin 612 opened another restaurant in town combining southern style cooking with a Mexican flare. Our whole goal as a restaurant group is to elevate the food scene, said Hunter Smith. Smith is the co-owner of Humble Taco, the new restaurant located on University Drive. This was a concept that we came up with five or six years ago because it was something that we felt like that Starkville didnt have yet, he explained. Traveling to Chicago and even Mexico, the company worked to create a blend of southern and Mexican food to make the Humble Taco menu. Originally scheduled to open on Cinco de Mayo of last year, the taco shop had to hold off for almost a year before finally being able to open its doors because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, when many could see this as a negative, Smith said the pause before opening was useful. He said it gave the new restaurant time to perfect the items on the menu. Ever since Monday, the restaurant opened its doors to allow guests to safely try the new cuisine. To ensure the safety of its customers, Humble Taco uses QR code menus and single-use silverware. The restaurant also requires social distancing and keeps the tables cleaned after each use. With the vaccine coming out, with patio weather right around the corner, were taking very serious all the social distancing rules," said Smith. "We think now is a good opportunity for us to open up with that social distancing aspect, kind of get our feet underneath us. Smith said this restaurant is something he's worked hard to create but wants to take things slow in the beginning to keep his customers safe. Were playing it by ear. Were listening to the governor every day. Were paying attention to the community, to the numbers," he said. "Were not going to expand or do anything until this restaurant and the community and the state and the country is ready to do more. Smith mentioned that these first several days that it's open are considered a soft opening for Humble Taco to get everything running smoothly. After around 10 days he said the new business is planning to provide takeout orders for those interested. Did Reddit just do a Harshad Mehta? GameStops stock fiasco has left the entire world in a tizzy. While most are still trying to wrap their heads around what actually unfolded in the past few days, desis are likening the event to 1992's Indian stock market scam that involved the infamous stockbroker Harshad Mehta. GameStop, a struggling video game retailers stock has been making stupefying moves this month, wild enough to raise concerns from professional investors on Wall Street to the hallways of regulators and the White House in Washington. After sitting around $18 three Fridays ago, GameStop doubled in four days. It kept shooting higher, before nearly doubling on Tuesday and then more than doubling again on Wednesday to $347.51. On Thursday, it gave back a chunk of those gains and was down to $229. But it's still up an amazing 1,250% through the first few weeks of 2021. Also Read: How a Reddit Forum Led to 300% Surge in GameStop Stock and Then Full Drama in Wall Street Yes, Reddit was involved in all of this. Reddit's subreddit r/WallStreetBets propelled a meteoric surge in American videogame company GameStop's shares soaring over 400% this week, after aggressive touting of GameStop's stock by several of its members. Their discussions were full of ideas for the next big trade to jump on, self-deprecation and an appreciation of both winning and losing bets, as long as theyre bold. Theyve recently been encouraging each other to keep buying GameStop and push it ever higher, or to the moon. Also Read: EXPLAINER: Why GameStop's Stock Surge Is Shaking Wall Street The soar in GameStop was the result of actions that appear to have helped fuel a so-called short squeeze in GameStop (GME) stock, where investors who had used options to bet against the stock needed to cover those bets by buying shares. With millions of tweets, posts, explainers from prominent personalities and the netizens alike doing the rounds, the people of India found a connection with Harshad Mehta, a promising entrepreneur who would later introduce the word "scam" to the public of India. Mehta was accused of "market manipulation" as he used public bank receipts to control and manipulate Indian stock prices. The "Big Bull" of Bombay Stock Exchange was later convicted in several counts. A series based on him, Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, was met with critical acclaim recently. Sir they just done a harshad Mehta by social media.. think if harshad Mehta has this power of social media .. amazing.. sushant rana (@mangoman_twtr) January 28, 2021 In a sense, Harshad Mehta did back in the 90s what Reddit / WallStreetBets et al did yesterday, no? Kartikeya Tanna (@KartikeyaTanna) January 28, 2021 reddit did a classic Harshad Mehta move ngl Dakkksss (@Darddaaru) January 28, 2021 A Harshad Mehta Story Just Happened to Gamestop. uotecasm (@Shayarcasm) January 28, 2021 When I was a kid, my dad would tell me stories like the1987 Opera House jwellery store heist (which inspired Akshay Kumar's Special 26), Harshad Mehta, and the Chaddi-Banyan gang robberies... I'm going to tell my kids about the Reddit Bros Hamza Lakdawala (@hamzamlakdawala) January 28, 2021 While everyone is amazed by #GameStop those who were active in markets in 1992 (Harshad Mehta era) and 2000 (dot com bubble) will be feeling nostalgic (only diff is volumes and acceleration is much higher) Same cheap booze Expensive bottle Dinesh C Nagpal (@bluechips4u) January 29, 2021 Harshad Mehta be smiling down on Reddit shitposters rn Pranjal Poddar (@casual_pranjal) January 28, 2021 Same Story repeat. Bull vs. Bear#harshadmehta This time money is available in abundance. Lets see where it gets ended. In the journey many sane ones will also get killed. https://t.co/3gwN0xrRVs Learner Vivek Bajaj (@vivbajaj) January 27, 2021 Harshad Mehta did it before it was cool out of context dirgh (@DlRGH) January 28, 2021 Found a photo of r/wsb mods pic.twitter.com/1cHz0xmEWU Rounak Jain (@r0unak) January 28, 2021 So basically they did Harshad Mehta https://t.co/xxBhhqq5To chaitanya atre (@meetchaitanya10) January 27, 2021 Wish Harshad Mehta was alive today #GameShop Cycle Chain Sankar (@dakuwithchaku) January 27, 2021 Others, however, explained how the two instances weren't similar after all. Nope hedge funds were deciding the fate of share thus company by sorting which huge amount to money in their hands resulting losses to common man. Now these common people united by buying these sorted shares in huge amount thus making them bakrupt. So this is justice of some sort Prashant (@prashant01979) January 28, 2021 Only difference being he consolidated bank money (which was peoples money) without their actual involvement. With Reddit it all came from decentralized sources, and thats the ultimate difference . Theyll find a scape goat like they did with HM Aashay S. Doshi (@aashay_doshi) January 28, 2021 (With inputs from AP and CNN) (@FahadShabbir) ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 28th Jan, 2021) His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations and expand their horizons in light of the overall strategic partnership between the two countries as well as a number of regional and global issues of mutual interest. In a phone call, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Prime Minister Modi exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments. They also reviewed the latest progress on COVID-19 in the two countries and globally in addition to the effective cooperation between the UAE and India in fighting the virus and exchanging expertise on this regard. During the conversation, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed congratulated India's Prime Minister on the Republic Day marked on 26th January and wished further development, stability and prosperity for the friendly people of India. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed emphasised the strong UAE-Indian ties in various fields, and the UAE's keenness on developing them for the benefit of the two countries and peoples, especially in the economic, trade, technology, energy and other domains. In turn, Prime Minister Modi thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed for his good wishes on the Republic Day, pointing to India's great interest on boosting ties with the UAE and investing the available opportunities in view of these relations in various fields. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI With 80,000 Washtenaw County residents eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, it will take some time before some groups get their shots, Washtenaw County Health Department officials said. Health department officials are cautioning residents that it could take several weeks or even months before people currently eligible are contacted with an available vaccination appointment, which are currently being filled by randomly selecting from among eligible individuals. County health officials are scheduling vaccinations for people age 65 and older, as well as for a few designated essential workers, officials said. However, older residents are not being given priority, and not all essential workers are currently eligible, officials said. Underlying health conditions also are not a factor in scheduling. officials said. Local health departments, health systems and pharmacies, such as CVS and Walgreens, are administering vaccines at long-term care facilities. The Washtenaw County Health Department is conducting a vaccination clinic at Eastern Michigan Universitys Convocation Center, where around 1,000 people are vaccinated each weekday depending on supply. Area health care providers are contacting patients age 65 and older as they have appointments available, officials said. The health department has an individual vaccine appointment request survey for those without a primary health care provider, or who are eligible because of employment. The survey puts people in line for a vaccination appointment with the health department. Those completing it will be contacted when an appointment becomes available, officials said. Those employed by a Washtenaw County school district, will receive appointment information from their district when available. Residents should go to www.washtenaw.org/covid19vaccine to find out if they are eligible or to make an appointment. If you cannot complete Washtenaw Countys eligibility survey online, call 734-544-6700. Despite vaccination efforts, people still need to continue using prevention strategies, such as wearing masks and practicing social distancing and quarantining when necessary, health officials said. READ MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS: For Michiganders anxious to be vaccinated against COVID-19, demand far outstrips supply Limited COVID-19 vaccine supply postpones another Washtenaw County vaccination clinic Michigan reports 2,031 new coronavirus cases, 40 new deaths Careers at MPG Messenger Publishing Group has openings for people who know how to work. To apply for any of these positions email your resume and references to Jobs@MPG8.com Advertising Sales We are looking for Rock Star advertising salespeople. This position is for someone who does well with both outside sales appointments and can sell via telephone. We have strong products in a great market. We will train the right person because our program is easy to learn. If you understand the importance of commitment you can be successful here. You will be required to present a sales presentation to management as skills testing. Customer Service/Inside Sales We are looking for a Customer Service pro. Must have sales and service experience, great telephone presence, flexible schedule, be proficient with Excel, Quickbooks and the Internet. Position follows up with incoming sales calls, with classified advertising, online advertising, circulations sales and legal advertising clients to verify orders and information, and offers general customer service to advertising clients. Testing for this position will be required. Web Advertising Sales We are seeking a sales representative to focus on sales for our many websites. If you have a strong sales background and are "net savvy" this could be a great part-time position for you. Social Media Coordinator We are seeking a sharp social media pro to help coordinate our online efforts on a daily basis. The right candidate would already possess solid knowledge of social media and customer service. You must be able to work in a fast-paced news environment and be a total team player. Testing for the position will be required. This is a part-time evening position. Graphic Artist-Layout Support person needed to assist with graphics and layout. Must be proficient in various programs including Adobe Creative Suite, Photoshop, InDesign, etc. Design ads and perform layout duties at MPG offices. Newspaper or magazine publishing preferred. Steady schedule in a fast-paced news media environment. Testing for this position will be required. Editorial Ever wanted to write for your local newspaper? We are looking for people who would love to cover events and issues in your home town. Contracted/payment per each submitted story. If you have strong writing skills you could earn this extra income. Delivery Home delivery and single copy/newsststand routes available in most of our delivery areas. Western Australia will allow arrivals from Queensland and Victoria to visit without a 14-day quarantine in the next week. Queensland will be dropped to a very low risk category from midnight Monday and Victoria will move to the same category from this coming Friday. Only NSW will remain as a low risk state which means arrivals need to self-quarantine for 14 days and under COVID-19 tests, WA Premier Mark McGowan said he couldnt consider any changes until the state reached 28 days of no community transmissions. Mr McGowan said all arrivals from Queensland and Victoria who were currently under self-quarantine could leave their locations from when their state became very low risk. People travelling to Perth Airport will still need to complete a G2G pass declaration, have no COVID-19 symptoms and accept a temperature test and a COVID-19 test at the airport if required. People travelling over the land border will need to have their G2G pass filled out and will be spoken to at the border. Mr McGowan said the decisions were based on the latest health advice and were subject to change if any new local cases emerged in other states. Click here to read more from WA Today. Russian Officials Comment on Strategic Stability and Relations with the U.S. Jan. 28 , 2021 (EIRNS)The Russian response to the Biden Administrations initial policy towards Russia has been one of cautious optimism, tempered by the poor state of U.S.-Russian relations. Dmitry Polyanskiy, the Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative at the United Nations, responded to a question on what does Russia expect from the new administration, during an online press conference yesterday, Now we have a little bit more reasons to be optimistic, because, as you know, yesterday our leaders, our Presidents spoke on the phone and there was an agreement to prolong for five years the START treaty. Actually, this has been the core of our position for many years. But, he continued: We also note the composition of the external policy team of the new administration. We see a lot of faces who are not at all unfamiliar to us. We know the position of these people vis-a-vis Russia. We understand that they will bring at least some luggage with them to their new positions. Thats why we are a bit cautious. Of course, we will be judging the new administration and its attitude towards Russia by its actions. So far, the first action that we saw yesterday is very positive. I would also like to inform you that today the Russian Parliament already ratified this prolongation. The ball is on the U.S. side, and we hope that it will be done very quickly. If the attitude towards Russia is about containment, picturing Russia as a kind of a rogue state, a country that deserves isolation and sanctions without a dialogue, without an understanding what is behind the situation in the world politics that we see right now, I do not think there will be much of a breakthrough. We are not too pessimistic, we are realists, Polyanskiy went on. Responding to a follow-up question specifically about the New START Treaty, Polyanskiy said that, It does not deprive us of the possibility of a more all-embracing dialogue on strategic issues that we are ready to wage; we are ready to engage in any conversation on strategic issues on arms race. In Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said during his press conference yesterday that Moscow will resume its proposals for establishing a moratorium on the deployment of intermediate- and shorter-range missiles. When Washington is finished with the process of forming its new team in charge of national security issues, including arms control, we will resume our proposals, of course, bring them to the fore again, and call for a meaningful dialogue. Not through microphones, not by means of exchanging comments in public, but in a normal fashion at the negotiating table, Ryabkov said in reply to a question from TASS. At the Kremlin, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov opened the door to the possible restoration of the Open Skies Treaty, should the U.S. show interest in that. President Putin underscored that, after the U.S. decided to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies, Russia was looking for ways, opportunities to remain in the treaty. However, these searches were fruitless, and negotiations with the Europeans brought nothing positive. In this regard, Russia has made its decision, he said yesterday, reported TASS. However, there is still a temporal lag, and if our American partners are ready to somehow continue the discussion, such opportunity still remains. Peskov reported that the two Presidents did not have time to discuss this issue in detail during the phone call. But they did note that the discussion on the Open Skies Treaty can be continued, the spokesman said. The US has said that it is carefully reviewing a report from the UN on Sri Lankas human rights situation which highlights worrying trends such as deepening impunity, increasing militarisation of governmental functions, ethno-nationalist rhetoric and intimidation of the civil society over the past year. The report urges enhanced monitoring and strong preventive action by the international community, warning that Sri Lankas current trajectory sets the scene for the recurrence of the policies and practices that gave rise to grave human rights violations. We are carefully reviewing the significant report from the UN Human Rights Council on human rights in Sri Lanka, US State Department Spokesman Ned Price said. Sri Lankas future depends on respecting rights today and taking meaningful steps to deal with the past, Price said in a tweet, a day after the UN report warned that the failure of Sri Lanka to address past violations has significantly heightened the risk of human rights violations being repeated. Nearly 12 years after the armed conflict in Sri Lanka ended, impunity for grave human rights violations and abuses by all sides is more entrenched than ever, with the current government proactively obstructing investigations and trials, and reversing the limited progress that had been previously made, according to the report, mandated by the UN Human Rights Council resolution. The report highlights worrying trends over the past year, such as deepening impunity, increasing militarisation of governmental functions, ethno-nationalist rhetoric and intimidation of the civil society. Among the early warning signals, the report highlights are: the accelerating militarisation of civilian governmental functions, reversal of important constitutional safeguards, political obstruction of accountability, exclusionary rhetoric, intimidation of civil society and the use of anti-terrorism laws. According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by the security forces during then Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to nearly three decades of civil war in Sri Lanka with the defeat of LTTE in 2009. Both the government troops and the Tamil Tiger rebels are accused of war crimes. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Apple is set to reduce its dependence on production lines in China as a manufacturing hub for its iPhone, iPad and Mac product lines. It turns out that India and Vietnam are set to be the biggest gainers, as Apple not only looks to diversify production lines, but also ramp up production of the iPhone and the iPad. There have been persistent reports through last year that Apple was strengthening its bases in other countries to help with pushing the production numbers, particularly post the Coronavirus pandemic which shuttered factories and production lines in China for a significant part of the first half of last year. This comes at a time when Apple has reported the latest quarterly numbers and they are, well, record breaking. The company posted an all-time record revenue of $111.4 billion, and has seen significant gains in revenue across all product lines, including iPhone, Mac, iPad and wearables such as the Apple Watch and the AirPods audio product lines. A report by Nikkei Asia says that Apple is going ahead with plans to focus on strengthening production outside of China, even though the new US government is expected to take measures to ease the US-China tensions. The report states that Apple is looking towards India to ramp up iPhone production, and is expected to start the production of Made in India Apple iPhone 12 series as early as this quarter. So far, Apple partners in India, including Foxconn and Wistron, manufacture previous generation iPhones, including the iPhone 11 series and the iPhone XR. That has helped Apple, which reported very strong India numbers for the festive quarter, which coincided with the launch of the Apple India online store as well. We had reported earlier this week that Apple had doubled its market share in the Indian smartphone space, during the winter quarter. It turns out that the Apple iPhone 12, Apple iPhone 11 and the iPhone XR have been the most popular phones in India during the winter months, which means Apple has doubled its bite on the Indian smartphone market to 4%. Apple also clocked at 60% year on year growth in India while the festive quarter, which saw the Apple India online store go Live just ahead of the Dussehra and Diwali festivals, registered 100% year on year growth. Through the summer of 2020 and heading into the festive season, the government of India rolled out the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) offer in phases to push for local manufacturing and make India a manufacturing as well as export hub. In June, the government rolled out a PLI offer extending incentives of around Rs 41,000 crore for meeting local manufacturing targets for tech companies and tech products. Apple and Apples manufacturing partners in India including Foxconn and Wistron announced their participation in the scheme. Apple has participated in the Make In India initiative as well, and the company started the production of the iPhone 11 series, the then latest iPhones, in India last year. It is expected that the production of the Apple iPad will begin in Vietnam by the middle of 2021, and Apple also wants to increase production of Mac computing devices as well as the HomePod smart speakers in Southeast Asia. Foxconn has already invested $270 million to set up a subsidiary in Vietnam last year, to expand production capacity for Apples hardware lines. The report also says that Apple is building up the production capabilities for Mac Mini in Malaysia while a lot of the MacBook production is expected to shift to Vietnam. At this time, most Mac computers are made in China. Apple can take this risk of shifting production focus out of China and spread that across multiple countries in Southeast Asia as well as India. Apple reported record breaking revenue for the Q1 2021. The company posted an all-time record revenue of $111.4 billion, which is a 21% increase compared with the same quarter last year. in the Q1 2021 results for the quarter which ended in December, Apple says that international sales accounted for as high as 64% of the quarters revenue. It was a strong showing for Apples entire product line too. The iPhone sales, where no doubt a lot of the interest was in the new iPhone 12 series, accounted for almost $66 billion in revenue, while the iPads clocked more than $8.4 billion and the Mac computing devices garnered more than $8.6 billion in revenue. All these numbers are significantly higher than previous years comparative quarter. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global Server Chassis Market report offers a comprehensive analysis of current trends and future opportunities. This report is responsible for quantitative estimation and foreseen future for upcoming years based on the recent companies strategic moves and historical data. Further, the market report is categorized into different segments, regions, and countries level. This report also provides competitor analysis with its market share and developments. The final report will cover the impact of COVID-19 on this industry. The global Server Chassis market report presents a complete research-based study of the industry including details such as company shares, forecast data, in-depth analysis and an outlook of the market on a worldwide platform. The report further highlights the market drivers, restraints, and the top manufacturers at the global and regional levels. For a thorough understanding, the report also offers market segmentation and regional analysis for the forecast period from 2021 to 2026. Click here to get a Sample PDF Copy of the Server Chassis Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-31627 According to this latest study, the 2020 growth of Server Chassis will have significant changes from the previous year. By the most conservative estimates of global Server Chassis market size (a most likely outcome) will be a year-over-year revenue growth rate of xx% in 2020, from US$ xx million in 2019. Over the next five years, the Server Chassis market will register an xx% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach US$ xx million by 2025. This Server Chassis market report also splits the market by regions: Americas (United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil), APAC (China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, Australia), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain), Middle East & Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Turkey, GCC Countries). This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of the Server Chassis market by type, application, key manufacturers, key regions, and countries. The key manufacturers covered in this report: Breakdown data in Chapter 3. Advantech Co., Ltd Logic Case Intel Corporation T-WIN SHEET METAL CO., LTD.) Super Micro Computer, Inc IStarUSA Group Chenbro Micom Co., Ltd Rosewill Yingguang Technology One Chassis Technology Chuanlong Technology Sike System ARS Electronics Co.Ltd Others To inquire about report customization, feel free to reach out to our team of expert analysts @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/ask-questions-31627 This study considers the Server Chassis value and volume generated from the sales of the following segments: Segmentation by type: breakdown data from 2016 to 2021, in Section 2.3; and forecast to 2026 in section 11.7. 1U Chassis 2U Chassis 3U Chassis 4U Chassis Other Segmentation by application: breakdown data from 2016 to 2021, in Section 2.4; and forecast to 2026 in section 11.8. Large Data Center Medium Data Center Small Data Center Other In addition, this report discusses the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, challenges, and the risks faced by key manufacturers and the market as a whole. It also analyzes key emerging trends and their impact on present and future development. Purchase the Complete Global Server Chassis Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-31627 Research Objectives To study and analyze the global Server Chassis consumption (value & volume) by key regions/countries, type and application, history data from 2016 to 2020, and forecast to 2026. To understand the structure of the Server Chassis market by identifying its various subsegments. Focuses on the key global Server Chassis manufacturers, to define, describe, and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in the next few years. To analyze the Server Chassis with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market. To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks). To project the consumption of Server Chassis submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries). To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. About Us: DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research report provider, enriching decision-makers, and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research reports, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains. Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed. For more details: DecisionDatabases.com E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.com Phone: +91 90 28 057900 Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ Reference Source: https://www.topnewscorner.com/server-chassis-market-size-growth-emerging-trends-future-investors-and-virtual-analysis-by-2026/ GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) Oregon health workers who got stuck in a snowstorm on their way back from a COVID-19 vaccination event went car to car injecting stranded drivers before several of the doses expired. Josephine County Public Health said on Facebook that the impromptu vaccine clinic took place after about 20 employees were stopped in traffic on a highway after a vaccination clinic. Six of the vaccines were getting close to expiring so the workers decided to offer them to other stranded drivers. The shots were meant for other people, but the snow meant those doses wouldnt make it to them before they expired, the health department said. Not wanting to waste them, staff walked from vehicle to vehicle, offering people a chance to receive the vaccine. A county ambulance was on hand for safety. All the doses were administered, including one to a Josephine County Sheriffs Office employee who had arrived too late for the vaccination clinic but ended up stopped with the others, officials said. Josephine County Public Health Director Mike Weber said it was one of the coolest operations hed been a part of. In the quest to emerge the zone with the highest number of arrests and convictions, the authorities at the Lagos zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) are exposing operatives to COVID-19 infection, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt. Sources at the Lagos zonal office of the commission, who asked not to be named because they could be punished for talking to the media, told this newspaper that the leadership of the zone, while relentlessly pushing to outdo other zones in the country, in the number of arrests and convictions, have provided next to nothing in personal protective gears for field operatives. They said the Lagos office has carried on its business with a complete disregard of the governments COVID -19 protocols. Since the second wave of the pandemic, no fewer than 12 operatives at the EFCC Lagos office has contracted the virus, the sources said. EFCC Operations The EFCCs Operations Department, which runs its business in at least 15 zonal offices across the country, is the centre of the commissions investigations. The department, which is headed by a director, reports directly to the agencys executive chairman. According to our sources, there exists a friendly rivalry among the 15 zones of the commission, which is mainly used as a bragging right among operatives. However, the best performing zone was given an award once, though no formal recognition for the best performing zone has been given since then, some zonal heads have made sure their units score the most arrests and convictions. They usually encourage operatives under them to go after suspected internet fraudsters, who make up the bulk of the arrests by the commission. However, the sources explained that while the inter-zonal rivalry is primarily an ego-boosting exercise, operatives are required to list the cases they prosecuted successfully during staff appraisal exercises and promotion examinations. Business as usual Since the outbreak of the commission, the sources said the authorities at the Lagos office of the commission has carried on its business as if they were oblivious of the outbreak of the pandemic. They said apart from EFCC branded masks that were given to operatives, the commission has failed to adhere to the governments COVID-19 prevention protocols. Last October, each operative was given on EFCC branded mask. That was all the commission has done in term of provision of PPE against coronavirus. Yet they keep pushing us to raid yahoo boys and other fraudsters, said one of the operatives. As of today, at least 12 operatives have tested positive for coronavirus at the Lagos office yet our bosses are acting as if nothing has happened. Sometimes positives officers infect negative suspects. One of the officers, who said he has a mild underlying condition, which makes him a potential candidate to develop acute COVID-19 symptoms, said they are fearful for their lives, if they caught the virus. The sources explained that during the weekend of January 16 and 17, 2021 about 80 suspected internet fraudsters who were arrested from two raids in the city were all thrown into a congested cell at the Lagos office. The commission does not conduct coronavirus test for its arrested suspects. The commission only conducts COVID-19 for suspectS before handing them over to be remanded by the Nigerian Correctional Service because they will not take any suspect who has not done a COVID-19 test, However, because our detention cells are usually congested imagine how many other suspects and officers those suspects who are positive before they were arrested would have infected during the time they are in our custody, one operative said. We are strictly enforcing COVID-19 prevention guidelines EFCC When reached for comment, the spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said he was not aware of that 12 operatives have tested positive for the virus at the Lagos zone of the commission. He, however, said the leadership of the zone has taken extra step of guaranteeing the safety of staff. Some of these steps, Mr Uwujaren said, included the issuance in December of fresh guideline advising staff to maintain social distancing in all offices and official engagements, limit the number of persons allowed in the elevator to 4, made it mandatory for all staff and visitors to the EFCC to wear face masks, stopped staff from receiving visitors in the office and suspended religious gathering and meetings. Staff were also encouraged to wash their hands regularly while hand sanitisers are provided in all offices. All the teams were also advised to limit the number of suspects brought into custody. ADVERTISEMENT The leadership has taken the extra step of guaranteeing the safety of staff by mandating every staff returning from leave to come with the result of a COVID-19 test taken a few days to their return. Those who fail to take the test are mandated to have theirs taken in the Commissions health facility before fully resuming duties. COVID-19 is a global health challenge and all institutions including the EFCC are committed to helping their staff prevent getting infected. However, where staff come down with the virus, adequate care is available, he said in an email. He did not say whether suspects in EFCCs custody are being handled in line with the governments COVID-19 prevention protocols. However, our sources said holding cells at the zonal headquarters in Ikoyi are congested with suspects. They said that although the commission issues a detailed COVID-19 prevention protocol at the outbreak of the disease in 2020, the Lagos zonal office only adhered to it for two weeks before the went back to the usual ways of doing things with little or zero regard for the protocols. It is only in Abuja that the protocols are still being adhered to. In fact, when one person tested positive to the virus in Abuja, his entire department was shut down and the person directed to embark on self-isolation for two weeks. But in most of the zones, it is business as usual. In Lagos, after two weeks were allowed to arrest and bring in as many suspects as we want, in clear violation of the guidelines issued by the leadership of the commission, the source said. See, what is happening here is that the leadership in Lagos is doing everything possible to beat the over 200 conviction it scored last year. But they are putting the lives of staff members at risk in the process, the source added. Buhari goes tough on violators of COVID -19 protocols The disregard for the federal governments COVID-19 prevention protocol at the EFCC office in Lagos comes at a time the government is tightening its enforcement of the guidelines. On Thursday President Muhammadu Buhari signed Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health Protection Regulations 2021. According to the regulation, persons who flout rules of social distancing and other prevention measures could face up to six months in jail. 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. BLM BIDEN-2020 saw a wave of protests in the U.S. denouncing police brutality and demanding social justice during the final year of the Trump administration. Esha Sarai spoke with activists, protesters, and others across the country about the future of the movement with a Democrat in the White House Prime Minister Florin Citu on Friday said that the intervention at the fire at the "Matei Bals" Hospital was "fast, efficient", mentioning that things were immediately kept under control. "A few minutes after 112 was called this morning, I was contacted by Secretary of State Raed Arafat, who informed me that there was a fire at the "Matei Bals" Institute. I have immediately triggered a red plan and I stayed in touch with the institutions, the Ministry of Interior, the Bucharest Prefecture, the Ministry of Health, ever since," the Prime Minister said in a press release at the Victoria Palace. He said that from the first moment he asked the Minister of Interior to use all the resources to stabilize the situation as soon as possible and things were kept under control. "At the same time, places were found at other hospitals in Bucharest where patients could be moved and here I want to thank the managers of these hospitals who got directly involved, acted immediately and we managed to make this transfer very quickly, and around 6.37 am all the patients were already transferred to other hospitals. I also want to thank the employees of the "Matei Bals" hospital who also acted immediately to transfer the patients to other institutions. I immediately told the Minister of Interior to use all the resources necessary to stabilize the situation as fast as possible. I believe, and I say that again, that the intervention was very fast, efficient, and if it weren't so, we would have had a different situation. However, things were immediately kept under control," added Citu. He said that a criminal investigation is already underway and a complex team was created to investigate into what happened, while he will be waiting for the final conclusions. "Besides the criminal aspects, there is also a criminal investigation going on. Besides this aspect, this investigation, there is also a complex team that we've created, which will present a report. We already have a preliminary report, but I am waiting for the final conclusion to know what steps will need to take next," said Citu. A homeless man has been arrested following an attempted burglary at a Melbourne quarantine hotel on Friday morning. The 29-year-old man is in police custody after he was caught entering the hotel through a roller door on Collins Street in Melbourne's CBD. Police said the man triggered a motion alarm in the hotel's fire escape stairwell before 2.45am and was seen opening a door onto the seventh floor. Police have arrested a homeless man over an attempted burglary at a quarantine hotel in Melbourne (pictured: stock image of Victorian Police) Victorian Police Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said the man did not breach quarantine in the hotel. 'Our information is that there was no breach. Some people from that hotel had opened the roller doors to put the bins out and ... at that point (he) has gained access,' Mr Cornelius said. Commissioner Cornelius believes the man's intention was to find a play to stay. A 29-year-old homeless man was arrested after entering a quarantine hotel on Collins Street (pictured) in Melbourne's CBD 'I understand he was a homeless person looking for an opportunity to improve himself.' The man fled the hotel and was arrested nearby and did not have any stolen property with him when found. Victorian Police said the man did not enter any red zones or any rooms where guests or staff reside. The 29-year-old man has no fixed place of address and is currently assisting police with their inquiries. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing. Published on 2021/01/28 | Source Actors Cho Seung-woo and Park Shin-hye showed their strong presence. JTBC's 10th anniversary special drama "Sisyphus: The Myth" released posters of Park Shin-hye and Cho Seung-woo on the 28th. "Sisyphus: The Myth" is a fantasy mystery drama. It depicts the journey of Han Tae-sool (Cho Seung-woo), a genius engineer who tries to reveal the existence of doubt, and Kang Seo-hae (Park Shin-hye), a savior who takes risks for him. They display strong will. The two fight fiercely over the fate of the Sisyphus, which repeats endlessly. Their, unshakable looks make one curious about their future journey. Han Tae-sool says, "I saw the future. The future in which we win", proudly. Kang Seo-hae says, "I will save you. You save the world", claiming to be the savior of Han Tae-sool. Another thing that catches the eye is the digital line. "We put digital lines that distort the image", the production team said. "It would be fun to deduce why it is distorted". Meanwhile, "Sisyphus: The Myth" is directed by director Jin Hyeok and written by married couple writer Lee Je-in and Jeon Chan-ho and it will air on February 17th. AS the white pirogue drifted in the waters just off Belle Garden in Tobago early yesterday morning, fishermen working nearby knew something was wrong. What they saw in the small vessel stunned them. Fourteen bodies, all of them male, along with a skull and other skeletal remains, were piled inside the vessel as it floated four miles off Belle Garden, police confirmed. The bodies were all clad in tracksuits and green rain jackets and were severely decomposed, police investigators said. Deep losses for the operator of Tokyo Disney Resort illustrate how Japan's leisure and entertainment companies are reeling from capacity limits and other restrictions tied to the coronavirus pandemic. Oriental Land reported a 28.7 billion yen ($276 million) net loss for the April-December period, down from a year-earlier net profit of 70.9 billion yen. Revenue was on track to a recovery until Japan's recent spike in COVID-19 cases prompted new business restrictions. Sales tumbled 65% on the year to 137.1 billion yen for the nine-month period. The operator of Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea and several hotels retained its full-year forecast for a 51.1 billion net loss. For the October-December quarter, the company logged a net profit of 1.3 billion yen, its first in four quarters. Capacity was increased during the preceding quarter, while Oriental Land's hotels logged a smaller decline in guests thanks to Japan's tourism campaign. Fixed costs also were slashed. But under the coronavirus state of emergency declared this month for the Tokyo area, Oriental Land has cut theme park hours and, per government request, limited daily attendance to 10,000 guests -- around 10% of pre-pandemic levels. Its capacity was 40,000 people in December. "We were just about to raise our capacity, and the new restrictions are dealing a serious blow," a senior executive said. Oriental Land plans to curb repair and event costs and continue tapping employment protection subsidies. The company held 286 billion yen in cash as of Dec. 31, and has yet to use a 200 billion yen line of credit or a 100 billion yen bond issuance quota. Financing remains available, but the company's upcoming park expansion will require substantial investments. 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. ROCHESTER, Minn. - If youre 80 years or older you can now register to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at Mayo Clinic. While Minnesota is offering a pilot vaccination program to those 65 and older Mayo Clinic is limiting its vaccine allocation to the age group most at risk of severe illness or death from the virus. Dr. Abinish Virk says thats because the healthcare system is still receiving a limited supply of the vaccine. She explained, We are hoping that we will continue to get a steady supply, even if its a small amount of supply, that way we can continue to offer the rest of the patients doses for next week and the week after. This week Mayo Clinic has around 1,800 doses of the vaccine and all of those have been accounted for by patients. However, Dr. Virk says patients over the age of 80 years old are able to sign up for next week as the system is waiting to see how many doses the state will doll out. She says the clinic will continue to base roll-out on age criteria unless theres an influx of vaccine available. Obviously, unfortunately, there's a big mismatch between the number of doses we have and the number of people we serve so there will be people who will have to wait the next week or the week after depending on how many doses we receive form the state, she added. The vaccine allocation is for any Mayo Clinic patient and not just those in Rochesters vicinity. Dr. Virk says there are about 6,000 patients in that age group just in Olmsted Countys immediate area. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 21:11:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Sharing Mobile Group, a Chinese telecom operator, is joining the bid for the telecom license in Ethiopia as the East African country envisaged liberalizing the telecom sector. The Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) published a statement in May 2020, announcing that it would launch a request of proposal for two new full-service telecommunications licenses, which would allow capable operators to conduct telecommunications business in Ethiopia. According to the Ethiopian government, the key policy objectives that comprise the telecom reforms envisage enhancing Ethiopia's digital development; increasing telecommunications accessibility for sections of society and enable the success of the sector; building an international standard telecom industry focused on capacity and quality; as well as enabling the country to generate wealth from the sector. The move is an important milestone for Ethiopia's telecommunications industry. The liberalization of the telecom market in Ethiopia has not been affected under the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the government's strong will to carry out economic reforms. As the ECA expressed, Ethiopia shall continue its commitment to liberalize the telecom sector and further advance the digital economy. Since its establishment in September 2019, the ECA has engaged in an intensive effort to spearhead the telecom liberalization effort in Ethiopia. According to ECA's plan, licenses will be awarded to the winning companies through a sealed bidding process. Sharing Mobile has joined the bidding process, together with South African telecom operator MTN Group, French telecom operator Orang and British telecom operator Vodafone. On June 26, 2020, the ECA announced that it received 12 submissions on the closing date of June 22, 2020, of which 9 were said to be telecom operators, 2 non-telecom operators and 1 incomplete submission. Sharing Mobile has been actively exploring the overseas markets. In April 2016, Sharing Mobile successfully acquired 80 percent of GiCell, a Nigerian telecom operator, for 200 million U.S. dollars, pioneering the first acquisition of an overseas operator by a Chinese private telecom company. With flexible decision-making mechanism and deep accumulation in technological innovation and platform building, Sharing Mobile is expected to be a strong competitor in this transaction, bringing more localized communication products to Ethiopia and introducing the most advanced communication technology and international operation management system to enhance the economic competitiveness of Ethiopia's communication industry. Enditem (Newser) The coronavirus will keep mutating into new variants, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Friday, unless we achieve vaccination levels so high that new strains have nowhere to go. "Mutations occur because the virus has a playing field, as it were, to mutate," he said, the Hill reports. "If you stop that and stop the replication, viruses cannot mutate." It's another reason to ramp up vaccinations. To do that, we'll "have to be nimble to be able to just adjust readily to make versions of the vaccine that actually are specifically directed towards whatever mutation is actually traveling at any given time," Fauci said in a White House briefing. In reinforcing the need for masking and social distancing, Andy Slavitt, a Biden coronavirus adviser, said, "Let's not be quite such polite hosts to this virus." story continues below Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, called the emergence of coronavirus mutations "a wake-up call to all of us." To identify the new variants quickly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expanding its genomic sequencing efforts. For now, Director Rochelle Walensky said, each new case should be treated as if it's caused by a new strain. "By the time someone has symptoms, gets a test, has a positive result, and we get the sequence, our opportunity for doing real case control and contact tracing is largely gone," she said. Fauci expressed hope that children can start receiving vaccines by summer, per NPR, after studies on their effectiveness are completed. President Biden wants most schools to reopen within three months, and he's called for $130 billion to help make that possible. (The UK variant has killed someone in the US.) Of the 624 student cases of COVID-19 reported in Massachusetts schools within the last week, Marlborough had the largest number of student cases with 23, according to state education officials. From Jan. 21 to Jan. 27, Massachusetts schools reported a total of 969 cases of the virus among students and staff members to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In addition to the 624 student cases, there were 345 staff cases reported. DESE reports COVID cases in schools each Thursday. The report does not include cases among students who are learning remotely. Cases are only included if the student or staff member tested positive within seven days of being inside school buildings. In the last week, there were 538 student cases and 300 staff cases reported at local school districts, 18 student cases and 10 staff cases at education collaboratives, and 23 student cases and 35 staff cases at approved special education schools, according to a weekly report from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. District staff cases were highest in Fall River, with 23, per the report. Among education collaboratives, EDCO Collaborative had the highest number with 10 student cases. Boston Higashi School had 10 student cases, also the largest number among approved special education schools. This weeks report shows an increase from last week, when 934 cases of COVID-19, among 544 students and 390 staff members, were reported. Find numbers for your district or school in this searchable database. If youre having trouble accessing the database, click here. DESE estimates there are 450,000 students and 75,000 staff members in public school buildings during the pandemic. Education officials have said more information is expected soon about when exactly Massachusetts K-12 employees will be able to get the COVID vaccine. Those employees are included in Phase 2 of the states vaccination plan. Gov. Charlie Baker and state education officials have requested that districts bring students back into classrooms even if a community has a high COVID transmission rate, saying that mitigation efforts like mask-wearing, social distancing and handwashing have been effective in schools. The CDC said this week that schools can be open for students as long as there is universal face mask use, increased physical distance, increased room air ventilation and expanded testing to rapidly identify and isolate people with COVID who are asymptomatic. Related Content: AAP leader Sanjay Singh on Thursday said the party stands with farmers agitating against the Centre's contentious farm laws and its leaders will "voluntarily" court arrest if the police will try to forcibly remove peasants from protest sites. He said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal spoke to Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait who told him that the water supply to the UP Gate protest site in Ghaziabad had been cut. The Rajya Sabha MP further said the party would raise the issue in Parliament. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader's remarks come after the Ghaziabad administration gave an ultimatum to the agitating farmers to vacate the UP Gate protest site by Thursday midnight. However, Tikait remained adamant, saying he would commit suicide but won't end the stir. So far, three farmer unions have withdrawn their protest against the Centre's farm laws over the violence in Delhi on Republic Day that left a protester dead and nearly 400 police personnel injured. Singh said the AAP stands with the protesting farmers. "If there is violence against farmers and the police try to forcibly vacate the protest sites, the AAP will intensify protests and AAP leaders will even voluntarily court arrest," he said. Tikait told Kejriwal that the water supply to protest sites has been cut and toilets have been removed, the senior AAP leader said. "AAP will raise the issue in Parliament," Singh said. Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at various border points of Delhi, including Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, since November 28, demanding the repeal of the new farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops. A pair of Worcester city councilors who are eligible for the COVID vaccine received the first dose last week without an appointment after dozens of residents didnt show up, according to city officials. Last week, Councilor-at-Large Khrystian King and District 4 Councilor Sarai Rivera, who are eligible for the vaccine as part of Phase 1, each received the COVID-19 vaccination after dozens of doses went unused and were going to be thrown out, the city said. At the Abbys House vaccination site on Jan. 22, 120 appointments were scheduled, however, only about 75 people reported to the site, according to city officials. The vaccines must be stored in extremely cold freezers. Guidelines for the vaccine state that once it is removed from its storage for use, it can not be put back. Following the guidelines, about 45 doses of the vaccine would have been discarded on Jan. 22, so Worcesters Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Dr. Matilde Castiel, reached out to King and Rivera among others, city officials said, since they were eligible to receive the first does as part of Phase 1. Rivera and King were not the only two social workers to receive the doses that were set for disposal, officials said. The Moderna vaccine cannot be transported once opened. Any remaining unused doses would have been rendered unusable. In order to maximize the Citys allotment, individuals meeting the States Phase One criteria were contacted and among them were Councilors King and Rivera, Castile said. All procedures carried out were in compliance with the Commonwealths guidelines for vaccination priority and distribution. King posted on Facebook on Wednesday that he received the first dose of the vaccine. Myself and fellow social workers have been vaccinated in Worcester and beyond. Its important work that we do, King said. Why did I get vaccinated? Because Im eligible as a Phase 1 [worker]. As a frontline social worker, Khrystian was able to get his first shot of the vaccine. Thank you to the medical students and providers who administered the shot. Posted by Khrystian King for City Council At Large on Wednesday, January 27, 2021 As social workers, King and Rivera, both fall into Phase 1 of the Massachusetts vaccine rollout plan. This isnt about politics or anything other than ensuring the safety of the most vulnerable populations that social workers serve, King said. Its necessary. Every single day I have to come into contact with folks, sometimes in an emergency basis, sometimes on a supportive basis to make sure people are safe. And that outside my governmental role as an elected official. King said his wife and daughter are also social workers and have received the vaccine. What folks need to remember is Worcester City Council is not a 9 to 5, King said. My 9 to 5 is as a masters level clinician and as a child protection worker. Thats my 9 to 5, and at times its my midnight to 3 a.m. too. Rivera said that she was not rushing to get the vaccine, but wanted to take the opportunity when it was presented to her because she is bilingual and bicultural, and there is a need for such workers in the community right now. I dont know why anybody has been running their mouths, Rivera said. They should stop running their mouth and start finding out the truth. Rivera continued, With the need that we have, where am I better? Home or out in the field. I would have passed if it wasnt for the need. Rivera noted that she got sick in August from a newly-discovered cardiac condition thats hereditary. That changed everything, Rivera said Before she got sick, Rivera was out working in the field, she said, including volunteering at the DCU Center. Further, Rivera hoped that as a bicultural person getting the vaccine, she could be an example for the community. Theres an issue of disparity among communities of color, Rivera said, noting a history of unethical medical procedures that have affected people of color in America. Its also setting an example for our community thats very afraid. Theres all sorts of fear and misinformation about what this vaccination is about in our community. Through three weeks of administering the virus, the city of Worcester has administered more than 2,700 doses of the vaccine, City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. said during a weekly COVID briefing on Thursday. Through four weeks 74.4% of the Worcester Police Department has received the vaccine. About 78% of the citys fire department has received the vaccine, Augustus said. Phase 1 began with health care workers and has expanded to first responders to include a host of other clinical and non-clinical professions. King and Rivera each fall within Phase 1. Currently, the city is only receiving about 1,000 vaccines per week and is unable to advance to Phase 2 because it has yet to fully vaccinate those eligible in Phase 1, Worcester Medical Director Dr. Michael Hirsh said on Wednesday. Phase 2 begins Monday in the state with residents 75 years and older. After the first group is vaccinated, it will advance to residents 65 years and older, individuals with at least two comorbidities that make them high risk for COVID and/or residents and staff of low income and affordable senior housing, followed by early education and K-12 workers, grocery, transit, public health, sanitation and other essential workers. State health officials have yet to release a date for when these groups will become eligible. Hirsh hopes the city can enter Phase 2 in early February and be completed by the end of March. He hopes the city can open its services up to the general public by April and possibly wrap up administering the vaccine by the end of July. Related Content: by Fady Noun Days of Tripoli street demonstrations, manipulated by political opposition forces. The religious leaders launch a new appeal for the formation of a government of national unity. The stalemate over the formation of the new government and the personal conflicts between Aoun and Hariri. The coronavirus emergency and the vaccination campaign still under study. Beirut (AsiaNews) - Lebanon is sinking more and more every day into a state of multiform anarchy, at a constitutional, economic, health, judicial, and security level, from which it is unable to break free due to political divisions that undermine the public sphere. The UN special coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis (see photo) returned yesterday to the violence in Tripoli (North), which since last January 25 has caused one death and dozens of injured. In a tweet, the diplomat - whose mission ends at the end of the month - said that "the violence has intensified, especially in the context of the demonstrations in Tripoli, with many injured [...] This is a new message sent to the elites policies: form an effective government, without further delay. "The people - he then added - can no longer tolerate this free fall into the abyss". In fact, since the beginning of the week, manipulated by some political opposition forces, hundreds of people have taken to the streets of the administrative capital of Lebanon-North, to protest against the strict confinement measures imposed by the authorities to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and which have recently been extended until next February 8. These measures prevent the populations of poor urban and / or rural areas - especially in Tripoli, where unemployment rises and day workers account for 80% of the total - from meeting their needs. All this while the state has not yet paid any subsidies, except for some symbolic - and negligible - sums to the poorest families (about 400 Lebanese pounds, or the equivalent of just 40 dollars) and with a limited distribution. Starting the evening of January 25th these demonstrations took on an increasingly violent drift. In office for Lebanon since 2019, Kubis stood out for a clear empathy towards the popular protest movement of October 17, 2019 and a very severe attitude towards the Lebanese ruling class, corroded by corruption and the struggle for power. On several occasions, he has shown a communion of purpose with the head of the Maronite Church, Card Beshara Rai, who more than any other has for months denounced the constitutional anarchy that has blocked the formation of a new government after the resignation of Hassane Diab. His resignation is closely linked to the consequences of the double explosion at the port of Beirut on 4 August. This drama has revealed the state of neglect and indifference in which the highest civil and military administrative level in Lebanon has fallen in all its scale, which has tolerated without reacting the presence in the port of this delayed explosion bomb since the end of 2013. The issues of a constitutional nature that prevent the formation of the government (clash over the respective competences between the Maronite head of state Michel Aoun and the Prime Minister in charge Saad Hariri) has been joined by a personal one, which has interrupted relations between the two. Indeed, in the aftermath of Saad Hariris presentation of an effective government formula, a video that went "viral" - intentionally? - from the presidential palace, he shows the head of state having an interview with the outgoing premier Hassane Diab, in which Hariri is branded as a serial "liar". Hence Hariri, thinking that the president does not need to resort to these unworthy means, has decided not to speak to him again pending his official apology. Within his circle it is widely believed that this move is intentional, also because no investigation has been opened in this regard, let alone have sanctions been imposed on an administrative level. Three weeks ago the head of the Maronite Church asked President Michel Aoun to take the first step in this affair, and to make contact with the Prime Minister in charge. But nothing followed his appeal. On Wednesday 27 January the Maronite patriarch and Muslim religious leaders backed an appeal by the communities of Lebanon demanding political leaders put aside "personal conflicts". They, warns the cardinal, block the birth of the government as well as the "wrong calculations" that prevent us from proceeding without further delay towards the formation of an executive of "national unity" called to fight against corruption an essential factor in obtaining international aid. As for economic anarchy, since October 2019 it has resulted in the arbitrary and illegal exercise of capital control by private banks, which prevent account holders from accessing their accounts due to the restrictions imposed unilaterally by the banks. And which, in particular, deprive them of their currency economies. The latter are no longer guaranteed except at a rate set by the Central Bank and which is equivalent to approximately half of their value on the free market. In addition, private banks prevent bank transfers abroad unless there are authorizations granted arbitrarily to account holders by the same institutions. This banking anarchy is a reflection of the failure of the banking system itself, which led Lebanon to default on the payment of its public debt in dollars (Eurobonds). We can therefore see how the country is sliding more and more towards a state of illegality, in which the constitutional rules are no longer respected and where the banking system is taken hostage, in which a part of the population strangled on an economic level can no longer take it. Added to these sufferings are those caused by the new coronavirus pandemic that is raging in Lebanon, with hospitals overwhelmed by the sick and very high mortality rates. With the hope that they will be cushioned by a vaccination campaign scheduled for mid-February and the details of which have been illustrated in the last few hours. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 20:39:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HONG KONG, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia recorded 5,725 COVID-19 cases on Friday, its highest daily spike since the outbreak of the coronavirus, while the restaurants in Thailand's Bangkok have seen easing dine-in restriction. Malaysia's Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said that seven of the new cases were imported cases and 5,718 were local transmissions. The total tally reached 203,933 in the country. Thailand has extended the daily dine-in time in restaurants in certain areas as the domestic outbreak appears to be largely under control, the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said. Thailand confirmed 802 new cases of coronavirus infection with Samut Sakhon province still reporting hundreds of cases daily, said the CCSA. The Maldives Food and Drug Authority has approved the Covishield vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India for use, local media reported. Afghanistan's Public Health Ministry reported 69 new cases, bringing the country's total tally to 55,008, including 5,002 active cases. The pandemic has so far claimed 2,400 lives in Afghanistan since February. The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 13,802 in the past 24 hours to 1,051,795, with the death toll adding by 187 to 29,518, the Health Ministry said. Sri Lanka's health officials kicked off the country's first COVID-19 vaccination program by inoculating a senior consultant physician at the National Infectious Disease Hospital who has been in the front lines of the pandemic, local media reported. Cambodia confirmed two new imported cases, raising the total number of infections in the kingdom to 463, said a Ministry of Health statement. The Department of Health of the Philippines reported 1,849 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 521,413. The death toll climbed to 10,600 after 48 more patients died from the viral disease. New Zealand reported six new cases in managed isolation, with no new cases in the community detected. The new cases were imported cases reported in arrivals from Qatar, Ethiopia, Italy and Britain, and all have been transferred to a quarantine facility in Auckland, according to the Ministry of Health. India's COVID-19 tally rose to 10,720,048 as 18,855 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, said the latest data from the federal health ministry. The death toll mounted to 154,010 as 163 COVID-19 patients died since Thursday morning. Vietnam recorded 54 new cases between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time Friday, with one imported and 53 locally transmitted, according to its Ministry of Health. The new cases brought the total confirmed cases in the country to 1,705 with 35 deaths as of 6 p.m. local time on Friday. South Korea reported 469 more cases compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 77,395. The daily caseload fell for three straight days, but concerns remained about cluster infections linked to a Christian missionary group in Daejeon, about 160 km south of Seoul, that has a nationwide network. Enditem The first Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine dose in Canada is prepared at The Michener Institute in Toronto, Canada, on Dec. 14, 2020. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press) Pfizer Urges Canada to Extract More Shots From Each COVID-19 Vaccine Vial Pfizer and BioNTech say they will ship fewer COVID-19 vaccine vials to Canada if Health Canada agrees to change the vaccine label from five to six doses. In December 2020, hospital pharmacists in the United States discovered that the vaccine glass vials that supposedly can only hold five doses, allows for a sixth if they use smaller syringes or special ones that trap less vaccine around the needle after an injection. The discovery led Pfizer into counting the sixth dose toward its dose commitment, noting that its contracts are for doses, not vials. Should countries agree to change the label information to six doses instead of five, then Pfizer and BioNTech will be able to provide fewer vials and still fulfill their contractual obligation. So far, they have succeeded in having the United States and Europe change the label information in early January. Pfizer asked Canada to consider following suit on Jan. 22. The final decision on the label update will reside with Health Canada, Pfizer Canada spokeswoman Christina Antoniou said. Canada could get about 6.7 million vials rather than 8 million from its agreed 40 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTechs vaccines if Health Canada approves the changes. But if the federal health regulator chooses not to, we still supply to Canada in line with our supply agreement and label valid in the country, said Antoniou. A nurse holds a vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Guys Hospital in London, UK, on Dec. 8, 2020. (Frank Augstein/AP Photo) The ability to squeeze an extra dose is not without its challenges. European officials have complained of struggling to extract the sixth shot because of a shortage of the special syringethe low dead-volume syringe which minimizes the dead space between the syringe hub and needle after the plunger is pushed in all the way that prevents wastage after each injection. Likewise if Canada cannot extract the six shots reliably, even though it agrees to change the label information, its goal to vaccinate 20 million people with Pfizers 40 million doses will be impossible to meet. The smaller syringes, including the low-dead-volume versions, have now become the latest hot commodity of COVID-19. Public Services and Procurement Canada tendered contracts last year for 145 million syringes, 95 million of which are of the three- or five-millilitre variety that are mostly used in Canadas vaccine campaign now. Canada order 50 million one-millilitre syringes, including 37.5 million low-dead-volume syringes. The department wouldnt say how many syringes of each type have arrived in Canada. A tender for one-millilitre syringes issued in October 2020 set a deadline for the first 15 million to be delivered at the end of January and the rest by the end of March. But contracts awarded has not been made public, including who the supplier is, how much its worth, or when the supplies will be delivered. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Jan. 22, 2021. (Sean Kilpatrick/ The Canadian Press) Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canadas vaccines coming out of Europe wouldnt be affected by the threats from the European Union to impose export controls on the drug manufacturers vaccines. President @vonderLeyen and I spoke today about defeating COVID-19 at home and abroad. She confirmed that measures taken by the European Union wont affect deliveries of vaccines to Canada, and we agreed to keep working closely together, Trudeau wrote on Twitter Wednesday night. Europe, like Canada, is being shorted on deliveries from Pfizer as the company slows production to expand its plant in Belgium. On top of that, AstraZeneca has also informed Europe of their production problems that will reduce vaccine deliveries once it is approved for use in Europe later this week. The vaccine is still under review by Health Canada. Anger in Europe at both Pfizer and AstraZeneca led the European Commission Tuesday to threaten export controls. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a video statement posted to Twitter Tuesday that Europe will set up a vaccine export transparency mechanism so Europe knows exactly how many doses are being produced in the worlds largest trading bloc and where they are being shipped. Europe invested billions to help develop the worlds first COVID-19 vaccines to create a truly global common good, she said. And now the companies must deliver. All of Canadas current vaccine doses from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are made in Europe, potentially putting at risk the entirety of Canadas vaccine deliveries, but Trudeau remained confident after his conversation with von der Leyen. Moreover, he was optimistic that Moderna could also deliver their promise. This morning, I spoke with Modernas CEO, Stephane Bancel. He confirmed that well receive doses in a timely manner and that the delivery of our orders is on schedule in the coming weeks and months. Were on track to have every Canadian who wants a vaccine get one by September, Trudeau said on Twitter on Jan. 26. Conservative member of Parliament Michelle Rempel Garner rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Oct. 2, 2020. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press) But Trudeaus attempt to reassure the vaccine deliveries didnt go well with the Opposition party. During an emergency debate in the House of Commons Tuesday night, Conservative health critic Michelle Rempel Garner wanted the Liberal government to come clean with their negotiation details with Pfizier. Pfizer, within a year, created this amazing product that could stop the pandemic in its tracks. Why is it that other countries this week are getting vaccines, but we are not here in Canada? We need to know that. Why is that? There have to be reasons and those reasons lie in those contracts, Garner said. Countries around the world that are facing production delays are starting to put forward the details of their contracts, saying that they are going to fight for the remedies they have in those contracts, the recourse they have when things go awry with companies, so that their citizens have a tool to move forward, but the federal Liberals and the Prime Minister have not been doing that. With files from The Canadian Press Delhi Chief Minister on Friday said the fully backs the ongoing protest of farmers, calling their demands valid and attempts to discredit them completely wrong. Kejriwal was responding to a tweet from an unverified account of farmer leader Rakesh Tikait in which he had thanked him for making arrangements at the border for farmers. "Rakesh ji, we are fully with the farmers. Your demands are valid. It is completely wrong to discredit the farmers' movement, calling the farmers as traitors and making false cases against the farmer leaders who have been agitating peacefully for so many days," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also visited the Ghazipur border, where farmers are protesting against the agri laws, to check the arrangements made by the Delhi government. The Ghaziabad administration late Thursday night gave an ultimatum to agitating farmers to vacate the UP Gate protest site but Tikait remained adamant, saying he would commit suicide but won't end the stir. Hundreds of Bharatiya Kisan Union members stayed put on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway early on Friday, notwithstanding the Ghaziabad administration's ultimatum to vacate the UP Gate protest site. (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.) Health officials announced on Thursday that the new South African COVID-19 variant had been detected in two people in South Carolina. They said these are the first known cases of the more infectious South African COVID-19 variant in America. Health officials noted that it is possible that there more infections that have not yet been identified. They also expressed concerns that this mutated COVID-19 variant could spread more quickly and that the vaccines could be less effective against it. According to an Associated Press report, the two cases, both adults, were found in the state's different regions and did not appear to be connected. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control further noted that the two have no known recent travel history. No additional information has been released for privacy reasons, but the two cases imply that the South African COVID-19 variant is already spreading in local communities. Dr. Krutika Kuppalli said it is frightening since there could be more undetected cases within the state. Kuppalli is an infectious disease physician at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. She added that it is "probably more widespread." South Carolina's interim public health director, Dr. Brannon Traxler, said the fight against the deadly COVID-19 is far from over with the new variant's arrival. He added that the vaccines' supplies are limited even though they are on the way. "Every one of us must recommit to the fight by recognizing that we are all on the front lines now. We are all in this together." Traxler said in the report. According to Traxler, neither of the two persons, who got infected with the South African COVID-19 variant, was contagious any longer. Traxler said both were tested "very early in the month," and both are doing well. The strain first identified in South Africa last December appeared to spread more rapidly, but there's no data yet suggesting it is more deadly. Scientists are starting to assess how existing vaccines affect the new COVID-19 strains, Aljazeera reported. Last week, Scientists noted that some recent mutations of the coronavirus might modestly curb the effectiveness of two current vaccines. However, they said that the shots could still protect the people against the disease. They also reported that there are signs that some of the new strains may undermine tests for the virus and reduce the effectiveness of certain treatments. According to a Chicago Tribune report, state lawmakers in other states such as Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, Maryland, Kentucky, and Indiana are eyeing proposals to limit their governors' abilities to impose emergency restrictions. But governors argued that they need authority to act quickly in a crisis, and limitations could slow critical emergency responses. Related story: CDC Says Not To Worry Yet on the New 'USA Variant' of COVID-19 Other COVID-19 Variants Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that at least 315 cases of the U.K. COVID-19 variant were discovered in the U.S. These cases were scattered in at least 28 states. Health officials said it could become the dominant strain in America by March. Earlier this week, the first U.S. case of the Brazilian variant was announced. Health officials in Minnesota said the first person who contracted the strain recently traveled to the South American nation. The said version of the virus has emerged in more than a half-dozen countries. On Monday, President Joe Biden imposed travel restrictions on South Africa, Brazil, U.K., and other countries in Europe to curb the spread of the virus. The COVID-19 has already killed around 430,000 people in the U.S. Related story: California Reports First Case of New COVID-19 Strain ~ Says some MPs are a travesty of representation ~ PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel on Wednesday said it may be easy for other MPs to dismiss him as forceful in defending the people of St. Maarten, but he gets the distinct feeling that the same MPs are completely disconnected from the people and they have to go. MP Emmanuel said he cannot fathom how MPs supporting the current Council of Ministers and Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs can accept laws that will hurt their people. Laws, the MP said, that are unsupported by facts, studies, or plain logical thinking. And along the way, he added, the Prime Minister continues to lie about meeting with unions and twisting stories to fit the frame she wants. Legislation that is going to change the livelihood of people, their way of life their incomes and their families in general, this government want you to just rush and get it done. They want us to pass legislation with no end in sight. They do not produce documents, they dismiss the unions, they withhold information and yet we must just pass it because that's what the Dutch want. This is a bad government and they need to go, MP Emmanuel. The MP on Monday and Tuesday got into tense exchanges in the Central Committee meetings with Prime Minister Jacobs when government responses to his questions on benefit and salary cuts were far from adequate. Emmanuel asked more than 100 questions combined on all three laws that the government is trying to force down our throat. He continued: When you ask them about their economic recovery plan that was supposed to be guided by experts and in development since Jesus was a little boy, they cant answer you. Stop for a minute and understand this. The world has been in the grip of a pandemic for a year. The government of St. Maarten cannot tell its people or its Parliament about an economic recovery plan that they themselves announced. Think about this for a moment. One year into the pandemic and the government is doing exactly the same as they have a year ago, nothing! With the exception of cutting salaries and benefits, the MP added. Please my people, question your representation. Imagine that out of 15 members of Parliament, only three MPs question the government about cutting people salaries and benefits and changing their lives. Three out of 15. Myself, MP Buncamper, and MP Wescot-Williams. Three. These are the people that were elected by you the people. And they dont have any questions? This is a travesty of representation. This is a bad government and they have to go, MP Emmanuel said. Prime Minister Florin Citu said on Friday that the shortcomings of the Romanian healthcare system were also reflected in the case of the recent fire tragedy at the Matei Bals hospital, emphasising that there is a need to allocate as many resources as possible for investment. "The shortcomings of the Romanian healthcare system have made their presence felt even today (...) in this tragedy. Although important resources have been allocated to this sector - last year alone, almost 65 billion lei were allocated that was 6.1% of the GDP - only a very small part of the money has been allocated to investment. It is time for everyone to understand that we cannot go on like this. We cannot spend 90%, 95% of resources only on wages and pay bonuses; we need to allocate more and more resources for investment in order to avoid such tragedies in the future," Citu said at the Government House on Friday at the end of a government meeting. Wendy Williams has been pictured out in New York after giving a series of bombshell interviews about her turbulent personal life, including talking about her ex-husband Kevin Hunter and his alleged longtime mistress Sharina Hudson. On Wednesday, Wendy, 56, was pictured being helped to her car by her minder as she hopped into her car after one of her recent personal appearances. The Hot Topics star looked chic and casual as she wrapped up in a fur coat and sported a pair of comfy brown slippers. Speaking out and stepping out: Wendy Williams steps out in New York after making a series of bombshell interviews including calling ex Kevin Hunter's girlfriend 'less than smart' The sighting comes ahead of the Lifetime movie Wendy Williams: The Movie and her documentary Wendy Williams: What a Mess! which premieres on Saturday. Meanwhile. Wendy recently got real with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live. Williams discussed how her ex's alleged affair with Hudson came about as she admitted she'd known about their relationship for 13-15 years. Here comes trouble! Wendy, 56, cut a casual figure as she stepped out in NYC this week 'She was one of these less-than-smart women who moved to the big city with bright lights and she wanted to be a model,' Williams said of Hudson. 'You know how the girls with the sparkler champagne bottles at the club, they get people to spend more money, they dress scantily clad and things like that.' Williams said she would often be at the clubs hosting events during that part of her career, and that's where Hunter met his mistress-to-be. 'Kevins problem is that Kevin ended up getting with this girl. She made herself available to him. She was very disrespectful to me. Do you know he had the nerve to tell me that she admires me.' Williams revealed that she asked Hunter to be a part of her documentary, so he could tell his side of the story, but he refused. Wendy Williams talked more her ex Kevin Hunter's affair during their marriage, as she talked to Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live 'She was one of these less-than-smart women who moved to the big city with bright lights and she wanted to be a model,' Williams said of Hunter's alleged mistress Hudson who is reportedly still with her ex 'You know how the girls with the sparkler champagne bottles at the club, they get people to spend more money, they dress scantily clad and things like that.' Williams said of Hudson when she thinks Hunter met her in a club (Hudson pictured here in 2019) 'He rejected both things. He did not want to be part of the documentary, he didn't want to be part of the movie.' The TV personality added that she doesn't know what Hunter is doing with his life right now, but joked that he's enjoying the alimony he's getting from her. 'You know, I don't know whether he's employed or not.' She told Cohen. 'I don't know how they're raising the daughter, Journey, who's almost two years - I think she's two like next month or something. That's not my problem. My alimony for all three of them is on time every month.' she added. Williams said she took so long to leave her ex because ultimately she was in love and still believed in marriage. 'There was really no option in my mind and [there] still isnt,' she said. 'Being married is the Holy Grail.' Asked by Cohen if her upcoming movie and documentary will make anyone angry, Williams replied, 'Yeah, stand in line behind my ex-husband. No part of it: Williams said she gave her ex husband (seen here in 2018) a chance to appear in her upcoming documentary but he declined 'I don't know how they're raising the daughter, Journey, who's almost two years - I think she's two like next month or something. That's not my problem. My alimony for all three of them is on time every month.' Williams added of her ex 'I expect people to be angry. I expect people to be sad for me still. I expect people to feel like I'm lying. But I also expect people to love me more and I want for people to learn life lessons out of it. 'I've been through a lot of things so maybe you don't have to go through them, or maybe you're going through the same thing.' Earlier this week Wendy dished that she hired a private investigator to spy on her then-husband. The talk show host filed for divorce from Hunter in April 2019 after he fathered a child with Hudson but she admitted she had known about his infidelity for some time but was 'methodically planning' the best way to leave her marriage. 'There were secrets that I was keeping,' the star told E! News' Daily Pop. 'It wasn't about being not vulnerable. It was about waiting for the right time because I was methodically planning to get out of my marriage. I still played 'I love you, I love you,' Wendy,' said the former DJ. Smart move: Williams revealed earlier this week that she hired a private investigator to spy on her then-husband. The 56-year-old talk show host filed for divorce from Kevin Hunter in April 2019 after he fathered a child with another woman but she admitted she had known about his infidelity for some time but was 'methodically planning' the best way to leave her marriage' 'This is what a smart girl does if she is playing the role of being the loving wife. In the meantime, you know, the [private investigator] was following them on vacation,' she added. 'The P.I. followed her to her GYN appointments. The P.I. ended up finding out that the girl was pregnant.' According to Wendy, it was not the first time Hudson had gotten pregnant but was the first baby she 'was having with him.' And the presenter was also reluctant to speak out at the time because of her and Kevin's son, Kevin Jr., now 20. The Chanel life: Hudson leaving her New Jersey home in tight workout clothes. 'The P.I. followed her to her GYN appointments. The P.I. ended up finding out that the girl was pregnant,' said Wendy She said: 'I just let the headlines kind of speak for themselves. 'I could not talk to you all about everything going on until I was able to sit down and talk with my son. And my ex-husband was acting out of order. So, you all didn't know that, and I wasn't going to talk about that stuff. I was going to save it for the movie.' The story will play out in the upcoming Lifetime biopic Wendy Williams: The Movie and Wendy explained she agreed to the project because the time felt right, having previously rejected approaches from the network. Movie time: The story will play out in the upcoming Lifetime biopic Wendy Williams: The Movie and Wendy explained she agreed to the project because the time felt right, having previously rejected approaches from the network. Seen in 2018 Asked why now, she said: 'Because Lifetime came with the proposal that I wanted. Things just never worked out. But that was when I was still married. I'm in a different period in my life. Lifetime called. And I answered.' Wendy named her former husband Kevin's baby mama for the first time on her popular daytime show. On Tuesday the host wore a bright yellow dress as she sipped her coffee and made the shocking comments on the program. 'Welcome to Hot Topics, Sharina Hudson!' said Williams. 'Getting out of my car ... with my money.' Then she mentioned the baby Kevin had with massage therapist Sharina: 'She'll be almost three - I think she'll be three next month, don't you know.' Next she said hello to her ex. 'Good morning, Kelvin,' she said. Kelvin is Kevin's legal name. 'It's my truth.' Also this week she called Hunter a 'serial cheat.' The host admitted his infidelity didn't come as a shock because he had slept with other people throughout their 21-year marriage. Chic while dishing: On Tuesday the host wore a bright yellow dress as she sipped her coffee and made her shocking comments 'We were married for almost 22 years. We were together for 25 years,' she told SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show. 'I don't regret the day of meeting him. I don't regret putting up with him for all 25 years and that has nothing to do with him having this baby or him having this side girl for almost 15 years of our marriage.' She added, 'I've known about her almost since the beginning. I've known that Kevin is a serial cheat.' Wendy first found out the 48-year-old producer had been unfaithful while she was pregnant with their son Kevin Jr., now 20. Directed at her: 'Welcome to Hot Topics, Sharina Hudson!' said Williams. 'Getting out of my car ... with my money' 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. By Judge Andrew P. Napolitano January 28, 2021 " Information Clearing House " - Last week, Joseph R. Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. The federal government began arresting those it claims attempted to interfere violently with Congress' constitutional duties to authenticate Electoral College votes on Jan. 6. The Senate announced it would go forward with a second impeachment trial of Donald J. Trump, even though he is no longer in office. And the Defense Intelligence Agency sent a two-page memo to Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore. Guess which of these events never made it to the front pages? If you guessed the DIA memo, then you'd be correct. In that memo, the government acknowledged for the first time that it willingly and knowingly has violated the Constitution by using commercially available software to track the movements of innocent people in America without search warrants. When asked how it could get away with this, the DIA told Wyden it had a unique interpretation of a recent Supreme Court decision that expressly prohibits the very spying in which the DIA engages. Here is the backstory. Those of us who follow the government's violations of natural rights and constitutional guarantees have been arguing for years that the feds have the ability to monitor the movements of our smartphones. We have also argued that the feds can listen in on conversations that take place in the presence of the smartphones, and they do all this without obtaining a search warrant. Last week, the feds admitted that they have been doing this since the latter part of the Obama administration and throughout the Trump administration. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Newsletter After years of denying this, the feds must have seen the handwriting on the wall and knew that someone would soon be asked about this during the confirmation process for Biden's intelligence community nominees. A failure to give a truthful answer would be career-ending, and perhaps freedom-ending. The DIA's justification for its warrantless spying is breathtaking. It argues that because it is not law enforcement, it is not subject to the constitutional restraints imposed upon law enforcement as interpreted by the Supreme Court. This is an argument that the court has never accepted. The DIA, apparently, thinks it is a law unto itself. It also claims that because it can purchase the tracing software commercially, it can use it freely, just like any other purchaser. Such a rationale utterly defies the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. Private purchasers are not bound by the Fourth Amendment but the government is. In 2018, in a case called Carpenter v. United States, the Supreme Court was confronted with an appeal of a conviction based on FBI use of commercially purchased tracking software, which agents employed to trace the defendant's movements, and which put him in the vicinity of a series of armed robberies. On the basis of that data, he was convicted of the robberies. The court vacated the conviction, holding that the government needs a search warrant based on probable cause of crime before it can use surveillance techniques to trace or track a potential defendant. The DIA and other domestic American spy entities there are 16 that the government acknowledges it operates have taken the view that because the tracking software is available commercially, and because the domestic spies are intelligence and not law enforcement, they need not obtain a warrant. Stated differently, because the DIA did not seek to use its powers to compel a warrantless search of phone records, but rather stole phone signals, it committed no wrong! This is a profound and direct violation of the Fourth Amendment, which was written for the very purpose of upholding the quintessential American right the right to be left alone. The pre-Revolutionary British government regularly violated this right by obtaining secret general search warrants from courts in London. General search warrants permitted the bearer to search where he wished and seize what he found. To ensure that the new American government could not do what the British government had been doing to the colonists, the Fourth Amendment was enacted. It states that there shall be no search or seizure or surveillance but for one authorized in writing by a judge based on probable cause of crime sworn to under oath and specifically describing the place to be searched and the person or thing to be seized. When it comes to surveillance, there is no exception to this. The Fourth Amendment serves a dual purpose. The first is to prevent fishing expeditions such as the very acts the DIA now admits it utilizes in violation of the natural right to privacy. The second is to compel the government to focus its resources on those suspects as to whom it has a judicially recognized probable cause of crime. The depth of the government's admissions are staggering. Its architecture is a decrepit three-legged stool on which sits totalitarianism, arrogance and lawlessness. One leg of the stool upholds a self-crafted immunity from compliance with the laws of the land. The second leg supports ways to avoid constitutional norms while still appearing licit in the eyes of the public. And the third and weakest leg offers its interpretation of the Constitution separate and apart from what the Supreme Court has ordered. This stool should be cast into the dustbin of history. It was built by those who have been unfaithful to their oaths to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States the very same Constitution that is only as valuable as a safeguard to freedom as is the fidelity of those into whose hands we have reposed it for safekeeping. We have put it into the hands of madmen. The United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States... does not challenge that position. Thus did President Nixon, in the Shanghai Communique of 1972, accept Chinas territorial claim to the island of Taiwan. In 1979, Jimmy Carter severed relations with Taiwan, recognized Beijing as the legitimate government and dissolved the U.S. mutual security treaty with the Republic of China on Taiwan. We ceased to be obligated to go to war to defend Taiwan. Fast-forward four decades to the first weekend of President Joe Bidens administration. Saturday, China sent eight nuclear-capable bombers and four fighter planes into the air defense identification zone of Taiwan. Sunday, Beijing sent 16 military aircraft into the same region. Observing U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and visits by U.S. officials, China is issuing us a reminder: You Americans are encouraging those on the island who seek independence. Not going to happen. Rather than let Taiwan go, we will fight. Taiwan is a part of China and is a red line for us. Beijing is said to be seeking a face-to-face meeting with Biden. Why? Perhaps because incoming Secretary of State Antony Blinken in his confirmation hearings said that President Donald Trump was right to take a tougher approach to China. Blinken also agreed with outgoing Secretary Mike Pompeo, who had called Chinas treatment of its Uighur minority genocide, and added that our commitment to Taiwan is something that we hold to very strongly. Under Xi Jinping, said Blinken, China seeks to become the leading country in the world the country that sets the norms, that sets the standards. In short, Chinas geostrategic goal is to replace the U.S.-created world order with a new world order of its own. Before we proceed further down this road to collision, questions need to be answered. To whom does Taiwan belong? If the answer is what it has been since 1972 Taiwan is a part of China then is not encouraging the 25 million Taiwanese to seek independence an incitement to insurrection from Beijings standpoint? And if China uses force to compel Taiwan to repudiate any right to independence, are we prepared to fight a war with a nuclear-armed China over the islands political status and orientation? When Chinese Communists in 1950 conquered Tibet and began its ethnic and cultural cleansing of the region, what did we do? Basically, nothing. When China occupied and fortified rocks and reefs across the South China Sea, what did we do? Basically, nothing. When China crushed the Hong Kong democracy protests we encouraged, and imposed a new national security law on the islands 7 million people, what did we do? Basically, nothing. Now, Xi Jinping has bluntly told America that how China treats Tibetans, Uighurs, Christians and Falun Gong, all citizens of China, is no more the business of the United States than was our treatment of the indigenous peoples of North America the business of Imperial China. Chinas model of political and economic development has enjoyed success in this century as an alternative to the Western model of liberal democracy. Beijing does not believe in untrammeled freedom of religion, or of speech, or of the press. She does not believe in choosing leaders by the ballot box. China is not an egalitarian society. She does not believe in the equality of all races, religions and ethnic groups. She does not celebrate diversity but fears it, seeing what ethnic diversity did to the Soviet Union, tearing it apart into 15 nations. She does not believe in racial quotas for advancement, but in a meritocracy that rewards loyalty and performance. And Chinese student test scores are among the highest in the world. While China steals intellectual property from U.S. factories in China, who moved the factories there to take advantage of cheap labor where a worker could be hired for $2 an hour? Beijing says any attempt to impose our universal values on China would amount to interference in her internal affairs. And any attempt to sever from Beijing her jurisdiction over Taiwan or the Spratly or Paracel Islands in the South China Sea will be resisted by force. Moreover, as none of the disputed rocks and reefs in the South and East China Seas involves any territory claimed by the U.S., and we have conceded for 50 years that Taiwan is part of China, why are we sending carrier battle groups into these seas and through the Taiwan Strait? What are we threatening? On Sunday, a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group, led by the USS Theodore Roosevelt, sailed into the South China Sea on a freedom of navigation exercise, the first such operation under President Biden. This was the same day that those Chinese bombers and fighters flew into Taiwans air identification zone. We need to talk. PAT BUCHANAN is the author of Nixons White House Wars: The Battles That Made and Broke a President and Divided America Forever. To find out more about him and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com. Type address separated by commas Your Email: Black and Hispanic children are less likely than white children to receive medical imaging tests, such as ultrasounds, MRIs, and X-rays, during emergency department visits, according to a new study by researchers at UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The findings, published Friday in JAMA Open Network, suggest both an under-use of imaging among minority children and overuse among white children. Researchers attributed the disparity to a range of factors, including bias among doctors whose treatment decisions are influenced by patients race. Something else is going on here thats beyond the clinical, thats beyond the diagnoses, said Jennifer Marin, an associate professor of pediatrics, emergency medicine, and radiology at Pitt and the studys lead author. READ MORE: Coronavirus has exposed deep race inequity in health care. Can Philadelphia change the trend? Researchers studied billing data for more than 13 million emergency department visits among children at 52 hospitals in 27 states and the District of Columbia between 2016 and 2019. Even after controlling for factors such as insurance coverage, household income, and diagnosis, researchers found emergency departments ordered far fewer imaging tests for Black and Hispanic children, compared to white children: Black children were 18% less likely than white children to receive medical imaging as part of their emergency department visit. Hispanic children were 13% less likely than white children to receive imaging tests. Marin said there are several factors that could be contributing to the gap, such as heightened anxiety and demand for testing among white parents, language barriers that result in more or less testing among Hispanic children, and implicit bias among doctors. Implicit bias is when a doctors medical decisions are influenced by unconscious attitudes, beliefs, or stereotypes about people of different races and ethnicity. Other studies have found that implicit bias often results in minority patients receiving less care and experiencing worse health-care outcomes. For instance, Black pregnant people are less likely to receive pain medication in labor and more likely to die during childbirth compared to white patients. Black children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are less likely than white children to receive advanced technology to help manage their autoimmune condition and experience higher rates of complications. READ MORE: Racial bias in health care hurts patients. But that can change. One major limitation of the study is that billing data cannot help researchers determine how sick children were when they arrived at the emergency department or whether the imaging ordered was necessary. Could white children be receiving more medical imaging because they are sicker when they arrive at the hospital? Probably not, Marin said. When researchers looked specifically at cases where the child had been discharged from the emergency department meaning they were not sick enough to be admitted to the hospital they found even larger racial gaps in testing. Marin called on hospitals to dig into their own data to see to what extent the trend is playing out in their own emergency departments. The first solution is awareness weve brought this to light, theres clearly a problem. It then becomes important for local emergency departments to look internally at their data, Marin said. Really seeing that personalized data can be very eye-opening for physicians. ... I think people would want to know if theyre treating children differently just based on their race. Stop us if youve heard this before, but a potentially significant snowstorm may be in store for the Lehigh Valley. Yes, its still a few days away. Yes, theres a lot that could change. No, you dont need to gas up the snowblower just yet. But the National Weather Service is getting more confident that the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas will see snow over three days in a storm system arriving Sunday afternoon and lingering into Tuesday. How much snow? That depends on a number of factors, but a half-foot or more is possible, Nick Carr, a meteorologist with the weather service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey, told lehighvalleylive.com on Thursday evening. There is an increasing threat for a significant and potentially prolonged coastal storm system to impact the region late... Posted by US National Weather Service Philadelphia/Mount Holly on Thursday, January 28, 2021 Areas to the south are more likely to get heavier precipitation that is more likely to fall as a rainy mix, Carr said. Areas to the north are more likely to get snow, at least periodically, but maybe not as much if the heavier bands stay south. A different forecast from AccuWeather favors heavier snow north in the Poconos, putting that area in the 12-to-18-inch range, with the Lehigh Valley and northern New Jersey pegged for 6 to 12 inches. Forecasters from AccuWeather say it's possible the Lehigh Valley and northern New Jersey could get 6 to 12 inches of snow from a coastal storm that is expected to arrive late Sunday and linger into early Tuesday.AccuWeather Even 6 inches here would be significant in a winter that, at least locally, has seen almost all of its snow arrive in a single December noreaster a storm that single-handedly surpassed the entire previous, pitiful winter. But, as with any winter storm, a number of factors must align or it will fizzle: temperature, moisture, the storm track all play a role. (Our colleagues at NJ.com have this deeper look at what is working for and against this particular storm.) Any accumulating snow will be aided by days of sub-freezing temperatures lasting through the weekend in the Lehigh Valley, Carr said. Yes, theres always the potential for everything to fall apart. Again. But the forecasts say this one is at least worth watching. Since we're getting a bunch of emails, comments, questions about the Sunday-Tuesday time frame, we're going to address... Posted by EPAWA Weather Consulting on Thursday, January 28, 2021 Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Analysts say Chinese officials are diverting so much water from dams along the upper Mekong River system that Southeast Asian countries are going dry during prime agricultural seasons and turning to other powers for help. Eleven southwest China dams have left much of the Lower Mekong region, with its population of 60 million, dry since 2019, according to data from the Stimson Center in Washington. The affected countries -- Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam -- seldom complain because they are smaller than China and because of the relationships between some of their leaders and Beijing, analysts say. Chinese dam authorities normally divert water but increase flows ahead of events with Southeast Asian officials to project a good image, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political science professor at Bangkoks Chulalongkorn University, said. They divert it for domestic irrigation and power use. Its very clear that the Chinese are using the dams for political leverage, he said, meaning they increase the amount of water released when they want to improve relations with downstream countries. In the low season, the dry season, of course this is the most challenging for the lower, downstream countries, he said. Beijing began sharing upper Mekong River data in November through an online platform that it set up to provide reliable forecasting and early warning services on floods and droughts, Chinese state-controlled news website Global Times said in December. Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia can obtain data from two Chinese hydrological stations in the upper Mekong basin, the report says. 'Devastating impacts' Experts, though, believe that effort diverts attention from problems China has caused by what the Stimson Center calls impounding -- withholding -- water upstream before it can flow through Southeast Asia into the sea. The lower river basin supports surrounding rice fields and the worlds largest freshwater fishery. Overall, the lower Mekong system supplies those living in the basin with about 80% of their animal protein needs, California-based advocacy group International Rivers says on its website. Chinese dam construction on the Upper Mekong is having devastating impacts on downstream communities, and dozens of dams are either planned, under construction or built within the Lower Mekong basin, International Rivers says. This rapid expansion of hydropower threatens all countries who share the Lower Mekong Basin, with downstream Cambodia and Vietnam at greatest risk. During a 2019 Mekong basin drought, the upper reaches in China received record rainfall but dams kept nearly all of it from flowing downstream, the Stimson Center website says. Without that diversion, it says, the Mekong along the Thai-Lao border would have seen above average flows from April 2019 onward. This is part of a long pattern that has driven numerous droughts, the research organization says. The increasing frequency of drought in the lower basin tracks closely to the way China restricts water upstream during the dry season. Since the completion of the Nuozhadu dam in 2012 on part of the Mekong in Chinas Yunnan province, known there as the Lancang River, Chinas dams overall have withheld more water than the previous 20 years, the Stimson Center says. China's dams have also been suspected in causing floods, such as those 13 years ago along the Mekong in Laos. The Nuozhadu and another Chinese dam, the Dachaoshan dam, finished in 2003 and also on the Lancang, have generated unexpected releases that flooded places downstream and caused millions of dollars in damage, the research organization adds. Chinas Global Times attributes downstream floods and droughts of 2019 and 2020 to climate change. 'It's going to be huge' In Cambodia, upstream diversions have weakened seasonal water flows that raise water levels in the Tonle Sap lake, said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch. Normally high waters flood surrounding land and create fish spawning grounds. The lake and adjacent floodplain yield up to 165 kilograms of fish per hectare. The flooding once lasted three months but now stops after six weeks, he said. About 60% of Cambodians get protein from the lakes fish, he added. Theres less flow coming down the river to push the water back up into the lake, Robertson said. Its something thats a core part of like Cambodian seasons, and if it stops happening, its going to be huge. Cambodia, like other lower Mekong countries, does not protest openly to China over river flows. These countries lack bargaining power with China, home of the regions biggest economy and military. Poorer Cambodia and Laos depend heavily on China for aid and infrastructure investment. Laos benefits from its own dams, which Thailand finances and taps for electricity, Thitinan said. Vietnam is considered the most affected downstream country as Mekong flows into the South China Sea near Ho Chi Minh City. Saltwater intrusion from the sea compounds the problem and exacerbated droughts of 2019 and 2020, according to United Nations data. Officials in the country, which has a centuries-old rivalry with China, have no way to get more water released, said Alexander Vuving, professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii. Vietnam of course has a lot of interest in opposing China in the subregion, but right now the tendency I see is that Vietnam is on the losing side, Vuving said It doesnt have the wherewithal to cope with China. China continues to build dams along the upper Mekong and its tributaries. Laos is following suit, Thitinan said. Although the four lower Mekong countries have an oversight organization, the Mekong River Commission, they are now turning to the United States and other countries for help in resisting China. The Mekong-U.S. Partnership formed in September to offer anti-drought measures and earmark $6 million for work including access to water data for government planning purposes. The US-Mekong Partnership signed in September will let Washington help Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam ease droughts and COVID-19. Remote monitoring and satellite data compiled by the United States this month tracked a 1-meter drop in river levels in the northern Thai district of Chiang Saen along the Mekong River due to a Chinese dam, media reports in Asia say. Japan is helping continental Southeast Asia accelerate industrial development and infrastructure to make these countries less dependent on farming. Budget 2021: Date, Time, Theme, How To Watch Union Budget Live Streaming Online India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Jan 29: Union Budget will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday, February 1, 2021 at 11 am. The Aatmanirbhar Bharat is likely to be the central theme of the central budget. First time in the history of independent India, the Union Budget papers will not be printed. Usually, the budget paper is printed in the finance ministry's in house press, involving nearly 100 employees who have to stay together for nearly a fortnight till the time the papers are printed, sealed and delivered on the day of the Budget. Budget 2021: An important decade for the first future of India says PM Modi Job creation and revival of stressed sectors of the economy will most likely be priorities post-COVID-19. There are also expectations of farmer-friendly announcements which include increasing the current annual installment of Rs 6,000 given annually to farmers eligible under the Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. Where to watch Union Budget 2021? The Union Budget 2021 will be telecast LIVE on Lok Sabha TV. Multiple social media platforms such as YouTube and Twitter will also telecast the budget presentation LIVE. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his customary address on January 29 gave a hint about how this year's budget would look like. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had to give four-five mini-budgets in the form of packages in 2020 and expressed confidence that the upcoming budget would also be seen as part of that series," Modi said. "Probably for the first time in India's history, the finance minister had to give four-five mini budgets in 2020 in the form of different packages," he said. "Therefore, I am confident that this budget will also be seen as part of the series of the four-five mini budgets," Modi said in his remarks to the media before the commencement of Parliament's Budget Session. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 12:16 [IST] The ineptitude of this citys leadership astounds me. At a time when residents need them more than ever, local officials have proven once again they just arent up to the challenge. Its already hard enough to persuade residents to put their skepticism aside and get themselves inoculated against COVID-19. But after witnessing the debacle that local government officials have made of the citys vaccine rollout, it may be even more difficult to get folks to roll up their sleeves. Public trust has been eroded. I wouldnt be surprised if elderly residents and health-care workers take a look at whats going on and wait a while longer before getting vaccinated. I really hope they wont do that, but it could happen. The blame for allowing Philly Fighting COVID to oversee the citys largest coronavirus vaccination effort lies with the city officials who green-lighted the arrangement in the first place. Experienced people with medical backgrounds should have been placed in charge not a Drexel University graduate student. Deputy Healthy Commissioner Caroline Johnson, who had worked closely with Philly Fighting COVIDs CEO, Andrei Doroshin, resigned Saturday after records obtained by The Inquirer showed she gave him an advantage in a city bidding process by providing a suggested budget number. READ MORE: The city trusted a group of college kids to lead its vaccine rollout. But Philly Fighting COVID was full of red flags from the start. This is all such a mess. Its not as if Philadelphia doesnt have qualified alternatives readily available such as the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, which was formed last spring to address the disproportionate impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on African Americans. Founded by board-certified surgeon Ala Stanford, that group is more than capable of doing the work. It has been testing residents mostly at local churches for months and recently began administering vaccinations, as well. Leaders emerge during tough times like this pandemic were experiencing. Stanford has more than proven herself to be up to the challenge. Next to Health Commissioner Thomas Farley, she is arguably the most trusted person in Philadelphia when it comes to dispensing advice for dealing with the pandemic. I think its time to just talk about the elephant in the room, and thats the implicit bias and just injustice and racism and Im just going to say that because if you look at everything on paper in terms of the experience, in terms of the earned trust in the community, we exhibited all of those qualities consistently, Stanford said on MSNBC Sunday. We started not because there was [a request for proposals] but because there was a need in the community. No one asked us to do it. It wasnt our job. It was that African Americans, their lives were not being valued and we decided collectively that we were going to change that and try to level the playing field that had never been leveled. Were the operation with licensed doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, all of whom were asked to show their credentials, their resumes. We needed letters of recommendation before we could even start. So its unclear to me how this organization if they were judged with the same scrutiny was even ever able to get off the ground, quite honestly. And so I think we have to look not just in Philadelphia but the deep-rooted problem that allows you to look at an organization that has been doing the work even before you joined forces with them and overlooks them primarily for another group thats unestablished, younger, not led by a physician and white. Philly Fighting COVID switched its status from nonprofit to for-profit in the midst of everything and wording on the groups website left the possibility open for residents medical information to have been sold. Doroshin, who doesnt have a medical background, also admitted taking vaccine for personal use and administering it. At a time when so much lip service is being paid to the need for racial equity, the optics of this are really bad. Philly can get out of this morass by doing what it should have done in the first place: putting Stanford and the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium in charge. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Irish actor James Nesbitt tells Graham Norton on tonight's show that Northern Ireland is now a brilliant place to film. The 56-year-old actor explains to chat-show king Norton that he loves working in his homeland. I left to go to drama school in 1985 but it is still very much home to me, he says. It is an important time for Ireland and as a result of the peace, over the last 20 years there has been so much filming there. It is a vibrant, brilliant incredible place, like a mini-Hollywood. The star, who was born in Ballymena, Co Antrim, and raised in Coleraine, Co Derry, reveals his new BBC thriller series Bloodlands touches on Northern Irelands recent history. This new [drama] examines the balance between preserving the peace and also the legacy of the past and the injustices of some of the crimes, he says. And he jumped at the chance of starring in the four-part series produced by acclaimed Jed Mercurio who created the TV mega-hits, Line of Duty and Bodyguard. When Jed gives you a call and says, Will you work for me? it is like God calling really and its like, Yes, Ill die for you! In the series he plays Northern Ireland detective Tom Brannick who is called to a possible crime scene where cops and divers are trying to retrieve a car from the depths of Stranford Lough. Inside they find what seems to be a suicide note but it soon becomes apparent that this is not an open-and-shut case. Brannick quickly connects the note to an infamous cold case with enormous personal significance. Soon he is on the hunt for a legendary assassin in an explosive cat-and-mouse game. The drama has a wealth of Irish talent including Lorcan Cranitch, Pure Mules Charlene McKenna, Ian McElhinny from Game of Thrones and Derry Girls, Young Offenders Chris Walley, Susan Lynch, Michael Smiley, Lola Petticrew, Kathy Kiera Clarke and Lisa Dwan. It is already being dubbed the first Irish Noir series. n Food Hygiene Rating Scheme consultation extended A consultation which could allow a Food Hygiene Rating Scheme to be introduced on the Island has been extended until 12 February. The regulations would bring the Island in line with the UK and mean the likes of pubs, restaurants, cafes, and supermarkets would be legally required to display their rating for the public to see in the premises and online. The rating system would range from zero, where urgent improvement is needed, to five, where hygiene standards are classed as very good. Currently hygiene standards reached by each establishment are not publicly displayed. The regulations would apply to all premises where food is sold or served on the Island, including schools, care homes and hospitals. The Food Hygiene Ratings Regulations 2021 consultation can be found here. Mumbai: Actor Amit Sadh on Thursday declared that he is happy with the audience reception to his new web series Jeet Ki Zid. "My heart is filled up with gratitude and eyes with tears watching all the love and appreciation 'Jeet Ki Zid' has been receiving. The team has worked so hard in making this project what it is today. People have continuously been sending me their thoughts and reactions, and it makes me so happy. I'll forever keep all that I've learned and experienced here in my heart. I hope the Zid to never give up and determination to triumph forever persists in your hearts," said the actor. Earlier in the day, the actor posted a thank-you note on Instagram, Jeet Ki Zid is based on the true story of Major Deep Sengar of the Special Task Force, who returned from Kargil War in a wheelchair. While doctors gave up hope, Deep fought against all odds to bounce back in life. The Zee5 series is directed by Vishal Mangalorkar, and also features Amrita Puri and Sushant Singh. Proactive's Mining Analyst, Dr Ryan Long catches up with Pan Asia Metals executive chairman and managing director, Paul Lock to discuss the company's progress since its IPO late last year and what the future holds. Pan Asia Metals Limited's ( ) is now well into the swing of public company life, with its shares having been traded on the ASX for four months. Following the completion of the initial public offering (IPO), Pan Asia wasted no time in commencing drilling at its Khao Soon Tungsten Project, located in Thailand. The first phase of drilling was to test a number of induced polarisation (IP) targets associated with strong tungsten anomalies that were located in proximity to areas of defined tungsten mineralisation. Ten holes have been completed at the Than Pho West Prospect totalling 828.2 metres (m), all of which intersected breccia zones confirming the companys geological model for the area. Initial spot hand-held XRF analysis of the core has indicated the presence of tungsten mineralisation over significant intercepts but assay results are required before the success of the drill programme can be fully assessed. These assay results are likely to be received during the first quarter of this year. Following the completion of drilling at Khao Soon, the companys drill rig was transported to Pan Asias Bang I Tum Lithium Project, to target lithium-bearing pegmatites up to 25m wide and associated dykes below an old pit that was previously mined for tin. The rig then moved on to the companys other lithium project, Reung Kiet, where drilling will target lepidolite rich pegmatites that were identified by the company in previous trenching programmes. Assay results from both the lithium projects are likely to be returned before the end of the first half of 2021, so there will be plenty of news flow from the company during the first half of the year. Looking out to the second half of the year we can probably expect another follow-up drill programme at Khao Soon, consisting of infill and extension drilling along strike and at depth. With the potential for additional drilling at its lithium projects. Depending on the results of these drill programmes, the company is targeting to have maiden resource estimates at two projects and hopes to be commencing work on scoping studies for the projects late in the year. In addition to this extensive exploration programme, Pan Asia continues to assess a number of potential acquisitions located in the Southeast Asia Region to build on its portfolio. Susan Meissner. Berkley, $26 (384p) ISBN 978-0-451-49218-0 Meissner (The Last Year of the War) spins an exceptional story about an Irish immigrant who lands in San Francisco shortly before the 1906 earthquake. After spending two years in New York City, Sophie Whalen, 20, answers a newspaper ad from widower Martin Hocking of San Francisco, who is seeking a wife for him and a mother for his daughter. Sophie falls head over heels for Martins five-year-old daughter, Kat, having given up having a child of her own, and looks forward to developing a bond with her new husband. But Sophie learns that all is not as it seems when a pregnant woman named Belinda Bigelow shows up on her doorstep hours before the earthquake, looking for her husband, James, who told Belinda he had business with Martin. Upon seeing a picture of Martin, Belinda recognizes him as James. This leads the two women to go through Martins papers, and they deduce hed married both of them under different names. Unexpected and masterfully crafted twists and turns abound after the earthquake, as a federal marshall questions Sophie about Martins disappearance. The plucky and principled Sophie (who is hiding a few secrets of her own) captivates from the first page, while naive Belinda and sensitive Kat are standouts. Ingeniously plotted and perfectly structured, this captivates from beginning to end. New Delhi, Jan 29 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah has postponed his two-day visit to West Bengal starting Saturday amid the tense situation in the national capital, sources told IANS. Shah was supposed to leave for Kolkata on Friday night to participate in party programmes on Saturday and Sunday. Source said that Shah's decision to postpone the visit came in the wake of the tense situation in Delhi caused by the Republic Day violence and the low intensity blast near the Israel Embassy in the national capital on Friday. As per the schedule, the Home Minister had to leave for Kolkata on Friday night and visit the Iscon temple on Saturday morning. From the Iscon temple, Shah was supposed to leave for Mayapur in Nadia district and Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas to attend rallies. On Sunday, he was scheduled to visit the Bharat Sevashram Sangh in south Kolkata besides attending a rally in Howrah district. White House Prepares to Help Iran Get the Bomb Commentary Critics of Barack Obamas 2015 nuclear deal with Iran are preparing for the same fight now that Joe Biden has made it clear he intends to reenter the deal from which Donald Trump withdrew. And because the last president showed that Obamas foreign policy legacy was vulnerable to the vicissitudes of American politics, the Biden team will likely rush to get Iran the bomb as soon as possible. Iran hawks are concerned about the latest prospective Biden appointment thought to be too sympathetic to the Islamic Republic. Robert Malley is a 57-year-old lawyer, author, and head of the International Crisis Group who served in the Bill Clinton administration and joined the Obama White House in its second term. He played an important role in the negotiations that led to the July 2015 deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Now, hes said to be in line for the job of Iran envoy. Iran deal opponents, including Republican senators and congressmen, former Trump officials, and Middle East analysts, compare Malley unfavorably to Biden appointees like incoming Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who says he wants a longer and stronger deal with Tehran, and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who enjoys a reputation as a moderate Democrat who engages with moderate Republicans. They say that Blinken and Sullivan agree that the JCPOA needs to be fixed. Compared to them, on this view, Malley is a hardliner. The template should sound familiar. Its the same one that Western policymakers who seek accommodation with Iran use to describe the terror regime in Tehran. There are hardliners and moderates, and we need to engage the latter to marginalize the former. But the hardliner-moderate paradigm sheds no more light on the workings of the new Biden administration than it does on the Islamic Republic of Iran. The White House is staffed not to fix the JCPOA but to take it as it is, which is why its loaded with Obama officials who, like Malley, were part of securing the original agreement. Blinken, for instance, was Secretary of State John Kerrys deputy when the deal was struck in July 2015. Blinkens new deputy, Wendy Sherman, was the Obama teams lead negotiator on Iran talks. Brett McGurk, who led the effort to send $1.7 billion in cash to Iran in the winter of 20152016, leads the White Houses Middle East desk. Perhaps the most important staffing decision that Biden made regarding Iran policy was naming retired State Department official William Burns as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2013, he and Sullivan opened up a secret channel with Tehran that led to the JCPOA. His nomination as spy chief signaled to the Iranians that someone they trusted was holding a file of vital interest to them. Under the Trump administration, the CIA waged an aggressive campaign targeting regime pillars, such as the head of the Revolutionary Guards expeditionary force, Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a drone strike last January. You cant make a deal with a terror state if the CIA is killing its top terrorists, and appointing Burns tells the Iranians that the agencys campaign against them is over. The Biden White House isnt looking to get a better deal with Iran this time around, for the same reason the same policymakers didnt get a better deal when they were working for Obama. The only difference now is the six-year-long trail of lies that ObamaBiden officials have seeded through the press, from the Iran deal echo chamber to Russia collusion and most recently the domestic terror threat posed by the more than 74 million Americans who didnt vote for Biden. To single out one Biden deputy as too pro-Iran is to ignore not only the character of the administration but the purpose of the Iran deal. The JCPOA was never intended to stop Iran from getting the bombif it were, it wouldnt contain sunset clauses restricting Irans nuclear and non-nuclear activities that are due to expire over the next decade. The point rather was to put Irans program under the protection of an international agreement sanctioned by Washington, and give the regime access to the money and technology it needed to build its nuclear weapons program so that by the time the sunset clauses ran out, the regimes bomb would be legal. Obama was arming his new ally. What distinguishes Malley from the rest of the new White Houses Iran team is simply that he understood from the beginning that the JCPOA never really was an arms agreement. Rather, it was the mechanism with which Obama realigned U.S. interests in the Middle East, tilting against traditional regional partners such as Israel and Saudi Arabia and toward the Islamic Republic. It should be easier six years after the JCPOA to understand why Obama wanted to realign U.S. interests with Irans. Like Trump, he wanted to withdraw from the Middle East. But unlike his successor, he didnt believe that Israel, Saudi Arabia, and NATO member Turkey were capable of stabilizing the region in the absence of the United States. He thought Iran could. He admired hard men like Soleimani and told Arab officials that they should find someone like him. And this shows that alliances arent always or exclusively about shared interests. Often, they are about common sensibilities or worldviews. That Americas ruling class has adopted the methods of third-world security statespolitical espionage, censorship, show trials, jailing political opponents as domestic terroristsshows why the Iran deal is so important to Obama. He feels a kinship with the regime. Malleys appointment just confirms that Biden is an avatar for a third Obama term. Lee Smith is the author of the recently published book The Permanent Coup: How Enemies Foreign and Domestic Targeted the American President. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. (Des Moines) -- A bill requiring all school districts in Iowa to offer a 100% in-person learning option has passed the legislature. Both the House and Senate Thursday passed a bill that would require districts to offer the option of attending classes in-person for the rest of this school year. Senator Brad Zaun -- a Republican from Urbandale -- says he heard from numerous parents this school year that want their kids back in school. "As I door-knocked this last fall, one thing I heard from the parents in some of the school districts that I represent, is that they'd sure like to get their kids back in the classroom," said Zaun. "Why is that important? As you know, there is a lot of dual-income parents that are out there. A lot parents were asked to work from home during the COVID crisis and it's certainly put a lot of parents in a bind. It's changed how they function as a family." Many schools districts have offered a hybrid model that included a virtual option for school this year. Students would still be able to attend school virtually if their district offers it. Zaun says there is only a small number of schools in the state that currently aren't offering a 100% in-person option. "Currently, it's really a minority of school districts that are not offering an in-school, 100% option," said Zaun. "It is really only 15 public school districts in the state of Iowa and only one non-public school. This bill is simply telling the school boards and administrators that they need to offer that option." Opponents of the legislation argue that local school boards should be able to decide what's best for their community and others says offering a 100% in-person option may force some districts to end virtual options due to staffing shortages. State Senator Herman Quirmbach -- a Democrat from Ames -- offered an amendment that would delay implementation of the policy until after teachers and school staff had the chance to be vaccinated against COVID-19. "Before we overrule local control and local safety policy and force schools to accept unlimited numbers of in-person students, we really have to make sure that the teachers and staff who have sacrificed so much over the last 12 months are protected as best we can against further risk," said Quirmbach. The bill passed the Senate by a 29-18 margin and the House on a 59-39 margin. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed the bill into law Friday. Reynolds signs bill requiring in-person school option statewide (Des Moines) -- Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a bill that would require K-12 schools to offer 100% in-person learning by February 15th. Syracuse, N.Y. -- The Central New York Community Foundation is giving more than $500,000 to 19 different community organizations to help with missions ranging from workforce development to reading lessons aimed at shoring up skills lost in the pandemic. The money is in addition to funds already announced from the foundations Black Equity and Excellence Fund and the Covid-19 Community Support Fund, but many of the grants take aim at supporting equity and fixing problems exacerbated by the pandemic. The recipients: A Tiny Home for Good Syracuse: $35,000 to restore property that will serve as its headquarters. Brady Faith Center: $60,000 to create a workforce development plan for its new apprenticeship program at Brady Market. City of Syracuse: $65,000 to support its Lead Abatement Program and launch workforce training and certification for housing code inspectors. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County: $65,131 to support its curbside market program, which is a collaborative that provides fresh and healthy grocery items to Madison County residents. Davids Refuge: $27,500 to increase program accessibility, outreach and increase partnerships with people of color to diversify its client base and staff and decrease racial disparity. Everson Museum of Art: $40,500 to hire a fulltime grant writer to help increase its fundraising capacity, programming and inclusion initiatives. Fiver Childrens Foundation New York: $10,000 to host diversity, equity and inclusion assessments, trainings and community workshops to help with the creation of a strategic plan. The Haven at Skanda: $25,000 to hire a consultant to create a new strategic plan that will allow for growth, expansion and the sustainability of its programming. Junior Achievement of Central Upstate NY: $15,000 to launch a new youth entrepreneurial program and support its financial literacy programs for students in Syracuse. Museum of Science & Technology Foundation (MOST): $17,250 to launch a new after-school mentorship program for Black youth that will guide them through career exploration in the areas of science, technology, skilled trades and manufacturing. PGR Foundation: $25,099 to purchase technology equipment and hire tutors for its Back to School Pandemic Preparation Series. The Reading League Syracuse: $45,000 to produce reading lessons geared toward Pre-K-3rd graders that will air on WCNY for students impacted by COVID-19. Skaneateles Lake Association: $50,000 to develop an in-person and virtual curriculum for its Emerging Scientists Program that teaches students about watershed science. SUNY ESF: $36,070 to conduct a land restoration project to improve the water quality of Skaneateles Lake. Syracuse Childrens Theatre: $14,837 to hire a student success specialist to support students of all abilities so that its arts recreation is inclusive for all children. Syracuse Stage: $25,000 to support racial equity training for its staff and board using artistic projects that highlight the voices of people of color. Tomorrows Neighborhoods Today: $4,000 to launch a social and digital media campaign to continue its Lead Poisoning Education and Awareness Project. Vesta Community Housing Development: $30,000 to purchase a van to safely transport Veterans to and from appointments. YWCA Syracuse & Onondaga County: $18,500 to host programming for girls ages 5-18 to help build self-resilience, confidence and set future goals. Marnie Eisenstadt writes about people, public affairs and the Syracuse City School District. Contact her anytime email | Twitter| Facebook | 315-470-2246. Submitted by the family On Jan. 16, 2021, at 4 a.m., Lola Mondry passed away from natural causes a few months shy of her 100th birthday. Known for her spitfire personality and huge heart, Lola will be missed by those that called her mom, grandma, bubbie Lola and Gigi. Lola lived a life full of heartache and pure joy. She loved only one man, and their journey was one that they make movies about. Man, did she love to dance, making her the life of every party. She loved to shock everyone with some naughty jokes and found pure joy watching her dancing and singing dolls. And the best laughs with her were ones shed lose her teeth. No matter how much food she forced you to eat, you were always hungry. And if you said you werent, shed almost get offended. She fled Warsaw, Poland as a teenager to avoid being captured by the Nazis on a boat to Cuba. By the time she arrived in Havana, they had gotten word that her family had been killed. She met and married the love of her life, Abraham, in Cuba. They eventually moved to New York, becoming American citizens, raising four children, including her daughters Frannie Hanin, Miriam Alonso and sons, Steve and Sam. It wasnt easy, but she certainly could be proud of all she did. She lived a full life. It remained full until early last year when Covid stole time together with her family. Those she loved will always think of her while making chicken soup. They will laugh when they see a dancing stuffed toy and miss hearing her call with an ala at the end of their names. But what will be missed most is the red lipstick stain she left on her loved ones cheek. Arrangements entrusted to Beth Shalom Memorial Chapel, 640 Lee Road, Orlando FL 32810, 407-599-1180, http://www.bethshalommemorialchapel.com. Industry Lobbyists Push for More Cooperation with Biden Administration to Achieve Common Goals Published January 29, 2021 by Lee R Supporting hotels and travel can be justified by new gaming venues to add revenue. The greater economic goals of the Biden Administration appear to intersect to no small extent with the economic benefits that gaming has proven to deliver. Nature of Recovery In a statement last Wednesday, AGA President and CEO Bill Miller voiced his hopes that Biden will facilitate a needed industry recovery: Gaming an economic engine in communities across 44 states has been decimated by COVID-19, but our industry has always strongly responded to adversity. Economic Benefits Miller looks forward to working with the new Biden regime to get millions of American hospitality employees back to work, reinvigorate our industry, support our small businesses, and bring desperately-needed revenue to our communities. Travel Leader Speaks Commuting expert US Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow was optimistic in his praise for President Biden's sensitivity the plight of the tourism industry: It is well within reach to return America to the record growth the travel industry experienced prior to the pandemic through national strategies that will revive the American economy. Hotels need to refill in order to host gaming in the US, and fund operators who would be in position to re-invest in iGaming when the time comes. The Hotel Factor While the language for hotels in Biden's proposed $1.9 trillion recovery plan does not at this point extend beyond their propriety as vaccination centers, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) continues to lobby for general operations aid as well: AHLA President and CEO Chip Rogers calls the hotel industry beset by historically low occupancy rates, massive job loss, and record hotel closures, with the main operational recovery priorities being employee retention, reviving local communities, and restarting the economy. Goals Gaming Achieves Rogers cited preparedness specific benefits to cooperating with the Biden Administration as to tax reform, and infrastructure investmentbenefits which the gaming industry has previously achieved across regulating jurisdictions. Marrying Goals and Priorities Since the Biden Administration on principal agrees with the goals laid out by industry representatives such as Rogers, lobbyists seek to demonstrate that reviving commercial operation of hotels can further Administration goals. Outlook More venues and financing for gaming projects certainly could generate new sources of revenue for the states--as as they did in Europe before the pandemic. Essar Steel case: The Supreme Court cleared ArcelorMittal's takeover of Essar Steel. The judgement is key because it is likely to help facilitate the biggest takeover of bad debts in Indian corporate history. It also ruled that the Committee of Creditors will have the final say in the resolution plans under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and that the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) cannot interfere with CoCs commercial decisions. Steel maker ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) on Friday announced signing a pact with POSCO Maharashtra Steel, under which the former will supply hot rolled coils (HRC) worth Rs 5,000 crore in 2021. While AM/NS India is a 60:40 joint venture between Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal and Japan''s Nippon Steel, POSCO Maharashtra Steel is the Indian subsidiary of South Korean steel major POSCO. "AM/NS India has signed a Rs 5,000 crore memorandum of understanding (MoU) with POSCO Maharashtra Steel to supply Hot Rolled Coils (HRC) in 2021. Sixth such agreement between the two companies since 2015," AM/NS India said in a statement. As part of the agreement signed on January 27 in Mumbai, AM/NS India and POSCO Maharashtra Steel will also jointly work to enhance the quality of current grades and develop new value-added grades to provide the best quality and state-of-the-art steel products and solutions to consumers. AM/NS India Chief Executive Officer Dilip Oommen said, "POSCO Maharashtra Steel has been a valued customer for years and this MoU further strengthens our relationship with a promise to deliver smarter and better steel. We strive to deliver high-quality HRC on time to POSCO Maharashtra Steel, thereby enhancing our contribution towards a self reliant India mission." POSCO Maharashtra Steel Chief Managing Director Sung Lae Chun said, "The MoU with AM/NS India is...an ideal strategic partner for POSCO Maharashtra Steel and the partnership between the two entities is a benchmark relationship for us globally. We look forward to a lasting and mutually beneficial association." With a single-location flat steel integrated manufacturing facility at Hazira in Gujarat with a capacity of 9 MTPA, AMNS India is strategically located to support POSCO Maharashtra Steel facility with HRC for manufacturing of cold rolled and coated steel. AM/NS India is a leading integrated flat carbon steel producer in India. It produces a full diversified range of flat steel products, including value-added steel, and has a pellet capacity of 14 million tonnes with another 6 million tonne expansion plan in the pipeline. They were among several hundred people who rallied outside the main government building in Yerevan. The demonstration was organized by several nationalist activists holding Pashinian responsible for the outcome of the recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Riot police used force against the protesters when the latter tried to break into the building that houses the prime ministers office. In a statement announcing the arrests on Friday, Armenias Investigative Committee described the protesters actions as an attempt to seize the building. The law-enforcement agency said the five detainees are suspected of violating relevant articles of the Armenian Criminal Code. It did not identify any of them. The organizers of Thursdays protest are not known to be linked to a coalition of 17 Armenian opposition groups that staged a series of anti-government demonstrations late last year in a bid to force Pashinian to resign and hand over power to an interim government. The prime minister has rejected the opposition demands. In a separate development, the National Security Service (NSS) arrested and indicted Vahan Badasian, a prominent war veteran from Karabakh who called for Pashinians ouster earlier on Thursday. Badasian said that Pashinian will be removed from power physically and through an armed revolt if he keeps refusing to step down. Let the NSS arrest me, he told reporters at Yerevans Yerablur Military Pantheon. The NSS said on Friday that Badasian has been formally charged with calling for a violent overthrow of the constitutional order. A Yerevan court was due to decide later in the day whether to allow investigators to hold him in pre-trial detention. Badasians lawyer, Arayik Papikian, told RFE/RLs Armenian Service that his client rejects the accusation as politically motivated. A day after India sent 5 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Sri Lanka under the "Vaccine Maitri" initiative, China has announced that it will donate three lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses to the island nation, stepping up its vaccine diplomacy in South Asia. "China will donate three lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses to Sri Lanka to jointly fight the COVID-19 pandemic," state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday, citing a statement from the Chinese embassy in Colombo. China made the decision after a recent request by the Lankan government, it said. China steps up vaccine diplomacy China will donate 300k #COVID19 #vaccine doses manufactured by #Sinopharm to Sri Lanka. China and Sri Lanka enjoy historical friendship and have always been strongly supporting each other including in the joint fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/FRCU8TmpP5 Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka (@ChinaEmbSL) January 27, 2021 The jabs manufactured by the China National Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd (Sinopharm) are expected to be handed over to the Lankan side in mid-February. A number of countries in the subcontinent including Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, where Beijing has substantial investments, caught China by surprise by opting for Indian vaccines. So far, India has sent consignments of Coronavirus vaccines under grant assistance to Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Seychelles, Myanmar and Mauritius. India is one of the world's biggest drug-makers and an increasing number of countries have already approached it for procuring the Coronavirus vaccines. It is also undertaking commercial supplies of the doses to a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil and Morocco. India has also rushed two million doses of Covishield vaccine to Brazil on the request of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Meanwhile, Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's senior advisor Lalith Weeratunga told journalists in Colombo on Wednesday that the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) was conducting tests on the Sinopharm vaccine and once clearance is obtained from them, the vaccine could be used under an emergency basis, the Xinhua report said. Sri Lanka receives Covishield vaccine gifted by India Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday thanked India for its generosity after he received five lakh doses of Covishield vaccine gifted by New Delhi under the 'Neighbourhood First' policy. President Rajapaksa was at the Colombo international airport to receive the consignment of free Indian COVID-19 vaccines which arrived on a special Air India flight. READ | Ghaziabad DM orders farmers at Ghazipur border to vacate site; warns of forceful eviction READ | Delhi Violence: 9 teams formed by Delhi police to nab culprits; paramilitary under command The consignment was packed in 42 boxes. Rajapaksa was joined at the airport by the Indian envoy in Colombo Gopal Baglay. A total of 250,000 people, mostly health frontline workers, members of the security forces and police and the vulnerable aged, will get the vaccine on a priority basis. The Sri Lankan government said the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation would be this week ordering 3 million doses of the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine from India's Serum Institute. Sri Lanka has recorded more than 60,000 coronavirus cases so far with 288 deaths. READ | Led by Congress, 16 political parties to boycott President's Parliament address; List Here READ | BKU's Rakesh Tikait slaps individual allegedly urging to clear protest site at Ghazipur (With agency inputs) Health workers in protective suits are seen in Huangpu district in Shanghai, China on Jan. 28, 2021. (Hu Chengwei/Getty Images) Chinese Citizens Decry New Anal Swab Testing for COVID-19 Beijing and other Chinese regions have recently begun conducting anal swab tests on people, claiming that they can more accurately detect COVID-19 than the more commonly used nasal and throat swabs. Chinese people expressed concerns about the new testing methodsometimes done in front of others at quarantine centerssaying it is an invasion of privacy and also extremely uncomfortable. This week, several Chinese local governments talked about performing anal swabs for nucleic acid testing, in addition to nasal and throat swabs, on key groups who are suspected of having contracted the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. The new test was first introduced in Beijing, the countrys capital. On Jan. 20, the Beijing city government announced at a daily press conference that it performed anal swab tests on 1,298 people, who are students, teachers, and other staff at a school where a 9-year-old boy was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Jan. 18. Soon after, Chinese media reported that residents in Hebei, Shandong, and Liaoning provinces also had to take anal swab tests. They complained that the process was uncomfortable, while some said the procedure made them feel like defecating. The new testing method caused a stir among citizens. A man gets a nasal swab for the COVID-19 test at a testing site outside Yichangdong Railway Station in Yichang, central Chinas Hubei Province on Jan. 28, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Id rather not travel than allow a nurse to pick up anal swabs, became a popular keyword search phrase on Chinese social media platforms. Dozens of Chinese state-run media outlets posted a schematic diagram to show people how a nurse would take the anal swab from people, and explained that the process takes about 10 seconds. State-run media also quoted medical specialists and doctors, who claimed that the anal swab would be more accurate than a nasal or throat swab. The asymptomatic carriers and COVID-19 patients with mild-symptoms can recover very quickly. In three to five days after the infection, their pharynx will be virus-free, state-run CCTV quoted an infectious disease doctor at Beijing Youan Hospital as saying in a Jan. 23 segment. Stool samples will contain the virus for a longer time. The doctor added: testing from the anus can improve the detection rate and reduce the false negative rate. But inaccurate Chinese-manufactured testing kits have long been a problem, since the pandemic began in China last year. A man gets a pharyngeal swab for the COVID-19 test outside a hospital in Beijing on Jan. 28, 2021. (GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images) In February 2020, CCTV quoted the dean of Chinas Academy of Medical Sciences, Wang Chen, as saying that only 30 to 50 percent of COVID-19 patients can be detected through nasal or throat swabs. False negatives have frequently appeared. On Dec. 5, 2020, Tianjin city announced a six-year-old COVID-19 patient after authorities tested the girls blood and found antibodies. Her lungs also had lesions. The authorities said the girls father and grandparents were diagnosed on Nov. 19, 2020, while she started to have COVID-19 symptoms on Nov. 27, 2020. The results of seven tests of her nasal/throat swabs all came back negative. On Jan. 17, state-run Xinhua reported that the majority of Chinese COVID-19 patients tested negative before they were diagnosed. The report didnt give an exact accuracy rate for the Chinese-manufactured diagnostic kits, but quoted experts who said people need to be tested repeatedly to make sure that COVID-19 patients are detected. At the time of writing, outbreaks in northeastern China remained severe. People wait to board trains at Hangzhou East Railway Station in Hangzhou, in eastern Chinas Zhejiang Province on Jan. 28, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Guan county in Hebei Province announced on Jan. 27 that no resident or vehicle should travel to Beijing. Local authorities continue to discourage citizens from traveling for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, when people typically return to their hometowns to celebrate the traditional festival with family. The Chinese civil aviation and railway authorities announced that the number of passengers they transported on Thursday was about 70 percent less than the total last year. Advertisement For months, the Trump administration sent weekly updates to state officials that revealed how bad COVID-19 really was in their jurisdictions, but told them the reports were confidential communications. Following on President Biden's promise of transparency, the same reports were unsealed and publicly released for the first time on Thursday. Arizona, South Carolina and California are the nation's worst hotspots, the report reveals. Each saw between more than 750 new infections per 100,000 residents last week. The new reports reveal a national map that is still mostly in the red - meaning 200 or more people are dying per capita in a week in most counties. Arizona, South Carolina and California are the nation's worst hotspots, the report reveals. Each saw between more than 750 new infections per 100,000 residents last week (dark red) It's been a dismal month for South Carolina, which has reported 27,388 new infections in the past week, according to Johns Hopkins University. The state hit record high case and death rates the week prior, and today confirmed the nation's first case of the more infectious, potentially vaccine-resistant South African coronavirus variant. Pennsylvania joined Arizona as the two states with the highest one-week death tolls between January 16 and January 22. Each saw 15.1 or more new fatalities for every 100,000 people. The White House expressed cautious optimism that the pandemic may be plateauing in the US on Wednesday, but also warned that the improvements are delicate. The new reports reveal a national fatality map that is still mostly in the red - meaning 200 or more people are dying per capita in a week in most counties. And the CDC predicts that more than 80,000 additional Americans could die of COVID-19 by February 20. But there are bright spots of declining infections and deaths, where a month or two ago there was nothing but deep red, symbolizing surging infections and deaths across the nation. Although the Trump administration sent the reports confidentially to states, they were frequently leaked. They contained dire warnings - like 'unprecedented spread' of coronavirus, during periods when the White House was publicly assuring Americans that the pandemic was under control - or, at least, not wildly out of control. 'We are now sharing previously hidden weekly COVID-19 state profile reports with the public,' said newly-minted White House COVID-19 data director Cyrus Shahpar in a tweet. The data is now posted online and ostensibly will be for every future week. Conspicuously missing is the descriptive text warning which states were at the cliff's edge, or when the spread across the nation as a whole was beyond containment, as was the case in the summer and fall. Instead graphics show states very much in the throes of the pandemic with high case rates, but improvements over the past week and months. According to the report, 38 states and territories were still seeing 200 to 499 new cases per every 100,000 residents per week between January 16 and January 22. Arizona, South Carolina, California and Rhode Island were seeing more than 500 new cases per capita. A 38-year-old South Whitehall Township man who was the band director at Bangor Area High School is charged with institutional sexual assault of a student, Pennsylvania State Police report. The girl was 16 when the conduct in and out of school started in October 2019, police said. She is now 17, police said. Eric Michael Hahn is charged with having sexual intercourse with a student and corruption of a minor, police said. Under the institutional sexual assault statute, consent is not possible in the student-teacher dynamic, Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck explained. The school district declined comment on Hahns status at the school. Houck said Hahn resigned last March. What began as music lessons eventually led to institutional sexual assault on dozens of occasions, court papers say. Hahn confirmed that to an investigator, authorities say. Hahn was arrested Thursday night, arraigned from Central Booking at Northampton County Prison and held in lieu of $200,000 bail, police said. Records show Hahn still in jail as of 8:30 a.m. The state police Criminal Investigation Unit at the Belfast barracks was joined in the investigation by the Northampton County District Attorneys Office and Bangor Area School District police. Anyone with information can call Trooper Brennan Long at the Belfast barracks at 610-759-6106. Court papers do not list an attorney for Hahn. Originally from Allentown, Hahn studied music at Pennsylvania State University. As a teacher, he was nominated several times for the GRAMMYs Music Educator Award. Hahn was most recently a quarterfinalist for the award in 2019. But the following year, Hahn was suspended as the school district investigated his behavior during a school band trip, reported Bernie OHare, who writes the Lehigh Valley Ramblings blog. Hahn allegedly visited a students hotel room to share pizza with female band members and a former student. At that time, there were no allegations Hahn engaged in any inappropriate behavior, OHare wrote. Hahns preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled 9 a.m. Feb. 10 in District Judge Alicia Rose Zitos court in Bangor. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting lehighvalleylive.com with a subscription. Tony Rhodin can be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low near 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. After hitting the runway with Cara Delevingne and other fashion icons at Kim Jones' first Fendi Couture in Paris, Bella Hadid was seen arriving home in the U.S. The 24-year-old supermodel was spotted at JFK airport in New York City on Thursday afternoon. The daughter of Yolanda Hadid's arrival comes just one day after walking the runway as part of Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris. Home sweet home: After hitting the runway with Cara Delevingne and other fashion icons at Kim Jones' first Fendi Couture in Paris, Bella Hadid was seen arriving home in the U.S. Hadid was spotted stepping out in a stylish striped ensemble, with a black and white striped sweater with a white t-shirt underneath. A thick gold necklace hung from her neck, along with a beaded necklace that spelled 'Bella' as she kept warm from the chilly elements in a tan puffer coat. She also stayed safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing a black face mask covering her mouth and nose as she walked through the airport, plus Vogue Eyewear sunglasses. Bella's look: Hadid was spotted stepping out in a stylish striped ensemble, with a black and white striped sweater with a white t-shirt underneath Her auburn locks flowed to her shoulders as she strolled through the terminal with a large black leather purse. She completed her look with matching black and white striped pants, with red and blue striped towards the bottom of the flared leg pants. Hadid completed her look with a pair of black boots, barely visible peeking out from her pants. Airport stroll: Her auburn locks flowed to her shoulders as she strolled through the terminal with a large black leather purse The COVID-19 pandemic certainly hasn't slowed Hadid down, posing for V Magazine and becoming a 'puppet' with Irina Shayk for the Moschino 2021 Spring campaign. She also denied baseless allegations that she was on drugs, after revealing her 'New Age transformation' on a recent Instagram post. She posted a photo last week with the crystals and books that have been recently influencing her life, adding, ''only here to be an instrument of peace and love.' No slow: The COVID-19 pandemic certainly hasn't slowed Hadid down, posing for V Magazine and becoming a 'puppet' with Irina Shayk for the Moschino 2021 Spring campaign When one fan suggested, 'Girl just say you did shrooms,' Hadid responded, 'I wish it was that easy, lol! I haven't touched any type of that sorta thing. Bless.' 'I took some time away to reflect and learn about myself in a way that would be too much to explain at the moment , but with time I will express,' she added. 'The memories and fortune I came back with are pure wisdom, a closer relationship with myself & my spirituality, a sense of self-love that I have always lacked , a few great friends, and these books that saw me through. I found myself, my strength and my light again,' she continued. There was chaos in Brussels on Friday night after the EU Commission was forced to backtrack over plans to introduce a "hard vaccine border" in Ireland as part of a no-warning bid to ban EU vaccine exports to the UK. The move followed hours of diplomatic chaos after it emerged the EU triggered an article of the Protocol which would have enabled the EU to place checks on goods entering Northern Ireland from the Republic to ensure no EU-manufactured vaccines were present. The Brussels source said a "mistake was made somewhere along the way" and insisted EU vaccines will not be stopped from entering Northern Ireland. The EU was concerned Northern Ireland could be a "back door" for EU vaccines into the rest of the UK - in breach of the EU ban on exports. Under the Brexit deal agreed between the UK and EU goods are permitted to move freely between the North and South of Ireland. Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol allows either side introduce controls on goods in emergency situation. The shock EU manoeuvre sparked concerted outrage from political leaders in Belfast, London and Dublin, forcing the Brussels to stage a climbdown, details of which remained sketchy as we went to press. It was not clear whether the commission would withdraw the entire export ban on EU vaccines, or was planning only to tweak its use of the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol which has hit trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Read More First Minister Arlene Foster described the EU plans as "an incredible act of hostility". The DUP leader, speaking after an official document published in Brussels, said the EU would invoke Article 16 of the Northern Protocol as a "safeguarding measure" in order to include Northern Ireland in the planned export ban. The EU plan would create a "hard vaccine border" in Ireland, and its use of the Article 16 mechanism of the NI protocol will increase pressure on the UK Government to do the same in order to reduce the increasing disruption to GB-NI trade caused by the Irish Sea Border. Mrs Foster said: "By triggering Article 16 in this manner, the EU has once shown it is prepared to use Northern Ireland when it suits their interests, but in the most despicable manner - over the provision of a vaccine which is designed to save lives. "At the first opportunity the EU has placed a hard border between NI and the Republic of Ireland over the supply chain of the coronavirus vaccine." Describing the EU action as "aggressive and shameful" Mrs Foster added: "It is now time for our Government to step up. "I will be urging the Prime Minister to act and to use robust measures - including Article 16 - to advance the interests of the Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom," she said. Neither the Irish nor the UK Governments were warned in advance of the EU's export ban plan . In the wake of the shock EU move, the UK Government warned Brussels it was "carefully considering" its next steps. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove spoke to his counterpart on the EU-UK joint committee, Maros Sefcovic, to "express the UK's concern over a lack of notification from the EU about its actions in relation to the NI protocol". And a terse statement from Downing Street said: "The UK Government is urgently seeking an explanation from the European Commission about the statements issued by the EU today and assurances as to its intentions. "The UK has legally-binding agreements with vaccine suppliers and it would not expect the EU, as a friend and ally, to do anything to disrupt the fulfilment of these contracts. "The UK government has reiterated the importance of preserving the benefits of the Belfast/Good Friday agreement and the commitments that have been made to the two communities'. The chairman of Westminster's influential NI Affairs Committee, Simon Hoare, also hit out at the EU's unilateral action. He said it was "unconscionable folly" for the EU to escalate its vaccines row by triggering the protocol, adding: "We need calm, stability and level-headedness." A spokesperson for Micheal Martin told RTE News that the Taoiseach was aware of the issue and is "in discussions with Ursula von der Leyen to raise concerns about this", while Dublin Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney tweeted: "We are working with the EU Commission to try to resolve this issue and protect the integrity and operation of the NI Protocol." The UK is the only European country to be subject to the EU's vaccine export ban plan, which would block UK access to other vaccines, including the Pfizer jab, which is made in Belgium. In Northern Ireland, politicians from every party criticised the EU's actions. Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill. Stormont's deputy First Minister, said she had "very serious concerns" over the EU actions. "This is a totally ill-judged move by the EU and should not have been triggered," she said. "Calm heads need to prevail, this needs sorted urgently." Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken called on the UK Government to act to protect Northern Ireland's interests: "For weeks now we have been told that Article 16 cannot be invoked accompanied by all sorts of feeble excuses for not doing so," he said. "Yet the EU has done it at the drop of a hat," he said. Alliance party North Down MP Stephen Farry - who had supported the NI Protocol - also criticised the EU action. "Use of Article 16 is NOT justified or warranted in this situation," he tweeted. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said on social media: "Invoking Article 16 is disproportionate and a grave error in judgment by the European Commission. We face a common threat. Our response should be characterised by our common values - co-operation & solidarity." The EU move comes as First Minister Arlene Foster met representatives of vaccine producer AstraZeneca who, she said, raised supply chain issues for Northern Ireland in terms of getting the vaccine here next year. Earlier UUP leader Steve Aiken appealed for calm amid rising loyalist tensions over the Brexit settlement. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) The Department of Health on Friday said the anal COVID-19 swab tests rolled out in China is too inconvenient to be used in the Philippines, but this option to detect the virus could eventually be looked into. "Kung kami ang tatanungin sa DOH, kung talagang kakailangan at makikita na with sufficient evidence na talagang ito ay makakapag-yield ng accurate results also, pagiisipan pong maigi ng gobyerno iyan because as we say, it is really inconvenient for both the individuals and healthcare workers," Health Department spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said. [Translation: For the DOH, if it's necessary and we see sufficient evident that it will produce accurate results, the government will think about it because it is really inconvenient for both the individual and the healthcare worker.] The official added that if allowed, the test kits need to undergo registration. Several cities in China have recently started using invasive rectal swabs on individuals considered to be at high risk of COVID-19. State broadcaster CCTV said this testing method was used on residents in areas with coronavirus cases and those staying in quarantine facilities. Li Tongzeng, a senior doctor from Beijings Youan hospital, told CCTV that anal swabs have an increased detection rate because the virus stays longer in the anus than in the respiratory tract so it is more effective compared to nose or throat swab tests. Forbes reported that the test involves inserting a cotton swab that is 1-2 inches long into the rectum. The sample collected will be tested. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... WASHINGTON To the last moments of his presidency, Donald Trump trumpeted Space Force as a creation for the ages. And while President Joe Biden has quickly undone other Trump initiatives, the space-faring service seems likely to survive, even if the new administration pushes it lower on the list of defense priorities. The reason Space Force is unlikely to go away is largely this: Elimination would require an act of Congress, where a bipartisan consensus holds that Americas increasing reliance on space is a worrying vulnerability that is best addressed by a branch of the military focused exclusively on this problem. The new service also is linked to an increasing U.S. wariness of China, which is developing capabilities to threaten U.S. satellites in space and which has become, in the minds of some, the singular national security challenge. Russia, too, stands accused by Washington of seeking to challenge American dominance in space. Theyre building capabilities to use space against us. We have to be able to respond to that, Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the National Security Space Association, an advocacy group, last week, referring to Russia and China. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ As a career space officer, Hyten says he often gets asked what will become of Space Force under Biden. And while he offered no prediction, he clearly believes Space Force should remain. Biden has not publicly commented on his intentions with Space Force. His defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, has been noncommittal while stressing the strategic importance of space. The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Bidens view. Although some see it as a Trump vanity project, Space Force is not the farcical force of the public imagination. In the military, its seen soberly as an affirmation of the need to more effectively organize for the defense of U.S. interests in space especially satellites used for civilian and military navigation, intelligence and communication. While far smaller than any other branch of the military, Space Force is acquiring the standard trappings of a service, including an official flag, logo, seal and doctrine. It has launched commercials to attract recruits. After lengthy debate, it was decided last month that Space Force members would be called guardians, although they dont yet have an official dress uniform. The force is planning to expand its ranks from 2,400 active-duty members to 6,400 by the end of this year. Kaitlyn Johnson, an expert on space policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says bipartisan congressional support for Space Force makes it likely that Biden will not push for its undoing. I think this is a good thing, as the Space Force has had barely a year to set itself up and get to work, she said. Adds her think-tank colleague, Todd Harrison, The odds of it being repealed are close to zero. Space Force was launched in December 2019 as the first new military service since establishment of the Air Force as an independent entity in 1947. Its leader, Gen. John W. Jay Raymond, has a seat at the table with the other Joint Chiefs, although Space Force operates as part of the Department of the Air Force, much like the Marine Corps is a separate service but is overseen by the Department of the Navy. The push for more emphasis on space has gone beyond Space Force. A separate but related move in August 2019 reestablished U.S. Space Command; it is not a military service but a central command for military-wide space operations. Space Command had been dissolved in 2005 and absorbed by U.S. Strategic Command, a post-9/11 move aimed at freeing up resources to strengthen homeland defenses. Trump also reconstituted the National Space Council, which coordinates policy in civil, commercial and national security space matters. It had been dormant since the administration of President Bill Clinton. The push to create a military space service began well before Trump entered the White House. But his relentless advocacy dulled what remained of opposition inside the Pentagon, where some officials especially in the Air Force believed a separate service was unwarranted and duplicative. Gen. Charles Q. Brown, who became the Air Force chief of staff after Space Force was born, says it is time to stop debating and instead focus on making the best possible use of Space Force. Biden has said little about the militarys role in space, but he did bring with him to the Oval Office a symbol of his interest in space exploration a moon rock brought home by Apollo 17 nearly half a century ago. Austin, the new defense secretary, has been noncommittal on the question of keeping Space Force. Asked by the Senate Armed Services Committee prior to his confirmation hearing whether he thought creation of the new service was warranted, Austin demurred. He noted dryly that Space Force emerged after years of study by Congress and other groups. He sounded unenthused. Austin didnt suggest he would recommend scrapping it. He said he would study it, noting that space is a vital interest. Looking ahead, the DOD space enterprise is still not well-integrated with other services and terrestrial commands, and there are several other challenges that will need to be addressed, as would be expected when establishing a brand new military service, Austin wrote. The nonpartisan Secure World Foundation, which advocates for the peaceful and sustainable use of outer space, has urged Biden to build on the space policy decisions of the Trump administration, including Space Force. Consistency across key national space efforts will help move the United States forward and demonstrate stability to international partners by avoiding the constant reset and lack of strategic direction that has happened in the past during presidential transitions, it said in a report last month. Frustration about the states rocky COVID-19 vaccine rollout and its impact on older adults continued to escalate Thursday, even as Gov. Charlie Baker promised more appointments would become available and the launch of a new call center to help with scheduling. Lawmakers lobbed new rounds of criticism at the administration for funneling residents 75 and older to the states website to try to book vaccine slots, arguing that many do not have reliable internet access or the technologic literacy needed to navigate the site. Other older residents face difficulties in traveling outside their homes, particularly during a deadly pandemic. Sen. Anne Gobi of Spencer called the rollout a total nightmare. Eight representatives flagged deep concerns with the distribution plan in a Wednesday night letter. Sen. Harriette Chandler, who at 84 will qualify for the vaccine in the start of Phase 2 next week, tweeted that she thought of herself as equipped to navigate the digital landscape until the states vaccine website proved me wrong. Just hours after he filed it, more than four dozen legislators had already cosponsored a Sen. Eric Lesser (D-Longmeadow) bill (SD 300) aimed at immediately forcing the Baker administration to launch a new phone-based system for securing appointments and an easier-to-use centralized web portal. Ive heard and my colleagues have heard from their constituents in every corner of the state that the system is confusing, that its inconsistent, Lesser said in an interview. Its really just frankly a maze of links and various, sometimes-contradictory instructions that seniors have to navigate in order to book the appointment. At a press conference to announce a new round of funding awards to struggling small businesses, Baker said his team is already working to stand up a call center to help book appointments for those who cannot or do not want to use the states website. Baker said he would have liked to have the phone option ready already, but indicated it will launch next week. Weve been staffing call centers since this pandemic began and weve been staffing them in a pretty big hurry, in many cases, on some fairly complicated topics, he said. Were pretty good at it. Were late, but were pretty good at it. I dont worry about whether or not the call center will be able to serve people appropriately. It will. Lesser argued, though, that Bakers comments do not make it clear if the administrations call center will guarantee connection with a live human and several language options as the bill would require. Mike Festa, state director of AARP Massachusetts, said his organization had been advocating for the administration to create a dedicated phone line, noting that many older adults prefer to speak directly to someone -- especially on a topic as important as securing a vaccine -- than to use a computer. Vermont and New Hampshire already have live call centers established, Festa said, leaving the lack of a similar option in Massachusetts really disappointing and surprising. If you only allow people to enroll on a website, you are missing whole swaths of seniors who have no access to the internet or, if they do, are really not comfortable enrolling or making their applications or appointments, Festa told the News Service. Our message to the government has been, look, youve just got to meet people where they are. Many smaller vaccination locations in Massachusetts such as pharmacies are adding more appointments every day, while the state-established mass vaccination sites will start posting a block of slots every Thursday for the week ahead. The Baker administration said 10,000 appointments were posted in Springfield and Danvers on Wednesday and were filled within hours. On Thursday, Springfield and Danvers made another 15,000 appointments available, and Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park posted a total of 20,000 appointments. CVS Health will post 1,152 new appointments daily across eight sites, for a total of 8,000 per week, the administration said. Baker acknowledged that the first day older adults could schedule appointments online was a very frustrating day, and renewed his frequent caveat that there are far more people who are eligible to get a vaccine than there are vaccines available. Supply has been an issue since the state first started vaccinating the highest-priority residents last month. President Joe Biden this week announced that his administration would boost distribution to states for at least the next three weeks and place larger orders with Moderna and Pfizer, part of an effort to vaccinate 100 million Americans in his first 100 days in office. But even with an increased weekly shipment of 100,000 doses instead of the usual 80,000, Baker said the demand is far greater than the supply. There are currently somewhere around a million people, plus or minus, in Massachusetts who are eligible to get vaccinated, Baker said. With 100,000 new doses a week, you can do the math and figure out that might mean it will take a little while for you to have the opportunity to get your first vaccination. According to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control, Massachusetts ranked 40th out of 59 states, territories and federal entities for COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per capita where that figure is counted as of Thursday, lagging every other New England state. Baker said Thursday that his administration wanted to avoid a place that a number of other states have ended up in, where people have made appointments, and theyve been told, either when they showed up or the day of, that there was no vaccine available for them. Lesser said most Massachusetts residents recognize the constraints created by low vaccine supply. He argued, though, that supply does not explain why the Bay State is behind its neighbor and peer states or some of the gaps in communication. People are willing to be patient, Lesser said. They have been patient for month after month after month of this. But what people arent going to tolerate is mass confusion and, frankly, a dismissive attitude about the problem, which is what has been signaled to us. Almost all of the lawmakers who have backed Lessers bill are Democrats, though cosponsors did include Republican Reps. Steven Xiarhos of Barnstable, Peter Durant of Spencer and Susan Gifford of Wareham as well as independent Rep. Susannah Whipps of Athol. Baker promised to offer more information next week about the in-progress call center and other resources the administration will make available to help older adults. In the meantime, Baker urged residents to remain patient and persistent. If you dont see an opening at a site thats interesting to you or a place youd like to go, you should just go back, Baker said. Go back to that site each day. Eventually, an opportunity will become available, and you can take it. For many other officials, the administrations timeline is too slow or too uneven. Attorney General Maura Healey, a Democrat, slammed the Baker administration for not launching a phone-based option for booking appointments at the same time as the state website to which it directed adults 75 and older on Wednesday. First, it was unemployment. The Department of Unemployment had no live call center, Healey tweeted Thursday. Then, it was workplace safety. After that, evictions. No system. Weve tried to help those frustrated constituents all year. The vaccine call center should have happened yesterday. Still more than a month away, whilst the return to school for students doesn't hold much hope given that the institution remains provisionally accredited . . . The news is a welcomed sign of Kansas City soon returning to "normanl" following pandemic devistation. Check the life lesson . . . The Delhi High Court has granted bail to a rape accused, observing a delay of 8 hours in registration of the FIR, the Indian Express reported. The victim in the case is a two-year-old child. In view of the fact that the prosecutrix being 2 12 years old, due to which her statement was not recorded, however, without commenting on the merits of the prosecution case and keeping in view the fact that there is a delay of 8 hours in registration of FIR, I am of the view that the petitioner deserves bail," said Justice Suresh Kumar Kait in his order. The case was registered at a South Delhi district police station last year. The complainant allegedly saw the accused in an intoxicated state and heard him insisting the victim to perform oral sex. The zip of the accused was also open when he was with the victim, the complainant said. The accused has been booked under IPC Section 376 AB (rape on a woman below 12 years of age) and Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Delhi police opposed the bail plea and told the court that on witnessing the incident, neighbours had gathered and beat up the accused, who was later handed to the police and arrested. But the accused's counsel said there were many contradictions in the case, adding that his MLC did not show signs of intoxication. It argued further that there were no abrasions on the body of the accused and contradicted the claim he was beaten up by the neighbours. The recording of the CCTV produced by the complainant was also not verified by the police, his counsel argued further. In the said CCTV footage, father of the victim was outside the building. Complainant entered the building and within a minute, he is seen catching hold of the petitioner and bringing him out. If such type of heinous crime had taken place, and that with a 2 12 year old girl, why immediately FIR was not registered," said the court after viewing the CCTV footage. The court also said there was no sign of beating and intoxication in the accuseds MLC. Some of the most worrying bans were of the BBC, which has operated in the country without a license since 2019, and Voice of America, which was barred from broadcasting in the local language. In this context, media freedom was one of the most important issues in the presidential election in April 2020. Journalists have suffered increasing attacks and were banned from attending official press conferences on Covid-19 in the Ministry of Health. The coming to power of Ndayishimiye in May 2020 has brought some change in the relationship between the government and media after he asked the media regulator to sit down with banned media and find solutions to these disputes so that we can put an end to them once and for all." In December 2020 the president ordered the release of four journalists imprisoned for a year on baseless charges and offered them a presidential pardon. IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: We welcome the recent steps taken by Burundis government towards a better respect of media freedom and freedom of information in the country. However, we don't take words as actions and urge the Burundi media regulator to immediately lift all the bans imposed on independent and international media and ensure journalists and media can work free from threats, harassment and measures aimed at silencing them". LONDON, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FocusFirst is renowned for instilling positivity, inspiring confidence and empowering effective leaders. Now the Frankfurt based management consultancy has been named in the 2020 Global Corporate Excellence Awards by Business Worldwide Magazine. The Awards identify and honour the most respected companies and their C-Suite executives, rewarding outstanding performance, innovation and ethics across international business and finance communities. FocusFirst was the outright winner in the category 'Most Innovative Management Consultancy Firm - Europe' for its sterling work in the industry. Formed in 2016, FocusFirst is a relatively new management consultancy working with entire companies, organisational units and individual teams to transform, achieve goals, and successfully adapt to new dynamics. With projects ranging from supporting leadership changes to building leadership and stakeholder engagement capabilities, FocusFirst has been named one of 2020's top innovators. Sonja Weber has been with FocusFirst from the very beginning, describing the company's services as a specialised niche that demands a complex range of skills. She spoke to Business Worldwide Magazine about what motivates her, and how FocusFirst uses a rich understanding of the human pshyche to help clients get the best of the experience: "For transformations to be successful in the long term, this goal is best linked to a shared vision and shared identity in the organisation. Leading on from this is the ability to think creatively the reason for hiring a management consultancy such as FocusFirst is to gain new perspectives. The closer you are to an organisation, the less able you may be to pinpoint potential weak spots. We speak to stakeholders, analyse facts and figures, identify areas for improvement or acceleration and then implement tailor-made solutions along the transformation journey. "FocusFirst was founded on the principle of staying on course until you cross the finish line, and achieving this together rather than against each other. Elements from the worlds of neuroscience and success psychology can easily be transferred into the corporate environment to make achieving goals a faster, favourable and more enjoyable process." Further information on FocusFirst, its services and programmes can be found at the company website www.focus-first.com . An article on the company can be found on the Business Worldwide Magazine website: https://www.bwmonline.com/2021/01/25/focusfirst-management-consulting-for-the-bold-and-daring/ Further information about the Business Worldwide Magazine Awards 2020 visit - https://www.bwmonline.com/2020-global-corporate-excellence-awards-winners/ About Business Worldwide Magazine Business Worldwide Magazine is the leading source of business and dealmaker intelligence throughout the world. Our quarterly magazine and online news portal enables an established audience of corporate dealmakers to track the latest news, stories and developments affecting the international markets, corporate finance, business strategy and changes in legislation. This readership includes of CEO/CFO - Banks, Corporate Lawyers and Venture Capital/Private Equity Companies to name a few. Contact David Jones Awards Department E: [email protected] SOURCE Business Worldwide Magazine Lots of commentary and advice for Prez Biden's criminal justice reforms task one week in | Main | Interim Attorney General releases new "Interim Guidance on Prosecutorial Discretion, Charging and Sentencing" January 29, 2021 In high-profile sentencing, victim input and collateral consequences push judge away from prison term for misconduct by former FBI attorney This lengthy Politico piece, headlined "Ex-FBI lawyer spared prison for altering Trump-Russia probe email," reports on an interesting high-profile federal sentencing today in DC. Here are excerpts, with a bit of commentary to follow: The only person charged in the Justice Department's investigation into the origins of the probe of former President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and its ties to Russia was spared prison time for altering an email used to support a surveillance application. Former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith, 38, received the sentence of 12 months probation and 400 hours community service from U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg Friday during a video hearing. Clinesmith admitted that in June 2017 he sent an altered email to an FBI agent that indicated a target of court-ordered FBI surveillance, former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, was "not a source" for the Central Intelligence Agency. The statement, passed along as the FBI was applying for a third extension of surveillance of Page, made Page's actions seem more suspicious by downplaying his past cooperation with the CIA. Clinesmith insisted that he thought the statement was true at the time and only altered the message to save himself the hassle of procuring another email from the CIA. Prosecutors contested that claim, arguing that the FBI lawyer intended to mislead his colleague, but Boasberg sided with the defense on that point. "My view of the evidence is that Mr. Clinesmith likely believed that what he said about Mr. Page was true," Boasberg said. "By altering the email, he was saving himself some work and taking an inappropriate shortcut." While Trump and his GOP allies have suggested that Clinesmith was engaged in a political vendetta against Trump, Boasberg noted that a Justice Department inspector general investigation failed to establish that political considerations played a role in Clinesmith's actions or numerous other errors and omissions that impacted filings with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.... Clinesmith pleaded guilty last August to a felony false statement charge in a plea deal with John Durham, the prosecutor then-Attorney General William Barr tapped in 2019 to investigate the origins of the Trump-Russia probe. Barr formally designated Durham as a special counsel last fall, in an apparent bid to complicate any attempt by a new administration to shut down Durham's inquiry. Prosecutors argued that Clinesmith's misconduct was so serious that he deserved between about three and six months in prison. Clinesmith's lawyers asked that he not receive any prison time. The maximum sentence on the false statement charge is five years in prison, although judges usually sentence in accord with federal guidelines that called for Clinesmith to serve between zero and six months in prison. "The defendant's criminal conduct tarnished and undermined the integrity of the [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act] program," Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Scarpelli told the court. "It has lasting effects on DOJ, the FBI, the FISC, the FISA process and trust and confidence United States citizens have in their government...The resulting harm is immeasurable." Clinesmith's lawyer Justin Shur called his client's actions "inexcusable," but said they were "aberrations" in a life of dedicated public service. He also said they played a relatively small part in the overall surveillance process and the broader probe. "There were many people involved in these applications and many mistakes that were made," Shur said.... Clinesmith also addressed the court, expressing contrition and describing his career as essentially destroyed by his misconduct and the ensuing prosecution. "I am fully aware of the significance of my actions and the crucial error in judgment I made," the lawyer said. "I let the FBI, the Department of Justice, my colleagues, the public and my family down. I also let myself down. I will live with the consequences and deeply-held feeling of regret, shame and loss caused by it for the rest of my life." While prosecutors urged the judge to send Clinesmith to prison to send a message to others in government not to try something similar, Boasberg said he believed that message had already been sent. He noted that Clinesmith has lost his job, may be disbarred and may never be able to work in the national-security field again. "He went from being an obscure government lawyer to standing in the eye of a media hurricane," the judge said. "He's not someone who ever sought the limelight or invited controversy other than by his criminal action here....Anybody who's watched what Mr. Clinesmith has suffered is not someone who would readily act in that fashion." The 90-minute sentencing hearing also featured an impassioned speech from Page, in which the energy industry analyst complained that his life was also turned upside down by the media firestorm that followed public disclosure that he was a focus of the FBI probe into potential Russian influence on the Trump campaign. "My own personal life has been severely impacted," Page said. "I was frequently harassed on the street and even under the street such as in the Washington metro beneath the courthouse....It was deadly serious. At the time I received many death threats as a 'traitor.'" However, Page did not ask for imprisonment for Clinesmith. "I hope the defendant can get back to his family as soon as you deem appropriate," the former Trump campaign adviser told the judge. That seem to strike a chord with Boasberg, who mentioned twice during the hearing that Page wasn't seeking prison for the ex-FBI lawyer. The politics surrounding this case account for why this matter will be covered in many newspapers, but I am drawn to this tale as a notable sentencing story. Tellingly, while federal prosecutors argued that some prison time was needed, the person victimized by the offense (Carter Page) had the magnanimous and impactful view that the defendant need not serve any prison time. In addition, the federal district judge here recognized, as should every sentencing judge in every case, that the defendant was already subject to a wide array of significant and persistent collateral consequences which function to punish and deter in ways that transcend a short period in prison. January 29, 2021 at 05:03 PM | Permalink Comments Of course no jail time was warranted. Let's see here. Michael Flynn, then a gov't official with significant power and responsibility, deliberately told the FBI point blank what he absolutely knew to be false--despite multiple opportunities to come clean--and it concerned a matter of great national importance. He ultimately got off scot free. In contrast, Clinesmith was a nobody, a bit player, who, although it was unquestionably wrong and a blunder of epic proportions, added a handful of words to a single email to conform it to what he thought was accurate in the first place, no doubt under immense pressure in the course of his job and understandably to avoid a morass of bureaucratic red tape. And magically, a guy like him at the bottom of the totem pole is the only one who ends up being charged. So while I'm sure the AUSA meant his conduct was "immeasurable" in the sense of being too big to measured, that description is only accurate because his conduct was so insignificant. And spare me the dramatics from Page. The reactionaries only get upset about supposed death threats--if he's even telling the truth--when it affects them personally. I wonder if he had any thoughts of concern for Judge Amy Berman Jackson when Roger Stone was making gossamer-thinly veiled threats against her. And I dispute whether he even qualifies as a "victim" in this case. Or if he is, then imagine who Flynn's victims might be? Last, while informal (e.g., losing your job) collateral consequences are tough, for sure, I have more sympathy when that happens to "blue collar" defendants. Almost by definition, big-time white collar defendants are going to start out with very posh jobs and home lives. So if the sentence has to be reduced because that stuff has been lost, then folks with affluent lifestyles get an unfair built-in advantage not available to those of few means. I don't think that state of affairs is going to sit well with most people. Posted by: hardreaders | Jan 30, 2021 1:48:28 PM Post a comment Pangolins are believed to be the world's most-trafficked animal. Photo by AFP/Isaac Kasamani. Nigeria has seized pangolin scales and tusks and bones from endangered species allegedly bound for export to Vietnam, a senior customs official said Wednesday. Pangolin scales are traditionally used in China for a range of ailments, including treating blood clots, although there is no scientific evidence they have medicinal value. The Nigerian items concealed in a container as furniture materials were intercepted by customs operatives at Apapa port in Lagos on January 21, the area controller, Mohammed Abba-Kura, told AFP. "Immediately the container was opened, logs were seen in front, and upon 100 percent physical examination of the container, elephant tusk and the pangolin scales were seen concealed by the logs," he said. "The items, falsely declared as furniture, comprised 162 sacks of pangolin scales... and 57 sacks of mixed endangered species of various sizes such as ivory/animal horns, lion bones and others," he said. The total haul weighed 8,800 kilograms (19,400 pounds), he said. Abba-Kura said the items were valued at 952 million naira ($2.5 million, 2.07 million euros) on the black market. He said the consignment was heading to Hai Phong, Vietnam before it was intercepted, adding that a suspect had been arrested over the shipment. Nigeria is major hub for traffickers sending the scales of African pangolins to Asia. Pangolins are believed to be the worlds most trafficked mammals accounting for as much as 20 percent of all illegal wildlife trade. Nigeria has made huge seizures of illegal animal parts in recent years in line with the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The sign of GameStop in seen in Levittown, N.Y., on March 16, 2020. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) Texas AG Issues Demands to Robinhood, Citadel, After Allegedly Rigging the Market Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday announced his office will investigate trading platforms after they restricted access to purchases of certain stocks like GameStop on Thursday. Today Im launching an investigation into [trading platform Robinhood] and hedge funds who rigged our free [market] for the benefit of Wall St elites, Paxton, a Republican, wrote in a tweet. The US econ should be transparent, open. This weeks coordinated corruption by a cabal of oligarchs shows it isnt. Ill help fix that. The Epoch Times reached out to Robinhood for a comment. In the letter, Paxton issued demands to the chat app Discord, Citadel, TD Ameritrade, TD Bank, E-Trade, WeBull, M1 Holdings, and the Apex Clearing Corporation regarding the prohibition of certain stock purchases that required higher-margin reserves for trading certain companies on the stock market. Wall Street corporations cannot limit public access to the free market, nor should they censor discussion surrounding it, particularly for their own benefit, he said in a statement. Paxton noted that it appears to be a coordinated attempted by hedge funds, platforms, and servers to shut down threats to their market dominance, and it stinks of corruption. Robinhood said on its blog late on Friday opening new positions is currently allowed but limited in 23 securities, including GameStop. At the same time, Google confirmed to The Verge that it deleted about 100,000 negative reviews of Robinhood following the move. Google said that it combines human intelligence with machine learning to detect and enforce policy violations in ratings and reviews, which includes a policy that prohibits reviews written to manipulate an apps rating. Hedge funds and other short sellers had a bruising week. GameStop short-sellers endured mark-to-market losses of $19.75 billion so far this year, according to S3. Even so, the stock remained highly-shorted with $11.2 billion short interest. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a rare joint statement from its acting chair and commissioners. It said it was working closely with other regulators and stock exchanges to protect investors and to identify and pursue potential wrongdoing and would closely review actions that may disadvantage investors or hinder their ability to trade stocks. Noted short-seller Andrew Left, who runs Citron Research and sparked the slugfest with his call against GameStop, on Friday turned his back on publicly detailing companies shortcomings, capping a week of intense backlash against him and others. When we started Citron, it was to be against the establishment, but now weve actually become the establishment, Left said. The Citron narrative is going to change and have a pivot. Reuters contributed to this report. 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. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ISTANBUL A devoted dog spent days waiting outside a hospital in northern Turkey where her sick owner was receiving treatment. The pet, Boncuk (pronounced Bon-DJUK), which means bead, followed the ambulance that transported her owner, Cemal Senturk, to hospital in the Black Sea city of Trabzon on Jan. 14. She then made daily visits to the facility, private news agency DHA reported. Senturks daughter, Aynur Egeli, said she would take Boncuk home but the dog would repeatedly run off and return to the hospital. Hospital security guard Muhammet Akdeniz told DHA: She comes every day around 9 a.m. and waits until nightfall. She doesnt go in. When the door opens she pokes her head inside, he said. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ On Jan. 20, Boncuk was finally reunited with Senturk when he was pushed outside in a wheelchair for a brief meeting with his dog. Shes very used to me, he told DHA. And I miss her, too, constantly. Senturk was discharged from the hospital later the same day and returned home with Boncuk. The president has thanked lawmakers for supporting the latest legislative initiatives. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has commented on the adoption at first reading of bills on reforming the SBU Security Service of Ukraine and the creation of the Bureau of Economic Security, saying that the SBU will not be a "nightmare" for businesses. In his video blog, the president noted the adoption by parliament of a number of important draft laws, including the bill on the Bureau of Economic Security, as well as the bill on reforming the Security Service of Ukraine (first reading), and thanked lawmakers for supporting the legislative initiatives. "These were important points of my election campaign. We promised the SBU would not deal with the economy. We promised the SBU would not be a 'nightmare' for businesses and entrepreneurs. So, we delivered on our promised," Zelensky said. Read alsoSBU reform passes first reading in RadaSBU reform: Background On January 28, 2021, the Verkhovna Rada passed in the first reading a draft law on amendments to the law of Ukraine On the Security Service of Ukraine regarding the improvement of the agency's organizational and legal framework (No. 3196-d). On the same day, the Verkhovna Rada passed in the second reading and as a whole a draft law on the creation of the Bureau of Economic Security, which will take up functions to prevent, detect, suppress, investigate, and solve crimes in the field of the formation and use of financial resources of the state. Reporting by UNIAN 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 Mumbai, Jan 29 : Ayushmann Khurrana is currently in the Northeast to shoot for filmmaker Anubhav Sinhas untitled spy thriller. The Bollywood star, who went on a safari in Assams Kaziranga National Park, says he has always been a wildlife enthusiast. "I have always been a wildlife enthusiast and I have cherished opportunities to go on safaris. I went to Kaziranga National Park and I have to admit that I had the best time. I had an amazing time spotting rhinos, deers and elephants," Ayushmann said. Ayushmann added: "I have always been awed by our country's rich diversity and there is so much for all of us to explore. This incredible experience at Kaziranga will be etched in my heart forever." Ayushmann hopes to reignite his passion for wildlife. "I had also visited the Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary in the past and had an incredible experience there, too. After visiting Kaziranga, I have to admit that I would love to reignite my passion for wildlife in the times to come and make incredible memories that will last for a lifetime." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text A "depraved" man who had sex with his pet chickens while his wife filmed him has had his jail term reduced on appeal. Footage of Rehan Baig having sex with the birds - which died as a result - was found on computer equipment seized from his home in Bradford, West Yorkshire, along with indecent images of children. Baig, 37, was jailed for three years at Bradford Crown Court last October after admitting a string of offences including having intercourse with an animal, possessing extreme pornographic images and making indecent photographs of children. His sentence was cut to two years and four months at the Court of Appeal in London today after two senior judges concluded the original term was too long. 'Depraved' Rehan Baig's was previously sentenced to three years in prison but today it was reduced at the Court of Appeal in London His lawyers argued that his jail term should be suspended so he could be freed immediately from prison. But Sir Roderick Evans, who heard Baig's appeal with another judge, said: "We are satisfied that a significant and immediate term of custody was necessary." Baig's sick crimes were discovered when National Crime Agency officers executed a search warrant at the family home in July 2019, after receiving intelligence he had indecent images of children. Computer equipment was seized from the house and 49 indecent images of children were found - including 11 in the most serious category, some of which featured children as young as six. Baig, pictured arriving at Bradford Crown Court before his case was heard, saved the depraved videos of himself having sex with the alive and dead birds on his home computer Officers also found a "significant" quantity of extreme pornographic images, including a number of "first-generation, homemade movies" featuring Baig, and occasionally his wife Haleema Baig, 38, engaging in sexual activity with animals and saved under the file name "Family Vids". Some of the images featured the couple engaging in sex acts with a dog, while others "of some duration in length" were of Baig performing intercourse with chickens and also, on occasion, with his wife, who filmed some of the footage on a mobile phone. Sentencing the couple in October, Judge Richard Mansell QC said the acts "would make any right-thinking member of society sick to their stomach". The judge described Baig's offending as "depraved, perverted and despicable" and said the creation of the videos was "simply beyond comprehension". The Crown Court heard that the images showed two of the chickens dead on the cellar floor and another video showed Baig placing one of the deceased animals in a bin bag. He was also filmed having intercourse with a chicken that had already died. Judge Richard Mansell QC described Baig's offending as "depraved, perverted and despicable (stock image) Bradford Crown Court heard that Haleema Baig joined her husband in the videos and that he at one stage alternated between having intercourse with his wife and the chickens. Judge Mansell said: "The pain and suffering you inflicted on these animals must have been horrific." Prosecutors said the chickens started as family pets and they all died as a consequence of Baig's actions. Baig admitted three counts of making indecent images of children, three counts of possession of extreme pornography, three counts of sexual intercourse with an animal and two counts of possession of controlled drugs. He was banned from keeping animals and placed on the sex offenders' register for life. His wife was handed a six-month suspended sentence after she admitted aiding and abetting sexual intercourse with an animal, which she said was against a background of coercive and controlling behaviour by her husband. The official installation, as well as the appointment of new Board officers and members, was held during NJHA's 102 nd Annual Meeting which was held virtually. Struyk, a Wayne resident, assumes the role at a pivotal time, with the Association and its members caring for New Jersey residents amid the ongoing COVID-19 emergency, planning for the state's post-pandemic recovery and confronting issues of equity, vulnerable communities and other social challenges that are gripping the nation. "Last March, we were all momentarily stunned when COVID infiltrated our state," said Struyk in his installation speech today. "None of us had ever experienced a public health crisis on this level. We ourselves were frightened, but our chief responsibility is promoting and ensuring the health and well-being of the people of this great state, and we would not falter because of the pandemic." Looking to the future, Struyk added, "2021 is the year we will emerge from COVID-19 and navigate the road ahead. The combined impact of the pandemic and the social awakening surrounding racism and inequity propels us. 2021 will be our time to ACT through Awareness, Change and Transformation." Struyk succeeds 2020 Board Chair Kevin J. Slavin of Hackettstown, president of St. Joseph's Health, who served a key liaison role with state public health leaders and the healthcare community, while overseeing the response at his own hospital in Paterson which was one of the state's first COVID-19 hotspots. In her remarks to members, NJHA President and CEO Cathy Bennett discussed 2020's historic public health response and the health, economic and societal challenges ahead. "The economic uncertainty, the isolation, the competition for care or vaccine when need outpaces supply all weigh heavily on our population," said Bennett. "This moment in history demands the most and the best of us. Healthcare's voice is elevated to a trusted status like never before. Our healthcare system is both the frontline and the backstop in these troubled times." Under Struyk as board chair, the full slate of NJHA Board officers includes: Vice Chair Lori Herndon , of Brigantine, president and CEO of AtlantiCare , of Brigantine, president and CEO of AtlantiCare Treasurer Edward J. Condit , of Denville , president and CEO of St. Mary's General Hospital. , of , president and CEO of St. Mary's General Hospital. Secretary Bill Arnold , interim president and CEO of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and president and CEO, Southern Region, RWJBarnabas Health. The following healthcare leaders also were appointed as new board members: Robert Holmes Adams of Brielle, president of Hackettstown and Newton Medical Centers, Atlantic Health System; Shereef Elnahal, MD of Summit, president and CEO of University Hospital; Patrick Gavin of Lawrenceville, president and CEO of Hunterdon Healthcare System; Leslie Hirsch of West Berlin, president and CEO of Saint Peter's Healthcare System; Michael McLaughlin of Haddonfield, chairman of the board of Inspira Health; Michael Maron of Oradell, president and CEO of Holy Name Medical Center; and Anthony Scardino, trustee at Hackensack Meridian Health Hospital Corporation. SOURCE New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA) Related Links http://www.njha.com An Accra Circuit Court has adjourned to February 23, the case of Lawrence Nana Asiamah Hanson aka Bulldog who is accused of threatening President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a video recording. Hanson, an artiste manager, is said to have said on a United Television (UTV) programme that, the President will not finish his tenure and that he will run away if he failed to pay customers of Menzgold their deposits. Charged with offensive conduct, conducive to breach of the peace, Hanson pleaded not guilty and is on GH70, 000.00 bail. At todays sittings the court ordered the prosecution to serve Bulldog with disclosures to facilitate a case management conference. Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Simon Apiorsornu said on January 11, this year, the Police intercepted a video recordings on United Television. He said in the said video the accused was seen and heard saying The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will not finish his term in office and that he will run away if he failed to pay the deposits of Menzgold customers. Prosecution said on January 12, this year accused was handed over to the Police by the National Intelligence Bureau for further investigations. According to prosecution, during interrogation Hanson admitted to have made such comments in the said video when same was played to him. Prosecution said Hanson further said that during the show an argument ensued between the guests on the programme and that he made that statement in jest and had no ill motive behind same. The prosecution said investigations are ongoing. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Voter machine company Dominion has drafted a letter to former President Donald Trump to preserve his records in case they pursue a lawsuit against him for his debunked claims of election fraud, a spokesman has said. Company spokesman Michael Steel would not tell MSNBC's Deadline: White House if they were suing President Trump outright. But he revealed letters would be sent to a 'number of figures, right-wing media outlets, and others, and we're making a decision on a case by case basis, building as we go.' When asked if Trump was getting a letter, Steel stated: 'I believe so, yes.' Following his loss of the 2020 presidential election, Trump and his proxies went on a massive campaign promoting false claims of election fraud involving the company's machines. Michael Steel would not tell MSNBC's Deadline: White House if they were suing President Trump outright When asked if Trump was getting a letter, Steel stated: 'I believe so, yes' Steel slammed Trump and his followers for having 'attacked a great American company' and for undermining 'the American people's confidence in the democratic system.' Both Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, part of Trump's failed legal team to challenge the results, have been named in separate lawsuits for $1.3billion. The Dominion spokesperson said that the company felt 'very good' about the prospects of winning the cases, according to a clip of the interview obtained by Mediaite. 'I mean, we're looking at serious charges. We have fairly conclusive look at it this way,' he added. 'Rudy Giuliani went to every microphone available, every podium, every podcast, every cable news show, repeating these lies but not in a court of law. Steel slammed Trump and his followers for having 'attacked a great American company' and for undermining 'the American people's confidence in the democratic system' 'That's because lying in a court of law has consequences. That's why we want to get them into a courtroom where there are consequences for lies and let the American people see the truth and our court system find justice.' Steele stressed the importance in noting that Dominion is a 'nonpartisan American company,' adding that he had appeared on Fox News on behalf of the company. 'I actually have already appeared on Fox News as the spokesman for the company,' Steel noted. 'This is an important thing. This is a nonpartisan American company. It sells to elections officials in red states and blue states, red counties and blue counties. 'Because it uses a voter verified paper ballot in places like Georgia, we have been able to go back and audit and recount again and again. There is no way that this system could have been manipulated in the way that these folks are alleging, and we have to prove that to the American people, repair our reputation, and move forward.' Dominion is one of the nation's largest voting machine companies and provided machines for the state of Georgia, the critical battleground that Biden won and which flipped control of the U.S. Senate. A touchscreen voting machine is seen at a Fulton County polling station in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. October 13 The company says it faced such a mountain of threats and criticism that one of its top executives went into hiding. The suit against Giuliani is based on statements he made on Twitter, in conservative media and during legislative hearings where the former mayor of New York claimed the voting machine company conspired to flip votes to President Joe Biden. Dominion's lawsuit, filed in federal court in the District of Columbia, is among the first major signs of fallout for the former president's allies and the failed effort to subvert the 2020 election that ended with a Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob that claimed the election had been stolen. 'For Dominion - whose business is producing and providing voting systems for elections - there are no accusations that could do more to damage Dominions business or to impugn Dominions integrity, ethics, honesty, and financial integrity,' the lawsuit says. 'Giuliani's statements were calculated to - and did in fact - provoke outrage and cause Dominion enormous harm.' But Giuliani issued a statement through WABC, the talk radio station on which he has a show, saying he would fight the suit and suggesting he would use the case to prove election fraud did happen. 'Dominion's defamation lawsuit for $1.3B will allow me to investigate their history, finances, and practices fully and completely,' he said. 'The amount being asked for is, quite obviously, intended to frighten people of faint heart. 'It is another act of intimidation by the hate-filled left-wing to wipe out and censor the exercise of free speech, as well as the ability of lawyers to defend their clients vigorously. As such, we will investigate a countersuit against them for violating these Constitutional rights. There was no widespread fraud in the election, a range of election officials across the country including Trump's former attorney general, William Barr, have confirmed. Republican governors in Arizona and Georgia, key battleground states crucial to Biden's victory, also vouched for the integrity of the elections in their states. Nearly all the legal challenges from Trump and his allies have been dismissed by judges, including two tossed by the Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-nominated justices. Novavax said on Thursday its coronavirus vaccine was 89.3% effective in preventing COVID-19 in a trial conducted in the United Kingdom, and was nearly as effective in protecting against the more highly contagious variant first discovered in the UK, according to a preliminary analysis. A mid-stage trial of the vaccine in South Africa, where a troubling new variant of the virus is common, showed 60% effectiveness among people who did not have HIV. Novavax is already stockpiling vaccine at six operating manufacturing locations, and said it expects a total of eight plants in seven countries to produce at the rate of 2 billion doses per year, including from the Serum Institute of India. In September 2020, Novavax had announced its deal with world's largest vaccine manufacturing company Serum Institute of India (SII) in order to produce 2 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines. The company on a conference call noted that this was interim data and executives said they expect it will be two to three months before they are ready to apply for authorization with regulators. The UK trial, which enrolled 15,000 people aged 18 to 84, is expected to be used to apply for use in Britain, the European Union and other countries. Approval of the Novavax vaccine would be most welcome in Europe as it struggles with meager vaccine supply after Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca Plc delivered fewer doses than hoped. The UK study took place as the more highly transmissible UK variant was circulating. The preliminary analysis suggests the vaccine was 85.6% effective against this mutation, the U.S. company announced in its news release. It did not provide detailed data. Novavax said it started making new versions of its vaccine to protect against emerging virus variants in early January and expects to select ideal candidates for a booster in the coming days. The company said it plans to initiate clinical testing of these new vaccines in the second quarter of this year. It also has received at least $388 million in backing from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI), a Norway-based group backed by 14 governments, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Britains Wellcome Trust. Novavaxs is a more conventional protein-based vaccine, an approach similar to that used by Sanofi to make its Flublok seasonal flu vaccine. The Novavax vaccine works with the company's proprietary Matrix-M adjuvant used to boost its efficacy. 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 There have been no new community cases of COVID-19 reported in New Zealand today, but there are two more possible cases at the Pullman Hotel. COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield have provided an update on the situation in Auckland on the eve of the region's anniversary weekend. Hipkins says the lack of any new community cases meant there was no reason why any travel plans should change over the long weekend. "The level of community testing with no new positive results in the community, so far, does provide reassurance at this point that people thinking about whether they or not they should be travelling in or around Auckland or Northland around the long weekend can do so." But Hipkins reiterated that people should be following the essential level 1 public health advice. Dr Bloomfield urged people to continue using the Covid Tracer App and stay home if sick. There have been 38,000 Covid-19 tests processed in the past week and that nearly 2 percent of Northland's population had been tested for COVID-19. There were no new cases of COVID-19 reported on Thursday, following the confirmation of two cases - a father and daughter - in Auckland on Wednesday. The other case, a 56-year-old Northland woman who tested positive on January 26, was classified as recovered on Thursday. Dr Bloomfield says the Northland case reported on Sunday has recovered. Their 11 close contacts have returned negative tests and their are no further exposure being identified at this safe, he says. The close contacts who have come to the end of their isolation period will start being released from today. The three cases were all contracted from a case in the Pullman Hotel, a managed isolation facility, in central Auckland. The case source was sent to a quarantine facility when they tested positive in the Pullman. Of the 353 guests who left the Pullman Hotel during the targeted timeframe, 314 have returned negative tests. Health officials are following up the with remaining guests. Hipkins says ESR staff were doing environmental testing to assist the investigation into how the infection was transferred between guests. They have been on site all day and preliminary results from that should be available this evening or early tomorrow morning. "We absolutely need to know exactly what might have been happening at the Pullman and what we might need to change." He says a number of changes have been made over the past month to managed isolation procedures and to procedures around incoming arrivals. "And from tomorrow, all returnees will need to stay in their rooms after their day 12 test prior to their departure - that's an interim step while we continue to investigate what happened at the Pullman." Earlier: The Minister for COVID-19 Response Chris Hipkins and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield will provide an update on COVID-19. They will be live from 1pm. Whole genome sequencing carried out confirmed the two border-related COVID-19 cases that were reported out of cycle, are the strain first identified in South Africa. The Ministry of Health says it appears these cases have a link to the managed isolation facility at the Pullman Hotel. The two latest cases have now been transferred to a quarantine facility in Auckland, separate from the Pullman. A third family member, who has returned negative COVID-19 tests, is currently isolating at home. "Eight locations of interest have been identified in relation to the two latest cases and are listed on our website here. "From information available so far, we have identified 11 close contacts - all of whom are isolating and have had their first test. Five results have come back negative, and the results of the remainder are still to come back," says the Ministry of Health. Yesterday there were also three new border cases of COVID-19 at the border - all have been transferred to a quarantine facility. -Additional reporting RNZ 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. Air Force One was fueled and ready for the final flight. This was the end for Donald Trump, the last hours of a progressively more noxious and isolated presidency. But as he was poised to fly south from Joint Base Andrews into the uncertainty of his after-times, Ronna McDaniel was able to get him on the line. McDaniel, the unfailingly amiable chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, had stood by Trump, even as a trickle of GOP luminaries abandoned him. She had been Trump's handpicked choice to lead the GOP four years earlier, and she had been loyal up to a point: gently critical of his most profane outbursts and divisive rhetoric, but buoyantly supportive of his policies and his often erratic conduct in office. She had also pushed early for investigations into possible voter fraud in the 2020 presidential balloting, a position that gave oxygen to Trump's claim that the election had been stolen. But as time went on, she stopped short of endorsing many of Trump's most outrageous and unsupported assertions and has since accepted that he was defeated at the polls. On the phone from her home state of Michigan, she encouraged Trump not to form a third party, the Patriot Party, as he had been discussing, a rash act of hubris that could threaten to fracture the Republican firmament. The embittered Trump made no promises, and shortly after the conversation, he was airborne, arriving hours later in Palm Beach, Fla., where he ducked behind the tall hedges of his private club turned sanctuary, Mar-a-Lago, only minutes before Joseph R. Biden took the oath of office as the 46th president of the United States. In the months and, perhaps, years to come, McDaniel, now 47 and one of the longest-serving GOP chairs in history, faces the unenviable task of steering a Republican Party that will have to reckon with Trump and the divisive and uncivil legacy of Trumpism. She heads a party that has lost the House, the Senate and the White House under her leadership and is riven by infighting over whether she should defend Trump more forcefully - or at all. Over the past four years, McDaniel has grown so close to Trump that some Republicans feared her judgment could be impaired by friendship, even as his presidency was imploding and the prospect of him becoming a disruptive force for the party in his post-presidency seemed certain. Her silence or milquetoast criticism during some episodes - his failure to condemn white supremacy, disparaging women's appearances, promoting policies that separated the children of undocumented migrants from their parents, and labeling the news media as an "enemy of the people" - have made her one of Trump's most visible enablers, according to her critics. Her allies say it is a more complicated picture. She chooses her words carefully when contemplating how he might influence the tenor and shape of the party, a delicate question for a partisan stalwart clamped in a vise between Trump's enormous Republican fan base and nervous establishment figures who would be relieved if he faded away. As Trump's Senate impeachment trial approaches, some RNC members are leaning on her to at least acknowledge the former president's direct role in inciting the attack on the U.S. Capitol earlier this month, rather than steadfastly denying that he meant to inspire the riot. Trump's role in the party during his post-presidency "is going to be up to him in a lot of ways," McDaniel said in an interview with The Washington Post, her most extensive since being unanimously reelected GOP chairwoman earlier this month. "I'm not looking at who we can highlight or prioritize. It's about where we can take our party and our message going forward." What she doesn't say, despite being asked multiple times, might be just as telling as what she does. She doesn't say Trump will play a central role in leading the Republican Party; she doesn't say he won't. Yet there are subtle hints. She repeatedly talks about the need to change the party's rhetoric to a more "civil" tone, especially toward women, and focus the conversation on policy proposals instead of personality - all implicit criticisms of a caustic, name-calling andoften petty president who loves to call attention to himself. She says in the interview that the party will be neutral, and that Trump has told her that he is supportive of that. "If he forms a third party, he would be letting down the 74 million people who supported him," McDaniel said in the interview. "Just like if the Senate convicts him, the Republicans who vote for it will be letting down the 74 million who supported President Trump and the Republican Party." - - - On Jan. 19, 2017 - the day before Donald John Trump was inaugurated as president of the United States - the Republican National Committee elected a little-known party foot soldier from Michigan as its chairwoman. Ronna Romney McDaniel fashioned herself more as a mother of two, as a wife, as an outsider than as a national political power player. But helping Trump achieve an upset win in Michigan, while serving as that state's GOP chair, caught his attention. His imprimatur has twice assured she would be elected to head the RNC, making her the second woman, and the first in four decades, to chair the party. She cut an unthreatening figure, with a glistening, ever-ready smile and a penchant for modest attire with an off-the-rack feel that contrasted with the fashion plates who often surrounded Trump. Despite being a pioneering woman, McDaniel has always had to contend with being defined by the towering men in her personal and professional lives. They gave her instant recognition but could also be burdens as she tried to establish her own identity. Growing up in Michigan, she wasn't just a kid; she was the granddaughter of George Romney, the iconic politician who had served as the state's governor and had made a run at the Republican presidential nomination before she was born. Much later, as a rising figure in her home-state Republican Party, she was tagged as the niece of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney - the younger brother of her father, Scott. Uncle Mitt's moderate politics were out of step with the hard-right bent of the Michigan GOP. "It's hard to have a name that's well-known. When you have a well-known name, doors can open," McDaniel's mother, known to family and friends as "Big Ronna" Romney, said in an interview. "But then it's up to you to walk through the door and make something of that opportunity. . . . In some ways, you think you're letting people down if you don't do a good job." "Little Ronna" - a nickname that has stuck within her family, even into adulthood - was born in Austin but grew up in the house next door to her grandfather in the upscale Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills, after her father joined a Michigan law firm. When Big Ronna was working on a 1982 Michigan gubernatorial campaign, she set up a babysitting room for her daughter and the children of other women involved in the election effort. At home, her children would see her doing laundry while wearing a headset so she could continue making fundraising calls as she tended to household chores. Big Ronna was close to the first President Bush and his wife, Barbara, and introduced them to her children. When George H.W. Bush, then the vice president, came through Michigan during his 1988 presidential campaign, Little Ronna - who was head cheerleader at her high school - gathered up the rest of the squad to cheer for him at a rally. Other times, Little Ronna's mom ushered her in to meet prominent Democrats, including Biden, then a senator from Delaware, whom McDaniel would fight so hard to defeat many years later. She served as a driver for her mother in the mid-1990s when the elder Ronna, by then divorced, ran an unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senate. A friend of Little Ronna's did her a favor by giving her a job at his Washington political firm but was so taken with her work that he told her she could someday become one of the few women to run a big political consulting firm. Love intervened. The younger Ronna wanted to go back and start a family with a young staffer she'd met, Patrick McDaniel, who was working for Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, the venerable Utah Republican, and the couple moved around before settling in Michigan. Her mom was supportive, but she wanted her daughter to understand this: "You're leaving a big opportunity." - - - In the late 2000s, Michigan slid deeper into a brutal economic spiral, dubbed the single-state recession. All around her, Ronna Romney McDaniel watched as friends and acquaintances lost jobs, homes, dignity. Her husband had become an insurance executive, and she had been a stay-at-home mom to two kids for two years. But she had that Romney political itch, and in 2012, that name of hers suddenly became more important than it had in years: Her Uncle Mitt was running for president, and she got heavily involved in the campaign. She eventually won a seat as a Republican National Committee member, then in 2015, she became the head of the Michigan Republican Party in a fiercely contested election. The problem was Uncle Mitt. The party regulars thought of him as a RINO - a Republican in Name Only - and his niece had to prove her bona fides as a small-government, antiabortion, pro-gun candidate. "They didn't trust her because she was Mitt's relative," Jeff Sakwa, her second-in-charge at the time, said in an interview. "They gave her a rough go because of her last name. Her last name does bring her attention, but it's a double-edged sword." It was just a month before the 2016 election when McDaniel, intent on delivering Michigan for Trump, entered the crucible of her political life to that point. The Washington Post published a videotape of Trump making crude sexual remarks about women, a revelation that threw the campaign into crisis. She ultimately condemned the remarks, but leavened the criticism by saying that she still thought Trump was a better candidate than his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. "At that point in time," Sakwa said, "the state party was torn apart because people were pissed at her for even saying that." - - - With Trump's election, McDaniel had arrived. She was at the top of the Republican Party, selected personally as RNC chairwoman by the new president, a perch nearly unfathomable just a few years earlier when she was a homemaker. Still, she couldn't shake that problem of being defined by the men in her world. By Inauguration Day, her Uncle Mitt and her greatest political benefactor - Trump - were the bitterest of enemies. Her uncle had given a high-profile speech early in the 2016 campaign calling Trump a "fraud." Before she took office, Trump asked his new RNC chairwoman to drop Romney and use only her married name. McDaniel has tried to brush off the request as either exaggerated or merely a lighthearted suggestion, rather than a demand, and has said it was her choice: that she wanted to honor her immediate family by using the name McDaniel. Regardless, "Romney" mostly disappeared from her official communications. In the years since, McDaniel and her uncle have tended to dismiss any suggestions of a family feud. Mitt Romney, now a U.S. senator representing Utah, simply said in a statement to The Post that "I love my niece and always will." In reality, according to a person with direct knowledge of the family dynamic, the past four years have placed a serious strain with lingering corrosive effects on their relationship, and there have been shouting matches among the extended family over her steadfast support of the president. McDaniel and her uncle speak infrequently. She later made headlines with a prickly statement referring to her uncle not by name, but as the "junior senator from Utah," while criticizing him for taking on the president. McDaniel brought a new vibe to the Republican National Committee, an organization that has shrunken in importance since the advent of political action committees that can raise unlimited funds. Her predecessor, Reince Priebus - who became Trump's first chief of staff - was known for getting chummy with committee members by hosting gatherings, such as "Pints with Reince," at which beer was served in special steins, and for his smoky "Cigar Caucus." McDaniel, who is Mormon, doesn't drink, so she took to hosting "Milkshakes with McDaniel" instead. She's less eager to talk about another of her occasional guilty pleasures: casino gambling. She and her husband have been known to sidle up to blackjack and craps tables in Las Vegas from time to time, people close to her say. "I don't want you to say that!" she said with an embarrassed smile and a self-conscious laugh during the interview. "We're really good Mormons!" - - - One day in mid-June 2018, McDaniel turned to Twitter with a message for her followers: "Anyone that does not embrace the @realDonaldTrump agenda of making America great again will be making a mistake." Prominent Republicans fumed that she was making threats, especially because the tweet was sent a day after Mark Sanford, a Republican congressman from South Carolina who has been a Trump critic, had lost to a pro-Trump primary challenger. She said her tweet was trying to make the point that Republicans should be talking about issues that helped Trump win: jobs, the economy, fair trade, immigration enforcement and the president's border wall. But that got lost in the shorthand of a social media platform. "As new as I was, there were definitely mistakes I made in prime time that had a much bigger spotlight on them that might not have been made if I had come through politics a longer time," she said in the interview. The low point in her tenure, she added, came a half-year earlier, when she followed the president's lead and threw the RNC's support behind Senate candidate Roy Moore of Alabama, the former judge ensnared in a scandal involving allegations of sexual assault, as well as earlier sexual misconduct claims. Usually mild-mannered, aides recall her walking around RNC offices while muttering that Moore was a pervert and asking allies on the phone whether she should resign. Supporting Moore backfired, damaging her reputation and ending in Moore's loss to a Democrat, a rare outcome in staunchly red-state Alabama. Behind the scenes, though, she had been an energetic fundraiser and scrupulous about giving individualized attention to the cast of 168 committee members around the country. She has been known to slip out after the first hour of Mormon services to take calls sitting in the car. McDaniel had made strides building the party's infrastructure and fundraising apparatuses - raising record sums and orchestrating a ground game that even some Democrats privately admire. But some former Trump campaign officials say the RNC's data was so off the mark in certain states ahead of the 2020 election that they disregarded it and hired their own teams. McDaniel understood intuitively that running the party, to some degree, meant keeping her ultimate boss - the president - happy, according to four White House advisers who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations. She took to calling him directly and asking what he wanted, and to presenting Trump with both good and bad news. The president often remarked to aides that he wanted McDaniel to join him on trips - a rarity for him. She has met with anti-Trump Republicans while also mollifying the Fox News host and relentless Trump booster Sean Hannity, whom she considers a friend, with special presentations about the party's work. During one fundraiser earlier this year, Trump asked McDaniel to brag about his poll numbers. She took the cue, according to a person in attendance who spoke on the condition of anonymity to relate an invitation-only event: "We are in the place we are," McDaniel told the audience, "because of the president." - - - McDaniel began 2021 in pain. She had broken her ankle while campaigning in Georgia before the new year and was suffering postoperative complications following surgery to repair the injury. She also had to watch as Republican incumbents lost both Senate seats, handing control of the upper chamber to Democrats. "2021 couldn't have started any worse, and it keeps getting worse," McDaniel said, describing her personal travails. The months leading up to the new year had been tough, too. In October, she tested positive for the coronavirus days after attending an event at Trump International Hotel in Washington, where many attendees did not wear masks. She said she thinks she contracted the virus from a family member. (The RNC sometimes has not followed health guidance, hosting large indoor parties and dinners, where many members did not wear masks.) Because she has asthma, her doctor prescribed the powerful steroid prednisone, which provoked a reaction she says made her agitated. She was so uncharacteristically aggressive during a "Face the Nation" interview that she sent the host an apology letter. "I was so angry," McDaniel said. "I just wanted to rip everybody's head off." In the aftermath of Election Day, McDaniel allowed two Trump attorneys - Sidney Powell and Rudolph W. Giuliani - to use the RNC's lobby for a news conference in which they spouted discredited claims. Giuliani's black hair dye dripping down his face got more attention than his remarks. McDaniel later told allies that she regretted her decision. She later told lawyers not to amplify some of the most spurious claims from the president, according to people close to her. After having spent considerable time on television defending the president, she began to lower her profile during the last few weeks of his fight. Trump and Giuliani pressured her to be more visible backing voter fraud, but she wouldn't. In private, she was speaking frequently with Trump and once told him that many of his "Stop the Steal" claims were "crazy," according to a person familiar with the call. She also challenged the president to wear masks. At times, she thought about not running for reelection as party chair this year, and aides say it remains uncertain whether she will seek reelection when her current two-year term ends in 2023. William Kristol, the well-known Republican commentator and co-founder of an anti-Trump GOP group, said in an interview that he sent out feelers this fall about finding a candidate to challenge McDaniel when she stood for reelection. The word came back that it wasn't worth the trouble - she had it locked. Kristol described McDaniel as "a nice symbol of the capitulation of the establishment to Trump." McDaniel's mastery of the RNC became evident on Jan. 8, when she was unanimously reelected chairwoman without opposition at the RNC's convention in Amelia Island, Fla., which began the day before pro-Trump rioters attacked the Capitol. Her team had worked to schedule the convention while Trump was still in office, and she had secured a tweet from him endorsing her. At the convention, McDaniel upset some members when she appeared at a series of breakfasts on the day of the party elections to praise Tommy Hicks Jr., who is especially close to the president and his son, Donald Jr., and who went on to defeat less-Trump-aligned candidates for co-chair, the RNC's second-ranking position. McDaniel told others that she made the appearances because other candidates for the job were falsely saying that she had a negative relationship with Hicks. McDaniel is replacing a number of her senior staffers and has debated with aides whether she should conduct an after-action review of the 2020 election in a bid to discern how the party can keep Trump voters in the fold while also moving away from some of his more alienating characteristics and rhetoric - and persuading suburban women and other voters to support Republicans more broadly. But she fears such a report could be used against her by Trump allies and has argued that his presidency brought voters other candidates could not bring. During the convention, McDaniel zipped around on a motorized scooter, wearing a "Ronna" pin. On the night of the Capitol riot, McDaniel ensconced herself with aides in a suite at the Ritz-Carlton to discuss what they should do, as they sat horrified watching the coverage on television. She was in a tough spot because many RNC members remained resistant to any criticism of the president, and some even wanted to put out statements highlighting his unsubstantiated voter fraud allegations, people present at the conference said. At one point, she talked to Nikki Haley, the GOP star who served as South Carolina governor and Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, to ask her to tone down her criticisms of the president. Haley went ahead anyway with her remarks. McDaniel had invited the president to the conference, an idea that was scuttled by White House aides, but he appeared by video. The morning after the attack, Trump called McDaniel. She put him on speaker so others in the room could hear. He was greeted with applause and nary a rebuke. "I don't think he intended to incite violence on the Capitol," she said in the interview. The furthest she will go is saying that Trump could have done more to tamp down the violence once it began. "He did not meet the moment," she said. "Her close relationship with Trump can be a big asset moving forward because she can use that relationship to help keep everything together," said Priebus, the former RNC chairman. "We need all Republicans standing together: Trump folks, traditional Republicans and conservatives, too. Not an easy task." Just as she had to do in Michigan - when she was typecast as Mitt Romney's clone - McDaniel had to convince her members that she is supportive of Trump but isn't his pawn. She made her case to Henry Barbour - an influential RNC member from Mississippi and an occasional Trump critic, who is the nephew of former RNC chairman Haley Barbour. "Initially I told her, we probably should have somebody new [as chair]," Barbour said in an interview. But he came away "convinced that Ronna is independent and neutral," he added. While Barbour and the others communed at the Ritz-Carlton, a swarm of possible 2024 presidential candidates roamed the halls. There was Haley, and Kristi L. Noem, the South Dakota governor with big national ambitions. McDaniel had invited each to attend. The symbolism was obvious - she wanted to show the party that she was her own woman, and that the RNC wasn't going to turn into a house organ for Trump as he made noises about running again in 2024. There was one more possible 2024 contender with whom she wanted to talk while at the convention. The day after the Capitol attack, she placed a call to Vice President Mike Pence in Washington. For days before the riot, Trump had tried to bully Pence into refusing to do his ceremonial duty and finalize the certification of electoral votes handing the presidency to Biden. Some Trump supporters took the hint; some chanted, "Hang Mike Pence," as they bashed in windows to storm the Capitol and search for him. Pence was rushed to a secure location. On the phone, the next day, talking about what happened, McDaniel became emotional. She wanted Pence to know he was still welcome to come to the RNC meeting. He did not go. McDaniel fought back tears. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/29/2021 -- Stay up-to-date and exploit latest trends of Agriculture Crop Insurance Market with latest edition released by AMA. A Latest intelligence report published by AMA Research with title "Agriculture Crop Insurance Market Outlook to 2025.A detailed study accumulated to offer Latest insights about acute features of the Global Agriculture Crop Insurance market. This report provides a detailed overview of key factors in the Agriculture Crop Insurance Market and factors such as driver, restraint, past and current trends, regulatory scenarios and technology development. A thorough analysis of these factors including economic slowdown, local & global reforms and COVID-19 Impact has been conducted to determine future growth prospects in the global market. Definition: Agriculture is the mainstay of various economies including India, Brazil, China, United States, South Korea etc. and considered to be a catalyst for the overall economic development of the nation. Numerous countries' governments have entered into a partnership with private crop insurance providers indemnify the insured against losses which occur during the crop year. Crop insurance is considered as a risk management tool for farmers in both emerging and emerged economies. As per World Bank, demand for food will increase by 70% by 2050, at least 80 billion dollar annual investments will be needed to meet this demand. In the current scenario, only a fraction of farmers opt for crop insurance because of its irregular payouts in developing nations. According to the World Bank, agriculture finance empowers poor farmers to increase their wealth and food production to be able to feed 9 billion people by 2050 Major Players in This Report Include, Zurich American Insurance Co. (United States), Chubb Limited (United States), QBE Insurance (Australia), China United Property Insurance (China), American Financial Group (United States), Prudential Financial (United States), AXA SA (France), Everest Re Group (Bermuda), Sompo Holdings Inc. (Japan), CGB (United States), Agriculture Insurance Company of India (India) and ICICI Lombard (India) Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @ : https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/25131-global-agriculture-crop-insurance-market Market Drivers - Surging Demand of Food, its Flexibility and Availability - Stringent Rules and Regulations Regarding Agriculture Crop Insurance Market Trend - Increased Sustainable Productivity, Particularly Through Climate-Smart Approaches Restraints - Lack of Awareness and Understanding About Insurance Among Households - High Overhead Costs Associated with the Collection of Actuarial Data, Monitoring for Moral Hazard, and the Validation and Payment of Claims The Agriculture Crop Insurance Market segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below: by Type (Crop/MPCI Insurance, Crop/Hail Insurance, Livestock Insurance, Others), Application (Agencies, Brokers, Bancassurance, Digital & Direct Channel) Agriculture Crop Insurance the manufacturing cost structure analysis of the market is based on the core chain structure, engineering process, raw materials and suppliers. The manufacturing plant has been developed for market needs and new technology development. In addition, Agriculture Crop Insurance Market attractiveness according to country, end-user, and other measures is also provided, permitting the reader to gauge the most useful or commercial areas for investments. The study also provides special chapter designed (qualitative) to highlights issues faced by industry players in their production cycle and supply chain. However overall estimates and sizing, various tables and graphs presented in the study gives and impression how big is the impact of COVID. Enquire for customization in Report @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/25131-global-agriculture-crop-insurance-market Geographically World Agriculture Crop Insurance markets can be classified as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa and Latin America. North America has gained a leading position in the global market and is expected to remain in place for years to come. The growing demand for Agriculture Crop Insurance markets will drive growth in the North American market over the next few years. In the last section of the report, the companies responsible for increasing the sales in the Agriculture Crop Insurance Market have been presented. These companies have been analyzed in terms of their manufacturing base, basic information, and competitors. In addition, the application and product type introduced by each of these companies also form a key part of this section of the report. The recent enhancements that took place in the global market and their influence on the future growth of the market have also been presented through this study. Report Highlights: - Comprehensive overview of parent market& substitute market - Changing market dynamics in the industry (COVID & Economic Impact Analysis) - In-depth market segmentation (Trends, Growth with Historical & Forecast Analysis) - Recent industry trends and development activity - Competitive landscape (Heat Map Analysis for Emerging Players & Market Share Analysis for Major Players along with detailed Profiles) Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Agriculture Crop Insurance Market: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Global Agriculture Crop Insurance market Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary the basic information of the Global Agriculture Crop Insurance Market. Chapter 3: Changing Impact on Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges & Opportunities of the Global Agriculture Crop Insurance; Post COVID Analysis Chapter 4: Presenting the Global Agriculture Crop Insurance Market Factor Analysis, Post COVID Impact Analysis, Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis. Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region/Country 2014-2019 Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Global Agriculture Crop Insurance market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by Manufacturers/Company with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions (2020-2025) . Buy this research @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/buy-now?format=1&report=25131 Key questions answered - Who are the Leading key players and what are their Key Business plans in the Agriculture Crop Insurance market? - What are the key concerns of the five forces analysis of the Agriculture Crop Insurance market? - What are different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the Agriculture Crop Insurance market? - What possible measures players are taking to overcome and stabilize the situation? Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Middle East, Africa, Europe or LATAM, Asia. 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 Connect with us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/advance-market-analytics https://www.facebook.com/AMA-Research-Media-LLP-344722399585916 https://twitter.com/amareport Ms. Strom did not dwell on her blindness (The blindness to me is a nuisance more than anything, she once said), although mastering her synthesizers was a process of experimentation, since in the 1980s, when the instruments were relatively new, there were no users manuals for the blind. Ultimately, she thought, her lack of sight enhanced her music. My hearing and inner visualization have, I feel, developed to a higher level than perhaps they would have otherwise, she told the publication Eurock in a rare early-career interview in 1986. And it doesnt affect my abilities from a technical standpoint, either. Its quite possible to program synthesizers, effects units, accurately record ones work and handle a mixer. I do this all by sound. In fact, she added, I rather like working in the dark. Pauline Anna Tuell was born on Oct. 1, 1946, in Baton Rouge, La., to Paul and Marjorie (Landry) Tuell. She grew up in Kentucky in a Roman Catholic household and said that chants and other types of church music influenced her musical ideas, but that so did the works of Bach, Chopin and others. She was married twice, to Bob Strom and then to Kevin Bierl, but the dates of those marriages and how they ended are, like many details of her life, hard to come by. She moved to San Francisco when her husband it is unclear which was stationed there while in the military. Reclusive by nature, she lived in the same San Francisco apartment for decades. (Thank God this city has rent control, she told the website listentothis.info in 2018.) Her early musical efforts included some do-it-yourself sound effects like those in Emerald Pool, but she gradually became more adept at creating whatever sound she wanted with the multiple synthesizers she accumulated. She was influenced by the work of the German band Tangerine Dream and the German composer Klaus Schulze, pioneers in electronic music. West Turin, N.Y. A Lewis County man has been charged with repeatedly having sexual contact with a young child over a five year period. Bryan M. Ely, 29, of Constableville, is accused of having sexual intercourse and sexual contact with the child at least twice over that period of time. The child was younger than 11 years old at the time, according to New York State Police. The abuse happened in the town of West Turin, state police said. Ely was charged with first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child, a felony. He was arraigned Thursday in Lewis County Court and sent to the Lewis County Jail, where he is currently being held on $100,000 bond. Contact Jacob Pucci at jpucci@syracuse.com or find him on Twitter at @JacobPucci. The Centre for Human Drug Research in The Netherlands will conduct and manage the proposed clinical study AIM says the study is a critical step in its ongoing efforts to develop Ampligen as a COVID-19 treatment (NYSEAMERICAN:AIM) (FRA:HXB2) has entered into a sponsorship agreement with the Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR) for the proposed AMP-COV-100 (CHDR2049) clinical study on the safety of AIMs drug Ampligen as an intranasal therapy. In a statement Friday, the company said the study is a critical step in its ongoing efforts to develop Ampligen as a coronavirus (COVID-19) treatment. CHDR, an independent institute located in Leiden in The Netherlands, will conduct and manage the proposed clinical study titled A Phase I, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety and Activity of Repeated Intranasal Administration of Ampligen (Poly I:Poly C12U) in Healthy Subjects. AIM said the current study plans call for the enrollment of eight healthy subjects in each of four Ampligen treatment groups and one placebo group -- for a total of 40 healthy subjects. They will receive intranasal dosing every other day for 13 days, for a total of seven doses each. The company is funding the clinical study and is working to finalize the study protocol. It will announce new information as it becomes available. AIM, based in Ocala, Florida, is an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers, immune disorders, and viral diseases, including COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Contact the author: patrick@proactiveinvestors.com Follow him on Twitter @PatrickMGraham Johnson & Johnson: One-Shot COVID-19 Vaccine 66 Percent Effective in Global Trial Novavax reports interim trial results of its vaccine candidate A clinical trial showed that Johnson & Johnsons COVID-19 vaccine is 66 percent effective at preventing moderate to severe disease, the company said Friday. That level of protection came 28 days after vaccination, according to data from a global phase 3 trial. Onset of protection was observed as early as day 14. The level rose to 72 percent in the United States. It was 66 percent in Latin American and just 57 percent in South Africa. The double blind, placebo-controlled trial included 43,783 patients. Of those, 468 accrued symptomatic cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Johnson & Johnson embarked on the global effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic a year ago, and has brought the full force of our capabilities, as well as tremendous public-private partnerships, to enable the development of a single-shot vaccine. Our goal all along has been to create a simple, effective solution for the largest number of people possible, and to have maximum impact to help end the pandemic, Alex Gorsky, Johnson & Johnsons CEO, said in a statement. Were proud to have reached this critical milestone and our commitment to address this global health crisis continues with urgency for everyone, everywhere. The vaccine is just one shot. Both vaccines authorized for emergency use in the United States require two doses. The trial showed the vaccine was 85 percent effective in preventing severe disease. Efficacy against severe disease increased over time. A woman prepares to give a blood sample at a medical facility before receiving a dose of vaccine or placebo of Johnson & Johnsons COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial at Colina area, Santiago, Chile, on Nov. 20, 2020. (Ivan Alvarado/Reuters) These topline results with a single-shot COVID-19 vaccine candidate represent a promising moment. The potential to significantly reduce the burden of severe disease, by providing an effective and well-tolerated vaccine with just one immunization, is a critical component of the global public health response, Paul Stoffels, chief scientific officer for the company, said in a statement. Adverse events were seen in 9 percent of patients, with more serious adverse events in participants who received placebo as compared to the vaccine candidate. The trial data wasnt published. Data will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal in the coming weeks, Johnson & Johnson said. Trial participants will be followed for up to two years, and data may be updated based on ongoing analysis. Johnson & Johnson plans to file an application in early February to U.S. drug regulators for emergency use authorization. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer last month. Reception of the reported trial results was generally positive. This news is certainly welcome, clearly fulfills FDA threshold, and adds to the vaccine tool chest, Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, said in a tweet. The J&J vaccine turns in a fantastic result. We now have 3 highly effective vaccines. This vaccine showed sustained (and increasing!) immune protection over time, perhaps from a robust early induction of memory immune cells, added Scott Gottlieb, a former FDA commissioner. Hours earlier, Novavax announced its vaccine showed an efficacy of 89.3 percent in an interim analysis phase 3 clinical trial in the United Kingdom. NVX-CoV2373 is the first vaccine to demonstrate not only high clinical efficacy against COVID-19 but also significant clinical efficacy against both the rapidly emerging UK and South Africa variants, Stanley Erck, president of the Maryland-based company, said in a statement. The vaccine has the potential to play an important role in solving this global public health crisis. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners, collaborators, investigators, and regulators around the world to make the vaccine available as quickly as possible, he added. The trial enrolled more than 15,000 participants but the interm analysis was based on 62 cases, of which 56 cases of COVID-19 were observed in the placebo group. Novavax said it plans to share further details as additional data become available. The company sought authorization for use in the UK in mid-January. Credit: CC0 Public Domain The European Commission published a redacted version of its contract with drugs giant AstraZeneca on Friday, hoping to prove the company had breached a commitment on coronavirus vaccine deliveries. Releasing the document, EU spokesman Eric Mamer said it would show that the contract covers AstraZeneca plants in the UK and that "these plants will contribute to the effort... to deliver doses to the European Union". AstraZeneca's CEO Pascal Soriot argued in a media interview this week that deliveries of vaccine in Europe had been slowed because of glitches in its Belgian plant. Britain, meanwhile, had signed its contract three months earlier than Brussels had and the firm used the time to resolve production problems and launch deliveries. But the Europe Commission reacted angrily, insisting that its contract does not stipulate that Britain production be reserved for UK deliveries and that it was for the firm to meet its commitments. Mamer said that the previously confidential contract would prove that AstraZeneca had signed up for a clear delivery schedule and not simply to make its "best efforts" to serve the EU contract. "So in our mind, there is absolutely no doubt that we have a firm commitment with the company and as with all other companies to deliver doses according to specific schedules," Mamer said. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky has put into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to impose personal sanctions against legal entities and individuals from Russia, according to the decree published on the website of the Ukrainian president. "To put into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated January 28, 2021 On amendments to the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated December 14, 2020, enacted by the decree of the President of Ukraine dated December 14, 2020 (attached, classified, without paragraphs 14, 15, 16 - unclassified)," the text of the document said. This decree comes into force on the day of its publication, the website says. The attached text (unclassified part) of the decisions of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated December 14, 2020 and January 28, 2021 concerns the application of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions) proposed by the SBU. Also, it is indicated that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, together with the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Bank of Ukraine, should ensure the implementation and monitoring of the effectiveness of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine should "inform the competent authorities of the European Union, the United States and other states about the imposition of the sanctions and ask them about the application of similar restrictive measures." At the same time, the changes made to the NSDC decision, as well as the sanctions list, have not been published. The decree of the President of Ukraine of December 14, 2020 classified as "secret" also has not been made public, Interfax reported. NEBO Authorities are investigating a late-night shooting in this Pike County village. Sheriffs deputies were called to West Middle Street about 10:30 p.m. Thursday. At the scene, they found a man who had been shot in the leg, according to Sheriff David E. Greenwood. The man was flown to St. Johns Hospital in Springfield and later released, according to authorities. Illinois State Police, the Spring Creek and Pleasant Hill fire departments and Pike County EMS assisted. The investigation is ongoing. Mr. Jordans decision not to run was first reported by The Plain Dealer of Cleveland. No major candidate has formally entered Ohios 2022 Senate race since Mr. Portmans Monday announcement that he would not seek a third term. But Republicans said to be weighing a bid include Josh Mandel, the former state treasurer who lost a 2012 race to Senator Sherrod Brown; Frank LaRose, Ohios secretary of state; J.D. Vance, the Ohio-born author of Hillbilly Elegy; Jane Timken, the Ohio Republican Party chairwoman; and several members of Ohios congressional delegation. Two other Ohio Republicans, Jon A. Husted, the states lieutenant governor, and former Representative Pat Tiberi, have said they will not run for Senate. Ohio Democrats who have expressed interest in running for the Senate include Representative Tim Ryan, who was among the early field of candidates vying to unseat Mr. Trump in 2020; Mayor Nan Whaley of Dayton, who is also considering running for governor in 2022; and Dr. Amy Acton, the former director of the Ohio Department of Health, who received encouragement on Twitter from Connie Schultz, Mr. Browns wife. Mr. Portman is one of three Republican senators who has said he will not seek re-election in 2022. Senators Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania and Richard M. Burr of North Carolina are also retiring, leaving the party to defend three seats in what are expected to be competitive states next year. That list could grow. Senator Ron Johnson, of Wisconsin, has not yet said whether he will seek a third term, nor has Senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who is 87, or Richard Shelby of Alabama, who is 86. Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona and Raphael Warnock of Georgia two Democrats who joined the chamber after winning special elections will face voters again in 2022 for full six-year terms. COLUMBIA Former President Donald Trump's impeachment is in the hands of four Columbia lawyers who work within 10 blocks of each other in a city that is 475 miles away from Capitol Hill. Former federal prosecutors Johnny Gasser and Greg Harris have joined former Justice Department attorney Butch Bowers and former federal prosecutor Deborah Barbier as the core of the legal team that hopes to win Trump a second impeachment acquittal in the Senate. Trump could be barred from holding public office if convicted of helping incite the deadly U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6. Harris confirmed his inclusion on the Trump team along with his law partner, Gasser. "We're all up to the challenge and looking forward to it," Harris told The Post and Courier. Harris said the four Columbia attorneys and Raleigh lawyer Josh Howard are Trump's legal team for the Senate trial scheduled to start Feb. 9. Harris declined further comment, including why he and Gasser, a former interim U.S. attorney for South Carolina during the George W. Bush administration, joined the case. The four Columbia lawyers in the Trump camp are considered among the state's best defense attorneys and have experience on political corruption cases. They also all run small law firms with downtown offices near the S.C. Statehouse. Larger law firms have reportedly been reluctant to let their attorneys work on such a controversial case. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and a top Trump ally, encouraged the former president to hire Bowers, who has represented some of the state's most prominent GOP politicians, including the past three governors. Bowers' experience includes helping Gov. Mark Sanford avoid impeachment after he left the state secretly to see his mistress in Argentina in 2009. After his initial appointment, Bowers built a team of lawyers he knew well, said state Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a prominent Columbia lawyer and former state Democratic Party chairman. "The D.C. legal scene is a viper pit," Harpootlian said. "When you're going into this kind of hyperbolic atmosphere, you want people you can trust." Bowers, who has declined previous interview requests with The Post and Courier, did not respond to a request for comment Friday. The Columbia lawyers will be joined by Josh Howard, a Raleigh attorney who investigated the Clinton White House while at the U.S. Department of Justice. He also worked on the Senate confirmations for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito. Like Barbier, Gasser and Harris, Howard is a former federal prosecutor. Gasser worked in the 5th Circuit solicitor's office, including a period under Harpootlian, before joining the U.S. Attorney's Office in Columbia where he worked as chief in the violent crime section before joining Harris in private practice in 2007. Harris also worked in the 5th Circuit solicitor's office and the U.S. Attorney's Office in South Carolina, where he was deputy chief of the criminal division. They both represented state Rep. Rick Quinn, a Lexington Republican who resigned from office after pleading guilty to misconduct in office in 2017 as part of the Statehouse corruption probe. Barbier represented Quinn's father, Richard, the state's top political operative, when he was charged in the investigation. The first set of charges were dropped against Richard Quinn as part of his son's plea deal, but Richard Quinn was indicted on perjury charges in 2019. A Syrian human rights group has filed a case against Greece in the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the Balkan nation of mistreating refugees. According to the Associated Press, the Syria Justice and Accountability Center, which is a US-based rights group, has appealed to the ICC to investigate the mistreatment and abuse of refugees, mostly Syrians, at overcrowded camps in Greece. The group claims that Greek authorities have been mistreating migrants at refugee camps, which can be backed by witness testimony and video evidence. Read: After Fresh Israeli Attack, US Military Convoy Enters Syria's Province Of Hasakah According to reports, the case was filed in the International Criminal Court on Thursday, which will be now reviewed by prosecutors, who will decide whether to open a full-scale investigation into the matter. It may take months, if not years, for the preliminary investigation to begin if the ICC decides to look into the case based on the available evidence and testimony. Read: UN Announces Talks On New Syria Constitution Resume Jan 25 The Syrian group has alleged that Greek authorities have housed refugees at unhealthy and miserable camps, where they have also faced police action, including the use of tear gas, on multiple occasions over protests. Greek authorities have garnered a lot of flak earlier as well over poor and unhygienic conditions at refugee camps in the country, which house thousands of migrants, mostly Syrians, from conflict zones. Thousands clashed with police last year as they tried to get into the mainland after fires destroyed refugee camps in Greece. Police fired tear gas to control the crowd who were throwing stones and bricks at barricades in anger. Read: Huge Explosion In Oil Tanker In Central Syria, No Casualties 'Will set a good precedent' Mohammad Al-Abdallah, SJAC's executive director, has said that if the ICC decides to open an investigation into the case, it will set a good precedent for the rest of the world, sending a message that international laws should be respected no matter the individual policies of the member state. Al-Abdallah said that it is the first-ever legal challenge to the European Union over its treatment of refugees. The group, in its case, has claimed that personnel from Frontex, the EU agency which monitors and polices migrant movements across the region, have been complicit in the mistreatment of refugees. The group says that it has video evidence to back its claim. Read: Intense Israeli Airstrikes In East Syria Said To Kill Dozens (Image Credit: AP) 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: Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia on Friday plead the small businesses owners and traders to not to believe in any misinformation related to GST implementation. It is a transparent process, which will benefit honest taxpayers, Adhia said. As the time to switch over to one nation, one tax GST system, the confusion and panic among small business owners is growing rapidly. To dispel fears, Adhia clarified the myths:"People are saying that retailers will have to file three returns per month. This untrue, you have to file only one. Rest will be generated by a computer." Additionally, he said, "Composite dealers do not have to file the return every month, but once in three months that too just the details of total turnover." Revenue Secy also assured that traders do not have to install big IT infrastructure for GST. "The government will even provide free software for B2B systems," he said. "Will give an excel format for B2B so they can keep invoice details updated and upload every month on the 10th." GST Live: India all set for biggest tax reform, Modi Govt to make formal announcement in special Parliament Session today Prime Minister Narendra Modi will at midnight unveil the new tax regime replacing overnight the messy mix of more than a dozen state and central levies built up over seven decades, with a one national GST unifying the countrys USD 2 trillion economy and 1.3 billion people into a common market. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. 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. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! The Women's Travel Group will be the first women's tour company to attend Expo Dubai (TRAVPR.COM) UNITED STATES - January 29th, 2021 - The Women's Travel Group, an award winning specialist tour operator for women, has organized the first all women trip to Expo Dubai. The company is working with Orient Tours to offer an in depth trip to the UAE and Oman. Dates are October 16-29 2021 with the last 3 days reserved for the Expo. Expo Dubai will be the first world's fair in The Middle East and will feature over 192 country pavillions . With a start in Dubai then continuation to Oman, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, the group trip includes unusual visits and insightful talks. The trip starts with meeting a female social media expert in Dubai and finishes with a gala event at Bab Al Shams Desert Resort. An option for 3 nights includes visits to Expo Dubai. The Women's Travel Group has won many awards for its outreach to solo women travelers who wish colorful and unusual trips. The company celebrated its 29 year in January 2021. Most destinations are new to tourism or off the beaten track. ### Welcome Guest! You Are Here: A challenge by businessman Declan Ganley over Covid-19 Level 5 restrictions on religious services has been adjourned at the High Court to early next month. The Co Galway based businessman, a practising Catholic, claims, as a result of the restrictions, he cannot leave his home to attend Mass in breach of the State's guarantee of the free practice of religion in Article 44 of the Constitution. While certain religious activities, including weddings and funerals, are permitted, the restrictions prevent him and others attending Mass or similar religious services, he says. Last November, he sought leave to bring judicial review proceedings against the Minister for Health, with Ireland and the Attorney General as notice parties. The sides have since agreed the action can be dealt with via a telescoped hearing in which the leave application and full case are heard together. When the matter was mentioned before Mr Justice Charles Meenan on Friday, Darren Lehane SC, for Mr Ganley, said his side were awaiting opposition parties from the respondents. Catherine Donnelly SC, for the respondents, said those papers would be filed later that day. The judge listed the case for further mention on February 9, when it is expected a hearing date will be sought. In his action, Mr Ganley, represented by Mr Lehane and Neil Steen SC, instructed by solicitor Eamonn Cunningham of Gateley Tweed, wants an order quashing certain temporary regulations introduced by the Minster for Health to deal with the pandemic - Regulation 5(1) and (3) of the 1947 Health Act. He also seeks declarations the regulations are incompatible with various articles of the Constitution, including Article 44 where the State acknowledges the right to the free practice of religion. Alternatively, he wants a declaration the regulations do not prevent him leaving his residence for the purpose of practising his religion. Mr Steen previously told the court the issue was extremely important for Mr Ganley. The vast majority of religious services, including Catholic masses, have been cancelled by church leaders due to the pandemic and, while the regulations did not appear to prevent services like Mass, Catholic priests cannot leave their homes to perform a mass and nor can persons like Mr Ganley attend such services. The case raised a net point and is very different to other challenges over government measures in response to the Covid19 pandemic, counsel stressed. George Haswani has hit back at accusations that he was involved in the purchase of the ammonium nitrate that exploded at Beirut Port reports Alsouria Net. Syrian businessman, George Haswani, denied his involvement in the explosion that occurred at the port of Beirut in August 2020, following reports that mentioned his name among those connected to the incident. In an interview with Reuters on Thursday, Haswani said that he did not know anything about Savaro, a company said to have purchased the shipment of ammonium nitrate that caused the explosion in the Beirut port, killing more than 200 people. Haswani explained that the reports that accused him were based on the fact that HESCO, the construction company that he owns, and Savaro share the same agent in London, adding that he decided to register his company through the Cypriot Interstatus Group of Companies, tied to Savaro, which in turn, is associated with the purchase of the shipment. The agent company changed the two companies registration site to the same address on the same day, he added, stressing that there is no connection whatsoever between his company and Savaro, except that they have the same agent. Haswani said that he is in the process of filing a lawsuit in Paris against the media outlets that accused him of being involved in the Beirut explosion, indicating that Lebanese authorities have not called him in for investigation. A huge explosion rocked the Lebanese capital last August after a fire broke out in a warehouse that contained 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate. Two hundred people died and more than 6,000 were wounded, in addition to massive damage to the infrastructure and the displacement of 300,000 people. To date, the Lebanese authorities have not revealed details about the incident. The narrative has been the same: the explosion was caused by the explosion of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, which the government had confiscated and placed in the port of Beirut. Who is George Haswani? After the explosion, investigative reports on television and in the press revealed the involvement of Syrian businessmen in facilitating the shipment of ammonium nitrate and storing it in the port of Beirut in order to circumvent the sanctions imposed on the Assad regime. The shipment was supposed to be transported to Syria in batches for the regime to use it in the making of barrel bombs, according to the reports. Haswanis name was mentioned in the same breath as the others who are accused of being involved. There have been reports about his connection to Savaro, which is registered in the United Kingdom, claims that Haswani denied. Haswani is known for his close ties with the Assad regime and Russia. In 2013, he participated in the operation to release the nuns who were detained by al-Nusra Front members in the town of Maaloula in the Damascus countryside. Haswani was also a mediator between the Assad regime and the Islamic State (ISIS) in the oil deals that took place between the two parties, back when ISIS controlled the oil fields in northeastern Syria, according to some reports. There is unconfirmed information that Haswanis wife is the sister-in-law of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which would explain Haswanis close relationship with the Russian presidency. This article was translated and 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 Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is supposed to regulate utilities in the public interest. But regulation in Ohio appears to be influenced by private interests and an anti-alternative-energy agenda. Last years federal criminal charges on how House Bill 6 was enacted -- including, allegedly, at whose behest and expense -- has shined a needed light on utilities outsize influence, not just over state energy law and policy but also at the PUCO. The investigation and subsequent revelations may also have contributed to Samuel Randazzos decision last year to quit as PUCO chairman. Randazzo stepped down Nov. 20, shortly after FBI agents raided his home, and the day after Akrons FirstEnergy Corp. told the Securities and Exchange Commission the utility had made a $4 million payment early in 2019 to an entity associated with an individual who subsequently was appointed to a full-time role as an Ohio government official directly involved in regulating [FirstEnergys utilities]. Gov. Mike DeWine named Randazzo to the PUCO on Feb. 4, 2019. Randazzo, who has not been charged with any wrongdoing, said he was leaving so as not to become a distraction for DeWine in his fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. All of this, of course, suggests DeWine must pick PUCO commissioners who are not just fully transparent about their utility connections but also able to resist the Statehouses go-along, get-along, were-all-pals atmosphere. Randazzos departure offers DeWine the opportunity to do just that. Yet the other day, DeWine ejected three candidates (two of them notably qualified and supported by consumer advocates) who had been nominated to take Randazzos PUCO seat. DeWine requested a new slate from the PUCO nominating council. Why? Absent a clear explanation, DeWines decision suggests he is again deferring to the utility lobby. Ohioans have had enough of that. The HB 6 probe has revealed just how endemic utility influence has become at the Ohio Statehouse. Example: Ohio House emails show, cleveland.coms Andrew J. Tobias recently reported, that in mid-2019, then-PUCO Chair Randazzo worked to amend HB 6 yes, the same scandalous nuclear power bailout law to crimp wind-energy projects. That could have helped a former Randazzo client. The House provided this information in response to FBI subpoenas relating to the HB 6 investigation. Ohioans otherwise might not have learned of Randazzos role, thanks to a 1999 state budget amendment written by Senate Republicans. The amendment hides Legislative Service Commission bill files from Ohioans. A bill file may include letters from lobbyists suggesting a bills features, even its wording. Bill files are off-limits to taxpayers, however. Thats wrong. It needs to change now. Randazzos amendment didnt make it into the final version of HB 6 (which DeWine signed into law). But if the amendment had become law, Tobias reported, it could have benefited Huron County residents fighting a proposed Greenwich Township wind farm who were former Randazzo clients. And voters and taxpayers would still be in the dark about who was behind that part of the bill. Its the PUCOs job to balance the competing claims of profit-seekers and Ohio consumers who, practically speaking, cant live without electricity or gas. Its not the PUCOs job to put its thumb on the legislatures scale, although Randazzos proposed HB 6 amendment would have done just that. Episodes like Randazzos crusade against a wind-energy project while he was PUCO chairman demonstrate Ohios backward-looking energy policies. The legislature and at times the PUCO have mulishly resisted wind- and solar-energy projects. While the rest of the world moves forward, supporting clean energy, Ohio seems like a livery stable buying more and more horses just as Henry Ford gins up production of the Model T. Any wonder Ohio keeps slipping? In the many months since the HB 6 criminal charges were unveiled last July, Ohio lawmakers have signally failed to repeal or replace the law. And if the General Assembly also wont quash such extracurricular PUCO moves as the one Randazzo attempted, then DeWine must name PUCO commissioners who understand that their first responsibility is to the public. Or, does DeWine not remember that it is the public to whom his fealty lies, either? The governors decision to reject two pro-consumer candidates and return to square one on replacing Randazzo at PUCO suggests his loyalties remain misdirected. About our editorials: Editorials express the view of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer -- the senior leadership and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the news organization. Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. Whether it was opportunity, strategy or sheer chutzpah, the suspected Russian hackers behind a massive cyber-attack revealed last month focused particular attention on technology companies, including cyber-security firms entrusted to find malicious activity in their clients networks. Four cyber-security companies announced this week that they had been targeted as part of the attack, adding to a list of at least eight other tech companies that the hackers tried to breach. Many of the companies said they successfully blocked the attackers, but some others acknowledged that their networks were infiltrated. Related: Suspected Russian Hack of U.S. Government: Espionage or Act of War? Insurers Not Quitting on Cyber Even as Risks Mount The hackers may have focused on technology and cyber-security companies simply because, after government agencies, they were the next best targets. For hackers, cyber-security companies represent the gatekeepers guarding the computer networks they so desperately wish to exploit, said Allan Liska, senior security architect at cyber-security analytics firm Recorded Future Inc. Also, cyber-security and technology companies often have remote access to customers computer networks, potentially giving hackers entry to their clients and partners. Such digital supply chain hacks are an efficient method to corral hundreds, if not thousands, of potential victims, Liska said. If you can compromise security infrastructure, you essentially have the keys to the kingdom and can run around undetected, he said. And were dealing with an advanced adversary whos looking for this kind of access. In the case of SolarWinds Corp., for instance, the hackers installed malware in its Orion software, which is used by government agencies and Fortune 500 companies. The Texas-based firm said that as many as 18,000 customers may have received the malicious code in software updates, though far fewer are believed to have been subject to further attacks from the hackers. In addition, the hackers targeted at least one reseller of Microsoft Corp.s Office 365 tools, likely by digging up login credentials and then compromising the resellers clients, cyber-security experts say. The suspected Russian attackers used those tactics to target the cyber-security company Crowdstrike, which wasnt ultimately breached. The cyber-research firm Malwarebytes Inc. was also targeted after a third-party application that protects its Office 365 email was hacked, and the hackers gained access to a limited subset of internal company emails, Malwarebytes said. Theres not yet any evidence that cyber-security companies were a launching point for a broader attack, only that the Russian adversary attempted to do so. This is a persistent, sophisticated attack that requires organizations to look carefully at the supply chain of their IT infrastructure, which cyber-security is a part of, said Ryan Gillis, vice president for cyber-security strategy and global policy at Palo Alto Networks Inc. When you look at the consequences, from that weve seen so far, everything points back to the IT supply chain. Hacking into cyber-security companies also provides attackers with advantages when launching further attacks, potentially providing them with detection tools or source code that they can use to avoid being caught, according to cyber-security experts. If I am trying to break into your house, the best way to go through is to disable cameras, electronic clocks; this will give me a tactical advantage, said Alex Holden, founder and chief information security officer at Hold Security. Knowing how to evade detection in cyber is almost the entire battle. If they have the detection tools in their pocket, theyve taken our safeguards to use against us. Mimecast Ltd., an email security provider, said Tuesday that hackers had turned one of its security tools against it to view its customers Microsoft 365 accounts. Fidelis Cybersecurity Inc. said that the company is investigating evidence that it might have been targeted. Another cyber-security company, Qualys Inc. was also targeted but said in a statement that there was no impact on our production environment nor exfiltrated data. Palo Alto Networks said it was targeted by the same hackers in October but successfully stopped the attacks. The hack was disclosed in December by the cyber-security company FireEye Inc., which itself was attacked. About 10 U.S. government agencies were infiltrated as part of the attack, including the departments of Justice, Treasury and Homeland Security. Among the other technology companies that were targeted for further attacks were Microsoft and Cisco Systems Inc. U.S. officials have said they believe hackers associated with the Russian government are behind the attack. The attack isnt the first time that cyber-security firms were compromised by hackers. In 2011, for instance, EMC Corp.s RSA unit was breached, and two years later, the security firm Bit9 revealed that it had been hacked. Juniper Networks Inc. said it too was compromised in 2015. Even so, trying to target cyber-security companies comes with its own perils. After all, the alleged Russian hackers could still be roaming undetected through U.S. government networks, and those of various companies, if they hadnt decided to break into FireEyes computers. Attackers are getting more sophisticated, and pursuing persistence over time instead of smash and grab techniques, said Jim Jaeger, a former U.S. Air Force brigadier general who is now president and chief cyber strategist at the cyber investigations firm Arete Advisors LLC. Now theyre aspiring to use cyber-security tools to get inside our networks. Theyre taking our safeguards and using them against us. With assistance from Jamie Tarabay. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Cyber InsurTech Tech C harlette N'Guessan Desiree loved maths and science as a student in Ivory Coast, but never imagined she would one day use her problem-solving savvy to develop facial recognition technology more adept at identifying and verifying African faces. Her company, BACE Group, hopes its artificial intelligence (AI) software will be used across the continent - helping universities to verify students for financial services, banks to sign up new clients and security firms to fight crime. N'Guessan Desiree, 27, said there would be less suspicion of tech created "by Africans, for Africans", especially given concerns that Western-designed systems are more prone to errors when identifying non-White faces. "It gives us trust and credibility," said N'Guessan Desiree, a software engineer. "It's time for us as young African engineers to start working on solutions to solve our local challenges," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a video call. Also read: Lockdown has hindered career progression of Indian women in tech: Report BACE Group uses an API - application programme interface - software that can be used in existing apps or systems, together with facial recognition technology powered by artificial intelligence (AI). This tech helps online businesses or financial institutions to verify their customers' identities remotely, allowing users to prove in real time that they are who they say they are without traveling long distances. BACE recently launched a consulting arm to advise African businesses on how the technology can make it easier for them to verify new customers, such as people living in rural areas. But despite the technology's huge potential for businesses, N'Guessan Desiree acknowledged the possible pitfalls. "It's very important to be responsible and ethical with AI," she said. "That's why we have defined policies between businesses and end users and we make sure the client is aware of how the data will be used by the company." While AI facial recognition is being used globally to tackle diseases or prevent cyber theft, digital rights groups say it runs the risk of being misused to violate privacy or discriminate against users. From targeting protesters in India to incorrectly identifying African Americans as criminals, campaigners warn that the technology can be dangerous both when it works well and when it works badly. Transparency This week, 100 businesses, governments and nonprofits launched the Global AI Action Alliance, an initiative to make artificial intelligence more ethical and transparent, at a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum. The alliance will identify tools and best practices to safely and ethically use AI, which is projected to contribute more than $14 trillion to the global economy by 2035. Also read: Google India partners with Sheroes to support 500 rural women entrepreneurs "This is something we want to be involved in," said N'Guessan Desiree, who added that the lack of robust digital rights laws across Africa means strong company policies are necessary to prevent data abuse. But she said technology can be "beautiful and have significant impact" when it is used for good. "From agriculture to finance to education, there is no limit. We can innovate and solve problems using tech," she said. BACE is already gathering lots of attention. N'Guessan Desiree won the 2020 Royal Academy of Engineering's Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation in September last year, the first woman ever to win the award. "I want to motivate little sisters to say 'It's possible. If Charlette has done this, why not me?'," she said. Reporting by Kim Harrisberg. (Newser) Their name is mud after cutting way ahead in the coronavirus vaccine line. And that may not be the worst of it for Canadian couple Rodney and Ekaterina Baker. It was revealed this week that the two chartered a plane, flew to a remote part of the Yukon that's home to 125 largely indigenous residents, and pretended to be newly hired area motel workers in order to qualify for the vaccine. In truth they are a casino CEO and actress, or were; Baker resigned from his post on Sunday. The Guardian reports they were hit with an $1,800 fine for breaking Yukons Civil Emergency Measures Act, but now they have been served with a notice to appear in court. As CNN points out, the charges are unrelated to the vaccinations. story continues below Rather, they are tied to the couple's travel. Officials say the Bakers flew from Vancouver to Whitehorse in the Yukon on Jan. 19. They were supposed to quarantine for two weeks but instead allegedly left two days later for Beaver Creek, where they were vaccinated. Locals became suspicious when the couple asked for a ride to the airport. Baker and his wife are each charged with failing to self-isolate for 14 days and failing to act in a manner consistent with the declarations they made upon arrival. If convicted, they're looking at up to six months in jail. They have a May 4 court date, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are also taking a look at the case. Yukon community services minister John Streicker says that, to his knowledge, the couple have yet to apologize to the members of the White River First Nation who live in the area where they were vaccinated. (Read more coronavirus vaccine stories.) 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 Civil protection units managed to control a destructive fire that broke out Friday morning in two appartements at the busy market of Tawfiqia. There were no injured people, the Cairo governorate office said in a statement. The early morning fire, however, did cause damages to around 22 shops, the governorate statement added. The civil protection department, ambulances and district officials as well as electricity and gas personnel moved to the scene immediately after the fire broke out, the governorate said. The statement added that the civil protection department along with 13 fire engines and two water tenders controlled the fire. Cairo Governor Khaled Abdel-Aal ordered the formation of an engineering committee to examine the two afflicted buildings, in tandem with efforts by the Public Prosecution and Criminal Investigation Department at the interior ministry to determine the cause of the fire. The Tawfiqia market, a wholesale market for a variety of goods - mainly car accessories - is located in the crowded Al-Azbakeya district. Major accidental fires occurred last year, especially in Cairo and Alexandria, causing many deaths and injuries. Short link: The new center will provide an integrated platform for basic and clinical research, bringing together vascular biology, immunology, and neuroscience. This combination will bridge the gap between scientific disciplines that have traditionally been viewed as distinct, and studied as such. "Historically, neurological diseases have been classified as being only degenerative, inflammatory, or vascular," explains the center's founding director, Katerina Akassoglou, PhD. "But we now know, given recent insights from clinical research and the failure of many clinical trials, that this classification cannot explain how diseases start and progress, nor has it been able to identify the best potential drug candidates." Scientists have also learned that disease manifestations cannot be described in isolation, because they arise from an intricate network of shared mechanisms in the brain, immune, and vascular systems. The new Gladstone-UCSF center aims to shed light on these overlapping mechanisms to develop new treatments for a wide range of neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and traumatic brain injury. Their work will also have broad implications in diseases with neuroimmune and neurovascular features, including neonatal brain injury, epilepsy, infectious diseases, and psychiatric disorders. "Common threads across brain diseases that involve the immune system have been overlooked," says Akassoglou, who is also a senior investigator at Gladstone and a professor of neurology at UCSF. "For instance, blood leaks in the brain used to be considered a consequence of brain dysfunction. Yet, we have discovered that these leaks often precede cognitive decline in neurodegenerative disease and inhibit repair. In addition, vascular damage is emerging as a central player in brain disease, and the immune system is the link between vascular pathology and the brain." Over the past two decades, Akassoglou and her team have made landmark discoveries that connect the blood, the inflammatory response, and brain disease. For example, they made a breakthrough discovery that a clotting factor in the blood (called fibrinogen) is causal to disease in the brain, as its leakage is required to activate the damaging immune response and the neurodegeneration that follows. "We have a new appreciation of the challenges and opportunities in drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases at the blood-brain-immune interface," says Akassoglou. "Innovative approaches in imaging and drug discovery platforms at our new center have the potential to transform biomedicine." "This new center perfectly aligns with Gladstone's approach of using science to overcome disease," says Deepak Srivastava, MD, president of Gladstone Institutes. "Katerina's research provided evidence that vascular pathology is a primary process in the development of disease and, as a result, offers a completely new perspective for how neurological diseases might be treated. Her expertise and vision led to the creation of this center, which will be critical for basic discovery and for developing novel imaging tools, biomarkers, and therapies." Although other academic centers combine neuroscience and immunology, the new Gladstone-UCSF center is unique in its integration of vascular biology as a third and equal player in brain disease. "The new center will leverage Katerina's groundbreaking discoveries in this exciting area of research and will provide her and other colleagues at Gladstone, UCSF, and beyond with unprecedented opportunities to unravel the intriguing relationships among the vascular, immune, and nervous systems," says Lennart Mucke, MD, director of the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease. "Since vascular mechanisms may be early triggers of brain disease, targeting these triggers could allow physicians to intervene much sooner to prevent and halt disease progression." The center will take a three-pronged approach to uncover the role of vascular abnormalities in the brain. The first will be focused on research and bring together basic and clinical scientists to discover new mechanisms that control disease at the interface of vascular biology, immunology, and neuroscience. The second will leverage cutting-edge imaging technologies to develop new molecular probes to study and diagnose neurovascular alterations in brain diseases. And the third cluster, aimed at drug discovery and therapeutics, will consist of pre-clinical and clinical testing of new biologic, cellular, and small molecule therapies, as well as biomarker studies. Akassoglou and her team at Gladstone will collaborate closely with scientists at UCSF in the Weill Institute for Neurosciences, the Department of Neurology (including the Memory and Aging Center, the Division of Neuroimmunology and Glial Biology, and the Neurovascular Division), the Department of Pediatrics, and the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. While Gladstone offers expertise in basic research and state-of-the-art imaging modalities, UCSF provides invaluable resources in patient databases, clinical testing, and biomarker studies. "To implement the center's visionary approach, we need the participation of scientists and clinicians with wide-ranging expertise," says S. Andrew Josephson, MD, chair of the Department of Neurology at UCSF. "Together, the Gladstone and UCSF communities provide an ideal environment to unite all the required disciplines and truly break new ground in treating neurological diseases." The donation of $2.5 million by the Simon Family Trust will help launch this center by providing support for state-of-the-art infrastructure and seed funding for innovative multidisciplinary research projects. "This new Gladstone-UCSF center promises to truly advance the field of neurological disease research," says Nick Simon, director of the Simon Family Trust who is also a trustee of Gladstone Institutes. "My family and I hope that our contribution will help the incredible team of scientists uncover some of the mysteries behind this very complicated collection of diseases and make a major impact on future treatments, which represent one of the most significant unmet clinical needs at this point in time." In addition to Akassoglou, key members of the Gladstone-UCSF Center for Neurovascular Brain Immunology include researchers Scott Zamvil, Jorge Palop, Bruce Miller, Lennart Mucke, and Michelle Arkin, as well as junior investigators and physician-scientists Jae Kyu Ryu, Mark Petersen, and Fanny Elahi. Research in the center is further leveraged by several national and international collaborations, including a long-standing collaboration with Mark Ellisman at the National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research at UC San Diego. Additional members and partnerships will be added as the center develops. "The intersection of the brain, immune, and vascular systems represents a new frontier in biomedical research," says Akassoglou. "I'm very excited by the opportunities for new discoveries created by this new center, which can fundamentally change the way we think about neurological diseases and the development of new therapies." About Gladstone Institutes To ensure our work does the greatest good, Gladstone Institutes focuses on conditions with profound medical, economic, and social impactunsolved diseases. Gladstone is an independent, nonprofit life science research organization that uses visionary science and technology to overcome disease. It has an academic affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco. Media Contact: Julie Langelier | Assistant Director, Communications | [email protected] | 415.734.5000 1650 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA 94158 | gladstone.org | @GladstoneInst SOURCE Gladstone Institutes Related Links https://gladstone.org As the pandemic drags on this winter, much of the city that never sleeps is taking an extended snooze. This is especially true for restaurants, several of which are going into hibernation mode instead of braving the financially risky and uncomfortable conditions of outdoor service. Although Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos recent decision to bring back indoor service at 25 percent capacity on Feb. 14 gives the restaurant scene a glimmer of hope, some owners remain unsure about exactly how or when they will reopen. So for now, they hibernate. I feel like were farmers before the Industrial Revolution, said Enrique Lerma, the owner of Alison, in East Harlem. We harvest, hibernate, repeat to come back next season way stronger. After working 14-plus-hour days, seven days a week for years, Mr. Lerma closed his restaurant on Dec. 20 and hopes to reopen in the spring. He is taking the time to re-envision the menu, fix kitchen tiles and do what he can to support employees who are ineligible for government benefits. He is burning through savings, he said. Along with Mr. Lerma, several other restaurateurs are taking a time out during the dreariest months of the year to rest and rethink what dining in the city will look like on the other side of the coronavirus. Here are the hibernation plans of five restaurants. 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 father has been hailed a hero after he jumped off a bridge and walked across razor-sharp oyster beds to save a three-year-old girl from drowning. Father-of-two Scott Windon was enjoying a day out with his family at Birchgrove, in Sydney's inner-west, on January 23 when toddler Mia Bullimore tumbled off a three metre ledge into water below. Without hesitation, Mr Windon lowered himself onto the nearby rocks littered with sharp rock oysters at Mort Bay Park to save the unknown toddler. The 'hero dad' managed to scoop up the Mia before she completely submerged under the water. Scott Windon (pictured middle) has been labelled a hero after saving the life of a three-year-old girl in Sydney Mia Bullimore (pictured above) fell off a three metre ledge into water below, much to the horror of those at the scene Mr Windon placed the youngster under his left arm and walked over more rock-oysters, before swimming 70 metres to the nearest exit point. The father-of-two handed the little girl into the waiting arms of her relieved parents, Ian and Phoebe Bullimore. Mia only sustained a minor bump from the ordeal thanks to Mr Windon's bravery - but it was a different story for the hero of the hour. The account manager at IT firm Red Education sustained three deep cuts to both his feet, cuts as well as lacerations to his lower legs, knees, thighs and the palm of both hands. An ambulance was called and Mr Windon was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He underwent surgery to clean his wounds, with nurses applying dozens of stitches to the soles of both his feet. Mr Windon was praised for his selfless actions by local police. 'This incident could have easily led to yet another tragic drowning death of a child, if it were not for the quick thinking, selfless, heroic actions of Mr Scott Windon,' a police statement read. 'His actions have not only saved little Mia's life but has spared the horror and heartache for her family, her friends, and numerous first responders that would have had to attend to the tragic drowning of a little child.' Scott Windon required surgery after his heroic deed at Birchgrove's Mort Bay Park, in Sydney's inner west. His injuries are pictured After saving the girl from drowning, Scott Windon was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for surgery Recent drowning figures in Australia have been on the rise, with 55 people losing their lives so far this summer. The figure was 43 across the nation 12 months ago. Liam Krige, the general manager at Life Saving Victoria, has linked the staggering amount of drowning deaths to dwindling fitness as well as a blase attitude to the dangers. 'The sad reality is that people think it's not going to happen to them, or that they don't need to worry about it,' he said. 'We knew people were going to be less fit during the coronavirus lockdown, and it's exactly why we've, alongside other emergency services, have scaled up.' In Victoria, seven people have drowned in the last two weeks alone. The news is just as grim in NSW and Queensland, with a spate of recent drowning deaths. Mort Bay Park in Birchgrove (pictured above) is a popular place for families in Sydney On January 4, Sachet Bimali, 23, was swept away in the Royal National Park in Sydney's south after plunging into a lagoon from a rock ledge. Days later, an international student, 24, and a policewoman also drowned in the NSW Blue Mountains, with witnesses reporting the heroic officer was trying to save the student from a whirlpool. The bodies of Senior Constable Kelly Foster, 39, and the younger woman were recovered a day after they went missing at Wollangambe Canyon. Further north in the Sunshine State, two men recently drowned while trying to save their children from a dangerous current in Teewah Beach, north of Noosa on the Sunshine Coast. Keen surfer Luddy Reynolds, 20, slipped and fell while crossing the Mary River, near Gympie, north of Brisbane on New Years Eve. Sorry! This content is not available in your region TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrains Labour Fund Tamkeen will support restaurants and cafes affected by the pandemic for a month, starting February. The decision is as directed by the Coordinating Committee headed by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Tamkeen as part of Business Continuity Support programme will support affected enterprises for one month to cover their operating expenses. The support will be for restaurants and cafes registered in the first phase of the programme. Tamkeen CEO Dr Ebrahim Mohammed Janahi would communicate with restaurants and cafes to confirm the request and decide on disbursing dues as soon as possible. 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. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 The home of Emmett Till, the Black teenager whose 1955 lynching galvanized the civil rights movement when his mother insisted his mutilated body be displayed in an open casket, has been granted landmark status. Chicago City Council on Wednesday issued an ordinance that protects the South Side home from demolition. Emmett and his mother were living in the home in summer 1955 when the 14-year-old boy left to visit family in Mississippi. On Aug. 28, 1955, white men stormed into his uncles home and snatched Emmett from his bed, accusing him of whistling at a white woman at a grocery store. His body was found three days later. His body was returned to Chicago and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, insisted that it be placed in an open casket and photographed by Jet magazine to show the world what racism looked like. The photographs inspired those who took part in the civil rights movement, reportedly including a young woman named Rosa Parks, who three months later was arrested for violating Alabamas segregation laws by refusing to move to the back of a Montgomery bus. In a magazine interview years later, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said Parks considered moving to the back of the bus. But then she thought about Emmett Till and she couldnt do it, he said. Emmetts alleged attackers were acquitted in his death, despite damning eyewitness testimony. A short time later, Look magazine published a story in which the men confessed to the crime. The landmark designation comes 15 years after Chicago gave landmark status to the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ building, where the boys visitation and funeral were held. Drivers with less education and lower-ranking jobs could wind up paying more for auto insurance, magnifying the impact of systemic racism, according to a Consumer Reports analysis. The consumer-advocacy group sought price quotes from several insurance companies for a hypothetical person, varying only the individuals education or occupation. The analysis, released Thursday, found that Progressive Corp. and Berkshire Hathaway Inc.s Geico quoted higher premiums for customers with lower-ranking jobs, while those companies as well as Liberty Mutual gave higher quotes for customers with less education. Some insurers, including Allstate Corp. and Travelers Cos., didnt ask for occupation or education level. The auto insurance industry has traditionally relied on many factors to determine who are the safest risks, but the use of education and job status has come under scrutiny in recent years. Some states, including New York, have instituted new regulations around the practice. California prohibited the use of gender in auto ratings. Consumer Reports said state regulators should ban the use of all non-driving factors in setting premiums. They stack up and then, obviously, what ends up happening is that altogether wealthier drivers are likely to have access to auto insurance at better rates than low-income drivers, Kaveh Waddell, deputy editor for Consumer Reports digital lab, said in a phone interview. Many Factors Liberty Mutual looks at dozens of factors that are allowed by state regulators when determining a customers risk, the company said in an emailed statement, adding that its committed to offering fair and competitively priced car insurance. A Progressive spokesperson declined to immediately comment while a representative for Geico didnt immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Occupation and education are just two of many non-driving variables that have been proven to improve the accuracy of pricing for several carriers, which leads to more affordable prices and greater availability in the broader insurance market, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association said in an emailed statement. Consumer Reports analyzed more than 800 policy price quotes from nine insurers, using 21 zip codes in six different states and Washington D.C. The investigation didnt involve the entire application process, meaning Consumer Reports received initial quotes but wasnt able to see how those factors affected the final price. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Auto Talent Ever since Ford started churning out pre-production prototypes of the delayed 2021 Bronco, the spotting game has become a real-life roller coaster. It seems as if the U.S. automaker has decided to compensate the patience of reservation holders with teasing sights of just about every iteration of the 2-Door and 4-Door rock crawling SUVs.We have seen many incarnations, from a very blue First Edition to the odd fastback soft top Bronco (both in 2-Door and 4-Door guise), and from accessory-laden units to the mighty Warthog. Unfortunately, we've even seen some Broncos that caught fire on a trailer that was ironically named Reliable Carriers.What we havent seen until now is a Bronco sitting idle in a parking lot next to a brand-new Mustang Mach 1. With both Ford models scheduled to arrive later in the year at dealerships, its easy to understand the enthusiasm of the folks behind the Detroit Drivers channel on YouTube.They were also incredibly lucky (the entire spotting action takes place between the 0:30 and 2:05 marks) to find an interesting mix of configurations.The 2021 Bronco is nothing surprising, as were dealing with a subtle 2-Door Black Diamond example dressed up in Cactus Gray. Its the third grade down the line, starting at exactly $36,050, with the spotted light hue coming as a free of charge option.On the other hand, sitting right next to it is a 2021 Mustang Mach 1. Ideally, a Bronco and a Mach 1 together make up a Blue Oval fans dream garage, but this Mustang was actually in European configuration . Even more so, it was a right-hand drive example, so we can easily imagine it was a pre-production prototype for the UK market.By the way, the automotive enthusiasts from Detroit Drivers moved on with their business after raving about the Bronco and Mach 1. They subsequently went on their merry way to visit the Henry Ford museum and then found something else to fall in love with: an older yet untarnished Jeep Cherokee XJ. Somehow, we really think this find was also quite fitting... Help India! TCN News New Delhi: During a virtual discussion programme hosted by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), several intellectuals, academicians, legal experts, journalists and activists across the country urged for making India free from the atmosphere of fear and hatred. Support TwoCircles Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) hosted a virtual discussion programme on Making India free from fear and hatred in which JIH Vice President Engineer Mohammad Saleem and JIH national secretary Malik Motasim Khan spoke, apart from other eminent speakers. Inaugurating the online programme, Laeeq Ahmed Khan Aqil, JIH Asst. Secretary gave a brief light on the topic. He said, Now, we are witnessing criminal silence of the government on rising hatred, communal violence, target killings, polarization, growing casteism. The violence is being systematically glorified and the states are making laws which have no basis. From dress to food, the minority communities are being seen as seditious while the majority community is getting hugely radicalized. In this grave situation it is our primary duty to save our country to uphold the integrity of the people and to march forward for peace and prosperity. Speaking on the topic, Prof. Afroz Alam, HoD of political science at MANUU, Hyderabad, said that a large population is being deprived from taking part in the nation building through the atmosphere of fear and hatred. He expressed serious concerns over the polarized society and over stereotyping certain communities and groups including Muslims in bad light in the country. He said, there is a conscious attempt and design to portrait a group of people in such a light that they shall be permanently excluded and remain at the margin and should not claim themselves as citizens. He said that it was a very grim situation where a large number of people were forced to live in constant fear and trauma. This is, he said, not good for the country and its development and called the civil society for building a consciousness among the citizens to overcome the issue. Addressing the programme, activist and writer Bhanwar Meghwanshi stated that definitely, there was an atmosphere of fear in the country and all the communities including the majority and the minority were living in fear. Commenting on the attitude of the present government, he said, On the one side, the government is making laws like CAA, farmers, labour and love jihad related acts which are against the countrys citizens and on the other, it is using the laws like seditions, UAPA and NSA against its citizens. It seems that the government has launched a battle against its own citizens. He emphasized that all people of the country should fight together for ending this atmosphere. On this occasion, former IAS officer and activist S. Sasikanth Senthil stated that it was not just communal or religious politics, it was fascism. He said, Thats why the media is under the control and working as a propaganda channel. Fear of silence is being created around the society. Many political parties are taking the Soft Hindutva, which is a very wrong move. We need to understand the ramifications of prevailing hatred and fear. Treating fascist forces simply as communal organisations will not help because they would pick up any kind of hatred, as they are using just emotions to stay in power. They are not the safeguards for Hinduism but they are just using those weapons for maintaining power. But, he hoped, that the country would not succumb to these forces easily because India is a great plural society and it is a good sign that people have started pushing back. Mr. Sasikanth advised everybody to speak out unitedly as humans not only through language but through arts, culture, music, painting and all forms of expressions to fight against such fascist tendencies. If fear of silence remains, then the country will go much deeper into crisis, he warned. Advocate Arvind Narrain, founder member of the Alternative Law Forum, Bangalore emphasized that we should speak up if we want freedom from hatred and fear and start a campaign against hate-speech by filing complaints on different levels. Invoke the constitutional values, the deeper spiritual traditions, and the history of human rights activism of the country are the ways to freedom from hatred, he added. Concluding the discussion, Malik Motasim Khan, JIH national Secretary said that an atmosphere of peace and security is essential in the building of any country. He said, The development process is stalled in the atmosphere of fear and hate. All the people of the country have to overcome it together. Some people have created hatred and violence through which they want to achieve some of their goals. These hatreds are aroused in the society by disseminating the wrong history, propaganda, and by rousing fear of minorities, especially Muslims, among the majority. This has divided our society in such a way that if anyone gets hurt then the other remains silent. The Unnao incident was painful, but some sections remained absolute mum on it. Similarly, whenever the matter of lynching comes, these sections remain silent. This indicates that the prevailing atmosphere has divided our society in such a way that the feelings of compassion and human values vanished from the hearts. It can be overcome by playing a wise and positive role and especially by initiating mutual dialogue and mutual misunderstandings. Advising the people, he said, we do not need to be intimidated or infuriated by the hateful situations, rather, we need to be engaged in constructive activities with positive thinking and these activities should be carried out in all walks of life. The states two largest non-profit organizations serving the needs of Connecticuts hungry are joining forces. The merger of Bloomfield-based Foodshare and Connecticut Food Bank, headquartered in Wallingford, will take effect on Saturday. Boards of directors for each organization voted to approve the move on Wednesday. The merger was completed about seven weeks after officials with both organizations acknowledged that such a move was being considered. By combining into a single organization, the new entity will have annual budget of approximately $110 million, 115 paid employees, and more than 8,000 volunteers annually. Officials for the two organizations said the merger will not result in any layoffs. Jason Jakubowski will become president and chief executive officer for the combined organization. Jakubowski currently serves in a similar role with Foodshare. There may be some positions that are currently empty that will not be filled, he said. But the need is not going away. Jakubowski traced the merger to a point last year after Valarie Shultz-Wilson left her job in February 2020 as chief executive officer of the Connecticut Food Bank after just eight months. It was after the position had gone unfilled for a few months that directors of the two organizations began informal discussions about combining into one, he said. Its really a lot like dating, Jakubowski said. At first, there is a mutual attraction and after a while it starts to get serious. And until the board votes actually occurred, there were times I wasnt sure it was going to be a done deal. Wes Higgins, a past Connecticut Food Bank board chair who will head the board of directors of the new entity, called the merger historic. Now we will be able to address hunger with a united voice, a fully coordinated distribution model, and an integrated set of programs made available across the entire state, Higgins said. Beth Henry, Foodshares board chairwoman, said by pooling the resources of the two organization, we can also utilize our combined donations to provide more efficient programs, better support our member agencies, assist seniors and children in need. Henry is one of 23 people on the board of the new organization. The food banks will continue to operate out of their Wallingford, Bloomfield, and Bridgeport facilities, and will continue to use their existing trade names until a new name is chosen in the coming weeks. Both food banks are currently members of Feeding America the leading national anti-hunger organization. Representatives of local food banks served by the two organizations said the merger will be beneficial in helping feed the states hungry. With their combined purchasing power, theyll be able to do more with the resource they have, said Kerry Walsh, executive director of the Cheshire Community Food Pantry. Another benefit, Walsh said, is that merger will enable local food pantries to pick up their regular food allotment at more locations. Even with the merger, there will still be two food banks in Connecticut. An Illinois-based nonprofit is poised to become Connecticuts newest food bank. Midwest Food Bank officials said in December they are looking for a location in the Hartford area for a facility that would provide food for the needy in Connecticut and other New England states. Midwest Food Bank has 10 locations in seven states around the country, with the nearest to Connecticut located outside Harrisburg, Pa. Jakubowski said he doesnt view the new organization as competition. My general philosophy is anyone who wants to help solve hunger is a friend and colleague of ours, he said. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.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. ROCHESTER, Minn. - Pediatric doctors are answering questions some parents have about their children getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine is approved for people over the age of 16 and the Moderna vaccine is approved for people over the age of 18. The reason kids any younger than that aren't eligible to receive the vaccine yet, is a simple one. Both of these companies haven't been able to complete clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines in that age group and until a vaccine is proven to be safe and effective for them, it won't be approved. Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse at Mayo Clinic explained with trials well underway for adults, the next step is testing it in more vulnerable populations, like children and pregnant women. "In this situation, given the pandemic and the emergency nature, they are quite rapidly including other groups in the trials." she said. "So that we can get the vaccine out to as many people as possible to help end the pandemic." Based on the ages currently enrolled in the trials, it's possible the approval for use in children older than 12 will come first before the approval for younger kids. "We have no real reason to think that the results will be significantly different than what we have seen in adults," explained Dr. Rajapakse. "But obviously, children are a unique population. So that's why we need to ensure that they're studied in pediatric age group. We need to demonstrate and prove that they are in fact safe and effective." Until that happens, it's important adults get vaccinated when they're able to, especially if they're around children. Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, has been recognized by the Top Employers Institute as a Top Employer 2021, across Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and North America in recognition of its excellence in employment practices. Infosys has been recognized with the Top Employer Global certification across the following regions: North America USA, Canada, Mexico Asia Pacific India, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Japan Middle East UAE, Bahrain & Oman Europe Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, France, Ireland and the United Kingdom Pravin Rao, Chief Operating Officer at Infosys, said, This years certification reinforces our dedication to supporting our people, especially in these unprecedented times. It is important to acknowledge the contribution and excellence that comes from investing in our workforce, and nurturing a workplace that champions fairness, integrity, transparency and drives leadership by example. Through our progressive people first policies and practices, we are working to consistently improve employee value. Infosys is continually creating employee experiences with empathy, that can help an individual reach their potential and deliver at the highest level. The Top Employers certification is also a recognition of Infosys Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) vision to facilitate best-in-class employee experience and to be recognized among the best employers in the regions that Infosys operates. David Plink, Chief Executive Officer at Top Employers Institute, said, Despite the challenging year we have experienced (which has certainly made an impact on organisations around the globe), our global Top Employers have continued to demonstrate the power of putting their people first in the workplace. As a global Top Employer, Infosys has shown their dedication to their employees on an international level across numerous countries and we congratulate them for their global certification. The Top Employers Institute has certified almost 1700 organizations in 120 countries/regions. These certified Top Employers positively impact the lives of over 7 million employees globally. About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With nearly four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, financial expectations and plans for navigating the COVID-19 impact on our employees, clients and stakeholders are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding COVID-19 and the effects of government and other measures seeking to contain its spread, risks related to an economic downturn or recession in India, the United States and other countries around the world, changes in political, business, and economic conditions, fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry and the outcome of pending litigation and government investigation. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. Media contacts: For further information, please contact: PR_Global@infosys.com BERLIN - The European Union's regulator authorized the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for use in the 27-country bloc on Friday, expanding its tools to fight the pandemic, even as it continued to feud with the British-Swedish company over a shortage in supply. The vaccine developed jointly by Oxford University and AstraZeneca is cheaper and easier to distribute than the other leading offerings, and so it has been eagerly awaited in countries around world. But inconsistent dosing in its clinical trials has muddied assessment of its effectiveness. And some governments have raised concern about a lack of data on the efficacy in people 65 and over, who represented only 6 percent of trial participants, though they account for majority of coronavirus deaths and are high on most countries' vaccination priority lists. The United States is waiting for further trial data before authorization. Germany announced on Thursday that it would recommend the vaccine only for adults under 65. And just hours before the European regulator gave its judgment, French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters in Paris that it was "quasi-ineffective" among older people. The European Medicines Agency, though, approved the vaccine for everyone 18 and older, saying that while it is not yet known how well the vaccine will work for older people, "protection is expected, given that an immune response is seen in this age group and based on experience with other vaccines." Britain and India have also authorized it for all adults. "This has been a difficult year for many and it's caused a lot of hardship, not just in Europe, but across the globe," said Emer Cooke, executive director of the E.U.'s regulatory agency. "But let's not forget that this year has seen progress at an unprecedented scale and speed in scientific terms." The regulatory decision came amid a furious fight between the E.U. and AstraZeneca, which has said its vaccine deliveries to the E.U. would fall short by as much as 60 percent this quarter, after problems at a manufacturing site in Belgium. At the same time, the company has been delivering large vaccine shipments to Britain. The E.U. has threatened legal action, accusing AstraZeneca of using E.U. funds to make vaccine doses and then failing to live up to its contract. The company - which has said it will provide its vaccine during the pandemic without turning a profit - maintains it has met its contractual obligation of making a "reasonable best effort." Making vaccines is "extremely complicated," said AstraZeneca's chief executive Pascal Soriot, not like making orange juice. On Saturday, in a significant escalation, the E.U. will introduce a requirement that coronavirus vaccines manufactured on its territory will need approval before export. The measure will remain in place until the end of March. Vaccines being sent to lower- and middle-income countries will be exempt, top E.U. officials said. But doses being sent to Britain - the heart of the dispute with AstraZeneca - will be subject to the controls, which amount to an export ban if E.U. countries choose to decline permissions to send them out of the bloc. "The challenges we now face leaves us with no other choice but to act," said European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis. "We paid these companies to increase production, and now we expect them to deliver." European governments are under pressure as they face a surging coronavirus cases, increasingly driven by the more contagious strain of the virus first identified in Britain, while they also nervously eye a South African variant that looks as though it could be less responsive to some vaccines. The E.U. had sought to hedge its bets by preordering multiple vaccines - some say, not enough. It has authorized two others at this point, by Pfizer-BioNTech and by Moderna. But limited supply has meant that, while strict lockdown orders remain in effect in many countries, inoculation campaigns have ground to a halt in certain regions. Less than 2 percent of the E.U.'s 450 million inhabitants has received a shot - and many in that group have only gotten the first of two doses. European regulators said Friday that the AstraZeneca approval process had been challenging - they had to navigate around gaps in the data and mistakes in dosing - but that authorities would have come under fire if they withheld a vaccine from the most vulnerable despite there being no safety concerns and indications that it gives at least some protection. "We'd be criticized either way," said Bruno Sepodes, vice-chair of EMA's Human Medicines Committee, said of the dilemma facing the regulator. The regulator judged the vaccine to be 60 percent effective, ignoring trial participants who were given the wrong dosing during trials and appeared to have been better protected because approval was for the standard dose. By constrast, Germany's vaccination committee said AstraZeneca's data was simply not extensive enough. According to its breakdown of the trial data, one person among the 341 people over 65 that received the AstraZeneca vaccination was infected, compared to one infection in the control group. "No statement can be made about the efficacy and safety for older people," it said. AstraZeneca has said the immune response observed among that age group has still been equal to younger trial participants, pointing to strong protection. While there is more limited data in the elderly it "doesn't mean that translates into a lack of protection," said Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccines Group who has been leading clinical trials. "It's perhaps a misunderstanding," he said of Macron's assessment during an evening news conference. "Having less evidence doesn't mean that there's a negative there." The E.U.'s contract with AstraZeneca is for 300 million doses, with the option for 100 million more. The vaccine was expected to make up the bulk of E.U. supplies in the first quarter for the year. The bloc has purchased 160 million doses of Moderna, enough to vaccinate 80 million people. Brussels has also recently boosted its initial order with Pfizer and BioNTech to allow it to buy up to 600 million doses. In a news conference Friday, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said Germany is facing "a few hard weeks" of vaccine shortages. Given the restrictions on its use in Germany, Berlin has said that it will use the 3 million doses of AstraZeneca it expects to get next month to inoculate younger people within high priority groups, such as medical workers. "We are living in and with the biggest crisis since World War II," he said, but added a note of optimism. "What I think is important to see," said Spahn, is "the way out of the pandemic of the century has begun." - - - Birnbaum reported from Riga, Latvia. The Washington Post's Quentin Aries in Brussels and Luisa Beck in Berlin contributed to this report. The group said it traded well ahead of budget in the final two months of the year and as a result, it said profits for 2020 are expected to be well ahead of current market expectations ( ), the freight management firm, has said it expects to deliver profits for the year just ended that are significantly ahead of market expectations. Following higher than anticipated demand for its services in the UK and Europe during November and throughout December, the group now expects to report adjusted profit before tax of about 7.2mln for 2020, up 40% on 2019s 5.15mln. The group said it traded well ahead of budget in the final two months of the year with strong performances from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, particularly Lithuania. The group saw positive contributions from Import Services, which benefited from high volumes amongst its customers in the toy sector, and an uplift in activity ahead of Brexit in UK freight forwarding. There was also some improvement in those areas of the business most affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as road traffic volumes increased, boosting demand for the groups fuel and toll card offerings. Similarly, the group's pallet distribution network in Romania under the Pall-Ex brand is performing strongly again up above pre-coronavirus levels. Having enjoyed a Brexit boost at the end of the year, transport volumes have been dampened in the current month by administrative changes caused by Britains exit from the European Union but even this presents an opportunity for Xpediator. In essence, there has been an increase in administration and it is taking time for businesses and customs officials to adjust. For Xpediator, as anticipated this is an opportunity to increase administrative support to our clients to enable them to manage the new environment which in time will settle down, the company added in a trading statement. We have focused hard on our core services and by doing so attracted more customers, then combined this with delivering a consistently good customer service. We still have some way to go to reach our potential but it has been a good start, said Robert Ross, the chief executive officer of Xpediator in the statement. 2021 has begun well across the group during which we expect to benefit from the permanent 0.5mln of cost reductions made in 2020, the first full year of revenues from the Nidd Transport acquired in October and the ongoing uplift in demand for our services across the group, he added. Advertisement A new model predicts that 161,000 more Americans will die of coronavirus over the next four months and that the new variants could alter the course of the pandemic. Forecasts published on Thursday by the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) project that there will be a total of 594,623 COVID-19 deaths by May 1 - an increase of 26,000 from last week's predictions. However, with the more highly contagious variants from the UK, South Africa and Brazil all having made their way to the U.S. - and mobility returning to pre-pandemic levels - the nation could see up to 620,108 fatalities by May 1. In an absolute worst-case scenario, if vaccines and other mitigation measure are not enough to contain the spread, then America could see the death toll rise to 653,671 over the next 14 weeks. Keeping mobility low and maintaining social distancing could reduce the death toll figure by approximately 30,000 to 563,484 fatalities. It comes as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that going forward, every case should be treated like it's a variant. New models from the University of Washington's IHME predict that a total of 594,623 COVID-19 deaths will occur by May 1, an increase of 26,000 from last week's predictions In an absolute worst-case scenario, IHME predicts there will be a total of 653,671 coronavirus deaths over the next 14 weeks (left) But keeping mobility low and maintaining social distancing could reduce the death toll figure by approximately 30,000 to 563,484 fatalities (right) IHME also projects that a resurgence of the virus in the spring in some states could lead to a spike of fatalities in some states, including California and Florida, rather than a continued decline. The model predicts that a total of 75,609 COVID-19 deaths could occur in California by May 1 and a total of 37,826 deaths in Florida. 'What we're seeing is sobering and will require us to continue taking this pandemic very seriously,' said Dr Christopher Murray, director of the IHME and professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington, in a statement. 'Getting vaccines out quickly is essential, and masks are still one of the best tools we have to keep transmission low and avoid the worst possible outcome. People will need to continue taking precautions even once they are vaccinated, because of the potential for more contagious variants to spread.' Several vaccine makers have been testing their immunization against both the South African variant, called B.1.351, and the UK variant, called B.1.1.7. Both Moderna and Pfizer found that their vaccines are effective against both variants. However, shots made by Novavax and Johnson & Johnson have seemed to struggle, particularly against B.1.351. IHME also projects a resurgence of the virus in the spring in some states could lead to a total of 75,609 COVID-19 deaths could occur in California by May 1 and a total of 37,826 deaths in Florida IHME says herd immunity will likely not be factor in slowing transmission of the virus over the coming months due to vaccine hesitancy. Even more frightening, these projections predict that only 38 percent of the U.S. population will be immune by May 1. 'Governments and the public need to plan for the real prospect that COVID-19 must be managed on an ongoing basis,' Murray said. 'It's critical to vaccinate as many people as possible and to prepare for long-term behavior change. It's likely that wearing masks and taking other measures to prevent transmission, especially in the winter months, will become an ongoing part of our lives.' The grim predictions as the new director of the CDC says doctors and public health officials should be approaching each new case of the coronavirus as if it is one of more infectious mutations. 'I do believe we should be treating every case as it if it's a variant during this pandemic right now,' Dr Rochelle Walensky said during a White House coronavirus briefing on Friday. CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky that every case of coronavirus in the U.S. should be treated like it is one of the variants. Pictured: Walensky on GMA on Friday Her recommendations came after two cases of the variant that originated in South Africa were detected in South Carolina in two unrelated people with not travel history. .There is concern that if the variant continues to spread, it could become the dominant strain in the U.S Walensky said contact tracing efforts in the U.S. are not yet able to mitigate and contain the potential breakout of new mutations. At the same briefing, Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's; top infectious disease expert, said the the emergence of coronavirus mutations means vaccine makers must be ready to tweak their shots. 'This is a wake-up call to all of us,' he said. ''The virus will continue to mutate and will mutate to its own advantage...If a virus can't spread, it can't mutate.' There is also great fear the mutations will undo all the progress that has been made against the pandemic, particualrly as cases across the United States continue to plummet. On Friday, a total of 164,665 new infections were reported, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, which much lower than the 274,703 infections that were recorded just three weeks ago Although the Friday total is higher than the totals over the last few days, the figure is closer to what was seen in mid-November before the post-holiday surges. What's more, the seven-day rolling average of new cases currently sits at 158,739, a 30 percent decline from the average three weeks weeks earlier, a DailyMail.com analysis shows. Forty-four states are seeing a decline in cases, Johns Hopkins data reveals, with just Alabama, Connecticut, Louisiana, Nebraska, Rhode Island and Washington on the upswing. PRINCETON, N.J., Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sandoz, a global leader in generic and biosimilar medicines, today announced the US launch of generic Icatibant injection pre-filled syringe to treat acute attacks of rare disease hereditary angioedema (HAE) in adults 18 years and older.1 It is available immediately for US patients. Sandoz has signed a US commercialization deal with Slayback Pharma, a company focused on producing complex generic and specialty pharmaceutical products, for this medicine, which is a generic equivalent to Takeda's Firazyr* (icatibant injection). "We are eager to see the positive effects of making generic Icatibant available immediately to people living with this painful and disabling rare disease," said Keren Haruvi, President, Sandoz Inc. "This collaboration aligns with our goal to build our injectables portfolio and provide US patients access to affordable generic medicines that work the same as brand-name products." Hereditary angioedema is a rare disease characterized by recurrent episodes of severe swelling of the skin and mucous membranes. Swelling of the airways and throat can be extremely dangerous and potentially lead to death. Patients can also suffer nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.2 "With our strong developmental capabilities and Sandoz's industry-leading commercialization of its extensive portfolio of generic medicines, we couldn't be more excited to collaborate with Sandoz and help people living with hereditary angioedema," said Ted Smolenski, Vice President of Business Development at Slayback Pharma. Slayback Pharma is a pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of complex generic and specialty pharmaceutical products, with a team of 90 employees and operations in the US and India. Slayback has a proven track record of numerous sole first-to-file ANDAs, 505(b)(2)s and complex generic filings, approvals and commercial launches. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION CONTRAINDICATIONS None. WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Laryngeal attacks: Following treatment of laryngeal attacks with icatibant injection, advise patients to seek immediate medical attention. ADVERSE REACTIONS The most commonly reported adverse reactions were injection site reactions, which occurred in almost all patients (97%) in clinical trials. Other common adverse reactions occurring in greater than 1% of patients included pyrexia, transaminase increase, dizziness, and rash. DRUG INTERACTIONS Icatibant injection is a bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist and thereby has the potential to have a pharmacodynamic interaction with ACE inhibitors where icatibant injection may attenuate the antihypertensive effect of ACE inhibitors. USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS Elderly patients demonstrate increased systemic exposure to icatibant. Differences in efficacy and safety between elderly and younger patients have not been identified. Please see full Prescribing Information for additional safety information. INDICATION Icatibant injection is a bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist indicated for the treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in adults 18 years of age and older. Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "may," "could," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Neither can there be any guarantee that, if approved, such generic or biosimilar products will be approved for all indications included in the reference product's label. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; competition in general, including potential approval of additional generic or biosimilar versions of such products; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; litigation outcomes, including intellectual property disputes or other legal efforts to prevent or limit Sandoz from selling its products; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases such as COVID-19; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About Sandoz Sandoz, a Novartis division, is a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars. Our purpose is to pioneer access for patients by developing and commercializing novel, affordable approaches that address unmet medical need. Our ambition is to be the world's leading and most valued generics company. Our broad portfolio of high-quality medicines, covering all major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2019 sales of USD 9.7 billion. Sandoz on social media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sandoz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sandoz_global Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandozglobal/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandozglobal CEO Richard Saynor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-saynor/ * Firazyr is a registered trademark of Shire Orphan Therapies GmbH, a Takeda Company. References Icatibant Injection. Prescribing Information. Available at: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=e6b8fc16-10be-47a5-aa6e-23cef687a421&audience=consumer. Accessed November 18, 2020 . National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Hereditary Angioedema. Available at: https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/5979/hereditary-angioedema . Accessed October 29, 2020 . National Organization for Rare Diseases. Hereditary Angioedema. Available at: https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/hereditary-angioedema/ . Accessed October 29, 2020 . SOURCE Sandoz Related Links http://www.sandoz.com China is expected to see the size of its private consumption more than double in the next decade, with the share of services slated to outgrow goods, according to a research report from Morgan Stanley. The country's private consumption is likely to reach 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars by 2030, making China a global consumption powerhouse and matching the size of the current U.S. market, the investment bank forecast. A key shift in China's consumption structure over the next 10 years is that consumption of services will overtake that of goods, with the share of services in consumption reaching 52 percent by 2030, the report noted. The expansion of the country's consumption market will come along with fundamental changes in the domestic consumption landscape. The purchasing power of Chinese consumers is expected to further grow in the next 10 years as disposable income per capita is projected to double by 2030, according to the report. Demographic changes, an important factor impacting consumer behavior will also occur in the 10-year span. The focus of China's consumption demand will shift from the current needs of young consumers to household and retirement services, as people aged between 35-44 and over 55 are expected to dominate the country's purchasing power, according to the bank's calculations. Meanwhile, continuous government support will contribute to unleashing the country's consumption potential, the report noted. Chinese policymakers on many occasions underscored enhancing domestic consumption as part of its efforts to promoting the "dual circulation" development paradigm. Efforts should be made on leveraging the role of consumption in boosting economic development, fostering new consumption models and widening market access in the services consumption sector, according to the country's proposals for the 14th Five-Year Plan. The report also highlighted other factors in promoting a consumption boom in China, such as the wide adoption of digital technologies, which will improve consumption efficiency, and Chinese families' traditional values of providing strong financial support. HOUSTON, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Howard Hughes Corporation (NYSE: HHC) announced today the appointment of Anthony A. Williams to its Board of Directors, effective February 1, 2021. Mr. Williams is the Chief Executive Officer of Federal City Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of civic life in the nation's capital. He previously served two terms as the mayor of Washington, D.C. from 1999 to 2007, and is credited with leading the city's revitalization, restoring its finances and dramatically improving city services. As the independent Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia from 1995 to 1998, he worked with local officials, the D.C. Financial Control Board, and the U.S. Congress. He has held various positions in federal, state, and local government including serving as the first CFO for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a position to which he was appointed by President Bill Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. A senior consultant on issues of municipal restructuring, Mr. Williams has served as the William H. Bloomberg Lecturer in Public Management at the Harvard Kennedy School. "Tony is a remarkable leader who will bring critically important perspectives about the future of cities to our board," said William Ackman, Chairman of the Board of The Howard Hughes Corporation. "We are delighted to welcome him to Howard Hughes." "As we work to accelerate growth and execute on large-scale, mixed-use projects designed as catalysts for urban transformation and community development, Tony's expertise and leadership experience will be a valuable asset to our company," said David R. O'Reilly, CEO of The Howard Hughes Corporation. Mr. Williams holds a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School, a Master's degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale College, as well as a number of honorary degrees and awards, including the 2020 ULI Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and former President of the National League of Cities. In addition to his work on company boards, Tony devotes his attention to issues of education and the environment, serving on the board of the Urban Institute and the National Geographic Society. About The Howard Hughes Corporation The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Its award-winning assets include the country's preeminent portfolio of master planned cities and communities, as well as operating properties and development opportunities including: the Seaport District in New York; Columbia, Maryland; The Woodlands, The Woodlands Hills, and Bridgeland in the Greater Houston, Texas area; Summerlin, Las Vegas; and Ward Village in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Howard Hughes Corporation's portfolio is strategically positioned to meet and accelerate development based on market demand, resulting in one of the strongest real estate platforms in the country. Dedicated to innovative placemaking, the company is recognized for its ongoing commitment to design excellence and to the cultural life of its communities. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC. For additional information visit www.howardhughes.com. Contacts: For Media The Howard Hughes Corporation Cristina Carlson, 646-822-6910 Vice President, Corporate Communications & Public Relations [email protected] For HHC Investor Relations David M. Striph, 972-232-2672 Executive Vice President, Head of Operations & Investor Relations [email protected] SOURCE The Howard Hughes Corporation Related Links http://www.howardhughes.com UN Secretary-General has again offered his "good offices" to India and Pakistan to resolve their problems, even though New Delhi has rejected his involvement in bilateral disputes. "Our good offices are always available, and we will insist within it of finding peaceful solutions for problems that have no military solution," he said on Thursday when he was asked by a Pakistani journalist about Kashmir. In an apparent reference to their nuclear arms, he warned: "It is clear, when seeing Pakistan and India, any military confrontation between the two would be a disaster of unmitigated proportions for both countries and for the whole world." Guterres said that "unfortunately" the call he had made in 2019 for resolving the disputes between the South Asian neighbours is "the same that I can say today". "Now, things have not moved in the right direction. I do believe that it is absolutely essential to have a de-escalation of the situation, namely in the Line of Contact (meaning Control). I think it's absolutely essential for the two countries to be able to come together and seriously discuss their problems," the UN chief noted. He added that it was essential for human rights to be "fully respected" in Kashmir. New Delhi has maintained that under the Simla Agreement of 1972 between then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and then President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan, all disputes between the neighbours are bilateral matters that have to be resolved by themselves without external involvement. Islamabad has tried to internationalise the bilateral disputes by calling for mediation or other involvement by others. India has consistently rebuffed offers by outside parties including former US President Donald Trump to mediate. While welcoming the decision by Presidents Joe Biden of the US and Vladimir Putin of Russia to extend the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) on nuclear weapons and delivery systems, Guterres said that "all the countries that have nuclear weapons today" have to be involved in non-proliferation if progress is to be made. Regarding social media, Guterres said that he was worried about the power that a few technology companies wield. "I do not think that we can live in a world where too much power is given to a reduced number of companies," he said. "I'm particularly worried with the power that they already have. I mean, the volume of information that is being gathered about each one of us, the lack of control we have about our own, the data related to ourselves, the fact that that data can be used not only for commercial purposes to sell to advertising companies, but also to change our behaviour," Guterres said. The Secretary-General added that there has to be a serious discussion about the risks from a political point of view of the companies using the trove of data for controlling citizens. Guterres said that he favoured creating a mechanism with "a regulatory framework with rules" to deal with hate speech. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis) --IANS al/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.) As the Camp Fire raged through Northern California in November 2018, Marjorie Taylor Greene, then a vice president of a Georgia construction company and part-time social media conspiracy theorist, took to Facebook to hypothesize that Gov. Jerry Brown started the blaze with space lasers. Several media organizations are combing through old social media posts written by the newly elected Greene, revealing the depths of her conspiracy mongering. Among others, she has endorsed QAnon, Pizzagate, 9/11 trutherism and the idea that the Sandy Hook and Parkland school shootings were staged. California Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez has since introduced a resolution calling for her expulsion from Congress as more has come to light. On Thursday, Media Matters for America reported on a now-deleted Facebook post where Greene detailed her completely unfounded, albeit elaborate, Camp Fire theory. She alleged a connection between Brown, PG&E and Rothschild Inc. (the Rothschild family has been the target of countless unfounded conspiracy theories primarily aimed at vilifying Jewish people as greedy and nefarious), before getting into the meat of her theory. It also must just be a coincidence the fires are burning in the same projected areas that the $77 billion Dollar High Speed Rail Project is to be built, which also happens to be Gov Browns pet project, she wrote. Just one problem: The Camp Fire burned in Butte County, north of both the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento. There were no plans to extend the high-speed rail north of Sacramento. Greene then wrote, there are all these people who have said what looked like lasers or beams of blue light causing the fires, before claiming that space solar generators devices concocted by those hoping to replace coal and oil have the power to collect the suns energy and then beam it back to Earth. No such devices exist yet. While it is true the United States Air Force is working on developing satellites that collect and store solar energy, the first such satellite will not launch until 2024 at the earliest. Greene is ultimately unable to decide whether the fire was started for the high-speed rail project, tanking PG&Es stock price before an inevitable rally or a space laser accident that needed a cover-up. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy who hails from California has been relatively quiet about Greenes unearthed social media posts in recent days. After it was discovered she once advocated for executing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, liked Facebook comments suggesting FBI agents be executed and echoed a QAnon theory about Hillary Clinton cutting off and donning the face of a child, a spokesperson for McCarthy called her social media activity deeply disturbing and said the minority leader plans to have a conversation with Greene. ___ (c)2021 SFGate, San Francisco Visit SFGate, San Francisco at www.sfgate.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine shouldnt be like the Hunger Games. Thats according to Lina Hidalgo, a judge in Harris County, Tx., who made that remark after her county launched an online system for people to sign up to receive the vaccine after a month of confusion. Itll be months before everyone who wants a vaccine will have access to one, according to the Biden administration. But across the country, a scattershot approach largely left in the hands of local officials had predictably led to a confusing and unequal rollout of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. Here in Philadelphia, confusion is high due to a botched vaccine partnership between the city and Philly Fighting COVID, a non-profit turned profit run by a 22-year-old grad student with no medical experience. City Council demands answers, Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Pa.) wants assurances that vaccine distribution will be equitable, and Mayor Jim Kenney has remained largely silent. The situation is so bad, even Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf made it clear to reporters he had no hand in what was going down in the commonwealths largest city, since Philadelphia is distributing the vaccine independently from Pennsylvania. This is one of those cases where I can actually point the finger and say, its not my job, Wolf said Thursday. Thats fine, but Pennsylvania isnt doing much better. As of Friday morning, just 5.4% of the population has received one dose of the vaccine, behind New Jersey (6.3%) and Delaware (7.1%) and among the lowest rates in the country, according to an analysis of CDC data by NPR. Of course, confusion is an excellent breeding ground for fraud, and unscrupulous profiteers have swooped in trying to take advantage of city residents. My colleague Grace Dickinson put together a list of vaccine scams to avoid, but basically if a vaccine offer sounds too good to be true (and requires your credit card number) avoid it. As of Friday morning, about 4.2 million Americans have received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine. Thats somewhere around 2% of the countrys adult population. Experts say we need about 70% to 80% or so to reach herd immunity (according to Anthony Fauci, we may need close to 90% immunity). So at this confusing pace, we might all be able to return to our lives sometime in mid-2020s. Forget GameStop, time to invest in more sweat pants. More cartoons from The Inquirer Heres a roundup of some of my recent coronavirus cartoons. For more editorial cartoons, visit the Inquirers cartoon section. Data at WCLC highlight potential for both antibody drug conjugates as targeted treatments in this setting New research data from Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) and AstraZeneca's datopotamab deruxtecan and ENHERTU (trastuzumab deruxtecan) showed encouraging results from both DXd antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) in patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Updated results from the TROPION-PanTumor01 phase 1 trial showed promising clinical activity for datopotamab deruxtecan, a TROP2 directed DXd ADC, in patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC. Additionally, an interim analysis of the HER2 overexpressing cohort of the DESTINY-Lung01 phase 2 trial showed preliminary evidence of antitumor activity for ENHERTU, a HER2 directed ADC, in patients with metastatic NSCLC. These data were presented today in two oral presentations during the World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women and accounts for about one-fifth of all cancer deaths globally, with 80 to 85% classified as NSCLC.1,2,3 For patients with metastatic disease, prognosis is particularly poor, as only 6 to 10% live beyond five years after diagnosis.4 Currently, there are no TROP2 directed or HER2 directed medicines approved for the treatment of NSCLC. "Developing innovative therapies for patients with lung cancer, including those that target TROP2 and HER2, are important as few treatment options remain once progression occurs in the metastatic setting following treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors," said Antoine Yver, MD, MSc, Executive Vice President and Global Head, Oncology Research and Development, Daiichi Sankyo. "We are encouraged by these preliminary results, which may indicate a durability of effect of datopotamab deruxtecan. We remain committed with AstraZeneca to our bold development plan, particularly the ongoing pivotal phase 3 trial of datopotamab deruxtecan monotherapy in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer." "Antibody drug conjugates have transformative potential for the targeted treatment of advanced lung cancer, and the early data for datopotamab deruxtecan and ENHERTU suggest a promising durable benefit in patients who have limited treatment options," said Cristian Massacesi, MD, Senior Vice President, Head of Late Stage Development, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca. "Both are potent ADCs, and we look forward to further clinical data from these development programs in patients with lung cancer." TROPION-PanTumor01 Trial Results In the TROPION-PanTumor01 phase 1 trial, an objective response rate (ORR) ranging from 21 to 25%, as assessed by independent central review, was observed in 159 patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC receiving different doses of datopotamab deruxtecan (4 mg/kg, 6 mg/kg or 8 mg/kg) as of data cutoff on September 4, 2020. Thirty-two confirmed complete or partial responses were seen, and an additional five complete or partial responses are still too early to confirm. Efficacy data were preliminary due to immaturity of follow-up across dose groups, but preliminary efficacy results may support durability of clinical activity. A disease control rate (DCR) ranging from 67 to 80% was observed with a median progression-free survival (PFS) ranging from 4.3 to 8.2 months across the three doses of datopotamab deruxtecan. "These updated preliminary results from TROPION-PanTumor01 are encouraging as responses were seen across all three doses of datopotamab deruxtecan, underscoring the potential of targeting TROP2 with an antibody drug conjugate in advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer," said Alexander Spira, MD, PhD, FACP, Oncologist, Virginia Cancer Specialists, U.S. Oncology Research and Johns Hopkins Oncology. "We look forward to seeing the results from the phase 3 trial, which will further evaluate datopotamab deruxtecan versus chemotherapy, the current standard of care for patients with advanced disease that has progressed following treatment with platinum chemotherapy and immunotherapy." The safety profile of datopotamab deruxtecan seen in this expanded data set of TROPION-PanTumor01 phase 1 trial remains consistent with what has been previously reported. Overall, the 4 mg/kg and 6 mg/kg doses were better tolerated than the 8 mg/kg dose. The most common Grade 3 or greater treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) included mucosal inflammation, anemia, stomatitis and fatigue, with patients treated at the 8 mg/kg dose experiencing higher rates overall. The most common TEAEs overall in =15% of patients included nausea, stomatitis, alopecia and fatigue. Fourteen cases (8%) of interstitial lung disease (ILD) occurred as determined by an independent adjudication committee. The majority of ILD cases (12/14) were observed with the 8mg/kg cohort, including three deaths (Grade 5). One grade 3 ILD event was seen with the 4 mg/kg dose and one grade 2 ILD was seen with the 6 mg/kg dose. Based on the efficacy and safety findings, the 6 mg/kg dose has been identified as the recommended dose for the pivotal TROPION-Lung01 phase 3 trial. The majority of patients across all three doses were previously treated with three or more prior lines of therapy including platinum-based chemotherapy (94%) or immunotherapy (84%). Median duration of follow-up was 7.4 months (range, 0.10-21.7). As of data cutoff on September 4, 2020, 39% of patients remained on treatment with datopotamab deruxtecan. Summary of TROPION-PanTumor01 Results Efficacy Measure 4 mg/kg (n=40i 6 mg/kg (n=39i 8 mg/kg (n=80i ORR (%)ii 23% (n=9) 21% (n=8) 25% (n=20) Confirmed CR/PR (n)ii n=7 n=6 n=19 CR/PR (Too early to be confirmed)ii n=2 n=2 n=1 PD (%) 15% (n=6) 21% (n=8) 9% (n=7) DCR (%)iii 73% (n=29) 67% (n=26) 80% (n=64) CI, confidence interval; CR, complete response; DCR, disease control rate; NE, not evaluable; ORR, objective response rate; PD, progressive disease; PR, partial response i Includes patients with =1 postbaseline scan or who discontinued treatment. ii ORR is CR+PR; Responses are confirmed (CRs/PRs; n=32) plus those CRs/PRs too early to be confirmed (n=5). iii DCR is CR+PR+SD iv Preliminary PFS limited by earlier censoring by data cutoff due to immature duration of follow-up for 4 and 6 mg/kg dose cohorts. DESTINY-Lung01 Trial Results In the interim analysis of cohort 1 from the DESTINY-Lung01 phase 2 trial, the primary endpoint of confirmed ORR assessed by independent central review, was 24.5% (12/49) for extensively treated patients with HER2 overexpressing (defined as IHC3+ or IHC2+) metastatic NSCLC treated with ENHERTU (6.4 mg/kg) (n=49), as of the data cutoff on May 30, 2020. One complete response and 11 partial responses were observed. Patients achieved a DCR of 69.4% (34/49 patients [CI 95%, range, 54.6-81.8 patients]) with a median PFS of 5.4 months (95% CI, range, 2.8-7.0 months). After a median follow-up of 6.1 months (range, 0.4-18 months), the estimated median duration of response (DoR) was 6 months (95% CI, range, 3.2-NE months) and the median overall survival (OS) was 11.3 months (95% CI, range 7.8-NE months). The overall safety and tolerability profile of ENHERTU was consistent with what has been previously observed in other trials. The most common grade 3 or greater (>15%) TEAE was decreased neutrophil count (20.4%). There were eight cases of treatment-related ILD reported, as determined by an independent adjudication committee, including two grade 1, three grade 2, and three deaths (grade 5). Patients were treated with a median of three prior lines of therapy (range, 1-8) with most receiving platinum-based chemotherapy (91.8%), anti-PD-1 or PD-L1 treatment (73.5%), or docetaxel (24.5%). Median treatment duration was 18 weeks (range, 3.0-57.1 weeks). As of data cutoff on May 30, 2020, 22% of patients with HER2 overexpressing metastatic NSCLC remained on treatment with ENHERTU. Results from the HER2 mutant metastatic NSCLC cohort of DESTINY-Lung01, with a data cutoff on November 25, 2019, were previously presented during the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) virtual meeting, and also were featured as an encore presentation at WCLC. About NSCLC Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women and accounts for about one-fifth of all cancer deaths.1 NSCLC accounts for approximately 80 to 85% of all lung cancers.2,3 For patients with metastatic disease, prognosis is particularly poor, as only 6 to 10% will live beyond five years after diagnosis.4 The introduction of targeted therapies and checkpoint inhibitors in recent years has improved the treatment landscape for patients with advanced NSCLC; however, new approaches are needed for those who are not eligible for available treatments, or whose cancer continues to progress.5 Currently, there are no TROP2 directed or HER2 directed medicines approved for the treatment of NSCLC. TROP2 (trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is overexpressed in many cancers.6 TROP2 expression has been associated with poor overall and disease-free survival in several types of solid tumors. TROP2 expression has been observed in up to 64% of adenocarcinoma and up to 75% of squamous cell carcinoma NSCLC.7,8.9 HER2 is a tyrosine kinase receptor growth-promoting protein expressed on the surface of many types of tumors, including lung, breast, gastric and colorectal cancers. HER2 overexpression is associated with a specific HER2 gene alteration known as HER2 amplification and is often associated with aggressive disease and poorer prognosis.10 It has been reported in up to one-third of patients with NSCLC.11,12 Other HER2 gene alterations (called HER2 mutations) have been identified in NSCLC, specifically adenocarcinomas, as distinct molecular targets and have been reported in approximately 2 to 4% of patients with NSCLC.11,13,14,15 These acquired HER2 gene mutations have been independently associated with cancer cell growth and poor prognosis.13,14 About TROPION-PanTumor01 TROPION-PanTumor01 is a first-in-human, open-label, two-part, multicenter phase 1 trial designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of datopotamab deruxtecan in patients with advanced solid tumors, including NSCLC and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), that are refractory to or relapsed from standard treatment or for whom no standard treatment is available. The first part of the study (dose escalation) assessed the safety and tolerability of increasing doses of datopotamab deruxtecan to determine the maximum tolerated dose and/or recommended dose for expansion in patients with unresectable advanced NSCLC. The second part of the study (dose expansion) is further assessing the safety and tolerability of datopotamab deruxtecan at selected dose levels (4 mg/kg, 6 mg/kg and 8 mg/kg) in patients with NSCLC. A cohort of patients with unresectable/advanced or metastatic TNBC evaluating datopotamab deruxtecan (8 mg/kg) was added to the trial in July 2020. Safety endpoints include dose limiting toxicities and serious adverse events. Efficacy endpoints include ORR, DoR, DCR, time to response, PFS and OS. Pharmacokinetic, biomarker and immunogenicity endpoints also are being evaluated. About DESTINY-Lung01 DESTINY-Lung01 is a global, phase 2, open-label, multicenter, two-cohort trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of ENHERTU in 170 patients with HER2 mutant (6.4 mg/kg) or HER2 overexpressing (defined as IHC 3+ or IHC 2+; 6.4 mg/kg and 5.4 mg/kg) unresectable and metastatic non-squamous NSCLC. Patients had progressed after one or more systemic therapies including chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy or immunotherapy. The primary endpoint is ORR by independent central review. Key secondary endpoints include DoR, DCR, PFS and OS. About the Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca Collaboration ENHERTU (T-DXd; trastuzumab deruxtecan; fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki in the U.S. only) and datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd; DS-1062) are two lead DXd ADCs in the oncology pipeline of Daiichi Sankyo, and the most advanced programs in AstraZeneca's ADC scientific platform. Each ADC is engineered using Daiichi Sankyo's proprietary and portable DXd ADC technology to target and deliver chemotherapy inside cancer cells that express a specific cell surface antigen. Both ENHERTU (a HER2 directed ADC) and datopotamab deruxtecan (a TROP2 directed ADC) consist of a monoclonal antibody attached to a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload, an exatecan derivative, via a stable tetrapeptide-based cleavable linker. Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca entered into a global collaboration to jointly develop and commercialize ENHERTU in March 2019, and datopotamab deruxtecan in July 2020, except in Japan where Daiichi Sankyo maintains exclusive rights for each ADC. Daiichi Sankyo is responsible for manufacturing and supply of ENHERTU and datopotamab deruxtecan. About the Datopotamab Deruxtecan Clinical Development Program Datopotamab deruxtecan is currently being evaluated in a comprehensive development program across lung cancer and other solid tumors including breast cancer. The development program includes TROPION-Lung01, a pivotal phase 3 head-to-head trial in patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC without actionable genomic alterations; TROPION-Lung05, a phase 2 trial in patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC with actionable genomic alterations; TROPION-Lung02, a phase 1b trial in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC without actionable genomic alterations; TROPION-Lung04, a phase 1b trial in combination with durvalumab in patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC without actionable genomic alterations; and, TROPION-PanTumor01, a phase 1 dose escalation and expansion study in patients with unresectable advanced NSCLC, and expansion cohort for patients with TNBC whose disease has progressed on standard treatments or for whom no standard treatment is available. Additional expansion cohorts evaluating other tumor types are currently planned. Datopotamab deruxtecanis an investigational agent that has not been approved for any indication in any country. Safety and efficacy have not been established. About ENHERTU ENHERTU (5.4 mg/kg; trastuzumab deruxtecan; fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki in the U.S. only) is approved in the U.S under accelerated approval, in the EU under conditional marketing authorization, and in Japan under the conditional early approval system for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2 based regimens in the metastatic setting based on the results from the DESTINY-Breast01 trial. ENHERTU (6.4 mg/kg) is also approved in the U.S. and Japan for the treatment of patients with HER2 positive unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric cancer who have received a prior trastuzumab-based regimen based on the results from the DESTINY-Gastric01 trial. ENHERTU is approved in the U.S. with Boxed WARNINGS for Interstitial Lung Disease and Embryo-Fetal Toxicity. About the ENHERTU Clinical Development Program A comprehensive development program is underway globally with nine pivotal trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of ENHERTU monotherapy across multiple HER2 targetable cancers including breast, gastric and lung cancers. Trials in combination with other anticancer treatments, such as immunotherapy, are also underway. In May 2020, ENHERTU received Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) in the U.S. for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors have a HER2 mutation and with disease progression on or after platinum-based therapy. U.S. Important Safety Information for ENHERTU Indications ENHERTU is a HER2-directed antibody and topoisomerase inhibitor conjugate indicated for the treatment of adult patients with: Unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial. Locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma who have received a prior trastuzumab-based regimen. WARNING: INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE and EMBRYO-FETAL TOXICITY Interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pneumonitis, including fatal cases, have been reported with ENHERTU. Monitor for and promptly investigate signs and symptoms including cough, dyspnea, fever, and other new or worsening respiratory symptoms. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU in all patients with Grade 2 or higher ILD/pneumonitis. Advise patients of the risk and to immediately report symptoms. Exposure to ENHERTU during pregnancy can cause embryo-fetal harm. Advise patients of these risks and the need for effective contraception. Contraindications None. Warnings and Precautions Interstitial Lung Disease Pneumonitis Severe, life-threatening, or fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD), including pneumonitis, can occur in patients treated with ENHERTU. Advise patients to immediately report cough, dyspnea, fever, and/or any new or worsening respiratory symptoms. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of ILD. Promptly investigate evidence of ILD. Evaluate patients with suspected ILD by radiographic imaging. Consider consultation with a pulmonologist. For asymptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 1), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 0, then if resolved in =28 days from date of onset, maintain dose. If resolved in >28 days from date of onset, reduce dose one level. Consider corticosteroid treatment as soon as ILD/pneumonitis is suspected (e.g., =0.5 mg/kg/day prednisolone or equivalent). For symptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 2 or greater), permanently discontinue ENHERTU. Promptly initiate systemic corticosteroid treatment as soon as ILD/pneumonitis is suspected (e.g., =1 mg/kg/day prednisolone or equivalent) and continue for at least 14 days followed by gradual taper for at least 4 weeks. Metastatic Breast Cancer In clinical studies, of the 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, ILD occurred in 9% of patients. Fatal outcomes due to ILD and/or pneumonitis occurred in 2.6% of patients treated with ENHERTU. Median time to first onset was 4.1 months (range: 1.2 to 8.3). Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer In DESTINY-Gastric01, of the 125 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg, ILD occurred in 10% of patients. Median time to first onset was 2.8 months (range: 1.2 to 21.0). Neutropenia Severe neutropenia, including febrile neutropenia, can occur in patients treated with ENHERTU. Monitor complete blood counts prior to initiation of ENHERTU and prior to each dose, and as clinically indicated. For Grade 3 neutropenia (Absolute Neutrophil Count [ANC] <1.0 to 0.5 x 109/L) interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 2 or less, then maintain dose. For Grade 4 neutropenia (ANC <0.5 x 109/L) interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 2 or less. Reduce dose by one level. For febrile neutropenia (ANC <1.0 x 109/L and temperature >38.3C or a sustained temperature of =38C for more than 1 hour), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved. Reduce dose by one level. Metastatic Breast Cancer In clinical studies, of the 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received ENHERTU 5.4mg/kg, a decrease in neutrophil count was reported in 62% of patients. Sixteen percent had Grade 3 or 4 decrease in neutrophil count. Median time to first onset of decreased neutrophil count was 23 days (range: 6 to 547). Febrile neutropenia was reported in 1.7% of patients. Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer In DESTINY-Gastric01, of the 125 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg, a decrease in neutrophil count was reported in 72% of patients. Fifty-one percent had Grade 3 or 4 decreased neutrophil count. Median time to first onset of decreased neutrophil count was 16 days (range: 4 to 187). Febrile neutropenia was reported in 4.8% of patients. Left Ventricular Dysfunction Patients treated with ENHERTU may be at increased risk of developing left ventricular dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decrease has been observed with anti-HER2 therapies, including ENHERTU. In the 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received ENHERTU, two cases (0.9%) of asymptomatic LVEF decrease were reported. In DESTINY-Gastric01, of the 125 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg, no clinical adverse events of heart failure were reported; however, on echocardiography, 8% were found to have asymptomatic Grade 2 decrease in LVEF. Treatment with ENHERTU has not been studied in patients with a history of clinically significant cardiac disease or LVEF <50% prior to initiation of treatment. Assess LVEF prior to initiation of ENHERTU and at regular intervals during treatment as clinically indicated. When LVEF is >45% and absolute decrease from baseline is 10-20%, continue treatment with ENHERTU. When LVEF is 40-45% and absolute decrease from baseline is <10%, continue treatment with ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. When LVEF is 40-45% and absolute decrease from baseline is 10-20%, interrupt ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. If LVEF has not recovered to within 10% from baseline, permanently discontinue ENHERTU. If LVEF recovers to within 10% from baseline, resume treatment with ENHERTU at the same dose. When LVEF is <40% or absolute decrease from baseline is >20%, interrupt ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. If LVEF of <40% or absolute decrease from baseline of >20% is confirmed, permanently discontinue ENHERTU. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU in patients with symptomatic congestive heart failure. Embryo-Fetal Toxicity ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. Verify the pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to the initiation of ENHERTU. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 7 months following the last dose of ENHERTU. Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 4 months after the last dose of ENHERTU. Additional Dose Modifications Thrombocytopenia For Grade 3 thrombocytopenia (platelets <50 to 25 x 109/L) interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 1 or less, then maintain dose. For Grade 4 thrombocytopenia (platelets <25 x 109/L) interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 1 or less. Reduce dose by one level. Adverse Reactions Metastatic Breast Cancer The safety of ENHERTU was evaluated in a pooled analysis of 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received at least one dose of ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg in DESTINY-Breast01 and Study DS8201-A-J101. ENHERTU was administered by intravenous infusion once every three weeks. The median duration of treatment was 7 months (range: 0.7 to 31). Serious adverse reactions occurred in 20% of patients receiving ENHERTU. Serious adverse reactions in >1% of patients who received ENHERTU were interstitial lung disease, pneumonia, vomiting, nausea, cellulitis, hypokalemia, and intestinal obstruction. Fatalities due to adverse reactions occurred in 4.3% of patients including interstitial lung disease (2.6%), and the following events occurred in one patient each (0.4%): acute hepatic failure/acute kidney injury, general physical health deterioration, pneumonia, and hemorrhagic shock. ENHERTU was permanently discontinued in 9% of patients, of which ILD accounted for 6%. Dose interruptions due to adverse reactions occurred in 33% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose interruption were neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, upper respiratory tract infection, fatigue, nausea, and ILD. Dose reductions occurred in 18% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose reduction were fatigue, nausea, and neutropenia. The most common (=20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were nausea (79%), white blood cell count decreased (70%), hemoglobin decreased (70%), neutrophil count decreased (62%), fatigue (59%), vomiting (47%), alopecia (46%), aspartate aminotransferase increased (41%), alanine aminotransferase increased (38%), platelet count decreased (37%), constipation (35%), decreased appetite (32%), anemia (31%), diarrhea (29%), hypokalemia (26%), and cough (20%). Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric Cancer The safety of ENHERTU was evaluated in 187 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma in DESTINY-Gastric01. Patients intravenously received at least one dose of either ENHERTU (N=125) 6.4 mg/kg once every three weeks or either irinotecan (N=55) 150 mg/m2 biweekly or paclitaxel (N=7) 80 mg/m2 weekly for 3 weeks. The median duration of treatment was 4.6 months (range: 0.7 to 22.3) in the ENHERTU group and 2.8 months (range: 0.5 to 13.1) in the irinotecan/paclitaxel group. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 44% of patients receiving ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg. Serious adverse reactions in >2% of patients who received ENHERTU were decreased appetite, ILD, anemia, dehydration, pneumonia, cholestatic jaundice, pyrexia, and tumor hemorrhage. Fatalities due to adverse reactions occurred in 2.4% of patients: disseminated intravascular coagulation, large intestine perforation, and pneumonia occurred in one patient each (0.8%). ENHERTU was permanently discontinued in 15% of patients, of which ILD accounted for 6%. Dose interruptions due to adverse reactions occurred in 62% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose interruption were neutropenia, anemia, decreased appetite, leukopenia, fatigue, thrombocytopenia, ILD, pneumonia, lymphopenia, upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, and hypokalemia. Dose reductions occurred in 32% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose reduction were neutropenia, decreased appetite, fatigue, nausea, and febrile neutropenia. The most common (=20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were hemoglobin decreased (75%), white blood cell count decreased (74%), neutrophil count decreased (72%), lymphocyte count decreased (70%), platelet count decreased (68%), nausea (63%), decreased appetite (60%), anemia (58%), aspartate aminotransferase increased (58%), fatigue (55%), blood alkaline phosphatase increased (54%), alanine aminotransferase increased (47%), diarrhea (32%), hypokalemia (30%), vomiting (26%), constipation (24%), blood bilirubin increased (24%), pyrexia (24%), and alopecia (22%). Use in Specific Populations Pregnancy: ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. There are clinical considerations if ENHERTU is used in pregnant women, or if a patient becomes pregnant within 7 months following the last dose of ENHERTU. ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. There are clinical considerations if ENHERTU is used in pregnant women, or if a patient becomes pregnant within 7 months following the last dose of ENHERTU. Lactation: There are no data regarding the presence of ENHERTU in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in a breastfed child, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with ENHERTU and for 7 months after the last dose. There are no data regarding the presence of ENHERTU in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in a breastfed child, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with ENHERTU and for 7 months after the last dose. Females and Males of Reproductive Potential: Pregnancy testing : Verify pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to initiation of ENHERTU. Contraception : Females : ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 7 months following the last dose. Males : Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 4 months following the last dose. Infertility : ENHERTU may impair male reproductive function and fertility. : Verify pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to initiation of ENHERTU. : : ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 7 months following the last dose. : Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 4 months following the last dose. : ENHERTU may impair male reproductive function and fertility. Pediatric Use: Safety and effectiveness of ENHERTU have not been established in pediatric patients. Safety and effectiveness of ENHERTU have not been established in pediatric patients. Geriatric Use: Of the 234 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, 26% were =65 years and 5% were =75 years. No overall differences in efficacy were observed between patients =65 years of age compared to younger patients. There was a higher incidence of Grade 3-4 adverse reactions observed in patients aged =65 years (53%) as compared to younger patients (42%). Of the 125 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg in DESTINY-Gastric01, 56% were =65 years and 14% were =75 years. No overall differences in efficacy or safety were observed between patients =65 years of age compared to younger patients. Of the 234 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, 26% were =65 years and 5% were =75 years. No overall differences in efficacy were observed between patients =65 years of age compared to younger patients. There was a higher incidence of Grade 3-4 adverse reactions observed in patients aged =65 years (53%) as compared to younger patients (42%). Of the 125 patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma treated with ENHERTU 6.4 mg/kg in DESTINY-Gastric01, 56% were =65 years and 14% were =75 years. No overall differences in efficacy or safety were observed between patients =65 years of age compared to younger patients. Hepatic Impairment: In patients with moderate hepatic impairment, due to potentially increased exposure, closely monitor for increased toxicities related to the topoisomerase inhibitor. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. at 1-877-437-7763 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or fda.gov/medwatch. Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, and Medication Guide. About Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise The mission of Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise is to leverage our world-class, innovative science and push beyond traditional thinking to create meaningful treatments for patients with cancer. We are dedicated to transforming science into value for patients, and this sense of obligation informs everything we do. Anchored by our DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC) technology, our powerful research engines include biologics, medicinal chemistry, modality and other research laboratories in Japan, and Plexxikon Inc., our small molecule structure-guided R&D center in Berkeley, CA. For more information, please visit: www.DSCancerEnterprise.com. About Daiichi Sankyo Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical therapies to improve standards of care and address diversified, unmet medical needs of people globally by leveraging our world-class science and technology. With more than 100 years of scientific expertise and a presence in more than 20 countries, Daiichi Sankyo and its 15,000 employees around the world draw upon a rich legacy of innovation and a robust pipeline of promising new medicines to help people. In addition to a strong portfolio of medicines for cardiovascular diseases, under the Group's 2025 Vision to become a "Global Pharma Innovator with Competitive Advantage in Oncology," Daiichi Sankyo is primarily focused on providing novel therapies in oncology, as well as other research areas centered around rare diseases and immune disorders. For more information, please visit: www.daiichisankyo.com. References: 1 World Health Organization. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Lung Fact Sheet. Accessed January 2021. 2 ASCO. Cancer.net. Lung Cancer Non-Small Cell. Accessed January 2021. 3 Cheema PK, et al. Curr Oncol 2019;26(1):37-42. 4 Goldstraw P, et al. J Thorac Oncol. 2016; 11(1):39-51. 5 Economopoulou P, et al. Ann Transl Med 2018 Apr; 6(8):138. 6 Inamura K, et al. Oncotarget. 2017; 8(17):28725-28735. 7 Pak M, et al. World J Surg Oncol. 2012; 10:53. 8 Li Z, et al. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2016; 470:197-204. 9 Liu T, et al. PLoS One. 2013; 8:e75864. 10 The National Comprehensive Care Network (NCCN). NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Version 3. 2020. 11 Hirsch FR, et al. Lancet Long Engl 2017;389:299-311. 12 Pillai RN, et al. Cancer 2017 Nov 1;123(21);4099-4105. 13 Liu S, et al. Clin Cancer Res2018;24(11):2594-2604. 14 Campbell JD, et al. Nat Genet. 2016 Jun;48(6):607-16. 15 Li BT, et al. J Thorac Oncol. 11(3):414-9. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005154/en/ Contacts: Media Contacts: Global: Victoria Amari Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. vamari@dsi.com +1 908 900 3010 (mobile) US: Don Murphy Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. domurphy@dsi.com +1 917 817 2649 (mobile) EU: Lydia Worms Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH lydia.worms@daiichi-sankyo.eu +49 (89) 7808751 (office) +49 176 11780861 (mobile) Japan: Masashi Kawase Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. kawase.masashi.a2@daiichisankyo.co.jp +81 3 6225 1126 (office) Investor Relations Contact: DaiichiSankyoIR@daiichisankyo.co.jp Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-30 00:45:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LONDON, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- News of rotting British pig heads in the Dutch port of Rotterdam as a result of post-Brexit paperwork made recent headlines. For many in the industry, these delays at the border with the European Union (EU) could have a knock-on effect on business. Nick Allen, chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association which represents much of the larger meat processors in Britain, told Xinhua that these were "teething problems", but the customs system needs to be revamped to address the concerns of the industry. IMPACT ON BRITISH MEAT INDUSTRY According to Allen, British exporters and lorry drivers are finding that each country has slightly different guidance notes to work from -- and the customs officials there are enforcing those guidelines which may not match up to what they expect. For fresh meat processors, timing is everything. Any delay could be damaging for business. "If the customer is a retailer on the continent, they actually expect it to come through on time, when they're expecting it...when you can't actually predict when your lorry is going to get there that causes some problems," Allen said. "There's been some really ridiculous things like that, loads held up because the pagination on the export license wasn't correct. And some crossings out have not been made in the correct place. It's exposed that currently it's a very paper-based system that we're working with at the moment, and it feels as though we've stepped back into the (19)80s for dealing with it really," Allen said. If this continues, Allen and others in the industry fear that retailers on the continent may start to look elsewhere -- especially to places like Romania or New Zealand who offer a similar service. This could be devastating for British meat exporters, who have built up business and reputation for their trade with the EU. "If suddenly we are failing to deliver consistently, there are alternatives there (for the EU), and we've worked hard over the years to build up that trade and that access to the market. And it'd be really disappointing, not just for our members and our processes, but also the sheep farmers, you know, in this country, because, as I say, they're hugely dependent on that market," Allen said. SYSTEM REVAMP PROPOSED Due to the lateness of the post-Brexit trade deal between Britain and the EU, giving only processors a short period to prepare for trading under new arrangements in the deal, British meat exporters said they believe that Britain and the EU still have not got some of the necessary processes in place to ease the trade of goods. Many of the meat exports are still learning that process, mainly because they were left in limbo as the negotiations between the two sides went down to the wire. "The system wasn't stress tested before it came into being. So effectively, we're undergoing a live stress test at the moment in terms of all the processes. So everyone's learning, you know, there's a massive amount of extra bureaucracy that goes with exporting meat now," Allen said. Whereas exports can overcome these teething problems, Allen is concerned about the long-term impact of the current system. If Britain and the EU can look at how to revamp the current system in place, then it may smooth trade between the two -- reducing concerns of delays and meat going out of date. "If we really want to move into a modern era, we've got to have a much better system and embrace a digital system...because what we've got is not really fit for purpose," Allen said. "We're calling for the UK and Europe to sort of put their heads together and come back and come up with a much better process that suits a just-in-time, 24/7, food supply chain," Allen added. NEW ISSUES For the future, although things should improve, Allen said that he is aware that agreements between Britain and other countries outside the EU, notably the United States, could spring up fresh issues for meat trade. "We haven't negotiated equivalence in any shape or form with the EU," Allen said. "It's just, you know, these are the rules." "As we start to negotiate with other countries -- America springs to mind. How are we going to match those up, at the same time as having to stick fairly rigidly to if we want to keep Europe as our main market, and it is right on our doorstep," Allen said. Matching up to future trade deals with other countries, with different standards and ways of doing things to Europe could force Britain to renegotiate with the EU, Allen said. The EU and Britain announced on Dec. 24, 2020 that they had reached an agreement that will govern bilateral trade and security relationship starting from Jan. 1, 2021 after the end of the Brexit transition period. The deal, which came after nine months of arduous negotiations between Britain and the EU, is the biggest bilateral trade deal signed by either side, covering trade worth around 668 billion pounds (about 916.8 billion U.S. dollars). The EU is Britain's largest trading partner. Britain is the EU's third largest trading partner in goods, following China and the United States. Enditem A couple who met at a swingers party have revealed how they fell in love with another woman and formed a polyamorous triad with her after inviting her to live with them during quarantine. Tattoo store owner Oscar Gonzalez, 37, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, first met body piercer Samantha Sewell, 22, from Philadelphia, in September 2019 while they were attending the same swinger parties in Pennsylvania. Neither of them had committed to a monogamous relationship in the past, however they developed deeper feelings for one another and started dating the following month. Unconventional: Oscar Gonzalez, 37, has revealed how he formed a polyamorous relationship with Samantha Sewell (right), 22, and Amanda Quilles (left), 21, during lockdown Coming together: Tattoo store owner Oscar met Philadelphia piercer Samantha in September 2019 and they quickly moved in together in San Jaun - before meeting Amanda on Tinder Circumstances: Oscar and Samantha were used to open relationships, so they decided to seek another partner on the dating app - but only got to go on a few dates before the pandemic hit Samantha and Oscar fell quickly in love - and the Philadelphia native even moved to her beau's home city of San Juan so they could set up a tattoo store together. But while the couple were happy in their relationship, they both missed their swinger lifestyles and decided to seek out a third partner on dating app Tinder - where they came across San Juan sales associate Amanda Quilles, 21. Amanda was in a polyamorous relationship with two other men when Oscar and Samantha reached out to her - however it quickly broke down when her boyfriend became insecure over the idea of her being with another man. After this, she began spending more time with the couple. 'I first met Samantha in September 2019 in Philadelphia and we started out as swinger partners,' Oscar said. 'By November, we were seeing each other. I moved back to Puerto Rico and Samantha decided to move in with me shortly after. 'After a couple of swinging flings later, Samantha started talking with Amanda through Tinder and on January 12, 2020 we met Amanda in person for the first time. 'When we met Amanda, she had a boyfriend and he had another girlfriend. After about a month, they separated due to his issues with insecurities.' As the trio started to bond, the COVID-19 pandemic began to cause national lockdowns worldwide and the throuple found themselves stuck together in Oscar and Samantha's apartment for months on end. Overcoming obstacles: As San Juan went into lockdown, the trio found themselves living together in Oscar and Samantha's apartment Happy as can be: Remarkably, the trio said they all got on incredibly well while quarantined together, and didn't have a single argument throughout lockdown Balance: Living together made the trio realize that they were meant to be, and they have now formed an official throuple After three months of living together without a single argument, the triad knew they were meant for each other and began a closed three-way relationship - only swinging with the full consent of the other partners. 'We went on a few dates [with Amanda] but then the pandemic hit,' Oscar explained. 'Coronavirus created a unique situation where we spent everyday together in our apartment getting closer and having a vacation from the outside world. 'Soon we realized that the three of us were in love with each other. We had spent everyday together for three straight months without any arguments or jealousy or bitterness. 'We've been together ever since that and have been happily in love living together for a year now.' According to Oscar, the unique relationship works so well because they are so open to one another's needs - ensuring that all three can explore other sexual interactions if they want to, but without hurting anyone's feelings. 'With Samantha and Amanda both being pansexual girls and me being a straight guy, we have found a love for each other that has worked better for us as a throuple than in any monogamous relationship we've ever been in the past,' he said. 'We are all in love with each other and even though we have the freedom of dating more partners, we have kept our triad closed and only swing outside our triad with consent from our partner.' Fortunately, the vast majority of the trio's family members have been overwhelmingly supportive of their relationship, despite Amanda's grandparents being Jehovah's witnesses and Samantha's mom being a baptist. 'Surprisingly, our in-laws are ok with our relationship,' Oscar revealed. 'Some are more accepting than others but they have managed pretty well and have realized that our love for each other is real. Bliss: 'We realized the three of us were in love with each other. We spent everyday together for three straight months without any arguments or jealousy or bitterness,' Oscar said Support: The throuple say their families have been incredibly supportive of their relationship - even Samantha's mom, who is a Baptist Christian Love: Oscar has three children from another relationship and the eldest is just one year younger than Amanda, yet all of them have been fully supportive of their dad's romance 'Samantha's mom is for sure the most supportive. She is a 60-year-old disabled, Baptist Christian and posts about our relationship almost daily and how much she loves her daughter and her partners.' The trio initially worried that the age gap between Oscar and his two partners would be an issue - particularly because he had three children from previous relationships who were not far off in age from the two women. Upset: While their families have been supportive, the throuple has faced cruel criticism from strangers Luckily, the three kids - Andrea, 20, Jorge, 19, and Kyle, 17 - have taken the change in their stride and even admit that they love to shock their friends by saying they have two step-mom. But while they have received loving support from their families, the trio say they do receive plenty of unwanted attention from strangers who often accuse Oscar of being Samantha and Amanda's 'sugar daddy' due to their 15 and 16 year age gaps. They also receive plenty of stares when they are holding hands or showing affection in public and have had strangers tell them that their relationship is 'disgusting' and an 'abomination.' The throuple try to dismiss these comments and focus on the positive reaction they see on their social media pages. 'We get a lot of people saying they admire us and that they want to be like us and wish they could find one person to be with, let alone two,' Oscar said. 'Most of the feedback is positive - thankfully people don't go out of their way to c**p on our love most of the time. Accusations: People brand the two women 'gold diggers' and have even suggested that Oscar is a pimp Shrug it off: Despite this, Oscar, Samantha, and Amanda say they are happier than ever - and they are currently planning to buy a new home together Settled down: 'Our relationship goals aren't very different from many other long term relationship goals when it comes down to it,' Oscar said 'Some hardcore haters still chime in saying things like "that's not real love," or "you are disgusting," or "I bet he pays them," and "they're gold-diggers." 'Some people have even accused me of being a pimp. 'Older couples look at us with dismay or almost afraid at times, but that's the older generation for you.' The triad's relationship has financial benefits too. With three incomes, the trio are hoping to buy a bigger house together in the near future and purchase an enormous Alaskan king size bed. 'It's a lot of fun to engage with multiple sexual partners with your partners' consent, but then I realized that I was looking for something more than just sex, I wanted to feel connections and be in love,' said Oscar. 'Having this polyamourous relationship has provided that. For us, polyamory is the freedom to love openly as many partners as you want with the consent of every person involved. 'Our plans for the future include buying a nice house together with our three incomes and to travel as much as possible when we are able to. 'Also, finding an Alaskan King Bed is a goal for sure, but they can be pretty difficult to come across. 'Our relationship goals aren't very different from many other long term relationship goals when it comes down to it.' WASHINGTON - Abortion opponents began facing the post-Trump world Friday at the annual March for Life, divided over whether the past president helped or harmed their cause and shifting towards less partisan language than in the recent past. The march, the country's largest annual rallying event against abortion, went on line this year due to the coronavirus and security concerns in the District. Thousands around the world watched a streamed program and there were multiple smaller events in different cities, including special church services and gatherings outside abortion clinics. In the District of Columbia, a small group of a few dozen leaders marched in the frigid air to the Supreme Court, the march's usual end point. The March for Life has been held each January on the National Mall since the passage of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that guaranteed a woman's right to an abortion. While official events for the march are often packed with GOP officials and speakers criticizing Democrats, the 2021 theme was unity and many speakers said the response to newly-inaugurated President Biden - a Catholic abortion rights supporter - was to focus more on prayer and changing the culture. "You may feel this is a bleak time, but the world needs the pro-life movement," Matt Britton, general counsel of 40 Days For Life, told a few hundred people gathered Friday morning outside a Planned Parenthood in the District. "Only prayer can change this. We will only win on our knees. We will fight in court and legislatures but this battle won't be won in courts. Don't pin your hopes to the back of man." Clinic staff in orange vests patrolled the sidewalk as mostly young advocates packed the sides. A few held signs that read: "Real men love babies" and "Choose love, choose life." Some speakers sought to evoke anti-racism language by calling abortion a "systemic injustice." The phrase "Black Lives Matter" was on both a sign plastered across the clinic as well as a protester's sign with an image of a fetus. One of the day's special services took place at a sparsely filled Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in the District's downtown, where the archbishop of Washington called abortion "a dreadful practice." While abortion opponents protesting capital punishment have said they did not feel entirely welcome at past marches, Cardinal Wilton Gregory spoke out Friday against the death penalty and invoked concerns about euthanasia and treatment of immigrants. "Today we find ourselves hopelessly mired in defective excuses that now extend to other acts of brutality against the terminally ill and aging, the immigrant seeking a better life, against prisoners who may have committed heinous crimes but are still human beings," he said. "We tell ourselves that capital punishment prevents crimes and that some horrible criminals deserve to die even as we continue to learn that too many convicted persons have been sentenced to death and later exonerated by DNA tests or whose very trials have been judged to be unfair or biased." This year's March for Life comes as the pro-life movement appears to be at a crossroads. In the eyes of many abortion opponents, Donald Trump was a historical game changer, giving them not only three Supreme Court justices believed to be sympathetic to overturning Roe v. Wade but dozens of more conservative lower-court judges. Advocates trust these judges will be more respectful toward the dozens of abortion restriction measures that have been enacted to date. Although Trump favored abortion rights before becoming president, as president he spoke more explicitly than many recent GOP leaders against abortion. And his appearance at the march last year - the first sitting president to do so - drew huge crowds. "Usually pro-life efforts by the Republican Party have been kind of 'We have to have them here, too.' It's not their pride and joy. But it was for Trump! He helped to bring a lot of attention to our issue, and that's good," said Shawn Carney, president of 40 Days for Life, which organizes prayer vigils outside abortion clinics. "What he did for abortion was just unmatched. I mean presidents, they move on, we move on, but those Supreme Court justices will last a lifetime." Among the crowd outside Planned Parenthood was Miriam Barbato, 29, who works for a medical supply firm in Dallas. She came with other Catholics who held flags representing Catholic communities of the past who were persecuted in Europe. She felt Trump was a boon to the movement. A fetus, she said, is "the most innocent form of life. If you're not willing to defend it everything else doesn't matter." Michael New, a Catholic University professor who leads the local branch of the group 40 Days for Life, said, "The fact that [Trump] was willing to promote the movement and put it front and center did so much for us." For other abortion opponents, however, Trump's tenure reinforced the perception that the institutional movement had become too heavily partisan. The march itself had become a place where Trump clothing and signs were common and where allies who wanted to protest other issues, such as the death penalty, were sometimes shouted down. They see Trump's downplaying of a coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 400,000 Americans, his ramping up of federal executions and his push for a border policy that led to thousands of children being separated from their familiesas having poisoned efforts to draw new people to their cause. "I don't personally know anyone who was won over to the pro-life mind-set by Trump. I also think he drove people who were in the middle on this subject farther away from considering the pro-life stance. Many called him a hypocrite because he did not appear to respect the dignity of all human beings," said Lisa McInerny of Lincoln, Neb., where she works in her Catholic parish on antiabortion efforts. Outside the Supreme Court, a pair of anti-abortion Democrats made similar comments about the former president's impact. "The affiliation with [Donald] Trump is detrimental in the long term to changing hearts and minds," said Terrisa Bukovinac, president of Democrats for Life of America. "The long term consequences of the alignment could prove to be more detrimental than I think the more conservative wing of the movement is willing to admit." Standing beside her was Rep. Angie Hatton a Democratic state lawmaker from Kentucky who was elected in a district that supported Trump. In the march's livestreamed program, Hatton had called for being "pro-life for the whole life," connection abortion to health care gaps between rich and poor, low salaries for working mothers and the high cost of child care as factors. "There are unifying figures in history and there are those that did not unify and I'm afraid that's his lasting legacy," Hatton said of Trump. Bukovinac said she felt the organizers of this year's march "extended a bit of an olive branch to Democrats in ways we haven't seen. We usually have a token Democrat who speaks," she said, but this year there were several involved in the official program. In addition to Hatton, speakers on the livestream included professional football and baseball player Tim Tebow, Southern Baptist Convention president J.D. Greear and Hawaii State Sen. Mike Gabbard, who is also a Democrat (and Tulsi's father). Mary Ziegler, a law professor who focuses on reproductive and gender issues at Florida State University, said the impact of the Trump years is still playing out on the antiabortion landscape. Since the 1980s, the antiabortion movement has been focused on Supreme Court justices, she said, and the Trump years, "while disturbing to those who oppose abortion, were like a real-world experiment: What are those judges worth to the movement?" Ziegler added the focus on judges and politics "loses sight of the fact that, regardless of laws, people will keep having abortions because the culture hasn't changed much." Public opinion on whether abortion should be legal has been remarkably stable for decades. Gallup polling since the 1970s has shown that the percentage who say it should be "legal under certain circumstances" has hovered around 50, while about 20 percent say it should be illegal under all circumstances and 30 say it should be legal under all circumstances. In recent decades, opponents of abortion have been successful at passing dozens of abortion restriction laws each year, while a fraction of that number of abortion protection laws have been adopted, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks such data and supports abortion rights. Meanwhile, Guttmacher in 2019 released a study saying that the abortion rate had hit an all-time low and that the numbers were steady across states with few or many restrictions. Guttmacher pointed to fewer pregnancies, contraceptive access and use, a decline in sexual activity, and infertility as possible causes. The data did not include self-managed abortion, which occur outside health-care settings; might include the use of medication, herbs or other methods; and aren't counted in the same way. The Biden administration within its first days took action to protect and expand abortion access, including rescinding what has been called the Mexico City rule, which compelled nonprofit organizations in other countries that receive federal family-planning aid to promise not to perform or encourage abortions. Ziegler said that although antiabortion movement leaders in the past have worked intensely to focus on abortion, a new generation of leaders is more explicitly conservative and "absolutist," such as Abby Johnson, who appeared at "Stop the Steal" events and last summer made news when she said police should someday profile her biracial son. New proposed antiabortion measures include heartbeat bills with no exceptions, and ones similar to a bill finalized a few weeks ago that forces women who have surgical abortions to cremate or bury fetal remains. "The insurgent wing is making a bid for dominance," Ziegler says. As for abortion rights activists, some saythey feel emboldened after the Trump years. Sheila Katz, chief executive of the National Council of Jewish Women, said, "Right now people are more receptive because of all the potential risk at the Supreme Court" and the new state laws and coronavirus restrictions that aremaking it even harder to get an abortion. Some interviewed at the District clinic protest on Friday were anxious to leave partisan politics out of the event. Andrea Clarke, 28, a government worker from Baltimore, said, "I'm really concerned about the future of life because it's considered so cheap. We need these people. How many Ben Carsons did we miss out on?" Asked about the impact of Trump, she instead talked about how optimistic protests are and how they need to change the culture. "This is a march of love, not of politics," she said. 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Concurrent acquisitions of leading tax return preparation service provider (Liberty Tax) and established consumer and small business lender (LoanMe), resulting in over 1.6 million combined current customers across North America and establishing a diversified financial services platform with immediate scale for NextPoint's consumer and small business customers Cutting edge digital platforms and approximately 2,700 locations across North America position NextPoint for an omni-channel roll-out of small business loans and new products including mortgages Pro forma combined total enterprise value of US$643 million; 2021 pro forma combined revenue of US$317 million; and 2021 pro forma combined adjusted EBITDA of US$100 million US$25 million fully-committed PIPE led by hedge fund veteran Leon Cooperman, with participation by NextPoint's current and post-closing management The acquisitions are fully supported by financing commitments and are expected to close in Q2 2021 TORONTO, Feb. 22, 2021 /CNW/ - NextPoint Acquisition Corp. (TSX: NAC.U) (TSX: NAC.WT.U) ("NextPoint"), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition corporation (SPAC), announced today that it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire Liberty Tax and LoanMe. The combined business, to be named NextPoint Financial Inc., will be led by industry veterans Brent Turner, as Chief Executive Officer, and Andy Neuberger, as Chairman. Founded in 1997, and with over 1.6 million returns prepared annually, Liberty Tax is the third largest institutional tax preparation service provider in the United States, and the second largest provider of such services in Canada. Liberty Tax's core products include tax preparation for individuals and small businesses, and tax-related financial products such as prepaid debit cards and refund transfer products. Liberty Tax offers services at its approximately 2,700 franchised and owned locations as well as through online solutions. Liberty Tax is currently owned by Franchise Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRG), an operator of franchised and franchisable businesses. Story continues Founded in 2014, LoanMe is a well-established, tech-enabled, consumer and small business lender that has originated over US$2 billion of loans to more than 340,000 borrowers. Its current product suite includes consumer installment loan offerings of between US$1,000 and US$20,000, and small business and merchant cash advance loans up to US$100,000. The combination of Liberty Tax and LoanMe positions NextPoint to become a leading one-stop financial services superstore destination for credit-challenged consumers and small businesses, a customer demographic generally overlooked by traditional financial institutions. The combination of Liberty Tax and LoanMe provides the anchor for a platform which NextPoint intends to expand with an array of financial products and services. Through increased financial connectivity with its customer base, NextPoint expects to strengthen and expand its customer relationships, grow its revenue sources and drive value to its investors. "We founded NextPoint to build a financial services platform for those that are underserved by traditional financial institutions, and we have executed on that plan. The combination of Liberty Tax and LoanMe, represents the first step, with immediate scale, towards achieving our goal. NextPoint's founders and the leadership teams at both Liberty Tax and LoanMe are equally committed to fulfilling our vision of becoming a one-stop financial services destination for our customers, and I am thrilled to partner with this highly-driven team as we continue to execute on that vision," said Andy Neuberger, Chairman of NextPoint. "With over 1.6 million combined customers today, our extensive distribution platform will enable us to service main street consumers and small businesses both digitally and through our 2,700 franchised and owned locations across North America. We believe our hard-working customers deserve a personal and frictionless experience when addressing their financial needs, and access to an appropriate suite of financial products and services. NextPoint intends to provide that experience and access to help our customers reach the "nextpoint" in their financial goals. I am tremendously excited, for both our customers and our investors, by the opportunities presented in bringing together these two dynamic companies and management teams," said Brent Turner, who will lead NextPoint as its Chief Executive Officer. Investment Highlights Countercyclical business model and resilient year-round operations diversified fee and lending revenue: consumer lending (36%); tax preparation (26%); small and medium-sized enterprise ("SME") lending (16%); and other services/new product roll-outs (22%) Enormous market of underserved consumers and small business more than 155 million U.S. tax filings in 2019, growing consistently at 1.14% per year with 58% of filed returns using paid tax preparation services; 30 million SMEs in the U.S., generally underserved by traditional financial institutions Massive cross-selling opportunities immediate impact of access to combined businesses' full suite of products and services by 1.6 million legacy businesses' combined customer base; built in customer base for new product and service offerings Significant growth potential anticipated new products and services, built organically or through acquisitions in a largely fragmented industry, include mortgages, point of sale lending, lines of credit, mobile app subscription services, auto finance, mobile banking, debt resolution and financial health services Robust and scalable technology platform combined IT infrastructure investment of over US$21 million by acquired businesses during past two years; multi-platform accessibility, instant loan funding, real-time processing and analytics, and fully-integrated datastores, all hosted on premier, cloud-based platforms designed to serve customers conveniently online, through mobile or in-person Strong risk management and compliance focused culture robust underwriting capabilities to drive attractive risk-adjusted yields developed through 340,000 loans funded by LoanMe Veteran leadership team Liberty Tax and LoanMe senior management to lead operations and growth under guidance of NextPoint board steeped in finance, retail and franchising expertise Transaction Highlights NextPoint will acquire Liberty Tax (the entirety of its business, which is operated in both the United States and Canada) at an enterprise value of approximately US$252 million, US$182 million of which is payable in cash and the balance of which is payable in NextPoint common stock equivalents and subject to adjustment. NextPoint will acquire LoanMe at an enterprise value of approximately US$102 million, US$18 million of which is payable in cash, approximately US$49 million of which is payable in NextPoint common stock equivalents and with the balance of which reflects the assumption of existing corporate net debt at LoanMe. The cash portion of the purchase prices payable in the Liberty Tax and LoanMe transactions will be funded with cash remaining on deposit in the escrow account holding NextPoint's IPO proceeds and, to the extent necessary, any combination of the proceeds of the fully-committed US$25 million PIPE, and advances against the new, fully-committed US$200 million revolving credit facility, each discussed below. The acquisitions, which are each subject to customary closing conditions, are expected to close contemporaneously in the second quarter of 2021. The transactions remain subject to satisfaction or waiver of certain customary closing conditions including among other things, the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange recognizing the transactions as NextPoint's qualifying acquisition, and the issuance of a receipt for a final prospectus on behalf of Canadian securities regulatory authorities. PIPE Transaction NextPoint has received commitments to purchase US$25 million of NextPoint common stock equivalents at a price of US$10 per share. The PIPE issuance will occur in conjunction with the closing of the Liberty Tax and LoanMe acquisitions but is not a condition to the closing of such transactions. The PIPE investment is led by hedge fund veteran Leon Cooperman, and includes Andy Neuberger, Brent Turner and members of NextPoint's board of directors. PIPE proceeds are available for NextPoint's general corporate purposes, including to fund the Liberty Tax and LoanMe cash consideration, and to fund potential future acquisitions. The PIPE is subject to the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange. New US$200 million Revolving Credit Facility NextPoint has obtained a commitment for a new US$200 million revolving credit facility, advances under which may be used for NextPoint's general corporate purposes, including to fund the Liberty Tax and LoanMe cash purchase prices, and to fund potential future acquisitions. Advisors Jefferies LLC is acting as exclusive financial advisor to NextPoint and Canaccord Genuity Corp. is acting as NextPoint's capital markets advisor. Brown Rudnick LLP and Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP are acting as legal counsel to NextPoint. Investor Presentation Date of call: Monday, February 22, 2021 Time of call: 12:00 ET (Noon) Toll Free: (844) 502-0243 International: (236) 714-3020 Webcast: https://onlinexperiences.com/Launch/QReg/ShowUUID=6F1E5C25-3B03-4C70-9F42-1F35863A7712 A replay of the conference call is available beginning February 22, 2021 at 3:00PM ET until March 8, 2021. Replay toll free: (800) 585-8367 Replay international: (416) 621-4642 Additional Details NextPoint has filed today an investor presentation that describes in more detail the transactions and the business of NextPoint following closing. The presentation is available under NextPoint's profile at www.sedar.com. Pursuant to the rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange NextPoint will file with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, except Quebec, a non-offering prospectus containing disclosure regarding the transactions and NextPoint assuming completion of the transactions. The preliminary prospectus is expected to be filed in the first quarter of 2021. Investors and securityholders may obtain a copy of the definitive agreements for the transactions and the prospectus when filed under NextPoint's profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. About NextPoint NextPoint Acquisition Corp. is a special purpose acquisition corporation incorporated under the laws of the Province of British Columbia for the purposes of effecting, directly or indirectly, a qualifying transaction within a specified period of time. About Liberty Tax Founded in 1997, Liberty Tax is a nationwide tax return preparation and related services firm. In 2020, Liberty Tax serviced over 1.6 million customers online and through approximately 2,700 franchised and owned locations across the U.S. and Canada. Liberty Tax is currently owned by Franchise Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRG), an operator of franchised and franchisable businesses. About LoanMe LoanMe is an established tech-enabled consumer and small business lender that has originated over US$2 billion loans on behalf of over 340,000 borrowers since inception. Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. securities law and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are all statements other than those of historical fact, and generally may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "future," "intend," "may," "model," "outlook," "plan," "pro forma," "project," "seek," "should," "will," "would" or other similar expressions that indicate future events or trends. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of financial and performance metrics, projections of market opportunity and market share, business plans and strategies, expansion and acquisition opportunities, growth prospects and consumer and industry trends. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of NextPoint's management and are not guarantees of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, assurance or definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and may differ materially from those contained in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of NextPoint. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, among others: the effect of economic conditions on the industries and markets in which Liberty Tax and LoanMe operate, including financial market conditions, fluctuations in prices, interest rates and market demand; the ability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the transactions, including the risk that any required regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the transactions; risks associated with completion of the PIPE including investors' commitment to fund their subscription amount; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the transactions; risks relating to the uncertainty of the projected financial information; the effects of competition on future business; risks related to the organic and inorganic growth of future business and the timing of expected business milestones; the amount of redemptions, if any, made by NextPoint's shareholders in connection with the transactions; the potential adverse effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on business and the U.S. economy; declines or unanticipated changes in consumer demand, possible departures from the combined company's senior management team; integration risks associated with acquisitions; changes in applicable laws and regulations and the significant expense of operating in a highly regulated industry; the combined company's ability to make payments on its indebtedness; and those factors discussed in documents of NextPoint filed, or to be filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. There may be additional risks that NextPoint does not know or that NextPoint currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect NextPoint's expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. NextPoint undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, except as may be required by law. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon these forward-looking statements. Non-IFRS Financial Measures This presentation refers to certain financial measures, such as EBITDA, EBITDA Margin, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Total Enterprise Value, Adjusted Net Income and Compound Annual Growth Rate ("CAGR") which are not measures recognized under IFRS and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. As a result, these measures may not be comparable to similar measures reported by other corporations. These measures are intended to provide additional information to the user and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. "EBITDA" is defined as net income adjusted to exclude interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. "EBITDA Margin" is defined as EBITDA divided by total revenue. "Adjusted EBITDA" is defined as net income adjusted to exclude interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and non-cash or non-recurring items. "Adjusted EBITDA Margin" is defined as Adjusted EBITDA divided by total revenue. "Adjusted Net Income" is defined as Adjusted EBITDA tax-affected at an assumed tax rate of 25%. "Total Enterprise Value" is defined as market capitalization plus total debt outstanding less cash on hand. "CAGR" is defined as the compound annual growth rate in the corporation's revenue during the performance period. See "Preliminary IFRS Reconciliation". Certain Other Matters This presentation shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any offer or sale of securities in any jurisdiction where such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The securities of NextPoint have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, "U.S. persons," as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, unless an exemption from such registration is available. Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nextpoint-acquisition-corp-to-acquire-liberty-tax-and-loanme-to-create-one-stop-financial-services-destination-for-consumers-and-small-businesses-301232398.html SOURCE NextPoint Acquisition Corp. Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2021/22/c9083.html Indiana COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations are falling, down from recent all-time highs. A vaccine is slowly rolling out, with registration soon opening to residents 65 and older, possibly within days, state health officials said recently. Right now, Indiana leads neighboring states in per capita COVID-19 vaccinations as 6.7% of residents already have one dose and 1.4% are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A Washington-based Syrian rights group filed a case with the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday, calling for an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity by Greece for its alleged mistreatment of refugees. The Syria Justice and Accountability Center said witness testimony and video evidence support its claims of mistreatment and abuse of refugees at Greece's borders and inside overcrowded camps.It cites instances of security guards using tear gas to disperse refugee protests, and shabby and unhealthy conditions at the sprawling camps. Mohammad Al-Abdallah, the group's executive director, said this was the first legal challenge to the European Union over its treatment of refugees. Al-Abdallah said that by resorting to international law, he hoped the case would influence debate in individual EU member states. Since 2015, large numbers of migrants have crammed into small dinghies on dangerous journeys over the Mediterranean Sea to escape fighting and persecution, overwhelming the European asylum system.Over one million migrants arrived, many of them Syrian refugees, entering the Greek islands via Turkey.The mistreatment documented since March 2016, the Syrian group argues, extends to Greeces territorial waters where it has alleged that authorities sabotaged migrant boats, leaving them to drift back to sea - even pushing them back into the water. Such pushback" incidents are considered contrary to international refugee protection agreements, which state that people shouldnt be expelled or returned to a country where their life and safety may be in danger. Prosecutors at the ICC will review the case before deciding whether to open a full-scale investigation, which would likely take months to complete. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Last chance! Our voting deadline is at 3 p.m. today, Jan. 29, for Michigans Best Outdoor Dining. As of 6 a.m. weve had more than 16,000 votes for 130-plus restaurants that were nominated in 11 regions from all parts of the state. We thank you for supporting these hardy restaurant owners, managers and employees who have endured the current dine-in shutdown, which will end on Feb. 1 when restaurants are allowed to open to 25 percent capacity. That doesnt mean outdoor dining will end any time soon. Igloos, shanties and other patio dining set ups will remain open to help these restaurants survive. Pro tip: Many of these establishments require reservations more than a week in advance. Valentines Day is just around the corner, so plan accordingly. As for our search, most poll leaders remain the same. RELATED: See our Poll Leaders for Michigans Best Outdoor Dining The biggest change has been in the Muskegon & Lakeshore poll where The Hearthstone Bistro in Muskegon has steadily moved up in the poll. It is now a few votes ahead of The Curragh in Holland, which is now No. 2. In Kalamazoo & Southwestern Michigan, The NODE-Niles Outdoor Dining Experience was only three votes ahead of the River St. Joe in Buchanan, which came out of nowhere. How to vote Again, the deadline is 3 p.m. today (Jan. 29), when the polls close. You can vote every three hours, once per email address. You can vote in more than one poll. Once the polls close, Michigans Best reporter Amy Sherman and I will visit several restaurants and give a first-hand account of our dining experiences. Look for poll winners and more stories in early February. Click on the links below to vote. The NODE-Niles Outdoor Dining Experience at Main & 2nd Streets in Downtown Niles, Michigan has nominated for Michigan's Best Outdoor Dining.Courtesy of Lisa Croteau/Niles DDA Northern Lower Peninsula - VOTE HERE Upper Peninsula - VOTE HERE Bay City, Saginaw, Midland - VOTE HERE Detroit Metro - VOTE HERE Ann Arbor area - VOTE HERE Jackson area - VOTE HERE Kalamazoo and SW Michigan - VOTE HERE Grand Rapids area - VOTE HERE Muskegon & Lakeshore area - VOTE HERE Lansing area - VOTE HERE Flint and Thumb region - VOTE HERE If you missed our complete nominations list, click on the link below. RELATED: See all of the nominations for Michigans Best Outdoor Dining The search for Michigans Best Outdoor Dining is sponsored in part by Warm Fitness. MLive reporters Amy Sherman, left, and John Gonzalez, right, speak with Ravi Patel in a search for Michigan's Best doughnuts on Friday, Oct. 9, 2020 at B&J Donuts, located at 4021 Richfield Road in Genesee Township. (Jake May | MLive.com)Jake May | Mlive.com If you have questions, feel free to email us. Amy Sherman: asherma2@mlive.com John Gonzalez: gonzo@mlive.com Follow our Michigans Best adventures on social media: @mlivemibest on Twitter @mlivemibest on Instagram Facebook at MLiveMIBest. Join in by using the hashtags #mibest, and #outdoordining. In addition: Amy Sherman is on Twitter @amyonthetrail, as well as Facebook and Instagram @amyonthetrail. John Gonzalez is on Twitter @michigangonzo, as well as Facebook and Instagram @MichiganGonzo. More Michigans Best Stories Lulas Louisiana Cookhouse owners look forward to re-opening celebration Michigan craft beer trends, what to look for in 2021 Have a sweet tooth? Here are Michigans Top 21 Pies 21 of Michigans must-eat items for 2021 Non-alcoholic beer creating a buzz in Michigan Two Guys Brewing in Wyoming is finding success, and giving back Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 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. Donald Trump is reportedly focusing his energy now he has left the White House on targeting Wyoming representative Liz Cheney after she voted to impeach him earlier this month. Ms Cheney, the number third-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, was among 10 Republicans who voted for Mr Trumps impeachment on 13 January for inciting the Capitol riots on 6 January. Following the vote, the daughter of former vice president Dick Cheney has been criticised by several pro-Trump representatives who have called for her removal from the position as the House Republican conference chair. CNN reported reported on Friday that Mr Trump has been repeatedly questioning his Republican allies in the House to remove Ms Cheney from the position and run a primary candidate against her. House Republicans are expected to decide next week whether to strip Ms Cheney of her role as the conference chair, while state senator Anthony Bouchard, a gun-rights activist, announced his primary challenge for her seat last week. Mr Trump has also reportedly been showing his Republican allies polls that were commissioned by his Super PAC, Save America, which show Ms Cheney has lost support in Wyoming. He even urged some of his allies to talk about the polls in the media, while representatives ramped up the pressure on Ms Cheney with a rally outside Wyomings Capitol on Thursday. Hundreds of people gathered in Cheyenne yesterday, to listen to Matt Gaetz, an ardent Trump supporter, and Donald Trump Jr repeatedly criticise Ms Cheney. During the rally, the Florida representative called Mr Trump Jr and held his phone up to the microphone to discuss Ms Cheneys position in the GOP and her decision to vote to impeach Mr Trump, according to The Hill. At one point, Mr Trump Jr took aim at Ms Cheneys father, saying: It seems like Liz Cheney's favourables are only slightly worse than her father's shooting skills. Mr Trump Jr was seemingly referring to a non-fatal incident in 2006, when Mr Cheney accidentally shot a man while quail hunting. Calling for Ms Cheney to lose her position in Wyoming, Mr Gaetz said: Washington, DC, mythologises the establishment powerbrokers like Liz Cheney for climbing in a deeply corrupt game. But there are more of us than there are of them. You can send a representative who actually represents you, and you can send Liz Cheney home - back home to Washington, DC. Although House minority leader Kevin McCarthy criticised Mr Trump for his role in inciting the Capitol riots earlier this month, he met with the former president at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Thursday, according to CNN. One source close to Mr McCarthy told CNN the House minority leader was crawling back to Trump, while another said the meeting made him look weak. Later in the day, Save America released a statement, claiming Mr Trump has agreed to work with Leader McCarthy on attempting to retake the House majority for the GOP in 2022. The group added: President Trump's popularity has never been stronger than it is today, and his endorsement means more than perhaps any endorsement at any time. From the products we use to the hardware that powers software, the world economy is dependent on physical goods. Despite that, 3D search has remained an unsolved problemto date, there has been no simple and efficient way to search using the actual 3D model of a physical part, such as a CAD model or a 3D scan. This is especially true when that part is a component of something larger, such as matching a screw to an assembly. This challenge has vexed companies for years within virtually every industry and results in costly and time-consuming challenges everywhere from engineering and industrial design to procurement, and parts identification. Physna was founded in 2016 on the principle that computers can be taught to 'think' in 3D, and accurately describe the physical world around us. Using complex mathematical analyses and advanced geometric deep learning technology, Physna codifies 3D models into detailed data that is understandable by software applications. This ground-breaking approach enables an entirely new era of software. Physna allows designers, engineers, supply chain professionals and field workers to quickly find new 3D models by searching with predefined 3D objects, partial models, geometric measurements or actual model data. "Paul and the Physna team have developed a breakthrough platform that enables intuitive search of 3D models for the first time," said Shaun Maguire, partner at Sequoia. "With the amount of 3D data in the world about to explode, Physna will be the way this data is organized and accessedultimately, becoming the GitHub for 3D models." In addition to Physna's enterprise solution, the company powers a free search engine for consumers called Thangs.com . Thangs is an easy to use search tool for physical object and 3D model search, allowing users to search with models directly rather than relying on text. Thangs provides the world's first global geometric search and smart automated collaboration tool. Since launching in August of 2020, hundreds of thousands of people have used Thangs to improve their workflow in everything from product design to 3D printing, with AR/VR model compatibility soon to follow. The Physna team continues to add features at a fast pace with the announcement of significant updates to Thangs including support for more complex content types beyond simple 3D models. Thangs now supports assembly files from virtually any platform, allowing users to upload massive assemblies alongside their sub-assemblies and components. Users can see how all the parts go together, and through Thangs' light version of Physna's core algorithms, see alternative ways to build the model. This latest update brings Physna one step closer to making 3D models accessible and useful to everyoneregardless of their background. Customers relying on Thangs.com as well as Physna's enterprise software include the Department of Defense and a host of Fortune 100 companies in the aerospace, automotive, manufacturing, medical and robotics industries, amongst others. "Physna has enabled a quantum leap in technology by allowing software to truly understand physical 3D data. By merging the physical with the digital, we have unlocked massive and ever-growing opportunities in everything from geometric search to 3D machine learning and predictions," said Paul Powers, CEO and founder of Physna. "Having both Sequoia and Drive endorse this next-generation of search and machine learning helps Physna empower even more technical innovations for our customers and the market as a whole." About Physna: Physna, Inc., is the industry leader in geometric deep-learning technology. The company's software bridges the gap between the physical world and digital code by codifying the 3D world through a deeper understanding of the physical properties of real-world objects and the relationships between them. Physna is building the 3D future of software, and has already improved engineering, industrial design and procurement by putting new, powerful search capabilities in the hands of innovators and creators - one 3D model at a time. Physna is a registered trademark of Physna, Inc. Thangs is a trademark of Physna, Inc. All other trademarks and registered trademarks previously cited are the property of their respective owner(s) and are hereby recognized and acknowledged. For further press information, please contact Physna PR Counsel Jonathan Hirshon at [email protected] SOURCE Physna Related Links http://www.physna.com [January 29, 2021] Luxury Card and NICHOLAS AIR Offer Private Jet Benefits to Cardmembers Luxury Card announced that new benefits are available to its Cardmembers with NICHOLAS AIR, a leader in personalized, private aviation. The two brands have partnered in the past and are pleased to announce their latest collaboration that provides tiered discounts to Luxury Card members. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005071/en/ Luxury Card and NICHOLAS AIR announced their partnership which will provide exclusive benefits to Cardmembers. (Photo: Business Wire) "NICHOLAS AIR has long been a favored mode of transport among our Cardmembers and private aviation is only becoming more popular so the partnership is well suited to our customers and well timed for the moment," says Marina Kissam, Vice President of Customer Experience at Luxury Card. "NICHOLAS AIR's personalized service and ease of use elevate the entire private jet experience." NICHOLAS AIR has a strong reputation for pilot professionalism, the highest safety standards and a healthy measure of Southern hospitality. Owned and operated by NICHOLAS AIR, the exclusive fleet boasts the best when it comes to comfort and safety. Members have exclusive access to the propriety network of thousands of vetted aircraft along with service to and from over 7,500 airports in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Luxury Card members can now purchase a 15-hour NICHOLAS AIR Blue Jet Card and receive a $2,500 credit to their NICHOLAS AIR Blue Jet Card or purchase a 30-hour NICHOLAS AIR Blue Jet Card and receive a $7,500 credit.1 The offer, which is available to new NICHOLAS AIR members through 2021, must be booked through Luxury Card Concierge. About Luxury Card Luxury Card is a global leader in the premium credit card market with a mission to shape the industry through innovation, value and service. We believe the Mastercard Gold Card, Mastercard Black Card and Mastercard Titanium Card can pay for themselves with unparalleled rewards, 24/7 Concierge and first-class benefits. With a card weight of 22 grams and 55 patents issued globally, our stainless steel and carbon credit cards outweigh the competition.2 Luxury Card members receive the best airfare and cash back redemption rates,3 with points that can be redeemed in any increment and never expire.4 Points for airfare are redeemed at 2% with no blackout dates, airline limitations or seat restrictions.4 For example, 50,000 points with Luxury Card will get you a $1,000 airline ticket and only a $750 airline ticket with the nearest competitor.3 Cardmembers redeem for cash back at a leading rate of up to 2%3 or for various experiences, travel, dining and gift cards.4 Luxury Card Concierge caters to Cardmembers' every need. Available 24/7 by live chat on our industry-first Luxury Card App, phone and email, dedicated Concierge agents assist with travel itineraries, dining reservations, research and gift sourcing. We deliver first-class service anywhere, anytime.5 Luxury Card's in-house travel program provides an average total value of $5006 per stay in benefits and services at over 3,000 properties worldwide. Mastercard Gold Card and Mastercard Black Card members receive complimentary membership and unlimited guest access to more than 1,300 airport lounges around the globe with Priority Pass Select.4 Luxury Card is accepted at over 8 million domestic retailers in 210 countries with no foreign transaction fees.7 We are committed to providing top value, benefits and service to make your life simpler and your experiences richer. About NICHOLAS AIR NICHOLAS AIR distinguishes itself by providing the most innovative, efficient, and customizable options for private air travel. The company, founded in 1997, is a boutique brand that has built its success on its customer service reputation, aircraft quality reputation, and flawless safety record, and in turn has attracted many flyers away from their alternative fractional ownership or jet card options. From dedicated Personal Travel Representatives, to its pilots, and everything in between, NICHOLAS AIR has built a culture of exceeding customer expectations. To ensure the best experience and most reliable service, NICHOLAS AIR maintains an Owned and Operated fleet with an average aircraft age under 5 years consisting of Pilatus PC-12, Phenom 100, Citation CJ3, Phenom 300, Citation Latitude, and Challenger 300 jet types. 1 Restrictions, limitations and exclusions apply. Benefit available through 12/31/21. 2 Credit card weights from 10/10/2019 uscreditcardguide.com article, "The Heaviest Credit Cards List." 3 Information as of December 1, 2020. The earn rates at which points can be accumulated vary among credit card competitors and can impact the relative dollar value of the redemption. 4 Conditions and limitations apply. For more information, please refer to the Reward Rules within the Terms and Conditions at myluxurycard.com for additional information about the rewards program. 5 Restrictions, limitations and exclusions apply. See the Services section of myluxurycard.com to view your Guide to Benefits for a full explanation of coverages and details regarding specific time limits, eligibility and documentation requirements. 6 Average value based on a 2020 stay of three nights at either a domestic or an international property. Benefits may include daily breakfast for two, room upgrade when available, welcome amenities, resort and dining credits, late check-out and early check-in when available and complimentary Wi-Fi. Actual value will vary based on property, room rate, upgrade availability, length of stay and use of benefits. 7 Offer subject to credit approval. This offer is available through this advertisement and may not be accessible elsewhere. For complete pricing and other details, please see the Terms and Conditions. This one-time offer is valid for eligible cardmembers. You may not be eligible for this offer if you currently have or previously had an account with us in this program. In addition, you may not be eligible for this offer if, at any time during our relationship with you, we have cause, as determined by us in our sole discretion, to suspect that the account is being obtained or will be used for abusive or gaming activity (such as, but not limited to, obtaining or using the account to maximize rewards earned in a manner that is not consistent with typical consumer activity and/or multiple credit card account applications/openings). Please see the About This Offer section of the Terms and Conditions for important information. Annual Fee is $995, $495 or $195. 0% introductory APR on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening is applicable for the first fifteen billing cycles that immediately follow each balance transfer. This introductory APR offer does not apply to purchases and cash advances. For new and outstanding balance transfers after the introductory period and all purchases, the variable APR is 14.99%. The variable APR for cash advances is 25.24%. The APRs on your account will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate and are subject to change. The minimum monthly interest charge will be $0.50. Balance transfer fee: 3% (min. $5). Cash advance fee: 5% (min. $10). Foreign transaction fee: 0%. See Terms and Conditions for updated and more information about the terms of this offer, including the "About the Variable APRs on Your Account" section for the current Prime Rate information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005071/en/ [ 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. Vietnam detects new Coronavirus strain with combined features of UK, Indian ones 29 May 2021 | 2:20 PM Hanoi, May 29 (UNI) Vietnam has detected a new strain of the coronavirus that combines characteristics of the UK and Indian variants, national Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said on Saturday. see more.. Jaishankar meets Blinken, discuss COVID-19 relief, Indo-Pacific 29 May 2021 | 11:52 AM Washington, May 29 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met his US counterpart Antony Blinken in-person here and discussed the COVID-19 relief, coup in Myanmar, climate change and strengthening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. see more.. COVID cases in Brazil rises by 67,467 to over 16 34mln 28 May 2021 | 3:51 PM Brasilia, May 28 (UNI) The number of COVID-19 cases in Brazil has increased by 67,467 to 16,342,162 within the last 24 hours, the national Ministry of Health said. see more.. German President Steinmeier to run for 2nd term 28 May 2021 | 3:35 PM Berlin, May 28 (UNI) German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday announced that he intends to run for the second term. see more.. Washington, Jan 29 (UNI) The US Defense Department has received a request from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines throughout the United States, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said. "On the FEMA request, we are in receipt of a request by FEMA for Defense Department capabilities to assist in vaccine distribution," Kirby said during a press briefing on Thursday. Kirby said he could not go into further detail about what the request entails. The Biden administration aims to have 100 federally-backed Coronavirus vaccination centers throughout the United States by the end of January. President Joe Biden has said he wants to have 100 million vaccinations administered within his first 100 days in office. UNI XC-GNK A scheme has opened offering three farmers the loan of a New Holland tractor for a year to help their business develop. The 'Up to Speed' scheme, by the Princes Countryside Fund and New Holland Agriculture, is open to all British farmers. There are three different New Holland machines available for loan: a Boomer Compact Tractor, a T6 Tractor, and a TH Telehandler. The initiative, now in its second year, attracts a wide-range of applications, from new entrants looking to kickstart their business to existing farmers wanting to become more efficient. To enter, an application form must be filled out and a short video uploaded explaining why you deserve the machine. JB Gill, former JLS band member, farmer and ambassador for the Princes Countryside Fund, helped launch the scheme a year ago. "I heard first-hand how much difference the New Holland machines have made and still are making to the businesses of the 2020 winners. "It is an incredible opportunity for farmers, so do consider applying. Good luck and I look forward to meeting the inspiring winners of Up to Speed 2021. Rob David, 2020 scheme winner, said winning the use of a New Holland T6 Tractor had saved him time and money. "In May, I took on some extra land, which I would not have considered without the tractor," he said. "Since then, the extra land has allowed me to buy some cattle and more breeding ewes too. "In the nine months Ive had the tractor so far it has enabled my business to grow. Id urge everyone to apply." Applications open at 12pm on 1 February 2021, and close at midnight on Monday 1 March 2021. Those applying to the scheme must be aged 18 and over with a British driving or tractor licence. The world lost Oscar winner and comedy icon Cloris Leachman on Wednesday, and one of her former costars is making sure to reminisce and pay tribute to her. Grace And Frankie star Lily Tomlin stopped by The Talk on Thursday for a virtual chat, during which she took some time to remember Cloris. Tomlin, 81, costarred with Leachman in the 1993 comedy film The Beverly Hillbillies, based on the television series of the same name. Fond memories: Grace And Frankie star Lily Tomlin stopped by The Talk on Thursday for a virtual chat, during which she took some time to remember the late Cloris Leachman 'She was the most extraordinary person,' Tomlin said. 'She would come into the makeup room every morning and just regale us with stories. Our mouths would be dropped open, half the time we'd be laughing out loud. 'You just never knew what she was going to come up with,' she continued. The 9 To 5 actress went on to recall a specific scene from the comedy film, calling Cloris 'a great scene partner.' RIP: The world lost Oscar winner and comedy icon Cloris Leachman on Wednesday, at age 94; seen here in 2016 'I was rescuing her from a hospital where she had shock treatments,' Lily recollected, going on to described Cloris's crazy electrified hair in the scene. 'We're running down the hall together, and somehow we got our bags mixed up. We absolutely improv-ed the whole thing. We had no idea it was going to happen, and we didn't know it would stay in the movie.' Tomlin went on to say she 'was just crestfallen; when she heard the news of Leachman's passing. 'I felt she was going to live forever,' she concluded. Seen in the movie they costarred in: Tomlin (upper right) costarred with Leachman (lower right) in the 1993 comedy film The Beverly Hillbillies, based on the TV series of the same name Cloris, an Oscar winner for 1971's The Last Picture Show and multiple Emmy winner for her role of Phyllis on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, died at age 94 of natural causes earlier this week in Encinitas, California. Another former costar took to social media on Wednesday to commemorate Cloris as well. It was one other than the original Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter. Decorated: Cloris, an Oscar winner and multiple Emmy winner, died of natural causes earlier this week in Encinitas; seen here in 1975 Leachman, of course, appeared on the pilot of Carter's Wonder Woman series in 1975, as WW's mother Queen Hippolyta. 'Cloris Leachman was queen of the Amazons and a queen of industry, breaking barriers and inspiring women in film and TV for decades,' Carter wrote, alongside a stock image of the pair from the time. 'She was a sweet TV mom and a riot to work with. I will miss you, along with the smiles and laughter you brought everywhere you went, Cloris. ' James M. Gustafson came to Emory in 1988 to lead the Luce Seminars, groundbreaking interdisciplinary seminars that not only had a lasting impact on Emory faculty but became a model for other universities. Emory Photo/Video With the passing of the internationally respected theological ethicist and emeritus faculty member James M. Gustafson on Jan. 15, the world lost a towering scholar, says former Emory President James T. Laney, who led the universitys efforts to recruit him in the late 1980s. Gustafson came to Emory to lead the Luce Seminars, groundbreaking interdisciplinary seminars that not only had a lasting impact on Emory faculty but became a model for other universities. A native of Michigan, Gustafson was the son of a minister. After receiving a BS from Northwestern University and a BD from Chicago Theological Seminary, he was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 1951 and served as a pastor in Northford, Connecticut, while pursuing doctoral studies at Yale University. During Laneys own doctoral studies at Yale, Gustafson served as his chair, and Laney followed his mentors career as he rose to prominence at Yale Divinity School and the universitys Department of Religious Studies (19551972), then later served at the University of Chicago Divinity School and as a university professor (19721988). Scholarly roots and influences Gustafson drew from renowned theologians while emerging as one in his own right. H. Richard Niebuhr, one of the most significant theological ethicists of the past century, was a major influence. Niebuhr had been his professor, and the two worked together on a Carnegie Foundation study of Protestant theological education in America. According to E. Brooks Holifield, Charles Howard Candler Professor Emeritus of American Church History at Emorys Candler School of Theology, Gustafson extended Niebuhrs work in the course of his 43-year career. Both men, he notes, could say deep and important things in simple ways. Like Laney, Holifield was a student of Gustafson at Yale and remembers his lectures as vibrant and thought-provoking, among the best he received. He did not, says Holifield, hand us answers; he guided us to see situations, to embrace a way of thinking. He kept notes from Gustafsons classes for years because they were a new means of considering what theology meant. Holifield and his fellow students were aware of Gustafsons service in World War II; from 1944 to 1946, he served with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Burma and India. In those places, says Holifield, he saw terrible things, coming away with a deep sense of realism about humanity. Gustafson was interested in how the church could be a site of ethical reflection. To him, religion too often placed God in service to humankinds values and desires. He considered the word God, recalls Holifield, symbolic language representative of the powers bearing down on the world and sustaining it. Gustafson insisted that theology take into account the natural sciences, believing that the war of religion against science was based on misunderstanding. He felt that religion points to the same realities as natural science, but each construes those realities differently. Gustafsons writing hit a high mark with publication of the two-volume Ethics from a Theocentric Perspective (19811982), which not only set out his system but also proved a useful tool for examining any ethical system, theological or nontheological. A key aspect of his legacy was his profound influence on a host of scholars having no direct connection to religion or ethics. Establishment of the Luce Seminars At the time of recruiting Gustafson to Emory, then-President Laney was exploring the question: What is education really for? Of course, it is about training and professional skills, Laney says. However, we were also interested in creating a synergistic quality, an interdisciplinary aspect, in the hopes of answering what education is truly for in the best sense. I knew that Jim would contribute much to these discussions. With the financial support of the Henry Luce Foundation, Gustafson came to Emory in 1988 as the Henry R. Luce Professor of Humanities and Comparative Studies. For the first five years of his tenure, Gustafson presided over the Luce Seminars. Reflecting intensive investments of time and effort, each seminar ran for six months and involved as many as a dozen faculty from across the university. They were the first of their kind in the nation and won him lasting appreciation, says Laney. Jon P. Gunnemann, professor emeritus of social ethics, recalls having the new Luce Professor sitting outside his door waiting for him. Says Gunnemann, The encounter was a discomfiting reversal of roles since, some 20 years earlier, I had sat outside his office at Yale as his student. We talked at length about the interdisciplinary faculty seminar he was planning, one that would involve genuine engagement between and among the research areas of the university, a realization of the demands of his theology, which required seriously engaging all human disciplines of intellectual inquiry. Gustafson called one seminar Human Being/Being Human. Laney points to the skillful tension in that title, saying: You can see the challenging dynamic he set up in that human being is descriptive and objective, while being human is something far more elusive and aspirational. To Ted A. Smith, professor of preaching and ethics at Candler, Gustafsons career has two halves: his scholarship before Emory and the work he did after arriving. By Smiths analysis, in the earlier part of his career, Gustafson did more than anyone else to form a whole generation of scholars who shaped the field of religious ethics in the last three decades of the 20th century. Once here, having defined a discipline, he now transcended it, bringing all of Emory together around questions of common concern and demonstrating that we have shared (even if endlessly contested) moral purposes. Helping define what education is truly for When Gustafson retired in 1998, then known as the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Comparative Studies and of Religion, the seminar was named in his honor. Says Gunnemann, Faculty across the disciplines reported that the Luce Seminar changed the way they thought and in some cases changed their lives. Just as Jims graduate students from Yale and Chicago are scattered across all the universities of the country, his faculty grads have populated and influenced all fields of study at Emory. Courses based on his Luce Seminar are still taught in Emorys Emeritus College. Moreover, as Laney and then-Provost Billy Frye held conversations among faculty that led to the creation of the Emory Ethics Center in 1990, the readiness and enthusiasm for the center was stimulated in part by the seminars Gustafson led. For those seeking a deeper dive into an unparalleled career, Pitts Theology Library holds Gustafsons papers, representing the period 1948 to 2004. Gustafson authored 12 books, coauthored and edited several more, and published scores of journal articles. He was twice a Guggenheim Fellow, was a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and received more than 10 honorary degrees. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award for creative and lasting contributions to the field of Christian ethics in 2011 at the annual meeting of the Society of Christian Ethics. Though he had a gruff exterior, according to Holifield, Gustafson was always willing to spend time with people. Holifield relished lunches with him, recalling, Talking with him was like being in a seminar. He loved the intellectual life and wanted others to love it as well. As the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened, families and inexperienced hikers have fled large metropolitan areas they would usually spend their free time in and have literally ran for the hills. As state park visitation skyrocketed at some Texas parks over 2020, rescues of hikers also increased. At Big Bend State Park, the largest park in the state, staff reported 23 rescues last year, more than double the 11 recorded in 2019 before the pandemic, as reported by Texas Monthly Magazine. Their story opens with the rescue of a 45-year-old San Antonio man, whose rescue called for four hours from 13 crew members and lots of equipment. 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. Introduction to VMware Cloud on AWS and Use Cases As many embrace the hybrid cloud, theyre discovering that their legacy platforms and data systems are leading cost overrun, poor application availability, data loss, and other problems. VMware Cloud is a jointly engineered AWS solution offering disaster recovery services, data center extensibility, cloud migration assistance, and next-gen app support with Kubernetes integration. Watch this video to learn more about VMware Clouds design and features and discover some real-world examples of VMware Cloud powered success. 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 29, 2021] UDig Named One of the 2021 Best Places to Work in Virginia RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- UDig was recently named as one of the 2021 Best Places to Work in Virginia. Virginia Business Magazine and Best Companies Group created the annual list of the Best Places to Work in Virginia. The final rankings were announced at a virtual event on January 29, 2021. "UDig is a great place to work because of our talented, driven team. Our employees enjoy their work and feel their impact on our organization," said UDig EVP of Virginia Gordon Kelly. "The most important thing to us is building a team of skilled employees that are empowered to make a difference for our clients." UDig ensures every team member is a stakeholder in building the future of our organization and creating a positive, people-first culture. About the Survey: This statewide survey and awards program is designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Virginia, benefiting the state's economy, workforce and businesses. The 2020 Best Places to Work in Virginia list is made up of 100 companies. To be considered for participation, companies had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements: - Be a for-profit, not-for-profit business r government entity; - Have a facility in the state of Virginia; - Have at least 15 employees working in the state of Virginia; and - Be in business a minimum of 1 year. Companies from across the state entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Places to Work in Virginia. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. For more information on the Best Places to Work in Virginia program, visit www.BestPlacesToWorkVA.com. About UDig: UDig is a technology consulting company focused on enabling your business with modern solutions. Business is a journey. And the roadmap to success is never a straight line. Through creative solutions and problem solving, our team enables yours to plan, build, and transform on your path from good to great. Then we leave you better. UDig was named one of the Best Places to Work in Virginia in 2016 and 2017 and ranked in the Inc. 5000 fastest growing companies in 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2016. UDig is headquartered in Richmond, VA, with offices in Nashville, TN and Washington, DC. Learn more at www.udig.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/udig-named-one-of-the-2021-best-places-to-work-in-virginia-301218234.html SOURCE UDig LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] MACON, Ga., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Workers at Kumho Tire today called on the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority to intervene in a deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the Georgia plant. At least twelve workers contracted the virus and one died in the latest wave of infections affecting the facility, which Kumho continues to operate without basic safety precautions. The United Steelworkers (USW)the union representing about 320 workers at Kumhoasked the industrial authority to step in because it owns the property on which the plant is located. "The residents of Macon-Bibb County gave Kumho tens of millions of dollars in incentives to operate this factory," noted USW District 9 Director Daniel Flippo, who represents Steelworkers in Georgia, six other southern states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. "Kumho has chosen to repay that generosity by putting the entire community, including children and senior citizens, at risk," Flippo said. "We ask the authority to meet with workers as soon as possible to discuss this crisis and decide on a course of action." In a letter formally seeking the authority's assistance, USW Staff Representative Alex Perkins said workers repeatedly raised safety concerns as more than 30 colleagues contracted the virus in recent months. But the company still refuses to meet with workers or implement the kinds of safety precautions now standard in most U.S. workplaces. "Kumho management's indifference is not surprising," Perkins wrote, noting it's already on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's radar for multiple tragic workplace incidents. In its rental agreement, Kumho pledged to keep the plant in a safe condition. "We call on the authority to carefully review that section of the agreement and protect the community from needless danger," Flippo said. The workers at Kumho voted to join the USW in 2019. Earlier this month, the National Labor Relations Board dismissed the last of the company's objections and certified the election results. They will now begin bargaining a contract. The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector and service occupations. Contact: Joe Smydo, [email protected], 412-562-2281 SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW) Related Links http://www.usw.org Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 20:11:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LA PAZ -- Bolivian President Luis Arce on Thursday expressed his appreciation for China's support for the Latin American country's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. "We appreciate your cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 and in the development of strategic projects for Bolivia," he tweeted after a phone conversation earlier in the day with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "We are making progress in matters of cooperation to tackle the pandemic, such as vaccines for Bolivia," he said, describing the health of the people as a priority. - - - - NEW YORK -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres suggested on Thursday that China and the United States cooperate on climate action. "There is an area where I believe there is a growing convergence of interests, and my appeal is for that area to be pursued by the two sides, together with the whole of the international community, and that area is climate action," Guterres told reporters during a hybrid in-person and virtual news conference. - - - - BEIJING -- Facing pressing challenges like the sluggish global economy and the still-raging COVID-19 pandemic, world leaders have voiced their support for multilateralism during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Virtual Event of the Davos Agenda starting Monday. Argentine President Alberto Fernandez on Thursday stressed the value of multilateralism for facing global challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It is "a unique moment to rethink development modalities and international cooperation schemes," said Fernandez at the meeting. "At this stage, it is necessary to link multilateralism with a concept of multisolidarity, involving states, enterprises and workers," he said. - - - - SANTIAGO -- Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Thursday welcomed a shipment of nearly 2 million vaccines developed by Chinese firm Sinovac Biotech as the South American country is preparing for mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19. "Today is a day of joy, excitement and hope because, as you see behind me, there is the plane that brought a shipment of almost 2 million doses of Sinovac vaccines from China," Pinera said after the aircraft landed at the Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in the capital Santiago. Enditem Khumalo used her voice to change lives Wits University extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Sibongile Khumalo, a music legend and an icon of South African music. The University counts itself amongst those who have lost a remarkable human being as Khumalo, a Wits graduate, was a supporter of Wits University and gave freely of her time to enrich the lives of our students. In 2012 when she celebrated 20 years in music, she dedicated the last leg of her cross-country tour to raising funds for student bursaries by holding a concert in the Wits Great Hall. Whether she was singing or presenting as a guest speaker, Khumalo used her voice to teach and entrench love and pride in Africa, often calling on the youth to embrace African humanism. She thrilled and educated listeners on and off the stage. Khumalo completed a BA Honours (Music) and a Higher Diploma in Personnel Management from Wits University. She was celebrated internationally for her adept voice whether singing traditional South African music, jazz or opera. She has left a rich legacy for the country and music lovers the world over. May she rest in peace. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Calling the Northeast Heights debut of Dutch Bros. Coffee, the Oregon-based drive-through coffee chain, auspicious is an understatement. Lines of cars regularly snake around the building, sometimes extending out onto a busy stretch of Juan Tabo. While its encouraging to see people supporting a new business, I cant help but think that all that money would be better served going to homegrown operations. Its not like theres a dearth of good coffee shops in town. On the contrary, the city has a thriving coffee scene, one that got an additional boost recently with the opening of Meraki Coffee + Market at Eubank and Juan Tabo NE. Meraki (pronounced may-rah-kee) means labor of love in Greek, and thats a fair way to describe restaurateur Nicole Kapnisons efforts in transforming an idle function room at the corner of her father Nicks Greek restaurant, Mykonos, into a whitewashed, light-filled coffee shop. The exterior walls are made up of garage doors that can be opened in warm weather, instantly transforming the premises into an al fresco setting. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The menu is made up of brunch items, baked goods and coffee drinks, with a few nods to the Kapnisons Greek heritage. Theres also a market where you can pick up seasoning packets, coffee, jam and decorative items. The brunch menu is evenly divided between breakfast and lunch items, and almost everything is under $10. To start your day, theres a Quinoa & Oatmeal Bowl ($8) topped with sliced apples and dried cranberry. Crushed walnuts and chia seeds bring some texture to the creamy, nutty grains, and the serving is ample enough for leftovers. Merakis version of avocado toast ($7) is simple and well-balanced, with sliced tomato, radish and cucumber over a fluffy pile of avocado on a big slab of fresh ciabatta. Also served on ciabatta, the Goddess Toast ($7) works classic Mediterranean flavors together in a colorful mix over a spread of Greek yogurt. The twists of marinated tomatoes are the star here, far more tender and sweet than the sun-dried variety they resemble. The Greeks have been making doughnuts for several centuries, and Meraki honors that tradition with its version of loukoumades ($4). The fried dough balls retain their crisp shell and piping-hot interior even after a soaking in warm honey. The serving of eight doughnuts, topped with chopped walnuts and powdered sugar, is shareable and makes an ideal accompaniment for coffee. Merakis connection with Mykonos means that the baked goods are made on-site. I wanted to try the lavender cheesecake cookies ($1), but they had run out, so I settled for a lovely raspberry pastry ($3) with icing and a jam filling. Merakis coffee drinks are made with beans from Albuquerque-based Slow Burn Coffee Roasters. Perhaps the most unusual drink on the menu is the Greek Frappe ($4), a blend of whipped coffee and milk that was supposedly invented in the city of Thessaloniki in the 1950s and has since become a national drink. In Merakis version, the whipped, sweetened coffee forms a thick layer above the milk, and a shot of Madagascar vanilla bourbon syrup ($1 extra) adds a touch of sweetness and flavor without overwhelming the coffee component. Merakis Golden Milk Latte ($5) doesnt contain coffee; rather, it consists of milk steamed with turmeric, cinnamon, vanilla, black pepper and ginger and topped with rose petals. Its spicy, aromatic, and surprisingly full-bodied. If I were weaning myself off coffee, this would be my go-to drink. Kapnison is an authority on spirits, having recently unveiled her own line of gin and vodka under the label Nikle Co., so its hardly a surprise that Meraki has a few cocktails on the menu. Choices includes brunch stalwarts such as Bellini ($8) and more novel, seasonally appropriate potions like chai-spiced hot buttered rum ($8) and pumpkin spice white Russian ($8). I ordered through Selflane, and the food and drinks were ready in about 15 minutes. The two servers were friendly and well-informed about the menu. There are a dozen or so tables for two set up along the sidewalk outside. Meraki Coffee + Market is both forward-looking and conscious of its heritage, with a stylish setting and an attention to detail that bode well for its future. MERAKI COFFEE + MARKET 3.5 stars LOCATION: 5900 Eubank NE, 717-1287, drinkmerakiabq.com HOURS: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday NO ALCOHOL POTTSVILLE An Ashland man will spend more time behind bars after a Schuylkill County judge sentenced him Jan. 22 for possessing drug paraphernalia in June 2019 in Schuylkill Haven. Addison J. Hummel, 27, must serve three to 12 months in prison and undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation, Judge Charles M. Miller decided. You have problems with drugs, Miller told Hummel, who already is in the county prison and participated in the hearing by videoconference. Miller imposed the sentence after revoking Hummels probation. The judge ruled Hummel violated his probation by running around the Pottsville Post Office without his pants on, failing a drug test, using drugs and failing to report to his supervising officer. Theres no question that you violated the terms of your probation, Miller said. Hummel originally pleaded guilty on March 5, 2020, to possession of drug paraphernalia. At that time, Miller placed Hummel on probation for 12 months, and also sentenced him to pay costs and $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund. Schuylkill Haven police charged Hummel with possessing paraphernalia on June 20, 2019. Miller on Jan. 22 also revoked the electronic monitoring of Ryan M. Shoup, 23, of Barnesville, and recommitted him to prison. Shoup admitted violating the terms of his supervision by using marijuana and Vicodin. He originally pleaded guilty on Sept. 24, 2020, to possession of a controlled substance. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. At that time, Miller sentenced Shoup to serve six to 12 months in prison, with permission to serve the time on house arrest with electronic monitoring, and pay costs, a $100 SAEF payment, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $113 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem. Minersville police alleged Shoup possessed drugs on Sept. 17, 2019, in the borough. Shoup already is an inmate at the county prison, and Miller conducted the hearing by videoconference. In another Friday case, Judge Jacqueline L. Russell revoked the probation of Charles P. Hummel Jr., 30, of Schuylkill Haven, but deferred sentencing pending the defendants application to be admitted into Schuylkill County Drug Treatment Court. Charles Hummel admitted violating his probation by incurring new charges in two cases and not making payments on his court-ordered costs and fees. He originally pleaded guilty on Sept. 9, 2020, to possession of drug paraphernalia. At that time, Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, accepted the plea, placed Charles Hummel on probation for six months and also sentenced him to pay costs and a $100 SAEF payment. Pottsville police charged the defendant with possessing paraphernalia on June 17, 2020, in the city. Charles Hummel already is an inmate at the county prison, and Russell conducted the hearing by videoconference. An upper Dauphin County man must serve time in state prison after admitting Monday to a Schuylkill County judge that he possessed drugs and gave a false name on one occasion and fled from them, in the process damaging their car, on another. Blake A. Worhacz, 24, of Williamstown, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and false identification to law enforcement in one case and fleeing or eluding police, criminal mischief, failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic and careless driving in another. Judge Christina E. Hale sentenced Worhacz to serve four to 24 months in a state correctional institution and pay costs, $50 in fines, $100 to the SAEF and $100 to the CJEA. She made the sentence consecutive to ones the defendant already is serving from Cumberland and Dauphin counties. Prosecutors withdrew one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia, receiving stolen property, operating vehicle without required financial responsibility, failure to obey traffic control devices, reckless driving and operating vehicle without valid inspection, one additional count of possession of a controlled substance, and two of displaying plate or card in improper vehicle. State police at Frackville charged Worhacz with leading them on the chase on Dec. 23, 2019, while state police at Frackville alleged he possessed drugs and falsely identified himself on Jan. 7, 2020. Worhacz already is an inmate at SCI/Chester in Delaware County, and Hale conducted the hearing by videoconference. Also on Monday, Hale sentenced Robert E. Stalter Jr., 47, of Hazleton, to serve one to two years in a state correctional institution, pay costs and a $50 CJEA payment and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. Stalter pleaded guilty to attempted criminal trespass. Rush Township police charged him with trying to break into a garage on Oxford Street in Hometown on April 11, 2020. Stalter already is an inmate at SCI/Benner Township in Centre County, and Hale conducted the hearing by videoconference. 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 Britain today passed the halfway point of its mammoth Covid vaccination drive as the number of people to receive the first dose of a jab surged to 7.9million with 446,000 vaccines given out yesterday. A total of 445,941 Covid vaccines were administered on Thursday, official figures show, of which 443,985 were given to people receiving their first dose. The NHS data shows that 344,464 vaccinations were administered across England on January 28 and the total number of people vaccinated rose to 7,891,184. Yesterday was the first time since Saturday that the country had hit the required 400,00 a day it needed to reach the 15million target so officials can consider reopening schools and loosening lockdown from March 8. Broken down by nation, 6.8million people have been vaccinated in England, 515,855 in Scotland, 196,131 in Northern Ireland and 362,253 in Wales. Meanwhile Northern Ireland administered a staggering 20,847 first jabs on Thursday which was a surge of 75 per cent on their previous daily record of 11,866 on January 14 and one per cent of its entire population in a day. However, a vaccine postcode lottery means that while 84 per cent of over-80s have been immunised in the North East and Yorkshire, this is lower at 78 per cent in the South East and only 65 per cent in London. It emerged earlier this week that vaccine supplies are being diverted away from the North, which is storming ahead with its vaccine drive, and redirected to the South to help it catch up. Figures show that 1,271 had received their second jab on Thursday and the number of first vaccinations in England were up by 36 per cent, 91,472, from 252,992 immunisations on Wednesday. Pictured: People queue in the rain at a vaccination centre in Folkestone, Kent A vaccine postcode lottery means that while 84 per cent of over-80s have been immunised in the North East and Yorkshire, this is lower at 78 per cent in the South East and only 65 per cent in London. Pictured: People queue in the rain at a vaccination centre in Folkestone, Kent How many first doses of a Covid vaccine have been given out in each UK country? According to Department of Health Data, a total of 7.9million people across the UK have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Here is a breakdown of each country: England First dose: 6,816,945 Second dose: 446,372 Scotland First dose: 515,855 Second dose: 7,095 Wales First dose: 362,253 Second dose: 717 Northern Ireland First dose: 196,131 Second dose: 24,070 UK total First dose: 7,891,184 Second dose: 476,298 Advertisement Meanwhile it was revealed today that Johnson and Johnson's coronavirus vaccine is 66 per cent effective against the disease, early trial results reveal. The jab is made by Janssen - the Belgian arm of the US pharmaceutical giant - uses similar technology to the Oxford vaccine, making it easy to transport and store, but requires just a single injection to protect against Covid. The scientists also said no safety concerns were raised in the trial involving 44,000 volunteers - a third of which were over 65 and two fifths suffered from an underlying health condition such as obesity, diabetes and HIV. The UK has ordered 30million doses, with the option of purchasing 22million more, and experts say it could be rolled out in Britain by late February. It comes after Novavax announced its jab was 89 per cent effective last night. Both will need to be reviewed by Britain's medical regulator before they can be deployed. The figures revealed today show a lower efficacy compared to others reported so far, with Pfizer and Moderna's both around 95 per cent. But scientists said this is still a very good result, with the World Health Organization initially setting the threshold for effectiveness at around 50 per cent. The new vaccines could significantly speed up the programme which has been held back by supply shortages. Pfizer's and AstraZeneca's are the only ones currently being rolled out in the UK and have accounted for the 7million doses given out already. Another jab, made by US firm Moderna and approved by the British regular, won't be delivered until March because the UK was late to get its order in. Janssen said it recorded 468 infections in its phase 3 tests. They added it was shown to have slightly less efficacy (57 per cent) in trials in South Africa, where a mutant strain of Covid-19 is feared to make jabs less potent. The Health Secretary Matt Hancock heralded the results as 'good news' and said the UK's approach of securing large vaccine stocks was 'paying off'. 'After the good news last night of the effectiveness of the Novavax vaccine that, should it be approved, will be made in Teesside, this lunchtime we just had more good news about the new Janssen vaccine,' he said. So far the UK has placed orders for 367million doses of the seven most promising Covid vaccines made by AstraZeneca , Pfizer , Moderna, Valneva, Janssen, GlaxoSmithKline and Novavax at a cost of 2.9billion The single-dose vaccine invented by Johnson & Johnson was shown to be 66 per cent effective in trials, but 86 per cent effective at preventing severe Covid with no participants requiring hospitalisation due to the disease 'This is a single dose vaccine, and our approach of buying abroad and making here at home is paying off.' He added: 'I want to say a huge thank you to everybody involved who's helped get the UK in this pole position to protect our population and to make sure we get out of this pandemic.' In the trials, researchers tracked illnesses starting 28 days after vaccination which scientists say is about the time when immunity would be triggered if participants had received a two-dose vaccination instead. The shot uses a cold virus to carry the Covid-19 spike protein - which it uses to invade cells and the part of the virus that is attacked by antibodies - to trigger an immune response. HOW DOES THE J&J VACCINE WORK? Johnson and Johnson's vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus). The team have modified the adenovirus so it can enter cells but cant replicate inside them or cause illness. Researchers have already used this technology to produce vaccines against a number of pathogens including flu, Zika and Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers). After the J&J vaccine is injected into a persons arm, the adenoviruses enter human cells and travel to their nuclei, the chamber where the cells DNA is stored. The vaccine are programmed to carry the genetic code of the coronavirus's 'spike protein', which Sars-CoV-2 uses to invade the body. Iit uses this genetic code to trick the body into mounting an immune response, priming the immune system to attack coronavirus if the real virus infects the body. Advertisement This is similar to the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, which also uses an adenovirus with spike proteins from Covid-19 attached. Both doses can be stored in a household fridge, a significant leg up over Pfizer's which must be stored at -75C (-94F) before use. The Oxford/AstraZeneca jab was also shown to be 62 per cent effective during trials, which health chiefs said was an excellent result considering they were not sure whether the jab would work until they had the results. Meanwhile the Novavax coronavirus vaccine could submit its results to the UK regulator within two weeks, says the clinical trial chief, with supplies set to be available to Britain as soon as this summer. Early results show the jab is 89.3 effective against the virus and can fight off the Kent strain, in a glimmer of hope that the UK will add a fourth jab to its anti-Covid arsenal to end the pandemic. And in another promising sign it was found to be spark protection against the South African strain - which scientists fear could slip past jab-triggered immunity - in 60 per cent of cases. There have been 62 confirmed infections in the trial involving 15,000 volunteers - including 4,000 over 65 - so far, including 56 in the placebo group which did not receive the experimental vaccine. Professor Paul Heath, who heads the study, said they will likely record 100 infections in the next two weeks, which is the number needed for them to take the jab to regulators for approval. 'We will reach 100 cases in the next week or two,' he said. 'And that will be the next step, streaming of all the data, and going to the MHRA (UK jabs regulator). I have no idea how long it will take to then reach a decision.' The company Fujifilm, which will manufacture the jab in Billingham, Teesside, confirmed today that it was preparing to start making it in February. Whitehall sources say that, if the regulatory process goes smoothly, the jabs could start becoming available to the public by the summer, in a massive boost to the country's jabs supplies. The UK has ordered 60million jabs from the US pharmaceutical firm, alongside 100million from the already rubber-stamped Oxford/Astrazeneca jab and 40million from Pfizer/BioNTech. A further 17million are due to arrive from Moderna in the spring. The Novavax jab could submit its results to the UK's regulators for approval within two weeks, the trials chief has said (stock) The UK's 2020 vaccine chief revealed today she cracked open the wine and 'broke dry January' last night after learning another jab set be made in Britain was proved to beat Covid-19. Kate Bingham, who stepped down as chairwoman of the UK Vaccine Taskforce on January 1, also revealed that she was one of the people who took part in the trial. Professor Heath sought to calm concerns that variants of the virus could get around jab-triggered immunity during a press conference today. Scientists fear that a strain will emerge with different spike proteins - which it uses to invade cells and are bound to by antibodies to stop infection - which could make immunity triggered by vaccines ineffective. But no strain with this ability has yet being identified by scientists, meaning that current vaccines are sufficient to fend off infections. How does the Novavax vaccine work? How does the Novavax jab work? The Novavax vaccine works like other vaccines by teaching the immune system to make antibodies to the coronavirus spike protein. Researchers inserted a modified gene into a virus, called a baculovirus, and allowed it to infect insect cells. Spike proteins from these cells were then harvested and assembled into nanoparticles which then look like the coronavirus but cannot replicate or cause Covid-19. These nanoparticles are then injected into the body via the vaccine where the immune system mounts an antibody response. They are combined with a compound called a matrix which essentially acts as a catalyst to boost the immune system's reaction and make it mount a stronger response, which should lead to more robust immunity. If the body encounters coronavirus in the future, the body is primed to fend it off. Are there advantages of the Novavax vaccine? Yes. While the jabs from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna need to be kept at ultra-low temperatures, the Novavax jab is stable for up to three months in a normal fridge. The jab should be available in the second half of this year and is being manufactured in Teeside. Was the jab tested in the UK? Yes. More than 15,000 people in the UK took part in the clinical trial, which was supported by the UK National Institute for Health Research. Some 27 per cent of those in the UK were over the age of 65. The study assessed how effective the vaccine was when transmission of Covid-19 was high in the UK, and with the variant strain identified in the UK circulating widely. The analysis, based on the first 62 cases of Covid-19 identified in the trial, reported 56 cases in people given a placebo (dummy) vaccine while six cases were in those given the vaccine. More than 50 per cent of cases related to the UK strain of the virus, with the vaccine offering 86 per cent protection against this strain. Against the original strain that has circulated since the start of the pandemic, the vaccine was 96 per cent effective. Advertisement 'The (60 per cent efficacy against the SA variant) is really good because we had been concerned... it would not be vaccine preventable,' he said. He added: 'It's very likely that (other vaccines) will also protect against this variant. '(These results) imply other vaccines which produce high levels of spike protein will also be effective against the UK variant.' Novavax is already looking at designing booster shots for its vaccine that could protect against new variants, he added, which could be given as second doses. When asked by MailOnline whether he was more concerned about the Brazilian variant, Professor Heath said more studies needed to be carried out. 'Any of the variants that have a significant impact on the spike protein are of theoretical concern because antibody responses to spike protein are critical in providing protection,' he said. 'There is general concern about the Brazilian variant because of the amount of disease in one part of the country where a high degree of previous infection and immunity was established. 'It requires further work and understanding.' There are trials of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines impact on the Brazilian strain ongoing, which will indicate whether it can dodge previous immunity. Last year, Novavax said pre-clinical trials showed its potential vaccine produced 'robust antibody responses'. The firm announced plans for the critical phase three trials in the UK in September last year. The vaccine works like other vaccines by teaching the immune system to make antibodies to the coronavirus spike protein. Researchers inserted a modified gene into a virus, called a baculovirus, and allowed it to infect insect cells. Spike proteins from these cells were then assembled into nanoparticles which, while they look like coronavirus, cannot replicate or cause Covid-19. These nanoparticles are then injected into the body via the vaccine where the immune system mounts an antibody response. If the body encounters coronavirus in the future, the body is primed to fend it off. If approved, the Novavax vaccine would be the fourth jab given the green light in the UK. British regulators have also approved the US-made Moderna vaccine, which is expected to come on stream this spring. It will be made at Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies factory in Stockton-on-Tees according to local reports. The trial on the two-shot vaccine is the first to be completed since the emergence of the new variant of the disease in Kent. It comes as England's coronavirus R rate is now between 0.7 and 1.0, according to SAGE's latest estimates but official figures show more than a million people were carrying the virus last week as infections levelled off. The Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies said the reproduction value the average number of people each Covid patient infects had fallen only slightly from last week's range of 0.8 to 1.0. The group warned that cases 'continue to be dangerously high and the public must remain vigilant to keep this virus under control, to protect the NHS and save lives'. For the UK as a whole, SAGE estimates the R rate is between 0.7 and 1.1, a change from 0.8 and 1.0 last week. The widening of the range 'reflects a change in uncertainty' in how quickly the virus is spreading, the experts said. All but five local authorities in England saw coronavirus infections fall last week, official data shows in the clearest sign yet that cases are trending downwards across the country during lockdown SAGE cautioned that its R rate estimate is about a week out of date and only looks at infections, hospitalisations and deaths up to January 25. Experts would have hoped that, three weeks into the national lockdown, the R rate would come down more significantly. There are fears the super-infectious Kent variant, which is thought to be at least 50 per cent more transmissible than the original strain and 30 per cent more deadly, has made lockdowns less effective. Meanwhile, an Office for National Statistics report published today estimated that 1.01million people were carrying the disease at any given time in the week ending January 23, the equivalent of one in 55. But there were still large regional disparities, with one in 35 thought to have had the virus in London compared to one in 85 in Yorkshire and one in 70 in the East Midlands. It is the fourth week in a row the ONS believes more than a million people in England were infected with Covid on any given day and today's figure is down only slightly on last week's estimate of 1.02million. The ONS estimates around one in 70 people were carrying the virus in Wales last week, one in 50 in Northern Ireland and one in 110 in Scotland. Statisticians said cases had 'levelled off' in all three nations. Separate data from from ZOE COVID Symptom Study found daily new cases are falling in all regions of the UK, 'but the pace of decline has slowed down'. 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. Does he think the agitating farmers are justified in hitting the streets, questions Tejashwi Yadav Patna: The opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar on Friday declared it will organise a human chain across the state on Saturday to express solidarity with the farmers agitating against the farm laws. Making the announcement at a press conference here,leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav trained his guns at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, questioning his "silence" on the legislations which "hold out the spectre of reducing farmers to beggars". "We are baffled by the chief ministers reluctance to state where he stands on the issue. Does he think the agitating farmers are justified in hitting the streets or does he share the BJPs position that they are committing a mistake?......it is hard to believe that Nitish Kumar has his roots in the socialist movement", Yadav fumed. The former Deputy CM deplored the failure of the chief minister, as also Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to come out with "even a tweet" expressing sympathy for the agitating farmers many of whom have lost their lives staging demonstrations close to the national capital despite biting cold. Flaying the NDA government in Bihar for having scrapped APMCs over a decade ago, Yadav alleged "this had reduced farmers to labourers. The central laws will convert them, like cultivators elsewhere, into beggars". Kumar's government had abolished Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act in 2006 and also ended the mandi (wholesale markets for agricultural produce) system. He claimed that while his RJD was in power and the state was ruled, first by his father Lalu Prasad and subsequently mother Rabri Devi, farmers were better off as they often sold their produce at prices higher than the MSP. Decrying the use of force on many occasions to quell the stir in and around Delhi, the RJD leader said "it is for the first time in the country that the chants of 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' have been jettisoned and jawans are being pitted against kisan (farmers). "It is tragic, since most of our armed forces personnel come from agricultural backgrounds". He also alleged that protests were being suppressed in similar fashion by the government in the state and cited the example of a recent police circular which stated offensive social media posts would be treated as "cyber crime" to buttress his point. Yadav, whose promise of "10 lakh government jobs" is widely believed to have boosted prospect of the RJD as well as the five-party opposition coalition in assembly polls,also slammed the state government for setting up committees to assess performance of 50 years plus employees with the supposed aim to retrench those who were not found up to the mark. Representatives from other grand alliance constituents Congress, CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(ML) also spoke on the occasion. KALAMAZOO, MI -- Facing a vaccine shortage and long waiting list, Kalamazoo teachers are fearful they wont be vaccinated in time for a possible return to the classroom in the spring. Kalamazoo Education Association President Amanda Miller said teachers, who are still teaching in virtual mode, have not yet heard when it will be their turn, and are nervous about the possibility of returning to school without the protection of the vaccine. Overall, what I hear is, We want the vaccine, Miller said. Lets get it. We want to get back to work. Kalamazoo Public Schools Superintendent Rita Raichoudhuri said the district expects a significant delay because of a supply shortage within the county. KPS is waiting to hear from the Kalamazoo County Department of Health and Community Services about when its teachers will be eligible for the vaccine, KPS spokesperson Susan Coney said. Though the state has approved the vaccine for educators, officials in Kalamazoo County say there isnt enough supply yet to give the vaccine to teachers that have not yet returned to classrooms. For vaccinating K-12 school employees, we are working closely with school superintendents, health department spokesperson Lyndi Warner said. Due to limited vaccine supply received each week, schools districts are being prioritized for vaccination clinics in the following order: those that are face-to-face learning, then primarily hybrid learning, and then virtual learning. Warner said the county plans to vaccinate 1,500 K-12 employees this week. They will continue through the prioritized list until completed, she said. How quickly all K-12 employees are able to be vaccinated is dependent on the vaccine supply received, Warner said. Kalamazoo and Comstock Public Schools are the only districts in the county to not offer any form of in-person learning, as of Thursday, Jan. 28. Other districts, including Gull Lake and Climax-Scotts schools were remote part of this week to allow teachers to go get their vaccine. Kalamazoo is fully remote through at least the end of the second trimester. Raichoudhuri plans to announce her decision about the third trimester, which begins March 15, at an upcoming Board of Education meeting Thursday, Feb. 11. The district will either decide to remain fully virtual for the remainder of the school year or implement a hybrid model. In this mode, students would have in-person learning two days per week while studying independently at home, with limited teacher access, for three days of the week, the district said. Miller said KPS teachers understand why they are at the back of the line for the vaccine but worry there wont be enough supply before March. Teachers know Gov. Gretchen Whitmer want students back in the classroom by March. If we dont have the vaccine -- which is does not look like were going to have the vaccine in time -- I dont think we should be going back, Miller said. The teachers union president said teachers are being told to go through their employer to get vaccinated, but that the district is dependent on the health department. She pointed out the life-saving vaccine is being shipped out of the Pfizer manufacturing facility just a few miles south, in Portage. I dont understand why we are definitely behind, Miller said. Its frustrating; were in the area where they get made. Regardless of when teachers get vaccinated, a full, five-day-a-week, in-person option will not be offered by the district, per KPSs Continuity of Learning Plan and subsequent agreement with the teachers union. The districts plan for the 2020-2021 school year indicates that it can return to in-person learning five days a week only when the region has reached post-pandemic status, the district said. The district is hosting town halls in February to discuss the third trimester with stakeholders. The virtual town halls are scheduled for: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 4 Interested attendees should register online. Also on MLive: Ann Arbor parents will rally to advocate for in-person school 12 Southwest Michigan superintendents urge state officials to resume school sports Thursday, Jan. 28, coronavirus data by Michigan county: Michigan ranks 47th in daily new case counts The judge, Davit Grigorian, presided over the ongoing trial of Kocharian and three other former officials when it got underway in May 2019. A few days later, Grigorian not only freed the ex-president but also suspended the trial, questioning the legality of coup charges brought against him. The decisions angered political allies and supporters of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. Heeding Pashinians calls, hundreds of them blocked the entrances to court buildings across Armenia. Pashinian demanded a mandatory vetting of all Armenian judges, saying that many of them remain linked to the countrys corrupt former leadership. Kocharian was arrested again in June 2019 after the Court of Appeals overturned Grigorians decisions. Three weeks later, law-enforcement officers searched and sealed the judges offices. A state body overseeing the Armenian judiciary then suspended Grigorian and allowed the Special Investigative Service (SIS) to prosecute him. Grigorian denied the ensuing accusations of document forgery brought against him and his secretary. He described them as government retribution for Kocharians release. Investigators denied any connection between the Kocharian case and Grigorians prosecution. In June 2020, a Yerevan court of first instance threw out the case against Grigorian for lack of evidence even before starting the suspended judges trial. The Court of Appeals upheld that decision, ruling on an appeal filed by Armenias prosecutor-general. One of Grigorians lawyers, Georgi Melikian, thanked it for the principled judicial act. The judge who took over Kocharians trial later in 2019, Anna Danibekian, repeatedly refused to release the ex-president from custody pending a verdict in the case. In June 2020, the Court of Appeals overturned Danibekians decision to deny Kocharian bail and ordered him freed. Kocharian, who ruled Armenia from 1998-2008, rejects the coup and corruption charges leveled against him as politically motivated. MYRTLE BEACH As businesses continue to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic putting a strain on the local economy, Drift Eatery owners confidently decided to move forward with opening toward the end of 2020, and business has remained steady. The breakfast and lunch spot, at 980 A-6 Cipriana Dr. in Myrtle Beach, has a menu featuring classic breakfast meals, like shrimp and grits and chicken and waffles, along with signature omelets and breakfast sandwiches. For lunch, the eatery offers dishes including soups and salads as well as grilled pork belly, ahi tuna and duck leg confit. "We integrate the menu with different flavors and options that you may not see at other places," said Carlos Ramirez, an owner of Drift. "We try to manage the best quality of coffee thats available. We try to incorporate the brunch style with mimosas." Drift opened in October, about seven months after the pandemic began to impact the Myrtle Beach area. "We were a little nervous in the building to be honest, but at the same time, we were confident that we could get all that support," he said, adding many owners have been in the Myrtle Beach area restaurant industry for decades. Now, about three months into business, Ramirez said business has remained steady. Ramirez said the restaurant focuses on three aspects: friendly service, quality food and being affordable. "Being consistent is key," he said. The setting inside the restaurant has a coastal theme, with blues and greens, as well as natural wood. Ramirez said the owners are hoping to extend hours and offer dinner at some point later this year. In case you missed these restaurant openings Gios Italian Kitchen in Myrtle Beach opened in the fall at 7915 North Kings Highway. The restaurants first location is in Pawleys Island. Its menu features a variety of dishes including escargot genovese and burrata caprese as appetizers and pasta dishes like quattro formaggio and paglia el fieno. Chubbys Taco, the first location in South Carolina, recently opened in Carolina Forest. Its located at 201 Fresh Dr. Suite A. The menu offers chicken, beef, pork, seafood and vegetarian tacos, as well as burritos, quesadillas and fajitas. BoCo Bistro, at 1035 Third Ave. in Conway, offers happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, as well as lunch and dinner menus. From loaded nachos to handhelds to country fried chicken, BoCo has a range of dishes for lunch and dinner. Chantis, at 104b Laurel St. in Conway, specializes in pizza and also offers salads, sandwiches and starters. Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- Hedge funds often measure their investments in minutes, not decades; but for Anchorage Capital Group, its long-held stake in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. is proving that patience can also be profitable.The New York-based money manager stands to make roughly $2 billion on its investment in the film and TV producer, one that began almost 11 years ago with MGM in bankruptcy court. Amazon.com Inc. agreed to buy the company for $8.45 billion Wednesday, a price that includes just under $2 billion in debt.The deal is in many ways a vindication for Kevin Ulrich, the former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. trader who co-founded Anchorage in 2003 and was part of a group of distressed debt investors that took control of MGM as it went through the restructuring process. In recent years the stake looked to be an albatross for the fund, one that came with significant drama in its own right.Ulrich brought in and later fired a high-profile chief executive officer, resisted efforts by activist investor Carl Icahn to take control, and held out for a bigger payday after years of considering various exit strategies. By selling now, as demand for media content from entertainment and technology companies alike is booming, hes proving his long-held faith in the investment was justified.There was a lot of maneuvering, a lot of financial engineering, said Steven Azarbad, chief investment officer at New Yorks Maglan Capital, an MGM investor who sold his shares four years ago. But theyve done great.A representative for Anchorage declined to comment.When Ulrich first invested in MGM, he was new to Hollywood. He helped pick Gary Barber, a South African-born producer of films such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective as chief executive officer of the storied but debt-laden studio. Barber brought to the table a shrewd business sense, and connections into a world Ulrich long admired from afar.Barber shepherded MGMs development of The Hobbit franchise, a co-production with Warner Bros., that became a global smash hit. He helmed the release of the James Bond film, Skyfall, which generated over $1 billion at the box office, and he revived the studios work in television. Barber also brokered a deal to bring on TV super producer Mark Burnett, which gave MGM access to reality show hits like Survivor and The Apprentice, but would ultimately become personally troublesome.In 2012 the company bought back Icahns stock for $590 million. It also filed paperwork for a possible public offering of shares, and considered other options, such as a sale.As Barber boosted MGMs film and TV pipeline, Ulrich was increasingly entranced by the allure of Hollywood. He became a regular at movie premieres in Los Angeles and New York, and frequented industry parties in the Hamptons and elsewhere. He became active in creative decisions after becoming chair of MGMs board -- somewhat unusual for a non-executive lacking Hollywood experience -- even getting involved with business granularities like casting.Growing RiftBut over the following years a rift began to open up between Barber and Ulrich. When it was time to renew Barbers contract in 2017, Ulrich conducted an extensive search for a new CEO. When it ended, he ultimately chose to sign Barber to a new five-year deal. Yet around the same time, the pair split on whether to sell the company, with Ulrich wanting to hang on to the studio and Barber saying it was time to find a buyer.The company would hold buyout talks with Apple Inc. as well as Chinese investors that would ultimately prove fruitless.Only months after renewing Barbers deal, Ulrich fired him. The shock departure meant the company had to pay Barber for five years of salary and buy out his equity, a package totaling $260 million. In the three years since Barber left, Ulrich hasnt replaced him, instead operating an office of the chief executive officer, comprised of various people that each have their personal vision for MGM.Barber declined to comment via his spokesperson.Bounce BackAfter the initial period of success following the restructuring, the gains became harder to come by, as they did in Anchorages overall credit-focused business. Two senior managers left the firm in January 2020, and another in November. Anchorages flagship strategy, with about $8.5 billion under management, returned just 0.6% in 2018, 1.5% in 2019 and 4.4% in 2020, according to people familiar with the matter.In December, MGM hired investment bankers for a potential sale.MGM only released one film in theaters in 2020. Its biggest potential hit, the latest Bond film, No Time to Die, was pushed from last year to this October as a result of the pandemic.Yet the value of MGMs library rose as everyone from media companies to technology giants have sought to build video streaming platforms that can compete with industry leader Netflix Inc. Earnings jumped 48% last year, to about $307 million, even as sales declined.Anchorage holds a roughly 30% stake in MGM, worth about $2.5 billion in the sale, said people with knowledge of the matter. Anchorage invested around $500 million in the company more than a decade ago. Including the MGM stake, Anchorages flagship fund is up 18% this year, the people added. The fund has gained about 8% in 2021 not counting the studio.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA)- As insecurity in the Central African Republic (CAR) has uprooted, in less than two months, more than 200,000 people who are internally displaced or refugees in neighbouring countries, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned on Friday that tens of thousands of them are living in appalling conditions San Antonio officials reported 20 new deaths from COVID-19 on Thursday as the coronavirus continues to spread in the region. The newly reported deaths occurred in the past two weeks and are the second-most reported in a single day here since the summer surge. The seven-day rolling average of new deaths surpassed 15 per day this week for the first time since August a sign that the virus rampant spread over the winter holidays is taking its toll. No matter your age, this virus doesnt discriminate, Bexar County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez said at the city-county coronavirus briefing. Were losing good people every day. The number of people being treated for COVID-19 in area hospitals continued to decrease, however, after having peaked at 1,520 patients Jan. 18. There are currently 1,276 coronavirus patients in Bexar County, down significantly from 1,341 patients Wednesday despite 132 new admissions in the past 24 hours. On ExpressNews.com: A guide to getting vaccinated in San Antonio Of the patient total, 397 require intensive care, three more than on Wednesday, and 249 need a ventilator to breathe, down six from Wednesday. Officials also reported 1,752 new cases Thursday, pushing the seven-day rolling average of new cases lower, to 1,459 per day, which is down from 2,062 a week ago. More than half of all the local cases reported since the pandemic began are from the past two months. Since Thanksgiving, more than 88,000 Bexar County residents have tested positive for the virus and more than 650 have died from COVID-19. In total, the virus has infected 166,022 people in Bexar County and killed 2,027. On ExpressNews.com: The San Antonio Express-News Vaccine Tracker The coronavirus vaccine, considered to be the best weapon against the pandemic, first arrived in Bexar County in mid-December, but supply has been limited, leaving many of the people eligible to receive it waiting for appointments to become available. We need more vaccine doses, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in the briefing. I know this has been a very frustrating process, but the patience that youve demonstrated allowing those vaccines to come in and get out to the community that needs them is very important right now. Were going to work every single day to bring more vaccines to our community. Texas is currently offering the vaccine only to people in the state-designated priority groups 1A and 1B, which include front-line health care workers, residents and staff at long-term care facilities, pregnant women, anyone 65 or older and anyone 16 or older with underlying health conditions. As of Thursday, Bexar County had been allocated about 276,000 doses enough to fully vaccinate less than 15 percent of the more than 1 million county residents currently eligible to get the shot. About 74,000 people here have received only their first dose, and about 39,400 have received both doses, according to state data. Health officials have said nationwide supply shortages mean it will probably be months before most people can get the vaccine. Additional information about vaccines, testing and more is at the Metropolitan Health Districts coronavirus website, www.covid19.sanantonio.gov. andy.picon@hearst.com | Twitter: @andpicon 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. These previews are part of the current debate over Australias media code, with critics arguing that they lessen the likelihood of people clicking into the actual articles, thus hurting media companies while helping Google make more ad money. Its also the peripheral features of Google search that make it so useful. When I was searching for coronavirus news, it displayed Twitter accounts of verified government authorities. It has better filtering options its the only one I used that lets you filter news results by any time period you want rather than just past 7 days or past 30 days. And its the only one that lets you enter the name of a shop or restaurant and instantly see its address, opening hours and how busy its likely to be at that moment. Beyond these inconveniences, Bing was a decent search engine. Ive now been using it as my main search engine for nearly a week and havent had any problems doing background research, confirming some statistics or tracking down a government media advisers phone number (DuckDuckGo had some problems with the latter). Theres also a strong argument to be made that other search engines have little incentive to improve while Google maintains such a stronghold, and would step up their game if it pulled out of the market. But part of the issue for me is also that, despite all evidence to the contrary, I trust Google in a way that I dont with other search engines. When using something else, Id find myself wondering: What if Im missing something? What if Im not seeing something I need? A friend described it as a Coke vs Pepsi situation a level of loyalty disproportionate to the differences in the product, and maybe a level of loyalty thats not totally healthy. What Ive taken away from the past few weeks is that a Google-less future is possible. It may not be a gut-wrenching shift, and it could lead eventually to more innovation and improvements in how the internet (and journalism) work. But that doesnt mean any of it will be easy or welcomed. What do you think of Australias efforts to rein in the big American tech companies? How would you react if Google said it was going to stop operating its search engine in your area? A Texas representative is demanding that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez apologize and retract comments made to Sen. Ted Cruz over Twitter in a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Rep. Chip Roy, who represents parts of Austin, San Antonio and Central Texas, asks Pelosi to implore Ocasio-Cortez to retract her comments, or he (and presumably other Republicans) "will be forced to find alternative means to condemn this regrettable statement." "It has come to my attention that Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sent out a tweet a few hours ago in which she accused Senator Ted Cruz, in essence, of attempted murder," Roy wrote. "As a member of this body who disagreed with 'objections' to the electors and who has expressed publicly my concerns about the events leading to January 6th, it is completely unacceptable behavior for a Member of Congress to make this kind of scurrilous charge against another member in the House or Senate for simply engaging in speech and debate regarding electors as they interpreted the Constitution." IMPEACHMENT: Don't expect Sens. Cornyn or Cruz to vote to convict Trump during impeachment trial Ocasio-Cortez had harsh words for Cruz when he expressed agreement with Ocasio-Cortez's call to look into stock trading app Robinhood for blocking people from purchasing stock in GameStop and other companies as Wall Street reels from a sudden increase in share prices for shorted stocks, Chron's Jay R. Jordan reported. "I am happy to work with Republicans on this issue where theres common ground, but you almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago so you can sit this one out," Ocasio-Cortez wrote in response to Cruz, referencing the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Cruz has faced widespread criticism for his vocal objection to certifying the 2020 presidential election results and parroting former President Donald Trump's baseless claims of voter fraud. Ocasio-Cortez called on Cruz to resign and reiterated that she's willing to work with other Republicans in Congress on the issue. Roy is in his second term as representative. He previously served as Cruz's chief of staff during Cruz's first term as senator. China Insider: Experts Call for Suspension of EU-China Investment Deal After seven years of negotiations, the Chinese communist regime and the European Union reached the EU-China Comprehensive Investment Agreement in December 2020. Although the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has made promises to the EU such as market access and no more forced technology transfer, many have questioned and criticized this agreement. Today's story is called "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It is about something strange that happened long ago in a valley called "Sleepy Hollow". It was written by Washington Irving. The story is told by Doug Johnson. The valley known as Sleepy Hollow hides from the world in the high hills of New York state. There are many stories told about the quiet valley. But the story that people believe most is about a man who rides a horse at night. The story says the man died many years ago during the American Revolutionary War. His head was shot off. Every night he rises from his burial place, jumps on his horse and rides through the valley looking for his lost head. Near Sleepy Hollow is a village called Tarry Town. It was settled many years ago by people from Holland. The village had a small school. And one teacher, named Ichabod Crane. Ichabod Crane was a good name for him, because he looked like a tall bird, a crane. He was tall and thin like a crane. His shoulders were small, joined two long arms. His head was small, too, and flat on top. He had big ears, large glassy green eyes and a long nose. Ichabod did not make much money as a teacher. And although he was tall and thin, he ate like a fat man. To help him pay for his food he earned extra money teaching young people to sing. Every Sunday after church Ichabod taught singing. Among the ladies Ichabod taught was one Katrina Van Tassel. She was the only daughter of a rich Dutch farmer. She was a girl in bloommuch like a round red, rosy apple. Ichabod had a soft and foolish heart for the ladies, and soon found himself interested in Miss Van Tassel. Ichabod's eyes opened wide when he saw the riches of Katrina's farm: the miles of apple trees and wheat fields, and hundreds of fat farm animals. He saw himself as master of the Van Tassel farm with Katrina as his wife. But there were many problems blocking the road to Katrina's heart. One was a strong young man named Brom Van Brunt. Brom was a hero to all the young ladies. His shoulders were big. His back was wide. And his hair was short and curly. He always won the horse races in Tarry Town and earned many prizes. Brom was never seen without a horse. Sometimes late at night Brom and his friends would rush through town shouting loudly from the backs of their horses. Tired old ladies would awaken from their sleep and say: "Why, there goes Brom Van Brunt leading his wild group again!" Such was the enemy Ichabod had to defeat for Katrina's heart. Stronger and wiser men would not have tried. But Ichabod had a plan. He could not fight his enemy in the open. So he did it silently and secretly. He made many visits to Katrina's farm and made her think he was helping her to sing better. Time passed, and the town people thought Ichabod was winning. Brom's horse was never seen at Katrina's house on Sunday nights anymore. One day in autumn Ichabod was asked to come to a big party at the Van Tassel home. He dressed in his best clothes. A farmer loaned him an old horse for the long trip to the party. The house was filled with farmers and their wives, red-faced daughters and clean, washed sons. The tables were filled with different things to eat. Wine filled many glasses. Brom Van Brunt rode to the party on his fastest horse called Daredevil. All the young ladies smiled happily when they saw him. Soon music filled the rooms and everyone began to dance and sing. Ichabod was happy dancing with Katrina as Brom looked at them with a jealous heart. The night passed. The music stopped, and the young people sat together to tell stories about the revolutionary war. Soon stories about Sleepy Hollow were told. The most feared story was about the rider looking for his lost head. One farmer told how he raced the headless man on a horse. The farmer ran his horse faster and faster. The horseman followed over bush and stone until they came to the end of the valley. There the headless horseman suddenly stopped. Gone were his clothes and his skin. All that was left was a man with white bones shining in the moonlight. The stories ended and time came to leave the party. Ichabod seemed very happy until he said goodnight to Katrina. Was she ending their romance? He left feeling very sad. Had Katrina been seeing Ichabod just to make Brom Van Brunt jealous so he would marry her? Well, Ichabod began his long ride home on the hills that surround Tarry Town. He had never felt so lonely in his life. He began to whistle as he came close to the tree where a man had been killed years ago by rebels. He thought he saw something white move in the tree. But no, it was only the moonlight shining and moving on the tree. Then he heard a noise. His body shook. He kicked his horse faster. The old horse tried to run, but almost fell in the river, instead. Ichabod hit the horse again. The horse ran fast and then suddenly stopped, almost throwing Ichabod forward to the ground. There, in the dark woods on the side of the river where the bushes grow low, stood an ugly thing. Big and black. It did not move, but seemed ready to jump like a giant monster. Ichabod's hair stood straight up. It was too late to run, and in his fear, he did the only thing he could. His shaking voice broke the silent valley. "Who are you?" The thing did not answer. Ichabod asked again. Still no answer. Ichabod's old horse began to move forward. The black thing began to move along the side of Ichabod's horse in the dark. Ichabod made his horse run faster. The black thing moved with them. Side by side they moved, slowly at first. And not a word was said. Ichabod felt his heart sink. Up a hill they moved above the shadow of the trees. For a moment the moon shown down and to Ichabod's horror he saw it was a horse. And it had a rider. But the rider's head was not on his body. It was in front of the rider, resting on the horse. Ichabod kicked and hit his old horse with all his power. Away they rushed through bushes and trees across the valley of Sleepy Hollow. Up ahead was the old church bridge where the headless horseman stops and returns to his burial place. "If only I can get there first, I am safe," thought Ichabod. He kicked his horse again. The horse jumped on to the bridge and raced over it like the sound of thunder. Ichabod looked back to see if the headless man had stopped. He saw the man pick up his head and throw it with a powerful force. The head hit Ichabod in the face and knocked him off his horse to the dirt below. They found Ichabod's horse the next day peacefully eating grass. They could not find Ichabod. They walked all across the valley. They saw the foot marks of Ichabod's horse as it had raced through the valley. They even found Ichabod's old hat in the dust near the bridge. But they did not find Ichabod. The only other thing they found was lying near Ichabod's hat. It was the broken pieces of a round orange pumpkin. The town people talked about Ichabod for many weeks. They remembered the frightening stories of the valley. And finally they came to believe that the headless horseman had carried Ichabod away. Much later an old farmer returned from a visit to New York City. He said he was sure he saw Ichabod there. He thought Ichabod silently left Sleepy Hollow because he had lost Katrina. As for Katrina, her mother and father gave her a big wedding when she married Brom Van Brunt. Many people who went to the wedding saw that Brom smiled whenever Ichabod's name was spoken. And they wondered why he laughed out loud when anyone talked about the broken orange pumpkin found lying near Ichabod's old dusty hat. Now its your turn. What are some of the most famous ghost stories in your country? Write to us in the comments section or on our Facebook page. Quiz How well do you understand this story? Quiz on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz For Teachers This lesson plan for teachers has activities to teach the strategy Predicting with the story. ______________________________________________________________ Words in this Story burial n. the act or ceremony of burying a dead person in a grave crane - n. a type of tall bird that has a long neck and long legs and lives near water rebel n. a person who opposes or fights against a government Revolutionary War n. the war for American independence from Britain shake v. of your voice: to produce sound in an unsteady way because you are nervous, angry, sad, etc 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. Ellsworth: Did you get the message from your body? by Vladimir Rozanskij Police claim that drinking alcohol and shaving beards are signs that people are not "terrorists" and Wahhabi radicals. The fight against "religious extremists" also takes place by arresting people who pray at home. In the name of health prevention, mosques and public places also closed. Moscow (AsiaNews) - In the province of Lebap in Turkmenistan, the police monitor and repress citizens who observe Islamic traditions, forcing them to drink alcohol and shave their beards, to prove they are not terrorists. This was reported by Radio Azatlik yesterday. Apparently, these checks have always been there, but now the police have switched to more widespread forms, also acting on reports lodged by ordinary citizens against their neighbors. A 30-year-old resident of Farab, in the province of Lebap, who calls himself Didar, says that "since the middle of last week, men up to 55 years old who observe Islamic customs have begun to convene in the premises of the local administration, to carry out rehabilitation sessions. The police rely on citizens' reports. The local correspondent of Radio Azatlik confirms: a few days ago, the police stopped bearded men on the street, accusing them of being "religious extremists" and "Wahhabis". The arrests took place abruptly, using a decidedly vulgar vocabulary. Didar himself was one of those arrested. He says: I hadn't shaved for a few weeks because I was very busy. In reality my beard is only visible when I take off the mask, which I always keep on as a precaution, like everyone else. Last Wednesday I was walking down a street in the center, when some policemen come towards me, shouting that I had a beard, and taking me to the police station. They asked me if I follow religious traditions and if I regularly drink alcohol, questioning me for over two hours . Didar also asked if among his acquaintances there are people who observe Islamic religious norms, and he replied that he does not know any. "Then the policemen shaved my beard, explaining that my face with a three-week beard did not match the passport photograph." Later, they forced him to drink a glass of vodka, telling him: Drink it, if you are not Wahhabi, and without explanation forced him to pay a fine of 50 manat (12 euros), without issuing any receipt. On the same day, at least a dozen people found themselves in situations similar to Didar at the police station. Azatlik's correspondents also report another case. Last January 22, Farab police broke into a private house where 10 people were gathered for Friday prayers, and arrested everyone present. Those arrested were locked up in the temporary cells of the police headquarters, accused of "violation of health quarantine rules". According to an inhabitant of the area, the fate of those arrested has not yet been decided. Health measures are now used in several countries as a means of repression. Due to anti-coronavirus regulations, the Turkmen authorities have closed mosques and other public places, although in reality, political power fears their spread. Representatives of the administration of the velayat (province) of Lebap refused to provide explanations, as did the etrap (municipalities) of Charjousk and Farab. The ban on wearing a beard is not explicit in any law, but has been applied for many years to oral provisions from the country's leadership, led by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov (photos 3 and 4). In 2007 he succeeded the first post-Soviet president, Saparmirat Nyyazov, who died a year earlier. In the country, of about 6 million inhabitants, 93% are Muslims. 5% are Eastern rite Christians. Tata Steel Long Products Ltd. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More In a setback to Tata Steel, its deal to sell Dutch unit to Sweden's SSAB may have come unstuck. We have carefully evaluated Tata Steel IJmuiden and have concluded that an acquisition would be difficult for technical reasons. We cannot be sufficiently certain that we could implement our industrial plan with the preferred technical solutions as quickly as we would wish. We cannot align Tata Steel Ijmuiden with our sustainability strategy in the way desired, says Martin Lindqvist, President and CEO at SSAB, said in a statement on January 29. It was in November that Tata Steel had confirmed the talks to sell the unit, based in Ijmuiden in the Netherlands. This was a fresh attempt from India's largest steelmaker to find a solution to its troubles in Europe, more than a year after a merger with Germany's thyssenkrupp was blocked by European Commission. Apart from the Dutch unit, Tata Steel's European operations include the facility in the UK. The company was hoping to sell the Dutch unit, among the most profitable steelmaking sites in Europe, to also turnaround the UK operations. The company's stock dived by over 3 percent at the Bombay Stock Exchange, as the new trickled in. It was down 3.2 percent at the time of writing. Investors would be worried about the failure to seal the deal, and what the company now does with the 1.7 billion Euros of debt on Tata Steel Europe's books. Proceeds from the sale will be used to lower the debt on the company's books. The Netherlands unit has an annual capacity of 7.5 million tonne and has 10,000 employees. Responding to the development later in the day, Tata Steel said: "Tata Steel confirms that SSAB has withdrawn its initial interest for Tata Steel Netherland business. However, Tata Steel wishes to confirm that it is committed to arriving at a strategic resolution for its European portfolio. "Tata Steels IJmuiden plant is among the most environmentally efficient and cost competitive steel producers in Europe. Currently, around two third of the business of Tata Steel is based in India with best in class, highly cost competitive assets and strong cash flows and Tata Steel remains committed to undertake significant de-leveraging in FY21 and beyond." What SSAB said "After deeper analysis and discussions, it became clear that there were limited possibilities to integrate IJmuiden into the SSAB strategic framework. Discussions with Tata Steel have therefore concluded," the company said. Lindqvist further noted that the acquisition didn't meet SSAB's overall vision for a fossil-free production. Europe has been pushing steelmakers to reduce their carbon footprint. The synergies that we saw in the transaction would not fully justify the costs and investments required for our desired transformation. This means that overall, the transaction would not meet our financial expectations, he said. The groups goal is to be the first in the world, in 2026, to supply fossil-free steel to market and to be a fossil-free company by 2045. (This is a developing story, please check back for more details) NORWALK Local vaccine demand remains high, as 10 percent or 8,205 city residents have tested positive for the coronavirus since it arrived last March, Norwalk officials said at their coronavirus task force meeting Wednesday. The city health department received 1,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses this week, with appointments still available, according to city spokesperson Josh Morgan Thats frightening and we really need to do everything we can to make sure that we stop that spread, Mayor Harry Rilling said. The state receives 46,000 doses weekly, but nationwide vaccine distribution is being increased 16 percent to 52,000 doses, he added. Rillings COVID-19 task force, founded in December, met virtually for the second time Wednesday evening to discuss the citys vaccine distribution and information dissemination methods. Statewide, vaccines are available for health care workers, long-term care facility residents, medical first responders and people 75 or older. The state is currently in Phase 1b, with the eligibility for Phase 1c not yet defined, Health Department Director Deanna DAmore said. Norwalk residents need not be vaccinated in Norwalk, nor must they receive the second dose from the same provider as the first, through it is recommended, DAmore said. To help disseminate vaccine and registration information, the task force formed an assistance line to help senior citizens register for vaccines, and have plans to offer time blocks and a volunteer at both the SoNo and main library branches to help residents without access to the Vaccine Administration Management System register for the vaccine, Morgan said. Part of the task force is focused on communication and outreach, he said. There is a lot of demand for communication from the community and unfortunately theres just not a lot of answers. There are a lot of people eligible for vaccines and not enough vaccines to meet that demand, so patience is needed and appreciated. In some communities, more vaccines are available than appointments being scheduled, as the vaccines must be used within a few hours of the vial being opened and prepared. The time constraints and necessity of registering has led to vaccines in other communities being thrown out or going to waste, Rilling said. For the Norwalk Health Department, at the end of each week department employees contact eligible residents in the VAMS system that have not received the vaccine and offer the excess vaccines, ensuring none are wasted, DAmore said. There are 1.4 million individuals included in Phase 1b of Connecticut vaccine rollout and the state expected to receive about 45,000 doses, DAmore said. Councilmember David Heuvelman emphasized that receiving the vaccine does not mean residents can begin disregarding COVID-19 restrictions and precautions such as mask wearing and physical distancing. Weve been in this pandemic since last March, we are coming up on one year, and a phrase Ive heard constantly used is, Theres a light at the end of the tunnel in the vaccine, Heuvelman said. But the reality is we are still in the tunnel and going to be in the tunnel for a while. We have to continue to do all of the things we have been doing physically distancing, wearing masks, proper hand-washing protocols. Those arent going to go away. abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com Sailors stuck off the Chinese coast are complaining of callous treatment by local authorities, with some denied medical care for hours and even days despite symptoms including a broken hand and claims another sailor vomited blood. About 60 of the ships are carrying Australian coal, according to maritime data, which China has blocked from entering in an apparent trade strike, but the ships cannot leave because of commercial arrangements and for fear of being detained by Chinese authorities. The National Union of Seafarers of India, which represents some of the sailors, and the shipping companies involved have labelled the situation a humanitarian crisis as supplies and medicines continue to run out. The deadlock was triggered by Australias deteriorating relationship with Beijing, which saw Australian coal and up to $20 billion in other exports blocked in retaliation for Australias position on the coronavirus inquiry, human rights and national security. On one coal ship, the Anastasia, an officer told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that a colleague who broke his hand waited five days before being allowed to go onshore for treatment and only then after paying security to ensure he returned to the ship. Crude oil futures were steady at Rs 3,837 per barrel on January 29 as participants increased their long position as seen by the open interest. The crude oil prices edged lower on delay in vaccine rollout, and fresh travel curbs in China and clampdown in the UK could depress demand. Crude along with other asset classes is struggling for direction amid lack of clear cues. The US economy contracted by 3.5 percent in 2020, the biggest decline since World War II and the first annual decline in GDP since the 2007-09 Great Recession. US Labor Department reported that the number of Americans filing jobless claims last week was 847,000, strengthening views of persistent labour market weakness. NYMEX crude trades in a narrow range above $52 per barrel. Crude is range-bound as support from a sharp decline in US crude oil stocks, Saudis production cut and tensions relating to Iran are countered by rising virus cases and mixed economic data from major economies. Crude may continue within recent range amid mixed cues; however decline in US crude stocks and hopes of the tighter global market may keep price supported, said Ravindra Rao, VP- Head Commodity Research at Kotak Securities. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was up 0.40 percent quoting at $52.55 per barrel, while Brent crude, the London-based international benchmark, soared 0.69 percent to $55.48 per barrel. MCX iCOMDEX Crude Oil Index inched higher 15.91 points, or 0.37 percent, at 4,364.60 at 16:15. In the futures market, crude oil for February delivery touched an intraday high of Rs 3,843 and an intraday low of Rs 3,801 per barrel on the MCX. So far in the current series, black gold has touched a low of Rs 3,486 and a high of Rs 3,958. Crude oil delivery for February gained Rs 14, or 0.37 percent, to Rs 3,841 per barrel at 16:16 hours IST with a business turnover of 4,657 lots. Crude oil delivery for March was flat at Rs 3,852 per barrel with a business volume of 21 lots. The value of February and Marchs contracts traded so far is Rs 942.63 crore and Rs 1.88 crore, respectively. 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. The sister of a man who died of asphyxiation after wrapping a seat belt around his neck in the back of a Eugene police car has filed a $9 million wrongful death suit against the city and Eugene police. The federal civil rights suit alleges police failed to recognize Michael Amador Sanchez, 34, was suffering from a mental health crisis, failed to properly secure him in the back of the patrol car to ensure his safe transport to a hospital, failed to monitor his conduct in the rear seat and failed to summon an ambulance to properly care for him. The suit, filed Friday by Isabel M. Mihalich in Eugene, seeks $6 million in noneconomic damages and $3 million in economic damages, as well as unspecified punitive damages. Sanchez had a diagnosis of bipolar disease with psychotic features and several run-ins with police in the days before his Jan. 30, 2019, arrest, according to the suit. Attorney Robert A. Miller, who represents Mihalich, said the video evidence from the police transport of Sanchez to the hospital supports the allegations. Eugene police declined comment on the suit. After Sanchez was found unresponsive in the patrol car and hospitalized, Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner released a statement, calling it a tragic circumstance for Mr. Sanchez and for his family. We and our transporting officers are shocked and deeply saddened. You never expect quick, seemingly routine transport to turn out this way. The vehicles travel was smooth without crashes or abrupt stops. We will continue to look into how this occurred and remain concerned for Mr. Sanchezs wellbeing and for his family. Sanchez never regained consciousness and died 241 days later, on Sept. 18, 2019, according to the suit. A seat belt wasnt put on Sanchez because he kept kicking at officers and thrashing around during his arrest, according to Melinda McLaughlin, Eugene police spokeswoman. Eugene police policy allows officers to not put a seat belt on people who are arrested if doing so threatens the safety of officers or the person in custody. Eugene police arrested Sanchez on an accusation that he set a fire in a wheelbarrow outside a business. Police said officers took Sanchez into custody at 5:38 a.m. on a reckless burning allegation after fire officials reported about 2-foot tall flames coming from a wheelbarrow about 10 feet from Coastal Farm and Home Supplys Building in Eugene. He was detained on a Highway 99 overpass after a foot chase. He was handcuffed after he was taken to the ground and then repeated, no, no, no, became limp and began to hit his head on the ground as police tried to get him to his feet and take him to the police car, the suit says. He had blood on his hands and face and his jacket was singed, police said. They took him to the hospital for medical care before planning to take him to the Lane County Jail, police said. He was left unbuckled in the back seat of the patrol car but his hands were cuffed and his feet were bound with flexible restraints to keep him from slamming his head against the center foot divider in the back seat, according to the suit. Once in the back seat, he started to wedge himself in the floorboard of the car, lying on his side, with his legs on the seat and head on the floor, the suit says. With his hands and feet bound, Sanchez thrashed around in the back as Officer Carlos M. Jones drove him to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center University District Hospital. As I transported Sanchez to the hospital, he continued his violent behavior. Several times his legs were up in the air and I became concerned he would try to break the partition separating the rear passenger area from the front of the vehicle, Jones police report said, according to the suit. After some minutes, the officer noticed Sanchez became quiet and wasnt responding to his attempts to communicate with him. Jones wrote in his report that he looked over his shoulder to check on Sanchez, but that his view was obstructed, the suit says. Another time, he tried to check on Sanchez through the in-car video system, but the placement of the camera didnt allow him to see Sanchez, according to his reports. At no point in time did Jones pull his vehicle over and attempt to better secure Mr. Sanchez or check on his well-being, the suit alleges. When Jones arrived at the hospital, the suit says, he went inside to speak with a nurse and didnt check on Sanchez. It wasnt until another officer who was following in a different car had arrived and checked on Sanchez in the back of Jones patrol car that Sanchez was found unresponsive, according to the suit. A nurse who emerged from the hospital found a seat belt was wrapped around his neck twice, the suit says. Sanchez had no pulse and wasnt breathing. Emergency medical personnel were able to restart his heart, but he never regained consciousness, according to the suit. According to a statement from Eugene police, Sanchez was able to remove the flexible restraints around his feet, came to rest at some point in the foot well of the car with a shirt up around his head and was able to place a seat belt around his neck even while handcuffed. Passenger seat belts in a patrol car are different than in personal vehicles. They come out from the middle of the seat and the buckles are opposite from where they would normally be, Eugene police said in a statement last year. There is no retracting mechanism. The belt, when not in use, is attached to the prison compartment barrier by a magnet. -- Maxine Bernstein Email mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian Hyderabad, Jan 29 : Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd hopes to launch Russian Covid vaccine Sputnik V in India in March after obtaining Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA). The pharma major expects the Phase 3 trials to be completed next month. "About 70 per cent of the trials have already been completed. We hope to roll out the product in March," said Deepak Sapra, Chief Executive Office, API & Pharmaceutical Services, Dr Reddy's. He said the Phase 3 trials will be completed in February after which data will be compiled and submitted to the Drug Controller General of India for EUA. Addressing a virtual press conference to announce third quarter results of the company, he said the company was also gearing up for the production of Sputnik. Initially it will be a combination of import and local manufacturing. He also revealed that the company is in talks with a couple of local manufacturers. It has already signed agreements for 125 million patient doses of Sputnik V in India. The pricing of vaccine has not been decided yet. The company plans to cater to both government and private demand. It was on January 15 that Dr. Reddy's announced that it has received approval from the Drugs Control General of India (DCGI) to conduct Phase 3 clinical trials. The trials are to be conducted on 1,500 subjects as part of the randomised, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study in India. In September 2020, Dr Reddy's partnered with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to conduct the clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine and for its distribution rights in India. Sputnik V developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology was registered by the Ministry of Health of Russia and became the world's first registered vaccine against Covid-19 based on the established human adenoviral vector platform. The vaccine's efficacy is confirmed at 91.4 per cent, based on data analysis of the final control point of clinical trials in Russia. Currently Sputnik V is being administered as part of emergency use in 12 countries. Meanwhile, Dr Reddy's posted consolidated net profit of Rs 20 crore during third quarter against a loss of Rs 569.7 crore in the year-ago period. Revenues for the quarter ending December were Rs 4,930 crore which was up 12 percent year on year and one percent over the second quarter. "We continued with our growth momentum while maintaining EBITDA margins. The profits were impacted due to trigger based impairment charge taken on a few acquired products including gNuvaring. We are progressing well on the Phase 3 clinical trials for Sputnik V vaccine in India. We continue to focus on enhancing our product offerings to our patients to serve them better," said Dr Reddy's Co-chairman & MD, G.V. Prasad. SACRAMENTO The musical-chairs effect of President Bidens election on California politics is nearing an end as Gov. Gavin Newsom narrows his list of appointees for state attorney general. The post is expected to open soon because Attorney General Xavier Becerra is Bidens nominee for secretary of health and human services, and his path to confirmation has become clearer now that Democrats have taken control of the Senate. Assuming Becerra is confirmed, Newsom would appoint someone to fill the remaining nearly two years of his term. Whomever Newsom chooses could have a significant impact on criminal-justice reforms and the lawsuits the state pursues related to environmental and consumer safety. The decision also carries political significance for Newsom, who has been besieged by the threat of a potential recall campaign and controversy over his shifting pandemic restrictions and a slow vaccine rollout. He must satisfy his Democratic base, elements of which are pressuring him to replace the states first Latino attorney general with someone from an underrepresented community. David McCuan, political science chair at Sonoma State University, said the appointment could be the most important for Newsom because hes at his most vulnerable point, and he must keep Democrats united. The governor, the armor in his popularity keeps taking a hit, McCuan said. Theres a lot riding on this appointment. Its the political fortune of Gavin, as much as making history. Newsom made history with two recent major appointments. He chose former Secretary of State Alex Padilla to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Vice President Kamala Harris, and Assembly Member Shirley Weber to replace Padilla. Padilla is the first Latino Californian to serve in the Senate, and Weber, who was confirmed by the Legislature this week, is the first Black person to oversee the states election system. Newsom has been intensely lobbied by legislators and a host of powerful groups over his next major appointment. Here are the Democrats expected to be on his short list for attorney general and their key supporters: Rob Bonta Biography: Bonta, 48, is a member of the state Assembly and the assistant Democratic leader, representing parts of the Easy Bay including Oakland, Alameda and San Leandro. In recent years, Bonta has carried bills to phase out Californias use of private prisons and to eliminate the use of cash bail for suspects, a measure that state voters overturned in November. Before being elected to the Legislature in 2012, Bonta was a member of the Alameda City Council. He also worked as a San Francisco deputy city attorney for about a decade. Key supporters: Alicia Garza, a founder of the Black Lives Matter movement; Van Jones, the television commentator and justice advocate; and several Asian American-Pacific Islander groups and elected officials, including state Treasurer Fiona Ma and Assembly Members David Chiu of San Francisco and Evan Low of Campbell. Upshot: Bonta has perhaps the longest list of major backers and has carried large, progressive justice-reform bills. He would be the first Filipino American to serve in a statewide office. Rick Chavez Zbur Biography: Zbur, 63, is executive director of Equality California, one of the states most powerful LGBTQ civil-rights advocacy groups. He has led the organization since 2014. Last year, Zbur launched a campaign for Los Angeles city attorney, a race on the 2022 ballot. Zbur had a 29-year career as an attorney at the law firm Latham & Watkins, where he was the first openly gay partner. Zbur specialized in environmental and land-use law. Key supporters: Many national and state LGBTQ leaders, including Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David; Kate Kendell, former director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights; and San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. Zbur is also supported by Dolores Huerta, the labor and civil-rights leader, and HONOR PAC, a group that supports electing LGBTQ Latinos. Upshot: Zbur would be the states first openly gay attorney general. His appointment could garner Newsom praise from two blocs of Democratic voters, Latinos and the LGBTQ community. Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle 2020 Diana Becton Biography: Becton, 69, is the Contra Costa County district attorney. She was appointed in 2017 and elected to a full four-year term the following year. She has advocated expanding prevention and treatment programs for people who are mentally ill, addicted to drugs or homeless. Becton was a judge in the county for 22 years, including serving as presiding judge. She was previously president of the National Association of Women Judges. Key supporters: California Legislative Black Caucus; Assembly Members Buffy Wicks of Oakland and Rebecca Bauer-Kahan of Orinda; and Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell. Upshot: While Becton is less well known in Sacramento than other contenders, she has drawn prominent supporters. As a Black woman with a long legal career, her appointment could win Newsom praise from progressives. Darrell Steinberg Biography: Steinberg, 61, has been mayor of Sacramento since 2016, and easily won election to a second term last year. In the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, a Black man killed in Minneapolis police custody, Steinberg pushed to overhaul police practices. He proposed to create an inspector general to investigate police shootings and for non-law-enforcement personnel to respond to 911 calls that are not crimes. Steinbergs political career spans three decades. As the former California Senate president pro tem, Steinberg held one of the Legislatures two highest-ranking posts for about six years. Key supporters: No endorsements announced; Steinberg hasnt publicly campaigned for the job. Upshot: Steinberg has a long list of public credentials and he has been a close ally of Newsom for many years. But appointing Steinberg, a white male, could rankle some progressive groups. Wild cards In addition to the four contenders who have drawn the most public attention, numerous possible appointees have been floated by political insiders. They include Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego; California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu; Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna of Fremont, Adam Schiff of Burbank and Ted Lieu of Torrance (Los Angeles County); and San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera. Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner Burglars broke into a small South Jersey post office this week and stole cash and mail, authorities reported. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information leading to a conviction in the break-in at the U.S. Postal Service facility at 603 Delsea Drive in Malaga. Sometime between 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and the early hours of Thursday, someone damaged windows and doors while breaking into the building, located in Franklin Township, Gloucester County. An unknown amount of postal funds and mail were stolen, according to a USPS flier announcing the reward. Packages and envelopes were among the items taken, explained U.S. Postal Inspector Alex Sylvester. The intruders were able to gain access to post office boxes in the facility and customers will be contacted about any losses. When the person gained entry to the workroom floor, obviously he gained access to those post office boxes, Sylvester said. Anyone who believes their mail may have been taken is encouraged to file a report online. The building does not have surveillance cameras or an alarm system. We think it was just a crime of opportunity, he said, noting that the break-in happened after dark on a cold night at a spot that backs up to a wooded area. Those responsible face federal charges if caught. Postal officials remind anyone with information about the crime to contact authorities at 1-877-876-2455 rather than trying to apprehend a suspect themselves. U.S. Postal Service investigators are asking for the public's help following a break-in at a South Jersey post office. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. On average one soldier a week is sexually assaulted by his peers, figures show. The Center for Military Human Rights Korea on Monday revealed data it obtained from the Defense Ministry, which show that 71 sex offenses were registered by military investigators between January 2009 and June of 2010. In 34 cases or almost half of the recorded offenses, the accused were not even indicted. Even when they were court-martialed, seven received suspended sentences, and the cases against three were dismissed. In 16 cases, a stay of execution was given, while jail terms were sought only in five cases. Fifty-two of the offenses were committed by one soldier against another, while six involved officers and 13 were committed by a senior officer against a lower ranking soldier. The sex offenses usually took place in barracks, hallways or gyms, and many were committed repeatedly. Most of the offenses were committed against lower-ranking soldiers. In one instance, a senior officer sexually abused the wife of a lower-ranking soldier. When the 265 sex crimes committed by soldiers against civilians are included, the total comes to 336 or around 18 crimes a month. ALBANY When Letitia James was elected with Andrew Cuomo's backing, I assumed she wouldn't be willing to ruffle the governors feathers or look under rocks he didn't want lifted. New York, with its long history of public corruption, needs an independent attorney general. It seemed unlikely James would be one. But she proved me wrong with Thursdays bombshell report on deaths in New York nursing homes, which, in its 76 pages, shreds Cuomo's credibility and decimates the notion, held mostly by those who live well outside the state, that hes some sort of sage of the pandemic. Among other findings, the report makes clear that Cuomo and the Department of Health misled the public about the number of New York nursing home residents who died of COVID-19. Cuomos administration underreported the nursing home count by as much as 50 percent, the AGs investigation found, by not including residents who were moved to hospitals before they died. The undercount served a purpose. It helped the governor deflect criticism of a controversial state order that forced nursing homes to accept COVID-19 patients criticism that, if you believed Cuomo, was motivated purely by partisanship and "ugly politics." But James, a Democrat elected in 2018, is nobodys idea of a right-winger. She was, of course, a loud and significant critic of the Trump administration. She was, at least until Thursday, considered a Cuomo ally. And yet her investigation lays bare the governors many failings. For one, the report casts a critical eye on the controversial order, issued in March and retracted in May, saying it may have put nursing home residents at risk. The Cuomo administration has never conceded the order was a mistake. The report is likewise skeptical of the junk-science Health Department report that blamed nursing home deaths on employees another attempt to deflect attention from bad state policies and it is critical of a separate Cuomo order that shielded nursing-home operators from lawsuits. That protection, the report notes, "may have allowed facilities to make financially motivated decisions" such as admitting patients for whom the nursing homes couldn't properly care. Those are all important findings, and there are many others in the report. But it was the conclusion on New Yorks official nursing home death tally that sent shock waves across New York. Thats where James delivered a body-blow to Cuomo's credibility. Journalists and lawmakers, of course, have been asking for the full nursing home tally for months, only to be stonewalled by an administration full of arrogance and ready with cockamamie excuses. Even the AG was apparently unable to get an accurate number. Notably, the report includes only the estimate of a 50 percent undercount. But the report shamed the Health Department into releasing the full number 12,743, a 46 percent increase from the prior tally just hours after the reports release. The remarkably quick turnaround means the data was available all along. Cuomo, whose recent book promised lessons in leadership, didn't want the public knowing the truth. That shows why an independent attorney general is necessary. We shouldn't have needed James investigation to shake the number loose. But we did, and kudus to her for making it happen. The report's findings took Cuomo by surprise, I'm told, but he didn't let it show on Friday. The governor, speaking at an Albany briefing, suggested it didn't matter much if the nursing home tally included hospital fatalities. "Who cares?" he asked. "They died." Cuomo's claim is belied by his actions. If the full count doesn't matter, why not release it months ago? By stonewalling for so long, despite Freedom of Information Law requests and even a lawsuit, Cuomo showed that he considered the number important enough to hide. And, of course, a full, accurate count does matter. It provides us with a complete picture of what happened in nursing homes during the important early stage of the pandemic. It allows for real accountability and the ability to guide future policy decisions. An accurate count matters simply because New Yorkers deserve the truth, and because facts shouldn't play second fiddle to massaging a politicians reputation. You would think that would be obvious even to Cuomo, especially during a pandemic. Predictably, the reaction to the report was swift and strong, with Democrats and Republicans alike saying, correctly, that it revealed unconscionable and infuriating behavior. From Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt, a Republican from Lockport, there was even a call for Health Commissioner Howard Zucker to resign. That isn't as outlandish as it may seem. Zucker never should have allowed his Health Department to become an arm of the governors public relations team, and his reputation is also badly tarnished by the attorney generals report. Who can trust him now? The more important question: Who can trust Andrew Cuomo? cchurchill@timesunion.com 518-454-5442 @chris_churchill MALTA While countless businesses have been on hold or shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, computer chip maker GlobalFoundries is seeing boom times. Were making a record number of wafers everywhere including Malta, said Mike Hogan, GlobalFoundries' senior vice president and general manager at the companys Automotive, Industrial & Multi-market Strategic Business Unit. Were happy that GlobalFoundries is healthy enough to double our capital expenditures this year, he said. In addition to GlobalFoundries 3,000-employee Fab 8 plant in Luther Forest, the company has facilities in East Fishkill and Burlington, Vt., as well as in Singapore and Germany. The privately held company didnt disclose how many wafers were made and shipped in 2020 or their value, but Hogan in a recent interview stressed that that they hit a production high and were working at capacity or above to keep up with demand. GlobalFoundries success isnt unusual for the computer industry overall, and part of that is due to the pandemic. With so many people working from home, there has been huge demand for new laptops, as well as smart phones and other electronic devices that keep one both plugged in to the workplace and entertained in off hours. Some of that boom has been reflected in the rising stock prices of publicly traded microchip makers. For instance, AMD, which uses some GlobalFoundries products for its chips, saw its stock go from $38 in March 2020 to $87.50 on Friday afternoon. Another big chip maker, Intel, enjoyed a rise from $49 in March to $55.71 as of Friday. The Gartner research firm earlier in January reported that worldwide microchip, or semiconductor revenue in 2020 was expected to total $449.8 billion -- up 7.3% from 2019. The high demand for chips has led to the possibility that GlobalFoundries may expand in Malta. In June, the company, which is owned by the emirate of Abu Dhabi, said it had secured an option for 66 acres of undeveloped land adjacent to Fab 8. Hogan said an expansion was possible, but that would depend heavily on the amount of government support for such a project. Expanding would likely require the level of support offered when the company first came to Malta, said Hogan. Wed certainly have the ability to expand in Malta on site and to grow that site if need be, he said. Hogan said its not just the pandemic that drove up demand for microchips. The onset of 5G technology in smart phones is pushing demand as are worries about tensions with China, which is a major producer of chips and other hardware. While the U.S. remains the leader in design and innovation, only 12 percent of the worlds chips are currently made here. The global appetite for microchips has hindered some industries, including automakers, who have in recent weeks complained that their production has slowed because they cant get enough chips. Cars increasingly rely on microchips for a variety of functions ranging from antilock brakes to infotainment and navigation systems, and engine controls. Many of these chips are highly specialized. The move toward electric and an eventual evolution toward self-driving cars will only increase demand, Hogan predicted. More for you Business Defense Department boosts GlobalFoundries contract by $400M Has the auto chip shortage impacted Malta? Not really, Hogan said, since the chips that are going into todays models, be they Toyotas, Fords or Teslas, were developed several years ago. Malta, he said, Is working on the things that come next. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU 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. Moscow, Jan 28 (UNI) Russia's flagship carrier Aeroflot said it would resume regular flights to Finland that were canceled over the COVID-19 pandemic. The flights between Moscow and Helsinki will be carried out twice a week, on Thursday and Saturday. The number of flights may be changed in the future. The airline recommends its passengers to study visa regulations and coronavirus restrictions while planning trips to foreign countries. Russia suspended air traffic with foreign nations over the COVID-19 pandemic on March 27. Moscow has already resumed flights to several countries where the epidemiological situation is improving. UNI XC-GNK Salt Lake City, Utah--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2021) - Gaensel Energy, Inc., (OTC PINK: GEGR) ("Gaensel" or the "Company"), a diversified holding company with assets in Software/Gaming and VR, Health and Wellness, CRM & Data, as well as General Contracting and Patented Building supplies, is pleased to announce that its recent investment in Officina della Cialda is yielding excellent results. Officina della Cialda has acquired 100% of Center Caffee, (https://centercaffe.it ), an online platform featuring a diverse array of coffee pods and capsules direct to retailers. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7475/73158_0503b179d4a21853_002full.jpg To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7475/73158_0503b179d4a21853_003full.jpg To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7475/73158_0503b179d4a21853_004full.jpg CenterCaffee has established a widely held reputation from its customers as a reliable, cost-effective platform offering speedy and accurate order fulfillment and responsive customer service. Its reputation is well-earned as a fulfillment center completing all orders same day throughout its customer base in Italy. CenterCaffee web portal boasts a B2B Customer base of over 1140 business and produced annual revenues in FY 2020 of over $3,300,000 USD. Management anticipates cumulative growth through 2021 and beyond. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7475/73158_0503b179d4a21853_005full.jpg Centercaffe.it is positioning itself to become the largest B2B coffee and tea capsule/pod distribution platform, featuring top name and specialty brands including Nespresso and Illy, to name a few. Additionally, fresh off GEGR's announcement that Officina della Cialda (OdC) signed agreements to effect the expedited launch and expansion of more than 100+ additional locations in Europe, beginning with its flagship locations in Italy, OdC reports the opening of four stores additional next week, including one in Catania, one in Fossano (Turin), and two stores in Milan, all in line with the Company's initiative to expedite development of stores to total 100+ in 2021 in line with the current demand for product. These additional four stores launching next week are estimated to yield over $600,000 USD annually in revenue for Officina della Cialda. The Management is enthusiastic in reporting these additional franchise openings were made possible by contracts signed within hours of the Gaensel Energy Group acquisition announcement. Details include a strategic alliance with Coffee Production and Exports specialist ILDA CAFFE and its subsidiary, Colombia-based De Las Cordilleras, a major Colombian coffee producer serving the world market with over 15,000,000kg annually. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7475/73158_0503b179d4a21853_006full.jpg INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS The Italian market for hot drinks is dominated by coffee, accounting for more than 70% of the market. 75% of the coffee consumed by Italians was drunk at home. Coffee has become an integral part of Italian culture, with around 8 million bags imported annually. Independent cafes hold more than 90% of the Italy coffee market while International players hold a minuscule share. To give a third-wave coffee culture, international brands like Starbucks, opened its first store in Milan, Italy in 2018. The European coffee pods and capsules market is expected to witness a CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period, 2020-2025. The growth drivers of coffee pods and capsules in Europe over the past few years have been a combination of convenience, premium positioning, brand experience, and the ability of manufacturers to innovate and provide new products. The popularity of coffee pod machines in significant markets such as the United Kingdom is significantly increasing, owing to a rise in the average retail selling price of coffee, which is driving the growth of the coffee pods market in the country. On the other hand, a significantly large number of consumers are switching from instant coffee to more premium options, such as fresh ground coffee pods and coffee beans, which is expected to boost the sales of coffee pods during the forecast period. About Gaensel Energy: Gaensel Energy, Inc., (OTC PINK: GEGR) is a diversified holding company actively engaged in driving shareholder value through acquisitions and partnerships focused on opportunities in the Energy, Manufacturing, Software, and Technology markets. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. Words such as "expect," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believes," "predicts," "potential," "continue" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. These forward-looking statements and factors that may cause such differences include, without limitation inability to enter into a definitive agreement with respect to the proposed transaction or to complete the transactions contemplated by the non-binding term sheet, matters discovered by the parties as they complete their respective due diligence investigation of the other. Other factors include the possibility that the proposed transaction does not close, including due to the failure to receive required security holder approvals, or the failure of other closing conditions. The foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Contact Information: admin@gegrgroup.com Gaensel Energy Group Website: http://www.gegrgroup.com Gaensel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/gegrgroup To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/73158 US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, wears a Stop the Steal mask on the steps of the US Capitol in Washington, DC. (AFP via Getty Images) Marjorie Taylor Greene does not intend to resign her position from Congress amid intensifying calls for her expulsion from members of Congress and parents of school shooting victims. The newly appointed lawmaker has fielded significant scrutiny over the last few days, following the emergence of a number of alleged social media interactions and controversial videos on her YouTube page. Certain uncovered social media posts have appeared to show Rep Greene supporting conspiracies surrounding the 9/11 attacks and various school shootings in the US, suggesting they were fake or inside jobs. Rep Greene was also seen heckling Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg in a video posted to her YouTube page in January 2020, prompting renewed outrage from the families of shooting victims. However, amid increased pressure to hand in her resignation, a spokesman for Greene told CBS News she had no plans to resign. Rep Greene did not immediately respond to The Independents request for comment. Gun safety activist Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was murdered during the Parkland shooting in 2018 told MSNBC on Thursday that Rep Greene does not belong in Congress. Mr Guttenberg said Rep Greene ran for Congress on a lie", adding: She has called Parkland a lie, Sandy Hook a lie, Las Vegas a lie, and 9/11 a lie." Mark Barden and Nicole Hockley, parents of two children who were killed in the Sandy Hook school massacre in Connecticut in 2012, echoed similar sentiments in regard to Rep Greenes positions in Congress. Having a Sandy Hook and Parkland denier on the House Education and Labour Committee is an attack on any and every family whose loved ones were murdered in mass shootings that have now become fodder for hoaxers, they said, CNNs Jake Tapper reported. The couple noted that they were grateful to lawmakers who recognise that hateful conspiracy theories and suggestions that our childrens violent deaths never happened have no place in our society, much less the United States Congress. Story continues This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Mr Hogg, who has been a vocal gun control activist since he survived the 2018 massacre, has been urging his followers to sign a petition calling for Rep Greenes resignation. The 20-year-old has said he absolutely felt threatened by Rep Greene during their interaction in the YouTube video, during which she called him a coward and told him she was carrying a gun. Rep Greene told CNN that the video was taken while she was in Washington, "going from office to office in the Senate to oppose the radical gun-control agenda that Mr Hogg was pushing". Mr Hogg said in an interview with the broadcaster on Thursday that the controversial representative would rather choose to protect guns than children. Mr Guttenberg urged Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to take action against Rep Greene and remove her from Congress. "Kevin McCarthy, when you're done having drinks and cake with the bully in Palm Beach, you need to come back and you need to remove her. She has no place in Congress, he told MSNBC. A spokesperson for Mr McCarthy, told Axios in a statement on Wednesday that leader McCarthy plans to have a conversation with Rep Greene about the deeply disturbing comments. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Rep Greenes past social media interactions also allegedly included indications of support in 2018 and 2019 toward the idea of executing prominent Democrats. In response to the surfaced posts, Rep Greene has suggested that other people had access to her social media accounts. Over the years, Ive had teams of people manage my pages. Many posts have been liked. Many posts have been shared. Some did not represent my views, she said in a statement. California congressman Jimmy Gomez moved on Wednesday to expel the hard-right representative from Congress over the posts. Such advocacy for extremism and sedition not only demands her immediate expulsion from Congress, but it also merits strong and clear condemnation from all of her Republican colleagues, he said. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Rep Greene told CBS News in a statement that they are coming after me because I'm a threat to their goal of Socialism. They are coming after me because they know I represent the people, not the politicians. They are coming after me because like President Trump, I will always defend conservative values. They want to take me out because I represent the people. And they absolutely hate it. House GOP Whip Steve Scalise condemned the comments in an interview to CNN, saying: There is no place for comments like that in our political discourse." Expelling Rep Greene would require a two-thirds vote of Congress. Democrats hold only a 10-seat advantage in the House. Read More Marjorie Taylor Greene uses offensive slur in resurfaced video New video emerges of Marjorie Taylor Greene harassing David Hogg Pelosi condemns House GOP for Marjorie Taylor Greene assignments Marjorie Taylor Greene is a much bigger problem than the GOP realised By Sam Richards Bay City News Foundation A Los Angeles-based economist told the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors this week that while the current COIVID-19-driven recession will likely be much shorter than the Great Recession that started in 2008, it will leave lasting impacts that could require city- and county-government-level policy changes. During a supervisors' retreat meeting this week, Christopher Thornberg said that at least some of the increase in employees working from home during the pandemic will be permanent. He also noted that while most sectors of retail have continued to thrive despite the pandemic, much of that activity has shifted from brick-and-mortar to online, and won't fully go back. A logical reaction to this by local governments, Thornberg said, would be to change zoning for some business district parcels from "retail" to "retail/mixed use," which would allow housing in more areas suffering from what he describes as a shortage of rental housing in the Bay Area. These areas, he said, figure to see fewer square feet of space used by businesses; the zoning change could help what he describes as a "jobs-to-housing mismatch." "That's a big conversation for local land-use policies," said Thornberg, who has given the Contra Costa supervisors similar presentations over the years. Another big question, he said, is whether local and regional governments should continue to invest heavily in mass transit, especially rail systems. Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, noting significant ridership drops on BART and other passenger area rail systems, asked Thornberg whether such long-term investments are prudent. "Investing in light rail is a 50-year investment, (but) it's a 10-year technology," Thornberg said. In 10 years, he said, use of self-driving electric cars will likely be well-established. "They should be taking that (transit) money and investing heavily in the road system of the future," Thornberg said. "The pandemic has accelerated that conversation." As for transit operators like BART, Thornberg said they are going to get "hammered," and will have a hard time finding their footing even after the economic recovery is largely complete. That recovery, he said, is already well underway around California, including in Contra Costa and Alameda counties. Retail pending in most sectors surged in the second half of 2020; the housing market is "absolutely on fire," and even small-business license applications are up significantly across the U.S. from 2019. But other sectors of the economy -- restaurants and bars, clothing sales, electronics, appliances, gas stations -- are down from 14 to 28 percent from a year ago. Those sectors will need help, Thornberg said, and haven't been getting enough of that from federal sources like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to help businesses keep their workforces intact during the pandemic. Too much of that money, he said, has gone to relatively wealthier businesses and not to small businesses that need it more. Supervisor John Gioia said he believes the empty office spaces in San Francisco and other urban cores will have a ripple effect on suburban places like Contra Costa. He fully agreed with Thornberg's suggestion that cities should rezone many of their business districts from "retail" to "retail/mixed use," to make better use of areas where demand for both retail and office space will never fully rebound with a greater move to working from home. And while he said that the "macrodata" in Thornberg's report largely makes sense, it "masks inequalities that happen on the 'micro' level," to individual people. And the COVID-19 economy, Gioia said, is clearly impacting some people more than others. County government, Gioia said, "can't get through crises like this without logical, thoughtful federal assistance." Copyright 2021 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. A British National Overseas passport (BNO) and a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China passport are seen in Hong Kong, on Jan. 29, 2021. (Kin Cheung/AP Photo) HK British National (Overseas) Status Holders Can Take UKs Visa Offer With Other Documents: UK Foreign Office Hongkongers with British National (Overseas) status holders can apply for a UK visa without a BN(O) passport, the UKs Foreign Office said on Friday, after the Chinese regime declared its derecognition of the BN(O) passport. We are disappointed but not surprised by the Chinese decision not to recognise British National (Overseas) passports, the Foreign Office said in a statement emailed to NTD. Despite Chinas announcement, BN(O)s and their families will be able to use documentation other than BN(O) passports to take up this visa. People with BN(O) status now have a choice to come and live, work, and study in the UK. We look forward to welcoming those who wish to settle here. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian earlier on Friday announced that the Chinese regime would no longer recognise the BN(O) passport as a travel document and proof of identity starting from Jan. 31, and reserves the right to take further measures. Chinese Foreign Ministry new spokesman Zhao Lijian gestures as he speaks during a daily briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Beijing on Feb. 24, 2020. (Andy Wong/AP Photo) This came just hours after the British government announced that a special new visa will be opened for Hong Kong BN(O) status holders on Sunday. The scheme, first announced last July after Beijings imposition of a draconian national security law for Hong Kong, allows BN(O) status holders to live, study, and work in the UK for five years and eventually apply for citizenship. Zhao blasted the British scheme, saying it seriously infringes on Chinas sovereignty, grossly interferes in Hong Kong affairs and Chinas internal affairs, and seriously violates international law and the basic norms of international relations. Benedict Rogers talks to The Epoch Times American Thought Leaders program in July 2019. (The Epoch Times) Benedict Rogers, chief executive of British NGO Hong Kong Watch, told NTD on Friday that he thought Zhaos accusation is ridiculous. I think its ridiculous for the Chinese government to be accusing us of violations of the agreement, or violations of international law, Rogers said. It is the Chinese regime that has, not just once, but several times, committed very grave breaches of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Its broken its promises to the people of Hong Kong to uphold autonomy, and One Country, Two Systems, and Hong Kongs basic freedoms. On Nov. 12, 2020, the UK declared for the third time that Beijing breached the Sino-British Joint Declaration, by giving Hong Kong powers to disqualify pro-democracy lawmakers. On Jan. 6, after the mass arrest of 53 pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong, the UKs Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that the move was a grievous attack on Hong Kongs rights and freedoms as protected under the Joint Declaration, and that it demonstrated that the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities deliberately misled the world about the true purpose of the National Security Law, which is being used to crush dissent and opposing political views. NTD reporters Jane Werrell and Jeff Zhang, Epoch Times reporter Alexander Zhang, and The Associated Press contributed to this report. WINNIPEG A councillor is pushing the City of Winnipeg to study all options in the potential creation of a supervised consumption site, despite the provinces refusal to back such centres. Advertisement Advertise With Us WINNIPEG A councillor is pushing the City of Winnipeg to study all options in the potential creation of a supervised consumption site, despite the provinces refusal to back such centres. Coun. Sherri Rollins raised a motion Thursday, calling for the city to explore funding, partnership and implementation alternatives to establish "a low-barrier, supervised drug consumption site." Westman Families of Addicts board member Lonnie Patterson says opening up a safe consumption site in Brandon before medical detox beds are opened would be putting the cart before the horse. (File) Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said she hopes the Manitoba government will follow the lead of other provinces and support one or more such centres, also known as safe consumption or safe injection sites. In the meantime, she said the surge in substance abuse, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, requires council to take immediate action. "I believe safe consumption, supervised consumption saves lives When you can disrupt overdoses, youre saving lives," said Rollins, chairwoman of the protection and community services committee. At supervised consumption sites, people can consume illegal drugs with medical supervision. As of 2020, 39 such sites were operating in Canada, including facilities in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Ottawa. According to Health Canada, the sites save lives by preventing accidental overdoses and helping connect users to social services, while also reducing public drug use, discarded drug equipment and the spread of infectious diseases. Such sites dealt with 15,000 overdoses and drug-related medical emergencies across the country between 2017 and 2019, with no fatalities, according to Health Canada. The Manitoba government has so far rejected calls to add safe consumption sites at times over concerns they could attract crime. Calgary police once linked increases in drug-related activity, violence and vehicle crimes in 2018 to the Alberta citys safe injection site; health experts credited the centre with preventing hundreds of overdoses during the same period. On Thursday, Premier Brian Pallister said his government has focused on other mental health and addictions initiatives, which he deems a higher priority than a safe consumption site. "We have been of the view (those sites) would be a lower priority investment than the tens of millions that were investing in other preventative measures," he said. By contrast, Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew welcomed the city council attempt to address rising drug use, and urged the province to show similar "leadership." "The evidence shows that harm reduction works, and a safe consumption site could be a part of a good solution to help our less fortunate relatives through this difficult time," said Kinew. The recent increase in used drug needles discarded in Winnipeg Transit shelters underlines a clear need to take action, advocates said. Forty-seven used needles were recently found during a single shelter cleanup at River Avenue and Osborne Street, said James Van Gerwen, executive vice-president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505. "If there was a safe consumption site, hopefully (those leaving the needles) would move out of bus shelters Our shelter cleaners are overwhelmed right now," said Van Gerwen. In Brandon, a safe consumption site would be part of the harm reduction and trauma-informed care approach championed by Westman Families of Addicts in a report given to Brandon City Council last year that proposed a roadmap to solving Brandons addiction crisis. However, WFA board member Lonnie Patterson said on Thursday that opening up a safe consumption site in Brandon before medical detox beds are opened would be putting the cart before the horse. "Ideally, they would come at the same time, but our critical need has been for years that we need a safe place for people to detox that need medical assistance," said Patterson. "Thats for a variety of substances. Somebody detoxing from alcohol needs medical care, so does someone detoxing from methamphetamine. I want to address that because it is part of the system that does not exist right now in Brandon." Rollins said her motion will determine if the city can partner with First Nations and all other governments to try to get a supervised consumption site established. "This motion is to ask everyone (to contribute)," she said. In fall 2018, the federal government announced Ottawa would allow municipalities and non-profit organizations to apply for exemptions from provincial rules barring safe consumption sites. On Thursday, Mayor Brian Bowman said he wouldnt oppose the creation of a safe consumption site in Winnipeg, "If the science and data supports it." However, he stressed having Winnipeg solely create or fund one isnt being contemplated, at this point. "I keep in mind that health is a provincial jurisdiction."The mayor suggested the province is currently rejecting the sites "through a political partisan lens catering to ones base" and urged it to focus on research instead. Couns. Scott Gillingham (St. James) and Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) echoed the mayors view the province should lead the way on any potential safe consumption site. "I really dont support this sort of mission creep to get into mental health (and addictions) services," said Browaty. Rollins motion is slated to be referred to the protection and community services committee next month. with files from Larry Kusch and Colin Slark Winnipeg Free Press San Antonio Brewery Weathered Souls is receiving blankets of praise from online craft beer magazine, Hop Culture. In their "The 12 Best Craft Breweries of 2020," article, writer Kenny Gould commended the brewery for its incredible resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic and specifically name-dropped multiple favorite brews, including their Mango Margarita Fruited Sour and West Coast IPA. Related: Weathered Souls Brewery's Black is Beautiful stout raises awareness to racial injustice Out of over over 8,000 potential candidates for the best spot, Gould chose Weathered Souls not just for their array of cervezas, but for founding the Black is Beautiful initiative, a collaborative effort to raise awareness around the injustices faced by people of color. The initiative spearheaded a national conversation in the craft beer industry and allowed the black-owned Weathered Souls to lead the industry in social justice efforts across the globe. Founder and owner Marcus Baskerville said in 2020 that his experiences as a Black man meant he felt he had to do something in an industry that is dominated by mostly white, male owners and producers. I wanted to highlight the injustice that is going around, so as a black business owner, as someone that has dealt with police abuse before and as a parent looking at the future of our children, I felt like it was something that I had to do, Baskerville told MySA after the project launched. Weathered Souls also offers a classically Texan BBQ focused menu that includes tacos, appetizers and brisket dishes. Weathered Souls is located at 606 Embassy Oaks in the Oaks' shopping center. You can find their taproom and patio hours here. Karly Williams is a digital producer for MySA. She holds a bachelors in journalism from the University of Cincinnati. Follow her at @karlyjwilliams. NTU study finds Singapore public less keen on drone use in residential areas than industrial zones When it comes to drones, the Singapore public is not as keen for them to be used to provide services around their living spaces, finds a study by researchers at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore). However, they are more accepting of drones being used in areas like recreational spots or industrial areas. There is growing global interest in the use of drones to provide a range of applications - from building inspection to last mile commercial delivery - that promise productivity gains and cost reductions. In Singapore, the use of drones is picking up, with the government adopting them for various projects in the Smart Nation drive, where technology is used for direct and positive impact on people's lives. Against this backdrop, an interdisciplinary research team led by Associate Professor Lim Beng Chong from the Nanyang Business School and Professor Low Kin Huat from the School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering carried out a study to better understand public attitudes towards the technology. The study showed that while the Singapore public is ready for extensive drone application in the country, acceptance levels differed significantly depending on the context of use. The public is least welcoming towards drones when flown above residential estates but tend to be more embracing when they are used in industrial zones. The NTU study was conducted from April to June 2019, using a globally recognised survey model. It involved 1,050 Singaporeans and permanent residents aged 21 to 80. "We can expect drones to become commonplace in our daily lives in future," said Assoc Prof Lim. "It is thus important for policymakers, businesses, and regulators to understand how the public feels about the technology, as its acceptance levels will have a direct impact on the scope and pace of adoption. Our work can guide efforts to introduce drone use, by providing insights into public perceptions that are specific to a highly urbanised environment like Singapore, including suggestions on how to improve acceptance levels." Published online in the scientific journal Technology in Society in December 2020, this is believed to be the first study on the perceptions of drone use in a highly urbanised environment in Asia. Fears and concerns surrounding drone use Previous studies have focused on drone use in western countries and did not consider the context of drone applications in different contexts. The NTU study looked at public acceptance of drone use in four different types of urban space - residential, recreational, industrial, and commercial areas. It also included the function of the drone (i.e., what it is used for) and its operators. The NTU research team found that the Singapore public is more accepting of drone use by government, commercial and industrial users than by private individuals. Drones for the purpose of search and rescue by authorities was most welcomed (92%), but the public approved less of commercial and industrial players using drones to transport people (62%). Overall, the study found support for private use is lower than for most other purposes. The study identified two critical factors influencing public acceptance of drone use. First, the fears and concerns of the public. Among the top four worries indicated by participants were, in descending order: the misuse of drones by unauthorised personnel; inability to identify whether drones are ?lming or not; drones being a threat to one's physical safety if parts of it fall; and the loss of privacy. Second, the perception of the benefits of the technology. The public believe the technology is more beneficial when used for consumers, the economy and improving workplace safety, but less so for improving neighbourhood security. The findings highlight that the public differentiates where and how drones are being used. Therefore, the NTU research team said, communication and educational strategies should be adapted and customised to the contexts of drone applications, to effectively improve public acceptance. For example, when educating the public about drone use in residential areas, the information might be focused on the safety of drone use, instead of its purported benefits. "Drone technology represents a promising industry with many more uses being developed every day," said Prof Low, co-author, and drone expert from the School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. "By understanding the relationship between the factors influencing public acceptance and the context of drone use, developers and the authorities can focus their attention on specific things that are problematic to the public. If it is a fear of falling parts when drones are flown in residential areas for example, developers can work on ways to demonstrate that their parts will not become detached. Or the authorities can map out and regulate safe flying routes such as over housing estate rooftops, thus contributing to a better public reception for drones," he said. ### This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Yves here. While this paper does a good job of compiling and analyzing data about Covid deaths and excess mortality, and speculating about deaths of despair, I find one of its assumptions to be odd. It sees Covid-related deaths of despair as mainly the result of isolation. In the US, I would hazard that economic desperation is likely a significant factor. Think of the people who had successful or at least viable service businesses: hair stylists, personal trainers, caterers, conference organizers. One friend had a very successful business training and rehabbing pro and Olympic athletes. Theyve gone from pretty to very well situated to frantic about how they will get by. While Mulligan does mention loss of income in passing in the end, it seems the more devastating but harder to measure damage is loss of livelihood, thinking that your way of earning a living might never come back to anything dimly approaching the old normal. Another catastrophic loss would be the possibility of winding up homeless, particularly for those whod never faced that risk before. By Casey Mulligan, Professor of Economics, University of Chicago and former Chief Economist of the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Originally published at VoxEU The spread of COVID-19 in the US has prompted extraordinary steps by individuals and institutions to limit infections. Some worry that the cure is worse than the disease and these measures may lead to an increase in deaths of despair. Using data from the US, this column estimates how many non-COVID-19 excess deaths have occurred during the pandemic. Mortality in 2020 significantly exceeds the total of official COVID-19 deaths and a normal number of deaths from other causes. Certain characteristics suggest the excess are deaths of despair. Social isolation may be part of the mechanism that turns a pandemic into a wave of deaths of despair; further studies are needed to show if that is the case and how. The spread of COVID-19 in the US has prompted extraordinary, although often untested, steps by individuals and institutions to limit infections. Some have worried that the cure is worse than the disease. Economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton mocked such worries as a pet theory about the fatal dangers of quarantine. They concluded in the summer of 2020 that a wave of deaths of despair is highly unlikely because, they said, the duration of a pandemic is measured in months whereas the underlying causes of drug abuse and suicide take many years to accumulate (Case and Deaton 2020). With the extraordinary social distancing continuing and mortality data accumulating, now is a good time to estimate the number of deaths of despair and their incidence. As a theoretical matter, I am not confident that demand and supply conditions were even approximately constant as the country went into a pandemic recession. Take the demand and supply for non-medical opioid use, which before 2020 accounted for the majority of deaths of despair.1 I acknowledge that the correlation between opioid fatalities and the unemployment rate has been only weakly positive (Council of Economic Advisers February 2020, Ruhm 2019). However, in previous recessions, the income of the unemployed and the nation generally fell. In this recession, personal income increased record amounts while the majority of the unemployed received more income than they did when they were working (Congressional Budget Office 2020).2 Whereas alcohol and drug abuse can occur in isolation, many normal, non-lethal consumption opportunities disappeared as the population socially distanced. Patients suffering pain may have less access to physical therapy during a pandemic. On the supply side, social distancing may affect the production of safety.3 A person who overdoses on opioids has a better chance of survival if the overdose event is observed contemporaneously by a person nearby who can administer treatment or call paramedics.4 Socially distanced physicians may be more willing to grant opioid prescriptions over the phone rather than insist on an office visit. Although supply interruptions on the southern border may raise the price of heroin and fentanyl, the market may respond by mixing heroin with more fentanyl and other additives that make each consumption episode more dangerous (Mulligan 2020a, Wan and Long 2020). Mortality is part of the full price of opioid consumption and therefore a breakdown in safety production may by itself reduce the quantity consumed but nonetheless increase mortality per capita as long as the demand for opioids is price inelastic. I emphasise that these theoretical hypotheses about opioid markets in 2020 are not yet tested empirically. My point is that mortality measurement is needed because the potential for extraordinary changes is real. The Multiple Cause of Death Files (National Center for Health Statistics 19992018) contain information from all death certificates in the US and would be especially valuable for measuring causes of mortality in 2020. However, the public 2020 edition of those files is not expected until early 2022. For the time being, my recent study (Mulligan 2020b) used the 20152018 files to project the normal number of 2020 deaths, absent a pandemic. Excess deaths are defined to be actual deaths minus projected deaths. Included in the projections, and therefore excluded from excess deaths, are some year-over-year increases in drug overdoses because they had been trending up in recent years, especially among working-age men, as illicit fentanyl diffused across the country. I measure actual COVID-19 deaths and deaths from all causes from a Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) file for 2020 that begins in week five (the week beginning 26 January 2020) and aggregates to week, sex, and eleven age groups. To minimise underreporting, I only use the data in this file through week 40 (the week ending 3 October). In separate analyses, I also use medical examiner data from Cook County, Illinois, and San Diego County, California, which indicate deaths handled by those offices through September (Cook) or June 2020 (San Diego) and whether opioids were involved, and 12-month moving sums of drug overdoses reported by CDC (2020) through May 2020. Mortality in 2020 significantly exceeds what would have occurred if official COVID-19 deaths were combined with a normal number of deaths from other causes. The demographic and time patterns of the non-COVID-19 excess deaths (NCEDs) point to deaths of despair rather than an undercount of COVID-19 deaths. The flow of NCEDs increased steadily from March to June and then plateaued. They were disproportionately experienced by working-age men, including men as young as 15 to 24. The chart below, reproduced from Mulligan (2020b), shows these results for men aged 1554. To compare the weekly timing of their excess deaths to a weekly measure of economic conditions, Figure 1 also includes continued state unemployment claims scaled by a factor of 25,000, shown together with deaths. Figure 1 2020 weekly excess deaths by cause (men aged 1554) NCEDs are negative for elderly people before March 2020, as they were during the same time of 2019, due to mild flu seasons. Offsetting these negative NCEDs are about 30,000 positive NCEDs for the rest of the year, after accounting for an estimated 17,000 undercount of COVID-19 deaths in March and April. If deaths of despair were the only causes of death with significant net contributions to NCEDs after February, 30,000 NCEDs would represent at least a 45% increase in deaths of despair from 2018, which itself was high by historical standards. At the same time, I cannot rule out the possibility that other non-COVID-19 causes of death or even a bit of COVID-19 undercounting (beyond my estimates) are contributing to the NCED totals. One federal and various local measures of mortality from opioid overdose also point to mortality rates during the pandemic that exceed those of late 2019 and early 2020, which themselves exceed the rates for 2017 and 2018. These sources are not precise enough to indicate whether rates of fatal opioid overdose during the pandemic were 10% above the rates from before, 60% above, or somewhere in between. Presumably, social isolation is part of the mechanism that turns a pandemic into a wave of deaths of despair. However, the results so far do not say how many, if any, come from government stay-at-home orders versus various actions individual households and private businesses have taken to encourage social distancing. The data in this paper do not reveal how many deaths of despair are due to changes in demand such as changes in a persons income, outlook, or employment situation versus changes in supply such as the production of safety and a changing composition of dangerous recreational substances. See original post for references 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. BOSTON, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyros Law Offices is alerting investors of Southern Co (NYSE:SO) that the deadline in filing claims from the investor lawsuit settlement against the company is fast approaching. The company has agreed to settle a shareholder lawsuit filed against it by investors for over $87.5 million dollars. Southern Co (NYSE:SO) investors that purchased between 04/25/2012 and 1/28/2014 are urged to contact our law firm immediately to protect their rights. Visit our SO Lawsuit Settlement website or call 1-800-934-2921 to speak to someone about your case. Your legal rights will be affected whether you act or do not act. If you do not act, you may permanently forfeit your right to recover on this claim. In a settlement, filed in the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Southern Co. has decided to pay $87.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by investors stemming from losses brought by costly issues with a planned clean coal project in Mississippi. Southern Co (NYSE:SO) investors that purchased between 04/25/2012 and 1/28/2014 are urged to contact our law firm immediately to protect their rights. Visit our SO Lawsuit Settlement website or call 1-800-934-2921 to speak to someone about your case. Receive alerts about potential class action lawsuits that may affect you by visiting the Class Action Lawsuit Center website . Kyros Law specializes in a wide range of complex litigation, mass torts, and corporate governance matters, including the representation of whistleblowers, shareholders and consumers in securities fraud, false claims act and class actions. Our lawyers have been responsible for recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients throughout the United States, Africa, Asia and Europe. Visit our website to learn more about our firm. SOURCE Kyros Law Related Links http://www.kyroslaw.com A report into a fatal light plane crash that killed five tourists and the pilot three years ago has recommended mandating the use of active warning carbon monoxide detectors in passenger-carrying aircraft. On December 31, 2017, pilot Gareth Morgan and five passengers British tycoon Richard Cousins, 58, his sons William, 25, and Edward, 23, his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, her daughter Heather, 11 boarded a Sydney Seaplanes aircraft for a flight from Cottage Point on Sydneys northern beaches to Rose Bay. The Sydney Seaplane crash into Jerusalem Bay claimed the lives of (top row) pilot Gareth Morgan, Emma Bowden, her daughter Heather, (bottom row) British chief executive Richard Cousins and his sons Edward and William. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft entered Jerusalem Bay, when its nose dropped and the plane crashed into the water, killing everyone on board. Following a four-year investigation, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau released its final report on Friday, finding carbon monoxide exposure affected Mr Morgans ability to operate the aircraft. Dramatic footage shows the moment a devastating fire broke out in a five-star hotel before laying waste to the whole building and killing two guests. CCTV captures staff trying to fight the flames in the reception of Cameron House Hotel on December 18, 2017 and comes as the night porter who caused the blaze was sentenced. Christopher O'Malley, 35, was spared jail but ordered to do 300 hours of unpaid work for accidentally starting the fire by emptying hot ash in a plastic bag into a cupboard full of newspaper. Just three days earlier he had been told not to use the plastic bags and, in an August audit, fire experts had highlighted the combustibles inside the cupboard as a risk. The resulting fire that gutted the hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond killed guests Simon Midgley, 32, and Richard Dyson, 38, from London by way of smoke inhalation. Today Cameron House Resort (Loch Lomond) Ltd, owner and operator of the hotel was fined 500,000 after admitting fire safety failings. The hotel remains closed, but its website states it will reopen in the spring - its golf course remains open, while other parts of the resort, including its spa and club house, are suspended due to Covid-19 measures in Scotland. The resulting fire gutted the hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond on December 18, 2017 Christopher O'Malley, 35, was spared jail but ordered to do 300 hours of unpaid work for accidentally starting the fire on December 18, 2017 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service crews battle with hug flames coming from the old part of Cameron House Hotel Guests Simon Midgley, 32, and Richard Dyson, 38, from London were killed by way of smoke inhalation The owner admitted failing to take the fire safety measures necessary to ensure the safety of employees and guests between January 14, 2016 and December 18, 2017. It admitted two charges of breaching the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 on January 22 and had its fine reduced from 750,000 because of the early guilty plea. O'Malley, 35, admitted breaching Sections 7(A) and 33(1)(A) of the Health and Safety at Work Act at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on December 14, which relate to the obligation on an employee to take reasonable care for the health and safety of people affected by their acts or omissions at work. He was sentenced to a community payback order on Friday, supervised for 18 months, with 300 hours of unpaid work. More than 200 guests were evacuated from the building during the fire, including a family of two adults and a child who were rescued by ladder and taken to hospital. They were later discharged. Sentencing O'Malley, Sheriff William Gallacher said: 'Your acts on December 18 caused a fire to start in a cupboard in Cameron House Hotel. 'The fire developed from that cupboard and spread to many parts of the building, which had to be evacuated. 'Some guests managed to do that with relative ease, some found it more difficult crawling along corridors to avoid smoke, others had to be rescued by ladder, no doubt some of those who experienced these traumatic events will be affected by them for a long time to come. 'Two others were unable to escape from the fire and, as a consequence of inhaling smoke and fire gases, tragically lost their lives.' Footage of staff trying to fight the flames in the reception of Cameron House Hotel was released today The moment a devastating fire broke out in a fire-star hotel before laying waste to the whole building and killing two guests has emerged More than 200 guests were evacuated from the building during the fire, including a family of two adults and a child who were rescued by ladder and taken to hospital He said he was imposing work in the community as an alternative to custody. 'That's not an attempt by the court to diminish what happened and the tragic loss of life,' he said. 'It's rather in recognition that it was not remotely in your contemplation that anything you did on December 17 or 18 would have led to the catastrophe which in fact ensued.' Sentencing Cameron House Resort, Sheriff Gallacher said it was 'unacceptable' that the hotel operators did not act on previous advice from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to remove combustibles from the cupboard. He added: 'I do not consider that the company simply disregarded advice and recommendations but that they were translated or interpreted wrongly or incompletely.' Victim Simon Midgley's mother, Jane Midgley, carries a photograph of him and second victim Richard Dyson as she arrives at Dumbarton Sheriff Court Today Cameron House Resort (Loch Lomond) Ltd, owner and operator of the hotel was fined 500,000 after admitting fire safety failings The London-based company also failed to keep the cupboard that contained potential ignition sources free of combustibles and maintain and empty metal bins used for the storage of ash and embers Sheriff Gallacher also said it was unacceptable that advice from fire experts to develop written procedures for dealing with ashes and embers was not followed. He said: 'Such a course could have been undertaken very easily. Had that been undertaken then much of what happened on December 18 could not have occurred.' The London-based company also failed to keep the cupboard that contained potential ignition sources free of combustibles and maintain and empty metal bins used for the storage of ash and embers. Relatives of the victims, including Mr Midgley's mother Jane, were in court for the sentencing hearing. At the court hearing on January 22, Peter Gray QC, representing Cameron House, said the failings were not deliberate breaches but occurred 'as a result of genuine errors'. He said an absence of formal procedures for dealing with ashes and embers gave staff the opportunity to improvise, and he added the resort extended its 'deepest sympathies' to the families of Mr Midgley and Mr Dyson. A decision on whether a fatal accident inquiry will be held into the tragedy is yet to be made. Health workers pull a COVID-19 patient from an ambulance into Santa Casa Hospital in Jau, Brazil, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. The Santa Casa hospital is operating at full capacity and patients take turns receiving oxygen. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) Rodinei Silva made two trips this week to the Santa Casa de Jau hospital in the interior of Brazil's Sao Paulo state. First, he brought his wife, who was suffering COVID-19 symptoms including trouble breathing. She tested positive, but was sent home with medication because space was scarce. "There were no beds on Tuesday," Silva, 65, said, adding that his wife's condition is deteriorating at home. He returned to the hospital on Thursday because he was showing symptoms. Each day, several patients like Silva turn up at the hospital in the municipality of about 152,000 people, seeking treatment. But the facility also admits COVID-19 patients from 11 surrounding cities, and it reached capacity on Jan. 18. Just as Brazil has a glimmer of hope with the start of vaccination, it is facing a dizzying second COVID-19 wave that is straining facilities' ability to attend to patients. Intensive-care units in public hospitals have been maxed out in several states and municipalities across the country, including two state capitals in the remote Amazon and even some cities like Jau in Sao Paulo, the nation's wealthiest state. "This is perhaps the most difficult moment of the entire pandemic," said Leonardo de Avila Lins, who leads the hospital's intensive-care ward. Sao Paulo has seen a daily average of some 11,000 cases over the past two weeks, more than were confirmed during the state's 2020 peak, according to official data. The 14-day average of some 230 daily deaths is a few dozen shy of the toll reached last year. A health worker walks into the intensive care unit at the Santa Casa Hospital in Jau, Brazil, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. The hospital is operating at full capacity due to COVID-19 and patients need to take turns receiving oxygen. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) At Santa Casa de Jau, arriving patients are either placed in a temporary unit, created in mid-January when intensive-care space ran out, or sent to other hospitals. Pressure is increasing by the day, said Scila Carretero, the hospital's administrative manager. "Our concern is not being able to transfer these patients, and not being able to absorb them into our ICU," Carretero said, adding that transfers are challenging and they've managed only two since Jan. 18. That means for the most part only accepting new patients once others are discharged or die. As of Thursday, 20 patients waited in the makeshift COVID-19 unit for a spot to open in the ICU. In the span of less than four hours, Associated Press journalists saw five people with virus symptoms arrive. Health experts are sounding the alarm, as other hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in Sao Paulo have also run out of room. Health personnel work at the intensive care unit at the Santa Casa Hospital in Jau, Brazil, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. The hospital is operating at full capacity due to COVID-19 and patients need to take turns receiving oxygen. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) A patient with COVID-19 symptoms shows his identification to a health worker as he arrives to get checked at the Santa Casa Hospital in Jau, Brazil, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. The hospital is operating at full capacity due to COVID-19 and patients need to take turns receiving oxygen. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) Stores are closed during a lockdown imposed by Sao Paulo state government to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Jau, Brazil, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) "This is not an isolated case," said Brigida Kemp, a member of the BR COVID-19 Observatory, which includes dozens of health experts and professors. "We are observing a recurrence of the pandemic in various places." Overall, intensive-care units in Sao Paulo state have an occupation rate of 70%, according to state data. But while the speed of the spread since November has been comparable to the first wave, the virus is proliferating faster now in the interior than the capital, according to Dr. Paulo Menezes, who leads the state's Coronavirus Contingency Center. At Santa Casa de Jau, health workers say they are desperately searching for places to squeeze new patients in. "We're all tired, because we have been dealing with this virus for a year," Carretero said. "Now that it is coming back, with all this intensity, this volume of patients, we're exhausted." Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. As the Spring Festival travel rush kicked off on Thursday, transportation operators have tightened measures to prevent the resurgence of COVID-19 cases and provide better service to passengers. The Ministry of Transport further cut on Thursday its forecast of passenger flow for the Spring Festival travel season as the country has adopted strict anti-epidemic measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. On the first day of the Spring Festival travel rush, the country was expected to handle 19.91 million passengers trips. According to the ministry, about 1.15 billion passenger trips were expected to be made during the 40-day travel rush, a year-on-year decline of 20 percent and more than 60 percent lower than in 2019. "The number is changing constantly," Ministry of Transport spokesman Wu Chungeng said at a news conference on Thursday. "The daily passenger trips are growing slightly based on the data for the past three days," he said, adding that the number might be lower than expected because people were advised not to travel during the holiday. On Thursday, the civil aviation sector expected to handle 8,850 flights and 540,000 passenger trips, a year-on-year decrease of 46.7 percent and 71.2 percent, respectively. The national railway network expected to handle 4 million passenger trips, a drop of 66 percent, while 37,600 passenger trips were expected to be handled at Beijing Capital International Airport and 16,000 passenger trips at Beijing Daxing International Airport. The 40-day travel season started on Thursday and end on March 8. It is regarded as the world's largest annual human migration. The Spring Festival holiday, which falls on Feb 12 this year, is China's most important holiday for family reunions. People usually gather to celebrate the weeklong festival. Safety first This year, to curb the resurgence of the novel coronavirus, top authorities advised people not to travel and to celebrate the holiday where they work and live. Transportation authorities also released guidelines to regulate measures to curb the virus, including wearing protective masks and increasing the frequency of disinfection. Ren Mengyi, the chief conductress of a bullet train from Beijing to Harbin, Heilongjiang province, said the staff onboard will wear protective masks, goggles and gloves throughout the journey. She said staff members are also required to remind passengers to wear masks, and the train is regularly disinfected, with special attention paid to frequently touched items such as door handles. The restrictive rules stand in stark contrast to the freewheeling way in which the Trump White House operated in its final months, when masks remained optional and the few aides who chose to wear them were mocked by their colleagues and even told to remove them by President Donald J. Trump himself. While some meetings were held remotely, former Trump officials said, many officials still met in person. And while the West Wing became more of a ghost town in the weeks after the election, it still retained some of the Wild West flair of the early days of the administration. Visitors like Mike Lindell, the chief executive of MyPillow, and Sidney Powell, a conspiracy theorist who worked as a lawyer for Mr. Trumps campaign, were still able to make their way into the Oval Office for meetings with the president against the wishes of his White House counsel and other senior aides who had no power to stop them. Now the West Wing feels empty, officials said, and many staff members spend most of the time they are in the building sitting alone. About 70 percent of the 500 White House staff are still working primarily from home, an official said. Its a little different, said Anita Dunn, a senior adviser to Mr. Biden who also worked in the Obama White House as communications director. We have an afternoon coordinating meeting around the rescue plan, and since the Roosevelt Room has a limit, some people do it from the offices. People keep their doors closed much more than they ever did. Over all, Ms. Dunn said, the workplace may be less social, but it is functional. Were functioning very much like a White House functions, she said. Its just that were not crowded into tiny rooms to do it. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) Federal prosecutors for Iowa say a Cedar Rapids doctor has agreed to pay a $100,000 settlement over allegations that he prescribed opioids to patients who had no legitimate medical need for the drugs. The U.S. Attorney's Office says an investigation by the Iowas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration found that Dr. Paul Lottes had violated the Controlled Substances Act. Prosecutors say that from August 2017 to April 2019, Lottes wrote prescriptions for the powerful painkillers to two patients in violation of the act. Supplier News 29 January 2021 Data by SiteMinder, the global hotel industry's leading guest acquisition platform, has revealed two reasons for the travel industry to remain optimistic this year. In addition to the finding that Chinese New Year will remain a notable event for Asia's hotels, even without the millions of international Chinese travellers that the Asian region has welcomed in years past, the SiteMinder World Hotel Index shows that hotel booking lead times in Europe now come in two extremes. For the first time since the start of the current pandemic, due to optimism and pent-up demand, the SiteMinder World Hotel Index reveals that travel planners have begun booking their stays in Europe many months in advance. The trend is evident in markets such as Ireland, where, at the end of November, stays beyond three months constituted only 19% of all bookings made during the two weeks prior. Today, stays beyond three months constitute 81% of all bookings made with an Irish hotel in the last two weeks. Similarly, stays beyond three months constitute 74% of all bookings made with a UK hotel in the last two weeks, and they constitute 61% in Denmark. As at the end of November, those figures were only 28% and 20%, respectively. SiteMinder World Hotel Index: stays beyond three months constitute 74% of all bookings made with a UK hotel in the last two weeks SiteMinder The trend of rising forward bookings is also visible in Austria, Germany and Portugal, and forms the latest extreme in hotel booking behaviour. It contrasts with the last-minute booking trend first reported by SiteMinder last June, which arose from rapidly changing market conditions. The trend of minimalistic planning has dominated the World Hotel Index charts since, including in Chile, where more than three out of every four bookings made in the last two weeks are for stays during the final days of January and in February. "While we don't know what the coming months have in store for us, we can be sure through the World Hotel Index that there is much hope for the travel industry and perhaps, as we are seeing with forward bookings, we can expect the return of more trends soon," says Mike Ford, Founder and Managing Director at SiteMinder. The full analysis, with a breakdown of the state of hotel bookings around the world and the countries set to benefit from Chinese New Year in February, is available here. Swedens SSAB has withdrawn its initial interest for Tata Steels business. On November 13, announced that it had started discussions with SSAB for a potential acquisition of its business, including Ijmuiden steelworks, and due diligence was expected to be completed by the end of December. However, confirmed on Friday that SSAB had withdrawn its initial interest, but the company said it was committed to arriving at a strategic resolution for its European portfolio. In its earnings release, SSAB President and CEO Martin Lindqvist said, After deeper analysis and discussions, it became clear that there were limited possibilities to integrate IJmuiden into the framework of SSABs strategies. We have carefully evaluated IJmuiden and have concluded that an acquisition would be difficult for technical reasons. We cannot be sufficiently certain that we could implement our industrial plan with the preferred technical solutions as quickly as we would wish. We cannot align Tata Steel Ijmuiden with our sustainability strategy in the way desired, he added. ALSO READ: A call to print more money: Economic Survey sees a 'V-shaped recovery' He also said the synergies in the transaction would not fully justify the costs required for transformation. This means that overall, the transaction would not meet our financial expectations. Discussions with Tata Steel have therefore concluded, the CEO commented. Martin Lindqvist, President and CEO, SSAB Shares of Tata Steel fell 3.68 per cent on the BSE following the Tata Steel, however, said the IJmuiden plant was among the most environmentally efficient and cost-competitive steel producers in Europe. The divestment was meant to reduce Tata Steels debt significantly. At the time of announcement of SSABs interest in Tata Steel Netherlands, analysts had suggested an enterprise value of $2-$2.5 billion for Ijmuiden. The transaction was expected to bring Tata Steel closer to its target debt to Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depretiation and amortisation) ratio of 3x. Annualised debt to Ebitda for Tata Steel consolidated stood at 3.9x in Q2. However, Tata Steel reassured that the company was committed to its deleveraging plan. "Currently, around two-thirds of the business of Tata Steel is based in India with best in class, highly cost-competitive assets and strong cash flows, and Tata Steel remains committed to undertake significant deleveraging in FY21 and beyond, the company said. This is not the first time that discussions for a solution to European operations have collapsed. In 2018, Tata Steel had agreed to a 50:50 joint venture with Germanys Thyssenkrupp, but the European Commission did not approve it. High costs have caused Europe to be a challenging market, and since the 6.2-billion-pound Corus acquisition in 2007, Tata Steel has been reducing its exposure to the market. In FY16, the geographic composition of Tata Steel was one-third India and two-thirds international, which was now reversed in favour of the profitable side. The capacity in India is about 20 million tonnes now, four times of what it was at the time of Corus acquisition. Europe, during the time, has shrunk from 18 million tonnes to 10 million tonnes. ALSO READ: Tata Motors hits profit after three quarters, net zooms 67% to Rs 2,906 cr Tata Steels primary steelmaking operations in Europe are Ijmuiden (7 million tonnes), Netherlands, and Port Talbot, UK (3 million tonnes). In changing the geographic mix, Tata Steel has spent Rs 75,000 crore in the last four years in organic growth in Kalinganagar and the acquisitions of Bhushan Steel, Usha Martin, and other facilities. Stronger cashflows from Indian operations have helped the company achieve its target of reducing net debt by a $1 billion every year. In H1FY21, Tata Steel managed to reduce net debt by Rs 8,285 crore by focusing on cost. The SSAB transaction, however, was aimed at accelerating Tata Steels deleveraging efforts. Challenger Shuttle Disaster 35 Years Ago Today By West Kentucky Star Staff CAPE CANAVERAL - Today marks the tragic 35th anniversary of the Challenger space shuttle explosion in 1986. The disaster killed seven crew members 73 seconds after launch.Just a few seconds into the mission, a flame was seen breaking through the solid rocket booster that would ultimately lead to the catastrophic explosion.An estimated 60 million watching on live television witnessed the space shuttle Challenger break apart in mid-air, including thousands of schools full of children cheering on Christa McAuliffe, a crew member chosen to be America's first teacher in space.After the tragedy, President Ronald Reagan postponed his State of the Union address, and instead delivered a televised eulogy to the American people.The incident resulted in a 32-month suspension of NASA's shuttle program and the creation of the Rogers Commission, a group created by Ronald Reagan to examine what went wrong. It was determined months later that an O-ring failure blamed on cold weather doomed the shuttle before it even left the launch pad.The space shuttle program still rebounded and flew 25 more years for a total of 135 missions.NASA observes a Day of Remembrance on Jan. 28 for more than one somber anniversary. It also remembers those who died in the Apollo 1 and space shuttle Columbia accidents. The Apollo 1 fire killed three on Jan. 27, 1967, while the Columbia disaster killed seven on Feb. 1, 2003.In March, the U.S. Mint will release a commemorative coin in honor of teacher Christa McAuliffe. Stephen Hanse, president of the New York State Center for Assisted Living and the New York State Health Facilities Association, which represents many of the state's for-profit nursing homes, said those kinds of allegations were unfair and untrue. He said the current protections for nursing homes apply only in limited circumstances and are "necessary and balanced." "They do not protect any health care provider or worker in instances of willful or intentional criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct or intentional infliction of harm," Hanse said. "Not a single facility," he said, put "profit before the needs of their residents." And if there was any instance that a provider was doing that, "the attorney general has and the Department of Health have the authority notwithstanding this law to pursue actions against those providers." Syracuse University College of Law professor Nina Kohn said the state's current law does protect nursing homes in ways that might encourage bad choices about staffing and patient protections. Norfin Group, which owns a shipyard in Oruk Anam, Akwa Ibom State, said it has begun the building of security patrol vessels to curb militancy in the Nigerian maritime corridors. Iniekong Udonwa, the CEO of Norfin Group, disclosed this on Friday to reporters at the shipyard The shipyard, ironically, was attacked on January 19 by some suspected militants who destroyed properties worth millions of naira. This is the only shipyard in Nigeria that is going into ship building, others are only into maintenance and repairs. We are now building security vessels to showcase in our own water that sea men can be protected and also add value to Nigeria and reduce piracy in the country, Mr Udonwa said. Mr Udonwa said the shipyard was partnering the office of Amnesty programme of the Federal Government and the Niger Delta Development Commission to train youth in the area of shipbuilding, and related maritime opportunities. According to him, the training will take the youth away from cultism, militancy, kidnapping and armed robbery to a fruitful venture. The training would avail the youth the opportunity to become professional shipbuilders and enable them to get jobs in any part of the world. NDDC approached us and negotiated on training some youth interested in shipbuilding from this area and we agreed to partner with them. Even Amnesty Nigeria has also approached us demanding cultists and militants to surrender their arms and be trained in the shipyard. This is going to open up the opportunity for our youth to be trained and provide employment, Mr Udonwa said. We will soon embark on construction of other sea going vessels, including ferries, barges and fishing trawlers. We need to build about four ferries for Calabar-Oron and another four ferries for Bonny- Port Harcourt. For Oron, we are going to build a fishing fleet to boost the economy, he said. Mr Udonwa urged Nigerians, especially people from oil-producing areas, to get involved in the maritime industry. This is a money-spinning investment. Akwa Ibom is losing five million dollars daily following the inability of our people to get involved in ship owning business and investment in the maritime sector, he said. We need an Akwa Ibom bank that will support our people to buy ships and invest in the maritime and oil and gas sector. If Akwa Ibom people can purchase 50 ships that can generate about 50 million dollars revenue to the state, it will increase standard of living of the people, Mr Udonwa said. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT 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 Hurmuz Diril and his wife Simoni. 32 Syriac and Chaldean [Assyrian] organizations from France, Belgium, the United States (US), Sweden, Australia and Iraq have addressed an open letter to Turkey's Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Interior and requested that Hurmuz Diril, who has been missing since January 12, 2020, be found and the death of his wife Simuni Diril be brought into light (story). Simuni Diril and Hurmuz Diril went missing in their village in Srnak on January 11, 2020. While the dead body of Simuni Diril was found by their son Kemal Diril on the shore of a brook some 800 meters away from their house 70 days later, Hurmuz Diril is still missing. Bring perpetrators to justice The full letter of the organizations is as follows: Some time between January 8 and 11,2020 an Assyrian Christian couple Hurmuz Diril, 71, and his wife Simuni, 65, were kidnapped from their village of Meer/Kovankaya in the Province of Smak (southeastern Turkey). The remains of Simuni were found by her two sons at the nearby river in the village on March 20, two months after the abduction. At this time, the fate of their missing father is still not known. One year later, the family is still asking the government authorities to help find their missing father and to bring perpetrators to justice. Three requests from ministries On this solemn anniversary of the couple's kidnapping, we as Assyrian and non-Assyrian organizations and institutions write this, urging: 1. Ministry of Justice to mobilize prosecutors to respect the right to life of the victims and honor the procedural requirements stemming from Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights and bringing perpetrators of these malicious actions before the judicial system. 2. Ministry of Justice to launch an investigation into the procedural failures involving Simuni Diril's autopsy report performed by Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute. We also request a full disclosure of the autopsy report to her children and their attorneys. 3. Ministry of Interior to launch a serious investigation about Mr. Diril's fate; to establish whether he is still alive or dead; to establish whether he is a victim of abduction or murder. The trauma and severe anguish inflicted on this family is unimaginable as they have been kept in the dark with reasons why such heinous crime was committed against their beloved parents. 'It will instill reassurance in hearts' The Diril family is one of the few Assyrian Christian families remaining in that region. In the past (more than 50 years ago) the Assyrians made up the majority of the population of the region. However, because of the 35-year conflict between the Turkish military and the PKK, the Assyrians have been forced to flee their lands, vacating these historical areas from their original inhabitants. The very few families who have decided to remain have done so in the hope of rebuilding their homes and churches and reviving their ancient villages. It is imperative to note that uncovering the circumstances of this crime as soon as possible and bringing the perpetrators to justice would instill a spirit of reassurance and security in the hearts of the Assyrians and the rest of the Christians in Turkey. We implore you to take all steps necessary to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice. BUCHAREST (Reuters) - A fire killed five patients at a COVID-19 hospital in the Romanian capital Bucharest on Friday and 102 others were evacuated, officials said, the second deadly hospital fire in the country in under three months. The fire, which has since been extinguished, broke out at around 0300 GMT in one of the buildings of the Matei Bals hospital. Four rooms were affected. Three victims died on the scene, a fourth during resuscitation, while a fifth was later found in a bathroom, officials said. Prosecutors were investigating the cause of the fire. The building where the blaze broke out was built in 1953 and had been completely renovated, its manager said. Matei Bals is one of the largest and most used COVID-19 hospitals in Romania. The evacuated patients had medium to serious COVID-19 infections and most were using oxygen, the hospital's manager said. They were re-located to other COVID-19 hospitals across Bucharest or to other buildings at Matei Bals. Nearly 7,700 COVID-19 patients were in hospitals across Romania as of Friday, including 989 in intensive care units. The country has reported 721,513 coronavirus cases and 18,105 deaths. "Before we talk about the overall healthcare system we must first learn what happened here tonight," Health Minister Vlad Voiculescu said. "The reality is that the state of an overwhelming majority of our hospitals is simply the result of chronic underfunding and opaque acquisitions which led to a long string of improvisations." Even before the pandemic, Romania's health care system had been under pressure, dogged by corruption and inefficiencies. The country has one of the EU's least developed healthcare infrastructures. The state has built one hospital in the last three decades, spends the least on healthcare in the European Union and tens of thousands of doctors and nurses have emigrated. In November, a fire at the intensive care unit of the Piatra Neamt county hospital killed ten people, one in a series of hospital accidents. (Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Nick Tattersall) Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced Thursday that former Mayor Sam Adams will join his administration, marking a striking departure from the trail of traditional City Hall hires. The Oregonian/OregonLive was the first to report this month that the pair had been in talks about the former mayor serving under the current one. Wheeler and some of his staff and advisers had seen an upside to a seasoned City Hall power broker, albeit one with baggage, joining the team, two people with direct knowledge of the conversations said at the time. Adams, 57, will serve as director of strategic innovations, where he will focus on the mayors second-term priorities of reducing homelessness and street camping, improving public safety, cleaning up garbage and graffiti, and tackling the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, according to an emailed statement. He will report to Deputy Chief of Staff Sonia Schmanski and earn $110,000 annually, the mayors office said. Adams will begin work on Monday, Feb. 1. Sams knowledge of Portland City Hall and his track record of action and getting things done is much welcomed, Wheeler, 58, said. Hes innovative, smart and energetic. He will play an important role in advancing my second term priorities. Earlier this week, the mayor tapped Bobby Lee, a longtime economic development official in Seattle and Portland, to replace outgoing Chief of Staff Kristen Dennis. His hire ended speculation that Adams could assume the role he once held during the tenure of former Mayor Vera Katz. Still, the return of the onetime mayor to work under his successor is an unusual first in the history of Portland city government. But it also marks an instance of real life imitating art or at least self parody. After leaving public office nearly a decade ago, Adams made several appearances in the television show Portlandia as an assistant to Portlands fictional mayor played by Kyle MacLachlan. The mayoral assistants name? Sam. The former mayor will assume a weightier role on Wheelers staff than the low-level errand boy he portrayed on the show. The Portland Business Alliance is a fan of Adams effectiveness and sees his hire as evidence that Wheeler is serious about trying to get the city, as it sees it, back on track. Along with the mayors new chief of staff, the powerful business group sees Adams as accomplished and experienced, president Andrew Hoan said in a statement. Bobby Lee and Sam Adams are both proven collaborators, steeped in ways to address our citys most pressing problems of safety (and) livability, he said. The Portland Business Alliance and some of its members poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into Wheelers flagging reelection campaign in the final weeks leading to Election Day. Adams, a fixture in Portland politics for more than two decades, had made no secret about his strong desire to return to City Hall. He attempted to unseat Commissioner Chloe Eudaly in last Mays primary but finished third behind her and political newcomer Mingus Mapps. Mapps, with Adams hearty endorsement, went on to soundly defeat Eudaly in the general election. Adams was mayor from 2009 to 2012 and served one term as city commissioner before that. Prior to his time in elected office, Adams served in the administration of Katz, considered by far the most popular and effective mayor in recent history, as shown by her easy re-election to second and third terms. Adams was her chief of staff for 11 of those 12 years and was viewed by City Hall insiders as a key to her political successes in a milieu in which building coalitions and lining up three votes on the council are essential. His own tenure as mayor, however, was marred by a sex scandal which hampered his effectiveness in office. While on the city council, he started a sexual relationship with a teen he met on the job, then lied about it. Prosecutors investigated the young mans claims that the sexual relationship began before he turned 18, which would have been illegal on Adams part. But they found the claims by Beau Breedlove not to be credible and did not bring any charges. Adams didnt seek a second term. After leaving Portland City Hall, Adams was named executive director of the City Club of Portland in 2013. He moved to Washington D.C. the next year to work at the World Resources Institute, a non-profit that focuses on climate change issues. Adams left the organization in 2017, a month after he was accused of sexual harassment by a former mayoral staffer. Adams has denied the allegations and members of his staff and contemporaneous records from the mayors office refuted some key elements of the staffers claims. Wheelers office on Thursday also announced that Dr. Markisha Smith, who leads the citys Office of Equity and Human Rights, will also serve as a special advisor for the mayor on racial justice and equity. Her current annual salary is $156,000. I look forward to helping Mayor Wheeler and Council further institutionalize equity in the citys policies and culture to better serve our currently and historically systemically oppressed communities, Smith said. -- 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. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-30 00:32:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Police's Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team identified three more victims of the ill-fated Sriwijaya Air plane including pilot Captain Afwan RZ on Friday, a police officer said. Besides the pilot, the team identified two more victims who are brothers named Suyanto aged 40 years old and Riyanto aged 32 years old who are residents of Central Java province's district of Sragen, the Indonesian Police's spokesman Brigadier General Rusdi Hartono told a press conference. (Indonesia-Aircrash-Victim-Identification) - - - - NEW DELHI -- A low-intensity blast took place near the Israeli embassy in the heart of Delhi in India on Friday evening with no casualties reported. The blast happened when the annual national function "Beating the Retreat" was going on just a couple of kilometers away at the Vijay Chowk area, where top Indian dignitaries, including President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior cabinet ministers, foreign ambassadors and envoys were present. (India-Capital-Blast) - - - - ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Friday that his country is expected to get help from China in its efforts to improve its agriculture sector under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The Pakistani government is collaborating with China in learning agricultural techniques under CPEC to enhance yield of crops, modernization of irrigation system and value addition, Khan said when addressing the ceremony of an anti-poverty initiative, in the eastern city of Sahiwal. (Paksitan-China-Agriculture) - - - - SUVA -- Fiji announced on Friday night new curfew hours over a possible tropical cyclone moving towards the island nation. According to Fiji's National Disaster Management Office, the decision came following a meeting held with Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, and this is for the safety of Fijians and to ensure the state of preparedness. (Fiji-Curfew-Weather) - - - - HANOI -- Vietnam recorded 54 new cases of COVID-19 infection between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time Friday, with one imported and 53 locally transmitted, according to its Ministry of Health. The new cases brought the total confirmed cases in the country to 1,705 with 35 deaths as of 6 p.m. local time on Friday. (Vietnam-COVID-19) Enditem Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Reports on Saudi Arabia Provides the Trending Market Research Report on Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market Analysis, 2020 under Chemical category. The Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market is projected to exhibit highest growth rate over report offers a collection of superior market research, market analysis, and competitive intelligence and industry reports. Water treatment specialty chemicals are those chemicals which are used in water treatment process to remove suspended solids, viruses, fungi, bacteria, algae, and minerals. Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market Analysis, 2020 research report depicts a deep-dive market analysis of statistics of Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals market which consists of regional and country-wise market size, market forecast, CAGR market segmentation, market shares of diverse regions, market share of various end users, applications, product type, technologies, competitive benchmarking, etc. Market Opportunities Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market Analysis, 2020, the Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals market is anticipated to grow at a considerable CAGR during 2020-25F. The consequent rise in demand for safe and fresh water, large-scale urbanization, growing industrial activities, booming population growth, and escalating investment toward the development of seawater RO plants in the country are anticipated to promote the demand for specialty chemicals for water treatment in the forecast years. Request a free sample copy of Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market Report @ http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com/marketreports/sample/reports/2180247 Market Segmentation Biocides and Disinfectants Exhibited the Fastest Growth Based on type, biocides and disinfectants exhibited the fastest growth in the Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals market in 2019. Biocides and disinfectants are majorly mixed with feedwater, wastewater, and reusable treated water. The growth of the segment is attributed to the surging demand for these chemicals in food & beverages industry, especially in the sugar sector to prevent the growth of hazardous microbials and reduce biofouling and contamination. Moreover, it is widely used in manufacturing and industrial processes and also in the ethanol sector to control the formation of bacteria in the ethanol fermentation process. Competitive Landscape According to our Advisors, the key players with a considerable market share in the Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals market include NEXT water solutions, Ecolab, Veolia, Metito, Kurita, Kemira, Culligan, UniChem etc. Key Questions Answered in the Market Research Report: 1. What are the key overall market statistics or market estimates (Market Overview, Market Size- By Value, Forecast Numbers, Market Segmentation, Market Shares) of Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market? 2. What is the region wise industry size, growth drivers and challenges key market trends? 3. What are the key innovations, technology upgrades, opportunities, regulations in the Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market? 4. Who are the key competitors or market players and how they perform in Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market based on competitive benchmarking matrix? 5. What are the key results derived from the market surveys conducted during the course of Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market study? Market Outlook, Segmentation and Statistics: Impact of COVID-19 Market Size & Analysis - By Revenues (USD Million) Market Share & Analysis - By Type - Coagulants & Flocculants - Corrosion Inhibitors - Scale Inhibitors - Biocides & Disinfectants - Chelating Agents - Anti-Foaming Agents - Ph Adjusters & Stabilizers - Others - By End Users - Municipal - Power - Oil & Gas - Mining - Chemical - Food & Beverage - Pulp & Paper - Others - By Region - AI Khor - Ad Dawhah - AI Wakrah - AI Rayyan - By Company - Revenue Shares - Strategic Factorial Indexing - Competitor Placement l Quadrant Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market Policies, Regulations, Product Standard Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market Hotspots & Opportunities Competition Outlook - Competitor Wise Growth Strategies - Company Profiles Frequently Asked Questions: Q. What is the historical year, base year and forecast year considered in the research report on Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market? A. The historical data has been provided since 2015, while the base year is 2019 and the data is forecast up-to 2025. Q. What are the units or denomination for measuring market value and volume in the report? A. The market size / industry size or the market value is measured in terms of USD Million. Q. What would be the growth rate or CAGR of Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market during 2020-25? A. The growth rate of Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market during 2020-25 is forecast to be grow at a considerable CAGR in the forthcoming period. Q. Who are the key competitors or players operating in Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market? A. NEXT water solutions, Ecolab, Veolia, Metito, Kurita, Kemira, Culligan, UniChem etc., are few of the leading players in the Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market. Q. Which end-user segment would emerge as an opportunity area for players in Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market? A. Food & Beverages is expected to attain the highest CAGR during the forecast period and maintain its significant market share. Q. Which region would emerge as an opportunity area for players in Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market? A. Al-Dawahah grabbed a significant market share continue to grow at a highest CAGR, presenting immense opportunities for manufacturers and suppliers of Qatar Water Treatment Specialty Chemicals Market. Browse our full report with Table of Contents: http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com/marketreports/qatar-water-treatment-specialty-chemicals-market-analysis-2020/2180247 About Us Market Reports on Saudi Arabia provides you with an in-depth industry reports focusing on various economic, political and operational risk environment, complemented by detailed sector analysis. We have an exhaustive coverage on variety of industries - ranging from energy and chemicals to transportation, communications, constructions and mining to Food and Beverage and education. Our collection includes over 2000 up-to-date reports all researched, analyzed and published by top-notch international research firms. Contact us at: Market Reports On Saudi Arabia Tel: +91 22 27810772/27810773 Email: info@marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com Website: http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com Follow us on: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn An army of laundry workers tirelessly sorts, washes and dries a colossal wave of brightly coloured linen at Paris's Pitie-Salpetriere hospital every day, in a endless battle to wash away Covid-19. "We consider all laundry potentially contaminated," says Cedric Martin, the head of the hospital's laundry section. France is currently recording an average of more than 20,000 new coronavirus infections a day, piling pressure onto not only hospital workers, but also the people who wash their clothes. "We handle 33 tonnes of dirty laundry every day: 23,000 sheets, 10,000 mattress protectors, 10,000 pillowcases, 18,000 work clothes, 8,000 patient gowns," says Jean-Charles Grupeli, head of logistics at the Paris public hospital group, AP-HP. Hundreds of huge orange, blue and red bags filled with laundry from 38 different hospitals wait their turn at the entrance to Pitie-Salpetriere's "dirty zone". The laundry room first opened in 1898, with the nuns and convalescents giving way to industrial machinery and treatments. Nearly 120 people -- and as many machines -- now work there from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. five days a week. Grupeli says that in mid-March, during the first wave of the pandemic, "we had to fill a third of the positions with volunteers, many of whom came from the cinema, financial administration or catering". He recalls the "good atmosphere" during that time, while lamenting that they could not enjoy conviviality such as "having a drink or eating together" due to health safety measures. At the height of France's outbreak, demand for bedlinen plummeted as non-coronavirus patients avoided the hospital, while the volume of clothes for health workers rose by 25 percent. - From dirty to clean zone - The first stop for the dirty laundry is the sorting workshop, where around 10 workers listen to music as they separate the blue scrubs, green mattress covers and the occasional pink maternity gown. Story continues "We do not work by dirtiness, but by item," says a laundry worker wearing protective glasses. The items next head to four giant "washing tunnels", where everything is laundered at 60 degrees Celsius (140 Fahrenheit). The temperature has been cranked up from 40 degrees C since the pandemic began. Then, it's the "clean zone". "I put the sheets in and the machine sucks them up to hang them up, and directs them to machines that dry and fold," says Angela Couchy, who has been a laundry worker for 15 years. Suspended in the air, sheets and mattress covers move past each other on rails before entering another machine that folds them perfectly. Yet another machine then wraps everything in plastic, ready to be sent back to the hospital wards. All this machinery produces a deafening roar throughout the workday. "When that stops, we're happy," says Couchy. lc/cel/ao/dl/kjm This article was first published on NerdWallet.com. This article provides information and education for investors. NerdWallet does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Amid all the freneticism of the Reddit-hedge fund battle, a simple fact seems to have gone unnoticed: It means very little to the majority of investors. Your 401(k) is probably fine, and your IRA is still doing its thing. To fully understand why thats the case, lets look at how we got here, and what it means for average investors going forward. What the hedge just happened? Hedge funds are investment vehicles that pool money from wealthy individuals. Theyre less regulated than the common mutual fund, giving the firms that manage hedge funds a bit more latitude to perform high-risk investing maneuvers. One such strategy is short selling. When you short a stock, youre betting the price of that stock will fall. You borrow shares from your broker, then sell them immediately. When the stock price falls, you buy the shares back, return them to the broker and pocket the difference in price as profit. But if the stock price rises, you could be in serious trouble. Imagine selling the borrowed stock for $10, then watching its price rise to $50. Youre on the hook to return those shares, which means buying them back at the higher price and taking a loss. What happens if the stock surges to $400? Thats what hedge funds just found out. GameStop + hedge funds + short selling GameStop is a brick and mortar store that sells video games hardly the paragon of a future-proof company. Some hedge funds believed the company was in dire straits, and that its stock price which was around $10 in the fall of 2020 but had been trading at around $4 for most of the year would fall. They shorted GameStop, expecting to make money when it did. ... and then there was Reddit Reddit is basically a chatroom broken into groups by category, called subreddits. Members of one subreddit, known as WallStreetBets, are known for irreverently, self-deprecatingly and sometimes offensively posting their investment exploits both good and bad. When WSB members caught wind of the shorts against GameStop, they saw it as an opportunity to take on what they perceived as Wall Street greed through whats known as a short squeeze. They started buying up GameStop stock, driving the price higher, knowing it could cause a potentially multimillion-dollar headache for the hedge funds that shorted the stock and would be forced to buy it back at the inflated price. Further fanning the flames of Reddit vs. Wall Street, on Jan. 28, a handful of brokers including the investing app Robinhood temporarily restricted retail investors from trading several stocks, including GameStop, while hedge funds and other institutional investors carried on as usual. Should I be concerned about my investments? This whole calamity will sting some investors, but most likely not you. The ones who will lose the most from this will be the short sellers who were forced to cover their positions and speculators who bought in at an exorbitant price, according to Aaron Sherman, president of Odyssey Group Wealth Advisors in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. An average retail investor should not be impacted by this if they are invested in a well-diversified portfolio that appropriately reflects their risk tolerance, Sherman said in an email interview. He added that this particular phenomenon, which was centered around a few individual stocks, is a clear example of why diversification is so important. The best way to achieve market gains while limiting volatility is to invest in diversified low-cost funds that will not be unduly influenced by pricing abnormalities in one stock or another, he said. Taking part in these short squeezes is pure gambling and should not be a part of anybodys investment strategy for retirement. And if youre having FOMO for missing the action, theres no guarantee that message-board intel would have turned into profit. The ones who will benefit the most are the Reddit users that initiated the frenzy if and only if they manage to exit their position at the right time, Sherman said. Simply put, most individual investors are unlikely to benefit from this, and equally unlikely to see a negative impact on their 401(k), IRA or other long-term investment portfolio. So, I shouldn't let this sideline me? If youre not currently investing because youre worried its too risky, this kind of news story doesnt help. According to Sherman, the whole episode does offer an interesting truth: A group of people with a specific agenda can, in fact, influence the price of a stock one way or another. The key word there is stock. Investing in individual stocks, especially based on an online tip, is always going to be risky. But thats no reason to sit out the stock market. That doesn't mean that the market as a whole is not safe to invest in, but rather that investors should invest in well-diversified funds (exchange-traded funds and mutual funds) rather than exposing themselves to the whims of a small group of investors in an individual stock, Sherman said. By putting together a long-term investment plan built on highly diversified ETFs and mutual funds, investors can take solace in knowing their retirement funds or savings wont be wiped out by concentrated and rare market disturbances including online stunts. Disclosure: The author held no positions in the aforementioned securities at the time of publication. Chris Davis writes for NerdWallet. Email: cdavis@nerdwallet.com. The article Relax. The Reddit-Hedge Fund Battle Wont Tank Your 401(k) originally appeared on NerdWallet. On a day when thousands of farmers once again started gathering on Delhi borders in protest against the three farm laws, the Centre, both through the and the Presidential address, came out strongly in support of the laws. It said these changes will herald a new era of market freedom which can go a long way in improving the lives of small and marginal farmers in India. The Survey said the three farm laws are a "remedy not a malady", designed primarily for the benefit of small and marginal farmers, who are the biggest sufferers of the regressive APMC-regulated market regime. On food management, the Survey advocated increasing the central issue price (CIP) of grains sold through the ration shops to tame burgeoning food subsidy burden. ALSO READ: Increasing health spend to 3% can halve out-of-pocket expenses: Eco Survey CIP is the rate at which grains are sold through the ration shop to the poor and vulnerable. At present, the rate is fixed at Rs 3 per kg for rice, Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 1 per kg for coarse cereals. The rate that was finalised in 2013 has not been revised since then, though the National Food Security Act (NFSA) that governs distribution of cheap grains has a provision for revising rates once in every three years. ALSO READ: Farmers' protest: Clashes at Singhu border; lathi charge, tear gas used The food subsidy Bill is becoming unmanageably large. While it is difficult to reduce the economic cost of food management, there is a need to consider revision of CIP to reduce the bulging food subsidy bill, the Survey said. The survey strongly supported the newly-created Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) as being a milestone in creation of robust farm gate infrastructure for farmers. On the farm laws, the Survey said long queues of farmers waiting, most often in the hot sun, to sell their produce, is a characteristic feature of the APMC mandis. The delays result in large post-harvest losses to the tune of 4-6 per cent in cereals and pulses, 7-12 per cent in vegetables and 6-18 per cent in fruits. Total post-harvest losses were estimated at Rs 44,000 crore at 2009 wholesale prices. JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sasol is expected to deliver a strong set of results for the six months ended 31 December 2020 (2021 financial half year), underpinned by a strong cash cost, working capital and capital expenditure performance despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, a severe decline in crude oil prices and softer chemical product prices. In addition, our Lake Charles production was impacted by hurricanes experienced in the US Gulf Coast, resulting in lost production of approximately 300kt for the 2021 financial half year. Shareholders are advised that, for the 2021 financial half year: The earnings per share is expected to be between R22,76 and R24,07 compared to the prior half year earnings per share of R6,56 (representing an increase of more than 100%); Headline earnings per share (HEPS) is expected to be between R18,59 and R19,78 compared to the prior half year HEPS of R5,94 (representing an increase of more than 100%); and Core HEPS (CHEPS**) is expected to be between R6,94 and R8,79 compared to the prior half year CHEPS of R9,25. Sasols adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (adjusted EBITDA*) is expected to decline by between 0% and 10% from R19,8 billion in the prior year, to between R17,9 billion and R19,8 billion. This decline results from a 23% decrease in the rand per barrel price of Brent crude oil coupled with lower sales volumes due to softer demand attributable to COVID-19 lockdowns and the aforementioned hurricanes impacting our gross margins adversely. This was offset by a strong cost performance, supported by delivery towards the US$1 billion integrated crisis response plan commitment. Notable non-cash adjustments for the 2021 financial half year include: Unrealised gains of R5,4 billion on the translation of monetary assets and liabilities due to the 15% strengthening of the closing rand/US dollar exchange rate compared to June 2020 ; ; Unrealised gains of R4,7 billion on the valuation of financial instruments and derivative contracts; and R3,3 billion gain on the realisation of the foreign currency translation reserve (FCTR), mainly on the divestment of 50% interest in the LCCP Base Chemicals Business. The financial information on which this trading statement is based has not been reviewed and reported on by the Company's external auditors. Sasol will release its 2021 financial half year results on Monday, 22 February 2021. Sasols President and Chief Executive Officer, Fleetwood Grobler, and Chief Financial Officer, Paul Victor, will present the results. The pre-recorded presentation will be available on 22 February 2021 on the following link: presentation link A conference call will also be hosted via webcast on 22 February 2021 at 15h00 (SA time) with Fleetwood Grobler and Paul Victor to discuss the results and provide an update of the business. Please confirm your participation by registering online: webcast link Production and sales metrics for the 2021 financial half year Sasol has published its production and sales performance metrics for the 2021 financial half year, on the Companys website at www.sasol.com, under the Investor Centre section: https://www.sasol.com/investor-centre/financial-reporting/business-performance-metrics * Adjusted EBITDA is calculated by adjusting operating profit for depreciation, amortisation, share-based payments, remeasurement items, change in discount rates of our rehabilitation provisions, all unrealised translation gains and losses, and all unrealised gains and losses on our derivatives and hedging activities. ** Core HEPS is calculated by adjusting headline earnings with non-recurring items, earnings losses of significant capital projects (exceeding R4 billion) which have reached beneficial operation and are still ramping up, all translation gains and losses (realised and unrealised), all gains and losses on our derivatives and hedging activities (realised and unrealised), and share-based payments on implementation of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) transactions. Adjustments in relation to the valuation of our derivatives at period end are to remove volatility from earnings as these instruments are valued using forward curves and other market factors at the reporting date and could vary from period to period. We believe core headline earnings are a useful measure of the groups sustainable operating performance. Adjusted EBITDA and Core HEPS are not defined terms under IFRS and may not be comparable with similarly titled measures reported by other companies. The aforementioned adjustments are the responsibility of the directors of Sasol. The adjustments have been prepared for illustrative purposes only and due to their nature, may not fairly present Sasols financial position, changes in equity, results of operations or cash flows. For further information, please contact: Sasol Investor Relations, Tiffany Sydow, Investor Relations Officer Telephone: +27 (0) 71 673 1929 [email protected] Disclaimer - Forward-looking statements Sasol may, in this document, make certain statements that are not historical facts and relate to analyses and other information which are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. These statements may also relate to our future prospects, expectations, developments and business strategies. Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Sasol's business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity and statements regarding the effectiveness of any actions taken by Sasol to address or limit any impact of COVID-19 on its business; statements regarding exchange rate fluctuations, changing crude oil prices , volume growth, increases in market share, total shareholder return, executing our growth projects (including LCCP), oil and gas reserves, cost reductions, our climate change strategy and business performance outlook. Words such as "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "seek", "will", "plan", "could", "may", "endeavour", "target", "forecast" and "project" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and there are risks that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. If one or more of these risks materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. You should understand that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors and others are discussed more fully in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed on 24 August 2020 and in other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The list of factors discussed therein is not exhaustive; when relying on forward-looking statements to make investment decisions, you should carefully consider both these factors and other uncertainties and events. Forward-looking statements apply only as of the date on which they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE Sasol Limited Nearly 60 inmates and staff at the Lompoc Federal Correctional Complex have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Bureau of Prisons data released on Tuesday. 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. MILFORD Irene Ramos cant wait until she can go grocery shopping again. The 88-year-old, who has been the organist at Christ Redeemer church since Richard Nixons first term, was among the first people to receive a COVID-19 vaccination Thursday at the Parsons Government Center in Milford. The day was the first of a new partnership between the city and Bridgeport Hospital/Yale New Haven Health to expand the clinic to seven days a week. Its the little things that I miss, like grocery shopping, but thats a small price to pay for staying healthy, Ramos said. For the past 10 months, grocery shopping has been a two-woman job for Ramos, as she rides to the store with one of her daughters, then sits in the car with her cellphone at the ready. I keep it on so they can call and tell me if theyre out of something, or if this is on sale, she said. Mayor Ben Blake said he was also counting the days until daily life could return to a pre-COVID normal. The expanded vaccination schedule was a big step toward that goal, he said. Yale New Haven Health really stepped up, Blake said. Our focus now is getting needles into arms of everyone so this pandemic ends. We will be a seven-day vaccination whirlwind. Blake said the Parsons Center vaccination clinic had been operating on Wednesdays and Friday afternoons, administering about 400 vaccines each week for the past two months. Were using school nurses to give the shots, and theyre available on Wednesdays because thats when the schools are teaching remotely, he said. The addition of Yale staff means the clinic now can operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, as long as supplies of vaccine are available. Bridgeport Hospitals Chief Medical Officer Victor Morris said the combined hospital and city staffers could deliver up to 1,700 vaccinations each week. Right now, we have four vaccinators, and each of them can handle one person every 10 minutes, he said. But the clinic, set up in the centers gym, could easily handle up to 10 vaccination stations, he said. As the supply of vaccines increases, well fill this place up, he said. When we get there, well be giving 600, 700 vaccines every day. Even with only four vaccinators on duty, though, hospital Chief Operations Officer Pam Scagliarini said the staff had 253 vaccinations scheduled for the first day and about 1,000 more over the next week. System-wide, she said Yale New Haven vaccinated about 48,000 people at about a dozen sites across the state, including locations in Greenwich, New Haven and New London. At the clinic, which is accepting medical personnel and those 75 and older, patients are given a brief health scan when they check in. After receiving their shot, they are escorted to a waiting area where they spend 15 minutes under the watchful eyes of Maryellen Kosturko, senior vice president of patient care, to ensure there are no adverse reactions. Its very rare that anyone has any kind of reaction, Kosturko said. By 10:30 a.m. Thursday, she estimated she had seen about 100 people receive their shot and the only reaction was one person who complained of a mildly upset stomach. After a few minutes, he said it had passed and that he was good to go, she said. While the recipients are watching the clock for their 15-minute wait to elapse, another hospital staffer visits each person to schedule their appointment for the follow-up shot in about three weeks. Ramos said she was surprised how easily the injection had gone, and was excited to see a vaccination center open locally. I barely noticed, she said. Im just happy I didnt have to go all the way to New London like a friend of mine did. Scagliarini said she had seen a similar reaction in her own family when local vaccination centers opened. My parents live in Ohio, and they called me to say that a center had opened near them and that they were excited to go get their shot, she said. I live in Milford, and thats when I said, We have to open one in Milford. Eligible residents can register for a vaccination appointment through the state website, portal.ct.gov and searching COVID-19 vaccinations. deng@trumbulltimes.com New Delhi [India], January 29 (ANI/ThePRTree): The US-based beverage brand Third Culture is now extending its reach to the Indian shores and is starting off with all-natural low-sugar coffee cold brews and healthy carbonated beverages. Third Culture, a popular brand in Seattle, is ready to serve its delicious and healthy options to the Indian consumers, who aren't fans of the sugar-loaded drinks already available in the market and are demanding better options. Built on the pillars of health, diversity & sustainability, the company believes in sourcing the highest quality local ingredients, supporting local farmers and crafting beverages with precision and time to develop delicious flavour. Their proprietary recipes and processes have been developed over the years with their international expertise and set their offerings apart in taste and quality from all other beverages in the market. Now Made in India, Third Culture is proud to be a clean label product - with everyday ingredients that everyone understands, without all the harmful artificial ingredients. Each beverage is founded on a primary everyday superfood whether it is Coffee, Ginger or Turmeric-craft-brewed over three days in small batches to develop delicious flavour. The drinks have no preservatives, no concentrates, no additives, no high fructose corn syrup, and most importantly, no chemicals. Third Culture beverages are available for purchase through their website (https://www.drinkthirdculture.com) for local delivery across New Delhi and Gurugram. The brand plans to make it available pan India by February 2021. They are selectively working with premium retail chains throughout the country and will be kick-starting their launch with Godrej's Nature Basket in Mumbai. "Third Culture was built on the aim of bringing people together by celebrating cultures across the world through the medium of cultural healthy beverages. A Third Culture person is one whose home is defined by people and emotions that connect them with people rather than geographies, a person who absorbs and integrates the best of culture's they are exposed to, for a more holistic and fulfilling lifestyle," said Radhikka Kapur, Co-founder & CEO when asked about the thought behind Third Culture. "More than a launch, this is more of a homecoming for the brand because India is perhaps one of the best examples of diversity in the world, where all cultures are celebrated. We are excited to showcase the best of international beverage styles that we have a well-established reputation for, to the discerning Indian audience," she adds. The company believes that the trends in India are changing, aligning more and more to international trends, where consumers are demanding healthier products, with high-quality ingredients that align with the values important to them. "By implementing our hyper-local strategy, we are excited to showcase the high-quality local ingredients and the amazing beverages that they can produce. We are humbled and excited to be part of 'Made in India' by bringing the best of our experiences and crafting them in India for Indian consumption," opines Kapur. The co-founder of the company, Sandeep Kini, says that they have always focussed on building connection with the consumers directly to showcase delicious, healthy, high-quality product. "It is a relationship based on trust which we always prioritise above anything else. The product rollouts for India and the US are aligned and we are excited about bringing the best of cultures around the world to both markets. Our global launch truly defines Third Culture and enables us to be a leader in the movement of providing healthier everyday options that are good for us. By focusing on an e-commerce platform and offering subscription programs, we are building direct connections to the consumer," says Kini. With sustainability as the company's third pillar, Third Culture is conscious of each and every choice they make and how it impacts the environment - From choosing recycled glass for their bottles, to committing to a "no plastic" rule, to using recycled paper for packaging. With continued support from the consumers, they hope to continue building on that initiative as the company grows. Third Culture has already made a name for its globally-inclusive vision when it comes to coffee, tea, and healthy beverages. Coming from the coffee and craft brewing capital of the world, Seattle USA, Third Culture finds joy in crafting beverages that are delicious, local, nutritious and contribute to creating healthier lifestyle options with absolutely no compromises on taste or quality. Run by a lean team that is high on passion and energy with a mission to make the world a healthier and inclusive place, the Third Culture celebrates the inherent goodness of everyday superfoods, providing options that will become the new essentials & favourite of the entire family. This story is provided by ThePRTree. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/ThePRTree) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ADVERTISEMENT The governor of Plateau State, Simeon Lalong, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to implement the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) towards ending the farmers/herders crisis in Nigeria. Mr Lalong, who is the chairperson of the Northern Governors Forum, visited the Aso Villa in Abuja on Friday and spoke with journalists after seeing President Muhammadu Buhari. The governor said he was a member of a committee set up to make recommendations on the best way to put an end to the crisis. Incidentally, I am a member of the livestock committee under the Vice President and I represent the North Central. That was the purpose of setting up that committee and that committee made far-reaching recommendations and then funds were to be made available to pilot states, Plateau and about nine states are the pilot states, to address some of these issues. The issue was to move away from the old ways of rearing cows and to find modern ways of doing it. In some places, they will do it that way, but then in a confined environment, which was agreed to by all. And that is part of the point I was raising, to remind Mr President to hasten the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP). We are still left with the herdsmen/farmers problem, the implementation of the NLTP will go a long way to address these issues. Either we like it or not, we need cows and it is also some peoples occupation. But where it leads to conflicts and raises hazards like insecurity, we have to address. While we tolerate it, we must still address it because it is some peoples means of economic livelihood. But it shouldnt be posing hazards of insecurity to anybody, he said. The National Economic Council (NEC) had in 2019 approve the NLTP with the major aim of investing in the livestock sector to provide ranches and mitigate the escalating crisis between pastoralists and farmers. On security, Mr Lalong commended the recent change of the service chiefs, restating the commitment of Northern governors to tackling insecurity. The change of service chiefs is very commendable. Also to keep up and to remind him of some of the outstanding things that was left behind by their predecessors so that we can hasten and conclude them, to make people say we have serious cases of banditry and so many issues of insecurity in the country are not the same. We are going to give maximum cooperation to the new service chiefs while also commending the outgone service chiefs for their role in addressing issues of insecurity. The governor also thanked Mr Buhari for intervening in the financial problems facing the Northern Nigeria Development Company by settling the outstanding retirement benefits of workers of the New Nigerian newspapers. In addition, he appealed to the president to assist his state to reconstruct the Jos Main Market, which was burnt in 2012. He put the cost of rebuilding the market at between N12billion and N15billion. People are talking about markets. In Plateau State, one of the things keeping us is the Jos Market and it has been burned down and up till now it is difficult to rebuild the market. You know market is very essential to people and I have tried in several ways but definitely, as a father I came to him for some interventions to start rebuilding the Jos Main market, he said. Israeli research has found that just 0.04 per cent of those vaccinated with both doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine went on to develop coronavirus Almost all cases of Covid are prevented with two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, research suggests. Data gathered in Israel which is leading the world in the vaccine rollout found that just 0.04 per cent of those vaccinated with both doses went on to develop coronavirus. Of 700,000 people who were vaccinated, just 300 later contracted the virus, with only 16 requiring hospital treatment, according to preliminary data released by Israeli health officials. The vaccine also protects against the more infectious UK variant of Covid-19, the research suggests. Professor Eyal Leshem, an Israeli infectious diseases specialist, said the reports were 'very good news'. He added: 'The initial findings are quite incredible. Almost all cases of Covid are prevented with two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, research suggests. Data gathered in Israel which is leading the world in the vaccine rollout found that just 0.04 per cent of those vaccinated with both doses went on to develop coronavirus. Pictured: A man receives a dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in Tel Aviv, Israel on Tuesday 'After one dose, the cases fell substantially and after two, there were just 0.4 per cent. 'Time will tell, we still need to accumulate data but these are very encouraging preliminary reports.' More than 30 per cent of Israel's population has received a vaccine, with several studies into its effectiveness under way. Professor Leshem added: 'On one hand, we're seeing very high community transmission rates with 1,000s of cases every day - the highest rates we've experienced since the beginning of the outbreak. 'But when we look specifically at these hundreds of thousands of Israelis that are vaccinated, they don't get infected. Pictured: Health workers from the Maccabi Health vaccination centre administer doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine inside the car park of the Givatayim mall in Tel Aviv, Israel on Tuesday 'And even in those few cases that get infected, they experience a mild disease - only a handful need to go to the hospital, only a handful experienced severe disease and needed to be admitted to the hospital. 'It's what we call real life, ecologic evidence of vaccine efficacy - the high efficacy of the vaccine.' The majority of those vaccinated were over 60, making the results even more remarkable, he added. Initial studies have also found a significant reduction in cases among those who have had one dose of the vaccine. Israel is providing Pfizer with weekly data updates on its vaccine campaign under as part of a collaboration agreement. NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, ANY MEMBER STATE OF THE EEA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO MAY RESULT IN THE CONTRAVENTION OF ANY REGISTRATION OR OTHER LEGAL REQUIREMENT OF SUCH JURISDICTION 29 January 2021 BLACKROCK FRONTIERS INVESTMENT TRUST PLC Publication of tender offer circular Capitalised terms used in this Announcement, unless otherwise defined, have the same meanings as set out in the Circular. BlackRock Frontiers Investment Trust PLC (the "Company") has today published a circular (the "Circular") in connection with a Tender Offer for ordinary shares (the "Ordinary Shares") and Shareholder approval of the waiver granted by the Takeover Panel of the obligation that would otherwise arise on any member of the BlackRock Concert Party to make a general offer to Shareholders pursuant to Rule 9 of the Takeover Code as a result of the implementation of the Tender Offer (together, the "Proposals"). The Circular is expected to be posted to Shareholders later today and will shortly be available on the Company's website at www.blackrock.com/uk/brfi/gmcircular. The contents of such website are not incorporated into, and do not form part of, this announcement (the "Announcement"). A copy of the Circular will also be submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will be available for inspection at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism. 1 Background At the time of the Company's launch in December 2010, the Board stated its intention to offer Shareholders opportunities to realise the value of their investment in the Company at Net Asset Value less applicable costs at five yearly intervals. The Company's tenth annual general meeting is due to be held on 2 February 2021. Accordingly, the purpose of the Circular is to set out the Board's proposals to implement the Tender Offer in accordance with its commitment to Shareholders. The Circular contains, inter alia, the formal terms of the Tender Offer, together with details of how Shareholders can tender Ordinary Shares for purchase, if they wish to do so. The implementation of the Tender Offer is conditional on, amongst other things, Shareholder approval of the resolutions relating to the Proposals to be proposed at the General Meeting of the Company (the "General Meeting") to be held at 12 Throgmorton Avenue, London EC2N 2DL on 23 February 2021 at 12.00 noon, notice of which is included in the Circular. Restrictions on public gatherings are in place in England as at the date of this Announcement under regulations made pursuant to the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984. Under these restrictions, limits apply to the size of public gatherings and it is not clear how this legislation will have evolved by the time that the General Meeting is held. Accordingly, Shareholders will not be able to attend the General Meeting in person and they are therefore advised to submit their votes by proxy. The only attendees who will be permitted entry to the General Meeting will be those who will need to be present to form the quorum to allow the business to be conducted. In order to ensure their vote will count, Shareholders should appoint the Chairman of the General Meeting as their proxy. This is because the General Meeting will be held as a closed meeting as described above, meaning that any other person attempting to attend the General Meeting will be refused admission and will therefore be unable to vote. To be valid, the Form of Proxy must be completed and returned in accordance with the instructions printed thereon, as soon as possible and, in any event, so as to reach the Company's Registrars, Computershare Investors Services PLC, by no later than 12.00 noon on 19 February 2021. 2 THE PROPOSALS The Proposals, in summary: provide Shareholders the opportunity to tender none, some or all of their Ordinary Shares; and approve the waiver granted by the Takeover Panel of the obligation that would otherwise arise on any member of the BlackRock Concert Party to make a general offer to Shareholders pursuant to Rule 9 of the Takeover Code as a result of the implementation of the Tender Offer. As at the close of business on 27 January 2021, as a result of discretionary management agreements, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited ("BIM UK") and BlackRock Advisers (UK) Limited ("BA UK"), being the only members of the BlackRock Concert Party interested in Ordinary Shares, were interested for the purposes of the Takeover Code in 38,871,031 Ordinary Shares. Such Ordinary Shares represent, in aggregate, approximately 16.11 per cent. of the Company's Voting Rights as at the close of business on 27 January 2021 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of the Circular). If the Tender Offer were to result in the BlackRock Concert Party being interested in not less than 30 per cent. and not more than 50 per cent. of the Company's total Voting Rights, one or more members of the BlackRock Concert Party would, in the absence of a waiver under Rule 9 of the Takeover Code, be required to make a general offer for the balance of the Ordinary Shares. However, in circumstances where the BlackRock Concert Party is interested in not less than 30 per cent. and not more than 50 per cent. of Company's total Voting Rights as a result of the repurchase by the Company of its shares pursuant to the Tender Offer, the Takeover Panel has agreed to waive the obligation to make a general offer under Rule 9 of the Takeover Code that would otherwise arise on any member of the BlackRock Concert Party as a result of the implementation of the Tender Offer, subject to approval by the Independent Shareholders on a poll. The members of the BlackRock Concert Party will not be entitled to vote on the Waiver Resolution and BIM UK and BA UK have undertaken to the Company that they will not vote on the Waiver Resolution. If the Tender Offer were to result in the BlackRock Concert Party being interested in more than 50 per cent. of the Company's total Voting Rights, the Board will terminate the Tender Offer. 3 TENDER OFFER 3.1 Key Points of the Tender Offer The key points of the Tender Offer are as follows: the Tender Offer will provide Shareholders (other than Restricted Shareholders) the opportunity to tender none, some or all of their Ordinary Shares; after the realisation of the Tender Pool, which will be established on the basis set out in the Circular, Tendering Shareholders shall receive the Tender Price in cash in consideration for the purchase of Ordinary Shares tendered by them; and the Tender Price shall be the Final Tender Offer Asset Value of the Tender Pool divided by the total number of Tender Shares expressed in Sterling, rounded down to two decimal places. If the number of Ordinary Shares tendered is such that the Board is of the view that the continuance of the Company is not in the best interests of the continuing Shareholders, it reserves the right to terminate the Tender Offer. If the Tender Offer is terminated, the Board will put forward revised proposals as soon as practicable and, in any event, within three months of termination of the Tender Offer, which proposals will allow Shareholders to realise the value of their investment in the Company at Net Asset Value less applicable costs. If the Tender Offer is terminated, the Company will make an announcement through an RIS that such is the case. Shareholders (other than Restricted Shareholders) on the Register on the Record Date will be invited to tender for sale some or all of their Ordinary Shares held on the Record Date to Winterflood who will, as principal, purchase at the Tender Price the Ordinary Shares validly tendered. The tendered Ordinary Shares will be repurchased by the Company pursuant to the Repurchase Agreement and Tendering Shareholders will receive the full Tender Price in cash only once all of the assets in the Tender Pool have been fully realised. 3.2 Restricted Shareholders and Other Overseas Shareholders The Tender Offer is not being made to Shareholders who are resident in, or citizens of, Restricted Territories. Restricted Shareholders are being excluded from the Tender Offer in order to avoid offending applicable local laws relating to the implementation of the Tender Offer. It is the responsibility of all Overseas Shareholders to satisfy themselves as to the observance of any legal requirements in their jurisdiction, including, without limitation, any relevant requirements in relation to the ability of such holders to participate in the Tender Offer. 3.3 Tender Pool Save as set out below, all of the Company's assets and liabilities will, following valuation on the Calculation Date, be allocated between the Continuing Pool and the Tender Pool on the basis set out in the Circular. The net value of the assets and liabilities allocated on the establishment of the Tender Pool will equal the Tender Offer FAV. The Tender Pool assets (other than cash) will be realised and the liabilities settled and the net cash proceeds paid in satisfaction of the Tender Price to Shareholders who successfully tender their Ordinary Shares. The Tender Pool will bear the costs of realising the assets in the Tender Pool and the amount of stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax payable on the repurchase by the Company of the Ordinary Shares acquired from Winterflood. Shareholders who successfully tender their Ordinary Shares will receive a pro rata share of the net proceeds of the Tender Pool. The assets of the Tender Pool will be fully realised as soon as practicable after the commencement of the realisation of the Tender Pool such that final cash payments can be made to the Tendering Shareholders as soon as practicable thereafter. The Board may at its discretion make interim distributions from the Tender Pool. However, under the Tender Offer the Company reserves the right to defer the Tender Pool realisations and/or cash payments if the Board believes this to be in the best interests of Shareholders as a whole. Shareholders shall note that the Tender Price will only be determined finally once all the assets of the Tender Pool have been realised. The Board retains the discretion to allocate only cash and near cash assets of the Company to the Tender Pool. In such circumstances there will be no or minimal costs of realising the assets in the Tender Pool. It is the Board's current intention only to exercise such discretion where the number of Ordinary Shares that the Company is required to repurchase pursuant to the Tender Offer is such that allocating only cash and near cash to the Tender Pool is in the best interests of Shareholders as a whole. 3.4 Expected Timetable Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy or transmission of CREST Proxy Instructions for the General Meeting 12.00 noon on 19 February 2021 Tender Closing Date: latest time and date for receipt of Tender Forms and TTE Instructions in CREST 1.00 p.m. on 19 February 2021 Record Date for participation in the Tender Offer 6.00 p.m. on 19 February 2021 General Meeting 12.00 noon on 23 February 2021 Results of General Meeting announced 23 February 2021 Results of Tender Offer announced 23 February 2021 Calculation Date close of business on 23 February 2021 Tender Offer FAV announced 25 February 2021 Establishment of Tender Pool and Continuing Pool 25 February 2021 Realisation of the Tender Pool commences 25 February 2021 Tender Price announced; final distribution under the Tender Offer of assets in the Tender Pool announced; cheques despatched and payments through CREST made as soon as practicable after commencement of the realisation of the Tender Pool All references are to London time unless otherwise stated. Dates and times are indicative only and may be subject to change. In particular, in the event that the Company has insufficient distributable reserves to effect the purchase of all the Tender Shares and subject to the resolution to cancel the Company's share premium account being passed at the 2021 Annual General Meeting, the Tender Offer timetable will be extended to allow time for the Court to consent to the cancellation of the Company's share premium account. Any changes will be notified via an RIS. Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola at the White Picket Gardens where you can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, teacher, writer, actress and a collector of front porch stories. She can be contacted at locketoftime@aol.com. MBABANE The Crown will parade 16 witnesses to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt against former LaMgabhi Member of Parliament Ntuthuko Dlamini. The list of the witnesses is contained in the indictment that has been filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Sandile Dlamini. The former minister of Public Works and Transport is facing two charges of murder, attempted murder and violating the Arms and Ammunition Act and has been in custody since September 9, 2020. Ntuthuko has spent three months in custody after allegedly shooting and killing Andreas Tsabedze and former police officer Sikhulu Shongwe in cold blood at Mhlabubovu. Shooting He also stands accused of attempting to end the life of Simon Dlamini by shooting him three times with a pistol. The incident occurred at Mhlabubovu Traffic Circle, which leads to Bhunya and Mankayane, near the former ministers shopping complex. Mhlabubovu is the land under dispute between LaMgabhi and Luyengweni chiefdoms, whose traditional leaders are the late Chief Ndzimanye Dlamini and Chief Lembelele Dlamini respectively. Among the State witnesses are the three men who were with Ntuthuko when he allegedly committed the offences. One of the men is Derrick Maziya. This witness will state that on September 7, 2020 at about 11:30am while at his home, he received a call from one make Gamedze. He will state that in the conversation, make Gamedze was informing him about people of Luyengweni Chiefdom who were allocating land at a Zulu homestead, which was under LaMgabhi. He will further state that upon noticing this together with Muzi Zulu and Sipho Matsenjwa, they proceeded to LaMgabhi Complex to report the matter to Ntuthuko. In his evidence, Derrick alleged that after reporting to Ntuthuko, they all got into his car and proceeded to where the people were. He submitted that upon arrival, Ntuthuko allegedly told the people to leave the place as it belonged to Chief Ndzimanye. Ntuthuko, according to Derrick, then asked Ginindza, who is Indvuna of Luyengweni, why he was ignoring the regional administrators offices and bringing people to LaMgabhi for kukhonta, but he did not reply. Derrick will further reveal that it was then that Ntuthuko allegedly said he could not talk to timfucuta, but only his cousin Mkhabela. He said one of those present, Sihle Mduduzi Dlamini, did not take kindly to being called imfucuta and they ended up pushing and shoving each other with Ntuthuko. He said while the accused was arguing with Sihle, Simon Dlamini stood up carrying a knobkerrie and that led to Ntuthuko allegedly shooting him in his hand. This witness will highlight that Sikhulu Shongwe (deceased) then opened fire to calm the situation, but the accused allegedly turned back and shot him (Shongwe) in the chest and he fell down. He alleged that was when Tsabedze (deceased), who was not carrying any weapon, stood up and advanced to the accused. Ntuthuko allegedly shot Tsabedze in the chest too. This witness will further narrate that after shooting Tsabedze, the accused allegedly proceeded to Shongwe who was already lying on the ground and shot him in the neck to finish him off. He would state that after finishing off Shongwe, the accused allegedly then took his (Shongwe) firearm and went to Bhunya Police Station. Bhunya Station Commander, who purportedly received a call from the former minister before he committed the offence, is also one of the witnesses who will be paraded by the State during the trial. Meanwhile, the former minister will soon have his day in court. This comes after Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala gave consent that he should be indicated summarily in the High Court. Following the consent by the chief justice, the DPP has since filed an indictment at the High Court, which is as an indication that the Crown is ready to prosecute the accused. This means that the he will get a speedy trial. The former minister will soon be called for a pre-trial conference where he is among other things expected to indicate his pleas in all the charges he is facing. A pre-trial conference is a meeting of the parties to a case conducted prior to trial. The conference is held before the trial judge or a magistrate, a judicial officer who possesses fewer judicial powers than a judge. A pre-trial conference may be held prior to trial in both civil and criminal cases. In his bail application, Ntuthuko averred that he was innocent of the charges against him as he never committed them. Longtime safeguards for U.S. bird populations took a hit under former President Donald Trump whose administration made it harder to prosecute industry-caused deaths such as the 2019 destruction of a sprawling Virginia seabird nesting ground and chipped away protections for endangered species. President Joe Biden wasted little time seeking to turn things around. Hours after taking office, he ordered a review of his predecessors decision to weaken enforcement of the century-old Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It was among more than 100 business-friendly Trump actions on the environment that Biden wants reconsidered and possibly revised or scrapped. A White House statement Wednesday described them as harmful rollbacks of standards that protect our air, water, and communities. And the president targeted oil and gas leasing on federal land and subsidies for those industries in his bid to slow climate change, while promising stepped-up land and water conservation. Despite the quick start, it will take months or years to reverse policies set in motion by Trumps team including those involving the bird treaty rollback, which happened as North American populations continued a decline that has reached 3 billion a one-third overall drop since 1970. Many rules Trump went after originated with former President Barack Obama and took him years to undo, continuing a decades-old, back-and-forth between Democratic and Republican administrations with starkly differing approaches to environmental regulation. You have the worst-case scenario of partisan ping pong, said Clint Woods, a former Environmental Protection Agency deputy assistant administrator under Trump. Environmental activists are pressing for fast action. They say returning to the pre-Trump status quo is no longer enough as hundreds of millions of birds die annually at the hands of industry, global temperatures rise and poor communities remain vulnerable to air and water pollution. Biden faces similar challenges as he inherits Trumps actions across the environmental spectrum from removal of endangered species protections for gray wolves, to loosened energy standards for washers and dryers and reversal of the Obama administrations proposed ban on chlorpyrifos, a crop pesticide some scientists say could harm children. Business groups lobbied for Trump's deregulatory approach. Critics said it crippled bedrock environmental protection laws, slashed agency funding and slackened enforcement. Theres a huge amount of work to be done, said Erik Olson, a senior strategic director with the Natural Resources Defense Council. The Trump administration not only did their best to roll back rules, but tried to eviscerate the basic infrastructure of the agencies. They brought in people who viewed it as their job to keep agencies from carrying out their missions. Mandy Gunasekara, EPA chief of staff for part of Trump's term, said Biden's early acts signaled a turnaround from the Republican administration's efforts to balance economic growth with environmental protection. Those include canceling a permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline and halting energy leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In the real world where people are breathing air and drinking the water and living on once-contaminated land, we made considerable progress," Gunasekara said. Instead of trying to wipe the slate clean, they should build off the good work we've done. One cause for optimism, environmental advocates said, is that most of Biden's initial appointees to key posts are former insiders. Gina McCarthy, the national climate adviser, served as Obama's EPA chief. Michael Regan, tapped to lead EPA, was an air quality specialist there. This is a team of experts as opposed to a team of novices, said Ann Mesnikoff, federal legislative director for the Chicago-based Environmental Law and Policy Center. Some Trump actions were taken through decrees and documents that can be rescinded or revised. Biden staffers will comb through a flurry of measures from Trump's last days that haven't taken effect and could be pulled back, such as the bird death rule. But some policies can be undone only through multi-year grinds involving scientific research, public comment periods and lobbying from advocacy groups. Among them: last year's weakening of the National Environmental Policy Act, a Nixon-era law requiring federal agencies to consider how projects such as oil pipelines could harm natural surroundings. Trump's revision shortened reviews and exempted some projects. Restoring the law's reach is an essential tool for achieving climate goals and equity for vulnerable communities" both Biden priorities, said Oday Salim, an assistant professor of environmental law at the University of Michigan. Other Trump rollbacks include a reduction of water bodies protected from pollution under the Clean Water Act and changes in how the EPA evaluates science and calculates benefits from pollution reductions. Biden called for action on those two EPA rules as soon as possible. Courts already intervened to halt some Trump rules and policies, including attempts to open vast western lands to energy development, grazing and mining. An appeals court last week tossed a redo of an Obama-era plan to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The Trump administration lost or withdrew proposed rule changes in almost 80% of 109 court challenges tracked by the Institute for Policy Integrity at New York University law school. Past administrations have lost or backed down in 30% of cases, said adjunct professor Bethany Davis Noll, who helped compile the data. Yet the federal judiciary became more conservative under Trump, who appointed nearly 30% of active judges, according to the Pew Research Center. Six of the Supreme Court's justices are Republican appointees. Environmental advocates acknowledge the hurdles but want an aggressive response to Trump's actions, particularly those undermining policies that had survived under both parties. The law protecting migratory birds is one. Under Trump, the government stopped pursuing punishments for accidental but preventable bird deaths, such as when they collide with power lines or drown in oil waste pits. Enforcement cases against companies dropped from almost 60 cases annually on average to zero. Virginia's Democratic governor blamed the change for the 2019 destruction of a nesting ground for 25,000 shorebirds to make way for a road and tunnel, after federal officials said conservation measures were no longer required. A judge later rejected the Interior Department's justification for the bird policy change. So the department adopted a regulation doing the same thing. Although Biden's administration could withdraw it, bird advocates want even stronger protection than before, which would require a time-consuming new rule. We have to think smarter, we have to think broader than the Obama administration to accomplish conservation and environmental protection, said Sarah Greenberger, former senior advisor in Obamas Interior Department and now an Audubon Society vice president. Flesher reported from Traverse City, Michigan, and Brown from Billings, Montana. Contributing to this story were AP writers Christina Larson in Washington, D.C., Tammy Webber in Fenton, Michigan, and Janet McConnaughey in New Orleans. ____ On Twitter follow John Flesher: @JohnFlesher and Matthew Brown: @MatthewBrownAP Turkish security units on Friday arrested 41 suspects linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey. A total of 66 suspects in the Gendarmerie Command were identified following an investigation by intelligence, anti-terror, and cyber teams, said a statement by prosecutors in the capital Ankara. A subsequent large-scale operation in 25 provinces apprehended 41 of the suspects, with operations continuing to find the rest, Anadolu Agency reported. Among the suspects are permanently expelled or temporarily suspended officials, including lieutenants, colonels, and captains, as well as military students and so-called covert imams. NAPELS, Italy, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Throughout its years of operation, Archaeological wonder Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea) has contributed extensively to the fields of geological and archaeological research. One such notable contribution came from the Institute of Archaeology's visit to Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea) to host extensive conversation with lead geologist Vincenzo Albertini which resulted in a great exchange of information, as well as further understanding of the global history of Archaeology, especially as it relates to this time in history. Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea) run by Archaeologist Enzo Albertini Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea) run by Archaeologist Enzo Albertini Established on 1st August in 1950, the Institute of Archaeology was one of the earliest research institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. During its more than fifty-year-long history, the institute has conducted fieldwork in most of the provinces in China, sometimes with the cooperation of other research organizations. In more recent times, the institute has focused a lot of its efforts on "opening to the outside world". Since the hosting of an overseas exhibition of Chinese fine relics supported by Premier Zhou Enlai in 1978, the institute of Chinese Archaeology has developed extensive cooperative relationships with archaeological institutes all over the world. The institute welcomes more than 800 scholars from more than 40 countries including scholars from Italy. Today, beyond just the Institute of Archaeology, there exists much archival content which focuses on many of the unique historical and archaeological feats that are inherent in Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea). The site is still used to showcase caves and corridors which were hand dug some five thousand years ago as well as the tuff stone excavated from the ground that was used to build the above surface foundations of the city of Naples. Additionally, another marvel-filled, candle-lit tour of the cisterns which were used as a water source for a very long time, revealing how the city has been kept in water for many years with a system of wells and aqueducts. President of the Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea) Association, Vincenzo Albertini reiterates that their objective has always been and continues to be treating the site with the historical reverence it deserves while also making the most of its scientific and archaeological research value, through numerous visits and partnerships that are still taking place. Media Contact Xoe Sazzle +44 (0) 7570 82 0089 [email protected] SOURCE Naples Underground The LISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to adopt a resolution that will allow the district to modify teacher and staff schedules for the following two weeks, which will result in professionals and paraprofessionals to work four hours on-site and four hours on call. As of Thursday afternoon, there were 2,449 active cases in Laredo and the city was at a 39.38% hospitalization rate. Staggered schedules and a remote-only period are believed to help with the mitigation of infection for LISD staff. As the district moves forward to a remote-only period, the resolution looks to address staff hours and comply with state mandates without taking away compensations. According to LISD, all teachers will be working remotely, and paraprofessionals will work four hour blocks on-site and be on call for four hours, while still getting paid for their usual eight hours. For their on-call block, they will need to stay ready in case they are needed to cover for a class or may be needed elsewhere. The district states that administrators will still be on site to continue school operations, but campuses will work with limited staff. As the Texas government has not issued a closure order, the resolution will allow the district to continue to compensate their employees in a matter it feels is safer in light of the current Laredo surge of COVID-19 cases. As there is a vast number of positions through a school district, LISD officials understand that going remote will alter scheduling for positions, such as the district bus drivers. The district stated that changes to their operational day will require patience and flexibility. Those on 30-hour schedules will work their four hours and remain on call. Those like crossing guards, who work three hours, will still be allowed to work their three hours and remain employed by the district. Each department will find different accommodations based on their position. In the case where employees refuse to accommodate, they will not be paid. In the case where an employee is called to return to work but is not allowed, absences will be in effect. Additionally, the district added a fail-safe where any change of hours for on-call staff, including requests to return to work, will need to be approved by the Human Resource department. The LISD board and officials expect cooperation and accommodations for the two weeks. The board of trustees and the superintendent also addressed the call for a district closure from parents and members of the community. Despite what some may believe, LISD and any Texas public school district can only be ordered to close by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. They also clarified that going remote-only is not a full closure as employees will still continue to work throughout the district. Ultimately, the district works with the city and county but must follow the laws set by the Texas government. cocampo@lmtonline.com US President Joe Biden called on Russian President Vladimir to release jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny during their phone call this week, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday. Biden pressed Putin on a number of issues, including alleged election interference in the 2020 election, Ukraine sovereignty, the massive SolarWind cyber hack, and Navalny. On Thursday, Psaki had said Biden did not hold back in conveying his concerns about the actions of the Russian government during the call. Earlier this week, a White House statement said the two leaders agreed to have their teams work urgently to complete the extension of the New START arms control pact between the United States and Russia by Feb. 5, when the current deal expires. The arms control treaty limits the United States and Russia to deploying no more than 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads each. The details about the phone call and what was discussed come at a time when Biden is adjusting U.S. policy in a more robust way toward Russia after predecessor Donald Trump refused to take on Putin directly. Short link: Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 To the Editor: Re U.K. Hospitals Struggle to Cope With New Variant (news article, Jan. 22): You are wrong about Britains National Health Service and our response to Covid-19. To suggest that the pressures of this wave are a peculiarly British issue ignores that the Netherlands is having to transfer patients across the country, Belgian patients have had non-urgent surgery canceled and Spanish hotel beds are being used for patients. As Prime Minister Boris Johnson observed, the new virus variant explained why the N.H.S. is under such intense pressure. To prepare for additional coronavirus patients, the N.H.S. delivered a 50 percent increase in critical care beds. Frontline clinicians and other staff members have cared for more than 300,000 patients with Covid, and contrary to your suggestion, the number of N.H.S. staff is up, by 50,000. We also supported research that identified the first effective Covid-19 treatment, dexamethasone, now used worldwide, and administered the worlds first Covid-19 vaccination. 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. Over the past 30 years, Azerbaijan and the United States have developed a strategic partnership based on common interests and values. This partnership includes area of cooperation such as energy security, counter-terrorism, joint economic opportunities, and trade, political and humanitarian efforts. Clinton and Bush administrations have pursued a bipartisan policy of deepening engagement with Azerbaijani to increase US national interests in the Caspian region. BACKGROUND: Both President Biden and his key officials understand the importance of the Caspian region with regard to U.S. national interests. In 2016, during the nuclear summit in Washington DC, then-Vice President Biden and current nominee for CIA Director Amb. Bill Burns met with Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev to discuss the valuable role Azerbaijan plays in nuclear non-proliferation efforts. Yet, over the last several days, statements from Washington and the new Biden administration have sent worrying signs to Baku putting this strategic partnership at risk. Former Deputy National Security Advisor and newly confirmed Secretary of State Anthony Blinken provided written answers to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee expressing support for Armenias security needs and raised the possibility of suspending waivers of section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. This legislative act, passed under the influence of the Armenian lobby in 1992 and waived after Azerbaijans strong support to the US following September 11 attacks, places sanctions on Azerbaijan and limits U.S. aid to this strategic ally. Additionally, pro-Armenian Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) are actively promoting an anti-Azerbaijani and anti-Turkish narrative in Congress. Both are urging the new Administration to take an active stance against these countries in the aftermath of the second Karabakh war in 2020, which resulted in the liberation of previously occupied Azerbaijani territories and defeat of Armenian military forces. While it is understandable that such statements might be result of the confirmation process and that the full policy and vision of the Biden administration is not fully settled yet, this early rhetoric in Washington is a direct challenge to the U.S.-Azerbaijani partnership. Azerbaijan was one of the first Muslim-majority countries to render assistance to the U.S. in Afghanistan and Iraq by sending peacekeeping troops, opening air corridors and sharing intelligence. U.S. oil companies remain active in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea and the U.S.-backed East-West oil and gas transport corridor was effectively implemented by Azerbaijani leadership despite pressures from the neighboring powers. More than 200 American companies are active in Azerbaijan today and the bilateral trade volume continues to increase on an annual basis. Section 907 has been long a thorny issue in U.S.-Azerbaijani relations. Baku considers this legislative act unfair in its nature and inadequate in terms of maintaining this strategic partnership. The Armenian lobby in the U.S. promotes and supports legislation through its strong presence in Congress, despite the fact that the Executive Branch has, under every administration since 1992, opposed this bill as an infringement on its ability to formulate policy toward the South Caucasus. IMPLICATIONS: President Trump neither prioritized the South Caucasus nor allowed the Armenian lobby to influence his policies. The Biden administration, however, is signaling that it may be more open to the demands of the Armenian diaspora. Such a move risks alienating Azerbaijan, which already noted the relative lack of relevance of the United States during the escalation of tensions in recent years as well as during the war this past autumn. Against this background, Washingtons hostility would accomplish nothing except pushing Azerbaijan closer to regional powers including Russia and Iran. Muslim-majority Azerbaijan has thus far managed to pursue Euro-Atlantic integration both politically and economically despite the decades-long occupation and pressures from neighboring nations. It actively cooperates with NATO and the EU, and contributes to European energy security. The new, $35 billion gas pipeline from Azerbaijan to Europe is the latest addition to this policy. Azerbaijan also actively cooperates with Israel to create a secure and prosperous broader Middle East. Azerbaijan is also a unique role model for the peaceful co-existence of Jews, Christians and Muslims, showing one of the best examples in the world in terms of religious harmony, tolerance and respect. The U.S. government has appreciated the role of Azerbaijan in the global war against extremism and terrorism. The Biden administration should carefully assess its next steps vis-a-vis Azerbaijan and develop incentives for the deepening of bilateral relations. One area for cooperation can be joint development and investment into the newly liberated areas of Azerbaijan. American companies can participate in the reconstruction of these areas both as subcontractors for various public works, as well as investors into joint ventures, plants, various industrial and agro-business enterprises. The opening of new transport corridors on the ground (including a historic direct land and railway access to Turkey) provides U.S. businesses with improved access to Central Asian markets via Azerbaijan. New railways will be constructed in the area, connecting the railway systems of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Central Asian states, which U.S. companies can also participate in. U.S. technology and high-tech knowledge can be handy in the development of transport linkages, smart cities, green areas and eco-friendly zones. The recently signed agreement between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to jointly explore and develop the Dostluq (Friendship) undersea field also provides opportunities for the further expansion of the East-West energy and transport corridor between Europe and Asia. U.S. companies can find it attractive to once again consider the possibility to invest in Trans-Caspian pipeline, which would open access to the gas reserves of Turkmenistan via Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan and the U.S. can also strengthen cooperation in the security field. Over the past several years, Azerbaijan has served as a platform for U.S.-Russian senior-level military meetings. Azerbaijan can play a similar role vis-a-vis neighboring Iran. Up to 30 million Iranian citizens are ethnic Azerbaijanis. In the past, Azerbaijan has had a good record of cooperation with the U.S. in the field of border security and strengthening of peacekeeping troops. Some 130 km of the Iranian-Azerbaijani border as well as the full lengths of Armenian-Azerbaijani international border is liberated from the occupation and U.S. experience in border security might be helpful again. Active U.S. diplomacy is also needed to secure a long-lasting peace in Karabakh. Official Washington serves as one of the three co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. However, it is crucial that it does not follow the same path as France in 2020. Pariss biased and unbalanced position during the Karabakh war including the French Senates support for Nagorno-Karabakhs independence has damaged strong economic ties with Azerbaijan and marginalized French diplomacy in the region. The U.S. should show more understanding to the needs of the warring sides and contribute to the strengthening of peace and stability in the region by enforcing the territorial integrity of states and the reconstruction of ruined communities. Only impartial mediation can bring full respect and sustainable peace. Finally, both political and economic domestic reforms in Azerbaijan require strong American assistance, experience, and technologies. American companies are encouraged to invest in Azerbaijan, as President Aliyev indicated in his meeting with members of the American Chamber of Commerce. CONCLUSIONS: The role of diasporas and ethnic lobbies have historically been a major shortcoming of American democracy. The world is waiting to see how the Biden administration will work to restore its position after the Trump administration. It is of utmost importance to pursue wise policies that do not further ostracize U.S partners and allies. American foreign policy can truly benefit its national interests in the South Caucasus and wider Caspian region if it applies sober, strategic thinking to its foreign policymaking process, rather than acting under the influence of any lobby. AUTHOR'S BIO: Fariz Ismailzade is a frequent commentator on regional affairs, based in Baku. Image Source: United States Department of State via Flickr. Accessed 1.29.2021 The Apple logo is seen on the window at an Apple Store in Beijing, China, on Jan. 7, 2019. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) Apple CEO Escalates Battle With Facebook Over Online Privacy SAN RAMON, CaliforniaApple CEO Tim Cook fired off a series of thinly veiled shots at Facebook and other social media companies Thursday, escalating an online privacy battle pitting the iPhone maker against digital services that depend on tracking people to help sell ads. Too many are still asking the question how much can we get away with? when we should be asking what are the consequences?' Cook said. Speaking at a virtually held International Conference on Computers, Privacy & Data Protection, Cook said its time to stop pretending that this approach doesnt come with a costof polarization, lost trust and yes, of violence. Cook never specifically named Facebook or any other company. But his remarks left little doubt that his missives were aimed at the social media sites. A social dilemma cannot be allowed to become a social catastrophe, Cook added, referring to a Netflix documentary about technologysand especially social mediascorrosive effects on society. That film took square aim at Facebook and how its algorithms manipulate its nearly 3 billion users to get them to look at the ads that generate most of its revenue. Apple CEO Tim Cook attends the Economic Summit held for the China Development Forum in Beijing, China, on March 23, 2019. (Ng Han Guan/AFP/Getty Images) Cooks broadside came as Apple prepares to roll out a new privacy control in the early spring to prevent iPhone apps from secretly shadowing people. That puts the feature on course to come out after a more than six-month delay aimed at placating Facebook and other digital services that depend on such data surveillance to help sell ads. Although Apple didnt provide a specific date, the general timetable disclosed Thursday means the long-awaited safeguard known as App Tracking Transparency will be part of an iPhone software update likely to arrive in late March or some point in April. After delaying the planned September introduction of the safeguard amid a Facebook-led outcry, Apple had previously said it would come out early this year. Apple released the latest schedule update as part of Data Privacy Day. Apple has been holding off to give Facebook and other app makers more time to adjust to a feature that will require iPhone users to give their explicit consent to being tracked. Analysts expect a significant number of users to deny that permission once it requires their assent. Currently, iPhone users are frequently tracked by apps they install unless they take the extra step of going into iPhone settings to prevent it. Technology does not need vast troves of personal data, stitched together across dozens of websites and apps, in order to succeed, Cook said. Advertising existed and thrived for decades without it. Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Financial Services Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Oct. 23, 2019. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) As a supplement to Cooks remarks, Apple also released an 11-page report to illustrate how much apps can learn about their users in daily life. Facebook stepped up its attacks on Apples new privacy control last month in a series of full-page ads in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other national newspapers. That campaign suggested some free digital services will be hobbled if they cant compile personal information to customize ads. On Wednesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg questioned Apples motives for the changes, saying the iPhone maker has every incentive to use its own mobile platform to interfere with rivals to its own messaging app. Apple may say that they are doing this to help people, but the moves clearly track their competitive interests, Zuckerberg said. Google, which also relies on personal data to power the internets biggest ad network, hasnt joined Facebook in its criticism of Apples forthcoming controls on tracking. Google profits from being the default search engine on the iPhone, a prized position for which it pays Apple an estimated $9 billion to $12 billion annually. But Google warned in a Wednesday blog post that Apples new controls will have a significant impact on the iPhone ad revenue of other apps in its digital network. Google said a handful of its own iPhone apps will be affected by the new requirement, but plans to make changes to them so they wont be affected by Apples new controls. It did not identify which apps. We remain committed to preserving a vibrant and open app ecosystem where people can access a broad range of ad-supported content with confidence that their privacy and choices are respected, wrote Christophe Combette, group product manager for Google Ads. By Michael Liedtke 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. Trump meets with Rep. McCarthy with a significant discussion on plans. He is one of the GOP who voices support for the president even after office. Former President Trump is busy these days with an eye on forthcoming national affairs in his agenda. Last Thursday, Trump met with one of his colleagues in the GOP, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in Florida. Trump aides told the press about the meeting, with a picture of the ex-president and California Republican reported the Epoch Times. Sources say the discussion was excellent and cordial at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach of Trump, said Trump's Save America PAC (political action committee). Points discussed in the meeting Both GOP members had essential points vital for the survival of the Republican party in a DEMS dominated administration. One critical issue is getting more seats in the House for the GOP during the 2022 midterms. No further details were available as aides say the strategy or relevant information will be on wraps. More than ever, the ex-president enjoys more support and popularity than the incumbent and is ramping up as he gets more spotlight. Getting an endorsement from Trump is critical for many GOP aspirants in the coming midterms. Trump and McCarthy will be working on getting the GOP more juice come election time. A win is crucial for both parties. The two were crucial in the last 2020 elections that got 15 seats and foiled a predicted blue wave. The DEMS got the rugged pulled under them. Republicans enjoyed more support and expanded their base in many states. Notably, minorities and African Americans voted for an energized GOP. Trump meets with Rep. McCarthy to prelude to what comes next. Also read: Declassifying Crossfire Hurricane Documents, Trump Orders Their Release Before Leaving Office Reaffirming the Conservative movement against a Leftist agenda One of the concerns is a "united conservative movement" that will arrest the DEMS alleged radicalism and far left moves to sustain power. Highlighting the fact that both leaders were never at loggerheads for four years, the second impeachment meant to allegedly slay Trump's probable run in 2024 but never got McCarthy's approval. His fellow GOPs like Liz Cheney, and ten of his cohorts, did vote to impeach the ex-president even if the move was not considered constitutional. Some Republicans are willing to convict Trump. A few of the GOP members said they would vote for Trump's conviction no matter what. Last Tuesday, a block of 45 GOPs said no to the DEMOCRAT led impeachment campaign by Schumer. It is supposed to be in early February, which leads to speculations that Citizen Trump's conviction is indefinite. Should any Republican impeach or vote to convict the ex-president will be faced with a situation that can explode in their face. Polls show Trump is the most known GOP in with voters and getting stronger. On Thursday, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), an avowed ally of Trump, is supposed to campaign in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to remove Cheney in her role. GOP members in the lower House will vote if Cheney stays on top in the House GOP. Many supporters include Sen. Anthony Bouchard, a gun-rights activist, and his immediate family, feel wrong about the impeachment. When Trump meets with Rep. McCarthy, plans will be set, and 2022 will be necessary to the road back. Related article: Trump's New Office Opens, Returns to Continue His Administration Agenda @ 2021 HNGN, 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. Virtual GRO-Biz Conference Registration Now Open Wyomings premier government contracting event for small-business owners and entrepreneurs will feature expert speakers, networking opportunities and valuable assistance from several entrepreneurial organizations. Registration is now open for the virtual 2021 GRO-Biz Conference March 9-11. The event is offered at no cost and focuses on providing training, resources and matchmaking opportunities to help Wyoming businesses expand markets to federal, state and local government agencies. The GRO-Biz Conference is a partnership among the Wyoming Procurement Technical Assistance Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Wyoming Business Council, the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Small Business Development Center Network. The conference will focus solely on government contracting, giving small businesses the opportunity to uplevel their contracting experiences. The conference will provide opportunities to network during the event, and attendees can choose from a large selection of workshops concentrating on government contracting, legal updates, marketing to the government and subcontracting. Every year, government agencies set aside millions of dollars to spend on products and services from Wyoming small businesses in every industry. Representatives from these agencies will be available to discuss current and future opportunities, and to answer questions. To reserve a spot, or to view a full list of speakers and workshops, visit www.wyomingsbdc.org/grobiz. For more information, call Jake Dixon at (307) 761-5012 or email jake.dixon@uwyo.edu. When Mary Nyekuola first returned to South Sudan after fleeing conflict four years ago, she wept. The land she left behind had been occupied and her husband had died while a refugee in Khartoum after a long illness. She had to start from scratch, but still, it felt good to be back. I had mixed feelings. It was painful but at the same time I was happy to be home, she said as she spread a mat on the ground outside her sisters house in Bentiu, a small town in Unity State near the border with Sudan. Mary is among some 350,000 South Sudanese refugees who have returned from countries of asylum since 2017, encouraged by news from friends and family that peace is slowly returning to their country. The 30-year-old mother lives with a disability and moves around with the aid of a wheelchair and her niece. Her young children sometimes push her along an uneven, dry and dusty path to look for water. I had mixed feelings ... but at the same time I was happy to be home." When I left, it was because I could not walk and I would not have been able to run from fighting, but things are better now, she said. South Sudan became the youngest nation in 2011 after decades of war, but plunged back into conflict in 2013. More than four million South Sudanese have been displaced across the region and within their own country in one of Africas largest displacement crises. A renewed agreement on the resolution of the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan signed in September 2018 by warring parties cautiously revived hopes of long-term stability, a necessity for lasting solutions to displacement, including return and local integration. Visiting the country to observe the opportunities and challenges of the fragile peace process, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi met with government officials, refugees, internally displaced people, host communities and those who have recently returned, like Mary. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and UNHCR staff meet with South Sudanese returnees in Bentiu. UNHCR/Andreea Campeanu South Sudanese returnee, widow, and mother of four, Mary Nyekuola, sits outside a shelter in Bentiu. UNHCR/Andreea Campeanu Mary Nyekuola outside a shelter in Bentiu. UNHCR/Andreea Campeanu South Sudanese returnees take a bus from Khartoum in Sudan, to Bentiu in South Sudan. UNHCR/Andreea Campeanu A South Sudanese returnee mother and child take a bus from Khartoum in Sudan, to Bentiu in South Sudan. UNHCR/Andreea Campeanu "We have seen an increase in numbers of people returning, there has been a decline during the peak of the pandemic but now it is picking up again, he said. At Panakuach, a border point between Sudan and South Sudan, he met returning refugees traveling in buses packed high with beds, mattresses and other belongings accumulated during their time in Khartoum, Sudans capital. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is not promoting or facilitating return to South Sudan, but Grandi urged more and urgent strategic thinking by the government and partners to help returnees and the communities they settle in live in safety and dignity, with greater security and services. There is a slow paradigm shift linked to the peace process to a better situation, but the challenges are enormous authorities must firmly commit to security, rule of law and good governance. Grandi also called for the international community to help strengthen development efforts to make sure schools, health services and work opportunities are serving the people. Years of conflict in South Sudan have severely damaged basic infrastructures and stretched humanitarian aid. He called for special attention to be paid to the security and needs of the countrys women, like Mary, who have borne the brunt of horrific violence and trauma during the countrys civil war. Women have suffered enough in this country, said Grandi. We met many women who told us they are the ones who are leading their families back to returning home, theyre the ones who need more reassurance about security, about education of the children, about health and about their own livelihoods, wondering how they will live. The High Commissioners visit comes at a time of gathering momentum for a push by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to identify lasting solutions for some seven million forcibly displaced people originating from and within South Sudan and Sudan. Grandi also praised South Sudans open-door policy for refugees and the continued display of generosity and solidarity toward the nearly 300,000 refugees currently present on its soil, especially at a time when the country is experiencing enormous socio-economic, security and political challenges. Women have suffered enough in this country." The coronavirus pandemic has further deepened the plight of people fleeing war, conflict and persecution and vulnerable South Sudanese, and UNHCRs humanitarian support will continue. Asked whether she is concerned that conflict could return to her hometown, Mary says she worries, but for now is willing to take a chance. She wants to start a business so she can take care of her family and needs capital. If I am given a tea shop with items like sugar, sweets and others, my niece and I can run the shop. The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. I call on our state and federal governments to lead the fight against the growing problem of racially based extremism by candidly characterising it and advocating that these groups be added to the terror list. However, extremist expert Lydia Khalil, of the Lowy Institute, cautioned that, while the proscription debate was important, it faced several legal and political hurdles and should not be viewed as a catch-all solution. Alleged members of a far-right extremist group seen at Halls Gap and the Grampians. She said early prevention was critical and that government agencies having belatedly expanded their focus from programs targeting would-be jihadists to right-wing extremists must concentrate on tailoring interventions to far-right groups. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said on Thursday that there was no place for bigotry and hatred in the state. I wont comment on individual circumstances because they may well be the subject of Victoria Police work. But I will just say there is no place for that kind of anti-Semitism in our state, there is no place for that sort of bigotry and hatred. There is no place for violence, he said. I would make the point as well, that many would argue, and the international evidence is very clear, and indeed the local evidence, that anti-Semitism is on the rise. Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday. Credit:Penny Stephens Its an evil thing, its a wicked thing, and I just take this opportunity to send a message to the Jewish community across Melbourne and Victoria, you have and continue to make a profound contribution to our state. Its hard to imagine so many things we cherish and value, they just wouldnt be in the position they are in, they would not have emerged, they wouldnt be as strong as they are without the contribution the Jewish community has made and no community should be treated that way. I know it affects the Jewish community deeply and it offends all of us and there is just no place for that. Mr Sewell has previously sought to distance his group from those who espouse violent action and there is no suggestion that the groups members engaged in any violent acts. Tom Sewell of the Lads Society. Credit:YouTube Victoria Police has been contacted for comment about the Grampians visit by the far-right group. When Halls Gap resident James passed the group on his mountain bike on Sunday afternoon in town, he was addressed with a Sieg Heil. There were 40 white males, many with skinheads, some chanting white power. That is intimidating for anyone, let alone the young Asian families sharing the barbecue space, he said. James, who declined to use his full name for fear of repercussions, was one of several residents who called the local police only to be promptly called back by detectives working with Victoria Polices Counter-Terrorism Command intelligence-gathering division. The division is monitoring right-wing extremist groups in Australia, alongside intelligence agency ASIO, which was also notified about the gathering. There were 40 white males, many with skinheads, some chanting white power. That is intimidating for anyone. Halls Gap resident James The detective asked James to take photos, which he did using his helmet camera. It sparked a confrontation with two big, burly guys. It was pretty terrifying at that point. I told them I was a tourist and wasnt filming them, he said. According to extremist experts, two right-wing groups, the Lads Society and Antipodean Resistance, recently helped form a new Australian extremist outfit, the National Socialist Network, which in turn helped organise the 38 young, white men to assemble in the Grampians over the Australia Day weekend. Photos show some wearing army-issued boots and packs. The Age and the Herald have identified some of the key organisers and participants of the Grampians gathering. Some show the faces of young men who would prefer to stay in the shadows posing in their own online posts with faces covered. Alleged members of the group were seen visiting a general store, meeting and camping at Halls Gap. The organisers include the Lads leader, Mr Sewell, raised in the middle-class suburb of Balwyn in Melbourne. The Lads have also been accused of a failed attempt to branch-stack the NSW Young Nationals in 2018. Mr Sewell has claimed in a social media post that the Grampians event was aimed at providing content for a new neo-Nazi group, the European Australian Movement. Loading He has the hallmarks of some far-right activists in the US, including those who stormed the Capitol in Washington three weeks ago, a move that Mr Sewell said in one online message had lessons for Australian extremists. His posts indicate that he is a racist conspiracy theorist appealing to marginalised, underemployed young Australians on the fringes of society. The 2019 terrorist attack by an Australian on a mosque in New Zealand that left 51 dead served as an ideological rallying point for some far-right groups, and a reminder of the potential consequences of underplaying the potential threat. ASIO has revealed that up to 40 per cent of its prioty caseload involve right-wing extremist groups. ASIOs deputy director-general, Heather Cook, told a parliamentary committee last year the COVID-19 pandemic was fuelling a surge in radicalisation because of the amount of time individuals are spending in isolation, working from home or not in school. The Canadian Parliament is now debating a move to declare the far-right group, the Proud Boys, a terrorism entity. In Melbourne last November, a lone-wolf extremist on the fringe of local far-right groups, Philip Galea, was jailed for 12 years for planning a terrorist attack on Trades Hall, the Socialist Alliances Melbourne headquarters and the Melbourne Anarchist Club. With Simone Fox Koob Know more about the Grampians trip participants, the National Socialist Network or any other far-right groups? Contact (anonymously if preferred) nickmckenzie@protonmail.com FAIRFIELD New Jersey police arrested a Fairfield man they say was responsible for a rash of burglaries throughout the tri-state area, including Greenwich, New Canaan and New Milford. Patrick Ryan, 30, was arrested Sunday morning after an investigation spanning six months and involving numerous authorities in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. He faces nearly 150 charges in New Jersey alone in connection with the incidents, according to a news release. Numerous residents throughout the tri-state area are victims from Mr. Ryans theft, burglary, and criminal mischief, Sussex County Detectives Association said in the statement. Police found more than 100 stolen items in his Fairfield residence and the vehicle he was using, including a shotgun, crossbow, nine handguns, purses, credit cards, personal identification for the victims, cash and a large amount of gift cards, accoding to the release. Ryan was in possession of several victims personal property and burglary tools when he was arrested, police said. Fairfield helped execute the search warrant for Ryans residence on Sunday after he was arrested in New Jersey, Fairfield Lt. Antonio Granata said. Out-of-state investigators discovered probable cause in their investigation that suspected Ryan harbored stolen items in his home in Fairfield, Connecticut, Granata said. He said the department seized more than 100 items believed to have been stolen in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. There were several firearms that were seized during the search warrant, Granata said. All other items of evidentiary value are still being itemized, and detectives from around the region have the tedious task of linking those stolen items to each victim within their respective jurisdiction in the tri-state area for charges and prosecution purposes. Police said the incidents happened from August through January. Ryan would commit these crimes in the early morning hours between midnight and 7 a.m., the release said. Ryan is currently on probation in Connecticut for similar crimes. Five New Jersey agencies, including New Jersey State Police, have already issued nearly 150 charges connected to the incidents. Ryan is charged with 74 counts of burglary to a motor vehicle, 13 counts of criminal mischief, 51 counts of movable property, seven counts of theft of a credit card, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of burglary while in possession of a firearm, Several more charges are pending for Ryan in numerous jurisdictions throughout the tri-state area, according to the release. Granata said the investigation is ongoing. Authorities are also investigating Ryans girlfriend, a Fairfield resident, as a possible co-conspirator. kkoerting@newstimes.com ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Novartis has signed an initial agreement to provide manufacturing capacity for Pfizer and Biontech's COVID-19 vaccine, a move aimed at helping boost production as supplies fall shy of demand. Subject to reaching a final agreement, Novartis plans to commence production in the second quarter of 2021, the Basel-based company said on Friday, adding it would use manufacturing facilities at its site in Stein, Switzerland, near the Rhine River on the German border. Three vaccines from Western companies Pfizer-Biontech, AstraZeneca and Moderna have been approved by regulators, but limited production and delayed deliveries have hampered efforts to quickly vaccinate people most at risk for COVID-19. Novartis's announcement that it was joining the push to remedy the shortfall follows a move by Sanofi this week to work with Biontech to supply 125 million doses of its mRNA vaccine to the European Union. "Novartis has been mobilizing on multiple fronts to support the global pandemic response," said Steffen Lang, head of Novartis Technical Operations. Novartis, which did not give specifics on how much drug substance it would produce for Pfizer-Biontech if the deal goes through, added it is in "advanced discussions" with additional companies to take on production of mRNA, therapeutic protein and other raw materials for vaccines and therapeutics. (Reporting by John Miller; Editing by Michael Shields) The American Library Association this week praised the re-introduction of standalone legislation that would provide $5 billion to support new construction and improvements to library facilities across the nation. The Build Americas Libraries Act (S. 127), sponsored by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR), would provide funds to address the critical infrastructure needs of Americas libraries, including needs that have arisen due to COVID19 as well long overdue improvements needed to "better serve rural, low-income and underserved areas, as well as people with disabilities and other vulnerable library users." The Build Americas Libraries Act was first introduced by Reed as a standalone bill last December, in the waning days of the 116th Congress. The same provisions, meanwhile, were also included as part of the Economic Justice Act (S. 5065), which would also provide $12 billion in E-Rate funds for libraries and schools to provide home internet connectivity, and would ensure that tribal libraries are eligible to participate in the E-Rate program. At the federal level, Congress has not provided dedicated funding for library facilities since 1997. As we move to build back better from the devastating impacts of a global pandemic and related economic and educational losses rejuvenating public libraries in our most distressed communities must be part of our nations recovery, said ALA President Julius C. Jefferson, Jr., in a statement. The Build Americas Libraries Act would provide libraries healthy buildings and modern infrastructure to continue addressing the learning deficits and employment challenges so many Americans are facing. According to an ALA release, funds provided in the bill could be used for: Constructing, renovating, modernizing, or retrofitting library facilities, including by enhancing facilities to reduce the risk of COVID-19 and vulnerability to natural disasters. * Investing in library infrastructure projects to improve internet access and connectivity. Reducing or eliminating the presence of potential hazards to library staff and patrons, including toxic substances, lead, mold, mildew, and unsafe drinking water. * Making library facilities more accessible and inclusive to people with disabilities. Improving library facilities for the purposes of supporting place-based services or community-based partnerships that provide library patrons with access to educational, workforce, behavioral health, mental health, and social services. In addition to facing new infrastructure challenges related to Covid-19, the average U.S. public library building is more than 40 years old, ALA officials say, with many buildings in need of upgrades to address issues ranging from broadband capacity, to accessibility and environmental issues. Funding would be distributed to state library agencies through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), with state agencies then awarding grants on a competitive basis to libraries in each state. ALA is asking library advocates to urge their Senators to join as cosponsors of the Build Americas Libraries Act. Communities across the country love their libraries, but we know there is a significant need for new and improved facilities, especially in disadvantaged communities, said Jefferson. As the new Congress and the Biden Administration look to modernize our nations infrastructure, public and civic buildings like libraries must be included. Undocumented workers from Myanmar line up at the customs pier in southern Thailands Ranong province, before boarding boats during their deportation to Myanmar, Jan. 28, 2021. Thai officials on Thursday deported 158 undocumented migrant workers from neighboring Myanmar who had been held at a detention center near the border in southern Thailand. Nearly another 100 more were expected to be deported to Myanmar in the coming days, said Thai officials in Ranong province who were coordinating with authorities from the neighboring country. Ranong Gov. Somkiat Srisanet, a Myanmar official in Ranong, Htet Hway Pyo, along with other Thai officials brought the deportees to a customs pier here to board 13 boats destined for Kawthoung, a nearby township in Myanmar. The manifest has 166 names but some were repeated, the correct number is 158, Somkiat told the reporters during the deportation. Public health officials conducted COVID prevention measures. We affirm that we treat people of all nations well. Before the workers boarded the boats, the Myanmar official called out their names one by one to send them for temperature checks. The 3rd Navy Region, which oversees the Andaman Seas to the west of Thailand, added that the 158 workers who were deported including 16 women and 5 children had been cleared of immigration-related offenses. Officials didnt disclose how long the workers had been held at a local detention center. Somkiat said Thursdays batch of deportees included those whose hometowns in Myanmar - such as Kawthoung township, Mergui and Tavoy were near Ranong. We want one or two more days to be able to send the second batch of 97, and for about 200 others we can send them back in another cycle, Somkiat said. The Ranong detention center can accommodate 300 to 400 people and many workers are still in police stations in other provinces and are transferred to Ranong periodically for deportation through Ranong. Myanmar labor crucial to the Thai economy The deportation came after Thai officials sought help from Myanmar to take back the more than 400 detainees, who said they were under stress because they were staying unhealthy conditions in cramped cells at the detention center, Lt. Col. Sompong Chingduang, the immigration bureau commissioner, had said on Tuesday. A Myanmar academic at Chiang Mai University in northern Thailand said officials should improve conditions in detention facilities. Myanmar labor is crucial to the Thai economy, therefore detention facilities should have good safety standards to prevent the spread of COVID-19, not just among them but for officials as well, Salai Bawi, told BenarNews. One migrant worker said he was happy he was going home but was concerned about his family members who remained in Thailand. Im very glad I can go home to meet my relatives, but Im concerned about my family members who are still working in Surat Thani, Sein Sein Aye, one of the workers, told BenarNews. If possible, I would like to come back to Thailand to work legally. Thailand announced restrictions on travel and businesses in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing hundreds of thousands of foreign workers to go home. Still, as Thailand had successfully limited the spread of new coronavirus infections and allowed businesses to reopen, those migrant laborers who had returned to their countries started to come back via illegal border crossings. Once here, many evaded a mandatory 14-day quarantine, health officials had said last month. Thailand had been among the least affected by the global pandemic but the COVID-19 caseload shot up after more than 400 new infections were confirmed on one day, Dec. 22, mostly among migrant workers from Myanmar, at the countrys largest seafood market-complex in Samut Sakhon, near Bangkok. This infection cluster spread to the rest of Thailand, which now has more than 15,000 COVID-19 cases and a total of 76 virus-related deaths. Crackdown Meanwhile, police in Thailand announced Wednesday that they had arrested 78 people this month mostly Thais who were suspected of smuggling in more than 260 migrant workers from Myanmar and other neighboring countries. The crackdown on suspected traffickers of migrant workers came on orders from Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha last month, amid a wave of coronavirus infections. The arrests were made from five trafficking rings, between Jan. 1 and Jan. 25, and consisted mostly of Thais and a handful of people from Myanmar, police said. Police used surveillance cameras equipped with license plate- and face-recognition technology to detect traffickers traveling on the border roads, Suwat said. The popular routes used by traffickers run from the border district of Mae Sot in Tak province, about 480 kilometers (298 miles) northwest of Bangkok, all the way to the Thai-Malaysian frontier in the insurgency-torn Deep South, he added. In recent months, 624 migrant workers were arrested along the border in the far south, said Lt. Gen. Kriangkrai Srirak, head of Internal Security Operations Command for Region 4. The government estimates that the number of illegal migrant workers from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos is around 500,000. It directed the police immigration bureau to record these workers biometric information through online channels by April 16, so the labor ministry could then consider issuing them 2-year work permits. Toward the end of last year, the Thai cabinet approved a program to temporarily legalize undocumented workers from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, as a measure to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Nearly 2 million migrant workers are in the process of applying to extend their work permits for two years, according to an official cabinet announcement this week. 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. Since its inception a decade or so ago, the Library of Arabic Literature of mostly classical Arabic literary works in English translation has been going from strength to strength. Published by New York University Press in Abu Dhabi, it now produces a handful of new titles a year, with each bringing a work of classical Arabic literature within the grasp of English-speaking readers. The format has remained the same since the earliest titles in the series, with hardback editions containing facing Arabic and English texts being complemented by English-only paperback editions. These contain the translation and editorial matter of the original edition and are keyed into Arabic texts available on the Librarys Website. The latter are newly edited to scholarly standards, meaning that both Arabic and English-speaking readers can enjoy easy access to professionally edited and translated works from the Arabic. Recent months have seen the publication of two intriguing new titles. The first, The Excellence of the Arabs by the 9th-century writer Ibn Qutaybah, has now appeared in paperback, reproducing a translation by Sarah Bowen Savant and Peter Webb originally published in 2017. The second, for the moment in hardback only and unusually containing only the English version, is a translation of the 11th-century writer al-Hariris Maqamat, or assemblies, in a version by Michael Cooperson. Like many other volumes in the series, neither book is perhaps immediately accessible to English-speaking readers. However, they have both been made so in part by the quality of the introductory and explanatory material and in part by the clear and lively translations. Cooperson, in particular, has produced a virtuoso English version of a famously challenging Arabic text. His translation, or translations more on that below demonstrates something of the excellence of the Arabs vaunted by Ibn Qutaybah, even pushing this to unusual limits. In their introduction, Savant and Webb explain that Ibn Qutaybahs book, a wide-ranging defence of the cultural and other achievements of the Arabs, must be understood against its historical background. It was written during a politically and socially precarious moment of early Islam, they write, when the Abbasid caliphate in Baghdad was being challenged by political instability from which it would never recover. The older Arab noble families who had enjoyed preponderant power in the caliphate since its inception were being edged out, and Arab military elites were being replaced by Turkic and other mercenaries from outside the imperial borders. Five caliphs in succession were murdered between 247/861 and 256/870; the wider Iraqi economy deteriorated; and caliphal central authority declined sharply as many regions of the empire, including North Africa, Egypt, Arabia, and eastern Iran, asserted increasing local autonomy. It was against this background of widespread challenge to traditional Arab rule that Ibn Qutaybah composed his book in praise of the Arabs. It is one of the most explicit, sustained, and detailed descriptions of Arab identity written before modern times, Savant and Webb write, intended to defend the social prestige of Arabness at a time when this was under threat both from rising elites not necessarily claiming an Arab heritage and from the increasing self-confidence of others. The book tends to project definitions of Arabness onto the past, often seeing Arab virtues as a function of desert life. Arab achievements are seen as being not the province of urban folk, such as those who lived in the increasingly cosmopolitan city of Baghdad, but of the Arabian desert nomads whose Arab-Bedouin identity made the rise of Islam a uniquely Arab venture. Among the choices made by Savant and Webb in their translation are to render shuubi as bigot and ajam, often translated as Persians, as easterners. The al-shuubiyyah (shuubism), the movement to which the shuubi belonged, has often been seen as an early egalitarian movement seeking to open up Islamic culture to contributions from non-Arabs. The latter were often Persians whose country had been conquered in the earlier Arab conquests and who were enjoying increasing cultural confidence and a disregard for the proper place of Arabs and Arabic. Savant and Webb do not argue with the idea that Ibn Qutaybah saw the shuubis as part of the challenge to Arab prestige that his book seeks to combat he says on the first page that it was written against the prejudice of the bigots (shuubis), whose hearts are so full of envy and ill will that they deny the Arabs every virtue and ascribe to them every vice. But they say that the ideological content of shuibism is quite vague, and aside from its hostility to the Arabs it does not seem to have had an agenda, proponents, or public profile. Ajam, they say, though it could be used of Persians, most often refers to people further east whose confused and unclear way of speaking was a contrast to the clear eloquence of Arabic speakers, the Arabic language being for Ibn Qutaybah a pre-eminent excellence of the Arabs. IMPOSTURES: Al-Hariris maqamat, rendered here as Impostures, was written some 200 years after Ibn Qutaybahs praise of the Arabs, and Michael Cooperson begins his translation with an apology. I have always tried to translate in [a] self-effacing way, he writes, quoting a translator of the ancient Greek poet Homer who chose a deliberately low-key idiom for her English version to avoid trumpeting its status with bright, noisy linguistic fireworks. He also quotes a translator of Chinese who warns against the idea that it is permissible, even necessary in some cases, to rewrite the original text to accommodate either the deficiencies or the particular strengths of the target language, since this would be to run the risk of self-display and the anticipated desires of an incurious audience. Before embarking on his translation of al-Hariri, he would have agreed with both translators, Cooperson says. But having now learned something about the Impostures and its reception in various languages, I cannot imagine carrying it over [into English] without self-display. Al-Hariris Impostures do not simply include some excessive verbal performances; excessive verbal performance is what they are about, he writes. What is a translator to do with an original text whose avowed purpose is to fire off bright, noisy linguistic fireworks? His answer is to make a virtue of necessity and to find equivalents for such fireworks in English. Al-Hariris book consists of 50 anecdotes featuring the rogue and confidence-trickster Abu Zayd, all written in highly stylized Arabic. In fact, as Moroccan scholar Abdelfattah Kilito notes in his foreword to the translation, the stylization, and not the content, is probably the point. Cooperson gives an idea of what this can entail when he writes that in the 28th tale the roguish Abu Zayd delivers a sermon in which every word consists entirely of undotted letters (excluding, that is, half the letters in the Arabic alphabet) since the dots are used to differentiate them. In Imposture 6, he dictates a letter in which every second word contains only dotted letters and the remaining words only undotted ones. In Impostures 8, 35, 43, and 44, he composes a story or poem that seems to be about one thing but contains so many words with double meanings that it can be read as telling an equally coherent story about something else. One possible model for translating such trick writing is suggested by the French writer Raymond Queneaus Exercises de style, Cooperson says, in which the same story is told 99 times over, each time in a different manner. More generally, there is the experimentation with various stylistic constraints associated with the French literary group Oulipo, the Ouvroir de litterature potentielle, or workshop for potential literature. There seemed to be no point in producing another literal version of al-Hariris book, he writes, adding that the way out of the untranslatability trap, the idea that it cannot be translated, is to give up on the idea that one has to make the English distinctive in the same way as the Arabic. The latter is full of allusions, verbal tricks, and rhymed prose, which English (mostly) lacks. But English, unlike the kind of Arabic al-Hariri is using, can (for example) be written in a bewildering variety of historical, literary, and global styles. One way to show off English as al-Hariri meant to show off Arabic is to exploit these possibilities. Cooperson thus translates each of al-Hariris 50 tales in a different manner, sometimes by imitating English authors, the mediaeval English poet Geoffrey Chaucer for Imposture 10, for example, or the 16th-century English writer John Lyly for Imposture 4, sometimes by using global varieties of English, such as Singaporean creole for Imposture 3 or Scots for Imposture 14, and sometimes by using specialised jargons such as management speak ([for Imposture] 22), legalese (32), and thieves cant (42). Other examples include Imposture 11, done in the style of 18th-century English preacher John Wesley, Imposture 18, recast as a Shakespearian play, Imposture 17, done in the manner of Edwardian English novelist Jerome K. Jerome, and Imposture 18, written in the style of a Sherlock Holmes detective story by Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle. The results are highly ingenious and very erudite, with each tale having its own explanatory headnote and bibliography. However, can they be readily understood? There could be a danger that readers might experience the bewildering variety of historical, literary, and global styles that Cooperson refers to as exactly that. No single voice emerges from these translations of al-Hariris tales, though it seems that he meant them to be read as a whole. What Cooperson has achieved is a marvelous series of possible translations, the results of a kind of Oulipo-style workshop, with some of his versions being easier to follow than others. There is the issue of cultural appropriation, signaled by Cooperson when he discusses his use of Singaporean creole, Harlem jive, and multicultural London English for certain tales. There is also the issue of what he nicely calls the aspirational quality of [al-Hariris] Arabic, a kind of driving of the language to its limits in punning, rhyming, riddling, or whatever the challenge might be. Al-Hariris tales were meant for public recitation, the origin of their English name of assemblies, and the literary culture of his time seems to have valued elaborate linguistic display. It is interesting to compare the linguistic fireworks of this new translation with the more plodding Victorian one by Chenery and Steinglass (1867-98) that is available on the Internet. Ibn Qutaybah, The Excellence of the Arabs, translated by Sarah Bowen Savant and Peter Webb, New York University Press, 2019, pp254; Al-Hariri, Impostures, translated by Peter Cooperson, New York University Press, 2002, pp491. *A version of this article appears in print in the 28 January, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: PRIBOJ, Serbia (Reuters) - Two barges sailed up and down a vast stretch of floating trash on the Potpecko artificial lake in Serbia on Friday, collecting tons of garbage that almost clogged the dam that crosses it. The river Lim which fills the lake is swollen by melting snows and, according to activists, it has carried in more than 20,000 cubic meters of plastics from unregulated dumps along its banks in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia. As the garbage also threatened the functioning of a hydroelectric plant, authorities in Belgrade ordered an immediate clean-up. The operators collect up to 100 cubic meters of plastic and other trash daily and take it to a landfill about 80 km (50 miles) away. "This problem is years old and it is difficult to say who is responsible, ... from its source, the Lim river ... flows through three states," Dragan Ljeljen, a official from the nearby town of Priboj, told Reuters. To counter the problem, Serbia's Environment Minister, Irena Vujovic, and officials from Montenegro and Bosnia agreed on Monday to coordinate efforts to prevent further pollution. In Priboj, environmental activist Slavisa Lakovic said the persistent pollution is harming wildlife and fish in the lake. "Piling up trash affects the quality of water and reduces the quantity of oxygen in it ... animals are coming to the banks to rummage through trash," he told Reuters. Countries in the Western Balkans are still recovering from the wars and economic turmoil of the 1990s. They have done little to tackle environmental issues, in part due to lack of funds. Serbia, a European Union membership candidate, needs to spend billion of euros to clear up pollution before it joins the bloc, authorities in Brussels and Belgrade say. (Reporting by Branko Filipovic, Aleksandar Vasovic in Belgrade, Daria Sito Sucic in Sarajevo; Editing by Giles Elgood) Vietnam will be able to quell a new outbreak of coronavirus infections that on Thursday blindsided the country within next week, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said. Deputy PM Dam asserted on Friday that the country will surely suppress a new wave of COVID-19 transmissions in the next eight days. He was referring to hundreds of local cases having been announced in several northern provinces and cities including Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, Hanoi, and some others since Thursday, after Vietnam had spent nearly two months detecting zero domestic infections. It has been two days since I asked Hai Duong [an epicenter with over 100 cases reported since Thursday] to contain the outbreak within 10 days, Dam was quoted as saying by the Vietnam Government Portal. We have eight more days ahead. All forces have to try to keep our promise to quell the new wave [within 10 days]. The deputy prime minister told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Thursday that the 10-day period would be enough to overpower the viral transmission given Vietnams aggressive contact tracing regimen and targeted testing and lockdowns. Dam also acts as chief of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control. Vietnam confirmed 62 more local coronavirus cases on Friday, taking the national tally to 1,705, according to the Ministry of Health. The ministry also announced 18 recoveries the same day, with the total number of recovered patients reaching 1,448. Thirty-five patients have died, most suffering comorbid health conditions. Authorities are conducting quick and extensive contact tracing to contain the new wave of infections, at a time when the Lunar New Year holiday, Vietnams biggest festival, is only two weeks away. At the time of writing, the government is quarantining 21,345 people who came into contact with infected patients or entered Vietnam from pathogen-hit regions. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Bolivia on COVID-19 vaccines, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday in a phone conversation with his Bolivian counterpart, Luis Arce. In the past 36 years since China and Bolivia established diplomatic relations, they have made steady progress in bilateral ties, Xi said. Especially during the Morales administration, the two sides have seen close high-level exchanges, rapid expansion of economic and trade cooperation and sound coordination in multilateral affairs, Xi added. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, China has provided Bolivia with material and technical assistance to fight the epidemic through various channels, he said. China will continue supporting Bolivia in the anti-epidemic fight within its capacity, Xi said. Xi stressed that China has always treated Bolivia as a good friend and a good partner, and attached great importance to the China-Bolivia strategic partnership. China supports Bolivia in exploring a development path that fits its national conditions, and in continuously raising the "better life" index of the Bolivian people, Xi said. China is willing to enhance policy communication and coordination, share governance experience and learn from each other, deepen political mutual trust and support each other, Xi said. He called on the two sides to review their practical cooperation to make better plans, and jointly promote construction of the Belt and Road cooperation. China is glad to see Bolivia making full use of such platforms as China International Import Expo to promote its quality products with characteristics, Xi said. China supports businesses of the two sides in expanding cooperation in agriculture, mining, infrastructure construction, telecommunication and other fields, and promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges and local cooperation in accordance to the epidemic situation, Xi said. The two sides should conduct close cooperation within the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks, jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries and work to build a community with a shared future for mankind, he said. Xi said he believes that with joint efforts, the China-Bolivia strategic partnership will continue to achieve new results. For his part, Arce said that Bolivia and China have forged an unbreakable traditional friendship. Bolivia cherishes the brotherly friendship with China and sincerely hopes to consolidate and build closer bilateral relations, he said. Arce expressed gratitude for China's invaluable support for Bolivia in the fight against COVID-19 and expectation for more assistance from China. Bolivia is ready to better synergize its development strategies with China, deepen cooperation in various fields and elevate their strategic partnership to a new level, he said. Bolivia is willing to work with China to actively build the Belt and Road and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Arce said. (Source: Xinhua) Beijing, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jan, 2021 ) :China on Friday said it will "no longer recognise" the British National (Overseas) passport for Hong Kongers. From Sunday, those with a BN(O) passport and their dependents will be able to apply online for a visa allowing them to live and work in the United Kingdom. After five years they can then apply for citizenship. "From January 31, China will no longer recognise the so-called BN(O) passport as a travel document and ID document, and reserves the right to take further actions," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters. Parents walk their children to school as primary schools reopen following the Christmas break in Montreal on Jan. 11, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Paul Chiasson) Extended School Closures Are Harmful to Students Commentary Its been just over a year since the first COVID-19 case was identified in Canada. Since that time, the federal and provincial governments have struggled to contain this virus through a series of rotating lockdowns. Last spring, virtually every school in the country was closed, and most closures lasted for the remainder of the school year. While most schools reopened last fall, several provinces reverted to temporary closures when a second wave of COVID-19 cases swept across the country in October and November. Unfortunately, some closures lasted much longer. Notably, many Ontario students have been learning remotely since the Christmas break, with students in half of the 22 regions in southern Ontario not scheduled to return to classes until at least Feb. 10, if then. Closing schools in the spring of 2020 was understandable. We knew very little about this virus and were uncertain what effect it might have on children. In the face of a global pandemic, it made sense for provinces to err on the side of caution and keep students at home. However, we now know a whole lot more about the virus than we did a year ago, and one thing is certain: Children are much safer from this virus than adults. Thus, since children are not significantly at risk from COVID-19, we should open schools and keep them open. Another thing weve learned is that school closures are harmful to students. Not only are schools essential to educating students, they also provide students with vital social supports. For many children, schools are the place where they receive emotional support from teachers, advice from counsellors, oversight from social workers, breakfasts and lunches, and vaccinations. Extended school closures deprive students of these support networks and can lead to tragic consequences. Consider the situation in Las Vegas, where schools have been closed since mid-March 2020. In that year, twice as many Las Vegas students committed suicide than in the previous year. This shocking statistic spurred local school administrators to announce that they intend to reopen their schools as soon as possible. The tragic consequences in Las Vegas should serve as a warning to other jurisdictions in both Canada and the United States about the real harm caused by extended school closures. It seems obvious that students experience more harm from school closures than from potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus. In addition, schools can, in fact, operate safely and minimize the risks of COVID-19 transmission. Most schools already require students and staff to wear masks, and this simple precaution goes a long way toward reducing the spread of this virus. Some schools operate on a staggered schedule so that not all students are present at the same time, while other schools use extra space to split large classes into smaller groups. Some schools have more drastic distancing measures, such as placing plastic shields between desks, limiting where kids can play during recess breaks, and setting up isolation pods for students to work in. No doubt these measures detract from students enjoyment of school and make the school day feel rather artificial. Nevertheless, for most students, it is better to have in-person classes with excessive social distancing measures than to sit at home by themselves working on their computer screens. A socially distanced school day at least allows for some personal interaction between students and enables teachers to work directly with students in regular classroom settings. If there is one thing thats now clear, its that remote learning is no substitute for in-person learning. Students are far more likely to learn when they are in the same room with their teachers. Of course, there is a place for remote learning, but only when it is done intentionally and voluntarily. That is not what has happened for most students over the last year. Obviously, there are times when schools might need to close. When there is high community spread of COVID-19 and when these cases are putting significant strain on the health-care system, governments have to take action. However, in these circumstances, schools should be the last institutions to close and the first to reopen when the situation improves. The key lesson weve learned in the last year is that students need to be in school. We must do everything we can to keep schools open. Michael Zwaagstra is a public high school teacher, a senior fellow with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, and author of A Sage on the Stage: Common Sense Reflections on Teaching and Learning. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Hiplife artiste SkrewFaze is asking his colleague musicians to adapt to changes if they want to be relevant in the music industry. "Most of my colleague musicians are still stuck in their old ways of doing music 20 years ago, forgetting that things have changed and they need to adapt. That is the reason most of us are still struggling to be heard. Now the young ones like KiDi, Medikal, Kuami Eugene, King Promise, Strongman, Sarkodie, Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy are the musicians Ghanaians are listening to and if we want to stay relevant, we better tap into their knowledge, he told Graphic Showbiz. According to SkrewFaze, real name Jehoshaphat Kwabena Eshun, the older musicians should not try and compete with the young ones while they were still stuck in their old ways. I will not mind tapping into ideas of the young ones if I have to. There is nothing to be ashamed of featuring Kuami Eugene, KiDi or King Promise on my song. Some of my colleagues feel too big to come down to the level of these young ones, forgetting that they are no longer relevant. If a legend like Kojo Antwi is proud to work with the likes of Stonebwoy and King Promise, who am I to say that I am too big to feature the young ones on my song? he asked. He explained that only a few talented musicians such as Kojo Antwi, Amakye Dede, Daddy Lumba among others were able to stay relevant. Read also: Dont put pressure on popular musicians for collaborations Fameye Asked what he had been up to, SkrewFaze said he had ventured into business. I sell cars and I run a boutique. I can say I am very comfortable where I am now and I would advise other artistes to do same. "They need to get other jobs to stay comfortable so that they are not found wanting when they are no longer relevant, he said. SkrewFaze, who is planning to release an album titled Better Days, has been signed to Blackkulcha Music in the UK and has dropped a new single titled New Town, featuring Luta and Ras Kuuku. Some of his other songs are Bue Bue, Gbalagaza and Aki Na Porpor. Source: Graphic Showbiz 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: The Kisan politics has taken a new twist in wake of violence at Red Fort on Republic Day. As the violent action of farmers' agitation was exposed, and it was on the verge of losing popular support, political protagonists ascertained novel reasons to give it a new lease of life to serve their large political agenda. After the 26 January violence, questions were asked as to what would be the next course of action of the leaders who extended support to the farmers' protest, and on what basis the leaders of farmer unions will justify their movement? How will they respond to the question being raised on the hoisting of the flag of a particular religion on the Red Fort? You will be surprised to know that politicians have come out with answers to justify these actions as they are striving hard to retain popular mass support that they have been losing. You should also understand that despite the unfortunate incident of violence on January 26, the nation's politics is least affected. On the other hand, the Budget session of Parliament commenced today with President Ram Nath Kovind's address, wherein, the President termed the violence on January 26 as unfortunate. While President Kovind was speaking, MPs belonging to 18 opposition parties, including Congress, decided to boycott the House. Congress MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, preferred to stage a protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue in the Parliament complex, extending support to the farmers' agitation. Rahul Gandhi further exposed his myopic political vision by lending his hand to 5 lakh people, who turned violent in the name of the Kisan movement, rather than standing behind the rest of the majority of people of India. After getting a new lease of life, the agitating farmers have declared that they will neither end their movement nor will they take responsibility for the violence. This change was witnessed as several political leaders, including Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, visited the Ghazipur on the Delhi border where the farmers have been staging their protest for almost two months. The entire focus of the movement has now shifted to the Ghazipur border, where Rakesh Tikait on Thursday night stated that he would not end this agitation even if the police opened fire. The BKU leader Rakesh Tikait broke down, and tension spiralled amid fears that the farmers would be forcibly removed by the local administration, all roads in western Uttar Pradesh it seemed led to Muzaffarnagar. Tens of thousands of farmers gathered at Ghazipur to participate in a Mahapanchayat in a massive outpouring of support for the Bharatiya Kisan Union-led protest against the Centre's new farm laws. His emotive plea, which was captured by television cameras and other media and was widely circulated, seemed to have propelled the crowd to head to the protest site at the UP Gate in Ghazipur and boost the numbers there. The Mahapanchayat resolved to throw its full weight behind the Ghazipur protest. As Muzaffarnagar became the meeting point for farmers from across the region, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh also announced support for the BKU, and his son, party leader Jayant Chaudhary, participated in the Mahapanchayat. Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav again came to the forefront, urging all farmers across India to send one member of their family at Delhi borders to participate in the protest. At the Delhi-Ghaziabad border, Yadav said `four drops` of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait`s tears washed the bad name that was given to the farmers, and added that "Modi ji and Yogi ji and all others must listen carefully, farmers will not go back from this movement humiliated and defamed." Yadav said, "They are saying they will charge us under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). They have changed us (union leaders) in many cases. They issued lookout notices against us, something that is issued against the absconding criminal trying to escape the country. I am asking the Delhi Police that they need to not issue the lookout notice against us." "We are standing here. No Rakesh Tikait is trying to escape from the country," said the Swaraj India chief, adding that farmers "will stay here and fight here". Delhi Police has, however, asked nine farmer leaders to join the investigation in connection with the violence at Red Fort on January 26. The special investigation team (SIT) of Delhi Police has asked farmer leaders Rakesh Tikait, Pawan Kumar, Raj Kishore Singh, Tajender Singh Virk, Jitender Singh, Trilochan Singh, Gurmukh Singh, Harpreet Singh, and Jagtar Singh Bajwa to join the investigation. It has forwarded the notices through WhatsApp to these leaders. A police team has also physically visited the tents where they were staying and pasted them there. Notably, the police have registered 33 FIRs in connection with the violence that left 394 police personnel injured and one protester dead. It has also issued lookout notices against 44 people. London: European leaders have given themselves sweeping powers to block crucial coronavirus vaccine shipments to Australia in a ploy condemned as unethical, dangerous and selfish. The new export restrictions, unveiled overnight Australian-time, grant the European Union final say on whether jabs produced on the continent by pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and AstraZeneca can leave the territory. The emergency scheme is the latest escalation in a brawl between the EU and two drug firms, which recently warned the number of doses available to Europe over the coming months would be slashed because of production problems. European leaders retaliated on Friday by publishing new export controls designed to give EU citizens priority access to locally produced jabs even though other countries, including Australia, are also relying on supplies from European factories. Nahuel Perez Biscayart portrays a Jewish inmate at a concentration camp during filming in Belarus of the film "Persian Lessons" in 2019. (JTA) - For a movie about the Holocaust, the Belarussian film "Persian Lessons" has some comic potential. Set in a concentration camp somewhere in Western Europe, it involves a Jewish inmate who survives by giving Farsi lessons to a Nazi officer who dreams about opening a restaurant in Tehran. One problem: The inmate doesn't speak Farsi. Instead he comes up with his own language and teaches it to his captor, trying not to raise suspicions. If that sounds like a comedy of errors, it's no accident. "Persian Lessons" is based on a short story by the screenwriter Wolfgang Kohlhaase, who special... Daniel Pearl Case: Why Pakistan Acquitted Prime Accused Omar Sheikh who was Once Held in IndiaOver 18 years after the brutal beheading of United States journalist Daniel Pearl shook the world, Pakistan's Supreme Court has acquitted the man accused of kidnapping and killing the Wall Street Journal reporter of all charges. On Thursday, a panel of three judges ordered the acquittal of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the prime suspect in the 2002 killing. Who was Daniel Pearl? Pearl, 38, was investigating Islamist militants in Karachi after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States when he was kidnapped. Pearl was based in Mumbai at the time as the South Asia Bureau Chief of the Journal. He was kidnapped in Karachi on January 23 and killed by his captors on February 1. His dismembered body was found buried in a shallow grave 30 km from Karachi and found in May, nearly three months from when he was killed. A month after Pearl's death, a graphic video of his beheading was sent to the US Consulate in Karachi in which Pearl was seen speaking against American foreign policy. Critics, as well as family members of Pearl, have maintained that Pearl made the statements under duress. Pearl was survived by his wife Mariane Pearl and son Adam Pearl who was born four months after Pearl's death. The killing caused outrage in America and around the world. Who is Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh? In 2002, following pressure from the US, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh who was a British citizen was convicted by the General Pervez Musharraf government in Pakistan along with three other aides. Sheikh was on death row since the conviction for masterminding the crime. Sheikh is one of the three militants that India had set free in 2000 in exchange for the release of nearly 150 passengers and crew members on the Indian Airlines' IC-814 flight that was hijacked in Kandahar by Taliban militia. He is rumored to have worked for the British intelligentsia in the Balkans before joining a terror outfit in Pakistan. Before his alleged tryst with MI6, which Musharraf wrote about in his memoir, Sheikh who is 47-years-old now, dropped out of University to carry out relief work in the Bornia war. He was sent to India to kidnap western tourists and spent 1994 to 1999 in prison before being released in 200 along with Maulana Masood Azhar and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar. Sheikh has long denied his role in the killing of Pearl. Why is the case garnering attention now? In 2011, an investigative study conducted by Georgetown University and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists found that though Sheikh and his aides had kidnapped Pearl, they could not be held culpable to the murder. Many have since claimed that the real mastermind behind the killing of Pearl was Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The latter, according to a report in the Indian Express, was also a part of the September 11 terror attack in the US. Last year, the Sindh High Court commuted the death penalty off the British-born Sheikh to a life sentence and acquitted his three co-accused of murder while only convicting them for kidnapping, citing lack of evidence. The government and Pearls parents challenged that decision and pleaded to the Supreme Court to reinstate the death penalty. On Thursday, the apex court struck down both the pleas in a split decision. How has Joe Biden government reacted to the acquittal? White House has reacted harshly to the apex court's verdict. Joe Biden's administration is "outraged by the Pakistani Supreme Court's decision," his chief spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters, underscoring the uneasy alliance between Washington and Islamabad, which has fractured many times over Islamist militancy. She also called the ruling "an affront to terrorism victims everywhere" and demanded the Pakistani government "review its legal options." The news has left the family of Pearl shocked as well. The Pearl family was in complete shock, the familys lawyer, Faisal Siddiqi, told Reuters, adding that the court's decision was a travesty of justice. Wall Street Journal has reacted to the development as being "infuriating and unjust". Reporters Without Borders also slammed the ruling, saying that it "will remain as a symbol of the absolute impunity surrounding crimes of violence against journalists in this country." Pearl's family had raised the matter with the US government and hopes that the US extradites Sheikh from Pakistan so that he can be tried for his crimes in the US. (With inputs from Agencies) Tushar Burman When we drove the Tata Altroz for the first time in December 2019, it was a refreshing change from the Tata Motors products we had seen previously, and felt like a deliberate start of something new. It was a competent, practical, good-looking car that checked the boxes and exceeded expectations. Back then, Tata was still making hotter JTP-branded Tiagos and Tigors, and we hoped that theyd put the turbocharged engines from the Nexon into the Altroz eventually, and make a JTP version. A year on, JTP is gone, relegated to history as an interesting but short experiment. However, Tata Motors has finally put a turbocharged engine into the Altroz, and called it the iTurbo. Whats changed? We did a cool 360-degree video review of the original Altroz (click here) if you want the basics. Essentially, the Altroz remains a premium hatch with a refreshing design language. One year down, the design still holds up, and Tata is offering it in a striking blue colour that enhances the visage. My sense is that this design will age well. The interior remains functionally identical, but Tata Motors listened to feedback and tweaked the interior a bit. With the new colour scheme, the dash looks much less bland than it did in the original car. Also new is Tata Motors new IRA connected car system which allows for limited control and monitoring of your Altroz via a mobile app. The turbo in iTurbo is by way of the turbocharged 1.2l petrol motor that the hatch is now offered with. The numbers are modest 110PS, 140Nm, but better than the outgoing cars 87PS and 113Nm. There are a couple of new drive modes to go with the new motor City and Sport, which do make a perceptible difference to the way the car behaves. A word on tech We didnt have any connected features in the original Altroz, but the market has changed quite a bit since. Almost every new model in recent memory comes with some form of connected or app comparability, and the iTurbo hasnt been left behind. Thankfully, Tata Motors have been conservative in their approach. The IRA app works on iOS and Android devices, and doesnt try to do too much. Theres no remote start/AC pre-cooling. Theres mostly some geofencing, security features, and remote lock/horn/lights and diagnostics. The app is reasonably clean and worked as advertised in urban areas. How it will behave when the mobile network doesnt cooperate (as it often doesnt), remains to be seen. Navigation is enhanced by a clever system called What3Words, which essentially assigns three random (but easy to remember) words to specific locations, and allows you to set them for places. This makes navigation particularly voice-activated navigation rather easy to engage. What3Words is a service available in other vehicles and other apps and contexts as well, and is an interesting, practical innovation that we hope becomes standard for hands-free navigation. The infotainment system remains the same as weve seen on recent Tatas such as the Nexon. The touchscreen is responsive and did not glitch on us during our time with the car. Unfortunately, the carmaker hasnt quite figured out how to create an elegant-looking UI. Tell-tale icons tend to be tiny and inconspicuous, leaving me to wonder whether a specific mode was on or off until I found the obscure icon hidden on the screen somewhere. Menus are fine, but Tata needs to work on the passive info displays theyve been putting in their recent cars. Refreshed interior Theres no big story here, but the dark/light tone of the interior with the new leatherette seats is a positive change. Back in 2019, we complained about the incongruous expanse of dull plastic on the dash that really let down the premium vibe of the rest of the vehicle. Thankfully, that is not the case with the iTurbo, and things look quite nice now. The rear accommodations continue to be comfortable, even for tall passengers, and the floorpan is nearly flat in case there are three abreast. The doors open nearly to 90 degrees, making ingress and egress easy. One niggle that seemed to jump out this year is that the Altroz doesnt have the best storage spaces in the centre console. Things just feel a little cramped if you need to put stuff down. The doors have plenty of room, however. On the go The turbocharged motor does liven things up compared to the old naturally-aspirated petrol motor. This is expected, though unfortunately, Tata Motors will find themselves victims of their own benchmarks. The original Altroz set the bar fairly high, and the iTurbo does not deliver the performance that I think most testers were expecting. Its a reasonably light car for its 5-star NCAP rating, but the 140Nm of torque doesnt really get it places very quickly. Sport mode is the way to go if you want to feel that turbo earning its keep, but I find this motor to be a bit jerky on/off throttle, even in the Nexon. City mode dulls this a little and is fine around town, but Sport is where you may crack a slight smile. Turbo lag is minimal, but this car does not have point-and-squirt sort of torque that allows rapid overtakes and squeezing into every gap in traffic. The power is there, and triple-digit cruising speeds are achieved without drama, or the hairy feeling you get with a lesser motor thats working very hard. While the three-cylinder motor is smooth, the refinement and noise levels remain a bugbear from the original car. While suspension feels sophisticated, I did notice a rumble on uneven surfaces that I did not encounter in the old car a distinctly German car feeling that Im not a fan of. Its not a deal-breaker, but a magic carpet, it is not. A contender? To this, we say, why not?. The Harbour Blue colour makes the already arresting Altroz all the more striking. The iTurbo starts at Rs 7.74 lac ex-showroom, which is in the ballpark of rivals. Unfortunately, the performance isnt. Its a perfectly good premium hatch, and arguably one of the best-looking on sale, but I wouldnt make too much of the turbo in the badge. Its a better Altroz, and that is still an achievement. ADVERTISEMENT Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has attacked some misinformed Nigerian lawyers whom he said were stalling the process of justice administration in the country. These misinformed lawyers politicise issues of justice administration and sometimes resort to legal battles without a clear understanding of the position of the law on such matters, Mr Wike said on Friday why inaugurating a law chambers belong to Ledum Mitee, a lawyer and an environmental rights activist. Mr Wikes remark is contained in a statement from Government House, Port Harcourt. Mr Wike, who did not mention any name in his remark, made a specific reference to a lawyer whom he said filed a suit challenging his administrations support for the judiciary. Just this morning the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice came to me and said that one lawyer in Port Harcourt went to court against the State Government. He said we have no business in building houses for judges, we have no business providing cars for judges. He said we have no business in building courts for federal institutions and that I have no right to even contribute to the structures in the Nigeria Law School. What will be our contribution to the administration of justice, when the structures are dilapidated? That lawyer is saying that what we are doing is not budgeted for. Everybody parades as if they know the law even when they dont know the law, the governor said. Sokoto inferno Mr Wike also talked about the controversy over his recent pledge to donate N500 million for the rebuilding of a Sokoto market that was razed by fire. People who are ignorant about the budget will just wake up in the morning and tell you the governor has no right to donate money somewhere. They make all kinds of allegations without having the true facts, he said. Meanwhile, Governor Wike commended Mr Mitees contributions to the law practice in Nigeria and said he deserves to be awarded the title of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He said Mr Mitee, a former president of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, sacrificed his law career for the Ogoni struggle which forced him into exile. Mr Mitee said the chamber was going to serve as a mentoring hub for junior lawyers and for legal advocacy. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) - The country's health chief plans to convince embattled Contact Tracing czar Benjie Magalong to keep his post, despite his "irrevocable" resignation. During a chance interview with reporters Friday afternoon, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he intends to try and talk to the Baguio City mayor, who was tasked to lead efforts in tracing contacts of those who contracted the coronavirus. "Kakausapin ko pa si Contact Tracing czar, si Mayor Magalong, at I will try to convince him to reconsider his resignation," Duque said. [Translation: I will talk to the Contact Tracing czar, Mayor Magalong, and I will try to convince him to reconsider his resignation.] Duque had nothing but praises for Magalong, who was appointed as the government's contact tracing czar last July 2020. "Ayoko din siyang bumitiw sa kanyang posisyon dahil napakalaki ng kanyang tulong sa ating pangkalahatang pandemic response. He is a very, very important component of our pandemic response," Duque said. [Translation: I don't want him (Magalong) to resign because he had great contributions to our pandemic response.] Duque adds, Magalong helped "a lot" in training local chief executives, city and provincial health officers, as well as complementing the efforts of local surveillance officers. Magalong earlier wrote National Task Force chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. to hand in his resignation, saying "several lapses in protocol were committed" during an incident which violated quarantine protocols in Baguio City. The incident in question was eventologist Tim Yap's birthday party which was held despite strict mass gathering rules. The event has since drawn widespread backlash. "I am committed to hold myself accountable and do what is necessary to rectify this misstep," Magalong wrote. This resignation was not accepted, according to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. RELATED: Baguio mayor Magalong offers to quit as contact tracing czar, but resignation not accepted Palace Before Magalong became Baguio City mayor in 2019, he was formerly a police Major General who became the country's fourth-highest police official. He also once headed the Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group or CIDG. His strategy as Contact Tracing czar involved the use of electronic tools in a manner similar to police investigations, such as COVID-19 data collection tool, a GIS (geographical information system) platform, and a Link Analysis Tool. CNN Philippines messaged Magalong for comment on Duque's remarks, but he has yet to respond as of publishing time. Senior people take care of children whose parents are still at work. [Chengdu.cn] A program, under which senior people living alone take care of students who are not their grandchildren while the parents are still at work, has proved useful both in relieving the pressure of working parents and reducing loneliness of senior people. The charity program was initiated by a neighborhood in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. Besides picking up the students after school, the senior people also cook dinner for them and help them with homework. All services are not charged. Yang Qiong, founder of the project, said the idea came from a personal experience of hers. The 33-year-old community worker has two children who would be unattended after school when she and her husband were still at work. One day, she asked a senior cleaner in her community to take care of the children and found that the three had a good time together. "With both parents at work, some children become unattended after school, and some would even fall asleep on fitness facilities in our community while doing homework," Yang said, disclosing that several senior people told her that they wanted to do something for the community. Considering that many of the senior people may feel bored living alone, she decided to give the idea a try. After doing a rough calculation, she learned that 40 percent of students in the neighborhood were unattended after school, and their parents strongly hoped that this problem could be solved. When she proposed the project in July 2019, senior people actively applied for the job. In the end, more than 20 women seniors with plenty of free time, who were physically and mentally healthy and willing to help, joined the project. According to Yang, the women seniors take care of 30 to 40 children a day, providing services such as picking them up after school and helping them do homework. The community also arranged volunteers to help the senior people with the work. A senior person surnamed Zhang, who lives alone, was the first to sign up for the project. "Though I'm old, I still want to do things for the community within my capabilities," she said, adding that she has become happier after joining the program. Families receiving help have repaid the goodwill with greater kindness by visiting the senior people, buying vegetables and cooking dinners for them during the weekends. (Source: People's Daily Online) Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 At 74, Dame Maureen Lipman is still as lively and opinionated as ever. And as busy too. During lockdown shes not only been commuting up and down from her home in west London to Manchester every week for her role as Evelyn Plummer in Coronation Street, shes also reprised Martin Shermans haunting one-woman theatrical masterpiece Rose and in between shes been indulging a new-found passion for jigsaws. I hadnt done one in about 70 years, she says. But I saw this video of Hugh Jackman whod done this massive jigsaw of New York and it showed him putting the last piece in. 'Theyre better than mindfulness and meditation, two hours can pass without me thinking about Covid, Brexit or Boris Johnsons hair once. All that matters is that frilly dress on the woman in front of that blue building. Dame Maureen Lipman, 74, (pictured) who lives in west London, has spent lockdown starring in Coronation Street and Martin Shermans one-woman theatrical masterpiece Rose Were chatting over Zoom because her tour de force in the two-hour monologue Rose is now available to stream on Sky. Its a memoir of the harrowing events of the last century, told through the eyes of a feisty Jewish woman from a tiny Russian village as she reflects on her life at the turn of the millennium. She survived the horrors of the Warsaw ghetto where her husband and child died under Nazi occupation, and then escaped via the sewers and a ship called The Exodus to make a new life in America where she ended up running a hotel in Miami. The play was first performed to huge acclaim by Oscar-winner Olympia Dukakis at the National Theatre in 1999, and Maureens new version, filmed in an empty theatre, was originally made for release as a digital download at the height of the first lockdown last year. Martin wrote it when Id just done the BT commercials, and I was very loathe to go into another Jewish part then, she says. Also I was too young to play Rose. Shes 80 and I was only 40 at the time. But this has come at the right time now, its a brilliant piece of work. I first worked with Martin on his play Messiah in 1982, hes got my voice and Ive got his we understand each other. 'So even though I had to learn 47 pages of script in a very short time while still doing Coronation Street, I knew it was going to be all right because his dialogue just rolls out like Cleopatra coming out of a carpet. Rose is in Florida and sophisticated at this point in her life, so they got me a blouse to wear but it didnt go over my bosom. I had a little grey jacket with me, left to me by a friend from Germany who died. Maureen revealed her role as Evelyn Plummer in Coronation Street (pictured) is her second stint on the show, after previously appearing as Lillian Spencer in 2002 'When the reviews came out last year they said, Even her jacket was redolent of a concentration camp. Its marvellous how you can see what you want to. But this doesnt necessarily have to be another Jewish experience, it could be a Vietnamese boat experience. It just makes you feel differently about immigrants. 'Id like to perform it in the theatre at some point in the future, if by then there is such a thing as the theatre. Meanwhile shes keeping her hand in playing Evelyn on Coronation Street. As Tyrone Dobbs long-lost grandmother, shes already rubbed Ken Barlow, Rita Tanner and Tyrones fiancee Fiz up the wrong way with her bluntness. Its actually Maureens second stint on the show, having appeared as Lillian Spencer, the snooty caretaker manager of the Rovers, for six episodes in 2002, and it re-establishes the connection to her late husband, the playwright Jack Rosenthal, who was a writer on the soap back in its 60s heyday. I was delighted when they offered me the part, she says. If people tell me they dont watch Corrie, I say 10m do ! I had a different head on when I was in it before. Jack started on episode 31, and went on to write more than 100 of them. I always like it when people say to me, What are you doing these days? Ah, youre in Corrie, Ive never watched it myself. 'I tell them, Well, 10 million people make up for you! Its a strange mixture of down-to-earth reality and fantastic absurdity, but if you watch something passionately you can believe anything. I wonder if all the commuting and hanging around on a busy TV set has worried her. Theyre very good at sending cars for me and they all have dividing screens, she says. I was actually one of the first people to wear a mask back in February last year. People were looking at me like I was crazy. Maureen said working in theatre taught her how to do her own make-up, however the new strains of covid has made her feel less safe. Pictured: Maureen in her one-woman play Rose Now I sit there on set with my mask and my gloves on and they take my temperature. I go to my dressing room where my costume is hanging up and my make-up and heated rollers are waiting for me, I plug in the rollers and put them in for Evelyns hairstyle. 'The make-up girls arent supposed to touch us, which doesnt bother me because if youve worked in theatre you can do your own make-up. Covid tests, of course, arent entirely reliable. I did feel quite safe but I dont feel terribly safe now. Its these new strains. Say what you like about Boris, but nobody could have coped with that. 'The vaccine should have been the best of news, but its been overshadowed by these variants and nobody really knows if the vaccine is going to work. When it comes down to those fine details we dont know, were guinea pigs. 'Its agonising, but we do have a vaccine, Trumps gone and the Brexit deal is done, so we just have to get on with it. I couldnt do Strictly, Im not great with criticism Getting on with it has always been the Maureen Lipman way. She was made a Dame last October in the belated Queens birthday honours list in recognition of a stage and screen career stretching back more than 50 years. After training at LAMDA, her work has mostly been in the theatre (she was a member of the RSC and Laurence Oliviers National Theatre Company in the 70s). But she came to prominence on television playing an agony aunt whose own personal life was a shambles in the sitcom Agony in the late 70s, and then of course as Jewish grandmother Beattie in those famous BT ads. On the big screen she had supporting roles in Educating Rita with Michael Caine and Julie Walters, and Roman Polanskis 2002 Oscar winner The Pianist. Maureen was married to Jack Rosenthal from 1974 until his death in 2004. Pictured: Maureen and Jack with daughter Amy and son Adam in the 70s She was married to Jack Rosenthal from 1974 until his death from cancer in 2004, and she had roles in a number of his works. It was Jack who wrote the 1983 Barbra Streisand film Yentl, and knowing that I have interviewed Barbra in the past Maureen is keen to know more. Did you go to her house? she asks. Did she have Art Deco furniture? In the new play Rose delivers her monologue from a bench where shes sitting shiva (a Jewish mourning tradition in which people sit together and remember the dead), and I tell Maureen that Barbra was about to sit shiva when I interviewed her once. But I sat on the wrong side of her and she got very upset with me. THE DAY BARBRA STREISAND PRANKED MY HUSBAND Maureens late husband Jack Rosenthal crops up a few times during our chat, and at one point she tells me how Barbra Streisand once played a joke on him on the set of the 1983 film Yentl, which she directed and starred in and Jack co-wrote with her. They didnt speak much, they just got on with it, and one day as the cameras were about to roll Barbra seemed restless, she says. Pictured: Barbra in Yentl The assistant was in and out, and finally she came back with a package. Barbra went into the bathroom, and when she came out she said to Jack, who was famously gullible, When the green rings at the top and the blue rings at the bottom does it mean youre pregnant, or is it the other way round? Jack said, Er... It was a brilliant moment because he had no idea, and millions of dollars rested on that result. 'The film went ahead and she did an exceptional job which people really dont give her credit for. Advertisement Maureen is incredulous. Theres a right side to sit shiva? she asks. I explain that it wasnt about a right side to sit shiva, but a right side to sit next to Barbra because she feels one side of her face is less attractive than the other. Did you ever meet a woman who was happy with the way she looked? says Maureen. Who was that woman, apart from my mother? If women are happy with their faces its because theyve had a lot of work done. Thats not a woman whos satisfied with her looks, because then they do it again and again and thats the problem. When you see yourself on screen regularly it doesnt make you happy, it makes you fixate on things. I used to fixate on my eye bags. 'I used to sit with cucumbers on my eyes every morning until I started fixating on something else, the saggy bits where my cheekbones used to be, and that took care of the next year. Our chat flits in and out of the ageing process. We think were immortal, which means you never plan ahead, she says. Youre just entranced by each new thing that comes up and you think, OK, Ill deal with that. When I tell her thats exactly what Im doing at the moment as Ive broken my foot falling down the stairs and have my leg in a cast, she says, You have to be glad youre a journalist and not an ice skater! 'One of the things Ive discovered about ageing is that you dont pick your feet up enough. I did it down the Tube steps, landed on my knees with a sickening crunch. It makes you tentative. Although she says shes increasingly feeling her age, she has a healthy disregard for it too. Ive started making noises when I get up, Ow, ow..., surely thats the beginning of the end, she laughs. But Ive been doing my own version of a workout on a chair every day. Its not really a Joe Wicks type of thing. It doesnt leave you out of breath, its a kind of daft yoga. And in between I do face, voice and eye exercises. She shares her home with her two dogs, a basenji and a podengo. Diva the basenji is 15 and Inky is two, shes a Spanish rescue dog. I was outside the vets the other day and I ran into Catherine Tate with her dog. 'I said, Is that dog a griffon? and she said, Youre only the second person ever to have identified my dog. I do love dogs, but I shouldnt really have them because you have to give them your full focus. I tried taking Diva on tour with me once and she ate the dressing room in Woking. 'Shes so beautiful, like a little movie star, like a fox, red and white. Shes really more like a cat, shes not a cuddly dog. She doesnt come near me unless I say so, which is good for me because I dont really do needy. Im not very good at fussing or being fussed over. 'I remember Diana Rigg said to me when we were in The Cherry Orchard many years ago, Why dont you get yourself a real dog? I said, She is a real dog, I love her, and she said, Well, she doesnt love you! The dogs have been another boon for her during lockdown. Weve been going for long walks, which has been amazing. If you look up in London you see amazing things all the time, its so fantastically beautiful. 'I also took up painting and somehow I grew a monster courgette. Suddenly I was painting tables, spraying furniture and moving it around. I was busy. 'I dont usually watch a lot of television, but Ive watched all of the French comedy Call My Agent on Netflix and the documentary My Octopus Teacher was great. She was captivated by Strictly too, and buoyed by the fact that the winner was of a certain age. I thought one of the pretty ones would win because they always do, so theres something in the fact that Bill Bailey won. 'He was elegant and graceful and screamingly funny. Its a great mark of where were at as a nation that we wanted someone whos slightly over the hill to win. Would she ever like to have done Strictly herself? Ive never done it because Ive never been great with criticism, she says. I dont want to be pushed towards emotion. Its too easy. If I was standing there and Id done my best and... well, I dont want people to see me getting upset. Meanwhile, its back to the Hugh Jackman-inspired jigsaws. I love Hugh Jackman. I worked with him for a year on Oklahoma! at the National and I didnt find anything to complain about, and I can find the flaw in a Persian carpet before its been spun. I went to see his one-man show in Manchester in 2019 and I got tickets for some of the Coronation Street people. I went early to have a chat with him he lets in people who are either big fans or disabled and he meets them before the show and signs things. 'Then he has a little circle where we went and he introduced me. Id gone out beforehand around Manchester, bought a bottle of wine and passed it around to the cast. It really was fabulous, hes a fabulous showman. 'Halfway through the show he introduced me to thousands of people, I had to stand up and my face was red. At the end the guy who plays Craig the policeman in Coronation Street said, Thanks very much for getting us tickets, but did you mean to have that in your hair? 'I then saw that Id been walking around with a Velcro curler in all night. The whole time I was turning and accepting compliments with a Velcro roller in! Rose is available now on Sky On Demand/Now TV. A woman appointed by the Victorian government to provide religious counselling to accused paedophile Malka Leifer while she is in custody has been removed after it was revealed she knew two of Ms Leifers alleged victims. Sources close to the alleged victims have told The Age that the chaplain, Shani Aron, has been stood aside by Corrections Victoria following complaints from members of the Jewish community over a perceived conflict of interest. Alleged paedophile Malka Leifer returned to Melbourne on Wednesday after 13 years. Credit:Getty Images, AP The revelations raise serious questions over how Corrections Victorias vetting process allowed Ms Aron, a member of the ultra-orthodox Yeshivah community, to take on the role, which would have involved regular meetings with Ms Leifer in prison. Ms Leifer fled Australia in 2008 after sisters Elly Sapper, Dassi Erlich and Nicole Meyer accused their then teacher of sexually abusing them at the ultra-orthodox Adass Israel school between 2004 and 2008. We thought we were ready. We told ourselves we were. Then we told this lie to the world. We are open for business. We are COVID-free! Read 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. Advertisement Kylie Jenner's fans couldn't help but comment on her changing appearance after she appeared on the trailer for the final season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. The make-up mogul has always denied going under the knife to achieve her sculpted visage and instead credited fillers and make-up trickery. Following the release of the new teaser, many commented on how the reality star 'always looks different' every time they see her, as viewers once again speculated that she has achieved her look by using plastic surgery. Keeping up with Kylie! Kylie Jenner's fans couldn't help but comment on her changing appearance after she appeared on the trailer for the final season of KUWTK (pictured left in 2010 and right recently) Kylie built a billion dollar business on her pout, which she dramatically enhanced over the years with lip fillers and over-lining lip liner. The billionaire first appeared on screens as a fresh-faced 10-year-old and viewers have long suggested her visage has altered dramatically over the years. She started showing off noticeably plumper lips in 2014 when she was just 16, sparkling speculation she had them cosmetically enhanced. Life through a lens: The billionaire first appeared on screens as a fresh-faced 10-year-old and viewers have long suggested her visage has altered dramatically over the years (pictured) Slide me No knife here! The make-up mogul has always denied going under the knife to achieve her sculpted visage and instead credited fillers and make-up trickery (pictured left 2011 and right 2020) Amid media speculation Kylie originally denied getting injections, crediting carefully applied lip liner for accentuating her pout. Come May 2015, however, the reality star came clean and admitted to getting fillers. In 2017 during an episode of Life of Kylie, the mother-of-one opened up about her decision to get the procedure, noting: 'I was 15 and I was insecure about my lips ... I [had] really small lips,' New trailer: Following the release of the new teaser, many commented on how the reality star 'always looks different', as viewers once again speculated she has achieved her look by using plastic surgery (pictured) Perfect pout! Kylie built a billion dollar business on her pout, which she dramatically enhanced over the years with lip fillers and over-lining lip liner (pictured left in 2012) Plumper? She started showing off noticeably plumper lips in 2014 when she was just 16, sparkling speculation she had them cosmetically enhanced (pictured) 'It was like one of my first kisses and a guy was like, 'I didn't think you would be a good kisser because you have such small lips,'' she said, adding that she 'took that really hard'. She continued, 'Just when a guy you like says that, I don't know, it just really affected me - I just didn't feel desirable or pretty.' However, despite admitting to lip filler, she has categorically denied she has had plastic surgery on Twitter. The reality star wrote: 'These plastic surgery rumours hurt my feelings to be honest and are kinda insulting.' Changing things up: Amid media speculation Kylie originally denied getting injections, crediting carefully applied lip liner for accentuating her pout A plastic surgeon previously told MailOnline that he believes Kylie's face is the work of plastic surgery, in particular her 'thin nose' which he believed has been altered. Alex Karidis, from the Karidis Clinic claimed her changed nose could be down to rhinoplasty, and said: 'Her nose appears thinner, particularly at the tip.' However, Kylie has always denied undergoing any other surgery on her face despite constant rumours surrounding the shape of her eyes, cheekbones and chin. Honesty is the best policy! Come May 2015, however, the reality star came clean and admitted to getting fillers (pictured) In 2015 the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star addressed the ongoing speculation on her website. She wrote on her website: 'No, people - I haven't gotten breast implants. Everyone is obsessed with that. Truth is, as I've gotten older, I've gained 15 pounds and my body has changed; I've definitely filled out. 'I just use the Bombshell by Victoria's Secret. It's life-changing. I've gotten all my sisters on it and all my friends...Clearly, it's like 10 times bigger - no contouring, no nothing. 'This is all padding. I think it makes your breast look great and girlie. This is it. No breast implants. No surgery. Nothing. It's amazing. So if you guys want this look, here's my secret.' Opening up! In 2017 during an episode of Life of Kylie, the mother-of-one opened up about her decision to get the procedure, noting: 'I was 15 and I was insecure about my lips ... I [had] really small lips' (pictured in 2003, left, and 2019, right) She added: 'Working with some of the best makeup artists has taught me a lot of amazing tricks to making me feel more confident and I can't wait to share them with you guys. 'I swear there are things you can do to work on problem areas without having to think about plastic surgery. (Contouring has changed my life!)'. Top plastic surgeon Mark Ho-Asjoe also previously told Closer magazine that he believes she has had more work done than she claims and this is 'ageing her'. Slide me Speculation: Top plastic surgeon Mark Ho-Asjoe also previously told Closer magazine that he believes she has had more work done than she claims and this is 'ageing her' (pictured in 2017, left, and 2014, right) Child star: As the youngest of the Kardashian/Jenner clan, Kylie grew up in the spotlight (pictured left in 2012 and right in 2019) He wrote: 'Kylie has made herself look way beyond her years. All the surgery I suspect she's had - fillers to her lips and cheeks, a nose job and possibly some bone shaving around her jaw - is ageing her. 'Her eyes look wider, which implies she may have had eye surgery. 'If she continues with all these treatments, in 10 years time the skin around her lips will have stretched like a balloon and if she doesn't keep plumping them up the skin will be wrinkled.' Slide me Claims: Alex Karidis, from the Karidis Clinic claimed her changed nose could be down to rhinoplasty, and said: 'Her nose appears thinner, particularly at the tip' (pictured left in 2003 and recently, right) It's fair to say that a transformation is inevitable given that Kylie was just aged nine when the show premiered, but viewers couldn't believe how much she has changed over the years. One person wrote: 'Kylie Jenner needed no plastic surgery at all wtf had she done to herself.' While another added: 'Kylie Jenner looks different everytime i see her tbh.' Honest: Kylie has said in the past she is terrified of plastic surgery but has admitted to changing her appearance with fillers She told Paper: 'People think I fully went under the knife and completely reconstructed my face, which is completely false' She added: 'I'm terrified! I would never. They don't understand what good hair and makeup and, like, fillers, can really do' 'I wasn't super shocked because often when people get plastic surgery young they look way older. Like Kylie Jenner looks in her late 30s.' 'Kim is the spitting image of Kylie. Is that a face you can order?' Back in February 2019, Kylie denied having plastic surgery but was happy to admit that her look was not completely natural. She told Paper: 'People think I fully went under the knife and completely reconstructed my face, which is completely false. Something to say: People took to Twitter to comment on Kylie's changing apperance Wow! Kylie could be seen looking incredible in throwback footage which aired during the trailer Siblings: She appeared alongside her famous sister Kendall, (left), 25 'I'm terrified! I would never. They don't understand what good hair and makeup and, like, fillers, can really do.' When asked if she meant she had been relying on make-up tricks to get her look, Kylie replied: ''I mean, no. 't's fillers. I'm not denying that.' It's fair to say that KUWTK is set to have a very emotional ending. Kylie's sister Kim Kardashian, 40, could be seen crying as she and mother Kris, 65, told their camera crew the show was coming to an end,. 'I wouldn't leave you without some seriously ugly cry faces on our final 20th season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians,' Kim wrote to her 202 million followers on Thursday, adding that the special will premiere March 18 on E!. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close 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. LOS ANGELES, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) announced today that its data analytics work has been recognized as the most innovative among over 150 utilities across the U.S. and the world by the Utility Analytics Institute (UAI). The UAI praised SoCalGas' use of data analytics to increase safety, save money for its customers, improve customer service, help conserve energy, and cut greenhouse gas emissions. "We are honored to have been recognized for this award," said Gillian Wright, senior vice president and chief customer officer at SoCalGas. "The work our data analytics team does is innovative, progressive, forward-thinking and leads to solving the company's most complex business challenges. All of this is in support of SoCalGas' mission to become the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy company in America." "SoCalGas has made impressive contributions to data analytics within the utility industry," said Gina Weber, managing director at UAI. "Each winner of the UAI Excellence Awards was selected from a pool of talented individuals, teams and organizations and we congratulation them on this well-deserved recognition." Increased energy conservation is among the many benefits of SoCalGas' data analytics work. For example, the utility's data analytics team developed a way to identify customers who were less likely to conserve energy during a winter cold snap, allowing the company to target those households with reminders of the tools and information available to help them manage their natural gas use. This initiative is now saving these targeted customers over 300,000 therms of energy every year, reducing the bills of as many as 100,000 customers and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. These reductions are among the more than 36.5 million therms SoCalGas helped natural gas users conserve through energy efficiency last yearsaving customers more than $64 million and reducing carbon emissions linked to climate change by nearly 193,000 metric tons, the equivalent of taking 42,000 cars off the road for a year. SoCalGas is also using data analytics to increase the safety of its employees and customers, and the new safety challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic provide one example: Since the pandemic began, data analytics have allowed pinpoint accuracy in predicting the number and location of customer service orders, allowing for highly effective inventory management of Personal Protective Equipment as well as appropriate staffing at the 75 facilities across SoCalGas' 24,000 square mile service territory. The data analytics team is also working to keep employees safe by providing customer service technicians with data to help them avoid hazards. Each technician will soon be provided with notice of hazardous driving routes prone to accidents, Covid-19 case rates in various geographic areas, and reminders of special safety precautions and gear required for certain types of service calls. Preventing damage to gas pipelines is another way SoCalGas is using data analytics to increase safety. The company gathers construction permit data to gauge increased potential of gas line damage due to excavation. Areas where more construction permits are issued now receive additional reminders to have gas pipeline areas marked prior to any construction digging, along with other gas safety information. In another example, data analytics is allowing SoCalGas to drastically reduce vehicle trips to inspect gas meters, which both increases employee safety and reduces greenhouse gas emissions associated with driving. In-depth analysis of data from the company's Advance Meter technology can now accurately identify faulty meters without physical inspections. Every year, almost 50,000 inspection trips are avoided, leading to about 370,000 fewer miles driven, and saving 180 metric tons in carbon dioxide emissions per year. The UAI is a global consortium of over 160 member utilities and provides support to the industry with the goal of advancing utility transformation through analytics and digital innovation. To win the award, SoCalGas' Performance Management and Operational Strategy (PMOS) team underwent panel interviews and provided case studies to demonstrate the many innovative ways they have tackled complex business processes and problems across SoCalGas. Recently, SoCalGas announced its mission to build the cleanest, safest, and most innovative energy company in North America. More information on SoCalGas' mission and strategic priorities can be found at socalgas.com/mission. About SoCalGas Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians about 45 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants. SoCalGas' mission is to build the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy company in America, delivering affordable and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. In support of that mission, SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2015 through 2019, the company invested nearly $7 billion to upgrade and modernize its pipeline system to enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook. SOURCE Southern California Gas Company Related Links http://www.socalgas.com For decades the Defense Department has relied on covert and classified special operations troops to kick in doors and raid high-value targets around the world. The departments Inspector Generals Office now may be taking its first broad look at whether those shadowy strike forces committed war crimes along the way. The office sent a memo on Monday to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and to Special Operations Command, advising them it was beginning an inquiry into whether the forces overseen by the command, which include the Navy SEAL teams, the Armys Delta Force, Marine Raiders and other elite commandos, have programs in place to ensure they are following the law during combat, and whether they are reporting troops when those laws are broken. The four-paragraph memo, which was first reported by Task & Purpose, could have seismic repercussions in the special operations community, current and former commandos and military legal experts say. The Pentagon has come to rely heavily on special operations troops, who often conduct missions with little oversight, backed by a military and nation that often idolize the elite fighters. Accountability has at times been scant. Hundreds of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) members stayed put on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway on Friday as the crowd swelled there overnight, notwithstanding the Ghaziabad administration's ultimatum to vacate the UP Gate protest site. On a call of the BKU, more farmers from western Uttar Pradesh districts such as Meerut, Baghpat, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad and Bulandshahr reached the UP Gate by early morning to join the stir, even as the security forces at the protest site thinned out overnight. A confrontation was building up at the UP Gate in Ghazipur even as frequent power cuts were witnessed on Thursday evening at the protest site, where BKU members, led by Rakesh Tikait, are staying put since November 28 last year. Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey and Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani visited the protest site post midnight to review the situation there even as hundreds of security personnel in anti-riot gears were deployed since Thursday. Many of these personnel, including those from the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and the Rapid Action Force (RAF), left the protest site in the dead of the night following official instructions. Flanked by supporters at 1 am, Tikait remained at the centrestage of the protest site -- the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, which has been barricaded from both sides, prohibiting regular traffic movement. Around 500 protesters stayed put at the UP Gate with more pouring in from western Uttar Pradesh in the night on the call of the BKU, an influential farmers' union in north India. "Excess security force from the protest site has been withdrawn and only a minimal deployment of personnel remains there," a Ghaziabad police officer told PTI on the condition of anonymity. "Tension was building at the UP Gate due to an excessive deployment of security personnel since Thursday evening," he added. According to the officer, some BKU protestors were served notices under section 133 (removal of public nuisance) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) on Thursday. Several protesters waved the tricolour with some waving flags of farmer unions such as the Kisan Ekta Manch amid a continuous sloganeering of "jai jawan, jai kisan", while many of them were lying down on mattresses covered in blankets as they braved the bone-chilling cold and wind. "Zaroorat padhi to khade rehke dharna denge, tum dharne pe baithe rehne ki baat karte ho (I can protest while standing up and you are asking me whether I am going to continue my sit-in protest)," Jagat Singh Rathi, 78, said. With a muffler tied around his head and a stick in his hand for support while walking, the septuagenarian from Meerut said he has been at the BKU's protest since the agitation was launched on November 28 last year. Asked if he would vacate the protest site following the administration's communication, Rathi said, "(UP Gate) khaali nahi karenge. We have not seen any such order to vacate the protest site. When the Supreme Court has said farmers have a right to protest, then what? We will do it." Ankit Sahrawat, a farmer from Muzaffarnagar, said he reached the UP Gate early on Friday along with 40-50 people. "More farmers from western Uttar Pradesh districts will reach here. Everybody has condemned what happened in Delhi on Republic Day but now they have made Chaudhary sahab (Rakesh Tikait) cry. Unke aansu nikle hain, wo sahan nahi hoga (Farmers will not tolerate that Tikait had to shed tears)," Sahrawat, who is around 35 years of age, told reporters. The Ghaziabad administration made a "verbal" communication to the BKU on Thursday, giving it an "ultimatum" to leave the UP Gate by midnight, a move that came close on the heels of three farmer unions calling off their protest against three farm laws of the Centre over the violence in Delhi on January 26. "Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey has communicated to the protesters camping at the UP Gate at the Delhi border to vacate the spot by midnight or the administration will remove them," a district official told PTI. Thousands of farmers have been protesting at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, demanding a rollback of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The protesting farmers have expressed the apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations. However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture. (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.) Susan Iwamoto (L) watches her horse walk toward a trailer as residents of Williams Canyon prepare to evacuate in Orange County, Calif., on Jan. 28, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Williams Canyon Fire Victims Brace for Mudslides, Prepare to Evacuate in Orange County Residents of Williams Canyon are preparing to evacuate their community as potential mudslides caused by fierce rains threaten to destroy their homes and livestock in rural Orange County, California. At noon on Jan. 28, Orange County Sheriffs Department deputies drove through the canyon, urging residents to leave the area and blasting warnings of a voluntary evacuation over loudspeakers. We cannot wait until after the rain comes to get horses out or to get people out. Weve got to get out now, Susan Iwamoto, 56, told The Epoch Times. Were just trying to salvage what we can. On the afternoon of Jan. 28, Iwamoto said she and her husband, Wayne, 69, were in a race against time to save their horses, which were still traumatized from previous evacuations during the Bond Fire in December. We are actually hiring a transport, she said, as the couple loaded six horses into trailers. Were just paying somebody to get them all out at once, rather than making multiple trips down to Riverside with our horses. We literally have to use every minute we have to get ourselves out of here. Iwamotos home, along with much of the canyon community, was damaged by the early December fire. The blaze destroyed vegetation, making the soil less stable, and susceptible to mud flows and flooding. Weve literally been living in ash and soot since Dec. 2, Iwamoto said. We have an orchard that burned. There were about 60 trees here, and all of it burned. Pat Ogle operates a bulldozer to clear debris in Williams Canyon, Calif., on Jan. 28, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Scattered sandbags sit in the mud in Williams Canyon, Calif., on Jan. 28, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Sandi Dunn, 76, a neighbor, said she would likely heed the voluntary evacuation order. Its a good thing we have good neighbors to help each other out back here, she said. I have no idea if all this mud is just going to fill up my house or not. I dont know. Dunns son, Dane, of Coto de Caza, was at her home to help. Its crazy. The county wont even do anything. I had to rent a tractor just so my mom could get out of her own driveway, he said. Her other son, Morgan, lost his home in the December blaze. Resident Pat Ogle operated a front-end loader tractor to clear mud and debris away from homes. You have no way of knowing when the alerts are on out here, Ogle said. Last time, during the fires, they turned the power off, making things a lot more difficult. Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner told The Epoch Times on Jan. 28 that the county has been working to clear debris and has placed dumpsters in the canyons to help residents clear drainage areas. We realize that there are threats to the canyons and have been working for the last several months with canyon representatives of the canyon residents to clear debris, clear mud and culverts, and to get remedial supplies, like sandbags and wheat bales out there, he said. Weve been working very hard to protect them. Extreme Threats Joanne Hubblea former firefighter and county liaison involved in emergency planning, coordination, and communication for the East Orange County Canyon Communitiestold The Epoch Times that she expects the Orange County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to issue a mandatory evacuation order sometime this week. She said that in addition to Williams Canyon, both Wildcat Canyon and an area known as cabin land are also facing extreme threats from mudslides. Hubble said some high-risk areas are expecting about two inches of rain in a 12-hour window, between 4 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Jan. 29. She added that residents should be ready to evacuate at a moments notice, possibly in the middle of the night. People have boarded up windows and sandbagged around the base of their homes, she said. According to Hubble, the county has supplied 12,000 sandbags for protection, while the Inter-Canyon League, which she chairs, has donated about 500 wheat bales. The league has also trucked in other erosion-control equipment to help protect people and homes from debris flows. Susan Iwamoto leads her horse to a trailer in Williams Canyon, Calif., on Jan. 28, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Susan Iwamoto watches a trailer leave Williams Canyon as part of a voluntary evacuation due to expected flooding in Orange County, Calif., on Jan. 28, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Iwamoto is grateful for the sandbags, but said many have already been washed into the creek beds. She said more could have been done to protect homes and property, and expressed frustration that the Large Animal Rescue Team (LART) had not been activated. Hubble said LART is only activated once an emergency has been declared by the EOC and mandatory evacuations have been ordered. LART is only supposed to be a last resort. As a horse owner, youre supposed to be responsible for your own animals and have a plan ahead of time, Hubble said. LART is not supposed to be a hotel, lets say, or a taxi service for animals. She said on Jan. 27 that shed already had requests for the LART folks to come out and get animals. Im working on a list of equestrian centers that can take the animals for a few days that are local, without having to transport them down to a place like Los Alamitos or a place like Orange County Fairgrounds, which is what we had to do last time, when we had the Bond Fire, she said. On Jan. 28, Orange County Animal Care issued a press release advising residents of Williams, Silverado, and Modjeska canyons to move their pets before the rainfall arrives this evening. The release stated that the U.S. Geological Survey had warned of flash flood level rain capable of producing catastrophic debris flows. Hubble, who has lived in the canyon for more than 40 years, said she has been working with the Irvine Ranch Water District to repair the road that leads in and out of Williams Canyon. It is one way in and one way out, and a lot of the road is already damaged, she said, citing a previous flood in 2010 following another wildfire. A Jan. 28 federal Watershed Emergency Response Team (WERT) report on the Bond Fire stated that emergency planning, along with a clear understanding of the likely hazards, is critical if deaths, injuries, and/or property damage are to be avoided or minimized during future rain events. The Bond Fire started on Dec. 2 in Silverado Canyon and burned 6,681 acres (10.4 square miles). A total of 32 structures were destroyed, and another 21 damaged. The fire burned areas east of Irvine and Tustin, along the northwestern foothills and slopes of the Santa Ana Mountains, before being contained on Dec. 20. John Fredricks contributed to this report. Hopes of a summer holiday abroad this year have been thrown in doubt with the Government announcing those returning from overseas will have to pay to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days on their return. Several other countries are also expected to ban arrivals from the UK due to the large number of coronavirus cases here. All of this is likely to put many holidaymakers off from booking an overseas trip, even with plenty of developments likely between now and the summer. This means staycations are likely to be as popular as last year if not more so with holidaymakers making the most of the British summer and avoiding any foreign travel chaos. Travel: Devon is one of the most popular destinations for holidaymakers to visit this summer With so many looking to travel domestically this year, sightseers are being urged to book in advance. Research from Travelsupermarket has also revealed that popular destinations to head to this summer include Devon, Dorset and Yorkshire. This is Money spoke to a number of UK based holiday firms to see if they had seen bookings increase for the spring and summer months. Holidaycottages.co.uk said the post-Christmas rush to make bookings has been quieter this year due to current restrictions but it has seen a marked increase in demand for holidays since the end of last week. Bookings taken since 16 January are 85 per cent up compared to the previous week, whilst overall bookings from Easter onwards are currently 37 per cent ahead. This is a result of new bookings and deferred reservations from 2020 - of where they were at the same point last year. Devon, Cornwall and Wales are currently the most popular destinations people are considering for 2021, with half of all bookings taken since Saturday being for these locations, with summer the most popular period. Center Parcs, meanwhile, said there is still a good deal of uncertainty in the market which is making year on year comparisons very difficult. It is, however, seeing lots of interest and bookings for breaks later in the year. However, it said it does still expect to be operating with some kind of restricted occupancy when reopening in order to be able to maintain social distancing measures. All its guests are covered by a book with confidence guarantee which allows them to reschedule their break or receive a full refund if their breaks is impacted by Covid-19. Durdle Door in Dorset was a popular location for visitors last year and will likely be so again Forest Holidays said it is currently up 63 per cent of where it would expect to be for bookings in 2021. A lot of this, however, is due to rebooks and holiday moves from customers having their breaks cancelled in the previous year due to Covid-19. However, it has also seen increased demand on top of this. Top 10 destinations Travelsupermarket has revealed its top searched and booked destinations in the UK at the moment: 1. Devon 2. North Yorkshire 3. Cornwall 4. Cumbria 5. Gwynedd 6. Dyfed 7. Norfolk 8. Dorset 9. Powys 10. Derbyshire Therefore, breaks are booking up very quickly and it is already nearly full for the Easter holidays across all locations. Haven Holidays said that following the challenges that 2020 provided in terms of holidays it has seen guests looking to take a break on the British coast when lockdown is lifted. It has seen an uplift in bookings during the Autumn and early winter of 2020 which saw sales 40 per cent ahead of where they would normally be for the time of year. Haven parks will reopen to holidaymakers on Friday 12 March and it has already sold a third of its available holidays for 2021 with its May half term having sold over 50 per cent of available breaks. A spokesperson said: 'Whilst we have not yet experienced the pre-pandemic sales of last January, we have seen in the last week a significant increase in bookings, as guests look to gain from the early booking offers available and potentially showing confidence in the roll out of the vaccination program across the UK. 'We expect this trend to continue but also envisage that bookings will increase as lockdown measures are reduced. When this happened in 2020 we saw a 150 per cent increase in online bookings against the same period the previous year.' All Haven 2021 holidays are protected by the Haven Promise which includes a price promise refunding the difference should customers see the price of their holiday cheaper at a later date. It is unlikely many will be able to escape on a foreign holiday this year due to restrictions Hoseasons has also seen surging demand for domestic breaks over the last seven days with peak summer holiday bookings up 67 per cent week on week. Meanwhile, cottages.com saw bookings increase by 50 per cent in the same timeframe. Simon Altham , group chief commercial officer for Awaze, the parent company of both brands, said: 'It's no coincidence the spike we're seeing in demand for our breaks comes at the same time as greater restrictions are being considered for foreign travel. 'Our data clearly shows this uncertainty is leading people to lock in their UK break for the summer. 'We know from previous experience that demand for domestic holidays goes through the roof as soon as lockdown restrictions are lifted and it's safe to travel, so our advice to anyone looking for something specific is to book sooner rather than later to avoid disappointment.' Booking.com said its research showed that 47 per cent of people have confirmed they still plan to travel within their own country in seven to 12 months' time with 38 per cent planning to do so in the longer term A spokesperson said: 'There is no denying that last year was the year of staycations, and we expect this trend to continue over the coming months as travel restrictions are eased, particularly in light of the amazing vaccine news, which we've previously said is crucial in order for travel and the economy to fully recover. 'In a new coronavirus world, local travel has risen to the fore as it remains easier and safer.' Despite this, Kayak said demand for travel this spring and summer remain down year over year. However, searches for domestic accommodation over the summer are not as low as for spring travel. Data from Kayak shows searches made for domestic flights between 1 and 21 January 2021 for travel dates between 1 April and 30 June are down 88 per cent year over year. Searches made for domestic accommodation in the same time are also down 80 per cent year over year. Whilst searches remain down, research shows that travellers do have a pent up demand to get out there and travel as soon as restrictions are lifted. Kayak said it has seen this on a number of occasions as easing of restriction announcements are made, travel corridors announced or when the approval of the first vaccine was announced, flight searches increased. As restrictions ease, Kayak does expect people to start searching for travel and many of those will be looking to domestic destinations. CHICAGO, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Valentine's Day is a celebration of love. This year, in addition to the hugs and kisses kind, Eli's Cheesecake Bakery in Chicago will celebrate the love we feel for those who continue to keep us safe. For every I Heart Cheesecake* purchased, Eli's will donate a heart shaped cheesecake to front line workers at the John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, located on Chicago's southside. To order this beautiful white chocolate heart shaped cheesecake topped with whole raspberries, visit shop.elicheesecake.com. Heart throbbing desserts available to ship nationwide include a DIY Kit and more heart shaped desserts: * I Heart Cheesecake, a rich white chocolate heart shaped cheesecake topped with whole raspberries. $51.95 plus shipping. Eli's Valentine's Day DIY Dipper Decorating Kit: Who doesn't love food on a stick? This guaranteed family fun kit includes 6 frozen "naked" Original Plain cheesecake slices on sticks, Belgian chocolate for dipping, white chocolate for drizzling, three different kinds of sprinkles, candy hearts, a pastry bag for decorating, parchment paper, and an instruction sheet. *2 tbsp. vegetable oil required (not included). $45.95 plus shipping. Not the DIY type? Try Eli's ready made Dippers, decorated with pink and red nonpareils, edible pearls, and a red chocolate drizzle. Box of 7, $49.95 plus shipping. Eli's Valentine's Day Cheesecake Cuties, bite-sized squares of Original Plain Cheesecake, enrobed in bittersweet chocolate, each decorated with a festive heart confection brushed with edible gold dust or sprinkles. Enjoy frozen! Cuties are the ultimate "box of chocolates." $39.95 plus shipping. Nothing says "I love you" like Miniature Belgian Chocolate heart-shaped cheesecakes made with deep, rich Belgian chocolate, topped with a crunchy layer of chocolate and hazelnuts, dusted with imported cocoa. Box of 12, $49.95 plus shipping. In Chicago? Visit Eli's famous bakery for curbside delivery (6701 W. Forest Preserve Drive in Chicago). Order in advance: https://order.ehungry.com/Elis-Cheesecake or call 773-205-3800 to order or arrange local delivery. Valentine's Day specials include heart shaped chocolate cheesecake topped with raspberries for two, decorated heart cookies, miniature Belgian Chocolate Cheesecake Hearts, and more. All sweet treats from $5.00 - $24.99. Order Deadline: Standard Shipping: Order by February 11, 8am CT (Order will be delivered by 7pm on February 13). For high res images, visit: https://photos.app.goo.gl/qzyzPpDNN9NvrPZD6 About Eli's Cheesecake: In 1980, Eli Schulman declared cheesecake would be the signature dessert for his legendary Chicago steakhouse, Eli's The Place For Steak. His unconventional fast and hot baking method resulted in the creation of "Chicago style" cheesecake: a beautiful caramelization on the outside and a creamy consistency on the inside, baked on an all butter shortbread cookie crust. What began in his restaurant's kitchen has grown into one of the country's largest cheesecake and dessert bakeries, creating giant celebration cakes for special occasions ranging from Chicago's Birthday, Illinois' Bicentennial, and the inaugurations of Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama in Washington DC. Still a family owned business, all Eli's Cheesecakes are handmade at Eli's Cheesecake World, located on Chicago's Northwest side. Eli's attributes its success to a strong commitment to quality, empowering its workforce and following Eli Schulman's mantras "Charity will never bust you," and "Treat others as if you were the other." SOURCE Eli's Cheesecake The European Medicines Agency has given the green light fo the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to be bused for all adults above 18 meaning Ireland to increase vaccination but not by as much as anticipated because of supply problems. The EMA has recommended granting conditional marketing authorisation for use to prevent coronavirus in people from 18 years of age. This is the third COVID-19 vaccine that EMA has recommended for authorisation. The agency says its human medicines committee (CHMP) has thoroughly assessed the data on the quality, safety and efficacy of the vaccine and recommended by consensus a formal conditional marketing authorisation be granted by the European Commission. The EMA says this will assure EU citizens that the vaccine meets EU standards and puts in place the safeguards, controls and obligations to underpin EU-wide vaccination campaigns. With this third positive opinion, we have further expanded the arsenal of vaccines available to EU and EEA member states to combat the pandemic and protect their citizens, said Emer Cooke, Executive Director of EMA. As in previous cases, the CHMP has rigorously evaluated this vaccine, and the scientific basis of our work underpins our firm commitment to safeguard the health of EU citizens, it said. The news is tinged by the news that Ireland is expected to receive 300,000 fewer doses of the vaccine as a result of a shortfall in deliveries to the EU. About 600,000 doses were due to be delivered by the end of March. Instead of 1.4 million vaccinations being delivered to Ireland in total for the first quarter, there is likely to be 1.1 million doses. A total of 3.3 million Covid-19 vaccines have been ordered by Ireland from the UK company. The Government's target of vaccinating 700,000 people by the end of March was contingent on the arrival of 600,000 AstraZeneca doses. The vaccine will be administered largely by GPs and pharmacists because it can be stored in a normal fridge. The EMA says ombined results from four clinical trials in the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa showed that COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca was safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 in people from 18 years of age. These studies involved around 24,000 people altogether. It says half received the vaccine and half were given a control injection, either a dummy injection or another non-COVID vaccine. People did not know if they had been given the test vaccine or the control injection. The EMA says the safety of the vaccine has been demonstrated across the four studies. However, the Agency based its calculation of how well the vaccine worked on the results from study COV002 (conducted in the UK) and study COV003 (conducted in Brazil). It says the other two studies had fewer than six COVID-19 cases in each, which was not enough to measure the preventive effect of the vaccine. In addition, as the vaccine is to be given as two standard doses, and the second dose should be given between 4 and 12 weeks after the first, the Agency concentrated on results involving people who received this standard regimen. These showed a 59.5% reduction in the number of symptomatic COVID-19 cases in people given the vaccine (64 of 5,258 got COVID-19 with symptoms) compared with people given control injections (154 of 5,210 got COVID-19 with symptoms). This means that the vaccine demonstrated around a 60% efficacy in the clinical trials. The vaccine will not be given to people aged 65 and over in Germany. While the EMA said most of the participants in these studies were between 18 and 55 years old, it added there are not yet enough results in older participants (over 55 years old) to provide a figure for how well the vaccine will work in this group. However, the EMA says protection is expected among older people, given that an immune response is seen in this age group and based on experience with other vaccines; as there is reliable information on safety in this population, EMAs scientific experts considered that the vaccine can be used in older adults. More information is expected from ongoing studies, which include a higher proportion of elderly participants. The EMA says the vaccine AstraZeneca is given as two injections into the arm, the second between 4 to 12 weeks after the first. The most common side effects with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca were usually mild or moderate and got better within a few days after vaccination. The most common side effects are pain and tenderness at the injection site, headache, tiredness, muscle pain, general feeling of being unwell, chills, fever, joint pain and nausea. The EMA says the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine will continue to be monitored as it is used across the EU, through the EU pharmacovigilance system and additional studies by the company and by European authorities. EMA EXPLAINER ON THE ASTRA ZENECA VACCINE Where to find more information The product information approved by the CHMP for COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca contains prescribing information for healthcare professionals, a package leaflet for members of the public and details of conditions of the vaccines authorisation. An assessment report with details of EMAs evaluation of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and the full risk management plan will be published within days. Clinical trial data submitted by the company in the application for marketing authorisation will be published on the Agencys clinical data website in due course. More information is available in an overview of the vaccine in lay language, including a description of the vaccines benefits and risks and why EMA recommended its authorisation in the EU. How COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca works COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is expected to work by preparing the body to defend itself against infection with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. This virus uses proteins on its outer surface, called spike proteins, to enter the bodys cells and cause disease. COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is made up of another virus (of the adenovirus family) that has been modified to contain the gene for making the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The adenovirus itself cannot reproduce and does not cause disease. Once it has been given, the vaccine delivers the SARS-CoV-2 gene into cells in the body. The cells will use the gene to produce the spike protein. The persons immune system will treat this spike protein as foreign and produce natural defences antibodies and T cells against this protein. If, later on, the vaccinated person comes into contact with SARS-CoV-2, the immune system will recognise the virus and be prepared to attack it: antibodies and T cells can work together to kill the virus, prevent its entry into the bodys cells and destroy infected cells, thus helping to protect against COVID-19. Conditional marketing authorisation The European Commission will now fast-track the decision-making process to grant a decision on the conditional marketing authorisation for COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, allowing vaccination programmes to be rolled out across the EU. EU legislation foresees that conditional marketing authorisation (CMA) is used as the fast-track authorisation procedure to speed up approval of treatments and vaccines during public health emergencies. A CMA guarantees that the vaccine meets rigorous EU standards for safety, efficacy and quality and is manufactured and controlled in approved, certified facilities in line with high pharmaceutical standards that are compatible with large-scale commercialisation. CMAs allow for the authorisation of medicines that fulfil an unmet medical need on the basis of less complete data than normally required. This happens if the benefit of a medicine or vaccines immediate availability to patients outweighs the risk inherent in the fact that not all the data are yet available. However, the data must show that the benefits of the medicine or vaccine outweigh any risks. Once a CMA has been granted, AstraZeneca must provide further data from ongoing studies within pre-defined deadlines to confirm that the benefits continue to outweigh the risks. The company will also carry out studies to provide additional assurance on the pharmaceutical quality of the vaccine following the scaling-up of the manufacturing. Monitoring the safety of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca In line with the EUs safety monitoring plan for COVID-19 vaccines, COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca will be closely monitored and subject to several activities that apply specifically to COVID-19 vaccines. Although large numbers of people have received COVID-19 vaccines in clinical trials, certain side effects may only emerge when millions of people are vaccinated. Companies are required to provide monthly safety reports in addition to the regular updates required by legislation and conduct studies to monitor the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines as they are used by the public. In addition, independent studies of COVID-19 vaccines coordinated by EU authorities will give more information on the vaccines long-term safety and benefit in the general population. These measures will allow regulators to swiftly assess data emerging from a range of different sources and take appropriate regulatory action to protect public health if needed. Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca During the assessment COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, the CHMP had the support of EMAs safety committee, PRAC, who assessed the risk management plan of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, and the COVID-19 EMA pandemic task force (COVID-ETF), a group that brings together experts from across the European medicines regulatory network to facilitate rapid and coordinated regulatory action on medicines and vaccines for COVID-19. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Professor Brian MacCraith said Ireland will receive 300,000 fewer doses of the Covid-19 jab in the first three months of this year due to supply issues with the AstraZeneca vaccine (Michelle Devane/PA) Ireland will receive 300,000 fewer doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the first three months of this year due to supply issues with the AstraZeneca jab, the head of the national vaccination taskforce has confirmed. Professor Brian MacCraith told an Oireachtas committee that Ireland now expects 1.1 million doses of vaccines to be delivered by the end of March, rather than the original 1.4 million. It means that 550,000 people can be vaccinated in that period about 150,000 fewer than the Governments 700,000 target. Prof MacCraith added that there is no certainty over the supply of vaccines from April onwards. We're sticking to the principle of administering vaccines as soon as they arrive Professor Brian MacCraith We have a level of confidence for this quarter, he said, adding that that confidence has been dented due to the AstraZeneca production issues. The assurances we had received indicated 1.4 million doses across AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna. The simple calculation, given theyre all dual doses, leads to 700,000 people being vaccinated. However, as we learned in recent days, AZ has indicated a significant drop. So that 1.4 million doses has dropped to just above 1.1 million doses. Prof MacCraith said he expects the drop in the delivery of the AstraZeneca vaccine to be a 50% reduction in the next two months. The totality for quarter one now is 286,000, when we have been planning on expecting 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca, he said. So that gives you that approximate 50% reduction. But he added that those figure may change again depending on the outcome of the negotiations between AstraZeneca and the European Commission, and depending on deliveries of other vaccines. As of January 27, a total of 161,500 vaccines have been administered to long-term care home residents and staff and frontline healthcare workers. TDs and senators were told that an average of 48,000 doses of vaccine have been administered per week over the past three weeks. We're right to the edge of the supply that's available. There are no vaccines resting in the fridges or freezers in any given week Professor Brian MacCraith Were sticking to the principle of administering vaccines as soon as they arrive, Prof MacCraith said. Were right to the edge of the supply thats available. There are no vaccines resting in the fridges or freezers in any given week. Prof MacCraith and representatives from the HSE appeared before the Health Committee on Friday to provide an update on the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines. TDs and senators were told that the HSE is working towards providing daily updates on the vaccination rollout, but no fixed date for these was given. The HSEs lead for the vaccination plan and workforce, David Walsh, said he does not know how many care residents and staff of care homes have yet to be vaccinated. He told the committee there are 117 nursing homes where substantial numbers could not be vaccinated because they were either ill or had been ill within four weeks of the doses being administered. He also said there are 400 residents and staff of four nursing homes who have not been vaccinated on public health advice due to the severity of Covid-19 outbreaks. Under the Governments plan, all residents and staff at nursing homes were due to be vaccinated by last Sunday. Carey Mulligan made headlines earlier this week after reacting to an apology from Variety over a Promising Young Woman review that she believed implied she wasnt hot enough for the role, and now the critic responsible for the review, Dennis Harvey, is speaking out and defending himself. Harvey spoke to The Guardian, telling the publication that he feels he is being unfairly mischaracterized as a sexist. I did not say or even mean to imply Mulligan is not hot enough for the role, he said. Im a 60-year-old gay man. I dont actually go around dwelling on the comparative hotnesses of young actresses, let alone writing about that. Harvey continued that he is appalled to be tarred as misogynist, which is something very alien to my personal beliefs or politics. This whole thing could not be more horrifying to me than if someone had claimed I was a gung-ho Trump supporter. The writer originally came under fire after Mulligan called out this particular paragraph in his review: Mulligan, a fine actress, seems a bit of an odd choice as this admittedly many-layered apparent femme fatale. Margot Robbie is a producer here, and one can (perhaps too easily) imagine the role might once have been intended for her. Whereas with this star, Cassie wears her pickup-bait gear like bad drag; even her long blonde hair seems a put-on. What I was attempting to write about was the emphasis in the film and [Mulligans] performance on disguise, role-playing and deliberate narrative misdirection, Harvey explained. Nor was bringing up Margot Robbie meant to be any comparison in personal appearance. Robbie is a producer on the film, and I mentioned her just to underline how casting contributes to the films subversive content a star associated with a character like Harley Quinn [Robbies Suicide Squad character] might raise very specific expectations, but Mulligan is a chameleon and her very stylized performance keeps the viewer uncertain where the story is heading. I assumed that filmmakers who created such a complex, layered movie wouldnt interpret what I wrote as some kind of simpleminded sexism, he continued. And while Carey Mulligan is certainly entitled to interpret the review however she likes, her projection of it suggesting shes not hot enough is, to me, just bizarre. Im sorry she feels that way. But Im also sorry thats a conclusion she would jump to, because its quite a leap. Its nice to hear that Harveys intentions were not to compare Mulligans looks to Robbies or imply that a hotter actress would more believably be able to lure predatory men into her trap. (Again, just to reiterate, one out of every six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime you dont need to be hot to encounter a sexual predator.) But his review did a poor job of articulating that. The fact that most people (to be fair, us included) assumed that a man talking about two actresses suitability for a role was comparing their physical appearance is perhaps a reminder of how prevalent that sort of casual sexism is in society; weve heard that sort of thing a million times before, and so we assumed we were hearing it again. He may not be a misogynist, but Harvey bears the responsibility for that confusion, along with his editors at Variety who failed to help him clearly get his point across. Hes not simply guilty of bad writing, though; one of the most frustrating, problematic parts of his review has been overshadowed by the Mulligan/Robbie debate. As he sets up the movies premise, he writes, Once a week or so, she dresses to the nines, goes out to a club, and is found passing-out-drunk there by some man who pretends to be helping her, but only wants to take advantage of a woman clearly not in full, consensual control. When he inevitably gets very frisky, she suddenly turns out to be the stone-sober deliverer of a message that will make him think hard before ever attempting such predatory hijinks again. For one, that passage isnt entirely true. Mulligans character is not dressed to the nines in every club scene, and in fact the movie goes out of its way to vary her style of dress in each of these scenes to drive home the point that rape can happen to anyone, regardless of who they are or what they were wearing. In fact, its entire opening sequence features Mulligan dressed in business-casual attire, looking like she just came to the club straight from her respectable office job. But its that second sentence that feels particularly egregious for the way it minimizes the gravity of a man attempting to have sex with an incapacitated woman. Words like frisky and hijinks imply a certain level of playful, harmless mischief certainly not rape, which is what hes describing. Language like that only helps to perpetuate the boys will be boys attitude that has for so long been used to excuse the vile behavior of sexual predators, and even if Harvey didnt intend it to come off that way, he needs to be held accountable for it. And so do his editors. Subscribe here for our free daily newsletter. The post Lets Make Sure Were Mad About That Variety Review of Promising Young Woman for the Right Reasons appeared first on InsideHook. U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) asks questions during testimony before the House Intelligence Committee in the Longworth House Office Building in Washington, on Nov. 13, 2019. (Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images) Lawmaker Urges NY AG, DOJ to Subpoena Cuomos Office Over Handling of CCP Virus Pandemic Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) is demanding answers after a new report revealed New York state health officials underreported COVID-19-related nursing home deaths by as much as 50 percent in some places. The New York House member characterized the revelations as a massive corruption and coverup scandal at the highest level of New York State Government. She blamed the Governor, the Secretary to the Governor, the New York State Health Commissioner, and the Governors staff for the worrisome findings, which also revealed that some nursing homes did not comply with infection control protocols and had placed residents at increased risk of harm. Every New Yorker deserves transparency, accountability, and answers regarding the orchestration of this illegal coverup, Stefanik said in a statement. Stefanik is now urging New York Attorney General Letitia James and the Justice Department to issue subpoenas to the administration of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, for documentation and communications related to his handling of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. The 76-page report (pdf) was released on Jan. 28 following an investigation into nursing homes responses during the pandemic over allegations of patient neglect and other conduct. Preliminary data from the investigation suggests that many nursing home residents had died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP Virus, in the hospital after they were transferred from their nursing homes. These cases were not reflected in the states Department of Healths (DOH) published total nursing home death data. The attorney general office compared data from 62 nursing homes, which represents 10 percent of the total facilities in New York, reported to its office, to data reported to DOH. The investigation also found that some nursing homes underreported their resident deaths occurring in nursing homes to DOH. The OAG found that nursing home resident deaths appear to be undercounted by DOH by approximately 50 percent, the attorney generals office release stated. The COVID-related nursing home deaths have been a focal point for Cuomos handling of the pandemic. He has repeatedly pushed back against assertions that his policy played any role in the deaths. The report is expected to trigger more scrutiny over Cuomos policies and handling of nursing homes amid new cases of the virus across the state and country. While we cannot bring back the individuals we lost to this crisis, this report seeks to offer transparency that the public deserves and to spur increased action to protect our most vulnerable residents, James said in a statement on Thursday. Many critics have pointed to Cuomos decision to order recovering nursing home patients to be returned to the facilities to free up hospital bed space for the increased number of nursing home deaths. Cuomowho has touted his administrations response to the pandemichas often rejected the suggestions that his policy led to an increase in deaths. His office did not respond to an earlier request for comment by The Epoch Times about the report. Earlier this month, Cuomo and the state were accused of illegally hiding basic information about a public health crisis, by not disclosing the total of coronavirus deaths in New York nursing homes for another two months, until March 22. The DOH had postponed Empire Centers August request for information under the Freedom of Information Law three times. This prompted a lawsuit, with the organization arguing the department had no valid reason for withholding the requested data. The department had told the organization that it could not immediately turn over the documents because a diligent search for responsive documents is still being conducted. According to state data as of this week, approximately 70 percent of New York states roughly 35,000 deaths from the CCP virus were among people aged 70 or older. Jack Phillips contributed to this report. 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. Queenslands police commissioner says officers are looking into the full history of the 17-year-old accused driver charged over the deaths of a young Brisbane bayside couple, to see whether the tragedy could have been prevented. But Commissioner Katarina Carroll has reiterated that media reports the teenager was out on bail at the time of the incident are not an accurate description of the situation. A vigil was held at the intersection where the couple died. Credit:Toby Crockford Asked at a media conference on Friday whether she and her officers were frustrated that juveniles were committing offences while on bail, Ms Carroll said the media needed to get the facts right. Im constrained in talking about the individual, obviously, because they are a juvenile, and their criminal matters were dealt with some time ago, she said. INDUSTRY INSIGHT Getting started with TIC 3.0 Government agencies are constantly working to meet the expectations of a workforce that requires simple, secure and scalable access to data and applications. These needs have increased exponentially over the course of 2020 due to the pandemic and the new normal of remote work. With the current situation expected to continue well through 2021, it is important for IT teams at federal agencies to understand and embrace the latest guidance laid out by Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) 3.0. Years ago, when TIC guidance was originally introduced, the focus was on establishing and tightening perimeter security for government agencies. The belief was that there were simply too many access points into and out of government networks, creating untold security risks. The idea was to collapse these into fewer entry and egress points and then fortify the ones that remained. While this seemed like the correct roadmap at one point, it failed to take into consideration just how quickly organizational traffic patterns would change, long before the pandemic hit. Since the initial framework, cloud computing and remote access have become widely deployed, meaning that TIC architecture had to evolve to more efficiently support these use cases. Understanding the new framework TIC 3.0 takes a major step toward allowing government agencies to utilize the same technologies available in the private sector. The new framework provides guidance that enables reliable and secure cloud access, branch office connectivity, and a high-quality remote user experience. These are all critical elements to the modern way of working -- and were previously difficult to roll out at agencies trying to adhere to the 2.0 guidelines. In short, TIC 3.0 helps eliminate the barriers to cloud adoption. TIC 3.0 recognizes that there are different types of internet traffic, with different purposes, priorities and risks. TIC 2.0 tried to push all traffic through a single access point, creating unnatural traffic patterns that slowed down performance and responsiveness, hurting the employee and/or citizen experience. TIC 3.0 fixes this problem, recognizing the need to account for multiple and diverse architectures and ways of working. TIC 3.0 allows for distributing security enforcement to different locations along the network, as long as the deployed protections maintain a commensurate level of defense based on the agencys (and traffics) risk. Security capabilities, or policy enforcement points, can be installed closer to the data, rather than forcing the rerouting of data to specific areas. This is where TIC 3.0s understanding that there are different types of traffic (and different risks associated with each) becomes important. Many have asked: How can an organization validate that it is TIC 3.0 ready? Unfortunately, theres currently no easy answer. TIC 3.0 is non-prescriptive, in order to create flexibility. With TIC 2.0, validation was easy. The goal was to pass all traffic through the same access point. If agencies did that, they were successfully following the guidelines. With 3.0, agencies are required to self-attest on their adherence to the framework. It is up to the specific governmental entity to determine the risk level for its internet traffic and make the correct decisions. Agencies must ask themselves: What types of traffic are coming into and leaving the network and what security is in place to match it? Getting started With TIC 3.0, government agencies can avoid the inherent inefficiencies and performance constraints of traditional hub-and-spoke network architectures, providing better service quality and user experiences through cloud applications and services. To realize the benefits of the new framework, however, agencies should start with a few main steps: 1. Understand employees needs What types of technologies and services do employees need to do their jobs successfully? Do they need a mix of cloud-based services and mobile device capabilities? What are the most critical services that the network must deliver to ensure employees are successful in their mission? Agencies should review how their employees work -- or should be working -- and evaluate the available resources to empower them. Agencies have probably already done some work in this area, given the pandemic and the shift to remote work. Are things working as planned? Are there improvements that can be made? Now that were nine-plus months into the remote-working lifestyle, its a great time to audit the setup, get feedback and plan to make adjustments. If a work-from-home schematic was rapidly rolled out when the pandemic hit, its a good time for agencies to ensure the architecture reflects the latest TIC 3.0 guidance. 2. Understand constituents needs End users expect services to be delivered quickly and efficiently without interruption. This is true of any end user, but even more so of citizens. Have agencies providing user-facing services been doing so successfully? Is the traffic getting to and from the network efficiently and securely -- and are folks satisfied? Are there areas where the traffic flow or response time can be improved? Were there any problems when the pandemic hit with bandwidth or providing service? Taking a moment to review the actual -- and expected future -- needs of end users can help ensure that any changes are made while keeping their overall experience in mind. 3. Understand traffic and levels of risk A large part of TIC 3.0 is that it leaves it up to the agency to self-audit its traffic and determine where there is risk and where there is not. The framework now understands that there is traffic of differing levels of importance -- say, for example, an inter-agency team meeting taking place over Zoom vs. an encrypted set of plans being shared over email. The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. Joining my future: Art/Work, Inequality and Crisis Joining my future: Art/Work, Inequality and Crisis. Credit:Christo Crocker Being an artist is difficult, but theres a certain privilege to decrying art world structures from the inside. Joining my future: Art/Work, Inequality and Crisis exemplifies how more weighty observations, and well-conceived works, can come from artists finding alternative pathways. The shows eight pieces come from artists involved with the art organisations Outer Urban Projects, The Social Studio and Youthworx. Joseph Samarani, Damian Seddon and Ruci Kaisila use video to explore creation and culture during COVID-19. Nancy Oziya and Muhubo Sulieman have created brilliant textile works that are accompanied by photographs by Teva Cosic capturing the women at work. An interview-style two-channel video, created by eight artists, speaks of producing art in the midst of climate change, a pandemic and rampant capitalism. In one particularly poignant moment an artist from Fiji mentions how the songs her family sings are connected to culture and place; but what happens when climate change alters the place? Will the songs change to reflect this new environment? Until February 27; Bus Projects, Collingwood Arts Precinct, 35 Johnston Street, Collingwood, 9995 8359, busprojects.org.au * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! MOTORISTS are being advised that a section of the M7 motorway on the outskirts of Limerick city has been closed following what has been described as a 'serious' a road collision. The incident occurred on the northbound carriageway near Junction 28 (Castletroy) shortly before 9.30pm this Thursday. Exact details of what occurred remain unclear, but it has been confirmed that a section of road is likely to remain closed for a number of hours. #LIMERICK M7 eastbound closed due to serious collision. More here: https://t.co/ipFDM8svNY AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) January 28, 2021 Five units of Limerick Fire and Rescue from Mulgave Street station are in attendance along with gardai and paramedics from the National Ambulance Service. It's not known if there have been any serious injuries. 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. Home > 2021 > How Aakar Patel Under-Read The Character of Hindu Rashtra? A Review Article (...) by Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd Our Hindu Rashtra: What It Is. How We Got Here by Aakar Patel Westland Publication, 2020 Pages 368 Price 699 Aakar Patel starts his timely and well-researched book Our Hindu Rashtra: What It Is. How We Got Here with a sentence Majoritarianism is primitive and easy to do. He surmises that establishment of Hindu Rashtra, which has only one meaning, that a Kshatriya king should rule the Hindu Rashtra under the supervision of a Brahmin head priest. Such a Hindu Rashtra was in existence in Nepal till abolition of monarchy in 2008. According to him India had no Varna-Dharmik Hindu Rashtra for a long time in history, therefore, it is not possible to establish it now. It is true that unlike Nepal, which is a small state and fully hegemonic Brahmin-Kshatriya forces with small non-tribal population, India was very vast and never had any one ruler with his/her Brahmin guru/priest ruling entire India. However, we must not also forget that most of the princely states that existed till 1947 were Hindu Rashtras. Wherever Muslim rulers, like Hyderabad and Junagdh, were in power they were basically theological in nature and by administrative and ideological apparatus. The prototype of Hindu Rashtra ideology goes back to Chandra Gupta Maurya and Kautilya period. When Chandra Gupta refused to follow the directions of Kautilya who was his head priest and Prime Minister, he resigned from his positions and wrote Arthashastra, which is a fundamental source of the statecraft of Hindu Rashtra. Arthashastra is a book of varna dharma and dandaneeti. It does not allow a Shudra king to rule without getting kshatriyahood in a ritual ceremony under a Brahmin head priest, who later assumes the Prime Minister position and controls the king. From the mighty Shivaji to Baroda Maharaja, who could not give a house to Ambedkar in Baroda along with job, with a fear of Brahmin guru, were under such Brahmin priesthood spell. The Indian Shudras never got out of the view that Brahmin is Bhoodevata. The Shudras surrendered consciousness that the idea of Hindu Rashtra is in operation in a very different form even now. The idea of Hindu majority would not sustain if the Shudras reject the Brahmin authority. Or even if Shudras claim the right to priesthood by rejecting the hierarchical control of varna dharma the idea of Hindu Rashtra gets rejected forever. The institutional operation of Hindu Rashtra to some degree has been in operation in India through Hindu temple system and ritualism under the complete control of the Brahmins even after 1947. The fundamental reason why Sardar Vallabai Patel was sidelined from becoming the first Prime Minister of India was that as Shudra he would not be accepted by the Hindu Brahmin ritual system. A Brahmin, whatever could be his ideology, would be accepted, and thus Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was agreed upon. Let us not forget that Mahatma Gandhi was also a strict follower of varna dharma. He too did not like a Shudra to become the first Prime Minister. Even in Nepal, inspite of the fact that it is being ruled by the communist conglamoration, only Brahmins beccome the Prime Minister. This is also one of the basic characteristics of the Hindu Rastra. The RSS/BJP combine is tightening the Dwija control over the Indian state and civil society after they came to power. A full scale Hindu Rastra is not meant for only to supress Muslims but also to set back the Shudra/Dalit/Adivasi masses to the classical casteist status. Caste is the critical structure in Hinduism as a religion and Hindu Rastra as a state system. Aakar Patels main thesis is that the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sanghs idea of Hindu Rashtra is nothing but isolation and marginalization of Muslims by consoliding Hindu majoritarianism. But in varna terms who constitute this majority? What is the place of Shudras who constitute both according to 1931 census and B.P Mandal commission report 52 per cent of the total population? Apart from Shudras 18 per cent Dalits and 7.5 Muslims are treated as part of majoritarianism that the RSS constructed. Aakar Patels majoritarianism also includes them. The notion of majoritarianism combining Shudras/Dalis/Adivasis and Dwijas has been used not just now for a long time in post-colonial India. Aakar Patel does not see any other form of Hindu Rashtra getting operationalized by RSS/BJP with electoral democracy and the present constitution being in place. According to him no Kshatriya dynasty rule with a Brahmin priesthood will be possible now. Any other theocratic experimentation by the RSS/BJP also will not work as the theocratic experiments in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Srilanka and Myanmar around India did not succeed and the RSS/BJP leaders know that. Hence the civil society should work to safeguard the interests of Muslims, is his conclusion. After a promising start, Aakar Patel just left his varna dharma structured Hindu Rashtra analysis there and preemptively moved on to establish that it is not possible to establish Hindu Rashtra in India now given the post-colonial secular constitution and pre-colonial non-existence of Kshatriya-Brahmin Hindu Rashtra. The pre-colonial Indian state because of British rule and Mughal or Muslim rule earlier to that for a long time, the Hindu Rashtra structure got dismantled, hence it cannot be brought back now. He is mostly silent about Shudra/OBC/Dalit/Adivasi marginalization by the Dwija forces within the structure of Hindu majoritarianism. He does not notice the increasing marginalization of Shudra/Dalit/Adivasis after the RSS/BJP came to power in 2014. Particularly as an intellectual who has come from the Patidar Shudra agrarian community from Gujarat he should have seen the present status of Shudras in the Hindu spiritual system over which the RSS/BJP have a lot of control now. Why did Patel not think that Shudras who are the main productive force in our agrarian sector and who are completely under the control of Dwija hegemony have seen what their fate is in the present form of Hindu Rashtra, which made farm laws that cut their jaws and make them toothless? Majoritarianism of Hindutva would be what is only when the Shudras remain under the control of Dwijas, mainly Brahmins. Even the present process of isolation and attack on Muslims became possible with the uncritical consent that Shudrasincluding Patels, Jats, Yadav, Marathas, Gujjars, Kammas, Reddys, Lingayats, Vokkaligas, Naikars, Mudaliayars, Nairs, apart from the whole range of Other Backward Classesgave to the Dwija bhadralok. Right from the inception of RSS there was no Shudra leader in the formulation of its ideology, or heading its organizational structure. Savarkar, Hedgewar, Golwalkar to Mohan Bhagwat all were Brahmins. In between once Rajendra Singh (popularly known as Rajju Bhaiyya) and Kshatriya lead the RSS. The theory formulation, organizational control, the programmatic agendas and the tactics of the Hindutva movement are worked out by the Brahmin leaders and the Shudra muscle power is deployed against minorities. The Shudra realization is the key in this majoritarian agendas. Unless they challange Brahminism Hindu Rastra would keep operating in different forms and degrees. At least in the Indian National Congress Sardar Vallabai Patel was visible and in the communist movement Puchalapally Sundarayya was visible, though Brahmins and Baniyas played most critical roles in formulating their ideologies too. In the RSS ranks we cannot see even one visible Shudra. Why did Shudras go with that majoritarian construction and its operations? All along only Brahmins headed the RSS but the Shudras lent their muscle power to sustain their majoritarianism. Is it because the Shudras also have grouse against the Muslims? If there is a grouse how to solve it without driving them into communal carnages. Of course, there is a need for a major reform in the Muslim community in India. The main fear of Dwijas, however, is that the Shudra/OBC/Dalit/Adiavsis should be kept away from Muslim culture because they fear that these forces might become Muslim, as it happened in Pakistan and Bangladesh in the undivided India. Unlike many other writers and journalists Patel knows the status of Shudras in institutional Hindu religion now and also historically. He himself comes from Shudra background and the only one, as far as I know, good at writing both in English and Gujarati and knows the caste systems very well. In such an important book he did not examine what is the nature of this Hindu majoritarianism within? Where do Shudras, Dalits and Adivasis stand in Hinduism and Hindutva? The Shudras do not have a right to become priests in the Hindu temples and cannot become the head of the RSS. The only thing that the Shudras could overcome in the present constitutional democratic system is that they do not have to take to Ksatriyahood with a Brahmin blessing, when they hold positions of power in the state. After the RSS/BJP came to power at Delhi in North India the regional parties headed by the Shudra leaders have been thrown out of power. In Delhi central Government not a single Shudra leader is visible. Even within Gujarat after Modi came to power in 2012 the Patels were set aside in all major structures of power. The Baniyas control everything capital, politics and the Brahmins control the religion. The Gujarat model is extended to Delhi now. The deconstruction of majoritarian violence essentially depends on the Shudra realization and they must initiate a fight within. Till then Muslims will not be safe nor does secularism comeback in any meaningful form. However, Aakar Patels book initiates a new discourse about the direction of Hindutva movement. This period of RSS/BJP rule Indian democracy will definitely undergo a change. The Shudra/OBC/Dalit/Adivasis will slowly realize that the Dwija Bhadralok consisting of Brahmins, Banias, Ksatriyas, Kayashtas and Khatris formed a formidable and highly English educated bhdralok. Apart from Savarkar, Hedgewar and Golwalkar (all Brahmins) and Swami Vivekananda (Kayastha) are the bedrock of their ideology. Now Mahatma Gandhi Gandhi is also being roped into their ideological leadership. Recently J.K Bajaj wrote a book on Gandhi, Making of a Hindu Patriot, and Mohan Bhagwat released it in Sabarmati Ashram as part of that larger plan. There is no single Shudra thinker in their list. One hopes that Aakar Patel will write another book on the Shudra status in the wheel of Hindutva majoritarianism. (The author is a political theorist, with an upcoming new book The Shudras Vision for a New Path co-edited with Karthik Raja Karuppusamy (Penguin) Karachi, Jan 29 : Iran-backed militant group Zainabiyoun Brigade, which has been making inroads into Pakistan through the Pakistan-Iran border, has started to show its footprints in the country. In a recent event, Pakistan's Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has arrested two militants of the Zainabioyoun Brigade militant group, who the authorities say were nabbed in connection with a string of killings in the six years up to 2013. CTD chief Omar Shahid confirmed that both the militants had received training in Iran. He also confirmed that the arrests were made in December last year from Karachi after the department received intelligence inputs about the whereabouts of the militants. This is the second big catch of Zainabiyoun Brigade militants in Pakistan after the country's law enforcement agencies intensified their crackdown against Shia militant groups, which have been involved in spreading sectarian violence in Pakistan besides sending the youth to fight abroad. "The arrests followed police and intelligence agencies' investigations into the killing of a cleric, Maulana Adil Khan, in Karachi two months ago," said Shahid said. The CTD confirmed that two militants "associated with the Agha Hasan group of Sipah-e-Muhammad's Zainabiyoun Brigade had been arrested from Karachi's Orangi neighborhood". Further investigations into the case revealed that the group was involved in the killing of two high profile clerics in Karachi. In February 2020, the CTD had arrested two Zainabiyoun Brigade terror suspects during an intelligence-based operation near Siemens Chowrangi in Karachi. One of the arrested suspects, Syed Kamran Haider Zaidi, was associated with the Zainabiyoun Brigade and was actively working in sending Pakistanis to fight in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad's regime. It was revealed that Zaidi had fought alongside al-Assad's forcer before returning to Pakistan. Both militants admitted to have received training in Parachinar and Kurram tribal districts of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province and had been involved in sectarian killings in Karachi. It is pertinent to mention that pro-Shia militant groups operating in Pakistan have been transporting militants into Syria. A recent report had stated that Pakistanis were among at least 19 pro-Iran militia fighters killed in eastern Syria. The Zainabiyoun Brigade had been recruiting hundreds of fighters from Pakistan in the past, a concern of which was shared by the Pakistani intelligence agencies over Shia pilgrims falling victim to Iranian influence and recruitment into Tehran-backed mercenary groups fighting in Iraq and Syria. The Zainabiyoun Brigade was put on US Treasury's financial blacklist in January 2019. The chronicle of a life split between urban Manhattan and rural Montana. Slamming the Pakistani court's decision to acquit journalist Daniel Pearl's killer Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, State Secretary Antony Blinken said that Washington is ready to prosecute Sheikh in the United States for his horrific crimes against an American citizen. "We expect the Pakistani government to expeditiously review its legal options to ensure justice is served. We take note of the Attorney General's statement that he intends to seek review and recall of the decision. We are also prepared to prosecute Sheikh in the United States for his horrific crimes against an American citizen," US State Department release quoted Blinken. Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start "Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh was indicted in the United States in 2002 for hostage-taking and conspiracy to commit hostage-taking, resulting in the murder of Pearl, the South Asia Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal, as well as the 1994 kidnapping of another United States citizen in India," the statement added. Blinken further said that the US is committed to securing justice for Daniel Pearl's family and holding terrorists accountable. Early today, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the United States is outraged with the Pakistani Supreme Court's decision to acquit Omar Saeed Sheikh. "The United States is outraged by the Pakistani Supreme Court's decision to affirm the acquittals of those responsible for Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl's kidnapping and brutal murder, which shocked the world's conscience in 2002," Psaki told reporters. She said that this decision to exonerate and release, Sheikh and the other suspects and enough is an affront to terrorism victims everywhere, including in Pakistan. "We recognize past Pakistani actions to try to hold Mr Pearl's murderers accountable, and we do note that as of right now, our Sheikh remains in detention in Pakistan under national security authorities, but we call on the Pakistani government to expeditiously review its legal options including allowing the United States to prosecute Sheikh for the brutal murder of an American citizen and journalist," Psaki said. Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the release of the man convicted in 2002 of orchestrating the abduction and killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl after effectively clearing him of wrongdoing in the case. A three-judge panel upheld a lower-court ruling that overturned terrorism and murder convictions for Omar Sheikh, who has spent more than 18 years in prison for the crimes. The judges also overturned a third conviction, for kidnapping. The court said it would explain its reasoning at a later date. The press Secretary responded to the Supreme court order. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday termed Pakistan court's decision to release Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh as a "travesty of justice". Speaking at the weekly press briefing via video conferencing, Anurag Srivastava, MEA Spokesperson, said that Pakistan has continued with its "terror funding emanating from territories under its control". "It is a travesty of justice not to find Omar Saeed guilty of any charges in this heinous act of terror. Our position on Pakistan taking sustained credible and irreversible action against terrorism and terror funding emanating from territories under its control remains unchanged," he said. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close A couple who are both local councillors have said they hope to lead by example by volunteering to test the new Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine. Rosemary Sexton, 43, and Steve Caudwell, 41, who are Green Party members on Solihull Borough Council, have both now had the single-shot jab, developed by the companys pharmaceutical arm, Janssen. Ms Sexton, an osteopath, said that being part of the trial seemed like a little thing that I could do to be part of that bigger effort. Signed up this week for the Janssen Phase 3 vaccine trial. Excited to go in on Thursday to find out more. I'm told it finishes recruiting this week, but it's still possible to register an interest here (@Steve4MayorWMCA & I got a call back very quickly):https://t.co/eARhAcrrNx Cllr Rosemary Sexton (@DrSextonGreen) January 26, 2021 My motivation was obviously were all stuck in this situation at the moment and its all very frustrating, and theres that feeling of wanting to do something to help, she told the PA news agency. We have obviously been encouraging people to go out and get vaccinated as soon as theyre offered the chance to. So, on the one hand, it felt like an opportunity to maybe lead by example a bit, and say Look, I have confidence in the scientific process and in the work thats gone in to develop these. Hopefully other people will see that and be fairly reassured that this is all being done thoroughly. The way I see it, Im relatively young and healthy and relatively low risk, so actually Im a good person to be trialling it out. Trials found the vaccine to be 66% effective at preventing Covid-19, while offering even higher protection against the most severe coronavirus symptoms. The UK has ordered 30 million doses, with the option of millions more. It was tested in a clinical trial involving 43,783 people, during which time 468 Covid-19 cases were observed. Both Ms Sexton and her fiance, who is running to become mayor of the West Midlands, attended Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham this week to take part in the trial. Ms Sexton said she was reassured by the trial being in its third phase, and added that they were told how to report any side-effects, though neither have experienced any so far. They did mention that there might be rarer side-effects, and they were obviously wanting to know, she said. Ive got an app on my phone so I can report back any symptoms. Excited to say I joined the Phase 3 trial of the Janssen vaccine at @qehbham today - hopefully another weapon in the arsenal to fight Covid-19. Every little helps, right? Read more: https://t.co/KVVmecVjEn Want to join in? https://t.co/pDpnqa7xrf pic.twitter.com/ljDyidbVFF Cllr Steve Caudwell (@CBGreenSteve) January 27, 2021 Mr Caudwell said one of the reasons he signed up was to normalise this idea of vaccination. It was really straightforward, he told PA. You just answer a few questions as part of the sign-up process, and I got a call the next day. He said the process involved a lot of screening and making sure that I understood the consent process and what the implications were. He added: They ask you to download an app where you record how youre feeling, (and) they ask you to take your temperature a couple of times a day. Its all very professional, as you can imagine. This is a way that I feel I can do something that helps out. Sofia Vergara loves to show throwback images from her modeling days to her 21M Instagram followers. And on Thursday the Modern Family actress was at it again as she wore a white bikini top with a diamond necklace and earrings in three portraits. But with dark chocolate colored hair, the 48-year-old TV staple looked very different from the way she appears now with lighter locks. The Hot Pursuit star had on a diamond choker and also diamond earrings with pearls for a very Dynasty-era glam look. Her hair was parted on the side with heavy bangs and she offered a coy smile to the camera. The caption read, '#tbt Los Angeles' as she added two sun emojis. Charlotte McKinney pressed the like button as did her Modern Family co-star Ariel Winter. Sofia worked as a bikini model in her native Colombia then Los Angeles before entering the acting world. Her look now: Sofia Vergara used to have dark hair when she was a model in her twenties. These days Sofia, left, has highlighted hair; seen with a friend at one of her homes Last year Vergara use social media for an important health reminder. She urged her fans not to 'forget' to have mammograms. The actress shared a photo of herself going for her breast screening check which women typically over 45 undergo to look for early signs of cancer in a bid to raise awareness and to encourage others to do the same. Alongside her photo, which was posted the same day as the US Presidential election she wrote: 'And just to make today more stressful I went and got my mammogram #allgood (thumbs up emoji) #dontforgetyours (heart emoji).' She used her body to make it as a model: The curvy wonder is seen here in a yellow bikini Now with blonde hair: And the spitfire also wore lighter locks for this fun shoot The star who is married to actor Joe Manganiello and has son Manolo, 28, from a previous relationship - has previously spoken about the measures she takes to avoid skin cancer, ensuring she is always well protected in the sun. She previously said: 'In my 20s, I started to use sunblock on my face. I wish I had put it on my chest too 'I have a little house in the Bahamas and I have a f****** crazy collection of hats so everyone can have one. She loves to take time out: The star has a home in the Bahamas where she unwinds with family 'There must be 25 hats in the bucket, and I always go for the same one: a visor. An old lady visor.' Sofia also admitted 'preventing' the physical signs of ageing has always been more important to her than 'fixing' any issues later down the line. She has said: 'I believe, more than fixing anything, in preventing. Once you get the wrinkle, once you get the sagging neck, that's it. There's no cream that is going to fix you. So, prevention, prevention, prevention!' Credit: CC0 Public Domain Experts call for policy reform to improve ethnic equity of socioeconomic opportunity, service provision, and health outcomes. They also call for long-term studies to investigate how structural and institutional racism generate these ethnic inequalities in health. In 15 out of 17 minority ethnic groups, health-related quality of life in older age (over 55 year-olds) was worse on average for either men, women, or both, than for White British people according to an observational study published in The Lancet Public Health journal. In five of those groupsBangladeshi, Pakistani, Arab, and Gypsy or Irish Travellerthe difference compared with the White British group is equivalent to, or greater than, the health impacts of being 20 years older. The older population of England is becoming increasingly ethnically diverse. Although previous evidence suggests there are substantial health inequalities between ethnic groups, there is currently little detailed research available on this. Using a large nationally representative survey asking participants how their daily life is impacted by their health, the new study provides the first detailed analysis of health inequalities among older adults in England from a broad range of ethnic groups. Lead author on the study, Dr. Ruth Watkinson, University of Manchester, UK, says "The disproportionate number of deaths due to COVID-19 in minority ethnic groups has highlighted ethnic inequalities in health among older adults in England. Our study adds detail to evidence of these inequities and their drivers before the pandemic. Now, we need decisive policy action to improve equity of socioeconomic opportunity and transformation of health and local services to ensure they meet the needs of all people in the multi-ethnic English population." The study used surveys taken by patients over 55-years-old registered at GP practices across England from July 2014 to April 2017. The authors analysed how ethnicity was associated with five self-reported aspects of daily life impacted by the health of participants: mobility (i.e. walking), self-care (i.e. washing and dressing), ability to engage in daily activities (i.e. working, studying, housework, spending time with family), pain or discomfort, and anxiety or depression. These five areas were combined to give an overall 'health-related quality of life' score for each ethnic group, which ranged from 1 (perfect health) to -5.94 (poorest health). Health-related quality of life was then compared across ethnic groups. They did a further analysis to understand what the underlying causes of the ethnic disparities might be, estimating the association between ethnicity and five factors known to impact health. The survey asked if participants had one or more of 14 long-term health conditions, received high quality health care, received enough support from local services (such as social care and support groups) and were confident in managing their own health. The authors also considered level of deprivation in participants' residential area. Out of the 1,394,361 survey respondents included in the analysis, 11% (152,710) self-identified as belonging to a minority ethnic group. The patterning of disadvantage observed between groups varied by sex. Across most of the 15 ethnic groups that showed relative disadvantage compared with White British, the size of disadvantage was greater for women than men. Both men and women in Gypsy or Irish Traveller, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Arab ethnic groups showed substantial health disadvantage compared with the White British participants. A 20-year increase in age was associated with an average change in health-related quality of life score of -0.065 for men and -0.094 in women. The average difference among people from each stated group compared to the White British group were: Gypsy or Irish Traveller (-0.192 in men; -0.264 in women), Bangladeshi (-0.111 in men; -0.209 in women), Pakistani (-0.084 in men; -0.206 in women), and Arab (-0.061 in men; -0.145 in women). The two ethnic groups who were healthier than White British people were Chinese (men and women), and Black African (men only). However, this only applied across all age groups for Chinese men, whereas for Chinese women and Black African men further analyses suggested they were only healthier in the younger age groups (55-64 years for Black African men, and 55-74 years for Chinese women). When looking at the association between ethnicity and factors that could cause poor health outcomes, the study suggested inequalities in health were accompanied by increased long-term health conditions (particularly diabetes), poor experiences of primary care, insufficient support from local services, low confidence in managing their own health, and high local social deprivation. The authors emphasise that social deprivation, although more common in ethnic minority groups, could not fully explain the health disparities they observed, and suggest that other factors are also at play, such as structural and institutional racism in health care and local service provision. Dr. Watkinson continues, "We must consider how social deprivation intersects with gender, ethnicity, and other personal characteristics, such as immigration status or religion, to affect poor health outcomes. Looking forward, we need much more long-term research to understand how structural and institutional racism creates health inequalities." The large sample size of the study allowed them to look at 17 ethnicities that are often grouped under just four categories (White, Asian, Black, and other). However, the authors found that health-related quality of life varied widely between ethnicities placed within these ethnic "meta-groups", raising questions about the usefulness of such categorizations. Commenting on the importance of gathering more detailed data, co-author Dr. Alex Turner, University of Manchester, UK, says, "Our study found large differences between ethnicities often grouped together in broad categories. For example, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Chinese ethnicities are often all categorised as 'Asian'. In our study, people of Bangladeshi and Pakistani ethnicity had among the worst disadvantage in health, compared with White British, whereas people of Chinese ethnicity had a relative advantage. This emphasises the need for more nuanced research to understand the specific difficulties that older adults from particular minority ethnic groups experience." The authors note some limitations of their study. Although the large sample size and relatively high survey response rate among older adults allowed the authors to analyse outcomes for smaller ethnic groups, estimates for some ethnic groups were still imprecise owing to small numbers. They also note that some bias may have been introduced by those who chose not to respond to the survey and by the survey being taken from patients registered at a GP surgery (potentially excluding vulnerable adults or those without a fixed residence). In addition, the dataset used was recorded in 10-year age groups, so the authors were unable to ensure exact like-for-like age comparisons. This may have made some ethnic groups appear healthier, which the authors say are more likely to be minority ethnic groups than the White British group, due to younger overall age structures in the population. Writing in a linked Comment, lead author Professor Seeromanie Harding (who was not involved in the study), from King's College London, UK, says, "Despite biases, such as the absence of data on ethnicity specific survey non-response rates and the social determinants of health, Watkinson and colleagues present strong evidence of ethnic inequalities in HRQoL [health-related quality of life], the presence of long-term conditions, and poor experiences of primary care. There seems to be inadequate support from local services to manage long-term conditions in ethnic minority groups. Although constrained by the availability of granular data, the report reinforces the need to consider the intersectional influences of sex and ethnicity on inequalities in healthy ageing." More information: Ruth Elizabeth Watkinson et al, Ethnic inequalities in health-related quality of life among older adults in England: secondary analysis of a national cross-sectional survey, The Lancet Public Health (2021). Journal information: The Lancet Public Health Ruth Elizabeth Watkinson et al, Ethnic inequalities in health-related quality of life among older adults in England: secondary analysis of a national cross-sectional survey,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30287-5 Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Ukraine will use Croatias experience of psychosocial rehabilitation and professional adaptation of war veterans. According to Ukrinform, this was discussed during a meeting between Minister of Veterans' Affairs of Ukraine Yulia Laputina and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Croatia to Ukraine Anica Djamic, the press service of the Ministry informs. "The world needs to know that Ukrainian Donetsk and Luhansk regions are not just about the war. They are about people who in 2014 stood up for the country, helped the army, developed the volunteer movement. And today they develop their own business, implement projects in local communities and actually are the creators of Ukrainian modern traditions," Laputina said during the meeting. The Minister invited Ambassador Djamic to organize a meeting between the heads of the Ministry of Croatian Veterans of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine after the quarantine measures end and invited to take part in the activities dedicated to the liberation of cities of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk in July, joint cultural and educational projects and exchange of experience in doing veteran business. "The development of bilateral cooperation is enshrined in a memorandum concluded between our ministries. We can hold such a meeting in Kyiv or Zagreb," said the Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine. In turn, Ambassador Djamic confirmed the urgency of continuing cooperation between the two countries, in particular on the protection of war veterans and their families, work with veterans' organizations, psychosocial rehabilitation and professional adaptation of war veterans. As reported, Croatia has a unique experience of peaceful reintegration after a long war. There are more than half a million veterans in Croatia. ol (Natural News) Prior to his White House installment, Joe Biden brought in a record-breaking number of anonymous donations, also known as dark money. Despite previously criticizing the acceptance of dark money by politicians, China Joe and his cohorts had no problem accepting a whopping $145 million from shady donors. This is the largest sum ever on record for a candidate, exceeding the previous one of $113 million that was funneled to Mormon Mitt Romney back in 2012. President Donald Trump, by comparison, took in just $28.4 million in dark money during his run for the presidency. This is about one-fifth of what Beijing Biden was given to execute his regime. Democrats have long stood in opposition to dark money, calling it a corrupting influence. The reason this money is called dark is because it is hidden behind layers of non-profit organizations and other corporate fronts that are designed to conceal the identities of the original donors. The Priorities USA Action Fund, as one example, backed Biden with $26 million originally and anonymously donated to its non-profit arm, Priorities USA. This fund is said to be Bidens preferred vehicle for outside spending. Another dark money funnel is called Future Forward PAC, which spent $104 million backing Biden. Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz used this fund to give Biden $46.9 million in donations, as did Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson, who funneled $3 million through the operation. Alphabets (Google) Eric Schmidt sent $2.6 million to Biden through the Future Forward PAC, while another $61 million came from Future Forward USA Action meaning this chunk was anonymously laundered, you might say, to Biden. Big donors individuals or corporations who contributed anonymously will have the same access to decision makers as those whose names were disclosed, but without public awareness of who they are or what influence they might wield, reports Bloomberg about how it all works. Biden the puppet received $1.5 billion in total funding to become president Keep in mind that Bidens $145 million war chest is a mere fraction of what Biden received throughout his campaign. The official numbers show that Biden took in a record-breaking $1.5 billion from donors to become president, making him the most bought-and-paid-for political puppet in our nations history. The whole point of dark money is to avoid public disclosure while getting private credit, says Meredith McGehee, executive director of Issue One, a group that advocates for reducing the influence that money has on politics. Its only dark money to the public. Pedo Joe would not be president, in other words, were it not for the gobs of cash that were thrown his way to steal the election from President Trump. We are all expected to just believe that Pervert Joe received more votes than any other presidential candidate in history, despite never campaigning and living in his basement throughout 2020. Dark money is toxic to democracy period, warns Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island who recognizes that the system is corrupt and broken. The fact that progressive groups have learned to fight back using similar tactics is no excuse for continuing the plague of dark money in America. As pointed out by numerous commenters at Zero Hedge, nobody contributes this kind of cash without expecting some serious returns in the form of political favors. There are big favors that are going to be cashed in very soon, one of them wrote about how Bidens treason spree is only just getting started. Hands down the dirtiest presidency in American history, wrote another. What kind of idiot would hold dollars right now? More of the latest news about the Biden regime can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com NaturalNews.com The editor who published The Ages initial article about George Pells conviction on child sex abuse charges has rejected a suggestion it was aimed at motivating readers to search online for more information about the case. The Age on December 13, 2018 published a front-page story about a high-profile person being found guilty of serious charges, that didnt name Cardinal Pell. The article was also published online the night before. Cardinal George Pell. Credit:AP Cardinal Pell was found guilty at a County Court trial on December 11, 2018 but last year had his convictions quashed and was released from prison following a successful appeal to the High Court. Victorian prosecutors allege The Age, some of its journalists and other Australian media breached a suppression order by publishing its story, even though Cardinal Pell wasnt named and his charges werent detailed. When the pandemic began more than a year ago, lots of experts warned it might take ten years or more to develop an effective, safe, and efficacious vaccine. Safe against what? by Victor Cherubim In Brazil it is summer in full swing with the golden sands of Copacabana beach with bronzed bodies and colourful parasols. These iconic scenes may also tell a disturbing story. Intensive Care beds (ICUs) are at 90 percent capacity and Rio de Janeiro with the towering Christ The Redeemer monument with hands stretched out, also reveals, the highest death toll in the country. And yet many of its residents in the city are hardly seen wearing masks and we are told have packed its beaches ever since the pandemic began. That is during day, but at night it is no different, with many flocking the streets, bars and favellas as well as night clubs seeking respite from the sweltering heat and boredom. There is no one in this metropolis talking about lockdown. With 213 million total population, 6 million vaccine doses available in the country, 8,996,876 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 220,061 total COVID deaths, (third highest death rate in the world only behind United States of America and India) and only 0.5 percent of the population has been vaccinated so far. The countrys far right President Jair Bolsanaros response to the pandemic has been criticised, as he has downplayed the situation and opposed quarantine measures, as two of his Health Ministers have resigned for allowing the virus to spread unchecked, without mass testing. Observers warn that emergency supplies of oxygen have had to be trucked in from neighbouring Venezuela. Small wonder the P1 variant originated deep in the Amazon city of Manaus and this mutation appears to make the virus more transmissible, circulating in Brazil since July 2020.There is talk that the existing vaccines might be less effective on this highly contagious variant. Trade War or Vaccine War in Europe? Who knows? Whilst the governments around the world, and particularly in Europe, have been caught napping to control this pandemic over nearly the past year, after much soul search there is a vaccine war in the making. It is called Vaccine Colonialism. Rather than cooperating with one another to roll out a global vaccination campaign to rid the world of this dreaded disease which has taken more lives than all the previous pandemics, like the plague, the First and Second World Wars put together, the major powers of the world are instead descending into a fiercely nationalistic warlike competition, perhaps, the first great geopolitical battle of the 21st century. EU Health Commissioner, Stella Kyriakides has stated in response to AstraZeneca not being able to supply Europe the vaccines it did not order and pay in advance, like what Britain did well in advance. She stated the EU rejects the logic of first come first served. She said: That may work at the neighbourhood butchers but not in contracts and not in our advanced purchase agreements. Steven Barrett, a British Barrister argues: We dont know precisely what the contract between AstraZeneca and the EU member states was, but the EU has two massive hurdles to jump. First, contractors undertake to use their reasonable best efforts to manufacture enough supply to accomplish a given task order. To win a case in contract law for non-supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Europe, it must show that delay is caused by either a shortage of ingredients, lower yield from a batch, or the contractor is already under a different contract to supply to a different country. The second point he states, is that to complain in contract law, you must have suffered a breach. It is suggested that the number of vaccines the EU asked for may not be met. What this means in laymans language is that if deliveries were expected in Quarter 1,2021, that would mean the end of Q.1, or April 2021. Whether this allows the EU from stopping or seizing Pfizer BioNTech vaccines manufactured in Belgium, as tit-for tat, being ordered, paid for, and despatched to Britain, is a matter for Belgian law. What hardly anyone knows? The Brits are a very shrewd people. They have researched the AstraZeneca vaccine trials over years at Oxford University well before the pandemic. Boris Johnsons government astutely funded and ordered millions of doses of this vaccine in the early days of COVID-19 in March 2020,to assure supply of their vaccine. It was a gamble which paid off and the Brits are now laughing their sides out. Besides, now to keep face, the EU has in the past 24 hours stated that according totheir research, the AstraZeneca vaccine trials on people aged over 65 was not conclusive for treatment of all the mutants of Coronavirus. But the arguments on both sides of Dover continues unabated. Could it besimilar to the Crusades, centuries later? To summarise, governments around the world, were all taken on the back foot with the outbreak of Covid-19 when it started in December 2019 in Wuhan. They were unprepared to say the least. Thus, the mixed messages by many governmental health bodies and the WHO? It alllooked very different when governments were looking for something or someone to save them from disaster management. The vaccine was the saviour. First Pfizer and its German BioNTech, then Moderna in the U.S. and then Oxford AstraZeneca unveiled one success after another. When the pandemic began more than a year ago, lots of experts warned it might take ten years or more to develop an effective, safe, and efficacious vaccine. Safe against what? It was never going to be easy? Frances Sanofi and Pfizers rival in US, Merck failed at the first or second attempt and may never give up? We are told today 28 January 2021 that another vaccine boost is ahead for the Brits. French firm Valneva announced the start of large-scale commercial production at a plant in Livingston, Scotland. It has been upgraded with funds from UK taxpayers. It could be approved by the summer and 60 million doses are on order by Britain. Why is France not in the act or is a mutual agreement between individual leaders, President Macron and his friend Boris? Vaccination League Table So far 7.2 million or 10.5 % of people have received at least one dose of vaccine in Britain up to date. Israel has had 45 percent of its population jabbed. The United Arab Emirates has managed 26 percent with Chinas Sinopharm vaccine. The United States has 6.9%. But the rest of Europe has only 2.1% German and less than 1.6 % in France. At this rate of roll out it may be 2024 before most of Europe hits the 70% inoculation rate. Australia and Japan have not even started, while most of the developing world is left to fend for itself. What about the Antivaxers? Anti-vaxxers are people who sincerely? believe vaccines of any kind are unsafe. There are some who say that they are sceptical of vaccination during pregnancy. Yet, there are others who oppose vaccination as a forced method, as it infringes their human rights. Then there are still many who typically deny the existence or validity of the science supporting vaccine use in the general population. The worrying part of it is when still others maintain Vaccines and particularly Corona vaccines are a masterful way of profiling ones identity. Who would need passports in years to come? Only time will tell whether the vaccine is to be feared or will it save humanity? Would we need to be vaccinated every year like the flu jab, as almost all vaccines are time constrained? CAIRO Egypts Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a press statement Jan. 21 saying that the Saudi authorities released an Egyptian fishing vessel called al-Shefaa. The vessel, which carried 35 Egyptian fishermen on board, was earlier seized and the fishermen detained by the Saudi authorities after entering their territorial waters for fishing illegally, it added. According to the statement, the Saudi authorities provided the necessary supplies and fuel for the vessels return to Egypt in response to Egyptian demands, after ensuring the safety of the fishermen and that weather conditions are favorable. It is not the first time that the Saudi authorities detain or attack Egyptian workers. There have also been incidents where Saudi nationals killed Egyptians in the kingdom. These repeated violations raise questions on whether or not attacks against Egyptians in Saudi Arabia are systematic. An estimated 1 million Egyptians live in the kingdom. On Dec. 28, 2020, Hani Abdel-Tawab, an Egyptian national and middle school English-language teacher in Saudi Arabia, was shot dead by some of his Saudi students. Following an altercation between Abel-Tawab, 35, and his Saudi student, 13, in the classroom, the latter, along with his 16-year-old brother, waited for the teacher outside the school and shot him. The teacher was admitted into the intensive care unit and died a week later. On July 28, 2020, news that a Saudi national killed two Egyptians in Saudi Arabia had angered the Egyptian street. Egypts Ministry of Immigration and Expatriates Affairs said that a Saudi national shot dead Adel Abdel Imam Hussein and Ezzeddin Mohamed Abdul Shafi in Riyadh, following a dispute between the Saudi citizen and the Egyptian workers who were carrying out construction works at his residence. The perpetrator confessed to murdering them and surrendered himself to the Saudi authorities, the ministry said in a statement back then, adding that the bodies will be recovered when the investigation is concluded. Similarly, Ali Abul-Qasim, an Egyptian engineer, was apprehended by the Saudi authorities in July 2017 and sentenced to death in the same year. Abul-Qasim was convicted of smuggling drugs into Saudi Arabia, although his family handed the Egyptian Ministry of Immigration evidence proving his innocence. On April 25, 2020, the Saudi judiciary issued a final ruling acquitting Abul-Qasim. Speaking to Al-Monitor by phone, a source at Egypts Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on the repeated attacks and violations by Saudis against Egyptians. He said, These are mere separate incidents that people carry out, and do not rise to the level of a systematic phenomenon against Egyptian workers in Saudi Arabia. The government source, who declined to be named, noted that the Egyptian state has confidence in the fairness of the Saudi judiciary, and stressed that all perpetrators who committed crimes against Egyptian workers will be sentenced under the Saudi laws. The source noted that there is ongoing communication and coordination between the Consulate General of Egypt in Riyadh and Saudi authorities so as to complete all necessary judicial procedures at the earliest possible time. The consulate is also closely and seriously following up on the investigations into the different cases that involve Egyptian workers. Ahmad Gadami, a human rights lawyer at Al-Hilali Foundation for Freedoms, told Al-Monitor that the repeated attacks against Egyptians in the Gulf states, especially in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, is a systematic phenomenon since they are being repeated lately in the absence of any deterrence, to the point that an Egyptian teacher was killed at the hands of Saudi minors. He pointed out that there are 3 million Egyptian workers and employees in Saudi Arabia, stressing that such a large number of workers has contributed to the Saudi economic boom over the years and to the completion of multiple mega projects, namely in the construction field, as well as the teaching, judicial and other fields. The Saudi authorities must thus respect the great contributions of the Egyptian workers to such a Saudi advancement, he added. Gadami called on the Egyptian authorities to officially interfere and push the Saudi authorities to put an end to such attacks against Egyptian workers in Saudi Arabia. He further called on Riyadh to punish the Saudi national who shot the Egyptian workers dead at his residence, as well as all other Saudis who attack Egyptians or treat them as slaves, not as workers or employees with rights. Egyptian Ministry of Immigration spokeswoman Maha Salem perceived that despite the repeated attacks against Egyptian workers in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi community mostly deals with Egyptians as their brothers with whom they share long-standing relations. Salem told Al-Monitor over the phone, The way the media reports such attacks is blown out of proportion at times. The positive news that happens between the Egyptians and their Saudi brothers, however, is never being reported by the media. Salem noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Manpower and Immigration have played an active role recently that resulted in many workers obtaining their dues in Saudi Arabia, most recently on Jan. 22, when the Ministry of Manpowers labor representation office at the Consulate General of Egypt in Saudi Arabia managed to have three Egyptian workers in Saudi Arabia obtain their dues amounting to 350,000 Egyptian pounds (about $22,000). The higher a county's score on a national index of social vulnerability, the more cases and deaths per 100,000 - highlighting the role of social factors in spread In just one year, COVID-19 has killed more than 400,000 Americans, and infected more than 24 million others. But a new study shows just how unevenly those deaths and cases have played out across the country. It finds that the more disadvantaged a county's population was before the pandemic, the higher the toll of coronavirus last spring and summer. That level of disadvantage, measured on a standard scale called the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), tracked closely with the number of cases and deaths per 100,000 residents in each county, according to the new University of Michigan study. The ten-point SVI score combines many measures of the social disadvantage of a county's population, with higher scores meaning greater disadvantage. For every point higher on the ten-point SVI scale, counties had 14% higher incidence of COVID-19 cases, and 14% more deaths per 100,000 people, the team reports in JAMA Network Open. That translates to 87 excess COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, and 3 excess COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people, for every step up the SVI scale. Cases also rose faster in higher-SVI counties than in lower-SVI ones during the months the researchers analyzed, from late March to late July 2020. Since half of COVID-19 cases spring from virus spread by people who don't have symptoms, the findings have important implications for all Americans, say the researchers from the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. "These findings highlight that underlying inequality and social disadvantage, and its role in promoting the spread of coronavirus, is a problem that affects all of us, no matter where we live," says Renuka Tipirneni, M.D., M.Sc., the study's senior author. "This evidence contradicts the perception that COVID-19 mostly affects just one set of people in one kind of area." She adds, "While the first surge was mainly in urban areas with high percentages of Black and Latinx residents, as time went on some of highest rates of cases and deaths were in rural counties with predominantly white populations. But across the board, we find the areas hardest-hit by the disease were linked by higher rates of social disadvantage." The SVI, which factors in everything from income, language and education to housing, race and disability, is calculated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based on national Census data. Higher case and death rates were also seen in areas that had higher rates of measures that aren't included in the standard SVI, such as obesity, mass transit use, food insecurity and adults who lack health insurance. Tipirneni, a primary care physician in the U-M Medical School's Department of Internal Medicine and health services researcher who has worked in multiple health care settings, worked with first author and senior statistician Monita Karmakar, Ph.D., M.S. for the intensive data analysis. Coauthor Paula Lantz, Ph.D., a professor and associate dean at U-M's Ford School of Public Policy, helped evaluate the policy implications of the findings. "Our findings highlight that there are pockets of disadvantage everywhere in America, and that they are playing a large role in the pandemic that's affecting all of us as we interact with one another," says Karmakar. Factors most associated with higher impacts The team looked at how SVI and other social measures related to 4.3 million cases and 147,074 deaths reported during the first 6 months of the pandemic in the US. They accounted for variation in population density and COVID testing rates. The team then analyzed the SVI for each county. The ten-point score, which is expressed in terms of scores from 0.1 to 1.0, melds measures that include poverty rate, income and education level, housing type, English language ability, single-parent families, percent of people over 65 or under 17, access to a personal vehicle, racial and ethnic minority population percentage, and disability. Digging down into the individual factors that made up the social vulnerability index, the researchers found that the higher the percentage of racial and ethnic minorities in a county's population, and the higher the percentage of people with limited English skills, the higher the COVID-19 case and death rates. The counties measuring highest on these factors had a 22% increase in case rate for every point up on their overall SVI score, and a 17% increase in death rate. The percentage of the population that lives in over-crowded housing or in single-parent households was also associated with higher case incidence and death rates. Looking at factors that aren't included in the official SVI, the researchers found many linkages with COVID-19. Interestingly, the concentration of health care resources available in the county did not seem to make a significant difference, though Tipirneni cautions that as more hospitals become overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients in the fall and early-winter surges, that may have changed. However, a higher rate of obesity among a county's residents, the more adults that lacked health insurance, the more adults who rely on public transportation to get to and from work, and the more people who have unstable food supplies, the higher the rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Most-impacted counties Of the 3,137 counties analyzed, Trousdale County, Tennessee came in as the county with the highest incidence of COVID-19 cases during the study period, with 16,348 cases per 100,000 people by the end of July 2020. This was mainly linked to a COVID-19 outbreak in spring that sickened more than 1,300 inmates at a correctional center located there. This helped explain its high caseload despite having an SVI score of 0.52, near the middle of the scale. But the next four counties with the highest COVID-19 case rates from January through July were all much higher on the SVI scale, including Lake County, TN and Lee County, Arkansas with SVI scores over 0.9. Dakota County, Nebraska (0.86) and Buena Vista County, Iowa (0.74), came in fourth and fifth. The latter two are also rural counties with small populations that are home to a prison that was the center of a large outbreak. The county with the highest death rate, Hancock County, Georgia, had an overall SVI score of 0.80, with a population of 8,000 people seeing a high number of nursing home deaths. The four next-highest counties - three of them in Georgia, and one in New Mexico - all had SVI scores over 0.9. The study team plans to make a full list of the SVI scores and COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates for every county in the study available online. The study did not include data from for U.S. territories, nor for New York City because at the time of the analysis, the city did not release county-level data for the five counties that make it up. However, the authors performed an analysis that considered New York City data as if it were a single county, and found it did not change their findings. Policy implications The authors note that the new findings support the broader importance of "social determinants of health" -- upstream factors about a person's life circumstances that cause differences in their risk of health conditions. Such determinants are known to put someone at higher risk of the conditions that would put them at higher risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19 if they get infected, including diabetes, high blood pressure and lung disease. Counties with high SVI scores are likely to have higher percentages of essential workers in frontline jobs. They're also likely to have more people living in homes and commuting in conditions that make social distancing and isolation of the sick difficult. "The longstanding inequality that led to the higher social vulnerability scores in the hardest-hit counties is likely to get worse because of the pandemic," says Lantz. "The tragic Catch-22 of the COVID-19 pandemic is that its economic and social consequences are going to further exacerbate social inequalities and community-level social vulnerability. Investments in public policies that protect everyone, like paid sick leave, affordable housing, high-quality education and health insurance are needed to reduce the social inequalities that drive every type of health inequality, including COVID-19." As policymakers grapple with the root causes, immediate impacts and downstream effects of the inequities identified, the researchers hope the new findings will help them target their efforts. Immediate efforts might include public outreach campaigns aimed at people with lower English proficiency, focused efforts to expand COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccination in the hardest-hit areas, and assistance with housing and food coordinated among government and nonprofit service agencies. The team previously calculated COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates by SVI for the counties of Michigan, and provided the data to the state. It has been shared with the state's task force that targets COVID-19 testing locations and other services. In the meantime, the team hopes that future research could look at even smaller geographic areas, down to the community, ZIP code or Census tract level, as well as data about the types of jobs worked by people in a given area. New efforts by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the local-area social vulnerability resources from the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, can also help further efforts to study and act on differences in advantage. ### Ukraine's parliament on Friday approved a bill intended to speed up the approval of COVID-19 vaccines, which also bans the approval of vaccines made in Russia. The government has said it expects to receive 100,000 to 200,000 doses of the vaccine made by Pfizer of the U.S. and Germany's BioNTech under the global COVAX scheme in February. No vaccine has yet been approved in Ukraine but authorities have repeatedly said Kiev will not approve or use vaccines from Russia, with which it is at loggerheads, Reuters reported. Timothee Chalamet will be reuniting with Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino for the upcoming cannibal love story Bones & All. The film, according to THR, follows the story of Maren Yearly who embarks on 'a cross-country trip as she searches for the father shes never met in an attempt to understand why she has the urge to kill and eat the people that love her.' Absent from the project is Chalamet's CMBYN co-star Armie Hammer, who happens to be embroiled in a real life 'cannibal' controversy of his own after disturbing direct messages allegedly sent by the actor were leaked in early January. The messages described some alarming sexual fantasies, including cannibalism: 'I am 100% a cannibal. I want to eat you. F***. That's scary to admit. I've never admitted that before.' New role: Timothee Chalamet will be reuniting with Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino for the upcoming cannibal love story Bones & All; (pictured in February, 2020) Shortly after news broke about Bones & All, Hammer's estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers took it upon herself to comment publicly on the film's untimely premise. 'No. Words,' wrote the 38-year-old TV personality, who left the remark under an Instagram post by JustJared reporting on Armie's obvious absence from the project. Hammer previously announced his split from Chambers on Instagram in July, writing: 'Thirteen years as best friends, soulmates, partners and then parents. 'It has been an incredible journey, but together, weve decided to turn the page and move on from our marriage.' Yikes: Absent from the project is Chalamet's CMBYN co-star Armie Hammer, who happens to be embroiled in a real life 'cannibal' controversy of his own after disturbing direct messages allegedly sent by the actor were leaked in early January; Armie pictured in 2018 Commenting: Shortly after news broke about Bones & All, Hammer's estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers took it upon herself to comment publicly on the film's untimely premise Split: Hammer previously announced his split from wife Chambers, 38, on Instagram in July, writing: 'Thirteen years as best friends, soulmates, partners and then parents; Armie and Elizabeth pictured in 2019 The pair originally tied the knot in May of 2010, and they share daughter Harper Grace, six, and son Ford Armand, four. Since splitting, Chambers has been hunkering down in the Cayman Islands with her two children, which has hopefully kept them out of ear shot of the current rumors swirling about their father's alleged sexual deviancy. In response to the disturbing direct messages that were leaked, Armie wrote in a statement to People: 'I'm not responding to these bulls*** 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.' Cannibalism? The Social Network actor has faced backlash over some recent unverified Instagram direct messages, which he supposedly wrote, were leaked online: 'I am 100% a cannibal. I want to eat you. F***. That's scary to admit. I've never admitted that before' (pictured in 2018) Branded: He's since been subject of allegations from a few of his exes, including college student Paige Lorenze, 22, whom he dated briefly last year, claiming on YouTube that he carved his initial 'A' in the skin above her groin He was referencing to his recent exit from the romantic comedy Shotgun Wedding where he was slated to play the leading man opposite Jennifer Lopez. The Social Networks star also dropped out this week from the Paramount Plus drama series The Offer, in which he was set to star as producer Al Ruddy in the behind-the-scenes story of the 1972 motion picture juggernaut The Godfather. Along with the messages allegedly sent by the actor via Instagram circulating around the web, Armie has also been subject of allegations from a few of his exes, including college student Paige Lorenze, 22, whom he dated briefly last year, claiming on YouTube that he carved his initial 'A' in the skin above her groin. Denial: In response to the disturbing direct messages that were leaked, Armie wrote in a statement to People : 'I'm not responding to these bulls*** 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'; Armie pictured in 2019 Bones & All would mark a reunion for Chalamet and Guadagnino, who directed him and Hammer, 34, in the Oscar-winning 2017 CMBYN, based on the 2007 novel of the same name by Andre Aciman. Set in the '80s, the critically-acclaimed film followed the life-changing summer fling between 17-year-old Elio (Chalamet) and 24-year-old grad student Oliver (Hammer), who's staying with his family in Italy while apprenticing Elio's father. There's been steady talk of a sequel since the movie was released, as Guadagnino has expressed interest in setting and filming each installment years apart, as Richard Linklater did with his Before trilogy. Reunited: It would mark a reunion for Chalamet and Guadagnino, who directed him and Hammer, 34, in the Oscar-winning 2017 CMBYN, based on the 2007 novel of the same name by Andre Aciman Part two: There's been steady talk of a sequel since the movie was released, as Guadagnino has expressed interest in setting and filming each installment years apart, as Richard Linklater did with his Before trilogy He's also mentioned the possibility of casting Dakota Johnson (whom he directed in 2015's A Bigger Splash and 2018's Suspira remake) as Oliver's wife in a potential sequel. Hammer and Chalamet have both discussed returning for a second film, as the former told Pride.com in October: 'I hope it all happens. I haven't seen the script yet. But, you know, we'll see. Hopefully, we all get to do it. It'd be great if we could.' Hammer subsequently wrote in a statement to People: 'I'm not responding to these bulls*** 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.' Still hopeful: Hammer and Chalamet have both discussed returning for a second film, as the former told Pride.com in October: 'I hope it all happens. I haven't seen the script yet. But, you know, we'll see. Hopefully, we all get to do it. It'd be great if we could' He's since been subject of allegations from a few of his exes, including college student Paige Lorenze, 22, whom he dated briefly last year, claiming on YouTube that he carved his initial 'A' in the skin above her groin. The Sorry to Bother You actor previously announced his split from wife of 10 years Elizabeth Chambers, 38, on Instagram in July, writing: 'Thirteen years as best friends, soulmates, partners and then parents. 'It has been an incredible journey, but together, weve decided to turn the page and move on from our marriage.' Hammer and Chambers tied the knot in May of 2010, and they share daughter Harper Grace, six, and son Ford Armand, four. Authorities in Cau Giay District, Hanoi have cordoned off and fumigated a small alley on Nguyen Khanh Toan Street after a new case of COVID-19 infection was identified in the neighborhood. The alley was officially sealed late Thursday night, according to Trinh Thi Dung, deputy chairman of Cau Giay District Peoples Committee. As per an earlier report from the Hanoi Department of Health, L.A.T., a 20-year-old from the northern province of Hai Duong, who currently lives in a dorm on Nguyen Khanh Toan, tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday at Bach Mai Hospital after experiencing a cough, fever, and sore throat a day before. T. is currently in isolation and being treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in the capital. He is also the first case of COVID-19 transmission recorded in Hanoi since the last emergence there back in August 2020. Upon being notified of T.s case, authorities immediately conducted epidemiological investigation, during which they identified close contacts of the infected and obtained their samples for testing. The residential area was blocked off during the night," Dung said. "Alley 92 of Nguyen Khanh Toan Street was barricaded. Officials have detected more than 30 residents in the locale who came into close contact with T. "The neighborhood will be sealed off completely until the outbreak under control. An epidemiological investigation revealed that T. is the direct source of transmission for a number of COVD-19 cases in Hai Phong, a coastal city 120km east of Hanoi, according to Truong Quang Viet, deputy director of the Hanoi Center for Disease Control. Vietnam has documented 1,651 coronavirus patients as of Friday morning, with 1,430 recoveries and 35 virus-related deaths, according to the Ministry of Health. A cluster of at least 73 COVID-19 infections was detected in Hai Duong Province on Thursday morning. Social distancing was reinstated in the province from noon the same day. The country had spent nearly two months detecting no local transmission before the new clusters were uncovered. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 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 home Faith Atheist nativity scene outside erected outside Illinois courthouse A group campaigning for the removal of Christianity from American schools and the public square has placed an atheist nativity scene outside an Illinois courthouse. Instead of the traditional figurines of Mary and Jesus watching over baby Jesus, the Freedom From Religion Foundation nativity shows cutouts of American's founding fathers Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington gazing down upon the Bill of Rights lying in a straw-filled manger. The display was installed on the front lawn of the Grundy County Courthouse, near Chicago, and will stay until the end of December. Beside the scene is a sign wishing visitors to the courthouse a happy winter solstice. 'Happy Winter Solstice. At this Season of the Winter Solstice, we honor reason and the Bill of Rights (adopted Dec. 15, 1791),' the sign reads. At the bottom, it adds: 'Keep State & Church Separate.' The FFRF said: 'With the help of its ever-vigilant membership, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is keeping the flag of free thought flying high around the country.' A Christian Nativity scene traditionally appeared outside Grundy County Courthouse until 2015 when it opened the space up to other religions. Pressure from the FFRF was part of the reason for the change in policy. 'In Illinois the county's sheriff has custody of the courthouse. In 2013 we received a letter from the Freedom From Religion group in Wisconsin stating we had a manger alone on the lawn,' Assistant State's Attorney Perry Rudman said at the time, adding that there was the possibility of a lawsuit against the county. 'They questioned the laws and cited various court cases supporting the removal,' he added. Christian displays at US state and county buildings have come under increasing threat in recent years. In May, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the state of Arkansas after it erected a monument of the Ten Commandments outside the state capitol. The Satanic Temple protested the Ten Commandments monument by asking the Arkansas legislature to allow a statue of Baphomet to be placed outside the capitol as well. Courtesy of Christian Today Christina Moreno is the new Executive Director of Warriors Heart, the first and ONLY private and accredited residential treatment program in the United States exclusively for warriors." "Warriors Heart is special and life-changing for anyone who sets foot on the property. I am honored to lead this unique team of individuals who all have a 'warrior' connection." - Christina Moreno, Warriors Heart Executive Director and CFO Warriors Heart announces their CFO Christina Moreno is now the new Executive Director, who will manage their peer-to-peer healing programs, which include Detox, Residential Treatment, Day Treatment, Outpatient, and Sober Living. As the first and ONLY private and accredited residential treatment program in the United States exclusively for warriors, Moreno now leads a team of professionals who help active-duty military, veterans, first responders and EMTs/paramedics struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, PTSD, mild TBI, trauma, depression and other co-occurring issues win their War at Home. Warriors Heart Founder and President Josh Lannon expressed gratitude, Were very fortunate to have Christina Moreno as our new Executive Director to lead our operational, clinical and medical teams as Warriors Heart continues to grow and expand our healing services for frontline protectors. Christinas been an integral part of our executive team since 2016, and understands our warrior community. Kicking off 2021, Christina Moreno emphasized, Warriors Heart is special and life-changing for anyone who sets foot on the property. I am honored to lead this unique team of individuals who all have a 'warrior' connection, either by being a frontline protector and/or having a loved one who served. My personal life has been affected by chemical dependency, alcoholism, and PTSD. And I understand the clients, and admire them and their family members for the courage to accept the challenge of a lifetime of change. In this new role as Executive Director, Moreno will continue to work closely with the Warriors Heart Founders (Josh Lannon, Lisa Lannon, and Tom Spooner). To ensure a continuity of high quality care for clients, Moreno will manage the Warriors Heart Facilities, which have remained open during the pandemic as an essential service using proactive measures and additional medical safety protocols. Moreno will also continue to play a key role in the expansion plans that include adding 40 beds on-site at their 543-acre ranch (will go from 60 to 100 beds) and the new Warriors Heart Lodge in Bandera, Texas that has 52 beds for Sober Living. Warriors Hearts holistic healing program for warriors only works on the mind, body and spirit with unique tools to provide strength through healing. Some of the tools in include: Peer-to-Peer Healing Whole Body Treatment for Addiction and PTSD Finding Your New Mission Traditional Healing with Warriors Team Non-Traditional Holistic Healing Tools Solid Long-Term Recovery Plan Aftercare for Clients and their Family Spiritual Recharge As part of the Aftercare program, alumni can participate in regular Warriors Anonymous 12-step AA meetings virtually with their peers after going home. And after the pandemic, alumni will be able to come back and visit Warriors Heart in person for a spiritual recharge. Prior to Warriors Heart, Christina Moreno served the Bandera County community for 20+ years in different roles, including the Bandera County Auditor. She understands the warrior community first-hand and is married to a veteran and first responder: Luis Moreno, Deputy Sheriff at Bandera County Sheriffs Office. MEDIA CONTACT for Warriors Heart: Liz Kelly: 310-987-7207 ABOUT CHRISTINA MORENO Christina Moreno is the Warriors Heart Executive Director and CFO, where shes worked in various leadership roles since it officially opened in 2016. Born in Odessa, Texas, and raised in Bandera outside San Antonio, Christina served the Bandera County community for 20+ years in different roles, including the Bandera County Auditor. While attending the University of Texas at San Antonio, she worked in various positions at the Auditors Office. After college, Moreno was appointed the youngest County Auditor in the State of Texas at age 22 by the 216th District Judge. During her free time, she is active in the community, and enjoys spending time with her husband and children. https://www.warriorsheart.com/about-us/staff/#christina-moreno ABOUT WARRIORS HEART (Bandera, Texas near San Antonio): Warriors Heart is the first and only private accredited treatment program in the U.S. exclusively for warriors (active duty military, veterans, first responders and EMTs/paramedics) faced with the self-medicating struggles of alcohol addiction, prescription and drug addiction, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), mild TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and other co-occurring issues in a private, 60-bed facility on a 543-acre ranch. Along with a minimum 42-day peer-to-peer residential treatment program, Warriors Heart gives warriors the option of Detox, Day Treatment, Outpatient, and Sober Living (60-day minimum). Warriors Hearts work has been featured on the TODAY Show, CBS Health Watch, FOX 11 Los Angeles, National Defense Radio Show and in TIME, Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, Addiction Pro magazine, San Antonio Business Journal and many more. There is a 24-hour Warriors Heart hotline (844-448-2567) answered by warriors. https://www.warriorsheart.com A board set up at the vigil for missing persons displays nine individuals who have gone missing over the past year. Jonathan Nakarak has been found. Sam Ferrara/News-Miner The Republic of Belarus on Thursday officially opened a consulate general in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. At the opening ceremony, Li Bo, vice mayor of Chongqing, said the two sides should work together to jointly promote the China-Belarus comprehensive strategic partnership and expand mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields. Li said that, in recent years, the China-Belarus comprehensive strategic partnership, featuring mutual trust and win-win cooperation, has been constantly strengthened and fruitful results have been achieved in jointly building the Belt and Road. Yuri Senko, Belarus Ambassador to China, said he hoped the official opening of the third Consulate General in China would add some motion and content to the commercial, economic, investment, and humanitarian cooperation between Belarus and Chongqing. "China is one of the key partners of Belarus in the world," he said. "Today we are actively moving towards bringing Belarus-China relations to a new level of iron brotherhood and all-weather partnership. I am sure that it will meet today's realities and open a new page in the history of our countries." The jurisdiction of the new consulate general includes Chongqing and the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Hubei and Yunnan. Biden, Trump Havent Communicated Since Inauguration Day, Psaki Says President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have not spoken since around Inauguration Day, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Friday. Trump left a letter to Biden on his way out, according to Biden, who called it very generous. Biden did not elaborate on its contents. I dont have any update. I dont have any calls to report on. There are no calls to report on, I should say. And I dont have any update on the letter, she reporters Friday. Since then, Trump has made very few public statements and has moved back into his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Hours before the Jan. 20 inauguration, the former president praised his administrations record. I hope they dont raise your taxes. But if they do, I told you so, Trump quipped. The president also said to remember us, and well be back in some form. On Thursday, in perhaps a sign of things to come, Trump met with House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in Florida. According to Trumps team, the two had a good and cordial meeting. Trumps popularity has never been stronger than it is today, it said in a statement, and his endorsement means more than perhaps any endorsement at any time. Trump now will work with McCarthy on boosting the GOP in the House races. The two worked very well together in the last election and picked up at least 15 seats when most predicted it would be the opposite, Trumps team wrote. They will do so again, and the work has already started. Also in the White House briefing, Psaki said Biden would sign immigration orders next and will visit the Department of State next week. And Robert Malley, who was a top adviser to former President Barack Obama, will be Bidens special envoy for Iran, Psaki said. The Epoch Times has reached out to Trumps PAC for comment. With state National Guard contingents manning COVID-19 response and vaccination efforts; supporting overseas operations; deploying to Washington, D.C., to provide security; and on standby for national disasters, units are stretched to their limits, the adjutants general of three states said Friday. Since Jan. 6, nearly 26,000 National Guard members have deployed or redeployed to the nation's capital, while 22,900 are supporting COVID-19 operations at 260 sites nationwide, including food distribution sites, testing centers and vaccination hubs. The activations are in addition to the mission to support combat and contingency operations overseas, as well as meeting training requirements to remain mission-ready, leaders of the California, Washington and Michigan National Guards said during a call with reporters. Read Next: Dismissals and Discipline at Air Force Academy After 249 Cadets Investigated for Cheating "It hasn't been just a long year, it's been a long 20 years," said Army Maj. Gen. Bret Daugherty. "I just want to focus on that. We're all consumed with our domestic operations right now, but it is simultaneous with our overseas deployments, which have not led up one iota." He added that allotting the National Guard Bureau more troops would help accomplish all missions. "We're an amazingly resilient force ... but I hope that as we have a tendency to reevaluate how our Department of Defense is structured in the future, perhaps we can find a little bit more force structure for our National Guard," Daugherty said. While more than half of the Guard force deployed to DC has left, 12,000 remain to provide security through at least the end of February. Michigan media outlets reported Friday that 1,000 members would travel to D.C. for a "new security mission," part of a larger force of 7,000 called up after the Department of Homeland Security issued a national bulletin Wednesday warning of a domestic terrorism threat. In addition to troops in the nation's capital, the Michigan National Guard has 568 personnel on 117 teams supporting COVID-19 response in the state, conducting vaccination clinics and administering vaccines to prison inmates. To date, the Michigan National Guard has vaccinated 44,000 state residents. In California, 1,484 Guard members have been activated to man COVID testing sites and support food banks. Medical strike teams are working in emergency rooms across the state, and Guardsmen are supporting administrative tasks in two county coroner's offices, according to Army Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, the California adjutant general. Baldwin added that another 1,000 California Guard members will be called up in the coming weeks for vaccination efforts. All this, after a devastating wildfire season that had National Guard troops battling blazes. "We're largely victims of our own success ... because the National Guard has become so professionalized, so capable. People are relying on us for more and more mission sets. To that end, the Guard is not big enough, and we need to grow," Baldwin said. On Thursday, Defense Department officials said they are responding to a request from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for help with the national COVID-19 immunization effort. According to DoD spokesman John Kirby, the department plans to meet the request and is working to figure out what mix of manpower it can provide -- National Guard, Reserve or active duty. FEMA has requested up to 10,000 service members. Officials said state Guard planners must be mindful of their service members' time, as well as the needs of their communities and employers, since National Guard members often work in civilian jobs comparable to their military duties. "Every National Guard medical -- airman or soldier -- that I put into a vaccination site I am taking out of their civilian community to do, perhaps, the same thing in a different uniform. So I have to be very careful about that," said Maj. Gen. Jerry Fenwick, director of the National Guard Bureau Office of the Joint Surgeon. Daugherty said National Guard troops are an "amazingly resilient force," but the units must be bigger. Baldwin agreed. He added that the bureau also must review benefit parity for those called up on state versus federal orders, as well as the decisions that go into the types of orders service members receive. "[This is] because it has an impact on our ability to retain the top-quality people that we have serving in today's National Guard," Baldwin said. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: DC Guard Chief 'Deeply Troubled' After Nearly 200 Troops Test Positive For COVID-19 HAWTHORNE, Calif., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SkyOne Federal Credit Union and Friends of Madrona Marsh entered into a mutually beneficial partnership in December 2019 that expands member benefits within each organization. The partnership brings together two member-based organizations that care deeply about their local community. SkyOne, a local not-for-profit financial cooperative, provides members with free tools, such as financial education and affordable banking services, to help manage finances and save for the future. Friends of Madrona Marsh, a local nonprofit conservation organization, is dedicated to the preservation, education, and aesthetics of the Madrona Marsh Preserve in Torrance, California. "I'm very pleased to announce SkyOne will be working with Friends of Madrona Marsh," said Joseph Whitaker, SkyOne's President and CEO. "It's urgent to help preserve our remaining wetlands, and this partnership will raise awareness of both organizations." Each organization has agreed to extend benefits to the other's membership base. SkyOne will pay the first year of Friends of Madrona Marsh membership. Members of the Friends of Madrona Marsh can join SkyOne and enjoy numerous benefits, including easy access to deposits with thousands of ATMs and Shared Branches nationwide, a live call center, no-fee early paycheck arrival via direct deposit, low nuisance fees, and competitive rates on loans and savings. Any potential member who would like to join SkyOne but would not otherwise qualify can join Friends of Madrona Marsh and become a member of SkyOne. "We look forward to sharing benefits with Friends of Madrona Marsh, as it's such a crucial cause," said Shannon Doiron, SkyOne's Chief Marketing Officer. "Now, its members can enjoy all SkyOne has to offer, and our members can help protect the wildlife habitat in our own backyard." Both companies expect to increase brand awareness as they promote each other through their websites, membership packets, and community events. "Partnering with SkyOne means more benefits for our members, but it means so much more for The Madrona Marsh Preserve," said Suzan Hubert, President of Friends of Madrona Marsh. "Through the memberships we'll gain over the next year, we'll receive funds toward its preservation. This is a significant step as it is one of the last vestiges of the extensive marshland that once covered the Southern California Coastal Plain." About SkyOne Federal Credit Union: Founded in 1949, SkyOne Federal Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution with over 41,000 members nationwide and $600 million in assets, located in Hawthorne, California. The credit union offers a range of financial products including checking and savings accounts, consumer loans, real estate loans, and investment services. SkyOne is passionate about helping its members build a strong financial foundation and reach financial freedom. Free tools, such as financial education and affordable banking services, are available to assist members in managing their finances and saving for the future. Deposits are federally insured for at least $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). In 2017, SkyOne was certified as one of the Great Places to Work in the financial services industry. Learn more at https://www.skyone.org/join. Follow SkyOne on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. About Friends of Madrona Marsh: Friends of Madrona Marsh is a nonprofit organization that has maintained the Madrona Marsh Preserve for over 40 years. The Preserve is located within the greater El Segundo Sand Dune System. It is believed to be one of the last remaining vernal freshwater marshes, a type of wetland, in Los Angeles County. Friends of Madrona Marsh proudly work in coordination with the City of Torrance to conduct community activities that promote awareness and preservation of the Preserve. Learn more at https://friendsofmadronamarsh.com/about-madrona-marsh.shtml. Media Inquiries: For SkyOne Federal Credit Union Shannon Doiron, Chief Marketing Officer [email protected] (310) 491-7624 Michelle Markham, Marketing Manager [email protected] (310) 491-7619 For Friends of Madrona Marsh Susan Hubert (310) 782-3989 View source version on www.skyone.org/category/news/ SOURCE SkyOne Federal Credit Union Related Links skyone.org President Joe Biden's Pentagon has just jumped 40 Islamo-fascist terrorists imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay to the head of the COVID-19 vaccine line. In a country where more than 300 million citizens and legal residents are enduring a long-term wait for the vaccine, these prisoners are now queued up for their first vaccination shots as soon as next week. These terrorist beneficiaries of Biden's misguided compassion include 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Meanwhile, even Americans at risk for COVID because of age or medical conditions including millions of American veterans injured or sicked while in Iraq and Afghanistan are being told, optimistically, by a leading member of Biden's new committee on the coronavirus, the frequently wrong Dr. Anthony Fauci, that they'll have to wait. Fauci, President Biden's chief medical adviser, a flawed "expert" whom Trump fired after his many failed projections and mistaken recommendations, told the New York Times he hoped the vaccine would be distributed to rank-and-file Americans by "late next summer." On Jan. 26, the more optimistic President Biden said, "The brutal truth is, it's going to take months before we can have the majority of Americans vaccinated months." Note that Biden said the "majority of Americans." With roughly 330 million Americans needing protection, it will take months to protect even 116 million Americans. Currently, after several months of vaccinations, roughly 26 million Americans have been inoculated less than 10 percent of the total. So, with more than 90 percent of all Americans, including millions of American veterans, waiting and praying for the vaccine before they could contract a fatal case of COVID, Biden is making sure that terrorists are protected. This includes five terrorist being prosecuted for their participation in the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. These terrorists are being moved to the head of a long line of people waiting for this viral protection. This new action by Biden, who much as Obama did during his administration is once again picking "winners" and "losers" and not siding with the American people, is on top of news. However, also from the New York Times, the two "ready-to-protect" vaccines are likely not as effective on a mutated strain of COVID first found in South Africa. In another, more candid statement, President Biden said the federal government will have enough vaccine to inoculate 300 million Americans by October. That will still leave 10 percent 30 million Americans unprotected even nine months from now. And that assumes that Biden is accurate. To date, the federal government has a poor track record at projecting the future of the disease and the vaccine. It also presumes that the vaccine will work. Drug-maker Novavax says its COVID-19 vaccine is only 89 percent effective meaning that 11 percent of vaccinated Americans will still be at risk, but nobody will know which 11 percent. That 11 percent makes up 33 million unknowingly at-risk Americans. Worse, Novavax's vaccine, of which Biden recently announced he is buying 100 million more inoculations (enough for 50 million Americans), is likely less effective against the South African mutated strain of COVID. Despite recent assurances from the often wrong Dr. Anthony Fauci, reported by NBC News, it's too soon to tell if the vaccine will work well on either this new South African strain or the highly virulent strain that surfaced in Great Britain. That deadly mutated U.K. strain recently appeared in the United States. It is reported to be far more contagious than unmutated COVID-19. However, initial and perhaps optimistic indications suggest that the U.K. strain might be "less deadly." But the jury is still out on that. The White House declined to answer questions about the appropriateness of protecting the mastermind of the deadly 9/11 attack, while leaving hundreds of millions of Americans unprotected and at risk. Ned Barnett was, for decades, an expert working on the public information side of America's health care system, serving such organizations as Citizens for Health and the National Drug Prevention League. The author of more than ten books and hundreds of articles on health care and public information, Barnett testified twice before Congress on national healthcare issues. He is the owner of Barnett Marketing Communications in Las Vegas and a frequent contributor to American Thinker. Image: PXHere, Creative Commons CC0. So, the PAGOP sent the gay flag police to take mine down today. The LGs office sent the LG to fly them proudly once again. Equal Protection Under The Law. Legal Weed for PA. How it started. How its going. pic.twitter.com/NLJ5uKt6Yy John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) January 26, 2021 Flags supporting LGBTQ rights and the legalization of marijuana were removed earlier this week from Lt. Gov. John Fettermans office, according to wgal.com. The state Department of General Services said it removed the flags because of a provision in a budget bill passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature. That provision enacted in late November bars the display of any flag other than the American, Pennsylvania or POW/MIA flags on the exterior of the Pennsylvania Capitol. The law directs the state Department of General Services, which manages all of the buildings in the Capitol Complex and oversees the Capitol police, to police the flag ban. Fetterman has said that marijuana and LGBTQ rights are issues he strongly supports. Asked in December if he was concerned about violating the freshly minted law, Fetterman said, Unless they are going to send the gay flag police after me, I dont really know what their recourse is going to be. He added later that if the Capitol Police Department want to send over their gay flag division of the Capitol Police Department to confiscate them, they can. The same party that collectively shrugged at its members being photographed at the January 6th Capitol Hill riot, really really has a issues with my weed and flags but ok https://t.co/rHd732MhOE John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) January 28, 2021 And, it would appear, they did. Fetterman told wgal.com that he already put the flags back up once this week but they were taken down. A spokeswoman said hell probably try again Monday. Attorney Lin Wood, member of President Donald Trump's legal team, speaks during a rally on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020, in Alpharetta, Ga. Associated Press/Ben Margot Pro-Trump lawyer L. Lin Wood says he will refuse a mental health assessment from the Georgia State Bar. In a post on Telegram, Wood says he didn't violate any professional code and is "of sound mind." As the post goes on, it takes a threatening tone: "... like all of us, the State Bar will have to face the consequences of its choices," he wrote. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. A far-right, pro-Trump attorney who is at risk of losing his license to practice law posted to the alternative messaging app Telegram on Friday, saying he will refuse to take a mental health assessment the Georgia State Bar has requested. L. Lin Wood, an Atlanta-based defamation lawyer, rose to infamy last year because of his role in former President Donald Trump's unhinged attempt to overthrow the election, and representing the teenager who shot three Black Lives Matter demonstrators during unrest over the summer. He has been banned from Twitter after repeatedly spreading disinformation and conspiracy theories. The city of Detroit had also previously called for Wood, and other lawyers involved in the election scheme, to be disbarred in Michigan and other states where they are licensed. The State Bar of Georgia Chief Operating Officer Sarah Coole confirmed in an email to Insider that an inquiry pertaining to Wood is ongoing under a rule that says mental illness could be grounds for disbarment. She said the investigation process is confidential and did not provide further comment. In a Telegram post on Friday afternoon, Wood said he would refuse the exam if it was formally requested of him. "I am of sound mind and I have not violated any rule of professional conduct," he wrote. Wood went on to talk about his career as a defamation attorney, and his work representing Richard Jewell. Toward the end, he took a threatening tone. "I hope that the state bar will not foolishly seek what they have no right to have. But the choice is theirs to make. Like all of us - we have the right to choose. But like all of us, the State Bar will have to face the consequences of its choices," he wrote on Telegram Friday. "I will not go quietly in the night." Story continues Wood's Telegram page is full of ranting posts and Bible verses. He has over 716,000 followers. Wood didn't immediately respond to a voicemail from Insider on Friday. The State Bar of Georgia didn't return a message seeking comment on Wood's tone or the pending mental health assessment. Read the original article on Insider First, broad concern. A variant that wreaked havoc in the U.K., leading to a spike in cases and hospitalizations, is surfacing in a growing number of places in the U.S. Early this week, another worrisome variant seen in Brazil surfaced in Minnesota. And on Thursday, two cases of the South Africa variant were confirmed in South Carolina. If these or other strains significantly change the way the virus transmits and attacks the body, as scientists fear they might, they could cause yet another prolonged surge in illness and death in the U.S., even as cases have begun to plateau and vaccines are rolling out. home US Pat Robertson commands Hurricane Florence do no damage as it hurtles towards east coast Pat Robertson has commanded the incoming Hurricane Florence to stay away from the east coast region. Robertson, who founded Regent University in Virginia who and is also the chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network and host of "The 700 Club," spoke on Monday at CBN's special Week of Prayer service, where he reminded the audience that Jesus commanded the sea and the waves at the sea of Galilee to be still. Speaking of Florence, the category 4 hurricane that is expected to make landfall and cause devastating damage in the Carolinas and Virginia starting Thursday, the evangelist asked the faithful to believe in God. "I don't want that thing to come in," the preacher said of the storm. "I don't want it to hurt Regent, I don't wait it to hurt CBN, I don't want it to tear up the beautiful campus, I don't want it to tear these trees down, I don't want to see any damage, I don't want a bunch of glass flowing," or damage to the area, he added. He asked people at the service to raise their hands toward the Atlantic. "We declare in the name of the Lord that you shall go no farther, you shall do no damage in this area," Robertson said. "In the name of Jesus a Hurricane Florence, we speak to you and we command the storm to cease its forward motion and go harmlessly into the Atlantic. Go up north away from land and veer off, in the name of Jesus. We declare a shield of protection all over Tidewater and we declare a shield of protection over those innocent people in the path of this hurricane. In Jesus' holy name, be out to sea!" he called. Robertson said that hurricanes of past years have been diverted from Virginia thanks to prayers, and said that the same can be done with Florence as well. "I believe it in all my heart, that if we don't doubt, this hurricane will be dispelled," he proclaimed. Operation Blessing International, a humanitarian organization founded by Robertson, has meanwhile shared its readiness to respond to the storm. "As #HurricaneFlorence approaches the East Coast, Operation Blessing teams are preparing to respond. Please pray for everyone in the path of this powerful storm," the group posted on Twitter on Tuesday. Some analysts, such as real estate data provider CoreLogic, have warned that close to 759,000 homes are in the path of the hurricane, with Florence estimated to inflict more than $170 billion in damage. Other Christian relief groups, such as North Carolina Baptists on Mission, which handles disaster relief for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, have also spoken of their readiness to act. "We haven't had a Category 4 hit North Carolina since Hurricane Hazel, 50 years ago," said Richard Brunson, executive director of NAMB. "It just depends where it comes in, but it's a very powerful hurricane that could be devastating, catastrophic. Those are the words they're using to describe Hurricane Florence." Brunson added: "God has given us some quality resources with our volunteers and our equipment. We want to glorify God with all that we have. We also have great partners in other states and if the storm comes in as big as they say it will, those partners through the nationwide Southern Baptist network will come to help. That's a real assurance." This article was published in The Christian Post and is re-published here with permission Most of the major combined South Korea-U.S. exercises have turned into computer-simulation training in the last three years. All three key joint drills -- Key Resolve, Foal Eagle and Ulchi-Freedom Guardian exercises -- were abolished in 2019 after U.S. President Donald Trump offered North Korean leader Kim Jong-un an unexpected gift at their first summit in Singapore. As a result the two countries have staged no large-scale field training since 2018. Last year, joint drills were canceled or downscaled due to the coronavirus epidemic. But even the simulations are too much for Kim, who has demanded suspension of another joint exercise slated for March. U.S. Forces Korea Commander Robert Abrams expressed concerns that the joint drills are becoming "computer games" when he met a former senior South Korean official. Abrams and the former official agreed that the two countries will have trouble keeping up their defense capabilities if soldiers never train together. They warned that soldiers could become frightened in a real-life confrontation if they are insufficiently trained in field exercises. Defense Minister Suh Wook told reporters the March exercise, another simulation, "will be staged in compliance with quarantine guidelines." A closer look at the government's coronavirus vaccination plan offers clues what brand of vaccine people are likely to be given at certain times. The government will not disclose the timing and location of vaccinations until April. But what is certain is that vaccines provided at inoculation facilities in gymnasiums and civic centers will be mRNA types that need to be refrigerated at extremely cold temperatures. Those administered at clinics will be viral vector vaccines that can be stored at temperatures of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. Pfizer and Moderna manufacture mRNA vaccines, while AstraZeneca and Janssen make viral vector vaccines. Choi Jae-wook at Korea University said, "If the government tells you to get inoculated at a local facility, chances are high that you will receive Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, while you will probably receive AstraZeneca or Janssen vaccines if authorities inform you to go to a clinic." Ukraine calls on the Russian side to unblock the process of detainee exchange and is ready to continue this process without any preconditions in the Normandy and Minsk formats. Permanent Representative of Ukraine to International Organizations in Vienna Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk said this at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday, January 28, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "We also call on Russia to unblock the issues, progress in which has been stalled for many months only due to the Kremlin's lack of political will, in particular, the mutual release of detainees and the opening of Zolote and Shchastia entry-exit checkpoints," he said. The ambassador added that Ukraine joined the call by Ambassador Heidi Grau to demonstrate the political will to swiftly reach an agreement on the mutual release of detainees based on the all for all principle, starting with all confirmed for all confirmed. "The Ukrainian side is ready to continue this process without any preliminary preconditions and within the established formats, namely the Normandy Four and the Trilateral Contact Group," Tsymbaliuk noted. ish Fox News-Former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith was sentenced to 12 months probation and 400 hours of community service Friday after pleading guilty to making a false statement in the first criminal case arising from now-Special Counsel John Durhams investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe. Clinesmith in August pleaded guilty to "one count of making a false statement within both the jurisdiction of the executive branch and judicial branch of the U.S. government, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000." U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia James Boasberg on Friday during Clinesmith's sentencing hearing said Clinesmith had suffered by losing his job and standing in the eye of a media hurricane. Boasberg gave him 12 months probation, 400 hours of community service, and no fine. Government prosecutors had been asking for Clinesmith to spend several months in jail. Clinesmith was initially referred for potential prosecution by the Justice Departments inspector generals office, which conducted its own review of the Russia investigation. The inspector general had accused Clinesmith, though not by name, of altering an email about former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page to say that he was "not a source" for another government agency. Page has said he was a source for the CIA. The Justice Departments charging document stated that Clinesmith "did willfully and knowingly make and use a false writing and document, knowing the same to contain a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and entry in a matter before the jurisdiction of the executive branch and judicial branch of the Government of the United States." The document said he altered another official's June 2017 email to say Page (referred to as "Individual #1") was "not a source" when the original email did not contain those words. The filing said another official took Clinesmiths altered email, relied on it, and signed and submitted the renewed FISA application to the FISA Court. "The application for FISA #4 did not include Individual #1s history or status with the OGA [other government agency]," the document read. Clinesmith, though, is the first and only criminal charge thus far stemming from Durhams investigation, which began in May 2019, shortly after special counsel Robert Mueller completed his yearlong investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians to influence the 2016 presidential election. Muellers investigation yielded no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the 2016 election. Last month, former Attorney General Bill Barr appointed Durham as special counsel to continue investigating the origins of the Russia probe through the Biden Administration. Barr notified the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, in a letter dated Dec. 1 obtained by Fox News, that Durham would be special counsel. "On May 13, 2019, I directed John Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, to investigate certain intelligence and law-enforcement activities surrounding the 2016 presidential election," Barr wrote. "Although I had expected Mr. Durham to complete his work by the summer of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as additional information he uncovered, prevented him from doing so. "In advance of the presidential election, I decided to appoint Mr. Durham as a Special Counsel to provide him and his team with the assurance that they could complete their work, without regard to the outcome of the election," Barr wrote, adding that he appointed Durham with "the powers and authority of a Special Counsel" on Oct. 19. In a scope order, obtained by Fox News, Barr stated that Durham as special counsel "is authorized to investigate whether any federal official, employee, or any other person or entity violated the law in connection with the intelligence, counter-intelligence, or law-enforcement activities directed at the 2016 presidential campaigns, individuals associated with those campaigns, and individuals associated with the administration of President Donald J. Trump, including but not limited to Crossfire Hurricane and the investigation of Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller, III." Under U.S. code, the special counsel would produce a "confidential report" and is ordered to "submit to the Attorney General a final report, and such interim reports as he deems appropriate in a form that will permit public dissemination." Fox News reported last month that Durham has expanded his team and is making "excellent progress" in his investigation. It is unclear, at this point, who those prosecutors are. Fox News reported in May that Jeff Jensen, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri who was tapped by the Justice Department in February to review the case of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, was helping with Durhams investigation. President Trump pardoned Flynn last month. Also in May, Fox News reported that now former acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Timothy Shea was also assisting with components of Durhams investigation. It is unclear, at this point, whether Jensen and Shea are continuing to work with Durham, and who the additions to his team are. Meanwhile, a source familiar with the investigation told Fox News last month that Durham, who is the U.S. attorney for Connecticut, is now "frequently" working out of Washington, D.C. Durham and some members of his team had been doing their work out of New Haven, Conn., over the summer. Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation (TMEIC) was established in 2003 by integrating the industrial systems and power electronics divisions of Toshiba Corporation and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation along with the rotating machinery division, which was already undergoing development at that time as a joint venture between the two companies. TMEIC handles the engineering of various electrical machinery and facilities as well as produces and sells electrical products such as monitoring control systems, motors, and drive systems, predominantly for the manufacturing industry. In addition, TMEIC has been actively developing and expanding business in other areas in recent years, notably renewable energy related systems that include PV inverters for solar power generation systems and energy storage systems. Although TMEIC's products and services are not directly visible in everyday life, they contribute to the Indian society, and the lives and livelihoods of Indian people through technologies that have been passed down for more than 100 years in social infrastructure and industrial fields. There is a strong movement toward decarbonization in India with the aim of becoming a carbon-neutral society, and TMEIC is playing a major role in this effort. As a leading company in PV inverters, TMEIC is among the top three in terms of share in the Indian market. The state-of-the-art inverter manufactured at the Tumkur factory in the State of Karnataka is supplied not only to India but also to North America and other parts of the world to support photovoltaic plants. TMEIC's efforts to reduce environmental burden and contribute to the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) extends beyond solar power generation. As an example, it is now mandatory for power companies in India to desulfurize their thermal power plants as a means to protect the environment, and as a result, there has been a surge in the adoption of TMEIC's motors manufactured at the factory in Tumkur. Besides this, TMEIC motors and drive systems are being used in water-related applications such as lift irrigation for the supply of water indispensable for the lives of local people and agriculture. TMEIC products, made in India, are widely employed in public facilities as well as manufacturing facilities. Many factories of a leading cement company in India utilize TMEIC drive systems to manufacture cement. In the steel industry, TMEIC motors and drives are delivered to various manufacturing facilities of major steel companies supporting steel production. TMEIC has a cutting-edge industrial motor factory and a power electronics factory in India that serve as supply bases not only for the Indian market but also for the global market. In this sense, TMEIC is creating unique added value in India that other companies cannot emulate. While also boosting production capacity, TMEIC is contributing to the Indian society and the global community with the aim of driving new growth based on the "Make in India philosophy", with localization done in India applying Japanese technology. Managing Director Hemant Joshi of TMEIC Industrial Systems India Private Limited (TMIND), in charge of TMEIC's Indian operations, in conversation with Business Today, said: "TMEIC in India recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary. We continue to grow at a fast pace while not only providing the latest industrial solutions based on technology and knowledge from Japan and India to the local market but also fulfilling our role as a supply base for the global market. Despite the worldwide chaos caused by COVID-19, you can expect to see TMIND continue contributing to the business of our customers by leveraging our extensive global know-how and the spirit of India." President Masahiko Yamawaki of TMEIC also commented: "The world has started to move forward towards a new future amid the coronavirus pandemic. TMEIC commands products and technologies, that can help realize a carbon-neutral world, including PV inverters for renewable energy, power electronics technologies and products required for stabilizing power systems and sources following the proliferation of renewable energy, and energy-saving motors featuring reduced power consumption. TMIND and TMEIC are committed to doing their best to help achieve the global goal of carbon neutrality." Learn more about TMEIC India: Technology, Products and Automation Solutions for Indstries Worldwide | TMEIC KALAMAZOO, MI Getting arrested and getting sober saved his life, former St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough told the court Thursday. McDonough, who was charged by the state attorney general with operating under the influence of alcohol and having open intoxicants in a motor vehicle after a May 11 crash near Three Rivers, pleaded guilty Jan. 28 to an added count of operating a motor vehicle while visibly impaired. The initial two charges were dismissed by Kalamazoo County District Judge Vincent Westra as a result of McDonoughs guilty plea. Westra, who oversaw the case in the capacity of a visiting judge, sentenced McDonough to one year of probation to include continued treatment for alcohol addiction, with the possibility for discharge after six months. Related: St. Joseph County prosecutors case to be heard by Kalamazoo County judge I do understand addiction and the insidious beast that addiction is, Westra said to McDonough. And my main concern was that you find your way into recovery, because in the end, the best outcome, not just for you, not just for your family, but for the community is that youre maintaining a program of recovery. Westra commended the former prosecutor for having stayed sober for 137 days after overcoming some hurdles early on in the process, including violating his bond condition that prohibited alcohol use. Accountability is not just a sanction imposed by the courts, Westra said. The community held you accountable. You lost a position that was very, very dear to you, something youve worked hard to achieve. And you risk the possibility of losing a career that you spent years in college getting ready for. But you recognize that was a result of your actions, your actions certainly influenced by the beast. Related: Prosecutor left crash scene before returning, according to police reports The former prosecutor who came under public scrutiny as the result of the crash and amid months of absence from work lost the seat in a landslide in the August primary election to Republican challenger and recently sworn-in prosecutor David Marvin. This has been a tremendously, humbling experience for me, said an emotional and at-times-tearful McDonough, when addressing the court. I was very grateful I was able to finish my term out with a little bit of dignity. I went back to work the last few months of my term and handled hearings and did everything I used to. It was a job I took tremendous pride in and threw away. I went out with absolutely zero fanfare, but Im here and thats the most important thing. Attorney Michael Hills, who represented McDonough in the matter, said he had advised his client against pleading guilty and told him he felt it was a very triable case. He came to me a while back and he wanted to plead guilty to a drunken driving charge and its his case and he wants to take responsibility, Hills said. And thats what were doing here today, hes taking responsibility and hes taking inventory. Hills said his client admittedly has a substance abuse disorder, but has been doing good work in recovery, attending multiple meetings a day and pointed out he looks noticeably different in appearance. I was on my deathbed last May, said McDonough, referencing health issues related to his alcohol use. My mother was preparing my funeral, my wife was in the hospital and everything was failing. Three weeks ago, I went to see the gastro doctor and my organs are functioning normal again. I have to be sober no matter what or Im going to end up dead and thered be too many things Id give up doing that. This disease had a complete stranglehold on my life. Also on MLive: Gov. Whitmer touts job creation at local vaccine-maker Pfizer during annual address Letter from the Editor: In a week of sudden loss, we did what journalists do work through the pain A look at where the coaching staff stands after Lions hire Mark DeLeone away from Chicago The 2022 Hyundai Tucson will arrive at Greg May Hyundai very soon. Buyers will be able to find the 2021 Tucson today. The lineup of crossover SUVs available at the Greg May Hyundai showroom rank among the most well-respected models in the global automotive industry. The Hyundai Tucson makes a strong case for being the automakers most competitive entry into this very competitive industry class. It offers plenty of power and plenty of interior flexibility, just like a popular crossover SUV should. People starting their journey toward taking a new Hyundai vehicle home can find the 2021 Tucson in the Greg May Hyundai showroom today. However, people willing to wait a little bit could be in store for a bit more when the 2022 version goes on sale. The automakers engineering team has made some important changes to the Tucson platform for the upcoming model year and the team at Greg May Hyundai wants to get this information out the door. When the time comes and the 2021 and 2022 Hyundai Tucson platforms are able to be seen side-by-side, sharp-eyed visitors to the Greg May Hyundai showroom may notice some key changes. The clearest change made for the 2022 Tucson includes making the vehicle physically larger than the 2021 model. Engineers and designers make the 2022 version 6 inches longer and stretch the new Tucson a little to make it wider and longer. Each of these changes has had the cumulative effect of increasing the available interior volume by a significant amount. A larger vehicle will require a bit more performance. Standard versions of the 2022 Tucson will make up to 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, which is more than what any version of the previous model will produce. Additionally, Hyundai is introducing hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains for the 2022 model year. Both model years will continue to make the Hyundai all-wheel-drive system available for buyers who are looking for additional peace of mind. Anyone can view the entire Greg May Hyundai inventory today by visiting the dealerships website, http://www.gregmayhyundai.com. The showroom is located at 1501 West Loop 340, Waco, TX 76712. Customers can inquire about either version of the Hyundai Tucson today by calling, 833-310-1026. US President Joe Biden prepares to sign executive orders on affordable healthcare in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 28, 2021. The orders include reopening enrollment in the federal Affordable Care Act.(MANDEL NGAN / AFP) From unexpected normalisation deals with Israel, to a "maximum pressure" campaign on rival Iran, the businessman-turned-president changed the face of the Middle East. His close relations with autocratic heads of states and wealthy Gulf monarchies also personalised Washington's approach towards the strategic region which hosts thousands of US troops. Joe Biden promised to change all that. In less than 10 days in the White House, the new president has already erased some of his predecessor's signature moves, but analysts say many of the flurry of deals struck in the last weeks of the administration won't -- or shouldn't -- be easily overturned. Here is a look at what is at stake for Trump's Middle East legacy: - 'Ping-ponging' Iran - On his first full day on the job, Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed the Biden administration wants to return to the 2015 nuclear deal trashed by Trump -- but said it would only happen once Iran resumes its commitments. Tehran has meanwhile called on Washington to first unconditionally lift sanctions, effectively dismantling the pressure campaign. Observers say this ping-pong process exemplifies the difficulty in extricating the US from Trump policies. "The more the administration pursues the Iranians, the more the Iranians will pull back, in a bid to increase their leverage. Yet, the more the US pulls back, the more the Iranians will try to force the US to engage," said Jon B. Alterman from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "We should not expect an easy return to negotiations, whatever the Biden team wants, and we should not anticipate that a supposedly wounded Iran will capitulate. Instead, we should anticipate a drawn-out process punctuated by crisis." - Arms sales - In a regional game-changer, the US last year agreed to sell more than $23 billion worth of top-of-the-line F-35 fighter jets and drones to the United Arab Emirates, to reward its diplomatic recognition of Israel. Trump also backed arms sales to Saudi Arabia, despite lawmakers' objections which were centred on the kingdom's poor human rights record. The Biden administration has said it is "temporarily" freezing the deals "to allow incoming leadership an opportunity to review". Experts say a halt would raise questions about a potential impact on the normalisation deal with Israel, which Trump saw as a key foreign policy achievement. - Israel ties - Trumps term saw a flurry of normalisation deals between four Arab states and Israel. Most however were built on diplomatic quid pro quos, which makes them vulnerable in the Biden era. Morocco's accord struck in December saw the US back its rule over disputed Western Sahara. Despite hailing the peace deals, Biden has not committed to maintaining the recognition in the region, where tensions have simmered since the 1970s. For its part, Sudan signed the deal less than a month after the US removed it from its "state sponsors of terrorism" blacklist. The Biden administration should not jeopardise these agreements and should "forge even more", said Dennis Ross and Juan Zarate in an article for the Washington Institute. "Although the instinct to make dramatic changes is understandable and sometimes correct, certain elements of Trump policy provide good opportunities for furthering Arab-Israel engagement." - Bridging the Gulf - After a three-year diplomatic row between a Riyadh-led quartet and Qatar that veered from frosty to furious, Gulf leaders met in Saudi Arabia two weeks before Trump's exit and agreed to restore relations. Washington had intensified pressure for a resolution, insisting Gulf unity is necessary to isolate Iran. However, the accelerated agreement failed to address any of the quartet's conditions to restore relations with Doha, which was accused of being too close to Tehran and financing extremists. As a result, "intra-Gulf rivalries could continue to stoke conflicts and political tensions in the Middle East and Africa," said Elham Fakhro of the International Crisis Group. - Yemen's fate - Trump's administration designated the Iran-backed Yemen Huthi rebels as a terrorist organisation just one day before Biden's inauguration, a move that raised fears it could jeopardise aid operations and put millions of lives at risk. Biden's administration on Monday froze the decision for one month. Blinken said one of his top priorities is addressing the war in Yemen, where US ally Saudi Arabia has been bombarding the Huthis since 2015. - Travel ban - One of Trump's first moves was to ban access to the United States to all travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, igniting international outrage and triggering domestic court battles. On his first day, Biden lifted the measure, enabling many Middle Eastern families to visit their relatives for the first time in four years. ALBERT LEA, Minn. A Freeborn County business has been fined $9,000 after the Minnesota Attorney General's Office claimed it was threatening to violate COVID-19 safety rules. Minnesota AG Keith Ellison's office says a district court judge is fining The Interchange Wine & Coffee Bistro $3,000 a day for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The AGs Office says its for publicizing a Friday event that would violate current Executive Order 21-01, which, among other requirements, mandates that bars, restaurants, and performance venues close for indoor, on-premises consumption of food and beverages by 10 pm and requires that restaurants only admit dine-in customers with reservations. The Interchange is promoting Friday's event that is called "Nail it to the Walz" re-open party. Its sad to see an establishment with so little concern for the health of its customers, employees, and community, says Ellison. More than 2,500 households in Freeborn County alone have been hurt by the deadly COVID-19 virus and as the number continues to rise, this establishment keeps breaking the law and the executive orders that are designed to prevent suffering and death. I will not hesitate to continue to use all the tools I have to keep Minnesotans safe. The AGs Office says the judge has also converted a temporary restraining order against The Interchange into a temporary injunction that requires the business to fully comply with any and all current and future executive orders relevant to bars and restaurants for the duration of the States litigation against it. Press Release 29 January 2021 IHG Hotels and Resorts, one of the world's leading hotel companies, has earned a 100 percent score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index (CEI) and been recognized as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality for the seventh year in a row. The results of the 2021 CEI showcase how 1,142 U.S.-based companies are not only promoting LGBTQ-friendly workplace policies in the U.S., but also for the 57% of CEI-rated companies with global operations who are helping advance the cause of LGBTQ inclusion in workplaces abroad. The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars: non-discrimination policies across business entities; equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families; supporting an inclusive culture; and, corporate social responsibility. Advertisements Elie Maalouf, Chief Executive Officer, Americas, IHG, said: "While the past 12 months have presented the hospitality industry with uncertainty and extraordinary challenges, IHG remains steadfast in its commitment to inclusivity and promoting a welcoming environment where all colleagues feel seen, heard and respected. This culture of belonging, which extends to colleagues at all levels, will continue to be at the heart of how we operate, serving guests and driving positive change in our communities. We are proud to stand with likeminded organizations that share our commitment to prioritizing inclusion and equality." Alphonso David, President, Human Rights Campaign, said: "From the previously unimaginable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to a long overdue reckoning with racial injustice, 2020 was an unprecedented year. Yet, many businesses across the nation stepped up and continued to prioritize and champion LGBTQ equality. This year has shown us that tools like the CEI are crucial in the work to increase equity and inclusion in the workplace, but also that companies must breathe life into these policies and practices in real and tangible ways. Thank you to the companies that understand protecting their LGBTQ employees and consumers from discrimination is not just the right thing to dobut the best business decision." IHG continues to further a culture of inclusion through key initiatives around the world: Building on existing Diversity & Inclusion initiatives, in June, IHG announced a series of commitments in the Americas to drive more meaningful progress - both within the company and the communities in which it operates. In Georgia, home to the company's Americas headquarters, IHG joined a business community coalition to advocate for the passage of Georgia's Hate Crime Bill - a measure which was signed into law in June. Teams around the world came together for virtual Pride festivities this year, such as regional happy hour and trivia celebrations, a brainstorming session hosted by the Americas Out & Open employee resource group where colleagues shared their insights about LGBTQ+ travel as part of input to hotel recovery toolkits, and a digital presence at the 50th annual Atlanta Pride Festival in October. In November, the company kicked off its first annual Inclusion Week in the Americas region, a week of D&I-focused virtual events where colleagues had an opportunity to engage with Employee Resource Groups, learn from keynote and panel discussions and build deeper connections with colleagues through interactive activities. IHG is a proud signatory to the UN LGBTI Standards for Business, CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, The Valuable 500, Women in Hospitality's Diversity in Hospitality Travel and Leisure Charter and The 30% Club, and continues to engage with efforts to support representation and inclusion for all underrepresented communities as a member of the National Diversity Council and the Georgia Diversity Council. The CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to over 18 million U.S. workers and an additional 17 million abroad. Companies rated in the CEI include Fortune magazine's 500 largest publicly traded businesses, American Lawyer magazine's top 200 revenue-grossing law firms (AmLaw 200), and hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized businesses. For more information on the 2021 Corporate Equality Index, and to download the full report, visit www.hrc.org/cei. NEW DELHI : Indias border tensions with China figured in the speech by President Ram Nath Kovind Friday on the opening day of the Budget session of parliament with the president stating that the Modi government was vigilant and committed to safeguarding the interests of the country. In keeping with the role envisaged for India as a prominent voice in the world, Kovind also said that the Modi government was determined to strengthen Indias military preparedness. Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start During the coronavirus pandemic, when the country was grappling with crisis, attempts were made to challenge the countrys capability at the border," Kovind said. Efforts were made to disrupt the peace at LAC in utter disregard of bilateral relations and agreements. However, our security forces not only responded to these machinations with promptitude, force and courage, but also foiled all attempts to change the status quo at the border," Kovind said. Paying tribute to the 20 Indian soldiers who were killed during a clash with Chinese on the border, Kovind said India was deeply indebted" to the courage they displayed. My Government is vigilant and fully committed to safeguard the interests of the country. Additional forces have also been deployed at the Line of Actual Control) to protect the sovereignty of India," he said. The references were to the frayed ties between India and China after New Delhi discovered intrusions into Indian territory by the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army in May 2020. India quickly moved reinforcements to the border to match a Chinese deployment of an estimated 40,000-50,000 troops along the LAC. Though the two sides agreed to a scaling back of troops, a violent clash between the two sides on 15 June at Galwan dealt a major blow to ties. Twenty Indian troops and an unspecified number of Chinese soldiers were killed in the clash, the first leading to casualties since 1975. Many rounds of talks since the Galwan clash at the military and diplomatic levels have not yielded any results. In his speech, Kovind also referred to a larger role that he said India was set to play in the future for which the government was intent on strengthening our military preparedness." A range of modern armaments are being procured to enhance the capabilities of Indias armed forces. There is also a thrust on achieving self-reliance in the defence sector. Only a few days back, the Government has placed an order with HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) for the procurement of 83 indigenous fighter aircraft Tejas worth 48,000 crore," he said. The reference was the Light Combat Aircraft that India is looking at to build up its depleted squadron strength. As against an approved strength of 42, India now has only 30 squadrons of fighter aircraft mainly composed of Russian made Sukhoi-30 fighters. Last year, India got the first few of 36 state of the art multi-role Rafale aircraft built by Frances Dassault Aviation. India is basing the first Rafale squadron at Ambala in Punjab and the second at Hashimara in West Bengal. Armed with the beyond visual range air to air Meteor missile, the Rafale has been described as a gamechanger" for the Indian Air Force. India will also be shortly inducting the S-400 Triumf air defence system. The system, manufactured in Russia, can engage all types of aerial targets, including aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles besides ballistic and cruise missiles within a range of 400 kilometres and up to an altitude of 30 kilometres. In his speech, Kovind also outlined the steps taken by the Modi government to boost domestic production of defence hardware a key priority of the Modi government. Imports of more than 100 items linked to defence have been prohibited in order to promote Make in India. Similarly, several advanced weapons including supersonic torpedoes, quick reaction missiles, tanks and indigenous rifles are being manufactured in India. India is now also rapidly increasing its share in the exports of defence equipment," the president said. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. A new miniature species of chameleon where the male is much smaller but has unusually large genitals in order to have sex with the much larger female has been discovered during a recent research expedition in Madagascar. An international team of researchers, led by the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology (ZSM-SNSB) from the German city of Munich, discovered the bizarre chameleon in the North of Madagascar, East Africa. The discovery was announced on Thursday and published in the open-access Journal of Scientific Reports. The joint team of scientists named the new species Brookesia nana. With a body size of just 13.5 mm (0.53 inches), this Nano-Chameleon (Brookesia nana) is the smallest known male of the roughly 11,500 known reptile species (pictured) When asked about the inspiration behind the name, Frank Glaw, curator of Herpetology at the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology and lead author of the study, told Newsflash: 'The inspiration was, of course, the smallness of the species. 'The first species of these mini chameleons was discovered as early as 1893 and named Brookesia minima, which means 'the smallest'. 'In 2012 we discovered the even smaller species Brookesia micra, which is also named for its tiny size. And in this tradition, we also named Brookesia nana, which can be translated as 'dwarf'.' The adult male individual of the newly discovered species has a body length of 13.5 millimetres (0.53 inches), making it the smallest known male of approximately 11,500 known reptiles. Glaw said the Nano-Chameleon is the smallest known male of all 'higher vertebrates'. The females, on the other hand, are 19 millimetres (0.74 inches) larger than males. A comparison of the genital size of the Nano-Chameleon and 51 other chameleon species from Madagascar suggested that male Brookesia nana adults have extremely large genitals. Mr Glow said according to the studies, the smallest chameleons tend to have the largest genitalia relative to body size. For instance, the size of Brookesia nana's manhood is up to 18.5 percent of its body size. Researchers said this may be due to a phenomenon called 'sexual size dimorphism', which occurs in species where males tend to be smaller than the females, meaning relatively larger genitals are required for successful reproduction. According to the studies, the smallest chameleons tend to have the largest genitalia relative to body size. For instance, the size of Brookesia nana's manhood is up to 18.5 percent of its body The distribution ranges of most dwarf chameleons such as Brookesia nana are very small, sometimes encompassing areas of just a few hectares. When asked if the tiny chameleons were returned to their natural habitat, Mr Glow said: 'The two animals (a male and a female) were taken for research purposes. The male has become the holotype for describing the species, the female the paratype. 'Such documents, so-called type copies, are required to scientifically describe and name a species. One copy is kept in Munich, the other at the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar.' Oliver Hawlitschek, from the Natural History Centre in Hamburg, said that even though the habitat of the Brookesia nana is facing deforestation, the recent decision to designate that exact territory as protected will hopefully help the tiny chameleon survive. Seattle hospitals rushed out COVID-19 vaccines to hundreds of people in the middle of the night after a freezer they were being stored in failed. Its not clear what caused the freezer failure Thursday night, but the UW Medical Centers Northwest and Montlake campuses and Swedish Medical Center received more than 1,300 doses that needed to be used before they expired at 5:30 a.m. Friday, The Seattle Times reported. Word of the unexpected doses spread on social media, and a line of hopeful vaccine recipients snaked out the clinic door and through a parking lot at UW Medical Center-Northwest. A hundred people lined up at Swedish Medical Centers clinic at Seattle University. The hospital tweeted at 11:59 p.m. that it had 588 doses to give out, and by 12:30 a.m., all the appointment slots had been taken. At the UW Medical Center-Northwest, assistant administrator Jenny Brackett walked along the crowd calling out and asking if anyone was over 65. Many of those who showed up were too young and healthy to qualify under Washington states current prioritization categories for vaccine distribution. Brackett said the hospital was doing its best to vaccinate those eligible, but that the main objective was to get it into arms and avoid waste. Anyone who received a first shot Thursday night will also receive the second shot in the two-dose regimen, regardless of age, said Cassie Sauer, president of the Washington State Hospital Association. One woman plucked from the crowd at UW Medical Center-Northwest, Tyson Greer, 77, said she had been waking up at 1 a.m. or 3 a.m. for more than a week to search online for coveted vaccination appointments. She finally received a shot at 1 a.m. Friday from associate chief nursing officer Keri Nasenbeny. Many of the staffers working the vaccination clinic had been at work since 7 a.m. Thursday, Nasenbeny said. When she received word about the freezer failure, she called several nurses, who in turn recruited pharmacists and other volunteers. A Seattle firefighter seemed to show up out of nowhere to help, and a hospital staffers boyfriend helped manage the queue. Those who scored the vaccine were appreciative. Sarah Leyden, 57, got word the shots were available from her wife, a hairdresser, who heard from a client who is a nurse. I just got lucky, Leyden said. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen today proposed a ban on Muslim headscarves in all public places, seeking to build on a record recent poll putting her almost neck-and-neck with President Emmanuel Macron. The hijab policy, which would be contested in court and would almost certainly be ruled unconstitutional, saw the 53-year-old return to a familiar campaign theme 15 months from the country's 2022 presidential election. 'I consider that the headscarf is an Islamist item of clothing,' Le Pen told reporters at a press conference where she proposed a new law to ban 'Islamist ideologies' which she called 'totalitarian and murderous.' French far-right leader Marine Le Pen today proposed a ban on Muslim headscarves in all public places, seeking to build on a record recent poll putting her almost neck-and-neck with President Emmanuel Macron 'I consider that the headscarf is an Islamist item of clothing,' Le Pen told reporters at a press conference where she proposed a new law to ban 'Islamist ideologies' which she called 'totalitarian and murderous'. Pictured: A woman wearing a hijab (file photo) Since taking over from her father, Le Pen has run twice for the French presidency, losing badly in 2017 to political newcomer Macron in a defeat that she took months to recover from. She faced controversy at the time after she cancelled a meeting with Lebanon's most senior Muslim cleric in Beirut because she objected to covering her hair. Her political gesture against the Grand Mufti was aimed at asserting French secular values in Lebanon, where the main religions are Islam and Christianity. But recent polling shows her closer than ever to her ultimate prize and has led to a rash of new speculation about whether the anti-EU, anti-immigration populist could finally enter the Elysee Palace. Despite recent setbacks for fellow ideologues such as Donald Trump and Matteo Salvini in Italy, a survey reported earlier this week showed her within striking distance of Macron. Despite recent setbacks for fellow ideologues such as Donald Trump and Matteo Salvini in Italy, a survey reported earlier this week showed her within striking distance of Macron The poll conducted online by Harris Interactive suggested that if a final-round presidential run-off were held today Le Pen would garner 48 percent while Macron would be re-elected with 52 percent, Le Parisien newspaper reported. It suggested National Rally leader Le Pen would narrowly beat Macron in the first round, gaining 26 to 27 percent of the votes against his 23 to 24 percent. If accurate, the survey indicates that Macron and Le Pen are set to duel for the presidency for the second time. The margin, the narrowest ever recorded, set off alarm bells in the French political mainstream as the dual health and economic crises caused by the coronavirus pandemic sweep across the country. 'It's the highest she has ever been at,' said Jean-Yves Camus, a French political scientist specialised in the far-right, while adding that it was 'too early to take the polls at face value'. He said Le Pen was benefiting from frustration and anger over the pandemic, with France on the verge of a third lockdown, but also the beheading of a French school teacher by an Islamist last October. 'It had a major impact on public opinion,' the expert from the Jean-Jaures Foundation told AFP. 'And in this area, Marine Le Pen has an advantage: her party is well known for its position denouncing Islamism.' The beheading of Samuel Paty in a town northwest of Paris rekindled bitter arguments in France about immigration and the threat of Islamism, while causing a major international crisis for Macron. The beheading of Samuel Paty (pictured) in a town northwest of Paris rekindled bitter arguments in France about immigration and the threat of Islamism, while causing a major international crisis for Macron The secondary school teacher was attacked in the street by an 18-year-old extremist after he showed satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed to pupils during a civics class on free speech. Two weeks later, a 21-year-old Tunisian national stabbed three people to death in a church in the southern city of Nice. Macron came out strongly in support of the right to free speech - saying 'we will not stop drawing cartoons' - while French media and even city authorities defiantly re-published the caricatures, which are offensive to many Muslims. The French leader was denounced as Islamophobic by detractors abroad, particularly Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and anti-France protests took place in many Muslim-majority countries from Bangladesh to Lebanon. Protesters burn an effigy depicting French President Emmanuel Macron during a demonstration in Kolkata, India on November 4 In response to Paty's death, Macron's government shut a number of organisations deemed Islamist and drafted law legislation initially called 'the anti-separatism bill' which cracks down on foreign funding for Islamic organisations. Macron's leadership has also been under scrutiny over labour disputes that sparked huge protests beginning in 2018, as well as his handling of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. These challenges are unlikely to be fully resolved in the fifteen months before the next election and will be inherited by the next French president. Another challenge is a growing wave of Euroscepticism in France, which could see voters favour Le Pen. While she has dropped her calls for France to leave the EU amid a party rebrand following Macron's 2017 victory, the National Assembly member is a strong advocate for EU reform. The terror attack in France has been followed by a wave of anger against Emmanuel Macron (pictured next to Paty's coffin in Paris in October 2020) throughout the Muslim world With campaigns yet to get under way, the results suggested by the poll could change dramatically but they appear to show gains for the far-right compared with previous surveys. A June 2020 poll carried out by Ifop-Fiducial placed Macron at 55 percent in the second round of voting against Le Pen at 45 percent. If re-elected after a campaign that is expected to be centred on jobs, the pandemic and the place of Islam in France, 43-year-old Macron would be the first president since Jacques Chirac in 2002 to win a second term. Under France's presidential system, the top two candidates in a first round of voting progress to a second-round run-off where the winner must get more than 50 percent. A Le Pen win 'was improbable three and half years ago,' veteran political commentator Alain Duhamel told the BFM news channel this week. 'But today I wouldn't say that it is probable, but I'd say, without any pleasure, that it seems to me to be possible.' A re-run of the Macron-Le Pen contest of 2017, which all polls currently show as the most likely outcome, could increase the abstention rate and disillusionment with the French political system. Turnout in the second round in 2017 was 74.6 percent, its lowest level since 1969, because many voters from the left declined to cast a ballot. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Many Afghan officials say they believe that the Taliban have only a single interest: to seize power by force. And all sides in the conflict agree that missing the May troop withdrawal deadline would quickly change whatever equilibrium has been established on the countrys battlefields and could risk setting off a concerted Taliban effort to enter cities. In the meantime, regional powers, especially Iran and Pakistan, are biding their time and waiting to see what comes next under Mr. Biden. Iran, for instance, hosted Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Talibans deputy leader, in Tehran on Wednesday, which could be perceived as demonstrating the countrys willingness to play a more active role in the talks. Irans involvement in the Afghan war has shifted since 2001, underscoring the changing geopolitical currents over the wars duration. On one hand, Tehrans official line has denounced the return of the Taliban as a direct threat to Iran. But on the other, Iranian operatives have made quiet overtures to the insurgent group, offering weapons and other equipment, in Afghanistans southwest, Afghan officials say. The Taliban does not trust the United States and we will fight any group that is a mercenary for the United States, Mr. Baradar was quoted as saying in the Iranian news media in an apparent reference to the Afghan government. But just a month earlier, Irans foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, all but offered up an Iran-trained Afghan Shiite militia to serve the Kabul government in the fight against terrorism. He was speaking in an interview with an Afghan news outlet. Officials here took that as a clear signal from its powerful neighbor that it intends to get further involved in the Afghan conflict. Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader will arrive in Kolkata tonight on a two-day visit beginning on Saturday to take stock of the BJP's preparedness ahead of the assembly in His visit comes in the backdrop of growing rebellion in the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) with several ministers and MLAs openly speaking out against the party and the functioning of the state government. Speculations are rife that former minister Rajib Banerjee who has resigned as cabinet minister and TMC MLA, expelled TMC MLA Baishali Dalmiya and Uttarpara MLA Prabir Ghoshal may join the saffron party during Shah's visit. "On Saturday morning, Shah will be visiting Iskcon, Mayapur. Then he will be going to Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas, a bastion of Matuas, where he will address a public rally. Later in the day, he will hold a closed-door meeting with social media cell of the party. He has some other engagements too," a state BJP leader said. Shah will also hold a meeting with party leaders to review its poll prepararedness. "On Sunday he will be visiting Aurobindo Bhawan to pay his respects to Sri Aurobindo. Then he will be going to Bharat Sevashram Sangha. From there he will proceed to Howrah where he will address a public meeting," the BJP leader said. Later in the evening, he will be visiting Belur Math. According to BJP sources, there will be "surprises" at Shah's rally in Howrah. "Lists of TMC leaders likely to join our party are doing the rounds in social media. I can only say that there will be several surprises on Sunday," BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said. In the biggest single-day exodus from the TMC, political heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, along with 35 party leaders, including five MLAs and an MP, had joined the BJP during Shah's rally in Medinipur on December 19. Since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when the BJP bagged 18 seats from the state, 14 legislators of the TMC, four from the Left Front and two from the Congress have joined the saffron party. to the 294-member state assembly are due in April-May. Dr. Saffra added Partnering with SightMD was a natural fit, due to our shared dedication to compassionate, and state of the art ophthalmic care. My colleagues and I could not have found a more aligned partner. SightMD, a leading multi-specialty ophthalmology platform, today announced a strategic partnership with Norman Saffra, M.D., a Nassau County and Brooklyn based ophthalmologist. Through this strategic partnership, Dr. Saffras practices in Brooklyn (902 49th Street, Brooklyn NY 11219) and Hewlett (1229 Broadway Hewlett NY 11557) will expand SightMDs presence by adding two locations and six providers, growing SightMDs current footprint to 40 locations and 85+ providers across the New York Tri-state Area. Founded in 1993, Medical and Surgical Eye Site has been a longstanding pillar of Brooklyn for over 25 years. The doctors of Medical and Surgical Eye Site are Norman Saffra, M.D., the founder of the practice, Emily Moriarty, M.D., Rivka Markowitz M.D., Kim Mostofsky, M.D., Kim Le, M.D., and Beatrice Whittaker, M.D. Dr. Saffra expanded his practice and opened Nassau County Ophthalmology in 2010. Dr. Norman Saffra and a number his colleagues work out of both office locations. With SightMDs support, the practice will expand to provide its patients with additional ophthalmic subspecialties, including cataract, glaucoma, LASIK, oculoplastic and pediatric care. Jeffrey Martin, M.D., a Co-founder and President of SightMD, said, My partners and I are thrilled to welcome Dr. Saffra and his colleagues to the SightMD family. They have built a strong reputation by providing clinically excellent patient care over the past 25 years. I look forward to supporting our new partners as they expand SightMDs presence in Brooklyn and Hewlett. Dr. Saffra added Partnering with SightMD was a natural fit, due to our shared dedication to compassionate, and state of the art ophthalmic care. My colleagues and I could not have found a more aligned partner. Our commitment and dedication to our patients has never been interrupted which is why SightMD has continued to serve our community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges faced by our community and the nation, we continue to partner with talented physicians. Both locations in Brooklyn and Hewlett will continue operations without interruptions or changes to their hours or locations. About SightMD SightMD is a rapidly growing integrated ophthalmic provider group, offering patients access to over 80 ophthalmic surgeons and specialists through the convenience of 40+ locations across downstate New York. SightMD's track record of providing clinically excellent care spans over 50 years, and its services include laser cataract surgery and lens implantation, glaucoma management, retinal disorder treatment, corneal services, neuro-ophthalmology, LASIK laser vision correction, oculoplastic surgery, pediatric ophthalmology, and audiology. For more information about SightMD, please visit http://www.sightmd.com A San Antonio police officer is accused of driving while intoxicated, officials said. James Walton Nicholson, 25, was arrested at 2:10 a.m. Thursday in the 15900 block of La Canterra Parkway, police said. Arrest records show he was charged with DWI and unlawful carrying of a handgun. He has since been released on bonds totaling $3,500. Police did not immediately release any further details regarding Nicholsons arrest. Nicholson, who has been with the department for three years, will be placed on temporary suspension pending the outcome of a criminal and administrative investigation, officials said. Capital for Colleagues plc - Notice of AGM Capital for Colleagues plc / EPIC: CFCP / Market: AQSE / Sector: Investment 29 January 2021 CAPITAL FOR COLLEAGUES PLC ('Capital for Colleagues' or the 'Company') NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Capital for Colleagues, the investment vehicle focused on opportunities in the Employee Owned Business ('EOB') sector, is pleased to announce that Notice convening the Company's Annual General Meeting ("AGM") for 12 noon on Friday, 26th February 2021 at the 2nd Floor Office C, The Design Centre, Roman Way, Crusader Park, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 8SP has been posted to shareholders in the Company today. The document will also be available on the Company's website at www.capitalforcolleagues.com. In light of current social distancing measures, the AGM this year will be run as a closed meeting, and members will not be able to attend. The Company will make arrangements such that the legal requirements to hold the AGM can be satisfied through the attendance of a minimum number of members and the format of the AGM will be purely functional - the AGM will comprise only the formal votes without any business update or questions and answers. Members are therefore strongly encouraged to submit a proxy vote in advance of the AGM, in accordance with the explanatory notes set out in the notice of AGM. The Directors of the Company are responsible for the contents of this announcement. **ENDS** For further information, please visit www.capitalforcolleagues.com or contact: CAPITAL FOR COLLEAGUES PLC Richard Bailey, Chairman Alistair Currie, Chief Executive 01985 201 980 PETERHOUSE CAPITAL LIMITED Mark Anwyl Allie Feuerlein 020 7469 0930 Capital for Colleagues Capital for Colleagues is an investment company focused on the UK EOB sector. The Company has a proven management team, with a wide network of contacts and affiliates, as well as established access to investment opportunities, enabling the Company to execute its strategy and capitalise on EOB-focused investment opportunities. In addition, the Company educates and assists companies that are looking to launch employee ownership schemes, advising them, amongst other things, on how to secure investment and achieve their objectives. Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information . Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. Washington: Speaker Nancy Pelosi intensified pressure on Thursday on House Republican leaders for their handling of a controversial GOP freshman, denouncing them for placing a lawmaker who Pelosi says has mocked the killing of little children on the chambers education committee. Pelosis comments focused on Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, whose views were in the spotlight even before she joined the House this month. Greene supported Facebook posts that advocated violence against Democrats and the FBI. One suggested shooting Pelosi in the head. In response to a post raising the prospect of hanging former President Barack Obama, Greene responded that the stage is being set. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California - discussing the threat. Credit:AP On Thursday, Pelosi referred to social media posts reported by Media Matters for America, a liberal watchdog group, in which Greene pushed conspiracy theories or liked posts that challenged the veracity of mass shootings at schools in Newtown, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida. Andy Morrison, representing Take 5 Indiana LLC, told the Merrillville Board of Zoning Appeals that the facility would be located on an access road into the mall property, directly north of Northern Tool and Equipment. He said customers would remain in their car for oil changes. The only other service provided would be oil filter and wiper blade replacement when needed, he said. AS the white pirogue drifted in the waters just off Belle Garden in Tobago early yesterday morning, fishermen working nearby knew something was wrong. What they saw in the small vessel stunned them. Fourteen bodies, all of them male, along with a skull and other skeletal remains, were piled inside the vessel as it floated four miles off Belle Garden, police confirmed. The bodies were all clad in tracksuits and green rain jackets and were severely decomposed, police investigators said. On Friday, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the new Senate Majority Leader, announced that Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives, would transmit the article of impeachment against former President Donald J. Trump to the Senate on Monday and the trial would start the week of Feb. 8. And on Monday, Pelosi transmitted the article. The article, approved by the House on Jan. 13 by a vote of 232 all 222 Democrats and 10 Republicans to 197, accuses Trump of incitement of insurrection in his Jan. 6 speech on the Ellipse that preceded the storming of the Capitol. It states that he reiterated false claims that we won this election, and we won it by a landslide, willfully made statements that encouraged and foreseeably resulted in imminent lawless action at the Capitol and caused a mob to unlawfully breach the Capitol, injure law enforcement personnel, menace members of Congress and the vice president, interfere with the joint sessions constitutional duty to certify the results of the presidential election, and engage in violent, deadly, destructive and seditious acts. It further asserts that his conduct that day was consistent with his prior efforts to subvert and obstruct the certification, including specifically his phone call four days earlier to the Secretary of State of Georgia urging him to find enough votes to overturn the Georgia result and threatening him if he failed to do so. In all of this, the article states, he gravely endangered the security of the U.S. and its institutions of government, threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, imperiled a coordinate branch of government, and thereby betrayed his trust as president. However, the last paragraph of the article raises, at least implicitly, the question of whether, now that he has left office, Trump should be tried by the Senate. The paragraph states: Wherefore President Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will 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, President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States. But he no longer remains in office, no longer remains a threat to national security, democracy and the Constitution, and no longer needs to be removed from office. Can he still be tried? Unfortunately, the Constitution doesnt answer that question. Article II, section 4, of the Constitution states the President, Vice President and all Civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors. There are several precedents that we may hear about in the days to come, but they provide differing answers to the question. The first case occurred in 1797, when Sen. William Blount of the new state of Tennessee, who speculated in and owned vast amounts of land, was discovered to be involved in a scheme to use militia forces to take lands in the Louisiana Territory that belonged to Spain. The scheme came to the attention of President John Adams who passed the information on to the Congress. The House voted to impeach him and the following day the Senate voted to expel him, raising the question for the Senate whether, since he was no longer a civil officer of the U.S., he could be tried and possibly convicted. After debating the matter, the Senate rejected a motion that he was still a civil officer of the U.S. and dismissed the impeachment. A second case, in 1862, involved West Hughes Humphreys, who had been appointed a federal district judge in Tennessee in 1853 and became a Confederate District Court judge after that state seceded in 1861. Although no longer a functioning civil officer of the U.S., he was impeached by the House for publicly supporting secession and holding office in the Confederacy and was convicted by the Senate in a one-day trial, removed from his federal position, and banned from ever holding office in the U.S. A third case, in 1876, involved William W. Belknap, Secretary of War under President Ulysses S. Grant. He was implicated in a kickback scheme through which he and his wife received payments from the owners of a Fort Sill, Okla., trading post. When Grant learned of the scheme, Belknap tendered his resignation. A month later, the House impeached him and the Senate approved a motion allowing him to be tried despite the fact that he resigned prior to the impeachment. A majority voted to convict him but it fell short of the required two-thirds, so he was acquitted. The Senates dismissal of Blounts impeachment might be regarded as a precedent for dismissing Trumps impeachment. But the two later decisions especially the decision pertaining to Belknap make it clear that, although there has never been a case of a president being impeached while in office but tried when no longer in office, the Senate does have the power to act on Trumps impeachment. Nevertheless, even if there is, in the Humphreys and Belknap cases, some precedent for trying him now, there is a legitimate question whether a trial is the best use of the Senates time and energy, even aside from the fact that, given the 50-50 partisan divide in the Senate, its highly unlikely the Senate will vote by the required two-thirds majority to convict him. After all, a new administration has just taken office in the midst of the greatest health crisis in the countrys history. Perhaps the Senate should take a leaf from the Humphreys case and have a very short trial. And if, as seems likely, the vote to convict falls short of the required two-thirds, censure him and be done with it. David R. Cameron is a professor of political science at Yale University. ADVERTISEMENT Construction giant Julius Berger Nigeria Plc said its after-tax profit for full-year 2020 fell to N1.357 billion, an 84.5 per cent fall from the figure posted in the same period of 1999, as the pandemic outbreak upset operations and shrank earnings, setting in motion its weakest profit in four years. Revenue was down by 9 per cent, sliding from N264.557 billion to N242.458 billion, its unaudited earnings report published by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday showed. Cost of sales, much as declining by 3.62 per cent to N198.844 billion, consumed more than 82 per cent of revenue, substantially paring down the earnings of the firm that operates in a sector known for heavy production expenditure. Pre-tax profit stood at N4.123 billion, 72 per cent weaker than the N14.685 billion reported for 2019. Profit after tax plunged from N10.304 billion to N1.357 billion, well below a three-year pre-pandemic average of N5.793 billion. Julius Berger declared in April it was cutting its dividend for FY2019 to N2 per share from a previously announced N2.75 after board evaluation of the potential weight of the coronavirus crisis on business in the short term. As a buffer against hard times, Julius Berger said in September it would branch out into agro-processing, venturing into a subsector starkly different from its primary construction business in a move the board remarked had been informed by the emerging developments, political, economical and structural in Nigeria and the resultant reforms by the governments. The Board of Directors and the Executive Management strongly believes that this diversification direction will strongly support the continued success of the Group in the future and will align with the strategic objective of the Government to stimulate value creation in Nigeria, the company said in its annual report to the NSE. Underscoring the importance of the Nigerian market, the firm generated N237 billion from Nigeria and only about N5 billion from Europe and Asia, bringing its total revenue for the year to N242 billion. Earnings per share (basic) for the review period contracted by 40.1 per cent, moving from N8 to N4.79. Its price-to-earnings ratio stands at 8.42 at 07:57 am on Thursday. Shareholders fund grew marginally by 4.5 per cent to N45.285 billion from N43.337 billion. Billionaire mogul Mike Adenuga wields the hugest stake of 19.87 per cent through Goldstone Estates Limited, ramping up its holding to nearly one-fifth of the companys issued shares after acquiring 9 per cent stake from Germanys Bilfinger Berger in 2014. Julius Berger first set foot in Nigeria in 1965 after it won a deal to build Lagoss Eko Bridge for N31.2 million, giving it the impetus needed to gain traction in the Nigerian market. It attained incorporation status in 1970. Shares in the company closed trade in Lagos on Thursday at N22.65 per unit, up by 9.95%. The Justice Minister Naomi Long has condemned those behind a hoax bomb threat at her constituency office. The Alliance leader and MLA for East Belfast revealed the news in a tweet tonight. The @PoliceServiceNI have enough to do right now without dealing with bomb hoaxes at our office over Brexit. Whoever was behind the nonsense today needs to wise up. If you have any information on these hoaxes, please report it on 101. Wasting police time is an offence... Naomi Long MLA (@naomi_long) January 28, 2021 Ms Long, whose party opposed Brexit, wrote: "The @PoliceServiceNI have enough to do right now without dealing with bomb hoaxes at our office over Brexit. Whoever was behind the nonsense today needs to wise up. If you have any information on these hoaxes, please report it on 101. Wasting police time is an offence..." Other party members also took to Twitter tonight to condemn the incident. South Antrim MLA and Policing Board member John Blair said: "Inflammatory language and reaction has consequences. This time a waste of police resources and stressing communities when there is already enough pressure on both." East Antrim Assembly member Stewart Dickson added: "Proof if proof required inflammatory words have consequences, we are not and never have or will be intimidated." Former Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Peter McReynolds said: "Wasting police time, public money and threatening democracy is the ultimate self indulgence. If thats your idea of a solution, you need to think a bit harder." Cllr Rachael Ferguson wrote "Doesnt matter your views on Brexit, How are we supposed to live in a society where we can truly live in peace if your going to use a bomb threat as part of your argument against something you dont agree with. Anyone with info please contact the PSNI." Meanwhile, Doug Beattie, UUP MLA for Upper Bann said the incident was "utterly disgraceful", adding "absolute stupidity at every level. This is not an innocent act, you endanger citizens, the police and army specialists. Wise up." His Lagan Valley party colleague Robbie Butler added: "Quite simply appalling! My generation had enough of this the next generation deserve much better." 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. Canadian asset manager Brookfield Asset Management-backed Brookfield India Real Estate Trust (REIT) will open its initial public offer (IPO) for subscription from February 3 to February 5. The company plans to raise Rs 3,800 crore through an IPO. Brookfield India Real Estate Trust IPO will be the third REIT listing after Blackstone Group Inc backed Mindspace Business Parks REIT last year and Embassy Office Parks REIT in 2019. BSREP India Office Holdings V Pte. Ltd is the promoter of the company that holds 99% stake in the REIT. The issue price will be between Rs 274-275 per unit of the REIT. The Brookfield India REIT market lot size is 200 shares, which translates into a minimum application size for retail investors at Rs 55,000 at the upper end of price band. Link Intime India Private Ltd is the registrar for the REIT. Bank of America, Citigroup Inc and Morgan Stanley are managing the IPO. The proceeds from the issue will be used for partial or full repayment of existing debt, the company said in its DHRP. The shares are proposed to be listed on BSE and NSE on February 17, 2021. The finalisation of Basis of Allotment for Brookfield India REIT will be done on February 11, 2021, and the allotted shares will be credited in applicant's demat account by February 12, 2021. In the fiscal year 2020, Brookfield REIT posted a profit of Rs 15.12 crore against a loss of Rs 15.75 crore in a year-ago period. Its total income rose 5.54% from a year ago to Rs 981.40 crore. The company has a total debt of Rs 6952.07 crore, as of March 2020. Multi-national corporations like Barclays, Bank of America Continuum, RBS, TCS, Cognizant, and Accenture are some of the clients of Brookfield India Real Estate Trust. The company has campus-format office parks strategically located in Mumbai, Noida, Gurugram, and Kolkata. Yash Gupta Equity Research Associate, Angel Broking said,"REIT owns an initial portfolio of 4 large campus format office parks which are located in Mumbai, Gurugram, Noida and Kolkata. Reit has an initial portfolio size of 14.o Msf, comprising 10.3 Msf of completed area, 0.1 under development and 3.7 Msf of future development. This will be the 3rd REIT to be listed in India after Embassy and Mindspace." Share Market News Live: Sensex rises 500 points, Nifty at 13,946; HDFC, Indus Ind Bank, Maruti top gainers Stocks in news: Maruti, TVS Motor, IRCTC, GHCL, Cummins, Pidilite, Tata Chemicals (TNS) The majority of San Francisco tech companies are cutting their office space and will keep at least part of their workforce remote beyond the coronavirus pandemic, a dire sign for the local economy, according to a survey of 83 companies released Wednesday.The survey was commissioned by SF.citi, a tech trade group, which warned that a "breaking point" of tech departures and higher taxes could cripple the city's economy. Remote work has already sent shock waves through the real estate market, with 63% of the surveyed tech companies reducing or planning to reduce their office space. San Francisco's vacancy rate spiked to 16.7% at the end of last year, the highest level since 2005, according to brokerage Cushman & Wakefield."What the data makes abundantly clear is that tech companies and their employees are reducing their footprint in San Francisco, their departure does not bode well for San Francisco's economic future, and the industry trend toward decentralization is only going to accelerate after the pandemic ends," said Jennifer Stojkovic, executive director of SF.citi, in a statement.The city is facing a $411 million budget deficit for the next fiscal year even after voters passed multiple tax increases last year. Downtown and South of Market, once teeming with tech workers, are desolate and filled with boarded-up storefronts.The trend of tech workers leaving the region may accelerate: 55% of surveyed tech companies plan to keep at least a quarter of workers permanently remote, while 36% anticipate half or more of their workforce to stay remote. The majority of companies, 59%, said San Francisco regulations, taxes and policies are factoring into their growth plans. Companies surveyed include both private startups and large public companies, Stojkovic said.SF.citi is calling for no more tax increases and more housing construction to keep living costs stable to help retain and attract tech companies, she added.A separate survey of 90 tech founders by venture capital firm Initialized also showed widespread appetite for more dispersed workforces, a loss for Silicon Valley that could boost the economy of cities outside the Bay Area."Everyone is a lot more comfortable with hiring remote now, and it's very hard to put the genie back in the bottle there," said Kim-Mai Cutler, a partner at Initialized.Neither survey is scientific, since both draw on a limited and voluntary pool of respondents and are backed by organizations with a direct interest in the topic, but they provide a window into the mood in the startup community.Shaan Hathiramani, CEO of Flockjay, a San Francisco tech sales education company, said in the SF.citi report that 90% of its workforce will become fully remote, up from 10%. That will allow better hiring opportunities, an upside that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also highlighted in announcing a decision to let employees work remotely indefinitely."We will be able to hire a decentralized workforce with greater diversity of background, whether it be geography, gender, race, or capability," Zuckerberg said in a statement.When the pandemic began and companies started going remote, many fled the Bay Area's high prices for less expensive nearby destinations such as Sacramento, Stockton and Fresno. Others left California for states including Texas and Florida, which have no income taxes. Silicon Valley powerhouses Oracle and Hewlett Packard Enterprise both said they would move their headquarters to Texas, though they will retain large Bay Area offices.In the 2020 survey among companies in Initialized Capital's portfolio conducted before the pandemic, 41.6% of respondents said if they were to start a company today, it would be in the Bay Area. New York and Los Angeles were tied at 13.5% each, and Seattle at 10.1%.The 2021 survey's respondents knocked the Bay Area out of first place, but not to another city. Rather, 42.1% said their company would be distributed or remote, with the Bay Area in second place at 28.4%.Austin, Texas, and New York tied with 6.8% each, followed by 4.6% for cities outside the U.S. and 3.4% for Los Angeles. Miami, which has gained attention as a destination for fleeing Silicon Valley expats during the pandemic, received just 1.1%.Still, tech companies expect the Bay Area to remain an epicenter for the industry, and the biggest firms including Google and Facebook are advancing huge office projects. Facebook and Apple both reported record quarterly profits on Wednesday, another sign that the Bay Area's dominant tech firms have been among the pandemic's biggest winners.Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, said last month that his newly public company is also committed."Airbnb is staying in California and I'm staying in California. This is a special place," he wrote on Twitter. "When I came to San Francisco, I was taken by the unique culture people believed almost anything was possible, and they were willing to believe in a 26-year-old and his two friends with a crazy idea to let strangers live together."In the SF.citi report, board chairman Ron Conway, who invested in Airbnb and other startups, also called for startups to stay."I have always believed in San Francisco," he said. "That's why I'm calling on my fellow tech and business leaders to commit to staying in San Francisco and helping the city recover from the COVID-19 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. 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. Directly in the firing line is Australias $400 billion small business sector, along with some of the countrys largest shopping centres, which rely on those businesses to drive foot traffic. I was potentially looking at putting my business into administration. It was really difficult and challenging. Fitness studio owner Shirley Sun Grey clouds are hovering despite recent company results and sales data suggesting the retail sector is experiencing a sunny patch following months of souped-up spending by stimulus-flush shoppers. In November, retail sales rose a huge 13.3 per cent as Victorians emerged from lockdown and Black Friday sales surged. Major retailers, such as Solomon Lew's Premier Investments, have revelled in the unexpected boon, reporting huge jumps in profits and sales - especially online. But the buoyancy may mask some trouble ahead. Loading Smaller operators - such as gyms, travel agents and fashion boutiques - could be set to struggle in the coming months as stimulus measures wear off. Their decline could severely weaken some of the countrys largest shopping centres and their multibillion-dollar owners. A study of Australia's 31 largest shopping centres by independent property research collective PAR Group shows small businesses make up 37 per cent of stores in those malls. Smaller fashion brands such as Autograph, Alice McCall and Zimmermann account for another 18 per cent, while large retail chains, such as Vodafone and Flight Centre, make up just 17 per cent of retailers. Authors Rob Ellis, Damian Stone and Anthony DeFrancesco warn this reliance on small businesses could pose an issue for landlords if retail conditions began to decline. This has ramifications for shopping centre owners, as they face the risk of store closures by small businesses which have insufficient financial reserves to trade profitably in a post-COVID-19 retail environment, they say. Grey clouds are hovering despite recent company results and sales data suggesting the retail sector is experiencing a sunny patch. Credit: And while many businesses, big and small, are sitting pretty after their biggest trading period of the year, as 2021 drags on, the risk of insolvency grows. The first quarter of the calendar year is often a boom time for collapses, says KordaMentha partner Scott Langdon, a trend he attributes to retailers needing to furiously restock and set their product strategy for the year ahead following the Christmas rush, along with a more emotive element. Retailers have just gone through their best sales and profit period for the year and are faced with another nine or 10 months before they get back to it, he says. They feel like theres a long slog ahead. Langdon expects this trend to be no different in 2021, although slightly delayed, predicting an increase in insolvencies and administrations when much of the governments stimulus and other COVID-19 relief slowly wears off. Loading In 2021 we'll see a polarising of the retail market, and we will see an increase in insolvencies or administrations, Langdon says. The strong will get stronger, and those who have archaic or undeveloped business plans will struggle, and struggle fast in this ever-changing retail environment. Figures from corporate regulator the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, released recently, augur trouble ahead. There were 120 insolvencies for the final two weeks of December, as much as triple the amount reported for the same two weeks in 2019. Temporary safe harbour provisions relieving company directors of their duty to prevent insolvent trading have also worn off, increasing pressure on businesses that may have relied on them to weather a COVID downturn. 'Strong will get stronger' Olivia Hitchens, principal at specialist retail law firm Hitch Advisory, agrees with Langdon's prognosis. She says there is a huge delineation between retailers with a good online offering and those without. Small businesses with a good online presence have done well. Those without an online presence who rely on shopping centre traffic have done badly, she says. If you dont have an online presence, are not unique and are relying on foot traffic, you will do it tough. I know people who kept their doors open by using JobKeeper payments for themselves and their staff. But COVID is accelerating closures that were likely to have happened to some businesses anyway, she says. Hitchens says insolvencies will be playing catch-up as they have been delayed by the presence of JobKeeper and the governments safe harbour provisions. In a recent note to investors, Citi analysts Adrian Dark, Suraj Nebhani, Akshat Agrawal point out there is now an oversupply of retail space in shopping malls. Vacancy rates are elevated and likely to rise further, along with a decline in tenant quality and increase in temporary tenancies. More store closures are expected as chains rationalise their portfolios. Its like that classic Warren Buffett quote: Only when the tide goes out do you discover whos been swimming naked. James Stewart, KPMG's head of restructuring Larger retailers will end up taking a greater share of shopping centre space as small businesses close, accelerating a generally negative trend for malls. We expect the market to be in tenants favour, with falling rents and/or rising incentives, for some time, the Citi analysts said. Another key indicator of distress are disputes lodged by commercial landlords and tenants under the governments commercial tenancy relief scheme. Loading Victorian Small Business Commissioner Judy OConnell says, since March last year, the commission has received more than 14,400 COVID related inquiries. Some 3296 small business owners and landlords have lodged applications to resolve rent disputes and, of those, 890 were resolved with early advice and another 864 settled in mediation, she says. About 2367 requests for mediation have been filed in NSW, of which 90 per cent are resolved without going to court, the states Small Business Commissioner Chris Lamont says. (Natural News) On Tuesday, Jan. 19, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new action items that would put the agency one step closer to regulating forever chemicals in drinking water. The toxic chemicals, known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), have contaminated drinking water in the U.S. over the past few decades. More than two years ago, a former EPA administrator claimed the agency would regulate PFAS in drinking water after experts found PFAS were linked to various health risks. But it wasnt until Tuesday that anything came of that promise. The agency said it will now work on a national drinking water regulation under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act for the most well-known and pervasive PFAS variants in water supplies: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Now-former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the agencys commitment to its mission to protect both public and environmental health from PFAS has been unwavering. He added that the agency has been delivering results for every key commitment they made in 2019 under the PFAS Action Plan. But since the announcement came only a day before Joe Bidens inauguration, it is now up to Biden appointee Michael Regan to follow through on that drinking water regulation, which now appears to be a tall order. In an interview earlier that week, Wheeler said that the new team set to head the EPA should be well aware of all aspects of the agency. Wheeler explained that the EPA under former president Barrack Obama focused solely on climate change and neglected other important issues like the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. PFAS threaten both public and environmental health PFAS is a group of chemicals used to produce non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing. The chemicals had earned the moniker forever chemicals due to their strong resistance to degradation. (Related: FDA finds cancer-inducing forever chemicals in common grocery foods.) PFAS have long been on the radar of environmental action groups. In fact, a non-profit organization known as the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released a study last October suggesting that over 200 million Americans could have PFAS in their drinking water at a concentration of one part per trillion (ppt). This concentration has been proven safe by independent scientific studies. However, certain populations, such as children and people of color, are especially vulnerable to adverse health effects linked to PFAS exposure. These effects typically involve reproductive and developmental health. PFAS can also harm the kidneys. Unfortunately, PFAS have grown to become a pervasive public and environmental health threat. They can now be found throughout the U.S. because their unregulated use for decades has led to improper disposal. In turn, improper disposal has led to contaminated drinking water supplies. Some PFAS variants are also used in firefighting foam, which is why sites used for fire training have elevated levels of PFAS contamination. But despite its pervasive presence in the environment, it might still be possible to reduce PFAS contamination in drinking water. The EPAs announcement that it will be working on regulations for PFOA and PFOS is a good start. Chemical makers have also begun voluntarily phasing out the production of those two variants. The chemical industry is also working to reduce ongoing contamination and clean up past contamination. But the EPA still has a long way to go before it regulates or fully bans all PFAS. We see other PFAS popping up, said Philippe Grandjean, who teaches environmental health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. Grandjean warned that there could be more PFAS, or a combination of PFAS, lurking in the environment that need to be regulated or banned, too. Learn more about the health risks associated with drinking PFAS-contaminated water at CleanWater.news. Sources include: NatLawReview.com EENews.net EWG.org EcoWatch.com Ensia.com In a collective action we prefer that all members remain united. However, some administrators are trying to divide members and force them into the schools, the Q&A states. A collective action is not a strike. If the Union finds it necessary to call a strike, then all members are required to stop work and attendance will be taken on picket lines. If a member crosses a picket line or works remotely during a strike, then the Union will take action against that member at a later time. by Shafique Khokhar Samson Salamat, president of an inter-religious movement indicates some priorities "to control the further damage and destabilization" of the country, including the "revision" of the blasphemy law which "continues to frighten citizens belonging to minorities and has led to 'killing of innocents. Lahore (AsiaNews) - Samson Salamat (pictured), Mr. Samson Salamat, Chairman Rwadari Tehreek has urged Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Imran Khan and his government for immediate, effective and serious actions to stop the increasing incidents and trends of religious intolerance, instigation of violence, provocation, hate speech, and religiously motivated violence. Salamat in his Open Letter to Prime Minister writes, On behalf of my fellow Pakistanis and members of Rwadari Tehreek- Pakistan, I would like to thank and congratulate your government for sponsoring the resolution titled Promoting a culture of peace and tolerance to safeguard religious sites (document A/75/L.54) which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on January 21, 2021, to condemn all acts of threats and violence, destruction, and damage directed against religious sites, to denounce any move to obliterate or forcibly convert any religious sites and also expresses concerns on the rise of racial and religious intolerance and negative stereo-typing of religions and condemns any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that promotes discrimination, hostility or violence. The letter further says, While we welcome this latest initiative of your government at the United Nations, we would like to draw your attention to the rise of religious intolerance, hatred, and religiously motivated violence in our own society which needs to be addressed immediately, seriously, and effectively to control the further damage and de-stabilizing of Pakistan - the violent attacks on Hazara community, destruction of Hindi Temple in Karak and attacks on temples in Sindh, hate speech and use of abusive and instigative language on the issue of construction of Hindu temple in Islamabad, consistent target the killing of Ahmadi citizens, consistent hate speech against Christians on social media, misuse of blasphemy laws, abduction, and forced religious conversion of the Christian and Hindu minor girls are some of the critical issues which need your immediate attention. Salamat adds in his letter that sadly, in almost all the above mentioned issues and incidents the authorities remained failed to provide safeguards and there has been hardly any significant action (s) against the extremist and terrorist outfits or individuals involved in creating this menace and destroying the spirit of the vision of the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of our beloved country. Chairman Rwadari Tehreek Pakistan on behalf of Rwadari Tehreek recommended the following steps and initiatives to deal with religious intolerance, extremism and terrorism: Ensure that the constitutional and legal systems provide effective guarantees of freedom of thought, religion or belief, including the provision of effective remedies in cases where the right to freedom of religion or belief is violated. Furthermore, ensure, in particular, that no one within their jurisdiction is deprived of the right to life, liberty, and security of a person and not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment on the basis of religion or belief. The Government should notify the promises made with the Hazara Community after your visit to Quetta as Prime Minister after Mach incident to ensure that the commitments are translated into policies and practical actions to effectively protect the lives of Hazara citizens to end more than a decade of bloodshed. In order to ensure that the society is free of intolerance, violent extremism and terrorism, the implementation of the National Action Plan should be ensured in letter and spirit. Indiscriminate stern action is immediately required against banned extremist outfits to stop their activities e.g. Public Rallies, meetings, funds collection, Sit-ins and all acts of hate speech and instigation of violence. The misuse of blasphemy laws continues to settle personal and frightening the citizens belonging to minorities and has led to the killings of innocent, and destruction of their worship places and other properties, therefore a review of these laws should be initiated to refrain from further damage. The Syllabus should be made free of all biases and bigotry to de-radicalize youth and the entry of extremist elements to the educational institutions should be stopped. Zero Tolerance Policy should be adopted and implemented against hate speech, abusive and instigative language against Hindus, Christians, Ahmadi community, and Shia Muslims which is currently at a peak. Salamat hoped that the issues and concerns mentioned in the letter shall be thoroughly addressed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and his Government with practical steps to end religious intolerance, hate speech, and religiously motivated violence from our society. Oil steadied amid surprisingly robust economic data from Europe, while the spread of a new Covid-19 variant and lockdowns raised concerns about the near-term recovery in fuel demand. West Texas Intermediate futures held above $52 a barrel after the biggest decline in almost a week on Thursday. Three of the euro areas four largest economies -- Germany, France and Spain -- rounded off the pandemic year suggesting the region can avoid a deeper recession. The virus variant identified in South Africa has reached the U.S. just as Europe is set to tighten its rules on the export of vaccines. Stay-at-home orders to combat the spread of the disease have hit travel and crimped consumption of fuels from China to Los Angeles. Indias demand for diesel, the countrys most-used fuel, is also struggling to shake off the pandemics crippling effects on its economy. The crawl back to pre-virus levels will be slow, with annual diesel consumption growth rates seen fully recovering in the year ended March 2022, a senior oil executive said. Oils rally has faltered recently after surging following a series of Covid-19 vaccine breakthroughs and a pledge by Saudi Arabia to deepen output cuts. A stronger dollar is now reducing the appeal of commodities priced in the U.S. currency, while the persistence of the virus and recurring lockdowns around the world are also capping price gains. In Europe, a vaccine-shortage crisis is forcing some countries to slow delivery of shots. Europes Covid-19 vaccination campaign is in tatters, said Stephen Brennock, an analyst at PVM Oil Associates Ltd. Any loss of momentum in vaccination programs will undermine the strength of the global oil demand recovery. The oil futures curve, meanwhile, is looking more bullish. Prompt timespreads for the U.S. benchmark crude and global Brent have firmed recently in backwardation -- a market structure where near-dated contracts are more expensive than later-dated ones -- indicating shrinking supplies. A father-of-three who stabbed a member of the Defence Forces seven times following an altercation in a pub has been jailed for two years. Adam Dempsey (23) was not involved in the initial altercation, but later came up behind Ross Hayden who was trying to protect his girlfriend and stabbed him seven times. Dempsey of Ardmore Grove, Artane, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm at Ardlee Inn, Artane, on June 16, 2018. His 15 previous convictions are all for road traffic offences. Detective Garda Alan Roche told Sinead McMullen BL, prosecuting, that on the night in question Mr Hayden was with his then girlfriend in the pub. Det Gda Roche said a man from a group which included Dempsey repeatedly made comments as he passed by the group which included Mr Hayden. Mr Hayden's girlfriend finally told this man to cop on and this led to another woman becoming involved and grabbing her hair. Mr Hayden attempted to protect his girlfriend, which is when Dempsey came up behind him and stabbed him. Dempsey walked away, but returned 20 or 30 seconds later and stabbed Mr Hayden again. The victim was stabbed a total of seven times, including five times in the back. He declined to make a victim impact statement and is currently serving as a member of the Defence Forces in Kosovo. Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, said his instructions were that his client used a broken bottle of Bulmers to inflict the stab wounds. The detective said CCTV footage shows Dempsey holding a silver and shiny object, but he cannot describe it better than that. Det Gda Roche said the medical report documents the victim mentioning a screwdriver, but it has not been established what item was used to stab Mr Hayden. Mr Le Vert said his client has had drug difficulties since he was aged 13. He said on this night his client was intoxicated with both alcohol and cocaine. Counsel said his client has three children but his relationship with his partner has come to an end as a consequence of this offence. He said his client had 5,000 in court as an offer of remorse to the victim. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Dempsey to three years imprisonment. She suspended the final 12 months on strict conditions, including that he hand over the 5,000 in compensation to Mr Hayden or to a charity of the victim's choice. ADVERTISEMENT A member of the House of Representatives, Abdullahi Salame, on Friday narrated how he shot and killed a suspected armed robber during an attack on his residence in Sokoto. Mr Salame, who represents Gwadabawa and Illela federal constituency, said he killed one of the suspected robbers, who invaded his home. The lawmaker spoke with reporters in Sokoto and also posted pictures from the incident on the social media. He said he was attacked by the suspected robbers at his Bado residence. All thanks be to Almighty Allah. Today at about 3 a.m., I was attacked in my house in Sokoto by armed robbers but by Allahs powers, I was able to shoot and kill one (robber) and injured some. I am grateful, the lawmaker said. Mr Salame is a member of the All Progressives Congress. He is the Chairman, house committee on poverty alleviation. He was the Speaker of Sokoto State House of Assembly from 2007 to 2011. Meanwhile, the police spokesperson in Sokoto, Muhammad Sadiq, confirmed the incident to reporters. He said the police reacted swiftly to help foil the attack. ALSO READ: Armed robbers kill Nigerian policeman in gun duel The Sokoto State Police Command is aware of the attempted armed robbery incident at Bado Quarters area of Sokoto, which was thwarted by the swift response of the joint metropolitan police patrol, Mr Sadiq said in the statement. He urged Sokoto residents to help the police with useful information to speed up the arrest of the perpetrators and aid police investigation. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... AUSTIN, Texas A Texas woman convicted of murder in the 2003 choking death of a boy she was babysitting was released from prison on bond after a judge said new evidence shows she didnt intentionally hurt the child. Travis County District Judge Karen Sage ordered Rosa Jimenez released on bond Wednesday, citing clear and convincing evidence. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals will make the ultimate decision on whether to overturn Jimenezs conviction or grant a new trial. Jimenez has served 15 years in prison in the death of 21-month-old Bryan Gutierrez, who choked on a wad of paper towels while in Jimenezs care. Sages decision followed testimony from three pediatric airway specialists who said Jimenez could not have forced the clump of towels down the boys throat, as prosecutors alleged in her original 2005 trial. The Travis County district attorneys office filed an affidavit stating one of the experts who testified in the original trial changed their opinion after reviewing the new statements from airway experts. Justice delayed is justice denied, and I am deeply sorry for that, Sage said in her decision. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ During a news conference with the Innocence Project after her release, Jimenez thanked supporters for sticking by her all these years. Thank you so much, and I am just going to try to live my life with my kids, Jimenez said. The Innocence Project, which is representing Jimenez, said Jimenez has advanced kidney disease that makes her particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, which has ravaged prisons throughout the U.S. Jimenez was sentenced to 99 years in prison. After her release Wednesday from the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Austin, she was taken into custody by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, because she was not in the U.S. legally when she was arrested. She was then taken to the Mexican Consulate in San Antonio. 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. They marauded on to British shores 43 years after the birth of Christ, founded the city of York - and then vanished from the historical record. The mystery of what happened to the Roman Army's Ninth Legion, who came to these shores with Emperor Claudius's invasion, continues to vex experts. The last mention of the legion, which was made up of 5,500 officers and men, is on a gateway in York, which dates from AD108. The theory dramatised in children's book The Eagle of the Ninth and film The Eagle, that the soldiers were annihilated in modern-day Scotland, had fallen out of favour. Now, a new book delves into each alternative hypothesis - that the men were killed by rebels in Roman London; that they were transferred to the Rhine; or that they were dismissed after failing to suppress an uprising in what is modern-day Palestine. But the conclusion which Dr Simon Elliott reaches in Roman Britain's Missing Legion - What Really Happened to IX Hispana? is that the simplest explanation is the best one: the men were likely ambushed and cut to pieces by tribes in Scotland. It is thought that this defeat could have prompted the construction of Hadrian's Wall, as well as the sending of reinforcements from Rome to replace the lost men of the Ninth Legion. Below, MailOnline details Dr Elliott's theory, as well as the other hypotheses. The mystery of what happened to the Roman Army's Ninth Legion, who came to Britain with Emperor Claudius's invasion, continues to vex experts. Dr Simon Elliott, in his new book Roman Britain's Missing Legion - What Really Happened to IX Hispana? goes over the theories. He concludes the men were likely ambushed and cut to pieces by tribes in what is now Scotland The theory that the men were cut down in what is modern-day Scotland is advanced in the 2011 film The Eagle Dr Elliott's verdict - Slaughtered in modern-day Scotland The Legion's full name - Legio IX Hispana - comes from when its men served during Rome's conquest of the Iberiana peninsula, which concluded in 19BC. An inscription which is now displayed at York Museum is the last mention of the legion. Paying homage to Roman Emperor Trajan, it reads: 'The Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus, son of the deified Nerva, Conqueror of Germany, Conqueror of Dacia, pontifex maximus, in his twelfth year of tribunician power, six times acclaimed emperor, five times consul, father of his country, built this gate by the agency of the 9th Legion Hispana.' In AD 122, Rome's sixth legion was transferred to York, and this may have been to replace the Ninth. The last mention of the legion, which was made up of 5,500 officers and men, is on a gateway in York, which dates from AD108. The slab of stone now sits in York Museum It is thought that the Ninth's defeat could have prompted the construction of Hadrian's Wall, as well as the sending of reinforcements from Rome to replace the lost men of the Ninth Experts believe that the Romans struggled to cope with uprisings from native Britons shortly before. One ancient record refers to how 'the Britons could not be kept under control'. With the legion tasked with defending the northern frontier of its territory in Britain, it could have been caught up fighting tribes in Northern England. Dr Elliott's book is published next month. As depicted in children's book The Eagle of the Ninth and the film The Eagle, Dr Elliott believes the legion could have been slaughtered in what is now Scotland Another theory put forward is that the men of the Ninth could have been slaughtered after being summoned from York to London, which was then named Londinium (depicted above) to deal with local rebels But, as depicted in children's book The Eagle of the Ninth and the film The Eagle, Dr Elliott believes the legion could have been slaughtered in what is now Scotland. The legion is known to have previously narrowly escaped destruction after being attacked during a campaign in the region. The notion could help to account for the construction of Hadrian's Wall, which was built in the AD120s and was hugely costly. Dr Elliott suggests the men may have been killed in a well-planned ambush. The Eagle of the Ninth: The children's novel centred around the disappearance of Rome's most famous legion The Eagle of the Ninth is a children's novel written by Rosemary Sutcliff and published in 1954. The story is set in the second century AD, after the construction of Hadrian's Wall. The plot centres around young Roman officer Marcus Flavius Aquila, who is trying to uncover the truth about what happened to his father's legion. The Eagle of the Ninth is a children's novel written by Rosemary Sutcliff and published in 1954 Disguising himself, he travels beyond Hadrian's Wall and finds that the Ninth legion was destroyed by an uprising of northern tribes. Though the men were demoralised and some had mutinied, their reputation was salvaged by Marcus's discovery of a heroic last stand of the few remaining men, who included his father. Marcus is able to bring back the legion's bronze eagle, meaning it will not serve as a symbol of the defeat of Roman soldiers. Advertisement He writes: 'All you need is a bad leader in the wrong place at the wrong time, making the wrong decision, and suddenly you find that your Ninth Legion is walking, let's say along the Highland boundary fault, in poor weather conditions, finding itself gradually, without realising until it's too late, surrounded by Caledonians intent on murder.' Theory Two - Killed at Londinium (London) Another theory put forward is that the men of the Ninth could have been slaughtered after being summoned from York to London to deal with local rebels. Instead, they may have been outnumbered and heavily defeated. Previous research suggested that skulls found with signs of trauma marks on the edge of Roman London could have been those of members of the legion. But in Dr Elliott's eyes, the more likely scenario of the two is that the men may have been killed after marching on London as part of an unsuccessful rebellion. Men from the legion had previously mutinied around 100 years earlier in protest at living conditions while stationed near the River Danube, which runs through central and Eastern Europe. Theory Three - Transferred to the Rhine Dr Elliott details how, in 1967, archaeologist Sheppard Frere noted that Roman tiles and bricks discovered in Nijmegen in the Netherlands bore the stamp of the legion. Frere's suggestion was that the legion could have been sent there from York, implying that its men were not slaughtered in Britain. But Dr Elliott says that the fragments bearing the legion's name could have belonged only to a small detachment of the legion. He suggests some of its men were deployed away from the main force - which remained in Britain - to assist other units, as was common Roman practice. Other evidence highlighted by Dr Elliott which links the legion to the Roman province of Germania Inferior, where Nijmegen now is, includes an altar to the Roman god Apollo. The Ninth legion's prefect, Lucius Latinus Macer, is listed as the man who commissioned the altar, at the Roman spa town of Aachen-Burtscheid. But Dr Elliott says Macer is far more likely to have simply gone there to recuperate, rather than he and his troops being stationed there. Theory Four - An Eastern Apocalypse Several fierce wars involving Roman soldiers unfolded in the east and these could be linked to the Ninth's fate. Among them were battles against Parthia in 115-17AD, when the Romans captured Ctesiphon, the Parthian capital. Its ruins lie in what is now Iraq. But Dr Elliott says that at least six full legions - as well as detachments from others - were sent to quell the Bar Kokhba revolt in around AD132, in what is modern-day Israel. Dr Elliott says that at least six full legions - as well as detachments from others - were sent to quell the Bar Kokhba revolt in around AD132, in what is modern-day Israel. Pictured: An ancient settlement dating back 2,000 years was discovered in Israel in 2019. The find also exposed underground tunnels used by rebels during the revolt Led by Simon bar Kokhba, the uprising stretched Roman resources to the limit. Dr Elliott says it is plausible that the Ninth was transferred to the region from the west before being badly defeated and then dismissed. He also considers whether the legion was destroyed during Rome's war with the Parthian empire between AD161-166. Roman historian Cassius Dio had referred to the loss of an unnamed legion. Similarly, The Historia Augusta - the Roman collection of biographies - refers to 'legions being slaughtered'. However, evidence pointing to the Ninth not meeting its end during the Bar Kokhba revolt includes the fact that some of its known officers appear to have had later careers. Roman Britain's Missing Legion - What Really Happened to IX Hispana? is published by Pen & Sword and will be released in February. General Assignment Reporter Chris Mays is a general assignment reporter for the Brattleboro Reformer. He has been with New England Newspapers Inc. since 2012. 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 minor IED blast took place outside the Israeli Embassy in the heart of Lutyens' Delhi on Friday evening. The low-intensity explosion took place near the embassy located at Aurangzeb Road in the national capital. No injuries have been reported in the blast on APJ Abdul Kalam Road, a very high-security zone in the national capital. Explosion outside Israeli embassy on Beating Retreat Day; similar blast occurred 7 years ago at same place The explosion damaged the window panes of three nearby parked cars, a Delhi police spokesman said in a statement. The blast occurred shortly after 5 pm, while President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were participating in a military ceremony a kilometre away from the site. Terrorist attack? Israel is treating a small bomb blast near the Israeli embassy, which did not injure anyone, "as a terrorist incident", news agency Reuters reported quoting an Israeli official. READ | Blast near embassy in Delhi took place on 29th anniversary of India-Israel diplomatic relations "Blast near Israel embassy in New Delhi is being investigated as an attempted terrorist attack. Communication took place between Indian and Israeli top officials. Israel Ambassador has been assured full security to the mission and all diplomats. Probe by multiple agencies," it added. Alert issued: Meanwhile, an alert has been issued at all airports, important installations and government buildings in view of the blast. Enhanced security measures have been put in place. Mumbai Police is also on high alert after the blast in Delhi and security has been tightened. READ | Blast near Israeli Embassy in Delhi, some cars damaged; no injuries reported CISF: The CISF which guards civil airports, vital nuclear and aerospace installations, Delhi Metro and central government buildings has put on alert all its units across the country after a minor IED blast outside the Israeli Embassy in the national capital on Friday evening, official sources said. The paramilitary force has directed its personnel to enhance vigil at the 63 civil airports and the Delhi Metro under its cover, besides vital installations in the nuclear and aerospace domain. READ | 'Full confidence' that India will ensure safety of Israelis: PM Benjamin Netanyahu on embassy blast The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) units that guard various government buildings in the national capital have been asked to maintain a "high level of alert", they said. The CISF with a strength of about 1.62 lakh personnel is designated as the national civil aviation security force. Israeli foreign ministry: The Israeli foreign ministry on Friday said all its diplomats and embassy staff are "safe and sound" following a blast outside its embassy in New Delhi. "An explosion occurred a short while ago, close to the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi. There are no casualties and no harm was done to the building. All Israeli diplomats and embassy staff are safe and sound," a foreign ministry release said. "The event is being investigated by the Indian authorities who are in contact with Israeli officials," it said, adding that the foreign minister is frequently being updated on the situation and has directed to take all necessary precautions. "We will report further developments as they occur," the release said. Delhi Police: Earlier in the day, Delhi Police Additional PRO Anil Mittal said that it was a "very low intensity" blast. "No injury to any person was reported and nor was there any damage to the property except the glass panes of three vehicles parked nearby," he said. Initial impressions suggest it could be a mischievous attempt to create a sensation, Mittal said. Centre monitoring situation: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is in touch with senior Delhi police officials and is constantly monitoring the situation. He was briefed by the Delhi Police about the blast. After the incident, the minister has been in touch with the Delhi Police top brass and keeping an eye on the situation. The minister has directed the police to take all necessary steps to investigate and find out the perpetrators of the crime, the official said. External Affairs Ministry: Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar tweeted, "Spoke just now to Israeli FM Gabi Ashkenazi about the explosion outside the Israeli Embassy. We take this very seriously. Assured him of the fullest protection for the Embassy and Israeli diplomats. The matter is under investigation and no effort will be spared to find the culprits." 2012 blast: A Reuters eyewitness said the site of the blast was quickly cordoned off by police. In 2012, a blast near the embassy in New Delhi injured an Israeli diplomat`s wife, her driver and two others. It coincided with an attack on another Israeli diplomat in Tbilisi, Georgia. "Formal India Israel ties were established on January 29, 1992. Today is the 29th anniversary of the relationship," sources told Zee News. with additional inputs from news agencies Bennington, VT (05201) Today Rain showers this morning with overcast skies during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Mainly cloudy. Low 42F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. FRIDAY: A customer flew in from Houston for fuel, business, and later flew to Denver, Colorado in his Mooney. Air 2 LLC flew out and back from the Hart area in their Hughes 500 jet helicopter. SATURDAY: Chesapeake Bay Helicopters flew in the local area, then flew back for fuel, then flew to Hobbs, New Mexico in their Robinson R-44 helicopter. Two customers flew in a Cessna 650 Citation III jet, bringing the McAlister Duncan family in to visit his parents to spend the night. SUNDAY: Air 2 LLC flew out to the Hart area, returning later in their Hughes 500 jet helicopter. A customer flew in from Destin, Florida for a quick turn on fuel, then flew to Henderson, Nevada in his Pilatus PC-12 prop jet. A customer flew in from Harrison, Arkansas for fuel, then flew to Chandler, Arizona in his Beech 58 Baron. A customer departed to Dallas in their Cessna 650 Citation III jet. MONDAY: Air 2 LLC flew out and back in their Hughes 500 jet helicopter. Brooks Terrell flew in from McKinney for fuel, lunch with his parents, Donald Lee and Corky Terrell, then later flew to Taos, New Mexico in his Cessna 400 Columbia. Pacific Coast Jet flew in from Oakland and Fresno, California for a quick turn on fuel, then flew to Gulf Shores, Alabama in their Cessna 525 Citation CJ2+ jet. Tyler Gann returned from Scottsdale, Arizona in the Piaggio P-180 Avanti prop jet. United States Air Force flew in from Joint Base Cannon near Clovis, New Mexico for some touch and goes, then flew back to Cannon in their Pilatus PC-12 prop jet. A customer flew in from El Paso in his Cessna 175 for fuel, and to spend the night. TUESDAY: Med-Trans had two trips early this morning, first going over to Covenant Health Hospital, pick up a patient, then flew to Amarillo and back, then the second trip they flew back over to Covenant Health Hospital, picked up a patient, then flew to Odessa and then due to the low ceilings, they landed in Abernathy, and later flew back to Plainview in their Bell 407 jet helicopter. Air 2 LLC flew out to the job site near Hart, and returned due to the fog in that area, and later flew back out, returning later in the day, flying their Hughes 500 jet helicopter. A customer departed for Little Rock, Arkansas in his Cessna 175 Skylark. Trey Weathers, pilot for Barr Air Patrol, flew in from Bartlesville, Oklahoma for fuel, lunch, then flew back to Bartlesville in their Cessna 182 Skylane. A customer flew in from Boca Raton, Florida and Hattiesburg, Mississippi for fuel, then flew to Provo, Utah in his Beech Baron. Dr. Bernhard Wolf flew to Victoria in his Bellanca Viking. United States Air Force flew over from Joint Base Cannon for some touch and goes, then flew back to Cannon near Clovis, New Mexico in their Pilatus PC-12 prop jet. Glen Pendergrass flew locally in his Bellanca Cruisemaster. WEDNESDAY: Air 2 LLC flew back over to the Hart area doing work in that area, and later flew back to Plainview in their Hughes 500 jet helicopter. A customer flew in from Mount Pleasant for fuel, then flew to Apple Valley, California in his Piper Comanche. A customer flew in from Brownwood for fuel, visit with Darren Young, and later flew back to Brownwood in his Experimental RV-10. A customer flew in from Shawnee, Oklahoma for fuel to visit with Bob Ballard, and later flew to Lubbock in his Beech F-33 Bonanza. U.S. Army flew in from Austin and Lubbock for fuel, lunch, and back to Lubbock in their Eurocopter 145 jet helicopter. A customer flew in from Bullhead City, Arizona for fuel, then flew to Granbury in his Cessna 210 pressurized Centurion. A customer flew in from Lubbock for some instrument work, then flew back to Lubbock in his Socata TBM 850 prop jet. A customer flew in from Muleshoe for fuel, business, and later flew back to Muleshoe in his Cessna 182 Skylane. Stephen Goetz flew to Winters and back in the Beech Bonanza. A customer flew to Addison and back in his Bellanca Viking. James Duff flew in from Pueblo, Colorado for fuel, then flew onto Del Rio in his Cessna 182 Skylane. A customer flew up from Lubbock in his Decathlon to leave for maintenance. A customer flew in from Shallowater for fuel, then flew back to Shallowater in his Bearhawk. Hutch Hawkins flew in from Lamesa and Lubbock for maintenance, and later back to Lubbock and Lamesa in his Bellanca Viking. United States Air Force flew over from Joint Base Cannon for some touch and goes, and later back to Cannon near Clovis, New Mexico in their Pilatus PC-12 prop jet. Jim Killion flew in from Lubbock for fuel, and back to Lubbock in his Cessna 414 Chancellor. A customer flew locally in the Piper Cherokee 180. A customer flew in from Chandler, Arizona and Belen, New Mexico in his Cessna 182 Skylane for fuel, and to spend the night. THURSDAY: Air 2 LLC flew out to work in the Hart area, and later back in their Hughes 500 jet helicopter. A customer departed for Fort Smith, Arkansas in his Cessna 182 Skylane. Cody Williams gave David Patterson his Bi-ennial Flight Review in Davids Beech V-35B Bonanza, flying in the local area. U.S. Army flew in from Lubbock for fuel, lunch, then back out in their Eurocopter EC-145 jet helicopter. Two customers flew in from Gulf Shores, Alabama for a quick turn on fuel, then flew to Fresno and Oakland, California in their Cessna 525 Citation CJ-2+ jet. U.S.A.F. flew in from Joint Base Cannon for some touch and goes, then back to Cannon near Clovis, New Mexico in their Pilatus PC-12 prop jet. Med-Trans flew to Clovis, New Mexico to pick up a patient, then flew to Lubbock and back in their Bell 407 jet helicopter. TMC Birbhum president Anubrata Mondal to be under strict EC surveillance from 5 pm till Fri 7 am: Official Former Bengal minister Rajib Banerjee quits TMC; speculation rife about him joining BJP with several others India oi-Madhuri Adnal Kolkata, Jan 29: The ruling TMC in West Bengal was on Friday rocked by a fresh bout of desertions as former minister Rajib Banerjee quit the party and several other leaders rallied behind him, deepening the crisis in the party. The desertions took place just hours before the arrival of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on a two-day visit to the state fuelling speculations that he may join the saffron camp ahead of the state election. After quitting the Mamata Banerjee cabinet, Rajib Banerjee on Friday resigned from the party and as MLA of the West Bengal Assembly. A slew of disgruntled TMC leaders, including some MLAs such as Prabir Ghosal and Baishali Dalmiya, who was recently expelled from the party and former Howrah Mayor Rathin Chakraborty, spoke out against the TMC leadership. Rajib Banerjee, the former forest minister who represented the Domjur seat, visited the state assembly in the morning and submitted his resignation to Speaker Biman Banerjee. "I have resigned as MLA of the state assembly. I have submitted my resignation letter to the speaker. I thank TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee for providing me with an opportunity to serve the masses," he said. To a query about his possible switchover to BJP, Banerjee said, "If you want to serve the masses you need to be associated with a political party. People always want a politician to be associated with a party. But I have not spoken with BJP leaders so far. "I will continue to serve the people of my constituency in the days to come," he added. CBI court issues arrest warrant against TMC leader Vinay Mishra in cattle smuggling case Later in the evening he sent his resignation from the primary membership of the party to TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and thanked her for providing him with the platform. "Mamata Banerjee is like a mother figure to me. I am indebted to her for providing me with this platform ... This is an emotional moment for me," he said. Incidentally Shah is scheduled to address a rally in Rajib Banerjee''s home district Howrah on January 31. He had joined the growing list of dissenters who have put the ruling camp in a tight spot ahead of the assembly elections when he last week put in his papers as the cabinet minister. Rajib Banerjee had said he was forced to take the decision after being publicly humiliated by a section of the party''s leaders for airing his grievances over their style of functioning. He is the third minister to quit the state cabinet in the last two months after Suvendu Adhikari, who crossed over to BJP. The second minister to quit was Laxmi Ratan Shukla, who expressed his desire to quit politics. According to TMC sources, he had been having differences over various issues with the TMC district chairman of Howrah and state minister Arup Roy. Meanwhile, former Howrah mayor and TMC leader Rathin Chakraborty, who recently spoke out against the leadership, said he will be at Shah''s rally in Howrah on Sunday. "Those who want to work for the people are not allowed to work in the TMC. We had informed the party leadership but it has yielded no result," Chakraborty said. Ghosal neither confirmed nor denied the speculations over his probable switch over to the BJP. "I am not saying anything today. All of you will get to see what happens in the next few days," he said. Reacting to Banerjee quitting the party, senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim said "Rajib should clarify what took him so long to resign and that too ahead of the polls". "If he has quit for personal reasons, I have nothing to say. But if he has quit to joine BJP, why did he wait so long. He should have resigned two years ago. This only show their true colours," Hakim, also senior minister, said. An elated BJP said the "beginning of the end of the TMC has already begun" and the party would disintegrate soon. "It is only a matter of time before TMC disintegrates. Those who want to join in the fight against TMC should join us," state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said. According to BJP sources who did not wish to be named, at least 15 leaders from various parties are likely to join the saffron party within the next few days. Rajib Banerjee, a popular mass leader in Howrah, has influence in eight of the district''s 16 assembly seats. Elections to the 294-member assembly are likely to be held in April-May this year. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 22:13 [IST] Advertisement Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky's mega mansion is complete - and the luxurious, opulent home has skyrocketed in price since the family moved in. Originally estimated at $20 million, experts now say the LA-style compound, located in Broken Head near Byron Bay, is now worth $30 million. Lloyd Edge, founder and Director of Aus Property Professionals and author of best-selling book Positively Geared, says that the market value has gone up since the couple bought and renovated the home four years ago. Flipping great: Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky's mega mansion (pictured) is complete - and the luxurious, opulent home has skyrocketed in price since the family moved in Woah! Originally estimated at $20 million, experts now say the couple's LA-style compound, located in Broken Head near Byron Bay, is now worth $30 million He tells Daily Mail Australia: 'I estimate that in the current market the property could sell for up to $30 million'. Mr Edge based his price on 'a number of 'comparables', adding that it is, 'how we try and estimate market value, along with current market sentiment.' He listed similar properties in the area, including a five-bedroom home at 35 Marine Parade, with private stairs that lead down to Wategos Beach and a heated infinity pool overlooking the ocean, which is worth $22 million. Pricey! Lloyd Edge, founder and Director of Aus Property Professionals and author of best-selling book Positively Geared, says that the market value has gone up since the couple bought and renovated the home four years ago A smaller property in the area on Lighthouse Rd is valued at $9 million, while a yet-to-be-built home overlooking Main Beach in Byron Bay is worth $60 million. He added: 'Byron Bay and surrounding areas is now one of the hottest property markets in the country. 'Hemsworth bought the property for $9 million but spent around $18 million building the mansion.' He tells Daily Mail Australia: 'I estimate that in the current market the property could sell for up to $30 million' Hard work: Chris and his family began construction on the Byron Bay mansion, named Kooeloah, in late 2017. It was previously an eight-bedroom resort-style home Oops! Critics and locals were quick to say that the rebuild reminds them of a suburban shopping centre, a refurbished RSL club or a regional airport terminal Chris and his family began construction on the Byron Bay mansion, named Kooeloah, in late 2017. It was previously an eight-bedroom resort-style home. Critics and locals were quick to say that the rebuild reminds them of a suburban shopping centre, a refurbished RSL club or a regional airport terminal. The 50-metre rooftop infinity pool alone is estimated to have cost at least $400,000, an enormous indoor mural could be worth as much as $100,000 and the landscaping bill would reach $500,000. Sydney builder Jason Natoli said: 'It's been built like resort-style accommodation. You've got an infinity pool with a spa, five bedrooms with five en suites, a large indoor-outdoor kitchen, a four-car garage' He added: 'There's a cinema room, massage room, sauna room, steam room, games room with a bar. There's also a mud room - I've never heard of that before' Lush: There is also a gymnasium, butler's pantry, fire pit, change rooms, outdoor play area for the three Hemsworth children and walk-in wardrobes attached to four of the bedrooms Formwork and concrete for the foundations of Fortress Hemsworth - known on architectural plans as 'Project 657 BHR' - will have set the couple back $1.5million to $2million. For Sydney builder Jason Natoli, who specialises in luxury renovations, the most striking aspect of the new Broken Head landmark is its sheer size. 'It's ginormous,' Mr Natoli said. 'It's been built like resort-style accommodation. You've got an infinity pool with a spa, five bedrooms with five en suites, a large indoor-outdoor kitchen, a four-car garage. Careful: Because the house is surrounded by bushland it was required to have its own 20,000 litre fire-fighting water tanks and extra access for Rural Fire Service vehicles Nice ride: Mr Natoli said he could not see any provision for landing a helicopter, one of Hemsworth's favoured means of transportation Big! While the average floor size of a new Sydney home is now 186.3 square metres, the Hemsworth residence covers about 900 square metres internally 'There's a cinema room, massage room, sauna room, steam room, games room with a bar. There's also a mud room - I've never heard of that before.' Mud rooms, made popular in America, are secondary entrances used to store coats, shoes and items such as bikes, umbrellas and surfboards which are regularly carried in and out of the house. There is also a gymnasium, butler's pantry, fire pit, change rooms, outdoor play area for the three Hemsworth children and walk-in wardrobes attached to four of the bedrooms. Perfect! The couple had planned the house so that the huge glass windows and doors opened onto the rooftop entertaining area including the pool and surrounding bushland Oh dear: Not all locals have welcomed the size of Fortress Hemsworth Because the house is surrounded by bushland it was required to have its own 20,000 litre fire-fighting water tanks and extra access for Rural Fire Service vehicles. Mr Natoli said he could not see any provision for landing a helicopter, one of Hemsworth's favoured means of transportation. While the average floor size of a new Sydney home is now 186.3 square metres, the Hemsworth residence covers about 900 square metres internally. Hollywood incoming: 'I thought Byron would be Noosafied but apparently it's being Hollywooded,' one wrote on Facebook last year. 'Next level' Mr Natoli added: 'You could say it's an LA sort of mansion-style design. It's a very contemporary LA-style, where everything is indoor-outdoor living' The construction is technically only one-storey but the staggered floors make it appear to be multi-leveled. Mr Natoli, whose Jcorp Construction renovated publicist Roxy Jacenko new $6.5million home at Vaucluse, described the Hemsworth home as an 'LA-style mansion'. 'It's a gorgeous house,' Mr Natoli said. 'Technically it's one level but it's sort of stepped to make it feel as one. Pricing: Mr Edge based his $20 million price on 'a number of 'comparables'. He listed similar properties in the area, including this five-bedroom home at 35 Marine Parade, with private stairs to Wategos Beach and a heated infinity pool overlooking the ocean, worth $22 million Nice digs: A smaller property in the area on Lighthouse Rd is valued at $9 million (pictured) Woah! A yet-to-be-built home (pictured on the plan) overlooking Main Beach in Byron Bay is worth $60 million 'You could say it's an LA sort of mansion-style design. It's a very contemporary LA-style, where everything is indoor-outdoor living.' The couple had planned the house so that the huge glass windows and doors opened onto the rooftop entertaining area including the pool and surrounding bushland. 'When it opens up it feels like the outdoors and indoors are all one,' Mr Natoli said. Not all locals have welcomed the size of Fortress Hemsworth. Fancy! The 50-metre rooftop infinity pool alone is estimated to have cost at least $400,000, an enormous indoor mural (pictured) could be worth as much as $100,000 and the landscaping bill would reach $500,000 'I thought Byron would be Noosafied but apparently it's being Hollywooded,' one wrote on Facebook last year. 'Next level.' Another woman went further: 'It's obscene, greedy, flashy, vulgar opulence at its finest and has no place in the Byron I once knew and love.' 'A sad sign of things to come due to greedy, unfettered development policy.' But Mr Natoli said while the scale of the house was enormous the design was relatively simple. 'It's just a big box,' he said. 'There's nothing too flashy. The only thing is it's huge.' Lovely views: The property, about 12 kilometres out of Byron Bay, is on Broken Head Road and overlooks Seven Mile Beach The property, about 12 kilometres out of Byron Bay, is on Broken Head Road and overlooks Seven Mile Beach. A development application approved by Byron Shire Council estimated the cost of construction to be $18million. Most of that money has gone back into the northern rivers community. The home has been built by Jason Stehn whose company Stehnbuild is based in nearby Bangalow. Chris and Elsa live at the home with their children, India, 8, and twins Tristan and Sasha, 6. DAYTON, Ohio A southwest Ohio man who already was registered as a sexual offender has pleaded guilty to charges in connection with attempting to coerce minors online, federal prosecutors say. Steven Shawn Smith, 48, of Miamisburg, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court to attempting to coerce a minor while registered as a sex offender. Prosecutors are recommending that Smith be sentenced to 25 years in prison. According to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Ohio, Smith created nine online dating profiles using the names Sammy and Shaw. Undercover FBI agents posing as minors were in contact with Smith between April and October 2020. During that time, Smith requested nude images from the undercover agents on multiple occasions, prosecutors say. He also reportedly sent nude photos of his genitalia to the agents. Prosecutors say an agent refused to send Smith nude photos, but Smith responded, I know that you dont want to send me those pictures but I was hoping that you would understand just how much it would mean to me and how close it would bring us. Smith tried to arrange a meeting with an undercover agent, prosecutors say, seeking sexual activity. He sent the purported minor $75 using an online app for the purchase of a bus ticket. Prosecutors say Smith messaged more than 170 other online users who said they were minors. He received sexually explicit images from at least 21 of the purported minors and sent nude images of himself to at least 70 users, prosecutors say. Smith was registered as a sex offender in 1994 after he was convicted in Athens County Common Pleas Court of one count of rape of a child. More crime-related content on cleveland.com: 8 women rescued from human-trafficking ring in central Ohio Pair who protested TownHall restaurant hit with felony assault charge after worker said she lost hearing from megaphones Former Chagrin Falls clerk stole more than $230,000 from the city in a two-decade span, prosecutors say Cleveland woman chased woman with knife, tried to run her over outside Rocky River senior living facility, police say Self-described militia members trained in Ohio before storming U.S. Capitol, indictment says Grandson, his girlfriend accused of neglect that led to death of 92-year-old Cleveland woman, police say The state is aware of a technical issue on the New Jersey Vaccine Scheduling System that caused double-booked appointments on Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy said at his Friday coronavirus briefing. The problem caused the state to cancel a number of appointments that were erroneously double-booked, he said. We will work with those canceled on rescheduling their appointments at the nearest available time, he said. We regret the confusion this technical issue caused, and we are working with our vendor - and as you can imagine the conversations are spirited - to address the root cause and that this does not happen again. David Adinaro, the health department deputy commissioner, said they believed the booking issue was specific to the Gloucester site. Officials did not respond to questions about how many people were affected, how those people would get new appointments and whether or not they would be assigned dates automatically. Commissioner Judy Persichilli did not attend the briefing as she quarantined because of exposure to a staff member who tested positive for the coronavirus. The systems glitch caused trouble Thursday afternoon at the Gloucester County mega-site where people had been double-booked for the same time slots after the original appointments had been kicked out by the states system. Now for every one one vaccine we have, we have two individuals with appointments, the county said Thursday. The Gloucester County Mega Site is now dealing with yet another catastrophe we did not create. Gloucester County administrator Chad Bruner said Thursday no one was turned away, but at least a half a dozen people contacted NJ Advance Media to say they were indeed turned away because of the double-booking fiasco. When asked about those people, a spokeswoman said, We didnt turn anyone away. If they didnt come or left because of the confusion, the state will be rescheduling appointments. In all, the site gave 350 more doses than initially planned, the spokeswoman said, for a total of 2,409 doses for the day. Bruner also said Thursday that he wasnt sure if the system would have problems for Fridays scheduled doses, but at least a dozen readers who made bookings for Friday because of the systems cancelations told NJ Advance Media they received cancelation emails before their appointment times. New Jersey health officials said as of Friday, the state has administered nearly 725,000 vaccines. Tell us your COVID-19 vaccination stories, send us a news tip or questions about the vaccination process on our tip form. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. NJ Advance Media Statehouse reporter Matt Arco contributed to this report. Karin Price Mueller may be reached at KPriceMueller@NJAdvanceMedia.com. A third Houston-area resident has been arrested and charged in connection with the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The FBI announced that bakery owner Wilmar Jeovanny Montano Alvarado was arrested, the Houston Chronicle's Anna Bauman reports. Alvarado is charged with violent entry or disorderly conduct; entering a restricted building or grounds; civil disorder; assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers or employees; and obstruction of an official proceeding. TEXANS AT THE RIOT: Texas man's son tried to warn FBI before father attacked Capitol with mob Alvarado previously gave an interview to Fox26 Houston on Jan. 8, saying he flew to Washington D.C. to protest against the election of President Joe Biden, believing former President Donald Trump's baseless claims of election fraud. A mob of Trump's supporters breached the building, resulting in five deaths and delaying the certification of the election results. Alvarado told Fox26 that he was unwillingly pushed toward the building doors by the crowd. "I turned around, trying to get out, and it was really impossible because people kept pushing in," Alvarado said, Fox26's Ivory Hecker reported. "So I found myself really close to the cops, and so I was like with my hands up, and I told them, Im not part of this. Im trying to get out." He voluntarily identified himself to investigators on Jan. 14 and told them he did not enter the building or assault any officers on the scene. However, investigators found footage that differed from Alvarado's account, showing him pushing toward the police line with a hand on a police shield, Bauman reports. Alvarado owns Betty's Bakery and Restaurant in Pasadena. He is the third Houston-area resident to be arrested in connection with the riot after former Houston police officer Tam Pham and veteran Joshua R. Lollar. Project: How the stadium could look when finished Redeveloping Casement Park will cost 40m more than estimated over the next four years, the Department of Communities (DfC) has projected. It forecast that the total cost to the Executive for the west Belfast stadium could rise to 102m, in addition to 15m from the GAA. The Executive originally committed 62m to the project under the terms of the regional stadium programme. The GAA has refused to increase its contribution towards the stadium, initially estimated at 77m, despite soaring costs. Recent estimates put the overall price of the redeveloped Casement Park at around 110m. At a meeting of the Assembly's Communities Committee yesterday, officials stressed the new cost could fall ahead of the development of a business case. The DfC's Gavin Patrick noted the department had allocated 20m towards the project as part of its 2021/22 budget. This was announced by Sinn Fein Finance Minister Conor Murphy earlier this month. Mr Patrick said this could be "reassessed as colleagues work with the GAA on the development of a full business case". He said there was still work ongoing to obtain planning permission so that work on the site could begin. "It has been highlighted that costs have increased given the timeframe that has passed since the original monies identified of 62m," he added. UUP MLA Andy Allen pressed Mr Patrick, asking for the full projected cost of the project over the next four years. Mr Patrick confirmed that as part of an information gathering process in September, the total cost to the Executive had been forecast at 102m. East Belfast MLA Mr Allen asked if the taxpayer should really be expected to fork out that amount of money. Mr Patrick stressed it was an estimated figure, but Mr Allen said it had not been "plucked out of the sky". "It was estimated at that point on the information held at that point," he added. SDLP Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon indicated last September she would recommend planning permission for a 34,578-capacity stadium on the Andersonstown Road. A Notice of Opinion to approve was then issued to Belfast City Council and Ulster GAA. Ulster GAA said it would not be contributing any more money to the project, despite calls for it to do as costs rise. Ex-Communities Minister Caral Ni Chuilin said in November it was no longer "tenable" for the GAA to hold that position. "If the Executive is being asked to meet the overrun and the costs that have increased, the GAA should be doing the same thing as well - and I've told them that," she added. Casement Park project sponsor Stephen McGeehan said responsibility for funding lay with the Executive. "As this is a flagship programme for the Executive, it is right that the majority of the funding comes from the public sector," he added. "While discussions on the final costs for the project cannot conclude until the planning process completes, the GAA remains committed to providing the 15m previously pledged to the scheme." If approved, construction work on the project is not expected to begin before the end of the year at the earliest. 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 coronavirus pandemic in the US could drag on for another year due to new mutant strains of the virus that could potentially derail vaccination efforts, health officials say. Chief Medical Advisor Dr Anthony Fauci on Thursday warned that the health crisis 'could get worse' now that multiple cases of COVID-19 variants have been detected in the country. It comes as recent data had offered a glimmer of hope in the nation's battle against the virus, with infection and hospitalization rates falling nearly everywhere in US. There are currently more than 25.7million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country and 432,603 total deaths. On Thursday, another 155,333 cases were reported, with 4,011 deaths, according to the COVID Tracking Project. Hospitalizations, meanwhile, fell by over 3,000 and the number of new infections are continuing to decline across the states. 'We certainly are seeing, thankfully, a plateauing in cases...That's the good news,' Fauci told MSNBC's Morning Joe. 'But superimposed upon the good news is the sobering news that we still have a lot of cases and we still have a very serious issue here. 'And the thing that's troublesome now, that we really need to keep our eye on, are these variants,' he added. Anthony Fauci on Thursday warned that the health crisis 'could get worse' if new variants of the coronavirus are found to be resistant to vaccines There are now more than 300 reported cases of 'super-covid' in the US, including the strains that were first found in Brazil, UK, and South Africa. Although they have not proven to be more fatal, the variants are more contagious and have raised fears they could potentially be resistant to the newly developed vaccines. 'All indications are that these variants of the virus could be a significant challenge to the vaccine,' Dr Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told Newsweek. 'Without a doubt that's potentially the most overwhelming problem we face.' Fauci said that he is more concerned about the South African variant in particular because it has mutations that might render vaccines less effective. The vaccines that are being distributed now already appear to generate antibodies for the UK's B117 variant, Fauci said. Both Moderna and Pfizer said this week that preliminary lab tests suggest their vaccines are 'protective' against the South African variant, but it does diminish the effectiveness of their shots. Moderna and Pfizer has said it is developing booster shots to improve the potency of their vaccines against variants, including South Africa's. 'We're already planning and implementing, making a modified version of the vaccine, that would ultimately be able to be directed specifically against the South African isolate, which is the most problematic of them all,' Fauci said. The South African variant has a mutation in its spike protein (circled in yellow) that makes it more contagious, capable of reinfection and potentially more immune to vaccines. Two people in South Carolina are the first US cases but, because they have not traveled recently and have no evident link, the variant may already be spreading in the US 'So on the one hand, things looking a bit better about plateauing, but on the other hand, we could have some difficult times that we have to be prepared for,' he added. Earlier on Thursday, North Carolina health department officials confirmed they had detected the country's first cases of the South African 'super covid' variant in two residents. Neither person has a 'known' recent history of travel and they have no evident connection to one another, as far as health officials can tell. That's a worrying signal that the 50 percent more infectious variant has already been spreading silently in South Carolina, if not the broader US. It's the second new variant reported in the US this week, after Minnesota confirmed the first American case of the P1 variant from Brazil. Variants from South Africa and Brazil contain similar mutations that may help them escape antibodies from vaccines, but the Brazilian form brings an additional worry. In the Amazon city of Manaus, people who should have been protected from reinfection are getting second bouts of COVID-19 as the highly infectious variant takes off and overwhelm hospitals there. 'The arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 variant in our state is an important reminder to all South Carolinians that the fight against this deadly virus is far from over,' said Dr Brannon Traxler, DHEC Interim Public Health Director. 'While more COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, supplies are still limited. Every one of us must recommit to the fight by recognizing that we are all on the front lines now. We are all in this together.' One person lives in the state's easternmost 'Pee Dee' region, while the other is a resident of the 'Lowcountry' region to the south. The two are both adults, but the state health department said that it will not release any further details of their identities to protect their privacy. Neither person had a history of travel that the South Carolina health department was aware of, raising concerns that there are more cases in the US, and the variant has already been imported and begun spreading. It comes just a day after White House officials assured Americans that the variant had not been detected in the US. Pentagon evaluating request for help in administering COVID-19 vaccines Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide help in administering the COVID-19 vaccine, a spokesman said on Thursday. 'Given the significance of the request, it will be reviewed urgently but carefully to determine what DoD assets can safely be made available to support the effort,' Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. While the statement did not provide the number of troops that could be involved, a U.S. official told Reuters that it could number in the thousands. Advertisement However, Dr Fauci admitted last week that the US has not been doing enough of the kind of genetic testing that detects new variants of COVID-19. 'The level of sequence surveillance is not at the level we would like it to be, but given the information we have today, it doesn't appear that it's here,' Dr Fauci said last Thursday from the White House. Exactly a week later, the variant is here, and although the CDC is ramping up surveillance, it appears its arrival from abroad was missed. More than 30 countries, including the UK, where there are at least 77 cases - have reported cases of the variant, which emerged in South Africa at the end of 2020. The South African variant is 'a little bit more concerning but not something that we don't think we can handle,' Dr Fauci said last week. Like the UK variant that is more than half of states, the South African variant of coronavirus - known by scientists as 501Y - is thought to be more infectious than original coronavirus. In addition to being about 70 percent more infectious, the UK variant may be 30 to 40 percent deadlier, preliminary data from the UK suggests. A person in New Jersey became the first person in the US to die of that variant, officials there said Thursday. CDC warned that the UK's B117 variant could become dominant by March, triggering another surge in infections, hospitalizations and deaths. But the South African variant also has mutations that might make vaccines less effective against it, a dangerous trait not seen in the UK's B117 variant. The variant that emerged in Brazil has also shown signs of making vaccines less effective. The first US case of the Brazilian variant was reported this week as well, in a Minnesotan who had recently traveled there. That's because they have mutations that may prevent antibodies that vaccines trigger from latching onto them and preventing them from infecting human cells. A 7-year-old girl paralyzed when she was shot outside a relatives St. Roch home two months ago was discharged from the hospital Thursday, the New Orleans Police Department said. In a post on its Facebook page, the agency said Chloee Williams left Childrens Hospital and was formally introduced to the officer who used a first aid kit to save her life. The agency published photos showing Chloee in a wheelchair with officers, medical staffers and relatives outside the hospital. Chloee was painting a picture outside a relatives home in the 2500 block of North Prieur Street on Nov. 24 when two men who appeared to be looking for an older relative approached. The men started firing guns then fled. Gunfire hit Chloee in the chin, cut through her throat and exited her back, badly damaging her spinal cord. A 15-year-old boy was also struck. Officer Daniel McCreary soon arrived, grabbed gauze from a first aid kit and a plastic wrapper and improvised a chest seal. He pressed it against Chloees back to prevent her lungs from collapsing, giving paramedics time to get the second grader to University Medical Center, along with the wounded teen. 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 crew later airlifted Chloee to Childrens Hospital. McCreary was among those showing up to support Chlo'ee as she prepared to leave Children's for home Thursday. Police havent announced any arrests in the case. Community members rallied around Chloees mother, Leronisha Williams, after she spoke publicly about her familys ordeal. A GoFundMe page set up to assist Chloees family had raised more than $36,000 in donations as of Thursday. A message on the page said Chloee has learned to balance herself upright, roll over and get herself from her bed to her wheelchair as well as from her chair to the car. Going home will have its challenges, but she is ready to be in her newly decorated unicorn-themed room, the message said. (JNS) Marilyn Strickland, the former Democratic mayor of Tacoma, Wash., easily won over her Democratic opponent, Washington state Rep. Beth Doglio, in the Nov. 3 U.S. House of Representatives election in the states 10th Congressional District to succeed Democratic Rep. Denny Heck, who successfully ran to become the states lieutenant governor. Strickland, 58, who is married with two stepdaughters, was born in the South Korean capital, Seoul, in 1962 and moved with her family to Tacoma five years later. Before serving as mayor from 2010 to 2018, she served as a member of the Tacoma City... A taxi driver who sexually assaulted a late night passenger after she passed out in his car has been jailed for four years. The victim told gardai that she woke up to find Gerard Gunnery Snr (60) with his hand inside her and masturbating himself. He then became aggressive and threw her out of the car, leaving her in a heap on the side of the road. Gunnery Snr of Ellenfield Road, Whitehall, Dublin pleaded guilty to sexual assaulting the woman in Dublin city on December 23, 2017. Evidence was originally heard in the case last November and Gunnery was then remanded in custody. On Friday, Judge Karen O'Connor commended the courage of the injured party and noted her powerful victim impact statement which outlined the profound effect the offending had on her and how she continues to live with the devastating impact of Gunnery's behaviour. She said the offending had been a massive breach of trust in his role as a taxi driver. She said holders of public service vehicle licences had certain responsibilities and these had been breached. Judge O'Connor said the woman had been taken advantage of when she was vulnerable. She noted when the victim questioned Gunnery's behaviour she was dragged from the vehicle and left on the side of the road but still managed to take a picture of his registration plate. Judge O'Connor took into account Gunnery's age, health, testimonials and previous good character. She noted he was now a registered sex offender and that incarceration would be particularly difficult for someone of his age in these times with lack of visitation rights but said a custodial sentence could not be avoided. Judge O'Connor imposed a four and a half year sentence with the final six months suspended. At the hearing last November the victim addressed the court and said that a regular girls night out in town turned into a nightmare when she woke up in the front seat of the taxi parked outside her home. Neighbours later told gardai they heard a woman shouting get off me and stop, don't touch me and saw the driver pulling the woman out of the taxi. She was screaming that her leg was stuck under the taxi and he came out and threw her out of the way. She was found on the ground crying and screaming. The court heard she suffered bruising to her elbows, kneecaps and her jaw. Gunnery made a statement to gardai claiming that the woman had told him to go for it and that he wouldn't have touched her if she hadn't said that. I am really sorry. She was drunk. I was sober, he told gardai. In her victim impact statement the woman told Gunnery that you took advantage of me when you should have taken me home. She said she suffered crippling guilt and shame and entertained thoughts like I drank too much, my skirt was too short, my knee high boots were too inviting. She feared that her attacker was still out driving a taxi and knew whereabouts she lived and said she still suffers flashbacks and becomes upset if she sees a silver coloured taxi. She said Christmas time last year is difficult because of her fear of drinking and being in town again. Lawyers for Gunnery asked Judge O'Connor not define him for these ten minutes of a life which was otherwise all of good. Dominic McGinn SC, defending, said his client's actions that night were completely out of character. He handed in testimonials describing Gunnery as a hard working, good man with a kind heart. Mr McGinn told the court that Gunnery has not fared well during the last two months in custody. The court heard Gunnery was the victim of an attack by a fellow inmate and underwent surgery on a cancerous growth on his face. He said his client had also had significant difficultly accessing medical care. The court previously heard that since details of Gunnery's offending were published, his son has been threatened and had his car vandalised. Judge O'Connor asked that any publicity should distinguish between Gunnery Snr and his son. Additional Evidence Detective Sergeant Brian Hunt told Eoin Lawlor BL, prosecuting, that the woman had gone out that night to a hen party and at around 3am she decided to go home. She was standing around Harcourt Street in Dublin city centre when Gunnery stopped his taxi. He had two other women in the car and they were going in the same direction as the victim. She later told gardai that she was so relieved to get the taxi that she didn't care there were two others in the car. Mr Lawlor told the court that CCTV footage from the area showed there were other taxis with their lights on ready to take a fare and said that this was noteworthy because of the circumstances in which Gunnery had stopped his taxi for the woman. The court heard after a short conversation with the other women about paying for the fare, the woman fell asleep in her seat. She said she awoke when the car stopped at an ATM in Ballsbridge and the other two women had been dropped off. She said she used the ATM to get cash for the taxi and then got into the front seat of the car. She said the driver put his left hand on her knee and she told him what are you doing and brushed it off. She fell back to sleep and awoke at her destination to Gunnery attacking her. The driver had his hand inside the woman and was moving it aggressively and fast while also masturbating himself inside his trousers. She said she asked the driver what the hell was he doing and he became aggressive and began demanding payment of the fare. She said she was trying to stay in the car to locate his ID badge in order to identify him when Gunnery walked around to the passenger door. Dt Sgt Hunt said that woman had a cast around an arm from an earlier fracture and that Gunnery pulled her out by the arm with enough force to break the strap of her handbag. He left her in a heap on the side of the road and went to get back into his taxi but then got out again and dragged her out of the way of the car. She managed to take a photo of the taxi number plate as Gunnery sped off in the car and gardai later used this to track him down. Mr McGinn told the court that one of the most valuable aspects of the guilty plea for a victim was that it affirms what she did was completely blameless and that the defendant was the wrongdoer. He handed into court a heartfelt letter written by his client in which Gunnery apologised abjectly to the victim. Work references handed in described Gunnery as hard working and trustworthy. Two close friends, including a community leader, wrote that they were shocked, troubled and surprised on hearing about the assault. Mr McGinn said this was evidence that his behaviour that night was out of character and that he was otherwise a fine upstanding citizen. In a statement made to gardai, Gunnery claimed that the woman first took his hand and held it. He said she began holding his hand and told him to go for it and he began rubbing her on her underwear. He claimed she said stop and he did but he began masturbating himself and she said what are you doing. He claimed she was then getting out of the car and he said he stupidly asked about the fare and she kicked off and wouldn't get out. Gunnery was due to go on trial in February last year but this was adjourned. He pleaded guilty to the charge in October. Wild weather battered Australia's east coast overnight with more storms set to wreak havoc on Friday. A huge band of thunderstorms are forecast to roll in across Melbourne today after parts of Victoria were inundated by heavy rain on Thursday night - with some towns recording a whopping 24mm of rain in just an hour. In New South and Queensland, chilly weather follows a severe heatwave earlier this week and the hottest Australia Day since 1960. Grey and dreary conditions are also set to continue across most other capital cities with summer temperatures dropping into the low 20s. The drizzly weather is set to linger into the weekend. Steady rain and dark clouds are seen at Melbourne Park on January 29, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia A map of Australia on shows the rain forecast to lash NSW, Victoria, QLD and WA on Friday The State Emergency Service in Victoria has urged people to stay off the roads and avoid travel if possible - with floodwater, debris, reduced visibility and fallen trees all potential hazards for motorists. Victorians have also been warned to secure loose items like outdoor furniture and trampolines. 'This rain is due a trough ahead of a cold front that is dragging in tropical moisture from the northwest of Australia,' Weatherzone meteorologist Craig McIntosh told Daily Mail Australia. 'It's going to hang around all day today but it should start to clear overnight and be gone by early Saturday morning.' Last night Western Victoria was belted with rain. Stawell was hit with 24.6mm of rain in under an hour between 3am and 4am, while Mount William recorded a 67.6mm deluge over 24 hours. Three vehicles were damaged last night due to storms, when a large banksia branch dropped in Sydney. Pictured: A member from NSW SES Randwick Unit Sydney is expected to see rain continue on Friday and over the weekend before a cold front rolls in on Tuesday Other towns which copped heavy falls included Navarre with 53.6mm, Stawell with 52.8mm, Ballarat with 34mm, Westmere with 32.4mm, Warracknabeal with 31mm and Charlton with 21.2mm. The State Emergency Service received about 60 call for assistance overnight. A spokesperson told The Herald Sun 25 of those calls were for flooding and water coming through roofs. A severe weather warning for heavy rain remains in place for north central, southwest and Wimmera regions. Forecasters say it's possible that up to 90mm of rain could hit some parts as the day goes on. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned Bendigo, Shepparton, Seymour, Maryborough, Ballarat, Wodonga, Stawell and Wangaratta are at risk of flash flooding. Residents in north central Victoria are warned the rain on Friday (pictured) could lead to flash flooding Onshore winds are driving showers across Sydney throughout today and over the weekend. Pictured: A couple caught in heavy rain on New Year's even Meanwhile, Sydney suffered its wettest day of the year so far yesterday with 19mm of rain falling in some parts. More rain is also expected on Friday with a severe weather warning for heavy rain is in place for the Central West Slopes and Plains, South West Slopes, Riverina, Lower Western and Upper Western areas of NSW. BoM has also issued flash flood warnings in areas around Wagga Wagga, Albury, Griffith, Narrandera, Cobar and Ivanhoe with falls between 40-70mm possible later today. 'Onshore winds are driving showers across Sydney throughout today and over the weekend,' Mr McIntosh said. 'Then a cold front is expected to move in on Tuesday bringing heavier showers and possible storms to the Harbour City.' Heavy falls are also possible in the ACT and Canberra where it will remain cloudy with a top of 19C. The Bureau of Meteorology has also warned of severe weather in Far North Queensland as a tropical low moves east across Cape York Peninsula. The weather event is 'bringing heavy rainfall to the region'. Storm clouds are seen over the Sydney skyline on January 4. Rain is forecast for the Harbour City after a heatwave 'A Flood Watch and Severe Weather Warning are current,' the bureau said. 'Monsoon activity is expected to remain high for the coming days.' A severe weather warning has also been issued for Western Australia's Kimberley district as a tropical low lies about 100km west of Wyndham. 'The low is expected to cause frequent showers and thunderstorms over the Kimberley for the next couple of days,' the bureau said. The state's capital city, Perth, is enjoying sunny conditions for the remainder of the week with a high of 31C on Thursday and 34C forecast on Friday. Pictured: A couple shelter together from the rain with a black umbrella The Bureau of Meteorology has released flash flooding warnings for parts of Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia A shower or two is forecast in Brisbane on Friday and Saturday, with temperatures reaching the high 20s. The rain in the Queensland capital is likely to continue into next week with a possible shower forecast on Sunday and Monday. South Australia has also copped the brunt of the rain, with Adelaide recording its wettest January day since 1977 with 29.8mm in the 24 hrs to 9am on Australia Day. Early morning showers are also expected in the city on Friday morning, with a high of 27C, before the rain clears for the weekend. A maximum of 21C is forecast in Hobart on Friday with rain developing, while Canberra will hit 20C with showers expected. Darwin will be hot in the 30s with rain and a possible storm. A radar image shows the storm moving in over Melbourne on Friday 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 farmers' tractor rally in New Delhi on January 26 turned ugly exposing the involvement of rogue elements sponsored by Pakistan and so-called sympathisers of the Khalistan movement. Before the rally was held, intelligence agencies had sounded an alarm about the possibility of external elements hijacking it and violence breaking out. Despite strong inputs, the government allowed the farmers to express their dissent as it was their democratic right. The farmer groups had assured the government that the rally would be peaceful. But it didn't happen. The farmers were unaware of the fact that they were playing into the hands of stooges controlled by the Pakistan spy agency ISI and the ones associated with the so-called Khalistan movement. On January 26 when farmers assembled around Red Fort, members of Khalistani separatist groups staged a protest outside the Indian embassy in Washington DC. The protest was hosted by Sikh DMV Youth and Sangat. Only a handful of people participated in the demonstration. The protesters claimed that they had assembled to support the farmers protesting in New Delhi. Many in the mob held so-called 'Khalistan' flags and raised slogans. On the other hand, more than 400 twitter handles run from Pakistan had become active to add fuel to the fire. It appeared that the adversaries were trying their best to set New Delhi on fire by using the farmers, who were unaware of the developments that were taking place around them. However, Delhi Police displayed exemplary restraint and prevented the situation from going out of control. Of late, Khalistani separatist groups have been in touch with the militant outfits in Kashmir. The link has been clearly visible and so has been the Pakistan angle. The emergence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a strong leader has rattled the enemies of India as the "New India" is entirely different from the one that existed till 2014. The country has got a strong Prime Minister who is not afraid of taking bold decisions. Farmers' protest is an internal matter of India as they are no outsiders. They are our own people but the adversaries of our country have nefarious designs. Their plans have been foiled in the past and in future also all their evil schemes will be thwarted. Protests by farmers are slowly fading out. But the big question is that can the nexus between Khalistani separatists, Kashmiri militant outfits and Pakistan be overlooked? Pakistan is aware of the fact that it cannot fight a conventional war with India as its Army cannot match the skill and strength of the Indian Army. It has only one option that's fighting a proxy war. First it triggered violence in Punjab but had to face defeat as terrorism was wiped out within a few years. In 1990 it launched another proxy war in Kashmir and that too it has lost. The militants whom it had sent to Kashmir are resting in their graves and the advocates of Pakistan in Kashmir have been cut to size. The Pakistani spy agency ISI has been left with a few options as nothing has worked out for it. After the farmers' protest broke out, the elements backed by the ISI left no stone unturned to make it a major event. But their attempts have not yielded any results as the Government of India has not allowed these mischievous elements to spread their wings. But the disturbance during the tractor rally in New Delhi is an alarm bell. It cannot be brushed aside. It's a signal that external elements and their agents are working overtime to once again create trouble in Punjab as Khalistan slogan has reappeared. This needs to be checked and the involvement of Kashmiri militant outfits has to be investigated. Pakistani media taking keen interest in the farmers' protest is an indication that our rogue neighbour is trying to play an active role. Reporting on the farmers' protest in New Delhi a Pakistani daily wrote: "Convinced of his invincibility and riding an unchallenged authoritarian streak, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have overplayed his hand with India's livid farmers who staged a huge 'tractor rally' in New Delhi." If one puts the pieces together it becomes clear that many forces have joined hands to fight Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has proved his mettle by remaining undeterred on his resolve to build a "New India" devoid of the people who preach separatism and sedition in the name of Khalistan or Kashmir. (ANI) Also Read: Violence during R-Day tractor rally conspiracy to malign farmer unions, alleges Rakesh Tikait A Kildare restaurant, the Aimsir, has retained its two Michelin Stars in the 2021 Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland, which has just been published. The restaurant is located at the Cliff at Lyons, not far from Celbridge. Run by Jordan Bailey, originally from Cornwall, UK, and Majken Bech-Bailey, from Denmark, the restaurant opened in late 2018. Majken Bech Bailey told us that this is the second two star from Michelin. How are they getting along with Covid? Pretty good at the moment, said Majken. While the restaurant is closed to sit down business - it was last open for that on December 19 when six tables were available for customers - it now concentrates on take away business. We do an Aimsir box which is available every Saturday for collection, she said. Including herself and Jordan, there are seven involved, working in shifts, which is a full time equivalent of almost four jobs. Getting into the guide is a key goal for many restaurants and their chefs. One newcomer Dede at the Customs House in Baltimore, Co. Cork joins the list of 18 Michelin Star recipients in the Republic of Ireland whose names feature in the 2021 Michelin Guide. Other restaurants that hold their Michelin Star from previous years are the Two Star Restaurants Patrick Guilbaud and The Greenhouse in Dublin City. One Star Dublin establishments are Chapter One, Variety Jones and LEcrivain in Dublin City and Liath in Blackrock village. Elsewhere, other one-star restaurants are Aniar and Loam (Galway City); Campagne and Lady Helen at Mount Juliet Hotel (Kilkenny); Wild Honey Inn, Lisdoonvarna (Clare); House Restaurant at Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore (Waterford); Ichigo Ichie (Cork City Centre); Chestnut in Ballydehob, West Cork; Bastion (Kinsale) and The Oak Room at Adare Manor in County Limerick. This years Guide sees the introduction of the new Michelin Green Star distinction highlighting restaurants that are leaders in sustainability practices. Irelands three Michelin Green Star recipients are Kai and Loam Restaurant (both Galway City) and Inis Meain Restaurant & Suites on the Aran Island of Inishmaan in Co. Galway. Four restaurants join the list of 18 Bib Gourmand recipients in the Republic of Ireland. Michelin Bib Gourmand awards recognise those establishments offering good food at affordable prices. The four newcomers are: Spitalfields in The Coombe, Dublin City; Volpe Nera in Blackrock, Co. Dublin; Goldie in Cork City and Table Forty One in Gorey. Speaking at the launch of the 2021 guide, Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guides, said: This has been a hugely challenging period for the hospitality industry and our thoughts remain with all those who have suffered from the pandemic and by the restrictions that have been put in place. We were heartened by the number of chefs who called us during the year to ensure we were still going ahead with the Guide and our yearly awards. The Michelin Guide is about promoting the hospitality industry as a whole and we want to shine a light on the hard work, tenacity and commitment of chefs and restaurant teams, he added. Published now in a digital format only, by tyre manufacturer Michelin, the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2021 is available at https://guide.michelin.com/ie/en and via the iOS app: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/michelin-guide-worldwide/id1541129177 The Prime Minister and Health Secretary have welcomed the results from a trial of a vaccine which offers 89% protection against Covid-19. The Novavax jab, which will be manufactured in Stockton-on-Tees, appears to be effective against both the original strain of coronavirus and a mutant strain first identified in Kent. It has also shown around 60% effectiveness against the South African strain of coronavirus, which has been worrying scientists due to concerns vaccines may not work against it. The UK has secured access to 60 million doses of the new vaccine, which could be available in the second half of this year if it is approved by the medicines regulator. Good news that the @Novavax vaccine has proved effective in UK trials. Thank you to all the volunteers who made these results possible. Our medicines regulator will now assess the vaccine, which will be made in Teesside. If approved, we have 60m doses on order. Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) January 28, 2021 More than 15,000 people in the UK took part in the clinical trial, which was supported by the UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Some 27% of those in the UK were over the age of 65. The study assessed how effective the vaccine was when transmission of Covid-19 was high in the UK, and with the variant strain first identified in Kent circulating widely. The UK arm analysis, based on the first 62 cases of Covid-19 identified in the trial, reported 56 cases in people given a placebo (dummy) vaccine while six cases were in those given the Novavax jab. This part of the trial showed the jab was 89% effective against Covid-19. More than half of cases related to the UK strain of the virus, with the vaccine offering 86% protection against this particular strain. Against the original strain that has circulated since the start of the pandemic, the vaccine was 96% effective. Overall, data from more than 20,000 people, including a trial in South Africa, has now been reported in full. This successful @novavax trial is ANOTHER great UK vaccine success story. Global scientific collaboration. UK govt support. Made in Teesside. Thank you to everyone working on it. Our vaccine strategy is working. Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) January 28, 2021 In the South African arm of the trial, where most cases of Covid-19 were the South African strain, the jab was 60% effective in preventing mild, moderate and severe coronavirus among those without HIV. Including the HIV positive participants, whose immune systems are compromised, overall the protection was just over 49%. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: This is positive news and, if approved by the medicines regulator, the Novavax vaccine will be a significant boost to our vaccination programme and another weapon in our arsenal to beat this awful virus. Im proud the UK is at the forefront of another medical breakthrough and I want to thank the brilliant scientists and researchers, as well as the tens of thousands of selfless volunteers who took park in clinical trials. The NHS stands ready to roll this vaccine out as quickly as possible to those most at risk if it is authorised. Boris Johnson thanked thousands of study volunteers who made these results possible. Great to see such encouraging results from the @Novavax vaccine, and all the more so having taken part in the trial myself. Thank you to all the volunteers who took part. If approved it will be manufactured on Teesside, boosting the UK's efforts to beat #covid19. Nadhim Zahawi (@nadhimzahawi) January 28, 2021 Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said he was particularly thrilled to see such positive results having taken part in the trial personally. I want to thank the thousands of trial volunteers, without whom these results would not have been possible, he added. The trial was carried out in conjunction with the UK Governments Vaccine Taskforce, with its chairman Clive Dix saying in a statement: These are spectacular results, and we are very pleased to have helped Novavax with the development of this vaccine. The efficacy shown against the emerging variants is also extremely encouraging. This is an incredible achievement that will ensure we can protect individuals in the UK and the rest of the world from this virus. The jab has an advantage over those from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna in that it can be stored in a regular fridge rather than needing ultra-cold storage. Professor Peter Openshaw, from Imperial College London, said the findings showed the jab gives high levels of protection. However, he said the 60% finding for the South African variant was a concern due to suggestions that prior infection with earlier variants of Covid-19 may not completely protect against subsequent infection by the South African variant. Not only have we trialled the vaccine to show it is safe and effective, but we are also making it too Kate Bingham, former chairwoman of Vaccine Taskforce The former chairwoman of the Vaccine Taskforce said the trial results were fantastic. Kate Bingham told the BBC: Its a fantastic result because it shows that the Novavax vaccine is effective against the UK variant as well as the South African variant and has shown phenomenal efficacy, and its made in Teesside. So not only have we trialled the vaccine to show it is safe and effective, but we are also making it too. So we will be able to save lives in the UK. The minister recalled a certain political force "throwing fits," promoting registration of Sputnik V. Ukrainian Health Minister Maksym Stepanov has said there is no way the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 will complete registration in Ukraine. "A certain political force has staged a hysterical performance over the Russian Sputnik V vaccine registration. I can say right away that 'you can throw fits for as long as you want' but no one will register the Russian vaccine in this country," the minister told an online briefing on January 29, an UNIAN correspondent reports. Read alsoHealth Minister announces start of mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign in FebRussian vaccine against coronavirus: Background In August 2020, Russia claimed it had registered the "world's first" vaccine against COVID-19, and that it was allegedly tested by one of Putin's daughters. Moscow has failed to provide to the international community any data on vaccine trials that would confirm the drug's safety and efficacy against COVID-19. The third stage of clinical trials has not yet been conducted. On January 2, 2021, Ukrainian media reported that the Kharkiv-based Biolek pharmaceutical firm had submitted to the Health Ministry an application to register the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in Ukraine. The Health Ministry said it was negotiating with AstraZeneca and other leading global vaccine manufacturers. In February-March 2021, Ukraine expects the delivery of the first vaccine batch The batch set to be delivered via the COVAX Facility will include 8 million doses, which will be enough to vaccinate 4 million people. First in line to get their jabs will be the country's medics, as well as vulnerable groups, including the elderly and patients with serious health conditions. On December 30, 2020, Ukraine signed a contract with China's Sinovac for the supply of 1.9 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine. 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. 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. (Newser) When Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Thursday about individual investors being blocked from buying shares of certain companies by Robinhood, a trading app, many messages of support were posted. But one responder wasn't welcome at this party, Politico reports. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas retweeted her post, which said a hearing about Robinhood's action might be necessary, adding: "Fully agree." No thanks, the New York Democrat said. "I am happy to work with Republicans on this issue where theres common ground, but you almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago so you can sit this one out," Ocasio-Cortez wrote. "Happy to work w/ almost any other GOP that arent trying to get me killed. In the meantime if you want to help, you can resign." story continues below Along with Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, Cruz faces an ethics complaint that he encouraged the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol and lawmakers by supporting the false claim of fraud in the presidential election. One of the rioters is charged with threatening to kill Ocasio-Cortez. "There's a lot of partisan anger and rage on the Democratic side," Cruz responded. "It's not healthy for our country. It's certainly not conducive of healing or unity, but everyone has to decide how they want to interact with others." That prompted Ocasio-Cortez to post: "Oh, theres anger? Now why would there be anger that Cruz amplified known lies about our election that fueled an insurrection that cost ppls lives? What does he think the logical response to his lies should be? A hug?" Later, she added that Cruz hasn't apologized for the harm done Jan. 6, which "you contributed to," per the Hill. "In the meantime," Ocasio-Cortez wrote, "you can get off my timeline & stop clout-chasing." (The White House said it's monitoring the stock volatility.) The White House made it clear to members of Joe Biden's family on Friday that they should not cash in on his position as president of the United States. The administration's double down of its policy came after a report on the business dealings of Frank Biden, the president's younger brother who touted his relationship to Joe Biden in an ad for his law firm and used another potential business partner's private jet to travel to Biden's swearing-in ceremony. Biden, himself, is aware of the potentially troubling optics surrounding his family's professional dealings while he sits in the Oval Office. During his presidential campaign, he took Frank aside and issued a warning. 'For Christ's sake, watch yourself,' Biden said of his brother's potential business dealings, a person with knowledge of the conversation told Politico. 'Don't get sucked into something that would, first of all, hurt you.' White House press secretary Jen Psaki declined to discuss the conversation during her press briefing on Friday. But she did emphasize that Biden is committed to having 'the most ethically vigorous administration in history' and noted there are restrictions on how the president's image can be used. 'I'm not going to get into private conversations between the president and his family members,' she said. 'The president is committed to ensuring we have the most ethically vigorous administration in history. And that includes restrictions on what/how his image can be used. And that is something that he's conveyed publicly and privately as well.' She then read the official White House policy on the matter: 'It's the White House's policy that the president's name should not be used in connection with any commercial activities to suggest or in any way that could reasonably be understood to imply his endorsement or support.' Frank Biden's business dealings could cause a headache for Joe Biden's White House - the two brothers are seen above at a black tie event when Biden was vice president along with Frank's partner Mindy Ward President Joe Biden has vowed to bring integrity back to the White House and he warned his brother Frank: 'For Christ's sake, watch yourself' 'The president is committed to ensuring we have the most ethically vigorous administration in history,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said With Biden now commander-in-chief, his family's business dealings have come under a new level of scrutiny and officials in the administration are keenly aware of possible land mines. It's not just Biden's son Hunter, whose dealings in the Ukraine and China became a campaign issue, but his younger brothers Frank and James, who also are causing concern. Frank Biden did not appear to heed the advice his brother gave him. On Inauguration Day, Frank Biden promoted his relationship with the president in an advertisement for the Berman Law Group in Boca Raton, Fla, where he's listed as a non-attorney adviser. Frank Biden was featured in the firm's ad in the Daily Business Review along with quotes describing his relationship with the new president and their family name. 'My brother is a model for how to go about doing this work,' Frank Biden said in the ad, according to CNBC. 'One of his central tenets is that one should never question another man's or woman's motives or assign blame to them. That way, you avoid creating a disparity that prevents any kind of coming together. You can of course question someone's judgment, and that's what we're doing by bringing this to court.' John Morgan, a Florida attorney who's a major Democratic donor, told Politico that the Biden team was concerned about Frank's business ties in the wake of that ad. 'What Frank told me is 'my brother loves me dearly, but if I lobbied, he would cut my legs from underneath me,' Morgan said. 'Frank made it clear to me what the president made clear to him: The day he got elected, the long knives came out for all things Biden,' Morgan noted. 'There's a target on all of them.' Morgan also expressed his admiration for Frank Biden and revealed he loaned him is private jet to fly to Washington D.C. for Joe Biden's inauguration. 'Great guy,' Morgan said of Frank. 'I had my jet take him to the inauguration.' He also said he'd talked to Frank Biden, about doing some work for his firm, Morgan & Morgan, which bills itself as 'America's Largest Injury Law Firm.' But he clarified the work would be a '100 percent legal focus' and wouldn't involve any lobbying. There is no evidence of any wrong doing on Frank Biden's part. But, in politics, appearance matters and any hint any member of the Biden family would profit off their brother's position could become a political hot potato. Frank Biden is a non-lawyer adviser to the Berman Law Group, based in Florida, and was in an ad for the firm touting his relationship with his brother John Morgan, a Florida attorney who's a major Democratic donor, said he loaned Frank Biden his jet to go to President Biden's inauguration and has spoken to Frank Biden about future business deals Hunter Biden quit the board of the Ukrainian company Bursma after his work there became an issue during the campaign. The president's younger brother James also has faced criticism for his business dealings, including using his brother's name to boost his client list. After CNBC reported on the Frank Biden's law firm ad, the presidential brother told the business network he hasn't used his brother's name to gain clients. 'I have never used my brother to obtain clients for my firm. Our firm has long been involved [with] this lawsuit. Social justice is something I have been involved in for years,' Frank Biden said. 'I will never be employed by any lobbyist or lobbying firm.' During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly hammered Hunter Biden for his past dealings in China and Ukraine. Joe Biden, while running for president, pledged he would build an 'absolute wall' between the White House and his relatives. He also pledged that no one in his family would serve on foreign boards. In December, Hunter Biden released a statement saying there was a federal investigation into his taxes, which raised questions about how the Justice Department under Joe Biden would handle his son. President Biden pledged his Justice Department would be independent and he would not interfere in its work. But questions about Hunter are likely to be asked during confirmation hearings for Biden's attorney general nominee Merrick Garland. Imagine seeing a tax form pop up in the mail which indicates that you need to claim an extra $5,000 or more in taxable income on your federal income tax return. And you never, ever saw a dime of that money? But now, are you supposed to pay taxes on it? Whoa, what's that about? We're looking at a shocking tax time headache for potentially millions of victims of ID theft nationwide. They really don't owe extra taxes but they will spend extra time trying to clear up a mess triggered by widespread phony unemployment claims in 2020 in order to file their federal 1040 tax return. Robert Pennock was surprised to see a 1099-G show up that reports $5,772 in taxable income. That's money, allegedly, that he received in state unemployment benefits through the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency in 2020. Robert Pennock, 55, of Plymouth Township, Mich., received a 1099-G to report unemployment benefits that he never received in 2020. The problem: Criminals used stolen IDs, including his, to file for jobless claims. Now he's dealing with a tax headache. If he received unemployment benefits, it would be taxable income. But he was not laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic. He did not face any furlough. He never applied and never received state unemployment benefits. Pennock works as a reading specialist for Hulsing Elementary School in Canton, Michigan. He teaches students from kindergarten through the fifth grade. He did get a couple of clues in the summer that something was up. The human resources office for the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools spotted that unemployment claims were being made in his name in June. He confirmed with HR that he did not file for unemployment. He's thankful that his employer is trying to help him work out the mess. He said he immediately went to the Michigan unemployment insurance website and filed both fraud and identity theft claims. It appeared to him, he said, that those jobless claims were not paid out since he received letters in the mail that his unemployment claim was denied for various reasons. "And I figured that would be the end of that," said Pennock, 55, who lives in Plymouth Township, Michigan. It wasn't. He received the 1099 form in the mail around Jan. 22. Story continues Why am I getting a 1099 form for jobless benefits? The State of Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity is including a letter with the1099-G forms that it is mailing out now to address identity theft. "If you have received a Form 1099-G and you have not filed for or collected unemployment benefits in 2020, you may be a victim of identity theft," the letter states. The letter then details some steps to take, including reporting the fraud by filing a Form UIA 6349, "Statement of Identity Theft." Michigan taxpayers would go to michigan.gov/uia and click on "Report Identity Theft." Pennock, whose wife Pamela typically prepares their tax returns by using tax software, is researching what he needs to do next. He's also contacted the office of his state rep in Lansing, 20th District State Rep. Matt Koleszar. Pennock's mother just passed away at age 89 last week, the same week he got the troubling 1099. He had only been able to visit her once in the past year in Ohio during the pandemic. "My mother used to say it will all work out in the wash," he told me Tuesday. "And I'm sure it will." On Thursday morning, he had more hope that his mother's words could come true. Robert Pennock, 55, of Plymouth Township, received a 1099-G to report unemployment benefits that he never received in 2020. The problem: Criminals used stolen IDs, including his, to file for jobless claims. Now he's dealing with a tax headache and is at home on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. "Good news," Pennock emailed me. "Thanks to Rep Kolezcar, someone from the UIA just called me. They are sending a corrected 1099 and directed me to Form 6349, available on the UIA website, which I am to complete and return. The form is titled 'Statement of Identity Theft.'" He's not angry with the state Unemployment Insurance Agency, as he knows how swamped people who work there must be. "My anger lies with the people who are taking advantage and stealing money from people." Massive jobless fraud sweeps the country All across the country, including Michigan, professional crime rings used stolen ID information to file fraudulent unemployment claims in 2020. The problem is that if your information was used to file phony jobless claims, the state could soon issue you a Form 1099-G, Certain Government Payments, issued in your name. Unemployment benefits are to be included in taxable income that goes on Schedule 1, Line 7 of a 1040 return. Experts say you can't just ignore this 1099, as this is income that has already been submitted to the Internal Revenue Service. The incorrect 1099 might create extra headaches and delays when it comes to getting any tax refund. Ideally, you want the state Unemployment Insurance Agency to issue you a corrected 1099-G to both you and the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS notes in its own publications that you want to contact whoever issued the 1099 if it is not correct. If you still haven't received the corrected 1099 form by the end of February, the IRS said, you may call the IRS at 800-829-1040 for assistance. But, realistically, how long might that take? Will you receive a corrected form or an answer from the IRS in time to meet the April 15 tax filing deadline? How long would you have to wait for any tax refund that you're owed? Remember, the IRS will not even begin processing tax returns until Feb. 12. That's slightly more than two weeks later than last year. Lynda Robinson, a spokesperson for Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency, said the state is "currently not able to determine the number of people who are victims of ID theft." Yet she noted that since March 15, 2020, the UIA has received more than 230,000 reports related to identity theft. "Each case must be reviewed individually," she said. She did not have a timetable for how long it might take for the state to issue a corrected 1099 so that people can file their taxes. "UIA is working as quickly as it can to manually investigate each fraud referral," Robinson said. "There will be delays in getting a corrected 1099-G Form," she added. If taxpayers receive a 1099-G because of a fraudulent claim and have not yet received a corrected 1099-G, she said the guidance from the IRS indicates that the taxpayer should not report the income from that 1099-G on a tax return. Instead, she said, the taxpayer should attach an explanation to the tax return explaining the discrepancy. The IRS website has a guide on identity theft. See IRS.gov/identitytheft. Local retiree questions what to do with 1099 "Now I have a 1099 that says it's for $4,880," said Karol Settergren, a retired high school counselor. Taking a close look at the 1099, she said, it shows that withholdings of $488 for federal income taxes and $270.40 for the state. "It has my Social Security number on here," she said. "Now, I'm just concerned what happens when I go to file my taxes." Settergren, 73, did not file for unemployment benefits in 2020. Karol Settergren in her Rochester Hills, Mich., home on Jan. 27, 2021. Settergren is retired but never applied for jobless benefits in 2020 and is currently looking at Form 1099-G for the jobless claims she didn't receive. She remembers that she did get some paperwork in the summer that said she was denied her claim for unemployment benefits because she didn't provide enough identification. She did not keep that letter. Again, though, she did not expect a problem since she received information saying the claim was reportedly denied. "It's just another thing to deal with," she said. "It seems like everything is going wrong in this year of COVID-19." Karol Settergren of Rochester Hills, Mich., was the victim of ID theft and received a 1099 after crooks used her information to steal unemployment benefits. Last year, a large-scale imposter scheme hit state unemployment systems across the country. Many times, the crooks filed claims for people who didn't lose jobs, such as school teachers, retirees and even some small business owners. On Monday, California officials confirmed that the state paid out more than $11 billion in unemployment claims relating to fraud during the pandemic, according to The Hill. An independent report in November indicated that Michigan might have at one point through late May paid out up to $1.5 billion to such fraud. Con artists found phony jobless claims attractive and a way to steal generous jobless benefits of up to $1,000 a week offered in many states early during the pandemic. In March, Congress passed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act, which included a $600 supplemental federal unemployment benefit and offered benefits to workers who normally wouldn't qualify for state benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. The crooks were very successful. It was estimated that at least $36 billion could have been scammed out of the system nationwide, according to the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Labor. Tax professionals scramble George W. Smith, a CPA with Andrews Hooper Pavlik in Southfield, Michigan, said he's looking at a 1099 for one client that reports $5,290 in state jobless benefits from the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency. Again, money that the taxpayer never received because no jobless claim was made. Smith's strategy is a bit of a judgment call and one that isn't suggested by everyone. But he's going to try something different if a corrected 1099 doesn't arrive in time to file a return by April 15. Since there is a 1099-G out there, he said, he might report the income if a corrected 1099 doesn't show up. "The IRS computers will not be able to differentiate between what is legitimate and what is not," Smith said. He would declare the 1099-G income on Schedule 1, line 7, Unemployment Compensation, on the 1040 federal tax return. But Smith said he will take a second step to make sure that his client isn't paying taxes on money that was never received in the first place. "Then I am going to report it as negative income on Schedule 1, line 8 Other Income," Smith said. "That way it nets out to zero taxable income on their return," Smith said. "I am hopeful this will work." He also plans to attach a disclosure to the return explaining the situation. Smith said he wants his client to make sure that all documentation is in place to report the fraud and back up the claim that these fraudulent benefits aren't taxable, should the IRS challenge his reporting approach. Even so, your first step when you receive one of these letters has to be to contact the issuer of the 1099-G, usually the state unemployment office, and inform them of the fraud and ask for a corrected 1099-G, according to Mark Luscombe, principal analyst for Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting. Luscombe said you do not want to include the amount on the 1099-G on your tax return if it was fraudulent. "Hopefully, you can get the state unemployment agency to correct the 1099-G and file a corrected version with the IRS, but if not, attach a statement to your tax return that the 1099-G was a response to a fraudulent application that you are trying to get corrected and you did not apply for and did not receive any unemployment benefits," Luscombe said. Yes, expect more headaches, too. "State unemployment offices have been overwhelmed with valid requests for unemployment benefits as well as fraudulent ones, so their response may take a while," Luscombe said. He would not be surprised if it could take several months for some to resolve these issues. The State of Michigan warns of potential delays in its letter: "Please be patient. The rampant imposter fraud and identity theft across the country requires that UIA individually review each claim of suspected fraud. If you have already provided information to the UIA, there is no need to resubmit information unless asked by UIA." The Michigan UIA will investigate a report of identity theft. "Once identity theft is confirmed, UIA will issue a corrected 1099-G to both you and the Internal Revenue Service," according to the state's letter. States across the country are issuing these 1099s to fraud victims and alerting the victims on what to do next. The State of Washington, for example, notes on its website: "When criminals fraudulently claim benefits in someone elses name, we must investigate and confirm fraud before we can update the IRS." Colorado has a form online to report an invalid 1099 for its ID theft victims. Luscombe said ID theft victims can expect that they will be asked for some documentation, such as verifying that you are still employed with your employer. You also want to document all the steps you have taken to correct the fraud and the names and dates involved when you reported the ID theft. You may want to contact your local police department to document the fraud. "If you have a valid claim for unemployment benefits in addition to the fraudulent claim having been filed, the fraud process could also hold up your valid claim for benefits," Luscombe said. You'd want proof that you are a victim of ID theft and that the benefits should not be taxed because a scammer received the money, not you. More: How scammers siphoned $36B in fraudulent unemployment payments from US More: How scammers are using unemployment claims to cash in More: Lost a job? How to pay taxes on unemployment benefits More: Tax season 2021: How to get a bigger, quicker tax refund The strange 1099 means you must try to limit future ID theft, too. ID theft victims are encouraged to file a report with the Federal Trade Commission, which is monitoring unemployment benefits fraud on a nationwide basis. Go to IdentityTheft.gov. A special tab on the right corner directs you to claims about unemployment benefits identity theft. Take time to check your free credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com to see if there is evidence of other fraudulent activity, perhaps credit cards that are opened in your name by crooks. The IRS notes that you can place a free one-year fraud alert on your credit reports by contacting any one of the three nationwide credit reporting companies online or through their toll-free numbers. The bureau you contact must tell the other two. Call Equifax at 800-525-6285. Experian: 888-397-3742. And TransUnion: 800-680-7289. Experts say you might request a fraud alert or credit freeze from the three credit reporting agencies. If you opt for a credit freeze, you would have to have the freeze lifted if you need to take out a loan or apply for credit yourself. Whatever you do, don't just toss this 1099-G in the trash. It's better to try to deal with this problem sooner, rather than later. Contact Susan Tompor via stompor@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @tompor. To subscribe, please go to freep.com/specialoffer. Read more on business and sign up for our business newsletter. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Unemployment ID theft victims must clear up fake claims to file taxes Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia on Friday said the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the province is "not a cause of concern" for her. In a briefing, Garcia said this is a concern for researchers and not hers, and what she wants to solve is the effect of the global health crisis to the local economy. "What is cause for concern is that thousands upon thousands upon thousands have lost their businesses, have lost their jobs, have lost their livelihood," Garcia said, while also emphasizing that these will also lead to higher hunger and criminality. She added it is now a matter of managing the pandemic, while also allowing the local economy to function. She said programs and needed facilities are ready once the economy fully reopens. In a report dated Jan. 28, the OCTA research team called Cebu province a "serious concern" after it averaged 147 new daily infections in the past seven days, while its reproduction number reached 1.57, surpassing the nationwide rate of 0.96. OCTA Research Fellow Guido David also said in a recent interview that although the COVID-19 attack rate is low in the province, the team is still "very concerned" about the increasing number of cases. He said if the local government does not want new island-wide control measures, then special attention should just be given to Cebu and Mandaue cities. "(Cebu) City's averaging 75 cases per day. Mandaue is averaging 20 cases per day over the past week," he told CNN Philippines' News. PH. "Ito 'yung mga pinaka areas of concern sa province so kung gusto natin ihiwalay [these are the top areas of concern in the province so if we want to separate them (from the island)], then we can just focus on Cebu City and Mandaue." Cebu City's average daily case count is more than half of the provincial tally, David mentioned. In an interview with CNN Philippines' Balitaan, Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella expressed his concern over the COVID-19 situation in the province, especially with the recent celebration of events like the Sinulog Festival. He said despite churches being compliant to health protocols, large crowds still gathered outside their homes. Despite this, he said they are prepared to address the sudden spike in cases. According to the Department of Health Central Visayas, Cebu Province has a total of 7,744 COVID-19 infections, with 614 active cases. The death toll is at 426. Meanwhile, Cebu City has a total of 12,219 infections, with 1,150 active cases and 701 deaths. CNN Philippines correspondent Dale Israel contributed to this report. 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 team of seven specialists with the Petrosani-based National Research and Development Institute for Mining Safety and Explosive Protection (INSEMEX) travelled to Bucharest on Friday to conduct an investigation into a fire that broke out at the Matei Bals hospital. The specialists, led by INSEMEX Director General George Artur Gaman, will comb the site of the fire for samples and ask for documents to prepare a technical report on the fire. "We are seven specialists from the institute, and the purpose of our trip is to carry out an investigation at the scene. (...) We collect samples and request documents. Carrying out the investigation is a long process," Gaman told AGERPRES.According to him, after the investigation is over, INSEMEX Petrosani specialists will work on a technical report, which conclusions are estimated to take several months to draw. Bengaluru, Jan 30 : Karnataka said that it would take steps to introduce a separate sand policy for the coastal region of the state, as per the long-standing demand of the people. Responding to questions during question hour in Assembly here, Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh Rudrappa Nirani said on Friday that a separate sand policy will be introduced to help the people of Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada districts in the coastal region. "The construction activities are affected in many parts of the state due to shortage of sand. The government will take necessary steps to prevent such problems in any part of the state," Nirani added. The minister said the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) authority has been instructed to clear 13 sand mounds located along river beds coming under its jurisdiction in 2020-21. "A seven-member District Sand Monitoring Committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner will issue temporary permits to 104 applicants to extract sand from 13 sand mounds for a year," he said. He added that the department had taken a decision to clear the sand mounds along the riverbeds in the CRZ as per the receiving directives from the Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change. "The Mines and Geology department would consider only those having temporary permits to clear the sand mounds of 2011-12 and a couple of years prior to that along the riverbeds in the CRZ. The minister said that the state government's aim is to supply quality sand at market price to the people in order to boost construction activities. In a statement released by his office here, he also added that - Mines Adalats - would also be held across the state under which he, along with department officials, would go to divisions to resolve the issues on the spot. Nirani claimed that he has been holding district and state-level meetings with officials after assuming power and was aware of the problems faced by people due to shortage of sand, as he promised to ensure its availability without further delay. Legislators like Venkata Rao Nadagouda of JD(S), BJP's Raghpathi Bhat and Kumar Bangarappa also raised the issue of shortage of sand during question hour and blamed the apathy of officials. The minister assured that sand would be made available to public to spur construction activities and sand auction would be conducted as per the rules. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 29, 2021 / iMetal Resources Inc. (TSXV:IMR)(OTCBB:ADTFF)(FRANKFURT:A7V2) ("iMetal" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has retained RedChip Companies, Inc. ("RedChip") to lead its investor relations efforts. "We are excited to work with RedChip to strengthen our communications with the investment community," commented iMetal CEO Saf Dhillon. "After comparing the alternatives, we selected RedChip to help increase our visibility amongst investors because they have an impeccable reputation and a multi-decade track record of results. We look forward to a long and successful relationship." RedChip is a leader in investor relations, financial media, and research for microcap and small-cap stocks. Founded in 1992, and headquartered in Orlando, Florida, with affiliates in New York, Pittsburgh, Dallas, San Francisco, Paris, and Seoul, RedChip has helped hundreds of companies achieve their capital markets goals and has been ranked by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing privately held investor relations firms in the U.S. RedChip delivers concrete, measurable results for its clients through its extensive global network of institutional and retail stock brokers, RIA's, family offices, investment banks, hedge funds, and accredited investor groups. RedChip has been engaged for an initial term of six months, at a rate of $5,000 USD per month. In connection with the engagement, the Company has also granted RedChip 250,000 incentive stock options. The options are exercisable at a price of $0.18 CAD for a period of twelve months, and vest quarterly over a twelve month period in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. About iMetal Resources Inc. A Canadian based junior exploration company focused on the exploration and development of its portfolio of resource properties in Ontario and Quebec. iMetal is focused on advancing its 100% owned Gowganda West Project that borders the Juby Project, an advanced exploration-stage gold project located within the Shining Tree area in the southern part of the Abitibi greenstone belt about 100 km south-southeast of the Timmins gold camp. The Company is also evaluating development of its 100% owned Ghost Mountain property that consists of seven claim units (eleven square kilometers) of land, straddling the gold-prolific Destor-Porcupine Structure in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. This property is located a couple kilometres west of Kirkland Lake Gold's, Holt and Holloway Mine and the Destor-Porcupine gold camp has historically produced over 70 million ounces of gold. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Saf Dhillon President & C.E.O. iMetal Resources Inc. invest@imetalresources.ca Tel. (604-484-3031) Suite 510, 580 Hornby Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 3B6. https://imetalresources.ca Investor Contact: Todd McKnight RedChip Companies, Inc. Tel: 407-571-0904 Todd@redchip.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 or accuracy of this release. This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws. SOURCE: iMetal Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/626757/iMetal-Retains-RedChip-Companies-to-Increase-Investor-Awareness Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook lambasted tech giants for data exploitation and called for reform around the practices of selling user data to target ads. The iPhone maker is rolling out new privacy features that restrict how mobile apps such as those from Facebook and Google gather data about users to target ads. We can no longer turn a blind eye to a theory of technology that all engagement is good engagement.: Apple CEO Tim Cook. Credit:AP If a business is built on misleading users, on data exploitation, on choices that are not choices at all, then it doesnt deserve our praise, it deserves reform, Cook said on Thursday (US time) at the online Computers, Privacy & Data Protection Conference. Without naming specific businesses, Cook criticised companies algorithms for perpetuating the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories, saying we can no longer turn a blind eye to a theory of technology that all engagement is good engagement. A group of southwestern Connecticut investors has led a $32 million investment in a home-lending technology firm. Darien-based private equity firm Ten Coves Capital, which announced its launch last month, led the Series C funding in San Francisco-based Roostify. It was joined by principals of private equity firm Stone Point Capital, which has offices in Greenwich. The firms did not disclose the specific amounts that they invested. Returning investors included Point72 Ventures, the venture capital firm founded by Steven Cohen, who is the head of Stamford-based hedge fund Point72 Asset Management. The opportunity to re-design the future of home lending through technology cannot be overstated, as the mortgage lending industry has been relatively slow to embrace digital technologies, Dan Kittredge, managing partner at Ten Coves Capital, said in a statement. Roostify is well-positioned to accelerate the digitization of home lending infrastructure, and we are excited to partner with the Roostify team to help them power this market transformation. With the new financing, Roostify has raised a total of $65 million in capital. Roostify officials said that they intended to use the funding to leverage artificial intelligence to simplify the home buying experience and grow its staff by 50 percent. Amid a surge in home buying sparked by the coronavirus crisis, Roostify has forged major growth in the past year. In 2020, it managed a 250 percent increase in its overall platform volume. Today, it supports more than 200 lending institutions and handles about $50 billion in monthly loan volume. Its clients include large enterprise banks and independent brokerages. Having easy access to meaningful digital tools is key to helping lenders thrive in a digital-first world, Roostify CEO Rajesh Bhat said in a statement. Thats why we are hyper-focused on perfecting and digitalizing the entire home buying journey from beginning to close. We design meaningful, end-to-end solutions that solve the complex challenges leading home lending institutions face on a daily basis. With this capital infusion, we will accelerate our vision of simplifying home lending without compromising on quality and time-to-market. Connecticut investment firms have been involved in a number of other major transactions in recent weeks. Among other recent transactions, Point72 Ventures announced last week that it was co-leading a $7 million investment in Swapp, a construction-planning technology firm. pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; Twitter: @paulschott United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday denominated the vaccine production capacity of India as the "best asset" that the world has today while calling for India to play a major role in the global vaccination campaign. His statement comes after India has gifted over 55 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccine to neighboring countries. "I know that in India there is a very high level of production of Indian developed vaccines. We are in contact with Indian institutions for that. We strongly hope that India will have all the instruments that are necessary to play a major role in making sure that a global vaccination is campaign is made possible," said the UN chief while addressing the media. He added, "I think that the production capacity of India is the best asset that the world has today. I hope the world understands that it must be fully used." READ | Chile Receives First Shipment Of Sinovac Vaccine External Affairs Ministry (EAM) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava in a press meet on Thursday announced that India plans to gift COVID vaccine doses to Oman, CARICOM countries, Nicaragua, Pacific Island states. The EAM spokesperson also promulgated that New Delhi plans to supply 1 crore or 10 million vaccine doses to Africa and 10 lakh to United Nations health workers under GAVI's (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) COVAX facility and commercially export coronavirus vaccine to Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada, Mongolia, and other countries. READ | COVID-19: Pfizer-BioNTech Say Their Vaccine Effective Against UK, South Africa Variants "From 20th January 2021 onward, we have gifted over 55 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines to our neighboring countries and in the extended neighborhood--1.5 lakh to Bhutan, 1 lakh to Maldives, Mauritius, and Bahrain, 10 lakhs to Nepal, 20 lakhs to Bangladesh, 15 lakhs to Myanmar, 50,000 to Seychelles, 5 lakh to Sri Lanka. In the coming days, We plan to gift further quantity to Oman that is of 1 lakh doses, 5 lakh doses to CARICOM countries. 2 lakh to Nicaragua, 2 lakh doses to the Pacific island state," said Srivastava. He added, "On a commercial level, the export has taken place for Brazil Morocco, and Bangladesh. Further supplies to countries on commercial bases are likely to take place in Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada Mongolia, and other countries. We plan to supply 1 crore or 10 million vaccine doses to Africa and 10 lakh to United Nations health workers under GAVI." READ | Over 8,200 People Get COVID-19 Vaccine Shots In Delhi, 77 Pc Turnout Recorded Sri Lanka gets 5 lakh COVID vaccine doses from India On Thursday, Sri Lanka welcomed the first 500,000 doses of a Covid-19 vaccine from India, which has donated the shots to eight countries in the region. Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar announced on Twitter about the Coronavirus vaccine doses that reached Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa took to Twitter and confirmed that his country has received 500,000 vaccine doses and also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and every Indian. A total of 250,000 people, mostly health frontline workers, members of the security forces and police, and the vulnerable aged will get the vaccine on a priority basis. (With inputs from ANI) READ | Vaccine Factory Inspected Amid EU Dispute With AstraZeneca Three Michigan residents defrauded taxpayers of nearly $630,000 in coronavirus unemployment relief funds from four states in a matter of months, the U.S. Attorneys Office said Thursday. FBI investigators traced fraud cases to a Pennsylvania pastor whose identity was stolen in an unemployment filing, and a Texas victim whose name was used to file for benefits in California. The various schemes relied on Social Security number theft, made-up or hijacked names, prepaid bank cards and holes in state unemployment insurance verification processes. Federal law enforcement on Wednesday, Jan. 20, arrested 28-year-old Jordan Armstrong of Detroit. Hes charged with federal felony counts of wire fraud, punishable by up to 20 years in prison; aggravated identity theft, punishable by a mandatory two-year prison sentence; and fraud in connection with access devices, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Police on Thursday, Jan. 28, arrested Mitchacole Johnson, 44, of Shelby Township, and Larry Witherspoon, 45, of Harper Woods, who are accused of operating as a team. They are each charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, both counts punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Birmingham Police Officer Jeffrey T. Whipple whos a member of the FBIs Detroit Metro Identity Theft and Financial Crimes Task Force, learned of suspicious ATM activity at an Independent Bank branch in Farmington Hills on Oct. 20, according to the federal complaint filed Jan. 19. Armstrong, whose identity wasnt yet known to the FBI, had been making daily withdrawals using a dozen different prepaid cards that had been issued to a Detroit address. With surveillance images provided by the bank, the FBI used facial recognition software to identify Armstrong. A subpoena of bank records revealed the ATM cards in question had received $180,735 in unemployment insurance deposits from three states, including Michigan, Pennsylvania and California. There were over 50 fraudulent claims made by Armstrong, including 29 in Michigan, that often listed the same address in Detroit and requested automatic deposits to the same prepaid debit cards. Johnson and Witherspoon used similar methods, although Johnson successfully obtained unemployment benefits multiple times using her own name, along with various stolen Social Security numbers, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Witherspoon often used only slight name variations, such as Lawrence Witherspoon. Johnson and Witherspoon are responsible for filing at least 66 claims for fraudulent Michigan unemployment insurance benefits, causing a loss to the state of over $150,000, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a statement. It is also alleged that Johnson and Witherspoon filed dozens of complaints in other states -- including California, Arizona, and Nevada -- causing additional losses in excess of $300,000. With billions of dollars flowing to help offset the financial stress caused by record unemployment throughout the coronavirus pandemic, thieves have seized the opportunity to defraud overloaded state agencies. In May of last year, the U.S. Secret Service issued a statement estimating nearly $26 billion would be stolen by way of unemployment insurance fraud through the end of the pandemic. That was before the program was extended. Congress passed the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on March 27, a portion of which was distributed to states to supplement unemployment benefits at $600 per week through July 31. On Dec. 27, former President Donald Trump signed legislation extending $600 per week in supplemental unemployment benefits that are available through March. More on MLive: Michigan burned through 84% of its unemployment cash Unemployment benefits delayed Heres what the states $465 million, the feds $908 billion COVID aid bills mean for Michiganders Quarter of Michigan residents are age 60 or older, and 6 more facts about states aging population Michigans next school semester might look more like 2020 than a new year 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 US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has asked the Pentagon to help administer the COVID-19 vaccine to meet Joe Biden's goal of 1.5 million shots a day. The Pentagon's top spokesman announced Thursday it had received a request to assist with getting shots in the arms of Americans across different parts of the country. 'The Department of Defense has received a request from FEMA for assistance in administering COVID-19 vaccine at various locations across the country. 'The Department is evaluating the request, and what kinds of support it can provide,' Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in a statement. Kirby said that 'given the significance of the request it will be reviewed urgently but carefully' to determine what military assets can be safely made available to help the vaccine rollout. 'As [Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin] has said, DOD is committed to do as much as it possibly can to assist the whole-of-government effort against COVID-19,' he added. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has asked the Pentagon (above) to step in to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to help meet Biden's goal of 150 million shots a day The Pentagon did not go into detail on what the military effort will look like or how many troops could be involved. Kirby said at a press conference later Thursday that it will likely involve a mix of active-duty National Guard and reserve troops being drafted in 'to help perform a variety of coronavirus-related tasks, including help getting more shots into people's arms'. White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said Thursday night the plan is for the Pentagon to provide 10,000 troops and help open up 100 vaccination centers nationwide. 'FEMA is working with the Department of Defense to use 10,000 troops and open up 100 centers around the country to increase the availability of the vaccinations,' he told CBS Evening News. 'But the production of the factories where the vaccine is made, that is a limiting factor that we're just gonna have to continue to work through each week.' FEMA's call to the Pentagon for assistance comes as the agency announced it has put more than 200 million staff on the ground to support eight states with their vaccine rollout. Members of the Nevada National Guard at the COVID-19 site at Cashman Center, Las Vegas. The Pentagon said its assistance will likely involve a mix of active-duty National Guard and reserve troops performing 'a variety of coronavirus related tasks' COVID-19 Response Coordinator Andy Slavitt said in a press conference Friday that FEMA was 'taking steps to speed the vaccine administration process' including providing nearly $1 billion to support vaccination sites across states. At the presidents direction, FEMA has increased its support to states, tribes and territories for vaccination sites,' he said. This also includes putting 'more than 200 FEMA staff on the ground today providing logistical support in eight states', said Slavitt. 'And the agency is providing federal equipment and supplies to support states across the country,' he said. 'In addition we're getting more vaccinators into the field to continue to escalate the pace of vaccinations.' Slavitt did not go into detail about the specifics of this support or reveal which eight states are receiving additional support and why. The CDC has said it will offer additional vaccination support in South Carolina where the US's first cases of the South African variant were discovered Thursday. Slavitt did not provide any further detail on the specific roles FEMA wants the Pentagon to provide resources for, for example whether military medical staff will administer doses or if they will take on more logistical tasks. While many states have already turned to their National Guards to help with their vaccination plans the newly confirmed Defense Secretary Austin has promised to increase military support to manage the pandemic. Throughout the nation's battle against the virus, the military has taken an active role. White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said Thursday night the plan is for the Pentagon to provide 10,000 troops and help open up 100 vaccination centers nationwide At the height of the pandemic, more than 47,000 National Guard troops were deployed to support the nation's response including building makeshift hospitals and testing centers. The drafting in of military assistance for the vaccine program comes as President Biden vowed to embark on a 'full scale war-time effort' to beat the pandemic that has so far killed more than 420,000 Americans. Biden on Monday upped his COVID-19 vaccination goal to 1.5 million doses every day - equivalent to 150 million in his first 100 days in office. This marked an increase from his promise of 100 million shots in 100 days laid out in the days before he was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. Biden faced criticism for this goal as it emerged the US had already exceeded the pace of 1 million doses per day. Over the last week, an average of 1.26 million doses have been administered each day. While the rate of rollout is accelerating, the nation's vaccination program has fallen far short of targets. To date, just 27.3 million doses have been administered nationwide in the more than six weeks since the first American got a shot on December 14, according to Bloomberg data. This is a dismal effort compared to the target of 20 million by the end of December set by the Trump administration and the 100 million Donald Trump even boasted could be achieved by the year end. Over the last week, an average of 1.26 million doses have been administered each day The vaccine rollout program was plagued by delays from the get-go with the Trump administration telling states they were being too slow while state governors pushed the blame onto a lack of supply from the federal government. Nationwide 6.8 percent of Americans have so far received the first dose while 1.4 percent have had both the first and second dose. Biden said Tuesday his administration had bought another 200 million doses meaning there will be enough doses to have 300 million Americans - nearly the entire US population - vaccinated by the end of summer or early fall. 'This will be one of the most difficult operational challenges we've ever undertaken as a nation,' he said. Biden also vowed to increase supply to states by 16 percent each week for the next three weeks, taking the volume from 8.6 million to 10 million. Biden on Monday upped his COVID-19 vaccination goal to 1.5 million doses every day - equivalent to 150 million in his first 100 days in office While upping the supply is one key way to increase rollout, there's also been delays once the supply reaches states. Just 56.4 percent of doses distributed to states has so far gone into the arms of waiting Americans, Bloomberg data shows. Biden said state governors will be given three week's notice of their allocations to help them better prepare how to administer the doses on the ground. 'We will both increase the supply in the short term by more than 15 percent and give our state and local partners more certainty about when the deliveries will arrive,' he said. Alaska is the only state that asked the US government to allocate its doses monthly rather than weekly and the state has administered 62 percent of all doses received - higher than the national average of 56.4 percent. To date, 432,000 Americans have been killed and more than 25.7 million cases have been recorded since the pandemic first started ravaging the nation last spring. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hundreds of people (some in their pajamas) rush to three Washington state clinics in the middle of the night to get COVID-19 vaccine after broken freezer left 1,650 doses at risk of spoiling Hundreds of people raced to clinics in Washington state for their chance to get the coronavirus vaccine after a freezer failure put thousands of doses at risk of spoiling. Around 8.50pm on Thursday, an alarm went off on a freezer unit holding 1,650 doses of the Moderna vaccine at Kaiser Permanente in Seattle, which - if not administered -were due to expire at 3.30am. Hospital officials contacted two University of Washington Medical Center campuses, in Northwest and Montlake, and the Swedish Medical Center, asking them to take the vaccines and try to get the shots into arms. Both centers put out the call on social media and asked anyone who was willing and eligible to come in and get the vaccine. Crowds showed up, a few even in their pajamas, standing outside in the cold night and waiting for their chance to receive the COVID-19 inoculation. Hundreds of Washington residents waited outside, some in their pajamas, to receive a coronavirus vaccine after a freezer containing dosed malfunction. Pictured (left and right): A healthcare worker vaccinates a woman, who said she is 75 and runs a daycare, on a sidewalk outside of a last-minute COVID-19 vaccine event at Seattle University on Friday morning Coronavirus vaccine doses were sent to two University of Washington Medical Center locations, in Northwest and Montlake, and the Swedish Medical Center, after the freezer alarm went off at Kaiser Permanente on Thursday night. Pictured: Deliveries of coronavirus vaccines arrive at Swedish on Thursday night The freezer contained 1,650 doses of the Moderna vaccine that were set to expire at 3.30am unless they were administered. Pictured: People wait in line for a last-minute COVID-19 vaccine event at Seattle University after a freezer failure, Friday morning People wait in a parking garage for a last-minute COVID-19 vaccine event at Seattle University after a freezer failure, Friday morning Swedish Medical Center tweeted about the emergency on social media and was able to fill the appointments within 30 to 45 minutes (above) Kaiser Permanente sent nearly 1,000 of the doses to UW Medicine's two clinics and almost 600 were given at Swedish Medical Center. Some centers, such as Swedish Medical Center, put out a call on Twitter, hoping people would respond. 'URGENT: We have 588 DOSE 1 MODERNA appointments available January 28 11 p.m. to January 29 2 a.m.,' the medical center tweeted. 'Click link to book. For additional slots through to 2 a.m. click on SHOW MORE and select TOMORROW. Must be Phase 1a or Phase 1B / Tier 1.' People in these phases and tiers include essential and frontline workers as well as senior citizens. Kevin Brooks, chief operating officer of Swedish, told KING 5 a plan was put together by 9.30pm and that all available appointments filled up within 35 to 40 minutes of that tweet. By 10pm, volunteer staff members at Swedish were onsite and, by 11pm, the doors were open for anyone that had booked a last minute appointment. Pictured: People are vaccinated at Swedish on Thursday night or Friday morning Among those vaccinated were Tyson Greer, 77, who said she had been waiting up late at night trying to secure a vaccine appointment Pharmacists vaccinated people between 11pm and 3am and say none of the doses spoiled or were wasted. Pictured: People wait in line for a last-minute COVID-19 vaccine event at Seattle University early Friday morning Officials said everyone who received a first dose, even if they are not an essential worker or senior citizen, will be able to get a second dose. Pictured: Healthcare workers distribute vaccines late into the night at a last-minute COVID-19 vaccine event at Seattle University, Friday morning Hospital officials say most people vaccinated fell within the guidelines, but the priority was making sure no doses spoiled. Pictured: People get vaccinated at Swedish Medical Center on Thursday night or Friday morning 'We got a call from a partner hospital that they had a fridge malfunction and they needed to vaccinate 880 people,' Brooks said. 'I pulled our team together, our vaccine team at Swedish, and we huddled on Microsoft Teams and came up with a plan, and 30 minutes later we came on site.' By 10pm, volunteer staff members were onsite and by 11pm, the doors were open for anyone that had booked a last minute appointment. Brooks said most people vaccinated fell within the guidelines, but the priority was making sure no doses spoiled. 'We're doing the best we can to stay within the CDC and the governor's guidelines on prioritization,' he told KING 5. 'At the same time, we want to make sure not a single drop of the vaccine goes wasted.' According to Esmy Jiminez, who got her vaccine at Swedish and recounted her experience to KUOW, by 2am, people got tired of standing and sat on the concrete outside. 'Hospital staff would walk by periodically to count how many people remained, and how many would get vaccinated in the night,' she said. 'It seemed they had processed about half the group there.' By 3am, there were just 30 vaccines left to distribute. Meanwhile, according to UW spokesperson Susan Gregg, UW Medicine clinics vaccinated people between 11pm and 2.30am. Similarly, word had spread via social media and even appearing on local news stations' 11pm newscasts. Cassie Sauer of the Washington State Hospital Association, told the Seattle Times that no doses were wasted and that everyone who received a shot will get a second one at the same hospital. The domestic stock market has witnessed high volatility during most Union Budget announcements in the last 10 years. Of the last 10 budgets, the stock market has closed lower six times. Twice the indices closed over 1% lower (2012, 2013). This excludes Budget 2020s 2.4% drop in Sensex, the worst budget-day plunge since 2009. On most occasions, benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty have mostly ended with a muted response after registering high volatility throughout the session. Here is how the stock market indices reacted on the last 10 Budget days: 2011 Encouraging FII inflows, a roadmap for reforms, containing fiscal deficit were some of the key factors that led indices close in the green this year, with Sensex rising 0.69%. In this year, there were no major negative announcements made by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, including no rise in excise duty. Even the 40K crore disinvestment in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) by the next fiscal year supported the market sentiment. Fiscal deficit was at 4.6% this year. 2012 The benchmark index closed 1.19% lower after the Budget 2012-13 proposed an increase in service tax and excise duty to 12% from 10% and a hike in the cess that created a negative impact on oil explorers. The Pranab Mukherjee-led last budget under the UPA government also estimated a higher fiscal deficit of 5.9% for the current fiscal that overshadowed several positives. 2013 P Chidambaram presented the Union Budget on February 28. As the government imposed more taxes on companies as well as super-rich and offered little concessions for large investors, Sensex plunged 1.5% or 291 points to end below 19,000-level. The market also reacted negatively to higher revenue projection from divestment and spectrum sale. The fall was despite the reduction in Securities Transaction Tax on mutual fund and equity futures transactions. 2014 Sensex closed 0.28% lower and registered the third consecutive Budget day loss on July 10, 2014, when FM Arun Jaitley presented his first budget after PM Modi-led NDA came to power. After a swing of 800 points in Sensex, the index closed muted over announcements such as incentives for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), increasing FDI limit in insurance and defence sector to 49% from 26%. Mr Jaitley's announcement on retrospective taxes, also led to a flat closing. The government announced a fiscal deficit target of 4.1% of the GDP for that financial year. 2015 Union Budget 2015 presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, was the only Budget Day when the market indices ended higher, compared to last five years. Triggering huge volatility in stock markets, that was open on a Saturday, budget announcements included a cut in corporate tax by 5% to 25%, a vision for long-term taxes, GAAR being deferred and attempts to boost rural income. After a swing of 673 points, the 30-share index climbed 0.48% by the closing session. Jaitley pegged fiscal deficit at 3.9% of gross domestic product (GDP). 2016 In 2016, Jaitley presented the Union Budget on February 29. Sensex lost 0.66% to close above the 23K mark after the budget announcements which fell short of market expectations. No increase in service tax, no change in capital gains tax, increase in STT on options and PSU bank recapitalisation fund failed to enthuse markets. Jaitley stuck to the fiscal deficit target of 3.5% of GDP for fiscal 2016 -17. 2017 Budget presented by Jaitley on February 1 led to a strong rebound in the markets with Sensex surging 486 points to end above the crucial 28,000 mark. Sensex gained 1.76% in the same session, its highest Budget day gain between 2010 and 2019, as investors welcomed Jaitley's budget proposals. Increased tax collection on account of demonetisation and reduction in the tenure of long-term capital gain tax from 3 years to 2 years were among the major moves that helped markets end on a positive note that day. The government recommended a fiscal deficit of 3% of GDP. 2018 Sensex ended marginally lower by 0.16%, marking it as the eighth fall in the last 10 years of budget announcements. This was Jaitley's last Budget as the FM. Long term capital gains tax was introduced in Union Budget 2018-2019. Sentiment turned weak due to proposal for higher dividend distribution tax on those earning more, and a proposal to increase Securities Transaction Tax on options and dividend tax on above Rs 10 lakh dividend receipts. The fiscal deficit was pegged at 3.3% of GDP that year. 2019 Sensex rose 0.59% on February 1, 2019, after the budget was presented by acting Finance Minister Piyush Goyal. The Budget 2019 announcements such as increased Defence Budget for FY20 to Rs 3 lakh crore, income tax sops for nearly 30 million low-income taxpayers and 120 million marginal farmers, provided a major boost to sentiments. Agriculture and auto stocks also got a boost after favourable announcements made for farmers in Budget 2019. The acting FM kept the fiscal deficit target at 3.4% of GDP 2020 With no major boost for industry, budget 2020 failed to cheer the Dalal street as the market witnessed its biggest fall on February 1 since 2009. Sensex crashed 2.43% and closed right below 40K, as investors lost around Rs 3.6 lakh crore of wealth on BSE. FM Nirmala Sitharaman presented her second consecutive budget, delivering the longest budget speech in the six years of the Narendra Modi government. As per traders, there was no major boost for any industry except for personal tax brackets. Optional income tax cuts and no relief from LTCG tax led to a crash in Sensex and Nifty on Budget day. Markets were nervous after the announcement of the scrapping of dividend distribution tax on companies and cutting taxes for individuals. Announcement of selling govt's stake in Life Insurance Corp. of India also sparked sharp decline in stocks of private insurers. The finance minister pegged the fiscal deficit target for the year 2020/21 at 3.5% of the GDP and revised the country's fiscal deficit target to 3.8% for the current fiscal year. Share Market News Live: Sensex drops over 500 points, Nifty at 13,800; Bajaj Finserv, ONGC, NTPC top losers Stocks in news: Axis Bank, HUL, NTPC, Hero MotoCorp, Bank of India, PNB Housing, SBI We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form The state health commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker, late today provided new estimates that increased the number of nursing home residents who have died of Covid-19 by 43%, after months of stiff-arming requests for that information. Zuckers new data came hours after the issuance of a report by the state attorney general that said New York has undercounted nursing home deaths by about 50%. That report set off a firestorm of criticism, including Republican calls for Zuckers resignation. Earlier in the day, Syracuse.com independently reported the results of its investigation of Onondaga County data that concluded nursing home deaths had been undercounted by 50%. In an emailed statement at 4:20 p.m., Zucker said provisional data show that 3,829 nursing home residents died of Covid-19 after being sent to hospitals, a number the state has not previously reported. That increases the previously reported total of 8,914 by 43%. All told, the state now estimates that 12,743 nursing home residents have died of the coronavirus, either in the homes or at hospitals. Of the 8,914 deaths previously reported in nursing homes, 5,957 were confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 2,957 were presumed cases. For months, state officials have denied requests for the number of nursing home residents who died in hospitals, saying the data was unreliable and needed to be checked over. In response to the attorney generals report, Zucker today issued what he called provisional numbers. The Department of Health has consistently found numerous inaccuracies when examining unverified data, and as a result, months ago DOH began an audit of fatality numbers reported by nursing homes to ensure public release of these statistics were accurate,' Zucker said today. The audit remains ongoing. State legislators, nursing home advocates, journalists and others have badgered the health department for months to provide the number of nursing home residents who died in hospitals. Without it, the full impact of Covid-19 on nursing homes was underestimated. Zuckers delivery of that number today does not change the states total Covid-19 death count of 34,742. But it gives a more complete picture of how lethal the virus has been in nursing homes. Attorney General Letitia James today reported that the state had undercounted nursing home deaths from Covid-19 by about 50%, based on information obtained from 62 nursing homes. Syracuse.com today reported that there were 50% more Covid deaths among Onondaga County nursing home residents than had been reported by the state. The higher number resulted from adding in nursing home residents who had died at hospitals. Do you have a news tip or a story idea? Contact reporter Tim Knauss of syracuse.com/The Post-Standard: email | Twitter | | 315-470-3023 The Rental *** (Amazon Prime, 88mins) From the moment you meet the protagonists in The Rental, you just know theyre in for it. Four 30-somethings, all thoroughly dislikeable for different reasons, have decided to rent a luxury home on the Pacific coast for the weekend. Its a splendid place, with sea views and a jacuzzi, but the owner seems iffy, may be a racist, and has the vague whiff of Deliverance off him. Fog seeps off the ocean come nightfall to smother the views, and their dog is clearly rattled about something or other. Its going to be a horror show, and yet at the minute Im so desperate for any kind of a mini-break that if theyd asked me to Id have joined them. They didnt sadly, and so tech wiz Charlie (Dan Stevens) and his friends head off for the coast without me. He is married to Michelle (Alison Brie), while his brother Josh (Jeremy Allen White) is dating Mina (Sheila Vand), who works with Charlie. Theyre all smug, moany and entitled, and Josh is a hothead who has served time for assault and battery. Still, they bought wine and drugs and everything, and are all getting on like a house on fire till something unfortunate occurs in the jacuzzi. After a hectic night of partying, Josh passes out and Michelle decides its high time for bed, leaving Charlie and Mina to their own devices. They hit the sauce and start getting flirty. And when they get a notion to jump in the hot tub together, nature takes its course beneath the bubbles and next morning one doesnt dont know where to look. After Mina and Charlie feign hangovers to get out of a forced march to a nearby beauty spot, they agree to keep their fling a secret and find an excuse to end this intolerable weekend as soon as possible. Read More But theres a snag: in the showers and around the house they find tiny cameras primed. It seems that someone has been watching them. Of course they leap to the conclusion that its the guy (Toby Huss) who showed them around the house, and resolve to confront him. But meanwhile Charlie and Mina arent feeling too good about themselves, and that footage of them getting frisky is bound to surface sooner or later. Horror films like this one operate to a kind of formula. By making all their main characters objectionable, the makers are letting you know that its OK to hate them and enjoy their inevitable misfortune. The Rental is less graphically sadistic than most of them, and shows admirable restraint in holding off the carnage for as long as possible. Dread is accumulated skilfully, mostly through silence, shadows and looming weather. But a glib script wastes the talents of two decent actors. In everything from Mad Men and The Lego Movie to the Netflix wrestling series GLOW, Alison Brie has displayed deft comic timing, but she gets no laughs at all playing Michelle, who might be the character most entitled to our sympathy but comes across for the most part like a shrill shrew. Expand Close Alison Brie / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Alison Brie Since meeting a grisly end in Downton Abbey, Dan Stevens has come to specialise in B-movie horrors. Im not sure why exactly; he is personable and can act, but there you have it. In this one hes not even a monster, merely a conceited twit. Stevens evokes this happy state competently, but The Rentals thin screenplay gives him nothing to play with. Expand Close Dan Stevens / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dan Stevens Jeremy Allen Whites character Josh performs the function of a ticking time bomb: hes doing his best to play nice but its only a matter of time until he loses the rag and takes a swing at someone. I can empathise with that, but hes a cypher, nothing more. And his girlfriend Minas personality is nothing to write home about either. Shes of Middle-Eastern extraction, ever alert to the possibility of racist slights and not shy of throwing around wild accusations. Read More All are worthy victims, but The Rentals rushed and thrown-away climax is the least satisfying thing about it. Because while great energy has been expended building tension, the denou itself is disappointing, and were given no satisfaction whatever when it comes to the perpetrator. In fact this is a film with plenty of technique but no soul, which exists merely to entertain. It does so tolerably well. Assassins **** (ifi@home, 104mins) In February 2017, the world was shocked by grainy footage that emerged from Kuala Lumpur airport. In it, two giddy young women approached a heavy-set man and jokily put their hands on his face. He was Kim Jong-nam, the exiled brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, and within an hour he was dead from the effects of a deadly nerve agent, VX. Its widely believed the hit was ordered by his brother, but what of the two women who carried it out? Siti Aisyah, from Indonesia, and Doan Thi Huong, from Vietnam, had no idea what they were involved in, and so far as they knew had been recruited as actresses for a TV prank. Rub baby lotion on the face of a stranger for the cameras, they were told, not knowing they were about to be implicated in a callous murder. Expand Close Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong unwittingly carried out the assassination of Kim Jong-uns exiled brother Kim Jong-nam / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong unwittingly carried out the assassination of Kim Jong-uns exiled brother Kim Jong-nam Assassins tells in detail the story of how they were recruited, and subsequently got scapegoated for a crime they clearly were innocent of in the actual sense. The pair had been carefully chosen and groomed by agents who played on their ambitions to become famous actresses. Fame they would achieve, for all the wrong reasons. The Capote Tapes **** (ifi@home, Curzon Home etc, 91mins) Through the 1960s and 70s, Truman Capote was the most famous writer in America. Success and celebrity had followed the publication of Breakfast at Tiffanys and his chilling non-fiction novel In Cold Blood. Thereafter, Truman was the toast of New York: he got invited to all the best parties and became a kind of pet poodle to the super-wealthy Park Avenue set. Expand Close Truman Capote / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Truman Capote All of this Capote lapped up, while secretly plotting to expose the shallow lives of the Vanderbilts and Paleys in a society novel called Answered Prayers. Apart from a couple of chapters, it was never published, and was either lost or left unfinished. Perhaps the latter, because Truman did a lot more talking than writing in the last 20 years of his life, as demonstrated in this lively documentary based on taped interviews his friend George Plimpton conducted with friends after his death. Capotes talent was destroyed by fame, his life possibly blighted by an unhappy childhood. At one point someone describes his mother as a malevolent version of Truman. I thought Truman was a malevolent version of Truman, but never mind. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer made frequent appeals for bipartisan unity during her State of the State address Wednesday. Republican leaders said they appreciated the tone, but as Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, said Thursday: Actions speak louder than words. Outside of Whitmers address, sharp divisions were clear both in the actions and words of those in the Legislature this week. Near the end of Wednesdays Senate session, Republicans made good on a threat to block 13 of Whitmers appointments to various state positions to urge the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Read more: Michigan Senate rejects 13 Whitmer appointments in show of disapproval over coronavirus response The Republican-led chamber voted 19-14 along partisan lines to reject the appointments, including Childrens Ombudsman nominee Suzanna Shkreli. The governor has the authority to appoint people to hundreds of state board and commission positions, although the Senate has 60 days to reject certain appointments by majority vote in a process known as advice and consent. Yesterdays action on appointments was a purposeful political gesture, Shirkey said during a Jan. 28 press conference alongside House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Clare. Not a gesture to score points, but a gesture to make a point. Until this Governor stops acting unilaterally and invests in and encourages and invites in the Legislature to be a part of some of these decisions, not all of them, then were relegated to using the tools given to us in our Constitution and our statutes. Senate Democrats denounced the move as a move against compromise. This is rank politics, Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, said on the Senate floor. Were in divided government. Maybe you havent gotten the memo, but Im going to let you know. It takes compromise, it takes a two-way street, not just getting up here whining. Shortly after, Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, directly addressed a pair of Senate resolutions that called for the censure of him and 10 other state senators who signed a Jan. 6 letter urging former Vice President Mike Pence and the U.S. Congress to pursue every available option to investigate claims of election fraud. Read more: Democrats in the Michigan Senate want Republican colleagues punished for questioning election results With the letter coming hours before the attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump, the resolutions sponsored by Sens. Erika Geiss, D-Taylor, and Adam Hollier, D-Detroit, also urge Runestad and the others to acknowledge their role in fostering the atmosphere that led to the violent insurrection. Runestad directly addressed Geiss and Hollier on the Senate floor, though Senate rules call for addressing senators by their district number, rather than by name. Their resolutions state that simply requesting an investigation to members of Congress is tantamount to obstructing the peaceful and orderly transition of power, he said. As you can see, these senators are messaging complete fabrications contrary to the facts addressed in our letter. Geiss fired back, doubling down on her criticism of the letter. It fueled the disgusting, horrific events that happened at our nations Capitol on Jan. 6, she said. The Senate Oversight Committee continued hearings investigating the election on Tuesday. Committee members heard testimony from Election Systems & Software, an Omaha, Nebraska-based voting machine equipment company thats used by seven Michigan counties. Read more: Election hearings are back as lawmakers look to clear up confusion, initiate reform What we learned from Whitmers State of the State Whitmers State of the State zeroed in on four main issues Wednesday: bipartisan cooperation, job creation, road and infrastructure investment and COVID-19 vaccinations. Here are four quotes from the Governor pointing to those respective priorities: To the legislative leaders tuning in. Our job now is to fix the damn road ahead together. Lets come back to the strong bipartisan action we took last year, and focus that same energy to end the pandemic, grow our economy and get our kids back on track. The people of Michigan are counting on us. Today Im announcing Michigan Back to Work, my plan to help us grow our economy and get Michiganders back on their feet. Were going to leverage all the resources of state government to rebuild our economy back better, working with leaders in state and federal government, business and beyond to grow good-paying jobs in Michigan. Over the next year, we will announce initiatives and projects, big and small, from tech, mobility, manufacturing growth to clean energy and road construction. This will protect, grow and create more good-paying jobs. The long infrastructure saga in Michigan impacts our ability to safely navigate our roads without spending hundreds of dollars each year in vehicle repairs. Were going to forge ahead rebuilding our roads in 2021 to protect our families and keep more money in Michiganders pockets. Read more: Whitmer tells Michigan she hasnt forgotten about roads in State of the State speech I know people are anxious and ready to get the vaccine. Thats a good thing. The fact of the matter is we dont have the supply we need yet, but we will, Whitmer said, highlighting the states ability to get 50,000 shots in arms each week when enough supply becomes available. Read more: 4 things we learned from Gov. Whitmers State of the State address Republicans preempt Whitmers speech with their goals Both House and Senate Republicans announced major legislative goals prior to Whitmers speech. Rep. Thomas Albert, R-Lowell, responded to Whitmers $5.6 million COVID-19 recovery plan with his own $3.5 billion proposal. The GOP plan would allocate $2.1 billion toward K-12 school districts, if Whitmer reallocates the power to reopen schools from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to local health departments. That includes $363 million for districts seeking to fully reopen by Feb. 15. Education associations and unions criticized that provision for using students, teachers and staff as political pawns. The Republican priority is simply getting kids inside the classroom, Wentworth said Thursday. Were not taking away the Governors pandemic powers or her authority to respond to the pandemic or MDHHSs authority to respond to the pandemic, he said. What we are trying to do is to get kids into the classroom. Get kids in their seats... Parents want it, the science says it and every other state is doing it. Read more: House Republicans unveil $3.5B COVID-19 plan to counter Whitmer proposal Other elements of the plan are quarterly appropriations to MDHHS for COVID-19 testing and vaccines and $415 million in relief for small businesses. Additionally, Republicans are trying to put $150 million into the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, which could soon be depleted, catalyzing a payroll tax increase on small businesses that pay into it. Read more: Michigan Republican leaders will continue political gestures to lift COVID-19 restrictions Senate Republicans also released a 19-point priority plan for the next year. The goals are split into three categories: Healthier Families & Communities, which addresses COVID-19 concerns A Healthier Economy, which seeks targeted relief for businesses and individuals A Healthier Future, which focuses on reopening schools, balancing power in state government, ensuring confidence in elections and more. Read more: Michigan Senate Republicans outline 2021 goals ahead of Whitmers State of the State Vaccine exemptions Rep. Gary Eisen, R-St. Clair Twp., introduced a bill allowing exemptions from taking a coronavirus vaccine if they are a minor, if it violated their religious beliefs or could harm their health. House Bill 4008 would amend the public health code to not compel people to take a COVID-19 vaccine if those exemptions apply. Parents or guardians could also reject the vaccine on behalf of a minor. According to the Mayo Clinic, the Pfizer-BioNTech version of the COVID-19 vaccine is for people age 16 and older. The Moderna vaccine is for people 18 and older. Michigan is currently in Phase 1B of the vaccine rollout, which focuses on people age 65 and older and front-line staff. Senate bill would change how fuel tax is distributed Legislation from Sens. Michael MacDonald, R-Macomb Township, and Paul Wojno, D-Warren, would shift how funds from taxes collected at the pump are spent. Senate Bill 32 would require all motor fuel taxes collected to stay in the county where the fuel was pumped instead of being sent to the state for distribution statewide. The senators are pitching the plan as a bipartisan effort to continue the discussion about how we fund our roads and find fairer funding solutions for local infrastructure projects, MacDonald said in a statement. Currently, any state funding that goes into transportation must first go through a formula devised decades ago to determine how agencies split the money. The system, enacted under Public Act 51, divvies up the money available by level of government - 39 percent to the state, 39 percent to county road commissions and 22 percent to municipalities - and then further divides those shares to individual units of government. Proponents of changing that funding structure argue that under the current system, costs of fixing the states most-traveled roads cant be met without significantly increasing funding for roads with less traffic or need for repairs. But discussions about revamping how local governments get their money have been nonstarters in the legislature. Switching up the system would mean communities with less-traveled roads get less money - a tough sell for state lawmakers in more rural areas of the state. Democrats back bills to punish environmental polluters Sens. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, and Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, along with Reps. Jim Ellison, D-Royal Oak, and Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor, rolled out legislation this week to hold polluters accountable if they dont clean up harmful spills. One piece of the legislation would remove the current statute of limitations on enforcing punishment for violators who fail to identify and remediate spills when they first occur. Its a direct response to the December 2019 leak of toxic substances onto the shoulder of the I-696 from Electro-Plating Services. If violators intentionally avoid and resist EGLEs efforts to gain compliance for years or even decades, as was the case at EPS, they need to know that enforcement action will be pursued no matter how much time has passed, Ellison said in a statement. Irwin and Rahbi also intend to introduce bills to require polluters to pay for contaminated site cleanup instead of the current requirements that allow pollution to be contained, but remain in place. Related: Toxic ooze onto Detroit-area highway raises questions about $2M EPA cleanup and oversight WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th January, 2021) The US Justice Department has opened an investigation into whether SpaceX engages in employment discrimination against non-US citizens, CNBC reported. The report on Thursday said the Justice Department's division of Immigrant and Employee Rights received a complaint in May accusing SpaceX of discriminating against non-US citizens in its hiring. Moreover, SpaceX failed to comply with a subpoena for document related to the company's hiring practices, the report said. The Justice Department is asking a court to order SpaceX to comply with the subpoena within two weeks, the report added. Extra forces deployed at LAC to protect India's sovereignty: President Kovind India pti-Deepika S New Delhi, Jan 29: The Narendra Modi government is committed to countering all forces challenging India''s sovereignty and unity and taking firm action against those inciting violence in the country, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Friday. Addressing a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament on the first day of the Budget session, Kovind also said after the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been empowered with new entitlements. "My government is committed to counter the forces challenging the sovereignty and unity of the country at every level. While on one hand development is being promoted in violence-affected areas, on the other hand, firm action is being taken against the forces inciting violence," he said. As a result of this, Kovind said the number of incidents involving Naxal violence has declined and the Naxal-affected area is shrinking. From farm laws to Galwan clash: Top 10 quotes of Ram Nath Kovind "After the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been empowered with new entitlements.... The development-oriented policy of the central government has also received wholehearted support from the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Only a few weeks ago, the elections to district councils in Jammu and Kashmir were held successfully for the first time after Independence," he said. The president said the large-scale participation of voters in the District Development Council (DDC) polls in the Union Territory has shown that Jammu and Kashmir is forging ahead towards a new democratic future at a rapid pace and the grant of new entitlements has empowered the people of the region. "After the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme, every family of Jammu and Kashmir is assured of free treatment worth Rs five lakh. A bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal has also been established in Jammu," he said. Budget session kickstarts: Everything that happened today | Oneindia News Kovind said after becoming a Union Territory, elections to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Council were held successfully a few months ago and now, the people of Ladakh are themselves taking decisions related to the development of their region expeditiously. Hawthorne Inn Director of Nursing Mindy Musgrove becomes one of the first staff members to get a COVID-19 vaccination Saturday at the facility at Liberty Village of Danville. Residents also took part in Day 1 of vaccinations 85 people total at the Vermilion County retirement community. Actress Shruti Haasan is rumoured to be dating Santanu Hazarika, a doodle artist and illustrator from Delhi. The rumours have been buoyed by Santanu's Instagram story that he posted to wish Shruti on her birthday on January 28. The artist shared a cute picture of him lovingly looking at Shruti as they hugged at the actress' birthday party. Take a look: A few days back, Shruti had said that she is in love, reported Pinkvilla. This picture from Santanu is being taken as a confirmation. He was crowned the Best Doodle Artist in the 2014 'Doodle Art Competition' and has also worked on independent projects for hip-hop artists like Raftaar and Divine. He quit engineering and began a career in doodling in 2014 during an art competition in South Africa. They were also spotted walking hand in hand as they headed for a pre-birthday lunch date in Mumbai. The alleged couple was also spotted together at Hyderabad airport recently. Read: Shruti Haasan Joins Prabhas-starrer 'Salaar' Shruti had called off her long term relationship with musician Michael Corsale in 2019. After the news about their break up went viral, Michale opened up about the same on Twitter. He had tweeted, "Life has just kept us on opposite sides of the globe unfortunately and so we have to walk solo paths it seems. But this young lady will always be my best mate. So grateful to always have." Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Novartis said Friday it had signed an initial agreement to help produce the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19, as countries scramble to boost supplies. The rare act of cooperationin an industry usually marked by cut-throat competitioncomes after French pharma group Sanofi announced earlier this week that it would also team up with rivals Pfizer and BioNTech to help produce 125 million doses of their jab. The two-dose vaccine, which is based on mRNA technology, has been shown to be around 95 percent effective and has been approved for use by the World Health Organization and in some 50 countries. But it is in limited supply as nations around the world race to immunise their populations against the coronavirus, which has killed nearly 2.2 million people in just over a year. Novartis said in a statement that it would use its sterilised manufacturing facilities at its site in Stein, Switzerland to help produce the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs. Under the agreement, the company said it would "take bulk mRNA active ingredient from BioNTech and fill this into vials under aseptic conditions for shipment back to BioNTech for their distribution to healthcare system customers around the world". Once a final agreement is reached, Novartis said it expected to begin production in the second quarter of the year, with initial shipment of finished product expected in the third quarter. Steffen Lang, Head of Novartis Technical Operations, stressed that the company was "committed to leverage our manufacturing capabilities to help support the supply of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics around the world". "We expect this to be the first of a number of such agreements," he said in the statement. Novartis said it was already in "advanced discussions" with a number of other companies about with other production tasks, including of mRNA, therapeutic protein and raw material production for COVID vaccines and therapeutics. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP The presidents order will also direct federal agencies to review policies, including waivers granted to states, that discourage participation in Medicaid, the public health insurance programme for poor and disabled people Washington: President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered the Affordable Care Acts health insurance marketplaces reopened to give people throttled by the pandemic economy a new chance to obtain coverage, and he took steps to restore coverage mandates that had been undermined by his predecessor, including protecting those with preexisting medical conditions. Thursdays orders also took aim at Trump-era restrictions on Medicaid, especially on work requirements imposed by some states on poor people trying to obtain coverage. Separately, Biden moved toward overturning his predecessors restrictions on the use of taxpayer dollars for clinics that counsel patients on abortion, both in the United States and overseas. Biden used Thursdays appearance at the White House to begin shoring up healthcare programs and policies that have been critical to a Democratic resurgence. Perhaps no policy is as important to him as the Affordable Care Act, which he helped secure as Barack Obamas vice-president. Former president Donald Trump tried and failed to overturn the law, then weakened it with executive actions and rules, including making it easier for people to buy cheap, short-term plans that are not required to cover preexisting medical conditions. The best way to describe them: To undo the damage Trump has done, Biden said of his actions during a brief signing ceremony in the Oval Office. Theres nothing new that were doing here, other than restoring the Affordable Care Act and restoring the Medicaid to the way it was. Under the order Biden signed Thursday, a new special enrollment period will open on 15 February and run through 15 May. A senior administration official said the reopening would be accompanied by the kind of patient outreach paid advertising, direct outreach to consumers and partnerships with community organisations and advocacy groups that was abandoned by the Trump administration. Typically, Americans in the 36 states that rely on the federal marketplace can buy insurance only during a six-week period in the fall, a restriction meant to encourage people to hold coverage even when they are healthy. The sign-up period for this years coverage ended in mid-December, with enrollments only slightly higher than they were last year. But the Trump administration barely advertised it. In contrast, most of the 14 states that operate their own Affordable Care Act marketplaces, as well as the District of Columbia, not only opened enrollment to everyone during the early months of the pandemic but worked hard to publicise the option. The Biden administration expects that some states will follow suit and reopen their own exchanges, the senior official said. The insurance industry, which usually supports tight limits on insurance enrollments, is backing the extra enrollment period now. Matt Eyles, president and CEO of Americas Health Insurance Plans, an industry trade group, said Biden had created more pathways for Americans to obtain coverage that is so essential to their health, well-being and peace of mind. Bidens actions appear to take aim at a number of Trumps policies. In 2018, citing complaints about the price of Affordable Care Act coverage, the Trump administration issued a rule that extended the length of less-expensive short-term policies to up to three years from three months. Such policies do not have to cover preexisting conditions and can exclude common benefits mandated by the act like maternity care, mental health care or prescription drugs. The Trump administration also made it easier for small businesses to band together to offer plans that escape some Affordable Care Act coverage requirements. Biden has given federal agencies a broad mandate to examine policies or practices that may undermine protections for people with preexisting conditions, but the Trump rules could take months to undo. Should they be overturned, patients who have such policies would be unable to renew them, which could leave them without insurance if they think coverage is too expensive. Biden campaigned on raising the subsidies for plans to make them more affordable. These people largely bought these alternative plans because of the prohibitive premiums that those with minimal or no subsidies were faced with under Obamacare, Robert Laszewski, a former health insurance executive who is now a consultant in Alexandria, Virginia, wrote in a blog post last week. If the Biden administration now repeals those rules, without first expanding the subsidies for these people, they will be left without any kind of insurance. Even though such plans tend to turn away people with a history of illness and have left others mired in debt, Joel White, a Republican strategist who focuses on health policy and has sometimes been critical of Trump, questioned the effort to quash short-term policies. If your coverage just got a lot less affordable because youve lost your job and lost your income, the last thing we should be doing is taking away an option that offers an affordable choice, White said, adding that some consumers dont want all the bells and whistles; they might be 60 years old and dont want maternal health coverage. About 15 million Americans are uninsured and are eligible for marketplace coverage, according to a recent analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation, which has also estimated that as many as 3 million people have lost employer-based coverage during the pandemic. About four million could sign up for Affordable Care Act plans that would cost them nothing in premiums. For the four million people who could be getting free coverage who are instead uninsured that, to me, is screaming out for outreach, said Cynthia Cox, a vice president at the foundation and an author of the analysis. But some zero premium plans, like many insurance policies offered through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, would come with high deductibles, which often require people to pay thousands of dollars for care before their insurance kicks in. And more than two million poor uninsured adults are ineligible for both Medicaid and subsidised Affordable Care Act plans, a coverage hole created when the Supreme Court gave states the choice of expanding Medicaid, which initially had been mandatory. The White House had no estimate for how many people might sign up for coverage during the new enrollment period. Republican opponents of the health care law opposed the move and cited rising premiums to argue that the law should be scrapped. The ACA is neither affordable nor caring, said Adam Brandon, president of the conservative group FreedomWorks. The law is also the subject of a pending Supreme Court case. The case was brought by Republican officials who argued that its mandate requiring insurance became unconstitutional after Congress in 2017 eliminated the penalty for failing to obtain health coverage. The justices are expected to rule on the case this spring. A number of experts predicted, after oral arguments last fall, that the law would survive the challenge. Bidens executive actions on abortion put him in the center of the nations long-running culture wars. Like his Democratic predecessors Obama and President Bill Clinton, Biden will immediately rescind what Democrats call the global gag rule often called the Mexico City Policy which bars taxpayer funding for international nonprofit organisations that provide abortion counseling or referrals. Dr Natalia Kanem, executive director of the United Nations Population Fund, said the decision would greatly help the agencys work not only in family planning, but in other health services for women and girls in poor countries. We now have the support of a very important member state, Kanem said in a phone interview. The rule has been riding a philosophical seesaw for decades in place when a Republican occupies the White House and overturned when a Democrat moves in. Biden also directed the Department of Health and Human Services to, as soon as practicable, consider whether to suspend, revise, or rescind the so-called domestic gag rule a collection of regulations imposed by the Trump administration that prohibit federally funded family-planning clinics from counseling patients about abortion. The Guttmacher Institute, which tracks access to abortion, wrote last year that the rules have cut the national family planning networks patient capacity in half, jeopardising care for 1.6 million female patients nationwide. The presidential directive virtually guarantees that the health department will overturn those rules, although that could take months. The presidents order will also direct federal agencies to review policies, including waivers granted to states, that discourage participation in Medicaid, the public health insurance programme for poor and disabled people. Enrolment in Medicaid has grown substantially during the pandemic, in part because people who have lost jobs and health insurance have turned to it. The Trump administration approved waivers in 12 states that would require certain Medicaid beneficiaries to work a minimum number of hours a week or risk losing their benefits. Four of those pilot programs have already been overturned by courts, and the Biden administration has the authority to end them all, although the Trump administration in its final weeks took steps to make that process more difficult. Another waiver, completed this month in Tennessee, would give that state fixed funding or a block grant to cover its Medicaid population while loosening many of the rules about how the program is run. That waiver could also be canceled. Last week, 116 medical and patient advocacy organisations wrote to Xavier Becerra, Bidens nominee for health secretary, asking him to immediately take action to withdraw waivers allowing work requirements in Medicaid and to reject pending proposals for such requirements from Alabama, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Tennessee. Noting that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Trump administrations appeal of lower court decisions that overturned Medicaid work requirements in Arkansas and New Hampshire, the groups said time was of the essence. The requirements would have denied health care coverage under Medicaid to poor people in those states unless they were working, volunteering or training for a job. Swift action should be taken to ensure these proposals are rejected, the groups wrote, especially in light of the ongoing pandemic, the economic recession, and ongoing and historic impacts of structural racism. Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Abby Goodnough c.2021 The New York Times Company Brandon Ford of Tampa, Florida, has added numerous research tools related to its new Ford trucks to its website. The 2021 F-150 and Super Duty model research pages and subsequent blog posts cover everything interested customers want to know about the new pickup truck lineups including powertrain options and engine power ratings, towing and hauling capabilities, trim level comparisons, and more. Brandon Ford, a dealership in Tampa, Florida, that is the worlds largest volume Ford dealer, has welcomed the 2021 Ford F-150 and 2021 Ford Super Duty lineups to its lot, and is celebrating by adding multiple model research tools to its website. The Ford F-150 and Ford Super Duty have long been the dealerships most popular lineups, and it works hard each new model year to ensure its customers know all they need to know about the new pickup truck lineups as they hit the Tampa lot. This year is no different, as Brandon Ford has added not only model research pages for both trucks to its website, but has also added numerous blog posts related to the new 2021 Ford F-150 and Super Duty lineups. The 2021 F-150 and Super Duty model research pages and subsequent blog posts cover everything interested customers want to know about the new pickup truck lineups including powertrain options and engine power ratings, towing and hauling capabilities, trim level comparisons, and more. All of these 2021 Ford F-150 and 2021 Ford Super Duty model research tools and more can be found on the Brandon Ford website at http://www.brandonford.com. Interested parties can also direct any questions they may have to the friendly and knowledgeable staff at Brandon Ford by calling 813-246-3673 or by emailing Tom Murray, the dealerships marketing director, at tom@brandonford.com. Brandon Ford is located at 9090 Adamo Drive in Tampa. Former Bachelor contestant Leah Costa has been identified as one of the women who attended a controversial photo shoot in Adelaide recently. On Wednesday, it was reported that guests staying at a beachside mansion were kicked out after the landlord discovered they were using the house as a shoot location for OnlyFans content. The host of the party, Mike Sanchez, told Daily Mail Australia that Leah, 28, was one of the women in attendance. Party people: Former Bachelor contestant Leah Costa has been identified as one of the women who attended a controversial photo shoot in Adelaide recently Leah rose to fame on Matthew Johnson's season of The Bachelor in 2017. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Leah Costa for comment. The blonde joined OnlyFans - a subscription-based adult website - in October last year, and announced her new career on Instagram at the time. Dispute: On Wednesday, it was reported that guests staying at a beachside mansion were kicked out after the landlord discovered they were using the house as a shoot location for OnlyFans content Tell-all: The host of the party, Mike Sanchez (centre), told Daily Mail Australia that Leah (left) was one of the women in attendance 'It's ethical, consensual and content shared on my own terms. This is a woman on top, a woman in charge and a woman who won't allow anyone to dictate or her choices or forced to feel ashamed of her body,' she explained. Speaking to 7NEWS on Wednesday, Mr Sanchez claimed he'd told owners of the Moana mansion that he would be using the home for a photo shoot. He paid $5,500 to rent the home for two nights, and planned to film several videos and take pictures for his OnlyFans account. Reality star: Leah rose to fame on Matthew Johnson's season of The Bachelor in 2017 But halfway through his stay, Mr Sanchez claimed he was kicked out and not offered a refund. 'I would describe it as blatant discrimination against the sex industry and sex workers,' he told 7NEWS. 'There was some suggestive stuff but it was all clothed in lingerie - there was no nudity.' New gig: The blonde joined OnlyFans - a subscription-based adult website - in October last year, and announced her new career on Instagram at the time But the property's manager accused Mr Sanchez of breaking the home's strict no-party policy. Pictures and videos from his first night appeared to show a group of scantily-clad women in the home. The landlord also claimed a baby grand piano in the home was scratched and will be costly to repair. Piano man: Pictures from the OnlyFans shoot showed several of the women draped over a piano wearing their lingerie as Mr Sanchez posed in front of it Pictures showed several of the women draped over the piano wearing their lingerie as Mr Sanchez posed in front of it. 'We did ask for a full refund to which he [the landlord] responded, "I'll see you in court", so we will be taking matters further,' Mr Sanchez said. He expects to take the matter to the tenancy tribunal. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close 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: Prime Minister Narendra Modi commenced the second day of his Gujarat visit on Friday with a trip to Modasa, and attended a programme on the arrangements to bring water of Narmada river to the region. Later, PM Modi had lunch at Gandhinagar Rajbhavan, which will be followed by an event for the inauguration of Mahatma Mandir exhibition and conference. He also addressed a youth symposium. At around 6:30 PM, the prime minister will leave for the national capital. He is scheduled to attend the GST rollout mega event at Parliaments Central from 11 PM onwards. LIVE UPDATES PM Narendra Modi at International Textile Summit in Gandhinagar, Gujarat; Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu also present pic.twitter.com/Lvof7zPMCH ANI (@ANI_news) June 30, 2017 Prime Minister Narendra Modi at inauguration ceremony of two water projects in Gujarat's Modasa; CM Gujarat Vijay Rupani also present pic.twitter.com/OCksGI6MSF ANI (@ANI_news) June 30, 2017 On Thursday, PM Modi held a roadshow in Rajkot, the main city of the Saurashtra region, where he was greeted by thousands of people. This was the second roadshow of Modi in poll-bound Gujarat, where elections are due by the year-end. He had held a similar programme in Surat in April, virtually launching the poll campaign of the BJP, which is in power in the state for more than two decades now. Rajkot has a special place in Modis political career. He was elected to the Assembly from the Rajkot-II seat after being appointed the chief minister of Gujarat in 2001. He continued to occupy the post till May 2014, when he became the prime minister and moved to New Delhi. The roadshow ended at the airport after almost an hour. The city was specially decorated for the high-profile event. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. LUXXE | HONOR, a wellness studio and natural product company in La Grange, Illinois, is offering a new Wellness Subscription Box Program. All our products are sourced from plant-based medicines that avoid the chemicals so often used in the American system. We believe in prevention as a healthy strategy to reduce the havoc produced in our bodies by these foreign substances. Health and wellness are at the forefront of many Americans' concerns, and prevention is critical in achieving those goals. 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About LUXXE | HONOR: Jen Del Giudice founded Luxxe Organix Wellness Studio + Natural Product Company in 2014. In 2017, she truly resonated with the word HONOR and felt a must to incorporate this word in her businesshonoring my passion and strike of balance with family and career embodied the spirit of LUXXE | HONOR. Jen is a registered nurse, aromatherapist and oncology certified aesthetician. Fulfilling her dream to educate people on toxins in products and decreasing stress, she is motivated by helping others on a deeper health level, supporting the mindset of de-stressing and keeping family balance. Jen lives in Western Springs and is the married mother of three girls. For more information, visit LUXXE | HONOR at https://luxxehonor.com/. This story has been updated with comment from Scott Hagerstrom Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is asking a federal judge to issue sanctions against four attorneys who filed a frivolous lawsuit following former President Donald Trumps election loss. These lawyers must be held accountable for betraying the trust placed in them as members of the bar, Nessel said in a statement issued Thursday. Lawyers bear a special responsibility to uphold the rule of law, and these lawyers have done the opposite. By pursuing this suit that had no basis in either fact or law, they have only fueled the fire of distrust in our democracy that led to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. We are asking the court to enforce the rules and hold these lawyers to their oaths for the protection of the public and to restore faith in our system of law a system they deliberately undermined. Nessel is asking U.S. District Judge Linda V. Parker to fine three Michigan attorneys -- Novi-based Greg Rohl, Lansing-based Scott Hagerstrom and Detroit-based Stefanie Junttila -- and former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell. Rohl in a statement emailed to MLive Thursday disagreed with Nessels portrayal of the lawsuit. Everyone is clamoring for our blood, but Im not a political person, Rohl said. I didnt care who won, as long as the process was fair, transparent and in keeping with societal expectations. My read of the complaint and exhibits prior to filing left me with the distinct impression that our electoral process had been corrupted by either internal or external forces such as to taint our democratic system. Rohl said, based on the evidence, he felt compelled to have a court of competent jurisdiction review and address the concerns our clients, electors, had with potential election fraud. The lawsuit that was filed by Trump voters made numerous claims, including allegations of egregious ballot-stuffing that were eventually disproven or unsubstantiated. Dominion Voting Systems, the company that makes election software and tabulators used widely in Michigan, on Jan. 8 filed an unrelated $1.3 billon defamation lawsuit against Powell, who maintains the lawsuit was legitimate. It is every fraudulent vote that disenfranchised Michigan voters, Powell told MLive by email. Fair elections free of fraud should be the goal of every elected official in Michigan and elsewhere. Everyone needs to read To Kill a Mockingbird. It is the noble task of the legal profession to raise even unpopular issues to protect the republic and individual rights. Hagerstrom said if hes sanction for providing citizens access to the court system, hell wear it as a badge of honor. The court system is exactly the forum to settle disputes, Hagerstrom said in an email to MLive. A full, fair and transparent hearing with discovery to get to the bottom of so many allegations and witness accounts is exactly what would restore confidence in our system. Nessels lack of dedication to seeking the truth, the use of her office in zealously defending partisan Democrat Party positions, and her hostile position towards legitimate concerns by citizens across our state is what undermines faith in our electoral system and sows the seed of discontent among the public. The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed by all parties on Jan. 26, according to federal court filings. The attorneys targeted by Nessels request for sanctions hadnt yet filed a formal response with the court. Hagerstrom and Junttila hadnt yet responded to messages seeking comment. More on MLive: Michigan Republicans cant change electoral vote Bowling alleys sue Whitmer Criminal charges dropped against Michigan barber who fought Whitmers coronavirus orders Chiropractor challenges Michigans new mask mandate in lawsuit The government is trying to give you pandemic aid money heres whats out there Indoor dining at restaurants remains on track to reopen Feb. 1 PORTAGE, MI -- Even during a school year that has flipped education on its head, there remains a universal truth for most high school seniors: college applications. On top of the calculations of GPA, AP and SAT scores is the crown jewel of what sets a student apart from the pack the personal essay. The essay portion can be reduced down to a competition pitting students against each other for the greatest struggle and therefore greatest triumph. For one Portage Northern High School senior, her triumph has been shared across national media. As an openly transgender teenager, 18-year-old Kylie Cliftons identity makes her stand out. She feels like a token of diversity, she wrote in her high school newspaper. Coming out At age 6, Clifton knew she was transgender. She related more to her older sister than her twin brother, she said. I would say, I am a girl; I want to be a girl, Clifton said. I just remember vividly this was something I wanted; it just didnt really seem realistic. Years later, on the cusp of puberty, she was sitting in the movie theater watching Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, and it clicked. The cheeky movie about everything going wrong and nothing going right struck a chord, she said. Now, looking back, I think theres parallels there, she said. I just was very uncomfortable. I was going into the teenage years and the role of what a boy should be was changing. I couldnt just be this little kid that played with my sister anymore. That Christmas, she came out to her mother at the age of 12. The nerves of taking that step forward and telling her face-to-face were daunting. So she sent it in a text. It was not the text Ginger Clifton was expecting at 10 oclock at night, especially from her child just upstairs. She responded simply: so we have something to talk about. It was just really about the dialogue and understanding her feelings and making her feel like it was going to be okay, she said. Even though I was panicking inside. Transitioning during middle school Clifton talks frequently about feeling privileged to have parents who supported her wholeheartedly. Before coming out she was overwhelmed with media reports about homeless LGBTQ+ youth and transgender teens who had been disowned by family members. Cliftons parents did not question her desire to transition and they gave permission for Clifton to start hormone blockers at age 12. I believed her that she was genuine in how she was feeling, her mother said. But I was also absolutely scared. I was scared for her safety and I was scared for her future. I had no idea how to best support her. They reached out for advice from OutFront Kalamazoo, where then-director Jay Maddock suggested hiring a medical advocate, seeing a psychologist and talking with teachers. The family was relieved to find Portage Middle School faculty and staff were open-minded and willing to make accommodations. Portage Public Schools Superintendent Mark Bielang said those conversations are happening at individual buildings rather than on a district level so that each school is accommodating its student body. Its just about adopting that mindset that our student body is different than maybe what we had or what we looked like when we were going through school, Bielang said. Theres much greater awareness about the different types of needs for different individuals. Although there is no policy mandating LGBTQ+ training in the district, having outspoken advocates like Clifton has changed conversations around building logistics, Bielang said. Building plans for the new Portage North Middle School included more privacy in bathroom and locker room settings something that added extra stress for Clifton when she was there during her transition. Last year, Bielang created a student advisory board made up of about 25 students from all grades and high schools. They meet monthly to give Bielang a sense of what its like to be a student nowadays with an emphasis on diversity, inclusion and equity. You can hear it in their voices that these are areas that they really think about, Bielang said. The passion and their willingness to become somewhat vulnerable in their discussions about some sometimes controversial topics. Clifton applied to the advisory board and was selected to be among the Portage Northern High School representatives. Her mother was impressed with the steps taken to include her daughters perspective. I thought that was pretty progressive; he knew exactly who he was picking when he picked her, she said. I thought that was a very good signal and wise with him to get that diversity of voices. Reclaiming her identity Being a diverse voice can be a Catch-22, Clifton said. At first, she was open to answering any question someone asked. As time went on, that spotlight was leaving her burned out. She found herself being chameleon-like to fit other peoples views and keep the cheery exterior of a success story, Clifton said. In high school, she was met with a lot of personal questions but without the close connection of friendship as a foundation. I thought that I was kind of like a side character, she said. I just always felt like I contributed to other peoples lives. I never really knew what would happen after 18, it was all kind of cloudy. I just felt like I existed to support other people. The personal essay portion of college applications once again felt like a display of intimate details with questions asking about rising above obstacles and hardship. As co-editor of high school newspaper The Northern Light, Clifton published the column, Tackling tokenism: minorities should never be reduced to our trauma. To her peers she wrote, Minorities are so much more than the sum of the obstacles that weve had to overcome by no fault of our own. Our existence does not exist to entertain the majority. Rather than focusing the difficulty of being different, Clifton wrote her personal essays about the gift of embracing her identity. I could have written about some negative interactions with people saying awful things, she said. But in that moment I just kind of felt like that was their story. That was them doing something awful to someone else. I wanted to reclaim it for myself. Clifton is hoping to pursue a degree in journalism. In 2017, Clifton was profiled in People Magazine and addressed the Trump administrations reversal of Title IX guidelines for discrimination on the basis of gender identity. In 2019, she wrote about a transgender peer overcoming body dysphoria. That piece won first place for diversity reporting through Michigan Interscholastic Press Association. In telling diverse stories, its looking at [minorities] beyond the surface level, Clifton said. Looking at what merits or drives their experience. Im so thankful that journalism is diversifying in all aspects of who they report on, whos reporting the stories or even just the intellect behind the reporters. More on MLive: Class of 2021 has little hope for normalcy in senior year More than 50,000 students left Michigan public schools this year. Where did they go? First all-female board sworn in to lead Kalamazoo Public Library Kalamazoo historian reunites pageant queen with her portrait, three decades later Pilot program launched to connect Black and Brown therapists to clients of color The Chumash Indians, hunter-gatherers centered on the south-central coast of Santa Barbara, were using highly worked shells as currency as early as 2,000 years ago, about 1,000 years earlier than archaeologists thought. The Chumash Indians produced shell beads for thousands of years in the Santa Barbara Channel region, with special bead-manufacturing sites well-documented. Archaeologists specializing in this region have suggested that shell bead money was initially used about 800 years ago. Professor Lynn Gamble from the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, proposes that the use of shell money started about 1,000 years earlier than previously thought in California, dating back to about 2,000 years ago. If the Chumash were using beads as money 2,000 years ago, this changes our thinking of hunter-gatherers and sociopolitical and economic complexity, she said. This may be the first example of the use of money anywhere in the Americas at this time. Professor Gamble argues that archaeologists should use four criteria in assessing whether beads were used for currency versus adornment: (i) shell beads used as currency should be more labor-intensive than those for decorative purposes; (ii) highly standardized beads are likely currency; (iii) bigger, eye-catching beads were more likely used as decoration; and (iv) currency beads are widely distributed. I then compared the shell beads that had been accepted as a money bead for over 40 years by California archaeologists to another type that was widely distributed, she said. For example, tens of thousands were found with just one individual up in the San Francisco Bay Area. This bead type, known as a saucer bead, was produced south of Point Conception and probably on the northern Channel Islands, according to multiple sources of data, at least most, if not all of them. These earlier beads were just as standardized, if not more so, than those that came 1,000 years later. They also were traded throughout California and beyond. Through sleuthing, measurements and comparison of standardizations among the different bead types, it became clear that these were probably money beads and occurred much earlier than we previously thought. We know that right around early European contact the California Indians were trading for many types of goods, including perishable foods, Professor Gamble said. The use of shell beads no doubt greatly facilitated this wide network of exchange. The study was published in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology. _____ Lynn H. Gamble et al. 2020. The origin and use of shell bead money in California. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 60: 101237; doi: 10.1016/j.jaa.2020.101237 STAMFORD, Conn. and LUCCA, Italy, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CCH Tagetik, part of Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting and a global provider of market-leading software solutions and information services for finance professionals, has signed an agreement with Orkla, to effectively support them in replacing their legacy consolidation solution. Orkla is a leading supplier of branded consumer goods to the grocery, out-of-home, specialized retail, pharmacy and bakery sectors. The Nordic and Baltic regions and selected countries in Central Europe are Orkla's main markets. The Orkla Group also holds strong positions in selected product categories in India. The CCH Tagetik unified platform will replace their legacy systems and Orkla will utilize the platform for their statutory consolidation, management, and financial reporting, including IFRS 16 Lease Accounting and iXBRL. Orkla will now have a flexible platform with built-in financial intelligence that is finance owned and maintained where modifications can be done without scripting or relying on IT. "We are grateful for Orkla's selection of the CCH Tagetik platform to drive their business-critical consolidation process. This selection adds another key customer in the Nordic region and further demonstrates the global trend we see of legacy system replacements. Customers are tired of the challenges they face because their old solutions don't keep up with their needs. Luckily, CCH Tagetik provides an innovative yet proven alternative." said Jonas Qvarfordt, Sales Director, CCH Tagetik Nordic at Wolters Kluwer. "The CCH Tagetik Finance Transformation Platform is a strong, unified solution which is expandable, owned by finance, and has rich functionalities allowing us to continue to improve post-launch," said Daniel Don Nilsen, Business System Controller, Orkla. "We were impressed with their competence, ability to mobilize internally and with their partner network. In addition, all the references reaffirmed our selection, and we got a broad set of perspectives on the platform." About Wolters Kluwer Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the healthcare; tax and accounting; governance, risk and compliance; and legal and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technologies and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2019 annual revenues of 4.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY). Formore information about our solutions and organization, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Media Contacts: Beatriz Santin CCH Tagetik +1 339 229 2447 office Beatriz.santin@wolterskluwer.com Greta Bartoli CCH Tagetik +39 058396811 office greta.bartoli@wolterskluwer.com Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/492891/Tagetik_Logo.jpg Two pregnant ewes have been killed in a suspected dog attack in Suffolk, making it the latest livestock worrying case impacting UK farms recently. Police are appealing for witnesses and urging walkers to keep their dogs under control after the sheep were killed in Gedgrave. The incident occurred at some time between Thursday 21 January and the following day. According to figures released by NFU Mutual, livestock worrying cost farmers across the UK 1.2 million in 2019. Dog attacks on livestock this month alone include 50 sheep killed in Wales and 18 sheep in North Yorkshire. A heavily pregnant Highland cow was also killed by a loose dog earlier in January, leaving the farming family 'devastated'. "Officers would remind dog walkers to ensure they keep they their pets under control when walking through fields with livestock in," Suffolk Police said in a statement. "Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Rural Crime Team, quoting reference: 4327/21." When a grandchild comes along, especially for the first time, its important to have the right help. In our case, its a lovely young couple who seem absolutely perfect when it comes to bringing up our grandson. The new baby appears to really like them, which certainly takes away the worry for us. As the grandparent, you dont want to trust just anybody, not with such an important job. When a grandchild comes along, its important to have the right help. Credit:iStock Heres the deal: we get the young couple to do most of the difficult work. That includes feeding the baby, changing nappies and lulling him to sleep. He even lives in their house, so that makes things a lot simpler. We arrive, as is traditional, for the good times, such as when the grandson who looks very handsome is available to lie in our arms, arching his tiny back, and glancing up at the world as if to comprehend its wonder, all while gesturing towards us with his starfish hands. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Les membres du Cabinat ont pris note du jugement de la Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea concernant le litige maritime entre Maurice et les Maldives, de l apromulgation prochaine du Special Education Needs Authority (Registration of Special Education Needs Institutions) Regulations 2021, que les proprietaires de bicyclette electriques vont payer la Road Tax pour enregistrer leur vehicule, de la soituation de la pamdemie du Covid-19 dans le pays. 1. Cabinet has taken note of the judgment delivered by the Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea on 28 January 2021 in the case brought by Mauritius against Maldives under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Special Chamber overruled all the preliminary objections raised by Maldives and held that it has jurisdiction to delimit the maritime boundary between Mauritius and Maldives in the region of the Chagos Archipelago. The Special Chamber also confirmed that Mauritius has undisputed sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago and that the United Kingdoms claim to sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is contrary to the determinations made by the International Court of Justice in its Advisory Opinion of 25 February 2019 that the detachment of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius was unlawful and that the United Kingdoms continued administration of the Chagos Archipelago constitutes an unlawful act of a continuing character. 2. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping conveying drafting instructions to the Attorney Generals Office for a Fisheries Bill that would replace the Fisheries and Marine Resources Act. The draft Bill would also address regional and international obligations, especially in the field of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, cater for the conservation and management of fisheries resources and also address several shortcomings in the current legislation. New challenges that have emerged in the wake of climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Wakashio event would also be addressed as well as the recommendations of the Report of the Commission of Enquiry on Drug Trafficking. 3. Cabinet has taken note that the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology would promulgate the Special Education Needs Authority (Registration of Special Education Needs Institutions) Regulations 2021, which would provide, among others, for the: (a) registration and renewal of certificate of registration for Special Education Needs (SEN) institutions based on their compliance with various requirements in terms of premises, health and safety, sanitary conditions, as well as furniture and equipment; (b) registration of managers, teachers, teacher assistants, SEN carers and other members of the staff based, inter alia, on qualifications, medical fitness and submission of a certificate of character; (c) roles and responsibilities that staff members are expected to abide by, such as keeping of records, register and financial records for managers, weekly plan of work and lesson plans for teachers and programme of activities for teacher assistants, amongst others; (d) payment of fees for registration; and (e) extension of existing SEN institutions within the same premises. 4. Cabinet has agreed to the promulgation of: (a) the Road Traffic (Amendment of Schedule) Regulations 2021. The First Schedule of the Road Traffic Act is being amended to provide for the payment of a road tax which would be applicable whilst registering an electric auto/motorcycle in Mauritius and Rodrigues. In order to encourage commuters to opt for electric auto/motorcycles, the road tax to be imposed would be reduced by 50 percent; and (b) the Road Traffic (Construction and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 2021. The Regulations are being amended to provide a distinctive registration mark for electric auto/motorcycles. The dimensions of the registration plates as well as the width and height of the characters to be displayed in the plates are being specified. 5. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a permanent Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade to coordinate, monitor and assess the implementation of the 17 goals under UN Agenda 2030. The SDU would define the roadmap with time lines and biennial reviews to implement the Sustainable Development Goals over the next ten years which fall under the different Ministries for effective and tangible outcomes by 2030. The SDU would also enable the Ministry to monitor and evaluate progress in achieving the targets agreed under the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, the African Union Agenda 2063, the African Peer Review Mechanism and the Strategic Partnership Framework Agreement. 6. Cabinet has taken note of the preliminary findings of a study to mitigate flooding in the City Centre of Port Louis. GIBB (Mauritius) Ltd, Consultant, was appointed on 20 July 2020 to carry out a study with a view to identifying causes of flooding and propose remedial solutions to mitigate flooding in the City Centre of Port Louis. The Consultant has proposed various measures to mitigate flooding. The final report is expected by end of March 2021. 7. Cabinet has taken note of the alarming situation of the COVID-19 pandemic prevailing across the world and the spread of the new variants of the virus. With regard to Mauritius, there has been no local transmission in the community since 26 November 2020. As at 29 January 2021, 569 cases of COVID-19 had been registered. There were currently 24 active cases of COVID-19 in Mauritius. The public should continue to observe strict sanitary precautions. 8. Cabinet has taken note of the activities being organised by the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security to mark World Wetlands Day 2021, celebrated on 2 February. The theme for World Wetlands Day 2021 is Wetlands and Water. An event would be held at Pointe DEsny Ramsar Site on 4 February 2021 and would comprise, inter alia,: (a) the signing of the Mauritius Ridge to Reef, a project financed by the European Union; (b) a video projection on wetlands in Mauritius and distribution of posters and factsheets; (c) the launching of restoration work at Pointe DEsny; and (d) a tree planting ceremony. 9. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the official visit of the Minister of National Infrastructure and Community Development to Rodrigues. The purpose of the visit was to take stock, de visu, of progress with regard to various ongoing and planned infrastructure projects in Rodrigues and also to discuss the possibilities of enhancing collaboration and exchange/transfer of knowledge and experience between the technicians of the Ministry of National Infrastructure and Community Development, the Road Development Authority, the Land Drainage Authority and those of the Commission for Public Infrastructure of Rodrigues. The Minister had a meeting with the Chief Commissioner. During the meeting, a copy of the Digital Elevation Model and the Aerial Photograph for the island of Rodrigues was handed over to him. These tools have been produced by the Land Drainage Authority and are essential for the identification of flood prone areas and conception of land drainage projects. A meeting was also held with the Commission of Public Infrastructure regarding, among others, the need for the classification of roads in Rodrigues. Visits were effected on sites of ongoing land drainage projects undertaken by the National Development Unit at the flood prone sites at Port Mathurin and Baie Malgache as well as road construction sites. 10. Cabinet has taken note of the constitution of the Board of the National Anti-Doping Organisation with Mr Doorgeshsing Jawaheer, Pharmacist at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, as Chairperson. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Calling for India to play a major role in global vaccination campaign, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday termed the vaccine production capacity of India as the "best asset" that the world has today. Addressing reporters here, the UN chief said, "I know that in India there is a very high level of production of Indian developed vaccines. We are in contact with Indian institutions for that. We strongly hope that India will have all the instruments that are necessary to play a major role in making sure that a global vaccination is campaign is made possible." Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start "I think that the production capacity of India is the best asset that the world has today. I hope the world understands that it must be fully used," he added. On the need to democratize access to medicines, Guterres said, "I would say a very important element on the democratization of access to medicines all over the world. I appealed once again today for the licenses to be made available in order for companies around the world to be able to produce some of the vaccines that already exist." UN chief's statement comes as India has gifted over 55 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccine to neighbouring countries. Addressing a weekly briefing, External Affairs Ministry (EAM) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Thursday said India plans to gift vaccines doses to Oman, CARICOM countries, Nicaragua, Pacific Island states. Srivastava said New Delhi plans to supply 1 crore or 10 million vaccine doses to Africa and 10 lakh to United Nations health workers under GAVI's (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) COVAX facility. "There is interest in many countries to access vaccine from India. In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that India sees international cooperation in the fight against the pandemic. We have played the role of the first responder in the neighbourhood," Srivastava said. "From 20th January 2021 onward, we have gifted over 55 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines to our neighbouring countries and in the extended neighbourhood--1.5 lakh to Bhutan, 1 lakh to Maldives, Mauritius and Bahrain, 10 lakhs to Nepal, 20 lakhs to Bangladesh, 15 lakhs to Myanmar, 50,000 to Seychelles, 5 lakh to Sri Lanka. In the coming days, We plan to gift further quantity to Oman that is of 1 lakh doses, 5 lakh doses to CARICOM countries. 2 lakh to Nicaragua, 2 lakh doses to the Pacific island state," he added. India, Srivastava said, plans to commercially export coronavirus vaccine to Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada, Mongolia and other countries. "On a commercial level, the export has taken place for Brazil Morocco and Bangladesh. Further supplies to countries on commercial bases are likely to take place to Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada Mongolia and other countries. We plan to supply 1 crore or 10 million vaccine doses to Africa and 10 lakh to United Nations health workers under GAVI," he said. (ANI) Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Farmers' Protest: Cops issue ultimatum in Ghazipur, farmers refuse to budge India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, Jan 29: Tensions prevailed at the Ghazipur protest site as authorities issued an ultimatum to defiant farmers to leave even as they refused to budge. Security forces dug trenches, put up barricades, and bolstered numbers at the sites on Delhi's borders on Thursday as cracks started to appear in the 64-day-old protest. The protest lost momentum after the deadly turn of events on January 26 when farmer groups broke through barricades, clashed with police, ran riot on the Capital's streets, and stormed the Red Fort, hoisting the Nishan Sahib, the flag of the Sikhs. Excess force removed as farmers stay put at Ghaziabad The standoff on Thursday began when Ghaziabad's additional district magistrate (city) Shailendra Kumar Singh asked protesters to end their two-month-long sit-in and vacate the spot at the earliest or face action. The order came hours after protesters said power and water supply to the site were cut off, and hundreds of policemen were sent there. PM Modi on what to expect from Union Budget 2021 | Oneindia News Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait was issued a notice under section 133 of CrPC (conditional order for removal of the nuisance) for eviction from the Ghazipur site and he was also to be arrested later. But Tikait refused to leave the site, saying they may approach the Supreme Court. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 9:41 [IST] Global polyethylene foam market will grow by USD 2.19 Billion During 2020-2024. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210128006219/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Polyethylene (PE) Foam Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the global polyethylene foam market registered a YOY growth of 5.24% in 2020 and the market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of over 6% during the forecast period. The report offers a detailed analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the market in optimistic, probable, and pessimistic forecast scenarios. Get Free Sample Report to Know More Polyethylene Foam Market: Growing demand from emerging economies to drive growth Factors such as the availability of land, cheap labor, low transportation costs, and less stringent government norms are encouraging global automobile manufacturers to shift their manufacturing operations to emerging economies such as Brazil, China, Russia, Turkey, Indonesia, South Korea, Mexico, and India. Besides, changing lifestyles, rising disposable incomes, and rapid increase in industrialization and economic developments in these countries have significantly boosted the growth of various other industries including construction, transportation, electronics, and packaging industries. The growth of these industries is increasing the demand for PE foams, which is driving the growth of the market. Is there any relief during this COVID pandemic? Click to know As per Technavio, the increasing use of PE foam insulation in the construction industry will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2020-2024. Polyethylene Foam Market: Increasing use of PE foam insulation in the construction industry PE foams are extensively used in the construction industry owing to their high electrical and thermal insulation properties and resistance to chemicals. Over the years, the proliferation of new chemical factories, rising demand for food processing, petroleum refining, and communication infrastructure have fueled the growth of the construction industry globally. In addition, the increasing number of residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects has significantly increased the demand for insulation materials such as PE foams in the construction industry. Therefore, the growth of the construction industry is expected to positively influence the growth of the polyethylene foam market during the forecast period. "The increase in the demand for PE foams from the automotive industry and the rising demand for energy-efficient buildings will further boost market growth during the forecast period", says a senior analyst at Technavio. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Polyethylene Foam Market: Major Vendors The report covers details on the market's competitive landscape and offers information on the products offered by various companies, including: Armacell International SA Dafa AS FoamPartner Switzerland AG INOAC Corp. JSP Corp. Polyethylene Foam Market: Segmentation Analysis This market research report segments the polyethylene foam market by Type (XLPE foam and Non-XLPE foam) and Geography (APAC, Europe, North America, MEA, and South America). The APAC region led the polyethylene foam market in 2020, followed by Europe, North America, MEA, and South America respectively. During the forecast period, the APAC region is expected to register the highest incremental growth due to factors such as population growth, economic growth, and the rise in disposable incomes. Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and Gain competitive intelligence about market players. Track key industry trends, opportunities, and threats. Inform your marketing, brand, strategy, and market development. Request a free sample report Related Reports on Materials Include: Global Polyethylene Furanoate Market Global polyethylene furanoate market is segmented by application (bottles, films, and fibers) and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, MEA, and South America). Click Here to Get an Exclusive Free Sample Report Global Polyethylene Terephthalate Market Global polyethylene terephthalate market is segmented by downstream products (fibers, resins, and others) and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and MEA). Click Here to Get an Exclusive Free Sample Report Some of the key topics covered in the report include: Market Share by Competitors Market Challenges Market Drivers Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Competitive scenario About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210128006219/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ The SolarWinds hack is in need of a new name, America's top cybersecurity investigators say. In late 2020, foreign hackers exploited the widely used SolarWinds software to gain access to hundreds of thousands of federal government computers, as well as private companies' networks. But it turns out that around 30 percent of computers previously thought to be hacked via SolarWinds didn't even run the software, Brandon Wales, acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, tells The Wall Street Journal. The idea that SolarWinds was the only avenue for the suspected Russian attack limited its potential victims to the software's relatively small user base. But hackers linked to the attack also seem to have broken into government and private accounts by guessing passwords and exploiting issues in Microsoft's cloud-based Office software used by millions of people, government investigators said. "It is absolutely correct that this campaign should not be thought of as the SolarWinds campaign," Wales told the Journal. Cybersecurity company Malwarebytes backed up investigators' findings, saying last week that it faced the same hackers as the SolarWinds attack. But Malwarebytes doesn't even use SolarWinds; rather, the hackers found a loophole in a Microsoft Office 365 account to break in. The revelation made Malwarebytes' CEO Marcin Kleczynski wonder what software is even safe to keep on company computers. "How do I know that Zoom or Slack isnt next and what do I do?" Kleczynski questioned when talking to the Journal. Around 18,000 government and private computers are thought to have been compromised in the hack, including networks in the Pentagon, State Department, Justice Department, and other top agencies. President Biden brought up the attack in his first call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. More stories from theweek.com Rochester police seen pepper spraying handcuffed, screaming 9-year-old girl in body camera video Rise of the Barstool conservatives Eric Trump reportedly wagered Election Day that his father would win 320 electoral votes New York state may have undercounted by 50 percent the number of people in nursing homes who died from coronavirus, its attorney general said Thursday. Almost 43,000 people have succumbed to Covid-19 in New York, more than any other state in the US. New York officials say that around 8,500 of those were elderly people in care homes. But in a 76-page report, Attorney General Letitia James said she had found large discrepancies between deaths reported to her investigators and numbers released by Governor Andrew Cuomos government. As the pandemic and our investigations continue, it is imperative that we understand why the residents of nursing homes in New York unnecessarily suffered at such an alarming rate," she said. The issue of deaths in nursing homes has been a sore one for Cuomo, who has largely been lauded for his handling of the coronavirus crisis. He has been criticized for ordering nursing homes to take patients who had tested positive early on in the outbreak last March. His health department denies that the order led to the virus spreading like wildfire in homes, instead blaming staff who did not know they were infected. James says an unnamed facility reported 11 deaths to the health department but 40 deaths to her investigators. The undercounting is partly due to the state only counting residents who died in their nursing home, not those who were transferred to hospital and died there. TORONTO, January 29, 2021 Thomson Reuters (TSX/NYSE: TRI) today announced that it and private equity funds affiliated with Blackstone have closed the sale of Refinitiv to London Stock Exchange Group plc (LSEG) in an all-share transaction. Refinitiv is Thomson Reuters former Financial & Risk business, a majority interest in which was sold to Blackstones consortium in October 2018. Thomson Reuters and Blackstones consortium subsequently agreed to sell Refinitiv to LSEG in August 2019. As of todays closing, Thomson Reuters indirectly owns 82.5 million LSEG shares, which have a market value of approximately $9.8 billion based on LSEGs closing share price on January 28, 2021. Thomson Reuters interest in LSEG shares are held through an entity jointly owned by Blackstones consortium and Thomson Reuters. Thomson Reuters and Blackstones consortium have agreed to be subject to a lock-up for their LSEG shares through January 29, 2023, subject to certain exceptions. In each of years three and four following closing (starting on January 30, 2023 and January 30, 2024, respectively), Thomson Reuters and Blackstone's consortium will become entitled to sell in aggregate one-third of the LSEG shares issued to them. The lock-up arrangement will terminate on January 29, 2025. While Thomson Reuters expects that the LSEG transaction will be predominantly tax deferred, approximately $700 million of tax became payable when the deal closed. The lock-up arrangements allow Thomson Reuters to sell sufficient LSEG shares necessary to generate net proceeds to meet this tax payment should it wish to do so. Thomson Reuters does not plan to sell any LSEG shares prior to LSEGs announcement of its full-year 2020 results on March 5. Reuters News 30-year agreement with Refinitiv will continue following closing and is scheduled to run to 2048. In accordance with the terms of the transaction, Erin Brown, Head of Finance for Thomson Reuters Corporates segment, has been appointed to the LSEG board of directors. Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters (TSX/NYSE: TRI) is a leading provider of business information services. Our products include highly specialized information-enabled software and tools for legal, tax, accounting and compliance professionals combined with the worlds most global news service Reuters. For more information on Thomson Reuters, visit tr.com and for the latest world news, reuters.com. SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking, including statements regarding the tax consequences of the transaction and its intentions related to future sales of LSEG shares. While the company believes that it has a reasonable basis for making forward-looking statements in this news release, they are not a guarantee of future performance or outcomes and there is no assurance that the events described in any forward-looking statement will materialize. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Many of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions are beyond our companys control and the effects of them can be difficult to predict. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements which reflect expectations only as of the date of this news release. Except as may be required by applicable law, Thomson Reuters disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. CONTACTS MEDIA Melissa Cassar Head of Commercial Communications & Corporate Affairs +1 647 480 7273 melissa.cassar@tr.com INVESTORS Frank J. Golden Head of Investor Relations +1 332 219 1111 frank.golden@tr.com The president urged citizens to closely monitor the roll-call vote to see who opposes the initiative. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says it is necessary to pass a draft law to reduce the number of lawmakers at the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, to 300. The president also announced the support of this initiative by the ruling Servant of the People Party, the press service of the President's Office wrote on January 29. "In general, there will be fewer deputies: not 450, but 300. This [draft] law, by the way, is next in line [pending consideration in Parliament]. We also promised it, so we must deliver. By the way, also 300 votes are needed to this end," he said. "I wonder who will join the Servant of the People faction in making this decision?" he asked, urging Ukrainian citizens to closely follow the roll-call vote to see the opponents. Zelensky's bill: Details In September 2019, Parliament submitted to the Constitutional Court presidential bill "On Amending Articles 76 and 77 of the Constitution of Ukraine (on reducing the constitutional composition of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and consolidating a proportional electoral system)" (No. 1017). The bill proposes in Article 76 of the Basic Law to lay down the constitutional composition of the Verkhovna Rada capped at 300 people's deputies (now the number is 450) who shall be elected for a five-year term. Article 77 introduces a norm that people's deputies shall be elected by a proportional electoral system. In December 2019, the Constitutional Court recognized the draft law in line with the Basic Law. The Committee on Legal Policy of the Verkhovna Rada recommended that Parliament support the bill to reduce the number of people's deputies to 300. Reporting by UNIAN Without that registration, migrant labourers cannot access social or medical services in the cities where they work. They have been among the hardest hit in China by the pandemic, as authorities have carried out scattered lockdowns to fight the virus and employers have reduced hours and pay. In a normal year, hundreds of millions of people travel by plane, train and car to be with their families for the Lunar New Year. The holiday, which typically includes big festive banquets and fireworks, is normally the only time many workers can return to their home towns to see loved ones. This year, many are making plans to spend the holiday alone. Travellers are screened before entering the Wuchang Railway Station in Wuhan. Credit:AP Zhu Xiaomei, who works at a fabric store in the eastern city of Hangzhou, typically makes the 30-hour journey by train to her home town in the south-western province of Sichuan to be with family. This year she will spend the holiday alone for the first time, inside her 12-square-metre dormitory, which lacks a kitchen. Of course it is a bit upsetting, Zhu, 40, said. I have never experienced this feeling. For many Chinese families the holiday will represent a second year that the pandemic has kept them apart. Just hours before the start of the Lunar New Year last year, the authorities imposed sweeping lockdowns and suspended trains and planes across the country. In a matter of hours, more than 35 million people in the city of Wuhan and the surrounding areas were ordered to stay at home. Chinese officials are concerned that widespread travel could give rise to fresh outbreaks, especially in rural areas, where testing is less common and there has been some resistance to quarantines and other public health measures. Customers look at red lanterns and decorations at a store at the Yuyuan Bazaar in Shanghai on Wednesday ahead of the Lunar New Year. Credit:Bloomberg While Chinas outbreak is relatively under control compared with other countries and life is largely normal in many cities, clusters of new cases have emerged in recent weeks, prompting sporadic lockdowns and mass testing efforts. China reported 54 new cases on Wednesday and 52 on Thursday, compared with more than 155,000 new cases in the United States on the same day. Chinese officials have vowed to vaccinate 50 million people before the Lunar New Year, but questions remain about the efficacy of some Chinese-made vaccines. Authorities still expect hundreds of millions to travel this Lunar season, which lasts until March, despite the threat posed by the virus. Many of those travellers are going to large cities, not just rural areas. Several major cities in recent days have tightened restrictions on travel. Beijing is requiring visitors to test negative for the virus before being granted entry. Loading The Chinese government, in response to the migrants outrage over the new restrictions, has tried to offer sweeteners including gift baskets, activities and shopping discounts to encourage them to stay put. In Shanghai, officials plan to pay the phone and medical bills of those who forgo their journeys home. In Beijing, the authorities have encouraged companies to pay employees overtime, while house maids have been told they will receive about $US60 ($78) if they work during the holidays. In Tianjin, a northern city, the government has promised subsidies to businesses for every worker who stays. Some cities and counties have gone further, promising a better shot at accessing social benefits such as schooling and healthcare. Some officials are offering rural migrants who forgo holiday travel favourable treatment in applications for residency in cities. Through these heart-warming measures, let migrant workers stay in their place of employment and spend the Spring Festival without worries, Chen Yongjia, a Chinese official, said last week at a news conference in Beijing hosted by the State Council, Chinas cabinet. In China, the Lunar New Year holiday is typically referred to as the Spring Festival. In the run-up to the holiday, the government has led a propaganda campaign aimed at persuading migrant workers to avoid travelling home. Large red banners invoking filial piety and model citizen behaviour have started to appear on city streets. Mask or a ventilator? You pick one of the two, one banner reads. If you come home with the disease, you are unfilial, another exclaims. If you spread the disease to your mother and father, then you are utterly devoid of a conscience, a third banner reads. Last years lockdowns tipped Chinas economy into its first contraction in nearly a half-century, but it later bounced back as officials ordered its state-run banks to lend and factories to open. Earlier this month, China reported that its economy grew 2.3 per cent in 2020, most likely outpacing other large countries, including the United States. Loading Getting people to spend money has been less effective. Another widespread outbreak would cast a pall on any pent-up demand for shopping that usually accompanies the Lunar New Year holiday. What would be really damaging is if the virus spread enough to have to shut down more factories and construction sites, said Arthur Kroeber, managing director of Gavekal Dragonomics, an independent economic research firm. Kroeber said the authorities did not seem eager for a repeat of last years draconian response. They are trying to walk a tightrope, Kroeber said. To impose harsh rules on gatherings for a second year would be embarrassing, he added. The holiday restrictions have added to a difficult time for many migrant workers in China. Many did not work for months last year as the economy came to a standstill amid lockdowns and other restrictions. While wealthier workers in China largely kept their jobs during the pandemic, many migrants struggled to make a living amid cuts to their wages and hours. Shi Baolian, 47, a worker at a chemical factory in the eastern city of Suzhou, said she had been looking forward to going home for the holiday to see her father and help him clean his house. But she cancelled her plans after a cluster of cases emerged in her home town in the northern province of Hebei. Shi said she would celebrate the holiday instead with her husband in Suzhou. She said the city had no new year atmosphere and that she missed the fireworks and red-and-gold banners of her home town. I cant go home, so I will just work, she said. After the epidemic is over, then we will go back. My dog Bruce reckons his COVID 2020 was one of his best years. So apparently does Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Bruce had his family at home all day, he got to be inside a lot, and somehow he thinks it was all his doing. Scotts approval ratings shot up, the country handled the crisis better than most, and somehow he thinks it was all his doing. The consequence for Bruce is that he now thinks he should be inside on his special cushion all day every day. The consequence for Scott is that Canberra is preparing for an early election. Illustration: Simon Letch Credit: According to section 28 of the Constitution, Australia must go to the polls within three years of the first sitting of the current parliament, which could place the next election in the winter of 2022. The Prime Minister, however, is presented with a temptation that would have tried the saints: if he can sheet every COVID mistake to the states and claim every victory for himself, and rely on federal Labors inimitable talent for self-wedging, he can campaign upon an image of himself as the leader who kept Australia safe. What politician could resist going to the polls this spring little more than two years since the last election rather than waiting and risking the unknown? Morrison has said he isnt planning to go to the electorate in 2021, which is exactly what hed say if he was. Labor shuffled its deckchairs on Thursday. A tantalising gap in the parliamentary sitting calendar opens up in the spring. State party directors have put their officials on notice. A COVID vaccine might be rolled out successfully by October, and if its a success, it will be all the Prime Ministers doing. (If it fails, that would be down to the states.) The tea-leaves are getting worn out from constant study. Antony Green is saying late 2021. Case closed. Brussels: The European Unions top migration official urged Hungary to change its approach to asylum policy and respect the rights of migrants after the blocs border agency, Frontex, took the unprecedented step of suspending operations in the country. Frontex said Wednesday, local time, that it is ceasing work in Hungary until the nationalist government brings its laws into line with a ruling by the EUs top court in December, which said the country is denying people entering without authorization the right to apply for asylum and unlawfully detaining them in transit zones. A sign reading: State Border is attached to a fence at Hungarys border with Serbia near the village Asotthalom, Hungary. Credit:AP The right to apply for asylum is a fundamental human right, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told reporters after a videoconference between the 27-nation blocs interior ministers. This is what we need to defend and protect. I expect Hungary to change their policy and to let people to apply for asylum on their territory, she said. We cant have an agency like Frontex helping Hungary on stopping people to come to Hungary if they are not complying with their fundamental rights and EU law. Almost 60% of Offaly residents are staying within 10km of their homes during the current Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions, according to new data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The CSOs Staying Local Indicator (SLI) provides estimated percentages of county populations that have stayed within 10km of their homes, based on the statistical analysis of mobile phone activity. The figures show that 58.7% of Offaly residents stayed within a 10km radius on the week ending January 15. However that the amount of Offaly people moving beyond 10km from home has increased slightly by 1.7% compared to the first week of the month when 60.4% of people stayed within 10km of their home. Gardai can fine you 100 if you stray outside the 5km limit of movement during Level 5. The most compliant county is Dublin, possibly reflecting the bigger concentration of nearby shops and supermarkets and larger garda presence. Source: CSO Overall, an estimated 66.2% of the population stayed local (within 10k of home) during the week ending 15 January 2021 according to the Staying Local Indicator (SLI), a seven-day rolling average. The SLI increased each day from an annual low on Christmas Eve (51.7%) 2020 to 07 January 2021 (68.6%) before appearing to stabilise at or around 15 January 2021 (66.2%). Dublin continues to be the county with the highest percentage of the population staying local (78.8%) on week ending 15 January 2021, reflecting its urbanised nature with respect to other counties With the exception of Mayo, which showed no week on week change, all counties saw modest SLI decreases from week ending 08 January 2021 to week ending 15 January 2021, ranging from 0.2 percentage points (Clare) to 2.3 percentage points (Monaghan), indicating some relaxation of mobility behaviour This is the second in an insight series on mobility produced by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The Staying Local Indicator (SLI) provides daily estimated percentages of county populations that have stayed within 10km of home, averaged over the preceding seven days. The CSO said the Staying Local Indicator is based on statistical analysis of anonymised, aggregated, mobile phone activity records. Data from Three Ireland is collated from anonymised data sets at a macro scale, aggregated at Electoral Division and provided to the Department of Health. The scope of the arrangement between Three Ireland and the Department of Health is limited to informing the Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic only. This data feeds into wider selection of data used as part of the Covid-19 response. Only aggregated statistical data is provided to the Department of Health. No personal data is provided. The CSO receives and manages this data on behalf of the Department of Health. Only aggregate data is provided by Three Ireland and at no time do either the Department of Health or the Central Statistics Office have access to personal data or individuals movements. The outputs from this analysis provide important insights for decision makers and the public in the midst of a global pandemic. The Staying Local Indicator (SLI) provides daily estimated percentages of county populations that have stayed local i.e. within 10km of their usual place of residence, averaged over the preceding seven days. The CSO said that the SLI is not an exact measure, but a general indication of what percentage of the population is staying local. The CSO added: "With 2.4 million users as of August 2020, Three Ireland estimates that it commands a 35% market share. The SLI is premised on the assumption that mobility patterns extracted from the anonymised data of Three Ireland mobile users are broadly representative of those of the wider population. Three Ireland incorporate detailed population statistics from the CSO as part of this process. "The statistical aggregates are provided to the CSO with the permission of the Department of Health and under the terms of their agreement with Three Ireland. Only aggregated statistical data is provided to the Department of Health. No personal data is provided. "The scope of the arrangement between Three Ireland and the Department of Health is limited to informing the Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic only. This data feeds into wider selection of data used as part of the COVID-19 response." The CSO receives and manages the data on behalf of the Department of Health. The data is deposited by Three Ireland on secure CSO servers. Stoltenberg earlier noted Russia's threatening moves toward its neighbors. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has called on Allies to increase their defense expenditures. "The Secretary General urged Allies to continue to increase defence spending, invest in modern capabilities and to ensure our military remained ready to deal with challenges such as Russias aggressive actions, terrorism and the risks posed by the rise of China," says a statement by Stuart Peach, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. Read alsoRussia deploys Bastion coastal defense missile system in occupied CrimeaIn late 2020, Stoltenberg said he saw no imminent military threat to NATO coming from Russia, at the same time noting that Russia threatens its neighbors and tries to meddle in democratic processes. Global defense spending In 2020, defense-related expenditures worldwide were up 1.9%. This was the seventh year of such growth, the analysts with Jane's reported. The highest rise in defense spending last year was seen in Europe (+5.6%), as per kommersant. Reporting by UNIAN New Delhi, Jan 29 : President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday touched on almost every incident the country has witnessed since the beginning of last year, including the Covid-19 pandemic, Indian Army's sacrifice in Galwan and the farmers' tractor rally that turned violent on Republic Day, while addressing the joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament on Friday. The President said that the joint sitting of Parliament being held during the time of the coronavirus pandemic has great significance, and mentioned that it is the "beginning of a new year and a new decade". "We will also be entering the 75th year of India's independence this year," said the President, adding "all the Members of Parliament present here today embody the conviction held by every Indian that the toughest of challenges will deter neither us nor India". "Whenever India has remained united, it has been able to attain even seemingly unattainable goals," Kovind said. He noted that the country faced every crisis with fortitude, be it the coronavirus pandemic, floods, earthquakes or major cyclones in several states, locust attack or the bird flu. The recent past also saw an unprecedented escalation in tension along the border. The nation stood together, battled crises on multiple fronts and surmounted every challenge. During this period, we have all witnessed the unparalleled courage, endurance, discipline and spirit of service of our countrymen, the President said. In this fight against the pandemic, Kovind said we have also suffered the untimely loss of life of a number of our countrymen. "Our beloved former President and my predecessor Pranab Mukherjee too passed away during the pandemic. The untimely demise of six Members of Parliament was also due to the coronavirus. I pay my heartfelt tribute to all of them." Mentioning the farmers' agitation over the three contentious farm laws, the President said Parliament approved these important farm reforms seven months ago. He said that the three farm reforms, have started reaching out to more than 10 crore small-time farmers instantly. Appreciating the advantages that these reforms would bring to the small farmers, the President said several political parties too had, from time to time, expressed their support. "Discussions were done over these farm reforms in every part of the country for over two decades." Currently, Kovind said, the Apex Court has stayed the implementation of these laws, and his government respects the decision of the court and shall abide by it. He added that his government holds in high esteem the values of democracy and sanctity of the Constitution and that it is continuously making efforts to dispel the misunderstanding created in the context of these laws. Condemning Republic Day's tractor rally organised by the farmers that turned violent, leading to the death of a farmer and leaving many security personnel injured, the President said his government has always respected freedom of expression and holding of peaceful agitations in a democratic set up. However, Kovind said the recent acts of "dishonouring the National Flag and showing disrespect to the auspicious occasion of the Republic Day are unfortunate". "While the Constitution gives us the right to freedom of expression it is also expected that we abide by the laws and rules with equal sincerity," he said. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Here's big news for all Yash fans. The Rocking Star's highly anticipated film KGF Chapter 2 is all set to release in theatres on July 16, 2021. Sharing an awe-inspiring poster of the film featuring the one and only Yash aka Rocky, the director Prashanth Neel tweeted, "#KGFChapter2 Worldwide Theatrical Release On July 16th, 2021. #KGFChapter2onJuly16." Well, fans and followers of the actor are highly thrilled with the release date announcement and are hoping that KGF Chapter 2 breaks all records with its massive theatrical release. On a related note, the team recently wrapped up the climax shoot of the film in Hyderabad. A high-voltage action sequence featuring Yash and Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt was also shot during this period. Notably, Sanju is playing the antagonist in the Prashanth Neel directorial. Reportedly, in the upcoming months, the team will be focusing on post-production as KGF Chapter 2 is heavy on VFX (Visual Effects). For the unversed, the teaser of the film was released on January 7, 2020, a day before Yash's 35th birthday. Though it was initially planned to release on January 8, the unfortunate leak of the video forced the team to unveil the trailer without a delay. The 2-minute-16-second video has so far garnered 163+ million views and 7.8+ million likes. KGF Chapter 2 features an ensemble cast including Raveena Tandon, Srinidhi Shetty, Balakrishna, Anant Nag, Malavika Avinash, Prakash Raj, Saran Shakthi and Achyuth Kumar. Produced by Vijay Kiragandur under the Hombale Films banner, the Yash-starrer has music composed by Ravi Basrur. On a related note, Prashanth Neel will next join hands with Prabhas for Salaar. On the other hand, reports are rife that Yash might collaborate with Kollywood director Shankar for a multi-starrer. Also Read: KGF Chapter 2: Cost Of The Yash Starrer's Climax Sequence Will Make You Go WOW! Also Read: KGF Chapter 2 Teaser Looks Fantabulous; Yash Aka Rocky Is Back With A Bang! .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... KENOSHA, Wis. Two police officers who were on the scene when a white officer shot and partially paralyzed a Black man in Wisconsin, triggering several nights of violent protests, have returned to duty, according to police officials. The update announced Wednesday comes as Officer Rusten Sheskey, who shot Jacob Blake seven times on Aug. 23 in Kenosha, remains on administrative leave while a police review board examines the case. Sheskey was placed on administrative leave following Blakes shooting along with Officers Vincent Arenas and Brittany Meronek. Arenas and Meronek returned to duty Jan. 20, according to a police statement issued Wednesday. Officers Arenas and Meronek were not charged with a crime and after review by the Kenosha County District Attorney and an independent investigator, former Madison Police Chief Noble Wray, the actions taken by the officers were reasonable and justified, the statement said. Hundreds of people were arrested and multiple businesses were destroyed during protests following Blakes shooting. Kyle Rittenhouse, a white teenager from Antioch, Illinois, is accused of fatally shooting two men and wounding a third during one night of violence. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The officers were trying to arrest Blake on an outstanding warrant when a pocketknife fell from his pants during a scuffle. Blake said he picked it up before heading to a vehicle to drive away with two of his children in the back seat. He said he was prepared to surrender once he put the knife in the vehicle. Sheskey told investigators that he feared that Blake was going to stab him, so he opened fire. Blake family attorney Ben Crump, however, has questioned whether Blake threatened Sheskey with a knife, saying nowhere does the video footage show a knife extended and aimed to establish the requisite intent. Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley on Jan. 5 declined to file charges against Sheskey, concluding he couldnt disprove the officers contention that he acted in self-defense. 29 January 2021 Early Equity PLC ("Early Equity" or "the Company") Total Voting Rights In accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules, as at 29 January 2021, the Company's issued share capital consists of 1,048,478,684 Ordinary Shares of 0.1p, each with one voting right. The Company does not hold any Ordinary Shares in treasury. Therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 1,048,478,684. The above figure of 1,048,748,684 should be used by shareholders in the Company as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. The directors of the Company accept responsibility for this announcement. --ENDS-- For further information please contact: Early Equity Plc Greg Collier Tel: +44 (0)7830 182501 Novum Securities Limited AQSE Corporate Adviser David Coffman / Lucy Bowden Tel: +44 (0)207 399 9400 About Early Equity plc: Early Equity is an e-commerce focused group based in Malaysia whose Ordinary Shares are admitted to trading on the AQSE Growth Market in London with the trading symbol EEQP. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) the president pro tempore of the Senate, who is presiding over the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, swears in members of the Senate for the impeachment trial at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 26, 2021. (Senate Television via AP) Trump Adds Two Former Prosecutors to Impeachment Defense Team Former President Donald Trump has added two former federal prosecutors to his impeachment defense team, according to one of the lawyers. Greg Harris told the Associated Press that he and former acting U.S. Attorney Johnny Gasser were added to the team. A call to the private practice the men co-founded wasnt immediately returned, nor were emailed inquiries. Harris was a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of South Carolina, specializing in the prosecution of white-collar crimes. His biography says he views the experience as one that helps him obtain the best results for the clients he now represents as a defense lawyer. Gasser was part of the same office for years, taking over at one point as the acting head. He prosecuted thousands of criminal cases in his time in state and federal government. He left the government in 2007 to form the Law Office of Harris & Gasser with Harris. Harris and Gasser join former prosecutor Deborah Barbier and lawyer Butch Bowers on the impeachment defense team. Bowers, who has been referred to as the anchor of the team, said this week that youll see our case when we present it, and I think the facts and the law will speak for themselves. North Carolina attorney Josh Howard also said this week he is part of the team. Howard said in a court filing obtained by The Epoch Times said that he has accepted a position on the defense team handling the pending impeachment trial of former President Trump before the United States Senate. Former President Donald Trump poses with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Jan. 28, 2021. (Save America PAC) As such, counsel is obliged to spend roughly then [sic] next month in Washington, D.C. focused entirely and exclusively on that matter of historical and Constitutional significance, the filing stated. The team doesnt yet include anyone who helped in Trumps defense last year. Trump was ultimately acquitted of charges of obstruction of Congress and abuse of power. Trump was impeached a second time on Jan. 13 for allegedly inciting the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol. He has argued a speech he gave that day was totally appropriate. Senators were sworn in for the trial on Jan. 26. The trial is slated to start the week of Feb. 8. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) will preside, as opposed to Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, amid questions about the constitutionality of trying a president who is no longer in office. Impeachment managers for the House of Representatives are being led by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), member of the Judiciary and Oversight and Reform committees. The nine-person team includes Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), and Joe Neguse (D-Colo.). The trial is already expected to end with another acquittal for Trump. Forty-five Republican senators voted for a point of order declaring the trial unconstitutional, prompting acknowledgment from Democrats that theres little likelihood 17 Republicans will be swayed to vote to convict. The U.S. Navy has sent a third warship into the Black Sea as it steps up its presence in the strategic region. The destroyer USS Porter entered the Black Sea on a routine patrol on January 28, joining destroyer USS Donald Cook and replenishment oiler USNS Laramie, the U.S. Navy said in a statement. It is the largest U.S. Navy presence in the Black Sea in three years, according to Breaking Defense, and comes days after President Joe Biden spoke for the first time with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Porter's entrance demonstrates "our continued commitment to security and stability in the region with our NATO allies and partners," Commander Thomas Ralston said in the statement. The Black Sea has taken on greater strategic importance for the United States and NATO after Russia illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, giving Moscow a larger presence in the region. NATO allies Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria border the Black Sea as do Ukraine and Georgia, which have both expressed interest in joining the Western military alliance. Russia quickly responded to the increased U.S. presence in the Black Sea, activating its mobile coastal-defense anti-ship system in Crimea. 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 Norwegian Airline group has applied to the High Court for orders repudiating 36 leasing agreements for aircraft. The group's application was mentioned before Mr Justice Michael Quinn on Thursday. Its parent company and three Irish subsidiaries have been granted court protection. Examiner Kieran Wallace is currently putting together a scheme of arrangement which, if approved by the court, will allow the airline to continue as a going concern. The airline, which has announced that it is to reduce the number of routes it flies, is seeking to have lease agreements for some 36 aircraft repudiated by the court. Brian Kennedy SC, for the airline, told the court that the repudiation of these lease agreements needed to be done as a matter of urgency. Counsel said the move was being supported by the examiner and asked the court to fix the hearing of the company's application for next week. Talks to resolve issues with lessors were ongoing, counsel said. Read More However, lawyers representing several creditors who are affected by the proposed repudiation expressed their concern about the application. Rossa Fanning SC, who represented three parties affected, said while he did not want to prejudice any ongoing talks, the lack of detail in the airlines proposed repudiation application was of concern. He said if matters could not be resolved out of court, his clients would wish to put issues before the court in sworn statements. Having the matter resolved in a short period of time, as proposed by the company, was also unrealistic, counsel said. Mr Justice Quinn said that he did not want too many unnecessary court hearings on the matter. He adjourned the matter for a week pending an update on progress and if any issues regarding the leases can be dealt with on consent. In December, the High Court placed the airline's Norwegian-registered parent company Norwegian Air Shuttle (ASA) into examinership. Irish-registered Arctic Aviation Assets DAC, Norwegian Air International Ltd, Drammensfjorden Leasing Ltd and Lysakerfjorden Leasing Ltd, were also granted the protection of the Court from their creditors. Those firms are involved in activities including the leasing, management and subleasing of assets, including aircraft, and financing. Arising out of Norwegian's decision this month to cease its long-haul services, the examiner to the companies and the High Court agreed to make an order last week winding up another Irish-based subsidiary, Torskefjorden Leasing Ltd (TLL). The airline got into difficulties due to issues including the Covid-19 virus, the grounding of Boeing 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner aircraft due to technical difficulties and the withdrawal of state funding by the Norwegian government. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 07:21:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xiong Maoling, Gao Pan WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China responded "forcefully" to COVID-19 with fiscal policy, which contributed significantly to its growth in 2020, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) official has said, calling for continued fiscal action to help rebalance the Chinese economy. "There was quite a substantial emphasis on public investment, but also on support to households and firms. There were some measures of tax relief in the process," Vitor Gaspar, director of the IMF's fiscal affairs department, told Xinhua in a remote video interview earlier this week, commenting on China's fiscal policy amid the pandemic. Looking ahead, in the government's plans, support will continue, Gaspar said, noting that there will be a "gradual reduction" in China's overall deficit over time, with a slowdown in the increase of public debt. "This situation of a very persistent fiscal support by the Chinese government seems to be completely appropriate given the nature of the shock," Gaspar said. The IMF official said fiscal policy can also help rebalancing the Chinese economy, noting that one concern around the performance of the Chinese economy in 2020 is the weakness of private consumption. "Going forward, it would be important that private consumption would pick up. And so the dynamics of the Chinese economy would be based on the dynamism of internal Chinese demand," he said. Noting that China has been upgrading its public finance framework over time "in quite a successful way," Gaspar said "that path should continue," urging the country to extend social safety nets and adjust tax policy to better support domestic consumption. In the area of the allocation of resources, looking for "competitive neutrality" across the economy is extremely important, the IMF official said, adding that China should continue its decades-long reform on corporate tax and state-owned enterprises. When asked to describe China's economic growth in 2020 in three key words, Gaspar told Xinhua that he would characterize it as "great so far," as the country has controlled the COVID-19, and has recovered "strongly" after experiencing economic loss at the beginning of the year. China's National Bureau of Statistics recently reported that the country's gross domestic product (GDP) registered a year-on-year growth rate of 2.3 percent in 2020, becoming the only major economy with positive growth in the pandemic-ravaged year. According to the latest update to its World Economic Outlook (WEO), the IMF projected that China's economy will grow by 8.1 percent in 2021, amid a partial and uneven global recovery. "Going forward, there are still many challenges having to do with China's own domestic growth," Gaspar said. "Also some challenges that play out at the global level and where China's contribution is very important." Noting that China has a role to play in forging global consensus, the IMF official said the world's second largest economy could contribute to global growth by boosting green investment, and facilitating the digitalization process, among others. According to the IMF's Fiscal Monitor update released Thursday, global fiscal support reached nearly 14 trillion U.S. dollars as of end-December 2020, up by about 2.2 trillion dollars since October 2020. "COVID-19 was an enormous disturbance to all countries around the world. Tax revenues have shrunk quite substantially," Gaspar said, calling such fast and strong fiscal actions "absolutely necessary" to help contain the pandemic and to avoid a financial crisis. Together with economic contraction, such support has led to a rise in public debt and deficits, according to the Fiscal Monitor update. Average public debt worldwide approached 98 percent of GDP at the end of 2020, compared with 84 percent projected pre-pandemic for the same date. When asked whether policymakers should be concerned about the ballooning public debt, the IMF official told Xinhua that one has always to be concerned about proper management of public finance risks, and to bear in mind public debt sustainability, but at this point in time, "the very first priority is to defeat the pandemic." Gaspar said "clearly there is a general recognition that poor countries do need support," noting that the vaccination process is lagging behind for low income countries at this point in time. "But of course COVID-19 will not be under control anywhere before it is under control everywhere. And investing in the vaccination process is probably the most profitable investment that one can carry out now in the world economy," he said. The IMF official also urged policymakers to strike a "balance" between providing more short-term support to ensure a solid recovery and keeping debt at a manageable level over the longer term. "The priority is to provide relief support, to provide lifelines, to make sure that support is there when it is needed," said the IMF official. "But in order for that to work well, it's very important that people have trust that the situation over the long run is under control." "One should always think about economic activity and employment in the short run from the viewpoint of long run development, having a long run view helps a lot," Gaspar added. According to the IMF's Fiscal Monitor update, fiscal policy should enable a green, digital, and inclusive transformation of the economy in the post-COVID-19 environment, with the priorities including investing in health systems, education, and infrastructure, helping people go back to work and move between jobs, as well as strengthening social protection systems. In addition, policymakers should rethink tax systems to promote greater fairness and provide incentives to protect the environment, and cut wasteful spending, strengthen the transparency of spending initiatives, and improve governance practices to reap the full benefits of fiscal support. "Governments need to win the vaccination race, respond flexibly to the changing economic conditions, and set the stage for a greener, fairer, and more durable recovery," Gaspar said. Enditem (Hu Yousong and Tan Yixiao contributed to the report) House minority leader Kevin McCarthy has been widely criticised for meeting former President Donald Trump in Florida. The most senior Republican congressman met Mr Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Thursday, as the latter agreed to help GOP candidates campaign in the 2022 midterm elections. Following the meeting, the minority leader released a statement, writing: A united conservative movement will strengthen the bonds of our citizens and uphold the freedoms our country was founded on. Mr McCarthys visit came just two weeks after Mr Trump was impeached by the House for a second time, for inciting the Capitol riots on 6 January. Five people died and several more were injured in the riots. Mr McCarthy previously claimed that Mr Trump was partly responsible for the events of that day, but said in his statement on Thursday that they are united and ready to win in '22. Multiple Democratic representatives were quick to criticise Mr McCarthy on Thursday, with Massachusetts House member Katherine Clark writing: Less than one month ago, America was attacked by a violent, seditious mob. We've lost three police officers. Dozens more are injured. Still, we face active threats of violence. Kevin McCarthy's response is a photo op with the treasonous instigator. Minnesota Democratic representative Ilhan Omar, who has been the subject of numerous false claims from Mr Trump, shared the photo of the former president and Mr McCarthy on Twitter, and wrote: I see, begging the loser insurrectionist to help them not lose again in 2022 is the strategy the GOP is going with. While New Jersey representative Bill Pascrell Jr wrote: In case you had any question of the GOP changing course, the leader of the Republican party is at Mar-a-Lago today polishing Trump's shoes and lavishing him with North Korea style praise. In a follow up tweet, Mr Pascrell Jr posted the photo next to an image of North Korea supreme leader Kim Jong-un, captioning it: Same energy. Mr McCarthy was also criticised by those close to him on Thursday, as one source told CNN that the House minority leader was crawling back to Trump, while another said the meeting made him look weak. The Washington Post editorial board echoed the comments of the sources close to Mr McCarthy, criticising him and other Republicans who have gone crawling back to Mr Trump after condemning the former president for inciting the riots on 6 January. Recommended Trump reportedly fixated on taking down Liz Cheney over impeachment For a moment, it seemed as if the Republican Party might exorcise Mr Trump for his role in inciting the riots, the editorial board wrote on Friday, but suggested: The era of glasnost seems to be ending. The board claimed that the Republican party had a chance, after Jan 6, to reject their narrowing future as a party of lies and voter suppression and try, once again, to widen their appeal by standing for something positive. What a shame to throw it all away. Despite agreeing to help the GOP in 2022, Mr Trump will face a Senate impeachment trial in the next few months and may be banned from running for president again. Credit: South Ural State University (SUSU) New chemical compounds that suppress viruses and fungi were synthesized by scientists from South Ural State University and the Institute of Organic Chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences, together with an international team of scientists. The research was a significant step forward. The results of the fundamental work were published in the journal Antibiotics. Despite a wide range of antibiotics and antifungal drugs, scientists continue their research in this area. The high scientific interest is explained by the resistance of viruses and fungi to existing drugs. This acute clinical problem requires innovative solutions to reduce human exposure to infections. Previously unknown classes of compounds were selected to develop new drugs. Such a group of heterocyclic azoles (1,2,3-dithiazoles and 1,2,3-thiazelenazoles) drew the attention of a team of scientists led by Professor of South Ural State University Oleg Rakitin. He is also an employee of ND Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences and manages joint projects of the two organizations. The research team which included representatives from Switzerland, Germany, the United States, Finland, and Brazil, explained the attention to these azoles: they are one of the promising classes of antifungal drugs. Derivatives of 1,2,3-dithiazole demonstrate a high and diverse biological activity: they suppress cancer cells, fungi, viruses and participate in melanogenesis. These derivatives scatter the absorbed radiation and thereby protect DNA from photodamage. Having developed a selective method of replacing sulfur atoms with selenium atoms, scientists obtained a number of 1,2,3-thiaselenazoles that have never been studied before. "To facilitate the breakdown of the sulfur-sulfur bond and enhance the effect of the drug, we replaced one of the sulfur-sulfur bonds with a longer sulfur-selenium bond. The basic structure of the heterocycle and therefore, the toxicity of the compounds profile did not change. The fundamental basis of this approach was the first reaction of replacing a sulfur atom with a selenium atom in sulfur-containing heterocycles and obtaining a number of new classes containing interconnected sulfur and selenium atoms in their molecule," Oleg Rakitin says. A rare chemotype of 1,2,3-thiazelenazole was not previously studied in medicinal chemistry due to the low availability of these compounds. An international team of scientists not only proposed a new method for synthesizing compounds but also studied their biological action using molecular modeling and quantum mechanics. Compounds were found from a number of 1,2,3-thiaselenazoles that are distinguished by low toxicity and high submicromolar activity. For example, 4,5,6-trichlorocyclopenta [d] [1,2,3] thiaselenazole resists the pathogens of thrush (Candida albicans), cryptococcosis (Cryptococcus neoformans var. Grubii), Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus aureus) and acinetobacter (Acinetobacterii). "This series of results on improving antimicrobial compounds with the potential to treat resistant bacteria and fungal infections is an important step towards medicinal chemistry advance. At present, our studies are at the stage of searching for optimal structures (with the maximum value of the therapeutic index) for each type of disease. The importance of our results lies in the fact that the same drugs can be used to treat different types of diseasesfungal, microbial, HIV, cancer, and others, which makes their development promising," Oleg Rakitin explains. The synthesis of new effective antiviral compounds was carried out in cooperation between SUSU and the Institute of Organic Chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences. The start was given by the establishment of the joint Laboratory of Polysulphur-Nitrogen Heterocycles. In the future, scientists intend to investigate the effect of the synthesized compounds to fight diseases with a similar treatment mechanism. They will continue the search for new 1,2,3-thiaselenazole derivatives. Explore further Chemists develop a method to synthesize compounds for pharmaceuticals More information: Tuomo Laitinen et al. Antimicrobial and Antifungal Activity of Rare Substituted 1,2,3-Thiaselenazoles and Corresponding Matched Pair 1,2,3-Dithiazoles, Antibiotics (2020). Tuomo Laitinen et al. Antimicrobial and Antifungal Activity of Rare Substituted 1,2,3-Thiaselenazoles and Corresponding Matched Pair 1,2,3-Dithiazoles,(2020). DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9070369 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. Chinas government is facing growing criticisms about the countrys vaccines and its early COVID-19 actions. Now, some experts say the government is spreading dangerous misinformation to deflect that criticism. Chinese state media have recently published stories suggesting that Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine may not be safe. The vaccine passed thorough several safety trials last year as part of an approval process. Last week, a Chinese official spoke about a theory that the new coronavirus may have come from an American military lab. Such issues are getting media attention because of the rollout of vaccines worldwide. Also, a World Health Organization team recently arrived in Wuhan, China, to investigate the beginning of the virus. Some of these theories are finding a wide audience within China. For example, the social media hashtag Americans Ft. Detrick was seen 1.4 billion times last week. Fort Detrick is a biological weapons laboratory in the U.S. state of Maryland. The Communist Youth League created the hashtag after a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson suggested the virus came from the lab and urged the WHO to investigate. U.S.-based writer Fang Shimin said the media activity is an effort to move blame for the health crisis from China to the United States. Fang is known for reporting on dishonesty in Chinas science industry. The tactic is quite successful because of widespread anti-American sentiment in China, Fang said. Yuan Zeng is an expert on Chinese media at the University of Leeds in Britain. She said the governments stories spread so widely that even well-educated Chinese friends have asked her if the reports might be true. Creating doubts and spreading unproven theories might add to public health risks, as governments try to reduce unease about vaccines, Yuan added. That is super, super dangerous, she said. Chinese state media called for an investigation into the deaths of 23 old people in Norway after they received the Pfizer vaccine. CGTN, the English-language station of state broadcaster CCTV, and the Global Times newspaper accused Western media of ignoring the news. Health experts say deaths unrelated to the vaccine are possible during mass vaccination campaigns. WHO investigators found that the vaccine did not play a part in the Norway deaths. The state media coverage followed a report by researchers in Brazil who found a Chinese vaccine to be less effective than expected. Researchers at first said Sinovacs vaccine was 78 percent effective. But the scientists changed that to 50.4 percent after including cases of minor sickness. Its very embarrassing for the government, Fang said in an email. As a result, China is trying to raise doubts about the Pfizer vaccine and increase support for its own vaccines, Fang said. Top Chinese government officials have openly voiced concerns about the mRNA vaccines developed by Western drug companies. They use a newer technology than the more traditional method of the Chinese vaccines currently in use. In December, the director of the Chinese Centers for Disease Control, Gao Fu, said he cannot be sure that mRNA vaccines do not cause risky side effects. There are safety concerns, he said. The Pfizer mRNA vaccine and another one developed by Moderna have passed trials in which they were tested on more than 70,000 people. The WHO teams arrival in Wuhan has led to a renewal of accusations that China failed to deal with the virus early enough. Critics say the lack of action permitted COVID-19 to spread worldwide. They note that Chinese officials even punished doctors who tried to warn the public about the virus. The WHO researchers began fieldwork this week after being released from a 14-day quarantine. The Communist Party sees the WHO investigation as a political risk, said Jacob Wallis. He is a senior expert at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. The party wants to move attention away from the investigation. It is doing so by changing the story on where responsibility lies for the emergence of COVID-19, Wallis said. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying added to that effort last week by urging the WHO to also investigate the U.S. military lab. State media have made note of past events at the lab. But China has provided no hard evidence of a link between the lab and the appearance of the coronavirus. If America respects the truth, then please open up Ft. Detrick and make public more information about the 200 or more bio-labs outside of the U.S., and please allow the WHO expert group to go to the U.S. to investigate, Hua said. State media published her comments. They became one of the most popular issues on Chinas Sina Weibo. China is not the only government to blame the pandemic on other countries. Former U.S. President Donald Trump often tried to reduce blame for his administrations actions during the crisis. He said last year he had seen evidence the virus came from a Wuhan laboratory. Many experts think that theory is unlikely. Im Ashley Thompson. And I'm Caty Weaver. The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story deflect - v. to keep (something, such as a question) from affecting or being directed at a person or thing rollout - n. an occasion when a new product or service is first offered for sale or use tactic - n. an action or method that is planned and used to achieve a particular goal sentiment - n. an attitude or opinion doubt - n. a feeling of being unsure about something super - adj. very or extremely embarrassing - adj. causing someone to feel foolish in front of other people allow - v. to permit Authorities in the eastern province of Shandong are preparing to revoke the license of a rights lawyer who was hired to defend fellow rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang, as the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues a nationwide clampdown on the legal profession. Xi Xiangdong, who had been hired to represent Wang after his detention as part of a crackdown on the profession starting in , was notified by the Shandong provincial department of justice on that it will likely revoke his license to practise. Wang told RFA that the authorities were likely retaliating after Xi spoke out against the mistreatment of his client Chi Shengang, an entrepreneur accused of involvement in organized crime. "Lawyers like Xi Xiangdong tend to stick to the law when it comes to how lawyers should act, so they are likely anger some people, and suffer retaliation for that," Wang said. He said the authorities are likely taking issue with Xi's attempts to do his job properly. "If lawyers [like Xi] try to argue their case in court using reason, they see it as a failure to obey the judge," Wang said. "This gives them the excuse they need to retaliate against the lawyer." According to the authorities, Xi had repeatedly ignored directions from the judge in the case, repeatedly interrupted judges and prosecutors and interfered with court proceedings. Repeated calls to Xi's phone rang unanswered on . "Everything [in the Chinese justice system] works to the detriment of detainees and defendants," Wang said. "Lawyers are forced to toe the line politically, and they have nowhere to turn for help, and can only rely on public opinion." "In some cases, this means that they will disclose details of cases," he said. 'The courage to expose and criticize' Henan-based rights lawyer Ren Quanniu, who also faces the loss of his license to practice, said he supported Xi's actions, because he was speaking out in his client's interest. "Real lawyers have the courage to expose and criticize [the authorities]," Ren said. "You can't say they should remain silent if their clients are being treated illegally, or are in some kind of danger." He said he fears the authorities will continue to revoke lawyers' licenses as a way of forcing them into compliance. "Inside sources say that [the CCP] wants to deal with any lawyers who dare to speak out in public," Ren said. "[Xi] won't be the last to be warned, punished or lose his license ... we may be seeing a new purge." Xi has the right to file an application for a disciplinary hearing, although such a hearing is unlikely to make much difference to the final outcome, according to rights lawyers. Xi was initially hired by Wang Quanzhang's wife Li Wenzu to represent her husband following his disappearance in . But he was later forced to drop the case after the ministry of justice threatened him with arrest. Earlier this month, authorities in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan suspended the license of rights attorney Lu Siwei at a disciplinary hearing, citing his public comments on the case of the 12 Hong Kong activists detained at sea in . Judicial authorities in Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu moved on Jan. 4 to strike Lu off, alleging that he made "inappropriate remarks" in public about the case, thereby "breaking Chinese law and professional guidelines for lawyers." Ren, who was hired to represent one of the Hong Kong 12 but denied access to his client along with the rest of the attorneys hired by the families, will have his disciplinary hearing on . Reported by Gao Feng and Gigi Lee for RFA's Mandarin and Cantonese Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Breeana Robinson, 21, died after falling 11 storeys from her boyfriend Jayden Moorea's luxury apartment at Southport, on the Gold Coast, in January 2013 A cruise ship entertainer will stand trial for murder in the Supreme Court after his blind cheerleader girlfriend fell to her death from the 11th floor of a Gold Coast apartment building. Breeana Robinson's family were present at the Southport Magistrates Court on Friday as Magistrate Catherine Pirie ruled the case would be going to a jury - on the eighth anniversary of the 21-year-old's death. Jayden Moorea allegedly threw Ms Robinson, who was legally blind, off the Southport building on January 29, 2013. Moorea, formerly known as Daniel Shearin, has also been charged with damaging evidence, Gold Coast Bulletin reported. Breeana Robinson's death will go the Supreme Court. Pictured: Breanna Robinson's aunts, Janine Mackney (centre) and Sharon Rowe (right) and her cousin Edyn Mackney outside Southport Magistrates on the Gold Coast on January 25, 2019 Tears were shed at the Southport Magistrates Court as Magistrate Catherine Pirie ruled the case would be going to a jury on Friday, the eight anniversary of Ms Robinson's death. Pictured: Janine Mackney outside Parliament House in Brisbane on February 14, 2019. Ms Mackney attended every day of the nine day committal hearing, holding a single pink rose to honour her niece Ms Robinson's aunt Janine Mackney attended every day of the nine day committal hearing, holding a single pink rose to honour her niece. 'It's been a long time coming,' Ms Mackney said outside court on Friday. 'She was so young, she had so much to live for and it's just all been taken away.' During the hearing, the court was told Ms Robinson's death was originally ruled a suicide by police and a full investigation was not opened until 2017. Some neighbours were interviewed by police five years after the death and witnesses gave inconsistent accounts of how Ms Robinson landed, the court heard. Jayden Moorea (pictured right) is accused of throwing Ms Robinson (pictured left) off a Southport building on January 29, 2013 Mr Moorea (right), formally known as Daniel Shearin, has also been accused of a damaging evidence by destroying a mobile phone During the hearing, the court was told Ms Robinson's (pictured) death was originally ruled a suicide by police and a full investigation was not opened until 2017 Neighbours also told the committal hearing they heard arguing on the night of the death, which they said was followed by a woman screaming 'no' and a loud thud. One police officer told the court last week said they had an 'odd and concerning' conversation with Moorea that night, but did not make notes of it until 2018. Ms Robinson's mum Elaine and brother Matthew thanked family, friends and the police in a statement read by Ms Mackney outside court. 'Our grief and love for Bree bonds us forever.' Edyn Mackney, Ms Robinson's cousin, called the cheeleader 'sweet' and said she 'never had a bad word to say about anyone'. 'When you think dance, pink flowers and everything girly you think of her,' she said. Neighbours told the committal hearing they heard arguing on the night of the death, which they said was followed by a woman screaming 'no' and a 'loud thud. Pictured: Jayden Moorea, also known as Daniel Shearin DALLAS, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Betafence, global manufacturer of fencing systems, has partnered with Master Halco, the leading wholesale distributor of fencing products across the US and Canada. Betafence has named Master Halco as the North American exclusive distributor of Prism 3-D welded wire products. The Prism 3-D Fence System, engineered by world leader in perimeter solution manufacturer Betafence, provides an attractive security fence solution and high-level security alternative for chain-link. The exclusive distribution agreement between Betafence and Master Halco fortifies a partnership that will ensure customers get the best security solutions. David Dorfman, Director of Distribution: "At Betafence we understand that the need to feel safe is paramount. We are committed to protecting everything people value - this is a shared ethos with Master Halco. Our joint commitment will ensure our customers, their people, their assets, and their businesses are protected by the best." Master Halco will maintain stock of 4ft, 5ft, 6ft, and 8ft powder coated black panels of Prism 3-D Fence System and offer custom color Prism 3-D panels, ensuring a streamlined supply chain and, that surge capacity demands can be met when needed. "Our partnership with Betafence gives us a tremendous opportunity to bring additional higher-level security fencing opportunities quickly to our customers for the communities they serve," said Glenn Shenk, Master Halco Vice President of Sales and Operations. "Prism 3-D welded wire provides that extra level of security and aesthetics as an upgrade to traditional fencing for commercial, industrial, institutions, and even residential properties. Our inventory availability and supply chain partnership with Betafence brings it closer to our contractors for their needs." About Betafence (www.betafence.com) is a world market leader in perimeter protection. With 140 years of experience, Betafence prides itself on a passion for understanding their customer's security requirements and delivering a fit for purpose perimeter systems to meet even the most demanding requirements. Betafence manufactures fencing systems of renowned quality to secure people, assets, and businesses around the globe. Master Halco (www.masterhalco.com) is North America's leading manufacturer and wholesale distributor of perimeter security and fencing. Since 1961, Master Halco has been the industries' premier fencing provider for thousands of professional fence and security contractors and quality building material retailers. Master Halco offers a complete line of high-quality fence systems in both traditional and unique styles. Master Halco is a wholly owned subsidiary of ITOCHU International, Inc. Press Contact: Contact: Ali Amigoni Phone: 704-449-7641 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Betafence Related Links http://www.betafence.com A teenager alleged to have struck and killed a couple in a stolen car on Australia Day was given a slap on the wrist after pleading guilty to about 50 serious offences. The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to a string of crimes including car theft and robbery before being released on a 'restorative justice order'. He was out on bail for separate matters when he allegedly struck and killed pregnant woman Jane Leadbetter, 31, and her partner Matthew Philip Field, 37, as they walked their dog in Brisbane's Bayside area on Tuesday, News Corp reported. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk echoed community outrage when she asked why the teenager was allowed out on bail in the first place. 'There will be a coronial investigation. This young man is facing murder charges so there will be a full court case,' she said, adding she was open to tightening bail laws. It comes amid revelations the accused killer's biological father also has an extensive criminal history. The father (pictured) once waved a knife at another motorist while he had two children and a firearm in the car The boy's father was involved in a road rage incident a decade ago. The father, who also cannot be named, waved a knife at another motorist while he had two children and a firearm in the car. Despite the father's shocking crime he was spared jail time and only fined about $2000. The father has also written online about having sex with underage girls and bashing people. He once wrote on social media that he hoped a girl was underage so that he could have sex with her and 'only do three months' in jail. Ms Leadbetter, 31, and Mr Field, 37, died instantly, while their dog Frankie who they had been walking, fled from the scene The Toyota LandCruiser that the teenager was allegedly driving lies damaged at the scene of the horror crash around 5.30pm on Tuesday The couple were walking their dog when they were struck by an allegedly stolen Toyota LandCruiser, pictured at the scene on Tuesday night Two years ago he was nabbed bringing drugs onto prison grounds and caught arranging the delivery of narcotics into a detox facility. Several months later he then used the prison's phone system to smuggle in meth and the opioid buprenorphine with the assistance of two female accomplices. He was sentenced to 2.5 years after pleading guilty to two charges of supplying a dangerous drug within a correctional facility. But he was released on parole in May last year. It did not take long before he was back behind bars. He was tasered by police after being picked up on a return to prison warrant when he tried to flee. Ms Leadbetter and Mr Field were expecting their first child in the next few months A woman pays her respects at the intersection of Finucane Road and Vienna Drive at Alexandra Hills in Brisbane where Ms Leadbetter and Mr Field were killed on Tuesday afternoon Autopsy results of the young couple killed on Australia Day will help police decide if the teenager charged with their murders faces further charges relating to the death of their unborn child. The autopsies of Ms Leadbetter, 31, and her partner Mr Field, 37, who were killed when they were hit by an allegedly stolen car in the Brisbane suburb of Alexandra Hills, are taking place on Thursday. 'We will await analysis of the autopsies but also legal advice in considering any further charges that might be applicable in this case,' Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd told reporters on Wednesday. While he could not go into detail about the 17-year-old alleged offender's history with the case before the court, Mr Codd said some of the reporting had been incorrect. 'There is some reporting about the offender being on bail for a large number of serious criminal offences analogous to the incident that we saw on Tuesday. That is not correct,' he said. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she is open to tightening bail laws if necessary She said the community and governments needed to step up and deal with youth justice but she was careful when asked if magistrates needed to do the same. Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said Queensland's breach of bail laws were broken. Kate Leadbetter (right) was six months pregnant and excited to start a family with her long-term boyfriend Matty Field (left) when they were rundown and killed in Brisbane on Tuesday 'We've long advocated for a bit of common sense in the Youth Justice Act, we've long advocated that breach of bail should again be an offence,' he said. 'We will hold the government to account. I do not want to wait four years because there will be more people whose lives are ripped apart.' Police allege the 17-year-old male ran a red light and deliberately collided with a truck at an intersection before the 4WD rolled and ploughed into the couple who were crossing the road. Outside court on Wednesday, the teen's lawyer Patrick Horgan said it had been a 'very traumatic experience for everyone involved' and declined to comment further. The teen has been remanded to reappear by video link in March. The coronavirus pandemic has been rough on virtually everyone. But those who have been single through the isolation, fear and upheaval say theyve been confronted with a distinct set of challenges not necessarily more or less severe than those who are coupled up, but different. Some who said they were content with being single before the pandemic have nonetheless struggled with what theyre missing in emotional support and even routine physical touch. The first few months I thought: This is OK, I can work on myself, said Gagan Bhatnagar, 35, a clinical oncology consultant in London. But then it just dragged on. One day I realized it had been three months since I had touched a human being. With a widely shared Twitter thread in December, Mr. Bhatnagar tapped into a wide range of single angst. The thousands of responses he received indicated single people often felt their needs were being overlooked or dismissed, and they frequently felt guilty about expressing them. Whats a bit of mopey loneliness when others are dying? While everyone has their own level of comfort with being single there are plenty of people perfectly fine spending time alone those who responded to Mr. Bhatnagars thread, publicly and privately, expressed similar frustrations, he said. Rabbi Yanky Majesky and his brother Rabbi Noach Majesky at the grand photo with thousands of Chabad rabbis from around the globe. As part of their popular monthly zoom series of guest lectures "Physically apart - Emotionally together," Chabad will be hosting Rabbi Noach and Alti Majesky, Chabad Shluchim in Ghana, Africa. The zoom meeting will take place on Feb. 11, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. and participants will learn what Jewish life is like in Ghana and how this dedicated couple managed to build a community in this third world country. "I'm excited to be speaking with the Orlando Jewish community," said Rabbi Noach Majesky who is also the younger brother of Rabbi Yanky Majesky of Chabad North Orlando. "For many years, bef... Copyright 1995 - . 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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. (Newser) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was "appalled" to learn Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who once endorsed executing the speaker, was appointed to the House Education Committee. "What could they be thinking?" Pelosi said of Republican House leaders on Thursday, per Politico. "Or is thinking too generous of a word for what they might be doing?" She said the appointment showed "the disregard" GOP members have for the deaths of children in school shootings at Sandy Hook in Newtown, Conn., and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla.events Greene has claimed were staged. And the speaker wasn't alone. Committee chair Rep. Bobby Scott called on House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to "explain how someone with this background represents the Republican party on education issues." He added the appointment was supposed to reflect members' "commitment to serving students, parents, and educators." Some Sandy Hook parents are chiming in as well. Jake Tapper tweeted a statement from Mark Barden, father of Daniel Barden, and Nicole Hockley, mother of Dylan Hockley, that reads in part, "Having a Sandy Hook and Parkland denier on the House Education and Labor Committee is an attack on any and every family whose loved ones were murdered in mass shootings." Fellow Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger said Greene should be denied the privilege of serving on any committee, calling her a "Republican In Name Only," per Politico. The outlet reports freshman GOP Rep. Nancy Mace has also criticized Greene in private. story continues below This comes after a deep dive into Greene's social media accounts. Per the Daily Intelligencer, Greene has claimed 9/11 was an inside job, said Muslims don't belong in government, and spread an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory suggesting 2018 California wildfires were caused by a space laser connected to the Rothschild family. "She saw the Austin Powers movie and thought it was a documentary, I guess," Jimmy Kimmel quipped Thursday, per the New York Times. He added House Republicans had appointed their "screwiest, Q-iest member" to the Education Committee "hoping, I guess, she would get one." Late Show host Stephen Colbert noted Greene's support for executing top Democrats is "probably going to complicate this year's congressional Secret Santa: 'Huh, let's see what I get here. Uh, my person gave me a severed horses head? I thought there was a $25 limit.'" McCarthy has already had private conversations with Greene, who has also joined the House Budget Committee, "in an attempt to rein in some of her most extreme rhetoric," per Politico. In response to the latest criticism, he said he would speak to Greene again about her "disturbing" comments. Democrats are taking steps of their own, including introducing a privileged resolution to expel Greene from Congress. While it's unlikely to pass, it would force "every single lawmaker, including members of GOP leadership, to go on the record when it comes to Greene," per Politico. (Read more Marjorie Taylor Greene stories.) Assassinations are continuing to plague southern Syria, with members of the Central Committees, who are trying to implement the reconciliation agreements, being targeted reports Enab Baladi. The Central Committees in Daraa Governorate were formed in 2018. The committees are tasked with negotiating and implementing the settlement agreement, after the regime spread its control over the southern region. Seven central committee members were targeted in individual operations, ranging from direct assassinations by shooting to explosive devices. The last person to have been targeted was a member of the Central Committee for the Western Region, Mahmoud Ibrahim al-Banat. Banat, the former judge of the Dar al-Adl (Abode of Justice) court in Nawa, was killed outside his house in the town of Muzayrib in the western countryside of Daraa, on Jan. 21, 2021. He was subjected to a previous assassination attempt in July 2019, by an unknown perpetrator. The latter targeted a convoy of the Central Committee, on May 28, which resulted in the injury of committee member, Mahmoud al-Bardan, a former leader of the Army of the Revolution, who was severely wounded, and the killing of four bodyguards. Committee members pointed the finger of accusation at the Islamic State (ISIS), who did not claim responsibility at the time. On Jul. 12, a member of the Central Committee from the northern countryside of Daraa, Yasser al-Danaifat, nicknamed Abu al-Bakr al-Hassan, the official spokesperson for the Army of the Revolution, was assassinated. The Army of the Revolution was one of the southern front factions during the oppositions control of the governorate. On Aug. 15, a member of the Daraa Committee, Ramzi Abu Zeid, died in a minefield in northern Syria, while he was trying to migrate to the opposition-held areas. Last September, a committee member, Sheikh Abu al-Bara al-Jalam, was assassinated outside his house in the city of Jasim. Jalam was a judge at the Dar al-Adl in Nawa. At that time, Faisal Abu Zeid, accused one of the committee members, in a post on his Facebook page, the head of the Security Committee Chief in Daraa, Maj. Gen. Husam Louka, of being behind the assassination. On Oct. 6, unknown gunmen on a motorcycle shot the media coordinator of the Central Committee, Shadi al-Sarhan, in the city of Dael. On Oct. 14, unknown persons assassinated the former leader and member of the Central Committee, Adham al-Karrad, on the Damascus-Daraa road, after his car was shot at, and bombs were thrown in its direction until the vehicle caught fire. Accusations all around The Central Committees are made up of former Free Army leaders, dignitaries, and civil activists. Their work centers around negotiating with the Russian side and the regime regarding the implementation of the terms of the settlement agreement. The terms relate to the release of detainees and agreeing on the fate of the dissidents and dismissed state workers. There are three Central Committees in Daraa. The Western Region Committee, whose prominent members are Mahmoud al-Bardan, Sheikh Ahmed Buqirat, Musab al-Bardan, and Sheikh Mahmoud al-Banat; the Daraa al-Balad Committee, represented by attorney Adnan al-Masalmeh, Dr. Ziad al-Mahamid, and Sheikh Faisal Abu Zeid; and the Eastern Region Committee, supervised by the Eighth Brigade, affiliated with the Russian-backed Fifth Corps. A member of the Central Committee, who requested anonymity, told Enab Baladi that since its formation in October 2018, the committee has been subjected to security risks, whether from the regime or the Islamic State. Moreover, it is the obstinate security forces that hindered the Russian sides implementation of the promises of implementing the settlement agreement, according to his opinion. The former head of the Free Syrian Lawyers Association (FSLA), Suleiman al-Qarfan, believes that those behind the assassinations are the militias affiliated with and loyal to Iran, because the central committees today are standing against the Iranian incursion into the south and fighting its presence, he told Enab Baladi. According to Qarfan, the popular resistance in the south escalated its pace after the committees united and the regime and its Iranian allies became fully convinced that they will not be able to extend their influence over the south if the central committees are present. Over the two and a half years that the regime forces and Russia have been controlling the southern governorate, assassinations, kidnappings, and security tensions continued to take place. They were chalked up to the struggle for influence by the Russian and Iranian allies. This article was translated and 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. Washington: Permanent fencing would remain around the US Capitol - one of Washingtons top tourist attractions, and the home of both houses of Congress - under a controversial proposal by the police force in charge of protecting the building. Yogananda Pittman, the acting chief of the Capitol Police, said on Friday (AEDT) that she believed fencing must be part of the permanent security infrastructure at the Capitol following the deadly riots on January 6. The head of the US Capitol Police wants fencing, erected for Joe Bidens inauguration, to become permanent. Credit:Bloomberg A two-metre non-scalable fence topped with barbed wire was erected around the complex ahead of President Joe Bidens inauguration and currently remains in place. The idea of a permanent barrier has been criticised by politicians from both major parties who said that, while increased security is required at the Capitol, the so-called peoples house should not be walled off from the public. The SDF has dispersed protesters in Hassakeh City after they attended a demonstration against the government siege of the city reports Al-Masdar. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) dispersed protesters on Wednesday that attended a demonstration against the siege imposed on the city by their troops. According to reports, several people gathered in Hassakehs administrative capital to protest the siege imposed by the SDF on the government-held neighborhoods of the city. The reports said the SDF troops and Asayish police forces fired gunshots in the area to disperse the crowd and put an end to the demonstration on Wednesday morning. The reports said the protest was held against the backdrop of the SDFs decision to close the exits from the government-held areas of the administrative capital. The closure had reportedly resulted in the blockage of food and supplies. The protesters tried to break the siege on the security square in the city, amid chants in support of the Syrian government and President Bashar al-Assad, the reports from the administrative capital added. The SDF has not yet commented on the incident. 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. A Casino owner and his actress wife who were arrested for flying to the Yukon to receive Covid jabs meant for vulnerable indigenous people could now face fail. Rodney Baker, 55, and 32-year-old Ekaterina Baker flew 1,700 miles from Vancouver to Beaver Creek, a community of 90 people in Canada's far northwest, on January 21. They posed as visiting hotel workers to receive shots of the Moderna vaccine from a mobile clinic but were rumbled before they could fly home. The Bakers were fined C$2,300 (US$1,800) for breaching Covid rules but community elders are demanding a tougher penalty be handed down. On Wednesday, they were ordered to appear in court and have had their tickets home put on hold. If convicted they face a maximum of six months in jail. Baker resigned as CEO of Great Canadian Gaming on Sunday but financial records show he's raked in C$45.9m on the stock exchange in the last year. Rodney Baker and his wife Ekaterina were arrested and fined for their January 21 trip Ekaterina Baker and her husband Rodney were fined $900 each for their actions Marc Miller, Canada's federal Indigenous services minister, said this week he was 'disgusted' by their actions. 'That is maybe the dumbest thing I've seen in a long while,' Miller said. 'I don't know what went through those people's minds. 'There is extreme scarcity of the doses and for some reason people tried to game the system. It's unfair. It's wrong. They need personal reflection.' Yukon's community services minister, John Streicker, said that he was outraged and that members of White River First Nation in Beaver Creek felt violated. The community was given priority to receive vaccine because of its remoteness, an elderly population and limited access to health care, White River Chief Angela Demit said. 'There is nothing more un-Canadian than going to another jurisdiction to jump the line because you have the means to do so,' British Columbia Premier John Horgan said. The solicitor general for BC, Mike Farnworth, also criticized the Bakers. 'It shows a complete lack of any sort of ethical or moral compass,' he said. The Bakers are charged with failing to self-isolate for 14 days and failing to act in a manner consistent with their declarations. They are due in a Whitehouse court on May 4. The pair, who married in 2017, had first landed in Whitehorse on January 19. Instead of respecting the mandatory 14-day quarantine, they then chartered a private jet to Beaver Creek, 1,700 miles north of their home in Vancouver. Once in the rural community they claimed to work at a local motel. Individuals living and working in the province don't need Yukon ID to be vaccinated. The government had previously announced that health cards from other jurisdictions would be accepted if the individuals were residents of the territory, and Baker and his wife gave ID from British Columbia and Ontario - the couple reportedly split their time between Vancouver and Toronto. After being vaccinated, they left. Locals were suspicious, however, and rang the motel, which confirmed the pair did not work there. Rodney and Ekaterina Baker claimed they were working at a motel near Beaver Creek Beaver Creek is home to around 100 people living near the Alaskan border in the far northwest Beaver Creek airfield, where the couple landed on January 21, were vaccinated, then left Officials working to enforce the Civil Emergency Measures Act (CEMA) went to Whitehorse airport, with the aim of meeting their plane as it landed from Beaver Creek. The pair had already disembarked, so the officials went to the place the two had listed as a quarantine location in their self-declaration, but found they were not there. Upon returning to the airport officials found the couple preparing to leave Whitehorse and issued two charges each. The maximum penalty under CEMA is a CA $500 ($390) fine plus CA $75 surcharge, six months in jail, or both. Both individuals received two fines: one for failing to self-isolate and a second for failing to follow their signed declaration, adding up to CA $1,150 ($900) each. Rodney Baker was the CEO of the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC), a major owner of casinos and race tracks across Canada, until he resigned on Sunday, after his actions caused outrage in Canada. His total annual compensation in 2019, according to the company's public financial documents, was CA $10.6 million ($8.3m). Rodney Baker was the CEO of Great Canadian Gaming Corporation from 2011 until Sunday Ekaterina Baker used her Instagram to urge her followers to respect COVID-19 lockdowns One of the Bakers' charging sheets, filled in by a CEMA representative on January 21 The second charging sheet for the Bakers. They were fined a total of CA $1,150 ($900) Russian-born Ekaterina Baker is an actress who recently had roles in the 2020 Christmas film Fatman and the 2020 comedy Chick Fight. On her now-deleted Instagram account she urged her followers to respect COVID restrictions, Yukon News reported. In a March 23 post she recorded herself with a notepad explaining reasons why she was staying home in quarantine. 'During this unique and tender time I stay home for: all the kids so they don't have to say goodbye to their parents and grandparents too soon,' she wrote. 'I stay home to be part of the solution. Everyone, stay home. It's the right thing to do,' she continued, adding that her father has diabetes and is vulnerable to the virus. PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aberdeen Global Premier Properties Fund (NYSE: AWP) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund, today announced that it paid on January 29, 2021, a distribution of US $0.04 per share to all shareholders of record as of January 22, 2021 (ex-dividend date January 21, 2021). Your Fund's distribution policy is to provide investors with a stable monthly distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital. Under U.S. tax rules applicable to the Fund, the amount and character of distributable income for each fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund's fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") and related Rules, the Fund may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders. The following table sets forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distribution for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the Rules adopted thereunder. The table has been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The table includes estimated amounts and percentages for this distribution and for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date (11/01/2020 - 12/31/2020), from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated composition of the distributions may vary from month to month because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies. Estimated Amounts of Current Monthly Distribution per share ($) Estimated Amounts of Current Monthly Distribution per share (%) Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year to Date Cumulative Distributions per share ($) Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year to Date Cumulative Distributions per share (%) Net Investment Income $0.0116 29% $0.0348 29% Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gains* - - - - Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gains - - - - Return of Capital $0.0284 71% $0.0852 71% Total (per common share) $0.0400 100% $0.1200 100% *includes currency gains The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of the Fund's current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the "Distribution Policy"). The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions in 2021 will be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The following table provides information regarding the Fund's total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Fund's annualized and cumulative distribution rates. Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ended 12/31/20201 6.93% Current Fiscal Period's Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV2 8.01% Fiscal Year to Date (11/01/2020 to 12/31/2020) Cumulative Total Return on NAV1 16.29% Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV2 1.34% 1 Return data is net of all fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund's dividend reinvestment plan. 2 Based on the Fund's NAV as of December 31, 2020. While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2010, the Fund may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Fund during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Fund, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received. Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the terms of the distribution policy. The final determination of the source of all distributions will be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report distributions for federal income tax purposes. The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. The Fund's Board of Directors has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund's market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances. Circular 230 disclosure : To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein. In the United States, Aberdeen Standard Investments is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc., Aberdeen Asset Managers Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments Australia Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments (Asia) Ltd., Aberdeen Capital Management, LLC, Aberdeen Standard Investments ETFs Advisors LLC and Aberdeen Standard Alternative Funds Limited. Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the NAV of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results. If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact [email protected] aberdeenawp.com SOURCE Aberdeen Global Premier Properties Fund The market for former New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius is getting smaller by the day. MLB Networks Jon Heyman reported earlier this week Gregorius 2 top choices are likely Phillies or Reds after (Marcus) Semien, (Andrelton) Simmons and (Freddy) Galvis all went off the board (Tuesday). Didi asking price thought to be $30M, 2 years. However Gregorius might be left with just the Phillies as a possible landing spot, because the Reds are getting ready to move on to other options at shortstop. The New York Posts Mike Puma reports The Reds have been discussing whether a trade with Cleveland for Amed Rosario might make sense. That syncs with what Heyman reported Thursday: Reds have talked about Amed Rosario as @NYPost_Mets reported. Have been trying on Didi but Gregorius may be pricey for them. Introducing Yankees Insider: Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers Gregorius, who spent the 2020 season with the Phillies on a one-year, $14 million deal, needs to be careful about overplaying his hand. Semien took a one-year, $18 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and Simmons signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Minnesota Twins. On top of that, Gregorius faces a crowded shortstop market next winter, as Semien and Simmons join Javier Baez, Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor, Trevor Story and Corey Seager as free agents. Good news is the Phillies remain interested in a reunion with Gregorius, according to MLB.coms Mark Feinsand and Todd Zolecki. Philadelphia took care of its top offseason priority on Tuesday, signing free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto to a five-year, $115.5 million contract. Get Yankees text messages: Cut through the clutter of social media and text during games with beat writers and columnists. Plus, exclusive news and analysis every day. Sign up now. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Dubbed as a 'mega' drive, the company is offering 1,000 job opportunities for both freshers and experience professionals at its campus at Gannavaram The HCL Technologies is organising a two-day virtual mega recruitment drive in Vijayawada on 12 and 13 February. The company is offering 1,000 job opportunities for both freshers and experience professionals at its campus at Gannavaram. HCL Corporate vice-president and programme director Srimathi Shivashankar said that the Gannavaram Global IT Development Centre has been functional with 1,500 employees since February 2020. Reports said that the centre, spread across 30 acres of land, was envisaged as part of Andhra Pradesh's drive to create new IT hubs in the state. Candidates who have just passed graduation and those who have two to eight years experience in key technologies like Java, chip designing, .Net, Azure, SAP, Python and others are eligible to apply. According to Srimathi, TechBee candidates who have completed intermediate with over 65 percent aggregate can apply for a one-year training programme under HCL's early career programme, following which a job in entry-level would be offered, The Hindu reported. Srimathi added that HCL also supports higher education of TechBee scholars through its tie-ups with BITS Pilani or SASTRA University. According to Srimathi, the drive aims at reaching out to professionals and freshers from the region and encourages them to come back home with exciting careers in engineering services. Omega Mart is an interactive art installation/grocery store from the New Mexico-based Meow Wolf collective set to open in Las Vegas. To promote the opening of the new art installation, Meow Wolf created a vintage promo video, which stars a fake Willie Nelson. According to their website, Omega Mart is a place where people can "explore an extraordinary supermarket that bursts into surreal worlds and unexpected landscapes." HOUSTON GETS TRIPPY: Seismique interactive art museum announces opening date The abstract concept seems disorienting but cool, and the Willie Nelson look-alike, makes it seems like a must-see establishment. The promo video gives off a "Stranger Things" vibe and gets even weirder by sticking the face of the Fort Worth country icon onto some non-Willie Nelson persons body as they describe some of what Omega Mart has to offer. The faux-Willie Nelson strolls down the grocery store aisles, explaining everything the Omega Mart has to offer. In the video, the fake Willie Nelson says, "Omega Mart has all the under-refrigerated dairy you need," as he retrieves a carton of milk from the dairy aisle, which eventually turns into a tripped-out trail of other cartons as it moves. Nelson goes on to mention the store's "free-range staff" as the employee removes an egg from their mouth. The super-weird Omega Mart commercial ends with the sound of an out-of-tune guitar being strummed. While Omega Mart may seem weird to some, it gives us Texans an idea of what a grocery store ad on LSD might be like. The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature. Europe British energy workers strikes continue Engineers and office staff at energy company British Gas are continuing their strikes, begun January 7 against an inferior contract, with a five-day walkout. The GMB union members also held 24-hour strikes on January 20, 22, and 25, and a four-day strike is planned from today. On January 22, pickets publicly burnt the new employment contracts spelling out inferior terms. The workers voted by an 89 percent majority for action. They are opposed to the companys plans to fire and rehire, putting them on a contract with less favourable conditions and a 20 percent pay cut. The strikers include 4,000 service and repair gas engineers, 1,700 smart metering engineers, 600 central heating installers, 540 electrical engineers and 170 specialist business gas engineers. The strikers carried out socially distanced pickets throughout the country. The strikes have led to a backlog of 150,000 households awaiting a service engineer. Around 70 percent of the public surveyed in a GMB poll said they would not use British Gas or would consider moving to a different energy company because of its wage-cutting actions. After the Unison union recommended around 7,000 office staff accept British Gass reduced terms, they signed the new contract, as have 4,000 non-unionised workers. British Gas parent company, Centrica, returned a 0.9 billion pre-tax profit in 2019. It has a 22 billion turnover. In a poll commissioned by the Daily Mirror newspaper, 47 percent of people thought the pay of Centricas executives should be cut rather than the pay of workers. Over the last five years four British Gas board members have earned 37 million outside their British Gas remuneration. Strike by Dutch metal and electronic workers Metal and electronic workers in the Netherlands began a stoppage on January 21. The FNV and CNV union members rejected a 2.25 percent pay offer over two years from the employers body. The workers demands include a pay rise of 60 plus one percent, a better work-life balance and equal pay for flexi workers. Among companies hit are computer chip supplier ASM, truck manufacturer DAF and steel producer ThyssenKrupp. Around 160,000 workers are covered by the contract. Strike by French teachers over pay and safety in pandemic Thousands of middle and high school teachers in France walked out Tuesday. They held marches in Paris and other main cities, joined by school nurses and students. The FSU union members were protesting the inadequate wage increase proposed by the French government. French teachers are paid seven percent less than teachers in other Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. They were also protesting their treatment during the pandemic. The Macron government has attempted to cover up the spread of infection in schools, maintaining they are safe, so workplaces can remain open for profit making. Schools remained open throughout the pandemic, along with nonessential workplaces. Despite public support for a lockdown, only small businesses are closed, with a 6pm curfew. Union suspends UK Heathrow cargo handlers stoppage The Unite union called off industrial action by UK cargo handlers at Londons Heathrow airport, after recommending a deal put forward by Heathrow Airport Limited. The cargo handlers had taken days of action over Christmas and New Year, with more strikes planned next week. The workers voted almost unanimously to walk out over plans to fire and rehire the entire workforce on inferior terms. Some workers faced losing a quarter of their income under the new terms. The union initially refused to set strike dates, hoping to reach agreement with management, as it did in other sectors of BA. Following the failure of talks, the first strike went ahead on Christmas Day. Unite did not organise pickets, citing COVID-19 fears. Workers will be balloted over the proposed deal, which is reported to include no compulsory redundancies and a pay rise for most staff. A key point in the deal states: Workers will revert to previous contractual provisions subject to agreed changes [emphasis added]. Unite assistant general secretary Howard Beckett said, Unite recognises the personal involvement of Sean Doyle, the new CEO of BA, as significant in achieving a negotiated settlement that our reps now feel able to recommend to our members. Unlike BAs passenger sector, the cargo handling company has not suffered any reduction in business as a result of the pandemic. Fears over a no-deal Brexit led to increased demand for cargo services. Strike by Deliveroo food delivery workers in Dublin Deliveroo delivery workers in Dublin, Ireland began a two-hour withdrawal of their services from 6pm on January 22. The delivery workers, classed as self-employed so not entitled to sick pay or paid leave, were protesting their terms and conditions. Drivers accuse Deliveroo of reducing their rates of pay last month. They also highlighted the lack of security, with workers saying they have been attacked and had their bikes stolen. Many restaurants in the city took to social media to support the strikers. With the COVID-19 lockdown, many food outlets depend on food delivery services to maintain their businesses. Deliveroo has around 1,000 delivery workers across Ireland and services around 1,800 restaurants. Parcel delivery service workers walk out at Liege airport, Belgium FedEx parcel delivery staff at Liege airport in Belgium began a 48-hour strike on January 19. They were protesting plans by US giant FedEx to cut 671 out of 1,700 jobs at the airport and review the working hours of the remaining workers. FedEx is planning a restructuring of its European wide operation that would lead to the elimination of 6,000 jobs. When FedEx took over TNT in Belgium in 2016, it stated it did not expect to cut any existing posts. Go North West bus workers in Manchester, England ballot for strike action A ballot of UK bus workers employed by Go North West in Manchester began Tuesday and will close on February 9. Any strike would begin later in February. The Unite union members are under threat of being fired and rehired on inferior terms as the company seeks to impose cuts. Go North West, part of the multi-billion pound Go Ahead group, wants to impose inferior terms including a 10 percent pay cut, working extra hours for no additional pay, and cuts to sick pay for the 500 workers. The latter could force drivers who are sick or should be self-isolating into work. In a consultative ballot held September last year, the workers voted by a 94 percent majority to be prepared to take action against the attacks. The union did not proceed to a strike ballot, instead appealing to the Go Ahead groupall of your stakeholders, partners and associates, including our significant political network in the Nordic countries, Germany and Australasiato pressure Go North West to drop their plans. Unite also made proposals to save the company 1 million a year and was prepared to accept a year-long pay freeze which would save the company an additional 200,000. However, the company is still demanding more, and the union was forced to call the strike ballot. Staff at UK universities and colleges demand action over cuts In the last two weeks workers at a number of UK universities have indicated willingness to take action against proposed cuts. Last week, workers at the University of Roehampton passed a motion on an 89 percent majority calling for a move to industrial action immediately. They had previously voted by a 64 percent majority to take action in a consultative ballot. On Monday, staff at the University of Leicester voted in a meeting to oppose threats to sack 16 members of the School of Business, and to ballot on industrial action. Staff at Chichester College voted unanimously to declare a dispute in response to threats to cut posts in the Maths and English departments. The university staff are represented by the University and College Union (UCU), which is sitting on a powder keg of discontent by staff and students, whose education has been disrupted by the pandemic while they are expected to pay fees and rent. Strike by vegetable growers in Almeria, Spain Workers at Fresh Tom, a tomato grower in Almeria in southeast Spain, began an indefinite strike on January 19. Their demands include raising the monthly wage to the current Minimum Interprofessional wage of 1,180, a transport bonus and an end to temporary contracts. Their current contract was negotiated in 2005. The workers are picketing the site. Logistics staff at depot in Dartford, England to ballot for industrial action Around 350 staff at the grocery retailers regional distribution centre run by logistics firm DHL in Dartford, southeast England, will ballot for industrial action. The Unite union members are opposing the suspension of a Unite representative, who represented a worker at a meeting with management. Management accuse him of acting aggressively, which he denies with support from a neutral observer. Following a recent management structure change at DHL, the company is seeking to impose attacks on the workforce. Around 120 DHL staff at Croxteth in Liverpool resumed strike action in the New Year and have held a 48-hour strike with further action planned for February 2-5, and 8-9. The DHL staff are under contract to Burton Biscuits and AB World Foods. The Unite members are seeking an improved pay offer and accuse management of bullying tactics. Strike by aerospace engineers at UK Royal Air Force base Around 40 UK aerospace engineers providing operational and engineering services at the Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Leeming, North Yorkshire went on strike on January 20, as well as beginning an overtime ban. The Unite union members are demanding to be paid a shift pay premium in line with colleagues at RAF Valley in Wales. The non-payment of the shift premium leaves the Leeming workers around 5,000 a year out of pocket. Porters set to strike at hospital in Birmingham, England UK porters at Heartlands hospital in Birmingham are to begin a three-day strike on February 1. The Unison union members are involved in a long-running dispute over hospital management plans to impose rota changes. They have already held 11 days of strikes. The chair of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust seeking to impose the changes is the Blairite former Labour government Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith. Strike by scaffolders at British Steel Scunthorpe plant Around 50 UK scaffold erectors at British Steels Scunthorpe plant began a 48-hour strike on Monday. They held socially distanced picket lines. The Unite union members are employed by contractor Brand Energy. They have been involved in a long-running dispute since 2019, seeking to be paid the hourly rate as determined by the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry. Their current rate is 2 short of that figure. Brand Energy has refused to negotiate with Unite. The workers voted 100 percent for action. Further strikes are planned for Monday and Wednesday next week and the following week. IT staff at University of Brighton to strike IT staff at the University of Brighton on Englands south coast are to strike from February 8 to 12. They are currently conducting a work to rule. The UCU members are opposed to compulsory redundancy plans as part of a restructuring of the university IT department, under which a third of the IT staff are to be made redundant. The workers took several days of strike action in December over the issue. Workers at UK retail chain Wilko face attack on sick pay Workers at UK general products retailer Wilko face a cut in sick pay. Workers are entitled up to four instances of sick leave on company sick pay from day one for each twelve-month period. From February 1, however, workers will not be entitled to the scheme after one instance of sickness. Wilko stores have remained open throughout the pandemic, and its workers have been on the frontline. The GMB union which represents some Wilko staff informed the company it will launch an industrial action ballot if the attacks go ahead. Middle East Lebanese protests over lack of financial help during COVID-19 lockdown Protests took place targeting government buildings in Tripoli and Saida, Lebanon. Unlike previous lockdowns, no financial help has been provided to workers unable to work during the current lockdown, which is scheduled to last until at least mid-February. Grocery shops are closed and only offer home delivery, but such deliveries are often not available in poorer areas. Lebanon, with a population of 6 million, has seen 289,660 COVID-19 cases and 2,503 deaths. Strike of hospital workers at Palestinian hospital in Jerusalem Around 850 workers at the al-Makassed Palestinian hospital in Jerusalem, Israel came out on strike Monday. The workers have not been paid since October and so cannot afford to buy food for their families or even pay the bus fares to get to work. The hospital, established in 1968, treats Palestinians from Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem and is known as the hospital of the poor. It has debts of around $49 million, and the hospital workers union hold the hospital management responsible for the dire financial situation. Strike by Moroccan postal workers A nationwide strike of postal workers in Morocco ended January 17, after 11 days, when the Moroccan government called on the Poste Maroc (postal service) management to begin negotiations with the workers union FNPL-UMT. The workers struck over a series of issues, including poor working conditions and lack of promotion for postal workers. During the strike, protests were held in Casablanca and Marrakesh. Africa Nigerian non-teaching university staff to strike in February Non-teaching staff at Nigerias federal universities are preparing to strike from midnight on February 5, to demand the government honours an agreement made October 20. Seven issues were agreed then between the government and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Educational Institutions. Six have been addressed, and one only partially. The demands include ending the long-term neglect and cuts in university funding, removal of inconsistencies in the implementation of the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System, payment of unpaid allowances and arrears, and payment of benefits to retirees. The union complained that N40 billion released to the universities by the government was misspent. South African Macsteel strike ends after union negotiates sellout deal Workers at steel manufacturer and distributor Macsteel Service Centres, South Africa, on nationwide strike January 18 to protest 99 redundancies in December, returned to work Monday after the union negotiated a deal which does not guarantee jobs. Under mutual consensus between the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and Macsteel, the company will endeavour to place every employee who was retrenched into a new position by the end of February and as far as is reasonably possible, Macsteel will ensure that they do not earn less than they earned before retrenchment, [emphasis added] according to union secretary-general Irvin Jim. The company said it remains committed to adapting to changing economic conditions. The settlement states that anyone taking up a vacant post will be considered a new employee from January 1, and NUMSA agreed not to resume strike action if workers refuse to accept the offered vacancies. Delivery drivers low pay stoppage at Uber Eats in South Africa Uber Eats self-employed delivery drivers in South Africa went on national strike January 21 for an increase in the fees they receive. They picketed outside the larger fast-food outlets and at Ubers head office in Johannesburg. Last month, the Uber Driver Partners Association members stopped work for two days in protest. Some have seen their average earnings halve in the last three years. They also want Uber Eats to stop giving preference to labour brokers, who charge workers large fees, while those who apply direct wait months for a contract. One driver stated, Uber Eats boasts of huge profits, which sit in the billions of dollars, while totally neglecting and treating driver partners like slaves. Enough is enough. We are united and we are tired. South African teachers oppose reopening schools Teachers in South Africa are fighting to keep schools closed as the country faces the new COVID-19 variant. As infection rates rise, they say the governments Department of Basic Education (DBE) is not doing enough to protect teachers and pupils. The South African Democratic Teachers Union and the National Professional Teachers Union of South Africa members quote the World Health Organisation, which recommends that a country must have a 14-day consecutive decline of COVID-19 infections before reopening schools. This is not the case in South Africa, yet the DBE intends to open schools on February 15. The DBE, the School Governing Bodies Association, the Independent Schools Association and the Colleges of Public Health Medicine (CPHM) insist schools are Covid safe, offering a more controlled environment. The head of the CPHM said, We cannot have our children miss another year of schooling I dont disregard the fears but the harm to the children is more worrying. The real motivation is so workers can rely on school childcare while continuing to make profits in the workplace. A teachers spokesperson said, We cant understand why close to a million teachers must return now this is surely a superspreader event waiting to happen. Around 2,000 teachers have died of COVID-19 in South Africa. The country has reported 1,430,648 cases and 42,550 deaths. Namibian Shoprite retail workers strike ends, union agrees to forego future pay rise Over 2,000 retail workers from Shoprite, Checkers and U-Save stores in Namibia, on strike since December 23, will return to work Monday. They were demanding a pay increase of N$600, a minimum wage of N$2,500 and allowances for housing and transport. The Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union agreed an increase N$250 per month for permanent workers and a minimum salary of N$2,500 per month. Permanent employees earning N$9,71 per hour or more will get a one-off payment of N$1,000. In February, workers will receive back pay from July 2020 to the end of January 2021. The union, however, agreed their members will forego any future increase if the statutory minimum wage rises, according to the Namibian. Senegalese postal workers strike to demand government pays its debt From January 22, Senegalese postal workers engaged in strikes and sit-ins to demand the government pays its US$115 million debt to the state-owned postal service. La Poste du Senegal employees were denied their December salaries until January and are concerned that their January payments will be delayed. In December, police teargassed postal workers in a sit-in in front of La Poste du Senegal headquarters in the capital city, Dakar. Postal union leaders met with the Minister of Digital Economy and Telecommunications to discuss a deal. Ethiopian garment makers complain to media of their unpaid work Garment makers at Indochine Apparel and KGG Garments in Ethiopia complained to the media of being forced to do unpaid work and denied basic safety requirements for stopping the spread of COVID-19. In the last months of 2020, workers were forced to work unpaid overtime to compensate for a drop in production when hundreds of workers failed to return to their jobs after being furloughed due to the pandemic. One worker complained she had been working an extra six hours a week without pay. The two companies in Ethiopia supply fashion chains including Levi Strauss & Co and H&M. Ethiopia reported 135,045 coronavirus cases and 2,083 fatalities. SAN DIEGO, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- J. Douglas Hines, chairman of Atlantic Natural Foods, LLC (ANF), the leading shelf-stable manufacturer of award-winning Loma Linda and TUNO brands, today released the following statement: "We have been advised by several sources in Europe and North America, including media outlets, that Dutch company Schouten Europe B.V. is preparing to launch a plant-based tuna alternative called 'TuNo'. "TUNO is a registered trademark of Atlantic Natural Foods, and our TUNO-branded, plant-based seafood alternative products have been in commerce since 1984. Atlantic Natural Foods assumed the plant-based seafood alternative products under the globally known TUNO trademark when the company acquired the Loma Linda brand product portfolio from Kellogg in 2014. TUNO products are sold throughout Europe, as well as North America and Australia in both retail and catering applications. "Loma Linda is the oldest vegetarian brand with a 100-year-old history dating back to John Kellogg, and currently maintains several registrations in North America and Europe, with TUNO being one. "Although we encourage new and creative product creation in the plant-based world, the claim by the Dutch company Schouten B.V. has clearly infringed on our rights and mission and has created confusion in the marketplace. Further, as our company has dedicated years towards quietly effecting change on the seas, TuNo clearly infringes on our mission. Therefore, we are committed to vigorously defending our rights and the purity of our TUNO asset. We've engaged European/Dutch counsel to advance our rights before the Hague if required, though we hope this is not necessary. Although we are based in North America, our partners in London and Europe are a critical part of the brand's dedicated future and have a material effect of this announcement. "This year continues to be a challenge, but we do not want to lose sight of our mission and values as we continue to create healthy food for the world." For more information on Atlantic Natural Foods or its products, please visit www.atlanticnaturalfoods.com. About Atlantic Natural Foods Headquartered in Nashville, N.C., Atlantic Natural Foods is the leading shelf stable manufacturer and provider of Loma Linda, TUNO, neat and Kaffree Roma brand products. Its mission is to provide affordable, sustainable and healthy sources of plant-based protein food for all lifestyles and people to live healthier, longer lives. The company operates its own manufacturing facility as well as a joint venture project in Thailand. The brands are sold throughout the U.S. and in 30 countries, including the U.K., EU, Switzerland and Australia. To learn more about Atlantic Natural Foods, please visit www.atlanticnaturalfoods.com or follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. MEDIA?CONTACT:?? Shelby Hudak?? (619) 234-0345?? AtlanticNaturalFoods@havasformula.com ?? A parliamentary inquiry into the NSW governments council grants scandal will be expanded to scrutinise new allegations of pork barrelling over a $177 million state and federal bushfire relief fund, of which the majority was allocated to Coalition-held electorates. The upper house inquiry will call for new submissions to examine the handout of the grants after only $2.5 million of the first round of funding went to the NSW Labor-held seats of Cessnock and Lismore, analysis done by inquiry chair Greens MP David Shoebridge reveals. Greens MP David Shoebridge. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer None was received in the Labor held seat of the Blue Mountains, or in the electorates held by the NSW Greens or the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers. In November, the federal and state governments announced $177 million had been fast-tracked to 71 projects under the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery fund. Among the allocated grants was a $3.6 million for an engineered coastal seawall in Nambucca, $11 million to build a Macleay Valley Skydiving Adventure Park and $10 million to upgrade the Tumut Mill in the Snowy Valleys region. It was an eyesore when two street pastors clashed at the Ikeja bus stop in Lagos, Nigeria to fight on who is supposed to stand there and preach. One of the most lucrative business ventures is street preaching and that field is chocked to the brim not only in Ghana but in Nigeria. Walk almost every nook and cranny and you are sure to find a man or woman with a microphone and a small sound system and a box preaching. A viral video has captured two preachers who were seriously arguing on who was supposed to occupy a spot to preach the word of God. They quarreled and it almost turned to about because none will agree and let the other preach at their anointed place more like their cash cow. Watch the video below. Moment two preachers fight over preaching space in Ikeja, Lagos pic.twitter.com/treu1d6Xvm Laila Ijeoma | Lailasnews.com (@LailaIjeoma) January 29, 2021 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 STORRS The University of Connecticut reported nine new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, data from the schools public dashboard shows. Six of the new cases were among students, of whom three are residential students at UConns Storrs campus and three live off campus. Off-campus students with an in-person obligation (class, research, employment) at Storrs or any regional location must test negative before they can come to campus. The University expects to receive a majority of those results this week, a letter from UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said. Students are currently taking classes online online until Monday. A handful of other colleges and universities have also begun reporting COVID-19 data as students return for the spring semester. Quinnipiac University in Hamden reported three new cases Wednesday, all among off-campus students. The university reports 24 currently active cases. The University of Bridgeport reported 19 new cases last week, according to its dashboard. Classes are set to resume there Monday. The University of New Haven in West Haven reported eight new cases in the last seven days, with 15 active student cases and three among staff. A total of 24 students there are in quarantine, according to the universitys dashboard. Wesleyan University in Middletown reported no new cases Monday, the most recent days results available, but one student and one employee are currently listed as active cases. Sacred Heart University in Fairfield reported two new cases Wednesday, both among students living on campus, according to the universitys dashboard. Students moved back in earlier this week. Central Connecticut State University reported one new case among its commuter students and one new residential student case Wednesday. Four people there are in isolation. Connecticut College in New London has reported one new case so far this week, with one active case among students and five among employees. Yale University reported seven new cases on Tuesday, the most recent data available, and 29 cases in the previous seven days. VAUGHAN, ON, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - CannTrust Holdings Inc. ("CannTrust" or the "Company") today announced the issuance of a CCAA Representation Order by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice subject to proceedings under Canada's Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act ("CCAA"). Today's order appoints certain representatives to represent the interests of certain Securities Claimants and appoints counsel for them, subject to some limited exceptions. The Court also granted an extension to the stay of proceedings, until April 30, 2021. Please see below for full notice. IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES' CREDITORS ARRANGEMENT ACT, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-36, AS AMENDED AND IN THE MATTER OF A PLAN OF COMPROMISE OR ARRANGEMENT OF CANNTRUST HOLDINGS INC., CANNTRUST INC., CTI HOLDINGS (OSOYOOS) INC. AND ELMCLIFFE INVESTMENTS INC. (the "Applicants") NOTICE OF CCAA REPRESENTATION ORDER On March 31, 2020, the Applicants commenced proceedings (the "CCAA Proceedings") under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act ("CCAA") pursuant to an order of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) (the "Court"). Ernst & Young Inc. has been appointed as the monitor of the Applicants (the "Monitor") by the Court. On January 29, 2021, the Court issued an order (the "CCAA Representation Order") appointing certain representatives and representative counsel, as detailed further below. All capitalized terms used but not defined in this Notice have the meaning given to them in the CCAA Representation Order. TAKE NOTICE THAT, pursuant to the CCAA Representation Order, subject to certain limited exceptions set out therein: the CCAA Canadian Representatives have been appointed to represent the interests of all Canadian and Non-U.S. Securities Claimants in the CCAA Proceedings in relation to their Securities Claims and any related claims; the CCAA U.S. Representatives have been appointed to represent the interests of the U.S. Securities Claimants in the CCAA Proceedings in relation to their Securities Claims and any related claims; A. Dimitri Lascaris Law Professional Corporation, Henein Hutchinson LLP, Kalloghlian Myers LLP and Strosberg Sasso Sutts LLP ("CCAA Canadian Representative Counsel") have been appointed as counsel for the Canadian and Non-U.S. Securities Claimants in the CCAA Proceedings in relation to their Securities Claims and any related claims, and are authorized and directed to take instructions from the CCAA Canadian Representatives; Weisz Fell Kour LLP in association with Labaton Sucharow LLP ("CCAA U.S. Representative Counsel" and collectively with CCAA Canadian Representative Counsel, "CCAA Representative Counsel") have been appointed as counsel for the U.S. Securities Claimants in the CCAA Proceedings in relation to their Securities Claims and any related claims, and are authorized and directed to take instructions from the CCAA U.S. Representatives; and the CCAA Representatives and CCAA Representative Counsel are authorized to, among other things, negotiate with respect to the settlement of Securities Claims and the prosecution or settlement of any related claims and the development of the CCAA Plan and any related definitive documentation. Copies of the CCAA Representation Order and other documents related to the CCAA Proceedings may be obtained from the case website maintained by the Monitor at http://www.ey.com/ca/canntrust. If you have any questions regarding these matters, you may contact CCAA Canadian Representative Counsel, CCAA U.S. Representative Counsel and/or the Monitor as follows: CCAA Canadian Representative Counsel: A. Dimitri Lascaris Law Professional Corporation, Henein Hutchinson LLP, Kalloghlian Myers LLP and Strosberg Sasso Sutts LLP Email: [email protected] Tel: 519-561-6296 CCAA U.S. Representative Counsel: Weisz Fell Kour LLP Email: [email protected] Tel: 416-613-8281 Labaton Sucharow LLP Email: [email protected] Tel: 212-907-0859 Monitor: Ernst & Young Inc. Telephone: 1-855-224-0800 or 416-943-2091 Fax: 416-943-3300 Email: [email protected] About CannTrust CannTrust is a federally regulated licensed cannabis producer. We are proudly Canadian, operating a portfolio of brands including estora, Liiv and Synr.g, specifically designed to surprise and delight patients and consumers. At CannTrust, we are committed to providing an exceptional customer experience, as well as consistent and quality products through standardized processes. Our greenhouse produces Grade A cannabis flower, which is currently sold in dried flower, oil drops and capsule formats. Founded in 2013, our continued success in the medical cannabis market and subsequent expansion into the recreational business, led to us being named Licensed Producer of the Year at the Canadian Cannabis Awards 2018. CannTrust is committed to research and innovation, investing in developing technologies for new products in the medical, recreational, and wellness markets, while contributing to the growing body of evidence-based research regarding the use and efficacy of cannabis. Learn more at www.canntrust.com. SOURCE CannTrust Holdings Inc. Related Links https://www.canntrust.ca/ 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 ROME, JAN 29 - President Sergio Mattarella on Friday gave Lower House Speaker Roberto Fico an "exploratory mandate" to see if it is possible to form a new government based on the same coalition that backed outgoing Premier Giuseppe Conte's executive. Conte quit as premier on Tuesday after ex-premier Matteo Renzi's Italia Viva (IV) party triggered a crisis pf government in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic by pulling its support for the government. Fico is set to get back to Mattarella by Tuesday after talks. (ANSA). .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal A television reporter stationed in Roswell posed as a police officer several times in 2020 and was apparently very convincing, according to court documents. The ruse allegedly included 27-year-old Cory King equipping his personal car with emergency lights and sirens, wearing tactical gear, a badge and a gun on his hip and blowing through stop signs and red lights while joining real officers conducting police business. He even fooled other officers into believing he was a cop, court documents say. But he also made it easier for officers to file charges against him because he recorded some of these pursuits on a personal camera. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ King, a reporter for KRQE-TV, is charged with four counts of impersonating a peace officer and two counts of reckless driving. All the charges are misdemeanors. A criminal complaint says King impersonated an officer on four separate occasions between March and June 2020 by responding to police calls in his personal vehicle while having emergency lights activated, including one instance where he ran several stop signs and a red light. On one of those occasions, Chaves County deputies believed King was a State Police officer in an unmarked car and asked him to help stop traffic during a pursuit. In another incident, King, dressed in tactical gear with a gun on his hip, allegedly followed a person he suspected of driving drunk to his home and blocked him in the driveway until deputies got there. KRQE said in an online post on Wednesday that King has been suspended pending an investigation. A person who answered the phone at KRQE-TV Thursday said the station couldnt comment further on the matter. King was issued a criminal summons and is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 12, and its unclear if he has a lawyer. He could not be reached by phone Thursday. According to a criminal complaint filed by State Police Agent Kai Perez in Chaves County Magistrate Court: On March 27, King was in a vehicle with emergency lights when he joined a pursuit on U.S. 380 in Chaves County. After the pursuit, State Police Capt. Lance Bateman told Perez that Chaves County deputies at the scene asked the person in the vehicle, which they thought was an unmarked State Police car, to stop traffic. Captain Bateman said there was no unmarked New Mexico State Police unit assisting with the pursuit and they later learned it was Mr. Kings vehicle being mistaken as a police unit, the complaint says. In April, a Roswell man was driving home when King got behind him, started flashing orange lights and followed him all the way to his house, blocking him in the driveway. The man told Perez that he thought King was in a police vehicle and that King got out of his car wearing tactical gear, a gun on his hip and a radio. King was issued a citation for impersonating a peace officer by Chaves County deputies for this incident, but Perez wrote that it was never filed in court. Agents interviewed King on June 25. He told them that he never told the man he suspected of drunken driving that he was a peace officer and that he activated his emergency lights because he was scared. He said he had just gotten done doing a security job and thats why he was wearing a security guard uniform. Agents executed a search warrant on Kings car and seized several electronic devices, including a GoPro camera King used to capture several pursuits. The camera had a video from May 5 with a caption that says EnRoute to a shooting where King is driving with lights and a siren activated. Another video from June 4 shows King running through six stop signs and a red light during a pursuit involving the Roswell Police Department. He then got behind an RPD car to go around other vehicles yielding to law enforcement. RPD dash cam video shows Kings blue Ford Explorer with red and blue emergency lights on. Married life certainly seems to be agreeing with Samantha Armytage. Almost a month after marrying businessman Richard Lavender, the 44-year-old Sunrise host happily showed off her wedding and engagement rings during a shopping trip. Samantha was spotted shopping in Sydney's Paddington on Thursday after hosting the hit Channel Seven breakfast show earlier in the day. Loved up: Married life certainly seems to be agreeing with Samantha Armytage. Almost a month after marrying businessman Richard Lavender, the 44-year-old Sunrise host happily showed off her wedding and engagement rings The TV host looked chic in a white miniskirt, which she paired with a loose-fitting black button-up shirt. She rounded out her summery ensemble with a pair of snakeskin slip-on sandals, and carried a camel-coloured tote bag. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was tied up in a half-up, half-down style with a topknot, and her stunning diamond wedding and engagement rings added some extra glamour. Shop girl: Samantha was spotted shopping in Sydney's Paddington on Thursday after hosting the hit Channel Seven breakfast show earlier in the day Newlywed: Samantha tied the knot with Richard at his 40-hectare property in the picturesque NSW Southern Highlands on December 31 After stopping in at a local boutique, Samantha was spotted trying on a variety of headbands. Looking at her reflection in a mirror, Samantha tried on a black braided headband along with a pale pink headband. She then left the store and returned to her car, which was parked out on the street, navigating the wet weather. Something small: They exchanged vows in a ceremony at his home shortly before midday, then moved to a luncheon at the Centennial Vineyards Restaurant in Bowral Stylish: The TV host looked chic in a white miniskirt, which she paired with a loose-fitting black button-up shirt Her outing came after a report by The Sydney Morning Herald last month, which claimed her position at Seven was 'one of the biggest question marks of 2021'. Samantha denied the allegations and accused the journalist who authored the piece of doing a hatchet job on her because Sunrise had beaten Nine's Today show in the ratings. The Channel Nine-owned newspaper claimed Samantha's priorities may shift from her career to 'marriage and starting a family' with Richard, 60. Tied up: Her shoulder-length blonde hair was tied up in a half-up, half-down style with a topknot, and her stunning diamond wedding and engagement rings added some extra glamour Accessorising: After stopping in at a local boutique, Samantha was spotted trying on a variety of headbands A Sydney Morning Herald spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia last month: 'We stand by Andrew Hornery's story.' Channel Seven declined to comment at the time. Samantha tied the knot with Richard at his 40-hectare property in the picturesque NSW Southern Highlands on December 31. Heading home: She then left the store and returned to her car, which was parked out on the street, navigating the wet weather Heading out: The Sunrise star was seen glancing down at the ground as she left the store and made her way back outside They exchanged vows in a ceremony at his home shortly before midday, then moved to a luncheon at the Centennial Vineyards Restaurant in Bowral. Samantha looked stunning on her special day in a white long-sleeve dress by Carla Zampatti with a matching ribbon in her hair. The intimate ceremony featured only a small number of guests due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Richard's daughters, Sasha and Grace, believed to be in attendance. Just married: Samantha and Richard Lavender (left) started dating in April 2019, and announced their engagement in June last year A source told Daily Mail Australia of the nuptials: 'Champagne was flowing, and at one point they had several waiters attending to their every need. 'However, they didn't get any VIP treatment, and while they were away from other guests, they were sitting among locals and tourists.' Samantha and Richard started dating in April 2019, and announced their engagement in June last year. 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. WWE NXT UK REPORT: NUMBER ONE CONTENDER MATCH, JORDAN DEVLIN HAS AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGER, AND MORE WWE Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin makes his way to the ring. Jordan says he started this open challenge to cement his legacy with this title. When you are the Ace, you live at a certain standard. I am the longest reigning champion, but I want to be known as the greatest wrestler under 205 pounds in this company. Trent Seven makes his way to the ring and he has something to say. Trent says there is no denying that everything you said was fact. You are cementing a legacy and you have beaten everyone who has crossed your path. You talk about challenges and dominating the cruiserweight division. Maybe you need a new challenger and the division needs a new challenger. Maybe Trent Seven needs a challenge. How about I trim down under 205 and when I do, you put that title on the line against me and I will be the new challenger to step into your league. Jordan tells Trent if he can drop the kebabs and drop 30 pounds, you can have a shot at this title. Jordan wishes Trent luck and mocks him. Trent with a punch to Jordan and Jordan goes to the floor and then he goes for his title belt but Trent stands on it and he tells Jordan he will get under 205. We see The Hunt in the back with Eddie Dennis as they prepare for their number one contender match. We go to commercial. We are back with a Kay Lee Ray video package where Kay Lee Ray says she wants to face the best in the world. We have a video package for Meiko Satomura. She says that many say she is the best in the world. She mentions that she has won many titles in Japan. Now I am here in NXT UK. Be prepared. We see Sam Stoker and Lewis Howley preparing for the main event. Sam Gradwell welcomes Benny Bops to NXT UK. Despite the flags on your PE Shorts, you are from Jersey. This is not NXT Channel Islands. Jersey is a place with more cows than people and does not show up on an atlas. I am not here to be a pretty little fireworks display. I am here to be a thunderstorm who will send you back across the channel in a catamaran. Match Number One: Ben Carter versus Sam Gradwell They lock up and Gradwell pushes Carter into the ropes. Carter pushes Gradwell and Gradwell with an arm bar into a wrist lock. Gradwell continues to work on the arm and takes Carter to the mat. Gradwell continues to work on the wrist and Carter with a drop kick. Gradwell with a side head lock and Carter with another drop kick. Gradwell with an Irish whip and Carter floats over and flips across the ring. Carter with a kick and drop kick. Gradwell grabs Carter from the apron and punches Carter. Gradwell with a forearm to the back of the head. Gradwell stomps on the head and gets a near fall. Gradwell with a slam and forearm to the back of the neck. Gradwell picks up Carter from the ropes and Carter lands on his feet and gets a near fall with a rollup. Gradwell with a clothesline for a near fall. Gradwell with forearms to the back of the neck. Dradwell with a front face lock suplex for a near fall. Gradwell with another near fall. Gradwell with a reverse chin lock. Carter with punches to try to get out of the hold. Gradwell with a knee. Carter with a jaw breaker but Gradwell grabs Carter. Carter with chops. Carter with running forearms. Carter has a kick blocked but Carter with a spinning heel kick that sends Gradwell to the floor. Carter with a suicide dive onto Gradwell. Carter returns to the ring but Gradwell goes to the floor on the other side. Carter with a flip dive onto Gradwell. Carter goes for a springboard cross body but Gradwell catches Carter and Carter with a guillotine but Gradwell pushes Carter away. Gradwell gets a near fall and then he punches Carter. Gradwell gets Carter on his shoulders and Carter goes for a sunset flip. Gradwell blocks it and picks up Carter. Carter with an elevated elbow drop and a frog splash for the three count. Winner: Ben Carter We see Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews preparing in the back. Sha Samuels is in the back talking to Noam Dar as we go to commercial. We are back and we see Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter in the back. Match Number Two: Sha Samuels versus Josh Morrell They lock up and Samuels backs Morrell into the corner and he gives a clean break. They lock up and Samuels with a side head lock. Samuels with a snap mare but Morrell with a wrist lock. Samuels with a snap mare and Morrell escapes and applies a wrist lock. Samuels with a knee and he works on the upper body with a shoulder. Morrell with a wrist lock and Samuels with a forearm and slam. Samuels with a forearm to the back followed by an Irish whip. Morrell floats over and hits an arm drag but Samuels with a clothesline. Samuels with punches. Samuels with a knee to the midsection followed by a forearm to the back. Morrell with a knee and Samuels with a back body drop and Morrell lands on his shoulder. Samuels with elbows to the collarbone. Samuels kicks Morrell in the back. Samuels has some words for Morrell before he connects with a forearm to the back. Samuels with more forearms to the back. Samuels catches Morrell on a cross body attempt and Samuels with a slam but he misses an elbow drop and splash. Morrell with a drop kick. Morrell with European uppercuts followed by drop kicks. Morrell gets a near fall. Samuels with an Irish whip and Morrell flips out of the corner. Morrell with a hip toss for a near fall. Morrell misses a cross body when Samuels moves. Samuels with a clothesline. Samuels with a spinebuster and a Cobra Stretch and Morrell taps out. Winner: Sha Samuels We go to Ilja Dragunov in the Performance Centre earlier this week. He was asked about his match against Jack Starz and what happened. Ilja says he doesnt know. He says he didnt want to hurt him but he lost it completely. That wasnt the plan. Sam Gradwell walks past and says to stay away from Dragunov because we have a loose cannon in the house. Rampage Brown is asked about his time in NXT UK and he says he is having a good time so far. Mark Coffey, Joe Coffey, and Wolfgang walk past and Rampage says that since Mark and Wolfgang know what is next for them, maybe Joe needs a challenge. Joe keeps walking. We go to commercial. We are back and next week Nina Samuels will face Xia Brookside. We will also have a Jordan Devlin Open Challenge. Match Number Three: Sam Stoker and Lewis Howley versus Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster versus Wild Boar and Primate versus Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter in a Number One Contenders Elimination Match Stoker and Andrews start things off. Stoker tags in Smith with a chop before anything happens. They lock up and Smith with a wrist lock and Andrews escapes and goes for an arm drag but Smith blocks it. Andrews gets a near fall with a rollup. Smith with a waist lock take down. Webster tags in and he goes for a sunset flip but Smith stays on his feet and Andrews with a drop kick to help Webster get a near fall. Carter tags in and Webster with an arm drag into an arm bar. Andrews tags in and he hits a body scissors take down off Websters back. Andrews with a drop kick and Howley tags in and gets a near fall on Smith. We see Gallus watching as Andrews is tagged in. Smith with a leg sweep and Carter with a Silly String splash for a near fall. Smith tags in and gets a near fall after a suplex. Andrews with a kick and Andrews chops Howley to tag in him and then Webster goes to the floor so Howley cannot tag out. Smith with clotheslines as The Hunt refuse a tag. Smith with kicks and a slam attempt but Howley escapes. Primate tags in and connects with forearms to Howleys back. Stoker tries to keep Primate from hitting a German suplex and Boar tags in and they hit a double German suplex. Andrews and Webster enter the ring and they square off with The Hunt. Smith tags in and all eight men are brawling until We are down to Smith and Primate in the ring after Smith clotheslines Howley over the top rope. Primate with a back elbow for a near fall on Smith. Primate with a belly-to-back suplex and Boar tags in. Boar and Primate with a double head butt for a near fall. Boar with forearms and Smith fires back. Primate tags in and he kicks Smith in the corner. Primate with a double sledge to the back of the neck. Primate with a slam and Boar tags in and Primate drops Boar onto Smith and Boar gets a near fall. Boar with head butts to the ribs. Boar with a running shoulder into the corner to knock Carter off the apron. Smith with a back drop to Boar and Boar holds his knee. Smith cannot make the tag since Carter is not on the apron. Howley tags in and Smith with a back body drop to Howley. Webster tags in and he hits an arm drag on Howley and hits a springboard drop kick to knock Stoker off the apron and then hits a quebrada for a near fall. Stoker tags in and they go for a double suplex on Webster but Andrews catches Webster and they hit a double drop kick. Andrews with a drop kick to Primate and then Andrews and Webster with stereo flip dives onto Primate, Howley, and Stoker. Stoker with a head butt to Andrews followed by a European uppercut. Stoker runs into an elbow from Andrews. Stoker stops Andrews on the turnbuckles and sets for a superplex. Smith tags in and he goes for the tower of doom power bomb on Stoker who hits a superplex on Andrews. Howley tells Smith to pin Andrews and Andrews tags in Howley. Howley with forearms and he knocks Webster off the apron. Smith sends Howle to the apron and hits a forearm. Stoker blocks a suplex back into the ring but Carter kicks Stoker. Carter with a moonsault off Howleys back and Smith with a Falcon Arrow to Howley but Stoker makes the save. Smith with a forearm and Carter tags in and Stoker with a boot and Howley with forearms. Carter kicks Howley and Primate tags in and he comes off the ropes with a springboard move but Carter with a super kick to Primate. Howley with an uppercut and Andrews kicks Howley. Boar with a clothesline to Andrews but Webster with a head butt to Boar. Primate with a clothesline to Webster and everyone is down. Smith tags in and he connects with forearms to Primate. Primate with an exploder and Boar tags in. Primate with a splash into the corner and Boar with a cannonball. Primate tags in and Primate gets Smith on his shoulders but Boar is pulled to the floor by Andrews and Webster. Smith gets Primate on his shoulders and Carter tags in and hits a springboard Doomsday Cutter for the three count. Wild Boar and Primate Eliminated Officials are called to the ring to take Boar to the back. Howley hits Carter from behind and kicks Carter. Howley knocks Smith and Andrews off the apron and then returns to Carter. Howley with an elbow to the back of the head. Howley with a slam to Carter for a near fall. Carter sends Stoker into the turnbuckles and Carter goes for a sunset flip and Howley drops down but Carter escapes and tags in Smith. Stoker tags in as well and Smith with forearms and shoulders to Stoker and Howley. Smith with a gutwrench suplex. Smith gets Stoker on his shoulders but Stoker escapes. Smith with an OConnor Roll but Stoker kicks out and Howley tries for an uppercut from the floor but Smith blocks it. Smith punches Howley but Stoker with a rollup but Smith counters with a rollup for a near fall. Carter slides under Stoker and Smith with a kick and then he sends Carter onto Stoker with an assisted 450 splash for a near fall. Howley is sent to the apron and Andrews is tagged in and Andrews with a wheelbarrow Unprettier. Smith tags in and Andrews with an elbow and Webster tags in and Smith gets Andrews on his shoulders. Webster with a running knee to knock Carter off the apron. Webster with a boot while Andrews hits a poisonrana and Webster gets the three count. Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter Eliminated Stoker and Webster start off the final part of the match but Stoker goes for the legs and Howley with a forearm and European uppercuts. Stoker tags in and hits a running European uppercut in the corner for a near fall. Stoker sends Webster into the turnbuckles and kicks and punches Webster. Howley tags in and Webster is able to escape and tag in Andrews. Andrews with forearms and chops to Stoker and Howley. Andrews slides under Stoker and Howley and hits a double Pele Kick. Andrews with a Tiger Feint kick to Stokers back and then he connects with a shoulder on Howley. Andrews with a victory roll into a double stomp. Andrews with a rana on Howley for a near fall. Stoker sends Webster to the floor. Andrews with chops and forearms. Andrews with a forearm to Stoker on the apron and then Stoker holds the leg while Howley kicks Andrews in his surgically repaired knee. Stoker tags in and gets Andrews on his shoulders into an airplane spin and a giant swing on the leg and then a single leg crab. Andrews kicks Stoker. Stoker with a figure four leg lock on Andrews. Webster with a head scissors to Howley to break up the hold. Stoker stops Andrews from making the tag. Andrews with Stundog Millionaire and Webster tags in and hits a double stomp to the back for a near fall. Andrews sends Howley over the top rope and Andrews with a slingshot head scissors take down on the floor. Stoker with a rollup on Webster for a enar fall. Stoker is sent over the top rope onto Howley. Andrews tags in and Webster with a swanton onto Howley and Stoker. Andrews is hit in the back of the leg with a chair by Eddie Dennis while the referee was focused on the action on the other side of the ring. Howley pulls Webster off the apron. Howley tags in and they hit the Hart Attack neck breaker for the three count. Winners: Sam Stoker and Lewis Howley Howley and Stoker see the luxury box where Joe Coffey gestures to Stoker and Howley. Mark Coffey and Wolfgang come out and Coffey has to hold Wolfgang back as we go to credits. If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here! home World Franklin Graham shares the Gospel in UK despite frosty reception LGBT activists and protesters displayed rainbow flags in the city of Blackpool to protest American evangelist Franklin Graham and the three-day "Festival of Hope." "I'm glad to be in Blackpool, England, to preach the Gospel at the invitation of 200 area churches. This morning I went down to the historic Blackpool Tower where my father Billy Graham stood back in 1982 when he came here to preach," Graham wrote on Facebook Thursday, ahead of the first day of the evangelistic event. "Will you pray this weekend, that many will turn to Jesus Christ and find the hope and peace that only He can give?" he asked. Some LGBT and Muslims groups, along with a few Christian churches and local politicians in Blackpool, have spoken out against Graham this past year, arguing that he has preached messages on same-sex marriage and Islam that they find offensive. The Guardian reported that the Blackpool Tower, mentioned by Graham, will be lit up in rainbow colors and will fly an LGBT flag in opposition to the conservative Christian evangelist. "The council is a strong supporter of all equalities issues and we use the rainbow flag and its derivatives on a regular basis to demonstrate that support across the whole year," a council spokesperson said. Some politicians, such as Gordon Marsden, the Labor MP for Blackpool South, had even asked the U.K. home secretary to revoke any visa granted to Graham due to what he said is the latter's "inflammatory views" toward Muslims and LGBT people. In July, LGBT activists pressured Blackpool Transport to pull bus ads promoting the "Festival of Hope." Jane Cole, managing director at Blackpool Transport, apologized for ever allowing the ads in the first place. "Blackpool Transport is a proud ongoing supporter of the Pride and LGBT+ communities and in no way did we intend to cause any distress or upset," Cole said at the time. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, of which Franklin Graham is president, acknowledged the controversy in an article about the "Festival of Hope" on Friday. It said that no matter the "hostility" that Graham is facing, hope remains that "God will move greatly during the evangelistic event." "My message will be the simple Gospel message: a timeless message of God's hope, love and redemption for all people," Graham said. "Regardless of the hostility, I plan to preach the Word of God in Blackpool." The BGEA urged people to pray that there is "no more opposition to the Gospel message and the festival's success," and asked that the negative media attention does not prevent people from coming to the Sept. 21a23 events. This article was originally published in The Christian Post and is re-published here with permission A vial of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and UK-based drugmaker AstraZeneca is checked as they arrive at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, England, on Jan. 2, 2021. (Gareth Fuller/Pool via AP) EU Regulator Authorizes AstraZeneca Vaccine for All Adults BERLINRegulators authorized AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population. A general view of AstraZeneca offices and the corporate logo in Cambridge, England, on July 18, 2020. (Alastair Grant/AP Photo) The European Medicines Agencys expert committee unanimously recommended the vaccine to be used in people 18 and over, though concerns had been raised this week that not enough data exist to prove it works in older people. The shot is the third COVID-19 vaccine given the green light by the European Medicines Agency, after ones made by Pfizer and Moderna. Both were authorized for all adults. The decision requires final approval from the European Commission, a process that occurred swiftly with the other vaccines. Mary Williams receives an injection of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine at the mass vaccination center in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, on Jan. 11, 2021. (Scott Heppell/AP Photo) There are not yet enough results in older participants (over 55 years old) to provide a figure for how well the vaccine will work in this group, the regulator said, but added that protection is expected, given that an immune response is seen in this age group and based on experience with other vaccines. EMAs scientific experts considered that the vaccine can be used in older adults, the agency said. Many countries on the continent have been struggling to vaccinate people as quickly as Britain, Israel, the United States, and elsewhere, and it was long hoped that the AstraZeneca shot would help speed things up at a time when countries face surging cases in a pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 400,000 people in the 27-nation bloc. Eighty-two-year-old Brian Pinker receives the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from nurse Sam Foster at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford, England, on Jan. 4, 2021. (Steve Parsons/Pool Photo via AP) The EU bet heavily on the shot, which is cheaper and easier to handle than some other vaccines, with orders for 300 million doses to be delivered after authorization and options for another 100 million doses. Emer Cooke, the head of the EMA, said it was a real pleasure to authorize the vaccine. None of them is a magic wand on its own, but together they provide tools and options to prevent different aspects of the disease, she said. While the AstraZeneca vaccine has been authorized for all adults in other countries, only 12 [percent] of the participants in its research were over 55 and they were enrolled later, so there hasnt been enough time to get results. But some doctors warned that restricting the vaccines use in older people might worsen the pandemics impact, since older people have suffered more severe disease and died at a higher rate from the coronavirus. In its decision on Friday, the EMA assessed four trials in the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. The agency said the research showed the vaccine proved to be about 60 percent effective by reducing the number of people who got sick. The trials have not yet shown whether the vaccine can stop disease transmission. A paramedic draws a syringe of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine at the mass vaccination center in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, on Jan. 11, 2021. (Scott Heppell/AP Photo) A separate study testing the AstraZeneca vaccine in the United States is still underway. Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group that developed the shot together with AstraZeneca, welcomed the decision. The recommendation by the European Medicines Agency is an important milestone in extending access to the Oxford/ AstraZeneca vaccine in our region and providing further endorsement that, after the rigorous scrutiny of regulators, the vaccine can be used to help protect populations from the coronavirus pandemic, he said in a statement. While politicians have blamed supply problems for the EUs slow rollout, other factors, like onerous paperwork and poor planning, have also played a role. The EU has particularly lashed out at AstraZeneca after the drugmaker said it would initially supply less vaccine than originally anticipated. Exacerbating concerns about supplies to the bloc, which is home to some 450 million people, Moderna told countries including Italy and Denmark the company would be delivering fewer vaccines than originally expected. Jens Spahn, the German health minister, said Friday he understood many were waiting impatiently for the vaccine, but cautioned that several hard weeks of vaccine shortage still lie before us. Before the EMA announcement, Spahn had said Germany would use the regulators recommendation to decide whether the AstraZeneca vaccine should only be given to people aged 1864 for now, as suggested in a draft recommendation by the countrys independent vaccine advisory committee. Britains medicines regulatory agency also acknowledged the limited data in older people but still cleared the shot last month for all adults, with some caution for pregnant women. Julian Tang, a virologist at the University of Leicester, said he thought any recommendation to limit the vaccines use to people under 65 was understandable, but overly cautious. The AstraZeneca shot appears to offer less protection than the other two vaccines given the green light by the EMA, the Pfizer and Moderna shots, which showed roughly 95 percent efficacy rates. Two more vaccine makers also recently announced results, with Novavax saying this week that its shot appears 89 percent effective based on early findings and Johnson & Johnson saying its long-awaited single-shot vaccine was 66 percent effective at preventing moderate to severe illness. If those vaccines are eventually licensed, that could help alleviate the pressure on the worlds huge demand for the limited shots currently available. The authorization of the AstraZeneca vaccine comes amid a bitter dispute between the drugmaker and the bloc after the company said it would sharply reduce initial deliveries from 80 million doses to 31 million. Amid fears doses from AstraZeneca could be diverted outside the bloc, EU officials are expected to propose measures Friday that could be used to block vaccine shipments to non-EU countries. The AstraZeneca vaccine has already been authorized in several countries, including Britain, India, Argentina, and Mexico. The World Health Organization is also reviewing it; a recommendation from the UN health agency would allow its purchase and distribution to developing countries from a global program known as COVAX. By Frank Jordans and Maria Cheng Environment: GM chief Mary Barra is now going green after backing Donald Trump's lawsuit on emissions. Photo: Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg General Motors is promising to go green by making all of its global operations and vehicles carbon neutral by 2040, including selling only zero-emission models by 2035. The pledge is an embrace by the automaker of emission-reduction goals set by California. The state is one of the largest markets for vehicles in the US and announced plans in September to ban sales of gasoline-powered cars and trucks by 2035. GM's target for achieving company-wide carbon neutrality is 10 years ahead of rival Ford Motors goal. The company's stock rose as much as 7.4pc on the news. GM's initiative is part of chief executive Mary Barra's strategy to take on Teslas leadership in electric vehicles and change the Detroit company's image as a builder of gas-guzzling, carbon-spewing trucks and SUVs. Barra already has committed GM to spending $27bn (22bn) to build 30 electric vehicles by 2025. "General Motors is joining governments and companies around the globe working to establish a safer, greener and better world," Ms Barra said in a statement. "We encourage others to follow suit and make a significant impact on our industry and on the economy as a whole." Read More GM will have to convert every model it sells to run on battery power or possibly hydrogen to meet its target. It aims to lower the price of some electric vehicles to make them accessible to more new-car buyers. "Our focus will be offering zero-emission vehicles across a range of price points," Dane Parker, GM's chief sustainability officer, said in a call with reporters. "We're going to need to have products that appeal to all of our consumers, products they want and products that they can afford." A big challenge for GM is staying profitable as it transitions to lower-margin electric vehicles. Currently the gas-guzzling pickups and SUVs it's known for make up the majority of GM's income. Company President Mark Reuss has said the cost of GM's Ultium battery pack is coming down and its electric vehicles will be profitable. UBS said in a report published last year that most global carmakers will be able to phase out their carbon emissions by 2040. "We believe the transportation sector can be almost entirely decarbonized by 2040," the report said. "Why? New technologies have breakthroughs enabling them to start providing value at a reasonable cost, and saving energy has a feel good factor attached to it." GM plans to use renewable energy for all of its plants and buildings globally by 2035. That's five years faster than the company previously targeted. Evolving Strategy Ms Barra's move shows how the company's strategic plans have been shifting rapidly. Four months ago when California Governor Gavin Newsom announced his ban on gasoline-fueled cars starting in 2035, Ford was quick to issue a statement praising the step. GM at that time backed ex-president Donald Trump who wanted to weaken rules. Anywhere from 8 to 12 inches of snow could be dumped onto central Pennsylvania during snowstorms thatll start Sunday and last through Tuesday, forecasters said. The storm is expected to start around 11 a.m. Sunday and continue at points through 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to AccuWeather. LATEST on the storm: The Monday morning commute is going to awful, says forecaster calling for nearly a foot of snow in Harrisburg Sunday will be well below freezing, with highs near 30, the National Weather Service said. Mondays temperatures are projected to peak near 33 degrees. NWS meteorologist David Martin told PennLive Thursday night that the storms will strike in two parts between Sunday and Tuesday. Sundays will be a wet, nuisance-type that drops only a couple inches in the Harrisburg area, but the second from Monday into Tuesday could be major, Martin said. He said its too soon to say for sure how much snow this second storm will bring. Theres a slight chance of snow through Tuesday afternoon, but according to AccuWeather the bulk of the storm will have passed by Tuesday morning. Before any snow, central Pennsylvania is in for a chilly Friday worsened by more than 30 mph winds, according to the NWS. Forecasters said Saturday will be sunny, with calm winds and highs near 34. The rest of next week appears to be filled with sunshine and highs hovering the upper 30s or low 40s. READ MORE: Weekend storm may come in two parts, with second threatening more snow She welcomed her first child on Tuesday alongside her fiance Matt Sarsfield. And Charlotte Dawson hit back at a troll on Thursday who slammed her for always having her 't*ts out', as she asked for privacy. The former Ex On The Beach star, 28, shared the offensive message from an Instagram user and branded them an 'idiot' as she admitted that being in the spotlight after giving birth is 'so much pressure'. Not impressed: Charlotte Dawson hit back at a troll on Thursday who slammed her for always having her 't*ts out' as she returned home after welcoming her boy in hospital on Tuesday Charlotte shared a candid selfie at home as she thanked fans for their supportive messages while criticising those who don't respect her privacy. She said: 'Also don't appreciate comments like why haven't you said his name n put a pic on yet. 'Just because I'm in the public eye n put myself out there, can I not have a little bit of time out & privacy? I've just had a baby ffs. Like any normal human being!!!! It's so much pressure.' (sic) She proceeded to share a direct message response from a social media follower who wrote: 'Privacy? But you've had your t*ts out on nearly every pic you've posted since he's been born. Critic: The r star, 28, shared the offensive message from an Instagram user and branded them an 'idiot' as she admitted that being in the spotlight after giving birth is 'so much pressure' 'Can't claim you want privacy haha when your literally sharing the most special and precious moments with your baby to everyone since he's been born,' (sic) alongside a facepalm emoji. Charlotte shared a series of laughing emojis and fired back: 'Lolz... cos I'm trying to show you all bits cos I'm excited, but keeping a few things back... & showing my breastfeeding journey. It's natural. Idiot honestly.' (sic) The day prior, she admitted she was relieved to be home with her newborn son and her fiance as she posted a breastfeeding snap. The reality personality shared a smiling snap while filming her little boy feeding alongside the caption: 'First feed at home & first feed at home engaged.' Yikes: Charlotte shared a series of laughing emojis and fired back: 'Lolz... cos I'm trying to show you all bits cos I'm excited, but keeping a few things back..; & showing my breastfeeding journey. It's natural. Idiot honestly' Charlotte has so far shared many of her first moments of motherhood on her Stories, as she gave fans a glimpse into what it's like to be a first time mum. The Ex On The Beach star filmed herself travelling home from the hospital, with her baby beside her in a car seat in a snap which she captioned: 'Yay we're going home.' She also gave fans a look at her bedroom which had his cot installed next to the bed, while the room was covered in magical lighting. Alongside an adorable picture of Matthew kissing their son, Charlotte wrote: 'So glad to be home with my boys, now the adventure really starts. She also showed her home covered in pale blue balloons in celebration of the birth of their little one. Home time! The Ex On The Beach star filmed herself travelling home from the hospital recently, with her baby beside her in a car seat in a snap as she wrote: 'Yay we're going home' New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced he plans to bring city workers back to their onsite jobs in May as one of the key elements of his recovery plan. During his final State of the City presentation on Thursday night, de Blasio claimed he would bring municipal employees back to their office spaces to boost morale and give the Big Apple's economy a much-needed boost. The mayor said he did not believe a back-to-work plan would include a vaccination requirement, or for workers to be required to report whether or not they have taken the vaccine. 'What we don't foresee is a mandate,' he said, yet admitted that the full plan for bringing workers back had not yet been fleshed out. It is not certain if he would be able to mandate such as requirement for all workers. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday a plan to bring back the Big Apple's city workers in May as he looked ahead to his recovery plan for his final year in office According to employment lawyers, US employers can legally require their workers to get vaccinated for COVID-19, but it is likely most will choose to make the shot optional instead. 'I haven't felt that's the right thing to do. I know a lot of the unions representing city workers have not favored that approach,' he said of his decision not to include a vaccine requirement. On Friday, he told WNYC's Brian Lehrer that as in New York City public schools, city workers will be faced with mask-wearing and social distancing requirements once they return to office space. De Blasio claimed that these requirements eradicated the need for a mandatory vaccine. 'I think when you combine an increasing level of vaccination with stringent precautions, that's what's going to make us able to handle this very smoothly,' he said. The mayor added that he also believed some municipal employees will continue working from home under certain circumstances, even once the new plan comes into effect. 'We know that when people gather in a workplace there are things that happen better than happen remotely,' de Blasio said. 'But there will be a clear evaluation of where flexibility might make sense in the short term and the long term.' In order to encourage the return to workplaces, de Blasio set a goal to inoculate 3,000 municipal workers a day in the months ahead. 'New York City's vaccination effort is the foundation of a recovery for all of us,' the mayor said in Thursday speech. 'The return of city workers across the five boroughs will be a signal to the world that the comeback is happening right here, right now, as New York City vaccinates millions.' 'We want to send a signal to the city we're moving forward. We want to see the private sector bring workforces back,' he added in a Friday briefing. 'By the end of the Spring, we will see something very different in the city.' De Blasio also set a goal to inoculate 3,000 municipal workers a day in the months ahead to encourage the return to workplaces. Pictured, people wait in line to receive the Moderna COVID-19 at a pop-up vaccination site in Manhattan on Friday It comes as the positivity rate in most of the city drops below six percent, pictured As another key element of his recovery plan for his final year in office, de Blasio said that he also aimed to fully reopen public school buildings in September and allow all grades to go back to in-person learning. Older students would be brough back by the end of this school year, as long as Covid-19 testing capacity was acceptable. Yet much of his plan hinges on 5 million people in the city receiving the vaccine by June even as the city suffers from a dwindling supply of doses from the federal govenment. Since the vaccine rollout began on December 14, only 740,000 doses have been administered in thr city, which has eight millon residents. De Blasio simply said that the city will keep administering vaccines 'as long as we have the supply'. 'We will bring our city back,' he added. Businesses across the U.S. have been weighing up whether to implement a mandatory vaccination policy among staff as the first rollout began. LEGAL EXEMPTIONS FOR MANDATORY VACCINATION PROGRAMS Religious Accommodations Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 The law prohibits employers from discriminating against any individual because of their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This means employees can request an exemption to mandatory vaccination programs if it goes against a 'sincerely held religious belief.' Establishing the case may be challenging however, depending on how jurisdictions define religious beliefs. Personal or ethical objections or personal anti-vaccination positions are not covered by this law. Medical Accommodations Under the ADA Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employees can object to a mandatory vaccine policy for medical reasons. The worker is required to prove they have a medical condition that makes it unsafe to get a vaccine. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970 Section 11(c) of the act pertains to whistle blower rights. 'An employee who refuses vaccination because of a reasonable belief that he or she has a medical condition that creates a real danger of serious illness or death (such as serious reaction to the vaccine)' may be protected under this law. Advertisement Employers generally have legal authority to require staff to get vaccinated against the virus, though there are some exceptions. And conversely, workers have the right to object to mandatory vaccinations under anti-discrimination laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which allows employees to be exempt if it goes against a 'sincerely held religious belief'. Likewise, those with medical disabilities can request an exemption under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). But like all legal frameworks, there are exceptions and variations depending on the case and jurisdiction, meaning imposing a mandatory policy can present a difficult and time-consuming legal challenge for employers. Legal experts therefore believe employers will most likely stray away from such programs, which would also make them liable if an employee suffers an adverse reaction. Leading labor and employment law firm Ogletree Deakins, which recently formed a advice 'task force' due to an influx of queries from employers, says companies should consider the 'politicized nature' of the virus and expect objections if they choose to make the vaccine mandatory. 'If large numbers of people feel the need to be exempt from wearing a mask (which is significantly less intrusive than receiving a vaccination), then employers likely can expect an equal or greater objection to a new vaccine,' attorneys James Paul, Bret Daniel and Jimmy Robinson said. The law firm said it will also be difficult to predict how rules surrounding required vaccinations will translate in the pandemic era. Current case law applies to those in the healthcare industry which is considered a high-risk work setting, therefore other employers outside that sector may have a harder time fighting for those policies in court, according to the firm. However, the severity and novelty of the coronavirus has also prompted exceptions by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC earlier this year designated it as a 'direct threat' meaning an infected person poses or a 'significant risk of substantial harm' to others. The updated standard allows 'more extensive medical inquiries and controls in the workplace than typically allowed under the ADA.' A direct threat 'permits employers to implement medical testing and other screening measures the ADA would usually prohibit.' Despite this, the law firm noted the EEOC has been 'traditionally hostile' to mandatory vaccination programs. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) however, is more likely 'to defer' to such policies, legal experts said. However OSHA is neither without its exemptions to the rule. During the H1N1 influenza in 2009, the agency said an employee could be entitled to whistleblower rights if they refuse vaccination due to a 'reasonable belief that he or she has a medical condition that creates a real danger of serious illness or death'. With all the uncertainty surrounding the vaccine, legal experts advise employers to stay across new guidance that will likely be issued by federal and state authorities once the vaccine is approved. On Friday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo annouced that he would be reopening indoor-dining in NYC at 25 percent from February 14, as the city's positive test rate dropped from 7.1 percent in January to 4.9 percent now. De Blasio has said he believes reopening indoor dining will be safe. 37 Shares Share In 2018, then-Senator Kamala Harris introduced the Maternal CARE (Care Access and Reducing Emergencies) Act and added the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2020. Collectively, both pieces of legislation would create a task force to study sobering disparities in medical care based on race, combat racial implicit biases in the medical field, and close gaps in access to quality medical care for pregnant African American mothers. The impetus was the alarming data on maternal mortality reported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 2018. Evidence showed that Black mothers mortality was 3 to 4 times higher than white mothers and were 243 percent more likely to die from pregnancy complications and childbirth complications. Extrapolating the data further, a Black mothers higher education and socioeconomic status did not protect her from these alarming disparities. Just recently, on October 30, 2020, the medical community mourned the death of a rising African American Physician, Dr. Chaniece Wallace. Two days prior, she and her husband, Anthony Wallace Jr., had welcomed their daughter, Charlotte. Dr. Wallace suffered complications pre-eclampsia, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure. As a physician, I applaud maternal mortalitys political attention. It is a public health crisis that needs to be addressed. A mothers death is more than a statistic. Her demise has profound effects on infant development and instability for her family. Alarming, most of these deaths can be prevented with better education and screening. The Maternal CARE Act will address these issues. For our society at large, maternal mortality is a barometer of economic and social health. Many studies and analyses have correlated direct links to the two entities. When women have better education and health, mothers have greater household decision-making power and prioritize the well-being of their children. In return, children have better educational attainment and are productive adults, building long-term economic growth, states Mayra Buvinic, sector director of gender and development group at the World Bank. Investing in maternal health is imperative for a stronger economy. However, as a mother, I fear the CARE Act will fall short due to overlooking a critical piece in pregnancy, postpartum care. Currently, in the birthing community, postpartum care is being referred to as the 4th trimester. Dr. Harvey Karp coined this term in 2002. The 4th trimester recognizes that term babies are probably born about 3 months early. The cause for this disparity is evolution. Human evolution promoted bigger brains and upright posture. Upright posture created smaller pelvic sizes, resulting in early birth. An additional three months are needed for newborns to adapt outside the womb, thus the 4th trimester. Medical research is also supporting that after delivery, a mother needs a minimum of three months and at times one year to recover from her pregnancy. Diving deeper into maternal mortality data, one-third of deaths occur in pregnancy but two-thirds after birth and up to a year. Addressing maternal mortality, in 2018, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) advocated that postpartum care should be an ongoing processwith visits within the first three weeks of delivery. An algorithm is also outlined for women with higher risk postpartum complications. A commendable start; however, we are continuing to place the burden of care back on exhausted, sleep-deprived mothers who are recovering from delivery, struggling to breastfeed, and forfeiting their health for their newborns. In our current United States postpartum care, we discharge moms as early as 1 to 2 days after delivery. The first medical appointment is the subsequent day at the pediatricians office. This newborn appointment is imperative because it assesses jaundice, breastfeeding, weight, and overall infant health. Routinely, neonatal jaundice evaluation and poor weight gain require additional pediatrician visits. Due to clinical time limitations, breastfeeding education promotes another return to the Pediatric office or lactation. This is the baseline. This is only the first week post-birth. In a 12 week postpartum period, barring any complications, a newborns health is addressed at a minimum of four times through standard pediatric care. In contrast, a pregnant mother sees her obstetrician 10 to 15 times and routinely still only once at her six-week postpartum visit. Traveling from one clinic to another, lugging a car seat, squeezing in breastfeeding attempts all while delicately handling a fragile newborn, U.S. mothers are struggling. The Maternal CARE Act is the right step forward. However, research should be in conjunction with solutions now. Postpartum care is imperative in the discussion. To combat maternal mortality and its disparities successfully, we cannot underestimate this 4th trimester. We cannot afford to lose more moms. Sonal Patel is a pediatrician. Image credit: Shutterstock.com A Kremlin-loyal news outlet has released video footage of Vladimir Putin's '1billlion Black Sea palace' to deny claims the President is living in luxury. Jailed critic Alexei Navalny had claimed the Russian leader had the 190,000sq-ft residence decked out with a strip club, casino and an underground ice rink, and was funded through a corruption scheme with oligarchs. He released a video this month showing the extensive grounds and stunning interior of the Gelendzhik Palace using floor plans to create 3D images, as part of his long-running campaign to discredit Putin. Alexei Navalny claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin was living in luxury in a 1billion mansion near the Black Sea A Kremlin-loyal news outlet released video footage of the residence on Friday to deny the claims The footage shows the palace under construction, with workers gutting the interior and scaffolding erected across much of the grounds But new footage published on Friday by Mash Telegram shows the palace to be little more than a construction site, with workers gutting most of the interior. Mash chief editor Maxim Iksanov, who was taken on a tour of the grounds, said: 'The location is one slab of concrete.' Navalny's chief investigative aide Maria Pevchikh said the footage confirms what they already knew, that the palace had to be refurbished because of poor ventilation that was causing mould, the Moscow Times reported. Navalny said earlier this month: 'Satellite images from six years ago showed that the palace was completely ready. Mash chief editor Maxim Iksanov, who was taken on a tour of the grounds, said: 'The location is one slab of concrete' Construction workers were seen in the video which is looking to refute the claims of Putin's extravagant wealth and lifestyle 'But then disaster named mould and sloppiness hit. They decided to redo everything. 'They stripped the walls, stripped the marble, took out everything of value, literally threw billions in the trash and started work again.' In his investigation, Navlany showed images of the palace's floor plans and photos taken by environmental activists opposed to its construction. It revealed an arcade room with slot machines and a dance mat, a spa and a theatre inside the mansion, along with an underground ice rink and even vineyards in the grounds. Navalny's chief investigative aide Maria Pevchikh said they already knew that the palace had to be refurbished Poor ventilation in the design was causing mould, Navalny's team claim, which is why the palace is undergoing major works Putin's former businessman friend Mr Kolesnikov insists the funds for the palace were raised by a combination of 'corruption, bribery and theft' Navalny claims the estate, which also includes a church and strip club fitted with a lap dancers' pole, is 39 times the size of Monaco and was funded by 'the world's largest bribe'. Putin has denied the palace belongs to him even though the Open Media investigative news website has found five contractors involved in the building who refer to it as 'Putin's Palace'. Navalny was arrested this month after returning to Russia following treatment in Germany for poisoning by the deadly nerve agent Novichok last summer. He said of his investigation into the palace: 'It tells how, right now and for the past 15 years, the biggest bribe in history is being given and the most expensive palace in the world is being built.' Navalny, who was arrested on his return to Russia last weekend, has claimed a strip club, casino and a theatre are among a series of luxurious rooms inside the palace and mocked up 3D images using floor plans provided by constructors Navalny claims to be in possession of leaked floor plans of Putin's lavish property on Russia's southern Black Sea coast which have been used to draw up artists' impressions of the palace's interior Astonishing 3D images of the estate's interior allege 'Putin's palace' features an arcade room (pictured), a spa and a theatre inside the mansion, along with an underground ice rink and even vineyards in the grounds. Alexei Navalny has claimed a theatre - fitted with red curtains and a golden ceiling - is among a series of luxurious rooms inside the palace Putin's former businessman friend Mr Kolesnikov insists the funds for the palace were raised by a combination of 'corruption, bribery and theft'. Navalny claims that Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) owns some 7,000 hectares of land surrounding the property and that the complex was financed by Putin's close allies, including Igor Sechin, chief of Russian oil giant Rosneft, and billionaire tycoon Gennady Timchenko. 'It is a separate state within Russia. And in this state there is a single and irreplaceable tsar. Putin,' Navalny says. Navalny claimed Putin had been able to grant his powerful old friends high-profile positions on lucrative government projects and hide his wealth through his allies. 'Putin's friends, who received from him the right to steal whatever they wanted in Russia, thanked him a lot. But they also chipped in, collected 100 billion rubles and built a palace for their boss with this money,' Navalny said. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. 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 (Alliance News) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that AstraZeneca PLC's coronavirus vaccine appeared not to be effective for people over 65 years of age. Speaking to reporters only hours before the European Medicines Agency recommended the vaccine for adults of all ages, Macron said there was "very little information" available for the vaccine developed by the British-Swedish company and Oxford University. "Today we think that it is quasi-ineffective for people over 65," he told the reporters, his office confirmed to AFP. "What I can tell you officially today is that the early results we have are not encouraging for 60 to 65-year-old people concerning AstraZeneca," he said. Macron said he was awaiting the EMA's verdict a which came later Friday a and also that of France's own health authority "because they have the numbers". The French expert decision on the vaccine is expected at the start of next week, according to sources close to the health authority. "I don't have any data, and I don't have a scientific team of my own to look at the numbers," Macron acknowledged. Meanwhile, Germany's vaccine commission on Friday maintained its advice against using AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccines on older people. "The reason is because there is currently insufficient data on the effectiveness of the vaccines on people above 65 years old," said the commission known as STIKO. The advice by the panel of medical experts will be taken into account by the government as it officially draws up its decree on usage of the vaccine. The discussion about the right target age group for the vaccine has compounded controversy surrounding AstraZeneca's vaccine. The European Commission Friday published a redacted version of its contract with the drugs giant, hoping to prove the company had breached a commitment on vaccine deliveries. Brussels is furious with the pharmaceuticals company after it warned that it would only be able to deliver a fraction of the doses the EU had been expecting once the vaccine is approved for use in the bloc.A source: AFP Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. 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 ADVERTISEMENT The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on Friday that its operatives arrested 30 cyber fraud suspects in Enugu, Enugu State. The commissions spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement that the suspects were arrested at Thinkers Corner Extension in Enugu on Thursday. According to him, the arrest followed intelligence obtained by the commission. He said some exotic cars were recovered from the suspects. Read the statement in full: EFCC Press Release EFCC Arrests 30 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Enugu Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Enugu Zonal office on Thursday January 28, 2021 arrested 30 (Thirty) suspects for various internet-related offences in Enugu. Their arrest at Thinkers Corner Extension, followed actionable intelligence obtained by the Commission on their alleged criminal activities which targeted mostly foreigners. The suspects are, Raphael Chidiebere, Dr. Onyechiefuna Victor, Oliobi Chukwujekwu, Alozie Ikenna, Lakeru John, Chijioke Onyedika, Chikwube Nwadinobi, Eze Chukwuebuka, Nwafor Ifeanyi, Chidobelu Chidera, Ozonwu Nnamdi, Joseph Emmanuel, Chukwunonyelu Chizoba Eze and Imachukwu Ogonna,. Others are Okwesi Kizito, Onuorah Emmanuel, Promise Okpowasili, Ezeanu Ugochukwu, Ogbonna Emenike, Ibeka Nzeribe, Nike Stanley Onyekachi, Chukwubuikem, Odono Charles Chimdindu, Onyechefuna Franklin, Onyechefuna Samuel, Iluka Fernando Chike, Udemefuna Daniel, Chiedu Chike Kingsley, Ezema Ikenna and Chuka Okoye. In the course of the arrest, various exotic cars including brand new Lexus ES 350 with no registration number, Black Toyota 2.4 with registration number ENU-598-SU, Black Mercedes Benz ML 350 jeep with registration number ABJ-275-DB, Black Lexus ES 330 with registration number UWN-901-MP, Black Lexus ES 350 with registration number JJJ-900-GK were recovered from the suspects. Other incriminating materials recovered from them include various mobile phones and laptop computers. They will be charged to court as soon as the investigations are concluded. Wilson Uwujaren Head, Media & Publicity 29 January, 2021 Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/29/2021 -- HTF MI Analyst have added a new research study on Title Global Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Market Size, Status and Forecast 2019-2025 with detailed information of Product Types [, Software & Services], Applications [Retail, IT and Telecommunication, Manufacturing, BFSI, Government, Energy and Utility, Healthcare, Logistics and Transportation & Others (Aerospace, Hospitality, etc)] & Key Players Such as SAP, Oracle Corporation, JDA Software Group, Manhattan Associates, Epicor Software Corporation, IBM Corporation, Descartes Systems Group, Infor Global Solutions, GT Nexus & Kewill Systems etc. The Study provides in-depth comprehensive analysis for regional segments that covers North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World with Global Outlook and includes Clear Market definitions, classifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures, development policies and plans. The facts and data are well presented in the report using diagrams, graphs, pie charts, and other pictorial representations with respect to its Current Trends, Dynamics, and Business Scope & Key Statistics. If you are a Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions manufacturer and deals in exports imports then this article will help you understand the Sales Volume with Impacting Trends. Click To get SAMPLE PDF (Including Full TOC, Table & Figures) Covid-19 Impact Update Global Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Market Research Analysts at HTF MI constantly monitor the industry impacts of current events in real-time here is an update of how this industry is likely to be impacted as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic: Demand from top notch companies and government agencies is expected to rise as they seek more information on COVID-19. Check Demand Determinants section for more information. Key Highlights from Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Market Study. Revenue and Sales Estimation Historical Revenue and sales volume is presented and further data is triangulated with top-down and bottom-up approaches to forecast complete market size and to estimate forecast numbers for key regions covered in the report along with classified and well recognized Types and end-use industry. Additionally macroeconomic factor and regulatory policies are ascertained in Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions industry evolution and predictive analysis. Manufacturing Analysis the report is currently analyzed concerning various product type and application. The Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions market provides a chapter highlighting manufacturing process analysis validated via primary information collected through Industry experts and Key officials of profiled companies. FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS: In order to better understand Market condition five forces analysis is conducted that includes Bargaining power of buyers, Bargaining power of suppliers, Threat of new entrants, Threat of substitutes, Threat of rivalry. Competition Leading players have been studied depending on their company profile, product portfolio, capacity, product/service price, sales, and cost/profit. Demand & Supply and Effectiveness Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions report additionally provides distribution, Production, Consumption & EXIM** (Export & Import). ** If applicable Have Any Query? Ask Our Expert @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1837880-global-smart-and-mobile-supply-chain-solutions-market Geographically, the following regions together with the listed national/local markets are fully investigated: - APAC (Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, India, and Rest of APAC; Rest of APAC is further segmented into Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, New Zealand, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka) - Europe (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Rest of Europe; Rest of Europe is further segmented into Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania) - North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico) - South America (Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Rest of South America) - MEA (Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa) The Latest Trends, Product Portfolio, Demographics, Geographical segmentation, and Regulatory Framework of the Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Market have also been included in the study. Market Growth by Applications: Retail, IT and Telecommunication, Manufacturing, BFSI, Government, Energy and Utility, Healthcare, Logistics and Transportation & Others (Aerospace, Hospitality, etc) Heat map Analysis, 3-Year Financial and Detailed Company Profiles of Key & Emerging Players: SAP, Oracle Corporation, JDA Software Group, Manhattan Associates, Epicor Software Corporation, IBM Corporation, Descartes Systems Group, Infor Global Solutions, GT Nexus & Kewill Systems Market Growth by Types: , Software & Services Book Latest Edition of Study Global Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Market With COVID-19 Impact Analysis @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1837880 Introduction about Global Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Global Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) [, Software & Services] in 2018 Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Market by Application/End Users [Retail, IT and Telecommunication, Manufacturing, BFSI, Government, Energy and Utility, Healthcare, Logistics and Transportation & Others (Aerospace, Hospitality, etc)] Global Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications Global Global Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2025) Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions (Volume, Value and Sales Price) table defined for each geographic region defined. Global Smart and Mobile Supply Chain Solutions Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data Key Raw Materials Analysis & Price Trends Supply Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers, Industrial Chain Analysis ........and view more in complete table of Contents Check Complete Report Details @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1837880-global-smart-and-mobile-supply-chain-solutions-market Thanks for reading this article; HTF also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research according to clientele objectives. Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report like North America, Europe or Asia Contact US : Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA 08837 Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218 sales@htfmarketreport.com Twitter Locks Catholic Publication's Account for 'Hateful Conduct' Catholic World Report was locked out on Sunday for using the term 'biological male' to describe Biden appointee NEWS PROVIDED BY Carmel Communications Jan. 29, 2021 SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 29, 2021 /Standard Newswire/ -- On Sunday, Jan. 24, Catholic World Report received a notice from Twitter, alerting it that its account had been suspended for hateful conduct, and unless it removed the offending tweet, its account would remain suspended. The tweet in question was a link to this Catholic News Agency news brief, written by Matt Hadro, and posted on CWR on Jan. 19, 2021. The tweet stated: "Biden plans to nominate Dr. Rachel Levine, a biological man identifying as a transgender woman who has served as Pennsylvania's health secretary since 2017, to be HHS Assistant Secretary for Health. Levine is also a supporter of the contraceptive mandate." Catholic World Report appealed the decision and Twitter has denied their appeal. Twitter considers the tweet hate speech, and unless Catholic World Report removes the tweet, its account will be suspended. Carl Olson, editor of Catholic World Report, said: "It seems evident that Twitter's focus is the description of Levine as 'a biological man identifying as a transgender woman.' Since Levine is 'transgendered,' it's curious as to why Twitter would think it harmful or hateful to note what Levine is 'trans-gendering' from or to. Twitter is clearly indicating that unless CWR and other outlets jump through arbitrary and constantly-changing rhetorical and ideological hoops, they cannot use Twitter. Just as bad, Twitter is implicitly making CWR admit to hateful or bigoted language, even though such was never the case. Not only is such an approach subjective in nature, it is an overtly biased, unfair and discriminatory approach that both stifles free speech and undermines CWR's right to report on current events." To read the entire account and view the exchange between Twitter and Catholic World Report, visit https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2021/01/28/twitter-freezes-cwrs-account-over-news-story-on-transgendered-dr-rachel-levine/. Catholic World Report is a publication of Ignatius Press, founded by Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J., thirty years ago. To schedule an interview with Carl Olson, please contact Kevin Wandra (404-788-1276 or KWandra@CarmelCommunications.com) of Carmel Communications. SOURCE Carmel Communications CONTACT: Kevin Wandra, 404-788-1276, KWandra@CarmelCommunications.com Samsung Electronics has been building up an impressive cash hoard over the past few years. Now, with the competition moving fast, it is time to spend to make sure the company can stay on the leading edge of the semiconductor and consumer-electronics industries. The South Korean technology company had a strong 2020: Operating profit rose 30% year over year as the Covid-19 pandemic drove demand for memory chips, both in personal computers and data centers. The boom, however, now seems to be losing momentum. Operating profit last quarter dropped 27% from the previous quarter on a strong won and declining memory prices. The company expects profit to weaken this quarter. The company has been building up dry powder: Net cash at the end of 2020 stood at 104.5 trillion won, equivalent to $93.4 billion, a 61% rise from 2017. Samsung announced a special dividend Thursday as well as raising its regular dividend in the next three years. Samsung should also try to put some of that cash into growth. And the company has hinted that it could soon do exactly that. During the earnings call Thursday, it said it is optimistic about meaningful mergers and acquisitions in the coming three years. Samsung hasnt made a major acquisition since 2017. Acquiring a non-memory semiconductor or communications technology could help the company diversify away from the notoriously cyclical memory-chip business. More than half of Samsungs operating profit last year came from its semiconductor division, mostly from memory chips. Samsung should spend more internally outside of memory chips too. The company didnt provide explicit guidance on capital expenditure but indicated that it will likely go up, as will spending on research and development, due to intensifying competitionespecially in foundries, the business of making chips for other companies. The worlds largest foundry, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., said two weeks ago that it would increase its capital spending this year by 45% to 62%. Samsung will likely have to spend big to keep up with the market leader. Samsung is also considering an investment of up to $17 billion to build a chip-making factory in the U.S., according to documents and people familiar with the companys plans. The company said no decision has been reached yet. Samsungs leading position in memory chips has rewarded shareholders handsomely. Now its time to look to the future. 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. Michigan is altering its process for determining how many COVID-19 vaccines to allocate across the states various communities. The new system, which went into effect last week, uses a population-based approach, combined with a formula that evaluates social vulnerability in order to get vaccines to communities at the greatest risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. Theyve really been refining a formula, so that equity does lead when we have a very scarce resource, said Linda Vail, public health officer for Ingham County. The state now has a population-based and vulnerability index formula, as well as throwing in some sort of essential personnel calculation. Allocations of shots for local health departments each week will depend on each communitys eligible population, which includes residents 65 years and older, police officers and first responders, state and federal workers, jail and prison staff, workers in homeless shelter systems and congregate care institutions, preK-12 staff and childcare providers. Hospital systems will receive allotments based on the percent of in-patient population they serve in the state, according to Lynn Sutfin, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services. Sutfin said the state is using the CDCs Social Vulnerability index to adjust vaccine distribution to ensure that communities at most risk receive vaccine during times of scarcity. The index combines 15 U.S. census variables into a tool that helps local officials identify communities that may need support before, during, or after disasters. Its made up of indicators including socioeconomic status, household composition and disability, minority status and language spoken, and housing type and transportation. Michigan communities that rate highly on the social vulnerability index were also the areas of the state hit hardest by COVID-19 in the spring. For example, by June, Michigans African American population made up about 13.6% of the population but 40% of all coronavirus deaths in the state. Related: The coronavirus was tailor made to devastate densely populated black Michigan communities The new formula will benefit the city of Detroit, according to Mayor Mike Duggan, who noted Thursday that 8% of the states adult population had been vaccinated against COVID-19 to date, but only 3% of Detroit residents had received a shot. Beginning next week, Detroit is expecting to get 15,000 doses per week -- triple the 5,000 doses theyve previously received. I want to thank the governor and the Biden administration who within the last 48 hours have taken the action we needed to close the vaccination gap, Duggan said. All I was asking for was for Detroit to get its fair share but the way that vaccinations are distributed in the city is different than in the suburbs. The vaccine rollout started with hospitals providing shots to their employees, which Duggan said made perfect sense. But when vaccines became available to non-health care workers, Duggan said it created a problem. Hospitals were requiring patients to log into their personal health records online to schedule an appointment. A lot of Detroiters dont have computers, a lot of Detroiters dont have a primary care doctor, he said. This method wasnt working ... It isnt because Detroiters dont want to, weve got 10,000 appointments booked up for the next month. It was because Detroiters werent nearly as able to access the electronic medical records for appointments as the rest of the state. Duggan said he and leadership at Henry Ford Health System and Detroit Medical Center told state officials that vaccinating Detroit residents would be more efficient if it went through the TCF Center instead of the hospitals. Elsewhere in the state, local health departments are waiting to see what the new allocation system will do to their weekly supplies. The Upper Peninsula region has the led the state in shots put in arms per 10,000 residents. Thats in part because they were able to get through the 1A priority group and to move on to the 1B group quicker than elsewhere in the state But Marquette County Health Officer Jerry Messana said he wasnt able to predict how the new allocation formula would affect the number of doses his county can expect in the coming weeks. As of Wednesday, Michigan had administered 854,084 vaccines. Nearly 700,000 Michigan residents had received at least one dose, while 158,894 had received the second of two recommended doses for maximum efficacy. To find a testing site near you, check out the states online test finder, here, send an email to COVID19@michigan.gov, or call 888-535-6136 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Read more on MLive: 57% of Michigan nursing home staff, residents decline COVID-19 vaccine so far From bars to basketball, experts re-rank 32 activities by coronavirus risk level with latest science Should businesses that violated health orders be eligible for Michigans COVID-19 aid grants? Michigans COVID-19 vaccinations surpass 800K in seven weeks ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Orlando-based Smith Equities Real Estate Investment Advisors "SEREIA" has created BoomerangOffice.com "Boomerang Office" to lease out its headquarters at 350 East Pine Street on an Hourly and Daily Co-Working Space Basis. (PRNewsfoto/Smith Equities Real Estate Investment Advisors) Boomerang Office allows professionals and teams to get out of their home offices for a few hours (or days) per month and into a collaborative environment. All community spaces in the historic two story building, will be restricted to 50% capacity in order to encourage social distancing. Face masks will be recommended and anyone entering the building is asked to follow CDC guidelines. According to Robert E. Smith, CCIM Founder of SEREIA and owner of the building at 350 E Pine Street, "We were working remotely before the pandemic but, once we lost our tenant due to the Covid-19, we decided to return to the office and open up the unused space to other professionals who wanted to do the same on an as needed basis. We are also offering monthly memberships to allow individuals or companies the ability to schedule space online. Members have the ability to choose from one of three packages (i.e., Deluxe-5 Days/Mo, Premium 10 Days/Mo, or VIP 20 Days/Mo) that can be reserved online as needed and can be cancelled at any time." He continues, "Once Boomerang Office is a proven concept, we plan on offering the platform to other Owners / Management in the commercial real estate industry looking to maximize underutilized commercial assets by adding the Boomerang Office platform to its existing operations." Boomerang Office has teamed up with Satellite Deskworks, who is providing all of the back-end support including fully automated scheduling and touchless online tools to create memberships, building access, and accounting. "We're excited about the Boomerang Office model," said Satellite Deskworks' CEO, Barbara Sprenger, "there is a real need for people to be able to use space short or long term, without long commitments and longer leases. With Deskworks, management of a model like BoomerangOffice.com becomes really simple, intuitive, fun and can substantially add to your bottom line!" About Smith Equities : Smith Equities Real Estate Investment Advisors (SEREIA) is a Boutique Commercial Brokerage Company based in Orlando, Florida and is a leader in multifamily development and investment sales. SEREIA sold several Downtown Orlando Development Sites including Star Tower and CitiTower. SEREIA has been a leader in identifying new trends and redevelopment opportunities that allows owners to unlock the value of their commercial real estate holdings. For more information, please go to their website at www.Smitheq.com / www.BoomerangOffice.com or call them at (407) 807-0216. Contact Info: Smith Equities Real Estate Investment Advisors / BoomerangOffice.com 350 E. Pine Street Orlando, Florida 32801 Robert E. Smith, CCIM Founder 407.496.8575 [email protected] www.smitheq.com www.boomerangoffice.com Link to Photo Album: Boomerang Office Photo Album For more information: Robert E. Smith, CCIM, 407.422.0704 x101 [email protected] SOURCE Smith Equities Real Estate Investment Advisors Related Links https://www.amecs.com Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- Hedge funds often measure their investments in minutes, not decades; but for Anchorage Capital Group, its long-held stake in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. is proving that patience can also be profitable.The New York-based money manager stands to make roughly $2 billion on its investment in the film and TV producer, one that began almost 11 years ago with MGM in bankruptcy court. Amazon.com Inc. agreed to buy the company for $8.45 billion Wednesday, a price that includes just under $2 billion in debt.The deal is in many ways a vindication for Kevin Ulrich, the former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. trader who co-founded Anchorage in 2003 and was part of a group of distressed debt investors that took control of MGM as it went through the restructuring process. In recent years the stake looked to be an albatross for the fund, one that came with significant drama in its own right.Ulrich brought in and later fired a high-profile chief executive officer, resisted efforts by activist investor Carl Icahn to take control, and held out for a bigger payday after years of considering various exit strategies. By selling now, as demand for media content from entertainment and technology companies alike is booming, hes proving his long-held faith in the investment was justified.There was a lot of maneuvering, a lot of financial engineering, said Steven Azarbad, chief investment officer at New Yorks Maglan Capital, an MGM investor who sold his shares four years ago. But theyve done great.A representative for Anchorage declined to comment.When Ulrich first invested in MGM, he was new to Hollywood. He helped pick Gary Barber, a South African-born producer of films such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective as chief executive officer of the storied but debt-laden studio. Barber brought to the table a shrewd business sense, and connections into a world Ulrich long admired from afar.Barber shepherded MGMs development of The Hobbit franchise, a co-production with Warner Bros., that became a global smash hit. He helmed the release of the James Bond film, Skyfall, which generated over $1 billion at the box office, and he revived the studios work in television. Barber also brokered a deal to bring on TV super producer Mark Burnett, which gave MGM access to reality show hits like Survivor and The Apprentice, but would ultimately become personally troublesome.In 2012 the company bought back Icahns stock for $590 million. It also filed paperwork for a possible public offering of shares, and considered other options, such as a sale.As Barber boosted MGMs film and TV pipeline, Ulrich was increasingly entranced by the allure of Hollywood. He became a regular at movie premieres in Los Angeles and New York, and frequented industry parties in the Hamptons and elsewhere. He became active in creative decisions after becoming chair of MGMs board -- somewhat unusual for a non-executive lacking Hollywood experience -- even getting involved with business granularities like casting.Growing RiftBut over the following years a rift began to open up between Barber and Ulrich. When it was time to renew Barbers contract in 2017, Ulrich conducted an extensive search for a new CEO. When it ended, he ultimately chose to sign Barber to a new five-year deal. Yet around the same time, the pair split on whether to sell the company, with Ulrich wanting to hang on to the studio and Barber saying it was time to find a buyer.The company would hold buyout talks with Apple Inc. as well as Chinese investors that would ultimately prove fruitless.Only months after renewing Barbers deal, Ulrich fired him. The shock departure meant the company had to pay Barber for five years of salary and buy out his equity, a package totaling $260 million. In the three years since Barber left, Ulrich hasnt replaced him, instead operating an office of the chief executive officer, comprised of various people that each have their personal vision for MGM.Barber declined to comment via his spokesperson.Bounce BackAfter the initial period of success following the restructuring, the gains became harder to come by, as they did in Anchorages overall credit-focused business. Two senior managers left the firm in January 2020, and another in November. Anchorages flagship strategy, with about $8.5 billion under management, returned just 0.6% in 2018, 1.5% in 2019 and 4.4% in 2020, according to people familiar with the matter.In December, MGM hired investment bankers for a potential sale.MGM only released one film in theaters in 2020. Its biggest potential hit, the latest Bond film, No Time to Die, was pushed from last year to this October as a result of the pandemic.Yet the value of MGMs library rose as everyone from media companies to technology giants have sought to build video streaming platforms that can compete with industry leader Netflix Inc. Earnings jumped 48% last year, to about $307 million, even as sales declined.Anchorage holds a roughly 30% stake in MGM, worth about $2.5 billion in the sale, said people with knowledge of the matter. Anchorage invested around $500 million in the company more than a decade ago. Including the MGM stake, Anchorages flagship fund is up 18% this year, the people added. The fund has gained about 8% in 2021 not counting the studio.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. 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 farmers protesting under the BKU banner claimed that the local administration withdrew water tankers and snapped the power supply Farmers having breakfast during their ongoing protest against the new farm laws, at Ghazipur border in New Delhi, Friday, January 29, 2021. (PTI /Kamal Kishore) New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday said the city government has made arrangements for drinking water and other facilities for the farmers protesting at the Ghazipur border. The farmers protesting under the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) banner claimed on Thursday that the local administration withdrew water tankers and snapped the power supply to the UP Gate protest site. "Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejirwal to provide water and other facilities at the Ghazipur border for the farmers. The arrangements were made on Thursday night," Sisodia said in a tweet. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said he would visit the Ghazipur border to oversee all arrangements. Around 500 BKU members stayed put on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway on Friday, notwithstanding the Ghaziabad administration's ultimatum to vacate the protest site. More farmers are joining in from western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, following an emotional appeal made by Tikait, who has defiantly held his ground. Tension prevailed at the protest site throughout Thursday as police and paramilitary forces in anti-riot gear conducted flag marches on either side of it. However, excess forces were removed later at night. EU adopts Covid-19 vaccine export control scheme EU Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis said the EU had paid vaccine companies to increase production and now expected them to deliver. Photo: AFP The European Commission on Friday launched a scheme to monitor and in some cases bar exports of vaccines produced in EU plants, amid a row with British-Swedish drugs giant AstraZeneca. The move was firmly criticised by the World Health Organisation and risked stoking conflict with the UK just weeks after London and Brussels sealed a trade deal. "We paid these companies to increase production and now we expect them to deliver," EU Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters. "Today's measure has been adopted with the utmost urgency. The aim is to provide us immediately with full transparency.... And if needed, it also will provide us with a tool to ensure vaccine deliveries." EU officials said they expected the order to come into effect on Saturday after its publication in the official journal. The emergency measure is initially for six weeks but is intended to then continue until at least the end of March. The WHO said the move was part of a "very worrying trend" that could jeopardise the global supply chain for vaccines. "It is not helpful to have any country at this stage putting export bans or export barriers that will not allow for the free movement of the necessary ingredients that will make vaccines, diagnostics and other medicines available to all the world," said Mariangela Simao, WHO assistant director for access to medicines and health product. The EU's plan applies only to those coronavirus vaccines that are covered by advance purchase agreements between drug companies and the European Commission. Those firms in the EU will have to apply for an authorisation to export doses meant for countries outside the bloc, and show their export records for the previous three months. A response would normally be given within 48 hours, though that could be extended if necessary. Most non-EU countries in and around Europe, such as Switzerland, those in the Balkans or micro-states like Monaco, are exempted from the measure. But Britain, which last year left the EU amid much acrimony, is not. Brussels has been in a furious dispute with AstraZeneca this week, accusing it of breaching its contract by delaying deliveries to EU governments while maintaining those under a deal it signed earlier with the UK. But Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides insisted: "We are not protecting ourselves against any specific country. And we're not in competition or in a race against any country." The prior three-month reporting period would presumably reveal whether or not AstraZeneca did indeed - as has been alleged - send vaccines to Britain from its vaccine plants in Europe, which it says have since been hit by production glitches. Belgian authorities on Thursday searched one AstraZeneca plant in southern Belgium at the European Commission's request. Data seized is being analysed. EU officials insisted that the scheme is not targeting AstraZeneca alone, but all Covid vaccine-exporting firms tied to the Commission by contracts. The main goal, they said, was to gather information, though they admitted that in "certain circumstances" vaccine exports could be denied. "What we want to achieve is of course, a fair approach. And transparency will help us in that respect," said one official on condition of anonymity. Vaccines, he said, are "a very strategic product, at a very delicate time". The officials noted that the EU's vaccine procurement portfolio is for 2.5 billion doses of authorised and potential vaccines - more than enough for the bloc's 450 million inhabitants. That is because the Commission also bought on behalf of poorer countries, with its excess doses to be funnelled through the WHO-led Covax facility. "We're not talking about vaccine nationalism," one official said. "From the beginning we intended to share these vaccines with our neighbours." Right now, though, the EU's vaccination programme is flagging badly, triggering anger among member states. On Britain not being exempted from the export-authorisation scheme, one EU official said: "The United Kingdom does not belong to either the Covax countries nor to the Efta (EU-linked European Free Trade Association) countries, nor to the neighbourhood." (AFP) Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. Governor Li Guoying delivered an annual government work report at the 4th Session of the 13th Anhui Provincial Peoples Congress on Thursday. The report reflected on Anhuis progress in the past year and set priorities and targets for 2021. Achievements in 2020 Economic growth Anhuis gross domestic product (GDP) reached 3.87 trillion yuan (about US$599.5 billion). It grew 3.9 percent year on year, bringing the province to the 4th place in China. The fixed-asset investment increased 5.1 percent. The province posted a 2.6 percent year-on-year increase in retail sales of consumer goods, and a 13.6 percent rise in foreign trade value. Value-added output of major industrial firms grew 6 percent. Fiscal revenue edged up 1 percent from a year earlier. Urban residents disposable income increased 5.1 percent, while rural residents disposable income went up 7.8 percent. 663,000 urban jobs were created. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.7 percent. The province ranked 4th in the country as its grain output hit 40.2 million tonnes. Epidemic control The province contained the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic within a month. 991 locally transmitted infections were reported in the province. The cure rate reached 99.4 percent. The province sent 1,362 medical workers in eight groups to Wuhan to help the city fight against the epidemic. Flood control Anhui succeeded in the battle against floods as no heavy casualties were caused, major dikes were not damaged, major national infrastructure was not attacked, and economic and social priorities were not affected. Poverty alleviation The province helped 1.79 million poverty-stricken people return to work and helped sell 20.96 billion yuan of products produced in impoverished areas. The remaining 87,000 people were lifted out of poverty. Sci-tech innovation The province made decisive progress in building national labs. The province saw a number of major innovations emerge and made new breakthroughs in core technological research in integrated circuit and new display industries. Jiuzhang, a light-based quantum computer, was created. Integrated development of Yangtze River Delta The province pushed ahead with regional cooperation in Five Blockchains. The industrial transfer cluster in the north of Anhui received special support from the central government. Environmental protection The average density of PM 2.5 fell 15.2 percent. The proportion of surface water of excellent and good quality reached 87.7 percent, while that of inferior Class V surface water was zero. The province began to impose a 10-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River. The area of newly-created forests totaled 1.526 million mu (101,733 hectares). Reform and opening-up 1.048 million market entities were registered in Anhui, up 5.8 percent. The province completed the pilot reforms of the rural collective property rights system. The trading of pollution discharge rights was realized. China (Anhui) Pilot Free Trade Zone was inaugurated. The province hosted the World Manufacturing Convention Jianghuai Online Economic Forum and the World Conference on Display Industry. The Comprehensive Bonded Zone of Hefei Economic and Technical Development Zone passed checks and became the provinces fourth of its kind. The establishment of a comprehensive bonded zone in Anqing was approved. Livelihood 84.7 percent of the provinces total fiscal expenditure was channeled into livelihood-related areas. The province invested 121.36 billion yuan in 33 livelihood projects. 36 public health projects kicked off. The province built or renovated 478 public kindergartens and built 2,714 rural smart schools. The basic endowment insurance covered 47.74 million people. The basic livelihood of 2.56 million needy people was guaranteed. Targets and priorities for 2021 The report also set the economic growth target at 8 percent for 2021. The province will raise sci-tech innovation capacity, upgrade the manufacturing industry and expand domestic demand in 2021, according to the report. Other priorities included promoting rural revitalization, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region and coordinated regional development, accelerating the development of the Anhui Pilot Free Trade Zone, and further improving livelihood. The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. The boundary between free speech and criminal advocacy or incitement will be tested in the Senate impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, and possibly in future prosecutions of Trump and his allies. It is a line U.S. courts crossed a century ago to allow prosecution of dissidents who opposed World War I and the military draft, including one who later ran for president from a prison cell. And although the Supreme Court, in a case involving a Ku Klux Klan leader, strengthened speech protections in 1969 by requiring proof of a close connection between a speakers words and ensuing violence, advocates of free expression say prosecutors in such cases should proceed with caution. People are often prosecuted for incitement for speech that should be safeguarded by the U.S. Constitution, Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, said at a recent symposium for law students. While Chemerinsky thinks Trump and attorney Rudy Giuliani could be successfully prosecuted for inciting the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol by supporters of the former president, its not a unanimous view among legal analysts. Intemperate and obnoxious and repugnant as some of (Trumps) speech was, I just dont think its criminal. Its rowdy political speech, said David Hudson, a law professor at Belmont University and a First Amendment researcher at the Freedom Forum, both in Nashville, Tenn. While Congress can define Trumps rally speech before the attack as an offense for impeachment purposes, Hudson said, a criminal conviction for incitement based on the same evidence would probably be overturned on appeal. The legal debate was much different in the late 1910s as President Woodrow Wilsons administration joined an overseas war that Wilson had once opposed, and supported laws to punish resisters. The first case to reach the Supreme Court, Schenck vs. U.S., involved two Socialist Party leaders who were convicted under a newly enacted sedition provision of the Espionage Act, and sentenced to six months in prison, for writing leaflets advising soldiers that the military draft violated the constitutional ban on involuntary servitude. Library of Congress In a unanimous ruling upholding the convictions in 1919, the renowned Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said such writings might be constitutionally protected in peacetime, but during a national crisis created a clear and present danger of harm that Congress was entitled to prevent. In the rulings most memorable passage, Holmes said, The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theater and causing a panic. A week later, the court, in another unanimous decision written by Holmes, upheld the seditious espionage conviction and 10-year prison sentence of Socialist Party leader Eugene V. Debs for a 1918 speech that opposed the war. Although Debs did not advocate draft resistance or lawbreaking, Holmes said the natural and intended effect of his words was to obstruct recruiting. Debs ran for president from prison in 1920 and received nearly 1 million votes. President Warren G. Harding commuted his sentence in 1921. Holmes changed course eight months later when the court, in a 7-2 ruling, upheld the seditious espionage convictions and 20-year sentences of Russian immigrants whose leaflets criticized U.S. military action against Bolshevik rebels in Russia. In a dissenting opinion that has since become mainstream judicial doctrine, Holmes, joined by Justice Louis Brandeis, said the best test of truth was free trade in ideas, and that courts must be vigilant against attempts to check the expression of opinions that we loathe. But the court continued to elevate perceived threats to the social order over the rights of dissidents. A 1927 ruling upheld the conviction of an Oakland woman, Charlotte Whitney, for violating the California Criminal Syndicalism Act by helping to found the Communist Labor Party and speaking on its behalf in 1919 words that the court said were tending to incite crime. Whitney served a brief prison term before being pardoned by Gov. C.C. Young in 1927. Win McNamee / Getty Images The same attitudes surfaced during the Cold War as anti-Communist fervor gripped the judiciary and other government institutions. The leading case was Dennis vs. U.S., a 6-2 Supreme Court ruling in 1951 that upheld the convictions and five-year sentences of 11 American Communist Party members for allegedly conspiring to overthrow the government. While Justices Hugo Black and William Douglas argued in dissent that the prosecutions violated the free-speech rights of defendants who posed no threat of violence, Chief Justice Frederick Vinson said the government need not wait until the putsch is about to be executed before taking action. The national temperature had cooled, however, by 1969, when the court set new and more protective free-speech standards for incitement. The ruling came in the case of Clarence Brandenburg, a Klan leader in Ohio who made racist and anti-Semitic statements to his followers and suggested future revengeance by whites. The justices unanimously overturned his sentence of up to 10 years in prison and overruled the standard it had upheld in Whitneys 1927 case. Advocacy can be criminally punished only when it is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action, the justices said in 1969. In another case four years later, the court struck down the conviction of an anti-war demonstrator who shouted that protesters would take the f street again, ruling that he had not threatened imminent lawbreaking. The evolving standards, said Hudson of Belmont University, show that in times of war and crisis, speech takes a back seat to security. The experience with incitement prosecutions ... should make us very cautious about use of incitement law, said UC Berkeleys Chemerinsky. But Brandenburg is much more protective of speech and struck the right balance, he said. Maybe not, in the age of social media, argued Margaret Russell, a constitutional law professor at Santa Clara University. Because someone who used Facebook or Twitter to advocate violence an attack on the Capitol, for example could argue that he or she was not inciting imminent lawless action by any individuals, she said, the court should take a broader view of what actually incites people to violence. Provocation on social media could reach millions but its also less dangerous, countered Eugene Volokh, a UCLA law professor and publisher of the libertarian Volokh Conspiracy blog. It gives people time to cool off. Unlike Chemerinsky, who said prosecution of Trump for inciting the Capitol riot would be both justified and legally sustainable, Volokh said it would be legally futile and politically disastrous. Trumps exhortations to the crowd to march on the Capitol and fight to overturn the election results may have been reckless but recklessness isnt enough under the Brandenburg test, Volokh said. I think its unlikely that a jury would convict, finding intent to promote violence as opposed to mere knowledge that violence might happen. Appellate courts would likely overturn any such convictions, he said. And any such prosecution by the Biden administration would be hugely valuable to the Republican Party. ... It would totally energize their base. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko ADVERTISEMENT President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived in Daura, Katsina State, his hometown, for a four-day official visit. The Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed this development in a statement in Abuja on Friday. Mr Shehu said the president was welcomed on arrival at the Umaru Musa YarAdua International Airport, Katsina, by Governor Aminu Masari, the Deputy Governor, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly and the Chief Judge. In Daura, the Emir, Faruk Umar, led district heads and traditional title holders to receive the president at a helipad. In the course of his stay in Daura, Mr Buhari is expected to, among other engagements, participate in the All Progressives Party (APC) membership registration and revalidation exercise. Mr Shehu said the president considers this exercise as a very important one for the nations democracy and its yearning for good leadership as a requirement of the process of nation-building. In a broadcast last week, Mr Buhari urged all good people, not only to speak but to rise up and get involved in the task of improving their society. ALSO READ: Presidency alleges smear campaign against Buhari He added that for most citizens, their greatest weapon is their vote. Register now for your party and register when the time comes for elections. Mr Buhari is expected to return to the nations capital, Abuja, on Tuesday. Before he departed Abuja, Mr Buhari had hosted Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, who later informed State House correspondents that he was in the villa to brief the president on issues pertaining to security, New Nigeria Newspapers and the Jos Main Market. (NAN) New Delhi: The teaser of megastar Chiranjeevi starrer Acharya dropped on Friday (January 29). In the 1 minute long clip, the actor took the viewers in a power packed action ride. While the release date of the movie was also announced. In the teaser, Chiranjeevi can be seen vying for justice with the blood of evil people. He plays a communist revolutionary in the movie and the imagery of red looms throughout the entire teaser. Set in the world of Dharmasthali, Chiranjeevi emerges as the ultimate saviour of the people. Taking to Twitter, the south superstar announced that the movie will hit the theatres on May 13 and also shared the teaser. Chiranjeevi tweeted, #AcharyaOnMay13 @sivakoratala @MatineeEnt @KonidelaPro @AlwaysRamCharan. Have a look at the teaser: The much-awaited film is written and directed by Koratala Siva. Chiranjeevi's son, actor Ram Charan, will also play a key role in the movie. Besides the father-son duo, the star cast also includes Kajal Aggarwal and Soun Sood. A Comrades quest for Dharma, Koratala Siva had earlier tweeted about the movie. In November 2020, Chiranjeevi had tested positive for COVID-19 while shooting for Acharya. The actor had informed his fans about his health on Twitter. He wrote, "Took a test for COVID before resuming 'Acharya' shoot as a protocol and unfortunately tested positive. I am currently asymptomatic & quarantining myself at home. Request all those who met me in the last 5 few days to also undergo covid tests. Will update you on my recovery soon. Many pharmacies and health systems are scheduling second shots, on site, right after people receive their first ones. University of Chicago Medicine is typically scheduling people for their second shots when they get first doses, and if they dont schedule at that time, they get electronic reminders to do so. At Rush University Medical Center, the clinician who gives a person a shot also books that person for their second one, Quick said. Patna, Jan 29 : Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav on Friday targeted CM Nitish Kumar saying he doubts whether Kumar is actually a socialist leader. "Keeping in view the present situation, farmers, teachers and students are angry with the central and state government. Crime against women is on the rise...Instead of addressing their issues, CM Nitish Kumar is putting all effort behind saving his chair. He does not have any political ideology," Tejashwi said in Patna. The RJD leader chaired a party meeting at the residence of former CM Rabri Devi on Friday to discuss the progress of the human chain programme scheduled for January 30 to support the farmers agitation across Bihar. "We firmly believe that farmers of Bihar have the same ideology as the farmers of Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh. They will also come out in their support," Tejashwi said. "In absence of Bazaar Samiti and Mandi, the farmers of Bihar are forced to sell their agriculture products way below the Minimum Support Price (MSP). They are selling paddy at not more than Rs 700 to 800 per 100 KG while the MSP is Rs 1868. The state government should establish Bazaar Samiti and Mandi in Bihar so that farmers can sell their agriculture products," he said. Meanwhile, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, president of the Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) launched an indefinite hunger strike at Gandhi Maidan on Friday morning in solidarity with the farmers. He said that the Modi government must roll back the three farm laws. "The Centre should stop torturing farmers of our country. Our elders fought with Britishers and eventually forced them to retreat. The current government at the Centre is more ruthless than Britishers," alleged Yadav. "In the agitation, 133 farmers have lost their lives in the last two months. This government had conspired against tractor rallies in a well-planned manner to defame farmers. How did more than 10,000 farmers come to ITO? The Delhi Police fired tear gas shells on farmers. The entire incident should be investigated thoroughly under monitoring by a court," Yadav said. NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- QualityMetric, a technology-enabled provider of patient health surveys, ePRO solutions, and consulting services owned by Vesey Street Capital Partners, LLC ("VSCP"), a New York-based healthcare services private equity firm, today announced the addition of John Hart as its newly-appointed Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Hart will join the team led by Chief Executive Officer Garth "Gus" Gardner, who has been in that role since soon after the VSCP-led recapitalization of the company in August of 2020. Vesey Street Capital Partners QualityMetric "We are extremely excited to have someone with the experience and perspectives of John join the QM team," suggested Gardner. "He will be an instrumental part of our journey as a newly-independent company to meaningfully expand and enhance our solutions, as we continue to execute on our long-held mission to improve patient care globally by measuring health from the patient's point of view." Added Adam Feinstein, Managing Partner at VSCP, "Vesey Street Capital Partners could not be more enthused to be able to add John to QM's leadership group, given my own high regard for him, and given his long-standing relationship with our advisory board." "This is yet another part of our meaningful commitment to notably build on what's so fundamental and important about this company its passion for health measurement and its people," noted Larry Marsh, General Partner at VSCP. Mr. Hart's career spans over three decades, as he has served in a diverse range of finance leadership roles in the healthcare sector. Mr. Hart has been the Chief Financial Officer at expanding organizations in the behavioral health and eye care sectors, and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer in the surgical center industry at National Surgical Healthcare, Inc. Prior to those roles, he served in the vascular medicine sector as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Vein Clinics of America. His other positions have included Senior Vice President of Finance and Corporate Controller of Surgery Partners, Inc.; Vice President, Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer of NovaMed, Inc.; and Vice President and Assistant Corporate Controller of Information Resources, Inc. John received his B.A. in Business Administration from Loyola University of Chicago and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). "I am excited to be partnered with VSCP, with Gus, and his leadership team in rolling up my sleeves and participating in the many exciting days ahead at QualityMetric," highlighted Mr. Hart. "The sense of opportunity and enthusiasm from the organization and from Vesey Street Capital is clear. I look forward to further building out the finance and analytics functions here and to contributing to the company's future growth." ABOUT QUALITYMETRIC QualityMetric works with the world's leading healthcare and life sciences companies to measure and better understand outcomes through the creation, administration, and review of general and patient-specific health surveys. Founded in 1997, QM combines its proprietary scientifically validated general health and disease specific surveys with its enabling technology, advanced analytics, and sector expertise to work with all the world's largest pharmaceutical companies in clinical trials and patient surveillance. For more information, please visit www.qualitymetric.com. ABOUT VESEY STREET CAPITAL PARTNERS VSCP is a private equity firm with substantial and differentiated healthcare services sector and sourcing expertise. Specifically, it specializes in middle market buyouts, with a focus on businesses with strong cash flow characteristics that create value for hospitals, physicians, pharmaceutical/life sciences companies, and health insurers by enhancing efficiency, expanding productivity, reducing costs, and growing revenues. Since inception, the firm has deployed approximately $600 million in capital, primarily as a control investor. For more information, please visit www.vscpllc.com. Media Contact: Bryan Sekino, CFO Chief Financial Officer Vesey Street Capital Partners The Pearline House 428 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10013 Email: [email protected] (646) 847-2438 SOURCE Vesey Street Capital Partners NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday addressed the Parliament's Budget Session during which he strongly condemned the Republic Day violence in the national capital and said that the removal of the national flag atop Red Fort was unfortunate. Shortly after the address, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey. The session will be held in two parts this year due to Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, 18 opposition parties have announced their decision to boycott the President's address to a joint sitting of both houses today, in solidarity with the farmers agitating against the three contentious farm laws. Here are President Ram Nath Kovinds top quotes - -The budget session is being held at a challenging time of COVID-19, says President Ram Nath Kovind addressing the joint sitting of Parliament. -No matter how big the challenge is, we will not stop, India will not stop, says President. -Whenever India is united, it has achieved impossible goals, says President Kovind. -In the fight against the pandemic, we have lost many countrymen, including ex-President Pranab Mukherjee, 6 MPs: President Kovind. -I am satisfied that due to timely decisions of government, the lives of millions of people were saved; the number of corona patients is now decreasing: President. -Centre-State coordination has strengthened democracy: President Kovind - After extensive deliberations, Parliament passed 7 months ago 3 important farm laws, says President Kovind. -President condemns R-Day violence, says Red Fort incident ''unfortunate''. -The national flag and a holy day like Republic Day were insulted in the past few days. Insult of tricolour is very unfortunate: President -The Constitution that provides us Freedom of Expression is the same Constitution that teaches us that law and rules have to be followed seriously, says President Kovind. -"To support such farmers in their small expenses, around Rs 1,13,000 crores have been transferred directly to their accounts under PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi," says President Kovind. -Small and marginal farmers are also a priority for my government: President Kovind lists out Modi government's measures -The government is working to develop modern infrastructure for farm sector: President. -Implementation of 3 farm laws put on hold by the Supreme Court; Govt will respect whatever is the decision of apex court: President. -Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu raises slogans during President's address in Parliament, demanding the repeal of 3 farm laws. PTI -Over 10 crore small farmers started getting benefits of 3 farm laws; many political parties supported these reforms: President. Live TV BOISE, Idaho, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gov. Brad Little's recognition of Jan. 24-Jan. 30 as Idaho School Choice Week marks the seventh time in ten years that the state's governor has proclaimed the Week. Around the country, National School Choice Week raises awareness about opportunity in education, encouraging families to celebrate their school options and be actively involved in their children's education. Gov. Little is the 26th governor to proclaim the week, joining hundreds of local, state, and national leaders. This year, National School Choice Week takes place virtually, and Idaho schools, families, and organizations are celebrating with more than 200 virtual or socially-distanced events or activities. Schools of every type traditional public, public magnet, public charter, private, online, and homeschool will be participating in the week nationwide. The Week's activities aim to spark conversations about the educational opportunities parents have, or want to have, for their children. "School Choice Week is a one-of-a-kind time to celebrate education and learn about the diverse school options families can choose from," said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. "We are grateful for Gov. Little's proclamation and hope that this year's festivities allow all Idaho families to find, or celebrate, the best learning environment for them." National School Choice Week shines a spotlight on effective K-12 education options for children. As a not-for-profit effort, the Week focuses equally on traditional public, charter, magnet, online, private, and home education options. Every January, participants plan tens of thousands of events and activities such as school fairs, open houses, and student showcases to raise awareness about school choice across all 50 states. Year-round, National School Choice Week develops resources and guides to assist families searching for schools or learning environments for their children. The effort is nonpolitical and nonpartisan and does not advocate for legislation. For more information, visit schoolchoiceweek.com/idaho . SOURCE National School Choice Week Related Links www.schoolchoiceweek.com The Steering Committee of the College of Commissioners-General of Expo 2020 Dubai held its sixth meeting last week, with participants reviewing progress on the event ahead of its opening on October 1. The virtual meeting gathered representatives of countries participating in the Expo, as well as the Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, and representatives of the Expo Organiser including the Director of the Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, Reem Al Hashimy. Members of the Steering Committee discussed a range of points regarding the preparations for Expo 2020 Dubai, including the advancement of pavilions, logistical matters, content programming, and health and safety measures that are being taken during the preparation phase as well as those planned for the Expo period. Regarding the latter, the BIE and its Member States continue to monitor and assess the sanitary situation as it evolves to develop guidelines, anticipate measures and support preparedness accordingly. Furthermore, with the Pavilions Premiere the public opening of the Thematic Pavilions beginning with Terra, the Sustainability Pavilion, on January 22, Members of the Steering Committee reviewed the measures and practices being put in place to ensure meaningful, safe and exceptional experiences for all visitors. All participating countries and partners will have the opportunity to exchange on the advancement of Expo preparations during the next International Participants Meeting, which the Organiser is aiming to hold in a physical format in early May. Kerkentzes said: "The UAE, Expo 2020 Dubai and all international participants continue to make progress in preparing for an exceptional and safe World Expo that will inspire visitors and instil optimism in creating a better future." "The smooth progress of preparations moving towards the opening of Expo 2020 Dubai on October 1 this year is the result of continual and positive dialogue between the BIE, its Member States and the Expo Organiser," he added. Reem Al Hashimy, Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai said: "The UAEs commitment to delivering a safe, responsible and exceptional Expo continues to be inspired by our partners, the BIE and the International Participants who are preparing for opening day, at pace." "We are witnessing not only their pavilions taking shape but also their programme plans which we aspire will be a turning point for the international collaboration on issues of global priority,." he added. Theta Gold Mines ( ) (OTCQB: TGMGF) has highlighted its strategy to become a high-growth gold producer at the Mines & Money Online Connect Precious Metals webinar, a three day event showcasing 60 leading mining companies between January 27 29. Sitting in the top 100 ASX listed resources companies, with one of the top three largest undeveloped gold resources not controlled by a major in South Africa, the company highlighted its goal to develop four mines targeting more than 160,000 ounces per annum within five years. Within South Africa's Golden Triangle region The companys Theta Gold Project sits within the Eastern Transvaal Goldfields within a region known as South Africas Golden Triangle, which is host to the three largest gold reserves in the world producing around 6,000 tonnes of gold. Peers include West Wits Minings ( ) Witwatersrand Basin Project, DRD Gold a 175,000 ounce producer and Pan African Resources. Theta controls a large gold field, which remains almost unexplored since WWII with more than 43 historical mines to be investigated using modern day exploration technology. Working towards an underground mining reserve, targeted for Q1 2021, the company plans to use the following methods and technologies to boost its underground mine economics: Modern mining methods to recover maximum grade with improved dilution; Modern gold processing to maximise gold recovery; and Modern mining planning to maximise production rates. Four stage mine developments Stage 1 includes Thetas starter pits, which are on MR83 while stage 2 comprises the companys Southern Extension Pits on MR341, which currently have around 500,000 ounces in open-pit resources that are to be converted into ore reserves through in-fill drilling. Stage 3 includes the Rietfontein shallow underground mine on MR358/10161 where a scoping study was completed in 2017 and stage 4 comprises the Beta shallow underground mine, host to 1.1 million ounces at 6 g/t gold. Project PFS targeted for completion in Q1 On December 14, Thetas board approved a pre-feasibility study to convert more of the companys measured and indicated mineral resources into a mining reserve. The PFS, targeted for completion by Q1 2021, will produce an underground mining reserve for the Beta and Frankfort Mines. This will be the companys first declared underground mining reserve, to be added to Theta Golds existing 205,000 ounces of open-pit mining reserves from MR83, which is already approved for underground mining. Led by the new CEO (Africa), Mitford Mundell, a detailed survey has been completed on old workings where the team identified easily accessible gold faces with easy access to sampling. The PFS will build on the scoping studies completed in 2017 for the Beta Mines. Theta has 150 years of exploration and production data to assist with fast tracking the PFS. Unique investmet In early Jan the company invested A$700,000 in Bullion Asset Management Services Pte Ltd (BAM), a Singapore-based technology company focused on financing, tokenisation of physical gold bullion and precious metals trading. The move makes Theta a top-five shareholder in BAM, with about 5% in BAM, together with the three other large shareholders. At the time, chairman Bill Guy said the unique investment provides the company with exposure to a rapidly growing bullion management business backed by Australias oldest and most reputable bullion and numismatic merchant, Jaggards. LONDON Edwin Vermulst, a trade lawyer in Brussels, did not think twice before he agreed to write an article for Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications giant, that would criticize a Belgian policy that threatened to box the company out of lucrative contracts. He had worked with the company for years. After the article was published Dec. 17 on a Dutch-language website, he moved on to other work. That was the beginning and end of my involvement, he said. Little did he know that the article would take on a life of its own. It soon became part of a covert pro-Huawei influence campaign in Belgium about 5G networks, the high-speed wireless technology at the center of a geopolitical dispute between the United States and China. First, at least 14 Twitter accounts posing as telecommunications experts, writers and academics shared articles by Mr. Vermulst and many others attacking draft Belgium legislation that would limit high risk vendors like Huawei from building the countrys 5G system, according to Graphika, a research firm that studies misinformation and fake social media accounts. The pro-Huawei accounts used computer-generated profile pictures, a telltale sign of inauthentic activity. The measure will not be applicable to Western Balkans Eastern Partnership countries. The European Union has puts in place a transparency and authorization mechanism for exports of COVID-19 vaccines. The European Commission announced on its website on January 29. Read alsoHealth Minister announces start of mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Feb "In an effort to ensure timely access to COVID-19 vaccines for all EU citizens and to tackle the current lack of transparency of vaccine exports outside the EU, the Commission has today put in place a measure requiring that such exports are subject to an authorisation by Member States," it said. "Protecting the health of our citizens remains our utmost priority, and we must put in place the necessary measures to ensure we achieve this. This transparency and authorisation mechanism is temporary, and we will of course continue to uphold our commitments towards low and middle income countries," President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said. Meanwhile, Ukraine, among other more than 90 countries, was included in the list of countries that will, under certain conditions, be exempted from export authorization requirements. The Western Balkans countries and members of the Eastern Partnership program, which includes Ukraine, will not be subject to the ban, the media outlet Ukrayinska Pravda reported. "This mechanism includes a wide range of exemptions to fully honour our humanitarian aid commitments and protect vaccines deliveries to our neighbourhood, and to countries in need covered by the COVAX-facility," Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis said. The export authorization scheme The EU says that the measure is not to block exports of vaccines. This implementing act, adopted by urgency procedure and published today, provides for authorizations of exports outside the EU of COVID-19 vaccines until the end of March 2021. This scheme only applies to exports from companies with whom the EU has concluded Advance Purchased Agreements. This measure is targeted, proportionate, transparent and temporary. It is fully consistent with the EU's international commitment under the World Trade Organization and the G20, and in line with what the EU has proposed in the context of the WTO trade and health initiative. COVID-19 vaccine for Ukraine In February-March 2021, Ukraine expects the delivery of a vaccine against COVID-19. The first batch of a vaccine via the COVAX Facility will include 8 million doses, which will be enough to vaccinate 4 million people (two shots per person required). First to get vaccinated will be healthcare workers, the elderly, and seriously ill patients. On December 24, 2020, Health Minister Stepanov said that his ministry was working out a plan to increase the COVAX vaccine quota from 8 million to 16 million doses. On December 30, Ukraine signed a contract with China's Sinovac for the supply of 1.9 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 170 experimental vaccines are currently at the stage of preclinical trials, 65 are undergoing clinical trials, of which 15 are at the third, last stage. Reporting by UNIAN Israel: work groups established with Morocco after agreement Phone call between foreign minister of Rabat and Israeli adviser (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, 29 GEN - Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben Shabbat, in a telephone conversation, decided to establish work groups in the sectors of investments, agriculture, water, tourism, science, innovation, and energy. A statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision came following the recent conversation between Morocco's King Mohammed VI and the Israeli prime minister after the agreement on deepening bilateral relations established in mid-December. The work groups will be held online for the time being, due to the pandemic, but as soon as possible, hopefully in February, a high-level delegation from Rabat will travel to Israel, the statement said. It is also hoped that a delegation led by Ben Shabbat will travel to Morocco.(ANSAmed).(ANSA). (ANSAmed). Accepted applicants will work with Newlab to unlock new product capabilities, uncover use cases, and explore partnership opportunities with industry and civic leaders. They will also benefit from access to Newlab's vast member community, robust corporate and investor network, grant funding, and press exposure, andif accepted to Studios based at Newlab's flagship Brooklyn Navy Yard locationmore than $5M of on-site prototyping resources. Participation in a Newlab Innovation Studio is equity-free. "Newlab's Innovation Studios leverage the combined capabilities and resources of our community, our industry and civic partners, and trailblazing companies to address the world's biggest challenges," said Shaun Stewart, CEO of Newlab. "We're excited to kick off 2021 with an open call season inviting companies across disciplines to apply to join our Innovation Studios, where they will have the opportunity to develop and pilot technologies with the potential to transform industries and society." Over the past two years, Newlab has spearheaded numerous Innovation Studios, including its inaugural Prospect Mining Studio, in partnership with mining conglomerate Vimson Group, which supported the development of technology addressing sustainability, safety, and efficiency challenges in the mining industry; the first edition of its 5G Studio, in collaboration with Verizon, which enabled its company cohort to leverage 5G in testing new technologies with industry applications spanning mobility, health, manufacturing and more; and two iterations of its Circular City Studio , which have focused on making cities more resilient and sustainable by piloting smart city technology in neighborhoods across New York City. Companies are invited to apply for participation in the following Innovation Studios; this page will be continually updated as new Open Calls are announced. 5G Studio Verizon and Newlab created the 5G Studio to support the development of next-generation applications that have the power to transform mobility, energy, automation, and to create the ecosystems of the future. In the first cohort in 2020, six companies leveraging 5G to address issues across health, mobility, manufacturing, and more were selected for their industry-transforming potential. Now entering its second year, the 5G Studio will select teams across disciplines to test their transformative technologies on Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network and Mobile Edge Compute (MEC) at Newlab. Accepting Applications Now: January 7 February 10 Accessible Streets Studio A collaboration between Michigan Central and Newlab, the Accessible Streets Studio focuses on making everyday life more navigable and creating opportunities for the residents of Detroit. The Studio, which will live within the Michigan Central innovation district in Corktown, aims to connect communities around Michigan Central Station by developing solutions to address mobility challenges and bridge accessibility gaps. The Studio will bring together Detroiters, civic stakeholders, startups, and industry experts to co-design high-impact, innovative solutions to address community needs in a meaningful and impactful manner. Accepting Applications Now: January 13 February 24 Prospect Mining Studio Prospect Mining Studio, a partnership between Vimson Group and Newlab, supports top entrepreneurs, engineers, inventors, and prominent researchers to advance the natural resource and mining industries. The Studio allows teams to build, pilot, and scale solutions that deliver efficiency and sustainability to the $1T mining industry. The program explores opportunities in prospecting and surveying, exploration, mine design and planning, closed-loop production, and mine closure and mitigation. Accepting Applications Now: January 28 March 10 Mobility Studio The Mobility Studio draws on Detroit's legacy as the birthplace of the automobile industry, making it the perfect place for Newlab's model of collaborative, diverse, and dynamic innovation. Led by Ford, Michigan Central, and Newlab, the Studio will help enable an electrified, connected, and autonomous future by building, testing, and launching new mobility concepts in collaboration with leading industry experts, entrepreneurs, engineers, and inventors. To shape its future as an innovation capital redefining how people and goods move across cities, regions, and the world, Newlab will support the overall development of Michigan's innovation ecosystem, helping local startups to stay, grow, and thrive there. Open Call to be announced Contact: Lynn Fischer, [email protected] Newlab Open Calls SOURCE Newlab Related Links https://newlab.com We look forward to working together to combat the current pandemic emergency and plan for future outbreaks. Tweet this "These new Centers and Affiliate offer not just deeper global reach, but encompass some of the world's most cutting-edge science and thought leadership," said Dr. Robert Gallo, GVN co-founder and international scientific advisor, who is also The Homer & Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor in Medicine and Director of the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), Chinese Academy of Sciences, offers, among other world-leading expertise, valuable resources in bat viruses and coronaviruses and will be an important Center for studying response to emerging viral diseases. "I support increasing global collaborations and transparency in science, particularly related to this current pandemic crisis," said Dr. Zhengli Shi, Professor at WIV and director of GVN's new Center in China. "In addition to sharing our coronavirus research and any new breakthroughs with my fellow colleagues at the GVN, I am also looking forward to sharing my experience in Africa, particularly the National Museums of Kenya and the Kenya Wildlife Service, regarding our surveillance studies in bats, rodents and camels in East Africa." Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands is renowned for conducting research in innate immunity, non-specific vaccines, targeting leukocytes, and metabolic differentiation, especially against coronaviruses. "I am looking forward to increasing my collaborations with the GVN," said Dr. Mihai Netea, a GVN Task Force member who will direct the new Center, and who also heads the division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands. "I am pleased that our research in understanding the factors influencing variability of human immune responses, the biology of sepsis and immunoparalysis in bacterial and fungal infections, and the study of the memory traits of innate immunity is already helping to shape GVN's thought-leadership on utilizing innate immunity to mitigate our current pandemic and future ones." The Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in the USA leads major genomic studies of Lassa virus, Ebola virus, and Zika virus and have carried out extensive work in virology and microbial diagnostics, including contributions to the development of innovative technologies. "My lab has contributed to a range of fields including human and microbial genomics, information theory, and infectious disease diagnostics and surveillance, while developing new and cutting-edge diagnostic and computational technologies for outbreak prevention and response," said Dr. Pardis Sabeti, a Professor at the Center for Systems Biology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), who will direct the GVN Center. "Together with the GVN, we can expand our study of pandemic resilience in the future." The University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago routinely investigates a variety of important human and animal pathogens vectored by mosquito, tick, culicoides and bats including dengue, Chikungunya, Zika and bat coronaviruses, and will contribute to many of GVN's initiatives. UWI St. Augustine joins the GVN as an Affiliate through GVN's Center of Excellence in HIV and HCV Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, at the University at Buffalo, SUNY, USA. "We look forward to working with our GVN collaborators, particularly at the University at Buffalo, SUNY to share our expertise in viral epidemiology research, as well as, to participating in broader training programs to enhance our virus research capacity," said Dr. Christine Carrington, Professor of Molecular Genetics and Virology at UWI St. Augustine and Director of the new GVN Affiliate. Dr. Gene D. Morse, Distinguished Professor and Director at the Center for Integrated Global Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, SUNY who leads the GVN Center of Excellence said, "I am pleased to see my colleagues from Trinidad and Tobago come under the GVN umbrella. I look forward to helping them share resources with the GVN, test and develop antiviral therapies and biomarkers, promote translational science and build infrastructure and capacity for global virology research." GVN members collaborate on research areas including immunology and vaccines, antiviral drug therapy, virus-host interaction, diagnostic virology and epidemiology, morphogenesis and structural biology, emerging and re-emerging viruses, viruses as biotechnological tools and trending topics in virology. GVN is at the frontline of virology research to share knowledge, collaborate, and train the next generation of virologists as effective tools to combat epidemics of the future. About the Global Virus Network (GVN) The Global Virus Network (GVN) is essential and critical in the preparedness, defense and first research response to emerging, existing and unidentified viruses that pose a clear and present threat to public health, working in close coordination with established national and international institutions. It is a coalition comprising eminent human and animal virologists from 61 Centers of Excellence and 11 Affiliates in 34 countries worldwide, working collaboratively to train the next generation of virologists, advance knowledge about how to identify and diagnose pandemic viruses, mitigate and control how such viruses spread and make us sick, as well as develop drugs, vaccines and treatments to combat them. No single institution in the world has expertise in all viral areas other than the GVN, which brings together the finest medical virologists to leverage their individual expertise and coalesce global teams of specialists on the scientific challenges, issues and problems posed by pandemic viruses. The GVN is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, please visit www.gvn.org. Follow us on Twitter @GlobalVirusNews SOURCE Global Virus Network 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 nurse shows a COVID-19 vaccine produced by Chinese company Sinovac Biotech at the Sao Lucas Hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on Aug. 8, 2020. (Silvio Avila/AFP via Getty Images) Chinese-Made Vaccines Met With Skepticism Internationally As COVID-19 continues to spread across the globe, the Chinese regime has been stepping up efforts in exporting its vaccines to other nations, consistently pursuing vaccine diplomacy. However, China-made vaccines have encountered global resistance due to the lack of transparent data on their efficacy. On Jan. 20, Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying claimed at a press briefing that at least 40 countries expressed an interest in introducing China-made COVID-19 vaccines. She also said that some foreign leaders had already received Chinese shots, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Hua Chunying, spokeswoman of Chinas Foreign Ministry, speaks at a regular news conference. (Jason Lee/Reuters) The Chinese regime repeatedly touted its vaccines availability and affordability at a joint press conference led by the State Council on Oct. 20, 2020. A number of middle- and low-income countries and regions have said they will purchase Chinese vaccines, attracted to their lower prices compared to those manufactured by European and American drug companies. Most Chinese vaccines are still in clinical trial. Brazils health regulator recently found the vaccine developed by state-run drug company Sinovac to be only 50.4 percent effective, just passing the 50 percent threshold set by the World Health Organization for regulatory approval. The figure was far lower than the 78 percent efficacy rate that the drug maker initially claimed. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has criticized China for its vaccine efficacy and questioned their credibility. Then-Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro delivers a speech at an event in Brasilia on Dec. 10, 2018. (Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images) In the Philippines, Risa Hontiveros, an opposition lawmaker, criticized Dutertes administration for continuing to cram their preference for Chinese-made vaccines down the publics throat, without emergency use approval and with inconsistent data. A Dec. 10, 2020 report by AFP warned against Beijingscharm offensive, noting that Beijings campaign to promote its vaccines was partly to deflect anger and criticism over Chinas initial mishandling of the pandemic, and to cement its influence in Asia and beyond. In Singapore, Bilahari Kausikan, former foreign ministry official, said: Right now, I would not take any Chinese vaccine, because theres insufficient data, according to a Jan. 25 New York Time report. On Jan. 15, YouGov, a London-headquartered research data and analytics group, released its findings in a survey that asked 19,000 people from 17 countries about their attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines made in 12 countries, including the United States, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Australia, Russia, China, Iran, Singapore, South Korea, and India. The participants were asked how comfortable they felt about vaccines in each country. China scored -19 on average, ranking second-to-last, behind Iran (-30). Vaccinating People Before Trials Are Complete Since July last year, the Chinese regime has required millions of citizens to take domestically made vaccines for emergency use, despite the fact that drug companies have yet to complete testing at the time. To date, only one developed by Sinopharm has been approved by Chinese regulators thus far. In an October 2020 Chinese BBC report, biochemistry professor Jin Dong-Yan at the University of Hong Kongs medical school said that he was worried about the safety of unverified Chinese vaccines. Jin believed that China had failed to meet medical ethical requirements and argued that China had misused the definition of emergency use. He also noted: China is overturning its own review system for medicines and vaccines; it is ruining its pharmaceutical and vaccine industry, as the former Soviet Union did, or China did prior to its economic reforms [in the late 1970s]. Meanwhile, the expert warned that it could be risky for healthy people to take vaccines that have not completed clinical trial, noting that they could still get infected with COVID-19 and even develop into a serious condition. Had they not taken the shots, since they are relatively young and physically strong, they would likely develop mild or zero symptoms if infected, he said. Covid-19 has been discovered in 16 Queensland sewage catchments over the past two weeks - causing fears the virus could be circulating in the community. Fragments of coronavirus have been detected multiple times in the Coombabah, Cleveland and Carole Park sewage catchments in the last fortnight. Queensland Acting Chief Health Officer Dr Sonya Bennett said the repeat detection is becoming more concerning. The positive samples indicate there could be an undetected coronavirus case in Queensland. Covid-19 has been discovered in 16 Queensland sewage catchments over the past two weeks (stock) Pictured: Health care worker tests people at a Covid-19 drive through clinic in Queensland on January 11 GET TESTED IF YOU HAVE THESE COVID SYMPTOMS Fever Cough Sore throat Runny nose Fatigue Diarrhoea Nausea or vomiting Loss of taste or smell Advertisement 'Cleveland and Carole Park are of particular concern as we have no hotel quarantine locations that feed into these sewage systems,' Dr Bennett said. 'We are urging anyone with any symptoms, no matter how mild to come forward and get tested.' There have been other positive samples in Gibson Island and Pulgul (Hervey Bay) in the past three weeks. Cairns North, Maryborough and Loganholme have also seen multiple detections in the past four weeks. '[Some] of these catchments are in areas where cases have been detected among international arrivals,' Dr Bennett said. '[But] it is very important that everyone monitors their health, and comes forward for testing if they have any symptoms at all,' she said. Symptoms include runny nose, fatigue, fever, cough, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea, and loss of taste or smell. The positive samples indicate there could be an undetected coronavirus case in Queensland. Pictured: Woman wears a face mask in Brisbane on January 10 Dr Bennett said there was a risk highly infectious variants of Covid from overseas could have gotten into the state. 'If there is a case we are not yet aware of, it is critical we detect it through our testing mechanisms as quickly as possible to contain any potential spread,' she said. 'It is, of course, also possible that these detections relate to previous Covid-19 cases who can shed viral fragments for a couple of months after they are no longer infectious.' It comes after positive Covid samples were found in wastewater in three Victorian towns. An alert has been issued for Gisborne, Leongatha and Hamilton after Covid-19 was detected in wastewater at the Leongatha wastewater treatment plant on January 19. Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) advised anyone with symptoms to get tested for the virus, even if they are 'mild'. Residents in three Victorian towns have been urged to get tested for Covid after the virus was detected in wastewater. Pictured: Hydrographer Andrew Lamb taking samples from a sewer in Victoria, May 2020 'Anyone who lives in or has visited Gisborne from January 24 to 26, Hamilton from January 25 to 27 or Leongatha from January 17 to 19, is urged to get tested if they have any symptoms of coronavirus, however mild,' DHHS said in a statement. DHHS said the initial testing of the Leongatha wastewater treatment plant showed a 'weak result' but has since been confirmed with independent testing. 'The detection of viral fragments was unexpected given there had been no confirmed cases of coronavirus in these communities at the time,' DHHS said. 'But it can take several weeks for someone to stop shedding the virus.' The wastewater result might be a sign there has been positive cases. "Marillyn provided leadership that helped us to implement a smooth and successful transition. As a result, we were able to accomplish strong financial and operational performance in 2020 and shape a vision for how we will support our nation and allies to meet the heightened threats of the 21st century," Taiclet said. "Her confidence in our executive leadership team and wise counsel over the past months illustrate her legacy as one of Lockheed Martin's most successful and respected leaders." Hewson will transition to be a strategic advisor to the CEO through Feb. 28, 2022. "I am proud to continue to support Jim and the important mission of Lockheed Martin as we deliver innovative, affordable, and leading-edge solutions for our customers," Hewson said. The board also elected Gregory M. Ulmer, 56, as executive vice president of Aeronautics. He succeeds Michele A. Evans, who passed away earlier this year. Ulmer has served as acting executive vice president, Aeronautics since Dec. 1, 2020, and as vice president and general manager, F-35 Lightning II Program since March 2018. Ulmer has led critical initiatives for Lockheed Martin throughout his career. His appointment is effective Feb. 1. "With Greg's wide-ranging experience and impressive record of leadership, we are confident that Aeronautics will continue its legacy of success under his leadership," Taiclet said. About Marillyn Hewson Hewson became executive chairman of Lockheed Martin on June 15, 2020. Prior to that, she served as chairman, president and CEO and led Lockheed Martin from 2013 to June 2020 through a period of consistent financial performance and impressive growth. During her 38 years at Lockheed Martin, Hewson held executive positions of increasing responsibility with the corporation. In 2019, TIME magazine identified Hewson as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World," and FORTUNE magazine ranked her No. 1 on its list of "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" for the second year in a row. In 2018, she was named the "CEO of the Year" by Chief Executive magazine, a Top 10 "Businessperson of the Year" by FORTUNE magazine, and one of the "World's 100 Most Powerful Women" by Forbes. About James Taiclet Taiclet joined the Lockheed Martin board of directors in 2018 and was elected president and CEO of the corporation last year. He assumed that position on June 15, 2020. A proven chief executive, Taiclet's previous tenure as CEO of American Tower Corporation started in 2003 and he became chairman, president and CEO in 2004. During that time, American Tower grew significantly and increased its market capitalization from approximately $2 billion to more than $100 billion. Prior to joining American Tower in 2001, Taiclet was president of Honeywell Aerospace Services, a unit of Honeywell International, and prior to that was vice president, Engine Services at Pratt & Whitney. Taiclet began his career as a U.S. Air Force officer and pilot and served a tour of duty in the Gulf War. He holds a master's degree in public affairs from Princeton University and is a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy with degrees in engineering and international relations. About Greg Ulmer Ulmer leads the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics portfolio, which features fifth-generation tactical aircraft, air mobility, unmanned and intelligence/surveillance/reconnaissance platforms, including F-35, F-22, F-16, C-130; as well as Advanced Development Programs (ADP), also known as Skunk Works. As vice president and general manager, F-35 Lightning II Program, Ulmer was responsible for leading all areas of the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft program, to include development, production, sustainment and modernization. He also previously served as vice president of Operations for Skunk Works. Ulmer graduated from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, with a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering. He also holds an executive master's degree in business management with an emphasis on aerospace from the University of Tennessee. About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 114,000 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 www.lockheedmartin.com In 2014, film school graduate Taylor Meacham headed to Los Angeles with dreams of working in the animation industry. Shortly after his time as a production coordinator on DreamWorks Animations Trolls (2016), his career took a pivot when he happened upon the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to write and direct his own short film. Meacham wanted his short to meld elements that have long inspired him: his close relationship with his father, a passion for illusion that began at the age of ten during summer magic camp, and the idea that the act of paying it forward via a simple gesture of kindness shown to another person can unexpectedly lead to profound results. To: Gerard is a love letter to my father, thanking him for everything hes given to us and how hes impacted our lives, says Meacham. My dad is 67 and still acts 14. Hes full of energy and sprightly. When designing the character of Gerard, I talked to the animators about wanting to show that hes lighter than air. His body may reflect a sedentary job, but his heart reflects how he moves. Set to an original score composed by Layla Minoui and featuring a 72-piece orchestra, Meachams animated short tells the tale of Gerard, an elderly mail carrier and amateur magician who charms an inquisitive young girl named Jules Gerards first-ever audience member with an impromptu magic show. In that moment, these two artists separated by decades set off a chain reaction that will change both of their lives forever, with everything coming full circle. To: Gerard champions the idea that inspiration can come from the seemingly mundane, as well as from the unexpected. What I want this film to say is: you never know who youre going to influence, Meacham says. Look for those moments, because they can be anywhere. With training in production support and management, as well as surfacing and art modeling, Meacham understood the steps to mapping out and the pipeline of animation. Backed by the support of producer Jeff Hermann and a collaborative filmmaking team, he was allowed to bring this magic to creative life. Meacham pitched To: Gerard to four-time Annie Award winner Nicolas Nico Marlet, who came aboard as his character designer. A week after meeting, Marlet had taken their discussion about Gerards soul and given him a distinct physicality. For Jules, Meacham drew from elements of other friends and family he respects. First and foremost as his mother is of Hispanic heritage it was crucial to the filmmaker that Jules be a girl of color. I am the center child of many sisters, and I have female friends from magic camp who are successful magicians today, Meacham says. I wanted to take all the qualities of all the women in my life whom I admire and put them into one person. Producer Jeff Hermann loved that, in Jules, Meacham had created an inquisitive, spunky young girl who isnt content to just go with the daily norm. Even though theres a lot of Taylor in Jules, it was important to him that the character be a little girl, Hermann says. Jules wants to understand how everything works. During an errand with her mom at the post office, she wants to explore everything around her. She pushes her way past the lobby and encounters this older gentleman practicing magic. He provides this inspiration for her, and shes so enamored by that moment that she continues that pursuit. In keeping with the spirit of sharing creativity and expertise, fellow DreamWorks animated short film director Pierre Perifel (Bilby) lent his talents as the productions head of character animation. Production designer Raymond Zibach embraced Meachams ideas for location design. Art-deco infuses the piece, from the metal inlays in Gerards postal floor to the design of the tubes that carry mail throughout the room. Even the conveyor belts that slip into the walls, from a top-down view, are arranged in an art-deco pattern. Meacham was surprised to discover the passion for magic shared by a number of fellow artists and animators on his shoot including Nico Marlet, as well as head of story Mike Lester and story artists Evon Freeman and Christopher Meinen. As the team required a study of sleight-of-hand to capture the beauty of Gerards motions, Meacham and Hermann took the animators to the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood so they could examine coin magic and fastidiously duplicate the hand motions of a magician. With this predominantly silent film told through actions, DreamWorks story artists infused moments of character charm throughout. For example, it was Lesters idea to have little Jules vanish in front of Gerard after the door to his hallway swings back open. One minute, he sees her holding her mothers hand the next, shes gone. Meacham says: It was a great tip of the hat to the audience for the magic to come. Producer Jeff Hermann couldnt be prouder of the result of Meachams first time as writer-director. Having started my animation career in the same production-support role as Taylor has, it was extremely gratifying to help provide Taylor with the opportunity to direct and creatively lead his vision to the screen. Hermann says. Taylors initial pitch was so clearly defined and deeply personal that each of us felt an immediate connection to his themes of hope and inspiration. It was these joyful qualities, and how well Taylor imbued his characters with them, that helped accelerate this project ahead. 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. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Naresh Tikait, brother of Rakesh Tikait, has announced that he will hold a Mahapanchayat in stronghold Muzaffarnagar after Police gave an ultimatum to protesting farmers at Ghazipur border to vacate the UP-Gate site. Hundreds of BKU members stayed put on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway early on Friday. Resultantly the Delhi Traffic Police has informed that the Ghazipur border has been closed on Friday. "Traffic diverted from NH 24, NH 9, Road no 56, 57 A, Kondli, Paper market, Telco T point, EDM Mall, Akshardham and Nizammudin Khatta," The Delhi Traffic Police informed in a tweet. Traffic Alert Diversion Point 1. Akhardham Setu towards Akhardham , N H 9 2. Max Hospital cut N.H 24 towards Hassan Pur depot 3. Gazipur Round about towards Anand vihar 4. Paper market towards Mayur vihar Phase . 3rd to avoid Murga Mandi Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) January 29, 2021 5. Kondli pul towards Gazipur Round about. The above diversion point have been open at 10:05 AM And From the point of 1. National Highway no 9 National Highway no 24 Open from upper side U.P Gate towards Ghaziabad, meerut ,Hapur. Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) January 29, 2021 Similarly, Singhu, Auchandi, Mangesh, Saboli, Piau Maniyari borders are also closed today. However, Lampur, Safiabad, Singhu school and Palla toll tax borders are opened, the Delhi Traffic Police added. Singhu & Saboli borders are closed.Auchandi,Lampur, Safiabad,Piau Maniyari,Singhu school&Palla toll tax borders are open. Pl Take alternate route. Traffic is heavy & diverted from NH44. Pl avoid Outer Ring Road,GTK road& NH 44.@CPDelhi@SplCPTrafficDel@DelhiPolice@dtptraffic Addl. CP Traffic, Outer Range, Delhi (@dcptrafficouter) January 29, 2021 Yesterday, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait broke down on national television after the Uttar Pradesh government sent additional forces to the protest site in Ghazipur forcing the protestors to vacate the site. Tikait announced that he would sit on a hunger strike and only drink water from his village but will not leave the protest site. Tikait alleged that goons were sent to the site, and added, "We wanted the arrest to happen peacefully. But it seems there is a plan to stir violence while protesters return. If there is any such plan, I will remain here. I will face the bullet". He also told the media that he would rather commit suicide than leave and end the protest against the farm laws. Following Tiktait's statement that there was a threat to his life, hundreds of his followers gathered outside his home in UP's Sisauli, raising slogans in his support. Rakesh Tikait's brother, Naresh, who left the protest site after the tractor rally, also announced a mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar to decide the future course of action. Although, Naresh Tikait asked protestors to vacate the Ghazipur site rather than getting beaten up police, later Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Jayant Chaudhary posted on Twitter that his father and party chief Chaudhary Ajit Singh spoke to the Tikait brothers and convinced them to stay united. Yesterday, by 11 pm, groups of farmers from Meerut, Baraut, Baghpat and Muradnagar reached the site to lend their support to Rakesh Tikait. Also read: Farmers protest: Delhi Police shuts down traffic on Ghazipur border; requests commuters to take alternate routes Also read: Budget 2021 Session Live Updates: Sitharaman to present Economic Survey 2020-21 in Parliament today A Massachusetts woman was charged with murder Thursday over claims she fatally stabbed her husband, authorities said. Forty-six-year-old Christine Ricci was arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of her husband, 51-year-old Michael Ricci, Thursday afternoon in Marshfield, according to a statement from Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruzs office. Police received a 911 call around 4:46 p.m. about a medical emergency at a home at 679 Moraine Street. Officers and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene and found Michael Ricci with multiple stab wounds, the statement said. The Marshfield man was taken to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, where he was pronounced dead, according to the statement. Officers in Marshfield contacted Massachusetts State Police detectives, and an investigation commenced, the district attorneys office said. Detectives later charged Christine Ricci with one count of murder. The Marshfield woman is expected to be arraigned in Plymouth District Court on Friday, according to the prosecutors office. With Februarys termination of government employment subsidies, which also partially support furlough allowances, Okinawa Prefecture is expected to face a March Crisis a situation in which tourism industry workers face substantial layoffs. Okinawan tourism will definitely recover in two or three years. It is hard to find a reason against it, said Kenji Sugimoto, president of JTB Okinawa Corp. However, if many lose their jobs due to the impact of COVID-19, the local industry will face labor shortages when the economy recovers. Sugimoto is therefore proposing an emergency system through which workers are temporarily seconded to companies so that they can return to their jobs once the economy is back on its feet. The prefecture and the Cabinet Offices Okinawa General Bureau have devised a support system that transfers workers at companies facing hardships to firms with more financial leeway. But so far the new system has matched only four cases with 11 workers. The system remains unpopular, as users are excluded from the employment subsidies. JTB Okinawa also seconded its workers for a month in 2020. Despite the need for regular check-ins and support, Sugimoto is certain that the experience will benefit workers as well as firms. In order to protect the employment of major industries, he is calling for the entire economy to adopt a transfer system. - Japan Times By Benjamin Jumbe The provincial secretariat of the church of Uganda has denied reports that it has been high handed in handling the issue of retired archbishop Stanley Ntagali. Bishop Ntagali has been condemned by the house of bishops for committing adultery which has upheld the statement made by Archbishop Kazimba. The statement was to the effect that his predecessor was not permitted to function sacramentally, preach, or represent the Church of Uganda in any way until further notice. Addressing the media in Kampala, the provincial Secretary Rev Canon Captain William Ongeng said the retired archbishop Ntagali is being handled according to the churchs canon laws further denying attacks of humiliating him. The House of Bishops has meanwhile confirmed that Ntagali committed the sin of adultery upholding the statement made by Archbishop Kazimba earlier. Rev Canon Ongeng adds that the House condemned the Act and acknowledged it as a sin of an individual resolving that Bishop Stanley Ntagali be handled in accordance with the Cannons of the Church of Uganda. ROME - The Portuguese parliament approved euthanasia on Friday with 136 votes in favour, 78 against, and four abstentions, said Diario de Noticias. The draft law approved Friday allows assisted dying, making euthanasia legal in the Catholic-majority country, the fourth in Europe. Voting in favour were the left-wing Bloco de Esquerda, the greens of Pan, the liberals of Iniciativa Liberal and the large majority of socialists of PS - which allowed freedom of vote - as well as two independent MPs. Voting against were the communists of PCP, the populists of CDS and the sovereignist Chega. Nine MPs from the Socialist Party voted against. There were also two abstentions among the socialists. In the Social Democratic party (PSD, of the centre-right), which also allowed freedom of vote, the majority of MPs voted against, with 14 others in favour. The proposal to change the law in effect was approved last February, opening the way for the vote in parliament despite the fact that the Catholic Church had asked for a referendum instead. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative Catholic who was recently re-elected, has not taken a public position on the topic. The new draft law classifies as "non-punishable euthanasia" the "hastening of death by the decision of the person himself" in a situation of "extreme suffering, with irreversible injuries, of extreme seriousness, scientifically proven, or incurable or fatal illness, when practiced by or with the assistance of health personnel". Washington: Former US president Donald Trump has held a fence-mending meeting with House Republican minority leader Kevin McCarthy in which Trump promised to help the party take back the chamber in 2022 congressional elections. The meeting on Thursday (Friday AEDT) came three weeks after McCarthy enraged Trump by saying the then-outgoing president bore responsibility for the deadly January 6 riot at the US Capitol by Trump supporters. Donald Trump and House Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Trump and McCarthy met at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, the club where Trump has lived since leaving the White House under a cloud of controversy on January 20. Trump had privately vented about McCarthy to his advisers after the California Republican said the former-commander-in-chief was responsible for the Capitol siege in which five people died, a source familiar with the situation said. McCarthy later backtracked, saying he did not believe Trump had provoked the assault. FORT WORTH, Texas: An American Airlines subsidiary grounded most of its planes Thursday to conduct overdue inspections of bolts that secure doors on the nose gear. The grounding affected two models of Bombardier regional jets operated by PSA Airlines, which operates flights under the American Eagle name. PSA has 130 of the planes, and all but a few were grounded, according to American. American said it is working with PSA and the Federal Aviation Administration to fix the issue. It said a few of the planes have returned to service but gave no precise numbers and did not offer a timetable for finishing inspections on the remaining planes. Tracking site FlightAware.com said 200 PSA flights were canceled by midafternoon Eastern time. American said it was trying to arrange new flights for displaced customers. PSA is based in Dayton, Ohio, and operates many American Eagle flights in the eastern United States including at Americans hub airport in Charlotte, North Carolina. American is based in Fort Worth, Texas. 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 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 HSE has warned it may be unable to provide any more public health service staff to private nursing homes if theyre hit by new outbreaks of coronavirus. In a briefing for the Cabinet Committee on Covid-19, HSE chief executive Paul Reid said rising numbers of outbreaks in care facilities had caused major staffing shortages across the health service. Ministers were told this resulted in an inability of the HSE to provide additional staff support to private nursing homes while in parallel managing similar demands in our own services. The HSE has been providing an emergency supply of nurses to help private nursing homes hit by staff illness during the crisis and the warning shows there is concern over continuing this service into the future. Senior Government sources revealed the HSE chief also said the risk associated with these staff shortages in nursing homes may not be fully mitigated in these circumstances. Mr Reid also said private and public nursing home staff who were close contacts of coronavirus cases were being asked to return to work sooner than the generally required 14 days. A special derogation from the fortnight period for restricting movements is permitted for healthcare workers. Read More He said data showed the positivity rate among nursing home staff had increased in recent weeks. Serial testing showed positivity among staff has risen from 0.33pc to 2.34pc. The staffing shortage comes at the worst possible time for the health service, with Covid-19 outbreaks in almost a third of all nursing homes. The HSE chief said there were serious outbreaks in 166 of the countrys 570 nursing homes as of January 25. He said the number of centres of significant concern had been steadily increasing in recent days, as there has been high numbers of staff on leave due to Covid-19. He said there were 52 care facilities that remained of significant concern due to the scale of the outbreak and the impact on staffing. Some of these nursing homes are being monitored for governance or staffing issues caused by a lack of workers and access to additional supports. He also has concerns about sending public health care staff to private facilities without on-site HSE supervision. The HSE said about 250 staff were redeployed to Community Long Term Residential Facilities (LTRF), including 58 private nursing homes. In recent weeks the Defence Forces have been asked to provide staff for nursing homes and soldiers have taken on cleaning and laundry duties in these care facilities. Mr Reid said the health service was under significant pressure during the third wave due to the increase in hospitalisations and patients in intensive care units. More than 6,000 staff have been absent from work in recent weeks, with 1,800 of these related to private and public nursing homes. Between late November and last week there were 193 outbreaks in nursing homes, community hospitals and long-stay units, with 185 of these outbreaks remaining open, according to the latest figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre. In total, 4,096 people tested positive for Covid-19 due to these outbreaks. Of those cases, 213 people were hospitalised and four patients were admitted to intensive care units. In addition, 262 people died due to these outbreaks. Yesterday, HSE chief operations officer Ann OConnor said almost a third of nursing homes had open outbreaks and they were down 1,500 staff due to infection or being a close contact. Overall, there are 524 open outbreaks in long-term care facilities and hospitals. She said that 54 long-term care facilities are receiving support. Nursing homes were the epicentre of the first outbreak of Covid last year. However, the Government put in place a number of supports in the form of financial grants and the HSE provided additional staff from the public health service. Alabama is moving to speed up its vaccine rollout and will begin offering the COVID-19 vaccine to people age 65 and older, teachers, food workers, and others beginning on Feb. 8. State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris announced the expansions on Friday in a media call. As of Feb. 8, everyone in Phase 1b of the states vaccine allocation plan will be eligible to receive the vaccine, as well as anyone 65 or older. People eligible to receive the vaccine include: First responders Corrections officers Food and agriculture workers U.S. Postal Service workers Manufacturing workers Grocery store workers Public transit workers People who work in the education sector (teachers, support staff, community college and higher education) Childcare workers Judiciary (including but not limited to) circuit judges, district judges and district attorneys Harris cautioned that the move will make approximately 1.5 million people in Alabama eligible for the vaccine and the state still does not have enough doses to go around. He asked those who are in the eligible group but not at higher risk to consider waiting to allow those in more dire need to get the vaccine first. If youre in this eligible group but youre young and healthy and otherwise not at risk, and you actually have a situation personally where youre not at high risk for exposure, please, please wait until we can get to some other people, Harris said. We want to try to reach those people who either cant possibly protect themselves by nature of their job or who are at really high risk for serious illness. Vaccine providers are already expressing caution and asking people newly eligible for the vaccine to remain patient. Huntsville Hospital today advised: ...with the high demand for it in Madison County and an uncertain supply of vaccine, people in these additional groups should not anticipate being vaccinated for several weeks. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey expressed her frustration with the slow delivery of vaccine from the federal government in a news release. We have all been frustrated that the supply of vaccine coming from the federal government hasnt kept up with the demand, Ivey said. To be blunt, we simply havent gotten the vaccine that weve been promised, and this has created a major backlog of aggravation. Todays announcement will ensure that as more vaccine is released, we will have a plan in place to get the vaccine in peoples arms more quickly. While lack of supply remains an issue nationwide, Alabama has also seen one of the slowest vaccine rollouts in the nation, at times ranked dead last by CDC reports. Some states, such as West Virginia and New Mexico, have reached much more of their populations already. Alabama officials said that as of today 323,875 doses of vaccine have been given out to first responders, medical workers, nursing home residents and staff, and people 75 and older. A total of 772,275 vaccine doses have been delivered to Alabama, meaning that 42 percent of what has already been delivered to the state have been administered. Harris said that most of the doses that have not already been given have someones name on it, meaning it is being reserved as a second dose for someone who has already received the first dose, or an appointment has already been scheduled for someone to receive that dose, but it hasnt been given and logged in the states vaccination tracker yet. Harris said the state is launching eight drive-through clinics around the state to help get vaccine out. He said the plan is for each clinic to distribute 1,000 doses per day, and that the supply for those clinics will come from the extra 10,000 weekly doses the state learned it would be getting this week. Harris said those drive-in sites would not require an appointment, but would be limited to people in the groups that are eligible to receive the vaccine. No specific locations were announced, but the plan is to site those eight clinics in or near Huntsville, Anniston, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, Selma, Dothan and Mobile. To schedule an appointment for the free COVID-19 vaccination at a county health department, individuals may call the ADPH COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling Hotline at 1-855-566-5333. For general information about COVID-19, the COVID-19 Information Hotline number is 1-800-270-7268. The vaccine providers can be found within the Alabama COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Dashboard at arcg.is/OrCey. The state says an online appointment tool is expected to be launched next week. Harris said the portal will only schedule appointments at county health departments, most of which are already fully booked through the end of March. Even though were trying to make the scheduling as easy as possible, even though well have this up and going for everybody to use who can navigate a computer, theres not any extra vaccine that goes along with that, Harris said. And its still going to be challenging to get an appointment in in a timely way for sure. We acknowledge that its been a frustrating process. And as long as we have this shortage, I think people are still going to be, you know, having to wait until we have enough to go around. *This story will be updated. She has starred in arguably the greatest fantasy series of all-time in Game Of Thrones. And it looks like Gwendoline Christie is ready to conquer the comic book universe next. The 42-year-old actress is set to star in DC Comics series The Sandman for Netflix alongside Tom Sturridge it was announced on Thursday. New gig: Gwendoline Christie is set to star in DC Comics series The Sandman for Netflix it was announced on Thursday Dapper: Tom Sturridge is also set to star Interesting: According to Deadline the series is described as 'a rich blend of modern myth and dark fantasy in which contemporary fiction, historical drama and legend are seamlessly interwoven It is quite the impressive cast which also includes Vivienne Acheampong, Boyd Holbrook, Charles Dance, Asim Chaudhry and Sanjeev Bhaskar. According to Deadline the series is described as 'a rich blend of modern myth and dark fantasy in which contemporary fiction, historical drama and legend are seamlessly interwoven. 'The Sandman the people and places affected by Morpheus, the Dream King, as he tries to fix all the cosmic and human mistakes hes made during his vast existence.' Signature role: The 42-year-old actress famously portrayed Brienne of Tarth from season two to the eighth and final season from 2012 to 2019 The publication also included several character descriptions including that Christie will be portraying Lucifer, the Ruler of Hell, who is the arch-nemesis of the protagonist in the series. She famously portrayed Brienne of Tarth from season two to the eighth and final season from 2012 to 2019. Sturridge, 35, is the titular character Dream who is the lord of dreaming. Acheampong is Lucienne, chief librarian and trusted guardian of Dream's realm. Stunning: Vivienne Acheampong is Lucienne, chief librarian and trusted guardian of Dream's realm, she is seen in a photo by Matt Stronge from IMDB.com Dynamic duo: Boyd Holbrook will be portraying The Corinthian, an escaped nightmare who wishes to taste all that the world has in store, while Charles Dance is Roderick Burgess, Charlatan, blackmailer and magician Holbrook will be portraying The Corinthian, an escaped nightmare who wishes to taste all that the world has in store, while Dance is Roderick Burgess, Charlatan, blackmailer and magician. Chaudry is Abel and Bhaskar is Cain, the first victim and the first predator, residents and loyal subjects of the Dream Realm. Author Neil Gaiman created the comic book in 1988 and released a statement about the exciting news which began: 'For the last thirty-three years, the Sandman characters have breathed and walked around and talked in my head. Im unbelievably happy that now, finally, they get to step out of my head and into reality. Quite the cast: Asim Chaudry is Abel and Sanjeev Bhaskar is Cain, the first victim and the first predator, residents and loyal subjects of the Dream Realm 'Making the wildest of all my dreams into reality': Author Neil Gaiman created the comic book in 1988 and released a statement about the exciting news 'I cant wait until the people out there get to see what weve been seeing as Dream and the rest of them take flesh, and the flesh belongs to some of the finest actors out there. 'This is astonishing, and Im so grateful to the actors and to all of The Sandman collaborators Netflix, Warner Bros., DC, to Allan Heinberg and David Goyer, and the legions of crafters and geniuses on the show for making the wildest of all my dreams into reality.' An adaptation of The Sandman was an idea that has been in the works for quite a while and initially was set to be a feature film directed and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt before he stepped down due to creative differences. A blood drive in honor of Hoover resident Mike Gilotti will be held Friday. Donors can stop by one of the LifeSouth bloodmobiles in the parking lot of the Hoover Recreation Center, located at 600 Municipal Drive, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Gilotti served in the US Army for 15 months as a tank commander in Iraq. On Jan. 5, 2016 he was shot to death outside his Lake Cyrus home when he heard someone breaking into his vehicle. Gilotti, 33, left a wife and two children. His wife Heather will be returning to Hoover from South Alabama to attend the blood drive in his memory. To maintain social distancing, all donors will be spaced apart while waiting and donating blood. Donor temperature will be checked at the door prior to entering the blood drive. All donors will receive an acknowledgement item and a free COVID19 antibody screening. To be a Blood donor you must be at least 17 years old or 16 with parental permission, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in good health. A photo ID is also required. For more information on donating blood or to schedule an appointment call toll-free at 888-795-2707 or visit lifesouth.org. Gilotti was shot to death about 4:55 a.m. that January day just outside his home in the 5500 block of Park Side Circle. He was heading to the gym for a morning workout when police say he encountered one or more suspects breaking into his car. His slaying came after a string of car break-ins across St. Clair, Jefferson, Shelby, and Tuscaloosa counties, police said. Four teens were charged but two were acquitted of Gilottis murder at a trial and the two other suspects were never tried. One of Australia's young 'queens of racing' has been awarded $30,000 after being struck in the head with a stiletto by another woman during an argument. Deni Roberts is one of the biggest names in harness racing in her home state of Western Australia, having won 100 horse races since her first victory in 2015 and being promoted as a charity ambassador by the sports' chiefs. The 25-year-old had been attending an awards event at Crown Casino in September 2017 when she got into a heated argument with veterinary nurse Asha Vanmaris, reports The West Australian. Deni Roberts (pictured) has been awarded $30,000 in compensation after being struck in the head with a stiletto heel following a night out Asha Vanmaris (pictured) was convicted of causing unlawful wounding to Ms Roberts after the September 2017 fight Ms Vanmaris was also a guest at the the Harnass Horse of the Year awards and, after the presentation, moved on to Silks restaurant with Ms Roberts and other friends, where the previously simmering argument boiled over. The pair became involved in a push and shove outside the casino complex on the street which ended with a 3cm gash to Ms Robert's forehead. 'While they were standing on the footpath out of the sight of the others, (Ms Vanmaris) ran up to (Ms Roberts) and struck her with a stiletto shoe to the right side of the ... forehead. (She) stumbled and fell to the ground,' court documents stated. The rider was treated at hospital while Ms Vanmaris was arrested and charged with unlawful wounding. The vet nurse claimed in court in December 2018 she was acting in self-defence but a magistrate found this was not the case. Ms Roberts (pictured) has won 100 harness races in Western Australia and is a charity ambassador for the sport Ms Vanmaris was given a spent conviction and a $2,500 fine. She was also given a four month ban from the racetrack which was overturned on appeal. Ms Roberts maintained that the attack had left her hyper-vigilant and nervous while the scar had left her self-conscious and applied for compensation for criminal injuries. Ms Vanmaris argued in court she continues to work at the same racetrack as Ms Roberts, whom she sees twice weekly, and she seemed unaffected. 'She does not, nor has she ever seem fazed from the injury. She does not wear make-up over the area. She continues doing her job and I mine,' Ms Vanmaris said. Compensation assesor Karina Hafford found in favour of Ms Roberts saying the visible location of the scar would serve as a constant reminder of the offence. Ms Vanmaris was ordered to pay $29,533.25 minus the $2,5000 already paid to Ms Roberts. home US LifeWay's Thom Rainer recommends the Billy Graham Rule for all pastors The head of LifeWay Christian Resources is urging pastors to adopt the Billy Graham Rule to ensure that they do not fall into moral failure. The rule was made popular by late evangelist Billy Graham, who said he avoided being alone with any woman who was not his wife. LifeWay president Thom Rainer said that although some people mock the Billy Graham Rule as archaic or legalistic, the #MeToo movement has shown it to be 'really wise'. In a video message to the church, he warned that if pastors did not understand the dangers of being alone with a person of the opposite gender, they risked ruining their lives and their churches - even if nothing untoward actually happened. 'There could be no hint of impropriety except for the fact that you are alone, but what happens if someone sees you alone with [a person of the opposite gender] and draws conclusions?' he said. 'The Bible teaches us to avoid the appearance of all evil, not just to avoid evil, and so that means that we should not put ourselves in any position not only where we may have temptations or we may be putting someone else in a compromising position but also where others could perceive it that way.' He said one man had reached out to ask him if it was ok to take a 10-minute ride to the airport in the same car as a female colleague. Rainer said even this was a compromise too far and that Christians of the opposite gender who are not married should avoid travelling together at all costs. 'You make one exception and you just open the door for other exceptions and though I may sound a bit legalistic and overbearing, I said no...I simply have this iron clad rule,' he said. Rainer said many of the compromising situations that have 'come back to haunt' pastors and Christian ministry leaders could have been prevented if they had just followed the Billy Graham Rule. At LifeWay, Rainer said he even changed the office doors to ensure they had windows in them as a way of improving visibility and accountability. He concluded by warning that one of the most dangerous things for a Christian leader is the thought that they will never fall into moral failure. 'Let's not be stupid and worrying that we're being a little overcautious and maybe crossing the line to err on the side of caution. Let's be smart,' he said. 'We're living in a day and age where this is coming forward and that is good. Don't be that person who thinks it can never happen to me. Usually that is the person that ends up regretting the decision that he or she made.' Courtesy of Christian Today 1. Mayhem At Singhu Border As Clashes Break Out, Police Resort To Lathicharge, Tear Gas Again ANI Clashes between farmers and a group of people claiming to be locals broke out at Singhu border (which connects Delhi and Haryana) on Friday afternoon. The police have yet again resorted lathicharge and tear gas, as per reports. (Read more) 2. 'SC Judges Powerful But Enjoy No Protection From Jokes': Comic Kunal Kamra On Contempt Notice Instagram Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra facing contempt of court charges for tweets against judges and judiciary told the Supreme Court that his tweets were not published with intention of diminishing peoples faith in the highest court of our democracy. (Read more) 3. Rape Accused In Mumbai Gets Bail After He Offers To Marry Survivor Once She Turns 18 PTI In not something one sees every day. a special court granted bail to a 25-year-old man accused of raping a 16-year-old girl and making her pregnant. This was after he offered to marry her, as per a TOI report. (Read more) 4. Who Is Rakesh Tikait? Farmer Leader Who Broke Down Amid Ongoing Farmers' Protest ANI Rakesh Tikait has been in the news in the recent past as he has been at the helm of the farmers' protests in Ghazipur. The image of him breaking down overnight as he said that there would be no turning back on the protests stands out. (Read more) Islamophobia, hatred and discrimination have no place in Canada GATINEAU, QC, Jan. 28, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Four years ago, an act of terror took the lives of six people at the Grand Mosque in Quebec City and seriously injured 19 others. Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzedine Soufiane, Aboubaker Thabti were fathers, husbands, loved ones, colleagues and Muslims. Their deaths were heartbreaking for their loved ones, for Muslim communities around the world and for Canadians. Islamophobia, hatred and radicalizationand the denial of these realitiesare the root of this horrifying crime. Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced the Government of Canadas intention to make January 29th a National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia, to honour the victims and express solidarity with the survivors of this tragedy. Islamophobia is a concrete and daily reality for Muslim communities everywhere. We have an obligation to remember the victims and a responsibility to combat discrimination and continue to build a more inclusive Canada. Quotes This tragedy reminds us of the urgency to stand up against these hateful acts and online radicalization. Our government intends to introduce new regulations to require online platforms to remove illegal and hateful content before it causes more harm and damage. It is through actions like this that we will make Canada a safer and more secure country. The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage As Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, I join with Muslim Canadiansindeed all Canadiansin speaking out against the hatred that fuels Islamophobia. When faced with fear and intolerance, let us all be strong and united. This National Day of Remembrance and Action Against Islamophobia will allow us not only never to forget this tragic event, but also to continue our efforts to make this country more open and inclusive from coast to coast to coast. The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth Its with a solemn spirit and respect that we establish the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia. We have learned a great deal and continue to learn about the strength, courage and dignity of the survivors and the families of the victims. Today, we are showing our solidarity with members of this community. The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons The Government of Canada stands in solidarity with the Muslim communities of Quebec City and Canada. We must never forget January 29, 2017 and what happens when ignorance, fear and hate enter our hearts. This day will serve as a reminder that we must always be vigilant in combatting Islamophobia and intolerance in all their forms. Individually and collectively, we must always be aware that we reap what we sew, and that we must strive for understanding, peace and respect. Joel Lightbound, Member of Parliament (Louis-Hebert) Quick Facts On January 29, 2017, six people were killed and nineteen others seriously injured in a terrorist attack on the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City. To honour the victims of the attack on the Grand Mosque, the City of Quebec, in partnership with Canadian Heritage and the Government of Quebec, has erected a memorial entitled Vivre ensemble (Living Together). Unveiled on December 1, 2020, this powerful work of art symbolizes the encounter between different communities. The installation occupies two sites, one near the Islamic Cultural Centre and the other in the Parc de la Visitation heritage site, which honours Catholic tradition. Associated Links Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat SOURCE Canadian Heritage For further information: (media only), please contact: Camille Gagne-Raynauld, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected] Related Links www.pch.gc.ca The police want the camps on the outskirts of the capital to be cleared. Tension rises after the clashes on January 26th. The great demonstration of February 1st cancelled. President Kovind: the measure helps the farmers. Modi opposition supports the protests. New Delhi (AsiaNews) - The police have ordered farmers who oppose land reform to evacuate their camps on the outskirts of the capital and to stop the demonstrations. A part of the protesters has opposed the request, instead promising to continue until the measure is abolished by the Narendra Modi government. On January 26, coinciding with the Republic Day, tens of thousands of demonstrators invaded the centre of the capital with their tractors, clashing with the police: the death toll is one death among the demonstrators and 400 injured, especially policemen. The authorities reacted with a series of arrests, as well as intensifying the police presence on the edge of the fields organized by peasants. Since the end of November, protest camps had already blocked several highways on the outskirts of Delhi, causing major traffic problems in the citys residential and industrial sectors. After the violence three days ago, the farmers' front split. Two of the 42 trade unions that organized the protests withdrew. The big demonstration on February 1st in front of the Parliament was cancelled. Adopted in September, the farm reform liberalises Indias agricultural market. Indian farmers can now sell to anyone at any price, instead of selling to government agencies at a fixed price. Growers, especially small farmers, want the reform to be scrapped and the old managed system to be restored, with the guarantee of a minimum price for their produce. Farmers fear that the new rules will allow big groups to monopolise the market and impose lower prices. Prime Minister Modi has defended the reform, saying it will bring great benefits to tens of millions of growers. Government supporters also note that the legislation does not eliminate the system of buying at a fixed price for rice and grains by public agencies. Most Indian economists and experts think the same way. However, they are critical of the government for not consulting farmers before imposing the measure. Speaking to the two houses of parliament today, President Ram Nath Kovind tried to ease tensions. He argued that the reform will benefit farmers. Eighteen opposition parties have the opposite opinion, which have decided to boycott Kovind's speech in solidarity with the peasants. Delhi's chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, also continues to support the demonstrators. Leifer is a member of an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish sect that practises strict adherence to Jewish law. Living with her rabbi husband and children in the unremarkable, stained block of flats with plastic-shuttered windows and makeshift nets blocking out mosquitoes and the Middle Eastern sun, Leifers life was a far cry from a Melbourne prison cell. She came here to hide, says Daniel, a resident who asked that his surname not be published. Its super-religious here. It was a landing zone for her. Emmanuel was so corrupt that its mayor eventually went to jail. Daniel lives in the valley near Emmanuel, a stones throw from Leifers house. He says he was one of the first to raise the alarm to the Australian authorities that Leifer was not, as an Israeli court had found, incapacitated and unable to perform daily tasks. He says she was continuing to tutor young children. I gave the police the stills of kids going in and out of her house, he recalls. The people of Emmanuel are very poor. She would give them money, candy, tutor them. Leifer fled Australia in 2008, 24 hours after she was accused of sexually molesting students and sacked by the Adass Israel Schools board. The extradition process took more than a decade to resolve. She is accused of sexually abusing three school students between 2004 and 2008. Charge sheets allege most of the offences were committed in Elsternwick, but also in Elwood, Frankston and Emerald, and the regional towns of Blampied and Rawson. Sisters Elly Sapper, Dassi Erlich and Nicole Meyer, who allege they were abused as children by Leifer, were among the 30 people watching Thursdays hearing via video link. Leifer has long maintained her innocence. She fled to Israel in 2008 when the allegations were first aired, but was extradited this week following the decision of the Supreme Court of Israel, which dismissed her final appearance and ordered she return to Australia to face prosecution. Private investigators pictures of former Australian school principal Malka Leifer apparently showing her leading a normal life in Israel despite her claims to Israeli authorities that she suffers a debilitating mental illness. Shana Aaronson, formerly of Jewish Community Watch an organisation that assisted in bringing the taped evidence of Ms Leifer living a normal life in Emmanuel to the police in 2018 says there are many cases of sexual abuse in ultra-Orthodox communities. Aaronson, who is now director of Magen, which deals with sexual abuse in Orthodox communities in Israel, claims there has even been an uptick in abuse in Leifers home town of Bnei Brak one of the poorest and most densely populated cities in Israel since the COVID-19 pandemic. JCW footage shows Leifer waiting at the bus stop, talking on the phone and visiting the post office in the city. It was enough to convince Israels police to arrest her on the grounds of lying to the court and feigning insanity to evade the judicial system. The revelations reignited the extradition effort. Her mental fitness was re-examined and during the next three years of proceedings, Leifer was locked away in Israels only womens prison. While many ultra-Orthodox community members refused to comment for this article, one member of Bnei Braks Justice Court, ultra-Orthodox educator Mordechai Zeev Blewi, gave a brief comment that he believed Leifer should see fair treatment and not be made an example of. Alleged vicims Elly Sapper, Dassi Erlich and Nicole Meyer arrive at a press conference after the news that an extradition hearing date had been set for alleged sexual abuser Malka Leifer. Credit:Jason South If she is not OK, then she needs to be dealt with. As long as she doesnt get more than she deserves, he told The Age. Yet allegations of Haredi community support for her have run long and deep in this case, with accusations of interference reaching as high as the Israeli government. An ultra-Orthodox doctor working in the Israeli healthcare system, who asked not to be named out of fear of a threat to her employment, claims to have exposed political meddling in Leifers extradition case just months after she was re-arrested in 2018. According to the source, accounts of Leifer during her time as school principal in Melbourne as a wonderful person, charismatic who everybody loved did not match up with the court-ordered psychiatric reports that she has chronic schizophrenia. The doctor says the medical team consulted with a psychiatrist colleague in Jerusalem, who verified that the psychiatric departments ordered by the court to report on Leifers mental state were being contacted by then Israeli health minister Yaakov Litzman. A year later, Israels police said they had enough evidence to indict Litzman for witness tampering. In a statement, police said that besides belonging to the same religious sect, Leifer worked alongside Litzmans wife in the education sector. Litzman is currently Israels housing minister. A private investigators photograph of Malka Leifer apparently showing her leading a normal life. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu relies on the support of ultra-Orthodox political parties such as Agudat Yisrael, which Litzman leads, to maintain his ruling coalition. With elections approaching, the source said that although she will vote, as an Orthodox woman, she does not want a new government that includes the Haredi (or ultra-Orthodox) parties. They arent embarrassed to grant favours to those in the community they dont see it as corruption, just helping. As long as they have political power and everyone needs them, nothing happens. As long as Litzman is in power, nothing is going to happen. The doctor pointed to a recent statement released by the president of Melbournes Adass Israel School, Benjamin Koppel, regarding Leifers trial as an example of the Haredi communitys failure to encourage reporting acts of abuse to the authorities. The statement read: We encourage anyone who feels affected by Mrs Leifers return to seek support and have made professional counselling available on a free and strictly confidential basis to any member of our community. The Israeli doctor was appalled. They may have given up the fight for Leifer how can they do anything now? But they are saying that if anyone else is affected, come to us which means do not go to the police. Undercover footage shows Malka Leifer shopping at a time when she was said to be mentally unfit to face a court. Allegations that Leifer fled Australia in the middle of the night are disputed by her defence team in Israel, but a ruling from a civil case against the school won by one of Leifers alleged victims, Dassi Erlich, said that members of the Adass Israel community helped her evade justice. Manny Waks is concerned that some members of that community might leave Australia ahead of Leifers trial. Theres a big fear and potential for people to evade justice by escaping to Israel again, he says. What happens if certain individuals [of the Adass leadership] realise they are on the radar? They can easily evade justice and avoid responsibility for the injustice that has taken place. Both the prosecution and the defence in Leifers extradition case reject the notion that Israel acts as a haven for criminals. Mr Waks has also raised concerns about the response of the Adass Israel school. The Adass community are continuing with their charades. While their statement was seemingly very supportive and sympathetic towards victims, where have they been before today? Why didnt they offer an apology before? he asked. There is a lack of education, apology, acknowledgement and responsibility this is a slap in the face for past victims but also very dangerous for current students, Mr Waks said. Waks adds that while some within the Adass Israel community do want to see Leifer face justice, the insular and closed nature of the community means a statement like that would have a detrimental impact; they would be seen to be going against the community and bringing it into disrepute. Referring to Australias royal commission that found a marked absence of supportive leadership for survivors of child sex abuse and their families, Waks says that if an institution doesnt address critical issues, they are an unsafe institution. He claims that the very reason Leifer was able to avoid the Australian charges for so long was due to her supporters within the community. Their influence, the resources they have at their disposal most or all are from the ultra-Orthodox community and segments within that. Many of those who have supported her have an interest in preventing her facing justice. Leifers defence lawyers completely and utterly deny that there was a strategy of delay, yet the six-year battle for extradition has strained relations between politicians in Israel and Australia. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews met personally with Netanyahu in 2018, telling him the only just outcome was for Leifer to face a jury. In a written statement on Wednesday, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne welcomed the extradition and thanked all those within the Israeli government whose co-operation has allowed us to reach this point. Attorney-General Christian Porter added that Leifers arrival on Australian soil finally concluded the long-running process to see Ms Leifer returned to Australia to face serious sexual assault charges against her. Loading Israeli prosecution lawyer Avital Ritner-Oron told The Age that despite the fact that proceedings had taken a long time, the system proved itself and we reached what we see as a just decision in the District Court and the Supreme Court, to finally be able to send her back. Malka Leifer used every trick in the book to avoid extradition, and that came up in the [final] Supreme Court decision also. But at the end of the day because the justice system does work in Israel, she was only able to delay extradition and not prevent it, despite all her efforts, she adds. Ritner-Oron says she has offered Australian prosecutors any assistance they require. Leifers defence lawyer, Nick Kaufman, agreed that justice had been done, whether or not he agreed with the result. He told The Age that the case had been blown out of all proportion by the media because of the Jewish Community Watch report and involvement of politicians on both sides of the world. He added that he was disappointed with one aspect of the final Supreme Court ruling which he labelled as purely technical in regards to the interpretation of the extradition treaty between Israel and Australia, signed in 1970. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Kaufman had argued that the alleged offences committed in Australia were not considered rape at the time of signing, although still an arguable case for indecent assault. The only way rape could be committed in those days was a lack of consent; the concept of grooming or abuse of authority as a sexual offence did not exist at the time of signing the agreement. Waks termed this moment in court as a low point of victim-blaming. To hear the sisters being blamed for the abuse they endured was very hard to bear. I had to walk out for fresh air for five minutes, take a breath and come back. That was horrific. Loading Waks believes that Israel wont have finished its part in this saga until the case is reviewed to resolve the matter of political interference and corruption. Once the Israeli court did its job, the political arm acted fast. But the battle so far has been just to get to the very beginning, and now the actual criminal trial begins, he says. Leifers Israeli defence team says the Leifer family has found a new Australian lawyer, Tony Hargreaves, and they are very confident we found the right person for the job. 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. Russian vaccine against Sputnik V will not be registered in Ukraine, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said. "One political force has arranged some kind of hysteria over the registration of the Russian vaccine. I can immediately say that no one will register the Russian vaccine in the country," he said at a briefing on Friday. Also, Stepanov urged not to listen to the statements of politicians regarding the disruption of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign. "Representatives of one of the political forces said that the chances of a timely start of vaccination are illusory. I want to tell you that all this is just another hype. I emphasize once again: vaccination in the country will begin on time. As we said back in September last year, we will start vaccination in February 2021, so it will be," he said. As reported, Stepanov said that at the first stage of the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in Ukraine, 367,500 people will be vaccinated, vaccination will start in February. The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. 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. 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. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- When we step on the car brake upon seeing a red traffic light ahead, a sequence of events unfolds in the brain at lightning speed. The image of the traffic light is transferred from our eyes to the visual cortex, which, in turn, communicates to the premotor cortex -- a section of the brain involved in preparing and executing limb movements. A signal is then sent to our foot to step on the brake. However, brain region that helps the body go from "seeing" to "stepping" is still a mystery, frustrating neuroscientists and psychologists. To unpack this "black box," a team of neuroscientists at the University of California, Riverside, has experimented on mice to identify the brain region that functions beyond sensory encoding and motor encoding, potentially opening up new directions to studying the cellular and circuit mechanisms of sensory-motor transformations. The researchers report a cortical region traditionally defined as whisker motor cortex in mice is most directly related to the transformation process. In the lab, the researchers trained mice to sense a slight deflection on one side of their whiskers, and report if they sensed it by licking a water port. "We recorded the neuronal activity of some brain regions that might convey this sensory-motor transformation by using the 'language of neurons' -- the electrical signals -- generated as the mouse performs the task of stimulus detection," said Zhaoran Zhang, a graduate student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program and a co-first author of the research paper published in eNeuro, an open-access journal of the Society of Neuroscience. Behzad Zareian, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology and a co-first author of the research paper, explained the team used simple but intuitive mathematical tools to transform the neurons' electrical activities to numbers that describe how much the neurons sense the sensory input, how much they reflect the upcoming movement outputs, and how well they predict whether the sensory information can be successfully transformed to a correct behavior. "We located a brain region traditionally defined as the whisker motor cortex, which was previously believed to influence how a mouse moves its whiskers," Zareian said, "We found this cortical region is capable of transforming the sensory input from whisker deflection to a more general movement action -- licking in this case -- rather than just moving whiskers." Corresponding author Edward Zagha, an assistant professor of psychology and the team's principle investigator, explained that one difficulty in finding brain regions operating the sensory-motor transformation is that although scientists can measure the sensory- and motor-related brain activities easily in the lab, the inner process that conducts the sensory-motor transformation in the brain is elusive and hard to quantify. "Our brain represents sensory and motor information in more than one place and often in a redundant manner for multiple purposes such as fine-tuning future movements, enhancing perception or memory storage," Zagha said. "Thus, scientists are now able to distinguish the location of transformation and the regions that merely reflect the sensory or motor information for other purposes. This can vastly improve the use of targeted therapy for patients with sensory- and motor-related brain deficits." Next, the team plans to focus its research on whisker motor cortex to show what happens within this region to enable the transformation process. "Interestingly, each cortical region consists of multiple layers and multiple subtype of neurons such as excitatory and inhibitory neurons that are subject to research," Zagha said. "Thus, this expands our knowledge of the neurobiological circuits performing sensory-motor transformations and identifies sites of potential therapeutic intervention to modulate these brain functions." ### The research was funded by grants from the Whitehall Foundation and National Institutes of Health. The research paper is titled "Cortical Localization of the Sensory-Motor Transformation in a Whisker Detection Task in Mice." SHENZHEN, China, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unprecedented challenge to public health, business models, human activities and culture exchange worldwide. It has also led to a rethinking of the power of digital technologies in responding to crisis. Edward Cheng, vice president of the leading Chinese technology company Tencent (Tencent Holdings Ltd, 0700.HK), shared his insights during an online conference on how technology can be leveraged to strengthen resilience and promote innovation in a challenging environment. On January 28th, Cheng, in front of a panel of renowned experts and speakers from the University of Oxford, World Bank, UN Tech Bank and UN DESA, said, "The pandemic is still breaking physical connections between people. However, with Internet technologies, those connections were fixed and rebuilt, creating a new world where the digital world is closely integrated with real life, and laying the foundation for economic and social recovery." Cheng made the remarks at an online conference organized by the Technology and Management Centre for Development (TMCD) at the University of Oxford. He was the only keynote speaker representing a Chinese company to discuss the development, challenges and prospects for new technologies and platforms in developing countries amid the pandemic. Oxford University's Pro-Vice-Chancellor David Gann said at the same conference: "Companies like Tencent have been working and investing heavily in research and development in making technology that allows us to connect and work together for many years, and now thankfully we are reaping the benefit of that." He also called for the scientific community to work closely in collaboration with the policy community, as well as with businesses to put ideas into practice to make the world a better place. Professor Xiaolan Fu from Oxford University pointed out: "There is increasing recognition that science, technology and innovation can play important roles in achieving sustainable development goals. And the rise of digital technology, in particular, can play a very important role in building an inclusive society." According to Tencent's Cheng, there are more than 80 million small and micro businesses in China, employing approximately 80 percent of workforce. Facing the pandemic, many of these businesses took the initiative to move their work online using WeChat, a popular Chinese social networking platform. They set up chat groups to showcase goods, interact with customers and complete transactions via online payment. In just four months, the number of such "small shops" connected to WeChat Pay services tripled, and the volume of transactions soared by 5.1 times, allowing for the ongoing sustainable operation of small businesses. Local governments have also used WeChat to distribute vouchers to subsidize consumers without the need for physical contact. Cheng outlined the digital transformation of Chinese businesses and society that has been widely seen in various sectors including online education, remote working, online healthcare, and digital culture due to the pandemic. Tencent Education Platform, for example, has served more than 100 million students and millions of teachers in China during the pandemic. The number of users for Tencent Meeting exceeded 100 million just eight months after its launch. Compared to sectors that have a strong dependence on offline operations, Cheng explained how some industries have been more proactive in embracing the trend of digital transformation, "The cultural industry, which has gone through over 10 years of digitalization, released tremendous energy during the epidemic and brought people a wealth of spiritual enjoyment." Cheng cited a hit TV drama series Joy of Life, which entertained many Chinese families when people were forced to stay at home. Being streamed over 16 billion times, it represents a success of Tencent's Neo-Culture Creativity strategy that placed IP development at the core of cultural product creation. The IP was created from an online fiction on the China Literature platform, and was later adapted to a costume drama with modern influences to resonate with today's audience. Cheng also mentioned some other cases in which digital technologies were utilized to ease the impact of the pandemic. Last February, Tencent collaborated with the Dunhuang Research Academy to develop a mini-program called "The Mogao Caves Cloud Museum" as the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang were temporarily closed. It brought the world-famous murals of the Mogao Grottoes online, and added digital features such as e-calendars and a voice acting program, giving users a digital interactive experience and allowing them to take their own virtual tours of the landmark. "Looking back on our digital approaches to fighting against the pandemic in the past year, we find that continuous innovations are what drive products that can influence the industry and create value for users," Cheng said. Digital technologies have helped society rise to the challenge posed by the epidemic, while also providing long-term momentum for sustainable economic and social recovery. As a technology company committed to the mission of "Value for Users, Tech for Good," Tencent has initiated research in co-operation with Oxford University to jointly promote research on scientific and technological innovation, according to Cheng. SOURCE Tencent 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. GM plans to become carbon-neutral in its global products and operations by 2040 and has committed to setting science-based targets to achieve carbon neutrality. The company has also signed the Business Ambition Pledge for 1.5C, an urgent call to action from a global coalition of UN agencies, business and industry leaders. In addition to GMs carbon goals, the company worked with the Environmental Defense Fund to develop a shared vision of an all-electric future and an aspiration to eliminate tailpipe emissions from new light-duty vehicles by 2035. GMs focus will be offering zero-emissions vehicles across a range of price points and working with all stakeholders, including EDF, to build out the necessary charging infrastructure and promote consumer acceptance while maintaining high quality jobs, which will all be needed to meet these ambitious goals. To reach its goals, GM plans to decarbonize its portfolio by transitioning to battery-electric vehicles or other zero-emissions vehicle technology, sourcing renewable energy and leveraging minimal offsets or credits. Electrification. The use of GMs products accounts for 75% of carbon emissions related to this commitment. GM will offer 30 all-electric models globally by mid-decade and 40% of the companys US models offered will be battery-electric vehicles by the end of 2025. GM is investing $27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles in the next five yearsup from the $20 billion planned before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This investment includes the continued development of GMs Ultium battery technology, updating facilities such as Factory ZERO in Michigan and Spring Hill Manufacturing in Tennessee to build electric vehicles from globally sourced parts and investing in new sites like Ultium Cells LLC in Ohio as well as manufacturing and STEM jobs. More than half of GMs capital spending and product development team will be devoted to electric and electric-autonomous vehicle programs. In the coming years, GM plans to offer an EV for every customer, from crossovers and SUVs to trucks and sedans. The company will also continue to increase fuel efficiency of its traditional internal combustion vehicles in accordance with regional fuel economy and greenhouse gas regulations. Some of these initiatives include fuel economy improvement technologies, such as Stop/Start, aerodynamic efficiency enhancements, downsized boosted engines, more efficient transmissions and other vehicle improvements, including mass reduction and lower rolling resistance tires. Renewable Energy. To address emissions from its own operations, GM will source 100% renewable energy to power its US sites by 2030 and global sites by 2035, which represents a five-year acceleration of the companys previously announced global goal. Today, GM is the 10th largest offtaker of renewable energy in the world and in 2020, the company received a 2020 Green Power Leadership Award from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Carbon Offsets and Credits. To account for the expected remaining carbon emissions, GM expects to invest in carbon credits or offsets. The company will assess credit and offset solutions in the coming years as the most efficient, equitable and inclusive ideas mature. The company recognizes that offsets must be used sparingly and should reflect a holistic view of mitigating the effects of climate change and helping people thrive around the world. Supply Chain and Infrastructure. GMs carbon-neutral commitment applies to its global product portfolio and owned operations. The company is implementing plans today to reduce the impact associated with its supply chain while supporting grids and utilities to power electric vehicles with renewable energy. GM has worked with some of its largest suppliers to create a sustainability council to share best practices, learn from each other and create new standards for the industry. In addition to the councils work, GM is collaborating with suppliers to set ambitious targets for the supply chain to reduce emissions, increase transparency and source more sustainable materials. While electric vehicles themselves do not emit tailpipe emissions, it is critical that they be charged with electricity generated from renewable sources such as wind and solar. GM has worked with utilities and developers to support investments in renewable energy found in and around communities that have GM facilities via power purchase agreements and green tariffs. The company is also working with EVgo to triple the size of the US largest public fast-charging network by adding more than 2,700 new fast chargers by the end of 2025, a move set to help accelerate widespread electric vehicle adoption. The new fast chargers will be powered by 100% renewable energy. GM believes that the energy sector is well on its way to a decarbonized grid and that an all-electric future will be supported by renewable infrastructure and technology. BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Trade in agricultural products between China and Russia reached a record high of 5.55 billion U.S. dollars last year, China's Ministry of Commerce said Thursday. China's agricultural imports from Russia hit 4.09 billion dollars in 2020, up 13.7 percent year on year, Gao Feng, spokesperson for the ministry, said at a regular online press conference. China has become Russia's largest export market in terms of farm produce and meat, Gao said. Bilateral trade picked up during the second half of last year. China's imports of bulk commodities such as oil, gas and iron ore from Russia increased significantly, while its exports of electronic devices to Russia also grew rapidly. China has been Russia's largest trading partner for 11 consecutive years, while Russia is China's 10th largest trading partner. China will continue to strengthen cooperation with Russia to fight the COVID-19 epidemic and boost bilateral trade, Gao said. A wrongful-death lawsuit has been filed against an air ambulance company over a medical helicopter crash in snowy weather that killed the three central Ohioans on board. The suit alleges Survival Flight and operator Viking Aviation inappropriately and recklessly accepted a flight request from an emergency care facility in Pomeroy in January 2019 despite deteriorating weather conditions. The case was filed this week in Franklin County by the estate of Rachel Cunningham, a 33-year-old flight nurse from Galloway. Pilot Jennifer Topper, 34, of Sunbury, and another medical crew member, 48-year-old Bradley Haynes, of London, also died. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded that Survival Flights lax safety culture led the pilot to depart from Grove City without a thorough pre-flight weather evaluation. The helicopter crashed in rugged terrain near Zaleski, southeast of Columbus. Survival Flight has said it learned from the tragedy and made changes recommended by the NTSB. In a statement in response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson didnt specifically address the legal claims but said the company prioritizes safety and continues to improve. The lawsuit also alleges negligence by the health company requesting the flight because it didnt notify Viking that two other companies had rejected the assignment over weather concerns. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Ohio Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 27) Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Wednesday urged Filipinos to respect President Rodrigo Duterte's refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in public and his preference to get the shots in his buttocks instead of the arm. The health chief noted that Britain's Queen Elizabeth II was also vaccinated against coronavirus in private. Duque remains hopeful that Duterte will change his mind. "Let's respect that, ang kanyang decision na halintulad sa monarchy ng England [his decision that is similar to the decision of England's monarch]," Duque said in a media briefing. "That is the choice of the President. Hopefully he might still change his mind because some world leaders have openly had themselves vaccinated in public.". Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte's decision is final since he wants to be jabbed in his buttocks. Critics are asking Duterte to keep his word that he will take the shots in public to build Filipinos' trust and confidence in vaccines. Shot in the buttocks Duque said getting injected in the upper arm will have a similar effect as receiving the shot in the buttocks just like what Duterte prefers. Although he admitted that getting the vaccine on the arm is easier as it is more accessible. "Pareho ang magiging epekto... Ang protocol natin ay usually dito para mas madali, mas mabilis ang bakunahan," he said, pointing to his arm. [Translation: It will have the same effect. Our protocol is injecting the arm so it's easier.] Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, meanwhile, said getting shots on the buttocks is an option if injecting the arm is not possible due to health reasons. "Ang common practice dito is kapag ang isang tao ay hindi pwede, kung ang kanyang deltoid area ay masyadong payat na payat na, binibigay natin sa ibang parte ng katawan na muscular, pwedeng sa anterolateral part ng thighs or upper part of the butt. Pwede maghanap ng ibang masasaksakan kung sakaling may indikasyon na hindi pwede sa braso ibigay," she said. [Translation: The common practice is that if the deltoid area is too thin, we can inject it on other muscular body parts like the anterolateral part ng thighs or upper part of the butt. We do that if the injection cannot be given on the arm.] Covid-19: Vaccines Must Be Ready to Adapt to Variants, Fauci Says The E.U. moved to limit AstraZeneca from sending doses outside the bloc, amid a dispute with the company over delivery delays. Johnson & Johnson said that its one-dose vaccine was effective, but less so in South Africa, where a new variant is circulating. Fauci describes the resilience of a variant found in South Africa as a wake-up call. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:28 - 0:00 transcript Fauci Warns New Virus Mutations Are a Wake-Up Call On Friday, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci warned that new virus variants, despite the global vaccine distribution, should offer a wake-up call to the continuing dangers of the pandemic. Were all aware of the variance that we knew dominated the U.K. B.1.1.7 , the B.1.351 in South Africa and other variants, such as the P.1. in Brazil. When these variants were first recognized, it became clear that we had to look at, in vitro, in the test tube, whether the antibodies that were induced by the vaccines that we had available would actually neutralize these new mutants. Antigenic variation, i.e. mutations that lead to different lineage do have clinical consequences because as you can see, even though the long-range effect in the sense of severe disease is still handled reasonably well by the vaccines, this is a wake-up call to all of us that we will be dealing as the virus uses its devices to evade pressure, particularly immunological pressure, that we will continue to see the evolution of mutants. So that means that we as a government, the companies, all of us that are in this together, will have to be nimble to be able to just adjust readily to make versions of the vaccine that actually are specifically directed towards whatever mutation is actually prevalent at any given time. On Friday, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci warned that new virus variants, despite the global vaccine distribution, should offer a wake-up call to the continuing dangers of the pandemic. Credit Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times Dr. Anthony S. Fauci warned Friday that new clinical trial results from Johnson & Johnson, showing that its vaccine is less effective against a highly infectious variant of the coronavirus circulating in South Africa, were a wake-up call. He said the virus will continue to mutate, and vaccine manufacturers will have to be nimble to be able to adjust readily to reformulating the vaccines if needed. Dr. Faucis warning, at the White House briefing on the virus, comes amid increasing concern about new and more infectious variants of the virus that are emerging overseas and turning up in the United States. This week, officials in South Carolina reported identifying two cases of the variant circulating in South Africa, and officials in Minnesota announced they had found a case of the variant that was first detected in Brazil. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who was also at the briefing, said another variant, first identified in Britain, has now been confirmed in 379 cases in 29 states. She said officials remained concerned about the variants and were rapidly ramping up surveillance and sequencing activities to closely monitor them. Unlike Britain, the United States has been conducting little of the genomic sequencing necessary to track the spread of the variants. Dr. Walensky also issued a plea to Americans to continue wearing masks and practice social distancing, and to avoid travel. Earlier this month, the C.D.C. warned that the variant circulating in Britain could become the dominant source of infection in the United States and would likely lead to a surge in cases and deaths that could overwhelm hospitals. And given the speed at which the variant swept through that country, it is conceivable that by April it could make up a large fraction of infections in the United States. By the time someone has symptoms, gets a test, has a positive result and we get the sequence, our opportunity for doing real case control and contact tracing is largely gone, she said. We should be treating every case as if its a variant during this pandemic right now. Fridays briefing, the second in what the Biden White House has promised will be thrice-weekly updates on the pandemic, came just hours after Johnson & Johnson reported that while its vaccine was 72 percent effective in the United States, the efficacy rate was just 57 percent in South Africa, where a variant has been spreading. Public health officials including Dr. Fauci and Dr. Walensky say the emergence of these variants is heightening the urgency of vaccinations. Dr. Fauci also said Friday that children under 16, who are not currently eligible for the vaccine, will likely start getting vaccinated by late spring or early summer if small-scale clinical trials show that it is safe and effective to do so. He noted that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is 85 percent effective against severe disease, and called the results very encouraging, even though the vaccine is not as effective as those by Pfizer and Moderna, which have emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Johnson & Johnson will now seek its own emergency approval. This really tells us that we have now a value-added additional vaccine candidate, he said. But Dr. Walensky offered a far more sobering observation. While the daily number of new virus cases has been declining, the figures were still much higher than a period last summer, and deaths currently remain worrisome. According to data compiled by The New York Times, new virus cases have averaged about 160,000 a day in recent days, compared to about 40,000 new cases a day around early September. As of Thursday, the seven-day average of new deaths was more than 3,200 a day, still near peak levels. The daily death toll has topped 4,000 deaths six times in the United States, including twice this week. At Wednesdays briefing by the Biden virus team, Jeffrey D. Zients, Mr. Bidens coronavirus response coordinator, said the United States is lagging far behind other countries in sequencing the genomes of the new variants a delay he called totally unacceptable. Dr. Walensky said she is working to change that. We have scaled up surveillance dramatically just in the last ten days, in fact, but our plans are more than what weve done so far, Dr. Walensky said, adding that the C.D.C. is now asking every state to track for worrisome variants and sequence at least 750 samples from patients per week. In addition, she said, the agency has seven collaborations with universities to scale up surveillance to cover thousands of samples per week. Johnson & Johnsons vaccine offers strong protection but fuels concern about variants. Participating in a Johnson & Johnson vaccine trial at the Desmond Tutu H.I.V. Foundation Youth Center near Cape Town last month. Credit... Joao Silva/The New York Times Johnson & Johnson said on Friday that its one-dose coronavirus vaccine provided strong protection against Covid-19, offering the United States a third powerful tool in a race against a worldwide rise in virus mutations. But the results came with a significant cautionary note: The vaccines efficacy rate dropped from 72 percent in the United States to 57 percent in South Africa, where a highly contagious variant is driving most cases. Studies suggest that this variant also blunts the effectiveness of Covid vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Novavax. The variant has spread to at least 31 countries, including two cases documented in the United States this week. Johnson & Johnson said it planned to apply for emergency authorization of its vaccine from the Food and Drug Administration as soon as next week, putting it on track to receive clearance later in February. This is the pandemic vaccine that can make a difference with a single dose, said Dr. Paul Stoffels, the companys chief scientific officer. The companys announcement comes as the Biden administration is pushing to immunize Americans faster even as vaccine supplies tighten. White House officials have been counting on Johnson & Johnsons vaccine to ease the shortfall. But the company may have as few as seven million doses ready when the vaccine is authorized, according to federal health officials familiar with its production, and no more than 32 million doses by early April. The variant from South Africa, known as B.1.351, could make the vaccine push tougher. Given the speed at which the variant swept through that country, it is conceivable that it could make up a large fraction of infections in the United States by April and therefore undermine the effectiveness of available vaccines. The two vaccines approved by the U.S. government have been found to be less effective against the B.1.351 variant in clinical trials, a development that has unsettled federal officials and vaccine experts. Many researchers say it is imperative to vaccinate people as quickly as possible. Lowering the rate of infection could thwart the more contagious variants while they are still rare. If ever there was reason to vaccinate as many people as expeditiously as we possibly can with the vaccine that we have right now, now is the time, said Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the governments top infectious disease expert. Because the less people that get infected, the less chance youre going to give this particular mutant a chance to become dominant. Carl Zimmer, Noah Weiland and Advertisement Continue reading the main story Coachella music festival is canceled again. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was last held in 2019. Credit... Emma McIntyre/Getty Images The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which draws more than a hundred thousand fans daily from around the world to Southern California, is off for a third time. A county health order canceled the event, as well as the country music festival, Stagecoach, on Friday, citing the recent virus surge that has plagued California for months, despite some recent progress. Both were to begin in April. In the order, Dr. Cameron Kaiser, a public health officer for Riverside County, said both events are gatherings of an international scope that were too risky amid the surge and appearance of more contagious variants. If Covid-19 were detected at these festivals, the scope and number of attendees and the nature of the venue would make it infeasible, if not impossible, to track those who may be placed at risk, the order said. The Coachella festival, founded in 1999 and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, draws up to 125,000 people a day and has come to be a bellwether for the multibillion-dollar touring business. The festivals were some of the first major events canceled back in April 2020 in the early days of the pandemic. They were rescheduled for October, and in the fall were again postponed for April 2021. New dates have not been announced. On Friday night, Stagecoachs homepage had its refund policy from 2020 posted on the landing page, but had not yet issued a statement. Coachellas website did not mention the cancellation of the festival but highlighted its new clothing line released late last year. While Coachella is one of the countrys biggest and most celebrated music events, Stagecoach is a smaller country music festival presented by the same promoter, Goldenvoice. Last years Coachella was initially set to be headlined by the rapper Travis Scott, the singer Frank Ocean and a reunited Rage Against the Machine, along with dozens of other acts from across genres. Stagecoach was scheduled to feature Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, ZZ Top and more. The concert industry has been essentially frozen since mid-March, when AEG and Live Nation, the corporations that dominate the live-music sphere, suspended all touring in North America in response to the coronavirus pandemic, leaving artists as well as their crews and all other affiliated workers unsure of when such large-scale events will return. Other major music festivals, including Lollapalooza in Chicago, Levitation in Austin and Summerfest in Milwaukee, have also been called off for the year. The E.U. approves AstraZenecas vaccine and moves to restrict it from sending doses outside the bloc. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 0:42 - 0:00 transcript E.U. Plans to Halt Vaccine Exports Until Supply Contracts Are Met The European Union announced a plan that would effectively stop AstraZeneca from shipping Covid-19 vaccine doses manufactured in the bloc to other countries until its E.U. supply contracts are met. The commission has adopted a strictly targeted measure that will allow us to gather accurate information about the production of vaccines and where manufacturers intend to ship them. The measure is time-limited and specifically applies to those Covid-19 vaccines that were agreed by advance purchase agreements. The measure is intended to run until the end of March. The aim is to provide us immediately with full transparency, transparency that until now has been lacking, and what Europeans expect. And if needed, it also will provide us with a tool to ensure vaccine deliveries. The European Union announced a plan that would effectively stop AstraZeneca from shipping Covid-19 vaccine doses manufactured in the bloc to other countries until its E.U. supply contracts are met. Credit Credit... Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters BRUSSELS The European Union on Friday announced plans to effectively halt any attempt by AstraZeneca to move vaccine doses manufactured in the bloc to other countries unless it first meets its supply obligations to the blocs 27 member states. The move, the latest escalation in a dispute between the bloc and the pharmaceutical company over reduced supplies, came as the European Unions drug regulator authorized AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccine for use across its member states. AstraZeneca said this month that it would significantly cut its promised delivery supply of the jab to the European Union as of mid-February. That pitted the bloc against Britain, a former member, which has been receiving a steady flow of vaccine doses from AstraZeneca since approving it well ahead of the E.U., in early December. AstraZeneca, headquartered in Britain, developed its vaccine in cooperation with the University of Oxford, and is producing it at multiple plants, in Britain and on the continent. The European Union accused the pharmaceutical company of using its promised doses to serve Britain, despite having paid the company about $400 million in October to help it scale up its capabilities and produce doses ahead of authorization. The policy, which will go into effect on Saturday, presented as a transparency tool, will ask all pharmaceutical companies manufacturing coronavirus vaccines in factories within the bloc currently Pfizer and AstraZeneca to submit paperwork alerting the European authorities of any intention to move their products to non-E.U. countries. It will be in place until the end of March and will not apply to exports to poorer countries. The Commission said it reserved the right to block such exports if it determined that the pharmaceutical companies were not meeting their contractual obligations with the E.U. first. The British government said it was urgently seeking clarifications from the E.U. The measure could theoretically also affect Pfizer clients, but the Commission has said it is happy with how that company has handled a supply disruption in its Belgian factory that is setting back deliveries. The company has spread the pain among its clients, which include the E.U., Britain and Canada. The Commission said that AstraZenecas decision to maintain delivery volumes to Britain while slashing its deliveries to the E.U., after a problem arose in a Belgium-based plant, was in bad faith and breach of the companys contractual obligations. The companys chief executive responded that he regretted the situation, but that his company had not committed to a specific schedule, but rather to a vow to make its best effort. The Commission dismissed the claim, and published a heavily redacted version of the contract with AstraZeneca. The contract affords the company many standard protections in case it fails to deliver, but includes some clauses that could be seen as favoring the E.U. interpretation that AstraZeneca is obligated to turn to other factories, including in Britain, to fulfill its delivery promises. The dispute with AstraZeneca is occurring against a backdrop of severe shortages of doses at vaccination centers across Europe. French and German regions have reported that they are nearly running out, and the Madrid region of Spain has suspended its rollout for at least two weeks until fresh deliveries arrive. The E.U. regulator stopped short of imposing an age cap on the use of the vaccine, despite concerns about a paucity of data on the vaccines efficacy in people age 65 and older. The W.H.O. drops opposition to vaccinations for pregnant women. A pregnant woman being vaccinated in Tel Aviv. Credit... Jack Guez/Agence France-Presse Getty Images The World Health Organization on Friday changed its advice for pregnant women considering a Covid-19 vaccine, abandoning language opposing immunization for most expectant mothers unless they were at high risk. The new wording followed an outcry to the W.H.O.s guidance for pregnant women. It still recommends not to use the vaccines for pregnant women unless the women are at high risk because of potential exposures or underlying health conditions. Several experts had expressed disappointment on Thursday with the W.H.O.s position. The experts noted that it was inconsistent with guidance on the same issue from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and would confuse pregnant women looking for clear advice. An earlier version of this article stated that the W.H.O. had changed its guidance. Organization officials have since pointed out that the guidance has not been altered in the recommendations for these individual vaccines. But a new section in a document detailing features of the vaccines now does not explicitly recommend against using them. It now reflects their safety profile: Based on what we know about this kind of vaccine, we dont have any specific reason to believe there will be specific risks that would outweigh the benefits of vaccination for pregnant women. The new advice is now closely aligned with the C.D.C.s position. The vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, while they have not been tested in pregnant women, have not shown any harmful effects in animal studies. And the technology used in the vaccines is generally known to be safe, experts said. Experts praised the shift, welcoming agreement between the worlds leading public health organizations on this important issue. Dr. Denise Jamieson, an obstetrician at Emory University and a member of the Covid expert group with the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, said she was pleased to see the new advice. The association was among the many womens health organizations that had urged Pfizer and Moderna to speed up vaccine tests in pregnant women. The more permissive W.H.O. language provides an important opportunity for pregnant women to get vaccinated and protect themselves from the severe risks of Covid-19, Dr. Jamieson said. This impressively rapid revision by W.H.O. is good news for pregnant women and their babies. Pregnant women have traditionally been excluded from clinical trials, leaving a dearth of scientific data on the safety of drugs and vaccines in women and their unborn children. Vaccines are generally considered to be safe, and pregnant women have been urged to be immunized for influenza and other diseases since the 1960s, even in the absence of rigorous clinical trials to test them. Pfizer will test its vaccine in pregnant women over the next few months, according to a spokeswoman for the company. And Moderna plans to establish a registry to observe side effects in women who were immunized with its vaccine. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Chicago teachers move closer to striking over a plan to reopen schools. Teachers working outside a Chicago elementary school this month, in solidarity with other teachers who had been ordered to work inside. Credit... Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times, via Associated Press Teachers in Chicago moved closer on Friday to striking over the citys plan for reopening the nations third-largest school district. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said that the city had not yet reached a reopening deal with the Chicago Teachers Union and that it planned to welcome tens of thousands of students back to in-person classes on Monday. The union has directed its members to work remotely until a deal is reached. It has vowed to strike if the district locks teachers out of its electronic systems or otherwise retaliates against them for staying home. The battle over reopening Chicagos schools has complex racial undercurrents. The mayor, who is Black, has argued that schools should open to prevent racial achievement gaps from widening. But the union says reopening now would be unsafe, and it claims that the majority of the districts mostly Black and Hispanic families agree. Only a third of Chicago families have decided to send their children back to school in person. Prekindergarten and some special education students returned to in-person instruction on Jan. 11 and continued until last week, when the union directed their teachers to stay home. Students in kindergarten through eighth grade are expected to return on Monday. Ms. Lightfoot said on Friday that the district expected teachers to be there for both groups of students. But given the current state of negotiations, she said, we owe it to our students and families to prepare for the possibility that the teachers could stay home. Each side blames the other for the impasse. Ms. Lightfoot said on Friday that the unions leadership had refused to put areas of agreement in writing and purposefully disrupted some in-person instruction. We had three weeks of success, which is precisely why the C.T.U. leadership blew it up and created chaos, she said. But the union said it had been close to reaching a deal on reopening when Ms. Lightfoot stepped in at the 11th hour and blew it to pieces. The Australian Open will allow up to 30,000 spectators a day. Australian Open players at Melbourne Park on Wednesday. Credit... Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images When the Australian Open begins next month, the grandstands may offer the closest thing to sports normalcy that the world has seen in nearly a year. Up to 30,000 spectators a day will be allowed to attend the tennis tournament in Melbourne when it begins on Feb. 8, the sports minister of the state of Victoria said on Saturday. Melbourne is Victorias capital. While a crowd of 30,000 is a rarity in international sports these days, overall attendance figures at the Australian Open will ultimately be down by about half from a normal year. Some 820,000 spectators attended the two-week tournament in 2020. This year, organizers have created an intricate system in which spectators will only be allowed to travel within one of three zones at Melbourne Park, a move aimed at limiting social contact. Craig Tiley, the chief executive of Tennis Australia, has been negotiating for months with health officials about letting spectators into the event. He said Friday that the tournament would begin at 50 percent capacity. That could grow to 75 percent in the final week, he added, when action is limited to stadium courts. The announcement by Victorias sports minister, Martin Pakula, came as hundreds of players who had traveled from overseas for the tournament entered their final days of quarantine. Most of them were allowed out of their hotel rooms for five hours a day for training and practice. But 72 players who were forced to endure a hard 14-day lockdown were only able to begin practicing this weekend. That lockdown was imposed after testing revealed 10 acute positive cases among more than 1,000 people who traveled to Australia for the event, including one player. Tiley said that ticket sales had begun to pick up in recent days, after coming to a standstill following the handful of positive tests and a backlash in the community against players who complained about having to stay in quarantine even though they continued to test negative. Columbia students go on tuition strike, saying online classes arent worth full price. Columbia University has mostly offered online instruction during the pandemic, and allowed only a sliver of students to live on campus or attend in-person classes. Credit... Mark Lennihan/Associated Press Over 1,100 undergraduate and graduate students at Columbia University have pledged to withhold their tuition for the spring semester to demand a discount for what they see as a lost spring term. While some universities have brought students back to campus, Columbia has mostly offered online instruction for students and allowed only a sliver of them to live on campus or attend in-person classes. In response, students are asking the university to reduce their total costs including tuition, fees, and room and board by at least 10 percent, following suit of several schools including Georgetown University, Princeton University and Williams College. Columbia College, the universitys undergraduate school, can cost more than $80,000 a year for students not receiving financial aid. Strike organizers said that both graduate and undergraduate students were participating; the university has more than 31,000 students. Its a reasonable demand, said Matthew Gamero, 19, a sophomore who is one of the strike organizers. This is about the university providing an education of its worth, and to have it online is certainly not what were paying for. This is a moment when an active reappraisal of the status quo is understandable, and we expect nothing less from our students, the university said in a statement. Their voices are heard by Columbias leadership, and their views on strengthening the University are welcomed. A tuition discount is only one of a series of demands made by strikers. They have also called on the university to reduce funding for campus policing, improve working conditions for graduate students and provide aid for the surrounding West Harlem community. The tuition strike was officially kicked off after the spring term bill was due last Friday. For undergraduates, the university could impose a $150 late fee and prevent them from registering for summer or fall classes. The university could also penalize seniors by withholding their diplomas until their balance is paid. Advertisement Continue reading the main story new york roundup Indoor dining will reopen on Valentines Day in N.Y.C., at 25 percent capacity, Cuomo says. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:09 - 0:00 transcript N.Y.C. Indoor Dining to Reopen on Valentines Day On Friday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that indoor dining in New York City could resume at up to 25 percent capacity starting on Valentines Day. New York City restaurants, on our current trajectory, we can reopen indoor dining at 25 percent on Valentines Day. The restaurants want a period of time so they can notify workers. They can get up to speed for indoor dining, order supplies, etc. So were saying indoor dining. 25 percent on Valentines Day. Going forward, we are very excited about the possibility of reopening venues with testing. Restaurants are opened on Valentines Day. You could make a reservation now or plan dinner on Valentines Day, you propose on Valentines Day. And then you can have the wedding ceremony March 15, up to 150 people. People will actually come to your wedding because you can tell them with the testing, it will be safe. Everybody there will be tested, and everybody will be safe. On Friday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that indoor dining in New York City could resume at up to 25 percent capacity starting on Valentines Day. Credit Credit... Clay Williams for The New York Times Indoor dining will resume with limited capacity in New York City restaurants next month, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Friday, more than a month after he had banned it to combat a second wave of the coronavirus. Starting on Feb. 14, the citys restaurants can seat customers indoors at 25 percent maximum capacity, he said. The announcement was a source of hope for the restaurant industry, an important driver of the citys economic engine, which has been decimated by ever-changing virus-induced restrictions that have forced many restaurants and bars to go out of business and caused thousands of workers to lose their jobs. After shutting down restaurants in March, Mr. Cuomo allowed the citys indoor dining to restart in late September. He prohibited it again in mid-December as holiday travel threatened to increase transmission of the virus and overwhelm hospitals. Restaurants and bars that have stayed afloat have relied on takeout and delivery, as well as outdoor dining, an increasingly untenable option as the frigid winter advances. It did not take long for New Yorkers to try to secure what will likely be a coveted reservation inside for Feb. 14, Valentines Day. Cote, an upscale Korean barbecue steak house in the Flatiron district, will be able to double the number of people it can sit to about 100, up from the estimated 50 it can serve in its outside cabanas, according to the owner, Simon Kim. Its been very challenging, said Mr. Kim, adding that the restaurant already had a 100-reservation waiting list for Valentines Day. Now that we are opening indoors, its going to mean we no longer have to hemorrhage tens of thousands dollars each week. Starting March 15, wedding receptions with up to 150 attendees will be allowed in the state, the governor said, as long as the venues are at no more than 50 percent capacity. The gatherings would have to be approved in advance by a local health department, and all attendees will have to be tested. We want to use testing as the key to reopening events, Mr. Cuomo said. The governors decisions come at an precarious phase in the states battle against the virus, which has killed more than 42,500 people in New York State, a one-time center of the pandemic. Yankee Stadium will open its doors as a mass vaccination site, Mr. Cuomo said, pointing to high positivity rates in the Bronx. He did not specify a time frame. In other New York City news: In his last State of the City address, Mayor Bill de Blasio committed to accelerating the citys vaccination efforts and set a goal of inoculating five million New Yorkers by June. On Friday, Mr. de Blasio said that, given an adequate supply of the vaccine, the city could vaccinate half a million people per week, and that he planned to reopen vaccination sites that had closed as more vaccine became available. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, the leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, was in quarantine on Friday after he interacted last week with a person who later tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a spokesman. Mr. Dolan hasnt tested positive for the virus, but will be tested again in a few days, according to a statement. Luis Ferre-Sadurni, Jesse McKinley, Jacey Fortin and Now is just not the time to be flying, Canadas prime minister said. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:20 - 0:00 transcript Canadian Airlines Suspend Flights to the Caribbean and Mexico Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada announced on Friday that major airlines have agreed to suspend flights to sunny vacation spots as new coronavirus quarantine measures are put into place. The government and Canadas main airlines have agreed to suspend service to some destinations right away. Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing and Air Transat are canceling air service to all Caribbean destinations and Mexico starting this Sunday up until April 30. Starting next week, all international passenger flights must land only at the following four airports: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal. In addition to the pre-boarding test we already require, as soon as possible in the coming weeks, we will be introducing mandatory P.C.R. testing at the airport for people returning to Canada. Travelers will then have to wait for up to three days at an approved hotel for their test results, at their own expense, which is expected to be more than $2,000. We will also, in the coming weeks, be requiring non-essential travelers to show a negative test before entry at the land border with the U.S. And were working to stand up additional testing requirements for land travel. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada announced on Friday that major airlines have agreed to suspend flights to sunny vacation spots as new coronavirus quarantine measures are put into place. Credit Credit... Blair Gable/Reuters Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada announced Friday that flights between the country and several sunny vacation spots will be suspended, as new testing and quarantining measures are put in place for most air travelers entering Canada. After previously requiring that air travelers coming to Canada for nonessential purposes show evidence of a negative coronavirus test result from within 72 hours before being allowed on planes, Mr. Trudeau said that they will now also be tested when they land upon their return to Canada. Travelers will have to wait for the results of that second test for three days in a government hotel at their own expense under the new measures. Now is just not the time to be flying, Mr. Trudeau said at an outdoor news conference. By putting in place these tough measures now, we can look forward to a better time when we can all plan those vacations. During most of the pandemic, international flights leaving and entering Canada have been limited to four airports. The flights that are canceled under the new order mainly service resort areas in Mexico and the Caribbean. Airlines are making arrangements to return Canadians who are already in those areas, Mr. Trudeau said. In December, Canada temporarily stopped air travel to and from the United Kingdom following the appearance there of a new variant of the coronavirus. Mr. Trudeau estimated that the mandatory three-day stay would cost travelers about 2,000 Canadian dollars, or about $1,570. Travelers with a negative test result will then need to quarantine for 11 more days at their homes. Those with positive test results will be sent to government facilities. Travelers entering Canada on nonessential trips at land border crossings will also soon be tested, Mr. Trudeau said. They have long been required to quarantine for two weeks. The premiers of Ontario and Quebec, the countrys two most populous provinces, have been pressuring Mr. Trudeau to introduce testing upon arrival at airports and introduce further flight restrictions. Several Canadian politicians and officials have also come under severe criticism and, in some cases, resigned their positions for traveling outside of the country for vacation. Mr. Trudeau acknowledged that the percentage of Covid-19 cases in Canada linked to foreign travel is extremely low. But he said that the new restrictions should limit the risk posed by new variants of the virus. These variations represent a very real challenge, Mr. Trudeau said. The Philippines tells kids to stay home and glue their attention to TV. Boys prepared to skate in Manila on Friday. The government has restricted anyone under the age of 15 from leaving home. Credit... Aaron Favila/Associated Press The government of the Philippines has extended a contentious policy that bars children under 15 from leaving their homes. President Rodrigo Dutertes administration this week overruled advice from a government task force on infectious diseases that had questioned the policy. They can glue their attention to TV the whole day, Mr. Duterte told reporters, referring to children under lockdown. He added that the measure was a precaution to protect children from the coronavirus variant that was first detected in Britain and has been circulating in northern towns in the Philippines. Parents of children who violate the lockdown can face prison time if convicted. The government said on Friday that the policy would remain in place until at least the end of February. It also placed metropolitan Manila, the capital, and several other parts of the country under a general community quarantine. That means schools are closed and only businesses that are deemed essential including malls can remain open. The new restrictions were announced on the same day that the governments top official in charge of contact tracing, Benjamin Magalong, resigned under public pressure. He had been photographed without a mask at a party in the northern mountain resort town of Baguio. The Philippines has reported more than half a million infections, the second highest caseload in Southeast Asia after Indonesia, and more than 10,000 deaths, according to a New York Times database. Mr. Dutertes concerns about the virus variant are understandable, said Richard Dy, a spokesman for the Child Rights Network, an advocacy group in the Philippines. But children can be relatively safe from Covid-19 in public places if health and safety protocols are observed, he added. Banning children from public places and confining them in their homes 24/7 can be detrimental to their physical and mental health, Mr. Dy said. Ida May Talic, who cares for her 7-year-old sister and 6-year-old niece in a Manila suburb, said that fighting boredom in the household was a daily challenge. She said the children were busy with online classes but complained about missing their friends. It also does not help that the internet connection can be intermittent at times, Ms. Talic said. Sometimes, they have to compete with the adults who are working from home who hog the signal. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Its numbing: Nine retired nuns in Michigan died of Covid-19. Nine nuns in southern Michigan have died in a month during a coronavirus outbreak at their nursing home. Credit... Mike Dickie/The Daily Telegram, via Associated Press The religious sisters who lived in retired seclusion at the Dominican Life Center in Michigan followed strict rules to avoid an outbreak of coronavirus infection: They were kept in isolation, visitors were prohibited and masks were required for everyone on campus. But after being kept at bay for months, it found its way in. On Friday, the Adrian Dominican Sisters said nine sisters died in January from Covid-19 complications at the campus in Adrian, about 75 miles southwest of Detroit. Its numbing, said Sister Patricia Siemen, leader of the religious order. We had six women die in 48 hours. The deaths of the sisters in Michigan have added to what is becoming a familiar trend in the spread of the virus, as it devastates religious congregate communities by infecting retired, aging populations of sisters and nuns who had quietly devoted their lives to others. Now some of these sisters have been thrust into the public eye, as details about their names, ages and lifetimes of work are being highlighted as part of the national discourse about Americans lost to the coronavirus. It is a moment of reckoning with the place that they have in our culture now, said Kathleen Holscher, a professor who holds the endowed chair of Roman Catholic studies at the University of New Mexico. Fifty or 60 years ago, they were the face of American Catholicism, in schools and in hospitals. Several of the women who died at the Adrian Dominican Sisters campus had been nurses or teachers. Others had dedicated decades of their lives to religious service. Americans are being reminded they are older, and still there, Dr. Holscher said. But now they are living in these community situations and caring for one another. Christine Hauser and France and Germany, alarmed by variants, will restrict incoming travelers. Along the Seine in Paris on Tuesday. Credit... Andrea Mantovani for The New York Times France and Germany announced on Friday new restrictions to curb the spread of infectious coronavirus variants, with the two neighboring countries closing boarders and limiting incoming travel. Jean Castex, the French prime minister, said that all travel between France and nations outside of the European Union would be banned starting on Sunday, with exceptions made only for urgent matters. All travelers from E.U. countries, except for cross-border workers, must present a negative coronavirus test to enter the country, Mr. Castex added. In Germany travel will be restricted from a handful of countries, including Britain and Ireland, going beyond the measures recommended by the European Union. Under the new travel ban which also applies to passengers coming from Portugal, Brazil, South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) German residents will be able to return home, but non-German residents from the areas in question will be refused entry, even with a negative coronavirus test. Its about stopping the entry of a highly infectious virus, Horst Seehofer, Germanys interior minister, said on Thursday, a day before the federal cabinet approved the restrictions. The new rules also forbid transportation companies airlines, train and bus carriers, and ferry services from bringing nearly all nonresidents into Germany. Exceptions will be made for health workers or those who must travel for urgent humanitarian reasons. After more than six weeks of a strict lockdown during which restaurants, bars, nonessential shops and most schools have been shuttered Germany is starting to show slight improvement in its daily case numbers. On Thursday, health authorities reported 14,022 infections in a 24-hour period, nearly 4,000 less than the amount registered one week earlier. The new restrictions for France and Germany will start this weekend. The variants that emerged in Britain and South Africa have both been detected in France, and the countrys vaccination campaign has slowed amid disruptions in the E.U. supply chain. The number of new cases has continued to rise in France over the past few weeks, with nearly 23,000 new cases reported on Friday, though they have not skyrocketed like they have for some of Frances neighbors. Speaking after a special cabinet meeting in Paris, Mr. Castex acknowledged France faced a strong risk of acceleration of the epidemic because of the more contagious British and South African variants of the virus, and said debates over a new nationwide lockdown were legitimate. But we all know the very heavy toll it has on the French, on all counts, he said of a lockdown. This evening, we consider that in view of the numbers over the past few days, we can still give ourselves a chance to avoid one. Aurelien Breeden and U.S. roundup University of Michigan students are advised to stay home after 14 cases of a coronavirus variant were reported. A woman walks past a sorority house on the University of Michigan campus, where more than a dozen cases of a coronavirus variant were found. Credit... Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Fourteen students at the University of Michigan have contracted a highly contagious variant of the coronavirus, leading health authorities to issue a stay-at-home recommendation for students living on and off campus. Students were advised to not leave their residences until Feb. 7, except to attend classes, seek medical treatment or run essential errands. The outbreak of the variant, first detected in Britain and known as B.1.1.7, appears to have started with a student who traveled to the United Kingdom over the winter break, according to Susan Ringler-Cerniglia, a spokeswoman for the Washtenaw County Department of Health. The first case on the universitys campus was identified on Jan. 16 after the student tested positive and notified officials that he or she had traveled to an area where the variant was prevalent. That prompted additional sequencing that identified the student was infected with the variant, Ms. Ringler-Cerniglia said. Since then an additional 13 students who are positive with the same variant have been identified. One of them had visited a local indoor mall and a grocery store before testing positive, leading authorities to issue a public notice to people who had visited those locations, asking them to seek testing. Rick Fitzgerald, a spokesman for the university, said that all the infected students were in isolation with mild symptoms. The stay-at-home recommendation announced by the Washtenaw County Health Department this week applies to the Ann Arbor campus but not to the broader community. Michigan athletics also imposed a two-week pause in competitions and practice, citing the emergence of the variant as the reason. Five of the cases involved individuals connected to the athletic program. The variant is regarded as 50 percent more transmissible than the standard form of the virus but it isnt more dangerous, and the vaccines that are currently on the market appear to be effective against it. Since Michigans winter session began Jan. 19, the university has identified a total of 175 coronavirus cases, including the 14 cases of the variant. In other news from around the United States: In South Carolina, health officials announced they detected two cases of the coronavirus variant that emerged in South Africa. It is the first-known report of the variant in the United States. The two cases are both adults with no known travel history, according to officials. Two Democratic members of Congress from Massachusetts have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent days. Representative Stephen F. Lynchs office announced he had the virus on Friday and said he was asymptomatic. He has received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine. On Thursday, Representative Lori Trahan announced she had tested positive and was also asymptomatic. Both representatives said they would cast votes next week through the Houses proxy voting system. In Seattle , two hospitals scrambled to get out coronavirus vaccines after the freezer the vaccines were stored in stopped working, according to The Associated Press. It was unclear what caused the freezer failure, however more than 1,300 doses were used after calls were made out on social media for vaccine recipients. National Guard troops are giving over 51,000 shots per day across 38 states. In a call with reporters Friday, Major Gen. Jerry L. Fenwick, director of the National Guard Bureau, said that there are at least 22,900 members of the National Guard in over 260 sites supporting vaccination efforts as the country pushes to inoculate more people. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Most states have opened vaccines to older Americans, according to a Times survey. A nurse administers a coronavirus vaccine at a community center in Rohnert Park, Calif., on Wednesday. Credit... Jim Wilson/The New York Times About seven weeks since the United States began rolling out vaccines against the virus, at least 47 states are offering shots to older people, a New York Times survey shows. Thats a significant shift from a few weeks ago when most places were focused on inoculating residents of long-term care facilities and frontline health care workers, and the rollout remains a dizzying, shifting patchwork as states set their own eligibility rules and residents try to keep track. Many of the expansions follow a federal appeal to prioritize all people 65 and older. More than half of states have since expanded eligibility for those seniors but have had varying degrees of success in delivering the promised shots into arms. As of Friday, states have given out 57 percent of the shots delivered to them so far, and 6.9 percent of the nations population now has at least one shot, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This does not mean that right away you will be able to get the vaccine as quickly as you have in the past gotten your flu shot, said Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, a Democrat, who allowed residents 65 and older statewide to schedule appointments starting this week. He said that 3.2 million of the states 12.6 million residents fall into the group newly eligible for shots, adding, so there will be far greater demand than supply at least in the near term. Some states, such as Alabama, Ohio, and Vermont, are allowing seniors 75 and older to receive a first dose. South Dakota is restricting the pool to 80 and older. In Iowa, only health care workers and long-term care residents can get vaccinated, and the health department has said it will not begin vaccinating older people until February. Meanwhile, 16 states have begun vaccinating adults with high-risk medical conditions as they continue their ongoing efforts with other groups. New Jersey expanded access to such a category, including smokers and those with heart conditions and diabetes. And in Texas, cancer patients and pregnant women can get a shot. OSHA takes its first steps under Biden to tighten Covid-19 safety practices at work. A protest outside the Denver office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration last year after hundreds of workers at a Colorado meatpacking plant developed Covid-19, six fatally. Credit... David Zalubowski/Associated Press The federal occupational safety agency on Friday posted new guidance for employers on reducing the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace, just over one week after President Biden signed an executive order directing it to do so. The move by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, part of the Labor Department, includes only recommendations, not requirements. But the agency said it was exploring a rule mandating certain protective measures. The agency declined to issue such a rule, known as an emergency temporary standard, during the Trump administration. But Mr. Biden indicated support for a standard during the campaign. The new guidance makes fewer distinctions than the Trump administrations version based on the exposure risk of different workers. Everyone should be protected, not some more protected than others, Ann Rosenthal, a senior adviser to the agency, said on a video call with reporters. The document issued on Friday also uses less equivocal language than the agency did under President Donald J. Trump. For example, it says the most effective prevention programs ensure that absence policies are nonpunitive. During the Trump administration, the agency advised employers to ensure that sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance. Meatpacking and meat processing have been a particular source of concern, accounting for an outsized portion of Covid-19 infections nationally. In late December, a state judge in California issued a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit involving workers at a local poultry plant, requiring a variety of safety protocols such as providing masks and requiring workers to wear them, as well as face shields, where social distancing isnt possible. The court announced Friday that it would issue a preliminary injunction to the same effect, giving workers an ongoing ability to force compliance if the company backs off the protocols. It cited evidence submitted by the plaintiffs that regulatory agencies are overwhelmed by the issues raised by the Covid-19 pandemic and are unable to inspect with the same regularity as was the practice prior to the pandemic. Beaten down by the virus, South Carolina learns it now has one of the new variants, too. The riverwalk in Greenville, S.C., on Tuesday. Credit... Travis Dove for The New York Times Even before Thursday, South Carolina stood out. In a nation where new coronavirus cases were finally beginning to edge downward after a grueling two months, South Carolina remained stuck. Although its average number of new cases was decreasing, the state was recording the second-highest number per capita in the country, behind Arizona. Then came news of the variant. On Thursday, health officials in South Carolina said they had detected two cases of a more contagious coronavirus variant that first emerged in South Africa. It was the first report of that variant being detected in the United States, and raised questions about how many more variant infections may have gone undetected. Thats frightening, Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious diseases physician at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, told The Associated Press. Its probably more widespread. The variant, known as B.1.351, was originally identified in South Africa and has since been found in about 30 countries. It is not just more contagious, there is also evidence that vaccines are less effective against it. The variant may pose a particular challenge for the United States, which conducts little of the genomic sequencing necessary to track the spread of new forms of the virus. And several variants have caused concern. Among them are the B.1.1.7 variant first found in Britain and since seen in more than 46 countries and 24 U.S. states, and the P.1 variant, first found in Brazil, which officials in the United States reported having detected this week in Minnesota. On Thursday, South Carolinas Health Department said it had identified one case of the variant from South Africa the day before when it was also notified of a second case by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The department said the cases involved no known travel to South Africa and no connection between the two patients, both of whom are adults. One was in the states Lowcountry region, in the south, and the other was in the Pee Dee region in the northeast. That suggested that the variant is circulating in the community, and prompted a warning to the public to take precautions. The arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 variant in our state is an important reminder to all South Carolinians that the fight against this deadly virus is far from over, Dr. Brannon Traxler, the health departments interim public health director, said in a statement. While more Covid-19 vaccines are on the way, supplies are still limited. Every one of us must recommit to the fight by recognizing that we are all on the front lines now. At an online briefing, Dr. Traxler said the same precautions were being taken for the new variant as for other virus cases. Both of the people who contracted the variant were tested in early January and have recovered, she said. We do not have concern at this time based on their contact tracing about there being the potential for any mass, widespread transmission, Dr. Traxler said. As of Thursday, there had been at least 431,169 cases and 6,903 deaths in South Carolina since the pandemic began. Gov. Henry McMaster wrote on Twitter that the announcement was important information for South Carolinians to have, but it isnt a reason for panic. He encouraged residents to wear masks and socially distance. Remy Tumin and Advertisement Continue reading the main story global roundup The W.H.O. experts tracing the viruss origins start their fieldwork in China, and other news from around the world. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:09 - 0:00 transcript W.H.O. Delivers Update on China Visit On Friday, the World Health Organization reviewed the details of its investigation into the origin of the coronavirus in China, and what it hopes to learn from the visit. There is a very long list of site visits planned and face-to-face meetings continue. The the visits will include the Wuhan Institute of Virology, other labs, the Wuhan markets, early responders, hospitals in which the first clusters of cases occurred. We continue to be hopeful that all of the data and all of the meetings that they need will be had. And and just to reconfirm that all hypotheses are on the table, and were looking forward, hopefully, to a successful conclusion of the mission. Success in the case of animal human interface investigations is not measured necessarily in absolutely finding a source on the first mission. This is a complicated business, what we need to do is gather all of the data, all of the information, summarize all of these discussions and come to an assessment as to how much more we know about the origins of the disease, and what further studies may be needed for the release of. On Friday, the World Health Organization reviewed the details of its investigation into the origin of the coronavirus in China, and what it hopes to learn from the visit. Credit Credit... Hector Retamal/Agence France-Presse Getty Images After months of delays, a team of World Health Organization scientists tracing the pandemics origin began its field work on Friday in Wuhan, the Chinese city where the coronavirus was first detected. The W.H.O. said its team of 15 experts planned to visit hospitals, laboratories and a live animal market over the next several weeks in Wuhan, a city of 11 million, where the virus was detected in late 2019. As members start their field visits on Friday, they should receive the support, access and the data they need, the W.H.O. said on Twitter. All hypotheses are on the table as the team follows the science in their work to understand the origins of the #COVID19 virus. The Chinese government had repeatedly sought to delay the inquiry, apparently out of concern that the experts would draw attention to the governments early missteps in handling the outbreak. But it relented under mounting global pressure. The W.H.O. experts were first asked to undergo 14 days of quarantine in Wuhan, which ended on Thursday. They plan to speak with some of the first patients to show symptoms of Covid-19, as well as with medical workers and Chinese scientists, according to the W.H.O. Their fieldwork will include a visit the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, where some of the first cases were detected. They will also visit the Wuhan Institute of Virology and a laboratory operated by Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The question of the pandemics origin has caused friction between China and the United States, with officials in each country at times blaming the other for unleashing the virus on the world. Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said on Wednesday that the United States hoped for a robust and clear international investigation. Chinese officials, in response, defended the countrys handling of the inquiry. We hope the U.S. side will work with China, take on a responsible attitude and respect facts, science and the diligent work of W.H.O. experts, Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a news conference in Beijing on Thursday. Chinese officials said on Friday that several passengers traveling to China from the United States had falsified coronavirus test results so they could gain entry to the country. The Chinese consulate in San Francisco said the passengers had changed their test results from positive to negative and that other travelers had lied about test results. The consulate did not provide details about the passengers or the punishments they might face. China maintains strict border control rules, including a requirement that travelers present results from antibody and nucleic acid tests before they fly. The consulate said the passengers had violated public health laws. The way they put others at risk is odious, the statement said. Vietnam recorded nine more coronavirus cases on Friday, including one in the capital, Hanoi, as a new outbreak spread beyond the two northern provinces where infections had first been detected a day earlier. Officials put the number of cases from the latest outbreak at 93 as of Friday afternoon but said that it could reach 30,000, nearly 20 times the number of cases that Vietnam detected during the entire first year of the pandemic. Vietnam has been among the most successful countries in containing the virus, with strict border controls, mask-wearing, contact tracing and isolation of infected people. The latest outbreak comes as officials from the governing Communist Party meet to select the countrys new leaders, an event held once every five years. Hungary s medicine authority has approved the coronavirus vaccine developed by the Chinese company Sinopharm. This means that in addition to Pfizer, Moderna, Sputnik and AstraZeneca, we can also count on Sinopharm, said Dr. Cecilia Muller, the countrys chief medical officer. We trust that these vaccines will be readily available in large quantities and the immunization process will be completed in larger numbers in less time. The countrys foreign minister later announced that it had purchased five million doses of the vaccine. Regarding the options, Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed enthusiasm for the Chinese vaccine on Friday. I will wait for the Chinese vaccine, he said. I trust that one the most. Spains first case of the South African variant of Covid-19 was detected in the port city of Vigo, in the northwestern region of Galicia. Health authorities in Galicia said a 30-year-old man who works in the shipping industry returned from a recent work trip to South Africa and tested positive for the variant earlier this month. He had light symptoms and was not hospitalized, they said. Javier C. Hernandez, Richard C. Paddock, Benjamin Novak and Cardinal Dolan, the leader of New Yorks Catholic Church, is in quarantine. Cardinal Timothy Dolan blessed the crowds from the steps of St. Patricks Cathedral in Manhattan after Easter Mass in 2016. Credit... Kathy Willens/Associated Press Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, the leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, was in quarantine on Friday after he interacted last week with a person who later tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a spokesman. In a statement, the archdiocese said the cardinal has not tested positive, feels fine, and has no symptoms. Joseph Zwilling, a spokesman for the archdiocese, said the cardinal is tested regularly, had tested negative since the interaction, and would be tested again in a few days. He did not specify what kind of tests were used nor the timing of when he cardinal was tested after the interaction. Tests taken too soon after exposure may return false negative results, because the virus has not yet had time to build up to detectable levels. People are thought to carry the largest quantity of virus around the time their symptoms appear, if they experience symptoms at all. The cardinals quarantine had not previously been announced by the archdiocese. Mr. Zwilling said the cardinal had been in quarantine since Wednesday but that no announcement had been made because the infected individual had not received the results of their coronavirus test until Thursday. He did not have any public events, and all of his meetings were via Zoom, etc., Mr. Zwilling said in an email, referring to the cardinal. We are announcing today because the exposure was confirmed, and the first public events Mass tomorrow evening and Sunday morning were coming up, and he will obviously not be present for those events. The cardinal will continue to follow health and safety protocols as instructed by medical professionals, as will others on his staff who also had close contact with this individual, the statement said. Cardinal Dolan is one of the most influential figures in American Catholicism, and the Archdiocese of New York is the second-most populous in the United States, with more than 2.8 adherents living in a territory that stretches from Staten Island into the Hudson Valley. He had celebrated Mass last Sunday at Saint Patricks Cathedral and interacted with other priests and parish personnel, all wearing masks, at that time, according to online video of the service. Back in July, Boris Johnson turned down an invitation for Britain to join the EU's Covid vaccine scheme, taking the view that we'd be better off sourcing our own. Cue the most almighty stink, with Opposition politicians falling over one another to score cheap points. Catherine West, Labour's shadow minister for Europe, dubbed the decision 'dumb and dumber'. Her colleague, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, accused the Government of 'yet again putting ideology before saving lives'. The Lib Dems' then leadership contender Layla Moran claimed the wicked Tories were favouring 'Brexit over vaccines', while the party's Health spokesperson Munira Wilson declared this 'stubborn unwillingness to work with the EU' was 'unforgivable'. David Schneider, Left-wing comedian, says 'not joining EU vaccine scheme (proves that) Brexit is a death cult The Guardian promptly rose to the bait, using Wilson's remarks to justify the headline 'UK plan to shun vaccine scheme 'unforgivable', say critics'. Then, in the sewer of grievance that is social media, a host of highly influential 'Remainiacs' decided it was actually part of a sinister plan by Mr Johnson to murder his own citizens by failing to inoculate them. David Schneider, the Left-wing comedian, to this end told his 500,000 followers we were witnessing 'this week's episode of Who Cares if You Die as Long as we Brexit', adding that it showed Brexit to be a 'death cult'. Activist Bianca Jagger reckoned the decision was one of several that had 'endangered people's lives'. Lib Dem Health spokesperson Munira Wilson says 'Stubbon unwillingness to work with the EU is unforgiveable' Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer reckons 'You can't justify the money being spent' James Felton, a comedy writer for The Guardian and BBC, accused the evil PM of 'killing your own citizens to own the EU'. Six months on and we can all see exactly how these fanciful predictions panned out. For in reality, the Government's decision to forgo the EU's hapless procurement vaccine scheme was neither stupid, nor evil. Instead, it has proven to be little short of a triumph. Britain now leads not just Europe but almost the entire developed world in inoculating its citizens. As of today, we have administered about 8.2 million jabs, with approximately 12 per cent of the country having rolled up their collective sleeves. Had we followed the advice of Labour and Lib Dem MPs, as well as the frothing keyboard warriors quoted above, we'd be in a similarly hopeless position to France or Germany, who've managed to give doses to just over three million between them, at a rate that equates to roughly a sixth of the UK's. Indeed, across the EU, a mere 2.5 per cent of citizens have, so far, been given a vaccine. And, in some corners (such as Madrid, Paris and Lisbon), programmes have been temporarily suspended, for lack of supplies. Angela Rayner, Labour deputy leader, says 'This cronyism stinks' At this rate, it will be 2024 before our neighbours hit the 70-75 per cent figure scientists regard necessary to achieve herd immunity. We, by contrast, are on course to get there by the summer, having met a target to vaccinate the most vulnerable within a fortnight. By then, an extra 60 million doses with a 'Made in Britain' stamp will be winging their way to patients, thanks to Thursday's news that Novavax's vaccine has become the fourth jab to complete successful Phase III trials in the UK, clearing the way for approval in weeks. And yesterday, it emerged a fifth vaccine, from U.S. firm Johnson & Johnson, of which we've ordered 30 million doses, will be rolled out this summer. So have the blowhards who were so critical of Mr Johnson's decision to sidestep the EU scheme issued apologies? Of course not! Perhaps Catherine West, Munira Wilson, or the Left-wing grievance merchants who used Twitter to accuse the Prime Minister of murder think their epic misjudgment will be quietly forgotten. If so, they are sorely mistaken. For when historians pore over the Covid pandemic, they will surely conclude this is one area where his otherwise much-maligned Government took on the cynics and naysayers and, as the old saying goes, knocked it out of the park. Our vaccine scheme is, in fact, a historic success story that will provide not just a literal shot in the arm to millions of Britons, but a proverbial one to our post-Brexit pharmaceutical and biotech industries, as well as our standing on the international stage. Activist Bianca Jagger says 'It's a decision that will endanger lives' This was no happy accident. For it stemmed from a series of crucial decisions that were taken under immense pressure, often in the face of fierce and obstructive opposition from opportunistic political opponents. Among the perhaps unlikely heroes of this narrative are Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Business Secretary Alok Sharma. However, the most important was almost certainly Kate Bingham, the former head of Britain's vaccine taskforce. Although highly qualified for the job, as one of the nation's foremost experts in life science, she faced a campaign of misogynistic criticism from Left-wing critics who claimed she'd been offered the (unpaid) role only because her husband, Jesse Norman, is a Tory MP. The seeds of Britain's success were sown back in March, when news reached the Government that an Oxford University team led by Professor Sir John Bell was about to sign a deal to develop a vaccine with U.S. drugs giant Merck. On paper, it seemed like a solid idea. But when Mr Hancock began to explore the details of the proposal, a potential pitfall emerged. Namely: in the event of Merck developing a successful product, then President Donald Trump might intervene to force the firm to funnel supplies to the U.S. The Health Secretary therefore demanded written assurance that British supplies would be guaranteed. When none was forthcoming, he vetoed the deal and instead steered Oxford towards a union with British firm AstraZeneca. Making this decision may, with hindsight, seem straightforward. But Mr Hancock was effectively gambling huge public resources on the early research and development of a product that had at least a sporting chance of proving useless. Had AstraZeneca's drug failed, but Merck's succeeded, the criticism would have been absolutely remorseless. Raising the stakes on the political front was the fact vaccine development was already a hot potato. As early as mid-March, The Observer led with an article that carried the provocative headline 'Brexit means coronavirus vaccine will be slower to reach UK'. The report was based on a comment article written for the paper by what it dubbed a trio of eminent 'academics and lawyers' led by one Professor Martin McKee of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In an analysis which would later prove wrong on almost every count, these alleged 'experts' sought to politicise the Covid debate by arguing that 'Boris Johnson's determination to go it alone, free of EU regulation after Brexit means the UK will probably have to join other non-EU countries in a queue to acquire the vaccine after EU member states have had it'. In fact, the opposite occurred. But the provocative front-page was widely shared by Left-wing propagandists, from BBC historian Greg Jenner and tub-thumping radio host James O'Brien, to SNP MPs Paul Monaghan and Martyn Day, and Labour's Corbynite MP Tulip Siddiq. Former Labour MEP and Remain campaigner Seb Dance declared that the newspaper's report proved Brexit should be cancelled, or at least postponed, saying: 'This alone should be reason enough to delay the transition.' (Professor McKee later joined 'Independent SAGE', the cabal of Left-wing scientists devoted to criticising the Government's handling of Covid, where he continues offering 'expert' takes, almost invariably hostile to Mr Johnson.) The Government's next crucial decision was appointing the aforementioned Ms Bingham to head a 'taskforce' to co-ordinate vaccine development and also ensure that when a viable one became available, it could be produced in vast quantities and delivered at speed. A venture capitalist, who oversaw biotech investments and had led teams which had launched six drugs targeting autoimmune diseases and cancer, she was phoned by Mr Johnson in April and asked to 'stop people dying'. Within a fortnight, she had assembled a team of private sector experts and identified a shortlist of 23 potential vaccines. Britain soon had an order book for 367 million doses. Ms Bingham ensured Britain became the first Western country to begin its mass vaccination programme in December, having overseen the process of setting up production facilities and getting drugs green-lit in record time (the EU, by contrast, approved the Oxford vaccine only yesterday). No. 10 sources this week described her appointment as a 'key moment', saying: 'Kate grabbed hold of the entire process. It was a turning point. If it hadn't been for her, we wouldn't be where we are now.' For her pains, Ms Bingham was the subject of vicious attacks, not least after the Sunday Times reported that she'd authorised the spending of 670,000 by the Vaccine taskforce on a PR campaign. Noting that her husband, Jesse Norman, is a Conservative MP, prominent opposition politicians went so far as to demand she be sacked from the unpaid role. Among them was Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Lib Dems, who announced: 'Kate Bingham must resign . . . Johnson's dodgy cronyism is an absolute disgrace'; and Zara Sultana, a Corbynite Labour MP, who said: 'She should step aside immediately. This is just another example of jobs and contracts involved in tackling the pandemic being handed out to friends of the Conservatives.' Angela Rayner, Labour's Deputy Leader, chuntered that 'this cronyism stinks'; while Sir Keir Starmer said of Mrs Bingham's PR project, 'You cannot justify that sort of money being spent'. How wrong-headed they now look. For what none of these noisy critics realised seemingly because they hadn't bothered to find out was that you could, in fact, justify the 670,000 outlay in question. For it was actually spent on a crucial campaign to get hard-to-reach groups not only to take part in vaccine trials, but also to agree to roll up their sleeves as and when a vaccine was available. The project appears to have worked, too, since around 400,000 volunteers were eventually recruited for the trial, of which eight per cent came from ethnic minorities and more than 30 per cent were elderly the two groups who are most at risk from Covid. Sir Keir seemingly first learnt of this awkward fact at Prime Minister's questions this week, when Boris Johnson told him that he 'cannot think of a better use of public funds' than the 670,000. Not for nothing does the PM like to call his opposite number 'Captain Hindsight'. Ms Bingham was also responsible for Britain's strategy of early investment in a range of other potential vaccine projects, ordering vast quantities and paying sufficient sums to ensure drug firms could invest early in manufacturing facilities that could allow them to supply large quantities to the UK. By the time she stepped down this month, she could report that the UK is on course not just to meet, but exceed its vaccination targets. A crucial example of her procurement policy paying off was in the deal the UK signed in May with AstraZeneca for 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine. It was negotiated by the vaccine taskforce and Alok Sharma, the Business Secretary, who was anxious to learn from problems the UK had suffered in procuring PPE. The contract stipulated that the Government would invest large sums in the creation of two UK production plants for the drug. In return, a clause stated that those plants could not supply outside the UK until the initial 100 million order had been fulfilled. Having already signed this deal, the Government then came under severe pressure from opposition parties to drop it and join the EU vaccine scheme. Although the decision to decline was ultimately a political one, it was supported by Ms Bingham's taskforce. 'The conditions that the EU set to allow us to participate were conditions we felt were not attractive,' she later told Parliament. 'We were not able to join any decision-making on which vaccines; we had to abandon the negotiations we either had underway or had concluded with AstraZeneca; and we also were not able to talk to future potential vaccine companies that they may not be talking to currently, but would do in the future. We felt the conditions were too tight, and that we would be able to act more quickly if we did it independently.' At times, the abuse Ms Bingham faced was more than merely unpleasant. In a particularly unhinged moment, for example, the Runnymede Trust race relations lobby group went to the High Court seeking to have her appointment declared unlawful on the grounds that giving 'jobs for their mates' breached the Equality Act. The Trust's lawsuit attacked her as a Tory MP's wife 'with no significant experience in public health administration and no expertise in immunology'. Thankfully, they (like Labour and the Lib Dems) failed to have Ms Bingham kicked out of the job she was doing so brilliantly. Unsurprisingly, the Runnymede Trust has yet to apologise for its attack. Meanwhile, the EU was making a mess of its vaccine programme. It ordered too few vaccines, and made a number of bets that backfired, including a decision to order 300 million doses of a French vaccine that has (so far) not worked. Germany, the Netherlands, France and Italy had negotiated their own contracts with AstraZeneca in June. But they were forced to wait until the end of August for a deal to be signed off, after Brussels determined that negotiations could take place only if they involved the entire block. This fatal tardiness represents a crucial error. For as Pascal Soirot, AstraZeneca's French CEO, explained this week, supply chains had been created to fulfil both the UK's and the EU's vaccine order. Although both experienced teething issues with production, the UK had sufficient time to overcome them. The EU did not. 'With the UK, we have had an extra three months to fix all the glitches,' was how he put it. Someone, in other words, has indeed been making decisions that have proven to be 'dumb and dumber.' But it wasn't the people Labour's shadow minister for Europe along with so many of her cynical allies was so shamelessly attacking last summer. (Newser) Novavax Inc. said Thursday that its COVID-19 vaccine appears 89% effective based on early findings from a British study and that it also seems to workthough not as wellagainst new mutated versions of the virus circulating in that country and South Africa. The announcement comes amid worry about whether a variety of vaccines being rolled out around the world will be strong enough to protect against worrisome new variants and as the world desperately needs new types of shots to boost scarce supplies. The study of 15,000 people in Britain is still underway. But an interim analysis found 62 participants so far have been diagnosed with COVID-19, only six of them in the group that got vaccine. More from the AP: How it works: Vaccines against COVID-19 train the body to recognize the new coronavirus, mostly the spike protein that coats it. But the Novavax candidate is made differently than the first shots being used. Called a recombinant protein vaccine, the Maryland company uses genetic engineering to grow harmless copies of the coronavirus spike protein in insect cells. Scientists extract and purify the protein and then mix in an immune-boosting chemical. Vaccines against COVID-19 train the body to recognize the new coronavirus, mostly the spike protein that coats it. But the Novavax candidate is made differently than the first shots being used. Called a recombinant protein vaccine, the Maryland company uses genetic engineering to grow harmless copies of the coronavirus spike protein in insect cells. Scientists extract and purify the protein and then mix in an immune-boosting chemical. How it works on the UK variant: The infections occurred at a time when Britain was experiencing a jump in COVID-19 caused by a more contagious variant. The numbers are very small, but Novavax said they suggest the vaccine is nearly 96% effective against the older coronavirus and nearly 86% effective against the new variant. story continues below And the South African variant: Scientists have been even more worried about the variant first discovered in South Africa. A smaller Novavax study there included some volunteers with HIV. Among the HIV-negative volunteers, the vaccine appears 60% effective. Including volunteers with HIV, overall the protection was 49%, the company said. It is starting to develop a version of the vaccine that could more specifically target the mutations found in South Africa, in case health authorities eventually decide that updated dosing is needed. Scientists have been even more worried about the variant first discovered in South Africa. A smaller Novavax study there included some volunteers with HIV. Among the HIV-negative volunteers, the vaccine appears 60% effective. Including volunteers with HIV, overall the protection was 49%, the company said. It is starting to develop a version of the vaccine that could more specifically target the mutations found in South Africa, in case health authorities eventually decide that updated dosing is needed. The more concerning find: Tests suggested that nearly a third of study participants in South Africa had been previously infected with COVID, yet rates of new infections in the placebo group were similar. "Past infection with early variants of the virus in South Africa does not protect" against infection with the new one, said the leader of the South African study, Shabir Madhi of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. "There doesnt seem to be any protection derived." Tests suggested that nearly a third of study participants in South Africa had been previously infected with COVID, yet rates of new infections in the placebo group were similar. "Past infection with early variants of the virus in South Africa does not protect" against infection with the new one, said the leader of the South African study, Shabir Madhi of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. "There doesnt seem to be any protection derived." What this means for the US: Novavax said it needs some additional data before it can seek British authorization for the vaccines use, sometime in the next month or so. A larger study in the US and Mexico has enrolled slightly over half of the needed 30,000 volunteers. Novavax said it's not clear if the FDA will need data from that study, too, before deciding whether to allow US use. (Read more Novavax stories.) home World Site near Jordan River could hold evidence for biblical account of Exodus Historical evidence for the biblical account of the Exodus might be located at a site near the Jordan River, according to a recently announced discovery. Exodus, the second book of the Bible, has been a subject of much debate over its historical accuracy, as some scholars have questioned the claim that the ancient Israelites immigrated from Egypt during that time period. However, at the Jordan Valley site of Khirbet el-Mastarah, archaeologists Ralph K. Hawkins and David Ben-Shlomo have said that there is evidence of ruins from a nomadic people believed to be the Hebrews coming from Egypt. Ben-Shlomo said in comments quoted by the U.K. Daily Express on Tuesday that the ruins offer potential evidence for the biblical account. "We have not proved that these camps are from the period of the early Israelites, but it is possible," noted Ben-Shlomo. "If they are, this might fit the biblical story of the Israelites coming from east of the Jordan River, then crossing the Jordan and entering into the hill country of Israel later." Ben-Shlomo and Hawkins had their findings published in the July/August 2018 edition of Biblical Archaeology Review, noting that the ruins appear to date to the Iron Age, which would be around the time of the Exodus. In comments given to the Biblical Archaeology Society during the summer, Ben-Shlomo and Hawkins said their findings came from research on the site conducted in the summer of 2017. At Khirbet el-Mastarah, they found among other things stone ruins and pottery fragments dating to either the Late Bronze Age (1400a1200 B.C.) or the Iron Age (1200a1000). "By the end of our 2017 season, we were struck by the fascinating picture that had begun to emerge in the Jordan Valley, a region that up until recently has been virtually unknown archaeologically," said Ben-Shlomo and Hawkins. "Within a range of just a couple of miles, we may be able to see the evolution of early Israel from a domestic-scale culture [at Khirbet el-Mastarah] to a political-scale culture [at Khirbet 'Auja el-Foqa]." The aforementioned Khirbet 'Auja el-Foqa has been identified by researchers with the ancient city of Ataroth, as referenced in Joshua 16:5. This article was originally published in The Christian Post and is re-published here with permission agenda: Portuguese Presidency presents priorities; debate with European Commissioners Ferreira and Gabriel on economic recovery and support for creative sectors. Follow the plenary on the CoR website 4 February: Debate on Joining Forces to Launch and Implement New Cohesion Policy Programmes in Synergy with all Recovery Tools At the start of the 2021-27 programming period, Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, will discuss the priorities of the new cohesion policy, its role for a fair recovery and how to coordinate it with the other EU investment tools. 4 February: Debate on the Recovery of the Cultural and Creative Sectors and on the New European Research Area Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, will discuss the importance and challenges of recovery of the cultural and creative sectors, as well as the New European Research Area, for the creation of a single market for research, innovation and technology across the EU. 4 February: Debate on the Covid-19 Pandemic Vaccination Campaign Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, Regional Director for Europe, World Health Organization, will debate the progress and challenges of the vaccination campaign against Covid-19 and the potential role that regions and cities should play. 4 February: Debate on the European Citizens' Initiative Pedro Silva Pereira, Vice-President of the European Parliament in charge of European democracy and European citizens' initiative, and Christa Schweng, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, will discuss the European Citizens' Initiative, which, since coming into force in 2012, has encouraged citizens participation in the political life of the European Union. 5 February: Debate on Portugal's Presidency priorities of the European Union Ana Paula Zacarias, Secretary of State for European Affairs of the Portuguese Republic, will present and debate the priorities of Portugal's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Under the motto "Time to deliver: a fair, green and digital recovery" the presidency has identified five main areas of focus. 4 February, 9.00 a.m.: Debate on the European Citizens' Initiative, with Pedro Silva Pereira, Vice-President of the European Parliament in charge of European democracy and European citizens' initiative, and Christa Schweng, President of the European Economic and Social Committee. 4 February, 10.00 a.m.: Debate on the Recovery of the Cultural and Creative Sectors and on the New European Research Area, with Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. 4 February, 12.00 a.m.: Debate on Joining Forces to Launch and Implement New Cohesion Policy Programmes in Synergy with all Recovery Tools, with Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms. 4 February, 3.30 p.m.: Debate on the Covid-19 Pandemic Vaccination Campaign, with Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, Regional Director for Europe, World Health Organization. Debate on the Priorities of Portugal's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with Ana Paula Zacarias, Secretary of State for European Affairs of the Portuguese Republic. OPINIONS FOR ADOPTION A new ERA for Research and Innovation. Rapporteur: Christophe Clergeau (FR/PES), Member of the Pays-de-la-Loire Regional Council. Rapporteur: (FR/PES), Member of the Pays-de-la-Loire Regional Council. Restart of Cultural and Creative Sectors. Rapporteur: Giuseppe Varacalli (IT/Renew E.), Member of Gerace Municipal Council. Rapporteur: (IT/Renew E.), Member of Gerace Municipal Council. European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience. Rapporteur: Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP), President of Harghita County Council. Rapporteur: (RO/EPP), President of Harghita County Council. Youth Employment Support: A Bridge to Jobs for the Next Generation Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee. Rapporteur: Romy Karier (LU/EPP), Member of Clervaux municipal council. Rapporteur: (LU/EPP), Member of Clervaux municipal council. A Union of Equality: EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation for 2020-2030. Rapporteur-General: Jacint Horvath (HU/PES), Member of Nagykanizsa County. Rapporteur-General: (HU/PES), Member of Nagykanizsa County. Agro-ecology. Rapporteur: Guillaume Cros (FR/Greens), Member of the Regional Council of Occitanie. Rapporteur: (FR/Greens), Member of the Regional Council of Occitanie. 8th Environment Action Programme. Rapporteur-General: Dimitrios Karnavos (EL/EPP), Mayor of Kallithea. Rapporteur-General: (EL/EPP), Mayor of Kallithea. Cross-border public services (CPS) in Europe. Rapporteur: Pavel Branda (CZ/ECR), Deputy Mayor of Radlo Municipality. Location : Online Date : Wednesday, 3 February Friday, 5 February 2021. Background material : The plenary agenda and opinions and amendments . Webstreaming : On the website of the CoR. Contact: PresseCdr@cor.europa.eu An increase in COVID-19 vaccine doses will allow the state to increase the number of vaccinations being offered in Bennington County and two other counties, Agency of Health and Human Services secretary Mike Smith said Friday. 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. Regulatory News: BIOSYNEX (FR0011005933/ Mnemonic: ALBIO) (Paris: ALBIO), a major player in public health, today announces the great success of its capital increase without shareholders' preferential subscription rights for a final amount of 15 million through an offering to qualified French and international investors ("the Transaction") carried out by accelerated bookbuilding. The order book was largely covered, based on sustained demand from new and existing institutional investors, totaling 20.24m. The Transaction leaded to the issue of 882,352 new shares with a unit par value of 0.10, i.e. 9.64% of the Company's current share capital, at a price per share of 17.00 (issue premium included), for a total amount of 14,999,984 (or 8.79% of the post-transaction share capital of the Company). Following the Transaction, the Company's share capital now consists of 10,036,337 shares with a par value of 0.10 each. Based on the available cash ( 11.08 million as of June 30, 2020) and its forecast income and expenses, the amount raised as a result of the Transaction should enable the Company to achieve its strategic objectives and to cover its working capital needs well beyond the next 12 months. Larry ABENSUR, Chairman and CEO, said on this occasion: We would like to thank the long-standing shareholders for having participated in this fundraising which demonstrates their involvement and their confidence in the Company and are delighted to welcome new investors, particularly foreign investors, to BIOSYNEX's share capital.. USE OF PROCEEDS The funds raised will enable the Group to accelerate its development towards new outlets through external growth operations. These external growth operations will aim to complete its range of rapid visual tests with small, rapid, and connected diagnostic equipment. MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRANSACTION A total number of 882,352 new ordinary shares, with a unit par value of 0.10, were issued to 23 qualified investors, including 9 foreign investors (Europe), within the meaning of article 2 (e) of Regulation (EU) No. 2017/1129 of June 14, 2017, as referred to in 1 of Article L.411-2 of the Monetary and Financial Code, in accordance with the 9th resolution of the General Meeting of the Company held on June 8, 2020. The new shares were issued by decisions of the Board of Directors of January 28, 2021 and of the Chairman and CEO of January 28, 2021, in accordance with the delegation of authority conferred by the 9th resolution approved by the General Meeting of the Company held on June 8, 2020. The issue price of the new shares was set at 17.00 per share, representing a discount of 17.62% compared to the volume-weighted average of the BIOSYNEX share on the Euronext Growth Paris market of the quoted prices of the last five (5) trading sessions prior to the price being set (ie from January 22 to January 28, 2021), i.e. 20.635 and a discount of 13.27% compared to the BIOSYNEX share closing price on January 28, 2021, i.e. 19.60, in accordance with the decisions of the Board of Directors of January 28, 2021, taken pursuant to the 9th resolution of the General Meeting held on June 8, 2020, which set the maximum authorized discount at 20% of the average weighted prices of the quoted prices of the last five (5) trading sessions preceding the fixing of the price. BIOSYNEX's share capital will consist of 10,036,337 shares following the settlement-delivery of the capital increase. To the best of the Company's knowledge, the shareholder base before and after the completion of the Transaction is as follows: Before completion of the Transaction After completion of the Transaction Actionnaires # of shares % of capital of voting rights % of voting rights # of shares % of capital of voting rights % of voting rights ALA FINANCIERE 3 694 406 40,36% 5 975 434 45,60% 3 694 406 36,81% 5 975 434 42,72% Larry ABENSUR 187 666 2,05% 348 332 2,66% 187 666 1,87% 348 332 2,49% Larry ABENSUR Family 2 001 0,02% 2 002 0,02% 2 001 0,02% 2 002 0,01% Sub total ABENSUR Family 3 884 073 42,43% 6 325 768 48,27% 3 884 073 38,70% 6 325 768 45,23% AJT FINANCIERE 1 000 138 10,93% 2 000 276 15,26% 1 000 138 9,97% 2 000 276 14,30% Thomas LAMY 144 060 1,57% 288 120 2,20% 144 060 1,44% 288 120 2,06% Sub total Thomas LAMY 1 144 198 12,50% 2 288 396 17,46% 1 144 198 11,40% 2 288 396 16,36% AXODEV 303 061 3,31% 606 122 4,63% 303 061 3,02% 606 122 4,33% Thierry PAPER 60 936 0,67% 121 872 0,93% 60 936 0,61% 121 872 0,87% Sub total Thierry PAPER 363 997 3,98% 727 994 5,56% 363 997 3,63% 727 994 5,21% Public 3 761 717 41,09% 3 761 717 28,71% 4 644 069 46,27% 4 644 069 33,20% Total 9 153 985 100% 13 103 875 100% 10 036 337 100,00% 13 986 227 100,00% For illustration purposes, the participation of a shareholder holding 1% of the Company's share capital prior to the Transaction will be diminished to 0.91%. ADMISSION TO TRADING OF NEW SHARES The new shares will bear dividend rights and will be admitted to trading on the Euronext Growth Paris market under the same ISIN code FR0011005933 ALBIO. The settlement and delivery of the new shares and their admission to trading on the Euronext Growth Paris market are scheduled for February 2, 2021. The information presented in this press release is issued at the end of the placement of the shares by accelerated bookbuilding, which is now closed, but remains conditional on the correct execution of the settlement-delivery operations. Pursuant to the provisions of article L.411-2 of the Monetary and Financial Code and article 1.4 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 14, 2017, the Offer has not given and will not give rise to the preparation of a prospectus subject to the approval of the Autorite des marches financiers (the "AMF"). RISK FACTORS The main risk factors associated with the Transaction are listed below: The market price of the Company's shares could fluctuate and fall below the subscription price of the new shares issued in the context of the Transaction; Due to stock market fluctuations, the volatility and liquidity of the Company's shares could vary significantly; Sales of Company shares could occur on the secondary market, after completion of the Transaction and have an unfavorable impact on the Company's share price; The Company has not paid dividends during the last three fiscal years. Detailed information concerning the Company, in particular relating to its activity and its results, appears in the management report of the Company for the financial year ended on December 31, 2019, which can be consulted, as well as the other regulated information and all Company press releases on its website (www.biosynex.com). TRANSACTION PARTNERS Lead Partner and Bookrunner Transaction Advisory Legal Counsel Financial communication STIFEL EuroLand Corporate fieldfisher capvalue About BIOSYNEX Created in 2005 and based in Illkirch-Graffenstaden in Alsace, a major player in public health with more than 180 employees, the French laboratory BIOSYNEX designs, manufactures and distributes Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs). In their professional version, they offer better medical care for patients thanks to the speed of their results and their ease of use. In their self-test version, they allow the general public to self-monitor various pathologies, thus ensuring better prevention and accelerating the demand for care. Leader on the RDT market in France, BIOSYNEX is the only player to fully control its value chain thanks to its technological platform that can be used in many applications and adapted to different types of users such as laboratories, hospitals, doctors and General public. More information on www.biosynex.com Disclaimer This press release, and the information it contains, does not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe, nor a solicitation of an order to buy or subscribe, for BIOSYNEX shares in any country. This press release constitutes a promotional communication and not a prospectus within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No. 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 14, 2017 (the "Prospectus Regulation"). In the Member States of the European Economic Area and in the United Kingdom, this communication and any offers which may follow it are addressed exclusively to persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of article 2 (e) of Prospectus Regulations. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell any securities or any solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities in the United States of America. BIOSYNEX shares, or any other security, may only be offered or sold in the United States of America following registration under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act "), or as part of an exemption from this registration obligation, it being specified that the shares of the company BIOSYNEX have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act. BIOSYNEX does not intend to register the offering in whole or in part in the United States of America or to make a public offering in the United States of America. Regarding the United Kingdom, the distribution of this press release is not made by and has not been approved by an authorized person within the meaning of Article 21 (1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Accordingly, the press release is addressed only to persons who (i) are investment professionals within the meaning of section 19 (5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as currently in force, hereinafter the "Financial Promotion Order"), (ii) are referred to in article 49 (2) (a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc. ") Of the Financial Promotion Order, (iii) are outside the United Kingdom (all such persons being together referred to as the "Qualified Persons"). This press release is addressed only to Authorized Persons and may not be used by anyone other than an Authorized Person. This press release contains information on BIOSYNEX's objectives as well as forward-looking statements. This information is not historical data and should not be interpreted as a guarantee that the facts and data stated will occur. This information is based on data, assumptions and estimates considered reasonable by BIOSYNEX. The latter operates in a competitive and rapidly changing environment. It is therefore not in a position to anticipate all the risks, uncertainties or other factors likely to affect its activity, their potential impact on its activity or to what extent the materialization of a risk or a combination of risks could have results that are significantly different from those mentioned in any forward-looking information. This information is given only as of the date of this press release. BIOSYNEX makes no commitment to publish updates to this information or the assumptions on which it is based, except for any legal or regulatory obligation that may apply to it. The distribution of this press release may, in certain countries, be subject to specific regulations. Accordingly, persons physically present in these countries and in which the press release is disseminated, published, or distributed must inform themselves and comply with these laws and regulations. This press release must not be published, transmitted, or distributed, directly or indirectly, in the territory of the United States of America, Australia, Canada or Japan. This press release may not be released, published, or distributed, directly or indirectly, in the United States, Canada, Japan or Australia. This press release does not constitute an offer and is provided for informational purposes only. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005166/en/ Contacts: BIOSYNEX Larry Abensur Chairman CEO abensur@biosynex.com EuroLand Corporate Julia Bridger Listing Sponsor +33 1 44 70 20 84 jbridger@elcorp.com cap value Gilles Broquelet Financial communication + 33 1 80 81 50 00 gbroquelet@capvalue.fr It is growing increasingly unlikely that California's state legislature approves Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan to reopen the state's schools for in-person learning anytime soon. Under the proposal, school districts will receive additional funding if they agree to a firm timetable for reopening schools beginning in mid-February. The proposal was submitted to the state legislature as an adjustment of the state budget and offers additional funding for schools, up to $450 to $750 per student, if they commit to reopening. However, in committee hearings last week, the state's lawmakers winced at the Feb. 1 deadline for school districts to apply. Why is the administration holding to these days when all I am hearing from is districts that they will not be applying? said Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, according to EdSource. Districts across the state have said they will not apply to be part of the program, with some citing concerns over testing costs, while others say teachers unions are refusing to return without robust vaccination plans. Maybe the governors office can come back and tell me that Im wrong, but it doesnt sound like the pieces are together yet and thats concerning to me, Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, said during the hearings. With the legislature appearing stuck and teachers unions doubling down on their vaccination stances, Newsom expressed frustration. A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report from earlier this week states that in-person education can be safe so long as safety protocols such as masks and distancing are implemented. "If everybody has to be vaccinated, we might as well just tell people the truth: There will be no in-person instruction in the state of California," Newsom said during a virtual conversation with the Association of California School Administrators that Politico reports was originally on YouTube but later taken down for unknown reasons. "Just tell them the truth. Don't mislead people. If vaccinations is the absolute, then maybe we should be having a different conversation with the people of the state of California and parents." He added: You find whatever you look for. If we want to find reasons not to open, well find plenty of reasons." Parents across the state have formed a new activist group called "Open Schools California" that hopes to pressure Newsom to fight harder for in-person learning. Organizers told KQED that Newsom lacks the political will to reopen schools. We are seeing governors across the country begin to take decisive action to reopen their schools, said Megan Bacigalupi, an organizer who has two children attending Oaklands Crocker Highlands Elementary School. And the pressure to do so came in part from parents advocating for it. French stunt driver Remy Julienne orchestrated and drove in some of the chase scenes, an unforgettable car ballet in which Juliennes team raced around a sloping car factory roof before driving at 120kmh up ramps onto a getaway truck travelling at 80kmh on a motorway outside Turin. But many moviegoers and stunt lovers might opt for the sequences in the more lighthearted British-American comic caper, The Italian Job (1969), in which three Mini Coopers one red, one white and one blue to match the British flag outwitted Italian cops through the streets, shopping arcades and sewers of the Italian city of Turin after a gold heist. In the annals of best movie car chases, perennial favorites include Bullitt (1968) with Steve McQueen achieving liftoff in his Ford Mustang along the terraced streets of San Francisco; The French Connection (1971), with Gene Hackman terrorising blocks of Brooklyn pedestrian traffic in a Pontiac LeMans; and Ronin (1998), with Robert De Niro behind the screeching wheels of a Peugeot in Paris. In another scene, he drove the red Mini at 120kmh over an 18-metre gap between two factory rooftops 15 metres above the ground. After half a century of risking his life on wheels for movie audiences, he died at 90 on January 21 of the coronavirus at a hospital in Montargis, France, according to his wife, Justine. A scene from the film The Italian Job, 1969. Credit:Publicity We were very, very lucky to get Remy Julienne [and his] stunt driving team, Michael Caine, star of The Italian Job, was once quoted as saying. Because they [the Minis] were really the stars of the film in a way. In fact, sales of the little Mini Cooper and more powerful Cooper S models took off around Europe after the film hit the screens. The movie not only epitomised Britains Swinging Sixties but also precursored, by almost 50 years, the widespread British sentiment that their little island could outsmart Continental Europeans. Julienne, a former French national motocross champion, also did the stunt-driving on six James Bond movies, body-doubling for several Bond actors in-car sequences. I shot three James Bond films with Roger Moore, he recalled, according to the Top Gear website. This kind of Anglo-Saxon production is so strict that insurers refuse to let him do anything. He would say to me, My only stunts, I do them with women. 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. 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 Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East Our daughters came home from kindergarten last March 12 facing an uncertain future. The San Francisco Unified School District was closing, and we knew little about the coronavirus. Closure then was the right decision erring on the side of caution when so much was unknown. But today SFUSD is failing San Franciscos children. Kids havent seen a classroom for over 10 months, and other districts are doing a better job of distance learning. Meanwhile, nearly 16,000 San Francisco students have been attending private, parochial and charter schools for months, during which fewer than five COVID cases were linked to in-school transmission. Health professionals across the country continue to urge schools to open. Parents have an interest in a safe reopening after all, we will bear the COVID risks that come home with our kids if schools reopen unsafely. Our local data show reopening can be done safely, yet the system wont allow it. SFUSDs elected school board is the problem, and it should be fixed by amending the citys charter to allow the mayor and supervisors to appoint board members. Quick: Name a SFUSD Board member. Most voters cant, even though we just elected four of them a few months ago. The citys charter requires that the essential service of public education be governed by an independently elected board. None of our seven current board members received more than 17% of the vote in their respective elections, and all were endorsed by the teachers union. Hardly a popular mandate perhaps its not surprising that the board fails to represent parents interests in a city where public school parents are a small minority of voters. Heres an incomplete list of the boards missteps during the pandemic: The board kneecapped initiatives by volunteers and school officials to facilitate equitable pods to address distance learnings deficiencies. It fired the expert who could have helped prepare a reopening plan, which SFUSD is still working on today, a year into the pandemic. It failed to deliver high-quality distance learning. It refuses to think creatively (outdoor school anyone?) It refuses to communicate openly about the status of union negotiations impacting reopening plans. And lastly, as people around the world are now aware of, the board spent a lot of time, and signed up to spend a lot more money, on renaming 44 of the citys schools. Whether or not you agree with the process the district used to identify schools for renaming, one thing is unequivocally true: When 55,000 students are not in buildings at all, and are instead on Zoom for 10-plus months including the districts 31% Latinx, 8% Black, and 35% Asian and Pacific island students the districts primary focus should be on top-quality distance learning and a speedy reopening for its majority minority population. Superintendent Vincent Matthews hinted at this governance problem in his recent letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom: Once the state COVID standards for safety are met, schools then should be required to be open for in-person instruction. No local stakeholder whether a superintendent, school board, labor partner or community organization should have an effective veto over the reopening of classrooms. Translation: Take control away from elected school boards, because reopening plans cant be entrusted to them. We appreciate SFUSDs ongoing efforts to ready classroom spaces for in-person learning for a handful of students, but that work means nothing without staffing. Newsom is offering California schools almost $7 billion if they open for in-person reopening starting in February, but San Francisco isnt going to see a cent of that money. When SFUSDs negotiations with the union broke down in December, Matthews blamed the union for making unreasonable demands. Yet the board is actually to blame. Last August, Matthews bosses on the board approved a union contract that allows teachers to stay home all year and only be required to teach live for 120 minutes/day. San Diego and Los Angeles negotiated better contracts that mandated more live instruction and didnt presume yearlong distance learning. Matthews has zero leverage to improve distance learning or reopen our schools, so hes asking Newsom for help. We have on good authority from leadership in other major California districts that San Franciscos refusal to reopen is causing problems elsewhere. If San Francisco isnt open with its lower COVID rates, the argument in these districts went, then why should we? The SFUSD boards incompetence isnt just impacting San Franciscos kids its impacting millions of children throughout California. The SFUSD board is often used as a stepping-stone to higher office; current and former Supervisors Matt Haney, Sandra Lee Fewer, Jane Kim, and Shamann Walton started there. No ambitious board member wants to offend the union on his or her way up. Because the board is unaccountable to parents and is independently elected, the mayor and supervisors lack the authority they need to ensure that SFUSD provides its vital public service. (Our supervisors pointed this out explicitly during the Dec. 22 special supervisors meeting about reopening SFUSD.) The mayor and supervisors must begin the process of amending the citys charter to end the direct election of the school board. Thats how it works in New York (hardly an anti-union city), which was devastated by COVID in the spring but where public schools opened in the fall. There, the elected mayor and borough presidents appoint the school board. Boards are also appointed in Chicago, Philadelphia and Cleveland. Gov. Newsom may be recalled. Nobody should be surprised if his opponent makes failure to broadly reopen public schools a centerpiece of the campaign. In San Francisco, the longer public schools remain closed, the more parents become radicalized against labor and the district. If the mayor and supervisors dont take action to address the structural problems with SFUSDs governance, they too will feel the ire of voters. Joe DiMento and Josh Mukhopadhyay are involved parents of first graders at Glen Park Elementary School. Edwardsville officials thanked the Land of Goshen Rotary Club for their support during a dedication of a new swing set inside Leon Corlew Park in Edwardsville Tuesday afternoon. The Land of Goshen Rotary Club donated $4,000, matching a grant from Rotary International. Additional funding for the project came through a tourism grant. Rotary attendees Tuesday included Jennie Fuller, Paul Abert, Kyle David, Beth Flowers, Walt Williams, Chris Dykstra and Paul Lauber. Edwardsville Parks and Recreation Director Nate Tingley and Special Events Coordinator Trina Vetter were also in attendance along with Edwardsville Ward 4 Alderman SJ Morrison. Leon Corlew Park is a great Edwardsville park utilized not only by the surrounding neighborhoods but by families all over town and even from other towns, he said. He and his family are regulars at the park, Morrison and his kids noticed the playground was missing a feature. But we found that our kids and their friends wanted to go to parks where there were swings and it occurred to me one day that no playground is complete without a swing set, he said. Turns out in the initial plans for the park, there was a small piece of ground set aside for a future swing set. Morrison said he talked with former Parks and Recreation Director Bob Pfeiffer to assemble some estimates for a swing set, along with the cost of the poured-in-place surface. At the time, though, the cost of the project was more than what the city wanted to take on. Around that same time, I received a phone call from Beth Flowers, the new president [at the time] of the Land of Goshen Rotary Club who was looking for community-enhancing projects. The timing was perfect, Morrison said. With the help of a Rotary Foundation grant, funds provided by the Goshen Rotary, and park funds from the city of Edwardsville, we were able to get the project complete in 2020. Without their financial assistance and leadership, this enhancement to this fantastic Edwardsville park would not have been possible, he said. On Tuesday, Morrison thanked the Land of Goshen Rotary Club for their support, specifically former-president Flowers and current treasurer Abert. He also thanked others involved in supporting the project, including Edwardsville City Council; Mayor Hal Patton; City Administrator Kevin Head; Pfeiffer, former parks director, for initiating the project before his retirement; and, Tingley, current parks director, for seeing the project through to completion. He added that Public Works Director Eric Williams and Superintendent Matt Taul were instrumental in preparing the site and pouring the concrete curbs. Edwardsville Parks & Recreations Katie Grable and Vetter, special events coordinator, also assisted with coordination efforts. Researchers from the Hubrecht Institute mapped the recovery of the heart after a heart attack with great detail. They found that heart muscle cells - also called cardiomyocytes - play an important role in the intracellular communication after a heart attack. The researchers documented their findings in a database that is accessible for scientists around the world. This brings the research field a step closer to the development of therapies for improved recovery after heart injury. The results were published in Communications Biology on the 29th of January. In the Netherlands, an average of 95 people end up in the hospital each day because of a heart attack. During a heart attack, the blood supply to a part of the heart is blocked, for example due to a blood clot in a coronary artery. Attempts to restore the blood supply are made as soon as possible, also known as reperfusion. However, a part of the heart has already been without oxygen for some time. Depending on the size and duration of the infarction, this causes heart muscle cells - also called cardiomyocytes - to die. This can result in the formation of scar tissue, which is stiffer than normal heart tissue and therefore makes it more difficult for the heart to properly contract. This can cause the pumping function of the heart to deteriorate, which can eventually lead to heart failure. Heart recovery In other words, insight into the recovery of the heart after a heart attack and how this leads to the formation of scar tissue is extremely important. However, much is still unknown. Reason enough for researchers from the lab of Eva van Rooij to examine this further. They studied how the hearts of mice recover at three different time points following a heart attack. To this end, they used single cell sequencing, a technique that enables the examination of the RNA of individual cells. The researchers generated an enormous dataset with information about the role of different types of cells during the recovery process after a heart attack. Communication network Consequently, they used the data to map a communication network. Louk Timmer, researcher on the project, explains: "Cells communicate with each other by secreting molecules. These molecules then trigger the recipient cell to take a specific action, which may be important for the recovery process. We have now mapped with great detail how different cells communicate with each other at different time points after a heart attack. That had never been done so thoroughly before." This communication network is now documented in a database and accessible to scientists around the world. Formation of scar tissue Especially the role of cardiomyocytes in the recovery following a heart attack was still largely unknown, partly because of technical difficulties. However, another recent paper from Van Rooij's lab solved these obstacles, allowing the researchers to specifically study the function of cardiomyocytes in the recovery process. "We noticed that at the earliest time point measured after the heart attack, cardiomyocytes were secreting increased amounts of a molecule called B2M. Subsequent experiments showed that the secretion of B2M can result in the activation of so-called fibroblasts - cells responsible for the formation of scar tissue," says Timmer. Cardiomyocytes thus seem to indirectly stimulate the production of scar tissue early in the recovery process. "Intuitively, we already thought that cardiomyocytes play an important role in intracellular communication during heart recovery and it is great that we have now been able to confirm that." Improve recovery process When asked about the next steps within this field of research, Timmer emphasizes the importance of additional studies. "Various scientists and experts can use this data, which enables us to gain a better understanding of the cells and molecules that are involved in the recovery of the heart and the way they communicate with each other. Hopefully, we can eventually improve the recovery process, so that people end up with less damage after a heart attack." ### Publication "Single-cell transcriptomics following ischemic injury identifies a role for B2M in cardiac repair". Bas Molenaar, Louk T. Timmer, Marjolein Droog, Ilaria Perini, Danielle Versteeg, Lieneke Kooijman, Jantine Monshouwer-Kloots, Hesther de Ruiter, Monika M. Gladka & Eva van Rooij. Communications Biology, 2020. Eva van Rooij is group leader at the Hubrecht Institute and professor of Molecular Cardiology at the University Medical Center Utrecht. About the Hubrecht Institute Inspector Madhukar Zende has recalled the moment he arrested Charles Sobhraj in 1986 A former police inspector has recalled the dramatic moment he looked notorious serial killer Charles Sobhraj in the eyes and uttered: 'Hello Charles. How are you?' Sobhraj's gruesome crimes are currently being revisited in The Serpent, a nail-biting BBC One/Netflix drama that details his killing spree along Asia's hippie trial in the mid 1970s as he preyed on young backpackers. Sobhraj is believed to have killed up to 24 travellers, the majority of them in Thailand, Nepal and India after initially poisoning them and then mutilating their bodies so that they could not be recognised. The criminal is played by French actor Tahar Rahim, 39, and his partner and accomplice Marie-Andree Leclerc by Jenna Coleman, 34. Nicknamed 'The Serpent' because he always managed to evade capture, Sobhraj was finally pinned down in April 1986 in Goa, following a nationwide manhunt by police in India that was led by Inspector Madhukar Zende. Mr Zende had been ordered to track Sobhraj down after he escaped from India's top security Tihar jail, where he was serving a 12-year sentence for poisoning a group of French tourists in 1976 and robbing them. 'The Serpent' starring Jenna Coleman (left) and Tahar Rahim (right) follows the horrific story of Sobhraj, who murdered Western tourists throughout Southeast Asia during the 1970s Sobhraj was known as 'The Serpent' pictured with Marie-Andree Leclerc in 1986, the year the he was tracked down and finally arrested in Goa by police Inspector Madhukar Zende Sobhraj went on trial (above) in New Delhi, India, in 1977 and convicted of drugging and murdering 15 people. He later escaped from prison before he was re-arrested by Mr Zende He was chosen for the job of tracking down one of the world's most wanted men at the time as he had also arrested him once before in 1971, came close twice more a few years later and was considered to be one of the few policemen to have an understanding of how Sobhraj operated. Mr Zende, 83 told MailOnline: 'We spent days looking for him all over Goa but at night I would go to the O'Coquerio restaurant, a popular hippie hangout. 'I was convinced that if I sat there long enough, he would eventually appear because Charles loved being around hippies, drink and women. 'I was posing as a tourist and would sit at a table, ordering food and drinks just pretending that I was on holiday.' Recalling the dramatic moment of Sobhraj's arrest, Mr Zende said: 'It was 10.30pm and I noticed that a car had pulled up and two men got out. What made me suspicious was that it was late at night, but they were both wearing sun hats. 'They sat at a table and were drinking beer and I recognised one of them as Sobhraj even though he had a beard and looked very different from the last time I saw him. It was his chilling, piercing eyes that convinced me it was him. French serial killer Sobhraj is escorted by Nepalese police at a hearing in 2014 in a case relating to the murder of Canadian backpacker Laurent Ormond Carriere in 1975 Inspector Zande, left as he looked in 1986 when he caught Sobhraj for a second time and today (right) as he reflects on his time on the trail of one of the world's most notorious serial killers 'I got so excited that I was trembling, but I managed to compose myself and slowly walked up to him, grabbed him from behind, turned him around and said: 'Hello Charles. How are you?' Mr Zende recalled that after reminding him that he was the same policeman who arrested him in 1971, he then tied Sobhrja's hands with a rope which he asked a waiter to get for him as he did not have any handcuffs. He added: 'Sobhraj came quietly. We put him in the back of a jeep, and I ordered him to lie down and told two constables to sit on him for the entire 11-hour journey back to Mumbai because I was so worried that he would escape.' Prior to fleeing from Tihar jail and hiding in Goa, Sobhraj lived a life of luxury behind bars, enjoying gourmet food, fine wine and visits from a string of women for sex. He so charmed prison authorities, that he was given his own office and living space which had a television, fridge and sofa while guards addressed him as 'sir.' Sobhraj escaped with six other inmates after organising a dinner for his birthday for jail staff and lacing the custard they had for dessert with sedatives. Even the prion cat was knocked out after being given some and prior to fleeing, he posed for photographs alongside unconscious guards. Mr Zende said: 'Charles was a brazen criminal who thought that he had a right to kill people and that he could get away with anything. 'The current television drama about him has brought back a lot of memories for me and it's been a long time since I've thought about Sobhraj. He is not the biggest villain I have ever captured but he is certainly the most cunning and the most famous.' The former policeman reveals that over the years, one thing he has struggled to understand is Sobhraj's allure to women, which he tried asking him about. He said: 'I tried speak to him when I arrested him twice and at his trial, but he didn't want to answer any of my questions. Sobhraj thought of himself above mere mortals and that he didn't have to answer to anyone.' He added: 'Sobhraj was incredibly good at manipulating females and winning them over. They loved him, they could not get enough of him.' Following Sobhraj's arrest, Mr Zende was feted by Indian celebrities, delivered more than 400 lectures on how he got his man and earned the nickname 'super cop' until his retirement in 1996. The gripping tale of how Sobhraj played by Tahar Rahim (left) terrorised the backpacking community in Asia in the 1970s has been turned into a drama by Netflix and the BBC A dish, called the 'Zende platter' has been named in his honour at the O'Coquerio, which also has a permanent exhibition on how Sobhraj was captured there. Two years ago, Mr Zende visited the restaurant for the first time since the arrest and a party was held in his honour. After his capture in Goa, Sobhraj was sentenced to a further 10 years imprisonment in India and he was eventually released in 1997, when he was deported to France. He returned to South Asia in 2003 and was sentenced by a court in Nepal to life imprisonment in connection with the killing of an American backpacker in 1975. Sobhraj, is now 76 and is serving his sentence in Kathmandu but has maintained his notoriety even behind bars after marrying 24-year-old Nihita Biswas, the daughter of his lawyer who is famous for her appearance on India's equivalent to Big Brother. Mr Zende now spends his time between India and Singapore and is adamant that despite the focus on Sobhraj once again with the BBC drama, he should be seen as nothing more than a common criminal. He said: 'Sobhraj has never repented and despite his age, he is still as dangerous now as he was all those years ago. 'I'm proud of the part I played in locking him up and arresting Sobhraj made me very famous, but I was just doing my duty, that's all.' ROSEBURG, Ore. Douglas County public health officials say theyre already hard at work preparing to vaccinate teachers. Public health officer Bob Dannenhoffer said theyre almost done vaccinating people in Phase 1A, which includes healthcare workers, essential workers and those in assistant living facilities. Dannenhoffer said 700 doses have been allocated for the teachers in Douglas County and they expect to get more in the near future. He said they havent announced any official dates yet, but they plan to distribute those doses at mass vaccination events over the next few weeks. The county held their first mass vaccination clinic on Jan. 23. Dannenhoffer is looking forward to getting educators vaccinated because its the first step in getting students back in the classroom safely. Its really important to get kids back in school, said Dannenhoffer. "School for kids is a great place to learn and we know that distance learning has been tough for some families." Right now, there are 2,900 education workers in Douglas County. Dannenhoffer said they plan to get through all 700 doses in the next two weeks. He said they want to start vaccinating seniors by Feb. 8. Were really working hard to get as many of the teachers vaccinated as we can, because we want to start vaccinating our seniors, he said. However, Dannenhoffer said they dont want to hold a mass vaccination clinic for seniors as they are the most vulnerable to the virus. He expects to have a more concrete plan on how theyll vaccinate seniors by next week. In recent weeks, Dannenhoffer said the county has only recieved a fraction of the doses needed to vaccinate everyone on the priority list. Dannenhoffer would not go into specifics as to why this happened, but he said they are already working with the Oregon Health Authority to get the problem resolved. He said the county will recieve 1,900 doses next week. According to the Oregon Health Authority, there have been 4,044 people vaccinated in Douglas County. Thats 360 per 100,000 people. Compared to Benton County with a popuation of 93,000, they've vaccined 752 per 100,000 people. The EU rollout of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has not been linked to any deaths and has had no unexpected side-effects in its first month, the European Medicines Agency said today. The good review of the Pfizer jab comes as the EU battles with rival vaccine provider AstraZeneca about delayed supplies to the bloc - while Germany added to the pressure on the EMA today by saying it expected the agency to limit the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine to under-65s. The EMA said it had looked at reports of deaths of elderly patients in Norway and other countries after receiving the Pfizer jab, and concluded that 'the data did not show a link to vaccination'. It added that sporadic reports of allergic reactions did not go beyond what was already known about occasional side-effects of the vaccine. A care home resident receives the Pfizer vaccine in Norway, where a handful of deaths among elderly jab recipients led the EMA to investigate - but both the EU regulator and Norwegian authorities have found no cause for concern EU vaccinations began in late December but are still lagging behind those in Britain, with several governments facing criticism over the sluggish pace of vaccination. The Pfizer jab which was the first to be approved in Europe has been delivered to all 27 EU nations, but the bloc has only given out 2.4 vaccine doses per 100 people compared to 11.7 in the UK. In its first safety review of the Pfizer product, the Amsterdam-based EMA said the data so far 'is consistent with the known safety profile of the vaccine, and no new side effects were identified.' 'The benefits of [the jab] in preventing Covid-19 continue to outweigh any risks, and there are no recommended changes regarding the use of the vaccine,' it said. Norway in particular had attracted attention for registering 33 deaths among 20,000 care home residents who had received the first dose of the vaccine. Norwegian health authorities said it was unsurprising that some of the frail and elderly patients who were first in line for the vaccines would have died naturally by chance, given that 400 people typically die in care homes every week. But the EMA said it had investigated 'given concerns which arose from Norway', after other deaths were reported in France, Denmark, Finland and Sweden. 'In many cases concerning individuals above 65 years of age, progression of pre-existing diseases seemed to be a plausible explanation for death,' the EMA said. Some had already received palliative care, it said. The watchdog said it had asked the company to keep 'reviewing all reports of suspected side effects with fatal outcome thoroughly.' But it also noted that clinical trials of the Pfizer vaccine had included people aged 75 and older. By contrast, regulators in Germany have raised concerns about the small number of older people who took part in the AstraZeneca trial. Results published by German scientists on Thursday showed that among over-65s, one out of 341 was infected after getting the vaccine while one out of 319 was infected after getting a dummy jab - making a comparison essentially meaningless. A German vaccine commission said on Thursday that the data was insufficient to recommend using the vaccine for over-65s. German health minister Jens Spahn said today that 'we don't expect an unrestricted approval' when the EMA decides on AstraZeneca's vaccine. But Britain has approved the jab for all age groups, with AstraZeneca pointing to results published in a medical journal showing that 100 per cent of older people produced antibodies after getting two doses of the vaccine. Germany's decision not to recommend the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for over-65s comes amid a row between EU, Britain and the manufacturers over limited vaccine suppplies (pictured, an AstraZeneca factory in Wrexham) Boris Johnson yesterday defended the jab, saying that UK regulators believe it is 'effective across all age groups'. Asked about Germany's decision not to recommend the vaccine for over-65s, he said: 'I don't agree with that.' Dr June Raine, the head of UK regulator MHRA, said that 'current evidence does not suggest any lack of protection against Covid-19 in people aged 65 or over'. The questions over the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca jab come amid a separate row over supplies of the UK-made vaccine to the EU. Brussels said today it would publish a redacted copy of the contract with AstraZeneca which is at the heart of the dispute after the British-Swedish firm said it could not meet all its orders to the EU. The firm's CEO, Pascal Soriot, has said there have been production glitches in AstraZeneca's plants operated by subcontractors in the EU, and that the contract only called for it to make 'best efforts' to hit targets. But European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen insisted the contract committed the British-Swedish firm to fixed numbers of vaccines per quarter. 'The 'best effort' applies as long as it was not clear whether they could develop a vaccine. We have passed that time. The vaccine is there,' she said. AstraZeneca has continued to fulfil its separate contract with Britain, where the PM says he expects two million doses to keep being supplied every week. One of the plants producing the vaccine in Europe, operated by the US company Thermo Fisher in Seneffe, western Belgium, was inspected this week by Belgian health officials at the European Commission's request. People are mocking a resurfaced classification of men known as the 'sigma male' a 'lone wolf' type that is equal to the alpha in the oppressive male hierarchy. Twitter user @LilySimpson1312 thrust the lesser-known term into the spotlight this week when they shared photos of socio-sexual hierarchy charts, a video about how 'to become' a sigma male, and the self-help book 'The Sigma Male.' 'What the f**k is going on with men,' they captioned the viral post, which has been retweeted more than 25,000 times, prompting critics to tear apart the term and the alpha/beta mythology as a whole. Hitting the main stream: The 'sigma male' has been thrust into the spotlight this week, with people mocking the description of the 'lone wolf' archetype The characterization of men into two groups, the dominant alpha and the submissive beta, has been around for decades. The idea was derived from the now-debunked theory that wolf packs are ruled by aggressive leaders know as alphas. The socio-sexual hierarchy categorizing men as either alphas, sigmas, betas, deltas, gammas, or omegas was coined by Alt-right writer Theodore Robert Beale, who uses the pseudonym Vox Day. The limiting system ranks men based on their social position with other males and their ability to attract women. The alphas and sigmas are considered equal as top dogs, with the latter being seen as someone who sits outside the hierarchy by choice. Day, who has been described as a white supremacist and misogynist, among other things, considers himself to be a sigma male. Ranking: Alt-right writer Theodore Robert Beale, who uses the pseudonym Vox Day, coined the socio-sexual hierarchy featuring the sigma as an equal to the alpha In a blog post from 2010, he wrote that sigmas are 'outsiders who don't play the social game and manage to win at it anyhow.' Self-help: Plastic surgeon John T. Alexander released his book 'The Sigma Male: What Women Really Want' in 2014 'The alphas hate sigmas because they are the only men who don't accept or at least acknowledge their social dominance,' he added. 'Everyone else is vaguely confused by them. 'At the party, it's the guy who stops by to say hello to a few friends accompanied by a tier one girl that no one has ever seen before. 'Sigmas often like women, but also tend to be contemptuous of them.' Day's hierarchy theories are most popular with incels, men's rights activists, and pickup artists, though the idea of the sigma male was lesser known compared to the alpha and beta archetypes. Plastic surgeon John T. Alexander sought to build on the idea with his 2014 marital self-help book 'The Sigma Male: What Women Really Want.' More recently, talk of the sigma male has been popping up on Twitter, Instagram, and even TikTok. Archetype: Keanu Reeves's character in the 2014 action film John Wick is said to be an example of a sigma male Platform: Edgar Guzman, who claims to 'help men find their Purpose and with Self Improvement,' references the sigma male in a number of his TikTok videos TikTok user Edgar Guzman, who claims to 'help men find their Purpose and with Self Improvement,' has described the characteristics of a sigma male in a number of his videos. 'Here is the number one trait a sigma male has: He seeks no approval. Absolutely no approval,' he says in one. 'He's a leader of his life only. Once you start getting into that follower sheep heard mentality, you lose, bro.' The increasing use of the term has led to more people making fun of it, particularly on Twitter following Simpson's viral tweet. 'The Sigma Male idea is stupid, pseudoscientific and reveals the flexibility of the pick-up artist grift, telling clients that they're basically John Wick because they have commitment issues, but can also explain away their own failings to meet 'alpha' standards,' one man tweeted this week. Hitting back:" Twitter users have been slamming the archetype online, calling it 'stupid,' 'pseudoscientific,' and the 'hipster version' of the alpha 'All this because somebody misread a book from the 70s about wolves peeing on each other,' someone else commented. 'Men: astrology is fake Also men: Im a sigma beta epsilon male, its like the rarest type of male, you probably havent heard of it,' another joked. Some claimed the sigma male is just the 'hipster version' of the alpha. 'Oh my God wait it's the hipster version of the alpha male. It's like an alpha male but it's really obscure and you probably haven't heard of it,' one Twitter use wrote. 'It's like an alpha male but less constrained by the gym rules. He somehow gives less of a f**k. He is more authentic. He has a sword.' HOUSTON, Jan. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recruiter.com (OTCQB:RCRT) released its January 2021 Shareholder Letter highlighting its 2020 accomplishments and outlining its plans to achieve $40M in run-rate revenue along with profitability. Our corporate mission aligns with our nation's mission at this historic moment. As the country seeks to rebuild in the aftermath of the pandemic, we will drive the effort to re-hire millions of people and provide new economic opportunities for the next generation, said Evan Sohn, CEO of Recruiter.com. As a destination website for all things recruiting (last month, we generated $4M in organic [free] traffic according to SpyFu.com), we believe Recruiter.com is uniquely positioned to generate significant revenue by helping employers, candidates, and recruiters make meaningful employment connections. In 2020, we helped top companies find call center operators, nurses, mortgage professionals, IT engineers, and even a rocket scientist. We also helped our network of small and independent recruiters earn thousands of dollars in fees during a year when the recruiting industry was hit hard. A few of Recruiter.coms 2020 accomplishments: Year-over-year revenue growth (through Q3'20) of 50.9% Grew gross profit by 43% (through Q3'20) to over $1.6M Grew website recruiter platform users to >27,500 recruiters Grew social media recruiter community to >835,000 members Signed new clients and serviced 20 Fortune 500 companies Launched Video SaaS offering with 40+ trials underway Added artificial intelligence to search over 500M candidates In Q4, Recruiter.com announced three new initiatives: Recruiter.com On Demand is a gig platform where recruiters deliver all forms of recruiting services, from sourcing to full talent acquisition. Recruiter.com On Demand enables employers to engage recruiters of their choice on a per-project or time-based basis, with Recruiter.com managing the entire process and paying the recruiter a percentage of revenue. All Recruiter.com On Demand gig recruiters have access to the Recruiter.com AI and Video platforms to improve their success rates. The On-Demand recruiting industry is a $5B sector. is a gig platform where recruiters deliver all forms of recruiting services, from sourcing to full talent acquisition. Recruiter.com On Demand enables employers to engage recruiters of their choice on a per-project or time-based basis, with Recruiter.com managing the entire process and paying the recruiter a percentage of revenue. All Recruiter.com On Demand gig recruiters have access to the Recruiter.com AI and Video platforms to improve their success rates. The On-Demand recruiting industry is a $5B sector. Recruiter.com Video is a video-hiring SaaS platform allowing employers and recruiters to screen candidates using a simple video. Enterprises pay a monthly subscription ranging from $1.25 to $2.00 per candidate video. With millions of people to be hired in the next 24 months, over 40 million people hired annually (2019 voluntary turnover was 27 percent), and an average of 30 candidates per open job, the no-setup platform (currently being resold by SAP in the SAP AppCenter) and growing database of video resumes provides a key advantage for Recruiter.com. Given the shift to remote work and recruiting teams' desire for efficient hiring technologies, Recruiter.com believes that recruiting with video will become part of the standard interview process. is a video-hiring SaaS platform allowing employers and recruiters to screen candidates using a simple video. Enterprises pay a monthly subscription ranging from $1.25 to $2.00 per candidate video. With millions of people to be hired in the next 24 months, over 40 million people hired annually (2019 voluntary turnover was 27 percent), and an average of 30 candidates per open job, the no-setup platform (currently being resold by SAP in the SAP AppCenter) and growing database of video resumes provides a key advantage for Recruiter.com. Given the shift to remote work and recruiting teams' desire for efficient hiring technologies, Recruiter.com believes that recruiting with video will become part of the standard interview process. No Resume Required (noresume.co) is an initiative launched earlier this year to assist the millions of unemployed people in finding meaningful employment by capturing video resumes to the Recruiter.com platform. In turn, employers can access this growing list of curated videos to find talent. Serving one of the most underrepresented segments of the workforce (those without resumes), Recruiter.com believes No Resume Required is a real disruption to antiquated hiring methodologies. Sohn concluded, We intend to achieve significant organic and inorganic growth in 2021 by building on our success in 2020, leveraging our stock to acquire complementary businesses, and capitalizing on our recruiting-industry position and strong technical capabilities. We set off in 2020 to build out our platform, have scalable revenue, and end the year with a $10M revenue run rate and a path for liquidity. With our S-1 filed and our 2020 objectives attained, our 2021 objectives are clear: continue to scale our platform revenue to a $40M revenue run rate, achieve cash flow profitability, up-list on a national exchange, and continue to unlock the longer-term value of Recruiter.com as a billion-dollar brand. For the complete shareholder letter, visit - https://blog.recruiter.com/letter-12721 . Recruiter.com Group, Inc. Recruiter.com is a hiring platform for the world's largest network of small and independent recruiters. Recruiter.com empowers businesses to recruit specialized talent faster with virtual teams of recruiters and AI job-matching technology. Visit https://www.recruiter.com . For investor information, visit https://www.recruiter.com/investors.html . Please follow social media channels for additional updates: LinkedIn Recruiter Network Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/42370/ LinkedIn Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/1240434 Twitter Company Page: https://twitter.com/recruiterdotcom Facebook Company Page: https://www.facebook.com/RecruiterDotCom Company Contact: Recruiter.com Group, Inc. Phone: (855) 931-1500 Investor Relations: Dave Gentry RedChip Companies, Inc. Phone: (407) 491-4498 dave@redchip.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "forecasts" "believe," "may," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "should," "plan," "could," "target," "potential," "is likely," "will," "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements primarily on our current expectations, plans and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and commercial needs. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include continued demand for professional hiring, the accuracy of the Recruiter Index survey, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the job market and the economy as virus levels are again rising in many states, and the Risk Factors contained within our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law. GRAND RAPIDS, MI The dining room of the senior living facility, which has mostly been empty since the start of the pandemic, was busy with activity again. Music played over speakers, loud conversations filled the room and pharmacists drew dose after dose of the Moderna vaccine from small vials. Over 200 residents and staff of a Grand Rapids senior living facility received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Thursday. The vaccinations followed several recent coronavirus cases at the residential building. Everyones excited and hopeful that this is a step in the right direction, said Beth Covault, executive director of Samaritas Senior Living Grand Rapids. Samaritas partnered with CVS to vaccinate its staff and residents at The Woods building, 1900 32nd St. SE. Sue Spielmaker, a licensed practical nurse with Samaritas, received her first dose at the temporary vaccination clinic. It took about two minutes for a pharmacist to put fresh gloves on, sanitize her arm and give her a long-awaited shot. I feel wonderful, she said immediately after. Spielmaker was then handed a chocolate Kiss from a basket that said kiss COVID goodbye. 9 Direct care workers, residents, staff receive COVID-19 vaccine at senior living facility Healthcare workers, residents and staff of long-term care facilities like The Woods are high on the list for vaccinations. In Michigan, they are a part of the first phase which started at the end of December. Its been an eventful year, said Covault. This is just such a positive experience. Everyone seems more refreshed, energized. RELATED: Ottawa County says current COVID-19 vaccine allotment isnt cutting it The stress of the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the staff and residents of The Woods, said Covault. The building recently had a wave of cases, and it can be difficult for residents with cognitive impairments to social distance and remain isolated. Jill Schrotenboer, the administrator of The Woods, said its been a long, hard 10 months at their facility but the vaccine brings hope. It was quite emotional for me to see them get it, said Schrotenboer, who has worked with Samaritas for more than two decades. Strict restrictions have only allowed residents to see their families with outdoor or window visits, which has been heartbreaking, but the vaccine takes a step forward in bringing families back together, Covault said. RELATED: 10,000 veterans and healthcare workers vaccinated at Ann Arbor VA hospital The Woods also stopped all in-person dining, programming and activities when COVID-19 hit. Schrotenboer is looking forward to residents being able to congregate and mingle again. I hope that (the vaccine) will allow us to get back to what is kind of normal, she said. Both Schrotenboer and Covault said the vaccine shows theres a light at the end of the tunnel. Michigan also recently started allowing anyone over the age of 65 to sign up for a vaccination as well as expanded categories of frontline workers like teachers, corrections staff and workers at homeless shelters. The state is aiming to vaccinate 70% of the state by the end of the year. About 800,000 Michigan residents have been vaccinated to date, which is about 8% of the nearly 10 million residents. To register for a vaccine, visit vaccinatewestmi.com. More on MLive: 57% of Michigan nursing home staff, residents decline COVID-19 vaccine so far 9 retired nuns die from COVID-19 in January at Adrian home Whitmer says high school sports may happen in the coming weeks or days during interview Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 23:33:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close STOCKHOLM, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- People inoculated against COVID-19 can still become infected and spread the disease, a Swedish expert has warned, noting vaccines cannot replace restrictions for now. "After having received two doses, you are protected against the disease, but this does not mean that you are completely protected against becoming infected," Matti Sallberg, head of Department of Laboratory Medicine at Karolinska Institutet, told Swedish Radio on Friday. His comments came after local media reported that ten COVID-19 cases were confirmed among residents at a care home in Sweden's second-largest city Gothenburg despite they have completed a two-dose vaccination. Sallberg said those inoculated may also display COVID-19 symptoms. "You can get very mild symptoms, although you should not get seriously ill and you should definitely not end up in the hospital." The expert stressed that for the time being vaccines cannot replace COVID-19 restrictions. "I would not dare to do anything other than what the Public Health Agency of Sweden recommends. And they currently recommend that you continue as usual with the restrictions." As of Thursday, 216,269 Swedes -- out of a population of 10.4 million -- had received at least one vaccine dose, Swedish Radio reported. However, several counties have warned the pace is slowing down as fewer doses than expected are available. Swedish authorities expect to receive only 400,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine instead of a million in the coming months due to production issues. Also, two weeks ago Pfizer said it had to cut deliveries by 15 percent. Currently, 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 latest information released by the World Health Organization. Enditem A group of tourists, including some from United Kingdom and United States, have been filmed partying inside a police station after being arrested in Thailand for flouting COVID-19 rules. Due to the pandemic, bars are not allowed to open past 9:00 pm, and police raided the party just after the curfew was supposed to have started, after a tip-off on social media. A number of people at the party fled the scene and managed to escape without punishment. AP But police arrested some 110 people, with 89 of them from more than 10 foreign countries. The travellers then drank and danced inside the police station without following social distancing guidelines while the case was processed. Video footage from the Thai jail shows backpackers lounging on tables, smoking and playing music. They were also pictured spilling out into the car park as the sun came up the next morning. Also read: In The Middle Of COVID Pandemic, A Rave Party Was Organised In Kerala; 9 Arrested With Drugs Viral Press Police colonel Suparerk Pankosol, superintendent of the provincial immigration office, was quoted by AP as saying: "Every venue has to follow the rules, even if it is their fifth anniversary. The event risked spreading COVID-19 and the organisers will be prosecuted." Footage from the beach bar party shows how the revellers were dancing, drinking and ignoring social distancing rules. Also read: 200 Students In UK Flout Lockdown Rules, Organise Rave Party In Crammed Common Room AP The court conducted the trial over a video link. The judge sentenced each defendant to one month in jail, which was suspended and the defendants will now be on probation for a year. If they show good behavior during the term, the sentence will be suspended. He also fined them 4,000 baht ($130) each. The Thai organizer and two Thai bartenders were given fines of 10,000 baht ($330) and two years in jail; they were also suspended for a year. Also read: UK Cops Bust Illegal Baby Naming Party With 50 Guests, Couple Plead For An 'Extra Hour' Following an administrative leave, Jason Collier, the then-Stinnett Police Chief Resigned on Thursday after being investigated for tampering with a government document and fraudulent intention as confirmed by the Facebook page of the city of Stinnett. Based on the information that was given by Hutchinson County Sheriff Blaik Kemp, the police chief resignee was arrested by the Texas Ranger and was taken to the Hutchinson County Jail. Falsification of Public Documents According to MyHighPlains.com, Sgt. Cindy Barkley of the Texas Department of Public Safety shared on Tuesday that the Texas Rangers conducted a criminal investigation into the Stinnett Police Chief based on the request coming from the Hutchinson County District Attorney's office. Sgt. Barkley mentioned that the victim received a text message with an attached fraudulent government record coming from alleged sender Collier, and later confirmed that the document was a fraudulent marriage annulment. Moreover, Sgt. Barkley stated that the police chief resignee was charged with tampering with a government document with the intent to defraud, which is a state felony and has a bond set to $10,000, The Sun reported. The Discovery Cecily Steinmetz, a woman from Amarillo, Texas, posted on her Facebook account on Tuesday, sharing that she was engaged to Collier before discovering that the police chief was married. The story of Steinmetz posted on the social networking platform went viral, as it gained tens of thousands of shares global. In her Facebook post, she included a photo of an annulment document that can be seen sent by Collier. Moreover, Collier sent the annulment document to Steinmetz attached to a text message after he was asked to present it to the victim. But the victim checked the document with Potter County for verification. Later on, Steinmetz found out that the document was fake. Read also: China Starts to Use Rectal Swabs for COVID-19 Tests, 'Invasive Procedure' Draws Flak At the time that Steinmetz provided the photo to MyHighPlains.com, she also mentioned that she does not think that is right to present a false document to people especially in his position. The document that was provided by Steinmetz to the news agency, which was claimed to be filed under presiding Judge Doug Woodburn of the 108th District Court, was validated by the news agency directly to Judge Woodburn. Judge Woodburn then replied via text message that there is no match under the name present on the document or even on the cause number. The presiding judge of the 108th District Court also added that their cause numbers are totally different as it is comprised of numbers which starts at 0 and followed by 6 digits that start in either 7 or 8. Judge Woodburn also added that his court was followed by letter E, therefore, it is a fake document. In addition, Steinmetz that her goal in posting the issue about the police chief resignee in social media is to raise awareness locally and for the suspect to be held accountable for what he had violated. On Thursday evening, Stinnett City Manager Durk Downs posted a statement via the Facebook page of the city of Stinnett that Police Chief Jason Collier resigned in his position effective immediately and the City of Stinnett has accepted his resignation, News4SanAntonio.com reported. Related article: DHS Warns Possible Domestic Terrorist Threat Through Federal Alert System @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. India might restart regular international flights this summer after a substantial number of people across the world are expected to be vaccinated. For vaccinated passengers, tests and quarantine measures are likely to be eased in the next three to four months, which will bring a semblance of normalcy in customers' flying habits. Senior government officials said that relaxing measures will be part of the discussions aviation ministry would have with the home ministry, as mentioned in a report in The Economic Times. The home ministry had stated that to ease up restrictions, the two ministries would have a discussion. The resumption of flights is also likely to depend on how other countries respond and the demand for travel, officials said. Officials also said that flight bubbles could also be looked at initially. IndiGo CEO said on an earnings call on Thursday that short-haul international flights might start during April-June period. He said that the government is working on reopening international flights gradually. India had banned regular international and domestic flights in March as the entire country went into a lockdown. The government only allowed limited Air India flights under the Vande Bharat scheme. As lockdown restrictions eased, flights restarted and the government allowed foreign carriers under the bubble agreement. Currently, India is allowing international passengers who have 'no coronavirus' certificate. India has air bubble agreements with 23 countries including the US and the UK. The International Air Transport Association is in favour of resuming international flights and removing travel restrictions for ones who have taken the vaccine. Other countries that have proposed to remove travel restrictions for vaccinated individuals include Greece, Poland, Latvia, Lebanon and Seychelles. Also read: COVID-19 impact: DGCA extends ban on international flights till Feb 28; cargo operations exempted DENVER, CO, Jan. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- The Stock Day Podcast welcomed American Cannabis Company, Inc. (OTCQB: AMMJ) ("the Company"), a company that offers end-to-end solutions to existing and aspiring participants in the cannabis and hemp industries. CEO of the Company, Terry Buffalo, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly. Jolly commented on the Company's impressive growth over the last year, and asked about their background and current projects. "American Cannabis Company has been around since 2013," shared Buffalo. "The company has built out over 2 million square feet of growth space, and along the way we have been looking to add additional products and services, which we have with SoHum Living Soils," he continued. "We're currently looking to make these acquisitions and we're happy to be able to diversify our income, and hopefully level our income, by adding these acquisitions to our portfolio." Jolly then asked about the Company's recent announcement detailing a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to purchase assets of Good Meds and BOSM Labs, a cannabis cultivation and extraction facility operating in a 60,000 sq. ft. building. "We have started the due diligence and the audit process is underway, and we're looking to close this acquisition hopefully in the second quarter of this year," said Buffalo. "It provides us the opportunity to expand up to 60,000 sq. ft. to help meet the growing medical and adult demand in the Colorado market." The conversation then turned to BOSM Labs, which produces live resin, live batter, budder, and shatter. "One of the big advantages of BOSM is that it is a hydrocarbon extraction lab. So, that will provide us the ability to add new products, SKUs, and meet the ever-growing demand here in the Colorado market." "What do you think will be some of the catalysts you will try to get done in the next two to three quarters?" asked Jolly. "The biggest thing is to get these two acquisitions that we have on the schedule for 2021, get them integrated into the company, and then start looking for 2022 opportunities," said Buffalo. Buffalo then elaborated on the Company's consulting services division. "We've seen a big increase in calls and emails into the company. We have new clients now in all five states, and we are currently looking to add a few more in each one of those five states," said Buffalo. "We're looking for additional states to potentially come onboard before the end of the year, which will hopefully increase our consulting business for 2021." To close the interview, Buffalo shared that the Company will continue to be strategic in their acquisitions with a strong focus on building shareholder value. "We're not just looking at top-line numbers, we're looking to see how we can have profit," said Buffalo. "That is our goal and I appreciate our shareholders being patient," he added. "We're working every day to bring value and provide a much cleaner type of product for the consumer than what is out there right now. Cleaner and greener is always the standard." To hear Terry Buffalo's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7784397-american-cannabis-company-inc-discusses-its-2021-acquisition-strategy-with-the-stock-day-podcast Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/ About American Cannabis Company, Inc. American Cannabis Company, Inc. offers end-to-end solutions to existing and aspiring participants in the cannabis and hemp industries. We utilize our industry expertise to provide business planning and market assessment services, assist state licensing procurement, create business infrastructure and operational best practices. We are continuing to grow the Company by promoting our operational management services, and license the American Cannabis Company brand, as well as continuing to analyze acquisition opportunities worldwide. American Cannabis Company also developed and owns a portfolio of branded products including: SoHum Living Soils - Winner of the High Times S.T.A.S.H Award for "Best Potting Mix", The Cultivation Cube and the High-Density Cultivation System. We also design and provide other industry specific custom product solutions. For more information about American Cannabis Company, please visit: www.theacclife.com www.americancannabisconsulting.com www.americancannabiscompanyinc.com www.sohumsoils.com www.americanhempservices.com For more information on Good Meds, please visit: https://www.goodmeds.com/ For more information on BOSM Labs, please visit: https://www.goodmeds.com/bosm-labs/ Video Links: https://americancannabisconsulting.com/resources/video/ (ACC Site) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aENC4aeNZis (High Density Cultivation System) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9rNxFph_tQ&t (Cultivation Cube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoIcopO2yE8&t (SoHum Living Soils) Forward Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as "anticipate", "seek", intend", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "project", "plan", or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based drugs. 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 any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of 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. For more information, please visit www.sec.gov. Cannabis Remains an Illegal Schedule 1 Drug Under Federal Law Cannabis and its derivatives are considered illegal "Schedule 1" drugs under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 811). As such, Cannabis and its derivatives are viewed as being highly addictive and having no medical value. The United States Drug Enforcement Agency enforces the Controlled Substances Act, and persons violating it are subject to federal criminal prosecution. The criminal penalty structure in the Controlled Substances Act is determined based on the specific predicate violations, including but not limited to: simple possession, drug trafficking, attempt and conspiracy, distribution to minors, trafficking in drug paraphernalia, money laundering, racketeering, environmental damage from illegal manufacturing, continuing criminal enterprise, and smuggling. A first conviction under the Controlled Substances Act can generally result in possible fines from $250,000 to $50 million dollars, and incarceration for periods generally from five and up to forty years. For a second conviction, fines increase generally from $500,000 to $75 million dollars, and incarceration for periods generally from ten years to twenty years to life. Contact: IR@americancannabisconsulting.com 303-974-4770 About The "Stock Day" Podcast Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America. Stock Day recently launched its Video Interview Studio located in Phoenix, Arizona. The management and staff of the Ministry of the Interior (MAI) sent its condolences to the families of the victims of the fire that took place on Friday morning at the "Matei Bals" Institute in Bucharest. "For the intervention, 24 fire extinguishers, 38 SMURD trucks, 6 Mobile Intensive Care Units, 5 trucks for personnel transport and multiple victims, 4 extrication cars, 4 escalators, 10 minibuses and a mobile control point were activated. Also, there were traffic police and gendarmes crews to secure the area, but also police teams to carry out the investigation on the spot," informs a Ministry of Interior's release sent to AGERPRES on Friday. According to the release, the employees of the ministry involved in the operations carried out at the scene of the fire fulfilled "with maximum" responsibility and professionalism their duties in such a tragic situation.The Ministry of Interior specified that its structures will continue to provide all the necessary support in elucidating the circumstances of the fire. Ive been talking about this with my wife about what to do after local television, said Dolinsky in a phone interview. ABC 7 has never been my only job. Ive always had side hustles going on. I love the idea of having more freedom. But its a little scary. It takes courage to make the jump. He explains that now that his kids are out of high school, it felt like its the perfect time. This weeks tiff started because SpaceX wants permission from the U.S. government to move some of its satellites to lower orbits. Amazon said that would interfere with its satellites. Musk got angry. Amazon said that SpaceX was trying to smother competition in the cradle. (Side note: Americas dominant online retailer probably shouldnt accuse others of smothering competition.) Usually I love to watch rich people squabble. The Kardashians! But this time ugh. I understand why SpaceX and Amazon want to persuade a U.S. agency. But I hope that the trash talking doesnt distract them from important questions: Is this satellite technology the best approach to help get billions of more people online? Or is this another potentially misdirected effort to throw complicated technology at a complex human problem? Put more simply: Is this a good idea? We should be excited by ambitious technology but not blinded by it. Compared with even thousands of satellites, the best existing internet pipes can carry far more web traffic. Satellite internet still typically requires specialized equipment on the ground, which isnt easy to build or pay for. These emerging internet projects might be a very helpful complement rather than a substitute for established internet infrastructure. Thats one reality. The other reality is that if you want technology to change the lives of billions of people, you also must think about whats that word? Ah yes: people. Even in a rich country like the United States, people dont lack internet access solely because the technology isnt up to snuff. There are also misguided government policies, structural inequalities, the need by many to spend money on more immediate essentials and more. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is defending his administrations distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine as Republicans grow more critical that just a quarter of the vaccine doses available for long-term care residents have been administered. The New York Times puts Illinois near the bottom of all states in getting out at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. Among similar-sized states, Illinois is under-performing. The state is about the middle of the pack for administering the second dose. For total percentage of doses used, Illinois is in the bottom half. Pritzker said Thursday that, despite the comparisons, Illinois distribution is speeding up. And, Ive explained before about second doses and making sure people understand the time lag between the time that somebody administers that dose and the time that it is reported being administered, Pritzker said. Whats happening is the average number of doses per day thats being administered is going up significantly. Data from the Illinois Department of Public Health showed that more than 55,800 vaccines were administered Wednesday. Thats on top of the 53,600 administered the day before. The seven day rolling average is 36,728. Illinois started administering doses Dec. 15. As of Thursday, 26.6% of Illinois allotted COVID-19 doses for long-term care residents had been administered, or just 131,284 of 496,100. Republican state senators criticized the governor for under-performing other states and for administering only a quarter of the doses meant for long-term care residents, a population considered at most risk from COVID-19. In a letter to the governor, they said those in long-term care facilities have been dying, families havent seen each other in months, and our economy has faced historic obstacles. Yet, with a vaccine in hand, Illinois has failed its residents. State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said its unacceptable. We want to help, we want to be part of the process, we know we can do things to help and yet were not allowed to, McClure said. And then when things go wrong its somebody elses fault, its not his fault. McClure said the legislature has been cut out of this and other issues, like the states unemployment problems. He demanded public hearings and even audits. We should be able to prod and get answers to questions, McClure said. I shouldnt have to call 50 people to get a response about an issue. Senate President Don Harmons office said Harmon, D-Oak Park, shares the concerns raised by both the governor and Republican senators about the ineffective and unacceptably slow roll-out of the long-term care facility vaccination program by the federal government and its corporate partners. Clearly things havent gone the way we were led to believe they would go, and clearly this isnt just a problem in Illinois, Harmon spokesman John Patterson said. We are reviewing the matter and best course of action for getting answers and, more importantly, results. It is our hope that the Biden administration will be able to quickly correct this problem it inherited. As of Thursday, Illinois public health officials reported 1.4% of the states population is fully vaccinated. . Total cases in west-central Illinois counties as of Thursday, according to individual county health departments, were: Brown County 626 total, 592 recovered, seven deaths Cass County 1,830 total, 1,745 recovered, 32 deaths Eight new cases and one additional death. Greene County 1,271 total, 1,202 recovered, 42 deaths Jersey County 2,317 total, 2,191 recovered, 44 deaths Macoupin County 4,234 total, 2,991 recovered, 100 deaths 12 new cases and one additional death. Morgan County 3,409 total, 3,253 released from restrictions, 94 deaths Eight new cases. Pike County 1,613 total, 1,519 recovered, 45 deaths Six new cases. Sangamon County 15,090 total, 206 deaths 54 new cases. Schuyler County 636 total, 608 recovered, 16 deaths One new case. Scott County 412 total, 373 recovered, one death Statewide, 4,191 new cases of coronavirus disease and 103 deaths were reported Thursday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. There have been 1,116,372 cases and 19,067 deaths in Illinois. The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. New Delhi, Jan 29 : A high-level delegation of the US government officials and defence industry will be attending Aero India 2021. An official statement issued by the US embassy in New Delhi said that Don Heflin, US ChargA d'Affaires, will lead the delegation that includes Kelli L. Seybolt Air Force Deputy Undersecretary, International Affairs; Lieutenant General David A. Krumm 11th Air Force Commander; Major General Mark E. Weatherington 8th Air Force Commander; Brigadier General Brian Bruckbauer Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate Director. The delegation will also include Judith Ravin, US Consul General in Chennai; Aileen Nandi, Minister Counsellor for Commercial Affairs, US Commercial Service; and Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher, Defense AttachA US Embassy New Delhi. Public and private participation by the United States in Aero India 2021 demonstrates the importance the United States places on its strategic partnership with India. "I am pleased to head this year's US delegation to Aero India to show our continued commitment to strengthening U.S.-India defence cooperation, in line with India's status as a Major Defence Partner," Heflin said. "US participation in Aero India 2021 reflects our increasingly close bilateral defense ties and our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region." The US participation in Aero India 2021 provides both US industry and the US military services the opportunity to strengthen military-to-military relations and defence cooperation with India. "Our two militaries work together to uphold a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific," Heflin said. Leading US defence companies are also participating in Aero India 2021, including Aerospace Quality Research & Development LLC, Airborn Inc., Boeing, IEH Corporation, GE Aviation, General Atomics, Hi-Tech Import Export Corporation, L3Harris, Laversab India, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Trakka Systems. Among the highlights of the show, a B-1B Lancer heavy bomber, of the 28th Bomb Wing based out of Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, will perform a "fly-by." The B-1B Lancer, a supersonic heavy bomber is capable of carrying out missions worldwide from its bases in the United States, as well as from forward deployed locations. It carries the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the U.S. Air Force and is considered the backbone of America's long-range bomber force. Congress will take up a budget resolution next week to pave the way for President Joe Bidens coronavirus stimulus bill to pass by majority vote, Democratic leaders said Thursday. Both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said both houses would pass the resolution, which would prevent Senate Republicans from filibustering the $1.9 trillion plan, even as negotiations continued on bipartisan legislation. We are in the midst of a once-in-a-century crisis. It requires a once-in-a-century effort to overcome it, Schumer said on the Senate floor. Our preference is to make this important work bipartisan to include input, ideas, and revisions from our Republican colleagues, or bipartisan efforts to do the same. But if our Republican colleagues decide to oppose this urgent and necessary legislation, we will have to move forward without them. At a press conference, Pelosi also said the resolution, which would trigger a parliamentary maneuver known as reconciliation, was a backstop in case Republicans wouldnt go along with a major stimulus bill. We would hope that we would have bipartisan cooperation to meet the needs of the American people, Pelosi said. So we would hope that, but were not taking any tools off the table should they not. Thats the same procedure Republicans used to bypass Democratic opposition and try to repeal the Affordable Care Act and then pass their tax law that capped the federal deduction for state and local taxes. But there are limits on what Democrats can include in a budget bill passed that way, said Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, who was chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee at the time. You end up with some very odd outcomes, Brady told reporters on a conference call Thursday. Im surprised they would threaten to use reconciliation on this COVID package with absolutely no effort to sit down and work through this package. The Biden proposal would add $1,400 to the $600 direct payments in the stimulus bill passed in December, extend unemployment benefits, help schools reopen, provide $350 billion for state and local aid, set standards to for businesses protect employees from COVID-19, and raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. We got a lot to do, Biden said Thursday at the White House. And the first thing I got to do is get this COVID package passed. Some Senate Republicans said that the Democrats efforts to move ahead on their own was a sign they didnt want a bipartisan bill. If they wanted to find the common ground that we have between the Democrats and Republicans, they could do that, said U.S. Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., according to pool reports. But theyre going down this road. And since Congress just last month passed a $900 billion stimulus package, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, questioned why there was such an emergency now that Democrats couldnt sit down and negotiate. This is not consistent with the inaugural address, which said we want to work together, which I said was very good, Portman said, according to pool reports. And here we have an action that is contradictory to that very pledge. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden was fulfilling his pledge, talking to both Democrats and Republicans about his stimulus proposal. Part of unifying the country is addressing the problems that the American people are facing, and working to reach out to Democrats and Republicans to do exactly that. And thats exactly what hes doing, she said at her daily press briefing. Without Republican support, every Senate Democrat would have to support the resolution, allowing Vice President Kamala Harris to cast the tie-breaking vote. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said she expected the entire Democratic caucus to vote yes and Republicans should as well. The money in this package goes to vaccinations, it goes to people who are struggling to put food on the table and it goes toward getting our schools open, she said, according to pool reports. Thats important for Democrats, Republicans and independents. Still, at least one Senate Democrat, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, has expressed concerns about the $1,400 stimulus checks. Under the current formula, a family of four would get a payment until earning $310,000 and the cutoff for a family with five children would be $430,000, according to the Center for a Responsible Federal Budget. Biden has said he would be willing to negotiate, and Manchin said Thursday that were gonna try to make Joe Biden successful. City and county officials from across the country on Thursday made their pleas for the state and local aid included in Bidens proposal. The press call was organized by U.S. Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities and National Association of Counties. This is not a big city or a blue-state problem, said Jeff Williams, the Republican mayor of Arlington, Texas. This crisis is a direct result of the pandemic and nothing more. Our budgets are under extreme stress, said Nan Whaley, the Democratic mayor of Dayton, Ohio. It means we cut jobs. It means we eliminate services. Bidens nominee to chair the Council of Economic Advisors, Cecilia Rouse, also spoke of the need for state and local aid at a Senate Banking Committee confirmation hearing Thursday. We need to ensure that our state and local governments can be providing for the firefighters, the transit workers, the first responders and our educators as they are stepping up in ways that they would not have budgeted for last year, Rouse, dean of the Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs, said in response to a question from Democratic U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez. Listen to what economic expert Dr. @CeciliaERouse, who helped steer our nation out of the great recession, has to say about the absolute need for real state and local funding to pull us thru this even greater economic and public health crisis. pic.twitter.com/kH1GhnglIh Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) January 28, 2021 Some House Democrats including Reps. Albio Sires, D-8th Dist., Donald Payne Jr., D-10th Dist., and Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-12th Dist. said the Biden stimulus plan didnt go far enough. They called for monthly $2,000 payments rather than the one-time $1,400 payment in the proposed legislation. We need to provide Americans with a monthly stimulus check because millions of Americans continue to lose jobs and wages due to this global pandemic Payne said. We need to help them feed their families and stay in their homes until this crisis is over. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Any new taxes in Indias budget would impede a nascent economic recovery, economists said, amid speculation that Finance Minister could impose an additional levy on the wealthy to fund the governments pandemic-related expenditure. A so-called Covid cess shouldnt be announced because the economy is still normalising after a strict and vast lockdown, Sonal Varma, an economist at Nomura Holdings, said on Thursday in a Q&A with Bloomberg. Abhishek Gupta of Bloomberg Economics warned that such a levy risks hastening capital outflows. "The trend over the last few years has already raised the total taxes for high income earners to 42.7 per cent, including cess and surcharges, from around 30 per cent, Gupta said during the Q&A. A further rise could lower their incentive to invest and earn in India." Sitharaman needs to boost spending to dig India out of an unprecedented recession when she presents her budget Feb. 1, while keeping a watchful eye so that the deficit doesnt blow out. Indias financial year runs April 1 through March 31. Here are some condensed excerpts from the interaction with Varma and Gupta: Budget Deficit Varma: We are expecting the centres fiscal deficit to widen to 6.8 per cent of GDP in FY21, nearly double the original budget target of 3.5 per cent set before the pandemic, but much better than our initial estimate of over 8 per cent in the midst of the pandemic. Thats because a faster-than-expected economic normalisation will boost tax revenue and total spending will be lower. Gupta: While we were earlier expecting central government fiscal deficit to be roughly around 7 per cent or so, we have now estimated it to come in lower at about 6.6 per cent of GDP in fiscal 2021. The recovery has been sharper than anticipated, and we have seen more buoyant tax collections since October. Budget Credibility Varma: What will make the roadmap more credible is if there is also a clear strategy on how the government plans to increase Indias tax to GDP ratio over the coming years. Gross tax revenues have been stagnant around 10 per cent of GDP over the last decade. So the roadmap should have a clear revenue enhancement gameplan and not just rely on expenditure compression or expectations of higher nominal GDP growth. Investment Expectations Gupta: We expect the government to allocate around Rs 4.8 trillion ($66 billion) for capital expenditures in fiscal 2022, which would amount to a 20 per cent growth over fiscal 2021. We believe that the government focus will remain on increased infrastructure spending on roads, railways, low cost urban and rural housing. Rating Companies Varma: While rating companies will watch the budget carefully and growth has recovered faster than expected, the decision regarding whether to change Indias sovereign ratings will ultimately be based on a host of factors. Two rating agencies have India with a negative outlook (Moodys and Fitch). We believe that Moodys is likely to move Indias outlook back to stable and so is Fitch, but the latter is a closer call. Gupta: We dont expect a sovereign downgrade anytime in the near future, unless things go completely haywire in the budget. In our view, sovereign rating agencies will also focus on tax buoyancy ahead, which is essentially a question about how quickly can the government put the economy back on a pre-Covid potential growth trajectory of 6 per cent-7 per cent and higher. South Africa: Two KZN municipalities placed under administration The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has place uMkhanyakude and Nquthu Municipalities under administration in a bid to prevent the collapse of governance and bring back stability and order. The decision was taken during the first Provincial Executive Council (PEC) virtual meeting for this year, held this week. Provincial government spokesperson, Lennox Mabaso, said that the drastic interventions by government had been taken in the best interest of the people of both municipalities. The two municipalities are in flagrant disregard of the Constitution and the law governing the functioning of municipalities. These interventions have been preceded by various efforts to support the municipalities in line with section 154 of the Constitution, Mabaso said. uMkhanyakude was placed under administration because it has been embroiled in internal strife which has severely compromised key areas of service delivery. The council has failed to hold three consecutive scheduled meetings to consider matters that affect the functioning of the municipality and service delivery. There is a serious challenge with performing executive functions and oversight. There are allegations and counter-allegations of maladministration, fraud and corruption. The tensions have escalated to a point where the uMkhanyakude District Municipality could not pass the IDP (Integrated Development Plans) and budget. Forensic reports have not been acted on by the council of uMkhanyakude District Municipality, Mabaso said. The municipality currently operates on the budget that is unfunded in violation of the Municipal Finance Management Act. Fruitless, wasteful expenditure Meanwhile, the Nquthu municipality has failed to investigate unauthorized, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) is also dysfunctional. Nquthu is among the 12 municipalities which have been flagged as distressed, despite interventions implemented in line with the Municipal Support Plans There has been instability in the municipality since March 2020 when the municipal council purported to elect the mayor, following resignation of the former mayor. As a result, the municipality failed to comply with the requirements of the Municipal Systems Act related to the development and approval of the IDP and Budget Process Plan which must be adopted on or before the 31st August annually. The mayor of the municipality has been unlawfully elected in violation of the lockdown regulations. The failure of the council meetings owing to instability resulted in the municipalitys failure to adopt its IDP and Budget Process Plan for the year 2021/22, hence compromising a key executive responsibility and prejudicing the people of Nquthu. Mabaso emphasised that the council took a decision as the sixth administration that service delivery, good governance, sound financial management and institutional stability are areas of no compromise. He said the executive council has since requested Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) MEC Sipho Hlomuka to present to the National CoGTA Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, National Council of Provinces, and Parliament for their approval. The PEC has also said it will fearlessly confront, municipal instability and any threat to service delivery in the best interest of the people. Integrated law enforcement team Meanwhile, in response to public violence, which included the torching of shops in the Durban city centre on Monday, the PEC has approved the establishment of an integrated law enforcement team to focus on the enforcement of immigration, employment and trade laws in the Durban city centre. The provincial government appealed for engagement and peaceful resolution of any areas of challenges. Violence has never solved any problem in fact, it is breaking the law, Mabaso said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. In the coastal town of Carmel, California, six homes were inundated with water on Thursday when the Carmel River swelled amid heavy downpours from an atmospheric river, officials said. A natural sand levee holding back the surging river near Carmel River State Beach breached, but not before the river pushed back into the Carmel River Lagoon and poured into a small neighborhood. "There's a berm between the ocean and the lagoon that normally breaches in significant weather in the winter months, so if it doesn't breach it can backup, fill the lagoon and cause some flooding in area homes," explained Brian Garcia, a forecaster with the National Weather Service office in Monterey. "From what I understand, Monterey County Water Resources Agency went and dug out the berm a little bit. As they dug out the berm to a point where the water lowered, it ultimately, finally breached the lagoon itself and things started to drain really fast." The weather service issued a flood warning and the Monterey County Sheriffs Office ordered residents of the Carmel River Lagoon area to evacuate, including people living on all roads south of Santa Lucia Avenue and Mission Fields. Cal Fire Assistant Chief Matt Streck said a dozen homes were impacted and six homes were flooded in the bottom floors. Using an inflatable boat and wearing dry suits, firefighters rescued four residents from 3-feet deep water. "This is an area known to have this kind of dynamic," said Streck. "It's part of the cost of living there." The weather service said locations between the Carmel River State Beach parking lot and the River School are historically impacted during big rain events. Noah Berger/AP An atmospheric river delivered a soaking to California this week, with the Central Coast receiving the most rainfall. In the Monterey County town of Salinas, mudflows damaged about two dozen homes on Wednesday. The hillside above the area surrounding River Road was susceptible to landslides after last summer's River Fire torched the landscape and made it more prone to erosion. California's scenic Highway 1 is closed 20 miles south of Big Sur after a section of the roadway collapsed when the cliffside below gave way amid torrential rain. Photos of the highway show a huge piece of the road missing, with both the north and southbound lanes washed away. A peak in the Santa Lucia Mountains received 16 inches of rain from Tuesday to Friday. The city of Monterey recorded 3.46 inches. Before the storm, Monterey had seen only 2.14 inches since Oct. 1. The stormy weather is tapering off Friday. The Central Coast area, San Francisco Bay Area and other northern regions are expected to remain dry, if cloudy, through the weekend. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... MOSCOW A Russian court on Thursday rejected an appeal by opposition leader Alexei Navalny for his release from jail, while authorities detained several of his allies and warned social media companies about promoting more protests after tens of thousands rallied across the country last weekend demanding his freedom. Appearing in court by video link from jail, Navalny denounced the criminal proceedings against him as part of a government campaign to intimidate the opposition. You wont succeed in scaring tens of millions of people who have been robbed by that government, he said. Yes, you have the power now to put me in handcuffs, but its not going to last forever. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The 44-year-old Navalny, the best-known critic of President Vladimir Putins government, was arrested Jan. 17 upon returning from Germany, where he spent five months recovering from nerve-agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin. Russian authorities have rejected the accusations. Navalny was arrested and jailed for 30 days after Russias prison service alleged he had violated the probation terms of his suspended sentence from a 2014 money-laundering conviction that he has rejected as politically motivated. He also faces accusations in two separate criminal probes. Before the Moscow Region Court rejected his appeal, defense lawyers argued that while recovering in Germany from the poisoning, Navalny could not register with authorities as required by the terms of his probation. His lawyers also said Navalnys due process rights were repeatedly violated during his arrest. Navalny described his jailing following an earlier hearing held at a police station as a mockery of justice. It was demonstrative lawlessness intended to scare me and all others, he told the Moscow court. Navalnys supporters are organizing another round of rallies for Sunday. Police on Wednesday searched Navalnys apartment, a rented accommodation where his wife, Yulia, has been living and the residences of several of his associates and supporters. Also detained were Navalnys brother, Oleg; his top ally, Lyubov Sobol; Oleg Stepanov, head of Navalnys Moscow office; Dr. Anastasia Vasilyeva from the Navalny-backed Alliance of Doctors; and Maria Alyokhina from the Pussy Riot punk collective. They were detained for 48 hours as part of a criminal probe into alleged violations of coronavirus regulations during Saturdays protests. Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the searches and detentions were a legitimate part of police efforts to investigate the alleged violations during the events. Law enforcement agencies are doing their job, Peskov said on a conference call with reporters. There were numerous violations of Russian laws, and law enforcement agencies are at work. Demonstrations calling for Navalnys release took place in more than 100 Russian cities Saturday, in a strong show of rising anger toward the Kremlin. Nearly 4,000 people were reportedly detained at those protests and some were given fines and jail terms. At Thursdays court hearing, Navalny thanked his supporters and said, They are the last barrier preventing our country from sliding into the degradation. Moscow police said 267 people were convicted of violations during the weekend demonstrations in the capital, and 110 of them were given short jail terms. It issued a notice to the public not to join Sundays protests, warning that officers would act resolutely to disperse unsanctioned rallies and bring participants to justice. Also Thursday, Russian prosecutors issued warnings to Facebook, Google, Twitter, TikTok and Russian social networks, demanding that they block calls for more protests. The state doesnt want the social networks to become a platform for promoting such illegal actions, Peskov said. Asked if a refusal to remove such content could prompt Russian authorities to block the platforms, Peskov said it would be up to relevant government agencies to consider a response. All pros and cons will be weighed and, if necessary, measures envisaged by the law will be taken, he said. Earlier this week, Russian state communications watchdog Roskomnadzor said it would fine Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and two Russian social networks for their failure to block calls on minors to join Saturdays protests. Facebook, Google and TikTok havent responded to requests for comment about the Russian authorities action. Twitter refused to comment to The Associated Press on Thursday. Russias Investigative Committee said it opened a criminal investigation of Navalnys top strategist, Leonid Volkov, accusing him of encouraging minors to participate in unauthorized rallies. Volkov, who currently stays abroad, rejected the charges. The streets must speak now. There is nothing else left, Volkov tweeted after Navalnys appeal for his release was rejected, repeating the call for Russians to turn out in force Sunday. In a challenge to Putin two days after Navalnys arrest, his organization released an extensive video report on a palatial seaside compound allegedly built for the president. It has been viewed over 98 million times, further stoking discontent. Navalny fell into a coma Aug. 20 while on a domestic flight from Siberia to Moscow. He was transferred to a Berlin hospital two days later. Labs in Germany, France and Sweden, and tests by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, established that he was exposed to the Soviet-era Novichok nerve agent. Russian authorities have refused to open a full-fledged criminal inquiry, citing a lack of evidence that he was poisoned. Navalnys arrest and the harsh police actions at the protests have brought wide criticism from the West and calls for his release. ___ Associated Press business writer Kelvin Chan in London contributed. OTTAWA - Health Canada is on track to give the green light to a third COVID-19 vaccine within the next two weeks and a fourth may not be far behind, offering a glimmer of hope at the end of a week of nothing but vaccine vexation. A vaccine is administered to a personal support worker at the Ottawa Hospital, Tuesday December 15, 2020 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA - Health Canada is on track to give the green light to a third COVID-19 vaccine within the next two weeks and a fourth may not be far behind, offering a glimmer of hope at the end of a week of nothing but vaccine vexation. Eric Morrissette, chief of media relations at Health Canada, said Friday the regulatory team that has been reviewing an application from AstraZeneca since Oct. 1, is now doing its final assessment of the vaccine's clinical data. It's a back-and-forth process with the manufacturer answering any questions the review team has. AstraZeneca was the first to apply for approval for a COVID-19 vaccine in Canada and has been greenlit in 15 jurisdictions including the United Kingdom, Mexico, India, and as of Friday, the entire European Union. Dr. Supriya Sharma, Health Canada's chief medical adviser, said earlier this month the review was "a bit more complicated" because in AstraZeneca's trials, some volunteers only received a half dose at first. A big trial underway in the United States is supposed to provide more clarity, but Morrissette said Friday that trial won't report findings until March and Health Canada's team has decided it has all the clinical data it needs. It also has all the information it needs on the manufacturing processes. A fourth vaccine could be close at hand as well, after Johnson and Johnson reported Friday that Phase 3 clinical trial results typically the last before a drug is approved for wide use showed its vaccine is about 85 per cent effective against serious illness from COVID-19. Johnson and Johnson, which submitted an application to Canada for approval Nov. 30, offers the only single-dose vaccine thus far. Health Canada approved Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine on Dec. 9. and Moderna's on Dec. 23, each time about three weeks after Phase 3 trial results were publicly reported. Canada has pre-ordered 10 million doses from Johnson and Johnson with the potential to get 28 million more, and 20 million doses from AstraZeneca. But the federal government has not said when those doses would be delivered, and recent days have shown deliveries for COVID-19 vaccines are constantly subject to change. Moderna became the third vaccine-maker in two weeks Friday, to announce production delays will cut into its upcoming deliveries. The Massachusetts-based biotech firm shipped more than 340,000 doses to Canada in the last month, but next week's shipment is getting cut by about one-fifth, or 50,000 fewer doses, because of slower-than-expected production of the drug components by Moderna's manufacturing partner, Lonza. Similar reductions are affecting Europe. Moderna's Canadian country manager Patricia Gauthier said the company will ship all two millions doses its contract stipulates by the end of March. Canada bought 40 million doses from Moderna overall, with most of them contracted to arrive between April 1 and Sept. 30. Canada's budding vaccination effort shrivelled this week when a temporary production slowdown caused Pfizer and BioNTech to cancel an entire shipment of more than 208,000 doses, after cutting last week's shipment by about 20 per cent. The next two weeks' deliveries will be cut by about 80 per cent before mostly being restored the week of Feb. 15. Pfizer is also now asking Canada to agree each of its vials contains six doses, rather than five, which would allow it to ultimately ship fewer vials to meet its obligation of four million doses by the end of March, and 40 million by the fall. AstraZeneca is cutting deliveries to Europe by 60 per cent through the end of March because of production problems in Belgium. That, coupled with Pfizer's delays, prompted the European Union to require vaccine makers to report on how many doses are being produced and exported from Europe. All of Canada's Pfizer and Moderna vaccine doses are made in Europe. Canadian officials won't say where Canada's doses from AstraZeneca are to be made, but insist they will be unaffected by the European production problems. Canada is not among more than 120 countries exempted on paper from the export controls, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen assured him in a phone call Wednesday that the export controls won't affect Canada. Despite the production hiccups, Trudeau insisted Friday Canada's vaccine program is on track, noting production problems when the world is trying to build manufacturing lines for new products in massive demand are not a surprise. Canada's current vaccination plan says there will be three million people vaccinated by the end of March and another 10 million by the end of June, and that anyone else who wants to be immunized will be by the end of September. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said the government needs to be more transparent about its vaccine contracts. Canada has contracts with seven COVID-19 vaccine-makers but has never published any details, including prices or delivery timelines. The United States released redacted versions of contracts it has, and the European Commission Friday released a redacted AstraZeneca contract and said it wants to release the rest as soon as possible. It has to negotiate doing so with the companies. Trudeau said Friday Canada will try to do that too but won't jeopardize getting vaccines to Canadians as quickly as possible. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2021. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version said the manufacturing data for Astrazeneca was still to be submitted. Amir Tofangsazan, 33, (pictured) used photos of a male model to pose as a world-class surgeon and a CPS barrister on online dating sites to dupe almost a dozen unsuspecting victims into lending him cash which he never paid back A serial 'romance fraudster' who used dating apps to con women out of thousands of pounds was jailed again today after he was caught for a third time. Amir Tofangsazan, 33, used photos of a male model to pose as a world-class surgeon and a CPS barrister on online dating sites to dupe almost a dozen unsuspecting victims into lending him cash which he never paid back. Tofangsazan of Barnet, north London, was first jailed for seven years and nine months in 2015 after being convicted of 15 counts of fraud. He began conning women again after getting hold of a phone while on day release from an open prison in 2018 - and was sentenced to another three years. Tofangsazan was released from prison early and started his scam up again for a third time - but was rumbled when a victim became suspicious. He initially denied the offences, but pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court in November. Today at the same court, Tofangsazan, of Barnet, north London, appeared by videolink from HMP Pentonville and was jailed for three years for breaching the conditions of a criminal behaviour order which banned him from using online dating apps. Earlier in his decade-long scamming career, Tofangsazan used the stolen identities of his former bosses to set up fake job interviews with women hoping to start in secretarial roles and later invited them for drinks - but none fell for his scheme. The 'perverted' fraudster even tricked one dating app victim into having sex with him by convincing her that he was a friend of the man she was dating. He claimed the man's sexual fantasy was to see other men have sex with her. Tofangsazan was jailed for three years for breaching the conditions of a criminal behaviour order which banned him from using online dating apps In 2018 - while serving time in HMP Ford, in West Sussex - Tofangsazan got hold of a phone on day release and used dating apps to con three more people into handing him money. In 2019, he was sentenced to an additional three years, with the judge branding him a 'committed fraudster' who preyed on 'lonely, vulnerable women' seeking a romantic partner. He was slapped with a criminal behaviour order (CBO), putting restrictions on his mobile and laptop use and banning him from using online dating services. After serving less than half of his second sentence he was released on November 4, 2019. Within a week he was back to his old ways and contacted three of his former victims on WhatsApp and on Tinder. Wood Green Crown Court today heard today how he was convicted nine times for 43 offences over the last 13 years. Tofangsazan's latest 'catfishing' scam - where someone lies about their identity online - was rumbled when one victim recognised a person she actually knew in one of his stolen photos and became suspicious. Cops discovered that, despite being banned from dating sites, he had set up two dating profiles - using the same fake identities as before - and was chatting with women on a phone registered with police. Detectives called him into the police station for an interview and he was charged with six counts of breaching his CBO by using Tinder, using Bumble, owning second and third mobile phones, not telling police he had a laptop, and not telling police he wasn't staying at his registered address. Jailing the conman, Judge John Dodd QC told him: 'You stole the identify of essentially two men in order to worm you way into the affection and lives of women you met through internet dating sites. 'I understand that practice is referred to was "catfishing". 'You behaved in an utterly disgracefully, and in some respects perverted manner to at least some of those women, and that criminality is reflected in that you received a substantial term of imprisonment. 'Astonishingly, while still serving a sentence, and having been transferred at the end of that sentence to an open prison, you resumed that behaviour. 'You started again to lie and deceive women, having set up false profiles on internet dating sites. Amir Tofangsazan (pictured at Lewes Crown in 2019), 32, was first jailed for seven years and nine months in 2015 after being convicted of 15 counts of fraud 'You chose two particular profiles representing yourself as either a barrister or trauma surgeon. 'You stole the identities of two such individuals and used their photos to lure those women into your web of deceit. Judge Dodd branded Tofangsazan a 'danger to women.' He added: 'As I understand it, you were seeking to re-establish contact with three of your victims. 'I believe it is right to say that your motivation was to continue to target women whose you perceive to be vulnerable. 'It's particularly sinister, in my view, knowing that they had previously fallen for your deception and you were now using a new false persona to target them once again. As if they hadn't suffered enough already. 'Although it's right to say there are no substantive counts of fraud, your behaviour following your last release from prison demonstrates why the CBO is so important in your case. Reading an extract from a psychiatrist's report, he said: 'You appear to hold an sense of ambivalence towards women, on the one hand desiring closeness but on the other hand feeling probable hostility towards them - it's an alarming paragraph to read in her report.' He added: 'Your history reveals utterly abhorrent behaviour striking the souls of your victims. 'You clearly have not yet learned any lessons of significance.' One victim lost up to 4,000 after he contacted her on Tinder claiming to be a respected international trauma surgeon. Tofangsazan told her he had worked in hospitals across the world and had a portfolio of properties and a fleet of expensive cars. But he said he was having cash flow problems and needed money to renew his medical registration. The victim agreed to hand over money and then made repeated payments to him which he then gambled away on an online betting account. Another victim was so convinced that their relationship was genuine and long-term she handed over almost 15,000 to Tofangsazan. The serial fraudster was released following his second conviction on November 4, 2019 and three days later he contacted two women - who previously gave evidence against him - calling himself Jason. On December 10, 2019 he used a dating app to contact a women he had previously been in a relationship who knew him as Matt Fleming. Tofangsazan was arrested on July 15 by officers from the Central Specialist Crime, Central Orders team on suspicion of breaching the terms of his CBO and fraud. 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 Thousands of National Guard soldiers who deployed to Washington this month after the deadly mob takeover of the U.S. Capitol earned education benefits for the mission, a National Guard leader clarified Thursday. Maj. Gen. Eric Little, director of manpower and personnel for the National Guard Bureau, wrote to lawmakers, saying the mission counted toward troops' eligibility for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits because of the way the deployment orders were authorized. "Our National Guard members received a variety of benefits, including eligibility for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, while supporting the two most recent national events the novel coronavirus disease response and the 59th presidential inauguration/security of federal proprieties," Little confirmed. Last week, there was confusion among lawmakers and Guard members who weren't sure whether the weeks spent in Washington would count toward their education benefits. To receive the maximum education benefits, Guard members need three years on active duty. They become eligible for about half of veteran education benefits once they reach 90 days on active duty. About 26,000 Guard members gathered in Washington after a mob rioted at the Capitol on Jan. 6. They worked checkpoints and patrolled the halls of Congress before, during and after President Joe Biden's inauguration Jan. 20. Federal law enforcement agencies have asked for about 5,000 troops to remain in Washington through March 12 because of the potential for more violence. Particularly for the troops who remain at the Capitol into March, the mission could get them to the 90-day threshold for receiving thousands of dollars in tuition benefits. Takano and Levin applauded their eligibility for benefits Thursday but said it shouldn't have even come into question. "While I am pleased that the National Guard members protecting our Capitol will be able to earn GI Bill benefits for their service, this confusion was another poignant reminder that too often servicemembers taking on the same risks as their active-duty counterparts aren't getting the same benefits," Takano said. During the last congressional session, Levin introduced legislation aiming to eliminate some of the disparity in benefits between National Guard and Reserve members and active-duty troops. Under the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act, every day that a Guard or Reserve member is paid and in uniform would count toward their benefits eligibility. The bill didn't make it through Congress during the last session, but Levin said Thursday he planned to reintroduce it. "I look forward to reintroducing that bill soon and ensuring Guard and Reserve members always receive the GI Bill benefits they deserve," he said. Guard members have been called in for several recent high-profile situations, from helping with coronavirus response to aiding in wildfires and civil disturbances. They've gained the attention of members of Congress while patrolling the Capitol over the past few weeks. In addition to outcry over education benefits, lawmakers criticized the decision to have thousands of Guard members sleep on the ground of a parking garage on Capitol Hill. After several lawmakers spoke out, the troops were moved back inside. Army Maj. Gen. William Walker, the D.C. National Guard Commander, said about 200 Guard members who deployed to the Capitol had tested positive for the coronavirus as of Monday. Sanofi believes that all students deserve equal opportunities to be innovators, no matter their socio-economic background, cultural or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, family status or location, and strives to break down barriers to scientific discovery. The Biogenius Grant will bring Canadian students new opportunities for experiential STEM learning, helping to inspire and prepare our next generation of scientific researchers to answer the medical challenges of tomorrow by supporting public high schools in need of renewed science equipment and facilities. As a top investor in biopharmaceutical R&D across Canada , Sanofi is committed to the entire research spectrum, and that starts by nurturing the researchers of tomorrow. MISSISSAUGA, ON, Jan. 28, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Addressing the challenge of underfunded public high school science programs and STEM equity across the country, Sanofi Canada is expanding on its commitment to the next generation of Canadian innovators in health and life sciences with the launch of the Biogenius Grant. This new program, which formally opened to online applications today, will see four Canadian high schools receive funding in 2021 to help upgrade their science laboratories and launch new hands-on STEM programming in the classroom. "As a society, and especially today, it is imperative to be able to access the full pipeline of diverse talent to foster scientific discovery, and that starts in the classroom. Canadian high schools need more resources to break down barriers, renew scientific equipment and nurture the spark of innovation within each and every student, and Sanofi Canada sees this as vital to the future of our life sciences community," said Marissa Poole, Country Lead, Sanofi Canada and General Manager, Sanofi Genzyme. "The Biogenius Grant will create new opportunities to support access for ALL high school students to careers in health and life sciences through hands-on STEM learning. By ensuring an inclusive approach, we will help close the gaps that exist and inspire interest in the sciences so that every Canadian student has the opportunity to succeed." The Sanofi Biogenius Grant program is designed for Canadian public high schools offering science courses to students of Grades 9, 10, 11 or 12 (or Secondary 3, 4 and 5 in Quebec) and looking to revitalize science instruction in their school. Applicants must demonstrate what they do to inspire their students to innovate through hands-on learning opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), while also sharing strong community support and engagement in their efforts. Funded exclusively by Sanofi Canada, Biogenius Grant recipients will be selected following a review process, with the final decisions being made by an independent cross-Canada panel of experts in STEM instruction and research. Recipients will use these funds to renovate existing laboratory facilities, purchase new science equipment, develop programs that maximize the impact of their lab, or any combination of the above to help pave the way for the next generation of leaders great thinkers, innovators, and expert researchers who will shape the future of our country. Schools interested in participating can find more information and can complete an online registration form at grant.biogenius.ca; all applications must be submitted no later than 12am (local time) on April 1, 2021. The Biogenius Grant will work in tandem with the existing Sanofi Biogenius Canada science competition, expanding the overall impact within public high schools by helping improve access to scientific equipment and learning resources for hands-on STEM instruction for all students. Registration for the 2020-2021 edition of the SBC science competition continues until March 1 at www.biogenius.ca. About Sanofi Biogenius Canada Sanofi Biogenius Canada (SBC) is a national science initiative for youth founded in 1993 by Sanofi Canada. Its signature program is the SBC biotechnology and life sciences competition, a unique science fair opportunity for high school students that has helped over 6,000 young Canadians pursue real-world research projects that have proven to be launch pads to future success. In 2021, Sanofi Canada launched the Biogenius Grant, expanding the impact to public high schools by helping improve access to scientific equipment and learning resources for hands-on STEM instruction, further motivating students to embrace scientific discovery. For more information, please visit our website at www.biogenius.ca/ or follow SBC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the #SBC2021 hashtag. About Sanofi Sanofi is dedicated to supporting people through their health challenges. We are a global biopharmaceutical company focused on human health. We prevent illness with vaccines, provide innovative treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We stand by the few who suffer from rare diseases and the millions with long-term chronic conditions. With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around the globe. Sanofi entities in Canada employ approximately 2,000 people. In 2018, we invested more than $127 million in R&D in Canada, creating jobs, business and opportunity throughout the country. Follow us on Twitter @SanofiCanada and on YouTube. Sanofi, Empowering Life SOURCE Sanofi Canada For further information: Media Relations Contact: Emilija Businskas, [email protected] This year, four of a total of fifteen Pfizer Research Prizes have been awarded to physicians from the University of Bern and the Inselspital, University Hospital Bern. The award-winning work deals with leukemia, cardiac arrhythmias and the fever threshold in children and adolescents with cancer. The Pfizer Research Prize is one of the most important research prizes for medicine in Switzerland. It is awarded annually to outstanding young scientists who have made outstanding and pioneering contributions to laboratory or clinical research at Swiss research institutes or hospitals. The Pfizer Research Prize is awarded at the request of independent scientific committees in five fields, and the prizes are each worth 15,000 Swiss francs. In the field of oncology, Ass. Prof. Dr. Carsten Riether of the Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR) of the University of Bern and University Clinic for Medical Oncology at Inselspital will receive the award. PD Dr. med. Jin Li, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine (IBMM), and PD Dr. Ange Maguy, Department of Physiology at the University of Bern, will each receive the award in the fields of cardiovascular medicine, urology and nephrology. In the field of pediatrics, Dr. med. Christa Konig of the University Clinic of Pediatrics at Inselspital and Medical Faculty member of the University of Bern will receive an award. I am very pleased about this success. The Pfizer Research Prizes are an important recognition - also for the strong commitment of our faculty to the promotion of young researchers." Dr med. Claudio Bassetti, Professor and Dean of Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern Combating therapy resistance in blood cancer Acute myeloid leukemia is a malignant disease of the hematopoietic (blood cell formation) system that occurs mainly in people over 65 and originates in leukemia stem cells. Due to naturally accompanying symptoms and a poor general condition, the affected age group often cannot be treated with intensive chemotherapy or possible stem cell transplantation. They would only be able to be treated with so-called hypomethylating agents, which are special drugs that support blood formation. However, leukemia stem cells are resistant to these substances. Carsten Riether and his team found that the surface molecule CD70 is produced at higher levels by leukemia stem cells during treatment with hypomethylating agents. Consequently, the team determined whether it would be possible to target CD70 with an antibody and thus improve the success of treatment. Leukemia stem cells were significantly reduced as a consequence of combating CD70 with antibodies in pre-clincal models and in a phase I clinical trial. "This study has discovered a new mechanism for resistance to therapy and has facilitated the investigation of a potential treatment strategy", Riether explains. Stabilizing the cardiac rhythm Every contraction of the heart muscle is preceded by electrical stimulation. For this to happen, the electrical activity must be correctly mediated by the cells of the heart. Patients with long QT syndrome have a defective ion channel, a protein on the surface of heart cells coordinating the electrical activity. The time for the heart to recharge between each heartbeat (the so-called QT time) is abnormally prolonged and puts patients at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden cardiac arrest. Currently available treatment options are nonspecific and fail to correct the underlying physiology. PD Dr. Ange Maguy and PD Dr. med. Jin Li identified an antibody targeting a specific ion channel that is able to restore the electrical stability in heart cells of a patient with long QT syndrome. "Moreover, these antibodies completely suppressed the occurrence of arrhythmias in the heart cells of a patient with long QT syndrome", says Jin Li. "This is the first study to implement the use of antibodies for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias", adds Ange Maguy. New fever threshold for children and adolescents with cancer The most common side effect of chemotherapy in children and adolescents with cancer is fever with a temporary shortage of defending white blood cells, a condition called neutropenia (FN). FN is treated with emergency hospitalization and immediate administration of antibiotics, but it is unclear at what fever threshold this therapy must be initiated. The team around Christa Konig of the University Clinic of Pediatrics at Inselspital and Cecile Adam of the University Hospital of Lausanne has investigated if a higher fever threshold (ear temperature 39.0C) is not worse for the diagnosis of FN than a lower fever threshold (38.5C) in terms of safety. This first study worldwide on the fever threshold in FN was conducted at six Swiss pediatric oncology centers. 269 children and adolescents were involved. "Our results show that the higher fever threshold of 39.0C is no less safe. By switching to the higher temperature, clinics can reduce overtreatment in the future," explains Christa Konig. This influences individual patient management and has additional public health economic implications. (Natural News) Labor unions that previously endorsed China Joe for president are having some serious buyers remorse now that the incoming regime has decided to kill the Keystone XL oil pipeline project. During his first day in office, Beijing Biden revoked the construction permit for the pipeline, eliminating thousands of high-paying union jobs, not to mention the 42,000 additional jobs that would have been filled following its completion. TC Energy Corp., the Canadian company that shares ownership of the pipeline with the government of Alberta, Can., had estimated that 10,000 jobs would have been created in 2021 alone thanks to the pipeline. This is in addition to the 1,000 jobs that were already created. Just a stroke of the pen for Joe but now 42,000 union jobs are gone, American independence on oil is gone and we are back to depending on foreign nations, tweeted Ray Denaro, a political activist from Brooklyn. Mark McManus, president of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters said in a statement that in revoking this permit, the Biden regime has chosen to listen to the voices of fringe activists instead of union members and the American consumer on Day 1. He added that thousands of union workers are now jobless thanks to Biden. Further, the average American family will now have to pay more for energy and local communities will no longer see the types of local investments that come with the construction of a pipeline. Back on Aug. 17, the United Association tweeted an endorsement for Biden that promised more work with good wages and benefits under a Biden regime. It also talked about how Joe was going to make sure that infrastructure, energy, retirement security, and union rights were all preserved and expanded. This endorsement is about putting UA members to work and fighting for fair wages and good benefits, McManus stated at that time. Under a Biden Administration [sic], thats exactly what well get. Looks like Democrats are no longer the workers party The North American Building Trades Unions issued a similar endorsement for Biden back on Nov. 4, celebrating the mainstream media claim that Biden received more votes than Barack Hussein Obama along with every other presidential candidate in history. North Americas Building Trades Unions are deeply disappointed in the decision to cancel the Keystone XL permit on the Presidents first official day in office, said Sean McGarvey, president of The Building Trades. Environmental ideologues have now prevailed, and over a thousand union men and women have been terminated from employment on the project. McGarvey went on to lament that despite Jan. 20 being a historic day that is filled with hope and optimism for so many Americans and people around the world, tens of thousands of workers are left to wonder what the future holds for them. He further added that Bidens decision to cancel the pipeline project has created uncertainty and anxiety. The story is much the same for the Laborers International Union of North America, whose president announced that Bidens cancelation of the Keystone XL pipeline project is both insulting and disappointing to the thousands of hard-working LIUNA members who will lose good-paying, middle-class family-supporting jobs. By blocking this 100-percent union project, and pandering to environmental extremists, a thousand union jobs will immediately vanish and 10,000 additional jobs will be foregone. Back in September, the LIUNA proudly endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, celebrating Labor Day 2020 with Biden & Harris as the blue-collar candidates. The LIUNA wrote in a separate tweet that Elections MATTER, which is an understatement after Bidens first few days in office. For more related news about the Biden regime, check out Collapse.news. Sources for this article include: BizPacReview.com NaturalNews.com The bench questioned the government as to why it has not constituted the board when it had issued GO No. 36 for the purpose two years back. PTI file photo HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Thursday asked the state government whether it had any sympathy for workers in the unorganised sector or not. The court said the doubt gains credence from the fact that it has not started the registration process for workers in that sector. A division bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy was adjudicating a PIL filed by Congress leader Cilarapu Damodar Rajanarsimha, espousing the cause of the unorganised workers, the problems they are facing and the pathetic life they led during Covid-19 lockdown. According to petitioner's counsel Ch Ravi Kumar, the government had failed to constitute the State Social Security Board for unorganised workers numbering over one crore. Many of them lost their livelihood. Now, they are left insecure and deprived of statutory protection and, are deprived of the benefits intended under the Labour Welfare Act. Five months ago, during the first instance of hearing the PIL, the then division bench asked the government to appoint all 32 members of the board. Only two were appointed. They include the labour minister and an official from the labour department. The bench questioned the government as to why it has not constituted the board when it had issued GO No. 36 for the purpose two years back. The government pleader was not in a position to tell the quantum of funds available with the board. The court directed the government to reveal what funds were available with the board and the funds allotted by the Union and state governments. The court summoned the labour commissioner to be present before it virtually on February 25, the next date of hearing, to explain the delay in constitution of a full-fledged board and why it had delayed starting the registration of workers from unorganised sector. The Chief Justice found fault with the counter-affidavit of the labour commissioner wherein he stated that the issue of appointment of members to the board is under active consideration of the government and wondered if they wanted another five years to make the appointments. 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. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global Granisetron HCl API Market report offers a comprehensive analysis of current trends and future opportunities. This report is responsible for quantitative estimation and foreseen future for upcoming years based on the recent companies strategic moves and historical data. Further, the market report is categorized into different segments, regions, and countries level. This report also provides competitor analysis with its market share and developments. The final report will cover the impact of COVID-19 on this industry. The global Granisetron HCl API market report presents a complete research-based study of the industry including details such as company shares, forecast data, in-depth analysis and an outlook of the market on a worldwide platform. The report further highlights the market drivers, restraints and the top manufacturers at the global and regional levels. For a thorough understanding, the report also offers market segmentation and regional analysis for the forecast period from 2020 to 2025. Click here to get a Sample PDF Copy of the Granisetron HCl API Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-31487 According to this study, over the next five years, the Granisetron HCl API market will register an xx% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach $ xx million by 2025, from $ xx million in 2020. In particular, this report presents the global market share (sales and revenue) of key companies in the Granisetron HCl API business, shared in Chapter 3. This Granisetron HCl API market report also splits the market by regions: Americas (United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil), APAC (China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, Australia), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain), Middle East & Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Turkey, GCC Countries). This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of the Granisetron HCl API market by type, application, key manufacturers, key regions, and countries. The key manufacturers covered in this report: Breakdown data in Chapter 3. Tecoland VulcanChem Pharmaffiliates Haorui Venkatasai Life Sciences NINGBO INNO PHARMCHEM Wuhan senwayer century chemical Fengchen Group BTP Pharm Others To inquire about report customization, feel free to reach out to our team of expert analysts @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/ask-questions-31487 This study considers the Granisetron HCl API value and volume generated from the sales of the following segments: Segmentation by type: breakdown data from 2015 to 2020, in Section 2.3; and forecast to 2025 in section 11.7. Min Purity Less Than 98% Min Purity 98%-99% Min Purity More Than 99% Segmentation by application: breakdown data from 2015 to 2020, in Section 2.4; and forecast to 2025 in section 11.8. Research Pharmaceutical In addition, this report discusses the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, challenges, and the risks faced by key manufacturers and the market as a whole. It also analyzes key emerging trends and their impact on present and future development. Purchase the Complete Global Granisetron HCl API Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-31487 Research Objectives To study and analyze the global Granisetron HCl API consumption (value & volume) by key regions/countries, type and application, history data from 2015 to 2019, and forecast to 2025. To understand the structure of the Granisetron HCl API market by identifying its various subsegments. Focuses on the key global Granisetron HCl API manufacturers, to define, describe, and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in the next few years. To analyze the Granisetron HCl API with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market. To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks). To project the consumption of Granisetron HCl API submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries). To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. About Us: DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research report provider, enriching decision-makers, and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research reports, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains. Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed. For more details: DecisionDatabases.com E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.com Phone: +91 90 28 057900 Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ Reference Source: https://www.topnewscorner.com/global-granisetron-hcl-api-market-report-analysis-by-types-applications-regional-outlook-and-forecast-to-2025/ [January 29, 2021] CRITICALSTART Honored in CEO Innovation Awards 2021 PLANO, Texas, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CRITICALSTART, a leading cybersecurity provider of Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services , has been awarded the Innovation in Cybersecurity Award from D CEO and Dallas Innovates' Innovation Awards a compilation of individuals and organizations blazing the trail toward the next normal in Dallas-Fort Worth. The distinction is considered a hallmark of innovative entrepreneurial success in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. For the second year, the Innovation Awards brings together influential technology and corporate innovators to celebrate and network virtually this year in acknowledgement of the growing success of outstanding companies, CEOs, CIOs and CTOs in North Texas. "CRITICALSTART is a company that prides itself on adhering to innovation as a core value, and we are honored to be recognized for doing so," said Rob Davis, CEO of CRITICALSTART. "Our employees come to work each day with an enterprising spirit, and that ethos has helped pave the way for a number of innovations in the cybersecurity space like our Trusted Behavior Registry and the world's first native iOS and Android applications for delivering mobile apps that allow customers to detect cyber-attacks and breaches at any time and from any place." "The companies ad leaders we've honored have done some amazing things, despite all the obstacles that came with COVID-19 and more. Along the way, they're disrupting their industries and solidifying Dallas-Fort Worth's reputation as one of the nation's top markets for innovation," said Gillea Allison, D Magazine President. "It's especially felt in the technology arena, but innovation permeates companies of all sizes in every industry, from healthcare and education to energy and commercial real estate. Congratulations to all the 51 finalists and winners." For more information on the D CEO and Dallas Innovates' Innovation Awards, visit their site here . About CRITICALSTART CRITICALSTART is the MDR expert that leaves nothing to chance. Our mission is simple: detect threats and stop breaches by resolving every alert for our customers. We do this for enterprises through our award-winning portfolio of end-to-end security services, including MDR and Professional Services. Visit criticalstart.com for more information or follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn or Facebook . About D CEO D CEO builds community among top North Texas executives with its insightful, authoritative, and pro- vocative coverage of Dallas-Fort Worth business. The magazine provides expert analysis with regular columns on key business topics such as real estate, law, healthcare, and technology. D CEO is frequently named the best regional business magazine in the country by the Alliance of Area Business Publishers. About D Magazine Partners D Magazine is the city magazine of Dallas. For four decades, it has served as the independent voice of the city, revealing the best Dallas has to offer. D Magazine Partners also publishes D CEO, D Home, D Weddings, Dallas Medical Guide, Dallas Regional Chamber Publications, People Newspapers, and dmagazine.com , an award-winning website. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/criticalstart-honored-in-ceo-innovation-awards-2021-301217779.html SOURCE CRITICALSTART [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Administratorii portalului nu poarta raspundere pentru continutul postarilor si materialelor plasate de utilizatorii site-ului. Utilizati informatia din acest articol pe propriul risc. The Museum of the Bible in Washington, which has been bedeviled since its inception in 2017 by claims that it acquired thousands of biblical artifacts on the black market, has quietly repatriated 5,000 manuscripts and bits of papyrus to Egypt, which has long asserted the items were ferreted from the country in 2011 amid the upheavals of the Arab Spring. Steve Green, chairman of the Bible Museum and a co-founder of the multibillion-dollar Hobby Lobby chain, had hinted at the return in March when he said that several thousand items that likely originated from Iraq and Egypt, but for which there was insufficient reliable provenance information, would be returned to their countries of origin. The return is one of several instances in which the museum, under legal pressure, has been forced to repatriate antiquities lacking proper paperwork. Some 450 cuneiform tablets and 3,000 ancient seals known as bullae were sent back to Iraq in 2017, and Hobby Lobby paid $3 million in a settlement with the U.S. government. In 2018, the museum announced that experts had concluded that five of 16 fragments said to have been part of the Dead Sea Scrolls were forgeries and removed them from display. (In 2020, the museums entire collection of scrolls was found to be fake.) The U.S. government has also seized an item known as the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet, which contains part of the Epic of Gilgamesh and was on loan to the museum. The government says the item, which the Hobby Lobby bought at Christies in 2014 for $1.6 million, was taken illegally from Iraq. The police have launched a probe after a prisoner inside HMP Maghaberry managed to send a death threat to a person outside of the confines of the prison walls. The prisoner, who has previous criminal convictions, had been remanded in custody for breaching a restraining order and making another threat to kill. It is understood the inmate used the prison's internal mail system to deliver the letter he penned, in which the threats were made, to the outside world. Staff inside Maghaberry are within the law if they open and read inmates personal correspondence, with the exception of legal communications. The lag in question has allegedly threatened the businessman who was the recipient of the letter in the past. It was reported in the Irish News that the contents of the letter detailed how the businessman, a north Down anti-drugs campaigner, should look out for "two men on a large motorbike". Read More The author, who refers to himself in the third person, goes on to say that he has been "handling weapons from 11 and targeting republicans at 15". He also names two other men in the letter, detailing their vehicles, referring to them as "b******s" and adding that they will be "sorted in time". A spokesperson for the PSNI said: "We do not discuss the security of individuals and no inference should be drawn from this. "However, if we receive information that a person's life may be at risk we will inform them accordingly. We never ignore anything which may put an individual at risk." Kansas City #TBT news seems to celebrate the return of the dude who sold out to the Belgians. Reality check . . . The brand was already fading and culture war drama proved too powerful against a company culture that was clearly flawed. Test this theory . . . Is anybody REEEEEAAAAALLY excited about Valentine's booze season and chocolate ale anymore?!?! And so marketing hacks promote the "return of the king" after the beer giant as already fallen flat. Check the links . . . KSHB: Boulevard Brewing founder to lead company, says 'mistakes' were made KCUR: Boulevard Brewery Turns To Founder In Wake Of Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Claims Fox4: Boulevard Brewing founder making changes after harassment allegations, resignations KMBC: Boulevard Brewing Co. founder apologizes after sexual harassment allegations against company Developing . . . Johnson & Johnsons much anticipated one-shot vaccine showed strong protection against COVID-19 infection, the late-stage trial data showed. "The vaccine candidate was 85% effective in preventing severe disease across all regions studied, 28 days after vaccination in all adults 18 years and older," the company said. The vaccine prevented 66% of moderate to severe cases of COVID-19, according to a company statement on Friday. Over 44,000 participants took part in the late stage trial of Johnson & Johnsons coronavirus vaccine. Based on the result, Johnson & Johnson would file an emergency-use authorisation of its coronavirus vaccine in the United states, the company said earlier. The J&J shot delivers genetic instructions for human cells to create a specific protein of the coronavirus, in order to train the immune system for the live virus. Moderna Inc. and Pfizer Inc. have generated stronger overall efficacy rates, but require two shots. The single-shot vaccine could go a long way toward ending the pandemic, experts said. A one-shot vaccine is considered by the World Health Organization to be the best option in pandemic settings, enhancing access, distribution and compliance," said Paul Stoffels, M.D., vice chairman of the executive committee and chief scientific officer, Johnson & Johnson. These topline results with a single-shot COVID-19 vaccine candidate represent a promising moment. The potential to significantly reduce the burden of severe disease, by providing an effective and well-tolerated vaccine with just one immunization, is a critical component of the global public health response," Stoffels added. These results are a testament to the extraordinary efforts of everyone involved in our COVID-19 vaccine candidate clinical program, and we are extremely grateful to the clinical trial staff and trial participants for their invaluable contributions," said Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., global head, Janssen Research & Development. The phase 3 study of 45,000 people across 80 countries potentially included cases of new strains identified in South Africa and Brazil, US pharmaceutical's chief financial officer said. "In terms of supply we're very confident and on track to meet all of our commitments," he added. The pharma giant earlier promised 100 million doses to the US by the end of June, about 200 million doses by the end of the year to the EU with shipments starting in April, and 200 million doses to developing countries that will begin shipping in the second half of the year. The vaccine could become the third to receive emergency use authorization in the US. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. A man who was killed after a chase and brief standoff at South Park Mall was identified Thursday by the Bexar County Medical Examiners Office. Erick Mejia, 26, died of multiple gunshot wounds just before noon Wednesday in the parking lot of the Southwest Side mall. The incident began at 11:11 a.m. when Mejia was pulled over as he was driving a tractor-trailer rig north on the access road of Interstate 35, northeast of South Zarzamora Street, a San Antonio police report states. Chief William McManus said Mejia was pulled over by a Texas Department of Transportation officer, whose job it is to inspect big rigs. The officer approached Mejia and told him the reason for the stop, which was not listed in the report released Thursday. Mejia then left the vehicle and fled to the mall, police said. Police have not indicated where he entered the mall, but that he exited from behind a Dicks Sporting Goods store at the east side of the mall facing I-35. On ExpressNews.com: Beyonce's cousin identified as man shot to death in La Cantera-area apartment At this point, a bystander recording officers searching the area filmed Mejia exiting the store next to a loading dock. The footage shows Mejia, with a gun in his right hand, looking at the officers and a helicopter flying overhead. As police surround him with guns drawn, Mejia is seen sitting on the ground for a moment. He stands up once more and attempts to get back inside the store, but there are no handles on the locked door. He rings a bell to the entrance but receives no response. The video ends as he begins walking through the parking lot, surrounded by police ordering him to drop his gun. In another video, Mejia is seen roaring in frustration as he walks toward the I-35 access road. He can be heard yelling at officers, Get away from me! using explicit language. On ExpressNews.com: 'I don't want to be without her' - Undocumented immigrants seek legal status after years of sanctuary in Austin churches After removing a piece of clothing hanging from his neck, the video shows Mejia raising the gun in his right hand. Thats when officers begin shooting, striking Mejia several times. He died at the scene. SAPD said four officers opened fire on Mejia. None of the officers were identified Thursday, but McManus said they had served 10, 13, 23 and 26 years on the force. Police did not release any more details about Mejia, but court records indicate he was sentenced to eight years probation in December 2013 for a conviction of aggravated robbery. According to SAPD policy established in December, the department has 60 days from the date of the shooting to release body camera footage on the citys website. If the chief of police finds a reason not to release the footage in accordance with the policy, he must post a reason for the decision. Case Protagonist For Lomtadze, being a case protagonist was reminiscent of the challenges of being an HBS student. The MBA students were asking most of the same questions the investors asked us during the IPO process, he recalls. The case discussion grappled with when to go to IPO and where to do so, a nitty-gritty view of the process outsiders arent always privy to. Lomtadze and the students debated if Kaspi.kz was still a bank, with the majority decidingas Lomtadze didthat the company was now a technology platform. And the students wonderedas the Kaspi.kz team hadhow to sell that vision to investment banks and investors. Lomtadze provided a twist ending for the case. Kaspi.kz had decided to put the IPO on hold. The company felt that its business model had not been explained properly by its advisors and consequently had been undervalued, and the leadership team believed that they needed more time to execute on the strategy to better prove the value of its mobile app and ecosystem-driven strategy. The students were concerned that the company would suffer from the aborted plans. Interestingly, about a year after Lomtadzes class visit, he and his team decided to proceed with the IPO on October 15, 2020. The move proved fruitfulKaspi.kz was oversubscribed by five times and valued at $6.5 billion. At the end, Kaspi.kz London IPO was a success, observes Ivashina, but the case illustrates the significant frictions in the financial markets and the constantly evolving challenges and opportunities for innovative business models like Kaspi.kz. Or maybe youll be lucky enough to have a friend who discovers through other friends that a different Chicago hospital is opening vaccine appointments to non-patients. Maybe your friend will share that precious info with you. Maybe, if you hurry, you can call and, after half an hour on hold, get an appointment for a shot in March. [January 29, 2021] Syracuse Group Hires Top Wall Street Analyst To Further Their Growth HONG KONG, CHINA, Jan. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At a press conference on Monday, Syracuse Group announced a new addition to their highly regarded analytical team with the addition of Kenneth James. Syracuse Group is always looking to expand on their research scope throughout the global financial markets and see Kenneth as the man to lead the charge in 2021. Being an international financial institution that provides asset management services to a diverse client base, they know that in order to differentiate themselves, they need to be able to provide their clients with pertinent investment opportunities in a timely manner on a global scale. This has led to the brokerage firm appointing Kenneth James as their new Chief Analyst, who will in turn be in charge of expanding the in-house team of analysts. Kenneth James has built a reputation as a well-respected expert in the financial analyst field and brings over 30+ years' experience with him to Syracuse Group, with a large part of his experience in in-depth company analysis and valuation. Kenneth has a wealth of experience in macro market analysis, research and valuatios for a number of brokerage firms and banks in the region, including Tip ranks and HSBC before being head hunted by Syracuse Group in late 2020. "The board here are proud to have Mr. James join our team of financial experts" said Dennis Brachman, Finance Director, and board member at Syracuse Group. "Mr. James strong industry track record will be vital for the future growth of Syracuse Group and will enable us to continue to push the boundaries in the global investment sphere. Mr. James will leverage his experience and deep understanding of the global financial markets to increase the breadth and geographical coverage of the Syracuse research department. James will be based at the Hong Kong office, until our new office in Switzerland is ready, which is where hell be in charge of strategy and development of research and analysis moving forward. Syracuse Group offers a large choice of portfolio management services, and financial advice to their globally diverse client base. Through the combination of financial experts, and their extensive knowledge of the financial markets, Syracuse Group ensures that all of their clients remain satisfied. To find out more about how Syracuse Group can assist you visit https://www.syracusegroup.com/ Media Contact Name: Ryan Li Company: Syracuse Group Email: Info@syracusegroup.com Website: https://www.syracusegroup.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Kovind defends new farm laws and condemns R'Day violence; says govt 'vigilant' amid standoff with China India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 29: President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday strongly defended the three new agri laws saying their benefits have begun reaching 10 crore small farmers instantly, and condemned as "''very unfortunate" the Republic Day violence and "dishonour" to the tricolour during the tractor parade by the protesting farm unions here. Kovind said this in his customary address to the joint sitting of Parliament that marks the start of the Budget session each year. The speech, which is cleared by the Union Cabinet, outlines the government''s work and agenda. Without naming China, the President also slammed that country for its efforts to disrupt peace at the Line of Actual Control(LAC) in "utter disregard" of bilateral relations and agreements. Hailing the security forces for foiling attempts to change the status quo at the border amid an "unprecedented escalation" in tension, Kovind, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, said the government is "vigilant" and that additional forces have been deployed to safeguard India''s sovereignty. The President''s hour-long address was boycotted by over 20 opposition parties including the Congress in support of the demand of the protesting farmers for the repeal of the three farm laws. Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu raised slogans like ''Jai Jawan Jai Kisan'' during the address. Some opposition MPs were heard raising slogans in the Central Hall''s gallery. Terming the boycott as "unfortunate", BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the opposition has violated parliamentary conventions. Kovind also touched upon the government''s efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive vaccination drive. Farmers' protest: Scuffle breaks out at Singhu border; lathi charge, tear gas used On the state of economy, he said the country has started emerging from the economic setback suffered due to the pandemic and that this is evident from several indicators With his speech coming at the time of a lengthy agitation by farmers at Delhi''s border, Kovind highlighted the Modi government''s efforts to give fillip to agriculture, especially small farmers, and also dwelt at length about its measures to boost economy, infrastructure, industry and helping the poor among others. He also noted that the new farm reform laws enacted in September last year have immediately benefited 10 crore small farmers, and said various parties in the past had supported these measures. Criticising the violence which marred the farmers'' protest on the Republic Day on January 26, he said if the Constitution gives us the right to freedom of expression, it also teaches us to take laws and rules seriously. Noting that the Supreme Court has put the implementation of the three laws on hold, Kovind said the government will respect whatever is the decision of the apex court. "My Government has always respected freedom of expression and holding of peaceful agitations in a democratic set up. However, the recent acts of dishonouring the National Flag and showing disrespect to the auspicious occasion of the Republic Day are unfortunate," he said. The President also said the rights and facilities available under the system prevailing before the enactment of the three new laws are not affected in any way. "Rather, through these agricultural reforms, the Government has provided new facilities to the farmers and has empowered them". The need of the hour in the agricultural sector is to focus our attention on the small and marginal farmers who own only less than two hectares of land and comprise more than 80 percent of the farmers in the country, he said, putting their numbers at over 10 crore. "My government accords priority to these small and marginal farmers too. In order to provide expenditure support to these farmers, almost Rs 1,13,000 crore have been directly transferred to their bank accounts under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi." Against the backdrop of the Chinese aggression in eastern Ladakh, Kovind paid tributes to the 20 soldiers who made supreme sacrifices in a clash with the Chinese army at the Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh in June last year. India and China are locked in a tense military standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5 last. When the country was grappling with Covid-19 pandemic, attempts were made to challenge its capability at the border, he said. "Our security forces not only responded to these machinations with promptitude, force and courage, but also foiled all attempts to change the status quo at the border. The restraint, valour and courage displayed by our jawans, deserve utmost praise. My government is vigilant and fully committed to safeguarding the interests of the country." Acknowledging that the Budget session is being held at a challenging time of COVID-19, he said no matter how big the challenge is, India will remain undeterred and asserted whenever the country has remained united, it has attained even seemingly unattainable goals. The President expressed sadness that in the fight against the pandemic, India has lost many countrymen and paid homage to his predecessor Pranab Mukherjee and six MPs who passed away during the period last year. On the the government''s measures to fight the pandemic, he asserted that its timely decisions saved lives of lakhs of people while its record package helped the economy. Over 80 crore poor people were provided free ration for eight months, he said. Lauding the ''Aatmanirbhar Bharat'' programme, the President said it is not just confined to manufacturing in India but is also a campaign aimed at elevating the standard of living of every Indian as well as boosting the self-confidence of the country. He cited ancient philosopher Chanakya''s assertion that a person who implores or begs is considered to be less valuable than even straw or cotton, to back India''s self-reliance exercise. This implies that in order to enhance our relevance or importance, the country must minimise its dependence on others and become self-reliant, he said. The President in his address also referred to poetry of greats from Assam, Kerala and Bengal. As he began his speech, he invoked ''Assam Kesari'' Ambikagiri Raichaudhuri to highlight India''s grandeur and give a call for unity, and later referred to Malayalam poet Vallathol, known for his patriotic poems. He ended his speech by invoking Jyotirindranath Tagore, elder brother of RabindranathTagore. He also said it is a matter of immense pride that India is conducting the world's largest vaccination programme. "Both the vaccines rolled out under this programme are produced indigenously." Our country has faced every crisis with fortitude, be it the Coronavirus pandemic, floods, earthquakes or major cyclones in several States, locust attack or the bird flu, he said of the recent period. "The recent past also saw an unprecedented escalation in tension along the border. The nation stood together, battled crises on multiple fronts and surmounted every challenge. During this period, we all have also witnessed the unparalleled courage, endurance, discipline and spirit of service of our countrymen," the President said. He said the Centre is committed to countering all forces challenging India''s sovereignty and unity and taking firm action against those inciting violence in the country. After the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, the President said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been empowered with new entitlements. Noting that India is set to play a larger role in the future, he said his government is intent on strengthening the country''s military preparedness with a range of modern armaments being procured to enhance the capabilities of the armed forces. On issues relating to economy, he said that even during the difficult COVID-hit times India has emerged as an attractive destination for foreign investors. Between April and August, 2020, a record foreign direct investment of 36 billion dollars has been made in India, he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 19:45 [IST] NORTH CHICAGO, ILL. -- The $50 million Innovation and Research Park (IRP) on the campus of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFU) marked its first anniversary with a virtual opening ceremony on Jan. 28, featuring dignitaries and leaders from the government, bioscience industry and economic development sectors. Dr. Wendy Rheault, RFU president and CEO, noted that the opening ceremony was originally planned for March 2020, but "the impact of COVID-19 on our campus, in our region and worldwide rendered that impossible." "Even though we are still dealing with the ramifications of COVID-19, we felt an appropriate celebration and recognition of our community and partners would be a testament to the resilience of science and importance of discovery at this particular point in history," Dr. Rheault added. "This significant addition to Chicagoland's research and bioscience community demonstrates our faith in scientific discovery and its direct impact on patient health." "The completion of Rosalind Franklin University's Innovation and Research Park is the type of strategic investment that helps us reach the kind of future our state deserves," said Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. "This project demonstrates that innovation is critical to our success as a state, and this past year in particular. We need more bold thinkers and more brave risk-takers to solve our toughest challenges. We need more entrepreneurs and innovators to continue generating new ideas and finding new opportunities." Pritzker also applauded Dr. Rheault and RFU Executive Vice President for Research Dr. Ronald Kaplan for "their continued leadership and for supporting science and innovation in our state." Of the 100,000 square feet in the IRP, two-thirds are allocated to RFU research labs and six disease-based centers, while the remaining third is available to healthcare industries and startups. "We designed each of the four floors of the new building to contain both academic and industry laboratories, as well as shared 'collision space' to facilitate future conversation and collaboration between researchers and industry," said Dr. Kaplan. "The placement of RFU discovery science in close proximity to cutting-edge pharmaceutical and medical-device science will provide ideal conditions to hasten the translation of our biomedical discoveries into therapeutics and diagnostics to improve people's lives." "The new facility, and the center-based organization, has already had a large impact on the research environment by facilitating new collaborations among scientists and as an attractive factor in recruiting the best young scientists," said Dr. Jeremy Amiel Rosenkranz, director of RFU's Brain Science Institute. "This will be further enhanced, and we are very excited, by the arising opportunities to interact with industry partners as they arrive." The first tenant for the IRP, Inspirotec, Inc., was founded by former Abbott Labs senior scientist Dr. Julian Gordon who worked at King's College in London in the same lab where RFU's namesake, Dr. Rosalind Franklin, conducted her groundbreaking research on DNA in the early 1950s. Inspirotec is the only company providing airborne allergen detection either direct to the consumer or through physicians, industrial hygienists, indoor air quality professionals and home resale. It has developed a highly sensitive, patented technology for testing and measuring biological agents in the air, including viruses and specifically SARS-CoV-2. The device, AirAnswersTM, was launched in September 2020. Inspirotec plans to move into its new space in the IRP during April 2021. The Innovation and Research Park was designed to accelerate RFU's nationally recognized research into treatment and prevention of disease, and to support collaboration among academic and industry scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs. The facility, including its Helix 51 incubator, is strategically located halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee, and provides state-of-the-art laboratories and spaces for faculty and commercial startups, along with small- to mid-size national and international biotech firms. Several new biomedical companies joined Helix 51 during the last quarter of 2020 including Covira Surgical (non-antibiotic anti-infectives), Voyant Diagnostics (COVID and other virus testing) and Quantitative Neural Analysis (tardive dyskinesia). ### About Rosalind Franklin University Dear patient readers, Your at best cranky blogger is even more short-tempered due to being under the weather. I am disproving the IM Doc claim that no one is getting any bugs save Covid. I have swollen glands, feel generally crappy (the way I do when I take meds that disagree with me) and am super cold (not chills, my hands and feet are palpably extremely cold despite the thermometer being set at 75). No Covid symptoms at all. Go figure. As a result of my bad mood, I was extremely harsh with some readers yesterday that I excoriated in private when they questioned our/our lawyers reading on Section 230 as it applies to this site (the short version is we are a content provider and our not a chat board policy and conduct means we cannot take the position we are an internet platform). I separately think it is extremely irresponsible of the EFF to do what amounts to giving legal advice to bloggers by assuring them that they are protected by Section 230 when any analysis would have to be site-specific and there is no case law on this issue. The EFFs recklessness is made worse by the fact that most bloggers would have difficulty raising the dough to mount a good defense if they were hit with a spiteful defamation suit. Please do not discuss Section 230 further below; I will rip out any comments because otherwise Id be tempted to get very testy, which is not called for. Im just using this as an illustration of how I am in extreme Dont annoy me mode. Hopefully I will feel better by next week. Zebra Finches Become a Flock of Songwriters in a Room Full of Electric Guitars My Modern Met (David L) These Are the Highest Resolution Photos Ever Taken of Snowflakes Smithsonian (David L) Cell cultures as pet food Pets may soon be fed laboratory-grown meat Economist (furzy) Nutria: What You Should Know About the Invasive Rodent Tree Hugger (resilc). Um, nutria fur often used to line coats back in the days before fur policing. A litmus test for the climate James Boyce, Bangor Daily News Teen Scientist Finds a Low-Tech Way to Recycle Water Discover (David L) Solar power got cheap. So why arent we using it more? Popular Science (resilc). What about switching costs dont you understand? As well as What about not having enough reliable sunlight some/a lot of the year? #COVID-19 EU could block millions of Covid vaccine doses from entering UK Guardian. Vaccine hoarding due to drug-makers trying to favor higher-priced orders. Dont mess with someone who regulates you. Covid: EU publishes disputed AstraZeneca Covid jab contract BBC Is a vaccine trade war brewing? UnHerd (resilc) Study ranks New Zealand Covid-19 response best, Brazil worst, US in bottom five France24 China? Chinese warplanes simulated attacking US carrier near Taiwan Financial Times Brexit Brexit: little local difficulties Richard North. A steady drip-drip-drip of stories like these. India Frequently Asked Questions on Farmer protests Yogesh Upadhyaya (resilc) Russia Syraqistan Iran Hawks Latest Smear Campaign Has Already Failed American Conservative Imperial Collapse Watch Air Force New Fighter Jet: Secret 6th Generation Fighter Details Esquire (UserFriendly). So a new bright shiny expensive military plane toy to distract attention to all the money thrown at the flying turkey known as the F-35? Actually that is not fair to turkeys, since I have seen wild ones fly (well, glide). Todays jet fighter designers dont get the point Asia Times (Chuck L). I beg to differ. They are selling PowerPoint to procure college tuitions. Big Brother is Watching You Watch Trump Transition Educator Shocked that GOP put Marjorie Taylor Greene, who spoke of Assassinating Nancy Pelosi and denied Parkland School Shootings, on House Education Committee Juan Cole (resilc) Capitol Seizure Managed to miss this when it first appeared, but in case you harbored any doubts as to who is in charge: Today, I made clear that if Democrats ever attack the key Senate rules, it would drain the consent and comity out of the institution. A scorched-earth Senate would hardly be able to function. It wouldnt be a progressives dream. It would be a nightmare. I guarantee it. Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) January 26, 2021 Some of the issues leading to this outburst here (as in what the end of the filibuster might be used to accomplish) Democrats Introduce Senate Bill To Make D.C. The 51st State Jonathan Turley. Note the Biden commission on Supreme Court changes is pure eyewash. A study is a way to pretend to do something and not do anything. On that matter, Biden is just trying to ground out the crowd pushing to expand the Supreme Court rather than tell them no. Health Care Apple CEO Tim Cook links Facebooks business model to violence CNBC (furzy) Google propagandizing users in Australia (note I get the same first result in the US without the Google spam). From Kevin W: Bed Bath & Beyonds stock tumbles toward a record loss, just as J.P. Morgan Chase discloses large stake MarketWatch (UserFriendly) Senate panel to hold hearing after high-flying Reddit stocks cause Wall Street chaos Axios (furzy) AOC rejects Cruz support over Wall Street chaos: You almost had me murdered CNN (Kevin W) Lawmakers rip Robinhoods decision on GameStop The Hill. No one here asking if Robinhood was adequately capitalized. Help me. Oh wait, after I wrote the above, someone is on that case: Robinhood App Is Said to Draw on Credit Lines From Banks Amid Stock Market Chaos Bloomberg Jordan Belfort: Robinhood shutting down GameStop activity because massive liability CNN (furzy). Note Belfort implies that the fault here was Robinhood not shutting down the trading earlier if they had reason to believe there was collusion. Separately, dunno why no one has gone after Robinhood. Their revenues come primarily from Citadel paying for their order flow. But per Fox, Citadel say it has a firewall. Hopefully with all of this official brouhaha someone will probe the veracity of this claim. But likely not, Bernanke is on Citadels payroll: Citadel LLC and the market maker Citadel Securities have a firewall between them, the latter does not know the positions of the former. Citadel Execution Services, part of the market-making business saw the most order flow from Robinhood during the third quarter. Suck It, Wall Street Matt Taibbi (furzy) Angry Hedge Fund Billionaire Is Mad at GameStop Redditors for Attacking Wealthy People Vanity Fair (furzy). Leon Cooperman has long been the poster child billionaire giving billionaires a bad name (as if thats hard to do). This is simultaneously revealing and silly. All the day-trader-y types despise Robinhood, so its not as if a good or bad Google rating will make any difference. But this does confirm a pet theory of a friend, that reputation defender firms have some sort of pay to play relationship with Google that has managed to stay secret: Jesus Christ they really are going all in to reveal the extent of the cabal that runs this country and rigs the rules https://t.co/w0tSQypp9Z Krystal Ball (@krystalball) January 29, 2021 FAA Files Reveal a Surprising Threat to Airline Safety: the U.S. Militarys GPS Tests IEEE Spectrum McKinsey in advanced talks with US states to settle opioid claims Financial Times Class Warfare Antidote du jour. I am pretty sure I ran this antidote from Chuck C over two years ago, but I like the ferocity: And a bonus (Kevin W). I love the way the cat looks back at the person with the camera, as if saying, Arent you going to do something? See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. The opposition Movement for Democratic Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa says the Harare City Council has been crippled by the government following the suspension of Mayor Jacob Mafume, his deputy and other councillors. Reacting to yesterdays suspension of Mafume, his deputy Luckson Mukunguma and councilor Anthony Shingadeya by Acting Local Government Minister Jenfan Muswere over claims that they violated some provisions of the Urban Councils Act, the partys secretary for local government, Sesil Zvidzai, described the situation as very concerning, adding that Harare has gone to the dogs. He said 24 out of 46 councillors have been recalled by the MDC-T, resulting in the collapse of all essential services. Zvidzai said, The Minister of Local Government lifted the suspension of mayor Mafume and deputy mayor Mukunguma and councilor Shingadeya only to resuspend them. The events of the past few months in the City of Harare has completely rendered council dysfunctional. A total of 24 councillors out of the 46 have been recalled and that means the committees cannot work effectively, the council cannot work effectively. Combined with this is the suspension of the Town Clerk and other directors. These operatives have been replaced by the minister of provincial affairs one Chidau and provincial coordinator a Mr. Muguti. Effectively, Harare now is being run by a commission. What is left is for this commission just to go full blown and begin to destroy the City of Harare. He said the social and political situation is chaotic in Harare due to government intervention in the council led by the opposition MDC Alliance. Evidence is there that services are continuing to spiral down as a result of these unnecessary recalls and suspensions, firings, disturbances of council processes. You know that they sent police to harass and arrest councilors in full flight of council meetings in the council chambers. So, this is the situation in Harare now and we all have to stand up and say this doesnt work for us. And indeed you can see the clear evidence of dysfunctionality. "You would take it as a joke that in the very inner vein of Harare in First Street unprecedentedly you are seeing people doing Pfumvudza, growing maize in First Street. These are the indicators of dysfunctionality, these are the indicators of absence of accountable government structure. So, this is the position. Sadly, Harare has gone to the dogs. Muswere was unreachable for comment as he was said to be attending meetings in Harare. DUBLIN, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "RF GaN Patent Landscape 2020" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. RF GaN intellectual property (IP) activities continue to grow, driven by next-gen telecom and military technologies requirements The radio frequency (RF) GaN market is experiencing impressive growth, mainly driven by telecom and military applications. The overall GaN RF market is expected to increase from $740M in 2019 to more than $2B in 2025, with a CAGR of 12%, according to Yole Developpement. In this report, the Semiconductor team gives a thorough description and analysis of the patent landscape related to GaN-based RF electronics, covering the whole value chain from epitaxial structures to RF semiconductor devices, circuits, packages, modules and systems. Analysts have selected and analyzed more than 6,300 patents published worldwide up to August 2020, representing more than 3,000 patent families (inventions) filed by more than 500 different organizations. This 2020 edition comprises 2x more patent families and more than 100 new players compared to the 2019 edition. In 2019-2020, the Chinese organizations represented more than 40% of the patent applicants (Americans = 23%, Japanese = 10%, Europeans = 3%). The rise in RF GaN patents from China-based companies follows a more general trend as the country transitions from a manufacturing to an innovation-driven economy. This trend also reflects the situation in the RF industry, with a Chinese market that shows exploding demand for commercial wireless telecom applications and Chinese companies already developing next-gen telecom networks. Moreover, following the US-China trade war, numerous China-based companies are trying to develop GaN RF for 5G infrastructures internally. Over the last few years, the level of creativity to address all the technology and manufacturing roadblocks for GaN RF devices has been impressive. More recently, IP developments are accelerating on topics further down the value chain: RF circuits, packaging, and modules/systems. The current patent activity suggests that manufacturing and technology issues still need to be solved in monolithic integration of different RF semiconductor devices; thermal management at epi-stack, semiconductor device and package levels; linearity at semiconductor device and circuit levels; and protection, matching and distortion compensation at circuit level. GaN RF leading companies should not underestimate China's IP as it is changing the landscape The RF GaN patent landscape is currently dominated by American and Japanese companies such as Cree, Fujitsu, Sumitomo Electric, Mitsubishi Electric, Intel, MACOM, Toshiba, Qorvo and Raytheon. The IP competition has been stronger in the US, as demonstrated by a much higher number of granted patents (1,200+) in contrast with China (640+), Japan (440+) and Europe (250+). However, the patenting activity is now focused on China. Cree has the stronger IP position thanks to numerous fundamental patents, especially for GaN-on-SiC technology. Over the past 5 years, inventive activity at Cree, Sumitomo Electric and Toshiba stalled. These IP leaders have developed broad patent portfolios covering a wide range of RF GaN technology nodes. The reduced IP activity could be a sign of confidence in their already robust RF GaN patent portfolio. Intel and MACOM have strongly increased their IP activity since 2017, especially for GaN-on-Silicon technology. Intel is currently the most active patent applicant in the RF GaN field, with a record-high level of activity of patenting new inventions over the last couple of years which could, down the road, position it ahead of Sumitomo Electric, Fujitsu or Cree in terms of IP leadership. In China, CETC and Xidian University have the most prolific inventive activity. Other players such as HiWafer, Dynax, Hanhua and China's top public research entities UEST, IMECAS, SCUT and Institute of Semiconductors have built sizeable RF GaN IP portfolios, and ambitious new players are entering the IP landscape (Boxin, Reactor Microelectronics, TUS-Semiconductor, Hatchip, Nexgo, Bosemi, HC Semitek, A-INFO, RDW, Chippacking, China Mobile, Gaxtrem, etc.). European RF players Thales, BAE Systems, Infineon, Ampleon, Ericsson, etc. are only playing a small part in the current RF GaN IP dynamics. In Taiwan, the foundries Win Semiconductors, TSMC and GlobalWafers entered the RF GaN IP landscape first in the mid-2010s, following by others such as VIS and Wavetek in 2018. South Korean entities are not very active. ETRI continued to file few new inventions every year over the past decade. In 2016, RFHIC acquired GaN-on-Diamond-related patents from Element Six, then we observed the entry of Wavice, UTel and Wavepia more recently. Strategic and technological paths followed by leading companies and newcomers for RF GaN technologies This report provides the main IP dynamics of the RF GaN field and offers a complementary vision of the RF GaN competitive landscape through patenting activity. In this report, we give deep insights on the IP portfolios and strategies of key RF GaN players and newcomers. We analyze their patented technologies, IP strength, markets of interest and future intents, and we highlight the strategic and technological paths they are following for RF GaN technologies. In this 2020 edition, we detail the IP landscape and recent patents of note related to GaN-on-SiC, GaN-on-Silicon, GaN-on-Diamond and GaN-on-Sapphire. We analyze and describe the IP activity related to RF transistors (HEMT, HBT, E-mode, etc.), RF diodes (varactor, RTD, IMPATT, etc.) and RF acoustic wave devices (SAW, TC-SAW, FBAR, BAW-SMR). Furthermore, the report includes a section dedicated to GaN-based MMIC-related patents. Overall, we highlight patents dealing with manufacturing and technology issues still of interest to IP players (heat dissipation, monolithic integration, linearity, impedance matching, etc.), and/or targeting MW/mmWave frequency ranges or 5G applications. Key Topics Covered: 1. INTRODUCTION Context Scope of the report Key features of the report Companies cited in the report Why study the patent landscape 2. METHODOLOGY & TERMINOLOGY 3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4. PATENT LANDSCAPE OVERVIEW Time evolution of patent applications/publications Time evolution of company headquarters Leading patent applicants Other patent assignees with 3 or more patent families Time evolution of patent publications from main assignees Most active patent applicants since Jan 2019 Topics of new patents published since Jan 2019 Newcomers in 2019-2020 Topics of newcomers' patents Main IP transfers and IP collaborations since 2015 Main IP players and the current legal status of their patents Geographical coverage of granted and pending patents Geographical coverage of main assignees' IP portfolios IP leadership of patent assignees Key IP players by country of headquarters Patent portfolio strength index of patent assignees Overview of patent families by technological segment IP dynamics for main technological segments Technology coverage of main assignees' IP portfolios Main patent applicant by value chain segment American IP players European IP players Japanese IP players Chinese IP players Hong Kongese and Taiwanese IP players South Korean IP players For each country/area: Leading patent assignees Time evolution of patent publications from main assignees Geographic coverage of main assignees' IP portfolios Technology coverage of main assignees' IP portfolios Focus on RF GaN IP portfolio owned by Cree, Intel, MACOM, QorvoNXP USA , Raytheon, Analog Devices, Qualcomm, Akoustis, BAE Systems, Thales, Ericsson, Ampleon, Sumitomo Electric, Fujitsu, Mitsubishi Electric, Toshiba, Air Water, CETC, Xidian University, HiWafer, Dynax, Hanhua, Nexgo, Boxin, Reactor Microelectronics, TUS-Semiconductor, JEC Electronics, Hatchip, Bosemi, China Mobile Gaxtrem, HC Semitek, Jena Microelectronics, Jimaike MicroelectronYukai Electronic, Original Digital, Comba Telecom, Win Semiconductors, GlobalWafers, TSMC, ETRI, Samsung Electronics, RFHIC, Waveice, Wavepia, U-Tel. 5. SEGMENTATION Overview of patent families by segment Time evolution of patent publications for main segments Technology coverage of main assignees' IP portfolios Main patent applicants by value chain segment Main patent applicants by RF function and frequency band Matrix Technology vs RF device/Function/Frequency band Matrix Main issues vs Main segments Technology GaN-on-X GaN-on-SiC GaN-on-Silicon GaN-on-Sapphire GaN-on-Diamond GaN-on-GaN For each technology: leading patent applicants, main topics, and noteworthy recent patents. RF devices Field effect transistors (FET, HEMT, HFET, Normally-off, etc.) Heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT) RF diodes (Schottky, varactor, RTD, IMPATT, etc.) RF acoustic wave devices (SAW, TC-SAW, FBAR, BAW-SMR) For each RF device: leading patent applicants, main topics, and noteworthy recent patents. MMIC Leading patent applicants Noteworthy patents owned by Cree, Toshiba, Raytheon, Win Semiconductors, Qorvo, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, Tiger Microwave. Circuit & Operating methods Leading patent applicants and time evolution of patent publication-related to bias, protection, matching, and linearity. Noteworthy recent patents Function RF amplifier (PA, LNA, Doherty PA, switch-mode PA) RF switch RF filter For each function: leading patent applicants, time evolution of patent publications, and noteworthy recent patents. Frequency bands Leading patent applicants and time evolution of patent publication for Radio waves, Microwaves, mm-Waves and THz Patent applicants targeting 5G networks Noteworthy patents targeting 5G networks 6. CONCLUSIONS For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/67wijg Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Prosopis juliflora seriously diminishes water resources in the Afar Region of Ethiopia, consuming enough of this already scarce resource to irrigate cotton and sugarcane generating some US$ 320 million and US$ 470 million net benefits per year. New research has revealed how an invasion of the alien evergreen tree, Prosopis juliflora seriously diminishes water resources in the Afar Region of Ethiopia, consuming enough of this already scarce resource to irrigate cotton and sugarcane generating some US$ 320 million and US$ 470 million net benefits per year. A team of Ethiopian, South African and Swiss scientists, including lead author Dr Hailu Shiferaw, Dr Tena Alamirew, and Dr Gete Zeleke from the Water and Land Resource Centre of Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, and Dr Sebinasi Dzikiti from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and Dr Urs Schaffner, Head Ecosystems Management, CABI, have been assessing water use of prosopis and its impacts on catchment water budget and rural livelihoods in the dry Afar Region of Ethiopia, since 2015 as part of a long-term collaboration in the framework of the CABI-led Woody Weeds project. Their new study, published in Scientific Reports, provides evidence that this alien tree, which has invaded both the floodplains of the Awash River and the surrounding dryland habitats, uses excessive amounts of water by consuming approximately 3.1-3.3 billion m3/yr of water throughout the year in the Afar Region. Dr Shiferaw said, "We found that single trees of the evergreen prosopis consume between 1-36 liters of water per day, depending on stem diameter and site conditions. Prosopis trees not only use water throughout the year, but even consume more water during the dry season, when almost all native plants have shed their leaves. The high sap flow of prosopis in the drylands throughout the year may be due to exceptionally deep roots that penetrate up to 50m below the surface, where they tap into groundwater that cannot be used by native trees with shorter roots." In the context of climate change and an increasing frequency of drought events in dry regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, the report concludes that this invasive tree is likely to have serious consequences for sustainable livelihoods in the region unless its spread is contained and its density reduced. Dr Urs Schaffner, senior author and Head Ecosystems Management at CABI in Switzerland, said, "Since its introduction in the Afar Region in the 1980s, prosopis has invaded 1.2 million ha of land. Thus, unless the spread of prosopis is contained and the density reduced in areas where it has become established, this invasive tree is likely to have serious consequences for sustainable livelihoods in the region. The estimated net benefits from water savings alone would strongly justify the implementation of a coordinated control programme." The report clearly supports findings from work undertaken in South Africa on water use by invasive tree species. Prof Brian van Wilgen from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, previous scientific advisor to the 'Working for Water' programme in South Africa and partner of the Woody Weeds project, said, "In South Africa, invasive alien trees are estimated to reduce surface water runoff by between 1.5 and 2.5 billion m3 per year, and this could increase substantially as the invasions continue to spread. In addition, invasive trees in drier parts of the country have substantially reduced water in groundwater aquifers on which local farmers and towns are totally reliant." He further explained that, "These losses have serious consequences for a country where water scarcity limits economic activity and growth. The government in South Africa has responded by creating a multi-million dollar, national-scale programme, dubbed 'Working for Water', to control invasive alien trees, and has also passed legislation preventing further propagation of invasive alien trees and requiring landowners to control them." ### Additional information Find more information about Prosopis juliflora on CABI's Invasive Species Compendium Find more information about CABI's work on woody weeds on the Woody Weeds project page Find more information about CABI's work on invasive species at Action on Invasives Full paper reference Hailu Shiferaw, Tena Alamirew, Sebinasi Dzikiti, Woldeamlak Bewket, Gete Zeleke and Urs Schaffner, 'Water use of Prosopis juliflora and its impacts on catchment water budget and rural livelihoods in Afar Region, Ethiopia,' Scientific Reports, 29 January 2021, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81776-6 This paper is available to view open access from 10am UK time, 20 January 2021 here: https:/ / www. nature. com/ articles/ s41598-021-81776-6 Notes to editors Media enquiries Hailu Shiferaw, Water and Land Resource Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, email: hailu2nd@gmail.com Urs Schaffner, CABI Switzerland, email: u.schaffner@cabi.org Wayne Coles, Communications Manager, CABI, email: w.coles@cabi.org Tel: +44 (0)1491 829395 About CABI CABI is an international not-for-profit organization that improves people's lives by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment. Through knowledge sharing and science, CABI helps address issues of global concern such as improving global food security and safeguarding the environment. We do this by helping farmers grow more and lose less of what they produce, combating threats to agriculture and the environment from pests and diseases, protecting biodiversity from invasive species, and improving access to agricultural and environmental scientific knowledge. Our 50 member countries guide and influence our core areas of work, which include development and research projects, scientific publishing and microbial services. We gratefully acknowledge the core financial support from our member countries (and lead agencies) including the United Kingdom (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), China (Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Australia (Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research), Canada (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada), Netherlands (Directorate-General for International Cooperation, and Switzerland (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation). Other sources of funding include programme/project funding from development agencies, the fees paid by our member countries and profits from our publishing activities which enable CABI to support rural development and scientific research around the world. Queensland Wants Commonwealth to Take Greater Responsibility for Quarantine Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to take more responsibility of the countrys international quarantine program to keep out the new highly infectious variants of the CCP virus. While the Commonwealth is responsible for quarantining international arrivals, states and territories make their own rules due to Australias federated political system. States and territories have agreed to quarantine returning residents in hotels and at a camp since the pandemic began a year ago. But after some outbreaks were linked to hotel quarantine, Palaszczuk proposed moving quarantine out of CBD areas to a facility in an unused mining camp in Queensland. A similar arrangement exists at the Northern Territorys Howard Springs facility. Just as we werent willing to take chances when we declared a public health emergency 12 months ago, we are not willing to take chances when it comes to keeping new and more infectious strains out of Queensland, Palaszczuk wrote on Twitter. Thats why I am publicly calling on the prime minister to take greater responsibility for international quarantine. One year ago today Queensland declared a public health emergency in response to COVID-19. #covid19 pic.twitter.com/qzNYIYAJwp Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) January 28, 2021 While she said state-run quarantine was first class, the new virus variants overseas increased the threat to the health of Australians and the economy. All ideas must be on the table as contend with these new highly infectious strains, she said. The premier called for a federally run and funded national quarantine plan with adequate Defence Force and Border Force staffing. She said Morrison should also consider consolidating many hotel quarantine sites into centralised hubs. With potentially another unpredictable year ahead of us, now is the time for the prime minister to step up to his responsibilities and put in place a well-funded, adequately resourced, nationally consistent international quarantine plan, Palaszczuk said. The Toyota RAV4 Prime is one of the vehicles eligible for the California Clean Fuel Rewards available at San Francisco Toyota. With a greater push to environmentally sustainable driving in recent years, many auto manufacturers have moved toward developing vehicles with lower emissions and greener fuel efficiency, and this can pay off for some California drivers with the California Clean Fuel Rewards available at San Francisco Toyota. Shoppers who are interested in getting behind the wheel of eligible new Battery Electric (BEV) or Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) can earn rebates when purchasing or leasing one of those models at San Francisco Toyota. This is based on a push from the California Air Resources Board to help encourage more ecologically friendly driving habits in the state. These rebates are in addition to any other applicable federal, state and local incentives, rebates and tax credits, making for the potential to receive remarkable financial rewards. Two new Toyota models are eligible for this rebate: the Prius Prime and the RAV4 Prime. The former offers a rebate of $900.11, while the latter has a rebate totaling $1,500. The RAV4 Prime is an all-new model introduced in 2020 as a 2021 model and is the quickest and most powerful RAV4 to date. In order to qualify, the vehicle must be registered in California and the person purchasing or leasing the vehicle must be a resident of California. Not all shoppers will qualify, so those interested are urged to contact the dealership for full details and any limitations. San Francisco Toyota is taking necessary precautions to help ensure a safe environment for visitors. Safety protocols put in place by the dealership include social distancing, mandatory facemasks, frequent hand washing and the frequent sanitizing of the showroom and vehicles that are serviced. For more information about the California Clean Fuel Rewards or any other sales and specials at San Francisco Toyota, interested parties are encouraged to visit http://www.sftoyota.com or call 415-504-1947. Ash Bartys first match in almost 12 months didnt go to plan. The world No. 1 lost 6-3, 1-6, 10-8 (in a match tie-break) to world No. 2 Simona Halep, capping an Adelaide exhibition event which started in bizarre fashion as Novak Djokovic took to the court minutes after he withdrew from the match due to injury. Djokovic said the sight of full stands a rarity in tennis the past year because of the pandemic meant he had to play. The world No. 1 announced just before his scheduled game against Jannik Sinner that he was pulling out due to multi-layered blisters on his hand. But after the first set, Djokovic stunned the crowd at Memorial Drive and replaced his replacement, Filip Krajinovic, to play. Since early March, when most Americans were becoming dimly aware of something called a coronavirus, weve checked in frequently with vaccine researcher Peter Hotez. COVID has made Hotezs bowtie a familiar sight on cable news channels. He and his team at the Texas Childrens Hospital Center for Vaccine Development are working on a COVID-19 vaccine. Hes also dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. At the beginning of the U.S. outbreak, he was carefully nonpartisan, appearing on both Fox News and MSNBC. But as his horror grew about the lack of a national response to the pandemic, he sharply criticized the Trump administration. Now, its the Biden administrations turn. In a Tuesday op-ed in the Washington Post, Hotez explained why new variants of SARS-COV-2 require Biden to radically step up his vaccine game. Here Hotez explains how we could do that and what he believes the U.S. must do to get vaccine into more arms. Whats going on with COVID-19 right now? Could you give us an overview? The number of new cases is starting to decline. When we last spoke, the U.S. was at this awful level of 250,000 new confirmed cases a day. Since the count of confirmed cases is an underestimate times 4, that was really a million new cases a day. Now were down to around 160,000 to 180,000 new cases a day. If six months ago youd told me wed be at that level, Id have been horrified. I remember when Dr. Fauci predicted that we could get to 100,000 new cases a day: We thought that was shocking. So the fact that we feel relief at going down to 165 is a weird, new normal. But the rate of new cases is going down a little bit, for reasons I dont think we really know. Some say its because the post-holiday surge is over the surge that follows Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. There may also be a component of seasonality to the virus that people like Marc Lipsitch, at Harvard School of Public Health have been modeling. Maybe people are finally socially distancing and mask-wearing to a greater extent. Or it could be some combination of all those three things. I dont think we really know. But its going down: Thats the good news. The terrible news is, these new variants are turning out to be a much bigger factor than a number of us thought they would be. The Centers for Disease Control said recently that the new UK variant, which seems to be more transmissible, may become the dominant virus type in the U.S. by March. On top of that, Tony Fauci has said the evidence is increasingly clear that what the Brits say is true: that the mortality rate may also be higher by as much as a significant percentage. I had thought that was because the UK health system was just being overwhelmed that people were on gurneys in the hospital hallways and that may still be true as well. But there seems to be something else. That makes me worried that this downturn were seeing is not much more than in the eye of the hurricane theres a metaphor that Houstonians will appreciate and that we may still be in for the next big hit. That makes me rethink U.S. vaccination strategy. Its been good that the Biden administration has a vaccine plan. The previous administration really didnt, beyond dropping off the vaccines on the doorsteps of the states. But now, what are we going to do about vaccinating the American people? Heres where Im starting to have differences with what were hearing from the Biden administration. Theyre laying out a plan that will get us through vaccinating the American people by the fall. President Biden himself announced Tuesday that were going to have maybe enough additional doses of the mRNA vaccines to fully vaccinate 300 million Americans by the end of summer or fall. Im saying, Well, no, thats thats not gonna work. Telling us by the fall is like telling us when the glaciers are gonna come back down from Quebec. I mean, thats not adequate. Were going to have to figure out a way to vaccinate the American people by late spring. Thats a tall order. To beat back the virus we need to give two doses to three-quarters of the population, to 246 million Americans. Thats half a billion immunizations. To get there, wed need a rate of immunizations two or three times higher than whats proposed. MORE FROM LISA GRAY: Texas likely won't move to next vaccine phase until May or June, official Dr. David Lakey predicts Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The other interesting experience Im having now is what it means to not sort of contradict, but question the the Biden administration and make a recommendation thats different from the party line thats Chriss new dynamic that I hadnt, that I didnt think would ever be a problem, but is maybe starting to be a problem. So that maybe well explore it. Is it strange for you, being critical now of the Biden administration? At the beginning of the pandemic, you tried hard to be nonpartisan, to speak both on Fox News and CNN, but over time you came to criticize the Trump White House sharply. I went to war with the White House Coronavirus Task Force starting in late spring or early summer summer. They implemented a deliberate disinformation campaign that downplayed the epidemic, discredited masks, and said COVID-19 deaths were due to other causes. They said that high hospital admissions were due to catching up on elective surgery, and were spectacularizing hydroxychloroquine. In my circles, no one seemed to have a problem with my pushing back against the White House then. But now its different. Im not attacking the Biden White House. Ive been very complimentary. Ive said theyre going to tough route ahead, and that I would do things differently. But even that modest variation from the White House plan has been met with a strong reaction. Whos reacting that way? Many people people who are so upset about what happened last year, and what happened with the Trump administration, and they see the Biden administration as some type of salvation. Im the first to say, Look, now we have a national response. And we have an evidence-based, scientifically driven team thats not going to launch a disinformation campaign. Thats a low bar to clear, but its a huge improvement. Im very supportive. I know a lot of people in the Biden administration and have access to them. But there are things about the White House plan that need to be adjusted. As a scientist, my focus has been on saving lives, and I do whatever that takes. I mean, I launched that war against the disinformation campaign, but not because I wanted to go to war with the Trump White House. Im not politically ideological. I wanted to save lives and to get people to wear masks and social distance. Its the same thing with the Biden administration. I worry that people are already used to that 600,000 number 600,000 deaths by May that they think its sort of a fait accompli, and Im saying no, hell no. Somebody once said to me, Theres the short answer and the long answer, The short answer is no. The long answer is, hell no. So Im giving the long answer: Hell no. Hell no, were not going to get the 600,000 deaths! There are things we can do now. And Im making suggestions. And I wrote that piece in The Washington Post that kind of spelled it out. And again, it wasnt throwing darts. I was very positive about whats happening now, but were gonna need some adjustments. This week in a Washington Post op-ed, you stated strongly that the U.S. needs to speed up vaccinations, moving twice as fast as Biden has proposed. Could you talk about that? If were going to get to 100 million immunizations a month, first, we have to expand the vaccination hubs. I think everyones in agreement with that. Clearly the Houston areas local leadership the mayor and the county judge is committed to that. On HoustonChronicle.com: Vaccine deliveries keep Harris Health afloat a few more days The pharmacy chains are doing a good job H-E-B has a great website and the hospital system is doing a great job too. But even with those, we need additional sites, especially in low-income neighborhoods, which are pharmacy deserts. I think everybody agrees with that. I think the guidelines are still too confusing and fussy. We need to streamline that: Id like to see vaccinations offered to everyone who wants one. But the U.S. doesnt have nearly enough vaccine to do that now. Right. The response from the Biden administration was, were gonna get more mRNA vaccine by the fall. And I said no. We need vaccinations now. The suggestion I made is not to rely only on the mRNA vaccines. Im confident this is not a new idea to the Biden administration. They certainly must be looking at every possibility. But things have been slowed down with the AstraZeneca-Oxford adenovirus vaccine. My understanding is that the FDA insisted that they conduct a full-scale Phase Three trial in the U.S., and we wont have results for that until April. Meanwhile, the European Medicines Agency, the EMA, is going to make a ruling on the AstraZeneca Oxford vaccine on Friday based on studies done in Europe and also probably on data from Brazil and South Africa. Those are large, reliable studies? Yeah. And most people think the EMA will likely rule in favor of releasing that vaccine to the European Union through emergency use authorization. I suppose there is a possibility that something of concern will come up and cause additional delays. But Im assuming that they get approval. Because of these new variants, theres great urgency here in the U.S. So Im saying that sometimes we have to do things that take us out of our comfort zone in order to save lives. That means, rather than focusing only on the new study that were doing in the U.S., we also look at the dossier presented to the EMA. As a regulatory agency the EMA is up there with our U.S. FDA. Theyre the two best regulatory agencies in the world. So if they sign off, I think we should say, Look, lets do it. Lets use that vaccine. Weve already bought 300 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine. Weve paid for it over a billion dollars so lets use it. Now is the time. We need to get ahead of the variant. One of the interesting features about the AstraZeneca vaccine is that, from some of the data Ive seen, its not as effective in older individuals. So you might say, Well, then what good is it? Lets say we use that vaccine for the 20- to 50-year-olds, or the 20- to 45-year-olds. I know we have some of that vaccine stockpiled. Lets use that to start vaccinating those younger people now. That would help slow virus transmission, so it would reduce the likelihood that the new variants will emerge. Besides the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, theres also the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which I think will get up. And theres also the recombinant protein vaccine our lab has developed at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Childrens Hospital. In India theyre scaling that up to a billion doses. Nobody from the White House has approached us to say, Hey, Peter, what can we do to bring that vaccine in. There seem to be blinders: All they can see is getting the mRNA vaccines. I dont quite know whats driving that. We have to figure out a way to bring the other ones on board. And soon! Were in the eye of the hurricane. When youre in the eye of the hurricane, you dont say, Were going to buy a better house in the fall. What makes you so nervous about these variants? Its how quickly they become the dominant lineage in a community that shows that they have a higher ability to spread. So with individuals who so far have dodged this bullet and not gotten infected, were going to see a much higher rate of infection. That could overwhelm our hospital systems, like were seeing in the UK. Its amazing how, between September and November, one strain went from being a rare variant in England to accounting for at least half of all the virus isolates in southeastern England and then parts of London. Thats how quickly this thing moves. And thats not even the only variant. Weve got the South African one and the Brazilian one. Theres one from Denmark circulating in California. Its not so much that the vaccines arent going to work against them: They may have some reduction. But its the fact that the variant is going to spread so quickly, and the deaths are going to start to accelerate again. GOT QUESTIONS: Ask us your COVID questions here. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Remember President Trump said he didnt want to get to a million deaths? Well, guess what: I dont want to get to a million deaths either. Because Im saying these things, some people whove been on my side for a long time when I was really concerned about what the Trump administration was doing some of them now see what Im saying as a betrayal of sorts. Its really odd. I havent changed. My focus is on saving lives and Ill say or do whatever it takes to save lives. Thats what Ive been doing for over a year now waking up at 4 or 5 a.m. every day, and working late into the night on Zoom calls, trying to get our labs vaccine up, and explaining the science of all of this to the nation through the media. Ive tried to remain consistent: I try to reach people anywhere I can. Most people are seeing me on CNN or MSNBC now. I was on Fox for a while and still get on there now and then, and Im reaching out to conservative news outlets. I did NewsMax and the Daily Caller not long ago. A month ago I wouldnt have guessed that youd appear in those places. Well, you know, they have a different view of the world. But I dont have a problem with that. So as you talk about science, youre trying to reach anybody you can? This is one of the cool things about Texas, right? For all the terrible things people in other parts of the country say about Texas, the truth is, its one of the most diverse places in the world. Weve always had tolerance for different views. I find people in Houston to be some of the most intellectually curious people Ive ever met in part because nobodys from here, right? Everybodys coming from somewhere else. People here have an open-mindedness. They like to hear different points of view. So I love going on conservative news outlets. And then I also go on a number of African American radio stations, because African Americans are the other big group hesitant about the vaccines. We did a study with a group at Texas A&M led by Tim Callaghan hes a social scientist; Im a lab person, not a social scientist and we found that the two most vaccine-hesitant groups were Trump voters and African Americans. That was almost identical to what the Kaiser Family Foundation found. So those are the two groups that I think we have to reach, and thats what Ive been doing. Can you imagine two groups further apart? Except theyre connected by vaccine hesitancy. So its interesting: How do you get a message to those two groups? What are the words you select? How can I say the right things to get people to accept vaccines? Youve been fighting the anti-vaccine movement for years, and youve said that its grown into an anti-science movement. Are you seeing more of that lately? Yeah. Its scary. In the past it was mostly thought of as a fringe element. Now its become mainstream, and it dominates the internet. I have a paper out this week that takes a step back and looks at that. This has become a major activity of mine trying to understand anti-science movements and how to combat them. Im glad PLOS Biology, one of the top basic science journals, was willing to take it. The paper traces some of the anti-science movement back to Stalinist Russia in the great purge of the 1930s. Its really interesting how much anti-science has a historical thread that runs through the USSR and now Russia. It started with Stalin, continued with Khrushchev, went through the Cold War. Now Putin has picked it up in a big way, and is really amplifying it through his program of what now called weaponized health communication. Its causing a lot of damage. So its not only our homegrown anti-vaccine groups, like Texans for Vaccine choice and Oklahomans for Vaccine Choice, but theres also a big component coming out of the Russian government. That makes it very complicated to fight. At the federal level, the U.S. needs to create some kind of interagency task force to fight anti-science not only include the Health and Human Services agencies, but also Homeland Security, Commerce, the Justice Department, and State Department. That has to be an important activity for the U.S. government. How does that Russian involvement work? I know lots of real, live Americans who have major reservations about vaccines. I get lots of email from them. So how does Russia influence that? Well, before we go too far, lets face it: Theres not been a good communication program coming out of Operation Warp Speed. Theres been a non-communication program, except for the pharma CEOs. Now Bidens trying to correct that, which is good. It was reasonable for people to say, Hey, whats going on here? What are these vaccines? But the problem is, weve now got groups that are dominating the internet on social media and e-commerce sites. Theyre peddling a lot of fake information anti-vaccine books and COVID conspiracy books. Both U.S. and British intelligence say that a lot of this is coming from the Russians. Theyre piling on through bots and trolls, dominating the internet with these anti-vaccine messages. Why would they want to do that? From what I understand, theyre trying to destabilize democracies, to show the world that their model of governance is the best of all, compared to what we do in the U.S. and Western Europe. Unfortunately, thats having some impact and effect. We need to figure out a way to counteract that. Someones got to stand up to Putin and say, Were not playing this anymore. We havent been able to do that for the last four years. So this is going to be an important priority. What else is on your mind these days? Im worried for the nation. Everyones exhausted and and now people are really upset that theyre not getting vaccine. Im getting heartfelt emails from people who are desperate calling around to pharmacies, trying to get on their websites. The American people dont feel the governments taking care of them. Theyre calling around to Sams Club and Walmart and all the other pharmacy chains, and no ones not getting anywhere. We should not underestimate how destabilizing thats going to be for the country. We need vaccine now. Its not going to take much to erode goodwill with this administration. We usually meet a new administration with this spirit of hope and excitement, and thats not there. This is a worried nation. Thats unfair to the Biden administration but so what? It was also unfair that when FDR passed away, and Truman had to take on the whole war with Japan. The reality is that the new administration has inherited a mess. But thats also the reason why people voted for Biden, right? Its not because these are the most charismatic people on the planet. Americans did it because this administration would be made of people that have spent a lot of time in government. Theyre not going to spend two weeks figuring out how to work the White House microwave. Theyre able to hit the ground running. lisa.gray@chron.com twitter.com/LisaGray_HouTX Boulder, Colo., USA: Sixteen articles were published online ahead of print for GSA Bulletin in January. Topics include insights from the Sawtooth metamorphic complex in Idaho, fingerprinting sand from ancient rivers, eroding Cascadia, and the Troodos ophiolite. Three-dimensional geometry and growth of a basement-involved fault network developed during multiphase extension, Enderby Terrace, North West Shelf of Australia Hongdan Deng; Ken McClay Abstract: Basement fault reactivation, and the growth, interaction, and linkage with new fault segments are fundamentally three-dimensional and critical for understanding the evolution of fault network development in sedimentary basins. This paper analyzes the evolution of a complex, basement-involved extensional fault network on the Enderby Terrace on the eastern margin of the Dampier sub-basin, North West Shelf of Australia. A high-resolution, depth-converted, 3-D seismic reflection data volume is used to show that multiphase, oblique extensional reactivation of basement-involved faults controlled the development of the fault network in the overlying strata. Reactivation of the pre-existing faults initially led to the formation of overlying, en echelon Late Triassic?Middle Jurassic fault segments that, as WNW-directed rifting progressed on the margin, linked by breaching of relay zones to form two intersecting fault systems (F1 and F2?F4). Further reactivation in the latest Jurassic?Early Cretaceous (NNW-SSE extension) produced an additional set of en echelon fault arrays in the cover strata. The final fault network consists of main or principal faults and subordinate or splay faults, together with branch lines that link the various components. Our study shows that breaching of relay ramps and/or vertical linkages produces vertical and horizontal branch lines giving complex final fault geometries. We find that repeated activity of the basement-involved faults tends to form continuous and planar fault architectures that favor displacement transfer between the main constituent segments along strike and with depth. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35779. 1/ 594311/ Three-dimensional-geometry-and-growth-of-a Age and deposition of the Fort Crittenden Formation: A window into Late Cretaceous Laramide and Cenozoic tectonics in southeastern Arizona Emilia A. Caylor; Barbara Carrapa; Kurt Sundell; Peter G. DeCelles; Joshua M. Smith Abstract: The Upper Cretaceous Fort Crittenden Formation exposed in the Santa Rita and Huachuca Mountains of southeastern Arizona is a syntectonic deposit that has been associated with Laramide tectonic activity. However, the spatio-temporal relationships among Cretaceous sedimentation, magmatism, basement exhumation, and possible flat slab-related processes in the southern Laramide region remain poorly understood. Age controls for uplift and erosion of local topography and syntectonic deposition in response to deformation remain particularly poor. The Fort Crittenden Formation comprises 800?2500 m of locally derived fluvial to alluvial fan sedimentary rocks and records paleodrainage reorganization in response to active tectonics. Changes in sedimentary facies, provenance, and paleoflow suggest deposition in a tectonically partitioned intraforeland basin. New detrital zircon data constrain the timing of deposition of the Fort Crittenden Formation between ca. 86 Ma and ca. 76 Ma. The lack of depositional age zircons throughout the majority of the Fort Crittenden Formation is consistent with a magmatic lull in the Cordilleran arc between ca. 90 Ma and ca. 76 Ma. The overlying Salero Formation and Late Cretaceous intrusions are expressions of renewed magmatism in southeastern Arizona at ca. 75 Ma. New Lu-Hf data indicate that magmas evolved from contamination of old juvenile crust. When interpreted in conjunction with other regional data sets, our study indicates that the Laramide deformation front migrated eastward into southwestern New Mexico by 75 Ma. Thermal modeling of apatite fission track and (U-Th)/He data from granitic clasts are consistent with Late Cretaceous?Paleocene (ca. 76?55 Ma) heating related to magmatism and cooling and exhumation during the Eocene and Oligocene. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35808. 1/ 594257/ Age-and-deposition-of-the-Fort-Crittenden Mesozoic crustal melting and metamorphism in the U.S. Cordilleran hinterland: Insights from the Sawtooth metamorphic complex, central Idaho Chong Ma; David A. Foster; Paul A. Mueller; Barbara L. Dutrow; Jeffery Marsh Abstract: In this study, we present whole-rock geochemistry and Sm-Nd data; zircon trace element, U-Pb, and Lu-Hf data; titanite U-Pb dating; and structural analysis of igneous and metasedimentary rocks of the Sawtooth metamorphic complex that provide insight into regional metamorphism, partial melting, and crustal thickening in the Idaho batholith segment of the Cordilleran orogen. Four magmatic events are revealed: (1) pre-tectonic felsic magmatism at ca. 156 Ma, (2) syn-tectonic mafic and felsic magmatism between ca. 100 Ma and ca. 92 Ma, (3) felsic magmatism concurrent with late-stage deformation at ca. 89?84 Ma, and (4) post-tectonic felsic magmatism at ca. 77 Ma. The multiple generations of felsic magmatism include a variety of sedimentary- and igneous-derived granitoids distinguished by zircon trace element compositions (e.g., U/Ce versus Th and Ce/Sm versus Yb/Gd) and were sourced from progressively more evolved crustal components as shown by Lu-Hf and Sm-Nd isotopic data. U-Pb data of metamorphic zircons and titanites from high-grade metasedimentary rocks suggest that regional metamorphism occurred from ca. 100?93 Ma, which was characterized by granulite-facies partial melting and concurrent growth of metamorphic zircons and garnets. The episodic magmatism in the Sawtooth metamorphic complex records pervasive melt migration in a hot, mid-crustal setting at ca. 100?92 Ma and additional magma ascent in a cool, upper-crustal setting at ca. 77 Ma. The uplift of the Sawtooth metamorphic complex from mid- to upper-crust was likely caused by underthrusting at lower crustal levels coupled with erosion and thinning of the upper crust. This work suggests that the crust of the Cordilleran hinterland in the Idaho batholith region underwent significant thickening from ca. 100?84 Ma, and a crust of Andean-like thickness was probably achieved by ca. 84 Ma. By ca. 77 Ma, the central Idaho crust started to thin likely due to mid-crustal flow and surface erosion. The new data from the Sawtooth metamorphic complex are consistent with the two major magmatic flare-ups in the Late Jurassic and Late Cretaceous in the U.S. Cordilleran orogen. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35837. 1/ 594189/ Mesozoic-crustal-melting-and-metamorphism-in-the-U Contribution of an Eastern Indochina-derived fragment to the formation of island arc systems in the Philippine Mobile Belt Lin Gong; Pete Hollings; Yu Zhang; Jing Tian; Dengfeng Li ... Abstract: The Philippine Mobile Belt is a complex plate boundary with multiple terranes in Southeast Asia, yet its early tectonic evolution is still not fully understood due to a scarcity of solid evidence. Here we report new whole rock geochemical, Sr-Nd isotopic, and zircon U-Pb-Hf isotopic data for Cretaceous-Miocene arc magmatic rocks from the Cebu and Bohol Islands, Philippine Mobile Belt. Bulk geochemical data display arc affinities with enriched large ion lithophile elements (e.g., Sr and Ba) and depleted high field strength elements (e.g., Nb, Ta, and Ti). The high positive Nd(t) (+4.6 to +9.1) values and low initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7032?0.7048) suggest that these igneous rocks were generated by partial melting of mantle wedge in an arc setting. U-Pb dating of zircons revealed Cretaceous (ca. 120?90 Ma), middle Eocene to early Oligocene (ca. 43?30 Ma), and middle Miocene (ca. 14 Ma) crystallization ages for the arc magmatism with abundant Permian-Triassic zircon xenocrysts clustering at ca. 250 Ma. The Permian-Triassic grains show dominantly negative Hf(t) values ranging from ?16.2 to ?6.6, which are similar to those of coeval rocks in Eastern Indochina. Combined with previous paleomagnetic studies, we propose that an Eastern Indochina-derived continental fragment was involved during the formation of arcs in the Cebu and Bohol Islands, which highlights the potential contribution of ancient continental materials in the formation of intra-oceanic arcs. This scenario does not support the previously proposed model that the Cretaceous arc in the Philippine Mobile Belt formed in the northern margin of the proto-Philippine Sea Plate and Australian margin. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35793. 1/ 594151/ Contribution-of-an-Eastern-Indochina-derived Fingerprinting sand from Asian rivers to the deep central South China Sea since the Late Miocene Licheng Cao; Tao Jiang; Jingke He Abstract: The complex sedimentary processes from source to sink lead to a substantial fractionation of sediment size and composition. Relatively coarse-grained, continent-derived detritus is rarely transported and deposited in the deep ocean, and the terminus of this sediment routing system is poorly understood. Sandy turbidite deposits within the Upper Miocene?Pleistocene strata drilled in the deep central South China Sea during the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 349 provide valuable samples for evaluating the evolution of sediment contributions from different Asian landmasses. This study reconstructs this ancient source-to-sink system based on an integration of heavy mineral and detrital zircon analyses (including U-Pb age, trace element, grain size and shape), obtained from IODP sites U1431 and U1432, as well as a zircon age-based mixture modeling of well-defined provenance end-members. The results show several provenance shifts that correspond to more complex and dynamic source-to-sink scenarios than previously envisaged. Certain source areas, like East Vietnam, present a different provenance signature than that of today. Multiple provenances have been mixed and diluted during sediment transport, exhibiting a large regional variability. We interpret that siliciclastic turbidite deposits in the central South China Sea were mainly derived from East Vietnam during the early Late Miocene and Pliocene, and the Pearl River Basin during the late Late Miocene and Pleistocene. Additional, but less significant, contributions from the Red and Mekong river basins and coastal Southeast China are also observed. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35845. 1/ 594152/ Fingerprinting-sand-from-Asian-rivers-to-the-deep Metamorphic P-T-t evolution of amphibolite in the north Hengshan terrane, North China Craton: Insights into the late Paleoproterozoic tectonic processes from initial collision to final exhumation Jiahui Qian; Changqing Yin; Shun Li; Jian Zhang Abstract: Amphibolite retrograded from high-pressure (HP) mafic granulite can provide valuable insight into exhumation of deeply buried crust in orogenic belts. In the north Hengshan terrane of the North China Craton, amphibolite occurs as rims of HP mafic granulite block or as smaller homogeneous boudins representing retrograde products of the granulite. Three amphibolite samples were selected. The rocks are mainly composed of hornblende + plagioclase + quartz + biotite + ilmenite with or without garnet pseudomorph consisting of plagioclase + hornblende + ilmenite and symplectite of hornblende + plagioclase clinopyroxene. The pseudomorph-, symplectite-bearing sample experienced a post-peak isothermal decompression at >800 C that was accompanied by breakdown of garnet and clinopyroxene. Isopleths of the maximum An in plagioclase and Ti in hornblende were used to constrain the Tmax stage of ca. 6 kbar/825?850 C, which was followed by cooling and post-cooling decompression. For the sample showing an "equilibrated" mineral assemblage, a medium-temperature decompression from >6.8 kbar/685 C to 3.6?4.8 kbar/640?660 C was inferred. P-T evolution of the north Hengshan terrane is characterized by two discrete (post-peak and post-cooling) decompression processes. Zircon U-Pb dating of amphibolite yields a metamorphic age of 1868 15 Ma, which is interpreted to record the timing of late amphibolization. Synthesized metamorphic P-T-t data in the Hengshan-Wutai area indicate a complicated tectonic evolution that includes an older collisional orogeny at ca. 1.95 Ga and a younger metamorphism at ca. 1.85 Ga. The post-cooling decompression path of the amphibolite may reflect final exhumation of the north Hengshan terrane through the late deformation/metamorphism of the Zhujiafang shear zone. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35810. 1/ 594134/ Metamorphic-P-T-t-evolution-of-amphibolite-in-the Protracted northward drifting of South China during the assembly of Gondwana: Constraints from the spatial-temporal provenance comparison of Neoproterozoic?Cambrian strata Qiong Chen; Guochun Zhao; Min Sun Abstract: Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic sedimentation shows systematic temporal-spatial variations within South China, which must be considered in reconstructing geological evolution of South China in response to global plate reorganization from the breakup of Rodinia to the assembly of Gondwana. We use >1000 new U-Pb and Hf isotopic data for detrital zircons from Neoproterozoic?Cambrian strata across the western (i.e., Longmenshan) and eastern (i.e., Wuyishan) margins of South China, coupled with compiled stratigraphic and magmatic information, to constrain change in provenance through time. First-order conclusions are as follows: (1) detrital zircons from the Neoproterozoic strata of the two margins were mainly sourced from the Panxi-Hannan arc and the Jiangnan orogen, signaling a rough self-sufficient sedimentary system; (2) newly identified Cambrian molasse-like sediments in the western margin, in which abundant detrital zircons are 550?500 Ma old with positive Hf(t) values, were mainly derived from the 580?500 Ma Cadomian arc belt along the Iran-Turkey margin; and (3) the Cambrian sediments in the eastern margin document more increased contributions from the Grenvillian-age provinces most possibly in Australia. Such spatial-temporal provenance variations signal the northward drifting of South China, from a position connecting with Iran-Turkey and northern India to that approaching Australia during the late Neoproterozoic?Cambrian period. We highlight that the activity of oblique oceanic-continental convergence accreted Asian terranes onto the northern margin of Gondwana, hence contributing to the ultimate Gondwana architecture under global plate reorganization. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35791. 1/ 594114/ Protracted-northward-drifting-of-South-China The convexity of carbonate hilltops: 36Cl constraints on denudation and chemical weathering rates and implications for hillslope curvature Matan Ben-Asher; Itai Haviv; Onn Crouvi; Joshua J. Roering; Ari Matmon Abstract: Carbonate hillslopes are often soil mantled and display a classic convex morphology. In this study we examine controls on carbonate hillslope denudation and morphology using a modified regolith mass balance equation to account for chemical weathering and dust input--two fluxes that are commonly neglected in settings with silicate-dominated bedrock. We utilize seven study sites in the Eastern Mediterranean across a significant gradient in the mean annual rainfall and dust deposition flux. Combining cosmogenic 36Cl-derived hilltop denudation rates with an estimate of the regolith chemical depletion and the quantified fraction of dust in the regolith we predict hilltop curvature and compare our predictions with observations based on high-resolution airborne LiDAR (light detection and ranging). Denudation rates vary from 5 to 210 mm/k.y. and increase with mean annual rainfall. Less resistant carbonates (chalk) experience faster denudation rates relative to more resistant dolo-limestone and are less prone to chemical weathering. Soil production exhibits a humped dependency on soil thickness. The observed hilltop curvature varies as a function of rainfall and dust flux with a minimum at sub-humid sites. While trends in hilltop convexity are often solely attributed to variations in erosion rate, our results illustrate the additional effects of dust production and chemical depletion. Our mass balance model implies that drier sites in the south probably experienced a more intricate history of regolith production due to dust flux fluctuations. Thus, by incorporating dust flux and chemical weathering to the classic hillslope evolution model we are able to identify a complex relation between hilltop curvature, soil production, and climate. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35658. 1/ 594041/ The-convexity-of-carbonate-hilltops-36Cl Surface slip distributions and geometric complexity of intraplate reverse-faulting earthquakes Haibin Yang; Mark Quigley; Tamarah King Abstract: Earthquake ground surface ruptures provide insights into faulting mechanics and inform seismic hazard analyses. We analyze surface ruptures for 11 historical (1968?2018) moment magnitude (Mw) 4.7?6.6 reverse earthquakes in Australia using statistical techniques and compare their characteristics with magnetic, gravity, and stress trajectory data sets. Of the total combined (summative) length of all surface ruptures (?148 km), 133 km (90%) to 145 km (98%) align with the geophysical structure in the host basement rocks. Surface rupture length (SRL), maximum displacement (MD), and probability of surface rupture at a specified Mw are high compared with equivalent Mw earthquakes globally. This is attributed to (1) a steep cratonic crustal strength gradient at shallow depths, promoting shallow hypocenters (?1?6 km) and limiting downdip rupture widths (?1?8.5 km), and (2) favorably aligned crustal anisotropies (e.g., bedrock foliations, faults, fault intersections) that enhanced lateral rupture propagation and/or surface displacements. Combined (modeled and observed) MDs are in the middle third of the SRL with 68% probability and either the ?33rd or ?66th percentiles of SRL with 16% probability. MD occurrs proximate to or directly within zones of enhanced fault geometric complexity (as evidenced from surface ruptures) in 8 of 11 earthquakes (73%). MD is approximated by 3.3 1.6 (1) AD (average displacement). S-transform analyses indicates that high-frequency slip maxima also coincide with fault geometric complexities, consistent with stress amplifications and enhanced slip variability due to geometric and kinematic interactions with neighboring faults. Rupture slip taper angles exhibite large variations (?90% to +380% with respect to the mean value) toward rupture termini and are steepest where ruptures terminate at obliquely oriented magnetic lineaments and/or lithology changes. Incremental slip approximates AD between the 10th and 90th percentiles of the SRL. The average static stress drop of the studied earthquakes is 4.8 2.8 MPa. A surface rupture classification scheme for cratonic stable regions is presented to describe the prevailing characteristics of intraplate earthquakes across diverse crustal structural-geophysical settings. New scaling relationships and suggestions for logic tree weights are provided to enhance probabilistic fault displacement hazard analyses for bedrock-dominated intraplate continental regions. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35809. 1/ 594001/ Surface-slip-distributions-and-geometric Eroding Cascadia--Sediment and solute transport and landscape denudation in western Oregon and northwestern California Jim E. O'Connor; Joseph F. Mangano; Daniel R. Wise; Joshua R. Roering Abstract: Riverine measurements of sediment and solute transport give empirical basin-scale estimates of bed-load, suspended-sediment, and silicate-solute fluxes for 100,000 km2 of northwestern California and western Oregon. This spatially explicit sediment budget shows the multifaceted control of geology and physiography on the rates and processes of fluvial denudation. Bed-load transport is greatest for steep basins, particularly in areas underlain by the accreted Klamath terrane. Bed-load flux commonly decreases downstream as clasts convert to suspended load by breakage and attrition, particularly for softer rock types. Suspended load correlates strongly with lithology, basin slope, precipitation, and wildfire disturbance. It is highest in steep regions of soft rocks, and our estimates suggest that much of the suspended load is derived from bed-load comminution. Dissolution, measured by basin-scale silicate-solute yield, constitutes a third of regional landscape denudation. Solute yield correlates with precipitation and is proportionally greatest in low-gradient and wet basins and for high parts of the Cascade Range, where undissected Quaternary volcanic rocks soak in 2?3 m of annual precipitation. Combined, these estimates provide basin-scale erosion rates ranging from ?50 t ? km?2 ? yr?1 (approximately equivalent to 0.02 mm ? yr?1) for low-gradient basins such as the Willamette River to ?500 t ? km?2 ? yr?1 (?0.2 mm ? yr?1) for steep coastal drainages. The denudation rates determined here from modern measurements are less than those estimated by longer-term geologic assessments, suggesting episodic disturbances such as fire, flood, seismic shaking, and climate change significantly add to long-term landscape denudation. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35710. 1/ 593893/ Eroding-Cascadia-Sediment-and-solute-transport-and Hydrothermal formation of iron-oxyhydroxide chimney mounds in a shallow semi-enclosed bay at Satsuma Iwo-Jima Island, Kagoshima, Japan Shoichi Kiyokawa; Takashi Kuratomi; Tatsuhiko Hoshino; Shusaku Goto; Minoru Ikehara Abstract: Hydrothermal iron-oxyhydroxide chimney mounds (iron mounds) have been discovered in a fishing port in Nagahama Bay, located on the southwest coast of Satsuma Iwo-Jima Island, south of Kyushu Island, Japan. In the fishing port, uncovered ?1.0-m-high iron mounds in shallow waters formed under relatively calm conditions. Typically, the fishing port has orange-colored turbid waters that mix with outer ocean waters during high tide. Colloidal iron-oxyhydroxides form due to the oxidation of ferrous iron in hydrothermal waters (pH = 5.5; temperature = 55 C) as they mix with seawater. The mounds are made of two types of material: hard, dark brown?orange, high-density material; and soft, brownish orange?yellow, low-density material. Computed tomography scans of the harder iron mound material revealed a cabbage-like structure consisting of micropipe structures with diameters of 2?5 mm. These micropipes have relatively hard walls made of iron oxyhydroxides (FeOH) and are identified as discharge pipes. Nucleic acid staining genetic sequencing and scanning electron microscope observations suggest that the mounds formed mainly from bacterial stalks with high concentrations of FeOH colloidal matter. In the harder parts of the mounds, these "fat stalks," which contain oxyhydroxide colloidal aggregates, are entwined and concentrated. The softer material contains twisted stalk-like structures, which are coated with FeOH colloidal particles. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) examination of the iron mounds revealed the presence of iron-oxidizing bacteria, especially at the mound surface. We estimate that the iron mounds accumulated at a rate of ?1700 tons/1000 m2/yr. This is an order of magnitude higher than the rate of FeOH sedimentation via chemical precipitation of FeOH colloids within the fishing port. This suggests that biogenic activity, resulting in the production of entwined FeOH stalks, leads to the rapid accumulation of FeOH beds and that biogenic activity within the water mass rich in FeOH colloids is an efficient means of generating thick iron-rich sedimentary sequences. As such, we propose that some ancient iron formations may have also formed through the biogenic production of FeOH stalks rather than solely through chemical sedimentation in a water mass rich in FeOH colloids. It appears that these rapidly forming biogenic FeOH iron mounds, distributed over a wide area of ocean floor, are also relatively protected from erosion and diagenetic alteration (reduction). Previous studies have reported that ancient iron formations were commonly deposited in deeper environments via direct iron oxidation from the water column in a ferruginous ocean. However, there are several hydrothermal vent inflows preserved with FeOH that would have formed appropriate redox boundary conditions in an otherwise anoxic ocean. Under these conditions, iron mound mat-type sedimentary deposits might have formed and been well preserved and affected by early diagenesis where higher heat flow occurred in the Archean ocean. The FeOH mounds in Nagahama Bay provide an example of the iron formation sedimentary environment and important information for estimating the past depositional state of iron formations. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35782. 1/ 593894/ Hydrothermal-formation-of-iron-oxyhydroxide Textural and geochemical window into the IDDP-1 rhyolitic melt, Krafla, Iceland, and its reaction to drilling E. Saubin; B. Kennedy; H. Tuffen; A.R.L. Nichols; M. Villeneuve ... Abstract: The unexpected intersection of rhyolitic magma and retrieval of quenched glass particles at the Iceland Deep Drilling Project-1 geothermal well in 2009 at Krafla, Iceland, provide unprecedented opportunities to characterize the genesis, storage, and behavior of subsurface silicic magma. In this study, we analyzed the complete time series of glass particles retrieved after magma was intersected, in terms of distribution, chemistry, and vesicle textures. Detailed analysis of the particles revealed them to represent bimodal rhyolitic magma compositions and textures. Early-retrieved clear vesicular glass has higher SiO2, crystal, and vesicle contents than later-retrieved dense brown glass. The vesicle size and distribution of the brown glass also reveal several vesicle populations. The glass particles vary in D from ?120 to ?80 and have dissolved water contents spanning 1.3?2 wt%, although the majority of glass particles exhibit a narrower range. Vesicular textures indicate that volatile overpressure release predominantly occurred prior to late-stage magma ascent, and we infer that vesiculation occurred in response to drilling-induced decompression. The textures and chemistry of the rhyolitic glasses are consistent with variable partial melting of host felsite. The drilling recovery sequence indicates that the clear magma (lower degree partial melt) overlays the brown magma (higher degree partial melt). The isotopes and water species support high temperature hydration of these partial melts by a mixed meteoric and magmatic composition fluid. The textural evidence for partial melting and lack of crystallization imply that magma production is ongoing, and the growing magma body thus has a high potential for geothermal energy extraction. In summary, transfer of heat and fluids into felsite triggered variable degrees of felsite partial melting and produced a hydrated rhyolite magma with chemical and textural heterogeneities that were then enhanced by drilling perturbations. Such partial melting could occur extensively in the crust above magma chambers, where complex intrusive systems can form and supply the heat and fluids required to re-melt the host rock. Our findings emphasize the need for higher resolution geophysical monitoring of restless calderas both for hazard assessment and geothermal prospecting. We also provide insight into how shallow silicic magma reacts to drilling, which could be key to future exploration of the use of magma bodies in geothermal energy. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35598. 1/ 593788/ Textural-and-geochemical-window-into-the-IDDP-1 Intracontinental extension and geodynamic evolution of the Paleoproterozoic Jiao-Liao-Ji belt, North China craton: Insights from coeval A-type granitic and mafic magmatism in eastern Liaoning Province Jian-Hui Liu; Xiang-Jian Wang; Hui Chen Abstract: To better understand the origin and tectonic evolution of the Paleoproterozoic Jiao-Liao-Ji belt, North China craton, which have long been debated, we have conducted whole-rock geochemical and zircon U-Pb and Hf isotope analyses on Paleoproterozoic monzo(syeno)granitic gneisses and metamafic rocks from eastern Liaoning Province. The results indicate that these monzo(syeno)granitic gneisses and metamafic rocks formed concurrently at ca. 2.2?2.1 Ga. The monzo(syeno)granitic gneisses show geochemical features of A-type granites and were derived from dehydration melting of Archean tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) with minor involvement of coeval mantle-derived magma in an extensional setting. The metamafic rocks are geochemically similar to mid-ocean-ridge basalt; they were generated by partial melting of isotope-depleted asthenospheric mantle in an intracontinental extensional setting and experienced crustal and continental lithospheric mantle contamination and fractional crystallization. Based on this study and published geological evidence, we propose the following tectonic model for the origin and geodynamic evolution of the Jiao-Liao-Ji belt: (1) Generation of high-density eclogitized lower crust accompanied by formation of voluminous Archean TTGs in the Eastern block; (2) intracontinental extension driven by upwelling of an asthenospheric hotspot along the Jiao-Liao-Ji belt in period of 2.20?2.0 Ga; (3) convergent orogenic processes between the Longgang block and Nangrim block governed by gravity-driven subduction of high-density eclogitized lower crust at ca. 1.95?1.85 Ga; and (4) postorogenic extension caused by delamination of the orogenic root and subsequent hot asthenospheric upwelling. This tectonic model can well explain the origin and geodynamic evolution of the Paleoproterozoic Jiao-Liao-Ji belt. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35819. 1/ 593789/ Intracontinental-extension-and-geodynamic High-Ca boninitic melt inclusions in lavas of the Troodos ophiolite and a reappraisal of genetic relationships between different lava types Wen-Jun Hu; Mei-Fu Zhou; John Malpas; Zhong-Yuan Ren Abstract: Boninites in many supra-subduction zone ophiolites are thought to mark the early stage of subduction. The Troodos ophiolite in Cyprus contains a variety of volcanic rocks including the lower pillow lavas and the boninite-bearing upper pillow lavas (UPL). Here we present major, trace element and Pb isotope data for melt inclusions in olivine from the UPL on the northern flank of the Troodos ophiolite. Melt inclusions hosted by high-Mg (Fo = 89.4?93.5) olivine grains have typical high-Ca boninitic compositions with high MgO (11.2?18.4 wt%) and SiO2 (51.2?55.0 wt%) and low TiO2 (0.2?0.6 wt%) contents, in line with the existence of boninites in the northern part of the ophiolite. The melt inclusions have trace element compositions similar to the Troodos boninitic lavas and can be regarded as representing the parental magma of the boninites. The boninitic magmas were derived from high-degrees of partial melting of a refractory source at 1400 C and 1.5 GPa based on thermobarometers and phase equilibria. The melt inclusions have significantly variable Pb isotopic compositions (208Pb/206Pb = 2.059?2.122; 207Pb/206Pb = 0.828?0.862) and are enriched in fluid-mobile trace elements (e.g., U, Sr, and Pb), indicating that the refractory source was metasomatized by slab fluids. In comparison, recalculation of literature data suggests that the lower pillow lavas were derived from a less refractory and shallower source. We propose a subduction initiation model in which melting of two unique sources was needed to form the chemostratigraphy of lavas in the Troodos ophiolite. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35717. 1/ 593793/ High-Ca-boninitic-melt-inclusions-in-lavas-of-the Structural geometry and kinematics of thrust belts between the Dabashan and eastern Sichuan Basin, South China block: Constraints from (U-Th)/He dating and seismic data Guo Lu; Chuanxin Li; Wenzheng Li; Shang Deng; Jianyong Zhang Abstract: The relationship between the North and South China blocks, particularly their spatial-temporal framework and evolutionary history, has been widely debated. We conducted a comprehensive study of the structural geometry and kinematics of the thrust belts in the intersection zone between the Dabashan and eastern Sichuan Basin based on seismic data, drilling data, field investigation data, and zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronology data. These data sets provide important insights into the relationship between the North and South China blocks during the post-orogenic process. Due to the detachments, the strata of the eastern Sichuan Basin can be divided into four structural intervals characterized by duplex structures and fault-related fold structures. Balanced restoration indicates the vertical differences are represented by the shortening ratio of the upper structural interval of ?6%, that of the middle ?10%, and that of the lower ?7%. Besides, the shortening ratios indicate an increasing tendency of the deformation intensity from the west to the east. The (U-Th)/He dating results suggest two age ranges, i.e., from 180 Ma to 130 Ma and from 50 Ma to 20 Ma, respectively. These age data sets also imply a younger tendency westward. The intersection zone may have experienced the following stages since the late Mesozoic era: (1) the stable continental sedimentation stage from the Late Triassic to the Late Jurassic epochs; (2) the continuous thrust stage from the Late Jurassic to the early Paleogene epochs, which is associated with the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Ocean; and (3) the uplift and denudation stage as a whole caused by the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau since the Paleogene period. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35781. 1/ 593776/ Structural-geometry-and-kinematics-of-thrust-belts Timing of closure of the Meso-Tethys Ocean: Constraints from remnants of a 141?135 Ma ocean island within the Bangong?Nujiang Suture Zone, Tibetan Plateau Jian-Jun Fan; Yaoling Niu; Yi-Ming Liu; Yu-Jie Hao Abstract: The relationship between the North and South China blocks, particularly their spatial-temporal framework and evolutionary history, has been widely debated. We conducted a comprehensive study of the structural geometry and kinematics of the thrust belts in the intersection zone between the Dabashan and eastern Sichuan Basin based on seismic data, drilling data, field investigation data, and zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronology data. These data sets provide important insights into the relationship between the North and South China blocks during the post-orogenic process. Due to the detachments, the strata of the eastern Sichuan Basin can be divided into four structural intervals characterized by duplex structures and fault-related fold structures. Balanced restoration indicates the vertical differences are represented by the shortening ratio of the upper structural interval of ?6%, that of the middle ?10%, and that of the lower ?7%. Besides, the shortening ratios indicate an increasing tendency of the deformation intensity from the west to the east. The (U-Th)/He dating results suggest two age ranges, i.e., from 180 Ma to 130 Ma and from 50 Ma to 20 Ma, respectively. These age data sets also imply a younger tendency westward. The intersection zone may have experienced the following stages since the late Mesozoic era: (1) the stable continental sedimentation stage from the Late Triassic to the Late Jurassic epochs; (2) the continuous thrust stage from the Late Jurassic to the early Paleogene epochs, which is associated with the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Ocean; and (3) the uplift and denudation stage as a whole caused by the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau since the Paleogene period. View article: https:/ / pubs. geoscienceworld. org/ gsa/ gsabulletin/ article-abstract/ doi/ 10. 1130/ B35781. 1/ 593776/ Structural-geometry-and-kinematics-of-thrust-belts GSA BULLETIN articles published ahead of print are online at http://bulletin. geoscienceworld. org/ content/ early/ recent . Representatives of the media may obtain complimentary copies of articles by contacting Kea Giles. Please discuss articles of interest with the authors before publishing stories on their work, and please make reference to The Geological Society of America Bulletin in articles published. Non-media requests for articles may be directed to GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org. https:/ / www. geosociety. org ### Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India), a joint venture between and Nippon Steel, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Maharashtra to supply hot rolled coils (HRC) in 2021. The MoU is valued at about Rs 5,000 crore. The agreement is the sixth such between two since 2015. As part of the agreement signed on January 27, AM/NS India and Maharashtra Steel will also jointly work to enhance the quality of current grades and develop new value-added grades to provide state-of-the-art steel products and solutions to consumers. With its manufacturing facility at Hazira, Gujarat, AM/NS India is strategically placed to support Maharashtra facility with HRC for manufacturing cold rolled and coated steel. Commenting on the MoU, Dilip Oommen, chief executive officer, AM/NS India, said, We will continue supporting POSCO Maharashtra Steel in its endeavours as AM/NS India has always focused on value addition and development of value-added grades for customers. Sung Lae Chun, chief managing director, Posco Maharashtra Steel said, The MoU with AM/NS India is a definitive recognition of the companys abilities to produce the best-in-class steel given their combined management strength, technical, operational, marketing expertise as well as the commitment to safe and sustainable steelmaking. They are an ideal strategic partner for POSCO Maharashtra Steel and the partnership between the two entities is a benchmark relationship for us globally, he added. 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, Jan 29 : Can the 'one nation, one MSP' system help improve the economic condition of farmers across the country? The issue has gained importance as different farmers' unions protesting on the borders of Delhi for more than two months are demanding a law to guarantee MSP for various crops. Agricultural expert Devinder Sharma said that the 'one nation, one MSP' system will give "real freedom" to the country's farmers. "No matter if a farmer sells his crop in say Una or Bengaluru, it should not be sold below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and only then will its sanctity be maintained," he said. On the other hand, market experts point out that enactment of a law to guarantee MSP may create many other problems, including grading of government crops. Agricultural economist Vijay Sardana said that such a law will make business houses import cheaper grains from abroad instead of buying the crops from the farmers of the country. It will then become difficult for the Central government to procure all the crops, he added. The Central government announces MSPs for 23 crops every year. But its benefits are not availed by all the farmers across the country. Farmers get MSP benefits in only those states where large-scale government procurement is done, while growers in the other states are compelled to sell their crops at whatever price they are offered. On the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), the Central government determines the MSP of different crops to ensure remunerative prices to the growers. India, which was at one point of time dependent on import of foodgrains, has not only become self-reliant due to the Green Revolution, but also produces more cereals than required. Ironically, the financial situation of the farmers who have done all this is still pathetic. Farmers have benefited in states where basic structure for crop procurement at MSP was created, including Punjab and Haryana. However, in many other states like Bihar and Assam, most farmers are deprived of the MSP benefits. According to the Shanta Kumar Committee report, only 6 per cent of Indian farmers derive the benefits of MSP. Advertisement Take a good look at these pictures - because the photographer behind them is worried that the subjects might not be around for much longer. The stunning images of animals including lions, rhinos and tigers were snapped by Simon Needham, who said their very existence is under threat. Simon, who is originally from Leeds but now lives in Los Angeles, has taken most of these epic pictures in sanctuaries and reserves in Africa dedicated to protecting animals. Simon snapped this powerful image of a lion named Coda in Glen Garriff Conservation lion sanctuary in South Africa. He said: 'Wildlife populations are decreasing at a staggering rate and if we are not careful, the only place we will be able to see some of these animals is in books or zoos' This incredibly sweet scene of two cubs resting was captured by Simon in South Africa's Kruger National Park. On Instagram, he named the picture 'Before They Were Kings' A playful young rhino sprints across the grass at the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary in South Africa. The sanctuary took in the 250lb creature after its mother was killed by poachers, which Simon said is a 'sad but common occurrence in Africa' And he hopes that when people see his incredible images, it will raise awareness of their fight for survival. He told MailOnline Travel: 'Wildlife populations are decreasing at a staggering rate and if we are not careful, the only place we will be able to see some of these animals is in books or zoos. 'A big issue is habitat loss. As humans take more and more land, there are fewer places for these animals to live. 'I've met so many great people within the conservation world and it's only now after many conversations that I'm learning just how complicated saving animals is. 'Just one of many issues is that, for example, there really isn't much "wild" left for animals to roam. So when people say "why don't they just let them go free?", unfortunately, there are very few places if any that they could put them, not to mention the threat of poaching.' Simon, who also works as a commercial and fine art photographer and has almost 23,000 Instagram followers, first started shooting wildlife images in 2017. Simon said: It's not easy to get that close to lions, and when taking pictures you also need patience, an eye for lighting and to hit upon the right moment when a lion either has a wonderful expression or is doing some kind of interesting action. I am especially keen on photographing animals that are endangered and that, combined with their sheer beauty and power, means lions definitely draw me to them.' Both images here were taken at the Glen Garriff Conservation lion sanctuary 'I wonder what song they were singing?' asked Simon when he posted this to Instagram Simon said: 'Photographing wildlife can be a challenge because finding the animals often requires a lot of effort and time to even get to the point of actually taking that special picture.' Pictured left is a lion called Tonga in the Glen Garriff Conservation lion sanctuary. The image on the right was also taken there. Simon's Instagram caption for it read: 'A woman who knows what she brings to the table is not afraid to eat alone' Mane attraction: 'A good hair day!' was Simon's Instagram caption for this amazing picture of a lion at the Glen Garriff Conservation sanctuary On the left is a beautiful image of a caracal - a medium-sized wild cat - taken at the Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. On posting the photo to Instagram, Simon posed the question: 'Grumpy or dangerous or both?' On the right is a beautiful lioness captured on camera at the Glen Garriff Conservation lion sanctuary. Simon admits that taking images of lions can be time-consuming as they 'really don't do a whole lot through the day!' Simon had an unforgettable first encounter with a lion at the Glen Garriff Conservation lion sanctuary, where this shot was snapped. He said: 'I was behind a secure fence but it was still a shock when the lion jumped up and growled. I've become a little more confident around them now but I always put safety first!' An incredible image Simon snapped at the Garriff Conservation sanctuary. He said: 'This lion was photographed at night with a flash, which caught its pupils open wide at the time' Many of his pictures feature big cats, which he said are his favourite creatures. He explained: 'I am especially keen on photographing animals that are endangered and that, combined with their sheer beauty and power, means lions definitely draw me to them. 'I would say from birth we are introduced to lions as powerful almost magical animals in books and movies and they really are so different when you get to know them more. 'It's not easy to get that close to lions, and when taking pictures you also need patience, an eye for lighting and to hit upon the right moment when a lion either has a wonderful expression or is doing some kind of interesting action. Lions really don't do a whole lot through the day to be honest! 'I think the first time I ever got close to a lion was at the Glen Garriff lion sanctuary in South Africa. I woke up before sunrise and headed up to photograph the lions with the owner and he was very casual about the whole thing, making me feel relaxed until we turned a corner and I met my first huge male lion - only about six feet away from me. 'He was of course behind a secure fence but it was still a shock when he jumped up and growled. I've become a little more confident around them now but I always put safety first!' But what are the most challenging animals to shoot? Rhinos, according to Simon. He added: 'It's mainly because it's difficult to capture their moods. What are the most challenging animals to shoot? Rhinos, according to Simon. He said: 'It's mainly because it's difficult to capture their moods.' This one was pictured at the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary This 'rare' scene captured by Simon shows a group of rhinos walking back to the safety of the Care for Wild Rhino sanctuary for the night after grazing in nearby rough lands. Simon noted on Instagram that 14 armed men guarded them Hungry hippo: Simon said he was introduced to this 'lovely lady' during feeding time at the Care for Wild Rhino sanctuary, which also looks after other animals. He said that the hippos there mainly eat vegetables On the left is a jaw-dropping shot of a tiger at the Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary. Simon pointed out that its raspy tongue 'is designed to help strip feathers, fur and meat from prey'. On the right is a wild greater kudu, a type of antelope, showing off his amazing horns at the Care for Wild Rhino sanctuary. The spiralling horns on male greater kudus can grow as long as six feet (1.8m) Simon also takes breathtaking landscape shots, such as this one of the Zion National Park in Utah. Simon asks: 'Can you see the bus?' 'When you spend time with them you can experience their different characters and personalities but they don't outwardly have many ways of showing this in photographs. 'Photographing wildlife can be a challenge because finding the animals often requires a lot of effort and time to even get to the point of actually taking that special picture. 'You also have to find the right spot for lighting and then you just hope the animal will do something interesting too!' Simon hopes to travel back to Africa to take more wildlife images once Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted and has a list of animals he hopes to capture. He said: 'Being relatively new at this I still have many other animals I'd love to shoot such as gorillas, orangutans and pangolins.' STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Staten Island elected officials expressed anger and demanded accountability and one called for the health commissioners resignation after a bombshell New York State attorney general report indicated Gov. Andrew Cuomos administration may have undercounted coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths in nursing homes by as much as 50%. The 76-page report, released by State Attorney General Letitia James Thursday, comes after months of criticism of Cuomo and Health Department officials over the death count in nursing home facilities. Rep. Nicole Maliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn), who has been calling for an independent investigation into Cuomos handling of the virus in nursing homes for months, said the report was shocking and confirms that proper safety protocols were not put in place. For months, his administration accused us of playing partisan games, but now his hand-picked attorney general has unfortunately confirmed our suspicions,' Malliotakis said. Governor Cuomo cannot hide anymore. On March 17, he told the people of New York and the nation: The buck stops on my desk. Now, he needs to accept responsibility for his administrations bad decisions that led to thousands of deaths of our most vulnerable, and the cover-up that attempted to minimize it, Malliotakis added, calling for the governor to take immediate action by demanding the resignation of New York State Health Commission Howard Zucker. Staten Island elected officials expressed anger and demanded accountability in the wake of a bombshell report by New York State Attorney General Letitia James accusing the governor's administration of undercounting nursing home COVID-19 deaths. (/New York Daily News/TNS/Byron Smith) TNS The report analyzed a sample of 62 of the states roughly 600 nursing homes. It found that these facilities reported 1,914 deaths of residents from COVID-19, while the state Department of Health logged only 1,229 deaths at those same facilities. If that same pattern exists statewide, James report said, it would mean the state is underreporting deaths by nearly 56%. Part of the gap is explained by a decision by New Yorks health agency to exclude from its count the number of nursing home patients who died after being transferred to hospitals. Hospital and nursing home officials have previously said the state had ready access to that figure. That data was released after the reports publication. In an emailed statement at 4:20 p.m. Thursday, Zucker said provisional data indicates that 3,829 nursing home residents died of COVID-19 after being sent to hospitals, a number the state has not previously reported. That increases by 43% the previously reported total of 8,914. The total number of deaths of nursing home residents in New York state is now estimated at 12,743, the newest data shows, which includes both deaths in the facilities and in hospitals. Zucker contended the state Health Department did not undercount deaths, but rather just did not include deaths that occurred at hospitals. The word undercount implies there are more total fatalities than have been reported; this is factually wrong, said Zucker. DOH has consistently found numerous inaccuracies when examining unverified data, and, as a result, months ago DOH began an audit of fatality numbers reported by nursing homes to ensure public release of these statistics were accurate, said Zucker. That audit remained ongoing at the time of the statement, he said. While the addition of deaths of nursing home residents that occurred at hospitals does not add to the states total, which stands at 34,742 as of Thursday, it sheds further light on the deadliness of the coronavirus in these facilities. Coverup,' said Councilman Joe Borelli (R-South Shore). That is one word to describe how the Cuomo administration handled this. We can no longer pretend this state is run by an Emmy award-winning cool dude in a loose mood. Rather, we have a self-aggrandizing bully who was born on third and thought he hit a triple, said Borelli. Shame on him, and kudos to AG James for taking on this issue in an open and honest way. Eger Healthcare workers are shown in this spring 2020 photo. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel) In reference to a March 25, 2020 directive that forced nursing homes to accept medically stable coronavirus patients from hospitals, James report said the decision may have put residents at increased risk of harm in some facilities and may have obscured the data available to assess that risk, despite the guidance being consistent with federal guidance. Cuomo has taken considerable heat for the directive, yet a Health Department report in July concluded that the spread in these facilities was not primarily related to the decision. James report found that 98% of facilities that accepted patients already had COVID present in the facility prior to admission of a single COVID-positive patient from a hospital. The findings also pointed to a lack of personal protective equipment and testing as being a factor in putting residents and staff at increased risk. Additionally, the attorney generals office received several credible reports from concerned staff and family members that nursing homes failed to promptly isolate residents whom they knew or presumed to have had COVID-19. That included one instance in which a nursing assistant reported an unnamed for-profit nursing home with a four-star overall rating treated residents who tested both positive and negative for COVID-19 with Tylenol, without isolation, or any other specific respiratory care. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo speaks during coronavirus briefing in the Red Room at the State Capitol in March 2020, alongside Health Commissioner Howard Zucker. (Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo/Mike Groll)Mike Groll/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo The lack of compliance from the states nursing homes caused other Staten Island Republicans to present the findings as evidence of Zuckers dishonesty before a New York State Assembly hearing last year. Quite frankly, Democrats in the State Legislature let Dr. Howard Zucker, the commissioner of the State Health Department, off the hook when he testified during a public hearing into the matter last year,' said Assemblyman Mike Reilly (R-South Shore). Instead, New Yorkers were treated to a dog and pony show, and the families of those who perished in a nursing home facility were not even given an opportunity to provide testimony. It is wholly unacceptable that these families have had to wait this long for a sliver of transparency, added Reilly. I urge all my colleagues, especially those in a legislative leadership position, to do the right thing by putting partisan politics aside and actually taking steps to hold Governor Cuomo accountable. Assemblyman Charles Fall, a democrat on Staten Islands North Shore, called the details outlined in the report extremely concerning. Throughout my career past and present I have always called for transparency and accountability from city and state officials, said Fall. What is outlined in Attorney General James report on the ongoing investigations into nursing homes response to COVID-19 is extremely concerning. Explanations were requested throughout the spring, summer and fall on this important topic, with no resolve, he added. With the release of the report from the AGs office, not the Department of Health, clear and concise answers will now have to be put forth and explained in detail. Newly-elected Assemblyman Michael Tannousis (R-East Shore) said, There needs to be severe consequences for those responsible for causing this disaster and then hiding it from us for so long. The legislature must move immediately to remove the governors emergency powers and restore the balance of our state government so this never happens again, Tannousis added. James office said it is conducting ongoing investigations into more than 20 nursing homes whose reported conduct during the spring presented particular concern. Other law enforcement agencies are also conducting investigations, the report said. While James acknowledged her office would normally issue a report with findings and recommendations after its investigations and enforcement actions were completed, the report said, circumstances are far from normal. The report listed a number of recommendations, including ensuring public reporting of nursing home and hospital deaths did not overlap, enforcing New York state law requiring nursing homes to provide adequate care, and requiring nursing homes to comply with labor practices to prevent nursing homes from pressuring employees to work when they are infected. Danielle Messina who lost her father, Samuel Arbeeny, in a Staten Island nursing home in April said Thursdays report was bittersweet. I feel like its justice,' Messina said. The angels have been guiding us and weve been fighting for this. This is what weve been advocating for ... weve been fighting for our loved ones. However, she called for accountability for those she deemed responsible for the concerns expressed in the report. To cover it up is disgusting, Messina said. Well see where it goes. Budget 2021: Govt, Opposition set for major showdown India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 29: At least 17 opposition parties have announced that they will boycott the President's address to both Houses of Parliament. Budget session kickstarts: Everything that happened today | Oneindia News The parties decided to stage a protest on the inaugural day in support of the farmers who are protesting against the three farm bills. BSP supremo, Mayawati who had earlier said that her party will not take part in the boycott, later on changed her mind. The BSP will join the opposition ranks in the protest. Parliamentary affairs minister, Prahlad Joshi said that the opposition must reconsider its decision. I appeal to all leaders from all parties not to boycott the President's address. The government is ready to discuss all issues threadbare, he also said. Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla who will chair an all-party meeting later today said that the session will offer ample opportunity for MPs to raise issues. "This will be a long session with Question Hour and Zero Hour. The lawmakers will get enough opportunities to raise all issues. Disrupting the session will not benefit them," Birla said, pointing out that the debate on the President's address allows MPs to raise "any issue under the sun," he said. This is for the first time in history that nearly the entire opposition will boycott the President's customary address to Parliament. "The PM and the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] government remain arrogant, adamant and undemocratic in their response (to farmers' protests). Shocked by this insensitivity of the Government, we, the following opposition political parties, reaffirming the collective demand for the repeal of the Anti Farmer Laws and in solidarity with the Indian Farmers, have decided to boycott the President's address to both the Houses of Parliament on Friday, January 29, 2021," a joint statement signed by all parties said. "The three Farm Laws are an assault on the rights of the States and violate the federal spirit of the Constitution. If not repealed, these Laws will effectively dismantle the edifice of National Food Security that rests upon MSPs, [minimum support prices], government procurement and Public Distribution System (PDS)," the statement also said. Venture Global LNG plans to build another liquefied natural gas export terminal in Cameron Parish and has begun the pre-filing process with the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission. It would mean that the Arlington, Virginia-based company looks to invest about $30 billion across Louisiana if all of its proposed projects are completed. Venture Global LNG filed paperwork with the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission on Jan. 21 outlining plans for its fourth LNG export terminal, known as CP2 LNG, and expects to file its formal application in September. The company expects to begin construction in second-quarter 2023 for the first phase of the CP2 LNG project, start shipping cargoes of LNG in 2025 and complete the project in 2026. The cost of an LNG export facility of that size could be upward of $8.5 billion, support thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of permanent jobs, based on estimates from its similar-sized Delta LNG and Plaquemines LNG terminals planned in Plaquemines Parish south of New Orleans. The 20 million tons per year CP2 LNG export terminal would be adjacent to Venture Global's Calcasieu Pass site in Cameron Parish, near the Gulf Coast on an 846-acre site. An expansion could bring the capacity to 24 million tons. Venture Global LNG is currently building the Calcasieu Pass LNG terminal, which cost $4.5 billion, and also expects to begin site preparation for construction of Plaquemines LNG early this year. The company has said that the first phase of Delta LNG would begin in 2024 and a second phase in 2025. 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 The path of the pipeline for CP2 LNG begins in Texas and runs mostly west of Lake Charles. Residents concerned about pipeline for new LNG export facility, but others see economic driver A proposed 283-mile pipeline that would cross 14 parishes from Richland to Plaquemines to feed a planned natural gas export facility has raise Venture Global LNG makes final investment decision for Calcasieu Pass project Venture Global LNG made a final investment decision to build a liquefied natural gas export facility about 50 miles south of Lake Charles afte Venture Global LNG's Plaquemines export terminal moves forward with 20-year LNG deal Venture Global LNG signed 20-year deal to sell some of its liquefied natural gas to a French utility business from its proposed Plaquemines Pa Louisiana LNG operators' finances change during coronavirus pandemic; long-term bets move forward Big liquefied natural gas projects in southwest Louisiana have been busy tweaking their financing through the course of the coronavirus pandem BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. - It has been about a month since several Butte County businesses received much needed COVID-19 relief funding from the Butte Business Stabilization Program. So, how have some businesses used the money? Upper Park Clothing in Downtown Chico said they used the money to simply pay their employees. David Selkirk owns Upper Park and he told Action News Now that this money kept his store afloat. Back in August, the county approved CARES Act money for the program. The county set aside some $5 million for small businesses. Many received money ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 each. Selkirk is relieved. It really helps, Selkirk said. I mean that means we can focus on other stuff to bring money into the business in different ways while our employees can handle the other tasks as well. The Butte Business Stabilization Program helps small businesses ranging from nail salons to restaurants. The county planned to serve 250 businesses and so far, 285 small businesses received this financial help. Exactly what this will sound like in roughly 20-minute chunks every weekday morning is still a little unclear to me after long conversations with Cochran and Plotz. But the involvement of Plotz, the Washington, D.C.-based former top editor of Slate and host for the last 15 years of the magazines pioneering Political Gabfest podcast, gives the initiative significant heft, as does the financial backing of the Graham Holdings Co., a firm that owns numerous TV, online and print media outlets as well as car dealerships, nursing homes and a variety of industrial concerns. (JNS) Gratitude is literally written into our Jewish identity. In the book of Genesis, when our foremother Leah gives birth to her last son, she says: This time I will give thanks to the Lord; therefore she called his name, Yehuda. It is because of Yehuda that we Jews are named yehudim in Hebrew. And it is in the spirit of Yehuda that we give thanks for kinship, for friendship, for courage, for the triumph of truth. U.S. President Donald Trump represents all of these things. And today, as he departs the White House, he deserves our gratitude as proud Israelis, as prou... Welcome to Pandemic Problems, an advice column from The Chronicles engagement reporters that aims to help Bay Area residents solve their pandemic-related conundrums personal, practical or professional. Send your questions and issues to pandemicproblems@sfchronicle.com. Todays question is fielded by The Chronicles Kellie Hwang. Dear Advice Team: I have heard that the Moderna vaccine is only 85% effective for older folks. This seems low (vs. 95% or 96%). Is this also true for the Pfizer vaccine? Dear Reader: As vaccines are rolling out throughout the country, your question is very relevant, particularly because older individuals are more vulnerable to severe illness with COVID-19. California on Wednesday lowered the threshold age for vaccinations from 75 to 65, giving that expanded group priority access. The vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are the only two approved for use so far in the U.S. In clinical trials, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had an overall efficacy rate of 95%, while Modernas was 94.1%. According to an analysis of the Moderna vaccine trial in the New England Journal of Medicine, patients 18 to 65 years showed an efficacy of 95.6%, while the rate was 86.4% for those older than 65 years. Pfizer, on the other hand, reported that efficacy was over 94% in individuals older than 65 years of age. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist at UCSF, said that while the Moderna vaccines efficacy rate among older individuals was slightly lower in the trial, the difference was not substantial and it may equalize over time. She cited several reasons for the lower rate, including that the test group in that age range was smaller than others, as well as the possibility that the effect was a matter of chance. Gandhi said older patients may not have mounted the same response as younger ones due to tiring of the immune system. However, she added, It could be that this group, when followed longer, has the same efficacy rate but Moderna reported out its findings quickly as did Pfizer in the name of expediency and getting authorization. But Gandhi said the slightly reduced efficacy for the 65-plus age group seen in Modernas short-term outcome trial should not lead to any long-run implications. We need to see if the immune response in older individuals stays robust over time, and all of that data will be forthcoming, she said. She pointed to an evaluation of the Moderna vaccine that showed long-term efficacy, specifically the concentration of neutralizing antibodies, was as robust in individuals older than 70 years as in the 55-to-70 age group. On Tuesday, the company announced that immunity from the vaccine should be good for about a year. More Information About Pandemic Problems Send your questions and issues to pandemicproblems@sfchronicle.com. We cannot respond to all questions, but your submission will be read and considered. Please be as specific as possible, but try to keep it concise. We may edit your submission for space, clarity or spelling and grammar. Keep the people and situations in your letter anonymous by changing the names (including yours) and details. We will remove any identifying information. Emails, letters, tweets or other messages you send become the property of The Chronicle and may be published online and in print. Important: This column cannot address immediate risks to your health and safety. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 to reach a counselor at a locally operated crisis center 24 hours a day for free. Text "Connect" to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor any time for free. Emails or other communications you send become the property of The Chronicle and may be published online and in print. By submitting a question, you agree to The Chronicle's Terms of Use, which are available for review at https://www.sfchronicle.com/terms_of_use/ , and acknowledge its Privacy Notice, which is available for review at https://www.sfchronicle.com/privacy_policy/. The advice offered in this column is intended for informational purposes only. Use of this column is not intended to replace or substitute for any professional, financial, medical, legal, or other professional advice. If you have specific concerns or a situation in which you require professional, psychological or medical help, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified specialist. The opinions or views expressed in this column are not intended to treat or diagnose; nor are they meant to replace the treatment and care that you may be receiving from a licensed professional, physician or mental health professional. This column, its authors, the newspaper and publisher are not responsible for the outcome or results of following any advice in any given situation. You, and only you, are completely responsible for your actions. See More Collapse For the Moderna vaccine, the second dose should be given at least 28 days after the first dose, and the efficacy of 94.1% began at 14 days after the second dose. For the Pfizer vaccine, the interval between doses is 21 days, and the efficacy began at seven days after the second dose. Gandhi said older individuals should continue with COVID-19 precautions for at least 14 days after receiving their second dose, and said waiting an entire month should offer more confidence in participating in riskier activities. Experts continue to gather data on vaccinated individuals, so we should find out more down the line about the effectiveness of the vaccines. So the bottom line? Go get vaccinated when its your turn. Everyone should absolutely be vaccinated, especially those who are older, Gandhi said. This efficacy rate of 86.4% is still incredibly robust and exciting and means the vaccine works well. Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang. Pandemic Problems is written by Chronicle Advice Team members Annie Vainshtein and Kellie Hwang, combining thorough reporting and guidance from Bay Area experts to help get answers and find a way forward. You are the owner of this article. " " In the American classic film, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," actor James Stewart (1908-1997) (right) stands on the floor of the U.S. Senate conducting a filibuster to stop a corrupt public works bill. Hulton Archive/Getty Images If you've ever seen the classic movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," you'll remember that James Stewart plays a senator conducting a filibuster to stop a corrupt public works bill. Talking until he becomes physically exhausted, Smith uses the filibuster tactic to uphold his principles [source: Dirks]. In real life, Senate filibusters occur for a variety of reasons, not all of them so high-minded. A filibuster is any use of procedural rules to block or delay legislative action. The term usually refers to extended debate of a bill carried on by one or more senators. The continual talking prevents the matter from ever being voted on, and the bill may simply be "talked to death." Other delaying tactics can be used for the same purpose. Advertisement Filibustering goes all the way back to the Senate of ancient Rome. Legislatures in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and France have used filibusters [sources: Connolly]. But the U.S. Senate has endured many more than other bodies. In part, this is because today, a senator doesn't have to speak endlessly in order to filibuster. If he or she has more than 40 senators on their side, the mere threat of a filibuster effectively blocks legislation. No endless debate is needed. Some regard the filibuster as a tactic that preserves the rights of the minority and assures careful consideration of issues. Certainly it can foster accommodation. The majority party might seek to shape a bill so that a substantial minority of senators will not block it with a filibuster. But others criticize the filibuster as intrinsically undemocratic. They think it allows the minority party to dictate to the majority. An actual extended debate wastes time needed for other matters, too. And the compromises that senators make to avoid a filibuster may be bad ones aimed at placating a single senator. So what's the history behind the filibuster? It's long and colorful. We'll talk about that next. 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: Punjabi actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, who is facing intense criticism for his alleged role in the Red Fort violence on Tuesday, has hit out at the farmer leaders who have labelled him as a traitor and blamed him for trying to defame their agitation against farm laws. Sidhu, 36, has instead blamed the farmer union leaders for the chaos and violence during their tractor march and claimed that the youths did not agree to follow the route which was decided by farmer leaders and the Delhi Police. It may be noted that Deep Sidhu has been accused by several farmer bodies of trying to derail their ongoing agitation and termed him a traitor. Sidhu has claimed that people marched towards the Red Fort from all the Delhi borders on their own on January 26 and that not many people took the route pre-decided by farmer leaders. The actor also slammed the farmer leaders for accusing him of being a BJP and RSS man. Will RSS or BJPs man put up the Nishan Sahib and a farmer flag at Red Fort? At least think over it, he asked. Sidhu has earlier admitted that he was present at the Red Fort when the 'Nishan Sahib' - a religious flag and a farmer flag - were put at the flagpole at the historic monument, triggering massive outrage. He alleged that a false propaganda and hatred is being spread being against him. Sidhu made these allegations in the latest video uploaded on his Facebook post. Further sharing details about what happened on the night of January 25, Sidhu said youth and many people had told farmer leaders that they (farm leaders) had invited them to hold a protest inside Delhi on January 26 and that they had now changed their stand at the last moment. Sidhu claimed he had reached the Red Fort after its gate was broken. Thousands of people had reached there, but there was no farmer leader present there, said Sidhu while claiming that nobody indulged in violence or damaged any public property. Farmer leaders had on Wednesday given a call for his boycott in the state. They had also dubbed him as an agent of the government. On January 26, Sidhu, hailing from Punjabs Muktsar district, had sought to defend the action of protesters at the Red Fort, saying they did not remove the national flag and had put up the Nishan Sahib as a symbolic protest. Sidhu was also a close aide of BJP MP Sunny Deol, who contested from the Gurdaspur seat in Punjab during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He remained with Deol during the poll campaigning. Deol had distanced himself from Sidhu in December last year after he joined the farmers agitation. Live TV (With Agency Inputs) Xi says China ready to strengthen cooperation with Bolivia on COVID-19 vaccines BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Bolivia on COVID-19 vaccines, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday in a phone conversation with his Bolivian counterpart, Luis Arce. In the past 36 years since China and Bolivia established diplomatic relations, they have made steady progress in bilateral ties, Xi said. Especially during the Morales administration, the two sides have seen close high-level exchanges, rapid expansion of economic and trade cooperation and sound coordination in multilateral affairs, Xi added. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, China has provided Bolivia with material and technical assistance to fight the epidemic through various channels, he said. China will continue supporting Bolivia in the anti-epidemic fight within its capacity, Xi said. Xi stressed that China has always treated Bolivia as a good friend and a good partner, and attached great importance to the China-Bolivia strategic partnership. China supports Bolivia in exploring a development path that fits its national conditions, and in continuously raising the "better life" index of the Bolivian people, Xi said. China is willing to enhance policy communication and coordination, share governance experience and learn from each other, deepen political mutual trust and support each other, Xi said. He called on the two sides to review their practical cooperation to make better plans, and jointly promote construction of the Belt and Road cooperation. China is glad to see Bolivia making full use of such platforms as China International Import Expo to promote its quality products with characteristics, Xi said. China supports businesses of the two sides in expanding cooperation in agriculture, mining, infrastructure construction, telecommunication and other fields, and promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges and local cooperation in accordance to the epidemic situation, Xi said. The two sides should conduct close cooperation within the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks, jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries and work to build a community with a shared future for mankind, he said. Xi said he believes that with joint efforts, the China-Bolivia strategic partnership will continue to achieve new results. For his part, Arce said that Bolivia and China have forged an unbreakable traditional friendship. Bolivia cherishes the brotherly friendship with China and sincerely hopes to consolidate and build closer bilateral relations, he said. Arce expressed gratitude for China's invaluable support for Bolivia in the fight against COVID-19 and expectation for more assistance from China. Bolivia is ready to better synergize its development strategies with China, deepen cooperation in various fields and elevate their strategic partnership to a new level, he said. Bolivia is willing to work with China to actively build the Belt and Road and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Arce said. A protest by Chinese workers at Serbia's Cukaru Peki copper and gold mines has raised questions about the living and working conditions at the site. Three workers who asked for their identities to be protected corresponded with RFE/RL's Balkan Service about their life in eastern Serbia. MASON CITY, Iowa - For patients with tracheal stenosis, a narrowing of the windpipe, tracheal therapy is necessary to breathe normally. In North Iowa, getting such therapy used to require a major road trip, sometimes as long as five hours. In Mason City, though, there is now a local option. The IOOF Home has begun offering tracheal therapy, with patient Don Evans transferring to the facility this week. Director of nursing Shelly Schneider says a plan to provide this kind of therapy locally has been in the works for about a year, and were planning to implement. She was upbeat when she saw Evans getting the life-changing therapy. "We're really excited. There's a little bit of apprehension since he is the first one, but we're excited. A lot of us have had trach experience in the fast. We've been trying to do this for a year, and this is all novel." Incidentally, there are two forms of tracheal stenosis; acquired, which is caused by an injury or illness after birth; or congenital, which is present since birth. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Farmers' protest: Scuffle breaks out at Singhu border; lathi charge, tear gas used India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Jan 29: Clashes broke out between agitating farmers and a large group of people claiming to be locals at the Singhu border on Friday as police resorted to lathicharge and used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Delhi Police SHO (Alipur) Pradeep Paliwal was injured in the violence after a man attacked him with a sword, an official said, adding that some people were also wounded. The official said that police detained the man who attacked the station house officer. The locals demanded that the farmers vacate the Singhu border protest site as they had "insulted" the national flag during their tractor parade on Republic Day. Armed with sticks, the group of locals reached the site and asked the farmers to leave while raising slogans against them. Both sides also pelted stones at each other. The protestors at the Singhu border, much of which is barred for entry from outside, were coming out in numbers to resist the locals. However, they were promptly stopped by farmer union volunteers which helped the situation from turning ugly. "They are not locals, but hired goons. They were throwing stones, petrol bombs at us. They attempted to burn down our trolleys also. We are here to resist them. We won''t leave the place," said Harkirat Mann Beniwal, 21, from Punjab''s Khana district. Violence erupts at Singhu Border: Alipur SHO injured | Oneindia News Thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally called by farmer unions on January 26 to highlight their demand for repeal of the Centre''s three farm laws. Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled by the prime minister on Independence 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. BOUND BROOK, NJ Somerset County will be hosting a free COVID-19 testing mobile site in Bound Brook on Wednesday, Feb. 3. The free COVID-19 test will be administered from 3 to 7 p.m. at El Imperial at 200 Talmage Ave. in Bound Brook. To be eligible, participants must be age five years and above, live in Somerset County and show proof of residency with a valid drivers license or state-issued identification. Participants must also fill out the patient information form at bit.ly/369KeeX or call 908-237-7150. No appointments are necessary and prescriptions are not required. Participants do not have to have any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 to receive a test. COVID-19 testing in Bound Brook is provided by Clarity Labs, the Somerset County Department of Health, and Bound Brook. For more details about the Somerset County mobile testing site in Bound Brook, visit bit.ly/BoundBrookCOVID2Test. RVCC Site COVID-19 testing is no longer available at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) as the site switched over to administer vaccinations as of Jan. 27. Future COVID testing will be available at mobile sites through support from municipal governments, and partnerships with non-profits. Residents with additional questions about Somerset Countys COVID testing and vaccination programs can call 908-231-7155 where assistance is provided in any language the caller is comfortable with. Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com. Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Don't miss local and statewide announcements. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters. This article originally appeared on the Bridgewater Patch In 2020, human rights activists recorded 101 incidents of physical assaults and persecution of civil society activists in Ukraine. The results of a relevant monitoring report "Situation of human rights defenders and civil society activists in Ukraine in 2020" within the EU-funded project "Increasing the Role and Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Ukraine" implemented by the ZMINA Human Rights Centre were presented at Ukrinform news agency. "In 2020, ZMINA recorded a total of 101 incidents of persecution for civil society activism or actions to protect human rights. Most of them occurred in February (11), September (13) and December (12), the least - 5 incidents each - in August and November. Coronavirus quarantine restrictions in the spring months did not reduce the number and intensity of persecution incidents, including abuse of attempts to held activists administratively liable for peaceful assemblies, though most of those protocols were revoked by the courts, ZMINA researcher Anastasiya Moskvychova said. Among the documented incidents were attempts to intimidate activists (22), physical assaults (21) destruction of or damage to their property (18), incidents with signs of legal prosecution (10), defamation campaigns (9), obstruction of peaceful assembly (7), incidents with signs of illegal detention or search (7), obstruction of activities of NGOs (3). In only four of the 21 incidents, suspected attackers were served with the notices of charges. As in previous years, civil society activists and human rights defenders were persecuted in most regions of Ukraine. However, the largest number of incidents took place in Kyiv city (44) Odesa region (10), Kyiv region (8), Dnipropetrovsk region (8), Kharkiv region (6), Lviv region (3). According to the monitoring results, the riskiest types of public activity in 2020 were: fight against corruption (20), protection of rights of LGBTQ people (19) and environmental protection (9). The document also notes that 12 bills were registered in the Verkhovna Rada in 2020 which, is passed, can pose a threat to the civil society, violate the Constitution and international obligations of Ukraine in the field of human rights and unlawfully restrict the freedom of association in Ukraine. The project Increasing the Role and Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Ukraine is implemented by the ZMINA Human Rights Centre in partnership with the Netherlands Helsinki Committee with the financial support of the European Union. The project focuses on legal and operational protection and support for human rights defenders and anti-corruption activists in Ukraine, enhancement the positive role of human rights defenders in society and formation of links between them, increase in the number of effective investigations into attacks on human rights defenders and activists, and more. The project implementation lasts from 2019 to 2022. ol The Texas Education Agency agreed last summer to pay up to $15 million for two years of access to a digital platform for dyslexic students that will not be ready for widespread use until February or March, according to documents and emails obtained by the Houston Chronicle. Documents show TEA officials used emergency procurement measures to tap Baltimore-based AmplioSpeech to provide access to its virtual learning platform to students with dyslexia and speech-language disorders, as well as trained speech pathologists. At minimum, the agency agreed to pay $410,000 a month to the company. TEA officials say eight districts are using the software as part of a pilot program now, with 300 students using the service. Records show the agency does not have an official contract with the company, and the only documents outlining what the company was hired to do are purchase orders, emergency procurement forms and a four-page table of pricing and services they would provide. Emails and requisition forms show the agency plans to spend as much as $15 million for 23 months depending on how many students use the service, and state officials expect districts to pay up to an additional $15 million over the same period to AmplioSpeech. According to a TEA statement, Matt Montano, deputy commissioner of special populations and monitoring, originally reached out to AmplioSpeech last spring to help continue speech therapy services for students after schools closed to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. TEA paid the company $1 million. Before that first contract was completed, Montano and others decided to buy access to the companys platform. Stakeholder groups have long expressed concern around the quality of services provided to students with dyslexia in Texas, TEA officials wrote. Long-term, this partnership with AmplioSpeech will aid school systems in providing high-quality dyslexia services to eligible students well into the future. This platform is just one way TEA is responding to those concerns at the student level. TEA officials on Thursday said the agreement will last 23 months, but only the first 11 months are funded. According to an AmplioSpeech pricing sheet, its online platform will enable students to videoconference with therapists, allow therapists to track student progress and give students access to games and additional work they can do on their own as well as digital access to dyslexia curricula currently used by Texas schools. TEA officials said they hoped the platform will be launched statewide within the next two months. Eight districts currently are using the platform as part of a pilot, and some are paying additional fees for AmplioSpeech-employed speech language pathologists to work with their students, according to the TEA. TEA officials wrote in a statement that CARES Act dollars were used to bring as much ongoing benefit to the state from those federal monies as possible. However, some special education and dyslexia advocates say much of the work promised by the arrangement with AmplioSpeech can be done with existing resources. You could use Zoom to do this work. So, if youre going to spend $15 million, spend it on the service, not on the platform, said Robbi Cooper, state leader for policy and advocacy with Decoding Dyslexia. To really help districts, the money should be spent offsetting the cost of the providers and therapists working with kids. Kristin McGuire, director of governmental relations for the Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education, said much still is unknown about the arrangement and how schools would interact or be expected to help shoulder the cost of the new platform. And because the platform will not be ready for a statewide launch until most of this school year is over, she questioned how much benefit it would have. Im not sure who would have asked for this, McGuire said. Im never not going to be thankful to participate in some type of disability intervention service, but I cant say that this was kind of a statewide desire or desperate ask. Im not sure exactly where the decision to do this came from. COVID opened the door Records show TEA awarded a contract to AmplioSpeech last April, without soliciting cost projections or proposals from other companies. The agency paid the company $1 million up front on April 15 to provide access to its platform, and in some cases speech and language pathologists, to help dyslexic students across Texas receive therapies remotely. That contract was meant to provide at least 10,000 students with help, which agency officials said it accomplished. AmplioSpeech CEO Yair Shapira said he started the company in Israel in 2014 after trying to help his son overcome a stutter. The platform went through years of research and development before it first was unveiled in some Israeli and U.S. schools in 2019. He said the companys U.S. operations are headquartered in Maryland, but 36 employees live in Texas and many others are scattered across the country. It serves tens of thousands of students nationwide, Shapira said. Media reports show it has also been used in Michigan and Walton County, Fla. TEA officials said Montano first became familiar with AmplioSpeech at a conference and contacted the company when schools began to close last March. Records show AmplioSpeech employees submitted a proposal to connect dyslexic students with speech pathologists. The company proposed to provide training, a TEA-branded dashboard, online documentations of services, self-practice tools, technical support and language therapists to help districts that were short-staffed. In exchange, it wanted $1 million up front, an additional $20.15 per student served each week, plus $66.36 per student served by an AmplioSpeech therapist. COVID opened the door in many ways, Shapira said. To have evidence-based curricula, this new technology, personalized and standardized therapy intervention we believe AmplioSpeechs platform worked great during COVID times and will work for the horrible learning loss were starting to see in post-COVID times. Although AmplioSpeechs original agreement was not set to expire until the end of September, emails show TEA officials were eager to keep using the companys platform or something similar. By the summer, Montano said TEA officials had reached out to seven potential vendors for a project that would give students access to a new dyslexia platform. Three, including AmplioSpeech, submitted bids. The work TEA sought was nearly identical to what it received from AmplioSpeech in the spring, except the work ultimately awarded to AmplioSpeech in the fall would include digitizing dyslexia curricula currently used in Texas schools so it could be accessed over the platform. Under a payment schedule approved by TEA, the company is to receive $410,000 a month for 11 months to provide services to 0-20,000 students. That caught the attention of TEA accountants, who sought to clarify AmplioSpeechs completed work with Montano before paying the first invoice. While the contract started on October 1, I do not think they have provided a service to a single student, Montano replied. TEA accountant David Alonzo seemed baffled and emailed Montano a table detailing what TEA owed the company for serving as few as zero students. Just want to confirm with you, is the 410K charge valid for zero students? Alonzo asked. Yes. This makes sense, Montano replied. Please proceed with payment. Shapira and Montano said the first few invoices paid by TEA helped cover the cost of digitizing the existing dyslexia curricula. TEA officials said they began the second contract under a broad purchase agreement to facilitate a quick launch of the service. It took a while to get the ball rolling, Shapira said. I hope it will be launched very soon, and eventually it needs to get into the hands of hundreds of thousands of students. Not ready for rollout It is not the first time a TEA arrangement with a vendor has drawn scrutiny. In 2017, the agency issued a $4.4 million no-bid contract to a new technology firm to collect and analyze data regarding disabled students individual education programs. That contract was canceled seven months later amid concerns raised by parents and special education advocates. State auditors later said TEA had paid the company, SpedX, $2.5 million but the firm had done only about $150,000 worth of work. The U.S. Department of Education has ordered TEA to repay the $2.5 million in federal dollars spent on the aborted project. The agency still is fighting that penalty. AmplioSpeechs pricing schedule shows districts would pay $10 for each student who uses the platform, plus an additional weekly per-student fee if districts use the companys speech language pathologists to provide services. Montano and TEA officials said they are working with the company to reduce or eliminate the fees paid by districts after some in the pilot program said the costs would likely preclude some schools from being able to participate. Currently, 300 students in eight districts are using AmplioSpeechs platform as part of the states pilot program. Houston ISD officials issued a statement saying that the district received 25 student passes from TEA, but that 4,575 students were using AmplioSpeech this year. They did not respond to questions about how the service is working and how much the district is paying for the service. Melissa De Leon, director of special education for the Orenda Public Charter School District in Georgetown, said 50 students there are using the service. She said the charter system had a vacant speech and language pathologist position they were unable to fill, and AmplioSpeech was able to fill that gap with its professionals. She said the services the company was providing were high quality, and the digital platform has been especially helpful with remote and in-person learners. Misty Higgins, special education director at Port Neches-Grove ISD, said about 25 of its students who are homebound due to medical conditions connect with AmplioSpeechs speech and language pathologists but that no students in their schools are using the platform. We are very grateful for TEA and for AmplioSpeech developing this, Higgins said. I feel like its been very beneficial, and our parents have really liked it. While the service may be helpful to some districts, special education directors in local districts are not as concerned with having a digital platform for dyslexic students as they are with how they will help students with disabilities catch up after missing out on services during the pandemic, McGuire said. Is this the most appropriate way to prioritize our relief funding, when we know and everyone has acknowledged theres some sort of learning loss experience, regardless of disability? McGuire said. I would much prefer a district be able to look at its population of students, their individual needs, and say, Were going to use this relief funding to pay for this particular service, or to contract with this occupational therapist to make up for what this student didnt get. Cooper with Decoding Dyslexia agreed. I think it was hastily done with good intentions and bad results, Cooper said. CARES Act dollars, to me, would mean its used for a shorter period of time during the pandemic. And the fact they ran this by special education directors to see if they could absorb the additional $15 million its like buying somebody a car, and you dont know if they can afford to pay the insurance. shelby.webb@chron.com twitter.com/shelbywebb A bill approved by the Armenian government earlier this month calls for the selection of up to 21 such judges for the courts of first instance. Three other new judges specializing in arrests or corruption-related offenses would be appointed to the Court of Appeals. Justice Minister Rustam Badasian said on January 14 that the new judges would reduce the workload of courts increasingly overwhelmed by pending criminal and civil cases. He said they should also hand down more objective rulings on arrest warrants demanded by investigators. In recent months Armenian judges have refused to allow law-enforcement bodies to arrest dozens of opposition leaders and members as well as other anti-government activists. Virtually all of those individuals are prosecuted in connection with angry protests sparked by the Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians handling of the autumn war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashinian charged last month that Armenias judicial system has become part of a pseudo-elite which is trying to topple him after the disastrous war. Ruben Vartazarian, the chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, rejected the criticism. Critics of the government have expressed concern over its plans to install magistrates tasked with allowing or blocking pre-trial arrests. They claim that the government wants to make sure that courts stop hampering politically motivated investigations ordered by it. The head of the Armenian Chamber of Advocates, the national bar association, echoed those concerns when he spoke with RFE/RLs Armenian Service. Given past [court-related] events, I think that there are political considerations here, said Ara Zohrabian. Vartazarian disagreed. The [new] judges will be selected by the Supreme Judicial Council, he said. It will be guided only by the law and will take into consideration only their professional skills just like it has selected other judges. I therefore rule out political decisions by those judges. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on January 28, made his first telephonic call to Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and reaffirmed Americas support to the Afghan Peace Process. During his conversation, Blinken also reiterated the countrys firm commitment to enduring the longstanding partnership between both the nations while pledging to support a stable, sovereign and secure future for the war-torn nation. Spoke with Afghan President @ashrafghani about our commitment to an enduring U.S.-Afghan partnership. I reiterated the U.S. desire for all Afghan leaders to support this historic opportunity for peace while preserving the progress made over the last 20 years. Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 28, 2021 The US has been key negotiator between the Ghani led the Afghan government and Taliban, an insurgent group which still holds control over a significant portion of the country. A conditional agreement between the US, Afghanistan ad Taliban was inked on February 29, 2020. As per the deal, the US would withdraw its troops from the country in exchange of compliance by the Taliban. However, the deal has been under constant jeopardy with Taliban continuing ambush attacks. Read: Khalilzad Told To Continue With Afghan Peace Talks:Blinken Read: Former Obama Aide Robert Malley To Be Appointed As US Envoy For Iranian Affairs: Report 'Resolve to support democracy in Afghanistan' During the call, Blinken shared that the US was currently reviewing the US-Taliban agreement and whether the Taliban are living up to their commitments to cut ties with terrorist groups, to reduce violence in Afghanistan, and to engage in meaningful negotiations with the Afghan government and other stakeholders, spokesperson Ned Price revealed. In addendum, the top US Diplomat also preserved the progress made by Afghanistan in the past two decades including in the fields of human rights, and condition of women. He also highlighted his resolve to indulge in consultations with the Afghan government, NATO allies and international partners on a collective strategy to support a stable, sovereign, democratic, and secure future for Afghanistan, he said. The Secretary reiterated his desire for all Afghan leaders to support this historic opportunity for peace while preserving the progress made over the last 20 years with regard to human rights, civil liberties, and the role of women in Afghan society, Spokesman Price said during press breifing. Read: US Secretary Of State Says It Would Take Some Time Before America Joins Iran Nuke Deal Read: Introductory Phone Call Between Jaishankar And Blinken Soon: MEA Incollingos Market in Salem City closed in September of 2017, a closure that resulted in the city being designating as a food desert. Now, almost four years later, Incollingos Market in Penns Grove may close, potentially classifying the tiny township spanning less than one square mile as a food desert. The USDA defines a food desert as a low-income area where people dont have access to stores that sell healthy and affordable food. Theres no date. Theres a possibility that could happen, Ed Incollingo, the stores owner, told NJ Advance Media. Its depending on a few different things beyond my control. As the country has experienced a surge in food insecurity amid the coronavirus pandemic, some New Jersey communities that have residents struggling with food insecurity are finding themselves in an even bleaker situation in the months to come. Some of those townships, including Salem City and Penns Grove, are located in Salem County, where 12.4% of the population lives below the poverty rate and the median household income is $68,531, according to U.S. Census data. The South Jersey county is often forgotten when it comes to funding and resources, said Alex DelCollo, the family and community health sciences coordinator at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension in Salem County. So when youre hungry, you eat what you have and most of the time a lot of the time its not exactly the healthiest choices but its what you can get, in a place like Salem City or Penns Grove, DelCollo told NJ Advance Media. The nearest grocery store to Salem City is the Save-a-Lot in Pennsville, a 10-minute drive, while the other grocery stores in the county include an Acme in Woodstown and Pennsville, Elmer IGA, and a Walmart in Pennsville, plus Incollingos in Penns Grove. For Penns Grove residents, if Incollingos Market closes, the closest grocery store will be the Acme in Pennsville. It is roughly an 11-minute drive, but a 21-minute trek using public transportation, according to Google Maps. Other than those few grocery stores in the county, residents must rely on Dollar Generals or equivalents for food, which often dont sell healthy or fresh food. Further complicating the lack of fresh food options in the county is the issue of transportation, according to Fred Wasiak, the president and CEO of the Food Bank of South Jersey. So when you think about not only urban, but suburban, theres public transportation, whether its bus, Uber, but out in Salem, even our pantries we have out there, its difficult to get people from farmlands and the rural areas (to the pantries), Wasiak told NJ Advance Media. The pandemic has increased the percentage of food insecure residents in Salem County from 11% to 16%, Wasiak said. Still, community leaders and others in the county are working to find long-term solutions to the crisis, even after the pandemic subsides. Vicki Palaganas, an environmental science teacher at Penns Grove High School in Carneys Point, recently applied for a $10,000 grant with the Sustainable Jersey for Schools Grants Program, which is funded by the NJEA. If she receives the grant, Palaganas would start an aquaponics lab with the high school. She said shell find out if she receives the money around mid-February. Aquaponics is a food production system where fish are raised in a tank and their waste, through a filtration system, feeds the plants. The plants, which are grown without soil in the nutrient-rich water, then clean the water and return it to the fish tank, for a closed-loop, sustainable process. The lab would help the food insecure area because we can offer, not only organic vegetables, but we can also offer a fish a protein and a plant and have it on somebodys plate in no time, Palaganas said. So if this catches on, high school students are equipped to do something like this because this is what they learn in class, she said, so why not put their hands to good use and feed the community while theyre at it. Other groups are attempting to entice more grocery stores to the area. DelCollo, the coordinator at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension, said the Salem Health and Wellness Foundation funded a grocery store feasibility study for Salem City. Another group, the Live Healthy Salem County coalition, has been looking for planning grants to bring a food hub to the area, she said. But neither attempt has been particularly successful so far, DelCollo said. The area is a small place, she said, which makes it difficult to attract a grocery store. Because you figure how many people they have to drive by, she said. They look at how many people live within a certain square miles of the place, thats even possible for them to make money as a grocery store there and we just havent gotten anything from it. Penns Grove Mayor LaDaena Thomas said the possibility of losing the townships only grocery store has been very frustrating for residents. She said shes also been talking to several grocery store chains in hopes of bringing them to the township. But officials are still searching for solutions. Farmers markets are also an option for us, until we can get a grocery store here, but everyone should be able to easily walk or take affordable public transportation to get good quality, healthy food, Thomas said. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Biden watched as Obama had some early success and early stumbles. Photo: Brooks Kraft/Corbis via Getty Images For those closely following the initial steps of the Biden administration, its obvious the new presidents team is placing a premium on creating the impression that its successfully following a carefully planned rollout. Each day has a topical theme, and Joe Bidens time is ruthlessly rationed. One purpose, of course, is to create a vivid contrast with the previous occupant of the White House, and from this Washington Post report, it seems a success: Almost every day of his young tenure, President Biden has entered the State Dining Room, a portrait of Abraham Lincoln looking down and wood burning in the fireplace. He speaks on the planned topic of the day. He sits at an undersized desk and searches for a pen to sign his latest stack of executive orders. Within 30 minutes of entering the cameras frame, he has left it. It is all plotted and planned. Little room is left for the unscripted or the unusual. Bidens first full week in office has showcased an almost jarring departure from his predecessors chaotic style, providing the first window into a tenure whose mission is not only to remake the White House in Bidens image but also to return the presidency itself to what he sees as its rightful path. But theres more to this disciplined approach than adding a redundant reason to wish Donald Trump good riddance. Biden and his people are undoubtedly aware that they need a sense of momentum to encourage Democratic unity and just enough Republican cooperation to get his agenda passed. And getting things done is the key to avoiding a midterm setback that will make it truly impossible to get more things done. Recent presidents provide plenty of object lessons in the dangers of a slow or clumsy start. Bill Clinton stumbled early Clinton was the first Democrat to occupy the White House since Jimmy Carter, which meant limited experience for his eager and relatively young team and a disorganized transition that got the new administration off to a bad start, as Voxs Richard Skinner later explained: An atmosphere of chaos and disorganization permeated this transition. Clintons policy advisers were divided between centrists and liberals. The president-elect stumbled into a controversy over allowing open military service by gay individuals that soon set him against the Joint Chiefs of Staff and members of his own party. Clinton also had some conspicuous personnel problems, including trouble finding an attorney general who had not violated laws on reimbursement of domestic servants (the so-called Nannygate scandal that ended two AG nominations and complicated the top Pentagon nomination) and some disorganization in the White House itself. His first major legislative initiative was an economic-stimulus plan that Senate Republicans gutted. After successfully (albeit narrowly) getting a budget approved, the Clinton administration got bogged down in a complex and ultimately unsuccessful health-care-reform effort. And it failed to pursue the sort of political reforms that might have kept 1992s Ross Perot voters from returning to the GOP voting habits many of them had abandoned. In 1994, all these setbacks and lost opportunities contributed to a disastrous midterm election in which Democrats lost both houses of Congress for the first time since the early days of the Eisenhower administration. Democrats didnt regain both houses until 2006. Obama lost control A goodly number of Biden advisers served in one capacity or another in the Clinton administration. Far more worked for Obama and Biden when they took office in 2009. Unlike Clinton, Obama had the benefit of a solid popular-vote majority and coattails that gave his party a big margin of control in the House and 58 Democratic senators. By July, Democrats had a supermajority of 60 senators after Pennsylvanias Arlen Specter switched parties and Minnesotas Al Franken was seated upon the resolution of a disputed election. But before gaining complete control of the Senate, the new administration lost early momentum when it had to pare back and reconfigure its own economic-stimulus package to secure Republican votes, a step widely thought to have reduced its effectiveness. Meanwhile, the fruitless pursuit of Republican senators in the design of Obamacare slowed down its progress and complicated its provisions, nearly producing a catastrophe when Ted Kennedys illness and death, and then a shocking Republican victory in the special election to replace him, robbed Democrats of their supermajority. If disorganization was the biggest avoidable problem besetting Clinton in his early days, for Obama it was probably the failure to keep his powerful campaign infrastructure in place to mobilize support for his agenda and keep pressure on a Republican Party that saw no real risk in obstructing him. Like Clinton, Obama suffered a calamity in his first midterm election, with congressional and downballot losses that emboldened Republicans further and made a mockery of the talk after 2008 that Democrats were building a durable majority. Democrats lost the House and any measure of real control in the Senate. George W. Bushs accidental success If Clinton and Obama showed how much promise could be squandered through poor planning and strategy or just bad luck, the administration between theirs got out of the early doldrums via a bolt from the blue. Bush got off to a reasonably good start despite the shady nature of his elevation to the White House in 2000, easily enacting one of his campaigns top priorities, a big tax-cut bill (made possible, ironically, by Clintons achievement of budget surpluses). But his party lost control of the Senate in May 2001 when Vermonts Jim Jeffords changed sides to become a Democrat, and by the end of the summer, Bushs job-approval ratings had slumped to a meh 51 percent. He was likely en route to the usual midterm setback and a further loss of power. All that changed, of course, on September 11, 2001. W. was transformed overnight into the wildly popular commander-in-chief of a unified nation, and his party managed the very unusual feat of gaining ground in 2002 and consolidated its control of Congress. It took Bush a longer time to squander his wartime popularity than his father did after the Gulf War, but he did so thoroughly by 2008. Presidents can overcome a bad start Clinton and Obama both had comebacks after a slow start and a disastrous first midterm election, winning second terms and posting some impressive accomplishments (including, in Clintons case, becoming more popular than ever even as Republicans impeached him). And in his own way, Trump also showed theres life after failure or, in his case, failures every day. Despite his party controlling Congress and bending the knee to his every whim, it took him nearly a year to post a significant legislative accomplishment: the 2017 tax-cut measure. Republicans lost a string of special elections the first two years of the Trump presidency and then, in 2018, lost the House and some key governorships that ultimately played a role in thwarting his attempted 2020 election coup. Trump had his own good luck in inheriting a strong economic recovery and in harvesting an epochal trend in conservative-media infrastructure that gave him a way to convince his supporters to reject the exposure of his many lies and missteps as nothing more than enemy misinformation. But in the end he came within a distressingly small margin of winning a second term on the scorched ground of his divisive and violence-inducing rhetoric. So Bidens current effort to get off to a fast start isnt an all-or-nothing proposition, and there will be positive and negative influences on his power that he can neither anticipate nor control. But I can think of no precedent in which early success hurt a new president. So he and his people might as well get a few steps down the road before the winds of fortune buffet them. The chief fire officer of the civic body was among six persons injured in a major fire that broke out at a textile dyeing mill in Surat city of Gujarat on Friday, an official said. The fire started at the Shree Labdhi Prints factory located near Bhawani circle on Ashwani Kumar Road around 3 pm and was brought under control around 6 pm, said Deputy Municipal Commissioner, Fire and Emergency, N V Upadhyay. The fire brigade rushed 10 fire tenders to the spot to control the blaze. Around 35 persons were working in the mill when the fire broke out, said Upadhyay. "While some workers came out safely on their own, fire brigade personnel rescued around 20 others. Five of them who had sustained minor injuries were admitted to a nearby hospital," the official said. Chief Fire Officer Basant Parikh, who suffered 12 per cent burn injuries during the dousing operation, was also admitted to the hospital, he added. Nobody sustained serious injuries and all six were out of danger, the deputy commissioner added. It was suspected that polyester fabric may have caught fire due to a spark from a machine but the exact cause was yet to be ascertained, Upadhyay said. A representative of the factory had said earlier that a spark from an electric motor apparently triggered the blaze. A worker who managed to escape from the building in time told reporters that all his colleagues came out safely either by using staircase or by climbing down the trees adjacent to windows. TERRE HAUTE, Ind (WTHI) Congressman Larry Bucshon made a trip to Terre Haute on Thursday. Buchshon touched on energy initiatives that will take effect in the United States. One of President Bidens first initiatives was to prevent oil and gas from being pulled from federal lands. This means that drivers could see an increase at the gas pumps and Bucshon disagrees with the step to do this. Click Here for Congressman Larry Bucshon's contact information The writer behind Variety's review of Carey Mulligan's movie Promising Young Woman has spoken out in his won defence amid accusations of sexism. Dennis Harvey recently became the target of an online furore, after he referred to the actress, 35, as an 'odd choice' for the femme fatale role, while suggesting that producer Margot Robbie would have been a better choice. And in a new interview with the Guardian, the film critic has branded Carey's reaction to his words 'bizarre' and 'quite a leap' insisting his review never once compared the attractiveness of the actresses. Speaking out: The writer behind Variety's review of Carey Mulligan's movie Promising Young Woman has spoken out in his won defence amid accusations of sexism He said: '[W]hile Carey Mulligan is certainly entitled to interpret the review however she likes, her projection of it suggesting shes "not hot enough" is, to me, just bizarre. Im sorry she feels that way. But Im also sorry thats a conclusion she would jump to, because its quite a leap.' Harvey also admitted to being unsure about his future with Variety after writing for them for 30 years, as they apologised for his 'insensitive' review. 'I did not say or even mean to imply Mulligan is not hot enough for the role,' he said. 'Im a 60-year-old gay man. I dont actually go around dwelling on the comparative hotnesses of young actresses, let alone writing about that.' '[I'm] appalled to be tarred as misogynist, which is something very alien to my personal beliefs or politics,' he continued. 'This whole thing could not be more horrifying to me than if someone had claimed I was a gung-ho Trump supporter.' Issue: Mulligan attacked the Variety review, insisting it was 'transparent' and behind the times During his interview, Harvey pointed out the fact that his article had remained online for 11 months without complaint until Carey spoke out against it. He also said that US distributors asked to use pullquotes from his review as a part of their marketing campaign shortly after the review was posted last year. In his Variety review, Harvey stated that Mulligan appeared to be in 'bad drag' in the film, as he suggested Robbie should have taken on the role instead. During an interview with the New York Times late last year, Mulligan had blasted Variety for the 'sexist' critique, saying it 'drove [her] crazy'. The review read: 'Mulligan, a fine actress, seems a bit of an odd choice as this admittedly many-layered apparent femme fatale Margot Robbie is a producer here, and one can (perhaps too easily) imagine the role might once have been intended for her. Role: In his review, Harvey suggested Margot Robbie, a producer on the movie, would have been a better choice for the femme fatale role 'Whereas with this star, Cassie wears her pickup-bait gear like bad drag; even her long blonde hair seems a put-on.' The Variety review was posted online a year ago, but was updated with an 'Editor's Note' apology in bold after Mulligan spoke out about in a recent interview. 'Variety sincerely apologizes to Carey Mulligan and regrets the insensitive language and insinuation in our review of 'Promising Young Woman' that minimized her daring performance,' the apology reads. Variety told the Daily Telegraph that Harvey is a freelance critic, and would not comment on whether he would continue to write for the publication. A statement said: 'Variety has no further comment. The apology speaks for itself.' Revisiting the review: Mulligan spoke out again this week, talking about the controversy with fellow movie star Zendaya in Variety's Actors on Actors series Mulligan spoke out again this week, talking about the controversy with fellow movie star Zendaya in Variety's Actors on Actors series. During the interview, Zendaya probed Mulligan on calling out Variety after the Promising Young Woman review was released. 'I feel its important that criticism is constructive,' Mulligan said. 'I think its important that we are looking at the right things when it comes to work, and were looking at the art and were looking at the performance. 'And I dont think that goes to the appearance of the actor or your personal preference for what an actor does or doesnt look like which it felt that that article did.' 'So I think in criticising or bemoaning a lack of attractiveness on my part in a character, it wasnt a personal slight,' Mulligan continued. Acclaim: Her portrayal of Cassie in Promising Young Woman has received widespread acclaim 'It didnt wound my ego, but it made me concerned that in such a big publication an actresss appearance could be criticised and it could be accepted as completely reasonable criticism. 'Its important to call out those things, because they seem small and they seem insignificant. But it stuck with me, because I think its these kind of everyday moments that add up.' 'Beautifully said,' Zendaya responded. The apology came about after Mulligan called out Variety in an interview with The New York Times after Variety published their review. 'I read the Variety review, because Im a weak person,' Mulligan said to the Times. 'And I took issue with it. It felt like it was basically saying that I wasnt hot enough to pull off this kind of ruse. 'It drove me so crazy. I was like, Really? For this film, youre going to write something that is so transparent? Now? In 2020? I just couldnt believe it.' But Variety's apology has been criticised by fellow movie critic Jeffrey Wells, who said that while he disagreed with Harvey's review the publication should have given him an opportunity to respond. He blasted online: 'Theyve completely washed their hands of Harvey in this instance and have more or less thrown him under the bus.' Promising Young Woman, first released on Christmas Day in 2020, features Mulligan as Cassie, who fights back against the men who try to sleep with her while she is seemingly intoxicated. Mulligan has earned a Best Actress award from the National Board of Review for her performance, with Oscar buzz following her as well. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/29/2021 -- A new business intelligence report released by HTF MI with title "Global Sugar Free Confectionery Market Report 2020 by Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Market Size, Forecast to 2026 (Based on 2020 COVID-19 Worldwide Spread)" is designed covering micro level of analysis by manufacturers and key business segments. The Global Sugar Free Confectionery Market survey analysis offers energetic visions to conclude and study market size, market hopes, and competitive surroundings. The research is derived through primary and secondary statistics sources and it comprises both qualitative and quantitative detailing. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Mars, Ferrero, HARIBO, Nestle, Mondelez International, Chocoladefabriken Lindt and Sprungli, The Sugarless, Sula & Meiji Holdings. What's keeping Mars, Ferrero, HARIBO, Nestle, Mondelez International, Chocoladefabriken Lindt and Sprungli, The Sugarless, Sula & Meiji Holdings Ahead in the Market? Benchmark yourself with the strategic moves and findings recently released by HTF MI Get Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @ : https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/3010501-global-sugar-free-confectionery-market-report-2020-by-key-players-types-applications-countries-market-size-forecast-to-2026 Market Overview of Global Sugar Free Confectionery If you are involved in the Global Sugar Free Confectionery industry or aim to be, then this study will provide you inclusive point of view. It's vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Applications [Sachet, Box & Others], Product Types [, Sweets, Chocolates, Candy, Candy Nuts, Chewing Gum & Others] and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement. This study mainly helps understand which market segments or Region or Country they should focus in coming years to channelize their efforts and investments to maximize growth and profitability. The report presents the market competitive landscape and a consistent in depth analysis of the major vendor/key players in the market along with impact of economic slowdown due to COVID. Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows: Historical year 2014-2019 Base year 2019 Forecast period** 2020 to 2026 [** unless otherwise stated] **Moreover, it will also include the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product services of key players. Enquire for customization in Report @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/3010501-global-sugar-free-confectionery-market-report-2020-by-key-players-types-applications-countries-market-size-forecast-to-2026 The titled segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below: The Study Explore the Product Types of Sugar Free Confectionery Market: , Sweets, Chocolates, Candy, Candy Nuts, Chewing Gum & Others Key Applications/end-users of Global Sugar Free ConfectioneryMarket: Sachet, Box & Others Top Players in the Market are: Mars, Ferrero, HARIBO, Nestle, Mondelez International, Chocoladefabriken Lindt and Sprungli, The Sugarless, Sula & Meiji Holdings Region Included are: North America (Covered in Chapter 6 and 13), United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe (Covered in Chapter 7 and 13), Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Others, Asia-Pacific (Covered in Chapter 8 and 13), China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, Southeast Asia, Others, Middle East and Africa (Covered in Chapter 9 and 13), Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Others, South America (Covered in Chapter 10 and 13), Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Chile & Others Important Features that are under offering & key highlights of the report: Detailed overview of Sugar Free Confectionery market Changing market dynamics of the industry In-depth market segmentation by Type, Application etc Historical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and value Recent industry trends and developments Competitive landscape of Sugar Free Confectionery market Strategies of key players and product offerings Potential and niche segments/regions exhibiting promising growth A neutral perspective towards Sugar Free Confectionery market performance Market players information to sustain and enhance their footprint Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/3010501-global-sugar-free-confectionery-market-report-2020-by-key-players-types-applications-countries-market-size-forecast-to-2026 Major Highlights of TOC: Chapter One: Global Sugar Free Confectionery Market Industry Overview 1.1 Sugar Free Confectionery Industry 1.1.1 Overview 1.1.2 Products of Major Companies 1.2 Sugar Free Confectionery Market Segment 1.2.1 Industry Chain 1.2.2 Consumer Distribution 1.3 Price & Cost Overview Chapter Two: Global Sugar Free Confectionery Market Demand 2.1 Segment Overview 2.1.1 APPLICATION 1 2.1.2 APPLICATION 2 2.1.3 Other 2.2 Global Sugar Free Confectionery Market Size by Demand 2.3 Global Sugar Free Confectionery Market Forecast by Demand Chapter Three: Global Sugar Free Confectionery Market by Type 3.1 By Type 3.1.1 TYPE 1 3.1.2 TYPE 2 3.2 Sugar Free Confectionery Market Size by Type 3.3 Sugar Free Confectionery Market Forecast by Type Chapter Four: Major Region of Sugar Free Confectionery Market 4.1 Global Sugar Free Confectionery Sales 4.2 Global Sugar Free Confectionery Revenue & market share Chapter Five: Major Companies List Chapter Six: Conclusion Complete Purchase of Latest Version Global Sugar Free Confectionery Market Study with COVID-19 Impact Analysis @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=3010501 Key questions answered - What impact does COVID-19 have made on Global Sugar Free Confectionery Market Growth & Sizing? - Who are the Leading key players and what are their Key Business plans in the Global Sugar Free Confectionery market? - What are the key concerns of the five forces analysis of the Global Sugar Free Confectionery market? - What are different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the Global Sugar Free Confectionery market? - What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors? Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia. Contact US : Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA 08837 Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218 sales@htfmarketreport.com Connect with us at LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter 'Despite what Richard Dawkins thinks, the human thirst for the divine points to the real existence of a creator' Richard Dawkins and the new atheists present arguments with more holes than a block of Swiss cheese. Opponents are spoilt for choice when looking for an Achilles heel to prick, because the greater mass of people believe in a spiritual sphere. No serious historian doubts the existence of Jesus Christ, or the impact of that one solitary life. Is the widespread urge for sex a delusion of the mind, or does sex actually exist? Human thirst for the divine, expressed over vast aeons of time, points to the real existence of a creator. Dr James Hardy Belfast Future of our relationship with technology is uncertain I am writing to express my thanks to David McCourt for the article about the benefits for Ireland in our relationship with the US (Ireland benefits if Biden stops regulating the past and fixes transatlantic rift, Irish Independent, January 25). Reading through the article, the real interest lies in the story of the truth about Internet 3.0 and the fight between governments and the tech giants. It has been coming for a while and Mr McCourt has obviously seen this. His insight is most welcome. We seem to be coming into a mammoth phase at the end of the technological revolution as we know it. But, Microsoft is very quiet in all of this. Bill Gates is the gatekeeper for a lot of gates at this current point in time. Name and address with editor Foot-and-mouth lockdown should point the way ahead Being old enough to remember when we had a Border lockdown in 2001 due to the foot-and-mouth crisis, we had marvellous co-operation between then agriculture minister Joe Walsh and his Northern Ireland counterpart Brid Rodgers. Present-day ministers, please explain the difficulty in implementing similar policies for humans today as we did for animals then. Mary Coyle Kill, Co Kildare Ireland does not benefit from EU-wide vaccine negotiation I agree with the doctor who said that Ireland, with a population of five million, should be negotiating with vaccine manufacturers on its own behalf for the supply of vaccine rather than as a minuscule part of the EU which consists of 27 countries, most of which such as France (population 65 million), Italy (population 60 million) and Germany (population 80 million) have much larger populations than we have. If the EU negotiated the supply of a quantity of vaccine, what percentage of it would we get? Brendan Casserly Bishopstown, Cork A visit from President Biden must be high on our agenda Now that Joe Biden has been elected, it is time to think about his visit to the Emerald Isle. Perhaps we should consider changing from the usual St Patricks Day ritual where the Taoiseach of the day goes to the White House and arrange to have the US president visit Ireland for a few days instead. He has indicated his desire to do so already. It is too late for this to occur in 2021, but 2022 would be fine. Can you imagine the boost such a visit would give to our economy for years to come. Get Micheal, Leo and Simon on to this straight away. David Ryan Co Meath A proper lockdown pays dividends just ask Victoria The Australian state of Victoria now has had more than 56 days free of the virus. Why? Because despite rants from the opposition party and the federal treasurer that the economy would go into recession due to a lockdown, state premier Dan Andrews and his government prioritised peoples lives above money, accepting the advice of the medical and scientific experts. This included sacking the health minister a month into the pandemic. The lockdown allowed for exercise and local shopping, and Melbourne was isolated from rural Victoria with a 50km cordon. The majority obeyed the rules on mask-wearing and limiting contact. It paid off in the end, and today, four weeks after all restrictions were lifted, the state economy is booming. It is the sole responsibility of the Irish Government to enforce lockdown and mask-wearing in public. This responsibility includes staying at home for St Patricks Day with no excuses for anyone wanting to boast that I was in the White House. We would be far better off visiting Stormont instead to seek their assistance with an all-Ireland closure, because this virus is mutating very fast. Declan Foley Berwick, Australia Each year, new laws simplify more and more administrative procedures to buttress economic growth (Image source: VGP) The series of Resolution No.19/ND-CP on improving the business environment and national competitiveness that have been issued at the beginning of each year since 2014, has cut and simplified more than 50 per cent of a total of 6,000 business conditions while there have been improvements in most indexes, including the global innovation index, global competitiveness index, and the logistics performance index. "Over the past years, on every January 1, the government issued the year's Resolution No.19 (which is Resolution No.02 on tasks and solutions to improve business environment and national competitiveness this year). This confirms the determination of the government to improve the business climate and national competitiveness," Dau Anh Tuan, head of Legislation Division of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) said at the workshop on reforming for an enabling business environment and better competitiveness: achievements, lessons, and orientations for 2021-2025 held by the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), Aus4Reform, and Australian Aid last week. Businesses have also reported significant improvements in the past years. However, there remain some unnecessary, unreasonable, and unclear business conditions that may lead to complications and misunderstandings over implementation by state management agencies. Dau Anh Tuan said that although 50 per cent of business conditions have been addressed, but in fact only about 20 per cent have bee axed while the rest were simplified. Therefore, enterprises did not see a great deal of change in reality," Nguyen Minh Thao, head of CIEM's Business Climate and Competitiveness Division said. Dinh Viet Thanh, representative of Garment 10 JSC said they face some difficulties with administrative procedures, as ministries keep passing on responsibilities to each other or make impossible requirements and documents. Furthermore, complaints addressed to the government are usually met with the government assigning ministries to answer. Thus, further simplification of administrative procedures would be welcome. The summary report on implementing Resolution 02 of the Ministry of Planning and Investment also highlights that there remain barriers to business, containing numerous risks and the improvement is not very sustainable. So it is still a large distance between Vietnam's business environment and Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, and it is quite hard for Vietnam to be in the ASEAN-4. Thereby, Dau Anh Tuan from the VCCI proposed continuing the implementation of solutions in Resolution 02 like cutting down barriers for enterprises; protecting the freedom of business; innovating law-making towards transparency and reducing conflicts; boosting competition; protecting property rights, intellectual property, and promoting creative industries. The expert Nguyen Dinh Cung said that improving the business environment is an impressive point of reforming the process. Notably, in Resolution 02 this year, the government asks to implement the tasks related to digital transformation in line with the Decision No.749/QD-TTg dated June 3, 2020 on introducing program for national digital transformation by 2025 with orientations towards 2030, which is reasonable in the pandemic situation to digitalise both the government and enterprises. Cung said that if the implementation and performance are good, these will contribute to a breakthrough and trust to carry out a 5-year Socioeconomic Development Plan and 10 -year strategy. "In addition to reforming administrative procedures, improving the business environment, enhancing competitiveness, we should also pay attention to build and develop market types and production to mobilise and use all resources," emphasised Cung. Siam Cement sees net profit rise 7% in 2020 29 January 2021 Thailands Siam Cement has reported a nine per cent decline in revenue from sales to THB399.94bn (US$13.3bn) for 2020, compared to THB437.98bn in the previous year. However, its net profit rose seven per cent YoY to THB34.41bn from THB32.01bn, on the back of an improved performance in all of its businesses. The company expects its total earnings in 2021 to grow by 5-10 per cent from the THB399bn last year, driven by high value-added product development and the circular economy. "We have a positive outlook for our businesses because we have strong strategies," said SCG President and CEO, Roongrote Rangsiyopash. "The company is focused on high value-added products and global trends to support our businesses during the outbreak." Thammasak Sethaudom, vice president for finance and investment, said the company will allocate a budget of THB60-75bn for new investment projects this year, including mergers and acquisitions domestically and abroad. Published under 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. PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- A dozen Jackson County schools were among 26 schools which received a total of nearly $100,000 in STEM grants from Ingalls Shipbuilding. The educators receiving these awards are innovators and strong advocates for science, technology, engineering and math, said Ingalls president Brian Cuccias. Ingalls remains committed to supporting programs that cultivate talent in these important fields. Ingalls has awarded more than $1.2 million for local STEM-related educational projects over the past 13 years. Establishing an early awareness of and interest in STEM is critical for our communities and our future workforce, said Edmond Hughes, Ingalls vice president of human resources and administration. We are pleased to have the opportunity to fund these projects. The Jackson County schools receiving grants were: Central Elementary School: Students will participate in a weekly STEM challenge based on the StoryBook STEM curriculum to expand vocabulary, connect to mathematics and science, build on literacy skills and brainstorm ideas. $3,600. Moss Point High School Career and Technical Education Center : Nursing Skills Slim Kit and Intramuscular Injection Simulators will be used to help students experience sensory impairments both from the patient and the health care worker points of view in order to gain a sense of empathy and sensitivity to the challenges sensory impairments have on daily life. $5,000. Ocean Springs Middle School : Students will be paired together to research the importance of insulating pipes and think critically about how to efficiently insulate a PVC puzzle. They will gain hands-on experience learning directional cuts and logistics for fitting insulation around various angles. $4,034. Ocean Springs Upper Elementary School: Students will use robots that are responsive to touch, obstacles, light, color and sound to compete in coding challenges. $2,700. Ocean Springs Upper Elementary School: Students will choose a house to create using their engineering skills, and will test to see if it can withstand being blown down. $1,567. Ocean Springs Upper Elementary School: UNICEF Kid Power Bands will be utilized to empower students to make local and global impacts while developing 21st century skills like collaboration, problem solving and critical thinking. $2,169. Pecan Park Elementary School: Students will create suspension bridges, airplanes, vehicles and follow blueprints utilizing STEM kits. $3,831. St. Alphonsus Catholic Elementary School: Students will utilize virtual headsets to create their own virtual reality expeditions and share panoramas from around the world. $2,392. St. Martin High School: A plasma CNC table and metal fabrication equipment will be utilized to bridge the gap between students designs, and working physical models. $4,432. St. Martin Middle School: Students will work in teams and utilize a laser cutter to build a box with joints that interlock without any type of adhesive. $5,000. Treehouse Montessori School: Students will create a virtual tour and podcast series focused on Mississippis natural history to share with other middle and high school students through a network of resource agencies and science educators. $3,417. Vancleave Lower Elementary: Materials will be purchased to construct a STEM station that will allow students to build different types of infrastructure such as the Statue of Liberty, pyramids, barns, playgrounds, bridges and different landforms. $531. Vancleave Middle School: Students will have the opportunity to code using robots and an application on an iPad to receive visual confirmation that their lines of code are correct and functioning properly. $4,955. Vancleave Middle School: Virtual reality headsets will allow students to explore the inside of a cell, conduct virtual dissections, explore the planets and look at ecosystems in the ocean. $4,943. Vancleave Upper Elementary School: Students will be introduced to robotics and coding to learn science technology, social studies and teamwork skills. $5,000. Other schools receiving grants were Bay Middle School, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, DIberville High School, Gulfport High School, Lake Elementary School (Lake, Miss.), McGill-Toolen Catholic High School (Mobile, Ala.), Mississippi Council on Economic Education; Orange Grove Elementary, Popps Ferry Elementary, St. Patrick High School, and Saint Mary Catholic School (Mobile). MGCCC Operations Technology students awarded Aspen Scholarships GAUTIER, Mississippi -- DeAsia Kelly of Moss Point and Jesmaine Barnett of Gautier, both students in the Process Operations Technology program at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community Colleges Jackson County Campus, received $4,000 Aspen Scholarships for their sophomore year. Last fall, the Process Operations Technology program was named a winner of the Excellence and Equity in Community College STEM Award by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the Siemens Foundation. That award has provided scholarship funds for MGCCC Process Operations Technology students, and after a virtual site visit in November, Aspen awarded additional dollars that could be used for student scholarships this spring. Jackson County now offers online facility rental PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Jackson County has partnered with CivicRec to implement its facility rental/reservation management software solution. The integrated technology platform for local governments allows citizens greater visibility into options to book community centers and recreation department activities. With the implementation of CivicRec, residents will now have the option to pay online with a debit or credit card. We are thrilled to have this option available for the citizens of Jackson County to easily reserve and pay online. said Tammy Moore, Director of Community Centers and Fairgrounds. The Jackson County Board of Supervisors partnership in this technology will benefit our communities for years to come. The portal is available on the Jackson County, Mississippi website: www.co.jackson.ms.us. Singing River Library receives state Cultural Heritage Award PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- The Singing River Genealogy and Local History Library has been named a recipient of the 2020 Cultural Heritage Digitization Award by the Mississippi Digital Library and its statewide partners. The chosen collection is published electronically as part of the Mississippi Digital Library at the University of Southern Mississippi. As the awardee of the 2020 Cultural Heritage Digitization Award, the Singing River Library received digitization services for materials highlighting Mississippis international history and specialized training to continue to preserve and share the rich history of George and Jackson counties. Ocean Springs High one of six earning Computer Science Female Diversity award OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- Ocean Springs High School is one of six Mississippi schools to have earned the College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science A (CSA) and/or AP Computer Science Principles (CSP). Schools receive the award on the basis of expanding girls access in AP computer science courses. Out of 20,000 institutions nationwide which offer AP courses, these six Mississippi schools are among 1,119 to achieve either 50 percent or higher female representation in one of the two AP computer science courses or a percentage of the female computer science examinees meeting or exceeding that of the schools female population during the 2019-2020 school year. In addition to Ocean Springs, the other recipients are Columbia High School, Northwest Rankin High School, Ridgeland High School and Murrah High School. She was perceived strongly as a Sri Lankan the unifying attribute of our national identity. Dressed modestly as most young Sri Lankan females, and speaking the language of the masses fluently and confidently, she came across as yet another daughter of Mother Lanka quite easily. by Bisthan Batcha By simply being herself, the remarkable young lady who won the Quiz conducted by one of private television channels in Sri Lanka has demonstrated to the Muslim community exactly what is needed to neutralise and nullify the anti-Muslim sentiments that have gripped Sri Lankan society since 2012sentiments that have brought out the bigotry at various levels of society among the educated and the not-so-educated, the wealthy and the not-so-wealthy, those who-should-know-better and those who dont, and among professionals at every level. What made it easy for the masses to rally around her during the competition, and heap praises and accolades after her victory, was the fact that the lady successfully projected herself spontaneously as just another young SRI LANKAN teenager, bubbling with excitement as she drew closer to the prize. Her facial expressions reflected the happiness many if not most viewers would have felt at that time. She was perceived strongly as a Sri Lankan the unifying attribute of our national identity. Dressed modestly as most young Sri Lankan females, and speaking the language of the masses fluently and confidently, she came across as yet another daughter of Mother Lanka quite easily. Would the young lady have received the same amount of praise and adulation if she was dressed in a full face covered nikab like an Arab Muslim? This is exactly what the Muslim community has to do if it is to counteract the growing anti-Muslim sentiment in our Motherland. They need to strengthen their image as (Muslim) Sri Lankans and not as (Sri Lankan) Muslims. This is not merely a matter of semantics, it is by far the most important first step that the community should take, towards establishing a harmonious and mutually-respectful relationship with the majority community. In any name-label, the (stronger) noun is an identifying and unifying term, while the (weaker) adjective is a descriptive and differentiating term. If we are really concerned about strengthening our National Identity, then it is imperative that in all our verbal and written communications we refer to ourselves as Sri Lankans first. Our identity as a pluralistic, multi-ethnic, multicultural and multi-religious tolerant society will be reinforced and strengthened around the common national attribute. When we refer to ourselves as Sri Lankan Muslims, we are only calling attention to what differentiates us from the other communities and sustains the divisions in society. We are sending the message that we are Muslims (noun) first and then Sri Lankan (adjective). If the Muslims find it difficult to give pride of place to their nationality by identifying themselves as Muslim Sri Lankans, but choose to give their nationality secondary importance by identifying themselves as Sri Lankan Muslims, can you then blame the majority community for perceiving Muslims as second-class citizens when the Muslims themselves are guilty of doing so? Is the moment opportune for the members of the Islamic faith to de-Arabize the Muslim community in our Motherland? Or, should we wait until we are compelled to do so like the Muslims in France, when Emmanuel Macron recently announced a law against religious separatism aimed at freeing Islam in France from foreign influences? Seize the moment, my brothers and sisters, exemplified by the Shukra Effect on our Sri Lankan Community. Louisiana's population continues to shrink down by nearly 13,000 people to make it one of 16 states to lose population between 2019 and 2020. The rate of deaths and people leaving Louisiana outpaced births and in-migration to the state, taking the population down to 4,645,318 residents in July 2020, according to the latest U.S. Census data released recently. The estimate is a calculation based off of the last Census taken in 2010, when Louisiana had 4.5 million residents. The 2020 census count for the state isn't expected for another few months. +5 See which Baton Rouge-area parishes are gaining, losing population, per new census data Census data released this week show that more than 18,000 people moved out of East Baton Rouge Parish between 2010 and 2018, with the pace of The drop-off in the 2019 to July 2020 data continues a trend that has seen Louisiana lose about 36,000 residents since 2016, which aligns with a decline in the oil and gas industry after oil prices crashed below $30 per barrel from a peak of $100 per barrel in 2014. "It was the collapse of the oil patch," said Loren Scott, retired LSU professor and economist by trade. Scott noted that between Lafayette, Houma and New Orleans, the regions collectively lost 60,000 jobs between 2015 and 2017 stemming from the slowdown in the oil and gas industry. In Baton Rouge, the 2016 flood also contributed to some population loss. Meanwhile, much of the state above Interstate 10 has "been in a state of decline" for years with lackluster economic performance, he said. "People tend to go where the economic opportunities are," Scott said. A major factor in the population loss is the growing share of aging residents who are no longer having children and those who are empty nesters. For decades, Louisiana's population still grew overall because of a natural increase where births outweighed both deaths and residents leaving the state. The most recent data includes some deaths during the coronavirus pandemic, but the overarching downward trend has been happening for years. There was definitely a decline of natural increase over the decade. As its starting to taper off, the natural increase doesnt offset out-migration as much, said Troy Blanchard, interim dean for LSU's College of the Humanities and demographer. +2 For the 1st time since Hurricane Katrina, census stats show a shrinking New Orleans More than a decade of uninterrupted growth in New Orleans' population that accompanied the recovery from Hurricane Katrina has ended, accordin The latest figures released for July do not yet include parish-level population data to see whether previous trends continued for parishes in the state. Figures from previous years had shown population gains between 2010 and 2016 and continuing through 2019 in Ascension, Bossier, Calcasieu, Lafayette, Livingston, St. Tammany, St. Bernard, Tangipahoa and West Baton Rouge parishes. Orleans Parish population was growing steadily between 2010 and 2016, but lost steam and declined to 390,144 residents in 2019. East Baton Rouge Parish also had gained population between 2010 and 2016, then fell in 2019 to 440,059, which was the population in 2010. East Feliciana, West Feliciana, St. Helena, Pointe Coupee and Iberville parishes also lost population between 2016 and 2019. 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 The biggest declines in population across the state had included St. Mary, Iberia, St. John the Baptist, Morehouse, Vernon, Caddo and Webster parishes. Louisiana falls behind national average in census completion: Here's why it's important As the census critical to funding distribution for schools, hospitals and roads, for example draws to a close amid a pandemic, officials a Among residents who do leave the state, it's largely college-educated people, according to research by Gary Wagner, a business economist with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Net migration to Texas for those ages 24 and under with a degree in 2017 was at minus 2,140, the worst since 2004. For ages 25-34, it was minus 1,343 after being at minus 1,275 in 2016. That's an issue for the future of employees and business owners. "It's a bad thing if you're disproportionately losing young adults," said Tim Slack, demographer and sociology professor at LSU. "Migration is a selective process; not everybody has the resources to get up and go. If we're exporting young and educated people, that's a problem." Often, people migrate to regions where there are jobs and "high functioning public institutions," Slack said. "We don't perform very well; a person with a young family wants a good job and a good school system," he said. Meanwhile, Louisiana continues to have among the smallest immigrant populations with the vast majority of residents native born. Typically, immigrants are pulled by economic opportunity, so it's a signal of a sluggish state economy, Slack said. It's unclear whether the upcoming 2020 Census will be the most accurate reflection of the state population, as Louisiana had only 60% of residents self-respond to questions. Census takers were attempting to visit homes without responses amid a busy hurricane season, and the coronavirus pandemic complicated the effort. +2 Leaving Louisiana with a degree: Why Colorado sees a growing number of Louisiana ex-pats True story: The first Saturday after Jennings native Nick Darbonne moved to Colorado, he was invited to a crawfish boil. Authorities in Cuba released Christian Pastor Karel Parra Rosabal last Jan. 22 after detaining him for 10 days on false charges of "hoarding" tools for his bike business, which they confiscated as well. Religious freedom advocate Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reported that Rosabal was ordered to attend a meeting with the Cuban Chief Prosecutor three days after his release wherein he was told that charges against him will be dropped and that no legal case will be pursued against him. Rosabal was asked to present the proof of purchase of the tools confiscated from him. He was able to do this, yet his tools were not returned and were kept in the possession of the prosecutor. According to CSW, Rosabal earns his living from a bicycle repair workshop registered legallly in his home while being the head of Fuego y Dinamica Apostolic Church, which is an unregistered Christian group in Jobabo, Cuba. Rosabal was arrested on accusations of "hoarding" tools -- his bicycle repair equipment that's worth almost USD $2,000. The police confiscated the said tools after searching his home and have given no indication when they intend to return it, which means a loss of livelihood for Rosabal and his family until it is returned. In addition, CSW believes Rosabal was arrested on the basis of him being a part of the Apostolic Movement, which is a network of large and independent churches that the Cuban government has not permitted to register so that they will be considered illegal. "So that you learn that illegal churches in Cuba are not allowed," the police told Rosabal during his arrest as per CSW. CSW said what Rosabal experienced is common in Cuba where religious persecution is constant and strong. One of the Cuban government's common strategies is releasing detained pastors, when the cases gain publicity, so that the authorities will look good in the sight of the public. In Rosabal's case, however, authorities kept the tools he uses for his livelihood to force him to look for a job and give up ministry work, so that he and his family will not starve. "I've been working on Cuba for about 20 years now. Persecution has remained steady. It takes different forms over the years. Rather than trying to eliminate religion, they try to control it. And they're always changing their methods," CSW Head of Advocacy Anna Lee Stangl said in an interview with Christian Post. "Once the harassment starts, it will continue. It looks good on paper. He's out of jail. But he can't support his own family," Stangl revealed. Stangl also called on the Cuban authorities for the release of Rosabal's equipment considering no case was filed against him. "We were pleased to learn of Pastor Karel Parra Rosabal's unexpected release from prison. The decision of the prosecutor to decline to pursue the case shows that he never should have been detained in the first place," Stangl raised. "CSW remains deeply concerned that the authorities have refused to return his equipment to him. This arbitrary confiscation has a direct and serious negative impact on his ability to earn a livelihood, which not only helps to feed his family but also provides a critical service to his community," she added. "We call on the authorities to immediately return all of his equipment and to cease their harassment of Pastor Parra Rosabal." The Christian Post reported that the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has spoken repeatedly about religious freedom violations in Cuba and has released report the presents how Cuban authorities manipulate the law to "wage persistent harassment" against religious leaders, as well as, to control religious activity. Vietnam reported 63 COVID-19 infections, including 62 domestically-transmitted cases, on Friday, according to the Ministry of Health. One imported case was quarantined upon arrival by plane from Japan on Wednesday. He tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Thursday. The local cases were detected from 6:00 pm on Thursday to 6:00 pm on Friday, the health ministry elaborated. Of the 62 domestic infections, one was recorded in Hai Phong City, two in Bac Ninh Province, two in Hanoi, five in Quang Ninh Province, and 52 in Hai Duong Province. All of the places are located in northern Vietnam. The Ministry of Health also announced 18 recoveries on Friday, taking the total number of recovered patients to 1,448. Vietnam has confirmed 1,705 coronavirus patients since the pathogen first emerged in the country on January 23 last year, according to the ministry's data. Thirty-five patients have died, most suffering comorbid health conditions. The Southeast Asian country had detected zero local infections for nearly two months before it uncovered new outbreaks on Thursday. Authorities are conducting quick and extensive contact tracing to contain the new wave of infections, at a time when the Lunar New Year holiday, Vietnams biggest festival, is only two weeks away. At the time of writing, the government is quarantining 21,345 people who came into contact with infected patients or entered Vietnam from pathogen-hit regions. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! There is an urgent need for the government to overhaul its approach to homelessness. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, millions of American families struggled to afford a safe place to live a housing crisis driven primarily by soaring prices in major metropolitan areas. The pandemic has made a bad situation that much worse. The clear goal of federal policy ought to be the minimization of homelessness. The first step is for the federal government to get its arms around the problem. It should require every community that receives federal funding for programs intended to help the homeless to emulate Kern County and a growing number of other cities and counties that track people who are homeless, by name, throughout the year. Local governments, of course, neednt wait for federal prodding to get started. The shortfalls of the current federal approach begin with a narrow definition of homelessness. The January head count, which is typically conducted late at night, includes only people who are found in places not meant for human habitation, including public shelters, cars and doorways. It does not count people who have found temporary shelter in hotel rooms or campgrounds or in a friends living room. The difference is large, particularly for a count that is generally conducted on one of the coldest days of the year, when people might be especially prone to find shelter if they can. In 2017, for example, the government put the total homeless population at 550,996. That same year, school districts across the country, using a broader definition, reported 1.35 million homeless students, according to the most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics. That number, it bears emphasizing, is just a count of homeless students not their parents or other family members, and not the rest of the homeless population. The narrow federal definition is sometimes justified as focused on those most in need of help, those who cant even borrow a safe place to sleep. But the governments approach also amounts to taking a snapshot of a movie. The number of people who are homeless during the course of a year is significantly larger than the number on any given night. Charlestown, RI (02880) Today Windy with a steady light rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High 52F. Winds NE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Rain likely. Low 47F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Woodside has passed another hurdle in its quest to keep the Karratha Gas Plant operating as the North West Shelf fields begin drying up later this decade. Woodside and its North West Shelf project partners have been given the green light from the WA government to pump gas from the Pluto LNG facility five kilometres to the Karratha Gas Plant on the Burrup Peninsula through an interconnector pipeline. Woodside's Karratha gas plant in Western Australia. Under the state agreement, Woodside can produce three million tonnes of LNG from Pluto gas at the Karratha plant over four years from 2022. The interconnecting pipeline is the first step in Woodsides Burrup Hub vision, which includes the production of gas through the development of the Scarborough and Browse fields though investment decisions have been consistently delayed as a result of a weaker energy market. Dear County Superintendents, District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and High School Principals: Steps To College 2021 Event and Scholarship Opportunity On behalf of the California Department of Education and the Consulate General of Mexico in Sacramento, we are pleased to invite you, your students, and their families to the Tenth Edition of Steps to College (STC). The STC is the largest bilingual and binational University Fair in Northern California, which will be held virtually throughout February 2021, live and via a special platform created for this purpose. This unique fair is a long-term educational project organized on a yearly basis by the Consulate General of Mexico in Sacramento in partnership with the California Student Aid Commission, the University of California System, the California State University System, the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, the Community College System, Mexican Universities, the Cien Amigos advocacy group, and the Mexican Cultural Center of Northern California. Since its implementation, STC has served more than 13,600 students from Northern California through specialized workshops on how to apply to college and access financial aid and scholarships. Students have also benefited from personalized support from counselors and Cash for College advisors as well as legal and health experts. Our goal for this Tenth Annual STC Fair is to take advantage of a microsite containing valuable information; live zoom workshops; online personal consulting; and hosting over 3,000 students. Additionally, we aim to reach school districts in rural areas and motivate higher participation of these students, many of them dreamers from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Consequently, we ask that you please share this information with your students. In the meantime, we are sharing the Steps to College web page at https://stepstocollegesac.org/, hoping you find this information both helpful and inspiring. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact Didya Fong at 916-329-3540 or politicossac@sre.gob.mx or Juan Carlos Ruiz at 916-329-3537 or culturalessac@sre.gob.mx. Sincerely, Tony ThurmondState Superintendent of Public InstructionCalifornia Department of Education Liliana Ferrer Consul General of Mexico Sacramento, California ( ) is poised for a robust year ahead banking on the numbers of steps taken by the company in the December quarter for the development of its 100%-owned Lake Wells Sulphate of Potash Project (LSOP) in Western Australia. During the quarter, the company executed a funding strategy, signed offtake agreement and applied for the minister for environment consent for the project - all these steps are likely to push companys growth in the March Quarter. March quarter to be "one of the most important" Australian Potash managing director and CEO Matt Shackleton said: The March quarter is shaping as one of the most important in the companys development. With the LSOP moving to final investment decision, the LWGP showing strong signs of continuing the rich history that north-eastern Goldfield's greenstone belts are globally famous for and early exploration commencing on two new project areas we anticipate a pipeline of strong and steady updates. Addressing the independent technical experts investigations Shackleton added: The December 2020 quarter was focussed towards addressing the independent technical experts investigations into the LSOP development models, assisting lending institutions including EFA, NAIF and commercial banks with their due diligence programs, and engaging contractors with Early Works programs and plans. Discussions continued with Indigenous stakeholders in the Laverton region, as plans progressed to develop the Laverton Vocational & Education Training facility." Approvals Pathway During the quarter, the company received notice from the office of the appeals convenor that the Minister for Environment had issued an Appeal Determination to an appeal lodged against the EPA Boards recommendation that the LSOP be approved for development. Shackleton said: The Minister for Environment considered the Appeals Convenors report into the appeal lodged against the EPAs report into the LSOP. Notwithstanding the concerns raised by the appellant, the Minister concluded that APCs consultation with Indigenous stakeholders throughout the exploration and development planning for the LSOP was highly appropriate and comprehensive. We look forward to continuing these consultations and remain committed to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with traditional knowledge holders. The Minister has commenced the final approvals process, which is consulting with the Ministers of the relevant decision-making authorities within the State government. Lake Wells Gold Project (LWGP) WA, Joint Venture with St Barbara (SBM) The companys earn-in joint venture (EIJV) partner St Barbara has continued to expand the footprint and tenor of gold mineralisation at the Lake Wells Gold Project, with aircore results confirming the strong potential for the project to host a large gold deposit. A diamond core drill program is underway with two holes of a three-hole program completed and assays expected from March 2021. Further, a 19-holes for 3,400-metre Reverse Circulation (RC) drill program is underway, with assays expected from March 2021. Shackleton said: Our JV partner at the LWGP, St Barbara Limited, continued execution of their exploration program through the quarter. Following the return of impressive Air-Core results which delineated a mineralised corridor exceeding 9 kilometres, a diamond rig and an RC rig were mobilised to site. Post-quarter-end the diamond rig completed the third of three holes designed to follow up the AC program results and test a previously untested EM anomaly. We very much look forward to updating shareholders through the March quarter with assay results from both the diamond and the 19-hole RC programs. Offtake agreement In November 2020, the company signed a binding 10-year take-or-pay term sheet with HELM AG (HELM) for 20,000 tonnes per annum of K-BriteTM sulphate of potash from Lake Wells for distribution into the United States of America. Pricing is based on a net realised price basis, incentivising HELM to achieve the highest sales price in the market jurisdictions covered by the agreement. With the signing of the agreement, 100% of the companys DFS projected output of 150,000 tonnes per annum is now under offtake. Fundraising initiative During the quarter, the company completed a placement to institutional and sophisticated investors to raise $7 million at 11.1 cents per share following which it issued 63.06 million new ordinary shares to the participants. The placement shares were issued on the same terms as, and rank equally in all respects with, the existing fully paid ordinary shares in the company. Nick Lux Nick Lux, associate professor in the Department of Education, has won the Excellence in Online Teaching Award. The award comes with a $2,000 honorarium. Since Lux joined the Department of Education in 2008, he has been the catalyst for advancing the departments capacity to prepare new teachers for the world of online teaching and learning, say those who supported Luxs nomination for the award. Lux has developed and taught numerous online courses, including several courses in the departments teacher licensure program. Lux reports that his approach to online teaching and learning is rooted in four areas: providing authentic learning opportunities for students to think and act like teachers; constructing a learning environment conducive to inclusive, active and engaged learning for all learners; modeling appropriate and effective use of digital learning tools; and demonstrating care and support for his students. His online courses also incorporate Luxs research, particularly regarding the methods by which technology can be used for teaching and learning. Lux is acknowledged as the departments expert in technology education and recently created a document for the department that distills best practices in online teaching and learning. During this time of greatly increased online and blended courses, Nick has skillfully led our department faculty in enhancing their online teaching skills and, perhaps more importantly, modeled best practices for our future pre-kindergarten through 12th grade educators, one nominator wrote. In addition, Lux currently serves as program leader for the curriculum and instruction unit that offers fully online graduate programs. His vision and leadership for that program have resulted in tightly sequenced coursework that help students many of whom juggle full-time employment in schools and family responsibilities navigate the challenges of graduate study to earn advanced degrees. Lux has prepared hundreds of new teachers to be knowledgeable and capable in the uses of online and digital media and online teaching and learning. His graduates now teach in districts across Montana, and former students frequently report high praise for a teacher-scholar who has impacted their lives in immeasurable ways. Temperature-Related Death and Illness During extreme heat events, nighttime temperatures in the regions big cities are generally several degrees higher than surrounding regions, leading to higher risk of heat-related death. In urban areas, the hottest days in the Northeast are also often associated with high concentrations of urban air pollutants including ground-level ozone. Extreme Events Much of the historical development of industry and commerce in New England occurred along rivers, canals, coasts, and other bodies of water, these areas often have a higher density of contaminated sites, waste management facilities, and petroleum storage facilities that are potentially vulnerable to flooding. As a result, increases in flood frequency or severity could increase the spread of contaminants into soils and waterways, resulting in increased risks to human health. When coupled with storm surges, sea level rise can pose severe risks of flooding, with consequent physical and mental health impacts on coastal populations. Water-Related Illness Increased soil erosion and agricultural runoffincluding manure, fertilizer, and pesticidesare linked to excess nutrient loading of water bodies as well as possible food safety or public health issues from food and waterborne infections. Warmer winters are expected to increase pressure from weeds and pests, demand for pesticides, and therefore the risk of human health effects from increased chemical exposures. Food Safety, Nutrition, and Distribution Increased soil erosion and agricultural runoffincluding manure, fertilizer, and pesticidesare linked to excess nutrient loading of water bodies as well as possible food safety or public health issues from food and waterborne infections. Warmer winters are expected to increase pressure from weeds and pests, demand for pesticides, and therefore the risk of human health effects from increased chemical exposures. Increasing prevalence of shell disease in lobsters and several pathogens in oysters have been associated with rising water temperatures; other pathogens that infect shellfish pose risks to human health. Mental Health and Well-Being When coupled with storm surges, sea level rise can pose severe risks of flooding, with consequent physical and mental health impacts on coastal populations. Populations of Concern Older or sicker individuals and those persons who are without access to air conditioning, living in older homes, socially isolated, or working outdoors are considered particularly vulnerable to the effects of heat. The combination of heat stress and poor urban air quality can pose a major health risk to vulnerable groups: young children, elderly, socially or linguistically isolated, economically disadvantaged, and those with preexisting health conditions, including asthma. Similarly, poor, elderly, historically marginalized, recent immigrants, and linguistically or socially isolated individuals as well as those populations with existing health disparities are more vulnerable to precipitation events and flooding due to a limited ability to prepare for and cope with such events. CDC-Funded Jurisdictions Extreme heat, extreme cold, and vector-borne diseases are the primary hazards addressed through Maines program. The program has developed school and community-based educational interventions, as well as extreme-weather response plans for state and local agencies. Maines program has developed a real-time data dashboard to track cases of tick borne disease, such as Lyme disease, and tick-related emergency department visits, which helps health officials understand the spread of ticks and how a changing climate affects the ticks lifecycle. The program is also working with the University of Maine Climate Change Institute to develop fine-scale climate models specific to Maine that inform local response planning. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) Bureau of Environmental Health (BEH) has assisted local and state partners in preparing for the health impact of climate change, with a focus on inland flooding, heat, air quality, sea level rise, and extreme weather events. MDPH/BEH activities include a previous needs assessment of local health departments, development of a Climate Vulnerability Mapping Tool, risk-based assessment of climate related impacts (e.g., asthma, waterborne disease), identification of intervention and adaptation strategies, and evaluation of local climate and health action strategies using a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) framework. MDPH also works collaboratively with state agency partners to assess climate hazards and recommend specific adaptation strategies. The New York City Climate and Health Program (NYC CHP) focuses on the health impacts of current and future climate-related hazards, primarily, extreme heat, extreme cold, and power outages. The program relies on several approaches to analyze the magnitude of these impacts and which populations and communities are most at risk to these impacts, develop, promote, or evaluate climate resilient policies and interventions, and communicate climate-health risk messages. In addition, the program works to ensure that health is a consideration in larger, multi-sectoral planning or resiliency initiatives by helping to prioritize local communities for climate mitigation and adaptation investments. To achieve program success, the program relies heavily on partnerships with internal sister agency programs. New York State (NYS) has primarily focused on the health impacts of heat, flooding, and heavy precipitation events. These climate hazards are being addressed through the development and implementation of adaptation activities in coordination with program partners. These adaptations include development of Heat and Health county profile reports, working with the National Weather Service to revise the thresholds for issuing heat advisories, providing air conditioners to vulnerable populations, creating a mapping application to display cooling center locations, tracking heat stress hospitalization and emergency department visits annually, publishing lessons learned from the response to Hurricane Sandy, and helping local governments take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate. The Maryland Climate Change Health Adaptation Program provides a health focus to climate response efforts across the state, through technical assistance, development of epidemiologic tools and data products, and education and outreach. The program primarily addresses extreme heat, air quality and respiratory illness, water-borne diseases, and extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and tornadoes. The program includes education and outreach for school age youth (K-12), minority groups, community health workers, and informal healthcare networks, as well as a climate change training curriculum for community health workers and extension workers. The New Hampshire Climate and Health Program works to build community resilience to threats such as extreme heat and injury, flooding and injury, tick habitat, and vector-borne disease, with a focus on the elderly, lower-income communities, and individuals spending time outdoors. The program has funded interventions addressing home emergency preparedness among older adults and tick-safe practices among outdoor counselor and campers. The program has also created a heatsafety flyer for the elderly population, provides updates to the state-level extreme heat response plan, and funds the testing of shellfish in warming waters to reduce the risk of food-borne disease. The Rhode Island Climate Change and Health Program primarily addresses community resilience, extreme heat, air quality and respiratory illnesses, flooding, sea level rise, and vector-borne diseases. Vulnerable populations such as seniors, youth, outdoor workers, and residents in the urban core are the focus of the programs work. The programs adaptation activities include extreme heat messaging to outdoor workers, Lyme disease outreach to local communities, climate resiliency in the urban core communities, and climate preparedness in long-term care and assisted living senior housing. The Vermont Climate and Health Program addresses key climate-related health risks including heat illnesses, poor air quality and allergenic pollen, vector-borne diseases, water-borne diseases, cyanobacteria, mental health impacts, and extreme weather events, such as flooding and storms. The high-risk populations include older adults, low income households, and residents with pre-existing health conditions. Some of the programs main adaptation activities include increasing hot weather preparedness, promoting home weatherization, and providing energy-saving shade trees. Many of the programs activities help to provide health co-benefits as part of statewide climate mitigation efforts focused on the transportation, housing, forestry, and energy sectors. Vermont also received an additional mini-grant grant to implement two new Health in All Policies (HiAP) strategies: 1) Integrate heat-related climate, health, vulnerability, and adaptive capacity data into Vermonts Environmental Public Health Tracking Data Explorer. 2) Implement accountability structures for hot weather preparedness and response through a Hot Weather Workgroup of multi-sectoral partners. The Boston Public Health Commission developed heat awareness materials and translated them into ten languages to reach particularly at-risk populations and reduce health impacts during heat waves. The Seneca Nation of Indians (located in what is now called New York) is working to address impacts from flooding and storm water, including prevention of vector-borne disease, by incorporating health into existing collaborative climate work. The mini-grant project focuses on health communication. 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 Kang Seung-woo The government plans to vaccinate undocumented foreigners against COVID-19 free of charge, if necessary, according to the health authorities. The number of foreign nationals staying illegally in Korea is estimated to have risen to about 400,000 due to the pandemic-imposed travel restrictions. "Foreign nationals will get shots for COVID-19 in the same order as Koreans. As for undocumented migrants, we plan to inoculate them if it is deemed necessary after reviewing their influence on public health and high-risk patients, as well as the spread of the virus," Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong said, Thursday. She also said that the order in which foreign residents will be administered the vaccine will be decided based on the same standards applied to Korean citizens. "Infectious diseases, unlike other chronic illnesses, cannot be considered the patients' own problem, as people can transmit these diseases to others. In that respect, undocumented foreign nationals who contract COVID-19 and avoid reporting it to health authorities due to their legal status, could expose Korean citizens to the risk of infection," Jeong said. Starting next month Korea will be administering COVID-19 vaccinations for free, aiming to get 70 percent of the population inoculated by September in the hope the country will be able to achieve herd immunity by November. Also, all foreign nationals staying here illegally are allowed to take coronavirus tests free of charge without disclosing their identities, according to the Ministry of Justice. A technician works in a lab at Sinovac Biotech where the company is producing their potential COVID-19 vaccine CoronaVac during a media tour in Beijing, China on Sept. 24, 2020. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) Updates on CCP Virus: Worlds Most Vaccinated Country Sees Wave of Infection From COVID-19 Variant Many countries have been struggling to keep up with the pace of people receiving their first vaccine doses against the CCP virus. Israel is now leading the world in having the most people inoculated against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus per capita, with currently more than 30 percent of the countries population having administered at least their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, amounting to over 2.8 million of its 9.3 million citizens. The fight seems long from over, however, as the Middle Eastern country is reporting a surge of the more infectious variants currently overwhelming its hospitals. Biden, Yellen Call for Swift Action on CCP Virus Relief Package President Joe Biden on Friday pushed Congress to act quickly on a proposed economic relief package as the White House attempted to gain bipartisan support for the $1.9 trillion measure. The choice couldnt be clearer. We have learned from past crises that the risk is not doing too much. The risk is not doing enough. And this is a time to act now, Biden said during a meeting with advisers as well as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, according to The Hill. There is an overwhelming consensus among economistsleft, right, and centerthat this is a unique moment in this crisis, and the cost of inaction is high and is growing every day, Biden added. Chinese-Made Vaccines Met With Skepticism Internationally As COVID-19 continues to spread across the globe, the Chinese regime has been stepping up efforts in exporting its vaccines to other nations, consistently pursuing vaccine diplomacy. However, China-made vaccines have encountered global resistance due to the lack of transparent data on their efficacy. On Jan. 20, Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying claimed at a press briefing that at least 40 countries expressed an interest in introducing China-made COVID-19 vaccines. She also said that some foreign leaders had already received Chinese shots, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indonesian President Joko Widodo. A number of middle- and low-income countries and regions have said they will purchase Chinese vaccines, attracted to their lower prices compared to those manufactured by European and American drug companies. In an October 2020 Chinese BBC report, biochemistry professor Jin Dong-Yan at the University of Hong Kongs medical school said that he was worried about the safety of unverified Chinese vaccines. Personal Data Stolen From Dutch Track-and-Trace Program Personal information of a large number of people who participated in the Netherlands CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus track-and-trace program has been leaked, the Dutch health authorities (GGD) said on Friday. The GGD confirmed a media report that data had been stolen and apologized for what it said were two separate leaks. It said in a statement it did not know how many people were affected by the data theft, but they could number in the thousands. Lawmaker Urges NY AG, DOJ to Subpoena Cuomos Office Over Handling of Pandemic Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) is demanding answers after a new report revealed New York state health officials underreported COVID-19-related nursing home deaths by as much as 50 percent in some places. Stefanik is now urging New York Attorney General Letitia James and the Justice Department to issue subpoenas to the administration of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, for documentation and communications related to his handling of the CCP virus pandemic. Johnson & Johnson: 1-Dose Prevents Virus Johnson & Johnson says its vaccine appears to protect against COVID-19 with just one shot. Its not as strong as some two-shot rivals but still potentially helpful for a world in dire need of more doses. Results released Friday show the single-shot vaccine was 66 percent effective overall at preventing moderate to severe illness, and much more protective against the most serious symptoms. These are preliminary findings from a study of 44,000 volunteers that is ongoing. Researchers tracked illnesses starting 28 days after vaccinationabout the time when, if participants were getting a two-dose variety instead, they would have needed another shot. Draconian Lockdown Measures in Northern Chinese City Causes Food Shortage Crisis and Tragedies Amid the latest COVID-19 outbreak in northern China, a food shortage crisis and tragic incidents have been reported in Tonghua City, Jilin Province after local authorities abruptly locked down communities on Jan. 18 to curb the spread of the CCP virus. The harsh lockdown measures have contributed to violence and suicides, according to residents who spoke with The Epoch Times. WHO Team in Wuhan Visits Hospital That Treated Early Cases A World Health Organization-led team of experts investigating the origins of COVID-19 on Friday visited a hospital in the Chinese city of Wuhan that was one of the first to treat patients in the early days of the outbreak. The hospital visit was the teams first in the field after two weeks in quarantine, and a WHO spokeswoman said the groups contacts in Wuhan will be limited to visits organized by their Chinese hosts due to health restrictions. Trudeau to Announce New Measures to Restrict Travel Abroad Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce today new measures aimed at further restricting international travel as more infectious variants of the CCP virus that causes COVID-19 spread around the globe. Trudeau has urged Canadians for weeks not to take any non-essential trips outside the country. For those who do, he has warned that the federal government could impose restrictions at any time that would make it harder for them to return. Lorenz Duchamps, Jack Phillips, Frank Yue, Rita Li, Janita Kan, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report. OTTAWA -The federal government will work with Indigenous leaders to co-develop legislation aimed at giving First Nations, Metis and Inuit people control over the delivery of health care in their communities. Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller speaks during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. The federal government will work with Indigenous leaders to co-develop legislation aimed at giving First Nations, Metis and Inuit people control over the delivery of health care in their communities. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang OTTAWA -The federal government will work with Indigenous leaders to co-develop legislation aimed at giving First Nations, Metis and Inuit people control over the delivery of health care in their communities. Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller announced the launch of the co-development process Thursday at the conclusion of a two-day virtual meeting on anti-Indigenous racism in Canada's health care system. Miller said the aim is to transform health care in Indigenous communities by ensuring Indigenous control over the development and delivery of health services. "We know that this is a system that has failed Indigenous Peoples ... and treated Indigenous Peoples as second-class citizens," he told a virtual news conference. But he warned it will take some time to develop the legislation. "If people had a solution tomorrow, it would be an entire misunderstanding of the scope of the problem." Miller noted that the task is complicated by the fact that delivery of health care is jealously guarded provincial jurisdiction. But he said all provinces and territories were represented during the two-day meeting and all seem committed, to varying degrees, to tackling racism in the health system. In her recent economic update, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland committed $15.6 million over two years to support the development of Indigenous health care legislation in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Metis leaders. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde said the process will start with what he called "pre-engagement consultation" with Indigenous leaders "over the next few months." He welcomed the initiative as a "step toward addressing the inequities and discrimination toward First Nations and other Indigenous Peoples in Canadas health care systems. Long-standing inequities, underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to result in poor health outcomes for First Nations across Canada," Bellegarde said in a statement. Health Minister Patty Hajdu announced $4 million in support for a national consortium, led by Indigenous physicians, to implement projects to educate doctors on the provision of "culturally safe" health care that is "free from discrimination." "One thing that I heard clearly from all participants was this is the time to act," she said. "There was a complete acknowledgment I think by all participants that what we're doing is not working for Indigenous People, that we continue to have incidents like (Joyce Echaquan)," Hajdu said. "It's common, it's regular and it not only creates unequal levels of care, it creates actually barriers to care." Echaquan, an Atikamekw mother of seven, died in a Quebec hospital last September after livestreaming video of herself as she pleaded for help. The video showed two female hospital staff insulting Echaquan, including calling her stupid and suggesting she would be better off dead. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2021. Opening a second location in Clearwater is our response to keeping up with rapidly growing patient demand AltMed Florida, one of the fastest growing medical cannabis companies in Florida, continues expansion with a three-day opening starting Saturday Jan. 30 at 10am (pending all required approvals) for its 30th MUV Medical Cannabis Dispensary located at 5555 Roosevelt Blvd. This convenient location is in east Clearwater between Bayside Bridge and US Hwy 19, minutes from Old Tampa Bay and just 1.5 miles from the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. Opening a second location in Clearwater is our response to keeping up with rapidly growing patient demand, said John Tipton, CEO of AltMed Florida. Our customers are incredibly loyal, and were happy we can now conveniently serve even more. We are also excited about bringing new jobs to this fast-growing community. Our staff is trained to take the guess work out of finding the right therapies for our patients. During the opening, staggered over three-days (Jan.30-Feb.1) for crowd mitigation, all licensed Florida medical cannabis patients will receive a one-time use only, one per patient, 25 percent off their entire first purchase. Patients are also encouraged to order at muvfl.com for express pickup or delivery to help reduce heavy traffic. Deemed an essential service during the pandemic, AltMed Florida has been able to expand its workforce to over 700 employees with additional teams coming onboard at each of its dispensaries. With higher demand for products from 30 total dispensaries, AltMed has also generated additional construction employment and staffing with the expansion of its massive cultivation facility in Apollo Beach. The newest state-of-the-art MUV dispensary will offer an extensive selection of award-winning products including Wana Brands edibles, flower, pre-rolls, a wide range of vaporizer pens, metered dose inhalers, topicals and oral sprays; along with patented encapsulation formulations in its EnCaps capsules, tinctures, 72-Hour transdermal patches and transdermal gels. MUV also has one of the widest selections of concentrates for patients needing macro-dosing options. Like AltMed Floridas 29 other locations (Apollo Beach, Bradenton, Bonita Springs, Boynton Beach, Cape Coral, Clearwater, Deerfield Beach, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Jacksonville/San Marco, Jacksonville Beach, Key West, Lady Lake, Lakeland, Longwood/Orlando, Lutz, North Port, downtown Orlando, Ormond Beach, Pensacola, Port St. Luci, Sebastian, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Shalimar, Tallahassee, Tampa, Wellington and West Palm Beach) MUV Dispensaries stand out because they are designed for a premium experience think Apple Store, with a modern open-concept design and expert staff with extensive training. The MUV brand already has a wide following in other legal medical cannabis markets, including Arizona, where it has won five Best of Arizona medical cannabis awards. MUV products are sold exclusively in Florida at MUV dispensaries because, unlike other states, Florida does not allow wholesale of product between license holders - only products that license holders make themselves can be sold in their dispensaries. For more information about the new ADA-compliant Clearwater-Roosevelt MUV Medical Cannabis Dispensary including hours and available MUV products, visit muvfl.com. AltMed Florida is on pace to open 40 MUV Medical Cannabis Dispensaries across the state, all supplied by its state-of-the-art cultivation facility. Visit this link for images of AltMed Floridas cultivation operations and watch this brief video to see what makes AltMed Florida and its MUV Medical Cannabis Dispensaries stand out. About MUV - The MUV brand of medical cannabis infused products launched in Arizona in 2016 and quickly gained international attention and recognition. MUV Dispensaries by AltMed Florida was formed a year later through the partnership of AltMed Enterprises and Plants of Ruskin, a multi-generational Florida agricultural leader. Through continual research and development, MUV has received multiple patents for its award-winning MUV Products line that provides quality, consistent and reliable medical cannabis products to patients at all 31 locations (one in Arizona muv-az.com, 30 in Florida muvfl.com, and more added each month). Patients are encouraged to place reservations online at muvfl.com for in-store pickup, order for delivery, or visit any one of the MUV Dispensaries for alternative medical cannabis medicine you can trust About Plants of Ruskin, LLC - d.b.a. AltMed Florida, LLC - With a focus on quality and attention to detail, Plants of Ruskin has more than 35 years of experience in providing seedlings to farmers for vegetable and medical product production. Plants of Ruskin founders, the Dickman Family, are 4th generation farmers with a long history of working in conjunction with the University of Florida, including an endowed chair specifically dedicated to plant improvement. About AltMed Enterprises - Alternative Medical Enterprises, LLC, headquartered in Sarasota, FL and doing business as AltMed Enterprises, is a fully integrated medical cannabis company that brings compassion, community engagement and pharmaceutical industry precision to the development, production and dispensing of medical cannabinoids. Forward-Looking Statements - To the extent any statements made in this press release contain information that is not historical, these statements are forward-looking in nature and merely express our beliefs, expectations or opinions. For example, words such as may, should, estimates, predicts, continues, believes, anticipates, plans, expects, intends, potential, strategy and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations or estimates and involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) our ability to implement our business strategy of distributing high quality cannabis products where permissible under applicable law; (ii) availability and cost of additional capital; (iii) our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified employees and management; (iv) the impact of federal, state or local government regulations; (v) competition in the cannabis industry; (vi) our ability to generate revenues; and (vii) litigation in connection with our business. All forward-looking statements included in this press release and attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are qualified by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, regardless of whether new information becomes available, future developments occur or otherwise. She has interviewed a host of A-list celebrities. And Alison Hammond sat down for a virtual catch-up with Justin Timberlake on Friday as they celebrated his 40th birthday, which some viewers branded 'painful' to watch. The This Morning presenter, 45, threw a surprise Zoom party for him at her home in Birmingham, but the global superstar seemed unimpressed as she surprised him with a life-size cardboard cut-out of herself. Ha: Alison Hammond joined Justin Timberlake for a virtual catch-up on Friday as they celebrated his 40th birthday but he seemed unimpressed as she surprised him with a life-size cardboard cut-out of herself While promoting his new Apple TV+ film, Palmer, Alison revealed her party set-up, complete with party rings, cheese and pineapple and a foiled fringe curtain, before unveiling her gift: She said: 'I was thinking what am I gonna buy Justin for his birthday? And then I was thinking, hold on a minute, we should have a party! 'So all morning I've been creating this party. I've got champagne, I've got party hats, I've got blowers. 'I've got some English tapas, which is wonderful. This is pineapple and cheese, and I've got a present for you Ouch: 'Oh wonderful! I can't wait to have that in my arms!' the star, 40, sarcastically said as the This Morning presenter, 45, threw a surprise Zoom party for him at her home in Birmingham Gone all out: 'Would you pay for the postage?' Alison cheekily quipped after showing her party set-up, complete with party rings, cheese and pineapple and a foiled fringe curtain 'The only problem is I couldn't afford to post it to you, but shall I show it to you?... It's just a cut out of me!' Alison said as she revealed the amusing cut-out behind her. Justin sarcastically responded.'Oh wonderful! I can't wait to have that in my arms!' 'Would you pay for the postage?' Alison cheekily quipped to which Justin answered: 'Yeah, I got it, no worries.' Fans reacted to the awkward interaction on Twitter as one user penned: 'He really enjoyed that interview. You could tell by his face #ThisMorning'. Another This Morning viewer said: 'This is painful to watch,' while a third added: 'Justin doesn't look impressed #ThisMorning.' Sharing their thoughts: Fans reacted to the awkward interaction on Twitter as one user penned: 'He really enjoyed that interview. You could tell by his face #ThisMorning' A fourth responded: 'This is a bit cringe this interview #ThisMorning' (sic) Speaking about turning 40, the singing star added: 'I'm excited! Hopefully, I'm lucky enough to have this year, when I'm turning 40, to be a good year.' The duo continued the online party with a game. Alison played a selection of songs on the kazoo as Justin attempted to guess them correctly. The presenter confirmed if he could guess all three songs correctly, he would be awarded another present, a birthday cake with his face on the front that said: 'Even though you're forty, you're still bringing Sexy Back!' Justin responded: 'I'm so glad you could enjoy all of this on my birthday!' Alison's interview comes after she and her co-host Dermot O'Leary reportedly received higher ratings on This Morning than their predecessors Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford. Looking ahead to the future: Speaking about turning 40, the singing star added: 'I'm excited! Hopefully, I'm lucky enough to have this year, when I'm turning 40, to be a good year' The presenter and the X-Factor host, 47, have proven to be a hit on the show as they were said to have drawn in 1.41 million viewers during their debut show earlier this month. According to reports from The Sun, the pair received 200,000 more viewers tuning into their show than Ruth and Eamonn's final appearance in December. The publication claimed that while Alison and Dermot drew in more viewers, Ruth and Eamonn had a bigger audience share of 23 per cent compared to their successor's 21 per cent. MailOnline has contacted ITV representatives for comment. Lawmakers in Ukraine's parliament have overwhelmingly voted to ban the approval of vaccines made in Russia. At the same time, the parliament on January 29 eased the process for registering vaccines from the United States, the European Union, China, India, and Mexico. Ukraine has so far not started vaccinating its citizens. The government has said it expects to receive 100,000 to 200,000 doses of the vaccine made by Pfizer Inc and Germany's BioNTech under the global COVAX initiative in February. Authorities have repeatedly said Kyiv will not approve or use vaccines from Russia, with which the countrys ties are strained over the illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in 2014 and its ongoing support to separatists in eastern Ukraine. The conflict has killed more than 14,000 people. "One political force just created some hysteria over the registration of the Russian vaccine," Ukraine's Health Minister Maksym Stepanov told a televised briefing. "I'll say this once: You can be hysterical for a very long time, no one will register the Russian vaccine in the country." The Health Ministry has recorded a steady decline in new infections, deaths, and hospitalizations in recent weeks. More than 1.2 million coronavirus cases have been recorded since last March. More than 22,000 people have died from the virus. Based on reporting by dpa and Reuters Legislators debate the importation of life-size sex dolls during an annual parliamentary audit of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy at the National Assembly in Seoul on Oct. 18, 2019 photo. Korea Times file By Bahk Eun-ji A recent court ruling in favor of importing life-size sex dolls has reignited heated debate here over its possible effects on society. While importers and supporters say sex dolls should be treated the same as other sex toys on shelves, opponents say the dolls objectify women. Earlier this month, the Seoul Administrative Court overturned a January 2020 decision by the customs office at Gimpo International Airport to ban the importation of life-size real doll products. The office said the dolls would harm public morals, but the court said the toys are for personal use and do not corrupt morals. Controversy over sex dolls erupted in June 2019 when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of another doll importer that sued the government customs agency for blocking their imports. The top court stated that the government should not interfere with people's private lives, and using sex dolls was part of that. The customs authorities then allowed imports by the specific company that filed the suit, but have banned those of other companies. Supporters of the court decision argued that these dolls are nothing more than sex toys. "A doll is just a doll. It's just a way of fulfilling people's sexual desires," said a 39-year-old office worker in Seoul, who wished to be identified only by his surname Hwang. "I personally don't understand women who oppose the dolls arguing that they damage human dignity." In line with the stance, a petition was filed on the Cheong Wa Dae website, Thursday, calling on customs authorities to stop banning imports of the dolls. The petitioner pointed out that all citizens have the right to privacy and freedom. "Sexual devices such as life-size sex dolls are used in people's private lives and do not cause any harm to others, but the customs office's decision of disallowing them is clearly an act of invading individual happiness without a convincing reason," the petitioner wrote. But women and feminist groups express concerns that sex dolls can harm the dignity of women by promoting their sexual objectification. Some companies offer customized dolls with the faces of specific women or young girls, they say. "Using a life-size sex doll is dangerous, since they make users feel that all acts, such as buying, selling or controlling women's bodies are possible," said Seo Seung-hee, the head of the Korea Cyber Sexual Violence Response Center. "The act of producing replicas of women's bodies and using them at will inevitably desensitizes people to violence against women." Since the 2019 top court ruling, there have been growing calls for politicians to prepare legal regulations on sex dolls, and some lawmakers proposed bills to punish the production and sale of dolls that look like young girls. But the National Assembly has failed to proceed with related discussions. Professor Yun Ji-yeong of the Body and Culture Institute at Konkuk University stated in her paper, "Real doll, eroticism of domination" published in October 2019, that there is a difference between sex toys for women and men. "While a woman wants to focus on what her body feels when using sex toys, men's adult products, such as sex dolls, focus on controlling a woman's body," Yoon wrote. Pamela Anderson's whirlwind romance and marriage to a builder she contracted to repair her Canadian home has broken up a family of five, his ex has claimed. Anderson, 53, told DailyMailTV on Wednesday in a world exclusive interview that she had married Dan Hayhurst, 40 - her fifth husband. But on Thursday Hayhurst's ex, named only as Carey, accused Anderson of being a 'home wrecker' in an interview with The Sun. Anderson's wedding took place on Christmas Eve at her estate in the town of Ladysmith, on Vancouver Island. 'We're really happy. I'm happier than I've ever been,' Anderson told DailyMailTV. Pamela Anderson and Dan Hayhurst married at her Vancouver Island estate on Christmas Eve Dan Hayhurst is pictured with ex-partner Carey. Carey has branded Anderson a 'home wrecker' after she allegedly stole Hayhurst and broke up a happy family-of-five The couple have been working with the RASTA Sanctuary, which provides a 'forever home' to rescued farm animals on Vancouver Island. The sanctuary posted several photos of Anderson and her new husband on the building site and a video of Anderson feeding some cows 'It's like full circle - coming home and falling in love with somebody who's pretty much exactly like me, you know, I think the rest of it was a dream. 'This seems more like reality and it's just a good feeling to be home and to be with someone that genuinely cares about me and for who I really am, who I think I am, you know, just like a girl, from the same area and we get along great.' Of the wedding she said, 'It was a short and sweet ceremony with a local pastor and just natural. It was effortless, not stressful. It's effortless being together' But Carey hit out at the star's version of events. 'This is not the lockdown love story which is being portrayed, it's all a facade,' she told The Sun. 'I decided to speak out because I want people to know that my almost five-year relationship, with three children involved, ended because of the affair Pam and Dan started while he was still with me. 'It's sad that people celebrate this and cheer them on, when it started with deceit, denials and life-shattering choices for all the people involved.' Carey told the paper that Hayhurst had been living with her, her daughter Denise, 21, and his two young children until the summer. The pair never married, but Carey said they were in a committed relationship. 'We did everything together, like family vacations, family fishing trips, we worked on family projects together,' she said. 'It was always us.' Carey and Hayhurst met five years ago on a dating app and first lived in the town of Squarmish before moving to Vancouver Island. Denise had worked for Anderson, and then Hayhurst was employed by her in the fall of 2019. Initially Hayhurst complained about his boss, Carey said, and described her as 'crazy'. 'I was married on the property I bought from my grandparents 25 years ago, this is where my parents were married and they are still together. I feel like I've come full circle,' Anderson said The bridal bouquet was loosely wrapped in dusty blue tulle to match the dress and included a blue hydrangea, echoing the ocean and symbolizing the water element of emotion Anderson met Hayhurst, who lived locally on Vancouver Island, at the beginning of lockdown In one text shared with The Sun, he wrote: 'The dragon has been released! Talking about Pam.' In January 2020 Anderson was reported to have married film producer Jon Peters, but she split from him two weeks later and said it was never a real wedding. Carey said: 'I would say, 'What are you doing? You need to get out of that job. It's crazy'. There was the crazy stint when she married that guy Jon Peters for two weeks. 'She had told all the contractors she had got married so then when I saw the news about it I texted Dan. 'He replied back saying, 'Hahaha he's older than her dad, but I think our money issues are over', which he meant because the guy is rich. 'I thought that was pretty ruthless of him. He really didn't seem to get on with her at all.' Carey said things started to change at the end of last March, when lockdown began and Hayhurst spent increasing amounts of time with Anderson. 'The worm turned,' she said. 'COVID happened and it just seemed to happen overnight. 'Dan would stay at her house and not come home, and here I am taking care of the kids. 'At first he denied it when I confronted him but then, finally, I asked him, 'Are you sleeping with Pam? 'He said, 'All I'm going to say is I've crossed the line'. 'At first he said, 'I want you to stay in our house. I don't want you to go. I just need to figure things out'. 'Later he apologized to me. He said, 'Carey, I love you. I don't know what is going on right now. I'm not in my right head right now. I'm not in a good space'. 'He asked me to give him time to figure things out so I just let him do what he was doing. 'And there was no turning back by then. I had met Pam and had gone to dinner with her. My daughter used to work for her. I couldn't believe it.' Anderson married Hayhurst without any of their friends or family present, during lockdown Underneath her wedding dress Pamela Anderson said she wore a pair of sturdy Hunter rain boots while standing on the muddy ground of her property 'I'm exactly where I need to be - in the arms of a man who truly loves me,' Canadian-born Anderson tells DailyMailTV in an exclusive interview. Anderson, originally from Canada, beams in the snaps of the nuptials conducted by a local pastor, during which the couple read traditional vows Carey said he moved out in July. She has since put the house up for sale. Carey's daughter Denise, 21, who worked as a laborer at Anderson's home, told The Sun the couple had managed to keep their relationship secret, even though she was working in the house with the two of them. 'I was shocked when I learned about it,' she said. 'I just thought, 'How can this even be a thing?' I'm here working with them full-time and I had no idea. 'And the fact that he had a family, we were a blended family, he has two young kids and obviously she's quite a lot older. 'What was his thought process? What was going on in his mind? 'I was so shocked. It's something so unreal, like something straight out of the movies. I can't believe it. Everyone thinks it's this lockdown love story and nobody knows that there was an affair and there's this family involved. Denise said she and her mother were upset that Anderson was describing it as a dream come true, when there were other people involved. 'And I think the hardest part is that people are being fed this one-sided fairytale story when in reality there's so much more to it,' Denise said. 'It's damaged a lot of people's lives. It's been really difficult for my mum. 'She totally stepped up and was a full-time mum to those kids. It's been hard to watch her go through that. 'There was no rough patch or things being bad at home, things were completely normal throughout the entire thing until this happened.' She speculated that Anderson, who moved full time back to her Canadian hometown in 2019, would resume a jet-setting life once the pandemic was over. 'I don't see it working,' she said. Carey concluded: ''I just think, 'Wow, who are you? Who is the man I was with for five years?' None of this makes sense.' Anderson's representative is yet to respond to DailyMail.com's request. The BJP on Friday lashed out at Opposition parties for boycotting President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the joint siting of Parliament, calling it "unfortunate" and noting that he as the constitutional head of the country is above political differences. BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad singled out the Congress, the largest Opposition party which is among the 20 parties that boycotted the address, in his attack, saying its "arrogance" is the "real problem" as it believes that it is bound to rule the country despite not having the popular mandate. Opposition parties violated parliamentary conventions, he said, adding that the BJP never boycotted a presidential address to Parliament despite many "scams" during the Congress-led UPA government. Attacking the Congress, Prasad said it has not denounced the violence and alleged insult to the flag at the Red Fort during the farmers' tractor rally on January 26. That Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu raised slogans during Kovind's address was very painful and unfortunate, he said. Opposition parties boycotted the address in support of the protesting farmers' demand for repeal of the three agri laws. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Akhilesh Yadav calls Rakesh Tikait for assuring support to farmers' protest India oi-Briti Roy Barman New Delhi, Jan 29: Samajwadi Party Chief and former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav called up farmer leader Naresh Tikait to enquire about his health. Akhilesh Yadav assured Naresh Tikait, During the telephonic conversation, that his party will stand firmly with the farmers. Naresh Tikait on Thursday refused to end the protest that is ongoing at Ghazipur border. Tikait refused to change his decision even after speaking with the administration. "I called up Rakesh Tikait ji and enquired about his health. The entire country is watching the way BJP government is accusing and harassing the farmer leaders. Today, even BJP supporters are hiding their faces in shame. The spirit and solidarity of the people is with farmers," Akhilesh Yadav said on Friday. Earlier on Thursday, he said, "The way the BJP government is crushing the farmers' movement by using deceit, even people are pained alongwith the farmers. The people whom the BJP government is trying to remove from the roads will one day remove the government." Violence erupts at Singhu Border: Alipur SHO injured | Oneindia News While the Ghaziabad administration has given an ultimatum to protesting farmers to vacate UP Gate by Thursday midnight, failing which they would be removed, the UP government has ordered all its DMs and SSPs to ensure the end of all farmers' protests in the state. The central government has also extended the deployment period of four companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) till February 4 to maintain law and order situation in Ghaziabad in view of the protests. Their deployment was till January 28. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 13:22 [IST] Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Overview The growing demand for organically produced foods is growing rapidly. Evolving consumer buying habits, growing consumers concerns regarding health, the environment, and animal welfare, along with their willingness to pay premium price for healthy food is fuelling the demand of organic food market in Asia-Pacific region. Even at the global level, market is driven by factors such as increasing consumer awareness towards benefits associated with its consumption, adoption of organic farming methods, and implementation of organic regulations. The presence of organic foods & beverages has increased over the years in conventional food supply chains due to the development of private labels and growing interest of large retailers such as Wal-Mart and Tesco to sell organic products. The market players have increased their levels of investment in research to identify right formulation and to improve product functionality in order to capture lions share and create brand recognition in organic foods & beverages market. Also, government authorities, NGOs, and farmer organizations in developing countries are promoting organic farming by financial support, market information, and trends in organic food market. Developing countries are providing subsidies to small farmers for organic farming. NGOs, farmer organizations, traders are conducting training programs to encourage farmers for adopting organic farming. Government and non-government organizations such as FiBL (Switzerland), APEDA (India), and USDA (U.S.) support conventional farmers to switch to organic farming. All these efforts from government and NGOs are boosting the consumption of organic foods & beverages. Leading Key Players Global Organic Food and Beverages Market is undergoing a massive technological innovation over the last couple of years. Manufacturers invest in research and technical development and investigative activities to improve existing products and procedures in order to develop new products. Research and development will lead to development of new product to improve the quality and functionality by including better formulations. Key players have been developing better-for-you products to accommodate the healthy food movement in convenient packaging, with clean labels ensuring food safety. The key players profiled in organic food & beverages are Amys Kitchen Inc., Dean Food Company, General Mills Inc., Hain Celestial Group, Inc., SpartanNash Company, Kraft Foods Group Inc., The Kroger Co., and Whole Foods Market, Inc. among many others. Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/organic-food-beverages-market-2524 Regional Analysis The global Organic Food & Beverages market is segmented into Europe, North America, APAC, and Rest of the World (RoW). Europe is estimated to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period of 2017-2023. The growth of the Europe is anticipated to be driven by the increasing busy lifestyles of the consumers coupled with the increasing launches of new products by the key players in Europe. Also, increasing awareness among the consumers related to the adverse effect of synthetic ingredients is propelling the sales of organic foods & beverages. However, Asia Pacific region is expected to witness highest growth as compared to the other regions. Increasing demand for clean label products, huge investments in R&D, and new product development by market players along with government initiatives and funds to support farmers to shift from conventional farming to organic farming has created lucrative opportunities for the growth of organic food & beverages market in Asia-Pacific region. NOTE: Our Team of Researchers are Studying Covid19 and its Impact on Various Industry Verticals and wherever required we will be considering Covid19 Footprints for Better Analysis of Market and Industries. Cordially get in Touch for More Details. A Birmingham man has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for a 2019 carjacking that left one man shot. U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor this week sentenced 22-year-old Joshua Juone Young to 204 months or 17 years in prison. Young pleaded guilty in December 2019 to one count of carjacking, one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to a joint announcement Thursday by Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and ATF Special Agent in Charge Mickey French. The crime happened Jan. 22, 2019 when authorities say the carjacking victim gave Young a ride to him a property that needed painting. During the ride, Young pulled a pistol and demanded the victims vehicle and money. The victim attempted to flee the vehicle, but Young shot him. Young then drove off in the vehicle. The incident happened about 3 p.m. that Tuesday. Witnesses told police the victim ran to a business in the 2700 block of First Avenue South from the direction of nearby railroad tracks. He was taken to UAB Hospitals Trauma Center with a life-threatening injury but survived. Joshua Young, 22, has been sentenced to federal prison for the 2019 carjacking and shooting of a man in Birmingham. The next day, Birmingham police responded to a caller who was following the victims vehicle away from the scene of another crime. Officers located the stolen vehicle at a convenience store, with Young in the drivers seat. A semi-automatic pistol matching the description given by the carjacking victim was found on the drivers floorboard. Young was also arrested on state charges of robbery and attempted murder. Those cases have not yet gone to trial. Carjacking is a senseless act of violence that we will not tolerate in our district, Escalona said. I want to thank the Birmingham police officers for their quick response in apprehending Young. We will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prevent the unlawful possession of firearms by violent criminals. ATF and the Birmingham Police Department investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Baty. Removing the criminal element that uses a firearm to facilitate violent crimes such as carjacking is a priority of ATF, French said. The partnerships with the public safety departments and the U.S. Attorneys office were crucial in resolving this case. Poll: 76%, including most pro-choice Americans, favor restrictions on abortion Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A new survey has found that an overwhelming majority of Americans, and most who identify as pro-choice, favor implementing significant restrictions on the legality of abortion in the United States. A Marist poll, released Wednesday that is sponsored by the Catholic fraternal organization Knights of Columbus, interviewed 1,173 adults in the U.S. about a week before President Joe Biden was inaugurated this month. Exchanges were selected to ensure that each region of the country was represented in proportion to its population. The sample was balanced based on the 2017 American Community Survey 1-year estimates for age, gender, income, race and region. The data features a sampling error of no more than 3.5 percentage points. According to the data, about three-quarters of all respondents said that they favor significant restrictions on abortion. At a time when there are many polarizing issues in American politics, the survey also shows that a majority of respondents who identified as pro-choice said they also favor implementing certain restrictions on abortion not backed by the Democratic Party. Among all respondents surveyed, 53% identified as pro-choice, 43% identified as pro-life, while 4% said they were unsure. Respondents were asked to identify among four statements which statement best aligns with their opinions on abortion. Only 15% of respondents (27% of pro-choice respondents) selected the statement that abortion should be available to a woman any time during her entire pregnancy. About 10% of respondents (17% of pro-choice respondents) selected the answer that abortion should be available only during the first six months of a pregnancy. The data indicates that only 44% of pro-choice respondents believe that abortion should at the very least be legal during the first six months of pregnancy, if not throughout the whole pregnancy. About 76% of respondents said they favor at least some form of limitation on legal abortion. The data shows that 25% of respondents (35% of pro-choice respondents and 14% of pro-life respondents) believe that abortion should be legal only during the first three months of a pregnancy. Meanwhile, 28% of all respondents (40% of pro-life respondents and 16% of pro-choice respondents) said that abortion should be legal only in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. About 11% of all respondents answered that abortion should only be legal to save the life of the mother. Just 2% of pro-choice respondents agreed, while 21% of pro-life respondents selected that answer. Additionally, 12% of respondents 2% of pro-choice respondents and 23% of pro-life respondents said that abortion should never be permitted under any circumstance. When combined, about 55% of pro-choice respondents favor limiting abortion access to the first three months of pregnancy or favor tougher limitations. By comparison, 98% of pro-life respondents favor limiting abortion at the very least to three months of pregnancy or favor tougher restrictions. While the number of people who identify as pro-life and pro-choice tends to fluctuate with the public debate when given a broader choice of policy options, there is a strong consensus among Americans on abortion, Marist Poll Director Dr. Barbara Carvalho said in a statement. As Democrats in U.S. Congress push to eliminate a longstanding measure that prevents tax dollars from being used to fund abortion, the Marist survey also found that about six in 10 respondents (58%) oppose or strongly oppose using tax dollars to pay for a womans abortion. That figure includes 34% of pro-choice respondents and 31% of Democratic respondents. By comparison, 87% of pro-life respondents and 83% of Republican respondents said the same. According to the survey, 77% of total respondents (64% of pro-choice respondents and 55% of Democrats) oppose or strongly oppose using tax dollars to support abortion in other countries. About seven in 10 respondents (59% of Democrats and 56% of pro-choice respondents) said they oppose or strongly oppose abortion because the child will be born with Down Syndrome. Respondents were also asked their thoughts on how the U.S. Supreme Court should rule if it ever reconsiders the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade, which made abortion a national right. The survey found that 48% of respondents said they want the court to allow certain restrictions on abortions as determined by each state. By comparison, 31% said they think the court should allow abortion to be legal without restriction at any time. About 17% of respondents said they think the court should make abortion illegal. Although the surveys previous questioning found that most pro-choice respondents favor further limits to abortion, 53% of pro-choice respondents and 51% of Democrats said they think the Supreme Court should allow abortion to be legal without restriction at any time if it reconsiders Roe. Amidst the harsh political divides in our country, clear bipartisan majorities support abortion restrictions and do not want their tax dollars paying for abortion abroad, stated Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus Carl Anderson. Our polling has shown consistently over the past decade that policies that promote abortion on demand paid for by taxpayers are divisive and out of step with American public opinion. This weeks findings mirror the results of similar surveys conducted by Marist and Knights of Columbus over the years. A survey from 2016 found that six out of 10 pro-choice respondents favored banning abortions past 20 weeks of pregnancy. "What we have found each year [since 2008] is that the split over the labels masks a very real consensus a consensus of Americans who favor substantial restrictions on abortion, a consensus who see abortion as morally wrong and ultimately harmful to women," Patrick Kelly, Knights of Columbus vice president of public policy, said at a press conference at the time. In 2019, another Marist survey found that more than six in 10 Americans say they want Roe to be reinterpreted to allow additional restrictions on abortion. However, another Marist poll released later that year sponsored by NPR/PBS NewsHour found that 77% of respondents believe that the Supreme Court should uphold the courts ruling, with 26% saying they think more restrictions should be added. That survey also found that 61% said they favored a combination of limitations on abortion. This month, the pro-life activist organization Students for Life of America released a poll of 800 Americans ages 18 to 34 that it sponsored, showing more than seven out of 10 respondents expressed support for limits on abortion while less than two out of 10 support unlimited abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. "Asked directly about reversing Roe to return the issue of abortion to the states, more Millennials and Gen Zers supported doing so than opposed it, by a margin of 44% in favor to 36% opposed with 18% unsure," Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins wrote in an op-ed announcing the poll published by Real Clear Politics. Kofi Ofori Boadi, a 28-year-old teacher at the Oti Boateng Senior Secondary School (OBOSS) in Koforidua, was found dead in his room at Betom, a suburb in the New Juaben South Municipality. Madam Ama Bruwah, a 54-year-old trader and an aunt to the deceased, said on Wednesday she visited the deceased around 1700 hours but realized his room was locked and there was a strong stench coming from the room with flies hovering all over the window. She said she informed the police and tenants in the house and the room was forcibly opened and the deceased was found lying in a prone position and bare-chested on a mattress on the ground. He was quickly sent to the St. Josephs Hospital, where he was confirmed dead. Madam Bruwah indicated that the deceased also had blood oozing from his mouth and his body was in a black swollen state. However, she said the deceased was a known epileptic patient. Police Sergeant Francis Gomado, Acting Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command, confirmed the story to the Ghana News Agency(GNA). He said the body had since been deposited at the St. Josephs Hospital pending further action. The deceased was recruited as a volunteer at the Suhum constituency for the Ghana News Agency, during the coverage of the 2020 general elections. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Three Arrested In Great Barrington Drug Investigation GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. Great Barrington Police officers made three arrests related to an ongoing narcotics investigation Wednesday, Jan. 27, Officers conducted two motor vehicle stops in the early afternoon and arrested Aaron Strampach,34 of Great Barrington, and charged him with distribution of a class A drug and trafficking a controlled substance of more than 36 grams. Joshua Brendline, 34 and Sherri Simmons, 29, both of Copake New York, were arrested and charged with Possession of a Class A substance. A large amount of cash and a substance believed to be mostly fentanyl were seized. Field analysis suggests it is trafficking weight. All three were booked at the Great Barrington Police Department and released on their personal recognizance. They will be arraigned in Southern Berkshire District Court next week. In addition to the two traffic stops, officers executed a search warrant on a local hotel room and Strambach's vehicle. Lead Investigating Officer Christopher Peebles was assisted by Officer Andres Huertas and Officer Bradley Lupiani. Additional Officers that assisted in the arrest are Officer Tim Ullrich with K9 Titan, Officer Joe O'Brien and Officer Elias Casey. The Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the District Attorney's Office also provided assistance in the investigation. On the next episode of Axios on HBO," national political correspondent Jonathan Swan travels to Kyiv for an exclusive interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Catch the full interview and much more on Sunday, Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. ET/PT on all HBO platforms. The Nagol is Back! VTOs guide to this years Nagol, plus where to stay and play in south, central and north Pentecost. LONG BEACH, CA Southwest Airlines on Thursday announced plans to offer nonstop service between Long Beach Airport and Maui with one-way flights as low as $99. Southwest recently announced flights from Long Beach to Honolulu, and demand was surprisingly high, prompting the airline to offer a second Hawaiian destination out Long Beach. Service to both Hawaiian destinations will begin in March. Tickets for the Maui flights went on sale Thursday. "It's exciting to see our airport continue to grow in its role as a Southern California launch point for trips to the Hawaiian islands," Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement. A quick search showed some one-way flights available for as low as $99. Since JetBlue pulled out of Long Beach, Southwest has filled the void, taking over terminal space vacated by JetBlue. The airport is a favorite among locals eager to avoid the crowds and lines at larger airports such as Los Angeles International Airport and John Wayne Airport in Orange County. JetBlue's decision to pull out was a major blow, but Southwest's offerings have opened up additional destinations for local travelers. City officials reminded potential travelers, however, of continuing restrictions on visiting Hawaii due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hawaii requires visitors and returning residents to obtain a negative COVID test within 72 hours of their departure to the islands. With the test, people arriving in Hawaii will face a mandatory quarantine. Southwest Airlines is one of four carriers at Long Beach Airport that offer a total of 53 daily flights. By March, Southwest will operate about 25 flights per day, rising to 34 in April. City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on the Palos Verdes Patch While an updated defence acquisition policy pedestal has been set-up in 2020 by the defence ministry, a meaningful fund allocation coupled with tax incentives for achieving the ultimate objective of self-reliance would be the key expectation In a challenging year of the contracted economy with the unprecedented pandemic, Budget 2021 shall be an important and delicate task for the government. Defence continues to be a priority area given the precarious situation at our Northern frontiers. In addition, the defence budget could be a governments tool to promote in-country manufacturing, jobs and exports to help the ailing economy. A lot has been penned down in the defence policy framework lately -- import embargo, public procurement policy, the release of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 and offset guidelines, increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the defence sector to 74 percent, all focusing on localisation, Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India. Currently, the Indian defence industry is facing several challenges in establishing a broad base of local manufacturing due to lack of economies of scale, Transfer of Technology issues, Research and Development, etc. From a procurement standpoint, the key expectation from this Budget shall be an increased capital budgetary allocation to fast-track some of the big-ticket programmes such as Naval Utility Helicopters, Light Combat Aircraft, Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle, Anti Tank Guided Missiles, P-75I Submarines etc. Over the years though the total Defence budget has been growing, yet the allocation for capital outlay remains abysmally low. The government has also laid out an ambitious target in the draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) to double the domestic procurement from the current Rs 70,000 crore ($9500 million) to Rs 1,40,000 crore ($18,700 million) by 2025. Further, a distinct budget head for domestic capital procurement shall be carved out. Therefore, key future procurements are likely to be concluded with Indian vendors manufacturing domestically. The domestic private sector is enthusiastic about the self-reliance vision and thrives to make a contribution to in-country procurement while building the export capability. While the shift has been from import to domestic manufacturing, the Indian industry would welcome a more inclusive policy where the private sector is at a level playing field with the public sector. One cannot overlook the synergies between the defence market and civil aviation. Even the Ministry of Defence in the draft DPEPP has acknowledged that the domains like aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), engine manufacturing and MRO, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters and upgrades have untapped opportunities. The call of the hour is re-aligning the policy framework for defence and civil aviation sector to garner investments in the aviation sector which help in co-development and strengthening defence ecosystem while leveraging economies of scale. A phased manner import embargo is a welcome measure for the domestic industry. However, the challenges such as shortage of specialised raw material and technology, manufacturing facilities at nascent stage etc. for the industry continues to exist. The government may consider liberalising the value addition norms whereby a certain degree of indigenisation would be construed as domestic manufacturing. Tax benefits/incentives such as a tax holiday could give the sector the same incubation period to attract large scale investment and growth as was once provided to infrastructure and telecom sector etc. In addition, wherever the specialised raw materials for aerospace and defence manufacturing are not available, schemes like PLI etc should be introduced for promoting in-country manufacturing. This could go a long way in helping set-up this extremely capital-intensive industry and promote job creation. India has not been a big spender on defence research. Tax rebate for research and development could provide access to modern technology on the back of strong start-up base. At the policy level, to work towards making defence contracting simpler in order to bring it in line with the best business practices and introduce time-bound procurement process. Also, offset regulations need to be revised to bring back aerospace sourcing and offset banking into the fold. While an updated defence acquisition policy pedestal has been set-up in 2020 by the MoD, a meaningful fund allocation coupled with tax incentives for achieving the ultimate objective of self-reliance would be the key expectation from the finance minister, in this years Union Budget. The writer is Partner and Head Aerospace and Defence, KPMG in India BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held a meeting Thursday to review multiple reports. The meeting was chaired by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. Among the reports, one is related to the work of the leading Party members groups of the top legislature, central government, top political advisory body, top court, top procuratorate, as well as the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee. The others concern primary-level governance and Party inspection. The meeting fully acknowledged the work of the leading Party members groups of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Supreme People's Court, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, as well as the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee in 2020, and approved their work plans for 2021. The meeting urged them respectively to focus on the Party central authorities' grand plans and make concrete, meticulous and effective efforts in all of their work, as well as to faithfully and effectively fulfill the tasks assigned by the CPC Central Committee. Also at the meeting, modernization of the system and capacity for primary-level governance was highlighted as an important work concerning the Party's governance foundation as well as the security of state power. A slew of requirements were listed. These include strengthening the Party's leadership, boosting governance capacity, and establishing grid-based management, among others. In addition, the meeting fully acknowledged the work of the central leading group for the Party's disciplinary inspection in 2020, and approved its work plan for 2021. Noting that the Party's self-governance has been notably strengthened and the political ecosystem has steadily improved since the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017, the meeting called for rectifications to remaining problems. The disciplinary inspection in 2021 should focus on supervising and examining the implementation of the spirit of the fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and the implementation of the major arrangements for the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. Supervision over officials at all levels especially principal leaders should be strengthened, according to the meeting. It also called for more targeted, scientific, forceful and effective disciplinary inspection to provide a strong guarantee for a good start in the development for the 14th Five-Year Plan period. (Natural News) Janet Moore, a nurse aide at Admirals Pointe Nursing and Rehabilitation in Huron, Ohio, died within 48 hours of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine that her employer reportedly required. Moore had no known comorbidities and was found unresponsive in her car outside her apartment complex on Dec. 31. Her brother, Jacob Gregory, told LifeSiteNews that Moore was driving home from work that day. [As] soon as she drove into her parking lot she passed away, he said. Meanwhile, Moores neighbors said she hadnt been feeling well after receiving the shot at work and that she reported feeling nauseated and experienced migraines. When asked if he knew what brand of vaccine Moore received, Gregory said he believes it was the one by Pfizer and BioNTech SE but, he was not entirely sure. Gregory also mentioned that his sister was reportedly required to get the vaccine because she was working with older adults, who face a high risk of infection. But he said that he was not sure whether Moore would have been let go had she refused the vaccine. Im not sure how much pressure [her employers] are actually pushing. Trisha Brown, an administrator at Admirals Pointe, declined to comment on the matter. Nursing home fired workers who refused to get vaccinated Even though it isnt clear whether or not Moore actually risked losing her job for refusing to get vaccinated, the idea that workers may face such serious repercussions isnt implausible. In fact, workers at a nursing home in Janesville, Wisconsin were laid off for declining to get the vaccine even after expressing legitimate concerns. About a dozen workers were forced from their jobs while 27 wrote to the management asking that the policy be changed. They pointed out that the Moderna vaccine, which the nursing home was using for its vaccination program, had been rushed through development and testing and may lead to dangerous adverse effects. In fact, two workers already reported experiencing high fevers after receiving the first of two vaccine shots. The side effects were so severe in one of the workers that a physician advised against taking the second shot. Workers also chafed at being told they had to take a vaccine that was not wholly approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines received only emergency use authorization due to the circumstances. Neither received full approval from the FDA. Healthcare workers experience adverse reactions According to the American Health Care Association (AHCA), around 50 percent of all long-term care staff have refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19. AHCA President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Parkinson attributed this apparent aversion to the new COVID-19 vaccines to misinformation circulating online. There are rampant rumors spreading on social media that the vaccine can cause fertility problems, he said. It is this rumor pertaining to fertility, in particular, that Parkinson said was causing concerns among several young women employed in health care facilities that are affiliated with the non-profit federation. But health workers aversion to the new vaccines is not baseless. Since the U.S. began administering COVID-19 vaccines last December, over 1,000 people have reported experiencing an adverse reaction to the vaccine. Hundreds more who were vaccinated ended up in emergency rooms due to severe reactions. For instance, one patient from Michigan said she experienced chest tightness and hand tingling after receiving a vaccine shot. She also became lightheaded and repeatedly told doctors she was having a panic attack. In other cases, patients reported feeling nauseous and experiencing tremors, stabbing pain and wheezing. One 33-year-old man in Georgia who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Dec. 17 said he had to sit down afterward. The man also said his mouth became dry. His tongue, on the other hand, though not swollen, was tingling. Meanwhile, a healthcare worker at Bartlett Regional Hospital in Alaska suffered a severe allergic reaction after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. She spent a few nights at the emergency room before being discharged. Last December, a spokeswoman for Pfizer said the company was monitoring all reports of adverse reactions to their vaccine. Moderna hasnt commented on the matter. (Related: Top US scientist questions Modernas coronavirus vaccine claims.) Follow Vaccines.news for more articles on the health risks associated with the new coronavirus vaccines. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com 1 LifeSiteNews.com 2 TheEpochTimes.com A man has been arrested on suspicion of shooting dead a job centre adviser and a human resources manager in France as part of a series of attacks against HR workers. The two women were gunned down in Valence, southeastern France, on Thursday and the suspect from Nancy was arrested soon afterwards. Police have since connected the man, 45, to two other shootings against HR workers on Tuesday which saw a third woman killed and a man injured. Police and emergency personnel stand guard outside a job centre after a woman was gunned down in Valence on Thursday In a second attack on the same day, a female HR employee was shot at the Faun refuse company before the gunman was arrested On Thursday, the man allegedly shot a job centre employee, 53, after he entered the mother-of-two's office at around 8.30am. It has since emerged that the suspect was previously on the job centre's books in 2013, the BBC reported. He fled in a red Honda but one of the victim's colleagues noted the licence plate and informed police. The assailant then headed to the nearby town of Guilherand-Granges and shot twice the HR manager of the Faun refuse collection company where he used to work, police said, The suspect was employed there for two years there before losing his job, according to reports. Flowers were laid outside the refuse plant on Friday as France mourned the victims of the shocking attacks The two women were gunned down in Valence, southeastern France, on Thursday and the suspect from Nancy in was arrested soon afterwards On Tuesday, another human resources manager, 39, was shot dead in a car park in Wolfgantzen (pictured) The woman, 51, later died of her wounds, Valence prosecutor Alex Perrin said. The suspect then headed towards the centre of Valence where his car struck a police vehicle trying to stop him on a bridge over the Rhone at around 9.15am where he was arrested. Perrin confirmed the man, whose motives were not immediately clear, was in detention and they have now linked him to two other shootings this week. The suspect, an unemployed engineer from Nancy, was unmarried and was previously unknown to police On Tuesday, another human resources manager, 39, was shot dead in a car park in Wolfgantzen, 310 miles away from the site of Thursday's attack but closer to the gunman's home in Nancy, eastern France. A male HR worker, 50, was attacked on the same day at his home in the nearby town of Wattwiller but survived. Tuesday's two victims previously worked together in the same HR department and were involved in a project which affected a company where the suspect had worked. Perrin said the suspect's motives are unclear but they all appear to be linked to his earlier employment and the attacks were carefully planned. The alleged gunman, an unemployed engineer from Nancy, was unmarried and was previously unknown to police. Investigators say they have established DNA links between this week's attacks but the suspect is refusing to talk. Prime Minister Jean Castex said the events had put 'the whole country into mourning' while Labour Minister Elisabeth Borne was due at the scene. Across France on Friday, 900 job centres were closed as a mark of respect and staff held a minute's silence. SEATTLE--The latest COVID-19 forecasts from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington now incorporate two new virus variants. In a worst-case scenario, with widespread transmission of the B.1.351 variant first detected in South Africa and mobility returning to pre-pandemic levels in the vaccinated, the US is predicted to see approximately 654,000 total deaths by May 1 and a resurgence of the virus in the spring in some states, including California and Florida, rather than a continued decline. Keeping mobility low and maintaining social distancing could reduce that number by approximately 30,000. "What we're seeing is sobering, and will require us to continue taking this pandemic very seriously," said Christopher Murray, director of IHME. "Getting vaccines out quickly is essential, and masks are still one of the best tools we have to keep transmission low and avoid the worst possible outcome. People will need to continue taking precautions even once they are vaccinated, because of the potential for more contagious variants to spread." All scenarios in the new forecasts include vaccine distribution and the presence of the B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant where it is currently detected. Without transmission of B.1.351, the forecast in the US drops to 595,000 deaths by May 1, an increase of about 26,000 from last week's predictions. This increase is driven by taking into account that some states are not re-imposing social distancing mandates even when daily death rates are high. Instead of assuming that decision-makers will re-impose social distancing mandates when deaths reach a threshold of 8 per million, all scenarios now assume - in line with several months of observations - that if mandates are not imposed promptly at that point, they will not be imposed until deaths reach 15 per million. "We have not been seeing governments taking action to apply cautionary measures as quickly as expected, and have incorporated that information into the modeling," said Murray. "Without measures to control the spread of the disease, mobility remains higher and transmission is more likely." Herd immunity is unlikely to be a factor in slowing transmission in the coming months, even with vaccination campaigns ramping up. Higher levels of immunity are needed with a more contagious variant and during the winter months, and vaccine hesitancy is an obstacle to achieving herd immunity. As important is the fact that we do not know if the vaccines work to block infection even though they prevent severe disease - IHME's model currently assumes, based on limited data, that vaccines' effectiveness in blocking infection is only 50% of their effectiveness in preventing severe disease. In the United States, approximately 25% of people have indicated they would reject a vaccine and another 25% are unsure. IHME's forecasts predict only 38% of people in the US will be immune by May 1. In a worst-case scenario, there is also the possibility of a third wave next winter. "Governments and the public need to plan for the real prospect that COVID-19 must be managed on an ongoing basis," Murray said. "It's critical to vaccinate as many people as possible and to prepare for long-term behavior change. It's likely that wearing masks and taking other measures to prevent transmission, especially in the winter months, will become an ongoing part of our lives." IHME's projections are based on an epidemiological model that includes data on cases, deaths, and antibody prevalence, as well as location-specific COVID-19 testing rates, vaccination rollout, mobility, social distancing mandates, mask use, population density and age structure, and pneumonia seasonality, which shows a strong correlation with the trajectory of COVID-19. ### The new projections, including additional forecasts of daily infections, are available at https:/ / covid19. healthdata. org/ . Contacts: media@healthdata.org About the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) is an independent global health research organization at the University of Washington School of Medicine that provides rigorous and comparable measurement of the world's most important health problems and evaluates the strategies used to address them. IHME is committed to transparency and makes this information widely available so that policymakers have the evidence they need to make informed decisions on allocating resources to improve population health. Vancouver, BC -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/29/2021 -- According to a current analysis by Emergen Research. The anti-aging devices market is observing high demand attributed to the rising incidence of skin cancer among women. It has been projected that about 16.0 percent of the world's population will be over 65 years of age by 2050, which is predicted to rise five-fold since 1950. Anti-aging devices are effective for reducing fine lines, wrinkles and black spots, as well as shielding the skin from sunlight, enhancing the texture of the skin and boosting collagen. Older women are a big focus of the anti-aging industry, and the demand from older women is rising at a fast pace in countries like Japan. The global market size for anti-aging devices was estimated at USD 7.49 billion in 2019 and is projected to hit USD 14.22 billion at a CAGR of 8.3% by 2027. You Can Download Free Sample PDF Copy of Anti-Aging Devices Market at: https://www.emergenresearch.com/request-sample-form/325 Key participants include Cynosure Inc., Home Skinovations Limited, Allergan PLC, Cutera Inc., Alma Lasers Limited, Lumenis Limited, Neutrogena, Koninklijke Philips NV, Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH, and Sciton Inc., among others. Market Drivers High demand due to its growing application in skin rejuvenation & tightening, hair removal, body contouring, and cellulite reduction is observed by the anti-aging devices industry. Market growth is driven by factors such as the increasing prevalence of skin cancer among women, the increasing demand for cellulite reduction, and the increasing demand for minimally invasive treatments. One of the significant factors driving the growth of the market is the increase in the geriatric population. Device Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2017-2027) Stand-Alone Devices Direct-To-Consumer Devices Product Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2017-2027) Radiofrequency Devices Laser Devices Combination Technologies Pulsed Light Devices Exfoliation Devices Ultrasound Devices Light Therapy Others Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2017-2027) Skin Rejuvenation Hair Removal Skin Tightening Body Contouring Cellulite Reduction Regional Outlook The well-established healthcare system, an increase in average life expectancy, and the emergence of leading industry players in the region are contributing to North America's market dominance. In 2019, Europe held the second largest market share of anti-aging devices due to the increasing geriatric population, increased self-consciousness in older people, and increased parity of purchasing power. In the Asia Pacific region, the demand for anti-aging devices is projected to rise at the fastest pace during the forecast period, due to the presence of a broad customer base and an increase in the level of disposable income. Browse complete report description and visit our website @ https://www.emergenresearch.com/industry-report/anti-aging-devices-market Table of Content Chapter 1. Methodology & Sources 1.1. Market Definition 1.2. Research Scope 1.3. Methodology 1.4. Research Sources 1.4.1. Primary 1.4.2. Secondary 1.4.3. Paid Sources 1.5. Market Estimation Technique Chapter 2. Executive Summary 2.1. Summary Snapshot, 2019-2027 Chapter 3. Key Insights Chapter 4. Anti-Aging Devices Market Segmentation & Impact Analysis 4.1. Anti-Aging Devices Market Material Segmentation Analysis 4.2. Industrial Outlook 4.2.1. Market indicators analysis 4.2.2. Market drivers analysis 4.2.2.1. Rising incidence of skin cancer among women 4.2.2.2. Growing geriatric population 4.2.2.3. Growing demand for cellulite reduction 4.2.2.4. Growing demand for minimally invasive treatments 4.2.3. Market restraints analysis 4.2.3.1. Cost-prohibitive devices 4.3. Technological Insights 4.4. Regulatory Framework 4.5. Porter's Five Forces Analysis 4.6. Competitive Metric Space Analysis 4.7. Price trend Analysis 4.8. Covid-19 Impact Analysis Chapter 5. Anti-Aging Devices Market By Device Type Insights & Trends, Revenue (USD Million) 5.1. Device Type Dynamics & Market Share, 2019 & 2027 5.1.1. Stand-Alone Devices 5.1.2. Direct-To-Consumer Devices Chapter 6. Anti-Aging Devices Market By Product Type Insights & Trends Revenue (USD Million) 6.1. Product Type Dynamics & Market Share, 2019 & 2027 6.1.1. Radiofrequency Devices 6.1.2. Laser Devices 6.1.3. Combination Technologies 6.1.4. Pulsed Light Devices 6.1.5. Exfoliation Devices 6.1.6. Ultrasound Devices 6.1.7. Light Therapy 6.1.8. Others Chapter 7. Anti-Aging Devices Market By Application Insights & Trends Revenue (USD Million) 7.1. Application Dynamics & Market Share, 2019 & 2027 7.1.1. Skin Rejuvenation 7.1.2. Hair Removal 7.1.3. Skin Tightening 7.1.4. Body Contouring 7.1.5. Cellulite Reduction Continue! Directly Purchase/Place an Order for a copy of this research report at: https://www.emergenresearch.com/select-license/325 Take a Look at our Related Reports: Activated Carbon Market Size Worth USD 14.07 Billion by 2027 Growing at a CAGR of 9.6% | Emergen Research Cardiac Monitoring & Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices Market To Be Worth USD 29.32 Billion by 2027 | Emergen Research Neurostimulation Devices Market To Reach USD 13.70 Billion by 2027 Growing at a CAGR of 12.6% | Emergen Research Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) Market to Reach USD 18.28 Billion By 2027 | Emergen Research Sodium Dichromate Market To Be Worth USD 1,242.4 Million by 2027| Emergen Research About Emergen Research Emergen Research is a market research and consulting company that provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. 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Contact Us: Eric Lee Corporate Sales Specialist Emergen Research | Web: www.emergenresearch.com Direct Line: +1 (604) 757-9756 E-mail: sales@emergenresearch.com Facebook | LinkdIn | Twitter | Blogs When the camera remains stationary, its objective. Its omniscient like a cold, distant, Bergmanesque God who stays silent and remains, well, un-moved by suffering. Some films, like Blue is the Warmest Colour or The Brown Bunny, become notorious for sex scenes. Some films, like Irreversible, becoming controversial talking points for the amounts of violence they contain. Other films, like The Last Temptation of Christ, become a hot-button issue because they outrage peoples faith and beliefs. Some films gain notoriety for their gaze. When Abdellatif Kechiches Mektoub, My Love: Canto Uno premiered in Venice, people complained about the excessive objectification of women. The sequel, Intermezzo, which premiered at Cannes, was practically a three-and-a-half hour advertisement for fleshy buttocks. Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvilis Beginning is hardly controversial in the sense discussed above. But had the Cannes Film Festival taken place as planned (Beginning was an official selection), I suspect it would have become notorious for the fact that nothing happens for long stretches of time. This is not exactly a new phenomenon, of course, especially if youve made your way around whats come to be known as Slow Cinema. (Mexican auteur and Slow Cinema exponent Carlos Reygadas is on board as an executive producer.) Still, I suspect what did you think of the scene where she lies down in a forest and closes her eyes and stays still for some seven minutes? would have become a buzzy talking point. The woman in question is Yana (Ia Sukhitashvili), and she does exactly that. She heads to the forest. She closes her eyes. The camera stays on her, unblinkingly. And seven-odd minutes pass, s-l-o-w-l-y. The question instantly becomes that of time. What do you gain by having this scene go on for so long? Or, put differently, what would you lose if the scene ran five minutes, say, or three? Thats still 180 seconds of nothing happens. Isnt the point still conveyed? But then, the director might argue that something is always happening. The nature around Yana is alive with sounds and vivid light and colour. Her son is around, asking her to wake up. (Later, she teases him, wondering if he thought she was dead. Some relationship, this!) And inside Yana, there are thoughts churning, thoughts she wants to blank out for at least a while and what is seven minutes in the larger scheme of ones lifespan? Nothing! And Yana, it must be said, has a lot going on in her head. She belongs to the Jehovahs Witness faith, and her husband, David (Rati Onel), is a preacher. She has aligned herself to his work, though at some point in the past, she wanted to be an actress. And then, its been one thing after another. Their prayer house was firebombed. Then, a man who says hes a detective from Tbilisi comes by her home and assaults her verbally (mostly), asking her intimate details of what she does with her husband, what her husband does with her. And then, it gets physical. He forces her hand inside his pants. Much later in the movie, Yana is raped. Its one of the strangest instances of sexual violence put on cinema. If youd seen Beginning on a big screen, you might have been enraptured, if thats the word for it. Most of the visual is an exquisite night-time landscape, with pretty flower-bearing bushes and a brook gurgling past and the light from an unseen moon playing up the rugged rock formations. But in a small circle near the upper right-hand corner, theres this man forcing himself on Yana. The brutality of the act is relieved by the beauty of the scenery. (I was taken back to Greek mythology, with, say, a Satyr preying on a Nymph.) Are we to assume that this is something out of Yanas fantasies? The man whos ravishing her is he a creature from her id, someone shes unleashed because her husband seems more interested in renovating his prayer house than in the thoughts that are churning inside her head, the thoughts that made her want to lie down (before the rape) in that forest for seven minutes? One of those thoughts: I look into a mirror and a stranger stares back. Beginning is a psychological study. And I mean it when I say study, for the director trains an almost clinical eye on her protagonist. The camera becomes a microscope. Yana says something is wrong with her, as though she is waiting for something to start or something to end and the film effectively captures this stasis. Effectively is perhaps the most useful word to use in these circumstances, because the film does end up doing what it sets out to do. Whether thats interesting is another question altogether. (Id say, yes, but only conceptually.) But purely as cinema, theres something almost contra-instinctual at work here. When we talk of single-take shots, we instantly think back to how did they do that? marvels like Martin Scorseses nightclub-entry shot in Goodfellas. The how did they do that? question in Beginning is answered very simply: they simply kept the camera stationary and switched it on and let it record really long scenes from a static position. (Some viewers may recall one of the most famous films to use a locked-down camera, Michael Hanekes Cache.) In an interview with moveablefest.com, Kulumbegashvili said the single-position point of view came about because she wanted to capture domestic life, like how do people live in their house? Its a familiar point of view, to always look at one room from one point of view, because I was thinking all of my childhood memories are memories about the spaces and theyre always from one specific point of view. And that, I suspect is not just the directors point of view of view but also given the couples work Gods point of view. When the camera moves, like in that Goodfellas sequence, it becomes subjective. It follows a person or his/her thoughts. When a camera remains stationary, its objective. Its omniscient like a cold, distant, Bergmanesque God who stays silent and remains, well, un-moved by suffering. It may be no accident that Beginning begins at the prayer house and closes with a chilling effects shot that shows mans impermanence in the face of Nature. Whatever we experience in our lifetimes, whatever we think and do, at the end, its ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Beginning is streaming on MUBI. Baradwaj Rangan is Editor, Film Companion (South). Flash The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the African continent reached 3,494,117 as of Thursday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. According to the continental disease control and prevention agency's COVID-19 dashboard, the death toll related to the pandemic in Africa stood at 87,937 as of Thursday. A total of 2,977,335 people infected with COVID-19 have recovered across the continent so far, the agency disclosed. The Southern Africa region is the most affected area in Africa in terms of the number of confirmed positive cases, followed by the Northern Africa region, according to the agency. The most affected African countries in terms of the number of positive cases include South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and Ethiopia, said the Africa CDC. South Africa has reported the highest COVID-19-inflicted deaths in Africa, at 42,550 as of Thursday, according to the Africa CDC. Meanwhile, the Africa CDC on Thursday emphasized the crucial need to intensify COVID-19 testing and tracing so as to effectively control the virus and limit transmission across the continent. "Testing is the number one tool to fight this pandemic because without testing we will be fighting blindly," an Africa CDC statement quoted John Nkengasong, Director of Africa CDC, as saying on Thursday. "We also need to trace people who are infected, isolate them and treat them," the Africa CDC director said, adding "by supporting AU member states to do more testing and tracing to identify and isolate infected persons, we will be able to control the virus and limit transmission." Quarterly Activities - Cashflow Reports Sydney, Jan 29, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cobre Limited ( ASX:CBE ) is pleased to provide the following update on its activities for the quarter ended 31 December 2020. During the quarter, the Company's focus was largely on the corporate front via its geographic and strategic diversification into Botswana through the proposed acquisition of a controlling interest in Kalahari Metals Limited (KML), a copper exploration JV company in the highly prospective Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) in Botswana.Exploration ActivitiesPerrinvaleEarly in the quarter the exploration team finalised on-site processing of core drilled as part of the Company's third drilling programme at Perrinvale and completed field mapping and surface sampling at the Costa del Islas prospect before demobilising.The Board took the decision to focus on the Botswana acquisition and allow the technical team to receive final assays and review results across the three drill programmes, and other field activities completed in 2020, while also progressing metallurgical work on the Schwabe mineralisation, which will allow for an initial assessment of monetisation potential.A short field programme was completed prior to Christmas, with soil sampling (including initial portable XRF analysis in the field) undertaken at two areas of interest; Little Italy area south of Schwabe, and an area to the east of the Monti Prospect. As part of this programme a number of surface rock samples were submitted for laboratory analysis with the assays from these yet to be reported.The Schwabe Prospect metallurgical work progressed, including an additional recleaner stage and confirmation of physical properties. Reporting of these results has been delayed due to a back log of samples at the assay laboratory. Final results have now been received post quarter and are in the process of being analysed, which will allow the planned optimisation study to move forward.SandimanDuring the quarter, the Company confirmed a strategy for the next steps of exploration on the Sandiman Project to be based around acquisition, integration and interpretation of geophysical data. A ground gravity survey and airborne magnetic/radiometric survey were designed. The Company's geophysical contractor, Atlas Geophysics, completed a ground gravity survey across the entire Sandiman tenure on a 200m x 400m grid and the airborne magnetic/radiometric survey is scheduled for completion in February.Future Work ProgramConsultant, Orelogy Pty Ltd, has been engaged to complete an optimisation study on the Schwabe mineralisation as a means of assessing monetisation potential of the currently defined near surface massive sulphide deposits. Positive results in this first pass study will justify further focussed work aimed at verifying key assumptions and improving confidence. Results are expected in early February 2021. Planning is also underway for a phase of field exploration focused on understanding and testing the mineralisation potential across the broader 408km2 of tenure at Perrinvale.As previously announced, on 24 August 2020, the Company signed a binding Heads of Agreement (HOA) for the proposed scrip-based acquisition of 51% of the equity of KML. KML is a private UK company which controls approximately 8,100km2 of tenements within the KCB in Botswana (with 6,650km2 owned 100%, and 1,450km2 through Joint Venture arrangements).The KCB is regarded as one of the most prospective areas globally for copper exploration by the US Geological Survey (USGS), with a number of copper-silver deposits currently under development by ASX listed Sandfire Resources Limited ( ASX:SFR ) and also Cupric Canyon Capital (Cupric Canyon).During the quarter, on 20 November, the Company announced the successful completion of due diligence for the KML acquisition which was followed on 16 December with the announcement of the signing of a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA).The terms of the SPA are generally consistent with the binding HOA previously entered into by the parties in respect of the Transaction which include:- The KML vendors will collectively be issued circa 21.4m CBE shares in consideration for the 51% interest in KML. Cobre will initially acquire a 49.9% interest in KML, and subject to obtaining change of control approval from the Ministry of Mines of Botswana, will increase its shareholding in KML to 51% immediately thereafter.- The new shares, to be escrowed until 31 January 2022 (except for MTR's shares which will be escrowed for 12 months from completion), will be issued at an implied CBE share price of 20cps.- Transaction completion is conditional upon a number of matters which remain outstanding including Cobre obtaining shareholder approval.KML is a copper exploration JV company in the highly prospective KCB in Botswana. KML owns the second largest tenure holding in the Botswana portion of the KCB after Sandfire. Exploration drilling of KML's tenements is currently underway by the existing owners, with future exploration activities to be jointly funded under a new shareholders agreement (effective on completion of the Transaction) entered into by Metal Tiger plc ( LON:MTR ) (MTR), Cobre, Cobre Kalahari Pty Ltd (being a new wholly owned subsidiary of Cobre nominated by Cobre under the SPA to acquire the shares in KML) and KML.KML is currently owned by seven shareholders, including Cobre's largest shareholder, MTR and six other shareholders. The KML Vendors and Cobre are parties to the SPA. Other than MTR, none of the KML Vendors are related parties of Cobre. Upon completion of the Transaction, MTR will hold approximately 21% of the issued shares of CBE.To view the quarterly report, please visit:About Cobre Limited Cobre Limited (ASX:CBE) is a copper and base-metals explorer with projects in Western Australia and Botswana. The Company recently discovered a new high-grade VMS deposit enriched in Copper, Gold, Zinc and Silver in Western Australia, and is currently exploring approximately 8,100 km2 of tenements within the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) in Botswana. The United Nations has urged Iran to halt the "imminent" execution of a member of the Baluch ethnic minority as it rebuked Tehran for a number of recent hangings, including members of the countrys ethnic minorities. We urge the authorities to halt the execution of Javid Dehghan, to review his and other death penalty cases in line with human rights law, the Geneva-based Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Twitter on January 29. "We strongly condemn the series of executions -- at least 28 -- since mid-December, including of people from minority groups," the UN added. The UN said Dehghan had been sentenced to death in 2017 for taking up arms to take lives or property and to create fear." Amnesty International said on January 28 that Dehghan, 31, is scheduled to be executed on January 31. The London-based rights group said Dehghan was sentenced to death in connection with his alleged membership in the extremist group Jaish Al-Adl (Army of Justice) and his alleged role in an ambush that killed two members of Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Jaish Al-Adl has reportedly carried out several high-profile bombings and abductions in Iran in recent years. Amnesty said his trial was "grossly unfair" with the court relying on "torture-tainted confessions" and ignoring abuses committed during the investigation. "Amnesty International urges the Iranian authorities not to compound the shocking catalogue of human rights violations already committed against Javid Dehghan by carrying out his execution," the rights group said. Activists outside Iran have in past weeks expressed concern over the numbers of ethnic Baluchi being executed or facing capital punishment in Iran. Abdollah Aref, the director of the Europe-based Campaign of Baluch Activists, told the BBC earlier this week that in the past two months his group has documented the execution of 16 members of the Baluch minority. The UN said Iran has launched a crackdown on minorities since mid-December. "This has included a series of executions of members of ethnic and religious minority groups -- in particular Kurdish, Ahwazi Arab, and Baluch communities," OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said. Iran is one of the world's leading executioners. With reporting by AFP Syracuse, N.Y. Eva Fulds life ended brutally. But in her 84 years, the Syracuse woman recently stabbed to death in a home invasion burglary was known as a beloved and dedicated educator. Friends said Fuld loved traveling to stay sharp in French and Spanish, which she taught for decades. As a retiree, she enjoyed lunches with her friends and volunteering at a local library. Fuld was killed last week by robbers who invaded her home and stole from her, police said. She was found Monday, four days after her death, inside the Grant Village apartment shed long called home. A 14-year-old, Jahkim Robinson, is the only person charged in her death so far. The boy lived in the same building as Fuld, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said. Court records show that investigators believe Jahkim had accomplices, though no other arrests have been announced. Police said the suspects forced their way into Fulds North Side apartment when she came to answer the door. They stole things like credit and insurance cards, police said, beating and stabbing Fuld before taking off with her car. The violent way Fuld died shocked and appalled her friends, former students and colleagues. It left them with a mission: Fuld should be remembered for her bright life, not her violent death. I dont want this murder to define her, said Denise Androvette, Fulds friend. Eva Fuld was found dead in an apartment at 108 Linwell Terrace just before 12:30 p.m. on Monday Jan. 25, 2021, police said.Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com Fuld lived in Central New York nearly her entire life. Friends said she was quirky. They remembered how she always hated driving, despite trekking on the Thruway from Syracuse to Clinton for monthly breakfasts with fellow retired teachers. She refused to make left turns, she told friends, and would make the whole drive without one. In her younger years, Fuld loved traveling. She liked to visit Montreal, where she could speak French the language she loved, said her friend, Denise Androvette. She graduated from Syracuses Central High School in 1954 as the salutatorian of her class, according to Syracuse.com | The Post-Standards archives. She studied abroad in France and later graduated from Goucher College in Maryland. After retiring from teaching, Fuld enjoyed getting lunch with her friends and volunteering at a Syracuse library. Her home at 108 Linwell Terrace was the same building where her mother, Kate, died 31 years earlier. Fuld was not married and appears to have been an only child. Friends said her only remaining family lives in Alaska. Without family nearby, Fuld devoted herself to her work as an educator, and to the network that formed around her career. Fuld served as a longtime teacher at Westmorelands Jr. and Sr. High School. Former students and teachers remembered her as a brilliant teacher who was kind but stern. She was such a sweet woman, said Gina Bevivino, Fulds former student who later became a colleague and friend. Bevivino remembers Fuld as a demanding teacher who really challenged her students. One year, when Bevivino broke her arm just before a final exam, Fuld made her take the test anyway. Bevivino decided she wanted to be a teacher herself early on, but said Fuld gave her the roadmap. The elder teacher advised the Future Teachers Club at Westmoreland while Bevivino was the president. Bevivino went on to become an English teacher in the Westmoreland district and got some of her first teaching experience as a substitute in Fulds class. Eva Fuld (rear) pictured in a 1954 photo. She was the salutatorian of her 1954 Central High School graduating class. Joan Thursby (front) was valedictorian.The Post-Standard The two women became friends in 2017 when Bevivino went to her first Westmoreland schools retirees breakfast. She sat with Fuld, a staple attendee at the monthly get-together. As the news of Fulds death spread, the Westmoreland school community took to social media to mourn. Former students shared their stories of Fuld in the Westmoreland Alumni Associations Facebook. Very nice lady. Such a sad world we live in. So extremely sad about this. She was such a gentle woman. Such a sweet person, so very sad. Rest in peace Miss Fuld. One of her former students, Dan Brown, who graduated in 1974, remembered her as tough as nails and a teacher who expected her students to pay attention. For Androvette, a retired teacher for the Syracuse City School District, meeting Fuld was a happy accident. Androvette, of Lyncourt, is a member of the Onondaga County Retired Teachers Association. The association runs a program called the Friendly Service, aimed at connecting younger retirees with former teachers who have reached 90 years old. Four years ago, when a data glitch wrongly claimed Fuld had hit her ninth decade, Androvette called the Syracuse woman to congratulate her on turning 90. Fuld apologized, she said, and graciously explained she was only 80. Androvette was happy to connect with Fuld a decade early. She took Fuld out to lunch, making a point of picking restaurants Fuld might not have ventured to on her own. She remembered a time when Fuld was particularly pleased trying a croissant from The Toast, a bakery located in Canastota at the time. The two spoke every few weeks. Androvette, who lived just over a mile away, dropped off presents to Fuld on holidays and sent her postcards when she took vacations. Fuld always wrote back, Androvette said sending beautifully handwritten replies. Eva Fuld, second from left, pictured in a 1953 photo.The Post-Standard Fuld walked comfortably, Androvette said, and remained independent, even during the coronavirus pandemic. She drove herself to doctor appointments and bought her own groceries, politely declining help. Still, Androvette worried about her friend. Fuld lived alone and had no family nearby to check on her. And although Fuld lived on a humble budget in her outdated apartment, Androvette feared Fuld who she called gentle, giving, unthreatening was vulnerable. Androvette found out about Fulds murder when she checked the news. I am just horrified that those teenagers targeted her and took her life so brutally because I cant imagine anything about her that would cause them to be angry at Eva, Androvette said, fighting back tears. Androvette said the retired teachers volunteering with the Friendly Service hope to create a tangible memorial for Fuld. They might plant a tree, she said, or hang a plaque. Fuld deserves something beautiful, she said a memorial that ensures the essence that defined her life outlasts the memory of her murder. 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. CBI goes to SC challenging house arrest of two Bengal ministers in Narada case Who will be the next CBI chief? PM Modi-led panel shortlists these three names; Congress protests Narada: On house arrest of TMC leaders, CBI opts out of SC, to go back to HC Who is Subodh Kumar Jaiswal? Former Maharashtra IPS officer apointed as new CBI Director CBI raids 40 godowns in Punjab India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 29: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has raided 40 godowns in Punjab and has seized samples of rice and wheat stocks, reports said. The CBI's search operation began last night and the same is being carried out with the help of paramilitary forces. The godowns that were searched belongs to the Punjab Grains Procurement Corporation, Punjab Warehousing and a few belonging to the Food Corporation of India. The CBI seized wheat and rice that procured in 2019-20 and 2020-21. The raids come at a time when the farmers and government are locked in a face off over the new farm laws. The farmers are mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. 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. AHERNS shop in the middle of Murroe has been closed since the untimely passing of PJ Ahern in May 2018 The shutters down have been a constant reminder of times gone bye when there was always a store in that location. The late PJ and his wife Breeda had it for decades and before that the Russells owned it. After being on the market for about a year and a half a deal has been struck for the four bedroom detached two storey residence, large retail unit, extensive agricultural / commercial sheds and 26 acres of potential development land in the centre of Murroe village. James Lee, of REA John Lee, confirmed to the Leader the sale was completed before Christmas. We had two interested parties in the finish. It went over and back between them. It was all bought together in one lot, said Mr Lee. He wouldnt be drawn on who the new owner is or what the final price was. However, the Leader understands from local sources it sold for in the region of 500,000 and the new owner is a Murroe man. Regarding its future, Mr Lee thinks they are looking at the strong possibility of doing something with the closed shop. The land behind it is ideally situated in the middle of the village for a housing development but Mr Lee says any development potential is very much down the road. It is being sold as farm land. There is no planning on it, said Mr Lee. Cathaoirleach of the Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District, Cllr John Egan welcomed the news. It is very to good to see that someone is going taking it over and probably running a business. There was always a shop there. In that section of Murroe there was a shoemaker, I suppose a cobbler in those days, a dressmaker, a butchers stall, all on that stretch. It is very good news for the village to see the for sale sign taken down, said Cllr Egan. The Murroe man also paid tribute to the Ahern family, originally from Bunkey, Newport. The Ahern family ran an excellent shop and were always more than helpful to people, said Cllr Egan. Along with PJ and Breeda, other popular people to man the tills there through they years were Kathleen Costello, Margaret Davis, Joan Power and Joan Lynch, and the late Maura Power. The purchase of the shop is the second positive development in recent times with Crokers being bought by Darragh Ryan, of The Valley Inn. He leased it to his good friend Pat McKenna, from Murroe, who returned from Guernsey in July to open Rua Cafe and Restaurant. Home > 2021 > Transition From Communism To Capitalism Central Asia Faces Challenges For (...) by R.G.Gidadhubli Three decades have passed subsequent to the breakup of the former Soviet Union in December 1991 when five Central Asian States attained their sovereignty. In fact they were the last among the 15 former Soviet Republics to declare their independence. This was mainly because looking back into history they were beneficiaries of seven decades of Communist system of the former Soviet era being transformed from historic backwardness to development, political security, stability and socio-economic development. The objective of all the former Soviet States was to bring about transition from the former Communist System to Political Democracy. It is a matter of great significance to understand as to how far Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan of the Central Asian States (CAS) have achieved in their objectives. Democracy is an essential component of political transition from Communist System to Capitalist System and multi-party system should prevail as also free and fair elections need to be held in the formation of the government. An important event has taken place on the 10th January 2021 when elections were held in two states of CAS namely Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. In the Parliamentary elections held on 10th Jan. 2021 in Kazakhstan Nur Otan Party has succeeded to sustain power. It is reported that the Nur-Otan party got 76 seats, Aq Zhol 12, and the Peoples Party of Kazakhstan which was originally called Communist Party 10 seats. In fact Kazakhstan has the only officially registered political party that labels itself as an opposition group namely the All-National Social Democratic Party (OSDP) which has boycotted parliamentary election held on 10th Jan. 2021 accusing that Kazakhstans political landscape continues to be dominated by the same political elite of Nazarbaev as was the case in the last parliamentary elections were held in 2016. As per reports Election officials have claimed that more than 63 percent of voters have casted ballots. As expected Nursultan Nazarbaev being the first president of Kazakhstan and the head of Nur Otan party and holding power for about three decades continues to retain power even as he resigned in March 2019 and yet controlling key positions of power, including head of the countrys powerful Security Council and the ruling Nur Otan party. He has not given enough powers to Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev who is the current president of Kazakhstan. In fact this was the first parliamentary election of around 18 million people since the resignation of Nazarbaev in early 2019. Voting percentage was rather low because as reported by one analyst some voters were turned away because they did not have documents certifying they had been tested and were negative for the coronavirus. Moreover, activist Roza Musaeva posted on Twitter that she was a legal observer but that police detained her and that the head of the local election commission told her that her accreditation had been revoked. In fact civil rights activists and opposition politicians have accused Kazakh authorities of intentionally refusing to officially register opposition political groups in recent months. It is a matter of reality that the present parliamentary election lacks fairness and the Kazakh authorities have failed to conduct free and fair elections as per the requirement of a truly democratic government. This is contended by several observers and organizations. For instance, as stated by the head of an election-monitoring team to Kazakhstan from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has detailed a litany of failings and seemingly "concerted" moves by the Kazakh authorities to hinder transparency in recent national elections. Hence in its initial conclusions, the team described the 10th January Kazakh vote as "not competitive" and devoid of "genuine political alternatives to choose from." In fact International election observers have opined that elections in Kazakhstan have not been free and fair, citing electoral fraud, repression of opposition candidates, and restrictions on the freedom of the press. Hence lack of competition have dashed the hopes of many Western countries who have close political and economic ties with Kazakhstan among the Central Asian countries who had hoped for deep political reforms during the last three decades. As opined by some critics Kazakhstan has failed to fulfill "many international commitments for holding democratic elections" to which Nazarbaev had pledged himself. It is evident that Kazakhstan has flouted international standards of "good practice" and the authorities seem to have contravened their own national legislation. In reality authoritarian system has been prevailing and democratic process has been lacking. Hence in fact the younger generation in particular in Kazakhstan has been calling for change. In view of this realizing that Kazakhstan lacks democracy, it is appreciable that the current president Toqaev on the eve of election has openly stated that democratic reforms in Kazakhstan should be introduced gradually to preserve the Central Asian countrys foundation and unity. KYRGYZSTAN Kyrgyzstan is an exception among the CAS having relatively better democratic system. On 10th Jan 2021 was an important day for Kyrgyzstan because presidential election was held as also national referendum to decide whether the country should revert to presidential system from the prevailing parliamentary system even as there are speculations whether that will bring stability and development for the country. There were no reports of major violations during the vote. Sadyr Jasparov won the presidential election held on 10th Jan 2021 in which 17 candidates contested and voting percentage was low below 50 pc. Among those contested mention may be made of Adakhan Madumarov who is the leader of Butun Kyrgyzstan which is the only opposition party, Kanatbek Isaev is the leader of the Kyrgyzstan party, Klara Sooronkulova is the leader of the Reforma party she is a former Supreme Court judge, Abdil Segizbaev is a former chief of the State Committee for National Security and so on. Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have opined that campaign for presidential election was dominated by one candidate namely Jasparov who benefited from disproportionate financial means and misuse of administrative resources, resulting in an uneven playing field. In fact he was imprisoned since October 2013 on hostage taking charges in mining operation in northeast of Kyrgyzstan. He managed to come out of imprisonment during outbreak in October 2020 and freed from jail and took over power as acting prime minster and interim president. It appears he decided to hold this presidential election to legally claim power formally giving up presidency. As per reports the 52-year-old Japarov has received far more donations for his campaign than his opponents. Japarov had raised 1.23 million soms (about $15,000), trailing two other candidates: Babarjan Tolbaev (5.2 million soms/$63,000) and Aymen Kasenov (1.454 million soms/$17,000). It is reported that all contesting candidates have made negative comments about Japarov in a series of debates held on state television in late December 2020. However, being elected Jasparov has promised rule of law a "dictatorship of law and justice" and dismissed fears of a strongman crackdown and no dictatorship. He had announced that he is open to the public to "criticize, advise, and guide" in his work. How far he will implement thee promises is yet to be seen. Looking back, subsequent to the parliamentary election held on 4th October 2020 that led to mass unrest and violence due to which the government had been chased from power and the ruling president Sooronbai Jeenbekov was forced to resign. In the past also Kyrgyzstan has witnessed large scale protests by opposition public and political leaders in 2005 and 2010 which led to ousting ruling presidents and forcing them to resign and forming interim governments. In fact Kyrgyzstan witnessed Tulip Revolution in 2005 and claims to be Island of Democracy in Central Asia since four presidents have ruled during last three decades. Facing protests and failing in elections, two former presidents have left the country - Akaev has taken refuge in Russia and Bakaev in Belorussia. In reality as opined by some analysts Kyrgyzstan has witnessed long drawn battle between politicians of economically, ideologically and ethnically diverse North and South regions for decades who have played their role in political game for power. Notwithstanding that as experts on Central Asia contend Kyrgyzstan is the only country of Central Asia which still has a modicum of democracy where parliamentary system prevailed for over two decades. However, the latest election indicates that parliamentary system has not succeeded and hence the country is possibly going back to presidential system. In lieu of conclusion it may be stated that so far as Kazakhstan is concerned, authoritarian rule has prevailed by the head of Nur-Otan party Nazarbaev for the last three decades, who has not promoted democratic institutions and process. Despite the fact that Kazakhstan which is endowed with huge mineral and energy resources, he has failed to utilize economic and technical benefits of Great Game for the benefit of the country. In the case of Kyrgyzstan, money power seems to have dominated and used for securing and holding political power. There is some element of democracy but the process of democracy has been curtailed and great expectations of Tulip Revolution in 2005 are disappearing. This is evident from the fact that there is reversal of democratic process from prevailing over two decades of parliamentary government to presidential form of government which will come to power. (Author: Dr R.G.Gidadhubli, Professor And Former Director, Center For Central Eurasian Studies, University Of Mumbai ) Mumbai, 15th Jan 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. Virginia County Passes Resolution Condemning Forced Organ Harvesting in China A Virginia county on Jan. 27 unanimously adopted a resolution condemning forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience in China. County officials especially highlighted the plight of practitioners in the Falun Gong spiritual group. While there has been little media coverage of this problem, dozens of residents in the states Frederick County have come forward to voice concerns, the resolution said. I think its of use to all members of the Frederick County community to know what is involved in doing business of that kind with China, said Shawnee District Supervisor David D. Stegmaier before the resolution was adopted. Adherents of Falun Gong have been the targets of Beijings persecution since 1999. According to the Falun Dafa Information Center, millions have been detained inside prisons, labor camps, and other facilities in China, with hundreds of thousands tortured while incarcerated. In recent years, allegations of forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners have surfaced. In a June 2019 report, a London-based peoples tribunal concluded that forced organ harvesting has continued for years in China on a significant scale. The main source of organs originated from adherents of Falun Gong, a spiritual exercise also known as Falun Dafa, although other minority groups such as Uyghurs, Tibetan Buddhists, and house church Christians have also been subject to the abuse, according to the report. The resolution, introduced by Back Creek Supervisor Shawn L. Graber, is meant to ensure that county residents are fully informed of the organ source in China before they make the decision to engage in organ tourism in China, lest they unwittingly become accomplices in state-sponsored forced organ harvesting, the resolution stated. [W]e strongly condemn the illegal and immoral organ harvesting being conducted at the direction of and under the protection of the Government of the communist Peoples Republic of China, it added. Copies of the resolution will be passed to the countys representative to the Virginia General Assembly and the Virginia delegation to the U.S. Congress. Around 220 residents from Frederick County have signed a petition in support of the resolution. For years, China has been one of the top destinations for transplant tourism. Beijing promoted its narrative in U.S. newspapers that organs are sourced from voluntary donations, but independent analysis of Chinas official transplant statistics by international researchers have repudiated the regimes claims. In recent years, Falun Gong adherents have sought to raise awareness about Chinas forced organ harvesting through distributing informational flyers and gathering petition signatures. Stegmaier, introducing the resolution to the board, said he wants to acknowledge the Falun Gong members for their courage and their persistence in letting the world know about this travesty. Several Falun Gong practitioners living in nearby Fairfax County, where a similar motion was passed in July 2019, also spoke at the board meeting before the vote. Falun Gong practitioner Alex Wang said that the resolution was both very timely and necessary. Organ harvesting, he said, is one of the most heinous methods the Chinese Communist Party uses in its massive and ongoing religious persecution. Harvesting the organs of Falun Gong practitioners has set a precedent in China, if it remains unchallenged, it may well be used against other groups, such as Uyghurs in Xinjiang and cost more innocent lives, Wang said. Tiny Tang, also a local Falun Gong practitioner, thanked Frederick County for taking this step to save lives and support human rights. She said she knew of a resident who received a kidney transplant offer from China for $50,000, but eventually rejected it because finding a matching organ in such a short period of time was suspicious. Your resolution will help reduce this type of black market activity in our county, she said. Virginia officials have been vocal about Chinas organ harvesting issue. On Jan. 12, Virginias Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors also passed an organ harvesting resolution to help stop contributing to Chinas organ transplant tourism. In July 2020, 49 Virginia state senators and delegates marked the 21st anniversary of the persecution of Falun Gong by calling for an end to forced organ harvesting in China. The third wave of the coronavirus has pushed Spain to the breaking point. According to the Spanish Health Ministrys latest report, released on Thursday, the country has started to flatten the curve of new infections, but it has done so at crisis levels, with pressure on hospitals, especially in intensive care units (ICUs), close to unbearable. This pressure continues to rise across almost all of Spain. The last 10 months of the pandemic have shown that there is not one but various peaks in a wave. The first is the number of new infections. The second is the spike in hospital admissions, which tends to happen a week later, and takes a little longer to be reflected in ICU figures. The final peak, which indicates a change in trend, is the number of deaths. The Health Ministry added 515 fatalities to the official count on Thursday, a terrible toll that is likely to remain at these levels for days to come while Spain transitions from peak to peak. We can expect that the strain detected in the UK will be the dominant one in Spain by the end of February or the first fortnight of March Fernando Simon, director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts The latest data indicates that Spain is starting to see the other side of the peak of new infections in the third wave. A week ago, the Health Ministry reported a record-high 44,357 new coronavirus figures. On Thursday, that figure fell to 34,899. It is also the first day this year that the national incidence rate has fallen: the 14-day cumulative number of cases per 100,000 inhabitants now stands at 890, down from 900 on Wednesday. Hospital admissions fell for the first time this year on Wednesday, with the percentage of Covid-19 patients in hospital wards dropping to 24.10%, down slightly from 24.03% on Tuesday. This data point fell again on Thursday, although the drop was again only marginal. But pressure continues to mount in Spains ICUs, which are the last line of defense of the healthcare system. If they are overwhelmed, authorities may be forced to introduce tougher restrictions, such as home confinement. Making matters worse, the pressure on ICUs is rising amid the uncertainty over how the emergence of new, more contagious strains of the coronavirus, such as the B.1.1.7 variant detected in the United Kingdom, will impact the pandemic in Spain. According to the data we have, we can expect that it [the B.1.1.7 variant] will be the dominant one in Spain by the end of February or the first fortnight of March. This has some implications because the strain is more transmittable, said Fernando Simon, the director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts (CCAES), at a government press conference on Thursday. The health official previously said this would not happen until a later date. Simon admitted that there are small areas in Spain where the new strain already accounts for 20% of cases, but said nationally this figure was around 8%. With respect to restrictions, the health official said that the measures that must be taken are the same for the new and old variants of the coronavirus. More measures can still be implemented without modifying the state of alarm, he said, in reference to the emergency decree that gives regional governments which are responsible for managing the health crisis the power to introduce measures such as perimetral lockdowns, but not home confinement. The figures released on Thursday also do not reflect how the coronavirus situation differs between each of Spains 17 regions. Indeed, the fall in hospitalizations over the past two weeks is mainly due to improvements in two regions: Valencia (which, despite this, remains in a very critical situation, said Simon) and Catalonia, which reported 466 fewer occupied beds on Thursday than on Tuesday. In Castilla y Leon, Galicia and Andalusia, there continue to be more hospital admissions than discharges. Covid-19 patients occupy more than 50% of ICU beds in Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia, Madrid and La Rioja, and 63% in Valencia There are 11 regions where the situation is stabilizing or on a downward trend, but this is not the same as a fall in the hospital occupancy rate. The pressure on hospitals will continue over the coming days, said Simon. Andalusia and Galicia, as well as Murcia and Valencia, are some of the regions that are being hardest hit by the third wave of the pandemic, with the situation even worse than what it was during the first wave. The big problem continues to be in ICUs. On Thursday, the Health Ministry reported 97 more ICU admissions than on Wednesday, and no region has managed to clearly reverse the upward trend. In other words, the peak of ICU pressure is still to come. In more than half of Spain, Covid-19 patients occupy more than 40% of all ICU beds a similar figure to all other diseases combined. In the Balearic Islands, Castilla y Leon and Extremadura, the occupancy rate is more than 40%; in Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia, Madrid and La Rioja, it is more than 50%; and in Valencia, it is 63%, a record high not seen since April last year, during the first wave. As experts warned, the source of the problem is that Spain entered the third wave which started after the December 6 long weekend before the second wave was over. This meant that the ICU occupancy rate of Covid-19 patients, which was below 15% in October when the number of new cases began to rise, was already at around 30% in some regions when the third wave hit. English version by Melissa Kitson. Could this BE any more romantic? Matthew Perry convinced Julia Roberts to appear on Friends 25 years ago in the most unconventional way the pair also got a little flirty via some unexpected 90s technology! Read article Kevin Bright, the shows cocreator, told The Hollywood Reporter this week Perry, 51, was fully responsible for getting the Notting Hill star, 53, to make a guest appearance on the sitcom. She starred in a 1996 episode called The One After the Super Bowl which, as the title suggests, aired after the NFL championship. Dave Lewis/Shutterstock; Douglas C Pizac/AP/Shutterstock Matthew asked her to be on the show, Bright recalled in the interview, posted on Thursday, January 28. She wrote back to him, Write me a paper on quantum physics and Ill do it. My understanding is that Matthew went away and wrote a paper and faxed it to her the next day. Read article Alexa Junge, a former Friends writer, revealed to the outlet that the Whole Nine Yards star and Roberts talked about more than physics in their exchanges, however. There was a lot of flirting over faxing, she shared with The Hollywood Reporter. She was giving him these questionnaires like, Why should I go out with you? And everyone in the writers room helped him explain to her why. He could do pretty well without us, but there was no question we were on Team Matthew and trying to make it happen for him. YouTube Whatever the Friends writers came up with worked, according to Jeff Astrof, who also worked in the shows writers room. I remember standing with her on the sidelines. She kept saying, Chandlers so funny! And Im like, I wrote every one of those lines!' he shared. I dont know if she fell in love with Matthew on the spot but they soon started dating. I felt like Cyrano [de Bergerac]. Like, Chandler is going to date Julia Roberts and Im going to go home to my horrible girlfriend. Thats my memory of that episode. Perry and Roberts dated until 1996, though both were private about their romance. The Pretty Woman star did briefly discuss her relationship with Perry on The Late Show With David Letterman in 1996 telling the shows host she was intimidated when the Massachusetts native first approached her because hes awfully clever and funny and handsome. Read article After things between them fizzled out, both moved on with other partners. In 2002, the Golden Globe Award-winner married Danny Moder. Perry, meanwhile, has dated several high-profile actresses, including Mean Girls star Lizzy Caplan. In November 2020 he got engaged to Molly Hurwitz after two years of dating. They split in May 2020. YEREVAN, 29 JANUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 29 January, USD exchange rate up by 0.11 drams to 518.27 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.23 drams to 627.83 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.09 drams to 6.80 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 3.43 drams to 708.16 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price down by 41.75 drams to 30887.77 drams. Silver price down by 3.15 drams to 419.99 drams. Platinum price down by 246.04 drams to 18162.41 drams. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) stands for a photograph at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Nov. 9, 2020. (Stefani Reynolds/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) GOP Senator Hires 13 Former Trump Staffers Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) has hired 13 former Trump administration officials to work out of his Washington office, including former White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere. Hagerty, a new senator who won the seat vacated by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) when he retired, said his new team is full of experienced professionals led by chief of staff John Rader. Not only does the team I have assembled in my Washington office augment the strong on-the-ground state organization announced this month, they also bring a wide array of experiences and qualifications that will serve our state and the country well, Hagerty said in a statement. Under John Raders leadership, and with the senior team I have assembled, I am confident this talented group will work above and beyond to serve the needs of Tennesseans and our Nation. Hagerty, a businessman, was endorsed by former President Donald Trump. Rader is a former deputy assistant to the president for strategic initiatives who was part of Trumps 2016 presidential transition team. Addison Osborne, a former White House intern, will work under him. Deere, with the Trump administration until its final day, will be Hagertys spokesperson. Julia Hahn, who worked as deputy assistant to Trump, will also work on communications for Hagerty. Then-U.S. deputy assistant Joel Rayburn speaks in Geneva on Oct. 29, 2019. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images) The senators policy team includes a number of former Trump administration officials: Adam Telle, who led the White House Office of Legislative Affairs Senate team; Jonathan Greenstein, a deputy assistant secretary at the Treasury Department; Robert Zarate, a policy planning State Department staffer; retired Col. Joel Rayburn, senior director for Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon on the National Security Council; Natalie McIntyre, deputy to the associate director for legislative affairs at the White House Office of Management and Budget; and Lucas Da Pieve, a director of digital response at the White House. Kevin Kim, a senior adviser to the Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control, and Rachel Leong, who worked in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs, will also work for Hagerty. The announcement came as a number of leftist groups urged firms not to employ former Trump administration officials. Public interest groups American Oversight and Accountable.US started an initiative, Campaign Against Corporate Complicity, that aims to track what firms employ top former administration officials. Companies should demand clear, evidence-based answers to whether a former official participated in enabling, crafting, implementing, or defending a concerted effort to shatter democratic norms and spread hate, they said in a recent open letter to Americas CEOs. In a tweet, Deere said he was honored to be part of this talented team. Senator Hagerty ran on and told the people of Tennessee to send him to Washington to build on the successes of President Trump, and there is no better way to do that than by hiring the best from the outgoing administration, Deere told Politico when asked about so many former Trump administration officials being hired by Hagerty. (Photo : Investing Tips via YouTube Screenshot) The partnership with the Apple Car production now resulted in the growing concern of the Hyundai executives who are "divided" about the proposal. What the second report tells The company executives of the Hyundai Motor Company Group seemed to be 'divided' over the potential partnership with Apple for the possible car production in the future. In a report by Reuters, Hyundai has not released any details upon saying that they have already talked with Apple earlier this month. The two companies were reportedly talking about building an electric car and its battery tie-up. However, Apple refused to respond to the discussion. With Hyundai having a history of being hesitant with discussing with foreign companies, it is already no surprise if that will happen as well to Apple. An unknown source, who was familiar with the topic reported that Apple and Hyundai are both bosses when it comes to business, so the relationship might not really work as planned. While the talks already flooded the media, the negotiation was still indistinct since Apple did not release any acknowledgment about the car construction. Furthermore, the US tech titan held on a secret talk to the media with regards to their partners or any news about their unreleased products. Read Also: COVID-19 Can Cause Sperm Damage, Infertility, Study Says In a report by 9To5Mac, the second unidentified source revealed that the company owned by Tim Cook will likely acquire the various parts of the car from different suppliers. The second person continued that the Korean conglomerate will be in charge of the assembly of the product. The Apple Car production will take place in the US. On Tuesday, Hyundai learned that its fourth-quarter profit was the greatest gain in the past three years. This, however, was still not a way for the automotive manufacturer to reveal any updates about its discussion with Apple. "We are agonizing over how to do it, whether it is good to do it or not. We are not a company which manufactures cars for others. It is not like working with Apple would always produce great results," an executive from Hyundai said. No one knows when will Apple publicize its relationship with Hyundai, but if it will happen, there could be a conflict that might emerge. The possibility of handing the partnership to Kia Motors could be now approaching since a huge stake of it is owned by Hyundai. What will happen in 2024? In a citation report by Mac Rumors, Hyundai and Apple could agree with the Apple Car deal in March, which was originally reported by Reuters earlier this month. The two companies might reach an agreement that Kia Motors will be assigned for the manufacturing of the electric cars, the Korea IT News reported. In addition, Apple car's "beta version" could appear by 2022. In December 2020, it was reported that the US company may begin Apple car production in 2024. However, Bloomberg announced that the said production is "nowhere near production stage," and the possible release date could be around five to seven years from now. In 2017, Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that they have been constructing a possible Apple car. This was the not first time that Cook revealed Apple's interest to build a car. The first was in 2014 when Cook was rumored to finally approve the Apple electric car project. Related Article: SSC Tuatara Supercar Worth $1.9 Million Tops World's Fastest Car Record at 282.9 Mph This article is owned by Tech Times. Written by Joen Coronel 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Photo: The Canadian Press Canada's main airlines are suspending service to popular sun destinations, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday. Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing, and Air Transat will suspend service to all Caribbean destinations and Mexico starting Sunday until April 30, and starting next week, all international passenger flights must land at only four airports in Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal. Airlines will be making arrangements with customers who currently on a trip in these regions to organize their return flights, Trudeau said. Restricting international travel is important as more infectious variants of COVID-19 spread around the globe, Trudeau noted. "With the challenges we currently face with COVID-19, both here at home and abroad, we all agree that now is just not the time to be flying," he said Friday. "By putting in place these tough measures now, we can look forward to a better time when we can all plan those vacations." In the coming weeks, non-essential travelers will also have to show a negative test before entry at the land border with the United States. A mandatory hotel quarantine and airport testing for incoming travellers was also announced Friday. The most recent impeachment approved by the House of Representatives charged a president who has since left office with inciting an insurrection. A Senate trial looms. Though two or three examples of bringing delayed proceedings against other federal officials have been identified during the current controversy, no postmortem, as it were, consideration of impeachment of a president of the United States has ever occurred before. Is it valid to do so? Whether valid or not, a delayed presidential impeachment did occur in the Republic of Texas, a separate nation from its declaration of independence in 1836 until its annexation as a state in 1845. The new nations constitution was drafted rather hurriedly as independence was being proclaimed while the Mexican army approached. Haste meant adopting almost verbatim much of the U.S. Constitution, including the provision specifying the penalties for impeachment. The argument today is that because disqualification from holding future office can be imposed upon conviction, a former president remains subject to impeachment. A similar question and proposed answer arose in Texas about impeaching a just-departed president. In the second Texas national elections, held in 1838, Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar was elected president for a three-year term. Lamar was only 40 years old when elected. He had been well-educated as the son of a wealthy Georgia planter and had arrived in Texas only in 1835. He could be, with fateful consequences for his young country, an impractical visionary who seemingly felt unconstrained by the law. Lamars vision focused on the fact that the Texas Congress made the countrys western boundary the Rio Grande from its mouth to its source, even into present-day New Mexico and beyond. Without any authorization from the Texas Congress, Lamar sent an expedition to Santa Fe during his last year in office in an effort to assert control and begin trade. The part military, part commercial enterprise with 321 soldiers and civilians started from the Austin area in central Texas in June 1841. They got lost, suffered terribly from lack of water, and in October, a month after a new president was elected, were met by Mexican soldiers who took them all prisoner. The new president was the Hero of San Jacinto, Sam Houston, elected to his second nonconsecutive term on Sept. 6, 1841. The newly elected members of the Texas Congress took office before Houston did. The House began its session in Austin on Nov. 1 in a log cabin with separate large rooms for each chamber. The Capitol itself was surrounded by a stockade to protect it from enemies of various kinds. Houston would not be inaugurated until Dec. 13. On Nov. 23, a representative introduced a resolution in the House that condemned Lamars authorizing and funding the Santa Fe Expedition. The Speaker of the House named a special committee to investigate. As with the current impeachment, the most significant member of the House urging it was the speaker. Kenneth L. Anderson, the 36-year-old speaker and Sam Houston ally, tellingly placed three other proponents of impeachment on the four-person special committee to consider the charges against Lamar. In contrast to Lamars affluent background, Anderson had grown up in poverty in North Carolina. He was largely self-educated, became a lawyer and came to Texas in 1837. Two weeks after the resolution was introduced and just a week before the inauguration of a new president, the special committee reported that Lamar, in fitting up and sending out the Santa Fe Expedition, acted without the authority of law or the sanction of reason. He had summoned volunteers to serve in the expedition, forming in effect his own small army without congressional approval, and had overridden refusals by other officials to fund the expedition. The committee thought it the duty of the House to impeach Lamar. The fact that Lamars term had almost expired should not matter. The trial of the articles of impeachment, if once preferred, can be conducted as well after the expiration of their term of office as before. No vote was then taken. Sam Houston was inaugurated as president on Dec. 13. Four days later, the House voted on whether to authorize a committee to draft formal articles of impeachment. Speaker Anderson was among the 13 who voted in favor, while 25 opposed. Thus, impeachment ended with a whimper. This one example of a delayed presidential impeachment in no way resolves the validity of the practice. Of note, none of the few officials who have been subjected to such action after leaving office have seen the entire progression of impeachment in the House, a trial in the Senate and a guilty verdict. Maybe this time. Then again, maybe not. Southwick is a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and a former judge of the Mississippi Court of Appeals. Theres a very strong justification to extend the blanket ban on evicting tenants after the pandemic, an expert in homeless policy has said. Professor Eoin OSullivan, a researcher at Trinity College Dublin, said the emergency protections for renters has made a significant differences in the number of families entering emergency accommodation. The Government brought in an emergency ban on evictions and a freeze on rents at the outset of the pandemic. The moratorium has been extended until early March, in line with Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions. At the end of December 2020, there were 755 families in emergency accommodation. This is the lowest monthly figure since December 2015. The figure represents a total decrease of 446 families since the start of 2020 when there were 1,201 families in emergency accommodation. Prof OSullivan, who has published material on homelessness issues, appeared before the Oireachtas housing committee. He said: In terms of the moratorium I think a number of people made the suggestion before Covid that we needed a period of time to slow down the flow of households into emergency accommodation, and that required rebalancing the rights of landlords and tenants. I suppose it was hypothesis at that stage would it make a difference? We now know, because of Covid, the evidence is that it has made a very significant difference, and particularly for families, less so for singles. We can stop the flow, the extraordinary flow, every day into emergency accommodation. I do think we now have very clear evidence that it has worked. If it is to end on March 5, well I think theres a very strong justification for extending it, irrespective of Covid, just to say we need an extension of that moratorium. Ending homelessness is possible but it will not be achieved through charity, compassion or caring, or through sleepouts, shelters or soup Professor Eoin O'Sullivan Figures show that the number of children residing in emergency accommodation at the end of December 2020 was 1,864. This has been reducing steadily since September 2019, when the figure was 2,872. It also represents a decrease of 814 since the start of 2020. At the end of 2020 there were 181 families residing in hotel facilities, the lowest monthly figure since September 2014. The highest figure was in March 2017 when it reached 871. Professor OSullivan added: Ending homelessness is possible but it will not be achieved through charity, compassion or caring, or through sleepouts, shelters or soup. Homelessness can be ended through the large-scale provision of state-funded social housing tenancies provided by both local authorities and AHBs (approved housing bodies), with sustainable streams of funding and eliminating the current disincentives to maintaining and retaining the stock. Alice Leahy, director of services at the Alice Leahy Trust, told the committee that homelessness must be looked at from at least two angles. The structural causes due to lack of housing which can be eased by increased housing supply this is the simplest of the two, she added. The social and personal issues that can lead to homelessness are much more complicated and require early intervention if we are to halt the slide of vulnerable human beings onto our streets. I think by concentrating all of these people in these accommodations, it's ghettoising people who are homeless, it's people who had been getting on with their lives Senator Mary Fitzpatrick The people we meet who present as homeless have myriad of social problems related to the complexity of their own personal and unique human condition. Inter-generational poverty relating to poor finance and education, absence of opportunity to work or have a stake in society, all combine to undermine the person. Meanwhile, Fianna Fail Senator Mary Fitzpatrick said that concentrating emergency accommodation in one area is ghettoising homeless people. She said that seven hostels have been set up on North Frederick Street in north Dublin in the last six months. Theyre privately (owned) and theyre operated by bouncers and some security personnel, she added. Thats a street that was lived in by (Constance) Markiewicz and Harry Clarke, and Oliver Saint John Gogarty, its an historic street, less than 500 meters from the OConnell Street. I think by concentrating all of these people in these accommodations, its ghettoising people who are homeless, its people who had been getting on with their lives. Brendan Kenny, deputy chief executive of Dublin Regional Homeless Executive, said there was a crisis in seeking private emergency accommodation. Suddenly Covid really, really worsened that crisis, he told the committee. We actually emptied some of the hostels in the city, totally. We had to thin out most of the hostels for social distancing purposes and had to very quickly acquire hostels in the city, otherwise more people would be dying on the streets and more people will be sleeping on the streets. Weve managed to only have three deaths from Covid. Our only option was to go out and source accommodation in the private sector. 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 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. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky discussed prospects for cooperation in modernizing the rolling stock of the Ukrainian railway, suburban and urban rail transport during a meeting with a delegation of Switzerland's Stadler Rail AG headed by President of the Board, co-owner of the group Peter Spuhler. "Zelensky informed his interlocutor about projects for the development of Ukraine's transport infrastructure, and also emphasized the importance of attracting foreign technologies and capital to their implementation. The head of state said that this year Ukraine celebrates the 30th anniversary of independence, so it is planned to launch various projects for the anniversary," the press service of the head of state reported. In particular, much attention is paid to infrastructure facilities. According to Zelensky, 4,000 km of roads and about 150 bridge crossings were built in 2019. "This year we have more ambitious plans. We want to increase this number by half. But we are also adding another priority area airports and railways," he said. Zelensky pledged his readiness to assist foreign investors. "The Ukrainian side is interested in the development of subway lines in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, as well as in the development of urban train and high-speed tram lines in different cities," the press service said. The head of state said that Ukraine has its own manufacturers of railway rolling stock, therefore, an important condition for cooperation with foreign companies is the maximum local content of production on the territory of our state. "Spuler expressed interest in the company's work on the Ukrainian market and in the creation of joint production facilities with Ukrainian partners," the press service said. According to the Office of the President of Ukraine, Stadler Rail AG is one of the world leaders in the production of rolling stock for railways trams, subway trains, suburban and high-speed trains, railway and shunting locomotives, as well as passenger cars. Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- Hedge funds often measure their investments in minutes, not decades; but for Anchorage Capital Group, its long-held stake in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. is proving that patience can also be profitable.The New York-based money manager stands to make roughly $2 billion on its investment in the film and TV producer, one that began almost 11 years ago with MGM in bankruptcy court. Amazon.com Inc. agreed to buy the company for $8.45 billion Wednesday, a price that includes just under $2 billion in debt.The deal is in many ways a vindication for Kevin Ulrich, the former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. trader who co-founded Anchorage in 2003 and was part of a group of distressed debt investors that took control of MGM as it went through the restructuring process. In recent years the stake looked to be an albatross for the fund, one that came with significant drama in its own right.Ulrich brought in and later fired a high-profile chief executive officer, resisted efforts by activist investor Carl Icahn to take control, and held out for a bigger payday after years of considering various exit strategies. By selling now, as demand for media content from entertainment and technology companies alike is booming, hes proving his long-held faith in the investment was justified.There was a lot of maneuvering, a lot of financial engineering, said Steven Azarbad, chief investment officer at New Yorks Maglan Capital, an MGM investor who sold his shares four years ago. But theyve done great.A representative for Anchorage declined to comment.When Ulrich first invested in MGM, he was new to Hollywood. He helped pick Gary Barber, a South African-born producer of films such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective as chief executive officer of the storied but debt-laden studio. Barber brought to the table a shrewd business sense, and connections into a world Ulrich long admired from afar.Barber shepherded MGMs development of The Hobbit franchise, a co-production with Warner Bros., that became a global smash hit. He helmed the release of the James Bond film, Skyfall, which generated over $1 billion at the box office, and he revived the studios work in television. Barber also brokered a deal to bring on TV super producer Mark Burnett, which gave MGM access to reality show hits like Survivor and The Apprentice, but would ultimately become personally troublesome.In 2012 the company bought back Icahns stock for $590 million. It also filed paperwork for a possible public offering of shares, and considered other options, such as a sale.As Barber boosted MGMs film and TV pipeline, Ulrich was increasingly entranced by the allure of Hollywood. He became a regular at movie premieres in Los Angeles and New York, and frequented industry parties in the Hamptons and elsewhere. He became active in creative decisions after becoming chair of MGMs board -- somewhat unusual for a non-executive lacking Hollywood experience -- even getting involved with business granularities like casting.Growing RiftBut over the following years a rift began to open up between Barber and Ulrich. When it was time to renew Barbers contract in 2017, Ulrich conducted an extensive search for a new CEO. When it ended, he ultimately chose to sign Barber to a new five-year deal. Yet around the same time, the pair split on whether to sell the company, with Ulrich wanting to hang on to the studio and Barber saying it was time to find a buyer.The company would hold buyout talks with Apple Inc. as well as Chinese investors that would ultimately prove fruitless.Only months after renewing Barbers deal, Ulrich fired him. The shock departure meant the company had to pay Barber for five years of salary and buy out his equity, a package totaling $260 million. In the three years since Barber left, Ulrich hasnt replaced him, instead operating an office of the chief executive officer, comprised of various people that each have their personal vision for MGM.Barber declined to comment via his spokesperson.Bounce BackAfter the initial period of success following the restructuring, the gains became harder to come by, as they did in Anchorages overall credit-focused business. Two senior managers left the firm in January 2020, and another in November. Anchorages flagship strategy, with about $8.5 billion under management, returned just 0.6% in 2018, 1.5% in 2019 and 4.4% in 2020, according to people familiar with the matter.In December, MGM hired investment bankers for a potential sale.MGM only released one film in theaters in 2020. Its biggest potential hit, the latest Bond film, No Time to Die, was pushed from last year to this October as a result of the pandemic.Yet the value of MGMs library rose as everyone from media companies to technology giants have sought to build video streaming platforms that can compete with industry leader Netflix Inc. Earnings jumped 48% last year, to about $307 million, even as sales declined.Anchorage holds a roughly 30% stake in MGM, worth about $2.5 billion in the sale, said people with knowledge of the matter. Anchorage invested around $500 million in the company more than a decade ago. Including the MGM stake, Anchorages flagship fund is up 18% this year, the people added. The fund has gained about 8% in 2021 not counting the studio.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. ROME (Reuters) - Italy has halted the sale of thousands of missiles to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Friday, citing Rome's commitment to restoring peace in war-ravaged Yemen and protecting human rights. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are part of an Arab coalition that has been battling the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen since 2015 in a conflict seen as a proxy war between Riyadh and Tehran. The United Nations describes Yemen as the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with 80% of its people in need of aid. "This is an act that we considered necessary, a clear message of peace coming from our country. For us, the respect of human rights is an unbreakable commitment," Di Maio said in a statement. The Italian Network for Peace and Disarmament said Rome's decision would block the sale of around 12,700 missiles to Saudi Arabia. The blocked sales were part of a total allotment of 20,000 missiles worth more than 400 million euros ($485 million) agreed in 2016 under a centre-left government led by Matteo Renzi, the disarmament group said. Renzi, who triggered a government collapse in Rome this week by pulling his Italia Viva party from the coalition, is under fire for recently visiting Saudi Arabia, where he told the crown prince he saw that nation as the site of a "New Renaissance". The new U.S. administration of President Joe Biden has paused some pending arms sales that could potentially affect Washington's Middle Eastern allies. ($1 = 0.8236 euros) (Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Gareth Jones) Top 5 COVID-19 Vaccination Plans By State The vaccination process has been slower than originally expected, but there are five states that are on top of distributing the coronavirus vaccine. Since the Moderna and Pfizer coronavirus vaccines obtained emergency approval from the FDA in December, states have rolled out plans to vaccinate people based on factors like age and their status as essential workers. States have separated their populations into phases to determine the order in which people will be vaccinated. There are various modes of progress as far as vaccinations across the United States, with some states having more comprehensive plans than others. As of Jan. 28, the federal government has delivered 48.4 million doses to states. Below are the five most detailed vaccination plans by state. Alaska Alaska has given out 105,858 shots, with 11.7 percent of people given at least one of the two doses required to make the vaccine fully effective. Those who are eligible to get vaccinated in Alaska are those aged 65 and above, healthcare workers and long term care residents and staff. Residents can use the states coronavirus resource webpage to find a vaccine provider. West Virginia West Virginia has given out 224,604 shots, and 9.7 percent of residents have gotten the first dose. People 65-years-old and older, along with care facility residents and employees, pharmacists and first responders are eligible. Eligible residents can pre-register to get vaccinated. Connecticut The state is currency in Phase 1b of its vaccination plan. This phase includes individuals who are 75 and above. The first phase included healthcare personnel, long-term care facility residents and first responders. So far, 8.8 percent of residents have been vaccinated and 381,160 shots have been given. New Mexico New Mexico is allowing the elderly, care facility residents, first responders, hospice workers and those over the age of 16 who have pre-existing conditions. The states vaccination is split up into two phasesPhase 1A and Phase 1B. In total, 224,692 shots have been given and 8.6 percent of residents have received at least one shot. North Dakota North Dakota has given 80,051 shots and vaccinated 7.9 percent of its residents. There is a vaccination guidance on the states official website, along with a vaccine locator that directs people to vaccination locations. A photographer has managed to capture a snowflake through his make-shift camera system which he claims is the highest resolution camera to capture a snowflake. Modernist Cuisine Gallery The image was captured by one Nathan Myhrvold, a PhD in theoretical mathematics from Princeton University and has served as the Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft for 14 years. Reported first by Smithsonian Mag, the secret to the beautiful image that hes able to capture is part the hardware he used and part the research and technique hes worked on to discover and find the right snowflake for the job. The hardware The camera that he developed to capture the snowflake in stunning detail is essentially one part camera and one part microscope. These along with several other parts that work to capture the image of a snowflake thats not just minute, but also melt instantly, making it a nightmarish process. Modernist Cuisine Gallery To circumvent the melting part, he installed his 50-pound camera system with a thermoelectric cooling system fitted within a carbon fibre frame and LED lights to reduce the temperature within. For the lights, he found a special company in Japan that made LEDs for industrial purposes to help reduce the overall temperature. The knowledge The next big challenge was picking the right location to have the perfect snowflake, as a dry and cold climate would deliver the best results. For this, he headed to Timmins, in northern Ontario, Canada. According to Myhrvold, 15 degrees to 20 degrees Fahrenheit (or -9.4 degrees Celsius to -6.6 degrees Celsius). He in fact even chose a different surface to capture the snowflake on. He couldnt use glass as it was an insulator of heat, so instead, he chose sapphire crystal -- ones found on premium wristwatches -- as they had lower thermal conductivity ratio compared to glass. Taking a snowflake picture He would capture snow on a foam sheet (which was painted black to offer better visibility). Here he made sure to pick ones that dont stick together. After picking the right one hed put it safely on the sapphire slide where he focused the microscope and changed exposure one micron at a time (a human hair is 70 microns). Modernist Cuisine Gallery He then captured each snowflake over 100 times before it eventually started to melt. Using software he combined the images to create a final, detailed image thats higher in resolution and detail. What do you think about these snowflakes? Tell us in the comments below. TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Widget, the manufacturer and distributor of iconic CBD brands Hemp Bombs, Nature's Script and Perfect Paws Hemp, announced a strengthened commitment to packaging and labeling compliance, as it continues to work directly with state legislative bodies to encourage consistent standards in an unregulated industry. "This is the start of what we believe will be a very busy year in terms of state and federal guidance in the CBD industry," said Kevin Collins, CEO of Global Widget. "All along, our company has anticipated these requirement changes as the industry matures, but we know other companies might be caught off guard, and that could impact some businesses that sell or distribute CBD products and, ultimately, some consumers." Margaret Richardson, Chief Compliance and Legal Officer at Global Widget and a 2020 Tampa Bay Business Journal Top Corporate Counsel honoree, said she works directly with many state legislatures as they consider regulations for CBD packaging and labels. "We help guide the legislators about what makes sense for those labels," Richardson said. "In many cases, we actually comment directly and communicate with legislative branches to try to get labeling requirements similar from state to state, making it easier on distributors and retailers." At the beginning of 2021, new packaging and labeling requirements went into effect in three states: Kentucky, New York, and Texas. California passed Prop 65 legislation warnings about certain chemicals which went into effect Jan. 4. Iowa has already released proposed rules that go into effect March 3. Industry data from IRI/SPINS shows the company that Hemp Bombs is the top-selling CBD brand in the convenience retail sector across the nation, so it has to make sure its packaging and labeling is updated and remains compliant with individual state requirements, Richardson said. "Whomever you are partnering with for your CBD products, they should have someone in the compliance department working with states to make sure you are going to have products ready that are compliant," she said. "They could come to your store and pull the product because they say it is not compliant with their current labeling requirements." For more information on the latest packaging and labeling changes, listen to our podcast episode with Richardson here. About Us Global Widget, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Tampa, Florida, is a vertically integrated manufacturer, distributor and marketer of CBD and wellness products, and the trusted powerhouse behind the iconic Hemp Bombs, Nature's Script and Perfect Paws Hemp brands. With more than 110,000 square feet of facility space and over 200 employees, Global Widget is one of the nation's leading CBD companies, providing quality products to consumers, and offering industry leadership and support to retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers worldwide. www.globalwidget.com. Media Contact: Joe Agostinelli, PR Manager 813.497.5752 | [email protected] SOURCE Global Widget Related Links global-widget.com The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. 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. Northland continues to expand its European offshore wind footprint with a strategic partnership in Poland TRANSACTION HIGHLIGHTS Continuation of Northland's strategy of leveraging its top ten offshore wind sector position globally to expand its offshore wind portfolio Partnership delivers scale and opportunity to enter growing offshore wind market in Central Europe Poland provides an attractive investment destination, with clear roadmap for offshore wind and other renewable technologies such as onshore wind and solar Project expected to benefit from long-term, 25-year revenue contract Strategic partner PKN ORLEN, Poland's largest company provides significant local presence TORONTO, Jan. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northland Power Inc. ("Northland") (TSX: NPI) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with PKN ORLEN S.A. ("PKN ORLEN") (WSE: PKN) to acquire a 49% interest (subject to regulatory approvals) in the Baltic Power offshore wind project in the Baltic Sea ("Baltic Power") with a total capacity of up to 1,200 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind generation. Baltic Power is a mid-development stage project located approximately 23 kilometers offshore from Poland's coast in the Baltic Sea. The project, which secured its location permit, signed its grid connection agreement as well as filed its environmental permit in 2020, allows Northland to capitalize on the growth in renewable energy demand in a growing Central European market. Inclusive of the purchase price, Northland expects to invest approximately PLN 290 million (CAD $100 million) towards the Baltic Power development in 2021, of which, some of this amount represents development expenditures that will be spent throughout 2021. "Today's announcement reflects Northland's continued growth and leadership in renewable energy and strengthens our position as a global leader in offshore wind development," said Mike Crawley, Northland's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited to partner with PKN ORLEN to expand our presence in Europe through the development of the Baltic Power offshore wind project, but more importantly, further contribute to the global decarbonization transition by helping Poland fulfill its renewable energy ambitions." PKN ORLEN is the largest company in Central and Eastern Europe and is publicly listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE: PKN). The Company is part of the ORLEN Group, which has operations in six markets: Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Canada. PKN ORLEN is a major player on the Polish energy market, with generation capacity of 3.2 GWe. The Northland and PKN ORLEN partnership (collectively, the "Partnership") will co-develop the Baltic Power opportunity that is expected to secure a 25-year Contract for Difference (CfD) offtake agreement, providing Northland an investment consistent with the company's objectives of creating high-quality projects underpinned by revenue contracts that deliver predictable cash flows. Construction activities are scheduled to start in 2023 with commercial operations expected in 2026. Baltic Power is a natural addition to Northland's extensive offshore wind portfolio and provides the company with a new market to further enhance the geographic and regulatory diversity in its portfolio and cashflows. Currently, Northland has controlling interests in three operational offshore wind facilities in the North Sea, Gemini, Nordsee One and Deutsche Bucht farms with a total combined gross capacity of approximately 1,200 MW (890 MW net to Northland). Once complete, Baltic Power will substantially increase Northland's total gross offshore wind capacity in Europe up to approximately 2,400 MW (1,500 MW net). Poland, a member state of the European Union, is the fifth largest country in European Union and the biggest market in Central and Eastern Europe with a population of approximately 40 million people. The country has an S&P investment grade rating of A-, with strong economic growth forecasts and a growing middle class. Energy demand in Poland is expected to rise over the coming decades as the country continues its economic growth. Poland's draft energy policy foresees the need to add 10 to 12 GW of offshore wind capacity and an additional 15 GW of solar capacity by 2040 and the country's recent passing of its Offshore Wind Act paves the way for Poland to develop offshore wind. This will result in a significant amount of investment into renewable energy generation. Once complete, Baltic Power will make a significant contribution to the future of clean and green energy production in Poland. Northland's business strategy is centered on establishing a significant global presence in target markets by leveraging its expertise, early mover advantage and forming strategic local partnerships to enter new markets. Northland's offshore wind portfolio includes operating and development projects in Europe as well as a significant development portfolio in Asia encompassing the 1,044 MW Hai Long, 1,000 MW Dado Ocean and 600 MW Chiba projects in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan respectively. Please note: All amounts expressed herein converted into Canadian Dollars at an exchange rate of PLN/Cad of 0.34. ABOUT NORTHLAND POWER Northland Power is a global power producer dedicated to helping the clean energy transition by producing electricity from clean renewable resources. Founded in 1987, Northland has a long history of developing, building, owning and operating clean and green power infrastructure assets and is a global leader in offshore wind. In addition, Northland owns and manages a diversified generation mix including onshore renewables, solar and efficient natural gas energy, as well as supplying energy through a regulated utility. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with global offices in eight countries, Northland owns or has an economic interest in 2.7 GW (net 2.3 GW) of operating generating capacity and a significant inventory of early stage development opportunities encompassing nearly 4.0 GW of potential capacity. Publicly traded since 1997, Northland's common shares, Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3 preferred shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols NPI, NPI.PR.A, NPI.PR.B and NPI.PR.C, respectively. ABOUT PKN ORLEN PKN ORLEN is the largest company in Central and Eastern Europe, listed in prestigious global rankings such as Fortune Global 500 and Platts TOP250. The ORLEN Group has operations in six home markets: Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Canada. The Group owns state-of-the-art integrated assets with an annual processing capacity of over 35 million tonnes of various types of crude oil, and markets its products through the region's largest network of over 2,800 modern service stations. The ORLEN Group's offering encompasses over 50 top-quality petrochemical and refinery products, which are sold in more than 110 countries across 6 continents. PKN ORLEN is a major player on the Polish energy market, with a generation capacity of 3.2 GWe. The Group's upstream assets include 2P oil and gas reserves estimated at 197.3 mboe at the end of 2019. PKN ORLEN is a leader set to accomplish the process of creating a single company with a diversified revenue stream and a strong position in the European market. In April 2020 the Group took over the Energa Group, in July 2020 it received conditional clearance from the European Commission to acquire Grupa LOTOS, and it has initiated the process to acquire PGNiG. Full asset integration will be an important step towards building a strong multi-utility group with global potential. For several consecutive years, ORLEN has been recognized as the most valuable Polish brand, worth PLN 4.7bn. PKN ORLEN is also the region's only company to receive the coveted title of The Most Ethical Company from the US-based Ethisphere Institute for the seventh time running. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This release contains certain forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or include words such as "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "intends," "targets," "projects," "forecasts" or negative versions thereof and other similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as "may," "will," "should," "would" and "could." These statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding Northland's expectations or ability to complete any future offerings of securities. These statements are based upon certain material factors or assumptions that were applied in developing the forward-looking statements. Although these forward-looking statements are based upon management's current reasonable expectations and assumptions, they are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. Some of the factors that could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, but are not limited to, construction risks, counterparty risks, operational risks, foreign exchange rates, regulatory risks, maritime risks for construction and operation, and the variability of revenues from generating facilities powered by intermittent renewable resources and the other factors described in the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of Northland's 2019 Annual Report and Annual Information Form, both of which can be found at www.sedar.com (http://www.sedar.com) under Northland's profile and on Northland's website northlandpower.com. Northland's actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are based on assumptions that were considered reasonable on date of release. Other than as specifically required by law, Northland undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after such date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise. For further information, please contact: Wassem Khalil, Senior Director, Investor Relations & Strategy +1 (647) 288-1019 investorrelations@northlandpower.com (mailto:investorrelations@northlandpower.com) For media inquiries, please contact Susan Sperling, Director of Communications +1 (647) 288-1105 communications@northlandpower.com (mailto:Communications@northlandpower.com) Health official: 'I am hopeful for the brighter days ahead' Thought For The Day was never exactly my favourite segment during the 33 years I presented the Today programme, but there was one that sticks in my memory. It was by the late, great Lord Sacks, the former chief rabbi who died last year. He delivered it on the last Today programme that I presented and he described me as having been akin to an Old Testament prophet. Praise indeed, if you accept the notion that when prophets deliver messages they're getting them pretty much directly from God. Thus they are infallible. I was, of course, immensely flattered but not so much that I didn't notice the twinkle in Jonathan's eye as he spoke. That was 18 months ago and I've finally figured out what he meant. In a nutshell it was: listen to Humphrys and then do the exact opposite. When he first learned of the Mail's laptop campaign I had my doubts... but one week on and with 5m raised John Humphrys is the digital dinosaur who says your Mail Force generosity is roarsome! My single greatest triumph and I'm reminded of it because of the Mail's amazing 'Computers for Kids' campaign was my flat refusal to get caught up in the excitement which heralded the start of the digital revolution in broadcasting. It had barely even surfaced when I landed my first job as a television news reporter in 1965. Stories were shot on 16mm black-and-white negative film which took an age to develop and edit assuming you were able to get it back to TV Centre in time. That could be tough. My first and only big foreign war scoop was being the sole reporter at Dhaka airport when India attacked what was then East Pakistan. There were Indian jets screaming overhead, bombing and rocketing the runway as I cowered in a bomb crater screaming rather hysterically into the camera. HOW TO DONATE TO COMPUTERS FOR KIDS CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO YOU, THE READER: How to send us donations The Daily Mail has launched a brand new campaign, Computers For Kids, to raise money for Mail Force a charity which aims to provide much needed school equipment and resources for pupils across the UK learning from home. With schools closed, we are left with the dilemma of hundreds of thousands of pupils in the UK having no access to a computer in their home. As part of this campaign, companies are donating their old laptops which, for around 15, can be wiped, professionally refurbished and made safe and fit for home schooling. They can then be delivered to a child or young person who needs one. In addition, the campaign is looking to support children's needs in other ways such as funding brand new laptops and tablets, and assisting with data access and connectivity for online learning. Any surplus funds will be used to support of the work of UK schools via other means. TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE Visit mailforcecharity.co.uk/donate and follow the steps to complete your donation. Please don't send us your old device. TO MAKE A DONATION VIA YOUR PHONE To donate 10 - text KIDS10 to 70115 To donate 20 - text KIDS20 to 70115 TO COMPANIES: Could you give your old laptops? Upgrading office computers is something all companies do from time to time and there has never been a better time to donate old laptops. If you are a company with 50 laptops or more that you could give, please visit www.computacenter.com/daily-mail to check they are suitable and register your donation. We will arrange for collection by our specialist partners Computacenter. Please note: we cannot accept donated laptops from individuals. COMPANIES SHOULD GO TO: computacenter.com/daily-mail TO SCHOOLS: Where to apply for the computers Schools must apply to the Department for Education, which is managing the demand and prioritising the schools most in need. The Mail Force initiative means more laptops will become available more quickly. SCHOOLS CAN APPLY HERE: https://get-help-with-tech.education.gov.uk Advertisement I sent the film off to London on the last tiny plane out of Dhaka, confident of winning every TV news award going. By the time it got to Television Centre the war had long since ended. India had won and East Pakistan had become Bangladesh. The film had been confiscated for a while in Burma. So no award for me. Not even 30 seconds on the Nine O'Clock News. You might think experiences like that would have stirred in my journalist's breast a great hunger for anything that would speed the passage of news from the reporter in the field to the TV in the living room. A true prophet might have foretold a world in which we would all own a tiny gadget capable of beaming pictures into the sky that would replace the whole paraphernalia of film crews and cameras and processing machines. But not me. By the time computers arrived in TV Centre I was presenting the Nine O'Clock News and, at first, I refused to have anything to do with them. You knew where you were with a good old-fashioned typewriter. I'd heard too many scary tales of computer screens going blank just as you were about to dash into the studio. So I clung on to my ancient Underwood until it was the last typewriter in the building. And then, one dark day, I arrived in the newsroom and it had gone. On my desk was a computer keyboard and ugly monitor. I stamped my foot and refused to have anything to do with it. Then the editor arrived, grabbed my collar and handed me over to the training team whose job was to make all of us hacks computer savvy. I am writing these words on a laptop, so obviously I have learned the basics. But that's all I have learned. When something goes wrong, I freeze. Then I turn to a techie genius. In other words a young person. There was a time when I found this humiliating, but why? Each generation grows up with a different set of skills from their parents and that's not only inevitable, it's good. In ancient Greece, itinerant poets who wandered around reciting their verses got pretty cross when some smart alecs started writing them down. They pointed out fairly forcibly that the whole point of poetry was that it was an organic process. Other poets would hear their recitals and add their own musings to them and so the poetry would develop. It was a lovely notion, but they lost the battle which is why we have The Iliad and The Odyssey, two of the greatest epic poems in history. Homer may have created them, but most scholars believe he (or she?) did not write them down. Some smart young whippersnappers would have probably done that. It may be stretching it a little to draw a link between the foundation of ancient Greek literature nearly 3,000 years ago and a 12-year-old sitting bored out of his mind in a tower-block flat in front of the telly because there is nothing else to do. Yet in one sense that's what the Mail has achieved this week. On one level today's laptop serves the same vital purpose as an ancient papyrus scroll. Both scroll and laptop contain information. Without the ability to pass information between the generations, civilisation could not have advanced. And whether digital dinosaurs like me approve or not, laptops are important for children. More than important. They are essential. And yes, I do know there are plenty of books out there and wouldn't it be wonderful if they read them. But they won't and that's often because they can't. Research shows that only about a third of ten-year-olds enjoy reading and, surprise surprise, they come from the most affluent families. By the time they leave school children from the poorest households have reading skills three years behind the richest. Hardly surprising that they don't read for pleasure and never will. That is a tragedy and a disgrace. Reading for pleasure has been shown to be more important for the cognitive development of children than their parents' level of education. I come from a poor background but the local library was, of course, free and I made the most of it. I simply cannot imagine a life without books. A laptop is much more than a source of endless information on every subject under the sun. Even more important, it puts children in touch with their teachers I try to structure almost every day so that I can spend the last hour or two with a book on my lap. But there is no point in yearning for the world many of us inhabited as youngsters. Some of the brightest, more affluent young people I talk to look baffled when I ask them what books they read. They have little time or inclination for reading for the pleasure of it. Their lives are delineated by their smartphones, their iPads and their laptops. They use their phones to arrange their social life and their love life and they use their laptops when their schools are closed. A laptop is much more than a source of endless information on every subject under the sun. Even more important, it puts them in touch with their teachers. It is the lifeline that enables them to continue their education. That's assuming, of course, that they have a laptop. And millions of children in poor families do not. That is simply wrong. As David Blunkett wrote in these pages a few days ago, it is heart-breaking that one of the legacies of Covid now threatens to be a new kind of educational apartheid as the gap between Britain's most advantaged children and the most deprived only grows further. The Daily Mail has launched some great campaigns over the years but never anything like this latest: Computers for Kids. I was a little sceptical on day one. Mail readers, I thought, are not exactly the sort who leap onto any passing technical bandwagon. They're probably more likely to nag their children for spending too much time on their computers than to support a campaign to enable more children to have one. By all means ask them to help pay for protective clothing and equipment for those selfless men and women who risk their lives trying to save the lives of others, I thought. But computers for children? The Old Testament prophet identified by Jonathan Sacks was true to form. He'd got it wrong again. Not only did readers respond magnificently, they set a new record. More than 5 million has been raised in the first week alone. Some of the donations came with deeply moving messages. One said: 'This is for the grandchild I was never able to have.' Some came from great corporations either in cash or donations of equipment; others from schoolchildren handing over pocket money to help less fortunate pupils across Britain. And, amazingly, support came from both sides of the political divide from Boris Johnson to Keir Starmer. Inevitably there have been the predictable demands from some on the Left for the government to give every child in the land a laptop. Fine, but it misses a few important points. One is that most middle-class children already have a laptop or the equivalent, so why should the taxpayer cough up for another? It's also true that there is an international shortage of laptops, partly because of the extra demand created by the pandemic. The Mail campaign recognised that from the start which is why so many companies have been donating old laptops that can be adapted to do what's needed. What's so inspiring is that the nation seems to have recognised that Computers for Kids is about so much more than computers. It is about giving poor children who are being denied an education the most precious gift society has to offer them at this stage in their lives. The hope of an education. Computers are the means to that noble end. And this is more than just a stop-gap measure to get them through the Covid crisis. Just as the pandemic has reshaped the workplace, so it seems inevitable that online learning, which has been with us for some years already, will move into its next phase. It will not replace teachers. It will enable both them and their pupils. And it will lift the burden from the shoulders of so many poor, hard-working parents who struggle to feed, clothe and house their children let alone provide them with the technology they need. One such is a single mother, an NHS nurse, who works for a GPs' practice near me. She begged her managers for more overtime this week because the ancient laptop her child had been using had just given up the ghost and she could not afford to replace it. Until she can find him a new device, it makes his schoolwork impossible. Travelling across town to use his grandparents' device may breach the rules and put them at risk, but they could see no alternative. That is not a choice any child should have to make. Education is not an option. It is a right. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. CENTENNIAL, Colo., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE: DHX) (the "Company") today announced Kate Swann, Chief Operating Officer at Purpose, has been appointed to the Company's board of directors. "I'm excited for Kate to join our board, as she's an experienced leader with a demonstrated track record driving growth within various business models and customer sectors in the digital technology industry, nicely complementing our already diverse and accomplished board of directors," said Art Zeile, CEO of DHI Group, Inc. Ms. Swann has extensive experience managing at growth stage consulting companies and digital agencies. In her current role as Chief Operating Officer at Purpose, a social impact digital agency recently acquired by Capgemini, Ms. Swann develops growth strategies and business planning to ensure the company maximizes its resources and mobilizes talent for the greatest impact to its community and partners. Prior to joining Purpose, she served as Chief Operating Officer at Blue State Digital, a tech and creative agency that works with mission-driven organizations to build and mobilize communities, best known for its work with the Obama administration. Earlier in her career, Ms. Swann was the Chief Operating Officer at Frog Design and served in the managing director role at Fry, an ecommerce consulting firm, and Organic, a digital marketing agency. "My deep expertise in digital technology and digital marketing will provide valuable insight to DHI as the Company continues to execute upon its strategy to deliver innovative products and best-in-class services to employers and professionals," said Kate Swann. Ms. Swann earned a Bachelor of Arts from Evergreen State College and has a Master's degree in Performance Studies from New York University. Ms. Swann also serves as a board member at Graham Windham, as well as the Women's Forum of New York. The Company also announced Carol Carpenter, Chief Marketing Officer of VMWare, will resign from the board of directors effective on January 31, 2021. "I thank Carol for her meaningful insights and contributions to our board. Her deep passion for technology and marketing influenced much of the strategy we have today and we're grateful for her guidance in shaping innovation and digital marketing initiatives at DHI," said Mr. Zeile. With this new addition and Ms. Carpenter's departure on January 31st, the board of directors for DHI Group will be comprised of eight members, seven of whom are independent. Investor Contact MKR Investor Relations 212-448-4181 [email protected] Media Contact Rachel Ceccarelli VP of Engagement 212-448-8288 [email protected] About DHI Group, Inc. DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE: DHX) is a provider of software products, online tools and services to deliver career marketplaces to candidates and employers globally. DHI's three brands -- Dice, ClearanceJobs and eFinancialCareers enable recruiters and hiring managers to efficiently search, match and connect with highly skilled technologists in specialized fields, particularly technology, those with active government security clearances and in financial services. Professionals find ideal employment opportunities, relevant job advice and personalized data to best manage their whole technologist life. For 30 years, we have leveraged the latest technology to foster career connections in multiple markets including North America, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific region. Find out more at www.dhigroupinc.com. SOURCE DHI Group, Inc. 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. A still from a scene in the Czech film Distant Journey, released in 1949. New Jerseys veterans are a vulnerable population when it comes to COVID-19. On average, theyre advanced in age, threatened by homelessness and more likely to possess comorbidities. Thats why a pair of South Jersey pop-up clinics are being set up this weekend to vaccinate eligible veterans. The two clinics, one in Runnemede in Camden County and the other in Rio Grande in Cape May County, seek to vaccinate about 500 veterans each on Saturday. We realize that 588 doses is not an enormous number, but for those veterans and their families, it has a huge impact, Camden County Commissioner Melinda Kane, liaison to the Office of Veterans Affairs, told NJ Advance Media. Camden County is acting as the host facility, providing its Harry Williams Community Center as a vaccine site, while the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia will be administering the vaccines from 7:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. They are not accepting any more patients as all the vaccines are spoken for. VA medical staff will give out the shots as part of its federal allotment, while the county handled outreach, contacting a list of eligible local veterans. Kane said the program was intended to lessen the burden on veterans, who might not be able to drive all the way out to Philadelphia. Considering that a lot of these veterans are 75 and older and are not driving, are not comfortable going on their own, this is certainly much much easier, for them to go to something in their community, Kane said. The pop-up also alleviates what many eligible New Jerseyans over the age of 65 have called an infuriating and near-impossible process to book an appointment with one of the states myriad vaccine providers. Just the process of having one number that they can call to make the appointment is just so much easier than having to log into one site to be connected to a scheduling and then having to fill out the application, Kane said, adding that the VA already has their medical information on file. The 588 doses in Camden County are going out to veterans enrolled in VA Benefits, at least 75 years old or 65 years old with a serious health condition. The county intends to administer second doses with a similar event on Feb. 20. Right now, it is hopeful that it will be a success and it will be a model for future vaccination sites, Kane said. So, this is just, hopefully, the beginning of it. Further south, the Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center will run a similar event the same day in Rio Grande. The Cape May County clinic will focus on a smaller group, just veterans at least 75 years old enrolled in VA Benefits. However, the clinic will accept walk-ins from 1-3 p.m. For veterans not enrolled in VA health care, the Wilmington VA asks they bring ID and a copy of their military service records. The Wilmington VA split up its allotment between its community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), with the same intention as the Camden County drive: ensuring veterans could receive the vaccine at the closest and most convenient location to them. VA medical staff will also vaccinate around 500 veterans at their Rio Grande CBOC, newly opened in December. The sooner we can get this vulnerable population of veterans vaccinated, the sooner we can expand the scope of our vaccination efforts to a wider age group, Jacob Dillon, Communications Director for the Wilmington VA Medical Center, told NJ Advance Media. As a country, the more people we get vaccinated as quickly and safely as possible, the sooner well be able to put COVID and the pandemic behind us. Tell us your COVID-19 vaccination stories, send us a news tip or questions about the vaccination process on our tip form. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Josh Axelrod may be reached at jaxelrod@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. The owners of the boat stranded on the River Foyle have once again been encouraged to do everything in their power to refloat it. The boat, named Day Dawn N1 82, ran ashore on August 22 last year and has remained anchored to the spot ever since. The retired fishing vessel had been acquired by Nathan Ross and Druso Martinez de Riquelme with a view to mooring it at the Titanic Quarter in Belfast as an Air B n B. However, after running into difficulty last August, those plans have been put on hold. It was initially suspected that the tide was too low to refloat the boat. However, the owners later revealed that the bigger issue was the fact that its suspended over a three and a half metre crater in the mudflats. In late November, the stars seemed to align to the sailors delight; a high tide arrived and they secured the services of marine specialists to dig a channel under the boat in order to move it to a nearby marina. The drones were out to capture the moment Day Dawn made it back to sea. Unfortunately, their efforts proved unfruitful and, according to the owners, the operation cost a substantial sum of money. There has been little to no activity around the boat since the start of this year. The Derry News asked Foyle Port if there will come a time when it may have to intervene or if its possible the boat could become a permanent fixture on the River Foyle landscape. In response, a spokesperson said: The responsibility for the movement of the boat remains firmly with the owners and we would encourage them to continue to do all they can to have the vessel re-floated. This is an unfortunate situation that they have created and now must make every effort to employ further resources to deal with this problem. We continue to monitor the location to ensure that the vessel poses no threat to the main navigation channel, nor that it is causing any unnecessary impact to the local environment. The boat owners were contacted for comment but none was provided at the time of publishing. Denton, TX (76205) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia has signed an order that will ban exporting of live hogs and sows from the province to other parts of the country. Under Executive Order No. 8, series of 2021, the ban will be effective for six months starting Feb. 1. "There is an urgent need to strictly regulate the export of live hogs and sows to other areas in order to protect the pig supply in the Province of Cebu," she said in the order. Garcia noted there is currently a huge demand for hogs and sows coming from Cebu, but supply is low that is why there is a need to take drastic measures to address this immediately to keep prices stable. However, there are also exemptions. "Breeder farms duly accredited by the Bureau of Animal Industry may be allowed to export breeder pigs to other parts of the country subject to the concurrence of the Provincial Veterinary Office," the EO read. "However, buyers within the Province of Cebu shall be prioritized for purposes of breeding and repopulation." New measures will be implemented with several composite teams that will be stationed at all ports in Cebu Island. Garcia also clarified in an interview that processed meat products are not covered by the order. Cebu is one of the areas in the country that remain free from African Swine Fever. It also became one of the major sources of pork and live hogs by areas affected by the hog disease, especially Luzon. During Garcias meeting with local pork producers, it was revealed that they were not able to meet the demand of 4,226 metric tons of pork for Cebu for January 2021. The pork producers were only able to supply 2,750 MT, while the remaining demand will be sourced from backyard hog raisers. Last year, Garcia also implemented a ban on the importing of live hogs and pork products from ASF-affected areas across the country. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Friday hosted an all-party meeting of the floor leaders of various parties to start the Budget Session of the Parliament, where the Opposition asked the government to hold a discussion of the farm reform laws and the India-China border stand-off. The customary meeting was attended by parliamentary affairs minister Prahlad Joshi and MoS Arjun Ram Meghwal, and the floor leaders of Congress, DMK, YSR Congress, BSP, TDP, TRS, BJD, Apna Dal and AIMIM, among others. But there were no representatives from Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party at the meeting, which was followed by a meeting of the business advisory committee. The opposition leaders expressed concern over the issue of farmers protest, partcularly across the NCR region, and the resistance of the government to withdraw the reform laws. The Congress pushed for a discussion on the repeal of the laws, while TR Baalu from the DMK asked for a discussion on border standoff with China in Ladakh. Speaking to News18 after the meeting, National conference leader Farooq Abdullah said: "We want a discussion on various matters, and we hope the government will give us time." Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, said, "We will want to discuss the issue of farm reforms, all opposition parties are on the same page." Parliamentary affairs minister Prahlad Joshi told the opposition that the government was ready for a discussion on all issues. However in the first part of the budget session, it was only possible to have a discussion on the motion of thanks to the Presidential Address and discussion on the Union Budget, for which 10 hours was allocated. As per the business advisory committee of the Lok Sabha, reply to the motion of thanks on the President's speech would be held on February 2, 3 and 5, and the PM will reply on February 5. Discussion on the budget in the lower house would take place on February 8, 9 and 10, and the finance ministers will reply February 11. The Budget Session of Parliament got underway on January 29, with the Union Budget to be presented on February 1, and the session will go on till February 15. The Oil, Gas, and Chemical industries make up a large position of Louisianas economy. Because of this any changes to the current economic landscape will have far lasting impacts for the state. Over the past few weeks, the Biden Administration has kept promises of fighting climate change and the President has already signed two Executive Orders, one to stop leasing to oil and gas companies on federal lands and the second, which was signed earlier this week which puts forth the administration's Climate Plan. In this plan there are goals to lead the country to net-zero Carbon Emissions, another part of the plan could help a large portion of Louisiana that has been hurt by industrial pollution. With this executive order, environmental justice will be at the center of all we do addressing the disproportionate health and environmental and economic impacts on communities of color its hard; the hard hit areas like Cancer Alley in Louisiana or the Route 9 corridor in the state of Delaware. Cancer Alley is the stretch of the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans where increased rates of cancer and ailments have been tied to toxic emissions from oil and chemical plants. Anne Rolfes the Director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade explains the feeling of hearing this region being acknowledged on the national stage: You know look, the abuses have been so tragic and so extreme for so long and again, I think that most people havent seen them. But for the last 20 years I have been in these communities, I can see the really unfair concentration of petrochemical facilities in the black community and the toll that has taken. You know, it has destroyed a lot of neighborhoods, a lot of families and peoples health and their lives. So to have the President acknowledge that there is Cancer Alley, acknowledge our problems here is really a game changer considering he has the policy to back it up. In the proposed plan, 40% of federal investments would be towards helping these communities and establishing green electricity and technologies. Along with the help and change coming to this region Anne says this is still an issue that affects the entire state: It is the Black Community that is in the bullseye of the petrochemical pollution. But, lets look at a beautiful city like Lake Charles. I mean, that is a beautiful place; you cant even swim in that lake anymore. Over the years it has become a thing you cant even fish in and thats because of industry and so we have these beautiful parts of Louisiana that are now really dead to us and we are all affected Black and White and its why we need to join together and solve this problem. From here the Biden Administration is planning to hold a Climate Summit on April 22nd where more will be decided about the path forward to fight Climate Change. From Baton Rouge, Im Storm Track 15 Meteorologist Cory Smith Discount grocer Lidl has vowed to maintain its stance of not selling online as it unveiled annual sales of 278.2m in Northern Ireland. It also had pre-tax profits of 2.1m for the 2019/20 financial year. The German-owned company, which has 40 stores here, is publishing full financial details of its business here for the first time. While in fourth position for volume behind Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda, Lidl sales have been growing at a faster rate. It is now the only one of the 'big four' to publish financial information for Northern Ireland. Its company report said that while the company does not do deliveries or sell online, "the business has not been affected adversely by this decision". Its growth here "shows that the company was able to increase market share... despite not having an online presence and a clear indication that the business model is sustainable," the report says. According to retail monitor Kantar, it has a market share of 6.4%, growing sales by 19.7% over the last year. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Ireland chief executive JP Scally said: "We see still huge opportunity for growth. According to Kantar, we're at 6.4% of the market in NI, which means there's about 94% of the market we don't have, and that I suppose feeds in to our ambitions for our growth by investing in our store network." He said Lidl NI had been established as a new limited company for the Northern Ireland operations as part of an "abundance of caution" to prepare for Brexit. The company has not seen the gaps in its shelves affecting other supermarkets following the introduction of the Northern Ireland Protocol, ushering in checks on animal-based food products coming into here from Great Britain. "We had very, very limited delays at ports in the initial days but we thankfully had no problems getting products on to our shelves and keeping shelves stocked for our customers." Local sourcing had helped, Mr Scally said. He added: "In the year 2019/20, we would have sourced over 300m worth of produce in the region. A lot of that would be for export, and a lot sold in the region. So for fresh produce in particular, we don't have as much of a reliance on imports into the region." Its distribution centre at Nutt's Corner near Crumlin has capacity to hold stock for the 40 stores and it is no longer bringing stock in through GB ports. Mr Scally added: "We would have used the British landbridge in the past but in preparation for Brexit we have redirected our logistics routes, where possible to avoid the landbridge and bring produce in directly from France." He said customers should not fear any price increases, adding: "Because of the NI protocol, we feel we're in a good place to make sure there's no cost impact for the customer as a result of Brexit. We wouldn't foresee any increase in costs for the customer, including for products like wine, as the protocol means we can import seamlessly from across Europe as well as from Britain without concerns about duty obligations." Lidl has around 1,000 staff in Northern Ireland, and recently opened its 40th store here at Holywood Exchange outside Belfast. The company this week announced plans to hire another 170 people - along with a new 200 bonus for each member of staff to recognise their hard work during the pandemic. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, South Texas College of Law Houston took the initiative to plan for both its incoming and current students. Administrators and faculty brainstormed to create a course of action to ensure everyones safety and ability to stay on track with their education. After surveying students for their preferences, the law school implemented a hybrid plan with in-person and online classes. With safety in mind, STCL Houston created course schedules and expanded classrooms to allow social distancing. Each faculty classroom podium has three large panels of plexiglass around it so students can hear instructors clearly and see their faces as they teach. Classrooms also are cleaned after each class, and no sequential classes are held in the same room without being sanitized first. Individual study space has been expanded to allow students to study on campus. Students Lorena Valle and Eric B. Williams II have been impressed with STCL Houstons efforts to ensure their success with updates, learning resources and study spaces. Current circumstances My experience going back to STCL has been better than I expected given the current circumstances, Williams said. The STCL Houston administration has gone above and beyond in ensuring that our quality of education has not decreased. President and Dean Michael F. Barry regularly updates the STCL Houston community with the schools COVID-19 response and any other pertinent information we need. Valle has continued her classes online and taken advantage of the open campus to study. I have felt incredibly safe while on campus. There are procedures in place such as one-way hallways and a limit on people on the elevator. They have also implemented an app that allows me to know when I am too close to another person and to provide contact tracing while on campus, Valle said. Remote learning solutions Interactions with professors have changed as well, with most meetings held via Zoom. The faculty has done a great job of delivering substantive content remotely. Several professors utilize the white board and PowerPoint features to add an extra level of reinforcement to their lectures. Others opt for remote polling apps for quizzes or to screen-share videos. I feel I am getting a similar caliber of education as if we were on campus, Williams said. Valle said professors have allowed students to make appointments. Also, I have continued to email professors, and they have given prompt replies. I feel that though we are remote, I have still been able to work with professors and ask questions, Valle said. Both are encouraged by their overall learning experiences thus far. I feel optimistic about this upcoming year. I am prepared to continue my pursuit of becoming a lawyer in an online environment, Williams said. Valle echoed that sentiment. Now that we have had a full semester online, I feel I have a better understanding of how I can adjust my studying to fit my needs. I will continue to work hard, stay focused, keep a routine, and reach out to my professors to have a successful year in my studies, Valle said. A fire at a two-family home today in the 900 block of North Sumner Avenue in Scranton displaced four people with no injuries. The Scranton Fire Department was dispatched around 3 p.m. to 973 N. Sumner Ave. for a fire in the attic, Assistant Fire Chief Jack Davis said. Crews quickly extinguished the fire, which left damage in the attic. Theres also smoke and water damage throughout the building, Davis said. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents. If we were like, Lets just get all the educators done, that would take about five weeks, Arwady said, but added, that would mean we would stop vaccinating everybody else for about five weeks. ... Although we know how critical schools are, thats why theyre in (the 1b vaccination stage), we wouldnt be actually vaccinating the people that will get us past COVID as a city, right? 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. Posted Thursday, January 28, 2021 5:16 pm OLYMPIA The Washington State House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday that would waive some graduation requirements for individual students during a state of emergency an effort to help some students who may have struggled during the last year of online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill is a more permanent extension of a measure passed last session, which allowed school districts to provide temporary waivers for students in the class of 2020 who were on track to graduate before the pandemic disrupted their learning. "At the time, we had no idea that the COVID-19 pandemic would continue to shape our lives and restrict our activities nearly one year later," Rep. Sharon Tamiko Santos, D-Seattle, said on the House floor. The bill approved Wednesday allows school districts to provide emergency waivers from testing requirements or credit requirements if a local, state or national emergency causes significant disruption to a student's schooling. School districts would have to apply through the State Board of Education, which can adopt rules on how to administer the waivers. It would put in place a permanent authority for the State Board of Education during states of emergency or national declarations of emergency. Opponents of the bill raised concerns about waiving requirements and the effect on students' preparedness for further education. Those opposed also brought up concerns about a lack of accountability for how the waivers are being used. Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, said in committee last week he was worried it could undermine the value of a high school diploma. Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, said the bill gave legislators "no good choice" that could set up students for potential failure whether they graduate on time or not. "Just passing them out doesn't necessarily mean we've set them up for success," he said. Scott Kerwien, director of college and career readiness at Spokane Public Schools, said school districts don't use these guidelines to waive the maximum amount possible for students. Counselors look at individual student's requirements and their post-high school plans to help determine if anything should be waived, he said. "It's not a magic wand-waving for all students," Kerwien said. "That would not encourage them to keep pushing toward the finish line. That's nobody's pursuit." The statewide requirements for graduation include: * 24 total credits, including 17 mandatory core credits and 7 elective credits * Graduation pathway, such as a state assessment, dual credit, AP exam, SAT or ACT test Schools already have the option to waive two of the elective credits if all the other requirements are met . If students have a specific plan beyond high school, but they failed an elective unrelated to that plan, schools are able to waive those credits. If the bill passed Wednesday becomes a law, schools would have a bit more flexibility to waive the graduation pathway requirement if students could not complete in-person testing due to COVID-19. Many in-person assessments, such as the ACT or SAT, were canceled last year because of the pandemic, Kerwien said. The new bill could also allow for districts to waive more elective credits than the two they are currently allowed, although Kerwien said counselors would continue to look on a student-by-student basis for the fewest number of requirements they can waive. Not many students at Spokane Public Schools needed the waiver in 2020, Kerwien said. Many teachers understood where students were last year and assessed them based on the most important information to pass a class. Last year, 56 students in Spokane Public Schools received COVID-related waivers, according to the district. That's about 2.9% of 2020 graduates. Statewide, 3.3% of all students used an emergency COVID-19 waiver. Mead School District spokesman Todd Zeidler said waivers were used sparingly in the district last year and only when students exhausted all other avenues to meet graduation requirements. Exact numbers weren't immediately available , Zeidler said. "We hold our students to a high standard for graduation, but recognize the need for the emergency waiver in special circumstances like a global pandemic where students are impacted through no fault of their own," he wrote in an email. Washington saw its highest graduation rate in 2020, with the 4-year graduation rate reaching 82.9%. Some lawmakers shared concerns that the reason the number was so high was because of the number of waivers used. "We need accountability," Walsh said. "We need a firm and clear understanding of how they're being used and why." The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction is in the process of compiling data on how the waivers in 2020 were used and how that affected graduation rates. As part of the bill, school districts would be required to maintain records and provide the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education with data from the classes of 2020 and 2021 on how the waivers were used. The state board would then provide data to the Legislature. Supporters said providing emergency waivers helps students who worked hard and may be missing only a few credits because of reasons beyond their control, such as school closures and online classes. "It gives hope to our students," Cindy McMullen, of the Washington State School Association, told House Education Committee members last week. Randy Spaulding, of the Washington State Board of Education, told committee members last week that without the bill, no authority would exist for the state board to assist in waiving requirements. Ultimately, the decision is a local conversation with individual students to determine what they need to graduate, he said. Many students are already facing barriers to education in the pandemic, such as unreliable internet or working a part-time job, Kerwien said. The emergency waivers would remove another barrier for many students. Electives shouldn't be another barrier for graduation, he said. "Acknowledging the difficulty of distance learning on students who have the most barriers in front of them means we need to acknowledge what's important to them for their post-secondary plan," he said. The House also passed a bill that would allow private schools to maintain approval status when they are unable to meet minimum school days or instructional hours requirements due to an emergency. Private schools are currently required to have no less than 180 school days or an equivalent of minimum instructional hour offerings of 1,000 hours for students enrolled in first through 12th grade and at least 450 hours for kindergartners. The bills will be considered in the Senate before going into effect; if they pass, they would go into effect immediately. The bills were one of lawmakers' early action priorities relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bills related to unemployment insurance and foreclosure assistance are also expected to be debated this week. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Confidence seemed to be in robust supply on Monday when Scott Morrison and Greg Hunt set out their hopes to have most Australians vaccinated by October. It only took a few days for some of that confidence to run low, just like the vaccines the Prime Minister and Health Minister want to bring in from Europe. No Australian vaccines i.e. vaccines destined for Australia have been diverted anywhere else, Morrison said on Monday. That is not what the European Union wants, if its talk about export controls turns into hard action. Timing will be critical in Australias vaccine rollout. Credit:AP Hunt also projected a sense of certainty. He said Australia had secured 140 million vaccines one of the highest dosing rates in the world. But what looks secure on paper can disappear in the blink of an eye when vaccine nationalism takes over. And Hunts number included the Novavax vaccine, which is months away from results showing whether or not it works. Morrison and Hunt were right to want to shore up confidence in what will be a mammoth health program, giving something like 60 million jabs over the course of this year if things go well. Announcing the poll deal, state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury Thursday said the party will contest in 92 seats and the decision on the rest 101 will be taken at a later date. New Delhi : The Congress and Left Front on Thursday finalised sharing of 193 seats of the total 294 in West Bengal assembly with the Left parties getting the lion's share of 101 seats. The 193 seats for which the seat sharing was announced include the 77 seats that Congress and the Left had won in the 2016 state assembly polls, Chowdhury told reporters at a joint press conference along with Left Front Chairman Biman Bose. A second round of talks was held at Bidhan Bhavan, the state Congress headquarters in Kolkata during the day. Senior leaders of both Congress and Left Front were present at the meeting. "Today we have sealed our alliance in 193 seats. In the next few days we will settle the seat sharing in the remaining 101 seats. Apart from the 77 seats, which were already decided on Monday, it was decided that Congress will contest in another 48 seats and the LF in 68 more seats in the coming state poll," Chowdhury said. In 2016 out of the 77 won by the alliance the Congress had bagged 44 seats and the LF 33. On Monday it was decided that both the parties will fight in the respective seats they had won in the last state assembly election. Bose claimed the Left Front-Congress alliance will be a 'game changer' in the assembly polls. "The Congress and Left Front alliance will put up a strong fight against the ruling Trinamool Congress and BJP who are promoting communal politics in the state. "The peace loving people of the state are looking for an alternative and we will provide that alternative," Bose, who is also a Communist Party of India-Marxist Politburo member, said. Chowdhury said that discussions were also held on joint campaigning and a joint public rally is likely to be held in February end. According to sources in the Left parties and the Congress, the poll understanding on 193 seats has come as a relief for both sides as discussions on specific constituencies had reached a deadlock. "Apart from the 77 seats that both the parties had won last time, the seat sharing formula was based on second and third positions in the last assembly polls. "This time special stress will be given in ensuring the transfer of votes between both the parties. In 2016, we had successfully transferred our votes, but the Congress could not,'' a senior Left leader said. A senior Congress functionary said that the party taking a cue from its performance in the recent Bihar polls where it bagged 18 out of the 70 seats it contested, has decided to focus on seats where it has good presence and a considerable vote share. "We won't go for number of seats but on winnability," he said. Reacting to the Left and Congress clinching the seat-sharing deal, state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee said the alliance will meet the same fate as in 2016 assembly polls. "Last time we (Trinamool Congress) had defeated this alliance. This time too we will defeat it and the BJP. The people of Bengal have full faith in Mamata Banerjee," Chatterjee, also secretary general of TMC, said. Reacting to the development, state Bharatiya Janata Party president Dilip Ghosh said both Congress and the Left Front are a 'spent force' in Bengal. "Both the Left and Congress have lost their credibility in Bengal politics. It hardly matters whether they forge an alliance or not," he said. According to political observers, the Left-Congress alliance may not win the elections but will act as a catalyst in the victory or defeat of TMC or BJP. "In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls a four-cornered contest had helped BJP to emerge as the main opposition in West Bengal as the Left Front and Congress had fought separately. In the coming assembly poll, the performance of the Left Front and the Congress alliance will be very crucial," political analyst Biswanath Chakraborty said. "If the alliance manages to cut into the opposition votes, then it will benefit TMC. And if it cuts into TMC's Muslim vote base, it will benefit BJP. If the alliance performs well, the TMC is likely to benefit most. If it fails to evoke any response then it will help the BJP," he said. After winning 77 seats in the 2016 state polls, the alliance had broken after the CPI(M)-led Left Front walked away from Congress. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the alliance fell apart as the parties were unable to reach an agreement on seat sharing. After Congress's dismal performance in the general election when it secured only two Lok Sabha seats and the CPI-M failed to even open its account, the parties decided to come together to fight the 2021 assembly polls. Elections to the state assembly are likely to be held in April-May this year. Johnson was planning a necessity defense, arguing that his actions were lawful because they were the only way to expose the inhumane treatment of animals. He was hoping to draw more attention to the companys use of a method known as ventilation shutdown to cut the size of its herd in May. ADVERTISEMENT The Market Traders Association of Nigeria (MATAN) has directed its members across the country to comply strictly with the recent presidential directive on COVID-19 guidelines to reduce the spread of the virus at markets. The associations National President, Jamilu Abbas, gave the directive in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelineS of the inauguration of the Lagos State caretaker committee on Friday. President Muhammadu Buhari had, on Wednesday, signed the COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations, 2021, as part of efforts to curtail the spread of the disease in the country. The law prescribes six-month jail term for persons convicted for disobeying any COVID-19 guideline. Mr Abass warned that any trader, who failed, neglected or refused to enforce the provisions of the regulations, would be subjected to disciplinary action by the association. According to him, henceforth, no member or buyer will be allowed to make transactions without wearing a face mask, adding in view of this, we are planning to produce large quantities of customised face masks for our members. He said members should also maintain physical distance while at the market and wash their hands before and after attending to customers. Mr Abbas said the association was organising a sensitisation programme across the country on the need for members to observe the COVID-19 protocols. We have drawn the attention of all the state chapters and local governments to organise workshops in order to enlighten and educate our members. This enlightenment has become necessary because most of our rural traders are not well-educated, even with the law that was recently signed by the president. Also, the Chairman, Board of Trustee, MATAN, Mohammed Labaran, said the association was planning to reduce food prices in the country. Mr Labaran noted that the association, during its last meeting with BOT members, had come up with plans on how it could assist the masses by ensuring that food items were affordable in the market. We have realised that one of the major factors responsible for the increase in prices of foodstuff is transportation. So we are presently having a plan to approach the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the association to produce trucks that members can pay back gradually in a couple of years. These trucks will be given to all core traders in the northern and southern parts of the country so that they can transport their goods to their destinations without any hindrance. A koala who was hit by a car was initially thought to be dead by a passerby before they realised he was still breathing. The koala, named Microsoft, was found on the side of a road in Kurwongbah in the Moreton Bay region, one hour north of Brisbane, on Friday morning. A motorist stopped, thinking Microsoft was dead, but realised he was still alive and placed the marsupial in the back of his ute before calling Moreton Bay Koala Rescue. A koala named Microsoft (pictured) appeared to be dead when a passerby found him but was actually alive on closer inspection. He was found on the side of a road in Kurwongbah in the Moreton Bay region, one hour north of Brisbane, on Friday morning The rescue service shared pictures of the injured koala, showing he was bleeding from underneath the chin. Another photo showed the koala lying on the side of the road while a third showed him sitting in the back of a car. Senior rescuer Mike Fowler said Microsoft suffered a fractured jaw and cut under his jaw from being hit by the car. 'Would you believe I'm looking at him right now?' Mr Fowler told Daily Mail Australia. 'He's got a fractured jaw and a cut under his jaw, so we are going to see how he pans out. 'He's under some pain relief so he's pretty zonked out right now.' Senior rescuer Mike Fowler said Microsoft suffered a fractured jaw and cut under his jaw from being hit by the car. He is currently under pain relief and 'zonked out' as a result Mr Fowler said one of their ambulances picked up Microsoft and took him to the RSPCA Wildlife Hospital where he 'received excellent medical attention' The koala is will now be nursed back to health by Moreton Bay Koala Rescue before he is released back into the wild. Mr Fowler said Microsoft was previously named by a rescuer who is a fan of the tech giant. 'One of our rescuers is a bit of a computer nerd, so he wanted to name him Microsoft but I would've preferred Apple,' Mr Fowler said. Moreton Bay Koala Rescue explained koalas often go into shock after a traumatic event, which is why Microsoft appeared dead. 'When a koala is subjected to a traumatic event it is not uncommon for them to go into a state of shock which may be mistaken for deceased or a 'gentle' koala, this is not the case and they do come back around pretty quick,' they wrote on Facebook. 'Even if a koala is suffering severe injuries they can still be extremely dangerous if handled.' Microsoft in the back of a car after being rescued. Moreton Bay Koala Rescue advised people not handle koalas and wait for professional help - unless moving them is urgent Microsoft was rescued in an area plagued by koala deaths and car collisions but Moreton Bay Koala Rescue are powerless to relocate him. Queensland law mandates koalas must be released within 1km of where they were found under the South East Queensland Koala Conservation Strategy A Department of Environment and Science spokeswoman said 'ideally, the koala is released at or where they were rescued'. 'However, if this cannot be facilitated, the koala can be released into prescribed natural habitat within one kilometre of the rescue site,' she previously told Daily Mail Australia. 'Or if this is still not possible, the koala can be released into prescribed natural habitat within five kilometres of the rescue site. 'If there are not suitable release options within five kilometres, then an application can be made to the department to release the koala outside of prescribed habitat.' U.S. Customs officers stand beside a sign saying that the US border is closed at the US-Canada border in Lansdowne, Ontario, on March 22, 2020. (Lars Hagberg/AFP via Getty Images) Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Urge Biden to Help Ease Canadian Travel Ban A bipartisan letter was sent to President Joe Biden by two Upstate New York lawmakers, calling on the Biden administration to implement a plan for reopening the U.S.-Canada border for non-essential travel to ease the challenges of those living in border towns. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), who both serve as Co-Chairs of the Congressional Northern Border Caucus, were encouraged by Bidens executive order in which the president authorized federal agencies to collaborate with Canadian and Mexican officials to develop a plan for cross-border travel. As our nation works to emerge from this crisis, we respectfully request that you make bilateral collaboration on safely reopening the U.S.Canada land border an immediate priority, the two representatives wrote in their letter (pdf) to Biden. The New York State Congress Members made a case for families that live on the border of the two countries and whose lives have been disrupted by the almost year-long travel ban. We also must recognize the significant impact these restrictions have had on individuals, families, businesses, and communities on both sides of the border. The continued ritual of monthly extensions without substantive signs of collaboration or progress only increases uncertainty and amplifies hardship for the border communities we represent, the representatives wrote in their letter. Americans are in desperate need of a plan to reconnect with our Canadian neighbors, Rep. Higgins, told WIVB News. For communities like Western New York, a trip across the border feels like a trip across the street. I have worked tirelessly with our counterparts in Canada on this issue, as it continues to impact North Country businesses, families, and communities, Stefanik said in a statement. Today weve outlined tangible steps the Biden Administration can take to immediately relieve the hardships placed on border communities while charting a clear pathway forward. However, Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made it clear recently that the restrictions on non-essential travel are not going anywhere until the pandemic is fully under control. As of last March, non-Canadians, non-permanent residents arent allowed to travel to Canada, there is a travel ban for all foreign travelers. Thats something that we put in in March and very much remains in place, said Trudeau at a press conference on Jan. 26. Adding, Thats why were working very carefully and very diligently on the new measures we will be bringing forward in the coming days, to make sure that we are further discouraging non-essential travel. The border between the United States and Canada has been closed to non-essential travel since March 21, with the order extended several times. Twenty-four U.S. House members co-signed the letter Stefanik and Higgins authored outlining a plan to restore travel between the two countries. They are asking the Biden Administration to take 5 steps toward reopening non-essential travel between the two countries, including using the Jan. 12 Department of Homeland Securitys guidelines for non-essential travel, immediately vaccinating U.S. Customs and Border Protection staff at the Northern border, and Canada developing exemptions on travel for those Americans who own homes in their country. In addition, the House members are asking the United States to follow Canadas lead and ease travel restrictions on family members and extended family members of those members who live in Canada and implement mutual policies that allow recreational boaters to transit through the other nations boundary waters. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit London, Jan 29 : UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the Scotland independence debate was "irrelevant" to most Scottish people, urging the people across the country to come together to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Johnson made the remarks during his day-long trip to Scotland on Thursday, which widely seen as part of a "charm offensive" following polls that indicated a rise in support for Scotland's independence after Brexit, reports Xinhua news agency. "I think endless talk about a referendum without any clear description of what the constitutional situation would be after that referendum is completely irrelevant now to the concerns of most people," he told the BBC. "We don't actually know what that referendum would set out to achieve... We don't know what the point of it would be -- what happens to the army, what happens to the Crown, what happens to the pound, what happens to the Foreign Office," he said. "Nobody will tell us what it's all meant to be about." The Prime Minister stressed that the priority right now should be "fighting this pandemic and coming back more strongly together", rather than arguing about the Constitution. Johnson started his trip to Scotland by visiting the Lighthouse Laboratory in Glasgow which processes coronavirus tests, before meeting troops who are setting up a vaccination centre in the city. He also toured the Valneva vaccine factory in Livingston, which is expected to deliver 60 million doses to Britain by the end of the year if the jab is approved. The Prime Minister praised the "amazing performance" of the Scottish people for their efforts to fight the pandemic. Ahead of his trip, Johnson said the great benefits of cooperation across the whole of the UK "have never been clearer than since the beginning of this pandemic". "We have pulled together to defeat the virus, providing 8.6 billion pounds ($11.76 billion) to the Scottish government to support public services whilst also protecting the jobs of more than 930,000 citizens in Scotland. "We have a vaccine programme developed in labs in Oxford being administered across the UK by our armed forces, who are helping to establish 80 new vaccine centres across Scotland... That's how we are delivering for the people of Scotland so we can ensure the strongest possible recovery from the virus," he added. Johnson's visit to Scotland came amid growing calls for another Scottish independence referendum after Brexit. Majority of the Scottish people chose to stay in the European Union (EU) in the 2016 Brexit referendum. In 2014, people in Scotland voted by a majority to remain part of the UK in what was described as a once-in-a-generation poll. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that she will push for a second referendum on independence if her Scottish National Party wins a majority in May's parliament elections. Meanwhile, Sturgeon also labelled Johnson's Scotland trip as "not essential" since strict travel restrictions were in place. Speaking ahead of the Prime Minister's visit, Sturgeon said: "I would say me travelling from Edinburgh to Aberdeen to visit a vaccination centre right now is not essential, and Boris Johnson travelling from London to wherever he is in Scotland to do the same is not essential. "If we're asking other people to abide by that, then I'm sorry but it's probably incumbent on us to do likewise." In response, Downing Street defended Johnson's visit, saying that it was important for the Prime Minister to be "visible and accessible" across the whole of Britain during the pandemic. Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer also backed Johnson's visit to Scotland. "He is the Prime Minister of the UK. It's important that he travels to see what is going on, on the ground," he told LBC Radio. England is currently under the third national lockdown since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country. Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. To raise consumer awareness about objectionable advertisements, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is launching #ChupNaBaitho, a call-to-action digital campaign. The campaign is one of several initiatives planned by ASCI for this year to create awareness about objectionable advertisements and encourage consumers to report such advertisements. In the three-month pilot, ASCI will focus on Mumbai and New Delhi. One of the key take-aways from ASCIs Trust in Advertising Report 2020 was that only 10% of consumers who come across misleading advertisements report them. Around 20% talk about the advertisements on social media, and 65-70% of people discuss it amongst themselves or take no action. So, by and large, even if consumers come across objectionable advertisements, they do not take any concrete steps to resolve the issue. The aim of this campaign is to get more consumer complaints reported to ASCI, and thereby reduce the number of objectionable advertisements in the marketplace. Between 2018 and 2020, 9,283 direct complaints were reported against 1,906 advertisements. Around 57% of these were reported in 2018-2019 and 43% in 2019-2020 by end consumers. In 2019-2020, ASCI received 4,683 direct complaints against 662 advertisements these included the ones received from consumers, 94 intra-industry, 12 fast-track, one via the Government and 28 via consumer organisations. These were in addition to the large number of suo-moto complaints registered by ASCI. The campaign would have social media posts about relevant topics and a call to action, which would tell consumers when and how to report advertisements that are offensive, misleading, make fake promises, push harmful products, etc. The campaign will go live on Instagram and Facebook along with other platforms from today. Manisha Kapoor, Secretary General, ASCI, said, One of ASCIs key objectives is to turn consumers into allies. We want them to be more aware of their rights and what constitutes objectionable advertising. We want them to report such claims to us and we promise to act quickly and decisively on such complaints. The overall goal is to drastically reduce the number of misleading and objectionable advertisements. Over the last few months, we have introduced several guidelines, reports and advisories like the ones on COVID-19 advertising and Online Gaming for Real money winnings. The Trust in Advertising report that studied how much faith consumers have in advertising is another example of how focused we are towards protecting consumers. #ChupNaBaitho is another step towards this goal. We want to encourage consumers, especially the youth, to report advertisements that they find objectionable. This campaign is just the start and will be followed by other such initiatives in the year. To register a complaint against misleading advertisements, consumers can visit ASCIs website ascionline.org or WhatsApp it on 7710012345. [January 29, 2021] Innovation Pharmaceuticals' Phase 2 Clinical Trial of Brilacidin for Treating COVID-19 Scheduled to Begin Next Week Brilacidin treatment unlikely to be impacted by coronavirus variants, such as those originating in the U.K., South Africa and Brazil, and spreading worldwide, due to its ability to attack the virus directly WAKEFIELD, Mass., Jan. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovation Pharmaceuticals (OTCQB:IPIX) (the Company), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, announces today that the Companys Phase 2 clinical trial of Brilacidin for treating COVID-19 is scheduled to begin next week. The Phase 2 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial is to include approximately 120 hospitalized patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19. Two intravenous treatment arms are to be enrolledactive and placebo, with ~60 patients per arm. The trials primary endpoint is time to sustained recovery through Day 29 based on the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT) clinical status ordinal scale. Other endpoints include: in-hospital outcomes, all-cause mortality, measurement of inflammation-related biomarkers, changes to SARS-CoV-2 viral load, and other key measures. The Company believes Brilacidin holds tremendous promise to help address the global pandemic, particularly given the emergence of contagious and virulent coronavirus variants. Data increasingly are showing these variants can significantly lessen the effectiveness of COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. For example, a Phase 2b trial in South Africa showed the Novavax vaccine was less than 50 percent effective against a new coronavirus variant originally identified in that country. A key differentiating aspect of Brilacidins antiviral mechanism of action is its ability to attack the coronavirus directly by disrupting viral membrane integrity. This suggests Brilacidin would be less prone to resistance developing due to viral mutations. Brilacidin already has been shown to inhibit the Washington and Italian strains of the coronavirus and multiple strains of endemic human coronaviruses (H-CoVs), with additional laboratory testing of Brilacidin planned against new coronavirus variants. The Company looks forward to the start of its clinical trial to further evaluate Brilacidins COVID-19 treatment potential. Novel therapeutics with broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus properties are, and will continue to be, much-needed as the world confronts the coronavirus pandemic and prepares for the likelihood of future viral pandemics. Brilacidin and COVID-19 Brilacidin, which has received FDA Fast Track designation for the potential treatment of COVID-19, is one of the few drugs targeting COVID-19 that has been tested in human trials (a total of 8) for other clinical indications, providing established safety and efficacy data on over 460 subjects, thereby potentially enabling it to rapidly help address the novel coronavirus crisis. Pre-clinical testing at independent laboratories supports Brilacidins antiviral ability to safely and potently inhibit SARS-CoV-2, and multiple strains of human coronaviruses (H-CoVs). In a human lung cell line against SARS-CoV-2, Brilacidin achieved a Selectivity Index of 426. A molecular screening study of 11,552 compounds also suppors Brilacidin as a promising novel coronavirus treatment. Brilacidin antiviral research to date has been limited to laboratory-based experiments. Additional pre-clinical and clinical data support Brilacidins inhibition of IL-6, IL-1, TNF-a and other pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which have been identified as central drivers in the worsening prognoses of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Brilacidins robust antimicrobial properties might also help to fight secondary bacterial infections, which can co-present in up to 20 percent of COVID-19 patients. Collectively, these data support Brilacidin as a unique 3-in-1 combinationantiviral, immuno/anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobialCOVID-19 therapeutic candidate, with pan-coronavirus treatment potential. A preprint supporting Brilacidins COVID-19 treatment potential can be downloaded at the link below. Brilacidin, a COVID-19 Drug Candidate, Exhibits Potent In Vitro Antiviral Activity Against SARS-CoV-2 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.29.352450v1.full Global COVID-19 Cases and Mortality An online tool tracking COVID-19 cases and mortality, both in the U.S. and globally, can be found on the Companys website ( http://www.ipharminc.com ), and at the following link: https://ipixcovid19tracker.com/ Alerts Sign-up for Innovation Pharmaceuticals email alerts is available at: http://www.ipharminc.com/email-alerts/ About Innovation Pharmaceuticals Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IPIX) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing a world-class portfolio of innovative therapies addressing multiple areas of unmet medical need, including inflammatory diseases, cancer, infectious diseases, and dermatologic diseases. Brilacidin, a versatile compound with broad therapeutic potential, is in a new chemical class called defensin-mimetics. A Phase 2 trial of Brilacidin as an oral rinse for the prevention of Severe Oral Mucositis (SOM) in patients with Head and Neck Cancer, met its primary and secondary endpoints, including reducing the incidence of SOM. The Company plans to advance Brilacidin oral rinse into Phase 3 development, subject to available financial resources. Positive results were also observed in a Phase 2 Proof-of-Concept trial treating patients locally with Brilacidin for Ulcerative Proctitis/Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis (UP/UPS). Brilacidin for UP/UPS was licensed to Alfasigma S.p.A. in July 2019, who have recently initiated a Phase 1 study with their formulation. A Phase 2b trial of Brilacidin showed a single intravenous dose of the drug delivered comparable outcomes to a seven-day dosing regimen of the FDA-approved blockbuster daptomycin in treating Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infection. Brilacidin, based on promising in vitro antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, is being evaluated as a potential treatment for COVID-19. Kevetrin is a novel anti-cancer drug shown to modulate p53, often referred to as the Guardian Angel Gene due to its crucial role in controlling cell mutations and has successfully completed a Phase 2 trial in Ovarian Cancer. More information is available on the Company website at www.IPharmInc.com . Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including statements concerning future drug development plans, statements regarding the antiviral capabilities and therapeutic potential of Brilacidin and its impact on SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and other coronaviruses, as well as obtaining government regulatory approvals to commence clinical testing. Other statements regarding future product developments, and markets, including with respect to specific indications, and any other statements which are other than statements of historical fact. These statements involve risks but not limited to risks related to conducting pre-clinical studies and clinical trials and seeking regulatory and licensing approvals for Brilacidin and Kevetrin in the US and other jurisdictions; that prior test results may not be replicated in future studies and trials, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause the Companys actual results and experience to differ materially from anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. The Company has in some cases identified forward-looking statements by using words such as anticipates, believes, hopes, estimates, looks, expects, plans, intends, goal, potential, may, suggest, and similar expressions. Among other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements are the Companys need for, and the availability of, substantial capital in the future to fund its operations and research and development; including the amount and timing of the sale of shares of common stock under securities purchase agreements; the fact that the Companys licensee(s) may not successfully complete pre-clinical or clinical testing and the Company will not receive milestone payments, or the fact that the Companys compounds may not successfully complete pre-clinical or clinical testing, or be granted regulatory approval to be sold and marketed in the United States or elsewhere. A more complete description of these risk factors is included in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to any such forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law or regulation. INVESTOR AND MEDIA CONTACTS Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc. Leo Ehrlich info@ipharminc.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The deportationto Georgia and Armeniaof three families with minor children from Austria has caused a political scandal, EurAsia Daily reports. Three familiesincluding three teenagers who went to school in Vienna and Lower Austriawere deported from Austria to Georgia and Armenia yesterday. The deportation of minors has provoked the protest of people who know the families. Around 160 people protested in Vienna near the detention center where the detainees were being held. Police had to disperse the demonstrators who had blocked street with shopping carts and waste tanks. The media sensibly escalated the deportation by taking close-up photos of the frightened children. In addition, due to technical problems, the teenagers spent three hours on the bus transporting the detainees, before being taken to the airport. "While you were sleeping, three children spent three hours in a deportation bus; dogs and hundreds of policemen outside," Florian Klenk, editor-in-chief of the Viennas Falter magazine, tweeted. The deportation of these students has also caused disagreements within the Austrian ruling coalition. Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler from the Green Party stated: "There is no legal obligation, especially in the pandemic conditions, to deport students who grew up here in Austria and are well integrated. We all have a political obligation to remain human. However, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer of the Austrian People's Party spoke in favor of the measure. "This is a decision of the Supreme Court, which has been reviewed several times, and the police must implement it," he said. Mittagsjournal reports on the details of one of the deported Georgian families, which has a 12-year-old. In 2015, the family applied for asylum for the first time, but it was rejected. Meanwhile, the family continued to live in Austria. The Federal Administrative Court clarified that the long-term residence of the family was motivated by the fact that the migrants persistently opposed the formal demands, appealing the decisions. It got to the point where the President of Austria, Alexander van der Bellen, had to comment on the situation. "I cannot and will not believe that we live in a country where it is really necessary in that way. I'm deeply shocked. We need to find a way to interact humanely and respectfully with each other, especially when the main victims are the children." 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. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. As the Mt. Loretto Sportsplex nears its final days of operation on Staten Islands South Shore, officials are working to maintain consistent testing in the borough. Were working to make sure theres a sustained testing presence in all three corners of the Island, said a City Hall spokeswoman. While a site has not been identified to replace the Mt. Loretto Sportsplex, which will close in mid-February, the spokeswoman signaled that further information will be available soon. The site, which was originally slated to be housed at the Mt. Loretto Sportsplex for two weeks, ended up being utilized for around three months, said a letter signed by Councilman Joe Borelli (R-South Shore), Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn), Borough President James Oddo (R-Staten Island), State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-South Shore) and Assemblyman Michael Reilly (R-South Shore). Now, since Catholic Charities of Staten Island requires the facility for indoor programming in February, the site will no longer be available for New York City Health and Hospitals to perform tests, said Borelli. The site is the only fixed city-run coronavirus (COVID-19) testing site on the Island and offered rapid testing. It is not immediately clear if the new site will have the same testing options. A mobile testing van run by New York City Health and Hospitals is present at Conference House Park in Tottenville, but it does not offer rapid testing. The letter, dated Jan. 25, 2021, says a lack of a replacement site would disallow South Shore residents without access to a vehicle or public transportation from getting tested easily. Coalition has appointed five new production underwriters to help grow and serve the companys middle market relationships. New Coalition production underwriting team members include: Andrew Cross, based in San Francisco, joined Coalition from CNA Insurance where he held the role of underwriting consulting director, focused on technology E&O, cyber, professional & media liability. Amanda Gorski, based in Chicago, joined Coalition from AIG where she was an underwriter focusing on cyber, management professional liability and technology. Jeff Kalustian, based in Boston, joined Coalition from AIG where he was an assistant regional underwriting manager responsible for the growth, profitability, services and maintenance of financial lines products including cyber, professional liability E&O, and media liability. Kelly McGuinness, based in Toronto, joined Coalition from Markel Canadas Cyber and Professional Liability team as lead underwriter. Ross Warren, based in Atlanta, joined Coalition as a risk engineer in 2019, and was recently promoted to production underwriter. Before joining Coalition, he was an executive underwriter at Westchester, a Chubb company, focusing on E&O, cyber and technology. Coalition has experienced tremendous growth in the middle market and we are growing our production underwriting team to support this rapid expansion and provide the best service to our partners, said Marcin Weryk, head of Business Development at Coalition. We are focused on hiring some of the best cyber insurance talent from across the United States and Canada, and we are proud to share the news of five experienced underwriters joining our team. Coalition is a provider of cyber insurance and security and serves more than 27,000 customers. In the past year, Coalition has expanded to provide insurance to larger middle market organizations greater than $100 million in annual revenues. Source: Coalition Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance Underwriting Texas Rep. Chip Roy objected to claims N.Y. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made in her Twitter back-and-forth with Ted Cruz. A Texas Republican congressman sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Thursday calling for her to demand an apology from his fiery Democratic colleague, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Rep. Chip Roy objected to allegations Ocasio-Cortez made in a Twitter back-and-forth she had this week with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy testifies before a 2019 House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on The Trump Administrations Child Separation Policy: Substantiated Allegations of Mistreatment. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) It has come to my attention that Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sent out a tweet a few hours ago in which she accused Senator Ted Cruz, in essence, of attempted murder, Roy, who once served as Cruzs chief of staff, wrote in a letter he shared to his official webpage. As a member of this body who disagreed with objections to the electors and who has expressed publicly my concerns about the events leading to January 6th, it is completely unacceptable behavior for a Member of Congress to make this kind of scurrilous charge against another member in the House or Senate for simply engaging in speech and debate regarding electors as they interpreted the Constitution, Roy stated. I ask you to call on her to immediately apologize and retract her comments. Read More: QAnon Shaman says hes willing to testify in impeachment trial The tweet that Roy was referencing came after Cruz agreed with Ocasio-Cortez in her post blasting the Robinhood app for blocking consumers from trading GameStop stock in a buying and selling spree that shocked Wall Street earlier this week. Cruz retweeted the missive, writing Fully agree, before an emoji pointing down at the message. Ocasio-Cortez responded. Read More: Assassination threat against AOC leads to arrest of Capitol rioter I am happy to work with Republicans on this issue where theres common ground, she tweeted, but you almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago so you can sit this one out. Happy to work w/ almost any other GOP that arent trying to get me killed. In the meantime, if you want to help, you can resign. Story continues She added that another Capitol Police officer had committed suicide in the wake of the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol. You havent even apologized for the serious physical + mental harm you contributed to, wrote AOC, from Capitol Police & custodial workers to your own fellow members of Congress. In the meantime, you can get off my timeline & stop clout-chasing. Thanks. Read More: Ben Crump now representing teen body-slammed by school resource officer Other Republicans condemned her strong remarks, with one House candidate tagging President Joe Biden, asking: hows that United America thing working for you, bruh? Roys letter concluded with a vague threat. If Representative Ocasio-Cortez does not apologize immediately, we will be forced to find alternative means to condemn this regrettable statement, it read. It is my sincere hope that we all stop this heightened rhetoric and move forward to actually do the work the American people sent us here to do. Have you subscribed to theGrios Dear Culture podcast? Download our newest episodes now! TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio.com today! The post GOP lawmaker demands AOC apologize to Cruz for tweets appeared first on TheGrio. BAGHDAD American airstrikes in a joint mission with Iraqi forces have killed the top Islamic State leader in Iraq, an attack aimed at stemming the groups resurgence and exacting retribution for a deadly double-suicide bombing in Baghdad last week. The ISIS commander, Jabbar Salman Ali Farhan al-Issawi, 43, known as Abu Yasser, was killed Wednesday near the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, American-led military coalition and Iraqi officials said Friday. The Islamic State no longer holds territory in Iraq but has continued to carry out deadly attacks. The question of what kind of force is required to keep the group in check has been at the heart of American and Iraqi negotiations over reducing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, and the American role in the raid this week illustrates Iraqs continued reliance on the U.S. military. A coalition spokesman, Col. Wayne Marotto, called Mr. al-Issawis death a significant blow to the Islamic States efforts to regroup. [January 29, 2021] LoSasso Integrated Marketing Celebrates a Year of Award-Winning Work LoSasso Integrated Marketing, a full-service independent marketing agency in Chicago, is excited to celebrate an award-winning year. The agency shared news of several 2020 award wins for videos, brand campaigns and content programs across several clients and industries. Overall, the agency collected eight accolades across four award programs-including the Telly Awards and Davey Awards. "It's been a tough year for everyone-and like many, we've had tears, but also triumphs," said Amanda Callahan, VP of Client Services at LoSasso. "We've been extremely fortunate as a business to have remained busy and productive-a testament to innovative clients who have been able to pivot and weather the storm. And as a team, we're keeping the passion alive and celebrating the good things 2020 brought-including recognition of our hard work." LoSasso would like to congratulate its staff and clients on making it through the year-and picking up some exciting wins along the way: HEIDENHAIN brings home the gold Longtime LoSasso client, HEIDENHAIN, won three awards for groundbreaking video and brand work: BrandSmart Awards Gold: "Brand Momentum (News - Alert) Award" This campaign changed perceptions and launched the brand into new emerging markets. Learn more here. Telly Awards Silver: Campaign, business-to-business- "Engineer spotlights" This video series helped show how much HEIDENHAIN celebrates and supports its engineer customers. Watch a spotlight here. Association of National Advertisers (ANA) B2 Awards Content marketing, video (short form)- "Engineer spotlights" Another win for the same engineer spotlight video series. Jayco shifts in tough times COVID put a halt to travel, but Jayco came out on top in the end, thanks to a surge in interest in RVing as a safe way to getaway from it all. The Davey Awards Silver: Online Film & Video-Travel/Tourism The "We Were Built for This" campaign tackled the idea that the RVing community was built to withstand tough times-and that everyone will be back together on the campgrounds together in no time. Visit the landing page here and watch the videos here and here. The Davey Awards Silver: Online Advertising & Marketing-Video Before the pandemic hit, the team had success with another Jayco campaign- "Sounds like fun." Watch the video here. Telly Award Bronze: Branded content (budget under $100k)- "50 Years And Still Fun" Yet another Jayco campaign that received recognition-this for the campaign that celebrated Jayco's 50th year in business. Watch the video here. BrandSmart Awards Gold: "Brand Engagement Award" Over the years, LoSasso has worked with Jayco to increase customer and prospect engagement through content-to great results. Learn more here. Lindsay streamlines its brand positioning and architecture LoSasso worked with agriculture and infrastructure brand, Lindsay, to identify a brand architecture, positioning and a new website that aligned with the business objective to create "one Lindsay," while still maintaining the autonomy and brand equity of its numerous brands. The Davey Awards Gold: Website-Manufacturing This ambitious endeavor turned 35 disparate websites into a single global site that serves five regions in 11 different languages. Visit the site here. "I am so incredibly proud of the amazing creative, content and brand strategy that has come out of our team this year-even in the face of extreme challenges," said Jada Cash, Creative Director at LoSasso. "As we move into a new year, we'll continue to seek ways to help clients see fresh perspective, implement new ideas and execute programs that drive results." About LoSasso Located in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood, LoSasso Integrated Marketing is an independent, award-winning agency that helps change-agent marketers bring their vision to life-through a combination of fresh perspective and deep expertise. The agency's specialty is supporting B2B and high-consideration product marketers with a mix of insight-driven strategy and creative firepower. Agency clients run the industry gamut-including manufacturing, financial, recreation, foodservice, associations, seniors and healthcare, education, agriculture, construction and publishing. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005474/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Highest grade silver to date at Robinson Zone: 89,853 g/t silver (2,621 ounces per ton). Vein is from hole CS-20-39 at a downhole depth of 557.5 557.73m with a true width of 5-7cm. with a true width of 5-7cm. 90 percent native silver in the coarse, metallic fraction, 894,813 g/t Ag (26,103 ounces per ton) New vein. Grades exceed those from wedge hole CS-19-08W2 released January 10, 2020 (70,380 g/t silver (2,053 oz/T) over 0.3m ) New high-grade silver vein in CS-20-39 with 57 cm true width, 60m from the main Robinson Vein. Canada Silver Cobalt President Matt Halliday, P.Geo. stated, "Bullion bar silver grade of 90% pure silver in the metallics was recovered from the drill core within 60 metres from the main vein on the Robinson Zone. This new vein system is being followed up with directional drilling (wedging) to define extent of the mineralized structure." Quality Control/Assurance The drill program and sampling protocol are being managed by Canada Silver Cobalt Works geologists. Samples were collected using a 0.3-meter minimum length, one-meter maximum length. The drill core was sawn with one half of the sawn core placed in a plastic bag with the sample tag and sealed, while the second half was returned to the core box for storage on site. The sample was rushed to SGS Canada Inc. at Lakefield, Ontario. Because silver was visually and significantly present, a pulp-metallic analysis was requested for the silver and gold assays where the entire sample is dried, weighed and crushed over 95% then fully pulverized and passed through 150-mesh screen to create a plus 150-mesh fraction (metallics) and a minus 150-mesh fraction (pulp). The minus 150-mesh (fine) fraction was run using geochemical analysis with ICP finish for multielement scan including cobalt and base metals. The entire +150 mesh (coarse) fraction was analyzed using gravimetric processes (fire assay) for Ag to provide a weighted average assay for the entire sample. SGS Canada Inc. is an ISO 17025 certified lab independent of Canada Silver Cobalt Works. Location The Castle Property is 15 km east of Caldas Gold Corp's Juby gold deposit, 30 km due south of Alamos Gold's Young-Davidson mine, 75 km southwest of Kirkland Lake Gold's Macassa Complex, and 100 km southeast of new gold discoveries in the Timmins West area. Qualified Person The technical information in this news release was prepared under the supervision of Mr. Matthew Halliday, P.Geo., (APGO) President of Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc., a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101. About Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc. Canada Silver Cobalt Works released the first-ever resource in the Gowganda Camp and greater Cobalt Camp. In May 2020. A total of 7.56 million ounces of silver in Inferred resources comprising very high-grade silver (8,582 grams per tonne un-cut or 250.2 oz/ton) in 27,400 tonnes of material from two sections (1A and 1B) of the Robinson Zone beginning at a vertical depth of approximately 400 meters. The discovery remains open in all directions (1A and 1B are approximately 800 meters from the east-trending Capitol Mine workings) (mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability) (refer to Canada Silver Cobalt Works Press Release May 28, 2020. Report reference: Rachidi, M. 2020, NI 43-101 Technical Report Mineral Resource Estimate for Castle East, Robinson Zone, Ontario, Canada, with an effective date of May 28, 2020 and a signature date of July 13, 2020. Canada Silver Cobalt's flagship Castle mine and 78 sq. km Castle Property features strong exploration upside for silver, cobalt, nickel, gold, and copper in the prolific past producing Gowganda high-grade Silver District of Northern Ontario. With underground access at Castle, a pilot plant to produce cobalt-rich gravity concentrates on site, a processing facility (TTL Laboratories) in the town of Cobalt, and a proprietary hydrometallurgical process known as Re-2OX for the creation of technical grade cobalt sulphate as well as nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) formulations, Canada Silver Cobalt is strategically positioned to become a Canadian leader in the silver-cobalt space. "Frank J. Basa" Frank J. Basa, P. Eng. Chief Executive Officer 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. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. SOURCE Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc. For further information: Frank J. Basa, P.Eng., Chief Executive Officer, 416-625-2342 Related Links http://www.canadacobaltworks.com/ A new war of words has erupted between the NSW and Queensland premiers over calls for the JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme to be extended for desperate tourism operators reliant on international visitors. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was merely communicating what people are saying to me in north Queensland and the tourism industry is hurting from international border closures. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has asked Prime Minister Scott Morrison for help and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is not empathetic. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer/Alex Ellinghausen However, both NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Treasurer Dominic Perrottet say interstate border closures are to blame. On Thursday, Queensland announced it would reopen to Greater Sydney on February 1 after closing its border before Christmas. Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait's emotional speech with tears rolling down his face has turned the tables with more farmers thronging to the Ghazipur border after abandoning the space a day before. After the January 26 violence, police personnel were deployed in large numbers at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders following which the farmers started returning to their villages. While the number of farmers was seemingly less on Thursday, it once again began swelling on Friday. The farmers are now saying that their leader (Tikait) ended up in tears due to the government and they will not let the movement end till their last breath. On Thursday, the Ghaziabad administration had asked Tikait to vacate the protest site. However, sensing "conspiracy", he right from the stage in a speech said that a "big conspiracy" was underway against the farmers. After the crying Tikait's video went viral, farmers' started returning to the site and the Ghaziabad authorities, who were present there till late Thursday night, were forced to back down. With older residents becoming eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations Monday but frustrated by online registration processes they either cant access or dont understand three lawmakers have filed emergency legislation aimed at setting up a single signup portal that includes a telephone hotline. The legislation, which would direct the state Department of Public Health to immediately create a central online registration system, a 24/7 phone hotline in multiple languages and statewide text alerts, brings the state Legislature into an active role with the rollout for the first time. To this point, it has been handled through the office of Gov. Charlie Baker, and has attracted harsh criticism. The bill comes as residents 75 and over become eligible beginning Feb. 1. Sen. Eric P. Lesser, D-Longmeadow, filed the legislation, An Act streamlining COVID-19 vaccination in Massachusetts. Sen. Ann M. Gobi, D-Spencer, and Sen. Cindy F. Friedman, D-Arlington, are co-sponsors, giving the issue voices from the states eastern, central and western sectors. Gobis district includes both western and central Massachusetts communities. This bill is in direct response to the concern, anxiety, and upset that we have heard across the Commonwealth, said Friedman, who served last term as Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. We believe that in a time when there is such a limited supply of vaccine that the state does not have control over, it is imperative that communication be clear, easy, and accessible for everyone. This new portal would be designed to simplify and standardize the process statewide for booking appointments and allow a phone-based system for seniors who lack access or familiarity with technology. The Phase 2 vaccine rollout is creating mass confusion and anxiety for our eligible senior population, Lesser said. The system is cumbersome, contradictory, and asks residents over 75 to navigate a haze of web links, locations, and instructions, each with different criteria and scheduling systems. Under the current system, residents can look up locations via an interactive map on the states website. From there, though, they must follow links to external websites to sign up or an appointment at a specific location. If all appointments there are already booked, they must start the process over. A searchable table of vaccination sites is available at the bottom of this story. Information is also available on the states website at mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine >> Speaking from a winery in Plymouth Thursday, Baker asked for patience. He gave no recognition to the bill, and said he anticipated the creation of a call center but not before next week. (Wednesday) was a frustrating day for everybody, especially those people trying to make appointments who couldnt. We know that, Baker said. He said the real problem is insufficient supplies of vaccines, though the situation is improving. We knew the first few days were going to be difficult because there are far more people eligible to be vaccinated than vaccines are eligible. Youre talking about a big universe of people and its going to take awhile, he said. We went from 80,000 doses a week to 100,000. Thats better, but there are still 10 times as many people eligible. Baker said more resources for seniors would be announced by next week. Without offering a breakdown by age or category, he said about 1 million people are eligible for vaccines in Massachusetts, with about 100,000 doses coming from the federal government each week. You can do the math. It will take a little time. We all want to put this behind us, but we are asking for a little patience, he said. Baker said by doing a weekly process, Massachusetts looks to avoid what he said some states have faced when people booked appointments well in advance only to show up and be told there was no vaccine. The phone piece is something wed like to have had ready, but we will, and I know it will make a big difference, he said. Those words did not reflect the urgency expressed in the emergency bill. For those with limited ability to navigate the internet, there is no access to appointment booking at all. As a national leader in healthcare, it is simply inexcusable that Massachusetts has fallen so far behind other states. We need to do better, Lesser said. Gobi recently sent a letter to Baker calling for a more streamlined process. Baker also came under harsh judgment from Lesser, who said the governors attempt to manage the rollout without legislative input was not working. Other legislators and state officials joined the chorus of criticism Thursday. The vaccine call center should have happened yesterday, Attorney General Maura Healey said in a tweet that also referenced earlier issues the state had in setting up a call center to deal with the unprecedented volume of unemployment claims during the pandemic. Making a statewide vaccination distribution program that works for everyone is all of our jobs, state Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst said in a tweet. Domb on Thursday joined state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, in calling for what they described as Western Massachusetts fair share of statewide supplies, tracked transparently with uniform metrics so that we can ensure that whatever vaccine supply we have statewide is distributed fairly across all counties. They also asked for distribution sites that mitigate the regions public transportation barriers and, echoing Lessers legislation, a single, user-friendly reservation portal including a multilingual phone reservation option for those without internet access or computer literacy. The senators statement called for specific support for seniors and other marginalized communities to ensure they can access the vaccine, an adequate vaccinator workforce, a statewide and a regional public information campaign in multiple languages on the safety, efficacy, and logistics of vaccine acceptance. In some ways, criticism of Bakers rollout mirrors questions that followed his COVID-based restrictions on businesses and public places: that it was too detailed and weighted down by complexities. The vaccine rollout comes with a different backdrop that Lesser described as a race against time. If the vaccine is distributed efficiently and promptly, new strains of COVID-19 could be controlled, but delays would tempt an entirely new surge. This has been a total nightmare and is absolutely at the feet of the Governor. He has the ability to make the change, and it should have been done yesterday, Gobi said. The nations largest organization for seniors, AARP, has also contacted Baker to urge a different, quicker and more efficient approach that addresses senior issues of computer skills and barriers to digital access. A Hampden County vaccination site is opening at Eastfield Mall Friday. Baker said sites in Springfield and Danvers booked about 10,000 appointments Wednesday and would likely book 15,000 Thursday. Other mass vaccination sites are opening are at Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium. According to the legislation, the online portal would establish a centralized, one-stop registration portal on the mass.gov website that would allow residents to determine their eligibility for the vaccine and sign up for appointments. Information about the portal and phone number would be available through the AlertsMA text-based notification system, and also other means. Many older citizens are reportedly relying on family members or friends to help them navigate online registration if they have access at all. Some also crave a phone number, though there is concern about backups and long waiting times. Click here if the table does not load. Related content: If you know you have to go into hotel quarantine you start to think ahead. Books? Tick. Favourite teabags? Tick. Enough medication to get you through two weeks? Tick. I was pretty smug because Id haunted the internet and advice on Western Australias websites before I left Victoria. All the information Id read implied that Id be loaded on to a bus and deposited at a quarantine hotel at a stated tariff which included all meals but no cleaning. Id figured I could handle hotel food for two weeks. Id packed a few snacks and a bundle of projects to fill my days, all the tech Id need and a Kindle loaded with books. But when I landed at Perth airport reality bit. And hard. A polite and friendly police officer told me I couldnt leave the airport until I could show confirmation of a reservation in a hotel (of my choosing) which was willing to accommodate me in isolation! The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. During an upbeat earnings call focused on how RenaissanceRe is using $1 billion of capital it raised last year in 2021, the CEO highlighted one negative development for the industry overall inadequate estimates of COVID-19 losses. Even as COVID 19 continues to spread, there has been some speculation that it will not prove as impactful for the insurance industry as originally foreseen. I do not believe this to be the case, said Kevin ODonnell, RenRes president and chief executive officer. In many instances, our industry has yet to recognize the losses that will inevitably arise from the pandemic, particularly with respect to business interruption. Likely, this lack of recognition occurred because it made renewals smoother at Jan 1, ODonnell continued. I believe that we still have a long way to go before the true scale of COVID-19 industry losses is fully apparent. ODonnell made the remarks after describing a successful Jan. 1 season for his company, highlighted by better-than-expected reinsurance placements for U.S. casualty and E&S business, and after he projected full-year growth of $1 billion in net written premiums across both property and casualty segments for 2021 in total. Last year, net written premiums rose just over $700 million, or 21% to $4.1 billion, while net income rose 2.7% to $731.5 million. Income for the year and the fourth-quarter rose in spite of weather-related large losses of $166.1 million for the quarter and $493.6 million for the year, and in spite of COVID-related losses of $172.7 million for the quarter and $286.6 million for the year. Both ODonnell and Chief Financial Officer Robert Qutub said that the fourth-quarter COVID figure is primarily IBNR and primarily related to business interruption coverage. They said that RenRe continues to estimate COVID losses in three categories, outlined last year: Category 1, which includes event-like losses closely linked to the virus, such as event contingency, event based casualty clash, and certain types of accident and health. (In first-quarter 2020, RenRe recorded $104 million in reserves, primarily for this category.) Category 2, which covers economic risks caused by recession impacts of COVID. Category 3, which relates to known unknowns, primarily business interruption. Last year, ODonnell explained the categorization of business interruption, saying that the widely reported coverage of pandemic business interruption risk under property policies has been controversial and that cedents were advising RenRe that they had minimal exposure and intended to fight any and all attempts by the plaintiffs bar to impose liability. While ODonnell repeated what he said last year on Wednesdays fourth-quarter earnings call that RenRe is continuing to monitor how the cases are playing out in courts he added that the real answer is years away. So far, he said, The risk of widespread court leakage, where courts apply coverage where it is not expressly provided currently appears low in the U.S. Still, while individual court rulings have been relatively favorable to the insurance industry, cases will take years to work through the system and some recent decisions have been adverse, he noted. Importantly, outside of the U.S., in the UK, Europe and Australia, we have seen a trend of more affirmative contractual cover, and in situations of uncertainty, courts ruling in favor of the policyholder, he said. Qutub noted that the recent UK Supreme Court decision on the FCA non-damage business interruption case did not have material impact on RenRes loss fourth-quarter loss estimate. During the Q&A part of the earnings call, analysts asked ODonnell to clarify that he was more concerned about developments outside the U.S. related to the industrys COVID losses, and also asked him to explain why the lack of recognition of COVID losses by the industry is more apparent now than it was last year. Talking about the rigorous process that RenRe has undertaken to estimate its own exposure, he said the reinsurer continues to believe that it is less exposed relative to others in Category 3, in part, because half of the RenRe property-catastrophe book protects personal lines where it believe COVID exposure is lower. Internationally, we have seen more affirmative cover sold for business interruption related to communicable disease, and much of the reserve we put up in the quarter, although its in IBNR, would be in contemplation of some of the things we learned related to the international book that was renewing. He added: The U.S. still remains uncertain. I think well have a lot of ups and downs with court decisions as we go through this but we still remain relatively optimistic about courts being rational about their interpretation there. As for the increased evidence of affirmative cover being sold outside the U.S., ODonnell said, We are not surprised that this exposure existed. As a result of discussions cedent-reinsurer discussions that took place during the 1/1 renewals, it became more estimable, he said, later revealing that RenRes estimation process involved cedent and reinsurer doing different analyses independent of each other to try to assess the information shared during 1/1 renewals. We had an actuarial approach, an underwriting approach and we worked with third-party advisors to reality-check it, he said, describing the process as strong and robust but not as clean as what you would have from an observable physical damage loss related to a hurricane or an event earthquake due to the very uncertain nature of the risk. Asked how RenRe got comfortable extending coverage even though cedents might not be on the same page with the reinsurer regarding the extent of the cedents COVID loss exposures, ODonnell pointed to reworked contract language. Its a delicate balance to think about how to have those conversations. It depends on what they know as well. The real issue is [for] the renewals that we had, we excluded COVID and addressed communicable disease specifically. The [past] exposure is the exposure, and it will be sorted out over time. But going forward, the grant of coverage, if any was ever provided, is specifically and more precisely excluded in the contracts that we renewed. At one point during the call, ODonnell described RenRe as a market leader in successfully implementing communicable disease exclusions when necessary. And we demonstrated our resolve by nonrenewing several deals that did not incorporate the necessary exclusion, he added. Jan. 1 Recap ODonnell started the call with a short review of Jan. 1 activities, describing the date this year as one of the most important renewals in our history, and expressing pleasure over the fact that the company fully deployed a $1.1 billion capital raise from last June into its underwriting portfolio across property and casualty segments. In 2021, we expect to grow net written premiums by approximately $1 billion, and believe that we have materially increased the profitability of our underwriting bookwhile keeping our tail risk consistent with last years on a percentage of equity basis and.continuing to have ample dry powder to deploy into new opportunities, he reported. As he promised last year, ODonnell said last Junes capital raise was used for two offensive purposes to grow into an improving market and to retain more risk. Commenting on the market improvement, ODonnell said that RenRes expectations last year, and those of the reinsurance industry, pointed to the property-cat and retro markets as the most promising 1/1 market opportunities. But dynamics shifted late in the renewal period after mid-December as less demand and more supply began to emerge. In part, I think this was because [insurers] investment portfolios were disconnected from the financial reality of COVID-19 and the economic recession. The resulting boost to book values decreased relative reinsurance demand by giving many [cedents] the confidence to retain more risk, he said, noting that new capital also entered the retro and property-cat markets on the supply side. Throughout the renewal, however, both casualty and specialty lines, as well as property E&S continued to experience extremely favorable pricing dynamics. In general, both outperformed our expectations with increased rates as well as improved terms and conditions, he said. Providing some numbers to contrast the magnitude of price changes in various areas of the RenRe book, ODonnell reported that: Rates were up 20-25% on targeted cat-exposed property risks in the U.S. E&S market, while traditional property-cat was more muted with flattening demand and rate hikes averaging about 10%. Retro rates were up 5-15%, as additional supply began suppressing rate increases as renewal progressed. Still, four consecutive years of rate hikes add up to cumulative average rate increases approaching 50%. While not providing those kind of specifics for casualty and specialty business, ODonnell said that market dislocations in various classes are opening up opportunities for RenRe to write roughly $500 million of gross premiums in 2021, with lines like GL and D&O being particularly attractive. Changing Climate ODonnell also provided some commentary on the impact of a warming climate on natural catastrophe losses that the industry responded, including 30 named storms and five of the six largest California wildfires in history (measured by acreage burned). We expect that the climate will make extreme events more frequent and more severe, however, this does not mean we expect every year to be like 2020, he said. What has increased is the likelihood of extreme events relative the long-term record. The insurance industry has always used the past to predict the future. But now the future no longer resembles the past. Our ability to understand this shift in future risk provides us with a competitive advantage, allowing us to position ourselves for a changing climate, he said. Earlier this month, RenRe unveiled the mission of promoting climate resilience as part of its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy. This article first was published in Insurance Journals sister publication, Carrier Management. Topics COVID-19 Profit Loss Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has never listened back to the interview he did with Miriam OCallaghan in 2015 in which he came out about his sexuality to the nation on live radio. Leo broke the news he was gay that year on the run up to the marriage referendum. I thought theres no way I can campaign for a Yes vote in this referendum talking about them, the other, these people. So had to be done. Mr Varadkar said it was kind of embarrassing and its personal but Im really glad I did it, while speaking with Mary McAleese on RTEs All Walks of Life recently. He said there was trepidation towards coming out to the nation within his family, with his mother fearing for her sons safety and career. My dad was absolutely fine, my mum less so because [she was] worried about me, that Id get beaten up, I shouldnt tell anyone, this would be the end of my political career, all that kind of stuff. Read More The Tanaiste also spoke about his uncertainty around his feelings when he came to understand himself as gay. I think everyones experience is different. I think I kind of hoped it would go away, just some sort of phase. Then kind of considered maybe this is just a cross you bear and you get a girlfriend or marry a woman and have a family and just suppress it, the Fine Gael leader confessed. The Tanaiste admitted to being judgemental of other people before coming out, saying he probably held conservative social views, almost as a reaction to the fact that, if I have to suppress who I am, then why shouldnt other people - you know? And also you become very defensive. People ask you, do you have a girlfriend? or who are you going on holidays with? and you assume they are asking you a different question. You become prickly, the Tanaiste said. Mr Varadkar said he was solely devoted to work until he met his partner, Dr Matt Barrett, and now he is much more happy as you do need somebody who you go home to sometimes, who you know is unconditionally on your side. The Tanaiste said his partner, a cardiologist, is keen to stay out of politics but admitted he was very keen to be there when they met former US Vice President Mike Pence, who tried to ban same sex marraige when governor of Indiana. Matt stays out of politics but that was one of the few things he really wanted to do. But it had a mixed reaction you know. From some of the gay community in America it was well done for confronting Vice President Pence with the reality of modern relationships. "But then other Americans were very critical of us, saying we should boycott this person. But I actually do appreciate that we would never have achieved any sort of equality for people who are LGBT had it not been for some of the more radical elements, Leo admitted. Mr Varadkar also shared his feelings on growing up the son of an Indian doctor and an Irish nurse in Dublin and said he sometimes felt othered. "I did grow up in what was a very mono-cultural Ireland, very white, very Catholic. I was the guy with the dark skin and the funny name, he said. "And even though I don't think I was ever subjected to any kind of racial violence or anything like that, there is an 'othering' when you're of colour. It's often just the kind of little things, you know, the kind of thing where people ask you where you're from. "Often one you'd get asked is, do you ever go back to India? You know, I was born in the Rotunda, I grew up in west Dublin, I don't go back to India any more than I go back to Waterford or whatever. No harm is meant by it. It's just ignorance in many ways, but it does make you still feel different, Mr Varadkar said. A photograph taken from Everest Base Camp shows the devastation resulting from the deadly April 2015 avalanche. Credit: Dr. R. Tullet On the afternoon of April 15, 2015, an earthquake rocked the Himalayas, causing widespread death and damage across Nepal, India and Tibet. The magnitude 7.8 quakethe strongest ever recorded in the regionrattled glaciers and ice falls along a ridge just to the west of Mount Everest, sending an avalanche of ice and snow hurtling towards the base camp below. When the snow settled, 15 were dead and scores more were injured in what would become the deadliest day on the world's highest mountain. Now, new research from U of T Mississauga helps explain what happened that day and reveals the growing risk of more deadly accidents in the future. Physics professor Kent Moore studies climate conditions in the world's most northerly and remote locations. Over the past 15 years he has collaborated with surgeon and fellow climber Dr. John Semple, of Toronto's Women's College Hospital, to study how weather conditions affect the health and safety of climbers in the Himalayas. For their latest study, published in High Altitude Medicine & Biology, Moore and Semple sought to better understand the conditions that led to the deadly 2015 avalanche. Their findings reveal that the 2015 earthquake triggered "a swarm of avalanches" and suggests the need for improved modeling and forecasting of such events. Danger on the Khumbu Glacier Everest's south base camp is located on the Khumbu Glacier, a flat plain on the Nepalese side of the mountain, below the peaks of nearby Pumbari, Lingtren and Kala Patthar. The pop-up tent city serves as a central hub for the 40,000 climbers and hikers who visit the area annually, as well as the porters and guides who support them. Moore, who has trekked the Khumbu Valley three times, has witnessed a deadly avalanche there first-hand. In 2009, he was about 10-km from the south Everest base camp with his party when they spotted a plume of snow and ice in the distance. "When we got to base camp the next day, we learned there were three Sherpas lost," he says. "There's a risk whenever you climb in this region that there is the potential for these avalanches," he says. Everest and the surrounding peaks are home to glaciers and steep ice falls, which hang off the side of the mountains like frozen waterfalls. Evidence of avalanches are marked by massive mounds of snow known as 'avalanche cones' that occur where ice and snow have tumbled from above. Despite the common occurrence of avalanches in the region, Moore says that little is known about their intensity or the stability of the glaciers that ring Khumbu Valley. TIny tents of the south Everest base camp show the scale of the massive piles of snow and ice known as "avalanche cones" that pour off the the ridge between Lingtren and Pumori. Credit: E. Simonson Weather data tells the story The source of the April 2015 avalanche was a ridge between Pumbari and Lingtren, about 900-m above the camp. Working backwards from the time of the April 2015 avalanche, the researchers analyzed solar and wind data collected from weather stations located on Kala Patthar, another summit about 4-km from the ridge. They discovered intriguing anomalies that help tell the story of what happened that day. "It got really dark for a short period of about three or four minutes," Moore says. "We interpret that to be [caused by] a giant plume of snow and ice crystals that moved past the weather station, so there was a reduction of solar radiation that was getting to the site. "It happened really, really quickly. The amount of radiation was halved in 20 to 30 seconds," he continues. "It speaks to the huge size of the cloud that it was sufficient to cause it to get dark at the station." The weather station also recorded bursts of gusting winds of variable speeds that changed directions. "We interpret that as being the sort of a chaotic wind field associated with an avalanche," says Moore. "The wind was never blowing in one direction." The data showed three pulses where wind blew down the valley, suggesting three distinct avalanches separated by a few minutesor what Moore refers to as a 'swarm' of avalanches. "No one on the ground noticed, because it was so chaotic. But looking at this weather station data, it's convincing that there were three of them." A plume of snow wafts from a minoravalanche that originated along the ridge between Pumori and Lingtren. Credit: Dr. R. Tullet Growing risk of future avalanches Moore says the findings of the avalanche study underscores the effect that climate change is having on the region, and the risk for future avalanches. Since the 1980s, the average temperature in the region has increased by 1C, and the elevation of the freeze line, where the ground is frozen solid, has moved up 800-m. Glaciers are also showing effects of warming. "Glaciers are a really good marker for climate change because they don't retract from year to year, but over decades," says Moore. "Glaciers in the region are retracting up the valley. There's concern that these glaciers that ring the Khumbu Valley are becoming more unstable and that in the future we will see more of these collapses." He suggests that it may be time to relocate the base camp out of harm's way. "That there were three avalanches tells us that the ice on the ridge is probably pretty unstable. We could see more avalanches coming from that direction," he says. In a 2008 study, Moore and Semple analyzed Everest mortality data going back to the 1920s. While Western climber deaths occurred most often during descent from the peak, Sherpa deaths typically occurred lower on the mountain due to accidents like avalanches. "Western climbers couldn't survive without the incredible support of the Indigenous Sherpas and porters," says Moore. Nepalese locals work as guides and porters for foreign climbers, ferrying gear up and down the mountain, often without the aid of safety gear. "It's very dangerous," Moore says. "This whole enterprise is based on people putting their lives at risk, and it's really the Indigenous people of Nepal who are bearing those risks," he continues. "Hopefully, this work will mitigate future loss of life in the region." The study appears in the journal High Altitude Medicine & Biology. Explore further Mt. Everest not safe from climate change More information: G.W.K. Moore et al. Was an Avalanche Swarm Responsible for the Devastation at Mount Everest Base Camp During the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake?, High Altitude Medicine & Biology (2020). G.W.K. Moore et al. Was an Avalanche Swarm Responsible for the Devastation at Mount Everest Base Camp During the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake?,(2020). DOI: 10.1089/ham.2019.0069 .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... NAIROBI, Kenya Tanzanias president says God has eliminated COVID-19 in his country. His own church now begs to differ. From the local Catholic authority warning this week of a new wave of coronavirus infections, to government institutions now requiring staffers to take precautions, populist President John Magufuli is being openly questioned as the African continent fights a strong resurgence in cases and deaths. We are not an island, the Catholic secretariat of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference said in a widely shared statement this week. It urged followers, which include the president, to pray but also to adopt measures long practiced in the rest of the world, including avoiding public gatherings and close personal contact. The churchs newspaper on Friday stressed in a large front-page headline: There is corona. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Tanzania has tried to be an island since April, when the East African country of 60 million people stopped updating its number of virus infections at 509 cases. Some health officials who questioned Magufulis stance that COVID-19 had been defeated were fired. The government promoted international tourism, eager to avoid the economic pain of neighbors who imposed lockdowns and curfews. The president even praised Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for not wearing a face mask during a visit this month, calling it another sign that Tanzania is free of the virus. But pandemic concerns have returned to the spotlight in Tanzania as the world focuses on the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines. While other African countries seek millions of doses, Magufuli this week accused people who had been vaccinated overseas of bringing the virus back into Tanzania. He also questioned whether the vaccines work. If the white man was able to come up with vaccinations, then vaccinations for AIDS would have been brought, tuberculosis would be a thing of the past, vaccines for malaria and cancer would have been found, he said on Wednesday. Be firm, he added. Vaccines are inappropriate. He urged the health ministry not to rush into vaccinations without being satisfied about their safety. He offered no evidence for his claims. African health officials were already worried about misinformation campaigns around COVID-19 vaccines as the first doses begin arriving on the continent of 1.3 billion people. Magufulis stance contrasts sharply with other African heads of state like President Wavel Ramkalawan of the Seychelles, who publicly received his first vaccine shot this month and urged citizens to do the same. Asked about Tanzania on Thursday, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director John Nkengasong told reporters that if we do not fight this as a collective on the continent, we will be doomed. The World Health Organizations Africa chief, Matshidiso Moeti, told reporters that we are re-initiating communication at the highest level of leadership in Tanzania and seeking the governments collaboration for the sake of the people of the country and neighboring countries, as well as for the sake of the world. She urged Tanzania to prepare for COVID-19 vaccines, and to share its virus data with the WHO. Some Tanzanians, from longtime critics of the president to civil society leaders, have issued a new round of exasperated warnings against trying to ignore a global pandemic. Tanzanians have the right to vaccination against COVID, opposition leader Zitto Kabwe tweeted after the presidents comments, saying a government that doesnt protect its citizens lacks legitimacy. He and others had watched as people took few to no virus precautions during a deeply flawed election that returned Magufuli to power last year. Others worry that Tanzania is hurting itself and its economy, warning of travel bans against its citizens, the loss of tourism revenue and dangerous health implications for years. By denying the pandemic, Tanzania may well have put itself at the back of a very long waiting list for vaccines, Aidan Eyakuze, who leads the Twaweza East Africa initiative promoting government transparency, wrote this month for The Citizen local newspaper. While Magufuli shows little sign of changing his stance on COVID-19, his own colleagues appear to be moving ahead to tackle infections. Government institutions are issuing circulars requiring employees to cut down on meetings and communicate with management remotely. The finance minister has thanked God for protecting the country but now tells colleagues to listen to science as well. The health ministry did not respond to a request for comment but it recently raised prices for coronavirus testing. Many health workers remain hesitant to speak openly. In Tanzanias commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, the presidents outlook had some supporters, or at least some concern about what it might mean if his COVID-19 denial is proven false. If the virus is present in our country, then we live in fear as this will mean that we stop working, said Twalib Mwanjala, a motorcycle taxi driver. Most Tanzanians are low-income earners. Another resident, Waziri Juma, added: Coronavirus has not yet gotten into Tanzania, and we do not have corona. If the country had the virus, then the relevant ministry would issue a statement. But for now, people should stop being fearful and work hard. ___ AP journalist Tom Odula in Nairobi, Kenya contributed. ___ Follow all of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak ATYRAU, Kazakhstan -- A court in Kazakhstan has upheld a three-year parole restriction on Kazakh activist Maks Boqaev upon his expected release from prison on February 4. The Atyrau City Court in the country's west on January 29 rejected Boqaev's appeal, saying "the hearing did not find grounds to consider that Maks Boqaev's rights and interests had been violated by the lower court's decision." Boqaev disputed the lower court's January 22 decision to impose restrictions on him after his release next week, calling the move politically motivated. The 48-year-old activist was arrested and sentenced to five years on extremism charges in 2016 after he organized unsanctioned protests against land reform in Atyrau. The United States, European Union, and the United Nations have urged Kazakh authorities to release Boqaev. Human rights organizations in Kazakhstan have recognized Boqaev as a political prisoner. Kazakhstan's government has insisted that there are no political prisoners in the country. Prime Minister Boris Johnsons Conservative government is preparing to end the UKs national lockdown, with the seven-day average daily death toll at over 1,200 and hospitalisations at over 38,000. More than 29,000 people have died in just the last 28 days. One day after the government announced 100,000 COVID-19 deaths in Britain, Johnson was already announcing plans to sacrifice more lives on the altar of corporate profits. Speaking to the House of Commons Wednesday, the prime minister announced the government would set out a roadmap to lifting public health restrictions in the week beginning February 22. It will begin opening of schools on Monday 8 March. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a Covid-19 press conference in 10 Downing Street on Wednesday evening after announcing the plan to reopen schools (picture by Pippa Fowles / No 10 Downing Street) This is the date argued for by the Coronavirus Recovery Group (CRG) of 70 rabidly anti-lockdown Tory MPs. Chair of the CRG Mark Harper had threatened prior to Johnsons announcement, Once the top four risk groups have been vaccinated and fully protected by March 8assuming the Government hits the February 15 deadlinethe Government must start easing the restrictions. Political debate in Britain is so far to the right that this murderous strategy is being presented as a compromise. According to the Times, Johnson overruled Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, who had been pushing for opening schools after half-term, on February 22. Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party support Johnsons agenda. Starmer told Johnson at Prime Ministers Questions Wednesday that he welcomed any step forward in opening schools, and this should be a national priority. He advised that the government use the window of the February half-term to vaccinate teacher and support staffas a way of overcoming opposition. The Tories and the right-wing media are conducting a ferocious propaganda offensive to advance their objectives. They claim, with sickening cynicism, that they are motivated by concern for childrens and families educational and mental wellbeing. Seventeen Tory MPs have joined campaign group UsForThem, demanding schools be reopened as soon as possible. They have published statements in the Sun and the Daily Mail lamenting mental health crises, safeguarding hazards, pressures on parents, the attainment gap between rich and poor children and damaged life chances. This rotten and dishonest campaign serves two purposes. First, as an effort to divide the working class, setting struggling families forced to stay at homewho the government have done nothing to supportagainst school workers. Second, to cover up the real motivation for school reopenings as a necessary step to throwing open the economy in the interests of the super-rich. As Harper explained on Radio 4s Today programme Monday, It seems to us [that] at that point you need to start bringing the economy back to life, and the first thing that needs to be reopened are our schools. The cost to human life will be terrible. When schools reopened in September, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated that one in 1,400 people in England had COVID-19 in the week August 30-September 5. The most recent major study, by Imperial College London and covering the period up to January 22, found that the rate was one in 64, and up to one in 35 in London. According to the Imperial study, the current lockdown is barely bringing this number down, if at all. The authors estimate the national reproduction number (R number) to be 0.98, with a possible range of 0.92 to 1.04. The director of the study, Professor Paul Elliott, warned, Were not seeing the sharp drop in infections that happened under the first lockdown and if infections arent brought down significantly, hospitals wont be able to cope with the number of people that need critical care. Scientific studies prove that schools being open significantly increases rates of infection, meaning the pandemic will be pushed into a new period of exponential growth by Johnsons actions, with tens of thousands more deaths. The government have tried to sweep this fact under the rug by focussing all discussion on the risks associated with schools on the teacher death rate released by the ONS Monday, which suggests teachers are at less risk of death from COVID-19 than the broader working population. Even if this claim is accurate, it says nothing about the role schools play in accelerating community transmission. The governments deceitful rhetoric was summed up in Johnsons self-contradictory statement in Parliament, schools are not unsafe, schools are safe but they bring communities together, and a large number of kids are a considerable vector of transmission. On another front, the government is pushing the claim that, since 13 million peoplethe over 70s and care home residentswill be protected by vaccines by March 8, according to official plans, the risks of the pandemic will have evaporated. No one should expect the government to meet any target it sets itself, least of all for the deployment of vaccines which are increasingly the subject of fierce international competition. But even if these 13 million are vaccinated, this is only one dose and still leaves millions more vulnerable people at risk of severe disease. In recent weeks, roughly 40 percent of people admitted to hospital with COVID have been aged 18-64. The question of whether the vaccines prevent transmission as well as illness is also unanswered. The governments Scientific and Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) produced a paper in December warning, If the vaccine has no effect on transmission, then once restrictions are lifted there would be another epidemic wave. Whilst it would be less severe than without vaccination, there would still be very many hospital admissions and deaths. After being forced into a third lockdown this monthsubstantially weakened compared to last springby the threat of popular opposition, the government is planning a return to its unrestrained herd immunity programme. Workers recognise the immense dangers they confront. A survey by the Times Educational Supplement of over 5,500 school workers found that 75 percent would be frightened or worried if their schools opened this term. However, this opposition is being suppressed by the trade unions to prevent it taking organised political form. Following Johnsons announcement, the National Education Union (NEU), NASUWT, Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) responded as one to extend a hand to the government. Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said, We all want schools to open, but like the Prime Minister we want them to open when it is safe to do so We agree with Boris Johnson that this is a balancing act. Her only criticism was that Johnson risked creating false hope and that his misplaced optimism was pre-empting a decision that will have to be made in mid-February at the very earliest. Patrick Roach, general secretary of NASUWT, stated that a clear plan for how schools will be fully reopened whenever the lockdown restrictions are lifted remains a key question which the Government must now work urgently and openly with the profession to address. ASCL leader Geoff Barton declared his union very happy and keen to work with the government on the detailed planning for the safe reopening of schools to all pupils. Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, called on the government to collaborate with school leaders and their teams to make sure that there is a workable plan for lifting the lockdown. The fight over the reopening of schools is the front line of an international drive by the ruling class to throw open their economies. Chicago teachers refusal to return to in-person learning while the pandemic rages shows the sentiments of school workers throughout the world. Earlier this month, it was effective walkouts of school staff which pushed Johnson to finally implement a national lockdown. In Germany, a Network of Action Committees for Safe Education has adopted a statement calling For a European-wide strike against school reopenings. To carry forward this struggle, workers must form their own rank-and-file committees, independent of the trade unions, to organise joint action with broader sections of the working class and wage a political fight against their governments. This is the programme of the Socialist Equality Party and the International Committee for the Fourth International. 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. KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. When a vaccine clinic at the Klamath Falls Gospel Mission on Thursday produced more doses than eligible recipients, public health officials went down the street to make sure that the remaining doses were administered to other people whether they were eligible under Oregon's current criteria or not. Klamath County Public Health has not been alone in this. With vaccine doses still in short supply and subject to expiration once produced, local vaccine administrators have prioritized getting doses into arms over following the letter of state guidance. Valeree Lane, spokesperson for Klamath County Public Health, said that staff went to the Gospel Mission on Thursday to vaccinate residents. "This is a congregate living site with a vulnerable population that is at high risk for transmission," Lane said. According to Lane, a scheduling error resulted in more doses being drawn than were needed at the Gospel Mission. As a result, staff brought those doses to patients at the Klamath Open Door Clinic a few blocks away some of them going to people outside of the Phase 1a and the first group of Phase 1b. "Once a vial is punctured, it must be used in six hours," Lane said. "Fast reaction was necessary as wasting vaccine was not an option we were willing to take. Quality improvement efforts are underway for our scheduling process to ensure this does not happen in the future." Earlier this week, staff from Josephine County Public Health administered a handful of doses left over after a preempted vaccine clinic to drivers stuck waiting on the snow-covered Redwood Highway an event that has since made national headlines. The impetus was similar to that of Klamath County, if not the same; ensuring that doses went to someone, eligible or not. In their case, Josephine County Public Health staff said that they did have eligible recipients lined up in Grants Pass, but were unsure of reaching them in time due to the snowbound traffic pile-up. According to Lane, an over-abundance of doses has not been an issue for Klamath County Public Health on previous occasions. "In all previous instances, preparations were made to account for any overages, as Moderna vials routinely provide 11 doses. This is one dose above the 10 expected per vial," Lane said. "There is not a priority list for those who are given overages. In every other instance, there were eligible standbys ready to receive an overage dose." As of last week, Klamath County Public Health said it had provided a total of 4,852 doses, vaccinating roughly 7.11 percent of the county population. But KCPH is not the only agency in the area receiving and distributing the vaccine. Officials expect to receive 700 first doses and 200 second doses this week, then 800 first doses and 200 second doses next week. Under Oregon's current plan, seniors 80 and older become eligible on February 8, which Klamath County says it is planning toward. "As the plans are not fully confirmed, no information is being released at this time," Lane said. A local speech pathologist, a Lamar University student and a recruiter for a Southeast Texas construction company are among thousands of small investors wrapped up in an unprecedented battle between Wall Street and Main Street with a fading video game store at the center of it all. The unusual trading event began earlier this week when members of various social media messaging boards, namely Reddit, discovered that several large investment firms were taking out massive bets on the stock of struggling retailer GameStop. In such bets, called short sales, investors borrow a share and sell it in hope of buying it back later at a lower price and pocketing the difference. GameStop is one of the most shorted stocks on Wall Street, as reported by the Associated Press. In response, small investors began buying large amounts of the stock, driving up its price and causing those that shorted the stock to lose millions of dollars in the process a market maneuver known as a short squeeze. One of those small investors is Collin Brice, a Lamar graduate and speech pathologist, who currently holds 17 shares in the company. They were worth just over $1,000 when he bought them, and topped out at nearly $7,000 Wednesday at the height of trading. I started (investing) this month, Brice told The Enterprise. I turned $1,000 into about $3,000, and then put most of it into GameStop after a friend told me what was going on. Brice is one of many first-time investors who jumped in as these series of events began to unfold. It feels really hilarious, revealing and exciting to spectate in and somewhat partake in, Brice said. A few things that keep coming to mind is how easy it is for powerful people to change the rules when the system stops benefiting them. And it also makes something as important as money seem imaginary, ethereal, and somewhat video game-like. For others who have been in the market for years, the past week has been life-changing. Eduardo Gracian, who works as a recruiter for Orbital Insulation in Port Arthur, spent about $2,000 to buy 6,780 shares in GameStop in early 2020. On Wednesday, right before the market closed, he sold all of his stocks for $64,153.37. Gracian said the last 48 hours feel like fiction. Like Im in a fairy tale. Caleb Peterson, an accounting student at Lamar University, also began adding shares of GameStop to his portfolio this month after being told about the squeeze. My step-brother messaged me and told me to go check it out, and that they were short squeezing hedge funds, he said. So I went and checked out the data and it looked like a sound opportunity. Peterson began buying stocks last March when the coronavirus pandemic put enormous pressure on the economy. There was a big dip, so a lot of stocks were really cheap, Peterson said. I managed to pick up some stocks really cheap then, and Ive slowly been investing and dollar-cost averaging and stuff since then. Peterson, like many small investors, bought several shares of the stock using an app called RobinHood, which allows anyone to buy and sell stocks or portions of stocks with no fees. He made $600, but lost the gains later in the day. This has been a lot of fun, Peterson said. I didnt open a very huge position or anything, I am not tricking myself into thinking I am going to make a million dollars. But for me, part of it was definitely that I can say I was there for it. For many, the excitement was quickly blunted when RobinHood, seeking to calm market volatility, restricted investors from buying any additional stocks. In addition to GameStop, the struggling movie theater company AMC and even Blockbuster also were being artificially inflated in similar ways, causing platforms to unlist them as well. That didnt sit well with area investors like Beaumont resident CJ Glenn, who purchased stock in AMC on Wednesday before being frozen out by RobinHood the next morning. My recent trades were based on momentum, and that momentum was swept away by firms that took actions to limit that movement, said Glenn, who works in banking. I am not a rookie investor and know any money I put in an individual stock is risk. I did not expect the stocks I invested in to be taken over by apps acting as a nanny state seeking to moderate my activities. Glenn and politicians on both sides of the aisle questioned whether the move limiting investors from buying but not preventing them from selling was legal. Robinhoods sudden and unexpected shutdown of certain functions related to purchase of specific stocks recently represent a breach of trust and potential illegal actions designed to prop up the positions of certain short sellers that may or may or have financial stake in Robinhood, Glenn told The Enterprise. And as such (it) should be investigated and prosecuted by the appropriate financial regulatory bodies. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, both took to Twitter to call for answers. We need to know more about (RobinHoods) decision to block retail investors from purchasing stock while hedge funds are freely able to trade the stock as they see fit, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. As a member of the Financial Services Committee, Id support a hearing if necessary. But for Gracian, the actions by the company are pushing him to leave the app he has been using for two years. I am excited about what is going on, and I want to get more but I cant, he said. This is criminal. I will be looking somewhere else. At least one customer has already filed a class action lawsuit against RobinHood in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging that the app purposefully, willfully, and knowingly removing the stock GME from its trading platform in the midst of an unprecedented stock rise, thereby deprived retail investors of the ability to invest in the open-market and manipulating the open-market. The company tried to quell tensions in an email to investors Thursday evening, announcing that it would relist the stocks on Friday. This was a temporary decision made to best continue serving you, and was not an easy one to make, the email said. We know its led to frustration and confusion, and wanted to provide some clarity. According to RobinHood, the decision to restrict was required by financial obligations to the Securities and Exchange Commission, not on the direction of any market maker we route to or other market participants. Some of these requirements fluctuate based on volatility in the markets and can be substantial in the current environment, the email said. These requirements exist to protect investors and the markets and we take our responsibilities to comply with them seriously, including through the measures we have taken today. But Peterson and others The Enterprise talked to said the actions taken in recent days put them at a clear disadvantage. I think there are other ways they could have done this, and if they were going to freeze it, they should have frozen sales, too. Freezing only purchases directly influences the price of that stock, he said. If you are sitting here looking at any given time the price going down, it is possibly going to scare you into selling. Whereas when I see a price going down, to me that is a buying opportunity but now Im not allowed to do that, he said. isaac.windes@hearstnp.com twitter.com/isaacdwindes Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. South Africa: President promotes platform for safety of journalists African Union (AU) chairperson, President Cyril Ramaphosa, has endorsed the Digital Platform for the Safety of Journalists in Africa. We support and endorse this initiative to give practical support to the right of all Africans to freely receive information, and to express and disseminate their views, the President said. Addressing the virtual launch of the Digital Platform for the Safety of Journalists in Africa on Friday, the President urged all Africans, all institutions, and all heads of State and leaders of government to support this historic project. The Digital Platform for the Safety of Journalists in Africa will perform real-time monitoring, reporting and follow-up actions to secure the safety of journalists across the continent. Alerts on the harassment, detention and murder of journalists will be published on the platform in order to hold the perpetrators of violence against journalists and media outlets accountable for such violations. The media has a crucial role to play in the historic and continent-wide movement by Africans to build a continent of their dreams. Our march towards the achievement of the aspirations of Agenda 2063 of the Africa we want requires that we nurture and protect a free and independent media. It requires that we vigorously defend the right of journalists to do their work - to write, publish and broadcast what they like, even if we disagree with some or all of it," President Ramaphosa said. He said the Digital Platform for the Safety of Journalists in Africa is an important tool in promoting the safety of journalists and other media workers across Africa. Africa is on the march to entrench a culture of human rights, democracy, gender equality, inclusion, peace, prosperity, security for all citizens and unfettered media freedom and independence. We look to this digital platform to contribute to an enabling environment for the media to operate in AU member states through respect for the rights of journalists and media workers and an end to impunity for crimes against journalists, President Ramaphosa said. The Digital Platform is expected to help improve awareness on the importance of media freedom and the safety of journalists in the achievement of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063 aspirations. We congratulate the African Editors Forum, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), the International Federation of Journalists, the African Federation of Journalists, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, the African Peer Review Mechanism and other AU partners on the launch of this worthy project. We pledge to provide support to the digital platform through the relevant structures and institutions of the African Union, President Ramaphosa said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Affordable housing has become a statewide issue, and Charleston has not been spared the burden. Rentals are averaging $1,300 per month with most minimum wage workers earning $1,200 per month. The average price to purchase a home in Charleston is $357,200, which is more than $153,000 above the overall state average. The South Carolina Realtors are focused on promoting the standards of living that all South Carolinians deserve. As Realtors, we have special resources and knowledge that enable us to lead the community to a sustainable and affordable future. Weve utilized these resources to develop the South Carolina Good Life Initiative, a project aiming to preserve quality of life in South Carolina. Charlestons affordable housing crisis is due in part to rapid population growth. Growth is great. Traffic, taxes, overall affordability and environmental impact, however, are growing pains that have to be addressed. With large corporations expanding to South Carolina, the cost of living keeps increasing. Additionally, continued development in the Charleston area has led to more people living at or below sea level and more at risk for flooding issues. The S.C. Good Life Initiative works to ensure that South Carolina preserves livable conditions throughout the state. SCR is here to help voice concerns surrounding all issues related to growth, affordability and the environment. For more information, visit goodlife.screaltors.org or email goodlife@screaltors.org. OWEN TYLER President, South Carolina Realtors Coleman Boulevard Mount Pleasant N95 masks A recent editorial in The Washington Post questioned why production of the N95 mask wasnt accelerated in order to provide many, if not all, citizens of this country with a safe face cover. I question that apparent oversight as well. There is no need to develop the product like a vaccine. The N95 is cheap (about 50 cents before the pandemic), and it is the only one of several iterations that filters 95% of airborne particles. There are not even enough N95 masks for frontline health care workers. This is a travesty. As those of us under 70 anxiously await our turn for the vaccine, now slated for late spring or early summer, the virus is mutating, fighting back and anxiety is high. Gov. Henry McMaster has done a poor job of making the vaccine available when compared to the state of Georgia. Georgia is dispensing the vaccine quickly and it is available at many sites in even the smallest towns including grocery stores, pharmacies and other places where people have easy access. I spoke to my state representative this week. He says he is just as frustrated as I am. I urge everyone to contact their state representative or senator, along with Gov. McMaster, regarding the vaccine distribution Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email Sign Up! I also think we should contact our state and federal representatives specifically about masks. ANNE JENNINGS Palm Boulevard Isle of Palms Political games The second impeachment of Donald Trump has nothing at all to do with impeachment. This effort is a clear and present warning to all nonpoliticians that the treatment Trump received awaits any others seeking such an office. This is particularly directed toward men or women with extensive business experience. Many may not like Trumps personality, but no predecessor in our nations history has done a better job for most of the people. The exception would be the politicians and those who benefit from the politicians. So an estimated 100,000 people in politics are managing the lives of 328 million others. But if the top person in office is not one of them, that person is constantly condemned. TIM CALNON Southlake Drive Mount Pleasant Vote precedent On Wednesday, the Senate voted on whether it was constitutional to pursue impeachment against former President Donald Trump after he has left office. With bipartisan votes from Democrats and five Republican senators, they concluded that it was. In 1876, impeachment proceedings were brought against Secretary of War William Belknap over corruption charges. He resigned from office in hopes of avoiding conviction. By a vote of 37-29, the Senate held that Belknap should stand trial, reasoning that if he did not, it would allow officials to simply resign to avoid conviction. Furthermore, the Constitution provides separate votes for impeachment and barring officials from seeking future public office, with the former requiring a two-thirds majority and the latter a simple majority. This weeks vote on whether to hold a trial was almost certainly an effort by Republican senators to avoid taking a vote on the former presidents actions leading up to, and including, the events of Jan. 6. The Constitution and historical precedent suggest that senators must consider both impeachment and whether Trump should be barred from seeking future office. HEATHER BONEPARTH Ocean Course Drive Kiawah Island She recently headed out to Dubai with her sister Demi, while Essex was in Tier 4 restrictions which permitted essential travel only. And Frankie Sims flaunted her bronzed tan as she took to Instagram on Friday to share a slew of racy lingerie snaps. The TOWIE star, 25, put on a sizzling display in a white sheer lace corset and matching thong. Sizzling display: Frankie Sims flaunted her bronzed tan as she took to Instagram on Friday to share a slew of racy lingerie snaps Frankie posed up a storm in the lingerie set which was adorned with gold embroidery. The television personality wore her blonde locks in soft waves and accentuated her bronzed glow with a full face of make-up. She captioned the shot: 'Priorities for 2021: 1) ME. Had a little pamper night to boost my confidence during lockdown'. Gorgeous: The TOWIE star, 25, put on a sizzling display in a white sheer lace corset and matching thong It appears Frankie has returned home to Essex, while her sisters Demi and Chloe are living it up in Tulum, Mexico. It comes amid backlash towards influencers who have jetted abroad during the pandemic under the guise of work. On Wednesday Priti Patel criticised those who have been holidaying in the sun when they have been told to stay at home. She said going on holiday was 'not an exemption' as she unveiled a strict borders clampdown to slow the spread of the virus, telling the Commons: 'People should simply not be travelling. Abroad: She recently headed out to Dubai with her sister Demi, while Essex was in Tier 4 restrictions which permitted essential travel only 'We see plenty of influencers showing off where they are mainly sunny places.' As the criticism intensifies, members of the public appear to be taking umbrage with their tone deaf posts from Dubai - now dubbed 'Covid Cosablanca.' Hostile messages on Instagram and Twitter pages are accusing them of recklessly spreading the virus and putting the NHS under increasing strain. Many claim they jetted off for 'unavoidable work trips' - with some even going so far as to suggest that their social media posts should make them 'key workers'. Laura Anderson, who appeared on Love Island in 2018, moaned about how 'hard it was to be an influencer' after she was met with a backlash about her Dubai trip, before claiming she went as a 'coping mechanism' to deal with COVID. Scores of reality TV stars 'used loop holes' to flee to Dubai to lounge in luxury hotels, pose for pictures with cocktails on sun loungers and enjoy beach parties. For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe. Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime. SHYMKENT, Kazakhstan -- A court in Kazakhstans southern city of Shymkent has returned to investigators the case of a series of deadly ammunition warehouse blasts in 2019 citing "irregularities." Ghani Oteuliev, a spokesman for the Shymkent Garrison military court, told RFE/RL on January 29 that the decision was made due to "inconsistencies found in the materials of the case and some facts proving that more individuals must be held accountable for the incident." Sixteen Kazakh military officers and Defense Ministry officials went on trial in June 2020 over blasts which claimed four lives and injured dozens of residents in the town of Arys, 67 kilometers west of Shymkent, the third-largest city in the Central Asian nation. The charges against the defendants include negligence and violating safety regulations while storing arms and ammunition. Some 35,000 residents of the town fled their homes for Shymkent and nearby towns, returning days later after authorities lifted a state of emergency. Kazakh officials said that 85 percent of the town's buildings, mainly private houses, had been damaged by heavy smoke, shock waves, and flying debris from the blasts. The government has promised to rebuild the houses, but many residents have complained that the rebuilding efforts have been too slow. After the blasts, hundreds of people rallied in Shymkent and blocked a major road demanding to be relocated permanently because they were afraid to go back as the June blasts were just the latest in a series of explosions to hit the depot since 2009. 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. General Motors Co. is promising to go green by making all of its global operations and vehicles carbon neutral by 2040, including selling only zero-emission models by 2035. The pledge is a bold embrace by the automaker of emission-reduction goals set by California. The state is one of the largest markets for vehicles in the U.S. and announced plans in September to ban sales of gasoline-powered cars and trucks by 2035. GMs target for achieving company-wide carbon neutrality is 10 years ahead of rival Ford Motor Co.s goal. The companys stock rose as much as 7.4% on the news and traded up 3.1% to $50.89 as of 12:50 p.m. in New York. GMs initiative is part of Chief Executive Officer Mary Barras strategy to take on Tesla Inc.s leadership in electric vehicles and change the Detroit companys image as a builder of gas-guzzling, carbon-spewing trucks and SUVs. Barra already has committed GM to spending $27 billion to build 30 electric vehicles by 2025. EDITORIAL: Automakers siding with Trump against Californias emissions rules are selling out customers General Motors is joining governments and companies around the globe working to establish a safer, greener and better world, Barra said in a statement. We encourage others to follow suit and make a significant impact on our industry and on the economy as a whole. GM will have to convert every model it sells to run on battery power or possibly hydrogen to meet its target. It aims to lower the price of some electric vehicles to make them accessible to more new-car buyers. Our focus will be offering zero-emission vehicles across a range of price points, Dane Parker, GMs chief sustainability officer, said in a call with reporters. Were going to need to have products that appeal to all of our consumers, products they want and products that they can afford. A big challenge for GM is staying profitable as it transitions to lower-margin electric vehicles. Currently the gas-guzzling pickups and SUVs its known for make up the majority of GMs income. Company President Mark Reuss has said the cost of GMs Ultium battery pack is coming down and its electric vehicles will be profitable. DIFFICULT PATH: Net-zero emissions by 2050 may be impossible, report says UBS said in a report published last year that most global carmakers will be able to phase out their carbon emissions by 2040. We believe the transportation sector can be almost entirely decarbonized by 2040, the report said. Why? New technologies have breakthroughs enabling them to start providing value at a reasonable cost, and saving energy has a feel good factor attached to it. GM plans to use renewable energy for all of its plants and buildings globally by 2035. Thats five years faster than the company previously targeted. Barras move shows how the companys strategic plans have been shifting rapidly. Four months ago when California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his ban on gasoline-fueled cars starting in 2035, Ford was quick to issue a statement praising the step. GM and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, now part of newly-merged Stellantis NV, deferred comment to an industry trade association, which said more needed to be done to increase consumer demand for electric vehicles. THE FUTURE: Could Texas be an electric vehicle hub? At the time, GM was still supporting former President Donald Trumps lawsuit to eliminate Californias exemption from federal emissions rules, which allowed the state to pass its own tougher restrictions. After Trump lost the election, GM withdrew its support. Ford, Honda Motor Co., Volkswagen AG and BMW AG had sided with California earlier. Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, said he has been talking to Barra for about five years and in that time, the automakers views on carbon emissions have evolved, gathering pace more recently. This is for real, Krupp said in a phone interview. Mary Barra is betting the company that this is the next big transition for the industry. ADVERTISEMENT The United Kingdom has added three more countries to its red list, banning flights to and from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Burundi and Rwanda over the spread of the COVID-19 from Friday, an official has said. The UK Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, disclosed on Friday. From Friday, were extending our travel ban with the UAE, Burundi and Rwanda all added to the UKs red list, Mr Shapps wrote on Twitter. Under the new regulation, people who have been in or transited through the countries in question will be denied entry. The ban does not apply to the UK, as well as Irish and third-country nationals with a residence permit, who must self-isolate for ten days at home. To date, the island nation has confirmed more than 3.7 million cases of the coronavirus, including 103,126 fatalities. (NAN) In good faith, I granted attorney David Savages request to address members of the Charleston County Republican Party on Jan. 11. However, Post and Courier columnist Brian Hicks decision to share Mr. Savages experience without allowing for an open, fair and honest recount and dialogue about the proceedings is disappointing. Mr. Savage is my friend and a good man. However, while he was invited to the meeting, I was not invited to take part in the conversation and summary review of what transpired there. It is both unjust, unkind and not in the spirit of diplomacy for me and our party to be the repeated target of discontent and grievances. We are a big tent party and must all work together to reach common goals upon common ground despite our differences. This is the time for the healing of our communities and our country. Now is not the time for cynicism, inflammatory rhetoric, ultimatums and calls to contentious public debate but the time for understanding and calls to come to the table. I honestly believe doing so would reveal that there isn't much daylight between us. To speak as a representative of the party and vehemently condemn everyone in the party who supports President Trump is not the way to bring us together. Its the way to divide us. We have condemned violent protests and lawlessness every time they've been reported. We condemned the Jan. 6 actions of those who stormed the Capitol. But we refuse to condemn hundreds of thousands of peaceful protesters because a handful chose to be lawless and defy everything the vast majority stood for. Because a relatively few people decided to do something stupid doesn't nullify the concerns of the many. In May 2017, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said: Our election was hijacked. There is no question. Congress has a duty to #ProtectOurDemocracy & #FollowTheFacts. Yet the left that fancies itself the sole arbiter of tolerance and bigotry has broad-brushed 74 million Americans as domestic terrorists for harboring doubts about the 2020 election . Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email Sign Up! As chair of the Charleston County GOP, I will always stand for inclusion, and civil and honest dialogue. I will always entertain having guest speakers who come in good will to share diplomatically and thoughtfully. However, we must do so with honesty and transparency without ulterior motives to discredit either our organization or loyal, devoted and service-oriented members. In specific regards to my friends comment that silence is deafening and shocking, I would agree. However, with an abundance of respect I do not recall him making any public statements or asking to speak at our meeting regarding the innocent civilians and police officers who were attacked in last summer's riots. His comment regarding officer Brian Sicknick of the Capitol police, memory eternal, apply here: If we say nothing of his death, we become complicit. Though he made reference to scripture and to the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., both were misused to judge, not inspire. This use of rhetoric to incite, agitate and accuse is fueling our country's divisiveness. The implication that we condone violence or are unsympathetic is untrue. In no uncertain terms, our party condemns all violence against all innocents, our revered institutions, our government and government buildings, including courthouses, city halls, police precincts, law enforcement, our communities and our nation. My friend was given full freedom to speak and express himself at our meeting. He was thanked for coming and offered an invitation to further discuss the proceedings or any questions he may have had. Instead, he chose to use the occasion to question the very foundation of our beliefs and efforts. The Charleston County Republican Party remains committed to invite everyone to the table. We trust that those who accept our invitation will hold these same ideals. Lets be courageous. Lets sit and discuss our differences. Every voice counts. Everyone matters. Maurice Washington is chairman of the Charleston County Republican Party and a former member of Charleston City Council. 100-Year-Old Navy Vet Finally Awarded 3 Medals for Service in World War II 75 Years Late For 75 years, Walter Ness has waited to receive the medals he earned serving in World War II. Now, two months after his 100th birthday, the Navy veteran was finally awarded three military service medals for his role as a minesweeper in Guam. Nesss daughter, Karen Pennett, said her father didnt expect to receive the medals at all. My father was surprised and honored, she told the Daily Record. During the first 2021 meeting of Morris Plains VFW Post 3401, the medals were presented to Ness by Brig. Gen. Vincent Malone, commander of Picatinny Arsenal. The ceremony, which took place on Jan. 20, had a small audience due to social distancing measures. We had to follow all the [social-distancing] rules, so theres no refreshments or any of that usual stuff, said Ness. Walter Ness is presented a medal by Brig. Gen. Vincent Malone, commander of Picatinny Arsenal. (Courtesy of Morris Plains VFW 3401) Still, the accommodations at the ceremony meant far less than receiving the medals he shouldve gotten 75 years earlier. Sadly, many veterans were overlooked and did not receive the medals that were due, simply because those medals were not in production after the war. The government was still using all the brass for munitions, with none available for military decorations, explained post member Rich Olsen. It wasnt until late 1946 that large-scale production of the brass military service medals was restarted. Walter Ness when he was young. (Courtesy of Karen Ness Pennett) However, after a family friend and retired Naval officer took it upon themselves to investigate why Ness had not received his medals, the matter was resolved. Hence, on Jan. 20, Brig. Gen. Vincent Malone awarded Ness with the World War II Victory, American Campaign, and Asiatic Pacific Campaign medals. Walter Ness was surprised to receive World War II medals 75 years after the fact. (Courtesy of Morris Plains VFW 3401) Originally, the VFW had planned to surprise Ness during his centennial birthday celebration in November 2020, but they were forced to cancel the event due to pandemic restrictions. However, that didnt mean Ness didnt get his 100-year birthday party. He said there was a big parade in town to commemorate the day of his birth after a century. They had a parade here in town, you knowwent right by my house, Ness said. Fire trucks, ambulances, a whole string of cars, even a bagpiper, all went right by my house, because there was no way to have a party. It was very unusual, but it worked out real nice. Of course, I was smiling from ear to ear. During the ceremony, though his face was covered with a mask, he appeared to be smiling again, his eyes crinkled as he accepted his three World War II service medals, at last. 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 Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Leapmotor announced on Jan. 27 it raised a total of 4.3 billion yuan ($663.6 million) in its series B financing, exceeding the target by over 1 billion yuan ($154.326 million). Investors involved in the B round include Hefei municipal government, SDIC Chuangyi, ZJU Jiuzhi Investment Management Co.,Ltd. and Yonghua Capital. Leapmotor C11; photo credit: Leapmotor A local media outlet revealed last week that Hefei municipal government intended to invest around 2 billion yuan ($308.652 million) in the Hangzhou-headquartered Chinese EV startup, quoting a person close to the startup's senior management. Hefei's investment in Leapmotor would be carried out in two installments with 200 million yuan ($30.865 million) having been plowed to the EV makers Series B financing round, according to the person briefed on the matter. The other 1.8 billion yuan ($277.786 million) would be pumped into the Pre-IPO funding round Leapmotor has launched at a valuation of 22 billion yuan ($3.395, billion). Leapmotor entered into a strategic partnership with Hefei earlier this month for an all-round in-depth collaboration on NEV business. The agreement made the company the second Chinese EV startup supported by the capital of Anhui province following NIO. Leapmotor has had two production models for mass delivery, namely the S01 and the T03. For the year of 2020, the insurance registrations of the two models totaled 4,085 units, including 849 S01s and 3,236 T03s, according to the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC). The company cracked the top 5 Chinese EV startups in Nov. with 1,769 new vehicles registered, 227 units more than that of HOZON Auto. The startup announced the presale of the C11, its third production model, began on Jan. 1, 2021, with guiding prices ranging from 159,800 yuan ($24,660) to 199,800 yuan ($30,835) after subsidies. New Delhi: Country's first private train Tejas Express Tejas Express on the Lucknow-New Delhi route is all set to be back on the tracks. Tejas Express will be operated 4 days a week from February 14. Rail passengers can travel on Tejas Express at the fare of Shatabdi Express. The advance booking of the same has started while flexi fare will kick in after 40 percent seats are occupied. However, the one thing that is most interesting for the Railway passengers is that The Indian Railway Catering And Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) will pay compensation for theft robbery in a passenger's house during travel. An insurance cover of one lakh will be given for theft in the house of the passenger during the journey period. Furthermore, there will be an insurance of one lakh if there is theft or robbery in the train. Tejas Express will run on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from February 14. It may be recalled that IRCTC cancelled the operation of the Tejas Express from November 23, 2020. The IRCTC has decided to end the operations of Lucknow-Delhi and Mumbai-Ahmedabad Tejas Express due to a shortage of passengers.Tejas Express had resumed operations in October after its operation was suspended due to coronavirus pandemic. IRCTC had said in a statement that the management has decided to cancel the operations of all Tejas trains due to a shortage of passengers. IRCTC has canceled the Lucknow-New Delhi (82501/82502) Tejas Express from November 23 while the Ahmedabad-Mumbai (82901/82902) Tejas Express from November 24. The two Tejas trains between Lucknow-New Delhi and Ahmedabad-Mumbai were resumed from October 17 because of festivals. The operation of both trains was canceled on March 19 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. IRCTC had taken several steps to run Tejas Express keeping in mind the coronavirus outbreak. (With Reporter input from SANKALP DUBEY) The 2020 Tony Awards will finally happen after being postponed indefinitely. While an exact date is yet to be firmed up, plans for The 74th Annual Tony Awards are moving forward and the ceremony will likely take place around the same time Broadway reopens after a months-long pandemic shutdown, Deadline reported on Friday. New Yorks iconic Radio City Musical Hall had been prepared to host the annual event in June of last year but things were delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Tony goes to: While an exact date hasn't been set, plans for the Tony Awards are moving forward and the ceremony will take place around the same time Broadway reopens after a months-long pandemic shutdown, Deadline reported Friday 'A ceremony will be held on an as-yet-undetermined date in coordination with Broadways eventual reopening,' organizers told Deadline. Officially, Broadway is allowed to reopen this June, the outlet reported but added that insiders are looking towards the fall for production to really ramp back up. Nominees were announced in October with only 18 productions eligible due to the short 2019-20 which was cut early when the pandemic shuttered productions. All 41 Broadway theaters abruptly closed on March 12th, additionally cancelling 16 that were still scheduled to open including Diana, Mrs. Doubtfire and Company. 'A ceremony will be held on an as-yet-undetermined date in coordination with Broadways eventual reopening,' organizers told Deadline. The revival of Neil Simon's comedy Plaza Suite, starring Sarah Jessica Parker and husband Matthew Broderick, has also been pushed until spring 2021. Voting for the 2020 will begin March 1 for the best and brightest of Broadway and continue through until the 15th. The original ceremony had been slated for June 7 but when that was canceled because of COVID-19, a virtual celebration to honor Broadway was then scheduled for that date in lieu of the Tonys. That virtual celebration ended up not happening then and was postponed during the Black Lives Matter protests. Scuppered: New Yorks iconic Radio City Musical Hall had been prepared to host the annual event in June of last year but things were delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic In August, The New York Post reported that the 2020 Tonys would be a virtual happening for safety reasons but that was before the second wave of the pandemic hit the U.S. The Tony Awards are the latest major award show trying to find its footing again in the wake of the pandemic. Recently, the 2021 Grammy Awards, which had been originally scheduled for this weekend on Sunday, January 31st, were postponed to March 14th due to the raging coronavirus crisis. Top notch: Voting for the 2020 will begin March 1 for the best and brightest of Broadway and continue through until the 15th The decision to cancel the show was made by both the Academy and the telecast's network partner CBS. The delay caused a major headache for the Screen Actors Guild Awards which had already chosen the same March 14 date for their own COVID rain-date ceremony. SAG/AFTRA stated publicly their disappointment about not being considered when the Recording Academy was choosing a new date, particularly since they had announced theirs months in advance. Ultimately, the SAG awards decided to move their date again in order to ensure there wasn't any celebrity overlap. Boris Johnson has ditched his plan to make Lord Frost the UK's new National Security Adviser after a furious backlash from critics. It was announced in June last year that the chief Brexit negotiator would take on the role and it was thought he would start in the coming weeks. But the Government today unexpectedly announced the peer will instead become Mr Johnson's Representative for Brexit and International Policy and head a new International Policy Unit in Number 10. Sir Stephen Lovegrove, who has been Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence since April 2016, has been appointed as National Security Adviser instead and is due to start at the end of March. Lord Frost was due to be the UK's next National Security Adviser but Boris Johnson today announced he has changed his mind The PM's new plan will see Lord Frost made Representative for Brexit and International Policy while Sir Stephen Lovegrove, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, will be made NSA The former ambassador and whisky buff lured back into Government to work for Boris Lord Frost had served as the UK's chief Brexit negotiator since July 2019, having previously served as a special adviser to Boris Johnson when he was Foreign Secretary. He led the UK team during trade talks with Brussels which came to a successful conclusion in December last year. With the trade deal now in the books, he had been due to become National Security Adviser in the coming weeks but he will now be sticking with the Brexit brief. Born in Derby, Mr Frost won a scholarship to Nottingham High School before going on to study French and history at St John's College, Oxford. He joined the Foreign Office in 1987, with his first posting taking him to the British High Commission in Cyprus. In 1993 he experienced his first taste of working with the EU when he was posted to Brussels as first secretary for economic and financial affairs. He was then sent to the United Nations. Between 2006 and 2008 he was Britain's ambassador to Denmark before becoming the UK's most senior trade policy official in the business department. He left the diplomatic service in 2013 to head the Scotch Whisky Association but when Mr Johnson became foreign secretary he returned to government as his special adviser. He also served as a member of the advisory council of Open Europe, a Eurosceptic think-tank. When Mr Johnson became Prime Minister, Mr Frost came back on board and duly negotiated the deal which enabled Britain to leave the EU at the end of January last year before then moving onto to trade discussions with the bloc. Advertisement In Lord Frost's new role, which he will start on February 1, he will be tasked with dealing with the UK's relationship with the EU and to 'help drive through changes to maximise the opportunities of Brexit'. The peer had served as Britain's chief Brexit negotiator since July 2019 and led the UK team in the trade talks with Brussels that reached a successful conclusion in December. Mr Johnson said: 'I am hugely grateful to Lord Frost for his herculean efforts in securing a deal with the EU, and I am thrilled that he has agreed to be my representative for Brexit and International Policy as we seize the opportunities from our departure from the EU. 'I am also delighted to appoint Sir Stephen Lovegrove as my National Security Adviser. Stephen brings with him a wealth of experience from across Whitehall and in National Security and I look forward to working closely together to deliver this Government's vision for the UK in the world.' Lord Frost said: 'I am delighted to take up this new role as the Prime Minister's Representative on Brexit and International Policy. 'With a new agreement with the EU in place, we have huge opportunities to boost our wealth and define what we stand for as a country internationally, and I very much look forward to supporting the Prime Minister on this.' Sir Stephen said: 'It has been an immense privilege to serve as the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence for the past five years. Working with the whole force our armed forces, both regular and reserve, civil servants, our suppliers and everyone that makes up the Defence community has been an honour. 'I am delighted now to be taking up the role of the National Security Adviser.' Downing Street said the Prime Minister reversed his decision to make Lord Frost National Security Adviser in order to 'maximise the opportunities' for the UK after Brexit. The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said: 'He will lead the UK's institutional and strategic relationship with the EU and he will help drive through changes to maximise the opportunities that flow from the deal we reached with the EU. 'He will also work on other international trade and economic issues.' Asked whether Mr Johnson thought Sir Stephen would be a better fit for the role, the spokesman said: 'No, that's not what we've said. I don't accept that.' The announcement back in June that Lord Frost would take over from the departing Sir Mark Sedwill as National Security Adviser promoted a wave of criticism. Ex-PM Theresa May led the backlash against the appointment as she slammed Mr Johnson for choosing a close political aide for the role. Mrs May, who had appointed Sir Mark to the job when she was premier, said Lord Frost was 'a political appointee with no proven expertise'. Praising Sir Mark's professionalism, she asked Michael Gove in the Commons at the time: 'I served on the National Security Council for nine years - six years as home secretary and three as prime minister. During that time, I listened to the expert independent advice from national security advisers. Sir Stephen has been in his post at the Ministry of Defence since April 2016. He is due to start as National Security Adviser at the end of March 'On Saturday (Mr Gove) said, ''we must be able to promote those with proven expertise''. 'Why then is the new national security adviser a political appointee with no proven expertise in national security?' Former national security adviser Lord Ricketts had also criticised the appointment, arguing it showed the PM values 'political loyalty' higher than 'expertise and experience'. In a commentary written for the Royal United Services Institute defence think tank, he said: 'Those advising ministers on national security do need the mastery of deep knowledge at a time when the Government is formulating a new national strategy in a dangerous world. 'But the message of Frost's appointment is that the prime minister accords absolute priority not to expertise and experience, but to political loyalty among his closest advisers. That is not a reassuring conclusion.' Novavax Inc. said Thursday that its COVID-19 vaccine appears 89% effective based on early findings from a British study and that it also seems to work though not as well against new mutated versions of the coronavirus circulating in that country and South Africa. The announcement comes amid worry about whether a variety of vaccines being rolled out around the world will be strong enough to protect against worrisome new variants and as the world desperately needs new types of shots to boost scarce supplies. The study of 15,000 people in Britain is still underway. But an interim analysis found 62 participants so far have been diagnosed with COVID-19 only six of them in the group that got vaccine and the rest who received dummy shots. The infections occurred at a time when Britain was experiencing a jump in COVID-19 caused by a more contagious variant. A preliminary analysis found over half of the trial participants who became infected had the mutated version. The numbers are very small, but Novavax said they suggest the vaccine is nearly 96% effective against the older coronavirus and nearly 86% effective against the new variant. The findings are based on cases that occurred at least a week after the second dose. Both those numbers are dramatic demonstrations of the ability of our vaccine to develop a very potent immune response, Novavax CEO Stanley Erck said in a call with investors late Thursday. Scientists have been even more worried about a variant first discovered in South Africa that carries different mutations. Results from a smaller Novavax study in that country suggests the vaccine does work but not nearly as well as it does against the variant from Britain. The South African study included some volunteers with HIV. Among the HIV-negative volunteers, the vaccine appears 60% effective. Including volunteers with HIV, overall the protection was 49%, the company said. While genetic testing still is underway, so far about 90% of the COVID-19 illnesses found in the South African study appear due to the new mutant. These are good results. There is reason to be optimistic about the 60% effectiveness, said Glenda Gray, head of the South African Medical Research Council. Even against the new variant that now causes more than 90% of new cases in that country, were still seeing vaccine efficacy, she said. More concerning is what the study showed about a totally different question the chances of people getting COVID-19 a second time, said the leader of the South African study, Shabir Madhi of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Tests suggested that nearly a third of study participants had been previously infected, yet rates of new infections in the placebo group were similar. Past infection with early variants of the virus in South Africa does not protect against infection with the new one, he said. There doesnt seem to be any protection derived. Novavax said it needs some additional data before it can seek British authorization for the vaccines use, sometime in the next month or so. A larger study in the U.S. and Mexico has enrolled slightly over half of the needed 30,000 volunteers. Novavax said its not clear if the Food and Drug Administration will need data from that study, too, before deciding whether to allow U.S. use. Meanwhile, it is starting to develop a version of the vaccine that could more specifically target the mutations found in South Africa, in case health authorities eventually decide that updated dosing is needed. Vaccines against COVID-19 train the body to recognize the new coronavirus, mostly the spike protein that coats it. But the Novavax candidate is made differently than the first shots being used. Called a recombinant protein vaccine, the Maryland company uses genetic engineering to grow harmless copies of the coronavirus spike protein in insect cells. Scientists extract and purify the protein and then mix in an immune-boosting chemical. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources The real Covid death toll at nursing homes, and the staggering heartache in NY (exclusive) Cuomo lifts nearly all Covid cluster zones, including those in Central NY Color-coded Covid zones lifted in CNY: What that means for restaurants Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com The NRG Oncology and the American College of Radiology Network (ACRIN) multicenter, phase II trial, NRG-RTOG 1106/ACRIN 6697 is the first randomized trial to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of performing adaptive radiotherapy escalation in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The improvement of in-field tumor control appeared similar to the level (1% improvement with 1Gy dose escalation) of the Single Institutional Study of adaptive radiotherapy performed at University of Michigan, and different from that of RTOG617 with non-adaptive high dose radiation in stage III NSCLC. The results were presented at the virtual edition of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer 2020 World Conference on Lung Cancer, Singapore. The NRG Oncology randomized phase III trial NRG-RTOG 0617 offered the insight that a higher dose of radiotherapy delivered with chemoradiotherapy actually worsened tumor control and survival for this patient population. NRG-RTOG 1106/ACRIN 6697 was designed to bridge this treatment gap by testing adaptive radiotherapy dose escalation with chemotherapy to see if this treatment could enhance 2-year local-regional tumor control compared to the 60 Gy standard dose of radiotherapy this patient population typically receives. The use of fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET/CT) imaging would help identify resistant aggressive tumor identified mid-treatment and adapt personalized treatment plans per each individual's tolerance. Patients with Stage III NSCLC were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive either the standard radiotherapy at 60 Gy (Standard Arm) or the adaptive radiotherapy treatment that resulted in a median dose escalation of 11 Gy (Adaptive Arm). Patients on both treatment arms received FDG-PET/CT imaging at mid-treatment for radiation. The Standard Arm included 43 eligible patients whereas the Adaptive Arm included 84 eligible patients. The Standard Arm had a median follow up of 3.7 years for surviving patients with acceptable overall radiotherapy compliance rates (92.9% and 50% per protocol). The 2-year overall local-regional progression free rate was 59.5% (95% CI: 37.9, 75.7). Median local-regional progression free time was 27.5 months (95% CI: 14.3, not reached) in the Standard Arm. The Adaptive Arm had a median follow up of 3.4 years for surviving patients with acceptable overall radiotherapy compliance rates (95.8% for the initial course of treatment and 32.4% for adaptive course per protocol) and 2-year overall local-regional progression free rates were 54.6% (95% CI: 39.9, 67.0). Median local-regional progression free time was 28.4 months (95% CI: 19.1, not reached) in the Adaptive Arm. There were no significant differences in grade 3 or worse toxicity of lung, esophagus, and heart or overall survival, progression-free survival, and lung cancer specific survival between treatment arms. Adaptive radiotherapy did increase in-field local-regional tumor control by 11% and in-field primary tumor control by 17% during the trial. "Not all patients respond the radiation dose escalation in the same way. We have already learned from a genotypic study of RTOG617 (which was recently presented in ASTRO 2020) that only one third of stage III patients with radiation resistant genotype on DNA repair pathway genes will benefit from dose escalation. Future trial designs should be focused on individualizing radiotherapy dose prescriptions according to patient's intrinsic sensitivity in order to improve survival. Additionally, further research should investigate if adaptive radiotherapy could increase normal tissue sparing factor (Sp) to improve survival on top of dose optimization in each individual," stated Feng-Ming (Spring) Kong, MD, PhD, FACR, FASTRO of the Clinical Oncology Center, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital; and Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong; Department of Radiation Oncology, Case Western Reserve University, and the lead author of the NRG-RTOG 1106/ACRIN 6697 abstract. ### This project was supported in parts by National Cancer Institute (NCI) National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants U10CA180868 (NRG Oncology Operations), U10CA180822 (NRG Oncology SDMC), U24CA196067 (NRG Biospecimen Bank), R01CA142840 (Kong), Shenzhen KQTD20180411185028798 (Kong), and NRG NCORP grant. Citations Kong FM, Hu C, Machtay M, Haken RT, Xiao Y, Matuszak M, Hirsh V, Pryma D, Siegel BA, Gelblum D, Hayman J, Robinson C, Loo, Jr. BW, Videtic GMM, Faria SL, Ferguson C, Dunlap N, Kundapu V, Paulus R, Bradley J. Results of RTOG1106/ACRIN9969: A Randomized Phase II Trial of Individualized Adaptive Radiotherapy Using Mid-Treatment FDG-PET/CT and Modern Technology in Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Virtual meeting platform. Kong FMS, Jin JY, Hu C, Wang W, Bogart J, Garces YI, Narayan S, Robinson CG, Kavadi VS, Rothman J, Koprowski CD, Gore E, Welsh J, Gaur R, MacRae RM, Cannon G, Machtay M, Bradley JD, Lu B. (2020, October). RTOG0617 to externally validate blood cell ERCC1/2 genotypic signature as a radiosensitivity biomarker for both tumor and normal tissue for individualized dose prescription. International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, Volume 108, Issue 3, Supplement, 2020, Page S2, ISSN 0360-3016, https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1016/ j. ijrobp. 2020. 07. 2070 . (http://www. sciencedirect. com/ science/ article/ pii/ S0360301620334891 ) Kong FM, Ten Haken RK, Schipper M, Frey KA, Hayman J, Gross M, Ramnath N, Hassan KA, Matuszak M, Ritter T, Bi N, Wang W, Orringer M, Cease KB, Lawrence TS, Kalemkerian GP. Effect of Midtreatment PET/CT-Adapted Radiation Therapy With Concurrent Chemotherapy in Patients With Locally Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Phase 2 Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2017 Oct 1;3(10):1358-1365. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2017.0982. PMID: 28570742; PMCID: PMC5674997. About NRG Oncology NRG Oncology conducts practice-changing, multi-institutional clinical and translational research to improve the lives of patients with cancer. Founded in 2012, NRG Oncology is a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit corporation that integrates the research of the legacy National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP), Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), and Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) programs. The research network seeks to carry out clinical trials with emphases on gender-specific malignancies, including gynecologic, breast, and prostate cancers, and on localized or locally advanced cancers of all types. NRG Oncology's extensive research organization comprises multidisciplinary investigators, including medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, physicists, pathologists, and statisticians, and encompasses more than 1,300 research sites located world-wide with predominance in the United States and Canada. NRG Oncology is supported primarily through grants from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and is one of five research groups in the NCI's National Clinical Trials Network. (@ChaudhryMAli88) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th January, 2021) US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with the Mexican secretaries of defense and navy about regional security and defense cooperation, the Defense Department said in a release. "On January 29, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with his Mexican counterparts Secretary of National Defense General Cresencio Sandoval and Secretary of Navy Admiral Jose Ojeda to discuss the United States' strong commitment to the US-Mexico bilateral defense relationship and regional defense and security cooperation," the release said on Friday. The Defense Department said the officials agreed for the United States and Mexico to continue working together in the areas of mutual interest with respect to defense and security. In addition, the officials agreed the two countries should respect each other's sovereignty and foreign policy interests while collaborating in the areas of defense and security, the release said. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 The Accra Regional Police Command has gunned-down a suspected highway robber and arrested two others in an operation on the Spintex Road, in Accra. Blessing Stephen, about 38 years, died from gunshot wounds he sustained in the capture operation at a guest house at Spintex, a suburb of Accra, on 27 January, 2021, at about 1130 hours. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge, Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Command, told the Ghana News Agency that the deceased had been active in alleged criminal activities and evasive, and has been on police surveillance for some time now. "Blessing Stephen, a Nigerian, an ex-convict and a notorious armed robber, who usually operates among a gang of six, has been involved in series of highway robberies, including, bank robberies and attacks on bullion vans including the recent bullion van robbery where a Policeman at Adansi Nyankomasu near Adansi Tewobabi, in the Ashanti region, also a robbery at Manso-meam, Mankesim filling station, Tarkwa- Prestea Highway robbery, and Gomoa-Potsin." She said suspect Jessy Osas, believed to be his accomplice and one Godwin Hetor, a receptionist at a guest house, where the deceased and his accomplice were lodging were also arrested. DSP Tenge said the two were in police custody assisting in investigation. She said a pistol and four rounds of ammunition were retrieved from the deceased. DSP Tenge said the body of the deceased had been deposited at the Police Hospital's mortuary for preservation and autopsy. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Dogecoin, the popular meme cryptocurrency, hit a new all-time high on Jan. 28 following a meteoric 1,100% gain. Heres a breakdown of every time dogecoin has shot for the moon. Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency that was created by Australian entrepreneur Jackson Palmer and software engineer Billy Markus back in 2013. It was meant to be a mockery of the new alternative coins, or altcoins, that were flooding the space at the time. The infamous Shibu Inu doge the project is centered around was taken from a viral internet meme that was particularly popular with early crypto adopters. Dogecoin has a history of experiencing wild price movements that are mainly driven by its popularity as a funny dog-themed cryptocurrency. In the past, TikTok challenges and major celebrity endorsements have contributed to its rise in price, and other times the cryptocurrency surges for no reason at all. 1. 2017 crypto boom Related: 'A Good Thing': Elon Musk Says He's a Supporter of Bitcoin Dogecoins first major pump started around March 10, 2017, as a significant rise in retail investment started to pour into the crypto market for the first time, lifting all alternative coins, or altcoins. Over 70 days, the joke cryptocurrency rose by more than 1,890% from $0.00021 to a peak of $0.0042 on May 21. This shattered the previous all-time high of $0.0021 and sent the market cap soaring over $423 million. Shortly after, dogecoin slumped 75% during a two-week market pullback that affected all cryptocurrencies. 2. Bitcoin breaks $19,783, lifts dogecoin By November of 2017, significant buying momentum had returned to the crypto market, with huge trading volumes driving bitcoin to a height of $19,783. The global crypto market capitalization reached a staggering $830 billion and sent smaller-cap projects like dogecoin parabolic. On Jan. 7, 2018, dogecoin broke over $0.02 380% higher than its previous high. Its market capitalization at this stage was $1.6 billion. However, this was very short-lived and within eight days the price unraveled over 70% back down to $0.0047. Story continues 3. Crypto markets rebound On April 14, 2018, just before the entire market entered crypto winter and crashed to former lows, a vast majority of crypto projects staged a brief recovery. In three days, dogecoin rose 103% from $0.0020 to $0.0041. For comparison, bitcoin only managed to secure a 40% rise within the same month. Related: Crypto Long & Short: GameStop, Dogecoin and a New Market Paradigm By this time, dogecoins market capitalization had been cut by more than half from its all-time high down to $573 million. 4. Ethereum/Dogecoin bridge test The first major dogecoin rally that was largely uncorrelated to the rest of the crypto market was in September 2018 when a system test of the Dogecoin/Ethereum bridge was completed. The bridge was supposed to be a new update that would allow interoperability between the two blockchains. The announcement reignited community support for the project and dogecoins price rose 173% in 48 hours. It later transpired, however, that due to a crash in the price of ether the main cryptocurrency of the Ethereum project there was insufficient funding to continue developing the bridge and the update was put on hold. Since then, there has been no mention of whether this bridge between Dogecoin and Ethereum will ever be continued. 5. WallStreetBets mania, Elon Musk tweet On Jan. 11, 2021, the traditional financial markets were heavily disrupted by a subreddit group called the WallStreetBets (aka WSB). These amateur stock traders decided to unite against traditional financial institutions and pump a number of stocks that major hedge funds were betting on falling in value, such as GameStop, BlackBerry, AMC, Nokia and Bed Bath & Beyond. On Jan. 28, the WSB stock market mania spilled across to dogecoin and catalyzed the biggest crypto rally of the year so far. In less than two days, dogecoin skyrocketed to a new all-time high of $0.087 on the Binance exchange representing a 1,100% gain. The rally was fueled in part by a number of tweets, including one from Elon Musk, the worlds richest man and avid dogecoin fan. Netflixs Tiger King celebrity, Carole Baskin, also tweeted a video voicing her support for the dog-themed cryptocurrency. Related Stories LA JOLLA--(January 29, 2021) As we endure a global viral pandemic, our appreciation for health and immunity has never been greater. Now, thanks to a generous gift from the NOMIS Foundation, Salk's NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis will receive $9.5 million to grow and expand, while continuing to be a leader in health and immunity research. Protection against viruses and other pathogens relies on a properly functioning immune system, as well as the ability of our tissues to maintain healthy states in the face of infection. However, dysregulated or chronic inflammation underlies tissue damage, as seen in severe COVID-19 cases and other immune-mediated diseases like autoimmunity, cancer, neurodegeneration, and diabetes. Inflammation is also a critical accelerator of aging. "Virtually every organ in our body is naturally infiltrated by immune cells, so there is a tremendous need to understand how the immune cells 'talk to' the other cells in these organs and promote tissue health or, conversely, disease," says Professor Susan Kaech, director of Salk's NOMIS Center. "NOMIS Center investigators are innovating new solutions for surviving infectious disease and developing long-term immunity, combating cancer with our immune system, and treating autoimmunity. This new funding by the NOMIS Foundation will allow us to train young scientists and recruit new faculty working at the frontiers of health and inflammation." The NOMIS Center takes prides in training the next generation of scientific leaders. The prestigious NOMIS Center Postdoctoral Fellowship Program has supported the careers of many talented postdocs over the last decade, and $5 million of the new funding will endow the program indefinitely while funding three postdoctoral fellows annually to work on health and immunity research. The award will also support the recruitment of two new cross-disciplinary faculty members, an assistant professor and a Salk Fellow, to the NOMIS Center team to explore untapped areas of immunity and health. Salk President and Professor Rusty Gage adds, "We are grateful to the NOMIS Foundation for their generous gift, which will have a lasting impact in supporting--and recruiting new talent to--Salk's NOMIS Center. One of the next frontiers in science is to better understand how immunology and inflammation interact with other biological processes, and this new support will help Salk lead the charge." Jonas Salk, the founder of the Salk Institute, dedicated his life to improving human health and immunity through vaccination, like the polio vaccine that he created and was declared safe and protective in 1955. Salk had the vision to bring together pioneering scientists working in diverse areas that cut across fields to collaboratively discover new frontiers of biology. Salk's NOMIS Center was founded in 2008 with funding from the NOMIS Foundation, a Swiss foundation. Research at the Center explores the molecular mechanisms that control tissue health during infection, the link between the microbiome and immune system, the development of long-term immunity, and the inflammatory processes that spin out of control in conditions such as autoimmunity, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease. ### About the Salk Institute for Biological Studies: Every cure has a starting point. The Salk Institute embodies Jonas Salk's mission to dare to make dreams into reality. Its internationally renowned and award-winning scientists explore the very foundations of life, seeking new understandings in neuroscience, genetics, immunology, plant biology and more. The Institute is an independent nonprofit organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature and fearless in the face of any challenge. Be it cancer or Alzheimer's, aging or diabetes, Salk is where cures begin. Learn more at salk.edu. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-28 22:50:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Thursday called on Africa's private sector actors to support the continental ambition in terms of securing adequate COVID-19 vaccine. This came after the AU disclosed 25 million U.S. dollars support from mobile network provider MTN to support the African Union (AU) COVID-19 vaccination program. "In a unique public and private partnership, MTN, Africa's leading mobile network, has announced a donation of 25 million U.S. dollars to support the African Union's COVID-19 vaccination program," the Africa CDC, the AU Commission's specialized healthcare agency, disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday. According to the Africa CDC, the donation "will help secure up to seven million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for health workers across the continent, which will contribute to the vaccination initiative of the Africa CDC." "The devastating impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented and profound. Public and private partnerships are needed if we are to succeed in the fight against the pandemic and restore social and economic norms for our continent and our communities," an AU statement quoted Ralph Mupita, President and Chief Executive Officer of MTN Group, as saying. On January 14, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is also the current AU Chairperson, announced that the 55-member pan-African bloc had secured a provisional 270 million COVID-19 vaccine doses on behalf of its members, through advance procurement commitment guarantees of up to 2 billion U.S. dollars to the manufacturers by the African Export-Import Bank. According to the Africa CDC, the securing the provisional 270 million COVID-19 vaccine doses "was a remarkable milestone in efforts to ensure equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine for Africa's people." "However, with a population of about 1.3 billion, Africa requires many more doses to achieve at least 60 percent herd immunity," the Africa CDC said, adding that contributions by private organisations, like MTN, are therefore essential to help the continent reach its target." "Our goal is to ensure that all those who need the COVID-19 vaccine have access to it very quickly, but the biggest hurdle in Africa has been financing of the vaccines, and the logistics of vaccinating at scale," said John Nkengasong, Director of Africa CDC. "We, therefore, welcome the right partnerships, like the one with MTN, to achieve our minimum 60 percent vaccination target," the Africa CDC chief added. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the African continent reached 3,494,117 as of Thursday morning, as the death toll related to the pandemic in Africa stood at 87,937, according to the latest figures from the Africa CDC. Enditem President on Friday lauded the Central government for its "timely decision", during the onging Covid-19 pandemic, "that saved the lives of lakhs of citizens" and pointed out that the number of new coronavirus cases was going down rapidly in the country. President Kovind, in his address to a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament, paid tribute to those who succumbed due to the virus. "Joint sitting of Parliament amid Corona pandemic is essential. It's a new year, a new decade and we are also entering into the 75th year of independence. Today all MPs are present here with message and trust that however tough be the challenge neither we nor India will stop. In this fight against the pandemic, we lost many citizens. Former President Pranab Mukherjee passed away in this Corona period. Six MPs left us untimely due to Covid-19. I pay my tribute to all of them," he said. "I am satisfied that the timely decision taken by my government saved the lives of lakhs of citizens. Today the number of new Covid-19 cases is going down rapidly. The number of recoveries is very high," he added. Commenting upon the vaccination drive against Covid-19 which started on January 26, President Kovind said, "It is a matter of pride that India is running the biggest vaccination programme in the world. Both vaccines of this programme are made in India. In this crisis, India shouldered its responsibility towards mankind and provided lakhs of doses of vaccines to several nations." "We have seen huge benefits of the work done by my government in the last 6 years in the health sector during this corona crisis," President said that the facilities of Ayushman Bharat Yojana can be availed in any of the 24,000 hospitals across the nation. "The poor are getting medicines at very low costs at 7000 centres across the country, under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana," he added. The first part of the ongoing budget session will continue till February 15. The second part of the session will be held from March 8 to April 8. Rajya Sabha will function from 9 am to 2 pm and Lok Sabha from 4 pm to 9 pm with Zero Hour and Question Hour. 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 Yiwu, China's small commodities trade hub in eastern Zhejiang Province, will launch more than 1,500 Europe-bound freight trains this year, according to a work report of the provincial government. The cargo route linking Yiwu with Europe via Xinjiang in northwest China handled 1,399 China-Europe freight trains in 2020, soaring by 165 percent year on year, said the report reviewed at the ongoing annual session of the provincial legislature. As a major foreign trade engine in China, Zhejiang saw its exports grow by 9.1 percent, year on year, to nearly 2.52 trillion yuan (about 388.5 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020. It accounted for 14 percent of the country's total export volume. Initiated in 2011, the China-Europe rail transport service is considered a significant part of the Belt and Road Initiative to boost trade between China and countries participating in the program. As the COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected sea and air transport capacity, the China-Europe freight train service played a significant role in stabilizing international railway logistics. It ensured the smooth transportation of goods including epidemic control materials, given its all-weather, stable, and regular features. New South Wales residents no longer have to wear masks in supermarkets from Friday as coronavirus restrictions are relaxed. The state has enjoyed 12 days without a local case of coronavirus, allowing Premier Gladys Berejiklian to pare back the rules imposed on Greater Sydney when a cluster emerged on the Northern Beaches on December 16. Masks are now optional except on public transport, at places of worship and in hairdressers, beauticians and gaming rooms where they are compulsory. Masks are now optional in shops but must be worn on public transport, at places of worship and in hairdressers, beauticians and gaming rooms where they are compulsory Up to 300 people can attend weddings from Friday as NSW relaxes coronavirus rules Previously only five visitors were allowed to a home but now up to 30 visitors can gather and up to 50 people can meet outside. Weddings and funerals will be allowed 300 people, up from 100, as long as they abide by the four square metre rule. However, dancing is still banned except for 20 people nominated by the bride. Hospitality venues must stick to hosting one person per four square metres - but the cap is due to double to one person per two square metres in two weeks' time. Most states and territories have relaxed border restrictions with New South Wales to allow travellers to enter, with some testing requirements in place. Western Australia still requires arrivals to isolate for 14 days, while the Northern Territory and Tasmania are still banning residents from 10 LGAs in western Sydney. On Friday New South Wales had three Covid-19 cases acquired overseas, bringing the total number since the beginning of the pandemic to 4,910. There were 11,897 tests reported to 8pm on Thursday, compared with the previous day's total of 7,809. Speaking on Friday morning, Premier Berejiklian said she was still concerned that transmission was not being detected due to low testing rates. Up to 300 people can attend funerals from Friday as NSW relaxes coronavirus rules On Friday New South Wales had three Covid-19 cases acquired overseas, bringing the total number since the beginning of the pandemic to 4,910 'The reason why we have eased some restrictions but not all of them today in Greater Sydney is because we want to be confident we have not missed any chains of transmission that have bubbled along in the community,' she said. 'Every day of the pandemic worries me but we are in a very good position and I am grateful that the community has taken the advice provided either government the health experts. 'We base everything on the signs of the data and I am so grateful that our community continues to work together not only keep the virus that baby to keep the economy going, to keep jobs going.' Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 29 : Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader, Ramesh Chennithala, has said the Chief Minister's post will be decided by the party only after the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. Chennithala said he does not have any issues even if he is not considered for any post and added that he is a disciplined foot soldier of the party and his only aim is to bring the party and the United Democratic Front (UDF) back to power in the state. He spoke exclusively to IANS on the eve of his "Aishwarya Kerala Yatra" which he will be taking out from Kasargod in the northern part of the state to the capital Thiruvananthapuram which will conclude on February 26 after covering 140 Assembly constituencies of the state. Excerpts: Q: There are reports that after former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was reinstated as the Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the Congress Election Committee there are chances of his becoming the Chief Minister if the Congress and the UDF come to power. Your comments on this? A: Congress does not decide on the Chief Minister's post before the election results are announced and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has made it clear that he is the Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the Congress for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. I am a disciplined foot soldier of the Congress party. My only aim is to bring the party back to power in the state and I am not bothered even if I am not considered for any post. Q: Kerala government has referred the Solar sex scandal case to the CBI in which a woman had lodged a complaint against former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and other Congress leaders. Is this political vendetta? A: This is nothing other than political vendetta. This case was investigated by the Vigilance department of the Kerala police and three Director Generals of Police (DGPs) had investigated this case and had not found any evidence against Oomen Chandy or other Congress leaders. Communist Party Of India (Marxist) is indulging in political vendetta and is using the central agency to settle scores with the opposition leaders. How come the CPM which has been crying foul over the CBI investigating several other cases against their own leaders have referred this case to the same investigating agency. This shows the CPM's mindset of vengeance against political opponents. Q: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has clarified that there is no political vendetta and it was the aggrieved woman petitioning the government for a CBI inquiry? A: This is the 'joke of the year'. The current Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had a full five years to conduct the investigation, however, they did conduct it and did not find an iota of evidence. This government never conducted a CBI investigation when two minor sisters committed suicide after they were raped in Walayar. Two Youth Congress workers Kripesh and Sarath Lal were butchered by the CPM men and this government went to appeal even in the Supreme court spending crores of rupees on prominent lawyers against the Kerala High Court ordering a CBI inquiry in the case. No one will believe the statement of Pinarayi Vijayan that he had referred this case to the CBI only because of the petition from the affected woman. This is political vendetta at its peak. Q: You are taking out a yatra from Kasargod in the northern part of the state to Thiruvananthapuram from January 31 to February 26 covering all the 140 Assembly constituencies. What are the major planks of your yatra? A: I am taking out the "Aishwarya Kerala Yatra" to connect with the people of the state and to explain to them about the misrule and corruption that took place in the state for the past five years under the CPM government of Pinarayi Vijayan. We are all for a transparent and people-friendly government and will explain to the people about our priorities of development. We want the people of the state to live in communal harmony and peace and prevent political killings, violence and lock-up murders. So our aim is for a prosperous Kerala and is titled "Aishwarya Kerala Yatra" for a prosperous Kerala. Q: The CPM State Secretary A. Vijayaraghavan has in a press conference on Tuesday said that your visit to meet the Muslim League State President was to bring communal elements into the mainstream; your comments on this? A: Vijayaraghavan is turning highly communal. Muslim League is the second largest constituent in the UDF after the Kerala Congress, and I and Oommen Chandy meeting the State President of the Muslim League at his residence is a natural phenomenon. People of Kerala know what Muslim League stands for and Vijayaraghavan and CPM are now fanning Hindu communalism and this is the language of the Hindu fanatics. The CPM is now entering into a political alliance in Tamil Nadu with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Muslim League so how can he speak like this. The CPM is a political party which thrives on such blatant lies and doublespeak. Q: Will Congress spring some surprises in the list of candidates in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections? A: We have not entered into seat sharing discussions and there are broader inputs and studies on the probable candidates to be fielded in each Assembly constituencies. I can tell you that we will have several new faces and winnability is the only criteria as far as the Congress is concerned. Our leader Rahul Gandhi has already told this to the party state office bearers. Q: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has been given the responsibility to prepare the Congress election manifesto. This is for the first time that he has been given such a responsibility by the Kerala state Congress. Will he be projected as the next Chief Minister? A: Shashi Tharoor is a senior leader of the Congress and is a three-time Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency. The party is using his expertise and exposure in various fields to prepare the election manifesto. He will be travelling across the state to meet people and finalise an election manifesto based on the feedback from students, youths, professionals, women and all sections of the society. As far as the Chief Minister's post is concerned, Congress is a party which decides on the Chief Minister only after the election results and the party high command will finalise the name after taking feedback from elected legislators. Q: Rahul Gandhi is a Member of Parliament from Wayanad in Kerala. Will he be actively involved in electioneering in the state? A: Of course, both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi will be actively participating in the campaigning for the Assembly elections. We will be focusing on the 'Nyay' proposal put forward by Rahul Gandhi to benefit the poorest of the poor s and our campaign will revolve around that. Our leader Rahul Gandhi will be participating in my Kerala yatra and address people in the concluding session. The presence of both these leaders will give a major boost to the electioneering of the Congress in the state. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 85F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will become overcast later during the night. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low near 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. The CDC has outlined recommendations for the allocation of the coronavirus vaccine. In the plan, smokers are vaccinated at the same time as those with heart conditions, cancer and obesity. That means smokers may get vaccinated in the state before those with asthma, Cystic fibrosis, liver disease and high blood pressure. North Alabama resident, Jean Malcolm, was once a smoker. She believes those with severe health conditions, like asthma, should receive the coronavirus vaccine before those who smoke. If you start coughing while youre smoking, get rid of it, said Malcolm. According to Huntsville Hospital Lung Center's Dr. Jason Smith, there is not enough research to support that those with asthma or liver disease are at a greater risk if they get the virus. The CDC says there may be a greater risk, but there is not enough research done to support that. Dr. Smith also said people dont realize that smokers may be carrying the virus. Picking up the motion of a cigarette, hands to face, its a lot more than the normal population, Dr. Smith said. When youre sitting next to a smoker who has the coronavirus, you may inhale the virus. Smith said there is research that shows smokers are proven to be at a higher risk of illness than someone with asthma. You also have to think of the inhalation itself," said Dr. Smith. In case theyre sitting next to someone with COVID, they take in a deep inhale and exhale, theyre going to be more susceptible. Controversy sparked when New Jersey state officials announced they would start distributing the vaccine to smokers before teachers and public transit workers. New Jersey has two million smokers in the state. Dr. Smith said the states are getting caught up on the language the CDC used in its resources. Alabama plans to vaccinate smokers in Phase 1C. On the Alabama Department of Public Health's website, it lists smoking as a high-risk medical condition, along with: cancer; chronic kidney disease; COPD; heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies; immunocompromised state; solid organ transplant; obesity BMI >30 kg/m2; sickle cell disease; and type 2 diabetes. Chinese military aircraft simulated missile attacks on a nearby US aircraft carrier during an incursion into Taiwans air defence zone three days after Joe Bidens inauguration, according to intelligence from the US and its allies. The Peoples Liberation Army sent 11 aircraft into the south-western corner of Taiwans air defence zone on January 23, and 15 aircraft into the same area the next day, according to Taiwans defence ministry. People familiar with intelligence collected by the US and its allies said the bombers and some of the fighter aircraft involved were conducting an exercise that used a group of US Navy vessels led by the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in the same area as a simulated target. Pilots of H-6 bombers could be heard in cockpit conversations confirming orders for the simulated targeting and release of anti-ship missiles against the carrier, the people said. The revelations highlight that the intense military competition between the two superpowers around Taiwan and the South China Sea has not eased, posing a challenge to any attempts the Biden administration might make to improve its relationship with Beijing. Chinas development of missiles capable of targeting US ships and aircraft in the region has helped counter Americas military dominance in Asia and the western Pacific. Although Chinese experts have said that Beijing remains unwilling to risk open conflict with the US, the PLAs new muscle is forcing the US to adjust its posture and strategy in Asia. The area where Taipei reported the incursions last weekend is located between Pratas, a Taiwan-held atoll in the northern part of the South China Sea, and Taiwan proper, where the Taiwan Strait meets the Bashi Channel, a main passageway between the western Pacific and the South China Sea. The Su-30 [fighters] can carry Kh-31 anti-ship missiles, and the H-6 bombers and J-16 fighters can both carry YJ anti-ship missiles, said Su Tzu-yun, an analyst at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, a think-tank backed by Taiwans defence ministry. All three aircraft are clearly a display of threat against surface ships. The US Indo-Pacific Command said on January 23 that the US carrier strike group had sailed into the South China Sea that day. According to ship-tracking data, it passed through the Bashi Channel. The Chinese aerial manoeuvres sparked a strong response from the new US administration, which warned Beijing to stop intimidating Taiwan. We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure against Taiwan, the US state department said, before adding that China should remember that Washingtons relationship with Taipei was rock solid. Mr Biden sent another message to China reaffirming the US commitment to help Japan defend the Senkaku Islands, which are administered by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing, which calls them the Diaoyu. China experts in Washington expect that Mr Biden will adopt a less chaotic approach than former president Donald Trump in setting policy. In an early sign that relations between Washington and Beijing would remain tense over Taiwan and a range of other issues, Antony Blinken, the new US secretary of state, this week said he agreed with the Trump administration, which had said the Chinese governments repression of Uighur Muslims in detention camps in Xinjiang province was genocide. In his confirmation hearing last week, Mr Blinken said that while he disagreed with how Mr Trump had implemented his policies towards China, he was right in taking a tougher approach. According to an announcement by Chinas Maritime Safety Administration, the PLA is conducting another exercise in the South China Sea, which is due to wrap up on Saturday. Taiwans defence ministry has reported larger than average Chinese air incursions into its air defence zone since that latest exercise started on Wednesday. Financial Times A 2017 video that recently resurfaced shows newly elected Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene suggesting the Las Vegas shooting was orchestrated by Democrats in a bid to attack the Second Amendment - as calls for her to be expelled from Congress continue to grow. 'Hey, friends. I've got a question for you. How do you get avid gun owners and people that support the Second Amendment to give up their guns and go along with anti-gun legislation?' Greene said in the disturbing video. 'Are they trying to terrorize our mindset and change our minds on the Second Amendment?' The conservative theorist added: 'I don't believe Stephen Paddock was a lone wolf. I don't believe that he pulled this off all by himself, and I know most of you don't, either.' She was referring to the Las Vegas massacre in which Paddock opened fire into a crowd of approximately 22,000 concertgoers attending a country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip in 2017. He killed 58 people before committing suicide. Scroll down for video A 2017 video that recently resurfaced shows newly elected Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene suggesting the Las Vegas shooting was orchestrated by Democrats in a bid to attack the Second Amendment In 2019, Greene accused the FBI of lying to the public about the shooting, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. However, she has since appeared to distance herself from that conspiracy theory, saying she's 'satisfied with the results of the investigation, and that they did not show a second shooter, accomplice, or even a motive'. Meanwhile, two journalists were kicked out of a public town hall event and threatened with arrest for trying to ask Greene a question. Greene has come under heavy criticism for supporting social media posts that advocated violence against Democratic officials. The journalists from WRCB-TV were invited to attend the Wednesday event in Dalton, Georgia, and were given credentials for it, Callie Starnes, WRCB-TV's news director, told the Associated Press. A total of 58 people were killed while attending a country music festival (a scene from the shooting) on the Las Vegas Strip in 2017 'I don't believe Stephen Paddock (pictured) was a lone wolf. I don't believe that he pulled this off all by himself, and I know most of you don't, either,' Greene said in the video 'Once we arrived we were told we were not allowed to speak to guests or the congresswoman,' the reporter, Meredith Aldis, said on the station's broadcast Wednesday night. In a video posted online by the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based news station, the reporter can be heard starting to ask Greene a question when the congresswoman stops her and says: 'I'm talking to my constituents.' A staffer from Greene's office then approaches the reporter and tells her to leave, before he calls over a sheriff's deputy. The deputy accuses the reporter of 'criminally trespassing' and says: 'If you don't leave you're going to go to jail.' Starnes said Aldis was asking Greene about her social media posts and calls for her to be expelled from Congress because of them. The Whitfield County Sheriff's Office declined to comment and directed questions to Greene's office. Nick Dyer, a spokesman for Greene, said in an email: 'This was a town hall for constituents. Not a press conference. Every attendee (besides media) was allowed to ask a question and Congresswoman Greene answered every question.' On Thursday, US Rep Ted Deutch signed on to a move to that would see Greene expelled from the House of Representatives. Deutch pointed to her 'really disgusting' comments as to why she shouldn't be in the House of Representatives. Greene, who was sworn in to office earlier this month, represents northwest Georgia's 14th Congressional District. Throughout her campaign last year, she sought to tightly control news media coverage, often not allowing certain news organizations to attend events and giving interviews only sparingly. A die-hard supporter of former president Donald Trump, Greene has a long history of incendiary social media posts - including ones in which she expressed racist views and support for QAnon conspiracy theories, which focus on the debunked belief that top Democrats are involved in child sex trafficking, Satan worship and cannibalism. A die-hard Trump supporter, Greene (pictured) has a long history of incendiary social media posts - including ones in which she expressed racist views and support for QAnon conspiracy theories Most of her pronouncements were reported publicly before she won her Republican primary in August and the general election in November. Greene has also spread false claims about the integrity of November's presidential election - repeating Trump's baseless allegations of fraud - and railed against public health requirements implemented to slow the spread of the coronavirus. And in social media posts reported by Media Matters for America, a liberal watchdog group, Greene pushed conspiracy theories or 'liked' posts that challenged the veracity of mass shootings at schools in Newtown, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida. A report from CNN published earlier this week surfaced social media activity where Greene showed support for Facebook posts that advocated violence against Democrats and the FBI, including posts that called for the death of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obama. Greene tweeted a response, saying: 'Many posts have been liked. Many posts have been shared. Some did not represent my views.' That's led to another round of strong condemnation from Democrats and even some fellow Republicans. Pelosi excoriated House Republican leaders Thursday for appointing Greene to the chamber's education committee, saying that Greene had 'mocked the killing of little children,' a reference to the shooting at a Newtown elementary school. A spokesman for House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said in a statement to Axios that the posts were 'deeply disturbing' and said McCarthy would 'have a conversation' with Greene about them. 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. Farmers Protest News 2 60000 /, , -9 - () , , , , - Farmers Protest at Tikri & Gazipur Border: , , 26 26 ? () , , , , 2 - 60,000 Rakesh Tikait: , , , - , () - - , 26 - Coronavirus: , - - -, , , Press Briefing at IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer 2020 Singapore SINGAPORE, Jan. 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Several leading international lung cancer researchers at a press today presented compelling new data revealing that factors of race, gender, sexual orientation and income continue to be significant barriers to those living with lung cancer. The press briefing is part of the IASLC's World Conference on Lung Cancer 2020 Singapore. ) The press briefing was moderated by IASLC Communications Committee Chair Dr. Anne-Marie Baird, senior research fellow at Trinity College in Dublin and president of Lung Cancer Europe (LuCE), a nonprofit that aims to provide a voice for people impacted by lung cancer in Europe. Patient Research Advocate Jill Feldman, co-founder of the patient advocacy group, The EGFR Resisters, will contribute insights from the advocacy community's perspective. Earlier this year, Ms. Feldman co-authored an article for IASLC Lung Cancer News , in which it was noted that, "[c]ontemporaneously, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the already existing health inequities in underserved populations [in the United States]. It is well documented that Black patients, Indigenous People, patients of Pacific island descent, and Hispanic patients are 3.7 times, 3.5 times, 3.1 times, and 2.8 times, respectively, more like to succumb to COVID-19, than White patients.(1) These disparities cannot be explained by differences in income alone.(2) It is, therefore, very likely that the pandemic will only exacerbate lung cancer health care delivery gaps in these already disenfranchised communities." Among Patients with Lung Cancer, Gender Disparities Exist in Virtually Every Country Dr. Yanting Zhang, of the Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology at the School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, examined geographic patterns and temporal trends in lung cancer incidence from 1978 to 2012 for 43 countries across five continents (Abstract 3090). "We sought to evaluate the effects of a birth cohort and period of time on temporal trends to better identify populations at increased risk of lung cancer and to provide clues for understanding the causal factors underlying the changing trends," he said. Sex disparities were noted in almost all countries, with the male-to-female rate ratios exceeding 5.0 in five countries (Belarus, Turkey, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Estonia) and ranging from 2.0 to 5.0 in 22 countries for rates of incidence of lung cancer. During 1978-2012, 19 countries showed significantly favorable trends among men, with the largest decline in incidence rates occurring in Bahrain (AAPC = -6.9 %), while 26 countries showed significantly unfavorable trends among women, with AAPCs ranging from 0.9% to 5.2 %. "The disparity in both incidence rates and trends of a birth-cohort effect between the sexes may reflect sex differences in underlying risk factors and pathogenesis. Further etiologic research will be required to identify reasons for the elevated incidence of lung cancer among [women]," Dr. Zhang reported. Gender and Never-Smokers Study from Women's Health Initiative The stigma of lung cancer is strong and pervasive, and one that the lung cancer community has worked hard to counter. Research presented today by Dr. Sitapriya Moorthi from Dr. Alice Berger's lab at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle showed that if those never-smokers with lung cancer were considered as having a separate disease, it would be the seventh largest category of cancer deaths (Featured Poster, FP12.12). Currently, 24% of lung cancer cases in women and 17% of lung cancer cases in men are in individuals who have never smoked, the majority of which are adenocarcinomas. Lung cancer cases in never-smokers are more common among women and are three- to four-fold more common among Asian women, Dr. Moorthi stated. "Despite this, the majority of tumor genome-wide sequencing efforts in lung cancer have been focused on patient cohorts with a smoking history," she said. Through a unique collaboration with the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) and Dr. Garnet Anderson, Dr. Moorthi performed exome-sequencing on this cohort and describes here novel mutations, structural variants and copy number alterations in this cohort. "Mutational analysis of our lung cancer never smokers cohort revealed that, in general, LCNS have a lower tumor mutational burden compared to their control cohort with a history of smoking. Additionally, we find that this cohort has mutations that have been previously reported in studies in never-smoker patients with lung cancer. However, the existence of novel mutations and structural alterations may offer a unique opportunity for future target identification and therapeutic intervention," she reported. The LGBTQ+ Community and Lung Cancer Disparities Research presented at the World Conference by Dr. Yannan Li, of the Department of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, reported potential worse cancer survival outcomes in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBTQ), and queer population. Previous studies have shown the LGBT population have increased smoking prevalence, predisposing this group to higher cancer risks, especially for lung cancer, along with worse survival. Dr. Li and her research colleagues conducted a cross-sectional study using the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey data (Poster P09.19). They used a weighted estimation method for the cancer survivorship model using data from seven states regarding demographics, health risks, health care access, and cancer survival outcomes. Of the 44,348 sample participants in the study, 1,439 self-identified as LGBT. In terms of healthcare access, 33.5% of transgender individuals did not have healthcare insurance coverage vs. 3.4% of those who identified as gay/lesbian (p < 0.0001). Meanwhile, 35% of people identifying as bisexual reported having two or more types of cancer vs.4.3% for the gay/lesbian group (p < 0.0001). Dr. Li urged future policymakers to focus on expanding healthcare insurance coverage, promoting physical and mental wellbeing regarding cancer status, re-evaluating cancer pain management approaches, and improving programs for tobacco and alcohol control, to adapt to the needs of the LGBT population. Another study, also using the 2018 BRFSS survey data, focused on people aged 55 to 79 years who identified as LGBT and examined lung cancer screening access. There are no previous data on lung cancer screening in the LGBT population, according to Dr. Hui Xie, of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Zilber School of Public Health, Milwaukee (Abstract 3133). With higher smoking rates and other outstanding risk factors in this population, Dr. Xie and colleagues examined the social determinants regarding receipt of lung cancer screening and explored potential solutions to eliminate health disparities in lung cancer Dr. Xie's team identified a total of 14.37% of U.S. individuals aged 55 to 79 years old who had no personal history of lung cancer and who were eligible for lung cancer screening. Among this group, approximately 22.85% underwent screening in the past 12 months. Respondents who were assigned males at birth, or gay/lesbians (OR: 5.30; 95% CI: 1.32-21.36; p = 0.019), in fair/poor general health (OR: 4.16; 95% CI: 1.41-12.26; p = 0.010), and had no medical cost burden (OR: 9.37; 95% CI: 2.26-38.83; p = 0.002) were significantly associated with greater odds of receiving lung cancer screening. However, those who identified as bisexual (OR: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.20-0.96; p = 0.045) and heavy drinkers (OR: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.02-0.75; p = 0.023) were associated with decreased odds of receiving screening. Respondents who were assigned female at birth, in fair/poor general health (OR: 4.26; 95% CI: 1.15-15.73; p = 0.030) and had no medical cost burden (OR: 17.00; 95% CI: 2.44-118.23; p = 0.004) were significantly associated with greater odds of receiving screening. "Our findings point to the potential sex-related and sexual-identity disparities regarding use of lung cancer screening among U.S. respondents aged between 55 and 79 years old, using BRFSS data from 2018," Dr. Xie said. She recommends targeted educational programs are needed to address the economic burden and increase awareness for the uptake of lung cancer screening among bisexual populations, especially among those who were assigned male at birth. New Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines May Not Improve Disparities Public health screening for lung cancer should aim to reduce disparities in mortality rates between racial and ethnic groups. However, proposed United States Preventive Services Task Force. The draft USPSTF 2020 recommends annual lung cancer screening for individuals aged 50 to 80 who currently smoke or quit in the last 15 years, and who have a smoking history equivalent to at least one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years or more. This expanded the age range and smoking history requirement compared to the current (2013) USPSTF recommendations, to "partially ameliorate racial disparities in screening eligibility". Neither set of recommendations considered the higher risk of lung cancer and younger ages at diagnosis among African Americans, despite smoking less than whites. Dr. Landy and colleagues found that draft USPSTF 2020 guidelines increase eligibility for all races/ethnicities by similar levels, which calculates the gain in life expectancy for an individual if they undergo screening. They showed that augmenting USPSTF criteria to include these high benefit people selected significantly more African-Americans than whites (22% vs 9%), and thus could reduce or even eliminate disparities between whites and African Americans. This study highlighted the importance of developing eligibility criteria that identify individuals who benefit most from screening, regardless of race/ethnicity. Using prediction models such as the LYFS-CT models could reduce racial/ethnic disparities in screening eligibility. Progress Before COVID-19 Dr. Brendon Stiles, of Weill Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York City, reported that that short-term mortality and hospital readmission decreased in the years between 2004 and 2014, and that short-term survival improved in low-income patients. In addition to later year of diagnosis, treatment at academic centers, surgical treatment, and having private insurance each seem to improve outcomes in economically disadvantaged patients (Poster P08.04). Dr. Stiles and his co-researchers identified 242,757 patients from the National Cancer Database that featured the following demographic breakdown: 47,437 patients (49.7% female) were in the lowest income quartile, with a median age of 69 years Approximately 23% of patients were Black 65% were from metropolitan areas Most patients were clinical stage I (75%), with adenocarcinoma (43%) the most common histology "Patients with the lowest income may be slower to seek treatment, are more likely to be undertreated, and have historically had worse survival for early-stage NSCLC," Dr.Stiles reported. "We sought to determine whether early-stage NSCLC outcomes have improved over time in low-income patients, and I can report that progress has been made." Stiles also reported that treatment at academic centers, surgical treatment, and having private insurance each seem to improve outcomes in economically disadvantaged patients. About the IASLC: The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancerfor more information. About the WCLC: The WCLC is the world's largest meeting dedicated to lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, attracting more than 7,000 researchers, physicians and specialists from more than 100 countries. The goal is to increase awareness, collaboration and understanding of lung cancer, and to help participants implement the latest developments across the globe. The conference will cover a wide range of disciplines and unveil several research studies and clinical trial results. For more information, visit wclc2020.iaslc.org. Chris Martin CMartin@DavidJamesGroup.com| 630-670-2745 Dallas school district to name school after megachurch pastor Frederick Douglass Haynes III Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A new secondary school set to open in the fall of 2021 on the campus of Paul Quinn College, a private, faith-based, historically black liberal arts-inspired institution, will be named after the Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, senior pastor of the 12,000-member Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. Officials from the Dallas Independent School District made the announcement Wednesday. It is a great day in Dallas ISD, Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said during a press conference. We are currently recruiting students to come to southern Dallas to be part of this magic at Paul Quinn, an HBCU. The school will be the district's first such partnership on the campus of a historically black college or university and will serve grades 6-12. Students will also be taught the international baccalaureate program, which offers a continuum of international education and encourages both personal and academic achievement. "Educational inequity leads to poverty and poverty leads to violence. What you're witnessing today is the school board addressing the inequities in southern Dallas," Dallas ISD Trustee Maxie Johnson said during the announcement. "Our kids that thought they couldn't go to college will be able to earn up to 40 credit hours and transition right into Paul Quinn College or a college of their choice. When you look at the work of Pastor Haynes and all that he is doing not just in the city of Dallas but the nation, he is deserving of this honor. As a young pastor in this city, I am honored and elated to be able to speak with our community and work with our constituents and have full agreement that Pastor Haynes name be placed on the international baccalaureate school at the HBCU. This has never been done in the city of Dallas so Im excited that I was able to be a part of this great moment, he added. Haynes, 60, is a longtime leader in the Dallas community and member of the board of trustees at Paul Quinn College. In addition to his work with private and public sector stakeholders to reduce domestic violence and poverty, he has also used donations from Friendship-West to fund historically black colleges and universities with over $1 million. More than $2 million worth of scholarships have also been given to HBCU students. "This means so much to me because I am a graduate of Bishop College, which was on this campus until 1988," Haynes said following the announcement. "What I have accomplished in life has everything to do with great teachers. Nelson Mandela was right when he said, 'Education is the great equalizer,' and Frederick Douglass was right when he said, 'Knowledge unfits one for enslavement.' Paul Quinn College has experienced a revival and ushered in a renaissance of HBCU education. I thank God that DISD has partnered with this HBCU and I pray for continued renaissance of education here on the Southside of Dallas." Haynes, who has received numerous awards and honors for his ministry and activism, was named by Ebony Magazine in 2012 among their Power 100 list of most influential African Americans. He was also inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame. Bishops Bashed by Rogue Catholic Paper NEWS PROVIDED BY Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights Jan. 29, 2021 NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on an attack on the U.S. Bishops: The National Catholic Reporter has been a fraud since its inception in 1964. Shortly thereafter, local Ordinary, Bishop Charles Helmsing of Kansas City-St. Joseph, ordered it to stop identifying itself as Catholic. It has been insubordinate ever since. Now, pleased to have a pro-abortion president in the White House who identifies as a Catholic, it is waging war against the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), singling out its president, Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez, for special rebuke. For the Reporter, the bishops were too kind to President Trump (who did more to advance religious liberty than any president in American history), and they are too critical of President Biden. The National Catholic Reporter is now asking Pope Francis to investigate the USCCB. What it really wants is to silence Archbishop Gomez. The Catholic League stands proudly with Archbishop Gomez and all his fellow bishops at the USCCB. They are not being hoodwinked by the White House occupant who wears his "devoutness" on his sleeve while thumbing his nose at the pope and the bishops. As for the Reporter, it bears as much resemblance to Catholicism as the Mafia does. Contact Heidi Schlumpf, executive editor at the Reporter: hschlumpf@ncronline.org SOURCE Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights CONTACT: 212-371-3191, pr@catholicleague.org Related Links catholicleague.org Share Tweet Members of the World Health Organisation team of researchers prepare to leave on a field trip in Wuhan (Ng Han Guan/AP) A World Health Organisation (WHO) team visited a hospital on Friday where China says the first Covid-19 patients were treated more than a year ago as part of the experts fact-finding mission on the origins of the coronavirus. The WHO team members and Chinese officials earlier had their first in-person meetings at a hotel ahead of field visits in and around the central city of Wuhan in the coming days. First face to face meeting with our colleagues. Correction: facemask to facemask given the medical restrictions, Dutch virologist Marion Koopmans tweeted in the morning. Nice to see our colleagues after lengthy Zoom meetings, she added. First face to face meeting with our colleagues. Correction: facemask to facemask given the medical restrictions. Discussing our visiting program. China teamleader prof Wannian joking about some technical glitches. Nice to see our colleagues after lengthy zoom meetings. Marion Koopmans (@MarionKoopmans) January 29, 2021 The visiting researchers held video meetings during 14 days of quarantine after their arrival in China. They came out of quarantine on Thursday. Members of the team left the hotel by car, and a short time later entered the gates of the Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine. According to Chinas official account of its response to the initial outbreak, Dr Zhang Jixian first reported cases of what was then known as pneumonia of unknown origin at the hospital on December 27 2019. WHO said earlier on Twitter that the team requested detailed underlying data and planned to speak with early responders and some of the first Covid-19 patients. While in quarantine, the team had daily virtual meetings with Chinese scientists, who shared updates on relevant #COVID19 studies done in #China plus other information and experiences. The team made requests for detailed underlying data, among other things. World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) January 28, 2021 It also planned to visit markets such as the Huanan Seafood Market linked to many of the first cases, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and laboratories at facilities such as the Wuhan Centre for Disease Control. All hypotheses are on the table as the team follows the science in their work to understand the origins of the COVID19 virus, WHO tweeted. Confirmation of the origins of the virus is likely to take years. Pinning down an outbreaks animal source typically requires exhaustive research including taking animal samples, genetic analysis and epidemiological studies. The first clusters of Covid-19 were detected in Wuhan in late 2019. China has since reported more than 89,000 cases and 4,600 deaths, with new cases largely concentrated in its north-east, where local lockdowns and travel restrictions were being imposed to contain the outbreaks. New cases of local transmission continue to fall, with just 36 announced on Friday, as far fewer Chinese than usual appear willing to travel for Lunar New Year. Health official: 'I am hopeful for the brighter days ahead' Mike has reported on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem's wildlife, wildlands and the agencies that manage them since 2012. A native Minnesotan, he arrived in the West to study environmental journalism at the University of Colorado. The rising threat posed by Iran in the middle east has the U.S. considering having new forward bases in Saudi Arabia as a precaution. More belligerent actions by Iran are compromising security for U.S. allies there. America is now facing a more capable Iran that is developing missiles it could lob at U.S. allies. Now, they will need bases that will be used for deterrence. Iran is becoming an ominous danger The U.S. Military is considering one Red Seaport located in Saudi Arabia for ships. Another is two extra air force bases in the KSA, with the saber-rattling of Iran getting more noticeable. The report by the Military Times last Tuesday confirmed possible actions in the Middle East. Military planners call the plans contingency planning should these bases be needed anytime soon. Oil pipelines are located in the terminal in the KSA. Tabuk and Taif airbases: Their significance Keeping the Red Sea waterways unhampered is crucial to American allies and American forces to control the region. Airbases at Tabuk and Taif along the Red Sea will be used as launching points for defense or offense against suspected mines and drone boat attacks done by Yemeni Houthi rebels with Iranian support. The U.S. has no free hand because New Bases in Saudi Arabia (KSA), where Mecca the holiest site in Arabia, will draw extremists' anger if the U.S. military is deployed. Also read: Israeli F-35s Still Have the Edge Over Emirati F-35s According to U.S. Navy Capt. Bill Urban from Central Command, the evaluation of the sites is underway for almost a year. One of the reasons for getting these airbases built is the drone and missile attack of 2019 on a Saudi oil refinery. The attack results reduce Saudi oil production for a short time and increase oil prices in Iran. But, Tehran says it was not involved in the drone attack instead said the Houthis to credit for the assault. Closer inspection reveals the drones were Iranian in origin. Urban stated having these contingencies and military planning if there is any conditional or temporary access to such bases for any emergency. One of the goals in this arrangement is not too obvious. For KSA, the U.S. prefers a low profile in the region. After U.S. Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, chief of U.S. Central Command, went to Yanbu last Monday. Press asked Saudi officials what they thought of it but got no comment. KSA paid for the future U.S. sites Saudis were the major financiers of these military outposts and their improvements, including King Faisal Air Base in Tabuk, King Fahd Air Base in Taif as major US military facilities in the middle east. In the 1991 Gulf War, many Arab nations were hosts to the coalition of the U.S. and other countries, joined in kicking Iraq from Kuwait. Next was 2001 in Afghanistan, 2003 the Invasion of Iraq. The U.S. left Saudi Arabia after the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. Central Command has a headquarters in Qatar, with the 5th Fleet stationed in Bahrain. Establishing New Bases in Saudi Arabia adds more to current forces stationed in the Middle East. Related article: UAE, Bahrain and Israel Signed Agreement to Re-Establish Ties After a Quarter Century @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Hours after Trinamool leader Rajib Banerjee resigned as the party's MLA from Domjur on Friday, he also tendered his resignation from the ruling party in West Bengal. He sent his resignation letter to TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, thanking her for the opportunities given to him to serve the people of the state. "I do hereby tender my resignation as a member of the All India Trinamool Congress as well as from all other positions held by me in the party and its associates with immediate effect," Banerjee, who had stepped down from the state cabinet last week, wrote in his resignation letter. Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start The former forest minister, after ending his two-decade-old relationship with the TMC, said he would always value the time he spent as a member of the party. After quitting the cabinet on 24 January, Rajib had said that his future move will depend on the situation in the party. He said he was forced to quit after being publicly humiliated by a section of party leaders for airing his grievances over their style of functioning. "I will remain a party worker, a TMC MLA but I cannot say now what will be my future move, which will depend on the situation," he had said. Banerjee had earlier aired his grievances over loyal and hard-working leaders and workers allegedly not being given due respect in the party and the disconnect between the top brass and grassroots. Senior TMC leader Subrata Mukherjee earlier trashed the claims of Banerjee that he had faced harassment from people inside the party. TMC MP Kalyan Bandyopadhyay dared Banerjee to contest from Domjur in the coming assembly election. State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, "It is only a matter of time before the TMC disintegrates. If Rajib Banerjee and Baishali Dalmiya want to join us, we will look into it." Rajib has now joined the growing list of dissenters who have put the ruling camp in a tight spot ahead of the assembly elections. Elections to the 294 assembly seats are likely to be held in April-May this year. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Five coronavirus cases surfaced at the Capitol over the last week at least one of whom is a Republican lawmaker in the House, a spokesman for the House Republican caucus said Thursday. Matt Garcia-Sierra, a spokesman for GOP members of the House, said that Republican leaders are speaking with the state Department of Health about how to proceed and that their staff will stay home Friday. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ House Speaker Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, said late Thursday that he is ordering the closure of committee rooms in the Capitol to keep legislators from gathering and will bar all members from the House floor except for leadership. Online participation is already required. Egolf said he was taking the action, in part, after learning the Republican caucus had a luncheon at the Capitol this week at which members did not wear masks, and gathered in a small space. The Republican caucus, meanwhile, said it had pushed to hold the legislative session later in the year after vaccines were more widely distributed. Our concern as we move forward is ensuring that, anyone who tests positive or has been exposed, returns to being healthy and safe, Garcia-Sierra said in a written statement. The positive cases come as New Mexico is in the second week of a 60-day session conducted largely online. House Republicans have had the largest physical presence at the Roundhouse, with most of the caucus appearing in person in the House chambers for floor sessions. Democratic members of the House have generally participated through a webconferencing program, a safety measure they say is intended to limit the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak. Under rules adopted Monday, in fact, all House members must now participate electronically, regardless of whether theyre in the Capitol or at home a measure intended to put everyone on equal footing. But most of the work at this point is happening in committee hearings, which are conducted entirely online. Masks are required inside the Capitol, and people working inside the building must be tested weekly. Testing is requested, but not required for legislators. Procedures announced before the session call for contact tracing and extra cleaning after a positive case. Any staff or media member who came in contact with the positive case would be required to quarantine for 14 days. The next Senate floor session in the Capitol is scheduled for Monday. Senators, under their rules, may participate in person on the Senate floor or from their Capitol offices electronically. The next House floor session is set for Tuesday. Peoples Gazette, an online news platform, has changed its web address following accusation that the federal government connived with telecommunications firms to deny a vast majority of its readers access to its content. Founded in 2020, the platform has been critical of governments activities and policies. However, on Wednesday, the newspaper alleged that the disruption, which started on Tuesday evening, was based on a directive from the Nigerian government to MTN, Glo Mobile and other telecom firms. Its managing editor, Samuel Ogundipe, stated that the directive was aimed at blacklisting the organisations web address as well as all other alternative domain names. Our internal assessments and notes from our readers indicate a total restriction on our website for people connecting via MTN, Glo Mobile and Airtel, i.e.: a vast majority of Nigerian Internet users. He noted that the technical support staff members have made various efforts to create alternative channels to accessing Peoples Gazettes content but the efforts have been consistently thwarted by the telecom firms. Mr Ogundipe added that the organisation is in touch with some telecoms firms executives to resolve the disruption. While all efforts have not succeeded, the newspaper has temporarily changed its URL from https://peoplesgazette.com/ to https://www.gazettengr.com/, Mr Ogundipe confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday. Speaking on efforts made to find a solution, Mr Ogundipe said executives of MTN told him that the issue was beyond their control. They were saying we should tell our readers to reconfigure their gadgets to their private server. Well rather change our web address temporarily than do that, he said. Outcry Several rights groups and individuals have condemned the action, describing it as a form of censorship associated with the President Muhammdu Buhari-led administration. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, in a statement Thursday, said the technical censorship of the newspaper is capable of thwarting the dividends of democracy. ALSO READ: Online newspaper accuses Nigerian govt of disrupting access to its website I have received with concern, reports of technical censorship of @GazetteNGR, an independent online newspaper, ostensibly by agents of the Federal Government of Nigeria. This is not acceptable, the former vice president said. The battle for the democracy that Nigeria enjoys today was fought and won with the Nigerian media standing in the frontline against anti-democratic forces, he stated Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a global movement that advocates press freedom, urged internet providers not to be complicit with the government. #Nigeria : news website @GazetteNGR is inaccessible & was very likely blacklisted after its investigative reporting. @RSF_inter strongly condemns this action and calls on internet providers @MTNNG @GlobacomNigeria not to be complicit with censorship. cc @NigeriaGov @DrIsaPantami, the organisation wrote on Twitter. When contacted, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Ikechukwu Adinde, said the regulatory agency is not aware of Peoples Gazettes plight. Why will the government do such? I am not aware as a person and the NCC as a body is not too, he said on Friday. ADVERTISEMENT Also, the spokesperson of MTN Nigeria, Funso Aina, refused to respond to this newspapers enquiries after the intent of reaching out was disclosed. Likewise, telephone calls put across to two presidential aides, Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina, to get the reaction of Mr Gambari were not responded to. Justin Rodriguez has always had to make his own way. Growing up on the West Side next door to St. Marys University, he bagged groceries at an H-E-B to help pay his tuition at Catholic high school. After graduating from Antonian College Prep in 1992, he paid for a couple semesters at San Antonio College out of his own pocket. He earned a business degree from University of the Incarnate Word while working for USAA, filing paperwork and taking customer calls. Hes worked hard to get into the thick of things. Now 46 and a newly elected Precinct 2 Bexar County commissioner, he fits comfortably into a political system that relies for its survival on webs of relationships and loyalty. That system allows elected officials to draw government salaries and hold second jobs including jobs that involve putting together bond deals for cities, counties and other arms of local government. On ExpressNews.com: Rodriguez revels in shaking up status quo Thats what Rodriguez is doing. By his own estimate, he puts in more than 50 hours a week serving his constituents on the West Side and in the inner city, at a salary of $131,000 per year with a $9,000 annual auto allowance. He also works part-time for the powerhouse law firm Locke Lord LLP. He declined to disclose how much hes earning there. Why is Rodriguez moonlighting? For me, its to keep the cobwebs off my law license. The way I see it, these things arent forever I dont know where Ill be in a few years, Rodriguez said of holding elective office. And to be completely honest, Ive got two kids in college and one headed to college. On ExpressNews.com: Puro Podcast: a visit with Justin Rodriguez He and his wife have a daughter at the University of Texas at Austin and a son at UTSA. Dry, technical, lucrative What Rodriguez is doing is allowed under Texas law and the state constitution. One of the few restrictions on county commissioners in Texas is that they cant vote on anything in which they have a financial interest. In April, a month and a half after Rodriguez won the Democratic primary in Precinct 2, Locke Lord announced what amounted to a small coup. The firm, which has offices across the country and one in London, had hired three public-finance attorneys from Norton Rose Fulbright, another powerhouse firm. Rodriguez was one of them. The Bond Buyer, chronicler of the U.S. debt market and its players, picked up the story. It noted that Locke Lord had hired Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson in 2019, two months after he was elected. Bond work is dry, technical stuff, and lawyers play multiple roles in it. On the one hand, theres bond counsel for the governmental entity that wants to sell debt. Those lawyers scour securities and state law, meet with government finance departments, draft a lot of dense documents and render the all-important opinions that tell potential investors whether bond issues satisfy applicable laws and how their interest payments would be taxed. Not all bond attorneys work directly with public officials. Some deal with the investment bankers who structure and sell the bonds. Thats what Rodriguez does. His title is senior counsel. Bond revenue is the lifeblood of nearly every new street, sidewalk, library, senior center and publicly-financed stadium, and lawyers and investment bankers keep it flowing. They operate almost entirely behind the scenes but having a former or current elected official on the payroll is a huge benefit for law firms that do bond work for local governments. Successful politicians bring a constellation of valuable connections. They can secure hard-to-get meetings. And they know how to talk to other insiders, some of whom theyve done favors for. Hiring politicians with law licenses to do bond work is permissible, though Gov. Greg Abbott made noises about outlawing the practice during his 2014 campaign against Democrat Wendy Davis. Why? Because her law firm, Newby Davis PLLC, advised numerous local governments on bond transactions, including a nearly $319 million bond deal for the Tarrant Regional Water District. Abbotts disdain for the practice appeared to dissipate after he crushed Davis at the polls. For law firms, its smart business. Possibility of self-dealing But whats permissible and whats right arent always the same thing. The problem with hiring a politician to advise clients on bond sales is the potential for conflicts of interest. Voting in a way that benefits his or her employer would be the most blatant example. Beyond that, it gets gray. If elected officials pitch their law firms to other public agencies and if those agencies do business with the governmental body the officials lead or depend on it for funding is that a conflict of interest? Yes, but thats just my opinion. Its an area of such incredible complexity, said Don Kettl, a professor at UT-Austins LBJ School of Public Affairs. He researches public finance and policy processes and institutions. Which side of the street is the person walking on? he asked. The risk is that theres the possibility of self-dealing. Rodriguez said hes been careful to avoid conflicts of interest on commissioners court I dont cut any corners with respect to that. Larry Roberson, head of the Bexar County District Attorneys civil division, which serves as the commissioners counsel, backs him up. This particular commissioner has been pro-active, he said. Commissioners facing votes that would clash with their private business interests have to file an affidavit and not vote on the matter, a process known as recusal. With this commissioner, Ive never seen a conflict that rises to that level. It helps that Locke Lord has no contracts with Bexar County, the county-owned University Health System, the San Antonio River Authority or, for that matter, the city of San Antonio. Still, the firm does have at least one local government client. Under a contract signed in 2015 (more than three years before Rodriguez became a commissioner), his law firm serves as counsel for the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority, created by the state and Bexar County Commissioners Court in 2003, essentially to build toll roads. I asked Locke Lord about its decision to hire Rodriguez. This is the response I received: We thoroughly vet client matters to identify conflict of interest issues, and when appropriate we institute strict firewalls. When an elected official joins the firm, we add additional internal procedures to strengthen our process. The firm didnt specify how it keeps an eye out for potential conflicts. Justin was a highly regarded state legislator and held his current position as Bexar County Commissioner for Precinct 2 while practicing the same type of law at another large law firm and therefore understands the requirements of the law and our rules of professional responsibility, the Locke Lord statement said. People know him Rodriguez has thrived politically. Since winning a seat on San Antonio ISDs school board in 2004, four years out of law school, hes never lost an election. He defeated a vulnerable candidate in Council District 7 Elena Guajardo in 2007, and made a name for himself as one of councils more thoughtful liberals. Hitting the offices term limit in 2011, he won a seat in the Texas House of Representatives the following year. Hes been doing bond work since his early days as a councilman. Rodriguez said he currently puts in no more than 10 hours a week. His clients include investment banking firms such as J.P. Morgan, Citibank, Hilltop Securities and UBS. Which makes sense he speaks their language. He was an investment banker doing government bond deals for more than 11 years, from October 2007 in his first year on council to January 2019. Thats when he was appointed to replace longtime Precinct 2 Commissioner Paul Elizondo, who had died unexpectedly in December 2018. Rodriguez was elected to the seat in his own right in 2020. His last employer in the investment banking world was New York-based Siebert Williams Shank, one of whose co-owners is former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros. Cisneros lured Rodriguez away from William Blair, a competing firm, in 2016. Justin is a veteran investment banker. It made sense to bring in somebody with his particular set of skills, Cisneros said. He had a deep knowledge of the (Rio Grande) Valley and school districts across the state. Rodriguez had crisscrossed South Texas to help hammer out bond sales for the city of Corpus Christi, the Port of Brownsville, Mission ISD and others. A decade ago, he participated in a $400 million bond issue for Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Experience aside, I asked Cisneros about the attractiveness of Rodriguezs political connections, which hes been accumulating since his term on the SAISD board. I think its a mix its a combination of things, he said. Hed already been in the business. People know him for his work in the field. When Rodriguez landed the appointment in Precinct 2, he and Cisneros said they agreed it was time for him to step down from Siebert Williams Shank. The firm does a lot of work in the region, including with Bexar County. Its just not a straightforward way to do business, Cisneros said. Before he joined the firm, Rodriguez was one of the up-and-coming politicians Cisneros met with occasionally. Also, Cisneros was one of Elizondos staunchest allies and a longtime friend, and Rodriguez had emerged as something of an heir apparent in Precinct 2. Near the end of my interview with Cisneros, he said, From time immemorial, members of commissioners court have had outside employment. Thats been the tradition in San Antonio. Hes right. Just look at two of Rodriguezs colleagues. Precinct 4 Commissioner Tommy Calvert is the general manager of community radio station KROV. Trish DeBerry, Precinct 3s new commissioner, is CEO of the DeBerry Group, a communications firm that holds a number of contracts with public agencies, including the San Antonio Water System and Brooks Development Authority. Shes said her firm wont pursue new public contracts, to avoid potential conflicts of interest. I believe her, just as I believe Rodriguez is careful to avoid ethical pitfalls in his second job. The problem is the loose rules under which they operate, which open up the potential for conflicts. That leaves us with two options: trust that elected officials wont have any ethical, self-interested lapses, or assume that they will. The first is too pie-in-the-sky. The second is too cynical. But Bexar County residents dont have any other options. greg.jefferson@express-news.net Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen speaks in front of a domestically-manufactured F-CK-1 indigenous defense fighter jet during her visit to Penghu Air Force Base, Taiwan, on Sept. 20, 2020. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) US Voices Support for Taiwan After Beijing Threatens War TAIPEI, TaiwanChina escalated its war-mongering towards Taiwan on Jan. 28, warning the self-ruled island that independence means war. The threat was made during a monthly briefing by Wu Qian, the spokesperson for Chinas Ministry of National Defense. He made the remarks while responding to a question about recent activities by Chinas air force near Taiwan. China made its largest-scale military incursion into Taiwans air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over the weekend13 military aircraft flew over Taiwans southwest waters on Jan. 23, and another 15 military aircraft made a similar incursion the next day. According to Taiwans Ministry of National Defense, such incursions have since been seen on a daily basis, most recently when six Chinese military jets entered the islands ADIZ on Jan. 28. An ADIZ is a publicly-declared area next to a states national airspace, in which approaching foreign aircraft must be ready to submit their identifiers and location. The area allows a state the time to judge the nature of the incoming aircraft and take defensive measures if needed. Wu said that Chinas military activities near Taiwan were in response to external interference and provocations by Taiwans independence forces. Chinas ruling communist party (CCP) claims Taiwan is a part of its territory and has never renounced the use of military force to bring the island under its fold. Additionally, the Chinese regime sees Taiwans ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), as an independence force. The DPP traditionally advocates for the island to formally declare independence from the mainland, in contrast to its main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), which leans pro-Beijing. While Taiwan has never formally declared independence, the island is a de-facto independent nation-state, with its own democratically-elected government, military, and constitution. In a briefing on Thursday, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby reaffirmed the United States commitment to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act and the Three Communiques, when asked about Wus remarks. We have obligations to assist Taiwan with their self-defense and I think youre going to see that continue, Kirby said. Washington ended its diplomatic ties with Taipei in favor of Beijing in 1979 but has maintained a robust relationship with the island based on the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), which was signed into law by former President Jimmy Carter in April 1979. The TRA authorizes the United States to provide the island with military equipment for its self-defense. U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) voiced support via Twitter after learning about Wus remarks. The #CCP has always threatened violence to suppress Taiwans democracy, & todays statement is a clear reminder of their brutality & growing belligerence. The US will stand with our democratic partner #Taiwan against CCP provocations, the lawmaker wrote. In a Thursday briefing, Chiu Chui-cheng, the spokesperson for Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council, an agency that deals with China issues, said Beijing should think carefully and not underestimate Taiwans determination to defend its sovereignty and uphold democracy and freedom. Taipei City Councilor Wang Shih-cheng explained on his Facebook page on Thursday that Chinas continued military threat against Taiwan has served the purpose of being propaganda material for the CCP. In other words, Wang said that the Chinese regime was legitimizing its rule through the propaganda, telling its own people how China has become a powerful country militarily under the rule of the CCP. China engaged in similar incursions throughout 2020. According to Taiwans military officials, Beijing intruded into Taiwans ADIZ about 380 times last year. On Sept. 18, 2020, 18 Chinese military aircraft2 bombers and 16 fighter jetsentered the islands ADIZ. On Jan. 26, Taiwans Vice President William Lai took to Twitter to say the actions of Chinese military jets were disgraceful amid the current pandemic. It is disgraceful that China has used this time to step up its military aggression against the Taiwanese people, Lai wrote. A cautious calm prevailed in the northern city of Tripoli on Friday hours after rioters set fire to several buildings, capping days of violent clashes. The protests in Tripoli, which started Monday, came as Lebanon grapples with both the pandemic and the worst economic crisis in its history. On Thursday night, dozens of young men set fire to a historic municipal building they had been trying to storm for days.They also firebombed two other government buildings and a private university that belongs to a former prime minister. Protesters earlier Thursday had pelted security forces with rocks, who responded with volleys of tear gas and water cannons.Tripoli is among the most impoverished and neglected in Lebanon, which has been in a state of economic and financial meltdown for the past year.Even before the economic crisis began in late 2019, almost the entire city's workforce depended on day-to-day income. While the protests are targeting the strict lockdown measures, they also reflect the growing anger over authorities indifference in the face of Lebanons meltdown.The cash-strapped government has done little to compensate or help the impoverished to cope with the growing hardships.The confluence of crises has posed the biggest threat to Lebanons stability since the end of its civil war in 1990. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) COPENHAGEN (dpa-AFX) - Denmark's jobless rate declined marginally in December, figures from Statistics Denmark showed on Friday. The gross unemployment rate fell to a seasonally adjusted 4.4 percent in December from 4.5 percent in November. The gross unemployment declined for the seventh month in a row in December, mainly due to the Covid-19 closure in mid-March, the agency said. The gross unemployment fell by 2,000 to 125,600 in December from 127,600 in the preceding month. The youth jobless rate, which is applicable to the 16 to 24 age group, fell to 1.8 percent in December from 1.9 percent in the previous month. Based on the LFS data, the jobless rate was 5.8 percent in the 15 to 74 age group. The number of unemployed persons was 177,000 in December. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. The new Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, a major general, on Friday, took over the mantle of the leadership of the Armed Forces of Nigeria from his predecessor, Gabriel Olonisakin, a general, in Abuja. His newly nominated colleagues also took charge as helmsmen at the navy and air force. President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday appointed Mr Irabor alongside the three service chiefs. The president named Ibrahim Attahiru as chief of army staff, Isiaka Amao as chief of air staff and Auwal Gambo as chief of naval staff. CDS In line with the tradition of the armed forces, the outgone CDS decorated his successor and handed the insignia and the flag of the office to him. The former CDS, in his valedictory remarks said he was bowing out of service with a great feeling of fulfilment, having led the Armed Forces of Nigeria for five years, six months and 13 days. Mr Olonisakin, who is the 16th CDS, said it was a rare privilege for him to have served the country as a military officer for about 40 years. He highlighted achievements of the military in the fight against security threats across the country during his tenure. The former CDS said confronting security threats had been the major preoccupation of the military throughout his tenure. Gratefully with the support of the political leadership, the Armed Forces of Nigeria under my leadership, was able to reclaim all territories that were then under the control of the Boko Haram. While the terrorism/insurgency remains a security issue the country is grappling with, the armed forces is equally engaged in assisting the government in addressing other security issues, in line with our constitutional roles. While the armed forces under my leadership grappled with some operational and logistics challenges, the DHQ made some modest achievements aimed at improving operational capacity, logistics and welfare needs of officers and men, he said. While hailing the appointment of Mr Irabor as his successor, Mr Olonisakin said the new CDS was familiar with the security challenges, having previously served as Theatre Commander, Operation LAFIYA DOLE and Multinational Joint Task Force. He said there could not have been a better choice of a seasoned senior officer, who will hit the ground running as the new CDS. As the incoming CDS is already aware, we have continued to review our strategy to address the changing nature of the adversaries and security threats, making intelligence gathering a premium input to our operations plan, he said. Responding, the new CDS said that he was familiar with the security situation of the country. He added that all new service chiefs had been part of the efforts to address the security challenges facing the country. Mr Irabor commended the former CDS for the purposeful leadership he provided during his leadership. ADVERTISEMENT He, however, called on all Nigerians to join hands and support the military in the quest to ensure that peace and security returned to the country. He also pledged to provide the right leadership and ambience for the members of the armed forces to perform their duties effectively. Mr Irabor thanked Mr Buhari for considering him fit for the appointment as CDS and pledged to hit the ground running. Let me thank the former CDS and the former service chiefs for their various contributions throughout their tenure in office. It is by virtue of their leadership that the strides that were being made were achieved, Mr Irabor said. He appealed to Nigerians to support the military and other security agencies in ensuring that peace and tranquillity return to the country. Amao takes charge Also on Friday, the new Chief of Air Staff, Oladayo Amao, an air vice-marshal, took over the mantle of the leadership of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in a colourful handing over ceremony by his predecessor, Sadique Abubakar, an air marshal, on Friday in Abuja. Also, in line with the Nigerian Air Force tradition, the outgone CAS decorated his successor with the medal of office. Mr Abubakar, while handing over the mantle of leadership, recalled that his administration succeeded in turning NAF around into a highly professional service. `In 2015, we set out to reposition NAF into a highly professional and disciplined force and we clearly defined how we intended to do that through capacity building initiatives. I am very excited that we have not only restructured the service substantially, we have also embarked on massive air operations in different parts of the country, especially in the North-East. In the North-east alone, we have been able to generate over 37,000 flying hours and we have also restructured NAF, and brought in quite a number of personnel into the system. We have brought in about 10,000 personnel that are currently in the system, in terms of the key personnel required for the employment of airpower. We have been able to train 133 pilots and these represent about 49 per cent of the total active pilots that are flying to defend the country today, he said. Mr Abubakar urged the new CAS to ensure he consolidated on the achievement of his administration by taking the service to a greater height. Mr Amao expressed delight while receiving the baton of leadership of the service from his predecessor whom he described as a visionary leader. He also expressed appreciation to God for the gift of life and the rare opportunity and privilege to be appointed the 21st air chief. Mr Amao thanked Mr Buhari for the confidence, he reposed in him. It is no mean feat and I therefore take this opportunity most seriously. Let me specially thank the outgone air chief for his unprecedented and exemplary leadership throughout his tenure. Sir, you have no doubt left indelible marks in the sands of time. Your undeniable drive for human capacity building, infrastructural development, research and development amongst others is testament to your desire for a better NAF, he said. Mr Amao promised to consolidate on the good work of his predecessor for a better Nigerian Air Force. Gambo also assumes office Meanwhile, former Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ete-Ibas, a vice admiral, also on Friday in Abuja, decorated Awwal Gambo, a rear admiral, as the new chief of naval staff. Mr Ete-Ibas decorated his successor with the Admiralty Medal in a ceremony. Mr Ete-Ibas also recalled that in 2015, when he took over the mantle of leadership as the chief of naval staff, he outlined his vision and mission on how he would take the service to greater heights. My vision and the mission then was that since the service has a lead role to play in combating maritime crimes to safeguard the nations prosperity and wellbeing of the citizenry, there was a need to reposition it. The adverse impact of these crimes was and remains enormous and we concluded that they should not be allowed to continue. So, we resolve to frontally confront the illegal bunkering and crude oil theft, piracy and other criminal activities in the maritime environment with all the resources at our disposal. Today, our collective efforts have no doubt, yielded a very positive result by not only safeguarding the nations maritime environment, but also other crimes and criminality across the country, he said He, therefore, urged all officers and civilian staff to adhere to high standards of discipline, loyalty, integrity, selfless service, teamwork and professionalism in the discharge of their responsibilities. He also urged Mr Gambo to make sure he consolidates on his achievement by sustaining them. I prayed that the almighty God be with you, guide, protect and direct you on the part of success. In his remarks, Mr Gambo expressed delight that the leadership of the service had fallen on him as the new naval chief. In the last five years, the outgone administration has achieved giant strides and I most sincerely thank the outgone naval chief and his personnel for achieving such a feat, he said. The new naval chief assured Mr Ete-Ibas that he would consolidate on the good work he met on ground to take the service to a greater height. Mr Attahiru, a major general, had earlier taken over the mantle of leadership of the Nigerian Army in an elaborate handing over ceremony by his predecessor, Tukur Buratai, on Thursday in Abuja. Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah will attend the first ever conclave organised by TV9 Network in Bengal, Indias No.1 news network named, What Bengal Thinks Today on Saturday, 30th January 2021 at ITC Sonar. TV9 Bangla, the newly launched Bengali channel of TV9 Network has initiated this day long think fest where top politicians, thought leaders and opinion makers will discuss issues related to upcoming Assembly Election of West Bengal, Banga Juddho Gadir Lorai TV9 has initiated this intellectual meet based on the famous quote of the eminent congress leader Gopal Krishna Gokhale, "What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow. The prime focus of this conclave is upcoming election of West Bengal. Eminent leaders from all major political parties of West Bengal will attend this intellectual session. The event will emphasize on many issues specifically related to upcoming assembly election in Bengal like Violence in Bengal elections, Muslim Vote Factor, The Hindutva agenda, Nandigram, Corruption & outsider issue.Many dignitaries and renowned personalities of West Bengal will present as the guests throughout the day-long session. Shri Amit Shah will be present at the penultimate session of the day in the evening. TV9 Bangla and TV9 Bharatvarsh Channels will do LIVE telecast of this Conclave. Speaking on this occasion, Gautam Sarkar, Business Head, TV9 Bangla shares, TV9 Network has got six language channels Telegu, Kannada, Hindi, Gujrati,Marathi, Bangla and they are the leaders in the states. With touching nearly 30 crores impression every week in Telegu, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi and Gujrati, TV9 network makes us Indias largest news network. On a similar occasion, Amritanshu Bhattacharya, Digital Head and Deputy Managing Editor, TV9 Bangla shares, TV9 Bangla has set the international standards supported by the super active digital networks. Furnished by the world-class program offerings from TV9 Bangla, it has uplifted the standards of true journalism with its impactful contents and widespread its existence that will have a far-reaching effect among the viewers. 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 terrorist convicted for the beheading of Daniel Pearl was acquitted by a Pakistani Court. This decision comes as a shock to many people and his family the most. Islamic extremists have been responsible for many heinous crimes. One of their preferred methods is broadcasting their horrendous acts. In Pakistan, the Supreme Court last Thursday instructed jailers to let free a terrorist who cut off the head of the American journalist, Pearl. The Pakistani court and its order did not sit well with the Pearl family's counsels, reported the Epoch Times. The terrorist who killed the journalist According to the reports, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh is the primary individual for the kidnapping and murder of the American in 2002. Pearl was working for the Wall Street Journal when he was beheaded and slain. Ahmed was cleared by all the three judges in the panel that presided over his case, According to Reuters, provincial advocate general Salman Talibuddin said the acquittal went down in the case. But, the decision laid down by the Pakistan Supreme Court was challenged by their Attorney General. In the statement, the journalist was abducted in Ahmad in a southern Pakistani province called Sindh. The AG said a petition will be submitted to the court to rethink if the terrorist should be set free. Details of the Daniel Pearl Abduction and case Soon after the Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists attacked the U.S., Pearl, then 38, was in Karachi doing his profession. Also read: U.S. Thinks of Establishing New Bases in Saudi Arabia to Counter Iran He was investigating Islamic Terrorists in Karachi when he was kidnapped by the convicted Ahmad. Soon after a video was released by the terrorist cell several weeks later, in the video he was beheaded. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh with his accomplices to be released if they are not part of any other case, which was decided by the panel head. Justice Mushir Alam state these orders in court order releasing the killers of Pearl. A year ago, what is supposed to be a death Penalty for Ahmad was converted into a life sentence for him. The other three suspects were acquitted for no evidence to ties them to the brutal murder, Sources say that the U.S. government and the parents of Pearl asked the Supreme Court of Pakistan to give Ahmad the death penalty. But he was still set free because it denied their pleas last Thursday. Shock as Ahmed Sheikh is a free man Faisal Siddiqi, the counsel for the Pearl's told an outlet the family could not believe the decision. He added that it would not deter the search for justice for Daniel. More remarks The U.S. government mention that Ahmad will be sought after if he cannot be jailed, as the U.S. is not on good terms with Pakistan. Getting Ahmad convicted will depend on the decisiveness of the new administration. Still, experts defend the decision by the Pakistan court is correct with a flawed case against the suspect. Related article: State Attorneys General Remind Biden Any Unconstitutional Actions Will Not Go Unchallenged @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky during a telephone conversation with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen noted the importance of the regular meeting of the EU-Ukraine Association Council, which will be held in Brussels in early February. According to the presidential website of Ukraine on Friday, the Ukrainian side expects that during the event a dialogue on updating the parameters of the free trade area and strengthening the sectoral provisions of the Association Agreement will start. During the conversation, special attention was paid to the issue of signing the Agreement on Common Aviation Area of the European Union with Ukraine. The president believes the EU will be able to complete work on the document in the near future. "The conclusion of this important agreement is in the common interest of Ukraine and the European Union," the presidential press service said. Zelensky also briefed von der Leyen in detail on the initiative to establish the "Crimean Platform" and invited her to personally participate in the founding summit to be held in Kyiv in August 2021. A couple has told the trial of a butcher accused of raping and murdering Libby Squire how they heard 'high-pitched female screams' on the night the student went missing. Drew Brewster and Hannah Durkin told Sheffield Crown Court they lived in a house backing on to Oak Road playing fields, in Hull, where prosecutors allege Ms Squire, 21, was raped and murdered by Pawel Relowicz, 26, on February 1, 2019. Mr Brewster told the jury at Relowicz's trial how they heard the screams at about 12.30am. Prosecutors claim Pawel Relowicz, right, raped and murdered Libby Squire, left, in a park in Hull on February 1, 2019. Relowicz, claims he had consensual sex with Ms Squire and she was alive when he left her to return home to his wife and two children by 12.33am Drew Brewster and Hannah Durkin, not pictured, told Sheffield Crown Court they heard screaming from the park near their home at 12.30am. Ms Durkin told the court she heard a high-pitched female scream The jury has been told by prosecutors that Relowicz, who claims he left Ms Squire alive in Oak Road after having consensual sex with her, was back at the home he shared with his wife and two children at 12.23am. Mr Brewster said he was alerted to the screaming by his partner and heard about three bursts. He told the jury on Friday: 'If the scream had an emotion I would say it was fright.' Ms Durkin said: 'I heard a high-pitched female scream.' She said that each scream lasted around five to 10 seconds and there was a gap of about 15 or 20 seconds between the screams. Ms Durkin told the jury: 'It sounded panicking. That was my initial thought.' The couple agreed that they debated whether the noises were human screams or the noises of an animal. Relowicz, from Hull, denies murdering Hull University philosophy student Ms Squire, whose body was found in the Humber Estuary about seven weeks after she went missing Relowicz, from Hull, denies murdering Hull University philosophy student Ms Squire, whose body was found in the Humber Estuary about seven weeks after she went missing. The jury has seen CCTV footage of how she was wandering around the Beverley Road area of Hull in a drunk state after she was refused entry to a nightclub, before getting into Relowicz's car. Completing his evidence on Friday morning, Relowicz was asked why he went back to Oak Road playing fields later that morning, after he had returned home. Relowicz said he went back because he wanted to check 'she hadn't fallen over'. Richard Wright QC, prosecuting, asked the defendant: 'Were you going to make sure you'd cleaned up after yourself when you had raped and killed her?' Speaking through a Polish interpreter, Relowicz replied: 'This is not correct.' Mrs Justice Lambert said Oliver Saxby QC's defence closing speech was likely be on Tuesday and the jury would probably be sent out to consider its verdicts on Wednesday or Thursday, after her summing-up The judge, Mrs Justice Lambert, adjourned the case until Monday. She told the jury that the defence case would probably finish on Monday morning. The judge said this would be followed by Mr Wright's closing speech. Mrs Justice Lambert said Oliver Saxby QC's defence closing speech was likely be on Tuesday and the jury would probably be sent out to consider its verdicts on Wednesday or Thursday, after her summing-up. Seiko Epson Corporation has established its new Open Innovation Center research laboratory at the AiCT ICT offices in Aizuwakamatsu in Japan at which the company will work with partners to help find solutions to societal issues. Epson has also started participating in the Aizu Open Innovation (AOI) meeting through which it has begun collaborating with the University of Aizu. Using the internet, cloud, and other digital networks, Epson aims to seamlessly integrate products such as printers, scanners, and projectors together with services to offer solutions that help solve issues faced by society. Against a background of changing societal requirements due to the pandemic, the company is in particular looking to create new value in more enriched experiences in lifestyles, learning, working and the home. Against this background, the city of Aizuwakamatsu has launched its Smart City Aizuwakamatsu program at which it aims to harness ICT to foster the growth of a sustainable and revitalized city that supports fulfilled and comfortable lifestyles. Epson established its new research laboratory after noticing significant synergies with the citys efforts to forge a partnership among the municipality, residents, and university to promote a digital transformation. Going forward, the company will proactively participate in initiatives such as Smart City Aizuwakamatsu and the AOI meeting as it seeks to generate new value for society. The pursuit of open innovation is an important aspect of the companys Epson 25 business plan. Epsons efforts to boost collaborations with partners aimed at finding solutions to societal issues began in May 2020 at WeWork Shibuya Scramble Square in Shibuya, Tokyo, a site at which many startups and other businesses have operations. Going forward, the company aims to further strengthen an environment in which it can combine the technology, ideas, and expertise generated from a diverse range of markets and corporate cultures to solve issues in society. Almost 4,500 passengers arrived at Dublin Airport in the first three days of this week. While still a tiny proportion of the number of passengers who would normally pass through arrivals, it underscores the challenge in persuading people not to undertake non-essential travel. Of the more than 2,000 people who landed at the airport on Tuesday and Wednesday, about one-third was returning from holidays. Flights are still operating from destinations such as Lanzarote and Malaga, some of the favourite hotspots for Irish sun-seekers. All people over the age of six arriving in Ireland must now provide a negative or not detected PCR Covid test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival. That has to be given to immigration officers on arrival. But the Department of Justice said that 39 passengers had arrived between Monday and Wednesday without a negative Covid test. Of those, 28 landed at Dublin Airport. Passengers without valid evidence of a negative Covid test can face a 2,500 fine or six months in prison. The DAA, the semi-State company that operates Dublin Airport, said that 2,325 passengers arrived on Monday, 936 on Tuesday, and 1,202 on Wednesday. That was out of a total of 4,665 arrivals and departures on Monday, 1,843 on Tuesday and 2,135 on Wednesday. Separate figures from the Department of Transport showed that more than 2,100 passengers flew into Dublin Airport from Spain last week. Landed Spain topped the list of departure points for those arriving in Dublin Airport last week. It was followed by Britain (1,920 people flew in). The new figures show 1,300 people arrived from the Netherlands, 1,174 from France and 1,055 from Romania. They were followed by passengers from Portugal (991), Poland (972), Moldova (663), Turkey (591) and the UAE (537). Figures for Cork Airport show 151 people arrived last week from Britain while 182 people landed in Shannon Airport, with the vast majority (135) travelling from Algeria. In total, 14,757 passengers arrived in Ireland between Monday, January 18, and Sunday, January 24. This was down on the previous week when 18,226 people flew into Ireland; 33,808 arrived in the first week of January. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said this week that of the 800 people who came into the country through airports, 397 were returning from holidays. Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport are around 95pc lower than normal. Airlines across Europe are facing a "complete disaster", with traffic across the region expected to be 64pc lower this month compared to a year ago, according to Eamonn Brennan, the head of Eurocontrol, the Brussels-based agency that manages European airspace. "It is clear that the months of February and March will be exceptionally low across the network," Mr Brennan said. "Even April is expected to perform very poorly with only a limited pick-up for the Easter period." Leading Estonian high-tech cryptocurrency exchange service, NordikCoin, is announcing that it will start accepting customers from Asian markets. The company will first begin accepting customers in selected jurisdictions, while further expansion is expected to continue in 2021. Whilst expanding its global reach, the company itself and its day-to-day operations will continue to be domiciled in global cryptocurrency haven Tallinn, Estonia. TALLINN, Estonia, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading Estonian high-tech cryptocurrency exchange service, NordikCoin, is announcing that it will start accepting customers from Asian markets. The company will first begin accepting customers in selected jurisdictions, while further expansion is expected to continue in 2021. Whilst expanding its global reach, the company itself and its day-to-day operations will continue to be domiciled in global cryptocurrency haven Tallinn, Estonia. Bitcoin on the rise Bitcoin has been in the limelight for over a decade now, rapidly expanding its scope of applications, and continuously rising in value. On January 8th 2021, Bitcoin hit a new milestone by surpassing $42,000 in value, proving that its popularity is steadily increasing. To support the rise in demand, Estonian cryptocurrency exchange NordikCoin will apply its European KYC and AML rules to customers from new Asian jurisdictions, with the main focus on security and compliance. NordikCoin's AML/KYC policy stands for Anti-Money Laundering and Know Your Customer and was designed to prevent and mitigate possible risks of money laundering and terrorism financing. NordikCoin aims to be one of the fastest and most hassle-free ways of buying Bitcoin. The exchange supports all major credit cards, whilst crypto wallets are provided free of charge to its customers. Due to the innovative use of electronic ID solutions, users from supported jurisdictions can set up their accounts in under five minutes - after which they can start trading Bitcoin immediately. The company is known for bringing innovation into the cryptocurrency space, being one of the first Bitcoin exchanges with Lightning Network protocol support. Inevitably, one of NordikCoin's main priorities has been to follow all the latest cybersecurity standards and best practices, ensuring that the cryptocurrency exchange environment is safe and reliable for all users across the globe. This is, in part, due to the fact that the team behind NordikCoin is comprised of experienced lawyers, auditors and technologists from around the world. Japan next for rapid expansion One jurisdiction which is being considered for NordikCoin's Asian expansion is Japan. The country has witnessed a notable surge in Bitcoin holdings by 11%, suggesting that it's the perfect launchpad. Several crypto exchanges are already present and thriving in the Japanese market, regardless of current COVID-19 restrictions and difficulties. Key exchanges include Okcoin, Bitflyer, Bitbank and Btcbox, among others. David De Marco, CEO of Omni Matrix Ltd, the parent company of NordikCoin.com, shares his excitement for the Asian expansion plans: - Our expansion into the Asian market marks a unique opportunity for the company to present its innovative cryptocurrency trading services globally. We are thrilled to announce that we will be expanding our customer onboarding processes to facilitate clients from Asian markets. We are confident that this is the perfect stepping stone for the new era of cryptocurrency exchange with NordikCoin leading the way. Asia has been dominating the cryptocurrency market in the past couple of years, with financial giant SBI taking a lead. The company made a series of crypto moves recently including a planned 2022 launch of a digital exchange with Switzerland's SIX, a partnership with Ripple and, most recently, the acquisition of U.K.-based cryptocurrency trading firm B2C2. Asia has been found to adopt blockchain technology much faster than many Western countries, incorporating innovations quickly and efficiently. NordikCoin's expansion plans seem to be a great way for Europe and Asia to join forces and increase efforts of pushing Bitcoin and cryptocurrency into the limelight. Press contact: David De Marco, CEO, Omni Matrix Limited Email: david.de.marco@omnimatrix.com Web: https://www.omnimatrix.com Related Images bitcoin-exchange-launching-in-japan.jpg Bitcoin exchange launching in Japan Bitcoin exchange launching in Japan bitcoin-exchange-launching-in-japan.jpg Bitcoin exchange launching in Japan Bitcoin exchange launching in Japan India and the United States have pledged to work closely on issues such as terrorism, maritime security, cybersecurity, and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Thursday said that India is committed to working closely with the new Biden-Harris administration in the United States. Srivastava said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with the then President-elect Joe Biden on November 17, where he reiterated New Delhi's commitment to working closely with the US in tackling global challenges, including climate change. Read: 'India Turned Fight Against COVID-19 Into A Mass Movement,' Says PM Modi At Davos Summit "During the telephone call between PM Narendra Modi and President Biden on November 17, the leaders had discussed their priorities which included tackling climate change. So, we look forward to working with the US administration on this issue," the MEA spokesperson said during a presser on Thursday. Read: Jaishankar Recounts Arduous Building Of India-China Ties; Pulls No Punches On Strains Now 'Uniquely positioned to work closely' Meanwhile, India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval held a telephonic discussion with his US counterpart Jake Sullivan on January 27, where the two committed to working closely in the coming years. NSA Doval conveyed his best wishes to Sullivan on his appointment as National Security Adviser to President Biden. According to a press release, NSA Doval underscored how India and the US, as leading democracies, are uniquely positioned to work closely on regional and global issues, including terrorism, maritime security, cybersecurity, and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Read: Sri Lanka Gets 5 Lakh COVID Vaccine Doses From India; Lankan Prez Thanks Indians & PM Modi Sullivan stated that the US was looking forward to working with India on tackling global challenges and issues of bilateral concern. The two officials also agreed to develop ways to advance US-India relations under the leadership of PM Modi and President Biden. The two NSAs also highlighted the importance of working together in the post-COVID era in order to collectively address challenges posed by the deadly pandemic for both countries. Read: Jaishankar Emphasises India's Pandemic Help To 150 Nations; States Expectations From US (With inputs from ANI) On Wednesday in California's Salinas Valley, more than two dozens of homes and buildings, were destroyed by a debris flow and flash flooding caused by a gigantic rain. Local officials were trying to warn the inhabitants in the Salinas riverbed of Paso Robles of the deep 20-25-foot rise in water levels. The heavy rain was produced by an atmospheric river. It caused a huge flood that knocked out power for thousands of people in the Bay Area. Now, there is a terrific threat of landslides and debris flows across the state. The state's record smashes the 2020 wildfire season. These landslides are like compound disasters that happen as often as humans cause climate change. It strengthens wildfire and precipitation. KPIX had reported that the gigantic rain was what triggered the mudslide in the River Road area very close to the Salinas River and Highway 101 south of Salinas. KSBW also reported an estimation of 50 large animals stuck in the mud and needed to be rescued. ALSO READ - Tropical Depression Hanna: Flood, Power Outages in South Texas, Deaths and Missing People in Mexico 41 Animals Sheltered By The SPCA On Wednesday afternoon, The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Monterey County known as (SPCA) had confirmed to have taken in 9 dogs, 14 cats, 17 horses, and a donkey for shelter because people had to vacate the area and the animals had no place to stay. Due to the flooding and mudslides, the California highway patrol closed the River Road from Chualar River Road north to Parker Canyon Road. Some persons in the county needed assistance with sheltering the animals and they were instructed to call the organization with the provided number below: "(831) 373-2631 during day hours and (831) 264-5424 at night." "Our local in-house model shows us the extensive storm totals in the Big Sur hills over 20 inches with a target amount over 31 inches" The Weather Service added. This means that they are tracking the Big Sur coastline which has the 'target' for the storm front that has been heightened by the moisture from an atmospheric river. Weather and Seasons In California California has four main weather conditions: The wind, snow or the rain, the Sunlight, and the clouds. A lot of places in California have a Mediterranean-like climate with a sort of warm, dry summer and mild, wet winters. On the coastline or seashore of the state, the average daily high-temperature wavers around 70F upwards, but can occasionally spear to 80F or more on hottest summer days; The freezing temperatures are rare, even in winter. January seems to be the coldest month of the year in California with the mountains of the Sierra Nevada in the frigid 3F (-16.1C) to 15F (-9.4C) average range amid snowy alpine conditions. In the year 2020, California had a heatwave. According to a morning forecast, the heatwave came from an area of high pressure that moved over into areas of Utah. It then returns to Nevada bringing very hot temperatures across Southern California. RELATED ARTICLE - Real Estate Website Provides Flood-Risk Score for Every American Home For more news, updates about floods and related stories, don't forget to Follow Nature World News! Miss England have called in the police after Turkish cyber criminals hacked their account - and then demanded money to unlock it. The famous beauty pageant was targeted on Tuesday night with a sophisticated online scam. Miss England organiser Angie Beasley was stung after receiving what appeared to be a legitimate message from Instagram, asking her to confirm her phone number. She then clicked on a code which then allowed the hackers to take over the 20,000 followers-strong account, locking her out for good. This morning the cyber-crooks contacted her on WhatsApp demanding 'If you want to save your account we can make a deal with you'. Ms Beasley immediately contacted Action Fraud, UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, who have escalated to Leicestershire Police. She told MailOnline: 'It is an absolute nightmare. It's shocking to think that people can get your details like this. They are after money.' Reigning Miss England winner Doctor Bhasha Mukherjee after scooping the crown in 2019 This is the account that was taken over by Turkish cyber-criminals earlier this week Menacing messages from the cyber-crooks urged organisers to 'do a deal' to get it back Ms Beasley, herself a beauty pageant winner, said the social media account targeted had been used to raise money for charity. 'On Tuesday night I was on Instagram and I got this message sent from what looked like Instagram admin. 'The message said I had broken rules and they were going to close the account down. 'It included a link you could click to appeal the decision. I had no idea what it was all about as we only put good things and charity appeals on there. I clicked on the link and got another message saying it could see I was trying to access the appeal form and could I confirm my phone number, which I did. 'I got sent a code which I then gave to them and then everything just went. The next thing I knew the whole account whizzed in front of me on my phone and the account was taken over. 'The code exchange must have given him access to my instagram. Since then they have contacted me on my phone and someone claiming to be a 'Grey Hat Hacker', whatever that is. Miss England is one the world's most famous beauty pageants and dates back to 1923 Miss England organiser Angie Beasley told how she was targeted by the hackers this week 'I just want the account back and no more people to be conned by this.' Miss England is one the world's most famous beauty pageants and dates back to 1923. The winners go on to compete in Miss World and Stephanie Hill achieved the best-ever result as the second runner-up in 2017. Doctor Bhasha Mukherjee is the reigning Miss England, while this year's pandemic saw a virtual competition guarantee saw finalist of the Year awarded to an army cadet. Alina Green, 22, from Bracknell, Berkshire, will go into the top ten of the 2021 Miss England finals. Action Fraud confirmed it had now passed details of the hack to the police, while Instagram said it would investigate. Leicester Constabulary told MailOnline tonight: 'We have received a report from Action Fraud today regarding an allegation that a social media account had been hacked. 'Officers will be making enquiries into the report and speaking to the complainant to obtain further information.' Facebook - which own Instagram - said it had acted as soon as it was brought to their attention. A spokesman told MailOnline: 'We have secured the account brought to our attention, and the account owner now has her access restored. 'Anyone who is concerned they may have been hacked should visit our Help Centre.' home US Chelsea Clinton attributes her pro-choice views to being a 'deeply religious person' Chelsea Clinton has said that, as a "deeply religious person," the idea of America going back to a pre-Roe v. Wade society where abortions were banned is "unchristian." In an interview with SiriusXM's "Signal Boost," on Thursday, Clinton said every day she makes the "moral choice" to be optimistic for her children when it comes to what she says is the battle for women's rights. "That my efforts and my energies, particularly when I'm fortunate enough to be in partnership with fellow travelers, hopefully will make a difference," the activist and former first daughter said. "And when I think about all of the statistics that are painful of what women are confronting today in our country, and what even more women confronted pre-Roe and how many women died and how many more women were maimed because of unsafe abortion practices, we just can't go back to that," Clinton said, referring to the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the country. "Like that's unconscionable to me, and also, I'm sure that this will unleash another wave of hate in my direction, but as a deeply religious person, it's also unChristian to me," she added, referring to her Methodist faith. Clinton added that she has been receiving "a lot of hate" over the issue, and has been compared to slave-owners and Nazis. Several conservative figures, including evangelist Franklin Graham, have recently taken objection to Clinton's continued comments on abortion. Back in August, she spoke at a pro-abortion event "Rise Up for Roe" in New York City against Judge Bret Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court. At the event, she seemed to suggest that the ability to have legal abortions has led to economic growth in the U.S. Graham wrote on Facebook that such notions are a "lie," however. "Hitler probably also claimed that killing the Jews would be good for their economy. Legalizing abortion hasn't added anything to our country, it has only taken away. It has cost this nation more than 60 million lives a lives precious to God," Graham said. "Just think of the contribution these people would have made. There will be another high cost. I believe God will judge America for allowing the heinous murder of our own children in the womb," he added. Clinton added in a subsequent statement that what she is saying is not that having an abortion is good for the economy, but that women were more likely to enter the workforce due to the legalization of abortion. "From 1973a1985, American women's deaths from abortion declined 5-fold. Reproductive rights are also about women's economic rights and agency," Clinton tweeted. Susan B. Anthony List, a nonprofit that seeks to advance pro-life women in politics, responded to Clinton's original comments on the economy and abortion by asking her to consider "the 60 million aborted babies who won't enter the labor force or pay into Social Security." "Their parents won't purchase diapers, clothing, toys, cars or houses to accommodate them. ... Yes, abortion's had a huge impact on America's economy and it hasn't been good. Not only are we hurting economically, we're missing 60 million blessings from God and the good they would have contributed," Brad Mattes of the institute said. This article was originally published in The Christian Post and is re-published here with permission In my experience, sometimes trying to find where to start can be one of the biggest initial challenges in doing research. Our site aims to eliminate that challenge for folks interested in learning more about the Region or one of its particular cities or counties, she said. The unemployment in New York Citys restaurant industry has remained devastatingly high. Photo: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images This article was featured in One Great Story, New Yorks reading recommendation newsletter. Sign up here to get it nightly. One year ago, Grace a professional cook from New York was working a dream job at Osteria Francescana, the acclaimed fine-dining destination in Modena, Italy. It had taken three years of work, she says, to achieve the goal, but halfway through her stay, Italy became the epicenter of Europes COVID-19 outbreak. Soon, shed return home to New York City, but her plans to go back to the restaurant where she had worked were canceled when she got laid off two weeks later, while she was in quarantine. Since March, Grace has barely worked in restaurants at all and now spends most of her time caring for her diabetic grandmother and assisting her parents with paperwork for their dry-cleaning business. I had everything planned out last year, Grace says. What I wanted to do and then all of a sudden this hits, and Im literally stuck at home. Grace is one of thousands of New York restaurant workers who have been unable to work since the pandemic arrived in America. For the past ten months, unemployment in New York Citys hospitality industry has stayed unwaveringly, devastatingly high. It peaked in April, at a whopping 71.5 percent, but even since restaurants have been allowed to reopen, unemployment plagues the industry. In November, as COVID cases started surging in New York City once again, the unemployment rate rose to 39.8 percent. Decembers indoor-dining shutdown shot that number back up to 43.4 percent. The swollen unemployment rate among New York City restaurant workers is nearly four times higher than the citys overall rate and even the national restaurant-industry unemployment rate is far lower, at 16.1 percent. In total, its estimated that there are approximately 140,700 fewer jobs in New Yorks restaurants, bars, and other businesses defined as food and drinking places. A chef, who asked not to be named, says he supplements his unemployment with a part-time delivery job and Zoom classes. I check job sites, but I never expect to find a good chef gig, he says. I want to cook again, I just have no idea how to approach finding the job I really want and I know it wont come until the pandemic is over. Over the summer, when jobs started to appear again, many people said that they returned to work only because they worried they wouldnt be offered the job again. Others say the CARES Acts enhanced unemployment benefits were the only thing that kept them afloat. Without the extra initial unemployment at the beginning of the year, I probably would be homeless or have borrowed a lot of money from people at this point, says Sam Clifton, a bartender who was out of work until June and then furloughed again in December. As people like Clifton found out they were freshly out of work (again), they nervously watched Congress fight over the second relief package that included the $600 stimulus check and $300 a week in enhanced employment benefits. It was a little scary a few weeks ago when the Senate was waffling on shit based on Trump being a psychopath, Clifton says. It was just like, Oh, great. Im just losing money rapidly. The more weeks that it takes to get this figured out, thats just more money lost because instead of it being a set amount of weeks, it wasnt like it had a date that it was going to stop. Nationally, 3,878,000 Americans were considered long-term unemployed (having gone six months without work while looking for work) as of December. That number accounts for fully a third of all unemployed Americans, and the Economic Policy Institutes Elise Gould tells Bloomberg the percentage is going to be continuing to rise. Speaking to the New York Times, Rubeela Farooqi, the chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, says that we should expect to see layoffs mounting over the next few months. In the weeks ending January 9 and January 16, more than 900,000 people filed new claims for state unemployment benefits. But the unemployment rate doesnt paint the full picture. It doesnt count those whove dropped out of the job market or who are underemployed and living below the poverty line. Many of those counted as employees in the food and beverage industry are, in reality, working much less and making too little. The unemployment figures have been much worse in poorer neighborhoods and among people of color, and that contrast has played out in the food industry, as well. In September, the Washington Post wrote that the pandemic had caused the most unequal recession in modern U.S. history. As Sarah Jones reported in Intelligencer, the recession has been a disaster for families of color, and the child-care crisis may also keep many families of color from returning to work. One tamale vendor named Adelaida, who spoke with Grub Street about the mental toll COVID has taken on those in the food industry, said she had not been able to return to work because she had to take care of her homebound children. Her husband, who is a food runner, had been working half as many hours as before. Street vendors in particular have been hit hard by the pandemic and gotten even less in the way of relief and resources. Undocumented workers like Adelaida who have spent most (or all) of the past ten months unemployed have done so without receiving any government support. Another person in her position, who worked as an expeditor in a fine dining restaurant, told Grub Street that their financial destitution led his wife to have a breakdown. Both Adelaida and the other undocumented worker have not been able to pay their rent and struggled with other bills during the pandemic. Some restaurant workers do say the time off caused them to reevaluate their relationship with the industry. Grace says her time unemployed was not all wasted: She wouldnt have otherwise been able to spend so much talking with and learning about Korean cooking from her grandmother, and shes changed her personal career aspirations. Shes not hopeful about finding a job after her grandmother gets vaccinated, so shell go to Korea, where she has family. My own plan is to go for two months and learn and research so that I can bring it back and do something of my own, she says. But for others, the past ten months have simply been a blackhole, sucking up time, energy, money, and direction. I have a lot of jealousy for the people that really made unemployment work for them because it super didnt for me I felt like my life was in total stasis, says Clifton. Looking back on 2020, he adds, Im just like, Fuck, I didnt do anything this year at all. One Great Story: A Nightly Newsletter for the Best of New York The one story you shouldn't miss today, selected by New York's editors. 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. Maharashtra Lockdown-like Covid curbs to continue beyond June 1, unlocking to be in phased manner Blast outside Israeli Embassy: Maharashtra security beefed up India pti-Madhuri Adnal Mumbai, Jan 29: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said the security situation in Maharashtra was reviewed in view of the low intensity improvised device blast near the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi on Friday. The blast did not cause injuries to anyone, though the panes of three vehicles nearby were damaged, Delhi police said. Blast outside Israeli embassy in New Delhi: EAM Jaishankar speaks to Israeli FM "Reviewed the situation in the state holding discussion with the state's home minister and director general of police against the backdrop of the blast outside Israeli Embassy. Issued instruction to strengthen the security apparatus in the state along with Mumbai and Pune," Pawar tweeted. A Mumbai police official said an alert was issued in the metropolis and security had been beefed up following the blast. He said the security of the Israeli consulate here had been increased, with police patrolling intensified. In an interview with Italian journalist Francesca Romana De Angelis, published on Wednesday, 27 January, in the daily edition of LOsservatore Romano, Edith Bruck, Holocaust survivor, author, journalist and translator shares memories of her horrific experiences. Edith Bruck, now almost 90 years old, has dedicated her life to bearing witness, keeping a promise she made to two strangers in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, who asked her to bear testament: Tell our story. They will not believe you, but if you survive, tell it, for us too. Edith kept her promise. The following is a translation of excerpts taken from the interview. What were the first signs of the persecution? There were three Jews in the class, besides me, Piri and Eva, all confined to the last row. Once, our classmates threw me into the nettles; another time they sicced dogs on us. My friends were expelled from school. I had the privilege to continue for a while thanks to the decorations my father had earned in the war. Sometimes at the fountain they would push us to the end of the queue or someone would spit in the water buckets. And then the restrictions. We could not leave the house after 6 pm or leave town or travel. The world is sick, my mother would say, but God will save us. This was her unshakable faith. It was a great shadow that continued inexorably to expand until total darkness fell and the senseless horror of the deportation began. Two words often return in your storytelling. The first is bread. The hell started around bread. It was the Spring of 1944 and Jewish Passover had just finished when a neighbour gave us some flour. My mother was happy about that unexpected luxury. Her hands flew cheerfully to mix the ingredients, then she placed the dough in large wooden bowls to rise. At dawn she was getting up to light the fire when two gendarmes knocked so violently on the door that it unhinged. They took us and all the Jews of the village away first in horse-drawn wagons then by train to the county seat, where we were shut away in the ghetto. Mamma grieved over that abandoned bread: those five loaves were the life that was leaving us. Bread accompanied me in some way throughout my entire desperate life as a deportee, as a desire and as a thought of normalcy. I never stole a crust of bread from anyone, despite the rabid hunger, and I remember that my mothers last act on that train that carried us to Auschwitz was to give a slice of bread to a woman who was nursing a newborn. What happened in the ghetto? We were prisoners unable to imagine our future, yet something really beautiful happened. A sort of democracy spontaneously arose. Rich, poor, and destitute were together, when a very rigid social hierarchy existed in the town, which divided us. For the first time I played with a doctors son. And then my father, who had never had anything in his life, had the privilege of being cantor of the Torah. My mother looked at him with dreamy eyes and was moved listening to him. Another extraordinary thing also happened. A non-Jewish friend of my father brought a cart full of food. That gesture struck me so deeply not only because for us it was manna that fell from heaven but because it had come from Gyula, the father of Endre, my first and delicate love who helped me discover how enchanting it is to look at each other when in love. Thanks to him my father once again became a protagonist: poor as he was, he was able to feed others. Gyulas generosity was not just food but light. Here you have just mentioned the second word that you often use, light. That precious cartful of food was a light, just as there were other moments of light. It was a week before the end of May when they loaded us into a cattle car. I remember the sense of shame and humiliation before the Nazi who said bon voyage to us in our language. We were no longer Hungarians, just Jews, and above all we were no longer human beings to them. The train went on and on, and we did not know where to. From those terrible moments I remember another light, my mother. She combed and braided my hair, tied it with two red ribbons and held my hand tightly in hers. I lived the tenderest days of my life, although I suddenly thought: if mamma is being so nice, its over for us. And then there were lights which did not seem so at that time and which I only recognized later on. We arrived in Auschwitz and as soon as we got off the train two Germans prepared to sort us to one side and another. At that moment we did not know what that division meant, but we learned immediately: on the right you were sent to forced labour, that is to death by starvation, cold and exertion; on the left to the gas chamber. Judith was pointed to the right, mamma and I to the left. A German stopped us, pressuring me to go right. I held onto mamma, shouting no, no!. My mother begged the soldier to leave me with her and also told him that I was her youngest daughter. In response the soldier struck her with the heel of his rifle, repeating to me right, right. Mamma said only obey and I was forced to go to the right, crying desperately. That German tearing me away from my mother saved my life. They took us to bunkhouse 11, a sign hanging from my neck with the number 11152, which from that moment replaced my name. My head was shaved; gone were my beautiful braids that mamma tended so lovingly. They made us put on a rough grey shirt and clogs on our feet. I did nothing but cry out for mamma. One morning Alice, a kapo, a Polish Jewish attendant on behalf of the Germans, took me to the entrance of the bunkhouse and said to me: Do you see that smoke? They made soap out of your mother. I said nothing to my sister. I forced myself not to believe her words, but I continued to cry for days. It is an episode of unthinkable barbarity. This was the concentration camp, systematic cruelty, absolute evil. Yet, as I said before, there were some moments of light. In Dachau, where we worked digging trenches and railroad ties, one day a German soldier threw his lunch tin at me to be washed, but he had left some marmalade for me at the bottom. Some time later we were selected, my sister and I, as part of a group of 15 women to work in the kitchens of a nearby castle where several officers were staying with their families. Had it not been for the slap that the SS gave us every morning for no reason, or for the hanging of children outside the camp that we were forced to witness, those were the least miserable days of our life in the concentration camp. A peel, a leaf, a small piece of vegetable, in the kitchen there was always something to secretly put in your mouth. And here one day another light was lit. The cook to whom I was handing cleaned potatoes asked me my name. I said Edith with a soft, trembling voice, and he added: I have a little girl your age. Then he pulled a comb out of his pocket and looking at my head with my newly regrown hair, he gave it to me. It was the feeling of being before a human being after a long time. I was touched by that gesture that was life, hope. A few gestures are enough to save the world. How did you survive amid so much horror? I do not know how to answer you. My parents and one of my beloved brothers did not survive. I think I was saved only thanks to my sister. She held me in her arms, told me repeatedly that she would never leave me, led me to believe we would soon find our parents and then she called me Ditke, Ditke, the term of endearment we used in our family. For me it was the sound of love and tenderness. What do you fear today and what gives you reason to hope? I fear intolerance, lack of dialogue, mistrust of others. I fear the winds of fascism that blow ever more often and spread dangerously in our lives. I have hope in the younger generations, in a more rooted and widespread human and civil consciousness. I have hope in this great Pontiff, Francis. When I met him he said to me simply nice to meet you, then he smiled and embraced me. There was such a reassuring human warmth in him. I appreciate his clarity, the simplicity of one who speaks to be understood, the power of his convictions, his understanding of human frailties, the humility to say Who am I to judge?. With Pope Francis I think: this is a man, and I feel a sense of hope. Journalism, television, cinema, translations, you have done so many things but above all you have always been committed to writing and testifying to the tragic experience of the concentration camps. If understanding is impossible, knowing is essential, because what happened can come back. Those are the words of Primo Levi which I have made my own. I have never harboured hatred or feelings of revenge, but rather incredulity and endless pain. Evil begets only evil. I am proud to have had a victim father and I would have been ashamed to the depths of my heart of an executioner father. Remembrance is suffering, but I have never tried to avoid it. Even enlightening a single conscience is worth the effort and pain of keeping alive the memory of what has been. For me, to remember is to live and to write is to breathe. As the briefer for Mr. Trump, Ms. Sanner was thrust into the public eye unlike few or any of her predecessors. The task of presenting difficult findings to a president reluctant to hear them, and one openly hostile to intelligence agencies, made Ms. Sanners post one of the most difficult in government. Mr. Muir is not known for a gentle personality. He has a reputation for making clear to junior analysts when he thinks a report prepared for the White House has fallen short of his standards. He knows the difference between a good piece of analysis and a poor piece of analysis, Mr. Morell said. He will be demanding of the analysts in that regard. But Mr. Muir is known for his precision when presenting facts, and for being clear when the intelligence agencys judgments are less certain, said Stephen B. Slick, a former C.I.A. station chief in Israel who is now the director of the Intelligence Studies Project at the University of Texas at Austin. Morgan is also a prototype for the unbiased, apolitical intelligence professional that our system relies upon, Mr. Slick said. In addition to overseeing the compilation of the daily brief, the presidential briefer serves as the director of what is called mission integration, coordinating work across the governments 18 intelligence agencies. Mr. Muir will take over that responsibility in the weeks to come. As a career C.I.A. analyst, he has limited experience with integrating the work of other agencies. Senior intelligence officials have considered splitting the jobs of presidential briefer and director of mission integration. Ms. Haines is evaluating the situation but is keeping them together for now, according to people familiar with the matter. Mr. Biden has wasted no time in giving a slew of assignments to the intelligence community, asking for new assessments of Russia, its role in a highly sophisticated hacking of government and corporate computer networks, the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, as well as assisting the F.B.I. with a look at domestic terrorism. New Delhi, Jan 29 : A very low-intensity improvised explosive device went off at about 5.05 pm on Friday evening at APJ Abdul Kalam Road near the Embassy of Israel. Window panes of several cars parked there were shattered with the impact. Soon, the bomb disposal squad, Special Cell, intelligence agencies and the police visited the spot. The area was sealed as the forensic teams gathered evidence. Entry of media was restricted as barricades came up at the road leading to the embassy. Senior police officials were themselves supervising the area. The fire department got a call at 5:11 pm and three fire tenders were rushed to the spot. "No injury to any person is there and nor any damage to property was witnessed except window panes of three vehicles parked nearby. Initial impressions suggest a mischievous attempt to create a sensation," said a senior Delhi Police official. The area is in proximity of Vijay Chowk where the Beating Retreat ceremony was still on. This raises security concerns about the motive behind an improvised device explosion. "We are ascertaining the nature of the blast and the CCTV footage of the area and around is being scanned," said a senior police officer. Meanwhile, Delhi has been put on high alert and security at airports, railway stations and strategic buildings intensified. The explosion has raised serious security concerns as multiple teams of Delhi Police are investigating the explosion and the timing of the blast. EVANSTON, IL Evanston's two public school districts are due to receive more than $4 million in grants through the U.S. Department of Education as a result of the the federal coronavirus relief package approved last month. The $900 billion Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act provides about $2.25 billion for public school districts in Illinois, more than four times the amount they received from initial round of federal aid to schools, according to Carmen Ayala, the states superintendent of education. Evanston/Skokie School District 65 was allocated $3,017,118, with Evanston Township High School District 202 provided with $1,062,819, according to estimated allocations earlier this month. Private school districts are set for about $63 per student from a state set-aside, and there would be a further set-aside for non-public schools in a forthcoming round of the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund, according to Ayala. Public elementary schools in Evanston have been closed to students since March 2020, while private schools have remained open. The state superintendent recommended administrators put the money toward reducing the digital divide, supplemental learning opportunities and addressing students mental health needs. "The pandemic continues to take a toll on our students mental well-being. I encourage you to invest in greater access to supports and resources for students social-emotional health," Ayala told school officials earlier this month. RELATED: School Reopening Date Set For District 65 As ETHS Remains Remote District 65 plans to begin offering a hybrid of remote and in-person learning on Feb. 16. Evanston Township High School administrators announced Thursday the district would begin offering students a safe center for online learning on campus at ETHS for the first time since the pandemic in February. One of the goals of it's new "in-person experiences" program: "Provide students whose home circumstances require a safe, supervised space in the building daily to participate in Enhanced E-learning." It is set to be the first time since the start of the pandemic that administrators of the approximately 3,600-student district have provided students such a space. Story continues "To mitigate learning loss, consider a longer school year, before/after-school programs, and summer learning opportunities," Ayala told school administrators. "Begin planning now to reimagine the school calendar and expand the school day to ensure students receive every opportunity to grow." Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest Evanston news Check out the Events calendar for what's going on around town Patch Mobile: Get app for iPhone and Android This article originally appeared on the Evanston Patch Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 20:45:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has signed a State Council decree unveiling a regulation on administration of pollutant discharge permits amid efforts to improve environmental protection. The new regulation, which will come into effect on March 1, is expected to standardize the permit application procedures, improve discharge management, tighten supervision and clarify the responsibilities of enterprises and public institutions. Institutions or businesses involved in the discharge of pollutants should apply for permits. They will be classified for administration based on factors including quantity of pollutant emissions and environmental impacts. The pollutant outlets, discharge modes and destinations of pollutants must be consistent with provisions of the permits. The pollutant discharging units should carry out self-monitoring and keep the original monitoring records. Key pollutant discharging units should install automatic monitoring equipment and disclose pollutant emission information. The ecology and environment protection authorities should strengthen the supervision of pollutant discharging activities to ensure they comply with the provisions of the permits. Stringent punishments will be imposed on violators, according to the regulation. Enditem The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. Photo: (Photo : Screenshot from Facebook) A Texas teen who takes care of his mom with cerebral palsy receives a scholarship from strangers. The 18-year-old son, Jerron-Michael Arline, has been the caregiver of his mom, who has been disabled due to cerebral palsy. Because of the Texas teen's compassion for his mom, people from his community raised funds for his scholarship. That was after a stranger posted a photo of Jerron and his mom showing the teen's compassion. ALSO READ: TikTok Should Be Used by Government to Inform High Schoolers on COVID Safety, Teen Suggests Taking care of his mom with cerebral palsy Since Jerron was fourteen years old, he has been taking care of his mom, Tracy Arline. For the Texas teen, it was a matter of stepping up for his mom with cerebral palsy. He said, "She's had a disability her whole life, so it wasn't necessarily a moment. It was more like, I slid into the role and did what I had to do." Jerron shared that the wheelchair that his mom uses has become a massive part of their everyday lives. He even said that he considers the wheelchair the fourth member of their family, "I do it every day. It's about 60 or 70 pounds. If I bring her somewhere, she has to get in it, so I take it down." ALSO READ: Connecticut Boys Donate Money to Animal Shelters; Money Was from Their Invention The viral photo Last January 25, Jerron was photographed by a stranger who shared how the young boy stole her heart. Tawana Walter-Cadien saw the Texas teen helping his mother. She took a photo of them and shared it online. She said in the caption, "He was not impatient, demanding, or flustered. He gingerly made sure his mother was secure in her wheelchair, and then he secured their vehicle." Netizens also thought that Jerron was full of compassion for his mother. One netizen said, "This touched me, he is a Blessing, and we need more young people to do this. So AMAZING..." Another netizen wished that the Texas teen be able to attain his dreams, "May God bless him in his endeavors to become what he wants to do." The photo was shared almost 300 times by people from their community and even strangers. ALSO READ: Mom Wants a Divorce After Daughters Found Husband's Pot Stash and Used It Texas teen receives scholarship from strangers. Because Cadien saw how kind-hearted Jerron is, she gave Jerron a $500 scholarship. That is to provide the Texas teen a headstart in attaining his dream of becoming a rehabilitation doctor. Also, a scholarship fundraiser has been put up for Jerron. Also, as early as now, a rehabilitation doctor has already volunteered to become his mentor. Dr. Danique Van Dongen said, "I am a physician, and I am a rehab physician. We need good people in the field, and from what I've heard, you're an amazing individual." ALSO READ: Orlando Boy Rescued from Abuse by a Waitress Through a Note A lawyer has claimed the FBI secretly discovered $400 million in stolen Civil War gold bars buried in a Pennsylvania forest three years ago. Harrisburg attorney William Cluck said Thursday he'd learned the name of the federal judge who ordered all records of the March 2018 excavation to be sealed. 'I got what I wanted,' Cluck told PennLive after submitting a Right-to-Know appeal. He said he can now apply to the judge in question to unseal the records in the case. Cluck's client is Finders Keepers LLC, treasure hunters who say they were banned from digging at Dents Run, where legend says gold bullion was buried. The FBI later carried out work at the forest but said they didn't find anything. According to the 155-year-old tale, a Union Army wagon train was carrying two tons of gold on a 400-mile journey between Wheeling, West Virginia, and Gettysburg. FBI agents and representatives of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources set up a base off Route 555 in Benezette Township, Elk County, Pennsylvania in March, 2018 According to a 155-year-old legend, a Union Army wagon train was carrying two tons of gold on a 400-mile journey between Wheeling, West Virginia, and Gettysburg. The gold was sent by President Abraham Lincoln to pay Union soldiers (pictured, at the Battle of Gettysburg) but first had to stop at the US Mint in Philadelphia The treasure-hunting group Finders Keepers has long insisted it found the gold buried in a state forest at Dents Run, but said the state would not allow it to dig The gold was sent by President Abraham Lincoln to pay Union soldiers but first had to make a stop at the US Mint in Philadelphia. It was last spotted in St Marys, Pennsylvania, travelling northeast towards the capital. When the wagon train didn't arrive at the Mint, searchers were sent out who discovered empty wagons and the bodies of dead soldiers. Various accounts say that the lieutenant charged with leading the wagon had fallen into a fever and divulged the secret of their cargo to the lower ranking soldiers. Roguish elements within his own squadron are then said to have slain the rest and made off with the treasure. In any case, despite the best efforts to track down the gold it was never found. Different versions say that the shipment was either carrying 26 gold bars or 52, each weighing 50 pounds. In today's money it would be worth between $35 million and $70 million. Cluck's clients put the value at $400 million, clearly believing there is more than just the single tonne of gold. Treasure hunters have been searching the forests of Pennsylvania for decades to try and find the legendary stash of gold. In 2012, Finders Keepers said they'd found the gold but the state would not allow them to dig it. They say that Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources barred them from excavating the area. Lincoln, center right, surrounded by crowd, preparing to deliver the Gettysburg address at dedication of Gettysburg National Cemetery Instead, federal investigators would later takeover the area, saying their work was part of an 'ongoing criminal investigation.' Cluck and his clients are sceptical about the FBI's claim that it didn't find anything at Dent's Run. The lawyer argued that the involvement of the bureau's Art Crimes Division in the probe and the shroud of silence over the excavation only fuels their suspicions. The treasure hunters believe that a ground-penetrating scan carried out by the FBI at the site was evidence they must have thought something big was buried there. 'They had 50 agents there We have witnesses that they were there all night with armored cars. So, what are we supposed to believe?' Cluck said. 'We are convinced that they found gold.' Alaska officials are investigating after the state's Department of Motor Vehicles issued license plates with Nazi terminology. Photos on Twitter have appeared over the last week of personalized plates with the words: '3REICH' and 'FUHRER.' The first plate references the Third Reich, the official name for Germany under the Nazi Regime from January 1933 to May 1945, while the second plate references the official title Adolf Hitler used to define his role of absolute authority. Meanwhile, a member of Alaska's Human Rights Commission - which investigates discrimination complaints - has been removed over comments she made about the controversy, in which she defended the plates. The Alaska Department of Administration has launched an investigation into license plates issued with Nazi terminology by the Department of Motor Vehicles (above) Photos have circulated social media of vanity plates reading 3REICH' (above), in reference the name for Nazi Germany, and 'FUHRER,' referencing Adolf Hitler Official say both plates in question have since been recalled and replacement standard plates were issued. Pictured: License plate reading 'FUHRER' The issue drew attention after a former newspaper editor, Matt Tunseth, posted a picture of the plate reading '3REICH' on social media. Tunseth later wrote he was at a stop light in Anchorage on Friday when he saw the plate and took a photo. And, in an article published on Tuesday, attorney Eva Gardner told the Anchorage Daily News that she saw a black Hummer SUV with a personalized license plate that read 'FUHRER' in October 2020. Debate over the issue gained traction on social media and blogs over the weekend. On Monday, Department of Administration Commissioner Kelly Tshibaka announced on Monday that she was ordering a review of Division of Motor Vehicles' processes to determine how the plates were issued. The division falls under Tshibaka's department. Her statement did not indicate when the plates were issued. Tshibaka's statement said her office learned over the weekend that 'several Alaskans were concerned about messages conveyed' on personalized plates. Anchorage Assembly member Jamie Allard (pictured) defended the plates, writing that 'fuhrer' and 'reich' are just the German words for 'leader' and 'realm' She did not specify the messages, but a spokesperson, Kelly Hanke, in response to concerns raised by a state lawmaker, confirmed the office had received complaints about a plate that read '3REICH.' Tshibaka said the plates in question had previously been recalled by the motor vehicles division and replacement standard plates were issued for display instead. She said the department was notifying law enforcement about the 'unauthorized' plates. 'The Alaska DMV has strict guidelines and protocols for issuing personalized license plates, which prohibit references to violence, drugs, law enforcement, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and other government entities,' she said in a statement. 'The DMV has a recall process in place should a plate be issued that later is determined to be inappropriate or offensive, which was used in this circumstance. Hanke told The Associated Press by email on Tuesday that the '3REICH' plate was recalled in early January, and a notice was sent to the owner with a new standard plate. A list of rejected plates Hanke provided also included one that read 'FUHRER.' She said she believed that one was recalled in December. 'Once a plate is replaced it is illegal for use. An owner of a vehicle displaying an invalid plate can be ticketed just like an expired tag on a plate,' Hanke wrote. In response, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy removed Allard from Alaska's Human Rights Commission, which investigates discrimination complaints (above) Meanwhile, a state official has been kicked off of a committee after she defended the terms on the license plate. Jamie Allard, an Anchorage Assembly member, wrote on her official Facebook page that 'fuhrer' and 'reich' are just the German words for 'leader' and 'realm.' 'If you speak the language fluently, you would know that the English definition of the word,' she wrote. 'The progressives have put a spin on it and created their own definition.' The page has since been taken down Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has removed Allard from Alaska's Human Rights Commission. In an email to USA TODAY, Allard said she finds the plates 'in poor taste' but said her comments have been misinterpreted. 'Some political bloggers and Assembly members are claiming that I am supporting white supremacy because of recent comments I made questioning what words are not allowed on license plates,' she wrote. 'As a person of color myself, I unequivocally condemn racism and white supremacy in all forms.' The Singhu border site also saw some disruption on Thursday, when a group of people raised slogans demanding the removal of the protesting farmers from the area Violence broke out at the Singhu border on Friday after a group of people claiming to be locals demanded that the protesting farmers, who have been staging a protest at the site for two months, vacate the area. Additionally, thousands of farmers reached protest sites on Friday and more are expected to join soon as union leaders accused the government of trying to destroy their "peaceful" agitation and sought support of people in observing 30 January as 'Sadbhavna Diwas'. The situation at Singhu on Friday afternoon escalated into violence after the two sides started pelting stones at each other and the Delhi Police used lathicharge and tear gas to control the situation. NDTV reported that the group of outsiders, around 200 in number, also vandalised the farmers' tents and sought to damage other facilities like their washing machines. Delhi Police SHO (Alipur) Pradeep Paliwal was injured in the episode after a man attacked him with a sword, PTI quoted officials as saying, adding that some civilians were also wounded. The report added that the police had detained the man who attacked the station house officer. Armed with sticks, the group of "locals" reached the site and asked the farmers to leave while raising slogans against them. The protesters at the Singhu border, much of which is barred for entry from outside, came out in numbers to resist the outsiders. However, they were promptly stopped by farmer union volunteers, which stopped the situation from turning ugly, PTI reported. "They are not locals but hired goons. They were throwing stones, petrol bombs at us. They attempted to burn down our trolleys also. We are here to resist them. We won't leave the place," said Harkirat Mann Beniwal, 21, from Punjab's Khana district, according to PTI. DJB water tankers werent allowed. Media vans werent allowed. How was this group claiming to be locals allowed to enter Singhu border protest site with this vehicle ? pic.twitter.com/hz4vMXliwc Arvind Gunasekar (@arvindgunasekar) January 29, 2021 As tension built up at the Singhu border on Friday afternoon, the protest point turned into a fortress. The police tightened security by making multi-layered security arrangements, installing barricades and blocking all entry points into the protest. The Singhu border protest has been the "nerve-centre" of two-month-long farmers protest. On Friday, thousands of security personnel were seen marching at the site, PTI reported. The heightened security measures and restrictions have been brought into place after violence on Republic Day that left 394 policemen injured and one protestor dead. No one, even media personnel, were allowed to enter the protest site on Friday with the area cordoned off by multiple concrete barricades and intermodal containers. "These batons, tear gas shells and ammunition can't scare us. We won't budge, we won't leave till our demands of repealing three farm laws are met," said 26-year-old Manjeet Dhillon, from Haryana's Kaithal, while standing on the other side of the barricade. "Shortly after the clashes at the Singhu border, similar scenes were reported from Tikri, another Delhi-Haryana border, where a group of people began opposing the farmers' protest and demanded they vacate the site," NDTV reported. The Singhu border site also saw some disruption on Thursday, when a group of people raised slogans demanding the removal of the protesting farmers from the area. On Thursday, a similarly tense situation prevailed at the Ghazipur border protest, which is on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border. The Ghaziabad district administration had issued orders for the protest to be cleared by Thursday evening, however, police personnel withdrew from the area after a significant influx of farmers to fortify the protest. Thousands of farmers from western Uttar Pradesh joined BKU members who have stayed put at Ghazipur. Around 3,000 security personnel, including those from the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), the Rapid Action Force (RAF) in anti-riot gears and civil police, were deployed in and around Ghazipur protest site, DSP Indiapuram Anshu Jain told PTI. The size of the crowd, which increased manifold overnight, was estimated around five to six thousand by districts officials while BKU office-bearers present there claimed it to be upwards of 10,000 on Friday evening. Meanwhile, in Haryana, the state government on Friday decided to suspend mobile internet services in 14 more districts till 5 pm on Saturday "to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the wake of the farmers' protest". The mobile internet services except voice calls will remain suspended with immediate effect until 5 pm on Saturday in districts of Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Panipat, Hisar, Jind, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Fatehabad, Rewari and Sirsa districts, an order issued by the state home department said. On Tuesday, the government had ordered suspension of mobile internet services in Sonipat, Jhajjar and Palwal districts "to prevent disturbance of peace and public order" after a violent farmers' protest rocked neighbouring Delhi. The services will remain suspended in these three districts too until 5 pm on Saturday, as per the order. Farmers to hold 'Sadbhavna Diwas' on 30 Jan, observe day-long fast Farmers protesting against the Centre's new agri laws will observe 'Sadbhavna Diwas' on Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary on 30 January and hold a day-long fast, farm union leaders said. Addressing a press conference at Delhi's Singhu border, the farmer leaders said the fast will be held from 9 am to 5 pm and appealed to the people of the country to join them. The farmer leaders also slammed the ruling BJP at the Centre and accused it of trying to "destroy" the "peaceful" agitation against the agri laws. "The conspiracy of the ruling BJP to destroy this farmers' movement is now exposed to all," he said . At the press conference, Krantikari Kisan Union leader Darshan Pal also said, "We demand the restoration of internet services in areas where agitation is going on. Otherwise, we will hold demonstration against it in the country." The farmer leaders also asserted that the number of agitators at all the prominent protest venues Ghazipur, Singhu and Tikri is swelling after the police allegedly tried to remove farmer leader Rakesh Tikait from Ghazipur border on Thursday night. Delhi Police says SHO 'grievously injured' at Singhu The Delhi Police said the SHO who was attacked by a man with a sword at the Singhu border protest site has suffered "grievous injuries" on his hand. Paliwal was intervening in the clash between farmers and a large group of men claiming to be local residents over vacating the Singhu border protest site. "SHO Alipur, Delhi intervened between rioting protestors (MKSC faction) and local Singhu villagers, who had gone to register their protest against the happenings on Republic Day-2021 and continued loss of ordinary livelihoods for over two months," the Delhi Police said in a tweet. In another tweet, police said, "This is how the SHO was assaulted; he has suffered grievous injuries on his hand...Peace has been restored. Legal action is being initiated." Unease at Singhu after violence While there was a sense of unease among some protestors at the Singhu border after the violence, farmer leaders continued to address the crowd and sought to boost morale at the respective stages of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti (KMSC). The SKM, which is an umbrella organisation of around 35 farmer bodies, has blamed the KMSC, actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, and the Centre for the violence during the farmers' tractor parade in Delhi on 26 January. The tractor parade on Tuesday that was to highlight the demand of the protesting farmer unions for a repeal of three new agriculture laws turned violent after some protesters deviated from the pre-designated routes, stormed the Red Fort and hoisted a religious flag on the ramparts of the iconic fort. The police issued lookout notices against farmer leaders on Thursday and announced a probe into the "conspiracy" behind the Republic Day violence. The police have so far registered 33 FIRs in connection with the violence and issued lookout notices against 44 people, including most of the farmer leaders. Rahul Gandhi says farmers' agitation will spread across country if not resolved soon Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday warned that the farmers' agitation will spread across the country if not resolved soon and asserted that the only solution to the issue was to "throw" the new agri laws in the bin. Addressing a press conference, he launched an all-out attack at the Centre and accused it of trying to intimidate and discredit the agitating farmers, by even using the National Investigation Agency (NIA). "The government must not think that the farmers are going back home. They are not going to return and my concern is that this situation is going to spread. We do not need this situation to spread, we need a conversation with the farmers and we need a solution," he said. "I want to tell the farmers that they should not step back as all of us are with them. You (the farmers) should not step back even an inch as this your their future and you should continue to fight. These four-five people who want to steal everything you have, you should not allow them to do so and we all will support you," he added. #SinghuBorder , - Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 29, 2021 "Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not think that this agitation will stop here. It will spread in the cities, urban areas and slums as the youth there also angry with this government as they do not see any future. "I am telling the prime minister that the country will suffer due to this. You should talk to the farmers and resolve the situation by taking back these laws, otherwise the country will be hurt. This instability will not help and benefit the country. This instability will not go unless you correct the injustice done," Rahul said, adding that the government should talk to farmers and resolve the issue soon. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also spoke in support of the farmers on Friday. , , Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) January 29, 2021 Other Opposition parties like the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party also rallied support for the movement and slammed the BJP over the contentious farm laws. Thousands of farmers attend mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar to back BKU Tens of thousands of farmers gathered in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar to attend an event in support of the Bharatiya Kisan Union-led protest against the Centre's new farm laws in Ghazipur. A day after BKU leader Rakesh Tikait broke down at Ghazipur and tension spiralled amid fears that the farmers who had been camping there for two months will be forcibly removed by the local administration, all roads in western Uttar Pradesh it seemed led to Muzaffarnagar. The GIC ground near Mahaveer Chowk was packed, a sea of people congregating to back the protesters at UP Gate in Ghazipur. Hundreds of tractors with the Tricolour and flags of farm unions were parked along city roads, disrupting traffic movement. The GIC ground was the centre-stage and scores of regional farmer leaders took the mic to support the protesters at the UP Gate in Ghazipur. As Muzaffarnagar became the meeting point for farmers from across the region, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh also announced support for the BKU and his son, party leader Jayant Chaudhary, participated in the mahapanchayat too. Singh, RLD president and former Union minister, had spoken to BKU president Naresh Tikait and spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, party vice president Chaudhary said. With inputs from agencies Watertown, NY (13601) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High around 65F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 41F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. (Natural News) This is an issue that all Democrats, Republicans, independents, Libertarians should be extremely concerned about, especially because we dont have to guess about where this goes or how this ends. What characteristics are we looking for as we are building this profile of a potential extremist, what are we talking about? Religious extremists, are we talking about Christians, evangelical Christians, what is a religious extremist? Is it somebody who is pro-life? [The proposed legislation could create] a very dangerous undermining of our civil liberties, our freedoms in our Constitution, and a targeting of almost half of the country.Tulsi Gabbard, former Congresswoman (Article by John W. Whitehead and Nisha Whitehead republished from Rutherford.org) This is how it begins. We are moving fast down that slippery slope to an authoritarian society in which the only opinions, ideas and speech expressed are the ones permitted by the government and its corporate cohorts. In the wake of the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol, domestic terrorism has become the new poster child for expanding the governments powers at the expense of civil liberties. Of course, domestic terrorist is just the latest bulls eye phrase, to be used interchangeably with anti-government, extremist and terrorist, to describe anyone who might fall somewhere on a very broad spectrum of viewpoints that could be considered dangerous. Watch and see: we are all about to become enemies of the state. In a deja vu mirroring of the legislative fall-out from 9/11, and the ensuing build-up of the security state, there is a growing demand in certain sectors for the government to be given expanded powers to root out domestic terrorism, the Constitution be damned. If this is a test of Joe Bidens worthiness to head up the American police state, he seems ready. As part of his inaugural address, President Biden pledged to confront and defeat a rise of political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism. Biden has also asked the Director of National Intelligence to work with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security in carrying out a comprehensive threat assessment of domestic terrorism. And then to keep the parallels going, there is the proposed Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2021, introduced after the Jan. 6 riots, which aims to equip the government with the tools to identify, monitor and thwart those who could become radicalized to violence. Dont blink or youll miss the sleight of hand. This is the tricky part of the Deep States con game that keeps you focused on the shell game in front of you while your wallet is being picked clean by ruffians in your midst. It follows the same pattern as every other convenient crisis used by the government as an excuse to expand its powers at the citizenrys expense and at the expense of our freedoms. As investigative journalist Glenn Greenwald warns: The last two weeks have ushered in a wave of new domestic police powers and rhetoric in the name of fighting terrorism that are carbon copies of many of the worst excesses of the first War on Terror that began nearly twenty years ago. This New War on Terrorone that is domestic in name from the start and carries the explicit purpose of fighting extremists and domestic terrorists among American citizens on U.S. soilpresents the whole slew of historically familiar dangers when governments, exploiting media-generated fear and dangers, arm themselves with the power to control information, debate, opinion, activism and protests. Greenwald is referring to the USA Patriot Act, passed almost 20 years ago, which paved the way for the eradication of every vital safeguard against government overreach, corruption and abuse. Free speech, the right to protest, the right to challenge government wrongdoing, due process, a presumption of innocence, the right to self-defense, accountability and transparency in government, privacy, press, sovereignty, assembly, bodily integrity, representative government: all of these and more have become casualties in the governments war on the American people, a war that has grown more pronounced since Sept. 11, 2001. Some members of Congress get it. In a letter opposing expansion of national security powers, a handful congressional representatives urged their colleagues not to repeat the mistakes of the past: While many may find comfort in increased national security powers in the wake of this attack, we must emphasize that we have been here before and we have seen where that road leads. Our history is littered with examples of initiatives sold as being necessary to fight extremism that quickly devolve into tools used for the mass violation of the human and civil rights of the American people To expand the governments national security powers once again at the expense of the human and civil rights of the American people would only serve to further undermine our democracy, not protect it. Cue the Emergency State, the governments Machiavellian version of crisis management that justifies all manner of government tyranny in the so-called name of national security. This is the power grab hiding in plain sight, obscured by the political machinations of the self-righteous elite. This is how the government continues to exploit crises and use them as opportunities for power grabs under the guise of national security. Indeed, this is exactly how the government added red flag gun laws, precrime surveillance, fusion centers, threat assessments, mental health assessments, involuntary confinement to its arsenal of weaponized powers. The objective is not to make America safe again. That has never been the governments aim. Greenwald explains: Why would such new terrorism laws be needed in a country that already imprisons more of its citizens than any other country in the world as the result of a very aggressive set of criminal laws? What acts should be criminalized by new domestic terrorism laws that are not already deemed criminal? They never say, almost certainly becausejust as was true of the first set of new War on Terror lawstheir real aim is to criminalize that which should not be criminalized: speech, association, protests, opposition to the new ruling coalition. So you see, the issue is not whether Donald Trump or Roger Stone or MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell deserve to be banned from Twitter, even if theyre believed to be spouting misinformation, hateful ideas, or fomenting discontent. Rather, we should be asking whether any corporation or government agency or entity representing a fusion of the two should have the power to muzzle, silence, censor, regulate, control and altogether eradicate so-called dangerous or extremist ideas. This unilateral power to muzzle free speech represents a far greater danger than any so-called right- or left-wing extremist might pose. The ramifications are so far-reaching as to render almost every American an extremist in word, deed, thought or by association. Yet where many go wrong is in assuming that you have to be doing something illegal or challenging the governments authority in order to be flagged as a suspicious character, labeled an enemy of the state and locked up like a dangerous criminal. Eventually, all you will really need to do is use certain trigger words, surf the internet, communicate using a cell phone, drive a car, stay at a hotel, purchase materials at a hardware store, take flying or boating lessons, appear suspicious, question government authority, or generally live in the United States. The groundwork has already been laid. The trap is set. All that is needed is the right bait. With the help of automated eyes and ears, a growing arsenal of high-tech software, hardware and techniques, government propaganda urging Americans to turn into spies and snitches, as well as social media and behavior sensing software, government agents have been busily spinning a sticky spider-web of threat assessments, behavioral sensing warnings, flagged words, and suspicious activity reports aimed at snaring potential enemies of the state. Its the American police states take on the dystopian terrors foreshadowed by George Orwell, Aldous Huxley and Phillip K. Dick all rolled up into one oppressive pre-crime and pre-thought crime package. Whats more, the technocrats who run the surveillance state dont even have to break a sweat while monitoring what you say, what you read, what you write, where you go, how much you spend, whom you support, and with whom you communicate. Computers by way of AI (artificial intelligence) now do the tedious work of trolling social media, the internet, text messages and phone calls for potentially anti-government remarks, all of which is carefully recorded, documented, and stored to be used against you someday at a time and place of the governments choosing. For instance, police in major American cities have been using predictive policing technology that allows them to identify individualsor groups of individualsmost likely to commit a crime in a given community. Those individuals are then put on notice that their movements and activities will be closely monitored and any criminal activity (by them or their associates) will result in harsh penalties. In other words, the burden of proof is reversed: you are guilty before you are given any chance to prove you are innocent. Dig beneath the surface of this kind of surveillance/police state, however, and you will find that the real purpose of pre-crime is not safety but control. Red flag gun laws merely push us that much closer towards a suspect society where everyone is potentially guilty of some crime or another and must be preemptively rendered harmless. This is the same government that has a growing listshared with fusion centers and law enforcement agenciesof ideologies, behaviors, affiliations and other characteristics that could flag someone as suspicious and result in their being labeled potential enemies of the state. For instance, if you believe in and exercise your rights under the Constitution (namely, your right to speak freely, worship freely, associate with like-minded individuals who share your political views, criticize the government, own a weapon, demand a warrant before being questioned or searched, or any other activity viewed as potentially anti-government, racist, bigoted, anarchic or sovereign), you could be at the top of the governments terrorism watch list. Moreover, as a New York Times editorial warns, you may be an anti-government extremist (a.k.a. domestic terrorist) in the eyes of the police if you are afraid that the government is plotting to confiscate your firearms, if you believe the economy is about to collapse and the government will soon declare martial law, or if you display an unusual number of political and/or ideological bumper stickers on your car. According to one FBI latest report, you might also be classified as a domestic terrorism threat if you espouse conspiracy theories, especially if you attempt to explain events or circumstances as the result of a group of actors working in secret to benefit themselves at the expense of others and are usually at odds with official or prevailing explanations of events. Additionally, according to Michael C. McGarrity, the FBIs assistant director of the counterterrorism division, the bureau now classifies domestic terrorism threats into four main categories: racially motivated violent extremism, anti-government/anti-authority extremism, animal rights/environmental extremism, and abortion extremism. In other words, if you dare to subscribe to any views that are contrary to the governments, you may well be suspected of being a domestic terrorist and treated accordingly. Again, where many Americans go wrong is in naively assuming that you have to be doing something illegal or harmful in order to be flagged and targeted for some form of intervention or detention. In fact, U.S. police agencies have been working to identify and manage potential extremist threats, violent or otherwise, before they can become actual threats for some time now. In much the same way that the USA Patriot Act was used as a front to advance the surveillance state, allowing the government to establish a far-reaching domestic spying program that turned every American citizen into a criminal suspect, the governments anti-extremism program renders otherwise lawful, nonviolent activities as potentially extremist. In fact, all you need to do these days to end up on a government watch list or be subjected to heightened scrutiny is use certain trigger words (like cloud, pork and pirates), surf the internet, communicate using a cell phone, limp or stutter, drive a car, stay at a hotel, attend a political rally, express yourself on social media, appear mentally ill, serve in the military, disagree with a law enforcement official, call in sick to work, purchase materials at a hardware store, take flying or boating lessons, appear suspicious, appear confused or nervous, fidget or whistle or smell bad, be seen in public waving a toy gun or anything remotely resembling a gun (such as a water nozzle or a remote control or a walking cane), stare at a police officer, question government authority, or appear to be pro-gun or pro-freedom. Be warned: once you get on such a government watch listwhether its a terrorist watch list, a mental health watch list, a dissident watch list, or a red flag gun watch listtheres no clear-cut way to get off, whether or not you should actually be on there. You will be tracked wherever you go. You will be flagged as a potential threat and dealt with accordingly. This is pre-crime on an ideological scale and its been a long time coming. The government has been building its pre-crime, surveillance network in concert with fusion centers (of which there are 78 nationwide, with partners in the corporate sector and globally), data collection agencies, behavioral scientists, corporations, social media, and community organizers and by relying on cutting-edge technology for surveillance, facial recognition, predictive policing, biometrics, and behavioral epigenetics (in which life experiences alter ones genetic makeup). If youre not scared yet, you should be. Connect the dots. Start with the powers amassed by the government under the USA Patriot Act, note the governments ever-broadening definition of what it considers to be an extremist, then add in the governments detention powers under NDAA, the National Security Agencys far-reaching surveillance networks, and fusion centers that collect and share surveillance data between local, state and federal police agencies. To that, add tens of thousands of armed, surveillance drones and balloons that are beginning to blanket American skies, facial recognition technology that will identify and track you wherever you go and whatever you do. And then to complete the picture, toss in the real-time crime centers being deployed in cities across the country, which will be attempting to predict crimes and identify so-called criminals before they happen based on widespread surveillance, complex mathematical algorithms and prognostication programs. Hopefully youre starting to understand how easy weve made it for the government to identify, label, target, defuse and detain anyone it views as a potential threat for a variety of reasons that run the gamut from mental illness to having a military background to challenging its authority to just being on the governments list of persona non grata. Theres always a price to pay for standing up to the powers-that-be. Yet as I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, you dont even have to be a dissident to get flagged by the government for surveillance, censorship and detention. All you really need to be is a citizen of the American police state. WC: 2528 Read more at: Rutherford.org and DomesticTerrorism.com UTICA, N.Y. -- Republican Claudia Tenney still leads Democrat Anthony Brindisi in the race for the 22nd Congressional District seat. NEWSChannel 2 reached out to both campaigns for updated numbers. No one from the Brindisi campaign returned the request on Thursday. The Tenney campaign said it received the numbers from the B.O.E. and says they now have a 128 vote lead. On Thursday, the Oneida County Board of Elections continued its review of affidavit ballots. In a letter, State Supreme Court Justice Scott DelConte said the B.O.E's progress in correcting errors is progressing well. "I intend to issue a final Decision and Order tomorrow (Friday) afternoon on Petitioner Tenney and Respondent Brindisi's challengers to the rulings by the Boards of Elections on the validity of ballots." Judge DelConte said. Canvassing continues on Friday at 9 a.m. at Mohawk Valley Community College. Burma COVID-19 Vaccination Delays Opening of Myanmars New Upper House Myanmar's Parliament in Naypyitaw. / The Irrawaddy YANGONThe first session of Myanmars new Upper House has been postponed by one day due to the ongoing vaccination of lawmakers against COVID-19. Originally, both houses of Parliament were scheduled to meet on Monday for the first time since the National League for Democracys landslide election victory in November. Dr. Myat Nyana Soe, a re-elected member of Parliament from the ruling National League for Democracy, told The Irrawaddy that despite the delay in convening the Upper House, there would be no postponement of the opening of the Lower House session. The new Lower House session will begin on schedule, he said on Friday, meaning that, by extension, Parliament is set to open as planned. He explained that the delay in the Upper House was caused by administrative procedures and the coronavirus inoculations. There are no parliamentary laws dictating that both houses have to start simultaneously, he added. Myanmar began COVID-19 vaccinations on Wednesday. Lawmakers were among those on the priority list to be vaccinated due to the scheduled commencement of the new Parliament. You may also like these stories: Meeting Between Myanmar Govt, Military Fails to Resolve Crisis Over Election Western Embassies, UN Chief Urge Myanmar Military to Respect Democracy Political, Religious Figures Urge Myanmar Govt, Military Leaders to Talk as Tensions Rise Home > 2021 > Faces in mirror held up by farmers protest | Amit Bhaduri by Amit Bhaduri They are showing how wrong we all were in our pessimism and giving the ordinary people a chance for all to unite and reclaim rights The decisive Battle of Plassey that gave the East India Company its foothold in India and established its rule was lost not for lack of battlefield valour but because of the treachery of a military general. An African saying warns: An army of sheep led by a lion can defeat an army of lions led by a sheep. The truth behind this saying is wider, and covers not only battlefields but many modern governments and democratic leaders. A wrong leader, a toxic ideology, foolish ambition or a false sense of grandeur can play havoc, cause unimaginable damage in a very short time. And then the country would take a long time to recover, if at all. Examples abound in history. Hitler and Mussolini are still not too distant in memory. The irony of Stalins rule was that the Red Army defeated the Nazis but, at the same time, his policy of purges left the independent communist parties of Eastern Europe crippled, from which they never quite recovered. It is now well documented that toxic policies promoted by the International Monetary Fund and embraced by its market-fundamentalist leaders sent Argentina, a country of vast natural resources, begging before the world. Delusion combined with a toxic ideology is a recipe for disaster in any country. A negative rate of growth, an unprecedented recession and massive unemployment coexisting with a soaring stock market combined with such ideological priorities as banning cow slaughter and building a Central Vista to show the historic importance of a leader have been foretelling such a disaster. But we woke up to the fact that the monster was at the door only when the farmers of the country showed us the mirror. If you have not already deposited all your intelligence to the expert discussions and images of the mainstream media, you might ask, like in the fairy tale: Mirror, mirror on the wall, show me who is behind it all. And, the mirror would show not the obvious faces of the two most powerful politicians (both from Gujarat) of the ruling party in power, but two other faces, the two richest businessmen (again, both from Gujarat) of the country. No prize for guessing who they are. Both have been long time cronies of the current leader from his days as the chief minister of Gujarat. However, its not merely crony capitalism that we are talking about. The three farm laws recently passed hastily in a moribund Parliament are no exception to the trend already set in a way. The government has done it repeatedly but the trend started earlier with blitzkrieg attacks that gave the public no time to react. It started with the guerrilla attack of demonetisation and then the strategically bad implementation of the GST to weaken petty and small businesses and the states in our federal financial structure. This was followed by the violent uprooting of the lives and livelihoods of migrant workers with the imposition of a most severe lockdown at four hours notice. There was disquiet, discomfort and distress, but the public response was still not one of outrage. The illusion of the government fighting against black money (forget the promise of Rs 15 lakh in every Indians bank account) and valiantly imposing a lockdown against the looming pandemic still had some credibility with the trusting public. But soon we all could not but see how the pandemic was being used as a cover to hollow out from within the essence of parliamentary democracy. A series of anti-labour and pro-corporate labour laws were passed, virtually without any prior notice or discussion. Now the government has adopted the calculated move of bringing the three farm laws into effect, fearing little resistance inside or outside Parliament, again under the cover of a pandemic in a demoralised economy with negative growth and crushing unemployment where most are gasping for oxygen. Briefly, the three laws are meant to dismantle the mandi (wholesale market) system and the minimum support price of agricultural commodities. And this is the point of general interest, often underemphasised by mainstream media they are meant to do away with virtually all normal legal processes in case of disputes through the grant of unilateral power to the government. These laws transfer the power of settling disputes to the executive itself, with no role for the judiciary. The alleged culprit will judge the nature of the guilt, violating all notions of possible conflicts of interest in law. Such a law was passed by our democratic Parliament hurriedly, demolishing not only farmers rights but threatening the rights of all Indian citizens. The farmers rose against it. They rose to defend their rights and this has now become linked with the wider constitutional rights of all Indian citizens. Indias demoralised, impoverished majority has suddenly become aware of the serious danger that stares them in the face. The corporatisation of agriculture is a prelude to the corporatisation of the Indian democracy, of our constitutional rights. Economists of the establishment are known not for their expert knowledge but for their irrelevant half-truths, couched in jargon. The cornerstone of their argument, made famous by Milton Friedman, is that a free democracy requires a free market. The farm laws have brought up the question: Is it a democracy where the executor is also the judge? Is that the new definition of a free democracy? And then, how free is a market where a small or marginal farmer faces Mr Ambani or Mr Adani in a bargain over price? It is a badly kept secret of standard economic theory that the price mechanism does not work unless all buyers and sellers are price takers in the market. This means nobody has the market power to make prices. The high-powered general equilibrium theory had to invent a disinterested outside auctioneer like Voltaires God who would set and revise prices to get at the market clearing prices. With all its imperfections and corruptions, the minimum support price is the closest we have to a price set by an auctioneer. The farmers want it enshrined as a law; the government is unwilling because it wants the corporations to set the prices, sooner rather than later, when the mandi system becomes dysfunctional under the new laws, with or without amendments. This is the free market mechanism celebrated by mainstream economists, debated by so-called experts in the mainstream media, and financed by the big corporations. And in the meantime, Mr Ambanis Reliance has its fingers on the retail market of agricultural produce and Jio will control all corporate online bulk purchases, while Mr Adani is busy extending his network of corporate transport and silos for storing agricultural commodities. The government is understandably enthusiastic about the future of digital capitalism with 5G, which will be controlled by Jio in India. Is there any respite, any alternative route possible? The farmers are showing how wrong we all were in our pessimism. Things change, but not always in the way a few plutocrats and their minions want, if ordinary people unite with all their usual frailties and force Opposition political parties to unite at least on this issue. (Otherwise, the Opposition parties want to have neither a clear pro-poor road map of development nor the courage to call the bluff of mechanised corporate agriculture as the El Dorado of the future.) The farmers determined resistance has created the necessary circumstances. It is for us all to join boldly. It reminds one of the wisdom of a well known observation. Paraphrasing Marx, we might say: Men (and women) create history, but not under circumstances of their own making, but already created. The circumstances have indeed been created by the valiant resistance of the farmers. The lion of the African proverb can still lead an army of sheep to defeat what looked once like an invincible enemy. (Author: Amit Bhaduri is an economist. In January this year [2020], Bhaduri gave up his status as professor emeritus at JNU in protest against the throttling of dissent on the campus) (Courtesy: The Telegraph, December 15, 2020) The death has taken place of well-known Derry doctor, Tom McGinley. Dr McGinley, the founder of the Foyle Hospice, passed away yesterday. Since it opened in 1991, the hospice has provided free care for countless patients and played a key role in the citys health infrastructure as well as helping countless families at a time when they need it most. Dr. McGinleys work with the hospice saw him awarded a Papal Knighthood by Pope John Paul and the Freedom of the City bestowed on him by the local council. Born in Brooklyn, New York, his family returned to West Donegal a few years after because there was no work in the US. After attending secondary school in Letterkenny he went to university to study medicine before moving to Derry 1960 to work in the hospital ahead of moving into general practice. Following his retirement from the Abbey Medical Centre in 1997 he continued his work with the hospice. Dr McGinley decided to set up the hospice after he became deeply unhappy with the standard of care given to dying people but it was his encounter with a terminally ill 18-year-old cancer patient and his inability to administer effective pain relief or talk to him about dying and death that provided the trigger for what was to become a life-long interest in caring for the terminally ill. After visiting St Josephs Hospice, Hackney in London for a few weeks each year, he decided anaesthetics might be the way forward into providing pain relief so, at the same time as continuing in general practice, he worked towards obtaining a fellowship in anaesthetics. He was then offered a consultancy position but felt that if he was ever to be involved in hospice care it was better to remain in general practice during which he dedicated his spare time to fulfilling his ambition. Dr McGinley's son Ciaran said he was 'broken-hearted' at his father's passing. "My truly amazing Dad & mentor has gone to his rest," he said. Ciaran added that anyone wishing to pay their respects to Dr McGinley can do so at Bradley &McLaughlin Funeral Home on William Street from 6pm-8pm this evening. A Foyle Hospice spokesperson said: "It is with deepest sadness that we learned of the passing of Dr Tom McGinley, founder of Foyle Hospice. "Dr McGinley was not only a colleague and mentor to staff over the years, he was also a friend and confidante to many patients and families who have engaged with the organisation since it was first established in 1985. "A true visionary, Foyle Hospice was a labour of love for Dr McGinley and now stands firm as his legacy to the city, providing essential palliative care services and support for the community. "We will forever be indebted to him for his sheer grit and determination. We hope we do him proud in continuing to deliver the high quality and standard of care that he was exceptionally passionate about. "We know that he will be sorely missed by his family and friends. We extend our most sincere sympathies to Ciaran, Aisling, Ronan, Sinead, and the wider family circle. May he rest in peace." NewsX was recently joined by Om Thoke, Serial Entrepreneur, Co-Founder, STM Doosra, Webfosys & Bloggers World for an exclusive conversation as a part of its special series, NewsX A-List where he spoke about his most recent venture, STM Doosra entering the Indian market, the needs of the Indian market and his journey till now. Talking about his journey and how he reached the point of owning several companies and being an entrepreneur, Om said, I hail from a middle-class family and lost my father during college. There was this josh to hustle and I tried my hand at multiple things, working at a call centre, started data entry, then started my handset blogging. During a time where there were no YouTube tutorials, I started trying my hand and slowly it evolved into multiple digital businesses. Its been a good journey for the last 15years, I see that there is a gap in the Indian market and there is a small community of the so-called affiliated marketers and there is no resource out there which helps you achieve everything or provides the insights that are needed to succeed. So, the STM forum is the worlds largest paid affiliating marketing community and we have partnered with them and are bringing this to India. I see there are 1.3 billion people in India and theres huge potential. Thats what the idea is about and were hoping to grab the Indian market. Speaking about STM Doosra and what its about, Om said, STM forum is a global community and now theyre venturing into India. Indian audience has a different taste and also the needs are different. They want more webinars, more videos, more interactions. They dont like reading all this stuff and also in 2021, voice searches and videos will be the next big thing, not that people will stop reading but its easier to communicate when youre live. So, you have the opportunity to ask questions live and get the answers immediately, then youre happy and feel that youve got value for money. So, STM is basically trying to address that gap in the market and provide the necessary help to digital marketers and affiliated marketers to get the know-how. Also, all the handholding and there are experts from all industries, theyll be trying to help people who are trying blogging, SEO, Facebook marketing or any digital marketing for that matter and thats the community that were trying to build here. Also read: As a startup, it takes around 2-3 years to figure out whether you can survive or not: Vivek Naidu, Founder, MD, Hotfoot Technology Solutions Talking about what makes STM different and whether it is suitable for everybody or a particular segment, Mr. Thoke said, There have been so many people who attempt this, every other guy wants to become the digital guy in India and now theres a rat race. Everybody thinks theyre the digital expert, but unfortunately, that doesnt do much good. What makes STM different, first of all, STM forum is the largest community, its been there for 10 years, globally. Events like Affiliate World Asia, Bangkok, Europe, Barcelona, these are now online events due to the pandemic, as they couldnt conduct in-person meets, so they started something called, Ad World. I spoke last year and we formed a bond, a synergy and they wanted to tap into the Indian market. Like I said, our wants and needs are different, so what will make us different is that there will be live interactions, panel discussions and live help instantly. Second, we would go with all guns blazing during the pre-launch and then the launch. The core value I see in all this is, we would be building a community where its a win-win situation for all of us. Its not that were trying to market a product to someone and it is for everyone. If you are into digital business and want to learn something, its for everyone but if youre not into digital and want to explore, its a great opportunity for you to network with a lot of digital networks, which may be hard to find otherwise. You cannot reach out to thousands of people on Facebook, Instagram or email because it doesnt work and 90% of the times theres no response. Starting at a time when there were no social media platforms, Om talked about his journey till now. He said, Earlier it was very different, there were no webinars, no shows, no events, no networking, so, it was all trial and error. I tried my hand at a bunch of things and Im grateful to God that it worked out. Its hasnt been a bed full of roses, its been a journey of ups and downs, good days and bad days, but it worked out at the end so Im thankful to the Almighty. Its been mostly trial and error, they say fortune favours the brave and if you keep trying, eventually itll work out for you. Giving his message to the youth of the country and aatmanirbharta, Om opined, I see a lot of people cribbing about what the governments doing for them, what someone is doing for them, getting grants and benefits. My message to everyone is, you can hustle and earn your bread. I understand that a lot of people have been hit very hard during the pandemic, being a digital company, we werent affected that badly but we also have an E-comm wing which did get affected. So you cant keep crying over things which didnt work out for you, you have to evolve, so, I feel that if you truly become aatmanirbhar, youll find a way. To become aatmanirbhar, you have to find ways to do stuff for your life, you cant just keep cribbing. Were not getting political here, but my message to the youth is that there are multiple ways and digital horizons have expanded enormously and theres no end to opportunities. You have seen the likes of Byjus growing immensely, White Hat Jr., and other such companies have crazy valuations and growth in Ed-tech sector, Fintech sector. Anything technology-driven, you can do startups, if you are in the salaried category, you can enhance your skills, pick up some digital skills and be valuable to the company. There is something that you can do always instead of cribbing, self-help is the best help. Speaking about acquiring customers in 2021 and vision for the future, Om said, We are hoping when we begin, well have up to 10,000 takers this year and we will grow yearly. Like we said, its 1.3 billion people and theres a huge gap, its not like there are thousands of companies doing this, so I see that there is a huge opportunity and even if we are able to tap into 1-2% market share, thats a humongous opportunity. We are very hopeful about STM Doosra doing great in India. Also read: Entrepreneurship is one of the biggest life choices that an entrepreneur will make: Vineet Bajpai, Author and CEO of Magnon Group & Talentrack Germany will from Saturday ban most travellers from countries hit by new, more contagious coronavirus variants to prevent a surge in infection numbers, the government said Friday. The move, set to last until February 17, is necessary "to protect the people of Germany and to limit the entry and rapid spread of the new virus variants", according to a government decree seen by AFP. The affected countries are Britain, Ireland, Portugal, Brazil and South Africa, as well as the southern African kingdoms of Lesotho and Eswatini. The entry restrictions cover arrivals by air, bus, rail and sea, but several exceptions will be granted. Germans and other nationals living in Germany are allowed to return, while passenger transits and freight traffic will also be unaffected. Exemptions also include the entry of medical workers and people in other key jobs. The emergence of virus mutations in Britain, Brazil and South Africa, deemed more infectious than the original strain, has fuelled concern at a time when many nations are struggling to rein in the pandemic. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said earlier this week that he wanted to reduce flights into Germany to "almost zero". The European Union remains opposed to a blanket travel ban or closures of national borders, despite some members seeking tougher action. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday said all non-essential travel "should be strongly discouraged". Portugal, which has strong air links with Brazil, has seen an explosion in cases and on Thursday decided to limit foreign travel for two weeks. Belgium has taken a similar step, putting a ban in place until March 1. Germany coped relatively well with the first coronavirus wave last spring but has been hit hard by a second wave in recent months. Europe's biggest economy renewed restrictions in November, shutting down bars and restaurants as well as culture and leisure facilities. Measures were tightened further in December, with schools and non-essential shops also ordered to close. The current shutdowns are set to last at least until mid-February. The curbs appear to be paying off, with the daily infection numbers falling although the number of deaths every 24 hours remains high. The country has recorded over two million cases and more than 55,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic. mfp/hmn/kjl 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. Laredo and Webb County leaders confirmed 127 positives and five deaths in their daily coronavirus update, a noticeable drop in positives compared to the amount reported in the last week. The 127 cases reported today is the lowest reported figure since January 6, when only 69 COVID-19 positives were reported. Since that day, an average of 554 cases have been reported daily. 2,314 cases remain active, with 37,050 people estimated to have recovered from a previous infection. As of the update, 227 people remain hospitalized with the virus, with 74 patients in the intensive care unit. Though still at very high capacity, Laredo health authority said that hospitals have begun seeing more space opening up in medical-surgical units, and limited space in ICUs. The news comes as city leaders begin to report seeing a "light at the end of the tunnel" as it comes to COVID-19. Earlier today, city leaders opened up COVID-19 vaccine appointments, offering 3,000 slots for citizens in Phase 1A and 1B to to get vaccinated. According to a city spokesman, slots for all online appointments were booked within 30 minutes. In total, 5,000 vaccines will be disbursed by the City of Laredo health department next week, with the city partnering with both Laredo school districts to decentralize the distribution of the vaccine. Twenty-five locations, including some school campuses, will be converted to designated vaccine points of distribution. Two locations will also be in operation in Rio Bravo and El Cenizo, city leaders reported. The decentralized points will allow citizens who have already booked a vaccine appointment to more easily receive it, especially as the city begins to receive more supply. Next week's distribution will act as almost a proving ground, city officials said, where Laredo can show to the state it's ready to accept more vaccines and quickly distribute them to the community. City of Laredo health director Richard Chamberlain said that the city will continue to partner with other organizations as more vaccine supply is received by the city. Laredo has already seen some success in distributing vaccine in high volumes, with the city reporting third successful day at the vaccine distribution center currently in operation at the Sames Auto Arena. According to Chamberlain, of the 3,520 Laredoans who received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines at the TAMIU drive-thru clinic, only 30 people remain without an appointment to receive their second dose. Chamberlain said those in the group should contact the city via 3-1-1 as soon as possible in order to schedule their second batch of the vaccine. And while the vaccine has started to become readily available for those who want it, city leaders continue to prepare Laredo's medical system for a worst-case scenario. Emergency management coordinator and Laredo fire chief Guillermo Heard announced Friday that an alternate care site has been approved for the Laredo area that should be open within the next two weeks. Discussions for the location, which Heard said would have around 30 rooms, are still in progress, and will be announced at a later date. However, Heard confirmed that the site will primarily serve low-acuity patients who have mostly recovered from a bout with the virus. The site is designed to handle these patients, which will open up beds in Laredo hospitals for patients with much more severe cases of the virus. Despite the positive news, Trevino said the medical community is anticipating the effects of gatherings due to Super Bowl weekend, seeing the drop in cases a "lull before the storm". "This will be a turning point for Laredo," Trevino said. "Where the community decides whether to follow the suggested health guidelines or not." The Texas Department of State Health Services reported a COVID-19 hospitalization rate of 42.21% for January 28. The rate remains the highest of all Texas hospital regions, with the next-highest percentage at 22.53% in Waco. As of noon Friday, 267,918 tests for the virus have been administered in Laredo. Since March, 39,992 have tested positive and 628 people have died. The most recent deaths were recorded on Thursday, January 28. Three deaths, of a man in his 80s, and two women in their 70s, were reported. On Wednesday, a woman and a man, both in their 70s, died due to the virus. Indian short-video platforms are looking to hire key employees from Chinese company ByteDance, now that the TikTok owner has announced significant downsizing in India. While the two richest Indian short video platforms, ShareChat and DailyHunt, havent publicly commented on the issue, smaller ones like Chingari, Bolo Indya, Mitron and Trell have all said they will be looking to hire employees who are leaving the Chinese giant. While these are super tough times, we would love to have you guys build something solid at Chingari for the larger Bharat," Aditya Kothari, co-founder of Chingari said in a LinkedIn post addressed to ByteDance employees. The company also issued a statement saying the same. "It is unfortunate to see Indian talent in a fix as a result of Chinese app ban in India. Indians working in these companies are highly talented, enthusiastic, committed, and passionate to create a positive impact," said Varun Saxena, chief executive and founder of Bolo Indya. We look forward to onboard quite a few of them where there is a strong cultural fit as well," he added. About 40% of Bolo Indyas current workforce already comes from rival platforms, including Roposo, ShareChat, TikTok, Likee, Vmate, Shareit, Bigo Live and more. The Chinese owner of TikTok had announced its plans to significantly" downsize staff in India. As you can imagine, the magnitude of this decision is not easy. For the last several months, our management team has worked tirelessly to avoid having to separate anyone from the company. Weve cut expenses, while still paying benefits. However, we simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while our apps remain unoperational," said Vanessa Pappas, interim global head of TikTok, in a letter sent to employees. According to industry executives, ByteDance is expected to sack over 80% of its staff in India. The company currently has over 2,000 employees in India and expectations are that only about 200 to 250 of them will be retained. Rival companies see this as an opportunity to fill some key senior level positions, while also hiring other staff. The hiring would be across domains including business development, user engagement, product management, community management, content strategy, content moderation functions. Besides this, the company is also looking at filling various Vice President and AVP positions to expand its leadership team," Bolo Indya said in a statement. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Their condition is satisfactory. Two Ukrainian soldiers have been wounded in Donbas after Russian occupation forces dropped a VOG-17 grenade from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). "At noon, using a quadcopter-type UAV, the enemy dropped a VOG-17 grenade over the Joint Forces' positions near the village of Vodiane in the Azov Sea littoral. As a result, two Ukrainian soldiers received shrapnel wounds. They were rushed to the hospital where they received medical assistance. Their condition is satisfactory," the press center of the Joint Forces Operation's Command said on Facebook on January 29, 2021. Read alsoDonbas war update: Ukraine records three ceasefire violations on Jan 28 "Such actions of the Russian Federation's armed formations and its mercenaries once again confirm the enemy is deliberately violating the ceasefire and does not want to comply with peace agreements," the report says. The incident was reported to OSCE representatives through the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) of the ceasefire in Donbas. Other related news reports Reporting by UNIAN As Abigail Adeleke overlooked the University of Miami Coral Gables Campus from the Student Government offices in the Donna E. Shalala Student Center earlier this week, a sense of pride overcame her. The campus was absolutely electric, said Adeleke, president of the Student Government. I ran into people I havent seen since March, and it was absolutely amazing to see the campus as vibrant as its been in previous years. Monday, Jan. 25, marked the first day of spring classes at the University. Hitting their one week mark in to the spring term, the Universitys first-ever all-women Student Government executive boardnow governing in its second semesterremains enthusiastic about its plans to foster a safe and fun learning environment for all undergraduate students. Returning students may not notice many changes, as this spring semester will operate similarly to the fall. New and transfer students, however, will adapt to course schedules that provide a combination of in-person and remote classes, as the University continues to promote public health guidelines and physical distancing measures on campus. Were really excited for this semester, said Adeleke, a senior majoring in journalism and psychology from Chicago. "Were going to see an influx of students and so our approach as Student Government has been to continue to advocate for students because thats what we can do now with the resources that we do have. Adeleke, Vice President Shirley Gelman, and Treasurer Amanda Rodriguez plan to use the same methods of communication as they did in the fall to be as accessible as possible for their peers. The trios main concern is making sure students are able to safely stay on campus and advocating for every type of undergraduate student. Now as a student body and as students on campus, we understand what we need to do to have fun events that can actually work during a pandemic, said Gelman, an international finance, marketing, and management major from St. Louis, Missouri. Gelman, who oversees the Freshman Leadership Council and serves as vice chair of What Matters To U, a moderated discussion series, said last semester provided a template as to what works best and how to achieve the most. It was a shortened semester, just like this one will be, but now weve had more time to plan, she said. We had some events that were virtual, and were excited to do that again this semester. Adeleke said her first semester as president was the least traditionalfrom mask-wearing to social distancingbut it feels like the University is operating more confidently in the new normal. I think people may not necessarily notice the changes that are being made but our University is here for us, and there is a huge support system, said Adeleke. Continue to use us and continue to voice those concerns because thats how we make change. Its with those concerns and maybe even the negative feedback that we ultimately become a better University. Increased diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts will continue to be vital to Adeleke and her team. Most recently, Adeleke assisted with a module that students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to complete within the coming weeks. A survey will also soon be distributed to all students, to get a sense of the racial climate on campus. In the coming weeks, students will notice two helpful changes around campus. Eventually, the solar umbrellas that were being underutilized near the Whitten Learning Center will be moved to the University Center (UC) patio. This will allow more students to study outdoors for extended periods with the ability to charge their mobile devices and laptops. Also, automated rental charging systems will be offered in the UC soon. Right now, the library allows you to rent chargers and such but were going to be able to move that to the UC. So, if youre not necessarily in the library, you can move around campus with this charger, Adeleke said. Were super excited about that. The executive board said this semester will come with its challenges, but Gelman wants students to know that student government wants to do anything it can to support them. Im really excited to see everyone back on campus, and I would recommend that all students who are new this semester be sure to read their emails, she said. Adeleke added, Were never too busy and are always here as a resource. [January 29, 2021] Mambu Reports Company-Wide Growth in 2020 Mambu, a cloud banking platform for banking and lending businesses, announced today it experienced company-wide growth during 2020. The company quickly helped 26 financial institutions (FIs)adapt to market changes, including a record two-week implementation. This announcement follows another year of approximately 100% YoY growth for Mambu in the banking software market, (positioning Mambu at its unicorn status with a $2.1 billion valuation. Additionally, Mambu expanded its employee base to more than 22 countries and strategically partnered with third-party providers to streamline and increase accessibility to its solution. Mambu succeeded in several other areas last year. The company experienced growth internally, increasing its employee base 80% to nearly 500 employees. Significant hires included Johanna Pugh, Managing Director, North America; Kris Rogers, General Manager, Australia and New Zealand; Jaco Fourie, General Manager, South Africa; Sergio Costantini, General Manager, Brazil and Minh Quang, General Manager, Vietnam. Mambu spread its geographic footprint by opening a new office in UAE as well an engineering center in Lithuania. Now Mambu employees work across 22 countries. Mambu strategically partnered with leading companies to meet the growing demands of its customers. Partnerships include: Google Cloud Platform, a suite of cloud computing services, to continue to grow its reach and seamlessly deliver service, extending banking and lending operations to more countries; Backbase, a digital-first banking platform, to deliver a unique and powerful turn-key digital banking solution; VeriTran, a global low-code platform provider, for a streamlined solution that assists traditional banks to launch their digital apps in a matter of weeks; Mobiquity, a digital consultancy that designs and delivers compelling digital products and services for the world's leading brands, to create unique customer-centric experiences; TransferWise, a global technology company that moves money across the world, so customers can seamlessly access TransferWise's technology infrastructure directly to offer cheap, fast and transparent international money transfers at the real exchange rate; Alchemy, a cloud-based digital banking solution provider for U.S.-based financial institutions, to enable faster, more agile lending decisioning for community banks and credit unions; and CurrencyCloud, an embedded cross-border solutions platform, to offer transparent and scalable international payments capabilities to customers. Mambu was recognized for its innovation by the Fintech50 Hall of Fame for Consistent Innovation and 2020 CB Insights Fintech 250 list. The company was also positioned as a Challenger in Gartner's 2020 Magic Quadrant for Global Retail Core Banking as well as a strong performer in The Forrester (News - Alert) Wave: Digital Banking Processing Platforms (Retail Banking), Q3 2020. For additional information, visit Mambu's Year in Review here. About Mambu ?Mambu is the SaaS (News - Alert) banking platform that is changing financial services. This rapidly growing company ?was launched in 2011? and is enabling customers to build modern banking ?and lending? offerings? fast, securely and simply?. Through its composable banking approach, the platform gives customers the ability to design and service nearly any financial product while rapidly integrating to the best-of-service ecosystem of complementary solutions around the world. Mambu has a global network? of nearly 500 employees? supports ?170 customers in over 65 countries. ?It counts N26, OakNorth, ABN AMRO and Orange (News - Alert) amongst its extensive list of customers.? For more information, please visit our website or connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and? ?Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005042/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The European Union on Thursday recommended that its member states reinstate an entry ban for travelers from Japan, because of the surge in novel coronavirus infections in the country. Each of the member states has the authority to control their own borders, and will decide whether or not to implement the ban. Experts from the World Health Organization visited a Wuhan hospital Friday as the fieldwork began in a closely watched coronavirus origins probe that will take in a food market presumed to be "ground zero" of the pandemic. The WHO investigation has been hobbled by delays, and there are fears over access and the strength of evidence a year after the virus emerged in the central Chinese city. The team met Chinese officials Friday and then left their Wuhan hotel in a fleet of cars, trailed by a media pack reflecting the intense global scrutiny on a visit whose aim is to establish how the virus was transferred from animals to humans. The Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine -- where some of the earliest Covid-19 patients were admitted -- is among the field visits. The WHO said the team will later head to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Huanan market, and the Wuhan CDC laboratory, three sites now indelibly linked with the pandemic. Details of the trip are being relayed via Twitter rather than Chinese authorities. Team member Peter Daszak described the first site visit as "extremely important". "We are in the hospital that treated some of the first known cases of COVID-19, meeting with the actual clinicians & staff who did this work, having open discussion about the details of their work," tweeted Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, a global NGO focused on infectious disease prevention. The Huanan market -- which remains boarded up -- is believed to have been the first major cluster of infections, while former US president Donald Trump had pushed an unsubstantiated theory that the virus escaped from a testing facility at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The mission's exact itinerary remains unclear. - 'It is not an investigation' - The highly politicised mission had been beset by delays, with China refusing access until mid-January. China on Thursday warned the United States against "political interference" during a trip, after the White House demanded a "robust and clear" investigation. The WHO insists the probe will be tethered tightly to the science behind how the virus jumped to humans. Beijing is desperate to take the air out of the blame game and instead train attention on its handling and recovery from the outbreak. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman on Friday flagged the visit as "a part of global research" into the pandemic. "It is not an investigation," Zhao Lijian told reporters. In a tweet Thursday, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he had had a "frank discussion" with China's Health Minister Ma Xiaowei. "I asked that the international scientists get the support, access & data needed, and the chance to engage fully with their Chinese counterparts," he said. China's National Health Commission says 4,636 people have died in the country as a result of the virus. The nation's GDP grew 2.3 percent in 2020, the only major economy to do so. In comparison, more than 400,000 Americans have died so far as the sickness rips through its population and economy, while Britain recorded its 100,000th fatality this week. Short link: The Bay Areas worst coronavirus surge yet is finally starting to ease, but in its wake, pandemic risks are higher than before. And as the region starts to reopen, experts say its time to double down on safety measures which may include upgrading or even doubling your mask for maximum protection. Such measures are important, they say, because case levels remain high, Californias vaccine rollout has been rocky, and a number of new variants are popping up in the state and around the country. One from the United Kingdom is more infectious and could become the dominant strain by March. One found and being studied in the Bay Area, and others from Brazil and South Africa, could possibly evade antibodies created by the new coronavirus vaccines or maybe even reinfect people a second time, experts say. We are at an urgent period of transmission because ... we are in our third and worst surge of the pandemic, and our vaccine rollout is still not rapid enough, said Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist at UCSF. It is an incredibly important time to do everything we can to tamp down transmission. Experts are urging the public to ramp up the familiar safety measures of social distancing, hand washing and wearing masks. With more virus transmission everywhere and the new variants possibly leading to higher rates of infection, vigilance is more important than ever. In particular, experts are offering new recommendations on whether your masking is up to snuff. Several European countries, including Germany and Austria, are now requiring everyone to wear surgical or N95 grade masks. Some Asian countries are mailing high-quality masks to their residents. Gandhi worked with Linsey Marr, an expert on airborne transmission of viruses and a professor of civil engineering at Virginia Tech, on a scientific article about the importance of and science behind face masks. They offer advice on what types of face masks offer the best protection. Whats the best face mask out there? Gandhi said N95 masks are the gold standard, but its still challenging for the general population to obtain them because they are in shorter supply, they have to be fit-tested, and can be uncomfortable because they are so snug. Mark Moran / Associated Press Can I get close to an N95 mask? What about cloth and surgical masks? The article by Gandhi and Marr cites a study conducted by Marr and some graduate students that tested the effectiveness of 10 different masks. Based on the findings, they recommend a high-quality surgical mask or cloth mask with at least two layers with high thread count for basic protection. Who should be double-masking? During an appearance this week on NBCs Today Show, top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said that wearing two masks just makes common sense that it likely would be more effective at preventing droplets from getting through. But Gandhi said she doesnt think its necessary for everyone to wear two masks all the time, and that buy-in of masks in this country is still uneven and complicated. Instead, her recommendations focus on certain individuals and situations: Medically vulnerable and older individuals. Individuals who work in crowded indoor conditions such as meat processing plants and restaurant kitchens. Those in indoor environments with others not in their household, in an area of high transmission. Most of California is in a period of high transmission right now, including the Bay Area. When looking at the trio of masking, distancing and ventilation, one can diminish the other, Gandhi said. So if you are wearing a single mask but are outdoors, that makes up for the mask. If you are inside and double-mask, that makes up for lack of ventilation. But if youre particularly concerned, she said, do what makes you feel most comfortable. Anyone who feels more worried about the virus, its a great thing to do, she said. How can I get the best protection? According to the study cited by Gandhi, those with concerns have several options for maximum protection: A tight-fitting cloth mask over a surgical mask, which acts like a filter. Surgical masks tend to fit looser than other masks, so this would improve fit and add protection. A three-layer, tightly woven cloth mask with a filter pocket. Vacuum or HEPA filters can be used, and many companies now sell affordable, precut filter inserts for masks. The study found that if the masks fit well, these combinations should produce an overall efficiency of >90% for particles 1 mm and larger, which corresponds to the size of respiratory aerosols that we think are most important in mediating transmission of COVID-19, according to the article. According to the CDC, studies have shown that multilayer cloth masks can block 50% to 70% of large and fine droplets. Masks with multiple layers of tightly woven cloth performed better than single layer masks, filtering almost 50% of fine particles. Surgical masks are 60% to 70% effective at protecting others, and 50% effective at protecting the wearer, according to studies. Gandhi stressed that users should pair a surgical mask with a cloth mask because a surgical mask blocks viruses electrostatically, while a cloth mask blocks them physically, so layering them uses two different mechanisms. The same goes with the filters and the cloth masks. And when looking for surgical masks, make sure they are made of polypropylene. Is layering more than two masks even better? Theres no need to go overboard. Layering more than two masks has zero utility, Gandhi said, and the more you pile on, the harder it is to breathe. What about KN95 masks? Other N95 versions are offered, including the KN95 from China and the KF94 from South Korea. Gandhi said they are not exactly the same as N95 masks and dont fit as tightly, so people who want more protection should put a cloth mask over them. Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com SAO PAULO, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo Sabesp ("Sabesp" or "Company"), in compliance with the provisions of Article 157, Paragraph 4, of Law 6,404/76 and the provisions of Instruction 358 of the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission ("CVM"), dated January 3, 2002, as amended, in continuity to the Material Fact disclosed on January 15, hereby informs its shareholders and the market in general that the Sao Paulo State Energy and Sanitation Regulatory Agency (ARSESP - Agencia Reguladora de Saneamento e Energia do Estado de Sao Paulo) published Resolutions N 1,118 and N 1,119: (i) changing the schedule of the Third Ordinary Tariff Revision of Sabesp, due to the need of additional data and analysis for the opening of a public consultation regarding the P0 and X Factor; and (ii) changing to the Tariff Structure schedule, as follows: Resolution N 1,118 - Third Ordinary Tariff Revision Stage Event Period 9 Disclosure of the Preliminary Technical Note - Calculation of P0 February 9, 2021 10 Public consultation and public hearing - Calculation of P0 February 9, 2021 to March 8, 2021 11 Disclosure of the Detailed Report, Final Technical Note and Resolution regarding P0 April 9, 2021 Resolution N 1,119 - Tariff Structure Schedule Stage Event Period 4 Disclosure of the Preliminary Technical Note with the proposal for the new tariff structure and the respective implementation plan Up to February 9, 2021 5 Hold of the public consultation and public hearing on the Preliminary Technical Note published according to Stage 4 February 9, 2021 to March 8, 2021 6 Analysis of the contributions received, publication of the Final Technical Note, of the Detailed Report and of the Resolution on the tariff structure approved by Arsesp Up to April 9, 2021 The Resolutions mentioned are available on ARSESP's and Sabesp's websites, in the Investor Relations page. The Company will keep the market informed on the developments concerning this matter. IR Contacts: Mario Arruda Sampaio (55 11) 3388-8664 ([email protected]) Angela Beatriz Airoldi (55 11) 3388-8793 ([email protected]) SOURCE Sabesp Related Links http://www.sabesp.com.br [January 29, 2021] Oklahoma Health Care Authority Chooses UnitedHealthcare to Serve its Medicaid Beneficiaries The Oklahoma Health Care Authority, which is partnering with managed care health plans to improve people's health outcomes, increase access to care, and reduce health care costs, selected UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Oklahoma to administer its statewide Medicaid program, SoonerSelect, starting later this year. "UnitedHealthcare has been committed to improving the health and well-being of Oklahomans since 1985, and we look forward to serving SoonerCare beneficiaries by providing high quality, sustainable health care," said Megan Haddock, CEO, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Oklahoma. "We are honored to continue our partnership with the state to help Oklahomans live healthier lives." UnitedHealthcare will work closely with the state to deliver self-management care solutions and improve the overall health and well-being of Oklahomans through whole-person, coordinated care, which addresses both medical needs and social services such as support with food, transportation, employment, housing and addiction therapy. The company will offer health benefit plans for a portion of the state's Medicaid program. Membership will include access to UnitedHealthcare Community Plan's care provider network, wellness programs and comprehensive health coverage. This includes preventive care, primary care, ospitalization, prescriptions and other health and wellness services, often at low or no cost. Currently, UnitedHealthcare employs nearly 1,000 people in Oklahoma and works with a number of local organizations and nonprofits to improve access to vital health care and community resources, including housing for families and seniors facing housing insecurity. UnitedHealthcare provides employer-sponsored, individual and Medicare health plans, as well as Dual Special Needs Plans for nearly 600,000 people in Oklahoma. Nearly 14,000 providers and hospitals are under contract in the state. For more information, visit www.uhccommunityplan.com/ok. About UnitedHealthcare UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making the health system work better for everyone by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. In the United States, UnitedHealthcare offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 1.3 million physicians and care professionals, and 6,500 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. The company also provides health benefits and delivers care to people through owned and operated health care facilities in South America. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified health care company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @UHC on Twitter (News - Alert) . View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005582/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] As of Thursday, the UK variant of coronavirus has been detected in at least 27 states. While there are three cases in Alabama, North Alabama does not have any confirmed cases of the variant. Health officials in Madison County say that's not an excuse to let your guard down. David Spillers, CEO of the Huntsville Hospital system, said Alabama is heading in the right direction when it comes to getting the virus under control, but he's worried the new variant could change that. I get concerned that people are going to start dropping their guards and going back to doing the things we did pre-COVID, and then, we have an outbreak," he said. "Which could be particularly difficult to control if we get this new variant in here, which is so much more infectious than what were dealing with now. Both Moderna and Pfizer said their vaccines protect you from the new variant. An infectious disease expert with Huntsville Hospital, Hafsa Siddiqui, said more people still need to be vaccinated to stop the spread. Siddiqui said since less than 10% of the community is vaccinated, you're not in the clear yet. Vaccine by no means makes you resistant to the virus, and if youre not vaccinated, youre still at higher risk of acquiring infection," said Siddiqui. Experts said the virus variants are easier to transmit. Because of this, Spillers said you need to continue to be patient and continue to mask, social distance and avoid crowds. "What were dealing with now is pretty infectious, but boy, the thought of something being three or four times as infectious than what were dealing with, all it takes is one family gathering and all of a sudden, weve got 50 people infected, and that 50 can infect another 10, and then, youve got 500," he said. Siddiqui said we cannot start to relax on CDC guidelines until at least 80% of the community is vaccinated. Advertisement The Novavax coronavirus vaccine could submit its results to the UK regulator within two weeks, says the clinical trial chief, with supplies set to be available to Britain as soon as this summer. Early results show the jab is 89.3 effective against the virus and can fight off the Kent strain, in a glimmer of hope that the UK will add a fourth jab to its anti-Covid arsenal to end the pandemic. And in another promising sign it was found to be spark protection against the South African strain - which scientists fear could slip past jab-triggered immunity - in 60 per cent of cases. There have been 62 confirmed infections in the trial involving 15,000 volunteers - including 4,000 over 65 - so far, including 56 in the placebo group which did not receive the experimental vaccine. Professor Paul Heath, who heads the study, said they will likely record 100 infections in the next two weeks, which is the number needed for them to take the jab to regulators for approval. 'We will reach 100 cases in the next week or two,' he said. 'And that will be the next step, streaming of all the data, and going to the MHRA (UK jabs regulator). I have no idea how long it will take to then reach a decision.' The company Fujifilm, which will manufacture the jab in Billingham, Teesside, confirmed today that it was preparing to start making it in February. Whitehall sources say that, if the regulatory process goes smoothly, the jabs could start becoming available to the public by the summer, in a massive boost to the country's jabs supplies. The UK has ordered 60million jabs from the US pharmaceutical firm, alongside 100million from the already rubber-stamped Oxford/Astrazeneca jab and 40million from Pfizer/BioNTech. A further 17million are due to arrive from Moderna in the spring. The UK's 2020 vaccine chief revealed today she cracked open the wine and 'broke dry January' last night after learning another jab set be made in Britain was proved to beat Covid-19. Kate Bingham, who stepped down as chairwoman of the UK Vaccine Taskforce on January 1, also revealed that she was one of the people who took part in the trial. The Novavax jab could submit its results to the UK's regulators for approval within two weeks, the trials chief has said (stock) So far the UK has placed orders for 367million doses of the seven most promising Covid vaccines made by AstraZeneca , Pfizer , Moderna, Valneva, Janssen, GlaxoSmithKline and Novavax at a cost of 2.9billion Early results show it is 89 per cent effective against coronavirus and the Kent strain, and 60 per cent effective against the South African variant. There is no data on its impact on the Brazilian strain at present, but tests are being conducted with the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab The jab could be available by the summer if approved. It will be produced at Fujifilm Diosynth in Stockton-on-Tees, according to local reports Professor Heath sought to calm concerns that variants of the virus could get around jab-triggered immunity during a press conference today. Scientists fear that a strain will emerge with different spike proteins - which it uses to invade cells and are bound to by antibodies to stop infection - which could make immunity triggered by vaccines ineffective. But no strain with this ability has yet being identified by scientists, meaning that current vaccines are sufficient to fend off infections. 'The (60 per cent efficacy against the SA variant) is really good because we had been concerned... it would not be vaccine preventable,' he said. He added: 'It's very likely that (other vaccines) will also protect against this variant. '(These results) imply other vaccines which produce high levels of spike protein will also be effective against the UK variant.' How does the Novavax vaccine work? How does the Novavax jab work? The Novavax vaccine works like other vaccines by teaching the immune system to make antibodies to the coronavirus spike protein. Researchers inserted a modified gene into a virus, called a baculovirus, and allowed it to infect insect cells. Spike proteins from these cells were then harvested and assembled into nanoparticles which then look like the coronavirus but cannot replicate or cause Covid-19. These nanoparticles are then injected into the body via the vaccine where the immune system mounts an antibody response. They are combined with a compound called a matrix which essentially acts as a catalyst to boost the immune system's reaction and make it mount a stronger response, which should lead to more robust immunity. If the body encounters coronavirus in the future, the body is primed to fend it off. Are there advantages of the Novavax vaccine? Yes. While the jabs from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna need to be kept at ultra-low temperatures, the Novavax jab is stable for up to three months in a normal fridge. The jab should be available in the second half of this year and is being manufactured in Teeside. Was the jab tested in the UK? Yes. More than 15,000 people in the UK took part in the clinical trial, which was supported by the UK National Institute for Health Research. Some 27 per cent of those in the UK were over the age of 65. The study assessed how effective the vaccine was when transmission of Covid-19 was high in the UK, and with the variant strain identified in the UK circulating widely. The analysis, based on the first 62 cases of Covid-19 identified in the trial, reported 56 cases in people given a placebo (dummy) vaccine while six cases were in those given the vaccine. More than 50 per cent of cases related to the UK strain of the virus, with the vaccine offering 86 per cent protection against this strain. Against the original strain that has circulated since the start of the pandemic, the vaccine was 96 per cent effective. Advertisement Novavax is already looking at designing booster shots for its vaccine that could protect against new variants, he added, which could be given as second doses. When asked by MailOnline whether he was more concerned about the Brazilian variant, Professor Heath said more studies needed to be carried out. 'Any of the variants that have a significant impact on the spike protein are of theoretical concern because antibody responses to spike protein are critical in providing protection, ' he said. 'There is general concern about the Brazilian variant because of the amount of disease in one part of the country where a high degree of previous infection and immunity was established. 'It requires further work and understanding.' There are trials of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines impact on the Brazilian strain ongoing, which will indicate whether it can dodge previous immunity. Last year, Novavax said pre-clinical trials showed its potential vaccine produced 'robust antibody responses'. The firm announced plans for the critical phase three trials in the UK in September last year. The vaccine works like other vaccines by teaching the immune system to make antibodies to the coronavirus spike protein. Researchers inserted a modified gene into a virus, called a baculovirus, and allowed it to infect insect cells. Spike proteins from these cells were then assembled into nanoparticles which, while they look like coronavirus, cannot replicate or cause Covid-19. These nanoparticles are then injected into the body via the vaccine where the immune system mounts an antibody response. If the body encounters coronavirus in the future, the body is primed to fend it off. If approved, the Novavax vaccine would be the fourth jab given the green light in the UK. British regulators have also approved the US-made Moderna vaccine, which is expected to come on stream this spring. It will be made at Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies factory in Stockton-on-Tees according to local reports. The trial on the two-shot vaccine is the first to be completed since the emergence of the new variant of the disease in Kent. Ms Bingham hailed the results of the jab today, saying: 'I have a massive smile on my face. When I heard the news last night, I'm afraid I broke the Dry January rule and celebrated with a glass of wine.' She added: 'I'm actually a participant in the Novavax trial, so I'm especially happy that that trial has shown that the vaccine is so effective - not only against the original variant, but especially against both the Kent variant that we've seen, the new variant in the UK, as well as the South African variant, which is one of definite concern.' In April, Boris Johnson had called Ms Bingham, a biochemist turned businesswoman married to Tory MP Jesse Norman, and asked her to take the unpaid role as the head of Britain's vaccine task force telling her that the brief was simply: 'Stop people from dying.' Her appointment led to accusations of cronyism. Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the 'spectacular' results, adding in a tweet: 'Good news that the Novavax vaccine has proved effective in UK trials. 'Thank you to all the volunteers who made these results possible. Our medicines regulator will now assess the vaccine, which will be made in Teesside.' Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said: 'Having taken part in Novavax's vaccine trial myself, I am particularly thrilled to see such positive results.' [January 29, 2021] Ontario's Universities Need to Take Evidence-Based Pandemic Precautions to Keep Campus Communities Safe: CUPE The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak at the University of Guelph raises questions about the role of post-secondary institutions that have been ignoring the science on transmission and neglecting workplace safety, according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees. Universities in Ontario have taken the position that COVID spreads only through droplets or contact, even as the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) updated its guidelines in November in accordance with the scientific consensus on aerosol transmission of COVID-19. "Broadly speaking, universities in Ontario are not acknowledging that COVID-19 spreads through aerosol transmission. That has a major impact on the health and safety protocols put into place, compromising workplace safety and risking the campus community at large," said David Simao, chair of CUPE's Ontario Universities Workers Coordinating Committee (OUWCC). According to CUPE, universities are failing to meet their obligation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which requires them to take all reasonable precaution to protect their staff. That includes undertaking risk assessments based on the latest evidence, ensuring proper ventilation for buildings, training workers who risk exposure to COVID and providing them adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). "If a graduate student is working on campus, they should be informed about potential risks and the precautionary steps they must take. Or in the case of custodial staff who are expected to clean buildings where students are quarantined or self-isolating, they need the right PPE and training on how to work around infected people," Simao said. Some universities have not been specifying the location of outbreaks, thereby withholding vital information from campus community members who may have been exposed to COVID-19. Simao said that employers should work with unions through Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSC), which comprise representatives from the administration and unions. CUPE has been calling on the Ford (News - Alert) government to implement provincial health and safety standards for Ontario's publicly-owned post-secondary institutions. In the absence of clear guidance from the province, Fred Hahn, President of CUPE Ontario, said Ontario's universities must put the health and safety of staff and students at the forefront of their COVID-19 plans. "Safe working conditions for university workers are safe learning conditions for students. The most effective path to safely manage campuses is for administrations to meaningfully engage with their workers through the mechanisms that have always been available to promote health and safety-especially JHSCs," he said. lf/cope491 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005563/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Posted Thursday, January 28, 2021 4:57 pm The Washington State Supreme Court ruled Thursday to reinstate a verdict that awarded $250,000 to a woman whose home was mistakenly raided by Tacoma police a decade ago. Jurors found police were negligent in failing to verify information from an informant about where a suspected drug dealer they were looking for lived before they raided Kathleen Mancini's Federal Way home in 2011. The Court Appeals overturned the $250,000 judgment last year. The Supreme Court reinstated the jury's verdict in a 8-1 opinion. "We hold that police owe a duty to exercise reasonable care when executing a search warrant," Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud wrote for the majority. "We further hold that substantial evidence exists from which a reasonable jury could conclude that Tacoma police breached that duty in entering, searching, and detaining at Mancini's apartment." Lori Haskell, an attorney who represented Mancini, said the court's decision provides recourse for the negligent execution of a search warrant going forward. "Police hit the wrong door more often than we know, more often than we think," Haskell said. "And in the state of Washington there's never been recourse for when police hit the wrong door of a citizen, and now there is." Asked for comment about the court's opinion, a city spokesperson said in a statement: "The City respects and will abide by the decision of the Court's majority." The suspected methamphetamine dealer police were looking for lived in the same apartment complex as Mancini, court records say. An informant said the suspect lived in B1. An officer found records that Mancini rented that apartment and believed she was the suspect's mother. Police used a battering ram on the door of the then-62-year-old nurse's apartment, where she was sleeping after working a night shift. The suspect actually lived in apartment A1, elsewhere in the complex. "At trial, Mancini introduced evidence that the police raided her apartment, pointed guns at her, forced her to the ground, handcuffed her, took her outside barefoot in a nightgown, in January, and left her handcuffed for up to 15 minutes," Gordon McCloud wrote. "... A rational juror could have found that police breached the door unreasonably quickly after knocking and receiving no response, that police took an unreasonable amount of time to realize they had the wrong apartment, that the police unreasonably continued their search of Mancini's apartment after realizing they had hit the wrong door, or that the police unreasonably left Mancini handcuffed long after realizing she had no relation to their suspector any combination of these facts." Mancini argued that officers violated department policy by not doing an controlled buy or surveillance to make sure they had the right apartment. A three-judge panel of Division I of the state Court of Appeals overturned the $250,000 judgment in 2019. "On appeal, the City contends that Mancini's negligence claim should not have been submitted to the jury because, as tried, it was a claim for negligent investigation, which is not cognizable in Washington," the Division I opinion said in part. Justice Barbara Madsen dissented Thursday, saying that she would affirm the Court of Appeals decision. "While I would recognize a common law claim for negligent police investigation, the fact remains that it does not currently exist in Washington," Madsen wrote. "Given Mancini's own expert's testimony, along with Mancini's concession in closing arguments, that police acted appropriately in securing the scene and in their contacts with Mancini in executing the warrant, in my view there is no basis for Mancini's negligence claim." Justices Steven Gonzalez, Charles Johnson, Susan Owens, Debra Stephens, Mary Yu, Raquel Montoya-Lewis, and G. Helen Whitener signed the majority opinion. In it, Gordon McCloud wrote that the court had not previously "specifically addressed tort liability for negligence in the execution of a search warrant. Today we hold that police executing a search warrant owe the same duty of reasonable care that they owe when discharging other duties." ___ (c)2021 The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) Visit The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) at www.TheNewsTribune.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Advertisement There was no holding back the world's finest travel photographers. Even amid the Covid pandemic they managed to deliver incredible images to the 2020 Travel Photographer of the Year contest. The organisers received 25,000 entries in total from photographers in 147 countries. Some submitted images taken close to home during lockdown, while others photographed countries in which they had unexpectedly found themselves stranded as temporary long-term residents. The overall winner was Vladimir Alekseev, the competition's first-ever Russian winner. We've showcased some of his wow-factor entries here, along with images taken by other entrants who impressed the judges enough to gain official recognition, including incredible shots taken by photographers aged just 12 and 17. The winning shots which can all be viewed in the online Winners Gallery at tpoty.com - will go on display in trendy Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross, London, in May and other TPOTY exhibitions, including Chester Cathedral, during 2021. Scroll down for an eye-opening sneak peek... This incredible image by Australian James Smart, taken in Simla, Colorado, won 'best single image in a landscape and earth elements portfolio'. Smart said: 'This "drill bit" type of tornado is a rare anti-cyclonic tornado, which happens in around two per cent of tornadoes. It touched down in open farmland, narrowly missing a home near Simla as it tore up the ground, gathering the soil' Lightning in Russia's Tver region caught in a striking image by the overall winner - Vladimir Alekseev. He said: 'Lightning is another element of light in nature. You don't even have to travel far from home to shoot lightning. You just need to wait for your moment. And then it's a matter of technology' This stunning commended image of the island of Kalsoy in the Faroe Islands was taken by Italian photographer Alessio Mesiano. He said: 'Going to this place is always a gamble. It's located on Kalsoy, a small island connected by a ferry only a few times per day. Such special light is possible only during winter, so I had to face the extreme nordic weather. It was windy and freezing' Hungarian snapper Irene Becker was handed a commended accolade for this picture of 'the River House' holiday home on the Drina River near Bajina Basta in Serbia Hue goes there: This incredible shot of an autumnal New Hampshire was taken by the overall young photographer of the year 15-18, American Ben Skaar, who's 17. He said: 'I slept in my car for two nights to get this shot. I drove up to the White Mountains hoping to capture the vibrant autumn colors. I woke up at 4:30 that Sunday morning and, as the sun rose over the mountains, the colors seemed to be set ablaze' This amazing shot by Vladimir Alekseev shows a very rare natural phenomenon - fog over an iceberg. The picture was taken in Greenland The UK's Paul Sansome took this image in Hanoi, Vietnam. The judges decided it was worthy of the 'winner, best single image in a travel portfolio' title. Sansome said: 'I had to exercise extreme patience to achieve this shot at a very busy junction in Hanoi where traffic from left, right and behind me would constantly block the desired image. I spent an hour before, as I had hoped, just a single bike drove past part of the worlds longest mosaic mural producing an image that I call "Green Energy"' The competition's 'iTravelled - phone/tablet single image' category was won by Azim Khan Ronnie from Bangladesh with this incredible image, taken in Dhaka, the capital of his home country. It shows worshippers praying at Baitul Mukarram, one of the biggest mosques in the world. At the time the picture was taken, around 40,000 people were visiting David Gibbon received a special mention for this mesmerising picture of an Arctic fox struggling against strong winds in north-west Iceland Frenchman Nicolas Raspiengeas was highly commended in the travel portfolio category, with this image of the Mafate region of Reunion Island one of several that wowed the judges. Raspiengeas said: 'The eroded landscapes of Reunion Island are the result of volcanism combined with heavy rainfall. The Mafate region is the most famous of these jagged landscapes and, as the light is often harsh, I had to wait for a morning where the clouds gave a better atmosphere' Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is Australias largest salt-lake and this hypnotic picture of it by Australian Scott Portelli earned a runner-up prize in the 'landscapes and earth elements portfolio' category. The lake is only covered with water every eight years on average. The vast salt plain dominates the landscape with patterns left behind by the receding water In the 'one shot - islands' category David Newton triumphed with this photo of a rocky outcrop off the coast of Taiwan The UK's Peter Walmsley won the 'one shot - colours of life' category with this gem, taken in Bengaluru, India. He said: 'You think youve visited busy markets before? You havent until youve visited Bengaluru. The flower market is absolutely chaotic! Dive in and you will be carried along with the flow of customers. Photographs in the middle of this melee are hard to achieve, but think a little laterally (well, upwards) and you can climb a couple of storeys and get this bird's eye view of the scrum below' A shot Vladimir Alekseev took in Svalbard during the total solar eclipse on March 20, 2015. He said: 'It was one of the most important and impressive astronomical events. In the morning, a blizzard began, and the sky was covered with clouds. But literally an hour before the eclipse, the weather improved. And I managed to capture this amazing moment' Incredibly, this beautiful image was taken by a 12-year-old - Indigo Larmour, from Ireland. It shows two worshippers chatting at the Masjid Wazir Khan mosque in Lahore, Pakistan, widely regarded to be one of the most beautiful in Pakistan Alekseev took this wonderful picture in Myanmar. He said: 'Travel photography does not always capture a landscape or a reportage. Very often it captures a macro world. These are elements of what surrounds you. Little joys in life that we don't pay attention to at home' American Lawrence Worcester received a special mention for this comical picture of a wombat in Cradle Mountain National Park, Tasmania. He said: 'Having found wombats to be generally elusive on my travels in Australia, and in Tasmania in particular, I was excited to find them easier photographic prey in Cradle Mountain National Park. Moreover, I can hardly describe how excited I was to find several with "joeys". It was quite a surprise the first time to see the mother nibbling on grass in the front while the joey sampled a few morsels out the back' The runner-up prize in the 'nature, sealife, wildlife portfolio' went to Wenming Tang from China. The snapper took this image in Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province. It is a seasonal home for more than 100 species of migratory birds, including 11 endangered species Australian Joshua Holko received a special mention for this striking image of a Pallas cat in Mongolia. He said: 'The Pallas cat is instantly distinguishable by its round pupils and almost totally round body. In its winter coat the cat is nearly as round as it is long. Aware of my position the cat watched curiously and without fear as I slowly repositioned myself to get the composition I wanted' 'Don't worry, the fish are fine,' said the photographer behind this image - Pavlos Evangelidis, from Greece. He snapped it in the Beqa Channel in Fiji and it secured him the honour of winning the 'best single image in nature, sealife, wildlife' category. Evangelidis continued: 'Theyre pilot fish or, to be precise in this case, golden trevallies. They help the shark navigate and keep clean in exchange for scraps and protection' Richard Li from Hong Kong was the travel portfolio runner-up and this image of a bear hunting for salmon in front of a rather impressive volcano in Kamchatka, Russia, was one of the pictures that bowled over the judging panel. Li said: 'There are many salmon spawning in the lake under the Kamchatka volcano in July and August every year, which is the most delicious food for brown bears. Although we would think it is looking at the volcano, this oddly human-like figure is actually looking for fish in the lake' A stunning commended image of Lan Ha Bay in Vietnam by Vietnamese photographer Tuan Nguyen Tan. The bay is home to an archipelago of around 400 islands Silver in the competition's 'people of the world' portfolio category went to Jorge Bacelar, from Portugal. This heartwarming image was part of his entry and it was also the winner of the 'people's choice award'. It shows Abilio Carteirista, a farmer in Murtosa, Portugal. Bacelar said: 'Now over 80 years old, he spends much of his time in the stable taking care of his animals' Freelance documentary photographer Jordi Cohen, from Spain, snared gold in the travel portfolio category. One of his entries was this portrait of a boy in Kerala, India, taken during a martial arts lesson This is the winning entry in the 'best single image/people of the world portfolio' category. It was taken by Belgian Eddy Verloes. He said: 'This is part of my series Losing Our Minds, which was taken at the beginning of the Covid crisis in 2020. This is a photo of ultra-Orthodox Jews who were enjoying their freedom in an unorthodox way in the storm (of their lives) and escaping the lockdown' Yu Shen from China was given a 'special mention' accolade for this striking image, taken at an unknown location. The photographer said: 'In the apartment's open-air pool, the girl swims while the man sunbathes, creating an interesting contrast between the two poses. The light from between the buildings creates a special light effect on the water. The photo was taken from the 29th floor' Syrian Mouneb Taim took this heartwarming - and heartbreaking - image in Saraqib, Syria. It shows puppeteer Walid Rashed performing for children. Since 2013 he has been touring refugee camps and devastated neighbourhoods with his act Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) Metro Manila will extend its general community quarantine status anew for the entire month of February, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Friday. The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) will also be placed under GCQ as most of the UK variant cases in the country are recorded in the northern region. Batangas, Tacloban City, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Iligan City will also be under GCQ the third most stringent quarantine classification in the country from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28. The National Capital Region has been under GCQ since June 2020, excluding its return to a stricter modified enhanced community quarantine or MECQ during the first half of August. According to data from the Department of Health, Metro Manila has tallied some 220,000 cases or around 42% of the country's total. In its Jan. 25 report, the independent research group OCTA said the trend in the new coronavirus cases in the region has "leveled off," after briefly rising around the second week of the month. RELATED: OCTA: COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila 'remain flat' in January CAR, meawhile, accounts for 13 of the country's 17 confirmed cases of the more transmissible COVID-19 variant first recorded in the United Kingdom. Bontoc has 12 variant cases, while Benguet has one. Experts said preliminary studies show the new variant spreads more quickly, but there is not enough evidence yet to establish it is more fatal. The rest of the country will be under modified GCQ, the lowest form of community quarantine. On Monday night, the President reversed the IATF's earlier decision to allow children aged 10 to 14 to go out of their homes in MGCQ areas starting February. OCTA Research Fellow Guido David said he agrees with the decision of the national government to retain GCQ status in Metro Manila and impose it on northern provinces. He noted that Metro Manila's COVID-19 trend is "more or less flat" with 400 cases per day a number that is not expected to increase or decrease soon. However, he advised to keep the situation manageable until the vaccine arrives. "Kung may [If there is a] surge while we have the vaccine, madedelay 'yung rollout nila [rollout will be delayed] if our health system is compromised and our doctors are overwhelmed," he told CNN Philippines' News.PH. "Right now we are not seeing an increase in Metro Manila (cases) and most other places." The DOH said last year that it targets to have the entire nation shift to MGCQ by the first quarter of 2021. The country confirmed its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 30, 2020 a 38-year-old female Chinese national who traveled from Wuhan, where the virus is said to have originated. Since then, the country's case tally has risen to 519,575, with 10,552 fatalities and 475,596 recoveries. 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. Signals received from Taiwan's CubeSats The Taipei Times reports Amateur Radio operators have received signals transmitted by Taiwan's two new CubeSats YuSat and IDEASSat launched by SpaceX on January 24 The newspaper says: By noon January 25, the two teams had not succeeded in communicating with the cubesats from the ground stations at the National Space Organization (NSPO), National Central University (NCU) and National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU). However, some overseas amateur radio operators did receive signals transmitted by the two cubesats with corresponding signal frequencies, intervals and coordinates, said NCU Department of Space Science and Engineering professor Loren Chang ( ), who oversees the IDEASSat project. That shows the two cubesats are operating, Chang said, adding that researchers would continue to work on solving the signal reception problems. Read the full story at https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2021/01/26/2003751230 Frequencies: YuSat 436.250 MHz, AX25, 9k6, GMSK IDEASSat 437.345 MHz, AX25, 9k6, GMSK Information on YUSAT and IDEASSat is at https://www.nspo.narl.org.tw/inprogress.php?c=20030402&ln=en Every once in a while something unusual comes up in the world of aeronautica auctions and weve just received word that Hanson Auctioneers & Valuers Ltd. in Britain has a significant collection of aircraft cockpit sections coming up for sale which is bound to generate a lot of interest. This is likely the only chance anyone might have to acquire an example for each of the three aircraft types which formed Britains famed V Force: the Handley-Page Victor, Vickers Valiant and Avro Vulcan. These magnificent aircraft comprised the nations strategic nuclear bomber fleet during the 1950s and 60s. While most readers will be well aware of the Vulcan and the Victor, which served into the 1980s and 90s, the Valiant will be less familiar, as the type retired prematurely in the mid-60s, and had all-but-disappeared by the 1970s, with just one complete example surviving today. Hansons description of this fascinating auction offering continues as follows British based Hansons Auctioneers is offering a unique collection of iconic Royal Air Force bombers. On their website they are currently inviting offers on the entire collection, with a view to going to auction as catalogued if the complete collection has not been sold. A Victor B.2 XH670, Vulcan B.2/K.2 XH560, Victor K.2 XH669 and a Valiant B.1 XD826 cockpits along with many additional individual items from the collection. These cockpits have been stored and maintained whilst the present owner gathered the necessary parts to accurately return them to the way they would have appeared during their operational life. Most of these parts have either been refitted within the cockpits, but some additional parts are included in this lot. There are also many stored items common to each aircraft type, possibly the best opportunity for any museum or collector interested in V Bombers to acquire such rare items in one sale. The cockpits are in excellent, restorable condition and really only require a little elbow grease to refit and repaint so they look their finest. Nigel Towler, a retired businessman from London, collected these items over the past three decades, and he recently stated: After over thirty years of collecting these V Bomber Cockpits and parts, it has been reluctantly decided now is the time for them to find them a new home. It was always felt that these iconic cockpits should be displayed together as a Cold War Tribute to these great aircraft and that is why we sought to find examples worthy of restoration and display and source the additional parts and equipment in order to make it possible to make their restoration as complete and accurate as possible, it is thought that ambition has been achieved. Avro Vulcan B.2 XH560 Vulcan XH560 was one of the first Vulcan B.2s to enter service and first flew on 30/8/60. It was allotted to the Skybolt Missile development and then went on to serve with 12 Squadron, 230 OCU, 9, 12, 35, 44, 50, 101 and 27 Squadrons in Maritime Reconnaissance, the paint finish it still retains. It is not presently possible to enter the cockpit as it is sitting on a stand which prevents access to the lower crew door, however it is known to retain the two pilots ejection seats and two of the rear crew seats. The pilot instrument panels may be seen in front of the cockpit together with other panels and equipment required for re-fitting and included in this Lot. Vickers Valiant XD826 Valiant XD826 is an extremely rare survivor. It first flew on the 15/12/56 before joining 7 Squadron at Honington on 12/2/57. It later served with 90 and 138 Squadrons, then 232 OCU, before going to 543 Squadron. Only 107 Valiants were built, with only one complete example remaining (at RAF Museum Cosford). Outside of the RAF Museums Valiant, XD826s forward fuselage is the largest exhibit extant of the type. Interestingly, this journalists from Flight and Aeroplane magazines flew in XD826, writing articles for these magazines in 1956 (click HERE to see the articles). The cockpit is substantially complete, with pilots instruments and panels fitted, the two pilot ejection seats are included, but not fitted. The three, rare early-type rear crew seats are fitted in the airframe, and the rear desk appears to be fully-fitted out. The Valiant was the first of the V Bombers, is now the rarest of all. Handley-Page Victor K.2 XH669 Victor K.2 XH669 was the second B.2 off the production line. It first flew on 6/8/59, and participated in the SBAC Flying Display at Farnborough 3/9/60. Following this, she served with 100, and 139 Squadrons. The aircraft later underwent conversion with Hawker Siddeley at Woodford to become a K.2 tanker variant before entering service with 57 Squadron and later with 55 Squadron. Interestingly, this particular Victor participated in the air-to-air refueling effort on the Black Buck 1 bombing raid of the airfield at Port Stanley 1/5/82 during the Falklands War. It was due to provide the Vulcan bomber its final re-fuelling before the bombing run over Stanley Airfield, but its refuelling probe broke whilst flying through a storm before it could participate, so it had to provide its fuel to top up another Victors tanks so that aircraft could take its place. This was described in the book Vulcan 607. This Victor is a well known and documented aircraft and would provide any museum or collection with a worthy tribute to what was, at the time, the longest bombing mission in history. This cockpit is substantially complete with most instruments and panels in place, together with the refuelling probe, throttles, two ejection seats and rear crew seats included in the Lot. There is a considerable stock of Victor spares and the present owners aim was to make this the most complete Victor cockpit on display. Handley-Page Victor B.2 XH670 This Victor first flew on 2/11/59 and remained as a test aircraft for its entire service life. Interestingly, it retains the crew access door from another Victor, XL161, which participated in the May, 1969 transatlantic air race (commemorated on the inside of the door). As this aircraft never underwent conversion into a tanker configuration the interior still retains some of the internal equipment from its testing career. This would be a great exhibit for any collection that specialises in aircraft trials and testing. The pilot instrument panels are in place along with at least one rear crew seat. While the pilots ejection seats are not presently fitted, they are included with the lot and ready for restoration and reinstallation. For all inquiries, contact Rik Alexander at ralexander@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk Large parts of today's Sahara Desert were green thousands of years ago. Prehistoric engravings of giraffes and crocodiles testify to this, as does a stone-age cave painting in the desert that even shows swimming humans. However, these illustrations only provide a rough picture of the living conditions. Recently, more detailed insights have been gained from sediment cores extracted from the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya. An international research team examined these cores and discovered that the layers of the seafloor tell the story of major environmental changes in North Africa over the past 160,000 years. Cecile Blanchet of the German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ and her colleagues from Germany, South Korea, the Netherlands and the USA report on this in the journal Nature Geoscience. Together with the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, a team of scientists organized a research cruise on the Dutch vessel Pelagia to the Gulf of Sirte in December 2011. "We suspected that when the Sahara Desert was green, the rivers that are presently dry would have been active and would have brought particles into the Gulf of Sirte", says lead author Cecile Blanchet. Such sediments would help to better understand the timing and circumstances for the reactivation of these rivers. Using a method called "piston coring", the scientists were able to recover 10-meters long columns of marine mud. "One can imagine a giant hollow cylinder being pushed into the seafloor", says co-author Anne Osborne from GEOMAR, who was onboard the research ship. "The marine mud layers contain rock fragments and plant remains transported from the nearby African continent. They are also full of shells of microorganisms that grew in seawater. Together, these sediment particles can tell us the story of past climatic changes", explains Blanchet. "By combining the sediment analyses with results from our computer simulation, we can now precisely understand the climatic processes at work to explain the drastic changes in North African environments over the past 160,000 years", adds co-author Tobias Friedrich from the University of Hawai'i. From previous work, it was already known that several rivers episodically flowed across the region, which today is one of the driest areas on Earth. The team's unprecedented reconstruction continuously covers the last 160,000 years. It offers a comprehensive picture of when and why there was sufficient rainfall in the Central Sahara to reactivate these rivers. "We found that it is the slight changes in the Earth's orbit and the waxing and waning of polar ice sheets that paced the alternation of humid phases with high precipitation and long periods of almost complete aridity", explains Blanchet. The fertile periods generally lasted five thousand years and humidity spread over North Africa up to the Mediterranean coast. For the people of that time, this resulted in drastic changes in living conditions, which probably led to large migratory movements in North Africa. "With our work we have added some essential jigsaw pieces to the picture of past Saharan landscape changes that help to better understand human evolution and migration history", says Blanchet. "The combination of sediment data with computer-simulation results was crucial to understand what controlled the past succession of humid and arid phases in North Africa. This is particularly important because it is expected that this region will experience intense droughts as a consequence of human-induced climate change." ### The Air Force plans to add privacy curtains to its fleet of B-52 Bombers as more women join the military. Earlier this month, the Air Force put out a statement soliciting information from textile companies about installing curtains around toilet facilities inside the aircraft. 'As the B-52 continues to fly long duration missions, especially with mixed crews, there is a higher need for privacy during rest room activities,' officials wrote in the release. The bombers - known officially as Boeing B-52 Stratofortress - were produced between 1952 and 1962, a time when hardly any women served in the Air Force. The Air Force plans to add privacy curtains to its fleet of B-52 Bombers as more women join the military. One of the aircraft is seen flying through the sky in a photo taken in 2003 Up to five crew can cram onto each Bomber, but space is tight inside It was not until 1976 that females were accepted into the service on an equal basis with their male counterparts. As such, the Bombers were only fitted out with one small urinal, located just behind the offense compartment, according to Military Times. Given the lack of space on board the Bombers, there is no sitting toilet, and crew members must defecate into bags and dispose of the waste when they land. The Bombers are used for long-haul missions and can stay airborne for up to 40 hours. There have been reports that pilots take Immodium prior to flying in order to stop the need to relieve themselves. The Military Times reports that a 'B-52 typically has two pilots, a weapons officer and an electronic warfare officer' on board at any one time. Given the lack of space on board the Bombers, there is no sitting toilet, and crew members must defecate into bags and dispose of the waste when they land The bombers - known officially as Boeing B-52 Stratofortress - were produced between 1952 and 1962, a time when hardly any women served in the Air Force As of June 2019, 58 of the Bombers are still in active use, while 18 are in reserve. The fleet went under major upgrades between 2013 and 2015, with the installation of new electronics, communications technology, computing, and avionics. However, no sitting toilets or privacy curtains were added. The Military Times reports that around 21 percent of all Air Force members are now women, but it is unclear how many fly in the B-52 Bombers. It's believed the female pilots have to urinate into bags during flights, but the installation of the curtains will now allow them to do so with much more privacy. The Bombers are expected to continue flying for at least 30 more years following the recent upgrades. Almost all other Air Force aircraft, including the C-130 Hercules, the C-17 Globemaster III and the KC-46 Pegasus, have sitting toilets with privacy curtains or properly installed partitions. A Russian court on Thursday rejected opposition leader Alexei Navalnys appeal of his arrest. At the same time, Russian officials detained several of his allies and warned social media companies against posting in support of protests. Last weekend, tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated in across Russia to demand Navalnys release. The jailed leader appeared in court by video link. He said the government arrested and charged him in an effort to stop the opposition movement. You wont succeed in scaring tens of millions of people who have been robbed by that government, he said. Yes, you have the power now to put me in handcuffs, but its not going to last forever. The 44-year-old is the most famous Russian critic of President Vladimir Putins government. He was arrested on January 17 after returning from Germany. Navalny had been in that country for five months recovering from a poisoning that almost killed him. Navalny is charged with violating a legal agreement connected to the suspension of his prison sentence. He had been found guilty in 2014 of financial wrongdoing. He denied the crime and argued the charges were made for political reasons. He is also facing accusations in two other criminal investigations. His defense lawyers told the appeals court that Navalny could not meet the probation requirement when he was under medical treatment in Germany. His lawyers also argued that Navalnys legal rights were violated repeatedly during his arrest. Navalny described his jailing as a mockery of justice. It was demonstrative lawlessness meant to scare him and all others, he told the Moscow court. Navalnys supporters are organizing another round of protests for Sunday. Police on Wednesday searched the temporary home of Navalny and his wife, Yulia. Police also searched the homes of several of his supporters and made arrests. Police detained his brother, Oleg Navalny, and Navalnys top ally, Lyubov Sobol. Anastasia Vasilyeva from the Navalny-backed Alliance of Doctors and Maria Alyokhina from the Pussy Riot music and performance group were also arrested. They were held for 48 hours. A spokesman for President Vladimir Putin said the searches and detentions were part of police efforts to investigate public health law violations at the protests. Law enforcement agencies are doing their job, he said in a telephone call with reporters. Police in Moscow issued a notice Thursday warning the public against attending demonstrations planned for Sunday. They said officers would take strong action to end the gatherings and arrest protesters. Also Thursday, Russian court officials sent a warning to Facebook, Google, Twitter, TikTok and Russian social media, demanding that they block anyone calling for more protests. Earlier this week, Russias media and communications governing agency Roskomnadzor said it would fine Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and two Russian companies. The agency said the media sites failed to block calls for those under 18 to join Saturdays protests. Facebook, Google and TikTok have not commented about the Russian officials action. Twitter refused to comment to The Associated Press on Thursday. Also Thursday, Russias Investigative Committee said it opened a criminal investigation against Navalnys top ally, Leonid Volkov. It accused him of pushing for children to attend protests. Volkov, who now lives outside of Russia, rejected the charges. The streets must speak now. There is nothing else left, Volkov wrote on Twitter after Navalnys appeal was rejected. Demonstrations calling for Navalnys release took place in more than 100 Russian cities last Saturday. Almost 4,000 people were reported arrested. Some protesters were ordered to pay fines and serve jail terms. Im Susan Shand. The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words In This Story scare v. to cause (someone) to become afraid handcuffs n. two metal rings joined together and put around a persons wrists to hold him due process n. the official and proper way of doing things in a legal case : the rule that a legal case must be done in a way that protects the rights of all the people involved mockery n. behavior or speech that makes fun of someone or something in a hurtful way We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page. The married Texas police chief who was accused of living a 'triple life' with a wife, a fiancee, and a girlfriend has been arrested for allegedly faking a marriage annulment document, which he sent to one of his partners as 'proof' that his marriage was over. Father-of-four Jason Collier, 39, was taken into custody by the Texas Rangers on Thursday after his now ex-girlfriend Cecily Steinmetz accused him of sending her the fraudulent document during their relationship which she says was going on while he was still married, and also seeing a third woman whom he had proposed to. The former Stinnett Police Department chief was placed on administrative leave after the accusations were brought to light on Facebook; however, he has since resigned his post and is now facing a charge of tampering with a government record with the intent to defraud or harm. Busted: Texas police chief Jason Collier has been arrested for faking a marriage annulment document after his girlfriend accused him of living a 'triple life' with her, his wife, and a fiancee Accusations: Collier's alleged infidelities were exposed by his girlfriend Cecily Steinmetz, who also shared an image of the fraudulent marriage annulment document he sent her (pictured) Psychotic behavior: Steinmetz (pictured with Collier) called out the former Stinnett Police Department chief publicly on Facebook on Tuesday for leading a 'double/triple life' Wife: She says Collier told her his marriage to wife Opal (pictured together) had been annulled, despite him celebrating his anniversary in a touching Facebook post in September Fiancee: After Steinmetz discovered that Collier had been lying to her, she was contacted by Kristi Shaffer, who said she had actually been engaged to the police chief since December Steinmetz shared a photo of the allegedly fraudulent annulment document in a now-viral Facebook post on Monday, when she accused Collier of being a cheater, insisting that he not only had a serious relationship with her but was also dating at least one other woman, whom she later learned he had been engaged to. 'Chief Jason Collier is living a double/triple life. I was his girlfriend until yesterday,' she wrote in the post, which also included several images of her and Collier, as well as a photo of him with his wife, and a screenshot of his dating app profile. 'He lied to me and presented me with fake annulment documents when I found out he was married. 'I also found out about a 2nd girlfriend, Kirsti, last night. He has lied to us, our children, and asked us both to marry him.' She went on to call him a 'poor representative' of the town he served, alleging that he would drive to visit her an hour away in Amarillo when he was on shift. 'We just returned from vacation in Taos on Sunday meanwhile, his other GF was told he was on work assignment in Portland, OR,' she added. Investigation: Texas Rangers took Collier into custody on Thursday after he resigned, and he is now facing a charge of tampering with a government record with the intent to defraud or harm Devastating: Steinmetz revealed on Facebook on Tuesday that she'd been in a long-term relationship with Collier and has since found out that he is dating other women, too Love rat: Collier is married and has four children, but that apparently hasn't stopped him from allegedly dating around Uh-oh: Steinmetz called him a 'poor representative' of the town he served, alleging that he would drive to visit her an hour away in Amarillo when he was on shift Texas Rangers are now investigating her claims about the fraudulent document and have placed Collier under arrest with a bond set at $10,000, according to Fox 8. The document that Collier sent to Steinmetz stated that it had been filed with the 108th District Court in Potter County, Texas, however, the judge who presides over the court insists that no record of it exists and pointed out that the case number used appears to be fake. 'No match exists either under that name or cause number,' Judge Doug Woodburn told KAMR. 'Our case numbers are completely different, consisting of a 0 followed by 6 numbers, starting in 7 or 8.' 'My court is followed by the letter E. Its a fake.' On the Stinnett Police Department's website, Collier was described as being a married father of four, as well as an ordained minister. The news of Collier's arrest comes just days after Steinmetz's candid Instagram post exposing his behavior went viral and led several other women to come forward with their own claims about the ex-police chief's alleged infidelities. Found him! Collier has an online dating profile, and several other women came forward to say they dated him in the wake of Steinmetz's accusations How was that going to work out? Collier's alleged fiancee sent images of herself with him to Steinmetz after she accused him of being unfaithful Sneaky: The Stinnett Police Department said Collier is married and an 'ordained minister' - and despite his claims that his marriage was annulled, he paid tribute to his wife in September According to Heavy.com, Steinmetz learned of the deception after posting photos of herself with Collier on Facebook. One of Collier's other alleged girlfriends, Shaffer, then saw the post and commented, saying that she was dating him, too even claiming that they'd been engaged since December. Steinmetz then confronted Collier about his wife, which is when he sent her the 'fraudulent' document saying they'd annulled the marriage. But Steinmetz didn't buy it, and shared her story on Facebook. 'Chief Jason Collier worked his way into my life, the life of my children and family,' she wrote. 'Spent the weekend with me on vacation in Taos this past weekend. Told me all weekend how he cant wait to marry me. Turns out, Im not the only one. 'He took me on shift with him last week as well, but wouldnt introduce me to the ladies in the office since according to him, "theyre b****** and one is mad I wont date her sister." In jeopardy: Initially, the City of Stinnett placed Collier on administrative leave pending an investigation on January 27 - however he has now resigned and been arrested 'He clearly has no morals or ethics,' she added, according to Heavy.com 'Not only has he hurt me, he has hurt my children with his lies The jig is up, Jason.' The situation has spiraled from there. Several other women have come forward making their own claims about Collier, with some saying they'd met him on dating apps and and one saying she was also dating the chief. Initially, the City of Stinnett placed Collier on administrative leave pending an investigation on January 27 - although he has now resigned. 'The City of Stinnett is aware of the current situation surrounding the Chief of Police Jason Collier,' a statement from City Manager Durk Downs read. 'As per city policy, we will refrain from commenting on any personal issues of personnel in a public forum.' One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 DGAP-News: Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. / Key word(s): AGM/EGM Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V.: Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. Announces Nominations to Reappoint Ulrich Dauer as CEO and to Appoint Florian Schmid as CFO 29.01.2021 / 18:09 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. Announces Nominations to Reappoint Ulrich Dauer as CEO and to Appoint Florian Schmid as CFO HALLE (SAALE) / MUNICH, GERMANY, 29 January 2021 - the Board of Directors (Board) of Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: VVY; NL00150002Q7) (Vivoryon) announced today that it will hold an Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders (EGM) on Friday, March 12, 2021. The EGM will take place virtually. The EGM agenda, explanatory notes and terms of participation have been made public and are available as of January 29, 2021 on the Vivoryon website https://www.vivoryon.com/extraordinary-general-meeting-2021/. Vivoryon shareholders are invited to consult the company website in order to obtain current information on the procedures for participating in the EGM. Key agenda items for the EGM include: 1. Reappointment of Dr. Ulrich Dauer as executive member of the Board The Board nominates Dr. Ulrich Dauer for reappointment as executive member of the Board and shall upon reappointment regrant him the title of Chief Executive Officer, effective May 1st, 2021. 2. Appointment of Mr. Florian Schmid as executive member of the Board The Board nominates Mr. Florian Schmid for appointment as executive member of the Board and shall upon appointment grant him the title of Chief Financial Officer, effective April 1st, 2021. "I am delighted to welcome Florian Schmid to Vivoryon. He brings a wealth of experience to the Board, including an excellent track record in scaling organizations and leading finance and investor relations in the EU and US," said Dr. Erich Platzer, Chairman of the Board. Dr. Ulrich Dauer, CEO of Vivoryon, added: "Throughout his career, Florian has demonstrated remarkable talent in driving financial performance and serving as a strategic partner. We are convinced that Florian will be instrumental in executing our growth strategy and the development of our pipeline for the benefit of patients." "I am thrilled to join Vivoryon and to become a part of this ambitious team, which has dedicated itself to the fight against Alzheimer's Disease," said Florian Schmid. "Vivoryon is a prime example of an R&D-focused company that has successfully brought pharmaceutical innovation to patients in need. I look forward to contributing to Vivoryon's further growth." Florian Schmid has twenty years of finance leadership experience in public biopharmaceutical and technology businesses. Mr. Schmid joins Vivoryon from InflaRx, where he served as Director Finance & Controlling supporting various financing transactions including a US IPO. Prior to that role, Mr. Schmid spent nearly six years at T-Systems International GmbH, where he most recently led the Global Deal & Business Support department. Mr. Schmid began his career as certified Tax Advisor and Public Accountant at Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young. He received a business degree from the Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich. Mr. Schmid will lead all corporate finance functions as an executive member of the Board and will be based in Munich, Germany. ### For more information, please contact: Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. Dr. Ulrich Dauer, CEO Email: contact@vivoryon.com Trophic Communications Gretchen Schweitzer / Valeria Fisher Tel: +49 172 861 8540 or +49 175 8041816 Email: vivoryon@trophic.eu About Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. With 20+ years of unmatched understanding in identifying post-translational modifying enzymes that play critical roles in disease initiation and progression, Vivoryon's scientific expertise has facilitated the creation of a discovery and development engine for small molecule therapeutics. This platform has demonstrated success by developing a novel therapeutic in type 2 diabetes. In its current programs Vivoryon is advancing its lead product, varoglutamstat (PQ912), in Alzheimer's disease and its entire portfolio of QPCT and QPCTL inhibitors in oncology and other indications. In addition, the company pursues a development program for Meprin protease inhibitors with potential therapeutic use in fibrotic diseases, cancer and acute kidney injury. www.vivoryon.com Forward Looking Statements Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgment of Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 13:40:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LA PAZ, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Bolivian President Luis Arce on Thursday expressed his appreciation for China's support for the Latin American country's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. "We appreciate your cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 and in the development of strategic projects for Bolivia," he tweeted after a phone conversation earlier in the day with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "We are making progress in matters of cooperation to tackle the pandemic, such as vaccines for Bolivia," he said, describing "the health of the people" as a "priority." Meanwhile, the Bolivian president said his country will promote "the formation of a commission to work immediately on a bilateral agenda of mutual interest." During their conversation, Xi said China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Bolivia on COVID-19 vaccines. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, China has provided Bolivia with material and technical assistance to fight the epidemic through various channels, the Chinese president said. China will continue supporting Bolivia in the anti-epidemic fight within its capacity, Xi said. On Jan. 9, the Bolivian government announced the country was experiencing a second wave of the pandemic and stepped up lockdown measures. The country has reported 208,074 coronavirus cases, according to data released Wednesday night. Enditem Women in heterosexual relationships who are having lesbian affairs have shared their stories in startlingly honest online confessions. Taking to anonymous confessions app Whisper, women from around the world revealed how they were secretly seeing other women behind the backs of their trusting boyfriends and husbands. One married mother-of-two revealed she is having an affair with a female co-worker 20 years her junior. Another married woman said she was sleeping with her husband's sister. Others offered details about how they are able to conduct their affairs, with one woman saying she goes into the office early to have sex with her colleague. Secret relationships: Taking to anonymous confessions app Whisper , women from around the world revealed how they were secretly seeing other women behind the backs of their trusting boyfriends and husbands. This woman from Halmstad, Sweden, is seeing her sister-in-law Sneaking around: This woman was among those who shared details of how they carry out their affair. She revealed she was going into the office early to have sex with her lover Feeling satisfied: A woman from Watertown, Massachusetts, is also cheating on her husband In it for the thrill: This woman said she enjoys having an illicit secret no one else knows about Signing up for extra sessions: A woman from Moreno Valley, California, also shared her story More gratifying: This woman from an unknown location is finding new satisfaction in bed Work AND pleasure: This woman enjoys sleeping with her business partner while out of town A close betrayal: This woman from Queensland, Australia, slept with her boyfriend's boss Trusting: A woman from Loomis, Michigan, found it easy to keep the indiscretion a secret The younger woman: This married mother-of-two is seeing a woman 20 years her junior Getting past it: This husband from Aurora, Nebraska, was able to forgive his cheating wife WASHINGTON - Open hostility broke out among Republicans and Democrats in Congress on Thursday amid growing fears of physical violence and looming domestic terrorism threats from supporters of former president Donald Trump, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi leveling an extraordinary allegation that dangers lurk among the membership itself. "The enemy is within the House of Representatives, a threat that members are concerned about, in addition to what is happening outside," Pelosi, D-Calif., said at a Thursday morning news conference. But even as she and others sounded the alarm, Republicans continued to deepen their ties to the former president, who has been impeached on a charge of inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Hours after Pelosi's remarks, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., met with Trump in Florida. In a statement, the pair vowed to work together to take back the House. On Thursday afternoon, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., a Trump acolyte, traveled to the district of Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, a member of the House GOP leadership, to hold a rally criticizing her vote to impeach Trump earlier this month. The events reflected the extent to which the country's legislative branch, which has for years been mired in partisan bickering, has reached new levels of animosity just as newly inaugurated President Joe Biden is seeking to win passage of a massive bill designed to help lift the country out of the pandemic. Some Democrats are expressing fears that Republican lawmakers - who in some cases have tried bringing weapons onto the House floor - cannot be trusted. Some have bought bulletproof vests and are seeking other protections. And Democratic leaders are putting maximum pressure on the Republican leadership to denounce freshman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who once endorsed violence against members of Congress. One Democrat advanced a resolution to expel her from Congress. Greene, a onetime far-right online commentator, has a history of promoting violent ideas and beliefs. This week, social media postings surfaced showing she had liked Facebook posts that advocated violence against Democrats, including one that suggested shooting Pelosi in the head. Greene also spread conspiracy theories that the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., that left 17 people dead was a "false flag," and new videos showed her stalking and harassing David Hogg, a Parkland student turned advocate of stricter gun safety laws, who was a teenager at the time. Pelosi and other senior Democrats have called on McCarthy and other senior Republican leaders to address Greene's social media comments. Democrats were incensed that Greene was given a spot on the House Education and Labor Committee, given her comments about the Parkland shooting. "Assigning her to the education committee, when she has mocked the killing of little children" at school, "what could they be thinking, or is thinking too generous a word for what they might be doing?" Pelosi said. "It's absolutely appalling." Greene responded to the Democrats' criticism in an emailed statement: "Democrats and their spokesmen in the Fake News Media will stop at nothing to defeat conservative Republicans. They are coming after me because I'm a threat to their goal of Socialism. They are coming after me because they know I represent the people, not the politicians.." Through a spokesman McCarthy described Greene's comments as "deeply disturbing. "Leader McCarthy plans to have a conversation with the congresswoman about them," a McCarthy spokesman said, though he did not elaborate further. The GOP leader spent his day in West Palm Beach, Fla., with Trump, formulating a plan for Republicans to take back the House in 2022. In a statement after the meeting, Trump's super PAC Save America issued a warning shot to Republicans who cross him: "President Trump's popularity has never been stronger than it is today, and his endorsement means more than perhaps any endorsement at any time." McCarthy's has long struggled with how to address Greene, highlighting the current predicament for House GOP leaders, whose party attracts an increasingly virulent anti-establishment, conspiratorial base. Just weeks after GOP voters chose to oust one persistent headache for party leaders - Rep. Steve King of Iowa, who had a long history of racist rhetoric - reporters unearthed videos of Greene, then a candidate for office, making disparaging remarks about African Americans, Muslims and Jewish megadonor George Soros. McCarthy denounced the comments through a spokesman but did little subsequently to intervene over the following weeks in the primary runoff against a more conventional GOP candidate. Republican aides familiar with McCarthy's thinking who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the episode said GOP leaders were in a tight spot: Greene had won nearly twice as many votes as the runner-up in the primary's initial round, and it was clear that intervention from a national party leader could easily backfire in Greene's favor. But other Republicans say McCarthy and other leaders could have done more to persuade Trump - the only Republican with credibility with rural Georgia voters - to intervene. Greene ended up winning by 15 percentage points, calling it a "badge of honor" on election night that the "D.C. swamp has been against me." Trump tweeted the next day: "Marjorie is strong on everything and never gives up - a real WINNER!" After November's elections, McCarthy found his standing in the House GOP at an all-time high after Republicans beat expectations, cutting the Democratic majority to single digits after most forecasters had predicted Democrats would gain seats. Despite Trump's loss, McCarthy hewed closely to the outgoing president -- backing up his false claims of a stolen election, even after his Senate counterpart, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., declared Biden the winner on Dec. 15. Instead, McCarthy signaled to Republicans that he would back Trump's election fraud claims to the very end - at the Jan. 6 vote to certify the electoral college tally. The politics could not have been clearer for McCarthy, who was among the first senior Republican leaders to intuitively sense Trump's appeal to voters in 2016. Breaking with the soon-to-be-ex-president - then and now an overwhelmingly popular figure among GOP voters - would threaten his 14-year climb up the party leadership, with the speaker's chair just within his grasp. But the riot at the Capitol scrambled that calculation. As the pro-Trump mob ransacked the seat of Congress, McCarthy was among the most senior officials calling Trump and begging that he make a public statement denouncing the violence. Later that night, after the House returned to session, he called the riot "unacceptable, undemocratic and un-American" and said it was "the saddest day I have ever had serving as a member of this institution." He then voted with the vast majority of House Republicans to challenge the electoral votes of two states won by Biden. McCarthy kept largely quiet over the following week as House Democrats moved toward impeaching Trump. While some Republicans privately floated alternatives that might have garnered bipartisan support with a push from GOP leaders, McCarthy only endorsed censure until just hours before the House voted to impeach Trump. "The president bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters," he said. "He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding." Those, however, would be the last critical words McCarthy would speak about Trump for the coming weeks as the internal GOP backlash grew against the 10 Republicans who supported impeachment - most prominently his third in command, House GOP Conference Chair Cheney. McCarthy's office issued a terse statement backing Cheney the next day. Last week, he qualified it further, saying there were "questions that need to be answered," including about the "style in which things were delivered." Former GOP congressman Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, who left the House in 2018 largely in disgust at the direction of the party under Trump, said in an interview that he couldn't make sense of McCarthy's thinking. "I can't understand why anybody would think we should welcome that element into the party," Dent said of Greene, adding that she should have been ostracized by the GOP conference from the start. Back in Cheney's Wyoming district, Gaetz held a rally Thursday to bash her. Donald Trump Jr. phoned in to pile on and call for her defeat in the next election. Amid this month's public reckoning over the state of the Republican Party, McCarthy was engaged in a behind-the-scenes effort to patch up relations with Trump - who has made clear his desire to remain a Republican kingmaker, if not a future GOP presidential nominee. In a syndicated TV interview aired Sunday with host Greta Van Susteren, McCarthy inched further away from his previous comments saying Trump "had some responsibility when it came to the response" to the riot, while adding, "I also think everybody across this country has some responsibility." The pitched battle over Greene's threat to Congress comes against the backdrop of the looming Senate impeachment trial of Trump in which the vast majority of Republicans are likely to vote to acquit him. On the other side of the Capitol, Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., is seeking to have Greene expelled and is asking every GOP lawmaker for their support. He plans to introduce his initiative as a privileged resolution next week, effectively ensuring it receives a vote on the floor. "I've been getting a lot of support from colleagues, even Republican colleagues who are saying some positive things, but they're nervous," Gomez said in an interview. He warned that if Greene's rhetoric goes unchallenged, "things are going to get a lot worse." Other Democrats said Republicans' refusal to acknowledge that Biden legitimately won the election is fueling the threat of violence. On Thursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., publicly admonished Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a leader of the election challenges, after he signaled support for her position on an unrelated issue. "I am happy to work with Republicans on this issue where there's common ground, but you almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago so you can sit this one out," she said on Twitter. "Happy to work w/ almost any other GOP that aren't trying to get me killed." - - - The Washington Post's Zach Purser Brown contributed to this report. TBILISI, Georgia -- One main reason that America is so divided, but which has so far been completely overlooked, is that for over 70 years it has been against the law to build small towns in the United States. As incredible as that sounds, if a developer wants to build a community-oriented small town in the U.S. with shops, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, schools, churches, offices, and different housing types all within walking distance restrictive zoning laws have made such places illegal. However, these are exactly the types of places needed to bring Americans together, to help us understand how to live in harmony, to learn empathy for our fellow man. Prior to the zoning laws that created car-centric American-style suburban sprawl, towns and neighborhoods were what brought people together, and held our nation together, while also offering people a sense of belonging rooted in a sense of place. However, Americas fragmented physical landscape of sprawl has denied us the connection and support of such places, the direct opposite of what our nation needs to be unified. Jane Jacobs, renowned urban visionary, in her landmark book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, observed that daily interaction on the sidewalks of cities and towns is the glue that holds society together. However, American towns today are soulless boulevards of commerce, with garish fast-food outlets, huge box-like stores, monotonous office parks, cookie-cutter housing clusters, screaming neon signs, contrived themed restaurants, and roads choked with cars. Sidewalks either do not exist in these barren wastelands, or have little use. Douglas E. Morris is a writer currently living in Tbilisi, Georgia. Sprawl has transformed us from one nation, indivisible into a fragmented society of endless discord. The physical move to sprawl also precipitated a psychological move from a sense of duty to others, to an individualistic self-centeredness, and very little notion of the common good. More importantly, the alienation of sprawl has left a void in peoples lives, opening them up to being unduly influenced by ideas beamed at them from unregulated social media. Because of the lack of traditional place-based communities in sprawl and all the opportunities they entail, there are few alternatives to social medias allure. As a result, we have become more susceptible to its powerfully manipulative influence as a source of misinformation. Suburban developments prior to the 1950s were self-contained small towns or distinct neighborhoods around streetcar or railroad stops, with all the functions of life within walking distance. However, after World War II, our government abandoned flexible and sensible urban and transportation planning and replaced it with socially isolating and community-destructive zoning laws. Hundreds of million of Americans reside in sprawl, more than 70% of the population, unaware of the negative ramifications of its presence in their lives. Having been around for so long, with over two generations of Americans having been raised in sprawl, it avoids detection as the root cause of many of our societal woes. This lack of vision needs to end. It is past time to intelligently adapt restrictive zoning laws and start to manage our growth through coherent and comprehensive urban and transportation planning. By doing so, we can once again create small towns complete with all the functions of life within walking distance, from which genuine communities can develop and grow. All of which will begin the process of helping Americans learn how to live together again, teach us how to tolerate difference, and reduce the divide that is destroying the country. Certainly, there are other factors that need to be addressed as well, such as education on a variety of subjects, including critical thinking skills and media awareness. However, the built landscape, where we live and go about our lives, has a lasting impact on everyone in it. We ignore sprawls negative influence at our peril. Douglas E. Morris, author of Its a Sprawl World After All, has written frequently on sprawl and has worked with the urban planning firm, Partners for Livable Communities. He lives in Tbilisi, Georgia. Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this opinion column to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. Responding to Entergy customers who in some cases have taken to social media to blast sharp spikes in their power bills this month, utility officials said they can blame colder weather, reduced holiday travel and a longer-than-typical billing cycle. Other factors contributing to increases include a rise in natural gas prices and power purchases Entergy made in December, the utility said. The utility, which provides electricity for more than 1.2 million customers and natural gas for more than 200,000 others across the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas, was responding to a scourge of recent complaints from residents on social media about higher bills. Entergy New Orleans offers tips on cold weather energy savings Entergy New Orleans has cooked up some free or low-cost steps to save money on utility bills during cold weather. With many customers working "We had colder weather, so people were using heat more. We had an end of holiday period where people were not traveling normally," due to COVID-19, Entergy New Orleans CEO David Ellis said in an interview. "What those point to is higher consumption." Jasmine Drake of Marrero said her bill, typically $165 each month, shot up to $299 this month, the highest it's ever been. She said the increase came after Entergy crews installed a new advanced meter on her home. That device records usage in 15-minute increments and sends that data to Entergy. "This is ridiculous," Drake said Tuesday, adding that when she called to complain, an Entergy representative told her it was a "fuel issue" that caused the higher bill. Several others on social media said their bills doubled, and while some blamed colder weather and the difficulty of heating older homes, others accused Entergy of miscalcuating their bills or blamed the new meters. Why business leaders say New Orleans' economic recovery hinges on vaccine rollout, government support The recovery of the New Orleans economy in 2021 will hinge on the pace of the coronavirus vaccine rollout and government support for its harde Entergy has been rolling out new meters since 2019. The utility did not cite installations as a reason for price increases. Instead, Ellis and Entergy Louisiana spokesperson Brandon Scardigili blamed cold weather and a January billing cycle that was five days longer than the billing cycle that preceded it. Entergy had to purchase power on the open market last month after the utility shut down two of its plants for routine maintenance, which likely added between $8 and $12 to the average customer's bill, Ellis said. The cost of fuel also went up by 12%. 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 Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Lambert Boissiere III said his office saw a noticeable rise in complaints over the weekend. Boissiere represents customers in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas for the commission, which regulates Entergy Louisiana. "By no later than next meeting, I will have a documented item and an investigation, or a directive message, or whatever we deem necessary to get to the bottom of why these bills are going up," Boissiere said. The PSC's next meeting is Feb. 24. The New Orleans City Council, which regulates Entergy New Orleans, will have a special meeting Tuesday to discuss the bill increases and other issues, a spokesperson from Councilmember Helena Moreno's office said. During the pandemic, Entergys New Orleans and Louisiana branches have suspended shutoffs for nonpayment of bills to give customers a break. At the urging of the council, the utility also covered struggling customers' bills for several months, beginning in the summer of 2020. The latter program ended last year. And Ellis said Entergy has begun to warn customers that disconnections will begin again soon. The companys website advises that cut offs will resume in February for residential customers in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas who havent made payment arrangements, and this month for commercial, governmental and industrial customers in those areas who havent made such arrangements. The New Orleans City Council offers several other energy efficiency programs meant to lower bills. Entergy Louisiana also provides reductions in costs for smart thermostats, LED lightbulbs and other upgrades customers make to homes and businesses to conserve energy. Boissiere encouraged residents to make such upgrades to lower their overall energy costs, and to work out arrangements with Entergy to pay their bills over time. The PSNI was secretly watching the funeral of IRA man Eamon 'Peggy' McCourt in Londonderry this week over potential Covid breaches, it can be revealed. A security source told the Belfast Telegraph that officers were at the funeral on Monday and were wearing discreet body cameras to record footage, which will now be reviewed. The source added that there were initial plans to use a helicopter, drones or static cameras on Land Rovers to monitor the cortege. However these were ruled out for operational reasons. It comes after First Minister Arlene Foster said on Thursday that she has raised concerns over 10 republican funerals and "shows of strength" since May 2019 - almost a year before Covid restrictions on funerals - with the Policing Board and PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne. Large crowds gathered as part of the cortege at Eamon McCourt's funeral in Derry, which police said was "likely" to be in breach of Covid regulations. The DUP leader said she and Policing Board member Mervyn Storey met with Mr Byrne over the funeral on Thursday. "We've raised around 10 breaches now through the Policing Board in terms of Covid and either republican funerals or shows of strength and we haven't really had much back from either the Policing Board or the Chief Constable, so we are looking for clarity in relation to that," she said. "This goes to the very heart of credibility - you cannot have a select group of people who are above the law or not being treated the same as everyone else, and I want everyone to be treated the same in terms of Covid restrictions." It is understood that the 10 incidents - not all of which relate to Covid - the DUP raised with the Policing Board and Chief Constable were: The funeral of IRA man Peter Rooney on May 7, 2019. The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney on May 21, 2019. The funeral of IRA man Alex Murphy on January 19, 2019. The funeral of former Sinn Fein councillor Francis McNally on April 8, 2020. The funeral of IRA man Jim Scullion on May 6, 2020. The funeral of IRA man Bobby Storey on June 30, 2020. New IRA show of strength in Londonderry in August 2020. The funeral of IRA man Hugh Fitzsimons on October 22, 2020. INLA show of strength in the Ballymagroarty area of Londonderry on January 10-11, 2021. The funeral of IRA man Eamon McCourt on January 25, 2021. "I think it is not helpful at all in terms of messaging if you have these people who appear to have these funerals without fear or favour," Mrs Foster added. She said she has not been able to attend many funerals due to the pandemic, the latest being on Sunday. "The law should apply equally to everyone and that's what I said to the Chief Constable today... there is anger in the unionist community at the moment and I think it is important that we talk to him about that and ask him what he's going to do about it," she added. On Thursday, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar demanded that Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald and border TD Pearse Doherty stop party members organising crowded funeral processions without social distancing. He asked Pearse Doherty, a TD for Donegal, to use his influence to "put a stop to republican funerals." He added: "I know the deputy does not organise them but the attendees are his party's people, members and supporters. He and deputy McDonald have to tell people to stop these funerals. They are a bad idea." However, Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said that "Sinn Fein was not involved in the organising of the [McCourt] funeral and we held our own online celebration of his life as a mark of respect," she said. "The PSNI have a job to do, everyone should follow the public health advice, and they should get on with doing their job. It's important that we let the PSNI do their job." The Ulster Unionists also met with Mr Byrne over the issue. "This was the latest in a number of republican funerals ... where the general public has looked on in amazement at what was being tolerated at a time when the rest of society has to obey the rules with all the suffering this entails in terms of limited attendance at funerals and other very necessary restrictions," UUP leader Steve Aiken said. Mr Byrne said on Thursday night, the police approach has been to "engage, explain, encourage and enforce". "While enforcement is the final option we have not shied away from it. As police officers, we apply the law fairly and impartially to all individuals, regardless of background, traditions or beliefs," he said. "Police investigate breaches of the Public Health Regulations within the context and constraints of the current legislation, with a view to reporting those breaking the law to the Public Prosecution Service. "We will reflect on what we heard during the meetings today and look forward to discussing these issues and our policing style at the Policing Board meeting next week." KHSL - The North Valley Community Foundation (NVCF) is launching its 2021 scholarship application period. Applications to the 11 programs managed by NVCF will be accepted through April 15. The majority of the scholarships at NVCF are for graduating seniors who will be attending college in the fall, but there are some for current college students. Potential applicants can learn more about each program and submit applications at www.nvcf.org/scholarships. Programs currently available include awards to help those who have a close family member with a breast cancer diagnosis, those pursuing a career in journalism, and student-athletes, among many others. "NVCF has a long tradition of offering a variety of scholarships to our community, said Logan Todd, NVCF vice president for grant programs and client services. We are proud to offer the option for our donors to invest directly in the next generation by creating scholarships to help young people pursue their passions. Scholarships currently open for applications include Bridging the Gap for Breast Cancer Scholarship Program, Butte County Sustainable Communities Scholarship, Cindy Kennedy Memorial Scholarship, Jerry Novotny Journalism Scholarship, Molly Sacksteder Memorial Scholarship, Mo-Train Spirit Award, The George and Alice Smith Scholarship, The Lydia Schulerud Scholarship, The Womens Improvement Club of Paradise Scholarship, Thomas Sprys Scholarship and Vietnam Veterans of America - Chapter 582, according to the NVCF. This nice little choir boy standing next to Pelosi on the front page of Thursdays Republican Herald looks like that fellow who was sleeping with the Chinese spy and then they want Meuser and Argall to resign. Shenandoah I voted for Trump but I can no longer support him in terms of his rhetoric and lies over the past six months. I just believe they should continue with the impeachment because this man does not deserve taxpayer money for a $200,000 a year pension and the million dollars a year for him to fly all over the United States and continue to distribute his lies. Llewellyn Argall, consider your recent letter a failure. You or any other Republican quoting Lincoln is equal to Hitler quo-ting the Bible. You have done nothing to associate yourself with the morals of Lincoln. You cited how wrong it was to vandalize on Jan. 6. You took an oath and it is your job to educate your constituents when they are wrong instead of making excuses for them to keep their votes. Mahanoy City I just want to thank the Pottsville Republican and I want to thank Lisa Von Ahn because her articles on the opinion page are always so good. I look forward to it. The one that was in on Jan. 13, that was excellent. She is such a great writer. Then, today, I read a letter to the editor from Todd Zimmerman and that was excellent also. Pottsville I just read the article in the paper about the women complaining about their husbands in jail that are sick with COVID. If they hadnt committed a crime, they wouldnt be in jail. Landingville In case PennDOT is looking for all their orange highway cones, let them come to Shenandoah because on every block there is somebody who has one saving a parking spot. There is no snow. I have no idea why they are allowed to do that. Shenandoah Remember Mad magazine? Take a look at it. Joe Bidens photo is on the front cover. A very sad example for a president of anything yet alone the United States. Saint Clair Hey, Dave Argall should quote Adolph Hitler. If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. There you go, Dave. Deer Lake Hey, Thomas Noonan, are you happy with the First Am-endment that we use to have under Trump? Seems like Biden and the big-tech companies are just putting the First Amendment out of reach for the average American citizen unless, of course, you are a Democrat, like yourself, Tom. You can have all the free speech you want. The conservatives, we are out of luck. Frackville Now is the time for the Pennsylvania state legislators to fix our voting issues so that no one ever again will call an election stolen. People of Pennsylvania want free, honest elections. No fraud. Hegins It is going to be like everything else that happened over the last four years. Trump will be innocent and Democrats will be the cause of all the problems. You just have to give it time. Pottsville To the caller from Pottsville, our country has, these past four years under Trump, been unrecognizable. Open your eyes. It is people like you who wont see the truth or hear it. Just because the Republicans in Congress cant show common sense doesnt mean we cant. Pottsville To whoever takes care of the streetlights on Earl Street, they have been out for two weeks. Lets do our job and take care of them so they come back on again. Schuylkill Haven To Dave Argall, who has the Trump signs still in his window, the election is over. Trump lost. He is being impeached. Come on Dave, take the sign down. Pottsville Quoting Abraham Lincoln is great but what we really need from Sen. Dave Argall is for him to speak one simple truth: Joe Biden won and Donald Trump lost in a fair election. Mahanoy City About the comparison about the riots and what happened in Washington, yes, you are always going to have bad apples. Thats true and that mans letter proves that, but bad apples at the riots didnt knock down the pillars of our democracy and try to interrupt the counting of an election. That is written in our Constitution and that is illegal. Pottsville It seems where these former politicians, Bob Allen and Neal Goodman are going to be paid consultants for the county. Wherever there is public money available, you will find former politicians. They just never go away. Barnesville Nancy Pelosis bitterness and hatred and revenge toward Donald Trump is appalling. But little does she know all that hatred toward Donald Trump is against every single citizen of the United States. Frackville President Trump should not only be impeached, he should be charged with treason. He led that riot. He started that riot. He said there was fraud in the voting system. All judges threw that out. He should be charged with treason. Dan Meuser should step down. And Argall. Pottsville Give him enough rope and he will hang himself. Well, Trump and those in Washington who follow him were given enough rope and I believe they hung themselves. Impeach him. He does not deserve any perks and he can personally pay for all the damage done to the Capitol. Pottsville There was no election fraud. It was all lies and conspiracy theories and fantasies. If none of the Trumpers can see this, they can follow Don to the end of the flat Earth and jump off. Mahanoy City Somebody called about the Peach Mountain so I took a ride up there. I am 72 years old and I cant remember that road ever being repaved. That is terrible. I took a ride over to New Castle Township and the roads are like new over there. Something is wrong. Somebody should get after those people. Pottsville I have a question: What is the difference between Antifa and MAGA? To me, Antifa is a gang and MAGA is a gang. If you look in the dictionary, you will see under the word gang it will practically describe both of them. Both of them are unlawful. Frackville I am disappointed at the bias in the Pottsville Republican publishing the Wall Street Journal editorial relative to impeachment. You should, in order to have a fair balance, also publish the Washington Post editorial. The record is clear. Trump boldly violated his office and encouraged the violent overthrow of the U.S. Constitution. He should be jailed. Minersville I would like to thank Sen. Dave Argall and Congressman Dan Meuser for fighting for the voters. We need a free, fair election. As long as the people are attacking you, you must be doing something right. So, God bless you guys. Keep up the good fight. Pine Grove Please, fellow citizens of Schuylkill County, stand down. Dont participate in violence against our government and our fellow citizens. Violence is wrong. Reject hate. Respect each other. Support law enforcement and may God bless America. Pine Grove Democrats, any buyers remorse yet or are you waiting for $5 a gallon gas, millions of illegal aliens crossing the southern border or when Kamala Harris takes the top spot? Just want to know. Pottsville How does Mr. Biden expect to control COVID, which by the way he cannot, when he is going to have 100 days of letting illegal immigrants into the United States who are carrying the disease with them? Pottsville Meuser, Argall, you embarrassed the county. Please resign. Show some respect for the county. You are part of the insurrection. Pottsville Well, it looks like the circus has arrived in Washington or will arrive and with the head ringmaster who, ironically reminds me of Jeff Dunhams dummy Walter. I wonder who is going to pull his strings. God help us all. Minersville John Barrowman has thrown his support behind calls for It's A Sin's Olly Alexander to replace Jodie Whittaker on Doctor Who. The actor, 53, said the Years and Years frontman would be a 'wonderful replacement' as the Time Lord, following reports Jodie will be quitting the role later this year. Olly has been praised by fans for his performance as budding actor Ritchie Tozer in the heartbreaking drama It's A Sin, which depicts a group of friends living in London at the height of the AIDS crisis. 'He'd be perfect!' John Barrowman has thrown his support behind calls for It's A Sin's Olly Alexander to replace Jodie Whittaker on Doctor Who Speaking on Friday's Lorraine, John was asked his thoughts on It's A Sin's writer Russell T Davies' suggestion that Olly could take over the role of The Doctor. He said: 'We as gay men or women have already faced a pandemic; 37 million people have died from AIDS worldwide. 'Olly would be amazing, and I think he would make a wonderful Doctor.' John has starred as Captain Jack Harkness on Doctor Who and its spin-off Torchwood on and off since 2005, and reprised the role earlier this month for a New Year's special. Praised: The actor said the Years and Years frontman would be a 'wonderful replacement' as the Time Lord, following reports Jodie will be quitting the role later this year Departing: It was reported earlier this month that Jodie has quit Doctor Who after three years playing the titular Time Lady Views: Speaking on Friday's Lorraine, John was asked his thoughts on It's A Sin's writer Russell T Davies' suggestion that Olly could take over the role of The Doctor It was reported earlier this month that Jodie is set to quit Doctor Who after three years as the time-travelling heroine, with sources claiming her final scenes will air in series 13 later this year. John also spoke to Lorraine about his own experiences in lockdown, revealing he sought therapy after going through a 'rough patch' due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said: 'I'm fine, I had a bit of a rough patch in Palm Springs as I found I was becoming angry and upset so I went to speak to a therapist. 'My parents went and got a vaccine the other day. My mother said it was very well organised. He said: 'Olly would be amazing, and I think he would make a wonderful Doctor' Tough: John also spoke to Lorraine about his own experiences in lockdown, revealing he sought therapy after going through a 'rough patch' due to the COVID-19 pandemic 'Don't be afraid, shut up and get the vaccine! If we do it as a community, we can get back to normal sooner. The stuff online is absolute rubbish, get the facts!' The TV judge made an appearance on the show to chat about the new series of Dancing On ice, revealing he's set to perform on Sunday as part of Musicals Week. He said: 'They twisted my arm, I don't know if I will be on the ice, but I will be on a staircase, the reason I won't be on the ice is because I'm not allowed to mix with the contestants, but I'm going to sing! 'It's a song that's absolutely typical for me, it's from The Boy From Oz.' Hard: He told Lorraine: 'I'm fine, I had a bit of a rough patch in Palm Springs as I found I was becoming angry and upset so I went to speak to a therapist' Earlier this week writer Russell, who worked as Doctor Who's showrunner from 2005 to 2009, was asked whether Olly could take over as the Time Lord. He told SFX Magazine: 'Yes, Olly would make a marvellous Doctor Who.' It's A Sin has already been praised by viewers for its devastating story of five friends who move to London together in the 1980s. The series weaves its way through a decade of hedonism and horror for the young gay men as the AIDS crisis seeps into their life of parties, burgeoning careers and young love. Perfect choice: Earlier this week It's A Sin's writer Russell T Davies said Olly would be a 'marvellous' replacement for Jodie on Doctor Who Praise: Channel 4 and Russell T Davies debuted the drama on Friday night, and it has since received an outpouring of praise from viewers Davies, the writer and producer behind Queer As Folk, the 2005 revival of Doctor Who and Cucumber, loosely based It's A Sin on his own experiences in the eighties. He also spent hours in conversation with his childhood friend Jill Nalder, an actor, ally and activist who lived in London during the decade and is played by Lydia West in the drama. The real-life Jill also appears, playing Lydia's mother in episodes four and five. Davies cast Olly as the show's protagonist Ritchie Tozer, an 18-year-old hailing from an ignorant, unloving household on the Isle of Wight who throws himself headfirst into London life, soon befriending Jill and three others and renting their flat, lovingly dubbed The Pink Palace. The cast of young talent is supported by a string of veteran screen stars, including Keeley Hawes and Shaun Dooley as Ritchie's parents, Stephen Fry as an MP lover of outrageous flatmate Rosce (Omari Douglas) and Neil Patrick Harris as a mentor to another, the quietly observant Colin (Callum Scott Howell). After the first episode aired last week, viewers flooded social media with praise for the show, with many quickly watching the whole series on All4 and admittingit had left them in floods of tears. Watch all five episodes of It's A Sin on All4 now. Episode two airs on Channel 4 on Friday at 9pm. (Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Friday and not separately reported by Alliance News: Character Group PLC - Surrey, England-based toy, games and gifts manufacturer - Extends Peppa Pig licence deal with US toymaker Hasbro Inc. Deal allows Character "to continue the Group's current Peppa Pig wood products licence through to 31 December 2023 and to significantly extend the product range under that licence". "The new toy product categories to be added to this licence include basic plush, eco plush, feature plush, activity toys and a nursery product range," Character says. Also completes sale of freehold to its warehouse premises at Vernon Works, Lancashire for GBP3.5 million. Dekel Agri-Vision PLC - West Africa-focused agriculture company - Raises GBP3.5 million from oversubscribed fundraising. On Thursday, Dekel said placing funds will "be used as working capital to strengthen the company's balance sheet and also support the cashew processing project at Tiebissou, as it commences first production in second quarter 2021". Kavango Resources PLC - mineral explorer with projects in Botswana - Says high resolution ground magnetic surveys of all target areas of Kalahari Suture zone project completed. "Final results from all the TDEM survey and ground magnetic 3D modelling expected in Q2," company adds. Jangada Mines PLC - mineral resource miner focused on Brazil - Notes announcement from ValOre Metals Corp, 18%-owned investee. ValOre says it has begun a follow-up rhodium assay programme of historical drill core samples at Pedra Branca platinum group metals project in Brazil. In addition, Jangada says it has invested in Fodere Titanium, a titanium dioxide and vanadium producer using waste materials. Jangada's has 3.6% stake in Fodere. Enquest PLC - London-based oil producer in UK and Malaysia - Says cash payment for GBP184.1 million 7% notes due 2023 not satisfied. Says cash payment to be satisfied by issue of new notes. "The additional notes will be issued by the company on February 15, 2021 and, upon listing, will be consolidated and form a single series with the existing notes in issue," Enquest says. Value of aggregate outstanding principal amount of the notes will rise to GBP190.5 million. Oracle Power PLC - natural resource and power project developer - Begins field-based exploration programme at Jundee East gold project, Australia. "Initial field-based exploration programme commenced to determine the most effective method to define targets within prospective structural/lithological settings within the project," Oracle adds. Contango Holdings PLC - natural resource development company focused on Zimbabwe and Mali - Says meeting with Binga District Council over Lubu coking coal project, Zimbabwe now scheduled for early February 2021. "This was originally expected to have taken place before the end of January 2021, however given the national lockdown, representatives are now expected within the next two weeks, in line with the proposed start-up timetable," Contango explains. "Contango expects to finalise its discussions with the proposed mining contractor imminently ahead of opening the two pits at Lubu in February 2021. This will be a significant milestone for Contango and will enable ongoing coking coal offtake discussions to be finalised." Aminex PLC - oil and gas explorer focused on Tanzania - Plans to reduce gross general and administrative costs by 30% from 2020 levels in 2021 before an extra 25% to 30% cut in 2022. Aminex adds: " By 2022, these efforts will reduce gross general and administrative expenditure (before one-off costs and exceptional items) to less than GBP1 million per annum, representing a 75% reduction from 2018 levels." Reducing number of directors to three from five. Says Robert Ambrose steps down as interim chief executive office with immediate effect. Charles Santos become executive chair. Jan Gunnar Opsal stepped down as non-executive director earlier this week, Aminex notes. KEFI Gold & Copper PLC - gold explorer in Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia - Updates on drilling of 34%-owned Hawiah project, Saudi Arabia. Says 16 holes totalling 7,836 metres drilled as part of 13,000 metre programme. "The drilling results to date show that the Hawiah deposit remains open at depth and to the south. The work programme has sought to quickly 'stretch' some of the extremities of the deposit and as such we are greatly encouraged to see returns of significant intercepts as drilling continues to demonstrate the size and scale of the Hawiah deposit," Executive Chair Harry Anagnostaras-Adams says. Tirupati Graphite PLC - graphite and graphene producer in Madagascar and India - Says Tirupati Graphene and Mintech Research Centre secures first commercial contract. To provide Optiva Resources Ltd with "mineral processing technology solutions" at Optiva's Marela project in Guinea. "Successful development of a process shall entitle the company to a 5% equity in ORL with an additional right to subscribe for an amount equal to 5% warrants," Tirupati says. Zenith Energy Ltd - independent oil & gas company with production, exploration and development assets in Africa and Italy - Completes coupon payments for 8% 2021 bonds. "We are pleased to be further enhancing our credibility as a debt issuer with a focus on the continental European and Asian markets, having now consistently paid all coupons for the aforementioned instruments since their respective issuances. This is a demonstration of our effective cashflow management which offers investors a fixed semi-annual return on their investment," Chief Executive Officer Andrea Cattaneo says. Xtract Resources PLC - diversified metals and minerals producer - Says hole BRDD-21-002, second of phase one drilling at Racecourse area of Bushranger copper-gold project, has continued to depth of 492.5 metres. "The current hole is a significant step-out of more than 300 metres from the previous Xtract hole and 200 metres from any historic hole," Executive Chair Colin Bird says. Uru Metals Ltd - exploration and development firm - Extends notice period for convertible loan note for a further 90 days from January 31. Says key terms of note remain same, including GBP0.85 conversion price. ADM Energy PLC - natural resources investor - Extends memorandum of understanding to enter partnership with Trafigura Pte Ltd. "ADM and Trafigura intend to create a strategic alliance that enables the development and financing of energy projects in Africa," ADM says. Baronsmead Second Venture Trust PLC - investment firm based in London - Issues 7.7 million shares at 84.40 pence as part of third allotment under GBP17.5 million offer. Baronsmead Venture Trust PLC - investment firm based in London - Issues 11.1 million shares at 81.30 pence each as part of third allotment under GBP17.5 million offer. Unicorn AIM VCT PLC - venture capital trust - Says net asset value per share at December 31 was 204.5 pence, up 15% from September 30's 178.6p. "UK equity indices also continued their recovery from the significant equity market correction experienced during March 2020, with the FTSE AIM All-Share Index generating a total return of 20.9%, while the FTSE All Share Index delivered a total return of 12.6% over the same period," Unicorn AIM says. Highbridge Tactical Credit Fund Ltd - credit investment fund - Says first quarterly redemption proceeds from Highbridge Tactical Credit Master Fund in relation to managed wind-down expected next week. Aims to distribute proceeds in February. Says further GBP964,968 received from Highbridge Multi-Strategy Master Fund. "The board has determined that it is not economically viable to make a distribution at this time, so will review the position when the next distribution is received," Highbridge Tactical Credit adds. FastForward Innovations Ltd - technology and life sciences sector focused investor - Raises GBP2.1 million from placing of 24.7 million shares at 8.5 pence each. Proceeds will be used to fund investments in "disruptive growth opportunities, in particular medical cannabis". St James House PLC - lottery and e-commerce company - Says period between December 23 and January 27 saw "steady performance" in payments division. Says GBP:EUR pair transactions volumes grew 7%. "Prepaid Cards have been stable in this period following the planned migration to a new service provider as part of the development of revamped prepaid services due for launch in the spring," St James adds. Says number of entries for Prize Provision Services Ltd lottery "remains steady" despite lockdown. Knights Group Holdings PLC - legal and professional services firm - Says Chief Executive Officer David Beech and Chair Bal Johal sold 15.7 million and 300,000 shares in Knights, respectively, at 390 pence each. Beech now holds 16.8 million shares, a 20% stake and Johal owns 210,000 shares, 0.3% of company. Avingtrans PLC - Cambridgeshire, England-based provider of systems and services for energy, medical and industrial sectors - Completes deal to secure majority stake in Australian medical technlogy and engineering firm Magnetica Ltd. "The combination will see Avingtrans' two medical equipment businesses, Scientific Magnetics (SciMag) and Tecmag, merge with Magnetica," Avingtrans says. "Nil consideration is initially payable by Magnetica or Avingtrans but following today's completion, Avingtrans will invest up to GBP3.2 million for new shares in Magnetica, at 15 cents per share, to fund new MRI product development and commercialisation activities," company adds. IQGeo Group PLC - Cambridge, England-based software company - Says nets "large contract" with a major telecommunications network operator serving more than 3.2 million customers in western Canada. Says order is worth GBP1.3 million and is for "perpetual software licences, associated implementation services, and annual maintenance and support". "The new customer will deploy the IQGeo Platform and Workflow Manager software to create a situational awareness and operations support solution designed to accelerate fibre rollout time-to-market and improve customer satisfaction," IQGeo adds. Catenae Innovation PLC - Newcastle-based digital media technology firm - Says a Fortune 500 US professional services and construction company is piloting Catenae's Covid-19 testing platform in its UK division. "Although the pilot is not expected to generate substantial revenues for the company, it endorses the company's Covid-19 testing proposition," Catenae adds. SpaceandPeople PLC - Marketing and promotions company based in Glasgow - Renewed and extended its banking facilities with Santander. Says a GBP1.0 million Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan replaces a GBP1.0 million revolving credit facility. "This loan is for a six-year duration, with no repayments or interest due in the first year, followed by repayments in years two to six with the final GBP500,000 repayable at the end of the sixth year. The RCF that this replaces was due to be repaid in October 2021," SpaceandPeople says. Intuitive Investments Group PLC - closed-end investment company focused on life sciences sector - Says investee BioQ Pharma Inc receives CE mark for OneDose ReadyfusOR Gen2 single-use medication dispenser. MyHealthChecked PLC - Cardiff-based healthcare company and fertility tracking firm - Raises GBP3.4 million from placing and subscription of 194.3 million shares at 1.75 pence each. "The funds raised will be used to extend the MyHealthChecked portfolio through new product development, while also strengthening and increasing the marketing effort to commercialise these products. We also intend to develop a smartphone app to capture data and improve engagement," Chief Executive Officer Penny McCormick comments. Angle PLC - Guildford-based liquid biopsy company - Says work by CANCER-ID consortium demonstrates "key advantages" of Angle's Parsortix system. According to research, "Parsortix system demonstrates high capture rate of CTCs irrespective of biomarker status or phenotype", Angle adds. Ovoca Bio PLC - Women's health-focused biopharmaceutical company - Says first patient enrolled for Phase II dose ranging study on BP-101, a potential treatment for premenopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder, "a condition characterised by a distressing lack or loss of sexual desire". Ovoca adds: "This Phase II dose ranging study is being conducted in Australia and New Zealand and will investigate BP-101 administered daily at a range of doses, evaluating the effect of the drug on lack or loss of sexual desire experienced by participating patients." PureTech Health PLC - Boston, Massachusetts-based biotherapeutics company - Adds Bharatt Chowrira to board as executive director. Chowrira has served as PureTech's chief of business & strategy since March 2017 and joins board effective February 1. Shield Therapeutics PLC - Newcastle-based specialty pharmaceutical company - Pens loan deal with shareholder AOP Orphan International AG, which owns 11% of Shield, and board member Christian Schweiger, who has 3.5% stake. The duo will provide Shield with EUR4.0 million and CHF1.0 million, about GBP819,107, respectively. "In total these amount to approximately GBP4.4 million which, if drawn down in full, would extend the group's cash runway until around the end of 2021, a significant extension from the current cash runway which extends into Q2 2021," Shield adds. Hollywood Bowl Group PLC - ten-pin bowling operator - Notes sizeable opposition to directors' remuneration policy at annual general meeting. Motion passed though just under 48% of votes went against it. "The board understands that shareholders' primary concern was the decision to exercise discretion in allowing the vesting of the three-year long-term incentive plan awards granted in February 2018 for a pro-rated period," Hollywood adds. "Following the AGM, and in light of the voting outcome, the board will continue to engage with shareholders." By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. After Yoruba nationalist, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho, led a mob to burn down his house in Igangan, the Seriki Fulani of Oyo State, Saliu Abdulkadri, has relocated to Ilorin, Kwara State. Mr Abdulkadri and his kinsmen left Igangan in Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State last Friday on the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to them by Mr Adeyemo. Mr Adeyemo asked Fulani residents to leave so as to check kidnappings allegedly perpetrated in the area by herders linked to the ethnic group. He accused Mr Abdukadir of harbouring the herders allegedly kidnapping and killing residents of the community. Mr Adeyemo had defied a warning by Governor Seyi Makinde to stay away from the area and led some youth to attack the home of Mr Abdulkadri. The attack provoked a clash with Fulani residents, leading to the burning of houses and cars. Mr Adeyemis house in Ibadan, Oyo State was a few days later set on fire by unknown persons. The Director of Operation, Oyo State Fire Service, Ismail Adeleke, said the fire affected the living room and the corridor of the building. He said the police were investigating the incident. Relocation However, according to a Punch newspapers report, Mr Abdulkadri was received on arrival by his kinsmen in Ilorin. Asked of efforts to reconcile him with his former Yoruba hosts, the embattled Fulani community leader reportedly said, I have not been called for any meeting as we speak. If we are asked to return to Igangan where are we going to live? My house and vehicles had been completely razed. But if given opportunity to return to the community, I would consider moving back to Igangan. When we were sent out of Igangan, we moved to Ilorin in Kwara State. As we speak, I am in the north but my children are in Ilorin. I have a building in Ilorin. I am innocent On his message to the people of Igangan, he said, I dont have anything to say because I did not offend any member of the community. The hoodlums who are indigenes of Igangan were once arrested and they are still at the Agodi Correctional Facility in Ibadan. Their ringleader is called Janbele; he is with the police now. That is one of the issues that are causing animosity between us and members of the community, he said. Earlier at a news conference in Ilorin on Thursday, Mr Abdulkadir denied any involvement in kidnapping and other criminal activities in the Oyo community. He said seven of his kinsmen died, while his property worth over N500 million was destroyed by the mob led by Mr Adeyemo. My houses,12 vehicles belonging to myself, my children and some visitors were burnt and seven of my people were killed. Confirming kidnapping and raping were rife in the community, the Seriki Fulani said both the Yoruba indigenes of the area and the Fulani were culprits. ADVERTISEMENT He further said he had always worked with security operatives in fighting crime in the area to the knowledge of leaders and elders of the community. There was no case of farm destruction reported to me that I will not send people to go and look at the farm that was destroyed. If discovered that its true, I will order the Fulani to pay money to the farmers, Mr Abdulkadri said. Ellsworth: Did you get the message from your body? If a company is in talks with Apple or going to work with them, Apple legal ensures that the parties sign a non-disclosure agreement. So a new report by Reuters is likely what might have transpired some time ago but failed to materialize with Apple moving on. While the Reuters report is mildly interesting, Apple has likely moved on to talks with others such as the new Foxconn/Zhejang Geely joint venture whose model would better fit with Apple. With that said, Reuters reports that " Executives in Hyundai Motor Co Group are divided over a potential tie-up with Apple Inc, with some raising concerns about becoming a contract manufacturer for the U.S. tech giant, dimming the outlook for a deal." A Hyundai executive aware of the internal discussions on the tie-up with Apple stated that "We are agonizing over how to do it, whether it is good to do it or not. We are not a company which manufactures cars for others. It is not like working with Apple would always produce great results." Hyundai is traditionally known for its reluctance to work with outsiders, making engines, transmissions and even its own steel in-house under its vertically integrated supply chain as South Koreas second-largest conglomerate. Although shares in Kia and Hyundai have surged because of the talks, there is considerable opposition to becoming an Apple contract manufacturer, which could hold up any deal with the American giant. While reporting on this matter, Reuters admits that "Apple has never acknowledged talks with the automaker about building vehicles, and it was unclear whether any such talks are still active. The iPhone maker typically insists on strict secrecy from its potential partners and suppliers about future plans or unreleased products." Once again, Apple would never deal with a company airing such commentary publicly in an effort to boost their stock price as Hyundai did. At the end of the day, it's very difficult to take this report seriously. For those wanting to learn more about this "story" click here. A man shot and killed his girlfriend's brother Wednesday after the two argued about the man's relationship with the woman, New Orleans police allege. Paul Bickham, 35, was jailed Thursday for second-degree murder in the slaying of 33-year-old Joshua Bates, according to Criminal District Court records. Bates and Bickham were in the 2200 block of North Galvez Street about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday when they began arguing over domestic issues between Bickham and his girlfriend, who is also Bates' sister, police wrote in Criminal District Court records. Citing an eyewitness account, police allege that Bickham pulled a pistol out and fired it at Bates. The witness, who was not identified in court filings, fled as the gunfire erupted but later returned to find Bates with more than one bullet wound. Paramedics brought Bates, who had a handgun in his jacket pocket, to University Medical Center, police said. He died at the hospital. Bickham later met with a homicide detective and agreed to give a statement. 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 He said an ongoing argument between he and Bates over his relationship with Bates sister escalated when Bates reached into his jacket and pulled out what appeared to be a handgun. Bickham claimed Bates challenged him to a fight. Bickham said he went inside a house on the block and was preparing to leave the area when he noticed Bates raise a handgun and aim it at him, police wrote in the court documents. Bickham said he reacted by pulling out his own pistol, shooting Bates several times and fleeing, police wrote. Bickham said he eventually showed up at a police station in the St. Claude neighborhood and turned himself over to officers to make his statement. The detective who spoke to Bickham reviewed a video from a city-owned street surveillance camera, and found the footage did not match Bickham's version of events. The footage instead supported the eyewitness recollection, police wrote, noting, The movement of Bates was not consistent with raising a weapon. Bickham faces mandatory life in prison if convicted of murder. Magistrate Court Commissioner Jonathan Friedman set Bickhams bail at $250,000 on Thursday. He remained in custody at the citys lockup as evening fell. Bates was one of at least two people shot to death in New Orleans on Wednesday. NEW DELHI: Angry over the police action and heavy security deployment on the Delhi border, Bharatiya Kisan Union called a Mahapanchayat at Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar at 11 am on Friday (January 29). BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said the Mahapanchayat will be held at GIC college in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh and future course of action will be decided there. Hundreds of farmers are expected to throng the Ghazipur border today amidst the call of Mahapanchayat by BKU. The development comes at a time when the Delhi Police has issued lookout notices against farmer leaders and announced a probe into the conspiracy' behind the Republic Day violence, even as the Ghaziabad administration gave an ultimatum to the protesters at UP Gate to vacate the site by January 28 midnight. Also Read: Delhi Police summons 6 farmer leaders in Republic Day violence case, charge rioters under UAPA Tikait, however, told reporters at the UP gate in Ghazipur bordering Delhi that he would rather commit suicide than leave and end the protest against the farm laws, setting the stage for a confrontation with security personnel. Thousands of farmers from the BKU are camping at the protest site since November 28. "I will commit suicide but won't end protest until the farm bills are repealed," said Rakesh Tikait, who is the national spokesperson of the BKU. Also Read: Anna Hazare to begin indefinite fast over farmers issues from January 30 Tikait also claimed a threat to his life, alleging that armed goons were sent to the protest site. Heavy security force presence was visible near the campsite, which faces a midnight deadline to vacate, even as it faced frequent power cuts in the evening. Live TV Convicted leaders of the 2017 secession attempt in Catalonia who are serving time in regional prisons walked out on Friday after the Catalan government granted them a more open regime. Approval of the tercer grado, which allows prisoners to spend only nights in prison, coincided with the start of an election campaign in Spains northeastern region. Also on Friday, the High Court of Catalonia (TSJC) confirmed that an upcoming regional election will take place on February 14, not on May 30, ending weeks of uncertainty over the date of the polls. The Catalan government had sought to postpone the original date on the grounds that the coronavirus crisis would make it difficult for many people to vote while staying safe. Critics said the date change was politically motivated and unlawful. The TSJC court had provisionally upheld an appeal against the change, and on Friday it confirmed this decision, which could still be challenged before the Supreme Court but would not alter the election date. Released prisoners The separatist leaders on a more flexible regime will now be able to take part in their own parties campaign events if they wish to. Dolors Bassa, who was a Cabinet member at the time of the unilateral independence declaration of October 2017, was the first of the group to walk out of prison on Friday. After leaving the womens facility of Puig de les Basses in Figueres (Girona) at around 8.45am, she urged sympathizers to go vote on February 14 to win again. At 10.30am, Lledoners prison in Barcelona released Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart, leaders of two civil society groups convicted of participating in the breakaway attempt, and the former Cabinet members Oriol Junqueras, Raul Romeva, Jordi Turull, Joaquim Forn and Josep Rull. The group emerged carrying a sign calling for amnesty. The only member of the group to remain in prison is former Catalan parliament speaker Carme Forcadell, who is still awaiting a decision. Both ERC and its partner Together for Catalonia believe that the PSOE is behind the legal challenge to the May postponement All nine were convicted of sedition and misuse of public funds by Spains Supreme Court and are serving sentences ranging from nine to 13 years. The Catalan government granted them tercer grado status once before last year, but the move was struck down by the Supreme Court in December and the group returned to prison. However, eligibility for this regime undergoes review every six months, and the regional executive, which is headed by a separatist coalition, has again granted them this status. Prosecutors are planning to appeal the decision, but the timing of legal procedures means that the separatist leaders will be on daytime prison leave for much of the election campaign, if not all of it. While none of them are running as candidates, their presence could help energize pro-independence voters. Inversely, if they were sent back to prison it would provide fuel to the movements claims of political repression. Election dates Salvador Illa has stepped down as health minister to run as a candidate with the Catalan Socialists (PSC). E. Parra / Pool Secessionists are also framing the legal tussle over the election date as further proof of alleged meddling in Catalonias political and institutional life. In a rare agreement between separatist and conservative parties, the postponement to May had been backed by all political groups in the regional parliament except for the Catalan Socialists (PSC) the Catalan branch of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) who had insisted on preserving the February date. Salvador Illa, the Spanish health minister until this week, has stepped down to run for the regional premiership with the PSC, and a recent poll by the state-funded Center for Sociological Studies (CIS) research center suggested the possibility of a technical tie between the PSC and the Catalan Republican Left (ERC), one of the two partners in the Catalan government coalition. Both ERC and its partner Together for Catalonia believe that the PSOE is behind the legal challenge to the May postponement, and that the real reason is a desire to make the most of the impact on public opinion from the news that the high-profile Illa will be the Socialist nominee to lead the region. But a more recent poll by the Catalan governments Center for Opinion Studies (CEO) shows ERC winning on February 14 with 34 to 35 seats in the regional parliament, followed by Together for Catalonia with 32 to 34. This would ensure the separatist blocs absolute majority in the 135-strong house with 51.2% of the vote. The election will seek to bring stability to a government thats been under an acting leader, Pere Aragones, ever since September, when the Spanish Supreme Court upheld an 18-month ban from public office against Quim Torra in connection with violations of institutional neutrality during an earlier election campaign. After Catalans go to the polls, Spaniards are expecting a two-year period of rest in a country that has been through four national elections, a European vote, regional and municipal polls, and two no-confidence motions in parliament since 2015. With reporting by Rebeca Carranco, Angels Pinol, Camilo S. Baquero and Reyes Rincon. English version by Susana Urra. Steven D'Antuono, head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Washington field office, speaks during a news conference, in Washington, on Jan. 12, 2021. (Sarah Silbiger/Pool via AP) FBI: Pipe Bombs at RNC, DNC Were Planted Night Before Jan. 6 WASHINGTONTwo pipe bombs left at the offices of the Republican and Democratic national committees, discovered just before the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, were actually placed the night before, federal officials said Friday. The FBI said the investigation had revealed new information, including that the explosive devices were placed outside the two buildings between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 5. The devices were not located by law enforcement until the next day. It is not clear if the pipe bombs were related to the Capitol incident. Both buildings are within a few blocks of the Capitol. U.S. Capitol Police and agents from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were called to the Republican National Committees office around 12:45 p.m. on Jan. 6. About 30 minutes later, as the agents and bomb technicians were still investigating at the RNC, another call came in for a second, similar explosive device found at the Democratic National Committee headquarters nearby. Protesters storm the Capitol Building in Washington, on Jan. 6, 2021. (Ahmed Gaber/Reuters) Protesters storm the Capitol Building in Washington, on Jan. 6, 2020. (Ahmed Gaber/Reuters) The two explosive devices were very similar, and both were about a foot long with end caps and wiring that appeared to be attached to a timer, two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have told The Associated Press. Investigators are still examining the devices and their components to determine the specific compounds inside the pipe bombs, but they both appeared to contain an unknown powder and some metal, the officials said. The officials could not discuss an ongoing investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. The FBI released additional photos of the explosive devices on Friday, including a photograph that showed one of the devices placed underneath a bush. Officials have also increased the reward in the case to $100,000. Steven DAntuono, the assistant director in charge of the FBIs office in Washington, said earlier this week that locating the person who planted the pipe bombs was a top priority for federal agents, though officials have only released grainy surveillance camera images of a potential suspect. On Friday, the FBI said the person wore a gray hooded sweatshirt, a face mask, and Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers in yellow, black, and gray, and had been carrying a backpack. By Michael Balsamo Fans of the raunchy BBC series Industry cannot but be astonished about how dealing room culture turns freshly-minted graduates into trading fiends in a matter of days. Now, 'Generation Y' is taking its revenge on a Wall Street and City habit of fixing the money-making machine in its favour. The social media site Reddit, a reincarnation of the 2011 post-financial crisis Occupy Wall Street movement, has taken up the cudgels. Cutthroat: Fans of the BBC series Industry (pictured) cannot but be astonished about how dealing room culture turns freshly-minted graduates into trading fiends in a matter of days Instead of hurling abuse at bankers, it is using the untrammelled power of social media to take on short-sellers. It is an efficient tool, because behind every short seller there is respectable finance. Wilder short-sellers could not prosper unless longer holders of shares were willing to play ball by loaning them stock to manipulate for a fee. Similarly, much of the borrowing deployed by the hedge funds comes directly from big banks. In the run up to the financial crisis, Goldman Sachs was seen as operating as a huge hedge fund which is why the 'Volcker rule', which stopped investment banks trading on their own account, became law. Few citizens will mourn the idea that the short-sellers have given a bloody nose by launching a retail assault via social media. The amazing gyrations in the shares of bricks-and-mortar Gamestop in the US and Pearson and Cineworld in Britain could lead this new army of investors to believe that shares only move upwards. That is why the UK regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, issued a warning for latecomers to the party about volatility. American regulators are muttering dark warnings about market manipulation. Some retail brokers are refusing to deal in stocks on the Reddit hit list. It is a little too easy to regard all short-sellers as locusts, as they were labelled in Germany during the financial crisis. At the respectable end of the hedge-fund business, London-based firms such as CQS and Lansdowne Partners were the canary in the mine in the 2008-09 crisis. Analysis of re-packaged mortgage securities and credit default swaps, stuffed inside financial group balance sheets, was a signal that most UK banks were going bust. By forcing down share prices, by taking short positions, the hedges sent a signal to longer-term investors and regulators that something seriously was amiss. The behaviour of a second group of short-sellers is more troubling. The technique of issuing one-sided 'research' reports, before and after shorting shares, often smells of abuse. What is satisfying about the response of the Reddit crowd and their swamping of bulletin boards with messages is that their goal is transparent. They want to teach shorts a lesson. There can be nothing more sweet than seeing the racier hedge funds caught out and seeking bailouts from investors and bankers. The trouble is that when shares behave as erratically as Gamestop, AMP, Cineworld et al, there will be people caught in the rush. Market newcomers thinking they have found a new alchemy, turning 50 into tens of thousands, could see gains vanish before their eyes. More seriously, when shares surge or are trashed on speculation rather than on fundamental analysis, more traditional investors, such as pension and mutual funds, could be badly damaged in the rush. Caveat emptor. Tequila sunrise Running a booze giant during a pandemic, when hospitality in Britain and across the world is locked down and India and South Africa have imposed prohibition, might seem a nightmare. Not, it seems, for Johnnie Walker-to-Guinness titan Diageo. Its focus on ever posher brands, from the US to China, keeps the spirits high. Its purchase of tequila lookalike Casamigos from George Clooney and others has been a roaring success in the US where it sells for the fancy price of $50-a-bottle (37.00). China's share of revenues has jumped from just 1 per cent to 5 per cent as the country has fallen in love with single malts and top-of-the-range Blue Label Johnnie Walker. Chief executive Ivan Menezes believes the next big thing will be designer gin, having bought Chase in the UK and Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds' Aviation American Gin. The group has done its bit for the struggling bar trade with 30million of direct help to customers struggling with Covid costs. It might be thought that with half-year operating profits of 2.2billion and some 20 per cent of UK pubs facing extinction it could do more. On a Tuesday afternoon in July 1993, White House Counsel Vince Foster drove to a park in suburban Virginia, pulled out a revolver and shot himself to death. Foster never had a chance to rest in peace. Within hours of his suicide, the conspiracy underground of America started cobbling together an outlandish narrative that Fosters employers and old friends, then-President Bill Clinton and then-first lady Hillary Clinton, had him killed for some combination of nefarious motives. An obscure, crackpot newsletter published this baseless murder theory, which right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh and televangelist Pat Robertson were only too happy to share with their devoted followers. At the time, it seemed shocking that such a deranged theory was getting serious oxygen on the airwaves. To be sure, this country has long been susceptible to bizarre conspiracy theories: UFOs landing in Roswell; the mob taking out John Kennedy; the Apollo 11 moon landing being staged; Elvis Presley faking his death. Nonetheless, with the Foster story, it was weird to see the madness move from its usual spot, in the dark corners of the overstimulated American psyche, to the center of the national conversation. Well, its 2021, and that brand of American madness now has its own congressional office. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the newly elected representative from Georgias 14th Congressional District, is an avid follower of the QAnon conspiracy cult and lives in a paranoid playland that bears little resemblance to reality. In recent years, Greene has expressed support for the idea that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were a hoax. She has suggested that the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting at a country music festival, which killed 60 people and wounded hundreds, had been performed as part of a left-wing plot to convert conservatives into supporters of gun control. Are they trying to terrorize our mindset and change our minds on the Second Amendment? Greene asked in a video. She called the 2018 Parkland, Fla., school shooting which resulted in 17 deaths and 17 injuries a false flag. She can be seen in a March 2019 video stalking and taunting one of the Parkland survivors, David Hogg (who she has referred to on social media as Little Hitler), about his advocacy for a red flag law to address gun violence. In a May 2018 Facebook post, Greene endorsed a positively bonkers theory that Hillary Clinton and her assistant, Huma Abedin, filleted a childs face, wore the face like a mask and drank the childs blood. This fantasy includes the theory that a slain police officer had been killed by Clinton when he caught on to her misdeeds. To make her point, Greene posted a picture of the officers mother. When a commenter picked up on the point Greene hoped to make with the photo, Greene seemed gratified. I post things sometimes to see who knows things, she wrote. Most of the time people dont. Greene liked a January 2019 Facebook comment that said a bullet to the head would be quicker to remove House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In April 2018, a Facebook commenter asked Green, in reference to Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama, Now do we get to hang them? Greene answered: Stage is being set. Players are being put in place. In a 2017 post for the now-defunct American Truth Seekers website, Greene wrote, Child Sex, Satanism and the Occult all associated with the Democratic Party. Greene has now stormed into Congress as part of a rogue caucus that encouraged supporters of Donald Trump to believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him. Its a narrative that sparked a horrific Jan. 6 Capitol riot that resulted in five deaths. Greene filed articles of impeachment against Trumps Democratic successor, Joe Biden, last Thursday, the day after Biden took the oath of office. For her reckless assault on the truth, Greenes party has rewarded her with a seat on the House Education and Labor Committee. On the local front, John Austin, the Bexar County Republican Party chairman, told me, I dont have any comment at the moment, because Im not educated on it (Greenes behavior). Neither Tony Gonzales nor Chip Roy, the two Republicans who represent San Antonio in the U.S. House, offered a comment on Greenes actions. Ultimately, the blame for Greene is with Republican voters. (Greene went unopposed in the general election.) The Georgia media told the voters of the 14th Congressional District what they were getting in Greene. Party leaders denounced her. Nearly 44,000 Republicans nonetheless voted for her last August in a GOP primary runoff against neurosurgeon John Cowan. Thats sad for both the Republican Party and the state of Georgia. Greene is now roaming the halls of the U.S. Capitol. Thats sad for all of us. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 Week-over-week totals of new cases of coronavirus in Worcester dropped for the third consecutive week, City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. said on Thursday. Worcester experienced 815 new COVID cases this week, which was 70 fewer than last week. It does look like we are starting to see a bit of a decline in the number of new cases, Augustus said. On Jan. 7, Augustus reported 1,376 new cases during the citys weekly COVID briefing. The following week the city reported 1,219. Last week, the number was 885. Were happy to see were moving in the right direction, Augustus said. Augustus, Mayor Joseph Petty and Medical Director Dr. Michael Hirsh still continued to stress the importance of wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands. Hirsh was confident the city has moved beyond the latest surge. With the aid from the vaccine, the worst may be behind the city, Hrish said. However, new variants of the virus still inject fear into the citys medical director. If the U.K. strain or any of these strains, they seem to be more transmissible, do take hold and outstrip the current strain, its just very possible that we could see another surge, Hirsh said. The citys two hospitals - UMass Memorial Health Care and Saint Vincent Hospital - saw 208 patients with COVID this week, which is down 38 from last week. Despite the drop in weekly cases, they reported 30 deaths combined this week, which was up six from last week. We know that when theres that many patients in the hospital, theres going to be a lagging but depressing stat and the deaths will go up, Hirsh. The number of health care workers who tested positive for the virus continues to plummet with 44 this week. Two weeks ago, the number was 104. Hirsh said the majority of health care workers who have tested positive havent received the COVID vaccine. A handful tested positive even after receiving the vaccine, but Hirsh said those individuals had only received the first of two shots. Its really another emphasis that dont think that once you get this first dose that youve got some more immunity, Hirsh said. You probably have some immunity but that booster is really what kicks in and makes you not get the viral illness. Through three weeks at the Worcester Senior Center, the city has administered vaccines to 2,727 individuals in Phase 1. Of that number, 336 were administered through the citys mobile distribution program. So far 74.4% of the Worcester Police Department has received the vaccine. About 78% of the citys fire department has received the vaccine. Those two numbers inched up this week by 4% and 3% respectively after experiencing large gains of personnel registering during the first two weeks. Currently, the city is not prepared to advance beyond Phase 1, even as Phase 2 begins on Monday. The city is receiving about 1,000 vaccines a week, which isnt enough to meet the demand, Hirsh said on Wednesday. We know, as [Mayor Joseph Petty] has mentioned, theres a lot of frustration on the part of residents across the commonwealth who are anxious to either get themselves or get a loved one [vaccinated], Augustus said. We share that frustration. Augustus hoped to announce a mass vaccination site this week. He said the city has identified a location, a clinical partner and another partner that would support the site with volunteers but the state hasnt provided the green light for the super vaccination center. Augustus wouldnt provide the exact location but said he would provide updates when possible. I would like to but I dont want to get ahead of the state. I need the final sign-off from the state, Augustus said. As soon as we can we will [share]. Related Content: ST. PAUL, Minn. Two southeastern Minnesota projects are sharing in over $20 million going to broadband initiatives around the state. The pandemic this past year has made it crystal clear that fast, reliable broadband access is critical for people living in Greater Minnesota for everything from education and health care to business operations and telecommuting, says Governor Tim Walz. These grants continue this vitally important work toward our goal of ensuring that every Minnesotan has high-speed internet access by 2022. $20,645,425 in grants are being awarded to 39 projects in the sixth year of the Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant program. The state grants will be matched by $33,695,279 in local funds, for a total investment in broadband infrastructure of $54,340,704. Connection is foundational for communities to thrive. These grants will go to help Minnesotans get critical access to broadband, says Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. Now more than ever, we need to make sure Minnesotans have access to high-quality broadband to help our communities thrive, businesses survive, and students learn. Among the grants awarded: $953,842 for Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association SE Faribault/W Freeborn County FTTP. Governor Walz office says this last mile fiber optic project will bring service to 319 unserved locations, including 289 homes, 16 businesses, 11 farms, and three community anchor institutions in the townships of Clark, Foster, Kiester, Seely, Alden, Carlston, Manchester, Mansfield, and Pickerel Lake located in Southeastern Faribault and Western Freeborn counties. As a result of this project, those served will have access to the broadband they need to adapt to the rapidly changing needs of business, employment, education, and social applications. The local match is $2,225,539. $1,173,330 for MiBroadband, LLC Rural Preston FTTP. The Governors office says the Rural Preston fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) project will serve 231 unserved and 26 underserved locations in the rural portions of southern Fillmore County. The FTTP network will improve access to education and health care services and increase employment as businesses leverage this new network and telecommuting opportunities become accessible. The local match is $2,197,042. SAN RAFAEL, CA Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, is a long drive from San Rafael, and that alone reduces the odds of jumping in the car and traveling there to see what the city's famous marmot predicts about the end of winter on Groundhog Day on Tuesday. According to the Groundhog Day legend, winter will hang on another six weeks if the rodent sees his shadow, and spring will be just around the corner if he doesn't. This unscientific ritual takes place every year in Punxsutawney, and it will again in 2021 but without the crush of thousands of reporters and visitors who flock to Gobbler's Knob, a small clearing at the top of a wooded hill a couple of miles outside of the western Pennsylvania town. The pandemic hasn't stolen this silly late-winter ritual, but it will move online because "the potential COVID risks to overcome are too great," according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club website. That means you can watch Punxsutawney Phil's prognostication from the comfort of your home here in San Rafael. The pampered groundhog will go outside with his "Inner Circle" to do his bit. In place of a crowd, Phil will be surrounded by cutouts of folks who would like to be there. Just snap a photo preferably wearing groundhog gear, according to the website and email it to director@ghogclub.com. You may be asking how what is seen by a groundhog in Pennsylvania has to do with the end of winter in our neck of the woods. Fair enough. Right now, the National Weather Service forecast calls for a chance of rain in San Rafael on Groundhog Day. Enterprising Punxsutawney residents organized the first Groundhog Day celebration in 1887 around a tradition that early 19th century settlers brought to Pennsylvania from Germany. Clymer Freas, the editor of the The Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper, came up with the idea in 1886 and convinced the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, a group of businessmen and groundhog hunters, that it was a solid one. They traded groundhogs for hedgehogs, the marmot used in the German celebration, but the idea behind the observance remains unchanged: If the varmint sees its shadow, more winter is in sight; if not, spring is near. Story continues The earliest of Feb. 2 celebrations had nothing to do with groundhogs or hedgehogs. Today's lighthearted festivals around marmots borrow heavily from the ancient European Christian celebration known as Candlemas Day, "commemorating the occasion when the Virgin Mary, in obedience to Jewish law, went to the Temple in Jerusalem both to be purified 40 days after the birth of her son, Jesus, and to present him to God as her firstborn (Luke 2:2238)," according to Encyclopedia Britannica. According to tradition, religious leaders blessed candles used during the winter and passed them out on Feb. 2, the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. If the candles were distributed under clear, sunny skies, the remainder of winter would be a rough ride. But if the day was gray and cloudy, spring was on the way. Punxsutawney Phil was introduced at the inaugural U.S. Groundhog Day in 1887, and a groundhog has looked for its shadow every year under that name, sealing the "holiday" in our America's cultural heritage. A groundhog was pulled from the ground that first year and saw its shadow on Gobbler's Knob. The prediction was right for a few regions of Pennsylvania, but not the entire state. The groundhog has gotten it wrong as often as right in the last 10 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But give the varmint a break, NOAA says, noting on a webpage for all things Groundhog Day: "Predicting the arrival of spring for an entire country, especially one with such varied regional climates as the United States, isn't easy!" If you want a bit more accuracy, AccuWeather says the arrival of spring weather is expected late February to March in California. This article originally appeared on the San Rafael Patch Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2021) - Spearmint Resources Inc. (CSE: SPMT) (OTC Pink: SPMTF) (FSE: A2AHL5) (the "Company) is pleased to announce that the Company has engaged McClelland Laboratories Inc. of Sparks, Nevada for the planned metallurgy on the lithium hosted claystone drilled on Spearmint's property. Once the final 5 holes are received the samples will be sent for testing. James Nelson, President of Spearmint, states, "The metallurgy testing will be the next step towards a planned resource calculation and may guide the company in the right direction for optimal utilization and lower-cost recovery of lithium hosted within the claystone. Elon Musk stated at his battery day in September 2020, they are exploring an "acid-free saline extraction" lithium production process development for sedimentary clays in Nevada. We have seen how multiple processes have given positive indications on Spearmint's bordering properties and we plan to utilize all this data to streamline our testing. Spearmint is in the best financial shape in the company's history, and with the pending results coming, we are very excited about the month of February. We expect to receive the results from the pending 5 drill-holes any day now, at a time when the lithium price is starting to feel upward demand pressure and the electric vehicle (EV) growth is seeing exponential expansion." Clayton Valley Ownership Map To view an enhanced version of this map, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4360/73149_8811dcadd43eab77_002full.jpg Mr. Greg Thomson, P.Geo., a director of Spearmint and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained within this news release. Management cautions that past results or discoveries on properties in proximity to Spearmint may not necessarily be indicative to the presence of mineralization on the Company's properties. About Spearmint Resources Spearmint's current projects include the 'Goose' Gold project directly bordering New Found Gold Corp. where Spearmint has sampled up to 973 ppb gold, as well as the 'Clayton Valley Lithium Prospects' in Nevada comprised of two claim blocks totaling 1,160 acres bordering Pure Energy Minerals & Cypress Development Corp. where Spearmint's drill results have intersected Lithium values as high as 1,840 ppm Li; the 'Escape Lake North' PGM Project in Ontario consisting of ~4,000 contiguous acres directly bordering Clean Air Metals Inc.; the Case Lake South Cesium Project in Ontario consisting of ~7,300 acres directly bordering Power Metals Corp.'s Case Lake Cesium Property; the River Valley East Platinum-Palladium Prospect in Ontario consisting of approximately 4,700 contiguous acres directly bordering New Age Metals flagship River Valley Platinum Group Metals (PGM) project; the Carscallen West Gold Project in Ontario consisting of a ~2500 contiguous acres in the direct vicinity to Melkior Resources Inc.; the Perron-East Gold Prospects consisting of 5 mineral claim blocks covering 11,608 acres located in the Abitibi greenstone belt of northwestern Quebec in the direct vicinity of Amex Exploration Inc.'s Perron property and past-producing Normetal mine; and the 'Chibougamau Vanadium Prospect' comprising of 15,493 contiguous acres directly bordering the vanadium deposit of BlackRock Metal's (private) Ilmenite vanadium project. Spearmint's current projects also include a portfolio of prospects in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia; the 'Golden Triangle Gold Prospects' comprising of five separate claims blocks totaling 8,265 acres bordering GT Gold Corp, the 2,397 acre 'NEBA' Gold-Copper Prospects bordering Aben Resources Ltd, and the 'EL North' Nickel-Copper Prospect is a contiguous land package of 1,053 acres in the Eskay Creek Camp bordering Garibaldi Resources Corp, as well as the recent acquisition of the 4,980 acre 'Prickle' property bordering Brixton Metals Corp. Spearmint's other projects in British Columbia include the 'Safari' Copper-Gold Prospect consisting of 9,007 contiguous acres located in the northern Quesnel Trough in North-Central BC, and the 'Hammernose' Gold Prospect consisting of 8,685 acres directly bordering Westhaven Gold Corp.'s Shovelnose Property in the Spences Bridge Gold Belt located in Southern British Columbia, Canada. Management cautions that past results or discoveries on properties in proximity to Spearmint may not necessarily be indicative to the presence of mineralization on the Company's properties. If you would like to be added to Spearmint's news distribution list, please send your email address to info@spearmintresources.ca Contact Information Tel: 1604646-6903 www.spearmintresources.ca "James Nelson" President Spearmint Resources Inc. The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/73149 Grand Jury to Hear Charges Against Creech, Cope By West Kentucky Star Staff PADUCAH - Drug and gun charges against two people arrested earlier this month will be heard by a grand jury.According to the McCracken Circuit Court Clerk, 35-year-old Amy Cope and 43-year-old Michael Creech had preliminary hearings, and their cases were bound over to a grand jury. Their arraignment is scheduled for March 18.They were arrested January 20 after McCracken Sheriff's Detectives investigated possible drug trafficking at an apartment complex on North Friendship Road. A search led to seizure of crystal meth, a loaded handgun and drug paraphernalia.They were charged with firearm-enhanced trafficking in a controlled substance, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, tampering with evidence and possession of drug paraphernalia.Creech was also served with an outstanding parole violation warrant. 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. Australian fashion designer Aurelio Costarella has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, triggered by his experience of the West Australian mental health system. Mr Costarella, who spent three decades enthralling fashion lovers with glamorous designs shown around the world, has spoken out about how turning to the health system for help when his depression and anxiety manifested as panic attacks showed him first-hand the gaps in the mental health system. While he stressed over what to do with his fashion business, his mental health deteriorated. I couldnt do it anymore, he says from his Perth home, which he now struggles to leave. He closed his business and sought help. It goes without saying that Americans have been spending a lot of time at home over the past year. By a lot of time, we mean like, all of it: working from our home offices, hopping on exercise bikes when were feeling motivated, dipping into our bar carts private stock when were not. It should come as no surprise, then, to learn that practically the only market to flourish in 2020 was that of residential real estate. Sure, it experienced a brief retrenching at the beginning of the pandemic, but after that, home sales began to soar. City apartment renters and elder millennials throughout the country decided it was a better time than any to make that important leap in upgrading their living situations to something more spacious and permanent, and home prices went through the roof. Young adults provided the most significant boost to home sales last year, with millennials making up the largest share of home buyers at a whopping 38 percent. And while some may argue that this shift of a major generation from the rental market into their own homes could spell bad news for cities, experts actually say this has been DCs time to shine. In fact, home-buying site Zillow predicts that although dense, urban living got a bad rap last year because of the pandemic, city living will almost certainly enjoy a renaissance in 2021. Listen, to use an industry term, the time right now is silly its so good for sellers [in Washington, DC], says Mike Aubrey, a senior vice president and Realtor affiliated with Compass, and a Principal of The AUBREY | KOSEIAN Group. Since weve been counting inventory on property and inventory of available property, which in its current derivation is probably somewhere in the last 35 years or so, we have never been at a lower inventory in DC, or nationally. So this is macro and micro all the way across the board. Aubrey tells InsideHook that this means, simply put, that the demand for homes in the District is far greater than its available supply. Add that fact to the lowest mortgage rates that hes ever seen and you essentially have a feeding frenzy for properties right now. To be a seller in this marketplace right now, Aubrey says, is absolutely phenomenal and lopsided. Below, Aubrey talks us through the current landscape, from the citys next it neighborhood to when, exactly, potential sellers should be looking to pull the trigger. Tetiana SHYSHKINA Let Me Upgrade You For current DC homeowners or those thinking of flipping a property for a profit, the time truly seems to be now. Many experts are predicting another strong housing market in 2021, with an increase in demand from both A) buyers who delayed purchasing homes because of the pandemic and B) existing homeowners who have come to terms with the longevity of the situation, and are now in search of a larger space for themselves and their families. Aubrey agrees, adding a reminder that we will not be reaching herd immunity until at least 70 percent of the earths population is vaccinated. Regardless of how long this tedious process might take, the effects of the pandemic are sure to be felt for years to come. I think that the pandemic has changed every aspect of our life, and it has changed the way, certainly, that we are going to live in homes, and the way that were going to buy homes, he says. Theres always going to be some specter of Whats the next pandemic? and How do I add features to my home that are going to either a make it better for me to live in, or quarantine it, or really be a moneymaker when it comes to the sale of that property? I think thats going to be the lasting legacy of COVID-19 on real estate. Aubrey tells us that the kind of properties he saw fly last year were those that provided eager buyers with the amenities they desired from a place theyd be spending 99 percent of their time in. A bit of charm factor never hurts, either. Thats why, he says, even the high-dollar inventory that had been sitting on the market for a year plus at the beginning of 2020 is all gone now. In 2020, I had more $2+ million buyers than Ive ever had in my career. Ive had more $5+ plus million buyers than Ive ever had in my career. And I think thats because there is a move to this idea of having a destination property. Theres a sliding scale, meaning that if you live in a studio, having a bedroom with a den is going to seem amazing because of the amount of time that youre putting into your house, and I think that that goes all the way up to 1,000-square-foot properties with a pool and a pool house. Do I think that people are sort of making that push to stretch their limit in order to stretch their arms? Absolutely. Natalie Runnerstrom Neighborhood Watch Washingtonians looking to purchase property in the city already know where to go to find homes at an already-steep price: Dupont, Logan Circle, West End, Georgetown. These are areas where youre going to pay a heavy toll to live where parks, restaurants and cafes are abundant, and are also relatively safe bets to compound their value. But buyers looking for a bargain or willing to place bets on up-and-coming neighborhoods should, according to Aubrey, start looking northeast. He places his bets on areas that have not fully undergone gentrification a sticky topic for all buyers and renters in a city on the rise. Yes, any potential buyer looking to move into a neighborhood traditionally occupied by lower-income communities and communities of color should do their research and their due diligence on how to gentrify without the unintended effects of displacing the existing community, as it is a common misconception that the two must go hand-in-hand. A prime example illustrated by The Washington Post is the ongoing gentrification of Petworth, where in 2000 about 85 percent of the 3,500 residents were Black Americans, and homeownership was about 80 percent at the time. Nearly 20 years later, the homeownership rate is at 85 percent, with around 63 percent Black residents, and Hispanic and white populations on the rise. While this clearly showed a cultural shift in the area, home values increased from an average of $167,000 to $367,000 with a continued upward trend, meaning that many of those people were able to sell their homes for much more than they originally paid. Involuntary displacement is always a bad thing, but wealth-building for longtime residents is good, the Post asserted. With these facts in mind, Aubrey described his love for areas like Kingman Park, Trinidad and Edgewood all areas with low home prices and high potential. For those looking for single-family homes at a price that wont break the bank, the realtor favors the neighborhood of Brookland, where space is still abundant and the art and restaurant scene is on the rise. DC Needs Your Homes In its annual report, Zillow forecasted a nearly 30-percent annual growth in home sales for a total of almost 6.9 million homes sold for the year 2021, the biggest annual sales growth since 1983. Home price appreciation will reach its fastest pace since the Great Recession, they wrote, as the inventory crunch continues to pit buyers against each other, competing for a scarce number of homes for sale. The home-buying site predicts that those looking to sell their homes this year will almost certainly sell at their target price if not higher, and realtors in D.C. are begging for the inventory. Lets be clear, we have no inventory right now. I mean its awful, says Aubrey. We need more houses seasonally. The post One DC Realtors Predictions for the 2021 Housing Market appeared first on InsideHook. Dara O Briain has revealed that he is adopted and told of how his search for his birth mother was 'unnecessarily hard'. The Irish comedian, 48, said he was told from an early age that he was adopted and has a 'fantastic relationship' with his adoptive parents, coming from an 'unbelievably content' family. He admitted that he never gave his adoption much thought until years later, but eventuallly thought that his birth mother might want to know how things had turned out for him, saying that he felt it was perhaps his 'responsibility' to share that with her. Speaking publicly for the first time about his adoption to the Irish Times for its Winter Nights Festival, he explained: 'I talked to my birth mother about it today, and I said, "look, did you want this?" and she said, "there was no choice in this". Although he didn't reveal more about the circumstances of his adoption, he explained: 'The whole thing was built on shame and expediency and a feeling of, just get this done.' Dara was born in Ireland in the early '70s at a time when it was still taboo for women to fall pregnant outside of marriage, with 56,000 women and 57,000 children placed or born at Mother and Baby homes, most run by nuns, from 1922 until the last one shut in 1998. Dara O Briain has revealed that he is adopted and told of how his search for his birth mother was 'unnecessarily hard' due to rules surrounding privacy (pictured in December 2015) He said that he was aware of being adopted as a child, but it not playing a major role in his life. The comedian explained: 'Being adopted [for me] is a state of knowing you're adopted, then it not being mentioned for ages, and then at a point in later life going, "Hang on, am I adopted?" 'I remember my father coming to London for lunch, and we had one of those conversations where you just clear the decks on everything. 'I told him, "I seem to remember knowing this", and he said, "yeah, but it's not a secret. I quit telling you because, you know, why would you keep saying it?"' The Irish comedian, 48, (pictured in April 2019) said that he was told from a very early age that he was adopted and has a 'fantastic relationship' with his adoptive parents After watching the film Philomena, where an Irishwoman Philomena Lee tries to track down her adopted son, Dara felt inspired to start his own search for his birth mother. The Mock The Week host said the process of searching for his birth mother was largely 'positive', but added that it was also 'unnecessarily hard' due to privacy rules. Under Irish Law, the rights of the mother to privacy override the adopted child's rights to find out who they are, making it tricky for adoptees to get certain information. He revealed: 'The search is unnecessarily hard. Start-of-life documentation, which concerns their lives adopted people do not have the right yet to automatically get that.' Dara explained that much of the information in his adoption file was 'redacted' while other information about his biographical father had 'no bearing on reality at all'. He continued: 'They give you a sheet of information, and it has biographical detail of your father, and it's invented, it has no bearing on reality at all.' Dara (pictured in April 2019) has met his birth mother, who said his adoption was 'built on shame' at the time, but is yet to meet his biological siblings due to Covid travel restrictions Dara described the emotional experience of finally tracking down his own birth certificate, admitting that he wanted to find a quiet moment to open the document. He said: 'I remember finding it and reading it for the first time. It's an elemental piece of paper. It's a huge document to get in your hand. 'I wasn't crying or anything like that, but it was still... that this other person is me.' Dara, who is married to his wife Susan and has two children, has since met his birth mother, who revealed his adoption was 'built on shame and expediency' at the time. Due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, the TV star is yet to meet his various biological siblings and the rest of his family. The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. The Sundance Film Festival, forced online this year by the pandemic, quietly opened to a virtual "standing ovation" for deaf family drama "CODA" Thursday. Taking its title from an acronym for child of deaf adult, "CODA" follows high-school teen Ruby (Emilia Jones) as she juggles her musical ambitions with her fisherman family's dependence on her to communicate with the "hearing" world. The first in-competition film to stream for remote attendees of the prestigious indie festival, it drew immediate rave reviews, with Variety calling it "tender, lively, funny, and beautifully stirring," and Deadline praising a "breakout performance" from Jones ("Locke & Key.") "I would say it's the equivalent of a standing ovation," Sundance programming director Kim Yutani told the cast as she hosted an online Q&A immediately after its streaming premiere ended. The unusual debut is a world away from the flashy, red-carpet screenings and after-parties Sundance typically holds each January high in the Utah mountains, where Hollywood migrates to watch and cut deals for the coming year's hottest indie titles. Sundance organizers have this year invited industry types to "trade in your snow boots for slippers," and created networking events for filmmakers to mingle with audiences in "avatar" based chat rooms and virtual-reality cinemas. "We had a choice to make -- we could cancel or move the festival," said director Tabitha Jackson, opening the festival Thursday. "Or we could take a risk and imagine a way to recreate the energy of the full festival experience digitally," she added. Opening film "CODA" was based on French 2014 comedy "La Famille Belier," transplanted to the US fishing town of Gloucester by director and Massachusetts native Sian Heder ("Orange is the New Black.") Both Heder and Jones learned sign language for the film, which features several prominent deaf actors in lead roles including Oscar-winner Marlee Matlin ("Children of a Lesser God.") Story continues "This film has changed my life forever," said Jones, who told the virtual audience she was continuing to learn the "beautiful" language. The movie employed real CODAs on set as translators where needed, and Heder said she hopes the film will inspire Hollywood to make more disability-focused films. "We are hungry to hear new stories that we haven't heard... this is a world of new stories, in the disability world," she said. "I just hope that this becomes a part of the inclusion conversation in the same way that so many other disenfranchised groups have." Later Thursday will see the premiere of "Summer of Soul," musician Questlove's first movie about the huge, forgotten "Black Woodstock" festival that took place in 1969 Harlem. Some 72 feature films will screen at the festival co-founded by Robert Redford, which runs through to February 3. amz/acb Evangeline Lilly appeared to snub her Crisis co-star Armie Hammer on Instagram amid his ongoing social media scandal. Set against the backdrop of the opioid epidemic, Crisis stars Hammer as an agent named Jake Kelly, who tracks down the drug trafficker who arranged a fentanyl smuggling operation between Canada and America. Lilly, who stars in the film as Claire Reimann, celebrated the first look at the film being released by sharing the poster of herself, Hammer and Gary Oldman on Thursday (28 January). I am proud to be a part of a hard-hitting thriller that tackles the issues that surround an industry that profits from addiction (and proud to be in this poster with #GaryOldman [heart-eyed emoji], she captioned the post, failing to mention Hammer entirely. The trailer for Crisis was also released on Thursday, marking the first new film footage to be released of Hammer since his recent social media scandal. The Independent has contacted Lillys representatives for comment. Hammer stepped away from his role opposite Jennifer Lopez in the forthcoming feature Shotgun Wedding after alleged direct messages surfaced that alluded to inappropriate conduct on his part. Some of the messages, allegedly written by the actor, were sexually explicit and purported to discuss a cannibal fetish. Responding to the allegations, he said: Im not responding to these bulls*** 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. ALBANY The special bureau in the attorney general's office that investigated breakdowns in the treatment of nursing home residents during the coronavirus pandemic took shape about 45 years ago when state leaders, including then-Gov. Hugh Carey, created an autonomous unit that was staffed with prosecutors and tasked with probing fraud and malfeasance in long-term elderly care facilities. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, as it came to be named, was credited in a footnote near the end of a 76-page report issued Thursday by the office of state Attorney General Letitia James. The report found widespread failures in the care of nursing home residents during the pandemic, and faulted the state health department for underreporting the number of residents who died as a result of COVID-19. The findings sent shock waves through New York's political landscape, in part, because the report led with the health department's underreporting of nursing home deaths a matter that has dogged Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's administration and affirmed James' apparent independence from a governor with whom she has been politically aligned. The fraud unit, one of the largest sections of the attorney general's sprawling criminal division, receives 75 percent of its funding from the federal government and is designed to work independently from outside influence or politics. For about two decades after it was established, the unit initially a special prosecutors' office was not part of the attorney general's office, and its staff members found themselves often being shuffled between offices in New York City or around the state Capitol in Albany. They had to scratch for access to local grand juries to hear their cases, and were often at odds with the health department that allegedly tried to steer their investigations, according to people familiar with the unit's early history. "They were like their own stand-alone agency as assistant attorneys general," said Dennis C. Vacco, a former U.S. attorney in Buffalo who was state attorney general from 1995 through 1998. "We pulled them in. They became part of the fabric of the attorney generals command structure under me." Last April, as questions began mounting about the treatment of nursing home residents, controversy swirled around an order by Cuomo compelling nursing homes to accept residents who had tested positive or been hospitalized for COVID-19. That month, the governor announced a "joint" investigation with the attorney general as deaths of elderly residents in the facilities grew into the thousands. "Were going to undertake an investigation of nursing homes now to make sure theyre following the rules," Cuomo had said. Nursing homes, they are our top priority, they have been from day one." But it's unclear that the report issued Thursday by the attorney general flowed from that directive. The findings, as well as the fact they were announced solely by James' office and appeared to catch Cuomo's administration off-guard, are an indication the fraud unit may have taken its own path and viewed the health department as a subject of the inquiry rather than as a partner. "Interestingly, Attorney General James, in her report doesnt allude to the governor's April 23 announcement," Vacco said. "How are they working collaboratively if at the end of the day shes writing a report taking (the health department) to task? Whatever directive he issued in April, I dont think thats the jurisdictional basis for this report. It sort of does fall into the category of 'Be careful what you ask for.'" There are now 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units in 49 states and the District of Columbia that receive guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The units are subject to federal audits and are supposed to adhere to federal regulations, policy and performance standards, according to HHS. But their independence has not gone unchallenged. John Meekins, a former New York City prosecutor who was asked to join the fraud unit when it was formed in 1975 and went on to head the office and remain in that job for about 30 years said interference from the health department, which was heavily influenced by politics and lobbying of the nursing home industry, was a constant battle. "Our founder used to have a hard time fighting with the budget people to get state money to fund our operation we were entirely funded by state back then," said Meekins, 78, who lives in Rensselaer County. "Nursing homes were putting in loads of money and putting pressure to get rid of us." Meekins said in the early years the health department recruited a few hundred auditors to work on nursing home cases and tried to commandeer the unit's work to control it. It didn't work, he said, and in the late 1970s they pressured federal authorities in Washington, D.C., to give them greater independence; federal legislation was passed creating the program that provided funding for the Medicaid Fraud Control Units. The potential fraud cases against nursing home operators were tough to pursue, Meekins said. Sometimes, the health department would refer them to his office after they had already reached a civil settlement. In other cases, health department workers would roll over on the cases because they had been promised post-government job opportunities in that industry. "Thats 30 years of fighting against the health department, the politicians, and they wear you out after awhile," Meekins said. "Lets face it, the (health) commissioner is appointed by the governor. Hes going to do what the governor tells him to do (and) not give anything to anybody." Vacco conceded that once the fraud unit was brought under the umbrella of the attorney general, it became less autonomous and more of an extension of that office. During his tenure, Vacco had received constant reports and updates from the unit's investigations. That, he said, is why he also believes that James was aware of this investigation throughout the course of it and engaged in the findings. "I dont believe that on day one she set it in motion and didnt pay attention to it until the findings came in they work for her," Vacco said. "Its really not an independent unit. Its got special power and authority, but they're assistant attorneys general. ... I think that she has managed them appropriately in this instance." Offices saw more than 500 Covid outbreaks in six months last year and at least 60 already in the third lockdown as workplace outbreaks have surged despite a Government order to work from home. There were hundreds of incidents, defined as two or more connected cases where Covid is suspected or confirmed, in offices in the second half of 2020 between July and December, a BBC investigation found. Data revealed that this figure was more than the combined total of outbreaks across supermarkets, construction sites, warehouses, restaurants and cafes. Professor Phil Taylor from the University of Strathclyde told how air-conditioning, little social distancing and hot-desking in offices makes for a 'toxic combination' for Covid-19 to spread. Separate Public Health England data has revealed that outbreaks across workplaces in general have risen by 45 per cent during the current lockdown that came into force on January 5. The figures show that workplaces which included warehouses, factories and offices, ranked second only to care homes on the list of places with the most outbreaks, with 811 incidents across four weeks from December 28 to January 24. There were more outbreaks at work than at hospitals, schools or prisons, the data showed. Public Health England data has revealed that outbreaks across essential workplaces have risen by 45 per cent during the current lockdown that came into force on January 5 (stock image) Data from a BBC investigation revealed that the Health and Safety Executive received more almost 4,000 Covid-related complaints about work places in January alone. Professor Cath Noakes, who sits on the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) committee, revealed how poorly ventilated could increase the risk of catching coronavirus from airborne particles by a staggering 70 per cent. A call centre worker from Bristol, who contracted the virus this month and passed it onto his girlfriend, believes he got ill at work. The anonymous employee told the BBC that there were up to 30 people work on his floor where workers are still hot-desking. Separate data from Public Health England showed that workplace Covid outbreaks remain high even though most people have been told to work from home. Boris Johnson plunged the country into a third national lockdown on January 5 which ordered everyone to work from home if they can. The criteria on who can go to work applies only to people who 'absolutely cannot work from home'. The number of infections per day in the UK has dropped by 28 per cent since the number last Friday Offices introduced measures such as rapid testing of employees, social distancing measures and screens between workstations. The Government's official website states this category includes - but is not limited to - 'people who work within critical national infrastructure, construction or manufacturing that require in-person attendance'. 'You may only leave your home for work if you cannot reasonably work from home,' it states. Roles such as these - which include water service and telecoms workers - are 'essential to keeping the country operating and supporting sectors and employers', guidance states. A Government spokesperson said: 'We continue to reinforce the stay at home messaging to businesses and the overwhelming majority are doing the right thing, but we need all employers to act responsibly and take every possible step to help their employees work from home.' Prisons have seen outbreaks more than double during the current lockdown despite social visits being suspended in England with a peak of 18 over the last two weeks. Care homes had seen the most amount of outbreaks with 3,140 across institutions in England. However the outbreaks in homes, which are concerning because the residents are so at risk from the disease, have fallen by three per cent during the current lockdown curbs. It comes as Britain confirmed another week-on drop in coronavirus cases yesterday with 24 per cent fewer than last Thursday. The number, although slightly higher than Wednesday's, is another sign that the third national lockdown in England is working and infections are coming under control. The Earth has dozens of names in dozens of languages, but the human-dominated moment in the planets history that we find ourselves in has been named only once: The Anthropocene. The man most responsible for that moniker, Nobel Prize-winning chemist Paul Crutzen, died on Thursday at 87. Crutzen discovered in 1970 that nitrogen pollution was capable of destroying ozone in the atmosphere, a critical layer of that protects living things from the suns ultraviolet radiation. The implications were potentially dangerous, as this ozone gas thinned into a hole above the Southern Hemisphere that threatened to leave millions of people exposed. Crutzen shared the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering the risk to the ozone layer. He was a great example to all scientists, because he was not afraid to point out the moral implications of the changes that humans are causing to the atmosphere, said James Hansen, the former Nasa scientist known for his early public warnings about global warming. And he was unafraid to criticize government actions and policies. Crutzens science clearly drove political action. A 1987 treaty, known as the Montreal Protocol, led to a worldwide phase-out of ozone-eating chemicals, including the chlorofluorocarbons used in refrigeration and other applications. The company is developing CAR T cell therapies for solid tumours based on scientific research conducted by leading American CAR T experts at the City of Hope (COH) Cancer Centre in Los Angeles. Chimerics CLTX-CAR T therapy is in a Phase 1 clinical trial at City of Hope hospital to treat GBM. ( ) has appointed associate professor of microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Dr Yvonne Chen to its scientific advisory board. Chen is focused on applying synthetic biology and biomolecular engineering techniques to develop robust cell-based therapies for otherwise intractable diseases. Unique and valuable perspective to the scientific advisory board Chimerics executive chairman Paul Hopper said: Yvonne is an extremely impressive and well-credentialed researcher, with her lab having achieved some outstanding breakthroughs in cancer research. We expect she will bring a unique and valuable perspective to the Scientific Advisory Board as we develop our CLTX-CAR T technology. Previous experience Before joining UCLA, Chen was a Junior Fellow in the Harvard Society of Fellows. She performed postdoctoral research at the Seattle Childrens Research Institute and the Department of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School. Her research include a particular interest in engineering multifunctional T cells that can accurately identify and effectively target tumour cells in part by overcoming the various defence mechanisms associated with cancers and their microenvironments. Chimerics CLTX-CAR T therapy uses a peptide derived from scorpion toxin to direct T cells to target glioblastoma (GBM) and is currently being used in Phase 1 clinical trial. China will no longer recognize the so-called British National Overseas (BNO) passport as a travel document and ID document from Jan. 31, and reserves the right to take further actions, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a regular news briefing Friday. The decision was made after the British government announced that it will begin accepting citizenship applications for BNO-eligible Hong Kong residents starting from Sunday. Ignoring the fact that Hong Kong has been returned to China for 24 years and China's solemn position, the British side blatantly violated its commitment and insisted on issuing the so-called "tailored policy" for Hong Kong residents with BNO passports to stay and naturalize in Britain, and has repeatedly expanded the scope of application, Zhao said. He pointed out that such a move, in an attempt to turn a large number of Hong Kong people into second-class British citizens, has completely changed the original BNO nature agreed between the Chinese and British sides. "This has seriously violated China's sovereignty, grossly interfered with Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs, and seriously breached international law and the basic norms governing international relations," Zhao said, expressing China's strong indignation and firm opposition to the British side's move. SAN DIEGO Rory McIlroy dialed back from his usual aggressive mindset to ensure an impressive start to his 2021 PGA TOUR campaign at the Farmers Insurance Open. McIlroy posted a clinical 4-under 68 on the South Course at Torrey Pines hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation on the way on a day where the 2021 U.S. Open venue averaged 73.167. It left the two-time FedExCup champion four shots behind leaders Patrick Reed and Alex Noren, however their 8-under 64s came on the North Course which averaged a much easier 69.449. McIlroy is one of just four players inside the top 31 on the leaderboard to have played the South Course on the opening day. It was the 14th time in his TOUR career that McIlroy hit all but one green in regulation but the first time at Torrey Pines South. Incredibly, from 2010-2020, only 0.6% of players hit 17 or more greens on the South Course (21 of 3,414) proof why the venue hosted the 2008 U.S. Open and why it will again this June. It's sort of weird to say, but I almost have better performances with greens in reg when they're smaller greens because you can just be very comfortable hitting to the middles of greens all the time and not feeling like you're having to take on pins, McIlroy explained. It stops me from being my aggressive self a little bit, which is sometimes a good thing. It was a particularly impressive show of patience considering McIlroy is coming off a third-place finish on the European Tour where he failed to close out a 54-hole lead. With birdies up for grabs in Abu Dhabi, McIlroy could only manage to shoot even par and fell five shots behind eventual winner Tyrrell Hatton. It is now over 15 months since his last victory but rather than respond with aggression, he showed poise. The Northern Irishman has never hit all 18 greens in one round on the PGA TOUR with a greenside chip shot coming up short on the par-5 13th his only blemish on Thursday stopping him from the feat. Thats a goal for tomorrow, he smiled after being told. I got off to a great start, 4 under through nine. A little disappointed I didn't pick up a couple more on the way in, especially with the two par 5s but anytime you shoot 68 on the South Course here you've got to be pretty happy. I'm really happy with how I drove the ball today, hit some good iron shots, and I think going from Bermuda greens last week in Abu Dhabi straight to poa here, it's a bit of an adjustment. So, to get on those bent greens on the North tomorrow, I may find that a little easier. gettyimagesbank By Kang Seung-woo The South Korean government is enthusiastic about providing coronavirus vaccines to North Korea as part of its efforts to get stalled inter-Korean relations back on track. Since the Hanoi summit between the United States and North Korea failed to produce a nuclear deal in February 2019, inter-Korean ties have consequently been deadlocked. In order to break the impasse, the Moon Jae-in administration has floated a variety of ideas to bring the Kim Jong-un regime back to the dialogue table, with vaccine aid emerging as a fresh option. The latest senior government official to pitch the vaccine supply offer was Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, who told foreign correspondents in Seoul, Wednesday, that South Korea was willing to share COVID-19 vaccines with North Korea. "The South Korean government has set its sights on inoculating 70 percent of the population by September and achieving herd immunity by November. Even afterwards, if we still have additional vaccines, we can share them with North Korea and other countries having difficulty securing vaccines," Chung said. "We will keep this option open." However, the prime minister admitted that there had been no consultations with the North about the issue. The Oregon Health Authority on Thursday reported 750 new confirmed or presumptive coronavirus cases and six more deaths. Oregon officials announced a backlog in outstanding test results that will be processed in coming days, however, suggesting the state may be behind in counting cases. They cited unscheduled downtime in their database. Oregon on Monday officially began offering vaccines to teachers statewide while seniors must wait until at least Feb. 8, unless individual counties move faster. Any Oregonians looking to get vaccinated more quickly in Washington have been told to stay home. The Washington Department of Health warned residents of other states, including Oregon, that the mass vaccination clinics set up in that state are only for people who either work or live in Washington. Seniors ages 65 and up are already eligible for coronavirus vaccines in Washington. All of us recognize the desire to get vaccinated and know that neighboring states also are vaccinating their people, officials said in a statement. If you do not live or work in Washington, please do not make vaccine appointments or travel to these Washington mass vaccination sites for vaccines. Those who plan to get vaccinated in Washington may be asked to provide proof that they live or work there, officials said. Where the new cases are by county: Benton (15), Clackamas (62), Clatsop (6), Columbia (4), Coos (26), Crook (2), Deschutes (37), Douglas (20), Harney (2), Hood River (5), Jackson (25), Jefferson (4), Josephine (22), Klamath (16), Lake (3), Lane (72), Lincoln (6), Linn (12), Malheur (8), Marion (90), Morrow (2), Multnomah(174), Polk (12), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (24), Union (3), Wasco (12), Washington (73) and Yamhill (12). New deaths: As of Wednesday, the state is no longer releasing demographic details of new reported deaths, only the age groups in which the deaths occurred. Of the six deaths reported Thursday, one was between 60 and 69, one was between 70 and 79 and four were 80 or older. The prevalence of infections: On Thursday, the state reported 909 new positive tests out of 10,974 tests performed, equaling an 8.3% positivity rate. Who got infected: New confirmed or presumed infections grew among the following age groups: 0-9 (25); 10-19 (111); 20-29 (150); 30-39 (100); 40-49 (111); 50-59 (74); 60-69 (68); 70-79 (41); 80 and older (39). Whos in the hospital: The state reported 291 Oregonians with confirmed coronavirus infections were currently in the hospital Thursday, 11 fewer than Wednesday. Of those, 72 coronavirus patients were in intensive care units, two fewer than Wednesday. Vaccines administered: Oregon has administered 359,370 doses out of 606,725 received, just under 60% of its supply. Since it began: Oregon has reported 140,783 confirmed or presumed infections and 1,930 deaths, among the lowest totals in the nation. To date, the state has reported 3,133,678 lab reports from tests. -- Kale Williams; kwilliams@oregonian.com; 503-294-4048; @sfkale Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 23:22:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Education has released a set of trial regulations on the setting of majors in vocational schools at the undergraduate level, requiring the establishment of early warning and dynamic adjustment mechanisms. The regulations specify the requirements, procedures and supervision for setting up such majors. Improvements and adjustments to the layout and structure of majors should be based primarily on enrollment evaluation, school operations, employment and per-student funding. Majors that face insufficient resources, inferior quality of education and low employment rates should reduce or even suspend enrollment accordingly, it said. Enditem 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: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday said the city government has made arrangements for drinking water and other facilities for the farmers protesting at the Ghazipur border. The farmers protesting under the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) banner claimed on Thursday that the local administration withdrew water tankers and snapped the power supply to the UP Gate protest site. "Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejirwal to provide water and other facilities at the Ghazipur border for the farmers. The arrangements were made on Thursday night," Sisodia said in a tweet. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said he would visit the Ghazipur border to oversee all arrangements. More farmers are joining in from western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, following an emotional appeal made by Tikait, who has defiantly held his ground. Have an opinion on a recent story or event around the University of Cincinnati? Let us know what you think! If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click the button below to email Anne Simendinger, editor-in-chief. For news tips or story ideas, contact one of our editors. Email the editor Washington: US President Donald Trumps temporary ban on refugees and travellers from six mainly Muslim countries came into effect after the Supreme Court allowed it following a five-month battle with rights groups. The Trump administration said late on Thursday the ban is necessary to block terrorists from entering the country, but immigrant advocates charged that it illegally singles out Muslims. The 90-day ban on visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen will allow exceptions for people with close family relationships in the United States, which the government has defined narrowly, excluding grandparents and grandchildren, aunts and uncles and others. Also read: US Supreme Court reinstates President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban London attack: Trump underscores travel ban on Muslim for extra level of safety For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. There will be hype and hoopla, possibly a grand reception evoking a wide range of sentiments like excitement, anticipation and fear. Yes, it is V.K. Sasikala, who has been released from the Parappana Agrahara prison on completion of her four year prison term, who will be evoking all these and even more when she comes home to Chennai on her discharge from hospital. However, the common man wants to know if she can turn the politics of Tamil Nadu upside down. Indeed many find it intriguing as to how someone who has never ever run for any office, not even a panchayat ward councillor post, could invoke such extraordinary fear in the minds of the top honchos of the ruling AIADMK. Even in the party she had held the post of general secretary for a very brief insignificant period before being unceremoniously thrown out. But when the party leaders crack down on an ordinary cadre in a district for putting out a wall poster welcoming Ms Sasikala, it only points to the fear that has gripped them. The inauguration of the mausoleum and the memorial for former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa in a jiffy is another pointer to the pervading fear. Even when Edappadi K. Palaniswami avers that he was made chief minister not by Sasikala, the fear is palpable. Its an open secret that as the reigning confidant of the former party head and chief minister, Ms Sasikala was calling the shots in the party and the government and obviously there had been too many beneficiaries of her largesse and kind heartedness, who would have enjoyed power or made pelf. And not all of them would be as amnesiac as Mr Palaniswami. But even if hordes of avid loyalists and grateful souls rush in to welcome her, Ms Sasikalas say and stay in politics would depend solely on the will of the people, who would decide with their valuable votes. Thousands of beauty fans have voted for their top makeup products of 2020. While thousands worked from home and going out was at an all-time low, shoppers had more time than ever before to experiment with beauty. Mecca Australia has rounded up the five best-selling products of the year that's perfect for creating a full makeup look, including the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation and the Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil. The prices range between $42 and $75, but all the products are made with nourishing ingredients that lack alcohol to avoid damaging the skin. While thousands around country worked from home for majority of the year, shoppers didn't hesitate from purchasing their favourite products and experimenting with others Top 10 makeup products of 2020 1. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation 2. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara 3. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder 4. Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil 5. Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray 6. Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara 7. Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme 8. Stila One Step Correct Primer 9. MECCA MAX Gloss Boss Lip Gloss Cool It 10. Too Faced Born This Way Eye Shadow Palette Advertisement 1. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation - $75 The product that reigned supreme against all others was the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation The product that reigned supreme against all others was the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, which fans claim offers a 'beautiful airbrush effect'. Available in 40 colours to suit a wide variety of skin colours, the $75 product leaves the skin hydrated and smoother with a flawless, natural glow. Key ingredients include glycerin to prevent dehydration and vitamin C to brighten the skin and banish the look of discolouration. In 2020 the product was voted as the 'Best Base' by customers in the Mecca Beauty Election. Either a beauty sponge or brush can be used to apply the foundation onto the face, and it's best to start in areas where more coverage is needed. Key ingredients include glycerin to prevent dehydration and vitamin C to brighten the skin and banish the look of discolouration 2. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara - $22 The mascara is priced at $22 but is vegan and helps condition the lashes The second on the most popular list is the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara priced at $22 for 4.8ml or $42 for an 8ml tube. Despite the steep price, the buy promises to provide bolder lashes with 'just one swipe'. The product, which sells around the world every seven seconds, is vegan and made with peptides to deeply condition and strengthen the lashes by infusing the hair cortex with vitamins. The acacia senegal tree extracts also provides volume for all-day wear. Mecca recommends pairing the mascara with the Shiseido Eyelash Curler for fully lifted lashes. The product is made with peptides to deeply condition and strengthen the lashes by infusing the hair cortex with vitamins 3. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder - $62 The buy adds a hint of matte coverage to the skin and sets the makeup without looking 'cakey' The Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder also landed on the best-selling list as it adds a hint of matte coverage to the skin and sets the makeup without looking 'cakey'. Available in two shades, fair medium and medium deep, the product is priced at $62, is oil-free and was voted as the 'Best Makeup Extender' at the Mecca Beauty Election 2020. Through 'soft-focus technology', the product doesn't reflect shine when photos are taken, making the skin look flawless. In online reviews customers have said the powder avoids drying the skin and 'feels luxurious' to wear. 'I'd heard really good things about this powder so I bought it and it's fantastic. Doesn't dry my skin out and sets my make up really well. Can't recommend it highly enough,' one customer wrote on the Mecca website. Available in two shades, fair medium and medium deep, the product is priced at $62, is oil-free and was voted as the 'Best Makeup Extender' at the Mecca Beauty Election 2020 4. Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil - $54 The triangular tip of the brush makes it easier to sculp the brow The Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil also received praise from customers for its ability to create full, defined eyebrows. According to the product description, the buy provides the fullness of a powder, the definition of a pencil and the hold of a wax all in one. The triangular tip of the brush makes it easier to sculp the brow and the buildable formula allows shoppers to add as much definition as they wish. Eliza, colour specialist at Mecca Maxima, said: 'When defining your brows, follow the natural growth pattern of your hair. Then work the pencil against the growth of the hair to add volume to the brow.' The $54 product is also available in nine shades. According to the product description, the buy provides the fullness of a powder, the definition of a pencil and the hold of a wax all in one To complete any makeup look, the Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray is a popular choice 5. Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray - $55 To complete any makeup look, the Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray is a popular choice. Priced at $55 and suitable for all skin types, the weightless mist locks in makeup for up to 16 hours while controlling oil and shine. It can also be used to refresh over-powdered complexions as well as intensify eyeshadow and highlighter. It's recommended to shake well before use and spraying 25cm away from the face with the eyes closed. A barn that held ATVs and other storage equipment inside of it was leveled by a fire Thursday afternoon, Middlesex Township Fire Chief Edwin Beam said. Windy and dry conditions caused the fire to spread to a nearby field. There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation. One of the primary problems was the wind on the fire, Beam said. As a result of it, the embers went over into the field and the field was on fire and the trees were burning. Apparently a lot of the smoke impact visibility on the Interstate. Traffic was backed up on I-81 north and south and at times, motorists were at a standstill. Pennsylvania State Police shut down I-81 around 3 p.m. and reopened it about an hour later. The barn, which was anchored in a stone foundation, sat adjacent to the property owners house. When I arrived it was fully involved, Beam said. Our main concern initially was protecting exposures. The house did sustain some damage. Getting manpower to the scene was another challenge because the barn sat back off of Harrisburg Pike on a one-lane road. But, several area fire departments were able to assist in knocking down the fire. Traffic was tied up from 1159 Harrisburg Pike to I-81 north and sound bound for at least an hour. The fire reached 2-alarms and was put down by firefighters from Carlisle Barracks, New Kingstown Fire Department, the Union Fire Company in Carlisle, Carlisle Fire and Rescue, Carlisle North Middletown Township Volunteer Fire Company, Monroe Township Fire Company, Mt. Holly Springs Fire Company, Silver Spring Township Fire Company, and Shermansdale Fire Company. Read more from PennLive Interstate 81 reopened while crews continue to respond to barn fire Half a foot of snow could land in central Pa. this weekend, forecasters say With the sudden shutdown that the COVID pandemic had on a global scale, there has been widespread discussion of the impact on economies, businesses and E-commerce. However, little has been discussed about the implications for education, student learning, and potential effects on student health. Students learn at different rates and in different ways. How a person learns has been understood to be in one of three ways: Auditory, Visual, and Kinesthetic. 1. Auditory Learners: Some individuals learn more effectively by listening to how they receive information, meaning they learn by hearing. 2. Visual Learners: another way individuals learn is known as visual. They need to see it to understand. 3. Kinesthetic Learners: The third type of learning needs to physically do something to understand it. Students can be isolated into one dominant learning method, or maybe a mix of multiple types. Remote learning does create hurdles to all three types of learning styles and should be considered how to adapt the lesson plans for all kinds of learners. The Effects Of Remote Learning On Academic Achievement Students displacement in traditional learning models has caused some difficulties for governments and bodies responsible for student learning. A joint private-public program for online education has shown some positives toward addressing inequities in student access to education. More collaborations may be the best strategy in dealing with the new normal of education. Student learning is performing below previous years, as there are less time and resources devoted to education. Traditional subject matter retention, especially in long breaks such as summer recess, has proven decreased material and information retained. The shutdown of in-person learning has heightened the inequities found in student learning. Factors that may be impacting student performance may be a lack of necessary resources to accommodate remote learning. Other issues may stem from lack of additional learning assistance help, whether due to parents economic impacts having to work, or not understanding the material so that the parent can tutor the student, or even issues stemming from nutritional and food-shortages. In some countries such as the United States, over 30 million students get at least one form of food assistance programs at school that are now scarce. Food insecurity is a major cause of learning issues as well as developmental concerns related to health. Another factor that impacts student learning is the lack of access to health services traditionally offered on campus. Nursing services are often the first contact for students with their health, the first contact with potential child abuse instances, and other health services. The lack of access to medical assistance and food assistance programs can have a harmful effect on student learning and may increase student pathology. Increase In Pathologies Of Students The problem with remote learning related to health is that having better access to educational resources like food assistance and easy medical access through school programs has a mitigation effect on students health. As such, the impact that remote learning has on student health cannot be understated. The correlation between student health and academic progress is between drop-out rates and graduation rates. Students that had a higher propensity to drop-out were also prone to be influenced by factors impacting their health, and the drop-out rates were higher in low-income and multinational households. Perhaps due to the trend of student retention rates being lowered and the lack of access to health services offered in most schools, the rise of chronic disease should be seen as a hidden issue. Bringing to light the lack of adequate early screenings has contributed to this trend. Any discussion of remote learning benefits needs to consider the potential for adverse health effects for minority and sociodemographic groups. Pathology Explained Pathology can be understood as the study of disease and its processes and development. By examining the cause of illness, how it progresses and develops, the effect of disease at the cellular level, and the diseases effects, researchers have a better diagnosis and prognosis for future cases. Perhaps due to the lack of institutional resources available to in-person learning, the increase in pathologies stemming from chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma, and others is rising. While those chronic diseases may be undiagnosed until too late, by focusing on remote or hybrid learning, the mitigation of COVID spreading has been, although not entirely, successful. To better understand specific types of pathologies, the following list of the best blogs on pathology is organized for you to have quick access to all the most current important information. The increase of remote learning and the uncertainty of when in-person learning will resume have led to an unseen issue. That risk is the increased risk of undiagnosed diseasebefore examining the students pathologies, understanding the underlying socioeconomic causes is crucial to understanding future risk with other students. A discussion on the effects of remote learning on overall academic performance and student health needs further examination. An Ado Ekiti Chief Magistrates Court on Thursday ordered the remand of a 29-year-old man, Olaleye Jimoh, at the Correctional Centre in Ado-Ekiti for allegedly raping a 50-year-old woman. The defendant is standing trial in the court on a count charge of raping. Police prosecutor, Inspector Oriyomi Akinwale, told the court on Thursday that the defendant, who was suspected to have raped the 50-year-old woman, was arrested on January 24, 2021, at Odo-Owa Ekiti within Ikole Ekiti Magistrate District on or about January 22, 2021. Akinwale said, The offence is punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ekiti State 2012. The police prosecutor, however, urged the court for a short adjournment to allow him to duplicate the case file to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice. The defendant was represented in court by Barr. Busuyi Ayorinde. The Magistrate, Mrs Adefunmike Anoma, ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Correctional Centre in Afao Road, Ado-Ekiti, and adjourned the case till March 4, 2021, for mention. Source: punchng.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 Monsieur John F. Kerry is the Harris-Biden administrations Climate Ambassador. He is assisted in his diplomatic duties by National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy. Earlier this week they held a press briefing with the psickening Jen Psaki. I have embedded the video below. It is excruciating. The White House transcript can be read without the full effect of Kerrys otherwise audible hauteur. The gentleman from Madame Tussauds killed the Keystone Pipeline in the blizzard of executive orders he unleashed on Day One (White House Fact Sheet here). It was executive order 7, by Politicos count. There is a revolution for the hell of it quality to the thing that reveals the will to power implicit in the climate charade. As the editors of the Wall Street Journal point out: The Obama State Department found five separate times that the pipeline would have no material impact on greenhouse gas emissions since crude would still be extracted. Shipping bitumen by rail or tanker would result in 28% to 42% higher CO2 emissions and more leaks. No matter. President Obama in 2015 rejected the permit as an oblation to the Paris Climate accords. President Trump gave the right of way, but legal challenges by anti-fossil fuel groups marooned the pipeline and ran out the clock on the Trump years. Now Mr. Biden is yanking Keystones permit and rejoining the Paris agreement. Neither action will matter to the climate. Yeah, but it will kill thousands of jobs! Not so fast. Monsieur Kerry patiently explained: With respect to those workers, no no two people are more in this room, are more concerned about it. And the President of the United States has expressed, in every comment he has made about climate, the need to grow the new jobs that pay better, that are cleaner, that I mean, you know, you look at the consequences of black lung for a miner, for instance, and measure that against the fastest-growing job in the United States before COVID was solar power technician. The same people can do those jobs, but the choice of doing the solar power one now is a better choice. And similarly, you have the second-fastest-growing job pre-COVID was wind turbine technician. This is happening. Seventy-five percent, seventy percent of all the electricity thats come on line in the United States in the last few years came from renewables, not you know, coal plants have been closing over the last 20 years. So what President Biden wants to do is make sure those folks have better choices, that they have alternatives, that they can be the people who go to work to make the solar panels that were making them here at home. That is going to be a particular focus of the Build Back Better agenda. And I think that, unfortunately, workers have been fed a false narrative. No surprise, right? For the last few years, theyve been fed the notion that, somehow, dealing with climate is coming at their expense. No, its not. Whats happening to them is happening because of other market forces already taking place. So why the need for an executive order? I dont find that question in the transcript. Marie Antoinette is famously reputed to have said regarding the starving peasant of pre-revolutionary France, Let them eat cake. There is nevertheless no evidence she ever said it. John Kerry actually pronounced his own Let them eat solar panels variation on the thought. Its right there in the White House transcript and in the excruciating White House video below. Washington, Jan 29 : In its first address to the media under the Joe Biden administration, the Pentagon has claimed that the Taliban was jeopardising the landmark agreement it signed with the US in February 2020. "The Taliban have not met their commitments. Without them meeting their commitments to renounce terrorism and to stop the violent attacks on the Afghan National Security Forces, and by dint of that the Afghan people, it's very hard to see a specific way forward for the negotiated settlement," The Hill news website quoted Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby as saying at the briefing on Thursday. "But we're still committed to that, there's no question about that... We need to find a reasonable, rational end to this war, and that it's got to be done through a negotiated settlement that includes the Afghan government," he added. The US and Taliban signed the historic agreement on February 29, 2020, which called for a full withdrawal of the American military forces from the war-torn country by May 2021 if the militant group meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with other terrorist organisations. Last week, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with his Afghan counterpart Hamdullah Mohib during which he made clear Washington's intention to review the agreement, including to assess whether the Taliban was living up to its commitments to cut ties with terrorist groups, to reduce violence in Afghanistan, and to engage in meaningful negotiations with the Kabul government and other stakeholders. In response, a Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem told an Afghan media outlet that the group remains committed to the agreement "and we call on the other side to stay firm on its commitments". During Thursday's briefing when Kirby was asked about the Biden administration's present stand on the agreement, he said the "goal" was to reach the May deadline for the withdrawal of troops, "We're going to be making our decisions in a sober, rational manner that is driven by what's in our best interests and the interests of our partner in Afghanistan, as well as our NATO partners and allies," he added. The war in Afghanistan, which has caused about 2,400 US military deaths, is the longest one in American history. Former President Donald Trump had sought a full withdrawal of forces from the country, but some of his senior aides from the military and the Pentagon suggested a more cautious approach. Currently there are about 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan. A court in Russia has ordered Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny's brother, Oleg, to be held in pretrial detention until March 23. The Tverskoi district court announced the ruling on January 29, a day after Oleg Navalny had been arrested by police on a charge of breaking coronavirus restrictions. "A preventive measure was chosen in a criminal case on violation of sanitary and epidemiological rules (Article 236 of the Criminal Code), which was brought after the actions on January 23," when mass rallies in support of Aleksei Navalny were held, the court said in its ruling. Kanpur : , Jan 29 (IANS) An irate mob set ablaze a police post and three dumpers on fire in the Bidhnoo area here, following the death of a woman in a road accident. The incident took place on Thursday night. Superintendent of Police (rural), Brijesh Kumar Srivastava, said the woman identified as Maya Devi, 45, was run over by a dumper near the Pipargawan village. "The woman was returning home from her relatives' place in the Koyla Nagar area, when a dumper involved in transporting material at the dedicated freight corridor site, hit her from rear and she died on the spot. As soon as the news of her death spread in the area, an angry mob set three dumpers afire, besides also vandalising the Koria police out-post and later setting it afire too," the SP said. A heavy deployment of police force was made to control the situation and chase away the rampaging mob. The SP said that those involved in vandalism will be identified and brought to book. The woman's body has been sent for the post-mortem and the situation is now under control. According to sources, the situation went out of control due to the delay in the arrival of police force at the mishap site from nearby Koria police out-post. AG Nessel Files for Sanctions Against Attorneys Involved in Frivolous Election Lawsuit AG Nessel Files for Sanctions Against Attorneys Involved in Frivolous Election Lawsuit January 28, 2021 LANSING Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel took action today to hold accountable three Michigan attorneys and one Texas attorney who pursued a frivolous lawsuit in an effort to disenfranchise Michigans voters and undermine public trust in the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Michigan attorneys Greg Rohl, Scott Hagerstrom and Stefanie Junttila, along with Texas attorney Sidney Powell, pursued this action in violation of their oaths as attorneys, court rules and rules of professional conduct. Nessel today filed a motion for sanctions with federal Judge Linda Parker of the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, seeking to recover attorneys fees totaling approximately $11,000. The office is also in the process of evaluating the filing of complaints with the Attorney Grievance Commission of the State of Michigan and the State Bar of Texas, asking that disciplinary action be taken. These lawyers must be held accountable for betraying the trust placed in them as members of the bar, Nessel said. Lawyers bear a special responsibility to uphold the rule of law, and these lawyers have done the opposite. By pursuing this suit that had no basis in either fact or law, they have only fueled the fire of distrust in our democracy that led to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. We are asking the court to enforce the rules and hold these lawyers to their oaths for the protection of the public and to restore faith in our system of law a system they deliberately undermined. Court filings in King v. Whitmer, which sought to overturn President Joe Bidens electoral victory in Michigan, were legally frivolous and supported by false evidence. The court swiftly denied the plaintiffs any relief on numerous grounds. Similar lawsuits were filed in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin and Arizona, and all failed. Attorneys Powell and Junttila went so far as to brazenly lie in a filing to the U.S. Supreme Court, claiming that the Michigan Legislature had endorsed competing slates of Republican and Democratic electors, when in reality, the Legislatures leaders stood by the slate of electors chosen by Michigans voters. ### Ryan Jarvi 517-599-2746 Attorney General Over the past few years, global demand for seafood has far outpaced population growth. The result is overfishing, particularly in easily accessible waters. But as fish stocks become depleted as a result, fishers must travel further out to sea for their catch. Such trips increase expenses like fuel and labor, and some of the less scrupulous operators turn to illegal means of increasing profit. One avenue toward reducing expenses is reliance on forced labor. The fishing sector has inherently high risk for human trafficking, states a new report on Human Trafficking in the Seafood Supply Chain, jointly submitted to the U.S. Congress by the Department of State and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. The work is considered hazardous and often relies heavily on a low-skilled, migrant, easily replaced workforce, vulnerable to trafficking. This criminal practice is easily hidden because fishing is by its nature isolating. Fishing vessels sometimes spend months, or even years at sea. This makes it nearly impossible for fishers in forced labor situations to escape, or to report ill treatment. Human trafficking victims are frequently subjected to emotional and physical abuse, which sometimes results in death; extremely long work hours; poor living conditions; and underpayment of wages or outright wage theft. The use of forced labor in the fishing industry is also more likely to occur in politically unstable countries with weak legal protections for civil liberties and workers rights, and high levels of corruption, crime, violence, and poverty. The report therefore recommends that the United States implement four steps toward eliminating this scourge. First, the United States must develop a whole of government response to combating human trafficking in the seafood supply chain, both domestically and internationally. Second, the United States should promote and support efforts to combat human trafficking in countries known to have a problem with forced labor in the fishing industry. Third, the United States should promote and support global traceability efforts, and engage the fishing industry and NGOs, among other stakeholders. And finally, these steps should build upon and strengthen State Departments and NOAAs existing efforts to address human trafficking in the seafood supply chain. Combating human trafficking on in the seafood sector is an important human rights and crime issue as well as a U.S. foreign policy priority. The new report is an important step in enhancing and coordinating the United States efforts to combat human trafficking in the seafood sector. EAST ALTON Explosives will be used Monday morning to strategically drop three smoke stacks at the Wood River Power Station on Illinois 143 in East Alton Monday. The demolition explosions are scheduled for 8 a.m. Monday. East Alton Fire Chief Timothy Quigley said police departments from East Alton, Alton and Wood River will be joined by the Madison County Sheriffs Department in controlling traffic before, during and after the blasts. The demolition work is being completed by Spirtas Wrecking Company. The firms past projects include the St. Louis Arena, the Lyric Theatre in Kansas City and the Higgins Residence Hall at Western Illinois University in Macomb. Illinois Department of Transportation officials late Friday announced Illinois 143 will be closed to all traffic between Enviro Way and Cpl. Belchik Memorial Expressway on Monday, February 1st, from approximately 7:45 a.m. until approximately 8:45 a.m. Traffic will be able to detour to either Illinois 3 or Broadway Avenue in Alton during this period. IDOT officials are asking residents to avoid the area Monday morning and use alternate routes. The 1950s-era coal-fired power plant was closed by Dynegy Midwest Generation Inc. in May 2016. On Sept. 13, 2019, Commercial Liability Partners (CLP) in St. Louis announced it had bought the site for an undisclosed amount, with plans for environmental remediation and future development. The Wood River Power Plant included two coal-fueled units that began operations in 1954 and 1964, respectively. When it was closed in 2016, the 465-megawatt power station employed about 90 people. Demolition of the site began in October 2019. CLP officials said the firm currently us focused on demolition of the two coal-fueled units on Illinois 143, as well as environmental remediation and repurposing the site for future redevelopment. CLP has said the East Alton site, located near the Wood Rivers entry to the Mississippi River, needs remediation, groundwater monitoring, abatement, decommissioning and demolition of the facility and surrounding coal ash ponds before it can be marketed for redevelopment. Based in St. Louis, CLP redevelops underused, challenged and unique properties. Over the past five years, it has managed cleanup of more than 10 similar properties in Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. OTTAWA COUNTY, MI Three cows that managed to get loose in an Ottawa County roadway were struck and killed by an oncoming vehicle early Friday morning. Sheriffs deputies, Zeeland police officers and workers with the Ottawa County Road commission responded to the area of Chicago Drive near 76th Avenue at around 3:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 29 on a report that motorists had struck cows in the roadway. Upon arrival, eight cows were found in the westbound lanes of Chicago Drive in Zeeland Township, a news release from the sheriffs office states. The driver of the vehicle that killed three of the cows was not injured in the crash, but the vehicle they were driving sustained significant front-end damage, the release states. Chicago Drive was closed for more than 90 minutes as the cows were cleared from the roadway and re-secured on a nearby farm, deputies said. Also on MLive: Online gaming, sports betting off to roaring start in Michigan He cant believe he got involved in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot, attorney says Michigan AG wants sanctions against lawyers who fueled the fire of distrust before Capitol riot THE European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca to prevent the disease in people aged 18 and over. This is the third Covid-19 vaccine that EMA has recommended for authorisation. In a statement, issued this Friday evening the EMA said its human medicines committee (CHMP) has thoroughly assessed the data on the quality, safety and efficacy of the vaccine and recommended by consensus a formal conditional marketing authorisation be granted by the European Commission. This will assure EU citizens that the vaccine meets EU standards and puts in place the safeguards, controls and obligations to underpin EU-wide vaccination campaigns. EMA has just recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for the #COVID19vaccine AstraZeneca to prevent #COVID19 in people from 18 years of age. Read our press release: https://t.co/YDbOvZEMUN pic.twitter.com/Sbj6TdlGTW EU Medicines Agency (@EMA_News) January 29, 2021 "With this third positive opinion, we have further expanded the arsenal of vaccines available to EU and EEA member states to combat the pandemic and protect their citizens, said Emer Cooke, Executive Director of EMA. As in previous cases, the CHMP has rigorously evaluated this vaccine, and the scientific basis of our work underpins our firm commitment to safeguard the health of EU citizens," she added. "Combined results from four clinical trials in the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa showed that Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca was safe and effective at preventing Covid-19 in people from 18 years of age. These studies involved around 24,000 people altogether. Half received the vaccine and half were given a control injection, either a dummy injection or another non-Covid vaccine. People did not know if they had been given the test vaccine or the control injection," reads the statement. The EMA says the safety of the vaccine has been demonstrated across the four studies. However, the Agency based its calculation of how well the vaccine worked on the results from study COV002 (conducted in the UK) and study COV003 (conducted in Brazil). The other two studies had fewer than six Covid-19 cases in each, which was not enough to measure the preventive effect of the vaccine. In addition, as the vaccine is to be given as two standard doses, and the second dose should be given between four and 12 weeks after the first, the Agency concentrated on results involving people who received this standard regimen. These showed a 59.5% reduction in the number of symptomatic Covid-19 cases in people given the vaccine (64 of 5,258 got Covid-19 with symptoms) compared with people given control injections (154 of 5,210 got Covid-19 with symptoms). This means that the vaccine demonstrated around a 60% efficacy in the clinical trials. The EMA says most of the participants in the studies were between 18 and 55 years old and that are not yet enough results in older participants (over 55 years old) to provide a figure for how well the vaccine will work in this group. However, protection is expected, given that an immune response is seen in this age group and based on experience with other vaccines; as there is reliable information on safety in this population, EMAs scientific experts considered that the vaccine can be used in older adults. Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is given as two injections into the arm, the second between four and 12 weeks after the first. The most common side effects with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca were usually mild or moderate and got better within a few days after vaccination. The most common side effects are pain and tenderness at the injection site, headache, tiredness, muscle pain, general feeling of being unwell, chills, fever, joint pain and nausea. The safety and effectiveness of the vaccine will continue to be monitored as it is used across the EU, through the EU pharmacovigilance system and additional studies by the company and by European authorities. ALLENTOWN, Pa., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lehigh County Controller's Office reviewed Lehigh County's prescription drug plan administered through Highmark which lost savings of almost $1.4 million, while battling a lack of transparency and openness about drug costs. The report sheds light on the middlemen of the insurance world, Pharmacy Benefit Managers or PBMs and their power. PBM's directly negotiate with pharmacies to determine how much they will reimburse them for the cost of their drugs and receive rebates from pharmaceutical companies to improve the likelihood that consumers will utilize a preferred drug. These rebates should in theory be passed back to the insurer, in this case, Lehigh County. However, this process does not always occur and savings can depend in large part on the negotiation of the contract. Lehigh County elected to choose a fixed discount structure, meaning that it received a flat rate savings for each employee on its healthcare plan. Lehigh County is self-insured. It could have elected to take full rebate value which results from savings passed from the pharmaceutical company to the Pharmacy Benefit Manager, but chose not to do this. In 2019, Lehigh County found that the actual rebate value exceeded the fixed discount by $700,000. "This audit exposes what many of us have known, that our healthcare system is wasteful, lacks transparency and is subject to the greed of Pharmacy Benefit Managers that are more interested in profit," said Controller Mark Pinsley. The Controller's Office also identified $654,749 in potential drug cost savings through evaluating competitor pricing. The Controller's Office recommends that the county contractually obligate Highmark to utilize the lowest cost local drug price and mandate reference to the National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) used by Medicare and Medicaid. Lehigh County would have saved $1.6 million had it taken the rebates between 2017 and 2019. Furthermore, the Controller's Office took issue with Express Scripts online drug delivery service which competes with locally owned pharmacies that often offer competitive pricing. Express Scripts is based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Controller's Office spoke about the practice of billion-dollar corporations shifting local tax dollars way away from small businesses within the county and state. "Throughout the audit process my office found numerous instances in which better negotiating on the part of the county may have resulted in more savings, stronger support of local small businesses and important contractual provisions requiring transparency with the Controller's Office on the true cost of prescription drugs," said Pinsley. PBM's remain one of the most profitable corporate entities in the world. CVS Health and Express Scripts have over $278 billion in revenue annually. Disney's total revenue in 2016 was $55 billion, according to the Pennsylvania Pharmacist's Association. The Controller's Office full audit report with its recommendations, and responses from both McGriff and Lehigh County's Department of Administration are included with the press release. For the full audit results please follow the link: https://www.lehighcounty.org/Portals/0/PDF/controller/General_Reports/Highmark%20Audit%20Final%20Issue%20Public%20Release.pdf?ver=Bi-kgiHO6hwG0v9G811WZw%3d%3d Contact: Joshua Siegel Phone: 610-782-3082 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Lehigh County Controller's Office Within two days of the Army's rollout of new hair and grooming standards primarily for female soldiers, a petition calling for the service to allow male soldiers to grow beards has gotten more than 55,000 signatures. "With all of the progressive change in the US Army's policy on uniform wear and appearance it is only right soldiers should be able to grow beards in a garrison environment," according to a petition on Change.org. The issue came up Tuesday during an Army Facebook Live event to explain the new hair and grooming standards, which allow female soldiers to wear ponytails, buzz cuts and earrings with the Army Combat Uniform. Read Next: Green Beret Slain Fighting Attacker in Jordan Receives Posthumous Silver Star The beard petition argues that it's time for the Army to loosen its restriction on facial hair for male soldiers. "If earrings, ponytails, and nail polish do not take away from the image of professionalism then a beard should not either," it states. "The British Royal Air Force and the Canadian armed forces allow facial hair; the Dutch and Swedish militaries permit them in many circumstances. It is time to make the change! Let's see how many signatures we can get on board to let them hear our necessities." During the Facebook Live event, soldiers asked Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston whether the Army would consider giving them the choice to wear a beard. "No, we are not looking at it," he answered. "We have not reviewed it, and it is not on the docket. So right now, you will not have a beard." A comment from a user calling themselves "Michael Grinston," from Indianapolis, stated, "If this petition garnishes 30,000 signatures we will revisit the issue." Grinston's spokesman, Sgt. 1st Class William Reinier, told Military.com that the comment was from a fake account, not Grinston himself. The petition is open to anyone to sign, and some commenters appear to be military members. "As an officer, I believe the option for a beard should be allowed," Ryan Belanger wrote. "These new policies are designed to make women feel feminine; let's have some equality and make men masculine again." Commenter "Beardy McBeardface" said that a leader who allows soldiers to wear beards will "go down in history as taking a large step in increasing morale, during a time that morale is in short supply." "If a beard can be grown for religious purposes, there's no viable reason to restrict anyone from growing a beard. Write a standard that requires it to look good and let our Army match that of every other western/modern army," he added. Some of the new grooming standards are gender-neutral and allow men and women to highlight their hair as long it presents a uniform blend of colors with a natural appearance. Another change is allowing male soldiers to wear clear nail polish. "The masses ask for beards, and we get clear nail polish and highlights?! The disrespect is strong with this situation," Dexter Jefferson wrote, adding that he is currently on a shaving profile. "Me being a male with a shaving profile I think we definitely need this," he said. "The hassling I constantly receive just for having curly hair which causes painful hair bumps is ridiculous." Grinston pointed out that soldiers can be granted an exception-to-policy allowing them to wear a beard for medical reasons or if their religious preference requires them to wear one. "There is already an exception to policy for those that have issues with shaving, and you can have a beard on religious accommodations," Grinston said during the Facebook Live event. He stressed that it is important for leaders to grant exceptions when needed. If a soldier has a valid reason for an "exception to policy to have a beard, there should be no leader out there telling a soldier to shave," Grinston said. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Related: Army OKs Long Ponytails, Buzz Cuts for Women in Grooming Standards Overhaul Why North Star felt it was key to keep in-person education amid COVID Sorry! This content is not available in your region MBABANE - Tenants who suffered losses as a result of damages to their property during the recent floods, might be left out in the cold because this was an act of God. While some dismayed tenants are hopeful that they will seek compensation for the damages to their property, in particular from their landlords, following the floods that were experienced last Sunday as a result of Cyclone Eloise, legal practitioners have come out to state that it was highly unlikely for them (tenants) to be compensated. They said this was because legally, an act of God exonerated landlords from compensating their tenants for loss incurred during natural disasters. Also, this principle was said to protect insurance companies from proposed claims after natural disasters, though others long did away with this provision. Responsible In legal terms, an act of God is a natural hazard outside human control, such as an earthquake or tsunami, for which no person can be held responsible. An act of God may amount to an exception to liability in contracts or it may be an insured peril in an insurance policy. Explaining an act of God in legal terms, Attorney Sipho Gumede said it was a principle, and not an Act of Parliament, which removed negligence from the party that was being held accountable. He said no one created floods, therefore, it was not, according to this principle, expected for anyone to be held accountable for damages incurred. An act of God applies when something is beyond human control. However, some people can argue that others can build on river banks or low lands, but this can be argued that the last time there was such a flood was in 1984, which was 35 years ago, said Gumede. Natural Senior attorney Sikhumbuzo Simelane said an act of God was mainly effective when a war erupted or there was a natural disaster like the recent floods. Natural disasters are normally not foreseeable, making them almost unavoidable and that is when this principle is applied. Sometimes, insurance companies have a clause where it reads that they can pay for theft, fire and other damages excluding cases of an act of God, which include storms, floods, strikes, wars and other natural disasters, said Simelane. He said in cases where there was a repetitive disaster during a storm, the injured people could take their chances to file a claim. There are some buildings which flood every time there are torrential rains, especially some business centres. The tenants in that case can take the owner of the building, the contractor and the town council which approved the building, to task. However, it is highly unlikely that they will succeed in their cases, unless they involve experts (who can prove otherwise), said Simelane. Another lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, echoed Simelanes words, saying there were cases where landlords could be held accountable for the damages of the tenants property. However, the lawyer clearly stated that the tenant should be able to prove, beyond reasonable doubt, the negligence of the landlord. The landlord can also plead an act of God, where the natural disaster could not be anticipated or prevented, said the lawyer. Lawyer Thabiso Mavuso said as much as an act of God was an unfortunate incident which the normal human being had no control over, there were limits to it. Principles have limits and so does this one. We are now living in an era where floods are usually anticipated and this anticipation can give tenants at least a day to make measures which may minimise harm. If a structure is well built and all the necessary measures were taken to minimise the effects of a natural disaster, the princible of an act of God will be applied and passed, said Mavuso. Mavuso, however, explained that if a building flooded every time there was a storm or mere heavy rain, then the owner of the building should be held accountable and pay for the damages. There is one shopping centre that floods every time there is heavy rain. It floods at least once a year. I do not believe it can plead an act of God then because it is not seen trying to stop or minimise the incident from repeatedly happening, he said. According to Legal Resources website, acts of God provisions, also called Force Majeure clauses, relate to events outside human control like flash floods, earthquakes or other natural disasters. Generally, these provisions eliminate or limit liability for injuries or other losses resulting from such events. In contract law, an act of God may be interpreted as a defence against breach for failing to perform based on the concepts of impossibility or impracticality. When an act of God intervenes in the performance of a contract, the promise to perform is often discharged because of the unforeseen circumstance. There are circumstances where one cannot avoid tort liability for acts of God, simply because they should have planned for the natural disaster as a foreseeable possibility. For example, if lightning strikes a metal structure, injuring those within, the builder or building owner may be liable to those injured for not taking steps to properly redirect lightning strikes to the ground and away from those within. When Premier Brian Pallister made an emotional plea last month for Manitobans to stay home and not travel, he forgot to mention that he wasn't referring to high-ranking government officials. When Premier Brian Pallister made an emotional plea last month for Manitobans to stay home and not travel, he forgot to mention that he wasn't referring to high-ranking government officials. The impassioned appeal went viral on social media in early December and drew praise from some U.S. celebrities. It made for good political theatre, but it turns out the desperate COVID-fighting message applied only to rank-and-file Manitobans, not elite members of Premier Brian Pallister's government. "I am the person who has come before you and said you cant go to church, you cant see your friends, you cant travel Im that guy," said Pallister, who implored Manitobans to stick together and save lives. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS What the premier meant to say is ordinary Manitobans should follow the advice of public-health officials, but people who occupy privileged positions in his government should get a pass. What the premier meant to say is ordinary Manitobans should follow the advice of public-health officials, but people who occupy privileged positions in his government should get a pass. That's how the rules have played out since Pallister made his Grinch who stole Christmas speech; government higher-ups are allowed to travel and visit family and everyone else has to stay home and live like hermits. Whether it was Tory MLA James Teitsma, who travelled to British Columbia with his family in December, or David McLaughlin, Manitobas top civil servant who also left the province over the holidays, that has been the double standard. Teitsma was yanked from a legislative committee but remains on the provinces powerful Treasury Board and in caucus; McLaughlin, a former PC party campaign manager, faced no disciplinary action. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS When Premier Brian Pallister made an emotional plea last month for Manitobans to stay home and not travel, he forgot to mention that he wasn't referring to high-ranking government officials. The latest example of this hypocrisy is Wayne McWhirter, the chairman of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authoritys board of directors, who went to Arizona this month despite advice from health officials to avoid non-essential travel. McWhirter left the province while hospitals and intensive-care units teetered on the brink of collapse and dozens of personal-care homes (regulated by the WRHA) battled deadly outbreaks. McWhirter had a duty to lead by example by complying with public-health recommendations and staying close to home during one of Manitobas worst health emergencies. His failure to do so should have led to his removal from the board. Instead of revoking his appointment, Pallister argued McWhirter should be held to a lower standard because he is a volunteer board member, not a salaried civil servant. Its a preposterous assertion. The head of a board of directors of any major government entity wields substantial power. They are appointed by government and represent the premier and cabinet within the organization. In McWhirters case, he oversees a $1.9-billion budget and is deeply involved in setting the organizations strategic direction. This is not a ceremonial position. The danger in allowing this double standard is it could erode public confidence in governments pandemic orders. With widespread vaccine distribution still months away and the possibility of a more virulent COVID-19 variant entering Manitoba, public buy-in to health orders will be critical for some time. It doesnt help when government elites dont have to make the same sacrifices as everyone else. Pallister has become tone deaf to this reality. Instead of taking measured steps to address these inequities, he lashes out when asked about them during media briefings, which he did again Thursday. Its become a common trait for the premier, particularly during the pandemic (including once on national television). It raises more questions about his emotional stability and fitness for the job, particularly during a health crisis. The refusal to take meaningful action against any of those in government who ignored public-health advice makes a mockery of Pallisters teary-eyed speech in December. Its also a slap in the face to business owners who have seen their livelihoods evaporate and to families who could not hold proper funerals for their loved ones. If the pressure of the pandemic is becoming too much for the premier, maybe its time for him to move on sooner rather than later. tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca Kathmandu, January 29 The government is preparing to relax Covid-19 safety provisions for foreign tourists, by conditionally removing the requirement of quarantine for some foreign tourists. According to the new proposal, the visitors are not obliged to stay in quarantine if they have already received Covid-19 vaccines. Further, they are eligible for an on-arrival visa. Tourism Minister Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal says the proposal will be forwarded to the cabinet via the Central Covid-19 Crisis Management Committee soon. Currently, those coming from another country are required to stay in a 10-day quarantine before visiting their trip. Many people believe this provision has given the impression that Nepal is still closed for the tourists. Just a few days ago, the Nepal Tourism Board had also proposed relaxing the health protocol for tourists. A row has erupted between the European Union, the United Kingdom and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca over the supply of coronavirus vaccines. The EU is frustrated at supply shortages and has demanded AstraZeneca doses be sent from British plants to make up for a shortfall. Heres what we know about the dispute and its potential implications: What is the cause of the problem? AstraZeneca has said initial deliveries to the EU will fall short because of a production glitch said to be at a hub in Belgium and it will not be able to meet its supply targets for the first three months of this year. (PA Graphics) The Anglo-Swedish company announced initial deliveries in the EU would total approximately 31 million doses, rather than the anticipated 80 million in the first quarter of the year. With the speed of the UKs vaccine rollout outstripping other European countries, the EU has suggested doses produced in Europe have been directed elsewhere. EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has now called for an explanation from AstraZeneca for delivery hold-ups, as she insisted the supply orders are binding and the contract is crystal clear. What else has the EU said? EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides has accused AstraZeneca of a lack of clarity and insufficient explanations, adding the answers of the company have not been satisfactory following a meeting on Monday. She has proposed forcing all drug-makers to register their Covid-19 vaccine exports in advance, so the bloc can keep track of what they are doing. Following talks on Wednesday, Ms Kyriakides added: We regret the continued lack of clarity on the delivery schedule. Latvian foreign affairs minister Edgars Rinkevics said states could take AstraZeneca to court for breach of supply contracts if it does not honour its delivery schedule. Read More Germany expects limited EU approval for AstraZeneca vaccine And Germanys health minister Jens Spahn supported restrictions on vaccine exports, saying Europe should have its fair share. He added: I can understand that there are production problems but then it must affect everyone in the same way. Has AstraZeneca responded? The companys chief executive Pascal Soriot said the contract only committed to meet the EUs demands to its best effort. In an interview with Italys la Repubblica newspaper that was published on Tuesday, he said the EUs deliveries were delayed in part because the bloc signed its contract three months later than the UK, and therefore EU manufacturing facilities were still catching up Translated by Politico, Mr Soriot reportedly said the contract is very clear: Our commitment is, I am quoting, our best effort'. He explained that AstraZeneca and its partner Oxford University had signed a deal with the UK Government for 100 million doses three months before the EU deal for 400 million doses was agreed. (PA Graphics) In response to the EU demanding their doses were shipped concurrently, Mr Soriot suggested it was a super stretch goal, and added: We said, Okay, were going to do our best, were going to try, but we cannot commit contractually because we are three months behind UK. What has the UK said? British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said this week he is very confident about the UKs vaccine supply, while UK Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove insisted there will be no interruption. Government vaccine tsar Nadhim Zahawi also said on Tuesday he is confident supply of the Pfizer jab which is produced in Belgium will continue. Asked if the EU could prevent Pfizer vaccines from being exported, he told Sky News: No, Im confident that the Pfizer vaccine will be delivered. Pfizer have made sure that they have always delivered for us. They will continue to do so. What about Ireland? The vaccine is expected to be approved today by the EMA. The HSE's Chief Clinical Officer, Dr Colm Henry, said they are waiting for that EU advice before making decisions on use. There are fears that Ireland's supply of the vaccine could be halved. Dr Henry acknowledged today the concern expressed in Germany that relatively few older people had been included in the AstraZeneca trials which made it hard to draw confident conclusions, but that doesn't mean that the vaccine isn't effective among older people and the EMA will consider the limited information available, but also how they can extrapolate from the results among younger people to older people - I would urge people, let's wait and see. We know what the absence of a vaccine means - we've seen that for the last 11 months and it doesn't look good. "The vaccine is the one beacon of hope we have in 2021 for older and younger people. Gov. Gavin Newsoms widely touted $2 billion proposal to give California schools up to $750 per student to reopen by mid-February has stalled in Sacramento, with no timeline for when the money might be available. While reopening schools remains a priority for Newsom, as well as national and state health officials, the plan is tied up in the Legislature, where elected officials have questioned whether its fair or logistically feasible to implement the stringent testing requirements of staff and students required in the proposal. Legislators also criticized Newsoms proposal, which required districts to submit a health and safety plan by Feb. 1, for not addressing vaccinations; some legislators said they dont support reopening schools until teachers and support staff are vaccinated. I did not see anything in the governors proposal on how we would get teachers and staff vaccinated for in-person learning. How is that going to work? Sen. Connie Leyva, a Democrat from Chino (San Bernardino County) who chairs the Education Committee, asked during a recent hearing. Newsoms office did not respond to a request for comment. The incentive program introduced at the end of December offered some measure of hope to families and health officials calling for schools to reopen. But the delay in the additional funding is yet another setback for districts looking for more money and support to return students to classrooms as the vast majority of public schools remain closed across the state. Health experts say the lack of in-person instruction has left many children struggling academically and in some cases despondent if not suicidal. Parents are desperately juggling work and overseeing schooling. Political pressure is building, but districts and teachers unions remain at odds throughout much of the Bay Area over reopening. Districts initially had until Feb. 1 to submit a plan to reopen by mid-month to qualify for the funding, but without an approved program in place, theres nothing to apply to right now, said Jessica Holmes, assistant program budget manager for the state Department of Finance. We recognize the Feb. 1 deadline and were probably going to blow past that, she said. Were working with the Legislature to move forward with a timeline and were still in the same place, emphasizing reopening. Newsom proposed funding the $2 billion proposal from the states unexpected revenue this year that would have gone to education anyway, but not until July. The governors proposal would specifically designate the money for reopening schools as quickly as possible. It primarily would apply to elementary schools, with transitional kindergarten through second grade brought back first and then up to sixth grade by mid-March. The plan would also provide additional funding for students in all grades with the highest needs, including those with disabilities, as well as homeless and foster youth. Its unclear how many districts would have applied by Monday. At least some education officials said they remain on standby. In Marin County, districts are getting applications ready in case the money comes through, said county Superintendent Mary Jane Burke. Im supportive of the governor trying to identify ways to remove roadblocks so students can get into school, she said. We dont know whats going to happen next, but lets be ready. Oakland officials said they are waiting to see a final, approved plan before commenting on the districts application status. School officials in San Francisco said the district is not able to meet the timing and conditions attached to these funds, which include widespread student surveillance testing, commitment to reopen at case levels that remain within a deep purple tier of community spread, and corresponding labor agreements. John Storey / Special to The Chronicle SFUSD Superintendent Vince Matthews, other superintendents and several statewide education organizations wrote a letter to Newsom expressing concerns and suggesting changes. There is broad support for reopening, with prescribed protocols in place. In San Francisco, for example, a recent poll of parents found that 57% say they will send their students back into schools as soon as they reopen. A majority of all ethnic backgrounds and races save Asian Americans and Filipino Americans supported sending their children back to classrooms. Holmes, of the finance department, said updated state guidance calls for reopening if the daily county case rate is less than 25 per 100,000, which is more than sufficient to ensure health and safety, according to state health officials. Yet districts especially in large urban areas have resisted reopening, saying they dont have labor support, adequate facilities or other requirements to do so. The governors proposal aimed to give district officials resources to meet health and safety standards including funds for testing, masks and other equipment and leverage with reticent labor unions to reopen. From the outset, it was met with skepticism in the Legislature, where some lawmakers questioned whether it would give more money to wealthy communities that have an easier time opening and punish districts in urban areas facing more challenges due to higher infection rates and less funding. While Newsoms plan has been criticized, it got negotiations about a school-reopening plan moving, said Assemblyman Patrick ODonnell, a Democrat from Long Beach who chairs the Education Committee. The first pitch wasnt perfect, but it was a start, he said. ODonnell said the biggest key will be making vaccinations for teachers part of the plan. Labor leaders have said schools likely cannot reopen on a large scale unless teachers and staff are inoculated, and conflicting information about where teachers stand in the vaccine line has stoked tensions. The vaccine is the holy grail, ODonnell said. What we need right now is to get more vaccines into the arms of teachers. Its unclear whether vaccinating staff will be enough. Some labor groups have said they want to see students vaccinated, too, before they return. Legislators have insisted that the reopening plan include a more equitable formula for districts, ensuring all districts get support even if they cant meet the deadlines to reopen, and set clearer minimum-health standards. The delay was a disappointment to education officials, who said the money would help get students back in class. The governors move to provide more funds to schools is absolutely the right thing to do, said Itoco Garcia, principal of Bayside Martin Luther King Jr. Academy, a public school in Sausalito that has been open for in-person learning since September. I believe that the ethical, moral, responsible and safe thing for us to do is get as many children back to in-person instruction in our state as we possibly can. Since mid-September, with the majority of Garcias 108 students in small-cohort classrooms full time, there have been five COVID-19 cases among staff and students, none transmitted at school, Garcia said. Other state officials have also worked to push schools to reopen, including Assembly Member Phil Ting, a San Francisco Democrat who chairs the Budget Committee. He proposed legislation in early December to require schools to reopen if county case counts declined to certain levels, but set the bill aside to negotiate with Newsom. We all share a common sense of urgency in reopening schools when its safe to do so, Ting said in a statement. Negotiations between the Legislature and the administration continue toward that goal. Jill Tucker and Dustin Gardiner are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com, dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker, @dustingardiner Numerous House Democrats sent a letter to President Joe Biden appealing for the White House to push for recurring cash payments to Americans in upcoming COVID-19 relief proposals, pressing the administration to go further in its plans to mitigate the economic decline due to the pandemic. The president's current relief proposal involves a one-time direct payment of $1,400 to United States citizens with earnings under a specific threshold. House Members Push for $2000 Stimulus Checks According to a signed letter sent to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesotan Democrat, and over 50 other House members are prompting the Biden administration to support such policy. Those who signed the January 28 letter included other leading House progressives such as Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. According to 56 House Democrats spearheaded by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in a letter, "We kindly request that your incoming administration consider including support for recurring cash payments in your future economic relief plans. Recurring payments would provide a longterm lifeline to struggling Americans for the duration of this deadly pandemic," reported Local 12. The Democrats' letter did not exactly stipulate an anticipated amount, but it underscores that the United States is now in "the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression." The letter merely stated a one-time $1,400 payment "would provide a temporary lifeline, but when that money runs out, families will once again struggle to pay for basic necessities," reported 95.5WSB. The group of lawmakers is reportedly appealing for recurring cash payments from any COVID-19 relief package to: Be sent to all immigrant workers, refugees, and their families. Continue until the economy recuperates with equal payments to adults and dependents. Include older dependents such as elderly and disabled dependents and those over 16 years old still claimed as dependents. Progressives wrote to their president and vice president that one more check is not enough. White House and congressional officials are acting swiftly to draft the next stimulus package. Democrats are working on legislation that would meet the broad outlines of the president's $1.9 trillion proposal and could be passed by the middle of March 2021. According to lawmakers in the letter, "The stunning financial crisis for those at the bottom of the income ladder demands massive relief to those who need it most. Recurring direct payments until the economy recovers will help ensure that people can meet their basic needs, provide racially equitable solutions, and shorten the length of the recession," reported The Hill. Biden's proposal of $1400 direct payments comes following two rounds of direct payments enacted in relief measures in 2020. It is not yet clear whether the eligibility requirements for Biden's $1400 direct payments will be the same as in the earlier series of the stimulus. Lawmakers added that numerous families could not afford to wait for eight months between payments, referring to the fact that the first wave of stimulus checks under the CARES Act was transferred in March. It was late December before additional direct payments were transferred to Americans' bank accounts. @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Modi have arrived at the Parliament. President Kovind addressed the two Houses as the Budget Session commences today. President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday lauded the Central government for its timely decision, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, that saved the lives of lakhs of citizens and pointed out that the number of new coronavirus cases was going down rapidly in the country. Meanwhile, 16 political parties have released Joint Statement to boycott the Presidents Budget Speech to protest against the Centres three farm laws. The first part of the session will continue till February 15. The second part of the session will be held from March 8 to April 8. The 16 political parties urging for a boycott included Congress, NCP, J-K National Conference, DMK, AITC, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, RJD, CPI (M), CPI among others. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu who reviewed in detail preparations for the budget session also called a meeting of leaders of all parties in the Upper House. The budget session of Parliament will begin on Friday with President Ram Nath Kovind addressing members of both the Houses seated in three different locations for the first time as part of precautions against COVID-19. As per govt report, 144 members of Parliament will be seated in the Central Hall including the council of ministers, chairpersons of various committees of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, leaders of different parties and groups in both the Houses and former PMs. The remaining members of Parliament will be seated in the chambers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as per the COVID-induced physical distancing norms. Last govts had made efforts for construction of a new Parliament building. It's a delightful coincidence that the nation started construction while moving towards 75th year of independence. The building will provide more facilities to MPs in carrying out their duties: President pic.twitter.com/EHBk0Wj9xK ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2021 My Govt would like to clarify that the rights and facilities that were available before the formation of the three #FarmLaws have not been cut short, in fact with these new agricultural reforms the Govt has provided new facilities & rights to farmers: President Ram Nath Kovind pic.twitter.com/8kahbzCGeF ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2021 It is a matter of pride that India is running the biggest vaccination program in the world. Both vaccines of this program are made in India. In this crisis India shouldered its responsibility towards mankind & provided lakhs of doses of vaccines to several nations: President pic.twitter.com/vFMDKAlKUH ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2021 The facilities of Ayushman Bharat Yojana can be availed in any of the 24,000 hospitals across the nation. The poor are getting medicines at very low costs at 7000 centres across the country, under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana: President Kovind, in Parliament pic.twitter.com/rAi2cI0euY ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2021 Also Read: Farmers stir: Sikh elders reject lumpens, no takers for Khalsa hijack Also Read: After RDay tractor rally, demand for probe into foreign funding of farmers protest intensifies Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the Economic Survey 2020-21 in Parliament on Friday, two days before the Union Budget is presented during the budget session of Parliament. High Covid-19 incidence in the places where the virus has killed many people is a concern for Dr Tony Holohan who, along with other members of the National Public Health Emergency Team, have flagged that Ireland's battle with the third and worst wave of the pandemic is far from over. Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, was speaking on the day when 47 more people died in Ireland after catching the virus. The number of new cases also increased for the second day in a row. Incidence is falling but remains high. It is positive to see numbers of people hospitalised reducing and a stabilisation of numbers in ICU. However, we are continuing to experience high mortality with 878 deaths so far in January. I am concerned about the high incidence we are seeing in long-term care settings and vulnerable groups. Our efforts to stay home and break the transmission of the disease will save lives. Please continue to follow the public health advice and support each other to keep going, he said Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said transmision has been suppressed but more effort is needed. Incidence is falling and by working collectively to reduce contacts, we have achieved suppression of transmission with the R number estimated at 0.4-0.7. We are maintaining an extraordinary effort but still we have a long way to go. We must maintain full suppression for several weeks if we are to achieve strategic options for the future. If we keep this up, we would be down to 200-400 cases per day by the end of February, he said. Dr Lorraine Doherty, National Clinical Director Health Protection HSE - Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), outlined how big outbreaks can be sparked very easily. It only takes one event to spark a chain of transmission of Covid-19 that can spread through a community. We have seen examples of outbreaks in a workplace that has led to multiple outbreaks in families and other work settings, and these ultimately lead to a higher incidence in the community and threatens the most vulnerable to Covid-19. Every action an individual takes matters, she said. By Tom Sims and Patricia Uhlig FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Regulators are pressing Deutsche Bank CEO Christian Sewing to relinquish day-to-day oversight of its sprawling investment bank, two people with knowledge of the matter said. European Central Bank officials have held conversations with Deutsche Bank managers, including Sewing, in which they said the CEO should delegate direct control of the division to another board member, according to the sources, who were involved in or briefed on the discussions. It was unclear when regulators last voiced their concerns directly, but the two people said over the past week that the bank was well aware of their position, with one adding that contact with Deutsche was "constant". They said regulators fear Sewing has too much on his plate, leaving the investment bank open to operational hazards. While they want Sewing to hand over day-to-say oversight to another manager, he would retain ultimate responsibility as group CEO under their proposals, the sources said. Deutsche Bank declined to comment on Sewing's role or any conversations with the ECB on the CEO giving up direct control of the investment banking division. Germany's biggest bank is one of the few major banks in the world to assign day-to-day oversight of investment banking to its chief executive. At most banks, other board members oversee the division. The investment bank is the German lender's profit driver, but also the centre of risk for a bank that is deemed one of the most critical to the functioning of the global financial system. Such regulatory concerns come as Deutsche Bank is carrying out an internal investigation, which three separate sources familiar with the matter said was into the suspected mis-selling of risky investment bank products to customers in Spain and elsewhere. The alleged wrongdoing happened as recently as last year, and stretched back to at least 2018, one of those sources said, which would put it under Sewing's watch. Story continues In response to queries about the probe into possible mis-selling of high-risk products, the bank reiterated its previous statement. "We initiated an investigation in relation to our engagement with a limited number of clients," it said, declining to comment further because the probe is ongoing. INVESTMENT BANKING BOOMS One of the two people with knowledge of the conversations with regulators said Deutsche Bank's internal probe, revealed this month, had hardened the regulators' resolve to tackle Sewing's overarching day-to-day duties. But the ECB has long viewed the arrangement with scepticism, while Deutsche Bank has resisted changing, according to both sources. In situations like these the ECB, the euro zone banking supervisor and Deutsche's chief regulator, primarily relies on the power of persuasion to get its way. Such power can be significant, however, because a good working relationship with the powerful central bank is critical for running the bank. ECB supervisors make decisions on capital requirements, dispatch auditors to lenders and have sway over bonus and dividend payouts. At Deutsche, a New York-based banker, who does not sit on the management board, is in charge of the investment bank and reports to Sewing. But Sewing is responsible for briefing the board on the division's activities and also gets involved in hiring decisions and client meetings. Sewing, who joined Deutsche in his teens, took control of the investment bank in 2019, a year into his tenure as CEO, in a management reshuffle and overhaul of global operations. Regulators made their concerns known at the time and were assured that the setup would be temporary in order to put a new management structure in place but Deutsche has since taken no action, the sources said. Several months later, in September 2019, the bank said in a public statement that speculation that Sewing would relinquish his investment bank role was false. When Sewing took the helm of the investment bank, it was viewed as Deutsche's problem child following declines in revenue and scandals involving the sale of mortgage securities and the laundering of money from Russia. Deutsche managers said they would focus more on old-fashioned retail and corporate banking. It hasn't worked out that way. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic created so much volatility in markets that businesses like bond trading made the investment bank the group's biggest profit engine by far. As a result, Deutsche may have eked out a small profit for 2020, its first since 2014, according to a consensus forecast of analysts ahead of a Feb. 4 earnings report. "A very good part, a substantial part of the outperformance which we have seen in 2020 is deemed sustainable," Sewing told investors last month. (Additional reporting by Sergio Goncalves in Lisbon; Editing by John O'Donnell and Pravin Char) Matt Gaetz has declared war for the 'soul' of the Republican party, as he traveled to Liz Cheney's home state of Wyoming to drum up support for her ouster, after she joined nine of her Republican colleagues in voting to impeach Donald Trump. Gaetz, the Florida congressman who is one of Trump's staunchest allies, told Fox News' Tucker Carlson after his trip that Cheney, the 54-year-old daughter of former vice president Dick Cheney, should be forced out of the House leadership. Currently she is the third most senior Republican in the House, and chairs the Republican Conference. She is up for re-election in 2022, and is already facing the prospect of a challenge in a primary. Gaetz on Thursday seized the mantle of forcing Cheney out, telling supporters in Wyoming: 'We are in a battle for the soul of the Republican party, and I intend to win it.' Matt Gaetz addressed an anti-Liz Cheney rally in her home state of Wyoming on Thursday Gaetz traveled to the state to support her ouster from party leadership for voting to impeach Cheney, whose father Dick was George W. Bush's vice president, is being punished for her vote Trump won 70 per cent of Wyoming the vote in November: the state is a longtime Republican stronghold, and voted Democratic just once since 1952 the 1964 landslide victory of Lyndon Johnson over Barry Goldwater. 'You can help me break a corrupt system,' Gaetz said. 'You can send a representative who actually represents you, and you can send Liz Cheney home - back home to Washington, DC.' Gaetz told the rally in Cheyenne, the state capitol, that Wyoming - with the smallest population of all states - will send a message to the country about the lasting support for Trump and his populist policies. Wyoming, he said, 'will bring Washington to its knees.' He continued: 'Washington, DC, mythologizes the establishment powerbrokers like Liz Cheney for climbing in a deeply corrupt game. But there are more of us than there are of them.' Deeply Republican Wyoming, which Trump won with 70pc of the vote, is seething at Cheney Protesters angered by Cheney's January 13 vote called for her, not Trump, to be impeached Gaetz's trip to Cheyenne would have delighted Donald Trump and his supporters Rep. Matt Gaetz: "This is my first time in Wyoming. I've been here for about an hour and I feel like I already know the place a lot better than your misguided representative, Liz Cheney." pic.twitter.com/ZncWZSJWeH The Hill (@thehill) January 28, 2021 Cheney's fate at home and in Washington will be one indicator of whether GOP traditionalists or Trump-aligned activists determine the direction of the party. Her troubles have already served as a warning for Republicans in the Senate, most of whom signaled Tuesday they would vote to acquit Trump on the charge of inciting an insurrection. Meanwhile, Trump's political action committee, Save America, is using a poll it commissioned on Cheney's popularity with Wyoming voters to taunt her and show other Republicans what may lie ahead when they don't support Trump. Gaetz later told Fox News that she should be forced from her role, to rid the party leadership of 'America Last neo cons' who were 'owned by foreign interests abroad, special interests at home.' He said: 'Kevin McCarthy needs to hold a vote on Liz Cheney, and if he doesn't, the Republican conference is a total joke. 'More than half of the Republican conference has said that this person does not speak for us. 'Now, you and I both know the Republicans basically have no power in Washington D.C. right now. The only power we have is to communicate and if the person we've designated to communicate for us as the conference chair doesn't have the support of the majority of the conference, it is a total fiction you've created regarding the entire structure of leadership.' Gaetz on Thursday night said Cheney was 'America Last' and needed to lose her party position Cheney's defenders cast the blowback from her vote as ginned up by attention-seekers. 'Wyoming doesn't like it when outsiders come into our state and try to tell us what to do,' said Amy Edmonds, a former Cheney staffer and past state legislator. But there's little doubt the lawmaker in her third term is facing homegrown opposition in a state where the establishment's once-firm grip has been slipping. Republican state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, a gun rights activist, announced his primary challenge against Cheney one week after her impeachment vote, making a clear effort to rally Trump fans. 'The swamp was after me,' Bouchard said of his recent reelection to the statehouse despite being badly outspent. 'I just don't think that works any more in Wyoming. I think the people have figured it out.' Whether pro-Trump Republicans can unite behind a single Cheney opponent remains a big question. Calling in to the Gaetz rally, Donald Trump Jr., the former president's son, made clear that Bouchard wasn't on his shortlist. 'Let's be careful who it is. Let's not just back the first person who comes along,' said Trump Jr. as Bouchard stood on the Wyoming Capitol steps in full view but without taking part. Another possible candidate is Cheyenne attorney and investor Darin Smith, who lost to Cheney in the 2016 Republican primary. Saying he's weighing his options, Smith accused Cheney after the rally of chasing a 'family vendetta' against former President Trump. 'She gave the state of Wyoming the middle finger,' Smith said. 'And we're going to hold her accountable for that. End of story.' "The idea of a peasants revolt by retail investors against hedge fund suits is flawed" Would it have been found out without short-sellers? Gamestop Corp's ( ) trading frenzy has again put short-sellers in the spotlight. And true to form, they have again been portrayed somewhere in-between leeches and vampire bats on a scale of fauna-inspired metaphors. Is this fair, though, and do short-sellers actually have a role to play in weeding out the over-valued, over-hyped or just downright fraudulent among listed companies? Shorting essentially means selling shares that you dont actually own with the aim of buying them back at a lower price and making a 'turn' on the difference. It is a risky strategy as, in the way that hedge funds shorting GameStop have found this week, if the price goes against and you can't close the trade, the losses are virtually limitless. To avoid that risk, short specialists usually target companies with problems. In the UK, for example, Cineworld (huge debts, and huge pandemic problems), fits the bill perfectly and it is among the most-shorted of the UK-listed companies. But it is not always the most obvious companies that get the attention of short-sellers. Middle East-focused healthcare group NMC was in the FTSE100 before US short-seller Muddy Waters issued a damning report criticising the finances of the business in December 2019. Muddy Waters aim was spot on and NMC subsequently collapsed into administration amid a welter of undisclosed debts, fraud allegations, confusion over who owned it and unauthorised payments. Barry Norris, chief executive of fund group Argonaut Capital, is a believer in the benefits of shorting and says the idea of a peasants revolt by retail investors against hedge fund suits is flawed. Short selling in a bull market is not an easy living, he says, and although widely seen as malicious usually only succeeds if an unpalatable truth is discovered. Short sellers often unmask fraudulent management, as well as exposing poor business models. Last year, the spectacular collapse of German payments company was a direct result of painstaking research carried out by short-sellers [and a lot by the FT - ed]. In unmasking an astonishingly brazen multi-billion-dollar fraud, some short sellers were even subject to threats to their personal safety and a questioning of their professional reputation. READ: Gamestop, YOLO trades and wallstreetbets: How trading and trolling wreaked havoc on Wall Street NMC Healthcare in the UK was similarly exposed, says Norris. In a defence of the practice, Norris adds: If there are no short sellers to play the role of market vigilante, we would inevitably have a more dishonest stock market. Without any ability for fund managers to hedge through short selling, fund buyers would be unfairly corralled into equity products reliant on upward market direction for returns. It is also important to point out that companies do not go bust when their share price falls, but when they run out of cash. If GameStop now takes advantage of its extraordinary share price by selling new shares to fund the opening of even more stores selling video games would this really be the best use of any investors capital or in the long-term interests of the overall economy? After dropping over 40% yesterday, GameStop shares surged more than 60% higher as trading restarted in the US this afternoon to US$312.82, having started the year below US$20. As Texans scramble for appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine, federal data helps explain why: Relative to its population, the Lone Star State ranks near the bottom in the country in number of doses received. Texas has received the second-highest number of doses in the country. Per capita, however, Texas comes in closer to the bottom at 49th out of all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, according to an analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Federal officials say there is a good reason for that: Vaccine distribution is based on the adult population of each state. And roughly a quarter of Texans are under the age of 18. Still, even when adjusted for adults only, Texas ranks 48th. As Texas politicians from Congress down to local county judges push for more doses, the supply remains scarce, even for people older than age 65 and those with serious medical conditions. Nobody is getting enough. That is plain and simple, said Brazoria County Judge Matt Sebesta, estimating that more than half of the roughly 130 providers that signed up to distribute vaccines in the county have yet to receive any doses. We are kind of where we were last April with personal protective equipment and testing equipment: not enough to go around. State health officials insisted they are ordering as many doses as they can from the federal government and distributing them as quickly as they can. The supply of vaccines is limited by both the manufacturers ability to produce it and the amount allotted to Texas by the federal government, said Lara Anton, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of State Health Services. The federal government determines how much vaccine will be sent to providers in the state on a weekly basis. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesman Bill Hall said the vaccines are distributed based on an algorithm that takes into account the adult population in each state and U.S. territory. We are committed to fair and equitable allocation of vaccines and therapeutics, Hall said. Texas has received more than 3.5 million doses of the vaccine, though the rollout so far has been anything but smooth. County registration lines have crashed under demand. The issue has come to a head for some elected officials in Texas. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Houston Democrat who recently introduced a bill to direct federal agencies to help with distribution and tracking, said the states per capita vaccine allocation appeared to be just inadequacy. But a federal plan utilizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency, military and National Guard could bolster distribution and ensure no states are left behind, she said. We had no plan for the distribution. It is evident in the uneven distribution of vaccines, she said. You have to take this over federally. U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, blamed former President Donald Trump for missing the mark on his pledge to vaccinate 20 million people by the end of 2020. Were shortchanged on a per capita basis because the (former) president did not meet his goal. And coming up with some 17 million short has caused Texas to be shortchanged, Green told the Chronicle. That concerns me greatly. Green said he was encouraged by the new White House administrations plan to administer 100 million vaccine doses in its first 100 days. President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the federal government would purchase 200 million more doses, split evenly between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. The measures also would increase distribution of vaccine doses to states by next week, going to a minimum of 10 million doses weekly for states. Help is on the way, Green said. I believe that the Biden administration is going to crank up production, better organize distribution, facilitate the administering of the vaccine to the extent that we will be able to get 100 million in 100 days with shots in arms. Mary Anne Neuse, an 83-year-old retired network administrator who has asthma and diabetes, has been checking the website for the H-E-B in Kerrville every day for more than a month, hoping to register for the vaccine. Every day, she said, the website says there arent any doses available. I would think that with age and asthma and diabetes Id be up high on the list for a shot, she said. Vivian Ho, a health economist at Rice Universitys Baker Institute of Public Policy, said the impact of the relatively low per capita vaccinations in Texas is straightforward. Fewer people get vaccinated, which means you are going to have more new cases, Ho said. There is the health consequence, and theres the economic consequence. As far as what would help, Ho said government officials can direct vaccines to states suffering the worst outbreaks. Again, that would put Texas at the front of the line, not at the end of the line, Ho said. We know Texas is one of the worst right now. Nationally, more than 432,000 people have died from COVID-19, including more than 35,000 Texans. Texas is still struggling with high hospitalizations with 14 of the states 22 trauma service areas continuing to see COVID-19 hospitalizations make up more than 15 percent of total capacity, the threshold that signifies high hospitalizations, according to DSHS data. Texas ranks sixth in the country for COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, according to data from the nonprofit COVID Tracking Project. The per capita rolling averages for newly reported cases and deaths place Texas eighth and 12th, respectively. Jenny Deam contributed to this report jordan.rubio@chron.com alejandro.serrano@chron.com The European Union's drug regulator on Friday recommended the bloc approve the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for use on all adults, as concerns grow around the world over the effectiveness of different jabs against new strains of Covid-19. The announcement from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) paves the way for a third vaccine to be approved for use in the EU, following the jabs made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. But it adds another twist to the increasingly bitter row between Brussels and British-Swedish drug company AstraZeneca, which has admitted it will only be able to deliver a fraction of the doses promised to the EU in the short-term due to production problems. That has come as a huge blow to Europe's already struggling rollout, while setting the EU on a collision course with former member Britain as they jostle for AstraZeneca's limited supplies. In a sign of the growing tensions, the EU on Friday released a redacted version of its contract with AstraZeneca, while announcing a mechanism that could allow it to reject the export of vaccines made on European soil. There is also controversy over the jab within the EU itself, with the EMA saying it was suitable for adults of all ages, but Germany's medicines regulator advising it should not be used on over-65s due to insufficient evidence that it works. And beyond Europe, scientists are concerned that the coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa may elude some vaccines, considered crucial to ending a pandemic that has killed close to 2.2 million people worldwide. - 'Reaching the limit' - Cases have soared past 101 million worldwide, and despite the rollout of vaccines, the fight has been further complicated by the emergence of more contagious variants first detected in Britain, Brazil and South Africa. American biotech firm Novavax said Thursday that its vaccine showed an overall efficacy of 89.3 percent in a major British clinical trial, and was highly effective against the variant first detected there. But other results showed it offered significantly less protection against the South African strain. Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi has warned that warned hospitals across southern Africa are "rapidly reaching the limit of their capacities", in part down to the new variant. Pfizer and Moderna have said their vaccines are effective against the variants. Also released Friday, data from a mass trial of Johnson & Johnson's single-shot vaccine showed it was 66 percent effective overall, with a better rate in the US and lower in South Africa. The company is quickly expected to apply for a US emergency authorisation. And in the EU, Hungary became the first member state to approve the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine, a week after it also broke ranks with Brussels by issuing a provisional permit for Russia's Sputnik V jab. The Chinese "know the most" about Covid-19, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said, adding: "When I choose I will want the Chinese vaccine". - 'Burn down their houses' - Until governments achieve widespread immunity through vaccinations, restrictions such as lockdowns remain among the few options available -- but they are deeply unpopular among many. In Lebanon, crowds gathered outside the homes of top politicians on Thursday, torching rubbish and smashing surveillance cameras. "We want to burn down all their houses the way they burned our hearts," said Omar Qarhani, an unemployed father of six in Tripoli, during the city's fourth day of clashes. In Italy, however, several regions are expected to ease coronavirus restrictions. The move would come as other countries in Europe are mulling hardening restrictions, with the European branch of the World Health Organization (WHO) warning it was "too early to ease up". The damage dealt by virus curbs to the global economy was also becoming increasingly clear Friday, with Spain reporting that its economy shrank 11 percent in 2020 and Mexico's by 8.5 percent. But Taiwan posted growth of almost three percent, reflecting success in controlling cases and high demand in its powerful electronics and semiconductors industries. - 'Robust and clear' - In Japan, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has shrugged off growing doubts over the fate of the Tokyo Olympics -- scheduled to start on July 23 -- insisting they will go ahead as "proof of mankind's victory over the virus and as a symbol of global unity". The origins of the virus in China are meanwhile under renewed scrutiny just over a year after the initial outbreak, with WHO experts beginning a highly politicised mission to the ground-zero city of Wuhan with a hospital visit on Friday. The probe has been beset by delays with China refusing access until mid-January, while Washington has demanded a "robust and clear" investigation. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Ellsworth: Did you get the message from your body? (Natural News) The British government has been lobbying religious leaders to promote Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines that have been made using the cell lines of aborted babies. We have been asked to encourage parishioners to accept the opportunity to be vaccinated, Father Neil McNicholas of St Mary and St Romuald Parish in England wrote in a newsletter sent out to his congregation on Jan. 17. His parish also announced earlier: Weve been asked by the Coronavirus Places of Worship Task Force Cardinal Nichols is one of the Churchs representatives on that group to try to encourage parishioners to accept the opportunity to be vaccinated when that offer comes along. Established by the U.K. government in May last year, the Places of Worship Task Force (PWTF) is tasked with ensuring that churches and other places of worship could safely re-open in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The task force includes leaders from all major faiths and operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Some vaccines, including the AstraZeneca and University of Oxford vaccine, were made using human fetal cells. But British bishops said that receiving these jabs is permissible given the present situation. Other clergymen, however, protested that the use of abortion-tainted vaccines is morally wrong under any circumstance. UK government colluding with religious leaders The MHCLG declined numerous requests to confirm that the government is lobbying religious leaders. But LifeSiteNews was able to obtain confirmation from the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW), the permanent assembly of Catholic bishops and personal ordinaries in those two countries. The U.K. government is encouraging all faiths to promote the take-up of the vaccine among their congregations, CBCEW said in a statement. In response, members of the CBCEW have taken to social media to spread the word. Vincent Cardinal Nichols, president of the CBCEW and a member of the PWTF, recently posted a picture of him receiving the vaccine and encouraged people to get vaccinated too. First dose of the COVID-19 vaccine yesterday! Such a kind and cheerful experience. I strongly encourage everyone to take the vaccine, the cardinal wrote on Twitter on Jan. 21. This is not the first time that British bishops conspired with the government during the pandemic. In March 2020, the CBCEW volunteered to shut down churches even though the government originally okayed leaving churches open for private prayer. Weeks later, Cardinal Nichols said that it would be a scandal to have churches re-opened in response to a petition to have them so. British bishops support vaccines despite links to abortion The CBCEW supports vaccination despite several ethical objections regarding the use of human fetal cells to make COVID-19 jabs. In June, many pro-life groups have pointed out that at least five coronavirus jabs are made using the cells of aborted babies from decades ago. These jabs include the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, which is already being used in the U.K. and elsewhere. The use of cells from electively aborted fetuses for vaccine production makes these five COVID-19 vaccine programs unethical because they exploit the innocent human beings who were aborted, said David Prentice, vice president and research director of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, an anti-abortion think tank based in Virginia. (Related: Pro-life group warns about COVID vaccines made from aborted babies, vaccine mandates.) Yet last December, the CBCEW said that getting vaccinated with the AstraZeneca-Oxford jab, along with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, does not constitute a sin. [One] may in good conscience and for a grave reason receive a vaccine sourced in this way, provided that there is a sufficient moral distance between the present administration of the vaccine and the original wrongful action, the CBCEW said in a letter, referring to the fact that the AstraZeneca-Oxford jab was made using aborted babies from the 1980s. But other clergymen did not support this view. In a paper released on Dec. 12, Kazakhstani Bishop Athanasius Schneider and other co-signers stated that using a vaccine with links to abortion is unacceptable under any circumstance. To argue that such vaccines can be morally licit if there is no alternative is in itself contradictory and cannot be acceptable for Catholics, the paper read. Learn more about Big Pharmas use of aborted babies and other evil practices to make vaccines at MedicalViolence.com. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com 1 ScienceMag.org LifeSiteNews.com 2 Police search teams are combing an area of rural Sussex after a human skull was uncovered in a roadside copse. The discovery is the third of its kind in as many months after human bones were found in West Wittering last Sunday and in Lewes in November. Sussex Police have confirmed they are not linking the investigations. Sussex Police launched an investigation after a human skull was discovered at the side of the road in Chilgrove, West Sussex, on Thursday afternoon - the third of its kind since November Chief Inspector Jon Carter, District Commander for Arun and Chichester, said: 'Our enquiries are ongoing as we seek to establish how long these suspected human remains have been at this location, and how they came to be here. 'This is a complex process which is likely to take several weeks at least before we will know the age of the remains with any certainty. 'In order to allow the continued searches to be carried out safely, the road has been reduced to a single carriageway and there are temporary traffic signals in place. We are grateful for road users care and patience if they are travelling past this location. 'This discovery is currently being treated as unexplained, and I would urge anyone with any information which could assist in our investigation no matter how insignificant they think it may be to contact us.' Forensic teams are examining a large scene by the side of the B2141 near Chichester following the discovery on Thursday afternoon. Uniformed officers are combing both sides of the road at Chilgrove. The remains were found in a copse of trees opposite a lay-by. It is believed the search for anything else connected to the grim discovery could carry on for several days. Forensic and uniformed officers have been pictured at the scene today combing for evidence Sussex Police said they are so far treating the death as unexplained. A spokesman for the force said: 'Police were alerted to the discovery of suspected human remains near a lay-by on the B2141 near Chilgrove, Chichester at 12.35pm on Thursday. 'Forensic specialists have attended the scene to assist with their recovery, and further examination and searching of the area is ongoing. 'This discovery is being treated as unexplained at this time.' The discovery of the human skull is the third set of human remains found in the county in as many months. In November forensic experts began examining human remains found around a church graveyard in Lewes. Last week, bones thought to be a human skeleton were found on a beach at West Wittering. Sussex Police are not linking the three finds. Sussex Police say they are treating the investigation as an unexplained death and that they are not linking this to any previous investigations into discovery of human bones in the county Archaeologists and a human anthropologist visited the scene in Lewes after a human bone was found next to the St John sub Castro churchyard. A spokesman said: 'Sussex Police is working with partner agencies and at this time are not treating this as suspicious.' An investigation was also launched following the discovery of human remains by a shocked visitor to West Wittering beach on Monday. A force spokesman said: 'Specialist forensic teams recovered the bones and have confirmed the remains are human.' In the state of Massachusetts the average number of daily COVID-19 cases is trending near 5,000. Not a single day has passed since November in which new daily case numbers have been below those seen during the highest peaks of the first April surge. Despite the harrowing state of the pandemic in the state and throughout the country, colleges and universities in Boston and the surrounding area are pushing to reopen schools for in-person learning in the 2021 semester. The impact of college reopenings will have a devastating impact on the region. In particular, Boston comprises 10 percent of the states total population and more than a third of the states total college enrollment. Matthews Hall, Harvard University (Source: harvard.edu) Remarkably, even schools considered the apogee of scientific work and study, such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), are pushing to bring back more students than last semester. A Northeastern University statement announces: The university is now open. Students are on campus, classes are in session, residence halls are occupied, and business offices are open. At Boston College (BC), classes resumed January 28. The university will continue as it did last semester with symptomatic and targeted asymptomatic testing for all BC community members throughout the second semester. Boston University (BU), which has experienced a spike in the on-campus positive test rate for COVID-19 in recent weeks, is expecting more students to return to campus this semester than in the fall. These reopenings come despite the fact that there is no way for schools to operate safely for in-person learning under the current conditions. The lessons of the fall semester, along with all the recent scientific evidence, demonstrate that reopening schools will lead to a sharp increase in community spread, hospitalizations and death. Schools such as MIT, BU, BC and Northeastern have boasted low positivity rates as proof that their efforts to contain the spread within their campuses have been successful. However, an examination of the number of positive cases in relation to the number of students and faculty being tested shows a student-to-population positivity ratio at or above that of Massachusetts residents-to-population size. If one takes BC as an example, between August 16 and November 15, 275 of approximately 9,370 undergrads tested positive for COVID-19, or nearly 3 percent of the campus population. Three percent of 6.8 million, the population of Massachusetts, would equal 200,000 cases in this three-month span. But during this same period the state saw 72,869 cases, with a majority of these cases in October and November, making BCs number of cases per population near triple that of the state. BC and other universities falsely cite their far lower positivity rates in comparison to the state as proof of the efficacy of their safety measures. The real source of the positivity rate at the schools is not due to lower numbers of cases but higher number of tests given. The universities are drastically outtesting the state. With these deceptive statistics showing low positivity rates, schools are not demonstrating a scientific basis for safe reopening but their financial interests in keeping schools filled with students. Such lies can have enormous ramifications for the public at largebeyond city, state and country lines. A study by the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT shows how superspreader events and large outbreaks of cases, like those at BC during the October-November period during which 73 students tested positive within a week, can lead to untold thousands of cases across the globe. Genetic sequencing of the virus responsible for the Biogen corporate conference superspreader held in February 2020 in Boston revealed that what was originally thought to have been only 100 cases directly associated with the event, had led to approximately 300,000 cases by November 1, primarily in Massachusetts and Florida but also spreading to numerous countries around the world. The study reports: [F]indings highlight the close relationships between seemingly disconnected groups and populations: viruses from international business travel seeded major outbreaks among individuals experiencing homelessness, spread throughout the Boston area including to other higher risk communities, and were exported to other domestic and international sites. Allowing outbreaks to occur at universities has immense consequences. The study also found: While superspreading events among medically vulnerable populations, such as nursing home residents, have a larger immediate impact on mortality, our findings raise the possibility thatparadoxicallythe implications may be greater, when measured as a cost to society, for superspreading events that involve younger, healthier and more mobile populations because of the increased risk of subsequent transmission. Many studies have shown similar results. Two large-scale, population-based swabbing studies in the UK where households or individuals were randomly selected to test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 showed that since September, when schools, universities and colleges were fully opened, the highest rates of infection had been observed in young adults (about 1825 years old). The next highest prevalence was observed in secondary school children (1118 years old), suggesting that they are likely to be an important source of infection to peers and others, while primary school children (511 years old) have been found to have an infection prevalence comparable to that of working-aged adults. Similarly, modeling analyses based on data from the UK Office for National Statistics COVID-19 infection survey found that secondary school-aged children are nearly eight times more likely to introduce an infection to a household than adults. When the sample data is restricted to data only up to September, when secondary schools were predominantly closed, that probability was only marginally higher than that of adults. These are just a small sample of studies showing a scientific reality opposite to what schools, governments and President Biden claim: that schools can be reopened safely. Authorities are doubling down on these false claims even as more virulent mutations of the virus are beginning to emerge and spread uncontrolled. It is not a theoretical hypothesis but common sense, that schools will be incubators and propagation centers for these new, more infectious deadly strains of COVID-19 to reach deep into communities with untold consequences. Boston universities, such as MIT and Harvard, have already been falsely cited and weaponized as examples of how schools can be reopened safely. Washington state Governor Jay Inslee issued a paltry $3 million in December for health and safety protocols for schools in an effort to force them to open, citing dramatic drops in risk of infection transmission when safety measures are in place at colleges like MIT and Harvard. Students and teachers must oppose efforts to distort science in an effort to foster illusions that schools can open safetyas long as masks are worn, six feet of distancing is maintained, and hand washing occurs. The reality is that schools are vectors of COVID-19 transmission and must be closed to stop the spread of the virus and save lives. An outbreak in a school affects workers in every workplace and industry. Emergency action must be taken for the immediate shutdown of all schools, universities and nonessential production. The resources that were funneled into the coffers of Wall Street by the CARES Act and the over $1 trillion in wealth accumulated by the richest billionaires since the start of the pandemic must be expropriated to pay for these measures, as well as to dramatically increase testing, contact tracing, health care services, and vaccine production and distribution. Rank-and-file health and safety committees must be built to fight for these policies in schools, industries and communities. Contact us today to help organize and implement these policies and make the decision to join and build the Socialist Equality Party and International Youth and Students for Social Equality. I remember heading home from Baltimore in the spring of 2016 and thinking that what Cleveland really needs is its own Dante Barksdale. I had been sent there on assignment for cleveland.com to learn about Safe Streets, an outreach program credited with dramatically reducing gun violence in several of Baltimores most dangerous neighborhoods. At the time, just as today, Cleveland was experiencing an exceptionally violent year. We were desperate for solutions, and Baltimore seemed to have one. Immediately it was clear to me that Barksdale was key to that programs success. He was compassionate and outgoing a beloved son of the citys East Side, whose connection to the streets and personal history as a reformed offender earned him the credibility and respect necessary for that important and often dangerous frontline work. (I should note here that Barksdales uncle was an infamous drug kingpin, who inspired the character of Avon Barksdale in HBOs series The Wire.) Last week, national headlines delivered the devastating news that Barksdale had been murdered, shot in the head in broad daylight, a casualty of the gun violence epidemic he worked so hard to end. In the days after his death, I found myself relistening to my recorded interview with Barksdale and was moved, all over again, by his deep commitment to the work and empathy for the origins of violence -- poverty, desperation and trauma. The antidote, he told me, is relationship and trust. Barksdale believed that if young people feel loved and supported and strongly connected to their communities, many of them would think twice about using a gun to settle a score. In fact, he said, young men had put down their guns simply because they promised Barksdale that they would, and they wanted to honor that relationship. Hearing him on the recording made me sick with grief for Baltimore. It also made me wonder if we are beyond hope when a crusader for peace and reconciliation ends up taking a bullet to the head while doing that courageous work. I thought of our own violence interrupters, the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance, and wondered how they are coping with the violence that seems to have overrun our city. The past year was Clevelands deadliest since 1982, with more than 180 homicides. And the Peacemakers are called upon in many of those cases, to comfort the community, connect survivors to social services and prevent retaliation. Recently, the team convened a group of youth at the Boys & Girls Club in the King Kennedy public housing complex, to support them as they grappled with the death of Arthur Keith, a former club member who had been gunned down by police. In a sickening twist of fate, another club kid, 15-year-old Anthony Hughes, was shot and killed on his way home from that Peacemakers meeting. Like Barksdales murder, the deaths of these young people are tragic confirmations that perhaps the violence problem is beyond any programs reach. Is it also beyond hope? With all of that heavy on my mind this past week, I checked in with Myesha Crowe, executive director of the Peacemakers Alliance, to gauge morale among her team of violence interrupters. Crowe, a former Boys & Girls Club site director with a background in social work, was appointed to the position in August. Before her leadership, the alliance was comprised of multiple organizations operating in their own corners of the city. Crowe recognized the power of consolidating those siloed efforts and began deploying as a unified team to the neighborhoods that need them most. Crowe told me stories from the frontline that would break any heart. About helping families plan funerals. About embracing grief-stricken parents and seeing generations of pain and trauma through their eyes. About a mother identifying her dead son at the hospital by calling his cell phone and watching it ring in the hand of a violence interrupter. Always, the Peacemakers make sure they come back. They bring hot meals for the bereaved, hold vigils, send flowers and work with survivors who need grief counseling. These are the ways they distinguish themselves from law enforcement in the eyes of the public, Crowe said. In the aftermath of a shooting, is when prevention happens, Crowe said. Making connections and maintaining visibility in communities reeling with grief are how the Peacemakers achieve that part of their mission. But her team of 10 violence interrupters cannot do it alone. Without a citywide, multi-agency safety plan that recognizes violence as a symptom of deeper, systemic problems in the lives of youth, change will remain out of reach, Crowe said. What Im learning is that to reduce the violence in the community we have to get to the root cause -- what is happening before the trigger is pulled, Crowe said. Often, when someone asks a young person how they feel about the violence around them, we hear them say, No one ever asks how I feel about my stomach growling from hunger or about being emotionally abused in my home. And youre asking me how I feel about something thats happening in my community that I have no control over? I dont feel any type of way. Cleveland must see its youth as possibilities, not problems, Crowe said. That must be the defining quality of a coordinated plan to quell the violence, and it requires city leaders to buy in. I could hear echoes of Barksdale in Crowes call to action and felt a great sense of hope by the power of her conviction and her ability to convene that important conversation. The world may never see another warrior quite like Dante Barksdale. But Cleveland should feel lucky to have one like Myesha Crowe. You can reach columnist Leila Atassi at latassi@cleveland.com. A health worker in a protective suit sits infront of a security line in the Huangpu district in Shanghai, China, on Jan. 28, 2021. (Hu Chengwei/Getty Images) Shanghai Residents Self-Quarantine Over Fears CCP Is Covering Up Extent of Outbreak They don't trust the government is providing real COVID-19 data The communist regime is underreporting the extent of Shanghais CCP virus outbreak, say residents of Chinas financial hub. This has made many too scared to leave their homes, The Epoch Times has learned. One resident told the Chinese-language Epoch Times that the city has constructed a makeshift hospital to treat COVID-19 patients, although the government has denied such claims, saying that the building is a normal residential compound. Others have said they dont trust the governments daily updates for real information on the extent of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus outbreak. Residents told The Epoch Times that they read the official announcements only to understand governments sentiments toward the situation each morning, and then use that to make their own estimates. Our authorities are concealing the real scale of the coronavirus outbreak, Shanghai resident Wang told The Epoch Times on Jan. 27. Officials dont dare to report the real numbers [to ensure that they dont lose their job]. We know this very well, and we listen to our own information channels. Without a free press, many residents are left to judge for themselves what to believe or not from rumors they read online. Outbreak Health workers spray disinfectant in a blocked off area in Shanghais Huangpu district, China, on Jan. 27, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Late in the evening on Jan. 26, medical staff were seen collecting swab samples from resident at Jinan Road in Shanghais Huangpu district, according to state-run media. On Jan. 27, the districts Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started a seven-day effort to disinfect Zhaotong Road, where residents had been diagnosed with COVID-19, local media reported. The CDC said it used a high concentration disinfectant, which can kill all viruses. On Jan. 28, the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission confirmed that people had tested positive for COVID-19 in Huangpu, Baoshan, and Changning districts. However, interviewees told The Epoch Times that they knew of more CCP virus infections in Yangpu, Xuhui, and Hongkou districts. A Shanghai resident who didnt feel safe revealing his name told The Epoch Times on Jan. 26 that Shanghais Kingswell Hotel had been locked down after one of its employees was diagnosed with COVID-19. Kingswell Hotel is located in Yangpu district, where the regime hasnt announced any infections. The Epoch Times called the hotel on Tuesday, which confirmed that it was closed and might reopen after Feb. 10. Wang has also said that he knew of cases in Yangpu district, including medical staff from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, which is also called Shanghai Red House Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, as well as staff at a retired military officers rehabilitation and health center. Fudan University Attached Tumor Hospital, which is located in Shanghais Xuhui district, was locked down on Jan. 21 after announcing that one of its staff was diagnosed with the CCP virus. Cancer patients from the tumor hospital said on Chinas social media platform Weibo that they werent allowed to leave their rooms or meet with family members. The only thing we can do is sleep, one patient posted on Weibo. Some people said we should be quarantined for 14 days, some others said it would be 28 days many are suffering a mental breakdown. Several Shanghai residents told The Epoch Times that currently are choosing to self-quarantine at home out of concern that they may become infected with CCP virus if they go out. 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 Loose Women's Stacey Solomon has defended the Duchess of Cambridge after critics said the royal had no right to say parenting in lockdown has left her 'exhausted'. The TV personality rushed to Kate's defence on the ITV programme today, after host Jane Moore revealed several tweets lambasting the duchess, who lives in Kensington Palace with Prince William and their three children, for admitting she felt 'exhausted'. Kate, 39, spoke candidly about the challenges of looking after Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two, during a light-hearted chat with a group of parents from Roe Green Junior School in Kingsbury, London. However, some Twitter users suggested the royal shouldn't have made the remark considering she has staff to help look after her children. Kate and Prince William employ one nanny, Maria Borrallo. But Stacey was quick to defend the royal and suggested every parent might be feeling exhausted during the pandemic, adding: 'Let's just support every other mother.' Scroll down for video Loose Women's Stacey Solomon (pictured) has defended the Duchess of Cambridge after critics said the royal had no right to say parenting in lockdown has left her 'exhausted' The TV personality rushed to Kate's (pictured) defence on the ITV programme today, after host Jane Moore revealed several tweets lambasting the duchess, who lives in Kensington Palace with Prince William and their three children, for admitting she felt 'exhausted' At the start of today's programme, presenter Jane explained: 'Kate's honesty hasn't gone down too well with some, with comments like these: "Omg, this woman is so out of touch. '"Can you imagine what mothers who actually have real jobs without tax-payer funded maids are going through? Read the room, duchess..." so, Stace do you think the royals can be relatable?' Who is the Cambridges' nanny Maria Borrallo? The Cambridges' most prominent nanny is Maria Borrallo, who joined the royal household in 2014 when Prince George was just eight months old. Originally from Spain, Ms Borrallo lives at Kensington Palace with the family. Ms Borrallo trained at the prestigious Norland College which has been producing childminders for the rich and famous since 1892. The institution's students are known for their distinctive uniforms and are schooled in all aspects of looking after youngsters during their three-year degree course. The training costs 36,000 in total and the college in Bath recently added martial arts training and stunt driving to its curriculum to cater for modern clients - many of whom are celebrities and the super-rich. Nannies are also trained in how to deal with paparazzi and are taken to Castle Combe Racing Circuit in Wiltshire to perfect their driving skills and learn how to drive at high speed in any weather condition. Advertisement Mother-of-three Stacey replied: 'I don't think it's about being relatable, but I don't understand why somebody can't be exhausted? 'You know, even if I had 30 maids, wow that would be amazing, I still would be exhausted even just emotionally from my children. 'We do this thing I feel like where we look at somebody's life and say you've got money or you've got privilege so you have no idea what it's like to be sad, angry, exhausted, fed up and I just don't think that's the case.' The TV personality continued: 'Everybody is entitled to days where they are really just having a bad day. 'I feel like, especially at the moment, when everyone has had so much piled on top of them, let's just support every other mother, whether you're doing it the same, different, good, bad, whatever your opinions are, why can't we just be supportive. 'Because it is difficult for everyone. Not everyone is in the same boat that's true, but we're all in the same situation.' Many Twitter users were quick to agree with Stacey and share their support for the royal, writing: 'She's a mother and is allowed to be exhausted.' Another said: 'Loved what Stacey said. I agree. We may all be in different boats but we are still riding the same storm.' A third added: 'How does anyone know how much parenting she does herself. I suspect she is quite hands on.' Kate and Prince William employ one nanny, Maria Borrallo, to help look after their three children but are thought to be very hands-on parents. The 'Spanish supernanny' trained at the prestigious Norland College which has been producing childminders for the rich and famous since 1892. Reaction: Many Twitter users were quick to agree with Stacey and share their support for the royal, writing: 'She's a mother and is allowed to be exhausted.' The Duchess of Cambridge yesterday revealed parenting during lockdown has left her 'exhausted' and joked about her children recoiling in 'horror' when she became their hairdresser. Kate spoke candidly about the challenges of looking after her children during a light-hearted chat with a group of parents. The royal, who has spent most of lockdown at Amner Hall in Norfolk, also revealed husband William, 38, was her biggest support during the pandemic. The duchess also urged families to 'reach out to loved ones and friends' to help them deal with their mental health. When asked to rate her maths ability, the duchess gave herself the score of minus five. Kate, 39, spoke candidly about the challenges of looking after Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis (pictured together), two, during a light-hearted chat with a group of parents from Roe Green Junior School in Kingsbury, London Kate took part in a discussion with three parents, whose children attend Roe Green Junior School in Kingsbury, north-west London, alongside headteacher Melissa Loosemore. As part of a 'show and tell' exercise during the video call on Tuesday, the headteacher instructed the group to write down answers to questions with the first request - 'one word that describes parenting during this pandemic'. The future queen held aloft the word 'exhausting' while others joined in with similar sentiments including 'hectic', 'patience' and 'challenging'. After being asked to explain her decision by the headteacher, Kate said: 'I think as parents you've the day-to-day elements of being a parent, but I suppose during lockdown we have had to take on additional roles that perhaps others in our communities, or in our lives, would have perhaps supported us and helped us with.' The Duchess of Cambridge pictured with Prince William and their children in June 2019 Chuckling, Kate added: 'I've become a hairdresser this lockdown, much to my children's horror, seeing mum cutting hair. 'We've had to become a teacher - and I think, personally, I feel pulled in so many different directions and you try your best with everything, but at the end of the day I do feel exhausted.' Ms Loosemore agreed with the duchess, saying: 'Absolutely, absolutely. I think that is probably something we can all share.' Parent Nicole Seidemann, who has four children aged 11, nine, six and four, described herself as 'definitely a full-time teacher right now and struggling to do much else'. The royal, who has spent most of lockdown at Amner Hall in Norfolk, also revealed husband William was her biggest support during the pandemic on a call with parents Asked to describe her experience of home schooling, she echoed the duchess' comments, saying: 'It is exhausting at the end of the day.' In another exercise, the parents were asked to write down who had been their support during the pandemic. As the other parents wrote 'children', 'wife and children' and 'husband', Kate held aloft a tribute to her husband with the word 'William'. For the third exercise the parents were asked to rate their maths ability after several months of home schooling. Kate took part in a discussion with three parents, whose children attend Roe Green Junior School in Kingsbury, north-west London, alongside headteacher Melissa Loosemore. Self-deprecating Kate scored herself a 'minus 5' while the others all gave themselves 'eight', but the parents explained they had all improved dramatically during the lockdown. Kate laughed saying: 'That's pretty good! I am obviously right at the bottom of the class.' The duchess visited Roe Green Junior School in 2018 to launch her Mentally Healthy Schools programme and the discussion covered some of the key issues raised by Kate's landmark survey on the Early Years development of children, like parental welling being and loneliness. The royal asked the group what they did for their own mental wellbeing and one parent mentioned exercise while another highlighted talking to close friends. Kate said: 'Being able to share your own experience with others who are going through the same thing makes it feel less daunting and makes you feel less isolated, so it's really important to reach out to loved ones and friends.' Kettering University This acknowledgment is the result of a tireless team effort focused on the best interests of students, a high-quality faculty and a University dedicated to quality online programs and courses. Kettering University, a higher education institution that offers innovative and nationally recognized STEM and Business programs and certifications, has received four recognitions in U.S. News & World Reports Best Online Programs. For the 2021 edition, U.S. News & World Report assessed 1,641 online degree programs an all-time high. Of those, the University received the following: Best Online Master's in Engineering Programs (tie) #71 Specifically, the report recognized the Master of Science Engineering-ECE-Advanced Mobility. This unique program allows engineers to advance their skills and knowledge to meet the needs for todays automotive industry to produce electric and autonomous vehicles. Best Online Master's in Business Programs (Excluding MBA) (tie) #76 Kettering offers multiple business programs aimed at training leaders to transform their organizations. Ketterings Master programs in this category include Masters degrees in Lean Manufacturing, Data Science, Engineering Management, Operations Management and Supply Chain Management. Best Online Master's in Business Programs for Veterans (Excluding MBA) (tie) #32 Kettering University Online is proud to support military families. It has been recognized as a military-friendly school and is a member of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Yellow Ribbon Program, which helps qualifying veterans and eligible dependents with out-of-state, private or graduate school tuition. Best Online MBA Programs #170 Ketterings MBA uses a Learn Today-Use Tomorrow approach to learning to allow learners to take their current business acumen to the next level. While many of the courses are typical to MBA programs, it is the approach of employing applied learning led by industry experts with academic credentials that makes the difference. We are honored once again to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report and its highly regarded rankings that acknowledge academic excellence. This acknowledgment is the result of a tireless team effort focused on the best interests of students, a high-quality faculty and a University dedicated to quality online programs and courses, noted Dr. Christine M. Wallace, Vice President Kettering Global. The proof of our success is our graduates and their impact in their companies and organizations, we are proud to be part of their journey. For the business, engineering and MBA categories, the report measured academic quality based upon engagement; expert opinion; faculty credentials and training; services and technology; and student excellence. The veterans award was based upon criteria including affordability, accessibility, reputation and overall quality. About Kettering University Online Kettering University Online is dedicated to helping STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) professionals achieve the extraordinary through technological innovation, leadership, and service. Its programs link transformative experiential learning opportunities to rigorous academic programs in MS Engineering-ECE Advanced Mobility Focus, Engineering Management, Lean Manufacturing, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, MBA, and graduate certificate programs as well as its new Data Science masters degree. Kettering University Online has consistently earned top-seated national recognition year over year for its degree programs by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, go to online.kettering.edu. About Kettering University Kettering University, formerly known as GMI, is a Flint, Michigan-based private, nonprofit university recognized as one of the nations premier higher education leaders in science, technology, engineering, and business. Dedicated to offering a curriculum that uniquely integrates classroom learning with experiential cooperative opportunities, Kettering consistently ranks in U.S. News & World Reports listing for elite specialty schools. The University campus has more than 27,000 square feet of lab and research space used by faculty, students, and industry collaborators, and boasts the only ABET-accredited applied physics program in the world. It also houses the first and only FIRST Robotics Community Center on a college campus in the United States. According to a 2019 analysis of federal data ranking 4,500 schools nationwide, Kettering University degree holders have the highest lifetime return on investment (ROI) in the state of Michigan. The University celebrated its centennial year in 2019. For more information, go to kettering.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. Health official: 'I am hopeful for the brighter days ahead' Close What you need to know about the coronavirus vaccines The EU has backed down over its controversial plan to use a Brexit clause to stop Covid vaccines crossing the Irish border amid the ongoing row over jab supplies. Downing Street had demanded an urgent explanation after the European Commission said it would trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol to ensure all citizens of the bloc have access to jabs and maintain transparency. However the move was widely condemned across the UK and Ireland - with both Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party describing the move as totally ill judged and '"an incredible act of hostility". The Commission later confirmed that it would not trigger Article 16 but warned that it would consider taking action if attempts were made to circumvent export controls imposed on vaccines produced within the bloc. The dispute began after AstraZeneca announced it would reduce its initial supplies of vaccines to the EU by 60 per cent. It came as the European Medicines Agency granted authorisation for the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the EU on Friday. Meanwhile, a fourth Covid-19 vaccine could be approved for use in the UK in a matter of weeks after clinical trials showed the Novavax candidate was 89 per cent effective in preventing coronavirus. The Novavax jab, which will be produced on Teesside, will now be assessed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The UK has secured 60 million doses of the vaccine, which is believed to offer protection against emerging variants, such as the new UK and South African strains. Lucknow, Jan 29 : Uttar Pradesh is moving towards becoming a hub for electric vehicles (EVs) as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials concerned to make policy efforts to encourage manufacture of the environment-friendly vehicles in Uttar Pradesh. According to a state government spokesman, the state proposes to set up a 'centre of excellence' in the near future for research and development, testing and certification to help electric vehicles industry. He assured that his government will provide all possible assistance to units manufacturing EVs. "Proposals have been received from various international automobile companies to set up electric vehicles' manufacturing units in the state. We will provide all possible help to them to promote industrial investment in the state," Adityanath added. He added: "The manner in which the state has given incentives for the proposed bulk drugs/medical devices park should also be taken in relation to electric vehicles." The Chief Minister had said that the centre of excellence will be established at the earliest and that as far as possible, assistance from industrial organisations should be taken in this regard. He pointed out that the move will add a new dimension to the national economy. Adityanath also spoke about giving exemption in road tax and registration fees in order to encourage the use of EVs and make people aware of the matter. The Chief Minister said that as the electric vehicles sector was budding, it was necessary to liberalise government policies to encourage mega investments in the sector. "This will give boost to subsidiary units as well. Also, private electric vehicles' parks should be given benefits under the state's private industrial park scheme", he added. "The number of electric vehicles in Uttar Pradesh will increase soon. So, adequate charging stations should be established for public convenience. These stations should also be set up in parking areas. Petrol pumps should also be encouraged to set up such charging stations." He also directed officials to keep revenue-sharing model in mind for setting up charging stations for EVs. Stressing the need for a policy to give capital subsidy to EV industries in place of current SGST reimbursements, the Chief Minister said: "Capital subsidy can be provided to MSME, macro and mega anchor units at different rates. It will also be an incentive for the industries to develop." The Chief Minister stressed the need to promote e-rickshaws instead of diesel tempos and auto-rickshaws that caused air and noise pollution in urban areas. He directed that drivers of diesel auto-rickshaws should be provided loans under various central or state government schemes related to self-employment to buy e-rickshaws. Adityanath also emphasised the need for making e-rickshaw drivers follow traffic rules, training for drivers and fixing their routes. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text The desperate family of a teenage girl who suffers from a rare chronic illness are begging for help to move her to Melbourne, with the cooler climate able to give her a better chance at a normal life. Courtney, who currently lives in the humid city of Darwin in the Northern Territory, suffers from autonomic dysfunction orthostatic hypotension, which sees her blood pressure significantly drop when she stands up. The 15-year-old first started showing symptoms of the disease when she fainted at the age of six and turned blue. Courtney (pictured) suffers from autonomic dysfunction orthostatic hypotension, which sees her blood pressure significantly drop when she stands up The 15-year-old first started showing symptoms of the disease when she fainted at the age of six and turned blue Each time she faints, Courtney's heart stops and she requires a defibrillator or to be injected with adrenaline to restart her heart. Courtney now regularly experiences lightheadedness, a troubling heart rate and palpitations as well as blood pooling in her legs, which indicates blood is not flowing to the heart. She is also constantly fatigued, gets cold sweats, has anxiety and panic attacks, has trouble breathing and is sensitive to noise and lights. Doctors are unable to find a cure for her condition no matter what concoction of medications they prescribe. Because of her debilitating condition, Courtney said she 'lives in an air conditioned prison' just to be able to survive. 'The hot weather up here is exacerbating her symptoms. She can't step outside of the house, she can't get to her medical appointments,' her sister Demi told NT News. 'She can't engage in any sort of physical therapy that might help strengthen her heart. She can't even go outside and sit or walk around the block because it's just too hot. 'We feel helpless because we're watching her suffer and there's nothing anyone can do.' Courtney suffers from blood pooling in her legs (pictured) which indicates blood is not flowing to the heart. Doctors have suggested Courtney move to Melbourne to help manage her symptoms (pictured) Courtney is suffering from depression because she can't go outside or go to school and live a normal teenage life. Specialists and doctors have urged the family 'to move to a more temperate climate down south like Melbourne'. Friends have launched a GoFundMe page to help Courtney move to the southern city after her mother exhausted all other avenues in the form of government assistance, local organisations and charities. Her mother is also unable to work after being diagnosed with a rare cancer, neurogenic sarcoma, in which malignant cancer cells form in the soft tissues of the body. 'If Courtney stays in Darwin, her condition will only deteriorate and she will continue to waste away,' the fundraiser read. Their goal is to raise $25,000, with $7,250 already donated at the time of publication. The teenager (pictured) said she 'lives in an air conditioned prison' just to be able to survive Autonomic dysfunction orthostatic hypotension Orthostatic hypotension is a form of low blood pressure. It happens when the blood vessels do not constrict (tighten) as you stand up. It is usually a symptom of an underlying disorder rather than a disease in itself. The condition is also known as postural hypotension. Everyone is likely to experience a mild form of postural hypotension at some time. It's the lightheaded feeling you may get if you leap out of bed very quickly. The drop in blood pressure reduces the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain. Symptoms may include: Blurry vision Dizziness Light-headedness Mental confusion Nausea Muscle tremors Fainting Causes of orthostatic hypotension Orthostatic hypotension usually results from an underlying disorder. It is not a disease in itself. Some of the many causes of orthostatic hypotension include: Fever Prolonged bed rest Excessive amounts of alcohol Some medications, such as some diuretics or antihypertensive (high blood pressure) medications Dehydration due to vomiting, diarrhoea or both, as in gastroenteritis Certain conditions, such as anaemia, diabetes, varicose veins or adrenal insufficiency Nervous system disease, such as Parkinson's disease or neuropathy Heart problems, including irregular heart beat (heart arrhythmia), congestive heart failure, aortic stenosis or heart attack Spinal cord conditions such as syringomyelia Shy Drager syndrome, a degenerative disorder of the brain and spinal cord that affects functioning of the autonomic nervous system Significant blood loss. Source: Better Health Victoria Advertisement If they reach their goal, Courtney, her mum and her sister will be able to move to Melbourne, which could see her condition improve. 'She will also be able to enjoy the little things again that many of us take for granted like sitting outside to enjoy some fresh air,' the GoFundMe continued. 'Courtney will be able to attend school again and get an education. 'She will finally be able to make some friends and live a normal life of any child her age.' 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. Using the developing eye of the fruit fly as a test platform, researchers found that RPS-12 protein overproduction appears to trigger triple-negative breast cancer and possibly some other malignancies. The protein indirectly switches on an important inracellular signaling pathway active while the embryo develops and shut down in healthy cells of adults. Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU), the University of Geneva, and the Institute of Protein Research (Russia) scientists addressed the problem in Scientific Reports. Researchers have taken another step towards targeted treatment of tumors. The idea of such a therapy is to identify the necessary target proteins playing instructive functions in tumor initiation or progression in order to suppress tumor development while causing minimal harm to healthy cells. Using fruit flies and a cDNA library of patient-derived triple-negative breast cancer, scientists launched a massive screening for potential novel human oncogenes, i.e. genes that after a mutation activate elements of cancerous transformation. To find the potential targets, scientists inserted genes found in the human tumor into the Drosophila genome, drove their misexpression in the eye of the insect, and observed the potential defects in the development of this sensitive organ. After they transplanted the human protein RPS-12, the Drosophila eye shrank and obtained a mirror-like appearance. "This phenomenon reminds the classic glazed phenotype that Thomas Morgan, the father of Drosophila genetics, discovered back in the 1920s. Only in the 90s of the 20th century, it was understood that the mutation affects the Wingless gene. This Drosophila gene corresponds to the WNT genes that trigger the signaling pathway of the same name in humans. The activity of the WNT signaling pathway is vital for the development of the human body at the embryonic stage, though switched off at later stages. Mutations or epigenetic changes can reboot the signaling pathway in adults. After that, the initially healthy cells start a massive proliferation. This is one of the reasons for the development of triple-negative breast cancer and some other forms of cancer, such as in the colon, liver, ovaries, etc.", explains Vladimir Katanaev, the project ideologist, head of the laboratory of pharmacology of natural compounds at the FEFU School of Biomedicine. Scientists revealed that the phenotype of the glazed eye arises because the expression of human RPS12 in the eye of Drosophila overactivates the WNT / Wingless-signaling pathway. The overabundance of RPS12 protein stimulates the production of active forms of Wingless capable of diffusing over long distances in the tissue and reaching distant cells. Reciprocally, the reduced amount of RPS12 decreases the production of such Wingless forms. "The proteins of the Wingless-WNT family are very "sticky". Their natural distribution in the body tissues is limited, and the number of active forms migrating over long distances is under strict regulation. WNT is an example of morphogens, i.e. substances that are produced in specific places during embryogenesis and spread through the tissue generating a concentration gradient. If we consider a human hand as an example, the palm, elbow, and shoulder are formed due to the reaction of cells to different concentrations of the WNT morphogen", says Vladimir Katanaev. Special mechanisms are responsible for the production of WNT-forms capable of spreading through tissue over long distances. One of the mechanisms the team studied earlier is based on the protein reggie-1/fotillin-2. "It turned out that RPS12 plays a similar role. Thus, we have unveiled a new mechanism for controlling the production of active forms of WNT, and suggest that the RPS12 protein may become a new potential target for anticancer therapy. Further research will show how this protein is really suitable for therapeutic targeting", concluded Vladimir Katanaev. About 70-80 percent of the genes responsible for human disease have orthologous genes in Drosophila. Evolutionary, these are practically the same genes, but with some individual sequences in humans and fruit flies. The Drosophila eye development is complex and multistage. At various phases of its development, various signaling pathways and cellular mechanisms one knows in humans become active. Based on this, scientists assumed that any human oncogene, if "transplanted" into the eye of a Drosophila, would lead to a disruption in the development of this organ. A fly with an affected eye lives up to maturity, meaning that it is easy to observe the eye developmental disorders, simply by studying the insect through a microscope. Scientists started the HumanaFly project more than 10 years ago at the Institute of Protein Research (Pushchino, Russia) in order to find new human oncogenes via the fruit fly eye screening platform. The final experiments of the first phase were carried out in 2020. An extensive genetic library has been formed for the subsequent search for components and mechanisms implicated in the development of cancer. ### Suburban train services in Mumbai will resume to full service from Monday, February 1, according to an announcement made by the Maharashtra government on Friday. General public will be allowed to travel in Mumbai locals starting Monday, reported Times Now. However, it was earlier reported that the local trains will resume almost fully from Friday, January 29. According to the state government's announcement on Friday, passengers can travel on the trains till 7 am from the start of the first local train. Later, they can avail the service from 12 noon till 4 pm and then post 9 pm will the end of the service. During rest of the hours, the trains will be open only for those in essential services - such as frontline workers, healthcare staff and others. Women travellers are allowed to avail the services freely during peak hours. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had recently chaired a meeting to discuss the complete resumption of local train services. The meeting was attended by state government officials, Railway officials and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials. The Mumbai traffic control department reportedly sent a letter to station masters informing them to resume the train services on full schedule from the date declared by the government. ALSO READ | Maharashtra Govt Extends Lockdown Restrictions Till Feb 28 Due to Surge in Infections Several models of resuming the train services were reportedly deliberated by the state government. Full services will only be resumed during non-peak hours, an official had informed earlier. The Maharashtra government also extended the coronavirus-induced lockdown restrictions in the state till February 28. "The state is threatened with the spread of COVID-19 virus and the government feels the need to take emergency measures," read a circular issued by the state government. The government's guidelines to operationalise 'Mission Begin Again' for easing of restrictions and phase-wise opening will remain in force till February 28, it said, adding that the activities already allowed and permitted from time-to-time will continue. Till Thursday night, there were 20,18,413 coronavirus positive cases in the state, where 50,944 people have succumbed to the infection. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Whenever Gov. Andrew Cuomo during one of his press conference gives an update on coronavirus deaths in the state, he solemnly says that those victims are in his thoughts and prayers. When will Cuomo say the same about all those victims who died in state nursing homes early in the pandemic? When will Cuomo accept even a shred of responsibility for that carnage? Because now there is no doubt: Cuomo and state Health Department commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker have a lot to answer for when it comes to the tragic death toll in nursing homes. And its not right-wingers saying it. Its not the Trumpers. Its not Cuomos political enemies. Its a fellow Democrat, state Attorney General Letitia James. James the other day issued a scathing report saying that Cuomo, Zucker et al had vastly undercounted the number of people who died in nursing homes during the coronavirus pandemic. The state puts the number at 8,711. James report makes the number more like 13,000. Importantly, James says that the infamous Cuomo mandate from last March 25, which said that nursing homes had to accept COVID patients from hospitals without even being permitted to test them, may have put nursing home residents at increased risk. James also said that conditions at certain nursing homes, including lax infection control and poor staff ratings, also contributed to deaths. But ignore that window dressing. The reports main target is clear: Cuomo. It all has to sting. Not just because James is a fellow Dem and should be smart enough to fear Cuomos wrath, but because Cuomo himself used to be state attorney general. He knows the power of the office. He knows the impact something like this can have. Cuomo can spend his days telling New Yorkers that the state was ambushed by COVID-19, even though anybody with an IQ above two zeros could plainly see that the virus posed a threat to the United States well before it got here. The governor can demand billions of dollars from President Joe Biden in order to solve the states budget woes even though New York was already billions of dollars in the hole before the pandemic hit. He can write books about how his leadership saved New York from the virus, even though cases again surged here after the book was published. He can pontificate day after exhausting day at press conferences, railing at former President Donald Trump and Washington Republicans, scolding New Yorkers in high-infection regions for spoiling the states COVID-19 numbers with their reckless behavior. But none of this misdirection can save Cuomo from the fact that he has something to answer for when it comes to the coronavirus carnage seen in state nursing homes. The curtain has been pulled back. The wizard has been exposed. Cuomo on Friday typically tried to brush the whole thing off as a political attack birthed by the Trump administration. He said that it didnt matter if people died in the hospital or in the nursing home. They died, he said, and theyre still dying. Its a tragedy. But focusing on the actual facility where somebody died, as Cuomo and Zucker are doing, ignores the crossover between hospitals and nursing homes that very likely occurred due to Cuomos March 25 order. Thats the rub here. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Friday said that it would be up to the Justice Department to decide if Cuomo needs to be more fully investigated for New Yorks nursing home death toll. Even if the Justice Department does absolutely nothing, which wouldnt be unexpected, it has to infuriate Cuomo that the question has even been raised. Frankly, hes got nobody to blame but himself. A school, which offered a 15-year-old pupil 17,000 damages for a foot injury he sustained after being told by a teacher to move heavy cones in the playground, was told by a judge today that it wasnt enough and to think again. Judge John OConnor said in the Circuit Civil Court that adequate compensation from Our Lady of Good Counsel Boys National School could be as high as 25,000 for schoolboy Joe Bennett, of Churchview Road, Killiney, Co Dublin. The judge granted the boys barrister, Muireann Grogan, time to contact the school board and its legal team and inform them of the courts view before the 17,000 settlement offer would be rejected and the case go to trial. Ms Grogan, who appeared with Donal P Quinn Solicitors, later told Judge OConnor that the school had increased its offer to 20,000 and she recommended it be approved. Judge OConnor had heard that in early February 2018 a teacher had instructed the then 12-year-old boy and another pupil to move cones that separated a play area for girls from the boys play area. Ms Grogan said Joe had lost his grasp on one of the heavy and wet cones which had fallen on the big toe of his left foot. Liability has not been conceded but we have the view of forensic engineer Karl Searson that the cone had been modified with the attachment to its base of a metal plate making it unsuitable for being moved by children, Ms Grogan said. She said the boy had struggled through classes for the remainder of the school day before returning to his nearby home and his father Tom Bennett, through whom he had sued the Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, school board of management. The accident had occurred on a Friday and the boy, due to increasing pain, had been taken to the accident and emergency unit of Tallaght Hospital where it was found his big toe had been fractured. He had to undergo a puncturing of the nail and draining of blood and fluid from behind the nail. He had been mobilised on crutches for several days and subsequently attended the hospital on several occasions for review and redressing. Judge OConnor said the boy had suffered a great deal of pain and the injury had significantly affected his social and sporting activities. The board should be told of the courts view on damages and later approved the increased compensation of 20,000. An Al Jazeera documentary last year about the Cypriot 'golden passport' scheme sparked rare protests in Nicosia Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said Thursday his government would announce major anti-graft reforms after it scrapped its controversial passport-for-investment scheme last year. The Mediterranean island dropped the "golden passport" scheme in November after Al Jazeera aired a documentary showing reporters posing as fixers for a Chinese businessman seeking a Cypriot passport despite having a criminal record. Parliament speaker Demetris Syllouris, who was secretly filmed allegedly trying to facilitate a passport for the fugitive investor, later resigned, although he insisted he was innocent of any wrongdoing. Al Jazeera reported that dozens of those who applied were under criminal investigation, international sanctions or even serving prison sentences. In a televised address on Thursday evening, Anastasiades said that measures to be announced tomorrow "constitute the greatest intervention ever in the Republic of Cyprus, to create the strongest possible protection network against corruption". Nicosia had long faced pressure from Brussels to reform the scheme over concerns it may have helped organised crime gangs infiltrate the European Union. Cyprus had argued it had attracted valuable investment following the Mediterranean island's 2013 economic crisis. Cyprus issued thousands of passports under the scheme which allowed investors to acquire one in exchange for an investment of 2.5 million euros ($3 million), netting some seven billion euros for Nicosia's coffers over the years. The programme was also dogged by money laundering allegations. Anastasiades on Thursday rejected accusations that he personally had benefited from the scheme through his family's law firm, but he acknowledged that mistakes had been made. "I do not overlook the existence of shortcomings and weaknesses in the scheme, mainly to do with oversight and surveillance," he said. He said his government had repeatedly reformed the scheme between its launch in 2007 and its scrapping in November. Cyprus is currently probing how passports were issued, to whom and under what circumstances. cc/par While Ontario's harness racing industry waits for the green light to return to the track, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park is enjoying an uptick in interest as the only active racetrack in Canada. First of all, we are very fortunate to be able to live and work here on Prince Edward Island, said Lee Drake, Manager of Racing at Red Shores, on CBC Island Morning. Weve been working closely with the Chief Public Health Office and government here, and theyve done a fantastic job. We started looking at this all the way back in April and May, we knew that there was a chance we were going to be the first track to open in Canada, which happened. And then we had a great summer, as did most of the country, and now were back into a situation again where we can still operate. When we looked at this early in the year, we knew that -- due to COVID -- our on-track [business] was going to suffer, Drake also said. For those who know our product here in Prince Edward Island, we get a lot of people out to our track and -- from a business standpoint -- that is very helpful. With the additional exposure of course, we are going into markets in Canada and the U.S. that are seeing us for the first time, and theyre betting on our product; they like our productwere developing some good partnerships there. So it has a lot of advantages for sure. With being the only Canadian racetrack in operation at the moment, Red Shores has managed to take hold of a larger share of attention within the harness racing space. So much so that wagering, alongside the tracks contributions to its purse pool, are up about 10 percent. The horsepeople here on Prince Edward Island and everyone involved works hard to make sure we put on a great product, Drake said. Our TV viewership has been through the roof as well when it comes to our online platforms. Later in the program on a Saturday afternoon, we will see some of our Ontario locations drop off because of the other tracks were up against, whether its Standardbred or Thoroughbred. Meanwhile some natives of P.E.I. like trainer Rachel Andrew and driver Austin Sorrie are standing by as they wait for racing to resume in Ontario. Before we shut down, I mean we were racing six to seven nights a week, Andrew said. Really, we were going every night, and during the day wed do our daily jogging and training with the ones that werent racing, and then continued until usually midnight if we were racing. This is a pretty big change on a day-to-day basis for sure. Ive just been laying low pretty well, trying not to put too much weight on. Its not going very good, Sorrie said jokingly. Ive just been training and jogging horses for Murray Brethour to stay out of trouble. Some Ontario horsepeople have decided to send their stock elsewhere to race through the shutdown, mainly into the U.S. Both Andrew and Sorrie even considered moving themselves stateside with a return to racing not yet in sight, with Sorrie also looking into returning home to race at Charlottetown. I thought about it, the only thing was the quarantine to come down there, Sorrie said. And when I would come back, just to even go to the track I would have to quarantine to 14 days, so that would hurt a lot. I thought about [going to the U.S.], Sorrie also said, but there were pros and cons about it and there just werent enough pros for me to go. If you go down there, you can only drive the Canadian-trained horses and -owned horses. As a catch driver, I only have one of my own and I dont want to get to drive one a week down there. And then you get down there and they say theyre starting back up in like five days up here, you got to quarantine when you get back so you lose time up here too. Weve been playing back and forth with that for about two weeks now, Andrew said of moving tack for the moment. We kind of have come to the conclusion that I dont think its the best move for us, but we really, really considered it. But in the end there were more cons for us, especially with our responsibility for our own farm, we have broodmares and babies and things like that. Shipping our whole stable down there and possibly not getting to race every week with the way classes are written in the states...they usually try to cater to their own, which totally makes sense. And then also coming back and not knowing when were going to start up. We could go down and they could say Yeah, were going to go here. We decided not to [go], but we really, really considered it. Though racing for Sorrie and Andrew is currently halted, the two will have an opportunity to celebrate this weekend as they both head into the 2020 OBrien Awards as finalists for Rising Star of the Year. Its definitely just an honour to have my name up there with everyone whos been there in the past, Andrew said. Austins had a tremendous year, ever since hes made the move to Ontario hes succeeded tremendously. I think hes definitely deserving of the award and its just great to be nominated. I was in it last year, and just something to be nominated and be a part of when you come from a small town its pretty cool. Drake said that Red Shores is also planning to celebrate the success of its Island graduates the night of the OBriens, along with local horseman Gilles Barrieau as he competes for the OBrien Award for Horsemanship. With our COVID restrictions and our restaurant able to open, we decided that we are going to celebrate this, Drake said. We are the home of Joe OBrien, which is what the awards are named after. So we started working with Standardbred Canada and have a COVID sellout for the 31st. We have family members from Rachel and Austin and Gilles Barrieau, and we want to be able to show how proud we are. And also an opportunity to do it and do it safely. TEC has opened its second premium flexible workspace at a prime location in Ho Chi Minh City In line with TECs design philosophy, The Executive Centre in Friendship Tower is premium in both aesthetics and functionality. TEC has fully taken the sixth and seventh floors, adding another 222 workstations to its portfolio in Vietnam. Distinctive TEC elements such as Timothy Oulton furnishing, Herman Miller ergonomic chairs, 9am height-adjustable standing desks, and a dedicated barista bar all contributes to the high quality and luxury design of this new centre. Friendship Tower is a LEED-certified Grade A building located at 31 Le Duan Boulevard, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Le Duan Boulevard is a historical street that is highly sought-after and is home to numerous multinational corporations, consulates, government buildings, and museums. With its corporate-oriented yet vibrant architectural design and prominent location, Friendship Tower is set to be an iconic establishment of the city centre skyline. We are delighted to celebrate the launch of The Executive Centres second Centre in Vietnam together with our valued members, special delegates of our partner companies, and friends. Following the success of the first executive centre opened in September 2018 at Saigon Centre Tower 1, this new centre located in one of the most prestigious locations in Ho Chi Minh City overlooking the US and French consulates highlights the business expansion of TEC in Vietnam, said Thanh Luong, country head of TEC in Vietnam. The launch of TEC at Friendship Tower demonstrates the company's confidence in the flexible workspace industry. TEC is always on the lookout for prestigious and suitable locations in Vietnam and other Asian countries, with a strategic expansion map for China, India, Singapore, Japan, and the Gulf markets in the near future. TEC opened its doors in Hong Kong in 1994 and today boasts over 150 centres in 32 cities and 14 markets. It is the third-largest flexible workspace business in Asia with an annual turnover in excess of $237 million. TEC caters to ambitious professionals and industry leaders looking for more than just an office space but a place for their organisation to thrive. TEC has cultivated an environment designed for success with a global network spanning Greater China, Southeast Asia, North Asia, India, Sri Lanka, the Middle East, and Australia, with sights to go further and grow faster. Each Executive Centre offers a prestigious address with the advanced infrastructure to pre-empt, meet, and exceed the needs of its members. Walking with members through every milestone and achievement, TEC empowers ambitious professionals and organisations to succeed. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell will pay a visit to Russia on February 4 with theses that meet the vision and interests of Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said. "As for the visit of Mr. Borrell to Moscow, he is well aware of our position, it was additionally brought and expressed in Brussels. He also received direct directives from the EU member states before this visit. Therefore, we are calm about that agenda and those theses, with whom Mr. Borrell travels to Russia, because they meet the vision and interests of Ukraine," Kuleba said at an online press briefing on Friday. Angelina Jolie's brother James Haven has been spotted at the beach in Malibu with a young mystery blonde. Haven, 47, went maskless as he laughed and chatted with his lady friend, exclusive pictures obtained by DailyMail.com show. It comes after DailyMail.com revealed that Haven has been hunkering down with long-term girlfriend Ashley Reign during the pandemic and claims he has 'drifted apart' from his famous younger sister. Oscar-winner Jon Voight's eldest child and his blonde pal first met at an organic juice bar in Malibu Village before moving on to nearby Malibu Lagoon recently. Angelina Jolie's older brother James Haven was spotted at the beach in Malibu with a young mystery blonde Haven, 47, went maskless as he laughed and chatted with his lady friend, exclusive pictures obtained by DailyMail.com show Oscar-winner Jon Voight's eldest child and his blonde pal first met at an organic juice bar in Malibu Village before moving on to nearby Malibu Lagoon Haven dressed in all white with a black beanie covering his head while his companion wore black leggings and a pink sleeveless top A source who spotted the pair said, 'After a while they got up and went for a stroll along the beach before he walked her back to her car and they hugged' Haven, who hadn't been seen in public for year, has been oddly seen out and about recently. Aside from his outing with the blonde woman, he was also spotted in December A source said, 'They spent around an hour and a half together on a blanket near the ocean at a popular spot for surfers' Haven dressed in all white with a black beanie covering his head while his companion wore black leggings and a pink sleeveless top. An eyewitness said: 'Before they met up, James spent a while checking himself out in store windows and playing with his hair. 'Afterwards they got what looked like ice cream, walked to the beach together and then took their masks off while they chatted. 'They spent around an hour and a half together on a blanket near the ocean at a popular spot for surfers. 'James seemed to be having a lot of fun and was laughing, clapping and gesticulating wildly with his hands. 'After a while they got up and went for a stroll along the beach before he walked her back to her car and they hugged.' Haven was recently spotted in public for the first time in years while arriving at his karate instructor girlfriend's modest home in the San Fernando Valley. He was seen at the property repeatedly throughout November, December and this month but has not been spotted out in public with Reign during that time. The sighting came after the 20th anniversary last year of Haven's biggest claim to fame his kiss with younger sister Angie on the Golden Globes red carpet in 2000 An eyewitness said: 'Before they met up, James spent a while checking himself out in store windows and playing with his hair' DailyMail.com previously revealed that Haven has been staying at his girlfriend's run-down apartment in Los Angeles 'Afterwards they got what looked like ice cream, walked to the beach together and then took their masks off while they chatted,' a source said An eyewitness said, 'James seemed to be having a lot of fun and was laughing, clapping and gesticulating wildly with his hands' Haven previously worked with little success in movies and TV before moving on to become full-time nanny to Jolie's six children at the time of her bombshell divorce from Brad Pitt in 2016 It's unclear who the blonde woman is, but Haven appeared to be having a great time with the friend Haven and Arkansas-native Reign have been dating for over a decade and attended the premiere of Jolie's spy movie Salt together in 2010. The blonde martial arts enthusiast is believed to be earning money during the Covid-19 pandemic with online karate classes for kids a few times a week. Haven previously worked with little success in movies and TV before moving on to become full-time nanny to Jolie's six children at the time of her bombshell divorce from Brad Pitt in 2016. But he is thought to have been 'dismissed' from that role the following year and has not been seen in public with his sister in recent times. Last year marked the 20th anniversary of Haven's biggest claim to fame his kiss with Angelina on the Oscars red carpet in 2000. His girlfriend Ashley Reign is a martial arts enthusiast and is believed to be earning money during the Covid-19 pandemic with online karate classes for kids a few times a week Haven was recently spotted in public for the first time in years while arriving at his karate instructor girlfriend's modest home in the San Fernando Valley Angie and James are pictured as kids. Haven is thought to have been 'dismissed' from his role as a nanny following Angie's divorce from Brad Pitt and has not been seen in public with his sister in recent times A source said: 'Angelina and James are widely believed to have drifted apart some years ago. 'They used to be inseparable; he was very much her go-to companion and was her best friend for so many years as well as a devoted brother. 'James helped raise her kids and he would baby sit whenever Angie and Brad wanted private time. It's fair to say he was one of just a handful of people they felt comfortable looking after them. 'But all of a sudden and with no real explanation their communication seemed to just stop out of nowhere. He does his thing, she does hers and whilst they may be cordial from a distance you certainly don't see or hear of them being together. 'Obviously only they know what really happened, but it's sad and the situation doesn't look like changing any time soon.' Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain European regulators were expected to announce Friday if they have approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus shot, as concerns grew around the world over the effectiveness of vaccines against new variants of the deadly pathogen. Scientists are concerned that the coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa appears capable of eluding some of the current vaccines and treatments, which are considered crucial to ending a pandemic that has killed close to 2.2 million people worldwide. The European Union's Amsterdam-based medical regulator was due to hold a press conference at 3pm (1400 GMT) after a meeting of experts that may approve the AstraZeneca shots, as frustration and pressure grow over its stumbling start to the inoculation campaign. "Provided that the data submitted on the quality, safety and efficacy of the vaccine are sufficiently robust and complete," the experts committee could recommend authorisation on Friday, the European Medicines Agency said. The approval would cover the 27 EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, which are part of the European Economic Area. The EMA has already approved the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. It remains to be seen, however, if the EU regulator will bar people over 65 from getting the AstraZeneca shot, following Germany's lead. AstraZeneca has defended its vaccine's efficacy in that demographic. Casting a shadow over the EMA meeting is the bitter row over the supply of AstraZeneca doses between the EU and Britain, with the firm saying there is not enough to go around as production issues have slowed down promised deliveries. Britain has one of the highest COVID-19 death tolls in the world, and is trying to accelerate vaccinations to stop an overwhelming surge in infections. The disease has seriously impacted not only the physical but also the mental well-being of many patients. "It's a fear because you have to be isolated, you feel like you've just vanished," said Justin Fleming, a 47-year-old recovering from COVID-19 in a busy London hospital ward. "I thought I might not see my partner again, my mum, be a dead friend, be just a stat." 'Sentenced to death' The pandemic has not slowed down, with infections soaring past 101 million worldwide, and despite the rollout of vaccines, the fight has been further complicated by the emergence of more contagious variants of the virus. American biotech firm Novavax said Thursday its two-shot vaccine showed an overall efficacy of 89.3 percent in a major Phase 3 clinical trial in Britain, and was highly effective against the variant first detected there. But other results showed it offered significantly less protection against the variant that emerged in South Africa. Pfizer and Moderna have said their vaccines are effective against the variants. Until a high level of immunity in populations is achieved, restrictions such as lockdowns remain among the few options available to governmentsbut they are deeply unpopular among many. Despite having one of the world's highest vaccination rates, Israel is also expected to extend its third lockdown. "Another week like this (of lockdown) and I feel like I've already been sentenced to death," said Kobi, a shoe shop owner in Tel Aviv. "I have nothing more to say, I'm exhausted." 'Burn down their houses' There was anger in neighbouring Lebanon too, where crowds gathered outside the homes of some of the country's top politicians on Thursday, torching rubbish and smashing surveillance cameras. "We want to burn down all their houses the way they burned our hearts," said Omar Qarhani, an unemployed father of six in Tripoli. The impoverished northern city has seen four days of clashes between security forces and residents outraged by curfew measures they say are destroying their livelihoods. The coronavirus has hammered economies around the world, and led to demands for explanations of its origins. World Health Organization experts visited a hospital in the ground-zero Chinese city of Wuhan on Friday, beginning a highly politicised mission to search for clues about the origin of the pandemic. The probe has been beset by delays with China refusing access until mid-January, while Washington has demanded a "robust and clear" investigation. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Punjab farmers not blamed over issue of Bonded Labourers in border villages:MHA Farmers' Protest: Deep Sidhu was not there when protests turned violent, says lawyer Farmer outfits start mobilising peasants in Punjab, Haryana to join protest sites on Delhi borders India oi-Madhuri Adnal Chandigarh, Jan 29: Farmer outfits on Friday started mobilising more batches of peasants from Haryana and Punjab to head towards Delhi''s borders to join the ongoing agitation against agri laws, even as political parties such as the SAD and the INLD threw their weight behind them. At some places in Haryana, including Jind, Hisar, Bhiwani and Rohtak, batches of peasants headed towards various border points of Delhi, their leaders claimed. Many Khap Panchayats in Haryana held meetings and threw their weight behind the agitating farmers, a farmer leader of BKU (Chaduni) said. He said that several villages have decided to send one or two tractor-trolleys to join the protesters. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday gave a clarion call to its party cadre to "rush" to the three farmers'' protest sites on Delhi borders in large numbers to give a further boost to the ongoing agitation. Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda reached the Ghazipur border where he met Rakesh Tikait and expressed solidarity with the protesting farmers. INLD senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala, who has resigned as MLA over the farm laws issue, said he will be going to the Ghazipur protest site on Saturday to express solidarity with Tikait and other farmers there. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh called for an "immediate end to the vilification campaign launched against farmers" in the wake of the Red Fort violence. Farmers to hold 'Sadbhavna Diwas' on January 30, observe day-long fast "What is happening and what happened at Singhu today is what Pakistan wants," Singh said in a statement here, pointing out that he had been warning for a long time that Pakistan will try to exploit the unrest over the farm laws to disturb Punjab''s peace. More batches of farmers will head towards the Singhu and Tikri border protest sites over the next few days, a farmer leader from BKU (Ugrahan) said. At the protest site at the Uttar Pradesh Gate in Ghazipur bordering Delhi, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait broke down while speaking to the media on Thursday evening. He alleged that "injustice" was being meted out to the farmers by the government by not repealing the new farm laws. "We cannot tolerate a senior farmer leader being pushed to this situation. We are all united and our stir will continue till we force the government to repeal the farm laws," said a protesting farmer near Rohtak''s Madina toll plaza on Friday. Khap leader Azad Singh Palwa told reporters in Jind that it is being propagated that farmers'' agitation has weakened, which is not the case. On Friday morning, a group of farmers were holding a protest near Madina toll plaza in Rohtak. Haryana BKU chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni, in a video message, appealed to supporters to join the protest sites on Delhi''s borders. He appealed to farmers to hold dharnas at all toll plazas in Haryana on January 30. Congress general secretary in-charge of Punjab Harish Rawat said the only solution to the ongoing agitation of farmers was to repeal the three agriculture laws. Abhay Chautala appealed to farmers from Haryana to join the protest sites at Ghazipur, Tikri and Singhu. "I want to tell farmers that the government is trying to propagate that this agitation is ending, which is not the case...," Abhay Chautala said. The SAD assured the peacefully agitating peasantry that the entire party leadership would reach the sites as and when requested by the farmer organisations. Making this appeal to party cadre, senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia appealed to all SAD and Youth Akali Dal (YAD) workers who had returned to Punjab during the last one week to again go back to the protest sites at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal spoke over phone to Rakesh Tikait and discussed way to shore up more strength and support for the farmers agitation in Delhi, "especially in view of the combined onslaught against farmers by the BJP and the Centre", a party statement said. Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja alleged that efforts are being made by the BJP-led dispensation to suppress the farmers who are protesting peacefully by intimidating and threatening them. Selja said that the Congress party stands firmly with the farmers "in the fight for truth and justice". Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the Centre should rollback these farm laws immediately. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 22:31 [IST] Seven weeks after doses of COVID-19 vaccines began arriving in Pennsylvania, the bleak reality is this: Penn State Health, the main health care provider for thousands across central Pennsylvania, isnt accepting requests for COVID-19 vaccines. As of Friday morning, UPMC, with hospitals and offices across the Harrisburg region, says on its website vaccine is not yet available to the general public. UPMC hospitals and doctors offices are not able to provide additional information and there is no vaccine waiting list. Its a similar case at WellSpan Health, the regions other major health care provider, with hospitals and medical practices throughout multiple counties. WellSpan took perhaps the fastest and most hopeful action when Pennsylvania expanded vaccine eligibility to everyone over 65 and people 16-64 with chronic medical conditions ten days ago. It quickly activated a new electronic portal to allow people to set up appointments. But three days later, WellSpans site said: Due to the high demand for the COVID-19 vaccine, all available appointments have been filled. The message remained as of early Friday. Its not that the systems are acting callously. Vaccine is scarce. Expanding eligibility on Jan. 19 meant about 3.5 million Pennsylvanians now have first priority. As of Friday morning, Pennsylvania has received about 1.9 million doses, with some of those providing people with the second of the required two doses, according to federal data. State officials this week said they are receiving about 143,000 doses per week, although they held out hope that will soon increase due to increased production and new vaccines reaching the market, including one that only requires one dose. The major health care systems as of this week are still in the process of vaccinating their employees, who have had first priority since vaccine became available in mid-December. Most seem to be in the final days of devoting most doses to employees. For more than a week, Penn State Health has been steering a portion of its doses to non-employees. It has pored over its records to select patients who need it most, with most of them over 75, and is contacting them for appointments. Were asking our patients to be patient and kind of sit tight and trust that we will reach out to them to schedule the vaccine when its available, Penn State Health spokeswoman Barbara Schindo said this week. Penn State Health also plans vaccination clinics in multiple counties to provide vaccine for patients and non-patients. But it still has no dates or locations to announce. Penn State Health, which includes three hospitals, is receiving about 5,000 vaccine doses per week, according to Dr. Peter Dillon, the executive vice president and chief clinical officer. He estimates the number of requests for vaccine is probably in the tens of thousands. Penn State Health estimates it has about 400,000 patients who are eligible for vaccine. Dillon and health officials all over the state and the country say the limited vaccine supply is the main thing interfering with the pace of vaccination. However, there are signs that even after the supply improves, there will be gaps in the ability to connect people with doses. Unlike some states, Pennsylvania lacks a state-run, centralized system for connecting people with vaccine. Some in Pennsylvania are pressing the state to create one. However, Gov. Tom Wolf and health department officials said this week they dont see the need. Rather, they noted they are collaborating with health systems and other providers across the state to distribute vaccine, with those providers having already built systems to handle scheduling. Alison Beam, the acting secretary of health, suggested it would be wrong and redundant for the state to add to that. But Dillon this week shed light on the challenges, saying they arent unique to Penn State Health, which includes Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Dauphin County, Holy Spirit Health System in Cumberland County and St. Joseph Health System in Berks County. Dillon explained that we have to build our own IT. How do we schedule 400,000 people to get two shots and keep the records we need to do that?, he said. So people need to understand that it isnt that we just get this shot delivered to us and then we can just turn right around and give it to patients. Theres a tremendous logistics process involved. Dillon also said various phone and email contact points are ready to go, but they also serve other purposes. We need the phone lines to our practices, we need the phone lines in the hospital to be open for routine care and regular care and emergency care. Were balancing this from a technology and logistics process going forward, he said. Still, Penn State Health leaders expressed confidence that when sufficient supply arrives, they will be up to the task of efficiently distributing it. I would encourage patience in this process. I think everybody who wants a vaccine will get it, its just a matter of time, said Dr. Jeffrey Held, the vice president for medical affairs at St. Joseph. The challenge is likely worse at smaller independent pharmacists and clinics that are receiving vaccine. They are being overwhelmed with requests. Many if not most are no longer accommodating requests for appointments. Some are unreachable. It has caused chaos for untold Pennsylvanians, including many who are desperate for vaccine because of age or medical conditions. Some of the oldest arent accustomed to online registration paths. The situation is simply unacceptable to AARP and should be to all Pennsylvanians, Bill Johnston-Walsh, the director of AARP Pennsylvania, wrote to Wolf. Although the country has a supply problem, Pennsylvania has a logistics problem, Johnston-Walsh said. Pennsylvania has a website that helps people decide if they are eligible for vaccine. It also includes a map of locations that might have vaccine, with contact information for those. However, AARP members have reported malfunctions with the site, and told of frustration when calling the listed providers, describing spending a long time on hold only to be told no appointment is available, according to Johnston-Walsh. He said the state site doesnt provide the level of help many people need, particularly those who arent technologically adept. AARP is asking the Wolf administration to create a 1-800 number where people could enter their zip code and be immediately connected to their Area Agency on Aging, which are state-local collaborations in most counties to help seniors. Someone at the agency would then help find a local provider with available vaccine. According to Johnston-Walsh, New Jersey and New York are examples of states that have created helpful online portals to connect people to vaccine. With the supply shortages, it remains unclear how successful those are compared to Pennsylvania. But according to federal data, Pennsylvania ranks in the middle, behind 30 or more other states, for its pace in getting received doses into peoples arms. At the same time, Johnston-Walsh and others dont want to see Pennsylvania layer an overly elaborate system on top of the systems being used by health care providers. I do not think a partially effective system is better than no system, said Adam Marles, the CEO of LeadingAge PA, which represents long-term care providers. More from PennLive Children are susceptible to COVID-19 and some nasty long-term effects: What you need to know Pa.s teachers, schools struggle amid ongoing COVID-19 crisis From his office in the Capitol, US Rep. Adam Kinzinger could see a little bit of the crowd on the lawn on January 6. He heard the flash-bangs go off on the steps as rioters made their way inside. And he could feel the spiritual weight of what was unfolding. Im not one of these people that senses evil all the time or anything. Its probably only happened maybe twice in my life, the Illinois congressman said. But I just felt a real darkness over this place, like a real evil. Kinzinger, a nondenominational Protestant, doesnt talk much about his faith in public and is wary of conflating the mission of the church with the work of politics. But he saw serious implications for both in the wake of the Capitol breach and felt convicted to speak out. Although Im not great at citing verse and chapter, I know the Bible speaks quite a bit about conspiracies and about allowing that darkness into your heart, about the importance of truth, the importance of being a light in dark places, of being truth, he said on a call with CT and other news outlets this week. Im not a Christian leader. Im not a pastor. But I am a person who shares the faith and who looks at what thats done to the political system in this country, and I decided to speak out. In the days after the attack, Kinzinger called on Christian leaders to lead the flock back into the truth. He opposed President Donald Trump for continuing to tout claims that the election had been stolen and was one of ten House Republicans who voted in favor of impeachment. The backlash was swift, coming from Kinzingers district in northern Illinois, where a majority of Republicans disagreed, and from his fellow believers, with many white evangelicals continuing to support Trump even as his false claims encouraged rioters at the Capitol. Franklin Graham condemned Kinzinger and the other Republicans who voted for impeachment for turning their back on the president despite the good he had done on issues like abortion, foreign affairs, and religious freedom. It makes you wonder what the thirty pieces of silver were that Speaker Pelosi promised for this betrayal, the evangelist remarked. A relative sent the congressman a certified letter accusing him of doing the Devils work. Kinzinger said that despite the opposition, the stance was the easiest of his career. Political analysts say it will likely cost him politically, though, and will at minimum isolate him from his party ahead of the impeachment trial set to begin the week of February 8. At 42, Kinzinger has served in Congress for a decade and has been part of the church all his life; he was raised Baptist and now attends Village Christian Church in Minooka, Illinois. He has a conservative voting record and is outspoken in his stance against abortion, recently urging congressional leaders to preserve the Hyde Amendment, which bars the use of federal funds to pay for abortions. But unlike most Republicans in Congress, Kinzinger has been openly critical about conspiracies spreading baseless claims that the election was stolen from Trump. Last year, before Marjorie Taylor Greene controversially became the first open QAnon adherent elected to the US House, he said the conspiracy was a fabrication and had no place in Congress. Prior to the election being called for Joe Biden, Kinzinger urged people to stop using debunked misinformation to claim fraud and refused to challenge state results without solid evidence in court. Kinzinger said Christians in Congress may, in good faith, take opposite stances, but he also sees them holding a unique responsibility to consider the spiritual implications of their decisions. Hes calling for fellow Republicans to join him to #RestoreOurGOP and had discussed concerns with friends in the party, such as Jaime Herrera Beutler. The Washington Republican, another churchgoing evangelical, joined him in voting for impeachment. Im not choosing sides, she said. Im choosing truth." Other evangelicals in the party, like Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, voted no on impeachment, saying Trumps words did not constitute an incitement of violence, but still reckoned with the deeper undercurrents of what happened on January 6. She acknowledged a complete lack of leadership and a crisis of contempt in America and asked Trump supporters like herself to take responsibility for enabling bullying behavior for the sake of favorable policies. But Kinzinger said its not enough for members of Congress to have these kinds of tough conversations. He wants to see the church take the lead. While those who have been convinced of QAnon theories and election fraud may represent a minority in the America church, its enough to worry Kinzinger about Christians regard for absolute truth and more broadly, their commitment to Christ above all. A Lifeway Research survey conducted in the fall found half of pastors in the US said they frequently hear members of their congregation sharing conspiracy theories. I think there are scales on their eyes, said Kinzinger. He believes the spread of lies among Christians is part of a much more serious battle than political races, citing Ephesians 6:12s reminder that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (KJV). He said too many Christians have been co-opted into prizing political victories over spiritual ones. If you think about the Devils ultimate trick for Christianity, really, he doesnt care what the tax rates are. It doesnt matter. What he cares about is embarrassing the church, and it feels like its been successful, the congressman said. But I also think this is an opportunity for the church to have a massive rediscovery of what our mission and our role in this world is. During his inauguration, Biden referenced Augustines line from City of God about a people being defined by their common loves. What he left out was Augustines teaching that love must be rightly ordered, with love of God above all, scholar Han-luen Kantzer Komline noted. Kinzinger lamented what he saw as Americans disordered prioritieshow theyve allowed allegiances to the country, the economy, the president, or their political identities to distract from their primary identity as citizens of heaven. We get wrapped up on thinking that every little political victory we do, which has an impact on an election, is actually fighting for God and the truth. I think to an extent some of that is true. The Supreme Court now is very conservative. I like that. I think that is good for Christianity, he said. But I think we need to go a level above that and say, What is our role as Christians? Truthfully, its to make disciples, to love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor. For Kinzinger, his faith offers an eternal perspective on his day-to-day work as a congressman. While he aims to fight for life, truth, and freedom, he believes following Christ trumps any political outcome. Right now, it means he can accept his fate among the minority of GOP lawmakers backing impeachment. In the long-run, the debates over policies or political alliances are not really going to matter, he said this week. But what does matter is what we did with this time on earth, how we talked about the Lord, how we stood up for truth. 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. Ahmednagar: Social activist and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has confirmed that he will begin an indefinite fast from January 30 at his hometown Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar, district of Maharashtra over various demands related to farmers. He has also urged his supporters to protest from their respective locations. "I have been agitating for the crucial demands of farmers for the last four years. It seems like the government is not taking proper decisions on the issue of farmers. The government is not sensitive towards the farmers," the 84-year-old activist stated in a press statement on Thursday. Hazare alleged that the Centre has been ignoring his pleas of the farmers issues. "We have kept our demands before the Central Government time and again. I have written letters to the Prime Minister and Union Agriculture Minister five times in the last three months. Representatives of the government are discussing the matter but they haven't reached a proper solution regarding the demands so far," he added. Detailing his struggles, Hazare said he had launched a hunger strike in Delhi on March 23, 2018, after which the PMO gave a written assurance on March 29 on the MSP demand and other issues. The government did not comply with the same forcing him to go on another strike in Ralegan-Siddhi from January 30, 2019, and a week later, the Union Agriculture Minister and then Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis discussed the issue with him. "After 6 hours of talks, I was again given a written assurance about the decision. But no concrete action has been taken on it till date. Assurance is a promise. If the government does not keep it (promise) then how will the country and society get a bright future," Hazare asked. Even today, farmers continue to commit suicide, they don`t get the right price for their agriculture produce, and the Centre claims it has implemented the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission, but the facts are otherwise, Hazare claimed. "Government representatives keep coming here and discussing, but till date, no proper solution has been arrived at on the farmers' demands," he added. Hazare expressed his grief at the violent incidents that rocked the January 26 farmers movement in New Delhi, and he stressed on the need for a `non-violent agitation`. "In the past 40 years, I have organised many agitations. The Lokpal Movement was in New Delhi where lakhs of people from across India joined, but not a stone was thrown. Peace is the power for this struggle, which Gandhiji has taught us," he said. While he would take up the hunger strike alone in his village, Hazare appealed to all his supporters to take similar peaceful agitations in their respective villages in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Live TV A selfless dad has been hailed a hero for saving the life of a complete stranger. Lesa Hausia was driving past Strathpine Station, in Brisbane's north, on Thursday afternoon when he spotted a teenage boy near the train tracks. The father managed to convince the youngster to climb a fence towards him, with a train pulling into the station seconds later. The teenager (pictured above) can be seen jumping over the fence after deciding not to end his life He then made his way over to Mr Hausia, where the two strangers embraced one another The life-changing exchange, which Mr Hausia's friend Stefan Adam recorded, was later shared on Instagram. Mr Adam said his friend felt knew he had to check on the welfare of the troubled teen. 'He [Hausia] felt a tug within him to turn around and go find this guy for some reason, he didn't know why, but he felt the need and sense of urgency to go find him,' he told 7News. 'And so he did.' In the video, Hausia can be heard pleading with the teenager: 'Come here brother, don't do it, please. 'Your life is worth it brother, please, come here. Come talk to me bro, come here, bro.' The youngster, who said to be 16, can then be seen jumping two fences before the pair embrace one another. Since the confronting incident the pair have spoken on the phone a number of times. The emotional video resonated with many on social media after it was shared by Mr Hausia and his friend Mr Adam. One wrote that the clip 'made her tear up', with another stating 'not all superheroes wear capes'. For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14. A sweet little puppy thought he had made a new playmate when he came across his own reflection in a mirror. Labrador puppy Stanley from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, tried to make friends with the dog who looked very similar to him and copied all his movements, not realizing it was actually him. The excitable nine-week old pup bashes his snout against the mirror and barks several times as he tries to interact with the reflection. Stanley, a nine-week-old Labrador puppy, tried to make friends with his own reflection at his home in Philadelphia Stanley's owner, Nicola Kelly, 30, recorded the sweet video of him discovering his reflection when he was a puppy and says he now knows it is him in the mirror He bounces repeatedly at his doppelganger as he tries to roughhouse with himself. All the while, his tail wags in all directions furiously as he enjoys the playful interaction with what he believes is another dog. At points the sweet little black puppy squats down to the ground as if ready to pounce on his new friend. The excitable puppy bashed his snout against the mirror and barked several times at his own reflection Stanleys owner Nicola Kelly, 30, said: 'It was a precious moment. 'Id just got him and there he was thinking he made a new friend. Now hes older, hes learned that the dog in the mirror is actually him.' She can be heard chuckling in the background of the video as the confused dog continues to try and interact with his reflection. New research into what Kiwis want from tourism and domestic holidays has been released to help the industry adjust to the impact of COVID19 on borders and international travel. Tourism Minister Stuart Nash says research commissioned by Crown entity Tourism New Zealand will help the industry better understand how to focus on domestic tourists until it is safe to open our borders again. The research found Kiwis are looking much more closely at their own backyard and at regions and attractions they may have taken for granted in the past. Domestic tourists have different expectations from international travellers, although there is much common ground. Like international tourists, domestic travellers are attracted by our special qualities, like landscapes and friendly people, and our safe reputation. However domestic tourists are put off by activities that are too expensive, and the experience is spoiled if it feels too touristy. Kiwis are more inclined to seek out local history and culture, hidden gems that are not well known, and personal connections, he says. The research shows an ideal regional holiday involves a personalised itinerary. It combines activities like walking, cycling, and food and beverage experiences; with events like a cultural performance, festival, or sports. He says there is also work to be done to champion the unique tourism experiences of local destinations. For example, researchers suggest an area like Rotorua, with its health spas, could be a fly and flop destination to rival holidays that Kiwis used to take in Bali or Fiji. Significantly, the research confirms Kiwis thought tourism was under pressure even before COVID closed our borders. They saw regions struggling with the sheer number of visitors, and problems with freedom camping and littering. The research suggests pressure on infrastructure and the environment had created a tipping point for tourism. Tourism operators also suggested some in the industry had focused too much on profits and neglected the quality of the experience and tourisms impact on small communities. Others had undervalued the role of Maori culture and needed to better connect with it. Nash says the research analyses the tourism stories from each region and will be a valuable guide for tourism operators to rethink the way their wider region works together to attract domestic tourists. Work to support and rebuild the tourism and hospitality sectors remains ongoing. The Government is investing heavily in both increased promotion of domestic tourism, and direct support to tourism businesses to help drive the economic recovery, Nash says. Choi Moon-ja / Courtesy of Edward Haschke Korean American marriage migrant says racial discrimination and bullying made her strong By Kang Hyun-kyung A young woman wailed, as a Seattle-bound ferry departed from the port of Busan and slid into waters on a long voyage in 1954, a year after the bloody Korean War had ended. The woman was Choi Moon-ja, a Korean bride who had just married a Black American soldier who was stationed in Busan during the war. Choi said she was gripped by insurmountable sadness and belated regret for her decision to leave her mother behind in the southern port city. She said she was far from being a filial daughter. Her mother vehemently opposed her daughter's marriage to the American solider, Benjamin Garris, pleading with her to think again. But her pleas couldn't stop her daughter, who had fallen in love with him. Back in the 1950s, Korea was much more homogeneous than it is today, and it was unthinkable for a Korean woman to date a foreigner, especially a Black person. Elizabeth Kim's 2000 memoir, "Ten Thousand Sorrows," vividly recounts the tragic death of her mother and how she became a victim of prejudice by her relatives, just because she had a biracial baby as a result of her love with a Black American soldier. Against the backdrop of predominant racial bias, Choi was forced to hide her relationship with the Black American soldier, even to her mother. In addition to her parent's disapproval, there was another obstacle standing in the way of their relationship. According to Choi, the U.S. military conducted a thorough background check to make sure she was not a communist. They spied on her for a long time before she was finally given permission to marry Garris and go to the United States. Choi, now 90, is part of the first generation of "GI brides," women who dated and married U.S. soldiers who were stationed in Korea after the country was liberated from Japanese colonial rule at the end of World War II. It was after Choi boarded the Seattle-bound ferry that she began to ruefully look back at her decision to leave her poor mother behind and start a family in the United States. But it was too late. The ferry had already departed from the port of Busan and had cruised into the waters. "I was going to cancel everything. I wanted to escape from the ship and go back to my mother," she said during a recent Zoom interview with The Korea Times. "On the ferry, I cried and tried to jump off the ship. An American lady who was near me said 'you're going to be okay.' But her kind gesture didn't help me a lot." After a two-week voyage, Choi and her husband arrived in Seattle, Washington. From there, the newlywed couple took a train all the way to New York to their new home. Trying times, however, continued even after Choi settled in New York. She was introduced to Black culture, which was very different from Korean culture. A language barrier also made it even more difficult for Choi to adjust to her new life. Amid her continued struggles, she was devastated by the saddest news: her mother passed away a year after Choi came to the United States. Choi suffered the deep pain of loss and found herself wandering around in search of a place to cry. Her six decades of life in the United States as a spouse of a U.S. military official were full of traumatic experiences: bullying, racial discrimination and deprived opportunities were part of her life. In Norfolk, Virginia in the 1950s, she was asked to sit separately from her husband on a ferry. The ticket controller aboard the ferry told her she was not Black and did not have to sit in the back of the ship after seeing the Asian woman heading to the back of the ship with a Black man. The ticket controller told her she could sit in the front with the white passengers. In parts of the United States in the 1950s, Black people had to sit at the back of all public transportation, whereas white and other races could sit at the front. Choi rejected the ticket controller's advice, insisting she would sit with her husband at the back of the ferry. Such a hostile atmosphere, which was predominant particularly in the 1950s and 1960s, didn't discourage her from continuing to fight for a better future for her three children Deborah, Marcia and Benjamin. Choi said she felt strong especially after she had her first child, Deborah. Compared to other GI brides, Choi said she was fortunate. "My husband was nice to me. He was kind and thoughtful enough to encourage me to learn," she said. Her husband died of lung cancer in 1982. According to Choi, some GI brides were exposed to various abuses and some were even treated like housemaids. Choi's second daughter, Marcia, said her mother is a strong woman who overcame discrimination and bullying. "Having a tiger mom who taught me to stand up for myself and express myself made me the outgoing person I am today," Marcia said. "Her experiences of bullying and racial tension made her the strong and impenetrable woman she is this day. It was true love that fueled her courage to date not only a soldier, but a Black one, at that time." GI brides vs. picture brides GI brides mark the second wave of Korean marriage migration to the United States. "Picture brides" were the pioneer marriage migrants to the United States. From 1910 to 1924, an estimated 600 to 1,000 Korean women went to Hawaii to marry Korean sugarcane laborers. These women were called picture brides, because they agreed to marry the laborers after they only saw photos of them. With the help of matchmakers, the sugarcane laborers on the U.S. island and the women in Korea exchanged their photos, agreeing to tie the knot upon the brides' arrival. The picture brides have drawn belated attention in recent years, as their role behind Korea's independence from Japanese colonial rule became known to the public. GI brides played a part in diversifying Korea's homogeneous demographics. Marcia admired her mother for her courage to confront discriminatory practices, calling it her legacy. "My mother comes from the blood of pioneers, who truly captured the 'art' of immigrating," said Marcia. "She taught me everything I know and to this day those skills help me to lead, care, support and love all mankind no matter who they are. She taught me that I can learn from anyone and never to be afraid of voicing my opinion or ideas I am so proud that she was a pioneer who married a Black man during those days that were so horrible for Black people. She made it easy for me not to see color but to see human beings." Last week was filled with unbelievable scenes as the government took extraordinary measures to dismantle a controversial homeless camp in Fremantle, amid claims it was run by professional protesters and beds were available to rough sleepers who wanted help. Meanwhile, the state government has only added 24 social housing properties in total to its stock in the past year and estimates only 47 more will be added in the next four years while 24,000 people sit on the waitlist. WAtoday sat with one of those rough sleepers this week as she searched for emergency shelter and was knocked back by every single provider, with one claiming they had been booked out for weeks. Erika Polak has been sleeping in a park in Subiaco. Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola Erika Polak is in her third trimester of pregnancy and has been sleeping with her partner in a swag at a Subiaco park after missing out on a government deal to house rough sleepers in hotels. UPDATED at 5:25 P.M. EST on 2021-1-31 Authorities in Beijing have demolished the studio of artist Wang Peng in a move he says is likely linked to a planned exhibit featuring the late Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang, who tried to warn the world about the coronavirus pandemic. A demolition team arrived outside Wang's studio in Beijing's Pinggu district on Friday morning, escorted by police officers, disturbing the family. "They have demolished my house during a pandemic," he told RFA. "The district mayor said the demolition order came from higher up, from Beijing [municipal government]." "I was about to pray ... when these police officers suddenly burst in like gangsters and started shoving me around, and they stopped my wife, son, and friends from shooting video," he said. Wang said he thought the order was likely linked to his plans to hold an exhibit about Li Wenliang, the Wuhan doctor who died of COVID-19 after been warned off speaking out about the extent of the initial outbreak in his city. "The state security police said I was an 'unstable factor,' so they are doing various things to target me," he said. "The background to this is Li Wenliang." Wang said the state security police had found out about the planned exhibit, and called to warn him not to proceed. "They said I would be bringing China into disrepute," Wang said. "Now they have demolished [my studio], because they said it was an illegal structure." "The political situation is getting to the point of madness," he said. The demolition came after Wang received a demolition notice on Jan. 23 from the the Xinggu sub-district of Pinggu district government. It informed him that he would receive no compensation, and would have to have the debris left behind by the demolition gang removed at his own expense. Repeated calls to the Xingguo subdistrict offices and the Pinggu district government rang unanswered during office hours on Friday. Political retaliation Beijing-based rights activist Ni Yulan, who has been hounded from several rented homes by the authorities for helping evictees lodge complaints with the government, said the demolition of Wang's studio was a form of political retaliation for his activism. She said Wang had already angered the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with earlier artworks hitting out at its family planning policies. "The forced demolition was directly related to the concerns he raised about family planning," Ni said. "Otherwise, why didn't they say anything when he built the place; why did they take so long to look into it?" Wang's recent work has included installations and a book referencing the violence employed by government family planning officials to stay within birth quotas. He built the studio with two million yuan of his savings on land leased from the local village committee in 2008. The lease runs until 2028. In 2014, Beijing state security police evicted Wang and his family from their home in Beijing's Songzhuang Artists' Village. Li Wenliang was among a group of eight doctors who first sounded the alarm on Dec. 30 about the emergence of a mystery virus in Wuhan that seemed similar to SARS. The authorities detained and questioned eight of the doctors on Jan. 3, including Li Wenliang, who later died of the virus, accusing them of "rumor-mongering." One year after Li's death authorities in the central province of Hubei are keeping his family under tight surveillance and restrictions. Reported by Yitong Wu and Chingman for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Wang Yun for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that artist Ai Weiwei was involved in the planned exhibition. We hope that the new mayor makes good on her promises to transform our public schools, said Sharkey after winning reelection as the unions boss. If she does, she will find us to be a steadfast ally. If she does not, she will find us to be an implacable foe. NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Steering Committee of the Ad Hoc Group of Buenos Aires Bondholders (the "Group"), which comprises more than 40 institutions holding approximately 50% of the external bonded debt of the Province of Buenos Aires (the "Province"), is extremely concerned by the continuing absence of progress in curing the Province's long-standing payment default on its outstanding international bonds. Since April 2020, when the Province launched a unilateral exchange offer that was resoundingly rejected by bondholders, the Province has repeatedly extended the acceptance deadline for its plainly inadequate offer while failing to engage with bondholders. Through this period, the Group has repeatedly pointed out that the Province's offer does not accurately reflect the Province's repayment capacity and will not command the necessary support of investors. In the intervening months since April, the Province has made no effort to bridge the gap with investors or to cure the outstanding payment default on its outstanding bonds. During the same period, five Argentine provinces have initiated and concluded successful restructuring discussions with their respective bondholders, implementing solutions in each case that were the product of good faith negotiations. The contrast of these good-faith, consensual processes to the Province's failed approach of non-engagement could not be more stark. The only conclusion that the Group can reach is that, unlike other provinces facing similar pressures, the Province feels no urgency to address its outstanding payment default. This position is intolerable to the members of the Group, who for years have provided financing that has funded capital projects, underpinning the Province's economic growth and promoting social inclusion. The Province's lack of respect for its contractual commitments, and the lack of engagement with its bondholders, does a disservice to the citizens and businesses of Buenos Aires. Accordingly, absent a decisive change of course by the Province, which the Group has repeatedly called for, the members of the Group will have no choice but to exercise their available remedies under the outstanding bonds. Such remedies may include acceleration of some or all of the bonds and/or direct enforcement of contractual rights against the Province. Such actions may be initiated at any time. Contact: White & Case LLP Erin Hershkowitz in New York T +1 646 885 2200 E [email protected] SOURCE White & Case LLP Brussels, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jan, 2021 ) :The European Commission published a redacted version of its contract with drugs giant AstraZeneca on Friday, hoping to prove the company had breached a commitment on coronavirus vaccine deliveries. Releasing the document, EU spokesman Eric Mamer said it would show that the contract covers AstraZeneca plants in the UK and that "these plants will contribute to the effort... to deliver doses to the European Union". Brussels is furious with the pharmaceuticals company after it warned that it would only be able to deliver a fraction of the doses the EU had been expecting once the vaccine is approved for use in the bloc. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was developed by the University of Oxford in the UK. AstraZeneca's CEO Pascal Soriot argued in a media interview this week that deliveries of vaccine in Europe had been slowed because of glitches in its Belgian plant. Britain, meanwhile, had signed its contract three months earlier than Brussels had and the firm used the time to resolve production problems. But the Europe Commission reacted angrily, insisting that its contract does not stipulate that British production be reserved for UK deliveries and that it was for the firm to meet its commitments. Mamer said that the previously confidential contract would prove that AstraZeneca had signed up for a clear delivery schedule and not simply to make its "best efforts" to serve the EU contract. "So in our mind, there is absolutely no doubt that we have a firm commitment with the company and as with all other companies to deliver doses according to specific schedules," Mamer said. An EU official briefing journalists on condition of anonymity pointed to key clauses in the contract to try to back up Brussels' arguments. The official insisted they showed that plants in the UK are supposed to be involved in supplying the bloc with vaccines and that AstraZeneca had guaranteed it had no other contracts that would prevent it fulfilling the obligations to Brussels. But swathes of the document -- including prices and delivery schedules for specific amounts of doses -- were blacked out, leaving it hard to pin down some crucial details. The official said that 95 percent of the redactions had been made at the request of the pharmaceutical giant. The sections that could be seen showed that the company committed to "best reasonable efforts" to manufacture and distribute the doses contained in the contract. AstraZeneca chief Soriot had argued in his interview that this gave the firm some leeway and meant it had not made a "commitment" to Brussels. But the EU official insisted that "best reasonable efforts" was an "objective legal standard", even though he admitted that it could be open for wrangling by lawyers. "If we were to be before a judge, there will be quite a lot that you can argue about it," he said. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing (DiDi) has raised $300 million for its autonomous driving arm, according to a local media outlet. The funding round is led by IDG Capital, while CPE, Paulson, Russia-China Investment Fund, Guotai Junan International and CCB International were also among the investors, said the media outlet. Photo credit: DiDi The information was seemingly confirmed by Zhang Bo, DiDi's CTO and CEO of DiDi's autonomous driving unit. DiDi will spare no effort to research and develop autonomous driving technologies. We believe that the efforts we have made will have a huge impact on the mobility services over the next decade, he said via its WeChat Moment on Jan. 28. The report also revealed DiDi has already begun a new round of fundraising for autonomous driving business. In August 2019, DiDi hived off its autonomous driving unit as a separate company run by Zhang Bo. But its R&D of the emerging technology could date back to 2016, when it decided to form its own self-driving technology team. On May 29, 2020, DiDi announced it had closed a fundraising round of over $500 million for its autonomous driving subsidiary. Led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, the closure of the round signifies the first time that DiDi's autonomous driving unit obtained external funding support after the spin-offs. SoftBank-backed Didi has gained open-road testing permits in California, Beijing, Shanghai and Suzhou and Hefei. DiDi's App-based robotaxi service was first open to the public on June 27, 2020 in Shanghai, where signed-up passengers can request free rides in self-driving cars within designated areas. The government should provide security training and guns for teachers deployed in volatile regions of the country, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has demanded. According to acting KUPPET Secretary General Moses Nthurima, armed teachers would be better poised to deal with attackers. We are repeating this demand that in the pockets of insecurity, teachers must be trained and provided with guns. You cannot confront a gunman with chalk. When we take a teacher to insecurity prone areas that teacher will constantly live in fear. But if the gun is hanging on his back even bandits will know that teacher is a no-go zone and they will take a second thought before making any mistake, said Nthurima. This comes in the wake of incidents where armed gunmen have killed teachers in the North-Eastern and Coast regions. At the same time, KUPPET wants the State to reduce the number of boarding schools with a view to abolishing them entirely. We have realised there is no complementarity between efforts of the teachers and parents because once learners leave for boarding school they return home after three months and are foreigners to their parents. We want the efforts consolidated by having learners go home in the evening so that when they go to school they have an input from the parent and then they find the teacher, said Nthurima. On the issue of students unrest in schools, KUPPET wants the government to expedite the recruitment of guidance and counseling teachers who will only be tasked with addressing learners issues in schools. The KUPPET boss further demanded that teachers be provided with risk allowance. We demand that teachers are paid risk allowances. Teachers are constantly facing threats from learners and even parents and also pockets of insecurity. It has become extremely urgent that teachers are paid allowances. It cannot wait any more, said Nthurima. (CNN) -- The European Union's medicines regulator on Friday recommended authorizing the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for use among its 27 member states, capping off a turbulent week which saw the bloc attack the drugmaker over delays to supply. The long-awaited decision from the European Medicines Agency came after several EU countries warned they were running out of vaccine doses, and as coronavirus deaths pile up across the continent. Its authorization of the vaccine for use in all adults stands in contrast to an announcement by the German vaccine commission Thursday that it would not recommend the AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged 65 or over because of insufficient data. In response to the German move, an AstraZeneca spokesperson said the latest analyses of clinical trial data "support efficacy in the over 65 years age group." The United Kingdom, whose regulator approved the AstraZeneca vaccine on December 30, has been administering doses to people older than 65 for nearly a month. AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot welcomed the EMA's decision and thanked all those involved in the vaccine's development. "Today's recommendation underscores the value of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine which is not only effective and well-tolerated, but also easy to administer and, importantly, protects fully against severe disease and hospitalizations." For the past week, the EU and AstraZeneca have been locked in an acrimonious dispute over vaccine supplies. A week ago, the British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant said it would not be able to deliver as many doses as the European Union expected because of production issues -- upending the bloc's vaccination plans. The European Commission -- which ordered 400 million AstraZeneca doses on behalf of EU member states and is poised to start rolling the first ones out across the bloc -- said the delay was unacceptable, and the drugmaker must find a way to increase supply. The dispute between Europe and AstraZeneca is playing out against a dire backdrop. EU countries including Germany were already running low on vaccines even before the AstraZeneca vaccine was authorized Friday. The US drugmaker Pfizer had previously slowed EU deliveries of the vaccine it developed with BioNTech while a manufacturing facility was upgraded. In a bid to tackle concerns over supply, the European Commission adopted new measures Friday making COVID-19 vaccines subject to export authorization. "The commission has adopted a strictly targeted measure that will allow us to gather accurate information about the production of vaccines and where manufacturers intend to ship them," said European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, speaking in Brussels. "The measure is time limited and specifically applies to those COVID-19 vaccines that were agreed by advance purchase agreements. The measure is intended to run until the end of March," he added. "The protection and safety of our citizens is a priority and the challenges we now face left us with now other choice but to act." In Spain, the regional government of Madrid stopped administering first doses of the vaccine on Wednesday for the next two weeks to ensure there is enough to provide second doses for those who already got their first shots. Concerns over expected shortages of the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines means some French regions, including Paris, will push back or cancel appointments for first injections, the French health Ministry said in a press statement on Thursday. The death toll from COVID-19 is mounting, and the slow rollout of shots across the bloc is threatening a very fragile economic recovery from the pandemic. This week only 2 out of 100 people received jabs in the EU, compared to 7 out of 100 people in the US and 11 out of 100 in the UK, according to figures from Our World in Data. Earlier this week, Soriot told Italy's la Repubblica that at least three million doses would be shipped to Europe as soon as the vaccine was authorized, and that the goal was to deliver 17 million total doses by the end of February. As the dispute continued to play out Friday, the European Commission published on its website the redacted contract signed with AstraZeneca for the purchase of its vaccine for all the EU member states. The EU had asked AstraZeneca to publish the contract, signed on August 27, following the company's announcement of delays. The details of the vaccine delivery schedule have been redacted from the published document. This story was first published on CNN.com, "EU regulators recommend authorization of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine" A slavery time line on the interior wall begins with the importation of Africans to Virginia in 1619 and includes university history, like three students documented assault of a 12-year-old enslaved girl in 1850. Alumna Renate Yarborough Sanders, 59, was deeply moved during her summer visit. "As I approached the highest point, it was almost like it was swallowing me. The retired elementary school teacher from Newport News, Virginia, who is Black, said the university's ties to slavery never were discussed when she was a student in the 1980s. While the memorial is the largest to acknowledge a university's connection to slavery, others are following suit. More than 70 schools are participating in a UVA-led project that is investigating and documenting the deep ties found at educational institutions. Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., began to address its connection after it was revealed that proceeds from the 1838 sale of 272 enslaved people were used to pay off the institution's debts. Among other larger universities that have acknowledged their connections to slavery: Brown in Providence, Rhode Island; Emory in Atlanta; Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and the University of Maryland in College Park. A few other institutions have slavery plaques or memorials, and others have them planned, including the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, named for a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention who owned 100 enslaved people. University honoring descendants, too UVA's monument isn't just a nod to the past, says Andrea Douglas, executive director of Charlottesville's Jefferson School African American Heritage Center and cochair of the memorial commission. The university has identified about 70 descendants of the enslaved, and some still live in the area, she says. "They moved into the urban ring of Charlottesville and began to build a Black middle class, Douglas says. That led the university to place the memorial on the edge of its grounds, making it accessible to the community. The Biden administration is expected name Robert Malley, a former top adviser in the Obama administration, as special envoy for Iran, according to multiple sources. Malley was a key member of former Barack Obamas team that negotiated the nuclear accord with Iran and world powers, an agreement that Donald Trump abandoned in 2018 in the face of strong opposition from Washingtons European allies. "Secretary (of State) Blinken is building a dedicated team, drawing from clear-eyed experts with a diversity of views. Leading that team as our Special Envoy for Iran will be Rob Malley, who brings to the position a track record of success negotiating constraints on Irans nuclear program," The Guardian cited a State Department official as saying. "The secretary is confident he and his team will be able to do that once again," the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Malleys expected appointment comes as Biden and his foreign policy aides move to craft their approach to Iran. Malley is expected to report directly to secretary of state Antony Blinken, one Reuters source said. Murad Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, casts his vote during a plebiscite to ratify a law giving full autonomy to the Bangsamoro homeland, at an elementary school in Sultan Kudarat town, Maguindanao, southern Philippines, Jan. 21, 2019. The head of the transitional government of a Muslim autonomous area in the southern Philippines said Friday he had reached out to Islamic State-linked militants in a bid to stave off violence that threatens peace in the region. Murad Ebrahim told reporters that he had made preliminary contact with members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) as well as the Abu Sayyaf Group in efforts to persuade them to come into the fold of the law. We are opening a dialogue with them [and] convincing them to join us, the government, Murad told the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) during its annual Prospects forum. Two of the three groups are open. We are working for the 900 of them that would like to join. We temporarily delay the ceremony since some of them are facing arrest warrants, Murad said, but did not give more details, citing the sensitivity of the matter. Murad heads the transitional authority that has power over the newly created Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BAARM). He also leads the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a former armed separatist group that now controls the autonomous region after the guerrillas signed a peace deal with the central government in Manila. The BIFF is a faction that broke away from the MILF and refused to sign the peace agreement. It and Abu Sayyaf, which also operates in the southern region of Mindanao, have both pledged their allegiance to Islamic State (IS). Murad, 72, took over leadership of a transitional local government in 2019 after people in five provinces and a handful of neighboring districts voted in a plebiscite to join the autonomous region. At Fridays forum, Murad used the occasion to again press the case that his term as head of the interim regional government set to expire next year be extended by three years. He has been lobbying to have his term prolonged till 2025 by arguing that ongoing security threats posed by pro-IS militants, combined with the coronavirus pandemic, have impeded his administration in implementing crucial reforms before his term expires in 2022. A proposed law to facilitate this extension is with the Philippine Congress. Most of us are already weary because of the extremely unique circumstances during the past this year, but we owe this to our people and the sacrifices made by our dear brethren in the struggle, Murad said. We cannot put our peoples welfare on hold and so our service continues. He said that some of the reforms that the transitional authority started have been halted due to the coronavirus pandemic. While it is true that we support the call for an extension period, we will also make sure that we are not complacent especially in providing social services to the Bangsamoro during one of the darkest chapters in human history, Murad said. In August last year, twin suicide bombings carried out by Abu Sayyaf operatives killed 15 people on Jolo, an island in southern Sulu province. A year earlier, 23 died in a twin-suicide bombing that targeted a church in Jolo town. And while BIFFs operations have been concentrated on Mindanao Island and far from Jolo, the frequency of violence perpetrated by the group has increased lately. On Wednesday, at least three people died and scores were wounded in pair of roadside bombings in North Cotabato and Maguindanao, neighboring provinces in the volatile south. Authorities suspect that BIFF militants were behind the attacks. We are strengthening the security structure. We have agreed with the government to establish a temporary structure we call an interim security group to assist the police and military in security measures, Murad said. Richel V. Umel contributed to this report from Iligan City, Philippines. Why North Star felt it was key to keep in-person education amid COVID File photo of former President Donald Trump conferring with the US. ambassador to the UN at the time, Nikki Haley, during a United Nations Security Council briefing at the United Nations in New York on Sept. 26, 2018. The Indian American former ambassadors previous attorney will be representing Trump at his impeachment trial this year. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Did GameStop convince Jon Stewart to join Twitter? The former Daily Show host warmed up his account by sending two tweets Thursday. The first was dedicated to the current fracas over the Reddit-fueled effort to elevate select companies on the stock market. After Reddit users (Redditors) launched a move to boost stock prices of the struggling GameStop, sending shares soaring, the Robinhood stock-trading app blocked people from buying those shares, along with AMC shares, after Redditors mounted a similar effort for the movie theater chain. This is bullsh-t, Stewart tweeted. The Redditors arent cheating, theyre joining a party Wall Street insiders have been enjoying for years. Dont shut them down...maybe sue them for copyright infringement instead!! Weve learned nothing from 2008. Love StewBeef. StewBeef, 58, who grew up in Lawrenceville, may have joined the fray on social media, but he didnt exactly promise to live-tweet the news. While hes not following anyone on Twitter, his account, which has a photo of a dog as its avatar, has drawn 285,900 followers. Caution: tweet contains profanity. This is bullshit. The Redditors aren't cheating, they're joining a party Wall Street insiders have been enjoying for years. Don't shut them down...maybe sue them for copyright infringement instead!! We've learned nothing from 2008. Love StewBeef Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) January 28, 2021 Thanks for the warm welcome! Stewart said in a follow-up tweet. I promise to only use this app in a sporadic and ineffective manner. Stewart and his wife, Tracey Stewart, own Hockhockson Farm, an animal sanctuary in Colts Neck. The comedian, producer, actor and director, who helmed the 2020 political comedy Irresistible starring Steve Carell and Rose Byrne, is working on a new current affairs show for Apple TV Plus. Thanks for the warm welcome! I promise to only use this app in a sporadic and ineffective manner. Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) January 29, 2021 Stewart reigned over the news satire of The Daily Show for more than 16 years on Comedy Central before leaving the show in 2015. In April, he joined other New Jersey celebrities in the Jersey 4 Jersey benefit for the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, which raised $5.9 million. Stewart is also a longtime advocate for 9/11 first responders. 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. 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 effort by YouTube personality and former comedian Jimmy Dore to promote the fascist Boogaloo Boys is a significant political episode that reveals the ignorant and reactionary character of middle class left politics in America. Dore, an ex-supporter of Bernie Sanders and the Green Party, is a more backward and vulgar representative of a broader social layer that is responding to Trumps January 6 coup attempt by moving to the right. On January 24, Dore invited SEP member and World Socialist Web Site Labor Editor Jerry White onto his program to discuss the WSWSs coverage of a strike of Hunts Point produce workers in New York City. Jimmy Dore speaking with a member of the Boogaloo Boys (YouTube/Jimmy Dore Show) Dore did not inform White that the guest immediately preceding him was a Michigan leader of the Boogaloo Boys, an armed far-right militia group that actively participated in the January 6 putsch and the plot to kidnap and murder Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. While interviewing the Boogaloo member, who called himself Magnus Panvidya, Dore said his political strategy was to unite the populist left and the populist right and find common interests with the Boogaloo Boys and similar groups. Dores interview with the fascist was fawning and entirely uncritical. Dore then planned to dishonestly use the interview with White to further his political project of finding common cause with the fascistic right. White was obliged to respond by making clear that his presence on the show did not imply an endorsement of either the Boogaloo Boys or of Dores calls for progressives to unite with them. Dore responded to this clarification with extreme hostility, upset that White had disrupted his plans. The exchange was highly revealing. White began by saying the Socialist Equality Party did not endorse Dores strategy: I didnt realize who the guest before me was. I must admit it was very disturbing to believe that when you talk about left or progressive politics that this has anything to do with the politics of the Boogaloo Boys and such extreme right-wing forces. The Socialist Equality Party opposes the idea that somehow there can be unity of left and right, White stated. There is a historical precedent. The Nazis called themselves revolutionists and opponents of the international Jewish capitalist conspiracy. This has nothing to do with left politics. My movement, the Socialist Equality Party, is seeking to build a genuine movement of the working class. We are above all internationalists. The right wing promotes nationalism. White stated that the SEP opposed Dores flirting with such elements, libertarian elements, right-wing elements like that. Those are the people who stormed the US Capitol on January 6they were being pulled around by the nose by very powerful political and corporate forces. Whites comments undermined Dores strategy of presenting the back-to-back interviews as a left-right alliance. For this reason, Dore became extremely angry, defending the Boogaloo Boys in an expletive-filled rant against White: You dont agree with other Americans who are workers? You dont think that guy was of good will? You dont think he was earnest? White again stated that socialists do not reach out to a Boogaloo Boy, not at all. Dore shouted: You just want to keep talking about this COVID, thats all you want to talk about, implying that COVID-19 was exaggerated or invented. In fact, White was invited on the show to speak about the strike of Hunts Point workers in New York City. Thousands of workers there struck for a raise and demanded protections against the virus that had killed at least 10 of their coworkers and sickened 400. Tellingly, Dores comment almost exactly mimicked that of Donald Trump, who told a crowd in North Carolina in October, All you hear is COVID, COVID, COVID. Dore then told White he was making a caricature of the Boogaloo movement and issued what can only be interpreted as an explicit endorsement of the Boogaloo Boys. Referencing his Boogaloo interviewee, Dore said: He said the Boogaloo Boys were a response to the racist right-wingers. Theyre not racist right wingers! And theyre anti-war and anti-cop! And you still want to s on these people? Youre not arguing in good will. This is fing horrible what youre doing! While Dore adopted an extremely hostile tone with White, he conducted a totally uncritical and warm interview with the Boogaloo member. It was not a journalistic attempt to examine the Boogaloo Boys views, but a promotional advertisement aimed at presenting the Boogaloo movement as reasonable and worth progressives support. Dore began the interview by playing a clip of the same Boogaloo member speaking at a pro-Trump rally held in Lansing, Michigan on January 17. This rally, part of a series of events coordinated by Trump and a section of his powerful corporate backers, was part of a failed attempt by the far right to overturn the results of the 2020 election and allow Trump to establish a presidential dictatorship. During the Lansing speech, the Boogaloo member, armed in military fatigues and carrying an assault rifle, declared that right-wing militias are the antibodies of society and called for the unity of all Americans. The speaker said he was speaking on behalf of every business crushed by state lockdowns. He made no reference to the many hundreds of thousands of workers who have died so that corporate America can make a profit. After playing this video, Dore said, We couldnt find anything in that speech that we disagreed with, and said he decided to invite the Lansing speaker on his show. I wanted to explore his beliefs further. The Boogaloo member began by telling Dore he was a long time fan of Dores program, intimating that Dore attracts other fascist viewers. The Boogaloo member appeared on screen in front of a dont tread on me flagan emblem of the far-rightwith a large assault rifle in the background, which Dore blurred out of the version he later posted on YouTube. The guest said he supported an extreme free market system and encouraged Dores listeners to stop paying taxes and to respond with violence when challenged for non-payment. Dore defended his interview by pointing to the fact that the interviewee also claimed to be a supporter of anti-police brutality protests in 2020. Dore repeatedly called the Boogaloo Boy pro-BLM and anti-cop and unquestioningly accepted his claim to have provided protection for demonstrators. Had Dore conducted the interview from a critical standpoint, he would have learned that the Boogaloo interviewee was flatly lying about his views. Boogaloo Boys are known for trolling the media as a form of pseudo-critique. In fact, a Michigan anti-fascist group had followed this Boogaloo member for months and had previously revealed that Dores interviewee had publicly defended fascist Kyle Rittenhouse. The Boogaloo member said that other people should learn how to do that, referencing Rittenhouses murder of two anti-police violence demonstrators in Kenosha, Wisconsin in August 2020. The individual also praised fascist militia gun range sessions, called Rittenhouse drills, and defended Steve Baca, the fascist who shot anti-police violence protesters in New Mexico in June 2020. Dore spent much of the interview with the Boogaloo Boy on his belly. Commenting on the Boogaloo Boys official uniform of Hawaiian shirts, Dore said: I think the Hawaiian shirts are a great touch, honest to God, Im not making a joke, I think it looks great. Dore glowingly commented on the interviewees appearance, saying, Alright, I will say I generally hate beards, but you pull it off. Following the interview with the Boogaloo Boy and Dores hostile rant against White, the comments section of his program filled with anti-Semitic comments from fascists denouncing White: Jew! Oyyy Veyyy, Hes a JEW, Hes Jewish and hes freaked out, and STEREOTYPICAL ISRAELI RIGHT HERE. A separate fascist website responded with extreme enthusiasm to Dores conduct. In a posting titled Jimmy Dore is so very close to getting redpilled on the JQ (i.e., to becoming a fascist on the Jewish Question), commenters wrote: Hes interviewing a Socialist Equality Party (Trotskyist) Jew right now, and getting pissed, The Jew fears the Red/Brown alliance and Jimmy is learning why the only good communist Jew is a dead Jew. The Boogaloo Boy interviewed by Dore was also given a very sympathetic interview yesterday by the outright fascist Alex Jones. Jones was a speaker at a Lafayette Square Park rally on January 6 in support of Trumps coup attempt. That was a great interview you did with Jimmy Dore, Jones said. Dore concluded the interview by summing up his political strategy: Social movements should always be in dialogue We seem to agree on some of the big problems in our country, you and I. He added: The fight is top to bottom right now in America, its not left to right. Chris Hedges has said that on our show Its obvious that its not a left-right fight anymore. Whether he is aware of it or not, Dores statements calling for a top-bottom and not a left-right outlook are rooted in early 20th century fascist ideology. Basing themselves on the slogan neither left nor right, fascists called for the unity of the entire national people in direct opposition to the socialist struggle of the property-less working class (the left) against the property-owning big capitalists (the right). Despite its faux-populist language, fascism was ultimately a political tool of the capitalist class to mobilize the enraged petty-bourgeoisie against the socialist workers movement. The affluent social layer Dore represents is hostile to the social interests of the working class and impressed by the gun-toting group of real estate agents, small businessmen and independent contractors who stormed the Capitol on Trumps orders on January 6. Under the pressure of recent events, the worst traits of petty-bourgeois radicalism, especially its American variant, come to dominate: nationalism, anti-communism, subjectivism, individualism and deep pessimism. As for Dore, his own movement to the right is propelled by a more personal trait: stupidity. Family Has All Their New Clothes Stolen After Thieves Break Into Car, so LAPD Officers Step In to Help A family in Boyle Heights had just purchased all new clothing for the household with savings and gift cards. When thieves broke into the familys car and stole everything, family members were devastated. LAPD officers responded, were stirred by the situation, and decided to help out. They reached out to Badge of Heart, a nonprofit run by volunteer police officers who help families in need. I told the officer my kids are with one pair of pants, one underwear, they have no jackets, no sweaters, mother Nancy Colin told NBC. Nancy Colin with two of her daughters and LAPD officers after most of their clothes were stolen when their car was broken into. (Courtesy of Badge of Heart) In preparation for purchasing a brand-new wardrobe, the family had cleaned out their closets and donated old clothes that no longer fit. Nancy had returned home from the laundromat, where she had washed all the new clothing, when the robbery happened. They broke the handle, they were able to open the doors, Nancy remembered. Worse, because Nancy had relied on her savings and gift cards from the kids birthdays, she didnt have the means to replace the stolen clothing. I started crying, she said. There was nothing we could do. We went around the block knocking on doors, no one saw anything. However, when a senior officer at LAPDs Hollenbeck station heard what had happened, he knew he needed to help the family out. He called Badge of Heart and told them about the familys situation. Training Officer Ken Lew says he founded Badge of Heart because of the things he saw on police duty. Going into thousands of homes as a young officer, seeing the living conditions and lack of food and clothes, it resonated with me because thats how I was growing up with my family, Lew said. Fortunately, the organization was able to send the Colin family gift cards for clothing and food, helping them recuperate from the theft. Us Latinos always think we are something not important to the cops, Nancy said. This time they proved us wrong. They do help. Officer Lew said that the organization has helped over 4,000 families, and its largely thanks to the officers who pitch in. We do have thousands of officers that help people daily, he said, or we wouldnt be doing this for a living. Badge of Heart has received triple the influx of requests for help since the pandemic started; Lew stressed that the organization is always in need of donations. Its a struggle, but we always find a way to help, he said. 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 New Delhi: Famous Russian beauty transformer and make-up expert, Goar Avetisyan has made a name for herself in a short span of time. The Armenia-born, Moscow-based make-up artist works wonders with her brush and changes a person 360 degree. Goar Avetisyan's Instagram is a pool of massive beauty transformations. Take a look here: She has done these impressive transformations on young females, aged women and also those who battle some illness or have a skin condition. Her beauty portfolios are so good that she is now known for her masterstroke beauty transformations globally. Goar Avetisyan has now become a popular celebrity on social media with over 10.1 million followers on Instagram alone. Her brush stroke can turn anyone into a masterpiece, isn't it? NEW YORK: A Proud Boys supporter who U.S. prosecutors said kept a large weapons cache and made ominous social media posts, including toward a Democratic senator, pleaded not guilty to charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition and making online threats. Eduard Florea, of Queens, New York, entered his plea through a federal public defender at a Friday hearing before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Cheryl Pollak in Brooklyn federal court. Florea was charged after FBI agents searched his Middle Village home and found more than 900 rounds of ammunition, 72 military-style combat knives, two hatchets and two swords, according to court papers. Prosecutors said Florea used the name LoneWolfWar" on Parler, a social media platform popular with many conservatives, to make threats before and during the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, though he did not travel to Washington, D.C. According to a Jan. 22 indictment, Florea responded to a post concerning newly-elected Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock by writing Dead men cant pass s*** laws," and later wrote I am awaiting my orders Armed and ready to deploy" and Its time to unleash some violence." Florea had been previously convicted on a New York state weapons possession charge, prosecutors said. He was arrested Jan. 12 and detained without bail. The Proud Boys are a far-right group that has supported violence and had endorsed former U.S. President Donald Trump. 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 Were a polarized country. Americas disagreements include politics, COVID-19, climate change and more. You name it. We disagree. We dont even agree on simple facts. But, Texans strongly agree on legislation known as the George Floyd Act. The killing of George Floyd, a Black man raised in Houston, by a white police officer in Minneapolis last May sparked a series of protests across the country and an ongoing national reckoning about racism and criminal justice reform. Members of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus answered the calls for reform by announcing that the George Floyd Act would be filed in the 2021 Texas legislative session, which is now underway. Houston state Rep. Senfronia Thompson and Dallas state Sen. Royce West filed House Bill 88 and Senate Bill 161, respectively. These bills address systematic racial inequality in the Texas criminal justice system with reforms ranging from changing how police officers interact with the public to changes aimed at reducing incarceration rates for people of color. A recent survey of Texans performed by the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs found that the George Floyd Act has very robust support. When given a brief description of the George Floyd Act, an overwhelming majority (72 percent) of Texans said they support it, with more than half saying they strongly support it. In Harris County, the support was even higher. Four out of five residents say they support the legislation, including 56 percent who strongly support it. Broad-based support from men and women, across racial and ethnic groups and across generations suggests this is not a red vs. blue issue or one pitting rural and suburban Texans against urban residents. Black, white, young and old Texans support these proposed reforms. Support is found among more than 80 percent of Democrats, African Americans, millennials and members of Generation Z. Support among Latinos is 78 percent; women are at 77 percent; and independents are at 73 percent. Members of Generation X, the baby-boom generation and the silent generation all offer support at or above 64 percent, as do men (68 percent) and Anglos (64 percent). Republicans were the only sub-group surveyed that didnt offer majority support. Even then, the George Floyd Act is supported by a sizable minority at 43 percent. Support was above 50 percent among younger Republicans, and among Latino, African American and Asian American Republicans. Texans are ready for change. The Hobby School survey found even greater support for specific changes detailed in the proposed legislation. For example, 91 percent support the provision that would require police officers to intervene and render aid if another officer is using excessive force; 84 percent support a ban on the use of lethal force by a police officer if a lesser level of force could have worked; and 77 percent support a ban on the use of chokeholds by police officers. Three out of four support ending arrests for offenses that carry only a fine as possible punishment, such as minor traffic violations and disorderly conduct, while 72 percent support limiting police officers immunity from civil lawsuits. In the coming months, the Texas Legislature will consider a wide range of proposed legislation, much of which lacks a strong public consensus. The George Floyd Act is that all too rare bit of policy it has strong consensus among a wide range of Texans, and it provides legislators from both parties the opportunity to collaborate to pass legislation that can help unite us rather than divide us. The George Floyd Act can address important social and racial justice issues, and, in doing so, it can also be a unifying force. Texas can show the rest of the country what we can accomplish when we work together. Watson is founding dean of the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston; Jones is a fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute and a Hobby School senior research associate; and Cross is senior director of the Hobby School. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low near 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Quarterly Activities Report Brisbane, Jan 29, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Quarter started with the award to the Company of new ATP 2062 on 1 October 2020 in what must be close to record time, for 1,414 square kilometres of new acreage contiguous to PL231 (see Figure 1 below*). The new block (which we are calling "Rolleston-West") contains the highly prospective Bandanna Coals which have shown good CSG potential to the north at Mahalo and to the south at Acadia, as well as previously identified conventional gas targets. Interestingly, the geology of the block includes two plunging noses, with the coals in the target area at depths within the CSG sweet spot, that is between 300 metres and 650 metres. It is planned to explore and develop Rolleston-West in conjunction with neighbouring Reid's Dome, as a single integrated project.Seismic has been previously acquired over the eastern area of the permit and this, together with the results of sampling by coal companies exploring in the area, enables us to move to drilling in the block without preliminary exploration. We are currently preparing to drill two wells in the permit, to be undertaken in conjunction with the Phase 2 Campaign at Reid's Dome.$14.5m capital raisedThe end of September Quarter saw the Company raise $9.5m through a private placement, and this was immediately followed by a Share Purchase Plan extending the same terms to the Company's eligible shareholders, namely the purchase of a maximum of 27,272 shares at $0.55 per share. The Plan was heavily oversubscribed, with subscriptions of nearly 250% of the $2m target sum. Nearly $4.9m was raised, bringing the combined equity raisings to nearly $14.5m, enabling the Company to move rapidly into its Phase 2 exploration and appraisal campaign.The Phase 2 CampaignThe Phase 2 exploration and appraisal campaign for the Reid's Dome Project aims to provide additional data to secure a significant certified reserves booking and enable field development planning and infrastructure design for commercialisation of the Nyanda area.Two "step out" wells from the successful Nyanda-4 well were drilled during the Quarter, Nyanda-7 approximately 2.5km to the north, and Nyanda-8 approximately 2.2km to the south-west of Nyanda-4 (see Figure 1 below). The new drilling has confirmed confidence in the extent of the resource in the Nyanda area, with both wells intersecting good quality, gassy coals with seams of similar thicknesses and depths to Nyanda-4, and in a promising sign for producibility, evidence of open fractures.CURRENT QUARTER UPDATESince the end of the Quarter production testing has commenced at Nyanda-4 and Nyanda-7 (on 19 and 25 January respectively), while the Services Rig has just completed installation of the pump at Nyanda-8 and the surface facilities are currently being connected. The flow data to be provided from these tests will be a key input into development planning for the field.The results so far from Nyanda-4 and Nyanda-7 are looking so promising that the Company is starting base-line environmental studies for the development (including Central Processing Facilities), thus ensuring our aspirational timetable in Target 2023 remains on track.The forecasted La Nina weather pattern has led State Gas to bi-furcate its drilling programme, and the remaining wells (on both PL231 and Rolleston-West) will be drilled once the wet season weather risks have abated. This has proved to be a wise decision as more than 12 inches (300 mm) of rain fell at site in the 3 weeks after Christmas alone4. We expect that this wet weather should abate by mid to late March in which case we will re-commence the programme to drill and test production at the central (Serocold) and northern (Aldinga) areas of the project.Excitingly, as part of the Phase 2 re-commencement, State Gas will embark on the first work at Rolleston-West.The market for gas is the most promising it has been for quite a while. The Asian LNG spot price is running at historically high levels, and there is an expectation that the go-ahead for a major new gas-fired power station, part of the Federal Government's "gas led recovery", will be announced in March or April this year. A new power station is likely to take at least two years before it is commissioned, adding to the strength of domestic demand in 2023. Target 2023 has never looked more prescient.The results to date show that the aspirational goal set out in Target 2023 has never looked closer to being a reality. The 6 months covering last quarter and the coming one are indeed critical to the beckoning future.Financial PositionState Gas is well placed to complete its Phase 2 Campaign. At the end of the Quarter the Company had cash at bank of $12.47m, after raising new equity of $5.96m (net of costs) during the Quarter ($14.43m including the preceding Quarter), and expending $1.45m in Project development costs, and $0.57m in other costs.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About State Gas Limited State Gas Limited (ASX:GAS) is a Queensland-based developer of the Reid's Dome gas field, originally discovered during drilling in 1955, located in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland. State Gas is 100%-owner of the Reid's Dome Gas Project (PL-231) a CSG and conventional gas play, which is well-located 30 kilometres southwest of Rolleston, approximately 50 kilometres from the Queensland Gas Pipeline and interconnected east coast gas network. Permian coal measures within the Reid's Dome Beds are extensive across the entire permit but the area had not been explored for coal seam gas prior to State Gas' ownership. In late 2018 State Gas drilled the first coal seam gas well in the region (Nyanda-4) into the Reid's Dome Beds and established the potential for a significant coal seam gas project in PL 231. The extension of the coal measures into the northern and central areas of the permit was confirmed in late 2019 by the Company's drilling of Aldinga East-1A (12 km north) and Serocold-1 (6 km to the north of Nyanda-4). State Gas is also the 100% holder Authority to Prospect 2062 ("Rolleston-West"), a 1,414 km2 permit (eight times larger than PL 231) that is contiguous with the Reid's Dome Gas Project. Rolleston-West contains highly prospective targets for both coal seam gas (CSG) and known conventional gas within the permit area. It is not restricted by domestic gas reservation requirements. The contiguous areas (Reid's Dome and Rolleston-West), under sole ownership by State Gas, enable integration of activities and a unified super-gasfield development, providing economies of scale, efficient operations, and optionality in marketing. State Gas is implementing its strategic plan to bring gas to market from Reid's Dome and Rolleston-West to meet near term forecast shortfalls in the east coast domestic gas market. The strategy involves progressing a phased appraisal program in parallel with permitting for an export pipeline and development facilities to facilitate the fastest possible delivery of gas to market. State Gas' current focus has been to confirm the producibility of the gas through production testing of the wells. As your story notes, the forlorn Lloyd Center has many merits (Lloyd Center on the brink as businesses depart en masse: This mall is going down, Jan. 24). The center is large, with plentiful parking, and is served by many bus lines and light rail. At the same time, many of the government-run offices serving nearby residents, such as the post office, liquor store and DMV, are small, crowded and inefficient. Federal, state and local officials should convert the mall into a one-stop service center. This could include offices for federal Social Security and IRS customer assistance, as well as state unemployment, parks and fish and wildlife agency aid. The Portland police might establish a precinct at the center, and local utilities and cable television companies could provide customer assistance at the site. With hundreds of employees working in the revitalized center serving large numbers of Oregonians daily, shop owners and restaurant operators would find the refreshed mall a worthy rent option. The governor, mayor, county chair and other leaders need to take advantage of this superb opportunity. Jerry Powell, Portland 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. Arvind Joshi, a veteran Gujarati theatre actor and director, also featured in Bollywood films including Apmaan Ki Aag, Sholay and Ittefaq. Veteran theatre actor and director Arvind Joshi passed away at Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai earlier today, 29 January. The news was first reported by Komal Nahta's Film Information. Arvind Joshi was a noted Gujarati drama artist and has taken part in several stage productions throughout his life. The actor was also associated with films, having acted in popular Bollywood releases like Sholay, Ittefaq and Apmaan Ki Aag. Joshi is survived by his wife and two children. He was the father of actors Sharman Joshi and Manasi Joshi Roy. While Sharman has acted in various major Bollywood movies like 3 Idiots, Life in a Metro, Golmaal series and more, Manasi is a renowned television artist, having acted in Dhhai Kilo Prem, Saaya, Gharwali Uparwali and Kkusum. Both Sharman and Manasi are also married into filmy households with Manasis spouse being actor Rohit Roy, and Sharman being married to Prem Chopra's daughter Prerana. Also, Arvind Joshi was the brother-in-law of actor Sarita Joshi and uncle of actor Ketki Dave. Despite being well connected to various actors by familial bonds, Sharman has confessed to feeling like an outsider in the Bollywood film industry. In a recent interview, the actor had repented for not being connected to the star 'parivaars' of the film fraternity. He had said that he understood how certain generations of families have been in the business and even his kids are going to enjoy the connections he has made during his decades-long career in Bollywood. Yet despite that he feels a little sorry for himself for not being that well attuned to any film family. Sharman said that he knew his children would enjoy the fruit of [his] presence in the Hindi cinema in the future and they would have certain advantage. "I understand that but I do feel a little sorry for me sometimes, that I was not connected to a film industry family. I was born into a theatre family, though, so I have plenty of experience on that front," he added. The home of Emmett Till, the Black teenager whose 1955 lynching galvanized the civil rights movement when his mother insisted his mutilated body be displayed in an open casket, has been granted landmark status. Chicago City Council on Wednesday issued an ordinance that protects the South Side home from demolition. Emmett and his mother were living in the home in summer 1955 when the 14-year-old boy left to visit family in Mississippi. On Aug. 28, 1955, white men stormed into his uncles home and snatched Emmett from his bed, accusing him of whistling at a white woman at a grocery store. His body was found three days later. His body was returned to Chicago and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, insisted that it be placed in an open casket and photographed by Jet magazine to show the world what racism looked like. The photographs inspired those who took part in the civil rights movement, reportedly including a young woman named Rosa Parks, who three months later was arrested for violating Alabamas segregation laws by refusing to move to the back of a Montgomery bus. In a magazine interview years later, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said Parks considered moving to the back of the bus. But then she thought about Emmett Till and she couldnt do it, he said. Emmetts alleged attackers were acquitted in his death, despite damning eyewitness testimony. A short time later, Look magazine published a story in which the men confessed to the crime. The landmark designation comes 15 years after Chicago gave landmark status to the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ building, where the boys visitation and funeral were held. He found fame as the star of medical sitcom Scrubs. And on Thursday, it was reported that Zach Braff has signed on to star in a reboot of Cheaper By The Dozen for Disney+. Braff, 45, will join Gabrielle Union, 48, in the movie that's being written and produced by Black-ish creator Kenya Barris. New role: Zach Braff has signed on to star in a reboot of the comedy Cheaper By The Dozen for the subscription streaming service Disney+, it was reported Thursday Inspired by the 2003 big screen comedy starring Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt, Braff and Union will play parents of a multiracial blended family of 12, according to THR.com. The on screen couple will juggle running their business with raising their kids and the hectic home life sets the scene for a bunch of family friendly laughs. The project is expected to drop on the Mouse House's subscription streaming service in 2022. Breakthrough: Braff is best known for his starring role on the medical sitcom Scrubs which ran from 2001 to 2010 (he's pictured with co-star Donald Faison) On screen couple: Braff, 45, will join Gabrielle Union, 48, for the film imagined by Black-ish creator Kenya Barris. They will play parents of a multiracial blended family of 12 Classic hit: The new project is inspired by the 2003 big screen comedy Cheaper By The Dozen that starred Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt News of the Cheaper By The Dozen reboot was first announced during the Disney Investor Day presentation in December. The studio announced a slate of reimagined offerings including the return of Whoopi Goldberg for a third Sister Act movie and a sequel to 2007's Enchanted with Amy Adams reprising her role as Gisele. Disney also announced a long-awaited sequel to Hocus Pocus and a new version of Three Men And A Baby, all destined to screen exclusively on Disney+. DETROIT, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new research report on Carbon Composite Operating Tables Market by Technology Type (Manual and Powered), by Application Type (General and Specialty), by End-User Type (Hospital and Ambulatory Surgical Centers), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2021-2026. This strategic assessment report, from Stratview Research, provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects today's carbon composites operating table market realities and future possibilities for the forecast period of 2021 to 2026. The report estimates the short- as well as long-term repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the demand for carbon composites operating table at the global, regional, as well as country level. Also, the report provides the possible loss that the industry may register by comparing pre-COVID and post-COVID scenario. The report segments and analyzes the market in the most comprehensive manner to provide a panoramic view of the market. The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for market participants as well as investors in the identification of low-hanging fruits available as well as formulate growth strategies. Carbon Composite Operating Tables Market: Highlights from the Report In the medical industry, carbon composites are increasingly preferred in applications, such as radiographic imaging tabletops, cradles, prosthetics, tabletop extension & accessories, oncology treatment overlays, positioning products, and surgical table components. Operating tables with carbon composite tabletop offer radiolucency which makes them suitable for hybrid operating rooms and diagnostic imaging. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the carbon composite operating tables market. Disruption of the international supply chain shook the market, especially in developing nations. Clinical trial data collections for medical devices have also been disrupted owing to the lockdown, restricting the market growth prospects. The market for carbon composite operating tables is expected to recover from 2021 onwards and grow at a healthy pace over the next five years to reach an estimated value of US$ 367 million in 2026. Click Here and Run Through the TOC of the Report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/toc/1382/composite-operating-tables-market.html Stratview Research has firstly segmented the market based on the technology type into manual and powered tables. Manual tables are likely to remain the larger segment of the market during the forecast period due to their lower price coupled with the ease of use associated with such tables. However, powered tables are expected to grow at a faster rate owing to precision in tabletop movements. Based on the end-user type, hospitals held a larger share of the market in 2020 and is expected to maintain its position during the forecast period as well. Higher budget of such establishments as well as larger patient footfall attributed to its larger share. Ambulatory surgical centers are expected to expand at a higher rate, owing to growing patient preference, especially in the North American and European markets. In terms of region, North America accounted for the largest share of the carbon composite operating tables market in 2020. The region is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period as well in the wake of huge healthcare expenditure, higher adoption of advanced technology, presence of dominant players, well-established healthcare infrastructure, and presence of skilled medical professionals. Asia-Pacific is projected to witness the highest growth during 2021-2026. Significant economic growth and growing investment towards improving healthcare infrastructure in key economies such as China, India, and South Korea are the major factors boosting the growth of the Asia-Pacific's market. Enquire Here for a Free Sample of the Detailed Report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/1382/composite-operating-tables-market.html In terms of region, North America accounted for the largest share of the global medical composites market in 2020. The region is expected to maintain its dominance over the forecast period as well, owing to higher adoption of advanced technology, well-developed healthcare infrastructure, and huge healthcare expenditure. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing market, owing to the rapid improvement in healthcare infrastructure in key economies such as India and China along with rising healthcare expenditure in the region. Major carbon composite operating table manufacturers include Getinge Group, Steris Corporation, HillRom, Stryker Corporation, Stille AB, Skytron LLC, Surgical Table Inc., Composite Horizons LLC, and Mizuho Medical Co., Ltd. Some of the Key Product Launches in the Market: In 2020, Hillrom launched PST 500 and PST 300 precision surgical tables that offer a 360-degree radiolucency coupled with the capability of handling general surgery, orthopedics, and neurosurgery. In 2019, Genting launched its Maquet Yuno II surgical table, which is a versatile option to support advanced orthopedic techniques as well as trauma and neurosurgeries. In 2017, Hillrom launched the Allen advance table lateral system to compliment the Allen advanced table. The radiolucent flat table offers superior intra-operative imaging capabilities. Report Features This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report: Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis. Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis. Market trend and forecast analysis. Market segment trend and forecast. Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc. Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities. Emerging trends. Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players. Key success factors. This report studies the global carbon composite operating tables market and has segmented the market in four ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. Following are the four ways in which the market is segmented: Carbon Composite Operating Tables Market, By Technology Type: Manual Operating Tables (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) , , , and RoW) Powered Operating Tables (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Carbon Composite Operating Tables Market, By Application Type: General Operating Tables (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) , , , and RoW) Specialty Operating Tables (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Carbon Composite Operating Tables Market, By End-User Type: Hospital (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) , , , and RoW) Ambulatory Surgical Centers (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Carbon Composite Operating Tables Market, By Region: North America (Country Analysis: The USA , Canada , and Mexico ) (Country Analysis: The , , and ) Europe (Country Analysis: Germany , The UK, France , Italy , Spain , and Rest of Europe ) (Country Analysis: , The UK, , , , and Rest of ) Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: China , Japan , India , South Korea , and Rest of Asia-Pacific ) (Country Analysis: , , , , and Rest of ) Rest of the World (Country Analysis: Brazil , The UAE, and Others) Stratview Research has several high value market reports in the composites and advanced materials industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports: Click Here for Other Reports from Stratview Research in the Advanced Materials Industry: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/market-reports/Advanced-Materials.html About Stratview Research Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research, and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas. We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies. Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making. Stratview Research has launched 'Composights', an online portal which offers free thought leadership reports, whitepapers, market report synopsis and much more for Composites and allied industries, worth US$ 20,000 every year. Click here to sign up (No costs involved): https://www.stratviewresearch.com/composights/sign-in For enquiries, please contact: Stratview Research E-mail: [email protected] Direct: +1-313-307-4176 SOURCE Stratview Research Courtesy, Metro Health U.S. Army officials toured the Alamodome's vaccination site this week and left feeling "impressed" by the operation, according to the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District According to Metro Health spokeswoman Michelle Vigil, the headquarters for the Army's vaccination efforts are at Ft. Sam Houston. Officials where given a detailed tour of the vaccine operations at the city-run mega hub, which launched earlier this January. 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. What people dont realize is, because the planet is warming overall doesnt mean you cant get cold waves. It doesnt mean you cant get snowstorms, he said. In fact, on a warming planet, the snowstorms you get may be heavier snow producers because the environment within which the storm is occurring has warmed and therefore holds more water vapor. So the snows can actually be heavier in a warming climate regime. Its just that they occur less frequently and over less area. experts are to begin face-to-face meetings with their Chinese counterparts Friday in the central city of Wuhan at the start of the team's long-awaited fact-finding mission into the origins of the Those meetings should be followed by the first field visits in and around the industrial and transport hub on Friday, WHO said on Twitter but did not give further details about the team's agenda. It said the team had already requested detailed underlying data and planned to speak with early responders and some of the first COVID-19 patients. All hypotheses are on the table as the team follows the science in their work to understand the origins of the COVID19 virus, WHO tweeted. As members start their field visits on Friday, they should receive the support, access and the data they need." The team members had spent the past two weeks in a required quarantine, during which they had been communicating with Chinese officials by videoconferences to lay the groundwork for field visits. At their new hotel, some were seen waving from balconies, and people arriving aboard three buses went inside, possibly to join in the preliminary meeting between WHO and Chinese scientists. WHO, which is based in Geneva, said late Thursday on Twitter that its team plans to visit hospitals, markets like the Huanan Seafood Market linked to many of the first cases, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and laboratories at facilities like the Wuhan Center for Disease Control. The mission has become politically charged, as seeks to avoid blame for alleged missteps in its early response to the outbreak. Confirmation of the origins of the virus is likely to take years; pinning down an outbreak's animal reservoir typically requires exhaustive research including taking animal samples, genetic analysis and epidemiological studies. One possibility is that a wildlife poacher might have passed the virus to traders who carried it to Wuhan. The Chinese government has promoted theories, with little evidence, that the outbreak might have started with imports of frozen seafood tainted with the virus, a notion roundly rejected by international scientists and agencies. A possible focus for investigators is the Wuhan Institute of Virology in the city where the outbreak began. 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. New cases of local transmission in are continuing to fall with just 36 announced on Friday, even as the annual Lunar New Year travel push gets underway. Authorities have taken a variety measures to discourage travel this season and far fewer Chinese than usual appear willing to make the trip, even though it might be their only chance to return home and see family all year. The northeastern province of Heilongjiang reported the largest number of new cases, 21, over the past 24 hours, followed by Jilin province just to the south. The capital Beijing and its surrounding province of Hebei both reported one new case each. (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.) State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has tested the third prototype of Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). Image Source: IANS News Bengaluru, Jan 29 : State-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) will showcase its aircraft and helicopters at the 13th biennial Aero India 2021 in the city from February 3-5, an official said on Friday. "We will showcase our fixed and rotary wing aircraft and helicopters during the air show by flying them in a unique formation at the Yelahanka Air Force station on the city's outskirts," the official said in a statement here. "Titled 'Aatmanirbhar formation flight' after the government's flagship self-reliant India programme, the flying display will demonstrate the defence behemoth's prowess on the theme 'conceive, indigenise and collaborate' at the three-day maiden hybrid expo. "The formation flight will have the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas trainer, Hindustan Turbo Trainer (HTT-40), IJT (Intermediate Jet Trainer), Advanced Hawk Mk-132 and Civil Dornier (Do-228) to demonstrate self-sufficiency in the trainer segment," said the company. HTT-40, Advanced Hawk Mk 132 and Civil Do-228 will also be available for customer demonstration flights. "Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) will take part in the flying display," said the official. Static display will include Do-228, Hindustan Turbo Trainer (HTT)-40 and LUH and ALH Mk III. The defence behemoth's major attraction will be the Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) simulator at its pavilion in the expo. "The simulator will have Tejas-Max cockpit as the mother-ship platform, with the embedded air teaming intelligence concepts to demonstrate the integrated and autonomous wingman platforms and swarming of drones to engage in the mission," said the statement. The outdoor static display will feature rotary wing products LCH, ALH Mk IV Rudra and ALH civil variant. The company's pavilion will also display indigenously designed and developed fixed and rotary wing platforms, technologies, covering power plants and future generation combat capable airborne solutions. "We will promote indigenously-built platforms to visiting delegations and hold meetings with manufacturers and customers to sign agreements and contracts for various projects," added the official. Product launches, handing over ceremonies and major announcements on key activities will be part of the company's schedule at the expo. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Roaa Ahmed is 18, but shes no stranger to protesting for change. At just 10 years old, she took to the streets with thousands during the Egyptian revolution. Soon after authorities came banging on the door to arrest her teenage brother. We were that type of family where we go and protest; we dont keep silent, she says. The family fled Egypt and arrived in Australia in 2018 where Roaa found herself seeking advice from strangers on the streets of Bankstown. They pointed her to the local library and intensive English centre, which quickly changed her life. Two years later she is fluent in English, scoring top marks and preparing for her HSC at Beverly Hills Girls High School, where she is also on the student representative council. But her lifeline over the past two years has been volunteering with refugees and teaching Arabic each weekend. The beginning of year 11 was a shock and the first term was so bad for me, I gave up on many things. I thought Id go to find a volunteering place, so at least I could help people, she says. I am passionate about helping people. Beverly Hills Girls High School Year 12 student Roaa Ahmed wants to help women who dont have freedom, after living through the Egyptian revolution as a child. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer It gives her much in common with her new classmates in Sydney, who are emerging as a generation intent on making an impact. Their last two years have been rocked by COVID-19, economic uncertainty and the consequences of climate change. Says social analyst Mark McCrindle: Theyve come of age at a time where wellbeing and mental health has been a focus, for good reason. Theres anxiety and a sense of global competition: will I achieve all I should?. Like all young people, the year 12 class of 2021 are keen to tackle the worlds problems. But they value making a difference and finding fulfilment in work more so than the generations before them. [That focus] is a real badge of honour for them. Those insights say a lot of about the emerging leaders they will be, McCrindle says. The new challenges theyre coming up against also beckon new solutions. Theyve recognised that the existing leaders dont have the answers and its going to take a new generation to solve them, McCrindle says. As year 12 students commence their final chapter of school this week, many already have a clear agenda for change in mind. Advertisement Loading Mental health is on the radar for Josh Seward, the school captain of St Augustines College in Brookvale. Mental illness has always been prevalent in his northern beaches community, and even more-so since the pandemic struck. Myself and my leadership team were interested in going a bit further and looking at how we can help our community and age group in the mental health space, he says. The suicides of some year 11 and 12 students in northern Sydney last year sparked fresh concern for young peoples wellbeing. I think those stories and the COVID effect pushed us over the edge to making it a number one priority, Josh says. It was always up there we were always going to talk about it. But we werent going to push it as hard until you hear those stories through friends or read those articles. Josh Seward, captain of St Augustines College in Brookvale, wants to help the northern beaches community and his age group in the mental health space, after seeing people struggle during COVID-19. Credit:James Brickwood This year he wants all his peers to complete an accredited one-day mental health crisis course. It helps you pick up on signs and symptoms. It means the senior boys have an understanding of what theyre talking about; theyre not having people ask for help and having no idea what to do or make it up on the spot. [That] would give the boys someone to talk to, if they didnt want to talk to staff, Josh says. Once this training day gets passed by the school, Im hoping to take it to a young leaders meeting with our local member Zali Steggall, and present it there for all the schools in Warringah, with the hope that she would say: lets take it on and get it in all the schools. At the edge of western Sydney, in Llandilo, the captains of Xavier College are also determined to make the schoolyard a safer place for students. Head boy Huntley Jones witnessed the impact of bullying firsthand when his younger brother was a victim. It hurt. Id hate for anybody to feel like that, he says. I want to start a ballot box where kids can write whats happening to them anonymously and we can talk to the students privately, without anyone else having to know. Advertisement Huntley is a member of the Kamilaroi nation and head girl Paige Manning is a Wailwan Wiradjuri woman; both have also taken leading roles at the Murama Indigenous Youth Summit over the past three years. Its giving a voice to our culture, Paige says. As young First Nations students, its a way we can almost speak for our ancestors. We are the present and we are the future. Xavier College Llandilo year 12 students and captains Paige Manning and Huntley Jones are both First Nations Australians. Its nice being able to lead and let [Indigenous students] know its ok to be involved, and how much of a family we are when were all together, Paige says. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Part of their leadership has been instilling that same pride in younger students. There are a lot of students who identify as Indigenous but dont want to get involved. Thats hard to see as someone who is so proud to be Indigenous, Paige says. Its nice being able to lead and let them know its ok to be involved and how much of a family we are when were all together. Loading School principal Michael Pate credits the students with shaping his own approach to leadership. I learn from these two kids every day. Theyve humbled me in understanding what First Nations culture is all about, he says. When it comes to January 26 Im very much with them; we need to change the date. Both Hunter and Paige are walking in two worlds. Theyre sharing that, in a way that any First Nations student at this school can be proud to say: Im First Nations. Young people are the group most likely to support social change, such as moving Australia Day from January 26 out of respect to First Nations people. Their interest in human rights, social justice and the environment is growing, according to an analysis of student essays over the past decade by the Whitlam Institute. Despite the trust deficit our current democratic system has created, our children are actually keenly political and engaged, says director Leanne Smith. Students are choosing to write about global warming, pollution and climate change more as time goes on; latest assessment data confirms those among students main concerns. Advertisement Santa Sabina prefect Eloise Struthers is among the new generation of environmental activists. Seeing coral lose its colour over separate scuba diving trips first inspired her to get involved with the school strike for climate movement in year 9. I realised how many people cared and how many people my age were passionate about this, she says. Santa Sabinas environment and sustainability prefect Eloise Struthers advocated for her role to be established, so the school could do more for the environment. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Eloise organised her schools own strike delegation the next year, and took up captaincy of the environment committee the year after. But she thought the school needed to do more. Eloise advocated that there should be a new [environment and sustainability] role on the executive, her principal Paulina Skerman said. Now in that inaugural position, Eloise has set a list of practical goals: changing the canteens packaging from plastic to bamboo, filling the printers with recycled paper, and organising an energy audit to switch the school to LED lighting. But I also want to leave a legacy of inspiring change and leaving an environmentally conscious community, she says. The main thing is I want a change of heart, within the school and beyond. Everyone has some sense of empathy. Genuinely talking to them is the most effective way, Ive found. Slam poet and aspiring author Jihad Yassine is more likely to change the world with the written word. The Punchbowl Boys High School student has already published his first book of poetry, and will spend his HSC year working on another. Punchbowl Boys High School student Jihad Yassine has already published his first book through the Story Factory. People read books to find inspiration of any sort, whether a poetry or a business book. Thats my goal to help people, he says. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Advertisement LONDON - Social media influencers and reality TV stars who left Britain for sun-soaked destinations, citing work purposes, have been slammed by the government, and by fans, for maintaining opulent presences on social media while those at home remain subject to a third nationwide lockdown as the coronavirus crisis rages on. But now, they face a desperate rush to fly back home by a Friday afternoon deadline. Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, said Thursday that the U.K. would begin banning direct flights from the United Arab Emirates - which includes the luxury tourist city of Dubai - to its "red list" of countries subject to a travel ban. Earlier this month, the UAE was removed from Britain's travel corridor list following a surge in infections, meaning that those arriving from the UAE - including Dubai - would have to self-quarantine for 10 days. Dubai has become one of the top attractions for those seemingly seeking to dodge Britain's stay-at-home measures, with celebrities flocking to the city to pose poolside and bask in the heat. Many stars have documented their trips in detail, drawing widespread rebukes. While some have argued that their trips were genuinely necessary for business reasons, many appear to have exploited a business loophole, while millions of people have been confined to their houses and separated from their loved ones. Britain has recorded more than 100,000 coronavirus deaths. In recent days, the British government has vowed to clamp down on those attempting to embark on nonessential trips. "Technically any influencer can go to Dubai take a few photos and claim it's work," wrote one user on Instagram earlier this week. Many others declared they were unfollowing celebrities posting travel photos. "Passengers must still have proof of a negative test and completed Passenger Locator Form before arrival - or could otherwise face a 500 pound [$685] fine for each," Shapps said Thursday, adding that Abu Dhabi, Rwanda and Burundi had also been added to prevent the spread of the coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa. On Wednesday, Home Secretary Priti Patel announced she would seek to change the regulations. Under the new measures, travelers will be required to fill out a form that states why they are leaving the country, and may be sent home if their reason is not deemed sufficient enough. "Going on holiday is not an exemption, and it's important that people stay at home," Patel said as she outlined plans to reduce the flow of passengers at British airports. "It is illegal to leave home to travel abroad for leisure purposes," Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as he outlined steps to test and isolate those entering Britain from other countries in a bid to keep new variants of the virus out. Scientists and members of the public have long criticized the government's handling of the pandemic, accusing Johnson of being too slow to act and failing to close Britain's borders or require international visitors to quarantine earlier. On Jan 18, Britain suspended all travel corridors because of the ongoing severe outbreak, meaning that all visitors to the country must now quarantine on arrival - a drastic step but one deemed necessary, and one that many say should have been taken much sooner. Britain's clampdown came as a number of countries considered more-restrictive travel policies in response to the spread of virus variants that pose additional risks. Cast members of the British television program "The Only Way Is Essex" are among some of those being scrutinized for their decision to travel to Dubai, with many people leaving angry comments underneath photos of the stars sipping wine in bars and relaxing on sun loungers. "Can't see much work happening, incredibly irresponsible," read one comment, while others took to the platform to remind the celebrities that the National Health Service is in turmoil and that "people are dying." Cases are once again climbing in Dubai, which has continued to welcome tourists during the coronavirus outbreak while many other countries have closed their borders to curb new infections. Daily coronavirus cases have tripled in the last two weeks, with more than 3,900 new cases recorded by the UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention on Wednesday. Raymond Childs III, 17, (pictured) was charged with murder on Thursday morning, according to court records. He is accused of shooting dead six people at his family's home in Indianapolis on Sunday morning The girlfriend of an Indiana teen accused of killing five people, including four family members, and an unborn baby has revealed that he seemed nervous and broke down in tears in front of her as they visited the crime scene before his arrest. The Marion County Prosecutor's Office filed charges against Raymond Childs III, 17, on Thursday morning. He is facing six counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of carrying a handgun without a license. Childs III allegedly went on a shooting spree early Sunday morning - killing his mother Kezzie Childs, 42, father Raymond Childs Jr, 42, 18-year-old brother Elijah and 13-year-old sister Rita. Elijah's girlfriend Kiara Hawkins, 19, was also killed, along with her unborn baby boy. Recounting the hours before the shooting, Childs III's girlfriend, identified in a probable cause affidavit only as J.D. said the 17-year-old was planning to spend the night at her house on Saturday when his father called and told him to come home. J.D. said Childs III left in an Uber and then came back to her house sometime before 3am on Sunday morning in a white Chrysler that she said she had never seen him driving before. Childs III told J.D. that his father had kicked him out of the house, she said, noting that he brought two bags of clothes and some shoes with him. About 30 minutes after Childs III came back to her house, J.D. said she got an alert on her phone about a shooting on Adams Street. She asked him if he knew anything about it and he said no. Later in the morning J.D. said she convinced Childs III to go to the crime scene, saying he seemed 'nervous'. When they got there, he began crying and 'acted a clown', she said. They then went back to her home, where he grabbed some of his clothes and asked her to drive him to another house. After she dropped him off, J.D. said she saw a magazine fly out of the pile of clothes Childs III had left on the floor Childs III (pictured above in a Facebook photo) is charged with six counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of carrying a handgun without a license. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted Childs III was identified as the gunman by his younger brother Xavier Childs, who suffered gunshot wounds as he fled from the home, police said. Xavier, 15, remains hospitalized but is expected to recover. Police previously withheld the suspect's name due to his age. It was released after the charges were filed in adult court due to the severity of the alleged crimes. Childs III faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted. Prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty due to his age. He appeared in court for a virtual hearing on Thursday afternoon, where a judge ordered he be held without bond. The affidavit details how Childs III allegedly chased his fleeing brother Xavier down and shot him twice as he begged for his life - narrowly missing his skull. The affidavit also states that Childs III shot his parents in their bed, as his father pleaded: 'I'm sorry Raymond, I love you.' Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears told a news conference that Childs III carried out the shooting with two different firearms - first using a 9MM handgun and then switching to a 'draco gun' after the handgun ran out of bullets. Those guns were believed to have been owned by his father. It's unclear if they were licensed. The probable cause affidavit for Childs III's arrest featured four photos of the draco gun allegedly used in the shooting Another photo showed an AK-style magazine that was found wrapped in clothes in a car belonging to Childs III's girlfriend, identified only as 'J.D.' Raymond Childs Jr, 42 (left) and Elijah Childs, 18, (right) were among the six victims shot dead at their Indianapolis home on Sunday. The alleged gunman, Childs III, was Raymond's son and Elijah's brother Kezzie Childs, 42, (left) and her 13-year-old daughter Rita (right) were also shot and killed Kiara Hawkins, 19, (pictured) was also killed, along with her unborn baby. Her due date was just days away The gunman was identified by his younger brother Xavier Childs, who suffered gunshot wounds as he fled from the home, according to relatives and a police report. Xavier, 15, (pictured) remains hospitalized but is expected to recover The shooting unfolded at around 4am Sunday at the Childs' home on Adams Street. Police are pictured at the scene hours later Childs III fled from the home after the killings and was arrested on Monday at a relative's home. He was being held at Marion County Juvenile Detention Center prior to charges being filed. It's unclear whether he's been transferred to an adult jail. Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears (pictured) announced the charges at a press conference on Thursday morning The handgun was recovered from the home and the draco gun was found after Childs III was arrested, Mears said. He said both guns appeared to have been owned by the family, but did not say whether they were legally obtained. The probable cause affidavit for Childs III's arrest featured four photos of the draco gun allegedly used in the shooting. Another photo showed an AK-style magazine that was found wrapped in clothes in a car belonging to Childs III's girlfriend, identified only as 'J.D.' 'Our community has suffered another trauma with the tragic loss of this family. Gun violence continues to take and damage too many lives,' Mears said. 'Our task now is to bring these allegations before the Court. We intend to seek justice for the victims, and to do so in a way that respects the process and all of the circumstances present in this case.' Neighbors had called 911 to report the shooting at about 4am Sunday after Xavier fled from the house on Adams Street and collapsed on their porch, according to the probable cause affidavit. When he got to the hospital, Xavier told officers that his 17-year-old brother was the gunman, saying: 'They killed my entire family.' Describing the moments leading up to the shooting, Xavier reportedly told detectives that his older sibling had been scolded by his father for leaving the house without permission. The father, Raymond Jr, warned his older son that he would be punished later, Xavier said, before chaos erupted. The younger brother said he was downstairs with his parents when they heard gunfire upstairs. His sister shrieked: 'He shot Elijah,' and more shots rang out. He said his brother then 'came downstairs with a draco gun, a handgun that shoots rifle rounds, and started shooting', the police report states. Xavier ran out of the house as his sibling allegedly followed behind him and opened fire multiple times. When Childs III caught up to him, Xavier said he told him: 'I can give you forty dollars, please don't kill me.' 'He just looked at me and then he shot me on the leg. I fell. He shot me in my arm. And then he tried to shoot me in my head but missed, I guess,' Xavier told detectives. The family were found shot dead in their home in the 3500 block of Adam Street, Indianapolis The Childs' home on Adams Street is shown above Loved ones are seen consoling each other outside the Childs family home on Sunday Kezzie, Raymond Jr, Elijah and Rita were all declared dead at the scene. The parents were killed as they laid in their bed in the basement. Xavier said his father's last words were: 'I'm sorry Raymond, I love you.' Hawkins, who had been in bed with Elijah, was transported to a local hospital, where she died along with her unborn baby despite life-saving measures, police said. Autopsies confirmed that Raymond Jr and Kezzie both died of multiple gunshot wounds to the torso. Elijah and Kiara each died of a single gunshot to the head, and Rita died of a single gunshot to the chest. Police tracked Childs III down through his girlfriend, J.D., according to the affidavit. Detectives had gone to the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant where Childs III and J.D. worked, and the manager told them that both employees called out sick that morning. Detectives went to J.D.'s home and found a white Chrysler registered to Raymond Jr parked outside. They then brought J.D. in for questioning following a traffic stop. J.D. directed investigators toward a home on Burkhart South Drive where she said Childs III was staying. . Police tracked Childs III (left and right in Facebook photos) down through his girlfriend, J.D., according to the affidavit Loved ones set up two GoFundMe campaigns - one for the Childs family and one for Hawkins - which together have raised more than $23,000 for funeral costs. Hawkins' mother, Rhonique Hawkins, shared her heartbreak with DailyMail.com on Tuesday, revealing that the teen was just days away from her due date when she was killed. 'She was my first. Everything she taught me made me the woman and mom I am today,' Rhonique said. 'I love and miss her dearly.' A local pastor reacted to the tragedy on Tuesday, revealing his fears that violent lyrics in the suspect's music may have inspired the killing spree. Videos posted on YouTube show the suspect, who used the name 'Lil Raymond' rapping about guns and shooting people, Pastor Kenneth Sullivan Jr told WTHR. 'It's really gut-wrenching, it really hurts,' said Sullivan, whose relationship to the Childs family is unclear. He said its possible that the 'aspiring artist' was 'acting out' things that he rapped about when he carried out the shooting. 'If you're constantly feeding your mind negative things and destructive things, it won't be long before act upon those things,' Sullivan said. WTHR reported that investigators are working to determine whether the guns seen in the music video matched the one used in Sunday's shooting. The music video above shows a teen identified as the shooting suspect rapping about guns and killing people WTHR reported that investigators are working to determine whether the guns seen in the music video matched the one used in Sunday's shooting Announcing the suspect's arrest on Monday, IMPD Chief Randal Taylor said: 'Yesterday, we promised swift justice for this heinous act. Today, we delivered on that promised. 'While removing the alleged perpetrator of yesterday's mass murder from our neighborhoods does not bring back the lives senselessly lost, hopefully, it will bring us one step closer to healing as a community. 'I am grateful to all of the IMPD officers and criminal justice partners who have worked tirelessly for the last 30 plus hours to bring justice for these victims, their friends and families, and our entire community.' Mayor Joe Hogsett also issued a statement thanking law enforcement for their efforts. 'Today's announcement is the first step toward justice for the senseless acts that cut short the lives of six of our neighbors in the early hours of Sunday morning,' the mayor said. 'While nothing can bring back the Childs family, I hope that the swift action of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department offers some comfort to all of those who have been left to grapple with this tragic loss. 'My thanks go to the men and women of IMPD whose thoughtful investigative work led to the arrest of the suspect, and my prayers are with the family, friends, and community impacted by this devastating act of violence.' The shooting came weeks after Indianapolis recorded its most violent year on record, with 244 homicides. City officials have attributed the violence in part to poverty which was exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. Loved ones and neighbors gathered on the street on Sunday to console each other and share their shock at what had unfolded in the quiet community. 'To take a whole family out like thatI just don't understand,' Vicki Pinkston, who lives across the street from the Childs' home, told WTHR. 'To take a whole family out like thatI just don't understand,' Vicki Pinkston, who lives across the street from the Childs' home, told WTHR (pictured) Pinkston said she learned about the shooting when police knocked on her door at about 5am and asked if she heard anything, which she hadn't. She broke down in tears when she was informed that five people and an unborn child had been killed just a few yards away. Pinkston said she'd recently stopped by the home where the killings took place to drop off some baby items for Hawkins, whom she said was due next month. 'I had just given them some stuff from my great-grandson when he was born, but he is bigger now,' she said. Pinkston described the family as 'so sweet' and recalled their cheery greetings. 'Oh lord, they say: "Hi, Miss, Vicki" all the time...' she told FOX59. 'Now I gotta look over there and not hear they say: "Hi Miss Vicki, how's your day going?"' Another neighbor, Rivon Allen-Bailey, said he heard four gunshots ring out early Sunday morning and ran to his window but didn't see anything. New Delhi, Jan 29 : Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Cabinet ministers in Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, visited the protesting farmers at all three borders of Delhi on Friday. Manish Sisodia, senior AAP leader and Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, reached Ghazipur border at 11.30 a.m. on Friday. Sources told IANS that the move came after senior AAP functionaries decided to visit the protesting farmers in a meeting on Thursday night. They also informed that AAP leaders planned to visit the farmers' protest sites at the borders to take stock of water, toilets and civic amenities being provided to them by the Delhi government. The AAP government has been supporting the protesting farmers since the beginning of their agitation. AAP Chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday again came out in support of the farmers and tweeted, "We are standing with the farmers. Your demands are genuine. Defaming and calling farmers anti-national is completely wrong." Another senior AAP leader Satyendar Jain, who heads several key departments in the Delhi government, visited the Singhu border where farmers have been protesting for the past two months. Jain was accompanied by AAP National Spokesperson and Vice-Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) Raghav Chadha who before leaving the protest site alleged that Delhi police tried to interrupt the water supply to the farmers. "Delhi police tried to disrupt water supply to the farmers," Chadha said on his official Twitter account. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Leifer is a member of an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish sect that practises strict adherence to Jewish law. Living with her rabbi husband and children in the unremarkable, stained block of flats with plastic-shuttered windows and makeshift nets blocking out mosquitoes and the Middle Eastern sun, Leifers life was a far cry from a Melbourne prison cell. She came here to hide, says Daniel, a resident who asked that his surname not be published. Its super-religious here. It was a landing zone for her. Emmanuel was so corrupt that its mayor eventually went to jail. Daniel lives in the valley near Emmanuel, a stones throw from Leifers house. He says he was one of the first to raise the alarm to the Australian authorities that Leifer was not, as an Israeli court had found, incapacitated and unable to perform daily tasks. He says she was continuing to tutor young children. I gave the police the stills of kids going in and out of her house, he recalls. The people of Emmanuel are very poor. She would give them money, candy, tutor them. Leifer fled Australia in 2008, 24 hours after she was accused of sexually molesting students and sacked by the Adass Israel Schools board. The extradition process took more than a decade to resolve. She is accused of sexually abusing three school students between 2004 and 2008. Charge sheets allege most of the offences were committed in Elsternwick, but also in Elwood, Frankston and Emerald, and the regional towns of Blampied and Rawson. Sisters Elly Sapper, Dassi Erlich and Nicole Meyer, who allege they were abused as children by Leifer, were among the 30 people watching Thursdays hearing via video link. Leifer has long maintained her innocence. She fled to Israel in 2008 when the allegations were first aired, but was extradited this week following the decision of the Supreme Court of Israel, which dismissed her final appearance and ordered she return to Australia to face prosecution. Private investigators pictures of former Australian school principal Malka Leifer apparently showing her leading a normal life in Israel despite her claims to Israeli authorities that she suffers a debilitating mental illness. Shana Aaronson, formerly of Jewish Community Watch an organisation that assisted in bringing the taped evidence of Ms Leifer living a normal life in Emmanuel to the police in 2018 says there are many cases of sexual abuse in ultra-Orthodox communities. Aaronson, who is now director of Magen, which deals with sexual abuse in Orthodox communities in Israel, claims there has even been an uptick in abuse in Leifers home town of Bnei Brak one of the poorest and most densely populated cities in Israel since the COVID-19 pandemic. JCW footage shows Leifer waiting at the bus stop, talking on the phone and visiting the post office in the city. It was enough to convince Israels police to arrest her on the grounds of lying to the court and feigning insanity to evade the judicial system. The revelations reignited the extradition effort. Her mental fitness was re-examined and during the next three years of proceedings, Leifer was locked away in Israels only womens prison. While many ultra-Orthodox community members refused to comment for this article, one member of Bnei Braks Justice Court, ultra-Orthodox educator Mordechai Zeev Blewi, gave a brief comment that he believed Leifer should see fair treatment and not be made an example of. Alleged vicims Elly Sapper, Dassi Erlich and Nicole Meyer arrive at a press conference after the news that an extradition hearing date had been set for alleged sexual abuser Malka Leifer. Credit:Jason South If she is not OK, then she needs to be dealt with. As long as she doesnt get more than she deserves, he told The Age. Yet allegations of Haredi community support for her have run long and deep in this case, with accusations of interference reaching as high as the Israeli government. An ultra-Orthodox doctor working in the Israeli healthcare system, who asked not to be named out of fear of a threat to her employment, claims to have exposed political meddling in Leifers extradition case just months after she was re-arrested in 2018. According to the source, accounts of Leifer during her time as school principal in Melbourne as a wonderful person, charismatic who everybody loved did not match up with the court-ordered psychiatric reports that she has chronic schizophrenia. The doctor says the medical team consulted with a psychiatrist colleague in Jerusalem, who verified that the psychiatric departments ordered by the court to report on Leifers mental state were being contacted by then Israeli health minister Yaakov Litzman. A year later, Israels police said they had enough evidence to indict Litzman for witness tampering. In a statement, police said that besides belonging to the same religious sect, Leifer worked alongside Litzmans wife in the education sector. Litzman is currently Israels housing minister. A private investigators photograph of Malka Leifer apparently showing her leading a normal life. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu relies on the support of ultra-Orthodox political parties such as Agudat Yisrael, which Litzman leads, to maintain his ruling coalition. With elections approaching, the source said that although she will vote, as an Orthodox woman, she does not want a new government that includes the Haredi (or ultra-Orthodox) parties. They arent embarrassed to grant favours to those in the community they dont see it as corruption, just helping. As long as they have political power and everyone needs them, nothing happens. As long as Litzman is in power, nothing is going to happen. The doctor pointed to a recent statement released by the president of Melbournes Adass Israel School, Benjamin Koppel, regarding Leifers trial as an example of the Haredi communitys failure to encourage reporting acts of abuse to the authorities. The statement read: We encourage anyone who feels affected by Mrs Leifers return to seek support and have made professional counselling available on a free and strictly confidential basis to any member of our community. The Israeli doctor was appalled. They may have given up the fight for Leifer how can they do anything now? But they are saying that if anyone else is affected, come to us which means do not go to the police. Undercover footage shows Malka Leifer shopping at a time when she was said to be mentally unfit to face a court. Allegations that Leifer fled Australia in the middle of the night are disputed by her defence team in Israel, but a ruling from a civil case against the school won by one of Leifers alleged victims, Dassi Erlich, said that members of the Adass Israel community helped her evade justice. Manny Waks is concerned that some members of that community might leave Australia ahead of Leifers trial. Theres a big fear and potential for people to evade justice by escaping to Israel again, he says. What happens if certain individuals [of the Adass leadership] realise they are on the radar? They can easily evade justice and avoid responsibility for the injustice that has taken place. Both the prosecution and the defence in Leifers extradition case reject the notion that Israel acts as a haven for criminals. Mr Waks has also raised concerns about the response of the Adass Israel school. The Adass community are continuing with their charades. While their statement was seemingly very supportive and sympathetic towards victims, where have they been before today? Why didnt they offer an apology before? he asked. There is a lack of education, apology, acknowledgement and responsibility this is a slap in the face for past victims but also very dangerous for current students, Mr Waks said. Waks adds that while some within the Adass Israel community do want to see Leifer face justice, the insular and closed nature of the community means a statement like that would have a detrimental impact; they would be seen to be going against the community and bringing it into disrepute. Referring to Australias royal commission that found a marked absence of supportive leadership for survivors of child sex abuse and their families, Waks says that if an institution doesnt address critical issues, they are an unsafe institution. He claims that the very reason Leifer was able to avoid the Australian charges for so long was due to her supporters within the community. Their influence, the resources they have at their disposal most or all are from the ultra-Orthodox community and segments within that. Many of those who have supported her have an interest in preventing her facing justice. Leifers defence lawyers completely and utterly deny that there was a strategy of delay, yet the six-year battle for extradition has strained relations between politicians in Israel and Australia. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews met personally with Netanyahu in 2018, telling him the only just outcome was for Leifer to face a jury. In a written statement on Wednesday, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne welcomed the extradition and thanked all those within the Israeli government whose co-operation has allowed us to reach this point. Attorney-General Christian Porter added that Leifers arrival on Australian soil finally concluded the long-running process to see Ms Leifer returned to Australia to face serious sexual assault charges against her. Loading Israeli prosecution lawyer Avital Ritner-Oron told The Age that despite the fact that proceedings had taken a long time, the system proved itself and we reached what we see as a just decision in the District Court and the Supreme Court, to finally be able to send her back. Malka Leifer used every trick in the book to avoid extradition, and that came up in the [final] Supreme Court decision also. But at the end of the day because the justice system does work in Israel, she was only able to delay extradition and not prevent it, despite all her efforts, she adds. Ritner-Oron says she has offered Australian prosecutors any assistance they require. Leifers defence lawyer, Nick Kaufman, agreed that justice had been done, whether or not he agreed with the result. He told The Age that the case had been blown out of all proportion by the media because of the Jewish Community Watch report and involvement of politicians on both sides of the world. He added that he was disappointed with one aspect of the final Supreme Court ruling which he labelled as purely technical in regards to the interpretation of the extradition treaty between Israel and Australia, signed in 1970. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Kaufman had argued that the alleged offences committed in Australia were not considered rape at the time of signing, although still an arguable case for indecent assault. The only way rape could be committed in those days was a lack of consent; the concept of grooming or abuse of authority as a sexual offence did not exist at the time of signing the agreement. Waks termed this moment in court as a low point of victim-blaming. To hear the sisters being blamed for the abuse they endured was very hard to bear. I had to walk out for fresh air for five minutes, take a breath and come back. That was horrific. Loading Waks believes that Israel wont have finished its part in this saga until the case is reviewed to resolve the matter of political interference and corruption. Once the Israeli court did its job, the political arm acted fast. But the battle so far has been just to get to the very beginning, and now the actual criminal trial begins, he says. Leifers Israeli defence team says the Leifer family has found a new Australian lawyer, Tony Hargreaves, and they are very confident we found the right person for the job. MUSKEGON, MI Its likely going to be many months before employment levels in Muskegon County rebound from the sharp decline experienced during the pandemic. That was the message Friday from economist Paul Isely during the annual Muskegon County Economic Forecast hosted by the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce. His talk examined the impact of COVID-19 and the economic recovery in the area. Isely said the county is lagging slightly in its return and will likely see pre-COVID levels of employment by the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023. The public health response to the virus included a statewide stay-at-home order and broad restrictions on businesses like restaurants and movie theaters. There is no comparable drop to what happened in March, but this is not a broken economy, said Isely, an associate dean at Grand Valley State Universitys Seidman College of Business. Related: Muskegon economic development group rebrands, launches new website In Michigan, the change in employment is down about 10% from December 2019 to December 2020. Despite a severe economic blow in the spring, Isely said Michigans steadily declining hospitalizations and COVID-19 cases put the state in a better position for our economy to restart than many places across the United States. Muskegon Countys change in unemployment is down about 14%, and Isely said its not usual for the area to be lagging behind nearby counties due to an emphasis on manufacturing, healthcare and hospitality industries. About 75,000 people left Muskegon Countys labor force in the past year a 6% drop compared to 1% in Kent and Ottawa counties. Muskegon usually has a harder hit on a recession than those two counties, Isely said. Related: 2020 a big year for development in Muskegon despite COVID-19 Three main groups left the workforce in higher rates: teenagers who arent working because of the pandemic, women who have taken on the brunt of childcare while schools were closed and people nearing retirement. Isely suggested Muskegon County is seeing a bigger drop in the workforce because of a heavier weight of older workers. That is what you are going to struggle with for the next couple of years, he said. Major industries in Muskegon County, like aerospace, automotive and furniture, remain down. However, construction and real estate have already started to recover. Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce President Cindy Larsen said the economic forecast isnt going to dampen efforts to keep moving forward. In order to speed up recovery, the chamber will focus on keeping downtown Muskegon vibrant and increasing broadband internet in the area, Larsen said. In this economy, every day matters; every week matters, said Larsen. Certainly, we will try to beat the odds. More on MLive: Heres how to join COVID-19 vaccine waiting lists in Muskegon, Ottawa counties Maps discovered dating back to 1873 show how Muskegon grew from nothing 9% of Michigan adults vaccinated against COVID-19 so far; see numbers in your county Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 photo: Wes Taylor Jenn Bane and Trin Garritano are the coauthors of Friendshipping: The Art of Finding Friends, Being Friends, and Keeping Friends (Workman), and the cohosts of the Friendshipping podcast, a feel-good advice show about making friends. Bane is a writer, editor and producer who has received three Shorty Awards and a Clio Award for her work in comedy writing and production. Garritano is a writer and game developer. Most recently, she contributed to Asmadi Games' tabletop roleplaying game 1001 Odysseys and the Victorian dating simulator Max Gentlemen: Sexy Business. On your nightstand now: Jenn Bane: I just finished Luster by Raven Leilani in two sittings. It's so addicting and so uncomfortable. I can't wait to see what the author does next. I also just picked up All Adults Here by Emma Straub. Contemporary fiction is my favorite genre and I have no doubt I'll love this book. Trin Garritano: I've been slowly nibbling at Written in Stone: Evolution, the Fossil Record, and Our Place in Nature over the past while. For whatever reason, knowing that we're living in just a teeny-tiny slice of Earth's vast history quells my existential dread (temporarily). Favorite book when you were a child: Bane: I loved Goodnight Moon because my mom read it to me and that meant I got to delay bedtime. Also, it was the first time I ever noticed that words and art could evoke "loneliness." I wasn't a particularly lonely kid, but the book made me feel that way when I read it. That really got me thinking. Garritano: Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time series knocked my socks off when I was 10. Experiencing science fiction that is empathetic, optimistic and deeply spiritual was absolutely brain-changing for me. Also, there's a girl in it, which blew my mind. Your top five authors: Bane: Curtis Sittenfeld, Roxane Gay, David Sedaris, Maya Angelou, Jane Austen, Joan Didion, Laura Lippman, Tana French and I know I'm over five here but I can't help it. Garritano: Ray Bradbury, Bill Bryson, Madeleine L'Engle, Garth Nix and David Sedaris, I think? I am basing this entirely on the number of books per author on my shelf. Book you've faked reading: Bane: Tess of the d'Urbervilles in English class sophomore year of high school. I just couldn't do it, I still can't and I never will. Garritano: Moby-Dick. I've been assigned to read it three separate times in school and I've gotten away with completely ignoring it every single time. In a way, I am Moby-Dick's white whale. I will never read it. I will never be captured and turned into perfume. Book you're an evangelist for: Bane: The Secret History by Donna Tartt. The tension! The quiet chaotic group dynamics! How it all unravels! I'm just forever searching for another book like this one. Garritano: How Not to Kill Your Houseplant by Veronica Peerless is a great resource for anyone who keeps plants in their home. It's clear and concise, and it gives a solid overview of care for 119 different houseplants. Book you've bought for the cover: Bane: I enjoyed Mary Shelley's Frankenstein when I read it, but I specifically bought a copy when I saw it with the blue cloth cover with anatomical hearts all over it. So morbid. Garritano: I grew up on webcomics, but Fables by Bill Willingham was the first printed comic I ever got into. Mark Buckingham drew me in with the cover of issue 67, The Good Prince. There's something about a person with a sword in their hands facing impossible odds that speaks to me. Book you hid from your parents: Bane: I didn't need to hide books from my parents, actually. I did hide video games. I secretly played my older brother's violent fantasy games on the computer and they did not love that. Garritano: Please see my next answer. Book that changed your life: Bane: Probably To Kill a Mockingbird, which is the cliche but truthful answer. Thank goodness for that book. Garritano: My eighth grade English teacher once loaned me a copy of Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, and I stayed up all night reading it so I could hide it from my parents. In retrospect, I don't think they would have cared. But it was so dark and so different than anything I'd ever read, it felt like contraband. Anyway, it melted my brain and turned me into the weird nerd I am today. Thanks, Mrs. C. Favorite line from a book: Bane: From Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass: "This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown, or to any man or number of men--go freely with powerful uneducated persons, and with the young, and with the mothers of families--re-examine all you have been told in school or church or in any book, and dismiss whatever insults your own soul." I used this in my wedding vows. Great advice in 1855, great advice now. Garritano: From Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth: "Whatever we learn has a purpose and whatever we do affects everything and everyone else, if even in the tiniest way. Whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer." This has been my guiding light for decades. Learn everything, love everyone and tread gently on the world. Five books you'll never part with: Bane: Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld (which is completely worn down and torn up from being reread so many times), A Separate Peace by John Knowles and Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. "All children, except one, grow up." That has to be of the best opening lines ever. Garritano: Code Name "Mary": Memoirs of an American Woman in the Austrian Underground by Muriel Gardiner, The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, A Testament of Revolution by Bela Liptak, National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Fossils, and Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. I like to think Jenn is the Neil Gaiman of our partnership (tight, solid writing with a dry wit), and I am the Terry Pratchett (ridiculous human being, the wettest possible wit). Book you most want to read again for the first time: Bane: The Giver by Lois Lowry. The moment when you realize as the reader that Jonas is seeing color for the very first time--I want to experience that again. Garritano: Goodbye, Chunky Rice by Craig Thompson spoke directly to the loneliness and misery of my early 20s. I finished it lying on the floor, weeping. I'm not exactly interested in an hours-long crying session again, but it meant so much to feel understood. Former President Donald Trump has left the White House, but Trumpism may not be leaving Staten Island, New York Citys Republican stronghold, anytime soon. The former presidents name at the top of the ticket helped propel the Staten Island Republican Partys biggest-name candidate, freshman Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, to victory in November against one-term Democratic Rep. Max Rose. But her rise to victory on Trumps coattails may have come as a surprise for some. When she was running for mayor in 2017, Malliotakis expressed regret voting for Trump. Yet she closely aligned herself with the former president throughout her congressional race, ultimately winning his endorsement. She proved her loyalty to Trump when she followed through on voting to object to Arizona and Pennsylvanias electoral votes, even after other Republicans walked back their objections after a pro-Trump mob stromed the United States Capitol to stop the certification of the election of President Joe Biden. Party insiders say it was a vote Malliotakis had to cast, or else risk losing her Trump-supporting base. Malliotakis is not the only one who has wholeheartedly embraced Trump on Staten Island. South Shore Republican City Council Member Joe Borelli endorsed Trump 2016 and served as his honorary state chair during his re-election campaign. Former Staten Island GOP Rep. Michael Grimm was a staunch Trump supporter while former Republican Rep. Vito Fosella co-hosted a pro-Trump talk show. But in a borough with a history of Republicans with moderate voting records who work well with Democrats including the late former state Sen. John Marchi, Borough President James Oddo and state Sen. Andrew Lanza some wonder whether the local GOP may have ridden the Trump wave too far to the right, and if it could be at risk of losing future races in the swing county as a result. Theres no clear path at this moment, its a real inflection point, said Richard Flanagan, a professor of political science at the College of Staten Island, of the Staten Island Republican Party post-Trump. I think when Trump leaves office, a lot of that energy drains away and that registered Repbulican Trumpist stops showing up at the polls. Flanagan pointed out that the congressional district, which includes all of Staten Island and part of southern Brooklyn, could look very different come 2022, thanks to redistricting. Trumpism might not register with the new voters in Malliotakis district if it includes more of Brooklyn, said Flanagan. In 2018, Rose won Staten Island by one percentage point and on the Brooklyn side by 21 points and in 2020, Rose lost Staten Island by 10 points but won Brooklyn by five points. Though registered Democrats outnumber Republicans on Staten Island, over the summer, the Republican Party saw a surge in enrollment in the lead up to the November election and a jump in turnout at the polls from the 2016 election. On Staten Island, Trump got voters to turn out to the polls more than previous Republican presidential candidates. In 2020, Trump received 123,320 votes. The only other Republican presidential candidate who came close to that turnout was George Bush, who in 2004 received 90,325 votes on Staten Island. Malliotakis and the Staten Island Republican Party condemned the rioters at the Capitol but did not call out Trump for instigating the attempted coup. About a week after the violent insurrection, the partys most recent chairman, Brendan Lantry, who oversaw the victory of a handful of local Republican candidates, including Malliotakis, quietly stepped down to run for New York City Civil Court. Lantry declined to be interviewed for this story because he said he cannot comment on politics as a judicial candidate. The Staten Island Republican Party also could not be reached for comment for this story. I think everybodys just trying to take the temperature of the district, and so I cant say Nicole did anything wrong in running her campaign and kind of aligning herself with the president, because ultimately, she won, right? said a local Republican political operative, who asked to remain anonymous to speak freely about the party. So it becomes a question of to what extent [the party is] moving the needle and to what extent are they riding the (Trump) wave? I think definitely, theyre just riding the wave, which is why I think there has been silence on a lot of things. Local politicos say the direction the party goes in post-Trump remains to be seen, but the islands borough president and mid-island City Council races, in which candidates who have also aligned themselves with Trump are going up against party establishment candidates, could be a barometer of whether Trumpism is here to stay on Staten Island. In the Republican primary for borough president, theres former Staten Island Republican Chair Leticia Remauro, who worked closely with Malliotakis as a consultant and campaign manager during her 2017 run for mayor. Remauro, who recently came under fire for saying Heil Hitler at a protest against coronavirus lockdowns, is running in the right lane. Remauro quickly apologized for the Nazi-salute gaffe and has said it was a VERY BAD ANALOGY likening the actions of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo against small businesses to those of the fascist dictator. Remauro is going up against City Council Minority Leader Steven Matteo, the former chief of staff to Staten Islands current Borough President James Oddo. There is also a Republican primary to replace Matteo, who will be term-limited out of office in 2021. In that race Sam Pirozzolo, a Republican infamous for erecting a 16-foot T sign on his lawn to show his support for Trump, is challenging Matteos chief of staff David Carr and Conservative George Wonica, a realtor, who plans to run on the Conservative and Republican lines. Remauro and Pirozzolo both attended the pre-insurrection rally outside of the Capitol, but say they did not go inside the building and participate in the attack on Congress. Both candidates say they plan to seek the endorsement of the Republican Party. Does the institutional party support, is that enough to overcome a Staten Island Republican Party that seems to be moving further to the right, led by Malliotakis? Thats what will be resolved in the primary election and its only five months away, said Bob Olivari, a longtime Democratic operative on Staten Island. Though Malliotakis has called Remauro out for her Nazi salute, the congresswoman has yet to say whether she plans throw her support behind her former associate or Matteo, the first sitting Republican politician to endorse her in her bid for Congress, in the Republican primary for borough president. A local Republican Party insider, who requested anonymity to speak openly about candidates, said Remauro and Pirozzolo are unlikely to have the support of the party. The insider said the two represent an extreme wing of the party emboldened by Trump. There are a certain group of Republicans and this is the base of Republicans that Sam and Leiticia are trying to appeal to, that are just super-extreme in thinking, that this is just some giant conspiracy that is playing out before our eyes right now and thats the scary part, the source within the Staten Island Republican Party said. The source said they do not think far-right Trump voters in the local Republican base represent a majority of the party. But like the national party, the source said the local party ultimately has to recalibrate and figure out a path forward without Trump. What happens in the post-Trump world? Because thats really whats going to define the future of our party, not something that happened a week ago, and sadly, not anything that happened over the past four years, not anymore at least, the source said. Staten Islands outgoing borough president, who did not endorse a candidate in the 2020 congressional race, said good local policy will define the party, not one person or politician. Oddo wrote in Ronald Regans name in 2016 and George Washingtons name in 2020. But he cautioned that the memory of violence at the Capitol likely will not fade quickly from the minds of voters and that some will have to pay a price. A lot of people will remember that, and there will be accountability criminally for some, maybe politically for others, Oddo said, but it wont fade quickly. I think there are Trump supporters on Staten Island who will continue to exist and have a voice, but I don't think that is the Republican Party, Oddo added. I think the Republican Party includes that, but I think the Republican Party is much bigger and much broader, and I think the Republican elected officials will be about local issues I think the Republican chairperson and the Republican county committee overwhelmly will be about fighting local issues and within that there will be Trump supporters who have a voice within that party, but it wont define who the party is. Asked to talk about the future of the local party post-Trump Malliotakis office said in a statement: Right now, the Congresswoman is focused on representing her constituents in Washington by advocating for accelerated vaccine distribution and pushing to strengthen election security, restart our economy and protect our law enforcement officers not party politics. Correction: This article originally misspelled Republican Party in several instances. Taiwanese domestically-built Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDF) take part in the live-fire, anti-landing Han Kuang military exercise, which simulates an enemy invasion, in Taichung, Taiwan, on July 16, 2020. (Ann Wang/Reuters) Taiwan Showcases New Military Aircraft to Thwart Chinese Aggression Chinese warplanes frequently intruded into Taiwans southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in January. In response to such provocation, Taiwan invited the media to a military drill that showcased the latest aircraft technology, demonstrating its ability to defend the democratic self-ruled island from Chinese aggression. Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory and has continually threatened military force to bring the island under its fold. Since Jan. 2, the Chinese regime has flown a variety of aircraft into Taiwans southwest ADIZ, according to the real-time releases on the official website of Chinas Ministry of National Defense. The incursions used Y-8 reconnaissance, maritime patrol, electronic-warfare aircraft, Y-9 communication countermeasure aircraft, KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft, H-6K bombers, J-10, J-16, and Su-30 fighters. An ADIZ is a publicly-declared area next to a states national airspace, in which approaching foreign aircraft must be ready to submit their identifiers and location. The area allows a nation-state the time to judge the nature of the incoming aircraft and take defensive measures if needed. The Chinese regime made its largest-scale military incursion into Taiwans air defense identification zone (ADIZ) just days into U.S. President Joe Bidens new administration13 military aircraft flew over Taiwans southwest waters on Jan. 23, and another 15 military aircraft made a similar incursion the next day. According to Taiwans Ministry of National Defense, such incursions have since been seen on a daily basis, most recently when six Chinese military jets entered the islands ADIZ on Jan. 28. On Jan. 26, Taiwans Ministry of National Defense invited news agencies to view an exercise of loading Wan Chien missiles into Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDF) by the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing at Tainan Air Base. The event was the public debut of the Wan Chien missile, an air-to-ground cruise missile developed and produced by Taiwans National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology. As a strategic weapon, the Wan Chien has a cluster bomb that has the longest range of any aircraft in Taiwans air force. It can be launched near the median line of the Taiwan Strait to hit airports, landing vessels, and troop assembly areas in the Chinese provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. The missile is considered an essential tool for thwarting Chinese aggression. Col. Lee Ching-shi said during the drill that the Wan Chien is a missile for fire suppression that targets large areas, and can be used to conduct ground and maritime strikes. However, he declined to reveal details on whether IDFs carry Wan Chien missiles, specific procedures, or timing of their loading, citing military security concerns. On Jan. 25, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen visited the northern troops of Army Airborne Special Forces, the Songshan radar station at Mt. Yangmingshan, and the Anbu Weather Station. She was informed that the radar station had detected nearly 2,000 Chinese warplanes and over 400 Chinese warships, thus provoking Taiwan air and sea forces to swiftly follow, monitor, and drive away the intruders in order to protect Taiwans territories and airspace. Tsai thanked the employees for their dedication to safeguarding the Republic of China (Taiwans official name). As the Chinese regime intensifies the number of incursions on Taiwan, tension between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait has grown. On Jan. 23, the new Biden administration released an official statement addressing Beijings hostilities. It expressed its concern and urged Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure on Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwans democratically elected representatives. China news commentator Tang Qing believes that the true intention of the Chinese Communist Party is to test the Biden administration to see if it would take a strong approach toward the Chinese militarys incursions. Frank Fang contributed to this report. The second tranche, of 21,600 doses of Moderna vaccine, will reach Romania on Saturday. They will be handed over to the "Cantacuzino" National Institute for Medical-Military Research-Development, informs the National Committee for Coordination of Vaccination Activities (CNCAV) against COVID-19. "The transport is provided by the manufacturing company, and the vaccine doses will be brought to Bucharest by land. The doses will be stored at the National Storage Centre, and in the next period will be distributed to regional and vaccination centres," according to a press release of the CNCAV. The Cantacuzino National Storage Centre is "fully authorized and approved" by the National Authority for Medicines and Medical Devices (ANMDMR) in Romania, the national authority with competence in the field of medicine for human use, the same source specified."Following the receipt of the authorization from ANMDMR, the National Institute for Medical-Military Research-Development "Cantacuzino" may carry out, as a wholesale distributor, operations of possession, custody and delivery for medicines to which additional criteria such as products produced in agreement with the Article 806 of the republished Law No. 95/2006: immunological drugs, respectively products with distribution in the "cold chain" (which require handling at low temperatures)," it is mentioned in the press release.CNCAV reminds that the recommendation for the Moderna vaccine is to be administered in two doses, at intervals of 28 days, to people over 18 years of age. It is also mentioned that the effectiveness of the two vaccines available in the European Union is approximately the same."The two vaccine versions available in the EU are very similar. The effectiveness of the two vaccines is about the same. The BioNTech Pfizer vaccine is 95pct effective in preventing COVID-19 disease, while the Moderna vaccine is 94.1pct effective. "Both vaccines use technology based on RNA messenger," CNCAV said. Antitrust arguments are important for two reasons: They signal that democracy is once again on the move, and they legitimate more regulatory attention to companies designated as market dominant. But when it comes to defeating the epistemic coup, the antitrust paradigm falls short. Heres why. The turn to antitrust recalls the anticompetitive practices and concentrations of economic power in the Gilded Age monopolies. As Tim Wu, an antitrust champion, explained in The Times, Facebooks strategy was similar to John D. Rockefellers at Standard Oil during the 1880s. Both companies scanned the horizon of the marketplace, searching for potential competitors, and then bought them or buried them. He added that it was precisely this business model that Congress banned in 1890 with the Sherman Antitrust Act. Its true that Facebook, Google and Amazon, among others, are ruthless capitalists as well as ruthless surveillance capitalists, but exclusive focus on their Standard Oil-style monopoly power raises two problems. First, antitrust did not succeed that well, even on the terms of its late-19th- and early-20th-century prosecutors and their aim of ending unfair concentrations of economic power in the oil industry. In 1911 a Supreme Court decision broke up Standard Oil into 34 fossil fuel industry companies. The combined value of the companies proved greater than the original. The largest of the 34 had all the advantages of Standard Oils infrastructure and scale and quickly moved toward mergers and acquisitions, becoming fossil fuel empires in their own right, including Exxon and Mobil (which became ExxonMobil), Amoco and Chevron. A second and far more significant problem with antitrust is that while it may be important to address anticompetitive practices in ruthless companies, it is not sufficient to address the harms of surveillance capitalism, any more than the 1911 decision addressed the harms of fossil fuel production and consumption. Rather than assess Facebook, Amazon or Google through a 19th-century lens, we should reinterpret the case of Standard Oil from the perspective of our century. Another thought experiment: Imagine that the America of 1911 understood the science of climate change. The courts breakup decision would have addressed Standard Oils anticompetitive practices while ignoring the far more consequential case that the extraction, refining, sale and use of fossil fuels would destroy the planet. If the jurists and lawmakers of that era had ignored these facts, we would have looked on their actions as a stain on American history. Indeed, the courts decision did ignore the far more pressing threats to American workers and consumers. A historian of American law, Lawrence Friedman, describes the Sherman Antitrust Act as something of a fraud that accomplished little but to satisfy political needs. He explains that Congress had to answer the call for action some action, any action against the trusts and the act was their answer. Then as now, people wanted a giant killer. They turned to law as the only force that could right the balance of power. But it took decades for lawmakers to finally address the real sources of harm by codifying new rights for workers and consumers. The National Labor Relations Act, which guaranteed the right to unionize while regulating the actions of employers, wasnt enacted until 1935, 45 years after the Sherman Antitrust Act. We do not have 45 years or 20 or 10 to linger before we address the real harms of the epistemic coup and their causes. The Presidents Representative at the Ministry of Education, Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has met with the leadership of the Pre-tertiary Unions (NAGRAT, GNAT and CCT) to bid them farewell as he draws the curtains on his tenure as Minister of Education. Dr. Prempeh took the opportunity to thank them for their cooperation with the Ministry of Education at various critical decision points. He stated that notably, the unions cooperated with him and his team during the rollout of the Free Senior High School programme in 2017 and its subsequent alterations, the revision of the objective-based curriculum, and bringing teachers up to speed with the new teaching techniques required for the standards-based curriculum. He also noted that the unions also ensured that their members were on board during the Teacher Reforms which encompassed a new curriculum, a phase-out of the diploma course and the agreement with the University of Cape Coast to upgrade diploma holders to degree holders within a relatively short period. Dr. Prempeh further revealed that government is working on acquiring laptops for all teachers, something the union leaders have acknowledged as being unprecedented and remarked that this dovetails into President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos National Digitisation agenda. He hoped that when teachers receive their laptops, they will become more comfortable in using technology as a tool in an era where blended education is the norm. Concluding, he stated that If he succeeded as Minister of Education, it was partly because these major stakeholders, the teachers, through constant dialoguing, granted the government ease to operate. Dr. Prempeh has been nominated by President Akufo-Addo as Minister of Energy, subject to vetting and approval by Parliament. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. I echo Neil Stephenson's comments regarding the repurposing of Keystone pipe to the ends of moving Alberta oil to New Brunswick refineries. It was eye opening yet not all that surprising last year to learn of an oil shipment from coast to coast via the Panama Canal. For the geographically challenged, this was an 11,900 km journey down one coast of North America across Central America via an 86 km man made canal cut through the malarial jungles of Panama and then back up the other coast into the Bay of Fundy. Out of necessity, because Canadians needed oil and no alternative was available, Irving Oil procured Alberta oil and arranged this shipment. Where do they get the oil typically? Well Saudi Arabia of course. This, we are led to believe, is a more environmentally friendly and ethical source of oil than our own Alberta crude. "We shouldn't be burning oil anyways!" some decry. A noble sentiment to be sure, but realistically, we are burning it, in our cars, to heat our homes, fly our planes. We cannot wish this reality away. Let's assume not one of us buys another gasoline powered car, only electric vehicles are produced and sold. Even if we can solve the electricity supply problem associated with this, we will still need a massive amount of oil to produce these cars, albeit in China. Yes, that's right, because every plastic component you find in every car ever made comes from oil. Yes oil is the main ingredient in plastic. This is not limited to cars either. Most of what you find in every dollar store began life as a drop of oil. Much of it Alberta crude which is shipped raw to China, refined into plastic pellets which are then moulded or blown into every form of plastic imaginable, from plastic bags, to kayaks, to the dash of your electric car, to the little toy gun or shoehorn you find at the local confectionary. While China buys our debt and unimpeded access to our resources, we buy cheap plastic crap with our cheap plastic credit cards. Let's all open our eyes, let's stop being hypocrites. We need oil, that is a fact, we use oil, that is reality. Pipelines are the safest method of transport for oil and are 100% more efficient that any other mode of transport because they are a one way trip! I don't see a train or tanker delivering water to my kitchen faucet. Wake up! Build Energy East, keep Canadian oil in Canada and keep Saudi oil out. For logic sake. Jeff Frank, Kelowna YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. A former lawmaker from Artsakh has been arrested for what authorities described as threatening Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Vahan Badasyan, an ex-Member of Parliament of Artsakh and the president of the United Armenia political party, is arrested for a statement he made on January 28 when asked by reporters about potential options of ousting the Premier. [There are] different [ways], up to physically removing [him], this implies that we should remove the enemy, even with arms, he had said. This statement was deemed by authorities as having contained a death threat against Pashinyan, and the ex-MP was taken into custody by National Security Service operatives the same day. The National Security Service said their investigators have filed a motion to a court requesting to remand Badasyan in pre-trial detention. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan 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! LONGMEADOW Bay Path University has earned national recognition for its virtual support of students during the coronavirus pandemic. The Longmeadow institution will receive a $50,000 top prize for Virtual Innovation Awards, which recognize excellence in virtual student services. The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), which sponsors the award, selected Bay Path as one of 10 schools nationwide for exemplary virtual student support services and one of only three to receive the top monetary award. The award highlights the effectiveness of the work being done to support both Bay Paths traditional undergraduates and adult students enrolled in Bay Paths online undergraduate degree program, The American Womens College. We are so honored to be the recipient of this award. Our focus is fully on the students we serve and how we can continue to meet them where they are, in even the most trying of times, to help them to achieve their educational goals, said Anne Chapdelaine, Bay Paths Dean of Students and Director of Persistence. This award will allow us to continue to pilot new responsive tools and expand our resource availability, to make sure that we can flex and bend with the complex lives of our students. Student support services are essential to students progress in college, said Maura Devlin, Bay Path Associate Vice President and Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Bay Path. These supports include advising, orientation, emergency aid to help with textbook costs and other essentials, clubs and activities, academic and learning supports, and health and well-being programs. The American Womens College has been continually developing and enhancing its virtual support services at Bay Path since 2013. At the onset of the pandemic, university staff were able to expand these services to ensure campus-based undergraduate students could easily access services, despite the abrupt move to remote. Some of the virtual services that have allowed Bay Path University to be responsive to its diverse student body, both in person or online, include a virtual career services hub; UWill, a tele-counseling service; and Tutor.com, which provides access to online tutoring services 24/7. Similarly, programming related to orientation, peer-to-peer engagement, community building and multicultural affairs was provided by a support team that was able to quickly pivot to virtual platforms and social media tools. Story Highlights Poor mental health and loneliness are on the rise Higher education institutions can be a catalyst for change A foundation of wellbeing can advance student and societal outcomes If it's true that one important indicator of a flourishing society is a healthy workforce, which is dependent upon healthy individuals, wellbeing matters tremendously -- not only for the health of young people but also for the future wellbeing of our society. If it's also true that the most prolific workforce generators are our institutions of higher education, then we have an opportunity like never before to give college students the skills to create a new reality. Yet, that new reality begins with a tremendous challenge. Global healthcare company Cigna conducted a national study of more than 20,000 U.S. adults to explore the impact of loneliness among different generations. Not only did almost half of Americans report feeling alone or left out, but Generation Z -- those born in 1997 or later -- scored highest for loneliness. In addition, since 2001, Gallup has asked Americans as part of its November Health and Healthcare survey to say whether their own mental or emotional wellbeing is excellent, good, only fair or poor. Americans' latest assessment of their mental health is worse than it has been at any point in the last two decades. U.S. adults aged 18 to 29 rating their mental health as "excellent" shifted from 37% in 2019 to 28% in 2020, representing a nine-percentage-point drop and the lowest figure among any age group. 2020 brought solitude and loneliness like never before -- it was the kind of year that reminded us why former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy once declared poor emotional wellbeing and loneliness a public health crisis. Yet, a daunting challenge can't delay the choice to act. Crisis often precedes development, yielding unique opportunities. And now, more than ever before, higher education has been given the opportunity for a new beginning. The task at hand is acknowledging "what is" and dreaming about "what could be." It's time for higher education to lead a cultural transformation with wellbeing as the foundation for advancing the outcomes we desire, for not only our students but also our world. Gallup research shows that graduates who were emotionally supported during college -- who had a mentor who encouraged their hopes and dreams and professors who cared about them as people and made them excited about learning -- are three times as likely to have thriving wellbeing after college. It's time for higher education to lead a cultural transformation with wellbeing as the foundation for advancing the outcomes we desire, for not only our students but also our world. Clarifying what we mean by "wellbeing" seems fundamental. Asking students sincere questions that measure their wellbeing across five interrelated elements (career, social, financial, community and physical) provides us with a snapshot of their current state of being and how well they are feeling cared for (or not) on campus. These kinds of questions exhibit authentic caring and provide us with a platform for tremendous change ... a model that has been implemented at Virginia Tech.* The more we look below the surface of our students' lens on life, the more we are learning about factors that may be contributing to eroding wellbeing and mental health. To be catalysts for meaningful change, however, institutional leaders must find the courage to embrace new ways of thinking, unearth assumptions that feed the status quo and act accordingly. As renowned organizational systems theorist Peter Senge says, "A small action snowballs." That is, small changes build on themselves and can produce big results, and many high-impact interventions are often the least obvious. Gallup Senior Scientist Shane Lopez had another name for those small changes: hope. Hope gets unleashed through small actions -- what Dr. Lopez called "tiny ripples." He put it this way: "You don't have to take a big, bold action or raise a ton of money to spark change. You merely need to create momentum where there was none." The continued erosion of wellbeing doesn't have to be our future. We can be honest about where we are and simultaneously pivot the conversation from problems to possibilities. The conditions are ripe for colleges and universities to step in and do what we do best: Shift culture, bolster hope and design experiences -- both curricular and co-curricular -- that turn humans toward one another and our collective flourishing. This is our time to remake our culture, to design infrastructures that engage students in relationship building, in finding wellbeing and in building a reservoir of empathetic concern for others. We can do this -- it's time to steer ourselves back on course. *Using a strengths-based approach and Gallup's wellbeing model, Virginia Tech has added almost 20 clinicians and innumerable programmatic initiatives to support mental health in the past five years. The Princeton Review recently released the 2021 edition of its annual "The Best 386 Colleges" with a new category -- Best Counseling Services, highlighting "colleges at which students most highly rated their school's mental health counseling services." Virginia Tech's was ranked No. 1. Learn more about Gallup's research on wellbeing and how we can help support thriving students and educators: Explore our online resource: How to Improve Student and Educator Wellbeing. Discover how a CliftonStrengths for Students initiative can empower students to live thriving and engaged lives at school and after graduation. Partner with us to prepare students for whatever the future holds. A Brooklyn man who was stripped naked and beaten by a gang after getting off a bus was actually the perpetrator of the incident, attorneys say. Walter Ward, 26, originally appeared to be the victim of the violent January 22 attack at a Chinatown bus depot at Canal and Allen Streets that left him bloodied But attorneys and another bus passenger say that Ward had actually robbed 20-year-old Jahi Nimmons at gunpoint hours before, reported the New York Daily News. They add that when the group of 13 pounced on him, they were getting revenge. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Walter Ward, 26 (blurred), who has an extensive criminal history, was beaten in Manhattan by a group of 13 on January 22 after getting off a bus from Atlanta Attorneys say the group was getting revenge after Ward (blurred) robbed 20-year-old Jahi Nimmons at gunpoint During a bus ride from Atlanta, Ward stole Nimmons' coat, watch, sneakers and two cellphones. Pictured: Nimmons' grandmother during a press conference on Friday According to Nimmom's attorney, Kevin McCall, the incident occurred during a 14-hour overnight bus ride from Atlanta to New York City. McCall says Ward pointed a gun at Nimmons and demand he hand over multiple items including an Apple Watch, two cellphones and Yeezy sneakers worth more than $1,000. 'And as he was sitting on the bus, he was in fear of his life,' McCall said during a press conference on Friday. A 20-year-old passenger going by just the name of Relley appeared to back up McCall's claims, according to the New York Daily News. Relley said he got on the bus in Charlotte and found Nimmons wearing very few articles of clothing. '[Nimmons] didn't have no shoes, no coat, no jeans. I'm looking like: 'What the f**k?'' Relley told newspaper. 'Little homie was shaking. He said, 'Don't f**k with him [Ward]. He just robbed me.' Nimmons allegedly asked Relley to borrow his phone, and used it to text family members, asking them to meet him at the bus stop in New York. Relley eventually relented and allowed Nimmons to use his phone to call family. He was one of four people who lent their phones to the robbery victim. Nimmons' grandmother, Cassandra Nimmons, said she received multiple text messages from her grandson from multiple phone numbers. Nimmons managed to text his grandmother what happened from another passenger's phone, and his relatives met him at the bus depot . Pictured: Ward being attacked In addition to beating the victim, the suspects also robbed him of his phone and clothing The beating took place near the intersection of Canal and Allen streets in Chinatown 'He (Jahi) said that if the cops were here in New York, he (Ward) said, 'I'm killing your whole family, I have your ID right here.' I was so afraid I thought they were going to kill him,' Cassandra said Friday outside the 5th Precinct. When the bus arrived, Nimmons' relatives were ready to attack Ward as soon as he exited. Shocking video shows several of the suspects calmly walking down the sidewalk. Then, the video shows the suspects running towards Ward seemingly fleeing in the bike lane near a crosswalk. The suspects eventually catch up to him, whose face is blurred, and can be seen kicking and beating him While he escaped serious injury, Ward did get slashed in the torso, head and hand. Other people run towards the fray, though it's unclear if they are trying to diffuse the situation or join in the beating. A different surveillance camera also appears to show the victim stripped of his clothes by the end of the video. Pictured: Two of the suspects in the beating caught on surveillance video Pictured: One of the suspects in the beating caught on surveillance video 'They crushed that dude,' Relley told the Daily News. 'That's what he gets. This is America. You can't be robbing little people on the bus.' Police sources describe Ward as being affiliated with the Mac Baller Brims gang, the New York Post reports. The group was once designated as one of the most dangerous gangs in New York City. Several passengers on the Chinatown bus backed up claims that the man beaten by a mob of people was no victim and recalled a nightmarish ride where the malicious ex-con and his crew 'took over the whole bus.' Robbery victim Jahi Nimmons, 20, and three others Tiffany Nimmons, 36, Tyriek Nimmons, 32, and Tymanthan Richardson, 27 turned themselves in Friday morning at the 5th Precinct in Manhattan. Nimmons turned himself in on Friday morning at the 5th Precinct as did Tiffany Nimmons, 36, Tyriek Nimmons, 32, and Tymanthan Richardson, 27 - and all may be charged with robbery and gang assault. There is no indication whether or not Ward will face any charges. Pictured: One of the suspects in the beating caught on surveillance video Ward has 43 arrests on his record and has served a three-year stint at Fishkill Correctional Facility in Upstate New York on a robbery conviction. He was released in 2017. Sources familiar with the victim shared that as recently as January 5, he was shot in the leg outside his Brownsville home. Police are looking for a group of suspects after a shocking attack in the Chinatown ars to show the victim stripped of his clothes by the end of the video. There were around 14 suspects involved in the attack in total. Dozens marched through the streets of Lima on Thursday protesting against the latest lockdown ordered by the government. Protesters oppose the closure decreed in the capital and other regions of the country because they say it will harm business and livelihoods, many also believe that the virus only attacks vulnerable people. The capital and several regions will start a strict lockdown on Sunday lasting until February 15, as the government aims to reduce the burden in hospitals that are unable to provide enough space and care for coronavirus patients. It is the second time in ten months that Peru returns to strict confinement rules. The first quarantine lasted 106 days, causing significant economic losses, with the gross domestic product falling 12 points in 2020. The Andean nation of 33 million inhabitants awaits the arrival of a million doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine to inoculate health personnel. There is no vaccination date for the rest of the population. More than 40,000 have died and more than a million inhabitants have been infected in Peru since the pandemic began. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Haier Tech Romania, a member of the world-leading appliance manufacturer Haier Group, announced that works on the first Haier refrigerator production facility in Europe advance according to schedule and that production will start at the end of spring 2021. "This large-scale investment project exceeds 70 million euros. The 63,000 sqm plant sits on a 130,000-sqm plot in the Allianso Industrial Park in Aricestii Rahtivani, near Ploiesti," the company said in a statement. According to the cited source, the new facility will hire almost 800 people (at maximum capacity) for an estimated output of 600,000 units after 2022. The plant's modular design allows for the expansion of the production capacity to up to 1 million units. "This new plant will produce the best refrigerators in the class, both built-in and standard, designed with a focus on connectivity and food storage, for Haier Europe's 3 European brands - Candy, Hoover and Haier. The Romanian production facility will be a top-class factory running premium production processes that put to use the advanced research, development and production capacities of Haier Romania," the release reads. The plant will supply the European market and European customers due to its proximity, technology and efficiency, and will be a strategic pillar in the company's aspiration to strengthen its position on the global refrigeration segment and in fulfilling Haier Europe's vision of becoming the European consumer's first smart housing choice. Populist Sadyr Japarov was sworn in as president of ex-Soviet Kyrgyzstan Thursday, completing a remarkable transformation from prisoner to president in the space of a few months. Japarov, 52, was serving jail time on hostage-taking charges before he was freed during a political crisis over a parliamentary vote in October, beginning a dizzying rise to the top of the leadership. He won a January 10 presidential election by landslide with close to 80 percent of the vote. Japarov on Thursday swore to "preserve the integrity of the people and the security of the country" as he placed his hand on the Kyrgyz constitution, which is set to be overhauled in the coming months. Voters chose a presidential form of government over a parliamentary model in a referendum held in parallel to the presidential vote. A Kyrgyz cabinet official said Monday that Japarov would make his first foreign trip as president to Russia, where hundreds of thousands of Kyrgyz live and work. Moscow has taken a dim view of political upheavals in the mountainous country of 6.5 million that looks to next-door China for loans and investment. The new constitution is likely to grant the head of state sweeping new powers when it is passed and reverse the single-term limit imposed on presidents after a bloody uprising ousted the country's second leader in 2010. Two of Japarov's vote challengers Abdil Segizbayev and Kursan Asanov were detained by law enforcement earlier this week, raising fears that Japarov's reign will continue the cycle of revenge that has defined local politics. Segizbayev, who was serving as national security chief at the time of Japarov's arrest in 2017 was detained over charges of abuse of office. Asanov who proclaimed himself acting interior minister during the same unrest that propelled Japarov to power has been detained for his alleged role in seizing the ministry building. Sooronbai Jeenbekov, who became the third Kyrgyz president to step down over unrest last year was shown attending Japarov's inauguration. Thousands rose up after a parliamentary vote saw parties close to Jeenbekov dominate, amid allegations of massive vote-buying. The vote's results were subsequently annulled. Russian leader Vladimir Putin last year called the overthrow of the previous government a "misfortune" and chided the country for seeking a political model based on Western democracies. [January 29, 2021] Black & Veatch Earns Perfect Score From Human Rights Campaign for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Efforts Affirming its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in its workforce, global infrastructure solutions leader Black & Veatch (News - Alert) proudly announces it has received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2021 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for the third consecutive year, cementing its designation as a "Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality." As the nation's foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, the CEI ranks companies across four central pillars. Those include non-discrimination policies, equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families, support of an inclusive culture, and corporate social responsibility. Black & Veatch's efforts in satisfying those criteria earned it a perfect ranking, joining the ranks of 767 major U.S.-based businesses that earned top marks. "We proudly welcome the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's recognition as affirmation of our belief that companies that embrace a variety of backgrounds and perspectives are more successful and offer workplace experiences that drive better employee engagement and retention," said Steve Edwards (News - Alert) , Black & Veatch's CEO. "As an employee-owned company that's more than a century old, we believe deeply in respecting and appreciating every voice." The latest recognition from the Human Rights Campaign burnishes the company's reputation for DE&I. In 2019, Black & Veatch CEO Steve Edwards signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advancing workplace D&I. The pledge reflects the company's commitment to nurturing a trusting workplace that values inclusiveness, enables difficult conversationsabout diversity and inclusion, expands education about unconscious bias, and examines practices designed to create an inclusive work environment. In 2020, Forbes named Black & Veatch to its annual list of Best Employers for Diversity, recognizing the company's commitment to enabling a diverse and inclusive workforce. Recently, while announcing sustainability pledges that include achieving carbon neutrality by 2025, Black & Veatch said its strategic plan also called for commitments to continue cultivating and embracing an inclusive, diverse workplace, reflecting the priorities of the company's employee-owners and clients. Black & Veatch is supporting this effort in part through the Black & Veatch Employee Resource Group program (ERG) that also fulfills key requirements for the CEI score through its members' advocacy for equitable benefits across populations. Also contributing to the latest CEI score was the Black & Veatch Pride ERG's support of celebratory, informative programming that included a month of virtual Pride celebrations in 2020, as well as longstanding inclusivity engagement in conjunction with other ERGs. Alphonso David, the Human Rights Campaign's president, said that during a year marked by "the previously unimaginable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to a long overdue reckoning with racial injustice," many businesses across the United States "stepped up and continued to prioritize and champion LGBTQ equality." The past year "has shown us that tools like the CEI are crucial in the work to increase equity and inclusion in the workplace, but also that companies must breathe life into these policies and practices in real and tangible ways," David added. "Thank you to the companies that understand protecting their LGBTQ employees and consumers from discrimination is not just the right thing to do - but the best business decision." For more information about career opportunities with Black & Veatch, please visit: https://www.bv.com/careers. Editor's Notes: In 2019, Forbes named Black & Veatch one of America's best large employers, one of America's best employers for diversity, and one of America's best employers for women. The full 2020 CEI report is available online at https://www.hrc.org/resources/corporate-equality-index. About Black & Veatch Black & Veatch is an employee-owned engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people in over 100 countries by addressing the resilience and reliability of our world's most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2019 were US$3.7 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005422/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Labor is taking a leaf out of the NSW Coalitions book with plans to grow regional jobs through green energy as it shakes up its climate portfolio and positions the party to gain ground in key regional seats. Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese shifted long-term climate and energy spokesman Mark Butler out of the portfolio in Thursdays reshuffle and slotted in the Right factions former treasurer Chris Bowen, who he said would bring a focus on jobs to the portfolio. Former treasurer Chris Bowen was moved by Labor leader Anthony Albanese to bring a jobs focus to the climate and energy portfolio. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen One senior Labor MP said Mr Bowen had been selected to replace Mr Butler in part because he would shore up support for climate action on the Right of the party, and because Mr Butler wasnt successfully selling Labors vision to create jobs while phasing out fossil fuels. Climate has been a vexed issue for the Labor Party, caught between inner-city electorates calls for ambitious climate action and fears in regional electorates that a shift from fossil fuels will cost jobs. Opinion Policies Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. Topics are chosen via relevancy and interests of the members, which are then discussed by the Editorial Board in order to reach a general consensus concerning the topic or issue. Feedback policy If you have a grievance concerning the content or argument of the Editorial Board, please contact either Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or the Editorial Board as a whole (editorialboard@iowastatedaily.com). Those wanting to respond to editorials can also submit a letter to the editor through the Iowa State Daily website or by emailing the letter to Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or Editor-in-Chief Sage Smith (sage.smith@iowastatedaily.com). Column Policy Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions. Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020 Ashwatthama: Vicky Kaushal Starrer To Go On Floors In June, Might Be Shot In Hungary And Iceland Vicky Kaushal has films after films lined up to be shot. The actor is currently busy shooting for Vijay Krishna Acharya's next with Manushi Chillar. But the one project that we are looking forward to is The Immortal Ashwatthama, for which he is reuniting with Uri: The Surgical Strike's director, Aditya Dhar. Now, we have some information about its release date. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09) A report in Pinkvilla has stated that the film is all set to go on floors by June this year. A source told the portal, The film is scheduled to be shot between June 2021 and December 2021. Earlier the makers had plans to film in the UK, but owing to the present COVID-19 situation they are now looking at Hungary and Iceland. Aditya and his team will head for a recce in April depending on the situation in these countries. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09) Whoa, that just means we would get to see it super soon as well. This one would be a VFX heavy film and Vicky would be undergoing a physical transformation for this one. The source added, He will be training in archery, sword-fighting, spear-fighting and martial arts. Besides Ashwatthama, the film will also feature a couple of more characters from Mahabharata, casting for which is presently underway. He would begin training in February. Apart from Ashwatthama and the comedy film alongside Manushi Chillar, Vicky would be seen in Sardar Udham Singh and Sam Maneckshaw's biopic. Vinasun, the No 1 taxi company in the taxi market, is bogged down in difficulties amid the appearance of of ride-hailing firms and the Covid-19 pandemic. Taxi firms have to compete with ride hailing apps Vinasun, a taxi firm of Dang Phuoc Thanh, a well known businessman, has released the Q4 2020 consolidated finance report which shows unprecedented bad results. The leading taxi firm took a loss for the fourth consecutive quarter and reported a loss for the first time in its history. In 2020, Vinasun had revenue of over VND trillion, a decrease of 50 percent and incurred a loss of VND210 billion. The company attributed the loss to the prolonged impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. In previous years, Vinasun had to struggle to compete with ride hailing firms such as Uber and Grab, but it still could make a profit. But Covid-19 has dealt another strong blow to Vinasun. The firm had to cut 1,400 jobs in 2020. Vinasun's share price has been flat in the last year, though the stock index increased significantly. Vinasun shares were traded at around VND10,000 per share, equal to the face value and much lower than the VND30,000 per share in mid-2014. Prior to that, a series of investment funds injected money into Vinasun as they believed that Grab and Uber could not dominate the Vietnamese market. After several years of investments, GIC and TAEL have incurred a loss of tens of percent. At the time of the investments, Vinasun was a stock with potential. Vinasun, together with Mai Linh, was dominating the taxi market. However, the market changed rapidly when ride hailing firms appeared, offering cheaper services. As a result, Vinasun for the first time saw profit decreasing in 2016. In the first half of 2017, the profit decrease was up to 33 percent. Its market share also fell. While Vinasun and Mai Linh shares saw their share prices fall, some emerging brands continued to thrive. A number of shares saw record sharp price increases in 2020 such as HPG of Tran Dinh Longs Hoa Phat Group, REE of Nguyen Thi Mai Thanhs Refrigeration Engineering Enterprise, HSG of Le Phuoc Vus Hoa Sen Group and VCB of Vietcombank. Commenting about the cutting of more than 1,000 jobs at Vinasun, analysts said this was unavoidable in the context of the 4.0 industry revolution. The same will occur in many other industries, including textiles and garments. However, when some jobs disappear, new jobs will be created. V. Ha Stock market plummets, $10 billion lost The Vietnamese stock market saw an unprecedented plunge on January 19. But panic did not occur. LAMGABHI - Government has hailed the late Minister of Labour and Social Security, Makhosi Vilakati, for making his mark in administration despite spending just over two years in office. This was revealed by the Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Harries Madze Bulunga, who was representing government during the State funeral of the late minister. The funeral was held at Vilakatis homestead at LaMgabhi yesterday morning. Minister Bulunga said the whole Cabinet was reeling from shock and pain regarding the passing of a treasure of a man, a valuable member of their team and an exceptional servant of the Kingdom of Eswatini. Action-oriented He said the late minister was a true action-oriented person, who was always bemoaning long meetings in favour of being out and about serving and working to implement the various decisions taken by his ministry and government. He was always full of life and had a great sense of humour. This, he usually brought to life in the midst of tense situations even at Cabinet, by cracking a joke or even teasing one of his fellow ministers, Bulunga said. He added that there was no situation to him that was ever too sacred to share a little laugh and such was his beautiful take on life. As a colleague, he said Vilakati embodied reliability and efficiency and was a terrific team player. He said this was because he was always ready and willing to assist in advancing, not just the aims of his ministry, but those of other ministries, fully understanding that it was a collective assignment. Despite spending just over two years in office, Vilakati had already made his mark in government, driving the implementation of the first ever National Skills Audit in the country. At Cabinet, he was a passionate advocate for issues involving students and scholarships, further underlining his commitment to serving and improving the lives of emaSwati, Bulunga said. Cabinet also comforted the people of LaMgabhi Inkhundla who, in 2018, propelled Vilakati to the august house and eventually to Cabinet, having witnessed, his tremendous leadership qualities and his willingness to serve, not just his constituency but the country. Even in the midst of all this anguish, he said they prayed and hope that they could all take inspiration from a life well lived and the qualities that made Vilakati a great family man, a loyal friend, reliable colleague and brilliant boss to many of them in Cabinet and beyond. Ed Andrieski/Associated Press If your Hobby Lobby trips included use of the weekly 40percent off coupon, well we have some bad news for you. Starting at the end of February, the popular craft store will get rid of the snazzy deal for good, the company said in a Facebook post. "As of February 28th, 2021, Hobby Lobby will no longer be offering the 40% off coupon in stores or online. By making this decision, we are intensifying our efforts to discount thousands of items every day," the store said. READ ALSO: Costco buys land on far West Side in San Antonio The announcement, however was not welcomed by many coupon moms and crafters as they lit up the comment section on Facebook. "WOW! With a slow economy, I can not believe you are going to take away your 40% off coupon! This will be the last time I shop here!" said Karen Helms-Phillips on Facebook. Meanwhile one woman came up with a creative hashtag, maybe hoping the craft store would change its mind. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. 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. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Anticholinergic Drugs Market Report covers a valuable source of perceptive information for business strategists. Anticholinergic Drugs Industry provides the overview with growth analysis and historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data (as applicable). The research analysts provide an elegant description of the value chain and its distributor analysis. Anticholinergic Drugs Market Highlights The Global Anticholinergic Drugs Market is expected to register a CAGR of 4.50% during the forecast period with a market value of USD 7,149.90 million till 2024. Anticholinergics drugs are a broad class of drugs that block acetylcholine-mediated neurotransmission in the smooth muscle, heart, central, and peripheral nervous systems. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter, or a chemical messenger released by nerve cells to send signals to other cells. Get Free Sample Copy@https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/7895 The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and increasing investments and funding in the field of life science research has led to the growth of the global anticholinergic drugs market in recent years. Moreover, the aging population is expected to fuel market growth. However, side-effects of anticholinergic drugs and stringent regulations are projected to hamper the growth of the market during the assessment period. Anticholinergic Drugs Market Studied By Top Players Market Research Future (MRFR) recognizes following companies as key players in the global anticholinergic drugs market that include Pfizer Inc. (US), Allergan Plc (US), Astellas Pharma Inc. (Japan), Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. (US), Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (Israel), Sanofi (France), GlaxoSmithKline Plc (UK), Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH (Germany) and others. Anticholinergic Drugs Market- Segment Analysis The anticholinergic drugs market, based on product type, has been segmented into synthetic compounds, natural, semi-synthetic compounds. The anticholinergic drugs market, based on application, has been segmented into the overactive bladder, Parkinsons disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, muscle spasms, irritable bowel syndrome. On the basis of route of administration, the market is segmented into oral, parenteral, topical. On the basis of end user, the market is segmented into hospitals and pharmacies. Regional Analysis The Global Anticholinergic Drugs Market, based on region, is divided into the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. The Americas is expected to hold the largest share of the global anticholinergic drugs market. This owes to the rising geriatric population along with the high prevalence of CNS diseases and demand for effective therapies. The Europe market demonstrated substantial growth in the market due to the rising prevalence of bladder overactivity, increasing geriatric population, and rising healthcare expenditure. Germany held a share of 25.8% in the Western Europe anticholinergic drugs market in 2018. Asia-Pacific is estimated to be the fastest growing region in the global market due to the presence of a large number of research organizations and development of new infrastructure to support the healthcare industry. Also, the Middle East and Africa region is expected to show the least growth owing to low per capita income and lack of adequate healthcare spending. Key Findings of the Study The Global Anticholinergic Drugs Market is projected to reach USD 7,149.90 Million by 2024 at a CAGR of 4.50% during the review period from 2019 to 2024 . Americas accounted for the largest share of the global market due to the high prevalence of CNS diseases and demand for effective therapies. The overactive bladder application segment accounted for the largest market share of 4% in 2018. Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/anticholinergic-drugs-market-7895 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... I was very sad at the conclusion of the 2019 legislative session when the New Mexico Senate failed to repeal the old law on the books that made abortion a crime, and even more disappointed to see so many other states passing laws criminalizing providers and women. Should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade in the near future, a pregnant womans choices will be limited greatly the 1969 (state) abortion ban will allow a panel of doctors to decide for a woman regardless of her own beliefs, moral code and conscience. Before Roe v. Wade, women died of self-induced or illegal back alley abortions. In 1965 alone, 17% of all pregnancy-related deaths were due to illegal abortions. These are just the reported numbers; the actual numbers are certainly much higher. In 1967, the Rev. Howard Moody of Judson Memorial Church in New York City, along with social justice activist Arlene Carmen, founded the Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion. At the start, 21 ministers and rabbis were involved. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ I heard about the formation of the CCS in 1970 shortly after joining First Presbyterian Church of Richardson, Texas, as their associate pastor. Rev. Howard Moody came and talked with us about how to set up the service, and we got underway. About 20-25 ministers committed to serve. But we knew we were taking a risk. We were choosing to defy mans law in order to adhere to a higher law. In Texas in 1970, the charge for aiding and abetting an illegal abortion was a $1,000 fine and up to a year in prison. One rabbi in Chicago had his files seized by the FBI. A minister in Ohio was arrested and tried for illegally aiding a woman in obtaining an abortion. According to a 1971 CCS report, during the first three years, we referred nearly 100,000 women nationwide. By the time of Roe v. Wade in 1973, over 2,000 clergy were involved, and with the legalization of abortion in New York state, we estimated we may have reached nearly a quarter of a million women. I never judged women for the reasons they gave for needing an abortion. Instead, I trusted their judgment and helped them find a safe place to terminate their pregnancy. If New Mexicos 1969 criminal abortion ban is not repealed, New Mexico women who are pregnant and their doctors will be put at risk. I could be charged with a fourth-degree felony for referring someone to an abortion provider. I wonder how many of those senators who voted to keep that old abortion law have supported legislation to strengthen community supports so both children and parents can thrive? I wonder if they have supported legislation to improve maternal health care, pre-natal care and contraception? It is easy to blame families and accept none of the responsibility for failing our communities. When a woman has decided she wants to have an abortion and is then unable to get one, studies show that outcomes are worse for both her and her family. Deciding to have a child is serious, and a huge responsibility. We should not judge or shame those who decide that it isnt the right time for them or their family. When faced with an unwanted pregnancy, families should have all options available to them, whether that is to have an abortion, make an adoption plan or continue the pregnancy. We shouldnt hold one option over the others. Each of these options should be safe, legal and accessible. As a man who has been a licensed foster parent for quite a few years, who has raised a child who shares none of my DNA, and one who through my life work has taken care of hundreds of abused and neglected children, it is hard for me to consider that anyone has the right to put those restrictions on women. Women and families deserve to make their own decision about parenting, and I trust them to make it for themselves. BOISE, Idaho A proposed constitutional amendment that would prevent the legalization of marijuana in Idaho moved forward Friday as lawmakers in the conservative state try to halt the increasing acceptance of the drug nationwide. The Senate State Affairs Committee voted to send the joint resolution that bans all psychoactive drugs not already legal in Idaho to the full Senate. That list would change for drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration. But the target over the two days of testimony on Monday and Friday was primarily marijuana as Idaho finds itself surrounded by states that have legalized pot. Oregon, Washington, Montana and Nevada have legalized recreational and medical marijuana, while Utah allows medical marijuana. Wyoming allows CBD products containing less than .3% of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis. CBD products can be purchased in Idaho, but they must contain no THC. Backers said the Idaho Constitution needs to be changed because neighboring states, heavily influenced by out-of-state money, have approved marijuana use through voter initiatives, and it could happen in Idaho. When drugs are legalized that are currently illegal, it increases health care costs and crime, said the resolutions sponsor, Republican Sen. Scott Grow, condemning both recreational and medical marijuana use. This is about money. Its not about caring for people who might have pain or sickness. Those opposed said medical marijuana is needed for Idaho residents suffering from chronic or terminal illnesses. Dan Zuckerman, medical director of St. Lukes Cancer Institute, said dealing with over a thousand cancer patients over more than a decade convinced him of the efficacy of medical marijuana in helping with pain and nausea. Ive seen it myself with my own eyes, he said. The data is clear that patients benefit from this. Sen. Michelle Stennett, a Democrat from Ketchum, also noted that the amendment would prohibit doctors from providing terminally ill patients access to experimental or investigational drugs that are normally illegal but can still be prescribed in certain circumstances when other treatments have failed. Passing this would prohibit Idaho doctors and patients from making medical choices, by banning new medical breakthroughs, Stennett said. This is a direct impact on the ability of Idahoans to do good medical health care. Some lawmakers questioned whether the constitutional amendment could interfere with the legalization of industrial hemp, a potentially lucrative crop for farmers who have seen attempts to legalize the crop fail in recent years. Opponents also questioned whether the amendment would ban CBD oil containing small amounts of THC. Both products are illegal in Idaho, but are legal federally as well as in most states. Grow said there is additional legislation planned to legalize industrial hemp that he expects will pass this year. The joint resolution would have to pass the Senate with a two-thirds majority. It would then go to the House, where it would also need a two-thirds majority. It would next go before voters in the November 2022 general election, requiring a simple majority to pass. Thirty-six states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have approved comprehensive, publicly available medical marijuana programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Fifteen states and three territories have legalized recreational marijuana. Keith Graves told the committee he was a member of a group of retired police officers in Idaho who left California, Washington and Oregon. He said those states went downhill with crime and other problems after legalizing marijuana. Were from your future, he told the committee. This is the last fox hole. Theres nowhere else to go. Bill Esbensen is part of the Idaho Citizens Coalition working on an initiative to legalize medical marijuana that it hopes to put before voters. He said the constitutional amendment would prohibit legalizing medical marijuana through an initiative, even though he said most people in the state want medical marijuana approved. You guys are so afraid of marijuana, youre willing to blow up the state constitution, he told lawmakers. The committee advanced the resolution on a voice vote, and did not record how individual members voted. --The Associated Press The Office of the Director General Assam Rifles, Assam Rifles, has called for applications form eligible candidates who are family members of Assam Rifles personnel killed in action, died while in service, discharged from service on medical grounds and missing while in service for filling One Thirty-Four (134) vacancies to the post of Rifleman, Havildar and Warrant Officer Tradesman in Assam Rifles through direct recruitment to be posted across India on a fulltime basis. The offline application process towards the same started on January 28, 2021 and closes on March 1, 2021. CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Rifleman, Havildar and Warrant Officer Tradesman posts in Assam Rifles Organisation Office of the Director General Assam Rifles Educational Qualification Must be dependent family member of Assam rifles personnel who were killed in action, died while in service, discharged from service on medical grounds and missing while in service Experience Refer to the advertisement Job Responsibilities null Skills Required Physical and Medical Fitness Job Location Across India Salary Scale As admissible to Assam Rifles personnel Industry Assam Rifles Application Start Date January 28, 2021 Application End Date March 1, 2021 Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021: Age And Fees Desirous candidates applying for Assam Rifles Jobs 2021 through Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021 must meet the age criteria as per the Assam Rifles norms as on January 01, 2021 with relaxation (upper age limit) for reserved categories as specified in the Assam Rifles Recruitment Notification 2021. For details regarding application fee for Assam Rifles Jobs 2021 through Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021, refer to the official Assam Rifles Recruitment Notification 2021 given at the end of the article. Also Read: IAF Recruitment 2021 For Airmen In Group 'X' And Group 'Y' Trades, Apply Online Before February 7. See Details Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021 Vacancy Details Rifleman General Duty (GD - Male/Female) - 87 Havildar Clerk (Male/Female) - 15 Rifleman Cook (Male only) - 06 Rifleman Safai (Male only) - 04 Rifleman Washerman (Male only) - 03 Rifleman Barber (Male only) - 03 Rifleman Equipment & Boot Repairer (EBR Male only) - 02 Warrant Officer Radio Mechanic (RM Male only) - 02 Rifleman Electrician (Male only) - 02 Warrant Officer Personal Assistance (PA - Male/Female) - 01 Rifleman Electrical Fitter Signal (EFS Male only) - 01 Rifleman Lineman Field (LMN Male only) - 01 Rifleman Armourer (Male only) - 01 Rifleman Electrician Mechanic Vehicle (EMV Male only) - 01 Rifleman Vehicle Mechanic (VM Male only) - 01 Rifleman Plumber (Male only) - 01 Warrant Officer Pharmacist (Male/Female) - 01 Havildar X-Ray Assistant (Male only) - 01 Rifleman Female Attendant (Female only) - 01 Total - 134 Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021: Eligibility Desirous candidates applying for Assam Rifles Jobs 2021 through Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021 must be dependent family member of Assam Rifles personnel who were killed in action, died while in service, discharged from service on medical grounds and missing while in service, and must meet the physical and medical fitness criteria as detailed in the Assam Rifles Recruitment Notification 2021. Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021: Selection And Pay The selection of candidates for Assam Rifles Tradesman Jobs 2021 through Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021 will be done as per the Assam Rifles recruitment norms as notified in the Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021 notification. Candidates selected for Assam Rifles Tradesman Jobs 2021 through Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021 will be paid emolument as admissible to Assam Rifles personnel. Also Read: West Bengal Police Recruitment 2021 For 8,632 Constables And Lady Constables, Apply Online Before February 20 Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021: How To Apply Candidates applying for Assam Rifles Tradesman Jobs 2021 through Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021 must fill the applications in a prescribed format post-download from the Assam Rifles website and send the same along with self-attested copies of relevant supporting documents listed in the Assam Rifles Notification 2021 to the "Directorate General Assam Rifles (Recruitment Branch), Laitkor, Shillong, Meghalaya - 793 010" or e-mail the same to rectbrdgar@gmail.com on or before March 01, 2021. Download Assam Rifles Recruitment 2021 Notification PDF for Rifleman, Havildar and Warrant Officer Tradesman posts here Sartorius recorded high growth according to preliminary figures in 2020 due to strong organic development, several acquisitions and the additional momentum from business related to the coronavirus pandemic. The Group closed the year with significant double-digit growth rates in sales revenue, order intake and earnings, reporting further gains in both divisions and across all geographies. The pandemic year of 2020 was exceptional and very challenging for Sartorius as well. First and foremost, we are glad that we did not have to report any high numbers of infections or serious illnesses among our employees. Moreover, in a very intense and demanding environment, we also experienced the strongest year of growth in the company's recent history and were simultaneously able to complete several strategically important acquisitions, said Executive Board Chairman and CEO Joachim Kreuzburg. Our strategy and business model proved not only to be particularly resilient in the face of the pandemic. Sartorius has also been contributing directly toward overcoming this pandemic: each and every day, we deliver essential products and technologies to vaccine manufacturers all over the world for producing coronavirus vaccines. Our employees mastered considerable challenges in the past year. A big thank you goes out to the entire international Sartorius team for the fantastic job they did. Looking at the current year and ahead to the future, Kreuzburg remains generally optimistic: The pandemic is still not over so protecting the health of our employees continues to remain our top priority. In this environment, even short-term forecasts are subject to increased uncertainty. Yet from today's perspective, we expect strong growth for 2021 and beyond. Thats why we will accelerate and extend the expansion of our production capacities once again, above all at our sites in Germany, Puerto Rico, and China. Moreover, we considerably raised our mid-term targets for 2025 and now plan to grow our sales to about 5 billion euros. Business development of the Group According to preliminary figures, Group sales revenue surged by 30.2 percent to nearly 2,336 million euros in constant currencies (reported: +27.8 percent). Sartorius thus exceeded its forecast issued at the beginning of the year, which had projected an increase in sales revenue by 10 percent to 13 percent and had been raised during the year. Specifically, this was because of two effects: In addition to strong organic growth, consolidation of the most recent acquisitions contributed a good 7 percentage points to non-organic expansion. Furthermore, the preparations of several biopharmaceutical customers to manufacture coronavirus vaccines and Covid19 therapeutics also had a positive impact. The influence of these pandemic-related effects on consolidated growth was a good 8 percentage points. Order intake grew even more dynamically than sales revenue and was up 49.0 percent in constant currencies to 2,836 million euros (reported: +46.2 percent). Pandemic-related orders accounted for close to 14 percentage points of growth. Underlying EBITDA also rose very significantly, showing an overproportionate increase in relation to sales revenue, by 39.6 percent to 692 million euros. The respective margin climbed year over year from 27.1 percent to 29.6 percent. Economies of scale in the Bioprocess Solutions Division primarily played a role in this substantial increase in profitability, yet the underproportionate development of costs in some areas as a result of the pandemic also added to this effect, such as the significant reduction of business travel as well as fewer new hires in non-production areas. The most recent acquisitions had a slightly positive effect on the earnings margin, while currency headwinds had a somewhat dilutive impact. Relevant net profit for the Group rose in relation to sales, by 42.9 percent to 299 million euros. Underlying earnings per ordinary share were 4.37 euros (previous year: 3.06 euros) and per preference share, 4.38 euros (previous year: 3.07 euros). Business development of the regions The Group increased its revenues by double digits in all three geographies yet again. Particularly in the regions of EMEA and the Americas, Sartorius benefited from additional demand in connection with the development and manufacture of coronavirus vaccines and Covid-19 therapeutics. Revenue in the Americas, which accounted for about 35 percent of total Group sales, rose sharply, also because of the acquisitions, by 32.8 percent to 812 million euros. Sales revenue in the EMEA region that contributed the highest share of around 40 percent to total Group revenue amounted to 935 million euros, up 28.4 percent. Generating around 25 percent of Group sales, the Asia | Pacific region recorded sales revenue totaling 588 million euros, a gain of 29.6 percent. (All figures in sales revenue growth in constant currencies) Key financial indicators Sartorius invested substantially in expanding its capacity in 2020 in order to meet high demand. The ratio of capital expenditures (CAPEX) to sales revenue remained in the double digits, at 10.3 percent, despite strong sales growth (previous year: 12.3 percent). Equity rose at year-end from 1,093 million euros to 1,402 million euros. The equity ratio of the Group continued to remain at a solid level of 29.9 percent even after closing of the acquisitions and the increased balance sheet total due to a significantly expanded cash position (December 31, 2019: 38.1 percent). Net debt to underlying EBITDA increased as expected, from 2.0 at year-end 2019 to 2.6 for the period ended December 31, 2020. More than 10,600 employees At the end of 2020, the Group employed 10,637 people worldwide. Compared to the prior-year headcount, this number was thus 1,601 higher. The increase resulted primarily from hiring additional production staff at the companys manufacturing sites with especially high capacity utilization. At the end of the reporting period, around 7,100 people were employed in the EMEA region, more than 1,900 in the Americas and about 1,600 in the Asia | Pacific region. Business development of the divisions Both divisions contributed significant rates to sales growth. The Bioprocess Solutions Division that offers a wide array of innovative technologies for manufacturing biopharmaceuticals expanded at an exceptionally dynamic rate in the reporting year, with sales up 34.4 percent to 1,783 million euros (reported: +32.0 percent). In addition to strong organic growth across all product categories and geographies, pandemic effects added up to an estimated 12 percentage points of which the majority was attributable to additional sales in connection with the ramp-up of production capacities for coronavirus vaccines and Covid19 therapeutics. Close to 5 percentage points of the divisions growth was due to consolidation of the most recent acquisitions. Order intake developed even more strongly than sales revenue, soaring 56.4 percent in constant currencies (reported: +53.5 percent) to 2,238 million euros, with the pandemic effects described above having a positive impact of around 17 percentage points. Underlying EBITDA of the Bioprocess Solutions Division was 576 million euros, up 46.5 percent very significantly above the prior-year figure of 393 million euros. Due to economies of scale and pandemic-related underproportionate cost development to some extent, the division's respective margin was up year over year from 29.1 percent to 32.3 percent. Currency headwinds had a slightly negative impact, while the most recent acquisitions did not have any significant effect on the divisions earnings margin. The Lab Products & Services Division specializing in equipment and technologies for life science research and pharmaceutical laboratories achieved a sales increase in 2020 of 18.1 percent to 553 million euros (reported: +16.1 percent). Acquisitions contributed about 15 percentage points; the net impact of various countervailing pandemic effects added up to minus 1 percentage point. Thus, the division was confronted in the first half with an extremely challenging economic environment, especially in China and the USA, due to the pandemic. This led to a decline in sales revenue in some product segments. In the second half, rebound and catch-up effects increasingly set in. In particular, demand was high for products such as diagnostic membrane and pipette tips used as part of coronavirus testing. The divisions bioanalytics portfolio that includes the protein analytical business acquired from Danaher also grew dynamically. Order intake rose even more strongly than sales revenue, climbing 26.4 percent (reported: +24.1 percent) to 598 million euros. Underlying EBITDA for the Lab Products & Services Division rose by 13.2 percent from 103 million euros a year earlier to 116 million euros in the reporting year; the corresponding margin reached 21.0 percent relative to 21.6 percent in the previous year. The main reason for the slight decline was the weaker capacity utilization at some plants in the first half of the year due to the pandemic, while the most recent acquisitions had a positive impact of a good 2 percentage points on the divisions margin. Exchange rates did not have any significant effect on the divisions earnings margin. Forecast for 2021 Sartorius plans to grow profitably in 2021 as well. Consolidated sales revenue is thus projected to increase by about 19 percent to 25 percent. Initial consolidation of the acquisitions is expected to contribute about 5.5 percentage points to this growth, and the impact of the pandemic-related businesses on Group revenue is difficult to estimate at the present time and is likely to amount to up to 6 percentage points. Regarding profitability, the company forecasts that its underlying EBITDA margin will be about 30.5 percent, up from 29.6 percent a year earlier. Due to dynamic organic growth, Sartorius is extending and accelerating the expansion of production capacities and its digital infrastructure. As a result, the CAPEX ratio is expected to be around 15 percent (previous year: 10.3 percent). For the Bioprocess Solutions Division, the Executive Board expects sales to grow between 22 percent and 28 percent, with consolidation of the most recent acquisitions likely to contribute about 6 percentage points and the pandemic effects up to 8 percentage points. For the divisions underlying EBITDA margin, management forecasts a moderate increase to around 33 percent (previous year: 32.3 percent) after the underproportionate cost development as a result of the pandemic had additionally increased this margin in the prior year, especially in this division, and now that corresponding effects resulting from pent-up demand are included in this projection. The Lab Products & Services Division is projected to increase its sales revenue by 10 percent to 16 percent, with the most recent acquisitions expected to contribute around 5 percentage points to growth. Pandemic effects are not anticipated unless laboratories will be closed again as part of potentially very extensive lockdowns. For the divisions underlying EBITDA margin, a substantial increase to about 23.0 percent is forecasted (previous year: 21.0 percent). All forecasts are based on constant currencies, as in the past years. In addition, the company assumes that the global economy will increasingly recover as the current year progresses and that supply chains will remain stable. Mid-term targets up to 2025 updated As early as 2018, management presented its strategy and long-term targets for the period of 2020 to 2025. The targets for 2025 have now been updated and partly raised, given the results achieved in the Bioprocess Solutions Division in 2020 and the resulting increase in the baseline values, as well as expectations of future organic growth in this segment. Accordingly, Sartorius now plans to increase its consolidated sales revenue to about 5 billion euros in the five-year period up to 2025 (previous target: around 4 billion euros). The company intends to achieve this increase in both divisions primarily through organic growth as well as additionally by acquisitions. The Groups underlying EBITDA margin is forecasted to rise to around 32 percent (former guidance: around 28 percent). For the Bioprocess Solutions Division, the company now projects sales revenue of around 3.8 billion euros (former guidance: approximately 2.8 billion euros), with an underlying EBITDA margin of around 34 percent (former guidance: around 30 percent). The outlook for the Lab Products & Services Division remains unchanged, with sales revenue forecasted at around 1.2 billion euros and an underlying EBITDA margin at about 25 percent. These projections are based on the assumption that on average the margins of future acquisitions will initially be somewhat below and, after integration, at a level comparable to those of the Groups existing businesses, and that there will be no relevant changes in the key currency exchange rates. Management points out that the dynamics and volatilities in the life science and biopharma sectors have increased over the past years and the coronavirus pandemic has further amplified this trend, so that multi-year forecasts show even higher uncertainties than usual. While private-equity investments into the Indian real estate sector in 2020 declined 23 percent from 2019 levels, investors have been eyeing alternate assets, as well as projects that require last-mile funding. Investment firms and global developers are also into constructing office parks, Colliers Research has said. During 2020, office assets accounted for investment inflows totaling $2.2 billion (Rs 15,450 crore). The sector showed resilience despite the global pandemic forcing occupiers to use remote working. Last mile funding is gaining ground with investors plugging the gaps to complete constructions, especially in the residential sector. Interestingly, the office sector continues to be favoured by investors despite the work from home scenario and the limited availability of investment grade assets. As technology companies in India continue to work remotely, markets like Bengaluru and Hyderabad are continuing to witness enquiries from global technology companies looking to set up their global in-house centers. However, as investment firms are now finding quality assets hard to come by, they are undertaking development risks, the report said. The commercial office sector accounted for 46 percent of the total inflows in 2020, signifying investors unwavering confidence reflecting Indias continuing strategic advantage for global occupiers as the office sector has witnessed some large investments by global funds in 2020. The investor focus will continue on income generating assets including industrial assets and with current risk return profile of assets available, the investment strategy is likely to extend to development assets and structured credit, says Piyush Gupta, managing director, Capital Markets & Investment Services at Colliers International India. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the residential segment has experienced lower sales velocity, which is also impacting investment inflows. In 2020, investments in residential assets accounted for only 6 percent of the total inflows. Investors are increasingly infusing equity in companies directly, as opposed to the structured debt route at a project level that investors largely used in the last decade. Stagnant prices, decadal-low loan rates, and rebates offered by developers bode well for demand in the residential sector. Hence, we believe there is ample opportunity for investment funds to finance projects stalled in final stages of construction. This offers lower risk for investors, as project approvals are already in place, the report said. Investment firms continued to be enthused by the Indian real estate sector as they are here for the long term. Last mile funding is gaining ground with investors plugging the gaps to complete constructions, especially in the residential sector. Interestingly, the office sector continues to be favoured by investors despite the continued work from home scenario and the limited availability of investment grade assets. "There is also ample interest from investors in other asset classes such as warehousing and data centers, which are likely to see continued interest extending beyond 2021. During 2021, we expect continued interest in distressed projects at attractive valuations, says Siddhart Goel, Senior Director & Head, Research at Colliers International India. As per Colliers Research, Tier 3 and Tier 4 data center assets can provide a net yield per annum of about 16-18 percent, making them attractive for investors. Over the next decade, a strong data centers portfolio can be converted into a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) offering, led by a strong appetite for income-yielding assets, it said. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said "there are reasons to hope" for progress toward ending the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict after years of inaction. He said the United Nations will explore all initiatives to facilitate "a true peace process" based on the two-state solution. Clearly referring to the former U.S. administration without naming then president Donald Trump, the U.N. chief said "we were completely locked down in a situation in which there was no progress visible." "We have tried for a long time to make the Quartet meet, but we never had the agreement of all the members for that to be possible," Guterres told a press conference. "And we have tried to have inclusive other formulas - possible of an enlarged Quartet with several other important players in the region, and unfortunately, this has not been possible until now," The AP cited him as saying. "I think it became possible now," he said, but stressed that a peace process can only be successful if it is based on a two-state solution and "all the international agreements that already exist in this regard." Guterres expressed hope that elections "in the state of Palestine" and elections in Israel "will also contribute to create a positive environment for the future of the peace process and for the rights of the Palestinian people, namely, its right to self determination and its right to independence, to be fully respected." After years of running high-class escort services, a secretive Sydney businesswoman is ruffling the feathers of her country neighbours over plans for a helipad at her ultra-luxurious and very private retreat which attracts an eye-watering nightly rate of $11,000. Eyebrows were raised when high walls, security cameras and a stern warning not to trespass were erected at the entrance to a five-acre farm on Promised Land Road, about a 15-minute drive from Bellingen, a small town on the Mid North Coast. Inside the $11,000 per night paparazzi-free luxury retreat near Bellingen. Over the past three years, the new owner spent $6 million to create Hermes Estate, a five-star paparazzi-free zone in the most opulent two-bedroom villa in the country. As well as a French chef, private butler and Dom Perignon on ice, the website for Hermes Estate claims: Its a couples wonderland, a VIPs utopia, an artisans paradise. The property offers bespoke experiences to cater to the most discerning tastes. EquityStory.RS, LLC-News: PJSC Mechel / Key word(s): Miscellaneous PJSC Mechel: Government Delegation Tours Mechel's Chelyabinsk Facilities 29.01.2021 / 13:35 MSK The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. GOVERNMENT DELEGATION TOURS MECHEL'S CHELYABINSK FACILITIES Chelyabinsk, Russia - 29 January 2021 - Mechel Group (MOEX: MTLR, NYSE: MTL), one of Russia's leading mining and steel companies, reports that a delegation headed by Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko toured Mechel Group's Chelyabinsk facilities. Mechel PAO's Chief Executive Officer Oleg Korzhov guided the tour of Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant's and Mechel Coke's production areas and described the ecological measures Mechel is taking as part of the federal Clean Air project within the framework of the national Ecology project. The delegation included Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko, Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Murad Kerimov, head of Federal Supervisory Natural Resources Management Service (Rosprirodnadzor) Svetlana Radionova, Chelyabinsk Region's Governor Alexey Texler. The delegation toured Mechel Coke's production facilities. Over the past few years, the plant reconstructed two benzene workshops, a coke-pitch facility and two coke batteries. In the near future, the plant plans to optimize operations at its coke batteries and overhaul its coke workshop #1. All these measures are in compliance with the best available technology principles. After that, the delegation headed by Viktoria Abramchenko visited Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant's oxygen converter facility. The guests examined the plant's converter #1, overhauled in 2020. The converter was practically built anew and equipped with a modern three-stage gas cleaning system, which enabled the plant to bring waste emissions from steelmaking to a minimum. Viktoria Abramchenko appraised Mechel's efforts in fulfilling its ecological obligations and stressed the importance of pursuing their implementation. In accordance with the federal Clean Air project's purposes, in 2019 the company signed a quadrilateral agreement on reducing its impact on the atmosphere with Russia's Ecology Ministry, Rosprirodnadzor and Chelyabinsk Region's governor. On January 28, 2021 Mechel signed another ecological agreement with Governor Alexey Texler, assuming additional obligations on reducing waste emissions. Overall, the company plans to implement a program costing a total of 13 billion rubles and reducing waste emissions by more than 15,000 tonnes a year in total. "Yesterday the company signed an ecological agreement with the region's governor, now it is important for the company's modernization program to be in compliance with the state Clean Air program's ambitious goals. The state meanwhile must think of ways to provide tax and other support so that this task is fulfilled as soon as possible. We will go together with you every step of the way in fulfilling this program. Our goal is not to stop production, but to uphold it while providing it with the best available technologies from the ecological standpoint," Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko noted. "Our company is implementing environment-friendly measures at its Chelyabinsk facilities since the day they joined Mechel Group in 2001. We are consistently and unceasingly upgrading all our equipment in the technological chain and always pay extra attention to reducing the impact of our operations on the environment. Since 2001, we have invested a total of 79 billion rubles, including 10 billion rubles into ecological upgrades alone. In the next few years, investment into ecological measures will be yet another 13 billion rubles. Today we have demonstrated both our upgraded production facilities and those expecting upgrades to the government delegation. We are grateful to the state authorities for their attention to our work and their offer of support to speed up implementation of our ecological measures - in this we share a common goal," Mechel PAO's Chief Executive Officer Oleg Korzhov said. *** Mechel PAO Ekaterina Videman Tel: + 7 495 221 88 88 ekaterina.videman@mechel.com *** Mechel is an international mining and steel company. Its products are marketed in Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa. Mechel unites producers of coal, iron ore concentrate, steel, rolled products, ferroalloys, heat and electric power. All of its enterprises work in a single production chain, from raw materials to high value-added products. *** Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of Mechel, as defined in the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We wish to caution you that these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. We do not intend to update these statements. We refer you to the documents Mechel files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Form 20-F. These documents contain and identify important factors, including those contained in the section captioned "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in our Form 20-F, that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among others, the achievement of anticipated levels of profitability, growth, cost and synergy of our recent acquisitions, the impact of competitive pricing, the ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals and licenses, the impact of developments in the Russian economic, political and legal environment, volatility in stock markets or in the price of our shares or ADRs, financial risk management and the impact of general business and global economic conditions. 29.01.2021 MSK Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EquityStory.RS, LLC - a company of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EquityStory.RS, LLC Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de 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. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Transplantation Market Growth & Trends The global transplantation market size is expected to reach USD 26.5 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 11.5%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Growing incidence of organ failure has resulted in high demand for transplantation procedures, which is boosting the market growth. Rising demand for transplant products, such as tissue products, immunosuppressants, and organ preservation solutions, is also a major factor driving the market. Many biotechnology and medical device companies are concentrating on the development of advanced transplant products for the management of organ failure. Thus, technological advancement and the development of novel & improved transplant products, such as surgical instruments, have majorly contributed to the expansion of the market. In addition, the introduction of advanced tissue products, such as DeNovo NT Graft, Chondrofix Osteochondral Allograft, and DuraMatrix Collagen Dura Substitute Membrane, provides higher benefits during treatment. Furthermore, computerized support systems with advanced systems and software allow easy & effective maintenance of tissues. Thus, the availability of such advanced techniques supports market growth. Request a free sample copy or view report summary: Transplantation Market Report Transplantation Market Report Highlights The tissue products segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2020 due to increased demand for tissue and organ transplant procedures The tissue products segment is expected to expand further at a significant CAGR from 2021 to 2028 owing to the advancements in transplantation products The tissue transplant segment held the largest revenue share in 2020 on account of the high demand for tissue transplant procedures worldwide The transplant centers segment is projected to record the fastest CAGR during the forecast period owing to the rising popularity of these centers for transplant procedures The hospitals segment dominated the market, in terms of revenue share, in 2020 owing to a large number of transplant procedures performed in hospitals North America was the leading regional market in 2020 and is projected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period owing to the presence of well-developed healthcare infrastructure in the region The presence of a large number of research laboratories, biotechnology, and medical device companies inNorth America is also one of the key factors contributing to the regions growth Transplantation Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the global transplantation market on the basis of product type, application type, end-use, and region: Transplantation Product Type Outlook (Volume, Units; Revenue, USD Billion, 2016 - 2028) Tissue Products Immunosuppressive Drugs Preservation Solutions Transplantation Application Type Outlook (Volume, Units; Revenue, USD Billion, 2016 - 2028) Organ Transplant Tissue Transplant Transplantation End-use Outlook (Volume, Units; Revenue, USD Billion, 2016 - 2028) Hospitals Transplant Centers Others Transplantation Regional Outlook (Volume, Units; Revenue, USD Billion, 2016 - 2028) North America US. Canada Europe UK. Germany France Italy Spain Asia Pacific Japan China India Latin America Brazil Mexico MEA South Africa Saudi Arabia List of Key Players of Transplantation Market Stryker Corp. Medtronic PLC AbbVie Inc. Zimmer Biomet Novartis International AG 21st Century Medicine Biolife Solutions Teva Pharmaceutical Veloxis Pharmaceuticals About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Three million miles of natural gas pipelines criss-cross the U.S., and the fight against climate change could render them all obsolete. The last two weeks alone illustrate the stakes. President Joe Biden canceled the permit for the $9 billion Keystone XL oil pipeline on his first day in office, a clear signal any new fossil fuel pipeline project in the U.S. will face long odds. His climate envoy, former Secretary of State John Kerry, warned that natural gas pipelines could become stranded assets within 30 years as the administration seeks to end carbon emissions from power plants. And NextEra Energy Inc. wrote off $1.2 billion of its investment in the Mountain Valley gas pipeline from West Virginia to Virginia, which has been tied up in regulatory and legal delays. So pipeline owners are eyeing another, possibly future-proof fuel: hydrogen. Unlike natural gas, hydrogen can be burned without pumping carbon dioxide into the air. Run it through a fuel cell to generate electricity and the only waste is water; produce hydrogen using electrolyzers powered by solar plants or wind farms and it becomes a way to store massive amounts of renewable energyfar more than any of todays batteries can hold. And the best part for pipeline companies: getting it where it needs to be, in bulk, could require the same basic infrastructure that now carries natural gas. It could, in other words, be a savior for the businesses behind our fossil fuel infrastructure. Even as those same companies insist gas will play a role for years to come, many of them are talking up the potential of hydrogen. Theyre launching projects to blend small portions of hydrogen into their existing networks to see how the equipment behaves. Theyre running experiments to strip hydrogen out of that blended gas, for use at specific locations. And theyre exploring how they might eventually transition from one fuel to the other. SPARE PARTS: Keystone XL may be sold for scrap if Biden kills it We see our gas network as an energy system that delivers molecules to our customers, and by 2050, the source of those molecules will be very different, said Sheri Givens, vice president of U.S. regulatory and customer strategy at National Grid. We see hydrogen as the low-carbon molecule of the 21st century. But the hype is far from the reality. Some climate activists battling the industry over gas bans call the companies talk of hydrogen greenwashing. Gas businesses are downplaying the difficulty of switching from one fuel to the other, they say, trying to convince investors theyll still be relevant in a zero-carbon world. The industrys always putting out things that might happenif we just keep using gas right now, said Matt Vespa, staff attorney with Earthjustice. So far, theres more actual hydrogen activity in Europe and the U.K. than there is in the U.S., where some companies have expressed interest without revealing many specific plans. The then-chief commercial officer of Energy Transfer, the largest U.S. pipeline operator by revenue, last fall called hydrogen a head scratcher that, at least for now, doesnt make sense. At this point, we don't see anything close on the horizon around hydrogen, said Marshall S. McCrea, now the companys co-chief executive officer. The questions involved in hydrogen transport go beyond merely the will to pursue it. Gas pipeline owners cant simply switch from one gas to the other without cutting off existing customers, so any transition would start with blending hydrogen into the existing stream of fuel. We see hydrogen as the low-carbon molecule of the 21st century ONE EXAMPLE: Kinder Morgan eyeing energy transition But even mixing the twolet alone replacing one with the otherposes technical problems that would need to be overcome. Compressors designed to move natural gas dont work well with hydrogen, the lightest of all elements, and would likely need to be replaced. Some types of steel pipe become brittle and crack when exposed to hydrogen over time, whereas polymer pipes can easily handle hydrogen. We must investigate this for every single pipe we put hydrogen into, said Jack Brouwer, director of the advanced power and energy program at the University of California, Irvine, but its a phenomenon we can manage because its slow. Problem pipes and compressors could be replaced over the course of years, he said. Or pipes could be protected with coatings applied from the inside by robotic devices called pigs that are currently used for pipeline inspection and maintenance. Just put some spray-painting equipment on that same device, and there you go, right down the whole pipeline, he said. Pilot projects around the world have been designed to flush out problems and give companies a better sense of what other obstacles might lie ahead. In California, for instance, Sempra Energy has planned a series of demonstration projects that will test various concentrations of hydrogen in fuel blends possibly up to 20 percent in isolated pipeline segments made of polyethylene, steel, and a combination of the two. Another project will test technology to strip and compress hydrogen from the blended gas. Since the infrastructure already exists and serves customers, we would submit that its in the public interest to keep using that infrastructure to help us decarbonize, said Jonathan Peress, senior director of regulatory affairs for Sempras Southern California Gas Co. In July, a group of eleven European gas infrastructure companies presented a plan to build a dedicated hydrogen transport network, saying existing gas infrastructure can be modified to transport hydrogen at an affordable cost. The hydrogen network is set to reach 4,225 miles (6,800 kilometers) by 2030 and nearly 14,300 miles (23,000 kilometers) by 2040, three-quarters of which will consist of converted natural gas pipelines. National Grid in the U.K. has launched a series of hydrogen demonstration projects, including using the gas to heat homes, and has discussed establishing a hydrogen pipeline transmission network connecting the industrial centers along Britains east coast. In the U.S., the company is partnering with six national labs and other companies on a gas-mixing research effort called HyBlend. The one thing that we have in the U.S. that we should be very proud of and is of huge value to us is we have a tremendous natural gas transportation and storage network, said Alan Armstrong, chief executive officer of the Williams Companies, an energy infrastructure giant whose core business is natural gas. It's a tremendous opportunity for us to really take advantage of and to make hydrogen more economical. The "Sweden Life Insurance Key Trends and Opportunities to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Swedish life insurance segment. It provides values for key performance indicators such as gross written premium, claims paid and penetration during the review period (2015-2019) and forecast period (2019-2024). The report gives a comprehensive overview of the Swedish economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country. The report brings together research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure. Key Highlights Key insights into the dynamics of the Swedish life insurance industry. Comparison of Swedish life insurance segments, along with premium and claim trends. A comprehensive overview of the Swedish economy, government initiatives and investment opportunities. Swedish insurance regulatory framework's evolution, key facts, taxation regime, licensing and capital requirements. Swedish life insurance industry's market structure giving details of retail and commercial lines of business. Details of the competitive landscape, M&A and competitors' profiles. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the life insurance segment in Sweden It provides historical values for the Swedish life insurance segment for the report's 2015-2019 review period, and projected figures for the 2019-2024 forecast period. It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Swedish life insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2024. It profiles the top life insurance companies in Sweden and outlines the key regulations affecting them. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Executive Summary Chapter 2 Economy Overview Key Macroeconomic Indicators Country Risk Index Chapter 3 COVID-19 Impact Assessment Chapter 4 Summary Trend and KPIs Penetration and Growth Premiums and Lines of Business Consumer Segments KPIs Chapter 5 Regulatory Risk Evolution Key Facts Licensing Requirements Chapter 6 Trend by Lines of Business Consumer Segment Chapter 7 Business Performance and Market Share Chapter 8 Distribution Chapter 9 Competitive Landscape Chapter 10 Competitor Profiles Chapter 11 Insurtech Chapter 12 Consumer Insight Survey Companies Mentioned Alecta Pension Insurance Mutual The life insurance company Skandia, mutual Avanza Pension Insurance Company Nordea Life Insurance Sweden AB AMF Pensions Insurance AB Swedish Trade Fund Insurance Handelsbanken Life Insurance AB Danica Pension Insurance Company Ltd (publ) KPA Pension AB (publ) SEB Pension and Insurance AB For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/icezk9 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005155/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 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Hungary on Friday became the first EU member to approve the Chinese-made Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, a week after it also broke ranks with Brussels by issuing a provisional permit for Russia's Sputnik V jab. "Today the National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition (OGYEI) gave its approval for the Sinopharm vaccine," Chief Medical Officer Cecilia Muller told a briefing. A few hours later Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced on his Facebook page that Hungary had agreed to buy "five million doses" of the vaccine, "enough to vaccinate two and a half million people" out of Hungary's population of 9.8 million. "Delivery will be carried out in four stages, in four months," he said. Earlier on Friday Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that he would choose the vaccine for his own inoculation. "The Chinese have known this virus for the longest time, hence probably they know most about it, so I will wait for my turn, and when I choose I will want the Chinese vaccine," Orban said. Budapest expects to order 500,000 doses of the Sinopharm jab for delivery in February, Orban's chief-of-staff said Thursday. Last week Hungary became the first EU member to approve Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, and said it had agreed to buy two million doses of the jab. A decree published Thursday and in effect from Friday allows the foreign minister to license any vaccine that has already been administered to more than one million people, without requiring the Hungarian pharmaceutical authority to sign it off. The Hungarian government says the decree was needed to speed up the approval process. It also provides for approval if a vaccine has been used in three other countries, including at least one EU or EU-candidate country. Orban said Hungary was monitoring how mass inoculation with a Chinese vaccine is proceeding in neighbouring Serbia, an EU candidate country that is home to a sizeable community of ethnic Hungarians. Earlier this month, Serbia became the first European country to start a mass vaccination programme with one million doses delivered by Sinopharm. The Hungarian Chamber of Doctors struck a cautious note in reaction to Friday's news, urging OGYEI to license "products only in transparent compliance with the rules of pharmaceutical safety, after examination in accordance with the rules of the European Medicines Agency". The group said a careful approach was essential "so that our medical colleagues can recommend and administer (vaccines) in good conscience". Orban has long courted both Moscow and Beijing as part of what he calls a "pragmatic" foreign policy, and regularly is at loggerheads with Brussels, particularly over migration policy. Criticising the slow pace of delivery of jabs from the EU's joint procurement programme, Orban said that his government must "stand on two legs" and is looking beyond the EU for vaccine supplies in the US and Israel, as well as Russia and China. Hungarians' willingness to get inoculated is one of the lowest rates in the EU but has been rising in recent months. In a survey published by opinion research firm Publicus on Friday, six out of 10 Hungarians said they would want to get vaccinated, up from four out of 10 in November. The most popular choices were the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, with the Russian and Chinese jabs least popular. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP 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 Moscow resumes flights to Greece and Singapore from February 8, the Russian anti-coronavirus crisis center reports. Flights from Moscow to Athens will be operated twice a week, while flights to Singapore - three times a week, it said. "Following discussion and given the epidemiological situation in certain countries, the crisis center has decided to resume international flights on a reciprocal basis with Greece (Moscow-Athens, two flights a week) and Singapore (Moscow-Singapore, three flights a week) from February 8, 2021," the report said. Russia will also resume international flights from eight regions of the country on February 8. "International airports in the cities of Astrakhan, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Makhachkala, Mineralnye Vody, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm and Khabarovsk will resume international flights on February 8," the statement reads. In addition, the number of regular flights to Egypt from various Russian airports will be increased. At the moment, only airports in Moscow and St. Petersburg operate international flights. Russia suspended international flights in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The gradual resumption of flights began in the summer of 2020. Russia has so far resumed flights to and from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea, Egypt, the UAE, Turkey, the UK, Switzerland, Serbia, Japan, the Maldives and Cuba. Flights to and from Ethiopia and the Seychelles have been resumed officially but no air carriers have announced flights to these destinations yet. Besides, Russia temporarily suspended flights to from the UK in December after a new coronavirus strain had been detected in the country. Thousands Of Columbia University Students Join Tuition Strike Demanding Lower Fees Amid Pandemic More than 1,000 students at Columbia University are refusing to pay this semesters tuition fees after going on strike and demanding the Ivy League school in New York City lower its fees amid the CCP virus pandemic. The strike has been organized largely by the Columbia University-Barnard College chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), which has partnered with other student groups to support the action. The group initiated the tuition strike on Jan. 22, the same date that payments for the semester were due, according to its Twitter account, which is posting regular updates about the situation. On Twitter, YDSA claims that some students were charged a $150 penalty for late fees this month, despite reassurances from university leaders that late fees would not be charged for January tuition. In an open letter to the presidents, trustees, and administrators of Columbia University, Barnard College, and Teachers College; students demanded the school reduce the cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, and room and board, by at least 10 percent and increase financial aid by at least 10 percent to offset the financial hardship created during this economic depression. The campus of Columbia University with the Low Memorial Library in the foreground in Manhattan on June 21. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times) This reduction and increased aid should not come at the expense of instructor or worker pay, but rather at the expense of bloated administrative salaries, expansion projects, and other expenses that dont benefit students and workers, the letter reads. In the same letter, students also accused the school of demonstrating a flagrant disregard for initiatives democratically supported within the community. Should the University continue to remain silent in the face of the pressing demands detailed below, we and over two thousand fellow students are prepared to withhold tuition payments for the Spring semester and not to donate to the University at any point in the future, the letter states. The letter also asks the school to fulfil its responsibilities to the people of West Harlem by committing to provide employment, education and affordable housing, and to end expansion as well as defund Public Safety and invest in community safety solutions. Tuition for undergraduates is $58,920 for an academic year, but when the cost of room and boarding, books, and other personal expenses are factored in, the price climbs to well above $80,000, according to estimates by the university. Columbia currently has an endowment worth more than $11 billion that could be leveraged to easily alleviate every students urgent financial needs, according to YDSA. Students walk on the University of British Columbia campus on March 10, 2020. (Jerry Wu/The Epoch Times) Activists said they want Columbia to follow in the footsteps of Williams College in Massachusetts, which announced in June last year that it will lower tuition by 15 percent for the 2020-21 academic year. Organizers say that at least 1,100 students are now actively withholding tuition, and a petition in support of the strike has so far collected more than 4,300 student signatures and gained the support and solidarity of a number of organizations, unions, and politicians. On its website, Columbia University said it suspended a 1.5 percent monthly fee on balances due on unpaid charges but made it clear to students that a $150 late payment penalty would be assessed for unpaid charges on bills incurred before Dec. 19. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the University modified its late fee policy in March of 2020 and suspended all late fees until January 2021, the website states. As communicated previously, beginning on January 22, 2021, a late payment fee of $150 will be assessed for any unpaid charges remaining from bills issued before and on December 18, 2020. In the future, late payment fees may be imposed in subsequent terms for bills paid after the due date. The COVID-19 pandemic driven adverse market conditions have negatively impacted government's disinvestment plans and it raised just Rs 15,220 crore instead of Rs 2.1 lakh crore targeted in the last budget, says the Economic Survey. The focus of the government now is to embark on a significant privatisation exercise of central public sector companies and speeding up big-ticket strategic sale of large ones such as Air India, Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) and Shipping Corporation of India (SCI). The disinvestment receipts are the major component of Non-debt Capital receipts. The Budget 2020-21 had envisaged to mobilise Rs 2.1 lakh crore from disinvestment proceeds, of which Rs 90,000 crore was envisaged for disinvestment in financial institutions. As on 20th January, the government has been able to raise Rs 15,220 crore of which Rs 443 crore was raised through Initial Public Offer (IPO) of Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), while Rs 10,169 crore was realised through Offer For Sale (Rs 4,924 crore from Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL), Rs 771 crore from Bharat Dynamics (BDL) and Rs 4474 crore from Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). The government also raised Rs 2,770 crore from buybacks -- Rs 156 crore from KIOCL, Rs 1,065 crore from NTPC, Rs 173 crore from RITES, and Rs 1,376 crore from NMDC, and Rs 1,838 crore from other transactions. "During the year, the government announced the Atma Nirbhar Bharat package that sought to redefine public sector participation in commercial enterprises. The government recognises the need for opening up all the sectors to the private sector while public sector enterprises play an important role in strategic areas," the survey said. Vedanta group and two American funds - Apollo Global and I Squared Capital - submitted expressions of Interest (EoIs) for the acquisition of Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), the largest of the disinvestments this year. However, the government has not been able to conclude the deal yet and the financial bid for India's second-largest fuel retailer is yet to take place. The government looks to raise Rs 90,000 crore from the sale of its 53 per cent stake in BPCL. But it will be able to raise just Rs 40,000 crore for its stake, according to the present market capitalisation. The government was to announce the name of the qualified bidders for Air India by January 5, but the delay has forced them to postpone the announcement. Tata Group is among the bidders, who submitted the EoI. The sale of Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) has additional problems as its major valuation comes from the leased land that it took from Indian Railways at subsidised rates. The government also wanted to divest its 47 per cent stake in IDBI Bank and 10 per cent stake in Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), but the processes have met with delays. Overall, the government wanted to sell stakes in two dozen central public sector companies in 2020-21. In the biggest privatisation drive ever, the government has also been planning to sell its stake in BEML and Shipping Corp of India (SCI). Besides the privatisation, they wanted to cut shareholding in select public sector firms to below 51 per cent to boost revenue collections but that also had been hit by the slowing economy. Also Read: Economic Survey 2020-21: Higher GDP, lower interest rates counterbalance rising public debt Also Read: Bias and subjectivity in India's sovereign credit ratings: Economic Survey Also Read: Economic survey calls for change in CPI base year, greater focus on core inflation Advertisement A giant wind storm has knocked over 15 giant sequoia trees in Yosemite National Park in California in one of the most damaging storms in the history of the park. The wind storm, coming from a regional weather pattern known as the Mono Winds, originated on January 18, with the National Weather Service reporting gusts topping out at 110mph in Cascabel Heights, just 20 miles south of the southern part of Yosemite near Oakhurst. Park officials initially thought two sequoia trees were felled by the storm, but they upped that number to 15 on Thursday, a difficult blow for the Mariposa Grove forest in the park. The sequoia trees date back over 2,000 years and are some of the tallest living things in the world, standing as tall as 285ft. At least 15 giant sequoias fell in Yosemite National Park last week, damaging boardwalks and other structures The giant sequoias were felled by the Mono Winds, a regional weather pattern that caused gusts as high as 110mph 'We have extensive damage in the park,' Yosemite National Park spokesman Scott Gediman said, according to The San Jose Mercury News. 'Millions and millions of dollars. There could be more giant sequoias down. We are continuing the damage assessment.' Around 500 mature sequoia trees live in Mariposa Grove, which is divided into an upper and lower section. Eight of the downed trees are in the upper grove and seven of the downed trees are in the lower grove. This section of the park is expected to be closed for the foreseeable future, with boardwalks, a restroom, and a myriad of other facilities damaged by the trees. Mariposa Grove recently underwent a $40 million renovation project, which was completed three years ago. At least 20 homes and cars were damanged by the falling sequoias, which can reach up to 285ft in height at Yosemite The wind also caused a wide array of damage across the region. Pictured: A tree fallen over in Van Nuys Yosemite National Park was forced to close due to the wind, with plans of reopening over the coming weekend scrapped 'We're thankful that nobody got hurt,' Gediman said. 'It's our hope we'll see new trees germinate. It's part of the ever-changing nature of the park.' None of the named trees, including the Grizzly Giant or the Columbia Tree, were knocked over in the wind storm. The park was going to reopen over the weekend, but a snowstorm earlier this week did further damage, delaying the park's reopening to Monday at the earliest. Overall, around 20 homes and cabins were destroyed near Wawona and around 20 cars were damaged. Of the 15 sequoias known to have fallen in Mariposa Grove, eight were in the upper section and seven were in the lower part The wind storm is one of the worst weather events in the history of Yosemite National Park, causing widespread damage Mariposa Grove has only been reopen for a few years after a $40million renovation that concluded in 2018 It's the worst storm for Yosemite National Park since 1997, when floods necessitated $200million worth of repairs to the park. 'I used to say sequoias are too big to fail,' said Yosemite Conservancy president Frank Dean. 'But in the last few years, it's pretty scary to see how many have been taken out.' The Fresno Bee reports that there was extensive damage to the surrounding communities from the wind storm as well. There were at least 93 reports of property damage in Madera County and 68 homes damaged in the Bass Lake basin. The wind damage was further exacerbated by snow last week, which delayed the reopening of Yosemite National Park While it's expected for Yosemite National Park to reopen on Monday, Mariposa Grove will likely remain closed for some time Yosemite National Park is one of the prized treasures of the United States, preserved before the National Park System existed 'It sounded like a freight train,' Madera County Supervisor Tom Wheeler said of the wind. 'It sounded like thunder rolling. It was like an earthquake coming in the distance from miles away. It shook our house.' In the Yosemite region, there were over 21,000 cases of power outages, PG&E reported. The Yosemite Grant Act, signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1864, preserves Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove, and was instituted before the National Park System arrived. The Mariposa Grove Museum, a cabin inside the grove, is on the National Register of Historic Places. 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 France will shut its borders to all non-EU countries, including Britain, for all but essential travel, but has ruled out a third national lockdown. French Prime Minister Jean Castex made the announcement on Friday, saying that the travel ban will come into force from Sunday to try to limit the spread of new variant cases of coronavirus from abroad. Castex, speaking after a meeting of the country's defence council, said he was not announcing a fresh national lockdown for now, adding that 'the next few days will be decisive' in terms of any possible new restrictions. President Emmanuel Macron added: 'Lockdown is a legitimate question... (but) we all know the heavy impact that has on all fronts.' France's decision to close its borders to countries outside the EU does not apply to hauliers travelling between the United Kingdom and France, British transport minister Grant Shapps said following the news on Friday. 'French PM Jean Castex has announced that France is to close its borders to all countries outside the EU from Sunday. However, I can confirm that this does NOT apply to hauliers, so trade will continue to flow smoothly,' Shapps said on Twitter French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced that France will shut its borders to all non-EU countries, including Britain, for all but essential travel, but has ruled out a third lockdown In an attempt to stem the number of new infections, Castex said big shopping centres - excluding those selling food - would be closed from Sunday and enforcement of the current 6pm curfew would be stepped up. 'More police and gendarmes will be mobilised to check non-compliance with the curfew, the organisation of clandestine parties and the illegal opening of restaurants.' He said only essential travel would be allowed to and from non-EU countries and all arrivals in France from inside the bloc except cross-border workers would be required to show a negative PCR test. The requirement was previously imposed for air and sea travellers but would now also apply to those travelling by land too. With schools and shops still open but restaurants and bars closed, France has fewer restrictions than some European neighbours. The government, however, has been aware of growing fatigue among the public and alarm at the prospect of a third lockdown. France has reported among the world's highest virus death tolls, at 75,620, and more than 60 percent of its intensive care beds are occupied by virus patients. 'More than ever we should do everything to respect the rules,' Castex said. Police patrol to monitor curfew in St-Gilles. France's government prepares new measures after observing that the 6pm curfew was not sufficient to stop the progression of Covid-19 Pictured: A view of a busy Dover ferry port on Wednesday, January 27. France's decision to close its borders to countries outside the EU does not apply to hauliers travelling between the United Kingdom and France, British transport minister Grant Shapps said following the news France has reported among the world's highest virus death tolls, at 75,620, and more than 60 percent of its intensive care beds are occupied by virus patients The Czech Republic is also banning foreigners from entering the country for non-essential reasons in an effort to contain the pandemic. The Foreign Ministry said the ban, which becomes effective on Saturday, applies for all countries. The exceptions to the ban include those who work or study in the country. Trips to the country to visit relatives and nursing homes, receive medical care and attend weddings and funerals are also allowed. The ban is part of a series of new restrictive measures that are tightening the country's lockdown. Earlier in January, the day-to-day increase in coronavirus cases in the country was gradually declining after hitting a record high of nearly 18,000 on January 6. But the numbers did not drop enough and started to rise again this week. The government is also worried about the potential impact of the more contagious British variant on the health system, which has been under serious pressure for months. Earlier in January, the day-to-day increase in coronavirus cases in the country was gradually declining after hitting a record high of nearly 18,000 on January 6. Pictured, patrols in St-Gilles, France, tonight The Czech Republic is also banning foreigners from entering the country for non-essential reasons in an effort to contain the pandemic. Pictured, police enforce curfew in St-Gilles Jean-Michel Wilmotte and Brigitte Macron at the anniversary mass in memory of Pierre Cardin in the church of La Madeleine in Paris The Czech Republic is also banning foreigners from entering the country for non-essential reasons in an effort to contain the pandemic. Pictured: Prague on Friday amid lockdown Police patrol to monitor curfew in St-Gilles. Macron said he was awaiting the EMA's verdict - which came later Friday - and also that of France's own health authority 'because they have the numbers' Pictured, police enforce a curfew in St-Gilles amid a rapidly rising number of cases in France Friday also saw France's president Emmanuel Macron astonishingly claim the AstraZeneca vaccine is 'almost ineffective' on people who are over 65 years of age. Macron made the explosive comments despite the EU giving the AstraZeneca vaccine full approval to be rolled out to its member states on Friday. His comments came as the EU's vaccine war entered a dangerous new phase on Friday as the bloc introduced rules that will allow it to block life-saving jabs getting to Britain, while European politicians accused the UK of 'hijacking' doses. Speaking to reporters only hours before the European Medecines Agency (EMA) recommended the vaccine for adults of all ages, Macron said there was 'very little information' available for the vaccine developed by the British-Swedish company and Oxford University. Jean-Michel Wilmotte and Brigitte Macron at the anniversary mass in memory of Pierre Cardin in the church of La Madeleine in Paris today France's president Emmanuel Macron (pictured Thursday) has astonishingly claimed the AstraZeneca vaccine is 'almost ineffective' on people who are over 65 years of age 'Today we think that it is quasi-ineffective for people over 65,' he told the reporters, his office confirmed to AFP news agency. 'What I can tell you officially today is that the early results we have are not encouraging for 60 to 65-year-old people concerning AstraZeneca,' he said. Macron said he was awaiting the EMA's verdict - which came later Friday - and also that of France's own health authority 'because they have the numbers'. The French expert decision on the vaccine is expected at the start of next week, according to sources close to the health authority. 'I don't have any data, and I don't have a scientific team of my own to look at the numbers,' Macron acknowledged. Meanwhile, Germany's vaccine commission on Friday maintained its advice against using AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccines on older people, saying it was only 6.5 per cent effective for the age group. 'The reason is because there is currently insufficient data on the effectiveness of the vaccines on people above 65 years old,' said the commission known as STIKO. The advice by the panel of medical experts will be taken into account by the government as it officially draws up its decree on usage of the vaccine. Contrary to Macron's claims, British scientists have insisted that Oxford University's Covid vaccine will work on over-65s. Doctors in England say elderly patients are already turning up worried that they will get a jab that won't work for them because of 'misleading' news reports. But the developers of the vaccine, Britain's regulator and independent scientists say there is 'really good evidence' that the jab will work. Even though it was only trialled on a small number of people over 65 - just 660 - before it was approved, lab tests showed that the immune response was strong, it was safe for people to take and appeared to affect elderly people as well as it did young people, for whom there is data proving it prevents Covid-19. Brussels is furious with AstraZeneca after it warned that it would only be able to deliver a fraction of the doses the EU had been expecting once the vaccine is approved for use Professor Anthony Harnden, the deputy chairman of the committee that decided the jabs priority list, vowed there was 'really good evidence' that it is 'safe and effective'. He added advisors in Berlin had made their decision because they have 'lots of' the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine that they can prioritise for older patients, but fewer doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab. Other scientists have warned the German figure is 'misleading' because of the uncertainty around their estimates due to a lack of data in the age group. But doctors have called for 'clear messaging' to the public to reassure them that the second jab approved is effective amid a barrage of queries from elderly Britons. Dr Jess Harvey, a GP in Shropshire, says she's already had several patients come in worried about the jab and fears the situation will only 'get worse'. The comments come after Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday waded into the row, insisting that the vaccine will work and he was flanked by public health chiefs from PHE and the MHRA, the regulator that approved the jab. The EU's health commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, (left) said today that vaccine export controls are not targeting any specific country, while Ursula von der Leyen, (right) the German president of the European Commission, said the EU's deal with the pharmaceutical giant is 'crystal clear' EU vaccine export ban could cut UK supplies The EU's decision to introduce what amounts to an export ban on vaccines could affect the UK's orders of millions of jabs made abroad. Brussels is currently trying to save face after its desire to introduce jabs across the 27 members states simultaneously left it lagging far behind the UK and other nations like Israel. Today's decision to require companies to have exports to certain countries approved before they are sent contains exemptions for many nations, but the United Kingdom is not on the list. Britain is expecting to receive approximately nine million more jabs over the next three weeks from Oxford/AstraZeneca's factories in Wrexham and Oxford and Pfizer/BioNTech's production centre in Puurs, Belgium. If European leaders decide to blockade vaccine exports across the English Channel, the American drugs company Pfizer could be left unable to ship supplies bound for the UK. This would mean some of the 3.5million doses reportedly set to arrive by mid-February could get stuck inside the EU. AstraZeneca's boss pledged earlier this year that the company would start supplying the UK with two million doses per week from the third week of January. These supplies from the two firms alone would be just enough to cover all of the 8.6million people outstanding in the top vaccine priority groups, but if deliveries are stopped or fall short, the target could be in jeopardy. Boris Johnson has repeatedly this week played down any threat to the UK's vaccine supplies. And his spokesman, asked about the threat by the EU today, said: ''AstraZeneca has clearly stated that it will be able to provide two million doses a week and we have stated we will get them out to people as quickly as possible.' He added: 'The deals we have in place with the seven vaccine developers will ensure our supplies continue to grow.' It is not clear how many doses are already sitting in Britain's warehouses, with ministers refusing to reveal numbers because of security concerns. But No 10 has confirmed that they are distributing vaccines out as soon as they can after they are delivered from the manufacturers. Additionally the Pfizer vaccine has to be kept at -70C in order to work. What this means is that there are unlikely to be large stocks of vaccines sitting in reserve in UK warehouses, ready to take up the slack if there is any cut in deliveries. Last night it was revealed the Novavax jab, which will be manufactured in Stockton-on-Tees, appears to be effective against both the original strain of coronavirus and a mutant strain first identified in Kent. The UK has secured access to 60 million doses of the new vaccine, but it has yet to be approved by the regulator. This means it will be available in the second half of this year at the earliest. Advertisement The discussion about the right target age group for the vaccine has compounded controversy surrounding AstraZeneca's vaccine. The European Commission Friday published a redacted version of its contract with the drugs giant, hoping to prove the company had breached a commitment on vaccine deliveries. Brussels is furious with the pharmaceuticals company after it warned that it would only be able to deliver a fraction of the doses the EU had been expecting once the vaccine is approved for use in the bloc. Britain on Friday expressed 'concern' over the EU's vaccine export control scheme, which sees Brussels partially suspend terms of the Brexit deal allowing goods to flow across the Irish border. British minister Michael Gove called European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic to 'express the UK's concern over a lack of notification from the EU about its actions', said a spokesman for the prime minister's office. The UK was 'carefully considering its next steps', he added. The Northern Ireland protocol in the Brexit deal allows goods to flow between EU member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland without the need for customs checks at the border. But there is a provision under Article 16 of the protocol for either party to unilaterally suspend the terms for specific goods if the agreement leads 'to serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties that are liable to persist'. Brussels on Friday invoked the article as part of a scheme to monitor and in some cases bar exports of vaccines produced in EU plants, amid a row with British-Swedish drugs giant AstraZeneca over supply. Arlene Foster, leader of Northern Ireland's loyalist Democratic Unionist Party, called the move to invoke Article 16 an 'incredible act of hostility'. She accused the EU of using Northern Ireland in 'the most despicable manner - over the provision of a vaccine which is designed to save lives'. Colum Eastwood, leader of the republican SDLP party, said the move was a 'disproportionate and grave error' by the EU. Ireland's foreign minister Simon Coveney said on Twitter that the government was 'working with the EU Commission to try resolve this issue'. The EU said the measures were 'justified as a safeguard measure... in order to avert serious societal difficulties due to a lack of supply threatening to disturb the orderly implementation of the vaccination campaigns in the Member States', according to the BBC. There is little or no physical infrastructure on the border due to processes put in place by the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought to an end decades of violence between those who want Northern Ireland to remain British and those who want it to be part of the Irish republic. Maintaining a 'soft' border was integral to negotiations between the two, with local leaders warning of a return to violence. Brussels has been in a furious dispute with AstraZeneca this week, accusing it of breaching its contract by delaying deliveries to EU governments while maintaining those under a deal it signed earlier with the UK. But Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides insisted: 'We are not protecting ourselves against any specific country. And we're not in competition or in a race against any country.' With a presidential race coming up next year, Macron is facing criticism over the government's handling of the pandemic, as well as its slow start to France's vaccination campaign With a presidential race coming up next year, Macron is facing criticism over the government's handling of the pandemic, as well as its slow start to France's vaccination campaign, which has seen just 1.81 vaccine doses administered per 100 people (as of January 26). The UK by comparison has vaccinated 11.25 per 100 people. A curfew runs from 6 p.m until 6 a.m. every night but Macron is under pressure to impose a third national lockdown since the crisis began almost a year ago as data shows another increase in hospitalisations and deaths. 'The data shows that at this time the curfew is not putting enough of a brake on the spread of the virus,' Attal told a news conference after Macron chaired a cabinet meeting. Scenarios being discussed range from a very strict lockdown to maintaining the status quo, Attal said. It was unlikely no action would be taken, he said. Restaurants, bars, museums and ski resorts are closed in France but schools are still open. Shops remain open but with restrictions on the numbers allowed inside. Macron is likely to wait until Saturday, two weeks after the curfew was lengthened, before deciding on the next step. Public opinion is split. An opinion poll on Wednesday showed 52 percent of French people opposed another tough lockdown. Macron is wary of the rapid spread of a new strain of Covid-19 and resulting deaths as seen in the UK - that would require stricter measures to halt - but is also concerned that more curbs on public freedoms may trigger acts of civil disobedience, a government official said, pointing to riots seen in the Netherlands. 'I know there is a fatigue,' Gabriel Attal said during the press conference, before adding that the decision on whether to tighten measures or not would come down to health indicators. During its first lockdown last spring, France closed all schools and universities and prohibited citizens from leaving their homes other than to buy groceries, carry out essential work, seek medical attention or exercise. Schools remained open during a less stringent confinement in the autumn. The government's top scientific adviser, Jean-Francois Delfraissy, said on Sunday a new lockdown was necessary but that it was for politicians to decide how tough to make it. Failure to impose another lockdown would result in a very difficult March as a more contagious variant first detected in Britain becomes increasingly prevalent in France, Delfraissy said. Griggs v. Duke Power Co. does not have the name recognition of Roe v. Wade or Brown v. Board of Education, but it is nonetheless one of the most consequential decisions ever rendered by the U.S. Supreme Court. As we approach the 50th anniversary of the case, which was handed down on March 8, 1971, it is worth reflecting on its impact -- first, in moving American racial policy from civil rights to affirmative action and second, in its unintended effect of increasing the demand for college degrees and thus raising the cost of and dependence on university education. At issue in the Griggs case was the legality of employment tests that Duke Power Company administered to its job applicants. Employees hired into service jobs at the power company were required to possess a high-school diploma and achieve a minimum score on an intelligence test. The tests were professionally developed and the company had no intention of discriminating against any applicant. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court ruled against Duke Power, holding that even a facially neutral employment test could be illegal if it had a disparate impact (that is, if significantly more minority than white applicants failed). In his book The Age of Entitlement: America Since the Sixties, Claremont Institute scholar Christopher Caldwell explained that the Griggs decision made clear that the government was now authorized to act against racism even if there was no evidence of racist intent. According to Amy Wax, Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School: [T]he purpose of the newly established disparate-impact rule was to achieve equality of employment opportunities by removing built-in headwinds and barriers that had operated in the past to impede minorities' workplace advancement. In Griggs and several subsequent cases, the Court has repeatedly stressed that the doctrine's goal is fully consistent with a competitive meritocracy -- one in which businesses remain free to seek out, hire, and promote the best and most productive workers regardless of race and to adopt personnel practices that best achieve that result. The purpose of the rule, according to the Court, is not to enact affirmative-action or group quotas for employment, but simply to eliminate arbitrary disadvantages suffered by minority job-seekers. However, despite this assertion, Professor Wax explained, the development of the Griggs doctrine has proved anything but friendly to meritocratic objectives. Although the Supreme Court has never held that all workplaces must be racially balanced, lower courts and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which is charged with administering Title VII, have firmly embraced the presumption that the racial profiles of particular workplaces should reflect the racial composition of the broader population. And thus, civil rights equality of opportunity as broadly envisioned by the 1964 Act -- has morphed into the culture of racial identity. But Griggs has had another unfortunate, though unintended, effect: it has led to an increase in the demand for college degrees. A 2008 study written by Bryan OKeefe and Richard Vedder, jointly published by the Pope Center for Higher Education Policy and the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, explored the question of whether the huge increase in college enrollment over the past three decades occurred in part because of the changing pressure on employers due to the Griggs decision. According to the OKeefe/Vedder study, The Griggs ruling established the standard that tests could not have a disparate impact and be legally permissible unless they were directly related to the task the employee was being asked to perform, and the burden of showing this fell on the employer. The import of this history is that employers are deterred by the threat of litigation from using general intelligence tests and aptitude tests to measure job candidates. The result, the study noted, is that colleges and universities stepped in to fill the informational void. A college degree often indicates a certain amount of aptitude and determination. It reveals that a student has met a certain set of standards on a consistent basis over a period of time and thus probably has some valuable aptitudes and skills. In other words, with standard intelligence tests outlawed, the college degree became the de facto intelligence test. As the authors note, Applicants for many jobs are now required to have a college degree. Seldom is that done because the work is so demanding that it couldnt be done by a person who didnt go to college, but instead it is a means of screening out presumably less trainable applicants. Arguably, this increase in the demand for the college credential had led to the explosive growth in total college enrollment, which went from 5.8 million in 1970 to nearly 20 million in 2019. Moreover, the average cost of college tuition is 31 times more than it was fifty years ago. If businesses were allowed to use intelligence testing to screen applicants, the authors sensibly conclude, all parties could save a tremendous amount of time, money, and other resources. Ironically, the study showed, one consequence of the Griggs holding is that it has likely made employment more difficult for minorities. Qualified minorities who performed well on an intelligence or aptitude test and would have been offered a job directly thirty or forty years ago are now compelled to attend a college or university for four years and incur significant costs. For some young people from poorer families, those costs are out of reach. To bottom line it: if the OKeefe/Vedder study is correct, many young people are being pushed needlessly into getting a college degree, borrowing huge sums of money in the process, and getting indoctrinated into leftism for good measure. Forcing taxpayers to bail out college students would solve none of those problems. The solution is for the courts to abolish the disparate impact rule. We need to return civil rights law to its stated purpose -- the abolition of discrimination, not the abolition of unequal outcomes. Image: Jeff Kubina RADNOR, Pa., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP alerts investors that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has been filed against Restaurant Brands International Inc. (NYSE: QSR) ("Restaurant Brands") on behalf of those who purchased or otherwise acquired Restaurant Brands common stock between April 29, 2019, and October 28, 2019, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Restaurant Brands common stock during the Class Period may, no later than February 19, 2021 , seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class. For additional information or to learn how to participate in this litigation please contact Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP: James Maro, Esq. (484) 270-1453 or Adrienne Bell, Esq. (484) 270-1435; toll free at (844) 887-9500; via e-mail at [email protected]; or click https://www.ktmc.com/restaurant-brands-international-inc-securities-class-action?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=restaurant_brands Restaurant Brands is a Canadian corporation and headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the world's largest restaurant chains with over 27,000 Tim Hortons, Burger King, and Popeyes restaurants in more than 100 countries and U.S. territories. On April 24, 2018, Restaurant Brands announced a new strategy designed to improve performance within its Tim Hortons brand. Specifically, the "Winning Together Plan" would focus on three key pillars: restaurant experience; product excellence; and brand communications. Then, on March 20, 2019, Restaurant Brands announced "Tims Rewards" a new loyalty program for Tim Hortons customers in Canada. Under the Tims Rewards program, customers would be eligible for a free hot brewed coffee, hot tea, or baked good after every seventh paid visit to a participating Tim Hortons restaurant. On April 10, 2019, Restaurant Brands announced that it was expanding the Tims Rewards program to include customers in the United States. The Class Period commences on April 29, 2019, when Restaurant Brands filed its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019 with the SEC. Among other things, Restaurant Brands reported 0.5% system-wide year-over-year sales growth for Tim Hortons on system-wide sales of $1.547 billion. The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, the defendants repeatedly touted the implementation and execution of Restaurant Brands' Winning Together Plan and Tims Rewards loyalty program. On the heels of Restaurant Brands touting the benefits of these initiatives, the company completed two stock offerings on or about August 12, 2019, and September 5, 2019, collectively resulting in proceeds of approximately $3 billion to insiders. However, on October 29, 2019, the truth about Restaurant Brands' execution of its Winning Together Plan and Tims Rewards loyalty program was revealed when the company announced disappointing financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019. Among other things, Restaurant Brands reported a 0.1% system-wide year-over-year sales decline for Tim Hortonsrepresenting a 1.4% same-store sales declineon system-wide sales of $1.774 billion. Following this news, the price of Restaurant Brands common stock declined $2.59 per share, or approximately 4%, from a close of $68.45 per share on October 25, 2019, to close at $64.86 per share on October 28, 2019. The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, the defendants misrepresented and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Restaurant Brands' Winning Together Plan was failing to generate substantial, sustainable improvement within the Tim Hortons brand; (2) the Tims Rewards loyalty program was not generating sustainable revenue growth as increased customer traffic was not offsetting promotional discounting; and (3) as a result, the defendants' statements about Restaurant Brands' business, operations, and prospects lacked a reasonable basis. Restaurant Brands investors may, no later than February 19, 2021 , seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. In order to be appointed as a lead plaintiff, the Court must determine that the class member's claim is typical of the claims of other class members, and that the class member will adequately represent the class. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country involving securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duties and other violations of state and federal law. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check is a driving force behind corporate governance reform, and has recovered billions of dollars on behalf of institutional and individual investors from the United States and around the world. The firm represents investors, consumers and whistleblowers (private citizens who report fraudulent practices against the government and share in the recovery of government dollars). The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, please visit www.ktmc.com. CONTACT: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP James Maro, Jr., Esq. Adrienne Bell, Esq. 280 King of Prussia Road Radnor, PA 19087 (844) 887-9500 (toll free) (610) 667-7706 [email protected] SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Related Links http://www.ktmc.com The Dutch Weekblad Elsevier has published its interview with Ambassador of Armenia to the Netherlands Tigran Balayan. Armenian News-NEWS.am presents the interview below: Europe is shutting its eyes 6 questions for the Ambassador of Armenia regarding the recent war with Azerbaijan (1) The war ended in November, right? Tigran Balayan: There are still over 120 Armenian prisoners of war in Azerbaijan. One of them said he had been beaten and forced to admit that he had killed Azerbaijanis while participating in the first Karabakh war in the 1990s, but he wasnt even born back then. The Azerbaijanis continue to commit heavy war crimes. (2) What do you mean? Tigran Balayan: It is not only about the torture of prisoners of war, but also the desecration of churches and cemeteries. There are several pieces of evidence that Azerbaijani soldiers have beheaded Armenians, and the Azerbaijanis have posted videos and photos on social networks. With this, the Azerbaijani side is trying to present itself as an overriding force by waging a psychological war. (3) According to the Armenian side, Turkey was also involved in the war. Tigran Balayan: The Turkish government send jihadists from Syria to fight against Armenia. They were transported to Istanbul and Ankara via planes from the bordering regions of Syria, and from Istanbul and Ankara they were sent to Baku. There were more than 2,000 jihadists, 200 of which were killed. Erdogan openly declared the following: We are going to end what our ancestors started. Europe is shutting its eyes on what is happening. (4) Why would Europe be silent? Tigran Balayan: Some people say the reason why Europe was silent is because it receives natural gas and oil from Azerbaijan. Russia also supplies natural gas and oil to Europe, but this didnt stop Europe from imposing sanctions on Russia for the alleged poisoning of Alexei Navalny. (5) In this case, what can Europe do? Tigran Balayan: Europe can impose sanctions against the commands of Azerbaijan and Turkey, as well as President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and his wife. Aliyevs wife is the Vice-President of Azerbaijan and UNESCO Ambassador. Depriving her of the opportunity to make purchases in the boutiques in Paris and Milan would have been a powerful signal. (6) What can the Netherlands do? Tigran Balayan: Minister of Foreign Affairs Stef Blok says the alleged war crimes need to be investigated. Is it really necessary to investigate to see whether an Armenian really died after being beheaded? Why doesnt the Netherlands play a leading role? The Netherlands is a champion in the protection of human rights in the world, right? Some restaurant parklets and patios in the Bay Area sprang back into business almost immediately after Gov. Gavin Newsom lifted statewide coronavirus lockdowns Monday, signaling the return of outdoor dining after nearly two months of dormancy. The state lifted the restrictions after projected intensive care unit availability exceeded key benchmarks, with other metrics down as well, including case rates, positive test rates and hospitalizations. But as Newsom noted, California is not out of the woods and the pandemic presents new and elevated risks since early December, the last time diners could have a sit-down meal in the Bay Area. Levels of infections that had spiked are still relatively high, with the states troubled vaccine roll-out continuing to hit roadblocks. A new variant circulating in the Bay Area may prove to be more transmissible. And the cold, wet winter season is in full swing, prompting some restaurants to modify their outdoor dining setups to help shield customers from the elements. As this weeks stormy weather subsides and people head to parklets, tents and spaced-apart tables in search of a meal, experts caution prospective diners to consider the current safety situation before making reservations. Back in July, when things started opening up again and restrictions were lifted, we saw an increase in the number of cases, said Dr. Lee Riley, an infectious-disease expert at UC Berkeley. Its certainly possible that the same thing can happen. Experts have long been divided on Californias shifting policies around dining, but so far no significant evidence has shown that outdoor dining is a major factor in coronavirus surges. Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle On Thursday, Dr. George Rutherford, an infectious-disease expert with UCSF, said he is working with city leaders to put together case-control studies on outdoor dinings effect on coronavirus transmission. In the meantime, he said, he felt Newsom made the right call to cancel the stay-at-home order for California. There is not a playbook, he said. Everything is a trade-off. Understanding the projections for ICU capacity, you can take your foot off the brake. But infectious-disease experts are still concerned about the many variables that accompany outdoor dining, all of which affect the safety of each individual scenario. Here are things experts say you should keep in mind before choosing to dine outdoors: Whom youre dining with. Regardless of Californias loosening restrictions, dining outdoors is a significant risk factor for becoming infected with the coronavirus if youre not adequately far apart. If youre dining with someone outside your bubble, youll want to make sure that you can maintain social distancing throughout the meal, said Dr. Shelly Miller, a professor at the University of Colorado who studies urban and indoor air quality. Just because youre outside doesnt mean that youre not going to be within their personal cloud of virus shedding if they have COVID, she said. Even if Im outside with two people that I dont know, we still sit really quite far apart, more than 6 feet. Socially distanced tables. Youll want to look for outdoor dining setups that give enough space to be socially distant 6 feet or more from those in your party, as well as from other patrons. Tables that are close together, far less than 6 feet apart, can pose a significant risk even if outdoors, Miller added. Avoid walls. Much attention has been paid to the many outdoor dining setups developed over the course of the pandemic, some of which are almost completely enclosed and look more like extended sheds than outdoor spaces. The point of eating outdoors is that youre out in the air, theres no wall or ceiling to trap any virus that people might be releasing into the air, said Dr. Linsey Marr, an expert in aerosol science and professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech. As soon as you start adding walls, youre going to trap that more. Setups with three walls, Marr said, can dramatically diminish the amount of airflow around tables and lead to virus building up in the air. Add a fourth wall and its almost like an indoor situation, she said. Avoid tents. A tent is probably going to be draftier than a building, but I wouldnt do it, Marr said. If you are passing by a structure that resembles a tent, a yurt or other somewhat enclosed space, see whether doors and windows are open to gauge how air circulates throughout the space. (If youre curious, you could measure carbon dioxide levels with the help of a monitor.) The more people enter and the less natural airflow, the more the virus can build up. Virus outdoors, Marr said, diffuses into the atmosphere. If its just a big tent ... then its probably worse than being inside, said Miller, adding that restaurants might have more air circulation because of ventilation systems. We have a couple of tents here in Colorado, she said. But I wont go into them. Proximity to others. Experts say the more optimal choice for outdoor dining is to truly be outside. But dining at a table on a well-trafficked street where people are walking, running or lingering nearby may not be the best option. Instead of dining on a sidewalk thats shared with pedestrians, it may be more prudent to seek out a space that is farther from people, and more cordoned off. Noise levels. Numerous studies have found that the coronavirus spreads more easily when people are talking loudly or singing because they release more droplets into the air. If theres a choice between a quieter, more calm place versus a loud one where you have to speak louder to compensate, the quieter place is the better option, Marr said. Mask-wearing. If you decide to dine outdoors, one way to mitigate risk is by wearing masks anytime youre not eating, and asking anyone youre dining with to do the same. Time matters when it comes to exposure to the virus and the more time without a mask, or in the presence of others who are unmasked, the more significant the risk, Miller said. Be cognizant of the time youre spending with other people, she said. Go out for an hour, not 2 hours. Weather conditions. Experts remain mixed on whether weather conditions, including sunlight, play a significant role in aiding or reducing the spread of the coronavirus, but one thing helps: If its a little bit windy, thats really helpful, if its breezy, Miller said. She added that rain is a great atmosphere cleanser, and reduces airborne particles. Some research suggests sunlight may play a role in making the virus less active, Marr said. She added that she would avoid dining outdoors in the early morning, when air tends to be more stagnant. Annie Vainshtein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avainshtein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annievain Advertisement Women's right protesters clashed with police in Warsaw on Friday for a third night of demonstrations over a near-total ban on abortions with rape, incest or saving the mother's life the only exemptions. Poles took to the streets of Warsaw, Gdansk and other cities for a third night of protests Friday, after a near-total ban left Poland with one of the most restrictive laws in Europe. There were some small scuffles with police, who used tear gas on protesters. The constitutional court ruled in October to ban abortions in cases of fetal disorders, even severe and fatal ones, and the ruling finally became law on Wednesday. That triggered a new eruption of the mass demonstrations that began October 22 and which have morphed into the largest protest movement in Poland in the three decades since communism fell. Poles took to the streets of Warsaw, Gdansk and other cities for a third night of protests Friday, after a near-total ban left Poland with one of the most restrictive Abortion laws in Europe. Pictured: People take part in the 'Women's Strike' protest against the tightening of the abortion law in Warsaw, Poland, January 29 Tensions grew increasingly between protesters and police, who were out in large numbers Friday. Pictured: Police intervention during the 'Women's Strike' protest in Poland against the tightening of the abortion law, January 29 The constitutional court ruled in October to ban abortions in cases of fetal disorders, even severe and fatal ones, and the ruling finally became law on Wednesday. The high court is under the political control of the governing right-wing Law and Justice party, which had faced pressure from an ultra-conservative group to further restrict what had already been one of the European Union's most restrictive abortion laws. Pictured: Polish President Andrzej Duda speaks during a meeting with organisations involved in the fight against the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, in Presidential Palace in Warsaw, 29 Meanwhile, one of the leaders of the protest movement, Klementyna Suchanow, was released from police detention after being arrested the night before for entering the grounds of the constitutional court in Warsaw and nailing a poster to a door. The poster, she said, celebrated the recent liberalisation of the abortion law in Argentina and expressed hope Poland would be next. Suchanow told The Associated Press that she was found guilty in a quick trial of various acts, including trespassing and putting nails in the door, and will have to report to a police station weekly and is also banned from being near the court. The high court is under the political control of the governing right-wing Law and Justice party, which had faced pressure from an ultra-conservative group to further restrict what had already been one of the European Union's most restrictive abortion laws. Mass nationwide protests have recurred repeatedly since then, growing into the largest protest movement in post-communist Poland. The court's judges argued that allowing abortion when there are congenital defects is unconstitutional because the Polish Constitution protects human life. The only remaining legal justifications for abortion under Polish law are if the woman's life or health is at risk or if a pregnancy results from rape or incest. To date, about 98 percent of all legal abortions in the country - of which there were 1,110 in 2019 - were performed on the grounds of fetal malformations. Opponents call the law draconian, noting that it forces women to carry to term even fetuses with lethal defects or with disorders so considerable they could live their entire lives severely disabled or in a vegetative state. Opponents call the law draconian, noting that it forces women to carry to term even fetuses with lethal defects or with disorders so considerable they could live their entire lives severely disabled or in a vegetative state. Pictured: A demonstrator holds up a cloth hanger as others light flares during a pro-choice demonstration in front of the constitutional court in Warsaw Demonstrators, some with flares, block the street as they take part in pro-choice demonstration in the center of Warsaw on January 29. The only remaining legal justifications for abortion under Polish law are if the woman's life or health is at risk or if a pregnancy results from rape or incest Police stand guard at the Pope John Paul II monument as People take part in the 'Women's Strike' protest against the tightening of the abortion law in Poland, January 29. one of the leaders of the protest movement, Klementyna Suchanow, was released from police detention after being arrested the night before for entering the grounds of the constitutional court in Warsaw and nailing a poster to a door Suchanow and Marta Lempart, the leaders of the Women's Strike group that has spearheaded street protests against the law, are now looking for inspiration to Argentina that legalised abortion at the end of 2020 in a landmark victory for women's right Suchanow and Marta Lempart, the leaders of the Women's Strike group that has spearheaded street protests against the law, are now looking for inspiration to Argentina. Suchanow said Polish activists were already in contact with women's rights activists in the South American nation to learn from their experiences. She said the struggle for a liberalized abortion law will now focus on bringing about deeper social change that she hopes will one day bear fruit when Poland has 'a more reasonable government.' 'It will take more time but we are working on that,' said Suchanow, who is also an accomplished writer. She said the election of President Joe Biden is also giving hope to many of the activists that change is possible. The high court decision triggered a new eruption of the mass demonstrations that began October 22 and which have morphed into the largest protest movement in Poland in the three decades since communism fell. Pictured: Leader of the Polish National Women's Strike Marta Lempart (right) takes part in a protest against the tightening of the abortion law Women's Strike said Friday that 14 people were detained Thursday, on the second night of protests - which were held despite a prohibition on public gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pictured: Demonstrators block the street as they take part in pro-choice demonstration in the center of Warsaw on January 29 The court's judges argued that allowing abortion when there are congenital defects is unconstitutional because the Polish Constitution protects human life. Pictured: Demonstrators attend a protest against the verdict restricting abortion rights in Warsaw, January 29 Opponents call the law draconian, noting that it forces women to carry to term even fetuses with lethal defects or with disorders so considerable they could live their entire lives severely disabled or in a vegetative state Women's Strike said Friday that 14 people were detained Thursday, on the second night of protests - which were held despite a prohibition on public gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Warsaw police said they had detained several people for entering the grounds of the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw. Among those held was Klementyna Suchanow, an author and activist who along with Lempart is one of the key leaders of Women's Strike. She was released on Friday evening, according to Polish media reports. Irene Donadio, a leading strategist with International Planned Parenthood Federation, an international group promoting reproductive health and choice, said her organisation is appalled that such a restrictive law could be imposed in a European Union member-state. She called it a 'tragedy' not only for women but for rule of law more broadly, noting that the erosion of judicial independence had paved the way to the top court's ruling and that the detention of activists was also unlawful. She accused authorities of trying to 'intimidate and terrify' the protesters The new Samsung Galaxy S21 Series 5G and Galaxy Buds Pro come in exciting colours packed with innovative features to make what you do more epic. Samsung Galaxy S21 Series 5G The Galaxy S21 Series 5G comes in new and exciting colours such as a vibrant Phantom Violet, Phantom White and Phantom Pink in addition to timeless hues such as sleek Phantom Silver, Phantom Black and Phantom Gray to reflect your unique personality and style. The Galaxy S21 Series 5G comes in new and exciting colours such as a vibrant Phantom Violet, Phantom White and Phantom Pink in addition to timeless hues such as sleek Phantom Silver, Phantom Black and Phantom Gray to reflect your unique personality and style. Samsung Galaxy S21 Series 5G, Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy SmartTag The Samsung Galaxy S21 Series 5G and Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth Locator are now available for purchase. The launch follows the recent release of the new Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro on January 14, 2021. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Series 5G and Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth Locator are now available for purchase. 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Reserve online at https://shop.samsung.com/ca/ and arrange your pick-up from a Samsung Experience Store in Canada. Samsung Experience Store locations are as follows: CF Sherway Gardens CF Toronto Eaton Centre Metropolis at Metrotown Montreal Eaton Centre Scarborough Town Centre (Samsung Kiosk) West Edmonton Mall Yorkdale Shopping Centre Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, Galaxy S21+ 5G and Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G are available in the following colours featuring deluxe haze finishes: Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: Available in Phantom Black and Phantom Silver and samsung.com exclusive colours Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy and Phantom Brown 5 , in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB models with 12GB or 16GB RAM. Pricing is $1,649.99 (our regular price) for the 128GB model with 12GB RAM, $1,719.99 (Phantom Black only; our regular price) for the 256GB model with 12GB RAM, and $1,889.99 (our regular price) for the 512GB model with 16GB RAM (Phantom Black only; our regular price). Galaxy S21+ 5G: Available in Phantom Violet, Phantom Silver and Phantom Black and samsung.com exclusive colours Phantom Gold and Phantom Red 6 in 128GB and 256GB models with 8GB RAM. Pricing is $1,399.99 (our regular price) for the 128GB model, and $1,469.99 (Phantom Black only; our regular price) for the 256GB model. Galaxy S21 5G: Available in Phantom Violet, Phantom Gray, Phantom Pink and Phantom White in 128GB and 256GB models with 8GB RAM. Pricing is $1,129.99 (our regular price) for the 128GB model, and $1,199.99 (Phantom Gray only; our regular price) for the 256GB model. Offered in three stunning colours to match your Galaxy S21 Series 5G device, Galaxy Buds Pro come in incredible Phantom Violet, and timeless Phantom Black and Phantom Silver for $264.99 (our regular price). For the first time in Canada, now through March 1, 2021, eligible customers can receive a $65 credit through the national headphone trade-in program7 by exchanging their old wired and wireless headphones when purchasing the Galaxy Buds Pro. Samsung Galaxy SmartTag is also available starting January 29, 2021 at Samsung Experience Stores, online at Samsung.com/ca and at select carrier partner locations8. Galaxy SmartTag comes in Black for $39.99 for an individual Pack (our regular price). Early Purchase Offers Canadians who purchase a Galaxy S21 Series 5G device at a Samsung Experience Store or carrier or retailer partner location through February 12, 2021 will receive an e-voucher through the Samsung Members App, redeemable for a Gift With Purchase online at Samsung.com/ca: Purchase the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G and receive an e-voucher for Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth Locator. 9 Purchase the Galaxy S21 5G or Galaxy S21+ 5G and receive an e-voucher for Galaxy Buds Live and Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth Locator.10 From January 29, 2021 to March 3, 2021, Canadians can receive a credit of up to $300, plus the value of their traded-in mobile phone, with the purchase of a Galaxy S21 Series 5G device 11 at a Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at http://www.samsung.com/ca. Eligible customers can also receive 0% financing on a Galaxy S21 Series 5G device for $0 down and 0% interest for up to 36 months with approved credit. Experience the latest in flagship smartphone technology from Samsung in a way that fits your budget.12 Peace of Mind with Samsung Care+ With a Samsung Care+ Plan, Canadians can experience a total care service for their new Galaxy Smartphone, Laptop, Tablet or Wearable device. Youll be protected for up to two years against physical or liquid damage and mechanical malfunction or defects, with a team of dedicated Galaxy experts available to help you get back on track13. Canadians can purchase Samsung Care+ with their new Galaxy device or within 60 days of their device purchase date. To learn more, please see https://www.samsung.com/ca/offer/samsung-care-plus/ Door to Door Repair Service Across Canada Enjoy convenient pick-up, speedy repair and contactless delivery to your home. If you need service support for your Samsung devices, you can arrange convenient Door to Door service pick-up through 1-800-SAMSUNG, LIVE CHAT or text us at WECARE (932 273). This convenient Door-to-Door service includes free pick up and return shipping and is available for both In- and Out-of-Warranty customers. Coverage may vary. For more information on Door to Door Repair Service, please visit https://www.samsung.com/ca/support/stayhomestaysafe/ For more information about the latest Samsung Galaxy devices including specifications: news.samsung.com/ca/ or samsung.com/ca/. For more information on Samsung Galaxy S21 Series 5G: samsung.com/ca/smartphones/galaxy-s21-ultra-5g or samsung.com/ca/smartphones/galaxy-s21-5g. For more information on Samsung Galaxy Buds pro: samsung.com/ca/audio-sound/galaxy-buds/galaxy-buds-pro-black-sm-r190nzkaxac/ For more information on Samsung Galaxy SmartTag: samsung.com/ca/mobile-accessories/galaxy-smarttag-black-ei-t5300bbegca/ About Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. Samsung Electronics Canada inspires Canadians to reach their full potential through a transformative ecosystem of products and services that deliver innovation and distinct design to every aspect of their connected lives. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, virtual reality and wearable devices, tablets and digital appliances. Dedicated to helping make a difference in the lives of Canadians, Samsung's award-winning corporate giving initiatives support public education and health-related issues in communities across the country. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com. Follow Samsung Canada at facebook.com/SamsungCanada, or Instagram @samsungcanada or Twitter @SamsungCanada. _____________________________________ 1 In regions where in-store shopping is not available, Samsung Experience stores offer curbside, storefront and centralized pick-up. Reserve online at https://shop.samsung.com/ca/ and arrange your pick-up from a Samsung Experience Store in Canada. Storefront only available at CF Toronto Eaton Centre. Subject to change. Samsung also offers convenient pick-up, speedy repair and contactless delivery to your home. If you need service support for your Samsung devices, you can arrange convenient Door to Door service pick-up through 1-800-SAMSUNG, LIVE CHAT or text us at WECARE (932 273). This convenient Door-to-Door service includes free pick up and return shipping and is available for both In- and Out-of-Warranty customers. Coverage may vary. For more information on Door to Door Repair Service, please visit https://www.samsung.com/ca/support/stayhomestaysafe/ 2 Colour availability varies by model and retailer. 3 Also available at additional Canadian carrier partners. Please contact your carrier partner for details. 4 Storefront only available at CF Toronto Eaton Centre. Subject to change. 5 Samsung.com exclusive colours need special production. Please allow up to 4-5 weeks for delivery. Colour availability may vary depending on carrier. 6 Samsung.com exclusive colours need special production. Please allow up to 4-5 weeks for delivery. Colour availability may vary depending on carrier. 7 Certain conditions apply. Receive a trade-in credit of $65 when you: (1) purchase Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro between January 21st, 2021 and March 1, 2021 from a participating authorized Canadian carrier or retailer, a Samsung Experience Store, or online at http://www.samsung.com/ca/; and (2) complete the trade-in of your old headphones (i) at time of purchase if purchasing from a Samsung Experience Store, or (ii) by March 15th, 2021 if purchasing from a participating carrier or retailer or online at Samsung.com/ca. Offer is limited to one (1) trade-in headphone per Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. Proof of purchase required. Selection and availability may vary. While quantities last. No rain checks. No cash value. Offer is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Offer is open to Canadian residents only. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer unless otherwise specifically agreed to by Samsung in writing or by the participating Canadian authorized carrier or retailer. See full Terms and Conditions available at www.samsung.com/ca/promotions for more details and how to redeem your credit. 8 Currently available for purchase through Videotron. Subject to change. 9 Purchase from January 29th, 2021 February 12th, 2021, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Models SM-G998WZKAXAC/SM-G998WZSAXAC- regular price $1649.99, SM-G998WZKEXAC regular price $1719.99, SM-G998WZKFXAC- regular price $1889.99) and receive an Early Bird bonus consisting of a Samsung E-Voucher (redeemable only on samsung.com/ca between January 14th and February 28th, 2021) upon completion of your device purchase for the following: Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro (Black Model No SM-R190NZKAXAC; regular price $264.99 CDN) and 1 Pack of Galaxy SmartTag (Model No EI-T5300BBEGCA; regular price $39.99) There are 17,750 Early Bird bonuses available to eligible customers who qualify based on the conditions set out above on a first come basis. While quantities last. No rain checks. E-Voucher has no cash value, cannot be replaced if lost or stolen, is not transferable and cannot be switched once selected. Limit of one bonus E-Voucher per device purchase. Open to Canadian Residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers may vary. Purchases made at Samsung Experience Stores are also eligible for this promotion. Purchases made at samsung.com/ca are not eligible for this promotion and Samsung reserves the right to request a bill of sale to verify date and location of purchase. Samsung reserves the right to change or cancel the promotion without notice. In order to download the E-Voucher for the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G Early Bird bonus, customer must visit the Benefit Section in the Samsung Members App on their Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G device between January 14th and February 28th, 2021. The Samsung Members App is available for download in the Samsung Galaxy Store at no charge. In order to install and register for the Samsung Members App, the user must have a Samsung Account. Setting up a Samsung Account is free. To set up your Samsung Account, please go to: (http://www.samsung.com/ca/samsungaccount/ http://www.samsung.com/ca_fr/samsungaccount/) Between January 14th and February 28th, 2021, click on the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G Early Bird bonus banner in the Samsung Members App to download the E-Voucher and access a link to the Early Bird bonus offer page on samsung.com/ca where you may select your gift and redeem the E-voucher . Once downloaded, the E-Voucher will be displayed in the Samsung Members My page Coupons section until February 28th, 2021 and is valid for the applicable Early Bird bonus depending on the Galaxy S21 Series 5G model you have chosen, on samsung.com/ca between January 14th and February 28th, 2021. Shipment of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G bonus is expected to take between 6 to 8 weeks from the date that you redeem your E-Voucher on samsung.com/ca, subject to completion of all the requirements set out above. 10 Purchase from January 29th, 2021 February 12th, 2021, the Galaxy S21+ (Models SM-G996WZKAXAC/SM-G996WZVAXAC/SM-G996WZSAXAC- regular price $1399.99, SM-G996WZKEXAC- regular price $1469.99) or Galaxy S21 (Models SM-G991WZAAXAC/SM-G991WZIAXAC/SM-G991WZVAXAC/SM-G991WZWAXAC- regular price $1129.99, SM-G991WZAEXAC- regular price $1199.99) and receive an Early Bird bonus consisting of a Samsung E-Voucher (redeemable only on samsung.com/ca between January 14th and February 28th, 2021) upon completion of your device purchase for the following: Samsung Galaxy Buds Live (Black Model No SM-R180NZKAXAC; regular price $199.99 CDN) and 1 Pack of Galaxy SmartTag (Model No EI-T5300BBEGCA; regular price $39.99) There are 17,750 Early Bird bonuses available to eligible customers who qualify based on the conditions set out above on a first come basis. While quantities last. No rain checks. E-Voucher has no cash value, cannot be replaced if lost or stolen, is not transferable and cannot be switched once selected. Limit of one bonus E-Voucher per device purchase. Open to Canadian Residents only. Participating authorized Canadian retailers and carriers may vary. Purchases made at Samsung Experience Stores are also eligible for this promotion. Purchases made at samsung.com/ca are not eligible for this promotion and Samsung reserves the right to request a bill of sale to verify date and location of purchase. Samsung reserves the right to change or cancel the promotion without notice. In order to download the E-Voucher for the Galaxy S21 Series 5G Early Bird bonus, customer must visit the Benefit Section in the Samsung Members App on their Galaxy S21 Series 5G device between January 14th and February 28th, 2021. The Samsung Members App is available for download in the Samsung Galaxy Store at no charge. In order to install and register for the Samsung Members App, the user must have a Samsung Account. Setting up a Samsung Account is free. To set up your Samsung Account, please go to: (http://www.samsung.com/ca/samsungaccount/ http://www.samsung.com/ca_fr/samsungaccount/ ) Between January 14th and February 28th, 2021, click on the Galaxy S21 Series 5G Early Bird bonus banner in the Samsung Members App to download the E-Voucher and access a link to the Early Bird bonus offer page on samsung.com/ca where you may select your gift and redeem the E-voucher . Once downloaded, the E-Voucher will be displayed in the Samsung Members My page Coupons section until February 28th, 2021 and is valid for the applicable Early Bird bonus depending on the Galaxy S21 Series 5G model you have chosen, on samsung.com/ca between January 14th and February 28th, 2021. Shipment of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Series 5G bonus is expected to take between 6 to 8 weeks from the date that you redeem your E-Voucher on samsung.com/ca, subject to completion of all the requirements set out above. 11 Some conditions apply. Offer is valid, subject to complying with these Terms and Conditions, if a customer: Purchases an eligible Samsung Galaxy S21 Series 5G device from January 29 to March 3, 2021 (the Purchase Period and together with the Pre-Order Period, the Offer Period); and (2) trade-in an Eligible Trade-in device (as indicated in more detail below). Receive a promotional credit of $200 if you trade-in any mobile device, in addition to the residual value of the Eligible Trade-in device. In order for the trade-in device to be eligible for the $200 credit, your trade-in device can be any make, any model, any manufacturer and any condition provided that it: (i) is verifiable in accordance with its serial number, (ii) was purchased in Canada; (iii) has a minimum trade-in value of $0 as defined by Samsung or its service provider in its sole discretion; and (iv) is owned by the customer. Receive a promotional credit of $300 if you trade-in any one of the following devices: Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10 or Galaxy S10+, in addition to the residual value of the Eligible Trade-in device. In order for the trade-in device to be eligible for the $300 credit, your trade-in device can be any condition provided that it: (i) is verifiable in accordance with its serial number, (ii) was purchased in Canada; (iii) has a minimum trade-in value of $0 as defined by Samsung or its service provider in its sole discretion; and (iv) is owned by the customer. The $200 or $300 promotional credit, as applicable, can be used towards the outright purchase of any eligible Samsung S21 Ultra 5G from Samsung Experience Store in Canada or online at http://www.samsung.com/ca during the Offer Period. The value of the Eligible Trade-in device will be determined, as applicable, by Samsung Experience Stores in Canada. This offer has no cash value. Any questions relating to the Eligible Trade-in device must be addressed where the trade-in takes place. For any questions with respect to the trade-in process conducted online at www.samsung.com/ca, please call 1-800-863-8023. Trade-in value is final and non-negotiable. While quantities last. No rain checks. Offer is open to Canadian residents only. Offer is valid for a limited time and is subject to change or cancellation without notice. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer unless otherwise specifically agreed to by Samsung in writing. For full Terms and Conditions, https://shop.samsung.com/ca/tradein . 12 0% financing for up to 36 months applies to eligible customers who meet the minimum amount applicable for PayBright financing of $300 (before taxes and fees), on approved credit. You may not be eligible for 0% interest plan and you monthly payment amount, the interest you will pay, and the loan terms available depend on your personal credit profile. Monthly payments may include a monthly Processing Fee of $6.95. Eligible Samsung Products are: Smartphone devices, laptops, cases, tablets, wearables, chargers, AKG audio, and SmartThings products in all models and colours. Financing provided by PayBright or its partner, Easy Financial. All transactions are subject to approval by PayBright or its partner, Easy Financial. Financing offers may vary from time to time. Financing offers may vary for customers in the Province of Quebec. See www.paybright.com/faq for more information. Example: a Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (SM-G988WZKAXAC) with a selling price (MSRP) of $1849.99 financed at 0% APR for 36 months, which equals 36 monthly payments of $51.39. Cost of borrowing is $0 for a total obligation of $1849.99. Taxes, shipping and other fees [if applicable] are extra. Offer ends March 31, 2021 and is subject to change/cancellation without notice. 13 Terms and Conditions apply. For full Terms and Conditions, please see https://support-ca.samsung.com/secaew/consumer/ca/terms Photo accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ff6acbf8-3ac7-47ec-920d-503fa4e89c76 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f3b3df32-fb4b-4e94-a8aa-04e52811c381 CONTACT: Katelin Onishi North Strategic Public Relations Tel: 613.883.4684 katelin.onishi@northstrategic.com Here's a look at what was happening in the drinks industry on this day in ... Here's what made the drinks headlines on this day in recent years Earlier in the week, Diageo released half-year results that showed sales growth slowing to +4%. Following the announcement, just-drinks editor Olly Wehring sat down with group CEO Ivan Menezes to drill down into the numbers. Advertisers love to spring a surprise or two in their Super Bowl campaigns - anything to get people talking and tweeting. In terms of which beverage companies are taking part, however, 2019 lacked any real shocks. The spirits category continued to take share in the US three years ago, as the industry celebrated consumer confidence in the market. Diageo lined up a return to the Irish whiskey category, just-drinks learnt, less than two years after it completed the sale of the Bushmills distillery and portfolio in the country. Pernod Ricard started its relationship with German gin brand Monkey 47 five years ago, taking majority control for an undisclosed sum. Total UK beer volumes have risen for the first time in nearly a decade in 2014, while off-trade sales overtook on-trade sales, according to figures released in early-2015. Diageo was suffering seven years ago after soft numbers for the six months to the end of 2013 brought negative press and its share price fell to a 15-month low. A guest post from the then-head of Wines of South Africa argued against calls for UK consumers to boycott the sector. 2012 - Buoyant Beam Inc to invest behind Bourbon boom In early-2012, Beam predicted that Bourbon sales would continue heading north and unveiled plans to invest in infrastructure to support growth. Shares in Embotelladoras Arca and Grupo Continental rose sharply in early-2011 on the news of a merger between the second and third largest Coca-Cola bottlers in Mexico, respectively. For further details on how to subscribe to just-drinks, click here A sex worker who swallowed 101 packages of cocaine before attempting to smuggle the class A drugs into the UK has been jailed for more than four years. Luan Irving Dos Santos Monteiro, 31, originally from Macapa in Brazil, was detained by Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport on Christmas Eve last year. The student, who had been flying from Sao Paulo, claimed he had been working as a drug mule to pay off his debts during the coronavirus pandemic. X-ray images showed Monteiro, who was later handed to the National Crime Agency (NCA), had ingested 101 packages of cocaine - totalling 2.6lb in weight. Luan Irving Dos Santos Monteiro, 31, originally from Macapa in Brazil, was detained by Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport last year as he tried to smuggle cocaine into the country The student was sentenced to four years and two months in prison. Isleworth Crown Court heard that he will serve half his four-year prison sentence in the UK before being released on licence. Anisha Kiri, prosecuting, said: 'On 24 December 2020, the defendant had arrived at Terminal 2 of Heathrow Airport having travelled from Sao Paulo, Brazil. 'The defendant was intercepted by Border Force officers at immigration control and he was escorted to the customs Green channel. Here he stated that he had nothing to declare. 'The defendant confirmed that his baggage belonged to him, he confirmed that nobody had asked him to bring anything to the UK. 'He said he was travelling the UK for the Christmas and New Year holidays, and said he was staying with a friend called Emily who was waiting outside. 'At 4pm the defendant was arrested on the suspicion of being involved in the importation of a controlled drug. 'At approximately 4.20pm, the X-ray images taken indicated the presence of foreign bodies in his abdomen. The defendant admitted swallowing approximately 100 packages of controlled drugs, namely cocaine. 'A search of his baggage revealed a quantity of cash amounting to 320 and US$500. 'At approximately 5.20pm, the defendant used a specimen exclusion retrieval toilet, where he produced 42 wrapped packages. 'Over the course of an hour, a total of 101 packages were produced. The purity of the drugs was 82 per cent. 'The wholesale value of these drugs is around 50,000, the street value is about 98,000. 'The defendant was interviewed and provided a no comment interview. He has no previous convictions in the UK. 'He was motivated by financial gain, as he has undertaken such a dangerous task, particularly to his health.' Graham Lloyd, defending, said: 'We see this as a crime of desperation, if at any time in the flight from Sao Paulo, it stands to reason, that any of these 101 packages exploded, that would have meant instant death. 'Mr Dos Santos Monteiro instructs me he has been working as a sex worker in Brazil, and he is HIV positive. 'The Covid situations in Brazil, which is far worse than here, has meant disaster for his work as a sex worker. 'He told me in the course of his work he uses various drugs that he purchases from a drug supplier, and the debt he owed this supplier rose from three thousand reals to 15 thousand reals, which is approximately the sum of 2,000. X-ray images later showed Monteiro had ingested 101 packages of cocaine - totalling 2.6lb in weight 'Mr Dos Santos was not able to pay this back, he tried to move his physical transactions to online sexual transactions, and that will be verified by his Twitter account which advertises his sexual services. 'He tells me that his drug supplier threatened him, his mother and his siblings. He told me he stands by his guilty plea. 'He is subject to being deported halfway through his sentence.' Judge Edward Connell said: 'You are due to be sentenced for your offence, that is for fraudulent evasion of a prohibition, or in layman's terms, drug smuggling. 'You pleaded guilty in the lower court, because of your early guilty plea, you are entitled to a one third reduction in your sentence. 'Brazil is a significant transit country for the smuggling of cocaine, that is because it shares an extensive border with Colombia, Bolivia, and Venezuela. 'You were working as sex worker in Brazil, and Covid impacted your ability to make money, and you were taking to trying to ease your debt to your drug suppliers. Your suppliers threatened you and your family. 'I agree with the prosecution that this straddles a significant and lesser role in drug dealing. 'You were plainly motivated by financial rewards, and having swallowed 101 packages, you must have had some awareness of the scale of this operation. 'Inevitably you did so because there are such severe financial pressures at home, and you partook in this enterprise out of desperation. You also obviously had no influence on those above you in the operation. 'There is an aggravating factor in the purity of the drugs, but this is counterbalanced by your previous good character. 'This court sees on a daily basis the damage that drugs wreaks on this community. 'I take into account your health, the fact that you do not speak English, and the fact that you will be facing a prison sentence away from home. 'I sentence you to four years two months in prison, and order the seizure of the 320 and US$500. 'You will serve half of your sentence in custody, and then you will be released. You will serve the remainder of your sentence on license. 'As for your deportation, it is a matter for the Home Office.' Monteiro admitted fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importing of a Class A drug, namely cocaine. Turkey on Thursday reported over 7,200 new coronavirus cases, according to the Health Ministry data. A total of 7,279 cases, including 670 symptomatic patients, were confirmed across the country, the data showed. Turkey's overall case tally is over 2.45 million, while the nationwide death toll has reached 25,605, with 129 fatalities over the past day. As many as 8,902 more patients in the country won the battle against the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to over 2.34 million. More than 29.18 million coronavirus tests have been done in Turkey to date, with 173,210 administered since Wednesday. The latest figures show that the number of COVID-19 patients in critical condition stands at 1,751, Anadolu Agency reported. On Jan. 14, Turkey began a mass COVID-vaccination campaign, starting with healthcare workers along with top officials to encourage public confidence in the vaccines. So far, almost 1.7 million people in the country have received their first doses of the Chinese vaccine CoronaVac, according to the Health Ministry. Since last month, Turkey has been imposing curfews as part of its efforts to curb the virus' spread. Hamilton star Daveed Diggs has provided an update on the live-action Disney Little Mermaid film. Speaking to Collider earlier this week, Diggs confessed that taking on the role of Sebastian the crab "stressed him out quite a bit", saying: "I'm not of Caribbean descent, doing that kind of work and trying to immerse myself...I've spent a lot of time in Trinidad and I went to Jamaica to research, and I did a lot of voice work with Chris Walker and with the late Tony Hall, to try to get the voice right. "But more than the voice, the thing about a dialect is that everybody's voice is actually very different, so consistency is really more important than accuracy. Your speech pattern is based on culture, and that was the thing I didn't wanna let down." Sebastian's significance as a character was not lost on Diggs, who admitted: "I had so many friends growing up for whom Sebastian was the first time they had seen themselves represented in mainstream American culture. As flawed as that is, that's still important. So, that role stressed me out quite a bit, but also is incredibly fun." Diggs was in awe of co-star Halle Bailey, who takes on the titular part of the flick, saying that compared to her heavy lifting he had little to do: "I just sing a couple of cool songs and call it a day." He did say that there are some "cool surprises" that audiences should expect especially with Hamilton writer and performer Lin-Manuel Miranda attached to the project alongside songwriter/composer Alan Menken. A variety of new tunes are pretty much a given. Also cast in the film are Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Jacob Tremblay, Jonah Hauer-King and Awkwafina, with Rob Marshall (Into the Woods, Chicago) in the director's chair. No release date is currently set. Oregon state troopers are investigating the death of a teen boy whose body was found inside a car parked at an Interstate 5 rest stop in Clackamas County. Oregon State Police have so far only disclosed that investigators consider the 16-year-old Washington boys death suspicious. His body was found about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the northbound French Prairie rest stop near Aurora, troopers said. The agency has not yet specified how investigators believe the boy died. The Clackamas County Sheriffs Office said it did not have any information to disclose about the case, because the Oregon State Police has jurisdiction over the rest stop. -- The Oregonian/OregonLive Researchers have completed the first ever multi-level hydrological tracking of the Yangtze River from the ground, air and space in order to investigate the properties of cloud formation during the mei-yu--an intense rainy season that forms part of East Asia's summer monsoon. The effort should permit greater understanding of the mei-yu precipitation process and thus enable much more accurate forecasts of this key meteorological phenomenon in the region. The mei-yu, also known as the "Plum Rain", is a period of severe, concentrated rainfall that lasts for up to two months during the late spring and early summer, covering mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. This intense weather phenomenon arises from interactions between systems of convection (transfer of heat within a fluid) at multiple, mid-range or "mesoscale" levels, ranging from 2-20 km up to 20-200 km. These are considered mesoscale because they develop at a larger level than "microscale", or under 1 km-sized phenomena, such as small, fleeting, cloud "puffs", but still smaller than "synoptic scale" phenomena over 1000 km such as cyclones. Conventional observations cannot deliver the detailed spatial and temporal variations that exist within such mid-ranking multi-scale convective systems. Nor can they describe their cloud structures or "microphysical" processes and properties. As a result, researchers with the Hubei Key Laboratory for Heavy Rain Monitoring and Warning Research, at the China Meteorological Administration's Institute of Heavy Rain, organized an ambitious monitoring effort that itself works at multiple levels along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The Integrative Monsoon Frontal Rainfall Experiment (IMFRE-II) took place during ten heavy rainfall events of the 2020 mei-yu and employed ground-based, airborne and satellite observations. "Last year's mei-yu was a particularly extreme one that broke records," said meteorologist Chunguang Cui, lead author of the study, published on Jan 5 in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences . It lasted 44 days, some 19 days longer than average--the eighth longest mei-yu since 1951, at a greater than normal intensity, and over a larger area. "This was a gift in terms of the data we were able to gather." The campaign involved the use of seven aircraft flights measuring various attributes of ice particles, cloud droplets and raindrops at various altitudes, as well as seven grown-based observation systems and global precipitation measurement (GPM) satellites. IMFRE-II followed on from IMFRE-I, which was conducted in 2018 over the middle reaches of the Yangtze. In 2022, the researchers hope to carry out a third such effort. In combination, the three field campaigns will allow the researchers to investigate the microphysical properties of clouds and precipitation in a mei-yu, and significantly improve the computer models describing how the mei-yu system forms and later disperses. This will in turn give a big boost to the accuracy of mei-yu forecasts, of enormous benefit to the agricultural sector and flood protection planning. ### New Delhi, Jan 29 (UNI) India and Bangladesh on Friday held a comprehensive review of the progress made in their bilateral relationship, including in the areas of COVID-19 cooperation, trade & connectivity and development partnership. The review was undertaken at the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC), here. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla from the Indian side and Foreign Secretary Ambassador Masud Bin Momen from the Bangladesh side co-chaired the meeting. The Bangladesh Foreign Secretary was accompanied by Bangladesh High Commissioner Mohammad Imran, Secretary (East) Ambassador Mashfee Shams and representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Water Resources of Bangladesh. The Indian delegation consisted of representatives from the Ministries of External Affairs, Home Affairs, Commerce and Industry, Jal Shakti and Finance. Both sides held discussions on the progress achieved in the bilateral relationship in the area of power, energy and water resources, regional and multilateral cooperation, as well as border management, security and defence cooperation. The discussion also focused on preparations for the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Dhaka in March, 2021 and events relating to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Both sides noted with appreciation the close cooperation on COVID-19 related issues, including India's gift of two million doses of COVISHIELD vaccines to Bangladesh, in keeping with India's Neighbourhood First Policy. Underscoring the importance of 2021 in the context of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh, the 50th year of bilateral diplomatic ties as well as the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, both sides decided to further strengthen the ongoing coordination to jointly commemorate these anniversaries. In this context, both sides expressed their appreciation for the participation of the Bangladesh tri-service marching contingent at the 2021 Republic Day Parade. More UNI VT RJ 2121 Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 17:11:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- Central authorities deem the 2020-2022 period a "crucial stage" for SOE reform. Making the state-owned economy more competitive, innovative and resistant to risks is among the major goals they have in mind. -- The transition into modern enterprises is imperative as China continues to level the playing field, creating a fairer competition environment. Key industries, such as energy, railway, automobile, telecommunications and public utilities, have been gradually opened for private and foreign investment. -- Regulators are giving SOE executives more autonomy in making corporate decisions, including drafting annual investment schemes, arranging mixed-ownership reform of subsidiaries, and issuing short-term bonds. by Xinhua writers Wang Xiuqiong, Zhao Yang, Wang Xi BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- As a three-year action plan kicks reform into high gear, changes are gathering steam to remold China's state-owned enterprises (SOEs) -- the country's economic backbone. The 2020-2022 action plan, part of the decades-long efforts to transform SOEs into competitive, modern enterprises, is expected to leave a strong mark on the world's second-largest economy. SOEs are active players on China's strategically important and most acclaimed industrial fronts. Those administered by state-owned asset watchdogs, making up only a part of all state firms, account for about a quarter of China's tax income. As China seeks to develop a modernized economy amid challenges and uncertainties, reforms are the need of the hour. A world baffled by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as protectionism and unilateralism, only puts this transition to the test. "In the face of changes unseen in a century, further intensified by the pandemic, it is particularly important to achieve major progress in reform, so that the SOEs could increase their vitality and efficiency and drive broader development of various enterprises," said Liu Xingguo, a researcher with the China Enterprise Confederation. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, centrally-administered SOEs posted a 2.1-percent growth in net profits in 2020, official data showed. China aims to achieve more than 70 percent of the goals in the three-year action plan by the end of this year and make substantial breakthroughs in key areas, according to Peng Huagang, spokesperson of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC). Central authorities deem the 2020-2022 period a "crucial stage" for SOE reform. Making the state-owned economy more competitive, innovative and resistant to risks is among the major goals they have in mind. BLURRED LINES A key way to achieve the goals is mixed-ownership reform, allowing SOEs to introduce non-state capital, be it private or foreign. Strategic investors from outside are encouraged to participate in the management of SOEs, injecting not just funds but also ideas. In some of the most prominent cases in recent years, private investors were brought into telecom giant China Unicom and business units of major SOEs in sectors including energy, aviation and railway. In 2020, centrally-administered SOEs alone infused over 200 billion yuan (about 31 billion U.S. dollars) of non-state capital through mixed-ownership reform. Meanwhile, a national fund worth 200 billion yuan was set up in December last year to encourage more such moves. Non-state firms are also drawing investment from state-owned ones. Central SOEs have become shareholders in more than 6,000 non-state companies since 2013, SASAC data showed. "The two-way mixed-ownership reform has helped all types of enterprises complement each other and grow together," Peng told a press conference recently. The blending of state and non-state enterprises will increase the resilience of the country's industrial chains, according to Li Jin, chief researcher with the China Enterprise Research Institute. "The trend will become more prominent in the three-year period. More cooperation between central SOEs, local SOEs and private companies will be forged," he said. File photo shows an ethylene project at Sinopec Zhenhai Refining and Chemical Company in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Sinopec Zhenhai Refining and Chemical Company/Handout via Xinhua) MODERN ENTERPRISES Bringing in non-state investors is deemed as a catalyst for better corporate governance. Once publicly owned, China's SOEs have been engaged in corporate reform since the 1990s to turn themselves into limited liability companies or companies limited by shares. This allows the introduction of shareholders, paving the way for the much-advocated transformation into modern enterprises. So far, such reform has been basically wrapped up, according to Peng. Authorities are pushing the SOEs to overhaul their payroll and human resource management, set up boards of directors, hire professional managers and provide equity incentives. To encourage more efficient growth, the SASAC will start to assess performances of SOEs in terms of overall labor productivity this year, along with other market-oriented measurements. Sinopec Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Company is the epitome of the drastic corporate changes taking place in SOEs. An unknown local refiner in the 1970s, it has become a top-notch industry player globally. The Zhejiang-based company has streamlined work procedures by 40 percent in recent years and adopted a highly market-oriented incentive system. With better corporate governance and technology, its per capita output surged to 15 million yuan in 2020 from 2 million yuan in 2000. "Our company's production capacity has tripled since 2000, while our headcount has been reduced and efficiency has been boosted," said Mo Dingge, CEO of the company. LESS IS MORE The transition into modern enterprises is imperative as China continues to level the playing field, creating a fairer competition environment. Key industries, such as energy, railway, automobile, telecommunications and public utilities, have been gradually opened for private and foreign investment. Li expects "significant progress" to be made in further expanding non-state firms' access to state-dominated areas in the three-year period. Meanwhile, SOEs are downsizing their presence in some fields. They have been asked to exit areas irrelevant to their core business or where their investments lack efficiency and competitiveness. Central SOEs have divested themselves of such businesses, retrieving 3.45 billion yuan since the end of 2019, SASAC data showed. In sectors with overlapping investment or homogeneous competition, restructuring between SOEs is encouraged. So far, 41 central SOEs have been regrouped, reducing the total central SOEs to 97. The capital shake-up is directing state-owned assets to concentrate on key industries related to national security, economic lifelines and public welfare, or those with strategic importance. Emerging technology is one of them. Weng Jieming, deputy head of SASAC, said more investment from central SOEs will be guided towards 5G, industrial internet, artificial intelligence, data center and other new types of infrastructure. Photo taken on Feb. 21, 2020 shows a factory of China Baowu Steel Group Corporation Limited in Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) China Baowu Steel Group Corporation Limited, the world's largest steel conglomerate, was the outcome of reorganizations between several state-owned steel giants. As a result of better allocation of resources, efficiency was improved with innovation fostered. "We will spare no effort to build ourselves into a high-tech company," said Chen Derong, chairman of the company. "Steel is a traditional product, but we will be a high-tech company in terms of technology, means of production and services." Cutting regulatory fetters is expected to help SOEs enhance their innovative prowess. Regulators are giving SOE executives more autonomy in making corporate decisions, including drafting annual investment schemes, arranging mixed-ownership reform of subsidiaries, and issuing short-term bonds. The new regulation approach will effectively prevent excessive state intervention in corporate operations, Liu noted. "Regulators are receding from the front stage to the backstage," he said. "The SOEs can decide what to do in accordance with market rules, which will make a big difference." (Sun Wenji, Yin Xiaosheng, Xu Xiaoqing, Chen Aiping, Chen Jie, Li Rong also contributed to the story.) (Video Reporters: Xu Xiaoqing, Chen Aiping, Chen Jie, Yin Xiaosheng, Kong Linghang, Zhao Yang, Fan Haoyu, Zhu Jing; Video editors: Zhu Jing, Yu Tao, Fan Ting) home US Christians block witches' hex against Donald Trump and Brett Kavanaugh with prayers Dozens of Christians protested Saturday's public hex of Donald Trump and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in New York, with Catholic exorcists condemning the witches. Only about 60 people of the over 1,300 that planned to attend showed up at the public hexing, the New York Post reported, while a dozen Christians protested outside the Brooklyn witch shop where the event took place. "We're praying against their hexes," one believer said. Catland Books, which organized the hexing, live streamed the event online, describing it as "an act of resistance and resilience." Dakota Bracciale, co-owner of Catland Books, told BBC News that the goal of the hex, which included candles and photo representations of Trump, Kavanaugh, and GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, is "aimed at exposing Brett Kavanaugh for what he truly is, to cause him harm and see him undone." The organizers added that they expect to see results from the hex "as soon as possible." "There's not a firm timeline on these things," they added. Kavanaugh was accused by California professor Christine Ford of attempted rape in the 1980s. Other women have also accused him of other forms of sexual misconduct. He has denied all the accusations. Trump, along with the majority of Republican senators, decided to stand by Kavanaugh and successfully see him confirmed to the Supreme Court. Bracciale said that Catland Books has experienced "a pretty severe amount of backlash in the form of hate mail and death threats" due to the ritual. Bracciale insisted that previous hexes placed on Trump have proven to be successful, however, stating: "We feel the rituals were a success as they sought to expose Trump for what he is, and that has happened on many levels; from the Russia probe to the exposA on his finances to Stormy Daniels (the porn actress who says she had a sexual affair with Trump in 2006)." Defending the rituals, she aruged that witchcraft "has always been practiced by the most downtrodden, disenfranchised and oppressed peoples who have used it as a tool for survival... to be the arbiter of their own justice since it would be denied by the powers that be." Father Gary Thomas, a Roman Catholic exorcist for the Diocese of San Jose, California, said in an article for The National Catholic Register that priests have offered prayers for Kavanaugh in response to the hex, warning that witchcraft is a serious threat. "I'm appalled," Thomas said about the hex. "I sent this to a load of exorcists yesterday and their reaction was similar to mine. That shows this is not something that is make believe," he added. The exorcist said he has seen people in the satanic world grow bolder in the past decade or so. "They are more confident that the general public will be more accepting of the demonic," he claimed. "This is a conjuring of evil a not about free speech," Thomas continued. "Conjuring up personified evil does not fall under free speech. Satanic cults often commit crimes; they murder and sexually abuse everyone it their cult." The exorcist argued that curses placed on people in a state of grace do not have much effect, though in other cases he has seen people afflicted with physical illness, psychosis, depression, and what he said was demons attached to them. "The decision to do this against a Supreme Court justice is a heinous act and says a lot about the character of these people that should not be underestimated or dismissed," the priest said. "These are real evil people." Courtesy of The Christian Post Gettyimagesbank U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin remains committed to maintaining the readiness of American troops in South Korea through military exercises, a Pentagon official said Thursday. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby also highlighted the importance of troop readiness amid North Korea's continued pursuit of new advanced weapons, such as the submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). "We recognize the value of training and exercises to keep forces ready, and no place is that more important than on the Korean Peninsula," he told a press briefing. "I mean the ready to fight tonight is not just a slogan. It actually means something there on the peninsula, and the secretary is committed to that," Kirby added. His remarks come after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called earlier for an end to joint military exercises of South Korea and the United States, arguing that such drills run counter to peace agreements between the two sides. At issue is whether the South and the U.S. will hold their annual springtime exercises amid concerns the drills could give North Korea a pretext for provocations in the early months of U.S. President Joe Biden's administration. South Korea's defense minister, Suh Wook, said earlier this week that the annual springtime exercises with the U.S. will go ahead as planned, stressing that the computer-simulated drills are purely defensive in nature. Joint military exercises had sometimes been reduced in size or altogether canceled amid a rare thaw in relations between Washington and Pyongyang over the past two years, highlighted by two bilateral summits between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un held in June 2018 and February 2019. Kirby insisted the U.S. troops were still able to get enough training. "I don't want to speak for Gen. Abrams, but my understanding is that they were still able to exercise and to train at a level that kept a readiness capability intact," he said, referring to USFK Commander Gen. Robert Abrams. "What that exercise regime is going to look like specifically going forward, I am just not prepared to tell you. But we fully understand the need to stay ready, and we're going to be committed to that," he added. Kirby also highlighted the importance of readiness against North Korea's new weapons systems. "I am not going to get into assessment of specific weapon systems now. All I will say is we are certainly mindful of Pyongyang's desire to advance their military capabilities. We know exactly what those military capabilities are designed to do," he said when asked what the U.S. thought about the North's development of a SLBM. Pyongyang unveiled a new SLBM at a military parade marking the founding anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party in October. "We are going to continue to make sure that we have the readiness posture we need on the Korean Peninsula," Kirby told the press briefing. (Yonhap) An officer walks outside a Home Depot at the scene where two men were shot while driving on the 200 block of west 87th street Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021 in Chicago. According to police the men sought help in the Home Depot after crashing the car. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) NEW HAVEN Some residents on Wooster Street woke up to a strong chemical odor Thursday, which they described as smelling like permanent marker. The smell was the result of a project to line century-old brick sewer lines with a resin material, according to Tom Bronczyk, project engineer for Insituform Technologies. He said the smell was from styrene used in the resin. Insituform is doing the work for the Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority on Olive, Wooster, Jefferson and Court streets and Grand Avenue. While most of the work was performed overnight, there was still a strong smell inside the lower three floors of a Wooster Street building Thursday afternoon. The stairwell going into our building makes me want to throw up still, said Corey Armstrong. Theres no windows; theres no ventilation. Armstrong lives on the second floor and said she removed her three small children from the front room of her apartment, where the smell was strongest. We go from manhole to manhole and insert a liner. It kind of puts like a PVC pipe inside the existing pipe, Bronczyk said. Styrene is what youre smelling and it seems like you might have an issue with the sewer trap, the plumbing trap in the basement. He said if the trap is dry it could cause the odor to rise into a building. A notice on the building had warned that there might be an odor and that pouring water down the drains would help reduce it. I tried that and it didnt work, said Abigayl Severn, a first-floor resident. She said she had spent the night elsewhere because the notice said to limit water use and she smelled the styrene when she returned home at 8 a.m. Anna Barry, who lives on the third floor, said the residents at first thought they smelled gas. We all cleared out of the building. The gas company came and checked it and they said its not gas but its this super-strong smell, she said. Its not on the street. Its definitely within the building. Barry said the residents reported the issue on SeeClickFix, a website that is used for reporting concerns. A comment left by Ricardo Ceballos, a project engineer with the WPCA, said, The positive is that those sewers were built in the 1870s and those are now good as new, ready to serve our community for the next 100 years. Bronczyk said the styrene is not a danger to health. It is listed on the Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services federal public health agency). Its an unusual smell, not harmful, Bronczyk said. Our guys work with it every day. According to an Insituform information sheet, Some people are more sensitive to these odors. Common symptoms of exposure to the levels of styrene typically produced by the sewer rehabilitation process include headache, nausea, dizziness, and lightheadedness. These symptoms will likely go away after the exposure ends and the person is allowed to get some fresh air. If you experience a feeling of headache, nausea, dizziness, or lightheadedness, seek fresh air immediately. If these symptoms persist, seek medical attention. edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382 U.S. President Joe Biden "did not hold back" in his phone call this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. "He did not hold back in conveying his concern about the treatment of Alexei Navlany and his treatment of protesters," Reuters cited Psaki as saying. She said Biden "had never held back as it relates to President Putin or his concerns about the actions of the Russian government and he certainly conveyed that clearly in the call." Governor Whitmer: President Biden's Repeal of the Trump-era Transgender Military Ban is the Right thing to do Governor Whitmer: President Biden's Repeal of the Trump-era Transgender Military Ban is the Right thing to do FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 25, 2021 Media Contact: Press@Michigan.gov Governor Whitmer: President Bidens Repeal of the Trump-era Transgender Military Ban is the Right thing to do LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer released the following statement after President Biden repealed the transgender military ban issued by the Trump Administration: I believe every qualified American who wants to step up and serve their country should be able to do so without fear of discrimination. Sexual orientation and gender identity should never prevent anyone from military service. From day one in office, I have been committed to ensuring protections for the LGBTQ+ community, and I am proud to support the presidents swift action today. The transgender military ban issued under the former administration went against everything America represents: diversity, acceptance, and inclusion. I am grateful for the presidents leadership during this time, and I am committed to working closely with him to protect Michiganders from discrimination. Since she was sworn into office, Governor Whitmer has remained committed to expanding protections for the LGBTQ+ community. During her first State of the State Address, she called on the Legislature to expand the states Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identification in employment, education, housing and real estate as well as use of public accommodations and public service. In her first month in office, Governor Whitmer signed Executive Directive 2019-9 to protect our LGBTQ+ state employees from discrimination in the workplace. In June of 2019, Governor Whitmer became the first governor to fly the pride flag on a government building. On June 15th, the governor applauded the United States Supreme Court for ruling that Title VII protects both gay and transgender people from being fired from their jobs on the basis of their sexuality or gender. The governor acknowledged that there is more work to be done, and again called for the expansion of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. ### [January 29, 2021] Former Mastercard President Launches Global PayTech Ventures MIAMI, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Former President of Mastercard Europe, Javier Perez today announced the launch of Global PayTech Ventures (GPT), the first venture capital firm focused exclusively on ground-breaking payment technology. "We believe payment technology has the ability to transform the way the world transfers value," said Perez. "The payments industry is undergoing radical changes and there are many complexities to navigate. We understand, better than anyone else, how to enable paytech entrepreneurs to deliver transformative solutions and achieve large-scale success." GPT will invest in paytech startups with differentiated technologies that meet massive market demand within the payments ecosystem. The firm focuses on early stage paytech companies usually looking to raise seed, Series A, or Series B rounds where they can fund a portion of the round with the opportunity to provide guidance and influence strategic direction. "With our unmatched patech expertise, ample funding and global network of contacts, I'm excited to establish Global Paytech Ventures as the ideal partner for outstanding young paytech companies. Our goal is to help them deliver disruptive technologies, scale their business and achieve market success," Perez added. Founded by Javier Perez and his sons, Daniel Perez and Kristofer ('Kriffy') Perez, the firm collectively represents decades of payment industry experience and offers young paytech companies unrivaled insights, expertise and growth potential. The team has worked with dozens of innovative, early stage paytech companies on a range of projects, and in a variety of geographies. With a lifelong career in the payments industry, including nearly two decades as President of Mastercard Europe, Javier Perez is a globally-recognized expert at developing innovative paytech concepts and bringing them to market. Javier's global network of industry contacts is extensive and can provide tremendous value to GPT's partner companies. While Javier provides vast 'top-down' expertise and a global perspective to paytech companies, Kriffy and Daniel, round out GPT's offering by providing the technical 'bottom-up' expertise necessary to help paytech companies create value at scale. Kriffy Perez leads strategic advisory at GPT, while Daniel Perez is responsible for sourcing, on-boarding and harmonizing paytech entrepreneurs with GPT's framework for global success. GPT's unique value proposition lies in the firm's ability to provide highly specialized paytech expertise, critical growth capital and an exceptional network of global contacts. The GPT team will leverage their resources and their experience as entrepreneurs, business leaders and investors to provide hands-on support to their partner companies. For more information, please visit Global PayTech Ventures' LinkedIn page at linkedin.com/company/gptventures Logo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1428944/Global_PayTech_Ventures_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] You are here: World Flash China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Bolivia on COVID-19 vaccines, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday in a phone conversation with his Bolivian counterpart, Luis Arce. In the past 36 years since China and Bolivia established diplomatic relations, they have made steady progress in bilateral ties, Xi said. Especially during the Morales administration, the two sides have seen close high-level exchanges, rapid expansion of economic and trade cooperation and sound coordination in multilateral affairs, Xi added. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, China has provided Bolivia with material and technical assistance to fight the epidemic through various channels, he said. China will continue supporting Bolivia in the anti-epidemic fight within its capacity, Xi said. Xi stressed that China has always treated Bolivia as a good friend and a good partner, and attached great importance to the China-Bolivia strategic partnership. China supports Bolivia in exploring a development path that fits its national conditions, and in continuously raising the "better life" index of the Bolivian people, Xi said. China is willing to enhance policy communication and coordination, share governance experience and learn from each other, deepen political mutual trust and support each other, Xi said. He called on the two sides to review their practical cooperation to make better plans, and jointly promote construction of the Belt and Road cooperation. China is glad to see Bolivia making full use of such platforms as China International Import Expo to promote its quality products with characteristics, Xi said. China supports businesses of the two sides in expanding cooperation in agriculture, mining, infrastructure construction, telecommunication and other fields, and promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges and local cooperation in accordance to the epidemic situation, Xi said. The two sides should conduct close cooperation within the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks, jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries and work to build a community with a shared future for mankind, he said. Xi said he believes that with joint efforts, the China-Bolivia strategic partnership will continue to achieve new results. For his part, Arce said that Bolivia and China have forged an unbreakable traditional friendship. Bolivia cherishes the brotherly friendship with China and sincerely hopes to consolidate and build closer bilateral relations, he said. Arce expressed gratitude for China's invaluable support for Bolivia in the fight against COVID-19 and expectation for more assistance from China. Bolivia is ready to better synergize its development strategies with China, deepen cooperation in various fields and elevate their strategic partnership to a new level, he said. Bolivia is willing to work with China to actively build the Belt and Road and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Arce said. After more than a decade, the family of Broome man Josh Warneke have pinned their hopes for answers on a coroners inquest into the circumstances surrounding the 21-year-olds death. Mr Warnekes mother Ingrid Bishop said she was relieved the report into her sons death had finally been submitted to the coroner after years of pleading with police to hand over the investigation. Josh Warneke was found dead on the side of a Broome road in 2010. Credit:Courtesy of Ingrid Bishop We just simply want the truth. We simply want to know what happened to Josh that night, Ms Bishop told Nine News Perth reporter Kamin Gock. We are obviously very anxious because it has been very problematic the whole way through so we want this to be a clean, simple process so that we can move through it as quickly as possible. GREENVILLE A northeast Georgia bank that has steadily expanded its South Carolina business through a series of buyouts since 2015 will soon up the ante considerably. United Community Bank is lined up for a property-tax break, up for final approval Tuesday, that if passed will entice the bank to invest up to $30 million within a nearly 2-acre morsel of prime real estate in downtown Greenville. The deal requires that the bank hire 225 new employees, adding to the hundreds of people who already work for them in Greenville. The Blairsville, Ga.-based bank was unmasked in a Greenville County Council agenda on Friday as the investment party that had been nicknamed "Project Spruce" in county documents related to the development since October. Bank officials were unable to comment publicly on Friday. The site for the investment is 200 E. Camperdown Way, where an office building currently houses the Wyche law firm. Located within the citys central business district, the site's zoning designation C-4 has no height restrictions and the highest density allowances under the citys development code. It and a handful of parcels on the east side of Falls Street are among the only open lots remaining on the downtowns east side. Public documents show the Wyche firm sold the 1.9-acre parcel at 200 E. Camperdown for $5.75 million on Dec. 18 to United Community Banks, but whether the bank was the final party lined up to invest in the site was unclear until Friday. The Post and Courier has reached out to Wyche for comment as well. The Wyche firm continues for the present to operate at 222 E. Camperdown Way. The lawyers have been working there for about two years. Wyche's previous headquarters of 58 years 44 E. Camperdown Way, next door was razed in 2019 to make way for The Grand Bohemian Hotel, now under construction. More details about United Community Bank's intentions for the downtown site will likely be released at Tuesday's County Council meeting when members cast a third and final vote on the companys tax break. According to county documents, the site is being placed in a multi-county industrial park to reduce its annual commercial property-tax burden. Sign up for our Greenville development newsletter. Get all the latest updates on the Upstate real estate market, more openings and closings, exclusive development news and more in your inbox each week. Email Sign Up! According to federal records, the largest bank by deposits currently headquartered in South Carolina is Greenville-based Southern First Bank, which is building a new headquarters on Laurens Road. Should United Community Bank move its headquarters to Greenville from its current home in Blairsville, Ga., it would take Southern First's place as the largest bank headquartered in the Palmetto State. United Community Bank operates in three locations around downtown Greenville with executive offices on Broad Street, in the former Palmetto Bank office building on East North Street, and in the ONE building at West Washington and Main streets. Across the state of South Carolina, it has more than 30 branch offices. United Community Bank's chief executive officer is longtime Greenville banker Lynn Harton. Harton previously served as CEO of Greenville-based South Financial Group, which operated as "Carolina First," before it was taken over by TD Bank in 2010. He joined United Community Bank in 2012, has continued to live in Greenville and became United Community Bank's CEO in 2017. United Community Bank has been beefing up its footprint in South Carolina since 2015, when it completed its $241 million acquisition of the Upstate's Palmetto Bank, then the third-largest financial institution headquartered in the state. In 2016, it set its sights on the coast by purchasing the ailing Mount Pleasant-based Tidelands Bank, giving it four offices in the Charleston region, two in Myrtle Beach and one in the Hilton Head market. It expanded its Grand Strand presence in late July 2017 by acquiring the Loris-based parent of Horry County State Bank in a deal valued at $66 million. In terms of market share, United Community Bank stood at ninth in South Carolina as of June 2020, according to federal records. Bank of America and Wells Fargo remain at the top of the heap in terms of market share for both South Carolina and, locally, Greenville County. Nathaniel Cary and John McDermott contributed to this report. Maruti Suzuki Ertiga live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Maruti Suzuki reported a 24.1 percent year-on-year (YoY) rise in Q3FY21 standalone net profit at Rs 1,941.4 crore against Rs 1,564.8 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. The company reported a 13.3 percent YoY rise in Q3 standalone revenue at Rs 23,457.8 crore against Rs 20,706.8 crore in Q3FY20. Here are the highlights of Maruti's Q3 FY20 earnings call compiled by Narnolia Financial Advisors: According to the Maruti management, demand momentum continued in the third quarter and sales were at similar levels as of last year. Rural sales penetration grew by 40 percent YoY for the quarter. Replacement demand has seen a sharp fall from 26 percent last year to 19 percent this year because people are continuing with old vehicles and also there is an increase in demand of pre-owned vehicles. The company ramped up production and made full capacity utilisation in 3QFY21. Its overall capacity utilisation would be at 75 percent for FY21. The company has an order backlog of 2,16,000 units. Its LCV-Super carry has become the second most selling mini-truck in the domestic market. Recently, the company commenced export of Jimny, which will be shipped to Latin America, the Middle East and African markets. The company is evaluating prospects of its launch in India but nothing has been decided yet. CNG vehicle sales grew by 18.9 percent YoY. The company has current channel stock of 21,000 units. Retail financing Finance penetration is normal as of now and is seen in the range of 80 percent. The companys exports for 3QFY21 amounted to Rs 1,318 crore. Its average discount was Rs 20,185. Royalty for the quarter was 4.59 percent as against 5 percent in 2QFY21, the company said. Price was hiked in the Rs 6,000-Rs 34,000 range, including taxes. The companys digital sales inquiry grew from 3 percent in FY03 to 15-16 percent in FY20 to 35 percent in FY21. There is further visibility of significant commodity price increase and its impact would be seen in 4QFY21 for the company, the management added. EBITDA margin expanded by improved capacity utilisation, lower sales promotion expenses and various cost-reduction efforts adopted by the company. Some industry players have seen a shortage of semiconductors and similar products though the impact is not visible, so far, for the short term. Dynamic royalty regime All (90-97 percent) new models would move to calculation from rupees and royalty amount would be more stable by FY23. Path to the Indian electric vehicle (EV) market will be through hybrid vehicles and also depend on the use of alternative fuels like CNG. Overall cost would go up due to increase in various expenses like higher marketing expenses due to more new models, etc. Though some cost reduction would be sustainable considering efforts done by management for same, the company added. BEIRUT - A crowd of protesters set the city hall of Tripoli, in northern Lebanon, on fire during the fourth consecutive night of clashes there. Protesters are becoming increasingly angered by a lack of government support as poverty continues to rise in a country already facing a prolonged economic crisis that has been further aggravated by anti-Covid measures. Videos on local TV and social media showed the historic city hall building in Tripoli engulfed in flames that were started by the young protesters who unleashed their anger around the institutional palace. Tripoli Mayor Riad Yamaq said there were no city hall workers or officials inside during the fire and no one was injured. "It's a vile act that goes against the principles of the anti-government mobilisation," Yamaq told journalists in the middle of the night, after learning of the fire. 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. Rome, Jan 29 : The Italian division of US-based pharmaceutical giant Pfizer said it will continue to honour its contract to provide coronavirus vaccines to the country even if it follows through on a plan to sue the company for falling behind on vaccine deliveries. Paivi Kerkola, CEO of Pfizer Italia Srl., told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica on Thursday that her company will "continue to supply the vaccine as envisaged by the agreements with the European Commission", Xinhua news agency reported. A Pfizer Italia official confirmed Kerkola's remarks when contacted by Xinhua. The European Commission has concluded supply agreements with Pfizer and other coronavirus vaccine makers, and the vaccines would then be allocated among the European Union (EU) member states. While Pfizer and its partner, Germany's BioNTech, have acknowledged that there was a slowdown in vaccine deliveries over the past two weeks, Kerkola said supply would return to "normal levels" this week. On Monday, Italy filed a complaint with the EU against Pfizer, BioNTech and AstraZeneca, another drug maker, for failing to deliver coronavirus vaccines quickly enough. The following day, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte threatened to sue the companies as well, but so far no formal lawsuit has been filed. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the first approved and most widely used jab in Italy. Pharmaceutical giant Moderna's vaccine has also been authorised for use in Italy, while AstraZeneca's alternative product is awaiting approval. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Ten of the best art documentaries to watch right now With many museums temporarily shuttered, now is a great time to catch up on some of the superb films that have been made about art and artists. Spanning London, Beijing and New York, Picasso, Basquiat and Stella, here are 10 of our favourites 1 Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict (2015) Directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland Jacqueline Weld spent the summers of 1978 and 1979 interviewing Peggy Guggenheim, gathering material for her biography of the revolutionary art patron, Peggy: The Wayward Guggenheim. The tapes, however, were lost and never heard by the public. When the director Lisa Immordino Vreeland set out to make a film about Guggenheim decades later, she never dreamt of discovering them. But during a fortuitous visit to Welds apartment, Vreeland found them languishing in a basement, in a box full of books. The recordings became the framework of this compelling documentary. At its core, it addresses the issue of how Guggenheim is viewed by historians: she has often been judged as having had her tastes dictated to her by the men she kept company with Motherwell, Rothko, Pollock which is something a man in a similar position would never be accused of. Watch the trailer here. Available to rent on Amazon; Dogwoof; Google Play; YouTube 2 Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present (2012) Directed by Matthew Akers At one point in this film the Serbian performance artist says with a laugh to the camera, I want to be a real form of art before I die. From the look in her eyes, however, its clear she is being deadly serious. The cameras follow Abramovic as she prepares for her career apotheosis: her 2010 solo show The Artist Is Present at New Yorks Met Museum. Every day for three months the artist sat on a wooden chair for seven and a half hours, without food or water, while solemnly staring into the eyes of the visitor sitting opposite. Weaving in the story of how Abramovic went from being labelled insane to lauded as the grandmother of performance art, the films director Matthew Akers strives to answer the question of how we define art. Watch the trailer here. Available to rent on Amazon; Dogwoof; Google Play; YouTube 3 Eames: The Architect and The Painter (2011) Directed by Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey From humble origins moulding plywood chairs in the spare room of their Los Angeles apartment the husband and wife duo Charles and Ray Eames went on to become hugely influential in shaping 20th-century America as architects, industrial designers and filmmakers. Charles and Ray Eames at home, circa 1970, as seen in the film. 2011 Eames Office, LLC Eames: The Architect and The Painter, narrated by the Hollywood actor James Franco, tells their story using archival footage and interviews with industry-leading figures. The New York Times described the Peabody Award-winning documentary as full of objects, information, stories and people, organised with hectic elegance. Watch the trailer here. Available to rent on Amazon The film consists almost entirely of interviews with the artist who had shot to fame with his 1958 book, The Americans, and who was by now a rather grouchy octogenarian. The yuppies, they have a right to live too, he says, looking out from his old studio on Bleecker Street in Manhattan, but I dont want to live next to them! Robert Frank, Indianapolis, 1956, an image from The Americans, the 1958 book that made the photographers name. Robert Frank, from The Americans; courtesy Pace MacGill Gallery, New York Frank only gave Fox his blessing for the films theatrical release in 2019, delaying its wider reception by 14 years. Within a few months, however, Frank had passed away far from the yuppies, in Nova Scotia. Watch the trailer here. Available to rent on Amazon 5 The Mystery of Picasso (1956) Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot In order to capture the creative process of the 20th centurys greatest artist, the filmmaker Henri-Georges Clouzot had to take a radical approach. He worked with the cinematographer Claude Renoir, grandson of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and the pair used transparent canvases to capture Picassos brushstrokes as he applied them. Pablo Picasso painting on the set of the film Le Mystere de Picasso in 1955. Photo: Jerome Brierre / Bridgeman Images. Artwork: Succession Picasso/DACS, London 2020 Over the course of the film, shot initially in black and white, Picasso creates 20 artworks, each growing in complexity from the first simple sketches. Then, for the final reel, The Mystery of Picasso bursts into vibrant colour, revealing the artists palette in all its glory. The film won the Special Jury Prize at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival and was described by the revered New Yorker critic Pauline Kael as one of the most exciting and joyful films ever made. Watch the trailer here. Available to rent on Amazon; Google Play; YouTube 6 Painters Painting (1972) Directed by Emile de Antonio Artists are often accused of making baffling, gnomic statements about their work, yet this 1972 documentary is surprisingly clear-sighted. Perhaps it is because the director, Emile de Antonio, was an art-world insider who knew many of the painters before they were famous. Whatever the reason, he certainly gets the best out of his subjects, an illustrious group of Abstract and Pop artists including Andy Warhol, Willem de Kooning, Helen Frankenthaler and Jasper Johns. Among the highlights are Frank Stella explaining the influence of Samuel Beckett on his paintings and Robert Rauschenberg on how hard it is to erase a de Kooning drawing (three weeks and 15 different types of eraser). Watch an extract here. Available to rent on Amazon; iTunes 7 Alice Neel (2007) Directed by Andrew Neel Director Andrew Neel explores the struggles that his grandmother Alice Neel endured as a female painter, a single mother and an artist who defied convention. Neel was working at a time when Pop art was all the rage, and her expressionist depictions of friends and fellow artists, painted in thick impasto and understated colours, were brushed aside as nostalgic. An artist who defied convention: Alice Neel in her New York studio, circa 1960. Photo: Estate of Alice Neel By the 1970s, however, the artists reputation had grown: she was adopted by the womens movement, and major museums including the Whitney in New York had begun to show her work shortly before her death in 1984. Watch the trailer here. Available to rent on Amazon; Google Play; iTunes; YouTube; Vimeo 8 National Gallery (2014) Directed by Frederick Wiseman There is no narrative in this three-hour documentary about Londons National Gallery, filmed over a 12-month period. Instead, the camera records the minutiae of museum life: guides giving lectures to schoolchildren; cleaners polishing the gallery floors; curators rearranging pictures; and the obligatory private views. Londons National Gallery, the setting for a sustained meditation on art by director Frederick Wiseman. Photo: National Gallery, London The trademark style of veteran American filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, who began his career in the 1960s with a critical examination of the prison system, is to have no commentary, no interviews, and no identification of those speaking. The result is a sustained meditation on art and those who look at it. Watch the trailer here. Available to rent on BFI player 9 Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat (2017) Directed by Sara Driver Sara Driver was inspired to make a film about the art scene in late-1970s New York after her friend Alexis Adler an ex-roommate of Jean-Michel Basquiats showed her the contents of a bank vault filled with his drawings and writings. I saw what she had and I was like, this is not only a window into him, but this is a window into New York at that particular moment in time, she said in a 2018 interview. Combining archival footage with new interviews, Drivers film looks at the crucial few years in which Basquiat was transformed from a young, homeless graffiti artist to an art-world wunderkind. Recognisable faces from the Lower East Sides punk/hip hop/art scene the painter Kenny Scharf, the filmmaker Jim Jarmusch make cameo appearances to share their early memories of the artist. Watch the trailer here. Available to rent on Amazon; iTunes; Google Play; YouTube Sign up today Christies Online Magazine delivers our best features, videos, and auction news to your inbox every week Subscribe 10 Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang (2016) Directed by Kevin Macdonald The Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang is known for his use of gunpowder, igniting it on canvases to create scorched drawings, and using it to devise large pyrotechnic events most notably at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Born in 1957, Cai was the first Chinese artist to be awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale, in 1999. Since then he has become famous for his explosive public installations, which have stunned audiences from Cleveland, Ohio, to Moscow. Cai Guo-Qiangs 500-metre-high Sky Ladder, 2015 a dazzling feat of pyrotechnics. Courtesy of Cal Studio CLEVELAND, Ohio Ohioans 75 and older this week joined those 80 and older in the quest to get the COVID-19 vaccine, creating fears that the already frustrating process will become more so with more people seeking shots. Ohios vaccine rollout began Jan. 19 with people 80 and older eligible to line up for the shot, and those 75 and older became eligible on Monday. We sought to find out how well the rollout is working. Phase 1A of the rollout included healthcare and EMS workers, and residents and staff in nursing homes, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Ohios phase 1B of the rollout includes residents 65 and up, with the timing broken down by age group. The system requires the elderly to contact a list of about 90 providers to find the vaccine and make an appointment for the shot. Its a time-consuming and frustrating job, readers say. There is concern that elderly without assistance, computers or cell phones wont be able to set up vaccine appointments. But some providers are earning praise for making the vaccination process itself is easy. Here is information on how to get the vaccine from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals. Here is a list of other facilities distributing the vaccine. The Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging has information about COVID-19 vaccines and county-specific information about how to get them. Call their 24/7 Vaccine Information hotline at 1-844-304-0004. Cuyahoga County residents can call United Ways 211 HelpLink to access information about the COVID-19 vaccine. We asked cleveland.com readers to share their experiences in signing up for the COVID-19 vaccine in order to gauge how well the states vaccine rollout is going in its early days. Below is a sample of the responses. Are you over 75 -- or helping someone in that age group -- and would like to share your experience? Email Julie Washington at jwashington@cleveland.com. Be sure to include your name and city. Disappointing experience in Lorain Co. The Lorain County Health Department said anyone who lived or worked in Lorain County could walk in or drive in between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at multiple sites (to receive the vaccine). I selected the North Ridgeville Fire Department drive-in location and I arrived (shortly before 9 a.m.) The line reached the nearby intersection at that time. I left at 1 p.m. The anaphylactic shock observation (site) was at a nearby parking lot, but I was in the wrong lane when I arrived, so I drove home to Avon Lake. Four hours is an unreasonable amount of time for hundreds of 80-year-old to sit in their cars. There were no washrooms, no water and no opportunity to exit your car. I dread returning. All personnel at this facility were wonderful! M.H. Smooth sailing at Clinic My father-in-law is 96 and is the healthiest person I know. He does not have any computers or cell phones. We created a MyChart account with the Clinic years ago for him. When we heard it was time for him to get his vaccine, I went to MyChart. I picked a day and a time. It was very easy to use. (Getting the vaccine) was an excellent experience. Thank you to all of the staff at Cleveland Clinic- Hillcrest Hospital. C.S. Suggestions for smoother rollout Do (state health officials) realize that some of the providers with multiple locations do not support pre-registering, therefore they cannot give preference to the 75-and-older group, or any of the subsequent groups? Do they realize that as they open it up to more age groups, it will get harder and harder for anyone to find an open appointment? That is, unless the supply increases greatly. Why not get the majority of one age group vaccinated before starting with a lower age group? Please make sure all the 1B group has had a fair chance to get the vaccine before opening it up to the general public. Otherwise, many in the 1B group will be shut out for months. S.J. Elderly need help I am sorry that so many elderly people were having difficulty getting an appointment for the vaccine. Luckily, I have My Chart, so I could see the days and times available for my appointment. Since I am 93, my daughter drove me there and the only chaos was in front of the hospital door. Once inside, everything was well-organized. I can see that for older people who are not tech-savvy, this could be difficult. They definitely need help from someone. E.L.B. Faster rollout needed How about pushing for more vaccinations throughout the counties for all age groups? Why is there such a huge delay in this? You see all these movie stars receiving vaccinations. Why not put together a plan for additional age groups who could serve as runover for vaccines that are not wasted? The sooner the better for everyone. M.H. Complete disaster The State of Ohio and Cuyahoga County process for vaccine distribution is a complete disaster. A few lucky recipients are receiving vaccines and are thrilled, but the vast majority of people over 80 (including my mother, 82) are completely shut out, left to register at website after website and futilely wondering if they will ever receive an offer of an appointment. Brilliant idea to pass out the vaccine to 90 locations in Cuyahoga County, so these elderly folks can spend day after day on the phone and computer registering with 20 different hospitals and drug stores, hoping they win the lottery and get a call before the next age group becomes eligible and elbows them out of line. There is no acknowledgement of registrations, no sense that you are in line. It is difficult to imagine a more anxiety-producing awful process. M.H., Cleveland Heights Luck, persistence and privilege Thank you for reporting on the hot mess that is getting a vaccine for mom. Sadly, even with resources and access to technology, it is a matter of luck, persistence and privilege to get COVID-19 vaccine into the arm of an elderly loved one. I am concerned about the digital divide and how this affects the have-nots of technology, especially the poor and the elderly without an advocate. I feel like we won the lottery; my 90-year-old mom got her COVID-19 vaccine yesterday and we literally celebrated! It became very clear that in order to get a vaccine, youd better: Have internet access. Have someone to work, full time, on scheduling you, by accessing your MyChart account and sitting on hold for hours to get help to login. Be in the same room as your (elderly person). Because of HIPPA (federal privacy rules), she must give permission to talk about her MyChart account. MyChart sent a text to Moms phone shes legally blind! to verify her identity. Have transportation to your vaccine appointment. C.H., Lakewood Drive-thru option in Lorain Co. My father is 88 and lives in Lorain County. I signed him up for the vaccine on the Lorain County Health Department website. He received an email advising him that anyone 80 and over could get vaccine No. 1 on Saturday, Jan. 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There were three available sites, and all were first come first served. Two were drive thru locations, and the third was at the Lorain County JVS in Oberlin. The health department recommended the drive thru locations for those who could not stand for long periods of time. They stated not to arrive before the start time, and recommended planning your arrival for later in the day. My first thought was the drive-thru locations would have cars lined up hours before opening, which would probably be a traffic nightmare. My father gets around with a walker, which he can sit on, so I decided I would take him to the JVS location and wait in line. I saw on the news that one of the drive-thru locations ran out of vaccine in an hour. (Instead, we) scheduled an appointment at the Elyria Giant Eagle. The whole appointment went very smoothly. I feel very fortunate to have gotten an appointment at Giant Eagle, and to able to avoid waiting in line. M.P., Avon Kudos to Akron VA Id like to put in a big plug for the Akron VA Outpatient Clinic of the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. I am 88 years old. I heard a voicemail message from the VA asking me to contact them about a COVID-19 vaccination. When I phoned back, the lady who answered said, I see you already have an appointment for audiology on the 21st. Ill set up your vaccination for the same visit. The well-organized (vaccination) procedure was completed in 30 minutes. I have always had an excellent relationship with the Akron VA. The staff is a great combination of friendliness and professionalism. D.S., Hudson Not confident in the process We registered for the vaccine at UH and Discount Drug Mart. My husband is eligible the week of Jan. 25 and I am eligible two weeks later. Why are we limited to only our own county, which is Cuyahoga? I am sure the hospitals employ workers from multiple counties, but (hospitals) do not discriminate by county when vaccinating their employees. We are still hopeful we will get the vaccine, but not confident in the process. B.L. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global Industrial Standard Fastener Market report offers a comprehensive analysis of current trends and future opportunities. This report is responsible for quantitative estimation and foreseen future for upcoming years based on the recent companies strategic moves and historical data. Further, the market report is categorized into different segments, regions, and countries level. This report also provides competitor analysis with its market share and developments. The final report will cover the impact of COVID-19 on this industry. The global Industrial Standard Fastener market report presents a complete research-based study of the industry including details such as company shares, forecast data, in-depth analysis and an outlook of the market on a worldwide platform. The report further highlights the market drivers, restraints, and the top manufacturers at the global and regional levels. For a thorough understanding, the report also offers market segmentation and regional analysis for the forecast period from 2021 to 2026. Click here to get a Sample PDF Copy of the Industrial Standard Fastener Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-31578 According to this latest study, the 2020 growth of Industrial Standard Fastener will have significant changes from the previous year. By the most conservative estimates of global Industrial Standard Fastener market size (a most likely outcome) will be a year-over-year revenue growth rate of xx% in 2020, from US$ xx million in 2019. Over the next five years, the Industrial Standard Fastener market will register an xx% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach US$ xx million by 2025. This Industrial Standard Fastener market report also splits the market by regions: Americas (United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil), APAC (China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, Australia), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain), Middle East & Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Turkey, GCC Countries). This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of the Industrial Standard Fastener market by type, application, key manufacturers, key regions, and countries. The key manufacturers covered in this report: Breakdown data in Chapter 3. Wurth PCC ITW Alcoa Araymond Aoyama Seisakusho LISI STANLEY Fontana Gruppo Shanghai PMC (Nedschroef) KAMAX Agrati Group Bossard Meidoh Gem-Year NAFCO Bulten Others To inquire about report customization, feel free to reach out to our team of expert analysts @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/ask-questions-31578 This study considers the Industrial Standard Fastener value and volume generated from the sales of the following segments: Segmentation by type: breakdown data from 2016 to 2021, in Section 2.3; and forecast to 2026 in section 11.7. Steel Industrial Standard Fastener Cooper Industrial Standard Fastener Aluminum Industrial Standard Fastener Other Material Segmentation by application: breakdown data from 2016 to 2021, in Section 2.4; and forecast to 2026 in section 11.8. Automotive Industry Electric & Electronics Machinery Industry Construction Industry MRO Others In addition, this report discusses the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, challenges, and the risks faced by key manufacturers and the market as a whole. It also analyzes key emerging trends and their impact on present and future development. Purchase the Complete Global Industrial Standard Fastener Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-31578 Research Objectives To study and analyze the global Industrial Standard Fastener consumption (value & volume) by key regions/countries, type and application, history data from 2016 to 2020, and forecast to 2026. To understand the structure of the Industrial Standard Fastener market by identifying its various subsegments. Focuses on the key global Industrial Standard Fastener manufacturers, to define, describe, and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in the next few years. To analyze the Industrial Standard Fastener with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market. To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks). To project the consumption of Industrial Standard Fastener submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries). To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. About Us: DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research report provider, enriching decision-makers, and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research reports, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains. Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed. For more details: DecisionDatabases.com E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.com Phone: +91 90 28 057900 Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ Reference Source: https://www.topnewscorner.com/industrial-standard-fastener-market-size-share-growth-outlook-forecast-research-report-till-2026/ NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Bank of Montreal (TSX: BMO) (NYSE: BMO) announced today that it will implement a split of three series of its outstanding exchange traded notes, as listed in the table below (the "ETNs" or "Notes"). The split of the three series will be effective at the open of trading on February 12, 2021 (the "effective date," or the "ex date"). The closing indicative value of the ETNs on February 11, 2021 (the "payable date") will be divided by the number indicated above to determine the split-adjusted closing indicative value of the ETNs. The number of ETNs outstanding at the close of trading on the payable date correspondingly will be multiplied by the number indicated above to determine the adjusted number of ETNs outstanding as of the effective date. The holders of the ETNs as of February 10, 2021 (the "record date") will see this change reflected on the payable date. The split will be effective at the open on the ex date, and the ETNs will begin trading on the NYSE Arca on a split-adjusted basis on that date. Following the split, each ETN will have the same CUSIP and ISIN, and will continue to trade under the same ticker symbol. The split will affect the trading denominations of each series of the ETNs, but it will not have any effect on the stated principal amount of those ETNs. Illustration of a Split The following table shows the effect of a hypothetical 10-to-1 split on the hypothetical closing indicative value of the ETNs. The closing indicative value of an ETN is not the same as the principal amount (currently, $50) or the trading price of that ETN. Number of ETNs Hypothetical Closing Indicative Value Aggregate Closing Indicative Value Pre-Split 1,000 $100.00 $100,000 1-for-10 Post-Split 10,000 $10.00 $100,000 None of the other exchange traded notes issued by Bank of Montreal are affected by this announcement. The Notes are senior, unsecured obligations of Bank of Montreal. Investment suitability must be determined individually for each investor, and the Notes may not be suitable for all investors. This information is not intended to provide and should not be relied upon as providing accounting, legal, regulatory or tax advice. Investors should consult with their own financial advisors as to these matters. The leveraged ETNs discussed in this press release (FNGU and FNGO) are intended to be daily trading tools for sophisticated investors to manage daily trading risks as part of an overall diversified portfolio. They are designed to achieve their stated investment objectives on a daily basis. The returns on the ETNs over longer periods of time can, and most likely will, differ significantly from the return on a direct long or short investment in the index underlying those ETNs. Bank of Montreal, the issuer of the ETNs, has filed a registration statement (including a pricing supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus) with the SEC regarding each offering of the ETNs discussed in this press release. Please read those documents and the other documents relating to the ETNs that Bank of Montreal has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Bank of Montreal and the ETNs. These documents may be obtained without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, Bank of Montreal, and any agent or dealer that participated in the offerings of the ETNs, will arrange to send the applicable pricing supplement, the prospectus supplement and the prospectus if so requested by calling toll-free at 1-877-369-5412. About REX Shares Founded in 2015, REX Shares (REX) is an independent provider of exchange-traded products (ETPs) based in Fairfield, Connecticut. As ETP architects, the REX team creates investment vehicles that solve for a range of specific challenges in investor portfolios. The firm is rooted in decades of structuring and building inventive exchange-traded product solutions. For more information, please visit www.microsectors.com Follow REX on Twitter @msectors About BMO Financial Group Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $949 billion as of October 31, 2020, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets. SOURCE BMO Financial Group On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed a suite of executive orders that transformed US climate-change policy. He mandated a pause on new oil and gas leases of federal land; instituted a major push to replace gas vehicles in the federal fleet with electric ones; directed agencies to eliminate fossil-fuel subsidies; set climate as a central pillar of foreign and security policy; and established ambitious national goals for emissions targets, land and sea conservation, and green jobs. That night, MSNBCs Chris Hayes led off his show with a detailed discussion of the orders, which he called the most sweeping, ambitious climate-action agenda ever implemented in this country, by far. It had been, he declared, a good day in the life of the nation. He then interviewed the Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a key advocate of the Green New Deal: Im feeling extraordinarily encouraged, she said. Bidens orders were, indeed, a very big deal. Most of Hayess colleagues and rivals across prime-time cable news, however, didnt afford the story the same degree of focus. On MSNBC and CNN, the climate news mostly came up behind segments on the rancid state of the Republican Party, Donald Trumps forthcoming impeachment trial, fresh warnings about the threat of domestic terrorism, and the pandemic. (Sean Hannity, of Fox News, did open with the climate orders, but only so he could accuse the liberal, extremist, socialist Democratic Party of foisting another job-killing nightmare on America.) It wasnt just an ignoring-the-climate-crisis problem: in these key early days of Bidens presidency, he has had to compete with his predecessor for the media spotlight to an extent that appears unprecedented in recent history. New from CJR: A newsroom assesses Marty Barons tenure Since Biden took office last week, we have seen prominent, penetrating coverage of his policy agenda. And its fair to say that much of the ongoing Trump reporting has been urgent (were less than a month out from an attempted coup; Trump supporters pose a threat to democracy and to the physical safety of American citizens and their elected representatives). A split-screen approach to the news is clearly necessary right now, and will likely remain so for a while. But to get that right requires careful balancesomething that major outlets tend to struggle with. It happened again yesterday: Biden signed executive orders aimed at expanding access to healthcare and abortion; most every prime-time news show led with a dispatch from Trumpland. There was coverage of Marjorie Taylor Greene, the QAnon-friendly congresswoman from Georgia who, we learned this week, openly advocated violence against senior Democrats, harassed the school-shooting survivor David Hogg, and suggested that the 2018 wildfires in California may have been started by a laser beam from space. Reporters followed Matt Gaetz, a pro-Trump Republican congressman, as he traveled to Wyoming to campaign against his colleague Liz Cheney, one of ten Republicans in the House who voted for Trumps impeachment. There were stories of Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, visiting Florida to kiss Trumps ring at Mar-a-Lago. And pieces on aggrieved Trump fans continue to appear in abundance. Weve seen some interviews with Biden supporters about their hopes and fears, but not to the same extent. Republican complicity with Trump is an important ongoing theme, but misplaced attention on malevolent virality-seekers can sometimes do more harm than good. At the moment, the Republican Partys grip on media is tighter than its hold on institutional or popular power. As the press critic Eric Boehlert has often argued, the number one rule of the Beltway press is that every news cycle begins with the same premise, what are Republicans angry about today? That standard has warped coverage of Biden: as I wrote on Monday, much reporting on his legislative agenda has been framed around the false idea that, if he cant persuade certain Republicans to back his proposals, he will have failed to unify the country. And Bidens low-key style is apparently starting to bore some journalists, not ten days after the pundit class universally hailed it as refreshing. Bidens first full week in office has showcased an almost jarring departure from his predecessors chaotic style, the Washington Posts Matt Viser wrote on Wednesday, in an article that described Bidens presidency as 9-to-5, tightly scripted, and light on tweets. While many found Trumps chaos unsettling, Viser wrote, it is unclear for now whether Bidens more restrained style is an antidote or an overcorrection. When we have to devote time to numerous important stories at once, keeping focus becomes essential. We need, as the media watcher Dan Froomkin wrote last week, to unlearn the Trump-era ideas that the president should set the agenda, and that the Oval Office must feed us constantly. A press driven by outrage favors attention-hijackers like Trump and Greene, giving them oxygen even when we believe that were calling them out. Its still early in Bidens presidency, but it seems that we have not collectively moved onand Trump isnt even back on social media yet. The climate, alas, doesnt have a Twitter account. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Below, more on the climate crisis, the news cycle, and Trump: Other notable stories: ICYMI: Twitter gets into the newsletter businessshould Substack be worried? Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. COVID-19 has killed more than 435,000 Americans, and infections have continued to mount despite the introduction of a pair of vaccines late in 2020. USA TODAY is tracking the news. Keep refreshing this page for the latest updates. Sign up for our Coronavirus Watch newsletter for updates to your inbox, join our Facebook group or scroll through our in-depth answers to reader questions. Johnson & Johnsons one-shot vaccine protects against COVID-19, and while it is not as effective as other vaccines already authorized in the U.S., it appears to be extremely effective against severe disease. Johnson & Johnson said Friday that data from its late-stage trial in the U.S. and seven other countries showed the vaccine had an overall 66% effectiveness in preventing moderate to severe illness. The two-shot vaccines, from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, are more than 94% effective, but J&J's global research chief, Dr. Mathai Mammen, said, "Gambling on one dose was certainly worthwhile." Because of its single dose regimen, the J&J vaccine has been described as a "game-changer" in the campaign against the coronavirus pandemic. And the vaccine doesn't need to be kept frozen, allowing it to be distributed through normal vaccine supply chains without the need for new, expensive equipment. Meanwhile, Novavax, a Gaithersburg, Maryland-based biotechnology firm, showed its COVID-19 candidate vaccine to be safe and roughly 90% effective against the virus. In the headlines: Seattle hospitals rushed out COVID-19 vaccines to hundreds of people in the middle of the night after a freezer they were being stored in failed. The European Union's drug regulator on Friday authorized AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine for use in all adults despite concerns that not enough data exist to prove it works in older people. On Thursday, Germanys vaccination advisory committee said in a draft recommendation that the vaccine should only be given to people aged 18-64 for now. Story continues Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced stricter restrictions on travelers in response to new, likely more contagious variants of the novel coronavirus including making it mandatory for travelers to quarantine in a hotel at their own expense when they arrive in Canada and suspending airline service to Mexico and all Caribbean destinations until April 30. New York City restaurants can resume indoor dining on Feb. 14, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday. The decision reverses a citywide ban on indoor service that he put in place Dec. 11 and allows bars and restaurants to reopen dining rooms at 25% capacity. The Pentagon says it is reviewing a request from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for military troops to help set up 100 vaccination sites across the country. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who made clear in December that he would wait his turn to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, was quietly vaccinated last week at the recommendation of medical personnel, his office said. President Joe Biden will invoke the Defense Protection Act to expedite production of N-95 masks and special syringes to extract an additional dose from each vaccination vial, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain told CBS News on Thursday. A Florida fire captain turned himself in to face charges in connection with the alleged theft of COVID-19 vaccines, asking a local paramedic to obtain the vaccine for his elderly mother. The South African variant was confirmed Thursday to have reached the U.S. in South Carolina. Amid rising concern about the spread of more contagious variants, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a briefing Friday that the U.S. "should be treating every case as if its a variant during this pandemic right now." Today's numbers: The U.S. has more than 25.8 million confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 435,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: More than 101.8 million cases and 2.2 million deaths. About 48.4 million vaccine doses have been distributed in the U.S. and 26.2 million have been administered, according to the CDC. What we're reading: With the Biden administration seeking to vaccine 1.5 million people each day, mass vaccination clinics are popping up in California and New York, among other places. They'll soon become common across the U.S. Read the full story. COVID-19 vaccines for teachers comes down to location and luck Amid fraught negotiations nationwide about reopening more schools for in-person learning, especially in large districts, vaccines for teachers is now viewed as a lynchpin for getting kids back to class. But a chaotic vaccine rollout combined with a patchwork of conflicting local guidance has raised serious ethical questions about where and how teachers fall in line. And that's resulted in wildly uneven access, meaning that kids in some communities may have a chance to return to schools sooner than others because their teachers had more access to inoculations. "It's a mess," said Megan Ranney, an emergency physician and researcher at Brown University in Rhode Island. "We'll be lucky if we get teachers getting vaccinated by March or April in most states." In some cases, teachers may qualify for the first priority group based on their age or medical conditions. But as states and localities follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on who to prioritize, each can add their own variations. Erin Richards and Lindsay Schnell White House officials: Vaccination pace is ahead of schedule The Biden administration is running ahead of its initial vaccination goal but hasnt reached the higher pace that President Joe Biden said might be possible, officials announced Friday. An average 1.2 million shots a day were administered over the past seven days, White House senior adviser Andy Slavitt told reporters at one of the pandemic briefings the administration has pledged to hold three times a week. Biden has promised to deliver 100 million shots in the first 100 days of his administration. Questioned about whether that goal is ambitious enough, Biden said Monday that he hopes the pace will accelerate to 1.5 million a day. Slavitt told reporters that he wasnt announcing a new target, other than to tell you that, every day, when the number comes out, all of us that are breathlessly awaiting the number and looking for as high a number as possible. Slavitt also outlined steps the administration is taking to ramp up vaccinations, through increasing the vaccine supply and speeding up distribution. Those include extending more funding, supplies and logistical support from the Federal Emergency Management Association for vaccination sites, allowing recently retired doctors and nurses who are still licensed to administer COVID-19 vaccines and stepping up activation of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. Maureen Groppe CDC director Walensky: Community spread of South African variant is here Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that community spread of the highly contagious South African variant of the coronavirus is likely already occurring in the United States. Two cases of the variant were first reported in the United States on Thursday in South Carolina. The CDC says that preliminary data suggest that, like the U.K. variant, the one that originated in South Africa is more contagious than other variants of the virus. "I think one of the concerning things is that we know these two people did not know one another and that they did not travel to South Africa so the presumption is, at this point, that there has been community spread of this strain," Walensky said Friday morning in an interview with NBC's "Today" show. CDC: Pfizer, Moderna vaccines can be used interchangeably in rare cases Patients can be administered the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for their first dose and the Moderna vaccine for their second dose, and vice versa, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. In a briefing hosted by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the agency said this is only permissible if a patient doesnt know which vaccine they got as a first dose and has no documentation. "In these extremely rare situations, CDC clarified that any available mRNA COVID-19 vaccine may be administered as the second dose at least 28 days after the first dose," said Dr. Jay Butler, CDC deputy director of infectious diseases. The agency acknowledged the new guidance is backed by very little data on safety and effectiveness, but Butler said this was a better approach than restarting the series and ultimately getting three doses. Adrianna Rodriguez Johnson & Johnson vaccine fully protects against hospitalization, death Johnson & Johnson said Friday that data from its late-stage clinical trial show its COVID-19 vaccine completely protects against COVID-related hospitalization and death a month after vaccination. Although the J&J data show the vaccine is less effective than others in its overall protection, the single-shot vaccine was still 85% effective against severe disease across all regions studied, the company said. The shot's effectiveness against severe disease also increased over time, with none of the vaccinated volunteers reporting severe disease more than 49 days after vaccination. Side effects appear to be lower with this vaccine than the already approved ones, too. That the shot can be given in just one dose and stored in a standard refrigerator would make a significant contribution to the fight against COVID-19, said Moncef Slaoui, who helped run Operation Warp Speed during the Trump Administration and is now an advisor to the Biden Administration. "From a public health standpoint, if you get one shot and within a week or two from that shot you're now vaccinated, and the vaccine can be stable at fridge temperatures, it's so much easier (than current vaccines)," he said. "Look how difficult it is to vaccinate people. If you cut that by 50%, it's transformational." Karen Weintraub How COVID-19 is shaping the Super Bowl An NFL season like no other will conclude Feb. 7 with Super Bowl 55, which will be unprecedented in many ways itself. A few ways Super Bowl week and Super Sunday will be far different during a pandemic: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the first team to host a Super Bowl in their own stadium, but only 22,000 fans will be allowed to attend. The traditional Super Bowl week kickoff event, known originally as "Media Day" but lately as "Opening Night," will be drastically altered Monday. To begin with, there will be no media. All interviews will be done via Zoom with just nine players from each team instead of full rosters. The Chiefs are not expected to be on site until next Friday or Saturday. Super Bowl teams usually spend a week at the host city practicing, conducting interviews at media events and dispersing into the community. Read more here. Nate Davis WHO team visits Wuhan hospital that had early COVID-19 patients The World Health Organization team investigating the origins of the coronavirus visited a Wuhan hospital Friday where Chinese officials say the first COVID-19 patients were treated more than a year ago. The long-awaited WHO mission has become politically charged, and it may take years determine the origins of the virus, requiring extensive testing and analysis. Team members from the WHO and Chinese officials met earlier at a hotel as they prepared for a series of field visits in and around Wuhan in the coming days. First face to face meeting with our colleagues. Correction: facemask to facemask given the medical restrictions, Dutch virologist Marion Koopmans tweeted in the morning. Pain relief medications OK to treat COVID-19 vaccine side effects Avoid pain relief medications before getting the COVID-19 vaccine, but they are "perfectly fine" to take after, experts say. Normal side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine include headache, fever, body aches and chills, and to minimize the discomfort, some Americans may turn to pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Studies on how the medications could have impact on the effectiveness of the vaccine are sparse and inconsistent, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization both recommend against the preventive use of pain relievers, though allow them if symptoms develop after. In a study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Virology, researchers found nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can reduce the production of antibodies and impact other aspects of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Adrianna Rodriguez Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID news, update: J&J vaccine safety; South African variant; WHO 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. Just as vaccines bring hope to many Americans about immobilizing the coronavirus pandemic, variants of the deadly virusfrom the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazilare evolving across the globe. Now the appearance of at least 147 cases of the extremely contagious U.K. variant in Florida, mostly in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, is sounding alarms for doctors and scientists working to combat COVID-19. Four experts at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine discuss how viruses evolve, the dangers of these variants, and what the University is doing to learn more about them. They include: Associate Professor Amjad Farooq, a biochemist and molecular biologist who studies the interaction of proteins at the molecular level. Dushyantha Jayaweera, a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, who led a clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccinedeveloped by Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnsonand the convalescent plasma for COVID-19 inpatient study. Susanne Doblecki-Lewis, professor of medicine and clinical director in the Division of Infectious Diseases, who is also the medical lead on the Universitys vaccine task force and led a clinical trial for the Moderna vaccine. David Andrews, an associate professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, who directs the molecular genetic pathology fellowship, and is vice chief of pathology for the Jackson Health System. How do viruses mutate? Farooq Farooq: Viruses are inactive on their own and need a living cell to enter and reproduce or replicate. Once they find their way inside a living cellin the case of COVID-19, a lung cellthey hijack our bodys cellular machinery to replicate themselves. When viruses replicate, its just like anything you make in mass production, some are going to be faulty. These are called mutations. There is a proofreading function of the virus that catches and removes some mutations, but its not guaranteed this will catch all errors. New strains come from these mutations. They are like typos in your manuscript. They just randomly happen, and most are not lethal. However, sometimes that mutation occurs in a key protein on the surface of the virus. For example, on the coronavirus, there are spikes on the cell sticking out like needles. Those are called S-proteins. If the mutation occurs in those, it is quite possible the new mutationor its offspringcould have an advantage over its competitors and evade existing vaccines that are targeted to attack certain S-proteins. What are the dangers of these evolving variants? Andrews Andrews: One possibility is that if you are infected with a variant, you will actually get sicker than you would from the original form of the virus. There havent been any variants that have been definitively shown to do this, although some people are concerned that the U.K. variant could be a little more virulent. Another possibility is a variant could cause increased transmissibility, and thats the case for the U.K. variant and the Brazilian variant. A third possibility is that a new variant would not be as responsive to vaccines or antibody-based therapies created to fight off the virus. This means that if you got the COVID-19 vaccine and then you were exposed to a new variant, the vaccine or an antibody-based therapy like Regeneron could be less effective. A worse scenario could be if people who have already had COVID-19, who recovered and whose bodies had a nice, robust, immune response (i.e., your body produced antibodies against the virus), are exposed to a new genetic variant that their bodys immune system does not recognize. Were not in that situation now, but that is a concern about the Brazilian variant. Can the current known variants evade the vaccines now being distributed? Doblecki-Lewis Doblecki-Lewis: Some testing found that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do appear to work in laboratory tests against a variant strain that was of concern. So right now, it seems that the vaccines approved for use in the U.S. should still be effective against the variants identified. In some cases, the responses were diminished, but the immune response was still powerful enough to neutralize the variant. However, this is something that public health and international surveillance systems will need to continually reevaluate. Theres always the chance that in the future we may need to adjust our vaccines; but for the short-term, it looks like the vaccines should continue to be effective from the data we have now. What about COVID-19 tests? Andrews: There is a possibility that genetic changes in the virus may cause false-negative results on diagnostic tests. But fortunately, most of the PCR tests out there have redundancies, so they go after two to three targets. Therefore, it would be very unusual, and a rare event, that you would have a mutation that affects two targets in your diagnostic test. Why is the U.K. variant considered more contagious, and what does that mean scientifically and practically? Farooq: It means that the virus spike proteins are attaching easier and faster to lung cells and invading human bodies quicker. Since it can attach better, if youre standing next to someone with COVID-19, the virus will be able to move from one person to another much quicker. The CDC recently reported that they had sequenced 51,000 of 17 million positive COVID-19 cases. Is that enough to get a handle on the variants in the U.S.? Andrews: The U.S. needs to participate in more of a global sequencing effort. We have the highest percentage of cases in the world right now and we need to do more sequencing to discover new variants and any other clinically significant changes in the virus. To put it in perspective, England has already done 160,000 full viral genome sequences. They have made a major national commitment to this and most of what we have learned has emerged from that effort. But sequencingwhich takes several days per sampleis also very expensive, so I think there is a need for some emergency federal funding. We have the capacity at the University of Miami, along with a lot of academic institutions, to sequence the virus. But to pivot from human genetic disease sequencing or cancer sequencing to viral sequencing requires a shift in workflow. Since we are facing a historic pandemic, the government should designate major urban centers where this effort is critically important. And since South Florida is right at the crossroads of the Americas, we really need to be getting those resources here. What is the University doing to track the variants? Andrews: We are beginning a clinical study to test the prevalence of these variants in any positive COVID-19 tests we receive from patients at UHealth as well as Jackson Healths three South Florida hospitals. All three variants have lineage specific mutations, so we can design specific PCR tests to detect them. We have already tested a few dozen samples for the U.K. variant, and we are developing tests for the South African and Brazilian variants. Once we get a few hundred samples tested, then well have a baseline to know where we stand for each of the major lineages of interest. We have a parallel operation going where the positive samples are being sent to sequencing facilities at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. And hopefully, as we ramp up our operations, we will soon add the Universitys Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, which has a lot of sequencing firepower. Moderna is working on a booster vaccine that may address the variants. If more variants keep evolving, how will the vaccines keep up with them? Andrews: These are smart, powerful, and sophisticated companies. Recently, Moderna put out a paper describing the likely impact the new variants will have on their mRNA vaccine. It says that people who have been vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine are still likely to be protected; however, the immunity is diminished if you have been vaccinated and then you get the South African or Brazilian variant. Still, it is fortunate that these new mRNA vaccines (this includes Pfizer and Moderna) are relatively easy to modify slightly to account for genetic variations. The vaccine scientists can make slight adjustments to the vaccines so that they are able to be effective against other variants pretty quickly. What can we do to protect ourselves now? Jayaweera Jayaweera: We need to continue with mask wearing and not getting together in crowds. And at this moment, the vaccines should be effective against the variants. So, when you can, get vaccinated. Even if the coronavirus keeps changing, the scientific community is in a position to tweak these vaccines and other treatment modalities to mitigate some of the bad effects. Andrews: The more people we can get vaccinated, the more we can get out ahead of this. Israel has been very proactive about vaccinations. And just three to four weeks after they started vaccinations, there was a 60 percent reduction in hospitalizations in individuals over 65. So, its had an immediate impact. Thats why we need to get people vaccinated in the U.S. Is there any way to stop a virus from mutating and producing more variants? Farooq: Not until we reach herd immunity. Eventually, we will find a way to live with COVID-19. Just like we have with the flu. And like the flu, because the novel coronavirus will change and mutate over time, it will probably develop other strains and become an endemic disease, like the flu virus, which changes every year. EDWARDSVILLE A random act of violence cost Moneer Damra his life, but the example he set for his friends and fellow students at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will live on. Damra, a 26-year-old SIUE student from Chicago, died Wednesday morning at Barnes Jewish Medical Center in St. Louis from injuries suffered in an off-campus shooting on Jan. 14. Damra, who was a nursing student and a member of the SIUE ROTC program, was transported to a regional hospital with life-threatening injuries after the shooting occurred on the ramp from Illinois Route 157 to Interstate 270 in Glen Carbon. Two suspects have been charged in the shooting incident. I never expected anything like this to happen with him being so young, and we all kind of relate it to ourselves because we never expect anything like this to happen to us, said Kevin Kerkemeyer, a fellow ROTC cadet at SIUE. Moneer was one of the best of us and we couldnt have asked for anyone better. Emily Ellis, like Damra, is a junior ROTC cadet at SIUE. She came to know Damra this past summer after the two bonded at an ROTC camp required for students entering the program later than others. We went to camp together at Fort Leonard Wood for a 10-day grueling experience and when we came back to SIUE, we had an ROTC class together, Ellis said of Damra, who was returning to SIUE for the spring semester when he was shot. Our relationship really grew as we faced those struggles. The life journey that Damra took to get to SIUE made his success in the ROTC and nursing school even more impressive. Before turning his life around, Damra weighed 330 pounds and had an academic history as a below-average student. We were at basic camp and he handed me a photo and said, this is what I used to look like. He looked completely different because he had lost so much weight, Ellis said. He was probably one of our fittest cadets. We had to run all the time and I told him he needed to step back because I thought I was going to hurt himself, but he just kept going and going. He never gave up or went easy on himself in any capacity. Lt. Col. Timothy Clark, SIUE ROTC professor of military science, said Damra stood out even in a Cadet corps of dedicated and hard-working students. I met Moneer two years ago when he had just decided to change his life, Clark said. He had a hard life and had been putting his personal goals on hold by helping his family for years working various jobs. But he was ready to peruse his dream of nursing and Army ROTC was a funded path to that dream. I believe he also ended up loving the Army - a testament to the other cadets who welcomed a latecomer; all that matters to us is you are dependable to show up and do your best. He did his best day in and day out and eventually was recognized as one of our best. Damras commitment to military life was apparently destined to last well beyond his days at SIUE. He had recently stated hed like to stay in the Army until his maximum service, nearly 30 years, Clark said. He saw how nursing and soldiering intersected; caring for those who volunteer to be part of something bigger than themselves. The leadership style we teach, and the inputs required of nursing are completely complementary and he was thriving in that space. Damras transformation over the past two years was equally evident to his family. But Clark emphasized that it was Damras positive attitude, not military training, that was the biggest reason for his turnaround. His sister recently told me that the culture and close relationships we forge helped him become the best version of himself, Clark said. However, all any mentor can do is help polish what someone brings to the table. Moneer had the drive and the passion to be a servant-leader. He had the ability to humble himself for the good of the team and he had the greatest amount of self-discipline Ive ever seen. Once he decided what was right, he just simply did it the best he could. He was OK with failure, but never with accepting failure. He knew that everything is a process, and everyone had value and worth no matter where they are today that if he could improve, they could too. Another friend and fellow cadet, who asked not to be identified, said that Damras impact on the people he met was immeasurable. He was a light in the program and in the nursing school, the cadet said. Outside of ROTC events, he was the kind of person who encouraged other people. He had a really rough life, but a couple of years ago he decided he wanted to change his life and go back to school. He lost about 200 pounds in a year and went completely vegan. He was basically told that he wouldnt make it in nursing because his high school transcripts were too low, but he defied the odds and had a 4.0 (grade-point average). The cadet and Damra were the only two nursing school students in the Army Cadets at SIUE. As a result, they quickly built a bond in and out of the classroom. I was a semester ahead of him and the first time I met him, he told me youre my hero because youre already doing this, but I think he hacked it way better than I did, the cadet said. I really looked up to him even though I was ahead of him in school. Plans are being made at SIUE to honor Damras memory. They are planning on having a memorial to him, but with COVID, theyll have to figure out how that will work, the cadet said. SIUE is working on giving him a posthumous degree. This has been so rough for his family and we want to make this a good memory for them. Clark, meanwhile, will do his best to make sure that Damras impact on the SIUE ROTC and nursing programs will never be forgotten. We are fortunate to have known him. We are all better for having met him, Clark said. I believe he will continue to make us all better even in the future through the influence his memory will have on us. We are all forever changed having known him. Blaine Butlers first bout of depression occurred in 2002 when she was in her first year of a doctoral program in materials science at the University of California-Santa Barbara. Unable to go to class, she returned home to Richmond, Va., for a few months. She was prescribed Prozac, recovered, and returned to California. Six months later, she left school for good and found full-time work in a coffee shop. In 2007, she decamped to a better job in Charlottesville, where her sister Brittney Butler was working as a graphic designer. At that point I was always on medication [for depression] but we would change it up, said Blaine, now 39. Her illness seemed to follow a pattern: After a few years the antidepressant inexplicably stopped working; her psychiatrist would prescribe a new drug, and she would get better. In 2008, she landed a job as a research scientist. She enjoyed the work and seemed to thrive. But in 2013, her mental health deteriorated. At work I just wanted to crawl under my desk. I had trouble focusing, she said. She took a short-term leave, worked on coping strategies, and returned to her job. Four years later, her breakdown was more severe and her recovery slower. This time, she took a three-month disability leave. Blaine went back to work in February 2018, hoping to transfer to a job with less pressure. But just before what would have been her 10th anniversary, her supervisors gave her a choice: Resign or be fired. She chose the former and began working as a server at a variety of restaurants in Charlottesville. She was fired from each for forgetting to put in customers orders or to deliver them. I remember thinking, If I cant even waitress, I just want to die, she recalled. By late summer, Blaine had developed what she assumed were frequent migraine headaches her sister had them and was regularly popping Excedrin. Sometimes her balance was off and she complained that her vision had deteriorated. In early December, Blaine stopped taking her psychiatric medicine; it didnt seem to be effective. Her family knew that something was clearly wrong during their Christmas Eve celebration. She looked awful, Brittney recalled. One of her eyes was pointing inward, she kept wiping her hands on her pants after she ate, and what she said didnt really make sense. ... I thought her depression was just really bad. A few days later, her boyfriend, Kyle Gumlock, whom she met in 2014, feared that Blaine might be suicidal. Her mother drove up from Richmond and on the advice of Blaines psychologist, they took her to a hospital emergency room. Hours later, doctors decided to admit her. They got me back on my meds, Blaine said, but it felt like kindergarten. ... I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Less than three days after her return home, Blaine and Gumlock were in their kitchen when she suddenly collapsed and began vomiting. He called 911. Blaine was taken to the ER, where she was diagnosed with a vasovagal episode fainting that results from certain triggers including stress. Two days later, the same thing happened again. Brittney said that doctors suspected Blaine might have a urinary tract infection. But during the hours the sisters spent in the ER, Brittney noticed her sister making odd, jerky hand movements. Doctors wanted to send her home but Brittney objected. I told them her eye is crooked and its been like this ... and shes doing weird things with her face and hands, Brittney remembered saying. Solution After she and their mother insisted that doctors take a closer look, Brittney said, they agreed to admit Blaine to see whether she was having seizures. An EEG failed to capture a seizure, but two days after she was admitted Blaine underwent an MRI scan of her brain, ordered after she reported double vision and was unable to move her right eye. The resulting image was stark: A tumor the size of an orange had invaded the right frontal lobe of Blaines brain. She said that a doctor likened it to an iceberg floating on top of my brain. There was evidence of herniation, a potentially fatal condition that occurs when the brain is squeezed out of position. The tumor was causing papilledema, swelling of the optic nerve that caused her double vision; it was also the reason for her odd-looking eye. The tumor was also responsible for a panoply of other symptoms: confusion, fainting, vomiting, headaches and, most likely, her recent severe depression. Doctors told her she needed brain surgery and soon; it was the only way to definitively identify the type of brain tumor. I felt a huge amount of relief, Blaine said on learning that her deterioration had an organic cause and wasnt just depression. I didnt even think it might be cancer. During a 10-hour operation, University of Virginia neurosurgeon Ashok Asthagiri removed a grade 2 astrocytoma, a slow-growing malignancy that he said could have been there for years. Astrocytomas, of which there are four grades, are diagnosed in about 15,000 Americans annually. A grade 2 tumor is not considered aggressive, although it can recur as a higher-grade tumor, while a grade 4 astrocytoma, known as a glioblastoma, is among the most lethal brain tumors. (Beau Biden and Sens. John McCain and Edward M. Kennedy are among its victims.) Grade 2 tumors are typically treated with surgery, sometimes followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Because the tumor tends to infiltrate surrounding areas, doctors may not be able to remove it in its entirety for fear of causing damage to the brain or bodily functions. The papilledema that distorted Blaines vision had probably been there from weeks to months, Asthagiri said. It is unclear why the doctors who examined her did not notice it. But, he noted, it is impossible to know whether the tumor caused Blaines depression. Especially in the setting of mental illness, the neurosurgeon cautioned, it is easy to disregard symptoms that maybe should be evaluated. Doctors need to be vigilant. Once [a patient] gets labeled, everything is viewed as a mental-health problem. After recovering from surgery, Blaine underwent radiation and chemotherapy; she finished treatment in December 2019. Currently, her tumor is under control and she is scheduled to undergo an MRI every four months. This month, after a year spent working as a scientific grant-writer, Blaine was hired as a scientist at a biotech firm. She has resumed the activities she previously enjoyed: rowing, cooking, and walking her dogs. In September, she and Gumlock married. Her psychological health has improved significantly and her new psychiatrist is weaning her from her antidepressant. Blaine is resigned, she said, to not knowing how big a role brain cancer might have played in triggering or exacerbating her depression. Its like someone flipped a switch, Gumlock said of the difference. I think the consensus may be that she doesnt have depression now. home World Family of imprisoned Christian in North Korea hopes TrumpaKim summit will lead to release A family is hoping that the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un will lead to the release of a Christian professor, who detained in April last year for alleged anti-state activities. Tony Kim, one of three Americans being detained in North Korea, had taught accounting at Pyongyang University for Science and Technology (PUST), but he was suddenly arrested on April 22, 2017 as he was on his way back home to the U.S. "My father had just finished his semester as a professor in North Korea when he was arrested at the airport," Kim's eldest son, Sol, explained in a YouTube video. "No explanation was given. My family and I have had no contact with him since," he added. According to CBN News, Kim was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison for anti-state activities and trying to overthrow the government. A month later, North Korean authorities arrested another PUST instructor named Kim Hak Song while he was traveling by train from Pyongyang to Chinese border town Dandong. A message that was said to be from Kim Hak Song posted on the website of a Korean-Brazilian church in Sao Paulo in 2015 indicated that he was a Christian missionary trying to help North Koreans become self-sufficient. In 2015, Kim Dong Chul, a Korean-American Missionary was arrested and later sentenced to 10 years of hard labor for subversion. According to a report from North Korea's official KCNA news agency, Kim has stated that he had set up a business in the communist regime's special economic zone of Rason in 2008. Although there are no indications that the summit will lead to the release of the three detainees, it has raised the hopes of Sol Kim. "I am hopeful. It is hard to say any other feeling," he told Reuters. He noted that U.S. officials have previously told him that his father's plight will be raised at appropriate times. He said that he is hoping that it would be one of the top priorities during the face-to-face meeting. "As a family, any news, any update and any progress is good progress and it is hopeful," said Sol Kim. Regular talks have been held between the U.S. government and Kim's family. but there has been no contact since the proposed summit was announced. Trump's decision to meet with Kim Jong Un had surprised even members of his own administration, but U.S. officials defended the decision saying the U.S. is expecting the communist regime to stop its nuclear and missile testing in advance of any meeting. 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. After Xiaomi officially announced the Mi Air Charge technology earlier today, Motorola also showcased its prototype for remote wireless charging called Motorola One Hyper. However, Motorolas system is different from that of Xiaomi, in that, the phones and the wireless charging dock should not have any kind of interference in between. A video demonstrating the charging technology was posted on Weibo by Chen Jin, General Manager at Lenovo China. In the video, it can be seen that the charging system can charge smartphones at upto one meter but there is a safeguard built on for when a person gets in between the charging unit and the phones. The charging process immediately stops after a person puts their hand in front of the dock. Moreover, Jin called Motorolas air to air charging system better than the current Qi wireless charging system as multiple smartphones can be charged simultaneously. Jin also asked users on Weibo whether the company should add this charging technology in the future Edge series. Motorola showcases its own air charging system In a separate post, Jin highlighted that the safeguard in place has been developed keeping in mind the health of users. It is a safety protection provided when the human body is detected at the transmitting end of the charger with higher power, Jin added (machine translated). Other than the video, Motorola has not officially released any further details about its wireless charging technology. This could indicate that the technology is still under development and not yet ready for commercial use. Meanwhile, Xiaomis over-the-air charging technology is capable of delivering wireless power to devices over a distance of a couple of meters from the isolated charging pile. This charging pile has 5 phase interference antennas to accurately determine the position of your mobile device. The 144 antennas transmit the millimetre-wide waves through beamforming. The receiving device has a built-in beacon antenna that converts it into electric energy through a rectifier circuit. You can read more about it here. OTTAWA - With a growing sentiment that Julie Payette's abrupt departure from Rideau Hall provides an opportunity for Canada to have its first Indigenous governor general, Perry Bellegarde laughs when asked if he's been taking French lessons. Perry Bellegarde, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, takes part in an event on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, July 7, 2020. Bellegarde says it's time for Canada to have a First Nations governor general days after Julie Payette announced her resignation. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - With a growing sentiment that Julie Payette's abrupt departure from Rideau Hall provides an opportunity for Canada to have its first Indigenous governor general, Perry Bellegarde laughs when asked if he's been taking French lessons. "Mais oui," Bellegarde said Thursday in an interview with The Canadian Press "Yes." Bellegarde, who is not seeking re-election as national chief of the Assembly of First Nations next July, said he has not been formally approached by "any person in decision-making authority" regarding the job and that he is focused on his current one till it's done. That out of the way, Bellegarde expressed enthusiasm for the idea of having a First Nations person named to be the Queen's representative in Canada a post suddenly vacated last week when Payette stepped down over a scathing review of the work environment she presided over at Rideau Hall. "I think it is time that Canada has its first Indigenous governor general," he said. "I've always said that we need to get First Nations people into the highest levels of decision-making authority, power and influence and the governor general, to me, is one of the highest." Bellegarde said it would send a strong message to young people who would see themselves reflected at the highest levels in Canada something he said should also happen at the Supreme Court and be a move toward reconciliation. "It's about hope," he said. "All Canadians, including First Nations people, should see themselves as part of this great country." Chief Bobby Cameron, a regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations representing Saskatchewan, said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has the "perfect opportunity." "Do it. Stop talking about it. Stop talking about reconciliation and all these other good words," said Cameron. "Now is the time for action. And if you can do that, then you have done something positive in the direction of reconciliation." Cameron said that with all due respect to Metis and Inuit people, the governor general should be a First Nations person because they are the only Indigenous group subject to treaty rights. He said that the governor general a position that predates Canada's Confederation was meant to act as the Crown's spokesperson in treaty relations and that purpose has been lost. "That's why it needs to be a First Nation person, one that's knowledgeable, educated, and a fluent language speaker because language is an inherent right for First Nation people," said Cameron, who added that housing rights are also a concern. Michele Audette, who was a commissioner of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, said appointing an Indigenous person as governor general would be a "historic" move. She also said that whoever ends up being named, no matter their background, must acknowledge Canada's colonial history. "We have to do something now and for tomorrow that is better than what happened to our people a long time ago and is still happening." National Chief Elmer St. Pierre of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, which represents Metis, off-reserve status and non-status Indigenous people, said an Indigenous governor general will need a strong mandate to heal the damage done by policies like the Indian Act and residential schools, where thousands of children suffered abuse and death after they were forcibly removed from their families and communities. "The con side would be, have they already got somebody in mind? A hand-picked person who's just going to be a yes man for the government." St. Pierre said he would like the governor general to invite broader representation of Indigenous people to important policy conversations, including his own group which represents different people from the Assembly of First Nations. "If we end up with a governor general who is an Aboriginal person I'd like to see that person make sure that every Aboriginal organization get invited to all the important tables," said St. Pierre. Lorraine Whitman, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada, said several Indigenous men have represented the Crown at the provincial level, starting in 1974 when Ralph G. Steinhauer became Alberta's lieutenant-governor. James Bartleman became Ontario's lieutenant-governor in 2002, Steven Point was named British Columbia's lieutenant-governor in 2007, and Russell Mirasty has been Saskatchewan's lieutenant-governor since he was appointed in 2019. Whitman said an Indigenous woman would be a good choice. "I do work with women, girls, and our 2SLGBTQQIA community and if a woman was (governor general) I would see a really strong pull for those groups," she said. Historian Nathan Tidridge, who has written about reconciliation and the Crown's relationship with Indigenous Peoples in Canada, said that although the governor general's role has lost some of its powers, it has the unique ability to bring together all levels of government as well as Indigenous leaders when trying to mend treaty relations. "I don't know that if the non-Indigenous side has the capacity to (heal the nation-to-nation relationship) right now because of a lack of education," said Tidridge. Bellegarde said some people say the governor general has only a ceremonial role but that role is important because First Nations have special treaty relationship with the Crown that was done through ceremony. "There's a sacredness to that agreement, sacredness to that contract," he said. "It's almost like we're building a relationship." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2021. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version quoted Perry Bellegarde as saying "Maybe" upon being asked if he was taking French lessons. [January 29, 2021] Voyager Digital Reports Putting App Temporarily in Maintenance Mode Last Night Due to Surge in New Accounts CSE: VYGR OTCQB: VYGVF Borse Frankfurt: UCD2 - New sign-ups last night spiked to 100 new accounts per minute - NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Voyager Digital Ltd. ("Voyager" or the "Company") (CSE: VYGR) (OTCQB: VYGVF) (FRA: UCD2), today announced that the Company temporarily put its app in maintenance mode last night to address unexpected growth in accounts and onboard approximately 100 new accounts per minute for a period of time. Voyager believes the surge in accounts is due to competitive products temporarily restricting users from certain stocks and crypto currencies that have surged in recent days as widely reported in the media. The sudden growth Voyager experienced resulted in Voyager having to quickly expand its infrastructure capacity overnight to ensure the handling of these unexpected accounts. The Voyager App is currently up and running and handling all orders in the normal course of business, and Voyager will be managing the situation throughout the day. For more information on Voyager Digital, please visit https://www.investvoyager.com . The Voyager app is available for Android and iPhone . About Voyager Digital Ltd. Voyager Digital Ltd. is a crypto-asset broker that provides retail and institutional investors with a turnkey solution to trade crypto assets. Voyager offers customers best execution and safe custody on a wide choice of popular crypto-assets. Voyager was founded by established Wall Street and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who teamed to bring a better, more transparent, and cost-efficient alternative for trading crypto-assets to the marketplace. Pease visit us at https://www.investvoyager.com for more information and to review the latest Corporate Presentation. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release. Certain information in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements regarding future growth and performance of the business, momentum in the businesses, future adoption of digital assets, and the Company's anticipated results may constitute forward looking information (collectively, forward-looking statements), which can be identified by the use of terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," "intend," "continue" or "believe" (or the negatives) or other similar variations. Because of various risks and uncertainties, including those referenced below, actual events or results may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are subject to the risk that the global economy, industry, or the Company's businesses and investments do not perform as anticipated, that revenue or expenses estimates may not be met or may be materially less or more than those anticipated, that trading momentum does not continue or the demand for trading solutions declines, customer acquisition does not increase as planned, product and international expansion do not occur as planned and those other risks contained in the Company's public filings, including in its Management Discussion and Analysis and its Annual Information Form (AIF). Factors that could cause actual results of the Company and its businesses to differ materially from those described in such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, a decline in the digital asset market or general economic conditions; the failure or delay in the adoption of digital assets and the blockchain ecosystem by institutions; a delay or failure in developing infrastructure for the trading businesses or achieving mandates and gaining traction; failure to grow assets under management, an adverse development with respect to an issuer or party to the transaction or failure to obtain a required regulatory approval. In connection with the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, the Company has made assumptions that no significant events occur outside of the Company's normal course of business and that current trends in respect of digital assets continue. Forward-looking statements, past and present performance and trends are not guarantees of future performance, accordingly, you should not put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, past performance, or current trends. Information identifying assumptions, risks, and uncertainties relating to the Company are contained in its filings with the Canadian securities regulators available at www.sedar.com . The forward-looking statements in this press release are applicable only as of the date of this release or as of the date specified in the relevant forward-looking statement and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after that date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Readers are cautioned that past performance is not indicative of future performance and current trends in the business and demand for digital assets may not continue and readers should not put undue reliance on past performance and current trends. All figures are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/voyager-digital-reports-putting-app-temporarily-in-maintenance-mode-last-night-due-to-surge-in-new-accounts-301218140.html SOURCE Voyager Digital (Canada) Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] President Joe Biden has long said that he wants to restore the Iran nuclear deal, which President Barack Obama and five other world leaders signed in 2015 and which President Donald Trump scuttled three years later. However, in their confirmation hearings, Antony Blinken and Avril Haineswho are now secretary of state and director of national intelligencesaid this isnt likely to happen anytime soon. Was their testimony a sign of disagreement within the new administration, a case of diplomatic positioning, or the result of something new and contentious in the Wests relations with Iran? And what are the prospects for a return to the deal, which, before Trump withdrew from it, was successfully shutting down Irans nuclear program? Advertisement Something new has happened in recent months. The Iranians have substantially exceeded the deals limits on how much uranium theyre allowed to enrich, and they have started to produce faster centrifuges, the paddles that enrich nuclear fuel, which the deal had prohibited. This is the main reason for Blinken and Haines pessimism. Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. However, its worth notingand the two officials are well aware of thisthat Iran violated the deal only after Trump pulled out of it. The deal was in essence an exchange: Iran dismantled its nuclear program; the U.S. lifted the economic sanctions that it had imposed on Iran for developing a nuclear program. When Trump withdrew from the deal, he reimposed the sanctions. He also levied secondary sanctions against all countries, including the deals co-signatories, that continued doing business with Iran. Advertisement Paragraph 36 of the 159-page accordformally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Actionstates that a signatory would have grounds to cease performing its commitments if some other signatories ceased performing theirs. The U.S. reimposed sanctions, violating its side of the bargain, so Iran resumed enriching uranium and building advanced centrifuges. In this sense, Iranian officials have argued that they are still in compliance with the deal. If the U.S. once again lifts sanctions, they say, Iran will once again stop enriching, get rid of the uranium, and destroy the centrifuges. Blinken, Haines, and others state the conditions in reverse chronology: If Iran stops enriching uranium and so forth, the U.S. will lift the sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement So theres the conundrum: Which side goes first? Most Americans, including those who want to restore the nuclear deal, dont trust Irans leaders. (This has historical roots, going back to 1979, when the revolutionary regime took U.S. diplomats hostage.) Most Iranians dont trust Americas leaders. (This goes back to 1953, when the CIA helped overthrow Irans democratic government.) All the major players in the Biden administration firmly believe that the Iran nuclear deal was a monumental achievement worth preserving. Biden himself was involved, though peripherally, in its negotiation and its selling to the public. Blinken was Obamas deputy national security adviser at the time. Bidens nominee for deputy secretary of state, Wendy Sherman, and his special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, were the deals chief negotiators. Philip Gordon, who is Vice President Kamala Harris national security adviser, was White House coordinator for Middle Eastern affairs during the negotiation and signing of the deal. Colin Kahl, the nominee for undersecretary of defense for policy, was Vice President Bidens national security adviser at the time. Advertisement In short, there is no intramural dispute on this issue. However, for reasons of trust and politics, the questionwho goes first?is a stumbling block. Advertisement Robert Malley has already spoken with British, French, and German officials about how best to revive the deal, and will reportedly consult with Middle Eastern officials as well. (A few anti-Iran critics recently wrote an open letter urging Biden to retract Malleys appointment, attacking him as soft on Iran and too eager to make concessions. Many of Malleys colleagues issued a statement rebutting the charge. In any case, its irrelevant, as a presidential envoy is just that: He doesnt make policy; he conveys it.) Critics have also long complained that the deal put limits only on Irans nuclear program, not on its ballistic missiles or its support for terrorist groups. This is true, but, as Obama and many of his aides (who are now Bidens aides) pointed out at the time, there was no practical way to squeeze all of these issues into a single accordand, for the moment, heading off Irans nuclear ambitions seemed most urgent. This is still the casein fact, even more so, as, thanks to Trumps withdrawal from the deal, Iran is closer than ever to developing a nuclear weapon. Advertisement Besides, when Obama lifted sanctions related to Irans nuclear program, he retained the sanctions that had been imposed to punish Iran for precisely those other concernsits ballistic missiles and its support of terrorist groups. This would still be the case if the accord is resumed. Advertisement One could imagine a refurbished nuclear deal with a new prologue or annex, stating that the U.S. and the other original signatoriesBritain, France, Russia, China, Germany, and the European Unionare reentering the accord on the understanding that new negotiations will soon follow, dealing with a wider range of topics, including Irans ballistic missiles and its support of terrorist groups, as well as (perhaps for balance) expanded trade and diplomatic relations. Advertisement If its too delicate for U.S. diplomats to work out these terms, as well as the timing of the resumption (the who-goes-first puzzle), maybe the EU or one of the other parties could take the lead. Maybe Malley will discuss these issues in his meetings; maybe, to some extent, he already has. Whatever the intentions of all the players, this game cant be stretched out for very long. Iran has started enriching uranium to 20 percent purity. (It takes 90 percent to build a bomb, but once the 20 percent threshold is crossed, the rest is fairly easy. The nuclear deal restricted enrichment to 3 percent.) Iran also faces presidential elections in June. Trumps withdrawal from the accord, as well as his resumption of sanctions, has politically strengthened Irans most hard-line factions, who never supported the deal to begin with. It would be in our interests if talks could be resumed well before the balloting.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some formula can probably be worked out, but that doesnt necessarily mean it will be. In the early 1960s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union were negotiating a treaty to ban the testing of nuclear weapons. The talks hit a bump over the issue of how many times a year each side could inspect the others test sites. The Soviets wanted no more than three tests; the Americans wanted seven. Clearly, it seemed, they would compromise on five. But they didnt; neither side budged. In the end, it didnt matter, as scientists proved that they could monitor underground tests with seismometers. Still, its a cautionary tale about the limits of compromise: No matter how logical it seems to split the difference, sometimes the splitting just doesnt happen. 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. Kamala Harris' stepdaughter has landed herself a lucrative modeling contract a week after turning heads at the Presidential inauguration. The 21-year-old daughter of second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, Ella Emhoff, became a newly booked-and-busy fashion phenomenon thanks to her Miu Miu outfit last week. Now, The New York Times reported on Thursday that she has recently signed with modeling agency IMG. President of IMG Models Ivan Bart said in a statement, "Ella communicates this moment in time. There are a cheekiness and a joy she exudes." He also claimed that what Kamala Harris' stepdaughter wore on Inauguration day "was in line with the person I met." Ivan gushed that Ella has an authentic appeal, and her versatility is among her strong suits. However, he added that talks about signing her started early in the summer, long before the election season. Since people will be seeing more of Kamala Harris' stepdaughter in the next few years, or more, here are some of the things people should know about her. Fine Arts Student Modeling isn't one of Ella Emhoff's first brushes in the fashion industry. Currently, she is studying Fine Arts at New York City's School of Design in her senior year. She's working on textiles, particularly designing her knitwear pieces. Knitted Goods Designer The student is more focused on knitting and crocheting accessories and clothes. Ella sells custom pieces on her website and even wears some of them on her social media. Some of the items she creates are bags, vests, bikini tops, hats and dresses. She admitted to loving Tyler McGillivary and Kristin Mallison's works. Experienced Model Signing with IMG "pretty surprised" Ella because she's not in the big leagues. In the past, she has done some modeling work for brand endorsements. Ella told the Times, "When I was younger, I never saw that as being part of my timeline." She also admitted to feeling intimidated and scared going into a "hyper-focused" world on her and her body. Good Influencer Despite her insecurities, Kamala Harris' stepdaughter is looking forward to using her amplified fame to good use. She wants to use her new role as the second daughter to introduce causes close to her heart. A Full-Blown Creative The fashion designer is also an artist who shares some of her paintings on Instagram. In the past, Ella Emhoff showed off some paints of self-portraits. Instagram User Though she has a whopping 270,000 followers on Instagram, Ella doesn't have a Twitter account nor a TikTok page. Tattoo Lover Ella also has several small tattoos scattered on her torso and arms. Some of the inks on her body include a vase with flowers, bacon and eggs, a birthday cake and a cow. Aside from getting tattoos professionally, she also started tattooing on herself such as her dog's name and a flower. Ella has also tattooed other people a salmon fish with a flower on its mouth. However, being a tattoo artist isn't something she would want to pursue professionally. Favorite Shows Ella admitted to just started watching "Naruto" because she's not the type to watch anime but her friend recommended it. But aside from those, she enjoys "The Walking Dead" and "Mad Men." Goal-Digger Ella doesn't just want to be known because of her stepmom. Ella wants to set up a shop for her works, while continuing to stay a one-woman show. See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" 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Bill gates He warned that an upcoming pandemic could be 10 times worse and that humanity is not prepared for it. He also insisted that people must learn the lesson that COVID-19 is giving us, according to a quote from the RT portal to an interview with the tycoon for a German media . According to the billionaire, "we are not prepared for the next pandemic," in the same way he hopes that this situation will change in a couple of years and indicated the axes of opportunity such as drugs, tests, vaccines, epidemiology, and follow-up. "This pandemic is bad, but a future pandemic could be 10 times more serious," said the magnate, who urged governments to protect their citizens against possible new diseases. You may be interested: Bill Gates predicts what 2021 will be like, alerts us to our immediate future On the other hand, the philanthropist said that if this pandemic had developed five years ago, the world would not have had a vaccine in such a short time, while congratulating scientists for achieving such rapid progress in the development of the injection . He also called on the rulers to avoid vaccination nationalism and to distribute the vaccine fairly. Gates explains that "stopping the next pandemic will require spending tens of billions of dollars a year." Image: Michael Cohen | Getty Images This is not the first time that Gates has warned of future illnesses, in an interview with the Financial Times via Skype on April 2, 2020 , the businessman said that this coronavirus pandemic was the "largest event that many people will experience in his entire life, "and he prevented that a similar viral outbreak will likely occur" every 20 years or so . " Similarly, in a post on his foundation's blog , written in conjunction with his wife Melinda Gates, the billionaire stated that the unfortunate reality is that COVID-19 may not be the last pandemic. We do not know when the next one will arrive, or if it will be a flu, a coronavirus or some new disease that we have never seen before. But what we do know is that we cannot allow ourselves to be caught off guard again. The threat of the next pandemic will always be over our heads, unless the world takes steps to prevent it. " What should we do to prevent the next pandemic according to Bill Gates? "The world needs to double investments in R&D (research and development)," as well as develop entirely new capabilities that do not yet exist. Gates explains that "stopping the next pandemic will require spending tens of billions of dollars a year" and comments that the estimate of global expenditures for the COVID-19 pandemic is approximately 28 trillion dollars. The co-founder of Microsoft encouraged governments to continue investing in the scientific tools that are helping us in the current crisis "even after COVID-19 is behind us." Finally, Gates hopes that in the next few years mega-diagnostic platforms can be developed, which can assess up to 20% of the population each week. Related: Bill Gates advierte que una proxima pandemia puede ser 10 veces peor Bill Gates Warns That a Next Pandemic Could Be 10 times Worse Bill Gates quiere 'tapar el sol' para ayudar a contrarrestar el calentamiento global Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Even though the size and frequency of Portland protests have significantly diminished, police still havent done a comprehensive review of their crowd control response to the civil unrest. Outside consultants found that officers sometimes couldnt explain why they used force or their supervisors didnt adequately review officers force reports. The documentation also showed police sometimes lacked skills to resolve confrontations without force or with the least amount of force possible, according to consultant Dennis Rosenbaum and his partner Tom Christoff of Rosenbaum & Associates. At the same time, Rosenbaum and Christoff said they believed the Police Bureaus reporting system became overwhelmed when looking at the totality of the summer protests. They urged police to find ways to adapt given that protests over election results, racial injustice and other issues are likely to continue. The overall failure appears connected to a system that was not designed for such prolonged and intensive events, the consultants said in their fourth-quarter report released this week evaluating police actions from October through December. The city hired the firm to monitor and evaluate the police reforms required under a 2014 settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. The agreement followed a federal inquiry that showed police used excessive force against people with mental illness. Rosenbaum and Christoff said police continue to be out of compliance with the settlement agreement, particularly regarding their reporting and review of how officers use force. The consultants earlier found that police from July through September also were not identifying, documenting, reviewing or managing officer use of force during protests. The consultants in their latest analysis found that some officer reports didnt have sufficient information to determine whether their force ranging from firing tear gas to less-lethal projectiles with paint, powder or pepper spray to shoving people with batons - was reasonable. The officers are supposed to fill out the reports by the end of their shift, noting what they did and why, every time they use force. Supervisors are supposed to complete an after-action report that reviews each use of force. The consultants said some officers couldnt accurately describe the supposed aggressive behavior that led them to target people with crowd control munitions the standard for such force. While police officials responded that they tried different tactics as nights wore on based on daily updates of protester actions and officers use of force, the consultants said: We have not been provided a comprehensive evaluation of the crowd management approach while the protests were occurring. Although we recognize the importance of command staff continuing to monitor the daily events, the consultants said, of equal importance is the evaluation of whether (the Police Bureaus) strategic response was effective and appropriate under the circumstances. Rosenbaum and Christoff acknowledged that when an individual is destroying property or assaulting police officers, forceful intervention is certainly appropriate. But they added that their review of both the officer force reports and the supervisor follow-ups indicated that, at times, no distinction was made between persons engaging in serious criminal acts and those who, while unlawfully remaining in an exclusion zone, posed no threat and offered no resistance. Their findings echo those of U.S. District Judge Marco A. Hernandez, who earlier this month signaled that he wants the police grenadiers who carry 40mm or FN303 munitions launchers for crowd control to articulate the specific danger they face that warrants use of the weapons. Hernandez found the city in contempt of his order restricting the use of less-lethal weapons in protests and is considering requiring more training for police on when its proper to fire them. He also is considering requiring police to explain in reports made public why they pulled the trigger each time. Social justice protests over the summer drew hundreds and sometimes thousands of people to downtown Portland and elsewhere in the city, often ending with confrontations between police and some protesters who have set fires, thrown fireworks and other objects at officers and vandalized government buildings. From late May through the end of June, Portland police used force 2,412 times during the protests, the consultants said. From July through September, police used force 3,739 times during protests, compared to 626 non-protest-related force incidents over the same period, according to the report. Along with that, more than 600 officers reported injuries, including broken bones, cuts, contusions and fractures. Police have arrested more than 1,000 people and used tear gas, pepper spray, batons and impact munitions on the crowds, injuring demonstrators and prompting a raft of lawsuits. The consultants said if there hadnt been nightly protests, a pandemic, budget cuts and record retirements, police would have been better prepared to report and review its uses of force more appropriately. U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon, who has overseen the citys settlement with the Justice Department, isnt expected to hold another hearing on the status of the agreement until June. The city is interested in how substantial compliance should be construed given the exceptional conditions of the last year which included a global pandemic, large protests lasting over 160 days, and devastating wildfires, Chief Deputy City Attorney Heidi Brown wrote in a letter to the court this week. The Police Bureau said it is working on a comprehensive review of the crowd control response to protests, reviewing events and police responses from May 28 through Nov. 15. The protests lasted 6 months and involved a lot of resources, so the comprehensive review will take some time, said Sgt. Kevin Allen, a bureau spokesman. .Other findings in Rosenbaum and Christoffs 65-page analysis: -- Police annual training, which was halted in March due largely to the pandemic, left 485 officers without the refresher courses. The bureau quickly moved to an online training system with videos, but that didnt provide needed scenario-based skills training on use of force. The Police Bureau maintains that they received hundreds of hours of on-the-job training, during the protests, so any additional training would be redundant, but thats not an adequate response, the consultants said. Police have agreed to prepare a public report after doing a comprehensive after-action review of the protests. At a minimum, the consultants said they expect that training this year will include a class or video where bureau leaders provide some type of debrief for all officers on crowd management based on a critical analysis of what transpired in the protests last year and a review of best practices. Certainly, there are things that PPB would do differently, both tactically and strategically, if they faced similar protests and/or destructive actions today, the report said. Otherwise, the consultants found the bureau has dramatically expanded its online training and drafted a remediation training plan to make up for most of the lost training. The bureau is adding an eight-hour active bystander course to train officers how to speak up and intervene with peers to prevent or stop excessive force or other harmful actions. It also plans to introduce this year a new use-of-force video simulator to improve police de-escalation skills, particularly with people in mental health crisis. The bureau also plans more cultural training for officers involving video messages and stories from community members on the historical relationship of police with Black residents and challenges faced by the immigrant and refugee communities. -- The consultants cited concerns about a couple of conclusions made by the bureaus Police Review Board, a rotating panel of supervisors including an assistant chief, commander or captain who supervises an officer under review, peer officer, the Independent Police Review director or representative and one to two citizen representatives. The board reviews internal investigations into alleged officer misconduct or policy violations and makes discipline recommendations. In one case, the board found 4-3 that an officers firing of a 40mm less-lethal launcher at someone fit the bureaus use-of-force policy even though the officer couldnt explain how the person acted aggressively. In the other case, the board voted 5-0 that an officer speeding up to 88 mph to catch up to a suspect car did not constitute a pursuit and thus didnt violate policy -- despite every supervisor of the officer in the chain of command recommending an opposite finding. The chief ultimately followed the board, finding the officer did not violate the pursuit policy, but instead violated policy by driving without due regard. In both of these recent incidents, we disagree with the findings of the (Police Review Board) and do not believe they reflect PPBs broader efforts to hold officers accountable, the consultants said. -- Due to retirements, the bureau has had a decline in the number of specially trained Enhanced Crisis Intervention Team officers who receive 80 hours of training on how to respond to people in crisis. There are now 124, down from 131, with no new officers trained for that role since November 2019. In the last quarter of 2020, these officers responded to 70% of their dispatched calls, a slight decline from the 73% response in the third quarter. --- There was a dramatic decline in the number of stops of drivers and pedestrians from 10,986 in the second quarter of the year to 2,280 in the third quarter, a 79% drop. The decrease could be attributed, in part, to a conscious effort by police to avoid racial profiling, the elimination of the Gun Violence Reduction Team in June, budget cuts, fewer officers on the street, reassignment of officers from traffic and patrol to protest coverage and/or depolicing due to heavy criticism of the PPB, the consultants said. -- For future stops when police seek someones consent to search them or their property, officers soon will have to present a card explaining their desire to search and the persons right to refuse. That transaction will be recorded with a new app on the officers phone. -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian Lokesh praised TNSF leaders for courageously fighting for the cause of PG students, who have been denied their fee reimbursement. DC VIJAYAWADA: Telugu Desam national general secretary Nara Lokesh on Friday accused Jagan Mohan Reddy government of breaking promises and giving a raw deal to students, youth, women, Dalits and all other sections in the state. Speaking on occasion of Telugu Nadu Students Federation (TNSF) leaders' release from jail, Lokesh visited Guntur to formally welcome these leaders. He appreciated that TNSF leaders have emerged out of jail with their heads held high, unlike Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy who had to hang down his head because of his guilt in cases registered against him. The TD general secretary praised TNSF leaders for courageously fighting for the cause of PG students, who have been denied their fee reimbursement. He alleged that GO 77 has been issued as a part of the suppressive Raja Reddy constitution. He remarked that rape cases filed against TNSF leaders are a mark of Jagan Reddy Penal Code being implemented in AP instead of the Indian Penal Code. Lokesh expressed concern that over three lakh students belonging to weaker sections and backward classes have been badly hit because of GO 77, as it denied fee reimbursement to PG students studying in private colleges. He lamented that poor students belonging to SC, ST, BC and Minorities are losing opportunities to study abroad. But Jagan Reddy's daughters are enjoying their foreign education. The TD leader demanded that the government immediately withdraw GO 77 or face a state-wide agitation. Beshear Donates Nearly $16K to Feeding Kentucky By West Kentucky Star Staff FRANKFORT - Gov. Andy Beshear signed a proclamation Thursday declaring Jan. 28, 2021, as Hunger Free Day in Kentucky. During a virtual event Thursday morning, the Governor praised the advocates and workers on the front line helping to make sure Kentucky families stay fed, work made tougher by the COVID-19 pandemic. "In the best of times, your work is daunting. During COVID, it has been nothing short of heroic," Gov. Beshear said. "The entire commonwealth owes you all a debt of gratitude but also crucially more than just words of thanks. Your efforts deserve our full support." Gov. Beshear made a surprise announcement during Thursday's event with hunger organizations and advocates that he was donating $15,673 leftover from the Beshear-Coleman inaugural fund to Feeding Kentucky, an organization that helps feed Kentuckians in need. Remaining inaugural funds can only be donated to 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. "This donation is another sign of my commitment to fighting hunger and my administration's belief in you, our indispensable Team Kentucky partners," the Governor said. "We are grateful for Gov. Beshear's continued support of Feeding KY and the one in 5 Kentuckians we serve," said Karena Cash, advocacy coordinator for Feeding Kentucky. "The Governor's generous donation today will help ensure that no family in Kentucky has to go to bed hungry tonight, or any night." "Gov. Beshear's generous donation comes at a challenging time for our Feeding KY network of food banks and the Kentuckians we serve," said Kurt Reiber, CEO of the Freestore Foodbank and board chair of Feeding Kentucky. "We hope that the Governor's gift will inspire others to support Feeding Kentucky and the work we do." Gov. Beshear said that the work of Feeding Kentucky and other groups is crucial, with 600,000 Kentuckians relying on food from such organizations. In addition, he also noted that one in six Kentucky households with children experiences food insecurity. Kentucky also has the highest rate of food insecurity among adults ages 50 to 59. Gov. Beshear highlighted the help his administration has worked to provide during the pandemic. P-EBT benefits have been provided to over 640,000 students. Those benefits totaled $288 million to provide meals to children who depend on school meals for their daily nutrition. At the same time, Gov. Beshear's administration provided SNAP benefits to an average of 100,000 more individuals each month compared with the previous year. SNAP is the first line of defense in Kentucky, and almost 70% of SNAP participants in Kentucky are in families with children. More than a third are in families with a senior or someone with a disability. The benefits paid out over the final eight months of the last year were double the amount in 2019. In all, over $1 billion of SNAP benefits were provided to families, helping keep food on their tables while also helping local groceries stay open. In addition, as of Jan. 11, more than 3 million meals had been served to Kentucky's seniors since the start of the pandemic. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2021) -Equity Metals Corporation (TSXV: EQTY) (OTCQB: EQMEF) (the "Company" or "Equity Metals") announces that the following directors were re-elected at the Company's annual general meeting held on January 27, 2021: Joseph A. Kizis, Jr., Lawrence Page, Q.C., Killian Ruby, Courtney Shearer and John Kerr. In addition, the shareholders re-appointed Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Accountants, as Company auditors and approved the Company's rolling incentive stock option plan pursuant to which a maximum of 10% of the issued shares will be reserved for issuance under the plan. The plan is subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance. The following officers were re-appointed subsequent to the annual general meeting: Lawrence Page, Q.C. as Chairman, Joseph A. Kizis, Jr. as President, Robert Macdonald as Vice President Exploration, Killian Ruby as Chief Financial Officer, and Arie Page as Corporate Secretary. The Company also granted incentive stock options under its stock option plan to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company to purchase a total of four million common shares at $0.26 per share exercisable for a period of five years. About Silver Queen Project The Silver Queen Project is a premier gold-silver property with over 100 years of historic exploration and development located adjacent to power, roads and rail with significant mining infrastructure that was developed under previous operators: Bradina JV (Bralorne Mines); and Houston Metals Corp. (a Hunt Brothers company). The property contains an historic decline into the No. 3 Vein, camp infrastructure and a maintained Tailings Facility. The Silver Queen Property consists of 45 mineral claims, 17 crown grants, and two surface crown grants totalling 18,852ha with no underlying royalties. Mineralization is hosted by a series of epithermal veins distributed over a 6 sq km area. Most of the existing resource is hosted by the No. 3 Vein, which is traced by drilling for approximately 1.2km to the southeast where it transitions into the NG-3 Vein close to the Itsit porphyry area. An initial NI43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate (see Note 2 below) was detailed in a News Release issued on July 16th, 2019, and using a CDN$100 NSR cut-off, reported a resource of: Indicated - 244,000ozs AuEq: 85,000ozs Au, 5.2Mozs Ag, 5Mlbs Cu, 17Mlbs Pb and 114Mlbs Zn; and Inferred - 193,000ozs AuEq: 64,000ozs Au, 4.7Mozs Ag, 5Mlbs Cu, 16Mlbs Pb and 92Mlbs Zn. Over 20 different vein structures have been identified on the property, forming an extensive network of zoned Cretaceous- to Tertiary-age epithermal veins. The property remains largely under explored. About Equity Metals Corporation Equity Metals Corporation is a Manex Resource Group Company. Manex provides exploration, administration, and corporate development services for Equity Metals' two major mineral properties, the Silver Queen Au-Ag-Zn-Cu project, located in central B.C., and the Monument Diamond project, located in Lac De Gras, NWT. The Company owns 100% interest, with no underlying royalty, in the Silver Queen project, located along the Skeena Arch in the Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia. The property hosts high-grade, precious- and base-metal veins related to a buried porphyry system, which has been only partially delineated. The Company also has a controlling JV interest in the Monument Diamond project, NWT, strategically located in the Lac De Gras district within 40 km of both the Ekati and Diavik diamond mines. The project owners are Equity Metals Corporation (57.49%), Chris and Jeanne Jennings (22.11%); and Archon Minerals Ltd. (20.4%). Equity Metals is the operator of the project. The Company also has royalty and working interests in other Canadian properties, which are being evaluated further to determine their value to the Company. George Cross Newsletter No.61 (1996). Resource is historic in nature and is provided by the company for information purposes only. It has not been verified by the company and should not be treated as a Mineral Resource Estimate. The 2019 Silver Queen Resource Estimate was prepared following CIM definitions for classification of Mineral Resources and identified at a CDN$100/NSR cut-off, an indicated resource of 815Kt averaging 3.2g/t Au, 201g/t Ag, 1.0% Pb, 6.4% Zn and 0.26% Cu and an inferred resource of 801Kt averaging 2.5g/t Au, 184g/t Ag, 0.9% Pb, 5.2% Zn and 0.31% Cu. Grade capping on Ag and Zn was performed on 0.75m to 1.24m length composites. Au, Cu and Pb required no capping. ID3 was utilized for grade interpolation for Au and Ag while ID2 was utilized for Cu, Pb and Zn. Grade blocks were interpreted within constraining mineralized domains using and array of 3m x 1m x 3m blocks in the model. A bulk density of 3.56 t/m was used for all tonnage calculations. Approximate US$ two-year trailing average metal prices as follows were used: Au $1,300/oz, Ag $17/oz, Cu $3/lb, Pb $1.05/lb and Zn $1.35/lb with an exchange rate of US$0.77=C$1.00. The C$100/tonne NSR cut-off grade value for the underground Mineral Resource was derived from mining costs of C$70/t, with process costs of C$20/t and G&A of C$10/t. Process recoveries used were Au 79%, Ag 80%, Cu 81%, Pb 75% and Zn 94%. AuEq and AgEq are based on the formula: NSR (CDN) = (Cu% * $57.58) + (Pb% * $19.16) + (Zn% * $30.88) +(Au g/t * $39.40) + (Ag g/t * $0.44) - $78.76. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability and may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. Inferred Mineral Resources have a lower level of confidence than Indicated Mineral Resources and may not be converted to a Mineral Reserve but may be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration. The Mineral Resources were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines. The Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., FEC, CET and Yungang Wu, P.Geo., of P&E Mining Consultants Inc. ("P&E") of Brampton, Ontario, Independent Qualified Persons ("QP"), as defined by National Instrument 43-101. P&E Mining suggests that an underground mining scenario is appropriate for the project at this stage and has recommended a CDN$100/tonne NSR cut-off value for the base-case resource estimate. Robert Macdonald, MSc. P.Geo, is VP Exploration of Equity Metals Corporation and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. He is responsible for the supervision of the exploration on the Silver Queen project and for the preparation of the technical information in this disclosure. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Lawrence Page" Lawrence Page, Q.C. Chairman & Director, Equity Metals Corporation For further information, visit the website at www.equitymetalscorporation.com; or contact us at 604.641.2759 or by email at ir@mnxltd.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Equity Metals Corporation does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/73196 Corrections or adjustment forms for late-filed Texas surplus line insurance policies included on November or December 2020 monthly late filers reports are due by Feb. 15, 2021. After this date, no additional modifications can be made to the annual late filers report, according to the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLTX). Under Texas statute, SLTX is required to file an annual late filers report with the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) no later than the first business day of April. The report lists all surplus lines insurance policies that were filed after the filing deadline during the previous calendar year. A policy appears late if it is filed more than 60 days after the effective date or issue date of the policy, whichever is later. Surplus lines agents are required to notify SLTX within 90 days or by February 15 of the following year, whichever is earlier, if a policy that they believe to be timely filed appears on a monthly late filers report. After that time has passed, the agent waives the right to later dispute the timeliness of the filing. Because of this timeline, only policies included on the November or December 2020 monthly late filers report may be disputed. For information on retrieving monthly reports through the online filing system, please view the SLTX Obtaining Late Filing Reports How to Guide. Then, make corrections or complete and submit the Monthly Late Filing Request for Adjustment form, which can be found on the SLTX website. Fees and/or enforcement actions imposed will take into consideration how many days elapsed after the filing deadline before the policy was reported and the brokers late filing record over the previous year. Source: SLTX Topics Texas Excess Surplus Lebanon: outgoing PM calls for arrest of 'thugs' After assault on city hall in Tripoli, focus of protests (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, 29 GEN - Outgoing Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab called on Friday for arresting and bringing to justice the "thugs" responsible for attacks and fires at various buildings in Tripoli on Thursday night, including city hall. In a statement released by the government's National News Agency (NNA), Diab said "condemning the attack is not enough to compensate the cost paid by Tripoli, a city used by certain parties to send explosive political messages". On Thursday evening, for the fourth consecutive day, Tripoli - the main port in northern Lebanon and long considered the poorest city in the country - was the site of violent clashes by protesters demonstrating against the lack of government support for growing poverty amidst a prolonged economic crisis made worse by anti-Covid measures. "The criminals who set fire to Tripoli's city hall, and tried to set fire to the religious tribunal, showed their resentment against the city," Diab said. "Now we must arrest these criminals so they can be held responsible for what they did," he said, calling for an investigation to be opened. Diab called those responsible for the attacks "thugs". The violence that has gone on nearly uninterrupted since Monday evening has thus far killed two protesters and caused more than 300 people to be injured, including about 30 soldiers and police officers. Amnesty International and local humanitarian organisations documented violence committed against protesters by law enforcement.(ANSAmed). The Minister for Agriculture is said to be actively exploring the possibility of appointing ICSA to Bord Bias meat and livestock board. The development was mooted during Minister Charlie McConalogues opening speech at ICSAs AGM and annual conference, the virtual event was attended by approximately 70 participants. Speaking from his office at Agriculture House the minister said: I want to inform the ICSA that, following a request by Edmond Phelan, I am actively exploring the options available to me to place the ICSA on the meat and livestock board of Bord Bia. "Over the past few decades, the ICSA has proven itself in being a constructive partner and I think the ICSAs voice will be valid on this board. "I will be engaging with Bord Bia in the coming days to explore our options. Meanwhile, the minister also announce the opening of a consultation process on the planned new REPS pilot agri environmental scheme which is set to be targeted at non-GLAS farmers. I really want to hear from you in the types of measures youd like to see in that results-based scheme. This pilot scheme is crucial as results-based initiatives will be central to the next CAP. CAP update He furthermore emphasised that a key feature of the CAP post-2020 proposals is increased environmental ambition. The EUs agriculture ministers agreed to a council general approach on the CAP proposals at the end of last year. A key element of this agreement, which demonstrates the higher levels of climate ambition, is the new eco-schemes under Pillar I. "Countries will design eco-schemes based on their own analysis of needs including areas such as precision farming, agro-forestry, and organic farming. Farmers will be able to access the eco-scheme funds by undertaking additional actions and practices that are beneficial for the climate and the environment, which go beyond the basic environmental and climate requirements. While overall agreement on the CAP proposals is some time away, the minister explained that the trilogue process between the European Council, European Parliament and European Commission commenced in November. "The parliament has proposed more than 1,000 amendments to the CAP proposals, many of which are different to what was agreed in the council general approach by agriculture ministers last October. Each of these will need to be considered and agreed upon. There are key differences when it comes to the environmental ambition within the next CAP, with the parliament seeking a 30pc ring-fenced amount for eco-schemes under Pillar 1, as just one example, he said. Negotiations between the three institutions are expected to continue until June. The Department of Agricultures draft CAP strategic plan must be completed later this year and submitted to the EU Commission by January 1, 2022. The approval process will take up to eight months; with the CAP strategic plans dueto commence in 2023. Since employees were not allocated between the successor entities even after June 2, 2014, they remained under the administrative control of the Telugu Academy at Hyderabad, which is under control of the Telangana state government. DC Image Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has directed the Telugu Academy and the governments of Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh to apportion the assets and liabilities of the academy as had existed on June 2, 2014, between the AP Telugu Academy Society and the Telugu Academy at Hyderabad. This must be done as per provisions in Section 53(1) of the AP Reorganisation Act 2014 in the ratio 58.32 to 41.68 within two months. A division bench of Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice T. Amarnath Goud issued these directions in response to a plea from 17 outsourcing employees of the Telugu Academy. All were working at the centre in Vijaywada. They had been appointed on contract/daily-wage basis as data entry operators and hamalis from 2002. Since employees were not allocated between the successor entities even after June 2, 2014, they remained under the administrative control of the Telugu Academy at Hyderabad, which is under control of the Telangana state government. Their salaries were paid by it, though the petitioners are working in the regional centers situated in the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh. They complained that because of their AP nativity, they were refused grant of enhanced salary and wages from 2013 while the same was granted to those employed in the regional centres in Telangana state and the head office at Hyderabad. The court directed the Telugu Academy in Hyderabad to pay wages to the petitioners on par with those employed in similar capacities in Telangana state from December 1, 2019, within six weeks. The court directed both the Telugu academies of Telangana and AP to discuss and agree on the modalities/guidelines for allocation of employees as on June 2, 2014, including the petitioners, within two months. 21 runners killed during mountain race in northwestern province of Gansu; Indian variant of Covid-19 found in Guangzhou; Beijing willing to arrange for vaccines to be sent to Taiwan May 28, 2021 08:15 PM We all have regrets in life, things we would have done differently, things we would like to get the opportunity to do again if it were possible. But would we really wish to repeat a school year? At the end of November last year I had a conversation with Chris Quinn, Director of the Northern Ireland Youth Forum, where the idea of an academic 'pause' was first mooted. "This could be the perfect opportunity to reboot the whole system," he said. "Pause for a year. Allow our children to concentrate on their wellbeing, their family issues, and re-set for next year." If a return in March 8 is possible, pupils will have missed some six months of their school year. It's not just about the education, it's about the social side of things, the friends, the after-school clubs, the sport. Education Minister Peter Weir has consistently stressed the best possible outcome is a return to face-to-face teaching in the classroom. But all avenues to keep that option open have been exhausted, at least until Covid vaccinations kick in. In this climate of uncertainty some believe it might be time to at least consider taking that step back and resetting the educational clock. Northern Ireland's Children's Commissioner believes the time has come to talk. "We currently don't know enough about the impact on the education of individual children, classes, year groups or schools," Koulla Yiasouma told the Belfast Telegraph. "Once children return to school we need to assess where they are mentally, socially and academically and determine what needs to happen for them to progress. "For instance, there is a reason why Primary 1, 2 and 3 are called foundation years. These build strong social and academic foundations to support future learning. We need to assess if these foundations have been laid properly. "If we find there are systemic issues with particular classes, year groups or schools then a 'school reset' could be one of the measures that are considered. However, I recognise that this would not be ideal and would be logistically difficult. "Other options would also include additional teaching, smaller classes, wellbeing programmes and/or summer programmes. "The primary consideration has to be the best interests of all children and therefore all options should be explored. "We will want to know when we look back on this pandemic that we did everything we could to protect children from its effects. Extraordinary times may indeed call for extraordinary measures, so let's explore all the options." President of the NAHT, Dr Graham Gault, is willing to see the abandoning of the school year at least enter the conversation. "As we are, hopefully, on the journey out of the Covid-19 pandemic, NAHT believes that all potential options for the sake of our children and young people should be given space for honest, creative and child-focused discussion," he said. "NAHT does not, as yet, have a formal position on this issue but look forward to discussing it fully with our Regional Executive in the near future." There's a key in the ignition of our decades-old education system. The courage to try to start the engine comes next. If it hums into life there will be many, many people trying release the handbrake and get their hands on the wheel. Which direction it goes after that is an enormous obstacle to overcome. Sometimes staying parked until the dust settles is the only practical decision. Had the process begun eight months ago, at the start of last summer when the tatters of the previous school year were still flapping in the breeze of Covid, perhaps there would have been a chance. But water under the bridge since then has carried too many pupils too far downstream. Many have been working at home. Remote learning has improved. What do we do about students who have progressed into the second year of degree courses? Should they be forced to forget that year, or take a year off, to let the rest of the system catch up from them? Should a 'gap year' be inserted somewhere into the passage through school life to allow room for a year to be repeated? Should students who have struggled through the pandemic be allowed to repeat the year individually while those who have thrived move on? What does that do to the size of classes? Every potential solution throws up a raft of complications. Images of pop star Cher in 1989, conducting a chorus on a battleship and wishing she could turn back time, spring to mind. She's still getting older. She never did get that time back. Hard as it may be, sometimes you just have to play with the hand you've been dealt. A conversation is just words between people. Finding a credible solution is something else entirely. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Sen. Martin Heinrich said many lawmakers were shocked by the Air Forces decision to locate the U.S. Space Command headquarters in Alabama, and the New Mexico Democrat said hes waiting for Pentagon officials to explain. Heinrich, in a virtual meeting with the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce on Thursday morning, said that new Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during his confirmation hearings committed to reviewing the Air Forces decision. Heinrich said he has spoken directly with the White House about the matter as well. I dont want to go into a whole lot of details. But theres a lot of chatter on Capitol Hill about just how far that deviated from those (previous Air Force basing) decisions, Heinrich said in response to a question during the chamber meeting. Many of us, many of my colleagues, were shocked at where the process landed, frankly, given the equities that were not in the community that was chosen. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Earlier this month, the outgoing Trump administration announced that the U.S. Space Command headquarters would be located at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque was one of six finalists for the command headquarters, as was Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, where the Space Command is temporarily located. Landing the command headquarters has the potential to bring more than a thousand jobs and years of significant spending to the community where it is located. After the decision to place it in Alabama was announced, lawmakers in several finalist cities raised questions about whether the decision was politically motivated. Published reports suggested then-President Donald Trump was rewarding Alabama because several of its representatives openly questioned the presidential election results. Meanwhile, officials in Alabama praised the Air Forces decision. Huntsville is nicknamed Rocket City for its ties to the U.S. space missions. Greg Canfield, Alabamas secretary of commerce, defended the selection in a recent op-ed published in Alabama media. He said Redstone Arsenals 38,000-acre campus hosts more than 70 military commands and government agencies. He also said that many aerospace companies, like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Blue Origin and Space X, have a significant presence in the area. In Huntsville, folks like to say: We do space. Thats not just a saying. Its true, he wrote. These capabilities allowed Alabamas Rocket City to stand out in the competition for Space Commands Headquarters. Nonetheless, Heinrich described the Space Command selection process as severely flawed when he asked Austin about it during Austins confirmation hearing earlier this month. Austin, who is President Joe Bidens nominee and wasnt involved in the selection process, said he would review the decision. Ill do that and Ill make sure that we look at all of our processes going forward so that future decisions are made within the confines of what has been laid out, Austin said. Days before the Trump administration announced that Alabama was going to host the Space Command, Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett met with Trump and informed him that the Air Force had chosen Colorado Springs as its top pick, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported. The paper, citing Pentagon insiders and lawmakers, said that Trump ignored the pick and instead chose Alabama. This week, Colorados congressional delegation sent a letter to Biden asking for a thorough review of why the command headquarters is being moved out of Colorado. The delegation asked the president to suspend any action related to relocation until after the review has taken place. This move undermines our ability to respond to the threats in space and is disruptive to the current mission, the Colorado delegation wrote to the president. Additionally, significant evidence exists that the process was neither fair nor impartial and that President Trumps political considerations influenced the final decision. Heinrich said he wants an explanation for how Redstone Arsenal was selected. We will work to make sure we have a process that is transparent and where we can see how the choices matched up to the metrics, Heinrich said during Thursdays chamber meeting. Photo shows an exterior view of the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Liu Qu) An international team of 13 experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) completed two-week quarantine in the city of Wuhan, China, Thursday, and started their field visits on Friday. The trip of the WHO team revived the continuous blame that China has impeded the efforts on COVID-19 tracing, especially after it barred the entry of two WHO members who tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies while transiting in Singapore. Some US media referred to Chinas routine quarantine regulations as an obstacle set by the country as part of its continuing efforts to control the COVID-19 global study. The Western hysteria that surrounds Chinas delay in origin tracing has been heightened since early January. Politicians like Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had urged an early WHO-led investigation into China as soon as possible. However, this alleged long-delayed mission in China is the third WHO international experts trip within a year. On Feb. 9, 2020, the WHO deployed an advance team for the WHO-China Joint Mission. During that trip, the WHO researchers traveled to Wuhan in Hubei province, and subsequently published a 40-page report detailing the understanding of the COVID-19 outbreak in China. On July 10, 2020, WHO experts traveled to China to prepare scientific plans for identifying the zoonotic source of the disease, laying the groundwork for longer-term studies of the virus origin. During this crucial period of time when multiple variant strains of the COVID-19 virus have been documented globally, China agreed on the visit by the WHO experts for origin tracing again on the premise that pre-departure tests and quarantine requirements are strictly abided by, a science-based move to preserve the hard-won outcomes of epidemic control domestically and minimize the risk of cross infection. At present, one of the two experts who tested positive before boarding the plane has already arrived in China after testing negative in a second round of testing. It is found by more studies and recognized by WHO that origin-tracing is an ongoing process that may involve many countries and places where the epidemics broke out. Origin-tracing is a complex scientific matter that requires international research and cooperation by scientists across the globe. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at the regular press conference on January 28. It is inappropriate to make any negative conjecture with preconception or even attempt to make politicized interpretation. He stressed that the purpose of international research and cooperation on origin-tracing is to get a deeper understanding of its animal hosts and transmission routes, so that we will better guard against future risks and handle similar public health crises. Who is impeding a global study? Some Western politicians seem obsessed with hyping up the anti-China sentiment. Shortly after the WHO experts arrived in Wuhan, the US began to accuse China, once again, of a cover-up by the government, pressuring for a transparent investigation into the lab in Wuhan suspected of being the source of the virus. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo released a fact sheet recently, saying that the US has new information to prove that the virus might have emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), despite the fact that top scientists around the world have openly denied such theories. Peter Daszak, an American disease ecologist who has been working with the WIV for 15 years, said last April that it was impossible that the virus came from the lab in Wuhan. In response to the fact-free claims from the fact sheet, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying suggested an origin-tracing in the US for more transparent information on Fort Detrick, as well as 200-plus overseas bio-labs outside of the US. As the US Armys top germ lab in Fredrick, Maryland, that studies deadly infectious material such as Ebola and smallpox, the Fort Detrick lab was abruptly shut down in August 2019, which aroused doubts among many Americans, with some demanding that the US government disclose more information on the closure of the lab. Until now, the US, which accuses China of hindering global study, has never invited the WHO to conduct investigation within its territory, nor did they conduct an investigation by itself. Who is impeding a COVID-19 global study? Fact speaks for itself. The Supreme Court has asked the Petitioner (Mr. John Dramani Mahama) in the Election 2020 Petition case, to produce one of his witnesses to testify on January 29. The Petitioner indicated that he would be calling Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Dr. Michael Kpassa White, a member of the Party, who was in the Electoral Commission' strong room. The Court has adjourned the matter to Friday, January 29, for hearing. Meanwhile, the nine-member panel presided over by Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, has dismissed a review application for interrogatories, saying it did not meet the threshold of a review application. The Supreme Court also threw out a motion for leave to file additional grounds for "review" in the review application of interrogatories. The Court also dismissed the motion for leave to file supplements by amending paragraph 28 in the original statement of the case. The Court held that the application before them was not sanctioned by any provisions in the CI 60 from rule 54 to 60 of the Supreme Court rule 16 of 1996. The Court said that in law and by certain practice of this court, it should be noted that reviews and appeals were conceptually different and the rules governing the application of either of them were very distinct and that the Court had in several cases exhibited remarkable consistency. In matters involving the liberty of an individual, "The Court have always adopted a more liberal approach in the modern day administration of justice, indeed the application was not for leave to file an amendment on the grounds of a review as in this application. To assay to this application, the court held that "it would be tantamount to the scope of the jurisdiction of the review, which jurisdiction is not provided by the rules of the court." The Supreme Court further decided that "We find out that all inherent jurisdiction cannot be invoked under the circumstances of the case with the rules of court has made clear provisions in the exercise of their jurisdiction in this matter. We according proceed to dismiss the application." Earlier, the court struck out as withdrawn a stay of proceedings filed by lawyers of the Petitioner in the 2020 election Petition case. The Court also struck out abridgment of time filed by the Electoral Commission to hear the dismissed application for interrogatories. This was after Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, lead counsel for the Petitioner, and Mr Justine Amenuvor, counsel for the EC, prayed the court to withdraw their respective applications. Mr Tsikata moved a motion seeking the leave of the court to file supplements to the statement of case of the 2020 election Petition and replace or amend Paragraph 28 of the statement of case. Lawyer for the Electoral Commission, Justine Amenuvor opposed the application for review of interrogatories, saying submissions of the Petitioners lawyer had not canvassed any new matter which could invoke the inherent jurisdiction of the court. According to Mr Amenuvor, Mr Tsatsu Tsikata was only rehashing what took place at the courtroom on January 19, 2021. He said the Petitioners lawyers argument was based on emotions and should be dismissed. Mr Akoto Ampaw, counsel for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the second respondent in the case, also opposed the Petitioners argument, saying the Supreme Court should dismissed Petitioners review application of interrogatories on three key points. The key points, Mr Ampaw said included relevance. Mr Ampaw stated that the Supreme Court never stated that CI 47 of Order 22 of the rule of the Court had been repealed. He said it was more than obvious that the issues sought in the interrogatories were not related to issues of controversies in the case before the Court. Mr Ampaw said the fact that interrogatories were accepted in the 2013 Election Petition did not mean same should also be accepted in the Election 2020 Petition. He said Mr Tsikata had failed to demonstrate to the court the need to grant the review and same must be dismissed because it was completely unmeritorious. Mr Tsikata contended that the ruling of the Supreme Court on January 19, 2021 indicated that CI47 of Order 22 had been repealed. He held that if review application of interrogatories were not accepted because of its relevance, how could same be admitted during cross examination? Mr Tsikata said the interrogatories were relevant because it could assist the Court to determine the authenticity of election results declared on December 9, last year by the EC. On the issue of timelines, Mr Tsikata said Order 22 of the CI47 could be applied in the instant Petition and same would not in any way affect the 42 day timeline the court wanted to meet under CI 99. The Petitioner (Mr John Dramani Mahama) filed a motion praying the Court to review its unanimous decision on the application for interrogatories. The Petitioner contended that the Supreme Court erred when it ruled that C1 47 was not applicable and the Court should exercise its discretion in accordance with Article 296 of the Constitution. According to the Petitioner, the Court also erred when it ruled that amendments were not allowed when it came to expeditious trial of Election Petition. The petitioner further prayed the court to grant him leave to file additional ground of his review application. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi addressed the World Economic Forum's Davos Dialogue yesterday via video conferencing. Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that he has brought the message of confidence, positivity and hope from 1.3 billion Indians amidst these times of apprehension. The Prime Minister told the gathering that despite the initial misgivings about the India's capacity to handle the pandemic, India moved forward with proactive and pro-participation approach and worked on strengthening the COVID specific health infrastructure, trained its human resource to tackle the pandemic and used technology massively in testing and tracking of the cases. In India, fight against corona was turned into people's movement and India succeeded in saving lives of maximum number of its citizens. Modi also talked about the world's biggest vaccination drive and India's global efforts during the pandemic. He talked about evacuation of citizens when air space was closed and supply of medicines to more than 150 countries. Today, India is helping countries with online training, knowledge of traditional knowledge, vaccines and vaccine infrastructure. He informed that apart from the two current made in India vaccines, more vaccines are in pipeline which will enable India to help the world at greater scale and speed. The Prime Minister also informed the forum about the steps being taken on economic front. He said that India has maintained economic activity by starting infrastructure projects worth billions of rupees and initiating special schemes for employment. Earlier we focused on saving lives now everyone is focussed on the growth of the country. India's ambition of self-reliance will strengthen globalism anew and will help in Industry 4.0, noted Modi. The Prime Minister asserted that India is working on all the four factors of Industry 4.0- connectivity, automation, artificial intelligence or machine learning and real-time data. India is among the countries where data charges are the cheapest and mobile connectivity and smart phones have reached far and wide. India's automation design expert pool is vast and the country has made a mark in the field of AI and machine learning. Growing digital infrastructure has made digital solutions everyday part of life in India. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Texas woman who had served 15 years in prison for the death of a young boy she was babysitting was released on bond this week after a judge found that she was likely innocent. The woman, Rosa Jimenez, was convicted of murder in 2005 and sentenced to 99 years in prison for the death of Bryan Gutierrez, a 21-month-old who choked on a wad of paper towels while in her care at her home in Austin, Texas. At her trial in 2005, experts testified that an accidental death would have been impossible. But at a hearing this week, five pediatric airway experts testified that the childs death could have been accidental. One expert, who testified via an affidavit, reversed her testimony from the original trial, according to court records. On Wednesday, Judge Karen Sage of Travis County concluded that the death was a tragic accident and ordered Ms. Jimenez to be released on bond. The Texas Criminal Court of Appeals will now decide whether to vacate the charges or recommend a retrial. Bengaluru, Jan 29 : Amid the Covid pandemic, Karnataka would give polio vaccine to over 64 lakh children across the state on Sunday, said Health Minister K. Sudhakar on Friday. "In the polio vaccination drive on Sunday, 64,07,930 children in the 0-5 age group will be given the medicine through oral drops. All parents should immunize their children," said Sudhakar in a statement here. As the nationwide anti-Covid vaccination drive was launched on January 16, polio vaccination programme was postponed to January 31 from January 17 even in the southern state. Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa will flag off the polio drive at his home-office in the city centre on Sunday. "Even if children were vaccinated earlier, they have to be vaccinated again. There will not be any side-effect from it for the kids. The country has been polio-free with no case of the infection over the last 10-11 years," said Sudhkar, a medical doctor by profession. The state health department has over 85-lakh doses of polio vaccine and 1.1-lakh vaccinators. "The health department has formed 6,645 supervisor teams, 904 mobile teams and set up 32,908 booths across the state to administer polio drops to kids," said the minister. Meanwhile, state Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar has urged the Centre to give anti-Covid vaccine to teachers in the next round of its drive, as they have been frontline workers in containing the pandemic through field work. "As thousands of teachers played a key role in containing the virus spread, they should be given the vaccine on priority in recognition of their service over the last nine months," Kumar said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. The teachers were deputed for door-to-door data collection, stressing on the importance of social distancing and assisting healthcare warriors for many allied activities across the state. Ramallah, Jan 29 : The Fatah party headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has insisted on holding the upcoming general elections in the state's territories on time. Osama al-Qawasmeh, Fatah's spokesman in the West Bank, said in a statement issued on Thursday that the party "won't step back on holding the elections under any circumstances", Xinhua news agency "The upcoming Palestinian elections are crucial and important in the path of the Palestinian national struggle to reach our legitimate goals of freedom and independence," al-Qawasmeh noted. On January 15, President Abbas issued a decree setting specific dates for holding the legislative and presidential elections, in addition to a vote for the Palestinian National Council. Under the decree, legislative elections will be held on May 22, presidential elections on July 31, and the Palestinian National Council elections on August 31. The last legislative elections were held in the Palestinian territories on January 25, 2006. The result was a victory for the Islamic Hamas movement, which had contested under the list name of Change and Reform. It received 44.45 per cent of the vote and won 74 of the 132 seats. Meanwhile, the Fatah received 41.43 per cent of the vote and won 45 seats. While Abbas, who assumed office in January 2005, remained the President, the new government with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh as Prime Minister was sworn in on March 29, 2006. Twitter suspends Christian magazine for saying Bidens trans nominee is a man, not a woman Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Twitter has suspended a Christian magazine's account for reporting that one of President Joe Biden's nominees is a man who believes he's a woman. The Daily Citizen, a publication of the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family, tweeted on Jan. 19 that Biden's nominee for assistant secretary of health, Rachel Levine, "is a transgender woman, that is, a man who believes he is a woman," along with a link to an article about the nomination. As a result, the social media giant locked the magazine out of its account, informing the publication that the tweet violated Twitter's user rules forbidding "hateful conduct." The Daily Citizen appealed the suspension but was informed that its account will remain locked until it deletes the tweet. Twitter wrote in a subsequent email to the magazine: Hi The Daily Citizen, your account, @FocusCitizen has been locked for violating the Twitter Rules. Specifically for: Violating our rules against hateful conduct. You may not promote violence against, threaten, or harass other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease. Please note that repeated violations may lead to a permanent suspension of your account, the email said. Proceed to Twitter now to fix the issue with your account. The Daily Citizen said in its reply to Twitter that numerous media outlets have reported on the nomination and wrote in their articles that Levine was born male and remains a man who believes he is female. Levine has undergone elective cosmetic surgery and taken cross-sex hormones in an attempt to look more like a woman physically. The magazine has insisted that it never promoted violence and rejected Twitter's claims that it violated its rules. "As a Christian organization, we would never do so. We simply explained to our readers the appointment and defined what transgender women are those born male who believe they are a woman, regardless of whether they have had opposite-sex hormones or surgeries." We believe Twitters blocking of this tweet and lockdown of our account discriminates against Focus on the Familys The Daily Citizen on the basis of our religious affiliation." Twitter has persisted in its insistence that the publication violated its user rules and rejected the publication's appeal. The platform said the ban would not be overturned. Big tech's censorship of voices who state biological facts in the context of transgender issues and policies has not been limited to religious or philosophically conservative accounts on the platform. In November 2018, Twitter updated its policies to prohibit users from tweeting the birth names of trans-identifying people which transgender activists refer to as "dead-naming" or from using biologically accurate pronouns when tweeting about trans-identifying people. Transgender advocates call the use of "he" to describe a male who identifies as female "misgendering." Both dead-naming and misgendering are akin to "abuse" and "violence," according to trans-activists. For example, Twitter permanently booted radical feminist journalist Meghan Murphy from the platform after she tweeted that "men aren't women." Twitter took this action days before it instituted its trans-activist policy. Murphy wrote in an editorial at the time that "while Twitter knowingly permits graphic pornography and death threats on the platform (I have reported countless violent threats, the vast majority of which have gone unaddressed), they wont allow me to state very basic facts, such as men arent women.'" This is hardly an abhorrent thing to say, nor should it be considered hateful to ask questions about the notion that people can change sex, or ask for explanations about transgender ideology, she said. CALGARY, AB, Jan. 29, 2021 /CNW/ - The WestJet Group today announced it would temporarily cease international flying to 14 sun destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean in response to a request from the Government of Canada. "The government asked, and we agreed," said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. "While we know that air travel is responsible for less than two per cent of cases since the start of the crisis, and even less today, we recognize the Government of Canada's ask is a precautionary measure. We also note that the overwhelming majority of quarantine exemptions, well over 90 per cent in fact, are connected to land borders and not air travel. We have responded to their request and will suspend service to destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean." Effective Sunday, January 31 at 12:01 a.m. ET, WestJet will suspend southbound operations to the following destinations until April 30. Over the subsequent two weeks, WestJet will work to bring our guests already in destination back to Canada. Vancouver Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Vancouver Cancun, Mexico Vancouver Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Calgary Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Calgary Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Calgary Cancun, Mexico, Calgary Liberia, Costa Rica Edmonton Cancun, Mexico Edmonton Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Toronto Cancun, Mexico Toronto Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic Toronto Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Toronto Kingston, Jamaica Toronto Montego Bay, Jamaica Toronto Liberia, Costa Rica Toronto Varadero, Cuba Toronto Saint Lucia Toronto Saint Marten Toronto Nassau, Bahamas Toronto Bermuda Edmonton Mazatlan, Mexico (Swoop) Edmonton Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Swoop) Toronto Montego Bay, Jamaica (Swoop) Toronto Cancun, Mexico (Swoop) Through its Safety Above All program, the WestJet Group has implemented extensive safety measures since the start of the pandemic and as a result, there have been no documented cases of person-to-person transmission onboard the airline's flights. "The pandemic has had devastating impacts on our hard-working people, and they have made tremendous sacrifices throughout," continued Sims. "The government recognizes how uniquely hard hit our industry has been and has acknowledged our efforts to curb the spread of the virus. We note their words of support for our airline as a strong partner in the fight against COVID-19." For guests with travel booked during the impacted period, WestJet will proactively notify them of their options. About WestJet Since the start of the pandemic the WestJet Group of Companies has built a layered framework of safety measures to ensure Canadians can continue to travel safely and responsibly through the airline's Safety Above All hygiene program. During this time, WestJet has maintained its status as one of the top-10 on-time airlines in North America as named by Cirium. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com . Connect with WestJet on Facebook at facebook.com/westjet Follow WestJet on Twitter at twitter.com/westjet Follow WestJet on Instagram instagram.com/westjet/ Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at youtube.com/westjet Read the WestJet blog at blog.westjet.com Recent recognition includes: 2021 Five Star Major Airline (APEX) 2020/2019 Number-One Ranked Canadian Airline Loyalty Program in Member Engagement (Bond Brand Loyalty) 2019/2018/2017 Best Airline in Canada (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines) 2019 Winner Among Mid-Sized Airlines in North America (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for Airlines) 2019/2018 Number-One-Ranked Airline Credit Card in Canada (Rewards Canada) SOURCE WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership For further information: Media contacts: To contact WestJet media relations, please email [email protected] Related Links http://www.westjet.com Haymarket Media Group bolsters its US Board, including the appointment of two national leaders in oncology and digital health technology, as non-executive board members Today Haymarket Media, Inc CEO Lee Maniscalco announced three new appointments to its Haymarket Media, Inc Board. The Board welcomes on board Professor and Chairman of Surgery at Fox Chase Cancer, Robert G. Uzzo, MD, MBA, and national thought-leader in digital health transformation, Daniel T. Garrett, who will join existing non-executive Board Member, Melissa Boone. At the same time, Michael Graziani, who joined Haymarket in 2018, is promoted to the Haymarket Board of Directors, in his capacity as President of Haymarket's US Medical Communications Division. Haymarket Media, Inc is a specialist media, information, data and analytics business with 24 market-leading brands in healthcare and business media. Headquartered in New York City with offices in New Jersey, Illinois, and Florida. Haymarket Media, Inc operations are part of the global Haymarket Media Group, based in the United Kingdom and founded in 1957. Haymarket Media Group global CEO, Kevin Costello said: "I am delighted to welcome Robert, Daniel and Michael to our US Board. The strengthening of the Board stands us in good stead as we enter the next phase of our exponential growth in the US, and globally." "These additions to our Board provide a powerful combination of high-level expertise and practical experience. Their insights will enable us to stay on top of fast-breaking developments in clinical medicine and healthcare technology and help position us for continued growth, success, and leadership in the industries we serve," said Haymarket Media US CEO Lee Maniscalco. "I am very excited to join the Haymarket Board and to help extend the company's international market-leading media brands into a new era of personalized therapies across multiple therapeutic categories," said Dr. Uzzo. "The rapid changes in diagnostics, genomics, and immunotherapies are remarkable, and Haymarket Media is incredibly positioned to capitalize on these and other evolving trends." "There is an explosion of new clinical knowledge across the healthcare industry as well as the need for healthcare professionals to digitally connect, in order to digest and apply that knowledge," said Garrett. "I'm looking forward to working with the Haymarket team as we leverage their platform and look for more ways to improve clinical outcomes and enhance the health of society." "I am excited about the strong foundation that has been built at Haymarket," Graziani said. "The company's commitment to innovation and a robust data infrastructure made me want to join this fabulous team. As a Board member, I look forward to contributing further to the success of Haymarket US." About Haymarket Haymarket Media, Inc. is an award-winning specialist content and information company. With 24 market-leading media brands, Haymarket offers unmatched expertise and insight through balanced, relevant, original content across a spectrum of media channels. Haymarket is home to highly regarded health care professional brands such as The Clinical Advisor, Dermatology Advisor, and MPR (Monthly Prescribing Reference) among a portfolio of HCP-focused, specialty-specific websites, as well as the esteemed business media titles PRWeek and MM&M (Medical Marketing Media). For more information visit www.haymarket.com Biography Robert G. Uzzo, MD, MBA In addition to heading the Department of Surgery at Fox Chase, Dr. Uzzo is Deputy Chief Clinical Officer, Senior Vice President of Physician Services, and President of the Fox Chase Cancer Center Medical Group. He is a nationally recognized authority in oncology having published over 500 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters. Dr. Uzzo has worked extensively on national guidelines and has held leadership positions with the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Urological Association, the National Cancer Institute's Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, and the Society of Urologic Oncology. He directs the nation's largest surgical collaborative focused on improving prostate cancer care and has led national efforts in solid tumor treatment and immunotherapy. Dr. Uzzo is a long-time consultant and editorial board member of Haymarket's Renal Urology News and MPR. His 30 years of experience in medicine reflect his enthusiastic, creative, and tireless advocacy of value-based healthcare. His focus on patient care has twice led the Fox Chase Medical Group to the Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award, which recognizes performance in the top 5% of facilities surveyed nationally. He brings to the Haymarket Board extensive clinical, academic, pharmaceutical, and administrative experience and a perspective that "the ultimate competitive advantage for an organization is its ability to learn, and to translate that learning into rapid action." Daniel Garrett In his 14 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Garrett founded and led the company's Health Industries IT (HIT) practice, ranked as one of the leading consulting firms in population health, value-based care, digital enterprise, and healthcare analytics. He also served as Technology Consulting Leader for PwC US and Trifecta (encompassing the US, China/Hong Kong, and Japan). He led PwC's analytics, digital, and cybersecurity initiatives and was responsible for driving emerging technologies in those areas as well as Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Process Automation. Prior to joining PwC, he was Executive Vice President and Managing Partner for CSC, leading its global healthcare practice. Garrett has been recognized as one of the nation's top 25 consultants by Consulting magazine. He serves on the Board of the eHealthinitiative, driving improvements in healthcare quality, safety, and efficiency through IT. He is also on the Board of WellDoc, a leading digital company in chronic disease management, and an advisory board member for Apatics (healthcare analytics/AI) and Lucideus/SAFE, a company setting standards for measuring and mitigating cybersecurity risks. Garrett's deep multi-industry experience, technology expertise, and board and organizational leadership will contribute significantly to the expansion of Haymarket's digital footprint. Mike Graziani Mike Graziani joined Haymarket in 2018, bringing more than 20 years of leadership experience with healthcare media companies. At SLACK Inc. he guided the commercial launch of the digital platform Healio.com. He has worked across almost all medical specialties and professional verticals, from primary care to oncology, physician to nurse audiences, and office practices to hospitals and managed care. At Haymarket, Mike has helped lead the Medical Communications Division in its evolution as a data-centric digital media company, launching new brands in haematology, gastroenterology, and ophthalmology; developing a Clinical Content Hub; and charting a path forward for flagship brand MPR with a recent major investment. All of this has allowed MCG to forecast 18% growth in FY21 revenue and 11% growth in contribution. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005551/en/ Contacts: Kelley Slavik, Communications Manager, Haymarket Media US kelley.slavik@haymarketmedia.com Cherry Ye, Business Communications Manager, Haymarket Media Group cherry.ye@haymarket.com Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... AZTEC The City of Farmington and Enchant Energy allege that Public Service Company of New Mexico may try to force the San Juan Generating Station to close in 2022 despite efforts to retrofit the power plant and keep it open. This comes as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is considering a pending merger between Public Service Company of New Mexicos parent company and Avangrid, a subsidiary of the Spain-based global energy company Iberdrola. The City of Farmington and Enchant Energy have filed a motion to intervene in the merger case that is currently before the FERC. The city and Enchant Energy have requested an evidentiary hearing to address the concerns expressed in the motion to intervene. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ PNM is the majority owner and operator of the San Juan Generating Station, however Farmington owns a share of unit four at the power plant. A partnership agreement between the various owners allows Farmington to acquire the San Juan Generating Station from PNM. The city hopes to transfer the majority ownership to Enchant Energy. Negotiations for the transfer of ownership are still ongoing. Several studies done on behalf of PNM, including a transmission study and a market power analysis, did not consider the impact of continued operation of the San Juan Generating Station. This has led Farmington and Enchant Energy to be concerned that PNM and Avangrid intend to force the San Juan Generating Station to close. This could be done by failing to reach a transfer agreement with the City of Farmington. Additionally, Farmington and Enchant Energy expressed concerns that, even if they successfully negotiate a transfer agreement, the San Juan Generating Station could be cut off from the transmission infrastructure needed to sell the power it would generate. They allege that forcing the closure of the power plant could benefit PNM and Avangrid by stifling competition and freeing up transmission capacity. PNM denied the allegations that Enchant and Farmington made in the motion to intervene. The PNM-Avangrid merger has no impact on the potential Farmington-PNM negotiations related to the San Juan site, PNM said Thursday night in an emailed statement to The Daily Times. There are no changes to the form, structure, or rights in the current negotiations impacted by the merger. Hannah Grover covers government for The Daily Times. She can be reached at 505-564-4652 or via email at hgrover@daily-times.com. Support local journalism with a digital subscription: http://bit.ly/2I6TU0e This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: Farmington, Enchant Energy say PNM could force San Juan Generating Station closure ___ (c)2021 The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) Visit The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) at www.daily-times.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 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. JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON: U.S. President Joe Bidens plan to work to reopen the Palestinians diplomatic mission in Washington could be held up over a law that exposes Palestinian officials to U.S. anti-terror lawsuits, officials and advisers to the Palestinians say. The Biden administration hopes to repair relations with the Palestinians after a sharp deterioration under former President Donald Trump, who closed the Palestine Liberation Organizations Washington office in 2018 and cut millions of dollars in aid to the West Bank and Gaza Strip. But under an anti-terror amendment passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump in 2019, the Palestinians would become liable for $655.5 million in financial penalties against them in U.S. courts if they open an office in the United States. There are also questions about how Biden will fulfil a pledge to resume economic aid to the Palestinians. The Taylor Force Act, passed by Congress in 2018, restricts some aid until the Palestinians end payments to people jailed by Israel over violent crimes, among other conditions. Speaking to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, Acting U.S. envoy Richard Mills said Washington intended to take steps to reopen diplomatic missions that were closed for the last U.S. administration", without giving a timeline. The legal hurdles underscore the range of challenges Biden may face in restoring ties with the Palestinians and reversing actions taken by Trump, who overturned longtime U.S. Middle East policy with a series of pro-Israel steps including ending U.S. opposition to Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Palestinians say his actions discredited the longtime U.S. role as chief mediator in their conflict with Israel and further dimmed any chance of a peace deal envisaging a Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied territory. Palestinian leaders have welcomed Bidens pledges of rapprochement, but while he can reverse some measures through executive orders, others involve laws passed by Congress and are not as easily changed. [M1L1N2JV1CA] Asked for comment, a U.S. State Department official told Reuters: In administering aid, the Biden-Harris Administration will fully comply with U.S. law including the Taylor Force Act." The official did not comment on whether the Biden administration would look into working around the anti-terror amendment to help rebuild relations with the Palestinians. TALKS ON A FIX Talks are ongoing with the administration and Congress about finding a fix" to the amendment that would allow the PLO mission to reopen, an American legal adviser to the Palestinians said, adding that the Palestinians dont have the money to pay" the financial claims against them. Palestinian officials declined to comment. A Biden adviser told Reuters just before the Nov. 3 election that Biden would seek to reopen the PLO mission to Washington but added: There is a law that could make that more challenging." The anti-terror amendment makes the Palestinians liable for the hefty financial penalty that a U.S. jury awarded against them if they establish or maintain any facilities in the United States, conduct activity on behalf of the PLO or the Palestinian Authority, or make payments to Palestinians imprisoned over violent crimes against Americans, among other conditions. The jury award stems from lawsuits by 11 American families who sought to hold the PA and PLO liable for shootings and bombings by between 2002 and 2004 in Jerusalem that killed 33 people, including several Americans. Palestinian leaders have condemned the attacks and blamed them on rogue individuals. But the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 refused to consider awarding those claims, upholding a lower court finding that there was no jurisdiction for attacks outside U.S. territory. 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 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. Robert Malley, a lawyer and conflict resolution expert, has been picked to serve as US President Joe Bidens envoy for Iranian affairs, the Associated Press reported citing anonymous sources. Malley has previously served as top security aide in the Obama Administration and was appointed as his point man on the Middle East. Although further details have not been ironed out as yet, Malley is expected to be named for the position by State Secretary Antony Blinken later on Friday, January 29. Speaking to the Associated Press, the anonymous official, further revealed that Malley would head a dedicated team of clear-eyed experts with a diversity of views. Additionally, he said that Malley has a track record of success negotiating constraints on Irans nuclear program and that Blinken is confident he will be able to do that once again. Read: 'Reality Check': Iran Rejects US Call To Comply With Nuclear Deal First Read: Iran Says Production Of Enriched Uranium Exceeds Goals 'high expertise in the region' Observers believe that his appointment could serve as a crucial move to redeem the severed relationship between the US and Iran. While President Joe Biden had long vowed to rejoin the Iran nuclear deal, State Secretary Antony Blinken recently opined that it would take some time for the fraught talks to end. Meanwhile, supporters of the nuke deal have lauded Malley highlighting his expertise in the region and his experience of serving under multiple presidents. Washingtons withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), also known as Iran nuclear deal and imposition of extended sanctions worsened the relations between Trump-led US and Iran. The ties between both reached a nadir after a drone strike ordered by former US President Donald Trump killed storied foreign operations chief General Qasem Soleimani at Baghdad International airport. While Trump had reportedly lampooned the Islamic republic for sponsoring terrorist activities, curbing human rights, secretly developing nuclear weapons inter alia, President Biden has hinted at resurrecting their mutual relationship. Read: US Secretary Of State Says It Would Take Some Time Before America Joins Iran Nuke Deal Read: 'Soleimani's Killer Must Face Vengeance': Iran Threatens Trump As He Leaves Office KYODO NEWS - Jan 29, 2021 - 12:37 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Painstaking preparation is in progress in Japan ahead of the planned rollout of coronavirus vaccinations by late February, with authorities holding a test run at a local gymnasium in Kawasaki where nurses simulated inoculations of volunteers. The drill involving some 60 people, each wearing a bib bearing the name of the role they are playing such as "doctor" and "person to be vaccinated," was held Wednesday in the city with a population of 1.5 million adjoining Tokyo. The simulation was aimed at helping create a model for local government officials to use across the nation in their massive impending community vaccination drives. Social distancing measures were in place in the gym, with partitions set up to separate participants. The people undergoing mock vaccinations were asked to stay in the building for 15 to 30 minutes after they had received the shot as a precaution should they experience any serious allergic reaction. "I heard it took some extra time when holding a pre-vaccination consultation (with doctors)" in the simulation, said Taro Kono, minister in charge of vaccination efforts, after the event was held by the health ministry in collaboration with Kawasaki authorities. The mock vaccination targeted a rapid pace -- inoculating 30 people per hour -- as the city hopes roughly 200 people a day can get a jab in a venue of a similar size. That is feasible if local officials can handle 30 people every hour and continue it for seven hours. The test run progressed smoothly and at its target pace, except for the consultation stage. Officials realized applicants could ask doctors random questions, including about possible side effects, or express anxiety about their chronic diseases, slowing the process. Kono, who also serves as administrative reform minister, revealed Thursday the government is now considering having local governments enclose a medical questionnaire when mailing a vaccination ticket to residents. The plan is apparently aimed at avoiding congestion at vaccination venues by asking residents to fill in the form beforehand. The health ministry also plans to share a video of the Kawasaki simulation with local governments across the country so they can better prepare their own vaccination centers. The central government has secured a supply of coronavirus vaccines sufficient for 157 million people from two U.S. pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc., and Britain's AstraZeneca Plc. That is more than enough to cover Japan's entire population of 125 million people. Medical workers are expected to be eligible for vaccinations first, followed by people aged 65 or older, then people with pre-existing conditions and those caring for the elderly. The Pfizer vaccine, the only one already under review by the health ministry, is expected to gain approval on Feb. 15 when the ministry holds a panel meeting, sources close to the matter said earlier this month. When the U.S. company asked the Japanese ministry to approve its novel coronavirus vaccine on Dec. 18, health minister Norihisa Tamura said his ministry "is unable to approve it" unless it can determine the results of a clinical trial that began October in Japan with around 200 Japanese participants, demonstrating Tokyo's commitment to safety. The government is likely taking a cautious approach due to Japanese people's history of distrusting vaccines and being wary of potential side effects, meaning establishing a trouble-free process and conducting thorough trials will increase the likelihood of wider take-up. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Jan. 4 that full results of the trial, undertaken by Pfizer's Japanese subsidiary, are "expected by the end of this month as a result of a strong request made by the Japanese government to its U.S. headquarters." Pfizer Japan Inc. initially planned to submit the test results to the health ministry "by February." While the central government is in charge of procuring vaccines, inoculations will be left to local governments. Local officials are wary whether they can secure suitable sites for vaccinating a large number of people. "If (a venue) is too small, it will risk creating a crowd," said Noboru Sakamoto, president of Kawasaki City College of Nursing whose gym was used for the simulation. "A venue for vaccination will be used at least six months, meaning elementary, middle or high school gyms cannot be used because students need them every day." A recent Kyodo News survey showed 80 percent of Japan's 47 prefectural capitals view securing enough medical personnel for vaccination as another challenge. As the resurgence in coronavirus cases since November in Japan has strained the country's medical system, local governments fear they may not have enough doctors and nurses to work at vaccination sites. A plan recently surfaced within the central government to dispatch medical students to the venues to cope with a shortage in staff, only to be dismissed after meeting opposition from the education ministry, government sources said. The health ministry was also critical, with one ministry official saying, "It's ridiculous. Who will take responsibility if a problem occurs?" The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a 55-year-old Afghan national for allegedly residing in India for the past 15 years using fake identification documents, including Indian passport and a voter ID card, officials said on Friday. Based on a tip-off, the ATS arrested the man, Sardarkhan Pathan, from his residence in Mirzapur area of Ahmedabad city on Thursday, they said. Pathan, who hails from Kabul in Afghanistan, has been booked under relevant sections of the Passports Act and the Foreigners Act, the ATS said in a release on Friday. The ATS found two Indian passports, a letter from Afghan foreign affairs ministry, copy of an ID card issued by Pakistan authorities, an Indian voter ID card, Aadhaar card, driving licence and a PAN card from his house, it said. The preliminary investigation has revealed that Pathan has been staying here for the last 15 years and was involved in the business of money lending, it added. Pathan told the ATS that his father and uncle used to visit India frequently to sell Afghani hing (asafoetida) and shilajit. "Around 15 years back, Pathan came to Ahmedabad via Pakistan and Amritsar with his father and started living in Pathan Basti in Dariyapur area of the city. He then acquired Indian passport using bogus documents," the release said. Meanwhile, his family members, who were still residing in Kabul, fled to Pakistan after the situation in their home country started worsening due to civil war. According to the ATS, Pathan visited his family in Pakistan using Indian passport and got married for the second time there. When the situation started worsening in Pakistan also, his family went back to Afghanistan. "Later, Pathan obtained a new Indian passport on the basis of the old one and visited Afghanistan several times," the ATS said. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Jan 29, 2021 12:10 (IST) India provided necessary medicines to 150 countries, says President Kovind India has provided necessary medicines to more than 150 countries. India is also committed to ensuring the availability of vaccines on a global scale, said President Kovind. 12:10 IST: India has provided necessary medicines to more than 150 countries. India is also committed to ensuring the availability of vaccines on a global scale, said President Kovind. Jan 29, 2021 12:06 (IST) Every Indian grateful to Galwan martyrs: President Twenty jawans laid down their lives in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, says President Kevin. Every citizen is grateful to these martyrs. My government is committed to the protection of the interests of the nation. Extra Forces have been deployed at LAC for protection of India's sovereignty, says President. 12:06 IST: Twenty jawans laid down their lives in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, says President Kevin. Every citizen is grateful to these martyrs. My government is committed to the protection of the interests of the nation. Extra Forces have been deployed at LAC for protection of India's sovereignty, says President. Jan 29, 2021 12:02 (IST) Extremism in Northeast on the decline: President President Kovind said that incidents of violence and extremism in the Northeast in declining. The youth that had gone astray is returning to contribute in nation building. The historic Bodo peace agreement has also been signed and successfully implemented. Bodoland Territorial Council election took place successfully after the agreement, he said. 12:02 IST: President Kovind said that incidents of violence and extremism in the Northeast in declining. The youth that had gone astray is returning to contribute in nation building. The historic Bodo peace agreement has also been signed and successfully implemented. Bodoland Territorial Council election took place successfully after the agreement, he said. Jan 29, 2021 11:55 (IST) India attractive destination for investors: President India has emerged as an attractive destination for global investors despite the damage suffered during the coronavirus period, says the President. The nation is recovering from the damage that the economy suffered while saving the life of every Indian during the coronavirus period, he says. 11:55 IST: India has emerged as an attractive destination for global investors despite the damage suffered during the coronavirus period, says the President. The nation is recovering from the damage that the economy suffered while saving the life of every Indian during the coronavirus period, he says. Jan 29, 2021 11:48 (IST) Construction of new Parliament building begins, says President President Kovind says that previous governments had made efforts to construct a new Parliament building but it is a delightful coincidence that the construction started as India moves towards 75th year of Independence. 11:48 IST: President Kovind says that previous governments had made efforts to construct a new Parliament building but it is a delightful coincidence that the construction started as India moves towards 75th year of Independence. Jan 29, 2021 11:37 (IST) President says new farm laws gives rights to farmers Farm laws have not taken away rights of the farmers but given them new facilities and rights, says President Kovind. 11:37 IST: Farm laws have not taken away rights of the farmers but given them new facilities and rights, says President Kovind. Jan 29, 2021 11:32 (IST) Rs 1,13,000 crore transferred to farmers: President President Kovind says Rs 1,13,000 crore have been transferred directly to the accounts of small and marginal farmers under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi. 11:32 IST: President Kovind says Rs 1,13,000 crore have been transferred directly to the accounts of small and marginal farmers under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi. Jan 29, 2021 11:27 (IST) President laments Republic Day violence President laments the violence on Republic Day and says that the national flag was insulted. The Constitution that provides us Freedom of Expression, is the same Constitution that teaches us that law and rules have to be followed seriously, he says sternly. 11:27 IST: President laments the violence on Republic Day and says that the national flag was insulted. The Constitution that provides us Freedom of Expression, is the same Constitution that teaches us that law and rules have to be followed seriously, he says sternly. Jan 29, 2021 11:21 (IST) Poor getting medicines at very low cost President Kovind spoke of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and said that it can be availed in any of the 24,000 hospitals across the nation. The poor are getting medicines at very low costs at 7,000 centres across the country, under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, he said. 11:21 IST: President Kovind spoke of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and said that it can be availed in any of the 24,000 hospitals across the nation. The poor are getting medicines at very low costs at 7,000 centres across the country, under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, he said. Jan 29, 2021 11:17 (IST) Timely decision saved lakhs of lives: President President Ram Nath Kovind said that timely decision of the government saved the lives of lakhs of citizens. "Today the number of new COVID cases is going down rapidly. The number of recoveries is very high," he said. 11:17 IST: President Ram Nath Kovind said that timely decision of the government saved the lives of lakhs of citizens. "Today the number of new COVID cases is going down rapidly. The number of recoveries is very high," he said. home World Christians living in fear of Islamic radicals after Christian mom's death sentence acquittal Christians have been dragged out of their cars and beaten, and said they are "haunted" with fear of Islamic radicals as the blasphemy case of Christian mother Asia Bibi tears Pakistan apart. Romana Bashir, a Christian rights activist in Islamabad, said in an interview with CNN that blasphemy laws have been used to target followers of Christ in the Muslim country for years, but the fallout of Bibi's acquittal has been truly severe. Hardliners have blocked the streets, burned cars, and rioted through cities, angry at what they perceive to be the Pakistan Supreme Court's giving in to pressure by deciding to free the Christian mother, instead of confirming her 2010 death sentence. Peter Jacob, the executive director for the Center for Social Justice in Lahore, said that there have been cases where rioters have asked people in cars to tell them their religion. If they were found to be Christian, "they were taken out of their cars and beaten up." He warned that "the mental and psychological scars" that the Christian community are suffering will endure in the "current climate of fear." Large-scale Islamic radical attacks in Pakistan have decreased in the past year, though some church-going believers, such as those at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Rawalpindi, have admitted that they are constantly having to be careful. One gatekeeper at St Joseph, who didn't wish to share his name, said that he is "grateful for the presence of the military close to the church," but that the sense of fear has "begun to haunt him" since Bibi's acquittal. Christians face discrimination in Pakistan in a variety of different ways, such as being offered only low-skilled jobs and kept at the bottom of society. The blasphemy laws, which, such as in Bibi's case, can put believers on death row even if they claim to be innocent, create a whole new dimension of terror, Bashir explained. She said that one of the biggest problems is that when non-Muslims are accused of blasphemy, "the entire community is branded and labeled with the crime." "When you are accused you cannot live in the same place, your family is under threat, your entire locality is under threat, you must run, you must leave everything you love behind. The impact is very severe," she explained. Bashir, who in 2012 was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to serve as adviser for the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims, said that progress in terms of trust between Muslim leaders and Christians is being broken apart due to the blasphemy controversy. "People on both sides are now afraid to come forth, there is no middle ground for discussion, there is no air for reconciliation, it's like the bridges of harmony have been burnt in the aftermath of acquittal," she said. Bibi's fate meanwhile remains uncertain, with the Christian mother of five not yet allowed to leave Pakistan, due to the pressure hardliners are putting on the government. Several Western countries have said that they are looking into ways of helping Bibi and her family, though it is not yet clear who will offer her asylum. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau was the latest on Monday to suggest his country might step up. "We are in discussions with the Pakistani government," Trudeau told AFP in France. "There is a delicate domestic context that we respect which is why I don't want to say any more about that, but I will remind people Canada is a welcoming country," he added. Courtesy of The Christian Post The now popular Signal app confirmed that it will soon have new mainstream chat features so that the messaging service could attract more audiences. This means that Signal will start focusing on other things aside from security features. The Verge reported that the new exciting chatting features will arrive on Signal for both Android 5.3.7 and iOS 5.3.1. The app will deliver additional mainstream features such as animated stickers, chat wallpapers, and the latest "About" section in the users' profiles. On the other hand, the iOS Signal version now handles data more effectively and smoothly, bringing it closer to the Android app version. Previously, Telegram, Signal, and other messaging apps, that can replace WhatsApp, have seen a surge in growth. Here's a sneak peek at some new Signal features that will start rolling out in a few days: Chat wallpapers! About field for your Signal profile Animated stickers For iOS: Media auto-download settings and full-screen profile photos (to match Android) Good morning ! pic.twitter.com/KEAbhMswRI Signal (@signalapp) January 12, 2021 This is because users are now looking for better alternatives to WhatsApp since the Facebook-owned application changed its user data sharing policy. Signal's new mainstream chat features Signal teased the latest features by posting a tweet using its official account. "Here's a sneak peek at some new Signal features that will start rolling out in a few days," said the app via its official Twitter account. "Chat wallpapers! About field for your Signal profile, Animated stickers. For iOS: Media auto-download settings and full-screen profile photos (to match Android)," added the company. Also Read: Xiaomi MIUI 12.5 February Launch Confirmed: All Supported Device List, Features and MORE These new features were already announced on Jan. 11. Sources confirmed that the app decided to roll out the beta version for Android last week of Friday, Jan. 22. On the other hand, iPhone users will see a new setting that could help them lower data usage during phone calls. This option automatically pauses attachment downloads when the user is having a call. The app is also expected to have image compression among other enhancements. Why Signal is so popular? The messaging app became popular after WhatsApp changed its user data sharing policy and when Elon Musk tweeted that the public should use Signal instead of WhatsApp. Aside from the promotion and bad image of its competitor, Signal also offers a security feature called E2E encryption or end-to-end encryption. This means that the app's developers and other employees will not see the conversation of the sender and receiver. For more news updates about Signal and other popular messaging services, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: iOS 14 New BlastDoor Messages App Security Could Block Hackers' Brute Force Attacks This article is owned by TechTimes. Written by: Giuliano de Leon. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Seth Amoama, to act as Chief of Defence Staff. The appointment according to a statement signed by Acting Director of Communication at the presidency, Eugene Arhin, is effective from February 5, 2021, pending consultation with the yet-to-be-constituted Council of State. This appointment has been made following the completion of the tour of duty and subsequent retirement from the Ghana Armed Forces, on 5th February 2021, of the current Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. O.B Akwa, the statement said. Also appointed by the President with effect from February 5, 2021, are Rear Admiral Issah Adams Yakubu to act as Chief of Naval Staff, also pending consultation with the yet-to-be-constituted Council of State. Rear Admiral Yakubu, until his new appointment, was the Chief of Staff at General Headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces. Read below full statement: 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 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The impact of COVID-19 has been felt unevenly across America, with some communities suffering more than others. In Chicago, for example, Black and Latinx residents have accounted for a disproportionate percentage of the known fatalities so far, while those living and working in nursing homes and incarcerated people have been infected at higher rates across the country. University of Chicago scholar Harold Pollack, an expert on the intersection of public health and poverty, says that finding equitable public health solutions means acknowledging our obligations to one another. Pollack recently authored an article in the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law on the subject of COVID-19 and social justice, and why preparing for health crises requires greater and more sustained attention. "One of my greatest fears is that public health is boring until it's notand then it becomes boring again," said Pollack, the Helen Ross Professor at the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. In the following Q&A, Pollack examines what the U.S. has done right (and wrong) during the pandemic, and makes policy recommendations to prevent a public health catastrophe of this scale from unfolding in the future. Why did you decide to write about COVID-19 and social justice? The major reason is because we're all bearing witness to a public health catastrophe. And it's a catastrophe that has had a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged groups, making tensions and institutional failures that already existed in society more visible by their tragic consequences. I'm talking about people who are living and working in nursing homes, African Americans, undocumented individuals, essential workers and others who may be in greater danger by virtue of their situations, with few choices when it comes to protecting themselves. The same people may have few resources at their disposal to advocate for changes that would keep them safer. So, who is stepping up for them? The combination of 1) a profound threat, 2) inequality and 3) disparities in political influence makes this a social justice issue. And that's what motivated me to write the piece. We who are more privileged can't have a sense of impunity about this. What policies could help address future public health threats, while reducing the disparities you describe? One of my greatest fears is that public health is boring until it's notand then it becomes boring again. This happened with H1N1 and Ebola: In the moment, people said, 'We have to make sure this never happens again'but then the threat passed and no institutional changes were made. Given how much COVID-19 has strained our systems, I do think we'll make some changes this time. We'll figure out how to stockpile personal protective equipment and improve the supply chain for critical public health activities going forward. But whether or not we will actually improve our public health and social service infrastructure in a more profound way is unclear. One thing I would like to see is for Medicaidwhich serves more than 70 million peopleand similar programs to take on population health as a part of their mission. Under our current system, state-of-the-art hospitals treating Medicaid patients can exist alongside overcrowded homeless shelters where the risk of COVID exposure is high. How can that be? The federal government should consider paying for public health initiatives with a matching arrangement, the same way state Medicare funds are matched. We need to give policymakers an incentive to spend more on preventative outreach that keeps people safer and healthier, and matching would be a great way to accomplish that. I hope the Biden administration embraces this challenge. What has the U.S. done right in its response to the pandemic? There's no question that we did two things right during COVID. The first was that the Trump administration indicated to vaccine manufacturers that if they developed a successful vaccine, the federal government would buy millions of doses. The market responded to that in a very impressive way. We now have multiple protective vaccines, less than a year after scientific priorities shifted to focus on COVID-19. The second thing we did right was providing economic resources to people so that they could get over the temporary hurdles posed by the initial lockdown. But the danger of a stimulus is that there's a zero-sum aspect to it politically: Because a stimulus gives money from the government to people directly, it tends to give a polling boost to those who are in office at the time it passes, which can make their opponents ambivalent about it. We need a better safety net system. Such a system would trigger payments automatically when a sharp spike in the unemployment rate occurred, providing sustained support to peopleespecially those in industries that were directly impacted, like the restaurant industry in the case of COVID-19without being subject to the politics of the moment. The U.S. spends a lot on scientific researchthink rapid vaccine developmentbut less on public health. What are the consequences, and how can we rebalance our priorities? When we underfund public health departments, we make it more difficult for them to serve us. We also end up spending money on treatments and experience the social harms associated with illnesses that could have been avoided in the first place. Public health departments shouldn't be transmitting data on fax machines, and they shouldn't be ridiculed for having to do their jobs with outdated technology. Instead, we should be looking at our epidemiological surveillance systems and asking ourselves how to make them better. Improved technology is certainly a big part of that. But a lot of what needs to happen in public health is not high tech: It's about communities. How can social workers win people's trust, whileensuring that they have the ability to actually follow through on public health guidance without jeopardizing their livelihoods? To do so, they need to be both culturally competent and capable of giving people access to resources they might need to act. We need leaders from both sides of the political aisle and across every segment of American society unified behind a vaccine. And we need to be willing to meet people where they are, building trust rather than deepening their skepticism. This is a huge challenge given the diversity that exists in our society. And it's an increasing challenge given political polarization, as the public health enterprise itself encounters more distrust within politically and culturally conservative communities across America. We need greater cultural competence and more credible local messengers to cross these divides. Contract tracing for COVID-19 in the U.S. has not been very successful. How can we improve it? I think there are two reasons why contact tracing has been unsuccessful here so far. The first is institutional and cultural competence. We tried to begin building institutional capacity after the catastrophe was upon us, which is not an effective way to meet a challenge. And when contact tracers called people, they weren't always able to establish trust. Imagine if you were a U.S. citizen living in a household with undocumented individuals. Would you be fully forthcoming with someone from the government who called you out of the blue, asking you to report all your contacts and stop going to work? Even if you recognized their good intentions, you might feel unsure. Finally, as a country we're not providing people with the resources they need to take the protective behaviors we say are necessary. If we want someone to physically isolate, we need to figure out how we can make that work for them personally. Do they need a free hotel room? What about groceries or other necessities while they are separated from their families? Just by changing our framing from a statement (Do this!) to a question (How do I help you do this?), we're going to get much more receptive reactions. You've written about harm reduction in public health. How does it apply here? Harm reduction is an important principle that's relevant to contract tracing and COVID-19 guidance generally. As we've learned from HIV, educating people about harm reduction and giving them the knowledge they need to evaluate risk and make safer choices can be an effective strategy. If someone you know is taking unnecessary COVID risks, for example, a helpful approach can be to tell them what social activities are low risk and what makes them low risk, rather than chastising them. If they must see others, they should be doing it outside, with masks on, at a distance. Public health isn't about finger-wagging. It's about working with people to reduce risk. The bottom line is that we shouldn't define ourselves in opposition to certain behaviors, but rather as partners working together on solutions that keep people safe. It's about compassion, humility, and bringing to bear all the social services tools that we have available. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak More information: Harold A. Pollack. Disaster Preparedness and Social Justice in a Public Health Emergency, Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law (2020). Journal information: Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law Harold A. Pollack. Disaster Preparedness and Social Justice in a Public Health Emergency,(2020). DOI: 10.1215/03616878-8641457 Day after day ambulances waiting to deliver COVID-19 patients queue outside hospital emergency departments in Portugal. In the late hours of Thursday around 40 ambulances were in line waiting for an emergency service triage at the Santa Maria Hospital in Lisbon, one of the hospitals most affected by the rapid rise in virus cases. The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and patients in intensive care continue to reach new highs, placing the Portuguese public health system under severe strain. Santa Maria hospital management acknowledged the mounting pressure on all services, however the head of the hospital board made a public appeal to people, saying that many patients have only mild symptoms and would not need an ambulance to come to the hospital. Daniel Ferro said this unnecessary use of an ambulance for transport purposes only is merely adding more pressure to its already overstretched coping capacity. The country logged Thursday new daily records of 16,432 additional infections and 303 deaths for COVID-19 in the last 24 hour, bringing the total pandemic tally to more than 685,000 cases and over 11,600 fatalities. A January pandemic surge has stretched medical services in Portugal to breaking point. By size of population, Portugal has been the worst-hit country in the world for more than a week in terms of daily new cases and deaths, data compiled by Johns Hopkins University shows. Portugal is reeling from the twin effects of a Christmas relaxation of restrictions on movement and gatherings that coincided with the appearance of a fast-spreading new variant first identified in England. Experts have chided the government for failing to respond more swiftly. Flights to and from the UK were banned only last weekend. Flights to and from Brazil, a country with close ties to Portugal where another worrying variant has been detected, will be banned only from Saturday. Around the world, countries are on alert for surges triggered by the variants. Portugal could be a peek at what lies in store as governments strive to speed up vaccination programs. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Dont miss what is in the news today: Politics The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, which is being held in Hanoi from January 25 to February 2, has received 298 congratulatory letters and messages from 149 parties, six regional and international organizations, 93 friendship and peoples organizations, 25 diplomatic delegations, and 16 individuals from 92 countries. Society Vietnam reported nine new community cases of COVID-19 in Hanoi and the northern provinces of Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong and Bac Ninh on Friday morning, bringing the patient tally to 1,651. Following the record number of domestic cases of COVID-19 reported in the northern region on Thursday, the Ministry of Transport ordered the chairpeople of the People's Committees of Quang Ninh and Hai Duong, based on the actual situation of the local COVID-19 outbreaks, to issue appropriate decisions on suspending, delaying, postponing, or adjusting the frequency and the operation of passenger transport routes. Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport decided to suspend all road transport activities between the southern metropolis and the two aforementioned provinces. In the same move, Hanois Department of Transport ordered the suspension of passenger transport by road between the capital city and Quang Ninh. Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO have beefed up measures of COVID-19 prevention and control on their entire flight networks following the resurgence of the viral disease in Vietnam. Vietnam has earned three awards in the latest round of the Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER), an international program that funds scientists and engineers in developing countries who partner with US government-funded researchers to address global development challenges, according to the Vietnam News Agency. Business Vietnam is likely the top-performing Asian economy in 2020 -- a feat that was achieved without a single quarter of economic contraction at a time when many economies globally were weighed down by the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Vietnamese Government Portal. Lifestyle The French Institute in Vietnam (L'Espace) will offer free screenings of French films with Vietnamese subtitles at websites danet.vn or fptplay.vn, as well as through applications DANET and FPT Play with no time limit from Friday to February 28 during an event called Cine-Tet: Nouvel An, Nouveaux Film (Cine-Tet: New Year, New Film). World news The United States has found its first cases of a potent coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa, health officials in the state of South Carolina said on Thursday (local time), according to Reuters. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! An afternoon on the water resulted in a bizarre boat-rage incident in which a man sunk his own dinghy while ramming another boat with an oar-wielding woman on board. The two vessels were on the water in Tairua near Auckland, New Zealand when they became involved in the boat ramp bust-up on Saturday. The clip shows the middle-aged man in the dinghy screaming at the woman on the larger boat that she caused damage to his vessel - before speeding away and turning around to ram them. A person can be seen swinging an oar at the man (pictured) as his inflatable dinghy sinks Police and the local harbourmaster have both launched investigations after the video, filmed by someone on the larger boat surfaced online. 'You piece of s*** you've just caused $1000 of damage. You drive past my boat, you rock it if you're not doing 5 knots,' the enraged man yells. The man appears to be claiming the other boat had gone too fast passed his own dinghy resulting in damage. The woman, not backing down, grabs a large wooden oar as the dinghy driver speeds off. He can then be seen in the clip circling around and ramming the other boat. 'There are children on board,' the woman yells. 'I don't care,' replies the man as his inflatable dinghy promptly deflates and sinks into the water. A person can be seen swinging a large oar towards the dinghy in the shallow water as the man attempts to remove the motor before it submerges. The dinghy driver (pictured left) can be seen in the video yelling at the woman before speeding off and circling back to ram the boat (pictured right) The video has been shared to multiple social media sites including Facebook and TikTok. 'Was his boat not secure? Real nutter to ram the boat at the prop with an inflatable,' one person said. 'I dont know what happened...but I think they both require Anger Management counseling,' another said. NZ Police have also reportedly received an assault complaint linked to the incident. Daily Mail Australia has contacted NZ Police and Maritime New Zealand for comment. Day care shortage creates barriers for working parents With a labor shortage plaguing the state, working parents are ready to fill these positions. The lack of childcare options creates barriers. (Natural News) Facebook has hired Roy Austin, an Obama administration veteran and a member of President Joe Bidens transition team, as the social media companys vice president of civil rights and deputy general counsel. (Article by Petr Svab republished from TheEpochTimes.com) Austin had been a civil rights prosecutor and served as a Department of Justice (DOJ) supervisor before becoming a deputy assistant to President Barack Obama in the Office of Urban Affairs, Justice, and Opportunity in 2014. In 2017, he went into private practice as a criminal defense and civil rights attorney at Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis. In November, Biden named him as one of the volunteers on the Agency Review Team for the DOJ in his transition. It isnt clear what Austins specific responsibilities will be at Facebook; the company didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for further details, and an attempt to reach Austin for comment was unsuccessful. I am delighted to welcome Roy to Facebook as our VP of Civil Rights. Roy has proved throughout his career that he is a passionate and principled advocate for civil rightswhether it is in the courtroom or the White House, Jennifer Newstead, Facebooks general counsel, said in a Jan. 11 release. I know he will bring the same wisdom, integrity, and dedication to Facebook. Its hard to imagine anyone better qualified to help us strengthen and advance civil rights on our platform and in our company. Austins appointment underscores the closeness of Facebook to the Biden administration. Former Facebook associate general counsel Jessica Hertz, who was the Biden transitions general counsel, is his new White House staff secretary. Jeffrey ZientsBidens coronavirus czarserved on Facebooks board of directors from 2018 to 2020. Austin Lin, a former program manager at Facebook, was on one of Bidens agency review teams before reportedly being tapped for a deputy role at White Houses Office of Management and Administration. Erskine Bowles, a former Facebook board member, reportedly advised the transition team. Hertz, Zients, and Lin used to hold roles in the Obama administration. Bowles served as President Bill Clintons chief of staff. Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg gave $500 million to election officials ahead of the 2020 election for measures such as ballot drop boxes and mail-in voting, described as tools to make voting safer amid the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. The grants violated election laws and were distributed unevenly, favoring Democrat-heavy areas, according to The Amistad Project of the Thomas More Society, a constitutional litigation organization. Austin, who is to be based in Washington, was to start his role at Facebook on Jan. 19, the company said. I am excited to join Facebook at this moment when there is a national and global awakening happening around civil rights, Austin said in the release. Technology plays a role in nearly every part of our lives, and its important that it be used to overcome the historic discrimination and hate which so many underrepresented groups have faced, rather than to exacerbate it. I could not pass up the opportunity to join a company whose products are used by so many and which impacts the civil rights and liberties of billions of people, in order to help steer a better way forward. His referral to underrepresented groups raises the specter of political bias, as the underlying reasoning has been tied to tech companies enforcing their content rules unevenly. Facebook moderators were told, for instance, that prohibited hate speech against certain groups was to be left alone, as long as it aligned with the companys agenda, according to a 2018 memo to moderators working at Cognizant, a firm that at the time contracted with Facebook to shoulder part of the content policing. Anything that is DELETE per our Hate Speech policies, but is intended to raise awareness for Pride/LGBTQ was to be temporarily allowed, the post stated, specifying that this may occur especially in terms of attacking straight white males. In 2019, Facebook updated its policy to allow threats that could lead to death against those on the companys list of Dangerous Individuals and Organizations. Aside from groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and individuals tied to Nazism, Facebook also placed people on the list such as populist commentator Paul Joseph Watson and conservative activist Laura Loomer. Facebook quietly responded to backlash by removing the exception from the publicly available version of its policy, but this change was never communicated to its content moderators, and, in practice, the exception remained in place, according to Zach McElroy, who used to work as a Facebook moderator at Cognizant. Facebook isnt the only tech company that seems to interpret its own policies unevenly. Google tweaked its products to promote what the company considered the interests of historically marginalized groups, according to insider documents and recordings. The approach aligns with the tenets of the quasi-Marxist critical theory, which divides society into oppressors and the historically oppressed based on characteristics such as race and gender along the lines of Marxisms class division. Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com and FacebookCollapse.com. (Natural News) Three of the evilest entities on the planet were charged in a Peruvian court the other day of conspiring to create the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) for world domination. Bill Gates, George Soros, and several members of the Rockefeller family were deemed responsible for the advent and spread of the Chinese virus, which has killed tens of thousands of small businesses and forever changed the world for the worst. The Chicha and Pisco Criminal Appeals Chamber decided that the ever-dreaded Chinese germs were the product of criminal elite around the world mostly multi-billionaires with global depopulation on their minds. These defendants had tried to appeal, but Judges Tito Gallego, Luis Legia, and Tony Changarei issued a delay, justifying it due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic. It was only predictable for ordinary people, however, as the alleged creators of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) who have been involved in it and continue to manage it with particular secrecy in their environment are entirely unaffected. In fact, Bill Gates has never once been seen wearing a face mask, nor is he willing to take the vaccines he is now pushing everyone else to get for their safety and protection against the WuFlu. No world government, individuals or legal entities, nor the defense of the accused can claim that this pandemic has the quality of foresight, except for the creators of the new world order, such as Bill Gates, Soros, Rockefeller, etc., the magistrates wrote in their resolution, which was posted to the LP Law portal. Time to prosecute Bill Gates, George Soros and the Rockefellers One does not have to read much between the lines to see that these Peruvian judges get it. The plandemic is nothing more than a scam that was hatched by the worst kinds of criminals this world has ever seen; those with lots of money and a penchant for genocide. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Gates et al. funded and created the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) for nefarious purposes or as the court put it, the Chinese virus was created by a criminal elite that rules the world. The document specifically names billionaire financier and globalist agitator George Soros, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and the entire Rockefeller family as criminals who are guilty of managing and continuing to direct the virus straight into the new world order. If only our own criminal justice system would take the same approach, then perhaps we could finally put an end to all the lockdowns, mask-wearing and superstitious paranoia that has brainwashed millions of our own people. Even better, we could finally try Gates et al. for their many crimes against humanity and punish them accordingly. Meanwhile, in lieu of justice, Gates is already planning for the next plandemic, warning those who actually listen to what he has to say that this is war. We cant afford to be caught flat-footed again, the whiny geek is quoted as saying. To prevent the hardship of this last year from happening again, pandemic preparedness must be taken as seriously as we take the threat of war. The problem for Gates, of course, is that he is the enemy in that war, and someone we should all band together to see dealt with under the law for our collective benefit. Whether right, left, or somewhere in between, all Americans have a stake in seeing Gates and his co-conspirators locked up forever, at the very least. Humanity does not stand a chance if they are allowed to continue roaming free to commit even more atrocities. If this story piqued your interest, you will find more like it at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: VerietyInfo.com NaturalNews.com SeattleTimes.com American technology giant Google has announced a 10 million US dollar package to support Kenyas post-Covid-19 recovery efforts. The announcement was made Wednesday evening by Googles Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai during a virtual meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta on the sidelines of a public discussion on digital transformation in Africa organised by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA). CCA is a Washington DC-based trade association focusing on strengthening trade and commercial ties between the United States of America and African economies. In addition to the 10 million dollar package, which includes 3 million to support small businesses, 5 million for Kenyan startups, and 2 million for charity, Mr Pichai announced several other investments lined up by his organization for Kenya. Mr Pichai said his company will expand its Google for Startups Accelerator program this year by supporting 100,000 businesses and 15,000 developers in Kenya. In the education sector, the American technology giant will train 29,000 students and 1,800 teachers on remote learning using its Google Classroom platform. President Kenyatta welcomed the post Covid-19 recovery support from Google and thanked the company for working closely with the Kenyan Government in driving digital transformation across the country in the 13 years of its operations in Kenya. Thank you and your team for being very close collaborators with Kenya over the years. We started our journey some almost two decades ago to try and start moving into the digital world. You have been a good part of that journey. A journey that has enabled many Kenyans through the use of technology and digitization to access financial services, knowledge and to enhance their business capacities, the President told Mr Pichai. He said Kenyas digital transformation supported by partners such as Google over the years has seen the country rise to become one of the start up capitals of the African continent. During the public discussion moderated by Kenyan international media icon and former CNN journalist Zain Verjee, the President said Kenya is aggressively expanding internet connectivity across the country and investing in skills development to enable young Kenyans to benefit from employment opportunities created by the digital revolution. The President said his administration is rolling out the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) to give Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects the prominence needed to move Kenya from a nation reliant on agriculture to an economy powered by technology. Moving forward, President Kenyatta said Kenyas priority is translating the expanding internet connectivity in the country into tangible economic benefits for her people. He said the country will achieve this ambition by linking the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with the high potential and expansive global markets. True growth in Kenya is going to be led by SMEs and we need to be able to tool them. One area I would like us to work a lot more together is in the area of supporting our SMEs, the President said. The Head of State said his administration was keen on expanding market opportunities for Kenyan businesses through the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with the United States of America and other multilateral platforms such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). On his part, Mr Pichai said the Covid-19 pandemic had accelerated digital growth in Africa and assured President Kenyatta that Google will continue partnering with African Governments in the delivery of technology solutions. ICT CS Joseph Mucheru, a former Google employee, attended the meetings alongside his Foreign Affairs counterpart Raychelle Omamo. State House Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita, his deputy incharge of Strategy Mrs Ruth Kagia and ICT PS Jerome Ochieng were also present. Ahead of the Chinese New Year, Apple has released a 12-minute short film shot entirely on the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Titled Nian, the film is a coming-of-age story of a girl whos afraid of the Chinese monster Nian. The film has been directed by Lulu Wang known for The Farewell. The video goes a good job of showing the video recording prowess of the iPhone 12 Pro Max. A Chinese New Year legend reimagined as a contemporary coming-of-age story, Shot on iPhone 12 Pro Max. Directed by Lulu Wang and created by the team behind the Golden Globe nominated film, The Farewell. Apple has also uploaded a behind the scenes video showing how the entire short film was shot. It also shows the various professional equipment that was used alongside the iPhone 12 Pro Max for shooting. 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. Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust has rated the cancellation of cancer elective activity at its highest risk level of 25 which based on their own risk-scoring key is catastrophic (Joe Giddens/PA Images via Getty Images) A hospital trust has warned the rapid rise of COVID cases in the area has put its ability to deliver a safe service to patients at catastrophic risk. Minutes from a board meeting of the Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust, first reported by the Health Service Journal, say the risk due to the impact of coronavirus has increased due to the rapid rise in community prevalence. The trust, which runs three major hospitals across Essex and serves a population of more than a million people, warned in its January update on Thursday that it is struggling to cope with the number of staff absence due to sickness and self-isolation. Two of its hospitals have even had to suspend life-saving cancer operations in the past month, according to the HSJ. It also warned COVID-19 patients occupy more than 50% of beds and that the proportion is rising daily. In the minutes, the board says the risk posed by COVID-19 has risen to its highest possible level 25 which has impacted non-emergency treatments including the cancelation of cancer elective activity. A score of 25 means the likelihood of a catastrophic impact is almost certain (see the chart below). A catastrophic impact can lead to permanent disability or death; serious irreversible health effects; or an inability to return to work. Mid and South Essex's risk-scoring key ranks level 25 as a 'catastrophic' risk to the lives of patients (MSEFT) The minutes reveal that at Southend Hospital, a huge surge in COVID positive admissions resulted in cancer surgery ceasing on 24 December, although the system now has access to independent sector hospitals to deliver some cancer surgery. At Mid Essex Hospital, a sudden influx of cases just before Christmas resulted in the cancelling of some cancer surgeries. The minutes also reveal that elective work was dramatically impacted with a short period of life and limb only carried out on site. At the end of December hospitals in Essex declared a major incident due to COVID-19 and local authorities, concerned about the number of COVID-19 cases, asked for military help to increase hospital capacity. Story continues The minutes recognise a failure to deliver a high quality, safe service for our patients due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and failure to protect our staff from infectious disease transmission. The risk due to the impact of COVID-19 on our healthcare provision has increased due to the rapid rise in community prevalence, it said. Southend University Hospital has been hit by staff shortages as workers are off sick or having to self-isolate (John Keeble/Getty Images) The number of COVID-19 admissions has increased markedly over the last month despite the mitigating actions being taken by the Trust and system partners and the support from Region. COVID-19 patients occupy more than 50% of our bed-base and the proportion is rising daily. Our ICU capacity has been increased but this expansion will ultimately be limited by the maximum oxygen supply and the availability of staff. We are struggling to maintain staffing levels despite use of bank, agency and redeployment. The number of staff absent due to sickness or self-isolation has increased. Non-emergency activity has been postponed and backlogs of patients waiting for care will inevitably develop. NHS Staff on the frontline urge people to stay home Read more What you can and can't do under current lockdown rules In December the Mid Essex hospital agreed legal undertakings with NHS England for breaches against its provider licence in five areas. Two of these include delayed diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients and growth in elective backlog. Each individual hospital site, which operated as separate trusts until they merged into one single trust in April 2020, have had a history of poor performance in both these areas. Clare Panniker, Chief Executive of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, told Yahoo News UK: Coronavirus has clearly put significant pressure on NHS services, but any patients whose cancer treatment is urgent have received that care, and many patients including 125 people this week are getting their treatment through the independent sector instead, while those who have had their treatment postponed will get it the coming weeks and are being supported by clinicians.. Watch: What is long COVID? An intensive care consultant described the 'palpable fear' in patients who face being put on ventilators after watching others dying around them in ICU wards. Dr Richard Cree works at Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital alongside his consultant wife Nicky. He has been blogging about his experiences on the Covid front line throughout the pandemic, as soaring caseloads put immense pressure on the NHS. Dr Cree reflected on his work in the hospital's ICU in a post simply titled 'fear' which was shared the week Britain hit a grim 100,000 deaths since the pandemic began. He said one of the 'indelible memories of this pandemic' for he and his wife will be the 'fear' seen in patients who have to witness others on the ward being intubated before them. Intensive care consultant Dr Richard Cree (pictured) described the 'palpable fear' in patients who face being put on ventilators after watching others dying around them in ICU wards Dr Cree said one of the 'indelible memories of this pandemic' for he and his wife will be the 'fear' seen in patients who have to witness others on the ward being intubated before them (file image of a ventilated patient) Patients suffering from Covid are put on ventilators as a last resort to help them breathe and ensure their bodies are getting enough oxygen while they fight the virus. Methods include positive pressure ventilation - where a tube is inserted into the windpipe - or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), where oxygen is delivered through a tightly-fitting face mask. Dr Cree notes in his nomoresurgeons.com blog that cases are falling slightly and the number of patients needing intensive care treatment has stopped increasing. But he said his hospital is still seeing an increase in the number of deaths - with three ventilated patients dying in just one night. In the post shared yesterday, Dr Cree wrote: 'One of the indelible memories of this pandemic for Nicky and I will be the fear we have witnessed in those patients that we have had to intubate.' Some patients are so ill when they arrive that they are almost immediately sedated - so have no time to dwell on the possibility of not waking up. Methods include positive pressure ventilation - where a tube is inserted into the windpipe - or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), where oxygen is delivered through a tightly-fitting face mask (file image) Dr Cree reflected on his work in the hospital's ICU in a post simply titled 'fear' (pictured) which was posted the week Britain hit a grim 100,000 deaths since the pandemic began However, other CPAP patients are transferred to the ICU after being on a ward for a few days. Dr Cree said they 'cannot fail to notice' what happens to patients in nearby beds, even though they are shielded by curtains. He wrote: 'They watch others who are also struggling with CPAP and eventually see curtains drawn as their neighbours are sedated, intubated and ventilated. 'They watch as doctors and nurses repeatedly adjust ventilator settings, check X-rays and they see and hear the alarms chiming as oxygen levels fall. 'They witness the proning teams visit twice a day to flip these patients back and forth in a bid to improve the situation. 'Finally, they watch as family members are called into the hospital to sit with their loved one when it is clear that we can do no more.' Dr Cree said patients' fear is 'palpable' should intubation be their next step, and staff will try to reassure them. 'Some want a straightforward explanation, gentle reassurance and are calmed by a matter-of-fact approach,' he said. 'Others can be distracted by light-hearted banter and mundane conversation. 'Many need us to promise them that they will recover and offer them a guarantee that they will see their families again. 'Others just want the nurse who has been by their side for the past few days to hold their hand. 'It's an emotionally-charged moment as you can imagine and not one that any of us like to dwell on. The data shows the average number of Covid-19 cases caught on wards has dropped from 553 on January 10 to an average low of 369 on January 25 across England Pictured: Boris Johnson tried his hand at one of the tests as he visits the French biotechnology laboratory Valneva in Livingston, Scotland, where they will be producing a Covid-19 vaccine on a large scale on Thursday 'There is not much chance of doing so at the time as there is work to be done. 'We quickly move to stabilise the patient on the ventilator and ensure adequate oxygenation. 'Then there is always someone else to attend to and it's easy to become distracted by another problem. 'However, once some calm returns, these memories tend to stay with you. 'I fear that for many ICU staff, some of the most vivid recollections of the pandemic will be the promises that we made to our patients. 'Sadly, all too often, they were promises that we were unable to keep.' On Tuesday, ONS figures revealed that four in 10 deaths in England and Wales in the week ending January 15 were caused by Covid-19. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that there were 7,245 Covid deaths in England and Wales in the most recent week, making up over a third of the total, 18,042 (40 per cent). This was the highest proportion of weekly deaths accounted for by coronavirus of any point since the outbreak began last year. The report added that, across the entire of the UK, there had been 103,704 Covid fatalities by the middle of this month. This figure is slightly higher than the Department of Health's tally of 98,531 because the ONS includes all fatalities with Covid on the death certificates, whereas the Government's figure relies on positive tests. Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter, a statistician at the University of Cambridge, described the 100,000 total deaths figure - which the UK hit this week - as an 'awful total'. It comes after Britain suffered a devastating winter wave of the virus caused by a fast-spreading variation that emerged in the South East in the autumn. Only four countries, the US (421,129), Brazil (217,664), India (153,587) and Mexico (150,273) - which have far larger populations - have suffered higher death tolls. The death toll in the UK continued to rise in the most recent week, with 7,245 Covid deaths in the seven days up to January 15 - but it comes as other data suggests the second wave is coming to a head. Patients suffering from Covid are put on ventilators as a last resort to help them breathe and ensure their bodies are getting enough oxygen while they fight the virus (file image) The seven-day average of new cases was down by 29.4 per cent yesterday, but hospital numbers remain at a record high. The latest figures show a total of 3,088 people were admitted to hospital on Sunday - with 3,086 one day prior. A massive 4,139 were admitted in one day alone on January 19. Britain yesterday confirmed another 28,680 cases of coronavirus in another week-on-week drop, with 24 per cent fewer than last Thursday. The number, although slightly higher than Wednesday, is another sign that the third national lockdown in England is working and infections are coming under control. The Department of Health also announced another 1,239 people had died with the virus, taking the total to 103,126. This was a small decline on this time last week four per cent and this figure will be the slowest to fall in the wake of infection numbers and hospital inpatients. Medics on the coronavirus frontlines have been under enormous strain during the pandemic - as multiple waves of infections overwhelmed the NHS. Many opted to isolate from their families to avoid risking infection - while some have had the horrifying task of 'triaging' coronavirus patients to choose who gets critical care. Yesterday it was revealed that one in eight NHS trusts in England did not have a single spare intensive care bed last week. NHS England figures revealed 18 out of 140 major trusts had 100 per cent occupancy in their ICUs on every day in the week ending January 24, up slightly on the 15 that were full to the brim the previous week. These included University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, one of the largest trusts in England, along with Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust and George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, which are also in the West Midlands. But the problem was not confined to the Midlands, as major trusts in the North and in Yorkshire including St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Chesterfield Royal Hospital also reported having no spare critical care capacity. Even hospitals in the South West, which had managed to avoid the worst of the pandemic throughout 2020, were seeing their ICUs pushed to the brink, with Portsmouth Hospitals University National Health Service Trust and the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust recording 100 per cent occupancy. There are still more than 3,600 critically-ill coronavirus patients in English hospitals. 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 Some small businesses in San Francisco reopened this week into a rainstorm, the dismal drizzle discouraging customers from venturing out. Others flung open their doors, hoping to catch customers who were likewise eager to get out after a month of lockdown. The people who run stores, fitness studios, salons and restaurants with the concerns that line the streets of neighborhoods and fill strip malls and shopping centers across the Bay Area faced a year of gyrating pandemic rules since shelter-in-place took effect in the region in March. With financial hardship mounting and uncertainty over what help might be forthcoming, many fear another round of looming start-stop closures. Annie Stancliffe, owner of the High Five nail salon on Hayes Street, said shes waiting a week or two to reopen after talking to her staff and customers. On Thursday, San Francisco was the last county in the Bay Area to lift regional stay-at-home restrictions imposed by the state in December. The rest of the region moved more swiftly to allow a range of activities forbidden under the state order, from outdoor dining to indoor haircuts. All nine Bay Area counties have fallen back to the purple tier, the most restrictive level in Californias color-coded pandemic restrictions. As the region starts to reopen, its more than just rainy weather business owners worry about. The Bay Areas recent coronavirus surge is easing, but case levels remain high, vaccine supplies remain short, and alarming news of new virus variants seems to come every day. Stancliffe said she wanted to see how reopening is impacting case rates in the Bay Area and whether theres risk of another shutdown before resuming business. She remembered how the city allowed salons to reopen in June, only to be shut down by health orders days later. She invested in an outdoor parklet in the fall, anticipating that only outdoor service would be allowed, only to see indoor operations get the green light. Those experiences informed her decision, she said. Theres also the limited customer capacity allowed in the purple tier 25% for nail salons which means she can only have two or three people indoors. She could serve another two people outdoors, but the rainy weather discouraged that. It all added up to reasons to wait things out. A priority is getting vaccinations rolling as fast and as efficiently as possible, said Sharky Laguana, president of the San Francisco Small Business Commission, a City Hall advisory committee of small business owners. When the entire city is vaccinated, then we can really open. Laguana said reopening businesses is a positive step but recognized that for many, its a gamble. You buy supplies, food, inventory, rehire staff, and a few weeks later, you may have to do away with all of it, he said. Many businesses dont have that cushion anymore, and the element of risk increases after every shutdown, he said. Some businesses saw eager customers the day they opened. Four exercise enthusiasts showed up in the cold, pelting rain Thursday to work out on the asphalt of a parking garage near 24 Hour Fitness on Bryant Street in San Francisco. Though outdoor group-exercise classes had been allowed under the lockdown just limited to 12 people it was the first time the San Ramon gym chain had offered outdoor workouts in the city. Among them was Eddie Lopez, who lives three minutes away in Mission Bay. It was fun, I couldnt wait to do it, Lopez said of the 9:15 a.m. U-Jam class, a hip-hop dance session he took under an outdoor tent. Weve all been cooped inside and this is a lot better then watching Lets Make a Deal on TV. About 10 people showed up for the first class at 8:15 a.m., and seven for a Zumba class at 10:30 a.m, said Arezoo Zand, 24 Hours district manager for San Francisco: It was quite the turnout, considering we advertised only a day before about outdoor group fitness classes starting again. Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available. As of Thursday, the city began allowing groups of up to 25 people, which can make offering such classes more financially viable. For 24 Hour classes, customers sign up on a mobile app and check in with a QR code, which doesnt require handling a pen or touching a fingerprint reader. They must answer health questions and exercise at a distance from other class members. Outdoor dining restarted Thursday in San Francisco and earlier in other counties. While health officials could change the rules, they couldnt change the gloomy weather, which remains in the forecast for next week. Kaiyo, an upscale Peruvian-Japanese restaurant in Cow Hollow, reopened for outdoor dining Thursday after weeks of only offering takeout and delivery. Bar manager Samuel Diaz looked at the rainy weather positively: A few initial slow days will give employees time to ramp up their outdoor service. As more-contagious coronavirus variants spread through California, the restaurant is maintaining its same safety protocols, such as keeping tables six feet apart and asking employees to stay home if theyre feeling sick. All you can do is ask everyone to practice self-preservation and be mindful of telling guests when necessary to have their masks on, Diaz said. Diaz was excited to see diners again and said that in-person dining will be a significant boost to the restaurants bottom line. Though he has to pay servers, delivery apps take a 15% commission. Its making a direct impact to our business but its also putting money in the pockets of our employees who need it the most, he said. San Francisco Chronicle reporter Janelle Bitker contributed to this report. Shwanika Narayan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shwanika Instagram: @shwanika NBC-About a dozen sailors aboard the USS Chafee have tested positive for Covid-19 and have been removed from the ship, the Navy confirmed Friday. Individuals who were in close contact with those sailors are also off the ship and are in quarantine while they monitor for any symptoms, Cmdr. Sean Robertson, a Third Fleet spokesperson, said in a statement. Robertson said the warship, which is docked in San Diego, remains able to meet its mission. No Chafee sailors have been hospitalized, the commander said. Robertsons statement came on the heels of a Navy Times report that 41 sailors out of a crew of 350 had either tested positive or had been in close contact with infected shipmates, including several of the ships cooks. And because of equipment shortages, some sailors on trip over from Hawaii have had to wear dirty N95 mask for five days, Navy Times reported. 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. Rosettenville residents defend eviction continuing during lockdown CALS represents a group of residents from Rosettenville who will be left homeless if an eviction order is granted against them on Monday 1 February On Monday 1 February, the High Court in Johannesburg is set to hear an evictions case affecting a group of residents from Rosettenville. The residents, represented by the Centre for Applied Legal Studies, include women and children who would be left homeless if the eviction were granted. We argue that this would not be in the interests of justice, especially in the context of the current pandemic. The Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) represents a group of residents from Rosettenville, Johannesburg, who have faced eviction from their homes three times in the last four years. During that time, they have had limited to no access to water and electricity. The most recent eviction application against them will be heard on Monday 1 February by the High Court in Johannesburg. We understand that there are many competing rights and interests in a matter like this one. The owners of a property have the right to use and access that property. Yet, the law around evictions is clear: no-one may be evicted from their home if they will be left homeless. In this case, our clients have been left particularly vulnerable after losing their income as a result of the pandemic and lockdown measures. They would not be able to afford other accommodation, and the City of Johannesburg has so far been unable to ensure that they would be granted emergency housing. We are therefore asking the Court not to grant the eviction, or to grant it only on condition that alternative accommodation can be found for the residents who would otherwise be left homeless. Being evicted from your home inevitably affects your right to dignity, says Vuyolethu Mntonintshi from CALS. Being evicted onto the street has a further impact on many other rights like freedom and security and the rights of children to shelter and protection. Being evicted during a pandemic infringes in addition on the right to health and even the right to life. The matter is set to be heard virtually by the High Court in Johannesburg on Monday, 1 February. Read more in our papers here. For inquiries, please contact: .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... COOLIDGE, Ariz. Two inmates who were the subject of a manhunt after escaping from an Arizona prison in Florence last weekend were recaptured Thursday in a cotton field in the nearby community of Coolidge, authorities said. Coolidge police officers and U.S. deputy marshals captured David T. Harmon and John B. Charpiot after police received calls from several residents who reported seeing the inmates. Officers who happened to be in the area working on an unrelated fugitive case and responded to the report about the two escaped prisoners. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Harmon and Charpiot were spotted by officers in a cotton field 14 miles (23 kilometers) from the prison. The inmates refused orders to get on the ground, tried to run away and were captured after officers used stun guns to subdue them, authorities said. U.S. Marshal David Gonzales said the inmates asked the officers to kill them. Both of them said, Just shoot me,' Gonzales said. A police video taken in the cotton field showed one inmate falling to the ground before his capture and the other one tackled by officers. One inmate had blood on his face in a photo released by the police department after they were captured. Both inmates required medical attention, Coolidge police Cmdr. Mark Tercero told the Casa Grande Dispatch. Harmon and Charpiot had escaped Saturday from a medium-security unit of the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence by using tools to breach a fence. Coolidge is 8 miles (14 kilometers) southwest of Florence. Authorities are investigating where the prisoners went after escaping and state prison officials also are examining the escape occurred and how to prevent a similar breach in the future. Frank Strada, deputy director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry, said he wasnt aware of any information showing corrections employees helped the pair escape. No corrections employees have been suspended or fired as a result security breach. Tercero said a local man called police to say he was following two men whom he believed were the escapees and that a woman separately called police to report that her parents home had just been broken into by two men who fled on foot. A third person called police to say he was chasing the men, Tercero said. Tercero said state officials will determine whether the callers would be eligible for the $70,000 reward offered for information leading to the capture of the inmates. Authorities looking for the inmates earlier conducted 800 door-to-door searches of homes in the area of the Florence prison. The state Department of Public Safety said the inmates allegedly tried to rob a Florence business Saturday night before running away when a clerk screamed for help. Harmon was imprisoned in 2012 after he was sentenced to 100 years for kidnapping and second-degree burglary in Maricopa County. Charpiot was sent to prison in 2011 for 35 years after he was convicted in of molestation of a child and sexual abuse in Maricopa County. The Epic Life of Bob Gersony, the U.S. Government's Greatest Humanitarian By Robert D. Kaplan Random House. 561 pp. $30 - - - A 1958 Cold War novel, "The Ugly American," painted an unflattering portrait of the U.S. diplomatic corps as a team of loud, supercilious bunglers whose failures aided the rise of communism in Southeast Asia. The book, a giant bestseller, had a powerful impact on the future structure of America's Foreign Service and coined a term to describe Americans wherever they showed up around the world. Bob Gersony, a consultant for the State Department and the subject of Robert D. Kaplan's new book, personifies a direct rebuttal to the failures portrayed in "The Ugly American." Kaplan's "The Good American: The Epic Life of Bob Gersony, the U.S. Government's Greatest Humanitarian" is one of the best accounts examining American humanitarian pursuits over the past 50 years. Kaplan has written more than a dozen books about America's unique global role in far-flung locales,with evocative titles such as "Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History," "Imperial Grunts: On the Ground With the American Military, From Mongolia to the Philippines to Iraq and Beyond" and "Asia's Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific." In "The Good American," a meticulously researched narrative, Kaplan outlines a simple overarching message: That the United States can fuse its political and security interests to its humanitarian and human rights values. Gersony, a son of Holocaust survivors and a college dropout, did not follow a typical career path in global development. Through his father's successful commodity-trading business, Gersony was exposed at an early age to the financial and real-world sides of agriculture. He served in Vietnam from 1966 to 1969 and came away with a keen sense of America's limited ability to change a society half a world away. Afterward, he built a for-profit language school in Guatemala and helped foster tourism in Guatemala and Antigua. In 1976 Gersony began a 40-year career as a consultant for the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, taking on 54 assignments to some of the hardest postings and conflict-ridden regions in the world. He implemented new techniques for interviewing refugees, the internally displaced and other vulnerable people in highly dangerous and remote settings. This approach set Gersony apart from many researchers who relied less on ordinary people than on officials somewhat removed from the realities on the ground. Over his career he interviewed more than 8,200 people for one to three hours each. These interviews created bottom-up, granular data on conditions in some of the hottest spots through the Cold War years and after. Gersony became known for the thorough, three-to-10-hour briefings he delivered in Washington. His data-driven and meticulous findings were often controversial but impossible to refute, and they often resulted in action by policymakers, aid agencies and nongovernmental organizations. Gersony's information overturned foreign and security policy that had previously been developed from Washington without much field information. In Mozambique, for instance, Gersony conducted an extensive investigation of conditions a decade after the country gained independence from Portugal in 1975. He delved into the conflict between two groups battling for power: the Marxist-leaning Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and the anti-communist Mozambique Resistance (RENAMO). The United States backed RENAMO for more than a decade - until Gersony arrived in 1987. He had been sent by the State Department to understand why refugees were leaving Mozambique and how NGOs were handling the situation. Gersony visited 42 locations across six countries, including 25 refugee camps. He interviewed hundreds of refugees and others. His report overturned a hardened view in Washington that the Marxist-leaning FRELIMO were the "bad guys" and laid much of the blame for the country's violence on the U.S.-backed RENAMO. Gersony very conservatively estimated that 100,000 civilians had been killed by RENAMO. Despite U.S. government resistance, Gersony's detailed data and comprehensive reporting forced a major change in policy. The United States ended military aid to RENAMO and brought the two sides to the negotiation table, resulting in a peace agreement, albeit an imperfect one. Gersony's efforts helped curtail bloodshed in Mozambique. In 2002, Gersony was sent by USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios to the Chinese-North Korean border to research how food aid was being used inside North Korea. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the North Korean economy had imploded, triggering a famine during the 1990s that killed about 2 million people. There were suspicions that food aid, largely from the United States, was being diverted to feed the North Korean military and leave the rest of the population to starve.At the same time, South Korea, the United States and other international players were seeking to negotiate a peace deal between the North and the South. It was feared that any changes in the food aid policy would push North Korea away from the negotiating table. As is the case today, conditions inside the country were impossible to discern. Gersony's mission was to interview North Korean refugees to learn who was being fed and who was not. The mission was extremely dangerous for both Gersony and the refugees. The border region was full of Chinese and North Korean spies. A Christian organization with an underground network assisted Gersony in conducting the interviews in inconspicuous locations. After he completed about 100 interviews, Gersony heard that Chinese intelligence agents were closing in on him, and he fled in the middle of the night. Based on his data, Gersony estimated that 80 percent of the aid was not reaching its intended targets. North Korea was at the time the flagship effort of the United Nations World Food Program, so the findings were especially controversial. But Gersony's work ultimately convinced decision-makers to curtail food aid that was being used to prop up a dictatorship. A number of steps were taken to reduce the chances that the aid would be diverted to the military. Kaplan has known Gersony for more than 35 years and on assignment as a journalist would run into him in remote places. He also conducted more than 100 interviews for the book. Kaplan takes readers into the hardest-hit spots on the planet, creating a portrait that suggests America's positive humanitarian role in the world is limited. But the book misses some other successes of the past 40 years: The almost total eradication of polio, significant progress in the battle against HIV/AIDS and the U.S. humanitarian response to the 2004 Asian tsunami. But these are minor quibbles with what is an otherwise wonderful account of American efforts around the globe. With still greater challenges on the horizon, we will need to find and empower more people like Bob Gersony - both idealistic and pragmatic - who can help make the world a more secure place. - - - Runde is a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. ALTON Oasis Womens Center has been selected to hand out shopping vouchers from MERS Missouri Goodwill Industries. Each voucher to shop at any Goodwill store is worth $20. Oasis Womens Center will receive two vouchers initially. We took a look at each shelter of 29 total and whatever their capacity is, and gave them two vouchers, said MERS Goodwills David Kutchback, president and chief executive officer. Were sending about $45,000 in vouchers to those shelters. If a shelter needs more, then they can call us, and well continue to send out vouchers until we reach that $75,000, he said. We want to partner with that shelter to ID what their particular need is, and as they continue to get back with us, well continue to meet the individual needs of those they serve. The timing is good for Oasis Womens Center, a resource and refuge for victims of domestic violence and their children. The center is not accepting donations during the pandemic and its Caravan Shop, a nonprofit resale store, is closed. We have people who need things and especially right now, said Oasis Womens Centers Margarette Trushel, executive director. If we have a voucher, and we can send our clients to the Goodwill store, and we certainly will do that. And we are not taking used donations at the shelter, so people dont have the opportunity to come and go through donations, she said. Well be glad to use and happy for the opportunity to receive the vouchers. MERS Goodwill vouchers can be used at any Goodwill stores, one of which is located in Alton where Oasis Womens Center is based. Vouchers also can be used at a Goodwill pound stores, where product is sold by the pound. Theres a pound store in Bridgeton, Missouri, off of Interstate 270, and in Downtown St. Louis, off of U.S. 40 and Vandeventer Avenue. We had a voucher program in the past, when we worked with domestic violence shelters and schools, Kutchback explained. The program IDs needs of people they serve. In this case, we decided with the pandemic and a number of homeless individuals, we wanted to make a difference in those lives, Kutchback said. We know its cold and want them to have warm clothes, and those with an opportunity to move into a home, they need wares and items for a new home. Every year vouchers are issued to variety of services and service providers. This year, MERS Goodwill chose to contact a number of shelters, Kutchback said. We have a lot of territory in Missouri and in Illinois, he said. Oasis said theyd love to be a part of this. MERS Goodwill also has career centers, including ones in Alton and Belleville. The organization has served Illinois for a little over 100 years, and established 101 years ago. Its made quite a difference in the lives of people, Kutchback said. Our mission is to get people into employemnt to earn a paycheck and provide for themselves and their family. We are always looking for ways to help people. Overall, the organization is donating $75,000 in vouchers in the bi-state region to be applied to things such as coats, clothing and other items homeless shelters can use as part of the critical assistance they provide. Homelessness has many causes, including family breakdown, mental illness, addiction, unemployment and financial difficulty. The homeless have only the few possessions they can carry with them, lacking the clothing and items the rest society takes for granted, Kutchback said. When they are able to move back into permanent housing, they are faced with the prospect of obtaining furniture and supplies they need. MERS Goodwill is helping ease address problems faced by people dealing with homelessness. The economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have served to exacerbate the problems faced by agencies dealing with chronically homeless population, Kutchback said. Not only is there a dwindling in financial resources to serve the homeless population, but the reduction in staffing levels has led to a dearth of employment opportunities, which presents a serious barrier to achieving long-term housing stability for many homeless and at-risk residents in the region. MERS Goodwill is incredibly grateful for the continued support within our community through ongoing donations of goods and the shoppers who visit our stores, Kutchback noted. Because of this support, we have been able to maintain and expand upon our mission of Changing Lives through the Power of Work and offer more vouchers this year to those in need. Based on the U.S. HUD 2019 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there are more than 4,500 individuals dealing with homelessness in the Goodwill territory. Specifically, there are more than 3,000 in its Missouri counties and more than 700 in its Illinois counties. Homelessness in our community is at an all-time high with limited resources due to the current global pandemic, said Kati Ballard Hoffman of Peter and Paul Community Services in St. Louis. We are grateful for the support provided by MERS Goodwill and their voucher program. We are excited to see the positive effects this will soon have for our clients and residents. MERS Goodwills vision is designed as a community where each individual has the opportunity to learn, work and achieve their greatest potential. Annually serving more than 15,000 individuals, the nonprofit agency operates in 46 locations serving 93 counties in the bi-state area. Revenues from 44 Goodwill stores assist with funding MERS Goodwill job training and employment services. MERS Goodwill is a member of the United Way and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau. The agency is also profiled on the nonprofit organization database GuideStar, where MERS Goodwill is ranked with the Platinum Seal of Approval. For more information about MERS Goodwill or to find a Goodwill donation center nearby, call 314-241-3464 or visit www.mersgoodwill.org. To reach Oasis Womens Center, call 618-465-1978. The makers of Bigg Boss Kannada season 8 have recently dropped the first promo of the show. The long wait for the fans is finally over. They have also revealed the logo of the upcoming season. The makers have shared the news in the form of a clip that has an interesting storyline. Read ahead to know more. Also read: Former Bigg Boss Kannada Contestant Jayashree Ramaiah Found Dead, Suicide Suspected Bigg Boss Kannada 8 promo Colors Kannada has released the first teaser on its official social media handle which gives a hint that the show is likely to premiere soon. In the 1 minute 30 seconds clip, the host of the show, Sudeep is seen gearing up for a vacation. While doing so, he asks his assistant to get him a photocopy of the passport. The assistant tries to take the photocopy several times but gets number 8 every time instead. Later, Sudeep comes to her rescue and after many tries, he guesses correctly about the upcoming season of Bigg Boss Kannada revealing the new logo. Bigg Boss Kannada season 8 promo has created a huge buzz on social media and fans cant wait for the show to go on air. Also read: Lesser Known Facts About Bigg Boss 4 Tamil Winner Aari Arujuna That Fans May Not Know Bigg Boss Kannada season 8 contestants are expected to be KGF star Yash's mother, Pushpa, Tiktok star Sonu Gowda, Bindu Gowda, Drone Prathap, news anchor Radha Hiregowda, Sushma Shekar and many more. Besides these names, several other celebrities are also in talks with the production team of the show. Contestants are likely to be quarantined for few days following the guidelines of the coronavirus pandemic before the show premieres. Although the Bigg Boss Kannada season 8 launch date has not been announced yet, as per the reports, the show is expected to be out in February 2021. Also read: Raiza Wilson's Instagram Pic From Maldives To Aari's 'Bigg Boss' Win: Top IG Posts Of Week More about Bigg Boss Kannada - Bigg Boss Kannada is produced by Endemol Shine India. Actor Sudeep was roped in to host the reality show for the first season in 2013. He continues to be a part of the show throughout all seasons. Shine Shetty was the winner of Bigg Boss Kannada Season 7 and actor Kuri Pratap as the first runner up. Also read: Bigg Boss Tamils Raiza Wilson Takes Over The Internet By Storm; Watch Video Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment. 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. Best Products for Bald Guys Whether Youre Embracing Baldness or Avoiding it, You Need These Grooming Tools The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. Baldness can be hereditary, stress-related, or just due to the normal course of aging. Its something thats almost inevitable and, depending on the study you look at, affects more than 100 million people in America alone. However, its not all doom and gloom. Whether youre trying to save the hair you have or have decided to embrace full baldness, there are plenty of options to help you make the most of your chosen journey. RELATED: Top 10 Causes of Hair Loss Our guide below outlines options for both routes in the hopes of making your choice a little less hairy. Best Nourishing Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner Jupiter Triple Threat Set Jupiter is a new name in the crowded dandruff relief space, but this brand focuses on a more natural approach with probiotics infused into the conditioner and coconut oil infused into the shampoo. Its capped with a serum that helps relieve more significant flaking, redness and itchiness. All of those things can be a problem no matter where youre at on the baldness scale and having the right scalp nourishment and moisturizer on deck can make all the difference. Promising Review: I swear I have literally tried everything. LITERALLY EVERYTHING. and I had yet to find something that 1) gave me less flakes 2) moisturized and nourished my hair 3) helped my scalp not be itchy Im currently on day three hair, my scalp has minimal flakes, my scalp is not itchy(even my normal bad spots!!), and my hair is soooo soft and not oily at all!! I'm obsessed and so freaking happy. If youre on the fence about it, just try it out!! - Anna $71 at HelloJupiter.com Best Multi-Use Bald Head Soap Baldies Shower Bar 001 A simpler, all-in-one solution comes in the form of this newer soap brand, which uses avocado oil as the base of an all-natural product meant for more sensitive skin. The addition of French green clay promotes exfoliation while shea butter helps moisturize. This is a good option if youre pressed for time and need a head soap and shaving bar in one product. $12 at Baldies.co Best Head Shaving Electric Razor Braun Series 7 For those who have completely embraced baldness, youre going to want an easy solution to shave your head every few days to keep that clean look. The Series 7 is a higher-end model, but comes with everything you need to maintain the trim and features a Li-ion battery that can charge for up to three weeks of shaving. If youre looking for a quick and clean way to keep up that bald shave, this is it. Promising Review: I debated about dropping $200 on a [razor], but have had many frustrations with previous purchases. Sooooo glad I did. My favorite feature is the close shave head, which allows me to effectively shave and avoid razor bumps. Can use for all shaving / trimming purposes and travels well. Only gripe is that I'd like beard trimmer clips with higher numbers, as I'm growing it out. - Anonymous $169.94 at Amazon.com Best Bald Head Moisturizer Weleda Skin Food Its worth mentioning that this is a much thicker moisturizer and wont be suitable for everyone. However, if you use it liberally, it makes an excellent all-body moisturizer. The base of special oils and beeswax makes it a supreme nourisher with a scent resembling pine and gentle, natural minerals. For super-dry skin, its a must-try. Promising Review: This is a MUST have! A MUST! I am always looking for that rich moisturizer that leaves your face so hydrated that you look fresh and rejuvenated, that is this stuff!!!! This is the most luxurious cream that truly continues to work, I never break out or become to greasy, yet my skin looks HYDRATED and beautiful! I have tried Bobbi Brown, and many expensive products, this one tops them all! I wont go without this stuff!! I LOVE IT!!!! - Anonymous $18.50 at Amazon.com Best Hair Growth Shampoo Zenagen Revolve Pills or messy gels arent your thing? You can go the shampoo route and try something proven like this option from Zenagen. This particular shampoo targets DHT (the hormone that causes hair loss) and works to remove it and target future production so hair loss not only subsides, but can regrow thicker and fuller. As for scent, green and white tea along with ginger root powers this blend. Promising Review: I'm not quite yet going bald, but my wife had noted over the past year or so that my hair had seemed to be thinning out some near the vertex of my scalp. I wasn't sure if this would work - I definitely didn't want to take a pill or do anything extreme about my hair, but we figured that it was worth a try if it could prevent me from losing my hair in the future and could increase the health of my scalp. I've been very satisfied with the shampoo. One bottle lasts me for almost 3 months. After about 3 months of use, my hair seemed to be fuller and thicker, and my wife says she can tell a noticeable difference in the spot she was concerned about. I'll continue to use it regularly in the future - definitely worth the money. - Jonathan $59.99 at Amazon.com Best Sunscreen for Bald Heads Coola Mineral Sun Silk Moisturizer Sunscreen is a crucial part of embracing baldness. With nothing to cover your scalp, youre much more susceptible to the sun and can burn much faster. Coola is a brand rooted in clean, all-natural sun protection thats also reef-friendly. This sunscreen comes in at SPF 30 and is the perfect consistency to blend in, not leaving that white sunscreen shadow behind. Promising Review: Even better than the creme version. Feels like a moisturizer but I still use it with my daily moisturizer for extra hydration because of my dry skin. Doesnt leave a white cast on my face. Leaves my skin looking smooth and healthy. Will be purchasing again. - Alexandra $42 at Coola.com Best Razor Set for Bald Heads Gillette Proglide Shield Sometimes, only an analog edition will do, especially when it comes to shaving sensitive scalp. Although its at the higher-end of manual razors, the Proglides 5-blade system simply offers a better shave and one that can transition seamlessly from beard to scalp. You get most of the same smooth finish of a safety razor with better blade longevity and less risk of nicks. Promising Review: I have been shaving my head since I was 13 years old, I am 39 now. I have used every razor out there including a morello 3rotor foil razor. The batteries on the Norelco recently started going bad after 7 years and I wanted to go back to an actual razor shave. I ran across a review of a double edged safety razor on face book and did some research on them. I decided to purchase one and nicked my head several times on the first shave. Figuring I was not holding the razor properly I decided to give it another shot and again it destroyed my scalp. So I jumped on Google and looked for the best razor for shaving your head. This razor was at the top of the list with a rave review. I decided to pull the trigger and I am glad that I did. I have used it every other day since it arrived and have not nicked my head once. While the refills may be a little pricey I will gladly pay the price for such an amazing shave. - Chris $21.99 at Amazon.com Best Bald Head Shaving Oil Pacific Shaving Co. Natural Shave Oil For all of the expensive, fancy beard oils out there, leave it to one of the more established brands to come through with a no-nonsense, high-performing oil. This shave oil comes in small bottles because you really only need a couple of drops to get your shave going and it works perfect on its own or as a primer for shaving cream. Its a simply superior shave oil with essentially no fragrance thatll work all over your face. Promising Review: I hike and backpack, and was looking for a small, lightweight product to help me shave when on a backpacking trip. I always try my backpacking products before heading out, so I've been using this shaving oil for several weeks. This shaving oil is now my preferred shaving product. The shaving oil does a better job of lubing my skin before shaving, makes shaving very smooth, makes it easy to see my skin while shaving, and leaves my skin smooth and moist (lubed) after the shave. Compared to shaving cream, the shaving oil gives me a closer shave with no nicks. For me, a small dab of oil on my finger rubs easily onto a section of my skin; 6 to 8 small dabs and I'm ready to start my shave. Saves on water use too; only need to rinse out my razor once after shaving. I'd guess anyone who shaves their head may prefer the shaving oil too. Great product. - Vandy-SJ From $8.99 at Amazon.com Best Shaving Cream for Bald Heads Kiehls Close-Shavers Squadron Shave Cream Speaking of shaving cream, finding a good one matters when embracing baldness. Menthol and camphor make this one a good option alongside a smooth consistency that makes shaving a breeze. Promising Review: What's not like? You only have to use a little to get the most comfortable close shave ever! I've tried them all and this one's the best! - Owen $28.95 at Amazon.com Best Hair Growth Supplement for Balding Hairfinity Hair Vitamins We outlined a number of our favorite hair growth supplements here, but one of the top options is this vitamin mix thats widely popular on Amazon. It features an exclusive Capilsana Complex derived from a unique blend of amino acids, biotin, collagen-boosting silica, and essential vitamins that support the growth and maintenance of existing hair. It also includes 2,500 mcg of biotin, a hormone crucial to supporting hair restoration. Promising Review: I'm super impressed with this product! As I'm getting older, my fine hair has started to thin a little, which is driving me nuts. My doctor suggested getting a vitamin with biotin in it. As I was looking at all of different vitamins to choose from, the hair growth ones started popping up. I researched everything and I choose this one because they use natural ingredients and it had positive reviews. The price was also very affordable. Man am I glad I tried this product!! I've been taking it for almost 3 weeks and I can definitely tell a difference. The biggest thing I have seen is that it's growing like crazy. This is a definite must have for your hair health. - The OG Elf $23.48 at Amazon.com Best Paste for Thinning Hair Rebels Refinery Styling Paste A little paste can go a long way when it comes to styling hair to cover that (growing) bald spot. This paste has a matte finish and a strong hold to protect and stay in place regardless of your plans for the day. If you decide you want to change it up for happy hour, simply add a dab of water to your hair to thin the paste and restyle as you see fit. Promising Review: This is now my 3rd order of this stuff. My husband LOVES it! He found one good hair product a long time ago that eventually just stopped selling it. We were both on the hunt for almost a year looking for the perfect product that had a good consistency while not too tacky, a good scent yet not overbearing, & finally found this! It dries so well in his hair. At the end of the night, you couldn't even tell he put anything in it. It keeps his hair soft and smelling good, which is a plus for me! As a creature of habit, he will probably never look elsewhere for another hair product. I definitely recommend this if you're in the same boat as he was, or just contemplating on whether you should get this or not! - Nicole $11.89 at Amazon.com So whether youre trying to save whats left or are going full scale bald, theres a product here to help you in your journey. Whatever you decide, make sure to ease into whichever style youre embracing and choose the path that feels the most you. You Might Also Dig: AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use. Intern - Information Management, New York, United States Organization: Resident Coordinator System Country: United States City: New York, USA Office: RCS in New York, USA Grade: I-1 Closing date: Tuesday, 13 April 2021 Posting Title: INTERN - INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, I (Temporary Job Opening) Job Code Title: INTERN - INFORMATION MANAGEMENT Department/Office: Resident Coordinator System Duty Station: NEW YORK Posting Period: 14 January 2021 - 13 April 2021 Job Opening Number: 21-Documentation and Information -RCS-148123-J-New York (A) United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity Organisational Setting and Reporting The United Nations Secretariat is seeking motivated interns to support the work of the Development Coordination Office. DCO is the secretariat to the UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) and manages the Resident Coordinator (RC) system. Resident Coordinators are the highest-ranking representatives of the United Nations development system (UNDS) at the country level and are the designated representative of - and report to - the UN Secretary-General. RCs have responsibility to lead United Nations Country Teams, ensure system-wide accountability on the ground for the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (Cooperation Framework), and coordinate UN support to countries in their implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Our interns can take up assignments with any Section of the Policy and Programming Branch of the Office, including (1) Policy and Innovations; (2) Inter-agency Programme Facilitation, (3) Strategic Partnerships, and (4) Sustainable Development Goals Financing. Interns may also work on cross-branch projects within the Office (with the Front Office, Communications and Results Reporting Branch, RC system Leadership Branch, and Business Management Branch). Interns work full time, five days per week (40 hours), report to full-time professional staff in our teams, and focus on one of the three tracks set out below under Responsibilities. The internship is for a minimum period of three months full-time, with possibility of extension up to six months. In their cover note, interested candidates should indicate their availability (please specify to/from dates): Winter/Spring (January - April) Summer (May - August) Fall (September - December) In the cover note, candidate should also indicate the track they are interested in: Track 1: STRATEGIC PLANNING, INNOVATION AND ANALYTICS Track 2: POLICY ANALYSIS, SUPPORT, AND PROGRAMME FACILITATION Track 3: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS The United Nations internship programme does not provide remuneration. All internship related expenses - travel, insurance, living, etc. - are the responsibility of the intern, sponsoring Government or institution; The UN accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents, illness or death during the internship; Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UN during the period of the internship or for six months immediately following the end of the internship. The intern must provide proof of enrolment in health insurance plan. Interns are not staff members and may not represent the UN in any official capacity. Due to the high volume of applications received, we can only contact successful candidates. Applicants from developing countries are encouraged to apply. Applicants that are persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Responsibilities ALL TRACKS: COORDINATION AND EXECUTIVE SUPPORT Support the preparation of senior-level management meetings (including UNSDG and other inter-agency meetings), conferences and retreats Support the preparation of country-level meetings organized from the global level Support the preparation of slide decks, background and option papers for meetings Support the tracking and analysis of UNSDG decisions and their implementation Help ensure consistent visual concepts and language are used Assist in the preparation of speeches and talking points TRACK 1: STRATEGIC PLANNING, INNOVATION AND ANALYTICS Support analytics on issues relating to the UNSDG, including cross-cutting needs, priorities, resources, risks and performance Support the team to design and wireframe dashboards and visualizations for UNSDG members, and DCO senior managers, and provide user support Support the analytics teams in maintaining key data sets, data models, indices and reports Support data mining, process optimization, metrics development and forecasting Support the preparation of analytical slide decks for policymakers TRACK 2: POLICY ANALYSIS, SUPPORT, AND PROGRAMME FACILITATION Help monitor, identify and analyze geographic, political and thematic global trends (across all units of the Policy and Programme branch) Support the preparation of analytical reports, papers, talking points and correspondences Assist in coordinating the formulation of strategies, programmes and policies Support all areas of the policy process: identification and agenda building, policy development, formulation and adoptions, implementation, and evaluation Support the knowledge management of policy and programme data/information Support the preparation of meetings, events, talks and visits TRACK 3: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS Help facilitate various online communities of practice Help collate guidance materials on knowledge capture and sharing Support market intelligence around knowledge management and organizational learning Support the design and regular update of the corporate knowledge platforms Tags business management communities of practice covid human rights humanitarian law information management internship knowledge management resident coordinators senior manager sustainable development sustainable development goals Assist collection and sharing of emerging good practice and lessons for DCO and UNSDG members Support the design and communications multimedia products and materials developed by the Office Help shape, design and implement the learning programme for staff in the Resident Coordinators Offices Competencies COMMUNICATION Speaks and writes clearly and effectively Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed PLANNING AND ORGANIZING Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS Actively seeks to apply emerging technology across tasks Keeps abreast of available technology Understands applicability and opportunities of technology for the organization All Interested Candidates Must Be computer literate in standard software applications; Have a keen interest in the work of the United Nations and a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views. Education To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met: Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in, or have completed the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelors level or equivalent). OFFICIAL WRITTEN PROOF FROM THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTING ONE OF THE ABOVE POSSIBILITIES MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE INSPIRA APPLICATION); Be computer literate in standard software applications; Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and, Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views. Work Experience No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme. Your training, education, advance course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship. Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. Is your field of study closely related to the type of internship you are applying for? Languages Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage. Assessment Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview. Considered candidates will be contacted by the hiring manager for further assessment. Special Notice A completed online application (Cover Note, Personal History Profile as well as proof of enrolment and/or graduation) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The Cover Note must include: Degree Programme (What are you currently studying?) Graduation Date (When will you graduate or when did you graduate from the programme?) List the IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in. List your top three areas of interest. Explain why you are the best candidate for this specific internship. Explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme in general and this assignment in particular. In your online Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references. Do not forget to attach your proof of enrolment or graduation. Due to the high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted. Remote Internships (COVID-19). English: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, applicants may be requested to undertake the internship remotely in view of constraints regarding visa issuance, international travel and access to UN premises. Applicants must be willing and prepared to undertake the internship remotely for a part or the entirety of the internship. French: Dans le contexte de la pandemie de maladie a coronavirus (COVID-19), et compte tenu des contraintes liees a la delivrance des visas, aux voyages internationaux et a lacces aux locaux de lONU, il peut etre demande aux candidates et candidats deffectuer leur stage a distance, en totalite ou en partie. United Nations Considerations According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term "sexual exploitation" means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term "sexual abuse" means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term "sexual harassment" means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrators working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General. Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on "Manuals" hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date. No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS BANK ACCOUNTS. (TNS) Nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, California's beleaguered unemployment benefits system remains mired in dysfunction, leaving many jobless workers in dire straits after their efforts to receive financial assistance have been stymied by jammed phone lines, overwhelmed staff and failed technology.Millions of out-of-work Californians are still waiting for money they desperately need to feed and clothe their families and avoid ending up on the streets. Payments have instead gone to fulfill fraudulent claims filed in the names of prison inmates, infants, retirees and people living in other states, with a deluge of applications for benefits coming from criminal gangs operating in Russia, China and Nigeria.Adding insult to injury, state officials acknowledged this week that more than $11 billion in benefits were paid on fraudulent claims during the last year some 10 percent of all money paid and another $19 billion is under investigation for potential fraud.Now, two new state audits have confirmed what many lawmakers feared was true: The state Employment Development Department failed to prepare for the unprecedented flood of unemployment claims during the pandemic, neglected to fix problems officials identified more than a decade ago during the Great Recession and all but ignored warnings of widespread fraud for months."It is clear that this system has broken and will need to be completely overhauled to ensure that these problems never occur again," said Assemblyman Rudy Salas (D- Bakersfield), chairman of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, which ordered the emergency auditing of the agency.The pair of reports on the EDD's failings from California State Auditor Elaine Howle paints a sobering picture of an agency in crisis, concluding that the state agency "had no comprehensive plan" for the pandemic-spurred recession which "worsened EDD's already poor performance," and failed to act on problems that have plagued its unemployment insurance program for at least a decade."EDD has for years been aware of many of the problems in its [unemployment insurance] claims processing and customer assistance efforts that this report identifies," said the first audit report released Tuesday. "Nonetheless, EDD did not take adequate steps to address these deficiencies."A second report released Thursday concluded that "EDD did not take substantive action to bolster its fraud detection efforts for its UI program until months into the pandemic."The EDD's failure to heed warnings to address its vulnerability to fraud has hamstrung its ability to get money out to those filing legitimate unemployment claims, state lawmakers say. More than 2.1 million claims for unemployment benefits are currently on hold, stuck in a backlog of delayed applications or suspended while the EDD double checks identities to prevent fraud.And though California is the cradle of the tech industry, state government has also fallen perilously behind in replacing its outdated computer systems, exacerbating its problems with promptly paying out jobless benefits. Just 76.3 percent of first-time claims in California were approved within 21 days last month, far short of the federal standard of 87 percent. Most other states are approving more claims faster.One of those affected by the EDD's ongoing troubles is Mary Lopez, whose housekeeping jobs dried up with the COVID-19 pandemic. The 50-year-old Fullerton woman said she has ended up sleeping in an RV parked on the street, sometimes scrounging for food in a dumpster behind a nearby store.Lopez, who is disabled, said she thought state unemployment benefits would have helped keep a roof over her head, but that hope evaporated when her benefits were frozen in October alongside many other claims and she was told she needed more proof of her identity.Despite spending hours on the phone trying to get through to the EDD, Lopez said she has been unable to receive her benefits. The agency's hotline often hangs up on her before she can talk to a live representative, an experience reported by thousands of other claimants over the past year that the EDD said months ago it was working to fix alongside issues with its computer systems."I go to bed hungry most of the time and I'm freezing," Lopez said. "I think it's disgusting the way we have all been treated by EDD. I don't want to be on the streets living like this."The audit findings released this week mirror conclusions reached by a strike team of government experts appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, which said in September that the EDD should be overhauled and called delays in approving benefits and other problems "unacceptable.""The state must deliver this benefit to those who qualify within a time frame that's relevant to the well-being of the claimant, and it was failing to do that for too many Californians," the report said.When California entered 2020 with record low unemployment ahead of the pandemic, the EDD had just 20 staffers verifying the identities of claimants, its call center was operating only four hours a day and a years-old project to modernize its outdated technology was was moving at a snail's pace.Though EDD has taken steps since March to improve those lagging operations, bringing in thousands of additional workers and hiring private contractors to process claims online, progress has been far outpaced by demand. In the two months after the state's March 2020 stay-at-home order put many Californians out of work, some 4.1 million claims for unemployment benefits were filed with the state, overwhelming a system staffed for more auspicious economic times.California has now processed 19.4 million applications for unemployment benefits since the COVID-19 pandemic began and has paid out $114 billion in benefits, nearly five times the amount paid during the worst year of the Great Recession in 2010.As of this month, more than 3.9 million Californians were still receiving some form of unemployment benefits.In announcing the strike team last July, Newsom directed action to eliminate the backlog of some 1 million claims delayed longer than 21 days many of which required additional information from claimants "no later than the end of September," a spokesperson for the governor said at the time.But when that deadline arrived, the Newsom administration said the backlog had grown to some 1.6 million claims and it promised to eliminate the backlog by the end of this month.As of Monday, nearly all of the claims in the original backlog from September have been resolved, and the rest will be cleared by the end of this month, according to agency spokeswoman Loree Levy. But hundreds of thousands of new claims have come in since September and the backlog of claims stood at 941,000 as of last week."While it may be true the claims sitting in backlog in October may not be the same claims sitting there today, the fact remains they [EDD officials] have been unable to meet the challenge, and this comes at the cost of unemployed Californians who are desperately trying to cover the most basic expenses of food and rent," said Assemblyman Richard Bloom (D- Santa Monica).To turn the agency around, Newsom brought in six new top managers to the agency in recent months, including Rita Saenz, who was appointed to succeed retiring agency director Sharon Hilliard on Jan. 1.The governor touted Saenz, a government affairs consultant who was the director of the California Department of Social Services from 1998 to 2004, as "well-prepared to lead EDD at what is sure to be one of the most difficult moments in the Department's history."Saenz acknowledged in testimony to a legislative committee on Tuesday that the agency was not ready to handle the torrent of unemployment claims."Simply, we were not prepared," Saenz told lawmakers. "We were not prepared for the global crisis and the extraordinary strain on the existing employment insurance system. We have an ancient IT system. We have done our best to modernize it, but we still have a lot of problems."In an interview, Saenz said similar problems have occurred all over the country, adding that "there is no way the state governments could have anticipated the volume of claims that we are facing."John Thomas Flynn, who was California's first chief information officer from 1995 to 1999 and previously headed the technology office for the state of Massachusetts, disputed the assessment that California could not have taken steps in anticipation of a spike in unemployment. He said there are states that modernized their unemployment systems in recent years, including Massachusetts, Texas, Nevada and Washington, "who were prepared and had far fewer problems" than California."Unfortunately, while there have been fits and starts at EDD over the years, there has never been a sense of urgency to address the problem once and for all," said Flynn, a senior advisor for MeriTalk, which provides analysis and events aimed at improving government information technology.A budget report released by the governor on Jan. 8 underscored Flynn's point. A project to modernize EDD's antiquated technology was still floundering in September, when the governor's strike team said it had been in the planning process for three years."The contractor has not yet been selected and not a single line of software code has been written," the strike team found. The strike team recommended the EDD rethink the long-term project and an evaluation is underway.To address the crisis in the short term, EDD approved contracts with private firms including identify verification service ID.me, which began in October to process new claims electronically, reducing the number of applications that must go through a manual process.Saenz said she is evaluating additional ways to further improve EDD operations."I'm looking to make an assessment of how the department and its business offices need to be reorganized in order to give us a ship that is agile and responsive," Saenz said, offering no timeline for when the assessment will be complete.In the months after the pandemic began, the EDD added the manpower of some 5,000 people through hiring, contracts and transfer of state employees from other jobs to boost efforts to answer phones and process claims. In April, a call center answering phone calls from claimants was expanded from operating four hours a day, five days a week to 12 hours a day, seven days a week.But unemployed Californians have continued to report disconnected calls and difficulty reaching a live service representative.Though the EDD received 4.8 million phone calls from Dec. 20 to Jan. 2, just 8 percent 400,397 of them were answered by staff, the agency reported this month."EDD has at times been unable to help virtually any of the claimants that contact its call center and has not answered all web correspondence that claimants submit," said the audit released Tuesday.Mary Anne Babcock lost work as a gig driver and is living in a van in Temecula without access to unemployment benefits since her EDD debit card was frozen more than three months ago. After enlisting help from her state senator, her card was unfrozen, but payment of benefits owed is still pending.Numerous calls to EDD to get help on the phone have been unsuccessful, she said."I've lost my home, my job, my benefits and my mind. I'm living in my van, with no hope," she said.EDD officials said they notified claimants on New Year's Eve that, in an attempt to prevent fraud, the agency was suspending payments on 1.4 million claims pending new identity verification. That has left many jobless Californians struggling to be recertified so they can pay their rent and buy groceries, even after Congress agreed to extend $300 supplemental weekly benefits.As the official ultimately responsible for the EDD, Newsom has voiced his own frustration with its problems, saying in September that the delays were "unacceptable and so was the condition of the system when we inherited it."The troubles at the EDD represent a political liability for the governor, becoming an issue in a recall campaign that has submitted 720,000 signatures about half of those needed to qualify the measure for the ballot and of which only 410,000 have been verified."His crisis at the Employment Development Division has been one of his biggest failures," said Randy Economy, a senior advisor for the recall campaign.Newsom announced a budget this month for the fiscal year beginning July 1 that includes an additional $766.3 million and 3,976 positions in the unemployment insurance program "to align with projected workload increases as a result of rising unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic." The budget also includes $11.4 million for the California Department of Technology to review and improve services for key departments including the EDD.But lawmakers said this week that they have run out of patience with EDD as their offices continue to be flooded with desperate calls from constituents seeking help on stalled claims. And with the state audit outlining a host of problems more than a decade old, it remains unclear when and if the troubled agency will get its house in order."EDD has failed to deliver," said Assemblyman Phil Ting (D- San Francisco), the Assembly's budget chairman. "I know constituents who became homeless because it took so long for them to receive their unemployment benefits." Earlier this month, in a historic ruling, a South Korean court ordered the Japanese government to pay compensations to a group of former comfort women, a euphemistic way to refer to the women who were forced into sexual slavery by Japan during World War II. It is estimated that more than 200,000 girls and women were turned into sexual slaves for the Japanese army during the war, often through abduction, coercion and deception. Military brothels (called Comfort Stations) were set up in China and other Asian and Pacific countries. Decades later, in the early 1990s, surviving comfort women started coming forward to share their stories of abuse and oppression and the battle for the recognition of their grievances, along with acknowledgement of a deeply sexualised military war culture, began. The catalyst for the establishment of the comfort women system was the infamous incident of the Rape of Nanking (1937), when Japanese soldiers unleashed unimaginable destruction in the Chinese city, brutally raping and killing thousands of Chinese women. The carnage created international outrage. Japan was facing huge reputational cost, especially in the context of its rhetorical projection of itself as the saviour of Asian nations. This prompted the Japanese emperor to pass the Imperial Ordinance No. 51952, establishing legal grounds for the recruitment of comfort women, detailing the methods of recruitment, terms of employment and so on. Testimonies from surviving comfort women chronicle the stories of how they have been recruited with promises of jobs as cooks, cleaners, and nurses and then forced into sexually serving the military. Many were kidnapped and coerced, all such acts justified and legally sanctioned. This is not to imply that the comfort women system did not exist prior to the imperial ordinance. The ordinance gave the practice legal grounding and justification, and the emperors imprimatur. The rationale for maintaining the comfort women system was mainly two-fold: one, to prevent mass rapes by Japanese military in newly occupied territories, and two, to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) among the military forces. A majority of the comfort women were recruited from Japanese colonies, almost 80% of them from Korea. It was believed that Korean women, brought up in a culture of chastity, were least likely to be the carriers of venerable diseases. The aftermath of the war saw no acknowledgement by the international community of the crimes committed against comfort women. While Japan was held accountable for the atrocities perpetrated against prisoners (largely from the West), who were forced to work on the Burma-Thailand railroad, the crimes against women forced to work as sexual slaves remained unrecognised. Traumatised and victimised, the surviving comfort women, trapped in a culture of shame and neglect, were unable for the longest time to assert their dignity and rights. The Korean government, too, in its treaty negotiations with Japan, did not take up the issue of comfort women. In 1991, Kim Hak San became the first Korean comfort woman to bring forth her story of abuse and oppression and record her testimony. Following this, other comfort women came forward with their stories. The silence around the issue was finally broken, forcing the international community to recognise the systemic abuse and sexual violence carried on against women during World War II. This movement for justice was driven by survivors, now women of advanced age. Their narratives recast the debate on human rights, race and gender in the Asia Pacific. Feminist groups, both in Korea and Japan, have been rallying since the 1990s, forging transnational partnerships and strategies, to seek acknowledgement, apology and compensation from the Japanese government for the crimes committed against comfort women. While initially Japan unequivocally denied the existence of the comfort women system, as more and more evidence started surfacing, the country was forced to accept moral responsibility for the crimes, even as it steadfastly denied any legal responsibility for the same. The ruling by the South Korean court, although being rejected by Japan as having no jurisdiction over it, marks a watershed moment for the 16 surviving women (out of a total of 240) who have come forward in South Korea, all of them now in their 80s and 90s. Japan is certainly not the lone country in human history of war and conflict to have engaged in systemic sexual violence and gotten away with it. However, this moment is a moment of victory (albeit not a complete one) for women who were silenced, ignored, written off and erased from history. It is a moment that forces us to look at the sexual politics embedded in wars and conflicts, a cycle of violence that actively encourages, enables and justifies womens oppression. It is a moment that gives us hope about the power of narratives of the oppressed, the power of feminist solidarities that go beyond the trappings of nationalism, and hopefully would pave new possibilities for future activism. (The writer is a Professor at Jindal Global Law School, O P Jindal Global University) Full trading in the boot-maker's shares begins next Wednesday ( ) said its initial public offer was eight times oversubscribed and that it will have a market value of roughly 3.7bn. An IPO offer price for the shoe maker and retailers shares was set at 370p apiece as they began conditional trading in London this morning and ahead of full trading beginning next Wednesday. Dr Martens major shareholder, UK private equity giant Permira, and other current shareholders are selling a combined 350mln shares, equating to a total offer size of just under 1.3bn, or 35% its 1bn share total share capital at admission. A valuation of 1bn had been mooted a year ago when talks were being held about a potential sale to US private equity firm Carlyle Group, with Permira also then thought to be mulling a US float. With the offer oversubscribed, it looks like an over-allotment option of a further 52.5mln shares will be made available by Permira, which would increase the number of shares in public hands to 403mln or 40.3% of the total. In a statement, Kenny Wilson, chief executive of Dr Martens, said: We have been delighted by the strong levels of interest, engagement and support from such a high-quality selection of institutional investors. The successful transformation of Dr Martens is a great story, and what is even more exciting is the huge potential ahead. We are proud to take our place as a London listed company, both delivering as a successful plc and more importantly continuing to grow our brand around the world. Permira will be subject to a 180-day lock-up arrangement from the date of admission, while directors, current management and employee shareholders and certain former executives will be subject to a 365-day lock-up. At its initial market size, the company would find itself in the upper echelons of the FTSE 250 index. Last year was a year of again. Each day in 2020 dawned and we got to work again, fed and homeschooled our children again, watched COVID-19 numbers rise again, wondered When will this be over? again. Despite the arrival of the vaccine and the hope of a new year, we awoke on January 1 to a long wait for the vaccine, half-hearted resolutions, and the new virus strain making its American debut. We are left staring down the winter months of dogged monotony at home. But perhaps these unyielding months of the pandemic have revealed something we have not wanted to address: Our lives are full of monotony and repetition, and they always will be. Trying to evade a life marked by repetition is misguidedrepetition is a fundamental reality of being human, and the pandemic has only heightened our awareness of it. We are creatures of again; we are made for again. So why does repetition feel like a curse instead of a blessing? The Christian story explains this seeming dissonance. God has made all of creation to exist and flourish in a repetitive pattern (Gen. 12). The heavens declare his glory, the sun runs its course with joy (Ps. 19:16), the rivers clap their hands, and mountains sing his praises (Ps. 98:8); creation glorifies God through its constancyincluding humans, Gods most treasured creatures. Not only do our bodies require daily food and rest; we are also made to find purpose in knowing and glorifying God again and again. But the Fall has made us bitter and unfeeling, stealing our joy in repetition rather than giving it. We find ourselves looking for a way out, grasping at any hope that promises relief from our tedious lives. We must learn to participate with our faithful and imaginative God to rediscover the delight of repetition for which we are made. In his book Orthodoxy, G. K. Chesterton chastises adults for our disconnected view of reality, arguing that children understand the heart of God better than adults. Like children who beg for an adult to do it again! and see another opportunity for delight, so the Creator delights to knit together another human, grow a new tree, or tirelessly craft a field of daisies. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony, Chesterton writes. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we. The Gospels reveal a man who was not bothered by being asked to heal again, teach again, explain who he was again. My childrens world is completely oriented around the basic truth that I will provide for them, and because they trust me, they inhabit their world with free hearts. The free spirit that children possess is not naivete; it is an accurate trust that grows out of a trustworthy relationship, the same kind of relationship that God invites us into day after day. Though part of growing up is navigating the brokenness of our world, Jesus exhorts us to retain a childlike hearta heart that trusts in the provision of the Father (Matt. 6:2534). He has made us to participate with him, presenting our needs, desiring intimacy, and delighting when he provides again. This is how we retain a childlike heart, a fierce and free spirit that trusts in the Lord and delights in his invitation to trust him again. Adulthood often strips us of something that we were meant to becreative beings who see a world of sameness through imaginative eyes. In losing the joy of routine, we diminish our capacity for knowing and reflecting our God, who reveals himself in the small rhythms of daily life. Again is the place of transformation where he chooses to meet with us, grow us, and offer us new mercies every morning (Lam. 3:23). We are made for repetition. Article continues below Though the tedium of daily life can feel soul-crushing for most of us, Chesterton argues that God is strong enough to exult in monotony because he delights in sustaining sameness while also creating newness. The whole of Scripture testifies that God delights in providing for his people again. We see it in his covenants, his willingness to remove our transgressions (Ps. 103:12), his prophets who speak difficult words out of love (Jer. 35:15), the manna on the ground each morning (Ex. 16:4). The culmination of our Fathers desire to provide is in Christ. Jesus spent the majority of his life as a carpenter building tables and chairs, preparing wood, and making measurements. He was familiar with the mundane, and perhaps this is why the Gospels reveal a man who was not bothered by being asked to heal again, teach again, explain who he was again. Rather we encounter an infinitely creative teacher and healer who weaves parables, displays his power through different signs, and heals in ways that are tailored to each individuals needs. In Matthew 13, Jesus tells seven different parables, all but one of which begin with the kingdom of heaven is likea mustard seed, yeast for baking, a hidden treasure. Each illustration teaches the same lesson from a new angle so that listeners might hear and understand. When Jesus heals the blind man in Mark 8, he spits into the mans eyes, puts his hands on them, and, when the healing is incomplete, repeats the laying on of hands. Our creative God sees each healing as an opportunity for his kingdom to come in a new way. Jesus participates in the repetition of human life so that he might heal our broken relationship with it. Through his patient and consistent love of sinful people, Jesus models for us how to find joy and freedom in the midst of lives that could be monotonous. He is the bread of life eager to nourish when he feeds the 5,000 (Matt. 14), the 4,000 (Matt. 15), or his friends in the upper room (Matt. 26:26). By his Spirit that indwells us today, we too are empowered to approach our work, families, and circumstances with enlivened imaginations. Though my husband and I grow weary of our daughters cries of again, our Father does not. He is not annoyed when we confess the same sins or pray the same prayers. He knows that we are frustrated with spending day after day pent up inside, worrying about finances and health. After denying Jesus, Peter is not condemned for his faithlessness; he is restored. Jesus asks him Do you love me? three times over (John 21:1617). Repeat, Peter, who do you love? Jesus wants to hear it again, and so does our Father. Even though we have done it before, he wants us to come to him, to delight in his goodness, to cry out for help, and to have our imaginations set ablaze with the hope of the gospelagain and again. Anne Kerhoulas lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband and twin daughters and writes at Daily Discipleship. [ This article is also available in espanol. ] YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian community in Lebanon suffered no damages as a result of the protests in Tripoli, the second largest city of Lebanon, Editor-in-chief of Azdag daily Shahan Gantaharian told Armenpress. We have an Armenian church, school and club in Tripoli. The Armenian structures have not been damaged. The Armenian community in the city is small. No injuries have been reported among Armenians, he said, adding that no one from the Armenian community is participating in the protests. Gantaharyan called the overall situation concerning as the coronavirus situation, the financial crisis and the lockdown in the country have resulted in the citizens complaint. He said the banking system is not operating completely, there is unemployment, the Lebanese currency has depreciated. Clashes erupted between the protesters and the police in Tripoli: injuries have been reported, stores have been damaged. The protesters have even entered into the building of the Tripoli city hall. Protests have also taken place in Beirut but with a smaller scale. The protesters have blocked the traffic, but the police managed to unblock it, the representative of the Armenian community said. The coronavirus disease has been spread a lot in the country, the death toll is growing. Unfortunately, we also have deaths from the virus among the Armenian community. The hospitals are overloaded. And this leads to big problems, he said. Asked whether the Armenian community is currently facing social difficulties, Gantaharyan said of course. The overall situation is such in the country. There is also political uncertainty, a prime minister has been appointed, but he hasnt yet formed a cabinet. In other words, there is both political uncertainty, economic crisis and the coronavirus, he said. Gantaharyan, however, assured that the Armenian community in Lebanon continues delivering aid to the needy families through self-organization, they are trying to find a place for the COVID-19 infected people in hospitals, the respective services are operating. Flights from Beirut to Yerevan are carried out once a week. The protests started in Tripoli on January 25: people demand to improve the living conditions, accuse the authorities of inaction and oppose the extended COVID-19 quarantine. Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan District Attorney Neal Pinkston said it was learned that a confidential informant working with the Chattanooga Police Department planted evidence in a number of cases. All those charges will be dismissed. DA Pinkston said, "Yesterday afternoon, our office was notified by the Chattanooga Police Department's Narcotics Unit that they had discovered a confidential informant they were using had been planting evidence in the houses of potential defendants when the informant arrived to complete the illegal narcotics transactions. These buys led to search warrants which led to arrests. Several of these individuals are in custody on these charges. We are asking that all cases related to this information be dismissed as soon as possible. It appears the PD represents most of the defendants but its not totally clear from the paperwork. The defendants are as follows: Maurice Jones appears be PD GS# 1826523-25 Set 5/17/2021 Frederick McClendon Cases Pending Grand Jury Case Number 315759-62 Deleone Deere appears be PD GS# 1816836-837 Set 3/11/2021 Jeremy Harris appears be PD GS# 1820953-955 Pleaded guilty on 11/24/2020. Our office is happy to agree to a post conviction petition and set all convictions aside. Traneicia Moore appears PD GS# 1816623-27 Set 5/18/2021 Eneice Thompson appears PD GS# 1816628-32 Set 5/18/2021 Lejuane Norris appears PD GS # 1816633-6637 Set 5/18/2021 Tratyonne Moore (Jay Morgan/Jonathan Turner) GS # 1816618-6622 Set 5/18/2021 Ruques Harris (Jonathan Turner) GS# 1816616-17 Set 5/18/2021 Miles Bush (Rip Biggs) GS# 1816609-6613 Set 5/18/2021 Antoine Davis GS# 1816614-15 Has outstanding warrants on petitions to revoke related to these docket numbers 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 Syrian opposition member has criticized the lack of agreement over the Constitutional Committee writes North Press. Member of the Syrian opposition National Coordination Committee (NCC), Munther Esper, said that the Constitutional Committee is one of the achievements of the Astana talks, which was accepted by the US, and given the green light by the European Union. The EU does not want the US to dominate the world and be alone in the Middle East, Esper told North Press. The Constitutional Committees stumbling is an indication of the lack of agreement among the US, NATO and Astana guarantors about Syria, the freedom of military armament of Turkey, the Iranian nuclear issue, and the Russian presence in the Mediterranean, he added. Esper believes that the new call for further Astana talks, does not mean that the Constitutional Committee has stumbled, but rather it is a matter of coordination regarding the new administration of the US about Syria and the entire Middle East. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Western countries, led by the US, have controlled the new global situation with the supremacy of the American-Western unipolarity, according to Esper. Esper pointed out that, what is new, is the Russian and Chinese refusal of this polarity, the refusal to interfere in the internal affairs of the countries, and the adherence to international law that the UN Security Council is working to maintain. The Astana axis with China is an episode of confronting the US unipolarity, and not letting Washington act as it wants in arranging the situation of the Middle East after the invasion of Iraq, according to Esper. Esper sees the Astana pact continuing, because its projects in the Middle East have played a pivotal role, and the new US administration will have to deal with it, because thinking of a military solution is costly, and a war between two nuclear states cannot be imagined. The Foreign Ministers of Russia and Iran have recently called for a political solution to the Syrian issue and talked about holding a meeting within the course of the Astana track on Syria. During a press conference held in Moscow on Jan. 26, 2020, both the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, stressed the need to implement the UN Resolution 2254 by holding intra-Syrian dialogues. The new call for the Astana countries to hold a meeting in February comes amid the current chaos of international politics. 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. CORVALLIS, Ore. An ongoing Oregon State University program that monitors evidence of coronavirus in city wastewater throughout the state has detected "multiple variants" of the virus, including signs that the U.K. strain has made it to Bend. OSU put out a statement regarding the discoveries on Friday, stemming from genetic sequencing of samples from the college's Center for Genome Research and Biocomputing. The Bend sample in particular was collected on December 22. Sequencing found evidence of the U.K. strain on January 21. Oregon health officials have so far identified three positive cases of the U.K. strain, but none in the eastern or central areas of the state around Bend. The three known cases were found in Multnomah, Yamhill, and Washington counties. With the new variants arriving, being able to understand which variants are circulating among communities is becoming increasingly more important, said Brett Tyler, director of the genome center. Researchers have acknowledged that many variant strains of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have already been detected and will continue to emerge over time. But a few strains particularly the ones detected in the U.K., South Africa, and Brazil are believed to be more contagious than common variants, with mutations that allow the virus to more easily infect a person. As of Monday, OSU said that its lab had completed genetic sequencing on more than 1,100 samples. Five people on OSU's Corvallis campus were positive for the L452R mutant strain of COVID-19, and it was also present in campus wastewater. This variant was first detected in March, but does not have the same advantageous mutation as the international strains. This strain is not of the highest concern, like those other three (U.K, South African and Brazilian variants), but it has spread extensively in Southern California and was associated with some recent large outbreaks in Santa Clara County, Tyler said. Two sub-types of the L452R strain were found in wastewater from Albany, Forest Grove, Klamath Falls, Lincoln City and Silverton. It is not surprising that we have detected this strain, Tyler said. Since L452R has been around a long time, and is currently widespread in California, it stands to reason that it would likely find its way up here. But it does indicate the importance of the sequencing to keep track of it. Part of OSU's effort is to monitor these new strains as they appear in order to judge how they could impact the effectiveness of the current COVID-19 vaccines. According to the university, a partnership with the Oregon Health Authority seeks to expand the program to every county in the state. A study conducted in the UK has examined attitudes towards vaccination protecting against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and highlighted some of the main drivers of willingness or unwillingness to be immunized. Study: Lack of trust and social media echo chambers predict COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy . Image Credit: Viacheslav Lopatin / Shutterstock The nationally representative survey of more than 1,400 adults and five focus groups conducted in December 2020 revealed that trust is a key predictor of vaccine hesitancy. An overall distrust of vaccines and the government increases the likelihood of vaccine hesitancy, while trust in health institutions and experts decreases the likelihood of hesitancy. Perceived personal threat is also a vital factor, with fear of accelerated vaccine development, concerns about side effects, misunderstanding of herd immunity, and beliefs that the virus is manmade all increasing the likelihood of vaccine unwillingness. People who obtain information from relatively unregulated social media sources are especially likely to be vaccine hesitant, says the team from the University of Southampton and University of Oxford. Since an increasing number of individuals use social media for gathering health information, interventions require action from governments, health officials and social media companies, writes Melinda Mills and colleagues. A pre-print version of the paper is available on the medRxiv* server, while the article undergoes peer review. Concerns are growing as governments rollout vaccines As governments rapidly roll out vaccination programs across the world, concerns are growing about how distrust of immunization and the government may be impacting vaccine hesitancy. Trust is vital to ensuring compliance with public health measures. However, the communication of changing and conflicting messages from governments, health experts and the media have driven an increase in vaccine hesitancy among the general public. The spread of misinformation via social media and beliefs in conspiracy theories have also played a significant role in eroding the publics trust. But who does the public trust and does this depend on where they acquire their information? asks Mills and the team. What did the researchers do? The researchers conducted a nationally representative online survey of 1,476 adults between the 12th and 18th of December 2020 (during the first UK vaccine rollout) and five focus groups between the 30th November and 7th December 2020. The questionnaire was designed to help ascertain the strength of three hypotheses. The first was that trust in the government, health institutions and experts would predict a higher degree of vaccine willingness, while distrust of the government and vaccines would predict increased hesitancy. The second hypothesis was that those who did not perceive COVID-19 as a personal threat would express more vaccine hesitancy. Thirdly, the researchers proposed that social media consumers would be more likely to be vaccine hesitant compared with consumers of the more traditional TV, newspaper and radio. Believing the conspiracy theories and misinformation promoted on social media sites would also be likely to increase hesitancy, says the team. What did they find? When survey participants were asked to answer the question If a vaccine for COVID-19 were available to me, I would get it, almost half (49%) chose strongly agree; 22% chose tend to agree; 11% chose neither agree nor disagree, 7% tend to disagree, 7% strongly disagree, and 5% said they dont know. Trust was a core predictor of vaccine hesitancy, with those who distrusted immunization the most only having a 10% likelihood of vaccine willingness. Among those with the highest levels of distrust in the government, the likelihood of vaccine willingness was only 25%. Those with the highest level of trust in health institutions were twice as likely to express vaccine willingness compared to those with the lowest levels. The researchers also observed a positive association for trust in experts Whether COVID-19 or a vaccine was perceived as a personal threat was also an important factor. Those who regarded vaccination a personal threat due to potential side effects, beliefs that it is linked to population control, and misunderstanding of herd immunity were all more likely to express vaccine hesitancy. On the other hand, people who perceived COVID-19 as a personal threat were more than twice as likely to express vaccine willingness. A strong theme that emerged throughout the study was the belief that only the most vulnerable groups should get vaccinated, because herd immunity would mean most people would not require a vaccine. This was a message conveyed by the government during early communications pitting lockdowns versus natural herd immunity, say the researchers. Finally, people who obtained information from relatively unregulated social media sources such as YouTube were especially unlikely to express vaccine willingness. Those who believed in general conspiracy theories were also much less likely to show vaccine willingness. What do the authors advise? We provide new evidence on how trust and information is linked with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, informing policy in key ways, writes the team The researchers say that since an increasing number of people use social media as a source of health information, interventions are needed from governments, health officials and social media companies. Governments should establish an engaging web presence to fill knowledge gaps, they advise. More attention needs to help people understand their own risks, unpack complex concepts and fill knowledge voids. A broader lesson is the need for authorities to communicate truthfully and consistently, concludes the team. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. Moscow, Jan 29 (UNI) Expressing hope that US will keep its word and withdraw its forces from Afghanistan, Taliban Political Chief Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai on Friday said that a few thousand foreign troops remain in the country and 'they would leave the Afghanistan by April in accordance with the agreement'. "American forces and the foreign forces are supposed to withdraw from Afghanistan within 14 months. So, right now, I think three months are left. Most of the foreign forces already withdrew from Afghanistan. Only few thousand of them are remaining, we hope that they will also ... leave Afghanistan," Sputnik quoted Stanikzai as saying. Currently, Mr Stanikzai is leading a Taliban delegation to the Russian capital. Mr Stanikzai disclosed that the delegation discussed negotiations with the US and the Afghan peace process at the recent talks in the Russian Foreign Ministry. "We came here to exchange views regarding different issues related to Afghanistan, including our negotiations with Americans and the Kabul administration, and also the peace process that is going on and many other issues that are interesting for us. Yesterday, we had a meeting with his excellency [Russia's presidential representative for Afghanistan] Zamir Kabulov in the ministry of foreign affairs, and it was a very positive discussion. We share common goals and common views regarding the [peace] process in Afghanistan," Stanikzai said. UNI XC GK JAL 1635 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. Home > 2021 > Press Release - Kisan Sansad | Jan 25, 2021 Press Release - Kisan Sansad The Kisan Sansad, which was held on 23rd and 24th of January, 2021 at the Guru Teg Bahadur Memorial at Singhu, Delhi, had a wide variety of participants from different stakeholders in the agri-policy space. Numerous political representatives from across the spectrum, including very senior people such as H. D. Deve Gowda (former Prime Minister of India), Sonia Gandhi (President, Indian National Congress) and Bhupesh Baghel (current Chief Minister, Chattisgarh) sent their messages. The Kisan Sansad was addressed by senior political leaders of national parties and included Brinda Karat (Politburo Member, CPI-M), Annie Raja (Member, National Executive and National Council, CPI), Jitender Chaudhury (former Minister and MP from Tripura, Joint Secretary, AIKS and national convener of Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch) and two time Rajya Sabha MP Nadim Ul Haq of TMC, former MP Meenakshi Natrajan of Congress from Mandsaur (where police violence had led to deaths of farmers in 2017), Udit Raj (Ex MP representing Congress Party), Pappu Yadav (Ex M.P, Bihar), Sukhpal Singh Khaira (Former Leader of the Opposition of Punjab Assembly and current MLA, Punjab), Kanwar Sandhu (MLA, Punjab), K J George (Sitting MLA and former Home Minister, Government of Karnataka). Farmer leaders such as Joginder Singh Ugrahan and Yogendra Yadav also addressed the gathering. Several experts, including academicians and researchers like Reetika Khera (IIT Delhi), Sukhpal Singh (IIM Ahmedabad) and M. S. Sriram (IIM Bangalore) among others, thought leaders such as Jean Dreze and Devinder Sharma as well as former civil servants like M. G. Devasahayam (former Chief Secretary, Government of Haryana and Member of the High-Powered Committee on Agricultural Policies and Programmes, 1990), Satya Narayan Sahu (former Officer on Special Duty to President Late K R Narayanan) and S. P. Shukla (former Ambassador to GATT, former Commerce Secretary and Finance Secretary, Government of India and former Member, Planning Commission) participated in the proceedings apart from many activists and farmers. The Kisan Sansad was a civil society effort and the organising committee comprised of eminent citizens as following: Justice Gopal Gowda, Justice Kolse Patil, Admiral Ramdas, Aruna Roy, P Sainath, Yashwant Sinha, Medha Patkar, Sant Gopaldas, Sompal Shastri, Mohammad Adeeb and Prashant Bhushan. The presidium included Justice Kolse Patil, Prof. Jagmohan Singh, Prashant Bhushan, Medha Patkar, Dinesh Abrol and Nikhil Dey. As the momentous farmer movement for the repeal of the three farm acts and for MSP continues across the country the government chose to do away with the Winter Session of Parliament. Hence the Kisan Sansad was organised so that agricultural experts, farmers leaders and political representatives could discuss the issues around the farmer movement. The Kisan Sansad concluded by passing resolutions demanding the repeal of the three central farm laws, legalisation of MSP and condemning the governments repression of the farmer protests. It was also resolved to continue to hold such gatherings and take these discussions across India and to form Save Farmer, Save Nation committees in various districts. The co-organisers of the Kisan Sansad are Kisan, Majdur, Berojgar, Karjdar Samarthak Janpartinidhi Sanghrash Morcha (KMBKSJSM) and Nation for Farmers, People First and Jan Sarokar. The Kisan Sansad began on 23rd January, 2021 by paying tributes to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Prof. Jagmohan Singh (Professor, Punjab Agriculture University and nephew of Bhagat Singh) was the Chair of the first session and gave the opening remarks. Joginder Singh Ugrahan also spoke in this session and talked about the threat that these laws pose to farmers and food security. He also emphasised the need for the farmer movement to stay non-violent. Dr. Reetika Khera highlighted how the laws are in a direction to dismantle the public distribution system currently in place to be replaced by cash transfers. Prof. Himanshu of the Jawaharlal Nehru University also spoke in this session. The next session was chaired by Justice Kolse Patil, who said that he stands with the farmers and the government is trying to divide farmers, the army and police who are all members of the same fraternity. In this session some prominent politicians such as Brinda Karat (former MP Rajya Sabha and Politburo Member of CPI-M), Sukhpal Singh Khaira (Former Leader of the Opposition of Punjab Assembly), Sudama Prasad (MLA, Bihar from CPI-ML), Dharamvir Gandhi (from MP, Punjab), Iliyas Azmi (former MP, Uttar Prasad), Ashok Tanwar (from MP, Haryana and former President of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee), Udit Raj (former MP, Delhi) and K. J. George (Karnataka MLA from Congress and former Home Minister, Karnataka) spoke apart from several others. Prof. Dr Rajinder Chaudhary (former Professor of Economics at Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak) explained how the contract farming laws are a threat to all farmers and not just those whose produce is currently procured at MSP. On day two, P. Sainath via his video message said that the first demand should obviously be on repeal of the laws and the second demand should be for the special session of Indian Parliament specifically on the agrarian crisis and issues of women and dalit farmers. Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Bhagel participated via video and said that those states which dont have an efficient mandi system are facing losses for years. He added that the rights of elected state governments have also been snatched by the central government through the passage of these laws. He explained that common consumers will also face the heat of this bill gradually and that this was the reason that the Chhattisgarh Government passed laws to prevent this threat from the central law to farmers as well as consumers. Prof. Atul Sood drew attention to the lessons to be learnt from the farmers resistance to three laws and the response of the Central government to the political opposition. Devinder Sharma highlighted how the government could ensure guaranteed remunerative prices if it was ready to invest Rs. 4-5 lakh crores. Yogendra Yadav addressed the gathering by saying that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) has been converted into a maximum securable price by the government. He said that the legal guarantee of remunerative prices is possible if there is a political will. In a fiery speech, Annie Raja highlighted the issues of women farmers and how the farm laws affect the food security of all sections of society, especially women and children. Thol Thirumavalan (MP from Tamil Nadu and President, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi party), Vaiko (Rajya Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu and founder and General Secretary of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and Tarun Mandal (from MP from West Bengal belonging to the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist)) also sent in video messages to the Kisan Sansad. Former Prime Minister Devegowda had written a letter to the organizing committee thanking him for the invitation and extended his support for farmers agitation. In her strongly worded letter to the Kisan Sansad, Sonia Gandhi tore into the ruling dispensation saying that the Central Government has shown shocking insensitivity in its desire to please a few private companies. She added that the farmer movement will be the first issue that the Congress raises in the forthcoming session of the Parliament. Participants of Kisan Sansad passed a resolution against these three acts as they give unregulated freedom to corporates at the expense of crores of marginal farmers of India. The acts are also flawed as there was no pre-legislative consultation before they were passed. In solidarity with the farmers of India, the Kisan Sansad resolved that farmers must be guaranteed a MSP in law and a guaranteed procurement of the notified crops at this MSP is ensured. The Sansad demands that the Central government immediately accept these demands of farmers in principle and form a suitable committee to recommend how this policy can be enacted in law and draft a bill which may then be placed before Parliament. The Kisan Sansad and its organisers deeply regret the attack on the Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu by some anti-social elements who thereby tried to disrupt the proceedings of the Sansad. He had come as an invited representative of the Congress Party to the Kisan Sansad. The Sansad expressed its satisfaction that the government has finally realized the folly of not allowing the farmers to take out a tractor parade on Republic Day in Delhi. The Sansad also condemned the repression, disinformation and false accusations hurled upon protesting farmers by the government and some media houses. Annexures: Background notes and invite: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1seMGB2f0VmkTojte2wwDXssC0RB5wFtt?usp=sharing Complete list of speakers: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13aohrkpNoNwb1wKhl4Hgb-9UBNQfA7RogRb5acH-mAo/edit?usp=sharing Letter from H. D. Deve Gowda: https://twitter.com/H_D_Devegowda/status/1352856772042608640 Letter from Sonia Gandhi: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U4iiNyDW7-Mvxq2WlZs9BtDC4_fZKgLf/view?usp=sharing Link to livestream of proceedings: Day 2: The Times Union is providing free access to this developing coverage to provide critical information to our community. To support our journalists work, consider a digital subscription. The chart shows daily new cases of COVID-19 in the eight counties of the Capital Region. Graphics by Cathleen F. Crowley and Bethany Bump/Times Union (About the data) Get the latest in your inbox: Sign up for the free Coronavirus Updates newsletter . Vaccinations : Track vaccine roll-out in New York. Plus, find vaccine locations near you. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is being threatened with a lawsuit if his administration does not adjust its vaccination policy for incarcerated people in jails and prisons. Attorneys and legal experts from The Legal Aid Society and other advocacy groups sent a letter to Cuomo this week demanding people in jails and prisons be included in New Yorks second or 1b phase of vaccination, arguing that the states policy runs counter to federal guidance advising vaccination priority for people in congregate settings. Read more ___ Thursday: Vaccine suddenly arrived, but Saratoga County didn't know who to give it to A short timetable, jumbled communication, and confusion over who was responsible doling out 400 coronavirus vaccine doses led to a closed-door meeting filled with shouting that likely violated Open Meetings Law. The county received word from the state late last week that it was going to receive a one-time allotment of 400 doses of the Moderna vaccine that needed to be used within six days. It was told those doses could only go to residents over the age of 65 - with an emphasis placed on reaching homebound seniors. The state had charged local pharmacies with vaccinating those 65 and older, but created this allotment because of the lack of pharmacies in some areas of the county, according to one supervisor. Read more ___ Thursday: Lawmakers react to AG scathing report on state's COVID-19 nursing home plan State lawmakers and others reacted swiftly and harshly to a scathing attorney general's report issued Thursday faulting New York for underreporting deaths in nursing homes and finding widespread safety breakdowns that could have increased the risk of residents and staff contracting the coronavirus. The release of the 76-page report came as a surprise to many lawmakers, who have for months been seeking detailed data with regard to deaths of nursing home residents and in recent days have warned legislators could use their subpoena power to compel state officials to provide that information. Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt called for the resignation of health Commissioner Howard Zucker in the wake of the attorney general's report. The response from Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins was more muted. "The tragic situation in our nursing homes remains a heartbreaking reminder of the toll this pandemic took on this state. Nothing will bring back our loved ones that we lost but it is crucial that information guides our responses so this will not happen again." Read more ___ Thursday: AG says Cuomo administration underreported COVID-19 nursing home deaths by as much as 50% New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday released a searing report that found the state Department of Health underreported nursing home deaths related to the coronavirus by as much as 50 percent. The 76-page report released Thursday morning follows a months-long investigation by the attorney general's office's into allegations of patient neglect and other conduct that jeopardized the health and safety of residents and employees, including information that nursing homes failed to properly isolate residents who tested positive for COVID-19 and demanded sick employees continue to work or face retaliation or termination. Beyond the health department's undercounting of deaths, the investigation also found nursing homes' lack of compliance with infection-control protocols put residents at risk, and facilities that had lower pre-pandemic staffing ratings had higher COVID-19 fatality rates. James' office continues to investigate the allegations, including a deeper examination of practices at more than 20 nursing homes where reported conduct "presented particular concern." Read more ___ Thursday: One more resident dies from coronavirus as Albany County sees 216 new cases One more person died from COVID-19 overnight, bringing the countys overall death toll to 303, said County Executive Dan McCoy. The woman who died was in her 70s, McCoy said. There were also 216 new positive coronavirus cases confirmed Thursday, up from Wednesdays 192, but down from the 279 cases that were reported on Jan. 12. Of the 216 new cases, contact tracers couldnt source 144. Read 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. Quarterly Activity - Cashflow Report Melbourne, Jan 29, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Bluechiip Ltd ( ASX:BCT ) sales and marketing teams both in Australia and the United States continue to make progressive negotiations with potential OEMs especially in the IVF and Cell Therapy markets despite current COVID-19 travel restrictions. The Company successfully delivered sales of $27K in developer kits through its distributor in China and Czech Republic and achieved sales of $31K for the quarter ended 31 December 2020.Ongoing improvements to the chip performance and efficiency activity continue to dominate the cash outflow over the last 2 quarters. During the quarter, R&D expenditure and staff costs continue to be amongst the major cash outflow items - $361K and $513K respectively. The company expects to receive a refund for both activities of 43.5% in the form of 2020/2021 R&D Tax Incentive from the Australian Government. The current quarter outflows have been mitigated by customer receipts of $31K and government grants of $146K. Overall, the quarter saw net operating cash outflow come down from $1,281K in the previous quarter to $1,042K. Bank balances stand at $3.6m and an additional $2m is held in a bank term deposit.The Company continues to respond to market conditions by progressively reviewing several measures implemented including:- Executing on potential opportunities in the US, including evaluation systems into customer sites through our sales and marketing team based in the US;- Progressing towards partner agreements with potential OEMs including in the IVF market, Cell Therapy and target Biobanking space, all of which have seen market interest for the Company's products and solutions;- Focusing R&D activities on improving the quality, performance, and scalability of chips. This is expected to attain higher quality and yield with the aim of achieving economies of scale and lowering production costs as the Company approaches full volume production;- Focusing on progressing the development of a Bluechiip Enabled range of consumables for the Biobanking market which Bluechiip intends to market directly in North America and Australia New Zealand and through distribution partners globally;- Continuing from the previous quarters with reallocation of the technical sales team resources to R&D activities with the aim of further improving our products; for example, improving our multi vial readers' functionality by addressing market feedback to meet current and potential OEM partners' requirements arising from the sales of developer kits in previous quarters. The developer kits enable potential OEM partners to integrate Bluechiip's technology into their own products;- Managing existing cash reserves and allocating to evaluated R&D activities expenditure in line with overall Company's strategy;- Managing the scale of production in response to the slowdown in sales activity, while continuing to build stocks with the expectation that when markets normalise, Bluechiip is well positioned for a return to growth; and- Working with patent adviser on further patent applications to add to Bluechiip's existing 9 patent families comprising 25 granted patents.To view the quarterly report, please visit:About Bluechiip Ltd Bluechiip Ltd (ASX:BCT) understands that every sample - stem cells, blood, eggs, sperm and other biospecimens - is critical, so our objective is to manage each one with optimal quality in the most efficient way. Bluechiip's advanced management solution is the only one that provides sample temperature with ID in cryogenic environments to. Most importantly, this delivers confidence in every sample. Bluechiip's unique patented technology is a MEMS-based wireless tracking solution that contains no electronics. It represents a generational change from current tracking methods such as labels (hand-written and pre-printed), barcodes (linear and 2D), and Radio Frequency Identification. Bluechiip tags are either embedded or manufactured into storage products such as vials or bags. Each product can be easily identified, and critical information such as sample temperature, is detected by readers and stored in the Bluechiip software. In addition to functioning in extreme temperatures, the Bluechiip(R) Advanced Sample management solution can survive autoclaving, gamma irradiation sterilization, humidification, centrifuging, cryogenic storage and frosting. Bluechiip's technology has applications in healthcare, including in cryogenic storage facilities (biobanks and biorepositories), pathology, clinical trials and forensics. Other key markets include cold-chain logistics/supply chain, security/defence, industrial/manufacturing and aerospace/aviation. Bluechiip: Delivering confidence in every sample. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, substance abuse has increased significantly. The Indiana Department of Health reports 1,026 Hoosiers died of drug overdoses last year. The need is great, but funding is down for local addiction recovery centers. Vigo County officials set out to ask for help on Thursday. Vigo County Prosecutor Terry Modesitt says we need the community to take action and help. The Prosecutors office had to intervene on two separate occasions to keep addiction recovery centers open in the Wabash Valley. Modesitt held a presss conference on Thursday to bring this great need to the publics attention and ask for assistance from you at home. Modesitt says these addiction recovery centers are vital to rehabilitating those struggling in the community. He explained how helpful they are and why hes calling on the community for help. The answer is not to send everybody who has a drug addiction or an alcohol addiction to jail, Modesitt explained, The goal is to try and help the ones who have the addiction problems to beat their problems and to become productive and good citizens. Christy Crowder is the director at the Wabash Valley Recovery Center in Terre Haute. She says the pandemic has made it even tougher on those struggling. When people enter recovery, we stress the importance of community, meetings, reaching out to your network, and staying close to your support group, Crowder said, So much of that had to be cut off and stopped because of COVID. Modesitt says the financial need of these centers is great, and we must come together as a community so they can continue helping those who need it most. The legal system cannot meet that need. Its going to take all of us. Its going to take the community. Ive seen the miracles that have occurred with some of these programs. Weve seen great success stories, Modesitt concluded, Please step up and help if you can. We dont want to lose the recovery groups. They provide a great option to help people beat their addiction and also they provide an alternative to jail and prison. Below is a list of addiction recovery centers that are in need of donations. They are all located in the Wabash Valley. The Avenues, Terre Haute, 812-229-1632 Club Gobi, Terre Haute, 812-232-4144 Club Soda, Terre Haute, 812-841-6349 House of Hope, Brazil, 812-466-1717 Odyssey House, Terre Haute, 812-298-3125 Next Step, Terre Haute, 812-917-5006 Ruth House, Sullivan, 812-699-9831 Salvaged Lives, Terre Haute, 812-232-1700 Truman House, Terre Haute, 812-229-7244 Wabash Valley Recovery Center, Terre Haute, 812-917-0068 Wabash Valley Teen Challenge, Terre Haute, 812-624-5679 A small bomb went off near the Israeli embassy in the heart of Lutyens' Delhi on Friday in an incident that an Israeli official, told news agency Reuters, was being treated as terrorism. The blast occurred shortly after 5 pm while President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were participating in the Beating Retreat ceremony a kilometre away. The site of the blast was quickly cordoned off by police. READ | 'Blast near Israeli embassy in Delhi being investigated as an attempted terrorist attack' The low-intensity explosion took place near the embassy located at Aurangzeb Road in the national capital. No injuries have been reported in the blast on APJ Abdul Kalam Road, a very high-security zone in the national capital. Delhi police said the explosion was caused by a "very low-intensity improvised device" and damaged the window panes of three nearby parked cars. "Initial impressions suggest a mischievous attempt to create a sensation," a police spokesperson said in a statement. Similar blast 9 years ago: In 2012, a blast near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi injured an Israeli diplomat`s wife, her driver and two others. It coincided with an attack on another Israeli diplomat in Tbilisi, Georgia. "Formal India Israel ties were established on January 29, 1992. Today is the 29th anniversary of the relationship," sources told Zee News. Trinitrotoluene (TNT), an explosive material, was used on February 13, 2012, in the bombing of an Israeli diplomat`s car in the high-security area of the capital, as per the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory (CFSL) report. Israeli diplomat Tal Yehoshua was seriously injured in the incident and was later flown back to Israel. The CFSL had deputed its senior scientists for establishing the explosive material used in the terror incident, a first of its kind in which an envoy was targeted by assailants from a different country. TNT, which was first used in 1902 as an explosive material when Germans filled it in artillery shells, is termed as an insensitive explosive which enables it to be poured while in liquid form into shell cases. #WATCH | Delhi Police team near the Israel Embassy where a low-intensity explosion happened. Nature of explosion being ascertained. Some broken glasses at the spot. No injuries reported; further investigation underway pic.twitter.com/RphSggzeOa ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2021 TNT is insensitive to shock as well as friction, which allows it to be transported and used without much risk for accidental detonation. It is also water-resistant, which allows it to be used in wet environments. The report spoke about pieces having magnetic nature which could have been used by the terrorist identified as Houshang Afshar Irani for sticking the bomb on the envoy`s car which also left four other people with minor injuries. Terrorist attack? Israel is treating a small bomb blast near the Israeli embassy, which did not injure anyone, "as a terrorist incident", news agency Reuters reported quoting an Israeli official. "Blast near Israel embassy in New Delhi is being investigated as an attempted terrorist attack. Communication took place between Indian and Israeli top officials. Israel Ambassador has been assured full security to the mission and all diplomats. Probe by multiple agencies," it added. Israel's reaction: The Israeli foreign ministry said no damage was caused to its embassy building and all Israeli diplomats and embassy staff were safe. "An explosion occurred a short while ago, close to the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi. There are no casualties and no harm was done to the building. All Israeli diplomats and embassy staff are safe and sound," a foreign ministry release said. It said that the foreign minister is frequently being updated on the situation and has directed to take all necessary precautions. "We will report further developments as they occur," the release said. "The incident is under investigation by the authorities in India, who are in contact with the relevant Israeli authorities," the foreign ministry said in a statement. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that "although there were no casualties, India and all elements in Israel regard the explosion as a terrorist incident". External Affairs Ministry: Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar said he had assured his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi "of the fullest protection for the Embassy and Israeli diplomats. The matter is under investigation and no effort will be spared to find the culprits." He tweeted, "Spoke just now to Israeli FM Gabi Ashkenazi about the explosion outside the Israeli Embassy. We take this very seriously. Assured him of the fullest protection for the Embassy and Israeli diplomats. The matter is under investigation and no effort will be spared to find the culprits." Spoke just now to Israeli FM @Gabi_Ashkenazi about the explosion outside the Israeli Embassy. We take this very seriously. Assured him of the fullest protection for the Embassy and Israeli diplomats. Matter is under investigation and no effort will be spared to find the culprits. Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 29, 2021 Alert issued: Meanwhile, an alert has been issued at all airports, important installations and government buildings in view of the blast. Enhanced security measures have been put in place. Mumbai Police is also on high alert after the blast in Delhi and security has been tightened. CISF: The CISF which guards civil airports, vital nuclear and aerospace installations, Delhi Metro and central government buildings has put on alert all its units across the country after a minor IED blast outside the Israeli Embassy in the national capital on Friday evening, official sources said. The paramilitary force has directed its personnel to enhance vigil at the 63 civil airports and the Delhi Metro under its cover, besides vital installations in the nuclear and aerospace domain. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) units that guard various government buildings in the national capital have been asked to maintain a "high level of alert", they said. The CISF with a strength of about 1.62 lakh personnel is designated as the national civil aviation security force. Delhi Police: Earlier in the day, Delhi Police Additional PRO Anil Mittal said that it was a "very low intensity" blast. "No injury to any person was reported and nor was there any damage to the property except the glass panes of three vehicles parked nearby," he said. Initial impressions suggest it could be a mischievous attempt to create a sensation, Mittal said. Centre monitoring situation: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is in touch with senior Delhi police officials and is constantly monitoring the situation. He was briefed by the Delhi Police about the blast. After the incident, the minister has been in touch with the Delhi Police top brass and keeping an eye on the situation. The minister has directed the police to take all necessary steps to investigate and find out the perpetrators of the crime, the official said. with additional inputs from news agencies Getty Images Bank By Jung Da-min A high school staffer has been sentenced to three years in prison for leaking test papers of the U.S. SAT college entrance exam to a broker. The Seoul Central District Court said Friday it convicted the staffer surnamed Lee, who holds a U.S. passport, of obstruction of business for repeatedly leaking SAT exam papers over a period of a year and a half starting in 2017. Lee received a total of 203 million won ($181,300) in return for the leaked papers. In 2009 Lee joined a high school in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, as a counselor for students wanting to apply for overseas colleges, and worked there since 2013 as an SAT coordinator managing and supervising the school's SAT-related affairs. In mid-2017, Lee received a proposal from a broker surnamed Kim, suggesting they take advantage of the fact that the SATs are held at different times in different countries and regions. Lee took photos of the test papers when the SATs were held here and sent them to Kim, who then had several SAT lecturers at private institutes, whom he had hired in advance, solve the questions quickly. The answers were then sent to test-takers in other countries including in Europe. The judge said Lee's crime was serious as it caused fundamental damage to the fairness of college entrance examinations. 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. COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Key Numbers $570 million invested in the life sciences 39 public investments including 9 portfolio company IPOs 33 venture financings including multiple crossover financings and investments in new portfolio companies Market leader in Europe with 13 transactions Scott Beardsley appointed Head of Novo Ventures Expanded team with 6 new additions bringing team total to 28 Novo Ventures, the ventures arm of Novo Holdings, today publishes its review of 2020, a year that saw significant progress across all areas of the business. For more information, please see here. Commenting on the year, Scott Beardsley, Managing Partner of Novo Ventures, said: "Novo Ventures had a busy 2020, backing companies that are developing and commercializing products with the potential to significantly advance patient care. The team's deep and diverse life science expertise as well as our substantial pool of capital enables us to support a broad range of companies throughout their lifecycle in both the US and Europe. We invest in a wide array of private companies from early stage startups through later stage crossover financings. On the public side, we help catalyze IPOs and follow-on financings as well as participate in the open market. In 2021, we will continue to invest heavily in the life sciences and better healthcare." Scott Beardsley took over the leadership of Novo Ventures following the transition of Thomas Dyrberg to Senior Advisor. Thomas joined Novo Holdings in 2000, helping establish Novo Ventures, for which he has served as a Senior Partner and since 2015 as Managing Partner. During Thomas' leadership, Novo Ventures has grown to rank among the top biotech venture investors globally. Equally as important, the reputation of Novo Ventures in the life science community is exceptional, living up to the Novo Holdings Way by delivering Performance with Respect and Responsibility. Novo Holdings extends a special thank you to Thomas Dyrberg for his service and leadership of Novo Ventures. The Novo Ventures leadership team includes Scott Beardsley, Managing Partner, and Senior Partners Tiba Aynechi, Peter Moldt and Naveed Siddiqi. Novo Ventures continued to bolster its team in 2020, adding six new members to make up a 28 strong team of life science experts. About Novo Holdings A/S and Novo Ventures Novo Holdings is recognized as a world-leading life science investor with a focus on creating long-term value. As a life sciences investor, Novo Holdings provides seed and venture capital to development-stage companies and takes significant ownership positions in growth and well-established companies. Novo Holdings also manages a broad portfolio of diversified financial assets. For more information: https://www.novoholdings.dk/ Novo Ventures is a global team of investment professionals employed by Novo Holdings and its affiliates that supports Novo Holdings' investments in private and public opportunities in the life sciences industry. For more information: https://www.novoholdings.dk/investments/ventures/; https://www.novoholdings.dk/wp-content/uploads/Novo-Ventures-2020-in-review.pdf. SOURCE Novo Holdings BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of sympathy to his Surinamese counterpart, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, recently over his infection with COVID-19. In his message, Xi extended sympathy to Santokhi over his infection with the virus and wished him a speedy recovery. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi voiced staunch support for the Surinamese government and people in their anti-pandemic battle, and wished the Surinamese people an early victory over the pandemic. January 29, 2021 Syria - The U.S. Controlled Al-Tanf Serves As ISIS Base - Truth Or Propaganda? by Hedwig Kuijpers Photo of US soldiers training Maghweer al-Thora forces in the al-Tanf pocket (source: Hammurabi news) bigger Many questions remain unanswered about the al-Tanf United States base in the Syrian desert, that is called illegal by the Syrian government and Russia. Why is al-Tanf so important to the US? What are the US soldiers still doing there? Who else are hosted in the al-Tanf pocket? Why is ISIS growing again? Is al-Tanf really a launching pad for ISIS attacks in the region? Why is the al-Tanf base so important to the US? The al-Tanf base is located in the al-Tanf pocket, at about 20km of the al-Tanf border crossing. Its 55 km-deconfliction zone is located along the border with Iraq and Jordan, and cuts off the Baghdad-Damascus highway. By controlling this highway, the United States ensures that Iranian deliveries to the Syrian capital Damascus cannot take place by land. This is of high strategic importance to the US, because Iranian shipments and air deliveries are much easier intercepted, and form an easy target to Israeli airstrikes. The US-led coalition forces use al-Tanf as an entrance point to launch operations into Syria. The base can be easily reached from both Baghdad and Jordan. Both the Syrian government and Russian officials have repeatedly stated that the al-Tanf zone are being used by terrorist groups active in the region, as a safe haven and a foothold to carry out attacks on government-held areas and Iranian proxy-groups in the Bukamal area. This ISIS rear base has been actively protected by the forces stationed at al-Tanf, which threaten any deployment of the Syrian Arab Army, Iranian proxy-groups and Russian forces close to the al-Tanf zone. The formal justification given by the US surrounding these actions is that Syrian government troops as well as Iranian-backed forces in Syria pose a threat to US-backed less-radical rebel groups and US troops deployed at the garrison. Oil, Rebels, Iran, Chaos and Leverage Many allegations exist surrounding the activities of the US soldiers present at al-Tanf, even though the Trump-administration claimed it wanted to pull back troops from Syria and victory had been announced over ISIS. One of the reasons is the presence of US-backed rebel groups such as Maghweer al-Thora. According to an OIR inspector general report released Aug. 4. 2020, OIR officials want to want to double the size of US-proxy forces in Syria and finish training a 2,200-man oilfield guard unit there. The same report also mentions the oil revenues of the area. US-backed forces likely produced at least 30,000 barrels of oil per day, garnering nearly $3 million a day in revenue, until the recent price collapse. Although US-backed Kurdish forces have bolstered their security presence near major oil and gas fields in northeastern Syria, they have remained co-located with Coalition forces whose protection SDF leaders still depend on, the IG report also reads, reminding us of the cooperation of a shady US oil company partnering up with the Kurdish-led SDF to refine and sell Syrias oil. The Kurdish-led SDF occupies a great part of the countrys wheat fields and the majority of Syrias oilfields, and thus actively threaten Syrias economy. Another reason the US government might utter are humanitarian reasons As there are 10.000 refugees and Bedouins living inside the deconfliction zone, which is heavily infiltrated by ISIS militants and said to be a launching pad for ISIS attacks by Syrian officials. US officials might utter these refugees have been under US protection for years now, and leaving them behind might put them in danger, so they must stay. Army Gen. Joseph Votel, the top U.S. commander for the Middle East, acknowledged the base's strategic importance in countering the sway of Iran. He was quoted as following: Al Tanf's location is also central to its role in preventing the Iranians from gaining a firmer foothold in the region. The base sits in the heart of what Iran hopes will be part of a "Shia Crescent," a continuous land bridge linking Iran through Iraq and Syria to Lebanon. US officials have also uttered that their presence at al-Tanf could form leverage in the negotiations on the outcome of the conflict. As Syria, Russia, Turkey and Iran all want the United States to leave Syria, it might give them some leverage when Syrias future will be formed. Maghaweer al-Thowra, liberated ISIS prisoners, and the British SAS As mentioned earlier, the rebel group Revolutionary Commando Army or Maghaweer al-Thowra is hosted in the al-Tanf pocket, they are called less-radical are trained by US soldiers to fight in anti-ISIS operations. Yet, defects of the group have claimed that 'U.S. troops at Al-Tanf base sold weapons to ISIS in Syria' and use the group to hinder operations of the Syrian Arab Army and Iranian proxies in the area instead. American instructors trained them to carry out sabotage at oil and transport infrastructure, as well as for terrorist acts in the Syrian government-controlled territories, state another group of defectors of Maghaweer al-Thowra. In addition to US-backed rebel groups, it is also stated that former ISIS militants are being hosted in the al-Tanf pocket. Though the US forces have not denied that ISIS militants may have infiltrated the refugees there, multiple reports state that ISIS prisoners released by Kurdish officials have been massively transported to the US military base. Western forces are being host in the al-Tanf base as well. The British special forces SAS have been operating alongside US forces and Syrian rebels since 2016 in operations hidden from the public. The British covert operation started as early as 2011, when the British were assisting the earliest Syrian rebels and assessing their needs to overthrow Syrian president Assad. The SAS began actively training the rebels fighting Assad from bases in Jordan in 2012. At the same time, the SAS also began slipping into Syria on missions. That the rebels they supported had strong affiliations with ISIS did not matter to them. The Free Syrian Army that was supported in the British operation, was in effect allied to IS until the end of 2013 and was collaborating with it on the battlefield until 2014, despite tensions between the groups. "We have good relations with our brothers in the FSA," ISIS leader Abu Atheer said in 2013, having bought arms from the FSA. In 2015, reports started to emerge of SAS fighters dressed as ISIS militants and waving the black flag, while at the same time continuing operations against the Syrian Arab Army. Other reports show that the SAS has been actively training and fighting alongside the Kurdish-led SDF. British special forces continue to operate on the ground in Syria in 2019 and are reported to number at least 120 soldiers, as a new cyber unit was announced that was created to take on Russian and Chinese battle tech and also track down remaining ISIS commanders. In 2020, the SAS has continued secret manoeuvres in Syria. They have also fought alongside the Kurdish-led SDF and were clad in Burkas during operations in the area. Reports by British media also state that the forces will also be deployed to hinder Russias and Irans covert activities. SAS forces are stationed in Jordan and al-Tanf. SAS fighters (source: Pinterest.com) bigger Why is ISIS growing again? Attacks claimed by ISIS in both Iraq and Syria have increased significantly in 2020, demonstrating both a capacity and a willingness on ISISs part to continue attacks and retake territory, support in the area, and resources. ISIS has led a steady beat of assassinations, ambushes, and bombings in eastern Syria in 2020, and is responsible for the deaths of a number of regime and SDF forces. By August, 126 attacks by ISIS across Syria were reported for 2020 compared to 144 in all of 2019. Reasons mentioned for the ISIS resurgence in Syria are to be found in several complex situations. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have released more than 600 ISIS fighters and 15.000 ISIS-supporters from al-Hol camp. In addition, 785 ISIS fighters escaped from Ayn Issa during Turkish shelling, and about 100 hardcore ISIS-militants have reportedly escaped from ISIS-prisons. ISIS prisoners in Hasakah (source: Rudaw) Another reason for ISIS opportunity to grow are the flaring tensions between the SDF and tribal forces in Deir ez-Zor, after the assassinations of several powerful Arab tribal leaders. The SDF blamed the Syrian government, Turkey, Iran and their respective local allies of using certain elements in Deir ez-Zor to cause instability. Though in 2019, victory over ISIS was declared after the last ISIS stronghold was retaken in the battle for Baghouz, the amount of ISIS attacks has seemed to have risen. Maps made by Gregory Waters show the exact location of the ISIS attacks, and how the location of the attacks suddenly spread from the al-Tanf/al-Bukamal axis to the Deir ez-Zor-Uqayribat axis (ISIS stronghold that was liberated by the Syrian Arab Army in 2017) in 2020, as well as multiplying and intensifying by orders of magnitude. By analyzing these maps, an interesting trend can be seen. ISIS attacks seem to focus on areas that have been recaptured by the Syrian Arab Army, stretching deeply in SAA territory. Other ISIS attacks focus on Iranian proxies from al-Bukamal to Deir ez-Zor. An amount of ISIS attacks also occurred in SDF-held territories, focussing on the Deir ez-Zor region. These attacks conveniently seem to target tribal leaders that oppose the SDF-US oil deal. Is al-Tanf really a launching pad for ISIS attacks in the region? The controversial al-Tanf base is mentioned as a launching pad for ISIS attacks in the region by many sides. All sides seem to agree that dubious attacks claimed to be committed by ISIS - seem to be launched from the al-Tanf pocket. The al-Tanf pocket hosts ISIS-affiliated refugees and militias like Maghaweer al-Thowra, that have cooperated with ISIS and use quite the same modus operandi. These groups still receive training by US soldiers today. It is undeniable that escaped or released ISIS fighters may have rejoined the group. Released jihadists often return to ISIS or similar groups. British SAS forces remain operative in the reason, and are stationed in Jordan and al-Tanf, from where they launch operations. Little is known about their activities in Syria, as the SAS is exempt from freedom of information laws and operates under a strict no comment policy. Secrecy around the corps is pervasive. Statements of defectors, Russian government officials and Syrian government officials, and other signs explained in this article all point in the same direction; that al-Tanf has become the launching pad of dubious activities in the region. They allege US-sponsored ISIS factions, US-backed rebel groups, or secretive SAS operations are behind the attacks. Proving these allegations or distinguishing the real perpetrator is very hard, yet all evidence points at al-Tanf. And even if proven, accusations will remain unheard by the larger public. Yet, when arguing about this growing threat, one must take the US militarys earlier actions in the Middle East in mind. The US has a long history of state-sponsored terrorism, and cooperation with terrorist- and radical jihadist groups. Proof of these operations often only shows up years after. And I myself will not be surprised if - one day - news about a clandestine ISIS-US cooperation appears in the media through leaks or whistle blowers, books will be written, and documentaries will be made. Posted by b on January 29, 2021 at 10:44 UTC | Permalink Comments MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, MI A Muskegon Heights home has been deemed a total loss after an early-morning house fire that started at around 5 a.m. Friday. Muskegon Heights Fire Chief Christopher Dean said firefighters and police responded to a call at 5:20 a.m., Friday, Jan. 29, on the report of a structure fire in the 500 block of W. Lincoln Ave., just east of Glade Street. A passerby, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was driving home from work on Seaway Drive when he saw the fire and called 911. As he ran up toward the home, he said power lines were falling, and after shouting out, he heard a lady screaming from the backyard. He helped the woman over the backyard privacy fence and then, along with the help of a neighbor and arriving officers, pulled down a fence panel to help get her dog, who was trapped in the yard, to safety. He said he wished to remain anonymous as there are men and women out there doing stuff like that day in and day out that deserve all the praise. Dean said, upon arrival, firefighters found a large amount of fire in an attached carport. He said they immediately began fire suppression activities but were hampered in those efforts by the downed power lines. A home in the 500 block of W. Lincoln Avenue has been deemed a total loss after an early-morning house fire took place Friday, Jan. 29, 2021 in Muskegon Heights, Michigan. (Courtesy photo | Branden Riner) The fire spread from the carport into the roof structure and then caused extensive damage throughout, Dean said. It took about an hour to get it contained. The chief said the cause of the fire remains under investigation and Muskegon Heights Police and the Michigan State Police will be assisting with the investigation. The Muskegon Heights Fire Department was assisted on scene by Norton Shores Fire, he said. Also on MLive: 9% of Michigan adults vaccinated against COVID-19 so far; see numbers in your county Driver kills 3 cows in Ottawa County crash He cant believe he got involved in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot, attorney says Over a year since the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) the etiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) the exact origins of this novel virus remains a mystery, with no clear animal progenitor or intermediary host confirmed. A zoonotic (animal-derived) pathogen, SARS-CoV-2 was initially thought to have spilled over to human hosts through a wet market in Wuhan, China, where it was first detected in December 2019. Study: Exploring the natural origins of SARS-CoV-2 . Image Credit: slowmotiongli / Shutterstock Environmental samples from the Huanan Seafood Market in the Jianghan District of Wuhan City showed evidence for infections in humans. However, subsequent case studies have found no links to this market. This suggests that it may not have been the ground zero for the SARS-CoV-2 spillover. An early notion was that pangolins widely sold and consumed in China may have been the intermediary host that facilitated SARS-CoV-2s jump to humans. This was hypothesized on the basis that pangolins are often reservoirs for coronaviruses. However, subsequent research has not corroborated this. Moreover, the recent identification of SARS-CoV-2s closest known relatives in horseshoe bat samples in Yunnan province, which is approximately 1,500 km from Wuhan, and as well as in Cambodia and Japan, suggest that these animal-derived pathogens have been circulating among bat species a lot longer than previously thought across large geographical zones in China and beyond. What studies have so far established, however, is that SARS-CoV-2 is a member of the Sarbecovirus subgenus of Betacoronaviruses seen in horseshoe bat hosts of the family Rhinophilidae, and a sister lineage of SARS-CoV, which caused the SARS outbreak in 2002-2003. Now, a team of researchers in the UK and China performed a comprehensive analysis of horseshoe bat and pangolin Sarbecoviruses. The findings of their study have been published on the bioRxiv* preprint server. Analyzing horseshoe bat and pangolin Sarbecoviruses The researchers focused on a wider group of nCoV Sarbecoviruses that cluster phylogenetically with SARS-CoV-2 and involved recombination detection analysis of the genome alignment of all available Sarbecoviruses. The team identified 16 recombination breakpoints that can help split the alignment into 17 putatively non-recombinant genomic regions from which the evolutionary history of the virus can be determined. To characterize the recombination patterns between viruses of the same clade as SARS-CoV-2 and those in the same clade as SARS-CoV, the researchers classified each virus in each of the 17 regions to either belonging to the nCoV clade or the non-nCoV clade (which will be closer to SARS-CoV). Linking SARS-CoV-2 related Sarbecovirus to geography and host ranges. Recombination analysis on a whole genome alignment of 69 Sarbecoviruses identified 16 recombination breakpoints (A), see methods. The fourth region was used for a molecular clock analysis (see scale below phylogenetic tree) and the median node age is presented for two key nodes including 95% HPD intervals; a representative set of 32 viruses are shown in the phylogenetic tree. T o illustrate recombination patterns between viruses in the same clade as SARS-CoV-2 and those in other clades of the tree, we have attributed each region of each virus to either being in the nCoV clade (the clade SARS-CoV-2 is found in, pink) or the non-nCoV clade (closer to SARS-CoV, blue). The colour shade corresponds to genetic distance, see key. The GX cluster (asterisk) includes five viruses sampled in Sunda pangolins in Guangxi (P1E, P2V, P4L, P5E, P5L; see Table S1). A map of China (B) is shown with colours corresponding to regions Sarbecoviruses have been sampled: blue, the non-nCoV clade and pink, the nCoV clade. Symbols correspond to provinces at tree tips in A. Host ranges of four potential hosts of the proximal SARS-CoV-2 ancestor (C); ranges from Smith and Xie (2013). Meat consumption led to ecological disturbances in SARS-CoV-2 transmission to humans The work confirmed that Rhinolophus affinis is still the likely reservoir species as its range extends across Central and Southern China, which explains the bat Sarbecovirus recombinants in West and East China, bat Sarbecovirus recombinants linked to Southern China, and trafficked pangolin infections. As changes in meat consumption resulted in ecological disturbances, it led to SARS-CoV-2 transmission to humans through direct or indirect contact with the wildlife, and subsequent emergence in Hubei, Central China. According to the authors, the only way of finding the animal progenitor of SARS-CoV-2 and the whereabouts of its close relatives is by increasing the sampling intensity. It is worth noting that the close relatives of SARS-CoV-2 may also have pandemic potential and pose a similar threat of emergence in animals and human population. Pangolins susceptibility to an apparently new human coronavirus is not surprising given the well-documented generalist nature of SARS-CoV-2, which has been found to readily transmit to multiple mammals with similar ACE2 receptors and poses a grave risk of reverse-zoonosis as has been seen most notably with human to mink transmissions. The need for increased sampling The data currently available shows a complex history behind SARS-CoV-2s natural evolution, driven by co-circulation of related coronaviruses over the last century in bat populations across East, West, Central and Southern China. Multiple recombination events evident in the genomes of viruses sampled from different bat hosts in various parts of China indicate constant movement of these viruses due to the different bat populations carrying them. Given the reality of frequent human-animal contact, routine characterisation of respiratory infections would seem a sensible precaution to prevent future emergence of Sarbecoviruses. All available evidence indicates the requirement of a reservoir host with a wide geographical range, like Chinese horseshoe bats. While the study presents evidence for R. affiniss importance, there are at least 20 different Rhinolophus species across China. Also, since the sarbecoviruses are generalist in nature, wild or farmed animals such as minks could also facilitate virus transmission from bats to humans. The risk of future emergence of a new SARS-CoV-2 nCoV strain is too high to restrict sampling strategies, caution the researchers. *Important Notice bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. 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. EDWARDSVILLE Area Catholic schools have a variety of ways to mark National Catholic Schools Week. St. Boniface School in Edwardsville is no exception. On Monday, classes will adopt one another as part of Celebrating the Bluejay Family. Each grade will participate in a morning prayer service and students are encouraged to dress in blue and white from head to toe. Penny Wars fought the previous week determined the movie choices for Movies for the Missions on Tuesday. Small groups will be invited into the school gym for movies and students will have the opportunity to buy concession items. They are encouraged to dress as their favorite movie character. On Wednesday, the school will celebrate first responders and healthcare workers as the schools student council will serve them donuts and coffee in a drive-through at the school. After that, students will create cards, books and art for area seminarian, priests, sisters and deacons. Two fathers will discuss how students can become priests. The dress code that day is red, white and blue. Thursday will hold special surprises for teachers and staff, including breakfast and lunch. There will be a spelling bee that afternoon and the dress code is to dress as your hero. The work week will culminate with student appreciation day. Mr. Hentz will DJ a dance party, complete with glow lights, and fun. Snowy Sweets Ice Cream will be on campus for students and students may dress down in their favorite outfits and fifth- through eighth-graders can wear face paint. At St. Marys Catholic School, Monday will feature a virtual spelling bee and students will create valentines for area nursing home residents. Students are encouraged to dress in spirit wear, dress-down bottoms with boots. Tuesday will celebrate students and they can dress in clashing or mismatched clothes. Wednesday will find students celebrating the nation and communicating the value of Catholic education to elected officials. Students are encouraged to dress to represent their favorite state. There will be a virtual geography bee, too. Thursday will have students focus on faith, knowledge and service. Students will write letters to those who chose religious and ordained vocations and there will be classroom bingo games. Finally, Friday will find the students wearing pajamas to school and they will enjoy a movie or other activity in class. At Father McGivney Catholic High School, the week will feature: Monday will involve House celebrations and a school-wide Noodle Ball tournament Tuesday, Springfield Catholic Diocese Bishop Thomas Paprocki will celebrate Mass on campus Wednesday, FMCHS will celebrate vocations as they welcome a number of priests and sisters to spend the day and compete in a school-wide trivia competition Thursday, All-day Adoration along with the finals of the school-wide Noodle Ball tournament Friday, McGivney will run a modified schedule allowing students to work toward completing their individual House service projects Saturday, families will be invited to attend First Saturday Mass and Adoration and they can compete in a family scavenger hunt Students and Elizabeth Moody, marketing and development director, created a video to thank parishes for their tremendous support since the schools inception and highlights things going on at McGivney. To view the video, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qESuU3Hz05A&feature=youtu.be At St. John Neumann Catholic School in Maryville, activities will include: Families will help create a family tree. School leaders sent home green construction paper leaves and asked each family to glue a picture of themselves and return them. As students return the leaves, they are hung on a paper tree in the hallway Creating care packages for each floor of Anderson Hospital. Families have been sending popcorn, tissues, oranges, chips, chapstick, snack bars, lotion and more The school will also feature a talent show, broadcast live on Facebook Friday at 1 p.m. Search Facebook for @stjohnneumanncrusaders Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at 618-659-5735 Sections of Sydneys rail network have been thrown into chaos after a train broke down near Redfern station on Friday, causing services to be cancelled and others delayed during the morning peak. Buses replaced trains along Sydneys T4 Eastern Suburbs line during the morning, with some services resuming by the early afternoon. Significant delays were also reported along the citys T3 and T8 Airport lines. Sydneys Central Station. Credit:Edwina Pickles While there have been some public reports of overcrowding on T4 services, it is understood teams at the citys Railway Operation Centre had not reported any significant issues on Friday morning. Patronage across the public transport network was down about 45 per cent on Friday compared with the same day last year, with 1.2 million trips recorded, Transport for NSW said. Photo: The Canadian Press Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo is seen during a news conference Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Pfizer and BioNTech are already assuming Canada will agree their COVID-19 vaccine vials contain six doses instead of five and are using that to project how many vials they will send Canada in the coming weeks. Several provinces say efforts to get that sixth dose are extremely hit or miss, even with the special syringes needed to do it. Pfizer only formally requested on Jan. 22 that Canada join the United States and Europe in changing the vaccine's authorization to reflect that the vials contained enough vaccine to get six doses rather than five. That would mean they could ship fewer vials of vaccine to Canada and still meet their contract to ship four million doses by March 31, and 40 million by the fall. Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo said Thursday that Health Canada is still reviewing the request to formally change the label and is examining whether that sixth dose can be extracted consistently enough to warrant a formal adjustment. But Pfizer is already using the six doses as it calculates how much vaccine Canada is going to get for all shipments after Feb. 8. A document distributed to the provinces Thursday shows they will be getting 2,722 vials of vaccine between Feb. 8 and March 31. By Pfizer's math, those vials contain 3.2 million doses of vaccine. But using Canada's math, at five doses per vial, there are only 2.7 million doses currently allocated for Canada in that time frame, which would leave Pfizer half a million doses shy of its contract. "Pfizer is using a different calculation than my team is currently using," said Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the military commander brought in to manage logistics for the federal vaccine rollout. But Fortin said Pfizer is still committed to four million doses by the end of March, "full stop." If Canada rejects the change, Pfizer would send more vials to account for it, he said. The differing numbers left provincial governments confused and angry Thursday. While the chart they were given clearly lays out that Canada and Pfizer are using two different calculations, provincial leaders professed exasperation. "We cant vaccinate people when we arent getting vaccines and when we arent getting accurate information from the federal government," said Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe. Getting a sixth dose from a vial consistently requires the use of a special syringe known as a low-dead-volume syringe, which traps less vaccine between the stopper and the needle when a vaccine is extracted from the vial and injected. The syringes are less common than the high-dead-volume versions, but Canada did have some in stock in some jurisdictions that have already been used to try to get the sixth dose when possible. Canada ordered another 37.5 million of the special syringes in the fall, and the first two million are set to arrive next week. The rest will arrive in multiple shipments before the middle of April. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Albertas chief medical officer, said health officials are getting the sixth dose when they can, but it cant be guaranteed from each vial and has only been achieved in about half the vials of Pfizer vaccine used in Alberta to date. Hinshaw said its not always possible to get six doses for many reasons, including a global shortage of a specialized type of syringe needed to get the extra dose, and that even with that needle, professionals have only been about successful at doing it in about 75 per cent of the time. A spokesman for Moe's government said Saskatchewan has also gotten a sixth dose from about half of its vials but it isn't a given. "Due to this inconsistency, health officials view the ability to draw additional vaccine as a surplus benefit, not a benchmark to plan for," said Moe's communications director Jim Billington. A spokesman for the Quebec government said Thursday that vaccinators there have sometimes been able to get sixth doses but only in a minority of vials used. Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said her province has asked workers to do what they can to get that sixth dose but didn't indicate the success rate. "It really, really helps us when we have the shortage of vaccines coming in right now from Pfizer," she said. Provinces have already had to pause parts of their vaccination campaigns because Pfizer stopped sending vaccines to Canada entirely this week while it expands its plant in Belgium. Initially, the company said the production delay was going to cut Canada's deliveries in half over four weeks. But the cuts were far deeper, with fewer than 340,000 doses arriving or planned to arrive between Jan. 18 and Feb. 14, instead of almost 1.2 million. Shipments stopped entirely this week, but are to resume with small batches in the next two weeks before bigger shipments start the week of Feb. 15. Pfizer was going to catch up by sending more than previously expected in the last part of February and throughout March, but now, with the change to the doses per vial, it barely has to increase the previously planned shipments at all. Fortin agreed the slowdown isn't ideal but he is "cautiously optimistic" that Pfizer will live up to its contract. Seven weeks after vaccinations began in Canada, more than 800,000 people have had at least one shot, and almost 91,000 have received both of the required doses of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. Moderna's vaccine has not had the same extra-dose situation as Pfizer. 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. QAnon Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene got into an altercation with fellow freshman lawmaker, Rep. Cori Bush, the St. Louis Democrat revealed Friday, as another conspiracy theory Greene aired, that Ruth Bader Ginsburg was replaced by a body double, was also exposed. This came on the heels of remarks Greene made Thursday night at a town hall when she joked, at the suggestion of a constituent, that members of the media deserved the 'electric chair.' Greene has dominated the headlines from Capitol Hill since Tuesday when CNN reported that she had shown support on Facebook for executing top Democrats. It's been a drip, drip, drip ever since. The White House has been forced to weigh in twice, though neither time has wanted to give Greene more prominence. 'We dont want to elevate conspiracy theories further in the briefing room,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday after being asked if Greene's wild theories, anti-Semitism, racism and badgering of school shooting survivors and their families were enough for President Joe Biden to believe she should be kicked off Congressional committees. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (left) got into an altercation with fellow freshman lawmaker, Democratic Rep. Cori Bush (right) - as new reporting revealed she believed Ruth Bader Ginsburg was replaced by a body double Rep. Cori Bush, a Democrat from St. Louis, said Friday that she was moving her office away from Greene's after an altercation between the two lawmakers Greene then charged Bush with 'the leader of the St. Louis Black Lives Matter terrorist mob' and shared a video showing someone off-camera yelling at the Georgia Republican for not wearing her mask properly White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday, 'We dont want to elevate conspiracy theories further in the briefing room,' after being asked if President Joe Biden believed Greene should keep her committee assignments New reporting from Media Matters for America found that Greene had expressed views on a radio show that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, before her death, was using a body double TAYLOR GREENE'S BIZARRE CLAIMS The California Camp Fire which killed at least 85 was caused by a space laser linked to the Rothschilds and the state's high-speed rail. PG&E admitted it was caused by a faulty power line and went into bankruptcy to fund a $13.5bn settlement and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Hillary Clinton and Huma Abedin cut off a child's face while she was alive, Clinton wore it as a mask so the terrified child would produce 'adrenachrome' and then organized the killing of a cop who knew about it. The Las Vegas massacre was organized by Democrats to help them ban guns and shooter Stephen Paddock was not a lone wolf. There's no evidence of a plane hitting the Pentagon on 9/11. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre which cost the lives of 17 students was a 'false flag planned shooting.' ' I am told that Nancy Pelosi tells Hillary Clinton several times a month that we need another school shooting in order to persuade the public to want strict gun control.' Seth Rich leaked Hillary Clinton's emails and was murdered in revenge by her aide John Podesta because the emails revealed that a D.C. pizza restaurant had a child-smuggling operation in its basement. It does not even have a basement. The world is run by a cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles and the Q in QAnon exists and is the 'best chance to take them out.' Barack Obama and Valerie Jarrett are Muslims. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was replaced by a body double. She wasn't the person who posted a call to assassinate Nancy Pelosi to her own Facebook page. Advertisement House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and David Hogg, a Parkland survivor and gun control advocate Greene harassed, both believe so. Late Friday, CNN and Axios reported that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was due to sit down with Greene next week. Pelosi also had to get involved in the dust-up between Greene and Bush, Punchbowl News first reported. 'A maskless Marjorie Taylor Greene & her staff berated me in a hallway. She targeted me & others on social media. I'm moving my office away from hers for my team's safety,' Bush said Friday in a tweet. 'I've called for the expulsion of members who incited the insurrection from Day 1. Bring H.Res 25 to a vote.' Punchbowl pointed out it's rare for the speaker to be engaged in such things as office moves. Greene later tweeted back that it was Bush that started it. 'Rep. Cori Bush is the leader of the St. Louis Black Lives Matter terrorist mob who trespassed into a gated neighborhood to threaten the lives of the McCloskey's,' the Georgia Republican claimed. 'She is lying to you. She berated me. Maybe Rep. Bush didnt realize I was live on video, but I have the receipts.' Greene then shared a video of her walking through one of the Capitol Hill tunnels, with her 'CENSORED' mask draped under her chin. Someone is heard off-camera yelling, 'Follow the rules and put on a mask!' while another individual, a man with a Southern accent, says, 'stop inciting violence.' In a statement sent out later Friday, Bush confirmed she had been captured in Greene's video, but said there was more to the story from there. 'Greene and her staff responded by berating me, with one staffer yelling, "Stop inciting violence with Black Lives Matter,"' Bush wrote. Bush also pointed to comments Greene made about her on Martin Luther King Jr. day, which were similar in tone to Friday's tweet. Bush said Greene falsely accused her of leading the mob that called for 'the rape, murder and burning of the home' of the McCloskey family in St. Louis. The McCloskeys were the white couple who gained fame for standing outside their home holding firearms. They were speakers at the 2020 Republican National Convention. Bush also blasted Greene for refusing to wear a mask, despite the pleas of her Democratic colleagues, during the January 6 siege of Capitol Hill. Greene responded Friday afternoon by announcing she would be releasing a 'statement' at 4:15 p.m. When that moment came, she tweeted out what looked to be a fundraising email boasting she had raised more than $1.6 million in donations from more than 60,000 people. She called reports about her past statements smears, attacks and lies. 'Contributions of $.50 or a $100 are significant statements of support, but the heartfelt prayers and encouraging messages telling me to keep standing strong against the mob are what's most significant to me,' she said. DailyMail.com's call to her office asking for a press contact on Thursday and Friday were answered by voicemail and not returned. Earlier this week a local television reporter was threatened with arrest for shouting a question at Greene during a Wednesday night town hall. At her Thursday night town hall, Greene continued to push that she was on the right to challenge the election results - which resulted in the MAGA riot. 'We had been preparing very hard, quite a few of us in the House and some of our senators to object, on January 6, to election fraud and objecting and six different states,' she said. 'We had done a lot of work in our preparation, talked to a lot of people. Looked at a lot of evidence that I think still needs to be looked at and should be presented in court, I truly believe that,' she said. Ultimately, only challenges to the Arizona and Pennsylvania count got voted on because no senators would object to additional states following the riot. She defended her position, also put forward by Trump and his legal team in the weeks after the Nov. 3 election. 'See, this wasn't a conspiracy of several people that got together and created a story. This is literally thousands of people in different states and different voting precincts different counties. And they all signed these affidavits,' she said at a town hall in Dallas, Georgia. She tried to make hay out of lawmakers who have pushed to take away her committee assignments or even have her voted out of Congress. 'Right now they're trying to expel me from Congress she said. 'It's a witch hunt.' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went off on Republican leadership during a Thursday press conference for selecting Greene to be on the House's Education committee after Greene had suggested deadly school shootings like Parkland and Sandy Hook weren't real Media Matters for America first reported the since-deleted Facebook post in which Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene lays out her theory on how the Camp Fire got started At her Paulding County outing, Greene read a question from a constituent: 'What can be done to hold the liberal bias media accountable for their incessant lies and slander?' 'That's a good question,' she said, chuckling. 'This is his words not mine, "I suggest the electric chair,"' she said, without skipping a beat. Greene has been angry at the press for reporting on a number of conspiracy theories she's spouted. On Friday, Media Matters for America - a left-leaning organization - reported that Greene had appeared on a streaming program for the pro-Trump website UniteAmericaFirst.com in February 2019. There she speculated that Ginsburg, the now late Supreme Court justice, was actually a body double. 'I do not believe that was Ruth. No. I dont think so,' she said, commenting on a photo of Ginsburg at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Media Matters was also the first to report that Greene wrote a Facebook post in November 2018 that she believed California's deadly Camp Fire was potentially caused by space lasers that were connected to the Rothschilds and former Gov. Jerry Brown to clear the way for a high-speed rail system. 'There are too many coincidences to ignore,' Greene wrote. Greene tried to connect the Pacific Gas and Electric Company - whose faulty equipment did start the blaze - through one of its board members to Rothschild Inc., in an anti-Semitic dog whistle. The cause of the fire isn't a mystery as PG&E pleaded guilty of being responsible and will pay out more than $25 billion in damages. On Thursday, Pelosi went after Greene and Republican leadership over the congresswoman's previous comments about school shootings. Greene, who was sworn-in earlier this month, was placed on the House Education & Labor Committee over the objection of the Democratic chair of the panel. 'What could they be thinking? Or is thinking too generous a word for what they might be doing. It's absolutely appalling and I think that the focus has to be on the Republican leadership of this House of Representatives for the disregard they have for the death of those children,' Pelosi said Thursday at her weekly press conference. Pelosi said top Republicans were willing to 'overlook' Greene's comments 'when she has mocked the killing of little children,' pointing specifically to the massacres at Sandy Hook Elementary and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Pelosi had been asked about Greene's social media postings - and what Pelosi would like to see happen to the Georgia lawmaker. Since a Tuesday CNN report on Greene's Facebook posts, California Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez introduced a resolution to expel Greene from Congress, while other House Democrats have called for her resignation. Hogg, who survived the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, recommended that Greene be stripped of her committee assignments, a step House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy took in 2019 to punish then Rep. Steve King for making racist statements. A video went viral Wednesday of Greene following Hogg around Capitol Hill before she was a member of Congress. During the 2-minute long video, Greene charges Hogg with 'using kids as a barrier' and taking money from George Soros. Greene asks Hogg why he supported 'red flag laws that attack our Second Amendment.' Greene talked about being armed. 'If school zones were protected with security guards with guns, there would be no mass shootings, did you know that?' she tells Hogg. The video was making the rounds on the heels of a CNN report that said Greene had indicated support on Facebook in 2018 and 2019 for executing top Democrats, including Pelosi. Greene had liked a post that said 'a bullet to the head would be quicker' to remove Pelosi from office. In an April 2018 post of Greene's on the Iran nuclear deal, Greene responded to a commenter who asked her, 'Now do we get to hang them ?? Meaning H & O???,' the individual asked, referring to former President Barack Obama and ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 'Stage is being set. Players are being put in place. We must be patient. This must be done perfectly or liberal judges would let them off,' Greene replied. Clinton later tweeted that Greene deserved to be on a terror 'watch list.' McCarthy's office initially said in a statement that the House GOP leader would 'have a conversation' with Greene about her 'deeply disturbing' comments, referring to CNN's report on her Facebook posts. A number of groups have since come out and pressured McCarthy to act. Greene has previously shown support for the pro-Trump QAnon conspiracy theory, which centers on the ex-president making moves against a Satan-worshipping, cannibalistic, child sex trafficking ring filled with Democratic politicians and prominent liberals. 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 from Home a Win-Win All Around? To bookmark you need to sign in COVID-19 has changed peoples lives how they spend their time, how they manage housework, how they socialise, and how they work. Work from home (WFH) has become the norm, at least for now. How does it work, for both employee and employer? First, some data all from reliable sources and in the public domain: Employees in India work 32 minutes longer (about 6% more) during WFH than they used to when attending office. A middle-income employee spends 10% of his/her income in transport costs to/from office (international norm). An average employee spends two hours a day in going to work and returning home daily. Office space rentals in Indian cities range from Rs123 per sq ft per month (pm) in Mumbai to Rs43 per sq ft/pm in Ahmedabad (H2FY18-19 numbers). Poor Kolkata doesnt even feature in this list perhaps there are hardly any offices left in the business hub of yesteryear! In a high density office layout, the space provided per staff member is 80-150 sq ft, including common areas, such as conference rooms, passages, lunch room, etc. Let us put these numbers into context. An employee who works exclusively from home saves time and money vis-a-vis one who works exclusively in an office. (S)he: - works half an hour longer daily, but saves two hours of commuting, and thus saves one and a half hour a day, plus - saves 10% of his/her income because nothing is spent on commuting to work. For an employer, a staff member who works exclusively from home, vis-a-vis one who works exclusively in the office: - Works 6% longer hours (based on a 45 hour week) for the same pay. - Saves between Rs4,300 (Ahmedabad) and Rs12,300 (Mumbai) per month in office space rent (based on 100 sq ft per head). Voila! Both are better off with WFH! An added boon is the reduced pressure on public transport, if significant numbers of office workers work at home, plus the reduction in emissions and savings in oil imports. Ah, there are some bugs in the ointment, of course. WFH does have some drawbacks for the employee, such as: - In todays crowded homes, especially with one or two people engaged in WFH, there may not be a secluded area where one can work without disturbance and with adequate space for papers, etc. Where does one sit? - People have complained about being chained to the desk and having no work-life separation. For the employer, all the benefits arent tangible, because: - 5% more hours do not automatically mean 5% more productivity. - It is not so easy to get rid of office space quickly and save money. Sometimes, the employer is locked in through ownership or long-term leases. - WFH does not provide the intangible feel of direct contact, interpretation of body language, bonding between team members, etc. It is remote and somewhat unfriendly, which results in some reduction in the quality of the work produced. - All the jobs cannot be done remotely. Some office space must be maintained and staff have to come in periodically for meetings and briefings. - There are costs for hardware, software and connectivity for WFH staff. There are emotional and behavioural issues as well for employees on WFH. Some employees feel that bosses are expecting them to stay chained to the desk at all times, be available on the phone even into late evening, and work on weekends, on the basis that the employee is just sitting at home anyway. Some people feel claustrophobic due to being at home almost 24x7, not meeting work colleagues face-to-face and missing coffee-break chats and corridor gossip. Some miss dressing up to go to work. Whether one likes it or not, COVID-19 has imposed WFH on all organisations because you had to either adopt it, or close down your business. Yes, the WFH genie is out of the bottle. The question is: Will it stay out, or go back in? What will happen after COVID (eventually) goes away? Will WFH still remain, or will businesses revert to status quo ante? A survey has shown that 74% of Indian office employees would prefer WFH for at least part of their working time. Companies in India (Zomato, Paytm, and Uber) are aggressively re-negotiating office rental contracts, expecting to save as much as one-third of rental costs. So it looks like the benefits of WFH are visible to both employers and employees. WFH is the new business tool, just as computers were in the 1970s. Asian Paints was a very early adopter of mainframe computers, which it used to set up an efficient tracking and ordering system, coupled with just-in-time deliveries of stock to retailers. This resulted in a substantially higher profit margin and enabled Asian Paints to remain the undisputed market leader in paints for several decades now. Perhaps enterprising employers will use WFH effectively to do better business. But some glitches have to be ironed out. - Bosses have to understand that employees must have personal time and space at par with what they had when attending office. Expecting 24x7 availability, just because the employee is at home, is simply not realistic. - Work has to be measured by output, not by hours. Systems have to be installed to measure, and reward, productivity irrespective of how many, or which hours, that employee puts in while working from home. - Everyone cannot work comfortably from home. It may be necessary to set up mini-offices in cheap, suburban locations where employees living nearby can come to work. - 100% WFH is not practical. There must be a mix of WFH days and office days, and schedules have to be worked out to ensure that employees do come to office for a portion of the work week. - Savings in office space and other costs have to be achieved carefully after working out the ideal home/office work ratio of employees. Companies where employees enjoy their work, respect their bosses and work better unsupervised, and where the bosses are Theory Y managers who trust and respect their employees, will be the ones to benefit most from WFH. They will have something to thank COVID-19 for, at last! ARCHIVED - Spain and Portugal suffering the worst third waves of the pandemic in Europe Incidence rates have levelled off or fallen in all other European countries since the New Year In most of Europe the start of 2021 has heralded a gradual decrease in coronavirus incidence rates, with the upward curve of the second wave having been first flattened and then reversed since November or December, but according to data published this week Spain and Portugal are the only countries in which the new year has been marked by continuing and significant increases. Measuring the severity of the current pandemic situation in terms of the number of cases reported per million inhabitants per day, the worst affected country in Europe at present is reported to be Portugal at 1,025, following a sharp increase since the end of last year. Second on the list are Sweden and Slovenia, but in the former the rate has dropped significantly in recent weeks and in the latter the figures have remained more or less stable since October, while Spain is ranked fourth with a rate of 733 after a dramatic increase over the course of the last three weeks. Apart from the Iberian Peninsula the rest of the continent is reporting a gradual improvement in the success of measures to contain the pandemic, leaving Spain and Portugal as Europes current hot spots. As for the current 14-day accumulated incidence rates, the latest data available from the ECDC (only updated to Thursday) is that infection is still higher than in Spain (804 cases per 100,000 inhabitants) in Ireland (1,444), the Czech Republic (1,362), Portugal (1,215) and the UK (1,039), than in other areas of Europe; Germany (319), Italy (374), France (380), Poland (305), Belgium (248)Denmark (364)Greece (79), Norway (148), Finland (61)but the downward trends visible in all of these countries bar Portugal could well leave Spain and its neighbour occupying the two top spots before long. After another new daily record of confirmed cases in Spain was reported on Thursday at over 44,000, it is also indicative of the current situation that case numbers in more heavily populated countries were significantly lower: 33,454 in the UK, 23,895 in France, 12,233 in Germany and 10,496 in Italy. On the other hand, Spain is at least able to point to a higher percentage of the population having received at least one dose of the vaccine than most of the other countries included in the comparative study, at 2.2 per cent. In terms of immunization the UK far outperforms all of Europe, having provided jabs to approximately 7.5 per cent of the population. On Friday Portugal announced that it had accumulated more than 600,000 cases since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a threshold that has been exceeded on a day in which the Portuguese Directorate General of Health (DGS) has once again confirmed a historical maximum of deaths in a single day, with 234. The official balance includes 609,136 positives for coronavirus since the pandemic began, 13,987 more than on Thursday. The death toll now stands at 9,920, while the number of patients admitted to intensive care continues to grow (715), reports the RTP chain. Spain reported a further 42,885 new cases and 400 deaths and its 14 day incidence rate increased to 828. Mohammed Al Zabidi celebrated in 2017 when he learned he had been selected in the U.S. green card lottery, which picks people at random from a large pool of applicants. It was a chance to escape his war-torn homeland of Yemen and pursue his dreams in the United States. I won! I won! Al Zabidi cheered. He borrowed money to finance his trip, bought clothes for his new life in America and packed souvenirs for friends there. With no U.S. Embassy in Yemen, he made a grueling journey to Djibouti for his visa interview. But there, after he had been initially approved, his luck ran out: CANCELLED WITHOUT PREJUDICE, read the bold, black, all-caps stamp on the unused visa in his passport with a Trump administration travel ban on several Muslim-majority nations, including his, in place. My family pinned their hopes on me. ... My mother wept; this saddened me the most, he said. President Joe Bidens repeal of the ban on Inauguration Day brought a sigh of relief from citizens in the countries covered by the measure. But amid the celebrations are tales of dreams broken, families separated, savings used up and milestones missed, from births to graduations. And for some, there are worries about whether their opportunities may be gone forever. The lottery system requires winners be vetted and have their visas in hand by Sept. 30 of the year they are chosen, or they lose out. So Al Zabidi is left wondering whether he'll ever make it to the States to start working there and repay what he borrowed. Can we get our visas back? Can we be compensated?" he said. "We dont know. Many of those whose lives were upended must now navigate questions about backlogs, paid fees and travel restrictions due to the pandemic. Advocates for immigration and the rights of Muslims in the U.S. hail Bidens decision, but also point to the work ahead to get lives back on track and roll back the bans legacy. The ban advanced the narrative that Muslims, Africans and other communities of color do not belong in America, that we are dangerous threats, said Mary Bauer, legal director of Muslim Advocates. Ending the ban was just the first step towards changing that narrative. Next, the Biden administration must clear away other administrative immigration obstacles that are preventing families from reuniting. Story continues More than 40,000 were refused visas because of the ban, according to U.S. State Department figures. They included not only lottery winners but people trying to visit family, those traveling for business or personal reasons and students accepted to U.S. universities. Biden has commissioned a report to address a number of issues, including a proposal ensuring reconsideration of immigrant visa applications denied due to the ban. The proposal will consider whether to reopen denied applications. He also called for a plan to expedite consideration of those applications. Many who were affected by the ban are also being blocked by an April order by former President Donald Trump halting the issuance of green cards to protect the U.S. labor market amid the pandemic. Biden has not indicated whether he will lift it, and ending the travel ban will mean little if he doesn't, said Rafael Urena, a California attorney. Most of my clients dont have any reason to celebrate because they are still stuck, Urena said. They include Mania Darbani, whose 71-year-old mother in Iran was denied a tourist visa to visit her in Los Angeles. In recent days she checked and was told she still cant go, because of the pandemic order. Im so exhausted by this situation, said Darbani, 36. I want to ask President Biden to lift all travel bans and help us. Just please, please, help us. Many people are concerned about long wait times for visas, said Manar Waheed, senior legislative and advocacy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union. There are embassies closed all over the world because of COVID, so theres that piece of it, Waheed said. But also weve seen so many parts of our immigration system stalled and truly eviscerated by the Trump administration, so it is about building those systems back up. What is variously known as the Muslim ban or the travel ban was first imposed in 2017, then retooled amid legal challenges, until a version was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. It affected various categories of travelers and immigrants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, plus North Koreans and some Venezuelan government officials and their families. In 2020, immigration curbs affecting several other nations were added. Trump and others have defended it on national security grounds, arguing it would make the U.S. safer from terrorism. Supporters of the policy rejected the argument that it was rooted in anti-Muslim bias, saying it was aimed at protecting the country. In reversing the ban, the new administration says it intends instead to strengthen information-sharing with other countries and apply a rigorous, individualized vetting system for visa applicants. It's not clear whether it'll come too late for Anwar Alsaeedi, also from Yemen, who had hoped to provide his two children with a better future. He rejoiced in 2017 when he was picked for the lotterys diversity visa interview only to be deemed ineligible due to the ban. Our country is embroiled in wars and crises and weve lost everything, Alsaeedi said. Making it to America is a big dream. Some whose dreams were dashed ended up seeking them elsewhere. Moayed Kossa, a Syrian pharmacy university graduate who hoped to start a cosmetics company bearing his family name, had landed a scholarship to study business administration in the U.S. after his countrys civil war drove the family to flee to Jordan. Just days before he was to travel, the U.S. Embassy in Amman summoned him and cancelled his visa. He ended up studying in Italy instead, and hes not sure if he will apply again for a U.S. visa even though his brother now lives there. It is not always easy, Kossa said, to try to open a door that was closed. ___ Associated Press writer Julie Watson in San Diego contributed to this report. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Since taking office just over a week ago, the Biden administration has stated its intention to get up to speed on Afghanistan. It is reviewing the agreement that the Trump administration signed with the Taliban nearly a year ago, it is looking into its troop posture options, and it is considering how to approach a nascent but fragile peace process amid rapidly intensifying violence. In the latest episode of The AfPak File, we discuss the hopes and expectations of Afghans for the Biden administration and its policies in Afghanistan. Joining the debate are Omar Samad, a former Afghan ambassador and senior diplomat and currently senior fellow at the Atlantic Council; Heela Najibullah, an Afghan analyst, writer and activist; and Michael Kugelman, Asia Program deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the Wilson Center. Muhammad Tahir, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's media manager in Washington, DC, moderates the debate. New Delhi, Jan 29 : The Delhi Police Crime Branch has reached out to the people seeking evidence in the form of mobile, video footage or recording statements regarding the January 26 violence during the farmers' tractor rally. The police has also appealed to the media to provide the investigating agency the footage captured during the violent protests on January 26. The police has asked people to come to Old Delhi Police headquarters at ITO and record their statements or submit any evidence related to the R-Day protests. A mobile number 8750871237 has also been issued by the police for giving information. A landline number 011-23490094 has also been operationalised. An email id has been provided by the Crime branch for the people to contact them in case they have any evidence to share with them. Posters with this appeal will be pasted at various places in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). Meanwhile, the Crime Branch has issued notices to the six farmers unions leaders to join the probe into the rampage by the farmers during their rally on Republic Day that left at least one person dead and several injured. They have been summoned to join the investigation and record their statements before the Crime Branch. Of the 33 FIRs registered in connection with the violence, nine will be investigated by the Crime Branch. Lookout notices have already been issued against 44 protesters and farmer leaders. Stephen Foster, a second year brewing and distilling undergraduate at Institute of Technology Carlow, is the third recipient of the annual Walsh Whiskey 1,000 bursary. The prize is awarded by Walsh Whiskey (producers of Writers Tears and The Irishman premium whiskeys) to the student with the highest first year grades in the Bachelor of Science in Brewing and Distilling course at Institute of Technology Carlow. The brewing and distilling programme at IT Carlow was the first of its kind in Ireland when initiated in 2017. Accepting the Walsh Whiskey Bursary, Stephen Foster, originally from Hollywood, Wicklow, but now living in Gorey, said: I am delighted to have received the award from Bernard Walsh and Walsh Whiskey. It represents both the culmination of a lot of hard work, and the great link that exists between the academic programme at IT Carlow and the brewing and distilling industry in Ireland. To have someone like Bernard and a company like Walsh Whiskey directly attached to the programme highlights its credibility. All of the undergraduates receive great support from Dr David Ryan, the Programme Director and all of the lecturers involved in delivering the programme." "I have always had an interest in brewing and distilling. Growing up in Hollywood, Wicklow, I was around it quite a lot and enjoyed the time spent learning about the many different aspects of the processes involved. That interest stayed with me, so when the opportunity arose to formalise it and return to education at IT Carlow as a mature student and study what I love, I had to jump at the chance." Bernard Walsh, Co-founder and Managing Director of Walsh Whiskey, said that despite the headwinds caused by the pandemic, Walsh Whiskey was strongly committed to supporting the development of the next generation of Irish whiskey distillers. "We congratulate Stephen for his excellent Grade Point Average (GPA) score," he said. "We are unlikely to ever see a whiskey as strong, but Stephens marks reflect the sort of excellence that the Irish whiskey sector will rely upon to fulfil its potential in the years and decades ahead. Owing to the pandemic restrictions, Mr Walsh presented the award virtually to Mr Foster as part of a video-conference address to the undergraduates of the BSc in Brewing and Distilling. Mr Walsh, who is also a Director of Drinks Ireland, presented an overview of the significant opportunities in the whiskey sector, notwithstanding the challenges of the pandemic. Irish whiskey has outperformed other whiskey categories and spirits during this pandemic," he said. "Taste for Irish whiskey has been continuing to grow all around the world for over 10 years now and that will continue to feed into the creation of distilling related jobs here in Ireland. Sales of our Writers Tears and The Irishman whiskeys across over 50 countries have doubled in the last few years. So we will need plenty of world-class distillers of the future, like Stephen, to come through and ensure the sector continues to meet that global demand. In offering his congratulations to Stephen, Dr David Ryan, who is Programme Director for the degree course at Institute of Technology Carlow said: We very much appreciate the continued industry support for our unique honours degree programme and I particularly want to thank Walsh Whiskey for once again offering this bursary to our students. Despite the impact of Covid restrictions, our programme continues to grow and we look forward to our first-ever graduating class later this year, all of which makes the awarding of this years Walsh Whiskey Bursary an even bigger cause for celebration. Launched in 2017, the four-year Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Brewing and Distilling was developed by Institute of Technology Carlow following significant research and consultation with industry, representative organisations, national bodies and government. The programme has received huge support from industry that has consistently reported difficulties in recruiting suitable qualified staff. The programme is one of only four in the world to achieve professional recognition by the prestigious Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD), the worlds leading professional body for the brewing and distilling industry. Graduates of the degree are eligible to sit the masters level professional qualifications of the IBD and hugely in demand within the industry at home and abroad. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Apex exporters body FIEO on Friday asked the government to announce the rates for different sectors under the tax refund scheme RoDTEP as further delay will have serious implications for future exports. Last month, the government had said that it has decided to extend the benefit of Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme to all goods, with effect from January 1, 2021. The rates have to be notified by the Department of Commerce, which would be based on the recommendation of a committee chaired by G K Pillai, former commerce and home secretary. Initiatives like RoDTEP are aimed at providing continued support to the industry, this requires immediate announcement of the rates as in absence of that, exporters are not able to do their export costing with a view to finalise new contracts, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Sharad Kumar Saraf said in a statement. Any further delay will have serious implications for future exports as exporters are in 'wait and watch mood' before finalising new contracts particularly in sectors having thin margins, he added. In March, the government had approved the RoDTEP scheme for reimbursement of taxes and duties to exporters, with a view to give a boost to the country's dwindling outbound shipments. The scheme would refund to exporters the embedded central, state and local duties and taxes that were so far not being rebated or refunded and were, therefore, placing India's exports at a disadvantage. On the Economic Survey 2021, Saraf said the country is set to end with a current account surplus ofplus 2 per cent of the GDP after 2003-04. The better than expected recovery both globally and internally provides a huge opportunity for India to push its exports in pharma, medical equipment, PPE kits, technical textiles, food and processing products, steel, plastics, chemicals and iron and steel, he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dr. Soper and Jason Alon Kessler had matched on the dating app the League in August 2018. They had spent the last few weeks messaging, but hadnt exchanged phone numbers yet. Mr. Kessler is a screenwriter who is currently working on an upcoming limited series for Apple Studios, and Dr. Soper thought that he might enjoy the dinner, which would at least make for a memorable first date. Unbeknown to Dr. Soper, Mr. Kessler, who had recently moved to Los Angeles, also had no plans for Rosh Hashana. He wasnt going to be able to spend the holiday with his family on the East Coast, and was in the midst of his own pity party when she mentioned the dinner. He suggested that he be her date, and the next evening showed up at her place with a bouquet of flowers. When they arrived at dinner, they realized that what they had thought would be a large event was an intimate meal for about seven. Everyone else at the table was either family or close friends, and Dr. Soper and Mr. Kessler made a split-second decision to pretend that they were already a couple, to try and stem some of the awkwardness. As the night wore on, they bonded over their shared secret, and got to know one another through their tablemates. Feigning intimacy was the perfect way to allow real intimacy to grow, Dr. Soper said. By pretending that we knew each other We never stopped, Mr. Kessler, 40, chimed in. They were soon spending much of their free time together, and about five months after they began dating, Dr. Soper introduced Mr. Kessler to her 5-year-old son, Eli. Ive been waiting my whole life to find somebody I could really fall in love with, Mr. Kessler said. Only the luckiest among us get to find their happily ever after, their person theyve been dreaming of. And its just an embarrassment of riches that mine came with such an incredible son. MIAMI, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As businesses shutter left and right from the unusual circumstances of last year, investors and entrepreneurs fervently seek new opportunities that will rise from the ashes. The Local Culinary, the first virtual kitchen franchise in the United States, has been selling new units at a record pace since the company launched its franchise opportunity in October of 2020. Founder and owner of The Local Culinary, Alp Franko, had already been operating a successful ghost kitchen model out of Miami when he chose to move forward with franchising the concept. "This is a simple operation, it's profit-driven, and it's adaptable to existing restaurants," stated Franko. "Since an existing kitchen already has their overhead costs fixed, adding one of our brands simply brings additional revenue." The company currently has a portfolio of over 50 virtual restaurants. The Local Culinary has reached 30 new territories at the time of this release, but that number climbs month after month. "Now is the time to jump on board. We are culturally relevant, affordable, and easy to add on to an existing operation," asserted Franko. "Franchisees are gaining all of the necessary tools and support resources to launch strong and instantly have new revenue opportunities." Individuals seeking a franchise opportunity will find that the virtual kitchen model is one of the most stable choices in the marketplace today. Trends have visibly bent towards delivery services, especially after the on-set of the global pandemic. Technology has aptly kept up with cultural demands for more choices that deliver straight to a doorstep. According to a Euromonitor virtual webinar presented by Global Food and Beverage Lead Michael Schaefer, the food delivery market could create a $1 trillion global opportunity by 2030. Individuals interested in learning more information about The Local Culinary's virtual kitchen franchise opportunity should email [email protected] . ABOUT THE LOCAL CULINARY The Local Culinary provides neighborhoods with modern, chef-driven food delivery options inspired by global cuisine all through a convenient, deliver-only model. The company offers 50 individual brands and can be ordered through UberEats, Postmates, Grubhub, or DoorDash. For more information on The Local Culinary and its revolutionary virtual restaurant franchise opportunity, please visit www.TheLocalCulinary.com . Media contact: Alp Franko The Local Culinary 646-785-0125 http://www.thelocalculinary.com SOURCE The Local Culinary Related Links http://www.thelocalculinary.com LAist only exists with reader support. If you're in a position to give, your donation powers our reporters and keeps us independent. Our reporting is free for everyone, but its not free to make. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now. Additional reporting by Elina Shatkin, Monica Bushman and Gabriel Dunatov. When restaurants are allowed to resume outdoor dining on Friday, those in Los Angeles County will have to follow various pandemic-related safety measures, but they won't know what those measures are until at least Thursday afternoon. "It's going to be limited capacity. We're probably going to tell them to close at 10 p.m., take reservations. Maybe we're going to say people can only sit at the tables ... [for] 90 minutes," L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn speculated to Take Two. On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom lifted the state's stay-at-home order. L.A. County followed suit, lifting restrictions on public gatherings and retail services the same day. County officials announced restaurants will be able to resume outdoor dining on Friday. The suddenness of the decision surprised many people, including some restaurant owners. "I have to say we were all pretty shocked and a little bit overwhelmed at how sudden that decision came," Susan Feniger, co-owner and co-chef of the Border Grill in downtown Los Angeles and Socalo in Santa Monica, told Take Two. Hahn says county officials allowed these activities to resume because projections suggest the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations will decrease as more people get vaccinated. "We've been threading this needle between preserving the public's health and preserving people's livelihoods and jobs," Hahn said. "It's been a very tough place to be in." That doesn't mean every restaurant will be rushing to throw open its doors. Employees work in a Burbank restaurant that is only open for to-go or delivery orders on November 23, 2020. (ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images) Many restaurant owners are planning to wait out the weekend -- especially since we're expecting a rainstorm -- and evaluate the new safety protocols before they do anything. "We are not going to open this weekend," Feniger told Take Two. "We want to take the next four, five, six days and evaluate. Is it 50% dining outside? What, if any, are the new restrictions coming in? We know what the restrictions were so we would be ready to do that, but we want to make sure we have the right things in place before we open back up." Previously, restaurant patios could be open at 50% capacity, but at a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Barbara Ferrer, the director of Los Angeles County's Department of Public Health, said there will be additional requirements for restaurants to reopen outdoor dining this time around. "Our teams are meeting with restaurant owners and with the labor unions, representing restaurant workers this afternoon, and we'll be talking with them about the new requirements for safety," Ferrer said. "But yes, there will be some new requirements." Ferrer said the health department will probably release new guidelines for restaurants late Thursday afternoon. Hahn, who opposed L.A. County's decision to halt outdoor dining last November, also said local officials will put more teeth into enforcement. The Board of Supervisors just gave county lawyers permission to increase the fines for restaurants that don't comply with health orders. Health inspectors will be able to issue fines and citations, or even revoke a restaurant's permit if it flouts these protocols. "We just gave our lawyers in L.A. County permission to begin raising the fines on people who do not comply [with] our health orders," Hahn said. "But it does take a complaint for us to follow up on. We don't have enough health inspectors to just troll the streets every night." WE LOVE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS A 48-year-old former nurse pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston Thursday to tampering with opioid medication meant for patients while working at a hospital in Massachusetts. Mark Croft, of West Boylston, pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product and one count of acquiring a controlled substance by deception and subterfuge, federal authorities said in a statement. Between Jan. 5, 2016, and Jan. 14, 2016, authorities said Croft tampered with the syringes that contained hydromorphone and meperidine, Schedule II controlled substances, using his nurse credentials to access the hospitals automated dispensing machine. He then used syringes to puncture the devices staff use to inject fluid medication and removed portions of the opioid medication for his own use, authorities said. In some instances, Croft replaced the medication he removed with saline in an attempt to conceal his conduct, prosecutors said. To avoid detection, Croft later put the carpujects with the diluted medication back in the (automated dispensing machine) where they remained available for nurses to unwittingly use on patients. Croft also used his credentials to enter a return to stock transactions in the ADM, making it falsely appear that no medications had been removed from the carpuject. Croft is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20. Just having a seat at the table will allow me to have discussions with the leadership of the Indiana General Assembly to make sure that they hear our voices loud and clear, Taylor said. The governors office, with the new diversity position in his cabinet, we have been in communication with them about having advocacy on their side for some of the legislation that were pushing right now. New Delhi, Jan 29 : The Indian government and the World Bank on Friday signed a $500 million Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States Programme (STARS) to improve the quality and governance of school education in six states -- Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan. Some 250 million students (between the age of 6 and 17) in 1.5 million schools and over 10 million teachers will benefit from the programme. The STARS programme builds on the long partnership between India and the World Bank (since 1994), for strengthening public school education and to support the country's goal of providing 'Education for All'. Prior to STARS, the bank had provided a total assistance of more than $3 billion towards this goal. "India's National Education Policy 2020 envisages equitable and inclusive education for all. The STARS project will help carry this vision forward," Additional Secretary, Economic Affairs, C.S. Mohapatra, said. "It will strengthen early childhood education and foundational learning; facilitate school to work transition through vocational education; improve learning assessment mechanisms; and support teacher development. This will help in the economic and social progress of the country," he added. The agreement was signed by Mohapatra on behalf of the government and Junaid Ahmad, Country Director, India on behalf of the World Bank. India has, over the years, made significant strides in improving access to education across the country. Between 2004-05 and 2018-19, the number of children going to school increased from 219 million to 248 million. However, the learning outcomes of students across all age groups continue to remain below par. "India recognises the need to significantly improve its learning outcomes to fuel future growth and meet the demands of the labour market. STARS will support India's response to this challenge by strengthening implementation at the local level, investing in teacher capacity and ensuring that no child of any background is left behind from the right to education," said Ahmad. "Investing more in the early years of education will equip children with the skills required to compete for the jobs of the future." STARS will support India's renewed focus on addressing the 'learning outcome' challenge and help students better prepare for the jobs of the future -- through a series of reform initiatives. These include: Focusing more directly on the delivery of education services at the state, district and sub district levels by providing customized local-level solutions towards school improvement and addressing demands from stakeholders, especially parents, for greater accountability and inclusion by producing better data to assess the quality of learning. At the national level, through the Samagra Shiksha, and in partnership with the states of Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan, STARS will also help improve learning assessment systems; strengthen classroom instruction and remediation; facilitate school-to-work transition; and strengthen governance and decentralised management. In line with the Sustainable Development Goal for education (SDG 4), the program will help produce better data on learning levels by improving the National Achievement Survey (NAS). 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. Los Angeles: Oscar winner Jared Leto is set to re-team with his Requiem for a Dream" filmmaker Darren Aronofsky for Blumhouses Adrift". The supernatural horror movie is an adaptation of a short story of the same name by Koji Suzuki, the writer behind The Ring", according to The Hollywood Reporter. Aronofsky, known for movies such as Black Swan", The Fountain" and mother!", will direct the movie from a script that he will pen with Luke Dawson. In the dead calm of the open sea, a fishing boat discovers an abandoned yacht with a strange distress call. A deckhand agrees to take lone control of it while its towed into port, but he soon discovers why the rest of his more experienced crew members call it a Ghost Ship," the official logline read. Blumhouses Jason Blum will produce the movie along with Leto and Emma Ludbrook through the actors production company Paradox. Leto, who won an Oscar for best supporting actor for Dallas Buyers Club", currently features in Warner Bros Little Things", co-starring Denzel Washington and Rami Malek. The actor is also headlining Sony Pictures Morbius", which will debut worldwide in January 2022. Hong Kong: Water seepage at hospital explained (To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.) The Hospital Authority today announced an incident of water seepage through the ceiling at Queen Mary Hospital that affected a ward housing COVID-19 patients. It explained that at around 9.30am yesterday, water seepage was found on the ceiling of a cardiothoracic surgical (CTS) ward of the hospitals Main Block. Right above that ward is an isolation ward housing confirmed COVID-19 patients. An inspection revealed that there was drainage leakage at the isolation ward and the water seeped through the ceiling of the CTS ward. It caused water droplets to drip on a male patients head and hand. He also suspected that water had drizzled into his eyes. Water droplets also dripped on the face and head of a nurse in the CTS ward and the face of a cleaning staff handling the water seepage. The hospital's infection control team visited the ward concerned to determine the cause of the incident and the patient's condition. While the patient required hospitalisation for treatment, he has been transferred to an isolation ward for further treatment as a precautionary measure. While the nurse and the cleaning staff will undergo medical surveillance, the hospital also arranged for the three affected to undergo COVID-19 tests and the test results were negative. Part of the CTS ward is currently closed for disinfection and repairs. Twelve patients in the ward were transferred to other areas and two operations originally scheduled for today have been postponed. The hospital has contacted the affected patients to explain and reschedule the operations. Meanwhile, there was no interruption to isolation services throughout this period. Comprehensive repairs and improvement works for the related drainage pipes have been arranged and will be completed in one to two weeks. The hospital has apologised to the affected patients. This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. University News The University of New Haven marked the start of a new tradition, hosting a Celebration of Excellence to honor graduating students of color, multicultural students, and students from underrepresented groups, recognizing their accomplishments, and welcoming them to the alumni community. By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications The ceremony included a performance by Michael Desir 22, a music and sound recording major. When Amber Marrero 21 began her career at the University of New Haven, her goal was to be active in the University community and to connect with her fellow students. She has done just that, helping to foster a sense of inclusion on campus and forming many meaningful relationships. A member of the Universitys NAACP chapter and its Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA), Marrero has been committed to promoting diversity and unity among her classmates. This extended to prospective Chargers, as well. While working in the Universitys Office of Undergraduate Admissions, she took pride in making sure prospective students and their families felt welcome as she gave them tours of the campus. Amber Marrero 21 offered advice and inspiration to her fellow Chargers. Marrero recently reflected on her time at the University as she spoke to her fellow Chargers as part of the Universitys inaugural Celebration of Excellence, an event honoring students of color, multicultural students, and students from underrepresented groups, and recognizing their accomplishments at the University. In my experience working with students, clubs, and offices on campus, I have learned what it means to be a leader and to work with others, said Marrero, who was awarded her bachelors degree in cybersecurity and networks at the Universitys Virtual Winter Commencement. I am proud to say I have achieved my goal of getting involved, and I look forward to being an active alumna and member of the Black Alumni Network. Hosted by Steven Macchiarolo, director of graduate student engagement, the event brought the University community together via Zoom to celebrate graduating students and welcome them to the alumni community. University faculty and staff acknowledged the challenges students have faced and overcome during the past year, and they commended their perseverance. This is truly an important event that we are now introducing into our family of University traditions, said President Steven H. Kaplan, Ph.D. As an institution of higher learning, we have an important responsibility, one that we embrace, to ensure that all members of our University community feel welcomed, valued, and a true sense of belonging. We are proud to celebrate their successes and achievements. You are more than enough Jennifer Edwards 21 addressed her graduating classmates as well, sharing inspirational quotes from Michelle Obama and Maya Angelou. She also offered her own words of encouragement. No matter where life takes us after Commencement, always remember to uphold a positive mindset and remain optimistic, said Edwards, vice president of the Universitys NAACP chapter and a justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) ambassador. The impact we have is much greater than we think. Ronald Ean Pierce II 16 delivered the keynote address. Chidera Emeto 21 M.A. spoke on behalf of the Universitys graduate students. A candidate in the Universitys community psychology program, she discussed the meaningful impact her faculty mentors have had on her career as a student, her experiences as an international student, and her plans to pursue her doctorate in community psychology. She offered the following advice to her classmates. When you start second guessing your abilities and asking yourself, why me? I want you to pause and ask yourself, why not me? said Emeto, who hails from Nigeria. You are not an imposter. You are real, and you are more than enough. Dont let anyone tell you otherwise or put undue pressure on you. You are running your own race at your own pace. The program, which will be held in advance of each upcoming Winter and Spring Commencement, was organized by the Undergraduate Student Government Association, the Graduate Student Council, the Myatt Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the Dean of Students Office, and the Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion. As part of the event, the University community learned about another new celebration, the Lavender Ceremony, which will be held for the first time in May. The intention is to create an event that would bring together LGBTQ+ students for a chance to celebrate each other, their hard work, and their achievements, said Daniel Stott 21, a JEDI ambassador and member of the Universitys People Rejoicing In Diversity Everywhere (PRIDE) executive board. Steven Macchiarolo introduces Chidera Emeto 21 M.A., who spoke as part of the ceremony. The best is yet to come The Celebration of Excellence included an a cappella musical performance by Michael Desir 22, a music and sound recording major, who performed two songs by musician and civil rights activist Nina Simone. Ronald Ean Pierce II 16, delivered the keynote address. Passionate about music and racial equity, Pierce discussed how he focused on both as a student at the University. A member of the Chargers Marching Band, he served as president of the Universitys NAACP student chapter, a resident assistant in the music living learning community, and he was involved with student government. An active alumnus, Pierce has remained connected to the University and its student leadership, and he shared why this is so meaningful for him. He also encouraged students and new graduates to stay involved. I feel a loyalty to my earned undergraduate degree, said Pierce, who now works for Travelers Insurance. I know deep down that the success of current students only enhances the value of the degree. I want to help uplift the ability of students to be successful because their success is our success. You are more equipped than any graduate who has come before you, he continued. The collegiate experience you have will re-shape our world, make it safer, and make it more equitable. Know, without doubt, the best is yet to come. United Nations, Jan 30 : Those responsible for crimes like the murder of journalist Daniel Pearl should be held accountable for their crimes, according to Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Asked on Friday about the Pakistan Supreme Court upholding the acquittal of Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh, who had been convicted by a lower court of the murder of the South Asia bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, Dujarric said, "What is important is that there be accountability for those crimes." Pearl was kidnapped in 2002 in Karachi by terrorists, who killed him by slitting his throat and circulating a video of it on the internet. Saeed and three associates were convicted of Pearl's murder by a court, but the verdict was overturned by the Sindh High Court. The Supreme Court upheld the high court decision on Thursday. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis) Seven Saws Brewing Co. moved into its modest Main Street location in Holden, Massachusetts, on Memorial Day in 2018. Three years later, the brewery is preparing to move to a new sprawling 8,000 square-foot facility in which it will brew and serve its beer. The expansion has been a long time coming. In fact, the move was already on the minds of the brewerys five partners when they moved into the Main Street location in 2018. When we opened our current taproom, which is separate from a brew house facility, we began the process of looking for that next phase: building, said Seven Saws partner Tom Anderson. That next level. The ultimate goal -- finding that space where we could have everything in one location. Anderson says he recognizes that the brewery is fortunate to be expanding at a time when many small businesses are having to lay off employees or close up shop due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In Worcester, Wormtown Brewery is also expanding into the former simjang space, allowing for a larger taproom as the need for social distancing continues during the coronavirus pandemic. It hasnt been easy, he said. ...Its required an immense amount of work not only from the partner side of it, but our families and employees, who we give massive kudos to, to help us get through this pandemic and provide a unique story, if you wish, within the business community of expanding during a pandemic. Its very unique. Were very blessed. Were very fortunate that we are able to tell this story. The new location is currently being built out on Industrial Ave., in the back of the Holden Industrial Park. The brewery will own the building and lease the land, Anderson says. While the taproom at the new facility will be significantly larger in size compared to the one open now, the highlight will be the outdoor space. It will be a very open flow from the indoor to the outdoor to ensure that we take advantage of the New England summers that are amazing, said Anderson. The new brewhouse is slated to open summer of 2021. The current taproom will remain open in the meantime. You can browse the beer menu and hours here. We cant thank our patrons enough, said Anderson. ...If people can continue to support small businesses, its definitely needed at this time. Not just us, but any local small business that you know. Related Content: MURRELLS INLET An area optometrist's office is celebrating one year in business and a new name to start out 2021. Inlet Eye Associates, formerly known as Seaside Eye Associates, has rebranded. Led by Dr. Joseph Ledford, the company has locations in Murrells Inlet and Carolina Forest. Nothing else has changed," Ledford said. We still have the same smiling faces that you've come to expect. The transition has not been difficult and has made things easier for patients. In this past year, we have enjoyed helping the community with all of their vision needs." The office offers services ranging from from basic eyecare, glasses and contacts, to childrens wellness examinations, to managing healthcare issues such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and macular degeneration. It also offers urgent eyecare needs including eye injury and infection. Inlet Eye Associates, at 640 Morse Avenue, Unit 11, Murrells Inlet, and carries designer eyeglass frame brands and a variety of contact lenses. The company accepts most vision insurance plans, as well as many major medical insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. Inlet Eye Associates is open between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays. The Carolina Forest location remains under the Seaside Eye Associates name and is located at 109 Finnegan Ct. in Myrtle Beach. 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. Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday chaired a high-level meeting of top foreign policy officials to discuss ties with India amid tension with over ceasefire violations in Kashmir. Radio Pakistan reported that during the meeting Sharif would be briefed about important foreign affairs issues, including ties with India and Afghanistan. The meeting is being attended amongst others by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and senior officials of the Foreign Office. The meeting was held amid tensions between India and Pakistan after a number of ceasefire violations in Kashmir for which both sides blame each other. It comes days after the US declared Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist. Suggested read | J&K: Pakistan violates ceasefire for 3rd consecutive day along LoC For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. As per reports, Olivia Morris has already flown to Hyderabad and shot for her portions in RRR. The makers of RRR (Rudram Ranam Rudhiram) have unveiled the first look of British actress Olivia Morris, who is playing the role of English lady Jennifer in the film. The makers have unveiled the first look of the actress from the period drama, on the occasion of her birthday. Taking to Instagram, the official page of RRR movie posted, "Wishing the talented and beautiful #Jennifer @oliviakmorris a very Happy Birthday. #RRRMovie #RRR." See the post In the image, the actor, seen draped in a gown and sitting in what appears to be a jeep. Actors Ram Charan and Junior NTR too wished Olivia on her birthday, on Twitter. According to a report by The Times of India, the actress has already flown to Hyderabad and shot for her portions. However, there are no updates as to whether she has finished shooting for the film or not. Olivia Morris is credited to have featured in the television mini-series 7 Trails in 7 Days. In the film, she essays the role of Jennifer and is cast opposite NTR who plays Komaram Bheem. According to a report in Pinkvilla, the magnum opus also stars Irish actor Ray Stevenson, who will play an antagonist in the film. RRR will also feature Alison Doody who has been a part of a number of Hollywood projects, including A View To Kill. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service recently recognized Plainviews Cathy Banda with the agencys Superior Service Award. Banda, who is the office manager for the Hale County AgriLife Extension Office located in Plainview, was honored during a virtual ceremony on Jan. 22. The Superior Service Award is the agencys highest recognition. It highlights personnel who provide outstanding performance in education to the organization and to Texas residents, according to a news release about the recognition. Banda is described as dedicated, helpful, professional and a joy to interact with. Bandas career with the Plainview extension office began in 2001. She was secretary for the agriculture and natural resources program. She has been the office manager for the past eight years. She supervises and works with two other county support staff professionals. She also coordinates and supports programming of four county agents, coordinates office conferences, engages in various associated organizations and attends their programs. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has been blessed with the service of a dedicated, well-organized team player with Cathy Banda, said Andy Hart, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Hale County in his nomination. She has impacted the lives of many Hale County residents and families for over 20 years, and her influence continues. She exemplifies service to others and believes in AgriLife Extensions mission. PANGYO, GYEONGGI PROVINCE, Korea, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SK Biopharmaceuticals announced that the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended the approval of cenobamate for the adjunctive treatment of focal-onset (partial-onset) seizures with or without secondary generalization in adult patients with epilepsy who have not been adequately controlled despite a history of treatment with at least two anti-seizure medications (ASMs). The European Commission (EC), which is authorized to approve medicines in the European Union, is expected to issue its decision within approximately 67 days of receipt of the CHMP opinion. SK Biopharmaceuticals and Arvelle Therapeutics entered into a licensing agreement in 2019 for Arvelle to commercialize SK Biopharmaceuticals' cenobamate in Europe. Cenobamate has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of partial-onset (focal-onset) seizures in adults, and it is commercially available in the U.S. under the brand name XCOPRI (cenobamate tablets) CV. Angelini Pharma, which recently announced a definitive merger agreement under which Angelini Pharma will acquire Arvelle Therapeutics, plans to launch cenobamate in the European Union and other countries in the European Economic Area (Switzerland and the United Kingdom), after obtaining final approval from the EC. Cenobamate will be branded as ONTOZRY for the European markets. "The positive CHMP opinion brings us all toward achieving a major milestone that will enable patients in Europe to access cenobamate, which has been 20 years in the making," said Dr. Jeong Woo Cho, CEO of SK Biopharmaceuticals and SK life science. "Once approved, SK Biopharmaceuticals will ensure, with its European partners, a launch of this medicine to the epilepsy community." "Positive CHMP opinion of cenobamate represents an important milestone for Angelini Pharma and for patients. Cenobamate showed significant efficacy, with more patients achieving a 50 percent or greater reduction in seizure frequency and rates of zero seizures of up to 21 percent compared to placebo," said Pierluigi Antonelli, CEO of Angelini Pharma. "The acquisition of the company will propel us to address the needs of patients with different central nervous system (CNS) disorders through an innovative portfolio." There are an estimated six million people in Europe with epilepsy1 and approximately 40 percent of adult patients with focal-onset seizures continue to experience seizures after treatment with two ASMs.2 The CHMP positive opinion was based on results from a global clinical trial program conducted by SK life science, the U.S. subsidiary of SK Biopharmaceuticals. The clinical trial program includes two global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies and a large, global, multi-center, open-label safety study. These three studies enrolled more than 1,900 adults with uncontrolled focal-onset seizures. About Epilepsy Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder. There are approximately 3.4 million people living with epilepsy in the United States, with 150,000 new cases each year in the country.3 There are an estimated six million people in Europe with epilepsy.2 Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures. The seizures in epilepsy may be related to a brain injury or a family tendency, but often the cause is completely unknown. Having seizures and epilepsy can affect one's safety, relationships, work, driving, and much more. 4 People with epilepsy are at risk for accidents and other health complications, including falling, drowning, depression and sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP).4,5 Despite the availability of many antiepileptic therapies, almost 40 percent of people with epilepsy are not able to achieve seizure freedom, meaning they have epilepsy that remains uncontrolled.3 About SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. and SK Life Science, Inc. SK Biopharmaceuticals and its U.S. subsidiary SK life science are global pharmaceutical companies focused on the research, development and commercialization of treatments for disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). The companies have a pipeline of eight compounds in development for the treatment of CNS disorders, including epilepsy. Additionally, SK Biopharmaceuticals is focused on early research in oncology. For more information, visit SK Biopharmaceuticals' website at www.skbp.com/eng and SK life science's website at www.SKLifeScienceInc.com. Both SK Biopharmaceuticals and SK life science are part of SK Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Korea. SK Holdings, the parent company of SK Biopharmaceuticals, continues to enhance its portfolio value by executing long-term investments with a number of competitive subsidiaries in various business areas, including pharmaceuticals and life science, energy and chemicals, information and telecommunication, and semiconductors. In addition, SK Holdings is focused on reinforcing its growth foundations through profitable and practical management based on financial stability, while raising its enterprise value by investing in new future growth businesses. For more information, please visit http://hc.sk.co.kr/en/. About Arvelle Therapeutics International GmbH Arvelle Therapeutics is an emerging biopharmaceutical company focused on bringing innovative solutions to patients suffering from CNS disorders. Arvelle is responsible for the development and commercialization of cenobamate, an investigational anti-seizure medicine, in the European market. Arvelle is headquartered in Switzerland and received start-up financing of $207.8 million, one of the largest initial financing commitments for a European-focused biopharmaceutical company, with investments from a global syndicate including NovaQuest Capital Management, BRV Capital Management, LSP, H.I.G. BioHealth Partners, Andera Partners, F-Prime Capital and KB Investments. More information is available at https://arvelletx.com. About Angelini Pharma Angelini Pharma is an international pharmaceutical company, part of the Italian privately-owned Angelini Group. Angelini Pharma is committed to helping patients in the therapeutic areas of Mental Health (including Pain), Rare Diseases and Consumer Healthcare. Over the past 50 years, in the field of mental health, Angelini Pharma has gained international recognition for its substantial efforts to improve the management of patients with mental health disorders thanks to important, internally developed, molecules (such as trazodone) and its commitment to fighting mental health stigma. Angelini Pharma operates directly in 15 countries employing almost 3,000 people and commercializes its products in more than 70 countries through strategic alliances with leading international pharmaceutical groups. About Cenobamate Cenobamate was discovered and developed by SK Biopharmaceuticals and SK life science. While the precise mechanism by which cenobamate exerts its therapeutic effect is unknown, it is believed to reduce repetitive neuronal firing by inhibiting voltage-gated sodium currents. It is also a positive allosteric modulator of the -aminobutyric acid (GABA A ) ion channel. Cenobamate is approved in the United States as an anti-seizure medication (ASM) for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults, and is available under the brand name XCOPRI (cenobamate tablets) CV. In early 2019, SK Biopharmaceuticals entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Arvelle Therapeutics GmbH to develop and commercialize cenobamate in Europe. In October 2020, SK Biopharmaceuticals sealed an exclusive licensing agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical to develop and commercialize cenobamate in Japan. Cenobamate has recently gained recognition by healthcare regulatory bodies in the United Kingdom and Germany given its potential use in treatment resistant focal-onset seizures in epilepsy. The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has designated cenobamate as a Promising Innovative Medicine (PIM). A PIM designation is an early indication that a medicinal product is a promising candidate for the Early Access to Medicines Scheme. In addition, as of August 2020, the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) has included cenobamate for the treatment of drug-resistant focal-onset seizures in adults in its list of confirmed drugs for compassionate use (CPU) programmes for one year within the country. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION AND INDICATION FOR XCOPRI (cenobamate tablets) CV DO NOT TAKE XCOPRI IF YOU: Are allergic to cenobamate or any of the other ingredients in XCOPRI. Have a genetic problem (called Familial Short QT syndrome) that affects the electrical system of the heart. XCOPRI CAN CAUSE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, INCLUDING: Allergic reactions: XCOPRI can cause serious skin rash or other serious allergic reactions which may affect organs and other parts of your body like the liver or blood cells. You may or may not have a rash with these types of reactions. Call your healthcare provider right away and go to the nearest emergency room if you have any of the following: swelling of your face, eyes, lips, or tongue, trouble swallowing or breathing, a skin rash, hives, fever, swollen glands, or sore throat that does not go away or comes and goes, painful sores in the mouth or around your eyes, yellowing of your skin or eyes, unusual bruising or bleeding, severe fatigue or weakness, severe muscle pain, frequent infections, or infections that do not go away. Take XCOPRI exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. It is very important to increase your dose of XCOPRI slowly, as instructed by your healthcare provider. QT shortening: XCOPRI may cause problems with the electrical system of the heart (QT shortening). Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of QT shortening including fast heartbeat (heart palpitations) that last a long time or fainting. Suicidal behavior and ideation: Antiepileptic drugs, including XCOPRI, may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Call your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying; attempting to commit suicide; new or worse depression, anxiety, or irritability; feeling agitated or restless; panic attacks; trouble sleeping (insomnia); acting aggressive; being angry or violent; acting on dangerous impulses; an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania); or other unusual changes in behavior or mood. Nervous system problems: XCOPRI may cause problems that affect your nervous system. Symptoms of nervous system problems include: dizziness, trouble walking or with coordination, feeling sleepy and tired, trouble concentrating, remembering, and thinking clearly, and vision problems. Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how XCOPRI affects you. Do not drink alcohol or take other medicines that can make you sleepy or dizzy while taking XCOPRI without first talking to your healthcare provider. DISCONTINUATION: Do not stop taking XCOPRI without first talking to your healthcare provider. Stopping XCOPRI suddenly can cause serious problems. Stopping seizure medicine suddenly in a patient who has epilepsy can cause seizures that will not stop (status epilepticus). DRUG INTERACTIONS: XCOPRI may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how XCOPRI works. Do not start or stop other medicines without talking to your healthcare provider. Tell healthcare providers about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. PREGNANCY AND LACTATION: XCOPRI may cause your birth control medicine to be less effective. Talk to your health care provider about the best birth control method to use. Talk to your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if XCOPRI will harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant while taking XCOPRI. You and your healthcare provider will decide if you should take XCOPRI while you are pregnant. If you become pregnant while taking XCOPRI, talk to your healthcare provider about registering with the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic medicine during pregnancy. You can enroll in this registry by calling 1-888-233-2334 or go to www.aedpregnancyregistry.org. Talk to your health care provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if XCOPRI passes into breastmilk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby while taking XCOPRI. COMMON SIDE EFFECTS: The most common side effects in patients taking XCOPRI include dizziness, sleepiness, headache, double vision, and feeling tired. These are not all the possible side effects of XCOPRI. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch. DRUG ABUSE: XCOPRI is a federally controlled substance (CV) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep XCOPRI in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away XCOPRI may harm others and is against the law. INDICATION: XCOPRI is a prescription medicine used to treat partial-onset seizures in adults 18 years of age and older. It is not known if XCOPRI is safe and effective in children under 18 years of age. Please see additional patient information in the Medication Guide. This information does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your condition or your treatment. Please see full Prescribing Information. XCOPRI is a registered U.S. trademark of SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. Media Contacts: Arvelle Therapeutics: Juan Vergez Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications Email: [email protected] Angelini Pharma Daniela Poggio, Head of Communications Email: [email protected] SK Biopharmaceuticals Hyongki Park Head of Communications Email: [email protected]; [email protected] Trio Health Nina Bass +44 (0) 208 8080 3005 [email protected] Chloe Nichols +44 (0) 208 8080 3004 [email protected] Nick James +44 (0) 208 8080 3006 [email protected] References Epilepsy Alliance Europe. Background information. https://www.epilepsyallianceeurope.org/about/background/ Last accessed 03.12.2020 . Chen Z, Brodie MJ, Liew D, Kwan P. Treatment Outcomes in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy Treated with Established and New Antiepileptic Drugs: A 30-Year Longitudinal Cohort Study. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29279892. Published online December 26, 2017 . Epilepsy Foundation. What Is Epilepsy? https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/about-epilepsy-basics/what-epilepsy. Accessed November 12, 2020 . Epilepsy Foundation. Staying Safe. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/seizure-first-aid-and-safety/staying-safe. Accessed November 12, 2020 . Epilepsy Foundation. Challenges with Epilepsy. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/challenges-epilepsy. Accessed November 12, 2020 . SOURCE SK Biopharmaceuticals Related Links https://www.skbp.com America Talks: Join us and #ListenFirst in a virtual conversation with another American Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Editorial Senior Editor Adrian Ferguson adrian.ferguson@christiantimes.com Adrian has more than two decades experience in the media industry, and has become a prominent Christian media personality on topics ranging from global human rights and persecution, to local church and ethics news. Adrian has Midwest roots; growing up in Indiana and graduating from Indiana University. Adrian is known for being able to dissect complication issues and stories, and his passion is to connect and educate readers with balance and independence. Adrian and his wife Julie have two children, Charles and Kaitlin, and a dog named Max. Adrian loves running and has completed more than a dozen marathons. Senior Correspondents Veronica Elliot veronica.elliot@christiantimes.com Veronica has worked in Christian media since she 1999. She was born and raised in Minneapolis and has spent time in Central and South America with various missions organizations. She is married to John, whom she lives with along with their lovely daughter Sarah. Rebecca Bellecci rebecca.bellecci@christiantimes.com Rebecca has worked in media since 2005, and has worked at a range of publications, gaining experience from stints in London, Berlin and Sydney. 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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 Jersey health officials on Friday reported another 5,023 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 83 additional deaths as vaccination doses neared 725,000 shots administered. The seven-day average for new confirmed cases increased to 4,496, up 6% from a week ago, and up 14% from a month ago. Hospitalizations declined to 3,116, the lowest since Nov. 30. Gov. Phil Murphy announced the latest numbers during a coronavirus briefing in Trenton and the state is administering about 25,000 doses a day on average. We are working every day to maximize every dose we are given and to administer to as many people as our supply will allow, Murphy said. As the federal government increases our allotment, well be able to open up for more appointments. And, as we will now know what our allotment will look like three weeks down the road, well be able to make more long-term decisions to improve our vaccine program. New Jersey has now lost 21,383 residents in the nearly 11 month outbreak with 19,254 confirmed fatalities and 2,129 considered probable. The death toll for January rose to 2,274 confirmed fatalities, the most in any month since May. Murphy said the most recent positivity rate for tests conducted on Monday, the most recent day available, was 8.37% of the 65,709 test conducted. The rate of transmission remained 0.91 for the third consecutive day. Any number under 1 indicates that the outbreak is slowing. The total number of confirmed cases is now 615,202 out of more than 9.2 million PCR tests. There have also been 72,067 positive antigen tests, which the state recently began reporting publicly. Those cases are considered probable and health officials have warned the positive antigen tests could overlap with the confirmed PCR tests because they are sometime given in tandem. Murphy announced hes extending the ban on interstate sports for certain age groups, including high school programs, that was set to expire Sunday. The ban was first announced in November. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage VACCINATIONS There have been 724,371 vaccine doses administered in New Jersey so far, according to the states dashboard. Of those, 610,110 were the first of two doses people will receive. Thats out of more than 1.23 million doses the state has received from the federal government, according to a running tally by the federal Centers for Disease Control. All six of the states vaccine mega-sites have now opened along with about 200 other locations statewide, though some mega-sites have had to suspended operations for a day after running out of doses. Murphy said on Wednesday that the state can now expect about 130,000 doses from the federal government over the next three weeks, up from 100,000, but demand is still far outpacing the supply in the state. We still have a big supply-demand imbalance. Were still going to be chopping through that for weeks to come, Murphy said during a CNN interview. VACCINATIONS BY COUNTY ATLANTIC COUNTY - 21,300 doses administered BERGEN COUNTY - 80,834 doses administered BURLINGTON COUNTY - 35,689 doses administered CAMDEN COUNTY - 42,475 doses administered CAPE MAY COUNTY- 10,507 doses administered CUMBERLAND COUNTY - 11,082 doses administered ESSEX COUNTY - 56,644 doses administered GLOUCESTER COUNTY - 24,517 doses administered HUDSON COUNTY - 34,321 doses administered HUNTERDON COUNTY - 10,124 doses administered MERCER COUNTY - 18,742 doses administered MIDDLESEX COUNTY - 53,984 doses administered MONMOUTH COUNTY - 55,267 doses administered MORRIS COUNTY - 53,316 doses administered OCEAN COUNTY - 43,064 doses administered PASSAIC COUNTY - 34,238 doses administered SALEM COUNTY - 4,400 doses administered SOMERSET COUNTY - 27,970 doses administered SUSSEX COUNTY - 11,712 doses administered UNION COUNTY - 35,594 doses administered WARREN COUNTY - 7,349 doses administered UNKNOWN COUNTY - 23,720 doses administered OUT OF STATE - 27,522 doses administered COUNTY-BY-COUNTY NUMBERS (sorted by most new cases) Essex County: 59,188 confirmed cases (641 new), 2,279 confirmed deaths (255 probable) Middlesex County: 58,890 confirmed cases (538 new), 1,695 confirmed deaths (217 probable) Bergen County: 59,421 confirmed cases (470 new), 2,197 confirmed deaths (268 probable) Monmouth County: 44,074 confirmed cases (464 new), 1,145 confirmed deaths (108 probable) Ocean County: 44,106 confirmed cases (400 new), 1,553 confirmed deaths (90 probable) Hudson County: 55,971 confirmed cases (384 new), 1,690 confirmed deaths (171 probable) Morris County: 27,243 confirmed cases (303 new), 844 confirmed deaths (207 probable) Passaic County: 46,768 confirmed cases (278 new), 1,432 confirmed deaths (163 probable) Camden County: 36,092 confirmed cases (264 new), 937 confirmed deaths (69 probable) Union County: 44,115 confirmed cases (182 new), 1,480 confirmed deaths (186 probable) Burlington County: 27,570 confirmed cases (174 new), 635 confirmed deaths (48 probable) Gloucester County: 18,946 confirmed cases (164 new), 472 confirmed deaths (22 probable) Atlantic County: 17,021 confirmed cases (160 new), 445 confirmed deaths (22 probable) Mercer County: 23,425 confirmed cases (152 new), 776 confirmed deaths (38 probable) Somerset County: 16,123 confirmed cases (117 new), 647 confirmed deaths (96 probable) Cumberland County: 10,650 confirmed cases (99 new), 284 confirmed deaths (14 probable) Sussex County: 6,804 confirmed cases (62 new), 198 confirmed deaths (55 probable) Warren County: 5,399 confirmed cases (52 new), 183 confirmed deaths (15 probable) Hunterdon County: 5,257 confirmed cases (40 new), 93 confirmed deaths (54 probable) Salem County: 3,850 confirmed cases (33 new), 129 confirmed deaths (11 probable) Cape May County: 3,162 confirmed cases (9 new), 140 confirmed deaths (20 probable) HOSPITALIZATIONS There were 3,116 patients hospitalized with confirmed (2,884) or suspected (232) COVID-19 cases across New Jerseys 71 hospitals as of Wednesday night. Thats five fewer than the previous day. That included 563 in critical or intensive care (15 fewer than the previous night), with 378 on ventilators (28 fewer). There were also 363 COVID-19 patients discharged Thursday, according to the states COVID-19 dashboard. Murphy has said any hospitalizations over 5,000 patients would likely trigger new rounds of restrictions. But the number of people being hospitalized has mostly ticked down slowly in recent days after hitting a more than seven-month high of 3,873 people on Dec. 22. The state hit a high of more than 8,000 hospitalizations in April. SCHOOL CASES At least 629 students and staff in 131 school districts in New Jersey have caught COVID-19 through in-school outbreaks, according to the latest update from state health officials. Thats an increase of 10 districts from the previous weekly report. There are now confirmed in-school outbreaks in all 21 counties, though the state does not identify the individual school districts. 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. 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 (31.2%), followed by those 50-64 (23.7%), 18-29 (19.3%), 65-79 (11.1%), 5-17 (7.5%), 80 and older (5.4%), and 0-4 (1.6%). 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%), followed by those 65-79 (33%), 50-64 (15.6%), 30-49 (4%), 18-29 (0.4%), 5-17 (0%), and 0-4 (0%). At least 7,713 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 435 facilities, resulting in 7,338 active cases among residents and 7,929 among staffers. GLOBAL NUMBERS As of Friday, there have been more than 101.5 million positive COVID-19 tests across the world, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University. More than 2.19 million people have died from coronavirus-related complications. The U.S. has reported the most cases, at more than 25.7 million, and the most deaths, at more than 433,200. Tell us your COVID-19 vaccination stories, send us a news tip or questions about the vaccination process on our tip form. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Where the rest of us saw the relief of the (sort of) peaceful transition of power at Joe Bidens inauguration last week, IMG Models saw an opportunity for a shopping spree. The agency, which boasts such names as Karlie Kloss, Alek Wek, and the Sisters Hadid, scooped up not one but two new faces for its lineup following the Jan. 20 ceremony.* First was Amanda Gorman, the poet laureate, bestselling author, and recent college grad, who left something in all of our eyes during her powerful reading. Second was Ella Emhoff, the stepdaughter of Vice President Kamala (Momala, to Ella) Harris. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Far be it from me to criticize any young woman whos gainfully employed in this economy. But there is something frustrating about the way Emhoffs deal has been conveyed and celebrated. It is not so much that Emhoff signed a modeling contract that doesnt sit well with me (though that has teed up some critics) as it is the packaging of her so-called unique arrival to the scene. The contract feels like an annoying finale for the cooing, image-focused narrative that took off as soon as she appeared alongside her stepmom in that dashing Miu Miu coat of hers. Advertisement This is how the New York Times heralded the news, in a disturbingly fawning piece that reads like an ad for Ella, the Future of Fashion: Ms. Emhoff throws a crocheted grenade at the image of typical D.C. political offspring, with a style that could be termed Wes Anderson chic. In her selfies, she doesnt wear much makeup and doesnt carefully blow-dry her naturally curly hair. She shows off her armpit hair and cartoonish tattoos, which include eggs and bacon in the shape of a smiley face and a cow. Armpit hair! Bare face! Tattoos! Advertisement To those ensconced in body diversity movements or, truly, any kind of culture not defined by those who are white and wealthy, these details do little to inspire. Twentysomething inked Brooklynites have been the thing du jour for many jours now. Numerous media figures already sport all kinds of tats, shirk shaving, and play with traditional markers of femininity. Emhoff is just the latest to be noted for her deviation from the crumbling norms of makeup and body hair, following in the steps of women like Alicia Keys and Cara Delevingne, and others who go farther back still.* Advertisement But the other thing that bothers me here is that Emhoffa tall, thin, white womanis actually an extremely traditional model. That she gets credit for not blow-drying her naturally curly hair and is lauded as not typical D.C. political offspring for adopting a Bushwick aesthetic feels slightly absurd. Remember that two little Black girls (with relaxed hair, a reminder of who gets praised for being natural) entered the White House back in 2008. None of this is Emhoffs fault. She is a college senior with a documented love for fashion. Who could blame her for jumping at the chance to be a model? For women of a certain age, shows like Americas Next Top Model convinced us that this was a job we actually wanted. The growing influencer economy now makes the model life seem more attractive and attainable, too. Advertisement Advertisement Its the ignorance of outlets like the Timesand figureheads like Ivan Bart, IMG Models presidentin failing to acknowledge how Emhoff does actually fit into that stereotypical model mold that chafes. The Times quotes Bart on bringing Emhoff on board: Its not really about shape, size, or gender anymore. Ella communicates this moment in time. Theres a cheekiness and a joy she exudes. Cheeky and joyful she may be, but her shape, size, and gender fit squarely into age-old notions of who gets to define whats fashionable. And lets remember that she is the daughter of the second gentleman, a former lawyer and now the husband to the most powerful woman in America. That means Emhoff is able to afford the expensive Parsons education that gives her time to indulge her own fashion design projects, just like she was able to afford the expensive coat that turned heads at the inauguration. Advertisement Agencies like IMG do their best to dance around how these privileges play into high-profile hires like Emhoff, even as they blatantly commodify the excitement around a new presidential administration. Emhoff does seem like a funny, talented woman with a knack for personal style. (Her hair? Love it.) But when the media offers long odes to why Emhoff is such a significant, barrier-breaking addition to the fashion industry, they perpetuate and resubstantiate the same problems that keep folks like Emhoff in and the rest of us out. In another sign of the times, an employee of a New York literary agency has been fired for having accounts on Parler and Gab. The president of a literary agency [the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency] based in New York City said Monday on Twitter that one of the agencys employees was terminated after her use of conservative social media sites Parler and Gab was discovered. I have seen no suggestion that the victim, Colleen Oefelein, did anything wrong on those accounts, just that she participated in social media sites that are not deemed sufficiently leftist. Ms. Oefelein apparently is from Alaska and identifies herself as a Christian. That explains a lot. At Reason, Eugene Volokh has a lengthy analysis of whether firing an employee for having accounts on unapproved social media platforms can be grounds for termination. The answer is unclear. It depends on where you live: in New York, maybe. In general, employers can fire employees for any reason, just as employees can quit for any reason. But various statutes and ordinances have riddled that principle with exceptions. Still, one fact stands out: if an employee can be fired for being a conservative, or for having accounts on social media sites that are not regarded as liberal, an employee can equally be fired for the converse reasonsbeing a liberal, or having accounts on liberal outlets like Facebook and Twitter. Maybe conservative employers should start taking names. Some say that we are now engaged in a cold civil war. Sadly, I think there is some truth to that characterization. I have no doubt that leaders of the Democratic Party and the liberal movement would criminalize conservatism if they could. They are taking steps, already, in that direction. I dont know that there is any way for conservatives to fight fire, except with fire. Of course we will never try to jail our political opponents, unlike the liberals. We cant even prosecute the criminals who perpetrated the Russia collusion hoax. And I dont think that anyone should be fired for his or her political views. But it is happening. Maybe if some liberals lost their jobs because of their politics, liberals would think better of the cancel culture that they have so viciously unleashed. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday warned Scottish nationalists not to get lost in "pointless constitutional wrangling" about holding another independence referendum when in 2014 the majority of the Scottish people voted for remaining within the United Kingdom LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th January, 2021) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday warned Scottish nationalists not to get lost in "pointless constitutional wrangling" about holding another independence referendum when in 2014 the majority of the Scottish people voted for remaining within the United Kingdom. "I don't see the advantage of getting lost in pointless constitutional wrangling when after all we had a referendum not so very long ago," Johnson told reporters during a visit a Scotland. According to the prime minister, talking "endlessly" about another referendum is not the right to do, because "what the people of the country and the people of Scotland want in particular is for us to fight this pandemic." The leader of the Scottish semiautonomous government and head of the ruling Scottish National Party, Nicola Sturgeon, said on Wednesday that it was "not essential" for Johnson to travel to Scotland in the middle of the pandemic. "We are living in a global pandemic and every day I stand and look down the camera and say 'don't travel unless it is essential, work from home if you possibly can' - that has to apply to all of us," she told reporters during her daily COVID-19 press briefing. Sturgeon has repeatedly pledged that she will push for another independence referendum if as predicted by the poll, the SNP wins the upcoming local elections in May. On Thursday, Johnson recalled that the Scottish nationalists said that the 2014 referendum, when Scotland voted against independence by 55 percent to 45 percent, was "a once in a generation event," and stressed that he is inclined to stick with what they then said. Sturgeon is now claiming, however, that Brexit changed the whole scenario two years later, because Scotland was forced to leave the European Union although a large majority of the Scottish voters had opted for remaining within the bloc. A recent poll commissioned by The Times newspaper showed that 49 percent of the people in Scotland backed independence compared to 44 percent against, but the margin was 52 percent to 48 percent if the undecided are excluded. Advertisement Britain is on course to have a fourth approved coronavirus vaccine in its arsenal after studies of the new Novavax jab yielded promising results last night, as the nation finally turns the tide on its Covid crisis. The jab is expected to sail through final approval from Britain's medical regulator in the coming weeks and keep the UK one step ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to the rollout of vaccines. So far the UK has placed orders worth 2.9billion for 367million doses of Covid vaccines, made by seven developers: AstraZeneca & Oxford University Pfizer & BioNTech Moderna Novavax Valneva Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) GlaxoSmithKline & Sanofi Already three of the jabs have been approved two of which are currently being used one is awaiting approval and three more are in late stage trials with results expected in the coming weeks and months. Despite widespread criticism for the Government's pandemic response the Vaccines Taskforce, led by investor Kate Bingham who did the job without a salary and today admitted she 'broke Dry January' to have a glass of wine when she heard about the Novavax results, have been roundly praised for their ability to secure huge numbers of doses of vaccines that have so far turned out to be successful. Number 10 freed up more than 6billion to develop and procure Covid jabs a fraction of the 200-plus billion spent on supporting businesses during the economically-crippling lockdowns. Britain was the first country in the world to approve both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccines and only Israel has administered more of the jabs than the UK. Here, MailOnline reveals which vaccines the UK has secured so far and how they work. So far the UK has placed orders for 367million doses of the seven most promising Covid vaccines made by AstraZeneca , Pfizer , Moderna, Valneva, Janssen, GlaxoSmithKline and Novavax at a cost of 2.9billion Pfizer/BioNTech (approved) 40million doses The breakthrough jab was the first in the world to be proven to successfully block severe Covid-19 last year and it gained approval in the UK on December 2. It uses brand-new technology and is known as a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine. Conventional vaccines are produced using weakened forms of the virus, but mRNAs use only the virus's genetic code. An mRNA vaccine is injected into the body where it enters cells and tells them to create antigens. These antigens are recognised by the immune system and prepare it to fight coronavirus. Studies showed the two-dose vaccine could prevent severe illness in 95 per cent of people who were injected with it. The Government has ordered 40million doses, enough to vaccinate 20million Brits, but only a handful of million Brits have received the jab so far. Having vaccines on order is not the same as having them ready to go. Manufacturers are still trying to ramp up production to deliver the agreed supplies around the world. The UK ran into some logistical difficulties when trying to roll the vaccine out last year which stalled how quickly it could be deployed. The downside to mRNA vaccines is that they need to be stored at ultra-cold temperatures and cannot be transported easily. Pfizer/BioNTech's breakthrough jab was the first in the world to be proven to successfully block severe Covid-19 last year and it gained approval in the UK on December 2 Oxford University/AstraZeneca (approved) 100million doses In a sign of their confidence in the Oxford-made jab, ministers placed an order for 100million doses last year before it was known if the jab would be successful. The hope was that it would be easier to roll out because it could be mostly manufactured here and, because it uses traditional vaccine technology, it can be stored and transferred in regular fridges. Oxford's vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus known as adenovirus and was shown to be about 70 per cent effective at blocking severe Covid. The team have modified the adenovirus so it can enter cells but cant replicate inside them or cause illness. Researchers have already used this technology to produce vaccines against a number of pathogens including flu, Zika and Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers). After the vaccine is injected into a persons arm, the adenoviruses enter human cells and travel to their nuclei, the chamber where the cells DNA is stored. The vaccine are programmed to carry the genetic code of the coronavirus's 'spike protein', which Sars-CoV-2 uses to invade the body. It uses this genetic code to trick the body into mounting an immune response, priming the immune system to attack coronavirus if the real virus infects the body. Although the UK has ordered 100million doses, ministers have repeatedly said supply is the 'limiting factor' in rolling it out. For example, only 530,000 doses of the jab were ready for nationwide rollout on January 4, but AstraZeneca, the British firm which owns the rights to the jab, says it will soon be able to deliver 2million doses a week to Brits. Moderna (approved) 17million doses ordered The jab from the US biotech firm has been approved in the UK but doses will not be available in Britain until the spring. It also uses mRNA technology and works in a similar way to the Pfizer one already being offered on the NHS and also was found to have 95 per cent efficacy. However it requires temperatures of around -20C for shipping - similar to a normal freezer. Because the Moderna jab uses the same brand-new technology as the Pfizer one, Government advisers said it was too big a gamble to place large pre-orders on both. It meant the UK was late to securing doses and won't receive supplies until March. Novavax (waiting approval) 60million doses US biotech firm Novavax announced its vaccine had successfully completed its phase three clinical trials in the UK last night, paving the way for regulators to give final approval in the coming weeks. Under a deal with the Government, 60million doses of the vaccine will be produced on Teesside for use in this country, in what could prove to be another triumph for Britain's world-leading vaccine programme. Novavax, which will be made at the Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies factory in Stockton-on-Tees according to local reports, last night said the trials had shown its vaccine was 89.3 per cent effective The trial is the first to be completed since the emergence of the new variant of the disease in Kent. Preliminary analysis suggests the vaccine was 85.6 per cent effective against this mutation. The Novavax vaccine works like other vaccines by teaching the immune system to make antibodies to the coronavirus spike protein. Researchers inserted a modified gene into a virus, called a baculovirus, and allowed it to infect insect cells. Spike proteins from these cells were then assembled into nanoparticles which, while they look like coronavirus, cannot replicate or cause Covid-19. These nanoparticles are then injected into the body via the vaccine where the immune system mounts an antibody response. If the body encounters coronavirus in the future, the body is primed to fend it off. US biotech firm Novavax announced its vaccine had successfully completed its Phase Three clinical trials in the UK, paving the way for regulators to give final approval in the coming weeks (stock image) Janssen/Johnson and Johnson (in trials) 30million doses Johnson and Johnson today published the results of its clinical trial which found it prevents, on average, 66 per cent of all coronavirus cases among people who get the jab. The company also found it prevented severe symptoms in 85 per cent of people and no-one who got the jab died or needed hospital treatment from 28 days after being inoculated. The 66 per cent efficacy was a global average, with the jab preventing 72 per cent of cases in the US but only 57 per cent in South Africa, which is being devastated by a mutated variant that appears to be less susceptible to vaccines and immunity from older versions of the virus. It is promising, however, that the jab still worked in South Africa and still prevented hospitalisation. The jab uses the same adenovirus technology to the Oxford University vaccine, making it just as easy to transport and store, but requires just a single injection to protect against Covid. Government scientists expect the vaccine, made by Janssen, the Belgian arm of the US pharmaceutical giant, could be given emergency authorisation and rolled out in Britain by mid-February. The UK has already struck a deal for 30million doses, with the option of ordering 22million more. If approved, it would be the third Covid jab in the UK's arsenal and could significantly speed up the programme which has been held back by supply shortages. Johnson and Johnson will publish results from phase three trials of its coronavirus vaccine next week, the company announced this week Valneva (in trials) 60million doses French company Valneva has started manufacturing its Covid vaccine at its Scottish facility with UK supplies expected to be available by the end of 2021 if successful. The French biotech firm is still mid-way through clinical trials for its vaccine candidate but it has started producing the jab doses already at the site in Livingston, West Lothian. Successful trials and the approval of the vaccine, of which Britain has already ordered 60million doses, could see the first batches delivered by the end of 2021. The jab is an 'inactivated whole virus vaccine' which uses a damaged version of the real coronavirus to stimulate the immune system and can be kept in a normal fridge, similarly to the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, which makes it easy to roll out. No other whole virus vaccines have yet been approved for use in Britain, Europe or the US, with the others using only fragments of the virus or genetic material called mRNA. The Valneva manufacturing plant in Livingston, Scotland, has this week started manufacturing the company's Covid vaccine before clinical trials have finished GlaxoSmithKline/Sanofi Pasteur (in trials) 60million doses Interim results of early phases of the trial showed a strong immune response in adults aged 18 to 50, but a low antibody response in older adults. Clinical trials of the vaccine are ongoing. Older people are most at risk of dying from Covid-19 and therefore are a key group for any vaccine-maker to target. The UK in July secured 60million doses of the prospective treatment, but the company says it will likely not be ready before the end of 2021. Even though it doesn't appear effective in older adults, it could be another jab in the UK's arsenal that could help ministers vaccinate the entire nation once the priority groups have been immunised. GSK's vaccine is based on the existing technology used to produce Sanofi's seasonal flu vaccine. Genetic material from the surface protein of the Covid virus is inserted into insect cells - the basis of Sanofi's influenza product - and then injected to provoke an immune response in a human patient. 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. Peugeot e-2008 Wins Argus 2021 Trophy in Electric SUV Category +VIDEO PARIS - January 29, 2021: For this edition of the Argus 2021 Trophies, the award ceremony took place remotely on a digital TV programme, hosted by journalist Margot Lafitte, on 28 January 2021. The prize list was dominated by electric vehicles, and the PEUGEOT e-2008 made a major contribution to this by winning the Argus Trophy in the electric SUV category. PEUGEOT has been successful many times in the Argus Trophies in previous years. The PEUGEOT 208 won the prize for the 'Argus 2020 Car'. As well as the PEUGEOT 508 which won the 'Argus 2019 Car' prize. The brand also won awards in many other categories. In the era of the energy transition, the PEUGEOT e-2008s triumph with the prize for the 2021 electric SUV is a new accolade for the PEUGEOT brand. The PEUGEOT 2008 emerges at the heart of the compact SUV segment by contributing to what makes the PEUGEOT range so successful today: assertion through design and differentiation through innovation and technology. This first PEUGEOT electric SUV paves the way to a new world of sensations. 100% electric, the driver will enjoy a high level of panache in a vehicle that is completely silent and devoid of any vibration. As an essential marker of the PEUGEOT brand, particular emphasis has been placed on the dynamic behaviour of the new e-2008 SUV PEUGEOT, providing a road feel and driving pleasure comparable to petrol and diesel versions. In France, more than 66,000 PEUGEOT 2008 were sold in 2020 and nearly 10% of these were electric versions. "Having just taken over as Managing Director of the PEUGEOT brand, I am very proud and honoured to receive this Argus Trophy for the PEUGEOT e-2008. Being awarded this trophy is clear evidence of the power of seduction of this model and rewards its remarkable performance. It is also perfectly aligned with our energy transition since 100% of our range will be electrified in 2025" - Linda JACKSON - General Manager of the PEUGEOT brand. This prize is awarded by a jury of 18 expert journalists in the Rating and Argus specialists. The ranking is established according to the following criteria: new purchase price, residual value, consumption and services in use (quality, comfort, driving pleasure and design). The PEUGEOT e-2008 took first place on the podium ahead of the Audi e-tron Sportback, the Mazda MX-30 and the Volvo XC40 P8. Amid all the frenzy between independent investors rallying behind struggling companies like AMC, GameStop, and Blackberry and Wall Street investors, a popular Facebook trading discussion group had been shut down by the Mark Zuckerberg-owned company. Facebook Bans Trading Group According to Reuters, the Facebook Wall Street discussion group called Robinhood Stock Traders were apparently shut down for violating the platform's policy. The 23-year-old Chicago native creator of the group, Allen Tran, said that he woke up on Wednesday, January 27, with a notification from Facebook, saying that they had disabled the group, which had over 157,000 members. Based on the notification, which the news outlet had seen, the group's shut down was caused by violating the platform's policies on "adult sexual exploitation." "We were first on the picking tree to be cut off because we are on Facebook, not a free platform like Reddit," Tran said. The young man also guaranteed he did not see any inappropriate adult content on the Facebook group. Read More: Robinhood: Who Owns the App and How it Changed the World of Trading [Origin Explored] 'Unrelated to Ongoing Stock Frenzy' Meanwhile, Facebook spokeswoman Kristen Morea responded on the ban, saying that the Tran's Facebook group was removed "for violating our Community Standards" and assured that it had nothing to do with the ongoing stock frenzy. Morea was asked to elaborate but refrained from doing so. It appears that the group has already been suspended earlier this month, on January 7, after Facebook labeled it as a "dangerous organization." However, the group was able to bounce back after Tran appealed to contacts on the platform. "With all these major institutions being frustrated with the success of retail, they are trying to target any groups they can," the Robinhood Stock Traders Facebook group creator said, who was once featured in a Wall Street Journal article back in November 2020, describing the group as "the biggest of its kind." The Chicago-native has apparently created a replacement group for the one that has been banned, but he fears that it would also be taken down. r/WallStreetBets Discord Ban Recently, struggling companies like GameStop and AMC had seen their stocks dramatically rise after a group of independent investors rallied behind them, cooperating via a Reddit thread known as r/WallStreetBets Some members of Tran's group was able to make tens of thousands of dollars in the recent trades, thanks to the Reddit thread. However, Discord has recently banned the server for the subreddit on their platform, this time for violating their policies regarding hate speech and violence. According to a recent report by Tech Times, the subreddit thread was then turned private by its moderators, which lasted for an hour. When they came back, the moderators responded to the Discord ban, saying they were disappointed at how things turned as they have been using a bot to block any of the hate speech, which was indeed common in the thread, especially as it had more than 3 million members. The stocks frenzy has gained massive attention from the world and the media that even the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the White House are monitoring the situation. Related Article: GameStop Stock Reddit 2021: WallStreetBets Group Behind Surge Now Targeting AMC Theaters This article is owned by Tech Times Written by: Nhx Tingson 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) Collected tourist visa extension fees decline by 40% in 2020, the Bureau of Immigration reported on Friday. In a statement, the agency said last years total was P1.3 billion, down from 2019s P2.2 billion. Applications for tourist visa extension also declined 45% to 240,276 last year. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente explained that this was expected considering that entry to the country of aliens remains restricted, following travel bans set due to the COVID-19 pandemic which started in March last year. The BI noted that these fees are its major source of income and have been considered as an indication of the growing reputation of the Philippines as a tourist destination. A rise in collected fees would mean that more tourists are choosing to stay longer in the country, the agency explained. We hope that the tourism industry will finally rebound at least by the second or third quarter of 2021 and the Philippines will once again open its doors to foreign visitors, Morente said. Thirteen-year-old Estrella Roman and her mother have made the 30-minute walk to Rogers Park Middle School in Danbury several times during the pandemic, even while the school has been closed for in-person learning. Thats because the schools on-site health center is where Estrella, who emigrated with her family from Ecuador in 2019, receives routine vaccinations, wellness care and treatment for headaches, among other health services. Estrellas mother, Katherine, who doesnt speak English, said through Estrella that shes very grateful for the teachers who told her that Estrella could still receive care there even when schools were closed. She praised the school nurse as patient and Spanish-speaking and said she would not have known where to seek care if not for the school-based health center. During their three decades in operation, Connecticuts school-based health centers defined by the state as fully-licensed primary care facilities have become a critical health care delivery option, especially for children who have limited access to regular medical care. Of the 92 school health programs funded by the state Department of Public Health, located in 27 communities throughout the state, 80 are designated school-based health centers and provide full health care services, including diagnosis and treatment of acute injuries or illnesses; managing chronic diseases; physical exams; immunizations; prescribing and dispensing medication; reproductive health; laboratory testing; crisis intervention; individual, group and family counseling; oral health; referral for specialty care; and links to community providers. The other 12 expanded school health programs offer limited services. According to the DPH, 20,216 students made 62,159 medical visits to a school-based health center in 2018-19, an average of 3.1 visits per student. A total of 4,589 students made 60,697 mental/behavioral health visits, an average of 13.2 visits per student, while 3,814 students made 9,557 dental visits, an average of 2.5 visits per student. Since last March, as Connecticut public schools have fluctuated between closed, open and somewhere in-between, the health centers have worked hard to continue providing services uninterrupted. During COVID, all the school-based health centers have continued to offer medical and behavioral health care through a mix of on-site and telehealth visits, said Laurie Collins, executive director of the Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers. Telemedicine has enabled New Haven Public Schools 16 health centers to continue providing mental health visits at pre-pandemic levels, according to Sue Peters, director of the districts school-based health centers and dental clinics. In a typical year, she said, the centers would welcome nearly 7,000 visits for students medical, behavioral and dental needs, or about 60 percent of the student body. She said she cant yet calculate how many students utilized the centers in 2020 because theres too many factors to consider. The change hasnt been easy, according to health center personnel. A lack of daily access to students has had a negative impact on drop-in visits and follow-up appointments. Dental care, which makes up a large part of many of the centers treatment services, has been on hold during the pandemic due to the threat of COVID-19 transmission. But creativity and flexibility have enabled health center personnel to continue performing certain vital health care services for students and, in some instances, adding new COVID-19-related resources. Nurse practitioner Jolene Henion described the health center at Rogers Park Middle School, where she works, as typically busy, providing a mix of physicals, vaccines and acute care to students. Rogers Park turned to remote learning in March. At that time, the schools health center transitioned to telehealth. But in June, when the center got the go-ahead to return to the building part-time, staff began to set up regular on-site drive-through vaccination clinics for children. The need was pressing. The state didnt waive routine immunization requirements during the pandemic, and the drive-through clinics present a safe option for families who dont feel comfortable going into a doctors office during the pandemic. The clinics also serve families new to the area. In recent months, Danbury has experienced an influx of immigrants, mainly from Central and South America, whose immunization schedules differ from those in the U.S. They dont qualify for health insurance, but we can at least get them registered for school, said Henion, who noted that proof of up-to-date vaccinations is a prerequisite for school enrollment. Health center personnel also work to keep students up to date on annual physicals. Henion calls families to remind them if their children are due for one. When students come in the center has been open four days a week for wellness visits since August 2020 many show signs of pandemic-related weariness. Im having kids complain about back pain. Theyre sitting all day, and not necessarily at a chair. Many are in bed, hunched over a computer, Henion said. Theyre sedentary. Theyve all gained weight. Mental health issues also are skyrocketing. Im seeing a huge uptick in anxiety and depression, said Clare Gelissen, a licensed therapist who works at the health center on the campus of Danburys Henry Abbott Technical High School. Currently, the school operates in a hybrid format, with daily in-person student attendance at 25 percent. But despite the barely inhabited campus, Gelissen said shes been busier than ever. Were definitely seeing an increase in kids, she said. The addition of telemedicine has made it easy for Gelissen to stay busy; the effects of the pandemic have made it necessary. These kids are so isolated from their primary source of social interaction, she said. The states health centers also have taken on new roles during the pandemic. Many are involved in COVID-19 testing, according to Collins. Since December, Rogers Park Middle School has offered COVID-19 testing clinics multiple times each week, staffed by health center personnel. Any member of the school community experiencing symptoms can attend the clinic free of charge. But despite this and other ways health centers have remained relevant during the pandemic, it hasnt been without downsides. New Havens Peters noted that typically their centers follow-up care is close to 100 percent. Now, she said, Its a struggle to get students to come in. This, she said, despite the current safety protocols, whereby appointments are spaced out and few people are in the buildings at one time. Henion agreed. Were so used to having such great access to kids. Normally, I can track them down any time, she said. Shes particularly concerned about uninsured students who arent connected to a primary care provider in their community. Theyre the ones I worry about, Henion said. Im desperate to get the kids back. This story was reported under a partnership with the Conn. Health I-Team (c-hit.org), a nonprofit health news website. Press Release 29 January 2021 LAS VEGAS - MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is proud to announce that it received a perfect score of 100 on the 2021 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), for the 10th consecutive year. CEI is the nation's premier benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation. MGM Resorts joins the ranks of 767 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year. Advertisements The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community. "From the previously unimaginable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to a long overdue reckoning with racial injustice, 2020 was an unprecedented year. Yet, many businesses across the nation stepped up and continued to prioritize and champion LGBTQ equality," said Alphonso David, Human Rights Campaign President. "This year has shown us that tools like the CEI are crucial in the work to increase equity and inclusion in the workplace, but also that companies must breathe life into these policies and practices in real and tangible ways. Thank you to the companies that understand protecting their LGBTQ employees and consumers from discrimination is not just the right thing to dobut the best business decision." The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars: Non-discrimination policies across business entities; Equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families; Supporting an inclusive culture; and, Corporate social responsibility. "At MGM Resorts we are proud to stand with the LGBTQ+ community and we will continue to foster the importance of representation, diversity and inclusion within our culture," said Jyoti Chopra, Chief People, Inclusion and Sustainability Officer for MGM Resorts International. "This past year reminded us that we are better together, and we can make a palpable difference in the lives of so many who are simply asking for basic human rights. For more than 20 years we've worked across the communities in which we operate, to act on ways to lift others up towards equality; It is at the core of who we are as a company." MGM Resorts has a record of support of the LGBTQ community, as a National Corporate Partner of HRC and otherwise; For example, MGM Resorts was a founding partner of the Las Vegas chapter of the Human Rights Campaign in 2004. In 2011, MGM Resorts expanded its supplier and construction diversity programs to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ)-owned firms. Years before same-sex marriage was legalized across the entire United States, same-sex commitment ceremonies were performed at chapels at MGM Resorts' properties, which continue to develop specialized marriage ceremony offerings and outreach to same-sex couples. For more information about MGM Resorts International's commitment to diversity and inclusion, please visit: www.mgmresorts.com/focused. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has put into effect the National Security and Defense Council's (NSDC) decision on the application of personal special economic and other restrictive measures. According to Ukrinform, a decree to that effect, No. 29/2021, has been published on the website of the President's Office. "To enact the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine decision of January 28, 2021 'On the introduction of amendments to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine decision of December 14, 2020, enacted by Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 564-27t of December 14, 2020'," the report reads. The sanctions list has not been published. One of the NSDC decisions is classified. Control over the implementation of the NSDC decision was entrusted to NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov. The NSDC decision states, in particular, that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry must inform the competent authorities of the European Union, the United States and other states about the imposition of sanctions and raise the issue of them imposing similar restrictive measures. As was reported earlier, the Cabinet of Ministers will propose that the National Security and Defense Council impose three-year sanctions against legal entities that violate the procedure for using Ukraine's airspace by flying within the restricted zone over the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea and Sevastopol. op Update, Feb. 2: The Clark County medical examiner said the man has been identified as Anthony Michel, 51, of Vancouver. The Clark County medical examiner needs help identifying a man pronounced dead at a local hospital earlier this month. The man had been found unresponsive the morning of Jan. 18 on Northeast Andresen Road south of 78th Street in Vancouver, the medical examiners office said. The office did not disclose his cause or manner of death, but did release a sketch in hopes of tracking down his name. Investigators believe the man was 511, 180 pounds and between the ages of 35 and 65. He had graying reddish-brown hair and blue or blue-gray eyes. People who believe they have information about the man can contact the medical examiner by calling 564-397-8405 or emailing medical.examiner@clark.wa.gov. -- The Oregonian/OregonLive Britain tonight doubled down on plans to help hundreds of thousands of people escape Chinese oppression in Hong Kong by allowing them to settle in the UK. The Government spoke out after Beijing was branded 'weak, bullying and petulant' for refusing to allow residents of the former colony to leave using British passports. The communist regime's foreign ministry today said it would not recognise the British National Overseas (BNO) passport as a valid travel document, ahead of the opening of a scheme to allow holders to gain UK visas. Around 300,000 people are expected to leave Hong Kong for Britain under the new scheme, unveiled by Boris Johnson in the wake of China's national security law. But a statement by foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian plunged the visa system into uncertainty just hours after it was announced to be launching on Sunday. Tonight a Foreign Office spokeswoman said: 'We are disappointed but not surprised by the Chinese decision not to recognise British National (Overseas) passports. 'Despite China's announcement, BNOs and their families will be able to use documentation other than BNO passports to take up this visa. People with BNO status now have a choice to come and live, work and study in the UK. 'We look forward to welcoming those who wish to settle here.' Earlier, former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith had blasted the Chinese for 'yet another breach of international law' and highlighted recent prosecutions of people trying to leave the former British Overseas Territory, which was handed back to China in 1997. He told MailOnline: 'The question is how long is the free world going to continue to turn a blind eye to this appalling arrogant, dictatorial behaviour of the Chinese Government and still continue to run to them with money as though there is no problem? Some 300,000 people from Hong Kong could arrive in the first year after the visa becomes available from Sunday, the estimations from Home Office officials suggest Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith (left) blasted the Chinese for 'yet another breach of international law' and highlighted recent prosecutions of people trying to leave the former British Overseas Territory, which was handed back to China in 1997. Isle of Wight Tory MP Bob Seely (right) added: 'It makes them look weak, bullying and petulant' 'There is a major problem. Chinese behaviour now is unbalancing the world order and it is deeply dangerous and it is high time that the free world came together and agreed a common purpose.' Isle of Wight Tory MP Bob Seely added: 'It makes them look weak, bullying and petulant. 'For a country that wants to garner respect it is not the way to go ahead with it.' He added: 'I think it is a petulant response from a one-party state but I don't think it is going to stop people because if people want to come to the UK because they fear what will happen in Hong Kong then they should be allowed to do that and the Chinese government should stop behaving like the Soviet government in stopping its people from leaving.' The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'We have been clear that we will not look the other way when it comes to Hong Kong people with British National (Overseas) status, who now have a choice to come and live and work and study in the UK. 'And it remains the case that BNOs and their families can use documentation other than BNO passports to travel and enter the UK.' Pro-democracy activists have denounced China's national security law, which curbs the city's autonomy and hands Beijing powers to punish protesters more easily. The UK Prime Minister said the move to offer Hongkongers a pathway to citizenship honoured the 'profound ties of history and friendship' between Britain and its former colony. But China, furious at Britain's new visa pathway, has accused London of flouting the 1997 handover agreement and demanded Western countries stay out of Hong Kong's affairs. Hongkongers with British National (Overseas) status and their dependents are eligible for the visas. After five years they will be able to apply for settlement, followed by British citizenship after a further 12 months. Although there are 2.9 million BN(O) citizens eligible to move to the UK, with a further estimated 2.3 million dependants, the Government expects take-up of the offer to be far smaller. Between 123,000 and 153,700 BN(O) status holders and their dependents are expected to use the route to the UK in the first year, rising to between 258,000 and 322,400 over five years. The Prime Minister said: 'I am immensely proud that we have brought in this new route for Hong Kong BN(O)s to live, work and make their home in our country. 'In doing so we have honoured our profound ties of history and friendship with the people of Hong Kong, and we have stood up for freedom and autonomy - values both the UK and Hong Kong hold dear.' The visa fee to stay for five years will be 250 per person - or 180 for a 30-month stay - and people coming to the UK will also have to pay the immigration health surcharge of up to 624-a-year. The BN(O) status was created before the UK handed responsibility for Hong Kong back to China in 1997. The announcement by foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian plunged the visa system into uncertainty just hours after the UK said it would begin taking applications for BNO visas on Sunday From Sunday, those eligible for a visa can apply online and will need to book an appointment to attend a visa application centre to provide their fingerprints. Then from February 23 BN(O) status holders who hold an eligible biometric passport will be able to use an app to complete their application from home - the first time non-European Economic Area citizens have been able to do so. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: 'We have been clear we won't look the other way when it comes to Hong Kong. We will live up to our historic responsibility to its people. 'China's imposition of the national security law in Hong Kong constitutes a clear and serious breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration contrary to international law.' The security law was imposed on Hong Kong last June in response to 2019 protests, targeting acts Beijing deems to be secession, subversion, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces. Mass arrests of pro-democracy figures have followed. Some have fled Hong Kong for the West, including to Britain. Between July and this month, about 7,000 people with BN(O) status and their dependants have already been given exceptional leave to live in the UK. The Hongkongers will move to the UK at a time of turmoil because of Covid as Britain's closed aviation links to stop new strains getting into the UK. Criminal history will be taken into account but it's unclear how immigration officials will view convictions for participating in protests (pictured), which break China's national security laws While China is not on Britain's 'red list' of 30 countries where arrivals must head into hotel quarantine for ten days. Models and social media influencers were among thousands of British travellers facing a race home last night to avoid being stranded in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It came after ministers added the United Arab Emirates to the so-called red list of countries from where travel to the UK is prohibited. They acted following evidence that the more infectious South African strain of Covid-19 had been detected there. The ban on direct inbound passenger flights from the UAE to Britain into comes into effect at 1pm today. Up to 10,000 UK residents are thought to be in the country, which is popular with wealthy winter sun-seekers for its luxurious hotels and beaches. Scores of social media influencers and millionaires have flocked there recently. Ministers announced the move at 5pm yesterday, giving holidaymakers less than 24 hours to scramble for tickets on the handful of direct flights scheduled to arrive in the UK before the deadline. Britons will still be allowed to come back on indirect flights. Business trips to the UAE will no longer be considered essential. Thanks to other rules introduced on Wednesday, adding the UAE to the red list means Britons returning from there face having to quarantine in airport hotels for ten days. It was still unclear yesterday when this will come into force, but officials are thought to be considering the week beginning February 8. Arrivals from countries not on the red list will still be required to quarantine, but at home instead. In addition to the ban on direct flights that comes in from 1pm, another set of restrictions came into force today from 4am. UK residents must self-isolate at home with all members of their household for ten days if they return from the UAE, and non-UK residents are banned from entering Britain if they have been in the UAE within ten days. The latter does not apply to British, Irish and foreign nationals with UK residence rights. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) A trailer truck crashed into three cars and a number of houses in Nasugbu, Batangas Friday morning, killing a police officer, the truck driver and passenger, and a bystander, authorities said. According to the Nasugbu Municipal Police Station, the truck was traversing a descending portion of the national road in Sitio Bayabasan, Barangay Aga when it hit a Toyota Wigo at around 7 a.m. The truck carried steel bars. The driver of the Toyota Wigo, Jomer Denoso, was wounded while the five passengers were safe. The truck then rammed a Toyota Vios, driven by Police Lt. Col. Charlie Abot. The car skidded off the road and hit a bystander identified as Rachelle Hernando. Abot and Hernando were killed. The truck next hit a Toyota Fortuner, injuring the driver Police Staff Sergeant Cesar Destreza Sena. It last crashed into a number of houses, wounding one of the residents identified as Roberto Ramos. Truck driver Edgar Adesas and helper John Rey Basilan were also killed. The 1,000 richest people on the planet recouped their Covid-19 losses within just nine months, while it could take more than a decade for the worlds poorest to recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic, a new report from Oxfam revealed today. Mirroring this global inequality trend, Irelands own nine billionaires saw their fortunes increase by 3.28 billion since March a tenth of which would pay for a Covid-19 vaccine for every person in the Republic of Ireland. Meanwhile, essential workers - such as our carers and supermarket and factory workers cared for our vulnerable and kept our food supplies running throughout the pandemic - quite often on minimum or low-paid wages. Oxfams The Inequality Virus report, published to coincide with the opening day of the World Economic Forums Davos Agenda, highlights how Covid-19 has the potential to increase economic inequality in almost every country at once, the first time this has happened since records began over a century ago. A new global survey commissioned by Oxfam of 295 economists from 79 countries, including Ireland, reveals that 87 percent of respondents, including Jeffrey Sachs, Jayati Ghosh and Gabriel Zucman, expect an increase or a major increase in income inequality in their country as a result of the pandemic. This thinking was shared by 85 percent of Irish economists who participated, with most estimating it would be the worst increase in inequality in Ireland since the financial crash of 2008. Rising inequality means it could take at least 14 times longer for the number of people living in poverty to return to pre-pandemic levels than it took for the fortunes of the top 1,000, mostly White male billionaires, to bounce back. Jim Clarken, Chief Executive of Oxfam Ireland, said: We stand to witness the greatest rise in inequality since records began, with the deep divide between the rich and poor proving as deadly as the virus itself. Around the world the impact of Covid-19 is magnifying and exacerbating existing inequalities as well as racial and gender divides. One of the most extreme and unjust indicators of inequality we are seeing around the world right now is between those who have access to life-saving vaccine and those who dont. Rigged economies are funnelling wealth to a rich elite who are riding out the pandemic in safety, while those on the frontline our shop assistants, healthcare workers, and factory workers are struggling to pay the bills and put food on the table, and often do not have benefits such as paid sick leave. The worlds ten richest men have seen their combined wealth increase by half a trillion dollars since the pandemic began more than enough to pay for a Covid-19 vaccine for everyone and to ensure no one is pushed into poverty by the pandemic. At the same time, the pandemic has ushered in the worst job crisis in over 90 years with hundreds of millions of people now underemployed or out of work. In Ireland, the fallout of the pandemic on employment has disproportionately hit young adults as well as people in low-paid occupations, all of whom are more likely to be paying rent. Without significant government intervention, we are looking at a return to long-term unemployment, increasing risks of homelessness and economic insecurity for younger generations in Ireland. In addition, women and marginalised racial and ethnic groups are yet again bearing the brunt. They are more likely to be pushed into poverty, more likely to go hungry, and more likely to be excluded from healthcare. Long before Covid-19 disrupted our lives, in Ireland and across the world, women sustained our societies through their paid and unpaid care work. They continue to do so as we manage this public health crisis and as the social and economic consequences unfold. However, there is a lack of attention to gender equality in much of the economic decision making that has taken place since the onset of the pandemic. Oxfam said the road to recovery will be much longer for people who were already struggling pre-Covid. When the virus took hold, over half of workers in poor countries were living in poverty, and three-quarters of workers globally had no access to social protections like sick pay or unemployment benefits. Clarken concluded: Extreme inequality is not inevitable, but a policy choice. Governments around the world must seize this opportunity to build more equal, more inclusive economies that end poverty and protect the planet. The fight against inequality must be at the heart of economic rescue and recovery efforts. Governments must ensure everyone has access to a Covid-19 vaccine and financial support if they lose their job. They must invest in public services and low carbon sectors to create millions of new jobs and ensure everyone has access to a decent education, health, and social care, and they must ensure the richest individuals and corporations contribute their fair share of tax to pay for it. These measures must not be band-aid solutions for desperate times but a new normal in economies that work for the benefit of all people, not just the privileged few. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a bill extending the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between Russia and the United States a week before the pact was due to expire. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a bill extending the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between Russia and the United States a week before the pact was due to expire. Both houses of the Russian parliament voted unanimously Wednesday to extend the New START treaty for five years. Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden had discussed the nuclear accord a day earlier, and the Kremlin said they agreed to complete the necessary extension procedures in the next few days. New START expires Feb. 5. The pacts extension doesnt require congressional approval in the U.S., but Russian lawmakers had to ratify the move. Russian diplomats said the extension will be validated by exchanging diplomatic notes once all the procedures are completed. The treaty, signed in 2010 by President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers, and envisages sweeping on-site inspections to verify compliance. Biden indicated during the U.S. presidential campaign that he favoured the preservation of New START, which was negotiated during his tenure as vice-president under Obama. Russia had long proposed prolonging the pact without any conditions or changes, but the administration of former President Donald Trump waited until last year to start talks and made the extension contingent on a set of demands. The talks stalled, and months of bargaining failed to narrow differences. After both Moscow and Washington withdrew from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019, New START is the only remaining nuclear arms control deal between the two countries. Earlier this month, Russia announced that it would follow the U.S. in pulling out of the Open Skies Treaty, which allowed surveillance flights over military facilities to help build trust and transparency between Russia and the West. Arms control advocates hailed New START's extension as a boost to global security and urged Russia and the U.S. to start negotiating follow-up agreements. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, the country's lead negotiator on New START, said earlier this week that Russia was ready to sit down for talks on prospective arms cuts that he indicated should also involve non-nuclear precision weapons with strategic range. Russia had offered before Biden took office to extend New START for five years a possibility that was envisaged by the pact at the time it was signed. Trump argued that the treaty put the U.S. at a disadvantage, and he initially insisted on adding China as a party to pact. Beijing bluntly rejected the idea. The Trump administration then proposed extending New START for one year and sought to expand it to include limits on battlefield nuclear weapons and other changes, and the talks stalled. A New Jersey teen accused of stabbing a neighbor to death to gain TikTok fame was arrested for allegedly threatening a motorist. A teen was arrested for threatening a motorist with a firearm Zachary Latham, 18, was arrested again in Florida last weekend after threatening a motorist, a report said. The teen has been in the Sunshine State waiting for trial regarding the killing of William "Timmy" Durham Sr, 51-years-old who he killed for TikTok fame. On Saturday, he was busted for allegedly threatening a driver near the Meridian Center Parkway during a confrontation using a BB airsoft gun, the Fort Myers News-Press reported. Zachary was charged with two counts of felony assault, as per the report. On Saturday night, Zachary allegedly brandished a firearm at a motorist. After the incident, a motorist flagged down a trooper, located a Nissan Infinity driven by the teen, and discovered an airsoft BB gun, resembling an AK-47, in the vehicle, as per the Ft. Myers News-Press. According to jail records, Zachary was released from Lee County Jail on a $40,000 bond on Monday afternoon and will be arraigned on February 22. Read also: Baby Accidentally Shoots, Kills 5-Years-Old Cousin After Playing with Gun at Uncle's Home The teen was previously charged for killing a neighbor for TikTok fame The New Jersey teen was charged with assault and aggravated manslaughter for the death of Durham Sr. in May 2020. Durham Sr. is a corrections officer at South Woods State Prison, while Zachary was a private in the New Jersey National Guard, as per NY Post. Lathan deliberately initiated the fatal fight to record it for social media fame, Durham's attorney claimed. A series of earlier confrontations were also filmed, including the one that got more than three million views, NJ.com reported. The tension between the teen and his neighbors escalated on May 4 when he swerved his vehicle towards Durham's son, who was riding a bicycle. Later, Durham and his wife, who filmed the encounter, confronted Latham. Read also: 15-Year-Old Girl Stabbed to Death by 4 Younger Girls During a Fight at a Grocery Store, Police Says Reportedly, the teen entered his home and returned armed with knives and a taser. Durham was stabbed several times and died on the spot, as per the prosecutors. Then, the teen called emergency responders, claiming he was assaulted. Due to sustained injuries in the incident, Latham was taken to a local hospital and was subsequently released. The New Jersey Teen has claimed that he used self-defense. Latham insisted that he only grabbed the 4-inch blade knife and a Taser to defend himself from a mob attack in his home in Vineland. Meanwhile, according to Oxygen, Durham's family attorney insisted that the teen was obsessed with TikTok fame and that he recorded and posted a series of exchanges with the family. The teen has been banned from the New Jersey neighborhood, which is part of his pretrial release. Read also: VIDEO: Florida Police Officer Mocks Down a Female Highschool Student, Slamming Headfirst Onto the Ground @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. By John Irish and Arshad Mohammed PARIS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The new U.S. Iran envoy spoke with British, French and German officials on Thursday as the United States explores how to revive the 2015 nuclear deal former U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday. "It was to take stock of the dossier and to assess what our state of mind is," a European diplomatic source said of U.S. special envoy Rob Malley's conversation with the British, French and German foreign ministry political directors. A second source confirmed that the discussion took place but offered no details. The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The nuclear deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was struck by Iran and six major powers and committed Iran to restricting its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief from the United States and others. Malley was a member of the U.S. team that negotiated the deal during the Obama administration. U.S. President Joe Biden has said if Tehran returns to the pact, Washington would do so as well and would then seek to build a broader pact to also deal with Iran's development of ballistic missiles and support for proxy forces in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere. Trump abandoned the deal in 2018 and revived U.S. sanctions. Iran in 2019 begin violating the deal, including by enriching larger quantities of uranium to higher levels of purity. The Biden administration has insisted Iran resume complying before it would. Tehran argues that Washington abandoned the agreement and should return before Iran does. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the time it would take Iran to make enough fissile material for a single nuclear weapon has fallen to three or four months from over a year under the deal. "From our perspective, a critical early priority has to be to deal with what is an escalating nuclear crisis as they (Iran) move closer and closer to having enough fissile material for a weapon," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said at an event in Washington on Friday. Story continues The talks with the British, French and German officials are likely only the first step in consultations that will ultimately bring in China and Russia, the other major powers in the pact, and, eventually Iran itself. French President Emmanuel Macron was quoted on Friday as saying any new negotiations would be very "strict" and should include Saudi Arabia, Iran's regional adversary, Al Arabiya television reported. (Reporting by John Irish in Paris and Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay in Washington; Writing by Arshad Mohammed; editing by Grant McCool) You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Rosa Jimenez is free on bail after 16 years in state prison, released because a state district judge and the new Travis County district attorney believe she was wrongly convicted of killing a toddler in her care in 2003. Jimenezs case, bogged down in legal wrangling for years, roared to life this month as prosecutors, defense lawyers and state District Judge Karen Sage acting with unusual speed agreed that the Austin babysitter was unfairly blamed for killing the child who choked to death on a wad of paper towels. All of the medical evidence that is available to us at this time suggests that Miss Jimenez could not and did not commit this crime, Sage said. Jimenez was released from prison in Gatesville on Wednesday morning and taken into custody by agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement because she was an undocumented immigrant when she was arrested. ICE released her from custody in San Antonio hours later, and she made an emotional phone call to her mother in Mexico before she returned to Austin. ICE has the option of releasing individuals based on the circumstances of their cases; details on the conditions of her release werent immediately available. For now, Jimenez is free on a no-money bond and will stay in Travis County while her appeal, and efforts to be declared innocent, continue. It took only three weeks from the time Jimenezs latest appeal was filed until Sage ordered her released from prison on bail this week. Sage determined that Jimenez was convicted of choking the child because jurors were provided false and misleading testimony by prosecution experts who lacked proper expertise. District Attorney Jose Garza, who worked in the prosecutors office for a month before taking over Jan. 1, and other top officials had already begun reviewing Jimenezs case, and they were able to react quickly when defense lawyers filed a new appeal Jan. 4. We reviewed it thoroughly, Garza said. And after reviewing the evidence, we thought it was clear and that it needed to be in front of the court as soon as possible. The evidence included a new consensus report by four leading experts in pediatric airways and the mechanics of choking, including three who testified at a hearing Tuesday before Sage. The report rebutted trial prosecutors who argued that Jimenez forced paper towels down 21-month-old Bryan Gutierrezs throat, leading to his death. The experts concluded there was no evidence of a titanic struggle that would have ensued had Jimenez tried to forcefully choke the boy. They also said the child most likely filled his mouth with the paper towels and reflexively swallowed, with the throat muscles working to compact the wad. At Jimenezs 2005 trial, prosecution experts none trained in pediatric airways medicine testified that the towels could only have become compacted if forced by Jimenez, the only adult present, and that accidental swallowing was impossible in this case. This case is a tragedy, Garza said. It is a tragedy for Mrs. Gutierrez and her son, it is a tragedy for Miss Jimenez and her family, and my heart continues to break for Mrs. Gutierrez over the loss of her son and for the suffering she has had to endure through the entirety of this process. But our office has an obligation to seek out and pursue innocence, and we believe this is the right course of action in this case that is overwhelmingly supported by the evidence, he said. Sage said the new evidence, provided by the appropriate medical experts, led her to one important conclusion. There is clear and convincing evidence that Miss Jimenez did not intentionally attack and harm the child, and that Bryan Gutierrezs death was almost certainly the result of a very, very tragic accident and not murder, Sage said at the hearing. I cannot give Miss Jimenez justice today, but hopefully I can give her the inalienable right that she has been deprived of for far too long: her freedom, the judge said to close the hearing. Jimenezs case is nowhere near over. Sages findings will be sent to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, where its nine Republican judges can be difficult for inmates and defense lawyers to win over. The states highest criminal court will decide whether to toss Jimenezs conviction and order a new trial, as well as determine whether the evidence warrants a finding of actual innocence. The court has no deadline for issuing its ruling. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose office had opposed Jimenezs release at an earlier stage of the case, didnt respond to a request for comment. Paxton is fighting a 2019 ruling by U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel of Austin, who tossed Jimenezs conviction and ordered a new trial, saying she was deprived of the right to hire effective medical experts during her trial in 2005. Its pending at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 The Technical Committee set up by the erstwhile Ministry for Business Development to draft the Ghana Start-up Bill has resumed sitting. The Committee made up of the private, public sector and civil society is mandated to consult stakeholders and start-up ecosystem players to draft an all-inclusive Start-up bill. The Bill, when passed will set up an incentive framework for the creation and development of Start-ups in Ghana to promote creativity, innovation and the use of new technologies in achieving a strong added value and competitiveness at the national, regional and district levels. It would also provide legal backing for the introduction and promotion of Start-ups for jobs and wealth creation. The Private sector is represented by the Private Enterprise Federations (PEF), Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (GCYE), Ghana Hubs network and the Ghana Start-up Network. Government is also represented by the National Entrepreneurs and Innovation Programme (NEIP) and Civil Society by I4policy. GIZ Make IT is providing funding support. Speaking at a committee meeting held on Thursday in Accra, Mr Sherif Ghali, Coordinator of the project, indicated that the Committee engaged stakeholders last year to draft the bill and were currently at the final stages of the process. As at now, we have the third draft of the Act which has gone through several stakeholder engagements. We are now working to finalize it and carry out our last engagements with the start-ups and other relevant stakeholders before we present it to the sector minister, he said. He said by end of February 2021, the Committee would have finished its work and submitted the draft bill to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Attorney General, Parliament and the Office of the President. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The United Kingdom has banned flights from the United Arab Emirates, Burundi and Rwanda to protect its citizens from the new coronavirus variant from South Africa. Only the british, irish and third country nationals with residence rights in the UK will be allowed to enter. However, they will have to self-isolate for 10 days at home. With three more places being banned, the red list now comprises 3 countries in total. From tomorrow (Friday 29 Jan at 1pm), were extending our travel ban with the United Arab Emirates, Burundi and Rwanda all added to the UK's red list. 1/3 Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) January 28, 2021 This means people who have been in or transited through these countries will be denied entry, except British, Irish and third country nationals with residence rights who must self-isolate for ten days at HOME. 2/3 Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) January 28, 2021 Passengers must still have proof of a negative test and completed Passenger Locator Form before arrival or could otherwise face a 500 fine for each. 3/3 Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) January 28, 2021 'To reduce the risk of importing infections' Earlier the UK banned travel from South Africa and Portugal. UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, in a statement, said, 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''. 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. Read: UK Market Watchdog Starts Merger Inquiry Into Facebook Acquisition Of Giphy In another significant development, the Brazilian variant made its first appearance in the US. According to the State Health Officials, the case was detected in a person who recently returned to Minnesota after travelling to Brazil. Earlier, as per the reports by the state department, the Brazil variant was found in a specimen from a patient who lives in Minneapolis-St. Paul as he became ill during the first week of January. Read: Joe Biden Administration Suspends Sale Of F-35 Fighter Jets To UAE However, there was no indication of the variant spreading at such a fast pace. The Brazilian variant was first detected in four travellers who were tested at an airport outside Tokyo. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it contains a set of mutations that might make it difficult to be recognised by antibodies. Read: UK PM Johnson Faces Criticism Over Scotland Trip In Lockdown Also Read: UK PM Visits Hospital's Laboratory In Glasgow (Image credits: Unsplash) Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 04:46:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A health worker processes samples collected for COVID-19 tests in a laboratory in Rabat, Morocco, Jan. 28, 2021. Morocco's COVID-19 tally rose to 469,139 on Thursday after 756 new cases were registered, as the country started a nationwide vaccination campaign. (Photo by Chadi/Xinhua) RABAT, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's COVID-19 tally rose to 469,139 on Thursday after 756 new cases were registered, as the country started a nationwide vaccination campaign. The Morocco Ministry of Health said that the coronavirus death toll in the kingdom rose to 8,224 after 17 more COVID-19 patients died in the last 24 hours. The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco surged by 895 to 447,076, the ministry said in a statement. The COVID-19 fatality rate in Morocco stands at 1.8 percent while the recovery rate is 95.3 percent. Moroccan King Mohammed VI received the first shot of COVID-19 vaccine Thursday, launching a nationwide vaccination campaign. This came one day after Morocco received the first batch of Chinese vaccines. Morocco has secured acquisition of 66 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from China's Sinopharm and Britain's Oxford University/AstraZeneca, health officials said. Enditem The award winning CFDs broker starts 2021 with two new global awards for being the Most Trusted Forex Broker and having the Best Forex Educational Resources. PORT LUIS, Mauritius, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading CFD broker HotForex has received two new titles from the Global Forex Awards, "Most Trusted Forex Broker - Global" and "Best Forex Educational Resources - Global", in recognition of the company's exceptional commitment to helping its clients feel secure, supported, valued and confident at every step of their trading journey! With over 2.5 million live accounts opened, HotForex is proud to be a trusted broker of choice around the world. They provide free negative balance protection to every client, market leading insurance up to 5,000,000 and a dedicated 24/5 support team. The company received the award commenting: "From the start, our mission has been to provide the best customer service by maintaining a superb client centric culture. It is wonderful to have our success noticed and appreciated not just by our clients, but by some of the industry's most respected awarding bodies." The company also received the "Best Forex Educational Resources - Global" award for providing a variety of educational resources to help traders at every level. Commenting on this win the company said: "We are aware that education is an important part of every trading journey. Our educational resources, which include online and offline materials alongside live weekly webinars, provide our traders with everything they need to enhance their trading knowledge." HotForex CEO George Koumantaris said: "These new awards are a great way to start the new year. We are thrilled to be recognized once again and remain committed to finding new and exciting ways to enhance our clients' trading experience." Visit the HotForex website today to find out more about their award-winning products and services and the advantages of trading with a reliable global broker of choice. About HotForex HotForex is an internationally acclaimed multi-asset broker of choice to over 2.5 million live accounts worldwide that has earned over 45 coveted industry awards. The company offers a wide variety of account types, innovative products, platforms, tools and educational resources besides outstanding customer service and unparalleled trading conditions. Risk Warning Trading Leveraged Products such as Forex and Derivatives may not be suitable for all investors as they carry a high degree of risk to your capital. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/830182/HotForex_Logo.jpg Contact: HF Markets Ltd, marketing@hotforex.com, +44-2033185978 Pipeline 28 January 2021 The "City of Historic Pride" will now be adding an exciting moment to its timeline: the addition of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Lockport, its first-ever hotel opening this March. Located off of I-355 at 16223 W. 159th St.,the new hotel is brought to Lockport by Janko Group and will be managed by Janko Hospitality. The new hotel will feature 81 comfortable guestrooms and suites, an indoor pool, fitness facility, business and meeting centers, grab-and-go breakfast options and a 24-hour market for guests to enjoy during their stay. Conveniences will be abundant at the new property including a Lobby Market, free WiFi throughout the hotel, fresh, complimentary "Express Start" grab-and-go breakfast with 24-hour coffee station and market, and access to a fitness center with cardio equipment, free weights and a heated, indoor pool. Spacious suites will offer the perfect place for rest and relaxation for guests, complete with comfortable sofa sleepers. Meeting spaces will be available for reservation along with a complimentary Business Center to utilize while away from the office. Guestroom amenities will include in-room work stations, flat screen tv's, mini-fridges and microwaves, coffee and tea stations, conveniently-placed outlets and black out shades to help guests enjoy their stay to the fullest. Holiday Inn Express & Suites is located just off of I-355 interstate and offers complimentary parking to guests. The hotel is pet-friendly and welcomes furry friends. The hotel will follow IHG's rigid Way of Clean program including regular deep cleaning with hospital-grade disinfectants, along with enhanced procedures for guest and staff safety including face covering requirements and social distancing measures in public spaces. For more information on the IHG Way of Clean program and standards online. For more information on Holiday Inn Express & Suites Lockport or to make a reservation, visit https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/lockport/ordlp/hoteldetail. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's first press conference caught the attention of Iranian media and officials in Tehran when he addressed the reentry of the United States into the Iran nuclear deal. If Iran comes back into full compliance with its obligations under the JCPOA, the United States would do the same thing," Blinken said at a Wednesday press conference, using the acronym for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. He added, "Then we would use that as a platform to build, with our allies and partners, what we called a longer and stronger agreement and to deal with a number of other issues that are deeply problematic in the relationship with Iran. Blinken was responding to a question from a reporter and not hashing out a long-term US strategy. While he was more or less reiterating what Bidens team had campaigned on, Iranian officials jumped on the comments. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted directly to Blinken, offering a reality check in the form of a list of US actions since the signing of the 2015 deal. Zarif wrote that Washington violated JCPOA, blocked food/medicine to Iranians" and punished adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the JCPOA. Zarif also wrote that Iran abided by the deal and only took foreseen remedial measures in its departures. He asked, Now, who should take 1st step? Never forget Trumps maximum failure. When the previous US administration exited the JCPOA and reapplied nuclear sanctions, Irans economy took a hard hit. Its oil exports were reduced drastically and difficulties conducting banking transactions forced the country to enter complex arrangements for payments. The banking sanctions even made European countries sending medicine to Iran cautious, for fear of crossing the long arm of the US Treasury, at points needing Switzerland to act as intermediary. In response, Iran took what it called phased steps away from the nuclear deal, increasing enrichment and other nuclear capabilities. Tehran, however, insisted all the steps were reversible and would be undone if sanctions on the country were removed and the United States reentered the deal. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also weighed in on the matter today. We have no responsibilities to be committed when theyre not, said Ghalibaf at the Fordow enrichment facility. When they implement their commitments, meaning the lifting of all sanctions and banking and oil and trade problems, with a report to parliament based on Articles 36 and 37 [of the JCPOA], we will return to our own commitments. In December 2020 the parliament passed a bill called the Strategic Action Plan to Remove Sanctions. The bill calls for taking measures to dramatically increase Irans nuclear capabilities. The intention of the bill, as the name suggests, is to force the United States to reenter the nuclear program and remove the sanctions. TORONTO, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Canada Nickel Company Inc. ("Canada Nickel" or the "Company") (TSXV: CNC) (OTCQB: CNIKF) is pleased to announce the results of its annual and special meeting of shareholders of the Company (the "Shareholders") held today. Each of the nominee directors listed in the Company's management information circular dated December 29th, 2020 (the "Circular"), being Mark Selby, Mike Cox, Jennifer Morais, Francisca Quinn, Kulvir Singh Gill, David Smith and Russell Starr, were elected as directors. John Leddy has retired as a director, but continues to support the Company's continued development in an advisory role. The resolution to appoint MNP LLP as auditors of the Company to hold office until the next meeting of shareholders and to authorize the directors to fix the remuneration to be paid to the auditors was also approved. The resolutions approving: (i) the share option plan of the Company (the "Share Option Plan"); (ii) a grant of options under the Share Option Plan; (iii) an amendment to the Share Option Plan; (iv) the restricted share unit plan of the Company (the "RSU Plan"); (v) a grant of RSUs under the RSU Plan; and (vi) an amendment to the RSU Plan, all as more particularly described in the Circular, received the requisite approvals of the Shareholders. About Canada Nickel Company Canada Nickel Company Inc. is advancing the next generation of nickel-cobalt sulphide projects to deliver nickel and cobalt required to feed the high growth electric vehicle and stainless steel markets. Canada Nickel Company has applied in multiple jurisdictions to trademark the terms NetZero NickelTM, NetZero CobaltTM, NetZero IronTM and is pursuing the development of processes to allow the production of net zero carbon nickel, cobalt, and iron products. Canada Nickel provides investors with leverage to nickel and cobalt in low political risk jurisdictions. Canada Nickel is currently anchored by its 100% owned flagship Crawford Nickel-Cobalt Sulphide Project in the heart of the prolific Timmins-Cochrane mining camp. Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, drill results relating to the Crawford Nickel-Cobalt Sulphide Project, the potential of the Crawford Nickel-Cobalt Sulphide Project, timing of economic studies and resource estimates, strategic plans, including future exploration and development results, and corporate and technical objectives. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: future prices and the supply of metals, the future demand for metals, the results of drilling, inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the property, environmental liabilities (known and unknown), general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, results of exploration programs, risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, failure to obtain regulatory or shareholder approvals, and the impact of COVID-19 related disruptions in relation to the Company's business operations including upon its employees, suppliers, facilities and other stakeholders. 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 information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. Canada Nickel disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SOURCE Canada Nickel Company Inc. Related Links https://canadanickel.com/ Labor Pushes Government to Address Shortfall in Farm Hands Labor is calling on the Morrison government to address the issue of understaffed farmers resulting in Aussie growers losing more than AU$40 million (US$30.1 million) as unpicked crops rot. The move is led by Opposition Agricultural Minister Ed Husic, who is hoping for an urgent meeting of state and federal ministers to address the crisis. In a letter to Agricultural Minister David Littleproud, Husic called on the federal government to respond to the nationwide shortage of more than 26,000 farmworkers. The states and territories have taken steps to provide farmers with workers, Husic wrote in the letter seen by AAP. But they shouldnt be forced to manage problems of this magnitude on their ownand then be disparaged by federal counterparts for not doing enough or doing too little, too late. Husic, who believes the Commonwealth government is constitutionally responsible for the borders and quarantine, said the Coalitions lack of a specific agriculture strategy is part of the problem. But Littleproud says the state governments wanted their own quarantine protocols to vet workers, and have lacked the initiative to follow up on their responsibilities. The premiers all decided at National Cabinet: Thats great, but we dont trust one another in terms of quarantine, and we dont trust us, as a federal government. We want to do it ourselves. We want to own the quarantine protocols. We said, Cool, we respect that. Just go and do it. he said speaking to 2GB radio. However, Littleproud has continued to pledge support for states with labour shortages so long as quarantine protocols are in place. Over the last 12 months, the federal government has not just provided incentives for Australians to take these jobs, but has extended visas of those already here and found an additional 25,000 Pacific workers if they worked in agriculture, Littleproud told AAP on Thursday. Husic though believes this is not enough and is calling on the minister to organise an Agriculture Ministers Forum (AGMIN) to find an adequate solution to the growing crisis that is costing millions in the sector. Last year the government launched farmhands relocation programs to incentivise Australians to move to the regional areas to fill the shortages The Relocation Assistance to Take Up a Job program provided AU$6,000 (US$4,608) of assistance money for those moving to regional areas for work. However, the scheme has delivered poor results for the farmers. In an email to The Epoch Times, Growcom, a Queensland based horticulture organisation said that current crop losses due to the worker shortage has reached $43 million (US$33.2 million), according to figures from the National Crop Lost Register. Aero India 2021: B-1B makes its debut, here is a complete fact-sheet of the heavy bomber from US United States and India: Major Defense Partners at Aero India 2021 India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Bengaluru, Jan 29: United States participation in Aero India 2021 is another example of the deepening defense and strategic partnership between the United States and India. Don Heflin, U.S. Charge d'Affaires, will lead a high-level delegation of U.S. Government officials and defense industry representatives to the event. "I am pleased to head this year's U.S. delegation to Aero India to show our continued commitment to strengthening U.S.-India defense cooperation, in line with India's status as a Major Defense Partner," Heflin said. "U.S. participation in Aero India 2021 reflects our increasingly close bilateral defense ties and our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region." U.S. participation in Aero India 2021 provides both U.S. industry and the U.S. military services the opportunity to strengthen military-to-military relations and defense cooperation with India. Our two militaries work together to uphold a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific. Public and private participation by the United States in Aero India 2021 demonstrates the importance the United States places on its strategic partnership with India. Aero India 2021: Here is how to register and watch the show for free The U.S. Government delegation will include: Don Heflin, U.S. Charge d'Affaires, a.i.; Ms. Kelli L. Seybolt Air Force Deputy Undersecretary, International Affairs; Lieutenant General David A. Krumm 11th Air Force Commander; Major General Mark E. Weatherington 8th Air Force Commander; Brigadier General Brian Bruckbauer Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate Director; Judith Ravin, U.S. Consul General in Chennai; Aileen Nandi, Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs, U.S. Commercial Service; and Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher, Defense Attache U.S. Embassy New Delhi. Leading U.S. defense companies are also participating in Aero India 2021, including Aerospace Quality Research & Development LLC, Airborn Inc., Boeing, IEH Corporation, GE Aviation, General Atomics, Hi-Tech Import Export Corporation, L3Harris, Laversab India, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Trakka Systems. Among the highlights of the show, a B-1B Lancer heavy bomber, of the 28th Bomb Wing based out of Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, will perform a "fly-by." The B-1B Lancer, a supersonic heavy bomber, is a truly remarkable aircraft, capable of carrying out missions worldwide from its bases in the United States, as well as from forward deployed locations. It carries the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the U.S. Air Force and is considered the backbone of America's long-range bomber force. In the spirit of bilateral support for India's first hybrid defense exhibition, the United States Air Force Band of the Pacific based out of Hawaii will perform with Indian percussion (ghatam) artist Giridhar Udupa. The collaboration will be broadcast at a later date on U.S. Embassy and Consulate Facebook and Instagram pages. The U.S. Government delegation will follow all directed Government of India and U.S. Department of Defense protocols and requirements to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These protocols include testing 72 hours prior to departure and having a negative test result before traveling, traveling on military aircraft in order to further limit possible exposure to the virus, and adherence to guidelines put in place by the trade show organizers. The level of use that (COVID-19) was seeing and the heightened recognition that the term has really outweighs the amount of needing to see it in use for an extended period of time, she says. So in a case like this, the word was instantly everywhere. ... Even at 34 days old, we knew this word is not going anywhere. You could cure the disease the next day, and it would still be appearing in books and articles. Masked men who launched a hammer and machete attack on a woman's home in east Belfast may have been seeking her ex-partner, a court heard. Shots were also fired and windows smashed on a car parked outside the property on Lewis Drive last week, it was claimed. Details emerged as a 28-year-old man was remanded into custody accused of involvement in the incident. Glen Brown, of Rank Road in Dundonald, faces charges of attempted aggravated burglary with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, possessing a firearm and ammunition, and criminal damage to an Audi A3 belonging to the woman living at the property. Police received a report that a number of men tried to force their way into the house in the early hours of January 22. Belfast Magistrates' Court heard the resident claimed her home was attacked by weapons including a gun, hammer, crowbar and machete. Expand Close Damage was caused to a car at the house. Pic Jonathan Porter / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Damage was caused to a car at the house. Pic Jonathan Porter At least two rounds were allegedly discharged, and a spent, blank cartridge later recovered. A PSNI officer claimed "substantial" damage was caused to the front door and windows on the house. Four people were said to have been involved, with two of the suspects named. Setting out an alleged motive for the incident, the officer contended that the perpetrators may have been looking for the woman's ex-partner. "I think it's to do with seeking him rather than being personally about her," she said. Brown was arrested four days later, but another suspect has yet to be detained. Defence solicitor Michael Madden argued that the case against his client is based on "tenuous" CCTV evidence. "The person alleged to be Mr Brown can't be identified, his face is completely concealed by a balaclava," the lawyer said. Mr Madden added that the accused provided an account of being at a friend's address at the time of the incident. Bail was refused at Thursday's hearing due to concerns about potential interference with witnesses. Judge Liam McStay said: "It's such a serious matter that I'm not satisfied conditions can be imposed to manage the risk." Brown was remanded in custody to appear again on February 25 South Africa: IEC to implement Political Party Funding Act The Electoral Commission says it has begun its final phase of preparations to implement the Political Party Funding Act (Act 6 of 2018) from 1 April 2021. This follows the announcement last week by President Cyril Ramaphosa of the coming into effect of the Act from that date. The Electoral Commission welcomed the date of implementation, which coincides with the start of the new financial year within the public sector and for political parties. The Electoral Commission has called on all political parties and other stakeholders to join hands over the coming months to ensure the smooth and effective implementation of the legislation and regulations. The regulation of the funding of political parties is a key aspect of all modern multi-party democracies, and the imminent implementation of the new Act is one of the most important and far-reaching enhancements to our electoral democracy in 25 years. Transparency and information is the foundation for free and fair elections and this Act will go a long way in providing information to voters, the media, civil society and all other stakeholders on how political parties are privately funded, said IEC chairperson Glen Mashinini at a media briefing in Pretoria on Friday. While the Act provides for various sanctions and enforcement measures to ensure compliance, Mashinini said the establishment of enforcement capacity will take time. "The Electoral Commission has repeatedly said that its focus during the early years will be on assisting political parties and others to comply. The successful implementation of the new party funding disclosure framework will rely heavily on self-regulation and compliance. We do not want to be the party funding transparency police. We want to be the party funding transparency facilitators, said Chief Electoral Officer, Sy Mamabolo. The Electoral Commission called on the media, civil society and the public to play their part in ensuring full and accurate disclosure by parties. Civil society and the media have played a very central role in advocating for the new legislation. But their work is not finished. We ask that they continue to keep the pressure up on all of us to ensure we all meet our obligations. It is going to take a bit of time for all stakeholders to become familiar with the provisions of the legislation and the practicalities of meeting their obligations. This is a journey, but every journey starts with a first step. We are excited about taking our first step on this journey together on 1 April, Mashinini said. The Act is meant to increase transparency around party funding ahead of the Local Government Elections scheduled to be held between August and November this year. The Act requires all political parties and their corporate donors to declare donations (including donations in kind) above the value of R100 000 per year to the Electoral Commission quarterly. The Commission will then publish these declarations online. Furthermore, the Commission will table an annual report in Parliament, with a record of all donations across the political spectrum. With the Local Government Elections scheduled for this year, political parties will be required to disclose all donations received between April and June this year ahead of the elections. The Act also prohibits donations to political parties by foreign governments, agencies or persons, and organs of State and State-owned entities. It also sets an annual limit of R15 million as the maximum an individual or organisation may donate annually to an individual party. One of the first actions in preparation for the implementation of the Act is the publication in the Government Gazette today of the regulations that were drafted over the past two years in consultation with political parties, civil society and other stakeholders. Among others, the regulations provide guidelines on the procedures, deadlines and methods of declaration of donations, including templates of the various online forms and other forms of correspondence. In order to help prepare political parties, donors and other stakeholders to begin meeting their obligations from 1 April, a comprehensive programme of stakeholder engagement will be rolled out over the next two months. Deepening transparency This week, the Electoral Commission met with the National Political Party Liaison Committee to update represented parties on the latest developments. Other elements of the programme will include the publication of guides, pamphlets and notices in various media to explain aspects of the new law and regulations to the public and other interested parties. This will be supplemented with the continuation of online education and training initiatives for users of the online system, which have been underway since November. The 1 April promulgation will also signal the repeal of the Public Funding of Represented Political Parties Act. The new Act establishes a new Represented Political Party Fund, along with the introduction of a new Multiparty Democracy Fund. Like the current Act, the new Represented Political Party Fund (RPPF) will distribute money quarterly from the National Revenue Fund to political parties represented in the national and provincial legislatures. A key change is the ratio of distributions, with the current 10% equitable and 90% proportional ratio replaced with 1/3rd equitable and 2/3rds proportional. The Multiparty Democracy Fund is a fund administered by the Electoral Commission into which contributions to support multiparty democracy can be made, providing a hands-off channel through which corporate entities, individuals and other organisations can contribute funds to parties without having to engage directly with them or needing to declare these separately. The Electoral Commission will embark on a fund raising drive to encourage donations to the Fund. The funds collected by the Multiparty Democracy Fund will also be distributed quarterly to represented political parties according to the same new ratio (1/3 equitable and 2/3 proportional) established for the Represented Political Party Fund. The new Act obliges political parties and their donors to reveal all private donations to political parties of more than R100 000 (including donations in kind) individually or cumulatively per year. Such declarations must be made by the recipient political party each quarter and donors are required to declare donations within 30 days of payment. To facilitate these declarations, the Electoral Commission has developed an Online Party Funding System, which has been availed to represented political parties for testing and piloting since late 2020. A third aspect of the Electoral Commissions preparations is the continued capacity building internally to enable it to monitor, evaluate and cross-check the declarations, and to publish the information to provide for greater transparency in electoral democracy. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. A small seal linked to the Bible's King Hezekiah was discovered by Israel's archaeology experts. The seal, which is called LMLK seal, is believed to be stamped on the treasures and royal taxes of the Old Testament king of Judah, United Kingdom's Daily Express wrote. The royal seal was excavated in Jerusalem's Arnona neighborhood by the archaeologists of Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). The seal, which is made of clay, is linked to the Iron Age Kingdom of Judah covering the period 930 to 586 BC. This type of seal is said to be known as LMLK (reads as "lamelekh") seal. The inscription stands for the Hebrew letters "lamedh mem ladh kaph" which translates to "of the king" or "belonging to the king." The report said that the first LMLK seals were issued during the reign of King Hezekiah which dates back to 700 BC. The 13th king of Judah, Hezekiah is one of the most influential people of the Old Testament and is also listed as one of the ancestors of the Lord Jesus Christ. According to the IAA, the LMLK seal was found together with a vast collection of seal impressions. "The impressions were stamped with the letters 'LMLK' (belonging to the king) written in ancient Hebrew script and the name of the ancient city in the Kingdom of Judah," the IAA said. Also found among the Arnona impressions are seals associated with people in the Kingdom of Judah carrying the names of senior officials and wealthy individuals. These names include Naham Abdi, Naham Hatzlihu, Meshalem Elnatan, Zafan Abmetz, Shaneah Azaria, Shalem Acha and Shivna Shachar, The Times of Israel reported. Showing a person's royal status, LMLK seals are often decorated with two-winged or four-winged figures. Jeremy Stein, Educational Content Development and Teaching Strategist of the Center for Holy Land Studies (CHLS), said that to signify ownership, the seals were imprinted in the hands of jars. These jars are thought to contain royal possessions and tax collections that have been divided across the kingdom. During Hezekiah's time, Israel was divided into two parts comprising the Kingdom of Israel in the north and the Kingdom of Judah in the south. Jerusalem was then the southern seat of power while Samaria was the northern kingdom's capital. "Most likely what we see is that these are coming from the time when Hezekiah is king and the northern kingdom is being ravaged or already has been destroyed by their enemies to the north, the Assyrians. The Assyrians are making their way all the way down to the south under their king Sennacherib to eventually sack Jerusalem. On the way, they sack cities such as Lachish and utterly destroy it," Stein explained. The LMLK seals are said to be possibly stamped on jars containing the treasures that Hezekiah has divided among different cities, anticipating an attack from the north. In this way, royal treasures will not fall in the hands of the enemy by sacking just a city. "By looking at these we can understand a little about history that we see inside the Old Testament, and hold a piece of Hezekiah's kingdom specifically in our hands," the CHLS strategist further stated. In 2015, Hezekiah's own personal seal or bula was excavated in Ophel, Jerusalem. It measures about one centimeter across and bears a Hebrew inscription that translates "Belonging to Hezekiah (son of) Ahaz King of Judah." Bearing a two-winged figure, Hezekiah's seal resembles that of LMLK seals. 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. Workers who embrace new technologies and a rapid return to the office will be more likely to be retained as companies face into two years of significant evolution. That's just one element of the serious wake-up call to overly home-fond workers issued by Rod Robertson, managing partner of Briggs Capital, US-based entrepreneur, and author of 'Winning at Entrepreneurship: Insiders Tips on Buying, Building, and Selling Your Own Business'. Briggs Capital advises in the US and internationally on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, turn-arounds and consults with distressed firms with a mission to bring companies back to profitability. As businesses emerge from Covid, he believes that fewer than 30% of workers will continue to work from home, and even those will blend home and office hours. Citing a recent survey by US job agency FlexJobs, he says many workers are unrealistic to think they will get to continue working remotely indefinitely. Some 65% of respondents told the FlexJobs survey they want to work remotely full-time after the pandemic. And in a poll conducted by LiveCareer, 29% of working professionals said they would quit if they couldnt continue working remotely. The working from home crowd will soon feel pressure to return to the office, said Mr Robertson. When the 'new world order' resets this year, we should see approximately 30% of employees working from home permanently. There will be huge push-back from home-tethered employees, however, but they must be careful as 'out of sight' can turn into 'out of work' when and if downsizing rolls out. Many workers at homes are making critical mistakes by thinking they are safe. It behoves them to have 'face time' beyond zoom with their bosses and have their presence felt. Many international businesses will start downsizing in the coming months, and will return to the office early this summer with a reduced, re-energised workforce. Rod Robertson says that this reality will be seen in the Irish workplace as swiftly as in the USA. Irelands millennial and tech-driven workforce will feel the global retraction like everywhere else, if not more so, said Mr Robertson. However, this coming rollercoaster ride will create great opportunities for the young Irish as many of the 'old timers' and their methodologies will become passe in the acceleration to technology. We'd expect that 'Out with the old ways and in with the new' will become the mantra for the surging tech pivot facing Ireland. A decade of pre-pandemic growth will be crammed into one to two forthcoming years, and woe to thee that clings to yesteryear! He said some workers may still get to work part-time from home, and some businesses will make remote work permanent. But tension between owners and workers is building as it becomes evident many employees are resistant to giving up working from home. He suggests that those workers who really want to continue working from home should now start going into the office one day a week. Sitting, waiting and wishing won't cut it. He says they should also push their boss to measure them quantitatively. Once we reach herd immunity, companies will be deciding whether it makes sense to keep expensive office space, he said. Corporate gravity will begin to pull key workers back to the office, and there will be resistance from employees. And those companies that do choose to go remote at least part of the time may still downsize. The bottom line for workers is, if they want to work remotely, they would be wise to take the extra steps to ensure they stand out. Briggs Capital is well placed to know the post-pandemic plans of global businesses. Mr Robertson says that downsizing is on its way from ownership and management worldwide. The changes are imminent. Gone are the government bailouts by springtime and the firms that can pivot to profitability are making plans to do so now, he says. As in most down cycles, the cuts come from overhead which includes rents and human capital. As office and retail leases come due over the next few years, firms will be taking less space and forcing workers offsite. Most all 'legacy' businesses will continue to decline if they dont adroitly pivot to technology. The cuts are making it way down the chain of command and should be deployed in the forthcoming months. He that it is imperative, with ownership seeking to make cuts and keep only the best and the brightest, that employees at home prove their value in a quantitative manner. Dont rely on prior personal relationship with your supervisors as they often go stale when one is working remotely, he said. Remote workers should take the initiative to have a clear set of weekly deliverables that leave no doubt to their productivity with management. Its a new tech world and we must metamorphosis with it. The Taliban on Friday rejected Washington's accusations that it had not lived up to its promises in Afghanistan, in turn claiming the US was 'bombarding civilians'. The US signed a landmark deal with the insurgents last year, agreeing to withdraw all of its troops from the country in return for security guarantees after a stalemate on the battlefield. "The other side have violated the agreement, almost every day they are violating it," Mohammad Naeem, a Taliban spokesman in Qatar, told AFP. "They are bombarding civilians, houses and villages, and we have informed them from time to time, these are not just violations of the agreement but violations of human rights." The US military has in recent months carried out air strikes against the Taliban fighters in defence of Afghan forces in some provinces. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid added on Twitter that the allegations against the group were "unfounded" and that it was "fully committed" to the agreement. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Thursday that the Biden administration remains committed to the Taliban-US deal and ending the war "in a responsible way". However, he said, "the Taliban are not meeting their commitments to reduce violence, and to renounce their ties to Al-Qaeda". "We are still involved in trying to get a negotiated settlement," he added. The agreement, signed in Doha last year, required the Taliban to halt attacks on US forces, sharply decrease the level of violence in the country, and advance peace talks with the government in Kabul. In return, the United States would steadily reduce its troop levels in the country, and remove all forces by May 2021. Kirby said the US Defense Department is comfortable with the current level of 2,500 US troops in the country, down from close to 13,000 a year ago. It is enough to carry out the main US mission, to counter Islamic State and Al-Qaeda forces operating in Afghanistan, he said. But he would not say if the Pentagon will complete a full withdrawal before the May deadline. Much depends on whether the Taliban and the Afghan government, who launched peace talks in September, can negotiate a settlement. Violence has soared in the country, which is also facing a new trend of targeted killings since the talks began. "I would say this to the leaders of the Taliban, that... they make it that much more difficult for final decisions to be made about force presence by their reticence to commit to reasonable, sustainable and credible negotiations at the table," Kirby said. Short link: Boris has blundered his way through this crisis - but his decision to invest in four different vaccines, ordering over 200 million doses to protect Brits against Covid-19 was a masterstroke. That inspired strategy won't cancel out the depressing fact that the UK will probably see up to 150,000 people (we've already achieved the highest number in Europe) lose their lives from Covid. And many will have been a direct result of governmental indecision. Boris was late on lockdowns, faffed around over tiers and continued to issue contradictory and confusing advice for months on end. Education - in the hands of incompetent Gavin Williamson - has been put on the back burner and care homes are still seeing residents die alone, deprived of human contact and family visits. But we can't ignore the fact that the roll out of our vaccination programme is finally protecting the people who need it most. The decision by Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured having his temperature taken in North London earlier this month) to invest in four different vaccines was a masterstroke By yesterday over 7,330,000 people have received their first dose. I gave up waiting for a letter from my GP and (using the NHS website) finally managed to book an appointment at a local chemist for next Monday - hoorah! But the story across Europe is very different. Contrast our detailed vaccine plan and steady rollout (even with local hiccups and shortages in supply) with the bumbling bureaucracy within the EU. France - the home of the great micro-biologist Louis Pasteur - has failed to produce a single home-grown vaccine, much to the embarrassment of President Macron. Across Europe, there is not a single vaccination plan to rival that of the UK, and now the battle for access to supplies to really starting to get nasty. As cases soar in Belgium and Portugal, for example, their governments have only ordered 213,000 and 263,000 doses of vaccine. How could they have misjudged the need so badly? European Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen is pictured in Brussels last June. Contrast our detailed vaccine plan and steady rollout (even with local hiccups and shortages in supply) with the bumbling beaucracy within the EU Last year, the UK decided not to to join the EU procurement scheme. There was a lot of Remainer-type tut-tutting at the time but it turns out to have been possibly the single most brilliant decision Boris has made since this crisis began. Instead he set up the UK Vaccines Taskforce, led by former financier Kate Bingham - who then invested millions in the research and development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Vaccine and many others, hedging our bets over which would get past the post first. While the EU dithered, the UK put it's money on the table and was the first country to approve a vaccine last December - developed by Pfizer/BioNtech, and since then three more have been tested and approved, with a fourth - Novavax, likely to be approved imminently. Now, the EU is reduced to squabbling over access to vaccines which the UK has already paid for. Mr Johnson set up the UK Vaccines Taskforce, led by former financier Kate Bingham (pictured) - who then invested millions in the research and development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Vaccine and many others Having taken three months longer than the UK to place an order for their member countries, they find themselves at the back of the queue for supplies. Yesterday the EU sent officials to the AstraZeneca factory in Belgium- which has been beset by production problems and demanded that supplies should be diverted from the UK's allocation to distribute around Europe. The manufacturers say that their products should be handed out according to the order book and now the EU are threatening reprisals and a trade war if they don't get their way. They are threatening to ask all companies producing vaccines to apply for permission to export outside the Eurozone. A war of words has even seen the German media trash the AstraZeneca vaccine by claiming it is not effective for the over 65's. In reality what the German scientists said was that there was not yet enough evidence to support a decision one way or the other because the vaccine was primarily trialled on people aged 18- 64, in case it proved a health risk to older people. In fact, subsequent tests show that older people who have received the jab are producing roughly the same number of antibodies as other age groups. The last thing we need is Nicola Sturgeon (pictured yesterday) exploiting a difficult situation by threatening to publicise the number of doses Scotland receives each week German health bosses now say they will only use the AstraZeneca vaccine on people under 65- but is this just a tactic to disguise their frustration at a lack of supplies and divert attention from a major EU cockup? But it's a very dirty trick, leaving Public Health England and SAGE members to reassaure anxious British elderly people that our vaccines really are fit for purpose. Will my jab on Monday be less than 100 per cent proof? There has already been controversy over the decision to delay the seond dose for 12 weeks so that more people could be vaccinated quicker, and hopefully slow down the rate of infection. In spite of reassurances, some older people will be wondering whether they are getting fobbed off with vaccine that may not offer sufficient protection. But what's the alternative? There isn't one. In this volatile situation, the last thing we need is Nicola Sturgeon exploiting a difficult situation by threatening to publicise the number of doses Scotland receives each week. Furious that Boris dared to visit 'her' country the other day, she has been stung by criticism that only 420,000 citizens north of the Border have been lucky enough to secure a jab, when there are rumours the authorities are sitting on 1 million doses. Exploiting a lethal disease for political gain is not a good look, and if the English trashed the Scots as much as Ms Sturgeon does the Westminster government, we would be accused of rampant racism. The First Minister is determined that every decision she makes will reinforce her mantra that an Independent Scotland within EU would be better for everyone north of the Border than being part of Britain. According to Boris, revealing how many doses of vaccines are being sent out within the UK each week will only result in extra pressure being put on factories in Europe. Whatever the truth, the European Commissioners are furious they have been blindsided by the plucky Brits. The 'harmony' and truce declared over Brexit has all but vanished. As for Ms Sturgeon, at a time when millions of Brits in every part of the Union are desperate to receive a dose of vaccine, playing patriot games to score points with your voters stinks. And ordinary Scots voters might reflect that if they WERE part of the EU, rather than the UK, right now they'd be at the back of the queue for jabs along with the fuming French and the Germans. Representative image (PC- MoneyControl.Com) Agriculture is the largest source of livelihood in India. Around 58 percent of those in agriculture depend on marginal and small farms of less than two hectares each. They account for the largest segment of Indias agriculture economy. Currently, the agriculture ecosystem has structural, policy and field-level policy intervention constraints for India to evolve into a globally competitive, commercially compliant and large-scale farming economy. Agriculture also has a critical role in contributing to India achieving many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. Currently, the farmers themselves are drawing opportunities to enhance their livelihoods through aggregating themselves into farmer networks, undertaking cultivation, and adopting good agricultural practices in partnership with the private sector. This is also done by turning to the higher value and income-earning horticulture sector. Today, growth in Gross Value Added in FY20 in agriculture and allied sectors stand at an impressive 4 percent, at Rs 19.48 lakh-crore. Over the last decade, the area under horticulture grew by 2.6 percent per annum, while annual production increased by 4.8 percent. That said, there is a critical concern of finding a market for surpluses stock. The Budget could focus on policies that will help encourage identifying such domestic and/or international markets. India is the leading producer in banana, mango, papaya and guava, and stands next only to China in tomato, onion and potato. India has also the largest livestock population (~535.78 million), and leads in milk production across the world. Even with such high production, Indias share in world exports of these commodities or of value-added products is very low. India is today a food surplus economy but is unfortunately not able to efficiently market frequent surpluses in global markets, nor in deficient areas in domestic markets. Hence, apt policy such as diversified marketing platforms at the domestic market level, as well as appropriate intervention to penetrate global markets is required. It is expected that the Budget will focus on these gaps. To make the agriculture sector globally competitive, the ongoing policy and field level initiatives need to achieve scale and be coupled with interventions to optimise input cost, together with land and crop management at the farm level. Plus, post-harvest, logistics infrastructure and supporting credit instruments in this stage of all agri value-chains are required to work in tandem. While relevant policies are being evolved, apt implementation remains a concern. Adequate resource allocation for implementation is critical and the Budget needs to factor this. Also, support for development of farmer networks is critical to ensure that poor farmers are benefited through elimination of rent-seeking middlemen. Some laudable schemes have been launched by the government; and while such support is available, these transformations need to be made scalable and sustainable. A large untapped opportunity is in evolving globally-competitive clusters or geographical concentrations of farming communities focusing on a particular agri produce, offering scope for scale and specialisation in production, post-harvest management, processing, marketing, and exports. Such clusters provide ideal scale for effective implementation of development interventions and critical mass to attract private sector innovation. Agri clusters consisting of farmers, agri-businesses and support institutions working together could build lasting and scalable value networks. Latin America has successfully leveraged the cluster approach for fruit clusters making them global leaders in exports. Over the years, several clusters have emerged organically in India; such as the potato seeds cluster in Punjab, the grapes cluster in Nashik region, the chilli cluster in Guntur, and the gherkin clusters in Karnataka. Another opportunity to achieve integrated social development in rural India is by making the most of the reverse migration that took place due to COVID-19. India has one of the largest number of emigrants and the government has facilitated the return of more than 2.1 million emigrants from around the world. These returning emigrants have brought with them invaluable skills and expertise which can be leveraged to improve livelihoods and economy in rural areas. Farmers have returned from Israel, technicians from West Asia and thousands of skilled workers from industrial cities such as Surat or Noida to their homes in rural areas. The Union Budget 2021 can address this specific category of population and provide them support under the Atmanirbhar initiative for acquiring productive assets, arranging working capital and establishing common facilities for sustainable social development in India. Kunal Sood and V Padmanand are partners at Grant Thornton Bharat. Views are personal. (Newser) At least one court doesn't think Subway's bread is actually bread. Now, a new lawsuit alleges that Subway's tuna isn't actually tuna. As Law and Crime reports, two California residents are bringing a class-action suit that asserts the chain's tuna sandwiches "are made from anything but tuna." Subway denies this. The lawsuit, though, say tests from multiple restaurants revealed that the tuna is "a mixture of various concoctions that do not constitute tuna, yet have been blended together by Defendants to imitate the appearance of tuna." One of the attorneys for the pair declined to say what ingredients the tests actually found, reports the Washington Post. Nor is it specified which labs conducted the tests, notes Business Insider. As more and more outlets pick up the story, Subway is issuing a blanket denial. story continues below "These claims are meritless," says the Subway statement. "Tuna is one of our most popular sandwiches. Our restaurants receive 100% wild-caught tuna, mix it with mayonnaise and serve on a freshly made sandwich to our guests." The lawsuit is seeking $5 million to compensate consumers it says have been duped. Subway says it promises to "vigorously defend itself against these and any other baseless" accusations. The lawsuit spells out a number of potential violations, including fraud and negligence. But the bottom line, it states, is that "when a consumer sees a food product labeled and identified as tuna, or containing tuna, they reasonably expect the food will contain tuna fish." Plaintiffs Karen Dhanowa and Nilima Amin filed suit in US District Court in Northern California. (As for that bread lawsuit, an Irish court says the rolls have too much sugar.) Ivan Ramirez was 7 when he and his mother left Guatemala for the United States in 2014. They fled in fear for their lives, Ivan said. Criminals had tried to extort money from his mother, Hilda, threatening to kill them both if she didnt comply. They planned to stay with Ivans aunt in Oklahoma. But U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement caught them as they crossed the border. They ended up at the Karnes County Residential Center, 55 miles southeast of San Antonio, where Ivan celebrated his eighth birthday. Once released, the two found sanctuary at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Austin. Ivan, now 14, and his mother have been living there for five years. On ExpressNews.com: Nirenberg told city officials not to call feds about immigrants in 2017 San Antonio case, Texas AG says A dozen members of the Austin Sanctuary Network went to the ICE field office on San Antonios North Side on Thursday morning, hoping to block the deportations of Hilda Ramirez and a Salvadoran man who took refuge in an Austin church three years ago. The man asked that his name not be published to protect his familys safety. Ramirez and the man have exhausted their legal remedies and are subject to removal, according to ICE. Ivan has been approved for a special juvenile visa, allowing him to apply for permanent residency, the activists said. I have a chance to stay here, but my mom doesnt, Ivan said. I dont want to be without her. The Sanctuary Network is a coalition of faith congregations and other organizations that support immigrants facing deportation. The activists hoped that their public show of support would prompt ICE to grant the two adult immigrants applications for a stay of removal, protecting them from deportation at least temporarily. Theoretically, they should be able to sign it, said Peggy Morton of the Sanctuary Network. Were asking ICE to use its prosecutorial discretion. On ExpressNews.com: Biden's border plans raise hopes and fears in South Texas ICE officials directed the activists to the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations field office, about 10 minutes away along Loop 410. Officials at the second location told the group that ICE could deal only with lawyers representing the immigrants. When Pastor Jim Rigby of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church prepared to call the lawyers, ICE officials told him they had received the stay of removal applications and would review them. The reasons dont always make sense, Rigby said. This isnt going to go away, he added. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio ICE facilities have reported more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Tuesday, asking ICE to grant stays of removal to every migrant now living in sanctuary and to lift their deportation orders. Castros letter was signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey, both Massachusetts Democrats, and 27 other lawmakers. Activists hope that under the Biden administration, prospects will improve for people seeking refuge in the U.S. Since taking office Jan. 20, Biden has halted work on former President Donald Trumps border wall and ended Trumps so-called Muslim ban, which blocked travel to the U.S. from several predominantly Muslim countries. Biden also issued an executive order bolstering the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects from deportation immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, often called Dreamers. Trump sought to end the program, known as DACA. Bidens order calls on Congress to grant permanent status and a path to citizenship for those immigrants. A federal court blocked yet another Biden initiative: a 100-day pause on deportations. If you want to make America great, thats what you do, Rigby said of Bidens moves. You go back to those principles where the United States was this revolution on behalf of all humankind and not this gated community afraid of its neighbors. Were here because it takes a lot of work for bureaucracy to change, said the Rev. Erin Walter of Windflower Church in Austin. When a president and a new administration make new executive orders, its not magic. It takes people to enforce them. When we talk about healing for the nation, when we talk about unity for the nation, it must include real action and support of our immigrant communities, Walter said. Galveston, TX (77553) Today Isolated thunderstorms during the morning hours, then skies turning partly cloudy during the afternoon. High 82F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low 74F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. New Delhi, Jan 29 : Chings, Yippie and Top Ramen, the three noodle brands standing next only to Maggi, the countrys favourite noodles are finding increased preference among the tier-2 and tier-3 population. Maggi remains the undisputed leader in the noodles category, with a growing preference seen in tier-1 locations. While Maggi still remains the highest consumed even amongst tier-2 and tier-3 population, a change in preference has been seen in favour of the next in order brands. Local brands are preferred in their home states owing to the factories and distribution network. Parle emerged as the market leader in the states of Gujarat, UP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, MP, and Chhattisgarh. Middle-aged merchants are the most active users of the OkCredit app. Electronics saw a higher number of middle-aged users than other sectors. More women from tier-3 towns use OkCredit for digital bookkeeping than those in tier-1 and tier-2. These are a few among the several findings of a report done by OkCredit, a digital bookkeeping app. The app is used by mom- and-pop stores, essentially small and medium businesses (SMBs) to record credit, an integral part of transactions in India. Given its reach to 95 per cent pin codes and more than 2.3 crore registered merchants, the platform has extensive data on consumption patterns across tier-1,2, and 3 towns. The report also highlights demographic trends in the adoption of digital tools such as bookkeeping by neighbourhood stores. "SMBs are rarely a part of the mainstream conversation, even though a significant part of the GDP is contributed by them. Through this report, our intent is to bring SMBs at the centre of the conversation. They are the real monitors of the consumption story in "Bharat" and we are fortunate to have a pulse on that, through our network," said Harsh Pokharna, co-founder and CEO of OkCredit. Contrary to the popular perception that women are usually missing from traditional businesses, about 7-15 per cent of users on OkCredit's platform are women. Interestingly, more women from tier-3 towns use OkCredit for digital bookkeeping than those in tier-1 and tier-2. The concentration of women is higher in apparel related businesses as compared to others. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Jeremy Wallace, Houston Chronicle (TNS) If U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz was trying to extend an olive branch to U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, it certainly didnt go as planned. Cruz took to social media to agree with Ocasio-Cortez and her call for congressional hearings into how and why a financial services company Robinhood Markets Inc. decided to block retail investors from trading stocks. But after Cruz tweeted out to his 4.2 million followers that he agreed with her, Ocasio-Cortez fired back. I am happy to work with Republicans on this issue where theres common ground, but you almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago so you can sit this one out, she said, referring to Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 shortly after Cruz led an effort in the Senate to delay certification of President Joe Bidens victory. The indignation in Ocasio-Cortezs reply mirrors that of other Democrats in Congress, who impeached former President Donald Trump a second time after the attack on the Capitol and have pilloried both Cruz and Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, whom they accuse of spurring the insurrection by giving credence to Trumps unsubstantiated voter fraud claims. The partisan divide over the riot has only deepened as new details emerge about the violence of the Jan. 6 attack. Union officials representing the Capitol Police reported earlier this week that 140 officers were injured in the riot, including one who was stabbed with a metal fence stake. An officer was one of five killed. In court records, prosecutors say theyve found evidence of several death threats circulated on social media by people who took part in the insurrection. Federal authorities this week announced charges against Garret Miller, of Dallas County. During the deadly riots, Miller sent a tweet saying Assassinate AOC, according to court documents. Another man, who traveled to Washington for the rally with an assault rifle and other weapons, has been charged with threatening to kill House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In her rebuttal to Cruz, Ocasio-Cortez called for him to resign: Happy to work w/ almost any other GOP that arent trying to get me killed, she wrote. In the meantime if you want to help, you can resign. Ocasio-Cortez, who has ties in Texas, wasnt finished. You havent even apologized for the serious physical + mental harm you contributed to from Capitol Police & custodial workers to your own fellow members of Congress, Ocasio-Cortez said. Cruz has voiced no regrets about his objection to Bidens certification. He has said he was trying to build confidence in the results by setting them aside for 10 days while an emergency audit could be conducted to settle Donald Trumps unsubstantiated claims that the election was stolen. Cruzs effort was initially backed by 11 other Republicans, though six dropped their objections after the riot. Its not the first time Ocasio-Cortez and Cruz have battled it out on Twitter since the riots. She was one of the first people to call him out for his campaign sending out fundraising texts during the siege on the Capitol while she and other members of Congress were being rushed away from rioters. Cruz explained that it was an automated text that he immediately told his campaign to halt after it had been sent out. I am happy to work with Republicans on this issue where theres common ground, but you almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago so you can sit this one out. Happy to work w/ almost any other GOP that arent trying to get me killed. In the meantime if you want to help, you can resign. https://t.co/4mVREbaqqm Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 28, 2021 Carey Mulligan has won a grovelling apology from the Hollywood bible, Variety magazine, after she accused its veteran film critic of patronising actresses. He had questioned her performance in the movie Promising Young Woman as a vigilante seeking retribution for the rape of her best friend by seducing men, then shaming them. Reviewer Dennis Harvey wrote that she wears her pick-up bait gear like bad drag. Having seen pictures of Mulligan in her fake nurses uniform with a pink, blue and blonde wig and Dracula make-up, I couldnt agree more. A seductress? She looks ridiculous. Yet she interprets Harveys critique as saying she wasnt hot enough for the role, suggesting actresses should never be judged on their looks. Oh do get over yourself, Carey. Talented though you are, if you looked like a brick outhouse youd never have had the career youve enjoyed. Carey Mulligan (pictured) has won a grovelling apology from the Hollywood bible, Variety magazine, after she accused its veteran film critic of patronising actresses Can I no longer say you were sublimely gorgeous as the dizzy Daisy in Baz Luhrmanns 2013 remake of The Great Gatsby? You know your beauty was key to the role. Reviewer Dennis Harvey wrote that she wears her pick-up bait gear like bad drag While it may seem a minor squabble between luvvies, there is a broader, more important point here. Because her absurd kind of offence-taking is permeating our lives. And if every institution buckles as Variety did with its apology (ruining Harveys professional reputation in the process) the situation will only get worse. The journalist has hit back saying: Im a 60-year-old gay man. I dont go around dwelling on the comparative hotnesses of young actresses, let alone writing about that. But Mulligans woke world in which looks cannot be commented on has led, perversely, to a situation where attraction to a woman becomes a distraction a world in which chivalry, which has oiled social behaviour since Chaucers day, is wrong. Does any man nowadays dare compliment a female colleague on her appearance? I like your hair or That red coat suits you are fraught with risk when everything is judged through the #MeToo prism of subjugation, objectification and victimisation. A complaint of sexism to Human Resources is always round the corner. Compliments are prefaced by agonised contortions such as: Im not sure Im allowed to say this, but . . . And if you dare suggest to someone they look tired, take cover. Yet she interprets Harveys critique as saying she wasnt hot enough for the role, suggesting actresses should never be judged on their looks Its true, the workplace chauvinism and misogyny of old was often grotesque. But I miss the days when a colleague could casually say you look lovely or that he liked your shoes. I happen to like it when a man notices and comments on my looks, Carey. Although they shouldnt overdo it they might get a slap. The PMs pledge to stop badger culling must have brought a smile to his fiancee Carrie, who has long campaigned for it to end. Although Im guessing top of Carries wish list is a wedding ring on her finger. Hurt that will never heal Watching Russell T. Daviess TV drama about the Aids crisis, all five episodes in one sitting, was like being transported back in time. For me it was to Sydney in the 1980s, then the second largest gay city in the world after San Francisco. The shame of my gay friends who got Aids was such they never told us they were dying, they just said they were going home for a bit. My journalist buddy Peter, my housemate Stewart, my doctor friend Jason, none of them ever came back. And how beautifully fitting that the final episode plays out to the 1992 R.E.M. hit Everybody Hurts. For all of those who loved and lost friends and family, it still does hurt. Stung by criticism that it was odd for her son Damian, 18, to take pictures of her semi-naked in an open fur coat and bikini pants in the snow, Liz Hurley insists it was her mum who took the snap. Crikey, if Id tried that with my mum I know what shed have said: You are not going out dressed like that, young lady. Youll catch your death. Cashing in on tragic Diana Twenty-four years after her death, another royal movie is trying to make money from the enigma that was Princess Diana. The American-made film Spencer stars Kristen Stewart as Diana an actress famous for her Twilight Saga vampire movies. How apt, now shes shamelessly sucking the blood out of one of our most beloved royals. Twenty-four years after her death, another royal movie is trying to make money from the enigma that was Princess Diana. Pictured, Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana News of the end of Alice Evanss marriage to actor Ioan Gruffudd came in a tweet: My beloved husband/soulmate of 20 years has announced he is leaving the family. They have two daughters together and she is clearly devastated. Yet is she surprised? After all, could any woman really trust a man who wouldnt leave home without tinted moisturiser and make-up because he didnt want to look bad in selfies with his fans? Or who revealed he knew he was feeling slightly depressed when he started eating plain cheese sandwiches, as serious actors dont eat bread? No one else is involved in the break-up. Although it doesnt help that Gruffudd was a tad too convincing in the TV drama Liar, in which he played a serial sex maniac. Bin badly treated So a binman was caught on CCTV kicking a snowmans head off. After emptying the bins, he finished it off with a few body blows leaving the child who had built it in tears. Yes, it was tough for the kid but did his parents really have to pursue the karate-kicking incident with the council? Lord alive, what are we teaching our kids? That if anything upsets them, they can demand retribution? More to the point, what madness for the council to sack him. Binmen have a difficult job, yet invariably clean up our mess with good cheer and theyve worked through three lockdowns. Even if some of them get their kung-fu kicks attacking a melting snowman, they should be celebrated not sacked. How disappointing that in one of his first acts, caring Joe Biden has refused to extradite American intelligence officers wife Anne Sacoolas to the UK she fled the country after the car crash that killed Harry Dunn, 19. Youd have thought a man who had suffered the agony of losing his wife and daughter in a car crash would understand the pain and injustice Harrys parents feel. Westminster Wars That overstuffed little haggis Nicola Sturgeon is whipping up fervour for another Scottish referendum amid the pandemic. With her economy tanking, Scottish health and education services failing and Alex Salmond bent on revenge against her, she must be following Churchills advice: Never let a crisis go to waste. Given that tens of thousands of Covid deaths were among people suffering from obesity, its ludicrous of Tory Mental Health Minister Nadine Dorries to say calling an overweight person fat is wrong because it upsets them. The sad truth is that nothing hurts a morbidly obese persons feelings more than being grossly overweight. The first picture we can recall of Larry the cat actually inside No 10 is of Boris walking past dismissively. No pat, no scratch for the feline who preceded the PM and his brood and will no doubt outlive his tenancy of Downing Street. And what a vote winner it would have been among the nations 11 million cat owners a million more than dog owners had the PM been snapped holding Larry in his arms, instead of that scrag of a mutt Dilyn. A 35-year-old married teacher faces up to five years in prison after being convicted of having sex with a 15-year-old pupil at her school. Kandice Barber stalked him on Snapchat and posted topless pictures of herself to the lad, who bravely testified against her. Just five years? I cant help thinking that if a male teacher of 35 had groomed and had sex with an underage girl, he would never have been treated so leniently. Time rule-cheat Rita was silenced Police say Rita Oras 30th birthday party for 17 celeb friends in lockdown in an illegally hired restaurant was one of the most notorious and egregious breaches of regulations during the pandemic. Police say Rita Oras 30th birthday party for 17 celeb friends in lockdown in an illegally hired restaurant was one of the most notorious and egregious breaches of regulations during the pandemic The restaurant manager has been let go and The Voice star offered to pay a 10,000 fine thats just another handbag to Rita. Lets hope she gets the frosty reception she deserves when she arrives in Australia to record their version of The Voice the country, almost Covid free, has no time for cheaters. If ITV had a shred of decency, theyd take her voice out of their show permanently. Colombo, Jan 29 : Sri Lankan health authorities will on Friday begin the inoculation of 250,000 frontline health workers against the novel coronavirus after Covid-19 vaccines donated by India arrived in the island nation, the President's Media Division said in a statement. The statement said that upon their arrival at Sri Lanka's Bandaranaike International Airport on Thursday, the 500,000 Covishield vaccines donated by India were handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay, reports Xinhua news agency. The statement said 250,000 frontline workers will receive the jabs in a vaccination program which will commence at six main hospitals in the Western Province on Friday. This will include over 150,000 health workers, and 100,000 members of military, police and security forces who are at the frontline of Covid prevention operations. Sri Lanka has so far detected 61,586 Covid-19 cases and 297 deaths. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) The right to die already exists in Ireland. Suicide is legal, and it is also legal for an adult to refuse medical treatment that may prolong their life. What is not legal is to assist someone to end their life. The Dying with Dignity Bill (2020), which is currently making its way through the Oireachtas, is an attempt to legislate for assisted dying. This bill, however, is fundamentally flawed and, if enacted, will pose significant risk for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. The central argument made by those who support this bill, and assisted dying in general, is personal autonomy; the right of the individual to decide and pursue a particular course of action. Accordingly, when it comes to death, the individual should have the right to decide the circumstances and the timing of their own death when faced with a terminal illness. MILPITAS, Calif., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tim O'Malley, has joined iMedrix Inc. manufacturer of KardioScreen, the world's first medical-grade mobile cardiac monitoring device, as its new Chief Executive Officer. Mr. O'Malley joins the firm from EarlySense Inc., where he was their President and Chief Growth Officer. "We are pleased to welcome Tim O'Malley to iMedrix at this important time in our history. Having now recieved US Food and Drug Administration 510K clearance for our KardioScreen Mobile ECG system, we need an industry veteran of Tim's experience and skill to lead this company into the U.S. market," announced founder and chief scientist Srikanth Jadcherla. O'Malley has worked in the Medical Technology Markets since the 1980s, starting his career at Siemens, where he held numerous roles, culminating after 16 years as Vice President and Division Manager of their Electromedical Products Division for North America. He subsequently served as the CEO of Medwave, a public company specializing in non-invasive blood pressure sensing technology, and ZOLL Medical, a Cardiac Resuscitation market leader, as Vice President of their hospital division. O'Malley joins iMedrix at a pivotal moment. The company has been active in the Asian Markets for the past few years, securing more than 50 leading hospitals and touching close to 200,000 individuals in the most varied and challenging environments. Access to healthcare long has been challenging for many of the world's populations and especially challenging over the past year. iMedrix portends to be a catalyst to help change that, enabling near instant, affordable, and accessible cardiac data with its real time Cloud Solutions. It is estimated that its KardioScreen product has helped save approximately 2000 lives in the past year. "With a truly Mobile ECG Platform, there is the ability to capture diagnostic grade ECGs almost anywhere and by anyone, "said Jadcherla. "This becomes especially important during Covid 19, which has made it difficult for cardiac patients to enter a hospital or clinic for diagnosis. KardioScreen will enable many of those patients to be monitored via the Cloud from safe locations, such as their home or a Post-Acute Care facility, such as an assisted living facility, without sacrificing hospital grade diagnostics. Said O'Malley, "iMedrix takes justifiable pride in having already installed its connected cardiac care solution in more than 50 leading hospitals and clinics in multiple Asia & ASEAN markets," said O'Malley. "The exciting challenge now is to bring this remarkable and unique technology to the United States. "I'm thrilled to join this team -- and being given the opportunity to lead this effort." About iMedrix iMedrix Inc. was founded in 2015 by noted analog semiconductor scientist and Intel Fellow Srikanth Jadcherla. Early contributions from two of the famous inventors of the electronics age and recipients of the President's Medal of Invention: Paul Baran, inventor of packet switching (and thus cellphones and the Internet) and Federico Faggin, inventor of the silicon gate and microprocessor. The company is based in Milpitas, California (headquarters) and Bangalor, India (R&D), with manufacturing in Hayward, California. It's products are currently in use in hospitals and field clinics throughout Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East and Southern Africa. The company is now entering the U.S. market, as well countries in Europe and North America. iMedrix strives to partner other companies with the goal of providing our advanced technologies to others on an OEM or Private Label arrangement. More information and updates are available at iMedrix.com and on Twitter @imedrixinc . About KardioScreen Kardioscreen is a Mobile ECG Solution with advanced AI capabilities, which allows for rapid detection of abnormal heart rhythms, low-level arrythmias, and advanced arrythmias -- as well as enabling predictive capabilities on the results. iMedrix advanced cardiac algorithms process enormous quantities of captured data, using the resulting information for decision support, clinical research and population health management. Because of its advanced algorithms, KardioScreen diagnostic level ECGs can be captured with ease even in some of the most challenging environments. It has been successfully used with thousands of patients in the midst of the Haj pilgrimage in Mecca, in 110 degree heat in the Indian countryside, in racing ambulances and in African bush clinics not to mention in tens of thousands of private homes. Able to fit into a lab coat pocket, KardioScreen has proven equally successful in traditional care settings, replacing ECG carts with equivalent performance at a fraction of the cost. Moreover, with its advanced algorithms, motion and electrode placement is more forgiving than with traditional ECG Systems. Media Relations Contact: Tim O'Malley iMedrix 978-314-8885 [email protected] SOURCE iMedrix Related Links http://www.imedrix.com Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 A group of peaceful protesters will speak about the importance of Maori wards at a public meeting in Tauranga today. The meeting has been organised by a group called Concerned Citizens, which recently submitted a petition opposing the matter. Hobsons pledge members Don Brash and Casey Costello will speak at the meeting, along with former New Conservative member Elliot Ikilei. Buddy Mikaere has rallied a group of about 40 people to attend today's meeting in protest. He wants to make it clear that many Tauranga locals are in support of Maori wards. "The idea is that it does not become confrontational, it is an exchange of ideas. "My intent is to show them, just by the number of people that turn up, that this is the true voice of Tauranga. Tauranga City Council voted to establish a Maori ward for the 2022 local government election in August last year. Concerned Citizens then started a petition calling for a binding poll on the issue. A binding poll is required if requested in writing and signed by at least five per cent of electors, meaning just under 5000 signatures are required. Meeting organiser Margaret Murray-Benge says the issue of Maori wards "demands debate within the wider community". She says she is totally opposed to Maori being "locked up into a little Maori ward". "I am totally opposed to anybody, any group going down a separate path. We should all work together. When asked about how she chose the three speakers, Margaret told SunLive they all share similar values around equality. "I know Don really well, and I know how he feels about equality. I chose Casey Costello because she is Nga Puhi, Scottish and Irish. Event organiser Margaret Murray-Benge. Photo: File. "She says 'don't patronise me - I am as good as anyone else' and stands firmly on a base of equality for all. Margaret says she welcomes peaceful protesters as long as they come with an open mind. "I want to see some serious, sound debate on the whole issue. "We don't need to tear each other to pieces. But we need to understand - what will be the best thing for Maori." Buddy says it's unfortunate that none of the speakers at today's event are based in Tauranga. "Why should these people from out of Tauranga come here and have a say about what happens in Tauranga? It is just rude and discourteous." He says Maori representation on council is crucial, so Maori issues are properly represented. "When you see that actually, almost 20 per cent of the population in Tauranga is Maori. I am sure those people are entitled to have a say in how the city operates." The meeting will take place at the Tauranga Yacht Club at 2pm today. The company is committed to accelerating exploration, evaluation, and overall development of opportunities within the Primrose Project area. Drilling at the Blue Heaven exploration target during the December quarter ( ) enjoyed a productive December quarter, completing drilling programs across three target areas at its Primrose Gold Project in Western Australia. The Primrose Project covers more than 8 kilometres of the highly gold mineralised Primrose Shear in the Murchison District of the Eastern Goldfields, and contains some 37 historical workings that produced around 79,915 ounces of gold from 1911 till 1982 at an average grade of 28 g/t. The drilling focused on the Blue Heaven, the Pansy Pit and the MMI Gold Anomaly targets. Looking forwards, the company is particularly focused on advancing Blue Heaven (170,000 to 520,000 tonnage range at 2.2 to 4.5 g/t gold range), with the aim of declaring a JORC Mineral Resource, as well as the early development of the Pansy Pit for potential cash flow. Blue Heaven exploration target The aim of the drilling at Blue Heaven was to verify historic intercepts and six RC holes were drilled for a total of 263 metres. The targeted depths were not achieved because of hard ground and insufficient equipment due to rig unavailability; however very promising geology was found in one drill hole which intersected a broad zone of intensely altered sericitic felsic schist (32-55 metres) with strong magnetite-epidote alteration as well as a lamprophyre dyke logged at 32-34 metres. Both observations indicate very favourable environments for gold mineralisation. Geological indicators were resampled to better define the intercepts, with assay results pending. Primrose Project location on regional geology; showing regional historical gold production. Pansy Pit development The Pansy Pit was mined in the mid-1980s to a depth of approximately 5 metres. During the quarter a program of 25 RC holes for 436 metres was undertaken to fill in the companys previous RC drilling from 2018, and to better define the near surface gold mineralisation potential in the historic pit. Intercepts include: 2 metres at 8.93 g/t from 9 metres, including 1 metre at 17.26 g/t from 9 metres; 3 metres at 3.62 g/t from 15 metres, including 1 metre at 8.73 g/t from 16 metres; 5 metre at 7.74 g/t from 7 metres, including 3 metres at 12.34 g/t from 7 metres; 14 metres at 1.41 g/t from 4 metres, including 2 metres at 3.71 g/t from 16 metres; 2 metres at 6.31 g/t from 6 metres; and 4 metres at 3.40 g/t from 4 metres. Anomalous four metre gold intercepts have been resampled to better define those intercepts with assays results pending. The company is confident that the drilling indicates that near surface gold mineralisation has been outlined and the shallow dips of the quartz lodes has been confirmed; Whilse the gold tends to occur within quartz lodes, gold also occurs in the host rock - which confirms the observation from the 2018 drilling results - and while gold grades tend to be erratic (a common feature of quartz vein hosted gold) the strike persistence of the quartz lodes has been established. MMI Gold Anomaly The company also completed reconnaissance drilling of an untested historic MMI surface geochemistry gold anomaly in an area of no historic hard rock workings which is hosted by the Paynes Find Schist (the host to the Paynes Find gold field). The anomaly defines a north-south zone of around 700 metres strike extent and attains a magnitude of 0.129 g/t gold which is considered anomalous in this setting. Two shallow RC holes were drilled to test the anomaly with both intersecting unaltered granodiorites with a minor quartz vein. Gold grades were generally below detection other than both holes being anomalous at surface, to a maximum of 0.048 g/t, and the quartz vein to a maximum of 0.02 g/t. Pansy Pit geological cross section Looking forwards On 15 January 2021, Cervantes announced a non-renounceable rights issue and shortfall offer to raise up to around $2.144 million. Funds raised will be used to further accelerate exploration, evaluation and overall development of Primrose and the reduction of current loan liabilities and working capital. At Blue Heaven, the company plans to undertake the work required to progress the mineralisation to a formal Mineral Resource and the potential quantity and grade of which is conceptual in nature as there has been insufficient reliable exploration data to estimate a mineral resource. Cervantes will also assess the extent of the magnetite alteration zone with respect to the gold mineralisation and the potential of ground magnetic survey to map the zone. At the Pansy Pit, the company will: Resample the anomalous four metre gold intercepts to one metre to better define those intercepts; Continue a Small Mining Proposal submission; and Plan a possible third programme of shallow in-pit drilling to aid in grade control for any future mining. Notably, the company retains around $200,000 of highly liquid shares in Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX:WGX) (FRA:0W2) (OTCMKTS:WTGRF) from the Albury Heath Gold Mine in WA, which can be sold as required to assist with operating cashflows. We couldnt find anything at this address. Please check the URL or go to the homepage Loading the player... WEF Davos Agenda: India will supply many more COVID-19 vaccines to world, says PM Modi India will soon rollout many more coronavirus vaccines for the benefit of the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his special address at World Economic Forum's Davos Agenda Summit on Thursday. The developments on vaccine front will rapidly change the economic scenario, he further stated. Airtel beats Jio in subscriber additions for 4th straight month; Voda-Idea continues to lose Bharti Airtel added more new subscribers as compared to market leader Reliance Jio for the fourth consecutive month in November, while all other telecom operators - Vodafone Idea (Vi), BSNL, and MTNL - continued to see decline in their user bases. With 35.34 per cent market share, Reliance Jio remained India's biggest telecom operator by market share Apple doubled business in India in Oct-Dec 2020 quarter, says Tim Cook India, an increasingly important and focused market for Apple has started showing positive growth. After a record September quarter, the Cupertino giant has doubled its business in October - December 2020 quarter (also referred as Apple's Q1 2021) in India. Over the last few years, Apple has been aggressive in the country and has been bringing most of its global launches either on the same day or within a week of its global launch. ED investigating Amazon for FDI violations in Future Retail deal The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating e-commerce giant Amazon for alleged violation of foreign exchange laws in its dealings with Kishore Biyani-led Future Retail. The law enforcement agency has filed a case against Amazon after a Delhi High Court bench last month made observations about the deal while hearing Amazon's challenge to acquisition of Future Retail by the Reliance Group. Budget 2021: Focus more on growth recovery; fiscal deficit may come down to 6.2% in FY22, says IndRa Indian Union Budget 2021-22: The forthcoming Union Budget should focus more on putting the economy back on track and not too much on arresting fiscal deficit, which is seen at 6.2 per cent in 2021-22, down from 7 per cent this year, according to a report. The Union Budget 2020-21 had estimated fiscal deficit at Rs 7.96 lakh crore or 3.5 per cent of GDP but India Ratings sees it printing in at Rs 13.44 lakh crore or 7 per cent if the government cleared its payables and roll over some portion of expenditure to 2021-22. With the ongoing vaccination drive, the contact intensive services sectors are expected to witness revival, the said on Friday. Hit hard by the pandemic, the overall services sector has witnessed a contraction of almost 16 per cent in the first half of 2020-21 on year-on-year basis. In this, the contact intensive services sector was severely impacted, particularly sub-sectors such as tourism, aviation, and hospitality, the document noted. "This decline was led by a sharp contraction in all sub-sectors particularly 'trade, hotels, transport, communication & services related to broadcasting', which contracted by 31.5 per cent in H1 FY 2020-21," said the survey. As per the first advance estimates, Gross Value Added (GVA) of the services sector is estimated to contract by 8.8 per cent in 2020-21, whereas it grew by 5.5 per cent in 2019-20. "Sub-sectors as 'trade, hotels, transport, communication & broadcasting services', 'financial, real estate & professional services', and 'public administration, defence & other services' are estimated to contract by 21.41 per cent, 3.68 per cent and 0.82 per cent respectively," it added. However, the survey also said services sector activity, which had contracted for five consecutive months from March after the pandemic, has started to pick up from September 2020. "This pace of recovery is broadly aligned with high-frequency indicators that point to a pick in economic momentum with the measured opening up of the economy from June 2020," the 2020-21, tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, stated. In the April-June quarter of 2020-21, the services sector contracted by over 20 per cent and later the contraction narrowed to 11.4 per cent in the July-September quarter. Indian airlines, which were grounded between March and May, have been showing a gradual recovery from August on a monthly basis, although travel remains muted as compared to the last year. "According to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), 63.54 lakh domestic passengers travelled by air in November, which was 20.54 per cent higher than the passenger traffic in October when 52.71 lakh passengers flew," it said. However, it also added that the domestic air traffic, stands 50.93 per cent lower in November 2020 as compared to November 2019. The services sector accounts for more than 50 per cent of the Gross State Value Added (GSVA) in 15 out of 33 states and UTs and at some places such as Chandigarh and Delhi, it contributes a particularly high share of over 85 per cent. The tourism sector, which is a major contributor in terms of GDP, foreign exchange earnings and employment, also had a debilitating impact. The sector has already undergone a slowdown in 2018 and 2019 before declining sharply in 2020 after pandemic due to travel-related restrictions. "With the ongoing vaccination drive, the contact intensive service sectors can expect to witness revival," it said. Tourism contributed 5 per cent share to India's total GDP in 2018-19. It also supports almost 13 per cent of total employment in India. (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.) (@FahadShabbir) New Delhi, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jan, 2021 ) :A small bomb exploded outside the Israeli embassy in New Delhi on Friday as it marked the anniversary of setting up diplomatic relations with India. No injuries were reported but an Israeli official told AFP the incident was being viewed as terrorism. The windows on three nearby cars were blown out by what police called "a very low intensity improvised device". "Initial impressions suggest a mischievous attempt to create a sensation," a police statement added. However an Israeli official in Jerusalem, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP: "We consider this as a terror attack." With the Indian capital already on heightened alert because of farmers' protests, the district around the embassy was sealed off and flooded with police, paramilitaries, bomb disposal experts and anti-terrorism specialists. According to media reports, the device, which went off at about 5.05pm (1135 GMT), could have been left in a flower pot on the pavement close to the embassy. The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed that there were no casualties and that no damage was done to the embassy. Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi had asked for "all necessary security measures" to be taken, said a statement. The incident came on the 29th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Israel. The countries have since become close, and India is now one of the biggest buyers of Israeli defence equipment. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel in 2017, and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu made a high-profile return visit a year later. In February 2012 a bomb attack on an Israeli diplomatic car in Delhi injured the defence attache, an embassy staffer and two other people. Netanyahu blamed Iran for the attack. The latest incident took place close to where Modi and other government and military leaders were attending an army parade. Delhi has been on major alert this week after farmers' protests against government agriculture reforms deteriorated into serious unrest on Tuesday. -- Experts call for policy reform to improve ethnic equity of socioeconomic opportunity, service provision, and health outcomes. They also call for long-term studies to investigate how structural and institutional racism generate these ethnic inequalities in health. In 15 out of 17 minority ethnic groups, health-related quality of life in older age (over 55 year-olds) was worse on average for either men, women, or both, than for White British people according to an observational study published in The Lancet Public Health journal. In five of those groups - Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Arab, and Gypsy or Irish Traveller - the difference compared with the White British group is equivalent to, or greater than, the health impacts of being 20 years older. The older population of England is becoming increasingly ethnically diverse. Although previous evidence suggests there are substantial health inequalities between ethnic groups, there is currently little detailed research available on this [1]. Using a large nationally representative survey asking participants how their daily life is impacted by their health, the new study provides the first detailed analysis of health inequalities among older adults in England from a broad range of ethnic groups. Lead author on the study, Dr Ruth Watkinson, University of Manchester, UK, says "The disproportionate number of deaths due to COVID-19 in minority ethnic groups has highlighted ethnic inequalities in health among older adults in England. Our study adds detail to evidence of these inequities and their drivers before the pandemic. Now, we need decisive policy action to improve equity of socioeconomic opportunity and transformation of health and local services to ensure they meet the needs of all people in the multi-ethnic English population." [2] The study used surveys taken by patients over 55-years-old registered at GP practices across England from July 2014 to April 2017. The authors analysed how ethnicity was associated with five self-reported aspects of daily life impacted by the health of participants: mobility (i.e. walking), self-care (i.e. washing and dressing), ability to engage in daily activities (i.e. working, studying, housework, spending time with family), pain or discomfort, and anxiety or depression. These five areas were combined to give an overall 'health-related quality of life' score for each ethnic group, which ranged from 1 (perfect health) to -5.94 (poorest health). Health-related quality of life was then compared across ethnic groups. They did a further analysis to understand what the underlying causes of the ethnic disparities might be, estimating the association between ethnicity and five factors known to impact health. The survey asked if participants had one or more of 14 long-term health conditions, received high quality health care, received enough support from local services (such as social care and support groups) and were confident in managing their own health. The authors also considered level of deprivation in participants' residential area. Out of the 1,394,361 survey respondents included in the analysis, 11% (152,710) self-identified as belonging to a minority ethnic group. The patterning of disadvantage observed between groups varied by sex. Across most of the 15 ethnic groups that showed relative disadvantage compared with White British, the size of disadvantage was greater for women than men. Both men and women in Gypsy or Irish Traveller, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Arab ethnic groups showed substantial health disadvantage compared with the White British participants. A 20-year increase in age was associated with an average change in health-related quality of life score of -0.065 for men and -0.094 in women. The average difference among people from each stated group compared to the White British group were: Gypsy or Irish Traveller (-0.192 in men; -0.264 in women), Bangladeshi (-0.111 in men; -0.209 in women), Pakistani (-0.084 in men; -0.206 in women), and Arab (-0.061 in men; -0.145 in women). The two ethnic groups who were healthier than White British people were Chinese (men and women), and Black African (men only). However, this only applied across all age groups for Chinese men, whereas for Chinese women and Black African men further analyses suggested they were only healthier in the younger age groups (55-64 years for Black African men, and 55-74 years for Chinese women). When looking at the association between ethnicity and factors that could cause poor health outcomes, the study suggested inequalities in health were accompanied by increased long-term health conditions (particularly diabetes), poor experiences of primary care, insufficient support from local services, low confidence in managing their own health, and high local social deprivation. The authors emphasise that social deprivation, although more common in ethnic minority groups, could not fully explain the health disparities they observed, and suggest that other factors are also at play, such as structural and institutional racism in health care and local service provision. Dr Watkinson continues, "We must consider how social deprivation intersects with gender, ethnicity, and other personal characteristics, such as immigration status or religion, to affect poor health outcomes. Looking forward, we need much more long-term research to understand how structural and institutional racism creates health inequalities." [2] The large sample size of the study allowed them to look at 17 ethnicities that are often grouped under just four categories (White, Asian, Black, and other). However, the authors found that health-related quality of life varied widely between ethnicities placed within these ethnic "meta-groups", raising questions about the usefulness of such categorizations. Commenting on the importance of gathering more detailed data, co-author Dr Alex Turner, University of Manchester, UK, says, "Our study found large differences between ethnicities often grouped together in broad categories. For example, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Chinese ethnicities are often all categorised as 'Asian'. In our study, people of Bangladeshi and Pakistani ethnicity had among the worst disadvantage in health, compared with White British, whereas people of Chinese ethnicity had a relative advantage. This emphasises the need for more nuanced research to understand the specific difficulties that older adults from particular minority ethnic groups experience." [2] The authors note some limitations of their study. Although the large sample size and relatively high survey response rate among older adults allowed the authors to analyse outcomes for smaller ethnic groups, estimates for some ethnic groups were still imprecise owing to small numbers. They also note that some bias may have been introduced by those who chose not to respond to the survey and by the survey being taken from patients registered at a GP surgery (potentially excluding vulnerable adults or those without a fixed residence). In addition, the dataset used was recorded in 10-year age groups, so the authors were unable to ensure exact like-for-like age comparisons. This may have made some ethnic groups appear healthier, which the authors say are more likely to be minority ethnic groups than the White British group, due to younger overall age structures in the population. Writing in a linked Comment, lead author Professor Seeromanie Harding (who was not involved in the study), from King's College London, UK, says, "Despite biases, such as the absence of data on ethnicity specific survey non-response rates and the social determinants of health, Watkinson and colleagues present strong evidence of ethnic inequalities in HRQoL [health-related quality of life], the presence of long-term conditions, and poor experiences of primary care. There seems to be inadequate support from local services to manage long-term conditions in ethnic minority groups. Although constrained by the availability of granular data, the report reinforces the need to consider the intersectional influences of sex and ethnicity on inequalities in healthy ageing." ### Peer-reviewed / Observational / People NOTES TO EDITORS This study was funded by University of Manchester and NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester. It was conducted by researchers from University of Manchester. The labels have been added to this press release as part of a project run by the Academy of Medical Sciences seeking to improve the communication of evidence. For more information, please see: http://www. sciencemediacentre. org/ wp-content/ uploads/ 2018/ 01/ AMS-press-release-labelling-system-GUIDANCE. pdf if you have any questions or feedback, please contact The Lancet press office pressoffice@lancet.com Maritza Beniquez, an emergency room nurse at University Hospital in Newark, was the first to get the shot after the new coronavirus vaccine was approved by federal regulators. The 56-year-old RN spoke of the wave after wave she had seen of critically ill patients coming in to her hospital, in a city hit hard by the deadly virus, with no end in sight. It was like watching a tornado or a hurricane cause that sort of devastation in the field, but instead of it being buildings, it was our own people our Black and Latino communities, Beniquez told reporters. Since then, 550,526 people have gotten their first shot of the vaccine and 90,084 of them have received the second of two doses. But data released by the state shows disparities by race and ethnicity among those who have so far been vaccinated, compared with those in communities most affected by the pandemic. Nearly half of the vaccinated have been white, according to the Department of Health. Just 3% have been Black and another 5% Hispanic or Latino. Yet Blacks account for more than 1 in 10 of all COVID-19 cases here, while Hispanics make up 26.2% of the states cases. The states data is incomplete, with the racial or ethnic background unknown for 20% of the vaccine recipients. The numbers are also still weighted by the fact that the vaccines are not yet broadly available to the public. Still, state officials acknowledge it is an issue of growing concern. We dont like the numbers, but we just started, said Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli, noting that the vaccinations only became available in December and are still not available to the general population. There are currently 274 vaccination sites across New Jersey, according to the state, but not all are open. One of the factors at play, according to Shereef Elnahal, president and CEO of University Hospital, is mistrust, rooted in generations of systemic racism within the medical establishment. Hesitancy remains the most important barrier to vaccine adoption in communities of color, he said. Elnahal added that many also still question the rapidity of the science and approval of the vaccines under a program that was designated by the federal government as Operation Warp Speed. Were working very hard to introduce the vaccine to people of color in the community we serve, through town halls, conversations with community leaders, and in other ways, he said. I am optimistic that well get there. Concerns over racial disparity in the vaccination programs, meanwhile, have not been limited to New Jersey. Data released by 16 states shows whites are being vaccinated at much higher rates, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, which found that in every state, Black Americans were significantly underrepresented among people vaccinated so far. At the same time, Pew Research Center found Black Americans continue to stand out as less inclined to get vaccinated than other racial and ethnic groups. It found 42% would do so, compared with 63% of Hispanic and 61% of white adults. And regardless of peoples intention to get vaccinated, Pew said 62% of Americans reported they would be uncomfortable being among the first to do so. That was underscored recently by a new survey from The COVID States Project, a joint project of Rutgers, Northeastern, Harvard and Northwestern universities. While the report found New Jersey among the seven states with the lowest numbers of respondents unwilling to be vaccinated (18% and lower), vaccine resistance nationwide was higher among Black respondents, than among white, Latino and Asian respondents. Bioethicist Arthur Caplan, founding director of the division of medical ethics at New York Universitys Grossman School of Medicine, called the vaccination numbers deeply ethically troubling, and also wondered about those in poor communities without internet access, or older people who have difficulty doing things online, and are being left out of the vaccination programs as well. Caplan said its hard to know without better demographic data exactly what is happening in New Jersey, but the current snapshot of those getting the vaccine suggests there may be warning signs for policymakers. I think it ought to be a top priority of the governor and the health department to find out whats going on, he said. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage The states initial vaccine distribution plan was initially targeted at those most likely to be exposed to the coronavirus, along with those considered the most vulnerable because of their age or health. Under the states protocols amid a still-too-tight supply of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines that have so far been approved, healthcare workers and nursing home residents were prioritized in December to receive the first doses. The population in long-term care settings skews white. There are about 1.5 million people in New Jersey who are 65 or older. Of those, about 70% are white, 10.8% are Black, 10.4% are Hispanic, and 7.2% are Asian. Front-line healthcare workers and first responders are not so easily classified, although healthcare workers are a typically diverse workforce that ranges from physicians and nurses to technicians, cafeteria workers, and housekeeping staff. Five weeks later, eligibility for the vaccine in New Jersey was expanded to over 4 million residents, including those older than 65 and people between ages 16 and 64 who have certain medical conditions, others in congregant living settings, and police and firefighters. Many of the health conditions included in that expansion are prevalent in communities of color and inner-city populations, pointed out Persichilli, who said her department has been focused on viewing the COVID crisis through an equity lens in responding to the deadly crisis that has struck particularly hard in many of the states poor and minority communities. Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli and Gov. Phil Murphy at Roosevelt Care Center in Old Bridge in December for vaccinations of staff and resident in the long-term care facility.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for Outlining the steps the state has been taking to bring the vaccine to those most at risk, she spoke of plans to place more clinics in the inner cities, setting up mobile dispensing sites, and creating pop-up vaccination locations in community centers, churches and senior centers. The Health Department has also launched a multi-lingual campaign to educate people about COVID-19 and the vaccine. She noted much of the states plan for targeting underserved communities was developed as part of its response to COVID-19 testing during the early months of the pandemic. As more vaccine becomes available, the commissioner expects the state will not only be adding vaccination sites, but also deploying staff who can go door-to-door with iPads registering people for the vaccine. And she spoke of outreach to other underserved populations as well, including migrant and season workers. Right now, though, they are still dealing with a vaccine supply that cannot meet the current demand. We need more vaccine, Persichilli said. Tell us your COVID-19 vaccination stories, send us a news tip or questions about the vaccination process on our tip form. Local journalism needs your support. Subscribe at nj.com/supporter. Staff writer Riley Yates contributed to this report. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Scottish nationalists should stop talking endlessly about another independence referendum because the 2014 vote was a once-in-a-generation event. With a raft of polls showing increased support for Scottish independence from the UK, Johnsons visit to Glasgow on Thursday to promote the benefits of the union during a coronavirus lockdown was overshadowed by accusations that he was not abiding by the rules. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits the French biotechnology laboratory Valneva in Scotland. Credit:AP Although Scotland has its own government and an array of powers from public health through to education, it remains part of the UK under which London still has huge influence. I dont think that the right thing to do is to talk endlessly about another referendum when I think what the people of the country and the people of Scotland want in particular is to fight this pandemic, Johnson said on a visit to Scotland. Most Italian regions become yellow zones with effect from Monday 1 February. Italy has eased its coronavirus restrictions for most of the country including the Lazio region around Rome and the Lombardia region around Milan. Both Rome and Milan will be downgraded from medium-risk orange zones to lower-risk yellow zones, with effect from Monday 1 February. The move, announced by Italian health minister Roberto Speranza, is based on regional levels of covid-19 risk, under Italy's tiered system of restrictions. The most significant change for Rome and Milan will be that bars and restaurants can reopen their doors to customers (under the orange zone restrictions it was take-away service only) until 18.00, and there will be greater freedom to travel. It also means that museums and archaeological sites, which have been closed since 6 November, can reopen but only from Monday to Friday - not at weekends. The regions of Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Umbria and the autonomous province of Bolzano remain orange zones. There are currently no regions in Italy's highest-risk red zones. The Lazio region has been classified as an orange zone since 17 January following semi-lockdown measures in Italy over the Christmas and New Year period. The restrictions imposed on each region are based on the latest data from the health ministry and the Higher Health Institute's monitoring report released each Friday. Photo Wanted in Rome Police make late night New Years Day dashcam appeal for Borras or Caia Park area This article is old - Published: Thursday, Jan 28th, 2021 North Wales Police have made a very precise request for dashcam footage for anyone who was out and about on the evening of New Years Day. The force are looking for any footage from any vehicles that were recording dashcam or other footage and were driving in or around Borras or Caia Park. The specific timeframe officers are interested is the hour period between 11:20 PM on New Years Day the 1st of January 2021 and 00:40 AM after midnight. Anyone with any footage are asked to call police via the 101 number or online webchat, quoting itrace 36680 . New Delhi: The oh so stunning generation next star kids - Suhana Khan, Ananya Panday, Navya Naveli Nanda and Shanaya Kapoor are breaking the internet. Why? Well, when the gang of glam girls decide to pose together and drop their pictures on social media, what else do you expect. So, Shah Rukh Khan's daughter Suhana Khan took to Instagram and shared pictures with her BFFs, dressed up for what looked like a fun party. Take a look here: SRK and Gauri Khan's darling daughter headed to New York University last year where she is studying acting. She completed her graduation from Ardingly College in England. Speculation of her making her starry entry into movie business has always been around and now that she is studying acting as a course, looks like very soon the pretty girl will be making her big-screen debut. Out of this cool bunch of pretty girls, Ananya Panday has already made her entry into the showbiz world, Shanaya Kapoor assisted cousin sister Janhvi Kapoor in 'Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl' while Navya has stayed away from the arclights and is busy with her own venture Aara Health. A state board unanimously approved economic incentives Friday for ExxonMobils proposed $410 million Baton Rouge refinery modernization and for a $308 million solar farm planned by Ecoplexus in East Feliciana Parish. With state Board of Commerce and Industry approval, the city-parish Metro Council, East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Sheriffs Office are expected in coming weeks to vote on the ExxonMobil tax abatement. ExxonMobil, which faced criticism from tax break opposition and environmental groups during Friday's meeting, proposes spending more than $410 million on its project. The company says it includes environmental emissions reductions at the refinery, which processes 500,000 barrels of crude oil each day. Only $230.5 million of the expenditure is eligible for the state's Industrial Tax Exemption program, which would provide an 80% property tax abatement worth $27 million to the company over 10 years. The project will support more than 2,000 construction jobs, but is not expected to create any new permanent jobs, which also drew criticism. The modernization, though, will protect existing jobs by making the refinery competitive for getting funding for future projects, the company has said. Ecoplexus will pursue incentives approval from taxing bodies in East Feliciana Parish. The solar farm, which would create one permanent job, but support 486 construction jobs, would receive $17.5 million in property tax abatement over 10 years. The site is undeveloped so it doesn't yield significant property taxes for the parish at this time. Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome spoke in favor of ExxonMobil's project during the Commerce and Industry Board meeting. These types of investments are critical to increasing our economic competitiveness in Baton Rouge. This project would lay the foundation to make us competitive for future investments, Broome said. ExxonMobil expects to make a final investment decision in March. It would begin construction in June, continuing until 2023. ExxonMobil has faced local opposition to two economic incentive applications two years ago and withdrew applications from consideration after criticism that the work was already completed in 2017. The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board rejected two ExxonMobil tax breaks in January 2019 worth $2.9 million over a 10-year period. Soon after, ExxonMobil dropped its request for tax breaks from Baton Rouge Metro Council worth $9.2 million over 10 years. Together Louisiana, a faith-based community organization, questioned whether the new $230.5 million investment goes beyond just being routine maintenance work at the site, based on the capital expense proposed. The community organization, which has opposed economic incentives for many industrial projects, also was critical of the lack of new jobs tied to the project. "The question for any project should be: 'Is this routine or is this competitive?'" said Broderick Bagert, organizer with Together Louisiana. "Like any other manufacturing facility, it puts in capital every year. That shouldn't be incentivized." The company and the state's economic development agency refuted the claims it was only annual maintenance. "This major investment is on top of what we spend on base year to year; this is not our routine spend," said Gloria Moncada, manager for the ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Refinery. 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 "We believe that this is a competitive situation with Texas. This is not their annual maintenance budget," said Don Pierson, a Board of Commerce and Industry member and head of the Louisiana Economic Development department. An environmental group from New Orleans opposed giving up potential property tax dollars for a project in the fossil fuel industry. "The kind of particulate matter that Exxon emits has a very serious impact on health of literally thousands of citizens," said Peter Digre, leader of the Climate Reality New Orleans chapter. "We have this huge opportunity cost from taking money from badly needed public health education infrastructure, law enforcement and much more. Basically, we are investing in an industry that's losing its market capitalization." Some of the overall investment includes new environmental processing technology at the ExxonMobil refinery that will reduce its volatile organic compound emissions by about 10%, according to the company's state application. ExxonMobil also was criticized for shedding jobs over the past decade at its refinery and chemical plant. LED plans to audit the company, which has promised not to lay off workers and to replace those who relocate or retire in the coming years. Board member Jan Moller asked whether the ExxonMobil and Ecoplexus projects would move forward if their projects do not get a tax incentive. Both companies said the fate of their projects depend on the tax incentives. Board chairman Jerald Jones recused himself from the discussion and vote about ExxonMobil due to a conflict of interest. Since electricity is a commodity, the prices are on average relatively low, which means the incentive makes a difference for the solar farm project, said Allen Brisch, senior director of project development at California-based Ecoplexus. "We would be put at a substantial disadvantage without the ITEP tax incentive and would not be able to go forward without it," he said. "Solar projects don't require much maintenance once they are in operation," Brisch said of the single job being created after construction. Ecoplexus is bidding on a contract to sell its power to Entergy when the project is completed. See estimated economic impact for $240 million ExxonMobil investment ExxonMobil's proposed modernization of its Baton Rouge refinery would have an economic impact of at least $277 million spent with businesses i ExxonMobil looks to invest more than $240 million in Baton Rouge refinery After about two years of planning, ExxonMobil proposes investing several hundred million dollars in its Baton Rouge refinery to make the site A reeling Louisiana oil and gas industry anticipates another setback: Loss of federal subsidies Federal subsidies for fossil fuels are expected to be pulled back while more investment goes toward clean energy and water, with a hefty porti No proof of fraud against Srinivas, Gambhir: They were helping, Delhi Police tells HC Forensic experts reach Ghazipur border to collect evidence India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 29: A team of forensic experts along with the crime branch officials have reached Ghazipur border to collect forensic evidence. The team collected samples from various locations. The Delhi Police said that all members of the public including media persons who are witnesses to the incidents of January 26 and have captured any activity on their mobile phones are requested to forward the same. Delhi Police issue notice to 40 farmer leaders; ultimatum to protesters to vacate UP gate in Ghaziabad Meanwhile, the police has blocked entry to all at Ghazipur border protest site. The media too has not been allowed to enter the site. One police personnel and a local were injured during the stone pelting between farmers and counter protesters at the Singhu border. Violence erupts at Singhu Border: Alipur SHO injured | Oneindia News The Delhi Traffic Police on its Twitter handle said, "Singhu, Auchandi, Mangesh, Saboli,Piau Maniyari borders closed.Lampur, Safiabad,Singhu school and Palla toll tax borders opened. Please take alternate route. Traffic diverted from NH44 near DSIDC Narela. Avoid Outer Ring Rd,GTK road and NH 44." For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 16:44 [IST] Delaware CIO James Collins announced in September he was joining Microsoft as a general manager with a focus on state and local government as well as higher education. Stephen Elkins, who served as CIO for the city of Austin, Texas, for 10 years, left his job the same month. According to his LinkedIn profile, he joined Microsoft as a client director. Kirk Lonbom, who retired as Illinois CIO in 2018, joined the company in November as director of public safety and justice strategy for state and local government. Former Arkansas CIO Yessica Jones signed on in December as a delivery management manager for Microsoft Consulting Services with a focus on state and local government and education. Jeremy Goldberg, who served as acting CIO for the state of New York for about a year, became a part of Microsofts Worldwide Public Sector group in January. Following in the footsteps of Amazon Web Services, Microsoft has spent the last several months hiring former state and local government CIOs.The tech giant has hired at least five such people since September:Microsoft representatives declined to comment on the hiring spree. In a recent interview with, Goldberg said he would be focusing on digital government and critical infrastructure, hoping to push the public sector toward transforming its IT systems.The hires come after Amazon Web Services scooped up four former state CIOs , including three in 2020.Its common for state CIOs to leave their posts for jobs in the private sector; in 2019,examined CIO careers and found that about half went to private companies after stepping down from their government posts. But their destinations are very diverse, including IT firms like Microsoft as well as finance consulting and many other fields. Day care shortage creates barriers for working parents With a labor shortage plaguing the state, working parents are ready to fill these positions. The lack of childcare options creates barriers. The webinar includes information on how solar energy works in the state, as well as the benefits and challenges of homeowners using the sun to provide them with electricity. The Maharashtra government on Friday decided to allow the general public to travel by the local trains in Mumbai from 1 February in fixed time slots. The decision was taken after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's review meeting on the issue of resumption of suburban train services, considered as the lifeline of Mumbai, for all members of the public. For now, the government has decided that the general public will be allowed to travel before 7 am, between 12 noon and 4 pm, and then again after 9 pm. "The local train services will be restricted to the essential services staff only as is being permitted currently from 7 am to 12 pm and from 4 pm to 9 pm," an order issued by the Maharashtra government read. Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar has asked the Chief General Managers of Western and Central Railway to allow local train commuters to travel as per the laid down schedule, reported news agency PTI. In wake of the coronavirus pandemic, only some categories of commuters, such as women and those providing essential services, are allowed to take local trains in Mumbai after obtaining a special pass at present. The suburban train services were suspended in March-end last year due to the coronavirus pandemic and gradually resumed from June 2020. Before the coronavirus-induced lockdown in March last year, around 80 lakh passengers used the local train services in Mumbai. At present, there are 20 lakh passengers and if reports are to be believed then the number may not touch 80 lakh again anytime soon as many people are working from home now. The decision to resume Mumbai locals comes minutes after the Maharashtra government today extended its lockdown restrictions till 28 February. "Activities already allowed and permitted from time to time shall be continued and all earlier orders shall be aligned with this order and shall remain in force up to 28 February," reads the Maharashtra government statement. The order also said that the existing guidelines will be strictly implemented by all the departments of the Maharashtra government. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Samples of rare earth minerals from left: Cerium oxide, Bastnaesite, Neodymium oxide and Lanthanum carbonate at Molycorp's Mountain Pass Rare Earth facility in Mountain Pass, California in a file photo. China's state media outlets have hailed the surprising rise of the country's exports last year, with one notable exception -- a double-digit drop in supplies of minerals known as rare earths. On Jan. 14, the Communist Party tabloid Global Times noted a 23.5-percent reduction in exports of rare earth elements (REEs), a class of 17 strategic materials used in products ranging from sophisticated magnets and cell phones to wind turbines and missile systems. China is the dominant source of REEs, accounting for 62.8 percent of world production in 2019, according to U.S. Geological Survey data, although past published estimates have run as high as 99 percent. The Global Times quoted a Beijing-based energy analyst as saying that the slump in shipments of REE ore to the lowest level since 2015 was partly due to a government policy of promoting higher-value exports. "Rare earth ore exports are limited in value, and the global demand for raw materials is relatively low," said Liu Enqiao of Anbound Consulting. But Liu added that the decline "might be partly due to China's tightening of regulations on strategic resources" under the country's new export control law, which took effect on Dec. 1. The law restricts sales of items related to China's national security. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has also issued proposed regulations on quota management, production and other controls, the Asia Times reported. The government has yet to publish its list of controlled items under the new law, but it is expected to include categories covered by the U.S. Commerce Department's Control List and the U.S. Munitions List, an online posting by the White & Case law firm said. The export control law may give China a new opening to restrict rare earth exports under a national security exception to World Trade Organization rules against restraints on free trade. Trade friction The national security curbs come nearly seven years after the WTO confirmed a ruling against China's previous attempts to impose export restrictions on environmental and domestic demand grounds in a case brought by the United States, the European Union and Japan. But whatever the reason given for the controls, China has made no mystery of its motives for restricting REE exports. On its web page, the Global Times cited earlier reports describing the new law as a "deterrent," a "bargaining chip" and a "tool of reprisal" against the United States. The export controls on REEs are seen as retaliation for the U.S. exclusion of telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co. from development of 5G networks, sanctions on Chinese firms for suspected military ties and penalties for repression in Xinjiang. "It makes no sense for the U.S. to use Chinese rare earths to make things like chips and then block their sales to Huawei," said Zhou Shijian, former vice president of the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals & Chemicals Importers, in a Global Times report on Nov. 30. In another report on Oct. 23, the Global Times suggested that the law would allow China to cut off exports of seven other nonferrous metals including tungsten, tin, antimony, molybdenum, niobium, titanium and cobalt, deemed vital to the U.S. defense industry. China's maneuvers related to REEs and nonferrous metals have been the subject of WTO complaints dating back to 2012. The threat of retaliation against the United States mirrors China's ban of REE exports to Japan in 2010 following the detention of a Chinese fishing boat captain who rammed Japanese patrol boats in contested waters of the East China Sea. The incident touched off a long series of tensions regarding access to rare earths and technologies. In an analysis for the Foreign Policy Research Institute last October, June Teufel Dreyer, political science professor at the University of Miami, charted China's efforts to preserve its near-monopoly over REE mining and processing, giving it a high card to play in strategic conflicts. Dreyer noted that President Xi Jinping visited a rare earths mine in southeast China's Jiangxi province in May 2019 during a period of rising trade frictions with Washington. The move was seen as a signal of muscle-flexing. "Lest the implication be missed, Renmin Ribao, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee, wrote, 'We advise the U.S. side not to underestimate the Chinese side's ability to safeguard its development rights and interests,'" Dreyer quoted the paper as saying. "Don't say we didn't warn you," Renmin Ribao said. In November, more than a year later, then-President Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring "a national emergency in the mining industry" to spur production and reduce reliance on China for REEs. Beijing may have more than one motive for cutting its export of rare earths, which could be critical to its goals of developing domestic semiconductors and technologies under its "Made in China 2025" plan. "I suspect it's either to send a signal to the U.S. or to ensure an adequate domestic supply, or both," said William Reinsch, a former Commerce Department official and now an international trade expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Retaliation Either way, China can send a retaliatory message by restricting exports, knowing that another complaint to the WTO would take a long time to resolve. "If the objective is to tweak the U.S., they can make their point easily, because there wouldn't be a WTO panel outcome for a year after a case was initiated," Reinsch said. The Global Times reports suggest that the primary reason for the cuts is leverage. "I see the drop as 90 percent retaliation and reprisal against the U.S.," said Gary Hufbauer, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. Hufbauer said the new administration of President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is likely to respond by reducing U.S. reliance on China for strategic minerals. "My expectation is that the Biden administration will guarantee a large share of the U.S. rare earths market to suppliers other than China, like the United States, Canada and Morocco," Hufbauer said. On Jan. 20, the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy announced U.S. $28.35 million (183.1 million yuan) in federal funding for cost-shared research and development projects on critical minerals and rare earths. The United States is "completely dependent on imports" for 14 out of 35 critical minerals, the agency said in a press release. "The U.S. currently imports 80 percent of its REEs directly from China, with remaining portions indirectly sourced from China through other countries," it said. The agency said the current U.S. $5-billion (32.2-billion yuan) global market for REEs is expected to grow by 40 percent in the next five years. The threat of rare earths retaliation seems to fit an emerging pattern in Chinese policy of targeting trade to exert pressure on foreign countries and further political goals. Most recently in December, China's top planning agency formalized a ban on coal imports from Australia after delaying deliveries since November 2018. China cited a list of grievances against Canberra, including investment restrictions against Huawei and "siding with" the United States. The coal ban on Australia coincided with a wave of energy shortages in China as the government authorized power companies to "import coal without clearance restrictions" from all other suppliers. China has persisted in punishing Australia, which previously accounted for some 40 percent of its coal imports, despite the effect on price increases. The ban may be seen as a measure of the relative importance of the government's foreign policy priorities regardless of the economic costs. Last year, China's coal imports of nearly 304 million metric tons rose 1.5 percent, rising for the fifth consecutive year, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Domestic coal production rose 0.9 percent to 3.84 billion tons last year, the NBS said. LONDON, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Prime Minister of the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr the Honourable Timothy Harris, has joined other world leaders in congratulating the new leadership in the United States of America. President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were sworn in as the 46th President and Vice President of the US on Wednesday, January 20, 2021. St Kitts and Nevis and the US have been diplomatic allies since 1983, the same year the dual island attained independence. Alexander Hamilton, an influential leader in the United States' founding, was born in Charlestown, Nevis. US assistance in St Kitts and Nevis is primarily channelled through multilateral agencies such as the World Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). The Federation also benefits from US humanitarian civic action construction projects. In the congratulatory letter to President Biden, Prime Minister Harris said, "As you accept the mantle afforded to you as the 46th President of the United States of America, allow me to reaffirm the commitment of the Government of St Kitts and Nevis to continue the longstanding mutual relationship that exists between the Federation and the USA, one that was built on mutual respect and support." The Prime Minister added that he is "confident and optimistic that through [President Biden's] strong leadership, [] the continued partnership between St Kitts and Nevis and the United States of America will not only continue but will flourish." In recent years, the nation has seen growing numbers of American visitors. Around 1,000 US citizens currently reside on the islands. However, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and the Medical University of the Americas - Nevis constitute a significant US population. Foreign Minister Mark Brantley has been committed to strengthening St Kitts and Nevis' international relations globally. Thus, citizens of St Kitts and Nevis can travel to 156 destinations. This also includes economic citizens that have acquired citizenship through the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme. Introduced in 1984, St Kitts and Nevis' CBI Programme provides investors and their families a safe and stable route to second citizenship once they invest in the nation's economy. After passing the necessary security checks, applicants gain a wealth of opportunities. These include increased travel freedom, the right to live and work in the country and the option to pass down citizenship for generations. [email protected] www.csglobalpartners.com SOURCE CS Global Partners Related Links http://www.csglobalpartners.com Kota: A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered in village in Rajasthan's Baran district. The girl had gone to defacate in a field. Police told about the incident on Thursday. The victim's father in his complaint said his daughter was found naked and seriously injured by villagers behind a power-house near his house on Tuesday night, SHO at Narghgarh Police Station, Mukesh Meena, said. The officer said she was rushed by locals to a government hospital where doctors declared her brought dead. "The complaint was lodged yesterday and after post-mortem the body was handed over to the family," the SHO said. "The father has claimed that a youth was seen standing near the body. But he fled the spot after seeing people approaching him," Meena said. The complainant said his daughter had gone to defecate at a nearby field at around 11 pm on Tuesday when the youth caught hold of her and then raped her, the officer said. The accused, who is absconding, has been booked under relevant sections of the IPC, including rape and murder, and provision of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act, the SHO said. The matter is being investigated, he said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Chandigarh, Jan 29 : The Haryana government on Friday extended the suspension of mobile phone services -- except voice calls -- to 14 more districts till 5 pm on January 30 as a preventive measure. Initially, the suspension was in force in Sonipat, Palwal and Jhajjar districts -- all adjoining Delhi -- since January 26, the day Delhi saw violence during the tractor march by protesting farmers. The districts where telecom services have been suspended now are Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Panipat, Hisar, Jind, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Fatehabad, Rewari, and Sirsa. An official spokesperson told IANS that the state decided to extend the suspension of Internet services to stop the spread of disinformation and rumours through various social media platforms on mobile phones. Nature & Weather By Ls Cohen Published: January 29 2021 The 17-year cycle of cicadas is expected to emerge in Spring 2021. Much to the chagrin of insect enthusiasts and the relief of just about everyone else, dont expect a multitude of cicadas from so-called Brood X to infest Long Island this year. Every 17 years, billions of noisy cicadas crawl out of the ground infesting the northeast in a swarm of biblical proportions. They grow, eat, sing, mate, and die. Then their progeny (brood) burrow back underground to incubate for another 17-year-long cycle. The 2021 crop of cicadas - called Brood X by scientists - might be a bust if the last recorded emergence is any indication. Back in 2004, this specific species of cicada that emerged on the 17-year time schedule was deemed all but extinct on Long Island. A Newsday article reported that the Brood X barely made an appearance. After two false alarms and countless scouting expeditions, enthusiasts and experts are facing a sad truth: the periodical cicadas of Brood X haven't re-emerged en masse on Long Island, and likely never will. Ever again, the paper reported. This is a USDA Forest Service map showing, county-by-county, where periodical cicada broods of the United States are located, and when they can next be expected to emerge. Photo: Andrew M. Liebhold, Michael J. Bohne, and Rebecca L. Lilja, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cicada Mania, a website dedicated to the insects confirms that in Suffolk County, where the cicadas typically emerge on Long Island, are extinct, or nearly so. The website author, Dan Mozgai, encouraged people to still look for them just in case and that some cicadas were still spotted in East Setauket, Connetquot River State Park, Ronkonkoma, and Stony Brook last time. This species of cicadas are different from your typical cicadas that emerge annually, which are green and do not come in the mass quantities of Brood X. The 17-year cycle of cicadas (Genus: Magicicada) are usually black and orange with red eyes - no, not scary at all. Also, theyre not locusts, as some people will call them. Video: Singing Magicicada septendecim from Cicada Mania on Vimeo. Cicadas have developed this cycle of incubation over millions of years of evolution to avoid predators. They come in such large numbers for a similar reason - to make sure there are enough that survive to breed and perpetuate the species. According to Cicada Mania, the cicadas will start to come out around Mid-may when the soil 8-inches below ground reaches 64 degrees. It reported that in 2004, people saw cicadas emerge around May 13th. These cicadas will emerge after the trees have grown leaves, and, by my own observation, around the same time Iris flowers bloom, Mozgai reports on the site. A Montreal man pleaded not guilty Friday in federal court in Vermont to a federal charge that he took part in a plot to bring up to 1,500 kilograms (3,300 pounds) of cocaine to Vermont from Peru. Georges Yaghmour entered the plea during a video hearing of Vermonts U.S. District Court. Court documents say the cocaine that was to be imported into the United States was for export. Apparently none of the cocaine reached its intended destination. The documents don't list the final destination of the cocaine, but it is part of the same plan that resulted in the kidnapping of a couple from Moira, New York, in late September, authorities said. The couple, smuggled across the border into Canada before being rescued by Quebec police, was being held for the return of 50 kilograms of cocaine that had already been seized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, authorities said. Though Yaghmours role, if any, in that kidnapping is unknown, the conspiracy of which he is a part is patently dangerous, prosecutors said in a Thursday court filing asking that he be held pending trial. Yaghmour's attorney Michael Cohen, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, asked Magistrate Judge John Conroy for time to prepare a response to prosecutors' request that Yaghmour be held pending trial. Conroy ordered Yaghmour held but scheduled another hearing for next week to discuss bail. Yaghmour was arrested in Florida in November after he flew there from Montreal to discuss why none of the cocaine he had arranged to be delivered had been delivered. He is now being held at Vermont's Northwest Station Correctional Facility in St. Albans. Prosecutors say Yaghmour was involved in a meeting in Burlington in December 2019 with other suspects, some of whom had entered the United States from Canada that day. Two weeks later, DEA agents witnessed a member of the plot deliver $150,000 as a down payment. In September 2020, the DEA disrupted two deliveries that were part of the plan, a seizure of the 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of cocaine in South Burlington that led to the alleged kidnapping in New York, and a second, smaller seizure in Framingham, Massachusetts. Prosecutors' motion for detention said that after Yaghmours arrest, Canadian police were contacted by someone on Yaghmours behalf seeking to substantiate a false claim that Yaghmour was acting on behalf of Canadian law enforcement. 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. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) smiles with his fiancee Ginger Luckey before speaking to a rally against Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) in Cheyenne, Wyo., on Jan. 28, 2021. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images) Gaetz Targets Cheney Over Impeachment Vote at Rally in Her Home State Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) called for voters to vote Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) out of office during a rally in Wyoming on Thursday. In a lot of ways, Liz Cheney is exactly like Congress: deeply unpopular and owned by special interests, Gaetz told a crowd of hundreds during a rally in Cheyenne. Cheney has faced strong pushback after joining Democrats to impeach then-President Donald Trump earlier this month. She took the caucus by surprise when she announced her decision because she didnt reveal what she was planning with Republican leadership, according to House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Theres basically two things that Liz Cheney has done in the United States Congress: frustrate the agenda of President Trump and sell out to the forever war machine,' Gaetz said. Donald Trump Jr., Trumps son, speaking by phone, told rallygoers that they should find exactly the opposite of Cheney and support that person against her in the next race. Cheneys office pointed The Epoch Times to officials who have come out in support of her since the vote, including Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas). Appearing on Fox News last week, Cheney was asked about her vote. All of us who lived through the events of January 6, all who watched on television I think its important that what happened on Jan. 6 never happen again, she said. I think its also important we come together as a party now to move forward, to make sure that we are fighting against the kinds of policies that we know the Democrats are going to put forward and also that were putting forward a positive agenda of hope and opportunity for the future letting people understand what Republicans stand for. People held signs at the Jan. 28 rally including ones that said, Impeach Liz Cheney! and Florida Man Is an Idiot. A small group of counter-demonstrators was present. The Wyoming Highway Patrol told news outlets that there were between 700 and 800 people at the rally. A protester shouts in agreement with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as he gives a speech during a rally against Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) outside the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne, Wyo., on Jan. 28, 2021. (Michael Cummo/The Wyoming Tribune Eagle via AP) Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) speaks to a rally against Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) in Cheyenne, Wyo., on Jan. 28, 2021. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images) Counter-demonstrators stand to the side as Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) speaks during a rally against Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) in Cheyenne, Wyo., on Jan. 28, 2021. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images) Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) speaks during a news conference with other House Republicans at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Dec. 10, 2020. (Erin Scott/Reuters) The rally took place days before the House GOP caucus is set to meet behind closed doors. An overwhelming majority of the caucus voted against impeachment and an effort to oust Cheney from her position as House GOP Conference chair has gained steam, though it doesnt have support from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) or House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.). Cheney has defied calls to step down from the leadership team and has seen others come to her defense. Wyoming doesnt like it when outsiders come into our state and try to tell us what to do, former Wyoming state Rep. Amy Edmonds, a Republican, said in a statement about Gaetzs comments. Cheney will face at least one primary challenger in 2022. Liz Cheneys long-time opposition to President Trump and her most recent vote for Impeachment shows just how out-of-touch she is with Wyoming. Wyoming taxpayers need a voice in Congress who will stand up to Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats, and not give them cover, state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, a Republican, said in a statement. Thats why Im running for Congress. Walmart Inc plans to expand its advertising business, adding space for ads at its U.S. stores and sharing its vast trove of shopper data with brands, the worlds largest retailer said on Thursday, looking to challenge rival Amazon.com Inc as a media powerhouse. The efforts are key to Walmarts aggressive plan to achieve a more than tenfold increase in its advertising business within five years, according to a source familiar with the matter. Reuters previously reported Walmarts annual advertising revenue was expected to be nearly $1 billion in ... During the flogging, the two, in their 20s, shouted and begged for mercy several times. The mother of one of them passed out on hearing the cries of her son. A "show" that has raised criticism from activists and human rights NGOs. For local officials, sharia-based verdicts must be applied and cannot be waived. Jakarta (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A homosexual couple from Aceh, the most conservative Indonesian province and the only one in which Islamic law is in force, were flogged 80 times in a "public show" that has raised criticism from activists and human rights NGOs. The execution of the sentence took place yesterday: both had been sentenced to 80 blows for acts contrary to Islamic morality (relations between people of the same sex). The authorities refused to reveal the identity of the two, who repeatedly screamed in pain during the lashes, begging the executioner for mercy. The officers called to enforce the verdict continued regardless of the shouts, hitting them on the back with a rattan stick. In a moment of pity, the officers stopped the flogging to allow the two young men, in their twenties, to quench their thirst and then resume with the blows. During the execution of the sentence, the mother of one of the two passed out hearing the screams of pain and the pleading of her son. Public official Heru Triwijanarko stresses that sentences under the sharia are final and cannot be waived. The two had been arrested in November, after the landlord of the house they had rented found them half naked in a room. Also yesterday four other people, between 17 and 40 years old, were whipped for drinking alcohol or meeting "people of the opposite sex". In the past, activists and human rights groups have called for a moratorium on flogging and President Joko Widodo himself has said he is against this type of punishment. However, it enjoys broad support from the majority of the local population. About 98% of Aceh's five million residents are Muslims. Sharia law came into force around 2005 following a peace agreement between Jakarta and the Movement for the liberation of Aceh (Gam), an Islamic separatist group. According to Islamic law, even "hugging" is part of a series of crimes (such as gambling, alcohol consumption or extramarital affairs) punishable by a specific number of whips. Article 63 of the Local Penal Code (Qanun Jinayat) prohibits homosexual practices, considering them acts of sodomy. In the rest of the country, same-sex relationships are allowed, if they are over the age of consent. NORFOLK, Va., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) announced today that in 2020 the company assisted 86 businesses in locating new or expanded facilities on its freight rail network. The industries ranged from a medical products supplier and roofing shingle manufacturer to automakers and paper packaging producers. Across 18 states, Norfolk Southern customers invested $1.8 billion to open 70 new and 16 expanded rail-served facilities. The industrial development is expected to create more than 2,960 customer jobs and generate over 54,300 carloads of new rail volume annually for Norfolk Southern. "Despite the impacts of COVID-19, rail-served industrial development in our service area remained steady overall throughout 2020," said Kathleen Smith, vice president business development and real estate. "Norfolk Southern worked closely with customers to help them grow and meet their supply chain needs. We have a solid pipeline of business development opportunity in 2021 and beyond across our automotive and industrial product markets." Carload growth associated with the opening of new or expanded facilities in 2020 came from a diverse mix of business sectors. Among the largest development projects were a medical products production facility in Linwood, North Carolina; a paper packaging products plant in Palmyra, Pennsylvania; a roofing shingle manufacturing facility in Avery, Ohio; a grain-related expansion in Portage, Indiana; a steel-mill expansion in Calvert, Alabama; and automotive-related projects in Tennessee, Alabama, West Virginia, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. Supporting jobs and economic growth for communities, Norfolk Southern collaborates with customers and state and local economic development leaders to identify rail-served sites and to develop infrastructure that connects industrial development projects to its rail network. The railroad's Industrial Development Department provides free and confidential facility-location services, including industrial park planning, site layout, track design, and supply-chain and sustainability analysis. "Our railroad is committed to providing efficient service that is also environmentally sustainable," said Chris Ingraham, group vice president industrial development. "Norfolk Southern offers a lower-carbon alternative to shipping goods over the road. By converting more of their shipments to rail, businesses can lower their supply-chain carbon footprint and contribute to the nation's environmental goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions." Over the past decade, Norfolk Southern has worked alongside customers and communities to support the location of 872 new or expanded facilities representing $58 billion in private investment and the creation of over 39,700 new customer jobs. About Norfolk Southern Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 19,300 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern is a major transporter of industrial products, including agriculture, forest and consumer products, chemicals, and metals and construction materials. In addition, the railroad operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a principal carrier of coal, automobiles, and automotive parts. SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation Related Links http://www.nscorp.com Alejandro Mayorkas, nominee for Secretary of Homeland Security, testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 19, 2021. (Joshua Roberts-Pool/Getty Images) Sen. Cruz Urges Senate Colleagues to Oppose Confirmation of DHS Secretary Nominee Mayorkas Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Thursday called on his fellow Senate colleagues to oppose President Joe Bidens choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Alejandro Mayorkas, over his disregard for the rule of law and embrace of China. As Mayorkas heads for final Senate confirmation, Cruz on Twitter shared a letter (pdf) on Twitter addressed to his Congressional colleagues, outlining what he has described as a long list of ethical, legal, and policy failures during Mayorkass public service tenure. Theres a long list of ethical, legal, and policy failures throughout Alejandro Mayorkas public service tenure. Thats why I urge my Senate colleagues to oppose his confirmation to be President Bidens @DHSgov Secretary. Read my letter here pic.twitter.com/3RzF8PxHdE Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) January 28, 2021 Mayorkas previously served as the deputy secretary of DHS in the Obama administration, and as Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). These failures, Cruzs office said, include abuses of power that provided special government favors to benefit well-connected Democrats, such as securing an EB-5 visa for a high-level official at Huawei, a global espionage operation of the Chinese Communist Party masquerading as a technology company. Mr. Mayorkas has shown a repeated disregard for the rule of law, Cruz alleges in his letter, pointing out an extensive and damning 2015 inspector generals report on his prior actions during his position as USCIS director. Cruz said the report brought to light his improper actions as the Director of USCIS. The report examined how the 61-year-old intervened in the EB-5 visa program process in a questionable way for wealthy investors. It ultimately concluded that Mayorkas didnt break any laws, but had created the appearance of special access, reported the Washington Post. Mayorkas overrode normal process in order to provide political favors under the EB-5 visa program to well-connected Democrat stakeholdersincluding a company run by former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons brother that sought a visa for a vice president of Huawei Technologies and a company in which Senator Harry Reids son was involved, Cruzs letter states. Mr. Mayorkass improper intervention was the deciding factor in granting visas to politically favored companies and people, and led to significant resentment among not only career staff but senior managers and attorneys responsible for USCIS mission and programs. As the Inspector General bluntly put it, Mr. Mayorkass intervention was corrosive and destabilizing, the letter says. Cruz also highlighted that when Mayorkas was confirmed in 2013, he did not earn any Republican votes in the Senate. As we did in 2013, we should stand firm and refuse to confirm Mr. Mayorkas, Cruzs letter concludes. Read More DHS Secretary Nominee Alejandro Mayorkas Questioned by Senate Panel Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) last week signaled that he would place a hold on the fast-track nomination process of Mayorkas, just hours after the Senate Homeland Security Committee ended its hearing with Bidens pick. Hawley said he took issue with answers given by Mayorkas about how he will secure the U.S.-Mexico border. The Biden administration is going to remain committed to a strong bilateral relationship with India, the Pentagon has said, a day after US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke for the first time with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The Secretary made it very clear that we're going to remain committed to a strong US-India bilateral relationship, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters at a news conference here on Thursday. (They) had a good chat yesterday. They discussed a lot of issues, including our two nations' response to the coronavirus, Kirby said responding to a question on the maiden phone call between Austin and Singh. Retired general Austin became the first African-American to lead the Pentagon when the Senate confirmed him as US Defence Secretary on January 22. During his conversation with Singh on Wednesday, Austin pledged to work collaboratively with India to sustain the progress in the bilateral defence relationship, the Pentagon said earlier. "During the call, Secretary Austin emphasised the Department's commitment to the US-India Major Defence Partnership, observing that it is built upon shared values and a common interest in ensuring the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open," Kirby said on Wednesday. "Secretary Austin noted the great strides made in the US-India defence relationship, and he pledged to work collaboratively with the Defence Minister to sustain progress, Kirby said in a readout of the call. The Indo-US defence ties have been on an upswing in the last few years and in June 2016, the US had designated India a Major Defence Partner. The two countries have also inked key defence and security pacts over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies as well as provides for deeper cooperation. The two sides have also signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 that provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for sale of high end technology from the US to India. (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.) Jaipur, Jan 29 : As many as 20 transgenders from Rajasthan have donated lakhs of rupees for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, calling it an emotional moment of their life as they maintained that centuries ago Lord Rama had blessed that Kalyug will usher in good times for them. The transgenders expressed their happiness to be a part of the Ram Temple story, adding that they will add more to their good deeds. Rekha buaji, a transgender from Mewar region donated Rs 5,111,11 for the construction of the holy shrine. Speaking to IANS, she said: This is a historic moment and hence people from all sections of the society should connect with each other to contribute to the Temple's construction. I pray to God that entire Bharat stands united for the construction. I wish Lord Rama showers his blessings for a prosperous India. Similarly, Kiranbai, another transgender from Beowar, donated Rs 3,21,000 with a dream that a grand Ram Temple will come up in Ayodhya and bring in Ram Rajya soon. Mamta from Charbhuja in Rajsamand is another trangender in-line to donate Rs 1,51,000 for the Mandir construction. She also made an appeal to the local residents to come in big numbers for the cause and contribute to the construction of the historic Ram Temple. Speaking to IANS, she said: I feel very proud of doing something which was guided by my heart. I have collected all my funds after dancing and singing in marriage ceremonies. When people around started talking of Ram temple, I decided to donate over Rs 1 lakh for the great cause. Sharing a text from Ramayana, Mamta said: Hope you are aware that Lord Rama had blessed us after returning from exile on the banks of Saryu and said, O great transgenders of Ayodhya, I am greatly touched by your devotion. May your breed prevail in free Bharat. Another transgender, Riya Kumari from Kumher has donated Rs 1,01,000 for the Ram Temple construction. She said, Our heart is always inclined towards Lord Rama and hence we have donated our funds for such a noble cause. Although, this time it was our secret donation, but people came to know about the amount after the receipts were made public. Aarti, a transgender from Sanwariyaji donated Rs 51,000 on behalf of Kinnar Samaj Akhada Sanwariyaji. The transgenders said that they were waiting with baited breath for the court's Ayodhya verdict and are now eagerly waiting to visit the Ram Temple after its construction. The administration of President Joe Biden on Friday extended deportation relief for several thousand Syrian immigrants living in the United States, an early move that aligns with his broader pro-immigrant platform. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that acting Secretary David Pekoske would extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 6,700 eligible Syrians through September 2022 and allow an additional 1,800 people to file initial applications. The program grants immigrants who cannot return to their countries safely, for reasons like natural disasters or armed conflict, the ability to stay and work in the United States legally for a defined period that can be renewed. Biden, a Democrat who took office on Jan. 20, has pledged to embrace a more welcoming approach to refugees and immigrants. The stance contrasts with the hardline policies of former Republican President Donald Trump, who rolled back many humanitarian protections. Trump largely sought to phase out enrollment in the TPS program for immigrants from Central American and other countries but was stymied by legal challenges. Despite his tough stance, his administration twice extended protections for Syrians due to ongoing armed conflict and limited access to medical care in the country. Trump, however, did not allow new applicants into the program. With Biden's designation, additional Syrians in the United States can now seek protection under TPS. The move fits with his broader plans to expand protections under the program. Biden also pledged to grant TPS to immigrants from Venezuela due to the economic conditions in that country, although Trump had pre-empted that move by providing the protections through a similar program before he left office. Additionally, the Biden transition team discussed the possibility of designating Guatemala and Honduras for the program, which could open protections to over a million people. Short link: China in Focus (Jan. 28): Chinese Media Headlines Misrepresent WHO Some Chinese media reports use headlines to mischaracterize overseas vaccines. But internal documents show they havent had much success in promoting Chinas version. A Chinese actress is left floundering after a scandal goes public. It involves her two children born from surrogate mothersand sheds light on the practice in the country. The Biden administration gives investors more time to toss their holdings in blacklisted Chinese firms. They now have until May, though former President Donald Trumps original deadline expires Thursday. And a new Chinese law gives its Coast Guard permission to open fire when foreign vessels enter disputed waters. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China. For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter. The former Bengal forest minister had put in his papers as the cabinet minister last week saying that he was forced to take this decision after being publicly humiliated by a section of the party's leaders Kolkata: Hours after quitting as the MLA of the West Bengal Assembly, Rajib Banerjee on Friday resigned from the primary membership of the TMC, intensifying speculation that he might soon switch over to the BJP. Banerjee sent his resignation letter to TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, thanking her for the opportunities given to him to serve the people of the state. "I do hereby tender my resignation as a member of the All India Trinamool Congress as well as from all other positions held by me in the party and its associates with immediate effect," Banerjee, who had stepped down from the state cabinet last week, wrote in his resignation letter. The former forest minister, after ending his two-decade-old relationship with the TMC, said he would always value the time he spent as a member of the party. Rajib, who represented the Domjur Assembly seat also submitted his resignation to Speaker Biman Banerjee in the morning. "I have resigned as MLA of the state Assembly. I have submitted my resignation letter to the speaker. I thank my party supremo Mamata Banerjee for providing me with an opportunity to serve the masses," he said. Replying to a query about the chances of his switchover to the BJP, Banerjee said, "If you want to serve the masses, you need to be associated with a political party. People always want a politician to be associated with a party. But I have not spoken with BJP leaders so far." He, however, stressed that he will "continue to serve the people of my constituency in the days to come". Incidentally, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to address a rally in Banerjee's home district Howrah on 31 January. Extending his gratitude to the chief minister, the former minister said, "Mamata Banerjee is like a mother figure to me. I am indebted to her for providing me with this platform... This is an emotional moment for me." Joining the growing list of dissenters who have put the ruling camp in a tight spot ahead of the Assembly elections, Banerjee last week put in his papers as the cabinet minister and said he was forced to take this decision after being publicly humiliated by a section of the party's leaders for airing his grievances over their style of functioning. He is the third minister to quit the state cabinet in the last two months after Suvendu Adhikari, who crossed over to the BJP, and Laxmi Ratan Shukla, who expressed his desire to quit politics. The TMC leadership, over the past month, held several rounds of dialogue with Banerjee to address his grievances. State parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee and the party's poll strategist Prashant Kishor had met the leader and tried to pacify him. According to TMC sources, he had been having differences over various issues with the district chairman of Howrah and state minister Arup Roy. Banerjee, a popular mass leader in Howrah, influences eight of the 16 Assembly seats in the district. Elections to the 294-member Assembly are likely to be held in April-May this year. The HSEs chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry, throws doubt over the zero-Covid approach, questioning whether it can be realistically sustained. The HSEs chief clinical officer has cast doubt over the zero-Covid approach, questioning whether it can be realistically sustained. Dr Colm Henry said that Ireland has learned to its cost that suppressing and sustaining low levels of the virus is extremely difficult. The zero-Covid strategy has been backed by opposition parties, who have called for the Government to take a more aggressive approach to driving down Covid-19 levels. However, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has questioned how it can be applied in Ireland for a long period of time. Close contacts of #COVID19 cases should restrict their movements (stay at home) for 14 days. Find out more about how to restrict your movements here: https://t.co/3XTlce9srC#StaySafe pic.twitter.com/tMCHEU8NSe HSE Ireland (@HSELive) January 29, 2021 Dr Henry said that Ireland has a five-day average of 1,200 cases per day, which is half of what it was last week, but he warned the numbers are still far too high. We all aspire to a zero-Covid and what were trying to do now, and more successfully than we thought we would only a couple of weeks ago, is a suppression from the huge levels of infection that we were seeing, he told RTEs Morning Ireland. The question with the zero-Covid is, not so much the shared aspiration to get this down to the lowest possible level, its how that can be realistically sustained. Imagining that we can suppress to levels at or approaching zero and sustain that for a protracted period of time weve learned to our cost thats extremely difficult. The virus doesn't give you credit for good behaviour or good results. Dr Colm Henry If you just look at our figures, beginning (of) December, we were the second best in Europe, in terms of 14-day incidence. Within a very short timeframe, (we had) the second worst. The virus doesnt give you credit for good behaviour or good results. It doesnt have any memory for that and in a very short time period, when our country was released from Level five to Level three for a short period of time, theres increased socialisation and contacts and so on, we saw a catastrophic fall in performance. Dr Henry said that hospitals across Ireland are seeing a high volume of sick people, which he described as completely unprecedented. He said the number of people in hospital today is 10 times higher than what it was in early December. Expand Close File photo dated 23/04/2020 of a member of An Garda cycling past a mural (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp File photo dated 23/04/2020 of a member of An Garda cycling past a mural (PA) Its an enormous increase in cases, he added. It comes as testing of close contacts of confirmed Covid-19 cases resumes on Friday. At the end of December, testing of close contacts was suspended temporarily to prioritise testing of symptomatic cases. It was a result of pressure on the testing system due to widespread community transmission seen in the third wave. Friday saw 48 additional deaths linked to Covid-19. There were 1,254 further cases, according to figures from the Department of Health. There are currently 1,518 Covid-19 patients in hospital. The number of people in intensive care units is down five to 211. First contacts between the Biden administration and the Italian government, with a phone call between the new US secretary of state Anthony Blinken and the foreign minister Luigi Di Maio. A very cordial call, during which a quick overview was made of all the main dossiers open between the United States on one side and Italy and Europe on the other, also in view of the Italian presidency of the G20 . The head of US diplomacy in particular expressed the hope that the cooperation efforts between Washington and Rome in a crisis scenario such as that of Libya and the Mediterranean can continue. But relations with Moscow and Beijing are also at the center of the discussion, with the Navalny case which is further aggravating relations between Russia and the Western world, and China with which relations become one of the increasingly crucial challenges for the future of the world. . With Blinken who in the last few hours recalled all the open fronts with Beijing, from the request for an international inquiry into the origins of the pandemic to the chapter on human rights with what the secretary of state has defined as the genocide of the Uighurs. Not to mention the race for next-generation 5G technology networks, one of the main concerns of the previous Trump administration along with the so-called "Silk Road" trade agreement. The global health crisis linked to Covid-19 could not fail to be central in the chat between Blinken and Di Maio. For his part, the head of the Farnesina reaffirmed the deep friendship between Italy and the United States and, in the light of the current Italian presidency of the G20, the will to cooperate to give new impetus to "effective multilateralism". "Italy will always be a partner and strategic ally of the United States", then commented Di Maio. Blinken for his part emphasized the Biden administration's desire to work with Italy, with the aim of "rebuilding and strengthening the long-lasting partnership" between the two countries. (Unioneonline / vl) The school board of the San Francisco Unified School District has agreed to move ahead with a plan to change the names of more than 40 schools that currently honour presidents and other historical figures. They include George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein. The panel voted 6-1 late on Tuesday to approve the plan, which calls for removing from schools names of those who "engaged in the subjugation and enslavement of human beings", oppressed women, committed acts that "led to genocide", or who "otherwise significantly diminished the opportunities of those amongst us to the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". The San Francisco Unified board's action is part of a movement ongoing for years to get school districts around the country to remove from schools the names of Confederate figures and others who symbolise the country's racist past. The resolution, based on the work of the School Names Advisory Committee that met for more than a year on the issue, calls on the public to submit new names for the schools by 19 April timing that was questioned by San Francisco Mayor London Breed. She said in a statement that she understood "the significance of the name of a school", but: "What I cannot understand is why the School Board is advancing a plan to have all these schools renamed by April, when there isn't a plan to have our kids back in the classroom by then. Recommended School named after Confederate president renamed to honour Obama "Our students are suffering, and we should be talking about getting them in classrooms, getting them mental health support, and getting them the resources they need in this challenging time. Our families are frustrated about a lack of a plan, and they are especially frustrated with the fact that the discussion of these plans weren't even on the agenda for last night's School Board meeting." School board President Gabriela Lopez said, however, that the renaming is "an opportunity for our students to learn about the history of our school's names, including the potential new ones". "This resolution came to the school board in the wake of the attacks in Charlottesville," she said in a statement, "and we are working alongside the rest of the country to dismantle symbols of racism and white supremacy culture. I am excited about the ideas schools will come up with." The Los Angeles Times reported that Joan Hepperly, co-executive director for United Administrators of San Francisco, said the union supports renaming the schools but thinks the timing is rushed. And it said some school alumni associations oppose the changes. For each name it wanted to change, the advisory committee offered a specific reason. For example: - George Washington High School - Referring to president George Washington, the spreadsheet says, "Slaveowner, coloniser" - Monroe Elementary School - Referring to president James Monroe, the spreadsheet says: Slave owner (imprisoned 100s of slaves in Monroetown, Va.) - John Muir Elementary School - Referring to naturalist John Muir, the spreadsheet says, Racist and responsible for theft of native lands - Longfellow Elementary School - Referring to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the spreadsheet says: "He wrote poems and prose with stereotypes of nonwhite people." - Dianne Feinstein Elementary School - Referring to current Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the spreadsheet cites a number of reasons, including an unproved accusation that she put up a Confederate flag. It also accuses her of opposing same-sex marriage, though she voted against a constitutional amendment to ban it. - For Abraham Lincoln High School, the explanation on the spreadsheet was far longer, saying in part that Abraham Lincoln, who freed Black slaves, "is not seen as much of a hero at all among many American Indian Nations and Native peoples of the United States, as the majority of his policies proved to be detrimental to them . . ." - Roosevelt Middle School, the spreadsheet says, was named for president Theodore Roosevelt, who, it said, opposed "civil rights and suffrage for Black folks." It also made a case against naming a school after his distant cousin, president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, saying in part, he "refused to support anti-lynching bill (proposed by his wife) and other racist policies/views." The Washington Post Loading While war-torn countries were a particular concern, Dr Capobianco said there should also be a focus on ensuring vaccines were delivered for the homeless, immigrants and refugees. Australia has committed $80 million to the COVAX facility to vaccinate the highest risk populations throughout the region, including Pacific island states, while it is contributing an additional $123.2 million to ensure it has the buying power to bring prices down to all participating countries. Dr Capobianco said there would be a significant gap even if the COVAX facility was fully funded and delivered. There has been some progress made, but the road ahead remains very bumpy and probably very long, Mr Capobianco told the Herald and The Age. We believe that COVAX is the alternative to vaccine nationalism - its a multilateral initiative based on the principle of global solidarity. A report by the Economist Intelligence Unit this week found many rich countries will manage to inoculate their most vulnerable citizens by mid-March, while most middle-income countries will not be able to do the same until 2022. Poorer countries may not be able to achieve widespread vaccination until 2023 or even longer, according to the study. The World Health Organisation has described the widening gap as an unfolding catastrophic moral failure and concluded that advanced economies face losses of up to $2.4 trillion - or 3.5 per cent of their annual gross domestic product before the pandemic - unless they assist developing countries to speed up their vaccination programs. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Dr Capobianco said AstraZenecas announcement this week that delivery of its vaccine would be reduced by millions of doses would have huge consequences and it was a reminder the world needed to keep in place existing measures - such as social distancing, masks and good hygiene - for the foreseeable future. Loading We are being very consistent in saying the best line of defence is individual behaviour, he said. The vaccines are coming and are in a way the light at the end of the tunnel, but we are walking through that tunnel and we shouldnt be blinded by that light. A spokeswoman for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was working in close partnership with neighbours to ensure the region had equitable access to safe, effective and affordable COVID-19 vaccines. Multilateral and non-government organisations have an important role to play in supporting the vaccines roll-out, the DFAT spokeswoman said. To ensure our support is partnering closely with communities at the grassroots level we have also funded the IFRC in the Asia Pacific to deliver broader COVID-19 health programs, including the prepositioning of vital supplies and delivery of training on COVID-safe practices. Loading In its pre-budget submission to the federal government, the Australian Council for International Development said delays to mass vaccinations globally would create a greater opportunity for new variants to develop, which are more virulent, more deadly and which render existing vaccines less effective or ineffective. The ACFID called on the Australian government to increase its contribution to global collaboration to accelerate the development of coronavirus vaccines by at least $500 million in the 2021-22 Budget. Inequitable access to COVID-19 vaccines threatens to prolong the pandemic, eroding stability, prosperity, and resilience in in both developing and developed nations, the ACFID said. Hundreds of Bharatiya Kisan Union members stayed put on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway early on Friday, notwithstanding the Ghaziabad administration's ultimatum to vacate the UP Gate protest site. A confrontation was building up at the UP Gate in Ghazipur even as frequent power cuts were witnessed in the evening at the protest site, where BKU members, led by Rakesh Tikait, are staying put since November 28. In a post-midnight review of situation, Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey and Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani visited the protest site even as hundreds of security personnel in anti-riot gears were deployed since Thursday. Flanked by supporters at 1 am, Tikait remained at the centre stage of the protest site -- the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, which has been barricaded from both the sides, prohibiting regular traffic movement. Around 500 protestors stayed put at UP Gate with more pouring in from western Uttar Pradesh in the night on the call of the BKU, an influential farmers' union in North India. "Excess security force from the protest site has been withdrawn and only a minimal deployment of personnel remains there," a Ghaziabad police officer told PTI on the condition of anonymity. "The tension was building at UP Gate due to excessive deployment of force since Thursday evening," the officer added. Several protestors waved the tricolour with some waving flags of farmer unions like Kisan Ekta Manch amid a continuous sloganeering of "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan", while many were lying down on mattresses covered in blankets as they braved bone-chilling cold and wind. "Zaroorat padi to khade rehke dharna denge, tum dharne pe baithe rehne ki baat karte ho (I can protest while standing up and you are asking whether I am going to continue my sit-in protest)," Jagat Singh Rathi, 78, said. With a muffler tied around his head and a stick in his hand for support while walking, the septuagenarian from Meerut said that he has been at the BKU's protest since its beginning on November 28. Asked if he would vacate the protest site following the administration's communication, he said, "(UP Gate) khaali nahi karenge. We have not seen any such order to vacate the protest site. When the Supreme Court has said that farmers have a right to protest then what? We will do it." The "verbal" communication from the district administration to the BKU on Thursday came close on the heels of three farmer unions withdrawing their protest against the three farm laws over the violence in Delhi on Republic Day. "Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey has communicated to the protestors camping at the UP Gate at Delhi border to vacate the spot by tonight or the administration will remove them," a district official had told PTI. Thousands of protesting farmers have been protesting at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh demanding the rollback of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations. However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture. (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.) Thank you for singing up. Shortly an email will be sent to the address you provided to verify your e-mail. Error! Please try to register again later, your e-mail was not registered. Your email is not in a correct format. Please confirm you are not a robot. "Our Governor's cabinet members just announced a series of initiatives that support 'Nature Based Solutions' to counter climate change. So, how does Governor Newsom justify a project to bulldoze and excavate more than 2.5 million cubic yards of soil, paving the way for a new fossil fuel infrastructure for the aging gas storage field under this ecological reserve?" asked attorney Bryan Pease. The petitioners claim CDFW failed to respond adequately to comments made by numerous organizations and community members especially related to climate change and to endangered and other imperiled species at Ballona. "It's outrageous CDFW did not address the fact that hundreds of acres, filled with plants, animals and soils, would be destroyed, even though they store and sequester carbon now. Protecting carbon in place is crucial. Yet, their plan would obliterate a mosaic of habitats so that a salt marsh might sequester carbon in 100 years? We don't have 100 years!" exclaimed Molly Basler, a Climate Reality Leader, trained by Al Gore, and a candidate for LA City Council. Wildlife biologist Robert van de Hoek has done field observations at Ballona for 30 years. He notes concerns raised by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which are outlined in the lawsuit. "The State cannot legally dismiss the many documented sightings of endangered species and species on the California List of Species of Special Concern. The law says they must address those species, and, in many cases, they did not. The 'Nature Based Solution' at Ballona is to protect the landscape, not to experiment with it," explained van de Hoek. SOURCE Defend Ballona Wetlands Posted Thursday, January 28, 2021 5:00 pm The mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be limited only to people who live or work in Washington state, the state Department of Health said Wednesday. The clinics in Ridgefield, Spokane, Kennewick, and Wenatchee have limited spots due to the scarcity of the vaccine, DOH said. Still, DOH urged all residents to get vaccinated. Citizenship is not required. "If you do not live or work in Washington, please do not make vaccine appointments or travel to these Washington mass vaccination sites for vaccines," DOH said. Those who attend the mass vaccination clinics may be asked to show one of the following identification documents when they arrive: Driver's license or work/school ID Utility bill Statement/letter with a Washington state address, or voucher from an employer, faith-based institution, health care provider, school, or other registered organization or agency, etc. that the person lives or works in Washington state. DOH said the documents will not be copied or recorded. The clinics are available only to those currently eligible to receive the vaccine under the state's plan. Currently, those in Phase 1A or Tier 1 of Phase 1B which includes high-risk health care workers, high-risk first responders, long-term care residents, other workers at risk in health care settings, all people 65 years or older and all people 50 years or older in multigenerational households can receive the vaccine. Eligibility must be confirmed through certification from the state's Phase Finder. "Locations will be appointment only and appointments must be made in advance," the state DOH website says. Walk-ins will not be accepted and masks are required to receive the vaccine. ___ (c)2021 The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) Visit The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) at www.TheNewsTribune.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Colombian Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo, who had overseen the government's fight against drug gangs and guerrillas, died Tuesday of coronavirus complications. He was 69. Trujillo is the highest-ranking Colombian official and one of nearly a dozen sitting cabinet ministers worldwide to have succumbed to the virus that has killed at least 2.1 million people since the outbreak began in China in December 2019. Trujillo's death prompted messages of grief and sympathy from near and far, even the government of the United States and the UN. He was hospitalized in Bogota on January 11 and admitted to intensive care four days later after suffering "acute lung function deterioration," according to the defense ministry. Colombian President Ivan Duque decreed three days of national mourning in the memory of the minister and other coronavirus victims. "Thank you, friend; thank you, partner; thank you, minister, thank you @CarlosHolmesTru. Your life was the purest reflection of vocation and public service," Duque wrote on Twitter. Born in Cali in Colombia's southwest, Trujillo has served in government under six presidents since 1990 -- as interior and education minister, and several times as an ambassador. After a frustrated bid for the presidency, he was appointed foreign minister in Duque's government in 2018. He took over the defense portfolio after the resignation in 2019 of Guillermo Botero, accused of having tried to cover up the deaths of children in a military air strike on a drug gang. - 'Defender of democracy' - In his last role, Trujillo was faced with the worst attacks committed in Colombia since the signing of a peace agreement with the armed guerrilla group FARC in 2016. According to the Indepaz independent observatory, Colombia in 2020 witnessed 91 massacres -- described as attacks resulting in three or more deaths. Trujillo took over the defense portfolio after the resignation in 2019 of Guillermo Botero, accused of having tried to cover up the deaths of children in a military air strike on a drug gang / AFP As foreign minister, Trujillo was involved in attempts to diplomatically isolate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in favor of Western-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido. Guaido used Twitter to send his condolences to the family of the minister he described as a "loyal defender of democracy". The US embassy in Bogota expressed sorrow over the loss of a "patriot" and the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs said Trujillo had been "a strong ally and excellent partner in the mission to strengthen US-Colombia ties and make both our countries safer." The UN said in a statement Trujillo's career had been devoted to public service and his "great leadership and vocation to serve the country will always be remembered." Colombia has reported more than two million Covid-19 cases, according to official figures, and almost 52,000 deaths. Several top politicians around the world have survived coronavirus infection, including former US president Donald Trump, Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro, Emmanuel Macron of France and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In December, Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini of Eswatini -- formerly Swaziland -- became the first sitting leader to die. Among serving cabinet ministers, the epidemic has reportedly claimed four in Zimbabwe, two in Malawi, and one each in South Africa, Eswatini and Bangladesh. Photos posted to Jason Gerdings Twitter profile showed the couple standing in front of a painting called Declaration of Independence that hangs in the Capitol rotunda, according to the charges. A copy of the image included in the complaint showed the two dressed in Donald Trump 2020 campaign shirts and smiling as they clasp hands over the painting. A midday shootout between two young men and vehicle passengers in New Orleans' St. Roch neighborhood was recorded by a doorbell camera and shook up residents of the street, WWL television reported. The recording shows three men walking in the 1600 block of Marigny Street on Tuesday at about 2 p.m., their eyes glued to a riverbound gray SUV. Once the vehicle is was out of view of the camera, a series of pops is heard. One of the men ran in the opposite direction. The other two ducked behind another vehicle and fired shots in the direction of the SUV. "When I heard the boom, boom, boom, we ran back to the back part of the house because at that time, we dont know, bullets dont have no name on them. We dont really know where the bullets will go," a resident told WWL. No one was injured by gunfire, but neighbors reported property damage from bullets. Kelly Hall, a friend of a short-term rental property owner in the block, said shots shattered a window at the front of the home where guests were staying. New Orleans police classified the shootout as aggravated criminal damage to property. Eleven blocks away in the 2700 block of Marigny Street, authorities are still investigating a shooting that killed a man Jan. 19. Inauguration of the Consulate General of the Republic of Belarus in Chongqing On January 28, 2021 the inauguration ceremony of the Consulate General of the Republic of Belarus in the city of Chongqing (Peoples Republic of China) took place. The inauguration of the Belarusian consular office was timed to coincide with the 29th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Belarus and China. The ceremony was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to China, Yuri Senko, the Deputy Mayor of Chongqing, Li Bo, representatives of the leadership of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, departments and regions of the Peoples Government of Chongqing, consuls general of the diplomatic corps of foreign states accredited in the region. In his speech during the ceremony, Y.Senko noted that Belarus, like Chongqing, occupies an important geographical position in the land routes of the Belt and Road, which opens up wide opportunities for interaction. The Ambassador of Belarus expressed hope that the inauguration of the Consulate General of Belarus will bring dynamics and contents to trade, economic, investment, humanitarian cooperation between Belarus and Chongqing. The consular district of the Consulate General of Belarus includes, in addition to Chongqing, the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Hubei, Yunnan. The diplomatic mission will provide a full range of consular services, in particular, the issuance of Belarusian visas, legalization of documents, certification of translations and issuance of certificates. print version MUSKEGON, MI Finally theres some good news regarding severe COVID cases in Muskegon County. Theres been a significant drop in the number of hospitalizations and deaths over the past week. Im feeling like were getting it under control, Kathy Moore, public health director for Muskegon County, told MLive. The county had seen weeks of hospitalizations numbering at least 40 and those on ventilators averaging nearly 20. But on Thursday, Jan. 28, Mercy Health reported 21 hospitalized COVID patients, six of them on ventilators. There were five additional deaths between Jan. 20-27, bringing the total to 286, compared with 10 the prior week, according to state figures. Each of those weeks the state reported another seven probable COVID-related deaths. The improvements come as society slowly reopens. Restaurants are preparing to reopen for inside dining on Feb. 1, though with just 25 percent capacity and a mandated closure time of 10 p.m. Moore said shes not overly concerned about the reopening, and can now definitively say Muskegon County did not have a significant increase in cases following the holidays. Related: Thursday, Jan. 28, coronavirus data by Michigan county: Michigan ranks 47th in daily new case counts The county reports a cumulative total of 10,023 cases, an increase of just 131 in the past week. The average daily increase in cases over the past week was 19; in mid-November it was 221, county figures show. That could be partly attributed to a dramatic decrease in testing. The average number of tests over the past week was 295 per day, compared with 1,380 in mid-November when about one in four tests were positive, according to county figures. Testing sites have reduced hours so tests are not as available, but demand for them also is down, Moore said. She attributed some of the drop in demand to asymptomatic people who just dont want to know because they dont want to have to self-isolate just as society is starting to reopen. However, demand for the COVID vaccine is high. The county has had 27,581 requests for the vaccine, according to information Moore shared on Thursday, Jan. 28. Of those, 2,512 where ages 85 and older, 7,133 were people between the ages of 75-84, 12,076 were between the ages of 65 and 74 and 5,852 were younger than 65. Those who are not on the list for vaccinations and want to get on it, can click here, or visit the Public Health Muskegon County website at www.co.muskegon.mi.us/793/Public-Health. Related: Michigans COVID-19 vaccinations surpass 800K in seven weeks Vaccinations continue at a relatively slow pace. There had been 14,091 vaccinations administered of 16,900 doses shipped to the county as of Tuesday, Jan. 26, according to state figures. Moore said she expects vaccinations to increase with the states planned new method of distributing vaccine based on a countys population. The county currently is vaccinating people over age 75, health care workers and other essential workers such as teachers and child-care workers, Moore said. The number of COVID cases in Muskegon County by age are as follows: 1,066 among those under age 19; 1,625 among those in their 20s; 1,492 among those in their 30s; 1,534 among those in their 40s; 1,585 among those in their 50s; 1,323 among those in their 60s; 809 among those in their 70s; and 588 among those age 80 and older. Deaths by age group are one person in their 30s, nine among those in their 40s; 15 among those in their 50s; 46 among those in their 60s; 74 among those in their 70s and 139 among those age 80 and older. The Ottawa County Health Department reports 21,058 total cases and 319 deaths as of Wednesday, Jan. 27. Oceana County has had 1,738 cases and 42 deaths, according to District Health Department No. 10. Also on MLive: Maps discovered dating back to 1873 show how Muskegon grew from nothing Meet Muskegon Heights homegrown and humble new police chief Large marijuana grow site gets OK for Shaw-Walker factory that also will see 150 new apartments (Photo : David Ramos/Getty Images) Nokia cannot explain the rise on its stock shares on Wednesday. Along with its shares' increase, a new phone is coming out soon! Nokia had no idea how their stock shares rose unexpectedly. Reuters reported that the Finnish electronics company could not explain the surge in their shares. In a statement, Nokia said that they did not know what developments and other factors have contributed to the unexplainable growth of the market value of its shares. Nokia was not a frontrunner in the stock market, so clearly the boost caught the attention of the Reddit traders. Besides Nokia, AMC Holdings Inc. and GameStop produced a loud buzz in the trade market after garnering gains this week. Nokia Stock Shares Surge On Wednesday, Nokia stock NOK zoomed to a 107% gain from -26.56%. It continued to increase at 38.5% and recorded $6.55, the highest value within two years. It also yields the biggest percentage gain for one day since February 1991 when it invaded the market trade. On a one-day average, the total shares reached 47.3 million, after its trading volume ballooned to 1.14 billion shares. Nokia's stocks went volatile that caused its stoppage five times. This did not stop Nokia to move to the second spot in the New York Stock Exchange, just trailing behind AMC's 1.25 billion shares. AMC's stock at -58.29% and GameStop Corporation GME's stock at -55.37% became a cushion for the investing giants after their 'short-squeeze magic,' Market Watch noted. On September 3, 2012, Nokia's stock skyrocketed to a 31.3% boost and 591.2 million shares volume. It happened after the Finland-based corporation sold its mobile and devices division for 3.8 billion or $5 billion to Microsoft Corporation, which is co-founded by Bill Gates. Read Also: Doomscrolling: How to Stop It and the Best Memes so Far Since the acquisition of Microsoft, the past three months saw an increase of 61.7% in NOK. Nokia to Launch Another LTE Flip Phone Nokia has a big surprise for 2021. The announcement of the Nokia TA-1295 is one of the newest revelations of the company, with more featured phones to come in the future after passing the FCC Certification process. According to an article by Nokia Mob, Nokia TA-1295, which will make its debut soon could be a flip phone. It will be the second flip phone to come out to the market since the release of the Nokia 2720 Flip and Nokia 800 Tough, which were both launched in September 2019. Furthermore, from its documents, the Nokia TA-1295 will have the additional features: 1. BV-6A 1500 mAh battery 2. 5W charger AD-5WU 3. USB -a/micro USB cable CA-10W 4. classic WH-108 headset 5. it will support both LTE and WIFI 6. removable battery 7. removable nano-SIM card Nokia TA-1925 might first be tested in China, a perfect testing ground for phones that are not within the scope of the Google Service. China certified Nokia 2720 in 2019, and TA-1925 could be either a new flip phone in the making or an upgraded Nokia 2720. Nokia has still to offer this year. All eyes will be on Nokia when they officially release the new KaiOS flip phone, the Nokia 1.4, the Nokia 6.4, and the Nokia 7.4. Related Article: Nokia 1.4 Key Specifications, Color Options, Price Leaked This article is owned by Tech Times. Written by Joen Coronel 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Portland police are searching for a driver after witnesses say the man crashed into oncoming traffic, then shot a bystander trying to block him from leaving the scene. The chain of events began around 5:30 p.m. Thursday, when people called 911 to report a two-car crash on North Columbia Boulevard near Vancouver Avenue. One driver suffered life-threatening injuries, and the other driver tried to run away, police said. When people tried to stop that driver from fleeing, he shot a man in the arm, according to police. By the time officers arrived, the driver and a woman traveling with him had vanished. The two people who were injured in the incident were taken to the hospital, police said. Officers closed Columbia Boulevard for a few hours between Vancouver Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard as police investigated. Police have not released any other details about the case. Police asked anyone who knows more about what happened to email crimetips@portlandoregon.gov or call 503-823-0400. This story has been updated. -- The Oregonian/OregonLive Scott Stafford has been a reporter, photographer, and editor at a variety of publications, including the Dallas Morning News and The Berkshire Eagle. Scott can be reached at sstafford@berkshireeagle.com, or at 413-496-6301 and on Twitter at @BE_SStafford. PLANT Design Group of Newtown, PA has won a 'Best Of Houzz' award for customer service in landscape design on Houzz, a leading online platform for home renovation and design. The 8-year-old landscape design firm was chosen from 2.5 million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals. The Best Of Houzz badge is awarded annually, in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including a pro's overall rating on Houzz and client reviews. A 'Best Of Houzz 2020' badge is presented to winners as a sign of their commitment to excellence. These awards help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals. We not only strive to create incredible backyards, we strive to do it in a way that our customers love. We have always wanted to set a new and better standard in how landscape companies interact with their customers. This reward is extremely gratifying because it validates our focus on that. We are so focused on becoming better at how we deliver our services, we didnt apply for the award, but we are extremely grateful to be recognized by an industry leader like Houzz for this, says Jon Kontz, CEO of PLANT Design Group. This years Best Of Houzz awards go to an incredibly talented and service-oriented group of home remodeling and design professionals, and were proud to highlight the winners on the Houzz website and app, said Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. This award is particularly meaningful as it reflects the sentiment of the millions of homeowners in the Houzz community who are hiring home professionals for their projects across the U.S. and around the world. Follow PLANT Design Group on Houzz https://www.houzz.com/pro/loveyourbackyard/plant-design-group About PLANT Design Group PLANT Design Group is a landscape design and build company in Newtown, PA. We specialize in exterior property design and outdoor living spaces including landscape, hardscape and exterior construction. Serving clients in Bucks County, Montgomery County and Philadelphia, PA. For more information, visit https://plantdesigngroup.com or call (215) 458-5757. Mon-Sat: 8AM-6PM, Sun: 9AM-5PM | PLANT Design Group - 591 Durham Road - Newtown, PA 18940. Follow PLANT Design Group on Instagram https://instagram.com/plantdesigngroup Follow PLANT Design Group on Facebook https://facebook.com/plantdesignbuild About Houzz Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish online or from a mobile device. From decorating a small room to building a custom home and everything in between, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community empowered by technology, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin, Sydney, Moscow, Tel Aviv and Tokyo. Houzz is a registered trademark of Houzz Inc. worldwide. For more information, visit houzz.com. Outrage swept across the country Thursday after popular mobile investment app Robinhood and other brokerages paused buying abilities of Gamestop, AMC, and some other stocks. The app is under fire from both prominent Democrats and Republicans after only allowing users to sell their shares while hedge funds can continue to both buy and sell. (Newser) A Republican congressman is demanding Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez apologize for saying Sen. Ted Cruz almost had her killed. AOC clashed with Cruz on Twitter Thursday after he agreed with her suggestion that the Financial Services Committee investigate trading app Robinhood over GameStop-related restrictions. AOC said she wouldn't work with Cruz, who should resign, because "you almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago." She claimed Cruz's claims of election fraud "contributed to" the Capitol riot. One arrested participant allegedly issued a threat about assassinating the congresswoman. Within hours of the exchange, Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, who previously served as Cruzs chief of staff, complained to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a letter, per the Hill. "I ask you to call on her to immediately apologize and retract her comments," he wrote. story continues below "She accused Senator Ted Cruz, in essence, of attempted murder," the Republican continued. "It is completely unacceptable behavior for a Member of Congress to make this kind of scurrilous charge against another member in the House or Senate for simply engaging in speech and debate regarding electors as they interpreted the Constitution." Roy added that if AOC didn't apologize immediately, "we will be forced to find alternative means to condemn this regrettable statement." Later Thursday, GOP Rep. Devin Nunes appeared on Hannity, claiming "socialist revolutionaries" like AOC are trying to convince Americans that Republicans are evil, per Fox News. The conservative Media Research Center demanded Twitter suspend the account of the "deranged" congresswoman. "If Trump had lied like this, you would have shut him down," it tweeted. (Read more Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stories.) Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. 3D Cell Culture Market Growth & Trends The global 3D cell culture market size is expected to reach USD 3.48 billion by 2028 registering a CAGR of 10.7%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The development of 3D optimized assays, kits, and protocols coupled with the evolution of assay techniques is anticipated to drive the three-dimensional cell culture market. As 3-dimensional cultures have the capacity to closely mimic a typical morphology and microarchitecture of organs, these are continuously developed for the studies that require in vivo model systems to analyze the effect of a foreign drug over body tissues and organs. This, coupled with the availability of various choices in terms of material and structure of the scaffold for different in vitro applications, is anticipated to support revenue generation for scaffolds. Recent researches have explored the use of a diverse range of scaffolds including graphene scaffolds, nanofibers, freeze-casting, natural marine collagen, and others. In addition, the application of lab-on-a-chip techniques in several assay types-proliferation, viability, stimulation, transport, patch clamping, high content screening, and metabolic activity-leads to a rise in demand for projects with advanced and efficient solutions. Request a free sample copy or view report summary: 3D Cell Culture Market Report 3D Cell Culture Market Report Highlights The scaffold-based technology segment is anticipated to register a lucrative year-on-year growth owing to rising demand for 3D model-based research coupled with an increased incidence of chronic diseases Moreover, the introduction of novel tools and techniques is anticipated to boost revenue generation in the scaffold-based technology segment Furthermore, companies, such as Tecan and Sigma-Aldrich, offer scaffold-based 3D solutions; which are readily adopted by the end users Cancer was the largest application segment of the market in 2020. This is because 3D cultures efficiently replicate the associated influences and complexity of in vivo tumor microenvironment including the impact of extracellular matrix and cell-to-cell contact Cells in 3-dimensional cultures help in the analysis of behavior and properties of the tumor, protein distribution, gene expression, and monitor response to anticancer therapies Potential scientific and clinical impacts of the 3D-cultivation approach for embryonic, adult, and cancer stem cells are estimated to boost the growth of the stem cell research segment Biotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations accounted for the largest share in 2020 owing to a rise in the adoption of 3D cell culture techniques in tissue engineering and drug discovery Combination of 3D cell culture techniques with Human-induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (HiPSCs) has been successfully used for the development and discovery of drugs for liver diseases North America led the market in 2020 owing to extensive usage of 3D cell culture models for medical research purposes In April 2020, a team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh used Multicellular Tumor Spheroids (MCTSs) to assess drug responses in drug screening studies for oncology Asia Pacific is expected to register the fastest CAGR from 2021 to 2028 due to rising investments by North American and European companies in APAC regional market The key market players focus on geographical expansions, partnerships, collaborations, acquisitions, and novel product launches to reinforce their market presence For instance, in December 2020, Curiteva, Inc. acquired FossiLabs, LLC. The latter has developed a process to fabricate scaffolding structures that promote osseointegration 3D Cell Culture Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the global 3D cell culture market on the basis of technology, application, end use, and region: 3D Cell Culture Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Scaffold-based Hydrogels Polymeric Scaffolds Micro-patterned Surface Microplates Nanofiber-based Scaffolds Scaffold-free Hanging Drop Microplates Microfluidic 3D Cell Culture Spheroid Microplates with ULA coating Magnetic Levitation & 3D Bioprinting Bioreactors 3D Cell Culture Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Cancer Tissue Engineering & Immunohistochemistry Drug Development Stem Cell Research Others 3D Cell Culture End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries Research Laboratories and Institutes Hospitals and Diagnostic Centers Others 3D Cell Culture Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) North America US. Canada Europe Germany UK. Asia Pacific Japan China Latin America Brazil MEA South Africa List of Key Players of 3D Cell Culture Market Merck KGaA Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. PromoCell GmbH Greiner Bio One International GmbH Corning, Inc. 3D Biomatrix Lonza Avantor Performance Materials, LLC Tecan Trading AG 3D Biotek LLC Global Cell Solutions, Inc. InSphero About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Bill gates He warned that an upcoming pandemic could be 10 times worse and that humanity is not prepared for it. He also insisted that people must learn the lesson that COVID-19 is giving us, according to a quote from the RT portal to an interview with the tycoon for a German media . According to the billionaire, "we are not prepared for the next pandemic," in the same way he hopes that this situation will change in a couple of years and indicated the axes of opportunity such as drugs, tests, vaccines, epidemiology, and follow-up. "This pandemic is bad, but a future pandemic could be 10 times more serious," said the magnate, who urged governments to protect their citizens against possible new diseases. You may be interested: Bill Gates predicts what 2021 will be like, alerts us to our immediate future On the other hand, the philanthropist said that if this pandemic had developed five years ago, the world would not have had a vaccine in such a short time, while congratulating scientists for achieving such rapid progress in the development of the injection . He also called on the rulers to avoid vaccination nationalism and to distribute the vaccine fairly. Gates explains that "stopping the next pandemic will require spending tens of billions of dollars a year." Image: Michael Cohen | Getty Images This is not the first time that Gates has warned of future illnesses, in an interview with the Financial Times via Skype on April 2, 2020 , the businessman said that this coronavirus pandemic was the "largest event that many people will experience in his entire life, "and he prevented that a similar viral outbreak will likely occur" every 20 years or so . " Similarly, in a post on his foundation's blog , written in conjunction with his wife Melinda Gates, the billionaire stated that the unfortunate reality is that COVID-19 may not be the last pandemic. We do not know when the next one will arrive, or if it will be a flu, a coronavirus or some new disease that we have never seen before. But what we do know is that we cannot allow ourselves to be caught off guard again. The threat of the next pandemic will always be over our heads, unless the world takes steps to prevent it. " What should we do to prevent the next pandemic according to Bill Gates? "The world needs to double investments in R&D (research and development)," as well as develop entirely new capabilities that do not yet exist. Gates explains that "stopping the next pandemic will require spending tens of billions of dollars a year" and comments that the estimate of global expenditures for the COVID-19 pandemic is approximately 28 trillion dollars. The co-founder of Microsoft encouraged governments to continue investing in the scientific tools that are helping us in the current crisis "even after COVID-19 is behind us." Finally, Gates hopes that in the next few years mega-diagnostic platforms can be developed, which can assess up to 20% of the population each week. Related: Bill Gates advierte que una proxima pandemia puede ser 10 veces peor Bill Gates Warns That a Next Pandemic Could Be 10 times Worse Bill Gates quiere 'tapar el sol' para ayudar a contrarrestar el calentamiento global Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Sen. Rand Paul, 24 GOP Colleagues Seek to REIN on Bidens Regulatory Parade Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and 24 of his Republican colleagues in the Senate on Jan. 28 introduced a proposal that could become a huge obstacle for President Joe Bidens ambitious re-regulatory plans. The Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2021 (REINS) would require that any new regulation proposed by an executive branch department or agency must be approved by Congress if its projected to cost $100 million or more to implement. Under the REINS Act, once major rules are drafted, they must then be affirmatively approved by both chambers of Congress and then signed by the President, satisfying the bicameralism and presentment requirements of the Constitution. Currently, regulations ultimately take effect unless Congress specifically disapproves, according to a statement issued by Pauls office, with comments by him and Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). For too long, an ever-growing federal bureaucracy has piled regulations and red tape on the backs of the American people without any approval by Americans elected representatives, Paul said in the statement. By making Congress more accountable for the most costly and intrusive federal rules, the REINS Act would give Kentuckians and citizens throughout the country a greater voice in determining whether these major rules are in Americas best interests. Lee said in the statement: Unelected bureaucrats in Washington have far too much unaccountable power over the American people. The REINS Act would give Congress the authority to reject any federal government regulation with costs over $100 million, thus giving Americans an important check on federal regulators. Marshall said in the statement: Weve already seen this new administration is full steam ahead on enacting their radical agenda through executive action. The REINS Act is a common-sense piece of legislation that would ensure Congress has a say in any new major regulation that would have a significant economic effect of $100 million or more. We must ensure that unaccountable and unelected regulators do not hamper our economy with burdensome regulations as we try to come back from the hardship caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus. Blackburn said in the statement: The rise of the administrative state cannot go unchecked. When agency rule makers bypass Congressional review, the agenda of unelected bureaucrats dominates over the interests of American businesses and workers. This legislation will ensure greater accountability for executive rulemaking at a time when agencies are growing especially emboldened to flex their regulatory powers. The other co-sponsors include Sens. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.). The Paul proposal follows Bidens signing of an executive order on his first day in office that repealed President Donald Trumps requirement that for every new regulation introduced by federal officials there must be two old ones repealed. According to the Heritage Foundation, Trumps approach saved taxpayers and consumers billions of dollars, and resulted in the most extensive deregulation of the U.S. economy since the 1980s; its credited as a major factor in sparking the economic boom that began in 2018 and was only short-circuited by the CCP virus pandemic and lockdown. Biden promised during the 2020 presidential campaign to expand many existing federal programs such as Obamacare and to introduce multiple new programs such as a new federal commission to advance environmental justice and green jobs. The new president also signed a second executive order on his first day in office that, according to federal regulatory expert Clyde Wayne Crews of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), is likely to do away with cost/benefit analysis by elevating unquantifiable aims as benefits and deny costs of regulation altogether. Crews is the author of an annual reference compilation and analysis of federal regulatory costs, Ten Thousand Commandments: An annual snapshot of the federal regulatory state. Pauls proposal faces tough sledding in Congress, which has Democratic majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives; the Senate is split 5050, with ties broken by Vice President Kamala Harris. Several Democratic senators, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and Tom Carper of Delaware have supported previous efforts to streamline the federal regulatory process. In the lower chamber, where Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) majority is barely more than single-figures, there are 21 Democrats who represent heavily Republican districts that were carried by Trump in the 2020 election. Pauls proposal could be an attractive tool for those Democrats to appeal to Republican voters. Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc The federal opposition frontbench reshuffle this week has raised speculation about a change in the direction of the ALPs climate policy, but a more significant shift for Australian politics is happening not in Canberra but in Washington. The Canberra bubble has been electrified by Opposition Leader Anthony Albaneses decision to name a new environment spokesman. The NSW Right factions Chris Bowen replaces Mark Butler, known as a passionate advocate for faster action to reduce emissions. Credit:AP Some view the reshuffle as a sign Mr Albanese is planning to run dead on climate in the federal election (due within a year) in the hope of winning some coal seats in Queensland, although on Friday morning he denied this interpretation. There is certainly a question mark over the ALPs climate policies. It has committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and has said it will not use the so-called Kyoto carry-over credits to fudge the reductions in emissions by 2030. But it has not yet said what intermediate targets it will set for emissions. Yet the ALP should not go soft on climate policy now at a time when the US election has shifted the balance in global economics, politics and diplomacy in favour of stronger action. President Joe Biden in his first week in office has made it very clear he is serious about his campaign commitments to push action on climate change at home and abroad. He has already signed executive orders designed to reverse the anti-environmental policies of the Trump administration, most importantly, rejoining the Paris Agreement on climate change, which Trump had left 77 days earlier. Mr Bidens special climate envoy, John Kerry, in his first big international speech to the World Economic Forum, sent a message to the Morrison government by stressing climate changes link to last years catastrophic bushfires. He said the images of the bushfires stopped the world in its tracks. 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. Concerned motorists would call police to report the alleged behaviour, with a broadcast sent out to officers to keep watch. Just 15 minutes later, the 4WD would again approach the same intersection. This time, police say, it did not stop at the lights. Instead, the vehicle is alleged to have hurtled through. It collided with a tow truck, then rolled, striking Ms Leadbetter and Mr Field as they crossed the road. The crumpled Toyota Landcruiser after the crash. Credit:Nine News The driver is alleged to have fled the wreckage of the crumpled white 4WD, ducking into a home along a parallel side street and stealing the keys to another car. But while trying to start it in the garage he was approached by a resident, who followed him down an adjoining street and reportedly kept him there until police arrived, unaware of the chaos that had unfolded around the corner. Witnesses and first responders would describe a catastrophic scene. Despite the best efforts of paramedics, the couple Ms Leadbetter an interior designer, Mr Field who worked for a fabricating firm could not be revived. The teen accused of being behind the wheel, who as a juvenile under Queensland law cannot be identified, was taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries, and then on to the watchhouse. Just hours later, he would be charged with a string of offences, including the murder of Ms Leadbetter and Mr Field. Loading The outpouring of grief was swift. Tributes in the form of flowers and baby items began appearing at the intersection, which had seen previous tragedies, from early Wednesday morning. Many more flowed on social media. Neighbours who returned to pay their respects spoke of the impact the incident had on them. I was awake until 2am thinking about it, one, Trish Porter, said from the scene. They were just having an innocent walk ... you dont expect that to happen. Attention also turned to the search for one of their dogs, Frankie, who ran from the scene and was unable to be found. The extensive effort, co-ordinated through a Facebook group that swelled to almost 900 members in a matter of hours, ended with a glimmer of good news when Frankie was found shaken but well in nearby bushland about midday. By then, police had also held their first briefing on the incident, confirming the couple had been expecting a baby and that further charges were being considered for the accused teen in relation to the unborn child. Mourners paid tribute to the couple and their unborn child, to be named Miles, at the crash site on Wednesday evening. Credit:Toby Crockford Wednesday night was one like so many other bayside summer evenings: a slight breeze cooling the days heat and barely a cloud in the dusk sky. But this time about 150 people gathered for a roadside vigil at the intersection where, almost 24 hours earlier, the young families lives were cut short. Among the mourners was Ms Leadbetters aunty Danielle, as well as representatives of the police service, Redlands City Council and local residents, some of whom tried to help the victims. The floral tribute grew significantly with soft toys. Loading I just think this is so beautiful of the community, to not only come out and show their support for Kate and the baby and for her partner, but to show they are just as hurt by what has happened and just as outraged by what has happened, Mrs Leadbetter said. I think there is a mixture of grief and anger here tonight. After reports emerged about the accused teens history, that anger sparked calls for changes to youth justice and bail laws, which grew to outrage on Thursday. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk herself, along with the state opposition and online petitions totalling more than 200,000 signatures, joined the chorus, forcing senior police to push the legal limits of what they could say to clarify the teen had not been subject to any relevant bail conditions. Facts would come to light in court about how the hell this happened, Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd said. Im not going to compromise [the investigation], it is far too important. While earlier suggestions were that more charges could be laid in relation to the death of the unborn child, Mr Codd also conceded it was unlikely police would be able to do so under Queensland laws. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Ms Palaszczuk and Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll herself made an unannounced visit to the scene of the crash to lay flowers on Friday morning. Later speaking at press conference, the Premier said a full review of the teens history and the circumstances around the crash would give suggestions for the best way forward, alongside a coronial investigation and court case. For the couples parents, the extent of their grief had been unspeakable until that afternoon. In a video statement, they held each other close and thanked the community and authorities for the support shown during the devastating time. Loading Revealing the couple had already chosen a name and created a nursery for the grandson, Miles, they would now never meet, there was also a message for others who had felt such senseless and sudden loss via the family spokesman who read bravely from a shaking sheet of paper. Our pain is not unique. Many families unfortunately know all too well how we have felt since Tuesday afternoon. Often their losses do not receive the same widespread sympathy that helps sustain us now. All children are precious and wonderful in the eyes of their families, he added as a comforting arm fell on one shoulder, a gentle head on the other. America Talks: Join us and #ListenFirst in a virtual conversation with another American WASHINGTON - The Biden administration is giving states extra time to seek a waiver from annual standardized tests mandated by federal law as New York and Michigan announced they don't want to subject students to the exams this year during the covid-19 pandemic. "In light of the ongoing pandemic, we have determined that the Spring 2021 state assessments cannot be safely, equitably and fairly administered to students in schools across the state," New York Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said in a statement announcing the state's intention to seek a waiver. This is the second straight year that states are asking for waivers. In 2020, Betsy DeVos, then the education secretary in the Trump administration, told all states they did not have to administer the tests after schools were abruptly closed when the pandemic hit. She said last year, however, that if she remained education secretary, she wouldn't give the waivers again. This week, the U.S. Education Department sent a letter to chief state school officers this week saying the Feb. 1 deadline for seeking a waiver was being extended though it didn't set a new deadline. It promised states that it would soon provide details on submitting waiver requests as well as state assessment plans to comply with the 2015 federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). It did not, however, promise to approve the waivers, and it is still unclear where Miguel Cardona, the state superintendent of education in Connecticut who Biden chose as his nominee to be education secretary, stands on the issue. Shortly before he was tapped by Biden to run the Education Department, he said he wanted students to take the exams this spring but didn't want the results used as an assessment measure for individual teachers, schools and districts. ESSA requires public schools to give most students standardized tests each year in math and English language arts and to use the results in accountability formulas. Districts evaluate teachers and states evaluate schools and districts - at least in part - on test scores. What's more, districts and states have added other high-stakes standardized tests on students for purposes including graduation, grade promotion and teacher bonuses. The annual spring testing programs have become increasingly controversial amid questions about whether the scores are valid for the purposes for which they are used, and about whether students waste too much time with test preparation. An opt-out movement developed in the 2010s in some states, including New York, where some years about 20% of students did not take them. This week New York as well as Michigan joined several states that have already said they are seeking waivers because it wouldn't be fair to give to students, many of whom have had a difficult year trying to learn from home or in school during the pandemic. New York said it would seek two waivers: one to waive state testing requirements at the elementary, middle, and high school levels and permit the administration of the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test only to those English Language Learners who are able to attend school in person at least some days of the week. The second waiver request seeks to ease accountability requirements as required by ESSA. In Michigan, state Superintendent Michael Rice said the standardized tests cannot be administered fairly and safely while students are still at home - many without reliable Internet service and with no place at home to quietly take an exam. Other states had earlier signaled that they would seek a waiver from the testing, including Georgia. In South Carolina, state Superintendent Molly Spearman has asked for a waiver for some standardized testing. She said at a meeting this week that giving students the tests would only add to the substantial stress this year has brought, according to WCSC-TV. Some legislators, however, are seeking to pass a law that would require the tests be given even if the state is granted a waiver, while others, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., signed a letter calling for a waiver. The two national teachers' unions - the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers - have urged that waivers be given. At least 7,000 people have signed a petition by the Center for Fair and Open Testing, a nonprofit organization known as FairTest, calling for waivers to be granted. Supporters of accountability testing say the exams are important to determine whether students are making progress and that two straight years of having no data from these tests would leave teachers and schools without critical information on how well their students are doing. At a FairTest webinar on annual standardized testing this week, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., a former public school principal in Brooklyn, said the tests should not be given, saying, among other things, that there are serious questions about their validity and that they are not aligned with curriculum. Critics also say that the results have no value to teachers because the scores come after the school year has ended and that they are not allowed to see test questions or know which ones their students got wrong. Ultimately, they say that the results show only that children from poor families do worse than students from families with more resources. Posted Friday, January 29, 2021 9:39 am It was only a matter of time until a new, possibly more contagious, variant of SARS-CoV-2 showed up in Washington state. The newer coronavirus strain, which was first identified in September in the United Kingdom, has been confirmed in two people in Snohomish County and one in Pierce County. The variant found in Snohomish County was detected through local public health case and contact tracing and genome sequencing at the UW Medicine Clinical Virology Lab. What does it mean for the pandemic in Washington now that the strain is present? How can people protect themselves and those around them from catching and spreading the more contagious variant known as B.1.1.7? Should people double up on masks? We address those questions in this week's installment of FAQ Friday. What is the new coronavirus variant and why is it more contagious? The B.1.1.7 variant has been found in 24 states, including Washington, and has become the dominant strain in the U.K. The emergence of the strain isn't a surprise because viruses are always changing, looking for a more secure toehold in our cells. "We've reached a point one year on and in certain parts of the world where the density of natural immunity is sufficient so that the variants that have got a fitness advantage ... are more likely to emerge and spread," Wendy Barclay, the head of infectious diseases at Imperial College London, told Stat News. A single mutation rarely makes major changes to the virus. When a number of mutations happen, a new variant of the virus occurs, which can make the virus more transmissible and more dangerous, but not always. The variant identified in Pierce and Snohomish counties appears to be more transmissible than most other strains. Public health officials believe it could become the dominant strain later this year. When a variant of a virus such as B.1.1.7 emerges and takes root, as it did in the U.K., it is partly because a number of mutations gave it an advantage. The B.1.1.7 variant has a mutation to one of the spike proteins that better allows it to attach to and invade its host's cells. Scientists are still studying the variant but it doesn't appear to cause more severe infections, unlike earlier coronaviruses SARS and MERS, which were not as contagious but caused much harsher infections. While the B.1.1.7 variant is worrisome, Dr. Wes Van Voorhis, director for emerging and reemerging infectious diseases at the University of Washington School of Medicine, is more concerned about a variant identified in South Africa. Early reports about that variant, B.1.351, show that people have been reinfected by the variant and plasma taken from recovered people hasn't neutralized the new variant, Van Voorhis said. The B.1.351 strain has infected two people in South Carolina, state officials announced Thursday. Neither had traveled recently. Another variant that was first identified in Brazil shares a mutation called E484K with the variant from South Africa, which could help the virus hide from neutralizing antibodies. The Brazilian variant, P.1, was detected in a resident of Minnesota who had traveled to Brazil. The E484K mutation has shown up in the U.S. but hasn't led to major outbreaks, Trevor Bedford, a computational biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center who has been tracking genetic changes in the virus since the start of the pandemic, told The Seattle Times a couple of weeks ago. "It appears that just having the (E484K) mutation isn't enough to make a huge difference to the virus," he wrote in an email. However, in combination with the 10 or more other mutations in the South Africa and Brazil variants, it is spreading rapidly. So far, it appears the various variants aren't different enough to completely evade the effects of the coronavirus vaccines, Van Voorhis said. "It's not an issue yet, but it's something we're all closely following," he said. What can be done to better protect against new coronavirus variants? Public health officials and doctors are urging people to continue doing what has been done so far to curb the spread of the coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19: Practice good hand hygiene, continue social distancing and wear face coverings. Wearing masks properly and having multiple layers can help protect the wearer and those around them, said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer at Public Health Seattle & King County. "Two or three layers of fabric and a snug fit are very important, along with using the mask consistently whenever around others outside the home," Duchin wrote in an email. "If air leaks out around the sides or your glasses fog up, or if it's not worn reliably, it's not going to be very effective. I think layering two cloth masks on one another or on top of a surgical mask to improve filtration and fit are reasonable strategies to improve protection." Double-masking "likely does" help protect against the variant strains and, "it just makes common sense that it would be more effective," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the "Today" show on Monday. Beyond tried and true preventive measures, people need to get vaccinated once they can, Van Voorhis said. "Bottom line is, get vaccinated early, and it'll probably help against all these variants," he said. ___ (c)2021 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com 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. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-30 02:16:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HONG KONG, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) announced on Friday that it will no longer recognize the so-called British National Overseas (BNO) passport as a valid travel document and proof of identity, following up on the national countermeasures against Britain's new policy. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday afternoon that China will no longer recognize the so-called BNO passport as a travel document and ID document from Sunday (Jan. 31), and reserves the right to take further actions. The decision was made after the British government announced that it will begin accepting citizenship applications for BNO-eligible Hong Kong residents starting from Sunday. The HKSAR government spokesperson said the Chinese and British governments reached a consensus long ago on how to deal with the issue of Hong Kong residents holding BNO passports and exchanged memoranda on the understanding. In its memorandum, Britain clearly pledged not to confer the right of abode in Britain on those holders who are Chinese nationals in Hong Kong, the spokesperson said. The current move of the British side has substantively changed the nature of the BNO passport, and is a fundamental violation of its pledge in its memorandum, the spokesperson said. As Britain breaches its commitment in the first place, it is legitimate for China to take countermeasures in response, the spokesperson said. The non-recognition of BNO passport as a valid travel document is in no conflict with the Chinese government's commitment in its memorandum, as well as the explanations of questions concerning the implementation in the HKSAR of the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China given by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the spokesperson said. The central government's adoption of the stance and policy in response to Britain's breach of commitment is a matter of foreign affairs and falls squarely within its purview, the spokesperson said, adding that the HKSAR government will fully follow up on the necessary measures for implementing the relevant policy. Starting Sunday, BNO passport cannot be used for immigration clearance in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong residents concerned can continue to use their HKSAR passports or permanent identity cards for entering or departing Hong Kong, the spokesperson said. BNO passport cannot be used as any form of proof of identity in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong residents concerned may continue to use their permanent identity cards as proof of identity. When passengers board flights for Hong Kong, airlines concerned must require Hong Kong residents to present their HKSAR passports or Hong Kong permanent identity cards as proof. Hong Kong permanent residents who are not of Chinese nationality and do not hold other valid travel documents may apply to the Immigration Department of the HKSAR government for document of identity for visa purposes for international travel. The spokesperson pointed out that the move of the British government clearly uses the BNO passport or status which some people in Hong Kong still hold for political maneuver on the pretext of providing a new route for relevant people to reside and obtain citizenship in Britain. Hong Kong residents who hold the BNO passport or status should discern the political intention of the British government clearly, the spokesperson said. Apart from serving its political agenda, the move of the British side will also bring huge economic interests to itself, the spokesperson said. While Britain may be in dire need of talents and capital, it should not have made use of the BNO passport as a "political cover-up," the spokesperson said. Enditem 'Stop the steal!' Trumpist insurgents shouted as they rampaged through the US Capitol on Jan. 6, referring to what they falsely claimed was a rigged election. Three weeks later, a different and non-violent crowd went on a different rampage, this one tearing through Wall Street, borrowing the slogan to defend their right to flex their muscle in the stock market. They had already sent the markets reeling and caught the attention of government watchdogs at the highest levels, after they sent the prices of distressed companies shooting into the stratosphere. It was a move that, not coincidentally, was reminiscent of other anti-establishment rebellions popping up across the world. You may not find much in common between what happened in Washington and what transpired this week on Wall Street, or in other seemingly unrelated raucous protests overseas, but if you look closely, there is a common thread, a common set of forces at play, and a not-so-hidden warning. Few people had heard about GameStop before this week, much less about GameStop stock, GME. But two groups had: The members of an online forum on the social media platform Reddit and Wall Street financiers, who had bet heavily on the failure of the company. In the past few days, the two clashed in what amounted to financial warfare. The online youngsters headbutted the traders, drawing financial blood in the process. It was a sight to behold! The forces fueling the emotions and the mechanics of the clash are not unlike what we've seen in other confrontations in recent months. Social media as the organizing environment; a sense of frustration against the establishment; a belief that some sort of injustice is benefitting the powerful, and a newfound source of strength, a way to attack, to inflict fear and pain on those viewed as responsible, or at least benefitting from that injustice. The difference, of course, was that what the Capitol rioters did was break the law and what the Redditers did on Wall Street appeared to be perfectly legal. What better way to get even, they might have thought, than to stick it to the very rich, to the Wall Street elite, no less. The moment had echoes of Occupy Wall Street, but this was a different generation, a different time, and very different tactics. Members of the Reddit page WallStreetBets decided to go after short sellers, traders who believe a stock price is going to fall badly. Short sellers borrow stock and sell it, expecting that the stock will drop, perhaps the company will go out of business. Their plan is to buy the stock much more cheaply than they sold it in order to return the stock they borrowed, and in the process make a profit. But if the price goes up instead of down, suddenly they have to pay a lot more than they received when they sold the borrowed stock. The cost to short sellers in a so-called short squeeze can be catastrophic. So, Reddit traders set out to boost the stock of GameStop, a struggling video game retailer. When the stock started climbing, other buyers jumped on board. Then short sellers were forced to buy to repay their loan. It was a dizzying process. The stock exploded, up more than 1,200%. The game extended to other companies, including Nokia, AME and Blockbuster, creating and destroying fortunes, putting hedge funds against the wall, triggering alarms in Washington and Wall Street. The question came up in the White House press briefing, where President Joe Biden's press secretary confirmed the White House is 'monitoring' the situation. Some online trading platforms crashed; trading was halted due to the huge swings. When the app Robinhood announced it would stop trading the targeted stocks, someone quickly filed a lawsuit accusing it of market manipulation. Robinhood later changed its stance. Adding to the drama, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had called for an investigation of Robinhood's move. When Republican Sen. Ted Cruz replied 'fully agree' with AOC, she blasted him, accusing him of 'trying to get me killed,' on Jan. 6. 'You can sit this one out,' she advised about the trading turmoil. Of course, the events in Washington and on Wall Street are very different, but a number of similarities suggest we will see more anti-establishment developments erupt where and when we least expect it. And the suddenness of the events, along with the damage it can inflict -- as we already saw on Capitol Hill, on Wall Street, and in other places including, for example, nearly a dozen cities in the Netherlands recently -- could be startling. In the case of the violent insurrection, the coup attempt of Jan. 6, the fact that a single charismatic figure, the outgoing president, stoked the emotions and directed his followers into the focus of their attack, turned the anger of the multitudes organized mostly through social media into a very specific and uniquely destructive conflagration. It's a reminder that free-floating anger and a restlessness to become empowered, to exact revenge, and to right a perceived wrong, can turn explosive under the sway of charismatic demagogues. Without such leadership, movements can erupt and shake things up, but they become truly dangerous when a leader emerges. In the Wall Street confrontation, Elon Musk threw some logs in the bonfire, but he was not the leader. The Reddit traders broke no glass; they didn't kill anyone. But there was plenty of metaphoric and very real financial carnage. The financial system was shaken, and deeply troubled. The markets, which had preoccupied many observers by climbing relentlessly despite the pandemic recession, suddenly looked vulnerable to the unpredictable behavior of mostly anonymous players. And 'players' seemed like the right word. The Reddit crowd, and the people who followed their lead, seemed to be pulling a prank, but it was one with potentially dire consequences. If a Reddit forum can create and destroy billions of dollars, how much can we trust the markets, financial engines of the US economy? And if the players could disrupt US markets, what could they do to smaller ones around the world? How much should we worry about the global economy, already battered by a once-in-a-century pandemic? From Capitol Hill to Wall Street, from the Netherlands to Germany, the people are restless, social media is open, and institutions are vulnerable. Economic inequality, pandemic frustration, and a sense of uncertainty have brought us to what feels like a hinge in history. The challenge for responsible leaders feels as crucial as it has at any time in living memory. Inakadate, a nondescript village of around 7,000 people, located in Japans Aomori prefecture is considered the home of a rice field art form more elaborate than anywhere else in the world. The story of Inakadate village as a world-renowned tourist destination began in the early 1990s, when local authorities realized that youths were moving to large urban centers in droves, and started brainstorming for ways of breathing new life into the village. One of the proposed ideas was an art form inspired by the locals traditional rice cultivation, done by hand for hundreds of years. Called Tanbo Art (rice field art), it involved the use of different-color rice varieties to turn local rice fields into giant canvases for intricate designs that revealed their beauty when viewed from above. Photo: Aomori.com The first rice field artwork was unveiled in 1993, when purple and yellow rice plants were used to create a detailed picture of Mt. Iwaki the highest mountain in Aomori along with easily legible characters. A viewing platform was set up somewhere above the rice field, from which people could admire the unique artwork in all its glory. The project was such a huge success that Inakadate authorities decided to turn it into a yearly event. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Japanfieber (@japanfieber) To create the impressively massive rice field artworks, locals use a technique unique to Japan, which involved surveying the paddies, perspective drawing, and the manual plantation of various types of rice plants to create the desired visual effect. Tanbo art has come a long way in the last three decades, with designs gradually becoming larger and more intricate. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Japanfieber (@japanfieber) Some of the most elaborate rice field artworks created in Inakadate have required the use of no less than 10 differently-colored rice plants. The laborious process starts in the spring months, and by early summer, the fruits of this labor become clearly visible. July and August are the best months to visit this famous Japanese village, if you want to admire its Tanbo creations. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shuhey Ishikawa (@chupey0120) There are many locals who say that rice field art saved Inakadate, bringing in impressive numbers of tourists from all over the world, every year, and boosting the local economy. According to CoolJP, around 200,000 people flocked to Inakadate to see its unique artworks in 2006, and by 2016 that number had ballooned to around 340,000. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Explorando Japon (@explorandojapon) The success of Inakadate village inspired other rice cultivating communities to borrow the Tanbo art concept, and today you can find this sort of impressive rice field artworks all across Japan. Still, the Aomori prefecture village remains the most famous, as the home of Tanbo art. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tohoku Tourism (@tohokutourism) Unfortunately, the Covid-19 has heavily impacted artistic events all over the world, especially ones that involve large gatherings, so its unclear if Inakadate village will host its famous Tanbo art event this year. Luckily, there are plenty of photos and videos of its previous creations to admire online. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Masayoshi Nishi (@masayoshinishi) For more amazing perspective artworks, check out Craig Alans Populous series. Hauwa Halim Maiyanga, one of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, has been rescued. Maiyanga is one of the girls abducted when Boko Hara... Hauwa Halim Maiyanga, one of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, has been rescued. Maiyanga is one of the girls abducted when Boko Haram insurgents attacked the Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) in Chibok, Borno state on April 14, 2014. The girls were preparing for their final examination when the insurgents stormed their hostels in the middle of the night. The incident was followed by a global outcry that birthed the #BringBackOurGirls Movement, and with the continued effort of the military, 103 of the girls were subsequently rescued. A military source disclosed Maiyangas rescue follows a series of operations ongoing in the region where hundreds of captives are being freed. For a month now, troops have been bombarding the Sambisa forest and Boko Haram hideouts in the operations Tura Takaibango and Lafiya Dole, and many civilians are being rescued, he said. When the enemies are neutralised, those they have captured regain freedom. The Chibok girl is one of those that has been freed, after her captors hideout was cleared. There are many other girls, we are still trying to find out where they were stolen from. A Chibok resident who also conformed the development said, Maiyanga parents have been briefed and will soon be on their way to the Operation Lafiya Dole theatre command at Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri, the state capital. She is currently been examined and given medical treatment at the army hospital there, the source said. Sagir Musa, army spokesperson, was yet to respond to a message seeking reaction over the development. She is a constant presence on red carpets around the world. But even Priyanka Chopra sometimes comes dangerously close to a major wardrobe malfunction - as she revealed on Instagram this Thursday. The 38-year-old got candid about how quick thinking saved the day when zipper on her designer gown broke during the Cannes Film Festival two years ago. Remember when: Priyanka Chopra got candid about how quick thinking saved the day when zipper on her designer gown broke during the Cannes Film Festival two years ago She was getting all dressed up to attend the premiere of the Elton John biopic Rocketman when the snafu occurred. 'I may look chill on the outside here, but little did everyone know I had just been freaking out on the inside,' she wrote alongside a collage of her red carpet poses. 'The delicate zipper to this vintage @roberto_cavalli dress broke as they were zipping it up minutes before I had to leave for the red carpet at Cannes last year.' Priyanka dished: 'The solution? My amazing team had to sew me into the dress on the way in the 5 minute car ride!' Sizzling sensation: She was getting all dressed up to attend the premiere of the Elton John biopic Rocketman when the snafu occurred Terrific: 'I may look chill on the outside here, but little did everyone know I had just been freaking out on the inside,' she wrote Her caption ended with a plug for her upcoming memoir Unfinished which is scheduled for release on February 9. 'PeeCee,' who spent years as a major Bollywood star before striking out to Hollywood, has been busily doing the publicity rounds for a new film as well. She is starring opposite Indian critical darling Rajkummar Rao in The White Tiger, a new Netflix adaptation of a Man Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name. Priyanka's character was born and bred in the United States but moves to India upon marrying Rajkummar's character who is from New Delhi. The crisis: 'The delicate zipper to this vintage @roberto_cavalli dress broke as they were zipping it up minutes before I had to leave for the red carpet at Cannes last year' In an interview with Indian film critic Rajeev Masand she laughed about the irony of her character making the opposite move she did: 'I found it very funny.' Priyanka, who is now married to Nick Jonas, lives part time in both Los Angeles and Bombay so that she can work in both industries. Last year she made her grand return to Hindi cinema with The Sky Is Pink which was the first film she made in India since the 2016 film Jai Gangaajal. A feud between tech giants heated up Thursday as Apple's chief executive implied Facebook's business model promotes disinformation and violence, while the social network reportedly prepares an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. The suit accuses Apple of abusing control of its App Store by requiring outside app developers, such as Facebook, to abide by rules not applied to its own apps, tech publication The Information reported. "As we have said repeatedly, we believe Apple is behaving anti-competitively by using their control of the App Store to benefit their bottom line at the expense of app developers and small businesses," Facebook told AFP, declining to confirm or deny the report. Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start Apple did not reply to a request for comment, but chief executive Tim Cook seemed to take aim at Facebook when he blasted "disinformation and conspiracy theories juiced by algorithms" during a virtual data privacy conference in Brussels on Thursday, according to reports by CNBC and the Wall Street Journal. Cook did not mention Facebook by name, but skewered business models built on targeted advertising, which accounts for most of the social network's revenue, media reports indicated. "If a business is built on misleading users, on data exploitation, on choices that are no choices at all, it does not deserve our praise," Cook was quoted as saying. He reasoned that letting online platforms serve as stages for extremist groups or for sowing doubt in life-saving vaccines can result in "polarization, lost trust and yes, of violence," according to media reports. The tech giants have been clashing over changes in the latest version of Apple's iOS operating software, which includes a tracking transparency feature that Facebook claims will cripple its ability to serve up targeted ads. Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said during an earnings conference call with investors on Wednesday that Apple was becoming one of his company's biggest competitors. "Apple has every incentive to use their dominant platform position to interfere with how our apps and other apps work, which they regularly do to preference their own," Zuckerberg said. "Apple may say that they're doing this to help people but the moves clearly track their competitive interests." Facebook is not alone in its complaints about how Apple runs the App Store, where it collects 30% of sales or subscription fees from third-party offerings. Some developers say Apple takes too big of a bite of the revenue and maintains rigid policies that may hamstring competing services. Fortnite-maker Epic Games has taken Apple to court over the practice. Apple has argued its App Store delivers billions of dollars to independent developers, and that its practices are reasonable compared with other digital marketplaces. Apple still makes the bulk of its money from iPhone sales, but has made a priority of selling games, shows, music and more to those devoted to its devices. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Professional Analytical Tools that are supported by ConceptDraw Office are now available in the Business Productivity Area of ConceptDraw Solution Park Odessa, Ukraine, April 05, 2011 CS Odessa today released a set of solutions that provides additional value to users of ConceptDraw Office v2 by making available seven tools that assist managers in the making of critical decisions and innovation planning. The new additions to ConceptDraw Solution Park include high-level "It is important to know that the time we stay outside is a danger," she said. The molecular laboratory features a multidisciplinary team made up of two medical technicians, two clinical pathologists, a biologist, and a laboratory technician. It also relies on two areas, one for receiving samples and the other for extraction of ribonucleic acid (RNA). It plans to process 1,500 samples per month a number that will be increased progressively. La ministra Pilar Mazzetti inauguro el laboratorio de diagnostico molecular en Lima Este, que permitira a traves de la metodologia LAMP, la deteccion oportuna de la #COVID19 a la poblacion de la jurisdiccion. pic.twitter.com/J0R4tfsGpo (Natural News) Without a doubt, the Biden/Harris regime will take on the Second Amendment like they are already attacking the First and Fourth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, undermining the God-given rights of millions of peaceful, law-abiding citizens. Biden already plans to utilize the National Firearms Act of 1934 to clamp down on private firearm ownership and further regulate millions of ArmaLite-15 semi-automatic rifles. Biden wants a national gun registry and will try to carry out aggressive gun-grabbing operations through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). Biden will use the ATF and FBI to interfere in private matters and hunt down suspicious Americans Biden has a history of supporting the ATFs usurpation of power. After the ATF laid siege to the Branch Davidian Compound in Waco, Texas in 1993, Joe Biden went all in for gun control. Instead of holding the feds accountable for the mistakes they made in conducting the siege, Joe Biden doubled down and sold the American public on the lie that there was no improper motive or intent on the part of law enforcement in the siege. He praised the ATF and FBI for their actions and sold the lie that the Branch Davidians caused their own death by lighting fire to their own home. Under the direction of Biden/Harris, the ATF and FBI are expected to target anyone who has a large inventory of firearms, invading Americans privacy and infiltrating peoples lives with federal informants and sting operations. Biden supports gun buyback programs, forcing Americans to choose between firearm registration with the ATF under the National Firearms Act, or be compelled to turn their firearm in for a cash payoff. The Biden regime plans to achieve this goal by calling specific legal firearms assault weapons. In conjunction, Biden also wants to interfere in the private firearm transactions between individuals and shut down the so-called gun show loophole. This loophole is nothing more than a private firearm transaction between two or more people. By interfering in the private matters of Americans, Biden is violating the Constitution and turning tens of thousands of law-abiding citizens into criminals. (Related: ATF raids maker of 80 percent lowers in prelude to what a Biden-Harris anti-gun regime will look like.) Biden wants to declare firearms a public health epidemic and bankrupt gun manufacturers Even more shocking is the 2020 Biden campaign promise to define gun violence as a public health epidemic. Will the Biden regime declare a public health emergency at some point in the next four years, orchestrating a nationwide lockdown so ATF agents can go door-to-door and confiscate all these public health dangers? Will the power of the feds compel neighbors to turn on neighbors, as already demonstrated with red flag gun-grabbing laws? Likewise, Americans have already proven in 2020 that they will give up essential liberty for the governments promise of safety. In the Senate, Biden has previously fought to hold gun manufacturers accountable when their products are used in violent crimes. In 2005, then-Senator Biden voted to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, in an attempt to bankrupt all gun manufacturers. If Biden has his way, a shooting victim would be able to file a civil suit against the gun manufacturer and obtain damages related to the criminal use of their firearm. These are not lawsuits for defective firearms; these are lawsuits that blame the intent of a murderer on the company that manufactured the tool. This can only lead to frivolous lawsuits that force gun manufacturers out of business, while never dealing with the intent behind the murder. This would give criminals an alibi and force innocent people to pay for murders they had no role in or responsibility for. Now that Biden is sitting in the highest executive office, it wont be long before he tries to make his gun-grabbing dreams a reality. Expect the media to begin using specific acts of gun violence as a pretext for sweeping new gun control legislation and executive action. Sources include: GenZConservative.com Ammo.com Ammo.com Guns.News 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| 2021-01-29 09:32:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Video: China responds "forcefully" to COVID-19 with fiscal policy, which contributed significantly to its growth in 2020, Director of the IMF's fiscal affairs department Vitor Gaspar says on Jan. 28, 2021. (Xinhua) When asked to describe China's economic growth in 2020 in three key words, Vitor Gaspar said that he would characterize it as "great so far," as the country has controlled the COVID-19, and has recovered "strongly" after experiencing economic loss at the beginning of the year. by Xiong Maoling, Gao Pan WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China responded "forcefully" to COVID-19 with fiscal policy, which contributed significantly to its growth in 2020, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) official has said, calling for continued fiscal action to help rebalance the Chinese economy. "There was quite a substantial emphasis on public investment, but also on support to households and firms. There were some measures of tax relief in the process," Vitor Gaspar, director of the IMF's fiscal affairs department, told Xinhua in a remote video interview earlier this week, commenting on China's fiscal policy amid the pandemic. Looking ahead, in the government's plans, support will continue, Gaspar said, noting that there will be a "gradual reduction" in China's overall deficit over time, with a slowdown in the increase of public debt. "This situation of a very persistent fiscal support by the Chinese government seems to be completely appropriate given the nature of the shock," Gaspar said. The IMF official said fiscal policy can also help rebalancing the Chinese economy, noting that one concern around the performance of the Chinese economy in 2020 is the weakness of private consumption. "Going forward, it would be important that private consumption would pick up. And so the dynamics of the Chinese economy would be based on the dynamism of internal Chinese demand," he said. Noting that China has been upgrading its public finance framework over time "in quite a successful way," Gaspar said "that path should continue," urging the country to extend social safety nets and adjust tax policy to better support domestic consumption. In the area of the allocation of resources, looking for "competitive neutrality" across the economy is extremely important, the IMF official said, adding that China should continue its decades-long reform on corporate tax and state-owned enterprises. Vitor Gaspar, director of IMF's Fiscal Affairs Department, speaks at a press conference on the newly-released Fiscal Monitor report in Washington D.C., the United States, April 13, 2016. (Xinhua/Bao Dandan) When asked to describe China's economic growth in 2020 in three key words, Gaspar told Xinhua that he would characterize it as "great so far," as the country has controlled the COVID-19, and has recovered "strongly" after experiencing economic loss at the beginning of the year. China's National Bureau of Statistics recently reported that the country's gross domestic product (GDP) registered a year-on-year growth rate of 2.3 percent in 2020, becoming the only major economy with positive growth in the pandemic-ravaged year. According to the latest update to its World Economic Outlook (WEO), the IMF projected that China's economy will grow by 8.1 percent in 2021, amid a partial and uneven global recovery. "Going forward, there are still many challenges having to do with China's own domestic growth," Gaspar said. "Also some challenges that play out at the global level and where China's contribution is very important." Noting that China has a role to play in forging global consensus, the IMF official said the world's second largest economy could contribute to global growth by boosting green investment, and facilitating the digitalization process, among others. According to the IMF's Fiscal Monitor update released Thursday, global fiscal support reached nearly 14 trillion U.S. dollars as of end-December 2020, up by about 2.2 trillion dollars since October 2020. "COVID-19 was an enormous disturbance to all countries around the world. Tax revenues have shrunk quite substantially," Gaspar said, calling such fast and strong fiscal actions "absolutely necessary" to help contain the pandemic and to avoid a financial crisis. Together with economic contraction, such support has led to a rise in public debt and deficits, according to the Fiscal Monitor update. Average public debt worldwide approached 98 percent of GDP at the end of 2020, compared with 84 percent projected pre-pandemic for the same date. Aerial photo taken on Aug. 13, 2020 shows a view of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian) When asked whether policymakers should be concerned about the ballooning public debt, the IMF official told Xinhua that one has always to be concerned about proper management of public finance risks, and to bear in mind public debt sustainability, but at this point in time, "the very first priority is to defeat the pandemic." Gaspar said "clearly there is a general recognition that poor countries do need support," noting that the vaccination process is lagging behind for low income countries at this point in time. "But of course COVID-19 will not be under control anywhere before it is under control everywhere. And investing in the vaccination process is probably the most profitable investment that one can carry out now in the world economy," he said. The IMF official also urged policymakers to strike a "balance" between providing more short-term support to ensure a solid recovery and keeping debt at a manageable level over the longer term. "The priority is to provide relief support, to provide lifelines, to make sure that support is there when it is needed," said the IMF official. "But in order for that to work well, it's very important that people have trust that the situation over the long run is under control." "One should always think about economic activity and employment in the short run from the viewpoint of long run development, having a long run view helps a lot," Gaspar added. According to the IMF's Fiscal Monitor update, fiscal policy should enable a green, digital, and inclusive transformation of the economy in the post-COVID-19 environment, with the priorities including investing in health systems, education, and infrastructure, helping people go back to work and move between jobs, as well as strengthening social protection systems. In addition, policymakers should rethink tax systems to promote greater fairness and provide incentives to protect the environment, and cut wasteful spending, strengthen the transparency of spending initiatives, and improve governance practices to reap the full benefits of fiscal support. "Governments need to win the vaccination race, respond flexibly to the changing economic conditions, and set the stage for a greener, fairer, and more durable recovery," Gaspar said. Enditem (Hu Yousong and Tan Yixiao contributed to the report) The U.S. rocket and space technology developer Firefly Aerospace Inc., owned by Ukrainian businessman Maksym Polyakov plans to raise $350 million to scale up production and work on a medium-class launch vehicle - Firefly Beta. Firefly Aerospace CEO Tom Markusic spoke about these plans during the IPO Edge webinar, the company's press service said on Thursday. "In the next five years we want to take Firefly from a $1 billion with Alpha to being on the order of a $10 billion company with a set of different launch vehicles," Markusic said. The company said $125 million of the funding would go toward production enhancements, such as facilities and tooling needed to ramp up launch vehicle production. The other $225 million would support growth initiatives, in particular a medium-class vehicle capable of placing 10 tonnes into orbit, about ten times more than the capacity of Alpha. "Our development phase was $200 million, and that was funded by Maksym Polyakov and Noosphere Venture Partners [...] Now we are considering expanding the list of investors in order to raise an additional $350 million, without impeding our ability or fundamentally changing our culture as a nimble, fast-moving space development company," Markusic said. He also confirmed plans for Alpha's inaugural launch soon. As reported, Firefly Aerospace has already performed checkouts of the Alpha launch vehicle. As reported, Firefly Aerospace Inc. signed a Launch Services Agreement (LSA) with equipment and avionics company Adaptive Launch Solutions (ALS), which includes four launches of the Alpha rocket starting in 2021. Ukraine's Space Electric Thruster Systems (SETS) will provide its SPS-25 propulsion system for the inaugural launch of the Alpha rocket made by a rocket and space technology developer Firefly Aerospace Inc. 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. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Its dark, passing 4am, and Patricia Piccinini is running through a field in a flowy floral dress, pulling at the fabric flippers and billowing breasts of her creations first the hot air balloon (and aeronautic artwork) known as Skywhale, then its gargantuan new counterpart (and levitating life partner), Skywhalepapa. Through thick fog Piccinini dashes between them, clearly not feeling the chill here, 40 minutes north of Canberra, on the first Friday in December. The pilots have matters firmly under control, yet Piccinini stays near: tugging at a tail, smoothing out a fin, fretting like a mother. Skywhalepapas first Australian flight this test launch is being held on the expansive farm of entrepreneur Dick Smith ahead of its anticipated public debut in Canberra next Saturday. And so roughly two dozen of us, mostly people from the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) and Piccininis studio, mill in this natural amphitheatre, stamping our feet to stay warm, awaiting this sneak peek. At 5.56am, the project co-ordinator appears: Thirty seconds to the sun! he yells. Three minutes til flight! The balloons puff and swell, then theyre aloft, floating upward, making no sound whatsoever. The aural vacuum is swiftly filled with whoops and cheers and applause, and a startled stock horse gallops through a nearby paddock. Someone tells Piccinini she must be freezing now, but the 55-year-old just smiles. My Italian friend, she got married in Italy one freezing winter, wearing this strapless thing, but she said she didnt feel the cold because she was the bride, she says. Thats how I feel. For half an hour her balloons drift slowly back and forth, catching faint currents, waltzing together, as the pilots pump hissing hot air into each vessel and a waning gibbous moon fades into the frosty sky. I wonder how Piccinini feels. Joyful! she cries, head tilted up, brown eyes brimming. Hes gorgeous. Look at him up in the blue, looking down at us. I feel maternal. I feel relief. When you do have your baby come out, its a relief, isnt it? Like, thank god hes okay. Hes out! He can fly! Nick Mitzevich, director of the NGA, grins and gives Piccinini a long-held hug. Its amazing to see him take his form, he says giddily. He defies logic. Defies realism. The launch is incredibly important to Mitzevich, too. He came to Canberra in July 2018 and discovered a clear imbalance in the national collection: 75 per cent of its works were by male artists, 25 per cent female. He also saw a need to better share the collection nationwide. The result is an exhibition Know My Name to celebrate and elevate the profile of Australian women artists, which opened in Canberra in November and runs until July, and the commissioning of Skywhalepapa, the perfect vehicle to take the gallery beyond its walls, literally all over Australia. Combined, the show and balloon are the gallerys most significant project under his stewardship. The skywhales will fly together three times in the national capital supported by the Balnaves Foundation then at nine regional locations around the country over two years, sponsored by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation. Theyll then fly around the world, in locales still being nutted out. The NGA has just published a Skywhalepapa childrens book, Every Heart Sings, which Piccinini will read in schools. Advertisement Theres a pop song being released by ACT musician Jess Green, and a childrens choir will help her sing the balloons into the sky at the public event next week. Theres an adjoining online education project, and a stitchwork pattern is being released online, so people can knit their own skywhales. The nearby Three Mills Bakery hopes to produce a nutritious skywhale food, while local craft brewer Bentspoke is discussing a Skywhale Ale. (It would be light, and cloudy.) Its an investment in the creativity of Australians ... how we define ourselves and how we thoughtfully think about the world around us. The plans are big, and so is the price tag: the total project cost for Skywhalepapa is $1.3 million. For me, its an investment in the creativity of Australians, an important part of how we define ourselves and who we are, and how we thoughtfully think about the world around us, Mitzevich says. This is a contentious, ambitious idea, but in the 21st century art can be anything an artist defines it to be. Yet artists are still regularly asked to explain themselves, even sometimes by members of the NGA council. Former federal minister for the arts Richard Alston, a council member, is standing in the paddock with us on this cold December morning. Turning to Piccinini in the darkness before the launch, he asks: So what actual work did you do? Have you painted it? Piccinini is often asked a version of this question, and shes ready for it. I imagined him, that was the first thing, she parries. Then I drew him. Then in our studio we put together a 3D model, and we sent this to a very experienced special-shaped balloon fabricating company in Bristol, and they took about a year to engineer him and sew him together. Hes hand sewn, every seam made by 16 seamstresses. Its a very lightweight, tough, heat-resistant nylon. The colours are printed. Naturalistic. And he says so much. Later, Piccinini shows me photos on her iPhone of Skywhale tribute tattoos, and papier mache Skywhales, all made by ardent fans of the balloon commissioned by the ACT government to celebrate Canberras centenary in 2013. A crowd favourite from the get-go albeit controversial among some Skywhale has since flown in Ireland, Japan and Brazil as well as, closer to home, the Yarra Valley. Thats funny. Thats hilarious, Piccinini says of the various tributes. And I love that, she says, pointing to a Skywhale hat with inflated condoms for teats. Its joyful and creative and celebrates the moment. It doesnt diminish the seriousness of my work, she says, explaining what the works all about. The first level of Skywhale is that you see this very breasty creature. Shes a mammal. There are not many mammals in the sky, so you think, Thats very strange. Most people go a step back: Is that advertising something? Is it promoting a film? Its a truly enigmatic object: What the f is that? Advertisement But you see its a female. It looks a bit like a whale. And you think, Ive never seen an animal like that. Its ridiculous. But somehow its got this lovely gentle demeanour. It flows through the sky and its a beautiful day because it has to be a beautiful day, because hot air balloons dont fly in bad conditions and youre drawn in, and you think, Maybe its not as crazy as I first thought. Maybe its this lovely maternal presence that is often not valued in our society. The piece ponders nature, she says, and its undeniable strangeness: how seals stink, and angler fish hunt, and birds are basically menacing little dinosaurs. All nature to us is other. Thats why we treat nature in the way we do. That is why we disregard it, and why we dont value it. Thats humanism. Theres a culpability. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Into this story comes Skywhalepapa, massive and muscular yet the ultimate nurturing figure, cradling his babies and toddlers. One of the things about nurture and care is that its often ascribed to women. The idea that you could be a big, strong, masculine, beautiful male and be the nurturer is a really fantastic image to reflect back at us. Its an image she sees in her own husband, the artist Peter Hennessey, who cooks dinner every night for Patricia and their children Hector, 15, and Roxy, 13. (They didnt eat takeaway once during Victorias long 2020 lockdown, thanks to Hennesseys sweating at the stove.) The couple have been together 33 years, and their connection shows, in the way Hennessey might call his wife Patricia then Patty, My love then Old girl, Darling then Mate. And the way she gazes back. Thats what Skywhalepapa is about reflecting this triumphant shift in how we define masculinity, and male-female partnerships, Piccinini says. Theres a lot of shit in this world, but this is actually a great, wonderful thing. Thats why I made him. Over the past two decades Piccinini has used relationships in her work to raise questions about everything from genetic engineering and artificial intelligence to animal rights and gender norms. She works in a variety of mediums but is best known for her hugely popular silicone forms: strange creatures that straddle the boundary between human and animal, nature and technological. Her exhibitions draw strong crowds in her home country shes enjoyed survey shows at both the South Australian and Queensland state galleries over the past decade but also internationally. Her 2016 show, Consciousness, drew 1.4 million viewers across four Brazilian cities, leading The Art Newspaper to name her the most popular contemporary artist in the world that year. Im not populist, Im popular. I want people to get something out of my work. I want that for myself when I go into any exhibition. I want to feel richer. Advertisement That kind of success, however won in South America instead of south London sparked a certain sneering dismissiveness. Ive also been accused of being too available, she says. Thats a negative term in the art world: If anyone can understand it, it must be populist. But Im not populist, Im popular. I want people to get something out of my work. I want that for myself when I go into any exhibition. I want to feel richer. That this commission comes from the NGA is no surprise: Mitzevich has long been a fan, commissioning the 2011 Art Gallery of South Australia survey show when he ran that institution, and Piccinini herself grew up in Canberra. One day in year 9, she decided not to go to school. She walked past the gates and kept on walking, ending up in the NGA, staring at canvases by Willem de Kooning and Francesco Clemente. I just had this incredible feeling of being free from the rest of the world, that my mind was opened, she says. I could look at these paintings and imagine things in them, and just be with them. And I thought, I dont know what this is, I dont know who these people are, but I want to be here. It wasnt easy. She was discouraged by her parents: My father said, No Patricia. There are only three artists Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael and youre never going to be one of them. Patricia Piccinini readies the hot-air balloons form before its test flight outside Canberra. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen We talk a little about Piccininis back story on another day, at her studio, Drome, in inner Melbournes Collingwood, over a pot of camomile tea and a plate of fruit. She was born in Sierra Leone in 1965. Her late father, Teodoro, was an Italian builder looking for work in Africa; her mother, Agnes, an Irish migrant teaching English to kids in the capital, Freetown. Eventually a power vacuum in the former British colony was filled by violence and terror, so when Piccinini was three they fled to her fathers village in Italy, in the Po Valley. They migrated to Australia in 1972, when Patricia was seven and her younger sister, Paula, five. We didnt speak English, so we were just put in the front row of the classroom, and thats how we learnt, says Paula, a barrister and CEO of a family violence organisation, married to shareholder activist Stephen Mayne. We were very much migrants. We might not look like it or sound like it now, but we were. Patricia had an Italian accent up until high school. Advertisement As an artist I try to situate myself inside society ... Im not outside, telling people whats right and wrong; I find that way of creating meaning a bit retrograde. This childhood deeply informs Piccininis work. We had nothing I wanted to be part of something, she tells me. So as an artist I try to situate myself inside society, and have a discussion with the people around me. Im not outside, telling people whats right and wrong; I find that way of creating meaning a bit retrograde. I dont make art for myself. But thats another notion given favour in the art world that the artist cant help but share his vision, through this compulsion, this maverick genius seeing things no one else can see. I kind of think, Nah, I dont believe in that mythology. Its bogus. And I dont fit into that mould anyway because Im a woman, and women arent given those exalted positions in art. Piccininis 2008 work, The Stags, has two fibreglass motor scooters duelling like male deer, representing the mix of the biological with the artificial (196cm x 224cm x 167cm). Credit:Tolarno Galleries When she chose art, her parents panicked. They had a vision for their daughters: one would be an economist in treasury, the other a lawyer for the attorney-general. Patricia entered into a deal with them: she could go to Europe for a year after high school, so long as she came back and studied economics at the Australian National University, which she did. Patricia kept trying to fail economics, but shes quite a clever person, says Paula, laughing. She would cram for exams a few days before, and manage to pass, while completing a double major in fine arts, which no one really knew about. After three years, though, she went to Sydney to visit friends, and stayed, transferring to the University of Sydney to study film, where she met Hennessey. She came to Melbourne in 1989 to study painting at the Victorian College of the Arts. I think she had something to prove to our parents, because they were very, very worried, Paula says. Part of the reason they were so keen for me to do my law degree was to support poor Patricia in her old age, because she was destined to be destitute. The backdrop to their concern was the stomach cancer Piccininis mother, Agnes, developed at 39, when Piccinini was 13. Operations and chemotherapy sent the disease into remission, but it returned in her pancreas. The responsible first-born spent her teen years delving into the medical futurism that would ultimately become a theme in her art. Take reproducing an organ in another body, and transferring that organ to mum so she could live: Patricia saw that as a possibility, says Paula. That started her thinking about cloning, and growing ears on mice, and organs in pigs. And what if we were to create new chimeras? Do they have their own humanity? What are the ethics around that? Piccinini recalls the psychological scar serious sickness left. We were told she was going to die, she says. So we always expected her to die. So my focus was, What can I do to help keep my mother alive? And I thought I was keeping her alive, because teenagers always think its about them, but its magical thinking. Advertisement Boohoo is to enter exclusive talks to buy Burton, Dorothy Perkins and Wallis for up to 25m Boohoo has taken poll position to buy three Arcadia brands in a move that would mark the final break-up of Sir Philip Greens empire, which collapsed in December. Last night the online fashion retailer was preparing to enter exclusive talks to buy Burton, Dorothy Perkins and Wallis for up to 25million, Sky News reported. Boohoo has used the pandemic as an opportunity to buy bombed out brands on the cheap. Earlier this week it announced it had bought Debenhamss website and brands for just 55million, and in 2020 it bought Oasis, Coast, Karen Millen and Warehouse, also marking each brands permanent departure from the High Street. It is feared that the online-only focus of the suitors for Arcadia leaves little room for its 440 stores, manned by 13,000 staff. Asos entered exclusive talks for Miss Selfridge and Topshop, the jewel in the crown of Sir Philips fallen empire, this week. A source close to the race for the brands told the Mail it was not certain that a deal with Boohoo would be concluded and other parties are still interested in the brands. Southerners had long dominated the national government, and they felt entitled to that power. They were also worried about losing it, a product of the rise of abolitionism and potentially free states forming in the West. Viewing their violence as defensive and justifiable, they fended off attacks on slavery with force when necessary, demanding compliance or silence from their foes, and sometimes getting it. Men resigned from committees in the face of Southern threats. During debate, some men held back rather than confront fighting men. For some Southerners, this brand of politics wasnt much of a stretch; their slave regime was grounded in violence, and mastery was their way of life. Between 1830 and 1860, there were at least 70 violent incidents on the House and Senate floors, most of them prompted by Southerners. This Southern strategy of force was no happenstance, no mere matter of custom. Representative Richard Kidder Meade, Democrat of Virginia, declared as much in 1849 on the House floor, bragging that the best way to manage antislavery congressmen was to keep them afraid for their lives. And it worked. Joshua Giddings, a freshman Whig representative from Ohio, was stunned at the sight of it. During his first weeks in Congress in 1838, he saw that Northerners were too backward and delicate to confront Southern insolence. We have no Northern man who dares boldly and fearlessly declare his abhorrence of slavery. Not surprisingly, as the slavery debate intensified in the 1850s, so did Southern threats. Representative Thomas Clingman, a Whig from North Carolina, reached new heights during the debate over what came to be known as the Compromise of 1850. If Southern interests werent protected, he warned on Jan. 22, Southerners would fight. Their plan of attack was simple, he explained. If fighting with parliamentary gamesmanship like Northern gentlemen didnt get them what they wanted, then they would fight like Southern men with force. The end result would be a collision as electric as the Battle of Lexington, followed by the collapse of Congress. A few weeks later, Senator Henry Foote, Democrat of Mississippi, made the same threat more subtly, Senate-style. If a South-friendly compromise wasnt hammered out in the next three days, he declared, the matter would leave our jurisdiction, and leave it forever. What did he mean? Newspapers filled the gap. He was threatening armed warfare in Congress. Would Southerners have opened fire in Congress? Probably not. But could they have? Their track record suggested that they could have, so their threat carried. Concerned congressmen considered outcomes. How many representatives were armed, some wondered. Representative Willie Mangum, another Whig from North Carolina, thought 70 or 80; his fellow North Carolina Whig and friend David Outlaw thought fewer. These men were envisioning warfare in the House, however unlikely it might be. Some people, however, thought it quite likely, and gathered at the Capitol to witness it. Outlaw reported to his wife that great crowds had assembled to see the Union dissolved by a general battle in the House of Reps. Only when the chance of a congressional doomsday had passed did they drift away. The Irish Bakery Association (IBA) has warned that, despite the best efforts of the industry, bread prices will soon be forced upwards because of the impacts of Brexit on ingredients costs. Only 40% of the flour used in Irish bread making is actually produced on the island of Ireland, with the UK and the EU providing the rest of Ireland's bread making flour. To add fuel to the Brexit fire, last year the UK suffered their worst harvest in 40 years. Irish flour importers are finding that substitution options are limited in Europe. This is because the Irish consumer prefers to eat a type of bread theyre used to, made with the flour theyre used to. The flours produced on the continent are best suited to their own style of baguettes and bagels and less so to our slice pans and traditional Irish breads. Ireland also lacks production of yeast or sugar, and produces very little vegetable oil for bakery use. The industry is seeing price hikes on all these ingredients. As the cost of inputs goes up, the cost of bakery production must follow to maintain the industrys viability. Gerald Cunningham, secretary of the IBA said: Prudent stock-piling of flour before Christmas has kept prices flat to date. We also researched alternative sources of flour. But the MATIF (Flour price index) is currently at a record high causing the market to be volatile. "It is important for the market to know what is happening, and that without external interventions, price rises are inevitable. 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. Advertisement Oxford University's Covid vaccine will work on over-65s, scientists have insisted after German regulators claimed it was only 6.5 per cent effective. Doctors in England say elderly patients are already turning up worried that they will get a jab that won't work for them because of 'misleading' news reports. But the developers of the vaccine, Britain's regulator and independent scientists say there is 'really good evidence' that the jab will work. Even though it was only trialled on a small number of people over 65 - just 660 - before it was approved, lab tests showed that the immune response was strong, it was safe for people to take and appeared to affect elderly people as well as it did young people, for whom there is data proving it prevents Covid-19. Professor Anthony Harnden, the deputy chairman of the committee that decided the jabs priority list, vowed there was 'really good evidence' that it is 'safe and effective'. He added advisors in Berlin had made their decision because they have 'lots of' the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine that they can prioritise for older patients, but fewer doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab. Other scientists have warned the German figure is 'misleading' because of the uncertainty around their estimates due to a lack of data in the age group. But doctors have called for 'clear messaging' to the public to reassure them that the second jab approved is effective amid a barrage of queries from elderly Britons. Dr Jess Harvey, a GP in Shropshire, says she's already had several patients come in worried about the jab and fears the situation will only 'get worse'. The comments come after Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday waded into the row, insisting that the vaccine will work and he was flanked by public health chiefs from PHE and the MHRA, the regulator that approved the jab. The European Medicines Agency, the equivalent of the UK's regulator, is expected to approve the vaccine today - with reports suggesting it will not place an age-limit on who it can be administered to. The MHRA in Britain rubber-stamped the jab in early December saying it was effective for all age groups. Politicians in the EU have this week been scathing of AstraZeneca after the company said it wouldn't be able to meet supply targets it had agreed to because of low yields in its factories on the continent, while Britain's supply continues uninterrupted. Brussels today stepped up its Covid-19 vaccine war with AstraZeneca by insisting their contract allows them to grab millions of doses made in the UK as the bloc unveiled new powers that could stop Pfizer jabs destined for British arms crossing the Channel from Europe. Scientists have today said data shows the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab is 'very effective' Pictured is Brian Pinker, 82, receiving his first dose of the jab at Churchill Hospital, Oxford EU officials have today demanded that Covid vaccines made in the UK be exported to Europe to help plug shortfalls in its own jabs roll-out, which is among the slowest in the world and is lagging well behind Britain These set of graphs show the number of vaccines ordered by the UK and the EU. The EU has also ordered a number of other vaccines, including 300million Sanofi-GSK doses and 405million CureVac doses Professor Harnden, who is also a member of the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at Oxford University, said the immune response triggered by the jab was 'very similar' between older and younger people. 'I think there's really good evidence that this vaccine is both safe and effective it induces a strong immune response including an antibiotic response which is very similar in older people compared to younger people,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'I've cared for my elderly patients now for 30 years in my practice and I have absolutely no intention of giving them anything for which I have doubts about the effectiveness - this vaccine is incredibly effective.' Dr Jess Harvey, who runs a Covid-19 vaccine clinic, has warned that the German advisors' decision has sparked confusion among her patients. Professor Anthony Harnden, a JCVI member, said German regulators decision was based on the fact they were expecting few doses 'I had one patient who came in clutching a piece of paper saying AstraZeneca doesn't work in patients over 65 and she told me that had been on the news today,' she told the Today programme. 'I've had a number of patients who were disappointed that they were having the Pfizer vaccine for various different reasons including the changing to the dosing regimen, the current dispute with the EU and a feeling that it wasn't quite as quote British as the AstraZeneca vaccine. 'It'd be really useful if there was just some clear messaging out there to the public in terms of what was happening because otherwise this is just going to get worse and we can only cope with so many questions and queries.' Professor Harnden added the reason Germany had recommended the jab should not be used for over-65s was not about whether it was effective, but about what their advisers decided was insufficient data on which to make a judgement. 'When the German advisory body which looked at this data they had in mind like we did at JCVI they looked at that whole picture and actually they don't have very much supply of Oxford vaccine, but they've got lots of supply of Pfizer. 'And so they said given the limited precision of estimate for the Oxford data that they would prefer to use the majority of their Pfizer vaccine on the older people.' The Oxford/AstraZeneca trials enrolled older participants later than younger ones because the researchers wanted to ensure there were no serious side-effects, which may have been less life-threatening for young people. But this meant there was less time to test the vaccine on the older age band, which has led to the German advisory body saying they have insufficient evidence. This was done at the insistence of researchers at the university, who went about the trials in an 'academic' way according to scientists. Companies testing other vaccines, however, decided their experimental jabs were safe enough to give to older and younger volunteers at the same time. WHY IS GERMANY REJECTING THE JAB FOR OVER-65s? Germany is turning down the AstraZeneca vaccine for people over the age of 65 because a top scientific panel believes there isn't enough proof that it will work. The issue with the study is that the vaccine was only trialled on 660 people over the age of 65 in results that have been published so far. In a breakdown shown in the German report, it shows that one out of 341 people who got the jab later tested positive for coronavirus. Meanwhile one in 319 people who got a fake jab, called a placebo, tested positive. The whole point of a clinical trial is to compare the number of positive cases in the vaccine group to the number of positives in the non-vaccine group, to work out how well the jab works. With the exact same number of cases in both groups and an almost identical number of participants, this is impossible to do. A German analysis of the clinical trial of the vaccine, published on Twitter by a Berlin correspondent for The Times, showed that officials there estimate the efficacy of the vaccine to be just 6.3 per cent in over-65s - but this figure is wildly unreliable because of the small numbers involved. That figure is close to the eight per cent claim touted in German newspapers Handelsblatt and Bild on Monday which sparked outrage among scientists and fierce rebuttals from Oxford University and AstraZeneca, who said it was 'completely incorrect'. To illustrate how unreliable the 6.3 per cent estimate is, the researchers included their confidence interval, which is a range of numbers they are almost certain the true number falls within. The confidence interval suggests that scientists thought the true effectiveness of the vaccine in over-65s was somewhere between -1,405% and 94.5%. This means the estimate is totally unreliable and a true figure cannot be calculated. The data is the same that was used by the UK Government to approve the jab, and regulators in Britain admitted there was not enough data to give a percentage estimate of its efficacy while the Germans attempted to do it anyway. But they were satisfied by the fact that the vaccine was well-tolerated and safe in the older people who did receive it, and the fact that their immune response appeared in lab tests to be the same as those in younger people, who featured more heavily in the trial. In short, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said they would not expect the vaccine to work any differently in older people than in other age groups. They said: 'Efficacy and safety data are currently limited in individuals 65 years of age. No dosage adjustment is required.' The study has enrolled more older people since it first reported results and continues to gather data on how the vaccine functions in that group. The jab appears to be between 62 and 90 per cent effective in the adult population in general, according to Oxford University researchers. Advertisement Professor Jason Oke, a senior statistician at Oxford University, warned the Germany 6.3 per cent figure was 'misleading' because of the 'huge uncertainty' in the data. 'The figure (6.3 per cent) quoted in the report is based on just two infections, one in the vaccine arm and the other in the control arm,' he said. 'Unethical is probably too strong a term but it would certainly be misleading to report a point estimate such as this without acknowledging the huge uncertainty due to the lack of data in this age-group. 'It is good practice to report uncertainty, especially when the results are inconclusive. 'This data tells us very little about the vaccine activity in this older age group. 'It is unlikely that the study was designed to be large enough to assess the effect of the vaccine is this age group separately.' The issue with Oxford's study is that the vaccine was only trialled on 660 people over the age of 65 in results that have been published so far. In a breakdown shown in the German report, it shows that one out of 341 people who got the jab later tested positive for coronavirus. Meanwhile one in 319 people who got a fake jab, called a placebo, tested positive. The whole point of a clinical trial is to compare the number of positive cases in the vaccine group to the number of positives in the non-vaccine group, to work out how well the jab works. With the exact same number of cases in both groups and an almost identical number of participants, this is impossible to do. A German analysis of the clinical trial of the vaccine, published on Twitter by a Berlin correspondent for The Times, showed that officials there estimate the efficacy of the vaccine to be just 6.3 per cent in over-65s - but this figure is wildly unreliable because of the small numbers involved. That figure is close to the eight per cent claim touted in German newspapers Handelsblatt and Bild on Monday which sparked outrage among scientists and fierce rebuttals from Oxford University and AstraZeneca, who said it was 'completely incorrect'. To illustrate how unreliable the 6.3 per cent estimate is, the researchers included their confidence interval, which is a range of numbers they are almost certain the true number falls within. The confidence interval suggests that scientists thought the true effectiveness of the vaccine in over-65s was somewhere between -1,405% and 94.5%. This means the estimate is totally unreliable and a true figure cannot be calculated. The data is the same that was used by the UK Government to approve the jab, and regulators in Britain admitted there was not enough data to give a percentage estimate of its efficacy while the Germans attempted to do it anyway. But they were satisfied by the fact that the vaccine was well-tolerated and safe in the older people who did receive it, and the fact that their immune response appeared in lab tests to be the same as those in younger people, who featured more heavily in the trial. In short, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said they would not expect the vaccine to work any differently in older people than in other age groups. They said: 'Efficacy and safety data are currently limited in individuals 65 years of age. No dosage adjustment is required.' The study has enrolled more older people since it first reported results and continues to gather data on how the vaccine functions in that group. The Prime Minister yesterday came out fighting for the jab, vowing it was effective for patients in older age brackets. On a visit to Scotland, Mr Johnson said he was not worried about the news from Germany. 'No, because the MHRA [Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency], our own authorities, have made it very clear that they think the Oxford-AstraZeneca is very good and efficacious and gives a high degree of protection after just one does and even more after two doses,' he said. The PM said the MHRA concluded the vaccine is 'effective across all age groups' and 'provides a good immune response across all age groups'. He added on the German conclusions: 'So I don't agree with that.' Edna Cook is pictured receiving her vaccination against coronavirus in Middlesbrough Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisations at PHE, said there had been 'too few cases' of coronavirus in older people in Phase 3 clinical trial to determine efficacy in this age group, but other data on immune response had been 'reassuring'. AstraZeneca said: 'The latest analyses of clinical trial data for the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine support efficacy in the over 65 years age group.' In a comment issued later, MHRA Chief Executive Dr June Raine added: 'Current evidence does not suggest any lack of protection against COVID-19 in people aged 65 or over. 'The data we have shows that the vaccine produces a strong immune response in the over 65s. 'More data is continually becoming available for this age group and our Public Assessment Report, available on our website, will be updated to reflect this.' Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, said: 'There will now be millions of older and more vulnerable people in the UK who have had the AZ jab, wondering, am I really protected? 'I would say to anyone over 65 who has had the AZ jab the same I would tell anyone who has had any Covid jab. 'We already know that no vaccine available is 100 per cent protective against getting sick, and at the moment you should still behave as if you, and anyone around you, could be infected with Covid-19.' As part of a horde of journalists who swarmed Kuwait in early 2003, I knew it was inevitable: The United States was going to war with Iraq. But until it happened, we were impatient for stories, and the military tried to sell us one: Pay attention to the logistics. I went to a desert staging ground to hear a brigadier general talk about unsexy stuff - how to move an army, the basics of feeding, billeting, equipping, transporting. "Amateurs talk tactics," the general said. "Professionals talk logistics." That well-worn principle turned out to be right: The occupation of Iraq imploded in part because, although the United States provided support for its troops, it failed to provide fundamental logistics to the populace, including electricity, clean water, relief supplies and security. Nearly two decades later and half a globe away, the same maxim about logistics would apply to the Great Occupation of Washington of 2021. No war was fought in D.C. this month, of course. But the National Guard's display of overwhelming force certainly played some part in keeping any insurrectionists at bay. For locals and beyond, it was hard not to be awed while watching the streets of Washington overflow with a division of soldiers - starting with about 300 before the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, swelling to 10,000 afterward, then to nearly 26,000 before the inauguration. That is roughly the number, a Guard spokesman pointed out to me, of U.S. forces on the Korean Peninsula. A force that large becomes indistinct, a wall of camouflage and fearsome weapons. Yet each of the soldiers - who came from 50 states, the District, and three territories - had to stay somewhere, eat somewhere, congregate somewhere while off duty. Some used cot-equipped spaces in the Capitol or Library of Congress as resting areas, but more likely you would see them at one of the hotels in the District, Maryland or Virginia. Soon I started finding them . . . hanging around the Watergate complex. The iconic Watergate Hotel, it turned out, was one of the luxury hostelries where the troops were lodging - largely a contingent from Maine. The splendor of the $400-per-night digs (pre-pandemic price) and amenities, such as maid service, king-size beds and (though off-limits) the lush whisky bar, were not lost on the young citizen-soldiers. Some told me they had never seen anything like it. And it sure beat sleeping on the Capitol floors, as soldiers did not long after the Jan. 6 siege. Or relocating to a parking garage after getting the bum's rush from the Capitol. What about the historical connection of staying in the scandal-redolent hotel, synonymous with Nixon-era depredations, to protect a city against the dark forces unleashed by a later president whose name history also will not remember fondly? I brought it up, being a Watergate geek, but soldiers don't talk politics - publicly anyway. For the hotel, a week-plus of having 200 rooms booked by soldiers was a boon. The inaugural festivities usually fill up local hotels, but the ceremony this year was mainly virtual, a tourism bust; also, the pandemic had hammered tourism overall and the storming of the Capitol scared away any other would-be visitors. The Watergate and other hotels - like the posh Park Hyatt in D.C.'s West End - could hardly sniff at the business, even if government per diems were not close to usual rates. But the incongruity could not have been greater. "Usually we have people in nice ballgowns getting ready for an event, not in camouflage fatigues, so it's quite a different picture," Pascal Forotti, the Watergate Hotel's managing director, told me. "We wanted them to feel as welcome as possible." The hotel made available its Kingbird restaurant (which was closed to the public), where the soldiers could enjoy prepackaged, military-provided meals - three a day, hot and cold. I will tell you, as someone who has gone through training with troops, the food is admirably nutritious but I also kept running into soldiers in search of snacks at the CVS closest to the hotel. "I can't believe they're out of chocolate milk," one was shocked to realize. Some stats: According to a Guard tally, from Jan. 6 through Jan. 28, the troops required 140 military flights inbound and 107 outbound. Upward of 400 vehicles were in use. For the massive operation, soldiers brought sleeping bags, uncertain where they would end up. The vast majority landed in hotels - 176 of them. Some bunked in three public schools closed because of the pandemic. Lining up food and sleeping quarters was a "herculean effort in such a short time," said Wayne Hall, a spokesman for the National Guard Bureau. Several hotels usually packed with conventioneers had boots in their lobbies. Thomas Penny, president of Donohoe Hospitality Services, which owns or manages a dozen area hotels, including Marriotts, Holiday Inns and Hyatts, said his properties were happy to have the Army if only for psychological reasons. "The troops' presence added security for team members who wanted to feel safe," he told me. "And the opportunity to just have people back in the building - hotels that are usually bustling have been ghost towns - gave the staff a sense of life and purpose." In Georgetown, it was common - and pleasant - to hear the melange of accents spoken by troops from the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. I ran into soldiers clustered at outdoor restaurants and the Starbucks overlooking Washington Harbor, spending off time. One Virgin Islander, asked her impression of D.C., said it looked as if a hurricane were coming - all the boarded up businesses were "surreal." "Tell Starbucks where you're from," beckoned a sheet of paper on a table, offering purple, green and pink markers. "St. Croix. St. John." Unmistakably military designations: "661st MP. VING 786 HHC 610th 631st." And somebody wanted it known: "It is cold!!!" With a frowny face for good measure. The wind whipped up frosty whitecaps on the Potomac as I made my way back to the Watergate. I had overlooked gloves, of course. I noticed the Virgin Island troops walking nearby wore them. Logistics. The Maine troops, meanwhile, would soon depart for even chillier climes. They were sent off with a letter from Forotti. "I would like to personally thank you for being our guests at The Watergate Hotel," he wrote. "You traveled from your home states near and far to ensure the safety of our citizens during this historic, yet challenging time in our beloved city of Washington D.C. Your work ensured a peaceful 2021 Presidential Inauguration event for the United States of America." He added, "It was our pleasure to host you, and the hotel team and I hope that your stay was comfortable." I suspect it was. Last week, machinery like cranes were sent to a lake in Serbia in order to help clean the thick layer of waste that had accumulated on its surface. Tons of waste have accumulated at the foot of the Lim River hydro-electric power plant on the Potpec Reservoir in southwest Serbia and the rubbish is now threatening to clog the dam. Photo: Associated Press Espionage attempts like the SolarWinds hack are inevitable, so its safer to focus on defense not retaliation In the wake of the major espionage operation in which people alleged to be Russian government agents infiltrated the digital networks of the U.S. Defense, Treasury and Homeland Security departments as well as other government agencies and private companies President Joe Biden is considering how to respond. Its not clear exactly what data the hackers actually stole in the time they had access, roughly from March through December 2020, but they exploited software made by the Texas-based firm SolarWinds to gain access to key research and security information, including research for future nuclear weapons. Since taking office, Biden has ordered a thorough intelligence review of Russian aggression around the world, which includes hacking, election interference, poisoning political opponents and posting bounties for killing U.S. soldiers. And on Jan. 21, his first full day in office, Biden received a report from a congressional cybersecurity commission with 15 recommendations expected to prevent another major cyber breach. Those included boosting Americas cyber capabilities by increasing funding for U.S. Cyber Command and establishing a civilian reserve group that draws on cybersecurity talent in private industry and cybersecurity companies. His administration faces pressure from members of Congress in both parties and former government officials to respond forcefully to the SolarWinds breach. He is reportedly considering retaliatory cyberattacks against Russia and targeted financial sanctions against the individuals involved. But the U.S. government may not be able to stop future intrusions into American computer systems. Scholarship describes how difficult it can be to effectively deter cyberattacks or punish those responsible. In fact, as a scholar of cyber conflict, my research strongly indicates that retaliation in whatever form it might take will almost certainly invite counterhacks from Russia, worsening tensions between the countries and potentially escalating into the offline world. A sophisticated attack The SolarWinds hack was more advanced than previous ones: The hackers actually compromised software updates that the network management company regularly provides to the businesses and government agencies that use its software. The hackers inserted malicious code into the official updates, which countless administrators trusted and installed on nearly 18,000 systems across the country. Once installed, the malicious software connected to servers controlled by the hackers and gave them access to key data about government and corporate research and operations. This isnt the first major digital attack on the U.S. And its severity shows that past efforts to discourage cyberattacks have not been effective. Under President Barack Obama, for instance, the U.S. leveled economic and diplomatic sanctions against the people and governments responsible for cyberespionage, including North Korea and Russia. The Trump administration likewise imposed sanctions against Iranian and North Korean hackers for a range of cyberattacks targeting U.S. companies, universities and government agencies. Several scholars, including my collaborators and me, have shown that though economic sanctions do hurt their targets, they also hurt the country imposing the restrictions in this case, the United States which misses out on business opportunities in the targeted countries. Newer rounds of sanctions also bar U.S. companies from doing business with third-country firms that operate in targeted countries. The Ministry of Health and Welfare on Wednesday proposed raising the cigarette price from W4,500 a pack to the OECD average of about W8,100 per pack over the next 10 years to reduce smoking (US$1=W,119). The government on Thursday denied it ever had a plan to hike the price of cigarettes and liquor, which have become the sole consolation of many Koreans in lockdown. But on Thursday the ministry and the Office of the Prime Minister in separate statements denied that the government ever had such a plan at all. "Tobacco and alcohol are consumed by many people, and raising their prices requires sufficient research and study from various angles as well as prudent public debate," the ministry's statement said. They apparently got cold feet when they sensed a backlash brewing and realized that raising cigarette and liquor prices could prove unfavorable to the ruling Minjoo Party ahead of mayoral by-elections in Seoul and Busan on April 7. Doctors said that an Icelandic man who got the world's first double shoulder and arm transplant is recovering well after the surgery, two decades after the accident that cost him both limbs. They said it was still unclear how much mobility Felix Gretarsson, 48, would ultimately regain after the surgery, in the southeastern French city of Lyon, earlier this month. AFP But "giving a little to somebody who was missing so much, that's already a lot," Aram Gazarian, the lead surgeon in the operation, said in a news conference. "If he can recover the possibility to actively bend his elbow, that would be a life-changer," he reportedly said. Back in 1998 he suffered numerous fractures and internal injuries, and went into a three-month coma during which both arms were amputated by surgeons. He had even more surgeries, including a liver transplant. Gretarsson asked him if it would be possible to replace the missing limbs when hand transplant pioneer Jean-Michel Dubernard, based in Lyon, visited Reykjavik for a conference. Also Read: A Heart Was Transported From Delhi Airport To Hospital In Just 17 Mins For A Transplant YouTube The surgery was "his biggest dream" Gretarsson's wife Sylwia told the news conference on Friday, adding that she never thought the operation was really important because he "wasn't missing anything." It took years to identify sufficient donors, during which a total of about 50 medical personnel were involved in the preparations for the procedure. In order to minimise the transition time between donor and recipient, four surgical teams were involved. The outlook for the right arm to become usable is stronger than for the left, which also needed a full reconstruction of the shoulder, doctors said on Friday. YouTube Nine days after the procedure, no significant problems were found, they said. The patient was a long way from being able to lift his arms, but in a brief video shot in his hospital bed and shown at the news conference, he appeared clearly satisfied with the result. Gretarsson has years of re-education ahead of him, but the doctors have vouched to support him. With inputs from AFP The time has come to 'even the playing field' between publishers and online platforms, the Culture Secretary said yesterday. Oliver Dowden said the Government wanted to ensure big tech did not 'exploit its dominance to crowd out competition and innovation'. He said the rise of online advertising had led to a 'fundamental imbalance' between the platforms, which includes the likes of Google, and the publishers and advertisers that used these services to conduct their business. The time has come to 'even the playing field' between publishers and online platforms, the UK Culture Secretary said on Thursday. Pictured: Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden arrives in Downing Street on Wednesday In November the Government announced a 'pro-competition regime' to govern the behaviour of dominant platforms. Speaking at the RESET 2021 advertising industry conference, Mr Dowden said: 'I am unashamedly pro-tech, and am proudto help oversee one of the strongest tech sectors, not only in Europe but in the world. 'But we want to make sure big tech cannot exploit its dominance to crowd out competition and innovation, and expose people to unfairpractices with businesses and consumers in turn paying the price.' BEACHWOOD, Ohio -- The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage announces the highly anticipated Cleveland premiere of Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, presented locally by PNC Bank. This is the first-ever exhibition about the trailblazing Supreme Court justice. Based on the New York Times bestselling book of the same name and created in partnership with its authors, Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik, the exhibition takes a deeply personal journey through historic change with an entertaining yet rigorous look at the life and work of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) and the Supreme Court. It also examines Ginsburgs varied roles as a student, life partner, mother, change-making lawyer, judge, womens rights pioneer and pop culture icon. Notorious RBG will be on view at the Maltz Museum from Feb. 24 through Aug. 29. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 216-593-0575 or visit www.maltzmuseum.org. The exhibition was organized by the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Through archival photographs and documents, historical artifacts, contemporary art, media stations and gallery interactives, the exhibition explores the American legal system and civil rights movements through the lens of RBGs personal experiences and public service. Like the book, it tells the parallel stories of her remarkable life and the efforts she joined to expand We the People to include those long left out of the Constitutions promises. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg embodied the Jewish value of respect for all humanity, said David Schafer, managing director of the Maltz Museum in Beachwood. The Maltz Museum expresses the same value, as we work toward a more inclusive, just, and civil society, he said. We are honored to share the justices story with visitors, in person and online. In keeping with Carmon and Knizhniks book, the exhibition will touch on the playful connection between Justice Ginsburg and the Notorious B.I.G. -- both of whom were born and bred in Brooklyn, N.Y., as RBG herself has proudly pointed out. In celebration of opening week, the Maltz Museum is offering $5 tickets Feb. 24-28, available for purchase over the phone or online. Visitors can tour the Notorious RBG exhibition in person at the Maltz Museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday by timed tickets, which can be purchased over the phone or online in advance. Masks are required for entry and social distancing is enforced. General admission is $12. Students and seniors, $10; children 5-11, $5; children younger than 5 and Maltz Museum members, free. The museum is located at 2929 Richmond Road, Beachwood. As part of an ongoing outreach effort to connect visitors to the Maltz Museum during the pandemic, virtual visitors also can explore Notorious RBG online. Approximately 60 minutes in length, virtual attendees will enjoy a webinar-style, narrated exploration of key objects and artifacts, followed by a docent-led Q&A. Virtual tours will be offered on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. The cost is $10 per person. Located approximately 20 minutes from downtown Cleveland, the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage is an award-winning building crafted from Jerusalem stone and glass walls, uniquely set into the landscape. Housing two permanent collections and a gallery dedicated to presenting world-class special exhibitions, the Maltz Museum is rooted in the Jewish value of respect for all humanity, telling universal stories of hope, perseverance and resilience that educate, inform and inspire a more just, civil and inclusive society. Virtual career fair: Military Hire, Job Zone and USAA (United Services Automobile Association) are teaming together to host Military Hires first virtual career fair from 2 to 6 p.m. Feb. 10, with a focus on information technology and cybersecurity careers. USAA is proud to host the first virtual job fair of Military Hire, said Roy Lopez of USAA. We are a strong proponent of the U.S. veteran, and this initiative to drive employment for veterans is certainly one we support. The job fair will feature host USAA and other companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, SC Johnson, Zenetex, BlackBox, NNSY. jobs, U.S. Department of State, Sealift Command and others. Companies will each have online booths where candidates can explore company opportunities and connect with hiring managers. Military Hire has a high level of military candidates with security-level clearances, and a number of our over 600,000 members have backgrounds in IT and cybersecurity, said Jeff Finefrock, chief marketing officer of Military Hire. These careers are in high demand, and our military veteran members have the skills to fill them, so this was a great inaugural job fair for us, which we will continue to have in different career fields throughout the year, he said. In addition to the virtual job fair, attendees can also attend informational presentations on the veteran hiring and employment experience, including Women Veterans and Cybersecurity Careers Initiative by AMVETS, Being Job Ready for Cybersecurity and IT Professions by Operation Job Ready Veterans and Cybersecurity Education and Certifications for Enhanced Career Value, presented by CompTIA. Companies wanting to participate in the recruiting event can register by going to https://bit.ly/MHFeb1021. Veterans wanting to attend -- at no charge -- can register online at https://bit.ly/MHjobfair21021. Military Hire is a veteran job and services organization that has the primary goal of assisting veteran transitions from military to civilian life through job placement and awareness of other services available. Military Hire has over 600,000 veteran members and over 25,000 companies which it serves in this initiative. 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. BAY VILLAGE, Ohio Bay Village High School is on lockdown Friday as police converged on the building, according to the school district. The school district posted a message on Twitter at 1:25 p.m. that said more communication would follow. UPDATED: Authorities found no credible threat at Bay Village High School after lockdown, school district says The message asked parents to not come to the school and that other schools in the district ordered students to stay in place. A Bay Village police spokesman said there is no threat to students, but declined to say what caused the lockdown. A later statement from the school district said police found no credible threat, but that police continue to do their due diligence. The school district said police are conducting a room-by-room sweep of the building. School dismissals will be delayed. School district spokeswoman Karen Uthe Semancik did not return a call seeking more information. Dozens of police cars are outside the building, including from Bay Village, Westlake and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Bay High School is currently on lockdown. Police are on the scene. All other schools are in a stay in place. Transportation will be delayed. We are asking parents not to come to the buildings. More communication to follow. Bay Village Schools (@BaySchoolsOH) January 29, 2021 Quick update and more info to come once we have confirmed information. pic.twitter.com/zY7Lj0BVGE Bay Village Schools (@BaySchoolsOH) January 29, 2021 Heres video from the scene: This is a breaking news story. Read more from cleveland.com: Cleveland releases video of two officers accused of dismissing woman involved in crash involved in homicide just hours later Fan kicked out of Cavs-Lakers game for holding up shirts that said: LeBron is a racist, LeBron is a narcissist, police say Pair who protested TownHall restaurant hit with felony assault charge after worker said she lost hearing from megaphones [January 29, 2021] Asia Pacific Management Announces Plans To Launch Their Own Mobile Trading App Taipei, Taiwan, Jan. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asia Pacific Management announced in a newsletter on Monday that the company plans to launch their own global trading app. The Taipei based international investment firm has confirmed that they are currently in the early stages of research and development of their own mobile trading application, and are looking to launch the product in the first quarter of 2022. Asia Pacific Management are hoping to expand upon their current market share and believe that by introducing an integrated mobile trading platform, theyll be able to better serve their existing clients needs, as well as encourage a new wave of younger investors. A spokesperson for APM said in the newsletter The financial industry is constantly changing, and we as a company understand that to stay ahead of the curve and provide the best possible service for our clients, w must keep up with the latest technological advances. We would like to capture part of the new generation of investors who are increasingly using technology as a means to trade. We believe that now is the right time to provide our clients with an easy to use application. he added While the world continues to face the Covid-19 pandemic, it has brought new challenges and changes in the way we as a global community conduct our day to day business. Asia Pacific Management are building an online trading platform which will allow users to manage their investments and conduct their trades seamlessly from anywhere in the world, while still maintaining our high standard of services across the board. Asia Pacific Management has a long established reputation, and a team with over a century of combined industry knowledge that enables each of our clients to generate income, and returns that will ensure their goals are met. Each member of our team is trained to provide our clients with a wide array of strategies and services that will work seamlessly with their current financial plan. Media Contact: Company: Asia Pacific Management Name: Harry Chen Email: press@asiapacificmanagement.com Website: https://www.asiapacificmanagement.com/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global Melengestrol Acetate Reagent Market report offers a comprehensive analysis of current trends and future opportunities. This report is responsible for quantitative estimation and foreseen future for upcoming years based on the recent companies strategic moves and historical data. Further, the market report is categorized into different segments, regions, and countries level. This report also provides competitor analysis with its market share and developments. The final report will cover the impact of COVID-19 on this industry. The global Melengestrol Acetate Reagent market report presents a complete research-based study of the industry including details such as company shares, forecast data, in-depth analysis and an outlook of the market on a worldwide platform. The report further highlights the market drivers, restraints and the top manufacturers at the global and regional levels. For a thorough understanding, the report also offers market segmentation and regional analysis for the forecast period from 2020 to 2025. Click here to get a Sample PDF Copy of the Melengestrol Acetate Reagent Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-31501 According to this study, over the next five years, the Melengestrol Acetate Reagent market will register an xx% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach $ xx million by 2025, from $ xx million in 2020. In particular, this report presents the global market share (sales and revenue) of key companies in the Melengestrol Acetate Reagent business, shared in Chapter 3. This Melengestrol Acetate Reagent market report also splits the market by regions: Americas (United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil), APAC (China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, Australia), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain), Middle East & Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Turkey, GCC Countries). This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of the Melengestrol Acetate Reagent market by type, application, key manufacturers, key regions, and countries. The key manufacturers covered in this report: Breakdown data in Chapter 3. Merck J&K Scientific MP Biomedicals Biosynth Carbosynth FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Santa Cruz Biotechnology SimSon Pharma LGC Enzo Biochem Glentham Life Sciences Others To inquire about report customization, feel free to reach out to our team of expert analysts @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/ask-questions-31501 This study considers the Melengestrol Acetate Reagent value and volume generated from the sales of the following segments: Segmentation by type: breakdown data from 2015 to 2020, in Section 2.3; and forecast to 2025 in section 11.7. Min Purity Less Than 98% Min Purity 98%-99% Min Purity More Than 99% Segmentation by application: breakdown data from 2015 to 2020, in Section 2.4; and forecast to 2025 in section 11.8. Research Medical In addition, this report discusses the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, challenges, and the risks faced by key manufacturers and the market as a whole. It also analyzes key emerging trends and their impact on present and future development. Purchase the Complete Global Melengestrol Acetate Reagent Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-31501 Research Objectives To study and analyze the global Melengestrol Acetate Reagent consumption (value & volume) by key regions/countries, type and application, history data from 2015 to 2019, and forecast to 2025. To understand the structure of the Melengestrol Acetate Reagent market by identifying its various subsegments. Focuses on the key global Melengestrol Acetate Reagent manufacturers, to define, describe, and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in the next few years. To analyze the Melengestrol Acetate Reagent with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market. To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks). To project the consumption of Melengestrol Acetate Reagent submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries). To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. About Us: DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research report provider, enriching decision-makers, and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research reports, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains. Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed. For more details: DecisionDatabases.com E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.com Phone: +91 90 28 057900 Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ Reference Source: https://www.topnewscorner.com/global-melengestrol-acetate-reagent-market-report-industry-trends-growth-business-challenges-analysis-2020-2025/ New Delhi, Jan 29 : Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who had called an all-party meeting on Friday, said the parties have given assurance to cooperate in the Budget Session of Parliament. "I have requested leaders of parties in Lok Sabha to respect the dignity of the House and sought their cooperation for the smooth conduct of the proceedings of the House," he said after the meeting. Birla also said that he has requested Members to respect the dignity of the customary Presidential Address. Observing that Members represent the hopes and aspirations of the people and the floor of the House is the ideal forum to give voice to their concerns, he assured that all will be given sufficient opportunity to express their views on all issues, including the matters related to the General Budget, as per the existing rules. A total of 18 opposition parties boycotted the President's address to the joint sitting of Parliament at the commencement of the Budget session to express solidarity with farmers, who have been protesting at the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and other places since November 26 in support of their demands. A pumpjack sits on the outskirts of town at dawn in the Permian Basin oil field in the oil town of Midland, Texas, on Jan. 21, 2016. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) 26 Senate Republicans Request Meeting With Biden Over Actions Affecting Energy Workers More than two dozen Republican senators are calling for a meeting with President Joe Biden to discuss the new administrations recent executive orders and regulatory actions, which they worry could have devastating effects on American families whose livelihood is tied to the domestic energy sector. In a letter to Biden, 26 senators from states where economic growth and employment heavily rely on the oil and gas industry, wrote that they were surprised by the presidents actions that could put hundreds of thousands of energy jobs in their states at risk. Your actions will have grave consequences for our constituents, and taking these actions on your very first week as President, with no input from those of us who represent these hard working Americans is counter to the desires of the American people who want practical, bipartisan solutions to our nations challenges, and who want policies that support working families, the letter reads. The senators, including Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who chairs Senates energy committee, particularly took issue with the decision to scrap the $8 billion Keystone XL pipeline project, part of the Biden administrations effort to address climate change. If built as planned, the 1,200-mile pipeline would have delivered more than 830,000 barrels of oil each day from Alberta, Canada, to Southeastern Nebraska. President Donald Trump restarted the Keystone project almost 4 years ago via an executive order. He said at the time that he expected the pipeline to create 28,000 construction jobs. When built with union labor by the men and women of the United Association, pipelines like Keystone XL remain the safest and most efficient modes of energy transportation in the world. Sadly, the Biden Administration has now put thousands of union workers out of work, the senators wrote, citing the recent remark of Mark McManus, general president of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters. For the average American family, it means energy costs will go up and communities will no longer see the local investments that come with pipeline construction. The senators also voiced opposition to the suspension on oil and gas activity in Alaskas Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), one of the first actions Biden took as president. The 19 million-acre ANWR, estimated to contain some 11 billion barrels of oil, was reopened for drilling during the Trump administration to fund a multi-billion dollar tax cut program. At your inauguration, you pledged to represent all Americans, including those who live in our states, the letter continues. The best path to reach true unity is to work together to find solutions for them and for our environment. We stand ready to work with you and your nominees to meet the challenges our country faces, including working for a cleaner future, and protecting our hard working men and women. A brand new app has been developed that can help you find and support Michigan breweries. The Michigan Brewery Map app aims to list every single brewery in Michigan, allows you to check in, and allows you easy access any pertinent information about what the brewery offers. With restaurants during COVID struggling with the regulations, some breweries were hit even harder if they didnt have any distribution channels or ways to sell their beer other than inside the taproom, said Kenneth Konarzweski, with Better on Draft Media, and creator and founder of the app. Weve seen the strong resolve of Michiganders doing carry out and drinking outside, so we wanted to help them by providing an app that gives them the information of who has carry-out, who has food, who has a patio, and more filterable information. The app is available in iOS or Android versions, is free, and easy to use. There is no charge nor will there ever be one, Konarzweski said. The money needs to get to the hands of the breweries. North Center Brewing Companys managing officer Kevin DeGrood is excited about having this tool for Michigan breweries to help get the word out. They offered a unique and fairly easy way to find and document breweries in Michigan, he said. With almost 400 breweries to be found in Michigan, he said it was time for this. Michigan Brewery app includes all breweries, both members of the Michigan Brewers Guild, and those that are not. We wanted to give the opportunity to focus on the breweries within the state of Michigan, said Konarzweski said. We wanted to promote upcoming breweries that will be opening soon, and assist those who are trying to visit all of the breweries within the state. While you can check into Untapped, or Google local breweries to find them, Konarzweski explained that this app is geared towards those looking for the next spot without the clutter. The app provides such information as who has a patio, which breweries are dog friendly, or who might offer food or drinks like wine or seltzer in addition to beer. Ive personally known Ken for years and he has been a huge advocate for the industry, said DeGrood. There was another app or two trying to develop a similar platform, but they were not from Michigan and were trying to take advantage of a need by charging much higher marketing fees. I would rather back someone who has been supporting the industry for years as opposed to someone from out of state. Michigan Brewery Map does not plan on being static. The goal is to continue updating based on what the users want, Konarzweski said. What can make your experience at breweries better, and what do you look for when you are looking up a brewery. Michigan Brewery Map To check out both versions of the app, or to download it: http://www.mibeermap.com Are you a brewery who would like to be listed? Use the Feedback link on the app or e-mail Konarzweski at MBMA@BetterOnDraft.com. Yooper Mi IPA from Lost Art Brewhouse in Walker, Michigan.John Gonzalez More Michigan beer news: Readers pick a wild dark saison as Beer of the Year Amys Top Ten Beers of the Year 2020 Gonzos Top Ten Beers of the Year 2020 Kalamazoos One Well Brewing tucks heaters under tables to create a warm situation This Detroit brewery ask you to pay what you can as they pay it forward Beer can shortage means some popular brews will be in bottles only. Two Guys Brewing finds ways to give back, and grow Non alcoholic beer is creating a buzz around Michigan See 32 beers that Michiganders loved in 2020 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 woman has been fined 10,000 for breaking lockdown laws after a gathering at her home following her brother-in-law's funeral. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said she ignored warnings given out to her by officers ahead of the event and that the gathering had put 'many people's lives at risk'. She has accused the force of being 'unfair' and heavy-handed over the sanction. Officers were called to a home in Longsight, south Manchester, on January 15 and discovered a gathering which they claim was attended by 35 people. Under the current national lockdown laws, funerals can take place with a limit of up to 30 people and must be held in Covid-19 secure venues or public outdoor spaces. Speaking at her home on Wednesday, the woman, who would not give her name, said she had invited some family members back following the funeral of her brother-in-law, who recently died in his 50s. A woman who lives in south Manchester has been fined 10,000 for breaking lockdown laws after a gathering at her home following her brother-in-law's funeral held earlier this month Greater Manchester Police say they attempted to liaise with the family prior to the event being held but say their advice was ignored and when they attended, found 35 people at the house She said: 'We had been at the graveyard and we were frozen. And we just wanted to bring my mum and sister back and give them a bit of food. 'My nephews had made a bit of curry. That's all it was. It wasn't a party, it wasn't a wake. We were grieving for my brother-in-law. 'I had hired a marquee and we were outside and spaced out. We all had masks on, I had loads to give out.' She disputed the police's claim that 35 people were in attendance, saying she believed there were around 12-14 people at the property when officers first arrived, at which point she told everyone to leave. However she said later several people who had not been able to attend the funeral called into the house to pass on their condolences. What are the lockdown regulations for funerals in England? Since the latest national lockdown began on January 6, restrictions required people in England to stay home unless they have a reasonable excuse. People are permitted to leave their homes to attend a funeral as well as other religious, belief-based, or commemorative events that are linked to a persons death, as long as they follow the relevant rules and guidance. Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people and must be held at a Covid-secure venue or outside. Religious, belief-based or commemorative events linked to a persons death, such as stone setting ceremonies, the scattering of ashes or a wake, can also continue with up to 6 people in attendance. Advertisement She said: 'Two or three would come, pay their respects, then they would go. It was all family, and immediate family. 'We have a very big family and lots of them knew they wouldn't be able to go the funeral itself. 'There was no disturbance. The main disturbance was from the police turning up.' The woman said that as well as her brother-in-law, she had lost her sister, two of her friends, and her friend's son over the past few months. Regarding the sanction, the mother claimed she wasn't warned beforehand. She said: 'The officers said to us if people didn't leave they would have to fine everyone who was there. 'But not in a million years did I think I could be fined 10,000. I wasn't aware of that. 'I nearly dropped to the floor when I got the letter; in fact I did drop to the floor. 'I broke down crying. It's been so hard for this family. This is just more pressure and something else I cannot deal with it. 'I haven't got the money. I haven't got 10p never mind 10,000. I don't know what will happen now, I will probably have to go to court. 'I just think it's really unfair considering the circumstances. You hear of all these raves and these parties and this was nothing like that. I was nice and co-operative with the police.' In a statement, GMP said: 'At around 11.40pm on Friday 15 January 2021, officers attended a property on Langport Avenue, Manchester, where 35 people were found to be in attendance following a funeral. 'The organiser of this gathering has now been issued a 10,000 Fixed Penalty Notice after repeated efforts by officers to engage prior to the event were ignored. 'Every effort was made with the organiser to reiterate their responsibility around the current COVID-19 regulations. Woman claims there was no more than 14 people at her home at any one time and denies it was a wake. She added that everyone in attendance was socially distanced and wearing masks 'This included a letter advising them of the rules and how breaking them could have potential health impacts on those in attendance. 'Unfortunately they did not cooperate and went against the advice of officers and the current regulations. 'As this was a clear breach of the regulations and was putting many people's lives at risk, officers made the decision to issue a 10,000 FPN.' The incident was raised at Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham's weekly press briefing by the Deputy Mayor with responsibility for policing, Beverley Hughes. Ms Hughes said: 'The reason I'm mentioning this is the police got some intelligence that this was going to happen. 'They visited the family, they tried to work with them, persuaded them why this wasn't a good idea, even formally writing to explain why it wasn't a good idea and that it was a possible breach. 'But they ignored that advice and went ahead and in those circumstances the police felt they had no alternative whatsoever but to give the most severe punishment that we can at the moment.' Under the current national lockdown laws, funerals can take place with a limit of up to 30 people and must be held in Covid-19 secure venues or public outdoor spaces. Linked religious, belief-based or commemorative events, such as stone settings and ash scatterings can also continue with up to six people in attendance. However all social mixing of households indoors is prohibited. Fixed penalty notices of 10,000 can be issued to people who are said to have organised large gatherings of more than 30 people. The Government has previously said that 'if someone chooses not to pay their fixed penalty notice, the matter may be considered by a court and the individual could be subject to a criminal conviction.' ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gallagher, a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, proudly announces that it received a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2021 Corporate Equality Index, the nation's foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. Gallagher joins the ranks of more than 767 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year. This is the third consecutive year Gallagher received this recognition. "We are honored to once again be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality," said Susan Pietrucha, Global Chief Human Resources Officer. "Gallagher knows the value of diversity, and we work to encourage it in a welcoming and supportive environment. This important honor recognizes Gallagher's long-standing commitment to a culture of inclusion that is our heritage." The results of the 2021 CEI showcase how 1,142 U.S.-based companies are not only promoting LGBTQ-friendly workplace policies in the U.S., but also for the 57% of CEI-rated companies with global operations who are helping advance the cause of LGBTQ inclusion in workplaces abroad. Gallagher's efforts in satisfying all of the CEI's criteria earned a 100 percent ranking and the designation as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality. "Gallagher's commitment to supporting the growth of diversity within our company and in the communities we serve is incredibly important," said Chris Mead, Global Chief Marketing Officer. "We partner with organizations that share our values, including sponsoring the It Gets Better Project Digital Pride Experience to support LGBTQ+ youth, as well as Stonewall U.K.'s Rainbow Laces program in partnership with Gallagher Premiership Rugby to promote equality in sports. It is gratifying and humbling to receive this HRC recognition, acknowledging our dedication to inclusivity." The CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to over 18 million U.S. workers and an additional 17 million abroad. Companies rated in the CEI include Fortune magazine's 500 largest publicly traded businesses, American Lawyer magazine's top 200 revenue-grossing law firms (AmLaw 200), and hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized businesses. The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars: Non-discrimination policies across business entities; Equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families; Supporting an inclusive culture; and, Corporate social responsibility. "From the previously unimaginable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to a long overdue reckoning with racial injustice, 2020 was an unprecedented year. Yet, many businesses across the nation stepped up and continued to prioritize and champion LGBTQ equality," said Alphonso David, Human Rights Campaign President. "This year has shown us that tools like the CEI are crucial in the work to increase equity and inclusion in the workplace, but also that companies must breathe life into these policies and practices in real and tangible ways. Thank you to the companies that understand protecting their LGBTQ employees and consumers from discrimination is not just the right thing to dobut the best business decision." For more information on the 2021 Corporate Equality Index, or to download a copy of the report, visit www.hrc.org/cei. ABOUT GALLAGHER Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The company has operations in 49 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants. ABOUT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community. SOURCE Gallagher Related Links http://www.ajg.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. 3 1 of 3 Google Maps Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3 NEW HAVEN A 20-year-old man is in stable condition after being shot in the shoulder and face near Goffe Street, according to police. Officers and firefighters responded to a ShotSpotter alert and reports of gunfire near the intersection of Goffe and Orchard streets at roughly 10:22 p.m. Thursday, finding the wounded man, Capt. Anthony Duff said in an email. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, attends a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on June 30, 2020 in Washington, DC. Pool/Al Drago via Getty Images Johnson & Johnson and Novavax's vaccines have been less effective again a new virus variant. "It's really a wake-up call for us," Dr. Anthony Fauci said. People should still be vaccinated as quickly as possible, Fauci added. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Related: What it's like to get the COVID-19 vaccine The US needs to step up efforts to halt the spread of the coronavirus, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Friday, after two vaccines proved to be less effective against a new variant of the virus. "It's really a wake-up call for us to be nimble and to be able to adjust as this virus will continue for certain to evolve and mutate," said Fauci, who's the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He spoke on a conference call that the National Institutes of Health held to discuss data on Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine. J&J said its vaccine was 66% effective at preventing moderate and severe cases of COVID-19 overall, but less effective in South Africa, where a virus variant is spreading. Novavax on Thursday said its coronavirus vaccine was also less effective against that coronavirus variant. The first US cases of that variant were identified on Thursday. Fauci said Americans need to be vaccinated as quickly as possible. "The best way to prevent further evolution of a virus is to prevent it from replicating, and you do that by vaccinating people as quickly as you possibly can," he said during the briefing, which was held with other NIH officials and executives from J&J. Experts had previously expressed hope that the COVID vaccines currently on the market, as well as those that were in development, would hold strong against variants as long as there were no major changes to the spike protein - a key component of the virus. But the South African variant has alterations to that portion of the virus. Read more: Moderna is designing a new version of its Covid-19 shot to address a new variant Even the two vaccines currently on the market in the US, made by Moderna and Pfizer, may be affected by the new variant. Both companies have said that their vaccines should still produce enough protective antibodies to stop the virus, though lab results have shown the protection may be diminished. As a precaution, Moderna and Pfizer are now working on booster shots that could target variants directly. Read the original article on Business Insider The change in the suspicion of one of the participants in the case of embezzlement of the National Guard's property to a minor article not related to corruption indicates the intention of the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) to create conditions for leveling the prosecution of Deputy Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Oleh Tatarov, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said. "The change in the suspicion of one of the participants in the case about the provision of an unlawful benefit for ensuring the issuance of an inaccurate written opinion of a forensic expert on a minor, non-corruption article of the Criminal Code testifies to the artificial creation by the PGO of grounds for removing from liability the persons involved in the commission of this crime, including the deputy head of the President's Office," the NABU said in a statement on its website on Friday. The NABU said that in the presence of sufficient evidence obtained during the investigation, on January 27, 2021, the prosecutor reclassified the crime incriminated to the former MP [former head of Ukrbud Maksym Mykytas] to non-corruption (Part 4 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 384 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). In this context, the bureau said the PGO has created "formal grounds for excluding NABU detectives from investigating a resonant crime, in which the deputy head of the President's Office is an accomplice. The NABU said: "Since the examination, which resulted in an unreliable conclusion, was carried out on the fact of a criminal offense under investigation by NABU, it is the National Bureau that should carry out a pretrial investigation even after the change in qualifications. According to the statement, the director of NABU appealed to the PGO with a resolution to request criminal proceedings and the need to entrust the investigation of this case to NABU detectives, but the PGO did not comply with these decisions. Mykytas is currently under arrest on suspicion of organizing the kidnapping of a Kyiv's lawyer. COLUMBIA, S.C. - The South Carolina Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would outlaw almost all abortions in the state, overcoming years of hurdles thanks to Republicans winning new seats in last years elections. State Sen. Margie Bright Matthews, D-Walterboro, speaks about a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021 in Columbia, S.C. Bright Matthews voted against the bill on an initial vote. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins) COLUMBIA, S.C. - The South Carolina Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would outlaw almost all abortions in the state, overcoming years of hurdles thanks to Republicans winning new seats in last years elections. The 30-13 vote is likely the final hurdle for the bill. It has passed the House easily in previous years and Gov. Henry McMaster has repeatedly said he will sign it as soon as he can. "If this gets upheld by the courts, we will have saved thousands of lives in South Carolina every year. That is a tremendous victory," said Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, a Republican from Edgefield. The " South Carolina Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act " requires doctors to use an ultrasound to try to detect a fetal heartbeat if they think pregnant women are at least eight weeks along. If they find a heartbeat, and the pregnancy is not the result of rape or incest, they cant perform the abortion unless the mothers life is in danger. South Carolina Sen. Katrina Shealey, R-Lexington, speaks about a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Columbia, South Carolina. Shealey voted for the bill on an initial vote. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins) Similar bills have passed in about a dozen other states but are tied up in courts. Both abortion rights advocates and opponents are waiting to see if the U.S. Supreme Court weighs in and rules any of the stricter bans are constitutional, especially since former President Donald Trump was able to name three justices. In the Bible Belt, South Carolina led the fight for stricter rules on abortions during the 1980s and 1990s. The states current law bans abortions after 20 weeks and was once a conservative model. But in recent years, states from Alabama to Ohio have passed restrictions that ban nearly all abortions because most women dont know they are pregnant before about six weeks, when a fetal heartbeat can be detected. The path for the bill cleared in South Carolina thanks in part to Trump. The divisive presidential race energized Republicans, who won three seats from Democrats in the 2020 elections and their new 30-16 advantage finally pushed the effort over a procedural hurdle that stopped the bill for years. "Thank God for the people of this state," said Republican Sen. Larry Grooms of Bonneau, who has been fighting to end abortion for 24 years and was the primary sponsor. South Carolina Rep. John McCravy, left, and South Carolina Citizens for Life Executive Director Holly Gatling, right, talk after the state Senate approved a bill that would likely ban almost all abortions in the state on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Columbia, S.C. McCravy has worked to pass similar bills in the House. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins). "The people of South Carolina every year have sent us more and more pro-life senators. In this past election cycle they sent us just enough," Grooms said. The vote was almost all along party lines. Sen. Sandy Senn of Charleston was the only Republican against it, and Sen. Kent Williams of Marion was the only Democrat to vote for the ban. The bill now goes to the House, which if it makes changes like removing the exceptions for rape and incest victims that some conservatives didnt want in the proposal in the first place will trigger another fight in the Senate. At least two Republican senators said they could not support the bill without those exceptions. House Speaker Jay Lucas pointed out earlier this week the House passed just about the same bill 70-31 last session. And one of the House's main abortion opponents, Republican Rep. John McCravy of Greenwood, said he thinks fellow House members realize the best way to pass the bill is to leave it alone. "I certainly am not for exceptions. But the reality of it is they would probably be on as it comes through," McCravy said. The Senate labeled the bill No. 1 and made it the first major issue they took up in the 2021 session. Democrats said that was shameful because South Carolina has many more pressing problems, including more than 6,000 people dead from COVID-19. It has never expanded Medicaid, raised the minimum wage and perpetually has an education system that ranks toward the bottom of the nation, said Democratic Sen. Margie Bright Matthews of Walterboro. "What have we done for the living," she said. Democratic Sen. Mia McLeod told senators Republicans wouldn't be the majority forever and would one day be shamed for taking away women's rights to choice, liberty and freedom. "Enjoy this power and control while you have it fellows," the Democrat from Columbia said. "This is just politics to you, but its personal to millions of us" Democrats were resigned to the numbers and decided not to gum up the Senate for weeks so they could get to other business. They said the state would waste money on a legal fight it was likely to lose and that other states are well ahead on. "It goes into that legal limbo of years and years and years where it waits on a docket somewhere to be heard. Except this case will never be heard because there are 30 other cases pending across the country that raise somewhat or very similar issues," said Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto, a Democrat from Orangeburg. Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP. The First and Deputy First Ministers have expressed concern over the spread of Covid variants in Northern Ireland, stating that discussions around restrictions for international travellers arriving here need to conclude swiftly. Speaking during a press conference yesterday, Michelle O'Neill said that the latest figures indicate that the UK B117 variant of the virus has become more common in Northern Ireland. Arlene Foster added it is now believed to be accounting for between 40% and 50% of cases here. Currently, Executive guidance states that anyone travelling into Northern Ireland who plans to stay for at least 24 hours should self-isolate for 10 days, although there are exemptions, such as for people who routinely cross the border for essential purposes. Mrs Foster would not be drawn on whether ministers are considering mandatory quarantine for those arriving from Great Britain, adding that the common travel area "has served us very well throughout all of this". "We have had conversations around international travel, particularly from those areas where the new variants seems to be prevalent and I think it's important that we conclude those conversations as quickly as possible and cut down on the variants coming into Northern Ireland," she said, Mrs Foster said that at the minute, there is no evidence that the South African or South American variants are in Northern Ireland "in any great numbers" and those strains are the ones the Executive and health officials are most worried about. "While the Kent variant is here, we can use the vaccines that we currently have on it. The worry is we don't know if the vaccines work against those other two variants in an effective way. Ms O'Neill said it is "very concerning" that the Kent variant is becoming more common here as it is "significantly" more transmissible, and this reinforces the need for everyone to limit their contacts. "I think it's best we try and align the issue of travel (between GB and the island of Ireland) the best we can to try and protect the two islands as much as we can from these new strains that are coming in from further shores," she said. "We need to continue to conversation and finally crack the issue of travel and get it right." Meanwhile, fines for non-completion of UK passenger locator forms have been increased from 60 to 500. As an emergency physician, Eugenia South was in the first group of people to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. She received her second dose last week even before President-elect Joe Biden. Yet South said shes in no rush to throw away her face mask. I honestly dont think Ill ever go without a mask at work again, said South, faculty director of the Urban Health Lab at the University of Pennsylvania. I dont think Ill ever feel safe doing that. And although COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective, South plans to continue wearing her mask outside the hospital, as well. Health experts say there are good reasons to follow her example. Masks and social distancing will need to continue into the foreseeable future until we have some level of herd immunity, said Preeti Malani, chief health officer at the University of Michigan. Masks and distancing are here to stay. Malani and other health experts explained five reasons Americans should hold on to their masks: 1. No vaccine is 100% effective. Large clinical trials found that two doses of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines prevented 95% of illnesses caused by the coronavirus. Although those results are impressive, 1 in 20 people are left unprotected, said Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Malani notes that vaccines were tested in controlled clinical trials at top medical centers, under optimal conditions. In the real world, vaccines are usually slightly less effective. Scientists use specific terms to describe the phenomenon. They refer to the protection offered by vaccines in clinical trials as efficacy, while the actual immunity seen in a vaccinated population is effectiveness. The effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines could be affected by the way theyre handled, Malani said. The genetic material used in mRNA vaccines made with messenger RNA from the coronavirus is so fragile that it has to be carefully stored and transported. Any variation from the CDCs strict guidance could influence how well vaccines work, Malani said. 2. Vaccines dont provide immediate protection. No vaccine is effective right away, Malani said. It takes about two weeks for the immune system to make the antibodies that block viral infections. COVID-19 vaccines will take a little longer than other inoculations, such as the flu shot, because both the Moderna and Pfizer products require two doses. The Pfizer shots are given three weeks apart; the Moderna shots, four weeks apart. In other words, full protection wont arrive until five or six weeks after the first shot. Thus, a person vaccinated on New Years Day wont be fully protected until Valentines Day. 3. COVID-19 vaccines may not prevent you from spreading the virus. Vaccines can provide two levels of protection. The measles vaccine prevents viruses from causing infection, so vaccinated people dont spread the infection or develop symptoms. Most other vaccines including flu shots prevent people from becoming sick but not from becoming infected or passing the virus to others, said Paul Offit, of Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, who advises the National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration on COVID-19 vaccines. While COVID-19 vaccines clearly prevent illness, researchers need more time to figure out whether they prevent transmission, too, said Phoenix-based epidemiologist Saskia Popescu, an assistant professor in the biodefense program at George Mason Universitys Schar School of Policy and Government. We dont yet know if the vaccine protects against infection, or only against illness, said Frieden, now CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, a global public health initiative. In other words, a vaccinated person might still be able to spread the virus, even if they dont feel sick. Until researchers can answer that question, Frieden said, wearing masks is the safest way for vaccinated people to protect those around them. 4. Masks protect people with compromised immune systems. People with cancer are at particular risk from COVID-19. Studies show theyre more likely than others to become infected and die from the virus, but may not be protected by vaccines, said Gary Lyman, a professor at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Cancer patients are vulnerable in multiple ways. People with lung cancer are less able to fight off pneumonia, while those undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment have weakened immune systems. Leukemia and lymphoma attack immune cells directly, which makes it harder for patients to fight off the virus. Doctors dont know much about how people with cancer will respond to vaccines, because they were excluded from randomized trials, Lyman said. Only a handful of study participants were diagnosed with cancer after enrolling. Among those people, COVID-19 vaccines protected only 76%. Although the vaccines appear safe, prior studies with other vaccines raise concerns that immunosuppressed patients, including cancer patients, may not mount as great an immune response as healthy patients, Lyman said. For now, we should assume that patients with cancer may not experience the 95% efficacy. Some people arent able to be vaccinated. Although most people with allergies can receive COVID-19 vaccines safely, the CDC advises those who have had severe allergic reactions to vaccine ingredients, including polyethylene glycol, to avoid vaccination. The agency also warns people who have had dangerous allergic reactions to a first vaccine dose to skip the second. Lyman encourages people to continue wearing masks to protect those with cancer and others who wont be fully protected. 5. Masks protect against any strain of the coronavirus, in spite of genetic mutations. Global health leaders are extremely concerned about new genetic variants of the coronavirus, which appear to be at least 50% more contagious than the original. So far, studies suggest that vaccines will still work against these new strains. One thing is clear: Public health measures such as avoiding crowds, physical distancing, and masks reduce the risk of contracting all strains of the coronavirus, as well as other respiratory diseases, Frieden said. For example, the number of flu cases worldwide has been dramatically lower since countries began asking citizens to stay home and wear masks. Masks will remain effective, Malani said. But careful and consistent use will be essential. The best hope for ending the pandemic isnt to choose between masks, physical distancing and vaccines, Offit said, but to combine them. The three approaches work best as a team, he said. Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation), which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. 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 Biodiversity is threatened when glaciers melt. Credit: Frontiers Beyond the ski slopes, one of the most iconic symbols of the Alps are the alpine flowers. These plants are not only beautifulthey are also used in liqueurs and medicines, and they form the foundation of the local food chains. But a recent study in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution shows that, although plant diversity may initially increase with glacier retreat, many of these species may soon become endangered. "Our results indicate that plant diversity will ultimately decrease once the glaciers disappearand up to 22% of the species we analyzed may locally disappear or even go extinct once the glaciers are gone," says lead author Dr. Gianalberto Losapio of Stanford University in the USA. "We show that 'not all species are equal before global warming' and that there are some species benefiting from global warmingthe so- called 'winners,'while others'the losers'will suffer." As glaciers retreat, they expose newly available land for plants to grow, but this also changes the inhabitability and diversity of the downstream ecosystems. Losapio and his collaborators used geological records to reconstruct the positions of four glaciers in the Italian Alps, allowing them to approximate the age of downstream communities. By combining this information with their own contemporary survey of 117 plant species and analyses of local environmental conditions, they used computational models to calculate how the plant distribution had changed over the past five millennia. These models also forecasted the effects of future glacier retreat. Glacier buttercup, Ranunculus glacialis, in front of the Rutor glacier, Italy. Credit: G. Losapio and coauthors Their findings indicated shifts in the interactions within plant communities, with competitive species becoming more prevalent in the long term. Although some cooperative species, such as Artemisia genipi, were the first to colonize terrain, their populations would decline within only 100 years. Although there is some uncertainty in the calculated dates of the older communities, the researchers received similar estimates using alternative methods as well. These findings also do not explore the role of evolution, and it may be possible that some species have adapted to changing conditions in the past. But the unprecedented rate of current glacier retreat makes it unlikely that there is time for such adaptations now. Leucanthemopsis alpina in front of the Rutor glacier in Italy. Credit: G. Losapio and coauthors This study contributes to the United Nations' Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. These objectives focus on understanding the mechanisms of biodiversity loss and increasing the conservation and sustainable management of threatened species and ecosystems. "Plants are the primary producers at the basis of the food web that sustains our lives and economies, and biodiversity is key to healthy ecosystemsbiodiversity also represents an inestimable cultural value that needs to be properly supported," says Losapio. "Our study, with its results and innovative approach, may help conservationists, natural park managers and practitioners to mitigate and anticipate the consequences of anthropogenic impact on Earth's ecosystems." Explore further New study shows persistence of meltwater biodiversity despite glacier loss Bengaluru, Jan 29 : A day after announcing dates for Class 10 examinations, Karnataka Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar on Friday said that the state government has decided to conduct the second Pre-University Course (PUC II year or Class 12) board examination from May. Kumar told reporters that the second PUC examinations in the state will tentatively be held starting from May 24 and last till June 10. "We are also providing a week's period for parents and students to send their objections, if they have any," he said. The minister said that the PUC examinations are usually held in March and end by mid April every year, but due to the Covid pandemic which majorly affected studies, the Karnataka board has postponed the examinations this time. The onset of the Covid pandemic and the resultant imposition of lockdown in March last year had affected the schedule of the Karnataka board examinations such as the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC or class 10) and PUC II (Class 12) examinations. He also said the regular classes from Classes 9 to 12 would begin from February 1 onwards, and asked students to submit objections to the tentative timetable. if any. The Minister had announced the SSLC exam 2021's tentative dates are June 14 to June 25. The schools and PU colleges for the students of Classes 10 and 12 partially resumed from the beginning of January, only leaving about four months time for the students to complete their syllabus and prepare for their examinations. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2021) - Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. (CSE: HODL) ("Cypherpunk" or the "Company") a sector leader for privacy-technology investments is pleased to announce that it has increased its total Bitcoin (BTC) holdings to BTC 291.64. This represents a net increase since September 30, 2020 of 27.9 BTC. The increase in Bitcoin holdings is a partial use of proceeds from a private placement of $2,980,120 CAD that closed on January 15th, 2021. During October 2020, Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. was added to the unofficial list of public companies with a treasury position in Bitcoin alongside other companies such as MicroStrategy, Square, and Galaxy Digital Holdings. The website for Bitcoin Treasuries can be found at https://bitcointreasuries.org/ About Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. Cypherpunk is a company set-up to invest in companies, technologies and protocols, which enhance or protect privacy. Its strategy is to make targeted investments in businesses and assets with strong privacy, often within the blockchain ecosystem, including select cryptocurrencies. Current equity investments include Samourai Wallet, Wasabi Wallet, Chia, NGRAVE, and Hydro 66. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Generally, any statements that are not historical facts may contain forward-looking information, and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or indicates that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to the Company's intention to complete the private placement offering and its goal of making investments in the blockchain and other sectors and enhancing value. There is no assurance that the Company's plans or objectives will be implemented as set out herein, or at all. Forward-looking information is based on certain factors and assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Investor Relations Contact: Veronika Oswald Investor Relations, Cypherpunk Holdings Inc., veronika@cypherpunkholdings.com Office: 416.599.8547 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/73171 LONDONLovehoney B2B and personalized gift brand Boomf have formed a partnership to offer unique gift ideas to Valentines shoppers. Each Lovehoney Confetti-gasm! 34.99 Gift Box will come equipped with Boomfs already-famous exploding confetti, and will include all four of the gifts listed below. The package is available from Lovehoneys consumer site, plus, a personalised greeting card: Lovehoney Tease Finger Vibrator Lovehoney Delight Extra Silky Water-Based Lubricant 100ml Lovehoney Oh! Cherry Orgasm Balm Lovehoney Oh! Sexploration Vouchers 52 Weeks of Adventures The sexual wellness brand has also partnered with luxury letterbox cocktail company The Cocktail Man ahead of Valentines Day to create a Limited Edition Pornstar Martini Cocktail Experience gift box, which includes Lovehoneys 30ml Vanilla Massage Oil. The Pornstar Martini is The Cocktail Mans star product, and at 36.99 retail, the gift box is expected to be a hit with consumers. Lovehoney sales Executive Jade Bawa said, Valentines Day is going to look and feel a little different this year due to the pandemic. Many people wont be able to carry out their usual Valentines traditions, so we want to help people make it extra mind-blowing. "Its great that brands outside of our category are so open to incorporating adult products into their Valentines offerings; it shows that the word of sexual happiness is growing tenfold and that sex toys are just as important as a bouquet of flowers on Valentines Day. Boomf ships to the United Kingdom, United States and Europe, while The Cocktail Man is UK-based only. To find out more about Lovehoney B2Bs products or offering, head over to the website LovehoneyTrade.com or email [email protected]oney.co.uk. U.S. COVID response ranks among WORST in world: US comes 94th place (out of 98) January 28, 2021 " Information Clearing House " - The US has had the fifth worst response to the Covid pandemic in the world, a think tank has claimed. The Lowy Institute ranked nearly 100 countries on their management of the global crisis after their hundredth confirmed case. The US came 94th out of 98, followed only by Iran, Colombia, Mexico and Brazil in last place in the study by the Lowy Institute. To date, the US has recorded 25.6million cases and 429,125 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Institute. Both figures are the highest of any country in the world, with India registering the next highest total infections with 10.7million, and Brazil the second most deaths with 220,000. Measured per million, the US has the eighth highest death toll in the world. New Zealand was ranked as the world's most effective handler, recording only 25 deaths and 2,295 cases. Vietnam came in second place in the Loy Institute study with a population of 70million, followed by Taiwan, Thailand, Cyprus, and Rwanda. The US has attracted criticism throughout the pandemic, particularly with Donald Trump's dismissal of the virus as a 'flu' in its early stages. Even after he contracted the virus and was treated in hospital, Trump said 'many people' die every year from the flu, adding: 'Are we going to close down our country? 'No, we have learned to live with it, just like we are learning to live with Covid, in most populations far less lethal!!!' Flu deaths have averaged between 12,000 and 61,000 each year in the last decade in the US. The worst performing country was Brazil, with over 8.9million cases and over 200,000 deaths to date. The research discovered that structural factors such as an advanced economy or political system did not give countries an advantage. Lowy Institute researcher Ms Leng told The Australian: 'The results basically show that neither democracies nor authoritarian states did better than the other.' No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Newsletter The Lowy Institute found a lot of 'quiet achievers' outperformed in their pandemic management. Countries with a population of less than 10million generally came out on top, the data suggests. Ms Leng said: 'In general, countries with smaller populations, cohesive societies and capable institutions have a comparative advantage in dealing with a global crisis such as a pandemic.' The Lowy Institute's study measured key indicators including confirmed cases, deaths, cases per million people, deaths per million people and cases a proportion of tests. China was not included because none of its testing rates are publicly available. The findings come as Dr Anthony Fauci warned that getting the vaccination doesn't give people a 'free pass to travel' as health officials announced the full inoculation of 3.8 million Americans. Throughout the pandemic, Trump played down the severity of the coronavirus even while his own experts were urging him to take it seriously. Top Trump administration officials like Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and trade adviser Peter Navarro reportedly sounded the alarm about a pandemic reaching American shores as early as late January, but the former president failed to heed the warnings. On February 25, just weeks before much of the country was forced to shut down because of the pandemic, Trump declared the virus 'very well under control in our country'. Critics said the valuable time that was lost could have been used to ramp up testing as well as provide medical professionals adequate supplies of personal protective equipment in order to better deal with the pandemic. In fact, US officials recommended against widespread mask wearing until April in part because of a shortage of protective masks required by front-line medical workers. Trump has also been criticized for mixed messaging - touting social distancing and preventative measures on the one hand but then urging his supporters to 'liberate' states through mass demonstrations on the other, and rarely wearing a face mask. The then president also made comments that prompted mockery and scorn from the public, including his suggestion that cleaning disinfectants could be ingested into the body in order treat the virus. Trump, for his part, has claimed that his decision to shut down travel from China saved lives, though the administration has allowed flights from China carrying American citizens and legal residents to continue landing in the country. President Joe Biden has made the pandemic his number one priority in office and has already set goals to increase the vaccination rollout in a bid to slow the rampaging virus. He announced Monday that he thinks the US could give more than 1.5million vaccinations a day, upping his original plans for 1million per day Currently, the US is vaccinating 1.27 million people a day on average. Supply could be the biggest hurdle to reaching and maintaining Biden's goal of vaccinating 1.5 million people a day. Collectively, Moderna and Pfizer have promised to supply 200 million doses by the end of March. The events of the Arab Spring became a convenient reference point for journalists and experts whenever the topic of contemporary protests within the United or Russia was brought up. The parallels were stark as President Vladimir Putins third presidential term started against the backdrop of street demonstrations in Moscows Bolotnaya Square as protest activity ramped up in Syria and transitioned into a full-blown civil war. Putins own supporters equated the two events, framing them as national governments fighting foreign aggression. Yet that message had to be abandoned to avoid unfavorable connotations for the Kremlin stemming from the anti-dictatorial nature of the protests in the Middle East. The recent mass protests in Russia sparked by the detention of opposition activist Alexey Navalny and his investigation revealing the details of an opulent palace allegedly belonging to Putin have led some observers in the Middle East to again draw certain parallels with events in the region. There are already comparisons between Navalnys return to Moscow after his poisoning by the military-grade nerve agent Novichok and the possible return to Syria of opposition leaders. They, too, it is argued, could challenge President Bashar al-Assad even though they face imminent arrest once they set foot in the country. The Navalny case and the Kremlins reaction to his investigation, including his arrest tells us something about the Russian political system. And drawing conclusions about Russias domestic rules of the game might help an outside observer understand the rules of Moscows policy abroad, most notably in Syria. Navalny never touched upon the Kremlins dealings in Syria, largely limiting his investigations to the high costs of the military campaign, juxtaposing them with the low incomes of ordinary Russians in remote provincial towns. Yet the Navalny case also dispels any illusions about the Kremlin charting a more constructive course in its Middle East policy that would help achieve political compromises. The first point relates to chemical weapons. The recently uncovered details about Russian operatives secret activities committed under the guise of the FSBs Criminalistics Institute betray the Russian government's real attitude toward chemical weapons, which were officially liquidated in the country in 2017. Though some skeptics had expressed doubt about Russia's involvement in the attempted murder of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal in the United Kingdom, the Navalny case likely persuaded them to change their minds. Of course, there will always be those of the old Soviet school of thought who see Putin as the savior who lifted Russia from the mayhem of the 1990s. Proof of Russias culpability came in the form of Navalnys 45-minute phone conversation with the Russian operative who divulged details about removing traces of poison from the victims garments. All this is instructive for understanding Russias experience in Syria. In 2014, Syria was formally rid of its entire chemical weapons arsena in a process overseen by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. In 2017 the Russian military reported the destruction the last two (out of an initial 27) sites where chemical weapons were produced and stored. Russia had consistently denied that the Syrian regime used chemical weapons in Khan Sheikhoun in northern Idlib province even as the Pentagon and the UN Security Councils Commission claimed that Assad was still in control of some remaining chemical weapons. Some Russian experts acknowledged that items from the initial chemical arsenal particularly the more advanced variants of weapons might remain under the control of the Syrian regime. This insight is rendered more credible by claims about the existence of the sites for producing psychotropic substances such as BZ (agent 15) or military-grade nerve agents stronger than the XV substance. Secondly, it is telling that Moscow is willing to deploy absurd justifications to avoid taking responsibility for the Navalny case. Judging by the details leaked from Putins conversation with the French President Emmanuel Macron, the Russian president claimed that Navalny was faking symptoms of poisoning. Later, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov went as far as to suggest that Navalny might have been poisoned en route to Berlin. Later, after the publication of Navalnys expose about Putins palace, the Kremlins press secretary Dmitry Peskov and Putin himself in all seriousness denied the veracity of a clearly photoshopped picture of Putin swimming in the palace, even though it was obvious that the image was edited to serve as a teasing illustration for the video and not offered as evidence. Russias absurd response to the Navalny story is further eroding the countrys credibility. Who is going to believe Moscows claims that the Syrian army did not use chemical weapons and that it was all the work of the Syrian opposition or radicals? Third, investigations by Navalny, someone harboring presidential ambitions yet barred from taking part in elections before 2028 due to past criminal convictions, show that Putin is hardly opposed to the business clique within Russia that uses shipments of medical equipment as a vehicle for chipping in to fund Putins palace. The Syrian president uses similar schemes to consolidate power, raising informal taxes to acquire funds from medium and large enterprises. Therefore, it is fair to assert that Moscow is hardly a keen fighter of corruption in Syria. Nor is it surprising that Russian companies under Western sanctions use shadowy schemes to circumvent restrictions and avoid paying Russian taxes. None of this is surprising given Navalnys insights about Russian officials using offshore entities to secretly buy exorbitant properties. Fourth, Navalnys investigation highlighted the existence of diverse interests among Russian elites. However, this diversity does not presuppose the existence of struggle between the proverbial Kremlin towers, in which the security clique or siloviki is fighting the Kremlins liberal wing. In reality, Navalny argues, there is no such inter-group conflict within the Russian system. Reports of the one are just a tactic to shift attention from Putins actions. This observation may relate to the Syrian context as well, as it is sometimes claimed that Assad should not be held responsible for some of the harsh or inappropriate actions of his generals. Syria is also an arena for various Russian interest groups. But again, there is no deep-seated conflict between those groups. On the contrary, they are wings of the same structure with Putin playing the role of arbiter between those interests. Fifth, the Kremlins attitude toward the Russian opposition provides some understanding as to how Moscow may view the Syrian opposition. Experts are united in acknowledging that Russian elections are neither fair nor transparent. Candidates who dare to show independence are barred from participating. Smaller spoiler parties who enjoy tacit support from the Kremlin spilt the opposition vote and are rewarded with property, as Navalny uncovered. In Syria, the Russian representatives use similar modus operandi. They support largely ineffectual opposition groups and figures to create an appearance of reform and preserve the power of the regime. Moreover, the attempts by Russian officials to frame protests in the country as a product of Western intelligence activity and even to label the protesters as terrorists bear some similarity to how Assad treated demonstrators in Syria. The list can go on. There is also the degradation of the Russian judicial system and the arbitrariness of intelligence operations, although the scale of those problems luckily still lags behind that found in Syria. The Kremlin, a putative mediator in the Syrian conflict that claims to have the wishes of ordinary Syrians at heart is not known for paying attention to peoples preferences. Moscow cannot offer a liberalizing vision of Syrian life as it grows into an even more consciously closed system nursing grievances against the West. Nor can it offer a vision for economic reconstruction of the country, considering its own corruption. So the Syrian stalemate is as much a sign of Moscows inability to find a compromise with other actors as it is an indicator of the lack of direction and purpose of the Russian system. 2021-01-28 Maeci The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, had a telephone conversation today with the new US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. During the conversation, the two Ministers reported excellent bilateral relations, focusing on the key issues of common interest, including Libya, NATO cooperation, the fight against terrorism, the Navalny case, and Russia's relations. In wishing Secretary of State Blinken all the best in his work, Minister Di Maio reaffirmed Italy and the United States' deep friendship. In light of Italy's current G-20 Presidency, he also confirmed the desire to cooperate to give new impetus to an effective multilateralism that can provide adequate responses to the major global challenges, starting with the fight against the pandemic. CLEVELAND, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- It's no surprise to anyone that the last year has changed the landscape in cities all across the United States in a myriad of ways. Those in the hospitality industry have greatly felt the impact of the current environment and are critical to help economic and social recovery. Although it may seem counterintuitive, there's no better time to make positive life changes than during a period of uncertainty. And in a city like Cleveland, with a rich and diverse history, a strong work force and world-class healthcare systems, we are looking to welcome back all those that have left the nest for new experiences, as well as those looking for an incredible city to plant roots in. The stage is set for brand new ventures, and with the right talented, vibrant minds to bring new visions to life, the opportunities are endless. This progress and push towards the future has already created new and exciting careers across the board. Restaurants like The Last Page have been on the hunt for great talent for months and have found success in Ohio transplants all across the country ready to come home, looking for a better quality of life. It's not only the native Ohioans who have found success in coming to the forest city. Chef Brad Race recently relocated to the Cleveland area from Los Angeles to join the team at The Last Page & Kind of One Concepts (the group behind TLP) as head of culinary. Before relocating to Cleveland, Brad was Executive Chef of Catch Los Angeles, a restaurant that is consistently considered one of the best dining establishments in the nation. "Growing up in Cleveland, I didn't truly appreciate how much this city had to offer but after living in Miami, Los Angeles and part time in New York City, I realized that Cleveland is the best location to build my career as an entrepreneur and raise a family. Anyone looking to relocate or move home to Cleveland, we welcome you at The Last Page and Kind of One Concepts" said Todd Leebow, founder of Kind of One Concepts. With the future looking brighter, but still uncertain, living in an area with diverse neighborhoods, a high quality of life with a relatively low cost of living and job stability is more important than ever. The opportunities Cleveland can offer its residents change and evolve on a daily basis, and the pull to be in such a dynamic city has never been stronger. The time to make Cleveland home again or for the first time has never looked better. About Kind of One Concepts Kind of One Concepts, based in Cleveland OH, creates and operates original hospitality brands. KOOC believes that all experiences start with the guest first. At Kind of One, each concept is truly a one of one. If you would like more information about Kind of One Concepts please visit kindofoneconcepts.com or email [email protected] SOURCE Kind of One Concepts Related Links http://kindofoneconcepts.com She recently relocated back to Australia from Los Angeles. And Jessica Gomes appears to be settling into life Down Under quite nicely. The model was spotted out and about in the nation's celebrity hub, Byron Bay, on Tuesday. Stepping out: Jessica Gomes (pictured), 35, appears to be settling into life in Australia quite nicely, after relocating from Los Angeles in December. She was seen grabbing a bite to eat for lunch in the nation's celebrity hub, Byron Bay, on Tuesday The Australian model, who hails from Perth, looked cool and casual as she grabbed a bite to eat for lunch on Tuesday. The 35-year-old was seen picking up some sushi in high-waist denim shorts, a pale yellow singlet and black thongs. She paired her outfit with black sunglasses, a white wristwatch and pearl necklace. Looking good: The Australian model, who hails from Perth, looked cool and casual as she grabbed a bite to eat for lunch on Tuesday Jessica's brunette tresses were styled loose and she appeared to be makeup free for the occasion. At one point, the beauty opted to wear a brown cap to keep her striking facial features out of the sun. She then proceeded to take her phone conversation under the shade of a retail strip, before continuing on about her day. Focused: The stunner appeared to be deep in conversation on her mobile phone Jessica's sighting follows her arriving back in Australia from Los Angeles, where she lived for eight years, in December. 'Hiiii! Quarro here we go!! Open to food deliveries and cute tings [sic]! Yay 14 days let's go!' she captioned a post to her Instagram Stories, informing her followers she was hotel quarantining at Sydney's Meriton Suites Sussex Street for 14 days. In an interview with Vogue Australia in October, Jessica revealed she had developed a newfound appreciation for her hometown of Perth. Sun smart: At one point, the beauty opted to wear a brown cap to keep her striking facial features out of the sun 'Now, at this time of my life, I have to say I really love Los Angeles and I really love Perth,' she said. 'I would never have thought that's what I would say about Perth, but it really is so special - it's so Aussie and salt of the earth. I realised how much I loved Perth over this past summer holiday.' It is unclear if Jessica is waiting for border restrictions to ease before eventually travelling on to Perth after her stint in New South Wales. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan talks to reporters during a news briefing about the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic in front of the Maryland State House in Annapolis, Md., on April 17, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) NRA Asks Federal Court to Overturn Maryland Law Requiring Training for Handgun License Plaintiffs in a court case this week asked a federal court to declare a Maryland law forcing gun license applicants to get training before getting a license unconstitutional. The plaintiffs, including Maryland Shall Issue, are backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA). The law only allows citizens to obtain a handgun if they get a handgun qualification license. One of the qualifications for the license is taking a half-day classroom course and going to a shooting range to pass a live-fire exercise. The requirements were intended to deter, and have deterred, tens of thousands of law-abiding, responsible Maryland citizens from exercising their core Second Amendment right to possess handguns for self-defense in the home, a court filing from the plaintiffs in Maryland Shall Issue, Inc. v. Hogan states. This law was put in place with no other purpose than to discourage, financially burden, and intimidate law-abiding people from purchasing handguns for self-defense and other lawful purposes, Amy Hunter, spokeswoman for the NRA, added in a statement. This is quite simply a background check, after a background check, after a background check. It is wasteful and burdensome. But, more importantly, it has zero impact on the criminals using illegal firearms to commit crimes. Maryland should stop restricting the rights of law-abiding people and focus on going after criminals. Lawyers for the state asserted in a filing last year that plaintiffs have failed to create a genuine issue of material fact to support their Second Amendment challenge to Marylands requirement that most individuals wishing to purchase a handgun in Maryland first be issued a Handgun Qualification License. Defendants, including Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, asked the judge to rule in favor of them. New Delhi: In order to attract more people and make air tickets cheaper, Colombian airline VivaColombia is planning to remove all seats and make passengers stand its planes. This move by the airline will not only lower down the fares but will also increase the occupancy in its each flight. There are people out there right now researching whether you can fly standing up, VivaColombias founder and chief executive William Shaw quoted as saying by Miami Herald. Were very interested in anything that makes travel less expensive, Shaw further added. This is not the first time that an airline has initiated this move. In 2010, Irish airline Ryanair announced low fares for those willing to stand on its flights. The ticket prices went as low as $7. ALSO READ: Air India cautions its employees from speaking against airline on social media For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. Victoria will reclassify all of Greater Sydney except one council area as a 'green zone', allowing residents to travel into the state. Most of the suburbs are expected to be changed from an 'orange zone' to a 'green zone' at 6pm on Friday. Only the Cumberland local government area, in western Sydney, will not be included in the reclassification. The local council area is currently regarded as a 'red zone' and includes suburbs such as Auburn, Berala and Greystanes. The area will also have its classification changed to an 'orange zone'. Victoria will reclassify all of Greater Sydney except the Cumberland Local Government Area as a 'green zone', allowing residents to travel into the state Most of the suburbs will be changed from an 'orange zone' to a 'green zone at 6pm on Friday 'We're extremely happy to see the last red zone in New South Wales be downgraded,' state premier Daniel Andrews said. 'We're reminding people to get tested if they're returning from an orange zone, so we can continue to enjoy an open and COVIDSafe summer.' Chief health officer Brett Sutton said authorities would continue to monitor the 'orange zone'. 'This is another fantastic step towards a COVIDSafe 2021 we'll continue to monitor the remaining orange zone and will downgrade it as soon as it's safe to do so.' Residents living outside of the Cumberland local government area will now be able to travel freely into Victoria with a permit. That includes Blacktown City, Burwood, Canada Bay City, Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield City, Inner West, Parramatta City and Strathfield Municipality and Liverpool. Wollongong and Blue Mountains will also be reclassified to a 'green zone'. Victoria introduced the traffic light system to reduce the chances of Covid-19 spreading into the state. Victoria introduced the traffic light system to reduce the chances of Covid-19 spreading into the state (pictured, patrols set up at the New South Wales and Victoria border) Residents living outside of the Cumberland local government area will now be able to travel freely into Victoria with a permit (pictured, residents in Sydney CBD) Victoria's 'traffic light' system Victoria introduced the traffic light system to reduce the chances of Covid-19 spreading into the state. An area that was declared a 'red zone' meant residents were not allowed to enter Victoria without an 'exception, exemption or work or transit permit.' An 'orange zone' meant residents needed to apply for a permit and then immediately get tested for Covid-19 and isolate until the results were returned. 'Green zone' allowed residents to travel into the state with a permit, without the need to self-isolate. Advertisement An area that was declared a 'red zone' meant residents were not allowed to enter Victoria without an 'exception, exemption or work or transit permit.' An 'orange zone' meant residents needed to apply for a permit and then immediately get tested for Covid-19 and isolate until the results were returned. 'Green zone' allowed residents to travel into the state with a permit, without the need to self-isolate. The change of classification comes after the federal government suspended the 'travel bubble' between New Zealand and Australia for a further 72 hours. Anyone arriving in Victoria from New Zealand during the suspension will have to enter hotel quarantine for two weeks. Anyone arriving in Victoria from New Zealand during the suspension will have to enter hotel quarantine for two weeks (pictured, Melbourne residents at St Kilda beach) Meanwhile, Australian Open tennis players and support staff have begun leaving hotel quarantine in Melbourne. Players started leaving the hotels on Thursday evening, with about 960 people expected to have finished quarantine by Sunday. The mandatory quarantine system came under fire from some of the elite players, with the hotel's confined spaces and lack of facilities a problem. A total of eight people associated with the event have tested positive for COVID-19. The tournament is scheduled to start on February 8. The Military of Defence has insisted the Northern Ireland Protocol places no limitations on its operations. It comes as the UUP MLA Doug Beattie - a member of the Army reserve - said 15 days' notice was required and additional paperwork, in order for it to move personnel and equipment across the Irish Sea from GB. He explained that while an individual may not be restricted, a soldier could not be properly deployed, if they did not have their equipment. "If the military had to surge forces into NI - and this is just an example - for whatever reason under these rules and regulations they would not be able to do so," he told the BBC. "It is more than just symbolism." He added: "Worryingly, there will also be a need to complete a NATO form before any movement takes place. He said the NATO form was usually required to move troops and equipment around the world. First Minister Arlene Foster said it was one of a number of issues the protocol had brought up. She said she would be working with the Defence Secretary Ben Wallace on Friday on the matter. She said the matter was both about symbolism and practicality. "The UK military has to work at speed within its own jurisdiction," she said. "The EU should not be able to intervene with the sovereign nature of the military within the United Kingdom." Doug Beattie has written to the Secretary of State Brandon Lewis calling for urgent action. He said if barriers could not be removed, he should move to invoke article 16 of the protocol - a safeguard should difficulties arise in its operations allowing either the EU or the UK to take appropriate measures. Since the EU and UK formally severed ties at the beginning of the month, Northern Ireland has continued to follow some of the EUs rules to prevent the establishment of a hard border on the island of Ireland. Hauliers have faced difficulties transporting stock to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. While retailers have struggled to fill shelves. The UK Government has said the disruption is down to the border hold-ups over Christmas between France and the UK when a new coronavirus variant was found in England. "It is ludicrous where UK armed forces cannot move around the UK with equipment without permission," added Mr Beattie. "This is quite incredible and I simply cannot believe that any UK government would tolerate such a situation." He added: "Every MP should be up in arms." In a statement, the MoD said: "The Northern Ireland Protocol has not placed any limitations on the Ministry of Defence's ability to conduct operations." NEW DELHI : India on Friday requested Bangladesh to begin early efficacy trials of Bharat Biotechs anti-Covid vaccine which has been favourably received by Dhaka. The matter was raised during the India-Bangladesh Foreign Office Consultations held in New Delhi, Mint has learnt. The Indian delegation was headed by Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla with his counterpart Masud Bin Momen leading the Bangladesh delegation. Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start Bharat Biotech has developed Covaxin along with the New Delhi-based Indian Council of Medical Research. It is one of two vaccines that Indian drug regulators have given the green signal to for inoculating Indians against Covid-19. The second vaccine is Serum Institute of India manufactured Covishield which was co-developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca. Bharat Biotech has applied for permission with the Bangladesh authorities to start efficacy trials. Should the vaccine be green-lighted by Dhaka, it will be a boost for the Indian vaccine maker and a step up for India -- from being known as the worlds largest vaccine maker to burnishing its credentials as a vaccine developer. During the talks on Friday, the two countries held a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in the bilateral relationship, including in the areas of Covid-19 cooperation, trade, connectivity, development partnership, power, energy and water resources, regional and multilateral cooperation as well as border management and security and defence cooperation," a statement from the Indian foreign ministry said. Both sides noted with appreciation the close cooperation on covid-19 related issues, including Indias gift of 2 million doses of Covishield vaccines to Bangladesh in keeping with Indias Neighbourhood First Policy," the statement added. Discussions also focussed on preparations for the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Dhaka in March and events relating to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties were also discussed, it said. Both sides also agreed to hold the next Home Secretary Level Talks, Commerce Secretary Level Talks and the Secretary Level Meeting of Joint Rivers Commission before the March 2021 Summit. Modi was to go to Dhaka last year in March to jointly inaugurate with Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina celebrations around the birth centenary of Hasinas father Sheikh Mujibur Rehman who played a key role in that countrys freedom struggle. The visit last year, however, had to be put off due to the covid-19 pandemic. India and Bangladesh are also marking 50 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Underscoring the importance of the year 2021 in the context of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh, the 50th year of bilateral diplomatic ties as well as the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, both sides decided to further strengthen the ongoing coordination to jointly commemorate these anniversaries," it said. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Tennis fans will pack into an almost-full Rod Laver Arena for the final matches of the Australian Open, and the Victorian government is confident the increased crowd capacity will not pose a risk of COVID-19 transmission. Buoyed by 24 days without a locally-acquired case, Victorias Chief Health Officer has given the green light for between 25,000 to 30,000 tennis fans a day to attend the Australian Open about 50 per cent of the average attendance over recent years. Ash Barty trains at Xavier College in Melbourne. Credit:Tennis Australia Minister for Sport Martin Pakula announced on Saturday the event, which starts on February 8, would allow a daily crowd capacity of 30,000 for the first eight days of the tournament and then drop to 25,000 for the home stretch. The 25,000 will be split between day and night sessions, meaning finals matches during the second week of the tournament will be attended by up to about 12,500. During the first week of the tournament, only 8000 will be permitted in the arena. Rod Laver Arena has a capacity of about 15,000. A Hill Section woman is accused of buying a handgun for a man who could not legally possess the weapon and lying to investigators about it. Anijay Kiara Figueroa, 24, 905 Myrtle St., initially reported the gun had been stolen even though she knew that was untrue, city police said. City detectives arrested Figueroa on Wednesday and charged her with illegal transfer of a firearm, false reports to law enforcement and conspiracy. She was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge George Seig and held in the Lackawanna County Prison on $100,000 bail pending a preliminary hearing Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. Figueroa originally reported the theft of the handgun Oct. 16, telling an officer who responded to her home for a domestic dispute that her boyfriend, Gabriel Castro, stole the weapon, police said. Investigators subsequently learned the weapon was one of two identical 9mm handguns that she purchased on back-to-back days from a city retailer. When detectives expressed skepticism about the theft during a Nov. 3 interview at police headquarters, Figueroa changed her story, saying the gun was more likely stolen at a party she hosted, according to the arrest affidavit. However, she could not provide names of people who attended the party. Figueroa eventually admitted to detectives that, after buying the first gun for herself, one of Castros friends, Jayvon Jordan, offered her $200 to buy a gun for him, the affidavit said. Castro and Jordan accompanied her the next day to the retailer, where she bought the second weapon for Jordan, and she and Castro split the $200, she told detectives. Detectives noted in the affidavit that Jordan is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm, although they provided no additional details. The founder of the Central Penn Business Journal, Dave Schankweiler, announced on Friday that hes running for mayor of the city of Harrisburg. Schankweiler, the retired CEO for the publications parent company, released a virtual announcement speech filmed at Harrisburg University, instead of hosting a live event because of the pandemic and CDC guidelines. He is seeking the Democratic nomination in the primary race this year in the predominantly Democratic city, likely against the current mayor, Eric Papenfuse, who is widely expected to run for a third term. Schankweiler formerly was a Republican and said in his speech he is proud to be a convert to the Democratic party. His campaign speech kicked off with references to the citys gun violence, housing issues and the 50-percent graduation rate for high schoolers. Thats the reality when a city doesnt work for everyone, Schankweiler said, when you live in one of Harrisburgs neighborhoods that do not receive the grants or see the ribbon cuttings or get the attention so desperately needed. But for others, the news is good. The future looks bright. Its almost as if that other part of the city doesnt exist, and thats not their fault at all. Theyre doing their part to make the city thrive. This marks the first run for political office for Schankweiler, who said he has more than three decades of experience creating jobs in the city through his company that he started in 1984. He sold the business to New Media Inc. in 2016 for $18 million. He also is a founder and former board chairman of Harrisburg University and a former member of the citys Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority. Schankweiler first lived in the city from 1984 to 1991, then bought a home on Front Street in 2016 that he fixed up and his family moved in the following year. He conducted a survey in December among city residents to find out their top concerns. I wanted to listen before I asked for a vote, he said. His campaign theme is A city that works for everyone. His platform priorities, are to: Prioritize the citys response to rising crime Offer a post-Covid plan for economic development and job creation Renew the focus on student safety and opportunity Restore vital cooperation between the mayor, city council and other government officials Establish a responsive process for resident ideas, strategy and action I know for melike many of youIve had it, he said in his speech Friday. Ive had it with old politics and promises that never come true. Im not in this to be a politician. Im in this because I love this city. I love the people of this city. But Im heartbroken by whats happening on our streets. And I would hate for us to lose this generation because we did nothing. Following his announcement, Schankweiler said he plans to make campaign stops in the Allison Hill and Uptown districts with former Harrisburg City Council president, Gloria Martin Roberts. Martin Roberts ran unsuccessfully against Papenfuse for the Democratic nomination in 2017. But last year, Papenfuse tried to hire Martin Roberts to facilitate communications between the administration and council, the Dauphin County commissioners and the public. City council, however, rejected the proposed contract and expressed issues with the timing just before the 2021 mayoral campaign. READ: Harrisburg School District didnt track vacation days, but paid employees for unused time off: audit Due to the recent spike in COVID-19 numbers, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) might be backtracking on its projections for 2021 as the authority has taken a cautiously optimistic posture towards cargo volumes expected for this year. The GPHA was anticipating a 10 percent increase in volumes achieved in 2020 due to the near normalcy the country was returning to but the surge in COVID-19 numbers in the first month of this year is pushing the authority back to the boardroom to amend its expectations. In 2020, around 30 million metric tonnes of cargo, which is a 3-million-ton improvement over the 27 million recorded in 2019, was experienced at the ports. Director-General of the GPHA, Michael Luguje, told the B&FT in an interview that projected cargo traffic for the year 2020 in Ghanas ports did not significantly depart from previously recorded statistics despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the port and shipping business. In 2021 we expected volumes to pick up because we felt COVID-19 affected a lot of business in 2020 so the expectation was that when we enter 2021 and the pandemic is controlled then we are going to get business booming for us to have volumes increasing. Since we started 2021, we are witnessing a third wave which has pushed us to narrow our projections in terms of volumes but we expect to grow. We are modest in our expectations compared to what we were thinking in December. I dont have the immediate figures but generally I think we were expecting, for example, 2021 to give us a minimum of 10 percent on the 2020 volumes. What we are thinking of is that by the close of February we will meet and reassess the situation and see if we have to readjust our budget expectations or not, Mr. Luguje told the paper. The nation, since the beginning of the year, is experiencing an unusual rise in infected persons. As at Wednesday, January 27, 2021, 616 new cases of coronavirus had been recorded bringing the total caseload to 62,751. Active cases have now hit 3,813. Infrastructure expansion continue unabated He further revealed that, apart from being moderate with their operational expenses, the GPHA is not halting any of its infrastructure expansion projects as they are expected to be ready at a time when the port would be able to properly utilize it for economic growth. We are on these expansions not for immediate use but for the future. We are also optimistic that COVID-19 would come under control with the development of vaccines. This means that we need not halt any of our projects as they will come in very handy when things go down. For many of our infrastructure expansions, we have contractors on site and their work is going on earnestly. The only area we have moderated is the operating expenses in terms of equipment to handle cargo. We are careful about those because in case revenues do not go up for us to meet the targets we might not be able to finance them. We have not stopped entirely, but we are monitoring revenues at the same time, Mr. Luguje intimated. Source: B&FT Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A Metairie man accused of using a 3-pound dumbbell to beat his 87-year-old mother told law enforcement officers she was injured in a fall, authorities say. Raymond Felder, 64, appeared Wednesday in Jefferson Parish Magistrate Court where a judge set his bond at $75,000 on a charge of aggravated second-degree battery. +2 87-year-old Metairie woman in critical condition after son beats her with dumbbell, JPSO says An 87-year-old woman is in critical condition after authorities say her son beat her with a dumbbell Saturday night in Metairie. Sheriff's deputies arrested Felder on Saturday night after investigating a report of a woman who had been attacked at a home in the 7400 block of Ivey Street in Metairie. The victim, Felder's mother, told deputies she and her son had been arguing when he grabbed a 3-pound . dumbbell and hit her several times in the head, Assistant District Attorney Tonia Williams said. The woman lost consciousness during the attack, and her daughter called 911 for help. Inside the residence, deputies found a broken dumbbell, which was made of concrete encased in plastic. 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 Authorities did not say why the two were arguing. The victim suffered a gash on the left side of her forehead and swelling on the right side, and she was bleeding from her ear, Williams said. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Her condition was not available Thursday. When questioned by deputies, Felder said his mother fell while walking into a room, Williams said. He told authorities his mother "smashed his hand with something" when he ran over and tried to help, Williams recounted for the court. In addition to setting bond, Criminal Commissioner Patricia Joyce issued a stay-away order banning Felder from contact with his mother. Felder was being held Thursday at the parish jail in Gretna. MEXICO CITY, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The President and Chairman of the Board of The American Society of Mexico, Larry Rubin, outlined today that the approval of the Outsourcing Reform project proposed by the Mexican President will make it difficult for U.S. companies and all corporations of different sizes to operate in Mexico, and in particular risk American investments in the country.A "A reform of the law like it is proposed, will endanger U.S. companies plus put millions of SMEs and workers at risk at the worst possible time," Rubin said. U.S.-Mexico trade accounts for 628 billion dollars in 2019. Mexico's congress will discuss, starting next week, a bill that, if passed, will ban outsourcing as a way of hiring workers and place heavy burdens on all domestic and multinational companies. The practice of outsourcing, recognized as strong and useful by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), is a tool used by all companies when entering other markets and operating both in the United States and elsewhere. "Outsourcing is a crucial instrument for entrepreneurs. It guarantees quality employment and security for workers, but also legal certainty for companies, and that is what is really at stake," Rubin explained.A The United States leads foreign direct investment in Mexico, especially in automotive, technology, science and aerospace, companies that use outsourcing and insourcing as a major tool. U.S. companies represented by The American Society, see the outsourcing law reform as a direct affect to Mexico's relations with the United States at a critical time, especially after the effects of the pandemic. "The signal that Mexico will send to the world with this reform, will be poisonous, and contrary to the spirit of free enterprise.A Mexico is in no position to send signals of this kind. It's a terrible decision, at the worst possible time," Rubin remarks.A "U.S. companies have alternatives to choosing other countries over Mexico when crafting foreign investment strategies", Larry commented.A The passing of the bill will affect job generation in Mexico, according to a number of business chambers and associations including The American Society. "The reality is that Mexico can't afford to lose millions of jobs because that is what it will cost Mexico to pass the proposal," Rubin said. Larry Rubin is the President of the influential American Society of Mexico, which since 1942 represents the interests of two million Americans living in the country, American companies and NGOs from the United States. AA non-profit, non-partisan organization, it was established in its original charter to represent all U.S. private interests in Mexico. Larry has been a leading American voice in Mexico and advocates about Mexico-U.S. relations for over 20 years. He is a former CEO of The American Chamber of Commerce and Vice President of the association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America. He has been key to supporting critical legislative proposals, and a critical voice with those trying to hurt Mexico-US relations. He is former General Director of American Airlines in Mexico, Vice President of the umbrella group of industrial chambers CONCAMIN, the Confederation of Industrial Chambers. The mission of The American Society of Mexico is to foster friendship, cultural, business, and civic ties between The United States and Mexico and other countries that have diplomatic relations with both nations. AmSoc, as it is also known, is an advocate for Americans in Mexico and Mexicans in the United States, collaborate in the bilateral agenda set forward between both Mexico and the United States, and defend bilateral interests. A A Photo: (Photo : Pixabay) One of the last things you'd want to see your child go through immediately after birth are injuries. Believe it or not, birth injuries are very common for both the mother and her child. In case your child gets injured due to medical negligence after birth, what are the steps that you should take when suing your doctor? Determine The Injury The injuries that a parent and child go through during mishandled operations are different. For the baby, it's often caused by poor handling of the doctor and nurses. There are various injuries that babies can sustain during and after childbirth as they are very fragile during their first few weeks. Even light impacts on hard objects can cause serious injuries already. It's common for babies to get bruising from the forceps used during childbirth. These aren't something that you need to worry about as these are only normal. What you should look for are fractures and serious injuries like brachial palsy, subconjunctival hemorrhage, and facial paralysis. If it's obvious that your child is suffering from something, you need to take them to a doctor for a check up. Ideally, you wouldn't want your child to be under the care of the same doctor that helped birth them. There could be bias here so it's best to get a third opinion so that the diagnosis remains as fair as possible. Seek Legal Assistance Once you've determined the injury and the cause of it, it's time to take legal action. Birth injury lawyers specialize in helping parents get compensation after an injury caused by a doctor or any medical practitioners negligence during childbirth. Aside from helping you in court, they can also help you secure the right documents for the case. They'll also help you understand what you are entitled to. Getting compensation is important first and foremost. Medical procedures and treatments involving babies tend to be expensive and sensitive too. On your end as a parent, you shouldn't have to pay for these fees as the problem wasn't caused by you in the first place. Once the case begins, one of the first steps taken by a lawyer is securing the evidence that medical malpractice or negligence took place. It's not just the doctor who will be in question here, even the hospital who employs the doctor will be in question as well. This is especially the case if the doctor already has a history of medical malpractice. Do keep in mind that the doctor and the hospital are going to counter with their own legal team as well. On their end, they'll try to prove that there was no such case of malpractice or negligence. Despite this, you'll need to remain calm and strong as legal battles are generally long. Doctors who are reckless at their jobs need to be held responsible for the injuries they cause to their patients, especially for babies. Luckily, there are many legal experts that can help parents out during these serious offenses. If your child is a victim of malpractice, make sure you act fast. At a time when protectionism or the policy of protecting domestic industries against the foreign competition is now becoming more prevalent across the world, Nandan Nilekani, founding architect of Aadhaar and co-founder of Infosys acknowledged that there is a reaction against globalisation. He said the strategy for the companies is to be an active player in every market that they operate and have an articulation of partnership with that country and which reflects its priorities. I think there's no doubt about that. It cannot be one size fits all from your corporate ... Anti-lockdown demos in the Netherlands this week have generated many shocking images. But there is one that may yet become iconic. During a protest against the imposition of a nationwide 9pm curfew in Eindhoven last Sunday, a police truck turned its water cannon on a young woman who was hurled against a concrete wall so hard that she appeared to bounce off it. She slumped to the ground and was photographed with blood pouring down her face. The woman, later named as Denisa Stastna, sustained a fractured skull and a head wound that required more than 15 stitches. According to police, she was targeted because she and her boyfriend ignored repeated instructions to leave an area of the city where anti-curfew protests had been raging for several hours. A video of the incident quickly went viral, one of many shared online by a public stunned by the sudden eruption of violence in a country long renowned for being one of the most liberal, tolerant and civilised in the world. During a protest against the imposition of a nationwide 9pm curfew in Eindhoven last Sunday, a police truck turned its water cannon on a young woman. Pictured, a rubbish container and bicycles were set alight This week thousands of its normally law-abiding citizens have engaged in an orgy of rioting and looting, attacking police with Molotov cocktails, fireworks and any projectiles that came to hand. More than 400 people have been arrested and 5,700 fines imposed. And it surely begs the question: if a peace-loving nation such as Holland can be driven to such extremes by an increasingly authoritarian approach to policing the pandemic and relentless lockdowns, can we expect to see similar scenes on the streets throughout Europe? What prompted this extraordinary response was the governments introduction last Saturday of the first curfew from 9pm to 4.30am since World War II. The aim was to reduce the spread of coronavirus, but it left the public baffled because it was imposed at a time when infection rates were actually falling. She slumped to the ground and was photographed with blood pouring down her face. The woman, later named as Denisa Stastna (pictured), sustained a fractured skull and a head wound that required more than 15 stitches But that reaction soon escalated into something far more sinister. By the following afternoon, hundreds had gathered in Amsterdams Museum Square to protest at a rally that rapidly turned violent, with riot police deploying water cannon on the crowd, many of whom were throwing stones and fireworks. The violence was echoed in other major cities across the country, including the busy port of Rotterdam, before spreading over subsequent nights to smaller cities and towns. In the fishing village of Urk, a coronavirus test centre was set on fire. As the nightly news broadcasts footage of burnt-out cars, looted shops and riot police firing tear gas, Dutch police have described the disturbances as the worst riots the country has seen since 1980, when squatters and authorities clashed over proposed housing reform. John Jorritsma, the mayor of Eindhoven, went further, declaring that the country was heading toward civil war. Until recently, the use of such language here in Holland would have been unthinkable. Yet, arguably, it is the much-lauded qualities of the Dutch our liberal instincts and tolerance that are fuelling growing public unease at the governments response to the pandemic. The violence was echoed in other major cities across the country, including the busy port of Rotterdam (pictured), before spreading over subsequent nights to smaller cities and towns. In the fishing village of Urk, a coronavirus test centre was set on fire While there was general support for the first lockdown last year, this has been eroded in the wake of weakened ministers deploying mixed messages and enforcing a long-standing lockdown in the midst of a particularly dismal winter. Bars and restaurants here have been shut since October, and schools and non-essential shops closed since mid-December, leading to frustration among people who are already more hostile to state control than many other European nations. Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his governing VVD party in charge in a caretaker capacity until general elections in March after a benefits scandal forced them to resign are also facing criticism for a slow vaccination rollout, crushing hopes of an early return to normality. While the UK had administered 10.5 vaccine doses per hundred members of the population by Monday this week, the Netherlands had vaccinated just 0.8 per hundred. Against this backdrop, the curfew ignited the touchpaper of national unease and resentment, particularly given that the number of new cases was down by eight per cent over the past week, and 20 per cent the week before. The daily death toll now hovers around 80, and the total coronavirus-related death toll in the Netherlands stands at 13,816. Meanwhile, hospital bed occupancy is also dropping. This despite ominous warnings on an almost daily basis by the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) and at government press conferences of the dangers of what has been labelled the British Mutation or English variant of Covid. The Dutch public has been told it was 30 per cent more contagious than its predecessor and had been responsible for a massive spike in cases in the UK. Yet to date those catastrophic numbers have failed to come to pass, fuel to the fire especially for bored teenagers and frustrated students, trouble-seeking opportunists, coronavirus deniers and political protesters who are among those who have taken to the streets, lured by social media campaigns. Its a diverse group, said Willem Woelders, the Dutch police chief responsible for enforcing anti-pandemic measures. One group is out to demonstrate against the lockdown measures, but a larger group has joined these demonstrations, out for vandalism and rioting. The heavily encrypted social media channel Telegram has been utilised by anti-curfew rioters across the country to rally the troops. Take as much fireworks, gasoline and everything else with you, and let all your friends know that we are going to destroy this curfew!!!! Today our plan is to take the police down and to f*** them!!!, writes one user who goes by the handle Skkrr Mishtooo. But not all are intent on violence: some teenagers anonymously quoted on one Dutch media show said they had gone because they believed the measures were completely out of proportion. By going to this protest, I tried to make a statement, but it was non-violent, said one. According to police, a woman was targeted with a water cannon because she and her boyfriend ignored repeated instructions to leave an area of the city where anti-curfew protests had been raging for several hours Rotterdams Dutch-Moroccan mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb has been one of the most outspoken critics of the rioters. The first Muslim mayor of a major European city and also the first immigrant mayor in the Netherlands, he has won plaudits for his tough anti-crime stance. He posted a hard-hitting video on Tuesday directly addressing both the rioters and their parents. How did you wake up this morning? he asked. Did you feel good about smashing our city last night? About harming hard-working people and their businesses? Were you satisfied with your stolen goods? What does your conscience say? And parents . . . are you paying attention? Where was your son last night? His broadcast won widespread support, yet the fact remains that while only a small percentage of the Dutch back the lawless nature of the riots, many remain deeply frustrated by a curfew they see as an unnecessary infringement of personal liberties. That same party, meanwhile, continues to broadcast a message of zero tolerance for the rioters. This is criminal behaviour, Mr Rutte said in a statement this week. So no, we will not look for sociological backgrounds or what might have driven these people. The question of whether the curfew might be reconsidered drew an equally vehement response from his deputy, Wopke Hoekstra, who, drawing on wartime vocabulary outside parliament in The Hague, insisted that our country will not capitulate to some idiots. Rhetoric that is scant consolation for business owners facing ruin, among them Eugene Sloots, proprietor of an antique and interior design shop in the southern city of Venlo. His once-thriving business has been reduced to little more than a pile of smashed glass and burned and broken fragments after it was targeted by rioting protesters on Sunday night. Rampaging through the citys streets, a 50-strong gang hurled bricks and concrete blocks through his front window with local police outnumbered to the tune of at least five to one largely powerless to stop them. Business owners are already struggling to keep their heads above water under the lockdown restrictions. Now, we are also suffering damage we cant afford, he said. Why us? Its a question being echoed by many of his countrymen and women. For now, they can only hope it does not get worse while the rest of Europe must pray that its citizens dont follow suit. RTHK: EU regulator backs AstraZeneca jab for all adults The EU's medicines regulator on Friday gave AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine the green light to be used on adults of all ages, saying it believed it would be safe for older people too. All eyes had been on whether the European Medicines Agency (EMA) would follow the lead of Germany, which on Wednesday declined to recommend the vaccine for over-65s, citing insufficient data. "EMA has recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 in people from 18 years of age," the Amsterdam-based EMA said in a statement. The watchdog said that there were "not yet enough results in older participants" over 55 to show how it would work, but that "protection was expected" as an immune response was found in them, and based on experience with other vaccines. "EMA's scientific experts considered that the vaccine can be used in older adults," it said. "More information is expected from ongoing studies, which include a higher proportion of elderly participants." The EMA has already approved the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna jabs for the 27-nation European Union, plus the European Economic Area (EEA) countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The deployment of British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca's vaccine has been awaited with impatience by European countries as it is cheaper to produce than its rivals, and easier to stock and transport. An age limit on the jab, developed with Oxford University, would have been a blow for governments that have based their vaccination campaigns on prioritising the frail and elderly. AstraZeneca has defended its vaccine's efficacy for all ages, along with Britain, which has already used the shot widely on older people. Casting a shadow over the EMA decision is the bitter row over the supply of AstraZeneca doses between the EU and Britain. The firm says there is not enough to go around as production issues have slowed promised deliveries. The European Commission published a redacted copy of its contract with the drugs giant on Friday, demanding the company meet its prior commitments. The EMA has meanwhile been under huge pressure to authorise vaccines as quickly as possible as frustration and pressure grow over Europe's stumbling start to the inoculation campaign. While it has been working under what it calls an "accelerated timeline", the watchdog insists that ensuring safety and efficacy are paramount. AstraZeneca formally applied for authorisation on January 12. The EMA had already been carrying out a "rolling review" of data on the vaccine since October. Oxford and AstraZeneca had previously been criticised over a lack of clarity and transparency on trials that had shown varying outcomes in the jab's efficiency. The EMA reached the decision after a four-day meeting of its Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), which gathers experts from all EU and EEA countries. Formal authorisation must be granted by the European Commission in Brussels but that could come within hours. The EMA said separately on Friday that it had found no link between the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and a number of deaths of older people. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. is making headlines again for his Twitter use, with Bitcoin, Shopify, and CD Projekt being the latest beneficiaries. The Tesla billionaire late Thursday tweeted that Shopify, e-commerce software company, was great in response to another users comment, sending Shopifys stock up as much as 3.5 per cent in late trading in New York. In early Friday trade, however, the stock was around 1 per cent down. Musk has boosted the shares of at least a half-a-dozen companies this month after posting on Twitter, where the Tesla CEO has more than 43 million followers. Recipients of Musks touts include Polish video-game maker CD Projekt, and online marketplace Etsy. Musk gave shares in Polands biggest computer game maker a turbo boost, by enthusing over CD Projekts Cyberpunk game on his Twitter account. The companys stock soared as much as 19 per cent, but on Friday it dropped spectacularly nearly 15 per cent. Bitcoin surged above $38,000 on Friday after Musk just mentioned #bitcoin his Twitter profile. Tesla didnt immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Musks fondness for Twitter previously got him into trouble. He was sued in 2018 by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over posts about a plan to take Tesla private, eventually agreeing to a settlement that included a $20 million fine and a requirement that he relinquish his role as chairman. A more than 700% rally in Tesla shares last year help make Musk the worlds richest person, with a fortune exceeding $199 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here Zimbabwe has extended its COVID-19 lockdown by two weeks following the recent surge in coronavirus cases in the country. In an address to the nation broadcast by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and monitored from Washington, Acting President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health, said the extension of the lockdown is expected to contain the spread of the deadly disease that has killed 1,103 people in the country. Chiwenga said the lockdown is expected to end on February 15 amid concerns of the spreading of new COVID-19 strains and variants. He said the president fully understands that livelihoods are being disrupted by the lockdown but we must not lose the momentum of stopping the spread of the disease. The lockdown declared a few weeks ago was expected to end in two days in Zimbabwe. Twenty eight people died of COVID-19 in the country on Thursday and 358 tested positive for coronavirus. The southern African nation has so far recorded 32,000 cases with 23,413 recoveries and 1,103 deaths. According to Johns Hopkins University, over 100 million people worldwide have contracted COVID-19 and more than 2 million have died. ANN ARBOR, MI The COVID-19 pandemic shut down a lot of activities in 2020, but it didnt shut two brothers goal of exploring every park in Washtenaw County. Heres that story and some other headlines you might have missed this week. Exploring more than 300 Washtenaw County parks helps tight-knit brothers fight pandemic fatigue Brothers Mark and Gordie Comstock stood beside an Ann Arbor park sign in 2019, never dreaming they would spend the entire next year taking hundreds more just like it. Even months before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most recreational activities, the Comstock brothers had decided to create their own sport of locating and traversing every park in Washtenaw County. University of Michigan students told to stay home as virus variant cases climb The University of Michigan and Washtenaw County Health Department are recommending that all students living on or near the Ann Arbor campus stay in place at their campus-area addresses through Feb. 7. The recommendation is directed at UM undergraduate, graduate and professional students enrolled this winter and residing on or off campus in Washtenaw County, according to a release from the health department. Students are permitted to leave their residence only to participate in limited activities, including in-person classes, work or research that cannot be completed remotely, obtaining food and medical care and other approved activities, the release states. AG issues cease-and-desist order to Tecumseh-based hunting and outdoors company A Tecumseh-based hunting and outdoors company is under investigation amid claims of violating the Michigan Consumers Protection Act. The Michigan Attorney Generals Office announced Monday, Jan. 25, it issued a cease-and-desist letter to Team Fitzgerald Marketing which is owned and operated by father-son duo, Dan and Guy Fitzgerald, after receiving a high volume of complaints about the company. The letter was sent to the business after the AGs Office and the Better Business Bureau received more than 70 complaints in the past year claiming the business failed to deliver purchased good, provide guided hunts as advertised, satisfy contractual obligations and properly address consumer requests for refunds. Washtenaw County Health Department alerts public to possible exposures to COVID-19 variant, urges testing The Washtenaw County Health Department announced Saturday that it is aware of a possible public exposure to the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7. A total of five cases of the variant have been identified and additional sequencing continues for other possible cases already positive for COVID-19, according to the Jan. 23 news release from the health department. Officials say brief, public exposures are not normally a COVID-19 exposure concern but the B.1.1.7. variant is more easily transmitted and could lead to more cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Police identify man fatally shot by Washtenaw County homeowner Police have identified the man who was shot and killed inside a Washtenaw County home early Tuesday morning. Tavarus Davis, 27, of Belleville, was killed Tuesday, Jan. 26, when he was shot in the chest by a homeowner in Superior Township, according to the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office. Police are still investigating the circumstances regarding what led up to the shooting. Thousands of free KN95 masks available at Ypsilanti retirement home Thousands of KN95 face masks are being given away at a retirement community in Ypsilanti. The free KN95 respirator masks, which are made from multiple layers of filters, are still available to the public at Huron Valley PACE, 2940 Ellsworth Road in Ypsilanti. Huron Valley PACE received approximately 5,000 KN95 and childrens face masks in January through the state as a result of federal funding, and still has roughly 2,000 masks remaining. New aligned living campus in Ann Arbor offers fresh digs for tech-savvy professionals The latest concept in rental housing for working professionals has opened its doors in Ann Arbor, with a full array of amenities for car-free, sustainable living. The 4M campus at 830 Henry St. is a 63-bed apartment building with several built-in co-working spaces, including a podcast studio, private conference rooms with teleconferencing centers, a video production studio/set, open collaborative spaces and lots of network amenities. Ann Arbor Realtors group taking stand against housing discrimination Real estate agents have an important role to play when it comes to ending housing discrimination, says Tom Renkert, CEO of the Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors. Thats why his group, which represents over 1,000 members, is partnering with the Ypsilanti-based Fair Housing Center of Southeast and Mid Michigan to support the 2021 Realtors for Fair Housing Campaign. The group announced its participation this past week, reiterating its commitment to diverse communities and asking local real estate agents to donate to the cause and publicly pledge support for adhering to the letter and spirit of fair housing laws. Williams-Sonoma store at Ann Arbors Briarwood Mall closes The Williams-Sonoma store inside Briarwood Mall is closed. An MLive journalist on Monday, Jan. 25 confirmed that the home and kitchenware retailer has an empty storefront with covered-up doors and windows. The store is no longer listed on Briarwood Malls directory. Williams-Sonomas corporate spokesperson Elise Wang did not respond to multiple messages seeking details on the closure. The store was running sales in December through January. Marcus Lemonis gives Zingermans $50k to feed the community People looking for a bite to eat this winter will have a chance to stop by a shelter to pick up a meal thanks to a celebrity donation. CNBCs The Profit host Marcus Lemonis runs the Plating Change program, a mission to help small businesses connect with those in need in the community by working with organizations and his celebrity friends to help support local restaurants. Dexter teachers, admins get compensated for extra work during COVID-19 pandemic The additional work performed by Dexter Community Schools teachers and administrators during the COVID-19 pandemic is being recognized with a one-time off-schedule payment. The Dexter School Board approved the agreement with the Dexter Education Association Monday, Jan. 25, to recognize the additional time and work required outside normal working hours to implement the districts required Continuity of Learning and COVID-19 Response Plan. Ann Arbor parents will rally to advocate for in-person school A group of parents is hosting a rally advocating that Ann Arbor Public Schools return students to the classroom by Gov. Gretchen Whitmers recommendation of March 1. Ann Arbor Reasonable Return will lead the rally, set for noon Saturday, Jan. 30, at the downtown Ann Arbor Post Office at South Fifth Avenue and East Liberty Street. Reasonable Return continues to press the school district to commit to a date for a return to in-person classes, after being in a remote learning format since last March. At a remarkable press conference Thursday morning, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that Democratic members of Congress were in physical fear for their lives, afraid that the mob attack of January 6 would be the precursor to violent assaults against them by Republican representatives. She said there would have to be additional funding for more security for members, when the enemy is within the House of Representatives, a threat that members are concerned about in addition to what is happening outside. When a reporter asked, What did you mean when you said the enemy is within? Pelosi replied, It means we have members of Congress that want to bring guns on the floor and have threatened violence on other members of Congress. Or, as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pointed out in an interview Wednesday night on MSNBC, there is now an outright white supremacist faction among the Republicans in the House, who have repeatedly threatened violence against Democrats. These fascists include several Republican representatives, among them Andy Harris of Maryland and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who are known to carry weapons inside the Capitol, and who have reportedly violated the prohibition against bringing those weapons onto the floor of the House of Representatives. Boebert may well have been in contact with the attackers during the events of January 6. She tweeted that morning that today is 1776, and put details of Pelosis own movements on social media while the attackers were rampaging through the building threatening violence against Pelosi, Vice President Pence and others. Pelosi spoke at some length about Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who ran campaign ads last year in which she aimed an assault rifle at photos of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, members of the squad of left-liberal Democratic representatives. Prior to launching her congressional campaign in 2019, Greene, a multimillionaire businesswoman, made social media comments endorsing the assassination of Pelosi and the execution of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, all for alleged treason against President Trump. After Greene, an open supporter of the fascistic QAnon conspiracy theory, won a contested primary for a heavily Republican seat, her Democratic opponent responded to death threats by quitting the race and leaving the state. The Democratic leader declared, What Im worried about is the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives, who is willing to overlook, ignore those statements. She noted that Republican leader Kevin McCarthy assigned Greene to the powerful Education and Labor Committee, although Greene is notorious for declaring that the mass shootings of school children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and of students at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida were faked by supporters of gun control. Pelosi gave no hint of support for calls by some Democrats for Greene to be expelled from Congress, and when a reporter sought to raise the issue at the end of the press conference, she made her exit without responding. This press conference paints an extraordinary picture of the political crisis in the capital of the United States, nine days after the inauguration of Biden and Harris. Only a few weeks ago, the Democrats were proclaiming the earth-shattering importance of the Georgia Senate runoffs. As a result of that victory, the Democratic Party now controls the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives. In terms of the parliamentary arithmetic, it exercises near-total power. Yet its leading personnel conduct themselves in fear and trembling, terrified by the threat of fascist violence and unwilling to take any serious action against it. This deepening crisis exposes the vacuousness and absurdity of Bidens inaugural address, which was devoted to a banal plea for unity addressed to the Republican Party. Biden makes a pathetic appeal to the Republicans; their response is to declare any trial of Trump unconstitutional, while redoubling their efforts to provoke fascist violence against the Democrats and sustain Trumps lies about a stolen election. In just the past week, state Republican parties have passed resolutions declaring the January 6 coup attempt a false flag operation by the left and condemning the handful of House Republicans who voted for impeachment, while Republican state legislators have introduced more than 100 bills to restrict voting rights, particularly voting by mail. There were other indications of rising political tensions in America. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a bulletin Wednesday making its first official warning of the growing threat of violent domestic extremists. While naming no groups, it cited anger over the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, including those related to lockdowns and mask mandates imposed in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the DHS itself and the New York Timesin a prominent article on the agency bulletinsought to smear the mass left-wing protests against police violence that erupted last summer after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis by equating them with the fascist attack on Congress on January 6. While Pelosi was complaining of Republican death threats in Washington, her Republican counterpart was making his obeisance to Trump, visiting the would-be dictator at his residence in exile, Mar-a-Lago, Florida. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy came to apologize for mildly critical statements he had made about Trumps conduct on January 6 in an effort to secure Trumps support for his continuing as House leader. McCarthy then issued a statement denouncing impeachment, declaring, the radical Democrat agenda must be stopped, and hailing Trumps commitment to helping elect Republicans in the House and Senate in 2022. In other words, the Republican Party is now fully committed to the defense of a fascistic president who sought to retain power, even after a sizeable electoral defeatseven million votesthrough methods of violence and provocation. As for their Democratic colleagues, the Republicans oscillate between threatening to kill them and extracting political concessions in the name of bipartisanship. Two questions are left unanswered by the Democratic Party: First, how has it become possible for the fascistic right to acquire such influence and power within the US that even within Congress the Democrats fear for their lives? Second, following from the first, what are the social interests driving the growth of fascism? The answers to these questions explain the response of the Democratic Party. Any serious examination of the rise of fascism in America would expose its connections to the politics of the ruling class. Whatever their tactical differences with the Republicans, the Democrats represent this same social class. Three weeks ago, even as the blood and filth were still being scraped from the walls of the US Capitol, the World Socialist Web Site wrote that the attempted fascist coup was a turning point in the political history of the United States. The hoary glorifications of the invincibility and timelessness of American democracy have been totally exposed and discredited as a hollow political myth. The popular phrase It Cant Happen Here, taken from the title of Sinclair Lewis justly famous fictional account of the rise of American fascism, has been decisively overtaken by events. Not only can a fascist coup happen here. It has happened here, on the afternoon of January 6, 2021. Moreover, even if the initial effort has fallen short of its goal, it will happen again. This warning was both timely and prescient. It has taken only three weeks for the official pronouncements of shock and horror to dissipate and for the capitalist politicians of both parties to resume their course ever further to the right. The unwillingness and incapacity of the Democratic Party to defend democratic principles, even when the physical survival of its own representatives is directly threatened, is a warning to the working class. The defense of democratic rights cannot be entrusted to any section of the American ruling class, its twin parties or its state institutions. The only social force whose existence is entirely bound up with the defense of democratic rights is the working classthe vast majority of the population, but one which is entirely unrepresented in the existing political system. The working class must mobilize its class strength as an independent political force, taking up demands for a full investigation into the January 6 coup, the arrest and prosecution of all those involved, inside as well as outside Congress, and the public exposure of every aspect of the coup before the American people. BEIJING -- China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Bolivia on COVID-19 vaccines, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday in a phone conversation with his Bolivian counterpart, Luis Arce. In the past 36 years since China and Bolivia established diplomatic relations, they have made steady progress in bilateral ties, Xi said. Especially during the Morales administration, the two sides have seen close high-level exchanges, rapid expansion of economic and trade cooperation and sound coordination in multilateral affairs, Xi added. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, China has provided Bolivia with material and technical assistance to fight the epidemic through various channels, he said. China will continue supporting Bolivia in the anti-epidemic fight within its capacity, Xi said. Xi stressed that China has always treated Bolivia as a good friend and a good partner, and attached great importance to the China-Bolivia strategic partnership. China supports Bolivia in exploring a development path that fits its national conditions, and in continuously raising the "better life" index of the Bolivian people, Xi said. China is willing to enhance policy communication and coordination, share governance experience and learn from each other, deepen political mutual trust and support each other, Xi said. He called on the two sides to review their practical cooperation to make better plans, and jointly promote construction of the Belt and Road cooperation. China is glad to see Bolivia making full use of such platforms as China International Import Expo to promote its quality products with characteristics, Xi said. China supports businesses of the two sides in expanding cooperation in agriculture, mining, infrastructure construction, telecommunication and other fields, and promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges and local cooperation in accordance to the epidemic situation, Xi said. The two sides should conduct close cooperation within the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks, jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries and work to build a community with a shared future for mankind, he said. Xi said he believes that with joint efforts, the China-Bolivia strategic partnership will continue to achieve new results. For his part, Arce said that Bolivia and China have forged an unbreakable traditional friendship. Bolivia cherishes the brotherly friendship with China and sincerely hopes to consolidate and build closer bilateral relations, he said. Arce expressed gratitude for China's invaluable support for Bolivia in the fight against COVID-19 and expectation for more assistance from China. Bolivia is ready to better synergize its development strategies with China, deepen cooperation in various fields and elevate their strategic partnership to a new level, he said. Bolivia is willing to work with China to actively build the Belt and Road and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Arce said. The Guantanamo prisoner accused of masterminding the 2002 Bali bombings and two Malaysian men are scheduled to appear in a U.S. military courtroom on Feb. 22 to answer terror-related charges, the Office of Military Commissions announced this week. An order filed on Tuesday set the date for Indonesian national Hambali, whose real name is Encep Nurjaman, along with Malaysians Mohammad Nazir Lep and Mohd Farik Bin Amin, to be arraigned at the U.S. Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The arraignment is tentatively scheduled for 1400 hours, Monday, 22 February 2021. All parties shall make the necessary arrangements to be present, the order said. Col. Charles L. Pritchard, the judge assigned to the case, set Saturday for any motions seeking to delay the arraignment, and Monday for response to such motions, if filed. Ron Flesvig, spokesman for the Office of Military Commissions, said the defendants were expected to appear in court and to issue a plea to the charges against them. Following the pleas the judge will schedule the trial accordingly, Flesvig told BenarNews. The men, who have been incarcerated at the infamous prison facility since 2006, face charges linked to deadly bombings in Bali and Jakarta in 2002 and 2003, the U.S. military said this week. Hambali faces eight charges while the Malaysians face nine, according to charge sheets uploaded by the Office of Military Commissions on Jan. 21, the day authorities announced they would push to try the trio. Encep Nurjamen (alias Hambali) is shown in this undated photo at the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. [Federal Public Defenders Office via AP] A U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) profile of Hambali described him as an operational mastermind for Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a Southeast Asian militant group affiliated with al-Qaeda the group that carried out the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Indonesian authorities blamed JI for carrying out bombings that killed 202 people in Bali in October 2002. Pentagon officials, meanwhile, allege that Hambali helped plan that attack and the 2003 bombing of the J.W. Marriott hotel in Jakarta that left 12 dead. All three are charged with conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, terrorism, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, and destruction of property, according to the DoD. The two Malaysians also face a charge of accessory after the fact all in violation of the law of war. U.S. authorities said the charges do not carry the death penalty. Flesvig said reporters would be able to attend the proceedings. This is the first time media will be on the island during the COVID-19 environment, he said. Return home? Last week, Achmad Michdan, an Indonesian lawyer who represents Hambali, said he would like to see the trial moved from Cuba. It seems that the U.S. military did not know what to do with him, even though we had discussed that a trial should not take place there, he told BenarNews. He said he had been in contact with Hambali via Maj. James Valentine, a U.S. Marine attorney who is representing Hambali in the military court. Recent plans to visit Hambali were scotched by the pandemic, Michdan said. He added that when the administration of President Barack Obama was pursuing plans to shut Guantanamo, Hambali could have confessed and negotiated for his return home, on a condition that he would not talk about torture. Hambali and the two Malaysian men were arrested in Thailand in 2003 and sent to a secret CIA prison network before being moved to Guantanamo in September 2006. A U.S. Senate report on CIA detentions of terrorism suspects and interrogation techniques in years following the Sept. 11 terror attacks confirmed the use of torture. According to that report, Hambali was not waterboarded, but other enhanced interrogation techniques used included long stretches of being shackled in painful positions and being slammed into a wall or being kept in the nude and confined in a coffin-like box. Asked what strategy lawyers would pursue now that the U.S. military is prosecuting Hambali, Michdan said, We want to negotiate. If possible, we want him to be extradited. The Indonesian government, for its part, has stated in the past that Hambali was stateless, according to Michdan, and did not hold a national ID card when he was arrested in 2003. Indonesian officials indicated in 2016 that if Hambali were to be released, they would be reluctant to accept his repatriation for fear that his return could spur a revival among domestic terror cells. But Malaysias counterterror chief last week welcomed the U.S. decision to refer charges against Hambali and the two Malaysian Guantanamo Bay inmates to a military tribunal, saying justice would be served by trial proceedings. Its a good move by the U.S. they [the defendants] will now have the opportunity to argue their case in court, Malaysian counterterror police chief Normah Ishak told BenarNews. Justice will be served and seen [to] be served through a court trial, she said. WILLIAMSTOWN Mount Greylock Regional School District leaders are decrying a racist incident that interrupted a virtual class held Jan. 21. Obviously, this starts with a very hurt individual and a very hurt family who were victims, Superintendent Jason Jake McCandless said after the statement had been read into the record during a special school panel session Thursday. Then that hurt extends to a classroom and that hurt extends to a school, and then a whole community. The incident in question occurred as students were taking a self-guided midterm assessment, according to an incident report shared by Principal Jacob Schutz. As the class was wrapping up, an unknown student who was impersonating another student already in the class unmuted the mic to allow a song to be heard by the entire class. The song included profanity and an anti-Black epithet. Mount Greylock district statement on racism in schools Mount Greylock district statement on racism in schools The song, which is believed to have targeted a specific student, played for about 30 seconds but was interrupted several times when the teacher muted the person playing it. Students logged off immediately after the incident, and the teacher was unable to address the class. A staff member, the assistant principal and the school counselor have spoken with the student who is believed to have been the target of the action, as well as with and the students family, the statement said. School officials have not been able to determine the identity of the student who played the song, and an investigation is ongoing. Mount Greylock Regional School is committed to being a community that promotes the ideals of diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity, Schutz said in a statement at the time. We recognize the presence of systemic racism and pledge to do the work to build an antiracist school community. ... Racist actions have no place at MGRS. McCandless said he has heard from people from all around Berkshire County expressing support for the district in its fight against racism. The Williams College community very swiftly expressed support and offered help, as well as our other educational entities within our community, McCandless noted. He said the Mount Greylock High School Student Union composed a letter that very wisely said we cannot stand and say that this isnt our community that this is an anomaly. It doesnt define our entire community, but this level of hate and disrespect for a fellow human being is sadly a part of every community everywhere. The statement released by the administration Thursday it was endorsed strongly by the School Committee explains that, while many are anxious to hear more details about the incident, because it is under investigation by the Police Department, details cant be revealer. While we understand this answer is disappointing to some, we caution that it is easy to hold on to details of a situation and lose sight of the critical bigger picture, in this case, the reality that the Jan. 21 act is symptomatic of a broader and deeper problem, the problem of systemic racism that is pervasive in our country and our community, the statement reads. In some ways, we live and work in an idyllic area, but we are not immune. We are not immune to the kind of hate that was perpetrated against our Mount Greylock student and we must not be complacent in its face. The statement goes on to confirm a commitment to expose and eliminate racist behavior and acts in the community. The Mount Greylock Regional School Committee condemns in the strongest terms this act of racism, and we want to make clear that as a community we will not tolerate it, it continues. We condemn not just the act itself, but any attempt to dismiss it or diminish the reality that acts like these have horrible far-reaching impacts and are symptoms of a long history and practice of oppression and injustice. The committee voted unanimously to reaffirm its anti-racism resolution passed by the previous School Committee last year. WALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., (NYSE:TMO), the world leader in serving science, was recognized as a "Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality" for the sixth consecutive year. The company received a perfect score on the 2021 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 19th annual scorecard on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) workplace equality. "At Thermo Fisher, we work together to create an inclusive culture where every colleague feels they belong and are empowered to contribute, collaborate and innovate," said Jennifer Farmer, vice president, global diversity and inclusion at Thermo Fisher Scientific. "Embracing individual differences is critical to our success as a company." The CEI is a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. The report evaluates policies and practices, including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits, competency programs and public engagement with the LGBTQ community. Based on its assessment of these criteria, CEI gave Thermo Fisher a perfect score of 100. For more information on the 2021 Corporate Equality Index, or to download a free copy of the report, visit www.hrc.org/cei. To learn more about Thermo Fisher's commitment to employee involvement, please visit corporate.thermofisher.com/responsibility. 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. Media Contact Information: Charlotte McCormack Phone: 781-622-1202 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific Related Links http://www.thermofisher.com Theres a wild scramble at the front of the line for COVID-19 vaccines, with the EU discussing export bans and legal action to ensure its supply speeds up in the coming months. The flipside: The back of the line likely stretches to 2023 and beyond. Almost no low-income countries have managed to begin distribution in earnest, and total vaccinations in all of continental sub-Saharan Africa currently number in the dozens. Driving the news: The EU is expected to approve a third vaccine tomorrow, from AstraZeneca. But European leaders are furious that initial supplies will be far lower than anticipated. The EU is now pressuring the Anglo-Swedish firm to supply it with doses produced in the U.K. which had a deal in place earlier to make up for the shortfall. The EU has managed to vaccinate just 2% of its collective population to date, vs. 11% in the U.K. Shortages have forced Madrid to pause distribution, and Paris is set to follow suit. Brussels is considering export bans on doses produced in the EU, including the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The state of play: The fact that rich countries are not only buying up most of the supply of approved vaccines but also struggling to roll them out efficiently bodes ill for the countries left waiting further behind. Some are paying a premium in smaller-scale bilateral deals, often for vaccines from China and Russia. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) projects that vaccines will only be widely available in the world's wealthiest countries this year, while many others (Brazil, India, Egypt) will reach widespread vaccination next year, and most low-income countries will wait until 2023 or beyond. What they're saying: "What we are seeing now globally is not what we had hoped for," says Matshidiso Moeti, regional director for WHO Africa. "It would be deeply unjust if the most vulnerable Africans were forced to wait for vaccines while lower-risk subgroups in wealthier countries are made safe," she said. Barry Bloom, a professor of public health at Harvard, puts it more bluntly: "Right now, it is the law of the jungle." African health authorities are hoping vaccine distribution will begin across the continent in March, initially with the roughly 3 million doses needed to cover medical workers. The urgency is only growing as case counts rise on the continent and new variants spread. The second wave is here with vengeance and our systems are overwhelmed, said John Nkengasong, director of the African CDC. The global COVAX initiative hopes to cover 20% of the population of every country by the end of 2021, and the African Union is attempting to supplement that with additional orders. If all of those pieces fall into place, the WHO says 3035% of Africans could be vaccinated by the end of the year. Expand chart Data: Our World in Data; Chart: Axios Visuals What to watch: "In order to be successful, we need to achieve a 60% target within two years. If we do not do that, COVID becomes endemic on the continent," Nkengasong told reporters on Wednesday. The other side: NIAID director Anthony Fauci has set a target of 7085% in the U.S. by this summer. NIAID director Anthony Fauci has set a target of 7085% in the U.S. by this summer. By the numbers: The U.S., EU, U.K. and Canada have purchased at least a combined 2.5 billion doses, enough to vaccinate all of their residents (with two doses where necessary) and still have around 1 billion left over. The big picture: The outlook in wealthy countries depends in part on what happens in poorer ones, as new variants of the virus originating anywhere in the world could ultimately cause fresh international outbreaks. "We're in an arms race, except it's not an arms race, it's a race between vaccination and mutation," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week at the virtual Davos Agenda conference. Israel, which has sprinted out ahead of the rest of the world in terms of vaccinations, is also on course to have millions of excess doses. The government plans to cover Israels citizens and then see what we can do for our immediate neighbors, the health minister told the FT. Israel has been criticized for declining to provide vaccines to Palestinians living in the occupied territories, even as it has vaccinated Jewish settlers there. Countries on the periphery of the EU are also hoping to access leftover doses. Ukraine, for example, has thus far only managed to sign a relatively small deal for a Chinese vaccine of questionable efficacy. The country is otherwise dependent on COVAX and whatever arrangements it can reach with European producers and governments. The EIU puts Ukraine among the countries likely to be waiting until 2023 for widespread coverage, along with parts of South Asia, Central and South America, and nearly all of sub-Saharan Africa. Canada has secured more doses relative to its population than any other country, and it's pledged to donate those it doesnt need to COVAX. But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau even as he emphasizes "equitable distribution" has declined to say whether any donations will be made before Canada has vaccinated its entire population. Meanwhile, President Biden has raised the hopes of global health experts and the WHO by revising Donald Trumps decision to reject COVAX. Bloom calls that a "major new factor," though Biden has yet to make any specific commitments in terms of doses or funding. He hopes world leaders will see the current squabble in Europe as an indication that a centralized, equitable structure is needed for global distribution. But, he adds, "I'm not optimistic." Go deeper: Israel's COVID crisis deepens even as the vaccination rate climbs COVID-19 has spread quickly around the world, causing more than 2 million deaths and infecting more than 97 million people as of Jan. 21, 2021, according to Johns Hopkins' Coronavirus Resource Center. Its already hard to remember life before COVID-19 but it was less than a year ago when a doctor in China sounded the alarm about a new respiratory virus. Since then, cases have been confirmed in nearly every country. The United States today has the most COVID-19 cases in the world, and cases are rising quickly as people defied CDC recommendations to gather for fall and winter holidays. The story of how COVID-19 spread so far and so fast is a story of government secrecy, delayed action, polarizing politics, and a highly contagious virus. Doug Emhoff, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Jill Biden and President-elect Joe Biden look over the Lincoln Monument Reflecting Pool during a COVID-19 memorial event in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla // Getty Images) 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. Police were called to a residence on Camden Street. A woman had called police for an unknown reason. The woman was on scene crying and she would not talk to police. The woman said she did not need medical aid, but would not tell police if anything was wrong. The woman's aunt arrived on scene and the woman left with her.* * *Police responded to a vandalism at a business at 621 E 11th St. An employee showed police where someone had thrown a brick and a rock through two of the windows in the rear of the building.She said the business has had numerous problems with the homeless camping and loitering on the property. There were no suspects. The business was placed on the Watch List.* * *Police were called to 2201 McCallie Ave. by a CARTA bus driver regarding a verbal disorder at the bus stop on McCallie Ave/N. Kelly St. Police instructed a man and two women to step off the bus. One of the women said that she was talking to herself, and the other woman thought she was "talking (trash)" to her. Both women began swearing at each other, with the man attempting to separate the two. The bus driver said that she no longer wanted these three on her bus. All three were removed from the bus.* * *Police responded to a disorder at Mike's Hole in the Wall, 535 Cherokee Blvd. Officers spoke with the head of security, who said a customer who was highly intoxicated started acting belligerent. He said he tried to serve the man water to sober him up, but he declined. He then saw the man was bothering other customers and asked him to leave. The man argued persistently and eventually decided to leave, but on his way out he smacked another patron on the shoulder. The patron did not want to press charges and the security manager asked for the man to be trespassed from the property. Officers told the security manager to call police if the man returned, so they could trespass him.* * *A woman who lives on E. Main Street said that sometime during the evening, someone had thrown a brick through the front passenger side window of her vehicle. She said they then stole a Marmot coat, two bracelets, a work bag, a bicycle helmet and a pair of gloves from the vehicle. She also said her front passenger side door was damaged and will need to be repainted.* * *Police responded to a call from a man on 14th Avenue. Police found the man in the roadway rambling and not making any sense on why he called police. Officers stayed in the area while the man walked back to his residence.* * *Police were called to 2800 Amnicola Hwy. regarding a BMW 325i parked in the Riverpark, which had closed at sunset. There was a man asleep in the vehicle. The man was checked for warrants and returned a warrant from Georgia that would not extradite. The man's license is suspended and he was told he was not to drive. The man had his girlfriend come pick him up.* * *Officers responded to Public Storage, 7822 E Brainerd Road, and spoke with an employee who said an unknown person had stolen an RV and then driven it through the fence. The owner of the RV said the vehicle was locked and the keys were not in the vehicle. Police did not observe any broken glass around where the vehicle was parked. A BOLO was put out for the vehicle and it was put into NCIC. The only camera footage available of the incident shows the RV driving through the parking lot. No suspects could be seen. Police observed the damage where the RV drove through the fence, causing a large amount of damage to the fence. No suspect information is known at this time. The manager said another RV was also damaged during the incident. Police made contact with the owner of that RV who said the door of his RV had pry marks. Police observed pry marks on the man's RV door. The man said entry was not made into his RV.* * *Police responded to a disorder at a residence on Cherryton Drive. A man said that his ex-wife had slept in his vehicle last night. The man said he was fine with her sleeping there, but wanted her to leave now. The woman said she was willing to leave, but wanted to gather her things from the vehicle before leaving. The man gave the woman permission to retrieve her things from his vehicle. Officers observed the woman grab her purse and photo ID, then she left the residence without further incident. Ahead of President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the Parliament before the Budget Session, 18 opposition parties have decided to boycott the address. While announcing the boycott, the opposition parties including Indian National Congress accused the BJP-led NDA government of passing the farm laws without taking national consensus into account. The opposition parties who have announced a boycott of the President's joint address include Indian National Congress, NCP, CPI, CPI (M), RJD, DMK, Shiv Sena, Trinamool Congress, All India United Democratic Front, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, RSP, Peoples Democratic Party, MDMK and Kerala Congress (M). The Shiromani Akali Dal and Aam Aadmi Party have also separately announced the call to boycott the address. The joint statement, released by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "The Prime Minister and the BJP government remain arrogant, adamant and undemocratic in their response. Shocked by this insensitivity of the government, the opposition political parties, reaffirming the collective demand for the repeal of the anti-farmer laws and in solidarity with the Indian farmers, have decided to boycott the President's address to both the houses of Parliament..." Also read: Budget 2021 Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi termed the opposition's boycott of the President's joint address as "most unfortunate". Joshi appealed to all the parties to reconsider their boycott call while stating the President is above party politics. He added that the BJP has never boycotted the President's opposition in its days as the leading opposition party and the issues raised by the opposition parties can be flagged during the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address. The budget session will begin with the President's address followed by the presentation of the Economic Survey by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at around 02:30 pm. Parliament's budget session will be held in two sessions-January 29 to February 15 and March 8 to April 8 in a total of 33 sittings. Also read: What is Economic Survey? All you need to know Also read: Budget 2021 LIVE updates: Budget session to start with address by President Ram Nath Kovind Also read: Budget 2021: Date, time, sector-wise expectations; everything you need to know A former chaplain for the Boy Scouts in Rhode Island was sentenced on Thursday to 40 years in prison after pleading no contest to charges that he sexually assaulted six young men, the authorities said the latest reckoning for a national scouting movement beleaguered by sex-abuse claims. The ex-chaplain, James Glawson, 76, of Exeter, R.I., volunteered for the Boy Scouts from 1980 to 2018 and served as an assistant Catholic chaplain at the scouting camp in Hopkinton, R.I., according to the Rhode Island State Police. Investigators said that Mr. Glawson came to their attention in 2019 when staff members at a Rhode Island group home reported that he had had inappropriate contact with an 18-year-old developmentally disabled resident. The victim told the police that he had been sexually assaulted several times over the years by Mr. Glawson, who the authorities said later admitted abusing the resident and several other young men during the 1980s while he was a scout leader. It was not immediately clear if the group home resident had ties to the Boy Scouts. Covid-19 could damage male fertility, an experimental study has suggested . Scientists found significant deterioration in semen quality in men up to 60 days after the illness. They also noted higher markers of inflammation, oxidative stress and sperm cell death, all indicators affecting a mans chance of fathering a child. The researchers recommended that men who have suffered badly from Covid-19 should have their reproductive health evaluated before trying for a baby. However, they caution that the results of their laboratory study may not necessarily translate to poorer reproductive ability. Other experts have pointed out that longer studies are needed to establish the extent to which semen quality improves over time. Read More The team at Germanys Justus-Liebig University analysed 84 men with confirmed Covid-19 and 105 age-matched control subjects, who had not contracted the virus. They took measurements every 10 days over a 60-day period In the men with Covid, markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in sperm cells were more than double that of the healthy cohort. Sperm concentration was reduced by 516pc, mobility by 209pc and sperm cell shape was altered dramatically. The researchers said this represents oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, which is one of the most common causes of subfertility in men. There has been concern since the Covid virus emerged about its effect on male reproduction as the same receptors the virus uses to gain access to the tissues of the lungs are also found in the testicles. Behzad Hajizadeh Maleki, a PhD student who led the research, said: These effects on sperm cells are associated with lower sperm quality and reduced fertility potential. "Although these effects tended to improve over time, they remained significantly and abnormally higher in the Covid-19 patients, and the magnitude of these changes were also related to disease severity. The results from this study also suggest that the male reproductive system should be considered a vulnerable route of Covid-19 infection and should be declared a high-risk organ by the World Health Organisation. Prof Allan Pacey, an expert in andrology at Sheffield University, urged caution in interpreting the results. That the study was able to repeat these measurements every 10 days over a 60-day period is no mean feat and this is a nice part of the study, he said. However, since sperm production takes just under three months, roughly, to be completed from start to finish, in my opinion they ended the study 30 days too soon. Dr Channa Jayasena, reader in reproductive endocrinology, said: Being ill from any virus such as flu can temporarily drop your sperm count (sometimes to zero) for a few weeks or months." Visit our Covid-19 vaccine dashboard for updates on the roll out of the vaccination program and the rate of Coronavirus cases Ireland Read More Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] The on Friday asked nine farmer leaders to join the investigation in connection with the violence at Red Fort on January 26, officials said. According to officials, the special investigation team (SIT) of has asked farmer leaders Rakesh Tikait, Pawan Kumar, Raj Kishore Singh, Tajender Singh Virk, Jitender Singh, Trilochan Singh, Gurmukh Singh, Harpreet Singh and Jagtar Singh Bajwa to join the investigation. The notices have been forwarded through whatsapp to them. A police team has also physically visited the tents where they were staying and pasted it there, officials said. A senior police officer said, "We kept waiting for them and contacted their coordinators but we did not receive any response." Thousands of protesting farmers clashed with the police during the tractor parade on January 26. Many of them, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. They hoisted flags on the domes and placed the flagstaff at the ramparts of the monument, where the flag is unfurled by the prime minister on Independence Day. Police have registered 33 FIRs in connection with the violence that left 394 police personnel injured and one protester dead. Lookout notices have also been issued against 44 people. (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 woman (20s) was fighting for her life in hospital last night after being attacked in Ennis, Co Clare. The incident happened in the markets area of the town at approximately 6pm. The woman was taken to University Hospital Limerick where her condition was described as critical. A man (30s) was arrested by Gardai and is currently detained in Shannon Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. Gardai are appealing for anybody who may have witnessed this incident or were in the Market area of Ennis between 5.30pm and 6.30pm to contact them. Gardai are also appealing to any road users, particularly those with camera footage, to contact the Incident Room at Ennis Garda Station on 065 6848100 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666-111, a garda spokesperson said. More to follow... IMF mission's work extended for another 7-10 days finance minister Marchenko said the date of receiving the next tranche from the IMF is a technical matter. Reporting by UNIAN If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter CBSE board exam 2021: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is all set to release the final exam schedule of class 10th and 12th on February 2. Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' made the announcement on Thursday (Jan 28) during a virtual interaction with CBSE school principals that the board would announce the datesheet on Feb 2. The board will release the datesheet on the official website of the board, which is cbse.nic.in. Pokhriyal further said that practicals of CBSE board examinations will be held on March 1, 2021 and the written test will start on May 4. These exams will continue until June 10. The result of CBSE board exam 2021 are expected by July 15, 2021. Talking to news agency ANI, the education minister said CBSE will digitalise the 45-year records of the students. The minister had earlier announced that the CBSE board exams for classes 10 and 12 will commence on May 4, 2021, and will end on June 10. Giving further details, Pokhriyal had said that the results of CBSE Class 10, 12 Board Exams will be declared by July 15, 2021. CBSE board officials have also clarified that examinations this year will be conducted in written format and the presence of students at examination centres will be mandatory. Notably, lakhs of students across India are set to appear for CBSE Class 10, 12 Board exams amid the pandemic. For the convenience of students of Class 10 and 12, the Centre had permitted a phased reopening of schools in non-containment zones with COVID-19 safety protocols in place. Once released, students can follow these steps to check CBSE Board Exam 2021 date sheet: Step 1: Visit the official website of CBSE, i.e., cbse.nic.in. Step 2: Under the announcement section, click on the link that reads, CBSE schedule for 10th and 12th Step 3: Click on the class 10th or class 12th link. Step 4: A new page will appear on the screen with the PDF file. Step 5: Save and download the date sheet for future reference. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is restructuring the affiliation system for schools and making the process completely digital and based on data analytics with least human intervention, officials said. The new system, which will come into effect from March 1, has been restructured as per various recommendations for systemic reforms laid down in the new National Education Policy (NEP). Live TV Republic Day violence: Man who assaulted cop with spear among two arrested Republic Day 2021 celebrations end, Beating Retreat features new rendition marking 1971 war victory India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 29: Republic Day celebrations culminated on Friday with the Beating Retreat ceremony that featured 26 soulful band performances, including special composition 'Swarnim Vijay' to commemorate 50 years of India''s victory in the 1971 war against Pakistan. Indian tunes were the flavour of this year's ceremony that brought the curtains down on the four-day-long Republic Day celebrations. Fifteen military bands and an equal number of pipes and drums bands from regimental centres and battalions participated in the ceremony. Besides, there were performances by one band each of the Navy, the Air Force and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). As many as 26 musical performances enthralled the audience at the historic Vijay Chowk. The entry band was a massed one with ''Swarnim Vijay'' theme. It was a special new composition to commemorate 50 years of victory of India in the 1971 war against Pakistan that led to the creation of Bangladesh. A contingent of 122 soldiers of Bangladesh armed forces had participated in the Republic Day Parade on the Rajpath on January 26. India had last month started golden jubilee (Swarnim Vijay Varsh) celebrations commemorating the 1971 war victory. 72nd R-Day parade ended at venue where first Republic Day celebrations were held The Swarnim Vijay performance at the Beating Retreat was followed by pipes and drums bands, and the bands of CAPFs, Air Force, Navy, Army and massed bands. The ceremony ended with the ever-popular tune of ''Sare Jahan se Acha''. The principal conductor of the ceremony was Lt Col Girish Kumar U of AEC Training College and Centre. Beating Retreat is a centuries-old military tradition. It dates back to the days when troops disengaged from battle at sunset. As soon as the buglers sounded the ''retreat'', the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 20:42 [IST] The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine has allowed a large metals and metal ore trading company Optimal Trade LLC to acquire an integral property complex of PJSC Dniprovsky Metallurgical Plant (DMK, Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region), which is part of the Industrial Union of Donbas corporation (ISD). The decision was made by the committee at its meeting on January 28 of this year, the committee said on Friday. Earlier, the shareholders of PJSC Donetsksteel Iron and Steel Works transferred the rights to claim debts of PJSC DMK for a total amount of UAH 8.176 billion to Optimal Trade LLC. This decision was made at an extraordinary general meeting of Donetsksteel's shareholders on September 2, 2020. In addition, the business court of Dnipropetrovsk region, within the framework of the DMK bankruptcy case, introduced a reorganization procedure. The court issued a relevant resolution on October 16, 2020, and Oleksiy Sokol was appointed reorganization manager. The economic court of Dnipropetrovsk region opened proceedings on the DMK bankruptcy in May 2019. Creditors announced claims against the DMK in the amount of about UAH 130 billion, including the claims of Optimal Trade LLC being UAH 20.9 billion, and Metinvest Holding LLC being UAH 20.7 billion. DMK specializes in the production of cast iron, steel, rolled products and consumer goods. The company is controlled by the ISD corporation founded in 1995. Facebook Oversight Committee Taking Comments on Trumps Suspension Social media giant Facebook has called for comments from the public on former President Donald Trumps indefinite suspension from the platform, with the input set to inform a decision by an advisory panel on whether Trump will be allowed back on. Facebooks Oversight Board, which includes lawyers, current and former journalists, rights advocates, and academics, said in an announcement Friday that people and groups with valuable perspectives on Trumps suspension can submit their comments via an online form by a Feb. 8 deadline. The advisory group has until April to decide on whether to reinstate Trumps Facebook and Instagram accounts, which the company froze after the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. On the day that the Capitol was stormed as Congress was gathered to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, Trump made two posts on Facebook that the company found objectionable and removed, publicly citing Trumps use of our platform to incite violent insurrection against a democratically elected government. The first of these posts was a one-minute video to Facebook and Instagram with the following content: I know your pain, I know youre hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election and everyone knows it, especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have law and order. We have to respect our great people in law and order. We dont want anybody hurt. The message continued: Its a very tough period of time. Theres never been a time like this, where such a thing happened, where they could take it away from all of usfrom me, from you, from our country. This was a fraudulent election, but we cant play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home. We love you. Youre very special. Youve seen what happens. You see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel. But go home and go home in peace. Facebook said it removed the video for violating its Community Standard on Dangerous Individuals and Organizations under its policy prohibiting praise, support, and representation of events that Facebook designates as violating. The second of Trumps messages to be banned was a written statement on Facebook: These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love in peace. Remember this day forever! Facebook said it removed the second post under the same Standard, but has not yet clarified the specific aspect of the policy that it applied. After removing the second post, Facebook imposed a 24-hour ban on Trumps ability to post anything on Facebook or Instagram. Later, after reviewing Trumps communications outside the platform, Facebook determined to extend the block indefinitely. As part of its comment-seeking process on the indefinite suspension, Facebook is looking for input as to whether the lockout complied with the companys responsibilities to respect freedom of expression and human rights, whether it should have taken different measures, and what actions should be taken with respect to Trumps accounts going forward. More broadly, Facebook is also seeking input on how it should weigh off-platform content in its enforcement decisions, and how it should treat the expression of political candidates, office holders, and former office holders, considering their varying positions of power, the importance of political opposition, and the publics right to information. The public comments will be posted online when the board publishes its ruling in the Trump case, according to the company. Facebooks Oversight Board is intended as a kind of supreme court for the companys own policy making, with its decisions bindingthey cant be overruled by CEO Mark Zuckerberg or anyone else at Facebook, the company said. A look at some of the major movers in London on Friday ( ) has confirmed press speculation it has received an unsolicited bid approach, sending its shares surging 16% to 86.8p. The company has received a non-binding proposal from Equity Advisors regarding a possible cash offer for the company. has until 5.00pm on February 26 to decide whether to make a firm offer, otherwise, it must walk away. 2.20pm: Lookers returns from suspension sharply higher ( ) returned from suspension 83% higher at 38.5p after publishing its delayed interim results. Trading in the second half of 2020 was encouraging, underpinned by significant outperformance of the retail UK new car market, continued resilient trading in used and aftersales and increasing used car margins, Lookersa said. The second half performance also includes the early impact of the group's restructuring programme. 1.15pm: Argo Blockchain cranks it up ( ) shot up 26% to 91p after it cranked up its production capacity. The company has brought 1,295 S19 and S19 pro cryptocurrency mining machines into production this week. The machines, which were ordered in November and delivered ahead of schedule, will add around 127 petahash of computing power to its existing fleet of mining machines, bringing its total computing power to 772 petahash. 12.10pm: YouGov warns revenue will be second-half weighted this year YouGov PLC ( ) slipped 5.0% lower to 1,040p despite saying trading is anticipated to be in line with the boards expectations. The research and data analytics group remains confident of achieving its full-year targets in line with the second five-year growth plan, albeit with the phasing of revenue growth and margin delivery weighted towards the second half of the financial year. The group said its headline operating profit in the six months to the end of January was affected by an increased non-cash share-based payments charge, resulting from a modification in accounting treatment, while underlying margin continued to grow. 11.00am: says business was hit hard between April and September PLC ( ) eased 6.3% to 56.2p after the recruitment firm reported a sharply reduced operating profit. The group recorded an operating profit of 0.13mln for the six months to the end of September, versus a profit of 1.73mln in the preceding six months. Revenue slumped to 8.66mln from 13.17mln in the previous six months. 9.55am: Novacyt runs into profit-taking ( ), a stock market star of 2020, ran into profit-taking after publishing a trading update, sending the shares down 8.8% to 976p. The clinical diagnostics specialist saw its share price go moon-bound in 2020 on the back of it having one of the world's first approved polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for the coronavirus (COVID-19). The pandemic certainly transformed the companys fortunes as it saw underlying earnings (EBITDA) rise to more than 161mln in the second half of the year, compared to 49.4mln in the first half. 9.00am: Fast start for Xpediator and Bloomsbury as both companies upgrade guidance ( ) motored 25% higher to 45.5p in early trade on Friday after it had a rip-roaring end to 2020. The freight management firm said it expects to deliver profits for the year just ended that are significantly ahead of market expectations. Following higher than anticipated demand for its services in the UK and Europe during November and throughout December, the group now expects to report adjusted profit before tax of about 7.2mln for 2020, up 40% on 2019s 5.15mln. ( ), up 12% to 317p, was another raising the bar after a strong performance from its Consumer division. Revenue for the current fiscal year is expected by the board to be ahead of market expectations while profit is tipped to be well ahead of the current consensus forecasts. Consensus market expectations for the year ending February 28, 2021, are currently for revenue of 161.8mln and profit before taxation and highlighted items of 12.1mln, according to data compiled by Bloomsbury. Proactive news headlines: ( ), the freight management firm, has said it expects to deliver profits for the year just ended that are significantly ahead of market expectations. Following higher than anticipated demand for its services in the UK and Europe during November and throughout December, the group now expects to report adjusted profit before tax of about 7.2mln for 2020, up 40% on 2019s 5.15mln. The group said it traded well ahead of budget in the final two months of the year with strong performances from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, particularly Lithuania. ( ), the independent publisher, has raised revenue and profit expectations for the year to the end of February 2021. The company said revenue for the current fiscal year is expected to be ahead of market expectations while profit is tipped to be well ahead of the current consensus forecasts. The publisher said the better-than-expected performance has been driven by continued strong trading in the Consumer division, for both Adult and Children's publishing. ( ) said it has landed a new contract, with the company selected by an Asian telecoms company for campaign management operations. The marketing software firm described it as a recurring contract and over a three-year term said it is expected to generate US$1.0mln-US$1.2mln of revenue. The company is to provide a variety of services as well as its software product. Additionally, the company noted that it has also won additional business from an existing company. Pelatro is to provide advanced analytics to the client under the contract which is set to be a highly collaborative engagement with the client. ( ) has said electricity demand in India is starting to recover from the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and it still expects to resume dividend payments this year. The coal-fired power station owner also said it will unveil a series of ESG in initiatives alongside its full-year results as criticism of the use of thermal power mounts. These plans will gradually reduce and offset carbon emissions from its Chennai plant, the group added, in recognition that a comprehensive decarbonisation strategy is critical for the company. ( ) has said it will provide the data management platform for a pilot coronavirus (COVID-19) programme being rolled out by an unnamed Fortune 500 American professional services and construction company. The tests will be supplied and administered its partner BHA-Medical Limited with Catenae securely processing the results via its GDPR-compliant technology before sending them to the individual employees. The data will also be fed into Public Health England's database for use by the NHS Test and Trace service. PLC ( ) said it is on track to deliver strong growth in 2021 as it reported results covering the period prior to its flotation on the London Stock Exchange on October 2, 2020. For the period from incorporation on September 3, 2019, to September 30, 2020, the developer of esports teams said it had secured investments prior to its initial public offering totalling 5mln while ending the period with net cash of 1mln alongside a pre-tax loss of 2.7mln representing start-up and listing costs and its pre-revenue status. Post-period, Guild said it had raised 20mln through its IPO, as well as clinching its maiden sponsorship deal with contracted revenues of 3.6mln over three years and setting up two esports teams comprised of top-ranked video game players. The company also said as of January 28 its cash balance stood at 18mln. ( ) said it has brought 1,295 S19 and S19 pro cryptocurrency mining machines into production this week. The company said the machines, which were ordered in November and delivered ahead of schedule, will add around 127 petahash of computing power to its existing fleet of mining machines, bringing its total computing power to 772 petahash. ( ) said it has significantly strengthened its cash position which it noted will accelerate its pipeline of novel therapies for cancer and advance its vaccine candidate for coronavirus (COVID-19). In its results for the six months ended October 31, 2020, the developer of immunotherapies said it ended the period with 25.7mln in cash compared to 3.6mln in April last year, while post-period another 20.5mln had been raised from the issue of convertible loan notes and an open offer to shareholders. In the figures, the pre-revenue company reported a pre-tax loss for the period of 4.3mln compared to 3.08mln in the prior year. ( ) has announced a large contract for software and services with a major telecoms network operator that serves more than 3.2mln customers in central and western Canada. The new customer contract has an order value to be recognised over the next two financial years of 1.3mln for perpetual software licences, associated implementation services, and annual maintenance and support, the group added. ( ) ( ) said a five-year study of five circulating tumour cell (CTC) isolation platforms has identified the key advantages of the companys liquid biopsy system. The group said the research showed that Parsortixs performance was robust, with mean cell capture rates of 71% and 67% for the two cell types targeted. The leading US-approved antibody-based CTC system was unable to enrich one particular line, called EpCAM low cells. ( ) said a follow-up magnetic survey at its Olympic gold project in Nevada has indicated where a previous productive gold vein might lie. A strong anomaly was detected on the prospect to the west of the former OMCO mine, which stopped producing in the 1940s, and has provided enough information to start drilling, the company said. The survey also indicated a strong magnetic anomaly underneath the Trafalgar Hill target at Olympic and money for drilling in both areas is in the budget for this year subject to coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions. ( ) has provided an update on its progress ramping up production at its newly commissioned Cononish Gold and Silver Mine in Scotland, as well as its exploration activities on the Cononish Project and Grampian Project. The gold exploration and production company focused on Scotland noted that its ongoing exploration programme is focused on increasing the mineral resources in the area around the Cononish Gold and Silver Mine where first gold pour was achieved on November 30, 2020, further delineating existing prospects, and making new discoveries. ( ) has told investors it is to restructure its board and further cut costs, as it seeks to take advantage of opportunities provided by the recently sealed farm-out deal for the Ruvuma project. The company said it plans to reduce gross general and administrative costs by 30% this year plus by a further 25%-30% next year. It aims to lower these costs to below 1mln per year, which would equate to a 75% reduction since 2018. Sirius Real Estate Limited ( ) said it has collected almost all rent due from its portfolio of German business parks despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. For the first nine months of its financial year, which ends on March 31, 2021, Sirius said it has received 97.7% of rents with 98% receipts for calendar year 2020. Write-offs had amounted to 205,000 out of a total rent and service charge invoicing of 141.2mln, Sirus added. PLC ( ), the UK property investment company, has announced the disposal of four properties from its portfolio. The company said it has sold retail properties at auction in Chester, Scarborough, Bedford and Llandudno for an aggregate 1.6mln, in line with the most recent valuations. said these disposals have reduced the company's high street retail sector weighting from 11% to 10%. ( ), the AIM and Altx traded metals processing company, has said it was notified on January 28, 2021, that Colin Bird, its non-executive chairperson purchased 500 000 Jubilee ordinary shares of 1p each at a price of 10.77p (223.26 rand cents) each and that Leon Coetzer, its chief executive officer purchased 500 000 ordinary shares of 1p each at a price of 10.90p (225.96 rand cents) each. Following the share purchases, Bird is interested in 500,000 Jubilee ordinary shares, representing approximately 0.022%, and Coetzer is interested in 527 810 ordinary shares, representing approximately 0.024% of the issued share capital. Coetzer commented: "Along with my Chairperson, I am pleased to be acquiring a further stake in Jubilee at this exciting stage in the Company's development. The strong support we experience from our shareholders, institutional and retail, is an endorsement of Jubilee's developments to date and I am very excited about the future growth and prospects of our Company." IronRidge Resources Limited ( ), the African focused minerals exploration company, has announced the appointment of Amanda Harsas as its full-time company secretary, to take effect from February 1, 2021. It said Harsas is a senior finance executive with a demonstrable track record and over 20 years' experience in strategic finance, business transformation, commercial finance, customer and supplier negotiations and capital management. Prior to joining IronRidge, she worked across several sectors including healthcare, insurance, retail and professional services. Her appointment as company secretary will run in conjunction with her new role as chief financial officer to the company, as announced on November 16, 2020, and she replaces Karl Schlobohm, who has acted as IronRidge's company secretary since 2009. In conjunction with the appointment, the company also announced a change of registered office to Level 33, Australia Square, 264 George Street Sydney NSW 2000, Australia. The group said the Harsas appointment and change of registered office are in line with the company's strategy to gradually migrate all management and administrative services in house, as mutually agreed with DGR Global Limited. The company noted that DGR Global intends to maintain its equity interest in IronRidge following the completion of the administrative services contract. ( ) confirmed that it has issued a total of 750,000 fully paid ordinary shares in the company at a price of 0.6p per share following the exercise of warrants in terms of the placing agreement dated October 17, and 3,375,000 fully paid ordinary shares in the company at a price of 1.25p per share in terms of the placing agreement dated May 31, 2020. PLC ( ), the AIM-listed metals exploration and development company said it has received notices to exercise warrants over a total of 11,773,926 new ordinary shares of 0.1p each, 7,563,400 warrants at an exercise price of 1.0p for and 4,210,526 warrants at an exercise price of 0.75p for. Subscription monies of 107,213 have been received by Power Metal in respect of these exercises. Landore Resources Limited ( ) announced that it has received a notice to exercise warrants over a total of 357,142 ordinary shares, for which funds of 62,499.85 have been received by the company. ( ), the company focused on mineral exploration in Canada and Australia, has announced that a new, updated, corporate presentation is available on the company website via the Investors tab, under Presentation: www.panthermetals.co.uk DURANGO, Colo., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OWSUS Inc., publisher of VSTracking Case Management and Grant Reporting Software proudly announces that Mrs. Rosie Martinez of Mission, TX, the former Victims Unit Director of Hidalgo County, TX' Criminal District Attorney's Office has joined OWSUS as our Executive Director. Victim Service Tracking Made Easy Mrs. Martinez has 20 years of experience in victim services in system & community-based programs. Rosie obtained national accreditation as an Advanced Level "Victim Intervention Specialist" by the National Organization of Victim Assistance and certification as a Crime Victim Advocate by the Office of Victims of Crime, the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and has a trainer certification for Commercial Sexual Exploitation Identification Tools from the Office of the Governor of Texas Child Sex Trafficking Team and a Baylor University Certification for Motivational Interviewing for Commercially Sexually Exploited Children. She was awarded the (NOVA) 2017 Honored Victim Advocate of the Year in the category of Pioneers in Advocacy by the National Organization for Victim Assistance. The Hidalgo County Commissioner's Court passed a resolution honoring her NOVA national award. The Texas Council on Family Violence acknowledged her leadership for making it her life's work to empower other women naming her as one of 6 most influential women in Texas. The National Advocate Credentialed Program recognized and featured her as Summer of 2017 Credentialed Advocate of the Month. She received the 2018 Young Hearts Matter Advocate of the Year award with Senator Juan Chuy Hinojosa and the Texas State Senate awarding her Senate Proclamation No. 95 honoring her career in victim services. Rosie has received and/or serves on: Commitment to Community Award - Nueva Luz Foundation " Star Fish Award" - Angels of Love Award" - Angels of Love 2016 "Family Violence Ambassador" "2019 Commitment Award" - Hidalgo County Family Violence Taskforce. NOVA Executive Board of Directors HB 1590 Sexual Assault Survivors' Taskforce - Office of the Governor of Texas . . Co-founder and Chair of Rio Grande Valley Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition Executive Advisor for the Rio Grande Valley Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce Legislative Public Policy Committee for the Texas Council of Family Violence Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Taskforce - Office of the Attorney General of Texas . . HB2620 Policy and Public Awareness Committee - Health Human Services Commission Taskforce. Co-Chair of the Hidalgo County Family Violence Task Force (2 terms) Hidalgo County Child Fatality Review Team Citizens Review Team - Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. OWSUS Inc. is pleased and greatly honored to have Rosie join us as Executive Director. Rosie will serve as liaison for federal, state, and military victim services programs and advocate coalitions. She will direct the organization to develop, manage and deliver specialized grant writing, grant management and capacity-building training courses to system-based programs in need of assistance in implementing victim services. "I am very excited to continue my passion for serving victims in a larger capacity at the national level. I intend to use my 20 years of experience in managing victim services to help other advocates and victim services programs develop trauma-informed victim assistance," said Martinez. OWSUS Inc. is the publisher of VSTracking, the advocate-acclaimed software that simplifies case tracking and grant reporting for over 3100 users in 33 states. OWSUS's core belief is to put the needs of the advocate first so advocates have more time for those they serve. For further information contact: Josh Bruner 502-773-0154 [email protected] SOURCE OWSUS Inc. 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. Dianne Feinstein has risen from the ashes before. She did it almost literally when she ascended from the ranks of San Francisco city supervisors after Mayor George Moscone was assassinated in 1978, taking over as mayor and joining Jerry Brown as one of Californias two most durable politicians of the last 50 years. Now she may have figuratively assassinated herself, her nature as peacemaker and friend to all types of people putting her in a Shakespearean dilemma: Should she retire from her post as Californias senior U.S. senator or try again for reelection to a sixth full term in 2024 at age 91? Feinsteins always conciliatory approach led her to hug South Carolinas Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham at the end of Senate committee hearings on ex-President Donald Trumps nomination of conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. Feinstein not only embraced her longtime friend but told him This was one of the best sets of hearings Ive participated in. This infuriated other Democrats, who demanded she give up her spot as the senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee and forfeit the chance to be its chair after Democrats took control of the Senate in late January. Rising prevalence of food induced chronic and infectious diseases is prompting consumers to opt for natural alternatives ROCKVILLE, MD / ACCESSWIRE / January 29, 2021 / Award winning market research company Fact.MR's global free-from foods market research report projects the landscape to make credible gains for FY 2021-22 over 2020. A paradigm shift towards natural foods induced by the COVID-19 pandemic is the primary stimulant behind this enhanced growth. Moreover, forecast for the next 10 years appears optimistic, registering a notable CAGR until 2031. Fact.MR notes promising developments in the sugar-free segment, with the United States, Germany and China emerging as key investment destinations, owing to heightened sugar consumption levels. In 2020, Chinese glucose manufacturer JK Sucralose announced a US$ 30 million investment project to develop half-sugar with five times higher sweetness and reduced calorie levels as a part of the Healthy China 2030 initiative. As the developed world reaches a saturation point, manufacturers are increasingly targeting emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific, with prolific opportunities in store across the GMO-free domain. India and China are likely to remain attractive growth spots, as governments race to encourage natural food production. Since January 2021, the Foods Safety and Standards Authority of India announced a list of 24 food brands requiring a mandatory GM-free certification. "Increasing scramble to acquire clean label certifications and licenses are anticipated to generate significant research and development prospects for new entrants, as well as reduce regulatory compliance burdens on established players, paving way for enhanced penetration," says the Fact.MR analyst. Request a report sample with 170 pages to gain comprehensive insights at https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=3272. Key Takeaways from Fact.MR's Free-From Foods Study By product, GMO-free foods are expected to gain massive traction, registering almost twofold growth through 2031 Organic free-from foods to acquire top priority, with consumers opting for naturally derived foods Hypermarkets/supermarket sales to remain the primary distribution channel, online sales catching up U.S to emerge as a highly lucrative market, owing to waning artificial foods consumption U.K to register steady Y-o-Y growth, with approximately three out of ten consumers opting for GMO-free foods Tough government regulations to curb adulterated food sales is driving growth in France and Germany Japan and South Korea to emerge as highly attractive markets in 2021, owing to a gradual shift towards healthy eating Free-From Foods Market- Prominent Drivers Growing prevalence of lactose and gluten intolerance is poised to widen sales of free-from foods and beverages Increasing number of investments by food & beverage companies in product development, strategic collaborations and links with government agencies expected to propel growth Manufacturers to acquire maximum gains across the developed world, as consumers wrestle with various food induced chronic ailments Free-From Foods Market- Key Restraints Instances of misbranding and mislabeling by unscrupulous entities is limiting uptake of free-from foods Free-from foods are often priced at a premium rate, rendering them unaffordable to middle income and low income households Discover more about the free-from market with 230 figures and 112 data tables, along with the table of contents. You will also find detailed market segmentation on https://www.factmr.com/report/3272/free-from-food-market Competitive Landscape Key players profiled in the free-from foods market report include Nestle SA, Tate & Lyle Plc. Danone SA, Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Vitasoy International Holdings Ltd, Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co. Ltd., The Coca Cola Company, General Mills Inc., Blue Diamond Growers, Kikkoman Corporation, Lactalis International and Post Holdings Inc. Offering clean-label and additive free foods remain the cornerstone of the aforementioned market players. For instance, Nestle USA acquired Freshly, a pioneer in healthy prepared meals, in October 2020, with the objective of expanding its healthy and additive free food products portfolio in forthcoming years. The deal was sealed at a value of US$ 950 million. Major emphasis is being laid on providing non-GMO foods to ensure maximum health benefits. In 2017, Tate & Lyle received the Non-GMO Project verification for its PromOat Beta Glucan and PrOatein Oat Protein ingredients. This conferment has enabled the food ingredients and solutions company to expand its outreach in the non-GMO segment in the past three years. More Valuable Insights on Free-from Foods Market Fact.MR, in its new offering, brings to fore an unbiased analysis of the global free-from foods market, presenting historical demand data (2015-2019) and forecast statistics for the period of 2020-2030. The study divulges compelling insights on the free-from foods market on the basis of product (GMO-free, sugar free, dairy free, gluten free, meat free, lactose-free, and artificial ingredient-free), nature (conventional and organic), and sales channel (direct sales, hypermarkets/supermarkets, specialty stores, convenience stores, online retail, and others), across six major regions. Key Questions Covered in the Report: What are the driving factors and opportunities in the Global Free From Food Market? Which is the leading segment in the Free From Food Market? What are the challenges faced in the Global Free From Food Market? Which region will provide more business opportunities for Free From Food Market in coming years? Get Access to the Full Report: https://www.factmr.com/checkout/3272/S Explore Fact.MR's Coverage on the Food & Beverages Domain Tilapia Market: A recent study by Fact.MR on the tilapia market offers a 10-year forecast from 2021 to 2031. The study analyzes crucial trends that are currently determining market growth. This report explicates on vital dynamics, such as the drivers, restraints, and opportunities for key market players along with key stakeholders. Emulsifier and Co-Emulsifiers Market: Emulsifiers & co-emulsifiers market is anticipated to witness a notable upsurge during the forecast period 2020 to 2030, conferring to a new Fact.MR study. The study promotes crucial trends that are presently determining the growth of emulsifiers & co-emulsifiers market. Pastry Fillings Market: Pastry fillings market is anticipated to witness a notable upsurge during the forecast period 2020 to 2030, conferring to a new Fact.MR study. The study promotes crucial trends that are presently determining the growth of pastry fillings market. This newly published and perceptive report sheds light on vital dynamics, which are likely to convert the future of pastry fillings market. About Fact.MR Market research and consulting agency with a difference! That's why 80% of Fortune 1,000 companies trust us for making their most critical decisions. While our experienced consultants employ the latest technologies to extract hard-to-find insights, we believe our USP is the trust clients have on our expertise. Spanning a wide range - from automotive & industry 4.0 to healthcare & retail, our coverage is expansive, but we ensure even the most niche categories are analyzed. We are headquartered in Dubai, and operate from our sales office in Dublin, Ireland. Reach out to us with your goals, and we'll be an able research partner. Contact: US Sales Office: 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Tel: +1 (628) 251-1583 E: sales@factmr.com Corporate Headquarter: Unit No: AU-01-H Gold Tower (AU), Plot No: JLT-PH1-I3A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates SOURCE: Fact.MR View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/626734/Rising-Sugar-Free-GMO-Free-Foods-Demand-to-Catapult-Free-From-Foods-Demand-FactMR 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. Jammu: The Pakistan Army violated ceasefire for the third consecutive day on Friday by targeting Indian posts and civilian areas with mortar bombs, small and automatic weapons along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. This is the 23rd incident of ceasefire violation in June. "The Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing from small arms, automatic weapons and mortars from 0415 hours today on the Indian Army posts along the LoC in Bhimbher Gali (BG) sector", a Defence spokesman said. The Indian troops returned the fire strongly and effectively, he said. Read more: US lawmaker asks Pak to free Shakil Afridi who helped in tracing Laden On Thursday, two Indian Army jawans were injured when Pakistani troops fired from small arms and shelled mortars on forward posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Poonch district. On June 27 (Wednesday), the Pakistani army violated ceasefire by unprovoked and indiscriminate firing and shelling along the LoC in Bhimbher Gali (BG) sector in Rajouri district from 1445 hours till late that night. In this month, there have been 23 ceasefire violations by the Pakistani Army in Poonch and Rajouri districts besides across-LoC attack and two infiltration bids in which four people, including three jawans, have been killed. Read more: Pak summons Indian diplomat over alleged ceasefire violation On June 26, the occasion of Eid-ul Fitr, the Pakistani Army fired small arms and automatic weapons and shelled mortars along the LoC in Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri. In yet another ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Balakote Sector of Poonch, a woman has been injured and admitted to hospital. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. (Image: Reuters) Europe's row with AstraZeneca worsened after Germany declined to recommend the firm's coronavirus vaccine for older people, while the more contagious South African variant of the virus was detected for the first time in the already hard-hit United States. With anti-virus restrictions being tightened worldwide again, the economic toll came into focus with the United States seeing its sharpest contraction in growth since 1946. UN data released on Thursday also said the global tourism sector, battered by border closures and bans on mass gatherings, lost $1.3 trillion in revenue in 2020. Follow our LIVE blog for latest updates of the novel coronavirus pandemic Given the world's weariness over the pandemic that has now killed some 2.2 million people and infected more than 100 million, countries have been anxious to expedite vaccination campaigns. 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 There was encouraging news from US biotech firm Novavax, which said its two-shot vaccine showed an overall efficacy of 89.3 percent in a major Phase 3 clinical trial in Britain, and remained highly effective against a variant first identified there. But other results showed it offered significantly less protection against a highly transmissible virus variant first identified in South Africa, which is spreading rapidly around the world. The European Union's inoculation efforts were hit by an announcement from AstraZeneca that it could only supply a quarter of the doses it had promised for the first quarter of 2021. The EU has demanded the drug maker meets its commitments by supplying doses from its UK factories, but Britain insists it must receive all of the vaccines it ordered. Adding to the row on Thursday was an announcement from Germany's vaccine commission that it could not recommend AstraZeneca's vaccine for those over 65 since there was not enough data to assess its efficacy. AstraZeneca and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson immediately defended the vaccine, which has already been widely used in Britain on older people. - Variant worries - The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday to announce whether to recommend authorisation of AstraZeneca's shot. The regulator has already approved the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. Covid-19 has killed more than 432,000 in America, by far the highest absolute toll, and more troubling news came Thursday when authorities announced they had found two people in South Carolina infected with the strain first detected in South Africa. Scientists are worried about this mutation because it seems able to elude some of the effects of current vaccines and synthetic antibody treatments, though Moderna and Pfizer said their shots still work against the variant. A more contagious form of the virus could nonetheless mean more people get sick, a portion of whom could end up hospitalised or in the most severe cases dead. In the Americas overall, 14 countries have reported at least one of three coronavirus variants -- first detected in Britain, South Africa and Brazil -- the Pan American Health Organization said Thursday. The economic pain over the last year in the US was clear in data out Thursday that showed the world's largest economy shrunk by 3.5 percent in 2020. The figures underscored the scale of the job awaiting President Joe Biden, who took office just over a week ago promising to get the country back on track with a $1.9 trillion spending proposal. - India's vaccine diplomacy - At the same time, a long-delayed effort to probe the virus's origins creaked forward for a World Health Organization team of experts in Wuhan, China. Covid has continued to hammer countries despite the onset of mass vaccination programmes that have seen more than 82 million doses injected, according to an AFP count compiled from national figures. Pfizer has also faced EU criticism for delays in deliveries but has now revised its production target for this year up from 1.3 billion doses to two billion. Australia's health minister Greg Hunt said the country's foreign ministry would be making "representations" to the EU on suggestions there may be restrictions on vaccine exports. Those representations would be about "ensuring that our supply is guaranteed on a continuous basis," he said. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his country will supply more locally produced vaccines to other countries. India -- home to the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, the Serum Institute -- has embarked on a form of vaccine diplomacy, gifting millions of doses to its neighbours. Concerns have been deepening over rich nations hogging vaccine supplies. The WHO said Thursday that Africa can expect to see at least 30 percent of its population immunised by the end of this year. Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 08:11:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Two men snatch razor wires set by security forces in front of the governorate government building during a protest in Tripoli, Lebanon on Jan. 28, 2021. A new round of clashes broke out Thursday in Tripoli between security forces and protesters against the total lockdown imposed by the authorities to curb the COVID-19, local media reported. (Photo by Khaled/Xinhua) Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 17:38:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TOKYO, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- ANA Holdings Inc. said on Friday that in the April to December period of 2020 it booked a record net loss of 309.58 billion yen (2.95 billion U.S. dollars), as the Japanese carrier has seen domestic and global demand battered by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The downside effects of the COVID-19 pandemic saw the carrier's profits drastically go down amid slumping patronage and extensive travel bans. In the April to December period, ANA booked an operating loss of 362.41 billion yen (3.46 billion U.S. dollars), as revenue plummeted 66.7 percent to 527.61 billion yen (5.04 billion U.S. dollars). For the current business year through March, the Japanese carrier maintained its earnings outlook, projecting a record net loss of 510 billion yen (4.87 billion U.S. dollars) based on revenue of 740 billion yen (7.07 billion U.S. dollars). Revenue from international flights tumbled 93.6 percent from a year ago to 32.3 billion yen (308 million U.S. dollars), ANA said, as passengers dropped by 95.9 percent to around 321,000 in the nine-month period, owing largely to Japan implementing wide-reaching entry bans to the country amid the pandemic. Overall, ANA said that sales from flights dropped by 71.7 percent to 156.3 billion yen (1.49 billion U.S. dollars), with passenger numbers declining 71.5 percent to 9.91 million, despite the state-backed "Go To Travel" campaign aimed at boosting domestic travel. Launched in July last year, the state subsidized travel program was suspended in late December owing to the virus' resurgence. ANA announced on Tuesday that it will suspend services on 16 international routes from late March, as demand continues to slump. From March 28 through Oct. 30, the services to be halted will include those from Narita international Airport near Tokyo to New York, as well as flights to San Francisco. ANA also said that flights between Tokyo's Haneda airport and Moscow will be halted and those to Bangkok, Los Angeles and Sydney will be reduced. ANA has now slashed 80 percent of its international flights from its initial plan, and it has said that its modus operandi looking ahead will remain flexible enough to cater to shifts in the pandemic and passenger demand. Cost-cutting initiatives will also include the early retirement of its fleet of Boeing 777s in favor of smaller, more fuel-efficient Boeing 787s, ANA said. Enditem MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama will soon announce a time frame for expanding who can get COVID-19 vaccinations. State Health Officer Scott Harris made the announcement Thursday during budget hearings. Legislators say there is widespread public frustration and anger over the vaccine rollout. Harris said the state will provide more information Friday. He said supply is the main problem in trying to get more people vaccinations since there is not enough to go around. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrains High Criminal Court yesterday awarded a ten-year jail term to a public servant convicted of embezzlement. The court also slapped a fine of $1,410,220 and ordered to return the misappropriated amount - equivalent to the fined amount. The ruling brings the total amount payable to $2,820,444, said the Head of the Financial Crimes and Money Laundering Prosecution. According to court files, the accused passed invoices for $1,410,222 in return for supplies and services offered by the state-owned company. However, all the payments, the Public Prosecution found, went to two companies owned by the suspect directly and indirectly. The suspect was working a director of a department of a state-owned company. Investigators found that the action of the suspect contributed to tarnishing the goodwill of the company and produced irreparable harm to its reputation. The Public Prosecution heard testimonies of employees of the affected company. A giraffe painting from a Green Sahara epoch. Credit: Mike Hettwer (http://hettwer.com) Large parts of the Sahara Desert were green thousands of years ago, evidenced by prehistoric engravings in the desert of giraffes, crocodiles and a stone-age cave painting of humans swimming. Recently, more detailed insights were gained from a combination of sediment cores extracted from the Mediterranean Sea and results from climate computer modeling, which an international research team, including University of Hawai'i at Manoa oceanography researcher Tobias Friedrich, examined for the first time. The layers of the seafloor tell the story of major environmental changes in North Africa over the past 160,000 years. The study, co-authored by Friedrich and led by Cecile Blanchet of the German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ, was published in Nature Geoscience. Climatic context for past populations Together with the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, a team of scientists organized a research cruise to the Libyan Gulf of Sirte. "We suspected that when the Sahara Desert was green, the rivers that are presently dry would have been active and would have brought particles into the Gulf of Sirte," said Blanchet. Analyzing such sediments would help to better understand the timing and circumstances for the reactivation of these rivers and provide a climatic context for the development of past human populations. Using a method called piston coring, the scientists pressed giant cylinders into the seafloor and were able to recover nearly 30-foot long columns of marine mud. The layers of mud contain sediment particles and plant remains transported from the nearby African continent, as well as shells of microorganisms that grew in seawater, telling the story of climatic changes in the past. "By combining the sediment analyses with results from our computer simulation, we can now precisely understand the climatic processes at work to explain the drastic changes in North African environments over the past 160,000 years," said Friedrich. Piston cores, wrapped in yellow, await analysis. In background: lead author Cecile Blanchet. Credit: University of Hawaii at Manoa Climate change can prompt migrations From previous work, it was already known that several rivers episodically flowed across the region, which today is one of the driest areas on Earth. The team's unprecedented reconstruction continuously covers the last 160,000 years. It offers a comprehensive picture of when and why there was sufficient rainfall in the Central Sahara to reactivate these rivers. "We found that it is the slight changes in the Earth's orbit and the waxing and waning of polar ice sheets that paced the alternation of humid phases with high precipitation and long periods of almost complete aridity," explained Blanchet. The fertile periods generally lasted five thousand years and humidity spread over North Africa up to the Mediterranean coast. For the people of that time, this resulted in drastic changes in living conditions, which probably led to large migratory movements in North Africa. "With our work, we have added some essential jigsaw pieces to the picture of past Saharan landscape changes that help to better understand human evolution and migration history," said Blanchet. "The combination of sediment data with computer-simulation results was crucial to understand what controlled the succession of humid and arid phases in North Africa during the past. This is particularly important because it is expected that this region will experience intense droughts as a consequence of human-induced climate change." More information: Cecile L. Blanchet et al. Drivers of river reactivation in North Africa during the last glacial cycle, Nature Geoscience (2021). Cecile L. Blanchet et al. Drivers of river reactivation in North Africa during the last glacial cycle,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-020-00671-3 As the Finance Minister rises to deliver her speech on Budget day, I will invoke the goddess Lakshmi, the bestower of wealth, prosperity and abundance to give something to everyone and shower her blessings in peoples lives. There couldnt be a better time than now to make a real difference as all of us straddle our paths in an economy battered by the pandemic that has left many people without jobs and businesses struggling, some to survive and some for growth. What can be done to fix the damage of gargantuan proportions, one that is immediate and also have a positive effect on the economy over the longer term? For that, it is only fair to draw up the various constituents that move the wheels of the economy- the demographic health and economic well-being, enterprise and business, markets and financial institutions, global trade and sustainability. Demographic Health and Economic Well-being The immediate ask is money in the hands of people. With nearly 140 crore people and about 58 percent involved in agriculture as their primary source of livelihood, this constituency is a big buyer and a large consumption market. While the farm sector was the only one to post growth in the June quarter when all other sectors were in the red and continues to perform well, it lacks the heft to pull the other sectors and the optimism may be premature as it does not address the issue of productivity and falling prices. On the other hand, India will need to create 90 million jobs from now till 2030 to absorb 30 million who could move from farm to non-farm sector. It would be prudent to then infuse money in bolstering infrastructure, skill development and manufacturing, all of which is expected to create jobs. Distribution of cash is a much-needed, albeit temporary, solution to those who have been affected most but not a panacea for long term economic prosperity. Decades ago, Winston Churchill had said: Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have. As I salute the efforts of our healthcare workers and administration, we have to admit that the pandemic has uncovered the cracks in our stressed healthcare system. Over 1.5 lakh people have lost their lives to the deadly virus as several new strains emerge and India begins its vaccination drive. Shortage of beds, ventilators, and medical personnel often made headlines. The budget will need to widely focus on improving the countrys healthcare system, especially in rural areas making affordable healthcare, accessible too. Experts have also sought greater expenditure towards public health, pharma research and disease surveillance in the wake of the pandemic. Moreover, it would be prudent to look at ways of exploring public-private partnerships in this area, to help lessen the burden on governments. Enterprise and Business Prosperous nations have few common elements - a thriving industry is one among them. As we move to a highly connected, borderless world, there is an immediate need for a national corporate identity. America is known for large industry, innovation, startups; Sweden and Norway for defence, Japan and Korea for electronics, automobiles; India for IT and IT Services and Pharmaceuticals; China for being the global hub for low-cost manufacturing and even small countries like Vietnam and Bangladesh are hubs for apparel manufacturing. Our national skill development mission addresses upskilling of labour and we have some industry-friendly policies too, however, implementation is an area that we need to address. Let us take the example of the pharmaceutical sector, an industry in focus presently. India is the largest provider of generic drugs globally, ranks 3rd globally in volumes and 14th by value. A few years ago, when the government launched the Pharma Parks initiative it was lauded by the industry, however, the big question is how soon India will be able to substitute import of API, a whopping 60 percent of which is imported from China. When manufacturers get down to brass tacks, there are many hurdles such as land, power, labour, technology, supply chain, support infrastructure, taxation to name a few. Various reports have pegged the opportunity size at $50-70 billion and we have seen how our pharma companies have risen to the occasion. What more could be an apt example of being Aatmanirbhar than this? Can we now replicate this for few other industries? Markets and Financial Institutions In the midst of an economic downtrend, the Indian stock markets continue to be at record highs, aided by foreign investors who have infused a staggering Rs 1 lakh crore into the Indian stock markets since November. The government needs to take advantage of this rally and divest its stake in public sector units. The corpus raised can be used to reduce our fiscal deficit in addition to funding infrastructure development, and towards projects in the National Infrastructure Pipeline. It is also anticipated that the upcoming budget will unveil a large development financial institution that could further address issues of capital. The DFI will be a catalyst to bolster job creation efforts as it infuses life through investments in the infrastructure sector. Global Trade It is well known that economic growth and trade have a correlation: countries with higher GDP growth rates usually have a higher rate of growth in trade as a percentage share of economic output. India is well poised to gain from China's partial loss of supply chains in the post-COVID era. The Make in India campaign, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local are playing out well to counter Chinas growing influence on business and industry. There is an immediate need to augment our supply chain, strengthen our manufacturing capabilities and be cost-competitive to cater to global demand and become a trusted partner for giants in manufacturing. For example, in the electronics industry alone, the government expects close to $150 billion worth of manufactured goods over the next five years, which could create about one million direct and indirect jobs. Sustainability The aftermath of the year bygone has brought greater focus to Sustainability world-over. It is evident that business as usual, will need to give way to business in the new world order. Businesses, investors and the government thus have a huge role to play in transforming legacy systems that address these challenges especially of climate emergency, increasing social inequality, and disruption of ecosystems. For one, the government can accelerate transformation through economic stimulus packages in favour of industries that enable a sustainable economy. Take, for example, Indias energy demand, which is expected to grow exponentially in the next 20 years. Powering this growth through renewable energy can boost Indias competitiveness and make clean electricity available to millions of households. Adding to this, India still faces significant issues related to clean water, clean fuel, nutrient-rich food, education and basic healthcare, all of which remain urgent priorities for the government. Thus, finding sustainable solutions to these issues is foremost. I sincerely hope the Budget brings in a policy to encourage and reward companies by tax incentives that produce goods that reduces, reuses and recycles input material across industry type. Humanity has taken great strides to innovate but the damage to the environment has been colossal. A cleaner, safer planet is what we must all be committed to. In the Eastern culture, the Lotus, the seat of goddess Lakshmi holds a great symbolic value for every night it submerges into dirty water but re-blooms sparklingly clean the next morning. I am hoping that come February 1, our Finance Minister will chart a new path that promises economic recovery that is sustainable because unlike the Lotus that can re-bloom, humanity will be living on borrowed time in an environmental time bomb. The time to reboot is now. 21 runners killed during mountain race in northwestern province of Gansu; Indian variant of Covid-19 found in Guangzhou; Beijing willing to arrange for vaccines to be sent to Taiwan May 28, 2021 08:15 PM In an announcement by Delhi Traffic Police, certain areas of Delhi borders, where farmers have been protesting against the newly enacted three new farm laws, have been closed. Farmers protesting against the Centre's contentious farm laws are locked in a face-off with the police at the Ghazipur border. Farmers protests intensified as groups of farmers were seen indulging in vandalism of public property and targeting police personnel deployed for Republic Day security. In the visuals coming in, the protestors can be seen raising yellow flags at the Red fort. On the same day as Republic Day, the Farmers Tractor rally left a blood trail and utter mayhem in Delhi as protests turn violent. Bharti Kisan Union Leader Rakesh Tikait clearly mentioned that some farmers made their own decision by splitting from their own union group and did all these kinds of misshapes. In an announcement by Delhi Traffic Police, certain areas of Delhi borders, where farmers have been protesting against the recently enacted three new farm laws, have been closed. Delhi Traffic Police on Friday informed that Traffic has been diverted from NH-44 near Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Narela. The public is asked to avoid Outer Ring Road, GT Karnal Road and NH-44. It further added, Ghazipur border closed. Traffic diverted from NH-24, NH 9, Road no 56, 57 A, Kondli, Paper market, Telco T point, EDM Mall, Akshardham, and Nizamuddin Khatta flyover. Traffic is very heavy in the areas including Vikas marg. This move comes in the wake of violence that broke out in different parts of the national capital during the Kisan tractor rally organized by farmers to protest against the new farm laws. Heavy security deployment is still continuing at Tikri Border where thousands of farmers are protesting. Since the violence, 19 people have been arrested so far, and over 25 criminal cases registered by Delhi Police. Also Read: Violence marks farmers tractor rally: Time to probe foreign funding & vested interests Also Read: President Kovind to address members on Day 1 of Budget session; 16 Political Parties calls for boycott Farmers protesting against the Centres contentious farm laws are locked in a face-off with the police at the Ghazipur border, as the Uttar Pradesh government decided to take action two days after the violence during the Republic Day Tractor Rally. Vasudha Rajwade, 52, a home-based chef from Nagpur, had tied up with food aggregators to sell her breads and cakes. Success was limited because she felt that she wasnt able to take good pictures to make her food look attractive. In 2020, Rajwade enrolled in a 10-month basic photography and video editing online course at a multimedia institute. Now, she feels business is picking up after she was began to not only post better pictures but also record the cooking process. I was initially not sure about whether I would be able to learn technology at this age. But surprisingly it wasnt difficult, she added. Upskilling has generally been perceived to be the domain of corporate professionals in their 30s and 40s looking to get a boost in their careers. However, over the last year there has been a surge in individuals above 50 actively pursuing such courses. Considering the coronavirus outbreak in 2020, these upskilling courses were taken online. But, as in a physical classroom, online courses also allow participants to interact with each other virtually and collaborate on group projects. Why those over 50 are upskilling Bengaluru-based Vasudevan Murthy, 50, who teaches at various management institutes and universities, felt he needed to update his skills. So, he enrolled in an AI-ML (artificial intelligence-machine learning) course for Leaders at online platform Great Learning. One must move with time. I didnt want to be outdated and wanted field experience to be blended with the latest trends, like machine learning and artificial intelligence, he explained. Murthy said that upskilling has helped him pass on the knowledge to his students who will be entering the corporate world and would need these skills. He said that there was also a lot of knowledge exchange with people from other sectors, which helped him gain new insights. For many, upskilling has also given a fillip to their entrepreneurial ventures. For instance, 64-year-old Anup Saikia, who runs a real estate business in Kamrup, Assam, did the AI-ML course from Great Learning because he wanted to see how technology could be used to help boost his business. I did not want to learn coding etc because it wasnt relevant to my business. But there was a need to understand how modern technological tools can be beneficial in the real estate industry, he explained. Artificial intelligence and machine learning can be used to predict price fluctuations of properties in a designated area depending on past conditions and current market trends. Future property appreciation rates can also be gauged using AI. I took the AI-ML course to understand how modern business tools can be beneficial to my sector. I am a real estate professional. Those with entrepreneurial zeal need to have necessary support to take the business forward, he added. Upskilling courses have also helped a few to start their careers from scratch. Kishan Satpathy, 62, an automobile enthusiast from Rourkela, said that he pursued an online course in programming from an edtech firm so that he could set up his own blog. I have been an accountant all my life, so I really didnt know how to share my passion for automobiles with the younger generation. I did a seven-month course and am now very close to setting up my own website, reviewing the latest automobiles and also providing trivia about cars and bikes, he added. Expert views The online upskilling industry for professionals is valued at around $2.5 billion in India. Here, professionals in the 30-45 age-group form the bulk of the business but industry sources said that the above 50-year category has seen the fastest growth a whopping 40 percent over the last year. 2020 was like a mirror to many senior professionals. The market got tougher with the economy under severe stress due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. There was no option but to get ahead by acquiring new and relevant skills, said Delhi-based education consultant Nitesh Tiwari. He said that while seniors provide less than 7 percent of the total business, this scenario could change in the next three to five years. Those above 50 years could form close to 20-25 percent of the total edtech market for professionals in the next five years. Corporate clients are also pushing their senior management to opt for these short-term courses. The message is clear: Stay relevant to the changing times no matter what your age, added Synthia Mascarenhas, senior partner at ZealCare HR Solutions. 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. Home Search ICH Question Everything! Purpose and Intent of this website: BTselems Historic Declaration: Israels Open War on Its Own Civil Society By Ramzy Baroud January 28, 2021 " Information Clearing House " - A Regime of Jewish Supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This is Apartheid, was the title of a January 12 report by the Israeli rights group BTselem. No matter how one is to interpret BTselems findings, the report is earth-shattering. The official Israeli response merely confirmed what BTselem has stated in no uncertain terms. Those of us who repeatedly claimed that Israel is not democratic, governed by an apartheid regime and systematically discriminates against its ethnic and racial minorities, in favor of the countrys Jewish majority, purportedly have nothing to learn from BTselems declaration. Thus, it may seem that the report, which highlighted racial discrimination in four major areas land, citizenship, freedom of movement and political participation merely restated the obvious. In actuality, it went much further. BTselem is a credible Israeli human rights organization. However, like other Israeli rights groups, it rarely went far enough in challenging the Israeli states basic definition of itself as a democratic state. Yes, on numerous occasions it rightly accused the Israeli government and military of undemocratic practices, rampant human rights violations and so on. But to demolish the very raison detre, the basic premise that gives Israel its legitimacy in the eyes of its Jewish citizens, and many more around the world, is a whole different story. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Newsletter BTselem rejects the perception of Israel as a democracy (inside the Green Line) that simultaneously upholds a temporary military occupation (beyond it), the Israeli rights group concluded based on the fact 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. Lets be clear on what this actually means. Israels leading human rights organization was not arguing that Israel was turning into an apartheid state or that it was acting contrary to the spirit of democracy or that Israel is an undemocratic apartheid regime only within the geographic confines of the occupied Palestinian territories. None of this. According to Btselem, which has for decades diligently documented numerous facets of Israeli government practices in the realm of politics, military, land-ownership, water distribution, health, education, and much more, Israel is, now, wholly an apartheid, undemocratic regime. BTselems assessment is most welcomed, not as a belated admission of a self-evident reality but as an important step that could allow both Israelis and Palestinians to establish a common narrative on their relationship, political position and collective action in order to dismantle this Israeli apartheid. Relatively, Israeli groups that criticize their own government have historically been allowed much larger margins than Palestinian groups that have done the same thing. However, this is no longer the case. Palestinian freedom of speech has always been so limited and the mere criticism of the Israeli occupation has led to extreme measures, including beatings, arrests, and even assassinations. In 2002, a government-funded organization, NGO Monitor, was established precisely to monitor and control Palestinian human rights organizations in the occupied territories, including Addameer, al-Mezan Center, al-Haq, PCHR among others. The Israeli army raid on the Ramallah-based offices of the Palestinian human rights group Addameer in September 2019 was one of many such violent examples. However, Israeli government actions of recent years are pointing to an unmistakable paradigm shift where Israeli civil society organizations are increasingly perceived to be the enemy, targeted in myriad ways, including defamation, financial restrictions and severing of access to the Israeli public. The latter point was put on full display on January 17, when Israeli Education Minister, Yoav Galant, tweeted that he had instructed his ministry to prevent the entry of organizations calling Israel an apartheid state or demeaning Israeli soldiers, from lecturing at schools. Oddly, Galant demonstrated BTselems point, where the group challenged Israels very claim to democracy and freedom of expression, by curtailing Israeli human rights workers, intellectuals and educators own right to express dissent and to challenge the governments political line. Simply stated, Galants decision is a functional definition of totalitarianism at work. BTselem did not back down. To the contrary, the group expressed its determination to keep with its mission of documenting reality, and making its findings publicly known to the Israeli public, and worldwide. It went even further as BTselem director Hagai El-Ad met with hundreds of Israeli students on January 18 to discuss the inconsistency between military occupation and the respect for human rights. Following the meeting, El-Ad tweeted The @btselem lecture did take place this morning. The Israeli government will have to contend with us until the apartheid regime ends. The BTselem-Galant episode is not an isolated spat, but one out of many such examples, which demonstrate that the Israeli government is turning into a police state against, not only Palestinian Arabs, but its own Jewish citizens. Indeed, the decision by the Israeli Ministry of Education is rooted in a previous law that dates back to July 2018, which was dubbed the Breaking the Silence law. Breaking the Silence is an Israeli civil society organization of army veterans who became vocal in their criticism of the Israeli occupation, and who have taken it upon themselves to educate the Israeli public on the immorality and illegality of Israels military practices in occupied Palestine. To silence the soldiers, former Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett ordered schools to bar these conscientious objectors from gaining access and directly speaking to students. The latest governments decision, taken by Galant, has merely widened the definition, thus expanding the restrictions imposed on Israelis who refuse to toe the governments line. For years, a persisting argument within the Palestine-Israel discourse contended that, while Israel is not a perfect democracy, it is, nonetheless, a democracy for Jews. Though true democracies must be founded on equality and inclusiveness, the latter maxim gave some credibility to the argument that Israel can still strike the balance between being nominally democratic while remaining exclusively Jewish. That shaky argument is now falling apart. Even in the eyes of many Israeli Jews, the Israeli government no longer possesses any democratic ideals. Indeed, as BTselem has succinctly worded it, Israel is a regime of Jewish supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons (Clarity Press). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA) and also at the Afro-Middle East Center (AMEC). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net - " Source " - Post your comment below Registration is necessary to post comments. We ask only that you do not use obscene or offensive language. Please be respectful of others. See also Norman Finkelstein Jewish Student Crocodile Tears - University of Waterloo ====== Apartheid is too mild a concep for the way Israel deals with the Palestinians people under its control None Of Us Are Free - If One Of Us Is Chained By Solomon Burke Lyrics Well you better listen my sister's and brothers, 'Cause if you do you can hear There are voices still calling across the years. And they're all crying across the ocean, And they're cryin across the land, And they will till we all come to understand. None of us are free. None of us are free. None of us are free, if one of us are chained. None of us are free. And there are people still in darkness, And they just can't see the light. If you don't say it's wrong then that says it right. We got try to feel for each other, let our brother's know that we care. Got to get the message, send it out loud and clear. None of us are free. None of us are free. None of us are free, if one of us are chained. None of us are free. It's a simple truth we all need, just to hear and to see. None of us are free, if one of us is chained. None of us are free. Now I swear your salvation isn't too hard too find, None of us can find it on our own. (On our own) We've got to join together in sprirt, heart and mind. So that every soul who's suffering will know they're not alone. Oh, none of us are free. None of us are free, yo None of us are free, if one of us are chained. None of us are free. If you just look around you, Your gonna see what I say. Cause the world is getting smaller each passing day. (Passing day) Now it's time to start making changes, And it's time for us all to realize, That the truth is shining real bright right before our eyes. (Before our eyes) None of us are free. None of us are free. None of us are free, if one of us is chained. None of us are free. Oh, none of us are free. None, none, none of us (None of us are free) Oh, none one of us (None of us are free, if one of us is chained) Well, well, Well, once again (None of us are free) None of us are free (None of us are free) None of us are free (None of us are free, if one of us is chained) One of us, none of us, one of us (None of us are free) Lord, have mercy (None of us are free) Oh, let me save you (None of us are free, if one of us is chained) If one of us is chained, none of us are free. Well, I gotta tell about it (None of us are free) Oh, ma ma ma (None of us are free) Ma ma Lord None of us are free, if one of us is chained. None of us are free. None of us, none of us, none of us are free. None of us are free. None of us are free, if one of us is chained. None of us are free. None of us are free. None of us are free, no None of us are free, (if one of us is chained ), oh, Lord (None of us are free) oh, Lord None of us are free. (None of us are free) None of us are free, if one of us is chained. None of us are free. Search Information Clearing House The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. Advertisement An angry elephant startled a group of giraffes when they tried to share his water hole in Botswana. The giraffes were trying to cool off in the water but were spooked by the stampeding elephant calf who rushed up behind them. The dramatic scenes were captured by wildlife photographer Janet Kleyn, 52, at the Mashatu Game Reserve. Janet said: 'As soon as the elephants came through the trees and caught sight of the giraffes at the water this young elephant starting trumpeting and running at them. 'Elephants in general are not fond of other animals sharing their space at a water hole and will often chase them off. 'The youngsters in particular like to chase off other animals, mostly it is not serious but occasionally an animal may be injured - In this case all the giraffes just ran off.' An angry elephant startled a group of giraffes when they tried to share his water hole in Botswana The giraffes were trying to cool off in the water but were spooked by the stampeding elephant calf who rushed up behind them The tower of giraffes quickly dispersed after noticing the onrushing elephant who charged at the animals The dramatic scenes were captured by wildlife photographer Janet Kleyn, 52, at the Mashatu Game Reserve The elephant calf approached the giraffes from the bushes and quickly rushed towards them while they were cooling off A Washington hospital system apologized after The Seattle Times reported that it had offered vaccines to wealthy donors while others went without the coveted shots. Overlake Medical Center & Clinics sent an email to about 110 donors who gave more than $10,000 to the hospital system, telling them they could register for open appointments by invite only. The report drew a rebuke from Gov. Jay Inslee, who said during a news conference on Tuesday that the practice was simply unacceptable. Overlakes president and chief executive, J. Michael Marsh, apologized in a statement, adding that even those donors would have been required to show that they were eligible for the vaccine under state guidelines. 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. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Sorry! This content is not available in your region A member of the Iraqi forces walks past a mural bearing the logo of the Islamic State (IS) group in the village of Albu Sayf, Iraqi, on March 1, 2017. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images) ISIS Deputy Killed in Iraq, Says Iraqi Prime Minister Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi announced Thursday that security forces have killed Abu Yaser al-Issawi, an ISIS commander who had claimed to be the leader of the terror group in Iraq and its deputy caliph. Our heroic armed forces have eliminated Daesh [ISIS] commander Abu Yaser Al-Issawi as part of an intelligence-led operation, Kadhimi wrote in a tweet, referring to ISIS by an Arabic term considered by the group to be slanderous. I gave my word to pursue the Daesh terrorists, we gave them a thundering response, Kadhimi wrote, adding, Long live Iraq and its patriotic armed forces. According to AFP, citing security sources, Issawi was killed on Wednesday in a remote swathe of Iraqs northern Kirkuk province in an operation backed by the U.S.-led coalition. The coalition carried out five air raids, killing at least 10 jihadists, one of the sources told AFP. While Iraq declared victory against ISIS in 2017, troops have continued to battle sleeper cells in parts of the country. Just last week, ISIS claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing attack that killed at least 32 people and injured more than 100 in Baghdad. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned in June 2020 that ISIS terrorists continue to pose a threat in parts of the world, and urged allies to step up funding efforts to defeat them despite a pandemic-driven budget crunch. Our fight against ISIS continues, and will for the foreseeable future. We cannot rest, Pompeo told a virtual meeting of representatives of 31 countries and partners in the fight against international terrorism. We must continue to root out ISIS cells and networks and provide stabilization assistance to liberated areas in Iraq and Syria, he said. More recently, Pompeo warned that al-Qaeda, another terror group committed to perpetuating the deadly campaign of jihad, has a new headquarters in Iran, giving it a second wind. Al-Qaeda has a new home base, it is the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pompeo said in a speech at the National Press Club in mid January. As a result, [Osama] bin Ladens wicked creation is poised to gain strength and capabilities. Pompeo also announced new sanctions on Iran, because of its association with al-Qaeda leaders, and a reward of up to $7 million under the State Department for information that brings al-Qaeda top leader Muhammad Abbatay to justice. He urged United Nations members and all countries to sanction Iran, citing the UN Security Council Resolution 1267. We ignore this Iran-Al Qaeda nexus at our own peril. We need to acknowledge it, we must confront it. Indeed, we must defeat it, he said. In October 2019, U.S. forces killed the fugitive leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. President Donald Trump at the time said that a nighttime raid carried out by Special Operations forces in northwestern Syria over the night of Oct. 26 led to al-Baghdadis death. Last night, the United States brought the worlds No. 1 terrorist leader to justice, Trump said. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead. He was the founder and leader of ISIS, the most ruthless and violent terror organization in the World. Baghdadi died after fleeing into a dead-end tunnel, Trump said, adding that during his final moments, the ISIS leader was whimpering and crying and screaming. A Dutch court will hand down its verdict on Friday in a long-running case pitting oil giant Shell against four Nigerian farmers who accuse it of causing widespread pollution. After 13 years of legal wrangling, an appeals court in The Hague will rule on the farmers' demands for the Anglo-Dutch firm to clean up devastating oil spills in three villages in the Niger Delta and pay compensation. The case, backed by the Netherlands arm of environment group Friends of the Earth, is the first time a Dutch company has been held liable for actions by its foreign subsidiary. The case has dragged on so long that two of the Nigerian farmers have died since it was first filed in 2008, as Shell argued that the matter should not be heard in the Netherlands. The ruling is expected at 1000 GMT. "After almost 13 years, we will hear whether Nigerians will finally receive justice or whether Shell has succeeded in completely shirking its responsibility for the pollution," Donald Pols of Friends of the Earth Netherlands said in a statement. "For the inhabitants of the Niger Delta it is crucial that their land is cleaned up and their lost crops and livelihoods are compensated by the guilty party: Shell," he added. Shell has always blamed the spills on sabotage and said it has cleaned up with due care where pollution has occurred. - 'New era' - The farmers first sued Shell in 2008 over pollution in their villages Goi, Ikot Ada Udo and Oruma, in southeastern Nigeria. A lower court in the Netherlands found in 2013 that Shell should pay compensation for one leak, at Ikot Ada Udo, but ruled that Shell's parent company in the Netherlands could not be held liable in a Dutch court for the actions of its Nigerian subsidiary. But in 2015 the Hague appeals court ruled that Dutch courts did indeed have jurisdiction in the case. The appeals court will on Friday decide on the substance of the case: whether Shell is to blame for the oil leaks and did it do enough to prevent them and future spills. Story continues "A victory would herald the beginning of a new era in which large multinationals such as Shell can no longer go about their business lawlessly but are accountable for their entire operations, including overseas," said Pols. At a hearing last year lawyers for the farmers showed gushing and burning oil spills as well as villagers dragging their hands through water sources, their hands streaked with the substance afterwards. Nigeria was the world's ninth-largest oil producer in 2018, pumping out volumes valued at some $43.6 billion (37 billion euros), or 3.8 percent of total global production. In a separate case in the Netherlands, the widows of four Nigerian activists executed by the military regime in the 1990s have accused Shell of complicity in their deaths. Shell also faces a landmark legal bid to force it to meet emissions targets in the Paris climate accords, brought by several environmental groups in the Netherlands led by Friends of the Earth in 2019. smt/dk/pvh Mascot Label Group/Provogue RecordsSteve Cropper, the legendary Stax Records guitarist/producer who also is a founding member of Booker T. & the MG's and The Blues Brothers, will release Fire It Up, what he describes as his first proper solo album since 1969, on April 23. "This album is different from everything out there now," says Cropper, adding, "I haven't heard myself this way since the '60s." In advance of Fire It Up, Cropper has released a track from the record, the classic soul/R&B-influenced "Far Away," as a digital single and via streaming services. You can watch a lyric video for the tune at the Mascot Label Group's official YouTube channel. Steve says of the material on the album, "It's made from old grooves, because during a lockdown, you work on stuff that's been in your head for years." Fire It Up, which you can pre-order now, emerged from sessions Cropper did with The Rascals' Felix Cavaliere, and was co-produced by Steve and veteran producer, songwriter and guitarist Jon Tiven. "To be a good producer, you've got to be able to hear a song finished in your head before there's much of anything done," Cropper explains. "[A] good production is not accidental. I'm really proud of things that I produce." Cropper's long list of career credits includes co-writing such classic hits as Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," Wilson Pickett's "Midnight Hour" and Eddie Floyd's "Knock on Wood." Among the many artists whose albums Steve plays guitar on are Redding, Pickett, Sam & Dave, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Mavis Staples, Peter Frampton, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Roy Orbison, Neil Sedaka and Etta James. Here's the full track list of Fire It Up: "Bush Hog Part 1" "Fire It Up" "One Good Turn" "I'm Not Havin' It" "Out of Love" "Far Away" "Say You Don't Know Me" "She's So Fine" "Two Wrongs" "Heartbreak Street" "The Go-Getter Is Gone" "Bush Hog Part 2" "Bush Hog" By Matt Friedlander Copyright 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? 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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. FOLLY BEACH A western tanager that is rarely seen east of Idaho has befriended a group of finches and found a new home on Folly Beach. Resident Nancy Young said the female bird has been nesting on her property for about two weeks, and she plans to track her visit for as long as she stays. Young, who is new to the Charleston area, said when she first moved to Folly Beach there were many birds around her property that she didnt know how to identify. She started to pay closer attention to them and put up feeders around the house. Soon after, a new bird joined the group of house finches in her yard, and it stood out from the rest. Young noticed this particular bird had distinct markings on her wings and back. Anytime I tried to get a closer look, shed fly off, and then all of a sudden Id get this eyeful of her gorgeous yellow belly, Young said. And then Im thinking, What in the world could that be? It took about 10 days for Young to be able to take a picture of the bird and share it with online bird groups. Her hope was that someone would help her identify it. Some folks said it was a tanager, others thought it could be a Baltimore oriole. But this particular bird in Youngs yard had a yellow beak, which isnt a characteristic of a Baltimore oriole. The bird was ultimately determined to be a western tanager, a species belonging to the cardinal family. These birds typically breed on the West Coast and migrate to parts of Central America and South America in the wintertime. But sometimes the weather throws them off course, said Nicole Marie Pettinelli, a local naturalist. Pettinelli, who leads the Charleston Bird Club, said a handful of western tanagers are typically seen each winter in the Lowcountry. In the past, people reported them in West Ashley, Mount Pleasant and North Charleston. But, so far, Youngs bird is the only one to be reported this year, Pettinelli said. Some western tanagers that make the trek to South Carolina end up returning to the state the year after. They have a positive experience and then they come back, Pettinelli said. They remember that, and so they come back. Its usually a young bird, and so thats embedded in their mind. Young said she has enjoyed watching the birds behavior and observing how she has gotten more comfortable around the feeders over time. She tends to be very "flighty" and travels to and from the property all day long. She normally gets to the feeder in the mornings before the house finches do. When the bird first arrived, she ate suet. But now she is eating a lot more seeds, Young said. Young said she believes these eating habits could be a good sign that the bird is planning to stick around. eBird, an online birding community managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, has asked Young to track the rare find while it is on her property. DEAR ABBY: I grew up in an extremely conservative, rural area of northeast Mississippi in the 60s. I came out as gay to my mom when I was 13 in 1970, and she said three things to me that set the course for a lifetime of love. As she hugged me, she said, I will always love you, no matter what. Then, looking me straight in the eye, she thanked me for my honesty before again pulling me into her arms and whispering, Ive known since you were a small boy. I was overwhelmed by her acceptance, not to mention her validating words, and we wept together. Our relationship became so much closer and stronger. I never missed calling her every day of her life. We shared our ups and downs, our dreams, failures and successes. Most of all, we laughed a lot. We traveled together nationally and internationally. And when she became ill, I returned to the small town where I grew up and looked after her until her death at 87. We had a wonderful final six years together. My mother was obviously before her time. Im sure many coming-out stories dont end this well, especially in Mississippi during the 60s (or today, for that matter). But it does go to show how well it can be handled and the benefits of handling it properly. Just wanted to share, Abby. Out And Proud in Louisiana DEAR OUT AND PROUD: Thank you for your heartwarming letter. It brought to mind a letter I published in 2007 from a woman who, to her regret, was very late to accept her gay son. Read on: DEAR ABBY: My husband and I raised two sons and two daughters. One son and both daughters married well. Our other son, Neil, is gay. He and his partner, Ron, have been together 15 years, but Neils father and I never wanted to know Ron because we disapproved of their lifestyle. I was 74 when my husband died, leaving me in ill health and nearly penniless. No longer able to live alone, I asked my married son and two daughters if I could visit each of them for four months a year. (I didnt want to burden any one family and thought living out of a suitcase would be best for everyone.) All three of them turned me down! Feeling unwanted, I wanted to die. When Neil and Ron heard what had happened, they invited me to move across the country and live with them. They welcomed me into their home and even removed a wall between two rooms so Id have a bedroom with a private bath and sitting room although we spend most of our time together. They also include me in many of their plans. Since I moved in with them, I have traveled more than I have my whole life and seen places I only read about in books. They never mention the fact that they are supporting me, or that I ignored them in the past. When old friends ask how it feels living with my gay son, I tell them I hope theyre lucky enough to have one who will take them in one day. Please continue urging your readers to accept their children as they are. My only regret is that I wasted 15 years. Grateful Mom DEAR GRATEFUL MOM: You are indeed fortunate to have such a loving, generous and forgiving son. Thank you for pointing out how important it is that people respect one another for who they are, not for what we would like them to be. Sexual orientation is not a measure of anyones humanity or worth. You could have learned that lesson long ago had you and your husband contacted PFLAG when you first learned that Neil was gay. Among other things, the organization offers support groups and education for parents who need to learn more about LGBTQ issues. It can be contacted by going to pflag.org. Good advice for everyone teens to seniors is in The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It. To order, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.) DearAbby.com Dear Abby P.O. Box 69440 Los Angeles, CA 90069. Andrews McMeel Syndication About 43 percent of the colleges student body participated in a survey on their preferences for the spring semester. More than 56 percent of the respondents, about 1,500 students, said they preferred to study face to face, according to the survey data. That data, which influenced the colleges plan, was heavily discussed during a virtual meeting among members of the faculty and administration on Nov. 9, according to the meetings minutes. In that meeting, professors repeatedly expressed concerns about whether they would be mandated to teach classes in person to reach the schools 20 percent goal. At the meeting, one professor asked, If I am doing my math correctly, that is 25 percent of student body influencing this plan? Isnt 25 percent a lot? Mr. Craig responded, according to the minutes. Soon after, faculty members started the petition. Some faculty members also criticized the school for publishing a retrospective that analyzed the missteps of the fall semester on Nov. 16 the same day as a draft of the spring reopening plan. They said the timing did not allow discussion of what had happened before decisions were made about the spring, said Kristen Blinne, a communication studies professor. The two documents were also released the day after the petition was released. According to the spring plan, students who live, work or study on campus had to provide proof of a negative test before arriving. Students also had to complete a daily health questionnaire for the 14 days before they arrived on campus and a quarantine for seven days before arriving. Once on campus, students must participate in weekly pooled surveillance testing. About 650 students will live in single-occupancy dorm rooms spread out on campus. About 1,500 students registered for in-person classes, according to a SUNY statement. Spring break was canceled and replaced with four personal wellness days. Muzaffarnagar, Jan 29 : After the Red Fort violence on January 26, politics has intensified over the farmers' agitation at Delhi's Ghazipur border in protest against the Central farm laws. Bharatiya Kisan Union President Naresh Tikait has organised a Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar area of Uttar Pradesh on Friday. A possible tussle between the local administration and the BKU has been averted. The administration has allowed holding a 'Kisan panchayat'. At the same time strict security arrangements have been made and traffic diverted for its smooth movement. The farmers have started arriving at the ground for the panchayat meeting. At the same time major routes are being closely monitored. Everyone is showing a keen interest in this mahapanchayat. It is believed that Naresh Tikait could make a major announcement. A large number of women are also expected to be present in the mahapanchayat. Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) National General Secretary Jayant Chaudhary's arrival is also expected. On Friday morning, senior officials including two Intelligence Bureau officers interacted with Naresh Tikait. The police administration has made strict security arrangements. Before leaving for the meeting, the women participants reached Kisan Bhawan in Sisauli, paid tributes to Mahendra Singh Tikait and pledged to be equal participants in this protest by farmers. SSP Abhishek Yadav said the road from Mahavir Chowk to Circular Road via Sujru Chungi would be completely closed during the Mahapanchayat. All vehicles coming from Meerut will enter the city through the Bhopa bypass via the highway. All vehicles coming from Shamli and Badhout would enter the city via the Peena-Vahlna bypass, and the Bhopa bypass. Farmers from different villages of Sardhana, Jani, Sarurpur police station areas are preparing to reach Ghazipur border on tractors. Police has been deployed at different places on the Ganga Canal Marg with instructions to videograph the farmers and monitor them. At the same time, BKU chief Rakesh Tikait is also adamant to continue the farmers stir. Tikait said that if anything happens at night at the Ghazipur border, the administration and the Central government would be held responsible for it. If any farmer is arrested without proper investigation, the situation could worsen. He said the farmers would not break the laws, but the government is forcing them to do so. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Yorks Attorney General has found that the state underreported Wuhan coronavirus deaths in nursing homes by as much as 50 percent. The AGs report is here. Why the discrepancy? Because the official count did not include nursing home residents who died at the hospital. How convenient. In addition, some nursing home officials attributed deaths of infected residents to other causes. How convenient. The official count isnt meagre. It now stands at around 8,700, more than the number who have died from the virus in such states as Maryland, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Missouri. New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker says the number of people who have already died in nursing homes may reach nearly 9,700 when the counting is done. But when those who died after being transferred to hospitals are added, the count is considerably higher than that. And these people should, of course, be added for purposes of assessing the performance of nursing homes and of Governor Cuomo. It was the Cuomo administration that directed nursing homes to accept residents who had tested positive for the coronavirus. Its likely that Cuomo didnt care about the health of nursing home residents, or at least that he cared more about the interests of the powerful hospital lobby. Alternatively, maybe hes an idiot. In all events, he shouldnt be a governor. Speaking of which, a reader points out that Letitia James, the attorney general who issued the report about the undercounting of nursing home deaths, is a political rival of Cuomo with designs on becoming New Yorks governor. This doesnt undermine her findings. The Cuomo administration concedes the gist of them (but, remarkably, blames the Trump administration for not providing guidance). However, James report does raise interesting possibilities for New York politics. Our reader, a longtime close observer of New York politics, tells me: [James] is a lefty who got her start in the quasi-Marxist Working Families Party. The report may be her opening salvo in her campaign against Cuomo. If AOC runs against Schumer as I think she will, then Letitia James is assured of a big lefty turnout. She also figures to get a big Black vote. She could be the Stacey Abrams of the north. It would be difficult for me to decide whom to root for in a Schumer vs. Ocasio-Cortez race. Cuomo vs. James would pose a similar challenge. Right now, Id be inclined to pull for the former(?) quasi-Marxist. Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) Date: 29.01.2021 Press Note Doctors take serious note of attack on medical teams by the police at Singhu and Tikri borders on 26th January We the doctors and paramedical staff Have been organising medical Camps at Tikri and Singhu borders on behalf of Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD). Our medical teams marched along with the tractors. We are pained at the events that occurred on 26th January when a few unscrupulous elements hoisted the flag at Red Fort. This situation arose when police created hurdles on the agreed route & looked the other way around to facilitate prohibited route. since we were present there throughout we are eye witness to affirm that such hooliganism was done by a minuscule number of people and it could have been very well prevented if the police had been little cautious. Moreover being Republic day police outnumbered hooligans. It is anybodys guess why police turned a blind eye to mischief-makers. Thousands of tractors took out the march peacefully at the stipulated route. The march was so peaceful that not a single glass pane was broken, not a car was overturned, nor any bus burnt, nor any damage to any public property was caused by the people who marched on the tractors. Locals showered flower petals & served langar on the way. It is difficult to comprehend how these unscrupulous elements could reach Red Forte which is nearly 20 Kilometres away from the Singhu border. This smacks of some deep-rooted conspiracy behind it. However, during the tractor march, we treated several farmers who were injured seriously by the Lathi charge or tear gas shells by the police. Hands of two people were badly damaged which they may never get back to a completely normal state. One patients was overrun by the vehicle. Three patients sustained fractures. There were many minor injuries. It is sad to know that a medical team led by Dr Swaiman was attacked by the police at a time when they were giving medical aid to the injured including the policemen. Similarly at Singhu Ambulance was smashed & Dr Balbir Singh pushed aside when he was attending an injured farmer. As medical personnel, we feel that people are already sitting there for over two months now and have developed several medical problems which are likely to get aggravated in the coming time. Therefore whereas we appeal to the protesters to be calm and cautious we appeal to the government to repeal these laws in the ongoing budget session, restore peace & tranquillity to create a congenial atmosphere for dialogue & discussion. Democratic Govt is duty-bound to consult farmers, State Govts & consumers before framing laws. We hope & pray better sense will prevail. Our team members included Dr Arun Mitra, Dr Gagandeep Singh, Dr Balbir Singh, Dr Monika Dhawan, Dr Param Saini, Dr S S Sidhu, Dr Suraj Dhillon, Dr Gurvir Singh, Dr Rajan SIdhu, Kuldip Singh, Anod Kumar, Swaroop Singh, Amninder Singh, staff of the Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarbha Dental Collage and Hospital worked hard during the tractor march to serve the injured. Dr Arun Mitra M: 9417000360 Dr Gagandeep Singh M: 75085 42786 Dr Balbir Singh M: 9779533515 A third Houston-area resident has been arrested and charged in connection with the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The FBI announced that bakery owner Wilmar Jeovanny Montano Alvarado was arrested, the Houston Chronicle's Anna Bauman reports. Alvarado is charged with violent entry or disorderly conduct; entering a restricted building or grounds; civil disorder; assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers or employees; and obstruction of an official proceeding. TEXANS AT THE RIOT: Texas man's son tried to warn FBI before father attacked Capitol with mob Alvarado previously gave an interview to Fox26 Houston on Jan. 8, saying he flew to Washington D.C. to protest against the election of President Joe Biden, believing former President Donald Trump's baseless claims of election fraud. A mob of Trump's supporters breached the building, resulting in five deaths and delaying the certification of the election results. Alvarado told Fox26 that he was unwillingly pushed toward the building doors by the crowd. "I turned around, trying to get out, and it was really impossible because people kept pushing in," Alvarado said, Fox26's Ivory Hecker reported. "So I found myself really close to the cops, and so I was like with my hands up, and I told them, Im not part of this. Im trying to get out." He voluntarily identified himself to investigators on Jan. 14 and told them he did not enter the building or assault any officers on the scene. However, investigators found footage that differed from Alvarado's account, showing him pushing toward the police line with a hand on a police shield, Bauman reports. Alvarado owns Betty's Bakery and Restaurant in Pasadena. He is the third Houston-area resident to be arrested in connection with the riot after former Houston police officer Tam Pham and veteran Joshua R. Lollar. The United States fully supports the statement by OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde that the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine must include de-occupation of Crimea, and the OSCE SMM must have access to the peninsula. Charge dAffaires of the U.S. Mission to the OSCE Courtney Austrian said this at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday, January 28, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "The Swedish CiOs recent comments on seeking a sustainable political solution [in Ukraine] were absolutely correct this must be done in line with international law and the OSCEs principles and commitments, with full respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, including Crimea and the city of Sevastopol," she said. The American diplomat emphasized that there was no legitimacy to Russias objection last week, which was predicated on Moscows refusal to acknowledge the overwhelmingly-held view of the members of this Council, the United Nations, and the European Court of Human Rights: Crimea is Ukraine. "The SMMs mandate, as committed to by this Permanent Council, provides the Mission with safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. We all know Crimea is Ukraine," the Charge dAffaires of the U.S. Mission to the OSCE stressed. She added that Russias ongoing aggression against Ukraine represented the most significant threat to European security in the region. "We are grateful that Sweden has rightfully made the conflict in Ukraine a key focus of its 2021 Chairpersonship," Courtney Austrian said. ish 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. Ellsworth: Did you get the message from your body? HOLYOKE The City Councils Public Safety Committee got updated on the Top 20 Problem Properties in Holyoke. Brown Avenue and Commercial Street properties remain concerns. The City Council has held a series of meetings with city officials on the matter, including a discussion on Holyokes receivership program. Ward 2 Councilor Terence Murphy chaired Wednesdays virtual session, which included Building Commissioner Damien Cote, who leads the Property Preservation Group. Ward 3 Councilor David Bartley filed an order requesting an update on properties removed from the list and balance remaining in the Vacant Property budget. He wanted a progress report on the status of the top 20 problem properties. Cote and city officials meet regularly to identify and rectify problem properties scattered throughout the city, either by assisting owners, issuing fines, or seeking legal remedies in the states Housing Court. Cote said the groups goal is to preserve properties, whether a parcel or a building in need of development. The current list contains upward to 65 properties with ongoing issues. He noted 394 High St. was removed from the list. The building was demolished along with remnants of the former Essex Hotel, which suffered a partial collapse in December 2014. Properties at 146 Brown Ave. and 16 Commercial St., owned by the same entity, top Cotes list. Back taxes are owed, and Cote expects assistance from the citys Law and Building Departments. According to Cote, 146 Brown Ave. was a former laundry with contamination issues. The property is spread over three lots, including a house, garage and commercial structure. The house remains vacated and filled with household goods, Cote said. The main building is collapsing in on itself, too. The death of the principal property owner further complicated the situation. Its not just that its contaminated I think there are other issues there. Were trying to figure out what to do with it, Cote said. Councilor Mike Sullivan, who works in the demolition trade, said chemicals used in the dry cleaning process years back are considered known carcinogens nowadays. One way or another, were going to have to take action. This one is problematic, Sullivan said. We need to take some soil testing and see how bad a problem it is. Bartley said the deceaseds family lives in Florida but is represented by a local Realtor and associate. Bartley planned to forward contact information to Cote. That may at least spur a dialogue, he said. Murphy said demolition estimates for 146 Brown Ave. exceed $160,000 and $250,000 for 16 Commercial St. Cote reminded the committee the demolition cost for Brown Avenue is for the house only and not the commercial building or soil remediation. Acting City Solicitor Crystal Barnes said the city has spoken with representatives for both properties. She said the owners have fielded offers for Commercial Street, but not so much for Brown Avenue. On Monday, Bartleys Developmental and Government Relations Committee met with Barnes about the citys property receivership program, the last resort in contending with neglectful landlords or owners. Cote said 345-363 Dwight St., known as the Silvio Conte Building, had outstanding taxes and other financial issues. The property dominates the Dwight and Race Streets corridor. A court-appointed receiver was approved for 174 Lyman St. Related: Police have charged two further teenagers with the murder of Anas Mezenner, 17, who was stabbed to death in north London on Tuesday, January 19. A 16-year-old boy, C, and a 14-year-old boy, D, were arrested on Wednesday and were both charged last night with murder, attempted murder and possession of a bladed weapon. The pair will appear before Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court later today. Two boys aged 14 and 16 have been charged with the murder of 17-year-old Anas Mezenner, pictured, who was stabbed to death yards from his home in Haringey, north London on January 19 Following the murder, two 16-year-old boys, A and B, were both charged with murder and possession of 'points and blades'. They appeared before magistrates on January 22. Police and emergency services were called to West Green Road, N15, around 9pm on January 19 when Anas was found suffering from stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at 4.25am on January 20. Anas Mezenner was stabbed just yards from his home in Haringey in north London Several firms provide secure key storage or custody services, as theyre known with other financial assets. Two Oceans system, Mr. Revill said, combines humans and algorithms to securely move cryptocurrencies from cold storage, when the device holding the keys is not connected to the internet, to hot storage, where the Bitcoin is connected to the internet so a transaction can take place. Tom Jessop, the head of Fidelity Digital Assets, a part of the financial services firm Fidelity Investments that acts as a custodian for cryptocurrencies and operates funds that invest in the currencies, said the firms strategy is to manage operations behind the currencies so they were no different from stocks or bonds. It approximates the utility of any other asset you own, Mr. Jessop said. Theres an account number, an ability to measure and monitor it, and your financial adviser knows about it and is aware of it in terms of an estate plan. Part of most estate plans is a series of trusts, which hold various assets for future generations. The trustees charged with carrying out the directives in trust agreements have a couple of major concerns about the currencies. One involves the liability that comes with a breach or loss of a key, said Frazer Rice, Northeast regional director at the trust company Pendleton Square Trust. But another is prudently managing the asset itself, given its volatility, in the context of other assets in the trust. Were used to dealing with stocks and bonds and illiquid assets, he said. Now, crypto is intersecting with estate planning and legal tools that are hundreds of years old. People are really going to have to think through and ask what does it mean for someone else to be responsible for their crypto when theyre dead. For trust planning, investors who keep their keys on a thumb drive and lock it in a safe could find themselves in the same tax situation as people who put real property in trust. Jurisdiction over disputes rests with the location of the property, not where the trust was set up. For years the State of New York has tracked where valuable art hangs. Someone may officially be a resident of Florida, which has no state estate tax, but if a $100 million painting hangs in that persons apartment on Park Avenue, New York will tax it. The same could be true for where a thumb drive is stored, Mr. Rice said. Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here [January 29, 2021] Phreesia Named to 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Highlighting Its Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace Phreesia, the nation's leading patient intake management platform, is pleased to announce that it is one of 380 companies across 11 sectors included in the 2021 Bloomberg (News - Alert) Gender-Equality Index (GEI). The GEI expanded in 2021 to represent 44 countries and regions, including firms headquartered in Indonesia and Bermuda for the first time. Companies range from a variety of industries, including automotive, banking, consumer services, engineering and construction, and retail. "At Phreesia, we're dedicated to fostering women's equity and development at all levels of the organization," says Amy VanDuyn, SVP of Human Resources at Phreesia. "We're honored to be recognized in the Bloomberg GEI, which reflects our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace." The GEI measures gender equality across five pillars: female leadership and talent pipeline, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, sexual harassment policies, and pro-women brand. In a recent report, Phreesia shared key gender-equity metrics, including that more than half of those in middle management are women, and 41.94% of senior managers are women. Phreesia also has a high retention rate after parental leave: 90.91% of women who returned from parental leave during fiscal year 2019 remained employed a year after their return. Phreesia promotes inclusion initiatives such as the Phreesia Women's Network, an employee resource group with a mission to engage employees of all gnder identities across the company to continue to grow a healthy and supportive workplace. The network provides opportunities for mentorship, career development, advocacy and education for its members. The Bloomberg GEI brings transparency to gender-related practices and policies at publicly listed companies, increasing the breadth of environmental, social, governance (ESG) data available to investors. The comprehensive, transparent GEI scoring methodology allows investors to assess company performance and compare across industry peer groups. "The companies included in the 2021 GEI are expanding the ESG data universe to include gender-related data that investors are demanding today," said Peter T. Grauer, Chairman of Bloomberg. "Their commitment to disclosure is making the business case for inclusion, and driving transparency in the markets." Through disclosure of gender-related metrics using the GEI framework, the firms included in the 2021 GEI have committed to provided a comprehensive look at their investment in workplace gender equality and the communities in which they operate, raising the bar of what should be expected from other companies within the same industry. Phreesia was included in this year's index for scoring at or above a global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect a high level of disclosure and overall performance across the framework's five pillars. Both the framework and the GEI are voluntary and have no associated costs. The GEI is a reference index and is not for use as a financial benchmark. The index is not ranked. While all public companies are encouraged to disclose supplemental gender data for their company's investment profile on the Bloomberg Terminal, those that have a market capitalization of USD1 billion are eligible for inclusion in the index. To learn more please visit the GEI website. About Phreesia Phreesia gives healthcare organizations a suite of robust applications to manage the patient intake process. Our innovative SaaS (News - Alert) platform engages patients in their healthcare and provides a safe, convenient experience, while enabling our clients to enhance clinical care and drive efficiency. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005386/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] NEW BRUNSWICK (dpa-AFX) - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) said its single-shot Janssen COVID-19 vaccine candidate was 66% effective overall in preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, 28 days after vaccination. The vaccine candidate was 85 percent effective in preventing severe disease across all regions studied, 28 days after vaccination in all adults 18 years and older. The vaccine candidate showed complete protection against COVID-related hospitalization and death, 28 days post-vaccination. Topline efficacy and safety data from the phase 3 ENSEMBLE clinical trial showed that the investigational vaccine in development at the company's Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies met all primary and key secondary endpoints. The topline data are based on 43,783 participants. The ENSEMBLE study results include efficacy against newly emerging strains of coronavirus. Johnson & Johnson plans to file for U.S. Emergency Use Authorization in early February and expects to have product available to ship immediately following authorization. The company said the anticipated manufacturing timeline will enable it to meet its 2021 supply commitments. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX JOHNSON & JOHNSON-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de She wrote: "My legacy or how I want to try and live my life. Courage in the face of fear, not in the absence of it. To create as a artist, to contribute to society , and to ask myself everyday How can I give back ? Create a beauty brand that celebrates and resonates with all women Share my struggles , so when another struggles they know they are not alone " (Image: Instagram) Vietnam recorded nine new community infections of COVID-19 over the past 12 hours as of 6am on January 29, according the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control. A disease control post in Le Loi commune, Chi Linh city, Hai Duong province Among those, there is one living in Hanois Hai Ba Trung district. The patient had been in close contact with a security worker at the Van Don International Airport, who tested positive on January 27. The Ministry of Health said the other new cases include one from the northern port city of Hai Phong city, one from the northern province of Bac Ninh, two from the northern province of Quang Ninh, and four from the northern province of Hai Duong. Patient 1,561 from Hai Phong and Patient 1,565 from Bac Ninh both live in Hai Duong and are connected to the virus hotspot in Chi Linh city, Hai Duong province. Patients 1,573 and 1,574 are from Quang Ninh had also been in close contact with the airport guard. All the new cases are currently being treated and health officials are continuing to track and trace anyone who may have come into contact with the new patients. After almost two months without any locally transmitted cases, a new surge of positive patients emerged in northern Vietnam on January 28. Chi Linh city, home to more than 200,000 people, has been locked down and flights in and out of Van Don Airport were suspended. Report from the Treatment Sub-committee under the National Steering Committee showed that 1,430 COVID-19 patients have been recovered while 35, mostly elderly with serious underlying health conditions, succumbed to the disease. Among those still under treatment, 14 have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, ten twice and 10 other thrice. To date, Vietnam has reported 1,651 infections, including 786 locally-transmitted cases. There are 21,354 people who had close contact with confirmed cases or came from pandemic-hit areas under quarantine at present, including 134 in hospitals, 20,014 in other quarantine facilities, and 1,197 at home. 82 Covid-19 cases reported in Hai Duong and Quang Ninh Vietnam recorded 82 new COVID-19 cases in the northern provinces of Hai Duong and Quang Ninh on January 28 morning after two locally-infected cases were confirmed late January 27. EAST ALTON Explosives will be used Monday morning to strategically drop three smoke stacks at the Wood River Power Station on Illinois 143 in East Alton Monday. The demolition explosions are scheduled for 8 a.m. Monday. East Alton Fire Chief Timothy Quigley said police departments from East Alton, Alton and Wood River will be joined by the Madison County Sheriffs Department in controlling traffic before, during and after the blasts. The demolition work is being completed by Spirtas Wrecking Company. The firms past projects include the St. Louis Arena, the Lyric Theatre in Kansas City and the Higgins Residence Hall at Western Illinois University in Macomb. Illinois Department of Transportation officials late Friday announced Illinois 143 will be closed to all traffic between Enviro Way and Cpl. Belchik Memorial Expressway on Monday, February 1st, from approximately 7:45 a.m. until approximately 8:45 a.m. Traffic will be able to detour to either Illinois 3 or Broadway Avenue in Alton during this period. IDOT officials are asking residents to avoid the area Monday morning and use alternate routes. The 1950s-era coal-fired power plant was closed by Dynegy Midwest Generation Inc. in May 2016. On Sept. 13, 2019, Commercial Liability Partners (CLP) in St. Louis announced it had bought the site for an undisclosed amount, with plans for environmental remediation and future development. The Wood River Power Plant included two coal-fueled units that began operations in 1954 and 1964, respectively. When it was closed in 2016, the 465-megawatt power station employed about 90 people. Demolition of the site began in October 2019. CLP officials said the firm currently us focused on demolition of the two coal-fueled units on Illinois 143, as well as environmental remediation and repurposing the site for future redevelopment. CLP has said the East Alton site, located near the Wood Rivers entry to the Mississippi River, needs remediation, groundwater monitoring, abatement, decommissioning and demolition of the facility and surrounding coal ash ponds before it can be marketed for redevelopment. Based in St. Louis, CLP redevelops underused, challenged and unique properties. Over the past five years, it has managed cleanup of more than 10 similar properties in Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In an effort to get students back in school, a medical center in rural northeast Georgia decided to let teachers, bus drivers and cafeteria workers from a local district sign up to get vaccinated. The act ended up costing the facility in Elberton, Ga., its vaccine supply all together. On Thursday, the Medical Center of Elberton announced that the Georgia Department of Public health would be suspending all shipments of the vaccine to the facility for six months. The center violated policies by inoculating people who were not eligible, the state agency said in a statement to WYFF, noting that the state's current phase only includes health-care workers, staff and residents at long-term care facilities, residents older than 65 and law enforcement. The move has angered community members and staffers at the medical center, who argue the state is punishing not just the facility but the entire community. "I'm pretty pissed about it because we are a tightknit community," Brooke McDowell, an administrator at the medical center, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Our community is relying on us to vaccinate them, and our state has decided, during a pandemic, to suspend our privileges." There have been more than 890,000 cases of covid in Georgia and more than 13,800 deaths, according to The Washington Post's coronavirus tracker. There have been 2,067 cases of the virus in Elbert County as of Thursday and 43 deaths. So far, Georgia has administered almost 660,000 first doses of the vaccine, according to The Post's vaccine tracker. Almost 90,000 people are fully vaccinated. Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp pushed back after nearly a dozen superintendents of Atlanta area school districts signed a letter this week asking him to allow teachers and education staff to get the vaccine. The governor said the state has not received enough doses to include them yet. Studies have shown that remote schooling has put an emotional toll on students. It has been especially hard for children in low-income families, or those with special needs, learning differences or social struggles. It is also hard for children who thrive on routine and social interaction that in-person schooling provides. There has also been a rise in teen suicides. Earlier this week, a school district in Nevada said it voted to bring students back for in-person classes after 19 students committed suicide over the span of nine months, CNN reported. Many children in Elbert County, which has a population of about 20,000 people, live in low-income households, McDowell told WYFF. Almost 30% of people in the county live below the poverty line, nearly double the rate of the state, according to census data. Many students do not have Internet access at home, making remote schooling almost impossible and in-person schooling more pressing. "Research clearly demonstrates the benefits of in-person instruction and continuing to offer that option requires a number of disease mitigation measures in place," Elbert County School District Superintendent Jon Jarvis said in a statement posted to Twitter. "We are thankful for our local emergency management team and the Medical Center of Elberton which began working closely with our school district in September to develop a vaccination plan designed to meet the needs of our community." Georgia health officials first learned of the medical center's decision to vaccinate teachers on Tuesday, prompting them open an investigation. After confirming that teachers had received vaccines, the department said it would suspend vaccines to the center until July 27. Some teachers blasted the state over the move. "I think it's ridiculous," David Bennett, a high school drama teacher, told WSB-TV. "I believe in giving us the protection we need to do the jobs that we have to do each and every day." The medical center is one of five facilities in the county listed as administers of the vaccines, according to a database of state facilities compiled by the Georgia Department of Public Health.It has received the most doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines in Elbert County. McDowell told the Associated Press that the Medical Center of Elberton has vaccinated about 170 school system employees out of more than 1,200 doses administered so far. In a statement, the facility said there are enough doses left to provide second inoculations for those who received their first dose and are hoping the punishment is "temporary." The medical center has appealed the state's decision. It is unclear if or when they will received a decision. Alain Ghiai, CEO of GlobeX Data commented: "It is in the interest of all our German-speaking investors, present and future, that following our listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, we decided to bring the GlobeX story to all German speakers of the DACH region of Germany, Austria and Switzerland" According to its website, IRW is a leader in online corporate communications, providing its services to foreign public companies with an investor community in the German-speaking area Ltd. ( ) ( ) (FRA:A2PN34), the leader in Swiss hosted secure communications and secure data management, announced that it has engaged Austria-based IR-WORLD.com Finanzkommunikation GmbH, a media service company, in order to disseminate all of the company's press releases in German language. According to its website, IRW is a leader in online corporate communications, providing its services to foreign public companies with an investor community in the German-speaking area. With its customer base comprising mainly North American and Australian companies, IR-World.com is a top player in capital market communications. In a statement, Alain Ghiai, CEO of GlobeX Data commented: "It is in the interest of all our German-speaking investors, present and future, that following our listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, we decided to bring the GlobeX story to all German speakers of the DACH region of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. IRW is the perfect agency to carry out our message in local German language, as we will be distributing and translating our press releases to that region and bring awareness to the Company and its unfolding story. Having our roots in Switzerland, having all our customers' data stored in Switzerland, and having a large portion of our pre-IPO shareholders based in Switzerland, it was only natural for us to publish our news in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, as well as inform all investors of the Company on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange." GlobeX announced on Tuesday that its common shares had started trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The shares, traded under WKN:A2PN34 with the symbol GDT in Frankfurt, also continue to be cross-listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE), under the symbol SWIS, and on the OTC Markets (OTCQB), under the symbol SWISF. The company said it anticipates that the Frankfurt listing will help increase trading liquidity and facilitate investment in the company by institutional and retail investors across the European Union and Switzerland. IRW services over 100 million German-speaking individuals and, through its IRW-PRESS service, distributes news releases to more than 400 websites in the German-speaking region. IRW-PRESS releases are sent to more than 450,000 computer terminals of banking institutions, media centers and broker agencies. IRW-PRESS releases are published in a wide array of daily newspapers by professional information providers such as Bloomberg, DowJones, dpa-AFX and VWD. Its releases are also sent by email to a database of roughly 10,000 private and institutional investors and analysts. IRW-PRESS provides information to customers in all asset categories (money, commodities, energy, etc.). Its news releases are also forwarded to social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Xing, Google+ and many more. According to IRW, Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH Region: D-Germany, A-Austria, CH-Switzerland) are ranked among the ten wealthiest nations in the world. Together, the DACH countries comprise a relatively homogeneous market of roughly 100 million inhabitants. On account of its large number of market participants and its remarkably high standard of living, the DACH Region has developed into an essential player in todays global financial community. GlobeX's Data privacy solutions are all hosted in Switzerland, protecting users' data from any outside data intrusion requests. In Switzerland, the right to privacy is guaranteed in article 13 of the Swiss Federal Constitution. The Federal Act on Data Protection of 19 June 1992 (in force since 1993) has set up a strict protection of privacy by prohibiting virtually any processing of personal data which is not expressly authorized by the data subjects. The protection is subject to the authority of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner. Under Swiss federal law, it is a crime to publish information based on leaked & secret official discussions. In 2010 the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland found that IP addresses are personal information and that under Swiss privacy laws they may not be used to track Internet usage without the knowledge of the individuals involved. GlobeX Data distributes a suite of secure cloud-based storage, disaster recovery, document management, encrypted e-mails, and secure communication tools. It. sells its products through its approved wholesalers and distributors, and telecommunications companies worldwide. Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com For decades, Mr. Latchford was widely recognized as one of the worlds leading experts on Khmer antiquities. Three books he co-wrote on his holdings (and those of other private collectors) remain core reference works. And he made no secret of his collection; the items are lovingly photographed in his books Adoration and Glory: The Golden Age of Khmer Art (2003); Khmer Gold: Gifts for the Gods (2008); and Khmer Bronzes: New Interpretations of the Past (2011). The Cambodian government never accused him of illicit ownership and in fact showered him with honors each time he donated an item, as he did multiple times over the years. In 2008, for example, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Monisaraphon, the equivalent of a knighthood, for his unique contribution to scholarship and understanding of Khmer culture. Cambodian officials said the newly donated items would be carried at the museum as The Latchford Collection. Mr. Latchford also made gifts to many American museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which in 2012 returned two massive items, known as the Kneeling Attendants, to Cambodia after determining they had been looted. Mr. Latchford had donated parts of the statues, which had been broken, to the museum, though he was never accused of any wrongdoing. But events like that helped to buttress concerns that Mr. Latchfords collecting methods during the years of Cambodias civil war (approximately 1965 to 1979) were dubious. In 2019, federal prosecutors in New York charged him with trafficking in looted Cambodian relics and falsifying documents, and said he had built a career out of the smuggling and illicit sale of priceless Cambodian antiquities, often straight from archaeological sites. Mr. Latchford long rejected such allegations, often insisting he was the savior of treasures that would have otherwise been destroyed or left to molder in the jungle. Mathura : , Jan 29 (IANS) The Mathura district court has dismissed nine petitions filed by various organisations, including the Akhil Bharatiya Tirth Purohit Mahasabha, Mathur Chaturvedi Parishad and Hindu Mahasabha to become a party in the case filed earlier for the removal of a 17th century mosque from near the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura. The next hearing on the revision petition filed by Lucknow lawyer, Ranjana Agnihotri, is scheduled on March 22. While priests' bodies had condemned the petition for the removal of the Shahi Idgah mosque built within the Katra Keshav Dev temple, on grounds that the issue can create "communal disturbance in the town", other organisations, including the Hindu Mahasabha had claimed that the Eidgah, adjacent to Krishna's birthplace, is 'illegal'. According to district government counsel Shivram Singh, all the pleas have been dismissed by the court as the "appeal" had been modified into a "revision" petition. In such a situation, no one can become the party in the suit filed by Lucknow-based advocate Ranjana Agnihotri and seven others. Last year on October 16, Mathura district court had admitted an appeal filed against the dismissal of a civil suit on September 30, seeking ownership of 13.37-acre Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi land and removal of Shahi Idgah mosque from the site. Earlier this month, the management trust committee of Shahi Idgah had moved an application in the district court objecting to the admission of an appeal filed against the dismissal of a civil suit as it was registered as a 'miscellaneous' petition, which was dismissed by the court. While hearing the objections raised by the committee, the district judge directed for the modification of the petition and its registration as a 'revision' petition on January 18. Protesters clash with police at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo) Orange County Man Arrested by FBI for Allegedly Storming the Capitol An Orange County man was arrested Jan. 28 for allegedly trespassing on Capitol grounds earlier this month during the electoral college vote count. Mark Simon, 49, of Huntington Beach, was arrested by the FBI on federal charges of trespassing and participating in unlawful activities on Capitol grounds. Mark Simon is pictured in an affadavit screenshot. He was arrested by the FBI on federal charges of trespassing and participating in unlawful activities on Capitol grounds. He was at the Capitol Jan. 6 when thousands flocked to the nations capital to address their concerns about election integrity. The rally became unruly after protesters stormed the building. During an interview with The Epoch Times shortly after the riots, Mark Simon said he believed the events were overblown by the media. He told The Epoch Times he attended the rally in support of former President Donald Trump, and to ensure a free and fair election. He said he saw many frustrated patriots attending the rally who just wanted to be heard. I believe what were dealing with is just following the Constitution, he said. Its not just a piece of paper. Its the foundation of our country. His arrest came after an FBI agent discovered a blog post at orangejuiceblog.com that appeared to show a video of Simon in the Capitol shouting In the Capitol baby, yeah! and 2021 Donald Trump! according to an FBI affidavit dated Jan. 21. The video showed a group of protestors pushing against the Capitol police standing in the hallway of the Capitol building entrance. The video was initially posted on the Facebook page of someone who was with Simon with the comment Peacefully Storming the Capital and hashtag StopTheSteal, according to the agents affidavit. The post was taken down but later resurfaced on orangejuiceblog.com. The affidavit alleges that Huntington Beach police detectives were contacted by the agency. Detectives described Simon as a known activist in the city. Simon was scheduled to make his initial court appearance Jan. 28 in front of a federal judge in Santa Ana. He was released on a $25,000 bond. To boost job creation, federal and state officials should make all public lands, including national parks, available for oil and natural gas drilling. Opening the nation to private development is the free market solution to the communistic practice of the government holding land for the common good. Ultimately, Congress should organize a massive land sale. To bring down the cost of energy, federal and state officials should eliminate environmental regulations. After all, no corporation would impinge on public safety or risk its reputation because that might hurt shareholder value. Governments should repeal taxes on oil and gas production to make U.S. products more competitive with cheaper overseas sources. Congress should also do away with fuel economy standards. We should encourage Americans to burn more domestic oil to employ as many Americans as possible. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Republicans, Democrats finding common ground to fight climate change We need these policies because if we dont extract every available hydrocarbon molecule from federal land as cheaply as possible, Americans will have to bow down before Irans ayatollah to get enough gasoline for their commutes. Climate change, on the other hand, will not make life unbearable for at least another 20 years. Our grandchildren will surely come up with a solution by then; theyre awfully good with computers. These are the oil and gas industrys arguments against President Joe Bidens climate plan taken to their absurd conclusions. Perhaps I am showing my middle age, but polluters and profiteers have made the same arguments about jobs, economics and national security for 40 years. If wed listened to them, wed have lead in our gasoline. The oil patch would still stink of sulfur. A permanent haze would envelop Texas cities. And millions of people would have died from lung problems. Oil and gas lobbyists are paid to fight tooth and nail against every new regulation and tax. They make their money crying wolf, trying to protect every penny of their clients profits. The Western Energy Alliance sued the administration on Wednesday. Bidens ban is an overreach meant to satisfy the environmental left, but it would seriously harm the livelihoods of tens of thousands of westerners and put at risk millions more as state services become unfunded, Kathleen Sgamma, the alliances president, declared in a statement. The public, though, should keep in mind one simple fact: the untapped oil and natural gas is not going anywhere. The hydrocarbons are safely stored underground. Keeping them there will help the industry by driving up prices and boosting production on private land, particularly in Texas. The world is awash in oil. The only thing supporting North American drillers is a deal reached between OPEC and Russia to prop up prices by holding back millions of barrels every day. Bidens executive order suspending new oil and gas leases on federal, non-tribal lands will have little immediate impact. Oil companies have stockpiled 7,700 unused leases and are waiting for higher prices. Federal lands account for less than 10 percent of U.S. oil and natural gas production, with almost none of it in Texas. Our state retained its public lands in 1845, so soon rigs will trundle across the border from New Mexico, where most of the land is federal. The federal restriction will help protect the industry from itself. Every time the oil price inches up, oil companies unleash a flood of capital followed by a wave of petroleum. When they do, the price crashes, investors lose money, and bankruptcy lawyers go to work. A little less drilling could mean a slightly less dramatic bust. The order will also trigger a necessary industrial transformation. Scientists argue we already have discovered all the fossil fuel we can burn without poisoning the planet. European oil and gas companies are transitioning to generating electricity or making renewable fuels. Others are folding under shareholder and public pressure that is far more consequential than any executive order. Activist investors are pressuring the most recalcitrant Big Oil corporation of all, Exxon Mobil, to prioritize sustainability and environmental stewardship. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Entrepreneurs fight climate change with new battery raw materials, recycling As painful as the process will be, the oil and gas industry must stop producing 75 million barrels a day for combustion and limit itself to maybe 40 million barrels a day for building materials, pharmaceuticals and such. The industry should shrink by about two-thirds. The International Energy Agency has launched a global commission to examine how to help fossil fuel workers make the transition to generating other forms of energy. The Biden administration is doing the same. Rather than fight reality, oil and gas companies need to work on making this transition as painless as possible, not demand that we damage the planet so they can keep their jobs. Our grandchildren would never forgive us. Chris Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics. twitter.com/cltomlinson chris.tomlinson@chron.com General To Lam, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security, inspected readiness to guarantee security at the 13th National Party Congress at the ministrys command centre in the National Convention Centre, Hanoi on January 29. General To Lam, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security Applauding the efforts of forces protecting security and order at the congress, Lam said they have seriously performed their tasks in line with prepared plans. Traffic control plans have also ensured safety and convenience for congress delegates as well as peoples daily activities, he noted, adding that forces have carried out their duties not only at the command centre but also in surrounding areas, on land, in the sky, and in cyberspace. The command centre in the National Convention Centre is connected with others of the ministry and the public security departments in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to guarantee security and order at the congress. Personnel, vehicles, and equipment at these centres have been geared up for any complex circumstance. Lam asked relevant forces to press on with ensuring security and remain ready to take action to maintain absolute security and safety for the congress and to meet anti-COVID-19 requirements. The 13th National Party Congress is taking place from January 25 to February 2. In attendance are 1,587 delegates representing over 5.1 million Party members nationwide. Security, order at National Party Congress maintained Maj. Gen. To An Xo at the Press Centre Maj. Gen. To An Xo, Chief of the Ministry of Public Securitys Office and its spokesman, has said that security and order at the ongoing 13th National Party Congress has been maintained. In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)s reporters on the sidelines of the congress on January 29, Xo, who is also a standing member of the sub-committee for security and order for the 13th National Party Congress, said public security forces adopted synchronised measures early on, from preparations for the Party congresses at all levels to examining the political qualifications of personnel for Party congresses and delegates to the 13th National Party Congress. In cyberspace and the borderline, police cracked down on activities that distort, incite, and sabotage the Party, State, and the congress, as well as illegal entries, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the community. Amid the pandemic, public security forces worked closely with medical and armed forces to localise affected areas and quarantine those who had close contact with confirmed COVID-19 patients. He added that ministrys leaders regularly inspected and encouraged officers and soldiers to fulfil their assigned tasks. Personnel work is always an important agenda item at National Party Congresses, he said. Members of the Party Central Committee will be elected by delegates, while members of the Politburo and the Party Central Committees Secretariat will be decided by the Party Central Committee. Xo expressed his belief that delegates will choose outstanding Party members with political mettle, creativity, and moral virtue to the Party Central Committee. The 13th Party Central Committee will also elect a united, creative Politburo and Secretariat to bring Party resolutions into life./. VNN/VNA Security, defence, court officials submit proposals to Party Congress Leaders of the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defence, and the Supreme Peoples Court on January 27 stressed the importance of comprehensive reform 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 Oregon Health Authority released a new dashboard this week shedding more light on the pre-existing health conditions and progress of the illness of the nearly 2,000 Oregonians who have died from COVID-19 since the outbreak began last year. According to the newly released data, 85% of Oregonians who have died from the disease had at least one underlying condition. Only 2% verifiably had no underlying conditions while the status of 12% of those who died is unknown. Half of the people who died with the coronavirus in Oregon had cardiovascular disease, according to the data, making it the most common underlying condition. Here is the frequency of conditions among those who died, according to the health authority: 50% cardiovascular disease 34% neurological condition 29% diabetes 28% other chronic illness 22% chronic lung disease 20% kidney disease 14% former smoker 13% obesity 8% immunocompromised condition 4% liver disease 3% current smoker There is no breakdown of how these conditions are spread across age groups. Over half of people who have died in Oregon -- 1,005 out of 1,924 -- have been 80 years old or older. The new table also includes more information on symptoms of people who died from the disease, though for most the data is murky, with a majority of peoples symptoms listed as unknown. It also includes a graph showing how many people who died were in a congregate living situation, which includes long-term care facilities, prisons and shelters. The new dashboard comes after OHAs Wednesday announcement that it would no longer be releasing demographic information about each individual death. OHA released the new dashboard around five months after The Oregonian asked state officials to provide similar information about underlying health conditions. At the time spokesperson Delia Hernandez said that the state is not publishing those data because routinely available information about COVID-19 cases lacks sufficient detail to offer useful information about the specific conditions that make up the broad categories included in the underlying conditions table. The last time the state released this type of data was in May. At that time only 109 people in Oregon had died of COVID-19. That report said 61.4% who had died of the illness had also suffered from cardiovascular disease and 46.5% had neurological/neurodevelopmental conditions. -- Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker For Vietnamese expert Nguyen Anh Tuan, common standards are needed to prevent abuse and protect privacy and workers. China uses artificial intelligence (AI) to control its population. AI raises concerns about its application to make more lethal weapons. The use of new technologies must be based on respect for democratic values. Hong Kong (AsiaNews) An international agreement is needed to prevent the threats and dangers that come with the use of artificial intelligence (AI), this according to Nguyen Anh Tuan. Founder and Director of The Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation (MDI), and cofounder and CEO of The Boston Global Forum (BGF), Tuan was named Person of The Year 2018 by Vietnam National Television (VTV). The application of what is considered the technology of the future is a delicate issue from ethical and practical perspectives. AI enthusiasts argue it will boost humanitys intellectual abilities, improving productivity in many fields. This technology, they say, also offers solutions to socio-political problems, like detecting fake news. However, AI come with its own problems; for example, anti-pandemic controls in Asia are the most stringent limiting privacy rights. New technologies, such as AI and big data, favour the intrusion of authorities into people's private lives. Then there is the issue of human work, since AI allow companies to reduce labour costs. For Tuan, it is good that a public debate has started, especially since many people say they are worried about future developments. To reduce the negative effects, he argues that every individual must be enabled to access new technologies on an equal basis. Several observers warn however that this technology represents an inescapable danger for humanity; for example, China uses AI to control its population through facial recognition systems and data profiling. In light of this, Tuan calls for the adoption of certain standards to prevent the abuse of AI and digital systems. Another "structural" danger is the use of AI to increase the lethality of modern weapons, like hypersonic missiles and armed drones, a situation that raises the chances of a conflict in East Asia and Southeast Asia. For Tuan, the only solution to avoid this is international cooperation to regulate the use of artificial intelligence. Nations, he says, can have different cultures, but we need consensus values, standards in the AI Age based democratic values. JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images/Tetra images RF Data has continuously shown that Black and Hispanic communities have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic which also applies to minority students' education. After reviewing fall semester test scores from 4.4 million public school students in grades 3-8, a study from academic non-profit NWEA found that a majority of students scored at pre-pandemic levels in reading, but not minority or poor students. Instead, these group saw small declines, including in Houston. ROCHESTER, Minn. - Former Rochester Public Schools students and community members are calling for the resignation of Superintendent Michael Munoz amid new plagiarism accusations. In a petiton signed by more than 700 people, community members cite a history of plagiarism persisting at least the past three years as reason for Munoz to resign. They add Mr. Munoz plagiarized multiple graduation speeches and letters to families and students from other educators and administrators, and say he "has forever lost" their trust. Michael Munoz/Rochester Public Schools. Michael Munoz/Rochester Public Schools. We were taught over and over again that plagiarism is academic dishonesty, and such actions will have severe consequences. Not only did Mr. Munoz decide to plagiarize repeatedly, he decided to plagiarize items which were supposed to have been written with a heartfelt hand. Beyond academic dishonesty, his actions betrayed the members of this community who assumed he had written communications with his own effort, that he had cared enough to do so, the petition reads. The author of the petition, former RPS student David Jiang, says if Superintendent Munoz does not step down, he is confident the school board will make the right choice. "They know for sure that plagiarism is not okay because they taught these things as educators," Jiang told KIMT News 3. "So I have full faith that the school board will do the right thing." The new allegations come two months after Superintendent Munoz was suspended for five days without pay after sending a plagiarized letter of gratitude to RPS staff ahead of Thanksgiving. You can read the full statement from former RPS students here. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has urged the United States to ramp up pressure on the Taliban and not to rush the withdrawal of more troops from Afghanistan. Ghani said the Taliban has failed to meet its commitments under a February 2020 agreement with the United States to cut ties with terrorist groups and reduce violence in Afghanistan. "The United States and NATO must take a very strong stand on the conditions-based approach" to withdrawing their troops, Ghani said in an online address to the Aspen Security Forum on January 29. The United States has only 2,500 troops in Afghanistan, down from around 12,000 a year ago. Ghani said he has spoken to NATO allies and that the alliance was "very much interested in continuing" its mission in Afghanistan. But "NATO, without U.S. enablers, cannot continue its mission," he said, using a military term for intelligence, air power, and other support the United States provides. The Afghan president said despite the launch of peace talks between Afghan and Taliban negotiators in Qatar in September 2020, violence in Afghanistan has soared. Ghani said after the U.S.-Taliban deal was signed, he was assured by American officials that "there will be a cease-fire or a very substantial reduction of violence." "Instead, violence has peaked," he said. Ghani said the Taliban, rather than pursuing peace talks in good faith, were finding one excuse after another not to meet." Ghanis remarks come as Afghan and Taliban negotiators have made halting progress against the backdrop of rising violence and calls for the militant group to agree to a cease-fire. U.S. President Joe Bidens new administration said it is reviewing the U.S.-Taliban deal to determine if the militant group is meeting its commitments, including reaching a cease-fire and engaging in meaningful negotiations with the Afghan government. Under the agreement, all foreign forces are to leave Afghanistan by May 2021 in exchange for security guarantees from the militant group, including severing ties with the Al-Qaeda terrorist group. The Pentagon said on January 28 that the Taliban were not meeting their commitments to reduce violence, and to renounce their ties to Al-Qaeda. Ghani said the United States will send a team to Kabul for consultations on efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. The United States is going to send a team to Kabul. Well also be talking by videoconference on how to energize the peace process, he said. Ghani spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on January 28 and was assured that Biden's administration would consult more closely with Kabul. "We couldn't be more pleased with the early focused, systematic attention and a dialogue between two partners that have mutually sacrificed and have a mutual interest," he said. With reporting by Reuters and AFP 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. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Trauma patients and patients who need emergency surgery have little to no opportunity to get acquainted with the surgeon and team that will perform their operation. However, a large study has found that effective and meaningful physician communication is a more important contributor to the overall satisfaction of trauma patients and those having emergency surgery than it is for patients admitted to the hospital for medical reasons or for elective procedures. The study was selected for the 2020 Southern Surgical Association Program and published as an article in press on the website of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons in advance of print. The researchers found an unexpectedly significant effect of physician communication among patients admitted through a hospital's trauma bay or emergency department. They analyzed patient survey data to determine how several factors, including interactions with nurses and doctors, contributed to satisfaction ratings in five different patient categories: trauma, direct-admit (elective) surgery, emergency department (ED)-admitted (emergency) surgery, ED-admitted medical, and direct-admit medical. "Nurses uniformly come out as the most highly ranked, and that's because they provide wonderful bedside care and have so much contact with the patients," said lead study author Samir M. Fakhry, MD, FACS, vice president of the Center for Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Research for HCA Healthcare, a publicly traded company based in Nashville, Tenn., that operates 187 hospitals and other health care facilities. "But in the case of the trauma patients, and to a lesser degree the emergency surgical patients, physician communication ranked as the number two factor," he said. Among elective surgery and medical admission patients, physician communication didn't register even as a third or fourth factor. "There's something about the way the trauma surgeons are delivering their care that is an important driver of the satisfaction scoring that is provided by our patients," Dr. Fakhry said. Critical Role of Trauma and Emergency Surgery Physicians in Patient Satisfaction: An Analysis of HCAHPS Data from 186,779 Patients and 168 Hospitals in a National Healthcare System. Credit: American College of Surgeons The authors noted that no previous large study has investigated overall satisfaction among trauma and emergency surgery patients. Study investigators analyzed Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey data of 186,779 non-maternity patients discharged from 168 HCA Healthcare hospitals in 2018 and 2019. HCAHPS is a post-discharge survey that asks patients about their hospital experience. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services uses HCAHPS data to generate hospital ratings reported on its Hospital Compare website. The survey captures patient impressions of a number of factors about the hospital experience, including communication with doctors and nurses. The researchers found that physician communication had a greater impact on overall satisfaction after accounting for nursing factors among trauma and emergency surgery patients, representing a 12 percent boost in the former and an 8.6 percent boost in the latter. In categories in which physician communication received low ratings, it was unlikely that high scores in other factors could compensate to bring the overall satisfaction score above the 50th percentile. "The things trauma surgeons and the people around them are doing seem to be very important to their patients," Dr. Fakhry said. "For many people in hospital leadership, the trauma service is an important mission of the hospital, but they wouldn't expect the trauma service to contribute very much to a positive patient experience because we're dealing with injured people. However, this study shows trauma care has a significant impact on hospital ratings." The authors noted that future research should explore what specific aspects of the physician's behavior in trauma, emergency surgery, and ED admissions contribute to patient satisfaction. "We like to say in the world of trauma that the 't' in trauma is for team, so it would be important to stress that the team approach we employ in trauma may be an important part of the findings of the study," Dr. Fakhry said. "That's something we're going to explore in future studies to try to determine what it is, specifically, that trauma surgeons are doing, how they relate to the nurses, and if the interaction between the doctor and the nurse are all something we can turn into an even more positive experience for the patient." In an invited commentary, Thomas J. Esposito, MD, MPH, FACS, a professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, noted the study focuses attention on the importance of communication, but also expressed reservations about the "reliability and veracity" of surveys, citing the inaccuracy of pre-election opinion polls in the last two presidential election cycles. "I would encourage these investigators to expand their research and further dive into the data as well as the survey process," Dr. Esposito wrote.CHICAGO (January 29, 2021): Trauma patients and patients who need emergency surgery have little to no opportunity to get acquainted with the surgeon and team that will perform their operation. However, a large study has found that effective and meaningful physician communication is a more important contributor to the overall satisfaction of trauma patients and those having emergency surgery than it is for patients admitted to the hospital for medical reasons or for elective procedures. Explore further Trauma experts aim to reduce deaths by providing blood-clotting agent More information: Mark J. Lieser et al. Critical Role of Trauma and Emergency Surgery Physicians in Patient Satisfaction: An Analysis of Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, Hospital Version Data from 186,779 Patients and 168 Hospitals in a National Healthcare System. JACS. Published: January 29, 2021 DOI: Journal information: Journal of the American College of Surgeons , Journal of the American Chemical Society Mark J. Lieser et al. Critical Role of Trauma and Emergency Surgery Physicians in Patient Satisfaction: An Analysis of Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, Hospital Version Data from 186,779 Patients and 168 Hospitals in a National Healthcare System.. Published: January 29, 2021 DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2020.12.017 "In addition to the project description being inaccurate, there are errors with the environmental baseline, and significant new information was disclosed late or not at all, requiring recirculation of the Environmental Impact Report," explained public interest lawyer Jamie T. Hall. "Standing out like a sore thumb is the revelation that the engineers who designed this project used the incorrect flood risk standards. For people living, working or driving near the wetlands, the flood risk standards are very important to get right, especially given concerns about sea level rise on the coast. The US Army Corps of Engineers decided not to release a final Environmental Impact Statement due to this concern," continued Hall. Environmental activist Wendy-Sue Rosen said Protect Ballona Wetlands was formed due to the shocking lack of legitimate information related to flood risk, unacknowledged damage to the environment, and the exorbitant cost of a project clearly detrimental to wildlife. "This project is estimated to cost the public more than $250 million, and more than $12 million in public funds have already been spent on a design using an incorrect flood risk standard that's outrageous!" said Rosen. Inadequate responses to comments made by the public during the CEQA process is another violation that looms large. Four members of the Garland family, who provided comments during the one public hearing held for this highly destructive project, have joined Protect Ballona Wetlands. Their comments, like many others, were mostly dismissed by state officials. "The Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve is a very special place to me. There is a vast and varied range of birds that I've seen from the Great Blue Heron, Egret, Osprey, Black-crowned Night Heron, White-Tailed Kite, and so many more reliant on this land to survive," explained Jackson Garland, who spent his 16th birthday testifying at the public hearing convened in November, 2017. SOURCE Protect Ballona Wetlands 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. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. A 61 per cent increase in the numbers of homeless deaths in the last year means the issue cannot be tolerated, a Dublin TD has said. Social Democrats Housing spokesperson Cian OCallaghan was responding to an Oireachtas Housing Committee hearing that was told a record 79 people who are homeless in Dublin died in 2020. According to the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive this figure compares to 49 in 2019 and 47 in 2018. Of the 79 that died, 44 had been in emergency accommodation, 27 had been in long-term supported tenancies and eight had died while sleeping rough. Five of the deaths were unspecified. Read More Despite this, the report shows that there's been a decrease of 446 families in emergency accommodation since the start of last year. Social Democrats Housing spokesperson Cian OCallaghan said: It is tragic that so many people who are homeless died in 2020. It's incredibly worrying that we have seen a 61% increase in homeless deaths in a year. We cannot tolerate this. We know what needs to be done to end homelessness. We have to provide people with homes and supports. The Minister must urgently take action to address this. The median age of death of someone who is homeless in Dublin is 42 that is decades shorter than the rest of the population. We cannot allow this to continue. The Government needs to ramp up the delivery of Housing First where people who are homeless are provided with a home of their own and, crucially, with wraparound services to support their needs. This is an evidence-based approach that works and it needs to be rolled out rapidly. Minister OBrien said this week that protecting the most vulnerable, especially those living in homelessness, has been the key priority for department. We have made significant progress in tackling homelessness, although the situation is still challenging, he said. The homeless figures for November show a decrease of 1,964 individuals or 18.8% on the total recorded in November 2019. Thankfully there has been a 38.6% decrease in the numbers of families in emergency accommodation and a very welcome 72% reduction in the number of families accommodated in commercial hotels in the past year. He added: The Dublin Region Homeless Executive recorded its highest number of tenancies created in a month in November, with 381 created in total and they are helping to prevent people from ever entering homelessness services as well as helping those who are engaged in them to successfully exit. In Budget 2021 we have put aside 218m for homeless spending, an increase of 31% on Budget 2020, and with numbers falling we are moving towards long term solutions not just keeping our head above the water. SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 29, 2021 / The law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP announces that class action litigation has been filed on behalf of shareholders who purchased or otherwise acquired the publicly traded securities of SolarWinds Corporation ("SolarWinds" or "the "Company") (NYSE:SWI) between February 24, 2020 and December 15, 2020, inclusive (the "Class Period"). If you purchased or otherwise acquired SolarWinds securities during the Class Period, you may move the Court for appointment as lead plaintiff by no later than March 5, 2021. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your share of any recovery in the actions will not be affected by your decision of whether to seek appointment as lead plaintiff. You may retain Lieff Cabraser, or other attorneys, as your counsel in the action. SolarWinds investors who wish to learn more about the litigation and how to seek appointment as lead plaintiff should click here or contact Sharon M. Lee of Lieff Cabraser toll-free at 1-800-541-7358. Background on the SolarWinds Securities Class Litigation SolarWinds, headquartered in Austin, Texas, provides information technology infrastructure management software products in the United States and internationally. The action alleges that, throughout the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) since at least mid-2020, SolarWinds's Orion monitoring products possessed a vulnerability that allowed hackers to compromise the server on which these products ran; (2) SolarWinds's update server could be easily accessed with a password of solarwinds123'; (3) consequently, SolarWinds's customers, including, the United States federal government, Microsoft, Cisco, Nvidia, and others, were vulnerable to hacks; (4) as a result of these vulnerabilities, the Company would incur serious damage to its reputation; and (5) consequently, Defendants' statements concerning SolarWinds's business, operations and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. Story continues On December 13, 2020, Reuters reported that hackers who were allegedly working for the Russian government had monitored email traffic at the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments and gained access to the agencies' email traffic by interfering with SolarWinds updates. On December 14, 2020, SolarWinds disclosed that it had been the subject of a hack of its Orion monitoring products. On this news, the price of SolarWinds's stock fell $3.93 per share, or 16.69%, from its closing price of $23.55 on December 11, 2020, to close at $19.62 per share on December 14, 2020, on extremely elevated trading volume. On December 15, 2020, Reuters reported that during the previous year, a security researcher had "alerted the company that anyone could access SolarWinds' update server by using the password solarwinds123.'" The report also noted that "days after SolarWinds realized their software had been compromised, the malicious updates were still available for download." On this news, the price of the Company's stock fell $1.56 per share, or 7.95%, from its closing price of $19.62 on December 14, 2020, to close at $18.06 per share on December 15, 2020, on heavy trading volume. About Lieff Cabraser Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, with offices in San Francisco, New York, Nashville, and Munich, is a nationally recognized law firm committed to advancing the rights of investors and promoting corporate responsibility. The National Law Journal has recognized Lieff Cabraser as one of the nation's top plaintiffs' law firms for fourteen years. In compiling the list, the National Law Journal examines recent verdicts and settlements and looked for firms "representing the best qualities of the plaintiffs' bar and that demonstrated unusual dedication and creativity." Law360 has selected Lieff Cabraser as one of the Top 50 law firms nationwide for litigation, highlighting our firm's "laser focus" and noting that our firm routinely finds itself "facing off against some of the largest and strongest defense law firms in the world." Benchmark Litigation has named Lieff Cabraser one of the "Top 10 Plaintiffs' Firms in America." For more information about Lieff Cabraser and the firm's representation of investors, please visit https://www.lieffcabraser.com/. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. Source/Contact for Media Inquiries Only Sharon M. Lee Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP Telephone: 1-800-541-7358 SOURCE: Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/626035/SWI-INVESTORS-March-5-2021-Filing-Deadline-in-Shareholder-Class-Action--Contact-Lieff-Cabraser Actress Cicely Tyson, who specialized in portraying strong Black women caught up in lifes struggles during a 60-year career that earned her three Emmys and a Tony Award, died on Thursday at age 96, her manager said in a statement. No cause of death was given. Tyson had recently completed a memoir, Just As I Am," which was released just this week. Tysons most-lauded performances came in historical works such as the 1972 movie Sounder" in which she played a Louisiana sharecroppers wife. That film earned Tyson her only Academy Award nomination, but she received an honorary Oscar in November 2018. She also won two Emmys for the same TV movie, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" - one for best actress in a miniseries or movie and one for actress of the year. The 1974 movie covered a womans life from slavery to the 1960s. Tyson picked up another Emmy 20 years later for Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All." Her nine other Emmy nominations included playing Binta, the mother of the slave Kunta Kinte in the groundbreaking 1977 miniseries Roots," the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.s wife, Coretta, in King," and the inspirational educator in The Marva Collins Story." Her manager, Larry Thompson, said in a statement that Tyson thought of her new memoir as a Christmas tree decorated with all the ornaments of her personal and professional life." Today she placed the last ornament, a Star, on top of the tree," he added. Tysons career boomed even in her 80s. In 2011, she was part of the ensemble of the much-praised film The Help" and in 2013, at age 88, she won a Tony for a Broadway revival of The Trip to Bountiful," the story of a woman returning to her small hometown. It was her first time on Broadway in 30 years. Even after turning 90, Tyson was busy. In 2015, she starred with frequent collaborator James Earl Jones in a Broadway revival of the two-person play The Gin Game." The New York Times said Tyson and Jones, who had last appeared on Broadway almost 50 years earlier, proved that great talent is ageless and ever-rewarding." In February 2019 at age 94, Tyson was on the cover of Time magazines The Art of Optimism" edition and an interviewer asked if she had considered retiring. And do what?" was her response. STILL WE HOLD ON Tyson said she used her career to take on issues important to her, such as race and gender. I realized very early on when I was asked certain questions or treated in a certain way that I needed to use my career to address those issues," she said in a People magazine interview in 2015. Tyson told CBS she saw the Hollywood hierarchy as a ladder with white men at the top, followed by white women and Black men. Black women were at the bottom. And were holding on to the last rung," she said. And those fists are being trampled on by all those three above and still we hold on." Tyson was born in December 1924 in New York and grew up in the citys Harlem neighborhood, the daughter of immigrants from the West Indies. She was a secretary and model before taking acting jobs in the 1950s. In the early 1960s, she became one of the first Black actors to appear regularly on U.S. television, playing George C. Scotts secretary on the series East Side, West Side." One of her early stage roles was in The Blacks," an off-Broadway production about race that helped boost the careers of Jones, Maya Angelou, Louis Gossett Jr., Godfrey Cambridge and Roscoe Lee Brown. Tyson took parts as prostitutes in two other plays in the 1960s before deciding to make a stand. After that, I was offered the part of another whore and I said no because I didnt want to get typecast and because it was demeaning to Black women," she told the New York Times. Tyson was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2016. When she was presented a Kennedy Center Honor in December 2005, filmmaker-writer Tyler Perry described her by saying: She chose to empower us when we didnt even know it was possible to be empowered. Cicely refused to take a role that would not better humanity." Tyson was married to jazz trumpet legend Miles Davis from 1981 through 1988 and Davis, who died in 1991, put her on the cover of his album Sorcerer." Their marriage was a rocky one, troubled by reports of his alleged philandering, domestic violence and substance abuse. But in a 2015 interview with CBS, Tyson said: I dont really talk about it but I will say this: I cherish every single moment that I had with him." On May 14, 1941, Manila's Pier 7 was teeming with military family members saying goodbye to husbands and fathers and waiting to board the ocean liner that would take them away from the war looming in the Pacific. Three-year-old Nancy White and her pregnant mother, Chrystal, 31, were saying farewell to her father, Maj. Clarence White, 39, an Army doctor. The chaos on the pier would be the little girl's first childhood memory, and the last time she saw her father. Now, a Defense Department agency is about to seek permission for the exhumation from a cemetery in Hawaii of hundreds of unidentified remains of World War II POWs killed on Japanese prison vessels known as "hell ships." Clarence White may be among them. "It's a long-term project," his daughter, now Nancy Kragh, of Seattle, said recently. "It may not get finished for the next five years. I'm 82, so I don't know if I'll live to find the results. . . . [but] it does give a lot of people some peace." The project would be run by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), based in Crystal City, Va., which works to account for the missing and unidentified from past wars. It would require sorting through remains of hundreds of American servicemen who died or were killed during a grim odyssey in the bowels of squalid prison ships off the coasts of the Philippines and Taiwan in late 1944 and early 1945. Most had been captured by the Japanese in the Philippines early in the war and had already endured years of brutality and privation when they were packed onto the ships bound for the labor camps of Japan. Once on board, some starved to death or suffocated in the foul and sweltering holds. Others went mad and were killed by fellow prisoners. Still others were shot by Japanese guards. And many were killed when the prison ships were attacked by American planes whose pilots didn't know U.S. POWs were on board. The task for the experts is like putting together hundreds of jigsaw puzzles from a huge jumble of pieces, with many of the pieces missing. The DPAA is initially focused on a large group buried in a mass grave at Takao, also known as Kaohsiung, in southern Taiwan after the hell ship they were on, the Enoura Maru, was attacked by U.S. planes there on Jan. 9, 1945. One bomb blew up near the ship's forward hold, killing 300 men, historian Gregory Michno wrote in his 2001 book, "Death on the Hellships." "There was a blinding orange flash and a deafening explosion," prisoner John Jacobs recalled, according to an account in the National Archives magazine, Prologue. The next day Jacobs peered into a hole made by the bomb. "There were mangled Americans, some 300 of them, piled three deep and pinned down with large steel girders and hatch covers," he recalled. One of the casualties that day was Clarence White, of the 31st Infantry Regiment Medical Corps. His right foot had been severed. He suffered on deck for three days with no medical treatment, fellow physician and POW Ralph Emerson Hibbs recalled in a memoir. White died on Jan. 11, his daughter said. It was not until the next day that the Japanese allowed the bodies to be taken ashore, stacked on barges. There, some may have been cremated, but most were buried on the beach, according to the DPAA and government records. By then, Nancy and her mother, who was a nurse, were back in the United States, and her mother had given birth to another daughter. The day they left Manila, she recalled, "the pier was just mobbed with women and children, and babies and baby carriages and babies crying and children making noise." Nancy had just turned 3. She and her mother boarded the liner SS Washington, bound for Hawaii, then headed to Los Angeles, where they stayed, she said. Her mother shielded her from bad news. "My mother said there was a war, and my dad was fighting in the war," she said. "It was very vague. She actually put gifts in the mail to my sister and I at Christmas and birthdays throughout the war, so that we would think he was OK and sending us presents." After the war started, her mother got one letter from her father, she said. He was carried as missing in action for a year before he was identified as a POW. Then she got a telegram saying that he had died, when he was still alive. When he was finally declared dead after the war, Nancy was 7. "It was a huge shock because [her mother] had never indicated to us that he might die," she said. "It was just that he was in a war and when the war was over he would come home." Her father had been among the roughly 1,600 prisoners who were first jammed aboard the hell ship Oryoku Maru on Dec. 13, 1944, from the same Manila pier where he had said goodbye to his family three years before. Headed for Japan, the ship also carried Japanese soldiers, women and children, and looted items from the Philippines, including a Packard automobile that had been used by the American Gen. Douglas MacArthur, according to historian Michno. The ship had also recently carried horses, and the POWs were packed into broiling holds that were still fouled with manure. "The heat was terrific and the air stifling," one survivor recalled. "Men were bathed in sweat immediately and began to pass out from suffocation and dehydration." The ship got underway the next day but was quickly attacked by roving U.S. planes, and it headed for shelter in Subic Bay. But the planes found it the next morning and attacked again. As the ship sank, the POWs were only allowed to flee at the last minute. A photo snapped from an American plane overhead shows the water dotted with desperate, swimming prisoners. Japanese guards machine-gunned some POWs in the water if they looked like they were trying to escape. The survivors were transported overland to another Philippine port. There, most were put aboard the Enoura Maru, which made it to Takao, in Taiwan, in a few days. But it, too, was soon found, attacked and wrecked by U.S. planes. Some men survived even that, and were taken on to Japan, where they were liberated when the war ended seven months later. In May 1946, a U.S. graves registration team went to the Takao beach and began exhuming remains. Of the hundreds dug up, only five were immediately identified, by their dog tags. The remains were divided into caskets containing 10 "individuals" each and taken to an American graves registration depot in Shanghai, according to the DPAA. They were then shipped to a mausoleum at the Army's Schofield Barracks, outside Honolulu, and reburied in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. It is there that the DPAA wants to exhume and, using the latest technology, try to identify the hell ships victims. "Some of them may consist of just a few bones or a few fragments of bones," Gregory Kupsky, a historian with the agency's Indo-Pacific Directorate, said in a presentation to interested families last November. "Not full, easily recognizable skeletons." In a 2018 test, the remains of what was thought to be one person were exhumed from the Punchbowl, only to reveal that the bones of four people were present, Kupsky said. The DPAA must ask the office of the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness for permission to proceed, Kupsky said in a recent interview. There are now about 40 caskets in roughly 20 graves, some of which contain three caskets. The remains would then be studied and documented at a special DPAA lab outside Omaha, or the agency's lab in Hawaii. "We'll do a full digital inventory of every bone," Katherine Skorpinski, an anthropologist in the laboratory outside Omaha, said in a recent interview. "We'll take measurements where we can" and assemble bones that seem to go together. She said she did not how many bones there might be. But in a similar project to account for hundreds of unidentified sailors who were killed on the USS Oklahoma, which was sunk at Pearl Harbor in 1941, there were 13,000 bones. After the inventory, bone samples would be taken for DNA analysis at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner in Dover, Del. Once a DNA profile is developed from the bones, it would then be compared with DNA submitted by families of missing men to see if there is a match. Theoretically, a DNA profile for every bone might be developed. "But if we have nothing to compare it to, it's very challenging to make an identification," Skorpinski said. "So having those family reference samples on hand is really, really important." Numerous relatives - alerted by DPAA outreach programs - have already provided reference samples, including Nancy Kragh. "One of the lessons from this story is that war has multigenerational effects," she said. "It's not something that's done and over and we all move on." If remains of her father are found, she said she would have them buried with her mother, who never remarried. At least 21 cases of communal violence and violence relating to cow protection were dropped by Karnataka courts between October and December 2020 based on an August 31 order by the state government, the Indian Express has reported. Among the beneficiaries were Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Mysuru Prathap Sinha, 206 members of Hindu bodies and 106 Muslims. The criminal cases were dropped ahead of an order by the Karnataka High Court dated December 21, 2020, asking the state government to not prosecution of the cases. The order came after the human rights body People's Union for Civil Liberties filed a petition. The High Court had said in its December 21 order that no further steps should be taken on the basis of the order dated August 31, 2020. But according to court records of the cases that took place between 2014 and 2019, the Karnataka government approached the trial courts soon after the Aug 31 order was issued. It sought the withdrawal of these cases. The 21 cases were then dropped between October 10 and December 10. Former Law Minister J C Madhuswamy, now the Minor Irrigation Minister, Bhatkal BJP MLA Sunil Naik and Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chavan had made the request to drop the cases. Despite written objections from the state police, legal departments and prosecution in each case, they were dropped. Madhuswamy sought the dropping of 13 cases involving communal incidents that occurred between 2015 and 2018 in the Hunsur area of Mysore district. Among them was a December 2017 incident in which Mysuru MP Simha allegedly drove his jeep into a police barricade erected in the communally sensitive Hunsur town to regulate a Hanuman Jayanti procession. On November 26 last year, the other instances of communal incidents in Hunsur were all withdrawn. Most of them were linked to conflicts between Hindus and Muslim communities, primarily over celebrations of Hanuman Jayanti or opposition to banners and posters. In total, cases were dropped against 142 Hindu and 40 Muslim youths. Two cases from Bidar town were also dropped by the government, based on the request of Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chavan. While a person who was accused of attacking people transporting cows was acquitted, six others accused in another case of targeting cattle transporters are still to face court. Chavan had led a new law to prevent the slaughter of cattle in Karnataka December. 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. Former Dragons' Den entrepreneur Sarah Willingham and her M&A expert, husband and business partner Michael Willingham-Toxvaerd join Proactive London to discuss their latest venture. Nightcap ( ) recently floated on the AIM market to help reinvigorate the hospitality industry which has been one of the worst affected sectors during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. It's first acquisition is bar group The London Cocktail Club for an for an initial 5.7 million. Both Sarah and Michael talk through their intention to target the 'premium bar market' in the UK which they are convinced is set to boom once lockdown restrictions are over. Tim Draper, the prominent venture capitalist and early investor in companies including Tesla, Twitch and Theranos, plans to move his university out of San Mateo to either Redwood City or Austin, Texas. The dispute arose from what might seem like a minor addition, pointing to the aggravation many business owners say they feel over the Bay Areas restrictive zoning rules and baroque development processes. Draper wants to add an elevator and staircase to the back of Draper University, a for-profit school for aspiring entrepreneurs. But some San Mateo planning commissioners said Tuesday they opposed the changes to the historic 1926 building on Third Avenue, which was formerly the Benjamin Franklin Hotel. Draper told The Chronicle on Thursday that his team has bent over backwards for four years and will now leave San Mateo unless the City Council overturns the commission recommendation to reject the plan. Drapers venture capital firm, Draper Associates, is currently across the street from the school and also could leave. California really needs an about-face. There are so many forces pushing us out and very few keeping us in California, he said in an email. Austin has become a popular destination for tech titans including a large Apple campus, a Tesla factory and Oracles new headquarters. The San Mateo Daily Journal first reported Drapers threat to move. Many tech and business figures have criticized the Bay Areas regulations, particularly around land use, which they say have contributed to the regions punishing housing crisis. Draper has gone further, sponsoring a 2018 ballot measure attempt that would have asked voters to split the state into three. Californias Supreme Court removed it from the ballot after opponents sued, arguing that voters didnt have the right to essentially abolish the Constitution. Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available. Draper previously said that the state had become ungovernable with high taxes, inadequate public services and not enough resources for its nearly 40 million residents. I have tried in many ways to improve the environment for business and progress in California, but political dirty trickery has stopped us at every turn, Draper said Thursday, adding that state policies are killers for businesses and progress and go beyond the current pandemic. I would never move my interests out because of some temporary setback, he said. Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf New York, Jan 29 : Advay Misra, 8, an Indian student in New York, has been named among 1,400 of the "brightest students in the world" by the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) in Baltimore which counts among its alumni the founders of Facebook and Google, Rhodes Scholars and MacArthur Fellows. Hopkins said Misra, a student at PS 59 Beekman Hill International Elementary School, was honoured for "exceptional performance on the SAT, ACT, or similar assessment" taken by 15,000 students in grades two through eight as part of CTY's Talent Search program. Test scores are based on above-grade level testing. "It was a little hard...um, the verbal part but the mathematics part wasn't as hard," Misra told IANS, over phone. Misra said he took "some practice tests to get familiar" with the Johns Hopkins test but "didn't have to do a lot of preparation." Misra credits his "mom!" for his academic smarts. The 8-year-old cheerfully rattled off his bucket list of favourite geek outs: "Reading, Python programming and Khan Academy videos." When contacted by IANS, Hopkins did not confirm how many Indians or Indian Americans took the test but said "several" students were living in India during the testing period. More than 15,000 students from the US, Europe and 70 other countries in grades two through eight tested through CTY's Talent Search over 12 months ending June 2020. Nearly 1,400 students finished in the top 9 per cent, like Advay Misra. Five test takers got a perfect score on the reading or math section. More than 160 testers under age 13 scored 700 or higher on the math or verbal section of the SAT. "This is especially commendable in a year that has been difficult for students everywhere. The global pandemic has affected nearly every part of your lives, from daily school routines to the special celebrations you look forward to all year. Nonetheless, you have demonstrated outstanding academic potential, and we hope you and your family will take the time to celebrate it together," said Dr. Virginia Roach, CTY's Executive Director, in a prepared statement that IANS has reviewed. According to the Hopkins CTY site, the center's origin story goes back to the late 70s when a seventh grade boy from Baltimore had exhausted all options for math courses he could take at school by the time he was thirteen and a professor of psychology at Johns Hopkins then designed above grade level courses that could challenge gifted students around the world. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text [January 29, 2021] Newlab Launches Open Calls Inviting Innovators to Apply Transformative Technologies to Major Global Challenges BROOKLYN, N.Y., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Newlab announced the launch of its Open Call season, inviting the world's leading entrepreneurs, engineers and inventors to submit applications to have their companies considered for participation in one of four Newlab Innovation Studios. Newlab's Innovation Studios bring together Fortune 500 companies, civic leaders, and innovators to solve complex challenges across industry and society, and this year's Innovation Studios will focus on opportunities for leveraging technology to address issues spanning 5G, accessibility, mining, and mobility. Accepted applicants will work with Newlab to unlock new product capabilities, uncover use cases, and explore partnership opportunities with industry and civic leaders. They will also benefit from access to Newlab's vast member community, robust corporate and investor network, grant funding, and press exposure, andif accepted to Studios based at Newlab's flagship Brooklyn Navy Yard locationmore than $5M of on-site prototyping resources. Participation in a Newlab Innovation Studio is equity-free. "Newlab's Innovation Studios leverage the combined capabilities and resources of our community, our industry and civic partners, and trailblazing companies to address the world's biggest challenges," said Shaun Stewart, CEO of Newlab. "We're excited to kick off 2021 with an open call season inviting companies across disciplines to apply to join our Innovation Studios, where they will have the opportunity to develop and pilot technologies with the potential to transform industries and society." Over the past two years, Newlab has spearheaded numerous Innovation Studios, including its inaugural Prospect Mining Studio, in partnership with mining conglomerate Vimson Group, which supported the development of technology addressing sustainability, safety, and efficiency challenges in the mining industry; the first edition of its 5G Studio, in collaboration with Verizon, which enabled its company cohort to leverage 5G in testing new technologies with industry applications spanning mobility, healh, manufacturing and more; and two iterations of its Circular City Studio , which have focused on making cities more resilient and sustainable by piloting smart city technology in neighborhoods across New York City. Companies are invited to apply for participation in the following Innovation Studios; this page will be continually updated as new Open Calls are announced. 5G Studio Verizon and Newlab created the 5G Studio to support the development of next-generation applications that have the power to transform mobility, energy, automation, and to create the ecosystems of the future. In the first cohort in 2020, six companies leveraging 5G to address issues across health, mobility, manufacturing, and more were selected for their industry-transforming potential. Now entering its second year, the 5G Studio will select teams across disciplines to test their transformative technologies on Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network and Mobile Edge Compute (MEC) at Newlab. Accepting Applications Now: January 7 February 10 Accessible Streets Studio A collaboration between Michigan Central and Newlab, the Accessible Streets Studio focuses on making everyday life more navigable and creating opportunities for the residents of Detroit. The Studio, which will live within the Michigan Central innovation district in Corktown, aims to connect communities around Michigan Central Station by developing solutions to address mobility challenges and bridge accessibility gaps. The Studio will bring together Detroiters, civic stakeholders, startups, and industry experts to co-design high-impact, innovative solutions to address community needs in a meaningful and impactful manner. Accepting Applications Now: January 13 February 24 Prospect Mining Studio Prospect Mining Studio, a partnership between Vimson Group and Newlab, supports top entrepreneurs, engineers, inventors, and prominent researchers to advance the natural resource and mining industries. The Studio allows teams to build, pilot, and scale solutions that deliver efficiency and sustainability to the $1T mining industry. The program explores opportunities in prospecting and surveying, exploration, mine design and planning, closed-loop production, and mine closure and mitigation. Accepting Applications Now: January 28 March 10 Mobility Studio The Mobility Studio draws on Detroit's legacy as the birthplace of the automobile industry, making it the perfect place for Newlab's model of collaborative, diverse, and dynamic innovation. Led by Ford, Michigan Central, and Newlab, the Studio will help enable an electrified, connected, and autonomous future by building, testing, and launching new mobility concepts in collaboration with leading industry experts, entrepreneurs, engineers, and inventors. To shape its future as an innovation capital redefining how people and goods move across cities, regions, and the world, Newlab will support the overall development of Michigan's innovation ecosystem, helping local startups to stay, grow, and thrive there. Open Call to be announced Contact: Lynn Fischer, pr@newlab.com Newlab Open Calls View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/newlab-launches-open-calls-inviting-innovators-to-apply-transformative-technologies-to-major-global-challenges-301218172.html SOURCE Newlab [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Rikako Yasuda is now back at school in Tokyo in Japan. Up to last March 2020, she was a transition year student attending Dundalk Grammar School, as part of the Japanese International Student Placement Programme. She joined the school in August 2019, boarding in the school Sundays to Fridays, and staying with a host family in the area at weekends and holidays. She claimed: "I love my country, but now I have become Irish and I want to stay in this country. I love Dundalk. I love Ireland. She had a particular interest in all matters to do with the environment, and played a central role in the Green Schools Project and played a central role in the planning and organising of the School's Annual Celebration of Culture Day. Unfortunately, when schools were ordered to close on March 12, Rikako, as with other overseas students, were left with little option but to return home. But Rikako had left a little of her culture behind, and was determined to maintain her contacts and links with all in Dundalk. As a testament to her engagement in the School's TY Programme, Rikako was awarded the White Cup for having achieved the highest credits of all the students in the year. The Cup is awarded at Prize Day, which this year was a virtual event. With Rikako back in Japan, it was not possible to present the Cup to her in person. So it was decided to post it to her. Rikako was overjoyed to receive this award Rikako's mum, Michiko, said: "This means so much to Rikako and our family, and it is a wonderful honour for her. 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. San Francisco, Jan 29 : Epic Games Store has announced that users claimed a total of 749 million free games from the platform last year. The company said that there were 103 free games last year, and gamers claimed over 749 million copies. It also said that the company is committed to continue this popular tradition of giving away titles this year. According to a report in The Verge, the company said that there are over 160 million accounts now on PC, up from the 108 million users registered in 2019. It almost doubled in monthly active users from 32 million in December 2019 to 56 million last month, the report said. Epic also saw its daily active user count go up to 31.3 million, which the company claims is a 192 percent boost. Its peak concurrent player count hit 13 million in 2020, almost doubling its 7 million peak in 2019. As per the report, gamers spent $700 million within the PC game store in 2020, with $265 million of that being the actual amount spent by gamers on third-party games not made by Epic (excluding the value of coupons and promos used on those games, as well as the value of Epic's own funding of these developers). Fortnite, SnowRunner, Satisfactory, Godfall, Borderlands 3, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, GTA 5 and Rogue Company were among the most popular games on the Epic Games Store last year. (Photo : Screenshot From OnTheSpot Review YouTube) New Xiaomi Mi Air Change can Charge Devices Wirelessly Over the Air 'Over a Couple of Meters' Wireless goes further as Xiaomi has recently Tweeted a post unveiling its brand new "remote charging technology" that the company calls the Mi Air Charge. This brand new technology by Xiaomi is aimed to take wireless charging to its next evolution. Xiaomi Mi Air wireless charger This particularly known kind of remote charging has already been hyped up for a couple of years at this point. However, it seems like Xiaomi will be the first ever to be able to successfully commercialize it. Xiaomi does not shy away from charging innovations as they have introduced the 80W wireless charging as well as the more powerful 120W wireless charging. Its previous advancements, however, as noted in the article by XDA-Developers, were a bit more incremental as opposed to revolutionary. Xiaomi Mi Air wireless charging Technology The company has publicly shared a few details regarding its brand new Xiaomi Mi Air Charge technology posted on its official blog. The company then noted that this technology is actually capable of delivering power up to 5W towards a single device "over a distance of a couple of meters" far from the self-developed isolated charging pile. This particular charging pile is said to have 5 phase interference antennas in order to accurately determine the exact position of the users' mobile device. Once the location is then determined, the phase control array, which is composed of 144 different antennas, will then transmit millimeter wide waves through the use of beamforming. Xiaomi wireless charger with built in beacon antenna The particular technology receiving device is said to have a miniature antenna ray along with a built-in "beacon antenna" as well as a "receiving antenna array." It was noted that the former broadcasts the main position information while the latter is actually a 14 antenna ray that will convert millimeter wave signals directly into electrical energy through the use of a rectifier circuit. Xiaomi currently owns 17 different technology patents that are all related to this particular remote charging technology. The company, as of the moment, has not yet revealed its plans to officially commercialize the Xiaomi Mi Air Charge, but it still correctly says that this particular technology will definitely be a game charger for a number of smart home products. Read Also: Xiaomi US Ban: Chinese Company Says They Have Plan B that Could Prepare Them For the Worst Remote charging system Many companies have already tried to make this particular remote charging system for a while in the past which is why Xiaomi's success, as of the moment, is really interesting. The company had also Tweeted a post regarding their particularly new wireless charging technology that takes charging to a whole new level. The Tweet noted that Xiaomi is now very excited to bring consumers the new remote charging technology along with their Mi Air Change Technology. The tweet then explained that it is capable of charging multiple devices simultaneously while users could be gaming, walking around, or even when something is in between the way with no strings attached. They then claimed that this will be a huge leap forward into the area of wireless charging technology. We're excited to bring you the remote charging technology - Mi Air Charge Technology! Charge multiple devices simultaneously while you're gaming, walking around or even when something's in the way, no strings attached. Another giant leap forward in wireless charging technology! pic.twitter.com/wEoB10wOQ2 Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) January 29, 2021 Related Article: Xiaomi Redmi K40 Series with Snapdragon 888 Chipset Will Have Multiple Variants-Specs, Features, and MORE! This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Urian Buenconsejo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Three More Countries Added to UK Travel Ban List Three more countries have been added to the UKs travel ban list, meaning visitors from the United Arab Emirates, Burundi, and Rwanda are from 1 p.m. Friday no longer allowed to travel to the UK. Anyone who has visited or transited through the banned countries in the last 10 days will also be subject to the restrictions. The move comes after announcements earlier in the week that people arriving in the UK from any country on a travel ban list who cannot be turned away must isolate for 10 days without exception, undergoing a 10-day, managed hotel quarantine. Non-UK residents will be refused entry. British and Irish nationals, or third country nationals with residence rights in the UK can return from any of the now 33 countries on the ban list, but are required to self-isolate at home for 10 days, along with anyone else they live with. More police checks will be carried out at home addresses to ensure that people are self-isolating. The tougher border controls aim to reduce the risk of a new variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, being transmitted from someone entering the UK. There are still too many people coming in and out of our country each day. The rules are clearpeople should be staying at home unless they have a valid reason to leave. Going on holiday is not a valid reason, Home Secretary Priti Patel said is a statement. As we have done throughout this global health emergency, we will continue to take all steps necessary to protect the public and help prevent the spread of the virus. The UK Department for Transport list of banned countries includes those where the Brazilian and South African CCP virus variants of the are believed to be spreading. The list also includes countries with major travel links to Brazil and South Africa. Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that all travellers wishing to leave the UK will be questioned about their reasons for travel. I want to make clear that under the stay-at-home regulations it is illegal to leave home to travel abroad for leisure purposes, and we will enforce this at ports and airports by asking people why they are leaving and instructing them to return home if they do not have a valid reason to travel, he told the House of Commons on Wednesday. There will also be stronger police enforcement, with increased police presence at airports and ports. Anyone found to be in breach of the rules could be fined. The news follows the earlier announcement on Jan. 18, confirming that all passengers entering England, including British citizens, need to provide evidence of a negative pre-departure test for the CCP virus. A downstate couple who allegedly subscribe to the QAnon conspiracy group are the latest Illinoisans to be accused of illegally entering the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 mob attack. Separately, a Chicago-area man was ordered released on bond Friday on charges alleging he attacked National Guard troops as they tried to ward off a mob of Trump supporters during the siege three weeks ago. Jason Gerding, 50, and Christina Gerding, 46, both of Quincy, were charged Thursday in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. with entering a restricted building without authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. Records show they were arrested in central Illinois and released on bond conditions. They were scheduled to appear via teleconference in D.C. federal court on Tuesday. The complaint alleged that the Gerdings were part of the mob that overran police and entered the Capitol as lawmakers were meeting to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election. Photos posted to Jason Gerdings Twitter profile showed the couple standing in front of a painting called Declaration of Independence that hangs in the Capitol rotunda, according to the charges. A copy of the image included in the complaint showed the two dressed in Donald Trump 2020 campaign shirts and smiling as they clasp hands over the painting. Christina Gerding later posted the image in a Facebook chat with the caption, Quincy made it inside, according to the complaint. When a Facebook user commented on the post that he hoped she was put in jail, Gerding allegedly responded, Well since they let us inside; opened the doors for us I think Ill be just fine. The complaint also alleged that Jason Gerding posted an image to his Facebook account showing a Donald Trump campaign hat atop a bust of George Washington that sits in the Capitols House Wing. Social media posts by both Jason and Christina Gerding appear to show they are supporters of QAnon, which the complaint describes as a loosely affiliated network and community of people who believe in a number of conspiracy theories. Meanwhile, in a federal courtroom in downstate Benton on Friday, a U.S. magistrate judge ordered a LaSalle County man, Mathew Capsel, released on bond pending charges filed in Washington alleging he was seen in TikTok videos charging at National Guard troops protecting the Capitol on Jan. 6. In asking for Capsel to be held without bond, prosecutors said he has a long history of ignoring court orders in other cases and violated bond in a pending domestic battery case by traveling halfway across the country to participate in the violence at the Capital. This was a very volatile situation that the defendant interjected himself in, Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Bloodworth said. Though she agreed there were a lot of concerns about Capsels background, U.S. Magistrate Judge Reona Daly ordered him released to home confinement, saying he could stay with his mother in LaSalle County and continue working while the charges were pending. He was also ordered to stay off social media. If you dont follow those conditions, you will be back here and it will go differently, Daly said. According to federal documents, the FBI received screenshots of a Facebook page under Capsels nickname, Mateo Q Capsel. Witnesses reported that Capsel was known to be violent and was at the Capitol building when protesters and rioters got on the building before entering and had posted a video of this on his Facebook page. Capsel, who appeared via videoconference, agreed to the terms saying at one point, I got banned from Facebook for life. The 11-page complaint included photos of Capsel, who authorities say was identified partially by his face tattoo. Documents also show screenshots from Capsels alleged TikTok account and video recordings posted to TikTok by a third person who also spoke to the FBI. That video shows Capsel charging against a lined group of National Guardsman, running into their protective shields, according to federal officials. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 21:59:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MINSK, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Belarus will raise export duties on oil and oil products for destinations outside the Eurasian Economic Union, on Feb. 1, 2021, the government said in a statement. The export duty on crude oil will increase from 38.7 U.S. dollars to 43.8 dollars per ton, while the duty for straight-run gasoline will increase from 21.2 dollars to 24 dollars per ton. Export duties on commercial gasoline, light and medium distillates, diesel fuel, benzene, toluene, xylene and lubricants will increase from 11.6 dollars to 13.1 dollars per tonne. The export duties on crude oil and some categories of derivative oil products were previously revised downwards on Jan. 1. Enditem India has started the worlds largest coronavirus vaccination programme, said Modi New Delhi: India will soon make available many more Covid vaccines to other countries after two Made-In-India jabs have already been introduced to the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday while emphasising the countrys global responsibility in fighting the pandemic. In a special address at the World Economic Forums online Davos Agenda Summit, Modi also said he wants to assure the global business community that situation will now change rapidly on the economic front also and invited businesses from all over to participate in Indias growth journey. Modi said that some had said in February-March 2020 that India would be the worst affected country by Covid and would face a tsunami of corona infections. Some had talked about 70-80 crore people expected to get infected in India, while some talked about over 20 lakh possible deaths but India did not let the disappointment get better of it, he said. Modi said, We transformed the fight against coronavirus into a peoples movement and today India is among the most successful countries in saving lives. We focussed on developing Covid-specific health infrastructure, we trained our human resources to fight against this pandemic and we made full use of tech for testing and tracking, he said. Modi said India has started the worlds largest coronavirus vaccination programme and its speed can be imagined from the fact that over 23 lakh health workers have been vaccinated in just 12 days. Meanwhile, the external affairs ministry said India will supply 1 crore doses of the Covid vaccine to African nations. New Delhi is supplying the vaccine both on commercial basis and as "gifts" (free of cost) to foreign nations. India is also supplying the vaccine to a few nations on a commercial basis that includes Canada. India will also supply 10 lakh doses of the vaccine to UN health workers. MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, From January 20, we gifted over 55 lakh doses to our neighbours and in our extended neighbourhood Bhutan (1.5 lakh), Maldives (1 lakh), Nepal (10 lakh), Bangl-adesh (20 lakh), Myanmar (15 lakh), Mauritius (1 lakh), Seychelles (50,000), Sri Lanka (5 lakh) and Bahrain (1 lakh). These supplies are based on requests from these countries. The 36-year-old Sidhu, who is in the eye of a storm for being among the protesters who put up a religious flag atop the Red Fort on Republic Day, claimed that youth did not agree to follow the route which was decided by farmer leaders and the Delhi Police. New Delhi : Actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, who has been accused by farm bodies of trying to defame their agitation and termed a "traitor", has hit out at farm leaders for allegedly spreading false propaganda and hatred against him. He claimed people on their own marched towards the Red Fort from all the Delhi borders on January 26 and that not many people took the route as decided by farmer leaders. Slamming the farm leadership for accusing him of being a BJP and RSS man, he said, Will RSS or BJP's man put up the 'Nishan Sahib' and a farmer flag at Red Fort? At least think over it". Sidhu was present at the Red Fort when a religious flag and a farmer flag were put at the flagpole at the historic monument, triggering massive outrage. He sought to dismiss the claims of several farmer leaders who accused him of inciting protesters to head towards the Red Fort during the farmers' tractor parade January 26. "I am seeing that false propaganda and hatred is being spread against me, Sidhu charged in the latest video uploaded on his Facebook post. Sharing details about what happened on the night of January 25, Sidhu said youth and many people had told farmer leaders that they (farm leaders) had invited them to hold a protest inside Delhi on January 26 and that they had now changed their stand at the last moment. Sidhu said he reached the Red Fort after its gate was broken. Thousands of people had reached there, but there was "no farmer leader" present there, said Sidhu while claiming that nobody indulged in violence or damaged any public property. They put up the 'Nishan Sahib' and a farmer flag at the flagpole to register their protest, said Sidhu adding that many people were carrying 'Nishan Sahib' flags, farmer flags and the tricolour. If you say by doing so I have turned traitor then those who were present there were traitors too, said Sidhu. If you impose all these things on one person and give him a certificate of traitor then I think you should be ashamed of yourself, said Sidhu. Had our farmer leadership and each person taken a stand and said that look, what our farmers had done and if the rights of these farmers are not given, then these farmers can do anything, there would have been a huge pressure on the government, he said. But I was given a traitor certificate by our own men, he rued. Farmer leaders on Wednesday had called Sidhu as a traitor and had given a call for his boycott in the state. They had also dubbed him as an agent of the government. Sidhu said lakhs of people could not come on the call of only one person, while rubbishing the accusation of farmer leaders that he had incited people to head towards the Red Fort. Stating that he did not bring any disrepute to the farmers' agitation, Sidhu further accused the farmer leaders of being "arrogant" and said that they wanted whatever decisions they take should be accepted by all. You are so jealous and so arrogant that you do not listen to anyone. Whatever decision is taken must be accepted by all, he said, adding, If I reveal deep secrets, then there will be no way to flee (for farm leaders). He also alleged that the government would send people after him to hurt him. On January 26, Sidhu, hailing from Punjab's Muktsar district, had sought to defend the action of protesters at the Red Fort, saying they did not remove the national flag and had put up the 'Nishan Sahib' as a symbolic protest. Sidhu was also a close aide of BJP MP Sunny Deol, who contested from the Gurdaspur seat in Punjab during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He remained with Deol during the poll campaigning. Deol had distanced himself from Sidhu in December last year after he joined the farmers' agitation. A doctor who raised concerns about the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out at a private hospital was told to take paid leave and given an appointment for an occupational health assessment. The doctor who works up to 140 hours a month at St Vincents Private Hospital in Dublin with high-risk patients has yet to receive the Covid-19 vaccine since it became available three weeks ago. There are 1,300 people employed by St Vincents Private and to date the hospital has got only 423 vaccines, a spokesperson confirmed to the Irish Independent. When concerns about vaccine availability were flagged with management, the doctor received an email stating: You have expressed concerns about vaccine availability and that you are finding it frustrating and very difficult to speak about. Our main aim is to keep you safe and I have discussed this with HR to see how we can support you. We believe the best thing at the moment is for you to take paid administrative leave from today and to have an appointment with occupational health. The doctor has been working regular shifts at the hospital for a number of years. She questioned why some colleagues had yet to receive their first dose of the vaccine, despite being exposed to severely ill patients. Read More I am fine and dont need to take time off, I just raised my concerns about the roll-out in a professional way and asked why some of us had not got the vaccine, she said. I dont understand what basis the hospital asked me to go on leave and get an occupational health assessment when so many healthcare workers are out sick at the moment. I am just concerned and worried for my colleagues and I. She questioned why some staff had received their second dose of the vaccine, while many were still waiting on the first. St Vincents said in response: The vaccine is administered in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations of the second dose vaccine being administered within 21/28 days of the first dose to achieve maximum efficacy. In line with HSE guidelines, the vaccine is prioritised to frontline staff who are delivering direct patient care; staff who in the course of their duties may be on wards or in direct contact with patients; other staff who in a surge may be redeployed to support frontline staff. A spokesperson said they did not comment on employee matters. More than 5,400 healthcare workers contracted Covid-19 in the fortnight leading up to January 19, including 1,957 who picked up the virus in a healthcare setting, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO). In an email to doctors on January 20, a representative for St Vincents Private staff explained there had been delays in the roll-out since it became available to health workers. They said on some days the hospital had received no vaccines at all, while on others they received 60pc or less than what was promised. The hospital said it was uncertain when we will receive more vaccines and when we do they will be administered in accordance with the HSE guidelines. Actually, its a new model of bike, based on the Cake Kalk platform , developed in collaboration with anti-poachers (so that it would best suit their needs and the work environment) and Goal Zero, which provides the new bike with solar kits. The Cake Kalk AP (Anti-Poaching) is a solar-powered electric bush bike, and its already available for pre-order.The Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC) will receive the new bikes for use during anti-poaching raids as part of its educational program. Poaching remains one of the leading causes of species extinction and, according to the SAWC, its usually motivated by a scarcity of resources and hunger.Moreover, the areas with the highest poaching rate are isolated and lack proper road infrastructure, which means rangers already using dirt bikes have to rely on fuel brought in by truck or helicopter at rare intervals. If that wasnt bad enough, poachers hear the roar of the engines from afar, which gives them ample time to pack up and get lost. Cake bikes will silently creep on them and catch them in the act while doing away with the reliance on fossil fuels. The new Kalk AP is powered by the sun, thanks to the mobile solar kits by Goal Zero, so it can be charged on the job, in between rides. Its software and hardware have been tweaked to adjust to the African bush's hot temperatures, and the motor is sealed and fully submersible.With front and rear suspension, the Kalk AP rides on Cakes 18 x 1.85 rims and 3.5 Continental TKC80 off-road tires and comes with integrated lights and fenders. The motor peaks at 11kW (15 hp) and the 50A/2.6kWh battery is good for 3+ hours of riding time. Like Kalk, the Kalk AP has three riding and three braking modes, and can reach a top speed of 56 mph (90 kph). It also comes with connectivity through the Cake Connect app.The Cake Kalk AP is available for order on an order-one-send-one-to-Africa basis. Basically, if you want one of these electric bikes, you have to make a 1,000 ($1,210) pre-payment for a discounted 25,000 ($30,242) bundle that includes one bike for you and one for the SAWC, together with a solar kit. Deliveries for customers are scheduled to start in September 2021, while the SAWC will be getting the first units earlier, in May.Solar power, new technology, and a new category of vehicles that help save endangered species in Africa. This is a perfect example of purpose meeting sustainability, says Stefan Ytterborn, founder and CEO of Cake. We are extremely honored to be able to work with our partners on this initiative and to contribute to developing the means to help curb poaching in the region. The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's biggest vaccine maker, has applied to local authorities to conduct a small domestic trial of Novavax Inc's COVID-19 vaccine, which was found to be 89.3% effective in a UK trial. Serum expected a decision on an Indian trial of Novavax's vaccine soon, Chief Executive Adar Poonawalla told Reuters on Friday, hours after the US company reported the efficacy data. "We have already applied to the drug controller's office for the bridging trial, a few days ago," Poonawalla said. "So they should also give that approval soon now." Novavax's UK trial, which enrolled 15,000 people aged 18 to 84, is expected to be used to apply for use in Britain, the European Union and other countries. SII is already bulk producing a vaccine created by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, and Poonawalla told Reuters earlier this month that his company would manufacture "upwards of 40-50 million doses per month" of the Novavax vaccine from around April. Indian health officials say they generally ask for so-called bridging trials to determine if a vaccine is safe and generates an immune response in its citizens whose genetic makeup can be different from people in western nations. There are, however, provisions under rules introduced in 2019 to waive such trials in certain conditions. Pfizer Inc requested an exception while seeking an emergency-use authorisation for its vaccine developed with German partner BioNTech SE, a request the government has turned down. The Pfizer vaccine has not been approved in India, whose immunisation campaign is using a homegrown one developed by Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research, and the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine. Also read: 'We count on India': UN chief lauds country's COVID-19 vaccine efforts 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 In a disturbing incident, a 24-year-old man in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, was arrested after he flashed a law student on the pretext of asking for an address. The incident occurred on January 22 when the woman, who works for a private law firm in the city's Navrangpura area, was stopped by the accused, who lives in the nearby colony on Usmanpura, The Times of India reported. The 21-year-old law student had been visiting a shopping complex in the city when the man accosted her on a scooter and asked her for an address. According to the report, the woman said she did not know the address but nevertheless tried to help the man. In the meantime, however, the man started making derogatory comments and flashed the woman. The woman panicked but before she could do anything about it, the man had already fled the scene. RELATED NEWS Man Arrested for Flashing at Minor Girl in South Delhi Cops, however, were quick to respond after the woman lodged a complaint with the women's wing of the city's police. Navrangpur police station looked into the matter. The accused who goes by the name of Chirag Bhati was arrested after cops went through CCTV footage from the area to zero in on the culprit. Upon being questioned, Bhati admitted to the crime but gave a strange reason for committing the crime. According to Bhati, his wife was pregnant and he had not had sex with her or anyone else for over three months, which is why he decided to flash the law student. Bhati has been booked under sexual harassment charges. The incident comes soon after a string of controversial judgements by a High Court judge who recently ruled that groping did not constitute as sexual assault under POCSO unless there was "skin to skin" contact. The Bombay High Court verdict was stayed by the Supreme Court after protests. But the judge soon came out with yet another controversial interpretation of sexual assault when it deemed that "unzipping pants or holding a minor's hand" did not amount to the same under the POCSO Act. The verdicts have led to a debate about what constitutes as sexual assault in India. [January 29, 2021] Bitscape Has Earned the Windows Server and SQL Server Migration to Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization Bitscape today announced it has earned the Windows Server and SQL Server Migration to Microsoft (News - Alert) Azure advanced specialization, a validation of a solution partner's deep knowledge, extensive experience and expertise in migrating Windows Server and SQL Server-based workloads to Azure. Only partners that meet stringent criteria around customer success and staff skilling, as well as pass a third-party audit of their migration practices, can earn the Windows Server Migration and SQL Server igration to Azure advanced specialization. As companies look to modernize their applications and take full advantage of the benefits that cloud computing can deliver, and with the recent end-of-support for Windows Server 2008 R2 and SQL Server 2008 R2, they are looking for a partner with advanced skills to assess, plan, and migrate their existing workloads to the cloud. "Bitscape is focused in helping customers into their digital transformation journey. And having achieved advanced specializations signifies Bitscape's deep knowledge & expertise in Microsoft Azure Migration and Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF). Post Covid-19, Microsoft cloud is the choice for businesses of all sizes and having advanced specialization along with our expertise around security, compliance, migration, data analytics, data platform and cloud platform adds in-depth value to customer scenarios to make them successful," said Kartik Shah, CEO Bitscape. "We have strengthened our commitment to support our customers with our expertise around all 3 clouds of Microsoft in the area of Modern workplace, security, Data & AI, Apps & Infra, and business applications." Gavriella Schuster, Corporate Vice President, One Commercial Partner ( OCP (News - Alert) ) at Microsoft Corp. added, "The Windows Server and SQL Server Migration to Microsoft Azure advanced specialization highlights the partners who can be viewed as most capable when it comes to migrating Windows-based workloads over to Azure. Bitscape clearly demonstrated that they have both the skills and the experience to offer clients a path to successful migration so that they can start enjoying the benefits of being in the cloud." About Bitscape Bitscape is a Microsoft technology focused boutique digital transformation consulting, project services, managed services, and apps development company. It is headquartered in California in the US while the locally operating countries include Canada and India. Bitscape is also a CSP (News - Alert) Direct Partner of Microsoft. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005073/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Of the 15 astronauts to be killed after launch, 14 were American, and with the exception of one, Michael J. Adams, they were all killed in space shuttle missions: the Challenger launch disaster and the Columbia re-entry explosion. This week, America and the world looked back at the 35 years that have passed since the Challenger tragedy.January 28, 1986, was the date when the space shuttle Challenger, one of the four such spacecraft to be assembled by NASA and its partners, was supposed to take off in the 25th overall space shuttle mission. The moment came after several days of delays caused by logistical issues, a malfunction of the exterior access hatch, and bad weather.The flight was supposed to be the one to take a teacher in space for the first time. New Hampshire middle school teacher Christa McAuliffe would have teamed up with Judith Resnik to make up the second-ever crew with two women in it.After booster ignition, one minute into the flight, everything seemed just right. Then, 73 seconds after launch, the space shuttle and the rocket carrying it exploded, quickly making it obvious for everyone on the ground that no one on board survived. Aside from McAuliffe and Resnik, there were five others up there: Francis Scobee, Mike Smith, Ron McNair, Ellison Onizuka, and Greg Jarvis.The investigation that followed revealed that all could be blamed on the failure of an O-ring seal used in the right solid rocket booster. The cold weather before the launch caused it to become stiff and unable to seal the joint it was attached to.Because of that, during ascent, hot gases started coming out and engulfed the cold exterior of the fuel tank, which eventually ruptured. Then followed the explosion... Space News space history and artifacts articles Messages space history discussion forums Sightings worldwide astronaut appearances Resources selected space history documents advertisements Roscosmos selects four new candidates to begin cosmonaut training January 29, 2021 Russia has chosen four new candidates to begin cosmonaut training after an extended one-and-a-half-year selection process. Roscosmos, Russia's federal space corporation, revealed the results of its latest recruitment on Thursday (Jan. 28). The campaign, which began on June 3, 2019, ended Wednesday after at least a month delay due to the coronavirus pandemic. "The winners are Sergey Irtuganov, Alexander Kolyabin, Sergey Teteryatnikov and Harutyun Kiviryan," Roscosmos announced on its website on Thursday. "In the near future, they will take general space training course for the next two years." "Roscosmos congratulates on passing the selection!!" the space agency wrote. Irtuganov, 32, graduated with honors from the Ulyanovsk Higher Aviation School of Civil Aviation in Ulyanovsk, Russia, earning his engineering degree. Kolyabin, 34, served as a deputy commander of a fighter air squadron after graduating from the Krasnodar Higher Military Aviation School. Teteryatnikov, 32, graduated from the Naval Engineering Institute and has worked on the operation of submarines. Kiviryan, 27, earned his engineering degree with a speciality in rockets from the Baltic State Technical University "Voenmeh" in Saint Petersburg and has worked as a test engineer at RSC Energia, Roscosmos' prime contractor for crewed spacecraft. Kolyabin and Kiviryan had earlier applied to join the cosmonaut corps, but were passed over for other candidates until now. The four men were selected out of an initial pool of 2,229 applicants who entered Roscosmos' open competition. At the minimum, candidates needed to be 35 years old or younger and have a technical degree to be eligible. Medical screenings, evaluations and interviews narrowed the field to 64 people, including nine women, out of the 183 who provided the necessary documents. This is Roscosmos' second cosmonaut class in the past nine years to exclude women. The cosmonaut corps, which currently has 30 active members, includes only one woman, Anna Kikina, who reportedly is assigned to launch on her first spaceflight in the fall of 2022. In total, over the past 60 years of Soviet and Russian cosmonaut selections, only four women have been chosen to fly in space. The new selection comes a month after the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, outside of Moscow, graduated Roscosmos' 2018 class of cosmonauts after their two years of basic training. Konstantin Borisov, Alexander Gorbunov, Alexander Grebyonkin, Alexei Zubritsky, Sergei Mikayev, Kirill Peskov and Oleg Platonov successfully passed the state exam and became qualified for spaceflight assignments as test cosmonauts. An eighth member of the class, Yevgeny Prokopyev, did not qualify and was reassigned to basic space training, according to the Cosmonaut Training Center website. Prokopyev is the younger brother of cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev, who spent 197 days aboard the International Space Station in 2018. Roscosmos' 2021 cosmonaut candidates, from top left to bottom right: Sergey Irtuganov, Alexander Kolyabin, Sergey Teteryatnikov and Harutyun Kiviryan. (Roscosmos/GCTC) The insignia for the 2018 class of Roscosmos cosmonauts depicts the Soyuz and Orel spacecraft that they may fly on board and the destinations they may launch to, including the International Space Station and the moon. (Roscosmos) Roscosmos' 2018 class of cosmonauts are seen at their training facilities in Star City, Russia after qualifying for spaceflight assignments in December 2020. From left to right: Alexei Zubritsky, Alexander Gorbunov, Konstantin Borisov, Kirill Peskov, Oleg Kononenko (1996 class), Alexander Grebyonkin, Oleg Platonov and Sergei Mikayev. (Roscosmos) 2021 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved. It is reported that The UWI, Mona campus, has solicited the assistance of the Jamaican constabulary with its investigation into the fake certificates scheme. The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona, Jamaica, says it is currently investigating the sale of certificates purporting to be undergraduate and post graduate degrees conferred by the institution. The University has condemned the actions of those involved, adding that the matter is quite concerning. "We wish to advise employers, educational institutions and all others concerned to be vigilant and on the alert for these non-genuine documents, a statement from The UWI read. It has also advised those who come into possession of the counterfeit documents to report the matter to the Fraud Unit of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. It noted that all certificates conferred by the University have security features to guarantee authenticity. "We encourage any organisation in doubt of the legitimacy of degrees or certificates to contact our Examinations Sections for verification of same, the statement continued. In related news, reports are that the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) has also mounted an investigation into a fraudulent online scheme, offering fake passes/certificates for its examinations. CXC officials are reported to have said that they were alerted to the scheme by Facebook posts from a user advertising certificates from The UWI, CXC and the HEART NSTA Trust. After the new Brazilian COVID-19 strain was detected in the U.S. this week, Houston doctors are raising concerns over the aggressive, highly transmissable variant. Health officials confirmed the first U.S. case of the Brazilian variant in Minnesota on Monday, according to the Washington Post's Joel Achenbach. The Brazilian P.1. variant is of significant concern to doctors since it's linked to a surge in infections in the Brazilian city of Manaus, according to a recent study in the journal Science. The P.1. variant of of the virus is estimated to have infected nearly 76 percent of the population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Brazilian strain has 17 unique mutations that may affect its ability to be recognized by antibodies. VACCINES IN HOUSTON: Harris County vaccine portal working again after opening day crash The pressing concern for doctors in Houston is that the mass vaccination process will not occur rapidly enough to protect Houstonians from these new COVID-19 variants. In an interview with Chron, internationally-renowned infectious disease expert Dr. Peter Hotez describes what the risk is with this new Brazilian variant and why it's critical to push forward and speed up the process with mass vaccinations to create herd immunity now. What's the real risk with this Brazilian COVID-19 variant and why is it raising concerns within the Houston medical community? There are several variants nowthe variant in the UK, South Africa, the Brazilian variant, a new one in California. There are also the unknown ones because we have not done surveillance. The UK is concerning because it's really starting to take off in the U.S, according to the CDC. They're saying it's going to become a dominant type in the U.S. So if that happens, what that means is transmission will go way up again. So that creates new urgency. With the South African one, it seems less susceptible to the vaccine, and then you have the Brazil variant. Do you think we will see this strain eventually emerge in Houston? I think they're all inevitable. You will have all of these different variants here, and it's more of situation of which one will be dominant. I don't think we know. I feel strongly that we have to accelerate our timetable to vaccinate. I think when the Biden administration took office, they had a plan--100 million vaccines in 100 days. That was good for the old plan, but for this new variants now, I don't think it's adequate. What do you think would be the adequate daily vaccination plan for the Houston-area to protect us from the virus? To get ahead of this new variant, we would have to vaccinate 3/4 of the population to lower transmission which is roughly 3.6 million residents. You want to do this over 6 months. We would need 40,000 immunizations a day to get ahead of this in Harris County. The fall is too far away. We need something now. That's why I want to look into the AstraZeneca vaccine, and I would like the federal help with our vaccine as well. Hemali Bhutani GCI Health expands into Japan and India, complementing the agencys current Asia-Pacific presence in Singapore and Hong Kong. GCIs Japan offering is being led by Chitose Yamada, who serves as managing director, GCI Japan. She was most recently executive vice president, client experience, healthcare at Weber Shandwick. The agencys expansion into India is being done via Genesis BCWs pharma, health & wellness practice, which will become GCI Health India. Current Genesis BCW senior director Hemali Bhutani will be managing director of the unit, with Genesis BCW director serving as deputy managing director. Japan and India are critical healthcare markets which we look forward to fully servicing via our footprint expansion, said GCI Health Asia-Pacific regional marketing director Rikki Jones. Brodeur Partners CEO Andrea Coville writes "Creating Relevance in a Time of Uncertainty," which uses new quantitative data, as well as practical cases from Brodeur clients, to shed light on the attitudes and behaviors that are taking shape to solve the nations pressing problems. Written with New York Times contributor Paul B. Brown, the book includes seven in-depth case studies of organizations from the business, education and nonprofit worlds that have created, enhanced and sustained their relevance. It looks at customer mindsets, clusters of relevance, multicultural tribes, Gen Z perspectives and social medias influence, as well as examining business leaders confidence in the Biden presidency. Among its findings: customers and employees long for business leadership to demonstrate a higher purpose, and almost three-quarters of respondents (74 percent) think that every persons views should be respected. To pre-order the book, click here. R&CPMK has acquired brand experience and sponsorship agency Advantage. As part of the expansion, Advantages creative, production, experiential, sponsorship consulting and event marketing divisions will operate under the R&CPMK name as part of the agencys portfolio. The move will also bring together R&CPMKs existing creative services division with Advantages Creative Studio, providing the ability to offer clients a wider range of enhanced programs and tools. Executive creative director and senior vice president Jaime Cabrera will oversee R&CPMKs new Creative Studio, which will include integrated global creative strategy and campaign development, social content and immersive new media concepts, experiential event design and logo development. Victoria Greene, executive vice president, brand growth and experiential, will lead the agencys brand experience team, which will focus on sponsorship consulting and experiential marketing. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal With the help of state funding, Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm is expanding into a building near Downtown Albuquerque to grow its existing operations and try a few new things. By having a larger space, it allows us to make a bigger commitment to the farmers, said Los Poblanos executive director Matt Rembe. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The New Mexico Economic Development Department announced Wednesday that it has pledged up to $250,000 through the Local Economic Development Act to help Los Poblanos expand its production capacity and create 24 new jobs over the next five years. Rembe said this investment allows Los Poblanos not only to work more broadly with farmers around the state, but also lets the company experiment with new product lines, including craft spirits. Part of our mission is just to tell these rich stories about New Mexican culture, Rembe said. Like a lot of New Mexico hospitality businesses, Los Poblanos had a challenging 2020. On the retail side, Rembe said a lot of the stores Los Poblanos sells lavender lotions, oils and other products to saw limited sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Improbably, Rembe said Los Poblanos met its pre-pandemic sales targets, due in large part to an increased focus on e-commerce. That allowed us to keep the doors open across all the businesses at Los Poblanos, Rembe said. It also gave the company the ability to help the roughly three dozen farmers the company works with, many of whom were looking for consistent orders. But to do that, Rembe said Los Poblanos needed more space. Right now, we have more demand than supply, he said. Rembe said the company is moving its warehouse operations which had been based in a smaller warehouse near Osuna Road and Edith Boulevard NE since before the pandemic began to a larger historic building on 4th Street NW in the Wells Park neighborhood. The new building will provide 5,000 square feet of production space and 4,000 square feet of warehouse capacity for inventory, food storage, and e-commerce, according to EDD. Additionally, Rembe said the company is planning to purchase a still and make craft spirits in the new facility, using botanicals from around the state. Down the road, the building could house a retail storefront and taproom, adding to the cluster of breweries and distilleries already present in and around Downtown. The Downtown area, whichever part it is, gets revitalized one little project at a time, Rembe said. Rembe said the craft spirit side likely wont launch until next year, but he already has some ideas. He said the focus will be on unique botanical flavors that showcase New Mexicos agricultural story. Obviously theres going to be something that has some lavender, because thats a no-brainer, Rembe said, laughing. On Thursday, almost a year into the pandemic, state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker released additional statistics on the number of nursing home residents who died from COVID-19 painting a fuller picture of the viruss deadly spread in those facilities. But that new data which was updated to include nursing home residents who later died at hospitals is something people had demanding for months. The state only released the information after state Attorney General Letitia James said in a report that the state had undercounted nursing home deaths by as much as 50%. This delayed release of nursing home data isnt the first example of the state or New York City releasing COVID-19 data more slowly than many would like. One of the earlier examples was in the spring when the state started releasing data on COVID-19 deaths, but race and ethnicity breakdowns of those numbers werent made available until early April. The states release of data on COVID-19 deaths by race came after facing pressure to provide greater detail on the viruss toll as experts struggled to understand the risk factors surrounding the virus. When that preliminary data was released in April, it showed that Black and Hispanic New Yorkers were dying at disproportionately higher rates from the virus. More recently, a complete count of nursing home deaths had been among the more sought-after data points. A bipartisan push from state lawmakers to release the total number of nursing home deaths including residents who were transferred to a hospital and died there didnt make the state budge, though James report did. In response to James report, Zucker said Thursday that 3,829 nursing home residents died after being transferred to hospitals, and he dismissed the notion that the state had undercounted nursing home deaths. Now, the next dataset that elected officials are asking for is demographic data on vaccinations. As of Friday morning, neither New York state nor New York City had released that information, though Mayor Bill de Blasio said earlier this week that he planned to release it by the end of the week. Its going to happen by the end of this week, de Blasio said again at a press conference on Friday morning. With the end of the week nearing, de Blasio acknowledged that there are different ideas about what constitutes a week. People do have different interpretations. Im in the Monday to Sunday is a week school, he said. The bottom line, however, is that de Blasio said that data would come out sometime in the next 48 hours. Gothamist reported earlier this week that during the first few weeks of the citys vaccine rollout, the city was posting demographic data on vaccinations as well as geographic breakdowns but that data was removed from the citys vaccine dashboard before the end of the year. Still, those early numbers pointed to a disparity that more people who identified as white were being vaccinated compared to those who identified as Black, African American, Latino or Hispanic. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, too, has spoken at length about the importance of ensuring equitable vaccine administration in minority and low-income communities. At a press conference last week, Cuomo aide Gareth Rhodes said the state was still working to compile and analyze demographic vaccination data to ensure that it is accurate. Once there is accurate data that we feel comfortable with, we can release it, Rhodes said. A representative for Cuomo did not respond to a request for comment for this story. While New York is far from the only state that has yet to release a racial or ethnic breakdown of its vaccination data in fact, most states havent 20 states are ahead of the curve in already providing this data. While that data may be coming more slowly than people would like in New York, health experts have said it remains essential to ensuring an equitable rollout of the vaccine. We desperately need the data to show how were doing, Wafaa El-Sadr, a professor of epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, told City & State earlier this week. Its really important to know who is getting vaccinated. A Message From The Editor just-style gives you the widest apparel and textile market coverage. Paid just-style members have unlimited access to all our exclusive content - including 21 years of archives. I am so confident you will love complete access to our content that today I can offer you 30 days access for 1*. Its our best ever membership offer just for you. Leonie Barrie, editor of just-style Leonie's offer to you * plus VAT if applicable Here's some heartbreaking news coming in! Veteran theatre artist Arvind Joshi, father of actor Sharman Joshi, passed away at Nanavati Hospital in Juhu, Mumbai today (January 29, 2021). He was 84 years old. Trade analyst Komal Nahta took to his Twitter page to share this news and wrote, "Veteran and respected actor-director of Gujarati theatre, Arvind Joshi, passes away. Condolences to son Sharman Joshi, daughter Mansi Joshi Roy, and entire family." See his tweet. Veteran and respected actor-director of Gujarati theatre, Arvind Joshi, passes away. Condolences to son Sharman Joshi, daughter Mansi Joshi Roy, and entire family. pic.twitter.com/GrMgbEjqaS Komal Nahta (@KomalNahta) January 29, 2021 Actor Prem Chopra who was a close aid of Arvind, told ABP News, "Arvind was a very good-natured person. He was admitted to Nanavati Hospital for the last 2 weeks as his health condition worsened due to the age-related complications. His contribution to Gujarati theatre will always be remembered." Paresh Rawal also condoled Arvind Joshi's demise and tweeted, "Irreparable loss to Indian theatre; with grief we say goodbye to the noted actor Shri Arvind Joshi. A stalwart, a versatile actor, an accomplished thespian, are the words that come to mind when I think of his performances. My condolences to @TheShermanJoshi & family.AUM SHANTI." Arvind Joshi was known for his contribution in the field of Gujarati theatre. Besides acting in Gujarati films, he also worked in films like Sholay, Ittefaq, Apmaan Ki Aag among others. According to a report by ABP News, Arvind's last rites will be performed today in the cremation ground at Vile Parle, Mumbai according to Hindu customs. ALSO READ: Fauji Calling Trailer: Sharman Joshi-Bidita Bag's Film Is A Tribute To Army Martyrs ALSO READ: Sharman Joshi Says Film Business Is Competitive Just Like Sports; Talks About Setbacks In His Career 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 D r Martens boots today stomped all over the financial markets with a stock market float valuation of nearly 4 billion. The shares priced at 370p for todays launch shot up as high as 450p in the opening minutes of conditional trading before settling back at 430p. Even the starting price was at the very top end of the range being used when they were being marketed to investors in recent weeks. A frenzy of demand meant the companys brokers had nine times the amount of orders from investors of the shares actually being issued. Its IPO will be seen as a fillip to the London Stock Exchange, which is this year anticipating a flurry of stock market flotations, with Deliveroo, DarkTrace and Transferwise also lining up floats this year. Earlier this month, online greetings card group Moonpig announced plans to float. Dr Martens has been owned by private equity group Permira since it bought the business for 300 million from the Griggs family, who founded it. Under Permiras ownership, it has undergone a turnaround, with the launch of many new ranges and stores. Full admission to the Stock Exchange, and unconditional dealings in the shares, will start on February 3. At the offer price, the company will be worth 3.7 billion. The group is selling as much as 40% of the company - 35% in the immediate offer plus more if demand requires it, through an over-allotment option. Chief executive Kenny Wilson, who took over from Vans and Urban Outfitters executive Steve Murray in 2018, joined from Cath Kidston. He will have a stake worth 58 million, while he and his 22-strong management team will crystallise a 350 million fortune. He said: The successful transformation of Dr Martens is a great story, and what is even more exciting is the huge potential ahead. The San Antonio Police Department is allowing family members of Darrell Zemault Sr. to see its body camera footage nearly five months after he was killed in a fatal police confrontation. On Sept. 15, Zemault, 55, was killed by San Antonio police officers in front of his West Side home. According to SAPD, officers were there to arrest Zemault on two family violence warrants. The department said the incident escalated as two officers tried to handcuff Zemault and he resisted. SAPD said Zemault tried to grab one of the officer's gun, which resulted in another detective shooting Zemault in the back, according to reports from the San Antonio Express-News. The police who responded were three plainclothes detectives and two uniformed officers. But reports from Texas Public Radio pointed to how SAPD changed its story within a day of the shooting. On Sept. 15, the police department initially said Zemault hit one of the officers in the face with a can of wood stain and then pulled the officer's gun from its holster. However, the next day, TPR reports SAPD sent out a revised statement to the local media, saying "the officer wasn't sure exactly how he was injured, and he wasn't sure if the actor intentionally hit him with the can or if the contact was incidental to the arrest." RELATED: SAPD: Officers shoot and kill a man while executing warrant on the West Side Since the incident, Zemault's family has questioned key aspects of what police said happened, as they were told by a neighbor who saw the interaction that Zemault was walking inside his home to call his lawyer when police shot him in the back. The family has been asking the department to release the body camera footage to them. Additionally, Celeste Brown, an organizer with Defund Police SA and Black Futures Collective as well as Zemault's goddaughter, told MySA.com a community organizer filed open record requests on the family's behalf shortly after Zemault was killed. Nearly five months later, Brown said SAPD called Zemault's daughter, Susie, Wednesday asking her if she would like to view the body camera footage. However, no date has been set as of Thursday, Brown said, adding SAPD is working on it. The call comes after an online petition was launched on Jan. 23 and after Brown asked District 1 Councilman Roberto C. Trevino for help. The petition was created after the family received one of their open record requests on Jan. 22, which was asking for the correspondence of San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, City Manager Erik Walsh, city council members, and their staff using the words "body camera," "body cam," "Darrell Zemault Sr." or any other words that could be related to Zemault's case in emails, text messages or memos, Brown said. RELATED: 'He didn't hesitate': Darrell Zemault's neighbors recall him chasing down man after double stabbing From that request, Brown said she received a screenshot of a text message exchange between Walsh and what the family believes is another city councilmember. Walsh texted the person if he or she wanted to see a body camera video on Sept. 16 the day after Zemault was killed by SAPD. "At that moment, where my thoughts landed was that this body camera footage, something we have been begging for, has been readily available and shared among the council," Brown said. "For me, that lit the fire for the petition because we've been asking for this for months. We need it to grieve and get closure ... That's what put it (the petition) into action." The petition, which is on The Action Network, demanded Nirenberg and Walsh release the body camera footage to the family. It has received more than 2,000 signatures as of Thursday. Jeff Coyle, the city's Government & Public Affairs Director, sent MySA.com a statement from Walsh regarding the petition launched by supporters of Zemault. "I am saddened by the events that resulted in the death of Mr. Zemault," the city manager wrote. "At my direction, the police department reached out to members of the immediate family in case they wish to view the video." While the city manager says the SAPD call was at his direction, Trevino told MySA.com he was the one who asked the city attorney Andrew Segovia how the family can review the footage. In a meeting on Tuesday, Trevino said Segovia said all the family had to do was ask. The open record request for the body camera footage was filed by someone who wasn't a legal next of kin, which Segovia told Trevino was a requirement. "I am surprised to read the City Manager's remarks in my meeting with the City Attorney on Tuesday, none of the actions credited to the City Manager were conveyed to me," Trevino said. "After my meeting, I provided the City Attorney with the contact information for the next of kin who was then contacted the following morning." READ ALSO: Two cold fronts for S.A. will bring temperature changes this week Trevino added he's glad the family is now getting access but said it's unfortunate that the option was available to the family all along but was never explained to them by neither the Mayor's office nor City Manager. "I do think that we could have been more forthright in offering that to the family as many people were asking," Trevino said. "There was a huge petition, and a lot of people were asking for access for the family. I think, as always with anything, we have an obligation to our community to provide transparency, to help a family that has experienced something so incredibly traumatic ... We have to avoid answering people on technicalities." Brown said she wishes the city would have told her and her Zemault's family months ago about the open record request needing to be filed by a next of kin. She added she doesn't understand why the city didn't tell them that, as they were actively vocal about their request since the incident occurred. "It just seems like some bureaucratic red tape. We could have handled this a long time ago," Brown said. Moving forward on the case, Brown hopes the community can remember that Zemault was a father, grandfather, brother, and son before anything else. She says she encourages others to empathize and put themselves in their shoes when it comes to Zemault. "If you lost a loved one in something as brutal as being shot in the back, you would want answers too," she said. "We want answers, and we want closure. And frankly, we want justice." In December, SAPD released a new policy outlining the release of body camera footage. The new policy, which went into effect Dec. 21, only applies to future encounters and requires the release of the footage within 60 days of an incident. Seat Belt Display Mercedes-Benz Museum SEE ALSO: A Special Gift for the Man Who Gave Us a Special Gift: The Three-Point Seat Belt (Originally Published May 1997) SEE ALSO: A Nils Bohlin-Volvo Invention in All Cars 3-Point Seat Belt, a Volvo Safety Development, Has Saved Thousands of Lives(Originally Published May 26, 2005 SEE ALSO: Volvo's Three-Point Safety Belt Celebrates 50 Years of Saving Lives (Originally Published Aug 11, 2009) Driver and passengers are restrained in their seats in the event of a collision Various airbags form supplemental restraint systems 33 Extras: Exhibits of motoring culture at the Mercedes-Benz Museum Stuttgart. 160 vehicles and a total of 1,500 exhibits are presented in the varied permanent exhibition of the Mercedes-Benz Museum. The 33 Extras are a particular highlight: they can bring the history of personal mobility and motoring culture to life using details that are often surprising. The Mercedes-Benz Museum Inside newsletter series draws attention to the 33 Extras and focuses on their background stories. Todays issue is all about the seat belt. 23/33: Seat belt One click to safety: Simply unreel it, pull it over your hips and upper body and fasten it in the buckle putting on the seat belt before setting off has become a matter of course for vehicle drivers and passengers alike. Its function is as simple as it is effective: in the event of a collision, standard three-point seat belts secure the pelvis in the seat and restrain the upper body. Consequently, they fulfil a pivotal role within vehicles comprehensive passive safety systems. Accidents meant many severe injuries prior to the introduction of the seat belt because the inertia during a collision suddenly propels occupants towards the front or the sides, causing them to potentially hit parts of the vehicles interior or body or simply be ejected from the vehicle. Seat belts significantly improved the situation. Debut in 1950s supersports car: The seat belt was first introduced at what used to be Daimler-Benz AG in the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (W 198). In March 1957 the company launched the open-top supersports car at the Geneva Motor Show and announced the seat belt, which would be optionally available that same year. Back in the day, this item of optional equipment cost DM 110 per seat. In 1957, the restraint system was described as a belt to buckle up, aircraft design: it was a two-point lap belt, which we are also familiar with from passenger aircraft. As part of the 33 Extras series the Mercedes-Benz Museum is showcasing one such specimen made by northern German manufacturer Autoflug. Pioneers from France: Early automotive inventors already pondered concepts centring on the seat belt. Frenchman Gustave-Desire Leveau registered his Bretelles protectrices pour voitures automobiles as a patent on 11 May 1903, which was granted on 8 October that same year. The patent drawing illustrates complex four-point seat belts, which the driver as well as the passengers in the front and rear are wearing. The restraint system consisted of a lap belt and two criss-crossing shoulder belts each. The depiction of a rapidly moving vehicle in patent application number FR331926 reflects the enthusiasm for this new mode of transport prevailing in France at the time. Learning from aircraft: Seat belts were developed in the first half of the 20th century, primarily for commercial and military aircraft. Swedish engineer Nils Ivar Bohlin registered the three-point seat belt for vehicles as a patent in 1958. He had also previously worked in the aircraft industry. The German Patent Office quoted the systems benefits in the translation of Bohlins patent application, explaining that it restrains both the upper and lower body in such a physiologically beneficial way and is easy to engage and disengage. Ample range: In 1958, Mercedes-Benz also introduced the two-point seat belt as optional equipment for the entire range of passenger cars with individual seats in the front. For instance, it was priced at DM 120 for a Mercedes-Benz 220 S (W 180 model series) and at DM 150 in the 300 d (W 189) (per seat in each case). By the end of the year lap belts in the rear seats were also optionally available. Konrad Adenauer, the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, was also convinced by the system. His official car was equipped with a lap belt in the rear. His last of a total of six Mercedes-Benz 300, known as Adenauer Mercedes, is on show at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in the Collection 4 exhibition space: Gallery of Celebrities. Race and rally: From the 1950s onwards an increasing number of racing cars in motorsport were also fitted with a seat belt. Nowadays competitive vehicles mostly feature four- or six-point seat belts. These are supplemented by links to systems, such as HANS. This head-and-neck support reduces the dangerous acceleration of the head during a collision. Three points and an automatic mechanism: In the 1960s the three-point seat belt finally became a standard feature in passenger cars. It combines the benefits of a lap belt and shoulder belt just like Bohlin had described it in 1958. Equipped with a reeling mechanism, the restraint system becomes automatic. Mercedes-Benz introduced this particular version as standard equipment in front seats in 1973, and in 1979 it was also available as standard equipment in rear seats. It is not just the way the seat belt wraps around the body which is critical, but also how it is attached: Mercedes-Benz delivered the R 107 model series SL (introduced in 1971) with a seat belt anchored to the bottom of the seat as standard equipment. Seat belts become mandatory: Accident research clearly demonstrates the effect of seat belts. For this reason, many countries made them mandatory for newly homologated vehicles. In the US, seat belts became mandatory as of 1966 and in West Germany this was the case from 1974. However, nowhere near all drivers and passengers actually buckled up. For this reason, wearing seat belts was made mandatory a decision that initially met with plenty of resistance. Within the German-speaking region, wearing a seat belt became mandatory in 1976 (West Germany and Austria), 1980 (GDR) and 1981 (Switzerland, following the suspension of the requirement to wear seat belts in 1976 as a result of protests and a referendum). Respective governments introduced corresponding fines to enforce the requirement to buckle up soon after: in 1981 (Switzerland), 1982 (GDR) and 1984 (West Germany and Austria). Fines for failing to wear a seat belt have been in force across the European Union since 2006. Research in the interests of safety: Mercedes-Benz has been intensively researching passive safety and thus also restraint systems since the 1950s, e.g. as part of the experimental safety vehicle (ESV) programme. Automatically engaging seat belts for the front seats were trialled back in 1972 in the ESV 13 experimental safety vehicle. ESV 22, developed in 1973, served as a platform to test three-point seat belts featuring three seat belt force limiters and seat belt tensioners as well as the driver airbag. In 1981, the driver airbag in conjunction with a seat belt with a tensioner system celebrated its series-production launch in the 126 model series S-Class. ESV 22 is on show at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in the Legend 5 exhibition space: Visionaries Safety and Environment. System concept: Seat belt feeder, seat belt tensioner, airbag and belt airbag further solutions supplement the system over the years. In this context, seat belts are considered the primary restraint system. For this reason, steering wheels equipped with airbags used to say SRS, an acronym for supplemental restraint system. And what if the seat belt and airbag become one? For instance, the belt airbag in the rear of the 222 model series S-Class was introduced in 2013: an inflatable seat belt which significantly increases the seat belt surface that is in contact with the upper body. Photo: The Canadian Press Christie Zebrasky, whose daughter Eishia Hudson was shot dead by police on April 8, 2020, is photographed in her bedroom with her daughter's ashes and memorial in Winnipeg, Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. A police officer will not be criminally charged for fatally shooting an Indigenous teenager who was driving a stolen vehicle last spring. The unnamed Winnipeg officer fired two bullets at Eishia Hudson, 16, after a police pursuit that ended with officers surrounding the vehicle on foot as it continued to move, the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba said in a report Thursday. The unit's civilian director said video taken by a driver stopped at a nearby traffic light showed officers were in danger of being hit by the vehicle. "It captured the reversing movement of that Jeep and the attempted forward movement of that Jeep with officers trying to bail out, to avoid being struck by it," Zane Tessler said. The unit investigates serious actions involving police and consults with the provincial prosecution service. "We are of the view that there is no factual or legal basis to lay any charges against (the officer) for his involvement in this matter," the report quotes the prosecution service in its conclusion. Hudson's father said the report was a whitewash and called for a public inquiry into police shootings of Indigenous people. The girl was one of three Indigenous people shot by Winnipeg police in a 10-day span. "All of this shows the sad reality of how systemic racism runs strong within our justice system," William Hudson said. He said there were problems with the investigation, including the unnamed officer who fired the shots not being interviewed. He gave a statement and provided his notes. Nahanni Fontaine, justice critic for Manitoba's Opposition New Democrats, supported the call for a broad public inquiry. "For generations now, there is an onslaught of violence that is perpetrated against the bodies of Indigenous women and girls and two-spirited," she said. While there are no plans for a public inquiry, the shooting will be the subject of two more-narrow reviews. An inquest, led by a provincial judge, is expected in the near future and is to look at the details of what happened. Manitoba's advocate for children and youth has said her office will also investigate. Hudson's death came after police responded to a report of a liquor store being robbed by several teens who threatened to harm store workers and fled in a stolen vehicle. Officers pursued the Jeep as it struck one police cruiser, crossed over a median and crashed into the truck, police said at the time. The video taken by a nearby driver and posted online shows the Jeep veering into oncoming traffic and hitting a truck before officers surround it. Two loud popping sounds are heard soon after. The investigation unit's report said officers, along with some civilian witnesses, said the Jeep continued to move as those inside were ordered to stop and get out. The report said an expert from Alberta on use of force was consulted and concluded that officers were right to draw their weapons. "I am of the opinion that since this was a high-risk arrest, with offenders who had just committed a commercial robbery and had threatened to stab the victims, the officers were correct to be concerned that a lethal-force threat could suddenly arise," the expert says in the report. Winnipeg's police chief said the death was a tragedy. "On that day, Eishia got caught up with a bunch of kids in a stolen vehicle, and things escalated. A lot of people were put in harms way, including the kids in the stolen vehicle, innocent bystanders that worked in the liquor store or happened to be in traffic, and the police officers who were trying to intervene," Danny Smyth said in a statement. "The circumstances led to a split-second decision to use lethal force to stop the scenario from escalating further. All of us would have liked the outcome to be different." In the legislative order of business for the budget session of 17th Lok Sabha that commenced today, the Government has listed a bill providing for the banning of all private cryptocurrencies in India such as bitcoin, ether, ripple and others. The bill also provides for the creation of a legislative framework on an official digital currency. An RBI booklet on payment systems issued on 25th Jan also showed that the central bank is exploring whether to issue a digital version of the rupee. Private digital currencies have gained popularity in recent years," the central bank booklet said. In India, the regulators and governments have been sceptical about these currencies and are apprehensive about the associated risks. Nevertheless, RBI is exploring the possibility as to whether there is a need for a digital version of fiat currency and, in case there is, how to operationalize it," it noted. A previous RBI ban on the use of bank channels for payments associated with cryptocurrency issued in 2018 was overturned by the Supreme Court in March 2020 creating a vacuum in the regulation of cryptocurrency in India. An earlier government bill on cryptocurrency in 2019 reportedly sought to ban cryptocurrency and criminalise its possession in India. However it was not introduced in Parliament. A description of the Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021 in the order of business said that certain exceptions to promote the underlying technology of cryptocurrency and its uses would be allowed. The past year has seen a surge in the number of cryptocurrency investors in India and in trading volumes. Cryptocurrency exchanges such as CoinDCX and Coinswitch Kuber have also raised early stage funding for their operations. The bill may spark an end to the nascent cryptocurrency industry in the country. The detailed text of the bill has not been released in the public domain so far. Crypto industry professionals reacted to the news cautiously, asserting that bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies were 'public' in nature and hence not within the purview of the ban on private cryptocurrencies in the bill. "Globally, cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum are considered public cryptocurrencies because ot their open and public nature, where any participants can verify the transactions. During the period of Banking Ban (April 2018- March 2020), in official communication from RBI, private was deemed as Bitcoin and other public blockchains. This was wrong classification. There has been no clear communication, on public and private classification even today in the bill. It must be explicitly covered," tweeted Sumit Gupta, CEO, CoinDCX. "Over 7 Million crypto holders in India. Over $1 Billion+ crypto assets owned by Indians. Will Government ban & erase all that wealth overnight? I dont think so. Government will involve us, the industry, in further discussions and well present our points," said Nischal Shetty, CEO, WazirX, a cryptocurrency exchange. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Turkeys eagerness to revive dialogue with Western partners has markedly increased since November, a month marked by two milestone events for Ankara Joe Bidens victory in the US presidential elections and Berat Albayraks departure from Turkeys Treasury and Finance Ministry, which resonated as President Recep Tayyip Erdogans acknowledgement that the Turkish economy was on the brink of collapse. In the most recent manifestation of this effort, a high-profile Turkish delegation resumed long-stalled talks with Greek counterparts Jan. 25 on complex territorial disputes between the two neighbors and fellow NATO members. The talks took place shortly after Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met with top European Union officials in Brussels, where he talked enthusiastically about the need to strengthen ties between Turkey and the EU. The changing mood in Ankara became more pronounced after Jan. 12, when Erdogan hosted EU ambassadors, voicing optimism about Turkeys ties with the EU and stressing Ankaras readiness to put relations back on track. The pro-government media, which until recently slammed calls for rapprochement with the EU as unpatriotic and even treacherous, is now echoing Ankaras U-turn, with almost all commentators advocating fence-mending with the EU as soon as possible. Calls for a new chapter with both the EU and the United States abound, complete with a friendly rhetoric on NATO. Documents on Turkeys EU membership bid are being removed from dusty archives and events dedicated to Turkey-EU ties are taking place one after another. Many observers believe Ankaras turnabout mirrors Erdogans promise for a package of judicial and economic reforms at home, which he is expected to unveil in February. Erdogans reform rhetoric has been coupled with back-stepping from gas exploration in disputed waters in the eastern Mediterranean until June in a further effort to thaw ties with the EU. What is driving Ankaras effort to realign with the West? Is it a genuine reorientation endeavor or a tactical move to buy time amid the prospect of early elections at home? Given Erdogans growing domestic woes, fueled by severe economic turmoil, his turnabout looks more like a tactical move to nourish a favorable climate to bring elections forward from 2023 and minimize the risk of defeat. He seems convinced he has no other option left to ensure his political survival, so much so that he is even braving the resentment of his de facto coalition partner, the Nationalist Movement Party, which is opposed to Ankaras moderation moves. Ankaras expectations from a thaw with the EU are rather obvious a renewal of the Turkey-EU deal on illegal migration, coupled perhaps with visa facilities for Turkish citizens, and a boost to Turkeys international image through renewed appearances in EU gatherings. Such a period of respite, Erdogan hopes, will appease growing popular frustration with his government at home and foster optimism among economic actors that things are back on track until he successfully weathers the elections. The EUs expectations from Turkey are obvious as well. Easing tensions with Ankara would pave the way for the resumption of high-level political dialogue, including negotiations on updating the customs union and illegal migration accords between the two sides. The EUs immediate objective is de-escalation in the eastern Mediterranean to prevent a possible flare-up between Turkey and EU members Greece, Cyprus or France. Few entertain hope that Turkeys EU membership talks could be revived, given Ankaras big regress in terms of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The diminished expectations in Western capitals are, in fact, perfectly convenient for Erdogan, who seeks to reduce relations to a transactional level. As for Ankaras relationship with the Biden administration, any prospect of rapport depends on negotiations. Unlike the lenient treatment that Ankara enjoyed under former President Donald Trump, the Biden White House appears determined to follow through with sanctions against Turkey over its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense systems. The EUs decision to coordinate actions against Turkey with Washington makes things even harder for Ankara. A Jan. 28 phone conversation between US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen was a manifestation of these coordination efforts. The two officials agreed to work together on issues of mutual concern, including China and Turkey, according to a readout released by the White House. Ominously, Biden has had a phone call even with Russian President Vladimir Putin since his inauguration, but has yet to speak to Erdogan, who congratulated him on his election victory Nov. 10. Erdogans government lacks not only a genuine intention to improve its ties with the EU, the United States and NATO, but also the institutional capacity to do so. It is an open secret in Ankara that the Foreign Ministry has been sidelined from decision-making on foreign policy issues and reduced to a mere implementer of decisions shaped by Erdogan and his circle of aides and confidants. As a result, decision-making has become highly personalized, often falling into the trap of short termism. Recently retired diplomats recount how the government has trivialized diplomatic experience and eroded deep-rooted Foreign Ministry norms on appointments and promotions. No wonder, partisanship is becoming increasingly visible in Foreign Ministry ranks. Moreover, the presidents spokespeople and communication office as well as the Defense Ministry have become more voluble on foreign policy matters, causing confusion in Turkeys messaging on its strategic choices and objectives. In sum, the core motivation behind Ankaras pro-Western overtures appears to be domestic and election-related. On the one hand, Erdogan is dismissing mounting calls for early elections, but on the other, he is trying to gain as much breathing room as possible to put together the most convenient conditions for his reelection. Whether Erdogans U-turn and reform pledges could give him the breathing room he needs is a question that Western capitals should ponder the most. For example, whenever Google Assistant is acting up behind the wheel, the Google app is the one to blame, as its the engine powering the voice commands on Android Auto too.The most recent Google app updates released by Google silently resolve two Android Auto bugs, and both have been around for several months.The first concerns Googles Assistants capability to play the news on Android Auto. Several users discovered in the fall of 2019 that this feature no longer worked correctly when Android Auto was running on the head unit in the car. The assistant was still capable of reading the news just fine when using the phone without a connection to the vehicle, though.The second fix is aimed at the Sorry, I dont understand you answer that Google Assistant offered to some Android Auto users when trying to perform certain tasks hands-free.This particular error was reported earlier this month, and it looks like the latest Google app update also resolves it, bringing things back to normal even when Android Auto is running.However, it's worth knowing that an official confirmation for the two fixes does not exist, as the latest Google app update came without a changelog. However, several users who previously struggled with these issues claim that updating the Google app to the latest release resolves the struggle in their car too. Therefore, theres a chance the Mountain View-based search giant has indeed addressed the bugs with the update.The latest Google app version at the time of writing is 12.1.11, and you can find it on this page this is the standalone APK installer that allows you to update the app without waiting for the new version to show up on the Google Play Store. Kosovo and Israel will establish diplomatic relations next Monday, months after a US-brokered deal on mutual recognition, the foreign ministry in Pristina said on Friday. In September, former US President Donald Trump announced at a summit originally organised to strike a deal between Kosovo and its former war foe Serbia that Muslim-majority Kosovo and Israel would establish diplomatic ties. "Recognition by Israel is one of the greatest achievements for the Republic of Kosovo", Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla said in a statement. It "has been made possible thanks to our friend and eternal ally, the United States of America," she said. Bitter rivals Kosovo and Serbia signed a deal that was branded "historic" on economic normalisation in Washington. But the most eye-catching part of the summit was an announcement by Kosovo that it mutually recognise Israel and Serbia saying it would follow Washington's lead in moving its embassy to Jerusalem. So far, however, Serbia has failed to honour its pledge, with some officials claiming the deal was non-binding. Kosovo also said it was ready to set up its Israel mission in Jerusalem, in exchange for Israel's recognition, as it seeks to further legitimise its 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia and statehood. The European Union has led the negotiations between Kosovo in Serbia for nearly a decade, without making significant progress. In 2020, the US took the initiative in overseeing the talks in what many analysts saw as former US President Donald Trump's pre-election diplomatic offensive. Short link: 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 first Americans who were evacuated from coronavirus epicenter Wuhan at the start of the pandemic were met by 'unprepared' US officials with no infection control training, a damning federal investigation has found. Health officials at a California military base were even told to remove protective gear to avoid 'bad optics', according to reviews by the Health and Human Services Department and an investigation overseen by the Office of Special Counsel. Evacuees arriving in the US as they fled the virus in China were not told to wear masks and there was no plan in place to stop the spread of the virus, the Washington Post reports. The first 200 evacuees landed at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County on January 29 last year. They were screened four times over the course of the 14-hour journey. A team in white biohazard suits watch as some of the approximately 200 passengers walk to waiting buses upon arriving on a charter flight from Wuhan, China, at March Air Reserve Base Passengers are seen deplaning after arriving at March Air Force Base in Riverside, California, on an evacuation flight from the coronavirus outbreak epicenter in Wuhan on January 29 2020 The health officials who may have been exposed later left the base and boarded commercial flights to other parts of the country. There was also a lack of agency guidance on self-monitoring for symptoms after they had left the base. Personnel on the base were not given sufficient PPE or clear instructions about the proper usage of such equipment by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention personnel - who were present on the base - until three days after the evacuees arrived. As a result, for 72 hours, they did not have PPE and received 'confusing, incomplete, and contradictory' information. There were 195 passengers - including a number of small children - and six crewmembers onboard. They filed out of the plane and stepped into awaiting buses (left and right) Government personnel and repatriated Americans were also authorized by leadership to leave the base for 'various activities', according to the report. There were 'multiple containment issues' at the base - for instance, a vendor supplying food to evacuees broke the quarantine area without permission. Meanwhile, a civilian who drove a bus with dozens of new arrivals from the airplane to the hangar was not wearing protective equipment, despite his close contact with the evacuees, witnesses said. 'The most troubling finding' from the report is that the government's handling of the situation at the time 'increased the risk of infection transmission not only to deployed [government] personnel, but also to the American public as well', Special Counsel Henry J. Kerner wrote in a letter to President Biden yesterday. While none of the evacuated Americans tested positive for Covid-19, the report found that the '[government] leadership was reckless with respect to the risk of endangering the broader public'. The investigation, which was prompted by a whistleblower's complaint, supported their account of the chaos that ensued at the March Air Reserve Base. There were no procedures in place at the base to ensure infection-control and infection-prevention measures, including the proper use of PPE, the report said. Nor were there safety officers designated and in place from the outset of the mission and there was no Infection Prevention Control Plan in place - which is required for deployments of this nature. Special Counsel Henry Kerner criticised the general counsels's office, led by Trump appointee Robert Charrow, for how is addressed the whistleblower's allegations. 'It is reprehensible that HHS [general counsel] would use the investigation as an attempt to discredit [the whistleblower] when she showed tremendeous courage in bringing these allegations forward,' Kerner wrote in his letter to the President. Officials in hazmat suits met the flight when it landed at the air base just after 8am PST. Pictured: People in hazmat suits are seen outside of the Kalitta Air plane Charrow has since defended his former department's response to the crisis, arguing that they responded immediately to any issues they faced. 'Was the Department of Health and Human Services placed in an untenable position? The answer is yes,' Charrow told the Washington Post. 'Were things corrected immediately? The answer is yes.' The more than 200 Americans who landed at the March Air Reserve base had fled the epicentre of the virus. The 201 onboard had been screened twice before departure and twice more during a refueling stop in Anchorage, Alaska, before landing at March Air Reserve Base near Riverside, California. The evacuation was originally scheduled to fly to Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California, but was diverted to the March Air Reserve Base (pictured) 25 miles away without explanation There were said to be 1,000 Americans living in Wuhan - but only 201 ended up on the flight which could hold up to 240. It is understood the others were not able to get through the screening process, while one was denied travel because they had a fever. The plane was originally scheduled to fly to Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California, but was diverted to the air base 25 miles away without explanation. The US has attracted criticism throughout the pandemic, particularly with Donald Trump's dismissal of the virus as a 'flu' in its early stages. Even after he contracted the virus and was treated in hospital, Trump said 'many people' die every year from the flu, adding: 'Are we going to close down our country? 'No, we have learned to live with it, just like we are learning to live with Covid, in most populations far less lethal!!!' To date, the US has recorded 25.6million cases and 429,125 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Institute. Throughout the pandemic, Trump played down the severity of the coronavirus even while his own experts were urging him to take it seriously. Top Trump administration officials like Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and trade adviser Peter Navarro reportedly sounded the alarm about a pandemic reaching American shores as early as late January, but the former president failed to heed the warnings. On February 25, just weeks before much of the country was forced to shut down because of the pandemic, Trump declared the virus 'very well under control in our country'. Critics said the valuable time that was lost could have been used to ramp up testing as well as provide medical professionals adequate supplies of personal protective equipment in order to better deal with the pandemic. In fact, US officials recommended against widespread mask wearing until April in part because of a shortage of protective masks required by front-line medical workers. Trump has also been criticized for mixed messaging - touting social distancing and preventative measures on the one hand but then urging his supporters to 'liberate' states through mass demonstrations on the other, and rarely wearing a face mask. The then president also made comments that prompted mockery and scorn from the public, including his suggestion that cleaning disinfectants could be ingested into the body in order treat the virus. Tata Electronics and Apple Inc's contract manufacturer Pegatron Corporation have obtained the Tamil Nadu Government's approval for their proposed in the state. The two proposal are among the 34 investment plans worth Rs 52,258 crore that were cleared by the Tamil Nadu Cabinet today. The state cabinet also cleared the Governments new industrial policy for 2021 when it met this evening under the Chief Minister's chairmanship The proposed have the potential to create 93,935 jobs. They are mostly in sectors like electronics, auto mobile and auto components, including electric vehicles, and solar cell manufacturing. Some of the major approved today include Tata Electronics' proposal to invest Rs 5,763 crore and create 18,250 jobs in Krishnagiri district for making mobile phone components. Apple's contract manufacturer Pegatron Corporation of Taiwan will invest Rs 1,100 crore in phase-I of a mobile phone making unit in Chengelpet district and create 14,079 jobs. Luxshare of Taiwan, will create 4,000 jobs by investing Rs 745 crore in an electronic parts and wearables unit in Sriperumbudur, thus reviving the defunct Motorola plant. Sun Edison will invest Rs 4,629 crore and employ 5,397 persons in the state to produce solar PV modules. Ola Electric will invest Rs 2,354 crore and create 2,182 jobs in SIPCOT, Krishnagiri district for making electric vehicles and batteries. German firm Eickhoff Wind Ltd will invest Rs 621 crore and employ 319 persons to make gearboxes for wind energy production, near Chennai. This is a relocation of the companys production facilities from China and Germany. BASF of Germany, one of the worlds largest chemical companies, will invest Rs 345 crore and create 235 jobs to make auto emission catalysts in Chengalpet district. Lucas TVS will invest Rs 2,500 crore and employ 3,500 persons for making Lithion ion batteries in Tiruvallur district. Daicel Corporation, a Japanese company, will set up Indias, first airbag inflator manufacturing unit at One Hub Chennai, in Chengalpet district with an investment of Rs 358 crore and create 180 jobs. LS Automotive, a Korean company will manufacture automotive switches in Tiruvallur district with an investment of Rs 250 crore, employing 200 persons. US-based AutolivInc will invest Rs 100 crore and employ 400 persons, to make passenger safety products (auto components) in SIPCOT Park, Cheyyar, Tiruvannamalai district. Data Patterns will invest Rs 303.52 crore and create 703 jobs in the Chennai node of the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor to make defence and aerospace products. In the history of Indian television there have been many shows which have entertained the audience. However, there are very few shows that have gone on to achieve a legendary status with people reminiscing about them fondly even today. One such show is Wagle Ki Duniya, which, with its highly relatable storyline and beautifully crafted characters made the nation fall in love with the simple story of a common man. This RK Laxman classic is now set to receive a new lease of life as Sony SAB presents Wagle Ki Duniya - NayiPeedhi, NayeKissey starting February 08 at 9 PM. Rekindling virtues and fond memories of the series that made India smile, Sony SAB brings back the acclaimed erstwhile Wagle coupleAanjjan Srivastav as Srinivas Wagleand Bharati Achrekaras Radhika Wagle representing the older generation. The story thereon takes a leap forward and is set in todays time with the new generation of Wagle and family. The new era of Wagle Ki Duniya features Sumeet Raghavanin the lead as Srinivass son, Rajesh Wagle and ParivaPranati as his wife,Vandana Wagle. Building new memories every day, Wagle Ki Duniya embodies Rajesh Wagles viewpoint to issues and instances he encounters in his day to day life making it very relevant to todays audience. Produced by J.D. Majethia's Hats Off Production - Wagle Ki Duniya - NayiPeedhi, NayeKissey is a warm, slice-of-life story revolving around Rajesh Wagle - a simple, familyloving man, who aspires for a better lifestyle for himself and his family, yet is hesitant to take risks and move with the times.The show portrays the strong value system and humble upbringing of the middle-class of today, their daily life and issues. With a change in the generation, the nature of issues haschanged too, the middle-class of today has progressed and evolved with times but at the same time they also have a newer set of dilemmas compared to before. Wagle Ki Duniya NayiPeedhi, NayeKissey is yet another effort by Sony SAB to spread KhushiyonWaliFeeling in addition to an already existing line-up of shows that aim to positivity, hope and cheer to the audience. Comments: Mr. Neeraj Vyas, Business Head Sony SAB "With stories that are deep-rooted in values and extremely relatable, Sony SAB has consistently delivered shows making living-room television viewing a true delight for the entire family. We are proud to bring back a show which has been loved by the audience across age groups and has a following even today. We aim to create a similar impact through Wagle Ki Duniya NayiPeedhi, NayeKissey as we get ready to bring anuplifting collection of stories oftodays new age common man fighting the daily battles of life with wit, humor and undoubting positivity in the face of difficulties. The lensing of Wagle will be dramatically different from the eighties Wagle and will be relevant to todays generation. JD Majethia, Producer, Hats Off Productions With Wagle Ki Duniya- NayiPeedhi, NayeKisse, we also pay tribute to the legendary cartoonist Mr. RK Laxman, in his centennial birth year. It is an honour to bring back one of his classic shows, this time with a fresh perspective. We have retained the shows legacy and the iconic central characters of Srinivas and Radhika Wagle played by Aanjjan Srivastava and Bharti Achrekar, though the story now progresses forward and will be shown from the eyes of Mr. Wagle's son Rajesh Wagle, played by Sumeet Raghavan. The stories are bound to be equally relatable for the viewers, often leaving them with a smile on their face. Aatish Kapadia and I are very excited to launch the show on Sony SAB, as there couldn't be a better platform for bringing this iconic show back. Tune in to Wagle Ki Duniya NayiPeedhi, NayeKissey, starting February 8, at 9 PM only on Sony SAB Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Providing the right level of insights is the first step in becoming a data-driven organization. "Looker is SpringML's visualization tool of choice to build AI-powered analytics that can scale to address enterprise Business Intelligence requirements," said Prabhu Palanisamy, President & Chief Strategy Officer of SpringML. "Looker enables us to deliver data-driven Insights in the cloud at speed." "Organizations across all departments are becoming increasingly more reliant on fresh real-time data to drive their business and everyday decisions," said Geneva Lake, Looker Head of Consulting Alliances at Google Cloud. "We're thrilled to work with SpringML as it furthers our mission to help companies transform data-driven digital projects." As enterprises look for new ways to engage with customers, providing creative digital experiences is key. SpringML is the "go to" partner of choice for data-driven digital transformation projects. We help enterprises build applications with an agile, iterative, and incremental delivery model. About SpringML, Inc. SpringML delivers data-driven digital transformation outcomes with an experimentation and design thinking mindset. We provide Google Cloud consulting and implementation services and industry-specific analytics solutions that deliver high-impact business value from data. SpringML is a premier Google Cloud partner with capabilities to plan, assess, deploy, and manage data-driven engagements. We have been awarded Google Cloud specialization based on our expertise and customer portfolio for Data Management, Application Development, Data Analytics, Machine Learning, and Marketing Analytics. For more information on SpringML, visit https://www.springml.com/. SOURCE SpringML Related Links http://www.springml.com The MSU Hilleman Scholars Program is a proud sponsor of The Prospects Young Entrepreneur competition hosted by the Montana Chamber of Commerce and Youth Entrepreneurs! The Prospects is a competition for Montana high school students to submit their business proposals and win the Prize Purse of The Prospects. As of January 27, we are up to $47,700, including cash, technology, scholarships, work-based learning and mentorship opportunities. Matthew Olson of the Montana Chamber of Commerce said, The main goal of The Prospects is to find, reward, and celebrate Montanas next generation of youth entrepreneurs and create a tangible opportunity that closer connects the business and education communities, pairing business mentors with Montana's our future leaders. The Montana Chamber of Commerce and the MSU Hilleman Scholars Program have similar goals for shaping the future of Montana. The MSU Hilleman Scholars Program looks for students who have a potential to do great things for Montana with a leadership drive and potential to make an impact on the world. Matthew added that the Montana Chamber of Commerce believes in the MSU Hilleman Scholars Program. Montana success stories, such as Dr. Maurice Hilleman, can inspire kids in similar situations across rural Montana. This partnership and The Prospects platform is intended to help find the next Maurice Hilleman. Then provide the support for education, development of ideas, experiences to expand their thinking and, again, connect them with mentors and networks of leaders to help them succeed in life. Matthew also shared that, Ideas and innovation take time to manifest themselves and we often need inspiration from those who have achieved great things before us. We expect that The Prospects will become an annual competition, and look forward to sharing the story of Dr. Hilleman to inspire Montana students that anything is possible. Both the MSU Hilleman Scholars Program and the Montana Chamber of Commerce are excited for the future of our partnership. Learn more about The Prospects by visiting the Montana Chamber of Commerce website: https://www.montanachamber.com/prospects/. Nothing, it seems, weighs lighter than a promise. On January 21, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly was pleased to announce every person in the country will have received a Covid-19 vaccination by September. We would get 3.3 million doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine when approval for use wa s given. For good measure, he made it clear every citizen would then be able to receive the vaccine. You dont have to be a citizen, its for anybody whos here, he told TDs. Yes, we appreciate nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who saw themselves superior to circumstance, but theres a limit. In a pandemic its advisable to keep at least one foot on the ground, especially when it comes to keeping commitments, and addressing a population which has never been so over-wrought. Mr Donnellys enforced backtracking has not helped morale or confidence in the Government. For Mr Donnelly to now claim his announcement on the roll-out wasnt a promise as it was heavily caveated is anything but reassuring. Read More Mr Donnelly also admitted to the Dail the target to have 700,000 people vaccinated by the end of March is unlikely to be met. Again one must ask, why set a target if it cant be hit? Confidence only comes from preparation, everything else is magical thinking, and this is no time for that. When a Government gets something wrong, is it too much to expect they will admit it? Applying retrospective uncertainty to something unveiled with such misplaced authority erodes credibility. The disgraceful behaviour of AstraZeneca might not have been foreseen. However, the delivery of biological vaccines is always hugely complex. So making bold claims not rooted in reality always had the potential to boomerang. Social Democrats join leader Roisin Shortalls appeal to the minister to stop over-promising should be listened to. The ministers belated application of caveats is dispiriting. People are straining every nerve and sinew to hold onto their sanity and keep each other safe. Chief medical officer Tony Holohan has warned of exceptionally elevated levels of Covid-19 amongst people aged over 85. Significant concerns are raised about outbreaks in hospitals and nursing homes. Chronic staffing shortages are once again a source of serious concern. When people need clarity and resolution, we are being left with doubt and inconsistency. Vaccines have been billed as the Holy Grail in delivering us from lockdown, yet even on this there is confusion. Mr Donnelly appeared to quote an incorrect figure on the number coming into the country this week. Earlier in the week he told Labour leader Alan Kelly 48,000 doses were being brought into the State. But the Health Service Executive confirmed 24,570 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine were received. People are entitled to the full picture. Now is no time to introduce alternative facts. We have unparalleled access to information, yet the ability to give straight answers seems lost. Batavia, NY (14020) Today Light rain early. A mix of sun and clouds by afternoon. High 59F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 42F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Andhra Pradesh reported 125 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to over 8.87 lakh, while no deaths were reported for the second consecutive day, in 24 hours ending 9 am on Friday. The state also reported 175 more recoveries, a health department bulletin said. With 42,809 tests, the total number of tests conducted stood at over 1.30 crore so far in the state. The total confirmed positive COVID-19 cases were 8,87,591, while the recoveries stood at 8, 79,131, it said. With no fresh fatalities reported, the toll remained at 7152. The state has 1,308 active cases. 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 24 hours, Krishna district accounted for the most number of cases with 26 followed by Visakhapatnam and Guntur with 19 each. 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. TORONTO, Jan. 29, 2021 /CNW/ - Today concerned citizens across Canada will make their voices heard in covid-safe ways to demand that RBC and other banks stop funding fossil fuels and respect Indigenous Rights. Since the Paris Agreement was signed, RBC has financed over C$178 billion in fossil fuel projects, the most of any Canadian bank and fifth most in the world.1 Canada's five biggest banks have together financed over C$610 billion in fossil fuel projects since 2016. This includes financing projects opposed by First Nations, including Coastal Gas Link, the Line 3 pipeline, and the Dakota Access pipeline. The banks' existing green pledges - like TD's "net zero by 2050" - so far do nothing to change these practices, not even to get out of coal, something that other banks around the world are doing, including Desjardins. Participating groups in the "Fossil Fuel Banks No Thanks" national day of action include: 350 Ottawa, 350 Toronto, 350 Vancouver, Below 2c, Climate Legacy, Climate Pledge Collective, Climate Justice Guelph, Divest Canada Coalition, Extinction Rebellion Ottawa, Extinction Rebellion Quebec, Fridays for Future Calgary, Fridays for Future Ottawa, Fridays for Future Toronto, For Our Kids, School Strike for Climate Halifax, and Sustainabiliteens. Across Canada, activities will include small covid-safe demonstrations in front of branches, online actions, postering, and people contacting their bank promising to move their business unless changes are made. Grade 12 student Naisha Khan lives in Surrey, B.C. When she heads to university next year, her frosh week won't include opening an RBC chequing account. This Friday she'll be among a group of students across Canada reaching out to RBC to let the bank know it needs to walk away from fossil fuel finance or it will lose climate-aware students as future customers. "RBC's immense fossil fuel investments, especially those violating Indigenous rights, do not make it an institution I want to support," Khan says. "The inevitable end to fossil fuels is coming and I'm choosing to do what I can to speed that up. RBC needs to stop bankrolling fossil fuels if it wants young Canadians who care about the climate as future customers." Montreal resident Jennifer Roberge is a mom to 10-year old Chloe and 12-year old Tristan. This week she's telling her local RBC branch manager that if RBC doesn't commit to stop investing in fossil fuel projects by Earth Day 2021 (April 22), she'll be moving her business accounts out of RBC. "Every day I grow more concerned about the state of our planet and how climate change will impact my children as they grow and have families of their own. Taking action against climate change can seem overwhelming, but switching banks is not. I'm holding Canadian banks like RBC accountable for supporting Big Oil and turning a blind eye to the critical changes needed now to ensure a safe climate for our children," Roberge says. Toronto 350's Mary Thomas said, "It's time to put Canadian banks on notice and stop fossil fuel projects at their source. We can do this, if we work together." 1 Numbers drawn from Banking on Climate Change: Fossil Fuel Finance Report 2020 and converted into Canadian dollars. SOURCE For Our Kids For further information: Naisha Khan, Sustainabiliteens, [email protected]; Jennifer Roberge, Pour Nos Enfants/For Our Kids Montreal, [email protected]; Mary Thomas, Toronto 350, [email protected] FILE - In this Aug. 30, 2020 file photo, an unidentified man participates in a Blue Lives Matter rally in Kenosha, Wis. University of Wisconsin-Madisons police chief has banned officers from using Thin Blue Line imagery while on duty. The move by Chief Kristen Roman follows criticism on social media of a Thin Blue Line flag displayed at the police departments office. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File) PHOTO:AP Photo/Morry Gash, File Police Chief Bans 'Thin Blue Line' Imagery By The Associated Press MADISON - University of Wisconsin-Madison's police chief has banned officers from using Thin Blue Line imagery while on duty. The move by Chief Kristen Roman follows criticism on social media of a Thin Blue Line flag displayed at the police department's office. The flag, which resembles a U.S. flag but has a blue stripe, is considered a sign of police solidarity, but has also been criticized as a symbol of white supremacy. Roman said the flag has been co-opted by extremists with hateful ideologies and that her department needs to distance itself from the imagery to build trust with the community, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. We must consider the cost of clinging to a symbol that is undeniably and inextricably linked to actions and beliefs antithetical to UWPDs values, she said in a Jan. 15 email. Roman said the ban on public displays of Thin Blue Line imagery includes flags, pins, bracelets, notebooks, coffee mugs and other items. Tattoos are the exception. Thin Blue Line flags were among those displayed by rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. She's a mom of two and has been enjoying a red hot new romance since filing for divorce last July. And on Thursday, Jordana Brewster was seen running some errands with the youngest of the sons she shares with now ex-husband Andrew Form. The actress, 40, held tightly onto four-year-old Rowan's hand as they walked along together in LA. Mom: Jordana Brewster ran some errands in LA on Thursday with her son Rowan, four, holding tightly onto the youngster's hand as they walked Brewster was dressed down in a taupe rain jacket cinched at the waist and a pair of camo and black leggings. She wore her hair up in a messy ponytail and donned sunglasses and a black face mask. Her little boy had on a navy blazer and blue trousers along with a long striped tie loosely knotted around his neck. At one point on their stroll, the attentive mom stopped to take care of the loose laces on Rowan's black ankle boots. Casual: Brewster was dressed in a taupe rain jacket and a pair of camo and black leggings. She wore her hair up in a messy ponytail and donned sunglasses and a black face mask Taking care of her boy: At one point on their stroll, the attentive mom stopped to take care of the loose laces on Rowan's black ankle boots The Fast & Furious star filed for divorce from her producer husband last July 1 after 13 years of marriage. They share Rowan and his older brother Julian, seven, who were both born via gestational surrogate. Shortly after her divorce filing, Brewster went public with her new relationship with tech entrepreneur Mason Morfit, 44. New love: The actress, 40, has been enjoying a red hot romance with tech entrepreneur Mason Morfit, 44, since filing for divorce from producer husband Andrew Form on July 1 Divorce: Brewster and Form (pictured in 2019) met on the set of 2006 movie The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, and they married in May 2007 Mom of two: The exes share Rowan and his older brother Julian, seven. Both boys were born via gestational surrogate Brewster will next be seen on screen in F9, the latest installment in the Fast And Furious franchise that's slated to be released in May after being pushed back due to the pandemic. In October, it was announced that the film's director Justin Lin is set to helm two more movies which will wrap up the franchise after a 20-year run. Brewster is likely to be back along with series headliner Vin Diesel and castmembers Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris. Since the first film The Fast And The Furious premiered in 2001, the franchise has become the highest-grossing movie series in the history of Universal Pictures. Mass Covid-19 vaccination programs are underway in many countries around the world, offering the first glimmer of hope that life as we knew it could be back within our reach. The UK was the first country to begin vaccinating its citizens with a fully vetted and authorized Covid-19 vaccine, and is among the countries with the highest number of vaccines deployed per capita. But just how quickly can the UK -- and perhaps the rest of the world -- expect to return to some form of normality? The truth is, not very soon. Public health experts largely agree that it's unrealistic to bet on the vaccine being a magic bullet to end the pandemic; they say coronavirus safeguards, such as masks and social distancing, are likely to remain in place for several months at least. Dr. Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, told CNN that many factors must be considered before the UK's lockdown is relaxed -- starting with a big drop in severe cases and deaths. "The issue comes down to numbers really," Hunter said. He explained that if the UK was in a similar position to that in August 2020, when the number of number of new cases was below 1,000 on most days -- and dipped to lows of 600 -- and hospitalizations fell below 100 and daily deaths below 10, then the country would be in a better place to ease some of the current restrictions -- given that the vaccination rollout is underway. But outbreaks are still running out of control across the UK, where on Wednesday, more than 25,000 new cases and 1,725 coronavirus deaths were recorded, taking the number of Covid-19 deaths in the country to 101,887. Last week, the picture was also bleak, with more than 35,900 cases reported each day and an average of more than 1,240 daily deaths, according to a seven-day average of government data. Two weeks ago, the UK recorded the highest death rate in the world. More than 37,500 Covid-19 patients are in UK hospitals, with an average of 3,825 patients being admitted on a daily basis, according to the seven-day average of government data. So how quickly the vaccine can flatten the curve remains a key question. There are also many unknowns around the vaccines in use, such as whether or not they can stop transmission -- and for how long they provide immunity. This means it is possible that vaccinated people may still spread the virus, or catch it at a later date, if social distancing measures were to be completely relaxed. And while the UK's vaccine program has been largely successful so far, there's another key factor to keep in mind: Its coverage rates. Firstly, the vaccines are currently only available to priority groups, which make up around 20% of the UK's population: The elderly, those who are clinically vulnerable, and health care workers, all of whom, research suggests, are much more likely to take up the vaccine. As the vaccine becomes available to the wider population, the take-up rate is expected to drop, since some parts of the population will be unable to take it (children and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, for example) -- while others might remain hesitant to take it. For example, multiple surveys have shown resistance among ethnic minority groups, including a recent study commissioned by the UK government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) that found uptake among these groups in the UK ranged widely. The study, based on surveys taken in November, found that 72% of Black or Black British respondents said they were unlikely or very unlikely to take the vaccine. Pakistani and Bangladeshi groups were the next most hesitant minority ethnic group, with 42% unlikely or very unlikely to be vaccinated. This means certain measures may have to remain in place to protect vulnerable people in unvaccinated communities, Hunter said, noting that another surge in cases in the fall and winter is possible, depending on the percentage of the population that is either immune or vaccinated by then. These factors, along with the fact that multiple vaccines are in use and no one vaccine is 100% effective, all take the likelihood of herd immunity -- a situation where enough of the population becomes immune to the virus to block its survival -- off the table, as outlined in a recent paper that Hunter co-wrote. The paper has not yet been peer-reviewed. But Hunter told CNN he is hopeful that some form of normality could come as early as the summer, under a "lot more light touch restrictions," such as mask-wearing and social distancing. This is because, while vaccines may not provide herd immunity, they will help to reduce transmission, since they reduce the risk of developing symptoms and severe disease, and symptomatic cases are around three times more likely to transmit the infection, he said. This should, in turn, push the R number to below one -- a key measure of whether the epidemic is shrinking or growing. The arrival of new coronavirus variants, though, threatens this hope, because experts simply don't know how the vaccines will react to the new variants. Studies already suggest that variant B.1.351 -- first seen in South Africa -- may evade immunity induced by vaccination. Preliminary studies suggest that Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine is effective against the variant first seen in the UK, but on Monday, Moderna said that while their vaccine is "expected to be protective against emerging strains detected to date," including the one from the UK, early studies have suggested it may be somewhat less effective against the variant first reported in South Africa. Moderna said it was developing a new booster vaccine to help fight this reduction. It is unclear if the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, which began its UK rollout earlier this month, will be impacted by the new variants. An Oxford University spokesperson told CNN on Tuesday that they are "carefully assessing the impact of new variants on vaccine immunity and evaluating the processes needed for rapid development of adjusted COVID-19 vaccines if these should be necessary." While the variants continue to present fresh challenges for vaccine programs, scientists are plowing ahead with models to predict a glimpse of what the future may hold. Best-case scenario One study, developed by John Roberts, a member of the Covid-19 Actuaries Response Group, earlier this month, predicts that by the end of March, deaths in the UK may be reduced by nearly 90% and that by mid-March, hospitalizations could fall by almost 60% But the forecast model assumes a best-case scenario where the government meets its target of administering the first dose to all vulnerable groups by February 15 -- and where all those who are offered a shot accept it. Roberts' model also relies on the assumption that the vaccine is 70% effective at preventing infections and 100% effective in preventing serious illness that would lead to hospitalizations and deaths, which the new variants are now threatening. Some experts say it is unclear whether vaccines offer full protection against severe disease and death, arguing that clinical trials have assessed the efficacy against developing symptoms but that data was more limited on severe disease. Others also say a full uptake is unrealistic. Taking these caveats into account and creating a wide range of plausible scenarios could help to predict when we may hope to see some impact -- which is what researchers from the University of Warwick, University of Edinburgh and Imperial College London have done. Last week, the scientists presented a wide selection of models that aim to address the various factors bringing the vaccine rollout -- and its success -- into question. One model explored the options based on vaccine rollout and uptake in light of the B.1.1.7. variant, first seen in the UK. The research, by Dr. Anne Cori and Dr. Marc Baguelin from Imperial College London, found that, unsurprisingly, there would need to be "more restrictions to get the same level of control," due to the arrival of the variant, but also that 78% of the population would need to be protected -- either by vaccination or through immunity, because of a previous infection -- to bring the R number below one. And with various uncertainties around the efficacy of the vaccines being rolled out, they predicted that there would need to be an uptake rate of over 80% to achieve herd immunity -- and that even with a very ambitious vaccination program of 3 million doses per week, it would take four to five months to cover 80% of the UK's population with their first dose. Last week in the UK, more than 2.5 million people received their first dose of the vaccine and 18,177 received a second dose. The researchers estimate population-level immunity in the UK was 19% from past infection as of mid-January. Ultimately, the Imperial models found that the full lifting of restrictions before the summer will "lead to prolonged and potentially multiple periods of pressure on hospitals, and substantial additional deaths." Professor Mark Woolhouse and his team at the University of Edinburgh found similar outcomes. They charted 44 scenarios looking at different coverage rates, variants, mixing patterns, degrees of relaxation of restrictions and how much protection the vaccine offers (versus natural protection from getting sick and then recovering) -- and saw that an extremely gradual relaxation of control measures, starting in the spring and continuing into early 2022, would be a far less risky approach, and could help exit the pandemic without overwhelming the UK's National Health Service (NHS). Valuable data and surveillance While none of the UK models can be applied to other countries, Roberts says nations taking similar approaches to the UK -- for example by rolling out the vaccine to the most vulnerable groups first, alongside national lockdowns or other severe restrictions -- might see, or "hope to see," comparable results. Hunter urges caution in extrapolating and comparing outcomes seen across different countries, but highlights that the strength of the UK's post-vaccine surveillance has been successful, and that data from it may be of use to other countries in the near future. Within a few months, scientists in the UK should be able to examine the impact of a large range of factors, including who has had which vaccine, which doses, and with how big a gap. It's a key step in understanding the effect that the vaccines are having, Hunter explains. "That is going to be of value throughout the world," he said, noting that the UK model could, in turn, help to inform how other countries might plan their rollouts -- and pave the long road back to normal life. Shinsegae Group Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin / Korea Times file By Kim Jae-heun Shinsegae Group Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin made a surprise visit to Naver's headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, to meet Lee Hae-jin, the Internet portal operator's founder and global investment officer (GIO), Thursday. The two were joined by the E-Mart CEO Kang Heui-seok and Naver CEO Han Seong-sook, to discuss possible business partnerships in online shopping. E-Mart is a subsidiary of Shinsegae Group. No specific deal has been confirmed, but a Shinsegae Group official said they discussed areas of common interest where they can create synergy in the retail and e-commerce businesses. Another industry source said Naver will establish a strategic partnership with Shinsegae Group or swap stocks with the retail giant to seek cooperation as it did with CJ Logistics last October. Cooperation between the retail and IT giants is likely to bring about an upheaval in the e-commerce market here by helping Naver consolidate its No.1 position and increase E-Mart's share of the local online market. Korea's online shopping market is growing at breakneck speed. The market was scaled at 135 trillion won in 2019 and is expected to have surpassed 150 trillion won last year. Naver operates an open market service where it invites small dealers to trade products with customers online. There were over 380,000 dealers operating on Naver's shopping platform as of September last year. The IT giant also has an online payment system called Naver Pay that offers major advantages over its rivals. However, Naver lacks the capacity to provide more products than Lotte Shopping or Shinsegae. Befitting its title of being the largest retailer in the country, Shinsegae Group's gross merchandise value stood at 40 trillion won as of 2019, which is double the amount of Naver's. Meanwhile, E-Mart's online business SSG.com's gross merchandise value stood at a little over 4 trillion. If it can collaborate with Naver, E-Mart's only sales could increase sharply. Chung's meeting with Lee is viewed as a preparatory step ahead of fierce competition with Coupang and 11st. Coupang is reportedly going public in the first half of this year and 11st has established a business partnership with Amazon, the world's largest online retailer. Both Naver and Shinsegae face aggressive marketing by Coupang and 11st in the local market where competition is expected to intensify further. Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube holds a mask during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, at the legislature in Quebec City. Quebec is reporting 1,295 new COVID-19 cases and 50 deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, including nine in the previous 24 hours. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot Every day, parents and guardians entrust the well-being of their children to others, to provide care and/or recreational opportunities, Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a statement. When a person abuses that trust, and sexually assaults a child whose safety has been entrusted to them, we know the consequences they are severe and long-lasting. 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. NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (AP) Myanmars election commission rejected allegations by the military that fraud played a significant role in determining the outcome of Novembers elections, which delivered a landslide victory to Aung San Suu Kyis ruling party. The decision, announced Thursday, came amid heightened tensions after the military, which had ruled Myanmar for five decades until 2015, refused to rule out the possibility of a coup if their complaints were ignored. Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party captured 396 out of 476 seats in the Nov. 8 polls, allowing them to form the government for another five years. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party won only 33 seats. The military has been calling on the government and the Union Election Commission to review the results. It says it has found 8.6 million irregularities in voter lists in 314 townships that could have let voters cast multiple ballots or commit other "voting malpractice, but the election commission said there was no evidence to support these claims. On Tuesday, a military spokesperson declined to rule out a coup, saying the military would continue to file complaints about alleged irregularities in line with laws and the constitution. Myanmars military chief Min Aung Hlaing on Wednesday told senior officers in a speech that the constitution could be revoked if the laws are not being properly enforced. The constitution is the mother law for all laws. So we all need to abide by the constitution. If one does not follow the law, such law must be revoked. If it is the constitution, it is necessary to revoke the constitution, he said. The party of Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace prize laureate, won the previous elections in 2015 also in a landslide. But her ability to run the country has been hamstrung by a clause in the 2008 army-drafted constitution giving the military 25% of the seats in parliament that allows it to block constitutional reforms. Story continues Khin Zaw Win, a political analyst in Yangon and former political prisoner, suggested the military was signaling its intention to intervene in the countrys politics. The militarys course of action is much clearer now. As illogical as it sounds, military chief Min Aung Hlaings argument is meant to soften the blow of abrogating the 2008 constitution, he said. By doing so, he aims to do away with the election results and the impending NLD government. At the same time he wants to win public support for scrapping the unpopular constitution, he added. The U.N. released a statement Thursday saying the secretary-general is following with great concern recent developments in Myanmar. He urges all actors to desist from any form of incitement or provocation, to demonstrate leadership, and to adhere to democratic norms and respect the outcome of the 8 November general election. All electoral disputes should be resolved through established legal mechanisms, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Diplomatic missions in Myanmar also issued a joint statement on Friday expressing support for the democratic process. We urge the military, and all other parties in the country, to adhere to democratic norms, and we oppose any attempt to alter the outcome of the elections or impede Myanmars democratic transition, said the statement issued by the EU, the U.S., Australia and others. Myanmars parliament will convene on Monday with military representatives registered to attend the session. ___ Associated Press writer Bill Bredesen in Bangkok contributed to this report. The White House press briefing room was almost exclusively filled with female journalists on Thursday, when just one male reporter was present to as questions of President Biden's press secretary Jen Psaki. A week after ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN all announced the appointment of female White House correspondents, cameras inside the White House briefing room on Thursday showed that the trend toward women holding those coveted positions extends well beyond the major networks. Twitter observers and the White House correspondents themselves remarked on the shift, noting that all but one seat in the room was filled by a woman. Ladies first: White House press secretary Jen Psaki's press briefing room on Thursday was almost exclusively filled with female journalists Women in media: Twelve female and one male reporter sat in the room, joined by several male photographers and videographers New faces: Among those in the room were Kaitlan Collins (pictured), who was just named chief White House correspondent for CNN Spree: In the first 20 minutes, Psaki answered eight questions, all from female reporters like Patsy Widakuswara (left) and Politico's Anita Kumar (right) Reporting: Sabrina Siddiqui, a White House correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, was also among those to ask questions Interesting! Several of the correspondents took to Twitter to note the female-filled room which included ABC News' Mary Bruce (right) and Annie Linskey (left) from the Washington Post Who were the journalists in Thursday's briefing? FEMALE REPORTERS Kaitlan Collins, CNN Anita Kumar, Politico Patsy Widakuswara, The Voice of America Mary Bruce, ABC News Sabrina Siddiqui, Washington Post Nancy Cook, Bloomberg News Annie Linskey, Washington Post Janet Rodriguez, Univision Cecilia Vega, ABC Nandita Bose, Reuters Raquel Krahenbuhl, Globo News TV Associated Press MALE REPORTER Rob Crilly, Washington Examiner Advertisement White House press secretary Psaki stood at the podium fielding questions from woman after woman on Thursday. Twelve female and one male reporter sat in the room, joined by several male photographers and videographers. In the first 20 minutes of the briefing, Psaki answered eight questions, all from female reporters. There are currently limited numbers of press present in each briefing so that correspondents can maintain social distance amid the pandemic - and reporters are being given spots on a rotating basis, meaning that there will not always be such a heavy ratio of women to men. However, social media users were quick to celebrate the high number of women in the briefing room on Thursday, including several members of the press who were present. One such female reporter, Nancy Cook of Bloomberg News, remarked on the phenomenon on Twitter. 'I was struck today, sitting in the WH briefing room, that the first four rows of seats were ALL female reporters from TV, the wires and print,' she wrote. That's a cool moment.' 'And from my last row seat it was amazing to see all women in there, only one man reporter was present,' added Janet Rodriguez from Univision. 'Really good to see all those female reporters in the front rows of the White House briefing right now,' Washington Post White House Reporter Seung Min Kim chimed in. Chiming in: Raquel Krahenbuhl, a correspondent for Globo News TV in Brazil, also asked a question (left), as did Nancy Cook of Bloomberg News (right) Topics: Questions at the briefing covered immigration, vaccine distribution, and foreign affairs. Univision's Janet Rodriguez is pictured You go girls: More White House correspondents, including Reuters' Nandita Bose (right) and ABC's Cecilia Vega (left) are pictured at Thursdays's briefing Listening in: A reporter from the Associated Press made up the dozen women present Raising the bar: Washington Examiner White House correspondent Rob Crilly noted that he was the lone male journalist there on Thursday so he picked out a special face mask Other Twitter users have noticed, too. 'It's so lovely to note that almost all the press in the room were women women asking intelligent questions in a civil & polite manner & being answered in the same way,' wrote one. 'What a relief from when the press were mostly belligerent men bellowing insults to a bubbleheaded Barbie!' 'Love seeing so many women reporters in todays Whitehouse [sic] daily press briefing,' tweeted another. Washington Post White House reporter Matt Viser weighed in as well, tweeting: 'Pretty impressive that, 20 minutes into the White House briefing, there have been eight reporters who have asked questions. All female. 'With questions answered by a female press secretary.' Washington Post White House reporter Matt Viser tweeted: 'Pretty impressive that, 20 minutes into the White House briefing, there have been eight reporters who have asked questions. All female. With questions answered by a female press secretary' Nancy Cook of Bloomberg News remarked: 'I was struck today, sitting in the WH briefing room, that the first four rows of seats were ALL female reporters from TV, the wires and print' 'And from my last row seat it was amazing to see all women in there, only one man reporter was present,' added Janet Rodriguez from Univision 'Really good to see all those female reporters in the front rows of the White House briefing right now,' Washington Post White House Reporter Seung Min Kim chimed in Meanwhile, Washington Examiner White House correspondent Rob Crilly noted that he was the lone male journalist there on Thursday so he picked out a special face mask for the occasion. 'I'm the only male journalist with a briefing room seat today so I figured I would make an effort,' he wrote. Social media users were celebrating the female shift last week when four major networks appointed new White House correspondents. According to The Hill, ABC appointed Cecilia Vega as chief White House correspondent, CNN gave the position to Kaitlan Collins, CBS News tapped Nancy Cordes, and NBC assigned White House coverage to Kristen Welker and Peter Alexander. Fox News also named Peter Doocy a White House correspondent, joining Kristin Fisher, who will continue in the role. Yamiche Alcindor will continue in her role for PBS. SACRAMENTO Two days before Californias partial eviction moratorium was set to expire, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Friday to allow thousands of people behind on their rent because of the coronavirus pandemic to stay in their homes. Newsom signed SB91, extending the states moratorium for five more months and creating a program to distribute $2.6 billion in emergency rental assistance. California received the money through the coronavirus aid package that Congress passed last month. We recognize we have to do more and we have to continue to support those most vulnerable in this pandemic-induced economy, Newsom said. But this is a significant moment. The governor signed the bill during a ceremony live-streamed on social media. Also speaking were legislative leaders and a woman whose family fell ill with the coronavirus and is now months behind on rent, but has been spared from possible eviction because of the moratorium. State legislators approved the bill Thursday with near-unanimous bipartisan support. While lawmakers agreed its imperfect, they said urgent action was needed to prevent mass evictions. We knew if we didnt act, in a few days that lifeline would slip through our fingers and more Californians would suffer, said Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego. We know that there are more struggling Californians who need our help to stay in their homes. The bill allows tenants facing financial hardship because of the pandemic to stay in their homes until at least the end of June, when property owners could again pursue evictions for nonpayment of rent. Newsom said the bill was designed to help people like Graciela Alvarado, a mother of three from Moreno Valley (Riverside County) whose entire family got COVID-19 in September. Alvarado said she and her husband lost their jobs, and the family now owes $8,000 in back rent. I want to say, thank you, Alvarado said as tears filled her eyes. The bill will help my family to keep going. The federal rental assistance is meant for low-income tenants, based on criteria such an unemployment eligibility, lost earnings and medical costs. To qualify, the members of a household must make 80% or less of the median income for their county, a figure determined annually by the state housing department. It could be several weeks before the assistance is available. The amount of assistance a tenant receives also depends on whether the property owner is willing to participate in the program. California will cover 80% of the rent missed from April 2020 through March 2021, as long as the property owner forgives the rest of what the renter owes and does not pursue an eviction. If the landlord wont participate, the tenant will receive only 25% of the back rent for that 12-month period. That total is still enough to keep a tenant from being evicted when the moratorium expires. Under the moratorium law, property owners would have to pursue the rest of the rent debt in small claims court. San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Alexei Koseff contributed to this report. Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner Jack Pelling and Steve Smith both got hot in the cold weather at Freehold Raceway on Thursday, as they each made multiple trips to victory lane on the 10-race card. Pelling's patience paid off for most of his winning drives. He gave Beaver Creek Misty a perfect pocket trip in Race 1 and then popped her out in the stretch for the win for owner/trainer John Urbanski. He gave a similar winning drive to Tom Lail trainee Bad Day Black Rock in Race 3. In Race 8 he came from behind to win on Beach Fire K for trainer Aaron Lambert and the late owner/breeder Robert Key. Smith won twice for trainer Bruce Lauer. He made a bold three-wide move with Prom King in Race 7 and powered away to victory from there. In Race 9 he guided Bruces Magic up the passing lane in the stretch to give Lauer his second win of the day. Smith completed the hat trick in Race 10 as he drove Caviar Star to a gate-to-wire win. Smith now has 16 wins during the winter/spring meet, placing him tied for second with Dan Dube. Pelling's 13 wins are the fourth-most of any driver this season. Lail and Lauer were two of the three trainers to register training doubles on the Thursday card. Urbanski also won two races on the day. In addition to his Race 1 win, he sent out Shesnobeachboy to a 26/- upset victory in Race 2. Luke Hanners had the winning drive. Live racing at Freehold continues on Friday with a 10-race card starting at12:30 p.m. (Freehold) BOSTON, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC and subadvised by both Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC, and Wells Capital Management Incorporated, announced today sources of its monthly distribution of $0.1380 per share paid to all shareholders of record as of December 31, 2020, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Logo: John Hancock Investment Management (CNW Group/John Hancock Investment Management) Notification of Sources of Distribution This notice provides shareholders of the John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) with important information concerning the distribution declared on December 21, 2020, and payable on January 29, 2021. No action is required on your part. Distribution Period: January 2021 Distribution Amount Per Common Share: $0.1380 The following table sets forth the estimated sources of the current distribution, payable January 29, 2021, and the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year to date from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short term capital gains; net realized long term capital gains; and return of capital or other capital source. All amounts are expressed on a per common share basis and as a percentage of the distribution amount. For the period 01/1/2021-01/31/2021 For the fiscal year-to-date period 11/1/2020-01/31/2021 1 Source Current Distribution ($) % Breakdown of the Current Distribution Total Cumulative Distributions ($) % Breakdown of the Total Cumulative Distributions Net Investment Income 0.0726 53% 0.3511 85% Net Realized Short- Term Capital Gains 0.0000 0% 0.0000 0% Net Realized Long- Term Capital Gains 0.0000 0% 0.0000 0% Return of Capital or Other Capital Source 0.0654 47% 0.0629 15% Total per common share 0.1380 100% 0.4140 100% Average annual total return (in relation to NAV) for the 5 years ended on December 31, 2020 8.00% Annualized current distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of December 31, 2020 7.31% Cumulative total return (in relation to NAV) for the fiscal year through December 31, 2020 6.73% Cumulative fiscal year-to-date distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of December 31, 2020 1.83% 1 The Fund's current fiscal year began on November 1, 2020, and will end on October 31, 2021. Story continues You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution plan. The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The Fund has declared the January 2021 distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "Plan"). Under the Plan, the Fund makes fixed monthly distributions in the amount of $0.1380 per share, which will continue to be paid monthly until further notice. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact your financial professional or call the John Hancock Investment Management Closed-End Fund Information Line at 1-800-843-0090, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial John Hancock is a division of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading international financial services group that helps people achieve their dreams and aspirations by putting customers' needs first and providing the right advice and solutions. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and as Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups, and institutions. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were over CAD$1.3 trillion (US$943 billion) as of September 30, 2020. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as MFC on the TSX, NYSE, and PSE, and under 945 on the SEHK. Manulife can be found at manulife.com. One of the largest life insurers in the United States, John Hancock supports approximately 10 million Americans with a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, and education savings plans. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/john-hancock-tax-advantaged-dividend-income-fund-notice-to-shareholders--sources-of-distribution-under-section-19a-301218338.html SOURCE John Hancock Investment Management GARDAI investigating a serious assault in Ennis, County Clare last night are appealing for witnesses. At around 6.20pm, gardai were alerted to the assault in the Market area of the town. "A woman in her late 20s was taken to University Hospital Limerick with what is described as serious injuries," confirmed a garda spokesperson. A man in his mid-30s was arrested a short time later and he currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at Shannon Garda Station. Gardai are appealing for anybody who may have witnessed this incident or were in the Market area of Ennis between 5.30pm and 6.30pm to contact them. Gardai are also appealing to any road users, particularly those with camera footage, to contact the Incident Room at Ennis Garda Station on 065 6848100 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666-111. Model is largely supported by data from early days of COVID-19 pandemic in UK and Ireland Drawing on animal-foraging theory, a new model predicts psychological factors that may lead to panic buying during times of crisis. The model is largely supported by real-world data from the COVID-19 pandemic. Richard Bentall of the University of Sheffield, England, and colleagues presented these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on January 27. In the early stages of the pandemic, consumers in several countries around the world engaged in "panic buying" of household items, causing temporary shortages of toilet rolls and other products. Such behavior is typical during times of crisis, but few studies have examined the psychology of crisis-driven over-purchasing. To better understand this phenomenon, Bentall and colleagues turned to animal-foraging theory, which considers tradeoffs between exploiting familiar local resources and traveling to seek resources of unknown abundance. They used this framework to develop a model that incorporates demographic, situational, and psychological factors to predict which factors lead to over-purchasing. The researchers then tested the model using data from surveys conducted in 3,066 households in the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland shortly after strict physical distancing measures were first enacted. Participants self-reported their over-purchasing behaviors, as well as income, feelings of neighborhood belongingness, psychological distress, and other factors that might impact purchasing behaviors. The survey showed that households that engaged in over-purchasing typically bought a wide range of products, rather than focusing on a single category. Over-purchasing was associated with higher income, the presence of children in the household, and a greater degree of psychological distress, threat sensitivity, and mistrust of others. These findings were largely in line with the model's predictions. However, there were a few exceptions; for instance, greater neighborhood belongingness was unexpectedly associated with over-purchasing, perhaps because close neighbors talk amongst themselves about observed product shortages. The researchers suggest that their model could help inform policies to mitigate panic-buying during future crises. Additional research could refine the model and examine it in the context of various types of crises. The authors add: "Buying excessively and stockpiling is a natural response to a crisis, and can be adaptive if it does not lead to shortages. Governments who wish to avoid the shortages caused by panic buying need to pay attention to the psychology of this phenomenon and the cues that provoke this kind of behaviour." ### Citation: Bentall RP, Lloyd A, Bennett K, McKay R, Mason L, Murphy J, et al. (2021) Pandemic buying: Testing a psychological model of over-purchasing and panic buying using data from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS ONE 16(1): e0246339. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1371/ journal. pone. 0246339 Funding: The initial stages of this project were supported by start-up funds from the University of Sheffield (Department of Psychology, the Sheffield Methods Institute and the Higher Education Innovation Fund via an Impact Acceleration grant administered by the university) and by the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences at Ulster University. The research was subsequently supported by the ESRC under grant number ES/V004379/1 and awarded to RPB, TKH, LL, JGM, MS, JM, OM, KB and LM. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Staying at home prevented two million tonnes of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere last year as motorists inadvertently did their bit for climate action. Transport emissions fell by 17pc because of Covid travel restrictions, proving a permanent change in commuting habits could have a significant role in cutting carbon. Covid drove other emissions up, however, sparking a 9pc rise from the residential sector as people worked and studied, or were left unemployed, at home with lights and heating on for longer than normal. Emissions from the energy industry fell by 14pc but this had little to do with the pandemic and was a result of the move away from coal and peat in electricity generation to renewable energy instead. Rebound A slight rise in agricultural emissions is expected as a result of increased fuel and fertiliser use. The figures, from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, are estimates to be verified later this year but usually have a high degree of accuracy. Overall they amount to a fall in emissions of 6pc, close to the 7pc annual average to which the Government has committed. However, EPA director general Laura Burke said the post-Covid economic rebound would push emissions back up. "While these early estimates show a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for 2020 as a result of Covid restrictions, this level of emission reductions, at a minimum, will be required annually," she said. Climate Action Minister Eamon Ryan said the figures showed the scale of the changes required to the way the population lived if emissions were to be reduced. "Just doing less than business-as-usual will not be enough, we must make fundamental changes to how we live our lives," he said. remaining of Thank you for reading! This is your last free article before you will be asked to subscribe. Already have a paid subscription? Sign in OLX Autos, the automobile business of OLX India and Indias leading pre-owned omnichannel marketplace, has recently appointed Lowe Lintas as its agency. The Delhi office of Lowe Lintas has won this business on the back of its robust understanding of the Indian consumer, strong experience with auto brands and the repertoire of work done for OLX in the past. The agency's scope primarily includes delivering offline and digital communication for the brand, amongst other responsibilities. Launched late last year, OLX Autos aims to provide easy and clear solutions for the Used Cars market by integrating the offline and online car buying experience. In the Indian pre-owned car market, which still remains mostly unorganised, ease and transparency are crucial for any brand to thrive. OLX Autos plans to bring transparency, trust and harmony to the entire car buying experience by way of technological innovations and consumer-centric initiatives. Commenting on its association with Lowe Lintas, Sapna Arora, Regional Head for OLX Autos Brand, CMO (India), Head Public Relations (India) said: "We are delighted to welcome Lowe Lintas on board OLX, especially as we expand our retail presence and online autos marketplace business across India to solidify OLX Autos as Indias leading omnichannel pre-owned automobile marketplace. The consumer-centric approach of Lowe Lintas will enable us to extend our connection with the existing consumer base while also tapping into a newer consumer base of first-time car owners. We look forward to delighting our consumers, dealer partners and automobile ecosystem with memorable brand campaigns that have made OLX a household brand across India." Lowe Lintas will develop integrated campaigns with an objective to fulfil the brand's vision to become the most-trusted choice for car buyers and sellers in India. Excited about the win, Naveen Gaur, Deputy CEO, Lowe Lintas said: "OLX and Lowe Lintas have had a great relationship, and the work we did in past still resonates with people today. It is great to be on board with them again for their Autos business. They appreciate our skill set when it comes to understanding the Indian consumer, insights, strategy and expertise in a digital consumption world. We look forward to creating powerful work on OLX Autos in the coming year." Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Ukraine and Moldova held the first round of negotiations on amendments to the intergovernmental Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on January 28, 2021. Ukraine and Moldova started drafting a Protocol between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Moldova on amendments to the Free Trade Agreement and agreed on a number of its provisions, the Government portal reported. The negotiations have begun with the aim of applying the provisions of the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin in trade relations between Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. The parties also discussed topical issues of bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The event was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture - Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka and State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure of the Republic of Moldova Iuliana Dragalin. ish Intern - Public Information UNRIC Desk Benelux & EU, Brussels, Belgium Organization: Department of Global Communications Country: Belgium City: Brussels, Belgium Office: DGC in Brussels, Belgium Grade: I-1 Closing date: Wednesday, 10 February 2021 Posting Title: INTERN - PUBLIC INFORMATION UNRIC Desk Benelux & EU - Brussels, I (Temporary Job Opening) Job Code Title: INTERN - PUBLIC INFORMATION Department/Office: Department of Global Communications Duty Station: BRUSSELS Posting Period: 18 January 2021 - 10 February 2021 Job Opening Number: 21-Public Information-DGC-147750-J-Brussels (A) United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity Organisational Setting and Reporting The position is located in the UN Regional Information Centre for Western Europe in Brussels. The Centre covers 22 countries and works in 13 languages. We provide fact sheets and communication materials, collaborate with partners in organising events, help arrange Model United Nations (MUN) and answer questions on subjects concerning the United Nations and its public awareness campaigns. The internship is for six (6) months at maximum and UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week (35 hours) under the direct supervision of the Benelux & EU Desk Officer of UNRIC. Responsibilities Daily media monitoring of Benelux press; Assisting with the editing and publishing content on websites, official social media accounts and other official digital communication channels; Assisting with creating and editing infographics and other visuals or videos for posting on official digital communication channels; Assisting in organising events in Brussels; Contributing ideas to projects for enhancing the reach of official digital communication channels, identifying opportunities to reach a wider audience; Monitoring the usage of website and social media accounts using analytics and other statistical tools and techniques; Perform other related duties, as required. Competencies TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients" and seeks to see things from clients point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client. Education To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met: Tags covid human rights humanitarian law internship media monitoring public information unpaid western europe Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelors level or equivalent); or (c) have graduated with a university degree (as defined above); Be computer literate in standard software applications; Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views. Work Experience Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is desirable. Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English, French, and Dutch is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable. Assessment Potential candidates will be contacted by hiring manager directly for further consideration. Special Notice "In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, applicants may be requested to undertake the internship remotely in view of constraints regarding visa issuance, international travel and access to UN premises. Applicants must be willing and prepared to undertake the internship remotely for a part or the entirety of the internship." A completed online application (Cover Note and Personal History Profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The Cover Note must include: Title of degree you are currently pursuing Graduation Date (when will you be graduating from the programme) List the IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in. List your top three areas of interest/department preferences Explain why you are the best candidate for that specific department (s). Explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme In your Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references. Due to a high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted. United Nations Considerations According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term "sexual exploitation" means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term "sexual abuse" means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term "sexual harassment" means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrators working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General. Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on "Manuals" hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date. No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS BANK ACCOUNTS. Photo: Flickr: Province of British Columbia Premier John Horgan is applauding Justin Trudeau and the federal government's move to suspend flights to all Caribbean destinations and Mexico until April 30. "We welcome the new international travel measures announced by the federal government today. These steps will strengthen the health and safety screenings at our borders and help keep British Columbians and all Canadians safer," said Horgan in a statement. Prime Minister Trudeau announced that in the coming weeks, non-essential travelers will also have to show a negative test before entry at the land border with the United States. Friday's announcement also indicated plans are underway to add mandatory hotel quarantine and airport testing for incoming travellers. "Our government had been calling for mandatory quarantine measures to restrict international travel further. We trust the federal government's efforts to monitor and follow up with these travellers will be vigilant," Horgan says. Earlier this month Horgan asked for a legal opinion on the feasibility of an inter-provincial travel ban and he pointed out that the provincial NDP government has been calling for more robust measures and indeed led the way in some areas, like self-isolation plans which were first implemented back in April 2020. "Our message about non-essential travel remains the same: if you do not need to travel, don't. I continue to speak with the prime minister and premiers across the country about ways we can continue to limit non-essential interprovincial travel." Horgan is feeling optimistic about prospects changing now that vaccines are being administered. "With vaccines on the way, we look forward to the day when we can once again welcome visitors to B.C. safely. Until then, we ask everyone to please stay home." Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing, and Air Transat will suspend service to all Caribbean destinations, and starting next week, all international passenger flights must land at only four airports in Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal. All medical staff in Vietnam to be tested for Covid-19 amid rising fears The Health Ministry on Friday ordered all medical facilities across the country to urgently carry out Covid-19 testing for all healthcare workers amid the resurgence of Covid-19. The move came just one day after Vietnam detected 93 community transmissions, mostly in Hai Duong and Quang Ninh, following 57 clean days. Hundreds of medical experts have been sent to the outbreak areas for contact tracing and mass testing to prevent the virus from spreading. Medical facilities are required to cooperate with disease control centers or hospitals capable of testing for Covid-19 using Realtime RT-PCR to collect samples from all medical staff for screening, deputy health minister Nguyen Truong Son said in the directive. Hospitals are also required to take samples of all patients in departments of emergency, emergency resuscitation, intensive care and random samples of at least 30 percent of inpatients in the remaining departments for coronavirus testing to early detect potential Covid-19 cases. During the Covid-19 outbreak in Da Nang City in July last year, a series of hospitals were determined coronavirus hubs, leading to a number of medical workers and in-patients, including those in critically-ill condition, being infected with the virus. Hai Duong is now the biggest hotspot with 77 cases, followed by Quang Ninh with 13 cases, with one each in Hanoi, Bac Ninh and Hai Phong. Hai Duongs Chi Linh Town, with around 220,000 residents, has been put under lockdown for 21 days starting Thursday noon. Infections in Hai Duong are linked to a 34-year-old Vietnamese woman who flew to Japan last week and tested positive there for the coronavirus variant that originated in the U.K. and is believed to be 70 percent more contagious than other strains. So far, 1,651 cases have been recorded nationally, with 35 deaths. Dr. Miriam Adelson, wife of businessman and philanthropist Sheldon Adelson, arrives at her husband's funeral in the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem on Jan. 15, 2021. (Israel Hayom via JNS) - Businessman and philanthropist Sheldon Adelson, whose contribution to Israel and Jewish life throughout the world, was laid to rest on Friday in a private ceremony in Jerusalem with close family members present. He passed away on Jan. 11 at the age of 87. Dr. Miriam Adelson, his wife and partner in so many of his projects, eulogized him as someone who could not be replaced due to his sheer impact on so many levels. "It may seem strange, here in Jerusalem, the heart of Israel, which was so dear to Sheldon's heart, I am eulogizing my husband, in English, rather tha... CLEVELAND, Ohio President Biden will nominate at least two federal judges in Cleveland in the coming months, filling the seats of longtime jurists who will become senior judges next week. U.S. District Judge Patricia Gaughan, the chief judge for the Northern District of Ohio, said Thursday that Judge James Gwin has notified Bidens office that he will take senior status, effective Monday. Earlier this week, Judge Dan Polster gave notice to the presidents staff, and he also will shift to senior status Monday. A third judge, Solomon Oliver, said Thursday, Im giving this serious consideration, and I will announce my final decision in the next few days. The decisions of Gwin and Polster enable Biden to fill the positions with his appointees, while the judges continue to hear cases on senior status. Had the judges decided last year, then-President Trump would have had the ability to fill the seats. Gwin said he sent his letter to Bidens office Jan. 20, the day of the inauguration. He and Polster join a growing number of federal judges across the country who have sought to retire or become senior judges. This will enhance the bench, Gaughan said. Well have more judicial officers to handle the issues before the court. With senior status, we dont lose the experience or the historical perspective that they bring to the bench. On a broader scale, the issue is even more significant, legal experts said. The moves come at a time when Biden plans to explore the federal judiciary. This is huge, and it is happening all over the country, said J. Dean Carro, an emeritus professor of law at the University of Akron. I suspect the numbers will continue to go up. Judges waited to see who would win the election and who would control the Senate. It would be reasonable to assume they wanted to make sure their legacies were preserved. As senior judges, Polster and Gwin can elect to take fewer cases. Both, however, told Gaughan that they will not seek a reduced workload. Polster said he will continue to oversee the nationwide opioid litigation, which involves more than 2,500 federal lawsuits brought by cities, counties and tribal lands involving pharmaceutical companies that manufactured and distributed painkillers. Gwin, 66, was nominated by then-President Clinton in 1997. He had served in private practice in Canton and had been a Stark County Common Pleas judge. Clinton also selected Polster, 69, that same year. Clinton appointed Oliver, 73, in 1994. He served as chief judge for the district from 2010 to 2017. Besides Oliver, Gaughan and Judge John Adams are the other judges eligible for senior status in the Northern District of Ohio. The district has 15 judges. Gaughan, as chief judge, said she would not take senior status. Her term as chief judge ends in 2023. Adams said he has no intention of seeking senior status in the near future. Four others in the district Donald Nugent, James Carr, Jack Zouhary and Christopher Boyko already are senior judges. The federal judiciary relies on the rule of 80, which means a judge can take senior status or retire starting at age 65 if he or she has at least 15 years on the bench. The required number of years of service decreases the older a judge gets. A judge who is 70 and has 10 years of experience also would qualify. Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman, Ohios two U.S. senators, are expected to submit nominations for Gwin and Polsters replacements in the coming months. Nominees could be chosen by summer. Fred T. Korematsu honored as Asian American Civil Rights pioneer Fred T. Korematsu honored as Asian American Civil Rights pioneer January 29, 2021 Contact: Vicki Levengood 517-775-0558 or Beata Kica 517-614-9773 The Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission (MAPAAC) and Michigan Civil Right Commission (MCRC) join Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in recognizing Fred T. Korematsu for his contributions to civil rights and his dedication to justice and equality by proclaiming January 30, 2021 as Fred Korematsu Day. On January 30, 1919, Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland, California, to Japanese immigrants. In 1942, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States Army issued a curfew order against Americans of Japanese descent on the West Coast, who were considered to pose a threat to national security. At the young age of 23, Korematsu refused to abide by the governments order. He was convicted of violating the order but appealed his case, taking it to the Supreme Court. On December 18, 1944, in Korematsu v. United States the Supreme Court affirmed Korematsus conviction and ruled that the exclusion and detention of Japanese Americans was constitutionally protected under the war powers of Congress and the President of the United States. Nearly 40 years after the landmark Korematsu decision, Professor Peter Irons and Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga discovered secret documents that revealed that the government had hidden facts from the Supreme Court. The documents discovered indicated that the ordering of the internment of Japanese Americans in the name of national security was based on a lie. This new development allowed Fred Korematsu to appeal his case in 1983 a case which he won. Fred Korematsus tireless efforts were significant in the struggle for civil rights for all people, earning him a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton in 1998. We are honored to recognize Fred T. Korematsu for his courage and achievements as a role model for Asians Pacific Americans civil rights, MAPAAC Chair Ayesha Ghazi Edwin said. He stood up and spoke out against discrimination and promoted racial equality. His legacy serves as an example for all Americans. Fred Korematsus life, from the moment he refused to go to an incarceration camp to the day he received the nations highest civilian honor, is a lesson in commitment, resolve and dedication to what is right, said Stacie Clayton, Chair of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. He never wavered in his pursuit of justice even as decades passed, courts ruled against him and memories faded. The lesson of Fred Korematsus life is this: standing up for justice and equity may not lead to immediate change, but your actions will inspire others and build momentum to overcome obstacles that once seemed unscalable. Fred Korematsu stands today as a true hero of the civil rights movement. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has designated January 30, 2021 as Fred Korematsu Day in his honor. It is also known as the Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, celebrated annually on his birthday. Hawaii, Virginia and Florida have also established a day of recognition in honor of Fred Korematsus fight for justice and the importance of upholding our civil liberties and the Constitution. The Michigan Civil Rights Commission was created by the Michigan Constitution to safeguard constitutional and legal guarantees against discrimination. The Commission is charged with investigating alleged discrimination against any person because of religion, race, color or national origin, genetic information, sex, age, marital status, height, weight, arrest record, and physical and mental disability. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights serves as the operational arm of the Commission. Learn more about MCRC at www.michigan.gov/MDCR. MAPAAC works to advance the full and equal participation of Asian Pacific Americans in the building of a greater Michigan. Learn more about MAPAAC at www.michigan.gov/MAPAAC Home > 2021 > Accept Farmers Demand, Repeal Farm Laws: CPI | Press Release, Jan (...) Communist Party of India January 27, 2021 Press Release The National Secretariat of the Communist Party of India issued the following statement today (January 27, 2021) urging the government to accept the farmers demand and to repeal the farm laws: The National Secretariat of the Communist Party of India congratulates the farmers and their unions for the successful tractor rally on January 26, 2021, the Republic Day. The ongoing farmers agitation has already acquired a Pan-India dimension. The country has been witnessing protests and solidarity actions in all the states. The CPI reiterates its support and solidarity to the agitating farmers. The party extends its support to the decision of the farmers unions to continue the struggle. The CPI urges upon the government not to be rigid but to be realistic and reasonable to accept the demands of the farmers for repealing the three anti-farmer farm laws. The untoward incidents in the national capital during the tractor rally should not detract the focus from the primary issue of repeal of the laws. The party appreciates the peaceful and non-violent conduct of the farmers in the midst of agent provocateurs and repressive measures of police such as lathi-charge, tear gas, etc. The CPI once again urges the government to repeal the three farm laws in the forthcoming budget session of the Parliament. (Roykutty) Office Secretary Six people were killed, while 11 others were sent to a hospital on Thursday after a liquid nitrogen leak at a northeast Georgia poultry plant. Authorities said at least three of those hospitalized were in critical condition. According to Zachary Brackett of Hall County Fire Services, firefighters responded to a report of burns at the Foundation Food Group plant, formerly Prime Pak Foods, in Gainesville at around 10:12 a.m. Brackett noted that within 10 minutes, they had updated it to a hazardous materials response, NBC News reported. "Once the units arrived, they found a large contingent of employees that had evacuated, along with multiple victims that were in that crowd that were also experiencing medical emergencies around the facility," Brackett said in a CNBC report. Authorities did not immediately disclose the names and ages of the victims. The cause of the leak and the deaths are now being investigated by the state fire marshal, sheriff's deputies, and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). "It will be a lengthy process... It's not something that's quick," said Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch in an Associated Press report. Poultry plants depend on refrigeration systems that can include liquid nitrogen. Nicholas Ancrum, the Foundation Food Group Vice President for Human Resources, described the leak as a tragic accident. He noted that early indications include a nitrogen line ruptured in the facility. He said those who died include maintenance, supervisory, and management team members. Ancrum added that their hearts go to the families and communities who have suffered such loss. Beth Downs, a spokesperson for Northeast Georgia Health System, said five people died at the Gainesville plant before they were taken to the hospital and one died in the emergency room. Read also: Controversial Social Network Parler Is Back From Its Abrupt Shutdown Victims of Liquid Nitrogen Leak in Georgia Poultry Plant Brackett also reported that at least four firefighters were brought to a hospital due to what he described as respiratory complaints. One firefighter remained hospitalized until late Thursday. But Brackett said he is doing well and ready to go home tomorrow. Hall County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Derreck Booth said officials were trying to notify the families of the deceased. Meanwhile, Mexico's Foreign Relations Department said that two of the people who died at the incident were Mexican citizens. Company's History of Violations Prime Pak Foods has merged into Foundation Food Group early this month. The latter is a company that takes raw chicken and processes it into products such as chicken fingers and individual chicken cuts for restaurants and foodservice operations. According to an Aljazeera report, the CEO of the said company did not respond to comment on the issue. Records available online showed that the plant had been cited by OSHA for violations four times in the past 10 years. One of its most serious violations was in September 2015, when 28 violations were recorded, including failing to ensure that machines were properly safeguarded during maintenance to prevent injuries. Another one was in 2017 when it involved employees who had fingers amputated by machinery. Read more: Wife Stabs Husband After Seeing Pictures of Her Younger Self, Thought He Was Cheating Sen. Ted Cruz has burned bridges in Congress, according to a Twitter exchange between him and a congresswoman. While not totally rare for the junior senator to side with his progressive colleagues, Cruz tweeted that he agreed with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez when she criticized Robinhood, a stock trading app, for blocking certain people from purchasing stock in GameStop and other companies. UP TO SPEED: Real-life gamer Joe Biden knows what's happening with GameStop The move by Robinhood comes after Reddit users from r/WallStreetBets swooped in and purchased GameStop stock this week, causing the price to soar. That hurt Wall Street's suits, some of whom were hoping that GameStop's stock would plummet so they could profit. Ocasio-Cortez called for the House Financial Services Committee to investigate the Robinhood's decision, which disenfranchised many who used the app while Wall Street brokers were still able to make purchases. Cruz said he agreed with looking into the company. Ocasio-Cortez responded within minutes, agreeing to work with Republicans on holding Robinhood accountable just not with Cruz. Instead, she pinned the blame of the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection on Cruz and those who sowed doubt in the validity of the 2020 presidential election results. Cruz thought Washington would be back to business as usual after now six people died as a result of the violence, but that appears to not be the case. She continued, urging that Cruz be replaced. It's the first of likely many roadblocks Cruz will face moving forward in his term, as Democrats control both houses of Congress until at least 2023. The violence of Jan. 6 marked a change in the congress members' relationship. The representative previously said she was "extraordinarily excited" to work with Cruz in areas where the two agree, Matthew Choi reported for Politico in 2019. The change is not a hardened approach toward Republicans from Ocasio-Cortez, as she insisted she would still work with members of the GOP on the Robinhood measure and other pieces of legislation. This is the senator's second Twitter beef in as many weeks. He and Seth Rogen had a heated discussion in a widely publicized exchange, according to Chron's Abigail Rosenthal. Jo Evans previously worked as an executive at prestigious international schools in Beijing and Shanghai. A year ago, she received an offer from Harrow International School Haikou to invite her to serve as vice principal. Out of curiosity about Hainan, she quickly accepted. As various policies have come out in succession, Jo Evans feels that it is more convenient for foreigners to work and live in Hainan. She is busy but happy. According to The Education Department of Hainan Province, with the opening-up in international education, 36 well-known colleges, like Fachhochschule Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, Coventry University and University of Alberta, have made cooperation to set up campuses in Hainan. They mainly settle in the career of Li'an International Education Innovation Pilot Zone in Lingshui and Yazhou Bay Sci-Tech City in Sanya. "With a large number of high-quality education resources, Sanya will embrace top talents in related fields," said Tong Liyan, Full-time Deputy Party Secretary of the Yazhou Bay Sci-Tech City Administration. In the past two years, a total of 400 education projects are under construction in Hainan, with a total investment of about 4600 million US dollars. Affected by the COVID-19, since the end of the last year, some parents who planned to send their children abroad to study have turned their eyes back to China's study-abroad policies and job information in Hainan. "The development of the Hainan Free Trade Port will attract more excellent students to international schools here," said Jo Evans, who also brought her son and daughter to Haikou. "They have quickly adapted to the new environment. Blue sky, white clouds and tropical flavors are so attractive that they can go to the beach to collect shells after school. They have fallen in love with Haikou just like me." Image Attachments Links: Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=383221 Caption: Hainan Maple Leaf Educational School SOURCE The Education Department of Hainan Province The World Health Organization said on Thursday at least 20 percent of the African continent can expect to be immunised against coronavirus by the end of the year Only a handful of Africans have been vaccinated against COVID-19, which is a stark difference when compared to richer nations, as African countries lack the financial means to purchase the drugs. "The (vaccination) objective is to reach 20 percent, at least, to cover 20 percent of the population by the end of the year, and I might say that with the latest developments within the Covax facility, there is a very very good prospect that this objective to supply up to 600 million doses by the end of 2021 will definitely be reached," said Richard Mihigo, WHO Africa immunization coordinator. The African Union said on Thursday it secured an additional 400 million doses of vaccines on top of the already purchased 270 million. It comes as a new and more contagious variant has spread from South Africa. "So far, six African countries and areas have confirmed cases of this variant (South African -ed), including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mayotte, and Zambia. Beyond Africa, the variant has been confirmed in 24 countries globally, and theres concern it is circulating in other countries in Africa as yet undetected," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa. It is estimated that Africa will need 1.5 billion vaccine doses to immunise 60 percent of its population, costing between $7 and $10 billion. Morocco, Egypt, Seychelles and Guinea have already begun vaccinations. During the virtual 2021 World Economic Forum (WEF) on Tuesday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa slammed "vaccine nationalism," accusing rich countries of bulk-buying vaccines and hoarding them to the detriment of others. Africa has reported less coronavirus infections and deaths than the Americas and Europe. According to the Africa CDC. Africa has recorded 3.4 million cases of Covid-19 and 87,000 deaths. Morocco, Egypt, Seychelles and Guinea have already begun vaccinations. Source: africanews.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 There have been a lot of rumors about the Apple Car in recent weeks. Most recent rumors have claimed that Apple could be partnering with Hyundai for a self-driving electric vehicle, with another one suggesting that Hyundai could ask Apple to partner with Kia which it has a major stake in. Now, a new report indicates that Hyundai executives are still undecided on whether the company should partner with Apple or not. Hyundai executives are not willing to become a contract manufacturer for Apple as this is something the company has not done before. We are agonizing over how to do it, whether it is good to do it or not, said a Hyundai executive aware of the internal discussions on the tie-up with Apple. We are not a company which manufactures cars for others. It is not like working with Apple would always produce great results. Apple has never acknowledged that it is in talks with Hyundai or other carmakers over Apple Car. However, Hyundai confirmed in a statement earlier this month that it is in preliminary talks with Apple for building the Apple Car in the United States. As per the report, both companies first started talking about the Apple Car back in 2018 when the Apple Car initiative at Apple was being led by Alexdan Hitzinger. There has not been much progress since then as Hyundai is reluctant to open up. It is really difficult (for Hyundai) to open up, this person said, adding that the South Korean company would likely to have to replace some executives to avoid a culture clash under any partnership with Apple. Apple is the boss. They do their marketing, they do their products, they do their brand. Hyundai is also the boss. That does not really work, the person said. Apple is looking for another Foxconn to assemble its Apple Car as it wants to source its own technology, shell, frame, drive trains, and more. While assembling cars for Apple might initially help Hyundai or Kia, it will be detrimental to the brands image in the long run. Hyundai wants to be more than just Foxconn as it wants to collaborate with Apple on self-driving car technology, provide it access to its set of suppliers, and more. Reputed Apple journalist Mark Gurman has reported that Apple Car is still at least half a decade away, with many plans regarding the vehicle still not finalized inside Apple. [Via Reuters -- President Xi Jinping urged abandoning arrogance and isolation mindsets, saying that "we have been shown time and again that to beggar thy neighbor, to go it alone, and to slip into arrogant isolation will always fail." -- "Multilateralism should not be used as pretext for acts of unilateralism. Principles should be preserved and rules, once made, should be followed by all." -- Xi said the international community needs to "stand united and work together," stressing that people should "let multilateralism light our way toward a community with a shared future for mankind." BEIJING, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday expounded on China's stance over how to improve multilateralism against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and world economic recession, when attending his first international virtual gathering in 2021. "Every choice and move we make today will shape the world of the future," said Xi in his special address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Virtual Event of the Davos Agenda. Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the World Economic Forum (WEF) Virtual Event of the Davos Agenda and delivers a special address via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) REJECTING SELECTIVE MULTILATERALISM Noting that the problems facing the world are intricate and complex, Xi said that the way out of them is "through upholding multilateralism and building a community with a shared future for mankind." "Multilateralism is about having international affairs addressed through consultation and the future of the world decided by everyone working together," Xi said. The Chinese president called on the international community to say no to narrow-minded, selfish beggar-thy-neighbor policies, and stop unilateral practice of keeping advantages in development all to oneself. "Multilateralism should not be used as pretext for acts of unilateralism. Principles should be preserved and rules, once made, should be followed by all," Xi said. "Decision should not be made by simply showing off strong muscles or waving a big fist," he said, adding that "selective multilateralism should not be our option." Each country is unique with its own history, culture and social system, and none is superior to the other, he said, reiterating that "no two leaves in the world are identical, and no histories, cultures or social systems are the same." "State-to-state relations should be coordinated and regulated through proper institutions and rules. The strong should not bully the weak," he said. Moreover, he said scientific and technological advances should benefit all humanity rather than be used to curb and contain other countries' development. Xi urged abandoning arrogance and isolation mindsets, saying that "we have been shown time and again that to beggar thy neighbor, to go it alone, and to slip into arrogant isolation will always fail. Chinese medical team experts and Italian doctors pose for a photo in Padua, Italy, March 18, 2020. (Chinese Medical Team/Handout via Xinhua) LOOKING TO FUTURE TO UPHOLD MULTILATERALISM Xi noted that multilateral institutions provide the platforms for putting multilateralism into action and are the basic architecture underpinning multilateralism, saying that their authority and effectiveness should be safeguarded. He called on the international community to stay committed to openness and inclusiveness, to international law and international rules, to consultation and cooperation, and to keeping up with the times instead of rejecting change. "History and reality have made it clear, time and again, that the misguided approach of antagonism and confrontation, be it in the form of cold war, hot war, trade war or tech war, would eventually hurt all countries' interests and undermine everyone's well-being," he said. "To uphold multilateralism in the 21st century, we should promote its fine tradition, take on new perspectives and look to the future. We need to stand by the core values and basic principles of multilateralism. We also need to adapt to the changing international landscape and respond to global challenges as they arise. We need to reform and improve the global governance system on the basis of extensive consultation and consensus-building," he said. Xi urged to give full play to the role of the World Health Organization in building a global community of health for all, and to advance reform of the World Trade Organization and the international financial and monetary system in a way that boosts global economic growth and protects the development rights, interests and opportunities of developing countries. Photo taken on July 15, 2020 shows the exterior view of the World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. (Photo by Li Ye/Xinhua) Adriano Lucatelli, co-founder and managing director of Descartes Finance, which is a leading Swiss digital wealth management company, told Xinhua that he expected China to continue to push for multilateralism to find global solutions for an after-pandemic world and wished China to take a leading role in fostering global cooperation. CHINA'S CONCRETE ACTS IN PROMOTING MULTILATERALISM More than 2,000 business, government and civil society leaders and over 20 heads of state or government are set to meet virtually for the WEF Davos Agenda to tackle the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and address the urgent need for global cooperation. The Davos Agenda 2021 was scheduled to convene from Jan. 25 to 29 under the theme "A Crucial Year to Rebuild Trust." In his speech, Xi elaborated China's pledge in five aspects to promote multilateralism and common prosperity, including taking an active part in international cooperation on the fight against COVID-19, implementing a win-win strategy of opening-up, promoting sustainable development, advancing science, technology and innovation, and promoting a new type of international relations. Statistics showed that China's GDP exceeded the 100-trillion-yuan (15.42 trillion U.S. dollars) threshold in 2020 and is expected to be the only major economy to post growth in the pandemic-ravaged year. Aerial photo taken on Jan. 14, 2021 shows the container terminal of Qinzhou Port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming) "As China enters a new development stage, we will follow a new development philosophy and foster a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other," Xi said. "Zero-sum game or winner-takes-all is not the guiding philosophy of the Chinese people. As a staunch follower of an independent foreign policy of peace, China is working hard to pursue friendly and cooperative relations with other countries," he said. Xi said China will get more actively engaged in global economic governance and push for an economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all. As people in the world now cope with the current crisis and endeavor to make a better day for everyone, Xi said the international community needs to "stand united and work together," stressing that people should "let multilateralism light our way toward a community with a shared future for mankind." 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 IT and industries minister was speaking on the occasion of the electricity labour organisation meeting at Telangana Bhavan here. (Photo: twitter @trspartyonline) Hyderabad: In an announcement that caught many unawares, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president K. Taraka Rama Rao on Thursday said that very soon, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao would announce a monthly allowance for the unemployed youth in the state. Though the ruling TRS party included an unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000 per month for every eligible unemployed youth in its 2018 poll manifesto, KTRs announcement about an announcement very soon, nearly mid-way to through the governments term, seemingly coincided with the alleged leak of the Pay Revision Commission (PRC) report. The C. R. Biswal PRC committee recommended enhancing the retirement age of all government employees to 60 years from the present 58 years. Another significance attached to the announcement was that Rama Rao, deviating from the regular practice of the ruling party, in which Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao comes out with the disruptive moves and catches everyone by surprise, revealed a government policy decision in advance, at a time when the public opinion seems to have accepted him as a CM-to-be in a short time. Official sources told Deccan Chronicle that the TRS government had been sensing some resentment from unemployed youth over enhancement of the government employees retirement age. We have been instructed by the Chief Minister to immediately initiate the process of promotions at various levels, which would also create vacancies at the lower and entry levels, a senior official said. "The government wanted to reach out to unemployed youth, who would be angry that if people retire two years later, the chances of any major recruitment drives in government during this TRS term would not happen, through this allowance and a promise to take up recruitments at the earliest," he added. The IT and industries minister was speaking on the occasion of the electricity labour organisation meeting at Telangana Bhavan here. On the dot, he said that the TRS government was keen to fill up 50,000 vacancies in various departments soon. The enhancement of retirement age and increase in salaries comes at a time when several youth and student organisations are demanding that the government take up a massive recruitment drive. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 (Alliance News) - The European Commission on Friday launched a scheme to monitor and in some cases reject exports of vaccines produced in EU plants a amid a row with British-Swedish drugs giant AstraZeneca PLC. "We paid these companies to increase production and now we expect them to deliver," EU Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters. "Today's measure has been adopted with the utmost urgency. The aim is to provide us immediately with full transparency... And if needed, it also will provide us with a tool to ensure vaccine deliveries." EU officials said they expected the order to come into effect on Saturday after its publication in the official journal.A The measure is intended to continue until the end of March, and applies only to those coronavirus vaccines that are covered by advance purchase agreements between drug companies and the European Commission.A Brussels has been in a furious dispute with AstraZeneca this week, accusing it of breaching its contract by delaying deliveries to EU governments while maintaining those underA a deal it signed earlier with the UK. But Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides insisted:A "We are not protecting ourselves against any specific country. And we're not in competition or in a race against any country." Nevertheless, Dombrovskis said companies declaring new exports would also have to provide information "on their exports and export destinations, quantities and so on, for the period covering three months prior to entering into force of this regulation". This would presumably reveal whether or not AstraZeneca did indeed a as has been alleged a send vaccines to Britain from one of its two vaccine plants in Europe, which is says have been hit by production glitches. Earlier, a UK government minister said it will aid neighbouring nations with their vaccine supplies "where it can". Prisons minister Lucy Frazer said the dispute between the EU and Astra was a "commercial matter", after reports suggested the bloc was considering an export ban to block shipments of vaccines to Britain. But, in an indication the UK could be willing to share its vaccine supplies, Frazer added: "Our priority is to ensure we vaccinate people in the UK, but of course, where we can help our friends and neighbours, we would do that." source: AFP Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. 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. Cases of Covid-19 could fall to between 200 and 400 per day by the end of February if current efforts are maintained, public health chiefs in the Republic of Ireland have said. Hospital numbers could reduce to between 600 and 800 people in hospital in the same time period, and between 60 to 80 people in intensive care units. While those figures remain too high, it would represent huge progress on the situation in January, a briefing of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) heard. Dr Philip Nolan, chair of the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said the decline in the incidence rate is more rapid that I might have expected. #StayHome aIncidence is falling and by working collectively to reduce contacts, we have achieved suppression of transmission with the R number estimated at 0.4-0.7. We are maintaining an extraordinary effort but still we have a long way to go."@President_MU #COVID19 Department of Health (@roinnslainte) January 28, 2021 He added: Thats because of the sustained effort everybody is making to reduce their contacts. Irelands R-number the rate at which the coronavirus spreads has dropped to between 0.4 and 0.7. The R number represents the number of people that one infected person will pass on a virus to, on average. The seven-day average as of Wednesday this week was 1,700 cases per day compared to the peak in early January of 6,005 cases per day. Prof Nolan praised the publics efforts to stick to health measures, which he said had also slowed the spread of the more-transmissible UK variant. He added: The population has worked incredibly hard to reduce transmission of the virus. Not only have they succeeded in reducing transmission, theyve also slowed the progress of the B117 or UK variant. This is the reason why case numbers continue to decline so rapidly and why the reproduction number is so low, because people are sticking with the measures Professor Philip Nolan Because there are so few opportunities to transmit, that variant is finding it more difficult to become dominant. It will become dominant, but its doing so more slowly than it otherwise might have. Prof Nolan said that during previous lockdowns, early in the restrictions people adhered strictly to the public health measures, but this reduced over time. He added: Were not seeing this. This is the reason why case numbers continue to decline so rapidly and why the reproduction number is so low, because people are sticking with the measures. All of the indications that we can see are confirming that all of us, collectively, are making an enormous effort to keep our mobility low, our contacts low and the risk of infection low. That translates into a maintained, rapid decline in the new cases per day, at a rate of minus seven to minus nine per cent per day. He said the trend could have a very positive effect on the number of people in hospitals, which could reduce to between 600 and 800 per day by the end of February. Thats a very high number, theres still a long way to go after that, but nonetheless, it will be huge progress over where we are. Expand Close Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has said Covid-19 incidence rate remains to high to consider easing restrictions, despite progress (Brian Lawless/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has said Covid-19 incidence rate remains to high to consider easing restrictions, despite progress (Brian Lawless/PA) Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said the incidence rate of Covid-19 remains too high but to contemplate easing restrictions. He added: If we keep this level of compliance up as a population, we can continue to express optimism about the likely protection that will offer us in terms of public health, which is our primary objective. Then to be able to move on to objectives that society will have, to see the provision of the essential public services that we see as most important. Dr Nolan said it should be our societal goal to keep the R number as close as possible to 0.5, which would give us strategic options. Thursday saw 47 further deaths linked to Covid-19 over the previous 24 hours, the Department of Health said. There were 1,466 additional confirmed cases and the number of people in intensive care units is down one, to 216. To date in the month of January, there have been 878 deaths associated with Covid-19. The Telegraph The daughter of Radovan Karadzic, the former Bosnian Serb leader serving life for genocide and crimes against humanity during the 1990s Yugoslav wars, has claimed her father is living in unhealthy and uncivilised conditions in a British prison. Karadzic, 75, who was convicted in 2016, was transferred from a detention unit in Holland to a UK jail earlier this month following an agreement struck between the UN and the Home Office. But his daughter, Sonja Karadzic-Jovicevic, has complained about the conditions at her fathers new prison after speaking to him on the phone. "As for the physical condition in which he is accommodated, it is unacceptable, she told SRNA, a news agency based in the Republika Srpska, the Serb enclave of Bosnia. If we add to that the fact that he is in a building full of carcinogenic asbestos that is banned around the world, it is clear in what condition he will be in. Ms Karadzic-Jovicevic also claimed that moving her father to the UK was a deliberate act of spite against his family. "My father is in a very uncivilised situation, and as far as his family is concerned, his relocation to the south of England was deliberately made to keep him far away, outside the rules of the United Nations Resolution adopted by the Security Council, she said. It will be very difficult for us physically, financially and procedurally, because of visas, and immunisation during the pandemic, and even after that, to ever go there and visit him," she continued. She added that he had been deprived of his books and his computer, and will be completely removed from his language and his culture. A spokesman for the Justice Ministry said: "UK prisons meet health and safety standards." Ms Karadzic-Jovicevic, who has a political career in Bosnia, has fought to defend her fathers name despite his brutal role in the wars as the Yugoslavian federation separated in the 1990s. Known as the Butcher of Bosnia, Karadzic went down in infamy, in particular for ordering the Srebrenica Massacre in July 1995. Some 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were rounded up by the Bosnian Serb army in and around the town of Srebrenica and then killed in the worst single massacre in Europe since the end of the Second World War. Karadzics lawyers had objected to his clients transfer to the UK, arguing that his life would be in danger owing to Muslim inmates in British prisons. They also argued that owing to possible threats to Karadzics life he would be kept in conditions resembling solitary confinement, but the UN court dismissed the objections. Given his role in the slaughter of Muslims, the experience of another Serb convicted of war crimes may also weigh upon the Karadzic family. In 2010 Radislav Krstic, a former Bosnian-Serb general, was stabbed by three Muslim prisoners while serving a sentence in Wakefield prison, in apparent retaliation for Srebrenica. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 22:31:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday that Iran's nuclear activities do not mean the country is trying to attain atomic bomb, as it is against the Islamic Republic's ideology. He decried U.S. sanctions against Iran, urging Washington to return to the 2015 nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and comply with all its commitments, Zarif made the remarks in Turkey's Istanbul, official IRNA news agency reported. He noted that Iran will fully implement its own obligations only if the United States re-joins the accord and remove sanctions. Zarif arrived in Turkey on Friday as the final leg of his 5-nation tour. Enditem When the world was stuck in lockdown Zendaya was working on her upcoming netflix film Malcolm & Marie with co-star John David Washington. When the film's trailer was released there was backlash regarding the twelve year age difference between Zendaya and John. Zendaya has been in the public eye since she was thirteen years old and most of her career shes been playing teenagers. Her biggest roles include Rocky from disney's Shake It Up (2010) and Rue from Euphoria (2019). Zendaya told People tv that people forget that shes a grown up because they still see her as a teenager. People often forget which is understandable because Ive been playing 16 since I was 16, you know [but] I am grown I knew that, as I grow and as I evolve, there would be that moment where I could play someone my own age. Her co-star John David Washington said in an interview with Variety that he wasnt concerned about the twelve year age gap as Zendaya is a grown woman who is actually more of a professional than he is as shes been acting longer than him. "You have to remember, also, people grew up with me as a child," Zendaya said in an interview with Daily Pop, "It's like watching, I guess, your younger sibling now, you know, they're grown...You're not ready for it." We are so excited to see Zendaya step into a new role and break out of her child-star image despite it reminding us that we arent kids anymore! Malcolm & Marie will be released this coming February 5th on Netflix. EU opens the door to Wall Street clearing houses, on-going strategy to reduce the City of Londons dominance The European Union (EU) announced this week that it would allow US clearing houses to provide central clearing services in the single-currency area. The move will increase speculation that the EU is attempting to undermine the City of London and reduce its influence as a global financial centre. EU grants equivalence to US clearing houses According to the EU statement, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regime for US central counterparties (CCPs) is equivalent to EU rules. The decision, therefore, confirmed that US central counterparties are regulated in an equivalent manner to their European counterparts The US institutions will now be allowed to apply for recognition by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). Once this hurdle has been crossed, companies will be able to offer services in the EU Mairead McGuinness, Commissioner responsible for Financial Services, Financial Stability and the Capital Markets Union, said: This decision is a significant first step in the process of recognising US CCPs registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission in the European Union. She added; We look forward to continued good cooperation between EU institutions and agencies, and the US Securities and Exchange Commission. UK clearing houses have only been granted a temporary 18-month extension to clearing with talks on any permanent access only just started. Conditions for equivalence For the Commission to adopt an equivalence decision, a third-country regime has to fulfil three conditions laid down in the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR'): First, CCPs authorised in the third country must comply with legally binding requirements that are equivalent to requirements laid down in EMIR; Second, CCPs in the third country must be subject to effective supervision on an ongoing basis; and Lastly, the legal framework of the third country must provide for an effective equivalent system for the recognition of foreign CCPs. Increased competition in the EU market The decision is liable to increase competition in the EU market over the medium term. If UK institutions are granted access, it will be more difficult to secure market share. There is also the risk that large US institutions will look to enlarge their wider presence in the EU in order to gain market share. Full EU access for the UK unlikely The EU move, in theory would make it more likely that UK banks will be granted the same privileges, although this will inevitably be a political decision. Former financial services commissioner to the EU, Lord Jonathan Hill, stated that the EU would not do us any favours and that it was certain Brussels will not allow full market access for UK financial firms. Given that their strategy is to build up the EU, why on earth would they? Bruno Fatier, financial services solicitor at Keystone Law, took a more balanced tone the move made by the European Commission is not to punish London for exiting the EU. He also considers that the EU has not put itself in a position where London can be replaced overnight. The timing of the loss will depend on how hard private players, especially in Germany, less so in France in my view, are working behind the scene to build a platform capable of replacing London as the epicentre of clearing in Europe and for the euro. As far as London is concerned, he also considers that the key question will be whether opportunities opening up in Asia will offset the threat of losing the right to clear Euro transactions. Another potential risk is that decision making will be extremely slow which will increase the risk that trading volumes gradually drift away from the UK as institutions decide against increase investment in the City of London. These developments will not have short-term market impacts, but an erosion of the Citys dominance would tend to sap Pound Sterling support over the medium term, especially with weaker tax revenues. Governor Greg Abbotts State of the State address will be televised on Nexstar Inc. networks on Monday. The address is set for 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will air on 15 Nexstar TV stations throughout the state. Nexstar will make the live feed of the telecast available to every broadcast company serving Texas. New statutory guidance will recognise that survivors of domestic abuse may have sustained an acquired brain injury (ABI) for the first time - following campaigning from The Disabilities Trust. LONDON, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Trust is delighted that statutory guidance will now include consideration of brain injury as part of the Domestic Abuse Bill, currently being debated by the House of Lords, following work to raise this important issue, alongside Chris Bryant MP. Domestic abuse protection orders - will now consider acquired brain injury as part of the range of needs any survivor may have. Where police are attending a call out to a domestic incident, in the community, they could be accompanied with or shortly after visited by an Independent Domestic Violence and Abuse Advisor. This commitment from the government will also introduce new standard questions to ensure all prisoners in England will be screened for acquired brain injury sustained through domestic abuse from April 2021. The Disabilities Trust findings were put forward by Chris Bryant MP, who has long campaigned for recognition of the needs of those with a Brain Injury and has worked with The Disabilities Trust and UKABIF in a collaborative approach to highlight the need for this change. Both initiatives - which will create a powerful impact in terms of protection and support - are the translation of five years of research from The Disabilities Trust in female offenders highlighting the link between domestic abuse and brain injury. Our research showed (64%) of women at HMP Drake Hall had a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI). From those identified, 62% reported they had sustained their brain injury through domestic violence. The women The Disabilities Trust supported in HMP Drake Hall described to us prolonged periods of intense violence that was often directed towards their head while they were unconscious. Chris Bryant, MP, said: "This is a journey that started with research from The Disabilities Trust and I've been delighted to work with them and a range of individuals and organisations including the UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum to ensure these important initiatives change practice and improve the support survivors receive both in the community and in prisons." Irene Sobowale, Chief Executive of The Disabilities Trust said: "We hope that this change will ensure that survivors with a brain injury can be provided with effective support to address all of their needs including the often-hidden disability of a brain injury. This result builds on research from the Disabilities Trust working with partners and Government to achieve this." Notes to Editors: Brain injury key facts: Incidence of female head injury has increased by 24% since 2005/6 162,544 hospital admissions for head injury (445 individuals every day or 1 every 3 minutes) 956 Acquired Brain Injury hospital admissions/day - 1 every 90 seconds Find out more at www.thedtgroup.org TORONTO Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced stricter restrictions on travelers in response to new, likely more contagious variants of the novel coronavirus including making it mandatory for travelers to quarantine in a hotel at their own expense when they arrive in Canada and suspending airline service to Mexico and all Caribbean destinations until April 30. Chancellor Angela Merkel will convene the governors of Germanys 16 states, along with representatives of pharmaceutical companies to discuss the countrys troubled vaccination scheme, after her health minister, Jens Spahn, warned that the country is facing another 10 weeks of vaccine shortages. The situation has increasingly angered Germans who were promised an efficient immunization campaign. Even the most vulnerable have struggled to get access to the potentially lifesaving shots. The German government helped fund development of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with 738 million euros, or about $895 million, only to see it first administered in Britain. But many immunization centers set up across Germany stand empty, and older adults who were to be among the first to be vaccinated have been turned away. We are facing at least 10 hard weeks, given the lack of vaccines, Mr. Spahn said on Twitter on Thursday. Phuket Marine Police step up with food handouts for people in need PHUKET: Region 8 Marine Police Chief Col Prasert Srikhunrat yesterday (Jan 28) led an event to hand out packs of rice and instant noodles to more than 500 people in need who have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis. COVID-19Coronaviruseconomicscharity By The Phuket News Friday 29 January 2021, 11:19AM More than 500 people in need turned out to receive rice, noodles and snacks at the Region 8 Marine Police Station in Phuket Town yesterday (Jan 28). Photo: PR Phuket More than 500 people in need turned out to receive rice, noodles and snacks at the Region 8 Marine Police Station in Phuket Town yesterday (Jan 28). Photo: PR Phuket More than 500 people in need turned out to receive rice, noodles and snacks at the Region 8 Marine Police Station in Phuket Town yesterday (Jan 28). Photo: PR Phuket More than 500 people in need turned out to receive rice, noodles and snacks at the Region 8 Marine Police Station in Phuket Town yesterday (Jan 28). Photo: PR Phuket More than 500 people in need turned out to receive rice, noodles and snacks at the Region 8 Marine Police Station in Phuket Town yesterday (Jan 28). Photo: PR Phuket The food handout, held at the Region 8 Marine Police Station in Phuket Town, was led by Col Prasert, supported by staff from his company Natakamon Property Co Ltd, which provided the food. A total 120 bags of rice and 400 packs of instant noodles and snacks were given to more than 500 local people at the event. Police want to help people suffering from the COVID outbreak. We had previously already distributed food to many people, as many people have become unemployed. Even more people have suffered after the second COVID-19 outbreak occurred, Col Prasert explained. For the people coming to get the food today, we asked them to keep one metre distance from each other and provided hand sanitiser for them to use. We also checked their temperature before they were allowed to receive the foods, Col Prasert said. We and Natkamon Property Co Ltd expect to distribute dried foods to people again next month, Col Prasert added. 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. NEW DELHI: The world can count on India, billed the Pharmacy of the World", to help it overcome the covid-19 challenge, Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar said in a Twitter post on Friday. The ministers tweet was in response to UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres saying overnight that Indias vaccine production capacity is the best asset that the world has today". Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start You can count on the Pharmacy of the World to help overcome the COVID-19 challenge," Jaishankar said in response. The exchange comes amid a rush among countries to vaccinate their populations and competition picking up among drug companies to distribute their vaccines. India which rolled out its domestic inoculation programme to safeguard its population against covid-19 on 16 January, already has a reputation in the international market as a major producer of vaccines and generic drugs. Along with the domestic inoculation programme, New Delhi has almost simultaneously begun supplying vaccines to neighbouring countries and others, both as gifts and on a commercial basis. India has so far green lighted two vaccines for domestic use -- Covishield manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, and the second Covaxin manufactured by Bharat Biotech. Covishield was developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, while Covaxin has been developed in India. A clutch of homegrown vaccines is in various stages of development and trials in India. On Thursday, Indias foreign ministry said New Delhi would supply 10 million doses of vaccines to fight the covid-19 pandemic in Africa and will send another one million shots to the United Nations for its health workers under a global health partnership arrangement known as GAVI. New Delhi has so far gifted 5.5 million doses to its immediate neighbours and some of those in its extended neighbourhood like Mauritius and Seychelles. It will also send some more consignments as gifts to Oman, Caribbean states, Nicaragua and Pacific Island states, the Indian foreign ministry said. Exports to countries like South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Canada and others would also start in the coming days, it added. In his comments, Guterres said, I know that in India there is a very high level of production of Indian developed vaccines. We are in contact with Indian institutions for that." We strongly hope that India will have all the instruments that are necessary to play a major role in making sure that a global vaccination is campaign is made possible," the UN Secretary General is reported to have said. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. 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. Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG The Department of Corrections is reporting flawed data to keep inmates, families, and public officials informed about COVID-19 in its prisons, raising questions about the agencys ability to accurately track the extent of the outbreak. A five-month analysis of prison data by Spotlight PA found large fluctuations in the number of tests administered and unexplained changes to the death count. The findings were confirmed by a California researcher who was also tracking the departments data and had noticed problems. Its one thing to have little mistakes here and there, but if its month after month that theres many data reporting problems, it definitely causes me pause, said Hope Johnson, a data fellow at UCLAs COVID Behind Bars Project, which tracks COVID-19 infections in prisons nationwide. In an announcement Friday, sent just before this story was published, corrections secretary John Wetzel said he was taking action to fix the problems. In our haste to get information out to the public, we put a process in place that involved a single individual pulling data from multiple sources manually every day, Wetzel said, adding, Its unacceptable to continue in this manner, and I need to both accept responsibility for it, and address it permanently moving forward. Wetzel said the data dashboard would be taken off-line for 30 days while the department updates its reporting system and prepares for the addition of new data points related to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. He said new, automated reporting would improve the process. In previous statements to Spotlight PA, department officials had acknowledged flaws in the data, and said they had recently transferred responsibility for tracking infections to their data science experts, who would undertake a thorough evaluation to determine how to improve reporting. The department declined to comment on why data experts were not originally in charge of tracking, or when the change was made. Our Office of Research and Statistics is taking over the daily management of the dashboard and they will be doing a deep dive into what is being collected and how best to communicate that information, a department spokesperson, Maria Bivens, said in an email statement. National researchers said Pennsylvania officials deserve some credit for, on the whole, being more transparent than prison systems in other states. And those advocating for more prisoner releases said the data is clear enough to know some people would be safer if released. Others, however, said there has been a double standard about widespread concern and scrutiny of statewide coronavirus data reporting by the Department of Health, but not nearly as much attention paid to problems with data tracked and reported by corrections officials. There are certain individuals who dont care that the data is crap, state Sen. Katie Muth (D., Chester) said. And that theyre dying in the prison system. Theyre fine letting that happen. The department has documented more than 13,200 positive cases and up to 101 deaths among staff and inmates at its 24 prisons. The Spotlight PA review found tests are being double-counted and disappearing, while deaths are sometimes counted but then erased. Department officials have said in statements to Spotlight PA and before state lawmakers that removing data was because of errors in duplicate testing. But questions still remain on when and how many prisoners actually had the virus, were negative, or recovered. In an emailed statement to Spotlight PA in December, Bivens said the numbers published online now indicate the total number of inmates tested, not how many tests were performed. As of Friday, however, the data dashboard said 62,980 inmates have been tested. The departments most recent population data for December said it only housed 40,766 inmates, a discrepancy of nearly 22,000. Department officials declined to explain the difference. Bret Bucklen, lead data analyst for the department, said in an interview he couldnt fully make sense of the numbers presented on the departments dashboard, and has been tasked with reviewing some of the information to improve accuracy. Bucklen has used the departments data to challenge those pushing to release prisoners early through Gov. Tom Wolfs temporary reprieve program. In a Jan. 7 posting to Twitter, he wrote in part, There are several data points to suggest that in PA prison is safer than the community from COVID. But Wetzel, the corrections secretary, used the same data earlier this month to advocate to Senate Democrats for the opposite: to release more inmates through legislation in order to create safer distance between inmates inside. The department has reduced its total prison population by 6,116 since the start of the pandemic through early release or parole. Another 120 people were released after the governor signed the temporary reprieve program, which fell far short of initial expectations and what some said was needed to safely social distance within prison facilities. I thank God, frankly, for a 6,500 inmate reduction, or these numbers of deaths and infections would be significantly worse, Wetzel said at a committee hearing hosted by Senate Democrats. But let me be very clear, we need further population reduction. Wetzel said restrictions around reprieve and early parole have increased the ratio of prisoners who are more at risk of dying of the coronavirus, noting that as of now, 47% of the states inmate population is medically vulnerable. Sean Damon the organizing director for Amistad Law Project, a prisoner legal advocacy group has been compiling prison data in the state and said, Its startling to see the lack of accountability. The data problems have compounded concern among families desperate to understand whats happening to their loved ones inside prisons. The department recently doubled down on its policy to not inform family when loved ones get sick or die unless they are listed as the emergency contact on department paperwork, which is often as old as an inmates prison term. Sharon Murchison, whose husband and two brothers are incarcerated at SCI Chester and SCI Huntingdon, said she relies on the dashboard for information but is never certain about whats happening. I check every chance I get and the information is so incorrect, she said. I can recall going back and forth and looking at it and going, something is off. Other researchers who have been collecting the states prison infection data said its better than some other states, but that officials need to rectify inaccuracies and let taxpayers know when and why they do it. It just creates a downstream effect of data inaccuracy, " said Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, co-lead investigator and co-founder for the research consortium the COVID Prison Project. If theyre not noting inaccuracies and giving the public that level of transparency and data standardization, then the data can be really meaningless because it just doesnt make sense. Still, some lawmakers and advocacy groups say the inaccuracies do not take away from the fact that prisoners are endangered. Sen. Sharif Street (D., Phila.) has drafted legislation to release people from prison who are medically vulnerable. Despite the data being hard to understand, Street said he wasnt as concerned about accuracy because he knows the severity within the prison system. If I needed to be convinced, then that would be true, but I dont need to be convinced, Street said. And other groups, like the Pennsylvania Prison Society, the states unofficial ombudsman for prisoners and their families, align with Streets view. I do feel like day-to-day, week-to-week, the DOC is giving us information that allows us to understand the spread and the degree of the spread, said Claire Shubik-Richards, executive director of the Pennsylvania Prison Society. If I was a medical provider, this data would not be helpful. 100% ESSENTIAL: Spotlight PA relies on funding from foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Become a member today at spotlightpa.org/donate. Trump Campaign Pollster: Effort to Cancel Trump Is Backfiring Former Trump campaign pollster John McLaughlin said that the effort to cancel former President Donald Trump is backfiring and will likely embolden the former presidents voter bases. Its backfiring, John McLaughlin told Newsmax on Thursday. What theyre doing on impeachment, people see it is unfair, unconstitutional, going against the president. McLaughlin said that Americans are more concerned with the CCP virus and other issues. The effort to convict Trump in an impeachment trial suffered a grave setback after 45 Republican senators voted against holding the trial, meaning that its unlikely there will be enough votes to convict the former president. Convicting a president requires at least 67 votes, meaning 17 Republicans would have to join Democrats. A number of Republican senators said its unconstitutional and pointless to convict a former president. Its having no impact on his base, in fact, its just solidifying them and making them angrier or more upset, McLaughlin said of the impeachment efforts. Because the people outside the Beltway agree that it is essentially unconstitutional, he said. McLaughlin told the broadcaster that some polls show as many as 75 percent of battleground voters view the forthcoming trial as a waste of time and money. Ten Republican representatives joined House Democrats earlier this month in impeaching Trump for one article of impeachment that alleged he incited an insurrection at the Capitol building on Jan. 6. Trump, for his part, has argued that his speech to supporters on Jan. 6 was not incitement and noted that he didnt encourage any violence. Later, the former president told protesters to go home and later condemned the violence. One of the House Republican leaders, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, was among the 10 GOP Congress members to join the Democrats. Despite her leadership role and name-recognition, Cheney is sure to face a tough primary battlecoming after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) publicly admonished her at a rally in Wyoming this week. Gaetz, while speaking in Cheyenne, told Trump supporters: We are in a battle for the soul of the Republican party, and I intend to win it. Washington, DC, mythologizes the establishment powerbrokers like Liz Cheney for climbing in a deeply corrupt game, but there are more of us than there are of them, he added. As for Trump himself, its not clear what the former presidents next move will be. He met with House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and the two described their conversation as both warm and cordial. The two said that retaking the House for Republicans in 2022 is of paramount importance. She's been keeping herself busy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, recently jetting off to Mexico for work purposes before returning to Los Angeles. And Lottie Moss continued to share snapshots of her sun-kissed adventures on Thursday, when she took to Instagram to post images of herself posing in a bikini. The model, 23, looked incredible as she posed in the patterned two-piece, showing off her svelte physique while placing her tattooed pert posterior front and centre. Catching the eye: Lottie Moss continued to share snapshots of her sun-kissed adventures on Thursday, when she took to Instagram to post images of herself posing in a bikini Standing with her back to the camera, the blonde beauty gave her social media followers a hard-to-miss view of the inking on her bottom, which read: 'Not yours.' With her flaxen tresses falling before her face and down her back in a tousled style, the younger sister of supermodel Kate Moss kept her makeup light and minimal. Lottie's snaps are among a number the star has shared since returning from her trip, including one of her wearing a hot pink bustier and matching thong before slipping into a two-piece to pose on the bed. The bustier corset-style top highlighted Lottie's surgically-enhanced cleavage and slender waist, while the tiny bottoms accentuated her model legs. Incredible: The model, 23, looked incredible as she posed in the patterned two-piece, showing off her svelte physique while placing her tattooed pert posterior front and centre Tatt's the way to do it: Standing with her back to the camera, the blonde beauty gave her social media followers a hard-to-miss view of the inking on her bottom, which read, 'Not yours' In another snap, Lottie showed off her rid tattoos as she provocatively posed on a bed holding her thong. Lottie also modelled a pink bodysuit with a cut out back and a green bikini. Despite it being a busy day of modelling on Tuesday, the London-born beauty took to Instagram to share a slew of throwback shots with the caption: 'I miss my friends'. In one Lottie rocked a white crop top and matching skirt while in another she posed with two pals in a lift. Racy: Lottie took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a slew of snaps of herself in lingerie behind-the-scenes of a photoshoot Before she shared her latest sexy snaps, Lottie didn't seem fazed by the threats of the pandemic as she partied with her pals on a yacht during her trip to Mexico. Despite being abroad for work earlier this month, Lottie didn't seem to be stretching herself too much as she lived it up in the sunshine with her friends on the vessel. Prior to her trip, Lottie apologised for saying she was a 'coronavirus super-spreader' in December, calling herself 'young and dumb'. She sparked controversy after filming herself kissing two female friends and claiming she was a 'coronavirus super-spreader'. Turning up the heat: The model, 23, looked incredible in a hot pink bustier and matching thong before slipping into a two-piece to pose on the bed Her clip was broadcast during an Instagram Live when London was in Tier 2 and social distancing, as well as wearing masks, was very much a requirement. The video was filmed while Lottie was out for dinner with four friends who live in the same household, a scenario justified by the model as she lives alone and can therefore join someone else's support bubble. After reflecting on the comments made during the recording, Lottie later confessed to being 'young and dumb' and often forgetting her status as a 'public figure'. In an apology posted to Instagram, she said: 'I just wanted to come on here and say I am so sorry for saying I was a super-spreader. Barbie girl: Lottie also modelled a pink bodysuit with a cut out back 'Someone in the live popped up saying those words and I repeated them as a joke because I am not and would never condone spreading a virus as serious as this. 'I was out for dinner with four friends, three of which are in the same household and under the government guidelines as I live alone I am allowed a support bubble of four. 'I understand this has upset and offended a lot of people and I want to apologise for making such an insensitive joke. 'I am still young and dumb and learning. I sometimes forget that I am a public figure and during these crazy and uncertain times I should have been more careful with my words.' Online retail giant Kogan has said the business faced significant difficulties keeping up with demand during the bumper Black Friday and Christmas sales period, with the business half-yearly revenue almost doubling. Kogan, which is listed with a market capitalisation of over $2 billion, told investors it experienced seven of its biggest-ever trading days throughout the last six months, spurred on by the retailers recent acquisition of New Zealand e-commerce site Mighty Ape. Ruslan Kogan has admitted to some growing pains at the online retailer. Credit:Brook Mitchell Sales across the two businesses rose over 96 per cent for the six months to the end of December, and their combined gross profit jumped over 120 per cent. Collectively, the two have over 3.8 million active customers. Gross sales for the Black Friday week topped $50 million, and sales for the Friday itself were over $15 million, the highest-ever single day of sales at the retailer. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to miss Arsenal's clash with Manchester United. Captain Aubameyang returned to England on Wednesday after travelling abroad to support his unwell mother. The Gabon striker has missed Arsenal's last two games and his frame of mind is one consideration for Arsenal before he returns to action. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to miss Arsenal's clash with Manchester United But Aubameyang's need to quarantine is expected to keep him out on Saturday evening. Providing he produces a negative Covid-19 test result, he will be clear to face Wolves on Tuesday. Prior to missing the Southampton game, Aubameyang issued a post on social media to explain the situation. He wrote: 'Hey guys, Thank you so much for all the messages and calls over the last few days,' he wrote on Instagram. The Arsenal star shared this message on social media to explain the situation with his mother 'My mother is going through some health issues and I had to be there for her. She's already much better now and I will be back home tonight. 'I'm more than grateful to the doctors and nurses helping her get through this. 'And of course, thanks to my Arsenal fam for the love yesterday! I'm more determined than ever to keep our momentum going! Meanwhile, Thomas Partey is winning his race to recover from thigh problem in time for United's visit to the Emirates and Arsenal will make late calls on Kieran Tierney (calf) and Emile Smith Rowe (muscular discomfort) following fitness tests. All three were injury concerns but able to train with Arteta's squad on Friday. January 29, 2021 The Page has moved to: 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. American Express Continues to Expand The Centurion Lounge Network with The Opening of Its 14th Location at Denver International Airport Today, American Express (News - Alert) (NYSE: AXP) announced that it will open its 14th Centurion Lounge at Denver International Airport (DEN) on February 1, 2021. Located in the Concourse C Mezzanine, the new lounge will cover more than 14,000-square-feet, making it the second-largest Centurion Lounge location to date. Card Members visiting the Denver Centurion Lounge will continue to see health-and-safety practices in place, as part of the "Centurion Lounge Commitment." These practices have been implemented across the lounge network and include socially distanced seating, reduced capacity, increased cleaning frequency, requirements to wear a face covering when entering the lounge, served food instead of buffets, and more. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005466/en/ American Express continues to expand The Centurion Lounge Network with the opening of its 14th Location at Denver International Airport (Photo: Business Wire) The new location hosts a variety of locally inspired amenities, including American Express' first-ever Craft Beer Bar, which will offer rotating selections of some of Colorado's best local brews, a locally sourced Italian-inspired menu curated by award-winning Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, design features reminiscent of Denver's neighboring Rocky Mountains, immersive game options and more. A recent Amex Trendex* survey found that half of consumers (49%) expect to travel by plane this summer. As consumers begin setting their sights on future travels, American Express is continuing to back Card Members whenever they may be ready to travel again through new and enhanced travel offerings, including the ongoing expansion of The Centurion Lounge Network. "We're excited to unveil a new Centurion Lounge at one of the most frequented airports by our Premium Card Members, Denver International Airport, and provide a safe and comfortable space for our Card Members as they look to start their travels again," said Alexander Lee, Vice President of Travel Experiences and Benefits. "We collaborated closely with local partners to design a space that brings to life all of the unique offerings of Denver, from their renowned craft brewery and culinary scene, to the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains." Italian-Inspired Gastronomy American Express will welcome James Beard Foundation Award-winning Chef, Restaurateur and co-founder of Frasca Hospitality Group and Scarpetta Wines, Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, as the Executive Chef of the new Denver Centurion Lounge. Chef Lachlan developed a locally sourced menu inspired by his travels through the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Northern Italy, incorporating a variety of local and artisanal ingredients. The Denver Centurion Lounge will be the first in the network to include a live action cooking station, where Card Members will be able to enjoy dishes prepared a la carte and even customize them to their personal preferences. The menu will rotate daily so that guests can enjoy freshly made breakfast and lunch items, such as: Gubana French Toast and Rigatoni al Portonat. Local Denver Brews and Gaming on The Go Nodding to the city's 70+ breweries, the Craft Beer Bar1 features rotating seasonal selections from local Colorado breweries. Upon opening the lounge will feature brews from Denver Beer Co, ODD13 Brewery, Breckenridge Brewery and Left Hand Brewing Company. Guests can also enjoy a complimentary full bar with Colorado-inspired cocktails created by renowned mixologist Jim Meehan and wine selections handpicked by wine authority Anthony Giglio. The new lounge also has a game room with a variety of options, including pool and shuffleboard tables, as well as custom, large-scale classics such as Connect Four and Checkers. As part of The Centurion Lounge Commitment, games will be cleaned and sanitized after each use. Mile High City-Inspired Design The new lounge has locally inspired design touches throughout the space, reminiscent of the natural environment and scenery throughout the city of Denver. This includes geometric ceiling installations that mimic the mountainous area, a mural of the Rocky Mountains and a two-sided living wall visible from within the lounge and from the concourse below. "We are happy to be able to offer Card Members a new place to enjoy and rest their feet while they wait for their flight," said Denver International Airport Chief Executive Officer, Kim Day. "It's a pleasure to welcome our first non-airline lounge to Denver, and to welcome the American Express Centurion Lounge to the DEN family." This new Lounge builds on the recent progress American Express has made to expand and enhance The Centurion Lounge network, including the introduction of The Centurion Lounge Commitment as well as plans to open a new location in London's Heathrow Airport later this year, and expand locations in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, New York's LaGuardia Airport and Las Vegas McCarran International Airport. *Amex Trendex Methodology: This online poll was conducted by Morning Consult between January 22-24, 2021 among a national sample of 2,000 general population travelers with a household income of at least $70K, and defined as adults who traveled by air at least once in 2019. Results from the survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS American Express is a globally integrated payments company, providing customerswith access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, instagram.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress. Key links to products, services and corporate responsibility information: charge and credit cards, business credit cards, travel services, gift cards, prepaid cards, merchant services, Accertify, InAuth, corporate card, business travel, and corporate responsibility. ABOUT THE CENTURION LOUNGE The Centurion Lounge is the signature lounge program within the broader American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes access to American Express Centurion Lounges, international American Express lounges, Delta Sky Club for Card Members flying on Delta, Priority PassTM Select Lounges upon enrollment, Airspace Lounges, MAG U.S. Escape Lounges and Plaza Premium Lounges--a total of more than 1,300 lounges across 140 countries and counting. In addition to the recent new openings of The Centurion Lounge at John F. Kennedy Airport and Denver International Airport, American Express is working towards opening its newest lounge location later this year in London's Heathrow Airport. Access to The Centurion Lounge is complimentary and exclusive for Platinum Card Members, Centurion Members and Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members and provides places to relax and recharge while traveling the globe. Platinum Card Members may enter with up to two travel companions at no additional charge. Centurion Members may enter with their immediate family or up to two travel companions. Platinum and Centurion Card Members may purchase access to The Centurion Lounge for additional guests for $50 each guest. Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members may bring up to two guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person, per location.2 Card Members can find a lounge at the Global Lounge Collection website or by using the American Express App. They can also check into select Centurion Lounges through the mobile check-in tool within the American Express App, which was recently enhanced through LoungeBuddy. In the coming days LoungeBuddy will also refresh its popular mobile app to provide an enhanced user experience so that travelers can more easily find airport lounges they can access on their upcoming journeys. Lounge access is just one of the many ways American Express backs Card Members' journeys, when they're ready to travel, with additional offerings available for Platinum Card and Centurion Members through American Express Travel and their Concierge, including access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts program, The Hotel Collection, International Airline Program, The Global Dining Collection, and more. ABOUT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Denver International Airport is the fifth-busiest airport in the United States. With more than 69 million passengers traveling through the airport each year, DEN is one of the busiest airline hubs in the world's largest aviation market. DEN is the primary economic engine for the state of Colorado, generating more than $33 billion for the region annually. For more information visit www.FlyDenver.com, check us out on YouTube and Instagram, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. 1Must be of legal drinking age to consume alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly. 2Subject to availability/capacity. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005466/en/ Delivery boxes are piled up at a distribution complex in Seoul, Friday, as workers refuse to work. They will return to work Saturday after voting to approve a deal involving logistics companies and the government. Yonhap Unionized delivery workers ended a strike Friday, saying they have reached a tentative agreement with logistics companies on ways to prevent them from overworking. The Parcel Delivery Workers' Solidarity Union said its 5,500 members, who began and ended the walkout the same day, will return to work Saturday, with less than two weeks until the Feb. 11-13 Lunar New Year holiday, when demand for deliveries is expected to soar. The decision came after a vote Friday, in which 89 percent of the union members cast their ballots and 86 percent approved the tentative deal reached the previous day. The agreement, which also involves the National Assembly and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, requires logistics companies to send the promised number of additional workers to sort parcels by Monday. It also requires the ministry to form a field inspection team to make sure the extra workers are sent. The union said the new deal is legally enforceable as it was signed by the logistics companies themselves, including Hanjin Transportation Co., Lotte Global Logistics Co. and CJ Logistics Co. "As the provisional agreement has been approved, (we) are ending the strike and will return to work starting Jan. 30," the union said in a statement. The two sides initially reached an agreement last week, under which logistics firms agreed to take responsibility for sorting parcels before their delivery, a job couriers have blamed for their overwork. On Wednesday, the union accused the companies of violating the terms of the agreement and declared an indefinite strike. It also complained that the deal was not legally enforceable as it was signed by the Korea Integrated Logistics Association on behalf of the firms. Last year, 19 delivery workers died apparently as a result of overwork. (Yonhap) Turkmenistan's autocratic leader has established a national holiday to honor the local dog breed, media reports said Tuesday. President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov ordered the holiday praising the Alabai, the Central Asian shepherd dog, to be celebrated on the last Sunday of April when the ex-Soviet nation also marks the day of the local horse breed, according to the daily Neutral Turkmenistan. The Central Asian nation of 6 million prides itself in horses and dogs, honoring its centuries-old herding traditions. Berdymukhamedov has ruled the gas-rich desert country since 2006 through an all-encompassing personality cult that styles him as Turkmenistans arkadaq," or protector. The Turkmen leader has extolled the Alabai for years. He published a book and wrote a song about the breed and presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with a puppy in 2017. In 2019, Berdymukhamedov also handed an Alabai puppy to then Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Last year, Berdymukhamedov inaugurated a 15-meter (nearly 50-feet) gilded statue honoring the dog in the Turkmen capital. Berdymukhamedov's son, Serdar, who heads the international Alabai association, reported to the president that the holiday will feature a beauty contest and agility competitions. The City of Urbana will strive to purge the perpetuation of discrimination that is institutionalized in our society through the power of its policies, procedures, and attitudes. DistroKid Upstream Offers Unsigned Artist Data To Labels, Republic Signs On DIY digital distributor DistroKid has added Upstream to match unsigned artists with labels, and hitmakers Republic Records has become its first official partner. Serving millions of artists, DistroKid says that it is now the worlds biggest music distributor by most metrics delivering one third of all new music to Spotify, Apple, Amazon and dozens of other streamers. With Distrokid Upstream artists can now easily share streaming data with Republic and soon, according to DistroKid, other labels interested in signing them. Its unclear exactly what level of streaming data DistroKid shares, but undoubtedly some of it is already available via Chartmetric and other data services that A&R execs regularly use to scout for talent. DistroKid has brought in industry veteran Che Pope, who will work with labels that join Upstream to advocate for artists who opt-in. Pop did A&R at Warner Music and was COO at Kanye Wests record label, G.O.O.D. Music. The Grammy Award-winning producer has worked with Lauryn Hill, Eminem, Teddy Riley, Dr. Dre, Hans Zimmer, ASAP Rocky and The Weeknd. For those artists who want to be noticed, Upstream provides a powerful way to connect with record labels, said Che Pope. For labels, Upstream opens a window into a cache of data that can help identify promising artists early in their career. I believe this will be a game-changer for both artists and record labels. Millions of artists rely on DistroKid and often ask for help getting noticed by record labels, said DistroKid Founder and CEO, Philip Kaplan. And record labels have approached us about finding efficient ways to identify talent in the DistroKid community. With demand on both sides, it made sense to play matchmaker. Share on: Attendees will have access to interactive virtual discussions, scalable and secure video-streaming, as well as AR features including human holograms NexTech AR Solutions Corp (( ) ( ) (CSE:NTAR) (FRA:N29) announced Friday that the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders (CSPL) has chosen its augmented reality (AR) platform to virtually host the 2021 Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership (CCPL) on April 26-29. With Nextechs virtual experience and video platform (VXP), attendees will have access to interactive virtual discussions, scalable and secure video-streaming, as well as AR features, including human holograms. The idea is to bring an in-person feel to the virtual conference experience, the company said. Additionally, many attendees of the CCPL will be pursuing continuing medical education credits (CME) during the event, the company said, which can be challenging to translate to a fully virtual environment. Nextechs VXP will utilize AI to track attendees progress, ensuring accurate administration of CME throughout the event. When seeking out partners for our first-ever virtual event, what stood out to us the most were the full-service capabilities this platform had to offer, CSPL Executive Director Carol Rochefor said in a statement. Our attendees expect continuing medical education accreditation, so it was essential for us to use a platform capable of accurate tracking and monitoring. In addition to offering full-service capabilities, the platform was incredibly easy to navigate right off the bat, Rochefor added. Were hosting this event at a truly unprecedented time for the medical community, so having a reliable, user-friendly setting in which professionals can collaborate on crucial issues is more important than ever. NexTech has previously won clients including Amazon, Bell Canada, UNESCO, Dell Technologies Inc, Luxottica, Vulcan Inc, Boehringer Ingelheim, TEDx, Grundfos and Arch Insurance. It is with great pleasure that we announce we will be working with the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders to build this monumentally important event, NexTech CEO Evan Gappelberg said. This latest client win is yet another example of an esteemed institution choosing Nextechs virtual events and video platform for its enhanced security, amplified video and immersive augmented reality experiences over the competition. Our platform is not just a virtual event platform but a highly secure experiential platform, which is what everyone is looking for. Contact Andrew Kessel at andrew.kessel@proactiveinvestors.com Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kessel PV Real Estate Living is Easy in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico With its colorful, flower-festooned architecture and cobblestoned streets, Mexico's San Miguel de Allende has the feel of a village, but its large population of artists lends it a cosmopolitan air. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - When it comes to most sought-after places to live in Mexico for expats and retirees, San Miguel de Allende is near the top of almost every list. This beautiful city in the state of Guanajuato, about 4 hours from Mexico City, is one of the most amazing places to live in the country. Not only does this city have a very alluring cost of living rate, but it's historic center is actually a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's been mandated that the original colonial structure of just about every building in the downtown area be preserved and retain its original historic appearance. Needless to say, this makes San Miguel de Allende a uniquely beautiful city in Mexico. The city is a favorite destination for artists, musicians, writers and creatives of all types. The art scene is complete with live theater, book clubs, live music venues, independent films theaters, art galleries and just about anything else you can imagine. This makes it a fantastic place for not only creative types, but for most anyone who is looking for a stunning place to live in Mexico. Plus, it's also got a wide variety of gastronomic options for foodies looking to pamper their palates. Get in touch with us if you'd like some help buying a home in Mexico. Living in Mexico can be a dream come true for anyone who wants to give it a shot, and we're here to help. MEXLend is the most experienced residential mortgage broker in Mexico. We accompany you through the process of buying a home including securing home loans and Escrow services anywhere in Mexico. Are you looking to purchase vacation or investment property in Mexico? To discover which one of the many mortgage loan options that MEXLend offers is right for you, visit MexLend.com or MexLend.com.mx, call (322) 222-7377 in Vallarta, toll-free at 1.800.3.Mi.Casa in Mexico or (917) 779-9061 from the US or Canada. To learn more about MEXlend, click HERE. - When it comes to most sought-after places to live in Mexico for expats and retirees, San Miguel de Allende is near the top of almost every list. This beautiful city in the state of Guanajuato, about 4 hours from Mexico City, is one of the most amazing places to live in the country.Not only does this city have a very alluring cost of living rate, but it's historic center is actually a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's been mandated that the original colonial structure of just about every building in the downtown area be preserved and retain its original historic appearance. Needless to say, this makes San Miguel de Allende a uniquely beautiful city in Mexico.The city is a favorite destination for artists, musicians, writers and creatives of all types. The art scene is complete with live theater, book clubs, live music venues, independent films theaters, art galleries and just about anything else you can imagine.This makes it a fantastic place for not only creative types, but for most anyone who is looking for a stunning place to live in Mexico. Plus, it's also got a wide variety of gastronomic options for foodies looking to pamper their palates.Get in touch with us if you'd like some help buying a home in Mexico. Living in Mexico can be a dream come true for anyone who wants to give it a shot, and we're here to help.MEXLend is the most experienced residential mortgage broker in Mexico. We accompany you through the process of buying a home including securing home loans and Escrow services anywhere in Mexico. Site Map Print this Page Email Us Top Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size As a child, Suzanne Simard often roamed Canadas old-growth forests with her siblings, building forts from fallen branches, foraging mushrooms and huckleberries and occasionally eating handfuls of dirt (she liked the taste). Her grandfather and uncles, meanwhile, worked nearby as horse loggers, using low-impact methods to selectively harvest cedar, Douglas fir and white pine. They took so few trees that Simard never noticed much of a difference. The forest seemed ageless and infinite, pillared with conifers, jewelled with raindrops and brimming with ferns and fairy bells. She experienced it as nature in the raw: a mythic realm, perfect as it was. When she began attending the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, she was elated to discover forestry: an entire field of science devoted to her beloved domain. It seemed like the natural choice. By the time she was in grad school at Oregon State University, however, Simard understood that commercial clear-cutting had largely superseded the sustainable logging practices of the past. Loggers were replacing diverse forests with homogeneous plantations, evenly spaced in upturned soil stripped of most underbrush. Without any competitors, the thinking went, the newly planted trees would thrive. Instead, they were frequently more vulnerable to disease and climatic stress than trees in old-growth forests. In particular, Simard noticed that up to 10 per cent of newly planted Douglas fir were likely to get sick and die whenever nearby aspen, paper birch and cottonwood were removed. The reasons were unclear. The planted saplings had plenty of space, and they received more light and water than trees in old, dense forests. So why were they so frail? Simard suspected the answer was buried in the soil. Underground, trees and fungi form partnerships known as mycorrhizae: threadlike fungi envelop and fuse with tree roots, helping them extract water and nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen in exchange for some of the carbon-rich sugars the trees make through photosynthesis. Research had demonstrated that mycorrhizae also connected plants to one another and that these associations might be ecologically important, but most scientists had studied them in greenhouses and laboratories, not in the wild. For her doctoral thesis, Simard decided to investigate fungal links between Douglas fir and paper birch in the forests of British Columbia. Apart from her supervisor, she didnt receive much encouragement from her mostly male peers. The old foresters were like, Why dont you just study growth and yield? Simard told me. I was more interested in how these plants interact. They thought it was all very girlie. Now a professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia, Simard, who is 60, has studied webs of root and fungi in the Arctic, temperate and coastal forests of North America for nearly three decades. Her initial inklings about the importance of mycorrhizal networks were prescient, inspiring whole new lines of research that ultimately overturned long-standing misconceptions about forest ecosystems. By analysing the DNA in root tips and tracing the movement of molecules through underground conduits, Simard has discovered that fungal threads link nearly every tree in a forest even trees of different species. Carbon, water, nutrients, alarm signals and hormones can pass from tree to tree through these subterranean circuits. Resources tend to flow from the oldest and biggest trees to the youngest and smallest. Chemical alarm signals generated by one tree prepare nearby trees for danger. Seedlings severed from the forests underground lifelines are much more likely to die than their networked counterparts. And if a tree is on the brink of death, it sometimes bequeaths a substantial share of its carbon to its neighbours. Advertisement Although Simards peers were sceptical and sometimes even disparaging of her early work, they now generally regard her as one of the most rigorous and innovative scientists studying plant communication and behaviour. David Janos, co-editor of the scientific journal Mycorrhiza, characterised her published research as sophisticated, imaginative, cutting-edge. Jason Hoeksema, a University of Mississippi biology professor who has studied mycorrhizal networks, agreed: I think she has really pushed the field forward. Loading Some of Simards studies now feature in textbooks and are widely taught in graduate-level classes on forestry and ecology. She was also a key inspiration for a central character in Richard Powerss 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Overstory: the visionary botanist Patricia Westerford. In May, Knopf will publish Simards own book, Finding the Mother Tree, a vivid and compelling memoir of her lifelong quest to prove that the forest was more than just a collection of trees. Before Simard and other ecologists revealed the extent and significance of mycorrhizal networks, foresters typically regarded trees as solitary individuals that competed for space and resources and were otherwise indifferent to one another. Simard and her peers have demonstrated that this framework is far too simplistic. An old-growth forest is neither an assemblage of stoic organisms tolerating one anothers presence nor a merciless battle royale: its a vast, ancient and intricate society. There is conflict in a forest, but there is also negotiation, reciprocity and perhaps even selflessness. The trees, understorey plants, fungi and microbes in a forest are so thoroughly connected, communicative and co-dependent that some scientists have described them as superorganisms. Recent research suggests that mycorrhizal networks also perfuse prairies, grasslands, chaparral and Arctic tundra essentially everywhere there is life on land. Together, these symbiotic partners knit earths soils into nearly contiguous living networks of unfathomable scale and complexity. I was taught that you have a tree, and its out there to find its own way, Simard told me. Its not how a forest works, though. Suzanne Simards hunch about how groups of trees interact revolutionised forest ecology. Credit:Brendan George Ko/The New York Times Licensing Group/Redux Advertisement In mid-2019, I met Simard in Nelson, a small mountain town not far from where she grew up in southern British Columbia. One morning we drove up a winding road to an old-growth forest and began to hike. The first thing I noticed was the aroma. The air was piquant and subtly sweet, like orange peel and cloves. Above our heads, great green plumes filtered the sunlight, which splashed generously onto the forest floor in some places and merely speckled it in others. Gnarled roots laced the trail beneath our feet, diving in and out of the soil like sea serpents. I was so preoccupied with my own experience of the forest that it did not even occur to me to consider how the forest might be experiencing us until Simard brought it up. These trees are very perceptive. Very perceptive of whos growing around them. Im really interested in whether they perceive us. These trees are very perceptive, she said. Very perceptive of whos growing around them. Im really interested in whether they perceive us. I asked her to clarify what she meant. Simard explained that trees sense nearby plants and animals and alter their behaviour accordingly: the gnashing mandibles of an insect might prompt the production of chemical defences, for example. Some studies have even suggested that plant roots grow toward the sound of running water and that certain flowering plants sweeten their nectar when they detect a bees wing beats. Trees perceive lots of things, Simard said. So why not us, too? I considered the possibility. Wed been walking through this forest for more than an hour. Our sweat glands had been wafting pungent chemical compounds. Our voices and footsteps were sending pressure waves through the air and soil. Our bodies brushed against trunks and displaced branches. Suddenly it seemed entirely plausible that the trees had noticed our presence. A little farther along the trail, we found a sunny alcove where we stopped to rest and chat, laying our backpacks against a log plush with moss and lichen. A multitude of tiny plants sprouted from the logs green fleece. I asked Simard what they were. She bent her head for a closer look, tucking her frizzy blond hair behind her ears, and called out what she saw: queens cup, a kind of lily; five-leaved bramble, a type of wild raspberry; and both cedar and hemlock seedlings. As she examined the log, part of it collapsed, revealing the decaying interior. Simard dug deeper with her thumbs, exposing a web of rubbery, mustard-yellow filaments embedded in the wood. Mycorrhizae in the soil between Douglas firs. Credit:Brendan George Ko/The New York Times Licensing Group/Redux Thats a fungus! she said. That is Piloderma. Its a very common mycorrhizal fungus one she had encountered and studied many times before in circumstances exactly like these. This mycorrhizal network is actually linked up to that tree. She gestured toward a nearby hemlock that stood at least 30 metres tall. That tree is feeding these seedlings. Advertisement In some of her earliest and most famous experiments, Simard planted mixed groups of young Douglas fir and paper birch trees in forest plots and covered the trees with individual plastic bags. In each plot, she injected the bags surrounding one tree species with radioactive carbon dioxide and the bags covering the other species with a stable carbon isotope, a variant of carbon with an unusual number of neutrons. The trees absorbed the unique forms of carbon through their leaves. Later, she pulverised the trees and analysed their chemistry to see if any carbon had passed from species to species underground. It had. In the summer, when the smaller Douglas fir trees were generally shaded, carbon mostly flowed from birch to fir. In autumn, when evergreen Douglas fir was still growing and deciduous birch was losing its leaves, the net flow reversed. As her earlier observations of failing Douglas fir had suggested, the two species appeared to depend on each other. No one had ever traced such a dynamic exchange of resources through mycorrhizal networks in the wild. In 1997, part of Simards thesis was published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature a rare feat for someone so green. Nature featured her research on its cover with the title The Wood-Wide Web, a moniker that eventually proliferated through the pages of published studies and popular science writing alike. In 2002, Simard secured her current professorship at the University of British Columbia, where she continued to study interactions among trees, understorey plants and fungi. In collaboration with students and colleagues around the world, she made a series of remarkable discoveries. Mycorrhizal networks were abundant in North Americas forests. Most trees were generalists, forming symbioses with dozens to hundreds of fungal species. In one study of six Douglas fir stands measuring about 930 square metres each, almost all the trees were connected underground by no more than three degrees of separation; one especially large and old tree was linked to 47 other trees and projected to be connected to at least 250 more; and seedlings that had full access to the fungal network were 26 per cent more likely to survive than those that did not. Depending on the species involved, mycorrhizae supplied trees and other plants with up to 40 per cent of the nitrogen they received from the environment and as much as 50 per cent of the water they needed to survive. Below ground, trees traded between 10 and 40 per cent of the carbon stored in their roots. When Douglas fir seedlings were stripped of their leaves and thus likely to die, they transferred stress signals and a substantial sum of carbon to nearby ponderosa pine, which subsequently accelerated their production of defensive enzymes. Simard also found that denuding a harvested forest of all trees, ferns, herbs and shrubs a common forestry practice did not always improve the survival and growth of newly planted trees. In some cases, it was harmful. When Simard started publishing her provocative studies, some of her peers loudly disapproved. They questioned her novel methodology and disputed her conclusions. Many were perplexed as to why trees of different species would help one another at their own expense an extraordinary level of altruism that seemed to contradict the core tenets of Darwinian evolution. Soon, most references to her studies were immediately followed by citations of published rebuttals. A shadow was growing over my work, Simard writes in her upcoming book. By searching for hints of interdependence in the forest floor, she had inadvertently provoked one of the oldest and most intense debates in biology: Is co-operation as central to evolution as competition? Douglas fir as a seedling. Credit:Getty Images The question of whether plants possess some form of sentience or agency has a long and fraught history. Although plants are obviously alive, they are rooted to the earth and mute, and they rarely move on a relatable timescale; they seem more like passive aspects of the environment than agents within it. Western culture, in particular, often consigns plants to a liminal space between object and organism. It is precisely this ambiguity that makes the possibility of plant intelligence and society so intriguing and so contentious. Advertisement In a 1973 book titled The Secret Life of Plants, the journalists Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird claimed that plants had souls, emotions and musical preferences, that they felt pain and psychically absorbed the thoughts of other creatures, and that they could track the movement of the planets and predict earthquakes. To make their case, the authors indiscriminately mixed genuine scientific findings with the observations and supposed studies of quacks and mystics. Many scientists lambasted the book as nonsense. Nevertheless, it became a New York Times bestseller and inspired cartoons in The New Yorker and Doonesbury. Ever since, botanists have been especially wary of anyone whose claims about plant behaviour and communication verge too close to the pseudoscientific. In most of her published studies, Simard, who considered becoming a writer before she discovered forestry, is careful to use conservative language, but when addressing the public, she embraces metaphor and reverie in a way that makes some scientists uncomfortable. In a TED Talk Simard gave in 2016, she describes a world of infinite biological pathways, species that are interdependent like yin and yang and veteran trees that send messages of wisdom on to the next generation of seedlings. She calls the oldest, largest and most interconnected trees in a forest mother trees a phrase meant to evoke their capacity to nurture those around them, even when they arent literally their parents. In her book, she compares mycorrhizal networks to the human brain. And she has spoken openly of her spiritual connection to forests. Some of the scientists I interviewed worry that Simards studies do not fully substantiate her boldest claims and that the popular writing related to her work sometimes misrepresents the true nature of plants and forests. For example, in his international bestseller, The Hidden Life of Trees, the forester Peter Wohlleben writes that trees optimally divide nutrients and water among themselves, that they probably enjoy the feeling of fungi merging with their roots and that they even possess maternal instincts. There is value in getting the public excited about all of the amazing mechanisms by which forest ecosystems might be functioning, but sometimes the speculation goes too far, the University of Mississippis Hoeksema said. It will be really interesting to see how much experimental evidence emerges to support some of the big ideas we have been getting excited about. At this point other researchers have replicated most of Simards major findings. Its now well accepted that resources travel among trees and other plants connected by mycorrhizal networks. Most ecologists also agree that the amount of carbon exchanged among trees is sufficient to benefit seedlings, as well as older trees that are injured, entirely shaded or severely stressed, but researchers still debate whether shuttled carbon makes a meaningful difference to healthy adult trees. On a more fundamental level, it remains unclear exactly why resources are exchanged among trees in the first place, especially when those trees are not closely related. Loading In their autobiographies, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace each credited Thomas Malthus as a key inspiration for their independent formulations of evolution by natural selection. Malthuss 1798 essay on population helped the naturalists understand that all living creatures were locked into a ceaseless contest for limited natural resources. Darwin was also influenced by Adam Smith, who believed that societal order and efficiency could emerge from competition among inherently selfish individuals in a free market. Similarly, the planets dazzling diversity of species and their intricate relationships, Darwin would show, emerged from inevitable processes of competition and selection, rather than divine craftsmanship. Darwins theory of evolution by natural selection is obviously 19th-century capitalism writ large, wrote the evolutionary biologist Richard Lewontin. Advertisement Premier Brian Pallister will not tell anyone how he spent $2,075 of taxpayer money on two recent trips last year to Ottawa. Given the modest sum of money involved, the obvious question is, why? Premier Brian Pallister will not tell anyone how he spent $2,075 of taxpayer money on two recent trips last year to Ottawa. Given the modest sum of money involved, the obvious question is, why? As an elected official, and as the first minister who leads the provincial government, Pallister has a legal and moral obligation to provide specifics about how he spends public money, whether it's in Manitoba or another province. Or, put another way, the premier has no legal, moral or administrative authority to withhold the details of how he spends public money. And yet, that's exactly what he's doing. The two trips in question from last year one in July and the second in September had been documented by the Free Press, given that Pallister had provided no compelling reason for travelling east to Ottawa during the pandemic. From the first moment the purpose of his trips was questioned, the premier has maintained that he was on important government business. His agenda from those trips tells a different story. Most of the meetings he attended could have been done remotely, and given the pandemic, should have been done remotely. At least one scheduled meeting with the prime minister was done via video conference with Pallister in his hotel room. And eventually, the premier admitted he only worked about half the time he was out of the province. It was patently clear there was nothing of a pressing nature that would have justified the time, expense and risk of travelling to Ottawa in the teeth of the COVID-19 pandemic. The story would have ended there if it had not been for one last development. This week, the Free Press obtained details from his expense account for the two trips last year. At first blush, little about Pallister's expenses would raise eyebrows, although the modest amounts he claimed for accommodation and meals certainly suggest he spent as much or more time on vacation than he did on official meetings. But then there was another category "other transportation" in which the premier claimed $2,075 over the two trips. What was covered by that expense category? Pallister has refused to say. A spokeswoman could only say that it covered transportation to and from the airport and meetings away from his hotel. For anyone who has visited Ottawa, the suggestion that Pallister needed more than $2,000 to pay for transportation in and around the city for official meetings and airport transit is, in a word, laughable. It also prompts intrigue that is, in some ways, inappropriate for the size of the expenses. This should have been a oneoff story. Simple question is met with a simple explanation. Asked and answered. Time to move on. Instead, Pallister's inability to tell simple truths is coming back to haunt him, once again. Pallister's preposterously vague explanation suggests that he either charged something to his expense account that was improper, or that the expenses themselves reveal the nature of his activities on the days he wasn't working. This should have been a one-off story. Simple question is met with a simple explanation. Asked and answered. Time to move on. Instead, Pallister's inability to tell simple truths is coming back to haunt him, once again. Rarely in the annals of Manitoba political history, and perhaps Canadian political history, have we seen a political leader with such an appetite for self-harm. Pallister has continually generated headlines for his refusal to tell the truth. Like the time in 2014, when he claimed he was unable to visit flood-ravaged western Manitoba because he was at a family wedding in Alberta. (Turned out he was in Costa Rica the entire time.) Or, the time he threatened to sue the Free Press for a story we wrote on how he was in arrears on his property taxes. (He was, and even after he was forced to admit he owed taxes, he refused to apologize or withdraw the legal action.) Pallister's travails have also included an alarming number of stories that involve liberties he has taken on so-called official trips. Pallister found himself in a firestorm in 2019 for using taxpayer money to visit France for the 75th anniversary of D-Day only to blow off one of the most important ceremonies to visit the owners of a French company that built a pea processing plant and, quite obviously, get a start on a personal vacation with his wife, Esther. In the face of all these stories, Pallister has been nothing short of incorrigible, often to his own detriment. The fact that Pallister was successful enough in the private sector to afford a lovely home in Costa Rica is not much of a story. Even the inordinate amount of time he spent in Costa Rica in the years after he returned to politics is, in essence, a pretty small story. It is also rather innocuous that Pallister tacks on a personal vacation to many of his "official" trips. Hey, who among us hasn't done that? However, what elevates these mostly innocuous stories to screaming headline status is Pallister's propensity to mislead, obscure and yes lie to cover up some of the more questionable aspects of his travel and vacation decisions. This is not a story about a questionable travel expense. It's a story about a politician with a questionable grasp of the truth. dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca Budget 2021 | Representative image: Moneycontrol.com Ahead of the Budget presentation on February 1, let's take a look at what the middle-class people expect from the Budget. Middle-class citizens expect some key reforms and regulatory changes in various sectors and segments such as healthcare, taxation, infrastructure and agriculture. Healthcare The COVID-19 pandemic has put the spotlight on healthcare-related reforms. During the Budget, many would like to see reforms related to medical insurance, vaccines, and healthcare infrastructure. Sharli Dhayalkar, a radiotechnologist, said more government hospitals should be created, and the existing ones should be upgraded. "The budget should also include some sort of mediclaim for all healthcare workers and their families," she said. Narendra Kumar, a senior citizen, said some medical provisions, such as insurance, should be provided for the elderly. Jobs Several Indians, both salaried professionals and workers in the informal sector, either lost their jobs due to the pandemic or took pay cuts. The informal sector, in particular, was severely hit. Sarang Sawant, a media marketer, suggested that more job opportunities should be created. Sonali Gade, an entrepreneur who runs a self-help group for women, said small businesses have been hurt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tax Homi Mistry, a Partner with Deloitte India, said the government can consider raising the threshold for deduction under Section 80C. According to Sumit Makhija, a working professional, a lot of factors are involved in working from home such as infrastructure, internet cost and electricity charges. "Therefore, certain allowances should be introduced which we can claim as part of our taxable income," he observed. He also suggested that surcharge or taxes on fuel prices should be reduced. A Turkish-Hungarian and a Hungarian national have been charged with attempting the largest-ever drug smuggling operation uncovered in Hungary, the Budapest public prosecutor said. The two men conspired to smuggle 730 kilograms of heroin into the country from Turkey in September 2019, Tibor Ibolya said. According to the charges, the 57-year-old Turkish-Hungarian national, who had been sentenced on drug-related charges multiple times before, agreed with a 49-year-old Hungarian man that the latter would import the drugs under the guise of cling film. The Slovenian authorities discovered the drugs hidden in the rolls of cling film and seized 661kg. They let the rest travel to Hungary while notifying the Hungarian authorities, who were able to catch the Hungarian perpetrator red-handed in a warehouse in Budapest on November 5 that year, Ibolya said. The Slovenian and Hungarian authorities cooperated through Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation. The Turkish-Hungarian national has been charged in absentia, and is facing life in prison, Ibolya said. The prosecutors office has requested a shorter prison sentence for the other accused. Photo courtesy of police.hu In what may come as a sigh of relief for some parents who struggled to pay full fees amid the pandemic, the Karnataka government on Friday asked all school in the state to only charge 70% of the tuition fees for the academic year 2020-21. This will be applicable to all private schools including state syllabus, CBSE and ICSE. Minister for Primary and secondary Education S Suresh Kumar told media persons that the 30% reduction was arrived at after detailed consultation with all stakeholder including parent associations and school managements. The decision was taken by two weeks after parents held a protest in front of his residence over the issue. Another protest was registered by the Karnataka Private School Parent Organisation Coordinating Committee which swept streets in front of Kumar's residence demanding for fees to be reduced. "A similar decision was also taken by the Chennai High Court in August which helped us execute the best way in which both parents and schools could reach a consensus. This is a good step forward to create an amicable solution agreeable to all and most favorable to the students," Kumar said. He said court had already defined the components to be included as tuition fees, so that no other charges save that were paid by parents. "Developmental fees, festival fees, or uniform fees cannot be taken. Fees for excursions or use of swimming pool etc. cannot be charged. Private schools should look at parent sympathetically and parent should also realize that it is their teachers who are going without salaries, so this common minimum understanding should help in implementing this solution that we have derived at," he added. No donations are to be taken by private schools in the name of any form, the state government has said. However, students availing transport facilities may have to pay for it. For parents who have already paid full fees, adjustments will be made to the fees paid in the future. Associated Management of Private School in Karnataka (KAMS) however, has called the move completely "unscientific", saying it would impact the salaries of teachers directly. "Firstly we have been asked to curtail the 15% increment in fees for the academic year, above that if a direct 30% reduction is sought it will further worsen our financial position. Moreover, we have not got any new admissions which has created a bigger deficit already. We may be forced now to take legal recourse so that we are heard" said D Shashi Kumar, General Secretary, KAMS. Johnson & Johnson said its single-dose vaccine was 72pc effective in preventing Covid-19 in the United States but a lower rate of 66pc was observed globally in the large trial conducted across three continents and against multiple variants. In the trial of nearly 44,000 volunteers, the level of protection against moderate and severe Covid-19 was 66pc in Latin America and just 57pc in South Africa, where a particularly worrying variant of the novel coronavirus is circulating. Those results compare to the high bar set by two authorized vaccines from Pfizer Inc/BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc, which were around 95pc effective in preventing symptomatic illness in pivotal trials when given in two doses. Those trials, however, were conducted mainly in the United States and before the broad spread of new variants now under the spotlight. Read More J&J's main study goal was the prevention of moderate to severe Covid-19, and the vaccine was 85pc effective in stopping severe disease and preventing hospitalization across all geographies and against multiple variants 28 days after immunization. That level of prevention "will potentially protect hundreds of millions of people from serious and fatal outcomes of Covid-19," Dr. Paul Stoffels, J&J's chief scientific officer, said in a statement. The company plans to seek emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration next week. Public health officials have been counting on the J&J vaccine to increase much-needed supply and simplify the US immunization campaign. Unlike the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, J&J's does not require a second shot weeks after the first or need to be kept frozen, making it a strong candidate for use in parts of the world with weak transportation infrastructure and insufficient cold storage facilities. South Africa Several studies have emerged this month showing that a South African variant of the coronavirus has mutated in areas of the virus that are key targets of vaccines, reducing their efficacy. "What we are learning is there is different efficacy in different parts of the world," Stoffels said in a telephone interview. Importantly, though, in a sub-study of 6,000 volunteers in South Africa, Stoffels said, the J&J vaccine was 89pc effective at preventing severe disease. Ninety-five percent of cases in the South Africa portion of the trial were infections with the South African variant. A mid-stage trial of a Novovax Inc coronavirus vaccine in South Africa also showed lower efficacy in the country. It proved to be 60pc effective among volunteers who didn't have HIV. In a separate, late-stage trial in the UK, the vaccine was 89.3pc effective. In the J&J trial, which was conducted in eight countries, 44pc of participants were from the United States, 41pc were from Central and South America and 15pc were from South Africa. Slightly more than a third of the volunteers were over age 60. There were no serious adverse events among those who received the shot, the company said. Full results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. J&J's vaccine uses a common cold virus known as adenovirus type 26 to introduce coronavirus proteins into cells in the body and trigger an immune response. The Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines use a new technology called messenger RNA (mRNA) that requires it to be stored in a freezer. The news of another safe and effective vaccine comes as the United States has surpassed 430,000 Covid-19 deaths and with hospitals in many states still struggling to keep up with patients despite recent declines in new infections. Concerns about fresh surges in the United States have also grown due to the presence of a more contagious coronavirus variant first discovered in the UK and news of the arrival of the South African variant on Thursday in South Carolina. The US vaccination program got off to a slow start in December and has accelerated to around 1 million shots per day nationwide. US President Joe Biden has promised that at least 100 million shots will be administered in his first 100 days in office, but concerns about supply disruptions have added uncertainty to that target. The United States has an agreement to buy 100 million doses of J&J's vaccine for $1 billion. The company said in a statement the vaccine would be ready immediately upon emergency approval but Stoffels declined to specify how many doses. The government also has the option of purchasing an additional 200 million doses. J&J has said it plans to deliver 1 billion doses in 2021 and will produce the vaccine in the United States, Europe, South Africa and India. U.S. trial results for the vaccine from AstraZeneca Plc and Oxford University are expected in early February, opening up the possibility of a fourth vaccine option. It has already been approved in the UK, Europe and many countries based on results of a separate trial. Novavax is also discussing with the FDA whether its data is sufficient to apply for emergency use authorization. J&J is studying the effects of its vaccine given in two doses at two months apart, but results of that trial won't be available until this summer, Stoffels said. In January, we remember one of the darkest events in the history of humanitythe Holocaust, the systematic elimination of the Jewish people by Nazi Germany and its collaborators. Although there is understanding that the Holocaust coincided with the years of the Second World War, its origins began earlier. In truth, the beginnings of the Holocaust go back to the 1930s, when the Nazi Party came to power and the German government began to target those they deemed to be inherently inferior. Such people, mostly civilians, were rounded up, shut into ghettos, and deported to dozens of concentration or slave labor camps. Many people were shot and dumped into mass graves. By late 1941, a number of camps began the process of murder on a massive scale. Then, on January 20, 1942, at the so-called Wannsee Conference, Nazi leadership decided to formalize the implementation of the Final Solution: the systematic annihilation of a specific segment of the population as government policy: an atrocity perpetrated against the Jewish population. It was a part of the Second World War, yet it was separate from the German war effort. Indeed, the Final Solution often took precedence over the war effort: despite a desperate need for personnel and material on the front lines, no assets or supplies were diverted from death camp assignments. In the end, the Final Solution resulted in the deaths of six million Jews. Never before on such a scale in human history had genocidethe annihilation of an entire people--been implemented as government policy. International Holocaust Remembrance is a time to remember the people murdered in the Holocaust, not only to honor the dead but also to remind ourselves what unspeakable horrors humans are capable of perpetrating. Never again, humanity said as the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Yet in January, we also remember the victims of the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. As the Spanish philosopher George Santayana once wrote, Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. In Kansas City, the topic of public transportation typically downplays public safety concerns despite a myriad of violence endured by bus riders. Even as DOT Sec Pete Buttigieg spreads the love for Prez Biden big bucks soon to arrive . . . The violence that often occurs near or around local bus stops is ignored. Accordingly . . . TKC PUBLIC TRANSIT REALITY CHECK!!! KANSAS CITY DEADLY GUNFIRE TARGETED RANDOM BUS PASSENGER STALKED BY SUSPECT ON WALK HOME!!! The latest note from the courthouse posted just moments ago after more than a year of investigation . . . KC man, 27, charged in fatal shooting of apparent stranger walking home at night Deets with highlight . . . A 27-year-old Kansas City man has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting in November 2019 of a man, David Como, as he walked home from his bus stop in the evening, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today. SUSPECT, dob: 11/17/1993, faces Murder 2nd Degree, Robbery 1st Degree and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.* According to court records, Kansas City police officers responded on Nov. 12, 2019, just past midnight to the area of 56th and Park Avenue, where they found the victim, dob: 5/18/1973, in the street. He had been shot, and the Jackson County Medical Examiner later ruled the death a homicide. Police detectives obtained surveillance video from the KCATA bus that showed the victim getting off the bus at 11:47 p.m. on Nov. 11. A witness told police he normally arrived home about this time and would often take the bus. The victim was walking east on 56th when gunshots were heard a few minutes later. The back left pocket of the victim's pants were swabbed for DNA and in 2020 that DNA was matched to the defendant. In custody on another crime, the defendant admitted to police that he reached into the victim's pocket. He admitted to being involved in the robbery and said someone else shot the victim. In jail calls, the defendant also admitted to his involvement in the crime. Prosecutors requested a bond of $250,000 cash. ############# Developing . . . A Woolworths shopper has shared the heartwarming story of how a checkout worker went above and beyond to help her when she was short on cash to buy groceries. Jessica Atalla, from Melbourne, was excited to head to her local supermarket for the first time in 10 months after recently giving birth to her daughter. The mother realised she left her wallet in the car, but she had enough cash to purchase a few items. A Woolworths employee offered $2 to a mother who was a bit short on pay for her shop (stock) After collecting a few essentials, Ms Atalla went to scan her items when she realised she didn't enough money to cover the bill. 'I had a little bit of cash but ended up also getting some cleaning supplies and was just short,' Ms Atalla wrote in the Facebook group The Kindness Pandemic. She asked a female employee at the self checkout to remove an item so she could afford to pay. 'She told me to hold on and I was thinking maybe she needed to get a senior staff member to remove the item,' Ms Atalla said. 'Instead she came back with two dollars which was more than I needed and she even told me to keep the change. 'It really made my day! Thank you so much the kind gesture was very appreciated.' Jessica Atalla from Melbourne had a bit of cash when she went to purchase a few items from Woolworths (stock) Ms Atalla's post has so far received more than 3,400 likes. Dozens of people commended the Woolworths worker for her kind gesture. 'I was lucky enough for supermarket staff do the same for me when I didn't have enough money. It is such a relief!' someone wrote. 'What a beautiful thing to do,' another commented. 'It's those little things that count BIG TIME!' someone else wrote. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low near 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. LAist only exists with reader support. If you're in a position to give, your donation powers our reporters and keeps us independent. Our reporting is free for everyone, but its not free to make. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now. On Monday, we published my reporting on the death of Alessa Fajardo, a 4-year-old girl who was killed by a driver while walking to school with her mother in October of 2019. In the roughly 15 months since Alessa died, her parents, Erica and Jaime Fajardo, have been waiting for the woman who killed their daughter to be held accountable -- and for the city to make safety improvements on Olympic Blvd. and Normandie Ave. in Koreatown. Shortly after Alessa was killed, city workers restriped the crosswalks at the intersection, but as I reported, further improvements remained pending or unfunded. Then on Wednesday morning, workers with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation installed new safety features at the intersection, including at the crosswalk where Alessa died. One key change: retiming the signals to give people walking a head start to cross the road, known as a Leading Pedestrian Interval, or LPI. The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) calls LPIs a "proven safety countermeasure" that's been shown to reduce vehicle-pedestrian collisions by 13%. The second feature is known as centerline hardening, or left-turn calming, and is designed to improve pedestrian safety by extending the center dividing lines of streets past the crosswalk and into the intersection. That's accomplished with rubber strips and plastic bollards, which force drivers to make wider, slower left turns. LADOT workers installed hardened centerlines, shown above, and Leading Pedestrian Intervals at the crosswalks on Olympic Boulevard in Koreatown (Courtesy LADOT) Both upgrades represent an engineering approach known as "self-enforcing streets." The FHA reported that roadways designed this way "can be effective in producing speed compliance and may contribute to less severe crash outcomes." As I reported earlier this week, the city has known and documented for years that the intersection where Alessa was killed is especially dangerous for pedestrians -- particularly for children who walk to the school on the corner, like Alessa did. Left-turn phasing -- as in traffic signals with green arrows that limit the time drivers can turn left-- has also been approved for the intersection. But there is currently no timetable for when those new signals will be installed, according to LADOT spokesperson Colin Sweeney. Sweeney also confirmed that the upgrades were all recommended as a result of the department's review of the incident in which Alessa died. That review was completed in July 2020, he said. Since Alessa was killed on Oct. 16, 2019, I've been asking LADOT how it plans to address the dangers there. Sweeney told me late last year that centerline hardening was "expected" to be installed early this year, but did not mention LPIs. That feature was first proposed for the crosswalks there under a Safe Routes to School plan, which was denied funding in 2018. Sweeney provided this statement from LADOT: "Every life lost as a result of traffic violence is tragic and heartbreaking, especially when we lose a life that's only just begun. We extend our deepest condolences to the Fajardo family and remain committed to doing everything we can to prevent more families from suffering such a loss." At a memorial service a year after her death, Alessa Fajardo's family and friends wore shirts with her portrait in rainbows, her favorite color. (Chava Sanchez/LAist) I reached out to Alessa's mother, Erica Fajardo, who was also hit by the driver that October morning. She said the changes are important to make, but wishes the city had invested in making the streets safer before Alessa was killed. "Why do they have to wait for something like this to happen, when a life is taken away?" she said. Over the summer, Fajardo emailed the city's Vision Zero team, sharing her family's loss and asking for left-turn arrows and other upgrades, but never heard back from anyone. She hopes the city will do more to make streets safer for all Angelenos, regardless of where they live. "I do have to think about the safety of my other two kids, and I think about the other kids who live around me," she said. "I have to be the voice for my other kids ... set the example for them, and let Alessa be heard." You can read my story about Alessa Fajardo and her family's quest to hold accountable the driver who killed her -- and the city that manages the road where she died. READ MORE ABOUT ALESSA AND TRAFFIC VIOLENCE: 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. Barely a year into my Christian walk, I was out shopping with friends when they began talking about what they were going to give up for Lent. One friend quipped that she had purchased a book of Lenten Prayers too. Being new, I was confused about what Lent was, aside from Lenten prayers. After all, its the stuff you pull from the trap from your dryer, right? Yes and no. Lent is the 40 days not including Sundays from Ash Wednesday to the Saturday before Easter. Lent is often described as a time of preparation and an opportunity to go deeper with God. This means that its a time for personal reflection that prepares peoples hearts and minds for Good Friday and Easter. Over the years, I began to anticipate this season because I wanted to grow deeper in my relationship with God. So, each year as the holiday approached, I began reflecting inward and asking God to open my eyes to things or habits that were keeping me from a deeper relationship with Him. Some years were tough because as I gave up TV, soda, chocolate, etc. Other years, I added in something specific too like prayer walks, or participating in a study. However, all the time spent focusing on God brought me closer and taught me so many lessons during each season. What Is Lent? So, what exactly is Lent? Christianity.com says, The Lenten season developed as part of the historical Christian calendar and is typically celebrated by Catholics and some mainline Protestant churches that follow a liturgical calendar. Although its format has varied throughout the centuries and throughout different cultures, the basic concept remains the same: to open our hearts to God's refining grace through prayer, confession, fasting, and almsgiving as we anticipate Holy Week. Lent traditionally lasts forty days, modeled after Christ's forty-day fast in the desert, and ends on Good Friday. In the Western Church, Lent officially begins with a reminder of our mortality on Ash Wednesday. During those 40 days, Jesus fasted from food and water and prayed. This is where the three main focuses of Lent come from: prayer, fasting (abstaining from something to reduce distractions and focus more on God), and giving, or charity. The idea is that giving up something that is a regular part of life, like scrolling through social media, giving up sugar, or dessert can be a reminder of Jesus sacrifice. That time can also be replaced with more time connecting with God. Fasting: Fasting, or giving something up, is a very common practice during Lent. Prayer: Prayer during lent focuses on our need for Gods forgiveness. Its also about turning away from our sins and receiving Gods mercy and love. Charity or Volunteer Work: Some people spend time volunteering or donate the money they would normally use to buy something, like their morning coffee. The 40 days also represent the spiritual testing in the Bible when the Israelites wandered for 40 years after the exodus from Egypt (Numbers 33:38 and Deuteronomy 1:3). What Does the Bible Say about Lent? How Lent became a tradition is unclear. However, some say the early church father Irenaus of Lyons (c.130-c.200) wrote of such a season in the earliest days of the church, but back then it lasted only two or three days, not the 40 days observed today. But we do know it started soon after Jesus time on earth. Christians were participating in Lent before they even formally decided which books would make it into the Bible. Thats pretty early. While the word Lent isnt mentioned in the Bible, some of the Scriptures are a basis for Lent. For further reading, check out: Matthew 6:16-18, Matthew 4:1-25, Joel 2:12-13, John 13:1-17, and Song of Solomon 3:8-9 How Do Christians Prepare for Lent? Nearly six in 10 Americans (57 percent) who observe Lent say they give up a favorite food or beverage from Ash Wednesday until Easter, making it a more popular sacrifice than avoiding a bad habit (35 percent) or favorite activity (23 percent), LifeWay Research. In western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the first day of the lent season. The next 40 days (Technically 46, as Sundays are not included in the count). Many churches hold services that evening to commemorate the day. In some churches, a priest distributes ashes by lightly rubbing the symbol of the cross on foreheads. This tradition was meant to identify the faithful with Jesus. It also represents repentance from sin as well as Jesus Christ's sacrificial death to set followers free from sin and death. While the Bible doesnt mention Lent, the practice of repentance and mourning in ashes is found in 2 Samuel 13:19; Esther 4:1; Job 2:8; Daniel 9:3; and Matthew 11:21. The next 40 days are focused on Christ. Time is set aside to think about whether they are living in a way that honors the Lord. Some will ask for Gods forgiveness for the times they mess up, seek the Lord to live the way God wants. As Easter approaches, a feeling of celebration rises because we know God conquered sin and made a way for us through His Son. 5 Lenten Prayers Prayer is perhaps the most important tool we have as Christians. Sometimes we forget how mighty our God is. He is the One who named every star and knows every cell in your body. Too often, we rush through life and forget to talk to God and sometimes our prayers focus more on what God can do for us than what we can do for Him. Here are five prayers to use through lent and the events that follow! Lenten Prayer for Strength and Guidance Lord God Almighty, shaper and ruler of all creatures, we pray for your great mercy, that you guide us towards you, for we cannot find our way. And guide us to your will, to the need of our soul, for we cannot do it ourselves. And make our mind steadfast in your will and aware of our souls need. Strengthen us against the temptations of the devil, and remove from us all lust and every unrighteousness, and shield us against our foes, seen and unseen. Teach us to do your will, that we may inwardly love you before all things with a pure mind. For you are our maker and our redeemer, our help, our comfort, our trust, our hope; praise and glory be to you now and forever. Prayers for Lent Lent Prayer for a Clean Heart Create a clean heart in me, O God: a humble heart, a meek heart, a peaceful heart, a benevolent heart, a devout heart which does evil to no one, which does not repay evil for evil, but overcomes evil with good, which loves you above all things, thinks always about you, speaks about you, gives you thanks, delights in hymns and spiritual songs, and has its citizenship in heaven. Amen. Prayers for Lent Lenten Prayer for Spiritual Renewal God, heavenly Father, look upon me and hear my prayer during this holy Season of Lent. By the good works You inspire, help me to discipline my body and to be renewed in spirit. Without You I can do nothing. By Your Spirit help me to know what is right and to be eager in doing Your will. Teach me to find new life through penance. Keep me from sin, and help me live by Your commandment of love. God of love, bring me back to You. Send Your Spirit to make me strong in faith and active in good works. May my acts of penance bring me Your forgiveness, open my heart to Your love, and prepare me for the coming feast of the Resurrection of Jesus. Lord, during this Lenten Season, nourish me with Your Word of life and make me one with You in love and prayer. Fill my heart with Your love and keep me faithful to the Gospel of Christ. Give me the grace to rise above my human weakness. Give me new life by Your Sacraments, especially the Mass. Father, our source of life, I reach out with joy to grasp Your hand; let me walk more readily in Your ways. Guide me in Your gentle mercy, for left to myself I cannot do Your Will. Father of love, source of all blessings, help me to pass from my old life of sin to the new life of grace. Prepare me for the glory of Your Kingdom. I ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever. Amen. Lenten Prayer for Renewal Sunday Prayers for Holy Week Loving God, I am just beginning to realize how much you love me. Your son, Jesus was humble and obedient. He fulfilled your will for him by becoming human and suffering with us. I ask you for the desire to become more humble so that my own life might also bear witness to you. I want to use the small sufferings I have in this world to give you glory. Please, Lord, guide my mind with your truth. Strengthen my life by the example of Jesus. Help me to be with Jesus in this week as he demonstrates again his total love for me. He died so that I would no longer be separated from you. Help me to feel how close you are and to live in union with you.Creighten.Edu Resurrection Prayer Dear God, Thank you that you make all things new. Thank you for the victory and power in your Name. Thank you that you hold the keys over death, that by your might, Jesus was raised from the grave, paving the way for us to have new life with you. Thank you that you had plan, that you made a way. We confess our need for youfreshnewagain. We ask that you renew our hearts, minds, and lives, for the days ahead. We pray for your refreshing over us. Keep your words of truth planted firm within us, help us to keep focused on what is pure and right, give us the power to be obedient to your word. And when the enemy reminds us where we have been, hissing his lies and attacks our way, we trust that your voice speaks louder and stronger, reminding us we are safe with you and that your purposes and plans will not fail. We ask that you will be our defense and rear guard, keeping our way clear, removing the obstacles, and covering the pitfalls. Lord, lead us on your level ground. Shine your light in us, through us, over us. May we make a difference in this world, for your glory and purposes. Set you way before us. May all your plans succeed. We may reflect your peace and hope to a world that so desperately needs your presence and healing. Thanks be to you God, for your indescribable gift! To you be glory and honor, on this Resurrection Day, and forever. In Jesus name, Amen - Debbie McDaniel Further reading: Lenten Prayer - 5 Prayers for the Lent Season Prayers for Lent to Focus on Grace and Mercy This Lenten Season 5 Uplifting Prayers to Embrace Lent This Year Photo credit: Unsplash/Austin Ban Heather Riggleman is an award-winning journalist and a regular contributor for Crosswalk. She calls Nebraska home with her three kids and a husband of 22 years. She believes Jazzercise, Jesus, and tacos can fix anything and not necessarily in that order! She is author of I Call Him By Name Bible Study, the Bold Truths Prayer Journal, Mama Needs a Time Out, and a contributor to several books. You can find her at www.heatherriggleman.com or on Facebook. Posted Friday, January 29, 2021 9:47 am WASHINGTON Rep. Dan Newhouse said Monday he will not step down after most of the county GOP leaders in the Central Washington district he represents called for his resignation for being one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump on Jan. 13. In a letter, the local GOP chairmen in six of the eight counties in the 4th congressional district condemned Newhouse for "promot(ing) your own personal agenda, with complete disregard to the citizens who elected you." "It is your sworn duty as an elected official to represent the people accordingly," the chairmen wrote. "When a representative fails to represent the people, the people must respond." "I am not resigning," Newhouse responded in a statement, emphasizing his conservative credentials and expressing no regrets about what could be a politically dangerous position in a Republican Party still largely defined by loyalty to the now-departed president. "After days of deliberation and prayer, I made a decision to vote based on my oath to support and defend the Constitution," Newhouse said. "Many Republicans have agreed with my vote, and many have disagreed. For those who disagree with me on this issue, I hope they will remember my lifelong support for conservative causes and values." "I am a conservative Republican who holds the principles of our Constitution and the priorities of Central Washington above all else, and we have a lot of work to do to keep the Biden Administration accountable." The signatories included the GOP chairmen from Grant, Benton, Franklin, Yakima, Adams and Douglas counties. Republican Party leaders in Okanogan and Walla Walla counties, who did not sign the letter, did not immediately respond to questions. The 10 Republicans who voted with all 222 House Democrats to impeach Trump have faced swift backlash from constituents and other GOP officials. Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking House Republican, was censured by a county GOP in Wyoming, as was Michigan Rep. Fred Upton. Multiple Trump loyalists have already launched primary challenges against the dissenting legislators. The Washington State Republican Party passed a resolution Jan. 17 condemning the impeachment vote and expressing "particular disappointment" in Newhouse and southwest Washington Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, who also voted to impeach Trump. The fallout from the impeachment votes raises questions about what it means to be a Republican in the post-Trump era. The former president remains widely popular among GOP voters who expect loyalty to Trump from their representatives. Just before voting to impeach the outgoing president a week before he left office, Newhouse told The Spokesman-Review he couldn't look past Trump's role in the violent insurrection that left five people dead and dozens of police officers injured Jan. 6. "I have to vote my conscience," Newhouse said at the time. "Even though I'm a Republican and a supporter of Donald Trump and that's what makes this really hard I felt that the president let us down, particularly when he knew what was going on and did not do all he could to stop the violence. I can't condone that." Despite the criticism, Newhouse appears to be in a strong position. On the same day the county GOP leaders called on him to resign, the fourth-term lawmaker was named assistant whip of the House Republican Conference, a show of support from GOP leaders. He was also elected in November as chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, an influential group of mostly Republican lawmakers that bills itself as "the voice for rural America." Washington's unique primary system also insulates Newhouse and Herrera Beutler somewhat from the primary challenges many Trump critics in the GOP fear. In the state's nonpartisan primaries, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party. Newhouse, who won two-thirds of votes in November, could benefit from independent and even Democratic support if he faces a GOP challenger in 2022. A group of anti-Trump Republicans has also pledged to support members of the party who voted to impeach Trump. After House impeachment managers delivered the article of impeachment to the Senate on Monday, senators agreed to delay the trial until Feb. 9. In a vote Tuesday, all but five GOP senators voted to block the trial on the disputed grounds that it is unconstitutional to try a former president. While unsuccessful, the vote suggested there will not be the two-thirds majority required to convict Trump. The University of Georgia reported 190 COVID-19 cases for the week of Jan. 18 to Jan. 24, which is a decrease from the 267 cases a week before. Due to the enormous increase in unemployment claims filed this year, millions of claimants around the nation will be receiving 1099-G tax forms detailing taxable unemployment payments issued during 2020. These forms will include any state and federal deductions if claimants selected the withholding option. However, some individuals may receive a 1099-G tax form who did not file an unemployment insurance claim this year and are victims of identity theft. Labor departments across the United States are addressing these potentially fraudulent 1099-G tax forms. This week, the Georgia Department of Labor is printing over 1.1 million 1099-G tax forms for claimants who received benefits during 2020. More than 350,000 claimants opted to receive an electronic copy only. Although the GDOL has made numerous efforts to combat fraud, it is possible that victims of UI fraud may receive a 1099-G from the agency. If an individual receives a 1099-G tax form and did not file a claim themselves in 2020, the potential fraud will need to be reported to the GDOL. The agency will investigate the report of identity theft, make any necessary adjustments to the individuals 1099-G, if applicable, and resubmit the amended 1099-G tax form to the Internal Revenue Service. The GDOL is currently developing the secure form for reporting potential 1099-G tax fraud and will post the reporting process on its website by Feb. 15. Our teams are battling UI fraud on all fronts as we continue to build out the many new programs implemented by Congress last year, particularly the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. We are asking Georgians to be vigilant of their credit information and help us combat the fraudsters who are unlawfully taking funds from the UI program. This is a critical issue that is plaguing labor departments across the United States involving local, state, and even international criminals at times. The GDOL also encourages victims of identity theft to: File a police report with your local police department. Obtain a copy of the report that you can provide to creditors and credit agencies. Change passwords on your email, banking, and other personal accounts. Make a list of credit card companies, banks, and other financial institutions where you do business. Tell them you are a victim of identity theft and ask them to put a fraud alert on your account. Get a copy of your credit report and dispute any fraudulent transactions. You can request credit reports online from the three major credit reporting agencies Equifax: 800-349-9960 or freeze your credit online Experian: 888-397-3742 or freeze your credit online TransUnion: 888-909-8872 or freeze your credit online Place a fraud alert on your credit file. You can do this by contacting just one of the credit agencies to add an alert with all three agencies. Report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC has a wealth of information for identity theft victims, including assistance with a recovery plan. https://www.identitytheft.gov/877-438-4338 If you suspect that someone is using your SSN for work purposes, contact the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 to report the problem. They will review your earnings with you to ensure they are correct. Consider filing a complaint with the US Department of Justice National Center for Disaster Fraud : https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form Let the IRS know you are a victim of identity theft by filing the File Form 14039, Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service Identity Theft Affidavit, with the IRS. More information can be found here: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/how-irs-id-theft-victim-assistance-works The GDOL issued over $238 million last week to Georgians as the agency continues to implement the multiple phases of the Continued Assistance Act included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 providing extended benefits for claimants on PEUC and PUA. The payments included benefits for regular Unemployment Insurance, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, State Extended Benefits, and Lost Wages Assistance payments. The GDOL is continuing to develop and implement the system changes needed to reprogram our UI system to issue payments to those eligible for the 11-week extensions provided by the CAA based on US Department of Labor requirements. The additional requirements must be integrated into the GDOL systems before eligible payments can be released. These requirements include additional proof of employment and self-employment verification for PUA claimants, increased identification verification requirements, job refusal and failure to return to work reporting capabilities, additional fraud detection tools, and additional changes to the PEUC & PUA programs. The GDOL continues to update its website and social media platforms with up to date information on the implementation of the CAA and next steps for claimants. The GDOL encourages claimants to continue to request weekly payments for those who have exhausted benefits or are waiting on determinations on eligibility. Determinations are continuing to be issued for claimants awaiting eligibility decisions when a job separation is other than lack of work or includes other potential issues that can affect eligibility, such as receipt of severance or retirement pay, refusal to accept suitable job offers, or failure to return to work. All eligible payments will be issued when a decision on eligibility is released, including any additional weeks of benefits a claimant could potentially be eligible for with the implementation of the new program extensions. The GDOL has paid almost $17.6 billion in state and federal benefits since the beginning of the pandemic in March of last year. Since week ending March 21, 2020, 4,333,258 regular UI initial claims have been processed, more than the last nine years prior to the pandemic combined (4.0 million). Last week, regular UI initial claims totaled 28,016, down 7,896 over the week. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 347,012 PUA claims have been processed. The sectors with the most weekly regular UI initial claims processed included Accommodation and Food Services, 6,064, Health Care and Social Assistance, 3,145, Manufacturing, 3,052, Administrative and Support Services, 2,813, and Retail Trade, 1,880. The number of initial unemployment claims filed throughout the United States for the week ending Jan. 23, was 847,000, a decrease of 67,000 from the previous week's revised level of 914,000. Today, over 170,000 jobs are listed online at EmployGeorgia.com for Georgians to access. The GDOL offers online resources for finding a job, building a resume, and assisting with other reemployment needs. Resources for reemployment assistance along with information on filing an unemployment claim and details on how employers can file partial claims can be found on the agency's webpage at dol.georgia.gov. For more information on jobs and current labor force date, visit the Georgia Labor Force Market Explorer at www.explorer.gdol.ga.gov to view a comprehensive report. 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 Tobacco multinationals in Nigeria use intermediaries to clean their image and grow their businesses, thereby undermining the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a new report has shown. The report, titled The Big Tobacco Allies How tobacco companies use intermediaries to foster their corporate social responsibility initiatives and promote their image in Nigeria was presented to journalists on Friday in Lagos. The report, relying on surveys carried out by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) across Nigeria with support from the African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA), exposes how tobacco multinationals undertake partnerships with the Nigerian government, and how several entities organise events and implement programmes that promote tobacco industry initiatives. It also showed how front groups launder tobacco industry image through social development engagements, among others. It also documents how tobacco companies hide behind front groups to promote educational initiatives, how front groups whitewash tobacco industry image through environmental projects, and how tobacco companies use fronts to organise training and seminars. Tobacco industry interference is a major challenge to effective tobacco control, Akinbode Oluwafemi, CAPPAs Executive Director, said at the event. The TakeApart Nigeria Report is a vital tool that will enable the Nigerian government and public health advocates to identify and plug loopholes that the tobacco industry and its allies and front groups have exploited to interfere in public health policy. Mr Oluwafemi said Nigerias tobacco control legislation clearly provides that the government should limit its interaction with the tobacco industry. The law forbids the kind of interaction that this report has unveiled, he said. Both national and subnational agencies have found themselves in situations where they have flouted the law. We need to remind them that they are flouting the law, were using this report to tell the tobacco industry that we are watching. Campaign The TakeApart campaign is a global movement initiated in 2018 by the Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids aimed at exposing the antics of the tobacco industry. It is part of a global campaign to show how the industry uses allies to promote their business. Philip Jakpor, Director of Programmes at CAPPA, said the report took about eight months to document. The TakeApart Nigeria Report is a product of painstaking investigation which unearthed how the tobacco industry and their front groups pull wool over our faces, Mr Jakpor said. We are now handing the Nigerian government the resource that is necessary to ending the unnecessary interactions that the tobacco industry initiates. Death and disease The report specifically shows how British American Tobacco and Philip Morris International is hiding behind allies to partner with several state governments, agencies, and private firms. Sessou Leonce, ATCAs Executive Secretary, said tobacco use killed 100 million people in the 20th century and if the trend continues unchecked, one billion lives will be claimed in the 21st century. We need to take action against the tobacco industry because for decades they have marketed deadly products to children and older people around the world, Mr Leonce said. They have deceived the public about the devastating effects of tobacco use, they are spreading death and disease around the world. 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 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says Nigerias poor rating on the Transparency International (TI) corruption perception index has vindi... The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says Nigerias poor rating on the Transparency International (TI) corruption perception index has vindicated it from allegations of plundering the nations wealth. In the 2020 index released on Thursday, the country scored 25 out of 100 points its lowest since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed power in 2015. The opposition party, in a statement by Kola Ologbondiyan, its national publicity secretary, described the Buhari administration as a citadel of corruption. The party alleged that the Buhari administration only deluded Nigerians with its anti-corruption fight one of its three major campaign promises while the vaults were laid open for APC leaders and officials. Indeed, the record of unbroken decline from 136th in 2016 to 144th in 2018, 146th in 2019 and now 149th in 2020, under President Buhari, the African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption Champion, settles the now notorious fact that the Buhari administration and the APC are titleholders in corruption, Ologbondiyan said. Nigerians can now see that what the APC and the Buhari Presidency did, upon assumption of office, was to simulate a holier than thou attitude, deploy the instrument of propaganda to deliberately castigate the PDP with false corruption allegations just to divert public attention and create a safe atmosphere for APC leaders to loot our nation to her knees. The fact remains that no matter how lies and falsehood try to prevail, the truth will always come to light at the end of the day. The PDP said the rating gives credence to its alert on the allegation of the stealing of over N15 trillion by APC leaders and political cronies in the Presidency. Now that the Buhari-led APC administration has been further exposed, our party charges Nigerians to join in the demand for the APC, as a party, to commence the processes of refunding the N15 trillion stolen by its leaders before exiting our political firmament in 2023, it said. The APC regularly mocked the PDP-led governments over corruption perception reports before coming power in 2015. Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Floribama Shore fans are excited about the new season airing on MTV beginning Feb. 25, 2021. Floribama Shore Season 4 promises to entertain, from Nilsa Prowants pregnancy to the tension between Gus Smyrnios and Jeremiah Buoni. Still, some fans wonder if The Challenge competitor and Party Down South star Mattie Lynn Breaux will return to the MTV series. Maggie McGuffin, Ryan Daddy Richards, and Mattie Lynn Breaux | Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Pepsis Rock The South Party Down South made Mattie Lynn Breaux a reality star Before she became known for competing on The Challenge, Breaux appeared on CMTs Party Down South in 2014. The series was produced by Jersey Shore production company 495 Productions. At the time, Breaux was a 24-year-old bartender. She lived with seven other adults in a house in the south for the summer. RELATED: Is There Beef Between the Casts of Floribama Shore and Jersey Shore? Thanks to Party Down Souths success, Breaux went on to compete in the MTV series The Challenge 33: War of the Worlds in 2019. Floribama Shore star Smyrnios was also a contender that season. Smyrnios and Breaux formed a tight bond that landed her a spot in the Panama City Beach house in Floribama Shore Season 3. Mattie Lynn Breaux has multiple public arrests Before Party Down South came to be, Breaux was arrested in 2012 for drunk-driving. When she failed to appear at her court hearing because of filming for Party Down South Season 2, a bench warrant was issued for Breauxs arrest in April 2014. Later, in August 2019, Breaux crashed her car into a concrete median in Nashville, Tennessee. At the time, Breaux was under the influence of unprescribed hydrocodone and two beers. She was arrested for driving under the influence once again. Breaux was taken to the hospital to treat minor injuries, where she revealed she had two prior DUIs in Louisiana. More than a year later in November 2020, Breaux entered a guilty plea. After her DUIs, Mattie asks fans to be kind Since news of her jail sentence became public knowledge, Breaux has been outspoken on social media about her mistake. I am a real person, she wrote over a teary-eyed photo on her Instagram Stories (via Reddit). [Normally, I] wouldnt post this, but this is me, and this is real. I made a mistake and take complete ownership of it! This happened over a year ago, and Im so ready to put this to rest. Just be kind. F*ck! Breaux concluded, frustrated by the messages and tags from fans criticizing her. Will Mattie Lynn return for Floribama Shore Season 4? In more recent Instagram Stories, many fans have asked if Breaux will return to reality television. Breaux mentioned being done with television in one post. She needs encouragement (not praise) to continue seeking help and working on fixing her problems, a concerned fan said on Reddit. I really hope she can put the hatred from strangers behind her and improve things. Given the challenges she is facing personally and her comments about being done with reality TV, it doesnt look like Breaux will appear in Floribama Shore Season 4. Shes not seen in the teaser trailer for the new season and she hasnt been promoting the show on social media like the rest of the cast.At this time, Breaux seems to be focused on her business, Unbothered, and her side hustle on OnlyFans. Raul created a block club in our neighborhood that worked to improve and beautify homes, backyards, and streets. They installed lamps in their front lawns, planted sod in parkways, and established block watches and activities for children and teens, Garcia said in a statement. He was the most effective and loved captain in the 22nd Ward, who knew how to persuade people to exercise their right to vote. His hard work helped me, and many others, win elected office early in my career. New York, US (PANA) - Although school feeding programmes are a lifeline for millions of boys and girls, nearly 40 billion in-school meals have been missed during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report published on Thursday by the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) Office of Research, Inocenti, and the World Food Programme (WFP) So, former Health minister Salvador Illa is headed for a new challenge. This dour, bespectacled man, star of some of the most boring press conferences ever given, is to run as the Socialist candidate in the upcoming Catalan elections, due to be held on Valentine's Day. In this new role, which marks a departure from the mainly administrative positions he's occupied in the past, the 54 year-old can show more flare and ideological personality than he has as a cabinet member - assuming, of course, that that's his style of doing politics, a subject about which the general public knows very little. Illa's been second-in-command of Catalonia's Socialists since 2016, and was the most senior politician at the anti-independence demonstration held in Barcelona on 8 October 2017, days after the region's separatist government staged an illegal referendum on secession. He was the Socialist mayor of his Catalan hometown of La Roca del Valles between 1995 and 1999, and has held several posts within the governments of Catalonia and Barcelona, all of them managerial in nature. And he has a Philosophy degree, which makes him that bit more interesting (but as a fellow Philosophy graduate, I'll admit that that's pure personal bias). You might be wondering where Illa acquired his epidemiological experience before being appointed Health Minister of an entire country. Or you might not, given that Spain's approach to the pandemic has been panicked, draconian and at times simply absurd. Well, he didn't have any health experience. None whatsoever. But he got by OK, presumably because the sciency stuff was left to "experts" and his role was essentially administrative rather than ideological or technical. He'd be helpful to have around, one imagines, while planning a wedding or reorganising an office. But what does he really believe? Illa's entering the boiling furnace of Catalan politics, in which the heat has been turned up considerably over recent years. The anti-separatist Catalan Socialists are hoping for a better result this time around, after winning just 17 of 135 seats in the last election three years ago; but it's not clear why they think that Illa's the man who will help them do this. Perhaps it's hoped that a more low-key, dialogue-based approach to dealing with Catalonia's "independistas" - some of whom are also in favour of compromise-based tactics - will bear more fruit than the belligerence of ex-prime minister Mariano Rajoy, who sent the troops in on 2017's turbulent referendum day. It seems likely that some combination of pro-separatist forces will form Catalonia's next government, as they did after the last one, and there are some real firebrands in the movement's most prominent parties. All the region's Socialists can hope for is that Illa is invigorated rather than burned by the fire that he's just walked into. BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union introduced tighter rules Friday on exports of COVID-19 vaccines that could hit shipments to nations like the United Kingdom, deepening a dispute with London over scarce supplies of potentially lifesaving shots. But amid an outcry in Northern Ireland and the UK, the European Commission made clear the new measure will not trigger controls on vaccines shipments produced in the 27-nation bloc to the small territory that is part of United Kingdom bordering EU member Ireland. Under the post-Brexit deal, EU products should still be able to travel unhindered from the bloc to Northern Ireland. "In the process of finalization of this measure, the Commission will ensure that the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol is unaffected," the EU's executive arm said in a statement late Friday. Amid a dispute with Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca, EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and British leader Boris Johnson had an unexpected phone call, during which the UK prime minister "expressed his grave concerns about the potential impact which the steps the EU has taken today on vaccine exports could have," a statement from the British government read. The EU unveiled its plans to tighten rules on exports of coronavirus vaccines produced inside the bloc amid fears some of the doses it secured from AstraZeneca could be diverted elsewhere. The measure could be used to block shipments to many non-EU countries and ensure that any exporting company based in the EU will first have to submit their plans to national authorities. The AstraZeneca office building in Brussels, Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. Amid a dispute over expected shortfalls, the European Union is looking at legal ways to guarantee the delivery of all the COVID-19 vaccine doses it bought from AstraZeneca and other drugmakers as regulators are set to consider approving the Anglo-Swedish company's vaccine for use in the 27-nation EU. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) The UK and Northern Ireland governments immediately lashed out at the move, saying the bloc invoked an emergency clause in its divorce deal with Britain to introducing controls on exports to Northern Ireland. Goods are supposed to flow freely between the EU and Northern Ireland under special arrangements for the U.K. region designed to protect the peace process on the island of Ireland. But the EU later said it was not invoking Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol allowing either side to override parts of their deal. "The Commission is not triggering the safeguard clause," it said in its statement, adding that the restricting regulations have yet to be finalized and won't be adopted before Saturday. The phone call between von der Leyen and Johnson somewhat eased what was quickly becoming a diplomatic flashpoint. "We agreed on the principle that there should not be restrictions on the export of vaccines by companies where they are fulfilling contractual responsibilities," von der Leyen said in a statement. The EU hit out at AstraZeneca this week after the company said it would only supply 31 million doses of vaccine in initial shipments, instead of the 80 million doses it had hoped to deliver. Brussels claimed AstraZeneca would supply even less than that, just one-quarter of the doses due between January and March - and member countries began to complain. The European Commission is concerned that doses meant for Europe might have been diverted from an AstraZeneca plant on the continent to the U.K., where two other company sites are located. The EU also wants doses at two sites in Britain to be made available to European citizens. "The UK has legally-binding agreements with vaccine suppliers and it would not expect the EU, as a friend and ally, to do anything to disrupt the fulfilment of these contracts," the UK said. AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told Germanys Die Welt newspaper this week that the U.K. government helped create the vaccine developed with Oxford University and signed its contract three months before the EU did. Soriot said that under the British contract, vaccines produced at U.K. sites must go to the U.K. first. To head off similar disputes and allay fears that vaccines might be diverted, the Commission introduced the measures to tighten rules on the exports of shots produced in EU countries. The "vaccine export transparency mechanism will be used at least until the end of March to control shipments to non-EU countries. The EU insisted thats not an export ban, although it could be used to block shipments to the UK or many other non-EU countries. Many poorer nations and close neighbors are exempt. Officials said it is intended to ensure EU member nations get the shots they bought from producers. The World Health Organization criticized the new EU export rules as "not helpful." Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other WHO officials warned of supply-chain disruptions that could ripple through the world and potentially stall the fight against COVID-19. The "advanced purchasing agreement" with the EU was signed in August, before the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine had been properly tested. The European Medicines Agency approved the vaccine on Friday, making it the third authorized for use by EU nations. Earlier, the 27-nation bloc and AstraZeneca made public a heavily redacted version of their vaccine deal thats at the heart of a dispute over the delivery schedule. The contract, agreed to last year by the European Commission and the drugmaker, allows the EUs member countries to buy 300 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, with an option for a further 100 million doses. Its one of several contracts the EUs executive branch has with vaccine makers to secure a total of more than 2 billion shots. As part of an "advanced purchase agreement" with companies, the EU said it has invested 2.7 billion euros ($3.8 billion), including 336 million ($408 million) to finance the production of AstraZenecas serum at four factories. Much of the 41-page document made public was blacked out, making it very difficult to establish which side is in the right. Details about the price of the vaccine were notably redacted. The U.K. is thought to be paying far more for the vaccine than EU countries. ___ Associated Press writers Danica Kirka in London, Nicole Winfield in Rome, Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Thomas Adamson in Paris contributed to this report. People, wearing face masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, stand next to the entrance of the Novasep factory in Seneffe, Belgium, Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. The European Union has made public a redacted version of the contract it agreed with the drugmaker AstraZeneca which lies at the heart of a major row over coronavirus vaccine deliveries. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) A security guard stands at the entrance of the Novasep factory in Seneffe, Belgium, Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. Amid a dispute over expected shortfalls, the European Union is looking at legal ways to guarantee the delivery of all the COVID-19 vaccine doses it bought from AstraZeneca and other drugmakers as regulators are set to consider approving the Anglo-Swedish company's vaccine for use in the 27-nation EU. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) The AstraZeneca office building in Brussels, Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. Amid a dispute over expected shortfalls, the European Union is looking at legal ways to guarantee the delivery of all the COVID-19 vaccine doses it bought from AstraZeneca and other drugmakers as regulators are set to consider approving the Anglo-Swedish company's vaccine for use in the 27-nation EU. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Upstate New York lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are urging President Joe Biden on a plan for reopening the U.S.-Canada border. One of Bidens executive orders since taking office has called for federal agencies to interact with Canadian and Mexican officials on developing plans for cross-border travel, which has been largely shut down since the Covid-19 pandemic began a year ago, within the next 14 days. Americans are in desperate need of a plan to reconnect with our Canadian neighbors, Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, told WIVB. For communities like western New York, a trip across the border feels like a trip across the street. Higgins and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, who co-chair the Congressional Northern Border Caucus, have sent several recommendations to Biden on how to safely reopen the border amid coronavirus. I have worked tirelessly with our counterparts in Canada on this issue, as it continues to impact North Country businesses, families, and communities, Stefanik said in a statement. Today weve outlined tangible steps the Biden Administration can take to immediately relieve the hardships placed on border communities while charting a clear pathway forward. 27 members of Congress, including both Democrats and Republicans, signed a letter Thursday urging a bilateral plan for restoring travel; prioritization of vaccines and testing for all Canadian Border Patrol staff; allowing for families to safely reunite; a policy for property owners; and ensuring reciprocal access to transit through boundary waters. Representatives who signed include Rep. Anthony Brindisi, D-Utica, Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, and Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus. The border between U.S. and Canada has been closed to non-essential travel since March 21, with the order extended several times. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in October he plans to keep the Canadian border closed until the U.S. gets Covid-19 under control. Forbes reports Canadian officials have also been working on closing a loophole regarding flights; hundreds of thousands have been estimated to have crossed the border over the past 10 months. Currently, anyone arriving in Canada must have proof of a negative Covid-19 test in the previous 72 hours and go into a 14-day quarantine, but public safety minister Bill Blair wants Canada to reach an agreement with the U.S. to increase restrictions. We are looking at a number of measures that can include further restrictions on international travel, additional tracing measures, additional quarantine measures and enforcement measures in order to de-incentivize and discourage people from making unnecessary trips, Blair told CTV. But developing a plan for eventually reopening the border is a welcome development for snowbirds, residents near the border, and business owners with both Canadian and American customers. Were hoping that if the vaccination rollouts continue very strongly and hopefully even accelerate, the numbers get under control in both countries, that this summer we can start to move towards normalization, North Country Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Garry Douglas told NBC-5. Its going to take some months. Nobody should think, Oh, theyre going to have a couple meetings soon and the borders suddenly going to open. But nothing was going to happen as long as we were in limbo, 30-day extensions every month, and no serious conversations between the two countries... We look forward to the day when we can kind of put all of this in our rearview mirror. Read the entire letter lawmakers sent to President Biden below: Dear President Biden, We write following your January 21, 2021 Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel, in which you direct members of the Cabinet to submit a plan within 14 days to implement appropriate public health measures at land ports of entry. As members representing congressional districts along the U.S. Northern Border, we urge your Administration to prioritize working with the Canadian government to increase the number of essential traveler exceptions to current border restrictions and establish a plan, guided by public health metrics, upon which the United States Canada land border will be re-opened to non-essential travel. On March 20, 2020, the U.S. and Canada first announced that non-essential travel across the U.S. Canada land border would be temporarily restricted to prevent the spread of COVID-19 between the two nations. These restrictions have been extended by 30-day increments throughout the course of the pandemic, with the most recent extension leaving the restrictions in place through February 21, 2021. Importantly, both countries recognized the vital need to maintain cross-border supply chains and allow essential workers to continue traveling across the border unimpeded, preserving our close economic partnership during these unprecedented times. Binational cooperation to minimize the risk presented by COVID-19 and prioritize the safety of our communities remains of utmost importance while the U.S. and Canada work to overcome this public health crisis. However, as we approach one year of restricted travel, we also must recognize the significant impact these restrictions have had on individuals, families, businesses, and communities on both sides of the border. The continued ritual of monthly extensions without substantive signs of collaboration or progress only increases uncertainty and amplifies hardship for the border communities we represent including those on U.S. soil accessible only through cross-border transit. Since the onset of the restrictions, we have been adamant that preserving the deep social and economic bond shared between the U.S. and Canada necessitates a clear pathway forward. As our nation works to emerge from this crisis, we respectfully request that you make bilateral collaboration on safely reopening the U.S. Canada land border an immediate priority. Specifically, we urge your Administration to carefully consider the following actions: Establish a Bilateral Plan for Restoring Travel States and Provinces in the U.S. and Canada have created frameworks for reopening that rely on monitoring public health data, the expertise of health officials, and other defined criteria to inform government decisions on how to proceed with each phase of a reopen, providing transparency and alleviating uncertainty for residents. We have long advocated for both nations to similarly craft a comprehensive framework for a phased reopening of the border that would be guided by clearly established public health metrics to measure conditions on both sides of the border. In their January 12th announcement extending the travel restrictions, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) laid out specific conditions that could be used to ease restrictions in the future, including the degree of health risk indicated in the Center for Disease Controls Travel Health Notice for Canada and Mexico, the public health conditions in the relevant border localities, and the staffing levels of local Border Patrol Officers. While there has been a necessary emphasis on implementing appropriate health protocols to ensure safe international air travel, cross border land travel deserves equal attention and deliberation on appropriate protective public health measures to ensure the safety of populations on both sides of the border and in finding solutions to the operational challenges presented at land ports of entry should travel be expanded. We urge your Administration to build on the January 12th guidance and work with Canadian officials to formally establish a bilateral plan to reopen the border to non-essential travel. Prioritize Vaccines and Testing for All CBP Staff U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) staff come to work on Americas front line to keep our communities safe, so prioritizing their protection from COVID-19 is critical to prepare our land borders for restarting non-essential travel. CBP must continue to have access to appropriate personal protective equipment to continue to carry out their mission of facilitating lawful travel and trade. In addition, widespread screening and testing for COVID-19 should be conducted to monitor and adjust for staffing at each land port of entry. We understand that DHS has partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for vaccine distribution to the CBP workforce, though personnel outside of a 200-mile radius from a VA hospital are currently unable to be assigned an appointment for the vaccine. While CBP field offices have been working diligently with local public health officials to fill gaps and get all personnel vaccinated as quickly as possible, we urge your Administration to work with the relevant agencies to address this issue and ensure all CBP staff are able to get vaccinated. Allow for Families to Safely Reunite Families in border communities have faced unique hardship while they have been unable to cross the land border to reconnect with the loved ones on the other side. Since the travel restrictions were first implemented, Canada has expanded their exemptions to allow family members and extended family members to enter Canada to reunite with their family. Unfortunately, the U.S. has not reciprocated this policy, despite the fact that Canadians are still able to fly into the U.S., resulting in restrictions that fall squarely on families in border communities and those who lack the means to travel by air, while doing little to protect public health. The U.S. Canada border has operated efficiently because of coordination and seamless processes crafted by both governments working in tandem reciprocating family travel exemptions continues in that tradition of coordination and lessens uncertainty for families approaching the border just seeking to reunite with loved ones. We urge your Administration to immediately establish and publicize a family travel exemption similar to the Canadian policy. Develop a Policy for Property Owners For the many Americans that own property in Canada, the travel restrictions have prevented them from crossing the border to properly maintain their property. While they still pay taxes on such properties, these individuals and families have been blocked from accessing their homes to conduct necessary maintenance or retrieve their belongings. Traveling by car directly to their property to quarantine in isolation could be done without any contact or transmission risk. Additionally, proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to crossing the land border could provide further protection against spread of the virus, while restoring the rights of individuals to visit their property. We urge your Administration to work with Canadian officials to develop an exemption process and appropriate safety protocols to allow property owners to cross the border. Ensure Reciprocal Access to Transit through Boundary Waters Under standard policy, recreational boaters that leave a U.S. port and travel into international or foreign waters but do not make a stop before returning to a U.S. port are not considered to have departed the U.S. While CBP has continued to allow Canadian boaters to transit through U.S. waters during the pandemic as long as they dont anchor, dock, or tie up, consistent with this longstanding policy, weve been informed that Canada has not reciprocated this policy. This has been particularly impactful in the boat tourism industry, where Canadian operators have been able to take their tour boats along the U.S. coast while American tour boats have not been able to travel similar routes along the Canadian coast. Additionally, enforcement of the policies remains unclear and inconsistent. We urge your Administration to work with the relevant agencies to ensure the U.S. and Canada implement reciprocal policies that allow recreational boaters to transit through the other nations boundary waters, as such activity provides no additional risk of cross-border virus transmission. We hope the special partnership that exists between the U.S. and Canada and our legacy of close cooperation can lead to swift bilateral action towards restoring cross border travel while continuing to protect the health of our communities. We appreciate your consideration of these requests and stand ready to assist in your efforts. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources The real Covid death toll at nursing homes, and the staggering heartache in NY (exclusive) Cuomo lifts nearly all Covid cluster zones, including those in Central NY Color-coded Covid zones lifted in CNY: What that means for restaurants Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com Cold-case investigators in Ohio and Florida are looking into possible connections between a death row inmate and at least two unsolved murders and disappearances of women from 30 years ago. Roland 'Rollie' Davis, 68, is already facing capital punishment in Ohio for the 2000 murder and robbery of 86-year-old retired nurse Elizabeth Sheeler in Newark. In November 2020, Davis was charged with the brutal rape and murder of Sharon Gill, 42, who was stabbed 39 times inside her home in Deep Creek, Florida, on March 21, 1990. The victims then-18-year-old daughter, Krista, discovered her mother's lifeless body after returning home from school. Scroll down for video Roland 'Rollie' Davis, 68 (left), who is on death row in Ohio for the murder and robbery of Elizabeth Sheeler, 86 (right), a retired nurse, is being investigated in connection to cold cases in Florida Davis, pictured in a mugshot in 2020, is currently on death row in Chillicothe Correctional Institution in Ross County, Ohio The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said new technology tied DNA evidence found at the scene of the crime to Davis, who had done landscaping work at the victim's home before the killing. He was 37 at the time. Gill had just moved with her daughter to Deep Creek and was to be joined by her husband, Percy Gill, after he finished work as a preacher in Detroit. 'If my dad was alive, he would be relieved,' Krista Gill told Sun Port Charlotte in November. 'We are relieved. Happy is not a word. Happy would be my mom and dad walking through the front door and meeting my kids. This is not happy.' In November, Davis was charged with the rape and murder of preacher's wife Sharon Gill, 42, who was stabbed 39 times inside her Deep Creek, Florida, home Davis' record also includes a 2003 arrest in Ohio for the savage beating of a sex worker. He was working as an ice cream vendor and picked up the prostitute in his vehicle. Cold case detective Kurt Mehl said the victim in that case would have been killed, had she not escaped and called the police. At the time of his arrest, Davis was discovered with the victim's blood all over his pants and inside his ice cream truck. Given the inmates history of violence towards women, the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office and Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers are looking into any connections Davis may have to unsolved homicides or missing women from the 1980s and 90s. Because Mr. Davis has been involved in at least two homicides and an attempted homicide of a prostitute in Columbus, Ohio, he is on our radar for unsolved cases of missing women or murdered women, Mehl said. That would include reexamining any potential role he may have had here in Charlotte County. During a jailhouse interview with cold-case investigators, Davis was said to be less than forthcoming with information. Davis (pictured in a mugshot in 2004, left) is being investigated in connection to the 1995 disappearance of Christine Flahive in Punta Gorda, Florida. The 43-year-old woman is believed to be dead Authorities are taking another look at evidence in the missing person case of Christine Flahive, who was last seen alive in 1995 in Punta Gorda, Florida. Flahive was 43 years old when she vanished without a trace on January 4, 1995, after leaving her home on a bicycle. Authorities believe she was heading to JD's Lounge in downtown Punta Gorda, then to a mobile home in the area of Rollins Street, reported Wink News. As of January 2019 detectives started actively investigating the case as a homicide. They believe Flahive was killed in Charlotte County and buried there. Despite intensive searches, her remains have not been found. They are also trying to establish a connection between Davis and female skeletal remains that were discovered along US 41 in south Punta Gorda in 1980 and other unsolved cases in Lee County. During the 1980s and 90s, Davis was said to favor the company of bikers and prostitutes, who knew him by the nicknames Rollie and Manson. In 2003, David nearly killed a sex worker in Ohio (pictured in a mug from that time, right) Davis used to spend much of his time in the 80s and 90s at his mother's bar called the Mayfair Lounge in North Fort Myers, Florida (pictured), which has since closed Detectives said Davis was known to spend time at his mother's bar called the Mayfair Lounge in North Fort Myers in the 1980s and 90s. The bar has since closed. He was said to favor the company of bikers and prostitutes, who knew him by the nicknames Rollie and Manson. Davis was in Southwest Florida, traveling from Ohio on and off between 1970 and 2004 and lived and worked in the Charlotte, Lee and Hendry county areas during this time period. Crime Stoppers is asking anyone with information on Davis relationships in the community during the 1980s through the 1990s to contact them at 1-800-780-TIPS. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. 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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. Help India! The report notes that the overall overcrowding in jails has increased and 69 per cent of the prison population still comprise people awaiting investigation and trial. By Muskaan Lalchandani, TwoCircles.net Support TwoCircles The northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has been ranked the worst among the large and mid-sizes states when it comes to overall delivery of justice, as per the India Justice Report (IJR) 2020. UP scored 3.15 out of 10 among the 18 states surveyed in the report. As per the report, the rankings are based on 53 indicators which include prison staff, police and police officers, among others. The report states that the overall overcrowding had increased and 69 per cent of the prison population still comprise people awaiting investigation and trial. The IJR is an initiative of Tata Trusts in collaboration with the Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, DAKSH, TISS-Prayas, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and How India Lives. The first IJR was announced in 2019. The IJR helps states in tackling and improving the deficiency in their justice system to ensure justice delivery to the whole population. The IJR is an assessment of the capacity of the state institutions to deliver justice. The report describes the quality and the functioning of the Indian justice system. In the words of Maya Daruwala, the chief editor of the India Justice Report, the reports purpose is to check if the bones are strong enough to become the skeleton for a whole lot of skin and muscles. The idea was to bring together all the data which lies with the departments of Judiciary but is never brought together. The report uses the states standard benchmarks to give the states a ranking; It makes use of the official data which is made available publicly. The report tracks the progress of all of the states and UTs in giving justice, Daruwala says. The aim behind the work is to create a matrix for competitivenessthrough ranking. The report creates a holistic ready reckoner by which states can compare their capacities and compete internally to give rise to positive changes. These positive changes are for the benefit of the states population. The 2020 edition of IJP compares the new positions of twenty-five states in the ranking, and records changes across pillars and themes. The report also records changes since 2019 and has an addition of 10 new indicators to IJR since 2019s 78 indicators. The new indicators are related to training, technology, and diversity of cast among constables. The pillars are indicated as Police, prisons, judiciary, and legal aid; Whereas the themes are described as: Budgetsa measure of the justice systems budget with the states budget and if it keeps pace with the same; infrastructureare there court halls, supporting staff, etc; human resourcesjudges, officers, etc; workloada measure of how much burden is on these people; diversityis the diversity proportional to the population and trendsmeasure of the intention of the state and how much effort it has made to improve. IJR measures states and UTs in groups and clusters. IJR doesnt rank Union Territories because they are centrally controlled and also doesnt rank four states which where armed forces special power act is imposed, namely: Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, and J&K. Some of the main findings of the report include overburdening of the courts, pendency of trials, a bias of access of institutions against rural populations, little or no desire of courts to increase expenditure on prisons and under-resourced legal aid institutions. The report states that nationally, vacancies of correctional staff lie between 9% and 42%. Expenditure on police and prisons has not increased with the states budget meaning, with an increase in the budget, the police do not see an improvement. Prison occupancy has gone from 114% to 119% and only 30% of prisoners are people who ought to be in prisons. Access to institutions between urban and rural is extensive and this gap must close since every person whether they are living in a city or a town deserves justice. Legal aid which could reach 80% is still under-resourced, it says. The report also has good news. For instance, the report notes that most states have reduced vacancies. Even though legal aid is resourced poorly, states have given more money to administrative help; the Share of women has also shown minor changes even though they mostly stay at the bottom end or ranksBihar has increased their women police immensely, the report says. Since the report is compiled using statistics, mathematical calculations, permutations, and combinations, small changes can change a states rank on the report. The report states that the mathematical measures cannot be taken into measure while surveying culture, empathy, attitude, perceptions, and bias of police constables and the public. But they can point towards essential areas that need attention and repair, states the report. The report also takes into account the road to justice. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a lot of disruption of institutions and individual lives. Since there has been a lot of exploitation, misery, and justice has been limited. The IJR 2020 gives some specific resolutions and solutions to strengthen the justice system. The report recognizes that if the desire to approach the court increases, it signifies the peoples faith and trust in the system. If the peoples faith in the justice system increases, demand increases hence access to justice has to increase, says the report. The principle must be that the justice delivery system is a necessity like food, healthcare, education, etc, the report notes. Hence, it needs to be localized and door to door. The report explains that this can be done without much money. Prioritizing the budget and realigning resources is essential. There should be an increase in police chowkis and district courts should be given focus. Rapid upskilling of first responders and update of training institutions are also required. There is also a need to add constitutional law to these institutions to increase uniformity. Prioritization of hiring and diversity is of utmost importance to ensure representation. There should be legal aid lawyers present in police stations to not only protect the accused but also the police constables from getting wrongly accused. At courts, prioritizing cases where there is a loss of life is essential. CCTVs must be installed in all police stations to ensure obedience. Most importantly there should be a measure of public satisfaction and performance at the local level, the report suggests. Former Supreme Court Judge, Madan Lokur highlighted the modernization of courts and making them tech-friendly. He described India Justice Report as a call for action and also a roadmap for states. The report has a variety of parameters and the states can use IJR to use the 88 indicators to improve their overall performance. Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered in 2002 while investigating a story on Islamic militants Pakistans Supreme Court yesterday ordered the release of the man convicted and later acquitted of beheading US journalist Daniel Pearl . The decision left the journalists family in complete shock, according to a statement from Faisal Siddiqi, a lawyer for the family. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh was the main suspect in the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Mr Pearl, a Wall Street Journal reporter covering militants in Pakistan in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Mr Saeed, who was implicated in other kidnappings, had been sentenced to death for Mr Pearls murder and kidnapping. The Supreme Court decision yesterday follows a move by a provincial court last year to overturn Mr Saeeds sentence. This was appealed by the Pearl family, but ultimately dismissed yesterday by the Supreme Court ruling. Read More Todays order by the Supreme Court shows that the courts are independent and they dont come under any pressure. I am satisfied with the courts order, said Mr Saeeds lawyer, Mahmood Sheikh. He said he expects his client to be released immediately. Mr Pearl was told he was meeting with a radical cleric when instead he was kidnapped, held for days and beheaded. When Mr Saeed was convicted, he was sentenced for planning Mr Pearls kidnapping and murder. However, a 2011 investigation by the US Centre for Public Integrity found that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, killed Mr Pearl. Mohammed was captured in 2003 and is being held at US military prison Guantanamo Bay. He is not charged in the Mr Pearls killing. (The Washington Post) Washington Post Institutional Preferred Equity Stock offering to BentallGreenOak and Highgate Enhances AHIP's liquidity, reduces leverage and positions Company for growth opportunities Extension of waivers and covenants on corporate credit facility All amounts in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP ("AHIP" or the "Company") (TSX: HOT.UN, TSX: HOT.U, TSX: HOT.DB.U) is pleased to announce that BentallGreenOak Real Estate Advisors LP ("BentallGreenOak") and Highgate Capital Investments, LP ("Highgate") through HCI-BGO Victoria JV LP (the "Investor"), a joint venture limited partnership, have made an aggregate $50 million strategic investment (the "Investment") in AHIP and its subsidiary, American Hotel Income Properties REIT Inc., ("AHIP REIT"), through the issuance of newly-created Series C preferred equity stock of AHIP REIT (the "Preferred Stock") and warrants to acquire Units of AHIP ("Warrants"), on a private placement basis. As part of the Investment, the Investor has nominated two seasoned investment and industry professionals to AHIP's Board of Directors ("Board"). The Investment provides several immediate strategic benefits to AHIP: Validation of AHIP's Business: The Investment demonstrates the strength of AHIP's premium branded select-service hotel portfolio and asset management platform, and highlights that BentallGreenOak and Highgate , two leading institutional investors with significant experience in real estate and hospitality investing, recognize the value and growth potential of AHIP. The Investment demonstrates the strength of AHIP's premium branded select-service hotel portfolio and asset management platform, and highlights that BentallGreenOak and , two leading institutional investors with significant experience in real estate and hospitality investing, recognize the value and growth potential of AHIP. Establishes Long-Term Strategic Unitholders: The addition of two well-capitalized strategic partners positions AHIP to pursue and capitalize on attractive acquisition opportunities. The addition of two well-capitalized strategic partners positions AHIP to pursue and capitalize on attractive acquisition opportunities. Strengthens AHIP's Balance Sheet : Proceeds from the investment will enhance AHIP's overall liquidity and capital structure, with net proceeds expected to be used towards immediate debt reduction. For accounting purposes, the Preferred Stock will be treated as $48.1 million in equity, and the Warrants will be recorded as a $1.9 million liability, on AHIP's balance sheet. As a result of the Investment, AHIP now has total available liquidity of approximately $75 million , up from approximately $40 million at September 30, 2020 , while at the same time decreasing AHIP's pro-forma net debt-to-gross book value to 52.2%, compared to 56.2% at September 30, 2020 . : Proceeds from the investment will enhance AHIP's overall liquidity and capital structure, with net proceeds expected to be used towards immediate debt reduction. For accounting purposes, the Preferred Stock will be treated as in equity, and the Warrants will be recorded as a liability, on AHIP's balance sheet. As a result of the Investment, AHIP now has total available liquidity of approximately , up from approximately at , while at the same time decreasing AHIP's pro-forma net debt-to-gross book value to 52.2%, compared to 56.2% at . Equity Participation at Attractive Pricing: The exercise price for the Warrants of $3.20 per unit (approximately C$4.10 ) represents a 30.5% premium to AHIP's closing price of C$3.14 on January 28, 2021 , a 31.8% premium to AHIP's 10-day volume weighted average Canadian dollar trading price as of January 28, 2021 . "This investment illustrates the quality of our portfolio and strategy, as recognized by two leading institutional investors in the hospitality space," said Jonathan Korol, CEO of AHIP. "The proceeds received will assist us in strengthening our balance sheet, improving our capital structure, and enhancing our ability to act on growth opportunities that may arise. BentallGreenOak and Highgate are aligned with our strategy, and we are excited to have established this partnership as we continue to improve on the temporary sector challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and advance our portfolio's growth and cash flow objectives." Mr. Korol also said, "I am also very pleased to welcome Mark Van Zandt of BentallGreenOak and Mahmood Khimji of Highgate to AHIP's Board of Directors." Mark Van Zandt, Managing Partner of BentallGreenOak, said, "We believe AHIP's premium branded select-service portfolio, under the leadership of this high quality management team, is well positioned to outperform during the ongoing hotel market recovery. We're excited to partner with our friends at Highgate on this strategic investment and look forward to working with AHIP to achieve the Company's growth objectives." Mahmood Khimji, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Highgate, said, "Highgate is thrilled to commence this partnership with AHIP, along with BentallGreenOak. AHIP's select service and extended stay portfolio, overseen by an exceptionally talented management team, is well-positioned for a robust recovery as national lodging fundamentals emerge from COVID-driven disruption. We look forward to partnering with Jonathan and the AHIP team over the coming years, and collaborating with the Company in the pursuit of future growth initiatives." TRANSACTION SUMMARY Key terms of the Investment include: The Investor received 50,000 Preferred Stock (the " Purchased Preferred Stock ") which is perpetual and redeemable by AHIP, and will be treated as equity on AHIP's balance sheet. Subject to certain terms and conditions, the Purchased Preferred Stock provides for an annual dividend of 8.00% per annum for the first three years after issuance, and, to the extent still outstanding, increases to 9.00% per annum on the third anniversary of the issuance with further escalations after the fifth anniversary of the issuance. ") which is perpetual and redeemable by AHIP, and will be treated as equity on AHIP's balance sheet. Subject to certain terms and conditions, the Purchased Preferred Stock provides for an annual dividend of 8.00% per annum for the first three years after issuance, and, to the extent still outstanding, increases to 9.00% per annum on the third anniversary of the issuance with further escalations after the fifth anniversary of the issuance. The Investor received 19,608,775 Warrants (the "Purchased Warrants") exercisable at any time prior to January 28, 2026 for units in AHIP (each a "Unit") on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX"), at an exercise price (the "Exercise Price") of $3.20 per Unit (approximately C$4.10 ), equivalent to 19.99% of the outstanding Units of AHIP following the Investment on an as-exercised basis. The Purchased Warrants may only be exercised by means of cashless exercise which will lead to an exercised ownership position of less than 19.99%. In connection with the Investment, the Investor entered into an investor rights agreement with AHIP providing for, among other things, the right to nominate two directors to AHIP's Board, customary registration rights, participation rights, and certain standstill and transfer restriction rights including a 24-month lockup on both the Purchased Preferred Stock and the Purchased Warrants. With the addition of Mr. Van Zandt and Mr. Khimji, AHIP's Board now consists of eight members. Additional information regarding the Investment and the terms of the Purchased Preferred Stock and Purchased Warrants will be included in a material change report to be filed by AHIP on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. This news release is only a summary of certain principal terms of the Investment and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the more detailed information contained in the material change report. REVOLVING CREDIT FACILITY AND TERM LOAN UPDATE On January 28, 2021, AHIP amended its $225 million corporate credit facility (the "Facility") with its lending syndicate. These amendments include: Waiver of key financial covenants through December 31, 2021 and modified covenants through December 31, 2022 ; and modified covenants through ; Availability under the Facility fixed through December 31, 2021 ; and ; and Borrowings not subject to swap agreements will remain at LIBOR + 300 basis points with a minimum LIBOR balance of 0.25%. Additional information regarding the Facility and its terms will be included in a material change report to be filed by AHIP on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. This news release is only a summary of certain principal terms of the Facility and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the more detailed information contained in the material change report. TRANSACTION ADVISORS CIBC Capital Markets and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. acted as financial advisors and Farris LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP acted as legal advisors to AHIP. Latham & Watkins LLP and Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP acted as legal advisors to BentallGreenOak and Highgate. ADDITIONAL EARLY WARNING DISCLOSURE OF INVESTOR BentallGreenOak and Highgate are making the Investment through the Investor, a joint venture Delaware limited partnership organized for purposes of making the Investment. Pursuant to the subscription agreement with AHIP, the general partner of AHIP and AHIP REIT, the Investor subscribed for the Purchased Warrants. Of the total $50 million price paid by the Investor for the Purchased Preferred Stock and the Purchased Warrants, $1.9 million (approximately C$2.4 million) was allocated to the Purchased Warrants (or C$0.12 per Purchased Warrant). Each Purchased Warrant initially entitles the Investor to purchase one Unit at the Exercise Price per underlying Unit. The Purchased Warrants may be exercised at any time prior to January 28, 2026. Immediately prior to the Investment, the Investor and its affiliates owned no voting or equity securities in the capital of AHIP. The Purchased Warrants may only be exercised by means of a cashless exercise whereby the in-the-money value of a portion of any exercised Purchased Warrants must be applied to fund the Exercise Price for the balance of the exercised Purchased Warrants. As of the date hereof, the Exercise Price exceeds the current market price of the Units and, consequently, the Investor is not entitled to acquire any Units on its exercise of the Purchased Warrants. However, if the Investor was entitled to, and did, exercise all of the Purchased Warrants by paying the full Exercise Price in cash, and not pursuant to a cashless exercise, the Investor and its affiliates would own 19,608,755 Units, or approximately 19.99% of the currently outstanding Units on a partially diluted basis, after giving effect to such exercise. The Investor intends to hold the Purchased Preferred Stock, Purchased Warrants and any Units issued to the Investor on the exercise of the Purchased Warrants for investment purposes. Depending on market conditions and other factors, including AHIP's business and financial condition, the Investor or its affiliates (including BentallGreenOak and Highgate) may acquire additional securities of AHIP or its subsidiaries or dispose of some or all of the securities of AHIP or its subsidiaries that it owns at such time. An early warning report with additional information in respect of the foregoing matters will be filed and made available on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Review (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com under AHIP's profile. To obtain a copy of this report, you may also contact Rahim Ladha at (416) 681-6309. The Investor's address is 870 7th Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10019. NON-IFRS MEASURES Certain non-IFRS financial measures are included in this news release, which includes net debt-to-gross book value. This term is not a measure recognized under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and does not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. Real estate issuers often refer to net debt-to-gross book value as a supplemental measure of financial condition. Net debt-to-gross book values should not be construed as an alternative to measurement determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of AHIP's financial condition. AHIP's method of calculating net debt-to-gross book value may differ from other issuers' methods and accordingly may not be comparable to measures used by other issuers. For further information, including reconciliations of certain of these non-IFRS financial measures to the closest comparable IFRS measure, please refer to AHIP's MD&A dated November 9, 2020, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on AHIP's website at www.ahipreit.com. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws (also known as forward-looking statements). Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and may cause actual results, performance or achievements or industry results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or industry results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by the use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "feel", "intend", "may", "plan", "predict", "project", "subject to", "will", "would", and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. Some of the specific forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: AHIP's belief that the addition of BentallGreenOak and Highgate positions it to pursue and capitalize on attractive acquisition opportunities; proceeds from the Investment will enhance AHIP's overall liquidity and capital structure, with net proceeds expected to be used towards immediate debt reduction; the treatment of the Preferred Stock and the Warrants will be equity and a liability, respectively, for accounting purposes; AHIP's expectation of having a strengthened balance sheet with total available liquidity of approximately $75 million and decreasing its pro-forma net debt-to-gross book value to 52.2%; the belief that AHIP's premium branded select-service portfolio is well positioned to outperform during an ongoing hotel market recovery in the U.S.; and AHIP's stated long-term objectives. Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions made by AHIP, including, without limitation: AHIP will be able to capitalize on attractive acquisition opportunities with the assistance from BentallGreenOak and Highgate; AHIP's overall liquidity and capital structure will be enhanced, and its balance sheet strengthened, from the Investment; the Preferred Stock and Warrants will be treated for accounting purposes as equity and a liability, respectively; sector challenges and disruption arising from the COVID-19 pandemic are of a temporary nature; there will be a sustained recovery of AHIP's portfolio in 2021 and there will be a meaningful and sustained economic recovery in the U.S. and within the U.S. hotel industry overall. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on what AHIP's management believes to be reasonable assumptions, AHIP cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with such information. Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking information involves significant risks and uncertainties and should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results as actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risks related to: AHIP will not be able to capitalize on attractive acquisition opportunities despite the assistance of BentallGreenOak and Highgate; the Investment does not meaningfully enhance AHIP's overall liquidity and capital structure, nor strengthen its balance sheet; the Preferred Stock is not treated for accounting purposes as equity; sector challenges and disruptions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic are not of a temporary nature; there will not be a sustained recovery of AHIP's portfolio in 2021 and a meaningful and sustained economic recovery in the U.S. and within the U.S. hotel industry overall may be delayed or muted; and AHIP may not achieve its stated long-term objectives. Management believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking information contained herein are based upon reasonable assumptions and information currently available; however, management can give no assurance that actual results will be consistent with this forward-looking information. Additional information about risks and uncertainties is contained in AHIP's MD&A dated November 9, 2020 and annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2019, copies of which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to AHIP. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release and AHIP assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law. ABOUT AMERICAN HOTEL INCOME PROPERTIES REIT LP American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP (TSX: HOT.UN, TSX: HOT.U, TSX: HOT.DB.U), or AHIP, is a limited partnership formed to invest in hotel real estate properties across the United States. AHIP's 78 premium branded, select-service hotels are located in secondary metropolitan markets that benefit from diverse and stable demand. AHIP hotels operate under brands affiliated with Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Choice Hotels through license agreements. The Company's long-term objectives are to build on its proven track record of successful investment, deliver monthly U.S. dollar denominated distributions to unitholders, and generate value through the continued growth of its diversified hotel portfolio. More information is available at www.ahipreit.com. ABOUT BENTALLGREENOAK BentallGreenOak is a leading, global real estate investment management advisor and a globally-recognized provider of real estate services. BentallGreenOak serves the interests of more than 750 institutional clients with approximately $50 billion of assets under management (as of September 30, 2020) and expertise in the asset management of office, industrial, multi-residential, retail, and hotel property across the globe. BentallGreenOak has offices in 24 cities across twelve countries with deep, local knowledge, experience, and extensive networks in the regions where we invest in and manage real estate assets on behalf of our clients. BentallGreenOak is a part of SLC Management, which is the institutional alternatives and traditional asset management business of Sun Life. The assets under management shown above include real estate equity and mortgage investments managed by the BentallGreenOak group of companies and their affiliates. For more information, please visit www.bentallgreenoak.com. ABOUT HIGHGATE Highgate is a fully-integrated real estate investment and hospitality management company with over $10 billion of hotels under management. Highgate has a longstanding track record of operating assets for the industry's largest REITs, private equity firms, institutional funds and private investors. Highgate is an active investor in key gateway markets, and operates more than 160 hotels and approximately 45,000 rooms around the world. For more information, please visit www.highgate.com. SOURCE American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP Related Links www.ahipreit.com The University of Virginia drew a record 48,000 applications for the next class in Charlottesville - about 15 percent more than the year before. Freshman applications to the University of California at Berkeley crossed into six figures for the first time, totaling more than 112,000, up 28 percent. Harvard University's total spiked to an all-time high of 57,000. That's up 42 percent. The sudden explosion in demand for these and other big-name schools is another ripple effect of the coronavirus pandemic that could reshape college admissions for many years to come. The pandemic has given huge - and in some places, decisive - momentum to a movement to reduce or even eliminate the use of admissions testing at highly competitive colleges and universities. That, in turn, has lured more applicants to the upper tier of the market. U-Va. and Harvard were among a large bloc of schools that temporarily suspended their requirements for SAT or ACT scores because the public health emergency prevented many college-bound students from taking the exams. Students could choose whether to send scores to these schools under a policy known as "test-optional." On Friday, U-Va. President James Ryan said the public university will extend its test-optional policy for another two years, covering students who are now sophomores and juniors in high school. "We believe this is a reasonable and humane response to one pressure that our prospective students are facing as a result of COVID-19," Ryan said in a statement. "We want students to focus on things they can control: doing their best in school; cultivating their curiosity; contributing to their families, schools, and communities. In a moment where so many things are uncertain, we hope this decision makes the admissions process more accessible and equitable for students who are considering the University of Virginia." Harvard said Friday it will be test-optional for one more year - covering those who are now high school juniors - and reiterated that those who do not submit scores "will not be disadvantaged in the application process." UC-Berkeley has taken a more radical step. It removed the SAT and ACT from admission decisions, a policy known as "test-free" or "test-blind." A state court last fall ordered the UC system to apply that policy across all its campuses for this year's applicants. The system's approach to admission testing for coming years is still in some flux, but the UC governing board voted last spring to phase out the SAT and ACT. The College Board, which owns the SAT, said it supports "flexibility in admissions during the pandemic." The rival ACT takes much the same position. "I think a lot of schools are going to stay test-optional," said ACT chief executive Janet Godwin. But she said research shows that "higher ed still does see value in scores for a whole bunch of reasons." Testing, she said, helps colleges connect with potential applicants and vice versa. She said she worries that many students might miss out on opportunities if they don't take an admission test. Access and equity, she said, are "the driving force behind everything we do." About a quarter million students are registered for the ACT's next test date on Feb. 6. Overall, the strength of the student pipeline into higher education during the pandemic appears uneven. The Common Application, an online portal for hundreds of colleges and universities, reports that about 1 million students applied this year ahead of January deadlines. Application totals fell modestly at public universities with fewer than 10,000 undergraduates and at small private colleges that tend to admit most applicants. There was also a 2 percent dip in applicants with enough financial need to receive fee waivers, and a 3 percent drop in those who would be among the first in their families to go to college. Jenny Rickard, president and chief executive of the Common App, said she was "very concerned" about those declines. But the Common App found a surge of applications to schools with national and global reputations. At large public universities, including state flagships, totals rose more than 11 percent. At private schools with more selective admissions, they rose more than 17 percent. Shifts in admissions testing policy, experts say, played a key role. "This barrier, i.e. standardized testing, was taken down, and maybe some students put their hats in the ring who otherwise wouldn't have," said Eric Furda, who recently stepped down after 12 years as dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania. Test-optional policies have helped hundreds of thousands of students this year who struggled to find a time and a place to take the SAT or ACT. But advocates say they also are helping students realize that their courses and grades in high school are what matter most. Stephanie Sylla, 17, a high school senior from Woodbridge, Va., spent months last year preparing to take the SAT in August. Sylla said she went "hard core" starting in June, practicing as much as two hours a day, reading test-preparation books, getting the feel of the three-hour exam. She wanted a score to align with her credentials as a student with a strong grade-point average, a transcript full of challenging classes and time spent on extracurricular activities such as debate and varsity volleyball. A daughter of immigrants from the West African nation of Guinea, Sylla said college is vital to her and her family. Shortly before the test date, she got an email saying her SAT session had been canceled because of the pandemic. She tried to register for a September session but found nothing available. It sunk in for her that she could forgo testing. Initially skeptical of test-optional policies, she had learned more about the issue from a U-Va. admissions officer who assured Sylla and other classmates that applications would be judged, regardless of whether they submitted a score, on the strength of their entire academic record and other accomplishments and life experiences. So Sylla has applied, without scores, to U-Va. and a range of other competitive schools. The test-optional policy, she said, "really changed my perspective on how I look at my achievements." What she has done in and out of school is enough, she said, to give a picture of her college potential. "It's really helped build confidence in what I've been able to do." Some schools, such as Bowdoin College in Maine, have been test-optional for decades, while others joined the movement more recently, including the University of Chicago in 2018. But the pandemic has accelerated the trend. Many universities launched multiyear experiments with test-optional policies last year or ended testing requirements permanently. Several ultra-selective schools that had announced one-year pauses in testing requirements are extending those measures. Williams and Amherst colleges, prominent liberal arts schools, will be test-optional for those applying to enter in 2022 and 2023. Columbia and Cornell universities, like Harvard, have suspended testing requirements for the 2022 cycle, and others in the Ivy League appear likely to follow suit. "All of the challenges that we saw last year still remain," said Logan Powell, dean of admission at Brown University. Powell said Brown's applications under the test-optional process are up 26 percent, with gains across demographic groups including first-generation students. Cornell said it received 17,000 more applications than the year before. That was a major increase, although 2020 figures were not immediately available for comparison. Jonathan Burdick, the vice provost for enrollment, said applications rose from first-generation, low-income, rural, Black and Hispanic groups. Some of Cornell's programs, in business, agriculture and architecture, are experimenting with test-blind admission. "We're accumulating great information about how students respond and how to conduct whole-person reviews with either far fewer or no SAT/ACT scores," Burdick wrote in an email. "We expect to put this new knowledge to use as we consider how to continue reducing admission barriers while maintaining highly selective standards over the next couple of years." This month, Pennsylvania State University added two years to its test-optional policy. What was once a pandemic-driven emergency measure has become, effectively, a longer-term experiment for the public university. Applications to the Penn State flagship campus are way up, said Robert Springall, executive director of undergraduate admissions. More than half of the 78,000 applicants did not submit scores. "We wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to really think and assess how the first test-optional cohort does," Springall said. Two more years, he said, "gives us the opportunity to really do a fair assessment." Maryland higher education officials will soon weigh testing policies for coming years. The University of Maryland at College Park reports that applications in this test-optional year surpassed 41,000, up more than 25 percent. Just over half did not send SAT or ACT scores. "We are seeing increases across the spectrum in diverse applicants," said James Massey, U-Md.' s director of undergraduate admissions. "We're happy to have a deeper pool, obviously, as most institutions would be." Oneida, N.Y. -- Two men have been arrested and charged in a City of Oneida robbery, according to a news release from the Oneida Police Department. Steven White, 35, of Utica, and Brandon Walsh, 34, of Oneida, have each been arrested and charged. White was charged with second-degree robbery, second-degree criminal trespass and endangering the welfare of a child, police said. Walsh was charged with second-degree robbery, endangering the welfare of a child, unlawfully fleeing a police officer, driving while intoxicated, reckless driving and other traffic violations, according to police. On Monday, police responded to a report of a burglary at a house on Lenox Avenue. An investigation found that two men entered a house, grabbed a bag of money and then attempted to run from the house, police said. People who were at the house were able to stop White and hold him while officers responded, police said. Walsh ran before officers could arrive, according to police. On Tuesday, Walsh was seen driving a car at an Oneida Walmart, police said. When officers tried to stop him, he led police on a chase that had to later be ended because of poor road conditions and safety concerns, according to police. Later, deputies with the Madison County Sheriffs Office tried to find and stop Walsh on Canal Road in Oneida but Walsh did not stop, police said. He was run off the road on Hill Road in Verona, according to police. Walsh and his passenger, Joseph Baker, 26, of Little Falls, then ran from the car, police said. Baker and Walsh were each arrested and Baker was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to police. White was arraigned and is being held in the Madison County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond. Walsh was arraigned and is being held in the Madison County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Chris Libonati via the Signal app for encrypted messaging at 585-290-0718, by phone at the same number, by email or on Twitter. (Newser) As he was dying of cancer, a Louisiana sheriff's deputy told his family the specific cemetery he wanted to be buried in. Allen Parish Sheriff's Deputy Darrell Semien was comforted to know that Oaklin Springs Cemetery in Oberlin was close to home, meaning the possibility of frequent visitors. But following the 55-year-old Black man's death on Sunday, his plan unraveled. Semien's family tells KPLC a cemetery worker refused to sell them a plot, claiming "no coloreds allowed." There was "no remorse," says Semien's daughter, Kimberly Curly. "What a slap in the face," adds widow Karla Semien, per the AP, noting her husband "put his life on the line" for such people. It turns out there was an actual rule against Semien's burial. The cemetery's contract denoted the site for "white human beings" only. story continues below Creig Vizena, president of the cemetery association, says the contract dates back to the 1950s and has never been an issue. "It never came up" and "I take full responsibility for that," he tells KPLC. He tells the AP that most people sign the one-page contract without reading it. The whites-only provision was removed during an emergency meeting of the cemetery board on Thursday, per KATC. But the family has secured a plot at another cemetery, saying Semien couldn't rest in peace at Oaklin Springs. "It's a stain that's going to be on our cemetery and our community for a long time," Vizena tells the AP, noting he was so upset upon learning what had happened that he offered the family one of his own plots. Vizenas 81-year-old aunt, who initially spoke with the family, has been fired, per WHBQ. (Read more racial discrimination stories.) 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| 2021-01-29 05:04:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, Jan. 28, 2021. Guterres on Thursday called on member states to make vaccine solidarity a top priority. (Xinhua/Xie E) UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called on member states to make vaccine solidarity a top priority. "Our first priority for 2021 is to respond to COVID-19. Vaccines are the first great moral test before us," the UN chief told the UN's 193 member states. Outlining his priorities for the months ahead, the secretary-general emphasized that vaccines "must be seen as global public goods - people's vaccines - available and affordable to all." "Vaccines are reaching a handful of countries quickly, while the poorest countries have almost none. Science is succeeding - but solidarity is failing," the top UN official underscored. "Governments have a responsibility to protect their populations, but COVID-19 cannot be beaten one country at a time," said the secretary-general. He said that recent studies have found that vaccine hoarding could cost the global economy up to 9.2 trillion U.S. dollars - with almost half of that impact in the wealthiest countries themselves. Guterres urged countries to step up support to the COVAX Facility, the international coalition working to make these treatments available and affordable to all. "There is only one victor in a world of vaccine haves and vaccine have-nots: the virus itself," he stressed. "2020 brought us tragedy and peril. 2021 must be the year to change gear and put the world on track," he said, speaking from the podium in the General Assembly Hall. "We need to move from death to health; from disaster to reconstruction; from despair to hope; from business as usual, to transformation." The secretary-general has called for "a global reset" as the world continues to reel from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed more than 2 million lives and some 500 million jobs. He said the crisis is an opportunity for change, stating that "we can move from an annus horribilis to make this an 'annus possibilitatis' - a year of possibility and hope." However, the world cannot heal if economies are on life support, the secretary-general continued, underscoring how post-pandemic recovery must be both inclusive and sustainable. Countries must invest now in sectors such as health, social protection, employment, and education. The UN chief was concerned about developing nations, which have lost out hugely on remittances and tourism revenue due to the crisis, and he highlighted the need for debt relief and financial support. "Recovery must also be sustainable - embracing renewable energy, and green and resilient infrastructure," he added. "Otherwise, we will lock in harmful practices for decades to come." Making peace with nature is another top priority for 2021, which the secretary-general described as "a critical year" for climate and biodiversity. "I call on every city, company and financial institution to adopt concrete roadmaps with clear intermediary milestones to get to carbon neutrality by 2050. Key sectors such as shipping, aviation, industry and agriculture must do the same," he said. Guterres challenged countries to phase out coal power over the next two decades, and to end subsidies for fossil fuels, urging them to "shift the tax burden from income to carbon, from taxpayers to polluters." The UN chief again expressed solidarity with developing nations, particularly small island developing states confronting the existential threat of climate change. "Their territories could disappear within our lifetimes," he warned. "We must never allow any member state to be forced to fold its flag because of a problem that is within our power to fix." With extreme poverty and hunger rising, the pandemic has worsened inequalities and injustices. Human rights and basic freedoms are also under threat, as women, girls, minorities and LGBTI people experience chronic discrimination and violence. In welcoming new momentum in the global fight for racial justice, the secretary-general underlined the UN's commitment to promoting tolerance. "We must all stand up against the surge of neo-Nazism and white supremacy," he said. "The United Nations will never veer from its commitment to fight racism and discrimination. There is no place for racism within our organization - and we will continue our work to root it out." BEIJING, Jan. 29 -- China's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying shared a story about international fight against COVID-19 on her twitter yesterday, which was originally told by Senior Colonel Wu Qian, the Spokesperson for Chinas Ministry of National Defense, on a regular press conference on January 28. Wu introduced the Chinese military's international cooperation in the fight against the pandemic on the conference and then shared a moving story about a Syrian military doctor, Tareq. According to Wu, Major Tareq Muhammad is a Syrian military doctor who previously studied clinical medicine in the Chinese PLA Army Medical University in 2018. After graduation in 2020, he returned to Syria and worked as a Deputy Director of the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology in a military hospital in Damascus. During the pandemic, Dr. Muhammad translated the knowledge he learned in China about pandemic control and prevention into Arabic and helped the hospital improve COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment. Besides, he used Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment in pandemic control and shared TCM prevention means through social media, which have achieved good results. His story was also covered by local media and got many thumbs-up on the internet. Major Tareq Muhammad is working in Syria. It was the first time for the spokespersons of Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Defense to jointly promote a foreign military friend. The meaning behind it is exactly what Senior Colonel Wu Qian said at the press conference that Dr. Muhammads story was a microcosm of the Chinese militarys participation in global anti-pandemic cooperation. The Chinese military will continue to shoulder its international obligations with concrete efforts and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. SEATTLE, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a year that required more self-reflection, listening and compassion than ever before, Nordstrom is beginning 2021 with a renewed focus on its commitment to community. With a long-held belief in the value of diversity, Nordstrom is working to play an active role in contributing to the positive change required to address systemic racial inequity. "We are a part of the communities we serve, and that means we have a responsibility to create a sense of welcoming and belonging for all," said Pete Nordstrom, chief brand officer and president of Nordstrom, Inc. "We know our impact extends beyond our own walls and we're committed to taking steps to be a part of the solution by making Nordstrom a better, more inclusive and anti-racist company for our employees, customers, partners and communities." Based on this commitment, the leading fashion retailer set a series of goals in August 2020 to address its most pressing opportunities related to diversity, inclusion and belonging. Among other things, these goals address: increasing Black and Latinx representation among its managers by at least 50%; delivering $500M in retail sales from brands owned by, operated by or designed by Black and/or Latinx individuals; in retail sales from brands owned by, operated by or designed by Black and/or Latinx individuals; increasing charitable donations to organizations that promote anti-racism to $1M per year for the next five years. "These goals represent the next phase of our journey to be a better company, not the finish line. We're committed to doing the work, being transparent about our progress, listening to feedback and holding ourselves accountable," said Farrell Redwine, senior vice president of Human Resources at Nordstrom. In honor of February's Black History Month, Nordstrom is preparing to celebrate Black-owned brands and amplify their voices through various merchandise categories in store and online. "We're committed to improving the diversity of the vendors we partner with across all parts of our business," said Teri Bariquit, chief merchandising officer at Nordstrom. "We're making strong progress to find and support diverse brands and we are very excited to introduce them to our customers. Most importantly, these brands and the products they offer help us meet the diverse needs of our customers, while continuing to create the inspiration and discovery they expect to find when shopping at Nordstrom." More specifically, the company is excited to bring the following new products and experiences to customers: Nordstrom is continuing the expansion of its Inclusive Beauty category, originally launched in October 2020 to make it easier for customers to find the products that meet their unique needs no matter skin or hair type, tone, complexion or texture. Nordstrom Beauty is proud to announce partnerships with 12 new Black founded brands this month including Sienna Naturals, 54 Thrones, Rosen, UnSun, Brown Girl Jane, Auda B, London Grant, Spraise, Buttah, Beneath Your Mask, AJ Crimson, and most notably, Uoma. Nordstrom at Home will launch GOODEE brand this month, a Black founded brand by designers and creatives Byron and Dexter Peart . GOODEE offers sustainable solutions for modern living through working exclusively with artisans. The brand offers products that make a positive social or environmental impact through curating a unique global marketplace with unique storytelling. . GOODEE offers sustainable solutions for modern living through working exclusively with artisans. The brand offers products that make a positive social or environmental impact through curating a unique global marketplace with unique storytelling. New Concepts @Nordstrom will launch Concept 012: Black_Space a national retail platform for designers, creatives and thought leaders across varied perspectives and experiences representing Black culture. Black_Space will include an immersive shopping experience across 12 Nordstrom locations nationwide and on Nordstrom.com for representation where it has not previously existed at Nordstrom developed, designed and curated by Black voices. A brainchild of Sam Lobban , Senior Vice President of Designer and New Concepts, New Concepts @Nordstrom is an ongoing series of digital and physical pop-up retail concept shops for customers to discover the newest products through exclusive partnerships with the world's most compelling brands and creatives. , Senior Vice President of Designer and New Concepts, New Concepts @Nordstrom is an ongoing series of digital and physical pop-up retail concept shops for customers to discover the newest products through exclusive partnerships with the world's most compelling brands and creatives. During the months of February and March, the Nordstrom NYC flagship will unveil their latest Center Stage pop-up showcasing Black-owned brands across beauty, clothing, shoes and accessories. Customers are invited to explore, shop and get to know the stories and founders behind them, including Sharon Chuter of UOMA Beauty, Nancy Twine of Briogeo Hair Care, Miko Underwood of Oak & Acorn ~ Only for the Rebelles, Erika Dayla Massaquoi of The OULA Company, Elann Zelie of Zelie for She, John Dean of Renowned, Jessica Rich of her eponymous shoe brand, and Corianna and Brianna Dotson of Coco and Breezy Eyewear. of UOMA Beauty, of Briogeo Hair Care, of Oak & Acorn ~ Only for the Rebelles, of The OULA Company, of Zelie for She, of Renowned, of her eponymous shoe brand, and of Coco and Breezy Eyewear. Nordstrom Made is introducing a new collection of intimates in a range of skin tones and sizes. Nordstrom partnered with members of the community to design and name each piece, engaging them for feedback on size, fit and color. This collection will launch in March and will feature seamless pieces made with jersey and lightweight fabrics. These new partnerships build on a strong foundation the company has established for itself, with an emphasis on creating an environment where its customers feel a sense of belonging and employees can be themselves, contribute their ideas, be heard and do their best work. Previous accomplishments and partnerships include: Reaching 100% pay equity and nearly 100% pay parity in 2019, with an established plan for continued maintenance; Improved employee diversity, with women representing 68% of all employees; 60% of leadership; Adding diversity within its Board of Directors; five of 11 are women and three are people of color; Supporting the important work of nonprofit organizations including NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation and the National Urban League, among others. Earlier this year, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 18), Nordstrom joined forces with long-term partner the National Urban League to host a day of employee volunteering and learning. With a focus on making MLK Day a "day on" rather than a "day off," together Nordstrom and National Urban League connected employees with virtual volunteer opportunities and educational resources to learn more about Dr. King's work and ways to honor and build upon his legacy. Additional details on these launches and Nordstrom's commitment to community through diversity, inclusion and belonging can be found on the Nordstrom Press Room. ABOUT NORDSTROM Nordstrom, Inc. is a leading fashion retailer based in the U.S. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 358 stores in the U.S. and Canada, including 100 Nordstrom stores; 249 Nordstrom Rack stores; two clearance stores; and seven Nordstrom Local service hubs. Additionally, customers are served online through Nordstrom.com, Nordstrom.ca, Nordstromrack.com, HauteLook.com and TrunkClub.com. Nordstrom, Inc.'s common stock is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol JWN. Media Contact Emily Sterken [email protected] 1-877-746-6228 SOURCE Nordstrom, Inc. Related Links www.nordstrom.com Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 23:59:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HARARE, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean government on Friday extended the one-month nationwide COVID-19 lockdown by another two weeks to Feb. 15. Vice President Constantino Chiwenga announced the extension in a televised address to the nation. He said the extension was ordered by President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is currently on leave. Chiwenga said the extension will enable the country to consolidate gains made so far in fighting the pandemic. "The level 4 national lockdown that came into force on the 5th of January 2021 has stabilized our situation. In relative terms and since the lockdown, the number of infections has been decreasing substantially," Chiwenga said. Zimbabwe has seen its COVID-19 cases more than double since the beginning of this year to 32,646 as of Jan. 28, with deaths also increasing three-fold to 1,160 from 369 as of Jan. 1, as the nation grapples with a second wave of the pandemic. "It is in light of this that President Mnangagwa has decided to extend the level 4 national lockdown by another two weeks to the 15th of February 2021," Chiwenga said. He said there was a likelihood of new strains and variants of COVID-19 in the country, adding that Zimbabwe was currently doing genomic sequencing to determine if these strains are indeed in the country. "Results will be published as soon as we have them," he said. He also reiterated that the nation will soon be bringing in vaccines against COVID-19, with a roll-out plan and deployment strategy being finalized. "The nation will be kept informed on all these developments," he added. Enditem Tabled in the Parliament on Friday, the Economic Survey 2020-21 strongly endorsed the three farm laws amid the ongoing protest by farm unions at the Delhi borders. In the chapter 'Agriculture & Food Management', Chief Economic Advisor KV Subramanian stressed that the agrarian reforms are catered for the benefit of the small and marginal farmers which constitutes around 85% of farmers. Maintaining that they are the biggest sufferers of the "regressive" APMC regulated market regime, he opined that the new era of "market freedom" can tremendously help in the improvement of farmer welfare. Moreover, the Survey listed several occasions in the past where the Centre was suggested to enact these reforms. Read: Delhi Farmer Protest LIVE Updates: Clashes At Singhu Border; Haryana Suspends Internet Benefits of the farm laws The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails the provision of contract farming. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances. The CEC stated that factors such as the presence of multiple intermediaries, a large range of taxes and cesses and poor infrastructure of markets led to farmers getting a lower price for their produce. According to him, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 would transfer the risk of market unpredictability from the farmer to the sponsor and enable him to access modern technology and better inputs. Assuring the farmers that their land will remain safe, the Economic Survey highlighted that the 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations coming up in the country will bring together small farmers and ensure remunerative pricing for farm produce. Furthermore, it stated that The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 was also aimed at attracting the private sector and FDI into the agriculture sector which in turn can help the modernization of food supply chain. Overall, there is a focus on meeting the goal of doubling farmers' income. However, the SC has temporarily stayed the implementation of the farm laws to resolve the standoff between farmers and the Centre. Read: Annual Economic Survey 2020-2021 Accessed Before Union Budget 2021; Read & Download Here Positive signs for the agriculture sector Subramanian appreciated the fact that agriculture and allied sectors showed resilience amid the coronavirus-induced crisis by clocking a growth rate of 3.4% at constant prices during 2020-21. The foodgrain production in 2019-20 was higher than the production of foodgrains in the previous fiscal year by 11.44 million tonnes. Additionally, India's agricultural and allied exports amounted to nearly Rs.2,52,000 crore as of 2019-20 with the major export destinations being the USA, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Nepal and Bangladesh. The Economic Survey also noted that the Centre increased the Minimum Support System for all mandated Kharif and Rabi crops for the 2020-21 season whereby the MSP was fixed at 1.5 times of the cost of production. It also threw light on the Centre's announcement for agriculture under the aegis of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Read: Economic Survey 2020-21 Explains Centre's COVID Handling, Reforms And Focus On Healthcare Up to $2.1 million award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to enable AAVCOVID platform, with single-dose vaccines that can be stored at room temperature for up to one month, to enter phase I clinical trials overseas The AAVCOVID vaccine program, a novel gene-based vaccine strategy that utilizes an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector, was granted an award for up to $2.1 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant will aid the effort to bring further preclinical validation to the AAV vaccine platform. An AAVCOVID vaccine candidate is set to enter clinical trials in 2021. The AAVCOVID vaccine program was founded at Mass General Brigham at the outset of the pandemic. Preliminary tests of the vaccines' stability and potency at different temperatures revealed that AAVCOVID candidates remained potent and effective when stored at room temperature for up to one month. This room temperature stability and the fact AAVCOVID vaccines do not require cold-chain freezer storage, could enable this AAV-based platform to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 and other diseases for developing countries without the necessary cooling infrastructure some vaccines require. "We are extremely grateful and humbled to be one of the COVID-19 vaccine efforts to be awarded financial support by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation," said AAVCOVID principal investigator Luk H. Vandenberghe, PhD, director of the Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. "We share a desire to develop vaccines that can end the threat of this deadly disease globally. We believe our data on single dose immunogenicity and room-temperature stability holds promise to overcome key logistical challenges to an effective vaccine campaign in this global crisis, particularly in countries with limited infrastructure." AAVCOVID is developed through an academia-industry consortium with groups within Mass Eye and Ear, and Massachusetts General Hospital, both member hospitals of Mass General Brigham in Boston, the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and Novartis Gene Therapies. Dr. Vandenberghe is working in conjunction with program co-leaders Mason Freeman, MD, who serves as director of the Translational Medicine Group of the Mass General Center for Computational and Integrative Biology and is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and gene therapy pioneer James M. Wilson, MD, PhD, director of the internationally-renowned Gene Therapy Program at the University of Pennsylvania. Novartis Gene Therapies contributes to the consortium its unique technology, expertise and supply chain to manufacture at-scale AAVCOVID for clinical trial testing through an in-kind partnership. The rapid development of AAVCOVID was initially made possible through research support from Mass Eye and Ear with additional support from the Department of Ophthalmology, led by Joan W. Miller, MD, Chief of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Ophthalmologist-in Chief at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Chair of Ophthalmology and David Glendenning Cogan Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. The initial work was also funded by Individual donations including a lead gift from Celtics co-owner and former Mass Eye and Ear Board Chairman Wyc Grousbeck and Emilia Fazzalari, research grants from the Harvard-led Massachusetts Consortium for Pathogen Readiness and FastGrant, and manufacturing partnerships with Aldevron, Catalent and Viralgen. Experimental vaccine designed to address dosing and cold-chain challenges AAVCOVID aims to address two logistical and biological hurdles to global distribution: the need for simplicity of the dosing regimen and limited dependency on cold-chain infrastructure, or the need for freezers for storage and transport. Many COVID-19 vaccines require two doses, which may raise adherence concerns since people require two separate appointments weeks apart. Doubling the dose needed also increases costs, need for logistical support and manufacturing needs. Testing thus far in both mouse and nonhuman primate models have shown a robust neutralizing antibody responses from only a single dose. Another hurdle for some leading vaccines is they require below-freezing temperatures for storage that require special freezers that are not widely available. AAVCOVID candidates have been stored at different temperatures and the researchers found they maintained stability and potency at up to room temperature for one month. This room temperature stability is in line with other AAV-based medications already in use. Without the need for freezing temperatures, Dr. Vandenberghe hopes such a vaccine if validated in human studies can be distributed in regions of the world with poor health care infrastructure that lack adequate refrigeration capabilities. Program seeks to leverage existing manufacturing capacity The AAVCOVID vaccine program is a gene-based vaccine strategy that seeks to deliver genetic sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 using an AAV vector. Vaccination delivers genetic DNA fragments of SARS-CoV-2 which generate a coronavirus spike antigen protein that is designed to elicit an immune response to prevent infection. Dr. Vandenberghe and his laboratory began work on the vaccine in mid-January 2020 following the Wuhan outbreak and the first publication of genetic sequences of the new coronavirus. AAVCOVID uses a specific AAV called rh32.33 with desirable inflammatory properties needed for vaccines and lacks pre-existing immunity in humans. AAVCOVID seeks to induce immunity to prevent infection and or disease in healthy populations, leveraging the existing manufacturing capabilities of an established AAV gene therapy industry. The program has a manufacturing agreement with several gene therapy industry partners led by Novartis Gene Therapies, to help reach the scalability goals in the event of approval. The company is one of the first in the world to have successfully scaled up gene therapy manufacturing with over 1 million square feet of manufacturing capacity. ### About Mass Eye and Ear Massachusetts Eye and Ear, founded in 1824, is an international center for treatment and research and a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. A member of Mass General Brigham, Mass Eye and Ear specializes in ophthalmology (eye care) and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ear, nose and throat care). Mass Eye and Ear clinicians provide care ranging from the routine to the very complex. Also home to the world's largest community of hearing and vision researchers, Mass Eye and Ear scientists are driven by a mission to discover the basic biology underlying conditions affecting the eyes, ears, nose, throat, head and neck and to develop new treatments and cures. In the 2020-2021 "Best Hospitals Survey," U.S. News & World Report ranked Mass Eye and Ear #4 in the nation for eye care and #6 for ear, nose and throat care. For more information about life-changing care and research at Mass Eye and Ear, visit our blog, Focus, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. RTHK: UN chief hopes for 'reset' in Sino-US relations UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday he hopes there will be a "reset" in US-China relations, acknowledging that while the countries had "different views" on human rights, they should work together on climate action. Beijing has been pushing for greater global influence in a challenge to traditional US leadership. Tension between the two superpowers hit a boiling point at the United Nations last year, under former US President Donald Trump's administration, over the coronavirus pandemic. "I hope we will see a reset in relations between the United States and China," Guterres told reporters. "It is clear that in human rights, there are two completely different views, and it is clear that in human rights there is no scope for an agreement or a common vision." "There is an area where I believe there is a growing convergence of interests, and my appeal is for that area to be pursued by the two sides, together with the whole of the international community, and that area is climate action," he said. New US President Joe Biden's nominee for ambassador to the United Nations accused China on Wednesday of trying to "drive an authoritarian agenda" at the 193-member world body. When asked for a response, Guterres said: "In relation to the United Nations I can guarantee that we are very strongly committed to make sure that the UN is a beacon of all the values are related to ... security, development, human rights." Guterres also said he was "particularly worried" about the power of social media companies and that a regulatory framework should be created so decisions such as banning Trump from Twitter can be done "in line with law." (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Saudi Aramco, the worlds largest oil company, is about to make headlines again. In a surprise statement by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during an interview at the Future Investment Initiative (FII), also called the Davos in the Desert, the crown prince claimed that there will be more shares of Aramco up for sale in the coming years. MBSs statement was surprising not only for its content but also for its timing. While global stock exchanges are suffering, the Saudi crown prince is hinting at a potential multi-billion share sale. Analysts are still trying to understand the decision, with the oil and gas industry struggling as it is at the moment. But you can be sure that the hype around the oil giants next offering will now begin to build. The unexpected success of the Aramco IPO in 2019, bringing in a staggering $25.6 billion, will be fresh in the mind of investors. While MBSs remarks surprised many, a possible sale of more Aramco shares had been brought up by the head of Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund previously. The Public Investment Fund (PIF), the owner of Aramco, stated that the company may consider selling more shares if market conditions were right. At present, Aramco shares are still valued at around 34.75 riyals ($9.26), which is still way above its IPO price of 32 riyals. The total value of the company is currently set at $1.86 trillion. The market should be looking at several factors before reacting to the news of this new share deal. Aramcos overall position within the PIFs and MBSs economic diversification plans is clear. Without the global oil, gas, and petrochemical giant as one of the main pillars of Saudi economic future, no plans can or will be implemented. At present, Saudi Arabia remains a rentier-state, in which oil and gas revenue is the main pillar of its economic strength. Diversification efforts are under way to build a new and resilient economy in the country, providing employment for Saudis while supporting the survival of the Kingdom as it is. The immense amount of investment needed, however, is still a major stumble block, even though the Saudi PIF is pumping billions of dollars into the economy. It has invested in high-profile Giga Projects, such as NEOM, Red Sea Islands, and Qiddiya, as well as targeting start-ups and SMEs in and outside of the Kingdom to provide the necessary push for growth. The PIF strategic presentation last week highlighted just how ambitious these plans were, indicating its intent to double total assets and investments in the coming year. Despite all of this, there is a growing demand for Aramcos revenues. Even though the Saudi government is able to issue plenty of government bonds, as global financial markets are cheap and liquid, Riyadhs budget deficits are still high. Aramco, as one of the only real money makers in the country, has a dual purpose at present. To be the main financial backer of the Kingdoms diversification plans, but also to provide the necessary influx of cash to plug the holes in the budget. Aramcos overall cash position is still very rosy, especially when considering the situation of most of its competitors. Its profits are still staggering, not at all like IOCs such as Shell, BP, Exxon, or Total. But Aramcos debt levels have also increased. New debt issuances of Aramco may threaten both its future cash flow and the success of MBS dream Vision 2030. A much cheaper and more attractive option is to put new shares in the market, as there is no real risk to the owner of the company, PIF. By pushing another 5-10% of shares to the market, Aramco could not only reap a possible $180 billion (at current market value) but could also enter Western financial markets and exchanges. Even with a Biden Administration in the U.S., a Johnson government in the UK, and Merkel 2.0 in Germany, Saudi money and politics remains a powerful influencing factor in global politics. By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: New Delhi: India on Thursday played down the usage of Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir by the US in a statement issued during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying similar terms have been used in the past too. On Monday, while designating Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, the US State Department had said the militant group had claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people. Responding to a media query, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay said the use of the term Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir merely affirmed the Indian position that Salahuddin had been involved in cross-border terrorism against India. Similar term has been used in the State Departments country reports on terrorism brought out every year, including in the period 2010-2013, in the context of cross-border terrorism perpetrated on India. Indias consistent position that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India is well known, he said. Later Baglay said India?s position that the entire State of J&K is an integral part of India is well known and the US government has been apprised of the same once again. However, he did not give any details of when and how it was done. Also Read: PM Modi, President Trump skip discussion on contentious H-1B visa issue The MEA spokespersons remarks came amid criticism by the Congress party over the acceptance of the term by the Modi government. US official statement used the phrase Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. How did India accept this? senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had asked in a tweet. Baglay also said India has welcomed the designation of Salahuddin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US Administration and added that this long-awaited step had been under discussion. The Joint Statement issued on June 26, 2017 after Prime Ministers talks with US President Trump is the strongest joint expression of the commitment of the two sides to be shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight against terrorism and calls on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries, he added. Significantly, India had objected to the UN Human Rights chiefs usage of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir during a human rights council meeting at Geneva last September. The whole state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Pakistan remains in illegal occupation of a part of our territory. The two cannot and should not be equated, the Indian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said. Unlike Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, India has an elected democratic government in place in J&K and, therefore, the UNs usage of the term Indian-administered Kashmir is artificial, India had argued. During a country update, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had talked about the ongoing conflict in Kashmir and had publicly urged both the countries to grant his office access to India-administered Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. For those who are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine and desperate to get one, the regions hospitals offer a glimmer of hope. Theyre winding down vaccination of employees and other health-care workers, and some are now turning to older patients or those at high risk of serious complications from the coronavirus. Their methods and eligibility rules differ, but they are united on one message: Dont contact us. Well contact you. We love our patients. We want to help you, but please dont call us, said Jonathan Stallkamp, interim chief medical officer at Main Line Health. Another theme is not to put all your eggs in their basket. If you can find a vaccine somewhere else, go for it. Demand from patients dwarfs the doses of vaccine that hospitals will be able to offer, although there is hope that supply will soon increase. Take the first offer, said Tony Reed, chief medical officer at Temple Health. Another piece of advice: Sign up for your systems health portal and respond quickly to messages. Thats how many health systems are first contacting eligible patients. Area health systems said 55% to 65% of their employees have gotten vaccinated so far. Many are on second doses now. Others are still signing up for shots, but in small enough numbers that theres room for high-risk patients now. READ MORE: Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in the Philly area? Use our lookup tool. Temple initially focused on its own staff, but then expanded to include other health workers. It now has a well-functioning system, Reed said, and it makes sense for it to do more community vaccination. Plus, larger hospitals are the ones equipped with the ultracold freezers that can safely store Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine. One of the things the city has wisely done is that those of us who have the skill set and the freezers are getting the Pfizer vaccine, Reed said. Einstein Healthcare Network, Penn Medicine and Temple have also applied to provide community vaccinations for the general public in Philadelphia. Main Line Health plans to use some of its vaccine allotment at community sites aimed at underserved populations in regions it serves. Heres what the hospitals that responded to our queries said about how, or whether, their patients can get vaccine from them: Crozer Health Crozer Health is offering vaccines at Crozer Chester Medical Center in Upland, and Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill to people who are eligible according to state guidelines. People who qualify can register through Crozers web-based system. The wait for appointments is now several weeks. Registrants will be contacted by email when openings occur. Hospitalized patients will not be vaccinated. Crozer is also contacting organizations in the city of Chester to coordinate enrollment of qualified people who do not have access to computers or smart phones. Einstein Healthcare Network Einstein has hospitals in both Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties. Steve Sivak, head of Einsteins vaccine task force, said his system never intended to vaccinate the general public, but now sees how eager patients are for shots. It plans to vaccinate within some of its hospitals through February, then, hopefully, shift to a community site in Philadelphia. He estimates that about 10,000 Einstein patients are eligible now in Philadelphia alone. Einstein now has about 3,000 doses on hand but doesnt know how many it will get each week after those are depleted. The system will vaccinate patients at its hospitals in Philadelphia and Elkins Park. In Philadelphia, patients 75 and older, transplant patients or those with kidney disease, diabetes, and cancer are eligible. In Montgomery County, the list includes people who are 65 and up or have a wider array of risk factors. To start, Einstein has asked primary care and transplant doctors and oncologists to identify patients they think are most at risk. Those patients are being called. Jefferson Health Jefferson, which has 14 hospitals in the region, is sending information about preregistration and appointment scheduling to patients through its portal. Eligible patients include those 75 and older, those with high-risk medical conditions, and patients who work in essential jobs that increase exposure. A spokesperson said the system planned to start vaccinating patients in Philadelphia on Friday and will administer vaccines to patients from the systems major locations in Philadelphia, Abington, and New Jersey next week. We anticipate that vaccine demand among our patient population will continue to exceed supply in the coming weeks, Edmund Pribitkin, executive vice president at Jefferson Health and president of Jefferson Medical Group, said in a written statement. READ MORE: All your COVID-19 vaccine questions, answered Main Line Health Main Line Health started vaccinating patients last week at three sites: Lankenau Medical Center, Paoli Hospital, and its corporate center in Radnor. It will not be giving shots at all of its hospitals. It is notifying eligible patients people 75 and up through its portal and is encouraging all patients to open accounts. Some doctors offices are helping people sign up. Stallkamp said up to 20,000 patients are qualified for vaccines, and the system has slots for about 500 a day. Were not going to do this alone, and we cant, he said. Penn Medicine Penn referred a reporter to its website. It says Penn has started vaccinating Philadelphia patients who are 75 and up or have one of the four risk factors. Because vaccine supply is very limited, it is contacting patients who are at highest risk first. As our supply of vaccine increases, we will continue to contact patients who meet the eligibility requirements to schedule their vaccine, the website said. At the current rate, this phase is expected to take weeks. Prime Healthcare Prime, which operates Lower Bucks, Suburban Community and Roxborough Memorial Hospitals, does not yet have enough supply to vaccinate patients at Suburban Community and Roxborough Memorial. In Bucks County, the county registration site is routing some patients to the hospital for shots. Michelle Aliprantis, a health system spokesperson, said patients who qualify for phase 1A can get vaccinated at the hospital, but have to register with the county. Lower Bucks and Suburban Community Hospital also hope to open vaccination clinics, possibly in mid-February. READ MORE: Yes, you still need to wear a mask after you get the COVID-19 vaccine. Heres why. Temple Health Temple University Hospital is now vaccinating patients in Philadelphia. The system will later give shots at Fox Chase Cancer Center and at Jeanes Campus-Temple University Hospital. It is starting with about 6,000 doses, Reed said. Temple is starting with patients currently receiving treatment for cancer and those who are at the top of an organ transplant list or who have recently been transplanted. After that, it will go to patients 75 and up and those with other risk factors. The system has asked primary care doctors and specialists to recommend patients with the highest need for vaccine. Patients will be notified through Temples portal or by email first, but will be called if they dont respond. Asked how long it will take to vaccinate patients in this phase, Reed said, Im going to be optimistic and say June. Tower Health Tower Health will soon begin notifying patients who are 75 and up about its vaccination plans through its patient portal, said Mary Agnew, chief nursing officer. It may do some patient vaccinations as early as next week. Tower will offer vaccine to eligible hospitalized patients while they are in the hospital. It is looking for community sites to vaccinate outpatients. Its first site will be an occupational health center in Muhlenberg. It is also in discussions with urgent care centers. The system will have a call center in place by next week to contact patients who have difficulty using computers. Cooper University Health Care Things are different in New Jersey where most hospitals are not directly vaccinating their patients, according to Wendy Marano, a spokesperson for Cooper. Cooper is, however, providing staffing to a community vaccination site run by Camden County. You can register at my.cooperhealth.org. Virtua Health The story is the same at Virtua, which is helping support Burlington Countys vaccination site at Moorestown Mall. That site is open to the general public, and Virtua patients receive no special priority. You can register at virtua.org/vaccine. That site is now vaccinating about 1,000 people a day. If more vaccine were available, it could easily give 2,500 shots a day, said Rebecca Lynch, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Virtua Medical Group. When more vaccine flows to the states, the system hopes to begin offering it to patients in its primary care offices. Those are the two specific asks in the statement because those are the two things in particular that came from a groundswell, and that included Indiana, and rose to an attack on our Capitol, Johnson said in a phone interview, referring to the Jan. 6 insurrection in which five people, including a police officer, died. The American Library Association has announced that its 2021 Annual Conference & Exhibition, scheduled for June 23-29 in Chicago, will now take place online only. It will be the second consecutive ALA Annual Conference to be held virtually in the wake of the pandemic, and comes just days after ALA concluded its annual Midwinter meeting, which was also held virtually. We had hoped that by this summer it would be safe to meet again in person. However, that is clearly not the case," said ALA president Julius C. Jefferson Jr. in a statement. Given the success of our just-wrapped virtual Midwinter meeting, I am confident that Annual will be just as dynamic, engaging and inspiring. As always, we will have big name speakers, a full online exhibit floor, and more events and opportunities to network, learn and grow that I know participants will love. Registration for the virtual show will open March 1, with advance rates ending April 16. When ALA canceled the in-person 2020 Annual Conference last March it marked the first time in 75 years that ALA has not hosted an annual conference, dating back to 1945 and the end of World War II. The 2021 show will now be the association's third straight virtual conference. The good news is that the virtual shows have featured strong programs and drawn solid engagement. The recently concluded ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits, which was held entirely online January 22-26 attracted more than 7,100 participants, featured more than 30 educational sessions, 25 ALA division-hosted discussion groups, peer-to-peer live chat opportunities; committee meetings, and some A-list speakers including one of the first appearances by Dr. Jill Biden in her role as First Lady of the United States, and one of the last talks given by legendary actress Cicely Tyson, who passed away yesterday at the age of 96. ALA is expecting to return to in-person events next January, however. At this week's Midwinter meeting, the 107th and final Midwinter meeting in the association's history, Jefferson announced that a new January event is set to debut in 2022, in San Antonio, dubbed LibLearnX (LLX)the library learning experience. Covid-19 has profoundly changed the library world, and, of course, the wider world around us," said ALA executive director Tracie D. Hall in a statement. "But Im buoyed by the incredible determination, resilience and community-building Ive seen in the past year. As a body, ALA has proven nimble and unflappable in the face of adversity and we will continue to prioritize safety, even as we strive to innovate the digital conference experience to widen attendance and deepen engagement well after this period." VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GT Gold Corp. (TSX-V:GTT; OTCQX:GTGDF) (the Company or GT Gold) today set the record straight on misleading statements by The K2 Principal Fund L.P. ("K2") and Muddy Waters Capital LLC (Muddy Waters) (collectively, the Dissidents) that materially misrepresent GT Golds recent financing (the Financing) and the Board representation discussions. Muddy Waters Unacceptable Financing Initiative GT Golds Board of Directors unanimously rejected the financing proposed by Muddy Waters because it was not in the best interests of the Company. The Dissidents omitted the following key facts: It was at K2s request that GT Gold became involved in discussions with Muddy Waters. A draft indicative proposal, submitted by Muddy Waters on behalf of itself and unidentified related parties, would have made Muddy Waters and those unidentified parties a new control block shareholder. Moreover, the proposal contained highly unusual and restrictive off-market rights. The price, which was at market and not at a premium, was inadequate given the nature of the terms sought. In addition, the Board had concerns about making Muddy Waters a significant shareholder, given Muddy Waters reputation as an activist short seller, rather than as a supportive long-term investor. The Board pursued a less dilutive financing with existing shareholders, creating no new control block and with the issuance of fewer shares than Muddy Waters indicative proposal. Muddy Waters was given the opportunity to participate. However, after initially accepting to participate, Muddy Waters backed away. Instead, Muddy Waters submitted a variant of its original indicative proposal, which the Board had already rejected and which created the same issue of a new control block shareholder. By that point, beyond the reasons noted above, GT Gold had significantly advanced the Financing with other large existing shareholders. The Board unanimously determined, after consulting with outside advisors, to continue with the Financing as it was well advanced, had received good-faith commitments from third party investors and was in the best interest of the Company. GT Golds Bona Fide Offer to K2 for Board Representation The Board made a bona fide offer last year to appoint a K2 representative as a GT Gold director, an offer which K2 accepted but ultimately decided not to take up. K2 omitted the following key facts: Subsequent to its initial acceptance of a Board seat, K2 demanded that its representative must be guaranteed a seat on any Special Committee of the GT Gold Board formed to look at possible M&A transactions, should they ever arise. No GT Gold director has such a right and the Board unanimously determined, having consulted on the matter with its external advisors, that this right would not reflect best governance practices. GT Gold therefore offered the Board seat without this inappropriate and atypical right. K2 rejected the offer. During the discussions about a prospective board seat, the Board granted K2 temporary observer status for Board meetings as a precursor to the anticipated appointment of a K2 representative to the Board. A K2 representative attended part of one Board meeting and all of two others before requesting, on November 19, 2020, to not be exposed to any material non-public information that might restrict K2 from trading. The Board honoured that request. GT Gold has consistently outperformed its peers, delivering cumulative four-year shareholder returns in excess of 600%. The Company has a strong, majority independent Board with the appropriate mix of skills and experience to guide the execution of its strategy and remains focused on the overriding objective of maximizing value for all shareholders. Detailed Information to Come in Management Information Circular As previously disclosed, GT Gold has scheduled a meeting of shareholders for April 13, 2021 in response to a requisition from K2. Shareholders will receive detailed information about the requisitioned meeting by way of a Management Information Circular in advance of the requisitioned meeting. Shareholders should read the circular carefully before reaching a decision with regard to their votes. In the meantime, there is no need for shareholders to take any action. The Company has published a new Proxy Contest website page to keep shareholders up to date on news and other information related to the requisitioned meeting. For information on GT Golds current governance practices, guiding documents, directors biographies and the full independence of Board committees, shareholders are also invited to visit the Corporate section of the Companys website at www.gtgoldcorp.ca. About GT Gold GT Gold is engaged in advancing its wholly-owned, 47,500 hectare Tatogga property, located in the renowned Golden Triangle near Iskut, British Columbia. To date, GT Gold has made two significant discoveries on the Tatogga property, Saddle South, a precious metal rich vein system and Saddle North, a gold-rich copper porphyry system. At Saddle North, the Company is currently working to complete a Preliminary Economic Assessment following the July 2020 release of its maiden mineral resource estimate comprising an Indicated resource of 1.81 Blb copper and 3.47 Moz gold and an Inferred resource of 2.98 Blb copper and 5.46 Moz gold. Investor Contact James Rutherford Lead Independent Director +1 236-427-4711 j.rutherford@gtgoldcorp.ca Media Contact Longview Communications & Public Affairs Trevor Zeck (604) 694-6037; tzeck@longviewcomms.ca Alan Bayless (604) 694-6035; abayless@longviewcomms.ca Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects, "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed under the heading Risk Factors and elsewhere in the Companys filings with Canadian securities regulators, that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, 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. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has issued a Lassa fever Public health advisory to Nigerians. In the advisory, the Director-General, NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said that people of all age groups who come in contact with the urine, faeces, saliva or blood of rats are at risk of getting Lassa fever. Others at risk, he said, are people living in rat-infested environments which increases their chances of coming in contact with rats and people who consume potentially contaminated foodstuff especially those left open over-night or dried outside in the open. Others, he said, are people who handle or process rodents for consumption and people who do not perform hand hygiene when appropriate. To reduce the risk of Lassa fever, Mr Ihekweazu advised Nigerian to ensure proper environmental sanitation, keep their environment clean at all times and block all holes in homes to prevent rats from entry. Cover your dustbins and dispose refuse properly. Communities should setup dump sites very far from their homes to reduce the chances of having rodents within homes. Store foodstuff like rice, garri, beans, corn/maize etc. containers which are well covered with tight fitting lids. Avoid drying foodstuff outside on the floor, roadside where it will be exposed to contamination. Avoid bush burning which can lead to displacement of rats from bushes to human dwellings. Eliminate rats in homes and communities by setting rat traps and other means. Practice good personal hygiene by frequent washing hands with soap under running water /or use of hand sanitisers when appropriate. Visit the nearest health facility if you notice any of the signs and symptoms of Lassa fever as mentioned earlier, avoid self-medication, he advised. Health workers The NCDC boss advised healthcare workers to practice standard precautions at all times: i.e. wearing gloves while handling patients or providing care to an ill patient and relative. He also called on healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever i.e. be vigilant and look out for signs and symptoms of Lassa fever. Any febrile illness that has not responded to 48 hours use of anti-malaria or antibiotics should raise an index of suspicion for Lassa fever. Relatives who care for sick persons with unexplained illnesses at home, including: doctors, nurses and other health workers providing direct patient care in the absence of standard precautions must be cautious. To reduce the risk of Lassa fever, the hospital staff must clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces, materials and supplies with adequate protective gear, he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NCDC activated a National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) with an inter-disciplinary, multi-partner technical team to ensure a well-coordinated response and swift control of Lassa fever outbreaks across affected states. Confirmed cases are being treated in the designated treatment centers in the affected states following optimized standard of care protocols. Guidelines for appropriate case management and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures have been disseminated to the different states. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT The HDPE market will register an incremental spend of about USD 9.73 billion, growing at a CAGR of 2.48% during the five-year forecast period. A targeted strategic approach to HDPE sourcing can unlock several opportunities for buyers. This report also offers market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Download free sample pages This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005138/en/ SpendEdge has announced the release of its Global HDPE Market Procurement Intelligence Report (Graphic: Business Wire) Key benefits to buy this report: What are the market dynamics? What are the key market trends? What are the category growth drivers? What are the constraints on category growth? Who are the suppliers in this market? What are the demand-supply shifts? What are the major category requirements? What are the procurement best practices in this market? Information on Latest Trends and Supply Chain Market Information Knowledge centre on COVID-19 impact assessment SpendEdge's reports now include an in-depth complimentary analysis of the COVID-19 impact on procurement and the latest market data to help your company overcome sourcing challenges. Our HDPE market procurement intelligence report offers actionable procurement intelligence insights, sourcing strategies, and action plans to mitigate risks arising out of the current pandemic situation. The insights offered by our reports will help procurement professionals streamline supply chain operations and gain insights into the best procurement practices to mitigate losses. Insights into buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers: Several strategic and tactical negotiation levers are explained in the report to help buyers achieve the best prices for HDPE market. The report also aids buyers with relevant HDPE pricing levels, pros and cons of prevalent pricing models such as volume-based pricing, spot pricing, and cost-plus pricing and category management strategies and best practices to fulfil their category objectives. For more insights on buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers Click Here To access the definite purchasing guide on the HDPE that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis: Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my HDPE TCO (total cost of ownership) favorable? How is the price forecast expected to change? What is driving the current and future price changes? Which pricing models offer the most rewarding opportunities? To get instant access to over 1000 market-ready procurement intelligence reports without any additional costs or commitment, Subscribe Now for Free. Some of the top HDPE suppliers listed in this report: This HDPE procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. Sinopec Corp. PetroChina Co Ltd. Exxon Mobil Corp. BASF SE DuPont de Nemours Inc. LyondellBasell Industries NV SABIC Cummins Inc. Evonik Industries AG INEOS Group Holdings SA This procurement report helps buyers identify and shortlist the most suitable suppliers for their HDPE requirements by answering the following questions: Am I engaging with the right suppliers? Which KPIs should I use to evaluate my incumbent suppliers? Which supplier selection criteria are relevant for? What are the HDPE category essentials in terms of SLAs and RFx? Get access to regular sourcing and procurement insights to our digital procurement platform- Contact Us Table of Content Best Practices Executive Summary Market Insights Category Ecosystem Category Pricing Insights Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Cost-saving Opportunities Suppliers Selection Best Practices Category Ecosystem Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Category scope Appendix Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more https://www.spendedge.com/request-for-demo View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005138/en/ Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) Twelve more vaccine developers have signed confidentiality deals with the government for their COVID-19 clinical trial application, Department of Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Pena said on Friday. During a virtual briefing, the official reiterated that 25 vaccine makers were in negotiations with the government to possibly run clinical trials in the Philippines. "Out of these, there are already 12 that have signed confidentiality disclosure agreement," he said. Similar CDAs were signed earlier with three other vaccine makers whose clinical trials have been approved, bringing the total number of such agreement to 15. Dela Pena said a company which has secured a CDA with the government is required to submit its data for further evaluation by the country's vaccine expert panel and the health research ethics board. "Only when the two are already done with their evaluation, and favorably endorsing [the vaccine maker] can the FDA act on their application for the clinical trials," he added. The names of the companies with CDA were not disclosed, but dela Pena said the 25 firms are from ten countries. He noted that six are from China; six from the US; three from Taiwan; two each from Russia, Australia, and Germany; and one each from India, Japan, UK, and Canada. The DOST has so far approved the clinical trials of Janssen, Clover, and Sinovac. The agency earlier identified the areas where the clinical trials may be conducted: San Pablo and Cabuyao, Laguna; Makati City, La Pa, Iloilo; Bacolod City; and Metro Manila for Janssen Quezon City, Makati City, Manila City, Taguig City, Las Pinas City, Muntinlupa City; Calamba, Laguna; and Dasmarinas, Cavite for Clover Quezon City, Marikina City, Pasay City, and Alaminos, Laguna for Sinovac Democrats in Congress and the have rejected a Republican pitch to split President Joe Biden's USD 1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue plan into smaller chunks, with lawmakers appearing primed to muscle the sweeping economic and virus aid forward without GOP help. Despite Biden's calls for unity, Democrats said the stubbornly high unemployment numbers and battered US leave them unwilling to waste time courting Republican support that might not materialise. They also don't want to curb the size and scope of a package that they say will provide desperately needed money to distribute the vaccine, reopen schools and send cash to American households and businesses. Biden has been appealing directly to Republican and Democratic lawmakers while signaling his priority to press ahead. We've got a lot to do, and the first thing we've got to do is get this COVID package passed, Biden said Thursday in the Oval Office. The standoff over Biden's first legislative priority is turning the new rescue plan into a political test of his new administration, of Democratic control of Congress and of the role of Republicans in a post-Trump political landscape. Success would give Biden a signature accomplishment in his first 100 days in office, unleashing USD 400 billion to expand vaccinations and to reopen schools, USD 1,400 direct payments to households, and other priorities, including a gradual increase in the federal minimum wage to USD 15 an hour. Failure would be a high-profile setback early in his presidency. Democrats in the House and Senate are operating as though they know they are borrowed time. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are laying the groundwork to start the go-it-alone approach as soon as next week. They are drafting a budget reconciliation bill that would start the process to pass the relief package with a simple 51-vote Senate majority rather than the 60-vote threshold typically needed in the Senate to advance legislation. The goal would be passage by March, when jobless benefits, housing assistance and other aid is set to expire. Schumer said he drew from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's advice to act big to weather the COVID-19 economic crisis. Everywhere you look, alarm bells are ringing, Schumer said from the Senate floor. Senate Republicans in a bipartisan group warned their colleagues in a frank conversation late Wednesday that Biden and Democrats are making a mistake by loading up the aid bill with other priorities and jamming it through Congress without their support, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private session. Senator Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a former budget director under George W Bush, wants a deeper accounting of what funds remain from the USD 900 billion aid package from December. Literally, the money has not gone out the door, he said. I'm not sure I understand why there's a grave emergency right now. Biden spoke directly with Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who is leading the bipartisan effort with Senator Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., that is racing to strike a compromise. Collins said she and the president had a good conversation. We both expressed our shared belief that it is possible for the Senate to work in a bipartisan way to get things done for the people of this country," she said. The emerging debate is highly reminiscent of the partisan divide over the 2009 financial rescue in the early months of the Obama administration, when Biden was vice president, echoing those battles over the appropriate level of government intervention. (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.) Final Doctor Sentenced in $153 Million Medical Insurance Fraud Scheme SANTA ANAA 73-year-old physicianthe last of 19 defendants in a $154 million medical insurance fraud scheme dating back more than two decadeswas sentenced Jan. 29 to three years of formal probation, 1,000 hours of community service and ordered to pay $2.9 million in restitution. Dr. Mario Rosenberg, was indicted along with a dozen others in 2008. The Beverly Hills resident entered a no contest plea in the case on Jan. 24, 2014. Before the grand jury indictment, six other defendants pleaded guilty in the case stemming from fraud at the Unity Outpatient Surgery Center of Buena Park. Attorneys have been working since the no contest plea to assess the gastroenterologists assets and determine how much he should pay in restitution. In a rare move, Fourth District Appellate Court Justice Thomas Goethals, who presided over the no contest plea and the trials and plea bargains of the other defendants, returned to Orange County Superior Court to hand down Rosenbergs punishment. Since Goethals was appointed to the appellate court, Orange County Superior Court Judge Sheila Hanson has been handling proceedings in Rosenbergs case, and she will return to doing so as attorneys work out the final details of the defendants efforts to make restitution. So far, the attorneys have identified about $2 million in assets that Rosenberg can use for restitution. Goethals lifted liens on a couple of properties the defendant owns, including his home in Beverly Hills, so that he can draw money out of the equity to pay the whole restitution tab. The $2.9 million figure was decided on because it was determined that was how much profit Rosenberg made from the scheme. Rosenberg pleaded no contest to two counts of filing false claims to 16 insurance companies. Goethals handed down a sentence on one of the counts and suspended judgment on the other for another three years while Rosenberg is on probation. Although Rosenberg did not plead guilty, he did say Friday that he should have known better. Goethals noted that a no contest plea still means the defendant is convicted of the crime. Goethals recounted how he had outpatient knee replacement a couple of years ago and was astonished when he received bills amounting to $100,000. He used the personal anecdote to explain how he understood that physicians and clinics often overbill to get more from insurance companies. Fortunately, I have medical insurance, so some of the costs were covered, Goethals said. I think thats inexplicable how billing works. They bill this extraordinary amount hoping to get a small percentage. But, Goethals said, he has never forgotten that in one of the exhibits in Rosenbergs indictment, it was shown that he billed for 35 hours of medical procedures in a 24-hour period. People have been outraged from the beginning about that, Goethals said, adding, 35 hours in a 24-hour period is pushing the envelope significantly in my view. Goethals, however, noted that Rosenberg never billed for a procedure that was not actually done. Instead, the case involved the recruiting of patients to undergo unnecessary surgeries and other medical procedures. Goethals reminded Rosenberg of what he said when he took the physicians no contest plea. I remember telling you that although Im going to accept the no contest plea, Im basically hearing guilty, Goethals said. Goethals said some punishment was warranted as the doctor was living a good life before he got involved in the scheme from 2002 through 2004, but was motivated by greed to make more money. I think you saw with your Spanish-speaking ability to make more money than you were already making, Goethals said. Even you acknowledged that you should have known better. The plea deal, however, stipulated that the doctor could avoid time behind bars if he made a certain amount of restitution. The claimed loss in Rosenbergs fraudulent billing was estimated to be about $22 million, but it was determined he collected about $2.9 million, Goethals said. A probation officers report on Rosenberg said he was a well- respected gastroenterologist before his involvement in the Unity scheme and that he had no prior criminal record. Goethals was initially going to hand down a sentence that held a required three-year prison sentence over the doctors head if he violated probation, but the defendants attorney, Jennifer Keller, argued that it would put the doctors medical license in jeopardy. Goethals said he wanted Rosenberg to hold on to his medical license so he could do his community service at a clinic in Beverly Hills, as he has been doing on his own, to assist needy patients. Still, the way the doctors sentence is structured legally, he faces punishment of two, three or five years in prison if he fails to follow the terms of probation. One of those terms is failure to pay restitution, Goethals said. I wish you good luck, Goethals told Rosenberg. You created this mess yourself. I hope you succeed and I hope to never have to see you again. To the attorneys in the case, Goethals said, This was a 14-year journey we just finished. Midcentury modern homes are all the rage, but creating the right mix of "midcentury" and "modern" can be a balancing act. Luckily, "Flipping Across America," hosted by Alison Victoria, is here to help. In the latest episode, "Architectural Opportunities," Lindsey and Eric Bennett of "Desert Flippers" renovate a midcentury house in Palm Springs, CA, while Tarek El Moussa and Christina Anstead of "Flip or Flop" renovate a midcentury home in Anaheim, CA. Both of these flippers buy their houses for about the same price (El Moussa and Anstead pay $445,000, while the Bennetts pay $460,000), but they make a lot of different choices when it comes to design. Check out these two flipping teams' midcentury upgrades that add tons of value and help these homes sell for big profits. 1. A unique overhang This house already had a midcentury look. HGTV From the outside, Lindsey and Erics midcentury house has been well-maintained, so it already looks pretty good. Still, the Bennetts know theres always room for improvement. Lindsey comes up with the idea to add an overhang to the entryway, building around a cluster of palm trees. I want to wrap these palm trees with a cantilevered overhang and make kind of this floating entryway that makes these trees seem like theyre growing through the house, she explains. This overhang adds extra midcentury style to this home. HGTV The overhang costs $5,000 to build, and when its finished, it seems well worth the money. With a new coat of white paint, the home looks bright and modern while the overhang gives a unique midcentury look. 2. Orange tile This drab bathroom needed an update. HGTV While the overhang adds some serious midcentury style, not everyone has the opportunity to build onto the front of their house. A much easier way to add a midcentury look is by simply using the right colors. Lindsey and Eric turn two dated bathrooms into one beautiful restroom, and to finish the renovation, they add orange tile to the shower. This orange tile may give the bathroom a surprisingly bold look, but Lindsey and Eric know that this color will match the homes midcentury modern vibe. Normally, when were doing these renovations, its about staying neutral. And here, like, you'd better like orange, Eric says playfully. This color is bold, but it pays off. HGTV When the home is finally finished, its clear that Eric and Lindsey made the right choice on tile. The color is bold and bright, but it works well with the otherwise modern style of the bathroom. 3. A cocktail grove These citrus trees are a big selling point. HGTV Midcentury homes often incorporate nature into their design, so its no surprise when Eric and Lindsey decide to go big with the backyard greenery. They fill the yard with lovely planters and a wall of greenery beside the pool. Plus, they decide to plant citrus trees in the yard, which they note will not only look great but provide fresh fruit as well. This could be, like, a cocktail grove: oranges, limes, lemons, grapefruit, Lindsey says. This cocktail grove is a unique feature that could be a great addition to any home, but especially in this big backyard, its an elegant choice that complements the midcentury style. 4. A kitchen island with a waterfall edge This kitchen is a great mix of old and new. HGTV While Lindsey and Eric are focused on their midcentury house in Palm Springs, El Moussa and Anstead are busy with their own Anaheim flip. This midcentury build also has a ton of retro style, but the Flip or Flop stars want to make sure this old home still feels modern. One way they do that is by installing a kitchen island with clean lines. I say we go white, and since were doing a 10-foot island, I say we do a waterfall edge, modernize it, El Moussa says as he and Anstead plan for the finishes. In the end, the new countertop works well with the rest of the kitchen and living room. The clean, white design complements the midcentury style while still giving the space a more modern feel. 5. Geometric tiles With dark and light tile, this bathroom looks timeless. HGTV With the kitchen looking great, El Moussa and Anstead focus on the bathrooms. They know they need to impress buyers with their midcentury-inspired tile, but the tiles end up costing more than they expected. Lets just bite the bullet, El Moussa says. I mean, the house is supercool, it has to be superhigh design. Thats the only way were going to get top dollar. They end up decorating one bathroom with an edgy black-and-white geometric tile on the floor with a textured white tile on the walls. Its a great combination thats an elegant mix of midcentury and modern. These tiles bring an edgy style to the bathroom. HGTV So, whose midcentury house was the more profitable flip? Both homes look amazing in the end, but which house makes a high profit once sold? While El Moussa and Anstead buy their Anaheim home for $445,000, they spend an incredible $100,000 on renovations. Still, their investment pays off because they end up accepting an offer of $650,000. After paying $28,000 in closing costs, this "Flip or Flop" duo takes home an impressive $77,000. Meanwhile, Lindsey and Eric buy their Palm Springs house for $460,000 and spend a whopping $108,500 to fix it up. However, it seems buyers are impressed with the extra cash they put into this home, because these flippers receive multiple offers, accepting one for $670,000. After paying $22,000 in closing costs, Lindsey and Eric make $79,500 in profit, making them the decided winner of this round. The post 'Flipping Across America': 5 Midcentury Modern Upgrades That Add Major Value to a House appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. MASON CITY, Iowa - Iowa's junior U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, an unfailing supporter of former President Donald Trump, is on the record. She believes it is unconstitutional to try a president on an article of impeachment after he leaves office. A few days ago, Sen. Ernst made it clear in a press release that the violence that happened at the capitol was not acceptible, but thinks impeaching the former President is not the way to go. KIMT News 3 spoke with Sen. Ernst on Thursday morning. She said the impeachment trial is keeping senators from working on more pressing issues, like the pandemic and economic recovery. Ernst hopes President Biden will step forward and pressure Democrats to end the impeachment trial, because she feels it is dividing the country even further. She also believes it could be illegal for the senate to try a president when he's out of office. "I do believe that this is unconstitutional. We are now as a senate, going forward on an impeachment trial on a private citizen," said Sen. Ernst. According to Ernst, her and 44 other senators agree the impeachment is unconstitutional. If those senators stick to that thinking, that would deny Democrats the supermajority they need to convict the former president. The senate impeachment trial is set to begin the week of February 8th. 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. Months after they began receiving racist and threatening letters, Portland activists, journalists and elected officials who were victimized by the hate mail are trying to move forward. As the sender remains unknown, those who were targeted have been finding their own ways to stay safe, advocate for themselves and create networks of support. The series of letters sent between July and November threatened violence against Black Lives Matter activists, independent journalists and elected officials. One letter, sent in November, contained a kill list that targeted at least 20 people most of them Black Portlanders or other people of color. Some recipients shared pictures of the letters on social media, noting that the handwriting appeared to be from the same sender. In a written statement Monday afternoon, U.S. Attorney Billy Williams said his office takes these threats very seriously and is now working with the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to identify the senders. He asked asked anyone with information about the letters to contact investigators. The federal investigation comes about two months after Portland police launched its own inquiry. Portland Police Officer Melissa Newhard, a spokeswoman for the agency, said its investigators have reached or attempted to contact everyone on the kill list, although some of those targeted have said they never heard from police. Neither representatives of Williams office nor the Portland Police Bureau would discuss the status or specifics of either investigation. Some of the people who were threatened in the letters said they still dont feel safe, and have had to take their own precautions following the letters. A few of those affected have reached out to others who were identified on the kill list, making sure theyre aware of the threats. Others have used their roles as elected or public officials to personally urge the mayor to condemn the hateful messaging. And some have used the letters as a way to focus instead on lifting people up. One of the first people to receive the racist letters said she hopes to see the person responsible for the letters held accountable for the harm theyve caused Black and Indigenous people and other communities of color. Kamelah Adams, the owner of clothing company Mimis Fresh Tees, received a threatening letter in July after she appeared on a local TV news program to talk about her business. She designs and sells t-shirts with messages that highlight issues of social and racial justice. Shes received multiple racist messages since then, including one that also threatened her daughter. Adams has always had some concerns as a Black woman and business owner, but said the letters forced her to take more safety precautions in her own life. She said she appreciated that federal investigators are now involved. She called police when she got the first letter, and said they responded and followed up with her to see how her family was. She said she has not been told much about the federal investigation into the letters. I dont feel safe, but I do feel I have been heard, she said, noting that the office of U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden also reached out to her. It says to me, I hear you, I see you and were going to do everything we can. Others, though, expressed skepticism at the recent federal involvement or concern that it only came months after they first reported the threats and days after Democratic President Joe Biden took office. Candace Avalos, an educator who chairs a Portland police accountability group, got multiple threatening letters. The recipients of the letters, she said, have been advocating hard behind the scenes to get elected officials to publicly take a stand against the hateful letters and investigate them. If we dont confront these behaviors head on and firmly say there will be consequences for targeting community leaders advocating for racial justice, this will continue to escalate and our families will pay the price, she wrote. Public condemnation of racism from leaders matters. Jake Dockter, a white Portland activist whose name was on the kill list, questioned the timing of the announcement that federal officials are now investigating. Dockter pointed to Williams previous hardline stances against racial justice demonstrators who frequently gathered outside a federal courthouse in downtown Portland this summer and were tear gassed by federal police after throwing objects or lighting small fires on the sidewalk. At that time, Williams released a statement defending federal officers use of munitions and force against protesters, citing a need to keep people out of the federal courthouse who were hellbent on destruction. Dockter said hes not sure what an investigation from the U.S. Attorneys office will ultimately accomplish. There needs to be accountability and justice, but I dont know if what Billy Williams is going to bring about is justice. He said when he asked Portland Mayor Ted Wheelers office why no one had reached out to him about the letters, the mayor told him he couldnt personally reach out to that many people. He said two others, Wheelers police liaison Robert King and Sgt. Pete Simpson, later reached out to him, but he heard from others that they were never contacted by investigators. It seems like they were reaching out for formalitys sake, Dockter said. Jim Middaugh, a spokesperson for Wheelers office, said the mayor spoke to Avalos, and that the police bureau continued to assist the FBI. He added that the Portland City Council issued a joint statement about the letters in December, condemning the hateful and racist speech and offering their support to the victims, which included Commissioner JoAnn Hardesty. But Dockter said he was heartened by the mutual support from those on the list, as well as other community members. People were volunteering to sit outside my house 24/7 in their cars, he said. The community was acting and providing support in a way beyond PPB and the mayor. The threatening letters prompted Adams to launch the PDX Love over Hate Campaign to let people know there are safe spaces. The campaign distributes signs that denounce hate speech and display messages of love and support. A sign from the PDX Love Over Hate campaign at the corner of North Mississippi and Shaver. The campaign was started in response to hateful and racist letters some Portlanders received.Kamelah Adams Adams said her goal in co-founding PDX Love Over Hate was to let anyone who has experienced hate know that anytime they see those signs, theyre in a safe place. She said the group also sent care packages to some of the people threatened on the kill list to show them support. Were reclaiming our city back from the hatred, she said. Its more than just a sign. She said the group hopes to eventually help hate crime victims with ring cameras and other security measures, and to one day help facilitate therapy for those targeted by hate crimes. She said it matters for victims of hate to know that there are people who support them. My children see the signs, and its a relief for them, she said. To know that house or business is a safe place to go, thats beautiful to me. -Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Mumbai, Jan 29 : Veteran actor Dharmendra went down memory lane recalling the time he would visit thespian Dilip Kumar's house during Eid. "When I was a kid, it was a different era. Those were the lovely days. I used to wait for Eid to eat sheer khurma in the neighborhood. When I became an actor, I used to visit Dilip (Kumar) saab's house when Saira (Banu) invited me on Eid," he recalled. Although originally from Sahnewal in Punjab, the 85-year-old Dharmendra is equally nostalgic associating with the Mumbai locality of Versova, where he spent his early years as an actor. "I am an old resident of Versova. Now, people will say he is a Punjabi from Sahnewal (city in Ludhiana district of Punjab), so how can he be an old resident of Versova? When I came to Mumbai to become an actor, I used to stay here. I rented a garage from a Christian family, so I used to roam around in the area," said Dharmendra, while reminiscing about his good old days in Mumbai at an event in the Versova area of the city. "I used to indulge in other kinds of activities as well, but I will not talk about it because police personnel are here," he laughed. He recalled an incident when he went swimming in Arabian Sea at the beach in Versova. "I would go swimming in the sea and I didn't have an idea about low tide. One day I went far into the sea and I thought that I had reached Dubai! I gathered courage as I am a Jat from the village and returned to the shore," he said. At the event hosted to recognise the efforts of Covid warriors, Dharmendra lauded the efforts of frontline workers who have been working relentlessly during the pandemic, and urged citizens to support each other. "When it (Covid-19 pandemic) started, I felt that it's like an invisible daayan (witch) that we couldn't shoot but I am proud of my braveheart sons and daughters (frontline workers) who fought against it for all of us. I think we need people like them who can go to any extent to protect our country and the citizens," said Dharmendra, while addressing the media and people present at the function where Ekta Manch felicitated Corona warriors. "If we have 'ekta' (unity), then we can do everything. If there is no unity amongst us then we are nothing. I feel when my Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Parsi brothers come together and work for the betterment of the country then entire world will say that there isn't a beautiful country than India," the actor said. On film front, Dharmendra will next be seen in Anil Sharma's family drama film "Apne 2" along with sons Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol and grandson Karan Deol. 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 Auroch Minerals' nickel exploration funding underpinned by cornerstone investor group Auroch Minerals Ltd (ASX:AOU) (FRA:T59) has announced another large tranche of option conversions, predominantly by a group of key cornerstone investors, to contribute around $1.3 million to the working capital of the company. The cornerstone investors comprise long-term sophisticated investors with significant investment and minerals experience, many of whom were original investors in the company's IPO and are currently the top 20 shareholders. A further 11.1 million have been exercised at $0.10 each and an additional 2 million options have been exercised at $0.12 each - well before their expiry date in 2023. "Endorsement of the portfolio" This continued support via the conversion of these options well ahead of expiry further endorses the company's strategic portfolio of high-grade nickel sulphide projects in Western Australia, which includes Saints Nickel Project and Leinster Nickel Project and the recently acquired Nepean Nickel Project. Auroch managing director Aidan Platel said: "We are very pleased by the strong show of support from such a core group of our shareholders, which is a great endorsement to the company itself and to its portfolio of high-grade, high-potential nickel sulphide assets in WA. "This inflow of capital combined with our existing cash balance puts Auroch in a great position to carry out the aggressive exploration programs scheduled for 2021, as well as develop and build upon the high-grade resources at all three of our nickel sulphide projects as we move towards scoping studies and possible development." Heavy security at Ghazipur border, situation tense After the tractor rally organised by the farmers' unions on Republic Day turned violent in the national capital, the situation is tense at the Ghazipur border where security has been beefed up, while Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait too is looking under pressure. The District Magistrate (DM) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) are keeping a vigil on the situation. The farmers sitting on protest at the Ghazipur border are also not certain about the future of the agitation, and many of them have started removing the tents. However, when asked why they are removing the tents, they said that it's cold there, so they are moving under the flyover. Not only the police, but the farmers are also keeping a tight vigil on the suspicious people at the protest site. Tikait caught a person and handed him over to the police as he appealed to the farmers to keep an eye on such people. The farmers are also formulating strategies about the future of the protest. On Thursday evening, the police talked to Tikait and asked him to leave the protest site, but the latter accused the administration of trying to kill him. He said, "They are hatching a conspiracy to kill me in the name of arrest. Unwanted elements with arms are being sent to the protest site in vehicles with stickers of Lucknow Assembly. I will commit suicide, but won't take back the protest till the laws are repealed." "The Supreme Court has also justified the peaceful protest. No incident of violence has been reported from the Ghazipur border. Despite this, the government is pressurising us. This is the real face of the Uttar Pradesh government. We will continue to protest and demand a judicial inquiry into the Red Fort incident," he added. "The Supreme Court has not given any decision on the petition regarding the protest. The district administration cannot be bigger than the Supreme Court. I will file a petition against it in the top court tomorrow," Tikait said. Villagers here blocked the Jind-Chandigarh highway on the intervening night of January 29 for two hours in support of the farmers' protest. One of the farmers, Surendra said, "The villagers have decided to conduct a symbolic dharna in support of the farmers' protest." Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start "The Kandela Khap members along with the villagers will decide the strategy and leave for Delhi tomorrow," he added. He further added that they share the pain of Rakesh Tikait. "If the farmers are crying then what would the government do with their power," he added. Another villager warned that if any action is taken by the government against the farmers in Ghazipur then there will be grave consequences. The farmers raised slogans in support of the farmers at the protest site. Earlier, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait broke down while speaking to the media. He said, "We will not go anywhere till action is taken against those who lathi-charged farmers." Tikait had earlier slapped a person at Ghazipur border where the farmer leaders are staging a protest. The identity of the person is yet to be known. "He is not a member of our organisation. He was taking a stick and would have done something. He was misbehaving with the media. All those who are here with ill intent should leave," said Tikait. Meanwhile, Centre has extended the deployment period of four companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) till February 4 to maintain the law and order situation in Ghaziabad in view of farmers' protest. A notice has also been served to farmers at Ghazipur border under Section 133 of CrPC (conditional order for removal of a nuisance) by Ghaziabad ADM City Shailendra Kumar Singh to vacate the site. Earlier, Delhi Police has issued a notice to Tikait asking him to explain to why legal action should not be taken against him for breaching the agreement with police regarding the tractor rally on January 26. The notice also reads, "You are also directed to provide names of the perpetrators of such violent acts belonging to your organisation. You are directed to submit your response within three days." Nineteen people have been arrested so far and over 25 criminal cases registered by Delhi Police in connection with the violence that broke out during the farmers' tractor march on Tuesday, Police Commissioner (CP) SN Shrivastava had said on Wednesday adding that 394 police personnel sustained injuries in the violence and several of them are still admitted to hospitals. Several public and private properties were damaged in acts of vandalism by the protestors. A total of 22 FIRs have been filed by the Delhi Police with one of them mentioning the incident at ITO where a farmer died after his tractor overturned. (ANI) Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. (This January 29 story is corrected to show the election date as Dec. 27 in paragraph 6) By Emma Farge GENEVA (Reuters) - More than 200,000 people have fled fighting in the Central African Republic (CAR) since violence erupted over a December election result, the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday, with nearly half crossing into the Democratic Republic of Congo. The CAR army, backed by U.N., Russian and Rwandan troops, has been battling rebels seeking to overturn a Dec. 27 vote in which President Faustin-Archange Touadera was declared the winner. "Refugees have told UNHCR that they fled in panic when they heard gun shots, leaving their belongings behind," spokesman Boris Cheshirkov told journalists in Geneva. The nation of nearly five million people, larger than mainland France, Belgium and Luxemburg combined and rich in diamonds, timber and gold, has struggled to find stability since a 2013 rebellion ousted former president Francois Bozize. The current fighting between a coalition of militias on the one side and the national army and its backers on the other was sparked by a Constitutional Court decision to bar Bozize's candidacy in the Dec. 27 presidential election. Former prime minister Martin Ziguele, who came third in the Dec. 27 election, said on Friday there was fighting across the country every day, preventing movement between towns, and pushing more people to flee. "Everyone is focused on the main transport route between the capital and eastern Cameroon for supplies, but inside the country, there is no movement," Ziguele told Reuters by phone from Bangui. "I cannot leave Bangui and go 90 km (60 miles) without a heavily-armed army escort. Imagine then the population. Add the curfew and the state of emergency, it is really an apocalyptic situation," Ziguele said. In a statement on Friday, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, a regional body of 12 member states, called for a ceasefire and urged armed groups to "disengage from the encirclement of Bangui" and allow people and goods to move freely. Story continues The body will also ask the United Nations Security Council to lift an arms embargo imposed on CAR that has restricted the flow of weapons to the army since 2013. SEX FOR FOOD About 92,000 refugees have reached DRC and more than 13,000 have crossed into Cameroon, Chad and the Republic of Congo. The rest are displaced inside the Central African Republic, the UNHCR said. Ongoing attacks have hampered humanitarian access, the main road used to bring supplies has been forced to shut inside the country, and many are now facing "dire conditions", UNHCR's Cheshirkov said. Some of the displaced are so desperate they have agreed to sex in return for food, he added. Malaria, respiratory tract infections, and diarrhoea have become common. He also voiced concern about the reported presence of armed groups in the Batangafo and Bria camps for the displaced. "Those armed groups are trying in some cases to restrict movements and in some cases forcibly recruit. So this is a very concerning situation," he told the briefing. Ziguele said that while a substantial increase in peacekeepers, as requested by the U.N. envoy in Bangui, was welcomed, a dialogue between all parties was urgently needed. "A military surge is not the only solution to tackle the security, humanitarian and economic crisis that is threatening to put one of the world's least developed countries into a complete coma," he said. (Reporting by Emma Farge; Additional reporting by Bate Felix in Dakar; Editing by Philippa Fletcher and Daniel Wallis) home World Kim Jong-un says he would welcome a visit to North Korea by Pope Francis Kim Jong-un would like the Pope to visit North Korea, according to a statement from South Korea's presidential office. North Korea's Supreme Leader reportedly extended the invitation during a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in last month. The Pope would be 'enthusiastically' welcomed in communist North Korea, Kim reportedly said, despite the country being officially atheist. Kim Eui-kyeom, spokesman for the South Korean president, told reporters today: 'Chairman Kim said he will "ardently welcome the Pope if he visits Pyongyang".' President Moon is expected to pass on the invitation to Pope Francis when he meets him at the Vatican during a trip to Europe next week. The spokesman said President Moon would visit the Vatican on October 17 and 18 to 'reaffirm its blessing and support for peace and stability of the Korean peninsula'. The Vatican and Pyongyang do not currently have formal diplomatic relations and North Korea has a history of persecution towards Christians. The country is currently ranked number one in Open Doors' World Watch List of the 50 most dangerous countries to be a Christian a a position it has held for the last 16 years in a row. According to Open Doors, Christians in the country are faced with torture in prison and hard labour camps for their faith. North Korea is officially atheist and strictly controls religious activities, with the people instead taught to worship the Kim family. Practising Christianity is perceived as a threat to the state and the leadership. Despite the fierce oppression, Open Doors puts the number of Christians in North Korea at 300,000. News of the invitation to Pope Francis came days after US Secretary of State held a 'very productive' meeting with Kim in Pyongyang on Sunday. The meeting signaled a rekindling of negotiations between the two countries towards denuclearization in North Korea after talks stalled over the summer. Source: Christian Today ADVERTISEMENT The security unit of the Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State, has called the attention of the school community to the new wave of kidnappings in the state, which it linked to cattle herders chased from other states. In an internal memo signed by an official, Atinukemi Abass, the unit said recent kidnappings in Offa and Oyun local government areas were traceable to the migration of the banned herdsmen from Osun, Oyo and Ondo states. The Management therefore wishes to remind all Staff and Students of the Polytechnic of the need to be security conscious within and outside the campuses, the memo read. Reeling out safety precautions, the unit advised the staff and students to report any suspicious movement promptly and minimise outings at the outskirts of the town. Students resident in the hostels are to remain in their hostels after 6 p.m. Hostel Porters are requested to do a daily head count of students in the hostels and forward daily report to the DSA. Staff and Students should refrain from walking lonely paths alone and not be distracted with headphones or phone conversations. Late and early travelling should be totally avoided, the security unit advised. But the spokesperson of the police in the state, Peter Okasanmi, said he was not aware of any recent case of kidnapping in the two local government areas mentioned in the memo. The command is firmly on ground to avert any security threat. The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State, CP Mohammed Lawal Bagega, last week held an emergency security meeting with Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and heads of tactical units in the Command on the need to ensure no security breach, he said. On anxiety over alleged sighting of strange faces in parts of the state, Mr Okasanmi said the police were monitoring the situation. The alarm raised by the school authorities comes a day after Saliu Abdulkadri, the Seriki of Fulani in Igangan, Oyo State, announced that his family has relocated to Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. Mr Abdulkadri and his kinsmen left Igangan in Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State last Friday on the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to them by Mr Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho, a self-styled freedom fighter. Mr Adeyemo asked Fulani residents to leave so as to check kidnappings allegedly perpetrated in the area by herders linked to the ethnic group. He accused Mr Abdulkadri of harbouring the herders allegedly kidnapping and killing residents of the community. Mr Adeyemo had defied a warning by Governor Seyi Makinde to stay away from the area and led some youth to Ibarapa. The attack provoked a clash with Fulani residents, leading to the burning of houses and cars, including those of Mr Abdulkadri. (Natural News) The scientific consensus in early 2020 was one of coercion and fear, instructing humans everywhere to separate, lock down, mask up, follow lines on a floor, and contact trace until a vaccine was produced and plunged into everyones arms. Now that experimental vaccines are being rolled out and offered to the world population, public health authorities cant seem to let go the control. Britains Health Secretary, Matt Hancock reprimanded everyone in the country to continue masking up and continue following lock down restrictions and contact tracing false imprisonment, even after vaccination. I want to reiterate an important point made by the Chief Medical Officers and the clinical advice that they have been giving: even if youve had the jab, the rules still apply, Matt Hancock scolded a press conference in London. Oppression knows no bounds: endless masking, lock downs and vaccines The man behind the pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci, echoed Hancock, warning every vaccine recipient to continue masking up even after the second dose. He even said that two masks are better than one and recommends double masking, even after double vaccination. Hancock said the first vaccine doesnt protect anyone. He said it takes three weeks and a second dose before the body learns how to build immunity to coronavirus spike proteins. But he said masks will be required even after the second dose because we still dont know whether you will be able to pass coronavirus on to someone else, he said. The UK government is essentially admitting that covid-19 vaccines are pointless and offer zero protection. If a person can still get sick with covid-19 after vaccination and spread live viral particles through their sputum and aerosols, then the vaccines do not work. How many doses of the vaccine will be needed to demonstrate this? Englands deputy chief medical officer, Jonathan Van-Tam, agreed with the assessment and warned all vaccine recipients to continue following lock down procedures and contact tracing even after the first two doses. Van-Tam admitted that we do not yet know the impact of the vaccine on transmission of the virus. Wait, werent the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines 95% efficacious? Why are public health officials worried about the greatest modern medical miracle in the history of the world? So even after you have had both doses of the vaccine you may still give COVID-19 to someone else and the chains of transmission will then continue, Van-Tam warned. If you change your behavior you could still be spreading the virus, keeping the number of cases high and putting others at risk who also need their vaccine but are further down the queue. (Related: Top seven reasons people are still testing positive for coronavirus even after vaccination.) Medical systems are broken around the world, promise more failure with pointless vaccines The National Health Service (NHS) continues to dangerously put people on ventilators, bypassing proper immune therapy and ignoring the damage that ventilators are doing to infected persons. At the time of Hancocks press briefing, 37,899 people were admitted to UK hospitals, with 4,076 people hooked to ventilators. Throughout the covid-19 crisis, the NHS has proven to be ill-equipped at providing antivirals and immune therapy to sick patients. This catastrophe has exposed the fragility of the modern medical system. This sobering reality is accompanied by clueless politicians and public health experts, whose lack of strategy to strengthen the populations immunity through vigorous campaigns that promote and distribute immune-enhancing nutrients, antiviral phyto-chemicals, and antiviral prophylactic medications have only made the situation much worse. Now, after coercing people to wait on vaccinations as the holy savior, health authorities around the world are warning that the vaccines are pointless and offer zero protection after all. When 2021 is through, the world will pine for the nostalgic devastation of 2020. If the vaccines do not stop the spread as previously promised whats the next level of control and fraud to be rolled out across the world? Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com NaturalNews.com OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio -- Earlier this week, Cory Swaisgood was named as the citys new part-time finance director. The North Olmsted resident will continue his current position as Hurons full-time finance director. Mr. Swaisgood has considerable experience in municipal finance, state auditing and county internal auditing, Olmsted Falls Mayor James Graven said. Im pleased that we were able to find such a well-qualified candidate. Cory has a proven track record of transparency, accountability in finance and auditing. He understands that one of my top priorities is the responsible management of our taxpayers dollars. Olmsted Falls had to find a replacement for Nick Vitalone, who left the city after serving one year as part-time finance director. Four applicants were considered, with two candidates receiving interviews. Graven said during the interview process, he was impressed by Swaisgoods accounting skills, as well as his leadership and management abilities. Were very pleased to be able to hire Swaisgood, Olmsted Falls Council-at-Large Representative Paul Stibich said. Its a specialized position to do city finance director financials. There arent that many people out there looking for a part-time position, so there were even fewer candidates with qualifications. A Fremont, Ohio, native who worked for three years as an assistant auditor for the Ohio Auditor of State, followed by six years as an internal audits director for the Cuyahoga County auditor, Swaisgood will be paid $45,000 annually for the part-time position. The current plan is for the Olmsted Falls finance director to be at City Hall on Fridays, as well as attend meetings and provide consultation as needed. I was interested because of the four-minute drive to City Hall from my home, Swaisgood said. Also, the size and structure of Olmsted Falls is very similar to Huron. I grew up in a small community. I guess Im passionate for that work to make a difference in a small community. Thats been personally satisfying in Huron. I feel like I can have the same sort of success and hopefully assist Olmsted Falls in the same way. Aside from closing the financial books on 2020, the finance director plans on examining the citys ongoing issues related to its debt service funds. The question now is whether Swaisgood will have the time to clean up the books himself or recommend that the city hire a consultant to go back decades to correct the problems. Regarding the latter, Graven said an outside consultant would cost anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000. Stibich said if the city needs to move in that direction, theyve already identified a qualified person who has extensive local government experience. It sounds like its an issue that needs to be figured out here rather soon, Swaisgood said. Hopefully, in the next few weeks, well have a decision on how to move forward. Read more news from the Sun Post Herald. Woman's Hour presenter Emma Barnett says woman often have infertility 'put on them as their fault and their fault alone'. Speaking about her own experiences of struggling to conceive after interviewing comedian Rhod Gilbert about male infertility this week, the Radio 4 host told her Instagram followers that she related to much of what the comedy star had said. Barnett, 35, who waited 20 years for a diagnosis of endometriosis after suffering since her periods began at 11, conceived her son, three, after a long struggle. Scroll down for video BBC Woman's Hour presenter, Emma Barnett, who has a son, three, told her followers on Instagram that women often feel like infertility is 'put on them as their fault and their fault alone' This week, she interviewed comedian Rhod Gilbert about male infertility - the comic has been trying to have a baby with wife Sian Harries for six years and has made a film for the BBC Stand up to Infertility She made the post after interviewing Gilbert, who's new BBC film Stand Up To Infertility discusses male infertility, this week. He revealed on the Radio 4 show how he and his wife Sian had been trying for a baby for six years. Barnett said she understood Gilbert's words about not letting yourself get 'desperate' for a child - saying they were 'painfully true' and telling followers: 'When you cant conceive naturally - you can never let yourself hope too hard.' She also said she agreed with the comedian's point that male infertility isn't discussed nearly as much as female infertilty, with women often feeling like they're to blame, saying: 'It's women who sit closest to the doctor, are the point of contact for fertility checkups/interventions. 'Despite 50 per cent of fertility issues being due to male health. 50 per cent. It is another thing women take on or have put on them as their fault and their fault alone.' The broadcaster has been open about her fertility struggles in the past, writing an essay in Vogue about how endometriosis had impacted her and her husband's ability to conceive. Barentt told her 25,000 followers on Instasgram that she understood Gilbert's words about not letting yourself get 'desperate' for a child - saying they were 'painfully true' Confronting new documentary: Rhod Gilbert has spoken out on his own issues with fertility ahead of his new documentary on the subject. She wrote in October 2019: 'Because of my diagnosis we qualified for IVF on the NHS, and were actively prescribed it after we again failed to fall pregnant naturally within six months of my operation (the time with the highest odds of success). The child I didnt ever believe would be ours was born 18 months ago. I still cant quite believe I am a mother.' On BBC Breakfast this week, Gilbert said his new documentary doesn't explore his personal story of infertility with his wife of seven years, writer Sian Harries, and he admitted making the film had forced him to confront his own feelings of 'embarrassment' around the subject. 'I'm someone who's been through it, it is personal,' he explained. 'I'm the target audience for this documentary and by that I mean I'm trying to get men talking and get past the stigma and the embarrassment of talking about it, but I've got to overcome that myself.' 'I'm as much part of the problem as anyone else I think.' Rhod explained that meeting other men going through fertility problems during filming helped him open up, especially his conversations with writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah. 'Benjamin Zephaniah suffers from something called Azoospermia which means no sperm basically,' Rhod told BBC Breakfast. 'He has a wonderful line where he says this culture of not talking is killing us.' Speaking out: The comedian, 52, appeared on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday to talk about his BBC film Stand Up To Infertility, which airs across the UK on Sunday Candid: While he said the documentary doesn't explore his personal story of inferlity with his wife of seven years, writer Sian Harries, he admitted making the film had forced him to confront his own feelings of 'embarrassment' 'That can be literally, by people not being able to take it anymore, the pressure and the bottling up of your emotions and the shame and the embarrassment around this subject. But also I think probably the impact on women of men not talking about it and not enagaging with it is enormous as well.' Rhod married his wife, comedy writer, Sian Harries, in 2013 and the couple were undergoing fertility treatment until the pandemic put a stop to procedures. Speaking to Wales Online about his documentary, Rhod admitted he was 'nervous' about the show going out, explaining: 'From the moment I first pitched this to BBC Wales I was in two minds. Every day were we filming I was thinking 'is this really what I want?' and you can see that in me, it comes across - being the face of infertility, for Christ's sake? Appearance: Rhod explained that meeting other men going through fertility problems during filming helped him open up, especially his conversations with writer Benjamin Zephaniah 'And I still feel like that, I'm doing it because somebody has to do it, I can't say I'm looking forward to it going out - I don't want it going out - but It's important.' 'I know there'll be negative stuff, it's partly why the documentary is needed, we live in a world where men, this macho, b******t thing, when Benjamin Zephaniah was saying [in the documentary], I can't have kids and all the blokes around him were like 'bring your woman to me'. 'I know I'm going to get that. Being passed in a van and being shouted at, but I do think it's important so I'll take it on the chin.' Rhod Gilbert Stand Up To Infertility airs across the UK on BBC Two at 9:45pm on Sunday. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Since the spring of 2020, New Mexicans have been urged to use measures to protect themselves and others from the impacts of the COVID-19. Each day, New Mexicans have seen the reports of the number of people whose lives have been tragically ended by the virus. New Mexicans have been urging each other to practice safety measures including social distancing, sanitizing hands, wearing masks, reducing numbers in gatherings, restricting travel, and at times implementing curfews or quarantines. New Mexicans have been reminded about the importance of these measures through presentations, posted signs, Amber alerts and electronic freeway warnings. And COVID-19 virus test centers have been in operation to help people know their status of contracting COVID-19. The availability of the COVID-19 vaccine has been expedited, and it is here to help. Thousands of New Mexicans are being vaccinated every day. Our governor stated in her presentations that our efforts should be on saving as many lives as we can and even one death is too many. Our mantra has been, Were all in this together. Great human life is important to New Mexicans, and we clearly protect it. But wait. In the Jan. 14 Journal, the governor of New Mexico listed her priorities for the 2021 Legislature that include eliminating the New Mexico law that bans the killing of unborn humans. In addition, House Bill 47, the (aid-in-dying) bill, has once again been submitted to the N.M. Legislature at this time when not only is COVID-19 causing many deaths, but suicides are at an all-time high. What is happening here? Why do we want to protect human life in one area and enable the loss of human life in other areas? It appears that it is big corporations that are attempting to shape New Mexican laws, rather than New Mexicans. As most people know, Planned Parenthood is one of a number of big corporations that lobbies lawmakers, and Planned Parenthood collects billions of dollars from U.S. taxpayers, abortions, universities, lawsuits, donations and medical institutions that do research using aborted fetus body parts. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ And Planned Parenthood donates millions to the campaigns of lawmakers who in turn support laws that enable Planned Parenthood. Just (recently), cards were mailed by Planned Parenthood to thousands of registered Democrats asking for support for the governor of New Mexicos priority of eliminating the New Mexico law that makes killing of unborn humans illegal. The cards say the law bans abortion care. Abortion care is like criminal execution care, isnt it? Furthermore, this week in New York, and likely to happen here, too, Planned Parenthood announced that it supports assisted suicide. Do New Mexicans protect life or enable the taking of life? We have an important responsibility to support life in the legislative session. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Its been the goal of the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival to present some of the best stories through film. With the pandemic affecting its outreach, the festival has gotten help from the Santa Fe Community Foundations Native American Advised Fund. The Native American Advised Fund will support Indigenous filmmakers cinematic creativity and promote Native American stories and experiences through film. It recently awarded the Santa Fe Film Institute the $5,500 grant. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The institutes main project is the SFIFF. The festival has had a pivotal role in showcasing Native American films and has honored Indigenous filmmakers like Tantoo Cardinal, Wes Studi, Razelle Benally, and Chris Eyre. Jacques Paisner, SFIFF artistic director, says each year, the festival presents a cutting-edge Indigenous Film Program presented by Institute of American Indian Arts. This program includes feature films, short films, and IAIA student shorts, highlighting Indigenous tribes from around the world and reflecting issues affecting Native Americans and other Indigenous peoples. Paisner says the grant gives the festival the chance to expand Indigenous programming. Its a chance to reach out to this next generation of up-and-coming local fimmakers, Paisner says. We also can work on developing our partnerships more with local schools and the Institute of American Indian Arts. The Native American Advised Fund was established in 1993 with a gift from the late sculptor and humanitarian, Allan Houser (Chiricahua Fort Sill Apache). We gratefully thank Santa Fe Community Foundations Native American Advised Fund. With this grant, SFIFF will encourage endeavors in Native American film production, development, and assistance in finding an audience and securing Native American storytelling for future generations, says Gary Farmer (Haudenosaunee/Iroquois), SFIFF Advisory Board chair. Paisner says logistics for the festival have changed due to the pandemic, with most of the programming going online. We had discussions with the board about how to give a chance for students to see the pictures, Paisner says. They were offered tickets and passes to the last festival in an effort to keep the momentum growing with the festival. The newly discovered Lasioglossum dorchini bees - female on left, male on right. (ISRAEL21c via JNS) - A new species of bee unique to the sand dunes of Israel's coastal plains has been identified and described by Alain Pauly, a taxonomist from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels. The species was named Lasioglossum dorchini in tribute to the Israeli bee researcher Achik Dorchin of the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University. This new type of bee is especially exciting because a decline in the world bee population is putting crop pollination in danger. Crop pollination relies mainly on managed colonies of the domesticated ho... Sorry! This content is not available in your region The Supreme Court of Nepal on Thursday ordered caretaker Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to appear before it within the next seven days with a written response to the cases of contempt of court filed against him. Two separate cases of contempt of court were filed against Oli at the Apex court on Tuesday, for his alleged remarks on 95-year-old senior advocate Krishna Prasad Bhandari, calling him "a grandpa lawyer". Nepal's Supreme Court summons caretaker PM KP Sharma Oli Hearing the writ petitions filed against Oli on Thursday, the single bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma asked Oli to be present in-person to explain in written "why should he not face action under contempt of court". Advocates Kumar Sharma Acharya and Kanchan Krishna Neupane had filed the two contempt of court cases. They have claimed that Oli tried to influence the court and made disparaging remarks against legal practitioners. On January 22, Oli, while addressing his cadres, was defending his House dissolution move. And in doing so, he said that lawyers were arguing ad nauseum on House dissolution despite the fact that the constitution has no provision allowing restoration of the House. Oli had also taken a jibe at senior advocate and former chair of Nepal Bar Association Krishna Prasad Bhandarii, saying that the petitioners were giving trouble to a grandfather lawyer as well. READ | Ghaziabad DM orders farmers at Ghazipur border to vacate site; warns of forceful eviction READ | Delhi Violence: 9 teams formed by Delhi police to nab culprits; paramilitary under command Prime Minister Oli, 68, had dissolved the Nepal Parliament on December 20, amidst a political tussle with Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'. Last week, Oli was expelled from the general membership of the NCP led by Prachanda. Bhandari, participating at the Supreme Court hearing on Sunday, had termed Oli's move to dissolve the House of Representatives as a "coup against the Constitution". Meanwhile, Nepal's apex court has also ordered four former chief justices and one former speaker of Parliament to be present in court on separate cases of contempt of court. The former chief justices facing the contempt charges are Anup Raj Sharma, Meen Bahadur Rayamajhi, Sushila Karki and Kalyan Shrestha. Former speaker Daman Nath Dhungana faces the same charge. READ | Delhi Violence: 9 teams formed by Delhi police to nab culprits; paramilitary under command READ | BKU's Rakesh Tikait slaps individual allegedly urging to clear protest site at Ghazipur (With agency inputs) The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. New Delhi, Jan 29 : After a clash broke out between protesting farmers and residents of nearby villages at Singhu border on Friday afternoon, the area in the vicinity was turned into a police cantonment as extra police force were immediately deployed to control the situation. Following the stone-pelting incident, Delhi police barricaded the area and barred entry towards the protest site. However, scores of people claiming to be local residents, most of them holding lathis (sticks) on their hands were still present there and they were seen shouting slogans against protesting farmers. Many of them who claimed to be the residents of the nearby village spoke to IANS and alleged that the farmers had insulted the national flag during tractor rally on January 26. One of the residents said, "The farmers have blocked the main road from the day one of this protest. People of nearby villages have to take different to routes to commute. Daily services are almost shut here. We supported farmers but they insulted our national flag and therefore, now we want them to vacate this place immediately." A group of locals pointing out at the top of the Guru Teg Bahadur Memorial, a complex for tourist attraction located nearby the protest site, said, "They have hoisted religous flags over there. Is this the way of protesting?" Howver, all the religious flags were later replaced with the national flag by a group of locals with the help of the police. Justifying the hoisting of religious flags, one of the farmers said, "Our religious flag keeps us united and we find nothing wrong in hoisting it on top of the building." However, the farmers alleged that those who pelted stones were not local residents but a group of RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) volunteers. Farmers alleged the Modi-led Central government of defaming the peaceful farmers' protest. "Those who attacked today were not local residents. All local residents have been with the farmers since the beginning of protest. They were RSS people and they were allowed to enter the protest site by the police. Situation would have worsened if stone-pelters would have reached the stage," said Amrjeet Singh, one of the farmers who sustained injuries due to stone-pelting. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief economist Gita Gopinath has said the global financial body's projection of 11.5 per cent GDP growth for India by the fiscal year 2021-2022 will be "mechanical". She also warned that it'll be damaging for India to tighten policy support amid coronavirus pandemic and instead stressed on reducing "wasteful expenditure" in Budget. With the Modi government presenting its third budget of the second term in two days, Gopinath suggested the government should carry on cash support to poor people in this financial year as well. She said the Centre should focus on expanding employment guarantee scheme MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and also spend more on infrastructural projects. "The 11.5% number comes from the fact that you're coming off what we estimated as an 8% collapse the previous year. So, a lot of it is pretty mechanical," Gopinath said during the 9th CD Deshmukh Lecture. In its latest global growth forecast released on Tuesday, the IMF has raised India's growth estimate for FY22 from 8.8 per cent to 11.5 per cent in 2021, making it the only major economy expected to register a double-digit growth amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Gopinath said growth in terms of year-on-year is going to be higher even if no growth happens sequentially. Covid-19 had struck the economy hard, and April-June quarter GDP plunged to a historic low of 23.9 per cent. This was followed by some recovery on the economic front, as the GDP shrunk by 7.5 per cent in the July-September quarter. The NSO (National Statistical Office) estimates suggest the GDP will shrink at 7.7 per cent in the full fiscal year. Gopinath said India had faced output loss due to coronavirus pandemic but hoped that the country would do well in the next fiscal. She said the government should focus more on providing direct support to farmers, poor households and MSMEs. Gopinath also suggested the Centre should make efforts to reduce wasteful expenditure, devise concrete divestment plan and make the GST system more efficient. "There is lots of wasteful expenditure done in the Budget," she said. India is doing an ambitious vaccination drive, Gopinath said, adding MNREGA will be useful this year also as the pandemic has hit women more than men. India had announced Rs 20 lakh crore Atma Nirbhar Bharat package to provide relief to the Covid-hit economy. The stimulus package, spread over five announcements, included Rs 12.71 lakh crore of liquidity boosting measures by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Meanwhile, in its latest World Economic Outlook Update, the IMF said it expects the Indian economy to have contracted by 8 per cent in 2020, leaving China to be the only major economy to have registered a positive growth during the year (2.3 per cent). While IMF has pegged India's growth at 6.8 per cent in 2022-23, the same for China is at 5.6 per cent. Also read: Budget 2021 Also read: Budget 2021: Date, time, sector-wise expectations; everything you need to know 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. (Alliance News) - A Dutch court on Friday ordered oil giant Royal Dutch Shell PLC to pay compensation in a case brought by four Nigerian farmers who alleged widespread pollution on their land. After 13 years of legal wrangling, an appeals court in The Hague ruled that Shell's Nigerian branch must pay for damage caused by oil spills. It also held the Anglo-Dutch parent company Royal Dutch Shell liable for installing new pipeline equipment to prevent further devastating spills in the Niger Delta region. "Shell Nigeria is sentenced to compensate farmers for damages," the court said. The amount of damages would be determined later, it said. It did not specify how many of the four farmers would receive compensation. The farmers first sued Shell in 2008 over pollution in their villages Goi, Oruma and Ikot Ada Udo, in southeastern Nigeria, in a case backed by the Netherlands arm of environment group Friends of the Earth. "In the Uruma cases Shell Nigeria and...Royal Dutch Shell are ordered to equip the pipeline with a leak detection system so that environmental damage can be limited in the future," the court said. Shell Nigeria should have shut down oil supplies on the day of the spill in the cases in Goi, it said. Shell 'A' shares were 0.1% higher in London on Friday at 1,369.20 pence each, while the 'B's shares were 0.3% higher at 1,303.00p. In January this year, Shell sold its 30% interest in oil mining lease 17, located in the Eastern Niger Delta, for USD533 million. The 30% interest was sold to TNOG Oil & Gas Ltd, a related company of Heirs Holdings Ltd and Transnational Corp of Nigeria PLC with USD453 million paid at completion with the balance to be paid later. Shell Petroleum Development Co of Nigeria Ltd, which sold the stake, kept its interest in the Port Harcourt and residential areas that fall within the lease areas. Other Shell Petroleum Development Co of Nigeria joint venture partners also assigned their interest in the lease, Total SE's Total E&P Nigeria Lts assigning its 10% and Nigerian Agip Oil Co Ltd assigning its 5% interest. This ultimately gives TNOG Oil & Gas Ltd a 45% interest in OML 17. source: AFP Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) Metro Manila will extend its general community quarantine status anew for the entire month of February, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Friday. The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) will also be placed under GCQ as most of the UK variant cases in the country are recorded in the northern region. Batangas, Tacloban City, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Iligan City will also be under GCQ the third most stringent quarantine classification in the country from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28. The National Capital Region has been under GCQ since June 2020, excluding its return to a stricter modified enhanced community quarantine or MECQ during the first half of August. According to data from the Department of Health, Metro Manila has tallied some 220,000 cases or around 42% of the country's total. In its Jan. 25 report, the independent research group OCTA said the trend in the new coronavirus cases in the region has "leveled off," after briefly rising around the second week of the month. RELATED: OCTA: COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila 'remain flat' in January CAR, meawhile, accounts for 13 of the country's 17 confirmed cases of the more transmissible COVID-19 variant first recorded in the United Kingdom. Bontoc has 12 variant cases, while Benguet has one. Experts said preliminary studies show the new variant spreads more quickly, but there is not enough evidence yet to establish it is more fatal. The rest of the country will be under modified GCQ, the lowest form of community quarantine. On Monday night, the President reversed the IATF's earlier decision to allow children aged 10 to 14 to go out of their homes in MGCQ areas starting February. OCTA Research Fellow Guido David said he agrees with the decision of the national government to retain GCQ status in Metro Manila and impose it on northern provinces. He noted that Metro Manila's COVID-19 trend is "more or less flat" with 400 cases per day a number that is not expected to increase or decrease soon. However, he advised to keep the situation manageable until the vaccine arrives. "Kung may [If there is a] surge while we have the vaccine, madedelay 'yung rollout nila [rollout will be delayed] if our health system is compromised and our doctors are overwhelmed," he told CNN Philippines' News.PH. "Right now we are not seeing an increase in Metro Manila (cases) and most other places." The DOH said last year that it targets to have the entire nation shift to MGCQ by the first quarter of 2021. The country confirmed its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 30, 2020 a 38-year-old female Chinese national who traveled from Wuhan, where the virus is said to have originated. Since then, the country's case tally has risen to 519,575, with 10,552 fatalities and 475,596 recoveries. Your browser does not support the video tag. A poster of "China's Xinjiang: Unforgettable History." (Photo/CMG) A documentary about the history of China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region was aired on Jan 25. It showcased an array of significant archaeological finds as testimony to the fact that Xinjiang is part of China, according to a media conference held in Beijing. The eight-episode documentary, China's XinjiangUnforgettable History, chronicles how the region evolved in aspects of ethnicity, culture and religion from the Qin (221-206 BC) and Han (206 BC-AD 220) dynasties through to modern days. It is coproduced by the China Media Group and the CPC Xinjiang regional committee's publicity department. To ensure a clear and authoritative work, more than 50 experts in archaeology, history and other fields were involved in the production. The production unit also traveled to various countries, including the United Kingdom, France and Germany, to interview foreign scholars studying the history of the region. With its unique climate and geography, the region has played an important role in the country's archaeological studies and historical research. The documentary features more than 200 cultural relics and documents related to Xinjiang. More than 90 historical sites and buildings in Beijing, Hebei province, Gansu province and other places were shot during the production of the documentary. Some precious relics, including the latest archaeological discoveries in Yuli county of Xinjiang in 2019, made their on-screen debut. These archaeological finds and cultural relics presented in the documentary have clarified the following facts: Xinjiang has long been an inseparable part of Chinese territory; the ethnic groups in the region are part of the Chinese nation; Xinjiang ethnic cultures are part of Chinese culture and multiple religions have long coexisted in Xinjiang. The documentary unfolds a colorful and spectacular historical scroll which shows how Xinjiang became the home of many ethnic groups and a place for cultural integration and how the various ethnic cultures of Xinjiang have their roots in the fertile soil of Chinese civilization, advancing their own cultural development while enriching the overall culture of China. The beauty of Xinjiang's mountains, streams and grasslands were captured by the latest camera technology, including macro, aerial and infrared photography. To deepen the foreign audience's knowledge about China's Xinjiang region, the documentary uses objective, credible narration and significant archaeological finds to display the long course of history in Xinjiang. This provides a strong counter-ballast to the falsehoods told by hostile forces who deny the fact that Xinjiang has been part of China's territory where various ethnic groups have lived together, many cultures have communicated with each other, and different religions have coexisted, since ancient times. WASHINGTON Democrat U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes is circulating a letter to remove Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia from the House Education and Labor Committee after a number of past incendiary comments from the congresswoman surfaced over the past week, including posts where she agreed the Sandy Hook school shooting was staged. Greenes comments prompted outrage from the families of Sandy Hook victims in Newtown, which falls in Hayes district. Hayes, the 2016 National Teacher of the Year, who was a classroom teacher in Connecticut in 2012 at the time of the Sandy Hook shooting, said in an interview she was shocked when Greene was selected for the Education Committee earlier this week. Representative Greene, who has shown such a heinous and wanton disregard for school safety, student trauma and ultimately, the truth, has proven that she cannot be expected to engage in good faith discussions of policy, the letter Hayes is circulating states. Hayes said Thursday evening about 120 Democrats have signed on. The letter will be delivered to Republican leadership. Hayes said she would support censuring or expelling Greene from Congress for her rhetoric. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., has said he will introduce a resolution to expel Greene from Congress that could get a vote as early as next week. Greene said Thursday Democrats are coming after her because she is a threat to their goal of socialism. Democrats and their spokesmen in the Fake News Media will stop at nothing to defeat conservative Republicans, Greene said. They are coming after me because like President Trump, I will always defend conservative values. They want to take me out because I represent the people. And they absolutely hate it. Greene has faced widespread criticism from Republicans and Democrats over the past week for multiple comments that suggested school shootings were planned. A video showing her confronting Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg outside the U.S. Capitol before she was elected to Congress went viral. In other past comments, Greene, a QAnon supporter, indicated support for executing Democrats and FBI agents. She also promoted the false theory that PG&E started the devastating California wildfires 2018 with space lasers. Past reporting has revealed she posted hours of Facebook videos that included racist, Islamaphobic and anti-Semitic comments. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Thursday Assigning her to the Education Committee when she has mocked the killing of little children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, when she has mocked the killing of teenagers in high school at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, what could they be thinking?" It's absolutely appalling, and I think the focus has to be on the Republican leadership of this House of Representatives for the disregard they have for the death of those children," Pelosi added. Chair of the Education Committee, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., also lambasted Greenes appointment to the committee. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., GOP Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., have condemned Greenes rhetoric. McCarthy said he would have a conversation with Greene. Greene wrote in 2018 that is all true on a Facebook post that claimed the Sandy Hook and Parkland shootings were stagged [sic], along with the 1981 assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The post was surfaced by Media Matters last week. Nicole Hockley, mother of six-year-old Dylan who died at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, invited Greene last week to Newtown to see her sons ashes and his bullet-hole riddled sweatshirt. Having a Sandy Hook and Parkland denier on the House Education and Labor Committee is an attack on any and every family whose loved ones were murdered in mass shootings that have now become fodder for hoaxers, Hockley and Mark Barden, father of shooting victim Daniel Barden, said Thursday. Asked if Greene still believes the school shootings were staged, her spokesman Nick Dyer said simply no and referred the reporter to a Twitter statement from Greene, in which she referred to the 2018 Parkland shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as tragic and said the students who died should have been protected by good guys with guns. Hayes said shes never discussed Greenes views with her. Ive said hello going to the floor, Hayes said. But I have to tell you on the occasions when Ive seen her, Ive seen her yelling at floor staff or refusing to put on a mask or refusing to go through a metal detector. So generally when weve been on the floor at the same time, shes been causing just a tremendous scene and just attempting to defy House rules. So there really hasnt been much opportunity for dialogue. She added shes not looking for a conversation on the matter because There is no place for collaboration when thats your starting point. The false, extremist theory that the Sandy Hook shooting, which killed 26 people, including 20 children, was a hoax, has plagued Newtown families for years, promoted by Infowars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and others. Now even Jones doesnt believe it was staged, like he did in 2014, according to court documents. But other extremists continue to hound and harass Sandy Hook families over the falsehood. emilie.munson@hearstdc.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson FIANNA FAIL senator Erin McGreehan has told of the intimidation and online abuse she has suffered since becoming a senator last summer. Ms McGreehan, from Cooley, near Carlingford, Co Louth, was was first elected to Louth County Council in 2019 and then promoted to the Seanad by her party leader, Taoiseach Micheal Martin. She revealed how anonymous trolls began to send her vile abuse on social media soon after her appointment. "The difference in abuse from the council to the Seanad is just incredible. When it comes to national politics with these anonymous abusers you just cease to be human," she said. "In their eyes they don't see you as human, you are just a politician there to be abused no matter what. "They don't take into account that you have family or feelings. You are just an object and they couldn't care less." Read More She is now calling on the government to bring in a new law to ban people posting anonymously on social media. Ms McGreehan said, unless the law is changed, we will struggle to encourage people to enter politics. "We have our Dail committee on Culture and the Media of which I am a member looking at it. We need to bring in the social media companies who are publishers as far as I am concerned until proven otherwise. "You just can not be allowed to abuse people and hide behind an anonymous name." The senator said the worst abuse she has received was when she voted for all the data from the Mother and Baby Homes victims to be retained by the state and put on a new national database last year. "The abuse cut very deep with me," she said. 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. Iran has increased its uranium enrichment levels to 20%, complicating the Biden administrations efforts to rejoin the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the country has produced 17 kilograms (37 pounds) of 20% enriched uranium. He made the announcement upon visiting the Fordow nuclear facility, the state-run Tasnim News Agency reported Thursday. This level of enrichment violates the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iran signed the agreement with the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and China in 2015. The deal removed international sanctions on Iran in exchange for compliance on its nuclear program. Many countries, including United States, Israel and Gulf states, fear Iran is seeking to build a nuclear weapon. One of the stipulations of the JCPOA is that Iran does not enrich beyond 3.67%. Nuclear weapons can be produced with uranium enriched at 90%. Traditionally 3.67% was the concentration needed to run nuclear power reactors without having to stop for refueling. At 20% purity, centrifuges can be arranged in a way to reach weapons-level concentrations very quickly. The United States under President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran. Iran decided to ramp up enrichment in early January amid tensions with the Trump administration during its final days in office. The uranium enrichment increase is complicating US President Joe Bidens Iran policy. Bidens secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said this week that the United States will only return to the JCPOA if Iran is in compliance. The 20% enrichment is a violation of the deals terms. Iran appears to not be budging. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Thursday that given that the United States had violated the JCPOA while Iran had abided by it, "who should take" the first step? 'Insult to Tricolour on R-Day is unfortunate': President Kovind India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Jan 29: Insult of tricolour and Republic Day is very unfortunate, said President Ram Nath Kovind addressing joint sitting of Parliament. In his customary address to the joining sitting of Parliament on the first day of the Budget session, Kovind said the "insult" to the tricolour and Republic Day during the January 26 protests was "very unfortunate". If the Constitution gives us the right to freedom of expression, it also teaches us to take laws and rules seriously, he said in his address that was boycotted by over 20 opposition parties in support of the demand of protesting farmers that the three laws be repealed. Budget 2021: An important decade for the first future of India says PM Modi Budget session kickstarts: Everything that happened today | Oneindia News Defending the three contentious agri laws that have sparked intense protests from a section of farmers, President Kovind said "My government would like to clarify that the rights and facilities that were available before the formation of the three Farm Laws have not been cut short, in fact with these new agricultural reforms the government has provided new facilities and rights to farmers." "Small and marginal farmers are also a priority for my Govt. To support such farmers in their small expenses, around Rs 1,13,000 crores have been transferred directly to their accounts, under PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi. After discussion in Parliamnet, the government has passed the three farm bills. Farmers are getting immediate benefits of the laws," said the President. "The focus of 'Aatmnirbhar Bharat' is also on farm sector. The government has decided to give MSP according to Swaminathan recommendation," he further added. Noting that the Supreme Court has put the implementation of the three laws on hold, Kovind said the government will respect whatever is the decision of the apex court. Deviating from the designated route for the proposed tractor parade, a section of protesting farmers entered the Red Fort and hoisted flags from some domes of the iconic monument in the national capital. Photo taken on July 21, 2019 from Xiangshan Mountain shows the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Southeast China's Taiwan. [Photo/Xinhua] PLA spokesman says military drills were aimed at separatists on island "Taiwan secession means war," Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, said on Thursday, adding that recent military drills by the People's Liberation Army in the Taiwan region were aimed at provocations by Taiwan separatist forces and foreign interference. Experts said it is "exceedingly rare" for the defense ministry to explicitly state its determination to go to war over Taiwan. Therefore, the warning serves as an unambiguous bottom line that solemnly reiterates China's stance on the topic, and to deter Taiwan secessionists and some foreign powers from going too far. On Sunday, the People's Liberation Army held an exercise with 15 warplanes near the island of Taiwan, two more planes than another drill of Saturday. Wu said the exercises were necessary actions to address the current security situation in the Taiwan Straits and to safeguard national sovereignty and security. "They are solemn responses to foreign interference and provocations by Taiwan separatist forces," he added. When asked about the island's pro-secession Democratic Progressive Party hoping to deepen relations with the United States, Wu said Taiwan is an inseparable part of China and the Taiwan question is China's internal affair and it cannot allow any foreign meddling. Secession attempts by a handful of Taiwan separatists are like "fleeting froth" in the long course of history of the Chinese nation that will not amount to anything significant, Wu said. "We solemnly warn these Taiwan separatists: Those who play with fire will get burned, Taiwan secession means war," he said. "The PLA will take whatever actions necessary to resolutely thwart any secession schemes, and adamantly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity." A Beijing-based military historian who requested anonymity said the Chinese military and academia have long held the belief that Taiwan secession could lead to war, "but it is still exceedingly rare for the defense ministry to state it so explicitly." "While this warning may not be enough to deter hardcore Taiwan separatists and some foreign powers from trying to see the island secede, it is nevertheless a powerful message that will make them think twice before crossing the point of no return," the historian said. Li Haidong, a professor of US studies at China Foreign Affairs University, said he expects the veteran-diplomat-filled Biden administration to take a more cautious, rational and flexible approach to the Taiwan question than the previous administration. "A continuation of the Trump administration's reckless Taiwan policies would inevitably lead to war," he said, adding the explicit warning given by the defense ministry was meant to show the new US administration China's ultimate bottom line regarding the Taiwan question. "The Biden administration will likely continue to sell arms to Taiwan, support its status on the international stage, and facilitate official visits and interactions," he said. "But it will also maintain a certain level of ambiguity on the Taiwan question. What it won't do is brazenly support Taiwan secession and risk sacrificing US interests for the goals of Taiwan separatists." Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. This Sept. 2020 photo provided by Johnson & Johnson shows a clinician preparing to administer investigational Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Johnson & Johnson's long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine appears to protect against symptomatic illness with just one shot not as strong as some two-shot rivals but still potentially helpful for a world in dire need of more doses. Johnson & Johnson said Friday, Jan. 29, 2021 that in the U.S. and seven other countries, the first single-shot vaccine appears 66% effective overall at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19. It was more protective against severe symptoms, 85%. (Johnson & Johnson via AP) The first one-shot COVID-19 vaccine provides good protection against the illness, Johnson & Johnson reported in a key study released Friday, offering the world a potentially important new tool as it races to stay ahead of the rapidly mutating virus. The pharmaceutical giant's preliminary findings suggest the single-dose option may not be as strong as Pfizer's or Moderna's two-dose formula, and was markedly weaker against a worrisome mutated version of the virus in South Africa. But amid a rocky start to vaccinations worldwide, that may be an acceptable trade-off to get more people inoculated faster with an easier-to-handle shot that, unlike rival vaccines that must be kept frozen, can last months in the refrigerator. "Frankly, simple is beautiful," said Dr. Matt Hepburn, the U.S. government's COVID-19 vaccine response leader. J&J plans to seek emergency use authorization in the U.S. within a week. It expects to supply 100 million doses to the U.S. by Juneand a billion doses globally by year's endbut declined to say how much could be ready if the Food and Drug Administration gives the green light. Defeating the scourge that has killed more than 2 million people worldwide will require vaccinating billions. The shots being rolled out in different countries so far all require two doses a few weeks apart for full protection. Nearly 23 million Americans have received a first dose of Pfizer or Moderna shots since vaccinations began last month, but fewer than 5 million have gotten their second dose. This Sept. 2020 photo provided by Johnson & Johnson shows the investigational Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Johnson & Johnson's long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine appears to protect against symptomatic illness with just one shot not as strong as some two-shot rivals but still potentially helpful for a world in dire need of more doses. Johnson & Johnson said Friday, Jan. 29, 2021 that in the U.S. and seven other countries, the first single-shot vaccine appears 66% effective overall at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19. It was more protective against severe symptoms, 85%. (Cheryl Gerber/Johnson & Johnson via AP) Also Friday, regulators cleared a third option, AstraZeneca's vaccine, for use throughout the European Union. The decision came amid criticism that the 27-nation bloc is not moving fast enough, as well as concern that there's not enough data to tell how well the vaccine works in older people. J&J studied its one-dose option in 44,000 people in the U.S., Latin America and South Africa. Interim results found the shot 66% effective overall at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, and much more protective85%against the most serious symptoms. There were no serious side effects. "Gambling on one dose was certainly worthwhile," Dr. Mathai Mammen, global research chief for J&J's Janssen Pharmaceutical unit, told The Associated Press. The vaccine worked better in the U.S.72% effective against moderate to severe COVID-19compared with 66% in Latin America and 57% in South Africa, where a more contagious mutant virus is spreading. This Sept. 2020 photo provided by Johnson & Johnson shows a scientist in Janssen laboratory in Leiden, The Netherlands. Johnson & Johnson's long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine appears to protect against symptomatic illness with just one shot not as strong as some two-shot rivals but still potentially helpful for a world in dire need of more doses. Johnson & Johnson said Friday, Jan. 29, 2021 that in the U.S. and seven other countries, the first single-shot vaccine appears 66% effective overall at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19. It was more protective against severe symptoms, 85%. (Johnson & Johnson via AP) The reduced protection against that mutation is "really a wake-up call," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious-disease expert. The more the virus is allowed to spread, the more opportunities it has to mutate. Vaccine makers are looking into how to alter their shots if necessary. For now, the findings are an incentive "to vaccinate as many people as we possibly can," Fauci stressed. Data is mixed on how well other vaccines being used around the world work, but the Pfizer and Moderna shots were 95% protective in large U.S. studies. It's not fair to compare studies done before the record surges of recent months and discovery of new mutantsthey might not turn out the same today, cautioned Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief. The J&J protection is "good enough to help attack a pandemic," Goodman said. "The advantage of having more vaccine, in a single shot, would be significant." This Sept. 2020 photo provided by Johnson & Johnson shows a scientist in Janssen laboratory in Leiden, The Netherlands. Johnson & Johnson's long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine appears to protect against symptomatic illness with just one shot not as strong as some two-shot rivals but still potentially helpful for a world in dire need of more doses. Johnson & Johnson said Friday, Jan. 29, 2021 that in the U.S. and seven other countries, the first single-shot vaccine appears 66% effective overall at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19. It was more protective against severe symptoms, 85%. (Johnson & Johnson via AP) Researchers tracked illnesses starting 28 days after vaccination - about the time when, if participants were getting a two-dose variety instead, they would have needed another shot. After Day 28, no one who got vaccinated needed hospitalization or died, regardless of whether they were exposed to the original virus or "these particularly nasty variants," Mammen said. When the vaccinated did become infected, they had a milder illness. All COVID-19 vaccines train the body to recognize the new coronavirus, usually by spotting the spikey protein that coats it. But they're made in very different ways. J&J's shot uses a cold virus like a Trojan horse to carry the spike gene into the body, where cells make harmless copies of the protein to prime the immune system in case the real virus comes along. It's the same technology the company used in making a successful Ebola vaccine. In this July 30, 2013, file photo, large banners hang in an atrium at the headquarters of Johnson & Johnson in New Brunswick, N.J. Johnson & Johnson's long-awaited vaccine appears to protect against COVID-19 with just one shot not as strong as some two-shot rivals but still potentially helpful for a world in dire need of more doses.(AP Photo/Mel Evans, File) In this July 30, 2013, file photo, people walk along a corridor at the headquarters of Johnson & Johnson in New Brunswick, N.J. Johnson & Johnson's long-awaited vaccine appears to protect against COVID-19 with just one shot not as strong as some two-shot rivals but still potentially helpful for a world in dire need of more doses. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File) That's similar to how AstraZeneca's two-dose vaccine is made, although it's not clearly exactly how well that one works. Tests in Britain, South Africa and Brazil suggested two doses are about 70% effective. An ongoing U.S. study may provide more information. Still another vaccine is in final testing: Novavax reported this week that its vaccine appears 89% effective in a British study and that it also seems to workthough not as wellagainst new mutated versions of the virus circulating in Britain and South Africa. A larger study in the U.S. and Mexico is still enrolling volunteers. Wall Street appeared dissatisfied with J&J's results, with shares dropping 4.2% in early trading, a rare big drop for the world's biggest maker of health care products. Its stock was down $4.07, or 2.4%, at $165.09 in mid-morning trading. In contrast, tiny Novavax saw shares skyrocket, jumping 71% to $229.72 in mid-morning trading. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. CORNING, Calif. - A Tehama County Judge ordered a Corning man to stand trial for the murder of his mother. Eric Deno is accused in the strangulation death of Angelika Deno at their home on Marty Court on October 8th, 2018.. Prosecutors say he appeared at a neighbor's door asking for help disposing of a dead body, then left. Police found her body in an outside trash can. The court ruled Deno incompetent to stand trial. After treatment, he was found competent in October of 2020. After a preliminary hearing Tuesday, Deno was held to answer to charges. He is scheduled to return to Tehama County Superior Court on February 22nd,2021 for the re-entry of a plea. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 22:40:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WINDHOEK, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's national airline, Air Namibia was operating with a flawed business model where out of the 19 routes the airline was operating in 2019, 15 were loss-making due to high structural and operating costs, an official said Friday. Namibia's Finance Minister and Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Treasury, Iipumbu Shiimi said this follows an analysis over the past months done by the government to understand the core reasons for the commercial failures. "The highest loss-making route was the Frankfurt route where major losses were incurred due to high fixed costs and under-utilization. It also became clear that the combination of the types of aircraft, routes, high employee numbers, and other structural inefficiencies contributed to the financial distress of the company," he said. "The cost of implementing the new business plan would amount to more than 7 billion Namibian dollars (about 465 million U.S. dollars). If we factor in the negative effects of COVID-19, the amount is expected to be significantly higher," he added. Meanwhile, Shiimi said in 2019, the government approached all airlines currently operating in Namibia as well as those that intend to operate in Namibia to assess if there would be any appetite to attract a strategic partner or investment for Air Namibia. "Regrettably, all of the airlines that were approached declined," he added. Meanwhile, a Namibian high court case in which Air Namibia faced possible liquidation was settled out of court on Friday, with the airline promising to pay the Belgian company Challenge Air 253 million Namibia dollars it owes. For the past 10 years, about 8.4 billion Namibia dollars was spent to bail out the local airline, Shiimi said. Enditem by Mathias Hariyadi Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Merauke (Papua) is the current apostolic administrator of Amboina. Five priestly ordinations were planned for tomorrow. The prelate tested positive for COVID-19 but is asymptomatic. Jakarta (AsiaNews) The priestly ordination of five deacons in the Diocese of Amboina (Moluccas) was cancelled at a later date because its apostolic administrator, Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi, has contracted COVID-19. Mgr Mandagi became the archbishop of Merauke, Papua, in November last year, but previously was the Bishop of Amboina (Ambon) between 1994 and 2020. Contacted by phone, the prelate told AsiaNews: I have been here in Ambon, the capital of Moluccas, for 12 days with lots of things to discuss and to do with local Church authority. Tomorrow, five deacons, two diocesans and three members of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC), were supposed to be ordained at the Cathedral of St Francis Xavier. Before becoming bishop, Mgr Mandagi was MSC superior. For safety reasons, the archbishop chose precaution to have a COVID-19 test in order to ensure that he was not a carrier of the COVID-19 during tomorrows priestly ordination ceremony. But unfortunately, I have contracted the virus so we have decided to cancel the ceremony scheduled to happen tomorrow. The archbishop seems to be asymptomatic. I feel nothing wrong in my body and I am still doing fine now, he explained. Archbishop Mandagi, who is 71, is currently in Ambon for treatment. Among the countries of Southeast Asia, Indonesia is one of the most affected by the coronavirus. To date, it has reported 1,051,795 cases with 29,518 deaths. Luzerne County Councils election inquiry committee finalized its recommendations on Thursday and will present its findings to county council next month. Probably. First, committee members will receive a copy of the committees final report on Friday, Chairwoman Linda McClosky Houck said at the end of Thursdays committee meeting, held remotely. If committee members agree with the findings, the committee will hold no further meetings and will submit its report to the full county council on Feb. 9, Houck said. Council formed the committee, which includes council members Stephen J. Urban, Harry Haas, Sheila Saidman and Houck, in October, following several election-related controversies. It met 10 times and reviewed written documentation about how county elections are conducted. It examined problems that arose during the Nov. 3 general election, as well as the roles played by the election bureau, election director, election board and county administration in the electoral process. It issued a draft version of its findings earlier this week, then tweaked some its draft recommendations on Thursday. One tweak softened the language of the committees recommendation that county administration should cooperate with council inquiries. Houck said the administration did not provide all of the documents the committee requested in a timely manner. Saidman felt it was improper to use the term respect in that recommendation. Other committee members agreed, and the language was changed to recognize. Haas continued his months-long criticism of no-excuse mail-in voting, which he called not a good thing in the long term for our democratic republic. That is an issue for councils legislative committee and the state legislature, Houck said. Burma Western Embassies, UN Chief Urge Myanmar Military to Respect Democracy An official inspects a ballot at a polling station in Kawhmu Township, Yangon Region during the Nov. 8 general election. / The Irrawaddy YANGONDiplomatic missions in Myanmar including those of the US, UK and EU have issued a joint statement opposing any attempt to alter the outcome of Myanmars Nov. 8 election or impede its democratic transition, after the military raised the prospect of a coup if its claims of electoral fraud were ignored. We urge the military, and all other parties in the country, to adhere to democratic norms, they said. The missions said they look forward to the peaceful convening of the Parliament on Feb. 1 and the election of the president and speakers. The National League for Democracy (NLD) won Myanmars Nov. 8 general election in a landslide. NLD candidates won 920 of the 1,117 elected seats nationwide, including seats in both houses of the bicameral Union Parliament and the state/regional parliaments, as well as ethnic affairs minister posts. As a result, the new Parliament will be heavily dominated by the party when it convenes on Monday. We affirm our support for Myanmars democratic transition and efforts to promote peace, human rights, and development in the country, the diplomats said. They also congratulated the Myanmar people on their historic participation in the Nov. 8 general election. Tension has risen in Myanmars capital over statements from the military in which it refused to rule out the possibility of a military coup if its demand for an investigation into claims of electoral fraud were not met. In the latest escalation of the tension, military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said the military-drafted 2008 Constitution should be revoked if its laws are not being followed. Many interpreted the remark as a threat of a military takeover. The military claims to have found 8.6 million irregularities that could lead to potential voter fraud in all 314 townships in the states and regions. On Thursday, the Union Election Commission (UEC) rejected all of the militarys claims of electoral fraud in the November general election, including its allegations of voting malpractice and of cases in which people voted more than once. The diplomats said, We support all those who work toward greater democratic freedoms, lasting peace and inclusive prosperity for the people of Myanmar. The statement was signed by the missions of the US, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the delegation of the EU, Denmark, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway. On Thursday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed great concern about recent developments in Myanmar and urged all actors in the country to adhere to democratic norms and to respect the outcome of the Nov. 8 general election. Guterres said all electoral disputes should be resolved through established legal mechanisms. You may also like these stories: Political, Religious Figures Urge Myanmar Govt, Military Leaders to Talk as Tensions Rise Myanmar Election Body Rejects Military Allegations of Electoral Fraud Ethnic Groups Demand Input in Myanmar Land Reforms A Canadian firm is setting up shop in North Charleston to provide freight-forwarding and other transportation services primarily for shippers that export goods through the state's port system. Ray-Mont Logistics said it will invest $16 million in its 1000 Remount Road site to create 85 jobs. The new facility is expected to open in the spring, in time for the debut of the Port of Charleston's new Leatherman Terminal on the former Navy base. "The Port of Charleston and the key advantages it brings to the North American supply chain will serve to complement our existing facilities, providing a strategic gateway to reach key global markets for exporters," Ray-Mont CEO Charles Raymond said in a statement. 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 company, established in 1992 in Montreal, plans to list job opportunities on its employment website. "Ray-Mont Logistics' mission of facilitating international trade by enhancing the container supply chain is a welcome addition to South Carolina's export transload sector," Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the State Ports Authority, said in a statement. Ray-Mont operates transload terminals for grain and forest products on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of Canada, as well as in Spokane, Wash. The company recently announced similar projects for Seattle and Alabama. Ray-Mont also has a facility at Port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia, Canada, that bags and ships plastic pellets. The S.C. Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits for the North Charleston project and Charleston County was awarded a $750,000 grant to help offset some of the Ray-Mont's costs. BEIJING, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On December 30th, 2020, the European Commission confirmed The Comprehensive Agreement on Investment with China (CAI) in principle. EU-China CAI negotiations on the complex subject began nearly seven years ago. The CAI is one of the most significant and ambitious agreements that China has ever pursued with a foreign partner. The cumulative foreign direct investment from China in the EU over the last 20 years was around 120 billion Euros, mostly in infrastructure projects, real estate, and high-tech businesses. EU investment into China over the same period was around 140bn Euros, much of that in the manufacturing sector. With this agreement, the EU expects to strike a better balance in the EU-China trade relationship. Within it, China has committed to a higher level of access to its fast-growing 1.4 billion consumer market. The agreement aims to ensure a level playing field in China for European companies to compete on equal terms with domestic private and state-owned enterprises. This is especially important news at the start of 2021 as the pandemic continues to negatively affect growth trends worldwide. By establishing freer access to sectors in need of investment to eager capital providers from across the world, the EU and China are taking an important step in the fight against the economic effects of the pandemic. The CAI effects several sectors, liberalizing access by limiting or phasing out requirements for Joint Ventures, such as mandatory technology transfers and high government involvement in technology licensing. EU companies in several sectors explicitly covered in the agreement will be likely to take advantage of the policies outlined in the agreement. This includes R&D in biological resources, international maritime transport, the automotive sector for new energy vehicles, and private health care. The agreement may also lead to deeper cooperation between European and Chinese partners. I predict this agreement will not cause EU companies to abandon the need for local partnerships or JVs, but rather that such partnerships will be more balanced and transparent. The additional pressure of current travel restrictions due to the pandemic means that high-quality local partnerships will be increasingly important for any EU company planning successful operations in China. At TOJOY, we enable EU companies to connect and reach agreements with such high-quality local partners, to access the funding, operations partnerships, and resources required to grow a business in China and take advantage of the policies outlined in the CAI. Our first TOJOY office in Europe was established in Paris in June of 2019 in part to serve many of the global investors looking to do business in Europe and China. As this investment agreement strengthens economic relations between China and Europe, we expect business acceleration platforms such as TOJOY's to become increasingly important. By leveraging these platforms to find reliable Chinese partners for capital raising and joint operations, European businesses can access the resources needed for a successful launch or rapid expansion in China. Chinese companies can also leverage such platforms to enter European markets and expand their business. Cooperation models for everything from commodities, to nationwide expansion projects, and even mergers and acquisitions can be created through such platforms. China is and will remain one of the fastest growing markets. I believe European companies, if they are not already in China, will move their investments into China up on their agendas. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1429276/image.jpg One of the first things President Joe Biden did before taking his presidential oath last week was to attend Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, site of the funeral of the nations first Roman Catholic president, John F. Kennedy. It seemed a fitting moment for a lifelong politician who has anchored his private life and public service to his Catholic faith. For a man who carries rosary beads in his pocket and quotes the saints, Bidens faith is far from a political prop. But unlike the more clear-cut Christian, and indeed, evangelical parameters that have guided past presidents, Bidens relationship with the Catholic community remains far from cohesive, and in fact, is fractured in places. For conservative Catholics, the presidents liberal and progressive political agenda has alienated him from the more conservative ranks of his faith, and some say, has even disqualified him as a member of the 1.4 billion strong religious fraternity. We dont consider him a very good Catholic, said Tom Kane, president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians of Cumberland County, a Catholic organization for men. Not by his example of how hes lived, the things hes done, his pro-abortion views, which are way out there. We are praying he changes some of those stances. Biden is only the second Catholic president in the White House after Kennedy. His presidency comes at a dramatically different time from his predecessor, who downplayed his faith. Biden faces sharp scrutiny, not so much from the nations religious electorate, but from factions of the Catholic Church. Indeed the fault lines fall on one singular issue: abortion. Biden supports abortion rights and has vowed to ensure Roe v. Wade remains the law of the land. The president has pledged to eliminate the Hyde amendment, which prevents the government from using tax dollars to directly reimburse providers for abortion procedures. In the wake of Bidens inaugural, the most powerful Catholic group in the nation offered a reconciling message seeking to continue to work with the White House on issues such as economic and racial justice, immigration, the environment and criminal justice reform. But Archbishop Jose Gomez, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, warned that some of Bidens policies and views on abortion struck at the heart of Catholicism. (O)ur new President has pledged to pursue certain policies that would advance moral evils and threaten human life and dignity, most seriously in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage, and gender. Of deep concern is the liberty of the Church and the freedom of believers to live according to their consciences, Gomez said in a written statement. President Joe Biden is using the power of executive order to make good on his campaign promise to protect and expand women's reproductive rights, in particular, abortion rights. His policies put him in the crosshairs of conservative Catholics. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Abortion remains preeminent priority Bishop Ronald Gainer, head of the Diocese of Harrisburg, said abortion remains the preeminent priority of the Roman Catholic Church. Gainer said he looked forward to working with the Biden administration on issues related to immigration, the elimination of the death penalty, and economic and health care justice. But Gainer stressed that the presidents policies on abortion, his definition of marriage and religious liberty contradicted Catholic teachings and posed a potential hurdle. As the chief shepherd and pastor for the Catholics in the Diocese of Harrisburg, I have a duty to proclaim the Gospel in all its truth, especially when those truths run contrary to society and our culture, Gainer said. The Church has long opposed policies supporting abortion and we will continue to do so. I will unrelentingly speak the truths of the Gospel and the preeminent teaching of our Church regarding the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death. Those sentiments contrast with the message Pope Francis extended in a letter to the president on his installation. The pope offered his prayers that Almighty God will grant you wisdom and strength in the exercise of your high office. Francis told the president that he prayed his leadership would inspire the American people. I pray that your decisions will be guided by a concern for building a society marked by authentic justice and freedom, together with unfailing respect for the rights and dignity of every person, especially the poor, the vulnerable and those who have no voice, the pope wrote. In fact, Bidens views on abortion align closely with that of the majority of the American public, and indeed, Catholics. The majority of U.S. Catholics break with the church on the issue, believing, as do the majority of adults in the country, that abortion should be legal, at least in some cases. That too is the general viewpoint of most Catholic legislators, including U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Catholic and Pennsylvania Democrat. Biden and First Lady Jill Biden may have been regulars at Sunday Mass in their Delaware parish, and just days after inauguration, attended Sunday Mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington, but thats not enough to reconcile him with his conservative brethren. He uses the Catholic faith to his own advantage, said Tom Aumen, a deacon with the Holy Name Society in Hanover, York County. He had a visit with Pope Francis and this was to, in my opinion, build his own Catholicity. Oh look at me. I m in with Pope Francis. See he welcomes me. Yes that is true as we would welcome anybody into our lives but that doesnt mean we agree with what their lives encompass and stand for. I think its a charade that he would call himself Catholic as other Catholics do and yet not abide by the sacred teachings of the Catholic Church. Aumen notes that the Holy Name Society, an organization for Catholic men who pledge to uphold church teachings, added that Biden would be disqualified from membership. Mr. Biden would not be suitable as a Holy Name member, Aumen said. He doesnt practice the sacred teachings of the church. No doubt, the presidents faith raises the stakes on issues where there is fundamental disagreement such as abortion and other hot-button issues on gender ideology and religious freedom, some of which he has already addressed in executive orders. This does not sit well with most Catholics and certainly not with the Catholic bishops, who worry that the presidents conciliatory tone isnt matched by his divisive policy action, said Stephen White, a fellow in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington. Not to put too fine a point on it, they worry that President Biden will use his Catholic faith to justify policies that the Catholic Church holds to be unequivocally unjust and evil. The bishops for their part, have made clear that theyre willing to work together on common causes, but arent going to budge on others. Policy disagreements are one thing; religious quarrels are another. Experience shows that the latter can sometimes be the bitterest of all. President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden walk a tenuous line with conservative Catholics. The Bidens are seen here at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)AP Faith offers common ground Biden does have significant support from some factions of the Catholic community. Groups like Catholics for Biden campaigned for the presidents platform on economic justice, the dignity of work, the importance of affordable, quality health care for all and the pursuit of a humane immigration policy. All are issues that align the president with the priorities that have been pushed by the head of the church, Pope Francis. Karen Keane, the national president of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, the largest Irish Catholic Womens organization in America, said the group is proud that the nation has another Roman Catholic president. While we take no position on the political elections, we are thrilled to have a man of faith in the Office of the U.S. President, Keane said. We are confident that President Biden will bring honesty, compassion, and empathy to the many issues facing our nation, especially in the social justice arena. We are hopeful that President Biden will help bring peace in Northern Ireland and unity to the island of Ireland. Chris Borick, political science professor and director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, doesnt rule out Bidens ability to bridge divides, especially with conservative Catholics, the majority of whom voted for Donald Trump. It gives him at least some common ground to reach out to in that really important part of the electorate, said Borick of Catholic voters, who at times have been pivotal swing voters. I think its a place where he can maybe find some common ground. He carries around rosary beads. Hes authentic and fits the bill. You see him at Mass and while certainly that by itself does not overcome the differences that people may feel on the right, it certainly does at least give some space where there might be a bit of comfort that can help those conversations take place. I would not minimize it. I think its really part of who he is. Still, Borick stresses that the power of that singular issue - abortion - should not be underestimated. For the hardest pro-life core, he strayed from the core connector they most identify with, he said. But there are a lot of Catholics that might think that pro-life is not necessarily the one issue. For them thats where I think Biden could have some reach, at least the potential. Biden has wasted no time in fulfilling some of his campaign promises. He has signed executive orders restoring rights and protections for the LGBTQ community, and indeed, transgender members of the military; and he marked the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion, with a recommitment to codifying its tenets, as well as expand health care access and reproductive rights for women here and worldwide. On Thursday, on the eve of the annual March for Life rally marking the 1973 Roe vs. Wade SCOTUS decision, the president issued directives that aim to repeal at least two Trump administration directives that restricted womens reproductive rights. The annual March for Life, which annually draws thousands of participants to the nations capital, this year is being held virtually online due to the pandemic. Biden is seeking to lift the ban on foreign aid to groups that provide or refer patients for abortion services; and was expected to repeal Trump era funding restrictions on clinics that provide abortion services. Biden seeks to allow those clinics to receive federal family planning grants through Title X. The majority of those providers serve women who are uninsured or low-income. Some devout Catholics warn that the faithful should take care underlining divisions rather than focusing on the unifying force of their faith. We start with the notion that there is a progressive church and a conservative church, said Randy Lee, a professor of law at Widener University in Harrisburg and member of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. I think we first have to begin with theres one holy, Catholic and apostolic church. For me thats the starting point. There really arent progressive Catholics or conservative Catholics. If you need to divide yourself between conservative and progressive, you have missed the point. If you go to Pauls epistle to the early church, he goes out and says theres not a church of Paul or Peter. There is a church of Jesus Christ. Thats the starting point. I dont see it as a divided church. I see it as one church, as one body. For Lee, the crucial conversation needs to go beyond Bidens politics or faith. For me the discussion is not about Joe Biden. Its about where the church is in America today, Lee said. Hopefully the church sees itself as a single church which may have body parts with different perspectives but at the end of the day the feet reckon that what is good for the feet is good for the body. Thats what we as Catholics need to strive for. Understand that personal will and personal perspective is not as important as seeking the mind, imagination and eyes of Christ. Massachusetts lawmakers quickly approved a sweeping climate change bill Thursday for a second time, shipping it back to Gov. Charlie Baker just weeks after he vetoed the measure. The Democrat-controlled House and Senate had approved the bill earlier this month in the waning hours of the last legislative session. Baker opted to veto the bill, but time had run out on the ability of lawmakers to address the veto, so Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano both Democrats decided to bring the bill back before lawmakers just weeks into the new legislative session and approve it again. Time is of the essence and we could not let a delay hamper our efforts to protect future generations, Spilka said in a press release following the vote. The necessary tools included in this legislation will soon lead to lower emissions, a thriving green economy, and cleaner air and water for all. The Senate engrossed the bill on a voice vote before noon on Thursday, shipping it to the House, where it was engrossed on 144-14 vote. Both chambers then enacted the bill, sending it to Bakers desk. Rep. Thomas Golden, one of the sponsors of the bill, hailed the decision to quickly approve the proposal a second time, saying it was too urgent to delay. This particular piece of legislation is going to build on over two decades of green legislative accomplishments, the Lowell Democrat said moments before the House vote. The bill would put the state on a path to attaining a net-zero greenhouse gas emission limit by 2050 in part by setting new statewide limits every five years to help the state reach the goal. The bill would also create renewable energy jobs and boost the states production of offshore wind by 2,400 megawatts for a total of 5,600 megawatts. It would also write into state law the criteria used to define environmental justice populations typically lower income communities at greater health risks from pollution. In addition, the bill would enhance energy efficiency standards for appliances, create equitable access to solar for low income individuals and toughen gas pipeline safety following a series of gas explosions in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover in September 2018. Baker has said he supports much of the bill. His administration has released a plan that also seeks to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and includes a requirement that all new cars sold in the state be electric by 2035 and that 1 million homes be converted from fossil fuel to electric heat. But Baker has said the Legislatures bill could increase the cost of housing, possibly prevent the construction of affordable developments and potentially impact large sectors of the economy just as the Commonwealth is beginning to recover from the pandemic recession. Baker hopes to use his veto authority to press for changes in the bill, although it has been approved by wide enough margins in both chambers to pass despite any Baker objections. The bill has won the backing of environmental groups who had criticized Bakers decision to veto the measure. Prosecutors with the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Bucharest Tribunal have opened a criminal case in rem for committing culpable homicide in the case of the fire at the Matei Bals Institute in the Capital, resulting in the death of four patients. Prosecutors are already on the scene and investigations have begun, according to prosecutor's office representatives. A fire broke out on Friday morning in a ward at the Matei Bals Institute where COVID-19 patients were being treated. Three people were found dead after the smoke cleared, and the fourth victim died after resuscitation failed. The head of the Department of Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, Minister of Health Vlad Voiculescu, the Secretary of State with the Ministry of Health, Andreea Moldovan, the Prefect of the Capital, Traian Berbeceanu, went to the Matei Bals Institute on Friday morning. The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), an NGO, has described as a healthy development the recent judgement by the Netherlands court of appeal that held Shell liable for the oil spills it caused across Nigerias coastal communities of the Niger Delta in 2008. In 2008, four Nigerian farmers from Ikot Ada Udo, Oruma and Goi communities in the Niger Delta, supported by the NGO and sister organisation, Milieudefensie/Friends of the Earth Netherlands, sued Shell over oil pollution in the three Nigerian villages. This case was the first in which a Dutch company, together with its subsidiary, had been sued in a Dutch court for damage caused abroad. Shell in the process argued that the actions committed in Nigeria could not be tried in Netherlands. It also denied that it caused the spill and that criminals and third party interference were responsible for oil spill in 2008. On their part, the farmers demanded that Shell clean up the oil spill, pay compensation for the damage caused, and improve the maintenance of its pipelines and installations to prevent future spills. The court had ruled in December 2015 that Shell must provide the plaintiffs internal company documents essential to the case and this was the first of its kind in the Dutch legal history. In a press statement on Friday in Benin, the NGOs legal officer, Nosa Tokunbor, stated that the case had dragged on for over 13 years with a lot of legal somersaults occasioned by Shell. He noted that the appeal court in the Hague on January 29, 2021, ruled that Royal Dutch Shell was liable to pay compensation for the oil spills which polluted rivers, fish ponds and farmlands for thousands of local farmers and fishermen. In his reaction to the courts ruling, Godwin Uyi Ojo, Executive Director, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), described the outcome of the case as a landmark judgement which the organisation is very proud of. He said the judgement showed that the days of oil companies in Nigeria, particularly Shell, criminalizing local communities and framing them up for sabotage of crude oil pipelines were over. According to him, Shell no longer has any hiding place. This victory will open up a floodgate of court cases against Shell and the oil companies doing businesses in Nigeria and hiding under weak regulations, lack of enforcement of its extant rules, and taking advantage of the lack of political will of the Nigerian government to bring oil transnationals to account, he said. The significance of the landmark judgement is that it addresses the question of access to justice that is very much in question in Nigeria when it comes to holding the oil companies accountable for their human rights violations and environmental degradation. The judgment has further shown the environmental liability of parent companies for the conduct of their foreign subsidiaries, he said. Mr Ojo further stated that the judgement is urgent and strategic as the world transits away from fossil fuels. There is the need to ensure that the devastation done to our environment by Shell is cleaned up and appropriate compensation is paid to communities that have suffered irreparable losses. Notably, Shell has been selling its land-based assets and along with it, its legacies of environmental devastation, social dislocation, violence and poverty to avoid accountability. Therefore, our communities owe it to themselves and their generations unborn to ensure that Shell does not escape its responsibilities. Ojo called on the Niger delta communities and CSOs not to relent in their pursuit for justice, adding that the over 13 years struggle in the court has paid off. He enjoined Shell to comply with the court proceedings while urging the judge to do the needful in awarding compensation and preventive costs. ERA/FoEN again calls on the Nigerian government to revamp its regulatory bodies in the oil industry, ensure that criminal acts of oil transnationals are punished severely, he said. ADVERTISEMENT And that the country starts taking concrete steps to wean Nigeria of its dependence on revenues from oil and gas, build a new economy on the back of a clear renewable energy framework as quickly as possible and ensure the gradual phasing out of oil and gas activities in Nigeria. (NAN) Representative image. The Budget session of Parliament begins on January 29 with the address of the President to both the houses amid Coronavirus-induced health protocols. The Union Budget will be presented in the Parliament on February 1. The proceedings will begin with President Ram Nath Kovind's address at 11 am to the members of both the Houses spread in three different halls-Central Hall, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha, for the first time due to COVID-19 protocols. The Economic Survey 20-21 will be tabled after the address. The last sitting of Parliament was the Monsoon Session, held in September was adjourned eight days before the scheduled end after many members of parliament contracted COVID-19. The winter session of Parliament could not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Follow our Live Blog on Budget 2021 Economic Survey HERE The Budget session is set to be stormy with the Congress and at least 17 Opposition parties boycotting the President's address in solidarity with farmers' protest against the three farm laws, which the opposition alleges, were passed arbitrarily in the Monsoon session. 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 Opposition parties are set to corner the government on issues like recession, jobs, handling of Coronavirus crisis, India-China border row, and other issues, according to news agency PTI. In the joint statement issued on January 28, the parties lashed out at the Prime Minister and the BJP-led Centre for being arrogant, adamant, and undemocratic in their response regarding the constitutional validity of the farm laws READ: Opposition parties to boycott President's address to Parliament The session has been divided into two phases as per Covid-19 protocols. The first part will begin on January 28 with the President's address and run till February 15. The second phase will run from March 8 to April 8. Both houses will hold sittings on all working days alternately. The session will also have a Question Hour and Zero hour. From February 2, the Rajya Sabha will meet from 9 am to 2 pm and the Lok Sabha will sit from 3 pm to 9 pm. Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has taken a Coronavirus test ahead of the session, reports said. All members of parliament have also been requested to undergo an RT-PCR test before the beginning of the Budget session. President Ram Nath Kovind will deliver his address in the Central Hall in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ministers, and other members. Many members from poll-bound states of West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu are unlikely to attend proceedings. The government reached out to the Opposition and has called an all-party meeting on January 30 to be addressed virtually by the Prime Minister. 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 As a private in the Florida National Guard, Brandon Russell led a double life, carrying out exercises with his infantry team while heading a violent neo-Nazi group and reportedly recruiting like-minded troops until 2017. At his condo in Tampa, he had a flag with the Nazi swastika on the wall, a framed photo of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh - himself a military veteran - and a cache of bombmaking material in the garage. The attempted insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6 - after which veterans and active-duty service members accounted for at least 27 of the initial arrests, or nearly 20 percent of the total - exposed the crossover of military personnel to violent extremism and white supremacy. The participants included a former Navy SEAL and a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, photographed on the Senate floor wearing tactical gear and carrying zip-tie handcuffs. The military was overrepresented among the rioters. The ugly sight of service members in combat gear amid Confederate flags and white-nationalist slogans marked a harrowing escalation of a problem that the Pentagon has allowed to fester for decades. It confirmed the worst fears about an extremist subculture in the armed services acting out of loyalty not to their sworn oaths but to their own dangerous agenda. It should have surprised no one. Ronald Reagan's first defense secretary, Caspar Weinberger, pledged to combat extremists in the military in 1986 after reports showed that numerous service members were active in the Ku Klux Klan and other white-supremacist groups. He banned military personnel from having any involvement with such organizations, and as reports have continued to emerge in the years since, Pentagon officials have issued numerous follow-up restrictions. Indeed, the Pentagon had ordered up two more reviews of the problem less than a month before the Capitol attack. Still, the pull of extremism and white supremacy in the ranks has persisted - a reflection, some outside experts say, of poor enforcement and oversight by the military of its own rules. Take Russell, the neo-Nazi leader in Florida. When he entered the National Guard, screeners took note of a tattoo on his shoulder of a radiation-warning symbol, but they didn't recognize it as the logo of his group, the Atomwaffen Division. While officers reprimanded Russell for his vocal homophobia in the barracks, they said there were no clear signs at the time of his dual life as a neo-Nazi - though prosecutors later charged that he had used his status and training in "fulfilling his neo-Nazi mission." It wasn't until a double killing at Russell's condo in Tampa in May 2017 - when another man who had been involved with Atomwaffen allegedly shot two other members - that police discovered the huge stockpile of explosives Russell had in his garage, along with firearms and his stash of neo-Nazi paraphernalia. As police searched the scene, Russell was still dressed in his Guard uniform after returning home from weekend duty. He is now in federal prison serving a five-year sentence on explosives charges. Days before President Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20, concerns about internal security prompted an 11th-hour vetting of the 25,000 National Guard troops massed in the capital to protect the swearing-in. The background checks led the Guard to remove a dozen members from the inauguration mission - all of whom, according to the Associated Press, "were found to have ties with right-wing militia groups or posted extremist views online." The military has not explained why those ties were not discovered before the personnel were sent to protect the event. Since the Capitol riot, military officials have vowed to redouble their efforts to weed out extremists and white supremacists. But there is little to suggest that such steps represent more than lip service in combating such a pervasive problem, especially as the racial chasm in America grew wider during the Trump era. - - - Derek Barsaleau was an Army specialist who served in Afghanistan, but he also kept up a proud allegiance to neo-Nazi groups, including the notorious National Alliance and the World Church of the Creator. He was never shy about voicing his beliefs to his fellow soldiers. The military "was rampant with white supremacists," Barsaleau told me. Since then he has denounced that ideology and now works with an anti-hate group in Wisconsin. But he says the appeal of white supremacy to service members has only become more powerful in the last few years - thanks in part, he believes, to Donald Trump's divisive racial rhetoric. Indeed, a survey published last year by the Military Times found that 36 percent of active-duty service members - and half of minorities - had seen signs of white nationalism or ideologically driven racism in the armed forces, a spike of 14 percentage points from just a year earlier. Remarkably, service members also reported that they considered white nationalism within their own ranks to be a greater national security threat than domestic Islamic terrorism - and more worrisome than North Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq or other global threats. Warning signs abounded just last year in a string of violent, politically inspired episodes carried out by active-duty or retired service members, several in direct response to Black Lives Matter protests. There was the killing of a security officer and the wounding of another near a BLM protest in Oakland, Calif. - allegedly by an active-duty Air Force sergeant who had aligned himself with the anti-government "boogaloo boys" movement. In Las Vegas, three veterans also affiliated with the boogaloos were charged with plotting to detonate molotov cocktails at a BLM protest and to stoke violence among protesters. And a 22-year-old Army private from Louisville was accused of plotting with an overseas neo-Nazi group to attack his own military unit in Turkey. A federal prosecutor declared that the soldier, Ethan Melzer, "was the enemy within." Meanwhile, anti-government extremist groups like the Three Percenters and the Oath Keepers have made inroads in recruiting current and former members not only of the military, but of police agencies across the country. Both groups had a presence at the Capitol riot. Predictably, in the wake of the failed insurrection, Pentagon officials have denounced the role of their own personnel. "These people are not representative of our country's military," Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the New York Times. Whether the military can make good on its oft-repeated pledges to rid itself of such extremists is an urgent dilemma confronting the entire country. - - - Lichtblau is a journalist and author who writes about national security and law enforcement. He is writing a book on the surge in hate crimes carried out by white supremacists. BEIJING, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- China Distance Education Holdings Limited (NYSE: DL) (the "Company"), a leading provider of online education and value-added services for professionals and corporate clients in China, today announced that it has called an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the "EGM") to be held on February 26, 2021 at 10:00 AM (Beijing Time) at the Company's offices at 18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China for the Company's shareholders to consider and vote upon a proposal to authorize and approve the previously announced agreement and plan of merger (the "Merger Agreement") dated December 1, 2020, by and among the Company, Champion Distance Education Investments Limited ("Parent"), and China Distance Learning Investments Limited ("Merger Sub"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent; the plan of merger required to be filed with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands (the "Plan of Merger"); and the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and the Plan of Merger (the "Transactions"), including the Merger (as defined below). If the Merger is approved by the Company's shareholders at the EGM, subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement and the Plan of Merger, at the effective time of the Merger, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company and Company will be the surviving company in the Merger and will continue its operations as a privately-held, wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (the "Merger"). If the Merger is completed, the American depositary shares (the "ADSs") of the Company, each of which represents four ordinary shares ("Ordinary Shares") of the Company, will no longer be listed on The New York Stock Exchange and the ADS program will terminate. In addition, the ADSs and the Ordinary Shares will cease to be registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company's board of directors (the "Board"), acting upon the unanimous recommendation of a special committee of independent and disinterested directors established by the Board, authorized and approved the execution, delivery, and performance of the Merger Agreement; the Plan of Merger; and the consummation of the Transactions, including the Merger. The Board has recommended that holders of the ADSs and Ordinary Shares vote FOR, among other things, the proposal to authorize and approve the Merger Agreement; the Plan of Merger; and the Transactions, including the Merger. Holders of record of Ordinary Shares as of the close of business in the Cayman Islands on February 15, 2021 will be entitled to attend and vote at the EGM and any adjournment thereof in person or by proxy. Holder of ADSs as of the close of business in New York City on January 29, 2021 will be entitled to instruct Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as ADS depositary, to vote the Ordinary Shares represented by the ADSs at the EGM. Additional information regarding the EGM, the Merger Agreement; the Plan of Merger; and the Transactions, including the Merger, can be found in a Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement (the "Schedule 13E-3"), which includes a proxy statement attached as Exhibit (a)(1) thereto (the "Proxy Statement"), filed by the Company and the other filing persons named therein with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on January 29, 2021. The full Schedule 13E-3 and the exhibits thereto, including the Proxy Statement, are available at the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov). In addition, the Company will mail a copy of the Proxy Statement to holders of ADSs and holders of record of Ordinary Shares. Holders of ADSs and holders of record of Ordinary Shares are urged to read carefully and in their entirety the Schedule 13E-3, and in particular the Proxy Statement, and any other materials related thereto that may be filed with or furnished to the SEC, as they contain important information about the Company; the Merger Agreement; the Plan of Merger; and the Transactions, including the Merger. The Company and certain of its directors, executive officers, and other members of management and employees may, under rules of the SEC, be deemed to be "participants" in the solicitation of proxies from the Company's shareholders with respect to the EGM. Information regarding the persons who may be considered "participants" in the solicitation of proxies is set forth in the Proxy Statement. This announcement is not a solicitation of a proxy, an offer to purchase, or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities and it is not a substitute for the Schedule 13E-3, including the Proxy Statement, or other filings that may be made with the SEC in connection with the EGM; the Merger Agreement; the Plan Merger; and the Transactions, including the Merger. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. Any such statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expect," "predict," "anticipate," "future," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "estimate," and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic and annual reports to the SEC, in press releases and other written materials, and in oral statements made by its officers, directors, or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties include the possibility that the Merger will not occur as planned if events arise that result in the termination of the Merger Agreement, if one or more of the various closing conditions to the Merger are not satisfied or waived, or if requisite shareholder approval is not obtained at the EGM, and other risks and uncertainties regarding the Merger Agreement and the Merger that are discussed in the Proxy Statement. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement or other information included in this press release, except as may be required by applicable law. About China Distance Education Holdings Limited China Distance Education Holdings Limited is a leading provider of online education and value-added services for professionals and corporate clients in China. The courses offered by the Company through its websites are designed to help professionals seeking to obtain and maintain professional licenses and to enhance their job skills through our professional development courses in China in the areas of accounting, healthcare, engineering & construction, legal and other industries. The Company also offers online test preparation courses for self-taught learners pursuing higher education diplomas or degrees, and practical accounting training courses for college students and working professionals. In addition, the Company provides business services to corporate clients, including but not limited to tax advisory and accounting outsourcing services. For further information, please visit http://ir.cdeledu.com. Contacts: In China: China Distance Education Holdings Limited Jiao Jiao Tel: +86-10-8231-9999 ext. 1826 Email: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Jenny Cai Tel: +86-10-6508-0677 E-mail: [email protected] In the United States: The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Tel: +1 212-481-2050 Email: [email protected] SOURCE China Distance Education Holdings Ltd. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Volunteers check the body temperature of a resident at the entrance of a residential compound in Jilin city, China on May 22, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Draconian Lockdown Measures in Northern Chinese City Causes Food Shortage Crisis and Tragedies Amid the latest COVID-19 outbreak in northern China, a food shortage crisis and tragic incidents have been reported in Tonghua city, Jilin Province after local authorities abruptly locked down communities on Jan. 18 to curb the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. The harsh lockdown measures have contributed to violence and suicides, according to residents who spoke with The Epoch Times. Store Clerk Attacked On Jan. 24, a Twitter video circulated on Chinese social media which showed a knife-wielding man attacking a store clerk after the clerk refused to sell him products. Chen Tian (pseudonym), a Tonghua resident, confirmed the incident with The Epoch Times. The young mans home was one of the first to be sealed near my grandmas neighborhood. The family was probably locked inside their home for almost a month and ran out of supplies. On Jan. 22, (the man) climbed over the fence, and ran to the supermarket to buy supplies, but he was refused by the clerk. So, he stabbed the clerk in anger [with a knife] and was later arrested. This happened before the Tonghua government made a specific announcement about supplies. On Jan. 21, a large number of people were confined to their homes after local authorities began sealing off residents doors in the worst-hit district, and offered a 5,000 yuan ($773) reward to anyone who spotted violators. Many people ran out of food and medicine. Netizens flocked to the Weibo social media platform for help on Jan. 24, pushing the vice mayor of Tonghua to publicly apologize. To quell public fear and outrage, local authorities promised to deliver daily supplies such as five days worth of vegetable packages sold at a reduced price. But some residents did not receive these food packages. Chen said, Some have not received the vegetable packages; some received only a cabbage, a potato, and an onion. According to insiders, Tonghua had 50 community volunteers delivering food supplies and essentials at the beginning of the lockdown. And now, there are 800 volunteers. But thats not enough for a city with a population of more than 2.3 million. The fundamental reason is that deployment at the top level is not timely enough, Chen said. My mothers colleague is on duty in the unit and cannot go home. The other day, that colleague only got two bags of instant noodles [and there was nothing else]. Basically, she has run out of food. Tonghua city in Chinas Jilin Province is totally locked down. January, 2021. (Screenshot of online video) Food Shortage Crisis In response to the food shortage crisis caused by the lockdown, Tonghua mayor Li Ping claimed that the number of essential supplies in the city were still very adequate. His response was aired on state broadcaster CCTV on the evening of Jan. 25. He said, only individual residents have some emotions and some reactions, and there is enough supply of food staples such as oil, rice, meat, eggs, and vegetables to meet residents demands during the 14-day quarantine. A Chinese netizen posted, A few days ago, at about 6 p.m., people came to our community to disinfect, and left in less than one minute after shooting a video (of the disinfection). A few days after Lis announcement on Jan. 25, locals pointed out that the distribution of supplies in different areas was extremely uneven, and high-end communities received the most goods. Residents at one community, which has 5,000 residential units, revealed over social media platform WeChat that they only received 200 vegetable packages. Another community with 300 households only got 40 vegetable packages. Zhang Sheng (pseudonym), a resident of an old district in Tonghua, told The Epoch Times that the government began to call food essentials supplies instead of vegetable packages because there is no produce left. He believes this is directly related to the local governments mismanagement of food distribution. Why is there not enough [food supplies] once you begin to distribute? Are local supplies, which were supposed to be delivered to supermarkets, being converted into online trading goods? Zhang said that he and his mother share only one meal a day. Some Chinese netizens said that they havent been able to shop online. Online ordering has been canceled. Calling to order food cannot get through, one social media user said. Resident Commits Suicide Meanwhile, another video circulated online on Jan. 25, showing a middle-aged woman jumping from the 10th floor of a building in Tonghua. Resident Chen Tian shared his thoughts on the tragic incident with this publication. I hope the media can follow up on these issues. To be honest, what the Tonghua government has done this time has stirred up quite a lot of public discontent. We cant rule out the possibility that people committed suicide due to a supplies shortage or personal emotional breakdown. Around the same time, other residents revealed on social media that two people had hung themselves. But the information has since been deleted by internet censors. I think someone needs to be held accountable for these tragic things that are happening. The governments inaction is quite chilling. Because they didnt take into account the material situation of the elderly, or the special groups, and then they didnt take into account the problems caused by the lockdown, Chen said. Its quite sad. A person with a conscience would want people to pay more attention to this matter. Vizsla Resources announces Strengthening of Senior Management Team and Board Posted by Publisher Internet Vizsla Resources Corp. (TSX-V: VZLA) (OTCQB: VIZSF) (Frankfurt: 0G3) (?Vizsla? or the ?Company? https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/vizsla-resources-corp/) is pleased to announce the promotion of Charles Funk to the role of Technical Director and Martin Dupuis to Vice President of Technical Services and the appointment of Hernando Rueda as Vizsla?s Country Manager. Promotion of Charles Funk to Technical Director Mr. Funk will be transitioning from Vice President of Exploration to Technical Director and as such will join Vizsla?s Board of Directors. ?Mr. Funk has been instrumental in leading the Company?s exploration success, building Vizsla?s exploration team, setting high health and safety standards, and is an integral part of communicating complex exploration ideas to the capital markets. Mr. Funk is the CEO of Heliostar Metals and has previously worked as a geologist and geophysicist for Evirm Resources, Newcrest Mining and Oxiana/OZ Minerals with a focus on business development and early stage exploration in North and South America, Australia and South-East Asia. Promotion of Martin Dupuis as Vice President of Technical Services In addition, Mr. Dupuis will be promoted to Vice President of Technical Services, where he will continue to oversee the resource definition of the Panuco-Copala project in Mexico (?Panuco?). Since his arrival to Vizsla, Mr. Dupuis has been instrumental in the oversight and delivery of the Company?s recent technical developments and is leading the transition to a resource drilling focus at Panuco. Mr. Dupuis has over 25 years of mine geology and exploration experience primarily in precious metals, including 10 years in Latin America. Prior to joining Vizsla, Mr. Dupuis was the Director of Geology with Pan American Silver, Technical Services Manager with Aurico Gold, and Chief Geologist at several other operations.? Appointment of Hernando Rueda as Country Manager Finally, the Company has appointed Mr. Hernando Rueda as Country Manager. Mr. Rueda was previously with Capstone Mining, where he acted as Regional Exploration Manager in Mexico. Prior to Capstone, he held several senior management roles with Agnico Eagle Mines in Mexico, including Project Evaluation Manager and Exploration Manager for all operations in country. Throughout his career, Mr. Rueda has overseen numerous significant gold and silver operations in Mexico and has an in depth understanding of the technical and managerial requirements to advance Vizsla?s exploration program. Mr. Rueda is a Qualified Person as defined in the Canadian National Instrument 43-101. He has a PhD in Geology with a focus in Geochemistry and Hydrothermal Systems and has followed managerial courses at the Harvard Business School. The Company is pleased to welcome Mr. Rueda to Vizsla and looks forward to his leadership on site. His exceptional depth of experience in managing gold and silver projects in Mexico will be invaluable as the Company advances through the exploration program at Panuco. Michael Konnert, President and CEO commented: ?The Company is very pleased that Charles has moved to a more senior role where his focus will remain the exploration strategy of Vizsla. In addition, I would like to welcome Mr. Rueda to the Company and congratulate Mr. Dupuis on his new appointment.? These new roles help build Vizsla?s leadership team as we continue to aggressively advance the Panuco district from early stage discovery to our goal of becoming a silver producer.? Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release includes certain ?Forward?Looking Statements? within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and ?forward?looking information? under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words ?anticipate?, ?believe?, ?estimate?, ?expect?, ?target?, ?plan?, ?forecast?, ?may?, ?would?, ?could?, ?schedule? and similar words or expressions, identify forward?looking statements or information. These forward?looking statements or information relate to, among other things: the development of Panuco, including drilling activities; future mineral exploration, development and production; and completion of a maiden drilling program. Forward?looking statements and forward?looking information relating to any future mineral production, liquidity, enhanced value and capital markets profile of Vizsla, future growth potential for Vizsla and its business, and future exploration plans are based on management?s reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on management?s experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the price of silver, gold and other metals; no escalation in the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; Vizsla?s ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms. These statements reflect Vizsla?s respective current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of other assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward?looking statements or forward-looking information and Vizsla has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the Company\-\-s dependence on one mineral project; precious metals price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Company\-\-s mining activities in Mexico; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company\-\-s management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Company\-\-s inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of COVID-19; the economic and financial implications of COVID-19 to the Company; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company\-\-s interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Company\-\-s ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and the factors identified under the caption ?Risk Factors? in Vizsla\-\-s management discussion and analysis. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward?looking statements or forward-looking information. Although Vizsla has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. Vizsla does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward?looking statements or forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law. EquityStory.RS, LLC-News: PJSC Mechel / Key word(s): Miscellaneous PJSC Mechel: Government Delegation Tours Mechel's Chelyabinsk Facilities 29.01.2021 / 13:35 MSK The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. GOVERNMENT DELEGATION TOURS MECHEL'S CHELYABINSK FACILITIES Chelyabinsk, Russia - 29 January 2021 - Mechel Group (MOEX: MTLR, NYSE: MTL), one of Russia's leading mining and steel companies, reports that a delegation headed by Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko toured Mechel Group's Chelyabinsk facilities. Mechel PAO's Chief Executive Officer Oleg Korzhov guided the tour of Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant's and Mechel Coke's production areas and described the ecological measures Mechel is taking as part of the federal Clean Air project within the framework of the national Ecology project. The delegation included Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko, Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Murad Kerimov, head of Federal Supervisory Natural Resources Management Service (Rosprirodnadzor) Svetlana Radionova, Chelyabinsk Region's Governor Alexey Texler. The delegation toured Mechel Coke's production facilities. Over the past few years, the plant reconstructed two benzene workshops, a coke-pitch facility and two coke batteries. In the near future, the plant plans to optimize operations at its coke batteries and overhaul its coke workshop #1. All these measures are in compliance with the best available technology principles. After that, the delegation headed by Viktoria Abramchenko visited Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant's oxygen converter facility. The guests examined the plant's converter #1, overhauled in 2020. The converter was practically built anew and equipped with a modern three-stage gas cleaning system, which enabled the plant to bring waste emissions from steelmaking to a minimum. Viktoria Abramchenko appraised Mechel's efforts in fulfilling its ecological obligations and stressed the importance of pursuing their implementation. In accordance with the federal Clean Air project's purposes, in 2019 the company signed a quadrilateral agreement on reducing its impact on the atmosphere with Russia's Ecology Ministry, Rosprirodnadzor and Chelyabinsk Region's governor. On January 28, 2021 Mechel signed another ecological agreement with Governor Alexey Texler, assuming additional obligations on reducing waste emissions. Overall, the company plans to implement a program costing a total of 13 billion rubles and reducing waste emissions by more than 15,000 tonnes a year in total. "Yesterday the company signed an ecological agreement with the region's governor, now it is important for the company's modernization program to be in compliance with the state Clean Air program's ambitious goals. The state meanwhile must think of ways to provide tax and other support so that this task is fulfilled as soon as possible. We will go together with you every step of the way in fulfilling this program. Our goal is not to stop production, but to uphold it while providing it with the best available technologies from the ecological standpoint," Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko noted. "Our company is implementing environment-friendly measures at its Chelyabinsk facilities since the day they joined Mechel Group in 2001. We are consistently and unceasingly upgrading all our equipment in the technological chain and always pay extra attention to reducing the impact of our operations on the environment. Since 2001, we have invested a total of 79 billion rubles, including 10 billion rubles into ecological upgrades alone. In the next few years, investment into ecological measures will be yet another 13 billion rubles. Today we have demonstrated both our upgraded production facilities and those expecting upgrades to the government delegation. We are grateful to the state authorities for their attention to our work and their offer of support to speed up implementation of our ecological measures - in this we share a common goal," Mechel PAO's Chief Executive Officer Oleg Korzhov said. *** Mechel PAO Ekaterina Videman Tel: + 7 495 221 88 88 ekaterina.videman@mechel.com *** Mechel is an international mining and steel company. Its products are marketed in Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa. Mechel unites producers of coal, iron ore concentrate, steel, rolled products, ferroalloys, heat and electric power. All of its enterprises work in a single production chain, from raw materials to high value-added products. *** Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of Mechel, as defined in the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We wish to caution you that these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. We do not intend to update these statements. We refer you to the documents Mechel files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Form 20-F. These documents contain and identify important factors, including those contained in the section captioned "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in our Form 20-F, that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among others, the achievement of anticipated levels of profitability, growth, cost and synergy of our recent acquisitions, the impact of competitive pricing, the ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals and licenses, the impact of developments in the Russian economic, political and legal environment, volatility in stock markets or in the price of our shares or ADRs, financial risk management and the impact of general business and global economic conditions. 29.01.2021 MSK Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EquityStory.RS, LLC - a company of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EquityStory.RS, LLC Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... WUHAN, China A World Health Organization team emerged from quarantine in the Chinese city of Wuhan on Thursday to start field work in a fact-finding mission on the origins of the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers, who were required to isolate for 14 days after arriving in China, left their quarantine hotel with their luggage including at least four yoga mats in the midafternoon and headed to another hotel. The mission has become politically charged, as China seeks to avoid blame for alleged missteps in its early response to the outbreak. A major question is where the Chinese side will allow the researchers to go and whom they will be able to talk to. Yellow barriers blocked the entrance to the hotel, keeping the media at a distance. Before the researchers boarded their bus, workers wearing protective outfits and face shields could be seen loading their luggage, including two musical instruments and a dumbbell. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Hotel staff waved goodbye to the researchers, who were wearing face masks. The bus driver wore a full-body white protective suit. They drove about 30 minutes to a lakeside Hilton resort-like hotel. Former WHO official Keiji Fukuda, who is not part of the team in Wuhan, has cautioned against expecting any breakthroughs, saying it may take years before any firm conclusions can be made about the viruss origin. This is now well over a year past when it all started, he said earlier this month. So much of the physical evidence is going to be gone. The memories of people are imprecise and probably the physical layouts of many places are going to be different than they were. Among the places they might visit are the Huanan Seafood Market, which was linked to many of the first cases, as well as research institutes and hospitals that treated patients at the height of the outbreak. WHO, which is based in Geneva, Switzerland, said late Thursday on Twitter that its team plans to visit hospitals, markets like the Huanan Seafood Market linked to many of the first cases, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and laboratories at facilities like the Wuhan Center for Disease Control. All hypotheses are on the table as the team follows the science in their work to understand the origins of the COVID19 virus, WHO tweeted. It said the team had already requested detailed underlying data and planned to speak with early responders and some of the first COVID-19 patients. As members start their field visits on Friday, they should receive the support, access and the data they need, WHO tweeted. The first face-to-face meetings with Chinese scientists are set to take place on Friday, before the team starts the field visits in and around Wuhan, it said. One possible source of the virus is bats in caves in rural Yunnan province, about 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) southwest of Wuhan. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the experts would have talks, visits and inspections in China to carry out virus-tracing exchanges and cooperation. He did not provide any details. The mission only came about after considerable wrangling between the two sides that led to a rare complaint from the WHO that China was taking too long to make the final arrangements. China, which has strongly opposed an independent investigation it could not fully control, said the matter was complicated and that Chinese medical staff were preoccupied with new virus clusters in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities. While the WHO was criticized early on, especially by the U.S., for not being critical enough of the Chinese response, it recently accused China and other countries of moving too slowly at the start of the outbreak, drawing a rare admission from the Chinese side that it could have done better. Overall, though, China has staunchly defended its response, possibly out of concern over the reputational or even financial costs if it were found lacking. Chinese officials and state media have also tried to cast doubt on whether the virus even started in China. Most experts believe it came from bats, possibly in southwest China or neighboring areas of Southeast Asia, before being passed to another animal and then to humans. The origins search will try to determine where and exactly how that happened. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki expressed concern Wednesday about what she called misinformation coming out of China, adding that the U.S. supports a robust international investigation. Its imperative that we get to the bottom of the early days of the pandemic in China, she said. Zhao responded that any negative speculation and politicized interpretation of the mission is inappropriate. We hope the U.S. can work with the Chinese side in a responsible manner, respect facts and science, and respect the hard work of the international expert team in tracing the origin of the virus, he said, so that they can conduct scientific research on the virus tracing without any political interference. ___ Associated Press photographer Ng Han Guan and AP Writer Jamie Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report. Turkey: Erdogan, working on space projects with Elon Musk Partnership already for launch of communication satellites (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, JANUARY 29 - Turkey is discussing possible joint space projects with the founder and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday. Erdogan's comments came as he was leaving the Islamic Friday prayer in Istanbul, in reference to his telephone conversation this week with the entrepreneur. "We discussed what we can do together. I tasked one of my collaborators with staying in constant contact with Elon Musk," Erdogan said. He said a partnership has already been developed in the launch of the Turkish communication satellite Turksat 5A and the next satellite Turksat 6A. Erdogan and Musk met in person last year in Ankara.(ANSAmed). (ANSA). South Carolina will get extra vaccination support from the CDC in an effort to speed the rollout and stop the South African variant of coronavirus detected there on Thursday from spreading, agency director Dr Rochelle Walensky said Friday. She said the CDC is 'offering support' to states that detect super-covid variants, but only mentioned South Carolina by name. Two people in South Carolina have the South African B1351 variant of coronavirus, which is about 50 percent more infectious and makes vaccines less effective. Neither had recently travelled, they live in different regions of the state and otherwise unlinked, suggesting the variant is spreading silently in South Carolina. Vaccines still offer some protection against the 'super-covid' variant, and the more people have some immunity, the less likely it is to become dominant. Fewer than six percent of South Carolina residents have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose - about 360,000 people - which is below the national rate of 6.8 percent of the population vaccinated with one or more doses. CDC and South Carolina health officials did not immediately respond to request for details on the amount of funding or nature of the resources being sent to the state. But Dr Walensky said that even as the agency ramps up surveillance for variants and funnels assistance to states that have them, it may be too late. 'By the time someone has symptoms, gets a test, has a positive result, and we get sequencing, our opportunity for case control and contact tracing is largely gone,' she said. Dr Rochelle Walensky, CDC director said Friday that the agency is sending funds and 'resources' to speed up the COVID-19 vaccination effort in South Carolina in light of the South African variant discovered there 'CDC is offering support to the states that have identified these surveillances...we are reaching out to help with vaccination..with resources for increased testing, increased surveillance and increased resources for vaccination and funding.' South Carolina vaccinated 360,000 people on Thursday, up from 210,000 the previous Thursday, according to tracking by Bloomberg. The state is also one of the worst hotspots in the nation, according to White House data. Previously 'hidden' reports reveal that South Carolina is seeing more than 750 new cases per 100,000 people there each week. It's unclear whether this high rate of new infections is linked to the new variant. The South African variant of coronavirus detected there contains mutations to its spike protein that makes it better at infecting human cells. Its mutations make also make it harder for antibodies triggered by vaccines to 'see' the virus and block its ability to block the activity of the spike protein. Previously 'hidden' reports reveal that South Carolina is seeing more than 750 new cases per 100,000 people there each week Moderna's vaccine is still 'protective' against it but its antibodies are six-fold less potent when faced with the South African variant. It comes as FEMA comes to the aid of state vaccination efforts. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has asked the Pentagon to help administer the COVID-19 vaccine to meet Joe Biden's goal of 1.5 million shots a day. The Pentagon's top spokesman announced Thursday it had received a request to assist with getting shots in the arms of Americans across different parts of the country. 'The Department of Defense has received a request from FEMA for assistance in administering COVID-19 vaccine at various locations across the country. 'The Department is evaluating the request, and what kinds of support it can provide,' Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in a statement. Kirby said that 'given the significance of the request it will be reviewed urgently but carefully' to determine what military assets can be safely made available to help the vaccine rollout. 'As [Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin] has said, DOD is committed to do as much as it possibly can to assist the whole-of-government effort against COVID-19,' he added. Republican lawmakers are demanding that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez apologize to Sen. Ted Cruz for accusing him of almost having her murdered during the January 6 insurrection on Capitol Hill. On Thursday, Cruz had tweeted at AOC that he agreed with her that Congress should investigate Robinhood's decision to block GameStop trades. 'I am happy to work with Republicans on this issue where there's common ground, but you almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago so you can sit this one out,' Ocasio-Cortez replied on Twitter. 'Happy to work w/ almost any other GOP that arent trying to get me killed. In the meantime if you want to help, you can resign.' Two of Cruz's colleagues in the House have since lashed out at AOC, a New York Democrat. Rep. Devin Nunes, a California Republican and ally of former President Donald Trump, told Sean Hannity on Fox News Channel Thursday night that 'socialist revolutionaries' like AOC are doing their best to promote that Republicans are evil. Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican, sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, demanding that Ocasio-Cortez apologize of 'we will be forced to find alternative means to condemn this regrettable statement,' he said. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ripped into Sen. Ted Cruz after he suggested they work together to figure out why Robinhood was stopping GameStop trades tweeting, 'you almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago' Republicans Reps. Devin Nunes (left) and Chip Roy (right) have both voiced anger at AOC over her comments about Ted Cruz, with Roy writing a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi demanding that the New York Democrat apologize AOC declined the invitation to work with Sen. Ted Cruz saying, 'you almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago,' for his role in inspiring the Capitol insurrection. Cruz was among a group of Republican senators who gave weight to then President Donald Trump's lie about voter fraud Sen. Ted Cruz had said he agreed with Ocasio-Cortez's take that Robinhood should be probed for stopping GameStop trading 'It has come to my attention that Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sent out a tweet a few hours ago in which she accused Senator Ted Cruz, in essence, of attempted murder,' Roy wrote the Democratic leader. 'As a member of this body who disagreed with "objections" to the electors and who has expressed publicly my concerns about the events leading to January 6th, it is completely unacceptable behavior for a Member of Congress to make this kind of scurrilous charge against another member in the House or Senate for simply engaging in speech and debate regarding electors as they interpreted the Constitution.' 'I ask you to call on her to immediately apologize and retract her comments,' Roy said. Cruz was one of the ringleaders of the so-called 'treason caucus' who supported a House GOP effort to challenge Electoral College votes in key swing states, which lent weight to now former President Donald Trump's claims that widespread voter fraud robbed him of a second term. Their agreement on Robinhood was echoed on the right and left of Congress. Among those who also called for an investigation were fellow 'Squad' member Rashida Tlaib; progressive Ted Lieu; ultra-liberal Elizabeth Warren; and on the Republican side, Pat Toomey, a fiscal conservative. All demanded that Robinhood be forced to answer why it had stopped retail investors trading in GameStop, AMC, Nokia, BlackBerry Tootsie Rolls' parent company, headphone manufacturer Koss and swimwear company Naked Brand - while hedge funds were able to keep trading. AOC also shared an article about a second Capitol Police officer who committed suicide in the wake of the deadly riot that killed five in the immediate aftermath. She said Cruz should resign She added that Cruz should 'get off my timeline & stop clout-chasing' because he never apologized to Capitol police, custodial workers and members of Congress for his role in inspiring the insurrection Cruz made his opinion known over Twitter Thursday with AOC delivering a harsh response Stocks Robinhood halted purchasing GameStop AMC BlackBerry Express Koss Naked Brand Group Nokia American Airlines Bed Bath & Beyond Castor Maritime Inc Sundial Growers Inc Tootsie Roll Trivago Advertisement It was the hedge funds, not the Robinhood investors who had racked up vast losses before the app started banning trades in the stocks being bought by Reddit users. Calls for action by Congress and the Securities Exchange Commission to address why Wall Street appeared to be treated differently from individual investors also came from Donald Trump Jr., whose father's rise is being compared to the storming of GameStop because of its origin in a populist and meme-driven 'revolt.' But AOC and Cruz's occupation of common ground could not survive the aftermath of another insurrection - the MAGA riot on Capitol Hill on January 6. During a January 12 Instagram live, AOC recounted, 'I can tell you that I had a very close encounter where I thought I was going to die.' 'I did not know if I was going to make it to the end of that day alive,' she added. As one of the most liberal members of Congress, the self-described democratic socialist would have been a top target for the right-wing crowd. Ocasio-Cortez continued to berate Cruz in her Twitterfeed. 'While you conveniently talk about "moving on," a second Capitol police officer lost their life yesterday in the still-raging aftermath of the attacks you had a role in,' she said, sharing a story about Officer Jeffery Smith's death. 'This isnt a joke. We need accountability, and that includes a new Senator from Texas,' the New York Democrat continued. 'You havent even apologized for the serious physical + mental harm you contributed to from Capitol Police & custodial workers to your own fellow members of Congress,' she said. On January 12, AOC appeared on Instagram Live and talked about her experiences on January 6. 'I did not know if I was going to make it to the end of that day alive,' she said AOC then told Cruz: 'You can get off my timeline & stop clout-chasing. Thanks.' 'Happy to work with other GOP on this,' she offered. Earlier Thursday, Ocasio-Cortez had criticized Robinhood for restricting retail trading of shares of GameStop and other companies that seen gains through social-media driven interest. Ocasio-Cortez called Robinhood's decision 'unacceptable' and said as a member of the House Financial Services Committee she'd be supportive of a hearing on the matter. 'Inquiries into freezes should not be limited solely to Robinhood,' she also said. 'This is a serious matter. Committee investigators should examine any retail services freezing stock purchases in the course of potential investigations - especially those allowing sales, but freezing purchases.' Cruz later told Capitol Hill reporters that 'there's a lot of partisan anger and rage on the Democratic side' when asked about AOC's response to his invitation to work together. 'It's, it's not healthy for our country, it's certainly not conducive of healing or unity, but everyone has to decide how they want to interact with others,' the Texas Republican said. AOC reacted to that too. 'Oh, there's anger?' she tweeted. 'Now why would there be anger that Cruz amplified known lies about our election that fueled an insurrection that cost ppl's lives?' 'What does he think the logical response to his lies should be? A hug?' she asked. 'Maybe there's anger bc his actions deserve accountability,' Ocasio-Cortez said. 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 The man killed was a member of the Terror Town faction of the Black P-Stone street gang, and G Herbo, whose real name is Herbert Wright III, is a documented member of the Terror Town and No Limit factions of the Black P-Stones, according to a Chicago police officer safety alert. The Tribune is not naming the man killed because the Cook County medical examiners office has not released his identity, pending family notification. The Laredo health department announced on Thursday they have received 5,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, allowing the city to move forward with disbursement of the vaccine to the public. VACCINE TRACKER: Follow the latest vaccine distribution information in Laredo with our interactive Vaccine Tracker Like previous clinics, the City of Laredo will be scheduling most appointments through their online portal vaccinatelaredo.com. Appointments will be available through the website starting at 1 p.m. on Friday, January 29, and will be open until fully booked. In previous scheduling periods, appointments were exhausted within minutes. A total of 2,400 appointments will be available through the website, with another 603 available for locals who prefer booking their appointment via the city's 3-1-1 hotline. Of the remaining 2,000 doses, 1,497 will be allocated to citizens who signed up for a later appointment during Monday's scheduling period targeting Laredoans 65 years of age and older. 500 will also be held for emergency response staff who are directly participating in the administration of the vaccine. As had been the case in previous vaccine distributions in Laredo, the vaccines will continue to be limited to those in Phase 1A and 1B of the Texas vaccine distribution plan. Phase 1A includes frontline healthcare workers, including, but not limited to, physicians, nurses, medical assistants, EMS and school nurses. Phase 1B includes people 65 years of age and older or 16 years of age and older with a pre-existing medical condition that puts them at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Examples of pre-existing conditions include: cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart conditions. The health department will begin distributing the vaccine starting the following Monday, February 1, through 25 pre-designated points of distribution for the COVID-19 vaccine. These 25 locations, opened in partnership with the Laredo ISD and United ISD, will be mainly located at existing schools, including Nixon High School and the ninth grade campus of United High School. The decentralized locations will hopefully make it easier for Laredoans to get vaccinated once a more ample supply of the vaccine is received in Laredo. However, to get inoculated at one of these locations on Monday, citizens will have to have an appointment set in advance. As distribution ramps up, the city is also calling on volunteers to assist with vaccine distributions. The city requests medical volunteers; specifically adults with medical experience who can distribute vaccinations and also non-medical volunteers 16 years of age and older who can assist with traffic control, registration, ushering. All volunteers will be assigned tasks according to the site's need. Training and briefing will be held prior to the vaccination drive. READ MORE: In recent weeks, Webb has received far fewer doses of vaccine than counties of smaller size Interested participants are asked to send an email to Edgar Campos at ercampos@ci.laredo.tx.us or call the Laredo Volunteer Center at 956-635-9030. The email should include your full name, date of birth, phone number and whether you're a medical volunteer or not. If you have medical experience, the city also asks to include your medical license in the email. WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Markus Lindblad, Head of External Affairs at NicoKick's parent company, the Haypp Group, sent a letter to Acting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Janet Woodcock. In the letter to Acting Commissioner Woodcock, Lindblad highlighted the growth of harm reduction products in the United States and encouraged her to prioritize the goal she helped set at FDA in previous years to enable greater use of healthier harm reduction products and help smokers quit combustible products. "Our mission at NicoKick is to drive real change in the industry and encourage alternative nicotine enjoyment for adults seeking products other than inhalants," Linblad wrote. "We recognize that your focus is understandably on addressing the coronavirus pandemic, but we hope as you lead the Food and Drug Administration that you continue to prioritize tobacco-harm reduction products that will produce better health outcomes for millions of American smokers. We can all agree any effort to transition from traditional tobacco products to those that reduce harm to the consumer should be supported and would be an important win for public health." NicoKick is the world's largest American e-commerce company in the smokeless industry. As users move away from traditional tobacco products toward healthier smokeless options, NicoKick's sales have increased throughout the United States because of their local expertise and convenience to customers. The site is quickly becoming a one-stop shop for consumers interested in learning more about and purchasing smokeless tobacco products. The full text of the letter may be found below: January 29, 2021 Hon. Janet Woodcock Acting Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Food and Drug Administration 10903 New Hampshire Ave Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002 Dear Acting Commissioner Woodcock: We are writing to urge you to prioritize a common goal you established in your previous role at the FDA: "to enable greater use of safe and effective options to help those who are addicted to nicotine get the help they need to quit combustible cigarettes altogether." Federal tobacco policy should be focused on promoting and ensuring tobacco harm reduction products are available for the 34.1 million adult smokers in the United States. The FDA made the right decision to create a modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) designation so consumers can know when a nicotine product is a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, and we hope the MRTP process remains in place. It sets an appropriately high, scientific standard for products to obtain this designation, and it is crucial that these products are made available to consumers - and that consumers should be made aware of the health benefits of transitioning from combustible cigarettes to these products. Thankfully, many adult consumers in the U.S. are already experiencing healthier lives as a result of harm reduction products being readily available. Tobacco-free nicotine pouches are one of the fastest growing smokeless products on the market today, and our company NicoKick has seen incredible growth as we continue to rapidly expand into the U.S. market. On average, NicoKick sold 80,000 cans per month in 2019, compared with nearly 400,000 cans per month in the months of April and May 2020. Tobacco-free nicotine pouches not only eliminate the harmful carcinogens that smokers inhale when they use combustible cigarettes, they also have the added potential of producing "accidental quitters," or smokers who are experimenting with an alternative nicotine product for other reasons than to quit smoking, but who as a result of this experimentation end up quitting smoking. This is why it is critical that a variety of these products remain on the market and available to adult smokers. Our mission at NicoKick is to drive real change in the industry and encourage alternative nicotine enjoyment for adults seeking products other than inhalants. We recognize that your focus is understandably on addressing the coronavirus pandemic, but we hope as you lead the Food and Drug Administration that you continue to prioritize tobacco-harm reduction products that will produce better health outcomes for millions of American smokers. We can all agree any effort to transition from traditional tobacco products to those that reduce harm to the consumer should be supported and would be an important win for public health. Sincerely, Markus Lindblad Head of External Affairs, Haypp Group SOURCE NicoKick Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Even though nine years have passed since Ralph Heimans was driven through the gates of Buckingham Palace for the most crucial 60 minutes of his career, the Australian artist is still bombarded with one big question: what's the Queen like? Heimans is armed with a good answer when I ask too. "She really does have an aura. If such a thing exists in this world, she has it. Although it might have helped that when I met her she was wearing the robes of state, encrusted in jewels and walking with four footmen carrying her 18-foot long robe. But I honestly was struck." Ralph Heimans' work, Coronation Theatre, being installed inside Westminster Abbey. Credit:Getty His more enduring insight into the Queen hangs in Westminster Abbey - a 2.5-metre high by 3.4-metre wide portrait commissioned to celebrate her 60 years on the throne. Heimans, an outsider of sorts in the Australian art world, was the only painter invited to mark the moment and was granted an hour-long sitting with the monarch in the Yellow Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace in 2012. The encounter firmly established him as the portraitist of choice for the royal houses of Europe and a genuine Australian success story albeit not a hugely well-known one. Just think about it, says Michael Kirby, the former High Court judge who helped Heimans win the job. The only portrait of the Queen for her diamond jubilee was done by an Australian. And it has been acquired by Westminster Abbey and will be there for hundreds of years. When we first speak over Zoom, London is enduring another coronavirus lockdown. Heimans has not conducted any in-person sittings all year. "This pandemic has reminded me how much portraitists depend on human-to-human contact the sitting, the initial exchange and spark that occurs between the subject and the artists is irreplaceable," he says. Advertisement "I think there's a narrative here and in Australia that the arts can take a hit because it is not essential, which is very distressing. The arts are what keep us afloat during these times of distress." Ralph Heimans portrait of the Prince of Wales. He laughs when I ask whether the pandemic might inspire an era of portraits featuring masks. The eyes are the window to the soul and thankfully we can at least still see those. Whats amazing is how easily we can still recognise people with a mask on how little information we require, within milliseconds, to identify somebody. The brain is incredible. Heimans will often start a major work by tackling the eyes. Its all in the eyes. When I have a blank canvas, as soon as you paint the eyes, it starts to breathe and it starts to tell you what the painting needs. His distress when fathers rights activist Tim Haries spray painted HELP over the Queens portrait in 2013 was slightly offset by relief the vandal had missed her eyes. "A portrait painter is a little bit like a sculptor creating a form out of stone. You try to breathe life into a figure. It's not just a superficial thing of how they look. It's really how they move, how they feel, how they think. It's almost like being an actor you have to inhabit that person." Ralph Heimans has lived in south London for 11 years. Credit:Edwina Pickles The roll call of Heimans famous subjects is striking. He immortalised Prince Philip in 2017 and Prince Charles the following year thanks to a commission funded by billionaire Anthony Pratt and partly orchestrated by Paul Keating, whose support for Heimans momentarily outweighed his republican leanings. Pratts friend, businessman Ross Fitzgerald, is also friends with Keating and the former prime minister became something of a middle man in suggesting Heimans might be the right choice to paint the future king. Advertisement So, yes, a portrait of Prince Charles came about through Paul Keating, which is ... unexpected, Heimans laughs. But when you think about it, those two men connect really well, oddly, with their passion for the environment, art and architecture. Keating thinks the startling boyish 50-year-old artist is only just getting started: We are going to see a lot more of Ralph ... theres going to be an even bigger Ralph coming, Keating tells me. "Ralph is interested in beauty, a matter which has gone out of fashion. And of course I've been interested in beauty per se all my life so when you run into somewhat of a kindred spirit you do find something of a common cause." Heimans 2017 portrait of Prince Philip is set in the Grand Corridor at Windsor Castle. Credit:Buckingham Palace/AP Heimans' portraits of Danish Crown Prince Frederik and his Tasmanian-born wife Princess Mary hang in a 17th century castle north of Copenhagen. Labor lion Tom Uren and Murdoch family matriarch Dame Elisabeth have also sat for the Sydney-born talent, as have billionaire business identities Sir Frederick Barclay and Darla Moore. To commemorate the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeares death in 2016, publisher Random House picked Heimans to paint six literary icons including Booker Prize winning authors Margaret Atwood and Howard Jacobson, American writer Gillian Flynn and Norwegian crime novelist Jo Nesbo. He has also painted actor Dame Judi Dench and one-time Sydney Symphony Orchestra conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy. Ralph Heimans portrait of author Margaret Atwood. Advertisement He is also the creative genius behind the official portrait of former governor-general Dame Quentin Bryce in the Members Hall at Parliament House, and Radical Restraint, the National Portrait Gallery's evocative tribute to the trailblazing legal giant Kirby. Kirby agrees the London-based Heimans is not celebrated at home to the extent he deserves. "Australia's like that, though," the former judge says. "Australia doesn't celebrate its heroes. Indeed it is sceptical of heroism, and tends to think that foreigners are by nature more gifted. We've had many people in Australia who have had to go overseas to get discovered. But I do think Ralph was discovered before he went to London." Heimans only came to paint Radical Restraint in 1996 after a chance conversation between Kirby and the painter's documentary maker father Frank. "We really did click," Heimans says. "He admired my work, which was wonderful, and I admired what he stood for, his bravery and his judicial philosophy. We became friends." Many years later Kirby would copy Heimans into an email he wrote suggesting Canberras National Portrait Gallery commission a piece for the Queens diamond jubilee. I read the email, called Michael and said, what are you cooking up? and he said would you like to do this portrait?, and I replied absolutely. John Dauth, Australias high commissioner to London at the time and a former press secretary to Prince Charles, took the pitch to Buckingham Palace. Ten months later the green light was granted and Heimans was whisked through the gates for the all-important sitting. 'You try to breathe life into a figure. It's not just a superficial thing of how they look. It's how they move, how they feel, how they think.' Portrait painter Ralph Heimans There's an element of destiny to Heimans' extraordinary success. Some of his first memories feature drawing and painting. "From a very early age I realised my identity was an artist," he says from the south London home he shares with wife Tami and their daughters Ellie-Rose and Hannah. "I had a very clear drive. It was from before I could write. I would sit alone for hours on end and just draw. I don't ever recall a bored moment in my childhood because I could just pick up a pencil." Advertisement While Frank made documentaries, Heimans mother Josette taught French. His brother Jeremy would co-found activist group GetUp! in 2005. It was at the family home in Cremorne on Sydneys lower north shore where a 14-year-old Heimans fell in love with oils. The experience of oils was indescribable. I set up a corner in the dining room of the family house and that was it. I basically never left that space for the rest of school. Ralph Heimans portrait of actor Dame Judi Dench. Credit:Courtesy Ralph Heimans Heimans would go on to win the now defunct National Art Award aged just 17 and used the $2500 prize money to spend three months travelling Europe in search of an art school. But this was the 1980s and Heiman's interest in traditional European style was thoroughly unfashionable, even discouraged. He scoped out prestigious academies in Florence, Milan, London and Vienna but was disappointed they all focused on theory over technique. He returned to Australia dejected but determined. At one point Frank and Josette took their son to see a psychologist. When the doctor asked what was wrong, his exasperated parents blurted out in near-unison, "He wants to be an artist!" When the doctor asked what was wrong, his exasperated parents blurted out in near-unison, 'He wants to be an artist!'. "It was like a scene out of a Woody Allen movie," Heimans laughs. "The look on the psychologist's face was sort of like 'who am I supposed to be evaluating here?' It didn't take long before they did a complete about-face and were very supportive and it has been so important to have that." Conscious of his parents' concerns, Heimans enrolled to study architecture at Sydney University. "It was a bit odd because I was trying to design renaissance buildings in Ultimo, which did not go down well with the tutor." He eventually graduated with a degree in fine arts and pure mathematics the latter of which he calls on to paint the intricate structural surrounds of portrait subjects. Advertisement Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global Mirabegron API Market report offers a comprehensive analysis of current trends and future opportunities. This report is responsible for quantitative estimation and foreseen future for upcoming years based on the recent companies strategic moves and historical data. Further, the market report is categorized into different segments, regions, and countries level. This report also provides competitor analysis with its market share and developments. The final report will cover the impact of COVID-19 on this industry. The global Mirabegron API market report presents a complete research-based study of the industry including details such as company shares, forecast data, in-depth analysis and an outlook of the market on a worldwide platform. The report further highlights the market drivers, restraints and the top manufacturers at the global and regional levels. For a thorough understanding, the report also offers market segmentation and regional analysis for the forecast period from 2020 to 2025. Click here to get a Sample PDF Copy of the Mirabegron API Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-31518 According to this study, over the next five years, the Mirabegron API market will register an xx% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach $ xx million by 2025, from $ xx million in 2020. In particular, this report presents the global market share (sales and revenue) of key companies in the Mirabegron API business, shared in Chapter 3. This Mirabegron API market report also splits the market by regions: Americas (United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil), APAC (China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, Australia), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain), Middle East & Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Turkey, GCC Countries). This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of the Mirabegron API market by type, application, key manufacturers, key regions, and countries. The key manufacturers covered in this report: Breakdown data in Chapter 3. Tecoland Alfa Chemistry Dr. Reddys Laboratories Kumidas SA FCDA Zhiwe Chemtech Hairuichem Hangzhou Keying Chem Wuhan Fortuna Chemical Others To inquire about report customization, feel free to reach out to our team of expert analysts @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/ask-questions-31518 This study considers the Mirabegron API value and volume generated from the sales of the following segments: Segmentation by type: breakdown data from 2015 to 2020, in Section 2.3; and forecast to 2025 in section 11.7. Min Purity Less Than 98% Min Purity 98%-99% Min Purity More Than 99% Segmentation by application: breakdown data from 2015 to 2020, in Section 2.4; and forecast to 2025 in section 11.8. Research Pharmaceutical In addition, this report discusses the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, challenges, and the risks faced by key manufacturers and the market as a whole. It also analyzes key emerging trends and their impact on present and future development. Purchase the Complete Global Mirabegron API Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-31518 Research Objectives To study and analyze the global Mirabegron API consumption (value & volume) by key regions/countries, type and application, history data from 2015 to 2019, and forecast to 2025. To understand the structure of the Mirabegron API market by identifying its various subsegments. Focuses on the key global Mirabegron API manufacturers, to define, describe, and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in the next few years. To analyze the Mirabegron API with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market. To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks). To project the consumption of Mirabegron API submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries). To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. About Us: DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research report provider, enriching decision-makers, and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research reports, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains. Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed. For more details: DecisionDatabases.com E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.com Phone: +91 90 28 057900 Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ Reference Source: https://www.topnewscorner.com/mirabegron-api-market-size-share-growth-outlook-forecast-research-report-till-2025/ 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 When words failed him, one 15-year-old boy who survived three Nazi concentration camps instead set about drawing a series of remarkable sketches to tell his story of the Holocaust. The then 13-year-old Thomas Geve was imprisoned at Auschwitz, in Nazi-occupied Poland, from 1943 until 1945, and only survived the initial inspection by Hitler's SS guards - who would ordinarily have sent children to the gas chambers - because he was tall for his age. Incredibly, though he was separated from his mother on arrival, other inmates risked their lives to help him have a fleeting 15-second reunion with her in the camp - where they touched hands and kissed - before he never saw her again. In 1945, as Soviet troops approached Auschwitz - where an estimated 1.2million Jews were murdered - Mr Geve was sent on a death march towards Germany along with around 60,000 other inmates, 15,000 of whom died. As well as surviving that ordeal, Mr Geve endured imprisonment at two other concentration camps - Gross-Rosen and Buchenwald, both in Germany. The horror finally ended when Buchenwald was liberated in April 1945. To help cope with the unimaginable trauma he had endured, Mr Geve - who later joined his father who had escaped to England - recorded his memories by depicting them on paper. Created first with charcoal on pieces of cement sacks, and then in colour on scraps of paper no larger than a postcard, the drawings have taken on new meaning as one of the most remarkable testimonies of that time: the Holocaust seen through the eyes of a child. For the first time, more than 80 of his sketches are presented alongside his narrative of events in The Boy Who Drew Auschwitz, published this week. The then 13-year-old Thomas Geve was imprisoned at Auschwitz, in Nazi-occupied Poland, from 1943 until 1945, and only survived the initial inspection by Hitler's SS guards - who would ordinarily have sent children to the gas chambers - because he was tall for his age. He later depicted his experiences in series of drawing. Above: Mr Geve's drawing of the entrance to Auschwitz-Birkenau For the first time, more than 80 of his sketches are presented alongside his narrative of events in The Boy Who Drew Auschwitz, published this week. The story of Mr Geve's experiences was told this week by the Jewish News and is now being re-published by MailOnline His poignant account, written with journalist Charlie Inglefield, recalls how Mr Geve was just nine when he waved farewell to his father, Erich, who left Berlin for England. It records how the family planned to join Erich, but that became an impossibility once the Second World War broke out. He then stayed with his mother in the German capital working as a gravedigger despite his tender age until they were both deported to Auschwitz in 1943. There he remained until the inmates were evacuated in January 1945 and sent on a death march by Nazi forces retreating from Soviet troops, before enduring Gross-Rosen concentration camp and later Buchenwald, which was liberated in April 1945. His incredible story of survival is interspersed with the drawings. Some are of everyday camp life, some show detailed lists, maps and statistics, while others show the sickening brutality of their oppressors. Mr Geve's childhood sketches, which he composed after being liberated from the Buchenwald concentration camp, show both prisoners and guards at Auschwitz. Prisoners are seen in blue striped uniforms, while SS guards are seen walking with guns Speaking over a Zoom call from his home in Israel, where Mr Geve emigrated in 1950, the now 91-year-old survivor told the Jewish News the drawings serve as a continuous reminder of his story and why he feels it is imperative to continue to educate people about the Holocaust. Pictured: Another of his drawings of Auschwitz One shows stickmen playing in a camp orchestra, while a row of faceless men, all uniformed and without individuality, march along to the music. Another shows, through a child's eyes, the process of selection for death, or what happened to those who bravely tried to escape but were captured. Thomas even made drawings about what happened on the death march. Speaking over a Zoom call from his home in Israel, where Mr Geve emigrated in 1950, the now 91-year-old survivor told the Jewish News the drawings serve as a continuous reminder of his story and why he feels it is imperative to continue to educate people about the Holocaust. 'I still think about it and know about it. It was my life,' he explained. Born in Beuthen, in what was then German territory but is now in Poland, Mr Geve moving to Berlin just before the outbreak of the War. Mr Geve's daughter Yifat Meir believed the sketches provided a form of art therapy for the young teenager and inspired other child survivors to work through their trauma in the same way His sketch of new arrivals at the notorious death camp, which has been engraved on a special memorial wall at Auschwitz, was for him 'the most important and by far the saddest picture of modern history Mr Geve remained with his mother until their deportation to Auschwitz, where he was taken off to the men's camp as one of 18,000 prisoners there and given a tattoo with the number 127003. He said: 'But I was just called 003 in Auschwitz; that was my name for more than two years' Mr Geve was just a youngster when he realised being Jewish could put his life in danger. 'I knew when I was five-years-old that I was Jewish because I was not allowed to play with the other children on the street anymore,' he said. 'They explained that I was something different. I even learned a song from the other children about Hitler and my family said, "My God, you're not allowed to sing that song. You're Jewish."' Mr Geve remained with his mother until their deportation to Auschwitz, where he was taken off to the men's camp as one of 18,000 prisoners there and given a tattoo with the number 127003. He said: 'But I was just called 003 in Auschwitz; that was my name for more than two years.' His sketch of new arrivals at the notorious death camp, which has been engraved on a special memorial wall at Auschwitz, was for him 'the most important and by far the saddest picture of modern history'. He added: 'When we arrived, we didn't really know what was happening. 'That was part of Hitler's design, to hide all these things from the world. It didn't really occur to me that we would be prisoners. I thought we were sent there to work in the factories, nothing more.' But soon the reality of their situation became clear and, aged 13, Mr Geve was still just a child a fact he kept hidden from the SS officers, thanks to his tall stature, which made him seem older. Officially there were no men aged under 15 at the camp. 'Out of 18,000 men, I was the third youngest,' recalls Thomas, who was sent with other young men to become a bricklayer at the camp. 'Because I was so tall, people didn't recognise I was a child. But it was quite a struggle because I couldn't fight or compete with the grown-ups. 'On the other hand, when people realised I was a child, they did their best to help me.' One of the most remarkable stories that Mr Geve recalls in his book is how for a very brief moment he saw his mother again in the camp, with many people risking their lives to make that meeting happen. In his book, Mr Geve recalled: 'Still in her late 30s, mother looked as haggard as her companions. One of the most remarkable stories that Mr Geve recalls in his book is how for a very brief moment he saw his mother again in the camp, with many people risking their lives to make that meeting happen 'Without either of us slowing our stride, we touched hands. I managed to sneak a kiss. To hold her hand again was an unimaginable, miraculous moment.' Mr Geve would never see his mother again, but it was a moment he would never forget. Meanwhile, for the other camp inmates, the 'one in a million chance' of a mother and son reuniting at Auschwitz provided a beacon of hope among the despair. Mr Geve's daughter, Yifat Meir, said the episode is particularly moving because of the risk others must have taken to help them. 'They helped each other to find those human moments,' she said. 'The camp was so much about erasing one's identity as a person, but here they were helping each other just to feel human again.' After liberation, Mr Geve was sent to an orphan camp in Switzerland, before finally being reunited with his father in England. After liberation, Mr Geve was sent to an orphan camp in Switzerland, before finally being reunited with his father in England. He had begun drawing his experiences prior to the ending of the war, but it was while recuperating in Switzerland that his work became more prolific He had begun drawing his experiences prior to the ending of the war, but it was while recuperating in Switzerland that his work became more prolific. Ms Meir believed the sketches provided a form of art therapy for the young teenager and inspired other child survivors to work through their trauma in the same way. She added: 'My father kept telling me he used seven colours and it came to my mind that those are the colours of the rainbow, a symbol of peace and life. 'I think it was very healing for him to draw in colour to describe life in the camps. It was his way of taking back control over his life, having experienced so much suppression.' A version of this article was first published by the Jewish News earlier this week. The Boy Who Drew Auschwitz by Thomas Geve with Charlie Inglefield is published by Harper Non-Fiction priced at 18.99 Jess Redden is proving lifes a beach down under. Since making the move with fiance Rob Kearney earlier this year, the fitness model and lifestyle influencer has flooded her social media feed with pictures of her great Aussie adventure. Eagle-eye fans will have spotted pictures of the 26-year-old flirting with Australian wildlife while also hitting the beach and catching picturesque sunsets. Read More Despite revealing her initial concerns over the big move, the social media star has revealed she has finally settled into her new home. Taking to Instagram to share an uplifting post, she wrote: Appreciation for all you lovely lot. "Last year was one of the hardest for me and strangely I found so much comfort on here, I feel so happy to have created such a wonderful community so thank you loveys, sending you all the sunshine and love." To the Editor: Re Biden Pitches Climate Policy as a Jobs Plan (front page, Jan. 28): The day President Biden signed the sweeping executive orders on climate change was one of the happiest days of my life, on a par with the day I got married, the day I bought my dream home, the day I officially became an American citizen. Exaggeration? Not when I have worked for 20 years to get our institutions to be more sustainable and advocated for policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Not when I cried thinking about all the species that have become and will become extinct. Not when I am terrified by the prospect of devastating storms and wildfires every year. Even though we are far from winning, we have a leader who is willing to do more than any president has ever done to fight the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced. As citizens, we need to continue to put pressure on our elected officials to adopt climate-friendly policies, and to reduce carbon footprints in our own lives. No matter what we do or where we live, we all need to be climate activists as if our life depends on it, because it does. Spain is facing another debate about face masks. At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Spanish health authorities did not recommend the use of face masks, partly because there were not enough to supply everyone. One year on, non-medical face masks continue to be allowed, even though health experts say they are not safe, given what is now known about how the virus is spread, and the emergence of new, more contagious strains, such as the B.1.1.7 variant detected in the United Kingdom. But if FFP2 masks theoretically the most effective at stopping the virus were mandatory, it is not likely that there would be sufficient capacity to produce this level of supply, according to the Association of Personal Protective Equipment Companies (Asepal). Other countries are already cracking down on non-medical masks on the grounds that they do not provide enough protection from the virus. France issued a decree last Thursday banning certain homemade masks from being worn in public. Under the decree, only three types of masks are recommended: surgical, the FFP2 and fabric masks made to category 1 standards, which filter at least 90% of three-micrometer particles. In Germany, residents cannot enter closed spaces, such as supermarkets and offices, with fabric masks. Only FFP2 and KN95, both considered personal protective equipment (PPE), and blue surgical masks, which filter more than 90% of particles, are allowed. In Bavaria, FFP2 masks have been mandatory since last Monday. People wearing FFP2 face masks in Berlin, Germany. FABRIZIO BENSCH / Reuters In Spain, the debate around what type of face masks should be used was raised on Wednesday by Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the premier of the northwestern Galicia region. It would boost confidence if the central government clarified if FFP2 masks can be mandatory in certain places or social occasions. We think that they can, he told parliament, adding he would discuss the issue with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday. Fernando Simon, the director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts (CCAES), has supported the use of surgical and PPE masks. The greater the protection, the better, he said at a press conference last week. But he also defended the use of fabric masks that meet specifications outlined by the Spanish Association for Standardization (UNE). This type of face covering was approved in Spain last April, when face masks were declared mandatory in all public spaces. The decision was made in order to allow non-specialized companies to produce large numbers of face masks so that the needs of the public could be quickly met. But the use of fabric masks, like homemade ones, has come under growing scrutiny. They are not subject to meet specific requirements from a health point of view, says Luis Gil, the secretary general of Asepal. EL PAIS asked the Spanish Health Ministry if it is planning on changing the current rules, but the ministry replied that any changes would not be announced ahead of time. Ideal protection: FFP2 and FFP3 Jose Jimenez, a researcher at the infectious diseases department in Kings College in London, believes that the use of hygienic masks (cloth, paper) and especially homemade coverings should not be allowed, given that their effectiveness depends a lot on what material they are made from and the filters they contain. In an ideal world, the right thing would be for everyone to wear PPE masks because they are the most effective when it comes to stopping us from getting infected and being able to infect others, he says. However, they are face masks that not everyone is able to have, they are not always available and they can only be used for a very limited time. Thats why, although they are not perfect, I think the accepted minimum should be surgical masks that health workers are used to wearing and are more accessible and easy to use. While surgical masks can be bought for 0.15, PPE masks cost at least 2. Given that they are only effective for eight hours of use, an individual would have to spend 60 a month if they needed to use one a day. Making matters worse, Asepal says there is not enough manufacturing capacity to deal with a surge in demand. Making this type of mask mandatory, which could happen both in Spain or across Europe, could risk causing supply problems again. Right now, it [production] is normalized to supply health workers, but the supply is not ready for a global demand from all citizens, says Gil. Given this problem, Jose Maria Lagaron, founder of the New Materials and Nanotechnology research group at the Agrochemical and Food Technology Institute (IATA-CSIC), proposes that authorities recommend the use of FFP2 masks, especially indoors. We know that the virus is mainly spread through the air and in closed spaces where aerosols build up, meaning that the best protection is PPE masks. In open spaces, surgical masks should be enough, he says. Safe, if worn properly One of the arguments used by health authorities to justify not recommending PPE masks to the general population, is that most people do not know how to wear them. Although this type of mask offers the greatest protection, its effectiveness depends on whether it is fitted properly and forms a hermetic space, ensuring that all air expired is filtered through the mask. Gil from Asepal explains that the level of protection could be diminished if the user has a beard or if the mask is not tightly fitted over the nose and mouth, as aerosols could get through these holes and bypass the filter. Using a surgical mask on top of an FFP2 is also counterproductive as it creates gaps. An improperly worn PPE mask can be up to 50% less effective. With respect to surgical masks, Jimenez says the problem is that they are designed to stop someone who has the virus from spreading it to others. They serve to protect those around us, meaning the protection it provides to the person wearing it is very limited, he says. But if everyone wore at least surgical masks and used them correctly, the number of infections would fall significantly. Lagaron says that surgical masks are designed for bacterias, not viruses like SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19. Traditionally, health workers use them in surgery so as to not infect patients they are operating on [which is how they got their name], he explains. With a respiratory virus, like the one of this pandemic, its not that you are going to be totally unprotected, but we know that in surgical masks, between 35% and 15% of potentially contagious particles can penetrate. Faced with a more virulent strain, like the one detected in Britain, it is evident that we are going to have to be more serious about protection. English version by Melissa Kitson. LOS ANGELESFalcon|NakedSword on Friday announced that it has renewed its exclusive agreement with adult superstar Josh Moore. Starring in some of the biggest Falcon and NakedSword hits, Moore will continue to appear exclusively in the movies and scenes of Falcon|NakedSword. 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WASHINGTON - Open hostility broke out among Republicans and Democrats in Congress on Thursday amid growing fears of physical violence and looming domestic terrorism threats from supporters of former president Donald Trump, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi leveling an extraordinary allegation that dangers lurk among the membership itself. "The enemy is within the House of Representatives, a threat that members are concerned about, in addition to what is happening outside," Pelosi, D-Calif., said at a Thursday morning news conference. But even as she and others sounded the alarm, Republicans continued to deepen their ties to the former president, who has been impeached on a charge of inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Hours after Pelosi's remarks, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., met with Trump in Florida. In a statement, the pair vowed to work together to take back the House. On Thursday afternoon, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., a Trump acolyte, traveled to the district of Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, a member of the House GOP leadership, to hold a rally criticizing her vote to impeach Trump earlier this month. The events reflected the extent to which the country's legislative branch, which has for years been mired in partisan bickering, has reached new levels of animosity just as newly inaugurated President Joe Biden is seeking to win passage of a massive bill designed to help lift the country out of the pandemic. Some Democrats are expressing fears that Republican lawmakers - who in some cases have tried bringing weapons onto the House floor - cannot be trusted. Some have bought bulletproof vests and are seeking other protections. And Democratic leaders are putting maximum pressure on the Republican leadership to denounce freshman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who once endorsed violence against members of Congress. One Democrat advanced a resolution to expel her from Congress. Greene, a onetime far-right online commentator, has a history of promoting violent ideas and beliefs. This week, social media postings surfaced showing she had liked Facebook posts that advocated violence against Democrats, including one that suggested shooting Pelosi in the head. Greene also spread conspiracy theories that the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., that left 17 people dead was a "false flag," and new videos showed her stalking and harassing David Hogg, a Parkland student turned advocate of stricter gun safety laws, who was a teenager at the time. Pelosi and other senior Democrats have called on McCarthy and other senior Republican leaders to address Greene's social media comments. Democrats were incensed that Greene was given a spot on the House Education and Labor Committee, given her comments about the Parkland shooting. "Assigning her to the education committee, when she has mocked the killing of little children" at school, "what could they be thinking, or is thinking too generous a word for what they might be doing?" Pelosi said. "It's absolutely appalling." Greene responded to the Democrats' criticism in an emailed statement: "Democrats and their spokesmen in the Fake News Media will stop at nothing to defeat conservative Republicans. They are coming after me because I'm a threat to their goal of Socialism. They are coming after me because they know I represent the people, not the politicians.." Through a spokesman McCarthy described Greene's comments as "deeply disturbing. "Leader McCarthy plans to have a conversation with the congresswoman about them," a McCarthy spokesman said, though he did not elaborate further. The GOP leader spent his day in West Palm Beach, Fla., with Trump, formulating a plan for Republicans to take back the House in 2022. In a statement after the meeting, Trump's super PAC Save America issued a warning shot to Republicans who cross him: "President Trump's popularity has never been stronger than it is today, and his endorsement means more than perhaps any endorsement at any time." McCarthy's has long struggled with how to address Greene, highlighting the current predicament for House GOP leaders, whose party attracts an increasingly virulent anti-establishment, conspiratorial base. Just weeks after GOP voters chose to oust one persistent headache for party leaders - Rep. Steve King of Iowa, who had a long history of racist rhetoric - reporters unearthed videos of Greene, then a candidate for office, making disparaging remarks about African Americans, Muslims and Jewish megadonor George Soros. McCarthy denounced the comments through a spokesman but did little subsequently to intervene over the following weeks in the primary runoff against a more conventional GOP candidate. Republican aides familiar with McCarthy's thinking who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the episode said GOP leaders were in a tight spot: Greene had won nearly twice as many votes as the runner-up in the primary's initial round, and it was clear that intervention from a national party leader could easily backfire in Greene's favor. But other Republicans say McCarthy and other leaders could have done more to persuade Trump - the only Republican with credibility with rural Georgia voters - to intervene. Greene ended up winning by 15 percentage points, calling it a "badge of honor" on election night that the "D.C. swamp has been against me." Trump tweeted the next day: "Marjorie is strong on everything and never gives up - a real WINNER!" After November's elections, McCarthy found his standing in the House GOP at an all-time high after Republicans beat expectations, cutting the Democratic majority to single digits after most forecasters had predicted Democrats would gain seats. Despite Trump's loss, McCarthy hewed closely to the outgoing president -- backing up his false claims of a stolen election, even after his Senate counterpart, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., declared Biden the winner on Dec. 15. Instead, McCarthy signaled to Republicans that he would back Trump's election fraud claims to the very end - at the Jan. 6 vote to certify the electoral college tally. The politics could not have been clearer for McCarthy, who was among the first senior Republican leaders to intuitively sense Trump's appeal to voters in 2016. Breaking with the soon-to-be-ex-president - then and now an overwhelmingly popular figure among GOP voters - would threaten his 14-year climb up the party leadership, with the speaker's chair just within his grasp. But the riot at the Capitol scrambled that calculation. As the pro-Trump mob ransacked the seat of Congress, McCarthy was among the most senior officials calling Trump and begging that he make a public statement denouncing the violence. Later that night, after the House returned to session, he called the riot "unacceptable, undemocratic and un-American" and said it was "the saddest day I have ever had serving as a member of this institution." He then voted with the vast majority of House Republicans to challenge the electoral votes of two states won by Biden. McCarthy kept largely quiet over the following week as House Democrats moved toward impeaching Trump. While some Republicans privately floated alternatives that might have garnered bipartisan support with a push from GOP leaders, McCarthy only endorsed censure until just hours before the House voted to impeach Trump. "The president bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters," he said. "He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding." Those, however, would be the last critical words McCarthy would speak about Trump for the coming weeks as the internal GOP backlash grew against the 10 Republicans who supported impeachment - most prominently his third in command, House GOP Conference Chair Cheney. McCarthy's office issued a terse statement backing Cheney the next day. Last week, he qualified it further, saying there were "questions that need to be answered," including about the "style in which things were delivered." Former GOP congressman Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, who left the House in 2018 largely in disgust at the direction of the party under Trump, said in an interview that he couldn't make sense of McCarthy's thinking. "I can't understand why anybody would think we should welcome that element into the party," Dent said of Greene, adding that she should have been ostracized by the GOP conference from the start. Back in Cheney's Wyoming district, Gaetz held a rally Thursday to bash her. Donald Trump Jr. phoned in to pile on and call for her defeat in the next election. Amid this month's public reckoning over the state of the Republican Party, McCarthy was engaged in a behind-the-scenes effort to patch up relations with Trump - who has made clear his desire to remain a Republican kingmaker, if not a future GOP presidential nominee. In a syndicated TV interview aired Sunday with host Greta Van Susteren, McCarthy inched further away from his previous comments saying Trump "had some responsibility when it came to the response" to the riot, while adding, "I also think everybody across this country has some responsibility." The pitched battle over Greene's threat to Congress comes against the backdrop of the looming Senate impeachment trial of Trump in which the vast majority of Republicans are likely to vote to acquit him. On the other side of the Capitol, Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., is seeking to have Greene expelled and is asking every GOP lawmaker for their support. He plans to introduce his initiative as a privileged resolution next week, effectively ensuring it receives a vote on the floor. "I've been getting a lot of support from colleagues, even Republican colleagues who are saying some positive things, but they're nervous," Gomez said in an interview. He warned that if Greene's rhetoric goes unchallenged, "things are going to get a lot worse." Other Democrats said Republicans' refusal to acknowledge that Biden legitimately won the election is fueling the threat of violence. On Thursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., publicly admonished Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a leader of the election challenges, after he signaled support for her position on an unrelated issue. "I am happy to work with Republicans on this issue where there's common ground, but you almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago so you can sit this one out," she said on Twitter. "Happy to work w/ almost any other GOP that aren't trying to get me killed." - - - The Washington Post's Zach Purser Brown contributed to this report. Chamber Breakfast Celebrates Black History Month By West Kentucky Star Staff MCCRACKEN COUNTY - The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce February Power in Partnership Breakfast on Thursday will celebrate Black History Month.The virtual breakfast at 7:30 a.m. features Brent Leggs, a Paducah native that serves as Executive Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund with the National Trust for Historic Preservation based in Washington, D.C.The McCracken County NAACP and the McCracken County Community Career Endowment are sponsoring the event.You can register to attend via Zoom at the link below. It will also be carried live on the Chamber's Facebook page.In his current position, Leggs promotes the role of cultural preservation in telling the nation's history, and empowers activists, entrepreneurs, artists, and civic leaders to advocate on behalf of African American historic places.Leggs is a Harvard University Leob Fellow, and the author of "Preserving African American Historic Places," which the Smithsonian Institute considers a "seminal publication on preserving African American historic sites." He is also the recipient of the 2018 Robert G. Stanton National Preservation Award.Over the last decade he has worked to develop the Northeast African American Historic Places Outreach Program, which has built a regional movement of leaders saving important landmarks in African American history.Leggs was the first African American to complete the University of Kentucky's graduate program in historic preservation. He is a Senior Advisor and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for the Preservation of Civil Rights Sites, has taught at Harvard University, and is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University's graduate program in Historic Preservation. Sydney Universitys acting vice-chancellor Stephen Garton says the sector needs a second financial rescue package to prop up research if international students cannot return to Australia this year. Professor Garton, who will preside over the university until a permanent chief is chosen, warned the country would lose its best researchers if universities could not afford the staff or equipment they needed. International student fees fund about a quarter of university research, but when students were stuck at home due to border closures the federal government allocated $1 billion in the budget last October to prop up research until their return. Stephen Garton will act as Sydney University vice-chancellor until a new VC is appointed. Credit:Louise Kennerley At the time, universities hoped overseas students would return in significant numbers by second semester 2021. But new COVID-19 clusters, dangerous variants of the virus and uncertainty over the vaccine roll-out now threaten to push their arrival to 2022. Police urge house arrest for Navalnys brother RAPSI 17:41 29/01/2021 MOSCOW, January 29 (RAPSI) The Interior Ministry asked the Tverskoy District Court of Moscow to place Oleg Navalny, the brother of Alexey Navalny, under house arrest as part of a case over coronavirus sanitary violations at the illegal rally held on January 23, the courts press service told RAPSI on Friday. The police also demanded house arrest for four other Navalnys allies, Lyubov Sobol, Oleg Stepanov, Maria Alyokhina and Anastasia Vasilyeva, a representative of the court said. According to the police, coronavirus-positive persons ordered to isolation were identified among the rally participants. A criminal case was opened over this fact. U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers Porter and Donald Cook have conducted a multi-domain maritime operation in the Black Sea, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine has reported on Twitter. "In the Black Sea USS Porter & USS Donald Cook conducted a multi-domain maritime operation with NATO AWACS & US Navy P-8A to further enhance interoperability between NATO Allies. Whether it's our ships or aircraft, we are here in the Black Sea in support of Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine and Romania," the tweet reads. USS Porter (DDG-78) entered the Black Sea on January 28. This is the second U.S. guided-missile destroyer to enter the Black Sea in the past few days. USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) entered the Black Sea on January 23. The fleet oiler USNS Laramie (T-AO-203) entered the Black Sea on January 25 to provide ships with fuel and all necessary supplies so that they do not enter the ports. Photo credit: U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close home World UK Supreme Court Rules Bakery Was Free to Refuse Gay-Marriage Cake * Partner Post After four years of going back and forth, UK Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the couple-owned bakery that refused to make a cake supporting gay marriage. I know this may sound confusing to some of you, so let's backtrack a little bit and see where this entire incident began. Back in 2014, Amy and Daniel McArthur, owners of the Ashers Bakery in Belfast, refused to make a cake for Gareth Lee with the slogan "support gay marriage". Mr. Gareth Lee, a supporter of the campaign aiming to legalize gay marriage in Northern Ireland, intended to take the cake to a private International Day against Homophobia event. Obviously, he wasn't happy with the McArthurs' decision to refuse his order and decided to press charges. Here's where things get interesting. After the initial trial, the Ashers Baking Company was found guilty for refusing to make a cake on grounds of discrimination. The McArthurs were ordered to pay 500 pounds in damages plus court fees. Although the gay community thought justice was served, Ashers received worldwide support from likeminded Evangelists and Christians. This promptly brings us to today and the most recent verdict by the Supreme Court. The five justices found the bakery did not, in fact, refuse Mr. Lee based on his sexual orientation so there was no discrimination based on those accusations alone. The relationship between the two parties did not involve any refused jobs and/or services because of religious faith. Finally, all charges against the Ashers were officially dropped. It's case which garnered the attention the world over. The Ashers received as much support as they received criticism. The reason the court wasn't able to find them guilty is that they were simply denying Mr. Lee on the grounds of their own belief. Being Christian, they did not support the message the cake was supposed to be adorned with and had every right to refuse the request. Had they refused him simply because he's a same-sex supporter, the court would have probably swung the other way. Although the case is officially closed, we feel like things have just started getting heated up. The gay community is still riled up and is surely not going to simply forget about this and move on. The Ashers were ordered to return the 36 pounds to Mr. Lee he paid for the cake, but he states that just made him feel like less of a human being. Although we're strongly against discrimination, this isn't a case of clear discrimination. The McArthurs were refusing service based on their own beliefs and something they're strongly fond of, expressive their right to freedom of speech under article 10 of the European convention of human rights. What's your take on the matter? Do you think justice prevailed or was Mr. Lee discriminated unjustly? If you have any personal injury claims to make yourself make sure to visit Foyle Legal, for the best No Win No Fee Guarantee lawyers. 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| 2021-01-29 18:53:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JUBA, Jan. 29 Xinhua) -- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi has called on South Sudan to improve security, rule of law and good governance to create an enabling environment for the return of refugees. "What people (refugees) need is security and it's the responsibility of the government to provide security to refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs) and all South Sudanese," Grandi told journalists on Thursday in Juba at the end of his four-day visit to South Sudan. During the visit, Grandi met with top South Sudanese officials and visited IDPs and refugees in Bentiu, Jamjam and Yambio. "Millions of South Sudanese remain in exile abroad or displaced in their country but growing numbers are returning home spontaneously," he said. "Returnee women in Bentiu told us that their challenges are now poverty, land issues, inadequate services." There are more than 2 million South Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries like Sudan, Uganda, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The UNHCR chief said the current security situation in South Sudan is relatively stable compared to 2017, when he last visited the country. However, Grandi said, some parts of Sudan, like Maban in Upper Nile state, remain difficult to access due to insecurity. Maban is home to thousands of Sudanese refugees, mostly from the Blue Nile and South Kordofan areas, who were displaced as a result of decades of conflict in Sudan. Some displaced people returning are finding difficulties in reclaiming their land that is being illegally occupied by other people, Grandi said. He urged the government to improve service delivery to its population affected by the more than six years of conflict. "I encourage the government to improve security and rule of law," Grandi said. "We have to help the government more and more on the development." He called on the government to focus more on women as many of them are still traumatized after witnessing the killing of their husbands, in addition to being raped during the conflict. Grandi urged the transitional unity government to speed up implementation of the 2018 revitalized peace deal. 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. Kate Langbroek has been through a difficult few years, living in Italy with her family of six during some of the worst days of the pandemic. The radio star and her brood returned to Australia late last year, after extensive lockdowns and mandatory hotel quarantine in Melbourne. Now the 55-year-old is marvelling at the joy of the small things - such as sending her children back to school. Home: Kate Langbroek has been through a difficult few years, living in Italy with her family of six during some of the worst days of the pandemic. Now the 55-year-old is marvelling at the joy of the small things - such as sending her children back to school. Pictured with her family On Friday, Kate shared a photo of her children in school uniforms, setting off for their day. She captioned the simple photograph: 'When going to school feel like a miracle. #firstday'. Last month, Kate was in a mandatory hotel quarantine with her husband and their four children in Melbourne after returning from a two-year stint in one of the worst countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Italy. Normal: On Friday, Kate shared a photo of her children in school uniforms, setting off for their day. She captioned the simple photograph: 'When going to school feel like a miracle. #firstday' On Christmas Eve, Kate revealed the group were finally free from lockdown - as she captioned a beaming picture of the family with: 'When negative is a positive...' She added the caption: 'six do quarantine' and 'Christmas, here we come.' Kate and her husband of 17 years, Peter Lewis, returned to Australia after relocating to Bologna, Italy, with their four children - Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan - in January 2019. Back: Kate and her husband of 17 years, Peter Lewis (left), returned to Australia after relocating to Bologna, Italy, with their four children - Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan - in January 2019 When the gang were halfway through their quarantine in the middle of December, Kate spoke out about her experience during an interview with The Project. 'It's really, very intense to have six people together in a very small space with not even a window that you can open,' she candidly said. 'The only consolation is you can yell at the kids as loud as you want. No one will come!' Kate joked. (JNS) Ahlam Tamimis name will not appear among the list of those whom President Donald Trump pardons during his final hours in office. But the Palestinian arch-terrorist might as well bebecause successive U.S. administrations have treated her as if she is immune from prosecution. Tamimi played a major role in the August 2001 bombing of a Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem. Fifteen people were killed, including American citizens Malki Roth and Shoshana Greenbaum, and four Americans were among the 122 people who were injured. Tamimi was captured by the Israelis, tried and convicted, but a... Three workers of a Hindu outfit were attacked on Friday while they were trying to collect funds for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The workers said they had gone on their fund collection drive to Gurappanapalya in their vehicle that bore posters of Lord Rama, and had stopped to get fuel when they were attacked by some men. One of them said they were stopped by four to five locals along the road, and a war of words erupted, which soon flared up and led to stone pelting. The situation was quickly brought under control after other local residents intervened. "We have been doing door to door fund collection campaign for about 15 days now. Our workers were injured in this incident, we have filed a police complaint," Said V Sudarshan, general secretary of BJPs Bangalore South unit. The police has filed an FIR against 40-50 unknown persons for threatening the workers. The FIR lists criminal intimidation, promoting religious disharmony, unlawful assembly and rioting among other offences against them. The incident happened around 12.20 on Friday afternoon. "We have told the police that if they don't arrest the culprits in 24 hours we will do a dharna before the police station. We have been able to identify them, since our own government is in power we are confident they will arrest the culprits," Sudarshan said. The Ram temple will be built in three to three and a half years, and is expected to cost around Rs 1100 crore. While the main temple will be built for Rs 300-400 crore, the expenditure on the development of the entire 70 acre land there will exceed 1,100 crore, the temple trust has said. The high amount has led to a massive fund collection exercise around the country. BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States share broad common interests and cooperation space in coping with climate change, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a daily press briefing when commenting on media reports that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. climate envoy John Kerry have both expressed willingness to cooperate with China on climate change. John Kerry, also the former U.S. Secretary of State, said that although the U.S. has serious differences with China, no issues between the two nations would be traded for climate-related cooperation. Zhao said that climate change is a common challenge facing mankind and bears on its future and the future of the world, and no country can solve it alone, as tackling it requires global action, global response and global cooperation. Noting that China and the United States have carried out fruitful cooperation in response to climate change, Zhao said the two countries share broad common interests and cooperation space in coping with climate change. "China and the United States have played a positive and constructive role in promoting the signing and entry into force of the Paris Agreement. China is willing to work with the United States and the international community to address climate change," Zhao said. He also emphasized that China-U.S. cooperation in specific areas is not "a flower in a greenhouse" and must be closely related to the overall bilateral relationship. Zhao said that no party should expect to wantonly interfere in China's internal affairs and violate China's interests, on one hand, while on the other hand expecting China to offer its understanding and support on bilateral and global affairs. "We hope the U.S. side can create favorable conditions for China-U.S. coordination and cooperation in important fields," he said. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a sweeping order late Friday requiring the use of face masks on nearly all forms of public transportation Monday as the country continues to report thousands of daily COVID-19 deaths. The order, which takes effect at 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday (0459 GMT Tuesday), requires face masks to be worn by all travelers on airplanes, ships, trains, subways, buses, taxis, and ride-shares and at transportation hubs like airports, bus or ferry terminals, train and subway stations and seaports. President Joe Biden on Jan. 21 ordered government agencies to "immediately take action" to require masks in airports and on commercial aircraft, trains and public maritime vessels, including ferries, intercity bus services and all public transportation. Under Donald Trump, who was president until Jan. 20, a CDC push to mandate masks in transit was blocked and the agency instead only issued strong recommendations for mask use. Trump also rejected efforts by Congress to mandate mask use. "Requiring masks on our transportation systems will protect Americans and provide confidence that we can once again travel safely even during this pandemic," said the 11-page order signed by Marty Cetron, director for CDC's Division of Global Migration and Quarantine. While airlines and most transit modes already require masks, the CDC order will make not wearing a mask a violation of federal law that could make it easier for flight attendants and others to enforce. A U.S. airline group told Biden this month that carriers had had to bar "thousands of passengers" from future flights for failing to comply with airline mask policies. The CDC said people violating the order could potentially face criminal penalties but suggested civil penalties would be more likely if needed. The order will be enforced by the Transportation Security Administration and federal, state and local agencies. Story continues The order says passengers must wear a mask in transit except for brief periods, such as to eat, drink or take medication. Masks may be either manufactured or homemade. The only exceptions are for travelers younger than two and for those with certain medical conditions. People in private cars and solo commercial truck drivers do not have to wear masks. U.S. airlines raised concerns this week about passenger requests to opt out of mask-wearing on health grounds. The CDC order says airlines and other transit modes may require medical documentation and consultation by a medical specialist as well as requiring a negative COVID-19 test from a passenger in order to board a plane or other mode of transportation. The CDC said this week it was "actively looking" at requiring negative COVID-19 tests for domestic air travel after mandating it for nearly all international travel effective Jan. 26. The prospects of domestic COVID-19 testing drew strong opposition Friday from airlines and other groups. The CDC order says airlines and other operators must "at the earliest safe opportunity, disembark any person who refuses to comply." Federal agencies must submit plans no later than Friday to enforce a separate Biden order requiring masks in all federal building and on all federal lands. A Jan. 24 White House memo says domestic travel for federal employees "should be limited to only mission-critical trips," and occupancy at federal offices should be limited to 25% during "periods of high community prevalence." (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by David Gregorio and William Mallard) The Florida Supreme Court has resolved A 14-year-old lawsuit against Citizens Property Insurance Corp. in favor of the insurer in a ruling that was expected but still has far-reaching effects on the states property market. The court issued the unanimous ruling last week in Citizens Property Insurance Corp. vs Manor House, LLC. The case involved a first-party breach of contract claim where the insured, Manor House, sought to recover extra-contractual, consequential damages for lost rental income totaling approximately $2.5 million from Citizens. At issue in the case, which originated back in 2007, was if Florida law allows insureds to recover extra-contractual consequential damages in a first-party breach of insurance contract action by an insured against its insurer. Citizens called the ruling significant and said it will protect policyholders. Citizens welcomes this much-anticipated Florida Supreme Court ruling, said Michael Peltier, Citizens spokesman. The unanimous opinion benefits policyholders who would have been on the hook for higher premiums had the high court not reviewed this case and issued this decision. Case Background Manor House filed a claim with Citizens for nine apartment buildings damaged by Hurricane Frances in 2004 that Citizens later paid more than $1.9 million after inspection. Two years later, Manor Houses public adjuster asked Citizens to reopen the claim and then filed another claim for $10 million. Citizens made additional payments in September 2006 totaling $345,192 and later informally estimated the actual cash value of the loss at nearly $5.5 million and the replacement cost value of the loss at $6.4 million. Meanwhile, Manor Houses public adjuster estimated the replacement cost value at just over $10 million. In March 2007, Manor Houses new owner and litigation agent made an effort to resolve the suit costs by requesting Citizens pay the undisputed amount of $6.4 million the field adjustors informal estimate of replacement costs and demanded an appraisal. Manor House filed suit later that year for prompt payment of what it claimed was an undisputed amount of $6.4 million and asked the court to compel Citizens to engage in appraisal procedures stipulated under the policy. In 2009, the trial court demanded the parties go forward with the appraisal process through which the appraisal panel awarded Manor House nearly $8.7 million in replacement cost value and more than $8.3 million in actual cash value. Citizens later paid an additional $5.5 million to Manor House in 2010. Manor House later sued Citizens for breach of contract and fraud, saying that Citizens failed to property adjust the loss, pay the undisputed amount after estimates, honor its demand for appraisal, failed to provide documents needed to adjust the loss, and to timely pay the appraisal award. Manor House sought extra-contractual damages related to rental income that it said it lost because of the delays in repairing the complex caused by Citizens procrastination in adjusting and paying the Manor House claims, the court documents said. The trial court then granted Citizens motion for partial summary judgment regarding the breach of contract claim for rental income, saying nothing in the insurance contract provides coverage for lost rents, and there is no coverage as a matter of law for the damages Manor House sought. Fifth District Ruling Manor House appealed the trial courts motion that kept it from pursuing a claim for extra-contractual consequential damages and the Fifth District reversed the trial courts decision. The Fifth District claims the trial court had ignored a general proposition that an injured party is entitled to monetary damages that would put it in the same position it would have been if the contract had not been breached by another party. In granting summary judgment, the trial court denied Manor House the opportunity to prove whether the parties contemplated that Manor House, an apartment complex, would suffer consequential damages in the form of lost rental income if Citizens breached its contractual duties to timely adjust and pay covered damages, which in this case allegedly resulted in a significant delay in completing repairs so that units could once again be rented, the Fifth District opinion said. It further noted that while Citizens is immune from bad faith claims because it is a government entity the consequential damages Manor House seeks are based squarely on breach of contract claims requiring no allegation or proof that Citizens acted in bad faith. It concluded Citizens was not in fact statutorily immune from that aspect of Manor Houses claim. Florida Supreme Court Weighs In The Florida Supreme Court quashed the Fifth Districts finding, saying extra-contractual, consequential damages are not available in a first-party breach of insurance contract action because the contractual amount due to the insured is the amount owed pursuant to the express terms and conditions of the policy. While extra-contractual damages are available in a separate bad faith action, they are not recoverable in this action against Citizens because the insurer is statutorily immune from first-party bad faith claims, the court said. The high court said the trial court and the Fifth District had acknowledged that the policy did not include coverage for lost rental income, but the Fifth District ruled the trial court had denied Manor House its opportunity to prove it would suffer consequential damages from lost rental income if Citizens breached its contractual duties to timely adjust and pay covered damages. The Fifth Districts conclusion, the court said, is based on the premise that parties can contemplate remedies outside the insurance policys express terms. However, as the trial court properly concluded, the parties must rely on what they actually have pursuant to the express terms and conditions of the insurance policy, the court stated. The court ultimately concluded that extra-consequential damages are not available in a first-party breach of insurance contract action because the contractual amount due to the insured is the amount owed per the terms and conditions of the insurance policy. Additionally, Extra-contractual damages are available in a separate bad faith action but are not recoverable in this action against Citizens because Citizens is statutorily immune from first-party bad faith claims, the opinion states. Impact on Industry Florida attorney Derek Goldsmith of firm Kelley Kronenberg in Fort Lauderdale said the ruling was not a surprise, but was still important because the Florida Supreme Courts holding that the consequential damages Manor House sought are not permitted in a breach of contract first party action was so broad that it also applies to private carriers in these circumstances. Goldsmith said the plaintiffs tried to allege they were entitled to the consequential damages but in a breach of contract action for first party claims trial courts only have to determine if there is coverage under the policy and the extent of the coverage. The allegations that Manor House set forth are reserved solely for actions related to bad faith, which are prescribed by Florida Statutes, he said. They were trying to put the cart before the horse because bad faith is not ripe until full liability is found against a carrier. But since Citizens is immune from bad faith suits, it was not liable here. Goldsmith had the Florida Supreme Court ruled differently, the flood gates would have been open for homeowners lawsuits seeking an array extra contractual damages that are prescribed solely for bad faith suits, not contractual damages. It really is a decision that should be of no surprise because the framework has already been laid for whats appropriate in a breach of contract for first party property action, and whats appropriate in a bad faith action, he said. And if youre seeking consequential damages because the insurance company failed to adjust the claim in an appropriate way, those are reserved solely for bad faith and not for the underlying breach of contract. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... WASHINGTON The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell but remained at a historically high 847,000 last week, a sign that layoffs keep coming as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage. Last weeks claims dropped by 67,000, from 914,000 the week before, the Labor Department said Thursday. Before the virus hit the United States hard last March, weekly applications for jobless aid had never topped 700,000. Tempering last weeks bigger-than-expected drop in claims: The four-week moving average which smooths out week to week gyrations rose by more than 16,000 last week to 868,000, highest since September. Overall, nearly 4.8 million Americans received traditional state unemployment benefits the week of Jan. 16. That is down from nearly 5 million the week before and far below a staggering peak of nearly 25 million in May when the virus brought economic activity to a near halt. The drop suggests that some of the unemployed are finding new jobs and that others have exhausted state benefits. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ There is optimism that COVID-19 vaccines will end the health crisis and help stabilize the economy, but that effort is moving forward haltingly and right now, the job market is stressed. The United States is now recording just under 150,000 new coronavirus cases a day. That is down from nearly 250,000 a day early this month but still more than twice the levels seen from March until a resurgence in cases in late October. More than 425,000 Americans have died from the pandemic and health experts are warning the U.S. will hit 500,000 deaths. The virus has forced state and local governments to restrict operations of restaurants, bars and other businesses and has discouraged Americans from venturing out of their homes. Since February, the United States has lost 9.8 million jobs, including 140,000 in December. Americans who lost work because of the pandemic can get aid from extended relief programs, which now offer up to 50 weeks of benefits, or from a new program that targets contractors and the self-employed. Altogether, 18.3 million people were receiving some type of unemployment benefit the week that ended Jan. 9, the latest period for which data is available. A new government financial aid package provides, among other things, a $300-a-week federal unemployment benefit on top of regular state jobless aid. The new benefit runs through mid-March. Once vaccines become more widely distributed, economists expect growth to accelerate in the second half of the year as Americans unleash pent-up demand for travel, dining out and visiting movie theaters and concert halls. Such spending could boost hiring. But for now, the economy is floundering. Retail sales have fallen for three straight months. Restrictions on restaurants, bars and some stores, along with a reluctance of most Americans to shop, travel and eat out, have led to sharp spending cutbacks. The Ultimate Kronos Group, a company that provides time-tracking software to small businesses, said the number of shifts worked by its clients dropped 2.5% in the second to last week of January from a month earlier. The drop was biggest 4.3% in the Southeast. As we near the end of January, its clear that the national labor recovery is still struggling to return from the slow holiday season, said David Gilbertson, vice president at UKG. The data firm Womply reports that as of Jan. 21 spending at local businesses is down 23% from a year earlier and that 26% are closed, including 30% of restaurants and 42% of bars. Hotels report a 51% drop in revenue. President Joe Biden has unveiled a $1.9 trillion coronavirus plan that would provide, among other things, $1,400 checks for most Americans, which, on top of the $600 checks already being distributed, would bring the total to $2,000 per adult. The new plan would also make available $400 a week in federal benefits for jobless Americans and extend a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures through September. Bidens proposal will require congressional approval, and congressional Republicans are already balking at its size. Additional fiscal stimulus and broader vaccine diffusion should support an improved labor market in the spring, economists Nancy Vanden Houten and Gregory Daco of Oxford Economics wrote in a research note. But claims are expected to remain high in the near term as the pandemic continues to restrict activity, with new strains of the virus a concern. ___ AP Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber contributed to this report. Medical teams will be sent to aged care homes to vaccinate almost 500,000 residents and staff under a federal plan to deliver the jabs outside hospitals and major hubs. The Morrison government has opened talks with medical companies to set up a surge workforce that will fan out to thousands of aged care homes as soon as the Pfizer vaccine becomes available. The plan takes federal responsibility for delivering help to the sector after costly mistakes between federal and state authorities last year. Credit:Getty Images The teams will have up to five days to transport the Pfizer vaccine in standard refrigeration to ensure safe and stable distribution beyond the deep-freeze storage centres that must store it at minus 70 degrees. The plan takes federal responsibility for delivering help to the sector after costly mistakes between federal and state authorities last year, when 678 people died from COVID-19 in residential aged care. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 16:38:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, meets Joanna Wronecka and Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Reform of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly, through video link in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 29, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Yang Jiechi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met Joanna Wronecka and Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Reform of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly, through video link Friday. Yang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said China firmly upholds multilateralism and safeguards the authority of the UN. At the same time, China supports reasonable and necessary reform of the UNSC to increase the representation and voice of developing countries. China will work with all parties to firmly support the IGN as a main channel for pursuing Security Council reform, he added. Wronecka and Al-Thani, who are permanent representatives to the UN of Poland and Qatar, respectively, expressed their willingness to maintain close communication with China on UNSC reform issue. They pledged to work to build consensus under the IGN framework and sustain the momentum of dialogue and negotiation. Enditem Tributes have been paid to Dr Tom McGinley, founder of the Foyle Hospice in Londonderry, who has died aged 86. Dr McGinley - a native Irish speaker who was born in Brooklyn, New York in December 1934 but grew up in Gweedore, Co Donegal - dedicated a lifetime to improving the healthcare and standards of the terminally ill in the north west. After attending secondary school in Letterkenny he went on to study medicine before moving to Derry in 1960 to work in the hospital ahead of a career in general practice for the next 35 years. He was spurred on to develop Derrys healthcare facilities after reading an article in the Belfast Telegraph about a charity run for the Northern Ireland Hospice. I thought to myself, this money has to stop going to Belfast, he previously told this newspaper. That Belfast Telegraph article in the summer of 1983 sparked his campaign to create and run the Foyle Hospice, with the support of Catholic and Protestant churches in the city. Four years later, the Orange Order sold its site overlooking the banks of the River Foyle on Derrys west bank to the hospice. It has treated tens of thousands of terminally ill people since it was opened in June 1991 by two young girls, one a Catholic and the other a Protestant, whose mothers had both died of cancer. In retirement Dr McGinley continued his work with the hospice, which saw him awarded a Papal Knighthood by Pope John Paul II and the Freedom of Derry. Dr McGinleys son Ciaran said he was broken-hearted at his fathers passing. My truly amazing Dad and mentor has gone to his rest. RIP Dad, he said. In a tribute, the Foyle Hospice said Dr McGinley was not only a colleague and mentor to staff over the years, he was also a friend and confidante to many patients and families who have engaged with the organisation since it was first established in 1985. A spokesperson added: A true visionary, Foyle Hospice was a labour of love for Dr McGinley and now stands firm as his legacy to the city, providing essential palliative care services and support for the community. We will forever be indebted to him for his sheer grit and determination. We hope we do him proud in continuing to deliver the high quality and standard of care that he was exceptionally passionate about. We know that he will be sorely missed by his family and friends.. SDLP leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood said Dr McGinleys compassion for those who were ill has touched many families throughout the years. He added: His work continues to inspire others today to care for those in need and his legacy will endure long into the future. Sinn Fein MLA Karen Mullan added: Tom McGinley was a well known figure in Derry for many years through his work as a doctor and then when he founded the Foyle Hospice, providing care to families at very difficult times. He was also a familiar figure running the roads of the city for many years as a keen jogger. Tom will be sadly missed by all who knew him. Anyone wishing to pay their respects to Dr McGinley can do so at Bradley &McLaughlin Funeral Home on William Street from 6pm-8pm on Friday evening. Predeceased by his wife Deirdre, he is survived by his children Ciaran, Aisling, Ronan and Sinead, extended family and friends. Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Brian Tierney, has opened an online Book of Condolence at http://bit.ly/BOCDrMcGinley. A JEWELLER came to the rescue when firefighters couldnt free a womans swollen finger from her wedding and engagement rings. David Rodger-Sharp, who runs a shop of the same name in Duke Street, Henley, used a professional cutting tool to remove the bands from Samantha Antonious left hand at the towns fire station. She visited the premises in West Street after calling the stations non-emergency landline and telling crews she hadnt been able to take the rings off for more than three weeks. Mrs Antoniou, of Deanfield Road, Henley, had tried all kinds of home remedies but none was effective and she was getting worried. Firefighters invited her to the station, where they tried using their cutting tool, which fits inside a ring and has a small manually-operated saw blade with a protective guard to prevent injury to the wearer. However, the saw was too blunt so they called Mr Rodger-Sharp to help them because he volunteers to help the fire crew on community safety initiatives, such as encouraging householders to check their smoke alarms. He was there in minutes and used his tool to cut off the rings. Mrs Antoniou, 34, said: David arrived soon after the fire crew realised they couldnt help and he cut them off very easily and gently. He took great care to explain that it could be emotional, which I appreciated, but I wasnt upset as we try not to get too attached to material things. I also said that Id already tried everything else so we might as well just get on with it. Mrs Antoniou, who lives with her husband Costa and children Sophia, two, and baby Mattheos, got engaged at the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in 2016 and was married in London later that year. She said the engagement ring had sentimental value as it belonged to her great-grandmother but she was mostly relieved to be freed from it. Mrs Antoniou, a business psychologist, first noticed the rings were tighter than usual about a month ago. She tried removing them with washing up liquid, butter, olive oil and other household substances which were recommended online. She also tried running her hand under cold water to shrink the swelling, lightly heating the rings with a warm spoon to expand the metal and sleeping with her arm raised in case there was a fluid build-up which could drain. These all failed. She also tried sliding a length of thread under the rings and then easing it off slowly but this just cut into her skin because the rings were too tight. Mrs Antoniou said: I waited and waited for my finger to go back down but after a while I realised I should do something more drastic as it was becoming uncomfortable. I could bear it on a day-to-day basis but I knew I couldnt leave it like that forever. I asked around on my neighbourhood WhatsApp group and even considered approaching some builders whove got a mini-saw but I realised that would create a genuine emergency if it went wrong. I watched loads on YouTube and did lots of Googling, trying everything from washing-up liquid to this neat little trick with thread or dental floss, which seemed to help other people but did nothing for me. I didnt want to go to my GP or Townlands Memorial Hospital because Im sure theyve got their hands full tackling covid-19 but then a friend suggested the fire service. The crews were really welcoming, put me at my ease and assured me theyd find a way to sort it out. David was keen to make sure I was okay throughout the whole thing. Im incredibly grateful to everyone involved. She is still unsure why the swelling occurred but hopes it will go down naturally. Mr Rodger-Sharp said: Im not a firefighter and dont attend callouts but Ive always enjoyed volunteering as its very fulfilling. I had two of the crew ringing me at once, so afterwards we joked that it was my first blue light incident. It was a rather urgent-sounding call but it was actually quite an easy job and the ring can easily be repaired. I was just happy that I could help. Firefighter and volunteer co-ordinator Michael Clarke said: There are methods of removing rings at home but some can be pretty dangerous if you dont know what youre doing and wed always recommend calling us if youre unsure. We check our equipment weekly but you cant test the sharpness of a ring cutter without blunting it in the process. We were very aware of the risk from personal contact during the pandemic so we removed the rings in the appliance bay with the doors open and lots of air circulating. Were very thankful to David, who was able to tackle the problem without any discomfort to Mrs Antoniou. I think she was pretty relieved as it was becoming painful. Mr Rodger-Sharp said he would discuss repair of the rings with Mrs Antoniou once the coronavirus lockdown was over. The fire station is looking for more volunteers. Anyone interested should email Mr Clarke via michael.clarke@oxfordshire.gov.uk .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... You have questions. I have some answers. Q: What happened to the guy who played Chris LaSalle on NCIS New Orleans? Is that accent real? And did he really attend the University of Alabama? A: Lucas Black, who played LaSalle, left the show a season ago amid talk that he was heading to the big screen, probably with a return to the Fast and the Furious franchise. Black had starred in the film series Tokyo Drift and appeared briefly in Furious 7. Unlike the fictional LaSalle, Black did not attend the university you mentioned, but his accent is legit; he was born and grew up in Alabama. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Q: Will the show mixed-ish be returning? I see the dad on the show is now starring in the reboot of Saved by the Bell. A: First, mixed-ish the prequel to black-ish came back to ABC on Jan. 26. Second, Mark-Paul Gosselaars on-air involvement in the new Saved by the Bell (on streaming service Peacock) is limited to a few of the first seasons 10 episodes because of his mixed-ish contract. By the way, grown-ish another companion series to black-ish has new episodes on Freeform that began Jan. 21. Q: What can you tell me about a recent series set in New Zealand? It had a young, awkward man who went home to work at his mothers real estate office. There is a forward-thinking young lady who is with him. I want to say that rose is part of the title. I have not another clue about the name. A: That is Rosehaven, a comedy set in Tasmania, which began telecasts on Australian television in 2016. There have been four seasons, totaling 32 episodes. Episodes have aired on SundanceTV here, and I have found Seasons 2 and 3 on cable via Sundance Now On Demand, and streaming on AMC+ and Sundance Now. Q: Do you know if Bosch will be returning for another season on Amazon? I think this is a great show. A: The drama based on the novels by Michael Connelly will be back for a seventh and final season. But when that season will air is still unclear. Like many series, it experienced delays due to the pandemic, including a relatively recent one. Deadline.com reported a weeklong production shutdown in November after a positive COVID-19 test on the show. Do you have a question or comment about entertainment past, present and future? Write to Rich Heldenfels, P.O. Box 417, Mogadore, OH 44260, or brenfels@gmail.com. Letters may be edited. Individual replies are not guaranteed. The Philippines National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has set a deadline of 30th September 2021 to begin the implementation of mobile number portability after delays caused by the pandemic. TeleGeography reports that after the signing of the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Act in February 2019, the Philippines began introducing regulations around the service in July that year, with a view to full implementation in Q1 2021. However, according to NTC Deputy Commissioner Ed Cabarios, the community quarantine that has been imposed in March 2020 due to the pandemic has prevented the markets dominant players, Globe Telecom and Smart Communications, from allowing MNP for users looking to switch network providers. The operators are both offering the service for subscribers within their networks, although only if they are switching from prepaid tariffs to post-paid. Explaining the delay in an interview earlier in January, Cabarios said that the quarantine had limited the movement of the clearing house tapped to finish the back-end of the scheme. However, at a recent senate hearing Cabarios confirmed that interoperability testing for MNP was now slated for June, with the service to be introduced three months later. The Philippines two established players, together with newcomer DITO Telecommunity, have set up a consortium known as Telecommunications Connectivity for MNP implementation, with Syniverse chosen to oversee the porting platform. Online retail giant Kogan has said the business faced significant difficulties keeping up with demand during the bumper Black Friday and Christmas sales period, with the business half-yearly revenue almost doubling. Kogan, which is listed with a market capitalisation of over $2 billion, told investors it experienced seven of its biggest-ever trading days throughout the last six months, spurred on by the retailers recent acquisition of New Zealand e-commerce site Mighty Ape. Ruslan Kogan has admitted to some growing pains at the online retailer. Credit:Brook Mitchell Sales across the two businesses rose over 96 per cent for the six months to the end of December, and their combined gross profit jumped over 120 per cent. Collectively, the two have over 3.8 million active customers. Gross sales for the Black Friday week topped $50 million, and sales for the Friday itself were over $15 million, the highest-ever single day of sales at the retailer. [January 29, 2021] CGI in the United States earns perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation's Corporate Equality Index Stock Market Symbols GIB (NYSE) GIB.A (TSX) www.cgi.com/newsroom Recognized in "Best Places to Work" by LBGTQ+ Equality Index FAIRFAX, Va, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - CGI's (NYSE: GIB) (TSX: GIB.A) operations in the United States received a perfect score of 100 in its debut in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2021 Corporate Equality Index, the nation's foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ + workplace equality. CGI proudly values its corporate culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and is honored to be among the select organizations recognized with such distinction. "CGI is proud of a continued culture that promotes diversity, mutual respect and corporate responsibility," stated Tim Hurlebaus, President of CGI Federal. "We're honored to achieve a perfect score and stand with other diversity-forward companies on this list, which formally recognizes our commitment to the LGBTQ+ community through our Pride@CGI members resource group and other Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives." CGI's Pride@CGI member resource group seeks to foster and support an inclusive and psychologically safe environment for all CGI members, regardless of gender expression, gender identity or sexual orientation. The goup, which uses organization-wide governance and processes to raise multi-departmental awareness across CGI's U.S operations, a quarterly newsletter, organization-wide educational events, panels and workshops, shepherded the organization's first-ever submittal in consideration for HRC's Corporate Equality Index. Pride@CGI has also represented CGI at DCPride, Alabama's Trojan Pride, and collectively supported efforts supporting LGBTQ+ youth. "We have made great strides in a short amount of time," commented Stephanie LaBonte, CGI's Human Resources Operations Manager and founding member of Pride@CGI. "Receiving a perfect score on the Corporate Equality Index not only demonstrates CGI's existing enthusiasm and policy support, but this public recognition also acknowledges the work of Pride@CGI has done to increase awareness of and sensitivity to LGBTQ+ concerns at work." Launched in 2002, the?HRC Foundation's Corporate Equality Index has become a roadmap for equality in the workplace. The HRC Foundation is committed to keeping the criteria for the index rigorous, fair and transparent by identifying emerging best practices that improve the experiences of LGBTQ+ employees of participating businesses. For more information on the 2021 Corporate Equality Index, or to download a free copy of the report, visit: www.hrc.org/cei. About CGI Founded in 1976, CGI is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With 76,000 consultants and other professionals across the globe, CGI delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. CGI Fiscal 2020 reported revenue is C$12.16 billion and CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Learn more at cgi.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cgi-in-the-united-states-earns-perfect-score-in-the-human-rights-campaign-hrc-foundations-corporate-equality-index-301217792.html SOURCE CGI Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] New Delhi: In a major outreach, India will give out around one crore (10 million) doses of India-made COVID-19 vaccines to Africa also 10 lakh (1 million) doses will be provided for UN health workers. The vaccines are being sent under GAVI or Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization. It was created in 2000 and aims to give equal access to vaccines for children living in the world's poorest countries. Under its COVAX facility, the aim is to achieve equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, and also accelerate the development and manufacture of these vaccines. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs has officially announced that it will be gifting more COVID-19 vaccines, including Oman (1 lakh doses), CARICOM countries (5 lakh doses), Nicaragua (2 lakh doses) and Pacific Island states (2 lakh doses). The spokesperson of MEA, Anurag Srivastava, said, "In line with the PM Modis announcement that India sees international cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic as its duty, we have played the role of the first responder in our neighbourhood as well as undertaken supplies to countries beyond." Friday marks the eighth day since India gave a go-ahead to exports of COVID-19 vaccines. It has so far gifted over 55 lakh doses of vaccines to nine countries in the neighbouring and in the extended neighbourhood. These are Bhutan (1.5 lakh), Maldives (1 lakh), Nepal (10 lakh), Bangladesh (20 lakh), Myanmar (15 lakh), Mauritius (1 lakh), Seychelles (50,000), Sri Lanka (5 lakhs) and Bahrain (1 lakh). The COVID-19 vaccines have commercially been exported to Brazil, Morocco and Bangladesh, as well. Next in line to get commercial supplies of India made vaccines are Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada, Mongolia. Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, who is in India for foreign office consultations, in a call with India's External Affairs Minister thanked the Indian side for handing over 2 million doses of vaccines. Nepal, Bangladesh began their vaccination program on Wednesday using India manufactured vaccines. Live TV Jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny on Thursday denounced Kremlin pressure and a biased judiciary during a hearing in which he was ordered to remain behind bars ahead of anti-government protests this weekend. Several of his allies were detained following police raids on their apartments and offices hours before the verdict and in the run-up to Sunday's rally outside the FSB security service's headquarters. "This is blatant lawlessness to intimidate me and other people," Navalny told the court via video link from Moscow's Matrosskaya Tishina, a high-security detention centre. President Vladimir Putin's top domestic critic also said that those who prosecuted him would not stay in power "forever". "Tens of millions of people agree with me," Navalny added. Police detained the 44-year-old anti-graft campaigner at a Moscow airport after he returned to Russia on January 17 from Germany, where he had been recovering from a near-fatal poisoning with a nerve toxin. A makeshift court at a police station last week ordered Navalny placed in custody until February 15. His lawyer Olga Mikhailova said she intended to appeal the decision, but that "hopes are not high" for success. Police on Wednesday carried out searches at Navalny's flat in Moscow and the homes of his allies over alleged violations of coronavirus restrictions during last week's protests. - Detentions, criminal probes - Ivan Zhdanov, the head of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), said prominent aide Lyubov Sobol and Navalny's brother Oleg were detained for 48 hours as suspects in a probe launched by the interior ministry. Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny: from poisoning to prison / AFP Searches were also carried out at the flat of Navalny's wife Yulia, and in the office of FBK, which is known for its investigations into the wealth of Russia's elites. Police also arrived at the home of Navalny's doctor Anastasia Vasilyeva, who was detained for 48 hours too. In a video posted on Twitter, the doctor was playing Beethoven on a piano as people in uniform arrived at the door. Tens of thousands of people across Russia rallied last weekend in support of Navalny, who is facing charges of violating the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence and could be jailed for two-and-a-half years. Officials have threatened to fine social media including Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for failing to delete posts urging young people to join the rallies. Protests in Russia are banned if they are not approved by the authorities, as are calls for people under 18 to join in. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the state did not want social networks to become "platforms to announce illegal protests". The Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it had launched a probe against Leonid Volkov, the head of Navalny's regional network, for persuading young people to protest. - 'Pay the price' - The opposition plans to hold more rallies on Sunday, which in Moscow will take place outside the headquarters of the FSB, the security agency that Navalny says targeted him in the poisoning attack on Putin's orders. More than 4,000 people were detained last weekend at the unsanctioned rallies, which have sparked a series of criminal investigations. Rights group Amnesty International on Thursday said Russian authorities "appear shamelessly bent on violating human rights by silencing their critics" and called their actions a "cowardly attempt" to prevent further protests in Navalny's support. The Moscow prosecutor's office sent out warnings ahead of Sunday's rally to six individuals and five internet platforms, without naming them. Moscow police also warned Russians against staging protests this weekend, saying demonstrators could face criminal responsibility. The opposition appears unwilling to back down, however. Volkov said on Telegram Sunday's rallies will take place "despite searches and late-night interrogations, despite the 4,000 arrests last week, despite the lies and intimidation of Kremlin propaganda". Political analyst Alexander Baunov of the Carnegie Moscow Center told AFP that Navalny's continued protest of the government was evidence that he was "ready to pay the price to become a real counterweight to Putin". "What Navalny wants to do now is to prepare for a situation when he, as the main opposition leader, can become a real contender for power." mp-vvl-acl-as/har Five inmates at the Silverdale Detention Center have been charged with attempted first-degree murder in an attack on a fellow prisoner that left him with 73 stab wounds. The incident happened last Oct. 5 and the victim at first declined to cooperate with investigators. The Sheriff's Office said he has now made positive identifications. Charged are Dedrick Lamont Lindsey, Jr., 26; James Costlow, 32; Maurice Thurman, Patrick Watts, 19, and Tracy Freeman, 51. They are also charged with criminal conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon in a penal institution, and aggravated riot. Authorities said the defendants are all members of gangs or security threat groups (STGs). The complaint says the victim "was violently and brutally assaulted by fellow inmates" in a cell at the Silverdale jail using home-made knives known as "shanks" or "butchers". It says two or three others may have also been involved in the late-night attack. That day, officers responded to Erlanger Hospital at 11:30 p.m. They were told the victim would not say what had happened to him when questioned at the jail and hospital. A deputy observed the inmate at the hospital "and noted his injuries were severe." He began cooperating with authorities on Oct. 23. He picked the five individuals who are charged out of photo lineups. The victim said he recognized Dedrick Lindsey Jr. as the person who had shot his cousin on Dec. 13, 2017. The cousin had recently testified against Lindsey in Criminal Court. The victim said that testimony brought on the attack against him. In that case, Lindsey is facing charges of attempted first-degree murder, reckless endangerment, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. The victim said on Oct. 5 he had been transferred from the Echo 1 pod of the facility to the George 1 pod at around 8 p.m. He said he had been exercising in the common area of the pod, then had taken a shower and changed his clothes. He said he was then approached by Watts, who asked if he wanted to follow him into his cell to use a phone. He then followed him into the cell. He said Watts made small talk and acted if he was getting a phone out of a hiding spot in a light. The victim said after about 30 seconds that 5-8 other inmates suddenly entered the cell and started stabbing him with prison knives. He said he recognized Lindsey wearing a green Michigan mask. He said he knows Lindsey as a violent gang member whose street name is "Pain." He said Lindsey told him, "Tell your cuz don't be coming to court!" The victim said Lindsey stabbed and punched him multiple times. He said he recognized Costlow who was wearing a red COVID mask. He said Costlow stabbed and punched him multiple times. He said Watts also attacked him and punched and beat him in the cell. The victim said he recognized Tracy Freeman standing in the doorway of the cell. He said he tried to flee multiple times, but Freeman blocked the door and continued to push him back into the confined space so he could not escape. He said he tried to fight off the attackers, but was not successful. The victim said they stripped him of his clothes. He said he specifically remembers Lindsey, Costlow and Thurman all holding prison knives and then he lost consciousness as the stabbing continued. He said he went in and out of consciousness as the beating lasted 1-2 hours. He remembered waking up once and finding Thurman standing over him holding his feet up in the air and holding a knife. At this point he said he made a plea for his life, saying, "Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me." He said Thurman replied, "Shut up!" and then stabbed him in the feet. He said he remembered other inmates saying they were going to "make him a cripple" as they continued to stab his feet. The victim said he also believes he was struck with a metal pipe, and he said he was stabbed in his buttocks. He again lost consciousness. When he awoke, he said the inmates were surprised, saying they thought he was dead. He said he believes they planned to kill him and leave him in the cell for the guards to find. At this time, he said, it was time for a head count and the inmates began hastily trying to clean up the blood. They put a mat up so the guards could not see inside. He said they took him back to his own cell. He said Lindsey threatened his own family, saying he would have his brother kill his (the victim's) three-year-old daughter. He said he then heard the guards coming around checking cells and he yelled to get their attention. The guard saw he was injured and bleeding and an ambulance was called. The victim had one wound to the left ear, 11 wounds to the back of the head, four wounds to the face, four wounds to the neck, one wound to the chest, 16 wounds to the back, five wounds to the left leg, two wounds to the right leg, six wounds to the right hand, three wounds to the left hand, one wound to the top of the left foot, 17 wounds to the bottom of the right foot and two wounds to the buttocks. He had internal injury to his right hand requiring surgery, an internal bone fracture to his right eye socket, and acute fractures of his nose. Authorities said Lindsey is a validated Rollin 60 Crip, Costlow is a validated Crip, Thurman is a validated Rollin 60 Crip, Watts is a validated Gangster Disciple, and Freeman is a validated Crip. Authorities said, "These criminal defendants are a direct threat to society and are a direct threat to the prison population at Silverdale Detention Center. These criminal acts will not be tolerated by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office." As COVID-19 rapidly spreads throughout Sri Lanka, health workers are in an increasingly vulnerable situation. Hundreds of health workers are now in quarantine because of the deadly and highly infectious disease. On January 8, Ratnapura General Hospital reported that Shantha Stephen had died from COVID-19. He was the first Sri Lankan health worker to die from the virus. More than one hundred employeesdoctors, nurses and attendantsfrom Peradeniya Teaching Hospital have been sent into quarantine. Balapitiya hospital health workers picketing in June 2020 (WSWS Media) In line with the governments policies, health authorities have compelled health staff to keep working and have refused to shut down the affected wards. This dangerously indifferent response is subjecting health workers to severe mental and physical stress and the immediate threat that they become victims of the pandemic. As in many countries, the Sri Lankan governments policy is herd immunity, or keeping the economy open and allowing those who are unable to withstand COVID-19 to die. Workers have been ordered to remain on the job and schools have been reopened. Frontline hospital employees have not been provided with high quality personal protective equipment (PPE). Currently more than 20,000 health workers have died from COVID-19 and 300,000 have been infected internationally since the pandemic began. The situation in Sri Lanka is the result of decades of cuts to health spending and the undermining of public health infrastructure by successive governments. The health sector trade unions are directly collaborating with the government to impose its policies. At the same time, they have called limited protests in order to dissipate workers anger and then send them back to work. The Health Workers Action Committee at Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, which is independent of the unions, has been established to fight against these dangerous conditions and to defend our rights. We urge our fellow frontline workers to form similar action committees in other hospitals and health institutions. These independent action committees of workers are based on democratic discussion and decision-making. They are not limited to one grade of health workers, but are across all grades. We urgently demand high-quality PPE, safe travelling arrangements and sensible service shifts to protect us from COVID-19, as well as risk and quarantine allowances, the filling of all vacancies to ease the workload, and job security. These are life and death issues. Our fight is bound up with the struggle for a socialist program and in unity with the working class in Sri Lanka and internationally. The Peradeniya Teaching Hospital health workers action committee is holding an online meeting on February 7 at 9:00 p.m. to discuss these crucial issues. All health workers are invited to register and participate via the link below: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4438645290934040587 For further discussion on our campaign please contact us via email (healthworkers-sl@wsws.org) or text (0773562327). New Delhi: Terming the GST a good idea with bad implementation, the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday said that the high tax levies under the new regime will encourage tax evasion, which may increase the size of grey market. Traders are scared, the common man is scared and you (the central government) want to celebrate, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said. He said he did not like the governments celebrating the launch of the GST, which takes effect from midnight tonight. He refuted claims about the GST leading to economic independence, saying freedom was a different concept while this was merely a transition from one tax system to another. ALSO READ | GST rollout on July 1: Decoding Good and Services Tax components; SGST, CGST and IGST Sisodia said if reports about GST software not being tested were true its roll out needs to be deferred else businesses, as well as the government, will have to face serious consequences. You cant marry dates, you have to marry better implementation, Sisodia said at the Aaj Tak GST conclave here, adding that GST is a good idea with bad implementation. He termed as unfortunate the GST Councils decision to keep alcohol and real estate out of the ambit of new the indirect tax regime which will subsume a dozen of state and central government levies to unify India as a single market. Sisodia said the 28 per cent levy under the new regime will not increase the tax collected by the government but will only add to price rise and encourage tax evasion. ALSO READ | GST rollout live: Shameful for govt to term GST rollout as second freedom, says Anand Sharma For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. BEIJING, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jan, 2021 ) ::China launched the second Type 054A/P frigate for Pakistan on Friday in Shanghai, as the Pakistan Navy Chief Naval Overseer highlighted at the launch ceremony that induction of the Type 054A/P warships will significantly enhance Pakistan's maritime defense and deterrence capabilities. The launch of the second Type 054A/P frigate was held at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai on Friday, reads a statement the Pakistan Navy sent to the Global Times on the same day. The occasion coincides with the completion of 70 years of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations built upon historic bonds of friendship and mutual trust, the statement said. The Pakistan Navy has contracted the construction of four Type 054A/P frigates from China since 2017, and the first ship was launched in August 2020, media reported. All the ships are being delivered as per the planned schedule, the Pakistan Navy statement said. These will be some of the most technologically advanced platforms of the Pakistan Navy Surface Fleet, equipped with modern surface, subsurface and anti-air weapons, sensors and combat management systems, Admiral M Amjad Khan Niazi, Chief of the Naval Staff of the Pakistan Navy, told the Global Times in a recent exclusive interview. "These ships will boost [the] potency of our fleet and significantly contribute in maintaining peace and security in the region," the Pakistani Admiral said. Commodore Azfar Humayun, Pakistan Navy Chief Naval Overseer, said at the launch ceremony that he acknowledges the commitment and hard work of China Shipbuilding Trading Company and Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard to keep this important program on track in the difficult times of the ongoing global pandemic, according to the Pakistan Navy statement. Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, told the Global Times in a previous interview that the Type 054A, on which the Type 054A/P is based, is China's most advanced frigate. Compared with previous Chinese frigates, the new version has better air defense capability, as it is equipped with an improved radar system and a larger amount of missiles with a longer range, Zhang said, noting that the Type 054A frigate also has world-class stealth capability. The Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard also launched China's third Type 075 amphibious assault ship on Friday. A schoolboy died when trying to create homemade firecrackers with a friend in Vietnam on Thursday. Cao Tien Thin, chairman of Tan An Commune in Tan Ky District, Nghe An Province confirmed the incident on Friday morning. Accordingly, local people heard an explosion from V.s residence in Tan An Commune at around 7:30 pm on Thursday. The neighbors ran to V.s house to check and found two boys lying motionless with several wounds. The boys were rushed to the medical center of Tan Ky District for emergency treatment. Of the duo, M., a 16-year-old grandson of V., could not make it while his friend, B.D.M., is still under treatment. Teachers from M.s school -- Tan Ky 3 High School -- visited the two students families following the incident, according to principal Tran Trung. Police officers in Tan Ky District also arrived at the scene on Thursday night to investigate the case. On Thursday afternoon, three students in Nghe Ans Nam Dan District were badly injured as their homemade firecrackers exploded. H., one of the three injured students, had both hands amputated. Traumatic consequences from cases where teenage students created and played with firecrackers made with guidance from online videos, especially when Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) nears, have been worrying people in north-central Vietnamese localities. Authorities in north-central Nghe An and Ha Tinh Provinces have continuously handled cases related to creating or playing with handmade firecrackers among local students in recent days. Despite that, the students seem to have learned no lesson from the serious accidents. Vietnamese law prohibits all activities in association with the production, trading, transportation, import, export, storage, and use of firecrackers and fireworks and materials thereof, except for some specific cases. The government recently amended a decree, which took effect on January 11, allowing all Vietnamese to light up fireworks for some special events such as Lunar New Year festivals, birthdays, wedding ceremonies, conferences, grand openings, anniversaries, and cultural activities. However, the fireworks allowed are the kind that do not explode. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Benjamin Thomas Pellicaan (pictured), 29, was furious that a dildo he purchased was 'extremely hot' to use after 10 minutes A man who threw a used vibrator at a sex shop manager after complaining the toy got 'too hot' when he used it has narrowly avoided jail. Benjamin Thomas Pellicaan, 29, landed before Maroochydore District Court after purchasing the sex toy from Totally Adult in Maroochydore, Queensland. The father-of-three returned to the store and asked for his purchase to be examined for any potential faults, claiming it got 'extremely hot' after 10 minutes of use, the court was told. The sex shop sales manager later called Pellicaan and informed him there were no issues. The court heard he then verbally abused her in a string of phone calls, calling her a 'c***' and threatening to 'sort her out', The Sunshine Coast Daily reported. 'He said he would take a replacement from the shelf and she would not be able to stop him,' crown prosecutor Stipe Drinovac told the court. The store owner joined the manager to remove all vibrators from the wall. Pelicaan returned to the store and yelled 'Where are the other toys?' and threw a sex toy at a shelf, the court heard. The sales manager approached Pellicaan and handed him his original purchase and once again said that no fault was found with the toy. Pellicaan then threw the toy in the manager's direction and it bounced off a cabinet and hit her lower left leg, the court was told. The sex toy was purchased from Totally Adult in Maroochydore, Queensland (pictured) The manager pushed a police panic button and copped a hurl of abuse from Pellicaan. He also approached a male employee who was visibly shaking from the ordeal and called him a 'faggot'. Pellicaan eventually left but was later arrested at his home where he verbally abused a female police officer, the court heard. Pellicaan pleaded guilty to threatening violence, committing public nuisance, obstructing police and two counts of using a carriage service to cause offence. Judge Gary Long sentenced him to four months' jail, suspended for two years. He was also placed on probation for 18 months and given a $200 good behaviour bond for two years. home US Pastor Robert Jeffress says God gave Trump 'authority to take out Kim Jong-Un' Dallas megachurch Pastor Robert Jeffress has claimed that God gave President Donald Trump the "authority to take out" North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Jeffress, one of Trump's spiritual advisers, issued a statement early Tuesday evening, saying he believed the Bible makes clear that "God has endowed rulers full power to use whatever means necessary a including war a to stop evil." The megachurch pastor's remarks came shortly after the president warned that North Korea would be met with "fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it threatens the security of the U.S. The Texas preacher, who leads a congregation of more than 10,000 members at First Baptist Church in Dallas, commended Trump for not tolerating North Korea's threats. "I'm heartened to see that our president a contrary to what we've seen with past administrations who have taken, at best, a sheepish stance toward dictators and oppressors a will not tolerate any threat against the American people," the pastor said, according to The Christian Post. "When President Trump draws a red line, he will not erase it, move it, or back away from it. Thank God for a president who is serious about protecting our country," he continued. Trump's warning to North Korea came amid reports that the communist regime has successfully developed a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles. The U.S. government calculated last month that North Korea controls up to 60 nuclear weapons, while some independent experts believe that the number of bombs is much smaller. The communist regime has long ignored calls for it to halt its nuclear activities, and it has stated on Wednesday that it is "carefully examining" a missile strike on Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific. In an interview with The Washington Post, Jeffress claimed that Romans 13 gives the government the authority to "do whatever, whether it's assassination, capital punishment or evil punishment to quell the actions of evildoers like Kim Jong Un." He noted that some Christians might cite Romans 12 to point out that the Bible says not to "repay evil for evil," but he argued the verse only refers to Christians, not leaders in power. The pastor's remarks drew the ire of some conservative Christians, including Ryan Anderson, a senior fellow at the conservative think-tank The Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C. In a Twitter post linking to an article about Jeffress' remarks, Anderson claimed that the argument that God has granted leaders "full power" to use whatever means necessary is "heresy." The Rev. Chuck Currie, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ who teaches at Pacific University, accused Jeffress of promoting a "dangerous theology of war that goes against Prince of Peace who preached just peace." "I see nothing Christian in your remarks," tweeted in reply to Jeffress. Jeffress, a member of Trump's evangelical advisory committee during the 2016 presidential election, has attended several meetings of prominent evangelicals at the White House, including a dinner ahead of the National Day of Prayer. The Texas pastor also recently hosted a Fourth of July concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., where the First Baptist choir and orchestra premiered a musical arrangement of Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again." Almost three dozen Scranton employees owed the city approximately $90,000 in delinquent taxes and trash fees as of the end of 2020, Business Administrator Carl Deeley confirmed. The citys Human Resources Department notified all Scranton employees in October that it would conduct an internal audit of employee tax and fee statuses beginning Dec. 1. That audit showed that 33 employees owed delinquencies as of the end of last year, with delinquent trash fees representing about 90% of the roughly $90,000 owed by the employees at that point, Deeley said. Some of those employees have paid or entered payment plans in recent weeks, though Deeley did not have updated figures. The city is not releasing the names of employees who owe delinquencies, he said. As you know we have a lot of delinquencies clearly across the city, Deeley said. Our goal is not to embarrass people. Like anybody else, some people may be struggling with certain things. Just like anybody else in the city, there are payment plans (they) can go on to. Theres things we can do to help. Asked about the internal audit in October, Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti said its something the city should do annually and stressed the importance of city employees leading by example. She reiterated that point recently, arguing her administration is setting a high standard for city workers who receive taxpayer-funded paychecks. Beyond the audit of current employees, Cognetti noted the administration also vets incoming employees tax and fee statuses when filling positions. Employees who owe delinquencies are subject to the same collection processes and penalties as any other residents, the mayor said. We certainly are setting and want to set a high standard for our city employees, Cognetti said. But were not going to penalize employees in any way thats different than their neighbors. ... We dont have any plans for any repercussions internally and thats not a direction I want to go. Scranton is currently without a delinquent trash fee collector after ending its professional relationship with the firm formerly known as Northeast Revenue Service. That firm collected delinquent city taxes and trash fees for almost a decade, but came under intense scrutiny after federal prosecutors revealed its former president, John Rodgers, paid bribes to disgraced former Mayor Bill Courtright to maintain his companys contract with the city. Rodgers left the firm, which now does business as Elite Revenue Solutions, in 2019. Scranton cut ties with the company at the end of last year. Sentenced to seven years in prison on federal corruption charges, Courtright has been incarcerated since Oct. 30 at FCI Morgantown, a minimum-security federal correctional institution with a detention center in West Virginia. As of the end of 2020, Scranton was owed about $9 million in face values and penalties and about $2.9 million in interest on delinquent trash fee accounts associated with approximately 5,000 properties between tax years 2002 and 2019, Treasurer Mary Jo Sheridan said. Late last year, city council introduced but ultimately tabled and never adopted legislation authorizing a contract with Portnoff Law Associates to pursue those delinquencies. The administration will submit a new delinquent trash fee collection contract for councils consideration soon, Cognetti said earlier this month. Meanwhile, council is expected to adopt legislation Tuesday extending the deadline to pay 2020 city trash bills without incurring a 12% penalty to March 31. Under the ordinance, which is designed to provide financial relief amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, anyone who already paid their 2020 trash bill and the 12% penalty after Sept. 30, would be reimbursed the delinquent charge. The Lackawanna County Tax Claim Bureau is now collecting delinquent Scranton property taxes for the city under an agreement approved by both governments. Questions for My Betters DijjywanDijjydo or Dijjydont? By Fred Reed January 29, 2021 " Information Clearing House " - China is now vigorously testing a digital yuan and threatens to have it ready for prime time for the 2022 Winter Olympics. This seems, to me anyway, important. It will be a real, workaday yuan, not a speculative cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. It will use a digital wallet via a cellphone app, and will not require an internet connection. Beyond this, I know about it only what I read, which may be wrong. To avoid endless qualification, I will write the following as if it were fact, but really I mean it more as an extended question. Any correction, amplification, or thought will be welcome. I assume, perhaps incorrectly, that all currencies of any worth will eventually become digital. Many countries, the EU, and Google are now pondering the idea. There are serious objections to digital money, which we will come to shortly but, if all countries have them, the question will become which is least bad. I also assume, tentatively, that Beijing will want to make the dijjywan as nearly universal as possible. The Chinese will accept it with little concern since they are accustomed to making payments with mobile apps. To have people adopt it in countries still mired in the Paper Age, the dijjywan will have to be attractive. To whom will digital currency appeal, and why? What will be the appeal? Some ideas: It will not require a bank account, making it attractive to people who have a cell phone but not a bank account. While these folk do not on average have a lot of money, their use of dijjywan will be a step toward universalizing the currency. And of course, many who do have bank accounts may want another repository for money. It will require only the app and a QR code. Transactions will be instantaneous and free of bureaucracy, such as the filling of forms and handling of SWIFT codes. (I suspect that Washington has thought of this latter point.) This feature will appeal to everybody. As with paper currency, there will be no transaction fees. This will make it popular with merchants, though not with Visa and Mastercard. These charge a percentage of the purchase price of merchandise. A wan-wallet with no rake-off would have interesting consequences for the credit-card companies, such as bankrupting them. The threat to such companies as Western Union would be, well, gratifying. They would quickly become extinct. Since the dijjywallet is a debit device, not offering credit, it will cut down on the impulse buying on which Visa and Mastercard rely to manufacture debt slaves. Goodbye twenty-percent interest rates on unpaid balances. Armed robbery and theft will become almost impossible. I could put a pistol to your head and demand your money, but you would have to transfer it to my own phone. This would create a record of amount, date, time, GPS (or Beidou) position, as well as the identity of both of us. This would reduce the enthusiasm of most armed robbers. You would of course report the robbery, and your money could simply be pulled from my phone and returned to yours. In Americas dangerous cities, and Brazilian favelas, this might be appealing. In countries vulgarly but accurately referred to by Mr. Trump, the currency can be, and often is, inflated into the 1923 Deutschemark by exuberance with the printing press. By adopting the Chinese dijjymoney as a national currency (or somebody elses when available) said country would have a stable, grownup currency. This might actually appeal to some Third World countries. China might make such adoption a condition of loans. An enormous appeal of dijjywan is that transactions are completely independent of and opaque to the American government. Even it its early form as a retail instrument, it will appeal to governments such as that of Cuba and Iran, which might like an influx of dijjywan into their tourist and retail industries. People who want to send remittances to countries being sanctioned, which does not yet include all countries but Washington is working on it, could do so unfettered. It will appeal to people in badly governed countries, for example Zimbabwe, because it is portable. For example, the owner of a store there cannot easily today travel because Zimbabwean currency is worthless outside of Zimbabwe. But the dijjywan will be accepted around the world. Washington will go into gibbering gollywobbles at the idea of dijjywan being used in the US, and outlaw it. So might other countries on, among other grounds, of not collecting sales taxes. However, Beijing could easily charge such taxes and deliver the proceeds to the local government. The obvious, and entirely justified, objection to the dijjywan is that it would be transparent to, and controllable by, the Peoples Bank of China. The possibility for social control is immense since, if you should be a bad boy, the PBOC could disappear your money. Note, though, that this will be true of all dijjymoney from whatever country. Ifwhenall major currencies become digital, you will have to decide which is least unreliable. And for most people, digital tracking of their money would make no difference. When was the last time you paid for anything illegal or that would upset Washington? As a wild thought, might some international entity want to establish a planetary digital currency? We live in wild times. Along with the downsides, there would be advantages. For example, the drug cartels would be very, very, very, very unhappy. Carlos lands daringly by dark of night at a clandestine airstrip in Florida with a ton of cocaine. Willy Bill the dealer steps from the jungle and pays Carlos for flying, which creates a record of time, place, amount, identity of both, and trips an alarm at FinCin in Washington. In the drug racket, this sort of thing is suboptimal. Money laundering would become the Achilles heel of the drug racket. At this point the dijjywan sounds retail, not suited to purchases of oil. Could it be scaled up for larger transactions? I dont know, being blankly ignorant of high finance but, if it couldGood Heavens, it would evade American sanctions. Oh no! I doubt, though, that Beijing has thought of this. Probably Washington hasnt either. Them is some thoughts. I dont know whether they are good thoughts. Write Fred at jetpossum@gmail.com Put the letters pdq anywhere in the subject line to avoid heartless autodeletion. - " Source " - Buy Freds Books! The gods, or any particular god of your choice, will love you for it. They may send you briefcases full of money. Act before the censors 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. 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. Christian Times Permissions Policy IMPORTANT INFORMATION: PLEASE READ THIS PERMISSIONS AND POLICIES CAREFULLY BEFORE DOWNLOADING OR CITING CONTENT FROM CHRISTIAN TIMES WEBSITE. 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Politicians at every level of government, in just about every locality, state, and nation (with a few exceptions, such as Israel), have fallen down in spectacular ways. Philadelphia outsourced part of its vaccination campaign to a group of enterprising students, with disastrous results. The E.U. let itself get taken by surprise and finds its freezers empty of vials. Italy has gotten bogged down in a plan to deploy temporary vaccination pavilions designed in the shape and colors of a primrose. They promise to be pretty, and also to cost as much as luxury apartments and accommodate about the same number of guests. New York is struggling with a cocktail of scarcity, panic, confusion, skepticism, and misinformation. Put them all together and what you get, as City Councilmember Mark Levine put it, is The Hunger Games. Nobody expected a worldwide mass-vaccination campaign without friction and screwups, but we have compounded inevitable problems with innovative self-defeats. Among them is a misconceived conception of how to distribute the vaccines equitably. The goal should be to prevent death and limit more infections, not to correct the inequities that the pandemic has exposed. Of course, those at greater risk of contracting the disease or dying from it need to be vaccinated first. Beyond that, though, we should stop treating an inoculation as a form of privilege, a right, or a reward: It is a public-health measure. We have spent nearly a year trying to promulgate the notion that protecting your own health is a public service to others. The same is true for the vaccine. We need everyone to get jabbed, and every day of delay is another day of shared grief and collective loss. Giving hundreds of millions of injections of a new vaccine is a complicated task. But in the absence of a centralized federal system, unprepared and underfunded states, cities, and health providers have thrown together a jumble of websites that have tossed that complexity into the laps of individuals. You want a jab? Fine, first determine what eligibility category youre in (1B-C? 1C-A?) by scrutinizing a dizzying variety of color-coded charts that vary from state to state and county to county. Then create an account at one or, to hedge your bets, all of the local websites. In New York, that would be the state portal, the citys vaccine hub, the citys Health and Hospitals portal, private urgent-care networks, individual hospitals, community health organizations, pharmacies, and so on each representing a different team trying to guess how many doses theyll have on hand weeks from now. A successful hunt for an appointment, if any, yields an email with instructions to arrive no more than five minutes early, but on Inauguration Day, at the city-run vaccination center at the Walton Educational School in the South Bronx, people waited for several hours in the cold, the appointment schedule was abandoned, and first-dose recipients were told to begin the whole rigmarole again in order to obtain the second dose. If you were trying to design a system to discourage participation and slow distribution to a creep, this would do the trick. The half-hearted but wholly bureaucratic pursuit of equity has produced its opposite. Millions of New Yorkers are left feeling that they are uniquely incapable of navigating the system that it is rigged against success. Some battle through, others try an end run on the process, many probably give up. Far too many may never bother trying, convinced that the whole program is a government con, an attempt to foist experimental concoctions on a population of sheep, to collect private information, or to lure undocumented immigrants into the arms of ICE. In a polyglot metropolis like New York, the whole inoculation battle is taking place in a language that many dont speak. We have been here before as recently as last summer, when the city was frantically trying to get its entire population to respond to the Census, a crucially important process that many New Yorkers initially treated as someone elses problem. There are a number of obstacles we need to overcome when we are trying to convince people, especially Black and brown people, to take an action that the government is telling them they have to take, says Amit Bagga, the former deputy director of the citys Census effort, who is now running for City Council. For many immigrant communities, one of the biggest barriers is the ability to comprehend not just whats being said but also why its being said. Some have fled places where government is repressive or nonexistent. More recently, mis- and disinformation are real problems. The only way to get past that is to have trusted, valued partners brokering that information. The good news is that we have a tool that works. During the Census, under the citys auspices and with city funding, Bagga and his colleagues created the Complete Count Fund, a network of 157 community-based groups whose members could explain to their neighbors (in Mixtec, Quechua, Tlapaneco, Bangla, and a dozen other languages) why it was in their interest to fill out the form. Even in the midst of a pandemic and a ceaseless assault on the Census by the Trump administration, nearly 62 percent of the citys (estimated) population completed the questionnaire, a higher response rate than a decade ago, or than in any other major city.* That quick-deployment corps of civic messengers could be mobilized now, with clipboards and fliers, in every neighborhood. I had in mind the idea that we were setting up a civic-engagement infrastructure that could be activated in challenges such as this, Bagga says. Instead of reaching into communities, were pitting them against each other. After The City reported that suburbanites were sneaking across the city line and hogging slots at the Fort Washington Armory, the hospital that runs the location announced it would start earmarking all appointments for city residents and set aside 60 percent for residents of the largely Latino neighborhood that surrounds it. Thats fine, if those quotas dont cause more bureaucratic fussing, complications, frustrations, delays, and discarded unused doses which they likely will. Equity means making sure that everyone gets vaccinated as quickly as possible, not squabbling over who gets vaccinated this week. And yet inequity is baked into a system that puts the onus on the public to figure it out. The minute you demand that individuals compete for a scarce commodity, those with more resources and better information will win. Instead, lets use a model we already have. Everyone gets called for jury duty, given a date, and instructed to show up. Yes, jurors can get postponements and choose dates that suit them better, but we dont have a pool of millions, all haggling over scheduling at the same time. We should ask everyone simply to register for a vaccine, then contact them with assigned appointments, a system that would be reassuring and foster patience. We know how to do this: We have a whole economy based on the urgency of getting mass-produced products to individual consumers at high speeds. The blitz development and manufacture of multiple, highly effective vaccines is a triumph of Big Pharma. Maybe its time to call in Big Logistics. I can order plant food from Amazon by following an exquisitely simple procedure, and several hours later it materializes at my front door. Apple somehow manages to supply a hungry planet with millions of copies of each new product on the same day. Lettuce makes it from greenhouses thousands of miles away to my local bodega before its had a chance to wilt. Credit-card companies manage millions of simultaneous transactions, alert customers to possible fraud, and answer questions round the clock. Certainly, federal funding is needed, but we should also appeal to the civic sense of corporations that have made fortunes from the movement of goods at a time when the movement of people has been restricted. They want the economy humming again, too. The job, after all, is not just to ensure and distribute this weeks quota of doses, but to plan a six-month (or longer) campaign. The more smoothly it goes, the sooner we can get kids back to school and start to claw back our futures. We should stop doing the equivalent of building Italys primrose pavilions, reinventing systems we already have. *Editors note: Steven Romalewski, from the CUNY Graduate Centers Mapping Service, contests the citys claim that the response rate in 2020 was higher than in 2010. Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Announces Investigation of SolarWinds Corporation Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces its investigation of SolarWinds (News - Alert) Corporation (NYSE: SWI) concerning the Company and its directors' and officers' possible violations of state laws. If you purchased SolarWinds stock, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Tom Kennedy, of GPM, 230 Park Aenue, Suite 530, New York, NY 10169 at tkennedy@glancylaw.com, or at 212-682-5340. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased and held. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005366/en/ Directly in the firing line is Australias $400 billion small business sector, along with some of the countrys largest shopping centres, which rely on those businesses to drive foot traffic. I was potentially looking at putting my business into administration. It was really difficult and challenging. Fitness studio owner Shirley Sun Grey clouds are hovering despite recent company results and sales data suggesting the retail sector is experiencing a sunny patch following months of souped-up spending by stimulus-flush shoppers. In November, retail sales rose a huge 13.3 per cent as Victorians emerged from lockdown and Black Friday sales surged. Major retailers, such as Solomon Lew's Premier Investments, have revelled in the unexpected boon, reporting huge jumps in profits and sales - especially online. But the buoyancy may mask some trouble ahead. Loading Smaller operators - such as gyms, travel agents and fashion boutiques - could be set to struggle in the coming months as stimulus measures wear off. Their decline could severely weaken some of the countrys largest shopping centres and their multibillion-dollar owners. A study of Australia's 31 largest shopping centres by independent property research collective PAR Group shows small businesses make up 37 per cent of stores in those malls. Smaller fashion brands such as Autograph, Alice McCall and Zimmermann account for another 18 per cent, while large retail chains, such as Vodafone and Flight Centre, make up just 17 per cent of retailers. Authors Rob Ellis, Damian Stone and Anthony DeFrancesco warn this reliance on small businesses could pose an issue for landlords if retail conditions began to decline. This has ramifications for shopping centre owners, as they face the risk of store closures by small businesses which have insufficient financial reserves to trade profitably in a post-COVID-19 retail environment, they say. Grey clouds are hovering despite recent company results and sales data suggesting the retail sector is experiencing a sunny patch. Credit: And while many businesses, big and small, are sitting pretty after their biggest trading period of the year, as 2021 drags on, the risk of insolvency grows. The first quarter of the calendar year is often a boom time for collapses, says KordaMentha partner Scott Langdon, a trend he attributes to retailers needing to furiously restock and set their product strategy for the year ahead following the Christmas rush, along with a more emotive element. Retailers have just gone through their best sales and profit period for the year and are faced with another nine or 10 months before they get back to it, he says. They feel like theres a long slog ahead. Langdon expects this trend to be no different in 2021, although slightly delayed, predicting an increase in insolvencies and administrations when much of the governments stimulus and other COVID-19 relief slowly wears off. Loading In 2021 we'll see a polarising of the retail market, and we will see an increase in insolvencies or administrations, Langdon says. The strong will get stronger, and those who have archaic or undeveloped business plans will struggle, and struggle fast in this ever-changing retail environment. Figures from corporate regulator the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, released recently, augur trouble ahead. There were 120 insolvencies for the final two weeks of December, as much as triple the amount reported for the same two weeks in 2019. Temporary safe harbour provisions relieving company directors of their duty to prevent insolvent trading have also worn off, increasing pressure on businesses that may have relied on them to weather a COVID downturn. 'Strong will get stronger' Olivia Hitchens, principal at specialist retail law firm Hitch Advisory, agrees with Langdon's prognosis. She says there is a huge delineation between retailers with a good online offering and those without. Small businesses with a good online presence have done well. Those without an online presence who rely on shopping centre traffic have done badly, she says. If you dont have an online presence, are not unique and are relying on foot traffic, you will do it tough. I know people who kept their doors open by using JobKeeper payments for themselves and their staff. But COVID is accelerating closures that were likely to have happened to some businesses anyway, she says. Hitchens says insolvencies will be playing catch-up as they have been delayed by the presence of JobKeeper and the governments safe harbour provisions. In a recent note to investors, Citi analysts Adrian Dark, Suraj Nebhani, Akshat Agrawal point out there is now an oversupply of retail space in shopping malls. Vacancy rates are elevated and likely to rise further, along with a decline in tenant quality and increase in temporary tenancies. More store closures are expected as chains rationalise their portfolios. Its like that classic Warren Buffett quote: Only when the tide goes out do you discover whos been swimming naked. James Stewart, KPMG's head of restructuring Larger retailers will end up taking a greater share of shopping centre space as small businesses close, accelerating a generally negative trend for malls. We expect the market to be in tenants favour, with falling rents and/or rising incentives, for some time, the Citi analysts said. Another key indicator of distress are disputes lodged by commercial landlords and tenants under the governments commercial tenancy relief scheme. Loading Victorian Small Business Commissioner Judy OConnell says, since March last year, the commission has received more than 14,400 COVID related inquiries. Some 3296 small business owners and landlords have lodged applications to resolve rent disputes and, of those, 890 were resolved with early advice and another 864 settled in mediation, she says. About 2367 requests for mediation have been filed in NSW, of which 90 per cent are resolved without going to court, the states Small Business Commissioner Chris Lamont says. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc (the "Company") Dividend Declaration The Board of Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc today announced a proposed final ordinary dividend of 22.90p per share in respect of the year ended 31 December 2020. Subject to shareholder approval at the AGM to be held on 2 March 2021, the dividend will be paid on 9 March 2021 to shareholders on the register at the close of business on 12 February 2021. The ex-dividend date is 11 February 2021. The Company also operates a Dividend Reinvestment Plan and elections must be received by the Company's registrars by 5.30pm on 26 February 2021. Aberforth Partners LLP, Secretaries (Tel 0131 220 0733) 29 January 2021 A Walker man awaiting a new trial in the 2015 vigilante-style slaying of his girlfriends convicted molester wants to know if she will testify against him again and, if so, what, if any, promises have been made to her by the state. Jace Crehan, 26, received an answer to one of those questions Thursday when a prosecutor said during a hearing that the state currently has no agreements with Brittany Monk, who is serving a 35-year prison term for manslaughter in the killing. "At this point in time there are no promises, no agreements, no inducements," Darwin Miller said inside state District Judge Fred Crifasi's 19th Judicial District courtroom. "There are none, zero. That could possibly change." Crehan was found guilty by a non-unanimous East Baton Rouge Parish jury in 2017 of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in the stabbing and strangling death of Robert Noce Jr., 47, in Zachary. +4 In 2015 vigilante-style killing, Walker man convicted by nonunanimous jury gets new trial A Walker man serving a life sentence in the 2015 vigilante-style slaying of his girlfriend's convicted molester in Zachary was granted a new t But a state appeals court threw out his conviction and sentence last summer and sent the case back to Baton Rouge state district court for another trial. That action came several months after the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed split-jury verdicts in criminal cases. At Crehan's first trial, Monk testified against him for the state after pleading guilty to manslaughter. Her 35-year term is five years shy of the maximum penalty allowed for that crime. Monk, 23, is now seeking to have her sentence reduced. +5 In slaying of her convicted molester, imprisoned Walker woman tells judge she's rehabilitated A Walker woman serving a 35-year sentence in the 2015 vigilante-style slaying of her convicted molester has written directly to a Baton Rouge One of Crehan's attorneys filed a motion Wednesday asking Crifasi to determine from Monk or her lawyers "whether she will personally appear and testify against him or will she refuse to testify ..." Assistant Public Defender Carson Marcantel also filed a motion seeking the disclosure "of any promises or inducements made to Brittany Monk by the State of Louisiana or its agents, in exchange for her testimony against Mr. Crehan, at his second trial." Monk's attorney, Kathryn Jakuback Burke, said during Thursday's hearing that Monk would not ignore a lawfully issued subpoena to appear at Crehan's second trial. But whether Monk would testify, Burke added, "falls under the attorney-client privilege." 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 Burke then asked Miller if Monk had satisfied her obligations under her prior agreement with prosecutors. "She cooperated. She was given consideration for that in her plea. The court gave her consideration at sentencing," Miller replied. The prosecutor stressed that he did not wish to be "locked in" to saying he will call Monk as a witness at Crehan's retrial. If the state issues a subpoena for Monk to appear in court and testify again and she refuses to give additional testimony, the state can have her previous trial testimony read into the record at Crehan's retrial. Crifasi set the next court date in the case for March 4. A trial date is expected to be chosen then. Monk was 17 and seven months pregnant with Crehan's child when she and Crehan broke into Noce's trailer the night of July 4, 2015. +5 Judge decries 'vigilante justice' of Jace Crehan, Brittany Monk after sentencing in slaying of Monk's molester In a Baton Rouge courtroom raw with emotion, Jace Crehan was sentenced Friday to life in prison without parole and his girlfriend, Brittany Mo Crehan told detectives that the knife he used to stab Noce was retrieved from Noces kitchen by Monk, at Crehans direction. Monk testified at Crehan's trial that she sprayed Noce in the face with a mans body spray while Crehan wrestled with him. She denied stabbing Noce but admitted punching him 10 to 15 times while Crehan held him down. Crehan tried to plead guilty to manslaughter before his trial, but prosecutors turned him down. Noce, who two weeks before his death had been put on probation after pleading "no contest" to molesting Monk as a child, was stabbed, strangled and stuffed inside a 55-gallon barrel that Monk said Noce used to make wine. +5 'It's not regret': Jury hears man's confession to slaying girlfriend's convicted molester A Walker man accused of murdering his girlfriend's convicted molester in 2015 did not testify in his own defense Wednesday, but a jury heard J Noce was a former boyfriend of Monk's mother and raised Monk for about 10 years after her mother abandoned her. He denied abusing Monk. The brain with all the white matter tracts visible. White matter tracts are susceptible to damage in people with uncontrolled cardiovascular risks like obesity. Credit: The University of Sheffield New research from the University of Sheffield has found being overweight is an additional burden on brain health and it may exacerbate Alzheimer's disease. The pioneering multimodal neuroimaging study revealed obesity may contribute toward neural tissue vulnerability, whilst maintaining a healthy weight in mild Alzheimer's disease dementia could help to preserve brain structure. The findings, published in The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports, also highlight the impact being overweight in mid-life could have on brain health in older age. Lead author of the study, Professor Annalena Venneri from the University of Sheffield's Neuroscience Institute and NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, said: "More than 50 million people are thought to be living with Alzheimer's disease and despite decades of ground breaking studies and a huge global research effort we still don't have a cure for this cruel disease. "Prevention plays such an important role in the fight against the disease. It is important to stress this study does not show that obesity causes Alzheimer's, but what it does show is that being overweight is an additional burden on brain health and it may exacerbate the disease." She added:"The diseases that cause dementia such as Alzheimer's and vascular dementia lurk in the background for many years, so waiting until your 60s to lose weight is too late. We need to start thinking about brain health and preventing these diseases much earlier. Educating children and adolescents about the burden being overweight has on multimorbidities including neurodegenerative diseases is vital." Researchers from the University of Sheffield and the University of Eastern Finland examined MRI brain scans from 47 patients clinically diagnosed with mild Alzheimer's disease dementia, 68 patients with mild cognitive impairment, and 57 cognitively healthy individuals. The novel study used three complementary, computational techniques to look at the anatomy of the brain, blood flow and also the fibres of the brain. The international team compared multiple brain images and measured differences in local concentrations of brain tissues to assess grey matter volumewhich degenerates during the onset of Alzheimerswhite matter integrity, cerebral blood flow and obesity. In mild dementia patients, a positive association was found between obesity and grey matter volume around the right temporoparietal junction. This suggests obesity might contribute toward neural vulnerability in cognitively healthy individuals and those with mild cognitive impairment. The study also found that maintaining a healthy weight in mild Alzheimer's disease dementia could help preserve brain structure in the presence of age and disease-related weight loss. Joint author of the study, Dr. Matteo De Marco from the University of Sheffield's Neuroscience Institute, said: "Weight-loss is commonly one of the first symptoms in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease as people forget to eat or begin to snack on easy-to-grab foods like biscuits or crisps, in place of more nutritional meals. "We found that maintaining a healthy weight could help preserve brain structure in people who are already experiencing mild Alzheimer's disease dementia. Unlike other diseases such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes, people don't often think about the importance of nutrition in relation to neurological conditions, but these findings show it can help to preserve brain structure." Explore further Brain regions with impaired blood flow have higher tau levels More information: Manmohi D. Dake et al, Obesity and Brain Vulnerability in Normal and Abnormal Aging: A Multimodal MRI Study, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports (2021). Manmohi D. Dake et al, Obesity and Brain Vulnerability in Normal and Abnormal Aging: A Multimodal MRI Study,(2021). DOI: 10.3233/ADR-200267 Town of Mexico, N.Y. Three people were hurt after a pickup truck crashed into a tractor-trailer Thursday morning in Oswego County. The head-on crash happened around 11:40 a.m. on State Route 104 in the town of Mexico. About 60 gallons of fuel leaked from the damaged tractor-trailers fuel tank after the accident, the New York State Police said. Shamus P. McDowell, 23, of Mexico, was driving east in a 2005 Chevrolet pickup truck when he veered into oncoming traffic, troopers said. His truck crashed into the front of a westbound 2006 Kenworth tractor-trailer, troopers said. McDowell was transported by ambulance to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse. His injuries were not life-threatening, troopers said. A 21-year-old woman who was a passenger in McDowells pickup truck was treated at Upstate for a minor knee injury, troopers said. The accident remains under investigation. It was not immediately clear if anyone had been charged. 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. News reports indicate COVID-19 vaccines are not getting out soon enough nor in adequate supplies to most regions, but there may be a larger underlying problem than shortages. A University of California, Davis, study found that more than a third of people nationwide are either unlikely or at least hesitant to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them. The results are from public polling of more than 800 English-speaking adults nationwide in a study published online earlier this month in the journal Vaccine. "Our research indicates that vaccine uptake will be suboptimal ... with 14.8 percent of respondents being unlikely to get vaccinated and another 23 percent unsure," said Jeanette B. Ruiz, assistant professor of teaching communication at UC Davis and lead author of the study. "Even though vaccination remains one of the most effective public health initiatives, some still doubt the efficacy and safety of vaccines. Unfortunately, the seemingly rushed process of the COVID-19 vaccine may have further fueled these doubts." Co-author is Robert Bell, emeritus professor of communication, UC Davis. Respondents cited vaccine safety and effectiveness assessments as the primary basis for hesitancy, authors said. In the study, compensated participants were recruited from the United States through an Internet survey panel of 2.5 million residents developed by a commercial survey firm. Recruitment was based on quota sampling to produce a U.S. census-matched sample representative of the nation, and was representative of the U.S. population in terms of region of residence, sex and age, but also diverse with regard to all demographic variables assessed. Researchers measured the respondents' intention to vaccinate; demographic and health status profile of individuals least likely to vaccinate; general vaccine knowledge and vaccine conspiracy beliefs; and the role of media and partisan politics played in their resistance to vaccination. Political party, health risk factors, media contribute to attitudes Authors indicated demographic characteristics, vaccine knowledge, perceived vulnerability to COVID-19, risk factors for COVID-19, and politics likely contribute to vaccination hesitancy. The study was conducted relatively early in the pandemic outbreak during two days in June 2020. Demographic predictors of likelihood of being vaccinated against COVID-19 included having an income of $120,000 or higher, or being a Democrat (in comparison to the reference category Republican). The members of three political groups -- Democrat, Republican or Independent -- did not differ in their reported vaccine knowledge, however. One fourth of those identifying with no political party reported they were not likely to get vaccinated. Media had an effect too. Respondents relying primarily on social media for information about COVID-19 anticipated a lower likelihood of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Those reporting getting their information from various other media did not show significant differences in vaccine acceptance, but viewers of Fox News did report being more hesitant than viewers of other broadcast news, the research showed. Authors noted that it is possible that individuals gravitate toward the cable news networks that present a view on the pandemic that is aligned with their own opinions. Media reports have regularly noted that men, adults age 65 and over, and individuals with pre-existing conditions are most vulnerable to COVID-19, and respondents from these groups said they were more likely to accept a future vaccine in this survey. A majority of the least-educated respondents did not expect to get vaccinated against COVID-19, researchers said. The top four reasons given for vaccination hesitancy were as follows: concerns about vaccine side effects, worries about allergic responses to the vaccine, doubts about vaccine effectiveness and a preference for developing immunity through infection. Other reasons were less frequently cited -- including being healthy, fear of needles, being immune from past infection, being young and lack of concern about developing a serious illness. Unfortunately, the health disparities present in the spread and treatment of COVID-19 were reflected in survey participants' vaccination hesitancy estimations," researchers said in the paper. "The pandemic has especially burdened the African American, Latino and Native American communities, who account for a disproportionate number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Greater likelihood of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was associated with more knowledge about vaccines, less acceptance of vaccine conspiracies, elevated COVID-19 threat appraisals and being current with influenza immunization." Primary Findings Summary Male, older, white, married, and those from higher-income households more likely to vaccinate. Republicans and Fox News viewers were less likely to vaccinate. Being currently immunized against influenza predicted COVID-19 vaccination intent. A better understanding of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy is needed. ### Link to study: https:/ / www. sciencedirect. com/ science/ article/ pii/ S0264410X21000141 Additional Media Resources London: Stranded Australians have been dealt a fresh blow after an abrupt decision by Britain to close its border to the United Arab Emirates caused two major airlines to axe all flights to the key transit hubs of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The upheaval will put more pressure on the Morrison government to schedule extra Qantas repatriation flights for Australians stuck in Europe. The government announced 20 extra repatriation flights for priority areas around the globe in mid-January, although only six have been scheduled so far. Britain announced on Thursday it would ban all incoming passenger flights from the UAE amid fears over new coronavirus variants circulating in the country. CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) Apple is urging iPhone and iPad users to update their devices to fix security flaws that might have been actively exploited" by hackers. Apple made the software upgrades available Tuesday, adding a rare note suggesting it was a serious threat. GREENWICH COVID-19 vaccination clinics are now operating in town for residents age 75 and up, but many are experiencing challenges in making appointments especially when it comes to getting the second dose with the vaccine supply varying from week to week. There are now four vaccine clinics in town, with two different methods of setting up appointments. Greenwich Hospital has opened clinics at Brunswick Schools King Street campus and at its office at 500 W. Putnam Ave. To make an appointment at either of those locations, visit www. nhhs.org/covidvaccine, which is run by Yale New Haven Health System, of which Greenwich Hospital is a part. The clinic run by Family Centers Inc. is at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center, and the town launched its own clinic on Tuesday in Town Hall. To make an appointment at either of these locations, visit dphsubmissions.ct.gov/onlinevaccine, which uses the federal governments Vaccine Administration Management System. On Thursday, town Director of Health Caroline Baisley said she has heard from seniors concerned about getting their second shot of vaccine while appointments are so limited. She offered some tips on the best ways to use the website to schedule their first and second doses. The towns vaccination schedule is posted in the VAMS system every Friday for the week to ahead, Baisley said. Any open spots due to cancellations are posted on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. The Town Hall clinic runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and Baisley said she hopes to soon add Fridays. Residents should check the clinic schedules daily so they can make an appointment and get in right away, she said. For second dose appointments, residents need to know to make their appointments the Friday before their appointment is needed in the following week. If they do that, they will get an appointment right away. Making a second appointment When Greenwich Hospital launched its clinic at Brunswick on Monday, several people who received their vaccines said they had no problems with the website and found it easy to operate. Patients who go to a location operated by Greenwich Hospital make an appointment for their second dose immediately after getting their first vaccine, hospital President Diane Kelly said. With its supply, Greenwich Hospital is making sure it has enough doses for both shots, Kelly said. It will temporarily suspend appointments, which it did for a few days late last week, if it meant exceeding the supply of vaccine, she said. Scheduling the second appointment at the time of the first vaccine is policy throughout the Yale New Haven Health System, said Magaly Olivero, public relations coordinator at Greenwich Hospital. At Family Centers Inc., leaders are requesting vaccine doses on a week-by-week basis and scheduling appointments based on supply, Senior Vice President William Brucker said. Officials are hoping to get more doses of the coronavirus vaccine. Last week, President Joe Biden authorized using the Defense Production Act to increase the supply of vaccines in the country. But it is unclear when more vaccines will come to Connecticut. Offering assistance The town is providing assistance for residents who do not have internet access or who are having trouble navigating the VAMS site. The Health Department has numbers set up at 203-622-7703, 203-622-7842, 203-622-7836, 203-622-7865 and 203-622-7614 to offer help. Local seniors can also call the towns Commission on Aging at 203-862-6710 for help with appointments. Some local seniors have experienced confusion over the appointment process, said Lori Contadino, director of the Commission on Aging. Local clinic and appointment information Residents can get vaccines by appointment on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the town-run clinic at Town Hall; from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays at the Family Centers-run clinic at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center; and from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. seven days a week at the Greenwich Hospital-run clinic at Brunswick School, 1252 King St. Schedules can change as needed, especially with vaccine demand. Under the state's Phase 1b, seniors 75 and older are eligible to be vaccinated, a process that takes two shots. Appointments can be made through the federal government's Vaccine Administration Management System, which is overseen in the state by the Department of Public Health at dphsubmissions.ct.gov/onlinevaccine for the clinics at Town Hall and at the Civic Center. For appointments for Greenwich Hospital, use the hospital's website at ynhhs.org/covidvaccine. Town Director of Health Caroline Baisley said her department is providing help to seniors without internet access. Call 203-622-7703, 203-622-7842, 203-622-7836, 203-622-7865 or 203-622-7614 or call the town's Commission on Aging at 203-862-6710. See More Collapse Some seniors are still struggling to secure an appointment for their first dose, Contadino said. The VAMS system requires a unique email per registrant, and requires multiple steps in the process of registering and ultimately securing an appointment. Contadino praised the systems offered by Yale New Haven and Stamford Health, which has formed a partnership with the city of Stamford. She said those systems have streamlined the registration and scheduling so the process is nearly seamless. But that is dependent on the availability of appointments, Contadino said. Were waiting for additional dates to be released for scheduling, she said. Right now, I imagine due to cancellations, an appointment may pop up here or there. YNNH and Stanford Health do require an email, but a couple can register using the same email or a family member can schedule on behalf of a loved one using their own email and that is not the case with VAMS. Anyone without an email address or internet should call the state or the hospital directly, Contadino said. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com A refugee mother from Central African Republic sits with her children beside a makeshift shelter in Ndu village, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. UNHCR/Fabien Faivre As insecurity in the Central African Republic (CAR) has displaced more than 200,000 people within the country and in neighbouring states in less than two months, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is warning that tens of thousands are facing dire conditions. Refugee arrivals into the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have reached 92,000 according to local authorities and some 13,240 people have crossed into Cameroon, Chad, and the Republic of Congo, since violence erupted in December 2020 ahead of CARs general elections. Refugees continue to arrive. Some 100,000 people remain internally displaced inside CAR, according to figures compiled by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The continuing volatility has hampered the humanitarian response and made access to the internally displaced more difficult. The main road used to bring supplies has also been forced shut. Armed groups are reportedly present in the Batangafo and Bria sites where displaced communities are sheltering, in violation of the humanitarian and civilian nature of those sites. Such presence poses a grave protection risk for those displaced, from risk of forced recruitment to restriction of movement to extortion or threats. In the DRC, new arrivals have crossed the Ubangi, Mbomou, and Uele rivers that form the countrys natural border with CAR and into 40 localities in the provinces of North Ubangi, South Ubangi, and Bas Uele. Refugees have told UNHCR that they fled in panic when they heard gun shots, leaving their belongings behind. Most refugees are living in dire conditions in remote, hard-to-reach areas close to the rivers without basic shelter and facing acute food shortages. They are dependent on catching fish and on what the local villagers can spare. Unfortunately, the host communities in these remote areas have extremely limited resources. For many, the river is also the sole water source for drinking, washing, and cooking. Malaria, respiratory tract infections, and diarrhoea have become common among the refugees. UNHCR partners are treating patients and distributing medicine but the needs are mounting. Vast distances and extremely poor road conditions mean that humanitarian assistance takes time to reach people in need. UNHCR is already distributing emergency supplies to the most vulnerable families in South Ubangi Province while additional supplies arrived last week in the North Ubangi and Bas Uele Provinces. Refugees urgently need food and shelter, drinking water, essential aid items, sanitation and healthcare to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases. They also need documentation. UNHCR is biometrically registering up to 1,000 new arrivals per day, which enables the early identification of people with vulnerabilities. UNHCR is working closely with the government, is scaling up registration activities, and will update the population figures based on actual registrations. UNHCR is pre-positioning emergency supplies in Yakoma, North Ubangi province, before vast areas become inaccessible by road with the looming rainy season. In six weeks, the rains will prevent the delivery of assistance to refugees in Bas Uele and North Ubangi unless supplies are airlifted at considerable cost for which UNHCR must raise funds. Funding for UNHCRs humanitarian response is already critically low and under severe pressure as the numbers of refugees and their needs have continued to increase. Our funding requirements for the CAR Situation in 2021 amounts to US$151.5 million and is just two per cent funded. Needs are likely to grow with the new displacement. UNHCR is urgently appealing to the international community to mobilize funds, so humanitarian organizations can deliver life-saving assistance to the Central African refugees and their hosts. B-roll footage is available at this link. For more information on this topic, please contact: Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 A forklift prepares to load mail-in ballots onto a truck at a loading dock outside the Orange County Registrar's office in Santa Ana, Calif., on Oct. 5, 2020. (Jamie Joseph/The Epoch Times) California Senate Passes Bill Mandating Vote-by-Mail Ballots for This Years Elections The California Senate passed a bill on Jan. 28 that would require vote-by-mail ballots to be sent to all voters for this years special elections, sparking concern in opponents who fear the proposed law could normalize pandemic-style elections and discourage traditional in-person voting. Existing law required county elections officials to mail a ballot to every registered voter for the Nov. 3 general election. Senate Bill 29 (SB 29), which passed by a 29-7 vote and now heads to the State Assembly, would extend that mandate to all elections proclaimed or conducted prior to Jan. 1, 2022. State Sen. Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore), who voted against the measure, told The Epoch Times that the bill threatens to erode voting rights that are precious. We must do everything we can to ensure the integrity of our election system by opposing these attempts to destroy it, she said via email. Now, more than ever, Californians need to have confidence in the integrity of our elections and that they are free from manipulation. SB 29 only seeks to make mail-in voting more normal by extending its uses beyond its stated purpose of preventing COVID transmission. Proponents maintain that vote-by-mail ballots sent to all registered voters for special elections will provide a safer alternative to voting in-person during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana), the bills author, attributed Californias historic voter turnout in the Nov. 3 general election to vote-by-mail ballots, which he asserted were safe, secure, and accurate. During the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing earlier this month, Umberg said the election worked out quite well except for a couple of irregularities, primarily in Orange County. He cited the highest voter turnout since President Harry S. Truman was in office. In addition to providing more safety for voters and poll workers, SB 29 simply takes some of the provisions that were enacted because of the COVID crisis in the November 2020 election and incorporates them into special elections in 2021, Umberg said at the Jan. 21 hearing. Potential for Voter Fraud Election Integrity Project California (EIPCa), a citizens watchdog group focused on California elections, fears that the newly proposed state law opens the door to increased voter fraud by extending Assembly Bill 860 (AB 860), which required county officials to send vote-by-mail ballots to all registered voters statewide for the Nov. 3 election. In a letter of opposition to SB 29 addressed to California Senate committee members, EIPCa states that for the November election, officials mailed ballots to 416,633 registrants who had not voted for 12 or more years. EIPCa Director of Legislative Oversight Ruth Weiss cited those statistics and others contained in the letter at a Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee hearing on Jan. 14, where she urged the committee to reject SB 29 and not to double down on such a disastrous mistake. A vibrant and functional democratic process cannot tolerate Californias current disregard for clear errors in the voter rolls, she told the committee. Californians can have no faith in a system that would perpetrate policies that lead to the statistics such as the ones our opposition letter provides. Sen. Melendez concurred, saying, The smoke screen of COVID should not be the basis for degrading our election system without addressing the loopholes and inaccuracies of voter information. Inaccurate voter rolls are the primary loophole that can and will be exploited using all mail-in ballot elections. Adele Tagaloa, secretary of the Orange County Employees Association (OCEA) and site lead for the Orange County Registrar of Voters, supported the bill at the Jan. 14 committee meeting. She cited Orange Countys historic 87 percent voter turnout and credited AB 860 for protecting voters and poll workers during the November election. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my co-workers and I really appreciated the protections put in place for the employees that have to work at the polls, said Tagaloa. COVID-19 is obviously still with us, but that does not mean that the health and safety of both voters and our election workers at the polls need to be put at risk when we have an election. The California Teachers Association (CTA) also filed a letter in support of SB 29. Public Comments EIPCas Weiss said her organization fielded calls in October and November from thousands of angry and confused voters who had received ballots for those who had died, moved away, or never lived at their address. She said the calls were documented as citizen incident reports signed under penalty of perjury. The most troubling calls of all for me were the ones from non-citizens working properly through the system to reach their goal of U.S. citizenship. Knowing the rules, they had never registered to vote, and they received a ballot which terrified them and their citizen spouses, Weiss said. Some even shared very emotionally with me that when they called the registrar of voters in their county in a panic, they were told by the person answering the phone that if they received the ballot, they were entitled to use it, and they were encouraged to do so. Weiss blamed the states continued lack of federally required voter roll maintenance for the problem. She said that if SB 29 becomes law, it would put those same voters and others through that same trauma again. The very individuals that we want to adopt and embrace into our American family are victims of fraud voter rolls and automatic registration policies going awry. AB 860 magnified these flaws, facilitated great harm to thousands of individuals, and did damage to voter confidence, she said. At the Jan. 14 committee hearing, two speakers from each side were allowed to speak for three minutes each. The rest of the commenters were restricted to stating their name, affiliation, and whether they were in support or opposed. Sen. Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama), who voted against the bill on Jan. 28, criticized the Senate and its committees for restricting public comments. Everybody else gets to come up and say their names and wave. I do not consider that public participation, Nielsen said. With that egregious step that has been taken here in the Senate, Im now going to be objecting even in our committee hearings to stifling the public input. How frustrating its got to be for the average citizen who wants to have their voice heard in government. Following the testimony, both committees passed the bill, by 4-1 and 4-2 votes respectively, sending it back to the Senate floor for the final readings. Considered an urgency statute, the bill required two-thirds approval to pass. SB 29 now moves to the California Assembly for the same procedural steps. If it passes in the Assembly, the bill would be sent to the governor to be signed into law. NEW HAVEN A city man was sentenced to nearly 2 years in prison for his role in a New Haven-based drug trafficking ring, according to federal authorities. Tyrese Stanley, also known as Scoot, 30, of New Haven, was sentenced to a total of 21 months in prison and four years of supervised release, on a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, federal authorities said in a statement. U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny also sentenced Stanley to serve the first three months of his supervised release in home confinement, the statement said. The case is a result of an investigation headed by the FBIs New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and New Haven Police Department that targeted drug trafficking and related acts of violence by members, former members and associates of the Island Brothers street gang in the city, the statement said. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, also revealed that the drug trafficking organization had established a base of operation in Fitchburg, Mass., the statement said. The investigation subsequently identified a second drug trafficking network that involved the large-scale distribution of heroin. Federal authorities said that Anderson Barry Atkinson, of Hamden, was identified during the investigation as a supplier of heroin to members of the drug trafficking organization. Investigators intercepted calls between Stanley and Atkinson in which Stanley arranged for Atkinson to provide him with heroin for resale. Twenty-seven people were charged as a result of the investigation, according to federal authorities. Stanley was arrested on July 10, 2019 and has been held since then, the statement said. He pleaded guilty on Sept. 21, 2020 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, the statement said. Atkinson has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing, the statement said. The case is being investigated by the FBIs New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, Hamden Police Department, East Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, according to federal authorities. New Delhi, Jan 29 : Accused arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari has been declared a proclaimed offender by a special CBI court in a money laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The Special Judge of the CBI court has issued the proclamation asking Sanjay Bhandari to appear before the court on February 15. The order said that Bhandari has been absconding or has concealed himself to be absconding from the warrant. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a money laundering case against Bhandari in connection with the Samsung-ONGC deal during the UPA era. Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had lodged an FIR naming Bhandari, Santech International FZC (UAE), Samsung Engineering Company Limited (South Korea), Foster Wheeler Energy Limited (the UK), Hong NamKoong, the then senior manager of Samsung, and unknown officials of ONGC as accused in the case. The CBI in its FIR had said that Bhandari allegedly obtained $49,99,969 from SECL in the overseas bank account of his Dubai-based firm Santech International in order to induce unknown public servants to show alleged undue favour to the consortium of SECL in the award of contract of the DFCU project in Dahej, Gujarat. The CBI said that it was further alleged that the said agreement was related to the consultancy services to be provided by Santech International FZC to SECL for obtaining the said contract. Bhandari, who is wanted in India, was first raided by the Income Tax department in 2015. He was booked by the Delhi Police in an Official Secret Act (OSA) case. He fled India in October 2016. In July last year, the CBI had registered a criminal case against unknown officials of the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Defence Ministry, Bhandari and officials of Switzerland-based plane maker Pilatus Aircraft Ltd on charges of alleged corruption in the Rs 2,985 crore deal of 75 basic air trainer aircraft for the IAF in 2009. Bhandari is also being probed in Robert Vadra's alleged London properties case. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low near 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. 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 29, 2021] NordikCoin Set to Expand Into Asian Markets in 2021 Leading Estonian high-tech cryptocurrency exchange service, NordikCoin, is announcing that it will start accepting customers from Asian markets. The company will first begin accepting customers in selected jurisdictions, while further expansion is expected to continue in 2021. Whilst expanding its global reach, the company itself and its day-to-day operations will continue to be domiciled in global cryptocurrency haven Tallinn, Estonia. TALLINN, Estonia, Jan. 29, 2021 /CNW/ -- Leading Estonian high-tech cryptocurrency exchange service, NordikCoin, is announcing that it will start accepting customers from Asian markets. The company will first begin accepting customers in selected jurisdictions, while further expansion is expected to continue in 2021. Whilst expanding its global reach, the company itself and its day-to-day operations will continue to be domiciled in global cryptocurrency haven Tallinn, Estonia. Bitcoin on the rise Bitcoin has been in the limelight for over a decade now, rapidly expanding its scope of applications, and continuously rising in value. On January 8th 2021, Bitcoin hit a new milestone by surpassing $42,000 in value, proving that its popularity is steadily increasing. To support the rise in demand, Estonian cryptocurrency exchange NordikCoin will apply its European KYC and AML rules to customers from new Asian jurisdictions, with the main focus on security and compliance. NordikCoin's AML/KYC policy stands for Anti-Money Laundering and Know Your Customer and was designed to prevent and mitigate possible risks of money laundering and terrorism financing. NordikCoin aims to be one of the fastest and most hassle-free ways of buying Bitcoin. The exchange supports all major credit cards, whilst crypto wallets are provided free of charge to its customers. Due to the innovative use of electrnic ID solutions, users from supported jurisdictions can set up their accounts in under five minutes - after which they can start trading Bitcoin immediately. The company is known for bringing innovation into the cryptocurrency space, being one of the first Bitcoin exchanges with Lightning Network protocol support. Inevitably, one of NordikCoin's main priorities has been to follow all the latest cybersecurity standards and best practices, ensuring that the cryptocurrency exchange environment is safe and reliable for all users across the globe. This is, in part, due to the fact that the team behind NordikCoin is comprised of experienced lawyers, auditors and technologists from around the world. Japan next for rapid expansion One jurisdiction which is being considered for NordikCoin's Asian expansion is Japan. The country has witnessed a notable surge in Bitcoin holdings by 11%, suggesting that it's the perfect launchpad. Several crypto exchanges are already present and thriving in the Japanese market, regardless of current COVID-19 restrictions and difficulties. Key exchanges include Okcoin, Bitflyer, Bitbank and Btcbox, among others. David De Marco, CEO of Omni Matrix Ltd, the parent company of NordikCoin.com, shares his excitement for the Asian expansion plans: - Our expansion into the Asian market marks a unique opportunity for the company to present its innovative cryptocurrency trading services globally. We are thrilled to announce that we will be expanding our customer onboarding processes to facilitate clients from Asian markets. We are confident that this is the perfect stepping stone for the new era of cryptocurrency exchange with NordikCoin leading the way. Asia has been dominating the cryptocurrency market in the past couple of years, with financial giant SBI taking a lead. The company made a series of crypto moves recently including a planned 2022 launch of a digital exchange with Switzerland's SIX, a partnership with Ripple and, most recently, the acquisition of U.K.-based cryptocurrency trading firm B2C2. Asia has been found to adopt blockchain technology much faster than many Western countries, incorporating innovations quickly and efficiently. NordikCoin's expansion plans seem to be a great way for Europe and Asia to join forces and increase efforts of pushing Bitcoin and cryptocurrency into the limelight. Press contact: David De Marco, CEO, Omni Matrix Limited Email: david.de.marco@omnimatrix.com Web: https://www.omnimatrix.com Related Images bitcoin-exchange-launching-in-japan.jpg Bitcoin exchange launching in Japan Bitcoin exchange launching in Japan bitcoin-exchange-launching-in-japan.jpg Bitcoin exchange launching in Japan Bitcoin exchange launching in Japan View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nordikcoin-set-to-expand-into-asian-markets-in-2021-301217162.html SOURCE Omni Matrix Limited [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Ranked #39 on the OTCQX Best 50, out of 462 companies traded on OTCQX on December 31, 2020 A recognition of the Company's superior one-year share price return and average daily volume growth through calendar 2020 MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / January 29, 2021 / Critical Elements Lithium Corporation (the "Corporation" or "Critical Elements") (TSXV:CRE)(OTCQX:CRECF)(FSE:F12) is pleased to announce that it has been named to the 2021 OTCQX Best 50, a ranking of top performing United States and international companies traded on the OTCQX Best Market during calendar 2020. The ranking is based on an equal weighting of one-year total return and average daily dollar volume growth through 2020. The complete 2021 OTCQX Best 50 ranking is available at: https://www.otcmarkets.com/files/2021_OTCQX_Best_50.pdf. "We recognize the growing importance of the United States in burgeoning lithium demand for the lithium-ion battery industry, as well as in the equity markets that have discovered this exciting investment opportunity," stated Jean-Sebastien Lavallee, Critical Elements' Chief Executive Officer. "We are proud that United States investors are supporting Critical Elements as evidenced by our place on the 2021 OTCQX Best 50 and we look forward to building on our ranking in 2022. We anticipate that the near-term conclusion of the parallel Phase I permitting processes by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada on the Federal level and the Environmental and Social Impact Review Committee on the Provincial level, may be important milestones for the market and potential strategic partners." Critical Elements' President, Dr. Steffen Haber, reiterated the Corporation's vision to become a large responsible supplier of lithium to the flourishing electric vehicle and energy storage systems industries. "Our Rose Project features one of the purest lithium deposits globally. Quebec is strategically well-positioned regarding the critical transitioning energy and e-mobility markets in Europe and the United States and boasts excellent infrastructure including low-cost, low-carbon hydroelectricity, as well as human capital. Our cooperative relationship with the Cree Nation of Eastmain, the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee), and the Cree Nation Government has been formalized through the Pikhuutaau Agreement signed in July 2019. We are excited by the anticipated receipt of Provincial and Federal Phase I permitting, detailed engineering and financing for the construction of the Rose mine and concentrator, and the delivery of engineering studies for Phase II (a chemical plant for conversion of Rose spodumene concentrate to high quality lithium hydroxide for use in lithium-ion batteries)." About Critical Elements Lithium Corporation Primero Group recently completed the first phase of its Early Contractor Involvement agreement with the Corporation and provided a Guaranteed Maximum Price for the engineering, procurement and construction of the wholly-owned Rose Lithium-Tantalum project (the "Project") on a lump sum turnkey basis that is in line with the Project's feasibility study published November 29, 2017. The Project feasibility study is based on price forecasts of US $750/tonne for chemical-grade lithium concentrate (5% Li2O), US $1,500/tonne for technical-grade lithium concentrate (6% Li2O) and US $130/kg for Ta2O5 in tantalite concentrate, and an exchange rate of US $0.75/CA $. The internal rate of return ("IRR") for the Project is estimated at 34.9% after tax, and net present value ("NPV") is estimated at CA $726 million at an 8% discount rate. The estimated payback period is 2.8 years. The pre-tax IRR for the Project is estimated at 48.2% and the pre-tax NPV at CA $1,257 million at an 8% discount rate (see press release dated September 6, 2017). The financial analysis is based on the Indicated mineral resource. An Indicated mineral resource is that part of a mineral resource for which quantity, grade or quality, densities, shape and physical characteristics can be estimated with a level of confidence sufficient to allow the appropriate application of technical and economic parameters, to support mine planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. The life-of-mine (LOM) plan provides for the extraction of 26.8 million tonnes of ore, 182.4 million tonnes of waste, and 11.0 million tonnes of overburden for a total of 220.2 million tonnes of material. The average stripping ratio is 7.2 tonnes per tonne of ore. The nominal production rate is estimated at 4,600 tonnes per day, with 350 operating days per year. The open pit mining schedule allows for a 17-year mine life. The mine will produce a total of 26.8 million tonnes of ore grading an average of 0.85% Li2O and 133 ppm Ta2O5, including dilution. The mill will process 1.61 million tonnes of ore per year to produce an annual average of 236,532 tonnes of technical and chemical grade spodumene concentrate and 429 tonnes of tantalite concentrate. For more information: Jean-Sebastien Lavallee, P.Geo. Chief Executive Officer 819-354-5146 jslavallee@cecorp.ca www.cecorp.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is described in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Critical Elements Lithium Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/626688/Critical-Elements-Named-to-the-2021-OTCQXR-Best-50 I'm USA TODAY editor-in-chief Nicole Carroll, and this is The Backstory, insights into our biggest stories of the week. If you'd like to get The Backstory in your inbox every week, sign up here. In his first week, President Joe Biden signed more than 30 executive orders overturning Donald Trump's policies and ramping up the country's COVID-19 response. As he rolls out his team and priorities, here's how USA TODAY will cover him. Aggressively. We've got a team of seven reporters assigned to the Biden/Harris administration, each with areas of expertise. Michael Collins will focus on the economy. Courtney Subramanian will watchdog the COVID-19 response. Rebecca Morin will follow immigration policy. Joey Garrison will examine how the administration interacts with state and local governments. Maureen Groppe will focus on health care. Deborah Berry will write on racial equality. And Matthew Brown will bulldog breaking news. What they all have in common is a desire to hold the powerful accountable and empower our readers with the news and information they need to better their lives and their communities. "I want to tell Americans how the decisions that are being made in Washington are directly impacting their lives," Collins said. "The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for many American families, yet others are doing well in spite of this public health crisis. That just underscores what the experts have been telling us for a long time about the wealth disparity in this country. That means getting beyond what were hearing from the administration and talking to people who are struggling economically." Morin will be tracking Biden on his promise of getting comprehensive immigration reform passed. And, "accountability cant happen if I dont know what concerns real life people have." She'll also report on how Biden's policies impact immigrant communities. From top left, USA TODAY's Deborah Berry, Caren Bohan, Matthew Brown, Michael Collins, Joey Garrison, Maureen Groppe, Rebecca Morin and Courtney Subramanian. The most urgent of Biden's promises is leading the country out of the pandemic. Almost half of his orders so far have focused on the coronavirus: ramping up vaccine distribution and public health supplies, expanding testing and safely reopening schools. Story continues "The president himself has pointed out the death toll could top 500,000 by the end of next month," Subramanian said. "It's a challenge thats illuminated federal bureaucratic failures, logistical challenges of coordinating a national response and years of a largely underfunded and understaffed public health system. "The tension between the Biden administrations ambitious plan and the grim reality of the pandemic is colliding at a time when urgency is critical. The pandemic response is a daunting task but one that will define Bidens legacy and determine whether he'll be able to achieve other aspects of his agenda." Groppe said Biden has promised to be fully transparent about his team's success and failure. "It's up to the media to hold him to that," she said. "Well be watching to gauge what he accomplishes and whether more could be done to not just return to normalcy, but to 'build back better' as he pledged." Groppe has spent the past four years covering Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence. So she's also eager to see how Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff approach their positions. "Harris, of course, is the first woman and first woman of color to be vice president. Biden, who presented himself during the campaign as a bridge to the next generation of leaders, appears to be more comfortable sharing the spotlight with her than Trump was with Pence," she said. "But she still has a tricky position to manage as both a supporting character and as someone who wants to become the first female president." Garrison will be reporting on the challenges city and state governments face navigating tough budgets due to the pandemic and their uphill work to vaccinate their citizens. "Biden is pushing a national strategy to fight the COVID-19 pandemic a departure from Trump, who largely left the responsibility of vaccination plans and purchasing medical equipment up to states," Garrison said. "Will governors and mayors see those changes at the ground-level? My reporting will answer that question." Berry will cover voting rights, civil rights, disparities and inequity. "Biden and Harris campaigned on those issues and many civil rights leaders and voting rights advocates said they are going to hold them accountable," she said. "Most of this isnt new. So I hope to team up with my colleagues to keep an eye on their proposals and policies and let readers know if they are working." And let's talk about the question we get most often. Will we cover Biden and Harris as aggressively as we did Trump and Pence? Absolutely. "I approach this assignment the same way I did when Donald Trump was in office: to ferret out the truth," Collins said. "That means asking hard questions, demanding answers and digging deeper. Joe Biden doesnt hold the kind of contempt for the free press that Trump did. But, as reporters, we cant let the fact that theres a friendlier face in the White House keep us from holding the new administration accountable." Subramanian says she's hoping for less whiplash than during the Trump years and spending more time on how Biden will reshape government after four tumultuous years. "The Biden administration came to power on the promise of healing a nation in mourning," she said. "Holding them to their promises, explaining the implications of their policies and telling the stories of who those policies affect will be critical to covering this White House." Brown said he expects the Biden administration to run a much tighter ship than the Trump White House when it comes to leaks. Referring to the palace intrigue often served up to reporters during the Trump era, Brown said he's expecting more "difficulty sourcing up in a White House where everyone is not trying to knife fight each other." He said he thinks there will be more of a "united front" in the Biden White House, and that will present its own challenges. Our White House reporters aren't the only ones covering the nations big issues. They will link up with teams assigned to Congress and key government departments, as well as with USA TODAY journalists and local reporters in 260-plus newsrooms nationwide who have expertise on issues such as extremism and misinformation, social justice and climate change, health care and education. Caren Bohan is our Washington editor and deputy Washington bureau chief. She'll be overseeing this coverage. Her promise: "Our role as journalists is to be watchdogs for government. That's true of how we'll cover the Biden administration and it was true of how we covered Trump. "Our audience expects nothing less." We ask you to hold us to this. The Backstory: COVID-19 could kill 100,000 more in U.S. in coming month. Will we face this as 'one nation'? The Backstory: Handcuffs, explosives and cries for help. Chilling details from inside the Capitol riot. Nicole Carroll is the editor-in-chief of USA TODAY. Reach her at EIC@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter here. Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free experience or electronic newspaper replica here. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA TODAY White House reporters hold Biden Harris accountable Over 113,000 people in Singapore have received first dose of COVID-19 vaccine: MOH Photo courtesy: Steven Cornfield on Unsplash The Ministry of Health on Thursday said that as of January 27, more than 113,000 individuals had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, more than 50 people have received their second dose of the vaccine and completed the full vaccination regimen. The first day of COVID-19 vaccination for seniors aged 70 years old and above commenced on January 27 with two pilots at the Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar towns, with more than 250 seniors vaccinated on the first day, said MOH. Sign-ups for COVID-19 vaccination by seniors in the community have been encouraging. We expect more seniors to sign up in the coming days as letters are progressively being sent to invite them to book an appointment for their vaccination, the ministry added. As of 27 January, we have sent personalised letters to more than 10,000 seniors in Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar, and more than one third of them have booked their appointments within two days of receiving the invitation. The ministry is also planning to send personalised letters inviting seniors to sign up for their vaccination across Singapore starting from mid-February. The government is also planning to set up more vaccination centres over the next few weeks to ensure that everyone can conveniently receive their vaccinations. The vaccination centres will be located in high population catchment areas and/or along major public transport routes for greater accessibility. In total, there will be around 40 vaccination centres, with each vaccination centre planned for an estimated capacity of 2,000 vaccinations per day. To support the start of vaccination for seniors, MOH has set up a new vaccination centre at Tanjong Pagar Community Centre from January 27, while Teck Ghee Community Centre will also be operational from February 1. Besides the vaccination centres, the polyclinics and selected Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs) will also serve as vaccination sites. Currently, seniors can already be vaccinated at nine polyclinics and 21 PHPCs. Come 1 February 2021, all 20 polyclinics across Singapore will also begin offering COVID-19 vaccinations, the ministry release said. To reach out to seniors with mobility issues, MOH is planning to set up mobile vaccination teams to deliver the vaccines to these individuals. Reactions to vaccine The MOH said that out of the over 113,000 people vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, 432 adverse event reports have been received by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) as of January 27. Most of these reports were for regular symptoms such as injection site pain and swelling, fever, headache, fatigue, body aches, giddiness, nausea and allergic reactions (such as itch, rash, swelling of eyes/lip). These symptoms are reactions generally associated with all vaccinations and they generally resolved on their own within a few days, the ministry said. There were three reported cases of anaphylaxis (rapid onset of severe allergic reactions). The individuals, in their 20s and 30s, developed multiple symptoms such as rash, breathlessness, lip swelling, throat tightness and giddiness. All three individuals had a history of allergies, including allergic rhinitis and food allergy such as to shellfish, but none had a history of anaphylaxis which would have precluded them from receiving the vaccine, MOH said. As all vaccinated persons in Singapore are closely monitored, the symptoms in these three individuals were promptly detected and treated. All have recovered from the episode and were discharged from the hospital after a days observation or treatment. As per the MOH, the incidence rate of anaphylaxis locally is currently about 2.7 per 100,000 doses administered. Anaphylaxis is a known but rare side effect of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. As with all vaccines, there will always be a small proportion of susceptible persons who experience severe allergic reactions upon vaccination. We have put in place precautionary measures such as pre-vaccination screening and post-vaccination observation, to ensure that our vaccination programme can be carried out safely, said Associate Professor Kenneth Mak, Director of Medical Services at MOH. Vaccination remains safe for those who are eligible, and I encourage all Singaporeans and long-term residents to be vaccinated when your turn comes. Several videos of Republic Day violence and mayhem in Delhi have emerged in the last few days. Now, in a new video, that has gone viral, a woman police officer can be seen holding her ground in the face of protests on January 26 at the Ghazipur border. I am a farmers daughter and I cannot betray my uniform, inspector Pushplata can be seen telling the protesters at Delhis Ghazipur border. A frenzied crowd tells her that she is trying to stop the Tiranga. If I betray my uniform, you will too, she responds, while trying to stop the protesters from breaking the barricade and entering the capital with their tractors. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait can also be seen in the video. Tikait, the spokesperson for Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), has been named in an FIR filed by the Delhi Police for the violence that broke out in several parts of Delhi, including in and around Red Fort, during the tractor rally by the farmers on Tuesday. The rally, meant to protest against the three farm laws, spiralled into chaos on January 26 and violence that left hundreds of policemen injured and one farmer dead. Three days after the protest, tensions are still brewing in the bordering areas of Delhi where farmers have refused to budge, even as they have been asked to vacate the protest sites. 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. EDWARDSVILLE Madison County Sheriff John Lakin will be awarding two $500 academic scholarships as part of a larger program by the Illinois Sheriffs Association. The association is handing out more than $58,000 in college scholarships for the 2021-22 academic year. Dhaka, Jan 29 : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that the country is in talks with Myanmar for the peaceful repatriation of Rohingyas. The Premier reiterated Bangladesh's foreign policy of friendship and renewed calls for the repatriation of the forcibly-displaced Rohingyas through discussions with neighbouring Myanmar. "We follow the foreign policy of the Father of the Nation -- 'friendship to all, malice to none', and our government is very active to take the inter-country relationships to the highest level," Hasina said while attending the graduation ceremony of Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) 2020-2021 course via video conferencing from Ganabhaban here on Thursday. Mentioning the historical role of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Prime Minister said: "We are moving forward by maintaining good international relations in line with this policy. Today, no country can claim that it has a hostile relation with Bangladesh." "Despite various limitations, including internal resources, we have started responding to the call of endangered humanity and are also pursuing friendly relations with everyone. "Bangladesh wants repatriation of Rohingyas immediately." Hasina said, "We are in talks with Myanmar over the repatriation of its citizens through negotiations. We are doing this with a friendly attitude. But we will definitely call out those who are wrong. We want them to take back their citizens." "In the interest of regional security and development, we have not engaged in any conflict with anyone over providing shelter to the forcibly displaced Myanmar citizens and are making arrangements for their return." The whole world has heaped praise on Bangladesh for providing shelter to the displaced Myanmar nationals, the Prime Minister added. More than 700,000 Rohingyas took refuge in Bangladesh within a few months after the start of a military crackdown in their home state of Rakhine on August 25, 2017. They have joined the 400,000 Rohingyas already present in the country. Facing pressure from the Bangladesh Prime Minister, the Myanmar government signed an agreement with Bangladesh in late 2017 to take back the Rohingyas but the repatriation process has so far failed to get off the ground. Recently Myanmar has agreed to make arrangements to ensure that the Rohingyas can return to their homeland with security, dignity and civil rights. Heres another thing the show dodges. Caroline is a Black woman who has assembled an army of young white female publicists to do the firms dirty work. That dynamic is never commented on and its unclear if this is because Lansley as showrunner didnt take it into account when casting the show, or if he simply didnt have anything interesting to say. Either way, its a missed opportunity. Thin white women in stylish business wear are able to move through certain spaces undetected, all while wreaking havoc and manipulating perceptions and destroying lives. They are able to do this because they are given the benefit of the doubt in ways that Black women and other women of color simply are not. If this is Carolines specific genius, that would be interesting to know. Nguyen Quang Tung spent one gap year taking a trans-Vietnam trip, but his aim was not just to travel. Tung is a speaker at TEDx BUV People always set timeline for themselves. For example, they have to begin going to school at the age of six, enter university at the age of 18 and take the first job at the age of 22 after finishing university. However, nobody is slow and nobody is fast. The life of every man is a private run and our goal is not to step back, said Tung, a second-year student at Macalester College (US) in his blog. Tung is a former student at the High School for the Gifted in Foreign Languages. When he was in the 11th grade, he received a scholarship from United World College (UWC) and decided to study abroad, Tung left Vietnam for China to study at high school and foresaw that he would finish high school one year later than his friends of the same age in Vietnam. Was it worth doing that? many people asked him. He told them that it was valuable because of the experience he got from the study. In China, Tung had the opportunity to teach at a school in the most difficult area of Hubei province. Later, he participated many other activities during the two-year stay there. The activities helped Tung practice skills and made him realize that he had a special passion for education. After two years at UWC, Tung won a scholarship worth $280,000 to study education and economics at Macalester College in the US. The school gave a $5,000 grant to Tung who had proposed organizing a summer camp to promote students creativity through experiences. Following the success of the first camp, Tung organized three more camps. The latest one lasted 10 days and 9 nights with the participation of 80 students. At the camps, students learned design thinking, which many NGOs and startup have been using to solve problems. People always set timeline for themselves. For example, they have to begin going to school at the age of six, enter university at the age of 18 and take the first job at the age of 22 after finishing university. However, nobody is slow and nobody is fast. The life of every man is a private run and our goal is not to step back, Nguyen Quang Tung He invited 10 panel speakers from 10 fields, hoping that individuals with different ways of solving problems would help students realize that there is no single prototype for improving things around them. After exchanges and dialogues, students carried out social projects, which helped them learn presentation, financial management and media skills. Tung realized that the opportunities to study abroad are reserved for excellent students or students from well-off families. So, he wanted to make changes in Vietnam. I hope that Vietnamese students can obtain the best educational experiences even if they do not study abroad, he said. Tung began implementing his idea by building an overseas study consultancy center at low fees. But he quickly realized that this was just like sending excellent students abroad, and it would not help change the status of Vietnams education. The 22-year-old decided to undertake more social projects. Tung participated in the Sea Fall 2019 Voyage, a 109-day cruise on the sea to 12 countries in four continents. Participants had 5-7 days in each country. After this trip, Tung began writing blogs to share his experiences. One day, Tung received a message from a girl in Dong Nai who wanted Hung to visit and share his experience on how he goes out into the world. And he thought about going around Vietnam to inspire young people. He led a group of 16 young people in Vietnam, and together they went to 11 cities and provinces to share experiences about their trip on the open sea. Dreaming of classes in the country Because of Covid-19, students have had to shift to online learning. Tung decided to return to Vietnam for one gap year to spend time to discover the land of the country. He set up a community named Mo Mo va Hoi (Open Dream and Ask). I want it to inspire young people. There are interesting and creative learning subjects which cannot be found in normal classes, he said. In the first phase, Tung opened five classes with five topics, and the initial success led hum to organize a super summer course the next year. Spending one gap year means that Tung will finish school one year later than his friends. However, he believes that the value of a person is not defined by the year he or she graduates from university, but by the value of the things they have done. Thuy Nga Vietnamese students win gold medals at 2020 Olympiads Eight Vietnamese students won gold medals at the international Olympiads in 2020. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) Police have filed a murder complaint against seven suspects in the killing of Lt. Col. Walter Annayo, the former top cop of Jolo, Sulu who was relieved from his post after nine of his men fatally shot four Army intelligence officers. The Philippine National Police in a press release on Friday identified two of the seven suspects as Rasul Nahang Radja, also known as Rasul Asula, and Nara Kagatan Asula. In the meantime, we will mobilize tracker teams to monitor the respondents, before we can launch manhunt operations when warrants of arrest are issued by the Court, PNP Chief General Debold Sinas said. On November 21, Annayo was shot dead while parking his car at the Narciso Ramos Highway in Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao. At that time, he was assigned at the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Regions police, following his dismissal as municipal police chief of Jolo for command responsibility. Nine Jolo cops were also dismissed and have been ordered arrested for the killing of four soldiers. The victims were on their way to an intelligence mission when they were gunned down by the policemen in June. Sulu Provincial Police Office initially said the cops claimed self-defense, but later in a Senate investigation, the accused admitted they were not sure who fired first between them and the Army officers. The National Bureau of Investigation has filed a complaint for murder and planting of evidence against the policemen. Earlier, PNP Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ildelbrandi Usana said authorities have yet to determine if the ambush of Annayo is connected to the case under investigation. Collaborating with the Red Cross Ho Chi Minh City chapter to organise the 10-day fundraiser, the campaign elicited strong support from business partners, tenants, and employees of Frasers Property Vietnam as well as the project developments under Frasers Property Vietnam such as Q2 Thao Dien a mixed-use development and Melinh Point a commercial property. Tran Truong Son, president of Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross receives the donation from Lim Hua Tiong, CEO of Frasers Property Vietnam The funds will go towards the repair of school facilities in the central provinces affected by recent natural disasters, especially those in Tuy Phuoc district, Binh Dinh province, which were severely damaged by Typhoon No.12. According to Lim Hua Tiong, CEO of Frasers Property Vietnam, the corporation stands in solidarity with the local community, whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by the pandemic and recent natural disasters. We hope these funds help support the recovery in Central Vietnam and also raise further awareness of the needs of the community during this challenging period. We want to thank our tenants, business partners, and employees who have contributed to this fundraising campaign in one way or another, Hua Tiong said. Tran Truong Son, president of Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross, lauded Frasers Property Vietnams strong support and contributions towards the Back to School community initiative. Through the collaboration with Frasers Property Vietnam, we hope to help the local schools pull through this difficult time as well as encourage and support the children to return to school soon," said Son. Besides the Back to School initiative, Frasers Property Vietnam has been collaborating with the Red Cross to mobilise blood donation drives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frasers Property Vietnam remains committed to taking care of the health and wellbeing of the communities where it operates. SAGE has urged the Government to make Brits wear face masks outdoors while the country grapples with the highly-infectious Kent coronavirus variant. In a recommendation made on January 13, experts said advice on face masks 'should be strengthened' to deal with the devastating winter wave of infections. The group called for people to consider wearing them outside in crowded areas including parks, supermarket queues or outdoor markets. They said it is possible the Kent variant can infect people within a short exposure window, which makes mask wearing an even more 'important mitigation strategy'. SAGE stressed that while masks play only a small role in overall transmission nationally, widespread usage could help contain the spread of the new variant. The recommendation echoes comments made by England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty, who admitted there was a 'risk' when people huddled closely even outside. So far the Government has resisted calls to make face coverings compulsory outdoors, but not wearing one on public transport or in indoor public spaces is still punishable with fines of up to 200. SAGE has urged the Government to make Brits wear face masks outdoors while the country grapples with the highly-infectious Kent coronavirus variant The January 13 paper, submitted to Government by the SAGE Environmental and Modelling group (EMG) group, said: 'Consideration should be given to using face coverings in a wider range of settings where people could be asymptomatic and may be in close proximity (<2m). China exported more than 220 BILLION masks in 2020 China exported more than 220 billion face masks in 2020, the equivalent of nearly 40 per person outside of the country. Demand for protective equipment has skyrocketed after the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic which began in China in late 2019. The surge in exports helped the country become the only major economy in the world to grow last year after its Communist leaders covered up the crisis in its early stages and quickly contained the virus. China's GDP grew by 2.3 per cent in 2020, making it the only major economy likely to record economic growth in the year of the pandemic China shifted billions of dollars' worth of the coverings which have become essential items around the world. On Friday, vice-minister for commerce Qian Keming told reporters that in addition to masks, China exported 2.3billion pieces of protective gear and one billion test kits last year, 'making an important contribution to the global fight against the epidemic'. The mask shipments alone were worth 340 billion yuan (38.5billion), a customs official said this month. '(The volume) is equivalent to providing nearly 40 masks to each person in the world outside China,' said customs spokesman Li Kuiwen. China, where Covid-19 first emerged in late 2019, was also the first country to bounce back after imposing strict lockdowns and virus control measures. Its economy grew by 2.3 per cent in 2020, official figures revealed this month, making it the only major economy to grow at all last year. The projected recessions include GDP drops of 3.7 per cent in the US, 7.5 per cent in the eurozone and 11.2 per cent in the UK. Advertisement 'This may include outdoor spaces where it is difficult to maintain distance and people may be close together for extended periods (medium confidence). ' It added: 'As a precautionary measure it is recommended that public advice on wearing of fabric face coverings should be strengthened to more effectively promote their correct wearing, good hygiene practices associated with their use, and advice on the selection of effective face coverings (medium confidence). 'Although there are uncertainties in the reasons why the B117 [Kent] virus variant is more transmissible, the behaviour of respiratory particles is not likely to have changed (high confidence). 'It is possible that transmission can happen with a reduced duration of exposure to someone who is infectious (medium confidence). 'Physical distancing and use of face coverings are therefore both important mitigation strategies to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2. 'However, these mitigation measures are likely to be needed to be applied more consistently and effectively to be able to mitigate transmission of the B117 variant (high confidence).' The recommendations echoed comments made by Professor Whitty just days earlier. Professor Whitty told BBC Radio 4 there was a 'risk' of Covid-19 in 'crowded' outdoor environments such as a 'queue'. On the Today programme, he said: 'If people for example are crowded together in a queue outdoors, if they're really huddled together round a market stall or something - that is a risk with this virus - and in that situation, there might be some logic to people thinking about wearing masks.' Asked if people should wear masks every time they leave the house, he said the most important thing was actually that people stayed home. 'I think that the much more important thing is that people should not be leaving their home unless they absolutely have to. And where they do, try and keep their distance from people.' Under current rules, Britons can only leave their homes for 'essential' reasons, including an hour of exercise with one other person or with their household or support bubble, going to work if they are a critical worker, caring for a loved one or food shopping. But there are fears within Government the rules are 'being used as an excuse for people to go for a coffee in the park with their friends'. London's Borough Market became the first outdoor space in the UK to legally enforce the wearing of face masks earlier this month. Customers and vendors at the food and drink market face a 50 fine if they do not wear a face covering in and around the stalls. It came after pictures taken in the market in December showed vast swathes of shoppers crammed in as they browsed through stalls. Police at Bourke Street Mall in the CBD in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 21, 2017. (Wayne Taylor/Getty Images) Hunt Continues for Melbourne Bourke Street Mall Driver Police are still hunting a driver who caused chaos by speeding down Melbournes Bourke Street Mall, driving erratically and sending pedestrians fleeing. A passenger who fled from the car during the incident also remains on the run. In scenes that brought back chilling memories of the deadly 2017 Bourke St rampage, officers tried to pull over the green Mitsubishi Lancer on Swanston Street just before 5pm on January 28. But the car sped away along Swanston Street before turning down Bourke Street. A male passenger got out of the car and ran away, as police drew their firearms in a bid to stop the driver. But he did a U-turn back along Bourke Street and escaped. Officers found the car on Ashworth Street in Albert Park just before 7pm without number plates. There were no reports of injuries from the incident, and police believe the driver was trying to escape arrest and did not intend to hurt people. He was last seen in the St Kilda area, and police are urging anyone who has seen the car to call triple zero. In 2017, James Gargasoulas used a stolen car to mow down and kill six people in the busy CBD mall. Melbourne A deal would lead to thousands of job losses as the online retailer would not incorporate stores boohoo Group PLC ( ) has confirmed it is in exclusive discussions with Arcadias administrators to acquire Dorothy Perkins, Wallis and Burton, excluding HIIT, brands. The AIM-listed online retailer, which snapped up Debenhams brand and intellectual property for 55mln on Monday, said the talks may or may not result in a transaction. It is understood that boohoo is willing to pay around 25mln for the trio of high street brands but would not incorporate stores or employees, Sky News reported. Earlier this week it also emerged that rival ( ) was the frontrunner to rescue Philip Greens Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT brands. It is all bad news for the UK high street which will see some historical names leave their brick and mortar sites. Arcadia folded with an estimated 350mln pension black hole that owner Philip Green is under pressure to plug, and is now being managed by administrators at , which was expecting the final bids last Monday. Up to 13,000 jobs are at risk. Last month, Arcadia's fashion brand Evans was sold to Australian firm City Chic Collective for 23mln, although the deal did not include the plus-sized clothiers store network but just the brand, its customer base and inventory. Shares rose 1% to 335.7p on Friday morning. --Adds shares-- Anton Rovenskyy, Master of International Relations, International Political Scientist The year of 2020 was full of the greatest challenges for the global political, economic and social systems. There is also a big variety of views and predictions, considering the year 2021, from apocalyptic to more than optimistic. In this article, we tried to encompass the most awaited European events of the year. EU-US relations under the administration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr. The conservative era of Donald Trump was a great challenge both for the transatlantic partnership and for its proponents. Today, the establishment in Brussels is rather optimistic with the results of US presidential elections. However, it is hard to believe in a full renaissance of warm relations between the two sides, which peaked in a period of EU expansion from 2004 to 2016. Apart from the tightening economic competition between American and European companies, there is a list of matters in the international agenda, in which Washington and Brussels have different views. The list includes the matters of security, cyber sovereignty, reform of international institutions, sanction policy, as well as relations with the third parties. The new Biden administration definitely has all the necessary instruments to eliminate a number of contradictions, which appeared between the two parties during the Trump presidency. The question is whether there is enough political resources and will to implement such policies, having in mind a turbulent domestic situation in the US. Moreover, the strongholds of European conservatives such as Poland and Hungary, which had followed the Trump lead, can challenge a number of Biden European initiatives. German federal election Angela Merkel, incumbent German federal chancellor, is going to finish her political career at the end of this year. However, the Merkel course in the internal policy is not likely to change regardless of the name of a new chancellor or whatever the CDU/CSU results in the 2021 general elections would appear to be. Nevertheless, Germany will need some time to construct an After Merkel system of political balances, which would reduce the international activities of the official Berlin and will lead to a new battle for leadership within the EU. Bearing in mind the Merkel departure and German internal transformations, Sebastian Kurz, the federal chancellor of Austria, and Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, who will face the reelection battle in 2022, may try to pick up the EU leadership. The geopolitical rise of Turkey Under the rule of Recep Tayyip Erdogan Turkey has become one of the most prominent actors of global politics. In 2020, Erdogan has been equally successful on a number of geopolitical chess desks, including Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, Middle East, and Transcaucasia region. The Turkish president does not plan to refuse from his international ambitions, slowly redirecting his focus on the Balkans and Central Asia. One should point out, Turkish geopolitical successes are far behind its rates of economic growth. Such a situation creates risks of losing strategic tempo on the pivotal international directions for the official Ankara. The new year will show us the limits of Erdogans geopolitical ambitions, as well as its resource potential. Moreover, it is particularly interesting how Erdogan will manage to build relations with a new administration in Washington and the post-Brexit United Kingdom, which will shape Ankaras international activities. Scottish Parliament election In May 2021, the new Scottish Parliament election takes place. The majority of experts predict a victorious campaign for the Scottish National Party (SNP), led by Nicola Sturgeon, incumbent First Minister of Scotland. This is the first election in Alba since Brexit, and in case of the SNP victory, the Government of the UK would face the reality of a new Scottish independence referendum: the previous referendum was held in 2014, resulting in the Unionists overall victory with 55.7% of the popular vote. SNP has been consistent in its pro-EU policy prior to the Brexit referendum. An interesting fact: the average rate of Remain vote in Scotland was the highest in the UK. For this reason, a successful result of the SNP in the May election will grant a vote of confidence to the Party to hold a new independence referendum. The days of the good old Great Britain might be doomed. Belarus constitutional reform In Q1 2021, we expect Aleksandr Lukashenko to outline the potential Belarus constitutional reform. The reasons are clear to decrease the level of the civil protests, decentralize Belarus government, and establish a number of prerequisites for a successful transit of power. Nevertheless, the scope of problems in the country cannot be solved only by means of constitutional transformations. Due to a significant reduction of foreign support, Belarus desperately needs new sources for economic growth, which can be rapidly transformed into some positive social effects. In its turn, Belarus opposition, as well as a number of international players, does not rely on constitutional changes as a source of political and social compromise. For these reasons, the low-level political crisis in Belarus is likely to continue. Nord Stream 2 The construction and launch of Nord Stream 2 has become a never-ending story: no one neither has any fixed guarantees of its full-scale operation, nor knows the date of its final launch. Moreover, by now its economic and political aspects have become matters of equal importance. On the one hand, Germany and Austria, which national businesses have invested in Nord Stream 2 heavily, will greatly benefit from its launch and occupy the leading positions in the European gas-distribution industry. On the other hand, the sanctions on the participants of the project become more intense while political and legal problems are skyrocketing. We can be more precise in our predictions on the destiny of Nord Stream 2 only in a few months, when the White House articulates its position in a more clear and distinctive manner. Battle on the market of Covid-19 vaccines Despite the start of a massive vaccination campaign in Europe, the vaccine market is not structured yet. The deep and cashful market of united Europe with more than 500 million consumers is a likely target for each and every vaccine producer. A fight for the market access appears to be not only conventional, but rather with the use of a broad variety of instruments, including political, economic and information pressure. It is a matter of national prestige for every member of the EU to develop and export its own vaccine, especially when there is proper scientific and technological infrastructure for the process. In this context, one should focus his attention on the recent statement of the Italian Pharmaceutical Agency, considering the launch of its own vaccine programme, which will help millions of Italians by September 2021. Under-fire Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene raised conspiracy theories at a town hall Thursday that the election was stolen from her ally President Donald Trump, saying it 'still needs to be looked at' and should be argued in court. She made the claim after President Joe Biden had already completed more than a week in office, and even many Republicans who acted against him acknowledged he won the election. She talked up challenge to the electoral count that immediately preceded and succeeded the MAGA riot in the Capitol January 6. 'We had been preparing very hard, quite a few of us in the House and some of our senators to object, on January 6, to election fraud and objecting and six different states,' she said. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene continued to raise conspiracy theories about electoral fraud at a town hall in her district Thursday night. Party leaders gave her a seat on the House Education and Labor Committee, despite her comments about the Parkland and Sandy Hook school shootings House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy met with President Trump Thursday. Democrats have called on him to take away Greene's committee assignments TAYLOR GREENE'S BIZARRE CLAIMS The California Camp Fire which killed at least 85 was caused by a space laser linked to the Rothschilds and the state's high-speed rail. PG&E admitted it was caused by a faulty power line and went into bankruptcy to fund a $13.5bn settlement and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Hillary Clinton and Huma Abedin cut off a child's face while she was alive, Clinton wore it as a mask so the terrified child would produce 'adrenachrome' and then organized the killing of a cop who knew about it. The Las Vegas massacre was organized by Democrats to help them ban guns and shooter Stephen Paddock was not a lone wolf. There's no evidence of a plane hitting the Pentagon on 9/11. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre which cost the lives of 17 students was a 'false flag planned shooting.' ' I am told that Nancy Pelosi tells Hillary Clinton several times a month that we need another school shooting in order to persuade the public to want strict gun control.' Seth Rich leaked Hillary Clinton's emails and was murdered in revenge by her aide John Podesta because the emails revealed that a D.C. pizza restaurant had a child-smuggling operation in its basement. It does not even have a basement. The world is run by a cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles and the Q in QAnon exists and is the 'best chance to take them out.' Barack Obama and Valerie Jarrett are Muslims. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was replaced by a body double. She wasn't the person who posted a call to assassinate Nancy Pelosi to her own Facebook page. Advertisement 'We had done a lot of work in our preparation, talked to a lot of people. Looked at a lot of evidence that I think still needs to be looked at and should be presented in court, I truly believe that,' she said. Ultimately, only challenges to the Arizona and Pennsylvania count got voted on because no senators would object to additional states following the riot. She defended her position, also put forward by Trump and his legal team in the weeks after the Nov. 3 election. 'See, this wasn't a conspiracy of several people that got together and created a story. This is literally thousands of people in different states and different voting precincts different counties. And they all signed these affidavits,' she said at a town hall in Dallas, Georgia. She tried to make hay out of lawmakers who have pushed to take away her committee assignments or even have her voted out of Congress. 'Right now they're trying to expel me from Congress she said. 'It's a witch hunt.' She made the statements on a day when House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy flew to Mar-a-Lago to meet with former President Trump, who repeatedly praised Greene while in office, even with her support for QAnon conspiracy theories already in the public realm. New reporting has unearthed additional conspiracy theories she has promoted, while newly unearthed video shows her haranguing a then-18 year old David Hogg, a survivor of a school shooting, on Capitol Hill. At a previous town hall in Rome, Georgia, she said she was 'proud' she objected to counting the electoral votes from states that went for Joe Biden. She called the attack on the Capitol 'awful' and the 'unfortunate thing of the attack on the Capitol i it ruined our objection.' She wrote on Facebook that she believed California's deadliest wildfire was potentially caused by space lasers that were connected to the Rothschilds and former Gov. Jerry Brown to clear the way for a high-speed rail system. In an April 2018 post of Greene's on the Iran nuclear deal, Greene responded to a commenter who asked her, 'Now do we get to hang them ?? Meaning H & O???,' the individual asked, referring to former President Barack Obama and ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 'Stage is being set. Players are being put in place. We must be patient. This must be done perfectly or liberal judges would let them off,' Greene replied. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lambasted GOP leadership for putting Greene on the House's Education committee since she's also expressed she doesn't believe school shootings like Sandy Hook and Parkland actually happened. Most of Greene's GOP colleagues have remained silent, and GOP leaders put her on the House Education and Labor Committee despite her baseless doubts about school shootings that shook the nation. Two journalists were kicked out of a public town hall event and threatened with arrest for trying to ask a question of Greene, who has come under heavy criticism for supporting social media posts that advocated violence against Democratic officials. At an earlier rally, Greene criticized a violent mob that ransacked the Capitol. She said it got in the way of her challenge to the election results, which was backed by more than 100 House Republicans She cited affidavits assembled by President Trump's legal team The journalists from WRCB-TV were invited to attend the Wednesday event in Dalton, Georgia, and were given credentials for it, Callie Starnes, WRCB-TVs news director, told The Associated Press. "Once we arrived we were told we were not allowed to speak to guests or the congresswoman," the reporter, Meredith Aldis, said on the stations broadcast Wednesday night. In a video posted online by the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based news station, the reporter can be heard starting to ask Greene a question when the congresswoman stops her and says, "Im talking to my constituents." A staffer from Greenes office then approaches the reporter and tells her to leave, before he calls over a sheriffs deputy. The deputy accuses the reporter of "criminally trespassing" and says: "If you dont leave youre going to go to jail." Starnes said Aldis was asking Greene about her social media posts and calls for her to be expelled from Congress because of them. Media Matters for America first reported the since-deleted Facebook post in which Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene lays out her theory on how the Camp Fire got started The Whitfield County Sheriffs Office declined to comment and directed questions to Greenes office. Nick Dyer, a spokesman for Greene, said in an email: "This was a town hall for constituents. Not a press conference. Every attendee (besides media) was allowed to ask a question and Congresswoman Greene answered every question." Greene, who was sworn in to office earlier this month, represents northwest Georgias 14th Congressional District. Throughout her campaign last year, she sought to tightly control news media coverage, often not allowing certain news organizations to attend events and giving interviews only sparingly. A die-hard supporter of former President Donald Trump, Greene has a long history of incendiary social media posts - including ones in which she expressed racist views and support for QAnon conspiracy theories, which focus on the debunked belief that top Democrats are involved in child sex trafficking, Satan worship and cannibalism. Most of her pronouncements were reported publicly before she won her Republican primary in August and the general election in November. Greene has also spread false claims about the integrity of Novembers presidential election - repeating Trump's baseless allegations of fraud - and railed against public health requirements implemented to slow the spread of the coronavirus. And in social media posts reported by Media Matters for America, a liberal watchdog group, Greene pushed conspiracy theories or "liked" posts that challenged the veracity of mass shootings at schools in Newtown, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida. A report from CNN published earlier this week surfaced social media activity where Greene showed support for Facebook posts that advocated violence against Democrats and the FBI, including posts that called for the death of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obama. Greene tweeted a response, saying: "Many posts have been liked. Many posts have been shared. Some did not represent my views." Thats led to another round of strong condemnation from Democrats and even some fellow Republicans. Pelosi excoriated House Republican leaders Thursday for appointing Greene to the chambers education committee, saying that Greene had "mocked the killing of little children," a reference to the shooting at a Newtown elementary school. A spokesman for House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said in a statement to Axios that the posts were "deeply disturbing" and said McCarthy would "have a conversation" with Greene about them. By Sean Savage (JNS) - Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the fallout from the 2020 election, anti-Semitism continued to morph and grow during 2020. While the school year for many students consisted of online or hybrid learning, anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist attacks on Jewish and pro-Israel students increased precisely because of more Internet usage, albeit in new forms. The switch to remote learning brought new challenges for individuals, social groups and organizations of all kinds as instances of "Zoombombing" emerged. At the same time, universities saw a continued uptick in facul... Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 22:17:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A staff member shows how to use a smart thermometer at a quarantine spot in Suihua City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 29, 2021. The smart thermometer, which is pasted under the armpit of the tested, can monitor people's body temperature and report abnormal body temperature in real-time. Data collected by the smart thermometers are sent to the mobile phones of the epidemic prevention staff. (Photo by Zhang Tao/Xinhua) 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 European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted conditional marketing authorisation for the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine for people over the age of 18. This is the third Covid-19 vaccine to be given the green light by the EMA. Following a thorough assessment of the data on the quality, safety and efficacy of the vaccine it has been recommended for a formal conditional marketing authorisation by the European Commission. The European Commission will now fast-track the decision-making process to grant a decision on the conditional marketing authorisation for Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, allowing vaccination programmes to be rolled out across the EU. Following the announcement by the EMA, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said an agreement had been reached for the vaccine to be delivered a week ahead of schedule - the week of February 8. "I can confirm now for the first time that it has been agreed that we will get it in the week of the eighth of February. It may not be the eighth but it will be that week," Mr Donnelly said. "A week earlier. That means that we can get it out, get it into people's arms and get people protected that little bit earlier as well." Amsterdam-based EMA said that it had approved the vaccines use for all age groups over 18, despite German authorities saying there is not enough data to determine whether or not the vaccine was safe in the over-65s. Bruno Sepodes, EMA's human medicines committee (CHMP) vice-chair, said the committee agreed the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the known and any potential risks in people from age 18 and up. In a statement this afternoon, the EMA said there are not yet enough results in participants over the age of 55 to provide a figure for how well the vaccine will work for this group. However, the Agency said protection is expected "given that an immune response is seen in this age group and based on experience with other vaccines; as there is reliable information on safety in this population". EMA experts said the vaccine can be used in older adults. Ongoing studies will include a higher proportion of elderly participants and will provide more information. "With this third positive opinion, we have further expanded the arsenal of vaccines available to EU and EEA member states to combat the pandemic and protect their citizens," said Emer Cooke, Executive Director of EMA. "As in previous cases, the CHMP has rigorously evaluated this vaccine, and the scientific basis of our work underpins our firm commitment to safeguard the health of EU citizens." The AstraZeneca vaccine is administered in two doses with the second to be given between four and 12 weeks after the first. In the clinical trials, the vaccine demonstrated around a 60% efficacy. According to the EMA, the most common side effects were usually mild or moderate and got better within a few days of receiving the vaccination. The most common side effects recorded are: pain and tenderness at the injection site, headache, tiredness, muscle pain, general feeling of being unwell, chills, fever, joint pain and nausea. The AstraZeneca jab has been hailed as a game-changer by the Taoiseach and the Health Minister, but there are fears Irelands supply of the vaccine could be halved. Earlier today, it was revealed that up to 150,000 fewer people will be vaccinated by the end of March due to the supply issues with AstraZeneca. Ireland will now only get 1.1m AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which will cover 550,000 people, chair of the vaccine taskforce professor Brian MacCraith confirmed to the Oireachtas Health Committee. It had been expected that Ireland would have taken delivery of 1.4m vaccines, to cover 700,000 people as two doses are needed, by the end of March. European authorities are under pressure after a sluggish start to the EUs vaccination campaign in its first month, and the AstraZeneca serum would add much-needed extra supplies. Earlier, a redacted version of AstraZeneca's contract with the EU was published amid a deepening row between the two sides over vaccine supply shortages in the bloc. AstraZeneca said last week that it planned to cut initial deliveries in the EU from the scheduled 80 million doses scheduled to 31 million doses because of reduced yields from its manufacturing plants in Europe. The company cited reduced yields from its manufacturing plants in Europe, but the EU suspects doses produced in Europe have been directed elsewhere. 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 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 The of the will consider introduction of two keys bills that seek to ban private cryptocurrencies and set up a development institution for infrastructure financing. The government will introduce the ' and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021 that seeks to create a "facilitative framework" for creation of an official digital currency that will be issued by the The Bill will prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India, but will allow for certain exceptions to promote the underlying technology of crytptocurrency, and its uses. The government will also introduce The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) Bill, 2021 through which a new Development Financial Institution will be set up. The DFI will act as a "provider, enabler and catalyst for infrastructure financing and as the principal financial institution and development bank for building and sustaining a supportive ecosystem across the life-cycle of infrastructure projects." The details of the bill will be made public once these laws are tabled in the Besides these, the current session will also consider 18 other bills, including the Bill, for passage. This includes Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that will enable co-operative societies to raise resources more effectively by promoting functional autonomy and professionalization. The Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2021 will also be introduced to bring structural changes in the governing structure of the CCI, and to address the needs for new age markets. JERUSALEM : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday expressed "full confidence" in the Indian authorities in ensuring the safety of Israelis and Jews in India following a blast close to the country's embassy in New Delhi. A minor improvised explosive device (IED) blast took place outside the Israeli Embassy in the heart of Lutyens' Delhi on Friday evening. India's National Security adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval spoke to his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben-Shabbat and updated him on the situation and ongoing investigation into the bombing near the Israeli embassy, officials said here. The update was conveyed to Prime Minister Netanyahu, they said. Netanyahu asked to convey to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi that Israel has "full confidence that the Indian authorities will do a thorough investigation of the incident and ensure the safety of Israelis and Jews who are there", the officials said. The two sides agreed to continue full cooperation through all channels, they said. India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also spoke to his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi and assured him of "fullest protection" to diplomats and the mission. In a tweet, Jaishankar said India has taken the incident "very seriously". "Spoke just now to Israeli FM Gabi Ashkenazi about the explosion outside the Israeli Embassy. We take this very seriously. Assured him of the fullest protection for the Embassy and Israeli diplomats," he said. The minister further added that the matter was under investigation. "No effort will be spared to find the culprits," he said. Earlier, the Israeli foreign ministry said all its diplomats and embassy staff are "safe and sound" following the blast. "An explosion occurred a short while ago, close to the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi. There are no casualties and no harm was done to the building. All Israeli diplomats and embassy staff are safe and sound," a foreign ministry release said. "The event is being investigated by the Indian authorities who are in contact with Israeli officials," it said, adding that the foreign minister is frequently being updated on the situation and has directed to take all necessary precautions. "We will report further developments as they occur," the release said. Delhi Police Additional PRO Anil Mittal has said the blast was of "very low intensity". "No injury to any person was reported and nor was there any damage to property except the glass panes of three vehicles parked nearby," he said. Initial impressions suggest it could be a mischievous attempt to create a sensation, Mittal said. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. A World Health Organization-led team of experts investigating the origins of the novel coronavirus pandemic began meeting with Chinese scientists on Friday, and the WHO said the group plans to visit labs, markets and hospitals in Wuhan, where the virus was initially detected. "First face to face meeting with our colleagues. Correction: facemask to facemask given the medical restrictions. Discussing our visiting program," Marion Koopmans, a virologist at Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands, tweeted on Friday. "China teamleader prof Wannian joking about some technical glitches. Nice to see our colleagues after lengthy zoom meetings," she said. On Thursday, the team completed two weeks of quarantine following its arrival in China, moving to a lakeside hotel in the central Chinese city where the deadly virus emerged in late 2019. How WHO experts will hunt for Covid origins in China The group is expected to spend two more weeks in China, and will visit the seafood market at the centre of the early outbreak. It will also visit the Wuhan Institute of Virology. One hypothesis, rejected by China, is that the outbreak was caused by a leak at the government lab. The visit has been shrouded in secrecy: Details of their itinerary have not been released, and it's unknown how much access China will give the researchers to the sites they want to visit and the people they want to talk to. The WHO has sought to manage expectations. "There are no guarantees of answers," its emergency chief, Mike Ryan, said earlier this month. Scientists hope that information on the earliest known cases of the new coronavirus which was first identified in Wuhan will help them better understand where it came from and prevent similar pandemics in the future. It could also go to a laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology that was built after the 2003 SARS pandemic and maintains an extensive archive of genetic sequences of bat coronaviruses. US officials in the previous Trump administration suggested without offering evidence that the virus could have escaped from the institute. Experts say its unlikely that the new coronavirus emerged from the lab in Wuhan and overwhelmingly say analysis of the new coronaviruss genome rules out the possibility that it was engineered by humans. The mission has been plagued by delays, concern over access and bickering between China and the United States, which has accused China of hiding the extent of the initial outbreak and criticised the terms of the visit, under which Chinese experts conducted the first phase of research. "It is important to remember that the success of this mission and origin-tracing is 100% depending on access to the relevant sources," Thea Fischer, a Danish member of the team, told Reuters on Thursday. "No matter how competent we are, how hard we work and how many stones we try to turn, this can only be possible with the support from China," she said. The origin of COVID-19 has been highly politicised. The investigating team had been set to arrive in Wuhan earlier in January, and China's delay of their visit drew rare public criticism from the head of the WHO, which former U.S. President Donald Trump accused of being "China-centric". China has pushed the idea that the virus existed abroad before it was discovered in Wuhan, with state media citing the presence of the virus on imported frozen food packaging and scientific papers saying it had been circulating in Europe in 2019. China's foreign ministry has also hinted that the sudden closure of a U.S. army laboratory at Fort Detrick in Maryland in July 2019 was linked to the pandemic. "At the early stage in China, it was a burden particularly for Wuhan people when everyone was calling it a Wuhan virus, which was humiliating," said Yang You, a 30-year-old Wuhan resident. "If it could be traced to the source clearly, in my opinion, it could clear either China's or Wuhan's name." 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 A storm system will move into southern Michigan Saturday night and continue Sunday. Heres how much snow our area can expect. The storm system that should bring us snow for the second half of the weekend is the powerful storm hitting California right now. While all of the data is very consistent on the weather outcome here, please check in this weekend for snow forecast updates. The snow will be heaviest over our southwest corner of Lower Michigan. The heaviest snow will still be south and west of Kalamazoo, in the very southwest corner of Lower Michigan and in northern Indiana and Illinois. Our area of Flint-Saginaw-Bay City will be on the very northeastern edge of the accumulating snowfall, at least for the weekend. Lake effect may develop with a northeast wind Sunday night or Monday. While the snow may be winding down across the rest of the state, we should watch for areas of snow to possibly move into our area off Lake Huron. Heres the snowfall forecast as of 6 a.m. Friday, January 29. Note the forecast runs through Sunday evening, and does not include the possible Monday lake effect I just wrote about above. This forecast comes from the National Weather Service and lines up closely with all of the various computer models we use to forecast snow. Total snow forecast through 7 p.m. Sunday, January 31, 2021 Right now Id call it only a one to two inch snow across he Flint-Saginaw-Bay City area. Id lean toward the lower end of the range in Bay City and the higher end in southern Genesee County. The snow starts before sunrise Sunday, and continues off and on Sunday. Snowfall rates should be light across our area. The heaviest snow rates should fall Sunday morning, but should still be considered fairly light. The energy from this storm system will quickly shift to the East Coast during the day Sunday, making the snow taper down to light snow by Sunday afternoon. But watch Sunday night and Monday in our part of eastern Michigan. Thats when the Lake Huron lake effect snow could develop. Keep an eye on the late weekend snow with me and MLive. TO STAY UP ON MICHGANS WEATHER, BOOKMARK THIS LINK. Mason scientists employ a rapid-result, saliva-based test that significantly expands testing capacity, and an antibody test that can track vaccine response. George Mason University announces it is introducing a rapid-result, saliva-based COVID-19 test that will greatly expand testing capabilities on its campuses this spring. The effort, led by Mason's faculty, is part of a comprehensive program to better track and control the virus on campus. Mason scientists, who are pushing the boundaries of technologies that are keeping Mason's campuses safe, are also developing an antibody test that can track a body's response to the virus and vaccine. The use of the saliva test with the recently acquired Fluidigm system, designed to analyze large numbers of test samples, will help Mason increase testing capacity from 1,000 tests per week to a goal of 10,000 by March, said Lance Liotta, co-director and co-founder of Mason's Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, who leads the CAP CLIA laboratory in which the COVID testing takes place. CAP CLIA accreditation--from the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)--ensures laboratories provide precise test results and comply with professionally and scientifically sound laboratory operating standards. The more we test, the more we are able to identify people who are positive at the earliest stages of the infection and therefore stem the spread of infection. That's what we're striving toward." Ali Andalibi, Study Senior Associate and Dean for College of Science, George Mason University Liotta leads the multidisciplinary team that is internationally recognized for its expertise in diagnostic testing. The team pivoted from its primary work in cancer research to take up the fight against COVID-19, following the start of the global pandemic last spring. Mason was a model during the Fall semester for its efforts to combat the spread of the virus, with some of the lowest COVID-19 case numbers among Virginia's largest higher education institutions, and no known transmission in its classrooms. "I've been very gratified to see the enormous amount of effort being put forth by Mason scientists in all the colleges toward the COVID crisis," Liotta said. "We collaborate with scientists in many different sectors of Mason, as we work together to develop these new strategies all the way from testing, to the methods, to how you collect samples, and how you care for patients." The saliva test, which received an Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, will help track symptomatic and asymptomatic cases on campus and will be available at five sites across Mason's three university campuses. The samples will be analyzed at Mason's Science and Technology Campus in Manassas, Virginia, in the CAP CLIA laboratories directed by research professor Virginia Espina. Turnaround time for results will be two days or less. Julie Zobel, Mason's associate vice president for Safety, Emergency and Enterprise Risk Management, and her team led efforts to set up the campus infrastructure for testing. That entailed construction of five testing sites with card scanners, check-in counters and private saliva-collection booths. About 50 people, including 20 licensed medical professionals, were hired to staff the sites. "It's been a challenge but we've had a large team of medical professionals, emergency and risk managers, researchers and lab personnel, and IT and finance professionals working tirelessly over the past five months to get us to this point," Zobel said. "I am proud to be part of such a high-performing and driven team all working towards keeping our community safe." Liotta's team is also validating a novel test that measures a body's antibody response to the virus and COVID vaccine. The test will help researchers understand a person's post-vaccination response, how long individuals will remain resistant to the virus and how a person's immune system fights the virus. "The antibody test is going to be the future because everyone wants to know, did the vaccine work for them?" Liotta said. "Somebody who has immunodeficiency syndromes gets the vaccine. Did the vaccine work for them? We can answer that question. We can also tell whether a patient should be donating their plasma to treat others." In popular accounts of the life of Jesus, he is often portrayed as a carpenter. But is it true? Throughout most English translations of the Gospels, the Son of God is referred to as a "carpenter" as in Mark 6:3, which reads: "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" Yet the Greek work here is "tekton" a often translated in English as "carpenter"a is better translated "builder," which could just as easily refer to a stone mason, according to religious scholar James Tabor. Tabor noted in a December blog entry that it is important to note the context in which Jesus lived and how that informed his teachings. "If one looks at the various stories Jesus tells as parables and analogies, related to his message of the Kingdom of God, the image of a stone mason or builder is dominant a even down to the details of how to plan, finance, and properly lay a solid foundation for a substantial building or tower," Tabor wrote. "Whether he was a skilled day laborer, a contract worker, or perhaps, even a managing contractor, we have no way of knowing." The scholar continued that during the years when Jesus was growing up walking the earth, Herod Antipas was rebuilding the city of Sepphoris (Tspori in Hebrew), as his capital. Nazareth, which was located less than four miles to the southeast, "would have been caught up in the economic building boom spurred by this major project." "It is quite easy to imagine Jesus, his adopted father Joseph, and his brothers as they came along in age, working in the building trades in Sepphoris. This is quite a different picture than the quaint romanticized image of little Jesus working in his father Joseph's wood shop, so often pictured in family Bibles." Indeed it is no coincidence that Jesus employed the language of his profession to communicate important truths. Following the chief priests, scribes, and elders questioning of Jesus's authority in the temple in Luke 20, Jesus shared the parable of the wicked tenants. When he finished, he looked at them and said: "What then is this that is written: "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone?"' Likewise, Hebraic scholar James W. Fleming, has noted in his 2004 book The Jewish Background of Jesus that the majority of homes were constructed with stone. "Jesus and Joseph would have formed and made nine out of ten projects from stone either by chiseling or carving the stone or stacking building blocks." Trees are not plentiful in the region of the world where Jesus lived, making it thereby less likely that he used wood in his daily work. Courtesy of The Christian Post Russia is not planning to "reclaim" Donbass but will continue to protect interests of Russian-speaking people, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, commenting on remarks by Editor-in-Chief of Rossiya Segodnya news agency Margarita Simonyan who called for incorporating these territories into Russia at the recent Russian Donbass forum. The Kremlin representative underlined, "Russia maintains a very responsible position in the framework of efforts to help Ukraine to resolve its domestic Ukrainian conflict." "Russia has been consistent in its responsible position of protecting the rights of the Russian-speaking population of Donbass and will continue protecting Russians," TASS cited him as saying. When asked under what conditions Russia would be willing to incorporate Donbass, Peskov reiterated, "This issue is not on the agenda directly or indirectly." He also shared an opinion that calling the recent forum Russian Donbass is "perfectly normal." "Nothing sets the teeth on edge here," Peskov believes. He explained that Donbass "is populated by the overwhelming majority of Russians and people that speak Russian." FLINT, MI -- Flint Community Schools plans to honor the tradition of snow days this year despite plans to continue remote instruction through most of February. In the event of a significant snow fall and when the road conditions call for it, Flint schools will still call snow days, Superintendent Anita Steward wrote in a Wednesday, Jan 27 letter. Growing up as a student at Flint Community Schools, I remember the excitement I would carry every time a large snow fall was predicted, Steward wrote. I would barely sleep a wink, waiting to find out whether school might be canceled. When it was, I would play outside in the snow, building snowmen and carving snow angels in the yard. Families should check the districts Facebook page, monitor local news and make sure theyre signed up for robocalls to check if their child has a snow day in the future, Steward said. Please see below for a letter from Superintendent Steward on plans to honor the tradition of snow days this year. Posted by Flint Community Schools on Wednesday, January 27, 2021 School officials faced a familiar challenge this week as a winter storm hit the Genesee County area. For the first time since COVID-19 rocked Michigans education system back in March, officials had to decide if the weather warranted a snow day after shifting to virtual learning for students on Tuesday. Every district made its own call to cancel classes or not this week after several inches of snow blanketed the region, making traversing the roadways treacherous in some spots. Lemma Shomali has a 6-year-old and 13-year-old enrolled at Grand Blanc Community Schools. The family went sledding Wednesday, Jan. 27, at Creasey Bicentennial Park in Grand Blanc Township while the kids were on a break from their online classwork. Related: How are Genesee County schools handling snow days amid COVID-19 pandemic? While her children did not have a snow day this week, Shomali said snow days are important to the mental health of students and teachers. The pandemic has thought us that kids emotional well-being and teachers well-being is really, really critical, and snow days are like a part of that emotional well-being, she said. Shomali acknowledged snow days are called for health and safety reasons, but she said theres a bit more to it. There is this component of relaxation and a break from the norm and I think COVID-19 has thought us this is critically important for our well-being, she said. Read more on MLive: Flint school board votes to offer hybrid in-person class options by end of February Flint school board fills vacancy through appointment at special board meeting UM-Flint opens new $39M Murchie Science Building wing Retiring Grand Blanc superintendent, successor reflect on future of countys largest school district Kearsley superintendent announces retirement after 33 years with district Until 1945, the Vietnamese city of Hue was the capital of the country and a shining jewel in its history. The old imperial capital stood largely untouched after 150 years, even as the United States ramped up its involvement in Vietnam. On Jan. 30, 1968, Hue became the site of one of the longest, bloodiest battles the Americans would fight against the North Vietnamese Army, or NVA, and its Viet Cong guerrillas living in South Vietnam. As part of a much larger and costly offensive, it became a turning point, as public opinion in the United States began to turn against the war. To understand why, however, there are a few critical things to understand about the battle and its aftermath. 1. Hue was untouched by the war until 1968. After the French withdrew from Indochina, and the country was divided into a "democratic" south and a communist north, the city of Hue fell south of the demilitarized zone. As the United States increased its involvement and committed to combat actions, the city became an important part of the U.S. strategy in the country. It was an important supply point for the U.S. Navy and part of the Army's supply chain. Until 1968, the communists were largely unable to hit major urban centers because they didn't have enough men, supplies or support inside South Vietnam's cities to make such attacks effective. They would soon change that perception. 2. The North Vietnamese weren't just a ragtag bunch of farmers. Although the Viet Cong -- also known as the VC, they were South Vietnamese who actively supported the communist north -- had their share of peasant soldiers, North Vietnam's armed forces were much more sophisticated than popular perception allows. The north had a talented air force, weapons supplied by China and the Soviet Union, tanks, APCs, artillery and more. More importantly, the Vietnamese had been at war against outside rule for so long, they could boast multiple generations of veteran soldiers fighting on their home turf. 3. The Battle of Hue was part of the Tet Offensive. On Jan. 30-31, 1968, North Vietnam launched a massive, coordinated assault on nearly every city, town and military installation in South Vietnam. The communists believed it would be followed by a massive uprising against the corrupt, repressive South Vietnamese government of President Nguyen Van Thieu. Thieu's mismanagement of the military made it much easier for the North Vietnamese Army to surprise and hit the south. As a result, Army of the Republic of South Vietnam (ARVN) forces took the brunt of the casualties. Still, it was the first time the north brought the war to the cities in any meaningful way. Some 14,300 civilians were killed, with another 24,000 wounded and 630,000 forced to flee their homes. With his disgraceful response to the Tet Offensive, Thieu's government lost popular support in the countryside, which leaned toward the communists. 4. The United States knew an offensive was coming. North Vietnam massed 80,000 troops and the supplies needed to launch the Tet Offensive in the days before Jan. 31, 1968. That kind of reinforcement and troop movement is hard to hide, especially when the CIA is watching the Ho Chi Minh Trail. In their history of the war, Clark Dougan and Stephen Weiss wrote that the commander of American forces in Vietnam, Gen. William Westmoreland, told Washington that he expected a "countrywide effort" from the NVA soon. Despite the mounting evidence, in the last months of 1967, the United States and South Vietnam didn't believe an attack of the scale and scope of the Tet Offensive was possible, and were caught completely off guard. 5. Tet is a Vietnamese New Year celebration. Vietnam has its own calendar, a lunar calendar, in which Tet marks the first day of the year. It's also one of the most important holidays in the country, on which most Vietnamese people return to their homes and immediate families to celebrate together and pay homage to their ancestors. Launching a major offensive during the Tet holiday meant that many ARVN soldiers wouldn't be at their regular posts, and many were actually on leave at the time. When the attack came, leave was canceled, but the cancellations came too late and many soldiers went on leave anyway. To make matters worse, Westmoreland believed the focus of the attack was on Khe Sanh, when it was really Saigon. 6. It did not go well for North Vietnam. As far as traditional military thought goes, the North Vietnamese were soundly beaten. Almost overnight, the tide turned against the communists. American and ARVN forces pushed them out of most major cities and towns. Within two weeks, an estimated 32,000 NVA troops had been killed. No South Vietnamese uprising ever came, and the Americans and South Vietnam suffered only around 1,500 and 2,700 casualties, respectively. But not in Hue, the ancient capital city and the least likely target of an NVA attack. American and South Vietnamese defenders were caught completely off guard, and the North Vietnamese were able to quietly capture the city with few major firefights. In journalist Mark Bowden's book "Hue 1968," the author says the city was captured in four hours, save for a small ARVN contingent inside the city's citadel and the American Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) base, where "400 American troops ... were basically holed up like the Alamo." Marines A Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines fire from a house window during a search and clear mission in the Battle of Hue (U.S. Marine Corps/Sgt. Bruce A. Atwell). 7. Hue was the single bloodiest battle of the Vietnam War. According to Bowden's research, the Americans believed Hue was held by a handful of die-hard communist troops and sent small units of U.S. Marines to clear them out. The Marines were instead facing a dug-in and heavily armed NVA stronghold -- and took heavy casualties doing it. The Marines were able to come to the aid of the MACV compound and other MACV elements, but not all of them. For an entire month, U.S. Marines and soldiers, along with ARVN troops, waged battles throughout the city, often going house-to-house to remove Hue from North Vietnamese control. It was the first time Marines had engaged in urban combat since the Korean War. They were so unprepared for fighting in a major city that Col. Ernie Cheatham, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in Hue City, had to look up how to do it in an old Marine Corps field manual. 8. Hue was a loss for North Vietnam, but it marked the beginning of the end. Even Americans who initially supported the war in Vietnam were shocked by the bloodiness of the Tet Offensive, especially the fighting in Khe Sanh (which raged on for months) and in Hue. One of those Americans was journalist Walter Cronkite, who had accepted what the government told him about the war. It was after he landed in Hue to see the war for himself that he delivered the broadcast that many believe is the reason the United States could not achieve its objectives in Vietnam: "[I]t seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate. [I]t is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out then will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy, and did the best they could." -- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook. Want to Learn More About Military Life? Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for post-military careers or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to Military.com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox. According to an ArchNews email, 77% of survey respondents in the University of Georgia community indicated they want to receive a COVID-19 vaccine from the University Health Center, and another 6% reported that they have already been vaccinated or plan to be vaccinated elsewhere. The sister of a student pilot who died in a small plane crash in Connecticut in 2017 has settled a wrongful-death lawsuit against the flight school she accused of failing to maintain the aircraft. Terms of the settlement over the death of Pablo Campos-Isona during a training flight crash in East Haven have not been disclosed. The agreement with the now-defunct American Flight Academy was revealed in a document filed Monday in New Haven Superior Court by the attorney for Campos-Isonas sister, Marie Matta-Isona. Messages seeking comment were left for lawyers in the case Wednesday. Campos-Isona, 31, died after a Piper PA38 crashed while he and instructor Rafayel Hany Wassef were practicing touch-and-go landings near Tweed New Haven Airport on Feb. 22, 2017. Wassef survived but suffered multiple broken bones. American Flight Academy and its owner, Arian Prevalla, denied the lawsuits allegations and, in court documents, blamed Campos-Isona for the crash. Federal investigators concluded a fuel selector valve failure likely caused the planes engine to stall and placed some blame on Wassef. American Flight Academy also was sued over a 2016 fatal training flight crash in East Hartford, but a judge dismissed the lawsuit in 2019. In that case, Prevalla, who survived the crash, accused student Feras Freitekh, who died, of intentionally causing the crash, which Freitekhs family denied. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Training Development Aviation Connecticut Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. 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. UKs Tougher Sentencing for County Lines Drug Dealers Will Not Help Catch the Right People: Criminologist The UKs county lines drug dealers are to face tougher sentences under new rules published on Wednesday that add extra penalties for offending involving aggravating factors like the exploitation of children and other vulnerable people. County lines gangs are so-called because of their practice of taking advantage of children and others to run drugs and cash across police and local authority boundaries so that they themselves can avoid detection by law enforcement. The gangs are also known for cuckooing, meaning they will take over the property perhaps of someone who has addiction issues or mental health problems from where they will conduct their drug dealing activities. Fentanyl contained in or substituted for heroin adds danger to drug users across the state. Pennsylvania parents were discovered dead after their 7-year-old daughter told school officials she was unable to wake them. Police suspect a drug overdose on Oct. 3. (FotoMaximum/iStock) The Sentencing Council said in a statement that the new guidelines for judges and magistrates are a response to a change in the nature of offending which has seen an increase in the use of minors and at-risk people to run county lines. Council member Judge Rebecca Crane highlighted the pervasiveness of the crimes and said the new guidelines would give clarity on penalties for drug offenses to all those involved. Serious Crime Drug dealing is a serious crime, and the effects cut across all groups of people: from addicts whose lives can be destroyed to their families and the community, to people forced to take part in the trade either through coercion or threats, some of whom are young and vulnerable, she said. These new sentencing guidelines will ensure that victims, witnesses, and the public will have clear information on how drug offenses are sentenced, she added. But James Treadwell, professor of criminology at Staffordshire University, said that the county lines mode of drug dealing is not new, and the issue of sentencing is an area where there arent simple answers I accept that we now use this terminology of county lines and its definitely happening, he told The Epoch Times. However, he said, Criminal gangs traveling out of area dealing drugs is not necessarily anything new. In the 90s, he explained, the urban street gangs dealing illegal drugs were already franchising beyond their traditional territorial areas, and became associated with the violent territorialism that comes with those low-level street drug markets. Webs of Human Misery Then, he said, because gang-related activity can be violent, vicious, nasty and causes webs of human misery, what inevitably followed was police enforcement. At the same time, he explained, it was recognized that policing did not seem to be combatting the problem and that a more interventionist, joined-up, multi-agency approach focusing on public health and the costs to society was needed. This, he said, created a tension between on the one hand the law enforcement approach, and on the other hand the public health approach which are actually all talking about the same thing. Commenting on the new sentencing guidelines he said that What judges and Magistrates are being told is that theyve got to treat dealers more harshly if they exploit children or teenagers or vulnerable adults. But the problem is, he said, sentences are already quite tough and while the vulnerable need to be protected, some of the street-level dealers are themselves children, exploited teenagers, and vulnerable adults from chaotic, dysfunctional backgrounds who often face multiple forms of social exclusion. For these there are few legitimate opportunities to make money, he said. Young men then see other young men who wear Prada trainers and expensive designer jackets and drive nice cars being successful in the drug market and take them as role models. Treadwell also said that being paid some attention by people who seem to be initially at least interested in you mixes with this idea that material possessions equate to success. Lure of the Drug Market These factors, he said, all combine to make the lure of the drug market trump considerations of right and wrong and promulgate an incredibly selfish attitude on the part of offenders. He said taking the profitability out of the drug market and thereby removing the glamour that tempts young people to it would likely be more effective in curbing their involvement than over-toughening the laws. If theyd seen more of those people losing everything and having it taken away and not being the success stories, then actually that probably has a greater impact, he said. Nevertheless, he said punitive penalties are needed to protect and give respite to society from people who often end up committing very, very, serious violence, and from those who carry on destructive cycles of criminal behavior even though they have seen them decimate their own families. But to see such criminals as all bad, horrible, nasty, terrible, predatory individuals who need locking up and punishing is not accurate, he said. Naive Liberalism Nor is the naive liberalism that sees them all as the impoverished, sinned against poor, whose criminality is not their own fault, and which denies that offenders do have choices. He said that prisons can sometimes work well and, as in the new sentencing guidelines, the exploitation of the vulnerable by street-level county lines drug dealers should be recognized. Its nevertheless key, he said, not to only focus on street-level drug dealing crimes, but to also catch the people much higher up in the illegal drug trade hierarchy. These are the hardened criminals at the high end of the tree of organized crime who, while importing drugs into the country on a large scale, are often hiding behind apparently legitimate enterprises. If were really going to deal with the damage that the drug market does, are we getting the right people if we start at the lower end? he asked. And thats where Im not convinced, he added. The new sentencing rules will come into effect from April 1 this year. MEXICO CITY - Mexicos pandemic-hit economy shrank 8.5% in 2020, the largest single-year drop since 1932 and the second consecutive year of economic contraction. MEXICO CITY - Mexicos pandemic-hit economy shrank 8.5% in 2020, the largest single-year drop since 1932 and the second consecutive year of economic contraction. Mexicos gross domestic product grew 3.1% in the final three months of the year, according to preliminary data released Friday by the National Statistics and Geography Institute. Growth in the second half of 2020 allowed Mexico to beat projections earlier in the year of a double-digit contraction. The second trimester of the year when the pandemic took hold and much economic activity was frozen saw a contraction of 18.7% compared to the same period a year earlier. Unlike in many of the worlds largest economies, Mexicos government did little to support businesses or subsidize consumers. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador refused to indebt the country to soften the blow. The 2020 economic plunge is the reflection of not only the devastating effects of the virus pandemic but also the lack of preparedness and insufficient policy response of the current administration, Alfredo Coutino, director of Moodys Analytics, wrote in his analysis Friday. Part of the economy gradually began to open in June and the economy grew 12% in the third quarter, but remained 8.6% below the same period a year earlier. Much of the improvement had to do with U.S. economic activity picking up, Coutino said. Lopez Obrador conceded Friday that the country was still 800,000 jobs short of the employment levels before the pandemic, but he said that there are encouraging signs in the economy. The Mexican economy was already in a recession before the pandemic struck. The governments decision of not implementing a rescue package to support businesses and mitigate the loss of employment took a heavy toll in terms of business mortality and well-being deterioration, Coutino said. Mexico ended 2020 with 840,000 fewer jobs than it had in February before the pandemic hit. New Delhi, Jan 29 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached properties worth Rs 194.17 crore belonging to the Manav Bharti University (MBU), the Madhav University, the Manav Bharti Charitable Trust and its Chairman Raj Kumar Rana in the fake degree scam money laundering case. An ED official here said that the agency has attached moveable and immovable properties in the form of land, residential and commercial buildings worth Rs 186.44 crore located in Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan and six FDs totalling Rs 7.72 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED has registered a case on the basis of FIRs registered by Himachal Pradesh Police against Rana and others. The official said that during investigation it was revealed that Rana started this scam of issuance of fake degrees in the name of MBU in 2009 from his office in Haryana's Karnal. The proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 387 crore generated from issuance of fake degrees were invested by Rana in several properties in his name as well as in the name of his son Mandeep Rana and other family members. "It has come out that these properties were undervalued, so that illegal cash proceeds may be adjusted. Thereafter one more university, namely Madhav University in Rajasthan's Sirohi, was constructed by Rana through the illegal proceeds generated from issuance of fake degrees," the official said. He said that the proceeds of crime were indirectly utilised via channelling through the bank accounts of the MBU, Solan and Manav Bharti Charitable Trust for construction of Manav Bharti University. "Moreover the loans availed for construction of MBU was majorly repaid in the form of cash deposits in banks, which were nothing but illegal proceeds generated from issuance of fake degrees," he said. The official further said that the illegal proceeds deposited into the bank accounts of MBU, Solan and Manav Bharti Charitable Trust were falsely shown as academic receipts in the books of accounts and hence inflated to show them as genuine proceeds. Covid-19 has brought drastic improvement in health care standards, infrastructure, the state of hospitals and peoples attitude towards public health in India. At the Ninth edition of the OPPI Annual Summit 2020 - Healthcare Accelerated, Reimagining India's Healthcare in the next decade, countrys leading policy makers, members of the healthcare fraternity, heads of pharmaceutical companies, medical experts, NGOs and global think tanks converged to discuss diverse aspects of healthcare access, offering potential solutions. Whos who of the Health sector Among the top-notch speakers who graced the occasion included D. V. Sadananda Gowda, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers and Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Shipping, Chemicals and Fertilizers. They were joined by S Aparna, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers. Others present at the high-profile summit were Neerja Birla, Founder & Chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust, Shamika Ravi, Director, Research, Brookings; Manisha Shridhar, Regional Adviser, WHO and Malti Jaswal, Senior Consultant World Bank Group. Industry leaders Industry leaders who postulated included Rajaram Narayan, MD Sanofi; Ratna Devi, Board Chair IAPO; Joy Chakraborty, COO, PD Hinduja Hospital; Dr. Y. K. Gupta, President AIIMS, Bhopal and Jammu; Vaidheesh Annaswamy, Managing Partner, North Star Asia LLP; Krishnan Ramachandran, MD and CEO, Max Bupa Health Insurance and Sarthak Ranade, MD Janssen India. The summit was well represented by global experts like Jaak Peeters, Johnson and Johnson, Special Envoy for Covid-19 vaccine; Andrew Blasi, Director, Crowell and Moring and Sofie Melis, Director HR and Ethics Compliance, IFPMA. Narendra Mantena, Head Global Strategy and CEO, Biological E; Vikas Chauhan, Co-Founder 1mg; Dr. Ganapathy Krishnan Director, Apollo Telemedicine Network Foundation and Jaidev Rajpal, Partner, McKinsey and Company, reflected on the new technologies that had come into the health sector, thanks to the pandemic and the opportunities it had created in the bargain. Sharad Tyagi, President OPPI and Manging Director, Boehringer Ingelheim India; K. G. Ananthakrishnan, Director General, OPPI and Nitika Garg, Director, Research, OPPI also spoke at the summit. Pharmaceutical industry comes for high praise Praising the contribution of the pharmaceutical industry, both Indian and global, in supporting the government to combat the Covid-19 crisis, Minister Sadananda Gowda said that the government and the industry worked hand in hand to meet the increased demand for testing and treatment. He also pointed out the role of global and Indian companies in coming out with vaccines in the shortest possible time. He said that while essentials were imported when Covid-19 broke out, today Indian manufacturers are producing about five lakh PPE kits and three lakh N-95 masks per day in addition to three lakh ventilators per annum. Minister of state Mandaviya said that India had proved itself to be a world leader in pharmaceuticals and asserted that the government believed in promoting the pharmaceutical industry as well as making medicines available for the poor. Pharmaceuticals Secretary S Aparna said that the pandemic had forced companies and individuals to take a hard look at how they functioned. All stakeholders on board Sharad Tyagi said the pandemic showed that all stakeholders came on board - whether it was for supply of medicines, for transport issues or for urgent clearances. Speakers stressed upon some key takeaways for the health sector. These included: ** Greater transparency of information is now available to patients through websites promoted by the government and various departments. **Indias health care system now compares favourably with the best in the world. ** Indias patient-centric approach, acquired during the pandemic, must continue at all levels. ** Experts marvelled at the speed with which the world and India had discovered a vaccine, that had come in less than 10 months. ** The central stakeholder in the pandemic is the patient and the trust that has built up between him and the health care industry, needed to be pursued. ** Covid-19 had ensured that many consumers as well as health care stakeholders had adopted digital systems. ** The connection between health and hygiene has been established Collaboration for innovation Some speakers like Dr. Y. K. Gupta, President AIIMS, Bhopal and Jammu, stressed that tech-driven institutions and biological sciences innovation must work together, rather than in silos. The industry and the regulator needed to come together to lay down the grounds for innovation. Krishnan Ramachandran, MD and CEO, Max Bupa Health Insurance said that the pandemic had proved that India is still grappling with challenges that confront health insurance. Recognizing dedication to healthcare through awards The OPPI 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award was given to leading light of Indian pharmaceutical sector Dr. Y. K. Hamied, founder of CIPLA while Dr. V. G. Somani, Drug Controller General of India was honoured for his services to the health sector. Special Awards were given to bright scientists and innovators like Aparna Hegde, founder, chairperson and managing trustee of Armaan; Harmala Gupta, founder and president CanSupport; Debabrata Dash from the Banares Hindu University was given the OPPI Scientist of the Year Award; Dr. Rituparna Sinha Roy received the Woman Scientist Award and Dr Arun Kumar Shukla from IIT Kanpur, received the Young Scientist Award. Watch Video: This is a partnered post. CHICAGO (January 29, 2021) -- Structural racism thwarts a large proportion of black patients from receiving appropriate lung cancer care, resulting in worse outcomes and shorter lifespans than white patients with the disease, according to research presented at the 57th Annual Meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. "Many studies have shown that there are disparities between the outcomes of black and white patients, but have done little to elucidate why these disparities are occurring," said Chandler Annesi, a medical student from Boston University School of Medicine in Massachusetts. "As we show in our research, segregation, the resulting devaluation of black communities, and other downstream factors have led to wide disparities in lung cancer outcomes." For this study, Annesi, Michael Poulson, MD, and colleagues from Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts examined data from 193,369 white and 35,649 black patients who were diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from 2004 to 2016 and living in one of the 100 most populous US counties. This information was obtained from a database of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program and National Cancer Institute. An important demographic measure that researchers used was the index of dissimilarity (IoD), which establishes the "evenness" with which two groups are distributed across geographic areas. According to Annesi, the IoD helped determine the impact of segregation on stage at presentation, surgical resection, and survival. "We show that disparities between black and white patients can be explained by the level of segregation of the county in which they live," said Dr. Poulson. "This is likely representative of factors like poverty, access to health care, and social mobility, which particularly affect black individuals in more segregated areas." The researchers found that with increasing residential segregation, black patients were 30% more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage NSCLC than white patients. Additionally, black patients had a 47% decreased likelihood of receiving surgery (one of the most common and effective treatments for early stage NSCLC), while white patients had an 18% decreased likelihood with increasing residential segregation. "This study is a very novel contribution to the literature," said Thomas K. Varghese Jr., MD, MS, from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, who was not directly involved in this research. "For too long, we've known that irrespective of the disease categories, minorities in general have worse outcomes. They also have more morbidity and more mortality. The outcomes just aren't the same. This particular study is an exploration into the why. Why is this occurring? And, uniquely the authors point out that where you live makes a huge difference in terms of cancer treatment outcomes, and we need to do something about it." The results also demonstrated that median cancer-specific survival significantly differed between black patients in more segregated areas (10 months) and those in less segregated areas (12 months). The cancer-specific survival for black patients when compared to white patients was 10 months and 13 months, respectively. "Black patients are more likely to die stage-for-stage when compared to their white counterparts. However, it is important to note that this increased mortality is based on discrimination, not on genetics, as we show in our study," said Dr. Poulson. The study revealed that residential segregation and, ultimately, discriminatory practices reach into the health care system and impact the outcomes of black patients, but the underlying reasons for these complex and deep-seated lung cancer care disparities still are not fully understood. According to Annesi, a long history of discriminatory practices have forced black Americans into blighted areas and the effects are still apparent today. In general, people with lower socioeconomic status face more barriers and systemic-level issues, including poor access to high-quality health care, lack of insurance, limited availability of appropriate facilities, lower screening rates, delays in treatment after diagnosis, and lower treatment adherence. "All of these factors are related to the discriminatory policies that lead black Americans to be more vulnerable to these conditions," said Annesi. While many black patients live in urban areas with large hospital systems nearby, insurance coverage can greatly limit their ability to access that care. This is particularly apparent in states that do not have expanded Medicaid, leading to many individuals--who are disproportionately black--going without coverage, explained Annesi. The cost of transportation or lack of work flexibility also may preclude their ability to seek care. Similarly, copays (even small ones) may be burdensome for families that are barely able to afford groceries. Another important factor is the financial distress that is associated with cancer management, which often prevents adequate care--starting prior to diagnosis, during imaging, and through treatment. The costs of care and the impact of some treatments on employment/disability are especially burdensome to those patients who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. "Disparities are created and as such can be dismantled," said Annesi. "While it will take time and willingness to reverse discriminatory policies that have led to the disparities that we see today, health care teams can use this information to understand the unique barriers that black patients may face." Addressing Barriers to Care and Raising Awareness Importantly, physicians and all members of the health care team must become part of the solution and advocate for their patients at every level (individual, state, and federal). This involves identifying at-risk patients, particularly in "minoritized and marginalized" communities (especially those who are uninsured) and making sure they are prioritized within facilities offering discounted or free care. Also essential is working to make lung cancer screening available and convenient. "Simply catching disease at an earlier stage can vastly improve mortality," said Annesi. Community cancer centers could help rectify some of the logistical challenges that patients face when they live in areas where access to care and lung screening is limited. However, Annesi explained that the centers would have to provide much of the care that the patients need (i.e., imaging, labs, treatment options) in order to be successful and limit the barriers that patients would face if required to travel elsewhere. An integrated, multipronged approach is another "extremely important" strategy that may help reduce treatment and outcome gaps between black and white patients with lung cancer, according to Annesi. This type of intervention may include a "warning" system connected to electronic health records that sends alerts about missed appointments or milestones to the health care team. Also part of this strategy would be consistent communication among the various clinical teams, as well as relationships and open lines of communication between trained nurse navigators and patients. "It is important to realize that race matters, and for patients and families, particularly black individuals, to know that lung cancer is not one's fault," said Annesi. "Years of discrimination have set up the background for these disparities, and it is imperative that hospitals and clinics address the difficulties that some patients too often encounter." Structural racism is defined as the macrolevel systems, social forces, institutions, ideologies, and processes that interact with one another to generate and reinforce inequities among racial and ethnic groups. ### For more information, contact Jennifer Bagley, Senior Media Relations Manager, at 312-202-5865 or jbagley@sts.org. Founded in 1964, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 7,500 cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The Society's mission is to advance cardiothoracic surgeons' delivery of the highest quality patient care through collaboration, education, research, and advocacy. Two people use National Australia Bank (NAB) ATMs in Melbourne on May 2, 2019(William West/AFP via Getty Images) NAB Acquires Neobank 86400 in $220M Deal National Australia Bank (NAB) will buy start-up neobank 86 400 for $220 million, but the deal will need to clear scrutiny from the competition watchdog. NAB moved to acquire 86 400 to bolster its own neobank UBank. Bringing together UBank and 86 400 is consistent with NABs long-term strategy and growth plans and will enable us to develop a leading digital bank that can attract and retain customers at scale and pace, NAB Chief Operating Officer Les Matheson said in an investor statement (pdf). UBank CEO Philippa Watson said, UBank has a proud 12-year history of innovation as a pioneering digital bank and today serves more than 600,000 customers to help achieve their financial goals. Neobanks, or challenger banks, are a newer breed of banking institution focusing on digital innovation. Usually, the firms forgo physical branches and on-the-ground staff, maintaining an online presence only. Instead, they are geared towards younger customers who are comfortable with their banking experience being entirely online. 86 400 currently has 85,000 customers. From day one, our purpose has been to help Australians take control of their money. Weve just rounded out an incredible year, delivered by our phenomenal team of only 120 people, and were only just getting started, Robert Bell, CEO of 86 400 said. The rise of neobanks was supposed to usher in an era of competition and disruption against the traditional banks ANZ, Commonwealth, Westpac, and NAB, which is why the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is actively scrutinising potential acquisitions by the Big Four of smaller competitors or financial technology firms (fintech). Youve got four big banks with a fair bit of market power. They are a very well-established oligopoly, ACCC Chair Rod Sims told the Sydney Morning Herald. The most likely form of challenge is going to come from innovative fintechs coming up with new ways of doing things, he said. What we are on the lookout for is the Big Four buying anything that has the potential to be a vigorous competitor. Emerging fintech firms are a lucrative acquisition prospect for the Big Four who are keen to stay abreast of competitors and the latest innovations in the financial space. Commonwealth Bank recently assisted global buy now, pay later company Klarna with its Australian launch, after acquiring a 5.5 percent stake in the company for US$300 million. 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. remaining of Thank you for reading! This is your last free article before you will be asked to subscribe. Already have a paid subscription? Sign in A woman was in a critical condition in hospital last night after being attacked in Ennis, Co Clare. The incident happened in the Markets area of the town at approximately 6pm. The woman was taken to University Hospital Limerick where her condition was described as critical. A man was arrested by Gardai and is currently detained in Shannon Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. A garda spokesman has appealed for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward. "Gardai investigating an assault in The Market area of Ennis on January 28,2021 are appealing for witnesses. "At around 6.20pm Gardai were alerted to the assault at the Market, Ennis. A woman in her late 20s was taken to University Hospital Limerick with what is described as serious injuries. "A man in his mid-30s was arrested a short time later and is being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at Shannon Garda Station. "Gardai are appealing for anybody who may have witnessed this incident or were in the Market area of Ennis between 5.30pm and 6.30pm to contact them. "Gardai are also appealing to any road users, particularly those with camera footage, to contact the Incident Room at Ennis Garda Station on 065 6848100 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666-111." A glimpse into the wardrobe of King David and King Solomon, 3000 years ago "King Solomon made for himself the carriage; he made it of wood from Lebanon. Its posts he made of silver, its base of gold. Its seat was upholstered with purple, its interior inlaid with love." (Song of Songs 3:9-10) For the first time, rare evidence has been found of fabric dyed with royal purple dating from the time of King David and King Solomon. While examining the colored textiles from Timna Valley - an ancient copper production district in southern Israel - in a study that has lasted several years, the researchers were surprised to find remnants of woven fabric, a tassel and fibers of wool dyed with royal purple. Direct radiocarbon dating confirms that the finds date from approximately 1000 BCE, corresponding to the biblical monarchies of David and Solomon in Jerusalem. The dye, which is produced from species of mollusk found in the Mediterranean, over 300 km from Timna, is often mentioned in the Bible and appears in various Jewish and Christian contexts. This is the first time that purple-dyed Iron Age textiles have been found in Israel, or indeed throughout the Southern Levant. The research was carried out by Dr. Naama Sukenik from the Israel Antiquities Authority and Prof. Erez Ben-Yosef, from the Jacob M. Alkow Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures at Tel Aviv University, in collaboration with Prof. Zohar Amar, Dr. David Iluz and Dr. Alexander Varvak from Bar-Ilan University and Dr. Orit Shamir from the Israel Antiquities Authority. The unexpected finds are being published today in the prestigious PLOS ONE journal. "This is a very exciting and important discovery," explains Dr. Naama Sukenik, curator of organic finds at the Israel Antiquities Authority. "This is the first piece of textile ever found from the time of David and Solomon that is dyed with the prestigious purple dye. In antiquity, purple attire was associated with the nobility, with priests, and of course with royalty. The gorgeous shade of the purple, the fact that it does not fade, and the difficulty in producing the dye, which is found in minute quantities in the body of mollusks, all made it the most highly valued of the dyes, which often cost more than gold. Until the current discovery, we had only encountered mollusk-shell waste and potsherds with patches of dye, which provided evidence of the purple industry in the Iron Age. Now, for the first time, we have direct evidence of the dyed fabrics themselves, preserved for some 3000 years". Prof. Erez Ben-Yosef from Tel Aviv University's Archaeology Department says, "Our archaeological expedition has been excavating continuously at Timna since 2013. As a result of the region's extremely dry climate, we are also able to recover organic materials such as textile, cords and leather from the Iron Age, from the time of David and Solomon, providing us with a unique glimpse into life in biblical times. If we excavated for another hundred years in Jerusalem, we would not discover textiles from 3000 years ago. The state of preservation at Timna is exceptional and it is paralleled only by that at much later sites such as Masada and the Judean Desert Caves. In recent years, we have been excavating a new site inside Timna known as 'Slaves' Hill'. The name may be misleading, since far from being slaves, the laborers were highly skilled metalworkers. Timna was a production center for copper, the Iron Age equivalent of modern-day oil. Copper smelting required advanced metallurgical understanding that was a guarded secret, and those who held this knowledge were the 'Hi-Tech' experts of the time. Slaves' Hill is the largest copper-smelting site in the valley and it is filled with piles of industrial waste such as slag from the smelting furnaces. One of these heaps yielded three scraps of colored cloth. The color immediately attracted our attention, but we found it hard to believe that we had found true purple from such an ancient period". According to the researchers, true purple [argaman] was produced from three species of mollusk indigenous to the Mediterranean Sea: The Banded Dye-Murex (Hexaplex trunculus), the Spiny Dye-Murex (Bolinus brandaris) and the Red-Mouthed Rock-Shell (Stramonita haemastoma). The dye was produced from a gland located within the body of the mollusk by means of a complex chemical process that lasted several days. Today, most scholars agree that the two precious dyes, purple [argaman] and light blue, or azure [tekhelet] were produced from the purple dye mollusk under different conditions of exposure to light. When exposed to light, azure is obtained whereas without light exposure, a purple hue is obtained. These colors are often mentioned together in the ancient sources, and both have symbolic and religious significance to this day. The Temple priests, David and Solomon, and Jesus of Nazareth are all described as having worn clothing colored with purple. The analytical tests conducted at Bar Ilan University's laboratories, together with dyes that were reconstructed by Prof. Zohar Amar and Dr. Naama Sukenik, can identify the species used to dye the Timna textiles and the desired hues. In order to reconstruct the mollusk dyeing process, Prof. Amar traveled to Italy where he cracked thousands of mollusks (which the Italians eat) and produced raw material from their dye glands that was used in hundreds of attempts to reconstruct ancient dyeing. "The practical work took us back thousands of years," says Prof. Amar, "and it has allowed us to better understand obscure historical sources associated with the precious colors of azure and purple." The dye was identified with an advanced analytical instrument (HPLC) that indicated the presence of unique dye molecules, originating only in certain species of mollusk. According to Dr. Naama Sukenik, "Most of the colored textiles found at Timna, and in archaeological research in general, were dyed using various plant-based dyes that were readily available and easier to dye with. The use of animal-based dyes is regarded as much more prestigious, and served as an important indicator for the wearer's high economic and social status. The remnants of the purple-dyed cloth that we found are not only the most ancient in Israel, but in the Southern Levant in general. We also believe that we have succeeded in identifying the double-dyeing method in one of the fragments, in which two species of mollusk were used in a sophisticated way, to enrich the dye. This technology is described by the Roman historian Pliny the Elder, from the first century CE, and the dye it produced was considered the most prestigious." Prof. Ben-Yosef identifies the copper-production center at Timna as part of the biblical Kingdom of Edom, which bordered the kingdom of Israel to the south. According to him, the dramatic finds should revolutionize our concepts of nomadic societies in the Iron Age. "The new finds reinforce our assumption that there was an elite at Timna, attesting to a stratified society. In addition, since the mollusks are indigenous to the Mediterranean, this society obviously maintained trade relations with other peoples who lived on the coastal plain. However, we do not have evidence of any permanent settlements in the Edomite territory. The Edomite Kingdom was a kingdom of nomads in the early Iron Age. When we think of nomads, it is difficult for us to free ourselves from comparisons with contemporary Bedouins, and we therefore find it hard to imagine kings without magnificent stone palaces and walled cities. Yet in certain circumstances, nomads can also create a complex socio-political structure, one that the biblical writers could identify as a kingdom. Of course, this whole debate has repercussions for our understanding of Jerusalem in the same period. We know that the Tribes of Israel were originally nomadic and that the process of settlement was gradual and prolonged. Archaeologists are looking for King David's palace. However, David may not have expressed his wealth in splendid buildings, but with objects more suited to a nomadic heritage such as textiles and artifacts." According to Ben-Yosef, "It is wrong to assume that if no grand buildings and fortresses have been found, then biblical descriptions of the United Monarchy in Jerusalem must be literary fiction. Our new research at Timna has showed us that even without such buildings, there were kings in our region who ruled over complex societies, formed alliances and trade relations, and waged war on each other. The wealth of a nomadic society was not measured in palaces and monuments made of stone, but in things that were no less valued in the ancient world - such as the copper produced at Timna and the purple dye that was traded with its copper smelters." ### This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. (TNS) Older Massachusetts residents are struggling to secure COVID-19 vaccination appointments through a state-run website, prompting Gov. Charlie Baker to urge patience and caution that demand for the immunization still outpaces supply.A day after Baker pointed adults 75 and over toward the state's vaccine map website to book vaccines that will soon become available, several lawmakers in that age range slammed the system as confusing and "ineffective."Both theandreported numerous accounts of older residents who could not navigate the website or waited hours only to find that all slots were already full.During a press conference where he also cautioned that specific details about expanded federal shipments are still unknown, Baker said it will take time to get vaccines to everyone who qualifies. "We expect that by the start of Phase 2, there will be a large number of residents trying to secure a limited number of appointments," Baker said. "If you can't secure an appointment right away, you need to be patient about that. We understand the difficulty that's attached to that, but keep checking the website and going back to check again on the sites that make the most sense to you. More and more time slots will be added on a rolling basis as we get additional supply."The second phase of the administration's vaccine rollout plan will begin next week, making doses available to residents 75 and older to start.In his State of the Commonwealth address Tuesday night, Baker said residents could start using the state's website mass.gov/covidvaccine to check their eligibility and book appointments for vaccines.Senate President Emerita Harriette Chandler, who is 84, and Sen. Patricia Jehlen, who is 77, tweeted nearly identical messages Wednesday that they "personally struggled" to use the vaccination website now that they both are set to become eligible."My office has heard from dozens of frustrated constituents, and I expect that is only the tip of the iceberg," Chandler said in her tweet. "We are trying our best to help, but this website is simply ineffective."Baker said Wednesday that it is "hard for us to answer" specific questions about issues with the website. He urged younger residents to help their older friends and family navigate any technological hurdles while hinting that the administration "is working to create additional resources" to make appointments.Asked why New Hampshire runs a single centralized online system for vaccines but Massachusetts does not and whether the difference in populations is a factor, Baker replied, "I don't know, but I will see if we can get an answer to that question."He added that there are more than 1 million Massachusetts residents over the age of 75 who will gain eligibility to receive vaccines starting Monday, meaning the single group that will kick off Phase 2 outnumbers the state's entire vaccine haul so far."We've gotten less than a million doses since this thing started in December. We've had more than a million hits on the state's website since this was announced on Tuesday," Baker said. "If you have a million people who are eligible and you have only received a million doses since this all began in December, you are going to be constrained by supply."Federal officials plan to boost the amount of vaccines distributed to states, territories and tribes by roughly 17 percent for the next three weeks, up to a minimum of 10 million doses per week in that span.However, according to Baker, the Biden administration stressed during a Tuesday call with governors that the additional supply might vary by state."The conversation we had with the administration was about a national number, but they said we should be careful about projecting that national adjustment to our own states," Baker said, referencing the call organized by the National Governors Association. "We haven't heard officially what that will mean for Massachusetts.""I'm hoping by tomorrow, certainly by Friday, we'll know what the answer to that is," Baker added. "I heard the same 17 percent number, but they made very clear to us: don't just assume that means you're going to get 17 percent (more) of what you have."One day after the NGA call, the Biden administration's COVID-19 Task Force held its first public briefing Wednesday to discuss the status of the virus, concerns about new variants and steps that were being taken to increase vaccine supply."I know that many American are anxious and eager to get vaccinated. I want you to know we're taking this issue on with incredible urgency and purpose, despite not inheriting a fully-developed strategy or the infrastructure to make vaccines readily available to Americans as quickly as they need to be," said Andy Slavitt, senior advisor to White House COVID-19 Response Team.Slavitt said the federal government is no longer holding back any supply for second doses, shipping doses to states as they become available and holding only a two- to three-day supply to smooth out any manufacturing variations."Any stockpile that may have existed previously no longer exists," Slavitt said. He added, "We are passing doses directly on to states very much in real time as they order them."President Joe Biden has set a goal of administering at least 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in his first 100 days, and officials said they are currently on pace to meet that goal.In Massachusetts, state officials plan to increase the number of open public vaccination sites to 103 this week, which could administer 242,000 doses per week. By mid-February, the capacity should rise to 305,000, officials said.So far, the state has only been receiving about 80,000 doses per week, and Baker said Wednesday that it "won't be very long from now" until the state's capacity to administer the vaccine reliably outstrips its supply.In another part of the Biden administration's plan, the U.S. agreed to purchase an additional 200 million doses this year from Pfizer and Moderna, which Slavitt said will ensure enough supply to vaccinate everyone over the age of 16, but those doses are not expected until the summer.Slavitt also called on Congress to pass the president's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which includes funding for vaccination sites, and said the administration was exploring all options to use the Defense Production Act to boost vaccine manufacturing."Even so, it will be months before everyone who wants a vaccine will be able to get one," he said.Officials said the Federal Emergency Management Agency had obligated $1 billion to support vaccination sites, and Pfizer and Moderna are committed to delivering 200 million doses by the end of March, with much of it getting delivered at the end of the first quarter. New Delhi: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modis remark that killing people in the name of gau bhakti is not acceptable, a man was lynched to death in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district for allegedly carrying beef in his van. Alimuddin alias Asgar Ansari was carrying banned meat in a van, news agency IANS quoted police sources as saying. Alimuddin was stopped by a group of people near Bajartand village, beat him black and blue and set his van on fire. However, Police reached the spot and lathi charged to disperse the mob. Alimuddin was later taken to hospital but during the treatment, he succumbed to the injuries. Earlier in the day, PM Modi, who is on a two-day Gujrat visit said Killing people in the name of gau bhakti is not acceptable. This is not something Mahatma Gandhi would approve of. Lets all work together. Lets create the India of Mahatma Gandhis dreams. Lets create an India our freedom fighters would be proud of, the prime minister said. Read PM Modi on lynching: Violence never has and never will solve any problem, Mahatma Gandhi would not have approved it No person in this nation has the right to take the law in his or her own hands, he added. On Wednesday, thousands of people across the country had taken to the streets in a citizens protest named Not in My Name against the recent incidents of mob killings. Holding placards that read: Break the Silence, No Place for Islamophobia and Shed Hate not Blood among others, the protesters had said they had gathered to send out a message that there is a need to unite for a cause. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. CLEVELAND, Ohio Friday marks the dawn of a new movie era. The Little Things, the new psychological thriller starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto, arrives in theaters AND on HBO Max simultaneously. [Subscribe to HBO Max to watch The Little Things and save 20%] While Wonder Woman 1984 set the stage for such a move in December, The Little Things is the first movie on Warner Bros. 2021 schedule that will see each of the studios films arrive on HBO Max at the same time they hit theaters. Washingtons presence will no doubt draw viewers to the streaming service. High-profile films like The Little Things, Judas and the Black Messiah, Tom & Jerry, Godzilla vs. Kong, Mortal Kombat, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In The Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Reminiscence, Malignant, Dune, The Many Saints of Newark, King Richard, Cry Macho and The Matrix 4 will follow later this year. The Little Things will remain on HBO Max for 31 days. The tense crime movie stars Washington as a small-town deputy with baggage who teams with a Los Angeles detective (Malek) to take down a suspect (Leto) in a series of murders that have terrorized parts of California in the early to mid-1990s. Subscribers to the service can stream the movie for no extra cost. HBO Max costs $14.99 a month or you can save 20% by paying $69.99 for six months. Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- Hedge funds often measure their investments in minutes, not decades; but for Anchorage Capital Group, its long-held stake in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. is proving that patience can also be profitable.The New York-based money manager stands to make roughly $2 billion on its investment in the film and TV producer, one that began almost 11 years ago with MGM in bankruptcy court. Amazon.com Inc. agreed to buy the company for $8.45 billion Wednesday, a price that includes just under $2 billion in debt.The deal is in many ways a vindication for Kevin Ulrich, the former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. trader who co-founded Anchorage in 2003 and was part of a group of distressed debt investors that took control of MGM as it went through the restructuring process. In recent years the stake looked to be an albatross for the fund, one that came with significant drama in its own right.Ulrich brought in and later fired a high-profile chief executive officer, resisted efforts by activist investor Carl Icahn to take control, and held out for a bigger payday after years of considering various exit strategies. By selling now, as demand for media content from entertainment and technology companies alike is booming, hes proving his long-held faith in the investment was justified.There was a lot of maneuvering, a lot of financial engineering, said Steven Azarbad, chief investment officer at New Yorks Maglan Capital, an MGM investor who sold his shares four years ago. But theyve done great.A representative for Anchorage declined to comment.When Ulrich first invested in MGM, he was new to Hollywood. He helped pick Gary Barber, a South African-born producer of films such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective as chief executive officer of the storied but debt-laden studio. Barber brought to the table a shrewd business sense, and connections into a world Ulrich long admired from afar.Barber shepherded MGMs development of The Hobbit franchise, a co-production with Warner Bros., that became a global smash hit. He helmed the release of the James Bond film, Skyfall, which generated over $1 billion at the box office, and he revived the studios work in television. Barber also brokered a deal to bring on TV super producer Mark Burnett, which gave MGM access to reality show hits like Survivor and The Apprentice, but would ultimately become personally troublesome.In 2012 the company bought back Icahns stock for $590 million. It also filed paperwork for a possible public offering of shares, and considered other options, such as a sale.As Barber boosted MGMs film and TV pipeline, Ulrich was increasingly entranced by the allure of Hollywood. He became a regular at movie premieres in Los Angeles and New York, and frequented industry parties in the Hamptons and elsewhere. He became active in creative decisions after becoming chair of MGMs board -- somewhat unusual for a non-executive lacking Hollywood experience -- even getting involved with business granularities like casting.Growing RiftBut over the following years a rift began to open up between Barber and Ulrich. When it was time to renew Barbers contract in 2017, Ulrich conducted an extensive search for a new CEO. When it ended, he ultimately chose to sign Barber to a new five-year deal. Yet around the same time, the pair split on whether to sell the company, with Ulrich wanting to hang on to the studio and Barber saying it was time to find a buyer.The company would hold buyout talks with Apple Inc. as well as Chinese investors that would ultimately prove fruitless.Only months after renewing Barbers deal, Ulrich fired him. The shock departure meant the company had to pay Barber for five years of salary and buy out his equity, a package totaling $260 million. In the three years since Barber left, Ulrich hasnt replaced him, instead operating an office of the chief executive officer, comprised of various people that each have their personal vision for MGM.Barber declined to comment via his spokesperson.Bounce BackAfter the initial period of success following the restructuring, the gains became harder to come by, as they did in Anchorages overall credit-focused business. Two senior managers left the firm in January 2020, and another in November. Anchorages flagship strategy, with about $8.5 billion under management, returned just 0.6% in 2018, 1.5% in 2019 and 4.4% in 2020, according to people familiar with the matter.In December, MGM hired investment bankers for a potential sale.MGM only released one film in theaters in 2020. Its biggest potential hit, the latest Bond film, No Time to Die, was pushed from last year to this October as a result of the pandemic.Yet the value of MGMs library rose as everyone from media companies to technology giants have sought to build video streaming platforms that can compete with industry leader Netflix Inc. Earnings jumped 48% last year, to about $307 million, even as sales declined.Anchorage holds a roughly 30% stake in MGM, worth about $2.5 billion in the sale, said people with knowledge of the matter. Anchorage invested around $500 million in the company more than a decade ago. Including the MGM stake, Anchorages flagship fund is up 18% this year, the people added. The fund has gained about 8% in 2021 not counting the studio.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. According to a 2020 Global Terrorism Index report, Africa has become the centre of gravity for the Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda, losing no less than $171 billion to terrorism in the last 10 years. Terrorist groups have moved there and to some extent to South Asia from the Middle East. And, with many young people suffering from poverty, marginalisation, human rights violations and unemployment, making them easy recruitment targets, terrorist groups have spread steadily from east to west and from north to southeast. Observers and research centres have repeatedly issued and escalated warnings that it is hoped African governments will heed before it is too late. In a statement issued in November, the Global Terrorism Index added that Sub-Saharan Africa was the most affected, with seven of the top 10 countries witnessing a rise in the number of victims. They are Burkina Faso, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Niger, Cameroon and Ethiopia. Total deaths by IS in the region went up by 67 per cent over last year. It went on to explain that Burkina Faso, which is widely targeted by terrorist groups operating in the region, recorded a rise of 590 per cent in the number of victims, and warned that deteriorating economic conditions could make more people susceptible to extremist propaganda. Observers have noted that, as competition intensifies between rival jihadist groups, the threat of terrorism in the region is increasing. Nathan Sales, the then US State Department coordinator for counter-terrorism, said both IS and Al- Qaeda have shifted much of their activity away from their heartland in Syria and Iraq to affiliates in west and east Africa, as well as Afghanistan. Africa is a key front in the next stage in the fight against terrorism, he added. West Africa is a perfect storm, with nation states that dont control their territories, commit abuses by their forces, and have porous borders. The French Global Strat Risk Consultancy expert on jihad Olivier Guitta concurred: There is a deadly rivalry taking place between supporters of Al-Qaeda and IS. This rivalry is becoming intense. Africa is going to be the battleground of jihad for the next 20 years and its going to replace the Middle East. According to the Global Terrorism Index, Boko Haram has been responsible for over 37,500 combat-related deaths and over 19,000 deaths from terrorism since 2011, mainly in Nigeria and neighbouring countries. A video posted by the group on 1 December claimed responsibility for massacring dozens of farmers in Borno state who it claimed had collaborated with government forces. At least 43 people were killed while working in a rice field in the region. They also raided a mostly Christian village killing at least 11 people and burning down a church on Christmas Eve. Last month, the group also claimed responsibility for the abduction of more than 300 schoolboys in Katsina state. Early in December, Nigerian Chief of Army Staff Tukur Yusuf Buratai, said that terrorism may persist in Nigeria for another 20 years. Western nations have offered only limited military and intelligence assistance to the country. Western diplomats say they are constrained by the corruption and poor human rights record of the Nigerian military. These failings have been a major contributor to mistrust of the government, enabling recruitment for Boko Haram and other jihadist groups in the region. The corruption angle in Nigeria, says Olivier Guitta, is ruining everything. In Mozambique, IS managed to control the northern district of Cabo Delgado under the banner of Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP). They claimed responsibility for a recent string of attacks in the country where Muslims make up 18 per cent of the population. A three-year-old rebellion has erupted into open warfare in recent months, with BBC Africa reporting massacres, beheadings and the brief seizure of two towns in the northern province. More than 2,000 people were killed and about 500,000 others were displaced, according to official statistics. Counter-terrorism officials believe that the jihadists operating there have been recruited online with some input from across the border in Tanzania. IS, says Olivier Guitta, is moving around within Mozambique unhampered by other forces. According to the Catholic Bishop of Pemba, Luiz Fernando Lisboaalso, now they have guns and vehicles, so they move easily and can attack widely. They are using soldiers uniforms. So people are very confused, and very afraid. Observers say the evolution of the insurgency in Mozambique is remarkably similar to Boko Harams emergence in northern Nigeria, with a marginalised group exploiting local grievances and terrorising communities, but also offering an alternative path for unemployed youths frustrated by a corrupt, neglectful and heavy-handed state. Mozambican historian Professor Yusuf Adam says the army beat people up, took them to jail, tortured them. There is a lot of Islamophobia (in the majority Muslim province of Cabo Delgado). Theyre discriminated against because theyre northerners people think theyre dumb. Many analysts believe the solution to the conflict lies in good governance, and a transparent attempt to address deep-seated economic and social grievances, including fair access to land, jobs and a share of future gas revenues. The European Unions Foreign Minister Josep Borrell Fontelles said: We cannot say that everything that is happening in Mozambique is a simple extension of the so-called Islamic terrorist movement. To a certain extent that is true. But armed violence in northern Mozambique was triggered by poverty and inequality and the population of the area losing respect for a state which could not provide it with what it needed. There are concerns that the conflict, if mishandled, could spread into neighbouring Tanzania, and perhaps even to South Africa. In Somalia, Al-Shabab have presented one of the most persistent and dangerous jihadist movements on the continent. It has been able to strike across the border in Kenya and Uganda as well as detonating massive bombs in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Al-Shabab sees itself as Al- Qaedas most successful group, says Sales. In Mali, Islamist militants linked to Al- Qaeda have fired rockets at three military bases in what is a rare coordinated attack on foreign forces. French military bases in Kidal, Menaka and Gao were hit, although no deaths or injuries were reported by officials. A spokesman said a UN base in Kidal was damaged. Al-Qaedas Mali branch, Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), said it was behind a roadside blast that killed two French soldiers in the eastern Menaka region. This came days after three other French soldiers died in a similar way. Civil organisations reported that IS in West Africa caused the migration of thousands of Tuareg refugees in the frontier area separating Mali from Burkina Faso, where dozens of attacks and confrontations between the terrorist organisations and security forces have taken place. In Niger, Prime Minister Brigi Rafin said 100 people have been killed in attacks by suspected jihadists on two villages near Nigers border with Mali in one of the deadliest days in living memory. Local mayor Almou Hassane said those responsible travelled on some 100 motorcycles, and 75 other villagers were left wounded in the aftermath. A month earlier, seven Nigerian soldiers were killed in an ambush. Parts of Niger are also facing repeated attacks by jihadists from neighbouring Nigeria, where the government is fighting an insurgency by Boko Haram. In Cameroon, Boko Haram militants killed 14 people in an overnight attack in the town of Mozogo, in the countrys far north. The group has recently staged several attacks in the same region despite the governments claims of success against them. In Burkina Faso, local officials said around 100 gunmen raided Loumbila village near the border with Mali last month, killing six and seriously wounding three others. Some experts noted that the end of the Muammar Gaddafi regime released thousands of tonnes of weapons and explosives from government armouries, much of it making its way across the southern border into the Sahel countries and allowing IS jihadists to gain a foothold in the east of Libya. In December, Interpol said several suspected terrorists had been arrested and weapons, ammunition and contraband fuel seized in a joint operation with the United Nations across the Sahel. More than 40,000 sticks of dynamite and detonator cords - used for illegal gold mining - were also taken, Interpol said. Illegal gold mining is a new source of funding for armed groups in the region, they added, as well as serving as a recruitment ground. Short link: Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 21:35:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WINDHOEK, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The world's first cheetah smart park equipped with new technology to monitor animals and assets of Namibia's Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) has been established, a statement on Thursday said. The Dutch technology enterprise Smart Parks will help CCF manage more than 40 permanent resident cheetahs on CCF's 67,000-hectare private reserve, model farm and field research and conservation center in Otjiwarongo, situated in central-north Namibia. "We are very excited to have this new technology to help CCF staff keep an eye on our cheetahs," said Laurie Marker, CCF founder and executive director. According to Marker, with the Smart Parks LoRaWAN network in place, CCF can easily deploy collars and other sensors in the landscape and receive near-real-time location updates at an affordable cost. "The LoRaWAN network for CCF will enable us to deploy battery-powered sensors and devices across its entire wildlife reserve for real-time monitoring and fine-scale data collection," she said, adding that staff will be able to optimize efficiency in operations and scientists can collect data for research in new, more efficient ways. CCF is a global leader in research and conservation of cheetahs and dedicated to saving the cheetah in the wild and currently, Namibia has the largest wild cheetah population with 30 percent of the animals in the wild. Enditem TORONTO, Jan. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Decklar Resources Inc. (DKL-TSX Venture) (the Company) is pleased to provide an update to previously announced funding arrangements by its wholly-owned Nigeria-based subsidiary, Decklar Petroleum Limited, to develop the Oza Oil Field in Nigeria. When fully disbursed, these funds are expected to be sufficient to re-establish oil production and provide development funding for the Companys Oza Oil Field. The details of the funding plans are included in the Companys August 31, 2020 press release. Update Regarding Funding Arrangements The due diligence required to finalize the term debt arranged with a Nigerian bank and the trading subsidiary of a large multinational oil company active in Nigeria has progressed, and the final report by the independent technical consultant they contracted and based on review of reserve and production data and financial projections has been issued. The definitive loan documents are now being finalized and are anticipated to be issued by the end of the first week of February 2021. As previously announced, the remainder of the US$7,500,000 for the subscription agreement with San Leon Energy Plc remains in escrow and will be released upon satisfaction (or waiver) of the final conditions precedent contained in the agreement. Update Regarding Oza Field Preparation Well Site and drilling location preparation for the Oza-1 well re-entry and first horizontal development well have moved forward, and we are pleased to report have now been completed. The road to the well site location has been rebuilt and construction of a concrete drilling pad, concrete mud pit, buildings and related infrastructure have been completed. Long lead time items needed for the Oza-1 re-entry have been secured, and a drilling rig currently located near the field has been identified and contracted. As previously reported, an export pipeline that ties the Oza Oil Field production into the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) and continues on to the Bonny Export Terminal, operated by Shell Production Development Company (SPDC) is already in place. Infrastructure also in place at the Oza Oil Field includes a lease automatic custody transfer (LACT) unit fiscal metering system, infield flow-lines, manifolds and a rental 6,000 barrel per day early production facility. These production and pipeline facilities ensure that oil tested from the Oza-1 well re-entry and early production will be immediately delivered and sold on an expedited basis. For further information: Duncan T. Blount Chief Executive Officer Telephone: +1 305 890 6516 Email: dblount@decklarresources.com David Halpin VP Finance, Decklar Petroleum Telephone: +1 403 816 3029 Email: davidhalpin@decklarpetroleum.com Investor Relations: info@decklarresources.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Language Certain statements made and information contained herein constitute "forward-looking information" (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation). All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, including statements with respect to the Company satisfying all outstanding conditions precedent in order to complete the transaction with San Leon are forward-looking statements. Such statements and information (together, "forward looking statements") relate to future events or the Company's future performance, business prospects or opportunities. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect, "may", "will", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties relating to, among other things, changes in oil prices, results of exploration and development activities, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of materials and equipment, timeliness of government or other regulatory approvals, actual performance of facilities, availability of financing on reasonable terms, availability of third party service providers, equipment and processes relative to specifications and expectations and unanticipated environmental impacts on operations. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company provides no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date of this document or to revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis accused former President Donald Trump of 'fomenting' the MAGA mob who ransacked the Capitol three weeks ago, making him the top former cabinet official to level the charge. Matt, who Trump once celebrated and more recently dismissed after the two men parted on bad terms, called out Trump and cited the danger of 'internal threats,' at a time the Homeland Security Department has warned of the 'heightened' threat from domestic violent extremists. Mattis cited internal threats 'with every bit as much gravity as the external problems, and perhaps more so.' Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the Jan. 6 riot was 'fomented by a sitting president' 'There are also internal threats right now, he said, pointing to the lack of unity on the consensual underpinnings of our democracy, and what we saw on Jan. 6, fomented by a sitting president. His comments, in an online event reported by Yahoo news, come even as elected Republican leaders move back into Trump's fold. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy Kevin McCarthy flew to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell voted with 44 other Republicans on a motion calling the post-presidency impeachment trial of Trump unconstitutional. Mattis and Trump had already been drifting apart, and Mattis penned an article in November calling for the nation to ditch Trump's 'America First' foreign policy. 'That says it all about Mattis. Obama fired him. I should have fired him sooner. Did best work after he was gone. World's most overrated general!' Trump wrote in response. Mattis, a former Marine four-star general, in fact resigned in December 2018 after a clash over suddenly pulling U.S. troops out of Syria. Mattis made the comments weeks after a MAGA mob stormed the Capitol, in events that lead to five deaths and a massive criminal investigation Secretary James Mattis in a Virtual Online Event Conversation with Dr. Michael Vickers on January 26, 2021 hosted by The Office of Strategic Services Society said Donald Trump fomented the MAGA riot at the US Capitol on January 6 Kevin Seefried, a Donald Trump supporter, holds a Confederate flag outside the Senate Chamber during a rampage in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021 Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the Jan. 6 riot was 'fomented by a sitting president' 'Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position,' Mattis wrote Trump in his resignation letter. The article called for restoring U.S. alliances and U.S. 'soft power' to influence the globe and U.S. interests and values. During his online talk, Mattis also pointed to some of the effects of globalism as potentially animating resentment within the country. People are much more inclined to listen to conspiracy theories and other things when theyre losing hope, he said. He was speaking weeks after Trump told a group of supporters to 'fight' and claimed he had won the election despite losing to Joe Biden by 7 million votes. A MAGA mob went on to ransack the Capitiol, leading to the death of a Capitol Police officer. Johnson & Johnsons long-awaited vaccine appears to protect against COVID-19 with just one shot not as strong as some two-shot rivals but still potentially helpful for a world in dire need of more doses. J&J said Friday that in the U.S. and seven other countries, the single-shot vaccine was 66% effective overall at preventing moderate to severe illness, and much more protective 85% against the most serious symptoms. There was some geographic variation. The vaccine worked better in the U.S. 72% effective against moderate to severe COVID-19 compared to 57% in South Africa, where it was up against an easier-to-spread mutated virus. Gambling on one dose was certainly worthwhile, Dr. Mathai Mammen, global research chief for J&Js Janssen Pharmaceutical unit, told The Associated Press. With vaccinations off to a rocky start globally, experts had been counting on a one-dose vaccine that would stretch scarce supplies and avoid the logistics nightmare of getting people to return for boosters. Vaccine Tracker: How many Texans are vaccinated? Check our interactive map. But with some other competing vaccines shown to be 95% effective after two doses, at question is whether somewhat less protection is an acceptable tradeoff to get more shots in arms quickly. Frankly, simple is beautiful, said Dr. Matt Hepburn of Operation Warp Speed, the U.S. government's vaccine initiative. The company said within a week, it will file an application for emergency use in the U.S., and then abroad. It expects to supply 100 million doses to the U.S. by June and a billion doses globally by the end of the year. J&J wouldn't say exactly how much could be ready to ship as soon as U.S. authorities give the green light. These are preliminary findings from a study of 44,000 volunteers that isnt completed yet. Researchers tracked illnesses starting 28 days after vaccination about the time when, if participants were getting a two-dose variety instead, they would have needed another shot. After day 28, no one who got vaccinated needed hospitalization or died regardless of whether they were exposed to regular COVID or these particularly nasty variants, Mammen said. When the vaccinated did become infected, they had a milder illness. Defeating the scourge that has killed more than 2 million people worldwide will require vaccinating billions, and the shots being rolled out in different countries so far all require two doses a few weeks apart for full protection. Early data is mixed on exactly how well all the different kinds work, but shots made by Pfizer and Moderna appear to be about 95% protective after the second dose. That makes for a dilemma: Wouldn't people given a choice want a vaccine found to offer much more protection? J&J's Mammen said direct comparisons are difficult because the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines weren't tested when the pandemic was so severe, with record levels of hospitalizations and deaths plus mutant versions of the virus sweeping some countries. On HoustonChronicle.com: 'Nobody is getting enough': Why Texas ranks near the bottom for COVID-19 vaccines per capita Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease official, called that a messaging challenge because the priority is to protect people from hospitalization and death, which J&J's vaccine appears to do. Especially in places where it's hard to get people to return for their second dose, the one-dose version could play a key role. Maybe more important is a wake-up call from the study that mutating viruses can challenge vaccines. And the best way to prevent more mutations is by vaccinating as many people as you possibly can, Fauci said. All COVID-19 vaccines train the body to recognize the new coronavirus, usually by spotting the spikey protein that coats it. But theyre made in very different ways. J&Js shot uses a cold virus like a Trojan horse to carry the spike gene into the body, where cells make harmless copies of the protein to prime the immune system in case the real virus comes along. It's the same technology the company used in making a successful Ebola vaccine. Rival AstraZeneca makes a similar cold virus vaccine that requires two doses. Both the AstraZeneca and J&J vaccines can be stored in a refrigerator, making them easier to ship and to use in developing countries than the frozen kind made by Pfizer and Moderna. Its not clear exactly how well the AstraZeneca version, being used in Britain and several other countries, works. Tests in Britain, South Africa and Brazil suggested two doses are about 70% effective although there are questions about how much protection older adults get. An ongoing U.S. study may provide more information. J&J said its vaccine works consistently in a broad range of people: A third of participants were over age 60, and more than 40% had other illnesses putting them at risk of severe COVID-19, including obesity, diabetes and HIV. COVID Help Desk: Answering your questions on double masking, vaccine registry and more J&J said the vaccine is safe, with reactions similar to other COVID-19 shots such as fever that occur when the immune system is revved up. While it released few details, the company said there were no serious allergic reactions. But occasionally other COVID-19 vaccines trigger such reactions, which can be reversed if promptly treated and authorities have warned people to be on the lookout regardless of which type of vaccine is used. J&J had hedged its bets with a study of a two-dose version of its vaccine, which is still underway. Friday's interim results come on the heels of another vaccine in final testing. Novavax reported this week that its vaccine appears 89% effective in a U.K. study and that it also seems to work though not as well against new mutated versions of the virus circulating in Britain and South Africa. A larger study in the U.S. and Mexico is still enrolling volunteers. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. GRAFTON The National Great Rivers Research Education Center (NGRREC) and its collaborators continue efforts to restore and maintain the Palisades Nature Preserve near Grafton, with an eye on adding public programming at the site. NGRREC plans to expand management efforts to include volunteer workdays, K-12 educational programs and scientific research opportunities. The Palisades is a beautiful property with its bluff views of the Mississippi River and rare hill-prairie habitats, but it has also been neglected in terms of management, said NGRREC/L&C Conservation Program Manager Justin Shew. Working with NGRRECs Education Team we hope to organize and offer more volunteer workdays, open to the public, to help restore rare priority hill-prairie habitat, but also provide site-specific educational opportunities during such workdays. Shew said programs could include nature walks which also tie in the importance of upland restoration to watershed health and wildlife habitat improvement. During a workday organized by NGRREC last month, a team of approximately 20 L&C/NGRREC staff and students set out to remove invasive bush honeysuckle, an aggressive invasive species that stifles the survival of native species and contributes to soil erosion. Its great to have so much support for this piece of property, and its a great opportunity for the restoration ecology students to come out and work on such a unique piece of endangered land thats currently not open to the public, said NGRREC/L&C Director of Environmental Education Sarah Fisher. Our workday is a perfect example of the unity that exists between NGRREC and Lewis and Clark. The 430-acre Palisades Nature Preserve rests atop the limestone bluffs just east of Grafton. Overlooking the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, its been described as one of the most important examples of undisturbed land in the state. The preserve is on a conservation easement owned by the L&C Foundation. Management partners include IDNR Division of Natural Heritage, the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC) and the Great Rivers Land Trust. For more details contact Shew at jshew@lc.edu or Fisher at saafisher@lc.edu or visit http://www.ngrrec.org. For more information regarding Lewis and Clarks Restoration Ecology Program, contact Scott Moss at jkmoss@lc.edu. To learn more about the NGRREC Habitat Strike Team please join the virtual Neighbor Nights event scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.ngrrec.org/neighbor_nights/. The NGRREC was founded in 2002 as a collaborative partnership between the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Lewis and Clark Community College. To learn more visit www.ngrrec.org. Russian police have issued a strong warning against participating in protests that opposition leader Aleksei Navalny has called for on January 31. Moscow police have announced plans to restrict movement in the capital and close seven central metro stations in preparation for unauthorized demonstrations. Businesses, restaurants, and cafes in the areas near the protest zones will also be shut. The protests are planned in Lubyanka Square outside the headquarters of the FSB security agency and Staraya Square, where the presidential administration has its offices. Russian Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk cited the coronavirus pandemic on January 30 in warning against protests. Participants found in violation of regulations to control the spread of the virus could face criminal charges, she said. The latest move against Navalny's associates on January 29 came as Moscow police announced plans to restrict movement in the capital and close seven central metro stations in preparation for "unauthorized" demonstrations "punishable by law." Demonstrations in dozens of cities on January 23 brought out tens of thousands of people calling for the opposition leader's release. Police detained almost 4,000 people in the demonstrations. On January 29, a Moscow court placed Oleg Navalny, Aleksei's brother, Lyubov Sobol, a lawyer of Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), and Oleg Stepanov, the coordinator of Navalny's Moscow headquarters, under house arrest until March 23. A member of the Pussy Riot protest group, Maria Alyokhina, and the head of the Alliance of Doctors trade union, Anastasia Vaislyeva, were also ordered under house arrest for two months. All were detained and charged with violating restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic by calling for mass protests. On January 30 the editor in chief of Mediazona, Sergei Smirnov, was detained in Moscow. Police officers were waiting for him outside his home when he went out for a walk with his son, according to RFE/RLs Russian Service. Smirnov was charged with violating the law on rallies. Another journalist, Yekaterina Lushnikova of RFE/RL's Idel Realities (Idel.Realii), found a summons for at her flat door on January 30 and phoned police to ask about it. She was told that the police want to conduct a "preventive talk" and hand over a "warning about a mass event." In another move, the Investigative Committee announced on January 29 that it had charged in absentia Navalny's close associate, Leonid Volkov, with calling on teenagers to take part in the "unlawful" rallies organized by Navalny's supporters. In a letter posted on his website on January 28 after a court rejected an appeal against his detention until February 15, Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most outspoken critic, called on Russians to cast aside fear and stage fresh protests. "Come on out, don't be afraid of anything. Nobody wants to live in a country where tyranny and corruption reign. The majority is on our side," Navalny said. Navalny was arrested on January 17 upon returning to Russia from Germany, where he had been recovering from a near-fatal poisoning by a military-grade nerve agent in August, which he accuses Putin of ordering, a claim the Kremlin denies. A Russian court on January 28 confirmed his 30-day pretrial sentence, rejecting an appeal by the dissident's lawyers to set him free. A hearing set to begin on February 2 will determine whether an earlier suspended sentence will be converted into 3 1/2 years in prison in relation to an embezzlement case that is widely considered trumped up and politically motivated. Prosecutors are alleging he violated the terms of his probation while receiving treatment in Germany. Navalnys poisoning and detention have led to a groundswell of condemnation in Russia and abroad, with the EU among others warning of further sanctions if the opposition leader isnt freed. Russian anger has been propelled by the findings of a two-hour film made by Navalny alleging Putin owns an opulent $1.36 billion palace on the Black Sea. The U.S. ambassador to Russia commented on the protests in an interview with the TV channel Dozhd broadcast on January 30. John Sullivan said that Washington and Moscow have differences on all issues related to the poisoning of Navalny and his arrest after returning from Germany. The new U.S. administration has said sanctions against Russia could be tightened over Moscows treatment of Navalny and the opposition. With reporting by AFP, Reuters, Current Time, and RFE/RL's Russian Service. Owners Andrew & Jennifer My husband, Andrew Derrig provides the expertise in manufacturing, research & development sourcing, and licensing that is the key to our companys continued success. The Irish Jewelry Company is announcing it is redirecting its focus to work on strengthening its online presences through blogging, social media and creating better user experience by updating its website to accommodate the shifting shopping habits due to Covid-19. The Irish Jewelry Company will be officially launching its blog, Irish Culture and Traditions in September. The pandemic has changed many peoples shopping habits and has officially solidified peoples confidence in eCommerce. Economic concerns continue to be widespread among small businesses like The Irish jewelry Company. To survive any future closures due to Covid-19 in the future its clear every jewelry business needs a greater web presence with a great blog, and an improved user-friendly website with fabulous product. Today more people are turning to online shopping for their purchases at stores like, The Irish Jewelry Company for that unique piece of sentimental jewelry for that special occasion during these difficult times when people can get out as usual to shop. The Irish Jewelry Company blog will focus on the meaning and symbolism behind Irish jewelry. It will also have articles on Irish heritage revolving around customs, folklore, and superstitions. The blog will also focus on original design concepts and stories,brand recognition, and customer experience to garner more online market share will continue and accelerate in the upcoming months. Started by an Irish American husband-and-wife team in 2006, with a combined 50 years of experience in the jewelry industry. They are a family owned and operated business. The Irish Jewelry Company is an award-winning business, and their Irish jewelry is sold worldwide online. From modest beginnings starting in the basement of their family home this dynamic husband and wide duo has continued to grow their brand The Irish Jewelry Company designing beautiful exclusive Irish jewelry. With awards for jewelry design and in business they have successfully combine their love of Ireland, their passion for jewelry and knowledge of manufacturing to create their unique and high-quality Irish jewelry in a brilliant working relationship that ships order for their jewelry daily to delighted customers around the world. Jennifer, Owner and Jewelry designer said We created this company, fulfilling a lifelong dream of honoring our families Irish heritage through our combined talents and experience in the jewelry industry. My husband, Andrew Derrig provides the expertise in jewelry manufacturing, research & development sourcing, and licensing that is the key to our companys continued success. Although we are based in the United States, we frequently visit our family and our family home in County Mayo, Ireland and travel to Europe with our kids discovering new product and spotting new trends. Each piece of jewelry from The Irish Jewelry Company is meticulously designed by Jennifer who was classically trained as a jewelry designer at the prestigious school for art and design the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. The Irish Jewelry Company has had enormous success in their notable collection of exclusive designs such as the Celtic Mothers Knot, their Mothers Claddagh, the Sisters Knot, and their beautiful selection of traditional and unique Claddagh Ring designs all available online just to name a few. The Claddagh Ring is an old Irish ring with two hands holding a heart, surmounted by a crown. According to Irish heritage, the claddagh symbolizes love, loyalty, and friendship. The hands represent friendship, the heart represents love, and the crown represents loyalty. Claddagh Rings are so popular they have been worn by famous royal wearers such as Princess Grace of Monaco and Queen Victoria. Claddagh Rings have even been presented to two US presidents as gifts when they visited Ireland. John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie received theirs in 1963. The rings were to honor his Irish roots. Ronald Reagan received his ring in 1984 from the people of Galway. The Irish Jewelry Company is busy year-round shipping Irish gifts to customers around the world. Holidays like Valentines Day, St. Patricks Day, Mothers Day, Fathers Day and Christmas are especially busy order times. You can find out more about The Irish Jewelry Company at http://www.TheIrishJewelryCompany.com , on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Mumbai, Jan 29 : Musician duo Rusha and Blizza release their latest music video on Friday, in collaboration with Russian director-choreographer Igor Glinskiy. Titled "Courage" the video showcases a unique experimental sound with body movement in motions. Talking about the video, Paurush Kumar, or Rusha, said: "This has been our most visual creation to this point, as we had the opportunity to work with an amazing fellow artiste to create this unique piece." Aman Khare, or Blizza, added: "Feeding off the energy of Igor and his crew, we tried our best to make the track exhilarating while keeping enough variations." Coupled with serene vocals and immersive sound, the music video combines the nuances of music with bold movements and emotions. Four-year-old Tyrell Cobb, who died from two blows to his abdomen, had more than 70 bruises and abrasions to his body, a coroner found. Tyrell died from intra-abdominal injuries that caused internal bleeding after suffering blunt force trauma at least two days before his death on May 24, 2009. Strbak admitted she failed to get Tyrell medical treatment for his fatal injuries. He had 70 bruises to his chest, arms, legs, groin, bottom, wrists and face, two punctate lesions on the top of his head and nine abrasions to his arms, legs and rectum. On May 11, Tyrell was believed to have fallen from a one-metre slide at the kindergarten and his arm was placed in plaster. Homeless prisoners will be housed in bedsits and hostels on release in a new drive to keep them out of trouble, it can be revealed today. Ministers say the 20million plan will prevent thousands of law-abiding members of the public becoming victims of fresh crimes and potentially save billions in the cost of reoffending. Former inmates will be housed in basic hostels and bedsit accommodation if they have nowhere else to live when they reach the end of their prison terms. Homeless prisoners will be housed in bedsits and hostels on release in a new drive to keep them out of trouble (stock image) It is the first time ex-offenders will have been housed in private-sector accommodation in this way. This isnt a handout ... it will fight crime By LUCY FRAZER PRISONS AND PROBATION MINISTER FOR THE DAILY MAIL Releasing prison leavers without a place to stay is as good as inviting crime back into our neighbourhoods. Evidence shows that prison leavers without stable accommodation are 50 per cent more likely to reoffend, as the instability leads them back into the same criminal habits. Before too long there are more victims, more money is spent on trials and prison time and the sorry cycle starts all over again. This 70million investment a mere fraction of the 18billion annual cost of reoffending will keep 3,000 prison leavers off the streets. It will mean they are supervised more closely and that they have a base to turn their lives around so are far less likely to reoffend. It does not mean free handouts for criminals and it does not mean an easy ride for law-breakers. We are building an extra 18,000 prison places because we are increasing sentences and our 20,000 new police officers mean we need more room. What it does mean is safer communities and less crime. If we want to stop repeat offenders, we must take action at the source. Last week, we announced 148million to tackle the scourge of illegal drugs and to provide more treatment for those who use them overwhelmingly people already in the criminal justice system. But that extra support only works if they have a roof over their heads. This approach can reduce reoffending and prevent thousands of people from becoming victims. Its right that we are making criminals spend more time in prison. But our work does not end at the prison gates. It must continue when they leave if we are to truly cut crime and build a safer Britain. Advertisement Around 11,000 inmates are freed from prisons in England and Wales each year with no home to go to, which ministers say increases the risk of them going on to commit further crimes. Another 23million will be spent to create additional space in state-run bail hostels where higher-risk criminals can be supervised on their release. Prisons and probation minister Lucy Frazer, who details the project exclusively in the Daily Mail today, said: Releasing prisoners without addressing why they ended up there in the first place only leads them to reoffend and cause more harm. By tackling homelessness, we are cutting crime, reducing drug and alcohol misuse and making our streets safer. This low-cost solution has the potential to save billions for the taxpayer and prevent thousands of people becoming victims. She insisted the free housing did not amount to a handout to lawbreakers, but instead represented a crucial tactic to keep the streets safe. Miss Frazer said offenders were 50 per cent more likely to break the law again if released without somewhere to stay. The bedsits pilot scheme will provide housing for up to 12 weeks for about 3,000 offenders in its first year. While in the scheme, offenders will get help to find a permanent home so there is less reason for them to turn back to crime. Further funding taking the total cost to 70million will go on new training for staff, increased security, and repairs and maintenance at bail hostels, which will be able to house an extra 1,700 prison leavers a year. A separate Prison Leavers Project, costing 20million, will aim to improve the way offenders are linked up with charities and other groups that provide support in areas such as employment, addiction and counselling. Another 1million will be spent on encouraging technology start-ups to become involved in the scheme. A further 6million will be spent on dedicated staff at 11 prisons to help inmates get quicker access to accommodation, healthcare and employment support. The bedsits scheme will initially be rolled out in five areas of England the National Probation Services Kent, Surrey and Sussex region, the East of England, the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, and Greater Manchester. In 2019-20, 2,775 inmates ended up sleeping rough after being released from jails in England and Wales. Another 8,744 released prisoners were categorised as other homeless, including those sleeping on friends sofas. The meditation guru 'friend' of media star Deborah Hutton has been released from jail on assault charges, but banned from visiting her at her luxurious Bronte home. Andrew Peter Marsh, 50, was last year charged with assaulting his ex-wife during an incident that Waverley Local Court heard left her frightened and hiding inside a cupboard. In the midst of the alleged ordeal it was revealed she sent six panic-stricken text messages saying 'Send help to the house now'. Marsh was remanded in custody and spent Christmas behind bars, but on Thursday he was granted bail during a return to the same court. However, under the strict conditions of his release he has been barred from Sydney's eastern suburbs - where his family lives - meaning he also can not visit Hutton at her lavish clifftop home. Marsh made his name as a wellness and meditation guru and grew especially close to Hutton during a trip to India in 2019. Andrew Peter Marsh (left), a 'dear friend' of TV star Deborah Hutton's, was last year charged with assaulting his wife during an incident that Waverley Local Court heard left her frightened and hiding inside a cupboard Marsh (left) was bailed on Thursday after spending Christmas behind bars, but under the strict conditions of his release was banned from visiting Sydney's eastern suburbs where his family - and Hutton (right) - live The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the pair grew so tight Marsh told others on the trip he believed he and Hutton must have been together in a 'past life'. But last December, NSW Police charged him with two counts of common assault and one count of intentionally choking. Police prosecutors initially told the court Marsh put 'one victim in a chokehold'. 'The victims, your honour, are so scared when they find the accused is in the house they hide in the cupboard and attempt to find help,' the prosecution told the court, The Daily Telegraph reported. 'Putting one victim in a choke-hold, she states to police this makes her think she is going to die.' The court heard that alleged victim sent six SOS text messages while she was hiding. Photos showing the alleged injuries he caused to one victim were tendered to court on Thursday, but Marsh's lawyer Paul McGirr told Daily Mail Australia he 'vehemently denies' all accusations against him. Marsh has pleaded not guilty to all charges laid against him and a hearing has been listed for August. Although court papers initially listed Marsh's home address as Hutton's mansion, the media personality claimed this was not true. Marsh made his name as a wellness and meditation guru and grew especially close to Hutton during a trip to India in 2019 (The pair are pictured arm-in-arm in the centre of this image) After beginning her career as a model, Hutton became a magazine editor and TV presenter 'Contrary to various media reports, Andrew Marsh is not living with me - I consider him a very dear friend and in what has been an incredibly challenging year for Andrew, I offered him my full support during the breakdown of his marriage as he had nowhere to go,' she said. 'This is totally out of character for him and I'm shocked at what has unfolded over the past few days and hope that Andrew is able to receive the help he clearly needs.' Marsh was last year convicted on a charge of cocaine possession, but escaped with no additional penalty. Under the conditions of his bail he was ordered to pay a $5,000 surety and is set to reappear in court on August 20, 2021. Currently, three different estimates from the modelers all show that, at last count, the pandemic was shrinking statewide, with the reproduction rate around 0.88 to 0.95. But not all regions were faring as well as others, with some hovering near a rate of 1, according to at least one teams projection. Kashmir: Jammu Kashmir police claimed that a newly recruited terrorist has been arrested from Bandipora district of north Kashmir along with arms and ammunition. The SSP of Bandipora, Rahul Malik said Based on a specific information regarding movement of terrorists from Sopore to Bandipora, a joint naka by Bandipora police and security forces was laid out at Patushay Bandipora. During checking, one terrorist namely Imitiyaz Ahmad Khan resident of Panzigam, Bandipora was apprehended." Certain arms and ammunition was recovered from him like 1 pistol, 1 magazine, 10 bullets of 9 mm rounds and 5 grenades. A police handout read: The subject has recently joined banned terror outfit organization JeM and was given the task to carry out subversive activities in Sopore and Bandipora Towns." Earlier on January 26, the said terrorist had managed to escape from a cordon and search operation laid down by Bandipora/Sopore Police along with security forces at Adipora Sopore. He had taken the advantage of darkness and managed to give the security forces a slip. Police have registered Case FIR under relevant sections of law stands registered in police station Bandipora and investigation has been taken up. Live TV Another orchestrated smear campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari, using some online newspapers and blogs, is on the way, the preside... Another orchestrated smear campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari, using some online newspapers and blogs, is on the way, the presidency said on Friday. According to Femi Adesina, the presidents media adviser, the campaign will be launched anytime soon. Waged through editorials and purported special investigative stories, the campaign is designed to further exacerbate tension in the land. Adesina said the campaign will portray Buhari as pandering to ethnic and other primordial tendencies, contrary to his pledge to belong to all Nigerians. Impeccable security findings indicate that those behind the plot have procured online blogs and newspapers, which are to launch coordinated publications, alleging subjugation and suppression of a particular religion and ethnic groups. A specific medium has so far contacted some opinion leaders, especially those very critical of President Buhari. Part of the planned publication is to make unwary readers believe that the President has continually used the powers of his office to shield and protect an ethnic group against crimes of murder, kidnappings, rape and banditry in the southern, middle belt and some northern states. The publication will also refer Nigerians to a 58-page document, which chronicles purported atrocities of the ethnic group in the South since 2017, all of which it claims the Presidency has turned blind eyes to. Again, the hatchet job will allege that the President has continued to place members of his ethnic nationality in sensitive positions, so as to confer undue advantage on them. This allegation is by no means supported with reasonable facts and figures. Just on Thursday, President Buhari, while meeting with the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), led by Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Saad Abubakar, restated his even-handedness on the issues of ethnicity and religion. Said the President: The Federal Government under my leadership does not, and will not, allow religious prejudice or partisanship to influence any of its decisions and policies. It is my solemn decision to be fair and just to all segments of society. Those who are bent on stoking ethnic and religious unrest in the country remain deaf to reason, and impervious to reality. They are hell-bent on distorting reality, and Nigerians are urged to be wary of them. It is all about quest for power, and filthy lucre, Adesina added. SAN FRANCISCO Maybe it was the suddenness, that 44 names were being deleted all at once. Or maybe it was the feeling by many that the Board of Education had gone one step too far, and during a wrenching pandemic to boot. Whatever the reasons, the decision to wipe out one-third of the citys school names, including ones honoring Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln, has struck a nerve in San Francisco. Less than 12 hours after the citys Board of Education voted to change the names, Mayor London Breed lashed out at the decision, questioning the boards priorities. Lets bring the same urgency and focus on getting our kids back in the classroom, and then we can have that longer conversation about the future of school names, Ms. Breed said. Even more scathing was the San Francisco Chronicle editorial board, which wrote that members of the Board of Education had largely quit the education business and rebranded themselves as amateur historians. The 6-1 decision by the board came late on Tuesday, when they voted by Zoom to remove the names of those who engaged in the subjugation and enslavement of human beings; or who oppressed women, inhibiting societal progress; or whose actions led to genocide; or who otherwise significantly diminished the opportunities of those among us to the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 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 Richard Barnett, 60, of Gravette, Arkansas will remain in custody while he awaits trial A federal judge has blocked the release of the Arkansas man photographed sitting at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk during the US Capitol riots, slamming his actions as 'brazen' and 'entitled'. US District Chief Judge Beryl Howell, of DC publicly spoke out against the violent insurrection for the first time during an hour-long court hearing for suspect Richard Barnett on Thursday. Barnett, 60, is charged with unlawfully entering a restricted area with a lethal weapon - a stun gun - as well as disorderly conduct and theft of public property. He faces up to 11 years in prison if convicted. Prior to the hearing, a magistrate judge in Arkansas had approved Barnett's release from custody, ruling that he could stay with his partner while he awaits trial. Howell, however, reversed that decision Thursday on grounds that Barnett had shown a 'total disregard' for the law and the US Constitution, The Washington Post reported. Barnett was photographed during the Capitol riot inside Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office with his feet on her desk. He smiled and laughed as he lounged in her chair and he allegedly left a threatening note on her desk US District Chief Judge Beryl Howell, of DC, called his actions 'brazen' and 'entitled' She said Barnett had traveled to DC 'prepared with a weapon and cloaked with entitlement' and 'seemed happy to be one of the stars of this revolt.' Judge Howell publicly spoke out against the violent insurrection for the first time on Thursday She also highlighted the fact that Barnett had boasted to the media following the siege that he 'wrote [Pelosi] a nasty note, put my feet up on her desk and scratched my balls'. 'Wow,' the judge said as she read the message. 'Brazen, entitled, dangerous.' She also went on to read his charges which she said were 'too benign-sounding to fairly describe what happened.' 'We're still living here in D.C. with the consequences of the violence in which this defendant is alleged to have participated,' Howell said, adding that she could see armed National Guard troops patrolling from her window. Barnett spoke briefly during the hearing to say he had 'some very honest and simple explanations' and 'I am a good man.' He was ordered to remain in custody and is due back in court on February 2. Barnett surrendered himself voluntarily on January 8 to FBI agents at the Benton County Sheriff's Office in Bentonville, Arkansas, and has remained in the Washington County jail since then. Five people died because of the protest and violence at the Capitol riots on January 6, including a Capitol police officer Authorities said in court documents that they were able to identify Barnett in part through photographs taken by news media when he was inside the building. He posed for a photo reclining in the House Speaker's chair before he later returned to the crowd of supporters outside and flashed a hand-written envelope he had looted. Authorities also used video surveillance from inside the Capitol and a video interview Barnett gave to a New York Times reporter in which he said, 'I didn't steal (an envelope). ... I put a quarter on her desk, even though she ain't (expletive) worth it.' Barnett is from Gravette in northwest Arkansas. He has identified himself on social media as a Trump supporter, a gun rights advocate, and white nationalist. The treatment of Alexei Navalny and protesters was brought up. U.S. President Joe Biden did not hold back in his phone conversation this week with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Thursday. Biden brought up Russia's stance toward a jailed opposition figure Alexei Navalny and other difficult issues, Reuters reports. "He did not hold back in conveying his concern about the treatment of Alexei Navlany and his treatment of protesters," Psaki told reporters. She said Biden "had never held back as it relates to President Putin or his concerns about the actions of the Russian government and he certainly conveyed that clearly in the call." Read alsoZelensky Office chief's advisor sees "good signal" for Ukraine in Biden's first phone call with PutinBiden's call with Putin On January 26, Joe Biden held his first phone call with Vladimir Putin in the new capacity. "President Biden reaffirmed the United States' firm support for Ukraine's sovereignty," the White House said in the readout. They discussed mutual willingness to extend New START for five years, agreeing to have their teams work urgently to complete the extension by February 5. The two leaders also agreed to explore strategic stability discussions on a range of arms control and emerging security issues. Reporting by UNIAN NEW DELHI : Messaging platform WhatsApps new privacy policy may have done irreparable harm to users trust on the Facebook-owned platform, two surveys revealed today. According to a survey of 1,500 Indians by Cybermedia Research (CMR), 79% said they are reconsidering using WhatsApp, while 28% are planning to leave the platform fully after May 2021, which is when the new policy comes into effect. Community platform Local Circles, on the other hand, surveyed over 17,000 individuals in the country, revealing that over 75% users will completely stop using business chats and payments if the platform was to implement its new policy. According to a third survey (of 565 respondents, between January 9 and 25), by market research firm BM Nxt, 82% respondents have disapproved WhatsApps move and 37% are considering a move. Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start Rivals Telegram and Signal are the benefactors of this distrust amongst users. According to the CMR Survey, 41% of surveyed users said they were planning to shift to Telegram and 35% wanted to move to encrypted messenger Signal. The LocalCircles survey said 21% of Indian users are already using WhatsApp alternatives actively. The two apps had gone viral worldwide since the new terms and conditions were announced by WhatsApp. According to data from Sensor Tower, Signal had recorded 26.4 million downloads (on Android and iOS) from India in less than two weeks after the update, while Telegram also saw a growth of 15% in downloads from India. WhatsApp has also run afoul with the Indian government, which wrote a letter to the company asking it to withdraw the update. As you may be aware, the Personal Data Protection Bill, which is being discussed by a Joint Committee of the Parliament, is focused on the core value of purpose limitation in the processing of personal data. As per the changes to the WhatsApp Privacy Policy, any information shared with any Facebook Company can be used for an expansive variety of purposes, which may not be reasonably expected by users of WhatsApp," the letter stated. The Facebook-owned platform had earlier delayed the update from February 8 to May 2021, though it is unclear whether it will withdraw the changes altogether. We wish to reinforce that this update does not expand our ability to share data with Facebook. Our aim is to provide transparency and new options available to engage with businesses so they can serve their customers and grow," the company had said in a statement after it received the governments letter. We are working to address misinformation and remain available to answer any questions," it added. The company also said, yesterday, that the new policy wont affect WhatsApp Pay if it comes into effect. The company said UPI transaction history is not shared with Facebook and will always be governed by a separate policy the company has created for WhatsApp Pay. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The Market Report with Katie Pilbeam. FTSE 100 slumped as the battle between hedge funds and retail traders using the Reddit sub-domain Wallstreetbets raged on. Londons blue chip index dropped 58 to 6,467. The Robinhood brokerage platform, which is at the heart of the battle, meanwhile has raised US$1bn to shore up its financial position and pay traders betting on Gamestop. The app tried to shut down trading in a host of stocks yesterday to cool the frenzy, but to little effect. Novovaxs new coronavirus vaccine was 89.3% effective in large-scale trials. Importantly, the vaccine was effective against the new UK variant of the virus though how it handled the South Africa mutation is less clear. Just days after it snapped up Debenhams, Boohoo is in talks to buy the Dorothy Perkins, Wallis and Burton brands from failed retail group Arcadia. Rival online fashion chain Asos is the frontrunner to buy the Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT parts of Philip Greens fallen empire. Munchers of Cadburys chocolate might be getting a bonus after EU officials launched a price-fixing investigation probe into its owner . The EU will check if trade was restricted between member countries, pushing up prices. Among the small caps, Catenae Innovation ( ) will provide the data management platform for a pilot COVID-19 testing programme. An unnamed Fortune 500 US professional services and construction company will carry out the test. Freight management firm Xpediator ( ) expects profits for 2020 to be significantly ahead of market expectations. November and December benefitted from a Brexit bounce and especially high volumes in the toy sector. Similarly, Bloomsbury Publishing ( ) has upgraded guidance for the year ending in February. The Harry Potter publisher has enjoyed strong trading in the Consumer division, for both Adult and Children's publishing. New Delhi [India], January 29 (ANI): Union Home Minister will embark on a two-day visit to West Bengal from January 30 to 31. The Home Minister has visited the poll-bound state several times in many months. Shah will start his state tour from Mayapur Chandrodaya Temple of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), and later he will address the Matua community at a public rally at the Thakurbari ground in Parganas district, as per Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) officials. Thakurnagar is considered as a stronghold of the Matua community. Earlier in November 2020, Shah had lunch with the community family at the North 24 Parganas area. This community is considered to be a big vote bank in West Bengal as it carries an impact of over two dozen assembly seats. The community originates from erstwhile East Pakistan. They voted for BJP in 2019 and elected a young Matua Member of Parliament, Santanu Thakur. Later on the same day (January 30), Shah will address the social media volunteers at Science City Auditorium in Kolkata. On the second day of his visit on January 31, the Home Minister will visit Sri Aurobindo Bhawan in Kolkata and then to Bharat Sevashram Sangha in Rash Behari Avenue here. He will also address a public meeting and a massive programme at Dumurjola in Howrah and have lunch with a Bagdi family at Khalisani village here, after which he will move to Belur Math. During the visit, he is likely to clear his stand on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) as Matua community leaders are repeatedly asking about the status of the law. His last visit (on December 19-20) was politically significant as several Trinamool Congress (TMC) rebels, including party heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, joined the BJP in his presence. (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.) Ireland has the most potential alien visits of any other European country, according to research from PsychicWorld.com. The zany figures were released this week and revealed that 105 UFO sightings have been recorded for the country by the National UFO Reporting Center in the US. Members of the public use the database to report activity in the sky, from bright lights, egg-shaped objects and translucent figures. Ireland's most common report was for lights. PsychicWorld.com analysed these reports of sightings from across Europe, documenting the frequency of sightings, duration and what kind of UFO was seen. Ireland's sightings lasted an average of thirteen minutes, apparently. Irish reports were mainly of unexplainable bright lights described as being either red, white or blue. So, have you ever seen a UFO? Police pin down a farmer, who allegedly attacked Police SHO (Alipur) Pradeep Paliwal, during clashes between people claiming to be local villagers and farmers at the Singhu border in New Delhi on Friday. (Photo:PTI) New Delhi: Several people were injured as clashes erupted between the protesting farmers and a group of locals at Singhu on the Delhi-Haryana border on Friday as the police resorted to a lathicharge and used teargas shells to disperse the crowd. In wake of the unrest triggered by the protests in the National Capital Region, the Haryana government on Friday extended the suspension of mobile Internet services, SMS services, and all dongle services in 17 districts across the state till 5 pm on January 30. The affected districts are Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Panipat, Hisar, Jind, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Fatehabad, Rewari and Sirsa. The suspension is already in place in Sonipat, Palwal and Jhajjar districts. The clashes erupted at Singhu at about 1.40 pm after a group of 200-odd people claiming to be locals managed to enter the farmers protest site despite the area being blocked by the police. Armed with sticks and iron rods, the group first demanded the farmers be removed from the site. Then they started vandalising the makeshift tents and throwing stones at the farmers. The protesting farmers retaliated by throwing stones at the locals. The police was then forced to order a lathicharge and use teargas shells to bring the situation under control. Alipur SHO Pradeep Kumar claimed that he too was attacked with a sword by a protester and suffered injuries on his forearm. Shortly after the clashes at Singhu, similar scenes were reported at Tikri, another Delhi-Haryana border protest site, where a group of people began opposing the farmers protests and demanded they vacate the site. The people said they would not allow the national flag to be insulted, obviously referring to the Red Fort violence on Republic Day. A tense night at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border at Ghazipur saw the police first trying to drive the farmers away from protest site and then the protesters returning after watching a widely circulated video of Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait breaking down in tears and declaring that he was ready to face bullets or kill himself. Mr Tikait announced emotionally that we will commit suicide but wont end the protest until the farm laws are repealed. His words appeared to have a ripple effect in Punjab and Haryana, where a drive began to send more protesters and tractors to the protest sites around Delhi as backup. As the security forces at the protest site thinned out overnight Thursday-Friday, more farmers from western Uttar Pradesh districts like Meerut, Baghpat, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad and Bulandshahr reached the UP Gate by early Friday morning to join the agitation at the borders of Delhi for over the past two months. At the Ghazipur border, Mr Tikait, meanwhile, said the farmers were ready to hold talks with the Centre once again. This offer has come for the first time after the national capital saw violence during the farmers tractor rally on Republic Day. Mr Tikait said: We will once again talk to the Centre on the agricultural laws. We will discuss all the possible ways. We have sent a message to the government that we want to talk. When asked whether they will agree to the governments proposal to suspend the laws for 18 months, he replied: No, no, we will talk with the government again. So far, there have been eleven rounds of talks between the Centre and the farmers unions without any breakthrough. Support for the farmers continued Friday with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeting in support of the agitation. He sent deputy CM Manish Sisodia and health minister Satyendra Jain to assess the situation at the protest sites. Delhi Jal Board tankers were also rushed there to provide drinking water to the protesters. Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh Chaudhary also announced support to the BKU. It is a matter of life and death for farmers, but do not worry. All have to stay together, united in this this is Chaudhary Sahabs (Ajit Singhs) message, the RLD vice-president said in a tweet in Hindi. 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. America Talks: Join us and #ListenFirst in a virtual conversation with another American Authorities in Bolivia welcomed the arrival of 20,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine on Thursday, as health care workers protested current working conditions. Bolivian President Luis Arce oversaw the arrival of the plane carrying the first batch of the 5.2 million Russian vaccines purchased. Doctors will be among the first who will receive two doses to get immunity to COVID-19. Bolivia has also bought 5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which were originally scheduled to be delivered on Monday. While Bolivia waits on the worldwide vaccine supplies, health workers protested, saying the government has not provided the minimum equipment and safe working conditions. They demanded an increase of the public healthcare budget, personal protection equipment and better pay. Dr. Jose Luis Barrientos, protesting in the Hospital of Los Altos, said 28 professional health workers have died in Bolivia due to COVID-19 and one is currently in intensive care. Doctors blamed the poor conditions in which they have been working. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) (TNS) City officials will hold a ribbon cutting next week for a new electric vehicle charging station in the downtown.The two-car EV charging station is located at 40 N. Liberty St. across from Coney Island Famous Weiners.Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss announced the completion of the station at Tuesday's virtual City Council meeting. The ribbon cutting will take place at 1 p.m. on Feb. 5."Knowing that it is something we are going to need in the future, it's good that this will give (electric vehicle owners) access in the downtown area," said Morriss.Jeff Rhodes, city administrator, said the Liberty Street station can charge two cars at a time."The design of it is in between two lanes," said Rhodes, "so it can charge cars in both lanes at the same time. The station is at no cost to the city with the program sponsored by Potomac Edison."A subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., Potomac Edison recently launched "EV Driven," which features publicly available electric vehicle charging stations with rebates for both residential and multifamily charger installations as well as incentives for EV charging during off-peak hours. The five-year commission-approved pilot program is expected to benefit the state's environment by reducing auto emissions.As part of the program, Potomac Edison is installing 59 charging stations that will be available for public use throughout Maryland.Electric cars are a rapidly growing trend across America. Electric car maker Tesla became one of the first automakers to successfully mass produce electric cars after its first model, the Roadster, rolled off the assembly line in 2009.Morriss said he would like to see more EV charging stations in Cumberland in the future."Hopefully this is the first of many to come," said Morriss. "It would be good to get a charging station in one of the parking areas downtown.""We initially looked at the George Street (Center City Parking) garage but due to the electrical configuration it was going to be much more costly for Potomac Edison to install it there," said Rhodes. "It was much less expensive to install on Liberty Street." Four Nigerian farmers secured a landmark legal victory in the Netherlands against Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, as a Dutch court ordered the company to pay the farmers compensation over oil spills. The names of the farmers, according to Friends of the Earth, Nigeria, are Alali Efanga, Friday Akpan, Fidelis Oguru, and Eric Dooh. Friends of the Earth, Nigeria, in collaboration with their partners in the Netherlands, were involved in the litigation. Friends of the Earth in the Netherlands were also the plaintiff in the case, alongside the farmers, PREMIUM TIMES learnt. The communities affected by the spills are in Rivers and Bayelsa states. The Court of Appeal in The Hague on Friday ruled that Shell was liable for two oil leaks that occurred in a community in the oil-rich Niger Delta and must, therefore, pay compensation for damages done to farmlands, according to a report by Aljazeera. Shell Nigeria is sentenced to compensate farmers for damages, the court was quoted as saying in its ruling. The spills, reported to have occurred between 2004 and 2007, resulted in a protracted civil suit against the company which has been ordered to clean up the affected communities and prevent future leaks. The ruling did not say how much Shell would have to pay out as compensation or who among the four farmers would receive compensation. The amount of compensation would be established at a later date, the TV network said. Shell can still lodge an appeal at the Dutch Supreme Court against the ruling which some people say could pave way for similar litigations against the International Oil Companies operating in Nigerias Niger Delta region. Apart from their environment being heavily polluted because of decades of oil exploration, the people in the Niger Delta region daily have to contend with poverty despite billions of naira that have accrued to the Nigerian government and the oil companies. This judgement didnt come as a surprise to some of us, said a renowned environmental activist in Nigeria, Nnimmo Bassey, who has been among the several people involved in the litigation. The evidence was overwhelming and has refused to disappear even after 13 years. There are some crimes that are hard to hide. Environmental crimes are of that sort. It takes willful blindness to pretend not to see, smell or feel. We are happy that Shell has been told the truth that they must pay for the extreme harm they have inflicted on the people and the environment. It took long, two plaintiffs died, but their struggle has not been in vain. No corporation private or public should ever think they can commit Ecocide in the Niger Delta and not be held accountable. It may take long, but judgment day comes. This is one decision by the Dutch Court, others will definitely come, Mr Bassey told PREMIUM TIMES, Friday night. Shells reaction Shell is reported to have insisted that it believes the spills were caused by sabotage. We are disappointed that this court has made a different finding on the cause of these spills and in its finding that SPDC is liable, the company said in a statement, according to the report by Aljazeera. ADVERTISEMENT French stunt driver Remy Julienne orchestrated and drove in some of the chase scenes, an unforgettable car ballet in which Juliennes team raced around a sloping car factory roof before driving at 120kmh up ramps onto a getaway truck travelling at 80kmh on a motorway outside Turin. But many moviegoers and stunt lovers might opt for the sequences in the more lighthearted British-American comic caper, The Italian Job (1969), in which three Mini Coopers one red, one white and one blue to match the British flag outwitted Italian cops through the streets, shopping arcades and sewers of the Italian city of Turin after a gold heist. In the annals of best movie car chases, perennial favorites include Bullitt (1968) with Steve McQueen achieving liftoff in his Ford Mustang along the terraced streets of San Francisco; The French Connection (1971), with Gene Hackman terrorising blocks of Brooklyn pedestrian traffic in a Pontiac LeMans; and Ronin (1998), with Robert De Niro behind the screeching wheels of a Peugeot in Paris. In another scene, he drove the red Mini at 120kmh over an 18-metre gap between two factory rooftops 15 metres above the ground. After half a century of risking his life on wheels for movie audiences, he died at 90 on January 21 of the coronavirus at a hospital in Montargis, France, according to his wife, Justine. A scene from the film The Italian Job, 1969. Credit:Publicity We were very, very lucky to get Remy Julienne [and his] stunt driving team, Michael Caine, star of The Italian Job, was once quoted as saying. Because they [the Minis] were really the stars of the film in a way. In fact, sales of the little Mini Cooper and more powerful Cooper S models took off around Europe after the film hit the screens. The movie not only epitomised Britains Swinging Sixties but also precursored, by almost 50 years, the widespread British sentiment that their little island could outsmart Continental Europeans. Julienne, a former French national motocross champion, also did the stunt-driving on six James Bond movies, body-doubling for several Bond actors in-car sequences. I shot three James Bond films with Roger Moore, he recalled, according to the Top Gear website. This kind of Anglo-Saxon production is so strict that insurers refuse to let him do anything. He would say to me, My only stunts, I do them with women. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... LAS CRUCES Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima is calling on local financial institutions, such as banks, credit unions and Community Development Financial Institutions, to open up appropriate lines of credit to local restaurants who participate in the citys pandemic meal voucher program. Miyagishima said he believes extending even small lines of credit could assist restaurants who are either currently participating in the program or who were deterred from applying because they lack the financial stability to wait a week or more for reimbursement, but who could apply when the city launches a third round. The restaurant voucher program a relief measure for senior citizens and low-income residents in Las Cruces began last summer. Ten restaurants were selected through an application process, and $10 vouchers were distributed to residents who qualified. Related: Restaurants passed over the first time chosen for round two of voucher program ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The program was reauthorized and allocated funding for a second round after city councilors argued more businesses should be helped. While the program is aimed at providing free and discounted meals to the city residents in greatest need, restaurants are also assisted since theyre reimbursed by the city in full for the vouchers they accept. The second round selected 12 additional restaurants in December, including some passed over during the first round. Vouchers are redeemable at those restaurants through Feb. 28. The first round ended on June 30, 2020. Nonprofit Families and Youth, Inc. administers the program for the city. A spokesperson for the organization could not be reached for information on the programs current status. While it usually takes one week after FYI picks up a restaurants vouchers each Friday to deliver them a reimbursement check, the timeline for each restaurant depends on when the voucher is redeemed by a diner. If a community member redeems a voucher early in the week, then the restaurant has to wait until Friday to submit the redeemed voucher, Natalie Green, Housing and Neighborhood Services Manager for the citys Community Development Department, said. So reimbursement for that voucher is about 10 days. With tight budgets due to the pandemic, Miyagishima said hes heard some restaurants have chosen not to apply because they cant shoulder the financial weight of giving away free or discounted meals before the reimbursement comes through a week or two later. More: Mask Up Las Cruces continues to provide free masks during pandemic With the challenges with COVID and everything, and money being a little bit tight, I think thats the reason why I was told that some restaurants really couldnt afford to get the vouchers, Miyagishima said. Because on face value, you think, Gosh, this is free.' Under current state COVID-19 restrictions, restaurants in Las Cruces cannot host indoor dining and can only serve patrons outdoors at 25 percent of their outdoor capacity or through carry-out and delivery. Restaurants must also close to in-person customers by 9 p.m.; only delivery is allowed after those hours. A third round of the voucher program is in the works, Green confirmed. She said a resolution is being drafted by staff for city council adoption. While the city council has allocated money from the Telshor Facility Fund for the two previous rounds, she said it may not be necessary for the third round. Green said federal coronavirus aid money doled out by the state has been used to largely cover the first and second rounds expenditures, meaning previously allocated city funding could be used for the third. Local financial institutions interested in helping participating restaurants are encouraged to contact the citys Business Concierge, Donald Bustos, at dbustos@las-cruces.org or 575-541-2191. Michael McDevitt is a city and county government reporter for the Sun-News. He can be reached at 575-202-3205, mmcdevitt@lcsun-news.com or @MikeMcDTweets on Twitter. Others are reading: Steady income, $500 and a 620-credit score can open doors for first-time buyers Dona Ana County COVID-19 rates improve considerably, but remains at Red Level Remote or hybrid? The Las Cruces community discusses possible school reentry Roswell television reporter charged with impersonating police and reckless driving This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Mayor asks banks to help restaurants in voucher program with lines of credit ___ (c)2021 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Housing corporation Staedion has chosen Heijmans as its partner to work with The Hague city council on the transformation and renewal of the city's Dreven, Gaarden and Zichten neighbourhoods. In a follow-up to a letter of intent signed in late 2018, Heijmans and Staedion this week signed a continuation agreement for the plans in the southwestern section of The Hague. Affordable homes in a healthy living environment The city's plans to improve local residents' perspective in terms of participation, work, social cohesion and safety will require an integrated approach, linking the spatial and physical task to the socio-economic task of this project. The first important steps have already been taken to create a healthy living environment affordable for everyone. This will result in a highly differentiated neighbourhood with a mix of government-regulated and liberalised rental sector homes and owner-occupied homes. Ambition: to around 5,500 homes from 2,000 homes The Hague has high ambitions for the Dreven, Gaarden and Zichten neighbourhoods. The city wants to combine a sharp densification of the residential programme - to around 5,500 homes from the current 2,000 homes - with improvements to the neighbourhoods' liveability, local economies, social cohesion, health of the residents and the implementation of the mobility and energy transition. The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and The Hague city council have reached a number of agreements related to a long-term partnership on the planning and realisation of urban renewal and densification in the southwestern section of the city. Construction set to start in 2023 Heijmans and the Staedion housing corporation will work with The Hague city council on the details of the integrated plans. The partners plan to start construction on the first sub-plans in 2023. The shared ambition is to then build some 500 homes each year. Heijmans will assume responsibility for a significant part of this development. The total renewal project is expected to require investments of around 1.5 billion. More government-regulated homes The basic premise is that the number of social, government-regulated rental homes in Dreven, Gaarden and Zichten should at the very least remain the same, to give every resident the chance to continue living in the neighbourhood. Some 30% of the homes to be added also fall into the government-regulated rental category, which amounts to around 2,800 social homes in the neighbourhood. On top of this, 20% of the new homes will be in the mid-rental segment. The remaining homes will be in various categories of the private sector. About Staedion Staedion owns one in seven of all homes in The Hague. As a housing corporation, Staedion rents more than 37,000 homes and 6,500 other properties, such as shops, business premises and parking places in The Hague. Staedion offers affordable homes for people in a vulnerable position on the housing market. Staedion's highest priority is safe and pleasant living. The company's mission is: working with our tenants to make having a home possible. Staedion cannot do this alone. We work to create a pleasant living environment with residents and our (social) partners. For more information: www.staedion.nl About Heijmans Everyone wants clean air, to live in a nice neighbourhood, to work in a good workplace and to be able to travel safely from A to B. By making things better, more sustainable and smarter, Heijmans is creating that healthy living environment. Jan Heijmans started as a road builder in 1923. Today, Heijmans is a stock exchange-listed company that combines activities in property development, building & technology and infrastructure. In addition to this, we work safely and we add value to the places where we are active. This is how we build the spatial contours of tomorrow together with our clients: www.heijmans.nl/en/ For more information / not for publication: Media Jeroen van den Berk Spokesman +31 73 543 52 17 jberk@heijmans.nl Analysts Guido Peters Investor Relations + 31 73 543 52 17 gpeters@heijmans.nl Attachment Basil Zempilas has set the record straight after Kyle Sandilands claimed the two men once competed for the affections of the same woman. The Mayor of Perth, 49, branded Kyle's version of events 'absolutely bull dust' on his Triple M breakfast show on Thursday. 'Like most things with Kyle, there is a tiny, tiny skerrick of truth,' began the former Weekend Sunrise host. Clearing the air: Basil Zempilas (pictured) has set the record straight after Kyle Sandilands claimed the two men once competed for the affections of the same woman Basil said he was 'actually related' to the woman in question, and was therefore never going to marry her, but said they were in the same friendship circle. Kyle, 49, had claimed on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Wednesday that Basil had romantic feelings for the woman and that her family had wanted them to marry - but he was obviously mistaken as they're related. He addressed Basil's version of events on air on Friday, and admitted he was wrong. Hitting back: The Mayor of Perth, 49, branded Kyle's (pictured) version of events 'bull dust' on Triple M on Thursday. Basil said he was 'actually related' to the woman in question, and was therefore never going to marry her, but said they were in the same friendship circle 'Basil went on his radio show at Triple M in Perth yesterday and set the record straight on what really happened, and then I realised his version of the story is correct,' he confessed. Kyle's co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson lambasted her colleague, and told him he 'always gets the details wrong' when it comes to events that happened years ago. 'My apologies. He wasn't trying to bang his cousin, they [the family] just loved Basil. "Oh, Basil this, Basil that..."' he continued. Calling him out: Kyle's co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson (left) lambasted her colleague, and told him he 'always gets the details wrong' when it comes to events that happened years ago 'So, my apologies to Basil Zempilas. You weren't trying to root your own cousin, you were just always talked about like you were superior... And I think I got jealous or something.' Kyle had shared the inaccurate anecdote about Basil during an interview with Sunrise co-anchor Sam Armytage on Wednesday morning. The shock jock was discussing Sam's recent wedding to businessman Richard Lavender when he brought up her Channel Seven colleague. Off on a tangent: Kyle had shared the inaccurate anecdote about Basil (left) during an interview with Sunrise co-anchor Sam Armytage (right) on Wednesday morning Kyle claimed that years earlier, he'd been involved in a love triangle with Basil while working at a radio station in Perth. In a bizarre turn of events, Kyle claimed he'd ended up 'engaged by mistake' after the woman he was seeing bought an engagement ring. 'I was caught up in this whole thing. Anyway, Basil was the one the family wanted her to marry,' he said. 'I was caught up in this whole thing': Kyle claimed that years earlier, he'd been involved in a love triangle with Basil while working at a radio station in Perth. Of course, he was mistaken: Basil never had romantic feelings for the woman in question because they were related Sam, 44, interrupted to say Kyle had 'cut Basil's grass'. 'I cut Basil's grass. I cut way more than the grass, but anyway, that didn't work out,' he replied. Jackie, 45, then said the woman had chosen Kyle over Basil, and he added: 'She did, yes. And then I walked away from the whole relationship.' Of course, they were both mistaken: Basil never had romantic feelings for the woman in question because they were related. Clarification: 'My apologies to Basil Zempilas. You weren't trying to root your own cousin, you were just always talked about like you were superior... And I think I got jealous or something,' said Kyle. Pictured at a Brownlow Medal function in Perth in September 2018 Kyle said he never considered the relationship to be serious, and confessed he was also 'sleeping with seven other people at the radio station' he was working at. He claimed to suffer from 'commitment-phobia', and said that had prevented him from settling down with the woman. Basil has been married for 12 years to wife Amy Graham and they have three children together. Kyle has been dating his former assistant Tegan Kynaston for over a year. Two Ukrainian servicemen have sustained shrapnel wounds in a drone strike near Vodiane, Donetsk region, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) has reported on Facebook. According to the report, Russian occupation forces again failed to comply with the agreement and violated the ceasefire. At noon, an unmanned aerial vehicle dropped a VOG-17 grenade on Ukrainian Joint Forces positions near Vodiane. As a result, two Ukrainian servicemen sustained shrapnel wounds. They were promptly taken to a medical facility where they received medical treatment. They are in satisfactory condition. OSCE representatives were informed about the actions of the occupiers through the Ukrainian side of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination. Three enemy attacks were recorded in the JFO area on January 28. op Unite the Union paid a firm owned by a friend of its leader Len McLuskey 95 million for a hotel project that was only supposed to cost 7 million, it has been reported. Flanagan Group - run by McCluskey's friend Paul Flanagan - received the money as the primary contractor for the building of a conference centre and hotel in Birmingham for the UK's largest trade union. A crisis meeting is set to be held on Friday at which the union's ruling council will receive a report into the financing of the project, after further evidence of the raising costs of Unite's flagship project was reported in The Times. Last month, the newspaper was accused of an 'astonishing level of inaccuracy' when it was put to Unite that the total expenditure on the project was now significantly higher than 50 million. Now, The Times has said that it has seen confirmation that the union's spending on the complex has already reached 96.5 million - 94.9 million of which has gone to Flanagan Group, included money for subcontractors. Questions have been raised over the funding of a luxury hotel and conference centre in Birmingham for Unite the Union - the UK's largest trade union. The project - which includes a 170-bedroom Marriott-branded hotel, a conference room, an education centre and regional offices for Unite - has now reportedly cost 95 million, after it was only supposed to cost 7m Of that, the newspaper says that 24.5 per cent was paid directly by Unite, while 75.5 percent was paid for by Black horse HCC, a company that is fully owned by Unite. Its directors are McCluskey and four members of the union's executive council. It is believed that the overall profit for the Flanagan Group will be more than 15 million, despite work finishing last year significantly late and over budget having begun in 2016. Questions are likely to be raised at Unite's Friday meeting about how the contracts were awarded and the level of scrutiny that was applied to the fees charged by contractors during the project's four years. Flanagan Group is a Liverpool-based company run by Flanagan. Merseyside Police is investigating the firm amid an inquiry into the sale of council land and Mr Flanagan himself was arrested in September on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery. Another contract for the hotel project went to a company owned by David Anderson, the son of Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson. Both men were also arrested by Merseyside Police last year. There is no suggestion that the Unite contract is linked to the police inquiry. There is also no suggestion of any wrongdoing in the decision to award the contract to The Flanagan Group or that Mr McCluskey had anything to do with the tendering process. Mr McCluskey has previously described Flanagan Group as 'a working class family who have made good and never forgotten their roots.' Unite's chief Len McCluskey (pictured) called a crisis meeting into the financing of the building after details of the project came to light. Mr McCluskey has previously described Flanagan Group as 'a working class family who have made good and never forgotten their roots' Merseyside Police is investigating Flanagan Group amid an inquiry into the sale of council land and Mr Flanagan himself was arrested in September. Pictured: Paul Flanagan (left) with Len McCluskey (right) at the unveiling of the artwork at the St Thomas Street Hotel, Victoria Street, Liverpool [File photo] The furore over the deal was first revealed by the Mail in December, while Unite's executive council was told in 2012 that the total cost of the proposed Birmingham venue would be 'in the region of 7 million'. Unite has around 1.1 million members who contribute more than 150 million every year. The Union said the contract was awarded to Flanagan following the 'strictest competitive tendering process.' Gerard Coyne an ally of Sir Keir Starmer who wants to succeed Mr McCluskey as general secretary of Unite having narrowly lost a 2017 leadership bid against him called for 'openness and transparency' on the eve of crisis talks. In an open letter to Unite's members on Thursday, Coyne wrote that its leadership must answer 'widespread criticism and serious questions over the hugely-over-budget project'. He added that members had a right to know whether money had been spent 'wisely' and 'properly overseen'; what the scheme's true cost was; and whether contracts were awarded in the correct fashion. On the eve of a special meeting of Unite's ruling body tomorrow - which was called by McCluskey following revelations about the project - Mr Coyne urged the union to clean up its act. He pointed out that it has 'no code of conduct, no register of interests and no requirement to declare gifts and benefits'. Mr Coyne called for the introduction of strict rules on these matters, which should apply to everyone at the top of the organisation, including Mr McCluskey. 'It is the basic minimum in any well-run organisation, let alone one which should stand for moral authority,' he said. Gerard Coyne (pictured) an ally of Sir Keir Starmer who wants to succeed Len McCluskey as general secretary of Unite called for 'openness and transparency' on the eve of crisis talks over a hotel deal [File photo] 'This union can be a powerful force for good but only if we embrace openness and are transparent.' Mr Coyne, who narrowly lost the bitter battle for Unite's top job in 2017, confirmed he plans to run again when Mr McCluskey steps down next year. Unite has said of the Birmingham project: 'Continuing efforts to create the impression that something untoward has occurred with the construction of our Birmingham facility are pathetic. 'This is a world-class facility, which will provide conference, education and hotel facilities for our entire union and help regenerate a neglected part of the UK's second city. 'The costs and management of the project will be considered by our executive on Friday. It would be completely inappropriate for Unite to enter into discussion of these with the media beforehand.' An Oklahoma mother said she felt betrayed by her childrens Christian school when her second-grader daughter was expelled for having a crush on another girl. Delanie Shelton said she was called to Rejoice Christian School in Owasso a northern suburb of Tulsa Jan. 21 to pick up her daughter over a playground incident. It wasnt bullying or teasing, but rather a crush that got 8-year-old Chloe in trouble, according to her mother, who said the girl simply told another girl on the playground she has a crush on her. The vice principal asked me how I feel about girls liking girls and I told her that I see no issue with it, Shelton told McClatchy News. The principal told me they would be talking to the superintendent and that the superintendent would be calling me. The superintendent informed the family the next day they would be ending their partnership with our family, Shelton said. Chloe, as well as her 5-year-old brother who attended the school, were both expelled. I asked for specifics, to which I was told that my beliefs do not line up with theirs, the mom said. I asked him to have a sit down meeting with our family to which he refused and said there was nothing more to be discussed. I told him that my beliefs had nothing to do with my childrens education. He scoffed and say, Oh, but they do. Rejoice Christian Schools, located about 20 miles northeast of Tulsa, did not respond to a request for a comment by McClatchy News. Superintendent Joel Pepin cited the schools student handbook and policy to Fox 23 and said he could not comment on the matter. Founded in 1992, Rejoice Christian School describes its vision as a school that provides students with excellence in education and strength in character so that students will be spiritually, intellectually, physically, and socially equipped to impact their community and the world for Christ. The schools handbook was not available on its website. Shelton said she has not heard from the school since the expulsions. Chloe whose interests include entertainer Jojo Siwa, her new puppy, basketball, cheer and soccer will transfer to a new school along with her brother. Story continues I was heartbroken, betrayed, angry and hurt, Shelton said. My daughter asked me, Why are they doing this to us, mommy? Chloe is feeling better a week after the incident, her mother said, and she is excited for a fresh start. Residents in the neighborhood across from the school told Fox 23 they will post signs in their lawn Saturday in support of Chloe. A Louisiana father and his two adult children have died from COVID-19 within days of one another, after the elderly man hesitated to get the vaccine, despite taking part in its distribution in his community. Thaddeus Valentine Sr, 72, his 52-year-old son, Thaddeus Valentine Jr, and his daughter, Ta'Mara Davis, 47, succumbed to the virus within the first three weeks of the new year. 'It just all happened at once,' Valentine Sr's granddaughter Thyreal Valentine told WDSU. 'It just hit our entire household at once. We were not expecting it to turn out like this. Because we tried our hardest to keep them safe.' Thaddeus Valentine Sr, 72, retired Louisiana fire chief and board president at a health center, died from COVID within days of his adult son and daughter Thaddeus Valentine Jr, 52 (left), and Ta'Mara Davis, 47 (right), succumbed to the virus within the first three weeks of the new year All three family members died in a span of two weeks. Valentine Sr's passing was announced by his employer on Wednesday. Zora Brengettsy, Davis' 16-year-old daughter, said she expected her mother, uncle and grandfather to 'bounce back' from the illness, which so far has claimed the lives of more than 433,000 American lives. More than 397,000 cases of the virus have been reported in Louisiana to date, and just over 8,800 deaths. Zora Brengettsy, Davis' 16-year-old daughter (left), said she expected her mother, right, and the other family members to recover from COVID-19 Valentine Sr served as chief of the Herbert Wallace Volunteers Fire Department for nearly 20 years, After retiring, he became the board president of InclusiveCare, a health care provider in Avondale, Louisiana, and remained at that post for seven years. As part of his job, Valentine Sr led the heath center's efforts to make COVID testing and vaccinations available to patients. Dr Shondra Williams, CEO of InclusiveCare, said Valentine Sr himself balked at getting the jab himself because of hesitancy. Under Louisiana guidelines, as a person over the age of 70 and as a person working for a health center, Valentine Sr was eligible to get vaccinated. Valentine Sr (left and right) led local efforts to make COVID testing and vaccinations available to patients, but he balked at getting the jab himself 'He never missed a meeting even if he was the only one in attendance,' Williams wrote in a post announcing Valentine's death on Wednesday. 'Hes traveled from the Louisiana State Capital to the Nations Capital in Washington D.C. to ensure that the communitys needs were met.' She went on: 'Mr. Valentine was the true demonstration of Integrity... He always left an indelible mark of pride and honor that was fitting for the person who would lead the organization on day 1 of his joining the board.' Those who knew Valentine Sr professionally remembered him as a fierce advocate for his community. 'It is hard because my grandpa, he was always there for me,' Thyreal said. 'To wake up and know he is not there, or I cannot call him like I usually do. It is just hurtful.' Valentine Sr, his son and daughter will all be laid to rest in Avondale on Monday. Hudson County and one of its unions has reached a tentative agreement on a new contract that gives the union members average annual raises of 2.75%. The county Board of Commissioners will vote to approve the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) contract which would expire June 30, 2024 after it is ratified by union members. The previous contract expired on June 30, 2019. According to the contract, the union represents employees in the classification of social work supervisor, human service specialist IV, human service specialist 4 bi-lingual, supervisor of property and resources, training supervisor, assistant training supervisor, accountant, senior accountant, data processing coordinator, supervising clerk, supervising account clerk and senior investigator. The new pact calls for annual raises of 3% and 2.5% for alternate years of the five-year contract that would retroactively go into effect July 1, 2019. Under the previous contract, workers received annual increase of between 2% and 2.75%. The proposed contract has other changes, including regulations on how grievances are initially filed, and discipline for being absent from work without calling in. A representative of AFSCME Local 1697 could not be reached for comment. Also Thursday, the commissioners approved a resolution calling on federal and state legislators to impose a moratorium on internet providers, stopping them from adding fees or charges on internet date usage until the coronavirus pandemic is declared under control. The resolution came after some Hudson County residents received notices from Comcast that they had used all their data on their Xfinity internet plan and would have to pay more for extra data. A Comcast spokeswoman said the company would delay any increases until August. We are providing customers in our Northeast markets with additional time to become familiar with the new 1.2TB data plan, spokeswoman Jennifer Billotta said. She said the 1.2-terabyte plan is a massive amount of data that enables consumers to video conference for 3,500 hours, watch 1,200 hours of distance learning videos, stream 500 hours of high-definition video content a month, or play more than 34,000 hours of online games. On Friday, state Sens. Nicholas Scutari and Troy Singleton and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano introduced legislation that would prohibit internet service providers from increasing rates during a public health emergency. Facebook/Andre HillBy MEREDITH DELISO, ABC News (COLUMBUS, Ohio) -- The chief of police in Columbus, Ohio, is "stepping back" following the death of Andre Hill, an unarmed Black man who was shot and killed by a police officer last month. The city is now conducting a national search to replace Chief Thomas Quinlan, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther announced Thursday, who pointed to frustrations around reform efforts as the reason behind the change of command. It became clear to me that Chief Quinlan could not successfully implement the reform and change I expect and that the community demands," Ginther said in a statement. "Columbus residents have lost faith in him and in the Division's ability to change on its own. Chief Quinlan understood." Ginther continued that Quinlan "agreed to step back, so the city can move forward." Columbus Public Safety Director Ned Pettus also said that he and Ginther "decided to go in a new direction." "I look forward to continuing the critical work of reforming and strengthening the Division of Police," he said in a statement. "The community we serve deserves nothing less." Quinlan will be staying on as deputy chief, a spokesperson for the mayor's office confirmed with ABC News. Quinlan, a 30-plus-year veteran of the Columbus Division of Police, was named chief of police in December 2019. The position is a five-year appointment. His probationary period was set to end Feb. 7, according to Columbus ABC affiliate WSYX. "While I very much hoped to continue in that role, I respect the safety director's decision, and the community's need to go in a different direction," Quinlan said in a statement. "We accomplished a lot in my time as chief. We implemented dozens of reforms geared toward accountability, transparency, and strengthening public trust. Someone else will now carry those priorities forward, and I will help and support them in any way I can." The police division has been scrutinized following the fatal shooting of Hill on Dec. 22 by an officer dispatched to a "non-emergency" disturbance call. Adam Coy, the officer who shot Hill, did not turn on his body camera until after firing, authorities said. Body camera footage released earlier this month also appeared to show responding officers handcuff Hill before rendering any first aid. Coy was fired by the city earlier this month after an investigation determined that his use of deadly force was not reasonable. Quinlan had called for his termination. Deputy Chief Mike Woods will serve as interim chief while the city begins its national search for a permanent chief on an "expedited timeframe," the mayor said. The search firm Ralph Andersen & Associates will help in identifying a permanent police chief. In the coming weeks, the city will also be appointing members of a new Civilian Review Board that voters approved in November. The city has also set aside $4.5 million to fund new body-worn cameras. "I want to assure Columbus residents that our commitment to change and reform will not wane as we seek the next leader of the Division of Police," Ginther said. "I remain committed to meaningful, lasting police reform and confronting racism where it exists, advancing social justice so everyone in every neighborhood feels safe." ABC News' Will Gretsky contributed to this report. Copyright 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. MANASSAS, VA Library workers in Prince William County are going to help staff the county's new COVID-19 vaccine call centers, according to a press release. As a result, the county will only offer curbside pickup service beginning on Monday, Feb. 1. "Contact-free curbside pickup was first offered just a week after Prince William Public Libraries first closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020," said Deborah Wright, director of Prince William Public Libraries. "It has since become a popular service throughout the remainder of 2020 and will become part of Prince William Public Librarys standard services in the future." While the county's library buildings are not open to the public, other library services are still available to the public. Although many library staff members will be supporting the county's call center, the libraries will still offer phone assistance, and programming available on its website and on social media. In 2020, Prince William Public Libraries organized more than 4,600 virtual events for more than 600,000 attendees, according to a press release. Further information about local library offerings and services can be found on their website, or by calling your local library. Prince William's library staff have been helping community members since the start of the pandemic, according to the county's press release. In March, library workers crafted hundreds of masks for county employees. In September, they began checking out Wi-Fi hotspots to residents, since the libraries' computers were no longer accessible to the public. Prince William's COVID-19 Call Center is a joint effort between the Prince William County Government and the Prince William Health District. The call center is available to residents from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day. See also: 5,000 Additional COVID Vaccines Coming to Prince William County The call center can be reached at 703-872-7759. To sign up for alerts regarding COVID-19 in Prince William County, text COVIDPWC to 888777. This article originally appeared on the Manassas Patch If the violent far-right siege on the Capitol didnt signal to American politicians and law enforcement that the US has an extremist radicalisation problem and that hate is not just a hoax, let my eight years of experience as a violent white supremacist, and the subsequent 25 years since that Ive spent denouncing my past racist beliefs and working to educate others, serve as a warning. During Donald Trumps presidency, I worried his words were stoking fear and inciting acts of violence. After the presidential debate in which Trump provided the Proud Boys, a cadre of violent far-right thugs, with marching orders to stand by, I feared an event like January 6 would come. Publicly, the Proud Boys claim to just be a group of western chauvinists. But in reality, they are a gang modelled after white power skinheads from the 1980s and 90s the latest iteration of the monster I helped build all those years ago. The white supremacist movement had morphed from my days, when we were very visible with shaved heads, black boots, and tattoos, and we recruited young people at skate parks, punk rock concerts, and the fringes of high school parking lots. Over time, a strategy unfolded that found value in presenting a more sanitised hate movement to the mainstream. Members started dressing to blend in instead of intimidate, and began taking jobs in law enforcement, or joining the military, even enrolling in universities. Recruitment and radicalisation took place not only in those spaces but also online. The Proud Boys, however, have rallied around the idea of bringing back the in-your-face hate of their skinhead forebears. They thrive on intimidation and being seen. So, when Trump uttered stand by'' to this group, it was surreal. I felt a pit forming in my stomach. I knew he wasnt speaking to just them, he was speaking to all white supremacists. Extremism flourishes when a critical mass of people believe their lives are becoming meaningless, displaced, or disempowered. Extremists feast on frenzy and uncertainty during times of crisis. The strategy is simple: turn everyday victims into perpetrators of rough justice by trading them a great cause for their discontent, while fooling them into believing theyre still victims. Today, more than ever, ideologues at the furthest edges of the political spectrum are using crisis to bait aggrieved, isolated, even privileged and willfully ignorant Americans with glory-driven promises as a panacea for their woes. Enter groups like QAnon, OathKeepers, Three-Percenters, and every other adjacent hate group. I pictured how I, as a 20-year-old neo-Nazi skinhead living on the Southwest side of Chicago, might have responded to something like a call to stand by back then. It would have emboldened me, thrust me into action, told me I had the support of the White House and a president who saw me, and a mission of great importance. I would have acted with reverence to that implicit order of violence from upon high. Thats what white supremacists heard that night, and we saw it play out earlier this month. But while Donald Trump has added fuel to the fire, this problem has been burning for a long time and will not extinguish now that he has left office. We must take serious measures to address increasing right-wing radicalisation. We cannot shy away from the threat of white-supremacist hate and extremism, characterising it as a fringe problem at the bottom of a long list of national threats because we are intimidated by what we might nd when we look in the mirror. No one is born with hate in their heart. I have found this insight to be more powerful than any weapon Smith & Wesson can forge and put into the cold, clammy hands of insurrectionists. For those who align themselves with extremist ideologies, doctrine is the last component that locks into place. Radical ideologies act like green trac lights, signalling to those who have stalled in life where to direct blame for their grievances, anger, and insecurities sometimes in violent and irrational ways instead of working to resolve their obstacles in a positive or constructive manner. Feeling newly empowered, the mantra of cruelty that extremists adopt is the fraudulent licence that grants them permission to project their pain onto others. In the extremist interventions that my organisation, Free Radicals Project, does, we focus on helping people to repair the potholes in their life and restore and redirect their sense of identity, community, and purpose in a more positive direction. But its imperative to understand that deradicalisation is only a band aid. If we can acknowledge that underlying environmental, emotional, and/or physical challenges, or any multitude of challenging life factors, are what give people their rst push toward extremism and not usually the other way around then hope exists of diverting future generations from its devastating path altogether. To eradicate hate, we must heal the lingering wounds of our nations past failures. We must acknowledge the grave errors weve made and be held to account for them. Only then will we embody the strength and idealism we have long professed. Im calling on the Biden administration not only to create a commission to understand how we as a nation can bring back the millions trapped in this dangerous spiral of radicalisation, but to confront far-right extremism in the United States and hold people accountable, to analyse how propaganda and misinformation is spread, and how these operations are funded. I offer my help and hope theyre listening. Christian Picciolini (@cpicciolini) is the founder of Free Radicals Project, an extremism disengagement provider, and the author of Breaking Hate: Confronting the New Culture of Extremism. The heart of the proposal involves making the avoidance of deforestation central to trade agreements and closing loopholes in laws meant to deter forest crimes abroad. Companies are already prohibited from importing timber from forests that are illegally chopped down. But that does not extend to beef, soy or other agricultural commodities that may be raised or grown on illegally deforested lands. We are unintentionally creating a financial incentive for criminals to set fire to the Amazon and convert it into farmland, said Nigel Purvis, a former United States climate negotiator and chief executive of Climate Advisers, a Washington-policy group. A spokesman for John Kerry, Mr. Bidens international climate envoy, said the office will include deforestation experts, and protection of the Amazon will be an important element of U.S. climate diplomacy. In a letter to Mr. Biden last week, Mr. Bolsonaro after weeks of repeating the baseless claims of voter fraud perpetrated by his close ally, Donald J. Trump expressed hope that the United States and Brazil could enter into a trade agreement. Mr. Babbitt said meaningful environmental provisions in trade agreements could be the single most important way to curb deforestation. A Perth plumber has built an epic 'floating bar' that can hold six adults and a full esky of beer, perfect for hot days on the water. The boat, appropriately named 'Bottoms Up', was created for Australia Day festivities to provide one man and his group of mates the perfect opportunity to sink some cans while relaxing in the sun. Mark Quattrini told PerthNow the group christened the vessel on Tuesday to enjoy some well-earned beverages. Doesn't get much better: The friends enjoyed their well earned drinks aboard the 'floating bar' on a sand bar at South Fremantle 'It was a great Australia Day, we spent it on the sand bar there at South Fremantle and had a few drinks and that. It worked really well, it was great.' Mr Quattrini said the floating bar was built during an evening workshop session with his friends, which included a marine diesel mechanic. The considerably sized wooden bar sits on the hull of a surfcat and has enough space to stand comfortably and enjoy a beverage with five mates. The floating bar was cobbled together during an evening workshop session with Mr Quattrini and his mates, which including a marine diesel mechanic, just in time for Australia Day 'We like being on the water and having a few drinks', Mr Quattrini said. 'We thought about making a picnic table but it was too heavy so we thought 'let's make a floating bar'. Mr Quattrini and his friends have offered the boat to buyers on Facebook marketplace, selling the vessel for $400. The considerably sized wooden bar sits on the hull of a surfcat and has enough space to stand comfortably and enjoy a beverage with five mates, and only took one night to build Western Australian publication The Bell Tower Times complimented the vessel on Twitter and praised the 'West Aussie ingenuity' of the floating bar, which is still for sale on Facebook 'It sort of is what it is but we'd like to see it go to someone who's going to make use of it'. He told Daily Mail Australia that the boat had received a lot of interest, but was still up for sale. 'I've had heaps of messages, however no serious buyers as of yet.' A former Lancaster School District teacher who sexually assaulted one of his students for three years could be going to prison for up to nearly two years, prosecutors said. Timothy M. Sterner, 54, admitted to requesting sexual contact, exposing himself, performing lewd acts and sending lewd or pornographic photos of himself to the student between their freshman and senior years, according to the Lancaster County District Attorneys Office. Sterner pleaded guilty to five felonies and two misdemeanors, including unlawful contact with a minor, solicitation of institutional sexual assault, dissemination of child pornography, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of a child. He was sentenced to between 11 to 23 months in Lancaster County Prison, followed by six years of probation and 25 years registered as a sex offender through Megans Law, prosecutors said. Although his attorney offered character references attesting to the positive impact he had on his students, Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick said the evidence against Sterner illustrate how these crimes are done in secret by individuals who hold themselves out to the community as respectful, ethical and moral people. READ MORE: 2 dead, 3 hurt in shooting outside Pa. strip club 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. (Alliance News) - AstraZeneca PLC on Friday announced that its Covid-19 vaccine has been recommended for conditional marketing authorisation in the EU, for use on all adults. The vaccine has already been given a CMA for emergency use in 20 countries. The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use based its positive opinion of the vaccine on a rolling review of trial data from the phase three programme led by the University of Oxford. The CHMP has recommended that two doses of Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca, formerly known as AZD1222, be administered at a four-to-12 week interval, a dosing regimen demonstrated in clinical trials to be safe and effective in preventing symptomatic Covid-19. The FTSE 100 pharmaceutical giant expects the EU to shortly approve a CMA for active immunisation across member states shortly. In addition, Astra is seeking emergency use listing from the World Health Organization to increase availability in low-income countries. "Today's recommendation underscores the value of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine which is not only effective and well-tolerated, but also easy to administer and, importantly, protects fully against severe disease and hospitalisations. We are deeply grateful to Oxford University, participants in the clinical trials and AstraZeneca colleagues for their unwavering commitment to providing this lifesaving vaccine to millions of Europeans," said Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot. Crucially, the CHMP backed the jab to be used in all adults, including the elderly. On Thursday, Germany's vaccine commission STIKO said it was recommending use of the vaccine among under-65-year-olds only, due to insufficient data on its effectiveness on older people. Also on Thursday, the EU said it was looking at legal means to guarantee the delivery of all the Covid-19 vaccine doses it bought from Astra and other pharmaceutical companies. Officials in Brussels have quarrelled with Astra, after the pharmaceutical company said it would deliver smaller than expected supplies to the 27 EU nations. The bloc's executive commission asked Belgian authorities to inspect a factory in Belgium that is part of AstraZeneca's vaccine production chain. The European Commission on Friday published a redacted version of its contract with Astra, in a bid to prove the company had breached a commitment on vaccine deliveries. Shares in AstraZeneca were down 1.0% at 7,576.00 pence each on Friday afternoon in London. By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Right now, there may be no greater gift for a company than dismal finances. On Thursday, shares of American Airlines rose almost 30% at the open, reaching an 11-month high. American beat analysts profit expectations for the final quarter of 2020: Earnings per share came in at a negative $3.86, whereas the median forecast had them at $4.11. But that doesnt explain the pop. What does is that the numbers were still really bad in absolute termsa $2.2 billion quarterly loss is one of the companys worst results everjustifying bearish Wall Street bets against it. In todays topsy-turvy market, this all but guarantees stock gains. Over the past week, swarms of individual investors, coordinating ithrough websites like Reddits WallStreetBets forum, have taken on professional speculators, aggressively using options to unravel hedge funds preferred short bets. By squeezing the derivatives positions of banks, they have managed to engineer crazy rallies in the shares of troubled firms like GameStop, BlackBerry, AMC and Nokia. American Airlines was the perfect next target. It is the most-shorted major U.S. carrier, with 25% of its shares outstanding currently sold short in bets against it, according to FactSet data. Even better for Reddit-fuelled speculators, the company is disliked for very solid, objective reasons. Before the pandemic, American had the lowest profit margins among the big U.S. carriers and was trailing in the adoption of new technologies. Its debt load is one of the largest in the industry, making a post-pandemic turnaround particularly difficult. View Full Image American Airlines shares The company provided disappointing guidance Thursday for the current quarter: It expects revenues to fall as much as 65% compared with the same period of 2019, due to higher Covid-19 cases and travel restrictions. While its $14 billion in liquidity is enough to navigate the turbulence, American will need to issue more equity at some point to clean up its balance sheet. As Wall Street analysts are starting to point out, there seems no better time for it than the present. Americans Chief Executive Officer, Doug Parker, refused to answer any questions related to the companys share prices or issuing new shares on Thursday. Sadly, there is no clear way for the unloved companies that have gained from the recent nonsensical rallies to sell new shares directly to Reddit users, and there may be unknown legal complications to the whole affair. Furthermore, issuing equity to the broader market might not be possible at the latest trading prices. On Thursday, several brokers, such as Robinhood, took steps to restrict Reddit-driven trades. As the session progressed, Americans shares lost some of their early altitude. By this point, however, it is likely that some professional investors have stepped in to try to profit from the general short squeeze. There is at least a chance that the inflating bubble becomes broad and durable enough for the Texas-based carrier to find some new love. If only the prospects of United Airlines, Delta Air Lines or Southwest Airlines were as bad as Americans, perhaps they too could have enjoyed comparable stock surges. Then again, the mania might not last long enough for it to matter. 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. Former U.S. Senate candidate Karin Housley is the latest Republican to acknowledge she's considering a run against Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz next year. What she's saying: "We're talking about it," Housley, a state senator from St. Mary's Point, confirmed to Axios. "We haven't completely ruled it out." Get smarter, faster with the news CEOs, entrepreneurs and top politicians read. Sign up for Axios Newsletters here. Flashback: Housley lost her 2018 Senate bid by 11 points to now-U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D). The big picture: Axios also checked in with other GOPers speculated to be considering jumping in ... State Senate Leader Paul Gazelka won't make a final decision until the state budget is done: Ask me in the summer." Former Sen. Scott Jensen is "strongly considering" it and expects to decide in the next three months. U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber told WCCO he's focused on Congress but "keeping all options open." His campaign said that's still the case. Former Viking Matt Birk, said to be considering a run more seriously than in years past, declined to comment. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell won't decide until his fight to prove his baseless claims of widespread voter fraud is resolved. Wild card: Some speculate that state Sen. Tom Bakk, a former DFL leader who left the party, could run as an independent. But the Iron Ranger says he's not even sure if he'll run for Senate again. "Who knows?" Bakk told Torey, adding that undergoing open heart surgery, as he did last year, "makes you think about how long you want to keep working." But Bakk, who ran in the 2010 DFL primary, thinks there's a path for someone to run as an independent. "All of this really tough rhetoric, both sides retreating to the base, is leaving a pretty gaping hole for someone that wants to try running down the middle." Worth noting: While he's expected to run for a second term, Walz hasn't announced a re-election bid. He told Torey he's focused on the pandemic and will make his decision later. Story continues This story first appeared in the Axios Twin Cities newsletter, designed to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news unfolding in their own backyard. Be smart: sign up FREE for the most influential newsletter in America. 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 29, 2021] Fama Technologies Launches Into 2021 With a New Board Director and a New CTO Fama Technologies, the world's largest social media screening company and leaders in the application of artificial intelligence technology in background screening services, is pleased to announce the appointment of a new member to its Board of Directors, along with the hiring of a new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Joining the Fama Board of Directors is Danielle Brown, who currently serves as Chief People Officer at Gusto, a Human Resource Management (HRM) software company based in San Francisco. Prior to joining Gusto, Danielle held leadership roles at two of Silicon Valley's most well known firms: Google (News - Alert) and Intel Corporation. It's an honor to join the Board of Directors of Fama. As a Chief People Officer, I know firsthand that attracting and retaining great talent is one of the most important ingredients of a successful, mission-driven company. Ensuring that talent is aligned with your mission and values, and will foster a culture of inclusion and respect, is key. Fama has a great product and leadership team to help bring insight and intelligence to the talent acquisition process." Brendten Eickstaedt also joins Fama as Chief Technology Officer, tasked with overseeing the growing engineering & product teams that help support over 700 clients in 18 countries across the globe. "In Fama, I have found a company with a mission I believe in: ensuring every workplace is a safe and healthy place in which all employees can grow and thrive, free from toxicity and negativity. By combining advanced AI to sift through and classify massive amounts of public data, and combining it with human judgment to determine what matters and what doesn't, Fama's platform provides the missing tools needed to build a complete picture of any company's job candidates. The team is smart, dedicated, and fun. And we're focused every day on bringing these invaluable insights to the hiring process everywhere. I'm thrilled to be joining this team, and this mission, as the new CTO!" View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005554/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Online bankers Simple and Azlo will close their Portland offices and lay off a combined 159 employees over the next five months as the businesses shut down as part of their parent banks sale process. Simple, one of Portlands most prominent tech businesses for the past decade, announced in a mandatory state filing on Friday that it would lay off approximately 37 employees between April 2 and 16 as it shuts down its Portland office. In a separate notice, Azlo announced it would lay off approximately 122 employees. Those layoffs will take place between April and June as the company closes its Portland office, according to the notice. The layoffs will involve some employees who work outside Portland, the companies said. BBVA USA notified customers and employees in early January that it would be closing its Ventures units and today, certain employees in these units were notified that they will be displaced in the coming months, said a spokesperson for BBVA, the parent company of the two online banks. In November, BBVA announced it would sell its U.S. business to PNC Financial Services Group for $11.6 billion. As part of the sale, the company announced earlier this month that it would shut down Simple and Azlo. BBVA will no longer operate in Portland after Simple and Azlo shut down, according to a company spokesman. PNC has a corporate banking presence in Portland, the spokesman said. Founded in 2009, Simple sought to position itself as a contrast to the greedy financial institutions that triggered the Great Recession. It organized around a straightforward principle: We dont suck. The company moved from Brooklyn to Portland two years after its founding and instantly became one of the citys most prominent tech businesses. But the company struggled to find its footing after selling to BBVA for $117 million in 2014. BBVA said earlier this month that Simple had 220 staff members, with 80% in the Northwest. A spokesman for BBVA said there may be some opportunities for employees to continue on with BBVA and PNC. Mike Rogoway of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report. -- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com | @jamiebgoldberg WhatsApp could soon face a much larger fine than Twitters 450,000 penalty in December, the deputy Irish Data Protection Commission has said. John ODwyers remarks come amid European media reports that the Facebook-owned messaging app will incur a fine of between 30m and 50m from Irelands regulator. Speaking at a Trinity College Dublin event to mark International Data Protection Day 2021, Deputy Commissioner ODwyer said WhatsApp may be facing a heftier fine than Twitter because of the nature of the case. He declined to offer more detail about any potential upcoming sanction. Earlier this week, the online publication Politico cited unnamed European officials who claimed the DPCs draft decision envisaged a fine of between 30m and 50m. Helen Dixons office came to a preliminary decision on the WhatsApp case in 2020, forwarding it to other European data protection authorities last month. The case, one of 27 investigations into big tech firms currently under way at Irelands privacy watchdog, concerns levels of transparency around what information is shared between WhatsApp and Facebook. This remains a controversial issue, with WhatsApp losing over 20m users in recent weeks due to its declared intention of sharing more user data with Facebook for users outside the European Union. The tech giant has been forced into delaying the move, which is being planned to integrate WhatsApp more closely with Facebooks overall advertising business model. Read More Nevertheless, the prospect of the app, which remains an encrypted service with minimal data connections to Facebooks other services, sharing more personal information has scared a number of users into choosing rival services such as Signal. In its financial earnings report in December, Facebook revealed that it has set aside over 300m against regulatory fines in Europe this year, most of which are expected to come from Irelands DPC. Before Christmas, Ms Dixons office handed out its first major GDPR fine to a big tech firm based here. The 450,000 penalty for Twitter was criticised as being too small by officials in other European regulatory bodies. However, Irish authorities say that the measure was proportionate to an incident where Twitter missed its 48-hour deadline to inform the DPC about a data breach. Facebook is facing challenges to its business model on multiple fronts. In addition to more than 10 separate regulatory investigations from Irelands DPC under GDPR, Apples updated iPhone operating system will give almost a billion smartphone users much tighter control over what personal data apps such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram are allowed to track across the internet. Unsettled by the Apple move, Facebook is reportedly preparing an anti-trust case in the US, arguing that Apple is unfairly restricting apps such as Facebook while giving its own apps more leeway. While the company revealed higher-than-expected quarterly revenue and profits this week, its share price fell on warnings from CEO Mark Zuckerberg that its advertising model faced new regulatory and competitive barriers. PITTSBURGH, Jan. 29, 2021 - A study led by UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine shows that Black children are 18% less likely to get imaging tests as part of their emergency department visit compared to White children. Hispanic children are 13% less likely to have imaging done than Whites. The researchers suggest that this disparity results from overuse in White children, though underuse in minority children probably plays a part as well. The root cause likely stems from both patient preferences and implicit bias among providers. "Something else is going on here that's beyond the clinical, that's beyond the diagnoses," said study lead author Jennifer Marin, M.D., M.Sc., associate professor of pediatrics, emergency medicine and radiology at Pitt, and medical director of point-of-care ultrasound at UPMC Children's Hospital. "Cultural factors that come with people's race, gender, religion, etc., should not be associated with testing when getting that test is clearly not beneficial to the patient and potentially harmful." The study, published today in JAMA Network Open, used pediatric emergency department billing data from 52 hospitals across 27 states plus the District of Columbia from 2016 to 2019 to measure racial disparities across all types of diagnostic imaging. This is the largest, broadest study of its kind to date. Even after controlling for confounding factors, such as health insurance, diagnosis and household income, the data showed that doctors were ordering significantly fewer imaging tests for Black and Hispanic children than for White children. The effect was even stronger among patients who weren't admitted to the hospital--suggesting they weren't severely injured or sick. While the data cannot distinguish between a test that was warranted and a test that wasn't, prior research has shown examples of more frequent imaging in White children compared to other races, with no differences in clinical outcomes. The researchers suspect that the differences they see in testing are largely driven by unnecessary testing among Whites. That's a concern because some forms of imaging, specifically CT scans and X-rays, expose children to radiation, which likely increases their cancer risk. "An unnecessary CT at five years old is not the same as an unnecessary CT at 70 years old," Marin said. "If you think of it in terms of lifetime risk, a five-year-old has 80-ish years to go on and develop malignancy, versus a 70-year-old who only has 15 years." False positives and waste in medical spending also are concerning when tests are being ordered unnecessarily. "We may get an image and the radiologist may see something--and that something may not be of clinical significance--then the child has to be subjected to downstream testing and monitoring," Marin said. "That's an added burden and stress on the family and added cost on the health care system." ### Additional authors on the study include Jonathan Rodean, M.P.P., and Matt Hall, Ph.D., of Children's Hospital Association; Elizabeth Alpern, M.D., M.S.C.E., of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Paul Aronson, M.D., M.H.S., of Yale School of Medicine; Pradip Chaudhari, M.D., of Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Keck School of Medicine of the USC; Eyal Cohen, M.D., M.Sc., of the Hospital for Sick Children; Stephen Freedman, M.D.C.M., M.Sc., of Alberta Children's Hospital; Rustin Morse, M.D., M.M.M., of Nationwide Children's Hospital; Alon Peltz, M.D., M.B.A., of Harvard Medical School; Margaret Samuels-Kalow, M.D., M.Phil., M.S.H.P., of Massachusetts General Hospital; Samir Shah, M.D., M.S.C.E., of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Harold Simon, M.D., M.B.A., of Emory University School of Medicine; and Mark Neuman, M.D., M.P.H., of Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Additional Contact: Andrea Kunicky Mobile: 412-552-7448 E-mail: KunickyA@upmc.edu To read this release online or share it, visit http://www. upmc. com/ media/ news/ 012921-Marin-Imaging-Racial-Disparities [when embargo lifts]. About UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Regionally, nationally, and globally, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh is a leader in the treatment of childhood conditions and diseases, a pioneer in the development of new and improved therapies, and a top educator of the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists. With generous community support, UPMC Children's Hospital has fulfilled this mission since its founding in 1890. UPMC Children's is recognized consistently for its clinical, research, educational, and advocacy-related accomplishments, including ranking in the top 10 on the 2020-2021 U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll of America's Best Children's Hospitals. UPMC Children's also ranks 15th among children's hospitals and schools of medicine in funding for pediatric research provided by the National Institutes of Health (FY2019). About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support. Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see http://www. medschool. pitt. edu . Former Vice President Mike Pence departs after the inauguration of President Joe Biden on 20 January, 2021 (Getty Images) Former Vice-President Mike Pence has reportedly been spotted vacationing in the Virgin Islands following a tense final few weeks in office and a rumoured fall out with Donald Trump. According to The Virgin Islands Daily News, Mr Pence was seen on Wednesday at the Seaside Market in Christiansted on the island of St Croix. While details of the holiday are limited due to security reasons, St Croix Administrator Sammuel Sanes reportedly confirmed the Wednesday trip to The Daily News. The duration of the vacation and any other destinations could not be confirmed by Mr Sanes or Government House spokesperson Richard Motta Jr, the outlet said. Mr Pences vacation comes just over a week after he officially handed the vice-presidency over to Kamala Harris and the Joe Biden administration on Inauguration Day on 20 January. Reports of the holiday come after the former vice-president endured a testing last few weeks in office after a bust-up with Mr Trump over his role in the electoral college certification and the Capitol riots. In a last-ditch bid to overturn Joe Bidens 2020 election win, Mr Trump appealed to Mr Pence to block the certification of the win, something which he did not have the constitutional power to do. Mr Pence was presiding over a joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 presidential election results when pro-Trump rioters, spurred on by Mr Trump, stormed the Capitol. Rioters, some of whom chanted "Where's Mike Pence?" and "Hang Mike Pence!", came as close as 100 feet from the then vice president, who was forced into hiding during the siege. Following the riot, there were multiple reports that Mr Pence and Mr Trump had fallen out, with Mr Pence choosing to attend Mr Bidens inauguration over Mr Trumps sendoff at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. The former vice president also posted a farewell message on Twitter with a number of pictures, none of which included the president. The rumoured rift comes after Mr Pence stood up for the president even during his greatest public controversies. On 11 January the two men were said to have pledged to continue to work together for "the remainder of their term. Story continues Mr Pence reportedly does not have a permanent place to live since leaving his official residence at the US Naval Observatory in Washington but is intending to move back to Indiana, where he was formerly governor. Read More Pence homeless after leaving office, couch-surfing in Indiana Mike Pence adviser claims she was told to spy on Deborah Birx Pence says hes leaving DC in emotional farewell speech This is the official home of the Vice President Pence posts four pictures in Twitter farewell none of them of Trump The investment app Robinhood was issued a class-action lawsuit Thursday morning by an investor from Massachusetts for randomly pulling a profitable stock from its platform. Users of the subreddit WallStreetBets organized a mass buying of Gamestop stock this week to effectively facilitate a massive transfer of wealth from Wall Street hedge funds to the people. However, Robinhood banned the purchase of GME (Gamestop) stock Thursday morning along with several others which Reddit users had targeted including AMC, BB (Blackberry), and Nokia in a move many are calling illegal market manipulation. For most of the year, one share of GME was worth about $5-20 per share. On Wednesday, the stock jumped from $132.33 to $310.69 overnight, eventually briefly reaching an all-time high of 467.50 Thursday morning. After the ban, GME dropped to a low of $132 before closing out at $216.60. After hours trading shows a slight increase to roughly $260. Robinhood essentially abandoned its customers altogether by pulling GME, a standard of care so far below what is required for a business engaging in time sensitive trading services that it amounts to a complete abandonment of its duties, says the complaint. Robinhood notified users Wednesday that market volatility made AMC and GME stocks risky, but did not notify users that it would be restricting transactions of those stocks until Thursday morning in a blog post. According to documents obtained by TMZ, a Robinhood user from Illinois is suing the company for damages as well, alleging that they continued to allow investment in these securities by institutional investors who have benefited from the stoppage of retail investment while barring everyday users from the trade. Users of the WallStreetBets subreddit have been discussing a larger class-action lawsuit against the investment firm after the GME ban affected millions of users. Robinhood users are also reporting that the brokerage app has sold shares of their GME stock without their consent. In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Robinhood announced that it will begin allowing limited buys of GME stock starting Friday morning. Starting tomorrow, we plan to allow limited buys of these securities. Well continue to monitor the situation and may make adjustments as needed. To be clear, this was a risk-management decision, and was not made on the direction of the market makers we route to. We stand in support of our customers and the freedom of retail investors to shape their own financial future. Democratizing finance has been our guiding star since our earliest days. We will continue to build products that give more peoplenot feweraccess to our financial system. Robinhood This is not the first time Robinhood has been in the midst of legal trouble. In December of 2020, the company was fined $65 million by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for misleading its customers as to how it made revenue from their trades. Robinhood is now fully transparent in our communications with customers about our current revenue streams, said a company spokesperson. A lawsuit was also filed one day prior against the company for targeting young and inexperienced investors with frequent, risky, and unsuitable trading as well as failing to implement policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent and respond to outages and disruptions on its trading platforms. This is no longer about money; its about sending a message, one Reddit user exclaimed. About the Author Phillip Schneider is a staff writer for Waking Times and Blacklisted News. If you want to see more of his work, you can like his Facebook Page, follow him on the free speech social network Minds, or become a contributor via Patreon. This article (Investors Issue Class-Action Lawsuits Against Robinhood Over Gamestop Stock Trading Ban) originally appeared at Phillip Schneider and may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author credit, and this copyright statement. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Nearly 136,000 people flew into Ireland during December and arrivals into the country jumped by almost 60% on November, as the third wave of the Covid-19 virus took off in Ireland. New Central Statistics Office figures show that flights into Ireland represented the bulk of travel into Ireland during the last month of 2016. The remainder of the 164,400 arrived by sea into the country. The figures show that arrivals were 89% down on December 2019 when more than 1.3 million entered the country. The figures also show that more people left Ireland than arrived in the country around Christmas. Nearly 179,000 went abroad as the third wave of infections began to emerge. Of these, 156,000 left by plane. As restrictions eased with the lifting of the Level 5 October to December restrictions, the CSO says overseas travel to and from Ireland increased in December 2020. The figures show that over 65,000 people arrived from Britain in December as the UK variant had been shown to be more infectious than the original strain. MORE BELOW TABLE The CSO says December's figures compare with 103,900 arrivals and 96,800 departures in November 2020, increases of 58.3% and 84.7% respectively. Apart from the UK, the CSO says that of those arriving in Ireland, 79,100 (48.1%) by continental routes, 11,700 (7.1%) by transatlantic routes and 8,500 (5.1%) by other overseas routes. The corresponding figures for those departing Ireland were 54,800 (30.6%), 107,100 (59.9%), 7,900 (4.4%) and 9,100 (5.1%) respectively. The CSO says the most important staging countries for persons travelling overseas to Ireland were Great Britain (65,100), the Netherlands (14,700) and Spain (13,100). The most important staging countries for persons travelling overseas from Ireland were Great Britain (54,800), Spain (19,200) and Poland (17,200). In the year 2020, 4,460,200 persons arrived in Ireland from overseas and 4,452,600 persons departed. These represent decreases of 77.9% and 78.0% respectively compared to 2019. The Government has introduced new restrictions on travel in 2021. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Vaccine appointments remain limited in Kent County, but health officials are working to notify people as soon as they have availability. Vaccination eligibility continues to be for only healthcare workers, staff and residents at long-term care facilities, essential workers and first responders, and residents who are 65 or older. Residents have a number of ways to register online and be notified when appointments open up. Residents can visit https://www.spectrumhealth.org/wmvaccineclinic to schedule an appointment for vaccination at the large-scale clinic at DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. in Grand Rapids. Those not able to use the internet to register can call 833-755-0696. The clinic is a partnership between the Kent County Health Department, Spectrum Health and Mercy Health, and officials aim to administer up to 20,000 doses a day there when vaccine supplies increase. For vaccinations by the Kent County Health Department, the department is now having residents take an eligibility survey at this web page, https://accesskent.com/Health/covid-19-vaccine-registration.htm. Following the survey, health department staff will call as soon as an appointment is available to schedule. However, this could take several weeks. Those needing help with the survey can call 616-326-6992. RELATED: 9% of Michigan adults vaccinated against COVID-19 so far; see numbers in your county For Spectrum Health, residents can complete a vaccination eligibility questionnaire online via MyChart and be notified when appointments become available. Spectrum has a web page detailing that process here: https://www.spectrumhealth.org/covid19/covid-19-vaccine. For Metro Health University of Michigan Health, residents can schedule appointments online via MyChart or by calling Metro Healths call center at 616-252-6161. This web page details the MyChart process: https://metrohealth.net/about/covid-19-updates/vaccination/vaccine-distribution/. People can also phone the call center for assistance. Mercy Health in Grand Rapids currently does not have any available appointments nor a way to register online. In Ottawa County, people can register for vaccination at this web page: https://ottawacounty.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9NX1bJKKwiiIMMl. The page also includes a form for businesses considered essential to request vaccination clinics for their employees. For North Ottawa Community Health System, access details at https://hipaa.jotform.com/210114456466047. Those needing help can call 2-1-1. Meijer stores also are beginning to administer vaccines. For details, visit https://clinic.meijer.com. Interested individuals can also call their local Meijer pharmacy to get on a waiting list. Read more: Single-dose COVID-19 vaccine could be 85% effective, available next month Michigan regulators approve Enbridge Line 5 tunnel permits Michigans COVID-19 restrictions during holidays likely prevented about 109,000 cases, 2,800 deaths A satellite photo taken just before 2 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday shows a huge vapor plume stretching from the central Pacific to the California coast. (NOAA and Los Angeles Times) An atmospheric river a plume of moisture that has been likened to a river in the sky has brought heavy precipitation to the Central Coast. Now it will sag southward and bring rain and mountain snow to Southern California on Thursday night into Friday morning, the National Weather Service said. How much rain can such a system produce? Some locations in San Luis Obispo County have received 13 or 14 inches what the weather service has called "epic amounts of rainfall." The front and the moisture plume associated with it will be weaker and will be accompanied by strong south to southeast winds when they arrive in the Los Angeles region. What are atmospheric rivers? Atmospheric rivers are concentrated streams of water vapor in the middle and lower levels of the atmosphere. They're like a continuous channel of moisture streaming across the ocean without interruption until they encounter an obstacle such as the coast ranges in California. These obstacles force the stream to start shedding its burden of moisture. Some atmospheric rivers are weak and produce beneficial rain, and some are larger and more powerful, causing extreme rainfall, floods and mudslides. On average, 30% to 50% of the West Coast's annual precipitation comes from a few atmospheric rivers each year. In L.A. it doesnt rain or drizzle every day during the winter like it does in Seattle, said climatologist Bill Patzert. Heavy rain comes in five, six or seven events. There are usually less than 20 days of rain, and less than 10 days of significant rain each season. Atmospheric rivers are roughly 500 miles wide and can transport water at a rate per second equivalent to 25 Mississippi Rivers or 2.5 Amazon Rivers, according to Marty Ralph, an expert on atmospheric rivers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Atmospheric rivers lift up and over mountain ranges, dropping their moisture. (Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times) When this atmospheric stream, bloated with moisture as it is, meets California's mountainous coastal topography, it is forced up and over the higher terrain. This is called orographic lift. The moist air plume cools as it gains altitude, and the moisture condenses, falling as rain. Story continues Mountain slopes facing the ocean and directly into the oncoming atmospheric river of moisture tend to receive the heaviest rain, while some areas such as San Jose and parts of the Salinas Valley, for example, will be in the rain shadow of these mountains and will receive less as a result. An atmospheric river hitting the Central Coast will continue across the Central Valley and climb the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. These peaks are so high and give the atmospheric river such a workout that almost all the rest of the moisture is wrung out of it, leaving the mountains smothered in a blanket of snow because of the cold at that high altitude. The Great Basin beyond the Sierra is largely left in a gigantic rain shadow. A look at the map shows that California's deserts are a product of mountain ranges, including the Transverse Ranges in the south, that starve inland areas of a moist flow off the ocean. The mountain snowpacks serve as the state's water bank under good conditions, and the snow gradually melts through the warm months, replenishing streams and reservoirs. Storms such as these are driven by an upper-level low-pressure system dropping south and often setting up off the Pacific Northwest. These low systems have counterclockwise circulation that will pull a plume of extremely moist air toward the California Coast, creating an atmospheric river. Sometimes the moisture is tropical, originating near the Hawaiian Islands. As a result of its origin, such systems will be warmer, causing snow levels to be higher. An atmospheric river such as this is popularly known as a "Pineapple Express." "All Pineapple Expresses are atmospheric rivers, but not all atmospheric rivers are Pineapple Expresses," said Drew Peterson, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Monterey. Forecasters expressed special concern about debris flows in the scars left by the Bobcat, Lake and Ranch2 fires. (Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times) Why is there concern for the recent burn scars? In the case of the current atmospheric river event, forecasters have expressed particular concern about heavy rain causing debris flows in burn scars left by the Bobcat, Lake and Ranch2 fires. Although rainfall amounts are expected to be lower than those on the Central Coast this week, they could still be substantial in the L.A. region, and short-duration intensity could be a problem at higher elevations, especially with downpours from thunderstorms. "Thunderstorm potential is fairly low and will likely be delayed until tonight and Friday when the colder unstable air moves over the area," Eric Boldt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, said Thursday. But massive amounts of rain arent needed to create a dangerous situation. For example, the Montecito mudslide in Santa Barbara County on Jan. 9, 2018, following the Thomas fire, occurred after only about a half-inch of rain. But that rain fell in about 5 minutes, and produced debris flows 15 feet high. The moisture plume coming from the south this time will be perpendicular to the region's Transverse Ranges, mountains such as the San Gabriels, that run west to east. These are geologically relatively new mountain ranges that are high and rise abruptly, forcing the moisture plume in the lower and middle levels of the atmosphere to rise quickly, enhancing the rainfall. This lifting effect means that mountains wring out the maximum moisture on the areas blackened and denuded by recent fires the worst possible place for heavy rain to fall. Hundreds of canyons and arroyos line the San Gabriel Range from the San Fernando Valley to the Inland Empire. Intense rains are rapidly funneled by these features, carrying mud and debris into vulnerable foothill communities below the burn scars. Brief downpours can be dangerous, and residents living near the burn scars should always be alert for quickly changing conditions and follow evacuation orders. "As the storm approaches, those living below the burn areas in the San Gabriel Mountains have mudslides on their minds because of the Los Angeles region's long history of punishing floods and debris flows," said Patzert. "The mudslides can't be predicted, but they can be anticipated. Since the most intense rainfall will occur overnight, Angelenos in threatened locales need to keep vigilant. "After almost 10 months of record-breaking drought, heat and fires, mudslides after heavy rains are almost inevitable," said Patzert. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Regulators authorized AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population. The European Medicines Agency licensed the vaccine to be used in people 18 and over, though concerns had been raised this week that not enough data exist to prove it works in older people. The shot is the third COVID-19 vaccine given the greenlight by the European Medicines Agency, after ones made by Pfizer and Moderna. Both were authorized for all adults. The decision requires final approval from the European Commission, a process that occurred swiftly with the other vaccines. There are not yet enough results in older participants (over 55 years old) to provide a figure for how well the vaccine will work in this group, the regulator said, but added that protection is expected, given that an immune response is seen in this age group and based on experience with other vaccines. EMAs scientific experts considered that the vaccine can be used in older adults, the agency 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 Many countries on the continent have been struggling to vaccinate people as quickly as Britain, Israel, the U.S. and elsewhere, and it was long hoped that the AstraZeneca shot would help speed things up. On top of the recent news that the drugmaker would supply fewer doses in an initial batch, there were concerns that an age restriction would further hamper Europes vaccination program. Some doctors also feared restricting the vaccines use in older people might worsen the pandemics impact, since older people have suffered more severe disease and died at a higher rate from the coronavirus. But in its decision Friday, the European agency said the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed with Oxford University, would be recommended for use all adults. While the AstraZeneca vaccine has been authorized for all adults in other countries, only 12% of the participants in its research were over 55 and they were enrolled later, so there hasnt been enough time to get results. In its decision on Friday, the EMA assessed four trials in the U.K., Brazil and South Africa. The agency said the research showed the vaccine proved to be about 60% effective by reducing the number of people who got sick. The trials have not yet shown whether the vaccine can stop disease transmission. The EU bet heavily on the AstraZeneca shot, which is cheaper and easier to handle than some other vaccines, with orders for 300 million doses to be delivered after authorization and options for another 100 million doses. It's especially critical given the bloc's difficulties rolling out vaccinations at a time when countries face surging cases in a pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 400,000 people in the 27-nation bloc. While politicians have blamed supply problems for the slow rollout, other factors, like onerous paperwork and poor planning, have also played a role. The EU has particularly lashed out at AstraZeneca after the drugmaker said it would supply less vaccine in a first batch than originally anticipated. Further raising concerns about supplies to the bloc, which is home to some 450 million people, Moderna told countries including Italy and Denmark the company would be delivering fewer vaccines than originally expected. Jens Spahn, the German health minister, said Friday he understood many were waiting impatiently for the vaccine, but cautioned that several hard weeks of vaccine shortage still lie before us. On Thursday, a draft recommendation from Germanys vaccination advisory committee said the AstraZeneca vaccine should only be given to people aged 18-64 for now. Britains medicines regulatory agency also acknowledged the limited data in older people but still cleared the shot last month for all adults, with some caution for pregnant women. Julian Tang, a virologist at the University of Leicester, said he thought any recommendation to limit the vaccines use to people under 65 was understandable, but overly cautious. He said that although data on the vaccines effectiveness in older populations was limited, it was reasonable to extrapolate that it would help protect older people against COVID-19. The vaccine clearly offers some protection and since the older 65s are your most vulnerable population, Id think you want to get some vaccine into them sooner rather than later, he said. If Europe and the Germans want to be nitpicky, they can restrict its use, but I think giving older people this vaccine is better than nothing. The AstraZeneca shot is the third COVID-19 vaccine to be given the greenlight by the EMA, after ones made by Pfizer and Moderna. Those were authorized for all adults and trials showed they provided more protection, with roughly 95% efficacy rates. Two more vaccine makers also recently announced results, with Novavax saying this week that its shot appears 89% effective based on early findings and Johnson & Johnson saying its long-awaited single-shot vaccine was 66% effective at preventing moderate to severe illness. If those vaccines are eventually licensed, that could help alleviate the pressure on the world's huge demand for the limited shots currently available. The authorization of the AstraZeneca vaccine comes amid a bitter dispute between the drugmaker and the bloc after the company said it would sharply reduce initial deliveries from 80 million doses to 31 million. Amid fears doses from AstraZeneca could be diverted outside the bloc, EU officials are expected to propose measures Friday that could be used to block vaccine shipments to non-EU countries. In France, some elderly citizens getting a COVID-19 shot said younger people should be prioritized instead. Are we looking at this wrong way round?" asked Pierre-Antoine Lafortune, an 86-year-old who got a dose of a vaccine in Paris on Friday. "Im getting vaccinated, but I think of our youths and how they can catch the virus, and its a pity that people in the prime of life cant get immunity like us. The AstraZeneca vaccine has already been authorized in several countries, including Britain, India, Argentina and Mexico. The World Health Organization is also reviewing it; a recommendation from the U.N. health agency would allow its purchase and distribution to developing countries from a global program known as COVAX. State land commissioners voted 4-1 Thursday to lease 4,804 acres south of Laramie for a wind farm, rebuffing neighbors protest that up to 151 windmills as high as 675 feet would mar a natural and heritage-rich landscape. The 40-year deal with ConnectGen would be part of a larger 26,000-acre development, 80% of which would be on private land. ConnectGen estimates the entire project will generate $45 million for the state and $131 million for Albany County for a total of $176 million over the life of the project. The leases themselves would bring about $21 million over 40 years, hearing attendees said. The sprawling proposal around Tie Siding a tiny community 18 miles south of Laramie proposes 60 miles of new roads plus 105 miles of electrical collection lines, some of them on 50-foot poles, and substations. The Tie Siding project would build 16 or so rows of turbines a half mile apart on large blocks of rolling sagebrush land stretching 10 miles north from the Colorado border and 10 miles east-west. The Rail Tie Wind Project boundaries are within two miles of Interstate 80. Project critics say the area a mix of private and state-owned land is the citys best option for the kind of high-end residential development needed to attract University of Wyoming faculty and upscale business employees. The project would hurt tourism, harm property values, bother wildlife and degrade scenery, critics say, including at the historic Ames Monument, which marks the highest point on the first railroad across the country. I will be moving if this project moves forward, area resident Kirk Stone told the board. The State Board of Land Commissioners a panel made up of Wyomings governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor and superintendent of public instruction heard conflicting information from supporters and critics regarding their duty as managers of school trust land, dedicated at statehood to benefit schools and several other state institutions. The board does not have a duty to lease the land, said Mitchell Edwards, an attorney who said he represented more than 60 landowners fighting the project. But State Superintendent Jillian Balow said it is her duty to lease the land for the student beneficiaries and that the project represents the greatest benefit for this land at this time. State Treasurer Curt Meier cast his dissenting vote because of landowner complaints, the potential for new wind development guidelines and future options that might hold more appeal. I think were better off to keep our powder dry and look at a more lucrative project in future years, he said. The board decided the project poses no substantive impairment to existing agricultural and grazing leases on the state property, a necessary finding for the wind leases to advance. State lands director Jenifer Scoggin recommended approval of the deal. Auditor Kristi Racines, Gov. Mark Gordon and Secretary of State Ed Buchanan joined Balow in the majority vote. Quantum Energy Partners, a Houston-based energy investment company, owns the ConnectGen family of corporations, which were established in 2018. The 504-megawatt Rail Tie installation would connect to an existing transmission line owned by the Western Area Power Administration, Platte River Power Authority and the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Authority. WAPA is preparing an environmental impact statement on the plan, an examination critics said should have been completed before the state committed its property. WAPA has said the wind farm is located in a sparsely populated area [with a] relatively low probability of substantial natural resources conflicts. Commissioners heard supporters and critics opposing views on how state action would affect ConnectGens plans. State rejection would stall the plan, some said, while others warned that Wyomings land would become unused islands in an otherwise profitable venture if land commissioners decided not to lease. Rail Tie could be operational by the end of 2022, ConnectGen states in project descriptions. Laramie County School District 1 trustee Marguerite Herman told the land board its fiduciary responsibilities lay with the schools. This is not public land, she said, its trust land. Area residents criticized the industrialization of the landscape, saying the larger, new generation turbines whose blades reach up to 675 above the ground are on the scale of Devils Tower. Proposed 6-megawatt turbines would come within 200 feet of the 867-foot height of that igneous butte, area resident Jennifer Kirchhoefer wrote the land board. Wyomings Capitol building measures 146 feet from grade to spire. The tallest building in the state White Hall at the University of Wyoming is 200 feet high. One commenter said the tall turbines and their blades would be 73% higher than conventional windmills that reach to 390 feet. Pearl Gabel Kivvit has hired Pearl Gabel, Jersey Governor Phil Murphys digital maven, as director of brand strategy and integration. She is known for an innovative and witty approach to social media. After kicking off New Jerseys official Twitter site in 2019, Gabel responded to the question, Who let New Jersey have a Twitter?, with, Your Mom. That tweet generated 475K likes and global media attention. For three years, Pearl Gabel has worked tirelessly to transform our social media and digital presence making it more accessible, more engaging, and more Jersey, said Murphy in a statement. Pearl is nothing short of an extraordinary professional, and her creativity has been an incredible asset to my administration. Before crossing the Hudson, Gabel was New York mayor Bill DeBlasios director of video. She has worked as writer, photographer and video producer for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Daily News, NBC News, and Reuters. Kivvit has offices in Asbury Park, New York City, Chicago, Washington D.C., Miami and Boston. Kivvit ranked No. 15 on ODwyers rankings of independent PR firms with $33M fees in 2019. SPRINGFIELD After hearing constant complaints from older people who are eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine but cannot navigate the states website to make an appointment, city librarians and the Department of Elder Affairs are coming to the rescue. This week the state announced the second phase of vaccinations will begin on Feb. 1 for people who are 75 and older but they required eligible residents to make appointments online. Those who do not have computer access or have limited computer skills are frustrated and angered with the process. The city library and the Department of Elder Affairs will now be available by phone to assist people who are 65 and older to make appointments for vaccinations to prevent COVID-19 that are taking place at the Eastfield Mall, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said. People who need assistance should call between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. The hours on Wednesday are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday hours include: Central Library 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm; East Forest Park, Forest Park, East Springfield, Indian Orchard, Mason Square and Sixteen Acres 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 pm. The Brightwood and Pine Point branches will not be open on Saturdays. Offices are closed on Sunday. People can call the following library locations for assistance: East Forest Park Branch at 413-263-6836; Forest Park Branch at 413-263-6843; East Springfield Branch: 413-263-6840; Brightwood Branch: 413-263-6805; Central Library: 413-263-6828 ext. 215; Indian Orchard Branch at 413-263-6846; Mason Square Branch at 413-263-6853; Sixteen Acres Branch at 413-263-6858. The Pine Point Branch will not be taking calls. Seniors can also contact the Raymond A. Jordan Senior Center between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday at 413-787-6785. Officials ask callers to be prepared to leave a message with their name and phone number so that a staff member can call the resident back in case there is no immediate availability. In Chicopee, staff at the RiverMills Senior Center is also assisting people who need help to make an appointment. People can call 413-534-3698 for assistance in navigating the website, Mayor John L. Vieau said. People will be asked for the following information and should have it available before calling: They will have to give their name, birthdate, address, phone number (preferably a mobile number), email address if they have one, their insurance information and a sense of their upcoming schedule so they can pick the best date and time for an appointment, Sarno said. The COVID-19 pandemic has stretched the resources of the public health infrastructure nationwide and here in the City of Springfield. It is critical that we work collaboratively to meet the needs of our residents especially our seniors. I am grateful to the Departments of Elder Affairs and the library system for their critical role in helping to make vaccine help available to one of our most underserved populations, said Helen Caulton-Harris, Health and Human Services Commissioner. While thankful that the governors office has agreed to open a vaccination site at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield, Sarno said he has talked to Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito about improving the registration process to sign up for vaccinations, which is frustrating residents across the state. State Sen. Eric Lesser is also calling for the state to set up a phone registration system. But in the meantime, Sarno said he worked with Library Director Molly Fogarty and Elder Affairs Director Sandy Federico to ensure city residents would not have to wait if they cannot navigate the states website. He reminded residents the librarians will not be able to give any medical advice about the vaccines when they help people register. I moved forward...to establish our own assistance system to help our senior citizens sign up and troubleshoot any issues they may have right now, he said. Related Content: KALAMAZOO, MI A protest at a vacant building in Kalamazoo Friday ended after both police and residents of a nearby homeless encampment asked protesters to leave the property. The group of about a dozen people stood outside a brick building near the corner of Mills and Cleveland streets in Kalamazoo on the afternoon of Friday, Jan. 29. A large red banner that read, Its vacant, take it was hung on the building. Another read eviction = death. All of the those standing outside the building declined to give their names. An Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officer initially told the protesters that anyone who had been inside the vacant building would be detained. Minutes later, the officer told those gathered they were free to leave, but warning them to stay off the property. Protesters said the group that gathered there Friday is called No one needs to sleep outside Kzoo. A news release circulated on social media said the protest was to hold local government accountable for neglect and ineptitude in regards to finding permanent and emergency shelter for houseless people during a pandemic, economic crisis and plummeting winter temperatures. Related: Kalamazoo encampment wont be counted in HUDs annual homeless survey City Manager Jim Ritsema said KDPS responded to 20 Mills St. and helped vacate and secure the building. We are working closely with our partners, including the Continuum of Care, to determine short and long-term housing options for our citys vulnerable homeless population, Ritsema said. Police were not the only ones who wanted the protestors to leave. Several people who live outdoors, in camps near the vacant building, said the protesters were attracting unwanted attention. Some residents of the encampment yelled at the protesters to leave. The adjacent encampment is the site where propane tanks exploded Sunday. The building in question, formerly owned by Merchant Publishing Co., was transferred to Kalamazoo County Land Bank ownership in 2015, according to county property records. Chad Johnson of Community Outreach Prevention & Education (COPE) Network said he asks people not to show up at the site where people are living outdoors in tents and other makeshift homes. Youre basically rolling up on these peoples front porch and its overwhelming for them, Johnson said, while joining those asking the protesters to leave. Their intent was good, Johnson told the protesters, though he criticized their actions. He said they broke into the building, after people living at the site had left it alone. The group needs and appreciates donations, he said, but he asked those who want to give to make them through an established organization such as COPE. Call Johnson at 269-599-4898 to make a donation. Yes, we do need help, Johnson said. But please dont come down here. Read more: Kalamazoo motel being transformed into housing for those with no homes Nonprofit offers gratitude bonus to Kalamazoo-area preschool teachers working through pandemic Kalamazoo craft beverage week begins today A scene from the film, "To All the Boys: Always and Forever" / Courtesy of Netflix By Kwak Yeon-soo Lana Condor, who plays Lara Jean Covey in Netflix's upcoming romantic comedy, "To All the Boys: Always and Forever," described to Korean reporters in a press conference on Friday, how excited she was to travel to South Korea to film part of the third and final installment of the "To All the Boys" series of teen romance films. In "To All the Boys: Always and Forever," protagonist Lara Jean (Condor) enters her final year of high school and starts to plan her future. She is still dating Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) and the two are planning to attend Stanford together. However, Lara Jean becomes interested in moving to New York and must make a choice after discovering she did not get accepted into Stanford. In the press conference, held via Zoom, "To All the Boys" book series author Jenny Han and the cast of the movie discussed filming in Korea, life-changing roles and seeing more Asian American representation in Hollywood. "We visited Seoul about a year and a couple of months ago. I was so excited to be there because it was my first time going, and I'm obsessed with the skincare and makeup of Korean brands," Condor told reporters. "We really had like three sets for the first series. We shot at the house, the diner and the school. Then for the final installment, filming in Korea was a huge moment to see how big our 'To All the Boys' world got. It was one of the highlights of my career." Condor said that although they didn't have much leisure time to experience the city, the actors still got to sightsee as they were shooting iconic locations in Seoul. "Working with the Korean crew and seeing how the set was made both differently and similarly to around the world was a fantastic experience. A specific memory that's in my mind is a scene at the open market (Gwangjang Market). I ate noodle soup and dumplings for eight hours straight," she said. Actors Lana Condor, left, and Noah Centineo in a scene from the film, "To All the Boys: Always and Forever" / Courtesy of Netflix Centineo explained the driving force behind Lara Jean and Peter staying together for such a long time. "Peter finally found a safe haven, which was Lara Jean. When you find your person, your home, you never want to leave that place. We just put that into our characters," he said. He also revealed that starring in the "To All the Boys" film series has completely changed his personal life and acting career. "The insecurity I had in my personal life the way that I looked out for family and friends has become completely different now. The people I get to meet and have discussions with are filmmakers and creatives. The projects that I am considered for have changed since my work in 'To All the Boys.' Now, I am in the position where I get to choose from the stories to tell next, I owe a lot to the film, Jenny and the filmmakers that made it possible." Han recalled that there had been trial and error moments regarding the fact that the main character was Asian American. "Lara Jean is really relatable. People can connect to her because of her warm heart and courageous spirit, I think that's universal," she said. "The reason why it has found its success is that people like to spend their time with characters who are good-hearted. Peter and Lara Jean are essentially good people, and being with them in a warm world is what people want especially today." The author also shared her thoughts on Korean content gaining global attention these days. "I think Korean storytelling is very special. When I watch a Korean drama, it's a totally different experience. The production value and the artistry are high and there's something about it that's very emotional and makes you laugh, cry and fall in love," Han said. "I'm so proud of how it has enchanted the whole world. As a Korean American, I've always been proud of being Korean and loved Korean music. I remember going to Korea when I was 13 years old. Roo'Ra and Kim Gun-mo were popular back in those days. Today we have BTS and BLACKPINK, and the whole world gets to see how amazing the art Korea puts out is." "To All the Boys: Always and Forever" will premiere on Netflix, Feb. 12. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a news conference at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Friday, Jan. 22, 2021. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced stricter restrictions on travelers in response to new, likely more contagious variants of the novel coronavirusincluding making it mandatory for travelers to quarantine in a hotel at their own expense when they arrive in Canada and suspending airline service to Mexico and all Caribbean destinations until April 30. Trudeau said in addition to the pre-boarding test Canada already requires, the government will be introducing mandatory PCR testing at the airport for people returning to Canada. "Travelers will then have to wait for up to three days at an approved hotel for their test results, at their own expense, which is expected to be more than $2,000," Trudeau said. "Those with negative test results will then be able to quarantine at home under significantly increased surveillance and enforcement." He said the measure will be take effect "in the coming weeks." The steep cost for the hotel stay includes the cost for a private PCR test, security, food and the cost of measures the designated hotels will have to take to keep their workers safe. "The cost is a ballparking. This isn't like any other facility. This is one where there has to be infection prevention control measures, security and other costs as well. It's not just a regular stay at a hotel," said Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer. Tam also said a test will be required on the 10th day after people return. The prime minister said those with positive tests will be immediately required to quarantine in designated government facilities to make sure they're not carrying variants of particular concern. Trudeau also said the government and Canada's main airlines have agreed to suspend service to sun destinations right away. He said Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing, and Air Transat are cancelling air service to all Caribbean destinations and Mexico starting Sunday until April 30. "They will be making arrangements with their customers who are currently on a trip in these regions to organize their return flights," Trudeau said. Mexico's Foreign Relations Department said in a statement that "the government of Mexico expresses its hope that the measure recently announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can be withdrawn as soon as possible, in order to avoid a deep economic crisis in the North American Region." Trudeau said starting next week, all international passenger flights to Canada must land at four airports: Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary and Montreal. "We will also, in the coming weeks, be requiring nonessential travelers to show a negative test before entry at the land border with the US, and we are working to stand up additional testing requirements for land travel," Trudeau said. Canada already requires those entering the country to self-isolate for 14 days and to present a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days before arrival. Tam, Canada's top health official, said that security contractors will be going door-to-door to check on returnees who are isolating at home. The move to require a hotel stay upon return would discourage vacations as people would not want to have to quarantine at a hotel at their own expense upon return. "It's excellent. It's a shame it's this late. This is something they could have done ages ago," said Dr. Andrew Morris, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Toronto and the medical director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at Sinai-University Health Network. "This is definitely a step in the right direction." More and more governments are thinking about ways to be more aggressive because of the new variants, delays in vaccines, the challenges with getting the population vaccinated and the strains on health care systems. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said officials have been urging Canadians to cancel all nonessential travel and are trying to eliminate it. "Unfortunately, some are making the choice to engage in nonessential travel. If they are going to make that choice, they should bear the full cost," Blair said. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said his province will begin testing at Toronto's Pearson International Airport on Monday as a stop gap until federal measures are in place. Trudeau also announced there will be a delay in part of the next shipment of the Moderna vaccine, which arrives next week. He said Canada will receive 78% of the expected amount, translating to 180,000 doses. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed 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. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 29 : Prof Akira Miyawaki , the noted botanist from Japan, turns 93 on Friday, but his "Miyawaki model", presented in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), Earth Summit in June 1992, has become a rage in Kerala with the state government and private players developing these forests which could be cultivated even in a small area. In the 1994 Paris climate summit also this proposal was a major hit. It was MR Hari ,Managing Director of Invis multimedia, who set out to meet Prof Akira Miyawaki of the Yokohoma National University in Japan to get a personal feel on this type of forests and to understand about it in person. Kerala now has 1.6 acre land of "Miyawaki model " in the state spread across 10 districts with minimum of 10 cents and maximum of 20 cents of land. Miyawaki who won the "Blue Planet" award - one of the most prestigious awards in environment conservation after accepting the award at the age of 78 has said "I want to cultivate plants and trees for 30 more years, I want to create forests of live and nothing else". The first Miyawaki forest in Kerala became operational three years ago and it was at the property of MR Hari in Puliyarakonam, a 15-km drive from Thiruvananthapuram city. The forest was in 3 cents of plot and in this three cents of land a variety of 500 plants, trees, creepers have formed in this forest. Hari, while speaking to IANS, said: "The trees touched 30 ft in height in three years and I had to prune these trees as their branches could fall in heavy winds and create problems. This is not in line with the Miyawaki idea of not cutting the branches but I had to make certain changes for practical purposes". He further said, "This forest has slowly started growing with insects and large numbers of birds coming in and finding this as their habitat and it's a great feeling. More than that the environment in the surrounding areas has improved much and we could directly feel it". According to the Miyawaki theory, 162 plants can be cultivated in 1 cent of land and these plants will shoot straight up instead of towards side for sunlight. In three years these trees will grow 30 feet, and in 20 years this will have the tone and tenor of a 100-year-old forest. Kerala Tourism has now taken up the project of Miyawaki Forests after the success of Hari's project at Puliyarakonam. A consortium of Natures Green Guardian foundation, Organic Kerala Mission society and Cultural shoppe are promoting Miyawaki forests for state tourism department. Miyawaki forest is one of the flagship programmes of Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K -DISC), a s tate government body. The organisation's first project was in Chalai government girls high school which was implemented on January 29,2020 commemorating the 92 birthday of Akira Miyawaki. In a year ,the area has grown into a good forest. Prof Miyawaki's student, Prof Fujivaro, was present during the planting of the seeds and saplings. K -DISC is now planting Miyawaki forests at 12 places in 10 districts of the state. Shakeela KT, Miyawaki Project Coordinator and Assistant Programme officefr of K- DISC told IANS that the organisation has implemented the project in 12 places in 10 districts in the past one year. "After this we will be monitoring the environmental and climate changes in the area after these forests have come into being and we will be studying in detail on the quality of air in the atmosphere, quantity of oxygen, ground water situation and pollution in water and air." Environmental activists are on cloud nine following the success of Miyawaki forests in the state. Hari, who runs a You Tube channel on Miyawaki Forests, said: "I am receiving two to three enquiries per day from people who are interested to implement the project in their lands. State tourism department is also satisfied that the people of the state are taking up the cause and this could be the best tribute to the great plant botanist on his 93rd birthday." By Wilson Kutamba Police in Masaka District are hunting for unknown people who are circulating leaflets which security say are demeaning the person of President Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni who won January presidential elections. The leaflets dropped on various streets of Masaka City on Wednesday night, have inscriptions 35 years, dictatorship, poverty, extra judicial killings, human rights abuse, nepotism Enough is enough, ekimala Kimala, tosha tosha, with a cancelled portrait of President Museveni . According to Mr Keith Lubega, a mobile money attendant along Edward Avenue in Masaka City, they woke up when the whole city was littered with the leaflets from an anonymous source. Read more: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/masaka-police-investigate-people-dropping-leaflets-castigating-museveni-35-year-rule-3272986 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. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Roaa Ahmed is 18, but shes no stranger to protesting for change. At just 10 years old, she took to the streets with thousands during the Egyptian revolution. Soon after authorities came banging on the door to arrest her teenage brother. We were that type of family where we go and protest; we dont keep silent, she says. The family fled Egypt and arrived in Australia in 2018 where Roaa found herself seeking advice from strangers on the streets of Bankstown. They pointed her to the local library and intensive English centre, which quickly changed her life. Two years later she is fluent in English, scoring top marks and preparing for her HSC at Beverly Hills Girls High School, where she is also on the student representative council. But her lifeline over the past two years has been volunteering with refugees and teaching Arabic each weekend. The beginning of year 11 was a shock and the first term was so bad for me, I gave up on many things. I thought Id go to find a volunteering place, so at least I could help people, she says. I am passionate about helping people. Beverly Hills Girls High School Year 12 student Roaa Ahmed wants to help women who dont have freedom, after living through the Egyptian revolution as a child. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer It gives her much in common with her new classmates in Sydney, who are emerging as a generation intent on making an impact. Their last two years have been rocked by COVID-19, economic uncertainty and the consequences of climate change. Says social analyst Mark McCrindle: Theyve come of age at a time where wellbeing and mental health has been a focus, for good reason. Theres anxiety and a sense of global competition: will I achieve all I should?. Like all young people, the year 12 class of 2021 are keen to tackle the worlds problems. But they value making a difference and finding fulfilment in work more so than the generations before them. [That focus] is a real badge of honour for them. Those insights say a lot of about the emerging leaders they will be, McCrindle says. The new challenges theyre coming up against also beckon new solutions. Theyve recognised that the existing leaders dont have the answers and its going to take a new generation to solve them, McCrindle says. As year 12 students commence their final chapter of school this week, many already have a clear agenda for change in mind. Advertisement Loading Mental health is on the radar for Josh Seward, the school captain of St Augustines College in Brookvale. Mental illness has always been prevalent in his northern beaches community, and even more-so since the pandemic struck. Myself and my leadership team were interested in going a bit further and looking at how we can help our community and age group in the mental health space, he says. The suicides of some year 11 and 12 students in northern Sydney last year sparked fresh concern for young peoples wellbeing. I think those stories and the COVID effect pushed us over the edge to making it a number one priority, Josh says. It was always up there we were always going to talk about it. But we werent going to push it as hard until you hear those stories through friends or read those articles. Josh Seward, captain of St Augustines College in Brookvale, wants to help the northern beaches community and his age group in the mental health space, after seeing people struggle during COVID-19. Credit:James Brickwood This year he wants all his peers to complete an accredited one-day mental health crisis course. It helps you pick up on signs and symptoms. It means the senior boys have an understanding of what theyre talking about; theyre not having people ask for help and having no idea what to do or make it up on the spot. [That] would give the boys someone to talk to, if they didnt want to talk to staff, Josh says. Once this training day gets passed by the school, Im hoping to take it to a young leaders meeting with our local member Zali Steggall, and present it there for all the schools in Warringah, with the hope that she would say: lets take it on and get it in all the schools. At the edge of western Sydney, in Llandilo, the captains of Xavier College are also determined to make the schoolyard a safer place for students. Head boy Huntley Jones witnessed the impact of bullying firsthand when his younger brother was a victim. It hurt. Id hate for anybody to feel like that, he says. I want to start a ballot box where kids can write whats happening to them anonymously and we can talk to the students privately, without anyone else having to know. Advertisement Huntley is a member of the Kamilaroi nation and head girl Paige Manning is a Wailwan Wiradjuri woman; both have also taken leading roles at the Murama Indigenous Youth Summit over the past three years. Its giving a voice to our culture, Paige says. As young First Nations students, its a way we can almost speak for our ancestors. We are the present and we are the future. Xavier College Llandilo year 12 students and captains Paige Manning and Huntley Jones are both First Nations Australians. Its nice being able to lead and let [Indigenous students] know its ok to be involved, and how much of a family we are when were all together, Paige says. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Part of their leadership has been instilling that same pride in younger students. There are a lot of students who identify as Indigenous but dont want to get involved. Thats hard to see as someone who is so proud to be Indigenous, Paige says. Its nice being able to lead and let them know its ok to be involved and how much of a family we are when were all together. Loading School principal Michael Pate credits the students with shaping his own approach to leadership. I learn from these two kids every day. Theyve humbled me in understanding what First Nations culture is all about, he says. When it comes to January 26 Im very much with them; we need to change the date. Both Hunter and Paige are walking in two worlds. Theyre sharing that, in a way that any First Nations student at this school can be proud to say: Im First Nations. Young people are the group most likely to support social change, such as moving Australia Day from January 26 out of respect to First Nations people. Their interest in human rights, social justice and the environment is growing, according to an analysis of student essays over the past decade by the Whitlam Institute. Despite the trust deficit our current democratic system has created, our children are actually keenly political and engaged, says director Leanne Smith. Students are choosing to write about global warming, pollution and climate change more as time goes on; latest assessment data confirms those among students main concerns. Advertisement Santa Sabina prefect Eloise Struthers is among the new generation of environmental activists. Seeing coral lose its colour over separate scuba diving trips first inspired her to get involved with the school strike for climate movement in year 9. I realised how many people cared and how many people my age were passionate about this, she says. Santa Sabinas environment and sustainability prefect Eloise Struthers advocated for her role to be established, so the school could do more for the environment. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Eloise organised her schools own strike delegation the next year, and took up captaincy of the environment committee the year after. But she thought the school needed to do more. Eloise advocated that there should be a new [environment and sustainability] role on the executive, her principal Paulina Skerman said. Now in that inaugural position, Eloise has set a list of practical goals: changing the canteens packaging from plastic to bamboo, filling the printers with recycled paper, and organising an energy audit to switch the school to LED lighting. But I also want to leave a legacy of inspiring change and leaving an environmentally conscious community, she says. The main thing is I want a change of heart, within the school and beyond. Everyone has some sense of empathy. Genuinely talking to them is the most effective way, Ive found. Slam poet and aspiring author Jihad Yassine is more likely to change the world with the written word. The Punchbowl Boys High School student has already published his first book of poetry, and will spend his HSC year working on another. Punchbowl Boys High School student Jihad Yassine has already published his first book through the Story Factory. People read books to find inspiration of any sort, whether a poetry or a business book. Thats my goal to help people, he says. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Advertisement Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 In its first days in office, the Biden administration has made it clear that it intends to continue enforcing the maximum pressure campaign of draconian sanctions and military provocations that have brought misery to the people of Iran, while threatening to plunge the Persian Gulf region, and indeed the entire world, into war. This was driven home with the announcement by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) that it had conducted another fly-over of the Persian Gulf by a lone B-52 Stratofortress. This was the sixth such provocative deployment of the heavy bombers to threaten Iran since November, and the first carried out with Biden as commander-in-chief. While the previous overflights involved two B-52s, this one consisted of the lone bomber accompanied by a squadron of F-15s from Saudi Arabia, Irans most virulent enemy in the Arab world. President-elect Joe Biden speaks after the Electoral College formally elected him as president, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) In addition, Bloomberg reported that the US Justice Department has ordered a tanker allegedly carrying Iranian oil seized and brought to the United States. In the course of his presidential election campaign, Biden had pledged to rejoin the 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and the major powers. The agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which the Trump administration unilaterally abrogated in November 2018, traded the lifting of economic sanctions for stringent limitations on Irans civilian nuclear program. After breaking the deal, the Trump administration not only re-instated the old sanctions, but imposed a whole series of new ones designed to strangle the Iranian economy and starve the countrys population into submission. In his first press conference as Bidens secretary of state, Antony Blinken on Wednesday conditioned a US return to the nuclear accord on Iran first resuming its full compliance with the terms of the agreement, while indicating that Washington would throw a demand for still more concessions from Tehran into the bargain. President Biden has been very clear in saying that if Iran comes back into full compliance with its obligations under the JCPOA, the United States would do the same thing, Blinken said at the State Department press conference. But we are a long ways from that point. Iran is out of compliance on a number of fronts. And it would take some timefor it to come back into compliance in time for us then to assess whether it was meeting its obligations. Iranian officials have insisted that it is up to Washington to unconditionally lift the sanctions that it imposed when it tore up the international agreement in violation of a United Nations resolution. Tehran has promised that in return it will quickly reverse steps it took in response to both the unilateral US action and the failure of the western European signatories of the agreement to take any significant actions to offset the illegal US sanctions regime. Tehrans steps have included the accumulation of greater quantities of enriched uranium and the enrichment of uranium to a higher level than allowed under the agreement, as well as the reactivation of advanced centrifuges that had been shut down under the deal. Blinken went on to insist that Washington would demand that Tehran renegotiate the 2015 accord, replacing it with a longer and stronger agreement that would presumably impose perpetual restrictions upon Irans nuclear agreement while addressing what the new secretary of state described as a number of other issues that are deeply problematic in the relationship with Iran. This refers to a US bid to force Iran to scrap its conventional missile program and give up its influence in Middle East in the interests of US hegemony over the oil-rich region. In response to the US demands for concessions from Iran, the countrys foreign minister, Javad Zarif, on Thursday tweeted what he described as a reality check for Blinken. It was the US, he pointed out, that had violated JCPOA and blocked food/medicine to Iranians, punishing Iran for its adherence to the agreement. Iran, he insisted, had abided by the JCPOA and only took foreseen remedial measures in response to US aggression. Now, who should take 1st step? Zarif asked. In earlier tweet, he made clear Tehrans position: It was the US that broke the dealfor no reason. It must remedy its wrong; then Iran will respond. Meanwhile, an Iranian government spokesman appealed directly to the Biden administration to lift sanctions that have restricted the countrys ability to import vaccines needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit Iran harder than any other country in the region, with 1.4 million reported cases and nearly 60,000 reported deaths. Since [Bidens] administration claims not to be anti-science like the previous one...one expects it to free the transfer of Irans own foreign exchange resources to fight the coronavirus and for health and food, and lift banking sanctions quickly, government spokesman Ali Rabiei told state television. With its appeal for unity with the Republican Party, the Biden administration has little stomach for a swift and sharp reversal of the maximum pressure campaign imposed by Trump. Leading right-wing congressional Democrats, including Senator Robert Menendez, the incoming chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, have also opposed any letup of US aggression against Iran. Biden has also pledged to engage with Israel before taking any steps to change the current maximum pressure regime against Iran, while Blinken has repeatedly stated that the new administration views Israels security as sacrosanct. Tel Aviv has not only opposed any US return to the JCPOA but has threatened to militarily attack Iran and its nuclear facilities in response. This was expressed most directly by the new chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, who gave a bellicose speech on Tuesday, declaring a return to the Iran nuclear deal an intolerable threat to Israel. He said that anything that is similar to the current deal is a bad thing, and we cannot allow it, adding that he had ordered the IDF to prepare new operative plans for attacking Iran. Significantly, the first high-level US official to visit Israel since Bidens inauguration is Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the commander of the CENTCOM, which oversees the US military buildup against Iran as well as the Pentagons operations throughout the Middle East. He arrived on Thursday for talks with Kochavi and the IDF general staff. The visit comes after the Pentagon quietly shifted Israel from the jurisdiction of the European Command to CENTCOM, enabling closer military collaboration in military operations against Iran. Israel had been excluded from CENTCOM to facilitate winning the support from right-wing Arab oil monarchies and dictatorships for US wars of aggression in the Middle East. While previously these regimes had formally opposed military ties with Israel because of its oppression of the Palestinian people, they have since abandoned this pretense, with several of them signing US-sponsored normalization agreements with Tel Aviv in the interests of forging an anti-Iranian axis. Conversely, the first high-level Israeli visit to Washington since the change in administrations will be that of Yossi Cohen, the chief of Israels spy agency Mossad, who will meet with Biden on the Iran question. The inflammatory rhetoric of the Israeli government toward Iran is driven in part by an election in Marchthe fourth in barely two yearsin which Netanyahu, who is facing trial on multiple corruption charges, is appealing to his right-wing base. This makes the threat of war no less real, however, under conditions in which Tel Aviv has carried out continuous airstrikes against Iranian-linked targets and organized the Mossad assassination of Irans top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, in November. Nor will the threat of an eruption of US militarism in the Middle East lessen under a Biden administration. Blinken and others who have returned to positions of power in Washington were the architects of the US-orchestrated wars for regime change in both Libya and Syria. Moreover, they view Iran through the prism of the US conflict with China and the strategic imperative of securing US domination of the Middle East, which provides much of Chinas energy imports. The ratcheting up of Trumps reckless and dangerous anti-China policy is being pursued by the veterans of Obamas pivot to Asia. The warmongering character of the new administrations attitude toward Beijing was clearly expressed by Bidens nominee for US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who told a Senate panel Wednesday that China is a a strategic adversary, whose actions threaten our security, they threaten our values and they threaten our way of life. 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. Earn your Associate of Applied Business in Business IT (BIT) degree online from the University of Cincinnati. This program can be completed fully online, with curriculum customized to fit your schedule, interests and how quickly you want to complete your degree. Application deadline July 1, 2021. Learn More Like many companies in these pandemic-ridden days, the Smash My Trash group uses videoconferencing in its business dealings. The Smash group consists of Smash My Trash LLC, which uses mobile trash compactors to compress trash in customers' dumpsters, and Smash Franchise Partners, LLC, which sells the company's franchises. One potential franchisee, serial entrepreneur Todd Perri, used the information gleaned from Smash's videoconferences to help set up a direct competitor. Smash Franchise Partners last year filed suit in the Delaware Court of Chancery -- the Nation's preeminent forum for determining business disputes -- alleging Perri breached its trade secrets and used confidential information. The Court's Memorandum Opinion can be read here. [*Correction - Feb. 4, 2021] Smash's Franchise Purchase Process Prospective Smash franchisees must first participate in two sets of videoconferencing presentations on Zoom after, among other things, taking a phone call about the economics of running a franchise and getting an Excel workbook containing relevant economic data. One set of Smash videoconferences has current franchisees describe how they run their franchise and answer questions about their business. The other set is hosted by company founder, president and CEO Justin Haskins, who discusses various business and technical issues, such as fleet management and maintenance, and answers questions. Franchise FastLane, an independent contractor that markets Smash's franchises, handles the videoconferences. Potential franchisees then sign a non-disclosure agreement and travel to Smash's headquarters in Indiana to learn proprietary information -- which the firm calls its "secret sauce." 'Devil' at the Door In 2019, Perri responded to an ad about Smash posted by independent franchise broker The Franchise Collective, and got a broad overview of Smash's business and equipment. This included where the equipment was purchased, franchise locations, available territories, the identity of one national account, the startup and operating costs, and the software needed to run a franchise. He was also directed to Smash's website and its YouTube channel, and given a pitch deck -- an introductory presentation -- that discussed Smash's business model and business strategy. Perri later called fraternity brother Kevin McLaren, who operates a roll-off dumpster business, and the two formed Dumpster Devil, LLC to compete with Smash. Meanwhile, Perri continued to gather information about Smash's operations. He signed an NDA but did not attend the presentation at Smash headquarters because that was confidential. After failing to purchase equipment from Smash's supplier, Perri and McLaren signed an exclusive supplier agreement with trash compaction and handling equipment manufacturer Packmat System. Dumpster Devil's business model closely resembles that of Smash but uses an exclusive licensing arrangement for branded equipment instead of selling franchises. Perri attended two more Smash videoconference calls after signing with Packmat, and launched Dumpster Devil with McLaren in March 2020. Their website compares Dumpster Devil's equipment and return on investment to those of Smash. They also bought the name "Smash My Trash" from Google AdWords, so that a Dumpster Devil ad was the top result for Google searches in certain geographic areas using that name. Poor Security Hurt Smash The Delaware Court of Chancery ruled that Smash freely gave out the Zoom logon information for the videoconference calls to potential franchisees and used the same Zoom meeting code for all its meetings. It did not password protect the meetings or use the waiting room feature to screen participants, so anyone who had the code could join the calls and share the code with others. Franchise FastLane, which ran the conferences, did not take roll at the beginning of each call and remove anyone who did not belong; and 20 participants who could not be identified attended the videoconferences. There was no evidence they signed the NDAs. "If the meeting content is proprietary, it's the responsibility of the owner to protect it," Michael Jude, a research director at market research firm IDC, told the E-Commerce Times. "That's why Kentucky Fried Chicken maintains its secret recipe in a vault." The carrier -- in this case Zoom -- has no responsibility to protect what has been discussed on an open line, Jude noted. Security and Compliance Measures It's important to "actually monitor what happens in the meeting to detect when sensitive data is exposed, ensure that proper disclaimers are used, identify behavior that could led to liabilities, and prevent security risks in what is spoken, shared, shown or typed in a video meeting session," Devin Redmond, CEO and co-founder of Theta Lake, told the E-Commerce Times. Theta Lake provides collaboration security and compliance for Microsoft Teams, Cisco WebEx, Zoom and RingCentral. "Companies should assume by default that anything shared in a meeting is exposed or leaked," Redmond observed. In addition to close monitoring of videoconferences, they should train staff on proper procedures while implementing security and compliance technologies purpose-built for video collaboration. Trade secret law requires trade secret owners to take "reasonable efforts" to secure that information, wrote Milton Springut, a partner at Springut Law. However the definition of reasonable is not carved in stone. "What constitutes 'reasonable' evolves over time, as both technology and challenges to security advance," Springut stated. "What was science fiction yesterday can become standard operating procedure today." *ECT News Network editor's note - Feb. 4, 2021: Our original published version of this story stated the following: "The Court denied the injunction because it found security around and during the videoconferences was sloppy." We have since learned that litigation is ongoing and that the Court granted Smash a limited preliminary injunction prohibiting the defendants, pending a final decision on the merits after the trial, from making statements about Smash's hydraulic drum lacking protective guards; the slides on Smash's truck needing daily greasing; and the Dumpster Devil truck weighing less than 26,000 pounds and not requiring a commercial license. "At this stage of the use the record does not support a business-stopping injunction," the Court ruled. "The fact that Smash is not entitled to a business-stopping injunction does not legitimize Perri and McLaren's conduct. Their actions were disingenuous and underhanded." Richard Adhikari has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2008. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, mobile technologies, CRM, databases, software development, mainframe and mid-range computing, and application development. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including Information Week and Computerworld. He is the author of two books on client/server technology. Email Richard. Anyone know of any Tamale Cart vendors that will be out this weekend in the cold weather? he wrote. I went to Yolanda near Humboldt Park and bought her out so she could go home today. Id love to do the same for other Vendors and distribute the Tamales to our Neighbors experiencing homelessness. Let me know of any leads please. Gandhinagar, Jan 29 : Aspiring to be a platform that will augment the design students' capabilities about toy creation, the second edition of the Ahmedabad Design Week (ADW) will be launched in Ahmedabad on February 3. Through this show, the ADW will be reaching out to thousands of school and design students, design faculties and professionals from the industry. This edition's theme, 'Toy'ing with Design' is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making India a global 'Toy Hub'. Inspired by the clarion call given by the Prime Minister during his 'Mann ki Baat' radio programme, desiring to make India the global hub for toy production and urging all Indians to go 'Vocal for Local' toys, the second edition of Ahmedabad Design Week (ADW) is being launched with this core theme,'Toy'ing with Design. The Ahmedabad Design Week (ADW) is a non-commercial design festival event which is annually curated by the Unitedworld Institute of Design with the purpose of networking and knowledge exchange between designers, academicians and students across the country. From February 3 to 7, the second edition of ADW with it's core theme, 'Toy Design ADW 2021', will aim to bring traditional and modern toy makers under a single platform. ADW intends to reach out to 15,000 school students, more than 15,000 design students, 2,000 design faculties and 2,500 professionals from the design industry. By inviting participation and discussion with toy makers from local clusters of India, the ADW 21 also intends to foster the rich tradition of local toys of India. Some of these toy clusters are Channapatna in Ramnagaram in Karnataka, Kondaplli in Krishna in Andhra Pradesh, Thanjavur in Tamilnadu, Dhubari in Assam, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and from Gujarat's Idar, Mahura, Patan and Kutch. Besides this, the focus areas during the five days of the Design Week would be expert sessions and lecture sessions with people of national and international repute, workshops by design stalwarts, toy design competition, design daper presentations, technology and design, etc. Prof. Sudarshan Khanna and Dadi Pudumjee are scheduled to give two keynote speeches at the event. International toy manufacturers, Skillmatics, Funskool, Hasbro and Hamleys shall be organising speaker sessions with their senior designers. These toy manufacturers have also agreed to give opportunities to the winners of the toy design challenge to pitch their ideas for commercial propositions and share royalties with them for future use if the concept is commercialised. Some of the internationally acclaimed speakers are Paul Budnitz, Founder, KidRobot, Miguel Wilson, Mariana Amatullo, Katerina Kamprani, Architect and Designer, Anita Savicka, among others. "This will be the biggest platform for the design enthusiasts, where seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), Gandhinagar, Roorkee, Bhubaneshwar, Indore, Varanasi, Mumbai and Delhi, the National Institute of Design (NID), the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), the CEPT University, Gujarat University, the Children's University, NIT-Srinagar, and many others are participating," said Hiranmay Mahanta, the CEO, i-Hub. "We are emphasizing on the traditional Indian ethos and values to emerge out of this effort in the toys market. Right now the situation is such that we are accepting 'Bhim' only when it is brought from abroad. We hope to see something like an Indian Barbie alternative and some other novel creations too, emerging out from the challenge that we are organising," said Ritesh Hada, of the Unitedworld Institute of Design. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Law enforcement authorities across several countries have taken down a network of what they describe as the "world's most dangerous malware." The malware, Emotet, gained access to users' computers through infected email attachments, including documents purporting to be "invoices, shipping notices and information about Covid-19," European police agency Europol, which coordinated the effort, said in a statement Wednesday. "The Emotet infrastructure essentially acted as a primary door opener for computer systems on a global scale," Europol said. "Once this unauthorised access was established, these were sold to other top-level criminal groups to deploy further illicit activities such as data theft and extortion." The global effort to disrupt and take control of the compromised network, known as a botnet, was carried out jointly between eight countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands. The network consisted of several hundred servers across the world, Europol said. An investigation by Dutch police yielded a database of email addresses, passwords and usernames that were compromised by Emotet. Users can check whether their email addresses were breached through this link. The malware saw a resurgence last year, according to the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which described "a significant increase in malicious cyber actors targeting state and local governments" with Emotet phishing emails. "This increase has rendered Emotet one of the most prevalent ongoing threats," CISA added. Europol urged internet users to update their device's antivirus tools and exercise greater caution to avoid falling prey to malware attacks. "Users should carefully check their email and avoid opening messages and especially attachments from unknown senders," it said. "If a message seems too good to be true, it likely is and emails that implore a sense of urgency should be avoided at all costs." New Delhi, Jan 29 : Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday slammed the Opposition parties, especially the Congress for boycotting President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the Parliament and asked "what kind of precedent and tradition they are leaving for the country?" Speaking to the media after the President's address, Prasad said: "He is the President and he is entitled to our respect. It is a matter of great regret today that the Opposition sought to boycott it but more particularly the irresponsible role of Congress where they had ruled India for almost 50 years and still has government in many Indian states." "What kind of precedent and tradition the Congress is leaving for the country, that is a very important issue to be reflected upon today," he said. Pointing out the slogans being raised by the Congress Punjab Lok Sabha MP Ravneet Bittu, Prasad said, "One of their members Bittu shouted slogans inside the central hall, another member of the AAP party (Bhagwant) Mann sought to push the doors to create a commotion." He said that the BJP have also been in Opposition for a long time. "We had serious concerns about the deeds, misdeeds and curbs from the UPA government but we never chose to boycott the President's address because of the respect we hold for the office of the President," he added. His remarks came after the 18 Opposition parties including Congress chose to boycott the President's address in solidarity wit the farmers agitation over the three farm laws. During the President's address to the Parliament, Bittu raised slogans inside the Central Hall in favour of farmers. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text 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 behind the cutMTG (R-GA) is crazy. Lets check in on her history. She supports conspiracy theories including Pizzagate, QAnon, claims mass shootings are false flags for Congress to legislate for gun control (example, Sandy Hook, Vegas), 9/11 conspiracy theories, and the Clinton Kill List (?). She commented and liked remarks on Fb for executing prominent Democrats. The day after inauguration, she claimed on twitter that she filed for articles of impeachment against President Biden, alleging abuse of power. But that was a lie and she later said Gosh This is Hard To Officially Submit. She should be expelled from Congress, face longer term consequences on social media, and be on a no-fly list. The GOP is silent because she's their brand. Pelosi called her out today in the Speaker weekly press conference.Another Biden EO is a sweeping policy change on climate action. Kerry spoke yesterday as the new Climate Czar. Plays clip. GOP calls him elitist because the GOP hates earth and humanity. Joy thinks it should be bipartisan, losers have to breathe air, too. Screen cap is photo from England in 1950s due to coal ash. Sara doesnt usually like EO but its normal to have a pendulum swing, and she strongly agrees with the environmental EO. Muted MAM jfkdljoiejkld. Sunny feels that there was such a dumpster fire, Biden needs EOs now until legislation can be progressed. T45 signed 220 EO during one term 4 years, which was double the pace of Clinton-Bush-Obama over 8 years.Dr Ashish Jha who is Deam of Brown University School of Public Health comes back to talk pandemic plan. Talks additional vaxx over summer, how to get as many vaxx now in next 4-6 weeks. Discusses new strains. Feels confident the vaxx will address new strains but the best way to stop more mutations is to get as many people vaxx now. Muted MAM fjdkljfls. One mask should be worn. If youre in an area where new variant has been discovered, consider a higher quality mask, or double mask (surgical with cloth over it). [*Reading into this, it seems the quality of mask is more the issue, since a lot have gotten cloth masks from various retailers while leaving the high tech versions for front line workers.] People shouldnt be able to pay to jump line, or vaxx tourism.T45 told America wed have 100M in January but they lied of course. Dr Jha quotes some random numbers (but he doesnt really know). Talk about Johnson & Johnson vaxx, which is easier to store, and a single shot. Muted MAM fjdksjfkls.Bevy Smith from Bravosand various other enterprises is promoting her book. Talks about growing up in Harlem, where she still lives. Muted MAM fjkakdla. Talks about having a breakdown. More talk about her book and her dad, who passed away from covid. More pearls of wisdom. Talks about being cautiously optimistic after the last year of hellscape but feels positive about Biden-Harris. Shes got her radio show on SiriusXM and is now moving into producing shows. She wants to be an EGOT like Whoopi!Source links are below each video or section Dr Reddys Laboratories (DRL) on Friday said it expected Russia's COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V, under phase 3 trials being conducted by the city-based drug maker, to be launched in India through Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) by March this year. The ongoing trial was expected to be completed by February after which it would approach the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for EUA and based on its approval the vaccine could be launched in March, DRL's Chief Executive Officer of APIs and Pharmaceutical Services Deepak Sapra said. DRL partnered with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) in September to conduct the clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine and for its distribution rights in India. "The phase 3 (trial) is currently ongoing. We are dosing patients and we expect to complete the dosing as part of the phase 3 by February. After that we expect to compile the data and submit for Emergency Use Authorisation, make the request to the DCGI with our dossier," Sapra told a press conference here. "And based on the approval from the DCGI, we believe that we should be in a position to launch the vaccine through a EUA in the month of March 2021 (in India)," he said. Sputnik V, developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, was registered by the Ministry of Health of Russia and became the worlds first registered vaccine against COVID-19 based on the established human adenoviral vector platform. The DCGI has already given the nod for two COVID-19 vaccines -- Covaxin of city-based Bharat Biotech and Covishield of Oxford, being manufactured by Serum Institute of India in Pune, administered to frontline workers from January 16 across the country. Sapra said DRL has tied up with RDIF for 125 million doses for India and was currently in discussions with the Centre and private players for supply of the vaccine. According to him DRL, will import some quantities of the vaccine from Russia besides getting them from domestic firms which have tie-up with RDIF for manufacturing it in India. He however, did not divulge the pricing strategy for the the vaccine. On the efficacy of Sputnik V, Sapra said the interim efficacy on 22,000 of the subjects was showing a result of 91.4 per cent. "In addition to the efficacy, safety, immunogenicity criteria have also been met as part of this ongoing Phase 3 as part of the interim result. We expect the full results of 33,760 subjects to come in the month of February," he said. The official said though the initial agreement with RDIF was for 100 million doses, later it was enhanced to 125 million. According to him 1.5 million doses of Sputnik V have already been administered globally and the EAU for the vaccine was now available in 12 countries. (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 state trooper who shot an unarmed man as he fled from a 2018 traffic stop behind a Perkins Road store, partially paralyzing him, pleaded not guilty Friday. Kasha Domingue, 43, of Baton Rouge, was indicted in October on counts of aggravated second-degree battery and illegal use of a weapon in the shooting of Clifton Dilley, a Baton Rouge man who was 19 at the time. The indictment marked the first time in District Attorney Hillar Moore III's 11-plus years as prosecutor that an officer was charged with a crime after killing or injuring a civilian with gunfire. +2 State trooper indicted in 2018 shooting of unarmed Baton Rouge teen in back during traffic stop A grand jury indicted a Louisiana state trooper Thursday in the shooting of an unarmed teenager two years ago, saying she was wrong to fire he If convicted of battery, Domingue faces up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The weapon count is punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of $1,000. Domingue, who graduated from the Louisiana State Police training academy in December 2015, appeared Friday before state District Judge Tiffany Foxworth in civilian clothes. Following the shooting, Domingue was assigned to desk duty at Troop A in Baton Rouge, but was placed on paid administrative leave after her indictment. Lt. Nick Manale, state police spokesperson, said that the agency's internal administrative investigation has been conducted and completed, and that procedural steps were underway for disciplinary action, though he did not specify what the discipline was. Domingue remains employed with State Police. Manale added that no further information can be released until the official disciplinary action has been issued. "We absolutely believe that she is not guilty," her attorney, retired Baton Rouge police officer Tommy Dewey, said outside the courtroom after the arraignment. "We look forward to the opportunity to prove that in front of a judge or jury." The shooting occurred July 10, 2018, behind Village Grocery on Perkins Road. Dilley was a passenger in a car whose driver had been pulled over for allegedly making an illegal U-turn. A state investigator's affidavit says Dilley was charging toward Domingue when he was shot, but a federal lawsuit claims he was running away. 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 A year and a half after Louisiana trooper shot man during traffic stop, investigation still open Nineteen months after a shooting behind a southeastern Baton Rouge grocery story, State Police Trooper Kasha Domingue spends her days behind a Domingue initially reported to dispatch that she had fired her stun gun at Dilley, rather than her service weapon, which slowed the emergency response, the lawsuit alleges. "We want the opportunity to explore and explain that in the future," Dewey said Friday. The shot wounded Dilley in the lower back, causing "severe and permanent" injuries, according to Don Cazayoux, his attorney. When Dilley showed up to Domingue's indictment in October, he was in a wheelchair. "Trooper Domingue...caused substantial harm in this case by shooting Mr. Dilley in the back when he was unarmed and only a witness of a traffic stop," Cazayoux said after the indictment. Dilley's lawsuit says surveillance footage from Village Grocery provided evidence of the encounter. Dewey said he has not yet seen the video. The Advocate reported in 2018 that Domingue had been wearing a "defective" body camera that did not record the shooting, according to the trooper's attorney at the time. The lawyer also said Domingue had been driving a new State Police vehicle that was "not properly equipped" with a dashboard camera, a device that typically records all State Police traffic stops. Just hours before Dilley's shooting, Domingue had fired her stun gun after pulling over a vehicle without a license plate in Baton Rouge. A passenger also fled the scene and Domingue fired her stun gun at him as he climbed a residential fence on Oak Creek Road, a use of force report states. That was one of three prior instances within an eight-month span in which Domingue fired a stun gun at people she encountered while on duty, all of whom were unarmed, according to use of force documents obtained from State Police. Domingue's next court date is April 29. courtesy of the Texas Department of Public Safety A Conroe man has been indicted in federal court on alleged sex crimes against children, including the production of child pornography. Timothy Lee Tyler, 42, has been charged with sexual exploitation of children and distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography, according to a release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Texas. 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. AKRON, Ohio, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third consecutive year, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has been included in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI), recognizing its investment in gender equity in the workplace and the communities in which it operates. The GEI uses a standardized reporting framework to measure gender equality across five pillars: female leadership and talent pipeline, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, sexual harassment policies and factors like supply chain and community support. Companies included in the index scored at or above a global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect a high level of disclosure and performance across the framework's five pillars. Additionally, FirstEnergy's score in the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index (CEI) increased from 80 points in 2020 to 90 points in 2021, out of a total possible score of 100. The CEI is the national benchmarking tool for Fortune 1000 and AmLaw 200 companies on corporate policies, practices and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) employees. "How our employees feel when they come to work every day has tremendous impact on FirstEnergy's success. That's why we are raising the bar on workplace equity to ensure all employees feel that their contributions and opinions are valued," said Christine L. Walker, FirstEnergy's senior vice president and chief human resources officer. "We are always tracking our progress and the Bloomberg GEI and Human Rights Campaign CEI are key to helping us identify areas where we can further invest in our employees and the communities that we serve." FirstEnergy has made significant strides in promoting workplace equity and engaging employees in making the company a top place to work with an open and inviting culture. Membership in employee business resource groups (EBRGs) continues to grow and play an important role in further embedding diversity and inclusion in FirstEnergy's culture. In the coming year, the company will offer panel discussions and expand its offering of virtual "Speak Up" sessions where employees can engage in open and honest dialogue about issues pertinent to LGBTQIA+ employees and other underrepresented groups. Additionally, the FirstEnergy Foundation recently introduced a $7 million "Investing with Purpose" campaign, which includes a focus on supporting organizations that advance social justice initiatives. "The companies included in the 2021 GEI are expanding the environmental, social, governance (ESG) data universe to include gender-related data that investors are demanding today," said Peter T. Grauer, Chairman of Bloomberg. "Their commitment to disclosure is making the business case for inclusion and driving transparency in the markets." The Bloomberg GEI expanded in 2021 to represent 44 countries and regions, including firms headquartered in Indonesia and Bermuda for the first time. The GEI includes 380 companies from a variety of industries, including automotive, banking, consumer services, engineering and construction, and retail, up from 325 companies included in 2020. More information about the index is available at www.bloomberg.com/gei. FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp. SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. Related Links http://www.firstenergycorp.com [January 29, 2021] Chainalysis and Flashpoint Partner to Provide Advanced Intelligence into Cybercriminal Use of Cryptocurrencies, Unlocking New Visibility about Cyberattacks Chainalysis, the blockchain analysis company, and Flashpoint, the globally trusted leader in actionable threat intelligence, today announced a partnership to integrate their analytics networks, enabling their customers to investigate threat actor activity and attacks via suspicious cryptocurrency transactions. Data interoperability between the platforms, combined with visualization tools, will provide public and private sector customers enhanced context and intelligence to trace the originators of attacks, and determine when and where the attacks first originated. As legitimate use of cryptocurrencies grows more pervasive, cybercriminals and other bad actors with nefarious intent will take advantage. Organizations already under siege by a barrage of advanced cyberthreats now must face even more sophisticated threat actors using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies attempting to shroud their financial activity associated with ransomware, phishing, and other malicious attacks. Chainalysis and Flashpoint's partnership comes at a pivotal time for organizations, enabling them to investigate, identify, and respond to these mounting threats. Chainalysis data and software unveil connections between cryptocurrency transactions and real-world entities, enabling investigators to trace the flow of illicit funds on blockchains. Meanwhile, Flashpoint provides organizations with unparalleled visibility into threat activity online throughout cybercriminal marketplaces, forums, chat rooms, encrypted messaging applications, and deep and dark web sources, enabling security analysts and investigators to more efficiently and comprehensively uncover threat actor operations, investigate potential cyberattacks, and determine how and where cybercrme and associated financial transactions occur. Now with the Flashpoint partnership, Chainalysis leverages the industry-leading threat intelligence from Flashpoint, providing customers deep insight into threat actor behavior and activity. For Flashpoint customers, they gain enhanced capabilities to visualize suspicious financial and cryptocurrency transactions that are specifically tailored and associated to their unique organizations via Chainalysis Reactor. "We're thrilled to offer expanded intelligence to our customers," said Jason Bonds, Chief Revenue Officer, Chainalysis. "Flashpoint is a leader in the threat intelligence industry and, by deepening our relationship, we'll provide a new level of data analysis to the public and private sectors globally." "Security and intelligence teams gain deeper insight into the colliding worlds of cryptocurrency and cybercrime, making it faster and easier for organizations to investigate, detect, and respond to emerging threats and attacks," noted Jan Johansen, Executive Director of Global Channels and Partnerships at Flashpoint. For more information on the integration between Chainalysis and Flashpoint, please visit the Chainalysis Partner Directory. About Chainalysis Chainalysis is the blockchain analysis company. We provide data, software, services, and research to government agencies, exchanges, financial institutions, and insurance and cybersecurity companies in over 50 countries. Our data platform powers investigation, compliance, and risk management tools that have been used to solve some of the world's most high-profile cyber criminal cases and grow consumer access to cryptocurrency safely. Backed by Accel, Addition, Benchmark, Ribbit (News - Alert) , and other leading names in venture capital, Chainalysis builds trust in blockchains to promote more financial freedom with less risk. For more information, visit www.chainalysis.com. About Flashpoint Flashpoint is the globally trusted leader in actionable threat intelligence for organizations that demand the fastest, most comprehensive coverage of threatening activity on the internet. From bolstering cyber and physical security, to detecting fraud and insider threats, Flashpoint partners with customers across private and public sectors to help them rapidly identify threats and mitigate their most critical security risks. Flashpoint is backed by Georgian Partners, Greycroft Partners, TechOperators, K2 Intelligence, Jump Capital, Leaders Fund, Bloomberg Beta, and Cisco (News - Alert) Investments. For more information, visit https://www.flashpoint-intel.com/ and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) at @FlashpointIntel. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005011/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Lifeway moves to sell new headquarters 3 years after moving in Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Southern Baptist Conventions publishing arm, Lifeway Christian Resources, announced Tuesday that it has entered into a contract to sell the new building that houses its corporate headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, just over three years after moving in as employees embrace remote work. Lifeway is moving forward, building fresh vision, and getting prepared for a new season of ministry to churches, President and CEO Ben Mandrell said in a statement. This has led us to think strategically about selling our large building downtown, fully embracing remote work as the norm, and moving into a new era of creative and collaborative work. Lifeways announcement comes just over three years after the organization moved into its North Gulch building in November 2017 after selling its former campus in downtown Nashville for $125 million, according to the Nashville Post. At the time, about 900 employees worked from the downtown office. Details of the sale, which comes months after a legal dispute with former Lifeway President Thom Rainer, were not disclosed in the statement from the organization. Founded in downtown Nashville in 1891, Lifeway has been described as the largest Christian resource provider in the world. The ministry publishes tens of millions of Bible studies, books and Bibles each year. It also operated a nationwide chain of Christian stores until March 2019 when leaders announced the closure of all remaining 170 stores to focus on online sales. In 2015, Lifeway reportedly employed more than 5,000 staff and generated half a billion dollars in revenue annually. As the coronavirus pandemic unfolded last year, however, Mandrell announced budget cuts and staff reductions due to significant losses. Lifeway stands to lose tens of millions of dollars of revenue that the organization would normally generate over the summer months from camps, events, VBS and ongoing curriculum sales, Mandrell said in a statement on the cuts last April. Lifeway is mitigating these losses as much as possible through various expense reduction plans, including staff reductions and cuts in non-employee expenses. Additionally, Lifeway will likely have to use money from its reserves to cover a portion of the lost revenue. While the COVID-19 pandemic forced many business operations into remote work, Mandrell, who took over as president in the summer of 2019, said he and Lifeway leaders had been looking to revise their approach to work since he came on. One of the first questions I asked when I took this role was, What should we do with this building? A study completed last year showed we were using the building at only 60% occupancy on a daily basis, Mandrell said about the headquarters. Were definitely moving to a new work environment. Our new space will be designed specifically around a healthy blend of strategic meetings and team collaboration, as well as the flexibility of working from home. Like other companies are doing as a result of COVID, were re-imagining the corporate office for the future of work. We are moving away from the idea of a headquarters to a fully mobile and agile workforce that intentionally gathers to build strong relationships, celebrate what God is doing and share ideas. Despite the sale of the building, Lifeway is expected to continue using a portion of its office space until a decision is made on where the site of their new permanent headquarters will be. Connia Nelson, Lifeways chief human resources officer, said the organization had been shifting toward a remote work culture for some time and thus was well-prepared when the city implemented a number of restrictions due to COVID-19. Before Lifeway moved to Capitol View, we saw the need to support an increasingly mobile workforce, Nelson said. Weve had a robust work-from-anywhere strategy for the last few years, which positioned us well for Nashville's safer at home orders put in place in March. Our employees have told us they have a better work-life balance and are still highly productive in this new work environment. We have a number of employees juggling work with caring for family members and helping their kids with distance learning. We want to make sure they have the flexibility to still perform at their best while juggling these responsibilities. Australia is presently embroiled in two major showdowns with superpowers. One is with China. The other is with Google and Facebook. And in the space of a week, weve glimpsed the implications of both. Google has threatened to pull out of Australia if the Morrison government proceeds with plans to force it to pay news outlets when it links to their content. And China (which has been conspicuously shutting the door on Australian businesses) has just upgraded its free-trade deal with New Zealand (which has been conspicuously shutting its mouth about Chinas behaviour). Security officers walk past a display of Australian wines and other agricultural products at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. Credit:AP Plenty of smarter people than me seem to think that Googles threat wont be fulfilled. And while Chinas message to Australia from the New Zealand deal is clear, its possible Chinas current belligerence will be temporary as well. But lets take them at face value for a moment and consider a question: which superpowers threat would be a bigger problem for us? A precise answer isnt really the point. The point is that its even debatable. In fact its remarkable how closely the two scenarios mirror each other. WASHINGTON With a new Senate majority, Democrats are again pushing to repeal a cap placed on state and local tax deductions this time as part of pandemic relief efforts, a change that will primarily benefit residents of high-tax states like New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand introduced legislation Friday to nix the $10,000 limit on how much in state and local taxes (SALT) people can deduct from their federal taxes. Schumer said repeal was even more urgent due to the economic hardships caused by the pandemic. "Were going to push hard to repeal it, Schumer told the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce in a teleconference Friday afternoon. This is number two when it comes to fiscal relief for New York" after state and local government aid, he added. New Jersey's bipartisan congressional delegation on Wednesday sent a letter to Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., arguing for a repeal of the cap. Some Republicans, including Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, have in the past opposed the current SALT cap and moved to raise or eliminate it. Stefanik did not respond to a request for comment Friday. But many Republicans view eliminating the cap as another "blue-state bailout." At a time when the federal government is spending trillions of dollars to restart the economy, it makes absolutely no sense to give six-figure tax cuts to the highest earners in high-tax states, especially as those very states are coming to Congress with their hand out," said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. "Taxpayers in fiscally responsible states like Iowa would be left picking up the tab for the wealthiest New Yorkers and Californians. Eliminating the SALT cap has the greatest impact on upper-income earners, according to the Tax Policy Center. It would reduce federal revenues costing the government about $185 billion over 10 years, according to Joint Committee on Taxation estimates. "Raging COVID, Main Street businesses closing, millions of jobless. Whats the answer, say Democrats: 'We need a huge tax break for the wealthy,'" said Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking member on the House Ways and Means Committee. "Half of SALT repeal goes to millionaires." The SALT cap was instituted in 2017 as part of the Republican tax bill. Republicans passed that legislation through reconciliation, a process that allowed them to pass the bill in the Senate with a simple majority, instead of 60 votes. Struggling to find much bipartisan support for their large coronavirus relief package, Democrats may end up trying to pass that measure, including the SALT cap, through the same means. "Slashing the SALT deduction was political malpractice by national Republicans who were happy to raise taxes on New Yorkers to pay for corporate handouts but cant be bothered to lift a finger for our teachers, nurses and first responders during the current crisis," Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, said. "I absolutely agree that SALT deductions should be restored and state and local COVID assistance delivered as soon as humanly possible. Gov, Andrew Cuomo's Friday COVID-19 briefing included his renewed call for the end of the SALT cap. Repealing the SALT cap has been a longstanding goal of Democrats from blue states with higher tax burdens. Democrats also included a SALT cap repeal in the coronavirus relief bill they passed in the House in May. They argue the cap is unfair because it results in double taxation of the same income. In 2017, the last year the full deduction was in place, 34 percent of taxpayers in Tonko's 20th Congressional District used the deduction; the average deduction was $16,466, according to data from the Internal Revenue Service. In 2018, after the Republican tax bill took effect, most people saw an increase in after tax income, but for New York residents that after-tax increase was smaller than elsewhere on average, according to the Tax Policy Center. Most people saw a tax cut from the law, but New York was one of six states in which more than 8 percent of taxpayers had a tax increase from major individual provisions of the bill. Most recently, Rangel has been leading the Expanding Equity work for WKKF, after joining the foundation in 2010 as a portfolio manager. As CIO, Rangel will be responsible for the management and oversight of both the foundation's endowment and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Trust investments, strategically investing the diversified portfolio to maintain its purchasing power in support of WKKF's mission over the long term. In addition, he will provide leadership for team execution and quality performance against allocation targets and shape the development of research and analysis toward fact-based improvements to short- and long-term asset allocations. "Carlos made a personal commitment many years ago to spend his career putting the financial markets to work for the benefit of society and understands that every dollar the foundation earns on our investments improves conditions for children," Tabron says. "He also has been a leader for WKKF toward broadening the adoption of racial equity within the financial sector and business community, while generating more dollars for grants. We are delighted to have someone with so much insight and expertise in this role." With more than 20 years of career experience, a deep knowledge of the foundation's portfolio and approach, and an enduring commitment to racial equity, Rangel has a crystal-clear vision of the foundation's investment strategies, as well as proficiency in international investments and asset management. Most recently, as director of investments for the foundation, Rangel has been leading the newly-launched Expanding Equity initiative for WKKF. During his more than a decade tenure at WKKF, he has contributed his skill and innovative approaches to investments as he worked his way up to his most recent position as director of investments, to which he was appointed in 2017. Prior to joining WKKF, he worked for Managed Assets Portfolios (MAP), a boutique, SEC-registered, global value investor serving individuals and institution. As a buy-side generalist analyst, Rangel focused mainly on small and midcap technology stocks, where he was responsible for idea generation, primary research and financial analysis for each of the companies recommended. Fluent in Spanish, he volunteers for a number of charitable organizations including Family & Children Services as a member of the board, Endowment Committee and chair of the Operating Committee. Rangel holds a bachelor's and a master's degree in finance from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He is certified as a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst), FRM (Financial Risk Manager), CAIA (Chartered Analyst of Alternative Investments) and CIPM (Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement). The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal innovator and entrepreneur Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life. The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special attention is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. Learn more at www.wkkf.org. SOURCE W.K. Kellogg Foundation Related Links https://www.wkkf.org/ A YouTuber was arrested after making it appear as though he had passed out behind the wheel of a car in New York City's Times Square and needed medical attention. Zeeshan Saroya - known on YouTube as Prince Zee - staged the incident on January 10, at the intersection of Broadway and West 46th Street. Two weeks later, Saroya posted a video on YouTube that showed the preparation of the stunt, as well as the aftermath of it. Since premiering on January 25, the video has racked up more than 150,000 views on YouTube. Scroll down for video Pictured: Zeeshan Saroya, known on YouTube as Prince Zee, who was arrested this week 'So I decided to test New Yorkers again and this time I passed out during traffic in Times Square NYC. this was hella crazy!! yall better subscribe cause I got mad crazy videos coming out. love yah,' Saroya wrote in the YouTube description. According to ABC7, Saroya, 30, lives in Queens. NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea announced the arrest himself on Twitter on Thursday. 'The YouTuber who faked a medical emergency in @TimesSquareNYC to gain followers also gained a criminal record, as hes now been arrested & charged with the dangerous stunt that took NYC first responders away from other NYers in actual distress,' the tweet read. Saroya is facing several charges, including false reporting of an incident, obstructing governmental administration, criminal nuisance, and disorderly conduct. A video he posted to YouTube showed him slumped over the wheel of a car in Times Square After a witness noticed, the NYPD smashed a window and pulled him from the car In the video, Saroya is seen driving around in Times Square when he suddenly appears to slump over and hit his head on the steering wheel, which a witness quickly sees. The witness quickly flags down a police officer and they both start banging on the car door. Meanwhile, someone is filming from the outside of the car as well as from a camera set up inside. More and more officers descend on the vehicle and one eventually smashes the window open. The NYPD continued rendering aid to Saroya, getting him water and hailing an ambulance But it was all a stunt for Saroya's YouTube video, a prank that strained the city's resources As officers try to tend to Saroya and put the car in park, one says 'What's his problem' in regards to Saroya before dragging him out of the car. The officers then tend to Saroya and give him water as a fire truck and ambulance arrive on the scene. Saroya is escorted into the ambulance, but eventually released into the care of a friend of his after telling the paramedic that 'two workouts and a Red Bull' were the cause of his fainting spell. Many of the comments on the YouTube video are highly critical of Saroya. Saroya is no stranger to pulling pranks on YouTube that have generated controversy Recent entries for his page include 'Lighting A Baby on Fire' and 'Beating a Baby in Public' 'I'm going to be honest. THIS IS WRONG,' posted Jax Nean. 'So you faked a medical emergency and wasted resources, you should be arrested,' said Adam Diaz. 'This is so wrong. Couldve been an emergency elsewhere that needed their response. Yikes,' posted Anthony Dechristopher. Saroya is no stranger to controversy when it comes to pulling stunts for his social media accounts. At the beginning March 2020, he filmed a video showing him licking a subway rail, much to the disgust of those around him. It drew further scrutiny since it was posted during the height of the pandemic. Towards the end of that month, there were 36,221 cases of people with coronavirus in the city and 790 people had died. Saroya, declared he would never 'lick a d**m pole' but described the video and his style comedy as 'absurd' He later claimed he used a fake tongue in the video and had to clarify it was filmed before the pandemic was in full swing after he posted it to Instagram on March 18. PIX11 reports they also staged a video in 2019 to see how bystanders would react to a moment of sexual harassment and an ensuing scuffle. 'I was surprised you know - I wanted to people to actually step in,' Saroya said. Other recent uploads on his page include videos titled 'Lighting A Baby on Fire' and 'Beating a Baby in Public.' The 'ghost race' era in Formula 1 is not over yet. Stefano Bonaccini, the president of the Emilia Romagna region in Italy, has admitted that Imola's new 18 April race will at best welcome "limited" numbers of spectators. Imola was drafted in to fill the calendar slot following the cancellation of the scheduled round in China. "We all hope that on that date it will already be possible to have the public in the stands, even if it is in a limited way," Bonaccini said on Thursday. He also revealed that the official name of the race will be the 'grand prix of Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna'. (GMM) BISHKEK -- Former Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, who resigned in October amid anti-government rallies protesting the results of parliamentary elections, has been summoned as a witness in the corruption case of former Deputy Prime Minister Duishenbek Zilaliev. Zilaliev's lawyer, Taalaigul Toktakunova, told RFE/RL on January 29 that Jeenbekov was initially ordered to come to the Bishkek City Court on January 28, which he did not do, as he was attending the inauguration of his successor, Sadyr Japarov, that day. According to Toktakunova, the court now wants Jeenbekov to testify at a hearing into her client's appeal on February 3. Zilaliev was arrested in late 2018 and sentenced to nine years in prison in October 2020 after he was found guilty of illegal enrichment. Investigators have said that they found $1 million in cash in Zilaliev's safety deposit box in a Bishkek bank. "Zilaliev told investigators that the cash was not his but belonged to Jeenbekov's election campaign before he was elected as president in December 2017. Because Jeenbekov was the president at the time, he was not questioned. Now, because he is an ordinary citizen, he can be summoned," Toktakunova said. Neither Jeenbekov nor his lawyers have commented on the allegations. () . 17 29 4 . "" " " . " ". . : " ". A music teacher at a top private school felt forced out of her job after blowing the whistle on a colleague who demanded a 16-year-old schoolgirl be 'more of a c*** teaser' during auditions, a tribunal heard yesterday. The East London Employment Tribunal heard Victoria Scott, 49, taught singing at 30,000-a-year Chigwell School in Essex for four years until May 2018 when she quit Aer post in protest at having to work with Director of Music Howard Ebden, 46. Mrs Scott, a mother of three, alleges a catalogue of incidents culminating in a lewd remark made to a sixth form girl performing L'amour from French composer George Bizet's opera Carmen (1875) during an audition at the prestigious boarding school on March 13, 2018. Victoria Scott, pictured, is taking an employment tribunal case against Chigwell School in Essex where she was employed as a singing teacher. She claims she had to leave after the school's head of music made an obscene suggestion about a 16-year-old girl during an audition at the 30,000-a-year school Ms Scott, 49, claims the school's head of music Howard Ebden, 46, pictured, suggested the girl who was auditioning for a part in the school's opera should be 'more of a c*** teaser'. Ms Scott said she found it uncomfortable to work with Mr Ebden following this remark The opera's protagonist is a Gypsy femme fatale who seduces a Spanish soldier ordered to arrest her, though at the time Mr Ebden took the view his teenage pupil's performance was not stirring enough. After listening to the girl sing, Mr Ebden turned to Mrs Scott and said: 'How do I tell her I want her to be more of a c*** teaser!' Founded in 1629 and set on 70 acres, Chigwell's alumni includes 17 century Quaker leader William Penn, actors Sir Ian Holn and Ken Campbell and TV presenter Ben Shepherd. The school's website boasts of a 'family orientated community.' Mrs Scott reported her boss's remark to the school's safeguarding officer Claire Tilbrook and later the headmaster Michael Punt. Mrs Tilbrook in turn alerted the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) who ruled the incident was not a safeguarding issue. The matter was dealt with under the school's internal disciplinary code and Mr Ebden was issued with a warning letter though not suspended. The tribunal heard he apologised for his remarks saying it was 'a two second mistake and two words.' But Mrs Scott, a London-based soprano, says she became anxious about returning to work with Mr Ebden after taking several weeks compassionate leave after her father died. She wrote to headmaster Michael Punt saying she felt 'uncomfortable' and wished to teach pupils from her home. Mr Punt in his evidence yesterday said he couldn't direct pupils to be taught outside school at a teacher's home. He later invited Mrs Scott to what he called a 'building bridges' meeting on May 9 with Mr Ebden aimed at bringing her back to teaching at the mixed 730-pupil school. Founded in 1629 and set on 70 acres, Chigwell's alumni includes 17 century Quaker leader William Penn, actors Sir Ian Holn and Ken Campbell and TV presenter Ben Shepherd But Mrs Scott had not expected to see Mr Ebden and quickly became 'hysterical' in the meeting leading to the headmaster asking him to leave. In cross examination, Mrs Scott's barrister Mugni Islam-Choudhury rounded on Mr Punt saying the meeting was an ambush designed to 'bully her into submission or make her leave.' He said: 'She was outnumbered two to one, two senior male members of staff, when she had made a complaint against one of those men... it was designed to put her back in her place and intimidate a junior member of staff?' Mr Punt countered: 'Absolutely not. I had nothing to gain by intimidating Mrs Scott.' Two days later she handed in her resignation, writing: 'I was distressed Mr Ebden was at the meeting and had obviously been there for some time discussing me... this was not acceptable language from a teacher to a pupil under any circumstances... I do not wish to return to Chigwell. I cannot work in this atmosphere with someone I cannot trust.' Mr Punt told the hearing: 'Based on that letter, she had made her mind up. I was genuinely sad she was leaving us.' Giving evidence today Mr Ebden - who has taught at Chigwell 10 years - insisted he didn't originally think the pupil had overheard the remark, which was made as an aside to Mrs Scott. But he added: 'I agree that those two words were inappropriately chosen and should never have happened.' He denied making an earlier remark to the girl of 'It's a good job I'm gay, isn't it', in an effort to coax a more 'sensual' performance from her, saying: 'That's totally fabricated. That comment never happened.' Mrs Scott also alleges married Mr Ebden behaved inappropriately to her by a swimming pool on a school trip to Spain in July 2015 by rubbing his body against her in a 'sexualised manner.' 'It's categorically untrue,' he pleaded. A third incident in September 2015 in which he allegedly 'hugged and nuzzled' Mrs Scott in front of pupils after running into her rehearsal room wearing an academic gown and 'pretending to be Dracula' was also denied. Mrs Scott alleges forced resignation, harassment and discrimination. Closing submissions will be made before Employment Judge Russell on Tuesday. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com A total of 12 Christophers School staff walked 13.5 km from Saar to the Senior School in Isa Town to raise money for a local charity. This is the 4th year St Christophers School has held the Walk to Work event organised by Senior School teacher, Joe Mulleague. The group started their walk at 4:20 am in Saar and exceeded 200,000 steps. IT has been well established that the countrys most effective mobilisation system is the election machinery based on political affiliation. With this in mind, the current crisis in the country regarding the frightening spread of the coronavirus calls for a different kind of intervention. It is past time for the declaration of a political truce. We call on the countrys two major political machines, PNM and UNC, and all other existing political parties and groups, to come together in the national interest. Pastor who coerced teen into having sex to cleanse her of childhood abuse gets 10 years in prison Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Editor's note: This article contains graphic details of an explicit nature A former pastor who confessed to coercing and enticing a teenage girl into engaging in sexual acts with him at his church so she could be cleansed and freed from a dark place of childhood sexual trauma will now spend 10 years behind bars, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday. Cesar Agusto Guerrero Jr., 42, of Liberty Township, Ohio, admitted in June 2020 that he engaged in sexual acts with his 17-year-old victim on July 20, 2019, and again on Aug. 5, 2019, at his office at the Mision Cristiana el Calvario Church. He was sentenced via video conference in U.S. District Court. Officials noted in an earlier report that on Aug. 7, 2019, several female members of Guerreros church at the time, including the 17-year-old, had made complaints about him. Court documents say the pastor contacted her in July through Facebook Messenger and informed her that he dreamt she was dressed in white, while walking in a dark place. He then told her that this dream made him concerned for her and that God was speaking to him, and the only way to get out of the dark place was for her to have sexual relations with (him) in what would be a cleansing process. Guerrero further asked the teenager to record herself naked and send him sexually explicit photos while citing the Bible. She later met with the pastor on July 30 at his church office where he allegedly had her perform oral sex in order to free her mouth, and forced her to have sexual intercourse, court documents noted. At a hearing in 2019, a judge overseeing the case cut the prosecutor short as he tried to describe the details of the case. Guerrero, according to court documents, wielded immense power over his congregants who at the time of his arrest considered him a prophet of God. His 17-year-old victims father, who thought his daughter would be safe in the church, was left in a crisis of faith. "He's been using God's word to tell the girls to do sexual things and the girls really thought that was coming from God," the father, who asked not to be identified at the time, said. "He was doing horrible things inside the room. That makes you think, if God exists, God wouldn't let this person do things like that. When asked how he felt about the situation, the father said: "Angry, frustrated, can't believe. You don't believe in God no more." A second girl also alleged that when she was 14 several years ago, she was sexually abused by the pastor at a conference in New York where she had traveled with his family and other church members. Guerrero, who was born in Honduras, is a legal resident of the United States. He will be a registered sex offender and could be deported after he's released from prison. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic outside his residence at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Jan. 26, 2021. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press) Major Canadian Airlines to Cancel Flights to Mexico and Caribbean, More Travel Restrictions Coming: Trudeau Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced new travel restrictions on Jan. 29, and said major Canadian airlines will be cancelling flights to certain regions. More measures will be announced in the coming weeks that will enforce mandatory quarantine in hotels for all international travellers, as the transmissible variants of the COVID-19 virus continues to spread. The federal government has reached an agreement with Canadian airlinesAir Canada, WestJet, Sunwing, and Air Transatto suspend services to Mexico and all Caribbean destinations starting on Jan. 31 and lasting until April 30. Trudeau said the airlines will arrange the return flights with their customers who are now heading to these regions. Beginning next week, all international passenger flights can only land in the following four airports: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. Trudeau said more measures will be introduced in the coming weeks, including mandatory PCR testing at the airport for people returning to Canada. Travellers must wait for their test results for up to three days in approved hotels at their own expense, which is expected to be around $2,000, he said. Those who test negative will then have to quarantine at home with significantly increased surveillance and enforcement. Those with positive test results will be immediately sent to quarantine in designated government facilities to ensure they are not carrying the more transmissible variants of the virus. Starting on Jan. 7, the government has required air travellers to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test, done within 72 hours of departure, before boarding a flight to Canada. In addition, non-essential land travellers at the Canada-U.S. border will also be asked to provide negative test results prior to entry. By putting in place these tough measures now, we can look forward to a better time when we can all plan those vacations, Trudeau said. Our government is committed to the safe restart and recovery of the Canadian travel and tourism sector as soon as conditions improve, ideally later this year. Vaccine Supply As for the vaccine situation, Trudeau said Canada will receive 78 percent of the Moderna vaccine which is roughly 180,000 doses. We will always share the most accurate information we have, but in the short term those numbers can fluctuate, he said. But as global production continues to pick up, there will be more stability in the system. Trudeau said the temporary delay will not affect Canadas ability to secure the 2 million doses of the Moderna vaccine as planned before the end of March. He also said he has spoken with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, who has confirmed that Canada will receive the planned 4 million doses of its vaccines before the end of March. The opposition Conservatives have been critical of the Liberal governments handling of the vaccine file. Theyve known for months there were going to be problems with production. They didnt plan for it, Conservative Party Leader Erin OToole said. This week there will be no deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine. Next week, our order has been cut by 86 percent. Funding Safe Return to Class Trudeau also announced the release of the second instalment of the federal Safe Return To Class Fund to help provinces and territories to operate schools safely during the pandemic. This $1 billion investment will go to everything from more sanitizer, to better ventilation in classrooms, to support online learning and remote classes, he said. In August 2020, Trudeau committed up to $2 billion in funding through the program to be given to provinces and territories in two instalments. The first disbursement was paid out last fall as schools across the country reopened. Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that it is the major Canadian airlines that will be cancelling flights to the Caribbean and Mexico. The Epoch Times regrets the error. With files from The Canadian Press HM Amit Shah briefed by Delhi Police on blast near Israeli Embassy India pti-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 29: Union Home Minister Amit Shah was on Friday briefed by the Delhi Police about an IED blast near the Israeli Embassy here, officials said. After the incident, the minister has been in touch with the Delhi Police top brass and is constantly monitoring the situation. Shah has been briefed about the situation following the blast on APJ Abdul Kalam Road, a very high-security zone in the national capital, a home ministry official said. Minor blast near Israeli Embassy in New Delhi; IB issues alert for all airports The minister has directed the police to take all necessary steps to investigate and find out the perpetrators of the crime, the official said. Some cars were damaged in the minor blast that took place near a pavement outside the embassy. No one was injured. New U.S. Iran envoy Robert Malley spoke with senior officials from Britain, France and Germany on Thursday to see what the European parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal think about the current situation, a European diplomatic source said on Friday. "It was to take stock of the dossier and to assess what our state of mind is," the source said of Malley's conversation with the British, French and German political directors. Short link: Self-harm among female prisoners has substantially increased in the wake of the coronavirus crisis with the number of incidents reaching a record high, new data shows. Ministry of Justice statistics show the amount of self-harm incidents among inmates in womens prisons across England and Wales surged by eight per cent in a year, with 12,443 cases recorded in the year to September. While this is a substantial increase from 11,482 in the 12 months before that, the amount of self-harm incidents among male prisoners has decreased by around seven per cent. Incidents had risen among women even more starkly in the most recent quarter - rising by 24 per cent in the female prison estate from the previous quarter. Self-harm incidents, which required the prisoner to go to hospital soared by 35 per cent to 331 in womens prisons in the last year. The government data also reveals there has been a rise in overall deaths of both male and female prisoners, with the most recent quarter seeing the number of deaths rise to 109, an increase of 70 per cent on the 64 deaths in the three months to last September. A total of 318 people in jail died in the last year, which marks the second highest rate of deaths since records started more than four decades ago. Dr Kate Paradine, chief executive of Women in Prison, said the new statistics are a devastating reminder of the harm which the pandemic has wreaked on women in prison. She added: "Weve seen over a third increase on the number of women admitted to hospital for self-harm year on year highlighting the worryingly rapid decline of mental health. Many women havent seen their families in person for over a year, and are confined to their cells for up to 23 hours a day. It doesnt have to be like this - the government can honour its promise and resume its early release scheme allowing women to safely isolate in the community. "For people not eligible, we need to prioritise the vaccinations so women can spend more time outside their cells and visits can eventually resume safely. A previous report by the Prison Reform Trust found 80 per cent of women in jail were serving sentences for non-violent offences. Other studies have found high numbers of female prisoners have suffered domestic abuse, while many suffer from mental health issues - with campaigners frequently warning women in prison are often victims of much more serious offences than the ones they have been convicted of. Deborah Coles, director of Inquest, a charity which examines state-related deaths, said: These statistics represent hundreds of people suffering in extreme conditions in prisons. The government ignored experts calling for large-scale early releases to protect people in prison from the impact of the pandemic. "We are beginning to see the devastating impacts of that decision. Unless radical action is taken, we fear the worst is yet to come. The reduction in self-inflicted deaths from historically high levels is welcome. However, indefinite solitary confinement is the harrowing reality for men, women and children across the prison estate. This will have serious consequences for both mental and physical health." She demanded urgent action to make sure prisoners are able to access healthcare, as well as calling for restrictions to be eased as quickly as possible. Ms Coles added: "In the long term, we need a dramatic reduction of the prison population and more investment in communities. Lucy Frazer, prisons minister, said staff had put a "tremendous effort" into ensuring inmates were kept safe during the Covid crisis. Although violence and self-harm started falling before the pandemic and are down again this year, we must be more vigilant than ever about providing support in this incredibly challenging period, she said. A Florida fire captain has been charged for stealing coronavirus vaccines intended for fellow first responders to give to his elderly mother. Polk County Fire Rescue Captain Anthony Damiano, 55, has handed himself in for stealing three vaccines earlier in January. Joshua Colon, 31, a junior paramedic working under Damiano, was arrested on Monday for covering up his boss's theft. Colon maintains that Damiano asked him to obtain the shots so he could give the vaccine to his elderly mother. Polk County Fire Rescue Captain Anthony Damiano, 55, (left) has turned himself in after allegedly stealing vials of the Moderna Covid vacccine, initially intended for use by first responders. Joshua Colon, 31, (right) a paramedic, was arrested Monday for allegedly covering up Damiano's crime Polk County Fire Rescue had been delivering the coronavirus vaccines to first responders, and Colon was administering the shots, Judd said. He was given three vials containing 30 vaccines, and was ordered to administer them to first responders at Station 38 in Davenport. At the end of the day, Colon said he had administered 28 vaccines. Two of them, he said, were disposed of for normal reasons. He then changed his story, saying 27 people were vaccinated, and three shots were disposed of. Superiors asked him to provide forms repeatedly. He handed over 21 forms and the log, which contained 23 vaccine receipts. The log did not add up to the number of forms returned. Two were considered missing and one was provided without a date of birth. When asked to complete the information, Colon gave the name of two firefighters and a third person. An investigation determined the third person did not exist, and the two firefighters had not received their shot. On 25 January, deputies interviewed Colon, who was just celebrated by the fire department in a January 13 Facebook post, and he admitted to creating and signing the three documents himself, and confirmed they were fictitious. Syringes are filled with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Colon, who was just celebrated by the fire department in a January 13 Facebook post, resigned on January 22 Colon received three vials that contained a total of 30 vaccines and was ordered to administer them to first responders who responded to Station 38 in Davenport (pictured) to obtain the vaccine He told deputies that his supervisor, Damiano, had joked that Colon should pilfer some vaccines for him to give to his mother. Colon said he refused to provide the vaccine to his boss. According to Colon, Damiano threatened tell people his higher-ups the paramedic was selling vaccines outside work. Colon said that frightened him. The 31-year-old claims he returned from a lunch break to find three of the vaccines were missing, but didn't report their absence, though he was suspicious of Damiano. Colon was charged with four counts of forgery, four counts uttering forged instrument, four counts falsifying medical records, one count official misconduct, one count criminal use of personal ID and two counts creating fictional personal D. The paramedic, who resigned on January 22, was released on bond. Damiano wasn't arrested sooner because he had been on a work assignment in California, Judd said. He is free on $1,250 records. Jail records didn't list whether he had an attorney who could comment. ST ALBANS, England, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The winners of the National Insect Week Photography Competition have been announced by the Royal Entomological Society. A record 2443 entries were received from amateur photographers in 72 countries during 2020. Each winning photograph captures a moment in the busy and often beautiful lives of insects. People of all ages have been discovering the smaller animals we see around us every day, even during the pandemic. Head judge Dr Tim Cockerill from Falmouth University's Institute of Photography said "In a year that has been memorable for all the wrong reasons it is wonderful to see how so many people around the world have taken solace in nature. "Life has gone on as normal for insects and it's clear that watching wildlife has been a great comfort to many of us. Every one of the photographs entered into the competition represents someone turning their attention to insects. They are truly fascinating animals and are all around us, but often go unnoticed. Photographs like these really allow us to appreciate them and the great many roles they play in nature." The winner in the over-18s' category German wasps drinking by Alan Clark features a group of German wasps (Vespula germanica). Dr Cockerill said "This brilliant image reminded the judges of those classic wildlife photography shots of antelope drinking around a water hole on the African savannah. To see this in a much-maligned insect like the wasp made for a striking and memorable photograph." In the under-18s' category, Marmalade hoverfly on a pink flower by Jamie Spensley (age 17) is a bold and striking composition featuring a hoverfly nestled within a flower from an impressive young wildlife photographer. Other judges were TV presenter and naturalist Nick Baker, Ashleigh Whiffin from National Museums Scotland, and Lucia Chmurova from the conservation charity Plantlife. All the winners and runners-up can be enjoyed at nationalinsectweek.co.uk/photography Notes to editors Photo gallery www.nationalinsectweek.co.uk/photography National Insect Week is organised by the Royal Entomological Society to encourage people of all ages to learn more about insects and entomology, the study of insects. It is supported by a large number of partner organisations across the UK with interests in the science, natural history and conservation of insects. The Royal Entomological Society is one of the oldest entomological societies in the world. Many eminent scientists of the past, including Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, have been fellows. The Society organises regular meetings for insect scientists, as well as hosting international symposia and events for the public. It publishes journals and books as well as identification guides. It has fellows and members all over the world. The aim of the Society is "the improvement and diffusion of entomological science". www.royensoc.co.uk for more details. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1429497/1st_Prize_Over18_Alan_Clark.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1429501/1st_Prize_Under18_James_Spensley.jpg Opinion OK, stop. If a 16-year-old Indigenous girl is shot and no one is held responsible even if everyone knows who it was is it a crime? What if the shooter is a rookie Winnipeg police officer who, in the process of the girl clearly being apprehended, shoots her? What if that officer refuses to defend himself to investigators and provides a few notes and a prepared statement? Is any of this breaking the law? An inappropriate use of force? How about a suspension or some re-training? According to the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba the body charged with investigating major incidents involving police in this province the answer is no, no, and no. The IIU which numerous Winnipeg Free Press investigations have uncovered as full of former police officers and supporters of the police service has exonerated another police officer in the shooting of an Indigenous person. Nothing to see here, says the IIU, move along. Now, no one will be held responsible in the April 8, 2020, shooting of Eishia Hudson unless an inquiry is ordered by the government of Brian Pallister: an unlikely scenario. Still, regardless of what the IIU says, its clear Hudsons death was preventable, unjustified, and, at the very least, avoidable. Even the report proves, for the umpteenth time, that there is systemic racism in the Winnipeg Police Service and shootings of Indigenous people are not an anomaly (recall that around the same time Eishia was shot, two other Indigenous people were shot by Winnipeg officers, too). Take, for instance, that the officer who discharged his firearm told investigators he believed Eishia was an "Indigenous male, late teens to early 20s, with short dark hair, and was wearing a black hoodie/jacket," the report says. No doubt the situation was stressful, but its clearly evident the officer lacked contact with Indigenous peoples. He was admittedly new, having just qualified for a duty pistol in June 2019, but clearly lacked enough "Indigenous cultural awareness" training to help him understand what he was getting into. The officer said that while he had heard about "threats" and suspected there might be weapons in the vehicle driven by Eishia after it crashed on Lagimodiere Boulevard, he saw no weapons and stated the car "appeared to be possibly inoperable." By that point, numerous police had the vehicle surrounded, according to the IIU report, and several were striking windows with batons to try to access the occupants. Inside the car, meanwhile, Eishias friends were giving up. One reportedly said: "Were done bro, were done" and "Were not getting out of this." Eishia, clearly scared with a gun pointed at her, tried to back up. The officer said he believed the driver "was attempting to strike us with the front of the vehicle in order to cause us grievous bodily harm or death" so he opened fire. Officers who were around the car were so close and busy trying to access the occupants that many didnt hear the shot. Inside the vehicle, one of Eishias friends said: "They got us now." The officer says he feared a wounded Eishia was going to harm pedestrians, so he shot her again, delivering the fatal bullet. Anyone who has seen the video of the shooting knows its clear she was trying to escape over a median. Her father, William Hudson, pointed this out during Thursdays news conference, calling the IIU report "biased." "I watched the video over and over," Hudson said, "I dont know how many times." One thing is for sure: Eishias final words to her shooter were: "OK, stop." She, like I, dont know his name, because the IIU refuses to release it. Maybe a better name is the Protective Investigation Unit. Now, all of us are left to pick up the pieces, stand with Eishias family in solidarity, and worry about our next engagement with the police. We know as no doubt police do as well that little guilt will be found in the current investigative processes of this province when an Indigenous person is shot. We know that "experts" will support the version of officers, investigators will support them, and shooters will be exonerated. We know that injustice will continue in an ongoing, violent and deadly relationship between Indigenous peoples and police and many in leadership wont do a damn thing about it. "We have issues of systemic racism in the Winnipeg police," Winnipeg NDP MP Leah Gazan announced alongside the Hudson family, "and we have known this since the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry." That report is now 30 years old but would sound the same today. The issues in policing, justice, and the systems that enable them treat Indigenous peoples the same. OK, stop. niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca (JTA) - When Christie Moore rolled up her sleeve to get her COVID-19 vaccine last week, many thoughts went through her mind. Among them: a set of Jewish blessings that rabbis suggested for the occasion. I knew this because Moore shared the Jewish Telegraphic Agency's roundup of rabbinic suggested blessings when she tweeted her vaccine selfie. So I reached out to Moore, a medical oncologist in Portland, Oregon, to learn more about her experience getting vaccinated. We talked about the blessing she ended up making, how COVID-19 changed her relationship with her Judaism and what she would tell... Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 22:33:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LUSAKA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Plans by Zambia to issue a license for a fourth mobile phone service provider will provide consumers with a wide range of choices, a consumer body said on Friday. Minister of Transport and Communication Mutotwe Kafwaya said early this week that the government was in the process of licensing a fourth mobile phone operator to enhance competition in the communication sector. The move was part of the government's efforts to prioritize the growth of the Information and Technology Communication sector. Juba Sakala, executive secretary of the Zambia Consumer Association said the three mobile phone service operators in the country have developed complacency in the provision of quality services because of the monopoly they were enjoying. "This announcement has brought relief to most consumers as it has given them a choice, improved quality of service and competition in the industry," he told Xinhua. According to him, the entry of a fourth player in the sector was long overdue. Zambia currently has three mobile phone service operators namely Airtel Zambia, MTN Zambia and Zamtel. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 14:07:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NEW YORK, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres suggested on Thursday that China and the United States cooperate on climate action. "There is an area where I believe there is a growing convergence of interests, and my appeal is for that area to be pursued by the two sides, together with the whole of the international community, and that area is climate action," Guterres told reporters during a hybrid in-person and virtual news conference. He expressed his hope that both countries should be "strongly involved" in the preparation for the 26th UN Climate Change Conference scheduled for November, and in moving to carbon neutrality "in the quickest possible way." Enditem PHONJWANE Did you know that the late well-known traditional healer, Elliot Black Cat Fakudze, was a devoted church member such that he was elevated to the position of president? On top of that, he had his own branch at his home at Mndobandoba, Big Bend in the Lubombo Region. This was revealed by The Catholic Christian Apostolic (TCCA) Church in Zion (Enkhosini) founder Bishop Jobane Mkhatshwa (94) yesterday. Mkhatshwa, who founded the church during the late Jericho Church Founder Melika Vilakatis time, was found at Phonjwane together with some of its senior members, preparing to go and convey their condolences to the late Black Cats family. Founder According to the founder of the church, they believe that the late Fakudze is with the Lord because of the good work he did while serving the Almighty in the church. As a Christian, the Lord blessed him (Fakudze) with power to heal the sick through prayer and he helped a lot of people, Bishop Mkhatshwa said. He said Fakudze, who died at the age of 62, had been a member of his church for over 35 years and served in various positions before he became an umengameli (president). He added that the church did not have even a single report that portrayed him otherwise. As a servant of the Lord, Bishop Mkhasthwa said the late Fakudze put God first and demonstrated this by his commitment to the church. He said Fakudze was one of the church leaders who hardly missed an activity of the church, be it work that needed physical or financial muscle. Services He also attended church services in the branch and at the headquarters at Mahlabatsini, Gilgal, the founder of the Jericho church said. On the other hand, Bishop Mkhatshwa said the fact that Fakudze died through water, did not mean anything to them as they believed this was an accident that could have happened to anyone, as many people had drowned in floods before. Fakudze died together with a female neighbour, whom he had offered a ride on Sunday afternoon. This was after his car, a Toyota Fortuner, was swept away by floods while he was trying to cross Mndobandoba Bridge. There were four people in the car and the other two (teenage boys) survived. Meanwhile, the TCCA Church in Zion has about 120 branches in the Kingdom of Eswatini, South Africa and Mozambique. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... BEIJING After a two-week quarantine, the real work can begin. Maybe. A World Health Organization team of researchers has emerged from their hotel for the first time since their arrival in the central Chinese city of Wuhan to start searching for clues into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. The visit has been shrouded in secrecy: The WHO tweeted Thursday a few details of what they will do, but its unknown how much access China will give the researchers to the sites they want to visit and the people they want to talk to. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ WHY IS THE TEAM IN CHINA? Scientists hope that information on the earliest known cases of the new coronavirus which was first identified in Wuhan will help them better understand where it came from and prevent similar pandemics in the future. Researchers around the world are eager for access to samples taken from the Huanan Seafood Market, which had an early outbreak, and Wuhan hospital records. The WHO said in its tweets that the team would meet with Chinese scientists on Friday before starting field visits in and around Wuhan. It plans to visit hospitals, laboratories and markets, including the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the Huanan market and the Wuhan Center for Disease Control laboratory, the WHO said. It said the team would speak with early responders and some of the first patients. A laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology that was built after the 2003 SARS pandemic maintains an extensive archive of genetic sequences of bat coronaviruses. U.S. officials in the previous Trump administration suggested without offering evidence that the virus could have escaped from the institute. Experts say its unlikely the new coronavirus emerged from the lab in Wuhan and overwhelmingly say analysis of the new coronaviruss genome rules out the possibility that it was engineered by humans. The market and other places where early cases emerged remain important because the virus is constantly evolving, as the new variants identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa show. ___ WHAT DO RESEARCHERS HOPE TO LEARN? Wuhan is where COVID-19 cases were first detected, but it is highly possible the virus came to the industrial city of 11 million people from elsewhere. Genetic sequencing shows the new coronavirus started in bats and likely jumped to another animal before infecting humans. The virus that is the closest known relative of the one that causes COVID-19 has been found in bats in a mine shaft nearly 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) southwest of Wuhan, near Chinas border with Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. The Associated Press was blocked from visiting the mine. People began falling ill in Wuhan in December 2019, and many had links to the seafood market. Scientists initially suspected the virus came from wild animals sold at the market, prompting China to crackdown on the wildlife trade. But the subsequent discovery of earlier cases challenged that theory. Chinas CDC said samples taken from the market indicate it was likely a place where the virus spread, not where it started. The WHO teams ability to further our understanding of the virus and its credibility could hinge in part on getting access to those samples. Studying the genes of the earliest known cases in Wuhan could provide clues to how it got from bats to people and whether it was through a mammal such as a bamboo rat or a civet. ___ WHAT OBSTACLES DOES THE TEAM FACE? The big question is what China will allow the researchers see and do. The ruling Communist Party is concerned the research could shed light on its handling of the virus that could open it up to international criticism and even demands for financial compensation if it is found to have been negligent. China has stifled independent reports about the outbreak at home and published little information on its research into the origins of the virus. An AP investigation found that the government has strictly controlled all COVID-19-related research and forbids researchers from speaking to the media. Another AP investigation found WHO officials privately complained that China had dragged its feet on sharing critical information about the outbreak, including the new viruss genetic sequence, even as the U.N. health agency publicly praised China for what it called a speedy response. China, stung by complaints it allowed the disease to spread, has suggested the virus could have come from abroad. A government spokesperson has said the origins hunt will require work beyond Chinas borders, including in bat habitats in Southeast Asian nations. An expert on the WHO team has suggested the same thing, and this is a possibility researchers are exploring. ___ WHEN WILL WE KNOW THE ANSWERS? The search for the origins of COVID-19 is likely to take years. It took more than a decade to find the origins of SARS, and the origins of Ebola, first identified in the 1970s, remain elusive. But knowing where the virus came from could help prevent future outbreaks of viruses that cross to people from wild animals. Criticism of courts is growing and everybody is doing it, the said on Friday while giving three weeks to comic artist Rachita Taneja to file her reply on a plea seeking contempt action for her allegedly objectionable tweets against the judiciary. A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan was told by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Taneja, that criticism of court can never be contempt. The foundation of court is much stronger, Rohatgi told the bench, also comprising Justices R S Reddy and M R Shah. We agree with you. But it is growing and everybody is doing it, the bench observed. To this, Rohatgi said, Criticism of court can never be contempt. She (Taneja) is a young girl of 25 years. There is a public perception why the case of a journalist was taken up for hearing during court's vacation. The bench asked Rohatgi that if he wanted to file a reply to the petition, he could do it otherwise the court will proceed in the matter. If you don't want to file reply, we will proceed. It is better if you file a reply, the bench said. Rohatgi sought three weeks to file the reply. Mukul Rohatgi, senior counsel appearing for the respondent prays for and is allowed three weeks' time to file affidavit. List the matter after three weeks, the bench said in its order. The apex court also heard separate pleas seeking contempt action against stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra for his alleged scandalous tweets against the top court. The bench, which posted the pleas for hearing after two weeks, was informed by advocate Nishant R Kanteshwarkar, appearing for some petitioners, that Kamra has filed his reply and the matter be listed on non-miscellaneous day after two weeks. On December 18 last year, the top court had issued show-cause notices to Kamra and Taneja on separate pleas for their alleged scandalous tweets against the apex court. The top court had sought their responses in six weeks on the notices issued in two separate cases and had exempted them from personal appearances in these matters. It had noted that Attorney General K K Venugopal has given his consent to initiate contempt proceedings against both of them in separate cases. Venugopal had granted consent for initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against Kamra, saying the comedian's tweets were in "bad taste" and it was time that people understand that attacking the apex court brazenly would attract punishment. The Attorney General had also given consent to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against Taneja, stating that the caricatures posted by her on social media were intended to denigrate the and lower its authority in the eyes of the public. The consent of either the attorney general or the solicitor general is necessary under Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act for initiating contempt proceedings against a person. Criminal contempt of the is punishable with a fine of up to Rs 2,000 and imprisonment of up to six months. The plea against Taneja has sought initiation of contempt proceedings for three posts with images which are allegedly outrageous, contemptuous, carry insinuations and deliberately attribute motives to judges of Supreme Court and their judgments. One of the petitions seeking contempt action against Karma has alleged that he had started publishing tweets on November 11 last year, when the top court was hearing the appeal of journalist Arnab Goswami against the Bombay High Court's order rejecting his plea seeking interim bail in a 2018 abetment to suicide case. The plea has alleged that after the top court had granted interim bail to Goswami on November 11 last year, Kamra again published various tweets and thereby scandalized the apex court and further lowered its authority. (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.) (CNN) - A Phase 3 trial of biotechnology company Novavaxs COVID-19 vaccine shows it has an efficacy of 89.3%, the company announced on Thursday. But the company highlighted the vaccines apparent efficacy against new variants of the virus that have alarmed politicians and scientists alike. The trial, conducted in the United Kingdom, included efficacy estimates by strain based on PCR tests performed on strains from 56 COVID-19 cases in the trial. The vaccine was found to have 95.6% efficacy against the original novel coronavirus and 85.6% against the variant first identified in the UK, known as B.1.1.7. The company also announced that a Phase 2b study conducted in South Africa, where another variant was first identified, showed 60% efficacy. "With todays results from our UK Phase 3 and South Africa Phase 2b clinical trials, we have now reported data on our COVID-19 vaccine from Phase 1, 2 and 3 trials involving over 20,000 participants," Stanley Erck, Novavax president and CEO, said in the announcement. The company's vaccine, known as NVX-CoV2373, is the first vaccine to demonstrate not only high clinical efficacy against COVID-19 but also significant clinical efficacy against both the rapidly emerging UK and South Africa variants, Erck said. NVX-CoV2373 has the potential to play an important role in solving this global public health crisis." Regarding the trial in South Africa, the 60% reduced risk against COVID-19 illness in vaccinated individuals in South Africans underscores the value of this vaccine to prevent illness from the highly worrisome variant currently circulating in South Africa, and which is spreading globally, Shabir Maddi, principal investigator in the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine trial in South Africa, said in the announcement. "This is the first COVID-19 vaccine for which we now have objective evidence that it protects against the variant dominating in South Africa, Maddi said. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Novavax says UK Phase 3 trial shows its coronavirus vaccine has 89% efficacy" Tata Steel's European works council on Friday said it expected the separation of Tata Steel's Dutch and British operations to continue, despite Swedish steelmaker SSAB's decision to halt talks over the potential acquisition of Tata's Dutch steel mill. "It is unclear how we will proceed, but we expect the separation to continue," works council chair Cinta Groos told Reuters. Groos said she did not expect takeover talks with ThyssenKrupp to be revived, after the European Commission blocked a merger between Tata's European activities and the German ... A 9-month-old boy who was inside a pickup truck that was stolen from a house in Westwego on Friday was found safe about 30 minutes later after being dropped off on a porch in New Orleans' Hollygrove neighborhood, police said. They knocked on the door and then left the area, Westwego Police Assistant Chief Jason Dimarco said. A resident at the house answered, found the baby and called police just after 1 p.m., according to police. WWL-TV video from the scene where the baby was found showed a police officer cradling the boy in his arms while sitting in the back of a New Orleans Police Department SUV. The child appears calm in the video. Video later posted on social media by a reporter from the station shows the baby and father being reunited in front of Westwego Police Department headquarters. That video shows the father running across the parking lot to first embrace the baby, and then, the man delivering the child back to him safe and sound. The black 2015 Nissan Titan pickup truck was stolen about 12:30 p.m. from a residence in the 700 block of Avenue D in Westwego, said Lt. Eric Orlando, spokesperson for the Westwego police. The baby was inside the still-running vehicle while the child's father went into the house to retrieve some food. 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 The father was gone for only moments, police said. But when he returned, the truck was speeding away. Dimarco called it a crime of opportunity. "He (the thief) just jumped in and took the vehicle, probably not realizing there was a 9-month-old in the car seat behind him," Dimarco said. A witness reported seeing a man wearing a white T-shirt, driving erratically down the street in the stolen truck. A license-plate recognition camera later spotted the vehicle on Airline Highway in New Orleans at 1:49 p.m., police said. The truck was still missing as of late Friday, and no suspect had been arrested. Once in custody, the person could face kidnapping and auto theft counts, according to Dimarco. The truck has a Louisiana license plate bearing the number C930517. The vehicle has damage to the passenger side. There is also "Baby on Board" sticker in the rear window. Hundreds of people raced to clinics in Washington state for their chance to get the coronavirus vaccine after a freezer failure put thousands of doses at risk of spoiling. Around 8.50pm on Thursday, an alarm went off on a freezer unit holding 1,650 doses of the Moderna vaccine at Kaiser Permanente in Seattle, which - if not administered -were due to expire at 3.30am. Hospital officials contacted two University of Washington Medical Center campuses, in Northwest and Montlake, and the Swedish Medical Center, asking them to take the vaccines and try to get the shots into arms. Both centers put out the call on social media and asked anyone who was willing and eligible to come in and get the vaccine. Crowds showed up, a few even in their pajamas, standing outside in the cold night and waiting for their chance to receive the COVID-19 inoculation. Hundreds of Washington residents waited outside, some in their pajamas, to receive a coronavirus vaccine after a freezer containing dosed malfunction. Pictured (left and right): A healthcare worker vaccinates a woman, who said she is 75 and runs a daycare, on a sidewalk outside of a last-minute COVID-19 vaccine event at Seattle University on Friday morning Coronavirus vaccine doses were sent to two University of Washington Medical Center locations, in Northwest and Montlake, and the Swedish Medical Center, after the freezer alarm went off at Kaiser Permanente on Thursday night. Pictured: Deliveries of coronavirus vaccines arrive at Swedish on Thursday night The freezer contained 1,650 doses of the Moderna vaccine that were set to expire at 3.30am unless they were administered. Pictured: People wait in line for a last-minute COVID-19 vaccine event at Seattle University after a freezer failure, Friday morning People wait in a parking garage for a last-minute COVID-19 vaccine event at Seattle University after a freezer failure, Friday morning Swedish Medical Center tweeted about the emergency on social media and was able to fill the appointments within 30 to 45 minutes (above) Kaiser Permanente sent nearly 1,000 of the doses to UW Medicine's two clinics and almost 600 were given at Swedish Medical Center. Some centers, such as Swedish Medical Center, put out a call on Twitter, hoping people would respond. 'URGENT: We have 588 DOSE 1 MODERNA appointments available January 28 11 p.m. to January 29 2 a.m.,' the medical center tweeted. 'Click link to book. For additional slots through to 2 a.m. click on SHOW MORE and select TOMORROW. Must be Phase 1a or Phase 1B / Tier 1.' People in these phases and tiers include essential and frontline workers as well as senior citizens. Kevin Brooks, chief operating officer of Swedish, told KING 5 a plan was put together by 9.30pm and that all available appointments filled up within 35 to 40 minutes of that tweet. By 10pm, volunteer staff members at Swedish were onsite and, by 11pm, the doors were open for anyone that had booked a last minute appointment. Pictured: People are vaccinated at Swedish on Thursday night or Friday morning Among those vaccinated were Tyson Greer, 77, who said she had been waiting up late at night trying to secure a vaccine appointment Pharmacists vaccinated people between 11pm and 3am and say none of the doses spoiled or were wasted. Pictured: People wait in line for a last-minute COVID-19 vaccine event at Seattle University early Friday morning Officials said everyone who received a first dose, even if they are not an essential worker or senior citizen, will be able to get a second dose. Pictured: Healthcare workers distribute vaccines late into the night at a last-minute COVID-19 vaccine event at Seattle University, Friday morning Hospital officials say most people vaccinated fell within the guidelines, but the priority was making sure no doses spoiled. Pictured: People get vaccinated at Swedish Medical Center on Thursday night or Friday morning 'We got a call from a partner hospital that they had a fridge malfunction and they needed to vaccinate 880 people,' Brooks said. 'I pulled our team together, our vaccine team at Swedish, and we huddled on Microsoft Teams and came up with a plan, and 30 minutes later we came on site.' By 10pm, volunteer staff members were onsite and by 11pm, the doors were open for anyone that had booked a last minute appointment. Brooks said most people vaccinated fell within the guidelines, but the priority was making sure no doses spoiled. 'We're doing the best we can to stay within the CDC and the governor's guidelines on prioritization,' he told KING 5. 'At the same time, we want to make sure not a single drop of the vaccine goes wasted.' So far, more than 26.1 million people - about 7.9 percent of the population - have been vaccinated (abvoe) On Monday President Joe Biden said he would like to get 1.5 million shots in arms every day during his first 100 days in office (above) According to Esmy Jiminez, who got her vaccine at Swedish and recounted her experience to KUOW, by 2am, people got tired of standing and sat on the concrete outside. 'Hospital staff would walk by periodically to count how many people remained, and how many would get vaccinated in the night,' she said. 'It seemed they had processed about half the group there.' By 3am, there were just 30 vaccines left to distribute. Meanwhile, according to UW spokesperson Susan Gregg, UW Medicine clinics vaccinated people between 11pm and 2.30am. Similarly, word had spread via social media and even appearing on local news stations' 11pm newscasts. Cassie Sauer of the Washington State Hospital Association, told the Seattle Times that no doses were wasted and that everyone who received a shot will get a second one at the same hospital. So far, more than 26.1 million people - about 7.9 percent of the population - have been vaccinated. On Monday President Joe Biden said he would like to get 1.5 million shots in arms every day during his first 100 days in office. This is an an increase from his pledge of 100 million shots in 100 days laid out before his inauguration. Federal Emergency Management Agency has asked the Pentagon to help administer the COVID-19 vaccine to meet Biden's goal of 1.5 million shots a day. pictured: embers of the Nevada National Guard at the COVID-19 site at Cashman Center, Las Vegas. The Pentagon said its assistance will likely involve a mix of active-duty National Guard and reserve troops performing 'a variety of coronavirus related tasks' It comes as the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) asks the Pentagon to help administer the COVID-19 vaccine to meet Biden's goal of 1.5 million shots a day. The Pentagon's top spokesman said on Thursday it had received a request to assist with getting shots in the arms of Americans across different parts of the country. 'The Department of Defense has received a request from FEMA for assistance in administering COVID-19 vaccine at various locations across the country,' Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in a statement. 'The Department is evaluating the request, and what kinds of support it can provide.' Kirby added that 'given the significance of the request it will be reviewed urgently but carefully' to determine what military assets can be safely made available to help the vaccine rollout. 'As [Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin] has said, DOD is committed to do as much as it possibly can to assist the whole-of-government effort against COVID-19,' he added. The Pentagon said its assistance will likely involve a mix of active-duty National Guard and reserve troops performing 'a variety of coronavirus related tasks' "Brose North America's workforce emulates our organization's founding principles, with a collective vision for family, innovation, respect, success and team. We know our people are our greatest asset. Their resilience, endless ability to innovate and accountability have led our organization to new heights during challenging times," said Wilm Uhlenbecker, President, Brose North America. "Brose was built on family values and these awards, in recognition of a culture that has been embraced and built up, is rewarding." In addition to hosting more than 300 training programs annually, a number of new programs are recently implemented across Brose's Michigan locations to support the company's focus on career development and talent retention. Last year, Brose's human resources department launched the Brose Skills Matrix, an online training system that identifies skills gaps for continuous improvement in real-time on a regional level. Brose also founded several new employee resource groups in late 2020 to help further the organization's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. "Developing effective and inclusive employee training is critical to Brose's success and the enrichment of the communities in which Brose operates," said Lisa Basila, Vice President Human Resources, Brose North America. "Our leadership is deeply committed to high quality programs to drive forward and celebrate the diverse workforce of tomorrow." Brose is a leader in mechatronicsthe integration of mechanics, electrics, electronics and sensorsand a 2020 Crain's Detroit Business Excellence in Human Resources award recipient. Brose was also honored with the Michigan Top Workplace awards in 2018 and 2019 and Best & Brightest Companies to Work for Metro Detroit in 2019 and 2020. About Best and Brightest The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For is a program of MichBusiness (formally Michigan Business and Professional Association) that provides the business community with the opportunity to gain recognition, showcase their best practices and demonstrate why they are an ideal place for employees to work. This national program celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community as a whole. It is presented annually in several markets including Atlanta, Boston, Charlette, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Milwaukee, Nashville, New York, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Nationally. Nominations are now being accepted for 2021. Visit thebestandbrightest.com to obtain an application. About Energage, LLC Headquartered in Exton, Pa., Energage (formerly known as WorkplaceDynamics) is a leading provider of technology-based employee engagement tools that help leaders to unlock potential, inspire performance, and achieve amazing results within their organizations. The research partner behind the Top Workplaces program, Energage has surveyed more than 47,000 organizations representing well over 16 million employees in the United States. About Brose Brose is the world's fourth-largest family-owned automotive supplier. The company develops and produces mechatronic systems for vehicle doors and seats as well as electric motors, drives and electronics, among others for steering, brakes, transmissions and engine cooling. More than 26,000 employees at 63 locations in 23 countries generate 6.3 billion euros in sales. Every other new vehicle worldwide is equipped with at least one Brose product. About Brose North America Brose has been a committed partner to the North American market since 1993. The mechatronics specialist now counts twelve locations across Canada, the United States and Mexico and employs approximately 6,000 people in the region. The entire range of Brose products is manufactured throughout the North American facilities, door modules and seat systems to drives and electronics. SOURCE Brose North America Related Links http://www.brose.com Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) the president pro tempore of the Senate, who is presiding over the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, swears in members of the Senate for the impeachment trial at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 26, 2021. (Senate Television via AP) Does the Constitution Allow Impeachment of an Ex-President? Commentary Does the U.S. Senate have jurisdiction to try former President Donald Trump? Theres no shortage of absolute yes and no answers floating around the media. But heres the real answer: We dont know. Before going further, let me clarify one thing: I believe that, on the merits, the article of impeachment against the former president is absurd. But whether any president can be impeached and convicted after he leaves office is an entirely different issue. This essay may be hard for some readers to follow. But persevere: When you reach the end, you will understand why the real answer is, We dont know. The Constitution is a legal document. For at least 500 years, the usual way English and American courts interpret legal documents has been to seek the intent of the makers (pdf). If we dont have clear evidence of the makers actual intent (or, more precisely, their understanding), we examine the public meaning of the documents words when it became effective. In the case of the Constitution, the makers were the 1,648 delegates to state conventions that ratified the document between 1787 and 1790. We dont have clear statements from the ratifiers on whether impeachment covered ex-officers. So we have to ask what the public meaning of the Constitutions impeachment language was in the period 178790. How would the general public have understood it? We should ignore some of the precedents now being discussed because they dont answer that question. For example, in 1797 the Senate expelled Senator William Blount and then the House impeached him. The Senate refused to try him. We really are not certain why the Senate refused jurisdiction. It could have been because the Senate didnt think a member of Congress can be impeached, or because Blount already was out of office, or both. One reason we can dismiss the Blount case is that its ambiguous. A more important reason is that decisions made in 1797 usually are poor evidence of what the Constitutions ratifiers understood in very different circumstances several years earlier. Heres another example of white noise: In 1876, Secretary of War William Belknap was impeached after he left office. A majority of senators thought they could try him, but a sufficient minority blocked conviction because they thought they could not. This case is also ambiguous. But it also is useless because a decision made in 1876 is zero evidence of what the Constitutions ratifiers believed nearly a century before. Now lets look at some relevant evidence: the Constitutions text and facts available to those who ratified it. Lets turn first to Article I (legislative branch). Article 1, Section 2, Clause 5 grants an enumerated power: The House of Representatives shall have the sole Power of Impeachment. Article I, Section 3, Clause 6 grants another: The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. (Emphasis added.) Observe that the Constitution grants these impeachment powers to houses of Congress individually, not to Congress as the federal legislature. (The courts call this kind of grant a federal function.) What did the phrase Power of Impeachment mean in 178790? Theres good evidence it included proceedings against ex-officers and even against private citizens who had never been officers. All through the constitutional debates, the British Parliament carried on a famous impeachment proceeding against a former colonial governor named Warren Hastings. George Mason mentioned the Hastings case on the floor of the Constitutional Convention. Moreover, some state constitutions explicitly authorized impeaching ex-officials. Comments in the Constitutional Convention and in the state ratifying conventions also can be construed as accepting impeachment of ex-officials. But thats not the end of the story. Lets turn to other parts of the Constitution: After the enumerated powers to impeach and try impeachments, Article I adds restrictions (Art. I, Sec. 3, Clauses 67). Here they are: no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the [Senators] present Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law. Those arguing against impeachment of an ex-officer point out that this passage refers to removal from office, which can apply to only a present officer. True. But on the other hand, it also permits disqualification, which can apply to either present or former officers. Yet on the third hand (as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof would say), Article I specifies that a former officer may be subject to normal criminal proceedings, suggesting those are the primary remedies against ex-officers. Article II of the Constitution (executive branch) first identifies the president; then it lists his powers and duties (pdf) and those of some other executive officers; finally, Section 4 defines a method for removing officers: The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors. Opponents of convicting Trump rely on this section. They point out that this passage, like the previous one, seems to apply only to individuals then serving: The President, Vice President and all civil Officers shall be removed from Office. They are supported by a legal guideline that, when loosely translated from Latin, says the following: If a document lists some things (e.g., President, Vice President, and all civil Officers) then that suggests the document excludes other things (e.g., former officers). Lets carry that further: We know the U.S. Constitution excludes impeachment of private citizens who have never been officers, even though the Constitution does not say so explicitly. Why do we know this? Because private citizens who have never held office are not part of the phrase President, Vice President, and all civil Officers. We also we know that its unconstitutional to impeach a member of Congress. Why? Same reason: They are not on the list of those who can be impeached. And we knowor, rather, should knowthat you cant constitutionally impeach a person (even Donald Trump) for questioning an election or telling a crowd to peaceably walk to the U.S. Capitol. Why? In part because the Constitution tells us the grounds for impeachment are Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and [high] Misdemeanors. The list implies that other reasons are excluded. Theres some history to back up the view that the Constitution doesnt permit impeachment of an ex-officer: During the years 1776 to 1786, nearly all states wrote new state constitutions. In general, the later ones restricted impeachment more than the earlier ones, because Americans were progressively narrowing British impeachment law. We also know that the U.S. Constitutions framers were particularly influenced by the New York and Massachusetts constitutions. Much of the U.S. Constitutions impeachment wording tracks their language. Unlike some earlier state constitutions, those of both New York and Massachusetts implied that ex-officers cannot be impeached. Lets look at another variable: When you read a term in a legal document, it helps to know the reasons (policies) behind it. We know that one reason for impeachment is to get rid of bad officers. But theres also a policy of deterring bad conduct in office. This argues for allowing impeachment of former officers, because deterrence is stronger if you know you can be impeached after your term is up. However, still another constitutional policyone that pervades the entire documentcuts the other way. Its to discourage (although not always to forbid) actions viewed as retroactive (pdf) or otherwise unfair. For several weeks, now, Ive been pointing out in broadcast media that the Constitutions ban on bills of attainder argues against impeachment of an ex-officer. (Im also gratified to report that some other commentators have caught on.) A bill of attainder is a legislative declaration that a named person is guilty of a serious crime. The Constitutions ban on bills of attainder is a good illustration of its policy against retroactivity and similar unfairness. In some ways, impeachment and conviction of an ex-officer is analogous to a bill of attainder: It is a legislative decree plucking a citizen out of private life and punishing him without the normal due process protections of the judicial system. In colloquial terms, we can say the Constitution doesnt like that sort of thing. So arguably it doesnt like impeaching private citizens who happen to be former officers. You can see how the evidence goes in both directions. One reason the question is still unanswered is because weve allowed the field of constitutional scholarship to become the preserve of law professorsfew of whom have the background and training necessary for the job. Additionally, many prefer to argue for their (usually leftist) political agenda rather than objectively research and report. This helps explain why law professors waged a long debate on the meaning of the impeachment phrase high Misdemeanors without consulting the 18th century law books and statutes that could have answered the question (pdf). Perhaps one day a real scholar will determine whether the Constitution allows impeachment of a person who has left office. Then again, perhaps the question will never be answered. Robert G. Natelson is a leading constitutional scholar and former constitutional law professor. He is senior fellow in constitutional jurisprudence at the Independence Institute in Denver. Among his many constitutional publications is New Evidence on the Constitutions Impeachment Standard: high Misdemeanors Means Serious Crimes, Federalist Society Review, vol 21, p. 24 (2020). Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A quick late night observation for our beloved insomniac and night owl TKC visitors discovers odd bedfellows in the world of pop culture and politics. First, let's define terms . . . VOX: ASMR, explained: why millions of people are watching YouTube videos of someone whispering Here are a few recent examples of the trend which has enjoyed surprising staying power . . . CBN: Merriam-Webster adds ASMR to dictionary Vice: In a Year Devoid of Touch, We All Want These ASMR Valentine's Day Gifts Independent UK: From Billie Eilish to Phoebe Bridgers: How ASMR crossed over into pop Now . . . Whilst Sen. Hawley seyz he wasn't trying to keep Prez Trump in office . . . This newish advert castigating the Missouri MAGA leader employs a bit of ASMR in a trendy whisper campaign calling out the politico. Take a look/listen . . . You decide . . . Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Friday said it expects Russia's COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V to be launched in India through Emergency Use Authorisation by March this year India has added 18,855 fresh COVID-19 cases in a span of 24 hours, a jump from the previous day's count of 11,666, with Chhattisgarh alone adding 6,451 cases because of a data reconciliation process, the Union Health ministry said on Friday. However, the tally of active COVID-19 cases in the country maintained the downward trend dropping to 1,71,686 while the national cumulative positivity rate has fallen to 5.50 percent, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday. The active cases are just 1.60 percent of the total infections reported in India. India's caseload per million population is one of the lowest when compared globally and stands at 7,768, it said. "The count is much higher for countries like Germany, Russia, Italy, Brazil, France, the UK, and the USA," the ministry added. India's cumulative recoveries have surged to 1,03,94,352. A total of 20,746 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours. The country's cumulative tests for detection of coronavirus infection has crossed 19.5 crore (19,50,81,079)with 7,42,306tests being conducted on Thursday. "The national cumulative positivity rate has fallen to 5.50 percent," the ministry said. It said 17 states and UTs have cases per million lower than the national average (7,768). Till 8 am on 29 January, nearly 30 lakh (29,28,053) beneficiaries have received anti- Coronavirus shots under the countrywide COVID-19 vaccination exercise, it said. The 29,28,053 beneficiaries include 1,87,485 from West Bengal, 2,94,959 from Uttar Pradesh, 88,467 from Tamil Nadu, 2,57,833 from Rajasthan, 50,977 from Punjab, 1,06,583 from Kerala, 2,86,089 from Karnataka, 1,62,616 from Gujarat and 48,008 from Delhi, it said. In a span of 24 hours, 5,72,060 healthcare workers were vaccinated across 10,205 sessions. The ministry said 52,878 sessions have been conducted so far. Uttar Pradesh accounts for the maximum share of vaccinated beneficiaries followed by Karnataka and Rajasthan. Frontline workers to get COVID jab from first week of Feb The Union Health Ministry on Friday asked all states and Union territories to initiate vaccination of frontline workers against COVID-19 from the first week of February. Vaccination of healthcare providers that began on 16 January to continue simultaneously, the ministry said in a letter to states and Union territories (UTs). The letter mentions that the required doses of both vaccines Covishield and Covaxin have been allocated to the states and UTs, and further augmentation will be made through subsequent releases. India has started its vaccination programme in three phases. Phase one included inoculation of healthcare professionals and frontline workers, who come in direct contact with the population necessitated by their work. The healthcare workers are being inoculated in the first trench of phase 1 of the drive. EU regulator backs AstraZeneca jab The European Union's drug regulator on Friday recommended the bloc approve the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for use on all adults, as concerns grow around the world over the effectiveness of different jabs against new strains of COVID-19 . The announcement from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) paves the way for a third vaccine to be approved for use in the EU, following the jabs made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. But it adds another twist to the increasingly bitter row between Brussels and British-Swedish drug company AstraZeneca, which has admitted it will only be able to deliver a fraction of the doses promised to the EU. That has come as a huge blow to Europe's already struggling rollout while setting the EU on a collision course with former member Britain as they jostle for AstraZeneca's limited supplies. In a sign of the growing tensions, the EU on Friday released a redacted version of its contract with AstraZeneca, while announcing a mechanism that could allow it to reject the export of vaccines made on European soil. There is also controversy over the jab within the EU itself, with the EMA saying it was suitable for adults of all ages, but Germany's medicines regulator advising it should not be used on people over 65 of age due to insufficient evidence that it works. And beyond Europe, scientists are concerned that the coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa may elude some vaccines, considered crucial to ending a pandemic that has killed close to 2.2 million people worldwide. American biotech firm Novavax said Thursday that its vaccine showed an overall efficacy of 89.3 percent in a major British clinical trial, and was highly effective against the variant first detected there. But other results showed it offered significantly less protection against the South African strain. Pfizer and Moderna have said their vaccines are effective against the variants. And in the EU, Hungary became the first member state to approve the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine, a week after it also broke ranks with Brussels by issuing a provisional permit for Russia's Sputnik V jab. The Chinese "know the most" about COVID-19 , Prime Minister Viktor Orban said, adding: "When I choose I will want the Chinese vaccine". Janssen, Novavax vaccines claim promising results A single-shot vaccine developed by Belgium-based Janssen is 85 percent effective in preventing the most serious coronavirus symptoms, according to data from mass trials released by the American giant Johnson & Johnson owned pharmaceutical company on Friday. It said the latest tests carried out in several countries also showed the vaccine was 66 percent effective overall at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19 . The UK has pre-ordered 30 million doses of the vaccine, which would need to be approved by the MHRA for its deployment alongside other vaccines already approved for use such as Pfizer/BionTech, Oxford/AstraZeneca, and Moderna. "These topline results with a single-shot COVID-19 vaccine candidate represent a promising moment," said Paul Stoffels, Johnson & Johnson's chief scientific officer. The 85 percent efficacy rate in preventing the most severe cases "will potentially protect hundreds of millions of people from serious and fatal outcomes of COVID-19 ," he said, adding that it offers the hope of helping ease the huge burden placed on healthcare systems and communities. Meanwhile, a vaccine produced by American firm Novavax also claimed positive results against the UK virus strain. Novavax has become the first immune dose to definitively confirm protection against the new variant of the deadly virus which was detected in the UK late last year. A late-stage clinical trial involving over 15,000 people in the UK found that the vaccine produced by American firm Novavax is 89.3 per cent effective in preventing coronavirus and offered 85.6 per cent protection against the new British strain of COVID-19 , which is up to 70 per cent more transmissible. A smaller, separate trial also showed that it was about 60 per cent effective against the South African variant, despite concerns that this strain may not respond to vaccines. The Novavax vaccine also requires two doses, like the other vaccines being administered to the most vulnerable groups. While Pfizer and Moderna vaccines rely on technology that has not been used in previous vaccines, the Novavax jab uses a more traditional method of recreating part of the spike protein of the virus to stimulate the immune system and can be stored at normal refrigeration temperatures like the Oxford/AstraZeneca jabs. NVX-CoV2373 contains a full-length, prefusion spike protein made using Novavax's recombinant nanoparticle technology and the company's proprietary saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant. The purified protein is encoded by the genetic sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19] spike (S) protein and is produced in insect cells. It can neither cause COVID-19 nor can it replicate. It is stable at 2 degrees Celsius to 8 degrees Celsius (refrigerated) and is shipped in a ready-to-use liquid formulation that permits distribution using existing vaccine supply chain channels. Dr Reddy's eyes to launch Sputnik V jab in India in March Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL) on Friday said it expected Russia's COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V, under phase 3 trials being conducted by the city-based drug maker, to be launched in India through Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) by March this year. DRL partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) in September to conduct the clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine and for its distribution rights in India. Sputnik V, developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, was registered by the Ministry of Health of Russia and became the world's first registered vaccine against COVID-19 based on the established human adenoviral vector platform. DRL said it will import some quantities of the vaccine from Russia besides getting them from domestic firms that have a tie-up with RDIF for manufacturing it in India. He, however, did not divulge the pricing strategy for the vaccine. On the efficacy of Sputnik V, DRL said the interim efficacy on 22,000 of the subjects was showing a result of 91.4 percent. With inputs from agencies Moody's Analytics has won the European Pensions Innovation Award (Technology) at the 2020 European Pensions Awards. We earned this award for our PFaroe DB solution, used by defined benefit pension plans and their advisers to evaluate risk from a multitude of perspectives. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005278/en/ Our solution facilitates thorough and informed analysis of a plan's overall position, delivering a transparent view of all asset and liability risk by pulling together otherwise fragmented information. All stakeholders have the same cross balance-sheet view, enabling them to make better and more strategic decisions. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations are becoming increasingly important for investment decisions. To that end, the PFaroe DB platform draws on ESG data from Moody's ESG Solutions Group to allow a pension plan's investments to be scored for ESG. That information can then be easily reported to investors or regulators and tracked over time. "Amidst the continuing uncertainty, having greater visibility into a plan's performance, funding level, and outlook is critical," said Matthew Seymour, Head of Buy-Side Solutions at Moody's Analytics. "We're proud to win an award for the innovativeness of our solution, and honored that our customers continue to rely on us." Moody's ESG Solutions Group leverages Moody's data and expertise across ESG, climate risk, and sustainable finance, aligning with Moody's Investors Service and Moody's Analytics to deliver a comprehensive and integrated suite of solutions on ESG and climate measures, sustainable finance, and benchmarks. Learn more about the European Pensions Awards for Excellence. This win adds to the industry recognition for Moody's Analytics. Learn more about Moody's ESG and climate risk solutions. About Moody's Analytics Moody's Analytics provides financial intelligence and analytical tools to help business leaders make better, faster decisions. Our deep risk expertise, expansive information resources, and innovative application of technology help our clients confidently navigate an evolving marketplace. We are known for our industry-leading and award-winning solutions, made up of research, data, software, and professional services, assembled to deliver a seamless customer experience. We create confidence in thousands of organizations worldwide, with our commitment to excellence, open mindset approach, and focus on meeting customer needs. For more information about Moody's Analytics, visit our website or connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Moody's Analytics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO). Moody's Corporation reported revenue of $4.8 billion in 2019, employs approximately 11,400 people worldwide and maintains a presence in more than 40 countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005278/en/ Contacts: JUSTIN BURSZTEIN Moody's Analytics Communications +1.212.553.1163 Moody's Analytics Media Relations moodysanalytics.com twitter.com/moodysanalytics linkedin.com/company/moodysanalytics Advertisement It's black and white these domes make for an eye-popping place to stay. There are around 200 of them, and they form a cartoonish holiday retreat overlooking the Persian Gulf on the Iranian island of Hormuz, with multi-coloured exteriors and interiors in shades of bright blue, yellow, red and green. Eighty-five guests can be accommodated in 17 suites, costing from $20 (14), in 130 interconnected domes of varying sizes decked out with locally produced furniture. The remaining domes contain restaurants, cafes, shops, a spa, a gallery, a prayer room and tourist information. Around 200 multi-coloured domes form the cartoonish Majara holiday village on Hormuz Island in Iran Eighty-five guests can be accommodated in 17 suites, costing from $20 (14), in 130 interconnected domes of varying sizes As well as accommodation, the village offers restaurants, cafes, shops, a spa, a gallery, a prayer room and tourist information The settlement is called Majara (meaning adventure) and has have been designed by Tehran-based ZAV Architects. It says: 'Hormuz Island has naturally coloured sand and sediments, which give it its outstanding colourful landscapes, and it is often called the rainbow island. 'Colour cannot be removed from the lives, festivities, clothes, objects and spaces of its people. 'This gave us the courage to use colour on the exterior, interior and landscape of Majara, playing and distorting perspectives inspired by this rainbow island.' The settlement is called Majara (meaning adventure) and has have been designed by Tehran-based ZAV Architects Colourful inside and out: These two images show Majara suites, with the one on the right able to accommodate four people The entrance hall of the holiday retreat. ZAV Architects says it encouraged local people to participate in the domes' construction, with 50 local workers involved in the project each day while it was being built On the left is the village restaurant, while the snap on the right shows some of the beautiful locally made furniture guests can relax on ZAV Architects says it encouraged local people to participate in the domes' construction, with 50 local workers involved in the project each day while it was being built. The domes have been created using the superadobe method, which was developed by architect Nader Khalili. It involves filling sandbags with layers of earth and cement then reinforcing them with barbed wire. According to the California Institute of Earth Architecture, the method is 'similar to how a potter stacks coils of clay to make a vessel'. But here 'builders stack coils of earth to make a structure'. Majara is part of the wider Presence in Hormuz project, which aims to build a 'series of urban developments' centred around tourism to 'empower the local community of the island'. The domes have been created using the superadobe method, which was developed by architect Nader Khalili. It involves filling sandbags with layers of earth and cement then reinforcing them with barbed wire The architecture firm explains: 'Although the coasts of the Persian Gulf are underdeveloped in Iran, it is common to aim for building the highest or the largest luxurious buildings along its southern coasts in other countries with high oil revenues. Presence in Hormuz follows a more down-to-earth approach. 'The goal of Presence in Hormuz, in general, is not exactly boosting the numbers of visitors, but to manage and monitor their presence in the island, their interaction with the local community and their awareness of the fragile ecosystem of the island. 'Natural resources and geography are among the assets of a country, which if used wisely, can contribute to the increase of the GDP and bring profit for the islanders and the country as a whole.' Majara is part of the wider Presence in Hormuz project, which aims to build a 'series of urban developments' centred around tourism to 'empower the local community of the island' ZAV Architects says: 'Hormuz island has naturally coloured sand and sediments, which give it its outstanding colourful landscapes, and it is often called the rainbow island' Want some other ideas for dazzling places to visit post-lockdown? The world's other noteworthy multi-coloured developments include the 'Rainbow Village' in the city of Malang in Indonesia, where every single house is painted a different colour, and the brightly painted houses of the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood of Cape Town, South Africa. They are both top Instagramming spots, along with the Choi Hung Estate's apartment buildings in Hong Kong, which are painted in a range of pastel colours. 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 remaining of Thank you for reading! This is your last free article before you will be asked to subscribe. Already have a paid subscription? Sign in 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 Mail Force hit the jackpot yesterday with a thumping 1million donation from Camelot. The National Lottery operators awesome offer to match reader donations sent the campaign to get laptops to lockdown pupils soaring. In less than a week, 5million has been raised and thousands of computers pledged and this is just the beginning. Cheques, online payments and text and phone donations from the Mails generous readers have already topped 800,000, meaning Camelots pledge to match up to 1million will soon be taken up in full. It caps a phenomenal start for the Computers for Kids campaign which was only launched last Saturday. The National Lottery operators awesome offer to match reader donations sent the campaign to get laptops to lockdown pupils soaring. Pictured, James Taylor, the Deputy Principle at Hammersmith and Fulham college takes delivery of 300 laptops And just six days into the drive, yesterday the first Mail Force laptops were placed in the hands of grateful students. Art student Daria Nicu, 17, said: Thank you. What Daily Mail readers have done is really a wonderful thing. Twenty state-of-the-art Surface 2 Go Windows devices were added to a consignment of nearly 300 Dell machines given to West London College in Hammersmith by the Government, in a test run of our scheme to top up schools allocations. The colleges deputy principal James Taylor said: They are a godsend. HOW TO DONATE TO COMPUTERS FOR KIDS CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO YOU, THE READER: How to send us donations The Daily Mail has launched a brand new campaign, Computers For Kids, to raise money for Mail Force a charity which aims to provide much needed school equipment and resources for pupils across the UK learning from home. With schools closed, we are left with the dilemma of hundreds of thousands of pupils in the UK having no access to a computer in their home. As part of this campaign, companies are donating their old laptops which, for around 15, can be wiped, professionally refurbished and made safe and fit for home schooling. They can then be delivered to a child or young person who needs one. In addition, the campaign is looking to support childrens needs in other ways such as funding brand new laptops and tablets, and assisting with data access and connectivity for online learning. Any surplus funds will be used to support of the work of UK schools via other means. TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE Visit mailforcecharity.co.uk/donate and follow the steps to complete your donation. Please don't send us your old device. TO MAKE A DONATION VIA YOUR PHONE To donate 10 - text KIDS10 to 70115 To donate 20 - text KIDS20 to 70115 TO COMPANIES: Could you give your old laptops? Upgrading office computers is something all companies do from time to time and there has never been a better time to donate old laptops. If you are a company with 50 laptops or more that you could give, please visit www.computacenter.com/daily-mail to check they are suitable and register your donation. We will arrange for collection by our specialist partners Computacenter. Please note: we cannot accept donated laptops from individuals. COMPANIES SHOULD GO TO: computacenter.com/daily-mail TO SCHOOLS: Where to apply for the computers Schools must apply to the Department for Education, which is managing the demand and prioritising the schools most in need. The Mail Force initiative means more laptops will become available more quickly. SCHOOLS CAN APPLY HERE: https://get-help-with-tech.education.gov.uk Advertisement Mail Force is working in partnership with the Government to boost its own programme to help schoolchildren stuck at home without a device to access their online lessons. Some of the UKs biggest companies have also signed up, pledging both cash and second-hand laptops, which for around 15 can be refurbished for school use. Mail Force will also seek alternative sources of new devices to complement the Department for Educations drive, and will fund other ways to assist children with e-learning. Yesterday Nigel Railton, Camelots chief executive, said: National Lottery players have been fundamental to the national effort, with more than 800million in funding directed to good causes supporting people through the pandemic. Hundreds of volunteers and projects have responded with brilliant initiatives to lend a hand with everything from tackling loneliness to delivering food parcels, while National Lottery retailers have kept their doors open to serve communities. Separately, at Camelot, we have been fortunate to be in a position to have provided office space to the NHS, backed local charities and are now delighted to be able to support Mail Forces hugely important Computers for Kids campaign by committing to match-fund the amount raised by Daily Mail readers, up to 1million. Amazing things happen when we all work together and this campaign is yet another incredible example of that. Camelots donation is from the companys own coffers and not from lottery cash earmarked to good causes. Bonnie Steer, a Camelot contact centre agent, added: The way we now helping the nations schoolchildren throughout the pandemic makes me so proud. Mail Forces Computers for Kids drive has been backed by fashion reta Lloyds Banking Group, Sainsburys, Direct Line insurance group, the online fashion retailer Boohoo and innovation firm Peak Scientific. In an extraordinary week, many other leading UK businesses have been in touch to ask how to donate laptops. Second-hand company devices are securely wiped by our IT specialist partner, before being reconfigured for schools use. A third of families in the UK say they do not have enough devices for their children to learn online, and schools are shut until March 8 at the earliest. The Department for Education has thrown itself into the challenge, buying 1.3 million laptops, of which nearly 900,000 have already been distributed, in one of the biggest technology programmes it has ever run. On the Mail Force online donations page, more than 10,000 people have stepped forward with cash. Among them yesterday was a 15 donation on behalf of schoolgirl Anabella, who has her own tablet and wanted to help less fortunate children who do not have one. Grandfather George Herbert contributed 30, with the message: My grandchildren have what they need to learn online. I hope this small gift offers the same to someone elses grandchild. Learning support assistant Rachel, who is working with the children of key workers in school during lockdown and donated 15, wrote: I have two teenage children who have to do their schoolwork online at home. Children should be at school, but if they cant then they need to be able to do their work online from home. Another reader, Caroline, donated 25 with the message: I hope this will go towards helping one child who has been stuck at home in the pandemic and make schooling a little easier. Cleton Charles, who gave 30, said: We need to have a future and the school children are the future. Plugged in... first kids get their laptops Lockdown pupils were all smiles yesterday as the first Mail Force laptops were handed out. It is only a few days since readers began posting their cheques to the Daily Mail for the charity. But already gleaming computers are being passed on to grateful students. The Governments own laptops initiative has been delivering gadgets to schools up and down the country. Yesterday it was the turn of West London College in Hammersmith, which received 289 Dell machines from the Government. But there were also a bonus 20 Microsoft Surface Go 2 devices from Mail Force, in a pilot-run of the charitys scheme to top-up schools allocations. James Taylor, deputy principal of the college, where pupils are mostly aged 16 to 18, said: We are extremely grateful to the Government and also to the Daily Mail for these additional laptops which we werent expecting at all. Well get them out to our learners as quickly as possible. Mr Taylor, pictured left with assistant principal Tracy Round-Turner, said: Of 1,800 students, probably only two-thirds of them have some form of device to do their home learning on. Often its just mobile phones and while they can watch a video from a tutor on there, its really difficult to do coursework. Now we have got these laptops, it is wonderful. Now I dont have to fight 3 brothers for one PC! Hayden Thomas-Brown has been competing with his three younger brothers for the sole family laptop and they all have work to do. Leo, seven, and Jacob, six, are both at primary school, while Dylan, 15, is trying to study for his GCSEs. Hayden, 16, pictured right, said: It has been tough, but now Ill be able to get on with my English coursework without my brothers needing the computer too. This will really help me. It is a real relief, so thank you. His mother, Fay Brown, 33, said: It has been quite the juggling act, with the four of them all needing to do their learning online. We have been trying to do it on mobile phones but its just impossible. This is going to make a massive difference and it couldnt have come soon enough. Hayden Thomas-Brown (pictured with his new laptop) has been competing with his three younger brothers for the sole family laptop and they all have work to do It is very kind and considerate of people to have given money to your campaign, and especially when a lot of people are struggling financially at the moment. But I want them to know that it is so very appreciated. The family live in Sunbury-on-Thames, south-west London, and Miss Brown volunteers at a local food bank, so her own mother Sue Jenkins also helps out with the children. Mrs Jenkins said: Fay is an amazing mum and does a brilliant job of home schooling, but it is not easy to support them all with their learning at the same time, and a second laptop is fantastic to have. Time to get back on track Daria Nicu, who is studying art and design, said: Thank you! Its so exciting and I am very grateful. Although we dont have all the materials we need at home, I have been managing to do my artwork as best as I can. But we also have to submit long written pieces explaining our art, and that has been very difficult to do. The 17-year-old from Perivale, west London, added: Without a laptop it is very hard because you need to type a lot, and doing it on a mobile phone is just impossible. Daria Nicu (pictured), who is studying art and design, said: Thank you! Its so exciting and I am very grateful' I have been going back to the old-fashioned way and writing out my essays in my sketchbook, but then I have to take a picture to send to my teachers. I think they would prefer it if I could just type in my work. I really want to study art at university but I have been trying to apply to universities on my phone and Im terrified in case it didnt work properly. I am really grateful to the Daily Mail readers. What they have done is a really wonderful thing, because now I can get back on track and improve my work. Thank you. Thanks! Now I can study from home Without a laptop at home, and determined not to fall behind in his BTEC in public services, 17-year-old Connor McKernan has been forced to travel to the college campus to use its library computers. The teenager, from Hammersmith, has been acutely aware of the added risks of catching Covid this brings, not so much worrying for himself as the fact that several members of his family are classified as vulnerable. Without a laptop at home, and determined not to fall behind in his BTEC in public services, 17-year-old Connor McKernan (pictured) has been forced to travel to the college campus to use its library computers So to be given a laptop to work on has lifted a huge weight off his mind. Connor said: Thanks to you, I wont need to keep coming in now. I can get on with my assignments at home. All Ive had to work on is my phone Make-up and beauty student Shalia Turner-Mckenzie, said: It has definitely been hard. All my lessons are on Zoom calls. The only way Ive been able to follow them is on my mobile phone, but it keeps not working and Ive missed lots of lessons. Make-up and beauty student Shalia Turner-Mckenzie (pictured with her new laptop), said: It has definitely been hard' The 18-year-old from Roundwood Park, north-west London, added: Also, when you are studying how to do make-up, it is really important to be able to see clearly what the teacher is showing you, so having a big screen is important. This laptop will make all the difference and I want to thank you very much for the chance to get back into my course. Millions of Hong Kong residents will be offered a path to citizenship in the UK on Sunday in a historic move announced in the wake of Beijing's national security law being imposed on the city state last year. The government anticipate around 300,000 of the 2.9 million Hongkongers with British National (Overseas) - or BNO - status and 2.3 million dependents who could apply will use the route over the next five years. The extension of the status, which will allow BNO status holders to become full British citizens over the course of six years, comes after the introduction of Chinas national security law in the semi-autonomous province - which critics have warned curtails the free speech, right to assembly and ability to voice dissent of Hong Kong residents. Boris Johnson said: I am immensely proud that we have brought in this new route for Hong Kong BN(O)s to live, work and make their home in our country. In doing so we have honoured our profound ties of history and friendship with the people of Hong Kong, and we have stood up for freedom and autonomy - values both the UK and Hong Kong hold dear. Home secretary Priti Patel added: Global Britain will always stand up for what is right and uphold our commitments. This new visa delivers on our promise to the people of Hong Kong, honouring our strong historic relationship and upholding their freedoms. I look forward to welcoming people wanting to put down roots and build a new life with their family in the UK. The UK fully withdrew from the former British colony in 1997, when it was ceded to China as part of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the provision it would be able to operate freely as a semi-independent region until 2047. However, protests broke out during 2019 when legislators in the region sympathetic to Beijing introduced its controversial extradition law, which pro-democracy groups claimed gave China unfettered power to crush dissent by allowing Hong Kong residents to be tried across the border. And while the regions chief executive Carrie Lam offered some concessions to pro-democracy protestors, the introduction of the national security law - which makes undermining the power or authority of the central government a crime - was criticised by world leaders across the globe for curtailing the freedoms of those in the city state. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: We have been clear we wont look the other way when it comes to Hong Kong. We will live up to our historic responsibility to its people. Chinas imposition of the national security law in Hong Kong constitutes a clear and serious breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration contrary to international law. Upcoming political events in the Bay Area. Events take place online unless otherwise noted: TUESDAY The Black Church: A preview of PBSs series The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song. KQED community advisory board panelist La Niece Jones leads a discussion on Black churches in the Bay Area and gentrification in Black neighborhoods. Hosted by KQED. 6 p.m. More information is here. WEDNESDAY Jennifer Siebel Newsom: Californias first partner and filmmaker discusses the documentary The Great American Lie with student filmmakers whose work looks at social justice and gender equity issues. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 3 p.m. More information is here. Rep. Jared Huffman: North Bay Democrat hosts town hall meeting on COVID-19 vaccinations, with Dr. Ian Hoffman, Humboldt County public health officer; Dr. Andy Coren, Mendocino County public health officer; and Dr. Heather Nye, associate chief of medicine at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. 4 p.m. Submit a question in advance here; join meeting here. Black Lives Matter at school: Education activists Nathaniel Genene, Jesse Hagopian, Taunya Jaco, Denisha Jones and Cecily Myart-Cruz in conversation about the struggle against systemic racism in schools. Hosted by Haymarket Books, San Jose Unified Equity Coalition and United Teachers Los Angeles. 4:30 p.m. More information is here. The Purpose of Power book club: San Francisco Mayor London Breed discusses Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garzas The Purpose of Power. Hosted by Mannys. 5 p.m. More information is here. Mothers of civil rights movement: Anna Malaika Tubbs discusses her new book, The Three Mothers, about the mothers of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 6 p.m. More information is here. THURSDAY Racial justice: The Rev. William Barber II of the Poor Peoples Campaign and his daughters, social epidemiologist Dr. Sharrelle Barber and Rebekah Barber, a public policy masters student and fellow at the Institute for Southern Studies, discuss racial justice and how the coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately affected communities of color. Hosted by Mother Jones. 11 a.m. More information is here. Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis: In discussion about economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic with Mark Baldassare, president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California. 11 a.m. More information is here. Black womens history: Historians Daina Ramey Berry of the University of Texas and Kali Nicole Gross of Rutgers University discuss their new book, A Black Womens History of the United States. Hosted by KPFA-FM. 7 p.m. More information is here. SATURDAY Racism and policing: A look at law enforcements disproportionate use of force against people of color. Speakers include social justice activist Signe Waller Foxworth, Gerald Smith of the Oscar Grant Committee against Police Brutality and State Repression, and Vallejo civil rights attorney Melissa Nold. Hosted by the Oakland Greens, Bay Area System Change Not Climate Change, and the Alameda County Peace and Freedom Party. 2:30 p.m. More information is here. SUNDAY Strange Fruit: History of the anti-lynching song, written by Abel Meeropol and made famous by Billie Holiday. Hosted by the Contemporary Jewish Museum of San Francisco. 10 a.m. More information is here. MONDAY Stacey Abrams: Rebroadcast of Georgia voting rights activists 2019 talk at the Commonwealth Club. 6 p.m. More information is here. FEB. 9 Electoral reform: Hoover Institution fellow Larry Diamond on institutional changes that may be needed to preserve U.S. democracy. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. Noon. More information is here. Black feminism: A teach-in on Black feminism, socialism and the work of Angela Davis. Panelists include Barbara Ransby, history professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago; Neferti X.M. Tadiar, professor of womens, gender and sexuality studies at Barnard College; and feminist activist Bettina Aptheker. Sponsored by San Jose State University Human Rights Institute. 3 p.m. More information is here. The Black Church: A preview of PBSs series The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song. KQED community advisory board panelist Nicole Blake leads a discussion on how congregations have adapted to the challenges of the pandemic and confronted civil unrest after the police killing of George Floyd. Hosted by KQED. 6 p.m. More information is here. FEB. 10 Life after Trump: Steve Kettmann, editor of the new collection of essays Now What? The Voters Have SpokenEssays on Life After Trump, in discussion with two of the books contributors, journalist Cynthia Tucker and former Donald Trump ally Anthony Scaramucci. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 10 a.m. More information is here. The Purpose of Power book club: Akonadi Foundation president and civil rights advocate Lateefah Simon discusses Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garzas The Purpose of Power. Hosted by Mannys. 5 p.m. More information is here. Fighting disinformation: An online conversation about the future of journalism and the movement to push back on the spread of disinformation through social media. With Geeta Anand, dean of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, and Tristan Harris, former Google design ethicist and star of the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma. Hosted by Cal Performances and the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. 7 p.m. More information is here. FEB. 11 Rebuilding trust: Ethan Zuckerman, founder of the Institute for Digital Public Infrastructure, discusses his new book, Mistrust, and how public trust in institutions can be rebuilt with New York Times journalist Kara Swisher. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 3 p.m. More information is here. Angela Davis: Longtime activist and professor emerita at UC Santa Cruz gives keynote address in the human rights lecture series hosted by the San Jose State University Human Rights Institute. 5 p.m. More information is here. FEB. 12 Anita Hill documentary: Screening of Freida Lee Mocks 2013 documentary, Anita Speaking Truth to Power, on Anita Hills testimony against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas confirmation during 1991 Senate hearings. Hosted by the Mechanics Institute. 6 p.m. More information is here. FEB. 13 Executive Order 9066: A discussion about the order incarcerating Japanese Americans in World War II. Panelists include Shirley Ann Higuchi, author of Setsukos Secret: Heart Mountain and the Legacy of the Japanese American Incarceration; former Assembly Member Warren Furutani, descendant of prison camps survivors; former Rep. Mike Honda, a camp survivor; and Dale Minami, who headed the legal team that overturned the conviction of Fred Korematsu. Hosted by the Japanese American Museum of San Jose and the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center. 1 p.m. More information is here. FEB. 14 Executive Order 9066: 41st annual San Jose Day of Remembrance commemorating the order incarcerating Japanese Americans in World War II. Hosted by the Nihonmachi Outreach Committee of San Jose. 3 p.m. More information is here. FEB. 17 The Purpose of Power book club: Oakland Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee discusses Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garzas The Purpose of Power. Hosted by Mannys. 5 p.m. More information is here. FEB. 18 UC President Michael Drake: Discusses challenges for the University of California, including the pandemic and its economic impact and concerns about racial equity, with Mark Baldassare, president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California. 11 a.m. More information is here. FEB. 19 Executive Order 9066: Day of Remembrance commemorating the order incarcerating Japanese Americans in World War II, featuring speakers from UC Berkeley Muslim Student Association and Nikkei Resisters. Hosted by the UC Berkeley Nikkei Student Union. 6:30 p.m. More information is here. FEB. 23 Erin Brockovich: Environmental activist delivers the Wallace Stegner Lecture on environmental issues can have an impact. Hosted by the Peninsula Open Space Trust. 7 p.m. More information is here. FEB. 25 The Purpose of Power book club: Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza discusses her book The Purpose of Power. Hosted by Mannys. 5 p.m. More information is here. To list an event, please email Chronicle politics editor Trapper Byrne at tbyrne@sfchronicle.com This is the last novel in the trilogy concerning the Pitt and McCosh families, neighbours in Edwardian England whose combined and extended family saga has covered more than 80 years since the beginning of the first book in this series, The Dust That Falls From Dreams. Flying ace Daniel Pitt, who has survived two world wars through a combination of luck and skill, is finding the aftermath of the second hollow and disappointing. His personal life and those of most of the people he has ever loved are fraught with complex frustrations and sorrows. But in this third instalment, as Daniel and his peers continue to grapple with mortality, loose ends are tied up and mysteries are explained. Historical fiction and family saga are both well-ploughed fields, but a writer as gifted and full of heart as Louis de Bernieres is a rewarding read in any genre. Norman Foreman is 11 and he has more than his share of troubles. The chronic skin disease is bad enough, but it pales into insignificance beside the fact that he has just lost his best friend. His mother Sadie is also not best placed for success in life. And yet, with the help of an elderly friend, they bravely set off from Cornwall to Edinburgh so that Norman, an aspiring stand-up comic, can try to score a gig at the Fringe. They are also trying to track down Normans father, if only they knew who he was. There are some nasty things lurking in the various back-stories, so this funny, charming and warm-hearted book never sinks into the lake of treacle that one might have feared. Part quest, part road trip, the story is told by Norman and Sadie in turns, and there are at least a dozen secondary characters who are equally well drawn. The Last Good Man Thomas McMullan Bloomsbury, $29.99 Credit: In some unspecified version of post-apocalyptic England, Duncan Peck arrives in a remote village in Dartmoor after leaving a city, presumably London, where the warehouses are about to run out of food and something always seems to be on fire. Peck has come to find his cousin, who has an important position in village life. The focus of the village is a huge freestanding wall, on which people post community notices about music lessons and lost pets. But they also post rumours and insults about their neighbours, with sinister results. This is a clever if somewhat derivative novel by a writer who has definitely read Shirley Jacksons The Lottery and probably also Cormac McCarthys The Road. It explores a number of disquieting themes including scapegoating, gossip, and the ways in which both a community and a personality can decay from within. Before the Storm Di Morrissey Macmillan, $34.99 (UroToday.com) The first Renal Cancer session at this years European Association of Urology (EAU) Section of Oncological Urology (ESOU) 2021 virtual annual meeting focused on localized disease and was divided into two primary sections, the first focusing on key points in partial nephrectomy while the second examined approaches to larger renal masses. In the first mini-session examining key points in partial nephrectomy, Dr. Mottrie discussed considerations when considering ischemia versus no ischemia in robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy. Dr. Mottrie began by highlighting data from a systematic review published in European Urology which, after including 91 studies performed between 2005 and 2014, concluded that 20-25 minutes represents the most accurate cut-off for clinically relevant ischemia. The authors also concluded that the use of no-ischemia or partial occlusive approaches may improve functional outcomes. A more recent systematic review compared no-ischemia versus warm ischemia. Among 14 included studies of approximately 1400 patients, no-ischemia approaches were associated with better preservation of renal function without significant differences in operative time or estimated blood loss. Similarly, a systematic review of selective versus main artery clamped demonstrated no differences in ischemia time or complications but did show a lower decrease in renal function for patients who received selective clamping. However, selective clamping had a longer operative time and greater blood loss. In addition to the question of what to clamp is when to unclamp. Dr. Mottrie then highlighted data comparing standard with early unclamping. Early unclamping was associated with shorter warm ischemia time at the expense of higher blood loss. He then described a recent systematic review of ischemia techniques in nephron-sparing surgery, again published in European Urology, which included 156 studies and 22,626 patients comparing cold vs. warm vs. no-ischemia techniques. Overall, the authors concluded that there were significant limitations to the available literature and thus, no approach could be recommended over the others. Dr. Mottrie then highlighted what he sees at four key points in performing robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy: 1. avoiding renal artery clamping where feasible, or performing superselective clamping 2. performing surgery at the lowest feasible intra-abdominal pressure (5 mmHg) 3. avoiding placement of a drain, when safe and feasible 4. avoiding suture of the resection bed, again when technically feasible. This is based on the rationale that penetration of the needle into renal parenchyma may cause vascular injuries leading to an increased loss of functional nephrons. These four approaches aim to preserve renal function. Dr. Mottrie then highlighted their own data comparing suture-less robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy to a standard approach, based on a propensity score-matched cohort. The suture-less approach was associated with shorter ischemia and operative times, similar rates of complications, and shorter length of stay. Notably, among 29 patients, there were no patients who experienced bleeding or urine leaks. Presented by: Alex Mottrie, MD, PhD, Head of the Urology Department of the Onze Lieve Vrouwziekenhuis (OLV) Hospital in Aalst, Belgium, CEO of the ORSI Academy in Melle, Belgium. Written by: Christopher J.D. Wallis, MD, Ph.D., FRCSC, Instructor in Urology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee @WallisCJD on Twitter during the 18th Meeting of the EAU Section of Oncological Urology (ESOU21), January 29-31, 2021 Advertisement New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been accused of an 'outrageous' cover up after his administration admitted that the number of COVID deaths in the state's nursing homes is 43% higher than previously announced at nearly 13,000. State health commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker released figures Thursday after a damning report from Attorney General Letitia James' office which said the state undercounted the figures by as much as 50 percent. The state defended itself by saying it never undercounted the figures and that the extra deaths were counted as hospital deaths rather than nursing home deaths. Until now, the state had said some 8,914 nursing home residents died from COVID. They were only counting the people who physically died in the homes and not residents who went from homes to hospitals and then died. The true number is 12,743. The NY State Department says there have been 34,742 deaths in total but both Johns Hopkins and The New York Times put the number at more than 42,000. The discrepancy is yet to be explained. By both sets of data, nursing home deaths now account for around a third of the state's total. Cuomo has not given any public comment on it and he did not hold a press briefing on Thursday. Dr. Zucker insisted on in an emailed statement that the state never lied and that the word 'undercount' was inaccurate because technically, all of the deaths were counted in the total. Angry Republicans are now accusing the governor - who won an Emmy for his daily COVID press briefings and has written a book about his handling of the crisis - of a 'cover up' that stems back to a March 25 directive which he oversaw that mandated nursing homes had to accept COVID-19 patients to free up hospital beds. It meant more than 6,000 COVID-19-positive people were sent back into the nursing homes, potentially exposing staff and other residents to the virus which attacks elderly people at a far higher rate than younger people. Republican whip Steve Scalise, who is also a ranking member of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, said the findings constitute an 'outrageous' cover-up. He is now demanding that Cuomo, who he says is 'obfuscating facts', turn over all of the state's data on nursing home deaths before February 4. A report by the New York Attorney General Letitia James has revealed the state undercounted COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes by as much as 50%. The state and Gov. Cuomo has put the number at 8,500. By James' number, it's closer to 13,000 'Cuomos administration has been undercounting COVID deaths in nursing homescould be 50% higher. For months Cuomo has tried to blame everyone else for the avoidable deaths his own policies caused. The data, from New York State Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker came after months of fending off request for such information. There are now calls by some Republicans for Zucker's resignation over the fiasco 'Now the truth is out. Time for him to answer for this cover up,' Scalise tweeted. In a letter to Cuomo, he called the findings 'distressing' and even went as far as to suggest that the governor may have been 'complicit' in the number of nursing home deaths because of the directive on March 25. It was issued by the Department of Health and later rescinded by Cuomo amid outcry. 'Considering the shocking new report revealing you and your administration drastically undercounted nursing home deaths in New York state, we write to request your full and immediate response to our previous questions. 'To date, you and New York State Attorney General Letitia James have failed to respond to requests posed in three separate letters. 'The report released today establishes that you ordered COVID-19 positive patients back into nursing homes, this order caused infections and fatalities, and you took concerted efforts to cover it up,' Scalise wrote in his letter. 'The Department of Health has consistently found numerous inaccuracies when examining unverified data, and as a result, months ago DOH began an audit of fatality numbers reported by nursing homes to ensure public release of these statistics were accurate,' Zucker said in a statement on Thursday. Republican whip Steve Scalise is accusing Cuomo of a 'cover up' But it does reveal a more intricate picture as to how deadly the virus had been in nursing homes. In March, an edict from Cuomo meant nursing homes were forced to take positive COVID patients after they were released from hospital. The order, which was later revoked, saw more than 6,000 COVID positive patients heading back into nursing homes between March and May. Cuomo has now been asked by Scalise - a ranking member of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis - to hand over all of the state's data on nursing home deaths It has been blamed for increasing the death count at nursing homes, which have been devastated by the pandemic. Professor calls Attorney General's report state may have undercounted nursing home deaths by 50% 'concerning' Dr. Marty Makary from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health says there ought to be concern over the New York Attorney General's findings into the number of COVID deaths in the state's nursing homes New York's Attorney General Letitia James' report reveals the state may have undercounted coronavirus nursing home deaths by nearly 50%. Dr. Marty Makary from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health says there ought to be concern over its findings. 'This is a serious allegation,' he said to Fox Business. 'It's consistent with what we know about the quality of data that comes out of hospitals versus nursing homes versus deaths after someone's in a nursing home. It's not as reliable. It is concerning. We'll see if it's true.' Makary noted that the data emerging from nursing homes was not as closely monitored as that from hospitals making it difficult to act upon. Nevertheless, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has come in for criticism over his handling of the coronavirus when it comes to nursing home. His directive to send COVID-19 patients back into care facilities back in March has been seen as a leading cause that saw the virus take hold with even greater effectiveness. Makary said that the way out of the pandemic was through vaccination and stated that he held confidence the U.S. would be able to slow the spread before the virus mutates once more making it harder to combat. 'We're probably going to be able to get the spread down to low enough levels that it will arrest any further spread of these variations.' Advertisement Until now, the true impact of the virus on such facilities was being grossly underestimated. Cuomo dodged questions about the revelations on Thursday, and did not schedule a press briefing as he does every other day. The revelation saw Republican New York Rep. Elise Stefanik demand that James and the U.S. Justice Department subpoena Cuomo's administration for documentation and communications regarding his handling of the pandemic. The congresswoman said the revelations detailed in the report are indicative of a 'massive corruption and coverup scandal at the highest level of New York State Government, implicating the Governor, Secretary of the Governor, the New York State Health Commissioner, and the Governor's staff.' 'The March edict that the governor put in place forced nursing homes to take positive COVID patients . . . put at risk our most vulnerable constituents in New York State,' Stefanik told Fox News on Thursday night. 'There have been advocates who have lost loved one who have been asking for answers, accountability and transparency and at every turn the governor and his staff have smeared those individuals,' she continued. 'Finally today is a first step towards justice.' Stefanik also asked for both Democrats and Republicans to issue subpoenas against Cuomo, state health commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker, and his senior staff. 'They knew this number and yet they refused to be transparent with New Yorkers but what was most heartless is they weren't transparent with those who have lost loved ones,' she said. In her report, James said that the New York State Health Department only ever counted people who physically died in nursing homes, rather than people who contracted the disease in nursing homes but then died in hospital too. The report states that a March directive that nursing homes had to accept COVID-19 positive patients 'may' have contributed to a higher number of infection, but that it is impossible to directly attribute it to him. James' office is focusing on whether the homes themselves are to blame for not containing the spread once the patients were already admitted. Twenty are now facing investigation from her office. They are not named in the report, which also say that understaffed facilities had higher COVID death rates. 'The word 'undercount' implies there are more total fatalities than have been reported; this is factually wrong,' Dr. Howard Zucker said. Between March and May - when Cuomo reversed the directive after widespread criticism - 6,326 COVID-positive residents were admitted to 310 nursing homes. Of the approximately 600 public nursing homes in New York, at least 323 homes had never had any infections until afterward the order but there is no data on which accepted COVID-19 patients and which didn't. James does not, in her report, criticize Cuomo personally and does not directly attribute the high deaths to it. All the report says is that the decision 'may' have contributed to it. People who caught COVID in nursing homes were then sent to hospitals where they later died (file photo) The report cites data from 62 nursing homes across New York. The state only ever relayed the number of people who died physically in nursing homes and not nursing home residents who died in hospital which inflates the death toll dramatically COVID AND NURSING HOME TIMELINE IN NEW YORK March 25: Gov. Cuomo issues a directive that all nursing homes must accept COVID-19 patients and care for them if hospitals can't May 11: Cuomo reverses the decision amid widespread outrage July 6: Cuomo admin publishes internal report revealing 6,300 COVID patients were sent back into nursing homes They claimed that asymptomatic nursing home staff were to blame for the spread though August 20: The AP publishes a damning report about nursing home deaths in New York and says the number may be as high as 11,000 October: Cuomo publishes book about his response to the pandemic Jan 2021: AG releases her report into nursing homes, saying 20 are under investigation for failing to meet standards Advertisement 'While additional data and analysis would be required to ascertain the effect of such admissions in individual facilities, these admissions may have contributed to increased risk of nursing home resident infection, and subsequent fatalities (whether due to actual transmission of infection from new residents to incumbent residents, or due to the facilities' poor self-assessment during the admission process that was followed by failure to provide appropriate care to that patient or other residents.)' the report reads. James' office is now investigating 20 nursing homes which may not have met safety and cleanliness requirements. Cuomo's decision to send thousands of COVID-19 patients back into nursing homes has been widely blamed for the high number of deaths among elderly people in New York. In May, the AP published the first report that New York was undercounting nursing home deaths and the AG's office launched an investigation. Every other state has counted both. Cuomo has resisted criticism for the directive and he has never apologized for it. The report points out that while widely criticized, the March 25 directive was in line with the federal guidance that had been given. The point of the directive, from the state's view, was to ensure nursing homes were up to scratch. But nursing homes and the families of their residents angrily demanded to know why COVID-19 positive patients were being admitted in the first place, especially when healthy visitors were not allowed. 'Many nursing home industry and other commentators have criticized DOH's March 25 guidance as a directive that nursing homes had to accept COVID-19 patients who were infectious. 'At the same time, the March 25 guidance was consistent with the CMS guidance on March 4 that said nursing homes should accept residents they would have normally admitted, even if from a hospital with COVID-19, and that patients from hospitals can be transferred to nursing homes if the nursing homes have the ability to adhere to infection prevention and control recommendations,' the report reads. At the time, recovered nursing home patients were taking up much needed hospital beds because they were delays in them receiving testing results back and nursing homes were not accepting anyone from the hospital unless they'd been given a negative COVID test. New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) wearing personal protective equipment lift a man after moving him from a nursing home into an ambulance on April 16, 2020 The hospital system in New York never collapsed. There were individual hospitals that became overwhelmed but the system overall, held. The field hospitals set up by Cuomo at the USNS Comfort and Javits Center were never used to their full capacity and were not set up until after the March 25 directive. The New York State Health Commissioner said the report was not damning, and 'confirmed' that they'd always counted all of deaths just not as nursing home fatalities. 'The New York State Office of the Attorney General report is clear that there was no undercount of the total death toll from this once-in-a-century pandemic. 'The OAG affirms that the total number of deaths in hospitals and nursing homes is full and accurate. New York State Department of Health has always publicly reported the number of fatalities within hospitals irrespective of the residence of the patient, and separately reported the number of fatalities within nursing home facilities and has been clear about the nature of that reporting.' When politicians address an audience, they typically highlight important words with beat gestures, for example by moving their hands up and down. In fact, we all seem to do it: Such 'flicks of the hands' are among the most common gestures in everyday conversations. People align these gestures very precisely to the prominent words in speech. But do beat gestures help listeners to understand the speaker? Hans Rutger Bosker (Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and Radboud University) and David Peeters (Tilburg University) tested whether what we see shapes what we hear. "In face-to-face communication, language entails much more than just speech", explains senior investigator Hans Rutger Bosker. "Speakers make use of different channels (mouth, hands, and face) to get a message across. We want to understand how listeners make use of these different streams of information when they are listening to someone." In a well-known illusion called the 'McGurk effect', people hear a sound (like the 'b' in 'ba') as a different sound (for instance 'pa' or 'fa'), depending on the lip movements they see. But is there also a manual McGurk effect? Does what we hear depend on the gestures we see? Plato or plateau? To investigate this question, the researchers chose a set of Dutch words that differed only in stress pattern. For instance, the word "PLAto"--with stress on the first syllable--refers to the philosopher from ancient Greece. However, "plaTO", pronounced with stress on the second syllable, refers to a plateau. Participants watched a video of Bosker producing the words (with ambiguous stress) while making beat gestures ("Now I say the word ... plato"). Participants then had to decide which word they heard (PLAto or plaTEAU?). Would it matter whether beat gestures occurred at the first or second syllable? Listeners were more likely to hear stress on a syllable if there was a beat gesture on that syllable. This 'manual McGurk effect' occurred for both words and non-words ("BAAGpif" or "baagPIF"?). Even more surprisingly, beat gestures influenced what vowel people heard (long or short 'a' in 'baagpif / bagpif'), as vowel length is typically associated with the stress pattern of a word. "Listeners listen not only with their ears, but also with their eyes", says Bosker. "These findings are the first to show that beat gestures influence which speech sounds you hear". Bosker and Peeters think that the effect of beat gestures may be even bigger in real life, when speech is less clear than in the lab. In noisy listening conditions, visual beat gestures might be even more important for successful communication. "So wash your hands, and use them", Bosker adds jokingly. "Our findings also have the potential to enrich human-computer interaction and improve multimodal speech recognition systems. It seems clear that such systems should take into account more than just speech", Bosker concludes. "We will follow up on the study by using virtual reality to test how specific these effects are--are they induced by beat gestures only or also by other types of communicative cues, such as head nods and eyebrow movements? ### "In the world but not of the world." We've heard this phrase all too often as Christians. Home. The word stirs deep sentiment, a subtle longing, nostalgia. We can make a house a home, but the essence of home doesnt require the support of four walls. At any moment, no matter where we are, that at-home feeling can sweep over us. The lingering aroma of slow roasting turkey, the gentle caress of a wrinkled hand, a babys coosour senses can spark the feeling of home, but no single word in the English language can adequately capture the depth of its meaning. During His final days of ministry on earth, Jesus was confronted with the question of home. The same world He had spoken into existence now screamed against Him. The very people He had chosen to call His own, now chose to disown Him. Falsely accused, battered, and alone, Jesus stood before Pilate and declared, My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place(John 18:36). With that powerful proclamation, Jesus turned the world upside down. Since the beginning of His ministry, Jesus had tried to convey to His followers that the time had comethat time which had been foretold by the prophetsthe time when Gods children no longer needed to search for refuge in a sin-laden land that was not their own. The King had come. And with Him came the keys to an everlasting Kingdom they could now call home. Christs Kingdom is the homeland for all believersits where we belong. In Him and with Him. We may physically reside on planet earth, But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus ChristPhilippians 3:20. What Does the Bible Say about 'in the World but Not of the World' As citizens of Heaven, our view of this temporal world matters. What we think and believe about this foreign land helps us find our proper place in it. The only reliable source for this information comes from the creator, Himself. Heres what Gods Word has to say about this world: This world is temporary (1 John 2:17, 2 Corinthians 4:18, Matthew 5:18). This world is not our friend (John 15:18-19, James 4:4, 1 John 2:15-17). This world is full of trouble (John 16:33, 2 Timothy 3:1-4, James 1:2-4). Satans power is active in this world (1 John 5:19, Ephesians 2:1-2, 2 Corinthians 4:4). Christ has overcome this world (John 16:33, 1 John 4:4, John 12:31-32). How Can Christians Live In the World but not be Of the World? Viewing the treacherous condition of this world from Gods perspective can be overwhelming. Heres the good news: that bad news is no longer our burden to carry, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. While we sojourn through this dry and weary land, we are not alone. Christ has made every provision for our successful journey. Hes given us His word, His armor, His example, and the best resource of allHimself. His Holy Spirit indwells each believer, sets us apart, leads us into truth, and helps us live out our earthly calling through His divine power. In fact, Jesus was so passionate about equipping us for our journey that He took the request straight to the Father on the eve of the crucifixion. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth (John 17:15-19). What Is a Christians Role in This World? Equipped with His power, each believer has been assigned a mission to fulfill while were here on earth. Some of these callings are unique to the individual, but as ambassadors of Christ, we also have a collective responsibility to represent our kingdom well. Our loyalty to our King should come before any other allegiance, but part of our duty to Him involves conducting ourselves in a worthy manner while were away from home. Heres what the Bible has to say about the role of Christians in this world: Christians should be mission-minded in this world (Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 10:14, Romans 10:15, Matthew 24:14, 1 Timothy 2:1-15). Christians should be noticeably different than those who are of this world (Romans 12:2, Colossians 3:7-11, 1 Peter 2:9-11, Luke 6:32-36, John 13:35). Christians should love and serve the people of this world (Matthew 5:13, Matthew 5:14-15, Mark 12:31, Luke 6:31-38). For the Lords sake, Christians should submit to authority in this world (Romans 13:1, 1 Peter 2:13-15, 1 Peter 2:17, Jeremiah 29:7). Christians should avoid futile arguments and the entanglements of this world (2 Timothy 2:14, 2 Timothy 2:23-24, Titus 3:1-2, Romans 14:1, 2 Peter 2:18-20, James 1:27). Six Practical Ways Christians Should Live in a World thats Not Our Home Armed with Gods view of this world and His instructions for earthly livinghere are six practical ways to apply the will of our King to practical life on earth: Be Mission MindedWhen Christians think of missionaries, we typically picture a super-saint who is called to minister in a foreign country. While in that land, the missionarys goal is to serve and love the indigenous people while preaching the Gospel. Many missionaries endure untold hardships, suffer persecution, and trade their wealth to live in poverty. Why? Because they are driven by the internal fire of their calling. Few of us can fathom, though we truly revere, the kind of sacrifice required of missionaries. But the truth is if we view this world as God does, and we take His instructions for living to heart, we are left with a stark realization; though were not all assigned the role of a missionary, we are all called to the same mission. Our Kings missionto seek and save the lost. Are we driven by the internal fire of that calling? God has sovereignly placed people in our path who need to know Him. Do we have eyes to see the plight of the unbeliever? Only when our mind is on the mission can our eyes, ears, and heart engage in the calling. Stay in Touch with The King and Fellow CitizensWe serve a God who is not in the business of abandonment. Jesus died to close the gap that sin had created between us and the Father. He would never leave us to our own devices to fulfill our mission. Now, more than ever, its important to take advantage of our sacred access to Him on a regular basis. Through prayer and time in His Word, we can discover His ways, discern His plans, and seek His willbut most importantly we can press on to know Him. Our strength and joy are found in His presence. Our loving Father has also given us the privilege and responsibility of fellowship with other Kingdom citizens. We are His Body. Christ fits believers together, like pieces of a puzzle, to accomplish His purposes. When we neglect that fellowship, we undermine our God-given provision to combat loneliness and discouragement. Together we are stronger and our love for fellow believers speaks volumes to the perishing world. Stay CleanWhen far away from home for an extended period, its easy to get swept into the flow of a different culture. The more we immerse ourselves in worldly customs, pleasures, and pastimesthe less we look like citizens of our rightful home. Our King has called us to be holy. At first glance, that word is intimidating because the worlds definition of holiness can be summarized as out of reach. But Gods definition of holiness means set apart. Until we reach home, we will not be perfect. But its important to acknowledge our sins, confess them, turn from them, and allow Christs regenerative blood to keep us set apart for Him. Submit to AuthorityThroughout history, God has appointed leaders and rulers to govern His people. Some of those leaders have been evil. Some good. All have been used by God to accomplish His divine purposes. When we forget that this world is not our homeand this life is not our ownour old nature will try to appoint itself as a leader. Our old nature values its own rights above all. Our old nature will demand its own way and use any means possible to secure it. Our old nature ignores Gods sovereignty, or worse will reinvent a god in his own image, to justify self-righteous actions. Submission to earthly authority is not about passively going with the flow of this culture; its about laying down our own ideas and standing firm on Gods plan. When the winds and waves of civil unrest threaten to overtake the land, we have a choice to participate in the worldly chaos or stand firmnot on any worldly institution, personal conviction, or righteous causebut on the only foundation that lasts. BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED 1 Peter 2:6. Rightly Identify the EnemyThis world is not our friend, but that doesnt mean the lost people of this world are our enemy. Satan, the true enemy, is holding the lost captive. He has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. When Christians treat unbelievers as the enemy, rather than the captive, Satan wins. While were busy fighting, opposing, and debating our captive neighbors, Satan tightens their chains of unbeliefand sows seeds of pride, bitterness, and self-righteousness in our own hearts. But when we, as Christians, choose to love our neighbor as ourselves, Christs light can shine through us and become a beacon of hope that pierces the darkness. Avoid Divisive ChatterSocial media platforms have opened the door to unlimited access to this world. A Christians online presence should reflect whose we are. While there is a time and place for healthy spiritual deliberation, social media platforms are not that forum. No matter how right, wise, or pious the argument, no Christian has ever rescued a non-believer from Satans grip through a heated social media debate. But plenty of well-meaning Christians have been used by Satan to repel genuine seekers from the truth that could set them free. When citizens of Heaven use abrasive words to win a spiritual argument, we mar the public image of our King and create a stumbling block to the Gospel. Dont have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lords servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will 2 Timothy 2:23-25. Home. Our Heavenly home is less than a century away for each of us. Our King has placed a deep sentiment and subtle longing in our hearts for the homeland. That yearning drives us closer to Him and to our destiny in Him. No matter where we stake our claim, plant our flag, or pledge our allegiance in this temporal worldmay the mark we leave behind become a roadmap for others to find home. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end Ecclesiastes 3:11. Photo credit: GettyImages/ipopba Annette Marie Griffin is an award-winning author and speaker who has managed and directed childrens and youth programs for more than 20 years. Her debut childrens book, What Is A Family? released through Familius Publishing in 2020. Annette has also written curriculum for character growth and development of elementary-age children and has developed parent training seminars to benefit the community. Her passion is to help wanderers find home. She and her husband have five childrenthree who have already flown the coop and two adopted teens still roosting at homeplus two adorable grands who add immeasurable joy and laughter to the whole flock. This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today. Listen to our Daily Bible Verse Podcast Now! MBABANE - A herdboy, who is believed to have drowned in the flooded Ngwempisi River on Tuesday, is still missing. The search for Celumusa Mabuzas body by the police scuba divers and community search party has not yielded fruits so far. In an interview, Sipho Ngwenya, who is Bhadzeni II Bucopho, said they had since given up on the search after failing to locate Mabuzas remains. He said the community search party and police had abandoned the mission but were hoping to return for the search when the water levels had declined. Currently, the river is flooded and it is difficult to search properly. We hope that when the water levels have declined, the body will eventually float to the surface, said Ngwenya. He stated that they had found slippers, which were worn by Mabuza before he drowned on Tuesday noon. According to Ngwenya, the deceased was at work herding cattle when he decided to follow two friends who crossed over the flooded river. He said it was gathered that the friends waited for him on the other side but he did not make it. Ngwenya said the friends raised the alarm that Mabuza had drowned. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said they had opened a missing persons docket pending investigation. Mabuza is one of four people who drowned since Sunday, following the torrential rains that were experienced on Sunday as a result of Cyclone Eloise. The first incident happened on January 24 at 4pm where traditional healer Elliot Black Cat Fakudze aged 62 and a woman (27) of Mndobandoba drowned after the vehicle they were travelling in, a white Toyota Fortuner, was swept away while trying to cross the flooded Mndobandoba River. The vehicle was driven by Fakudze and he was travelling with his neighbour and his two sons. The sons survived the incident. The other incident happened on the same day at 7pm, when a two-year-old baby boy, who was carried by his mother, drowned while crossing Mfulamuni River at Sigangeni. 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. 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. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrain, Italy, Hungary and Israel have entered into a deal exempting visa for diplomats and special passport holders. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said the deal is effective immediately. The agreements, the ministry said, aims at strengthening Bahrains bilateral ties with countries around the world. It also reflects mutual desire to enhance investment and facilitate movement, said the ministry statement. Karnataka signs MoU with Amazon India to boost e-commerce and MSME sector Bengaluru, Jan 28 (UNI) Karnataka Government today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with global e-commerce giant Amazon India to help drive e-commerce exports from the state. Under the MoU, Amazon will train and onboard MSMEs from the State on Amazon Global Selling, its Exports Program, enabling them to sell their unique Made in India products globally to millions of Amazon customers across 200 plus countries and territories. Karnataka has a vibrant agro, textile and garment, biotech, and toys/handicraft sectors which are held together by lakhs of MSMEs. Our partnership with Amazon India will encourage our MSMEs to leverage Amazon's global presence and showcase their products to customers across the world, Minister for Large and Medium Industries Jagadish Shettar said during the signing of the MoU. This is also an effort to display the strength of the state's manufacturing and innovation prowess. Our government remains committed to making Karnataka an attractive business and investment destination, he added. Under the MoU, Amazon will conduct training, webinars and onboarding workshops for exporters from key MSME clusters like Bellary, Mysore, Channapatna and others. The workshops will focus on sharing knowledge and imparting training to MSMEs about B2C e-commerce exports and selling worldwide through Amazon's 17 international marketplaces to over 300 million customers worldwide. These workshops aim to enable MSMEs with the knowledge and tools to launch their brands and grow their business in international markets through Amazon Global Selling. E-commerce companies like Amazon have complemented governments efforts in not only meeting the needs of customers by safely delivering essentials but also MSMEs which moved online to grow and expand their business during the Covid pandemic, Additional Chief Secretary, Commerce & Industries Department, Gaurav Gupta said. Karnataka has a rich cultural and traditional heritage. The State has multiple Geographical Indications products like Bidriware, Channapatna toys and Kinnhal craft. Mysore Silk, Udupi cotton and Ilkal sarees are world-famous. This will go a long way in helping the livelihoods of artisans, weavers and craftsmen from the state, Gupta added. He said that the MSME sector contributes 29.7 per cent to India's GDP and accounts for 49.66 per cent of Indian Exports and close to 45 per cent of the country's manufacturing output. It was one of those hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, as supply chains disrupted across the world and trade came to an almost standstill. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several measures were announced as part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat package to help MSMEs survive the unfolding pandemic infusing liquidity laying the foundation of a more robust MSME sector for the long-term. The Karnataka government has taken a slew of policy measures to aid the growth of MSME in the state. The recently passed Industrial Facilitation Act builds an MSME friendly investment climate in the State aid the ease of doing business in the state. The amended act enables MSMEs to start operations without obtaining approvals from different departments like trade licenses, building plan approvals, etc. "Self-Certification" related provisions in the approval process for new investments have also been introduced. Over 50 per cent of sellers from Karnataka on Amazon are from tier-II cities and beyond. Our government invites Amazon to expand its footprint beyond Bengaluru to other parts of the state, Commissioner for Industrial Development, Gunjan Krishna said. UNI MSP JAL 2040 LONDON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Another 28,680 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 3,743,734, according to official figures released Thursday. The country also reported another 1,239 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 103,126, the data showed. The latest data were revealed amid a continuing row between the European Union (EU) and the British-based multinational pharma company AstraZeneca over vaccine supply shortages. Earlier Thursday, British Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said that there "will be no interruption" to Britain's vaccine supplies after the EU urged AstraZeneca to divert the UK-made jabs to the regional bloc to fulfil contractual obligations. "We must make sure that we continue with the effective acceleration of our vaccination programme. That relies on the supply schedule that has been agreed to be honored. That's the first and most important thing," Gove said. "But secondarily I'm sure we all want to do everything possible to make sure that as many people in countries which are our friends and neighbors are vaccinated and I think we best achieve that through dialogue and co-operation and friendship," he told the BBC. Jeremy Farrar, a member of the British government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said it was in Britain's "national interests" to ensure as many people in the world as possible are vaccinated, adding that vaccine nationalism should be avoided. "It's something that we absolutely have to negotiate, we have to avoid, and it doesn't serve anybody to have these fights over vaccine supply," he told the BBC. More than 7.4 million people in Britain have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures. England is currently under the third national lockdown since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country. Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. CLEVELAND, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- US gypsum demand is forecast to grow 1.9% annually in volume terms from 2019 levels through 2024, according to Gypsum: United States, a report recently released by Freedonia Focus Reports. Advances will be driven by the continued increase expected in housing completions, itself supported by gains in population and the number of households, the millennial generation starting families, and personal disposable income growth. Crude and synthetic gypsum suppliers will continue to face competition from companies that recycle products such as drywall. In addition, suppliers face competition from producers of oriented strand board (OSB) in some applications such as sheathing and underlayment. In 2020, gypsum demand declined slightly due to the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, including on the housing market, cement production, and nondurable goods output. Conventional housing starts declined 2.1% in 2020, while conventional housing completions fell 12%. However, a 14% increase in conventional housing completions is projected for 2021, helping sustain gypsum board production, and therefore gypsum demand. In addition, real spending on residential improvements rose 1.0% in 2020 a substantial improvement following declines in 2018 and 2019 as homebound consumers invest in their homes. These and other key insights are featured in Gypsum: United States. This report forecasts to 2024 US gypsum demand in metric tons. Total demand is segmented by product in terms of: crude gypsum synthetic gypsum Total demand is also segmented by application as follows: board cement other applications such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and plastics To illustrate historical trends, total demand and the various segments are provided in annual series from 2009 to 2019. Board demand quantities include the weight of paper, metal, and other materials incorporated into the product. Key macroeconomic indicators are also provided with quantified trends. Other various topics, including profiles of pertinent leading companies, are covered in this report. A full outline of report items by page is available in the Table of Contents. More information about the report is available at: https://www.freedoniafocusreports.com/Gypsum-United-States-FF60022/?progid=91541 About Freedonia Focus Reports Each month, The Freedonia Group a division of MarketResearch.com publishes over 20 new or updated Freedonia Focus Reports, providing fresh, unbiased analysis on a wide variety of markets and industries. Published in 20-30 pages, Focus Report coverage ranges from raw materials to finished manufactured goods and related services such as freight and construction. Additional Energy & Resources reports can be purchased at Freedonia Focus Reports or MarketResearch.com. Analysis is intended to guide the busy reader through pertinent topics in rapid succession, including: total historical market size and industry output segmentation by products and markets identification of market drivers, constraints, and key indicators segment-by-segment outlook in five-year forecasts a survey of the supply base suggested resources for further study Press Contact: Corinne Gangloff +1 440.684.9600 [email protected] SOURCE The Freedonia Group Every day, for the two months following the 2020 presidential election, a Catholic priest in Madison, Wisconsin, held a traditional Latin mass, followed by a less traditional ritual: an exorcism to purge the evils of election fraud. Rev. John Zuhlsdorfor Father Z, as hes known on his popular blogsaid his goal was to protect against demonic influence in the vote certification process and to protect vote counters from the temptations from the devil to commit fraud. His actions shocked many Catholic observers, but as strange as the story might sound, its unlikely to be the last case of a partisan exorcism. Advertisement For something as unusual as casting out demons, Zuhlsdorfs performances arent flashy; theyre remarkably routine. In other exorcisms available online (he has removed the election-related ones), Zuhlsdorf recites a prayer casting out Satan and fallen angels, before sprinkling the area with holy water and blessing it with a Relic of the True Cross. Heres a less controversial exorcism he did in April: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Catholic church, major exorcisms (the kind you see in movies) serve to expel a demon or demonic influences from a desperate and tormented individual. Zuhlsdorf expanded the concept, working with his own DIY interpretation of the rite. He cast himself as a bulwark against the forces of evil (or, as he has sometimes called them, bad guys). On his blog, he exhorted his fellow priests to join him in protecting the emergence of the TRUTH about what happened on Election Day. He continued (emphasis his): Moreover, I prayer that, because Catholic Joe Biden surely knows what happened with voting, I ask his Guardian Angel to protect him from demonic influence and for the sake of his immortal soul also to concede the election for the sake of the TRUTH and the common good. At 78 years old Biden is closing in on the end of his life and he will have to account for what he has done before the Just Judge. To have participated in such a horrible lie is surely a mortal sin. For the sake of his immortal soul and for the good of the nation, please all you angels and saints intercede with God. Please Holy Spirit of truth give prevenient grace and illumination and drive far away the attacks of Hell. Advertisement Advertisement If journalists hadnt taken note of Zuhlsdorfs actions, he may have continued to perform these election exorcisms for weeks without complaint. After all, he had previously performed an exorcism aimed at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, and he hadnt stirred up any scandal. But in mid-January, after the British publication the Tablet and the Jesuit magazine America reported on the exorcism, he ran into trouble for lying about having the bishop of Madisons permission. (The bishop says he gave permission for the priest to do a COVID-related exorcism.) Zuhlsdorf then announced he was leaving Madison, complaining about the atmosphere of cancel culture now infecting the Church and saying he was working on a plan to get his mo jo back. Advertisement Zuhlsdorf, a pugnacious and old-fashioned clergyman who converted from Lutheranism, identifies with the element of the Catholic church fascinated by old rituals. Zuhlsdorf was unattached to any local parish and instead leads a society dedicated to preparing and encouraging priests to say the Mass in Latin. In his remaining time, he promotes traditionalism in a popular blog, read by like-minded conservative Catholics, and has gained notoriety for suggesting, among other things, that it wasnt sinful to wish for Pope Francis death. According to the Tablet, tens of millions of people have visited Zuhlsdorfs blog over the years, making it one of the most highly read Christian blogs. Advertisement Hes not some fly-by-night exorcist, said Andrew Chesnut, the chair of Catholic Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. Nor is he alone; there have been at least two similar exorcisms in the last few months. In October, the archbishop in Portland performed an exorcism at a public park to purge the community of evil in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests. On that same day, the archbishop in San Francisco performed an exorcism outside a church where protesters destroyed the statue of Father Junipero Serra. Its obviously part of a pattern, Chesnut said. Were seeing increasingly highly public, political exorcisms on behalf of the political right in the U.S. Advertisement Exorcism as a concept has never been fully apolitical, according to David Frankfurter, a religion professor at Boston University. In the Middle Ages, exorcisms were employed to send messages about the demonic nature of certain enemies or ideas. Even in more modern times, the process of identifying the source for demonic possessionwatching gay porn, for examplecould send a message about what was considered particularly sinful. But in the past, the Church actively discouraged exorcisms, seeing them as an embarrassment in an era of science and reason. In the 1973 film The Exorcist, a priest tells an anxious mother that to grant an exorcism, Id have to get into a time machine and get back to the 16th century. At that time, that skepticism would have been common. Advertisement Advertisement Soon afterward, though, the Pentecostal movement began to bloom in the U.S. and abroad. The demand for exorcisms grew (possibly helped along by the movie). Unlike in the bureaucratic Catholic church, in which a Bishop has to approve an exorcismand investigate if a person is simply suffering from mental illnessin Pentecostal Christianity, anyone can expel demons anytime they want. The Catholic church began losing adherents. Given the power of evangelical Protestantism, it was no longer an embarrassment to be associated with these supernatural elements. Some clergy put together official literature and training for exorcisms, and the Vatican eventually approved their programming. Pope Francis, who comes from a part of the world where more spiritual elements are more commonplace and who embraces Big Tent Catholicism, has welcomed this exorcism boom. Catholics in 50s and 60s would have been mortified, said Joseph Laycock, the author of the Penguin Book of Exorcisms. Advertisement While we dont know how many exorcists there are, we do know that every diocese in the world is supposed to have oneand while that was an on-paper-only rule for a long time, the number of exorcists is growing. (The priests identity tends to be a secret.) Most exorcisms are done in Latin America and Africa, probably because those countries have the strongest competition from Pentecostalism, according to Chesnut. The trend fits with what experts described as a general global pull toward Pentecostalism: the increasingly popular Catholic charismatic movementin the news recently because of discussions of Justice Amy Coney Barretts religious beliefsemerged as a Catholic version of pentecostalism, said Julie Byrne, the chair of Catholic Studies at Hofstra University. Laycock speculated that Zuhlsdorf may have gotten the idea for such broad exorcisms from practices like prayer mapping and ideas about territorial spirits in certain forms of evangelical Protestantism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts predicted that as more political exorcisms occur, American bishops will be forced to address the issueand they will be divided in their response. Exorcists with political motivations will likely become less visible in their work in an effort to amplify the message of their display. Traditionally its not any of our businessits about the spiritual health of people who want exorcism, Laycock said. But now its the most public person in the world. Father Z wants everyone to know Biden is evil. One thing exorcism does is its a way to take something you dont like and publicly, through ritual, mark it as something that is spiritually evil, he added. In periods of great political change, we tend to see things like exorcism and witch trials and demonological thinking used to explain anything. So I think, in the short run, well see more of this. More than 200 progressive groups and foreign policy experts have come to the defense of President Joe Biden's reported front-runner for special envoy to Iran, Robert Malley, whose detractors accuse him of being an apologist for the regime. Malley, currently president and CEO of the Washington-based International Crisis Group, would bring hands-on experience to the role. He was among the top negotiators of the 2015 Iran nuclear accord when he served as the Middle East director for President Barack Obamas National Security Council. The signatories to the open letter published Thursday, which include the Project on Middle East Democracy, the Quincy Institute, the National Iranian American Council and J Street, describe Malley as having the diplomatic chops needed for fixing our broken policy towards Iran. Those who accuse Malley of sympathy for the Islamic Republic have no grasp of or no interest in true diplomacy, which requires a level-headed understanding of the other sides motivations and knowledge that can only be acquired through dialogue, they wrote. The opposition to Malley emerged last week when Jewish Insider reported that the veteran negotiator was under consideration for the Iran job. In a much-discussed Bloomberg opinion piece that followed, columnist Eli Lake wrote that Malleys appointment as special envoy would be a foreign policy blunder that would undermine Bidens Iran messaging. Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton then accused Malley on Twitter of having sympathy for the Iranian regime & animus towards Israel." Several oher Republican lawmakers, as well as former political prisoners held in Iran, added their voices to the wave of criticism. Why it matters: Tapping Malley, a staunch critic of the Trump administrations "maximum pressure" approach to Iran, for the post of special envoy wouldnt win Biden any goodwill among congressional Republicans already opposed to revived diplomacy with Tehran and restored relations with the Palestinians. Malley has in the past drawn criticism from pro-Israel circles, particularly over his meetings with officials from Hamas, a Palestinian militant group considered a terrorist organization by the United States. Malley, who worked on Arab-Israeli affairs in the Clinton administration, defended the dialogue as necessary for his work at the International Crisis Group. The open letter from progressive groups Thursday said Malleys track record of diplomatic engagement would be an asset to any future talks with Iran over its nuclear ambitions or human rights record. It is no surprise that those who reject the primacy of diplomacy as a tool of statecraft see engagement with adversaries as appeasement, they wrote. Whats next: Biden has said that if Tehran returns to full compliance under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the United States will rejoin the multilateral pact as a starting point for follow-on negotiations aimed at crafting a stronger deal. Biden administration officials have lowered expectations that a return to the JCPOA is imminent. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed to reporters Wednesday that it would take time for Iran to reverse its many violations under the deal, adding were not there yet to say the least. Know more: Both Iran and the Biden administration say theyre willing to reenter the deal but only if the other side makes the first move. Al-Monitors Andrew Parasiliti breaks down the standoff and explains why Iran has a limited window for diplomacy. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks as ex-President Donald Trump listens at a campaign rally on Jan. 4, 2021. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene warned Americans would have to pay "the price of blood" to "get your freedoms back" if Trump lost the election. Greene has previously endorsed violence against Democratic leaders. Greene has also promoted calls for violence against journalists. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Related: What the storming of the US Capitol looked like on Wednesday Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene warned before the election that if former President Donald Trump lost, Americans would have to pay "the price of blood" to "get your freedoms back." "If this generation doesn't stand up and defend freedom, it's gone," Greene said in a video first reported on by Mother Jones on Friday. "And once it's gone, freedom doesn't come back by itself. The only way you get your freedoms back is it's earned with the price of blood." The footage was from a late October conversation between gun rights activist Chris Dorr and Greene, a far-right Republican of Georgia, who said that voters had to choose between "freedom" and ending "America as we know it" in the 2020 election. "This is it: November 3rd, freedom is on the ballot," she said. "You have a choice of either voting for freedom by voting for Donald J. Trump ... or you're going to vote for socialism and vote to completely end America as we know it. This is no joke." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This isn't the first instance of Greene apparently endorsing political violence. CNN first reported this week that Greene lent her support for executing Democratic leaders and FBI agents in multiple Facebook posts in 2018 and 2019. Greene has repeatedly accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of committing treason and called for her to receive the death penalty. During a town hall on Tuesday, Greene promoted a suggestion from one of her supporters that journalists, who she refers to as "fake news," should be given "the electric chair." The newly-elected congresswoman has trafficked in a slew of conspiracy theories, including QAnon and the campaign to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential race. She has also repeatedly spread false claims about mass shootings in the US and harassed a young survivor of a high school shooting in Parkland, Florida. Story continues This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Greene drew ire on Friday after Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri said that she was changing offices in the US Capitol after being "berated" by a maskless Greene and her staff. Read the original article on Business Insider AB Klaipedos nafta (hereinafter - KN, the Company) announces the unaudited consolidated (hereinafter - the Group) and separate financial results for the twelve months ended 31 December 2020. Revenue for the 12 months of 2020 of the Group and the Company are EUR 80.5 million and EUR 77.5 million respectively and is lower by 22.9% and 25.6% compared to the same period of 2019 (EUR 104.4 million and EUR 104.1 million respectively). Net profit of the Group and the Company for the 12 months of 2020 amounts to EUR 32.9 million and EUR 32.5 million respectively and is 4.3 times and 4.1 times higher compared to the 12 months of 2019 (EUR 7.6 million and EUR 7.9 million respectively). Net profit adjusted of the Group and the Company for the 12 months of 2020 amounts to EUR 10.4 million and EUR 10.0 million respectively and is lower by 18.0% and 23.7% compared to the same period of 2019 (EUR 12.7 million and EUR 13.1 million respectively). EBITDA for the 12 months of 2020 of the Group and the Company amounts to EUR 72.9 million and EUR 72.1 million respectively and is higher by 10.7% and 8.9% compared to the same period of 2019 (EUR 65.8 million and EUR 66.2 million respectively). EBITDA adjusted for the 12 months of 2020 of the Group and the Company amounts to EUR 50.3 million and EUR 49.6 million respectively and is lower by 29.1% and 30.5% compared to the same period of 2019 (EUR 71.0 million and EUR 71.4 million respectively). Main financial indicators of the Group comparing 12 months of 2020 and 2019: Financial results for 12 months of 2020 Change, compared to 12 months of 2019 Adjusted results for 12 months of 2020 Change, compared to 12 months of 2019 Revenue 80.5 million Eur -22.9% 80.5 million Eur -22.9% Net profit 32.9 million Eur 4.3 times 10.4 million Eur -18.0% EBITDA 72.9 million Eur 10.7% 50.3 million Eur -29.1% Management comment: During 12 months of 2020, the same as during 2019, the Group's and the Company's net profit was significantly affected by fluctuations of unrealized currency exchange rates. The unrealized impact of exchange rates arose from the 1st January of 2019 under the requirements of IFRS 16 "Lease", which indicated the Company to capitalise finance lease obligations and the major part of them is denominated in US dollars. Whereas all US dollar denominated lease liabilities relate to LNG terminal, the effect of unrealized exchange rate is reflected in the regulated segment. Revenue of the Group for 2020 compared to 2019 is lower mainly due to the reduction of LNG security supplement from the 1st January 2020. LNG regasification at Klaipeda LNG terminal (hereinafter - LNG terminal) remains at a high level. Revenue for 2020 is EUR 43.4 million and is lower by EUR 27.5 million or 38.8% compared to the same period of 2019 (EUR 70.9 million). The lower revenue was mainly determined by the Company's decision to optimize the infrastructure costs of the LNG terminal in Klaipeda, which respectively reduced the security supplement for Lithuanian gas consumers from the beginning of 2020 (EUR 26.8 million per annum). The decrease in revenue was also due to the lower rate of return on investment (ROI) set for the Company for 2020, which was partially offset by higher regasification volumes. For twelve months of 2020 revenue from commercial LNG activities is EUR 5.7 million and is higher by EUR 4.3 million compared to the same period in 2019 (EUR 1.4 million). Commercial LNG activities consist of business development projects including LNG terminal operator services provided at the Port of Acu terminal in Brazil and LNG reloading station in Klaipeda. Revenue from oil terminals for 2020 is lower by EUR 0.7 million compared to the same period in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a negative impact on the demand for petroleum products, the period of unfavorable low refining margins around the world has prolonged. Although it increases demand for oil product storage, the volumes of the transshipment are affected negatively. All those adverse developments in the international markets, along with the geopolitical developments in the neighboring region, affected performance of KN oil terminals. However, the Group was capable to amortize the unfavorable international circumstances by focusing on its operational efficiency and by diversification of its services, including oil product storage services, as well as product portfolio. However, it should be noted, that in December 2020 the client of the company BNK (UK) Limited has informed about the temporary suspension of oil products sales through Klaipeda. In the future tenders announced by BNK Klaipeda will not be indicated as their sales point. All contracts between BNK and the Company remain in force, but the contractual obligations are suspended until further notice. At the time of the report, no transhipment of oil product cargo from Belarus is nominated through KN oil terminals for February or further periods. In Management opinion, it can be assumed that oil products from Belarus will not be transhipped through KN oil terminal in Klaipeda and accordingly the company follows such assumptions for 2021. ? Enclosed: Condensed Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements of AB Klaipedos nafta for the 12 months period ended 31 December 2020. Presentation of the unaudited financial results of the Group for the 12 months period of 2020. Jonas Lenksas, Chief Financial Officer, +370 694 80594. Attachments Mexico has surpassed India as the country with the world's third-highest death toll after nearly a year of the country's president downplaying the virus - which he contracted himself earlier this month. And data researchers say the death figures could actually be much higher because of the country's low rate of testing. Mexico logged 155,145 confirmed deaths as of Thursday, according to data from John Hopkins University. Those figures move the country past India, which had a death toll of 153,847, after it reported 1,506 newly confirmed deaths Thursday. Despite the record death numbers, health experts believe the real toll to date is well over 195,000 due to Mexico's extreme low rate of testing. The country also recorded 18,670 newly confirmed infections, bringing the total to 1,825,519 million. The United States has the highest death toll with 433,233 deaths and Brazil is second with 221,547. SEE VIDEO BELOW An employee of a funeral parlor in Mexico City, Mexico, moves a stretcher with the body of a person who died from COVID-19. On Thursday, Mexico moved past India as the country with the world's third-highest COVID-19 death toll with 155,145 confirmed deaths An unmasked Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (center, pictured at a memorial ceremony on December 17, 2020) in the past minimized preventive measures proposed by health officials to contain the spread of the coronavirus, including the use of face masks. On Sunday, Lopez Obrador tested positive for COVID-19 Shoppers and vendors mingle Thursday along a Mexico City street specializing in the sale of Baby Jesus figures and accessories as Mexicans prepare to celebrate "Dia de la Candelaria" or Candlemas Day while the country struggles to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who throughout the pandemic refused to wear a face mask as a preventive measure against the spread of the deadly virus, tested positive for COVID-19 last Sunday after getting off a commercial flight. He continues to receive treatment at his apartment in the National Palace in Mexico City. According a study published Thursday by a nonprofit think tank, the Lowy Institute, Mexico's response to the epidemic is the second-worst in the globe, placing 97 among 98 countries. Mexico has the second-worst response to the Covid pandemic in the world, according to a study released by the Lowry Institute Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who on Sunday tested positive for COVID-19, had a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday and announced Mexico will soon receive 24 million doses of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine. The 61-year-old was diagnosed with light symptoms and is receiving medication as he continues to serve in his normal capacity while quarantining at the National Palace Lowy Institute's Covid-19 Rankings Top 10: New Zealand Vietnam Taiwan Thailand Cyprus Rwanda Iceland Australia Latvia Sri Lanka Bottom 10: 89. Chile 90. Ukraine 91. Oman 92. Panama 93. Bolivia 94. United States 95. Iran 96. Colombia 97. Mexico 98. Brazil Advertisement The research discovered that structural factors such as an advanced economy or political system did not give countries an advantage. 'The results basically show that neither democracies nor authoritarian states did better than the other,' Lowy Institute researcher Alyssa Leng said, according to The Australian. The Lowy Institute found a lot of 'quiet achievers' outperformed in their pandemic management. Countries with a population of less than 10million generally came out on top, the data suggests. 'In general, countries with smaller populations, cohesive societies and capable institutions have a comparative advantage in dealing with a global crisis such as a pandemic,' Leng said. Meanwhile, Mexico became the first country in Latin America to roll out the vaccine, doing so December 24, 2020, when it started vaccinating front line health workers with the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine. It so far has managed to get only about 760,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines, and is placing its hopes on Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. Lopez Obrador spoke to President Vladimir Putin to announce the shipment of 24 million doses of the vaccine. However, Russia has not yet publicly presented the results of Phase 3 testing, which would yield data on how effective it is. Nevertheless, Assistant Health Secretary Hugo Lopez-Gatell said earlier this week that Mexico is close to approving the Sputnik vaccine, based on confidential documents he was allowed to see by Argentina, where the shot is already being administered. That has caused a storm of criticism in Mexico, with some saying the vaccine shouldn't be approved or used until that data is released. Commuters in Mexico City wear face masks while riding the subway on Thursday. Mexico has reported 155,145 confirmed coronavirus deaths, third in the world behind the United States and Brazil Paramedics in Mexico City transferred a 63-year-old patient, who was suffering from the coronavirus infection, from her house to a hospital on January 13. As of Friday, Mexico ranks third in the world with 155,145 confirmed deaths and has reported more than 1.8 million confirmed cases The makers of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine have said that the shot has 91.4% effectiveness against a virus that as of Friday has killed more than 2 million people. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has been proven to be 94.1% effective against the virus while the Pfizer vaccine has an effectiveness of 95%. Lopez-Gatell responded by claiming the critics were anti-vaccine, and accused them of doing 'a lot of damage.' 'They have started to discredit vaccines in a completely irrational manner, with no evidence,' Lopez-Gatell said. But critics say Lopez-Gatell is the one with a lack of evidence. 'They have made up the idea that I am anti-vaccine, because I caught them,' wrote Senator Lilly Tellez of the conservative opposition National Action Party. 'I do want vaccines, but ones that have been approved by the World Health Organization and the international scientific community.' AAVCOVID single-dose, room temperature-stable COVID-19 vaccine supported by new funding The AAVCOVID vaccine program, a novel gene-based vaccine strategy that utilizes an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector, was granted an award for up to $2.1 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant will aid the effort to bring further preclinical validation to the AAV vaccine platform. An AAVCOVID vaccine candidate is set to enter clinical trials in 2021. The AAVCOVID vaccine program was founded at Mass General Brigham at the outset of the pandemic. Preliminary tests of the vaccines' stability and potency at different temperatures revealed that AAVCOVID candidates remained potent and effective when stored at room temperature for up to one month. This room temperature stability and the fact AAVCOVID vaccines do not require cold-chain freezer storage, could enable this AAV-based platform to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 and other diseases for developing countries without the necessary cooling infrastructure some vaccines require. "We are extremely grateful and humbled to be one of the COVID-19 vaccine efforts to be awarded financial support by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation," said AAVCOVID principal investigator Luk H. Vandenberghe, PhD, director of the Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. "We share a desire to develop vaccines that can end the threat of this deadly disease globally. We believe our data on single dose immunogenicity and room-temperature stability holds promise to overcome key logistical challenges to an effective vaccine campaign in this global crisis, particularly in countries with limited infrastructure." AAVCOVID is developed through an academia-industry consortium with groups within Mass Eye and Ear, and Massachusetts General Hospital, both member hospitals of Mass General Brigham in Boston, the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and Novartis Gene Therapies. Dr. Vandenberghe is working in conjunction with program co-leaders Mason Freeman, MD, who serves as director of the Translational Medicine Group of the Mass General Center for Computational and Integrative Biology and is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and gene therapy pioneer James M. Wilson, MD, PhD, director of the internationally-renowned Gene Therapy Program at the University of Pennsylvania. Novartis Gene Therapies contributes to the consortium its unique technology, expertise and supply chain to manufacture at-scale AAVCOVID for clinical trial testing through an in-kind partnership. The rapid development of AAVCOVID was initially made possible through research support from Mass Eye and Ear with additional support from the Department of Ophthalmology, led by Joan W. Miller, MD, Chief of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Ophthalmologist-in Chief at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Chair of Ophthalmology and David Glendenning Cogan Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. The initial work was also funded by Individual donations including a lead gift from Celtics co-owner and former Mass Eye and Ear Board Chairman Wyc Grousbeck and Emilia Fazzalari, research grants from the Harvard-led Massachusetts Consortium for Pathogen Readiness and FastGrant, and manufacturing partnerships with Aldevron, Catalent and Viralgen. Experimental vaccine designed to address dosing and cold-chain challenges AAVCOVID aims to address two logistical and biological hurdles to global distribution: the need for simplicity of the dosing regimen and limited dependency on cold-chain infrastructure, or the need for freezers for storage and transport. Many COVID-19 vaccines require two doses, which may raise adherence concerns since people require two separate appointments weeks apart. Doubling the dose needed also increases costs, need for logistical support and manufacturing needs. Testing thus far in both mouse and nonhuman primate models have shown a robust neutralizing antibody responses from only a single dose. Another hurdle for some leading vaccines is they require below-freezing temperatures for storage that require special freezers that are not widely available. AAVCOVID candidates have been stored at different temperatures and the researchers found they maintained stability and potency at up to room temperature for one month. This room temperature stability is in line with other AAV-based medications already in use. Without the need for freezing temperatures, Dr. Vandenberghe hopes such a vaccine if validated in human studies can be distributed in regions of the world with poor health care infrastructure that lack adequate refrigeration capabilities. Program seeks to leverage existing manufacturing capacity The AAVCOVID vaccine program is a gene-based vaccine strategy that seeks to deliver genetic sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 using an AAV vector. Vaccination delivers genetic DNA fragments of SARS-CoV-2 which generate a coronavirus spike antigen protein that is designed to elicit an immune response to prevent infection. Dr. Vandenberghe and his laboratory began work on the vaccine in mid-January 2020 following the Wuhan outbreak and the first publication of genetic sequences of the new coronavirus. AAVCOVID uses a specific AAV called rh32.33 with desirable inflammatory properties needed for vaccines and lacks pre-existing immunity in humans. AAVCOVID seeks to induce immunity to prevent infection and or disease in healthy populations, leveraging the existing manufacturing capabilities of an established AAV gene therapy industry. The program has a manufacturing agreement with several gene therapy industry partners led by Novartis Gene Therapies, to help reach the scalability goals in the event of approval. The company is one of the first in the world to have successfully scaled up gene therapy manufacturing with over 1 million square feet of manufacturing capacity. ### About Mass Eye and Ear Massachusetts Eye and Ear, founded in 1824, is an international center for treatment and research and a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. A member of Mass General Brigham, Mass Eye and Ear specializes in ophthalmology (eye care) and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ear, nose and throat care). Mass Eye and Ear clinicians provide care ranging from the routine to the very complex. Also home to the world's largest community of hearing and vision researchers, Mass Eye and Ear scientists are driven by a mission to discover the basic biology underlying conditions affecting the eyes, ears, nose, throat, head and neck and to develop new treatments and cures. In the 2020-2021 "Best Hospitals Survey," U.S. News & World Report ranked Mass Eye and Ear #4 in the nation for eye care and #6 for ear, nose and throat care. For more information about life-changing care and research at Mass Eye and Ear, visit our blog, Focus, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 12:05:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close VIENTIANE, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government expects to earn its first income from the sale of carbon credit in 2022 after signing an agreement with the World Bank. Local daily Vientiane Times on Friday quoted Deputy Director General of the Forestry Department Khamsene Oukham as saying that the government had signed an agreement with the World Bank to sell carbon credits from designated forest areas in the six northern provinces of Huaphan, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Luang Namtha, Bokeo and Xayaboury. "We expect to receive about 15 million U.S. dollars from the sale of carbon credit in 2022," said Khamsene. The actual amount of money earned will depend on the amount of carbon credits available from these areas. Under the agreement with the World Bank, the relevant sectors will reassess the production of carbon credit from the designated areas in 2022 to determine the total amount of carbon credits available. "If we are unable to protect forest areas, there will be less carbon credits and we will not earn so much from this business arrangement," Khamsene added. According to the World Bank, the international financial institution has committed a budget of about 42 million U.S. dollars under the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility to purchase carbon credits from Laos from 2020 to 2025. The Bank's initiative aims to reduce carbon emissions released into the atmosphere, one of the main causes of global warming and extreme weather patterns around the world. Developing, developed nations and major corporates have agreed to buy carbon credits from countries as part of their social business responsibilities, said the report. Forestry officials say the Lao government is strongly committed to protecting forests and hopes to earn income from sale of carbon credit. In order to protect forest areas, forestry officials say the government will use money earned from the sale of carbon credit as well as sourcing funds from development partners to reduce poverty in the designated areas. People in communities surrounding the designated forest areas need to have sustainable jobs and income so they do not encroach into forests and be lured by businesspeople to fell trees for sale, according to Khamsene. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 05:04:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A Moroccan worker carries a box of Chinese Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines for distribution in Casablanca, Morocco, on Jan. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Chadi) -- Morocco launches mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign -- Turkey's tally of infections tops 2.45 million -- Iran's total COVID-19 cases near 1.4 million -- Lebanon launches COVID-19 vaccine registration platform CAIRO, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Morocco launched a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign on Thursday, a day after receiving the first batch of Chinese vaccines. Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Turkey surpassed 2.45 million. Moroccan King Mohammed VI received the first shot of COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday as a nationwide vaccination campaign was launched across 3,000 locations, a day after Morocco received the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines from China's Sinopharm. Moroccan Health Ministry said the mass vaccination campaign will gradually reach health professionals over the age of 40, school teachers, members of public authorities, troops and people over the age of 75, before extending to the rest of the population. Morocco reported on Thursday 756 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of infections in the country to 469,139. Its death toll rose by 17 to 8,224, while the total recoveries increased to 447,076. A nurse prepares a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a health center in Ankara, Turkey, on Jan. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya) Turkey reported 7,279 new COVID-19 cases, including 670 symptomatic patients, pushing its total confirmed cases up to 2,457,118. The death toll from the virus in Turkey rose by 129 to 25,605, while the total recoveries climbed to 2,340,216 after 8,902 more cases recovered in the last 24 hours, according to the Turkish Health Ministry. Turkey started mass vaccination campaign on Jan. 14 after the authorities approved the emergency use of the Chinese CoronaVac vaccine. More than 1.69 million people have been vaccinated as of Thursday. Iran reported 6,527 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total nationwide infections to 1,398,841. The pandemic has so far claimed 57,736 lives in Iran, up by 85 in the past 24 hours. A total of 1,189,975 people have recovered from the disease, while 4,017 remained in intensive care units. A woman wearing a facemask walks on a bridge in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz) The Iraqi Health Ministry reported 943 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total nationwide number of cases to 617,202. The ministry also reported six new deaths, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 13,024, while 1,933 cases recovered during the day, bringing the total recoveries to 588,260. Israel's total number of coronavirus cases rose by 3,224 to 624,814, of which 74,821 are active cases. The COVID-19 death toll in Israel rose by seven to 4,612, while the number of patients in serious condition increased to 1,178, out of 1,779 hospitalized patients. The number of active coronavirus cases among Israeli soldiers reached 2,042, with 96 new cases added, the highest figure since the outbreak of the pandemic, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Lebanon registered 3,497 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number in the country to 293,157, while its death toll from the virus went up by 68 to 2,621. Lebanon launched on Thursday a platform that allows citizens to register their names to have access to COVID-19 vaccines as the country is expected to receive the first batch of vaccines by mid-February. A boy tries to sell a rose to a man at the seafront of Beirut during a total lockdown in Lebanon on Jan. 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Zongya) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) confirmed 3,966 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total cases in the country to 293,052. It also reported 3,294 new recoveries and eight more deaths, taking the tally of recoveries in the UAE to 267,024 and the death toll to 819. Kuwait's tally of COVID-19 cases surged by 588 to 163,450, while the death toll rose by one to 958. It also announced the recovery of 648 more patients, taking the total recoveries to 156,387. In Oman, the total number of confirmed cases rose by 154 to 133,728. The tally of recoveries from the disease in Oman climbed by 86 to 126,572, while two new deaths were reported, taking the death toll to 1,527. In Qatar, 347 new COVID-19 infections were announced, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 150,280. Qatar's tally of recoveries increased by 163 to 145,414, while its total fatalities remained unchanged at 248 for the 11th day. When a post on social media exposed animal traffickers who planned to illegally sell two young jaguars abroad, Nicaragua zookeeper Eduardo Sacasa had a narrow chance to save the cubs. The poachers -- who had already killed the young cats' mother -- were caught red-handed and agreed to hand the animals over, but under one condition. They demanded Sacasa, director of Nicaragua's National Zoo, meet them in the Daukura region and pick up the cubs without bringing any authorities along. So Sacasa flew to the Caribbean city of Bilwi, and then, with the help of four guides, traveled first by car and then up a river by boat to a village to meet the poachers and save the baby jaguars -- one of the most endangered species in Nicaragua. "It's our passion to save these little animals that are in danger of extinction, they're killing them," he told AFP upon return to the capital city of Managua with the felines, a female and a three-month-old male. "They're thin, they (the poachers) gave them cowhide to eat," Sacasa lamented. "They were going to sell them to a Chinese citizen after taking them to Honduras." He explained that lately there have been wild animals roaming through human communities after hurricanes Eta and Iota in November destroyed their habitats. One of the jaguar cubs eats on January 27, 2021 at the Nicaragua National Zoo, which is developing a breeding program for jaguars. Photo: AFP The nervous little green-eyed predators on Wednesday arrived at the zoo south of Managua, where they will spend the next few days getting dewormed and undergoing medical examinations. According to Sacasa, jaguars are among the most endangered species in Nicaragua, along with the tapir. The zoo, which also houses an animal rescue center, is developing a breeding program for jaguars, which can live up to 25 years in captivity, but often do not make it past 10 in the wild, due to habitat destruction and illegal hunting, Sacasa explained. In Nicaragua, jaguars, which are strong hunters capable of taking down even a crocodile in the water, mostly live in the forests along the Atlantic coast. Jaguars, or panthera onca, are listed as "near threatened" on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 18th January 2021 General view of Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department. Hospitals in Northern Ireland are coming under increasing pressure as the number of COVID-19 patients has sharply increased in the last number of weeks. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Northern Ireland's political parties have united to denounce an EU move to halt the operation of an element of Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol as part of the bloc's attempts to control the export of vaccinations from the EU. First Minister Arlene Foster branded the EU's triggering of Article 16 of the protocol to stop the unfettered flow of vaccines from the EU into Northern Ireland as an "incredible act of hostility". The EU has triggered Article 16 as part of wider EU controls on vaccine exports, in order to frustrate any effort to use Northern Ireland as a back door to bring vaccines into Great Britain. Iave spoken with the Prime Minister @BorisJohnson and @michaelgove this evening. The Government must now take robust action including using Article 16 to advance Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/ugemDdll9z Arlene Foster #WeWillMeetAgain (@ArleneFosterUK) January 29, 2021 "By triggering Article 16 in this manner, the European Union has once again shown it is prepared to use Northern Ireland when it suits their interests but in the most despicable manner - over the provision of a vaccine which is designed to save lives," said Mrs Foster. "With the European Union using Article 16 in such an aggressive and most shameful way, it is now time for our Government to step up. I will be urging the Prime Minister to act and use robust measures including Article 16 to advance the interests of Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom." Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said she has spoken with the Irish government over the decision. She tweeted: "I have just spoken with the Irish Govt to raise my very serious concerns in relation to the invoking of Art. 16. "This is a totally ill judged move by the EU and should not have been triggered. Calm heads need to prevail, this needs sorted urgently." The use of #Article16 is a grave error. Our citizens need timely access to lifesaving vaccines not trade disputes. Now is a time for cool heads and solidarity. Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) January 29, 2021 SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the decision undermines progress made to defend the interests of the island. "We face a common threat. Our response to this virus, and to the supply of vaccines, should be characterised by our common values," he said. Invoking Article 16 is disproportionate and a grave error in judgment by the European Commission. We face a common threat. Our response should be characterised by our common values - cooperation & solidarity. We're engaging with both governments & the EU to find a way forward. Colum Eastwood (@columeastwood) January 29, 2021 Mr Eastwood added: "Frontline workers who have stretched themselves to exhaustion to keep people safe and administer a vaccine programme will find their hearts breaking at political manoeuvres in stark contrast with their solemn oaths to do no harm." Read More UUP leader Steve Aiken said Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis should be embarrassed. He added: "The EU is unilaterally invoking Article 16 to protect its own interests and it's about time the UK Government did the same instead of being lead actors in a ridiculous charade that there is no border in the Irish Sea and that Article 16 can't be invoked." Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said the EU was showing its "callous" true colours. He said: "The idea that the EU cares anything for Northern Ireland or its people is exposed as utterly bogus." Alliance MP Stephen Farry added: "We are in the middle of a global pandemic, there are no sides in the fight against Covid. Yet this completely unjustified and unwarranted move will only serve to heighten an already tense situation. "We don't need a vaccine war, and other alternatives exist for the EU to manage its vaccine supply. "The situation in Northern Ireland is already fragile and we should not be placed at the centre of this dispute." Downing Street says Prime Minister Boris Johnson had "a constructive discussion" with Taoiseach Micheal Martin on the matter tonight. A No 10 spokesman said: "The PM set out his concerns about the EU's use of Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol and what these actions may mean for the two communities in Northern Ireland. "The PM stressed the UK's enduring commitment to the Belfast/Good Friday agreement and said the EU must urgently clarify its intentions and what steps it plans to take to ensure its own commitments with regards to Northern Ireland are fully honoured. "The PM stressed the UK's commitment to working together with other countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic." Mr Martin has also contacted EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over the plans. It's understood that the Irish Government was not given advance warning of the commission's decision and only contacted late this afternoon, after the announcement was made. A spokesperson for Mr Martin said: We are aware of the issue and the Taoiseach is currently in discussion with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to raise our concerns. Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney tweeted: We are working with the EU Commission to try to resolve this issue and protect the integrity and operation of the NI Protocol. It comes as another 22 coronavirus deaths have been recorded in Northern Ireland, the Department of Health reported. Eighteen of those deaths occurred in the 24 hours up to 10am on Friday and four happened previously. The death toll has risen to 1,814 Read More Another 669 new cases have been identified in testing. There have been 3,991 cases in the past week, that is down from the 5,570 in the past week. Over 750,000 people have been tested with over 100,000 found positive. Read More Hospital occupancy is at 92% with 745 people in beds. A total of 67 people are in intensive care. And 127 care homes are dealing with a break out of the virus. The latest vaccination statistics show 175,284 people have received the first dose and another 23,927 the second. Read More Mrs Foster earlier met with representatives of AstraZeneca who, she said, raised supply chain issues for Northern Ireland in terms of getting the vaccine here next year. She said they also discussed the effectiveness of the vaccine. AstraZeneca has been contacted for a response. New Delhi, Jan 30 : The Delhi police arrested 44 people including the man who attacked SHO Alipur in the violence that broke out on Friday afternoon at Singhu border. Criminal case under various sections including attempt to murder has been registered in Alipur police station, Delhi and investigation has been initiated. "Accused Ranjeet Singh, a resident of village Kazampur, Distt Naya Shehar, PS Rahu, Punjab, age 22 years who attacked SHO Alipur with sword has been arrested from the spot," a senior police officer said. Situation at Delhi's Haryana border at Singhu deteriorated on Friday afternoon as villagers clashed with protesting farmers after one thing led to another and the mob was seen armed with stones, lathis, swords. A police officer among others was injured. Group of men, who claimed to be from nearby villages and wanted to get the over two-month old road blockage cleared came to blows with the farmers after heated arguments and then locals damaged tents, leading to stone pelting from both sides. The situation was controlled an hour later. Sun Life has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, joining 13 employer briefs that helped lead to the defeat of DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) in 2013 and state laws prohibiting same-sex marriage in 2015. Sun Life also supported and promoted ballot Question 3 in Massachusetts in 2018, which prohibits discrimination in public accommodations on the basis of gender identity. In 2019 Sun Life joined other employers in signing on to an amicus brief for the Supreme Court cases determining whether LGBTQIA+ employees are protected under the country's current civil rights law. The brief was led by a coalition of organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign and Freedom for All Americans, the bipartisan campaign working to enact nondiscrimination protections for the LGBTQIA+ community, and of which Sun Life is a member. "We are as committed as ever to fostering an inclusive workplace that encourages every employee to bring their true selves to work or to their home office and makes them feel valued and safe," said Tammi Wortham, vice president of Human Resources for Sun Life U.S. "Although we have seen much progress, the LGBTQIA+ community still faces uphill battles to achieve true equality. We will continue to work in the community and internally to further acceptance and inclusion for all." Throughout the year, Sun Life employees participate in Pride events in the U.S. and internationally, and host an employee panel on National Coming Out Day. Each year Sun Life has large participation in annual Pride marches in Boston, Mass., Portland, Maine, Kansas City, Mo., Dublin, and several cities throughout Canada. In 2020 Sun Life's Pride activities pivoted to virtual events, including a panel discussion on the impacts of the pandemic on the LGBTQIA+ community. Sun Life hosts several inclusion networks in addition to Pride, including Black Excellence Alliance (BEA); Asian American Heritage Association (AAHA); BrightWomen; DiverseAbility; and Hispanic Organization for Leaders and Achievers (HOLA). These networks support cultural and educational events and exchanges for all employees who wish to participate. To learn more about Sun Life's commitment to supporting LGBTQIA+ rights, diversity and equity, and all Sun Life Inclusion Networks, visit www.sunlife.com/usdiversityandinclusion. About Sun Life Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individuals and corporate Clients. Sun Life Financial has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2020, Sun Life Financial had total assets under management of C$1,186 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com. Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF. In the United States, Sun Life is one of the largest group benefits providers, serving more than 60,000 employers in small, medium and large workplaces across the country. Sun Life's broad portfolio of insurance products and services in the U.S. includes disability, absence management, life, dental, vision, voluntary, supplemental health and medical stop-loss. Sun Life employs approximately 5,500 people in its U.S insurance and asset management businesses. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except New York, where policies are issued by, Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com/us. Media contact: Devon Portney Fernald Sun Life Financial 781-800-3609 [email protected] SOURCE Sun Life U.S. Related Links http://www.sunlife.com BENGALURU : India Inc. needs to get away from jugaad solutions and ramp up investment in research and development (R&D) if the country is to become the third-largest economy, the Economic Survey 2020-21 said. Mere reliance on jugaad innovation risks missing the crucial opportunity to innovate our way into the future. This requires a major thrust on R&D by the business sector. Indias resident firms must increase their share in total patents to a level commensurate to our status as the fifth-largest economy in current US$," noted the survey presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Parliament on Friday. Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start R&D makes up only about 37% of gross expenditure for Indian businesses compared to 68% for businesses in each of the top 10 economies. This is despite Indian companies having more liberal tax incentives, the survey showed. In India, the government does a disproportionate amount of heavy-lifting" on R&D by contributing 56% of the gross expenditure in this space, three times the average contributed by governments in the top 10 economies. Yet, Indias gross expenditure on R&D at 0.65% of gross domestic product (GDP) is much lower than that of the top 10 economies. This is primarily because of the disproportionately low contribution from the private sector. The survey showed that in 2020, India made it to the list of top 50 innovative countries for the first time, ranking 48th among 131 countries in the Global Innovation Index (GII). India ranks 45th and 57th in the innovation output and innovation input sub-indices respectively, according to the GII. Along with three other economies, Vietnam, the Republic of Moldova, and Kenya, India has the rare distinction of being an innovation achiever for ten consecutive years," the survey noted. The index also pointed out that India appears to be underperforming in innovation with respect to the size of its GDP. The survey termed it a warning against being complacent. If India is able to translate investments in innovation input to produce a higher level of innovation output, the country can also gain more from its investments in innovation than others, the survey noted. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Chinas 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020) saw significant improvements in various aspects of peoples lives in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu province, thanks to the citys continuous efforts to accelerate the implementation of a number of projects designed to further improve peoples access to high-quality resources in such sectors as education, health and employment, Nanjing Daily reported. In the past five years, both the completion rate of nine-year compulsory education and the net enrollment rate of primary-school-age children of the city reached 100 percent. Students participate in an archery competition in Nanjing. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng) Nanjing built eight high schools, 106 primary and junior high schools, as well as 271 kindergartens during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, with these figures rising by 14 percent, 18 percent and 26.8 percent respectively from the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015). In an effort to make high-quality education resources benefit more people, the city rolled out multiple measures to facilitate sharing of resources, including helping more students enjoy resources of famous schools. Five key public high schools, namely Nanjing Foreign Language School, High School Affiliated to Nanjing Normal University, Jinling High School, Nanjing No.1 High School and Zhonghua High School, were asked to operate on two sites so as to cover more students. In 2017, the High School Affiliated to Nanjing Normal University Jiangning Campus was encouraged by the government of Jiangning district of Nanjing to help the Nanjing Qingshuiting School in the district improve its education quality, as the latter suffered a drop in the number of students due to the lack of quality education resources. The High School Affiliated to Nanjing Normal University Jiangning Campus sent a management team to Nanjing Qingshuiting School, which is now named Qingshuiting School of High School Affiliated to Nanjing Normal University Jiangning Campus. Both schools have carried out teaching and research activities together. Since it has introduced many special activities of its counterpart, the Qingshuiting School now has a richer curriculum. What have also been shared among more people in the city are medical services. With continuous improvements in its hierarchical medical system and evaluation system, the city has established 52 medical alliances of different types across the city, making it much easier for people to seek medical services. Since Nanjing Lishui People's Hospital, in Lishui district of Nanjing, has formed a close medical alliance with Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, a large comprehensive hospital integrating medical treatment, training and scientific research, the latter has helped significantly improve the treatment capacity of Nanjing Lishui People's Hospital by dispatching experts and sharing techniques with its counterpart, according to Mao Qing, executive director of the Department of Cardiology of Nanjing Lishui People's Hospital. The alliance has saved the life of an 87-year-old citizen surnamed He, who had an immediate operation at a hospital near his home following a sudden heart attack. Without these excellent doctors near my home, I have no choice but to express my gratitude now, said He gratefully. With 134 community health service centers (including town hospitals), 672 community health service stations (including village clinics), 1.37 hospital beds and 3.8 medical workers for every 1,000 residents, Nanjing has built a 15-minute health service circle that enables citizens to receive medical services near their homes in 15 minutes. Nanjing has also made efforts to facilitate employment for college graduates, encouraging them to start their own businesses in the city. Since last April, the city has taken 10 measures to encourage college graduates to start business, including relaxing restrictions on obtaining household registration, ensuring housing, expanding employment channels, and encouraging enterprises to employ college graduates. In July 2020, over 100,000 internship opportunities from leading industries and eight industrial lines were provided for graduates with master's or doctoral degrees. Other favorable measures, such as providing subsidies and rewards for employers that hired college graduates with master's or doctoral degrees, have also been taken to attract talents to the city. According to an official of the Nanjing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, in 2020, the city rewarded companies that didnt lay off workers. Last year, Nanjing refunded unemployment insurance premiums of nearly 1.36 billion yuan (about $210.76 million) to more than 150,000 enterprises and exempted 160,000 enterprises from contributions to basic old-age insurance, unemployment insurance, and work injury compensation insurance schemes, with the reduced contributions topping 16.56 billion yuan. () Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that the upcoming Aero India show is billed as the 'Runway to a Billion Opportunities'. "The @AeroIndiashow is scheduled from 3rd Feb till 5th Feb,21 at Bengaluru. The event is unique in ways more than one and it is billed as the 'Runway to a Billion opportunities'," the defence minister said in a tweet. The Aero India, which provides a platform for aerospace companies to showcase their products and services is scheduled to be held from February 3 to 5 at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru. This year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the air show, Aero India 2021 would be a hybrid show, which means delegates would be present either physically or virtually. A negative Covid-19 (RT-PCR) test has been made mandatory for those attending the 13th biennial Aero India-2021 show. According to organisers, 41 aircraft including Dakota, Su30 MKI would participate in the flight display on an inaugural day while there would be 63 aircraft on static display. The key attractions would be the display by Surya Kiran aircraft and Sarang helicopters, which would be participating for the first time in this biennial event. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. 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. To further its goal of curbing air pollution, Ho Chi Minh Citys Department of Transport is considering mandating periodic emissions checks on all motorbikes in the locality, with free inspections to be offered to the citys low income residents. The proposal was announced at a meeting between Nguyen Huu Tien, deputy head of the Department of Environment under the Ministry of Transport, and Toshiyuki Takahara, vice-president of the Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM), in order to review findings from trial rounds of emissions checks on motorbikes in the city. As part of the trials, researchers working on the proposal carried out tests on 10,682 motorbikes and surveyed 7,216 residents, as well as collected feedback from local officials and experts, according to Dinh Trong Khang from the Institute of Transport Science and Technology. Using the data collected, the team in charge of the project suggested an emissions monitoring system for motorbikes in Ho Chi Minh City based on measures of vehicle age and region. The system will be launched in four phases, starting in central districts and eventually being rolled out in other parts of the city. The first phase will include the construction of 88 evaluation centers and a data archive system. It will also include a mass examination of all functioning motorbikes, each of which will be charged VND50,000 (US$2.2) per year for the procedure. Vehicles that fail the emissions test will be subject to an administrative fine that must be paid by the owners before being allowed on the street again. In the next phase, 78 evaluation centers will be added using part of the VND553 billion ($24 million) fund allocated for the project until 2030. After this stage, the project must fund itself using examination fees. Speaking at the meeting, Bui Hoa An, deputy head of the Department of Transport, said air pollution in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City has significantly worsened in the past few years, which is attributable to motorbike emissions. Fumes from motorbikes also contain genetic mutation-inducing chemicals that pose immense threats to citizens. For that reason, a timely solution for motorbike emissions is urgently needed. Based on the proposal, the municipal Department of Transport will report to the Peoples Committee, which is expected to urge central agencies on the issuance of motorbike emissions regulations as amendments to the Law of Road Traffic. According to An, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has called for the monitoring of motorbikes as part of the traffic strategy until 2020 with a vision to 2045. The premier also mentioned a ban on outdated vehicles in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which serves as the foundation for elaborated work plans on curbing motorbike emissions. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Image Credit: Chris Velazco/Engadget How much is too much? Apart from image quality this year, the best thing about the Galaxy S21's cameras is the flexibility they offer the 12-megapixel main shooter is a solid performer, while the ultra-wide and telephoto cameras do a great job adding and subtracting space between you and your subject. Naturally, the Ultra amps up the excess a little further by packing two distinct telephoto cameras, one with a 3x optical zoom range and another with a 10x optical range. And then there's Space Zoom, which like last year allows you to zoom in as far as 30x or 100x depending on which phone you're using. The feature mostly felt like a technical flex last year, but improvements to the way these phones stabilize these super-long-range photos are starting to make Space Zoom feel legitimately usable. But at what cost? Yes, being able to shoot reasonably detailed images of the moon at 100x is undeniably cool but what about the ability to watch people from extreme distances? How does a company that accounts for roughly one-fifth of all the smartphones in the world balance the usefulness of this technology with some obvious ethical implications? Honestly, I was hoping for some kind of thorough, reasoned argument, but Samsung didn't have one for me. Brian Oh/Engadget "I understand your concerns, but whenever we launch a product we receive thorough legal advice at a global level, and we only launch products we can be proud of," Cho said. "I think you can be assured that we always follow through all of the legal processes and procedures thoroughly." Pride in a technical achievement is perfectly valid, and Cho is also right about legality. In the United States, at least, it isn't illegal to walk around with a camera and a super-long zoom lens and take photos of people in public spaces. Creepy, sure, but not illegal. But let's not forget about privacy. Frankly, it would be hard to forget about it. Samsung takes every opportunity during its new smartphone launches to tout its Knox on-device security, which features multiple layers of protection designed to shield your personal data from external threats. This year, the Galaxy S21s will also ship with a feature called Private Share that lets you control access to the documents and images you send to other Galaxy users, and even strip location data from photos you may want to pass around. Clearly, your privacy is a major concern for Samsung, but our conversation didn't leave me with the impression that the company was overly concerned with other people's privacy when building out this feature. For what it's worth, the company provided a statement on Joshuas behalf a few days after our conversation: "Our mission is to bring the best mobile experience to our consumers and make their lives more convenient and enriched. In order to do so, weve relentlessly pushed innovation to provide Space Zoom capabilities in our smartphones. With Space Zoom, people can capture more than ever before, even from a distance. So far, our innovation has been beneficial to many and we remain committed to democratizing the latest technologies. As with all our innovations, we hope and ask for consumers to use their technology responsibly and respectively." Chris Velazco/Engadget Samsungs next steps As we've already established, the Galaxy S21s come with a lot of cameras arguably enough for most situations you'd feasibly find yourself in. But now that all those bases seem adequately covered, where does Samsung go from here? One potential approach is obvious: just add more cameras. Cho believes there's no upper limit to how many cameras a smartphone should have, so long as they all jointly meet Samsung's core criteria: producing eye-catching images, no matter the conditions. But the flip side is also true. There's nothing stopping Samsung, or any other company for that matter, from moving toward one single camera that thanks to some help from AI can perform multiple roles. With the right kind of training, for instance, machine learning could help a single sensor pull double duty as a macro or telephoto shooter. (To be clear, that's my example, not Chos.) "When there are ten people taking a picture of the same object, I want the camera to provide ten different pictures for each individual based on their preference." While he wouldn't confirm whether Samsung actively planned to embrace a one-size-fits-all camera empowered by AI, it's an area of obvious interest to the company's imaging software chief he mentioned the possibility himself in a piece published to the Samsungs media site. "Our AI technology is continuously improving thanks to the image training technology we have developed at Samsung," he said in November. "At the same time, we are also working to deliver the best camera hardware for our devices. If we are able to achieve the same results from multiple cameras with just a single AI-powered camera, then we will merge the technologies." For now, he says, the limiting factor is silicon or more specifically, the neural processing units currently available in chipsets like Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 or Samsungs own Exynos 2100. "At the moment, we are in year three of the NPU," Cho said. "I would call that still an initial stage. You have to reach at least year four or five from the initial launch of the NPU in order to see it replace servers. And when that time comes, I think that one of the players in the field it doesn't have to be Samsung could come up with a single AI camera." Given the weight the company places on its global survey, and its keen desire to satisfy as broad a swath of its audience as possible, it's perhaps no surprise that Cho seems more enamored by the idea of tuning Galaxy cameras to individual tastes. In other words, in the near future, the photos your Galaxy phone takes may look nothing like the ones mine take. Chris Velazco/Engadget "My goal is to provide a camera that can satisfy everybody 100 percent through personalization," Cho said. "When there are ten people taking a picture of the same object, I want the camera to provide ten different pictures for each individual based on their preference of the brightness, the color tone, the detail enhancing, etcetera." The underlying mechanisms to make this on-device learning happen aren't quite ready, again because neural processing units are still essentially in their infancy. When asked how long it would take before a smartphone company could make a truly "personalized" camera, Cho admitted that "no one can answer that at the moment." Even so, he has a firm sense of where he and his team could start once the silicon starts catching up to his ambitions. "You could look at the user's album to find out what pictures they have saved over the past years as opposed to deleting," he noted. "Also, you could look at what kind of editing they do, what filters they used the most. Those are some of the things that we could look at in order to ensure the system learns about the user." While the future may bring ultra-personalized photos that shine for you and you alone, expect Samsung to stick to its tried-and-true formula in the meantime. That means developing more new camera sensors, cooking up kooky features polling its users to capture the visual spirit of the moment, dutifully tweaking its image processing year after year.. And if you don't like the vibe Samsung landed on? Just tweak the photos yourself maybe the company will pick your brain this year. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Coronation Street's Charlie De Melo has revealed he's donated blood plasma for a COVID-19 trial after unknowingly contracting the virus last year. The actor, 29, who plays Imran Habeeb on the soap, said he was 'extremely fortunate' that he didn't even know he had the virus as he didn't display any symptoms. It comes after the NHS launched a new initiative asking patients with COVID-19 antibodies to donate their blood plasma so scientists can research and discover new treatments. Doing his bit! Coronation Street's Charlie De Melo, 29, has revealed he's donated blood plasma for a COVID-19 trial after unknowingly contracting the virus last year Charlie shared an Instagram post proudly holding his bag of plasma after visiting a blood clinic to undergo the transfusion. The star urged anyone eligible to donate, admitting he had no idea he'd contracted the virus until months later when he flippantly agreed to an antibodies test, which usually detect whether a patient has had COVID-19 within the past three months. He wrote: 'Proudly holding a bag of my own Blood Wee (or as everyone insisted on calling it, "Plasma") Despite my best (continuing) efforts, I had COVID-19 at some point last year. No idea when, where or how. I am ~extremely~ fortunate to not even have noticed the dreadful bastard. Important: The actor who plays Imran Habeeb on the soap, said he was 'extremely fortunate' that he didn't even know he had the virus as he didn't display any symptoms Important: Charlie shared an Instagram post proudly holding his bag of plasma after visiting a blood clinic as he urged his followers to join the initiative '@givebloodnhs are looking for people who've ~had~ COVID-19 to donate their Plasma to help treat those currently suffering with it. 'If you've had a positive COVID or Antibody Test* and you are able to donate blood, please do. You could well be saving somebody's life. It's easy, painless and the staff at Norfolk House in Manchester, where I donate, are absolute gems and will take very good care of you. ( Its a safe assumption that theyre all just as wonderful up and down the country). 'Plus they give you Kit Kats and Squash and let's be honest, you could do with a day out, eh? Just Google. NHS COVID BLOOD DONATION 'That was how I found out I'd had it, incidentally. Waiting in the pharmacy for something else entirely and out of curiosity took an antibody test. Stay safe! The star admitted he had no idea he'd contracted the virus until months later when he flippantly agreed to an antibodies test 'Had I not been wearing a mask the entire time I was ''ill" I could've made someone, if not many' seriously ill. So do take all the precautions asked of you and more (if possible) even if you feel fine. It's not for you, it's for everyone else.' Charlie reminded his fans to do their own research into blood plasma donation, after first hearing through word of mouth the NHS were specifically looking for men to donate. In recent months scientists have been looking using convalescent plasma therapy as a method of treatment for COVID-19. The treatment is when the liquid portion of blood is taken from a recovered coronavirus patient Do your bit! Charlie reminded his fans to do their own research into blood plasma donation, after first hearing through word of mouth the NHS were specifically looking for men to donate It is transferred into a sick patient in hopes they will develop the antibodies needed to fight off the infection The treatment was first used during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, a situation not far removed from the coronavirus pandemic. People can donate plasma more than once, but have to wait several weeks after donating. Coronation Street was forced to pause filming for two weeks earlier this month after it was revealed a crewmember on neighbour soap Emmerdale had tested positive for COVID-19. Several scenes for Coronation Street will be rewritten to accommodate the break, in a bid to keep the storylines creative going forward. On hold: Coronation Street was forced to pause filming for two weeks earlier this month after it was revealed a crewmember on neighbour soap Emmerdale had tested positive for COVID-19 An ITV spokersperson told MailOnline: 'Coronation Street will pause filming from next Monday, 25 January for two weeks to undertake some rewriting of stories and scripts as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic. 'We will also be taking the opportunity to review all health and safety requirements to ensure we continue to provide a safe working environment for the cast, crew and production team. 'This pause in filming won't affect our ability to deliver six episodes of Coronation Street each week.' Coronation Street continues tonight at 7:30pm and 8:30pm on ITV. Novavax Covid-19 vaccine the first to demonstrate clinical efficacy against South African variant Clinical efficacy demonstrated in Phase 2b South Africa trial. Wits-VIDA is the lead institution in the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine trial in South Africa, which today announced results of the SA phase 2b and the UK phase 3 trials. Clinical efficacy demonstrated in Phase 2b South Africa trial with over 90% of sequenced cases attributable to prevalent South Africa escape variant Strong efficacy in Phase 3 UK trial with over 50% of cases attributable to the now-predominant UK variant and the remainder attributable to Covid-19 virus The Novavax vaccine, known as NVX-CoV2373, is the first vaccine to demonstrate not only high clinical efficacy against the prototype SARS-CoV-2, but also significant clinical efficacy against both the rapidly emerging South African (501Y.V2 variant) and UK mutant (N501Y) variants. In the South Africa Phase 2b clinical trial, 60% efficacy for the prevention of mild, moderate and severe Covid-19 disease was observed in the 94% of the study population that was HIV negative. The trial also achieved its primary efficacy endpoint in the overall trial population, including HIV positive and HIV negative subjects, showing efficacy of 49.4%. The higher efficacy of the vaccine in the UK than in South Africa is because the variants circulating in SA are less sensitive to vaccine induced immune responses. Nevertheless, the 60% reduced risk against Covid-19 illness in vaccinated individuals in South Africans underscores the value of this vaccine to prevent illness from the highly worrisome variant currently circulating in South Africa, and which is spreading globally. This is the only COVID-19 vaccine for which we now have objective evidence that it protects against the variant dominating in South Africa, says Professor Shabir Madhi, Executive Director of the Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA) at Wits, and principal investigator in the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine trial in South Africa.The public health value of vaccines extends beyond a simple point estimate. The ability of Covid-19 vaccines to impact the pandemic will depend on the product, its efficacy, and how quickly we can scale up coverage of the vaccine eventually. About the South African Novavax Covid-19 vaccine phase 2b trial results In the South Africa Phase 2b clinical trial, 60% efficacy (95% CI: 19.9 80.1) for the prevention of mild, moderate and severe Covid-19 disease was observed in the 94% of the study population that was HIV-negative. Twenty-nine cases were observed in the placebo group and 15 in the vaccine group. One severe case occurred in the placebo group and all other cases were mild or moderate. The clinical trial also achieved its primary efficacy endpoint in the overall trial population, including HIV-positive and HIV-negative subjects (efficacy of 49.4%; 95% CI: 6.1 72.8). This study enrolled over 4,400 patients beginning in August 2020, with Covid-19 cases counted from September through mid-January. During this time, the triple mutant variant, which contains three critical mutations in the receptor binding domain (RBD) and multiple mutations outside the RBD, was widely circulating in South Africa. Preliminary sequencing data is available for 27 of 44 Covid-19 events; of these, 92.6% (25 out of 27 cases) were the South Africa escape variant. Importantly in this trial, approximately 1/3 of the patients enrolled (but not included in the primary analyses described above) were seropositive, demonstrating prior COVID-19 infection at baseline. Based on temporal epidemiology data in the region, the pre-trial infections are thought to have been caused by the original COVID-19 strain (i.e., non-variant), while the subsequent infections during the study were largely variant virus. These data suggest that prior infection with COVID-19 may not completely protect against subsequent infection by the South Africa escape variant, however, vaccination with NVX-CoV2373 provided significant protection. The 60% reduced risk against Covid-19 illness in vaccinated individuals in South Africans underscores the value of this vaccine to prevent illness from the highly worrisome variant currently circulating in South Africa, and which is spreading globally. This is the first Covid-19 vaccine for which we now have objective evidence that it protects against the variant dominating in South Africa, says Professor Shabir Maddi, Executive Director of the Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA) at Wits, and principal investigator in the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine trial in South Africa. I am encouraged to see that Novavax plans to immediately begin clinical development on a vaccine specifically targeted to the variant, which together with the current vaccine is likely to form the cornerstone of the fight against Covid-19. Novavax initiated development of new constructs against the emerging strains in early January and expects to select ideal candidates for a booster and/or combination bivalent vaccine for the new strains in the coming days. The company plans to initiate clinical testing of these new vaccines in the second quarter of this year. A primary benefit of our adjuvanted platform is that it uses a very small amount of antigen, enabling the rapid creation and large-scale production of combination vaccine candidates that could potentially address multiple circulating strains of COVID-19, said Gregory M. Glenn, M.D., President of Research and Development, Novavax. Combined with the safety profile that has been observed in our studies to-date with our COVID-19 vaccine, as well as prior studies in influenza, we are optimistic about our ability to rapidly adapt to evolving conditions. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) funded the manufacturing of doses of NVX-CoV2373 for this Phase 2b clinical trial, which was supported in part by a $15 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. About the UK Novavax Covid-19 vaccine phase 3 trial results The study enrolled more than 15,000 participants between 18-84 years of age, including 27% over the age of 65. The primary endpoint of the UK Phase 3 clinical trial is based on the first occurrence of PCR-confirmed symptomatic (mild, moderate or severe) Covid-19 with onset at least 7 days after the second study vaccination in serologically negative (to SARS-CoV-2) adult participants at baseline. The first interim analysis is based on 62 cases, of which 56 cases of Covid-19 were observed in the placebo group versus 6 cases observed in the NVX-CoV2373 group, resulting in a point estimate of vaccine efficacy of 89.3% (95% CI: 75.2 95.4). Of the 62 cases, 61 were mild or moderate, and 1 was severe (in placebo group). Preliminary analysis indicates that the UK variant strain that was increasingly prevalent was detected in over 50% of the PCR-confirmed symptomatic cases (32 UK variant, 24 non-variant, 6 unknown). Based on PCR performed on strains from 56 of the 62 cases, efficacy by strain was calculated to be 95.6% against the original Covid-19 strain and 85.6% against the UK variant strain [post hoc]. The interim analysis included a preliminary review of the safety database, which showed that severe, serious, and medically attended adverse events occurred at low levels and were balanced between vaccine and placebo groups. About the Novavax vaccine known as NVX-CoV2373 NVX-CoV2373 is a protein-based vaccine candidate engineered from the genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. NVX-CoV2373 was created using Novavax recombinant nanoparticle technology to generate antigen derived from the coronavirus spike (S) protein and is adjuvanted with Novavax patented saponin-based Matrix-M to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies. NVX-CoV2373 contains purified protein antigen and can neither replicate, nor can it cause COVID-19. Over 37,000 participants have participated to date across four different clinical studies in five countries. NVX-CoV2373 is currently being evaluated in two pivotal Phase 3 trials: a trial in the U.K that completed enrollment in November and the PREVENT-19 trial in the U.S. and Mexico that began in December. You are the owner of this article. 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. GRAND RAPIDS, MI Ty Garbin hadnt been in trouble before. He had a good job as an aircraft mechanic at Detroit Metro Airport. He had property up north. He cant believe how he ruined his life. Garbin, 25, faces decades in prison tagged as an informant for his role in a bizarre plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. He pleaded guilty Wednesday, Jan. 27, to kidnap conspiracy before U.S. District Robert Jonker in Grand Rapids. There was talk of putting Whitmer on trial, leaving her in the middle of Lake Michigan in a disabled boat. They considered blowing up a bridge by her house to slow police response and engaging in firefights with police. They talked about kidnapping Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, too, upset by lockdown orders by both governors responding to the coronavirus pandemic. As a leader of a Michigan militia, Wolverine Watchmen, Garbin is one of 14 men charged in state and federal courts in an alleged conspiracy that was doomed to fail because undercover FBI agents and confidential informants had infiltrated the group. The FBI knew everything as it happened, including firearms training at Garbins property in Lake County. The defendants allegedly built a shoot house that simulated Whitmers vacation home in Northern Michigan. I think that some of this was the product of naivete, and that probably had he appreciated the consequences that could come down for something like this, I think it really would have given him pause, his attorney, Gary Springstead, told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press on Thursday, Jan. 28. Because he absolutely regrets what he did and is trying to do the right thing now by accepting responsibility and truthfully telling the government what his involvement is. Springstead, a former FBI agent who worked in Washington, D.C., from 1998 to 2005, said there is a growing problem with extremists, evidenced by the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol intended to disrupt counting of electoral votes for President Joe Biden. 6 Whitmer plot exhibits There are always those who distrust government and think government goes too far. They usually have an internal trigger before acting out. The attack on the Capitol was incited by former President Donald Trump and his lies about the election being stolen from him, Springstead said. He said Garbins case is different. Garbin was aligned with militia-type groups where he doesnt want the government telling him what to do and the government overreaching its constitutional powers but I think perhaps the difference is that here there was an unprecedented pandemic in Michigan in which regular, everyday people from all walks of life experienced hardship from the shutdowns, from bar owners to restaurant owners, waitresses, salons, dentist, surgeons, lawyers. Everybody felt it so if you were of the mind that maybe the government had gone too far, before, then you run into this unprecedented shutdown then I think its a lot more understandable for people to become upset. The problem comes when they cross that line and engage in violence, he said. He said that Karl Manke, the Owosso barber who fought the state in court over its shutdown order, had the right strategy. The possible consequences for Garbin and others, including five men awaiting trial in federal court, and another eight in state courts, are significant. Garbin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap, a potential life offense, and likely faces decades in prison. Federal law can carry draconian sentences, Springstead said. As part of Garbins plea deal, prosecutors agreed not to charge him with additional crimes, including conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction. Federal sentencing guidelines would have called for a life sentence on that charge alone. Others indicted on federal kidnapping-conspiracy charges are Brandon Caserta, 33, of Canton, Barry Croft Jr., 44, of Bear, Delaware, Adam Fox, 37, of Wyoming, Kaleb Franks, 26, of Waterford, and Daniel Harris, 23, of Lake Orion. Croft and Fox have been identified as leaders of the alleged plot. Springstead said Garbin wishes he had never gotten involved. He knows hes in a bad situation. He has agreed to cooperate with investigators and could have to testify in cases that go to trial. Inmates are not fond of informants. Springsteads co-counsel, Mark Satawa, has already gotten a death threat. So has Garbins former roommate. I think Ty is one of those guys who had law enforcement stopped him and said, Hey, what are you doing, you realize you could get into some real serious trouble? I think he would have completely shut down and stopped his behavior, but unfortunately, at his point, he crossed that line before that could ever occur and now he has to pay the consequences and has accepted responsibility for what he did. But yeah, absolutely, he regrets what he did. I mean, he cant believe he got involved and now, here he is, 25 years old, facing decades in prison. Read more: Militia leader to admit conspiring to kidnap Gov. Whitmer, cooperate in probe, records say Michigan man says he surveilled Gov. Whitmers home in kidnap plot Kidnapping plot included leaving Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in boat in Lake Michigan, FBI says Yemen's central bank has hit back at the United Nation after the global body accused the country's government of siphoning Saudi money for essential goods to traders. A United Nations report, released this week, has alleged that the Yemeni government diverted over $400 million, meant for food and other essential items, to traders, of which nearly half the amount went to a single holding corporation. Yemen's central bank on Thursday dismissed the allegation, calling the report "misleading". Read: UN Panel: Yemen's War Being Fueled By Economic Profiteering Yemen's central bank said that the report is based on misleading information propagated by the country's enemies. The bank further vowed to provide evidence to prove that the money was indeed used for buying essential items for Yemenis. It said that it will provide the evidence at a later stage. The report claims 48% of the $423 million went to the Hayel Saeed Anam Group, a multi-billion dollar conglomerate active in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Read: UN: Yemens Warring Sides Resume Talks On Prisoner Exchange Yemeni govt yet to respond The internationally-recognized Yemeni government is yet to respond to the claim made by a panel of experts working for the United Nations. Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government in the ongoing war in the country, had donated the money for essential items such as food. The war-torn country is struggling to feed its population, where people, including children, are dying of malnutrition. The UN report accused the Yemeni government of engaging in "corrupt practices" that adversely affect the supply of food in the country. Read: US Terror Designation Of Yemen's Houthi Rebels Jeopardizes Aid, Raises Famine Concerns The war in Yemen began in 2014 after Iran-backed Houthi rebels captured the country's capital Sana'a and most of the northern parts, including key seaports, which massively hampered imports. Saudi Arabia, an adversary of Iran, entered the war in 2015 and started airstrikes against the Houthis in an attempt to defeat the rebels and restore the government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Read: Aid Group: US Terrorism Designation For Yemen Rebels A Blow (Image Credit: AP) 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 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) - Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told employees of one of Metro Manila's top hospitals for coronavirus to not be picky about vaccines. Speaking to reporters during the inspection of the Philippine General Hospital's vaccine plan and procedures Friday afternoon, Duque told the hospital's employees to trust the process of selecting vaccines. "Wag lang po tayong mamimili kung anong bakuna. Because dito po, ang bakuna, basta't dumaan po ito sa pagsusuri ng ating DOST vaccine expert panel, at matapos ang ating single joint review ethics board, at tapos ipapasa po yung listahan ng mga bakunang nasuri, ang FDA naman ang siyang magbibigay ng emergency use authorization," Duque said. [Translation: Let's not just choose which vaccine. In our country, vaccines, as long as they go through the review of the DOST vaccine expert panel, and after the single joint review ethics board, the list of reviewed vaccines will be passed on to the FDA, which will give emergency use authorization.] He added, vaccines will get regulatory and technical evaluation prior to the issuance of emergency-use authorizations, and that vaccines will need to pass the review of the Health Technology Advisory Council. In response, UP-PGH director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi said he wrote a letter to PGH employees two weeks ago to explain the vaccine program, and trust the process done by the country's Food and Drug Administration or FDA. "Sa huling parte ng sulat na ito, sinabi ko na tayo'y magtiwala sa bakunang aaprubahan ng FDA. Pagka ito'y in-approve ng FDA, safety and efficacy are already assured," Legaspi said. [Translation: In the last part of my letter, I told my co-workers to trust the vaccines that the FDA will approve. Once the FDA approves it, safety and efficacy are already assured.] Legaspi added, there is no reason to doubt the findings of the vaccine expert panel, saying that a "majority" of those examining the vaccines came from the PGH. "I think we have committed to the fact that whatever comes out, we will take it as a vaccine for PGH," Dr. Legaspi said. Duque meanwhile assured the PGH of "unwavering support" from the Health Department, calling the hospital one of the best coronavirus referral hospitals in the country. Legaspi also presented the hospital's vaccination plan to health officials, saying that master lists of frontliners who will be inoculated have been collected, and that mock set ups for the registration and vaccination activities are already in place. He also cited the initial results of an internal survey among its 5,000-plus workforce, which includes health care workers, interns and casual employees. Of the over 1,700 respondents so far as of January 29, 1,300 or 72.6% said they were willing to get vaccinated, 26.7% or 478 said they won't take it for now, while less than 1% said they will not take any COVID jabs. Legaspi said they did not ask for any reasons regarding respondents' answers to eliminate perceptions of bias in vaccine selection. "We just wanted a yes-no-maybe (survey). Pero ang hula namin, marami dito ay hinihintay kung ano yung bakuna (our guess is that many are waiting for what vaccines they will get)," he added. Gardai including armed detectives mount coronavirus checkpoints on the border with Northern Ireland at Carrickarnon Co Louth (PA) The Republic's Justice Minister has said it is "not straightforward" and "challenging" to crack down on people crossing the border unnecessarily, but something her government is actively exploring. Helen McEntee said any new laws had to be manageable for gardai to work with and stressed people had a moral obligation to avoid unnecessary travel. She said the vast majority of people were abiding by the rules. The Republic's lockdown, in place until March 5, restricts travel to just 5km - or 3.1 miles - unless it is essential. Those found in breach face fines of 100, however, this does not apply to those travelling from Northern Ireland. Air passengers who also fail to produce a negative Covid test before their departure for Ireland will have to quarantine but, again, this does not apply to those coming from NI. Ms McEntee said their March 5 proposed date for easing out of lockdown was agreed in order to try and align with what is happening in Northern Ireland. Speaking to the LMFM radio station the minister urged people against travel unless it was necessary and said those found out, would have to provide a valid reason. While restrictions have been announced, some require a change in law, which will take time to implement. The minister said she was working with the Irish government's attorney general on fines and new laws for anybody travelling more than 5km from the border, unless they have a valid reason. However, she said the border remains open and gardai will not be asked to police every boreen or road. "This is something we are exploring further, we have looked at it before and it is not straightforward," she said. "What I dont want is for us to implement or agree measures that are not implementable, that the gardai find very difficult, that are not credible and that wont work. "It is a challenge, we have an open border." She said the government was looking at amending laws so that unnecessary cross-border travel could be restricted. "If we can acknowledge there are people that shouldn't be travelling north and south of the border then that is something we will move to do. "It is just not straightforward unfortunately." Meanwhile, public health officials in the Republic dismissed the idea of Ireland becoming a "zero-Covid island". Professor Philip Nolan of the National Public Health Emergency Team said it was a premise based on "utterly false promises" that carry huge risk. He said no system could guarantee the exclusion of a new disease or variant and Ireland would remain a leaky country vulnerable to both threats. There have been calls for the measure to be considered to allow the lockdown to be lifted sooner. "It would be an incredibly risky thing to do because we will inevitably be a leaky country and get reintroduction of disease, and that could easily be new variants," he said saying concentration should be on reducing community transmission. Sinn Fein has voiced its support for a zero-Covid approach, but said it would need to be approached on an all-island basis. Some in the Irish Government have also voiced their support, but Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanasite have expressed doubt. Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan also said the country had essential links with Europe including Northern Ireland that made it unrealistic to seal borders. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) At least 56 million COVID-19 vaccines from three American firms are expected to begin arriving in the country by May, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said. Romualdez bared this during the virtual forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines or FOCAP on Friday. The Philippines, he said, got a boost for its mass vaccine drive after securing procurement deals with US-based pharmaceutical companies. "I am pleased to note that these discussions have been fruitful, leading to separate commitments from Novavax (through the Serum Institute of India), Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson for the supply of 30 million, 20 million, and 6 million doses of their respective vaccines this year," Romualdez said. "Initial deliveries [will begin] as early as May," he added. Romualdez said these vaccines will be delivered through the COVAX facility, a global initiative to make sure all countries will have equal access to COVID-19 vaccines. The envoy noted that his team is also working to seal a vaccine deal with Pfizer-BioNTech. "An agreement with Pfizer, which was the first company we engaged actually, is also forthcoming. We hope to receive very soon doses of their vaccine through the COVAX Facility," Romualdez said. The Philippine government is hoping to purchase 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, as it is targeting to inoculate around 50 million Filipinos this 2021. For this year, the Duterte administration has earmarked 72.5 billion to finance coronavirus vaccines. 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. These are the first pictures of the armed MAGA supporter arrested in possession of a list of lawmakers and 'Stop the Steal' paperwork yards from the US Capitol building on Wednesday. Dennis Warren Westover, 71, of South Charleston, was charged with gun offences after officers found a pistol and 20 rounds of 9mm bullets during a search of his car. Cops also found 'Stop the Steal' paperwork and contact information for both US and West Virginia lawmakers in his vehicle. In a statement, police said they pursued a man who had parked his vehicle in the center of a Washington DC intersection and continued to walk along the road near the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. Westover was agitated, shouting at National Guard members inside the Capitol fence line perimeter, according to police reports. The 71-year-old told the arresting officer, 'I wanted to see the fence that was around my Capitol.'' West Virginia man Dennis Warren Westover, 71, was arrested for gun and ammunition charges after being found in possession of a pistol near the US Capitol on Wednesday. Cops said they found lawmakers' contact information and 'Stop the Steal' paperwork in his vehicle Westover is pictured with his fiancee Gail Howell Thornhill in an undated photograph. Cops said the 71-year-old was agitated and shouting at National Guard members inside the US Capitol building's fence perimeter National Guard members walk behind the razor wire fence perimeter outside the US Capitol building last week Westovers arrest came three weeks after the 6 January riot in the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump, which left five people dead. According to court documents, Westover told detectives during an interview that he 'was concerned about the honesty and integrity of the election, and now he listens to both sides.' The documents said Westover, who was cooperative during his arrest and questioning, said 'we have some polar extremes of opinion in this nation' and that while he 'believes there was election fraud at this point it is a moot point.' Westover is pictured with his fiancee Ms Thornhill. The 71-year-old was arrested three weeks after the storming of the US Capitol building on 6 January Westover speaks during a pro-Trump gathering (right) and in front of the Liberty Bell replica in Charleston, West Virginia (left) Westover also said 'the process I am engaged in is righteousness, justice, and truth,' according to the documents. The 71-year-old was released on his own recognizance after a hearing Thursday in a court in Washington. A public defender was appointed for Westover, who could not immediately be located for comment. Westover's identification as the suspect in Wednesday's events comes after the US Capitol's acting police chief recommended that the fence erected around the Capitol following the 6 January MAGA riots should be left up permanently. Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda D Pittman (pictured) on Thursday recommended that the fencing erected around the Capitol after the January 6 MAGA riots should be left up permanently Acting Chief Yogananda D Pittman made the recommendation in a statement on Thursday regarding her department's efforts to 'harden' security around the Capitol to prevent another insurrection in the future. Pittman, who was promoted to lead the force after former chief Steven Sund stepped down in the wake of the riots, also voiced support for permanently keeping 'ready, back up forces in close proximity to the Capitol'. Following the insurrection, more than 25,000 National Guard troops were drafted in from all 50 states and a Baghdad-style 'Green Zone' perimeter was set up in the heart of DC to prevent a repeat attack on Inauguration Day. While the day passed without significant issue, army officials have confirmed more than 5,000 National Guard troops will remain in Washington DC through mid-March amid concerns that the threat of domestic violent extremism will linger for some time. Pittman's statement came two days after she apologized to Congress on behalf of her department for stunning security failures on January 6 and acknowledged that the agency had been forewarned of a 'strong potential for violence' but failed to take adequate steps to prevent it. Meanwhile Democratic lawmakers are pushing for additional funds for security under an effort led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. National Guardsmen are seen outside the Capitol on Tuesday. Earlier this week army officials confirmed more than 5,000 troops will remain in Washington DC through mid-March Pittman's statement came two days after she apologized to Congress on behalf of her department for stunning security failures on January 6 and acknowledged that the agency had been forewarned of a 'strong potential for violence' but failed to take adequate steps to stop it Pittman's Thursday statement read: 'In the days following January 6, 2021, with the assistance of our Federal and local law enforcement partners, and our Congressional stakeholders, the United States Capitol Police (USCP) has hardened the physical security across the Capitol Complex in order to further protect the Congress. 'Upon becoming the Acting Chief on January 8, 2021, I immediately directed my staff to conduct a physical security assessment of the entire Capitol Complex. This assessment is in addition to the USCP's Inspector General's review of the events of January 6, 2021, and the third-party review of the Complex's physical infrastructure, processes, and command and control being conducted at the behest of Speaker Pelosi by retired Lt Gen Russel Honore. 'I welcome each of these reviews, and am ensuring that the Department will provide all of the information that is necessary to facilitate these studies. In the end, we all have the same goal - to prevent what occurred on January 6 from ever happening again. 'As I noted earlier this week, even before September 11, 2001, security experts argued that more needed to be done to protect the U.S. Capitol. In fact, a 2006 security assessment specifically recommended the installation of a permanent perimeter fence around the Capitol. 'In light of recent events, I can unequivocally say that vast improvements to the physical security infrastructure must be made to include permanent fencing, and the availability of ready, back-up forces in close proximity to the Capitol. 'I look forward to working with Congress on identifying the security improvements necessary to ensure the safety and security of the Congress and the U.S. Capitol.' DC Mayor Muriel Bowser chimed in soon after, writing on Twitter: 'Based on conversations with federal partners, there are some potentially volatile events upcoming that will require extra security. Fencing and the presence of troops will be a part of that.' However, Bowser added: 'But we will not accept extra troops or permanent fencing as a long-term fixture in DC. 'When the time is right, the fencing around the White House and U.S. Capitol, just like the plywood we've seen on our businesses for too long, will be taken down.' DC Mayor Muriel Bowser chimed in on the security discussions soon after Pittman released her statement Around the time Bowser released her statement, authorities announced that they had arrested a 71-year-old Trump supporter who was found parked near the Capitol with a gun, 20 rounds of ammunition, a list of lawmakers and 'Stop the Steal' paperwork. Dennis Westover, of West Virginia, was taken into custody on Wednesday afternoon, according to a police report obtained by the Daily Beast. Westover was described by the outlet as being obsessed with unfounded theories that the 2020 election was fraudulent. He pleaded not guilty to charges of possession of unregistered ammunition and unlawful possession of a firearm in DC Superior Court on Thursday afternoon and was released. Authorities have not said which lawmakers were on Westover's alleged list, but the incident underscored arguments by Pittman and Democrats that Capitol security needs to be amped up. The statement released by Pittman on Thursday is shown in full above National Guard members outside Capitol Hill on Tuesday as more than 5,000 stay behind to defend DC A massive nonscalable fence was erected outside the White House following the MAGA riots Pittman's statement on Thursday marked the second time this week that she has emphasized the need for increased security around the White House. On Tuesday she testified before the House Appropriations Committee and acknowledged failures by her agency when a mob of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol in a bid to block the certification of Joe Biden's election victory. 'On January 6th, in the face of a terrorist attack by tens of thousands of insurrectionists determined to stop the certification of Electoral College votes, the Department failed to meet its own high standards as well as yours,' Pittman told the committee, which oversees funding for USCP, in a statement obtained by DailyMail.com. 'Although the Department fulfilled its mission of protecting Members and democracy ultimately prevailed, the insurrectionists' actions and the Department's inability to immediately secure the U.S. Capitol emboldened the insurrectionists and horrified millions of Americans.' 'Let me be clear: the Department should have been more prepared for this attack,' she continued. 'By January 4th, the Department knew that the January 6th event would not be like any of the previous protests held in 2020. 'We knew that militia groups and white supremacists organizations would be attending. We also knew that some of these participants were intending to bring firearms and other weapons to the event. We knew that there was a strong potential for violence and that Congress was the target. 'The Department prepared in order to meet these challenges, but we did not do enough.' Pittman's extraordinary admissions came nearly three weeks after a mob of Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol in a bid to block the certification of Joe Biden's election victory The statement offered the most detailed account yet of the USCP's preparations for the insurrection, which led to the deaths of five people, including one of its officers. Pittman confirmed for the first time that the Capitol Police Board had denied a January 4 request from Sund to declare a state of emergency and authorize the deployment of National Guard troops for support. Once the violence began to unfold, the Board delayed sending in troops for an hour after receiving a second request from Sund. Describing the few preparations that were made beforehand, Pittman said the USCP required all available officers to be on call, activated its SWAT team and increased the number of Civil Disturbance Units scheduled to work that day. But she said the more than 1,200 officers stationed at the Capitol were 'no match for the tens of thousands of insurrectionist (many armed) attacking the Capitol and refusing to comply with lawful orders'. Two out of three members of the elusive Capitol Police Board - House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul D Irving and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael C Stenger - have already resigned. The third member, Architect of the Capitol J Brett Blanton, is still on the board. She said she personally ordered a lockdown of all Capitol entrances when the 'mob' edged closer to the building, but said her order 'may not have been consistently followed'. Pittman said many officers are now suffering from PTSD, 'particularly after the loss of two of our officers directly and indirectly as a result of the events of January 6th' Three police deaths linked to Capitol riots The deaths of three police officers have been linked to the January 6 MAGA riots. The first was that of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was allegedly bludgeoned with a fire extinguisher during the insurrection and died from his injuries two days later. Fellow Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood died by apparent suicide four days after the riots. And Jeffrey Smith, a 12-year veteran of DC's Metropolitan Police, died on January 15, nine days after the violent insurrection, the department's chief revealed on Wednesday. In a court filing on Monday, the Department of Justice revealed that 81 USCP officers were assaulted during the chaos, along with 58 members of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. And at least 38 Capitol cops have tested positive for COVID-19 in the nearly three weeks since, though it is unclear how many of them were on duty during the assault. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood Metropolitan Police Officer Jeffrey Smith Advertisement Pittman acknowledged the monumental challenges her agency faced during the chaos, noting that some resources had to be diverted away from the Capitol with the discoveries of a vehicle filled with explosives and a pipe bomb at the Republican National Convention headquarters and a vehicle. 'In my experience, I do not believe there was any preparations that would have allowed for an open campus in which lawful protesters could exercise their first amendment right to free speech and at the same time prevented the attack on Capitol grounds that day,' she said. But she added: 'I do believe certain challenges the Department faced the day of the attack could have been overcome with additional preparation.' She said that officers were not adequately supplied with crowd control munitions and there were issues with communication because they couldn't hear their radios over the commotion. Pittman said many officers are now suffering from PTSD, 'particularly after the loss of two of our officers directly and indirectly as a result of the events of January 6th'. Officer Brian Sicknick was killed during the insurrection when he was allegedly hit over the head by a fire extinguisher. Officer Howard Liebengood died by apparent suicide four days later. In a court filing on Monday, the Department of Justice revealed that 81 USCP officers were assaulted during the chaos, along with 58 members of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. And at least 38 Capitol cops have tested positive for COVID-19 in the nearly three weeks since, though it is unclear how many of them were on duty during the assault. Pittman concluded her statement by saying: 'As the Acting Chief, I take responsibility for the mistakes that were made by the Department, and I pledge to this Committee, the Congress, the American people, and my USCP colleagues, that we will do better going forward, but we need to make changes. 'We know the eyes of the country and the world are upon us. The U.S. Capitol Police remain steadfast in addressing the new challenges that we face head on.' Acting House Sergeant-at-Arms Timothy P Blodgett also addressed the appropriations committee on Tuesday and echoed Pittman's assertions, saying it's 'clear there was a failure of preparation'. 'Whether it was insufficient or conflicting intelligence, lacking ability to translate that intelligence into action, insufficient preparation or an inadequate ability to mobilize partner agencies for immediate assistance, a series of events, once thought unfathomable, unfolded allowing our most sacred halls to be breached,' Blodgett said. Like Pittman, Blodgett said his entire team is committed to fixing what went wrong to prevent future attacks. Disturbing footage from the riots has shown dozens of officers being crushed by crowds, dragged down steps, and struck with projectiles as the MAGA mob overwhelmed law enforcement to breach the legislature nearly three weeks ago. One officer, Daniel Hodges, was filmed screaming for help as he was being crushed against a metal door frame, with blood pouring from his mouth. He has since recovered and returned to duty. More than 150 of the thousands-strong crowd have since been arrested, with more suspects still being sought by federal authorities. At least 31 officers in law enforcement agencies across 12 states are also currently being investigated over their suspect role in the riots. Nancy Pelosi calls armed Republican members of Congress 'the enemy within' and accuses them of threatening Democrats as lawmakers demand more cash for security Speaker Nancy Pelosi blasted armed Republican members of Congress as 'the enemy within' the House of Representatives on Thursday as lawmakers asked for additional funds for security amid increasing threats to their safety. 'We will probably need a supplemental for more security for members when the enemy is within the House of Representatives,' she conceded at her press conference on Capitol Hill Thursday. Asked to specific who she meant by the enemy within, Pelosi forcefully responded: 'It means that we have members of Congress who want to bring guns onto the floor and have threatened violence on other members of Congress.' She was referencing GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who, before she was a member of Congress, liked Facebook posts that expressed support for executing top Democrats, including Pelosi. The speaker also was referring to several Republican lawmakers who want to carry guns in the Capitol. Republican Congressman Andy Harris of Maryland is being investigated for trying to bring a gun onto the House floor last week. Lawmakers are allowed to carry guns in their offices and on the Capitol grounds but they are forbidden from bringing firearms into the House chamber. Pelosi set up metal detectors to keep members from bringing weapons - violators face a $5,000 fine. Republicans have objected to the new security measures and have argued they have a right to bear arms. But other lawmakers are concerned about colleagues being armed. It's not just Harris. Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado has been adamant about wanting to carry her gun in the Capitol and GOP Congressman Madison Cawthorn claimed he was armed on the day of the MAGA riot. Speaker Nancy Pelosi blasted armed Republican members of Congress as 'the enemy within' the House of Representatives Several members of Congress wrote to Pelosi and other House leaders on Thursday, asking for the flexibility and funds to hire armed guards and upgrade security measures in their districts as they are terrified of threats against them. 'Reflecting the tense and troubling times we live in, Members of Congress have reported receiving a significant uptick in threats of violence and even death,' states the letter, a copy of which was obtained by DailyMail.com. The lawmakers ask for greater flexibility to use their taxpayer-funded office expenses for security measures at their homes - which would presumably include items such as bullet proof glass and alarms - in addition for personal guards for the lawmakers when they are in their districts. They also want their addresses kept a secret. Pelosi expressed sympathy to the lawmakers concerned about their safety but noted: 'Most of the items on their list have already been done. Perhaps they were not aware and I take responsibility for them not being aware.' She also pledged to look into additional funding, saying 'they shouldn't have to have that money is there for them to meet the needs of their constituents.' She noted the House Sergeant at Arms would send a letter to members on Thursday outlining security options and that she would meet with retired General Russel Honore later in the day. Pelosi tasked Honore with reviewing Capitol Hill security procedures in the wake of the riot. 'He is looking at members here and members at home and in between,' she said, adding they want to 'have a scientific approach to help protect members.' The two-page letter from the concerned lawmakers argues that the internet makes information about lawmakers' lives much more accessible, including home addresses, photos, personal details about lawmakers' families, and real-time information on lawmaker attendance at events - which puts them at greater risk. It asks for more funding to their Member Representational Allowance - the taxpayer money lawmakers receive to run their offices - and for greater flexibility on how that money can be spent on security matters, specifically when they are home. They point out they have protection at the Capitol but not when they are back in their districts - which is where they spend the majority of their time. 'While the U.S. Capitol is protected by the United States Capitol Police with the support of strong security measures, including vehicle barriers and metal detectors, most Members spend the majority of their time in their Congressional Districts where security is often sparse,' the lawmakers note. Specifically they ask for: 1) Greater flexibility for the use of MRA funds for security purposes, especially in Members' Districts. These steps could include allowing MRA funds to directly reimburse additional capital security upgrades at District Offices; the hiring of local law enforcement or other security while Members are in their Districts; and the purchase of security items that would protect members in soft target locations, including their homes. 2) Concerted efforts to keep Members 'personal information, such as their home addresses, private and off of publicly accessible websites and databases; Members should have legal recourse available if their personal address is published without permission. 3) Regular, bipartisan security briefings for Members on the actions that U.S. Capitol Police and the House Sergeant at Arms are taking to keep Members, their families, and staff safe at the Capitol and in their Districts. 4) Conduct a full outside, independent review with recommendations of security protocols for Members both at the Capitol and in their Districts; provide more specific guidelines on the best security practices Members should take to ensure the safety of themselves, their families, and staff members. 5) Provide designated supplemental funds to this year's MRA to address additional security needs, given the increased threat level. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 KENT Two local organizations have taken to court their fight against what residents have called a monstrous proposed cell tower. The residents argue the tower would ruin scenic views and call for the court to reverse the state Siting Councils approval of a 135-foot tower at 93 Richards Road. The Planned Development Alliance of Northwest Connecticut, a nonprofit, and Spectacle Ridge Association, a homeowners group, filed the appeal last week at the Judicial District Court in New Britain. The Siting Council granted a certificate last month to Homeland Towers and New Cingular Wireless also known as AT&T to construct, maintain and operate the tower. The two organizations claim the councils decision was unlawful and reasonably likely to impair scenic viewshed resources of the state. The development alliance is a nonprofit whose members include Kent residents with property within the visual corridor of the tower, while Spectacle Ridge is a homeowners association whose members own property that would either be in close proximity to the proposed tower or have direct views of it, according to court documents. Improving service The 6.82-acre Richards Road property was selected as a candidate sites for a tower-based on feasibility, according to a technical report from AT&T and Homeland. The companies claim that a telecommunication facility at the site would bring reliable wireless communications services to the central portion of town, where such coverage does not exist. It would also provide a broadband network dedicated to emergency personnel and first responders. Numerous residents opposed the proposed tower, citing concerns about the preservation of Kents natural, rural aesthetic, during a December 2019 public hearing held two months before the companies applied to the Siting Council. Views ruined More than 1,300 people have signed a Change.org petition started by a Spectacle Ridge member to stop the construction of the monstrous tower. The petition states the tower would be visible from all of Lake Waramaug, Kent Hollow, Ore Hill valley and parts of Washington. The views from every surrounding Land Trusts hike of any elevation would be ruined by this tower, writes Matthew Sippel, who created the petition. We advocate relocating this proposed cell tower from the scenic ridge line where it will be seen from all surrounding towns, to a less visible, more appropriate site. In the appeal complaint, the organizations accuse the council of of disregarding its responsibility to balance environmental compatibility and protection with public need for wireless services. The council failed to consider small cell technology a feasible and prudent alternative that they say would have minimal visual impact, the complaint states. The organizations claim the councils decision was unlawful because during its Dec. 3 meeting, one of its members indicated a preference for a tower even before having reviewed the record and voted in favor of the application. Given that the vote on the Councils decision was a vote of 4 in favor to 3 against, the approval would have failed had this member properly recused himself from the vote, the complaint states. Opposition in other towns The appeal isnt the only court matter the Siting Council is dealing with. Court records show the council is involved in several active civil lawsuits including one filed in 2019 by the town of New Milford to appeal its decision to approve a development and management plan for a solar power facility near the Rocky River electrical substation on Route 7. Homeland and AT&T are trying to construct a nearly 200-foot cell tower in nearby Sherman that they say will provide 4G LTE service to the southern part of town and address gaps in public safety emergency communications coverage in the area. While some Sherman residents raised aesthetic, health and other concerns about the tower during a virtual public information forum two months ago, a majority of attendees said they support it for reasons ranging from safety to convenience and quality of life. Correction: This article was updated to reflect that only the 93 Richards Road site was not approved by the Siting Council, and that the height of the approved tower was reduced to 135 feet. Wisconsin Teen Arrested in Murray High Threats By Tim Brockwell MURRAY - Police have arrested a Wisconsin teen they say is responsible for telephone threats made against Murray High School earlier this week that prompted the evacuation of students and staff.The school was placed on lockdown and students were told to shelter in place Monday morning after receiving a telephone threat of shots fired at the school. After about an hour the all-clear was given and students resumed a normal schedule.School officials received a bomb threat the following day, which led to the early dismissal of students so law enforcement could conduct a thorough sweep of the building.Police said there was no actual threat to the school in either case.During a press conference Friday morning, Murray Police Sgt. Andrew Wiggins said detectives arrested 19-year-old Kya Nelson of Racine, Wisconsin on Friday after executing a search warrant at his home.Nelson faces one count of first-degree terroristic threatening and two counts of second-degree terroristic threatening. He is being held in the Racine County Jail where he is awaiting extradition to Kentucky.It's unclear if Nelson has any connection to the Murray area.Murray Independent Schools Superintendent Coy Samons expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their work in identifying and apprehending Nelson."I'd like to take this opportunity to thank local law enforcement, and the several agencies involved in bringing this matter to a close." Samons said.Murray Chief of Police Jeff Liles said investigators have been working around the clock on the case since the threats were received."We've got a great community. We care about our community and we care about our students. We want everyone to know that if you do this type of stuff here in our community we're gonna do everything we can to make sure you get arrested." Liles said.Calloway County Commonwealth's attorney Dennis Foust said his office will be prosecuting the case."What we anticipate is [Nelson] will be given a preliminary hearing in Calloway District Court, with the intention of submitting it to the next available grand jury in Calloway County where we will seek indictment on the charges." Foust said.Wiggins thanked the Kentucky State Police, Calloway County Sheriff's Office, Murray State University Police Department, ATF, FBI, Racine Police Department, Murray Fire Department, Murray Calloway County Ambulance Service, and Calloway County Fire Rescue for their assistance in the case.You can watch the full press conference here:On the Net: Amid the security situation in the national capital, Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, cancelled his 2-day trip to poll-bound Bengal. Sources report that Shah has called off his trip in view of the blast outside Israel Embassy in New Delhi. He is also likely to meet top security and intelligence officials tomorrow to discuss the investigation. Delhi Farmer protest LIVE Updates: Clashes at Singhu border; Haryana suspends internet Minor explosion outside Israeli embassy On the 29th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Israel after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) went off around 5:05 PM on Friday causing a minor blast. While no injuries have been reported due to the blast, windows of few cars in the vicinity were shattered due to the impact. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought a report on the incident and Shah has been briefed by Delhi Commissioner, NSA Ajit Doval and top IB offiials. Doval has taken stock of the situation while enhanced security measures have been put in place. An alert has been issued at all airports, important installations and government buildings in view of blast reported in Delhi, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has said. The exact location of the blast was outside Jindal House, few metres away from Israel Embassy. 3 cars have been damaged and the forensic teams have suspected use of black powder. The IED which caused the blast has been found in a flower pot on road divider near Jindal House. Assuring the safety of Israeli Embassy staff, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar dialled his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi assuring him 'fullest protection' for the embassy and its diplomats in India. Jaishankar asserted that the law enforcement agencies are taking up the matter 'very seriously' and that no effort will be spared to find the culprits. Israeli ambassador Ron Malka has said that it is working with Indian authorities to find perpetrators and motive behind this attack. Delhi: Low-intensity IED goes off near Israel Embassy, NSA Ajit Doval briefed Shah's Bengal journey Shah was scheduled to address two rallies in West Bengal on Saturday and Sunday and attend several programmes. BJP sources said Shah was to arrive in Kolkata on Friday night and start his public programs on Saturday with a visit to ISKCON (International Society of Krishna Consciousness) in Mayapur and later address a rally at Thakurnagar. He was also set to address his party's social media volunteers in Kolkata in the evening. Shah is scheduled to address another rally at Dumurjala in Howrah on Sunday and was expected to have lunch at the house of a jute mill worker in Belur on Sunday. He was planning to visit Aurobindo Bhawan and Belur Math on the day. Several TMC leaders including Rajib Banerjee were also allegedly set to join BJP in his presence. Delhi blast: Jaishankar dials Israel FM Gabi Ashkenazi, assures protection of diplomats Union Minister Shah to address 2 rallies in Bengal on weekend 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. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal Last month, the Albuquerque Police Department said it had not seen the same spike in homicides experienced by many cities nationwide in 2020. But faced with 13 killings over the past month two of them double homicides interim Chief Harold Medina walked back that sentiment Thursday. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Its apparent now that were starting to fall in line with a lot of issues that other major cities in the United States are seeing, Medina said during a briefing outside APD headquarters to address recent homicides. Medina seemed to blame the surge on stressors like unstable employment, lack of schooling and mental health concerns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Were in uncharted territory in a lot of ways but we wanted to assure the public were going to continue conducting operations and making modifications to what trends were seeing out there, he said. With three days to go, January has tied for the deadliest month in Albuquerque over the past five years, according to Journal records. The last time the city saw 13 killings in one month was September and April 2019 and the September homicide count was driven largely by a quadruple slaying in the South Valley. 2019 went on to record the highest homicide total in recent history. Initially, there were 15 slayings reported in the past month but APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said two of them are no longer considered homicides and a third may be classified as self-defense. He said the death of Mark Padilla, 57, whose body was found Jan. 9 in a room at the La Quinta in Northeast Albuquerque, has been deemed justified but gave no other details. And Gallegos also said the Jan. 24 death of Jahnte Iule, 18, at a Northeast Albuquerque home has been deemed a suicide. There is one more investigation that may be considered justifiable, but detectives have not made that determination yet, he said. Police said they have identified a suspect or possible suspect in six of the 13 homicides, including one involving multiple suspects, but did not specify which cases. Only one arrest has been made and it is unclear if any of the cases are related. Despite repeated inquiries, APD has not released further details on the most serious cases: a double homicide that took the lives of Antonio Guardado, 37, and Robert Carbello, 44, last Saturday night, and a triple shooting that left Aerial Mallam, 21, and Jessica Casaus-Lucero, 31, dead Wednesday night. In the most recent killing, police responded around 10 p.m. to a shooting with multiple victims at the Jefferson Crossing Apartments near Montgomery and Washington NE. APD spokesman Sgt. Tanner Tixier said initially that two women died at the scene and a man was taken to the hospital in stable condition but gave no other details. Medina said a lot of the homicides are not random and, in some way, spark from criminal activity mostly drug dealing and related robberies. The number one question is, Should people feel safe? Were seeing trends in robberies that are related to narcotics and they are escalating to the point where we have homicides that occur as a result of this, Medina said. As for motive, Gallegos said at least four of the homicides are in some way drug-related and the others require more investigation. Going forward, the command staff said they are increasing traffic stops, being more visible in hotspots and using data from gunshot detection devices to flood neighborhoods struck by violence in the hopes of catching those responsible. We want to let the bad person know that were not going to tolerate this anymore, interim Deputy Chief Donovan Olvera said. They want to commit crimes, they can just go to another city. In the end, Medina emphasized that crime is not a straight line. Were going to be going through peaks and valleys and thats where we need to make quick adjustments as a department, he said. These are a lot of the steps we are doing to make sure that were communicating amongst one another as quickly as possible to get on these trends and see how we can devote resources to the problem. YPSILANTI, MI The COVID-19 vaccine supply is making it a challenge to put a dent in the amount of Washtenaw County residents currently eligible for vaccinations getting the shots, health officials said. The county has surpassed 15,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Jan. 29. And, while the reported number of new daily cases remains high, Washtenaw County Health Department Spokeswoman Susan Ringler-Cerniglia, said everything possible is being done to get shots in the arms of residents who need them most. We have been continuing to vaccinate people who fall into (the first priority group), and there is still a portion of those folks getting vaccinated, Ringler-Cerniglia said. Then we have this huge influx of eligibility that started on Jan. 11. Since Jan. 11, at least 80,000 county residents are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination, but county health officials have said they are only getting about 2,000 doses per week. The health department has been vaccinating hundreds of people per day, including those at a clinic in Eastern Michigan Universitys Convocation Center. Were just not making much of a dent, Ringler-Cerniglia said. The other part of that is, of course, confusion and concerns about the priorities or about people getting vaccinated out of priority. A common assumption many residents have, Ringler-Cerniglia said, is that older residents or those with underlying health conditions are scheduled ahead of others. Unfortunately, at this point, according to state guidance, thats just not the case, Ringler-Cerniglia said. Right or wrong, thats just the way the priorities are set right now. The state estimates that eligible residents could be waiting until May before Michigan expands its vaccination efforts to the next group of eligible people beyond the first two priority groups. Due to its large medical community, Washtenaw County is currently still vaccinating health care providers within the first phase of eligible recipients, Ringler-Cerniglia said. Through the week of Jan. 26, the health department reported vaccinating more than 2,500 people. In all, 6,824 first doses and 1,910 second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered by county health officials since receiving the vaccine on Dec. 18. In Washtenaw County, there have been 156 new reported COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, county data shows. On Jan. 27, the health department reported 92 new cases, including five hospitalizations and one death. Since March, the health department has reported 15,064 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 218 deaths. In the 14-day period from Jan. 14-27, there have been 1,076 new cases and six people who have died of COVID-19. COVID-19 cases may look like they are trending down, but health officials say the surge that occurred over the fall months has yet to subside. Despite the countys map showing a drop in new cases since the week of Nov. 14, when 1,125 cases were reported in just seven days, health officials push back against the idea that cases are falling. The county has been experiencing a steady rise and fall, reporting lower numbers one day and higher the next, Ringler-Cerniglia said. It has plateaued a bit, but what were seeing in Washtenaw is a few days of lower numbers and then they go back up again, Ringler-Cerniglia said. We all need to still have our guard up not only because numbers remain pretty high, but because of concerns that this variant is spreading locally. The B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant has been identified in a Washtenaw County woman who traveled to the United Kingdom, where it originated. It appears to be more contagious but not necessarily more serious than the primary strain of COVID-19, health officials said. Health officials are still actively trying to determine if the detection of the variant is occurring only because the University of Michigan has the capability to do perform sequencing, Ringler-Cerniglia said, adding that health systems are working to determine if there is active spread of the B.1.1.7 variant in other areas of the county. Because of genome sequencing required to distinguish the variant strain of the virus, it is unclear how many potential variant cases could have gone undetected. As of Friday, Jan. 29, there have been 13 cases identified in Washtenaw County and four cases in Wayne County. The health department is encouraging testing for anyone with symptoms, exposure or concern. Were taking proactive action to try and control that outbreak associated with U of Ms campus, assuming and hoping that maybe its isolated, but we dont know that for sure, Ringler-Cerniglia said. Residents should go to www.washtenaw.org/covid19vaccine to find out if they are eligible or to make an appointment. If you cannot complete Washtenaw Countys eligibility survey online, call 734-544-6700. READ MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS: 10,000 veterans and healthcare workers vaccinated at Ann Arbor VA hospital Ann Arbor parents will rally to advocate for in-person school Scheduling eligible Washtenaw County residents for COVID-19 vaccine could take months, officials say The Biden administration has halted an effort to install several Trump loyalists on Defense Department advisory boards, Pentagon officials said, as the new administration considers a series of unusual appointments that were made in the waning days of the Trump administration. The decision affects a commission formed by Congress recently to consider how to rename U.S. military installations that recognize Confederate military officers who fought to preserve slavery. Former acting defense secretary Christopher Miller appointed four people - including three who served in the Trump White House - to the panel this month before departing. Congress is expected to pick four other members. At least temporarily, the halt affects appointees who include Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie, both of whom served as campaign managers for Donald Trump. They were named to the Defense Business Board in December, as the Trump administration also abruptly dismissed other members with a form letter from what historically had been a nonpartisan panel advising the defense secretary. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is weighing his options, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said. "The Secretary, as you would expect, is reviewing current policies in place across the Department to determine if any changes are necessary, to include the advisory boards," Kirby said in a statement. "No final decisions have been made with respect to board membership. But we will make the information available should that change." A senior defense official familiar with the halt, first reported by Politico, said Wednesday night that several appointees named by the Trump administration had not yet completed their paperwork to join a board. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the halt affects the processing of all new appointments and renewals and that related financial and security reviews have been put on hiatus. Neither Lewandowski nor Bossie had been sworn in on the business board yet. But they and others on the boards also serve at the pleasure of the defense secretary, allowing Austin to oust anyone with whom he is not comfortable. The Trump administration sought to install several loyalists on advisory boards in its closing days. In one effort in December, eight appointments were announced to the Defense Policy Board, including former House speaker Newt Gingrich, R.-Ga., former Republican congressman J. Randy Forbes of Virginia, and Scott O'Grady, a former fighter pilot who was shot down over Bosnia and in recent months insisted falsely that Trump beat President Joe Biden "in a landslide" in the November election. In another effort, Miller announced 11 new members of the Defense Business Board, including Bossie and Lewandowski, and removed other members whose terms were not complete. Joshua Whitehouse, the Trump administration's White House liaison to the Defense Department, notified the other members they were being dismissed, according to two former members of the board. Miller then went on to name Whitehouse this month as one of his four selections to the Confederate renaming commission. The others are Earl Matthews, who also was named to the Defense Business Board; Ann Johnston, then an acting assistant secretary of defense for legislative affairs; and Sean McLean, a White House official. The senior defense official familiar with the process said that Austin has the authority to replace any of them. The other members are likely to include two appointed by congressional Republicans and two by congressional Democrats. One day before the inauguration, O'Grady and two other officials - retired Brig. Gen. Anthony Tata and former ambassador Charles Glazer - were sworn in on the Defense Policy Board. Trump sought to appoint Tata as undersecretary of defense for policy this fall, but his nomination was scuttled after lawmakers raised concerns about a history of incendiary remarks that included calling President Barack Obama a "terrorist leader." Tata apologized to senators for his comments in a letter as his nomination was pending. Trump later installed him to perform the duties of the undersecretary of defense for policy, effectively skirting concerns that the Senate raised. A Dutch court ruled on Friday that a subsidiary of the British-Dutch multinational Royal Dutch Shell was liable for oil spills in the Niger Delta in Nigeria in 2006 and 2007, ordering the company to compensate a small group of residents in the region and to start purifying contaminated waters within weeks. The subsidiary, Shell Petroleum Development Company, acted unlawfully by allowing the leaks to occur and by failing to clean up the area that had been contaminated, the Court of Appeal in The Hague found. The delta, in southern Nigeria, is the heart of the countrys prolific oil industry. The decision was the latest development in a yearslong judicial saga that pitted four Nigerian farmers against the company, and it could pave the way for more cases against the oil company in the region. Although the court ruled that the Shell subsidiary in Nigeria should provide compensation, it did not hold Royal Dutch Shell itself responsible. The decision can be appealed to the Dutch Supreme Court. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. 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. Barclays Bank PLC ("Barclays") announced today that it plans to reduce the investor fee for its iPath Pure Beta Crude Oil ETNs (the "ETNs") which are currently listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "OIL". Effective as of the open of trading on February 1, 2021, the investor fee per ETN for the ETNs will be equal to (1) 0.57%1 times (2) the applicable closing indicative value on the immediately preceding calendar day times (3) the applicable daily index factor on that day (or, if such day is not an index business day, one) divided by (4) 365. Because the investor fee is calculated and subtracted from the closing indicative value on a daily basis, the net effect of the investor fee accumulates over time and is subtracted at the rate of 0.57% per year. Similarly, the net effect of the futures execution cost of 0.10% accumulates over time and is subtracted at the rate of 0.10% per year. Barclays may, at its sole discretion, increase the investor fee rate to its original rate of up to 0.75% per year by filing an amended pricing supplement for the ETNs with the Securities and Exchange Commission and issuing a press release announcing such increase no less than 15 calendar days prior to the effective date of such increase. Anyone considering investing in the ETNs or continuing to hold the ETNs should consider the risks described in the prospectus for the ETNs when making an investment decision and consult with their broker or financial adviser to evaluate their investment in the ETNs. The ETNs are riskier than ordinary unsecured debt securities and have no principal protection. The ETNs are unsecured debt obligations of the issuer, Barclays Bank PLC, and are not, either directly or indirectly, an obligation of or guaranteed by any third party. An investment in the ETNs involves significant risks, including possible loss of principal, and may not be suitable for all investors. For more information on risks associated with the ETNs, please see "Selected Risk Considerations" below and the risk factors included in the relevant prospectus. The prospectus relating to the ETNs can be found on EDGAR, the SEC website at: www.sec.gov, as well as on the product website at the link listed below: http://ipathetn.com/oilprospectus Barclays is the issuer of iPath ETNs and Barclays Capital Inc. is the Issuer's agent in the distribution. Please contact Barclays for further questions: Financial advisors: Directly contact Barclays at etndesk@barclays.comor 1-212-528-7990 to obtain further information Individual investors: Instruct your broker/advisor/custodian to email us at etndesk@barclays.com or to call us at: 1-212-528-7990 You may call in together with your broker/advisor/custodian or have them speak to us on your behalf. About Barclays: Barclays is a British universal bank. We are diversified by business, by different types of customer and client, and geography. Our businesses include consumer banking and payments operations around the world, as well as a top-tier, full service, global corporate and investment bank, all of which are supported by our service company which provides technology, operations and functional services across the Group. Barclays offers investment banking products and services in the US through Barclays Capital Inc. For further information about Barclays, please visit our website home.barclays Selected Risk Considerations An investment in the iPath ETNs described herein involves risks. Selected risks are summarized here, but we urge you to read the more detailed explanation of risks described under "Risk Factors" in the applicable prospectus supplement and pricing supplement. You May Lose Some or All of Your Principal: The ETNs are exposed to any decrease in the level of the underlying index between the applicable inception date and the applicable valuation date. Additionally, if the level of the underlying index is insufficient to offset the negative effect of the investor fee and other applicable costs, you will lose some or all of your investment at maturity or upon redemption, even if the value of such index level has increased or decreased, as the case may be. Because the ETNs are subject to an investor fee and other applicable costs, the return on the ETNs will always be lower than the total return on a direct investment in the index components. The ETNs are riskier than ordinary unsecured debt securities and have no principal protection. Credit of Barclays Bank PLC: The ETNs are unsecured debt obligations of the issuer, Barclays Bank PLC, and are not, either directly or indirectly, an obligation of or guaranteed by any third party. Any payment to be made on the ETNs, including any payment at maturity or upon redemption, depends on the ability of Barclays Bank PLC to satisfy its obligations as they come due. As a result, the actual and perceived creditworthiness of Barclays Bank PLC will affect the market value, if any, of the ETNs prior to maturity or redemption. In addition, in the event Barclays Bank PLC were to default on its obligations, you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the terms of the ETNs. Issuer Redemption: Barclays Bank PLC will have the right to redeem or call the ETNs (in whole but not in part) at its sole discretion and without your consent on any trading day on or after the inception date until and including maturity. Pure Beta Series 2 Methodology. The Barclays Pure Beta Series 2 Methodology with respect to the ETNs seeks to mitigate distortions in the commodities markets associated with investment flows and supply and demand distortions. However, there is no guarantee that the Pure Beta Series 2 Methodology will succeed in these objectives and an investment in the ETNs linked to indices using this methodology may underperform compared to an investment in a traditional commodity index linked to the same commodities. Market and Volatility Risk: The market value of the ETNs may be influenced by many unpredictable factors and may fluctuate between the date you purchase them and the maturity date or redemption date. You may also sustain a significant loss if you sell your ETNs in the secondary market. Factors that may influence the market value of the ETNs include prevailing market prices of the U.S. stock markets or the U.S. Treasury market, the index components included in the underlying index, and prevailing market prices of options on such index or any other financial instruments related to such index; and supply and demand for the ETNs, including economic, financial, political, regulatory, geographical or judicial events that affect the level of such index or other financial instruments related to such index. Concentration Risk: Because the ETNs are linked to an index composed of futures contracts on a single commodity or in only one commodity sector, the ETNs are less diversified than other funds. The ETNs can therefore experience greater volatility than other funds or investments. A Trading Market for the ETNs May Not Develop: The liquidity of the ETNs may be limited, as we are not required to maintain any listing of the ETNs. No Interest Payments from the ETNs: You may not receive any interest payments on the ETNs. Restrictions on the Minimum Number of ETNs and Date Restrictions for Redemptions: Except with respect to the circumstances described above or as otherwise specified in the applicable product prospectus, you must redeem at least the minimum number of ETNs specified in the applicable product prospectus at one time in order to exercise your right to redeem your ETNs on any redemption date. You may only redeem your ETNs on a redemption date if we receive a notice of redemption from you by certain dates and times as set forth in the product prospectus. Uncertain Tax Treatment: Significant aspects of the tax treatment of the ETNs are uncertain. You should consult your own tax advisor about your own tax situation. The ETNs may be sold throughout the day on the exchange through any brokerage account. There are restrictions on the minimum number of ETNs you may redeem directly with the issuer as specified in the applicable prospectus. Commissions may apply and there are tax consequences in the event of sale, redemption or maturity of ETNs. Sales in the secondary market may result in significant losses. 2021 Barclays Bank PLC. All rights reserved. iPath, iPath ETNs and the iPath logo are registered trademarks of Barclays Bank PLC. All other trademarks, servicemarks or registered trademarks are the property, and used with the permission, of their respective owners. NOT FDIC INSURED NO BANK GUARANTEE MAY LOSE VALUE 1 From April 21, 2011 through the close of trading on January 29, 2021, the investor fee per ETN for the ETNs was equal to (1) 0.75% times (2) the applicable closing indicative value on the immediately preceding calendar day times (3) the applicable daily index factor on that day (or, if such day is not an index business day, one) divided by (4) 365. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005079/en/ Contacts: Danielle Popper +1 212 526 5963 Danielle.Popper@barclays.com Noida: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and six senior journalists have been booked by the Noida Police for sedition, among other charges, over the violence during farmers' tractor rally on January 26 in Delhi. The FIR against them has been lodged at the Sector 20 police station following a complaint by a resident who alleged that "digital broadcast" and "social media posts" by these people were responsible for the violence during a tractor rally by farmers in the national capital. The senior journalists named in the FIR are - Mrinal Pande, Rajdeep Sardesai, Vinod Jose, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath and Anant Nath. An unidentified person has also been named in the FIR. "Yes, the FIR has been lodged," a senior Noida Police officer was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. The FIR has been lodged under Indian Penal Code sections 124A (sedition), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 120B (criminal conspiracy), among others. They have also been booked under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act. The Noida Police have begun an investigation into the matter, according to officials. On January 26, thousands of protesting farmers clashed with the police during the tractor rally called by farmer unions to highlight their demand for the repeal of the Centre's three farm laws. Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled by the prime minister on Independence Day. Live TV (With PTI Inputs) First Minister looks for common approach for schools reopening but with flexibility and responsiveness to local circumstances This article is old - Published: Friday, Jan 29th, 2021 The youngest children in Wales could begin returning to school after the February half term, if rates of coronavirus continue to fall. First Minister Mark Drakeford confirmed the alert level four lockdown restrictions will remain in place in Wales for the next three weeks, following a review of the measures. The return to primary school will be planned in a phased and flexible way from 22 February, if the public health situation continues to improve. Students studying vocational qualifications will also be among those prioritised for the phased return to colleges. The earliest a decision can be expected on a staggered return to schools is the end of next week. First Minister Mark Drakeford said: We are making steady progress in bringing coronavirus under control once again. Every day, the vaccination programme is speeding up as more people are vaccinated and more clinics open. Each vaccine is another small victory against the virus. Weve seen a really welcome fall in cases of the virus all over Wales, but they are still too high and the NHS continues to be under intense pressure. We need to keep the lockdown restrictions in place for a little while longer to help us bring rates of the virus down further. If we can do this, we will create the headroom we need to get children back to school after half term starting with the youngest at primary schools We will work with teachers, colleges, local authorities to plan for the safe return of children to school over the next couple of weeks and keep parents updated. Although rates of coronavirus across Wales have fallen below 200 cases per 100,000 people for the first time since early November, north east Wales continues to see a higher than Wales average in its rolling seven day average. Wrexham, although it has dropped since December, is currently at 438.4 per 100,000. The highest in Wales alongside Denbighshire and Flintshire. Asked today whether a return to schools would be Wales wide or on a more local level, depending on case rates, the first minister said that whilst he would prefer a common approach across Wales, some flexibility maybe needed. He said: Ive been careful to use the terms flexible and phased this morning, and some flexibility may be necessary to allow local authorities to respond to the individual circumstances they face. That will be exactly what we did back in September when we allowed the first two weeks of the autumn term to be a build up and different local authorities approaches that in different ways depending on their circumstances. Having flexibility and responsiveness to local circumstances can be part of a common approach which you are trying to achieve across the whole of Wales. The indicators that we will rely on will not be a crude reliance on a single indicator. We will need, as our plan says to look at indicators in the round. That includes the very important threshold of the number of people suffering from coronavirus, it will include the positivity rate, it will include figures of people being admitted to hospital and it will include the mitigation measures that we are able to put in place in schools. We will make a judgement in the round and we will make it in partnership with our colleagues in the local education authorities and the unions who represent all those people who work in our schools. We asked the first minister why when cases, admissions and death data were lower in North Wales we entered the lockdown at the same time as elsewhere, with people questioning the fairness of that. Pointing to the comments on some local authorities taking different action on school reopening, why is an all Wales approach appropriate in one direction, but not the other? Mr Drakeford said that entering into a Wales wide lockdown when we did was the right thing to have done. He added: I wanted an all Wales approach with some flexibility for local authorities in any part of Wales, who needed to take into account their local circumstances to be able to do that. Just as we all went into level four together, and I am more certain than ever, that it was the right decision for North Wales, because if we hadnt done it with a rate of the new variant was already circulating in North Wales, we would have seen the figures even more seriously elevated and even more lives put at risk if we hadnt moved on an all Wales basis. At the moment Im still committed to all Wales approaches in the examples that weve announced today, an all Wales approach on education. Just as there was flexibility for local education authorities at the start of the autumn term, I think its right to offer some flexibility for local circumstances to be taken into consideration as we hope to resume face to face education after half term. The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. U.S. adults last year spent an additional hour more per day on digital devices than they did in 2019, according to a recent forecast by digital market research company eMarketer. eMarketers forecast, which analyzed current digital media penetration time in the U.S., found that U.S. adults spent an average of seven hours and fifty minutes consuming digital media per day in 2020, up 15 percentor about 59 minutesfrom the six hours and forty-nine minutes they spent consuming digital media in 2019. In total, the average amount of time Americans spent consuming digital media daily in 2020 accounted for more than half (57.5 percent) of the time they spent consuming all media per day. The findings shouldnt be surprising, considering the COVID-19 pandemic drove a media consumption surge in the U.S., as more Americans found themselves isolating at home in light of social distancing measures and turning to mediaparticularly, digital news outlets and social media platformsfor coronavirus-related updates. eMarketers latest findings now contradict a previous, pre-pandemic eMarketer report released in 2019 which suggested that the total amount of time Americans spend with media had essentially plateaued. Americans 7:50 daily digital device time also surpasses the companys earlier Q1 2020 projections, which had predicted that digital device time would total about 7:31 per day in 2020. Average time spent on social networks per day among U.S. adults (2020 vs. 2019). Average time spent by U.S. adults on social networks in 2020 was an hour and five minutes, according to eMarketer, up from 56 minutes in 2019. Americans spent most of their time on Facebook, followed by Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and Twitter. Average digital video time stood at two hours and thirteen minutes, up from an hour and forty-six minutes the year prior. As in years past, a majority of this time was spent on Netflix, followed by YouTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime and Disney+. Americans digital audio time on Internet music providers like Spotify and Pandora accounted for an hour and twenty-nine minutes in 2020, up from 2019s one hour and twenty-two minutes. eMarketer predicts that Americans total digital device time is on track to add an additional seven minutes this year (to 7:57) and will surpass eight hours (8:02) for the first time by the end of 2022, accounting for more than 60 percent of adults daily media time. Research for eMarketers forecast was provided by the companys company information service unit Insider Intelligence. He knew everyone worth knowing and had a witticism for them all. Of Princess Margaret, he once remarked, Shes a very high-strung girl who wants to be royalty on one hand and on the other a hippy. Mick Jagger he described as moving like a parody between a majorette girl and Fred Astaire. Even Elizabeth Taylor, whom he got to know well and had profiled for a magazine, describing her eyes as so liquid with life, was defined as having an extraordinary inferiority complex, and its difficult to get through. But then Truman Capote was not for nothing hailed as one of the sharpest writers of the 20th Century. His 1958 novella, Breakfast At Tiffanys, was adapted into the Oscar-winning movie starring Audrey Hepburn (though he hated her in the role), while his 1966 true-crime novel, In Cold Blood, is to this day regarded as one of the greatest examples of the genre. Truman Capote is pictured above with Marilyn Monroe. Though Truman had lobbied for his friend Marilyn Monroe to play Holly in Breakfast At Tiffany's, Paramount had, he said, double-crossed me in every conceivable way and cast Audrey [who] was just wrong for that part' Even writer Norman Mailer, a contemporary who was not without ego himself, was forced to admit, He wrote the best sentences of anyone in our generation. Now, a new documentary, The Capote Tapes uncovers the man behind the razor-sharp words and reveals a life far more intriguing than those he captured in print. Abandoned by his mother when a small boy and despite a turbulent upbringing, he always knew he wanted to be a writer and be rich and famous, and he achieved both aims after the publication of In Cold Blood. It gave him increased cachet in New York high society where he had a coterie of female friends his Swans who included Jackie Kennedys sister, Lee Radziwill, and Gloria Guinness, who had married into Britains famous banking family. Yet those same friends would ultimately prove his undoing. As soon as he published a chapter from his long-awaited novel, Answered Prayers, where he not-so-subtly divulged all the scandalous secrets they had told him over the years, he was ostracized. Much of the late 1970s was spent in drug rehab clinics and in famed New York nightclub Studio 54, where he partied with the likes of Debbie Harry, Jerry Hall and Andy Warhol. He died in 1984, a month before his 60th birthday, having been shunned to the end by the very people he had once lauded. Audrey Hepburn is pictured above in Breakfast At Tiffany's in 1961 More than their money and style, he had been fascinated by the socialites stories and their ability to reinvent themselves from often humble beginnings a talent he himself possessed to a high degree. Born Truman Streckfus Persons, he was four when his parents divorced and was sent to live with his mothers relatives in Monroeville, Alabama a period that made him feel like a spiritual orphan. His best friend at the time was the little girl next door, Harper Lee, who went on to write Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, even basing her strange yet intensely smart character Dill Harris on the young Truman. By the time he was eight, his mother Nina had married second husband, businessman Joe Capote, and Truman was eventually brought to New York to be with them. Beautiful, yet an unapologetic social climber, according to the documentary, Nina made a splash as a hostess in New York, even living on Park Avenue for a time until in 1952, her husband was accused of embezzlement and the family was forced to move out. Unable to face her reduced circumstances, she committed suicide two years later Truman was 29. His relationship with his mother and her abandonment of him affected him deeply all his life. His most famous work, Breakfast At Tiffanys, was thought to have been inspired in part by Nina. While the film is a romantic romp, with Audrey Hepburn playing kooky cafe-society girl Holly Golightly, Trumans original tale was far darker. Holly was, as he wrote, an American geisha who had no job, but accompanied well-to-do men to the best restaurants and nightclubs, with the understanding that her escort was obligated to give her some sort of gift, perhaps jewellery or a cheque ... if she felt like it, she might take her escort home for the night. As writer and friend Jay McInerney points out in the documentary, I think theres a lot of Trumans own mother in Holly Golightly. Trumans mother was, like Holly, from a small Southern town. She was also a bit of a courtesan. Like Holly, Nina had left a husband shed married as a teenager and abandoned family members she loved in pursuit of wealth and glamour. Though Truman had lobbied for his friend Marilyn Monroe to play Holly in the film, Paramount had, he said, double-crossed me in every conceivable way and cast Audrey [who] was just wrong for that part. The film nonetheless was a huge success, securing Audrey Hepburn an Oscar nomination in 1962. In the meantime, Truman had started work on In Cold Blood that consumed six years of his life and was set a world away from New York society. It centred on the real-life murder of four members of the Clutter family wealthy Kansas farming folk slain by raiders in 1959. Accompanied by Harper Lee, he travelled to Kansas where they conducted countless interviews with the shell-shocked residents and investigators, amassing 8,000 pages of notes. That they all took him into their confidence says much about Trumans inherent charm and his ability to prise a story out of even reluctant subjects. Openly gay, at a time when it wasnt widely accepted, and with his distinctive high-pitched, lisping Southern drawl, he walked into the community of Bible-belt farmers and according to a friend, managed to seduce that whole town. He also conducted extensive interviews with the killers Richard Hickock and Perry Smith forming a particularly close bond with the latter. After witnessing their eventual execution by hanging in 1965, Truman was so distraught he pulled his car over to the side of the road and cried for two hours. He was really in love with Perry, explained a friend, socialite Nancy Slim Keith. The book had its detractors, with some claiming that certain facts and dialogue were changed to suit Trumans narrative (Dont let the truth get in the way of a good story was his oft-repeated mantra), but it turned him into a literary star. The year it was published, he held what later became the legendary Black and White Ball at New Yorks Plaza Hotel for 500 of his very closest friends. They included the Duke of Windsor and his wife, Wallis Simpson, Lady Bird Johnson the then U.S. First Lady and Frank Sinatra and his wife, Mia Farrow. What these women didnt expect was that Truman would eventually betray them by releasing these secrets to the world. In 1975, Esquire magazine published one of the finished chapters, La Cote Basque, 1965, which either mentioned the women personally or under a fictitious name. He describes Princess Margaret almost putting one character to sleep on account of being such a drone, but compared to the others, she got off lightly While the ball was a huge success, it also marked a slow drift from writing towards celebrity: he would never complete another novel. Capote did however embark on several intriguing writing assignments, including tagging along with The Rolling Stones on their colourfully-named Cocaine and Tequila Sunrise Tour of America in 1972. It didnt go particularly well: Truman complained of the noise levels and the bands non-stop partying, while guitarist Keith Richards, objecting to Trumans objections, threw ketchup over his hotel door, shouting, You want cold blood? Answered Prayers, the cause of his downfall, was never finished. The satirical novel which he had been working on since 1958, was to be his magnum opus a portrait of the New York glitterati he knew so well. He was fascinated by its beautiful women such as Lee Radziwill, fashion icon Slim Keith and his closest friend, Babe Paley, wife of media mogul, William Paley and they found him hugely entertaining. As one friend says in the documentary, He was expected to perform and perform he did. In return, they told him their secrets. He was on the yachts, he was on the private planes, he was on the private islands, says Jay McInerney. He was privy to the secrets and the gossip. What these women didnt expect was that Truman would eventually betray them by releasing these secrets to the world. In 1975, Esquire magazine published one of the finished chapters, La Cote Basque, 1965, which either mentioned the women personally or under a fictitious name. He describes Princess Margaret almost putting one character to sleep on account of being such a drone, but compared to the others, she got off lightly. Babe Paleys husband William was known privately in New York circles as a philanderer, but Truman made the mistake of alluding to his proclivities in print. Babe never spoke to him again. Similarly, he alludes to the real- life 1955 shooting and killing of banking heir William Woodward Jr by his wife Ann, who claimed that she had mistaken him for a burglar, although was suspected by many of out-and-out murder. After discovering that the chapter was to be published in Esquire, Ann killed herself by taking cyanide. The publication of the Answered Prayers extract led to Trumans immediate dismissal from New York high society, yet further ignominy was to follow. Although Lee Radziwill had defended him during the Esquire debacle, in 1979 when writer and nemesis Gore Vidal launched a million-dollar libel suit against Truman over the accusation that he had been thrown out of the White House for being drunk, Lee stunned him by signing an affidavit for Gore Vidal instead. Truman in turn labelled her treacherous. Having failed to anticipate the backlash that the La Cote Basque, 1965 would inevitably cause, Truman went into a decline. Although he partied at Studio 54 with a new set of friends, including artist Andy Warhol who had developed an obsession with him, his reliance on drugs and alcohol grew. In and out of various rehabilitation clinics and hospitals, he died in 1984 of liver disease and drug intoxication. To the end, he would repeatedly voice his shock at the immediate social distancing that took place after he had aired his friends dirty laundry (Im a writer, what did they expect? was his familiar refrain), yet the documentary puts forward an intriguing theory as to why he should have committed such a blatant act of social suicide. His biographer, George Plimpton, whose taped interviews form the basis of the new documentary, says, Truman felt that what had killed his mother were her aspirations to be in high society. He felt that his mother should be avenged in some way. What better revenge to inflict on image-obsessed socialites than to expose all their darkest secrets? The title of Trumans unfinished novel, Answered Prayers, was taken from the teachings of the 16th-century Carmelite nun, St Teresa of Avila, who said, More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones. Truman Capotes own prayers for fame, wealth and literary success were answered in full. But it was the tears he shed afterwards that hastened him to his grave. The Capote Tapes will be available at altitude.film and on digital platforms from today. will stop issuing manual visas in all its embassies from Monday and has asked non-resident Pakistanis and interested in travelling to the country to apply online for A senior official at the Pakistani embassy in the US said that this change applies to all Pakistani missions in the world and they will stop issuing manual visas from February 1, the Dawn newspaper reported. The change will affect millions of Pakistanis living in North America and Europe, particularly in the countries that do not allow dual citizenship. Even in countries like Australia, Britain, Canada and the US, which allow dual citizenship, people prefer to travel on visas stamped on their current passports. Travelling on passports of their country of origin often invokes suspicion, the report said. In compliance with the instructions of the government of for complete implementation of the E-visa regime, Embassy of and its consulates across the United States will stop the issuance of manual visa from Feb 1, 2021, said a notification issued by the Pakistani embassy in the US on Thursday. The Visa applicants are, therefore, advised to submit their applications online at Http://Visa.Nadra.Gov.Pk/, it said. Pakistan stopped issuing manual passports several years ago. Pakistani embassies also no longer receive applications for national identity cards and other similar documents. All these services are now available online. (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.) Moncks Corner, SC (29461) Today Cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 82F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Thomson Reuters (TRI, TRI.TO) Friday said the company and private equity funds affiliated with Blackstone have closed the sale of Refinitiv to London Stock Exchange Group plc (LSE.L) in an all-share transaction. Refinitiv is Thomson Reuters' former Financial & Risk business, and a majority interest in the business was sold to Blackstone's consortium in October 2018. Thomson Reuters and Blackstone's consortium subsequently agreed to sell Refinitiv to London Stock Exchange in August 2019 in an all share transaction for a total enterprise value of about $27 billion. Thomson Reuters indirectly owns 82.5 million LSEG shares, which have a market value of approximately $9.8 billion based on LSEG's closing share price on January 28. Thomson Reuters interest in LSEG shares are held through an entity jointly owned by Blackstone's consortium and Thomson Reuters. Further, the company noted that Thomson Reuters and Blackstone's consortium have agreed to be subject to a lock-up for their LSEG shares through January 29, 2023, subject to certain exceptions. The lock-up arrangement will terminate on January 29, 2025. The company said, 'While Thomson Reuters expects that the LSEG transaction will be predominantly tax deferred, approximately $700 million of tax became payable when the deal closed. The lock-up arrangements allow Thomson Reuters to sell sufficient LSEG shares necessary to generate net proceeds to meet this tax payment should it wish to do so.' The company said it does not plan to sell any LSEG shares prior to LSEG's announcement of its full-year 2020 results on March 5. Reuters News' 30-year agreement with Refinitiv will continue following closing and is scheduled to run to 2048. Under the deal terms, Erin Brown, Head of Finance for Thomson Reuters Corporates segment, has been appointed to the LSEG board of directors. 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. First Financial Bankshares (FFIN) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.41 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.39 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.30 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 5.13%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this commercial banker operating mostly in Texas would post earnings of $0.36 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.37, delivering a surprise of 2.78%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. First Financial, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Southwest industry, posted revenues of $129.60 million for the quarter ended December 2020, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.07%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $104.40 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. First Financial shares have added about 10.7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 2.5%. What's Next for First Financial? While First Financial has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Story continues Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for First Financial was favorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.39 on $127.70 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $1.46 on $503.10 million in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Banks - Southwest is currently in the top 31% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report First Financial Bankshares, Inc. (FFIN) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click 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. The EU Commission President also said that Astrazeneca "explicitly assured" the EU that other obligations would not impede EU delivery. The EU is entitled to doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine produced in the UK, the bloc said on Friday. After publishing its contract with the Anglo-Swedish drug maker, an EU official said there was a clear obligation on the company to deliver the doses it had promised. The publication of the contract comes amid an escalating row between the EU and the pharmaceutical giant over a delay to EU deliveries of the vaccine. The drug was approved for use by the European Medicines Agency on Friday afternoon. The heavily redacted contract says AstraZeneca shall use its best reasonable efforts to manufacture the 300 million doses within the EU, which for manufacturing purposes, includes the UK. In another clause of the contract, the company promised that it had no other obligations or contracts with third parties that would impede the complete fulfillment [sic] of its obligations in respect of an initial 300 million doses agreed with the EU. There is clearly an obligation on the company, there is no shadow of a doubt - it shall use best efforts, said an EU official on condition of anonymity. AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot blames production issues in its Belgian plant for the EU delays, and says it had time to iron out UK supply issues because the Johnson government signed its contract three months before the EU did. But the EU is furious, with the bloc's health chief Stella Kyriakides insisting there should be no hierarchy of production plants. The heavily redacted contract refers to drug substance manufacturing taking place in France, Belgium, Ireland, Italy and the UK. The mention of Ireland is thought to refer to the companys European headquarters, and not a manufacturing facility. The drug substance is the active ingredient - essentially, the vaccine itself. The "drug product" is then put into vials and finished at plants in Germany, Italy and the UK. This is not an option. It is a contractual obligation, a declaration by AstraZeneca as to where the drug substance manufacturing is taking place, the EU official said on Friday. Last week AstraZeneca said that production issues in its Belgian plant meant it would only deliver around a quarter of the doses it had promised the EU by March. AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told the Italian newspaper La Reppublica during the week that the company had no commitments to deliver, and only had to make its "best efforts" to supply. The heavily redacted contract commits AstraZeneca to use its Best Reasonable Efforts to build capacity to manufacture an initial 300 million doses of the vaccine pre-ordered by the EU, and an optional 100 million extra. It is an objective standard, its not something that the company can simply say Because I feel like, because I think Ive done everything I can, then I have basically done what is expected of me, the EU official said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday that there are binding orders and the contract is crystal clear. How I Grew My Business by 10 Times in the COVID-19 Pandemic The global pandemic proved detrimental to some businesses in India, while others saw spectacular growth. Their experience of survival can tell us a lot about prerequisites for success in chaotic times. Meghna Saraogi, Co-Founder and CEO of StyleDotMe, has shared insights into how her company managed to increase its turnover tenfold. Effects on Local Businesses The national startup system has seen exponential growth since 2010, with the volume of raised capital skyrocketing from $550 million to $14.5 billion in 2019. By the beginning of the pandemic, it was the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. Then, the crisis hit. Emerging businesses grappled with the same negative effects as the rest of the industries: shrinking revenues, massive layoffs, and shutdowns. This was the survival of the fittest. According to a report by TiE-Delhi and Zinnov, funding of startups halved during the lockdown period. Approximately 40% of them were adversely affected, and 15% had to discontinue operations altogether. It turned out that few startups had bothered to prepare for the new age of retail and consumerism. Digitization started spreading like wildfire. For companies like StyleDotMe, the pandemic became a catalyst that accelerated growth. Jewelers saw a rise in demand, as consumers were seeking convenience 24/7, even in the midst of the crisis. The population needed ways to buy products and services online and earn money on the Internet. As conventional employment was shattered, alternative ways to earn a living became all their age, too. Segments like Forex trading were growing fast. As people were confined to their homes, they started making and spending money remotely using platforms and apps and learning about lucrative Forex strategies in India for free. The presence of global brokers like Forextime facilitated this transition. What Helped Survivors Stay Afloat The survival of young companies largely depended on their resilience the ability to overcome challenges and recover quickly. StyleDotMe had already started innovating in retail tech, which is a nascent space for the country. The company did not hesitate to focus on the need gaps caused by the crisis and accelerate its digitization. This forward-thinking philosophy helped the brand and the retailers it works with prosper. Here are the key lessons it has learned, according to its founder: 1. Importance of Acceptance Many businesses failed to recognize the threat before the pandemic hit. Rumors about Covid-19 began spreading in early 2020. The disruptions observed in the market were attributed to the Chinese New Year. That is why, when the government announced a lockdown in late March, it came as a shock to many entrepreneurs. They were dumbfounded. 2. Importance of Agility Businesses had to be flexible to adapt to the new reality. They needed to make difficult choices to survive and mitigate the negative effects. There were two options to be proactive or wait for improvement and shut the business down. For example, retailers had to cope with the piling of inventory and the switch to remote communication with clients. Companies that had invested in digital technology gained an advantage over more conservative rivals. New business entities were forced to leave their comfort zones. 3. Digital Presence Is Obligatory By late spring, all companies were engaged in the development of their digital presence. The consumer was now only reachable online. The jewelry business used insights from social media and client feedback to analyze the market. 4. Staff as an Asset Startups need goal-oriented people to survive this crisis. During turbulent times, it is easy to lose sight of the vision you started with. This proves lethal. Survivors relied on strong teams of individuals who shared one passion and were committed to the same goal. These groups are important drivers of growth. Reasons for Being Hopeful By the end of 2020, the local startup environment was finally bouncing back. Over the next five years, the country is expected to see at least 60,000 new startups, according to the TiE-Delhi and Zinnov report. Today, funding has almost returned to its pre-crisis level. This demonstrates the impressive resilience of this ecosystem. Indian businesses have clearly learned valuable lessons from the pandemic. They have embraced digitization and become adept at communicating with customers remotely. The battle with the virus is far from over, but there are convincing reasons to expect further improvement in 2021. The Budget Session of Parliament is all set to kickstart on Friday, January 29, with the presentation of the country's Economic Survey. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present Economic Survey 2020-21 in Parliament today. After the presentation of the Economic Survey 2020-21, chief economic adviser (CEA) KV Subramanian will address a press conference tentatively at 3:30 PM in New Delhi, finance ministry said. CEA Dr @SubramanianKri will address a Press Conference on 29th Jan 2021, at 2:30 PM in New Delhi after the presentation of Economic Survey 2020-21 by Finance Minister in Parliament. Watch LIVE here YouTube - https://t.co/9T01Ouigfn@nsitharamanoffc@Anurag_Office@PIB_India Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) January 28, 2021 The Economic Survey 2020-21 comprises data on the performance of the economy in the past year, future challenges and the way forward. The Economic Survey is like a report card of India that provides detailed statistical data covering both microeconomics and macroeconomics. The document analyses the trends in sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, import, export, foreign exchange reserves, taxations, etc. The survey forecasts the country's economy in the next year by giving out detailed reasons why it believes the economy will expand faster or decelerate. The Economic Survey 2020-21 has two parts -- one consists of the economic challenges that the country is facing and the second is the review of year gone-by. Every year, the Economic Survey is presented on January 31 but this year it will be on January 29. The Union Budget will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1. The Budget Session will be held in two parts --January 29 to February 15 and March 8 to April 8, and will have a total of 33 sittings. With a view to have a paperless Budget, all the documents and the Economic Survey would be made available online soon after the authenticated copies are laid on the table of Lok Sabha. This session will be held as per COVID-19 protocols, with Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha meeting in shifts of five hours each -- with the Upper House meeting from 9 AM to 2 PM and the Lower House in the evening from 3 PM to 8 PM. This year's Economic Survey is being tabled in Parliament at a time when the country's economy has severely been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, India's GDP contracted 23.9 per cent in the first quarter ( April-June) and further by 7.5 per cent in the second quarter (July-September), according to National Statistical Office. Also read: Budget 2021: Economic Survey to be presented in Parliament on Jan 29; CEA to hold presser Also read: Budget 2021: Date, time, sector-wise expectations; everything you need to know Also read: Budget 2021 The last time Southwest Airlines posted an annual loss was 1972, when it was a small upstart airline flying a handful of planes on Texas-only routes. Since then, it has grown to become the nation's fourth largest airline, reporting 47 consecutive profitable years while its largest rivals flew into and out of bankruptcy during the ups and downs of the difficult airline industry. Until Thursday, that is. Southwest reported it lost a record $3.5 billion in 2020, excluding special items, as the Covid-19 pandemic brought airline traffic to a near halt and it was forced to ground many of its jets due to lack of business. Revenue for the year plunged $13.4 billion, or 60% to $9 billion for the year. "Even Southwest is not immune to Covid-19," said CEO Gary Kelly. "Yes, these are bad times. Yes, we had our first loss since our startup year. But we have much to be grateful for, and we have every reason to be hopeful that this, too, shall pass." The losses were not unique to Southwest: They have been universal across major airlines across the globe. The six largest US airlines lost $30.4 billion last year American Airlines, the world's largest airline by some measures, also posted an even bigger record annual loss of $9.6 billion, excluding special items, on Thursday. Revenue tumbled 62% to $17.3 billion. And JetBlue reported a record annual loss as well, losing $1.6 billion for the year excluding special items -- compared to a profit of $568 million on that basis a year ago. United and Delta had already posted their own losses, with Delta going from record profits to a record loss in only one year. All told, the nation's six largest airlines -- American, Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue and Alaska Air -- lost $30.4 billion in 2020, excluding special items, compared to a combined profit of $13.8 billion a year earlier in one of the most profitable year on record for the US industry. And the 2020 losses came despite $50 billion in government help for the airlines industry approved in March to help it weather the storm. American Airlines' loss was a bit smaller than what analysts expected, and its revenue was slightly stronger than forecast as well. But the stock took off like a rocket in premarket trading, rising as much as 87% ahead of the open before settling down to a 28% gain in the first minutes of the regular trading session. By mid-afternoon shares were only up about 8%. The stock was being talked up on Reddit by some who hoped to drive up the price and put a squeeze on investors who bet against it by shorting it. "AAL flying to moon?" wrote one investor. "Let's see if we are going to get some tasty juice out of a squeeze." Those investors have recently driven up the price of shares of GameStop, another troubled money losing company. American CEO Doug Parker declined to comment on the stock move in his call with analysts and media Thursday: "As a rule, we don't speculate on the day-to-day movements of our share price. We'll stick to that rule today." Parker did say that he's convinced 2021 will be a year of recovery for the airline industry. "There's still a lot of unknowns, of course, when or how quickly demand will return. Make no mistake, it will return," he said. And because of difficult decisions to cut costs and reduce staff, "when the recovery does occur, we'll be prepared in even better positioned than we were prior to pandemic," Parker said. American did warn that it expects pre-tax earnings to be lower in the first quarter than at the end of last year if excluding special items, such as a new round of federal assistance for the airlines. "As we look to the first quarter, there continues to be a tremendous amount of uncertainty with bookings. Stubbornly high COVID-19 cases and more stringent travel restrictions continued to constrain demand," said CFO Derek Kerr. The first quarter it traditionally a slow time for travel, and the combination of that trend and high Covid cases is pushing US air travel to a six-month low. The Transportation Security Administration reported that 469,000 people were screened at US airports on Tuesday, the first time it had fallen below the half-million mark since early July. But Parker is hopeful that when demand for travel returns, it will come back quickly, even though it is difficult to know when that will be. "I've got 10 straight months of data saying that people are ready to travel in six months. It keeps saying the same thing," he said in an interview on CNBC Thursday. "What I do believe is that once people are comfortable, it will come back relatively quickly. There is huge pent-up demand to travel. We hear it everywhere we go. But no one is going to travel until there are things to do when you travel, and until the vaccine is distributed and the pandemic is largely eradicated." Airlines' problems are expected to continue for at least the first half of this year, as analysts are forecasting losses in at least the first two quarters of 2021 for all major US carriers. They expect full-year losses for each of them, as well. Although the Covid-19 vaccine could soon unleash some pent-up demand for air travel, that isn't expected to happen until the late summer or early fall, at best. " " 4 " " - : - : 24 4 . . 4 . (21 ) : (60 ) (17 ) (36 ) (44 ) . . Another group of Pakistani Hindu families that had migrated to India, to seek better living conditions and economic future, returned here Thursday, fully disappointed, but happy to return home WAGHA BORDER (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Jan, 2021 ) , :Another group of Pakistani Hindu families that had migrated to India, to seek better living conditions and economic future, returned here Thursday, fully disappointed, but happy to return home. Over 100 Hindus have returned to Pakistan in the past few months, who were lured to migrate to India, with promises of starting a new life and economic prosperity. However, after a real-life experience of what they said was the "horrific living conditions", the Hindu families opted to return home. "We were far better placed here in Pakistan and had much greater financial status," said Jesu Mal son of Radho Kachhi, who was utterly dismayed by the treatment meted out to them. "Neither we got any place to live, nor any employment," he said. "When we lived in India, we realized, how much better our life was back in Pakistan." He said the entire family decided to return. However, since the borders were closed owing to the COVID-19 restrictions, they had to stay much longer there. The returning Hindu families would be in quarantine for 14 days, before being allowed to return to their native hometowns. Rano son of Ramji, another returning Hindu, said,"We left Pakistan with dreams of a better future, but what we witnessed was nothing but horrific." He said,"Eleven of our community members were brutally murdered and the Indian authorities just dumped them." No one bothered to check with them what were their requirements and no one told them anything about any of the promised employment opportunities, he added. "India only belongs to Brahmans. They treat the rest like dirt," Rano said. To a question, he said still some Hindu families were in India, but after witnessing the despicable living conditions, the murder of 11 Pakistani Hindus, and attitude of locals, "I would request all to return home and live with dignity and honour. "I would never ever advise anyone to make the same mistake of migrating to India, and we are lucky to be back alive."The Pakistani Hindus warmly welcomed the returning community members and presented them rose garlands, as they walked back into Pakistan, with high hopes for a better and secure future. Since the start of the pandemic that has devastated the travel industry, analysts have generally identified American as the most troubled U.S. carrier and the most likely to eventually seek bankruptcy protection if travel remains severely depressed. American went into the pandemic with more debt than other leading U.S. airlines and has added to its burden with billions more in borrowing from private sources and the federal government. Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Marcel Ciolacu offered today condolences to the families of the patients killed in the fire that ravaged four patient's rooms of the "Matei Bals" Bucharest Hospital early this morning, underscoring that the government's lack of action to prevent tragedies like that in Piatra Neamt from happening again is "shocking, heartbreaking and outrageous". "I would like to extend my condolences to the families of the patients who died in the 'Matei Bals' fire and wish the injured a speedy recovery. The courage and training of the doctors, nurses and medical staff who took exceptional action in a critical situation have saved many lives. However, it is shocking, heartbreaking and outrageous to see that, apart from sharing positions, continually passing responsibility and engaging in political struggle, this government has done absolutely nothing to prevent a tragedy like that in Piatra Neamt from happening again," Ciolacu wrote on Facebook. Ciolacu lists 7 hospital fires that happened since November, slamming the government for taking nothing but "window-dressing actions". "7 hospitals have already been hit by fire in recent months: the Piatra Neamt hospital in November; the CFR Cluj Napoca Hospital, also in November; the Anesthesia and Intensive Care ward of the Targu Mures County Hospital on December 4; the Socola Psychiatric Hospital in Iasi on December 25; the Municipal Psychiatric Hospital in Roman on January 2; the Psychiatric Hospital in Gataia - Timis, on January 5. And now 'Matei Bals', on January 29. Throughout this time, nothing concrete has been done, only window-dressing actions. Unless the authorities understand that they must take responsibility and rise to the level of the positions they hold, we will keep on counting deaths. How many more hospitals must burn for this government to do something?," inquires the PSD leader. The following are recent sentencings in 52nd Circuit Court in Huron County: Craig Joseph Naert, 46, of Caseville for home invasion third offense: 180 days in jail, 49 days credit, 24 months probation, $520 fees and restitution. James Leland Morley, 50, of Elkton for probation violation: 45 days in jail, probation revoked. James Leland Morley, 50, of Elkton for probation violation: 65 days in jail, probation revoked. Aaron Michael-Dale Vincent, 23, of Gagetown for probation violation: 90 days in jail, HYTA revoked. Daniel Craig Sielaff, 19, of Deckerville for police officer assault and operating while impaired: 93 days in jail, 18 months probation, concurrent with Sanilac County sentence. Chauncy Andrich, 43, for probation violation: 90 days in jail, continued probation, jail held in abeyance until work release open in jail, $186.84 restitution. Charles Anthony Kester, 28, of Elkton for assault less than murder: four to 10 years in prison, credit for one day, FC. James Leland Morley, 50, of Elkton for possession of a non-narcotic, operating under the influence of liquor third offense and habitual offender second offense: 365 days in jail, credit for five days, $500 fines, FC. March Richard Day, 60, of Caseville for embezzlement: three to 15 years in prison, credit for one day, restitution to be determined, FC. Steven J. Anskeep, 35, of Bay City for criminal sexual conduct fourth degree: one year and four months to two years in prison, credit for 158 days, concurrent with Bay County case, $299 restitution, FC. Sue Carol Backes, 58, of Pigeon for interference with electronics and assault and battery: 93 days in jail, credit for two days, 24 months probation, $100 costs, FC. Arthur A. Benz III, 35, of Bad Axe for operating under the influence of liquor third offense: 330 days in jail, credit for three days, 24 months probation, $600 fines and costs, 60 days community service. Jacinto D. Aguilera, 36, of Sebewaing for domestic violence third and habitual offender fourth offense, three to 15 years in prison, credit for 329 days, concurrent with other charge, FC. Jacinto D. Aguilera, 36, of Sebewaing for home invasion third degree, breaking and entering a vehicle and habitual offender fourth offense: one year and six months to 10 years in prison, credit for 329 days, concurrent with other charge, 45 days in jail, credit for 45 days, FC. Jacinto D. Aguilera, 36, of Sebewaing for domestic violence third degree and habitual offender fourth offense: two to 15 years in prison, credit for 157 days, concurrent with other charge, FC. Derrione R. McKinney, 29, of Saginaw for probation violation: 90 days in jail, probation revoked. Damon Rae Cash, 27, of Harbor Beach for unarmed robbery, lying to police, assault with intent to murder and habitual offender third offense: eight to 30 years in prison, credit for 512 days, $108.46 restitution, FC. Melissa Rae Venturino, 27, of Caseville for unarmed robbery, lying to police and assault less than murder: five to 15 years in prison, credit for 186 days, 330 days in jail, credit for 186 days, jail time served concurrently, $108.46 restitution, FC. Jeffrey J. Manetta, 28, of Bay City for police officer assault and operating under the influence of liquor: 90 days in jail, credit for two days, 24 months probation, FC. David Marc Glickoff, 60, of Harbor Beach for operating under the influence of liquor and habitual offender second offense: 365 days in jail, credit for two days, 30 months probation, 60 days community service, FC. Jeffrey David Craig, 25, of Port Austin for assault-weapon: 90 days in jail, credit for four days, 24 months probation, FC. Charles Edward Bell, 42, of Jesup, Georgia for police flee third degree and operating under the influence of liquor: 210 days in jail, credit for 161 days, FC. Michael Todd Shivley, 52, of Sebewaing for controlled substance non-narcotic and habitual offender second offense: 270 days in jail, credit for 92 days, FC. David Allen Sousa Jr., 28, of Caro for probation violation: 365 days in jail, credit for 180, probation discharged, FC. Patty Jo Bock, 59, of Bad Axe for police officer assault and disorderly person: 12 months probation, 30 hours of community service, FC. Autry Allan Manning Jr., 32, of Croswell for probation violation: 30 additional days in jail, credit for 16, probation continued, FC. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 63F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 39F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. A recent research report added by Decisiondatabases on the Alumina Polishing Suspension Market provides a comprehensive view of this business sector by giving a detailed description of the global market shares, regional & country-level market size, growth, trends, and forecast analysis. This report also focuses on value chain optimization, recent developments, opportunities analysis, and industrial sector expansion. The final report will cover the impact of COVID-19 on this industry. The global Alumina Polishing Suspension market report presents a complete research-based study of the industry including details such as company shares, forecast data, in-depth analysis and an outlook of the market on a worldwide platform. The report further highlights the market drivers, restraints and the top manufacturers at the global and regional levels. For a thorough understanding, the report also offers market segmentation and regional analysis for the forecast period from 2020 to 2025. Click here to get a Sample PDF Copy of the Alumina Polishing Suspension Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-31458 According to this study, over the next five years, the Alumina Polishing Suspension market will register an xx% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach $ xx million by 2025, from $ xx million in 2020. In particular, this report presents the global market share (sales and revenue) of key companies in the Alumina Polishing Suspension business, shared in Chapter 3. This Alumina Polishing Suspension market report also splits the market by regions: Americas (United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil), APAC (China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, Australia), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain), Middle East & Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Turkey, GCC Countries). This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of the Alumina Polishing Suspension market by type, application, key manufacturers, key regions, and countries. The key manufacturers covered in this report: Breakdown data in Chapter 3. Ted Pella PACE Technologies Buehler Extec Corp Akasel Kemet Saint-Gobain Advanced Abrasives Ferro ULTRA TEC Manufacturing Others To inquire about report customization, feel free to reach out to our team of expert analysts @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/ask-questions-31458 This study considers the Alumina Polishing Suspension value and volume generated from the sales of the following segments: Segmentation by type: breakdown data from 2015 to 2020, in Section 2.3; and forecast to 2025 in section 11.7. 0.05-1.00m 1.00-3.00m 3.00-5.00m Segmentation by application: breakdown data from 2015 to 2020, in Section 2.4; and forecast to 2025 in section 11.8. 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Focuses on the key global Alumina Polishing Suspension manufacturers, to define, describe, and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in the next few years. To analyze the Alumina Polishing Suspension with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market. To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks). To project the consumption of Alumina Polishing Suspension submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries). To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. About Us: DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research report provider, enriching decision-makers, and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research reports, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains. Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed. For more details: DecisionDatabases.com E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.com Phone: +91 90 28 057900 Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ Reference Source: https://www.topnewscorner.com/alumina-polishing-suspension-market-size-share-growth-outlook-forecast-research-report-till-2025/ Day care shortage creates barriers for working parents With a labor shortage plaguing the state, working parents are ready to fill these positions. The lack of childcare options creates barriers. 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. 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 June, Sharon Weston Broome made it crystal clear: Baton Rouge must stop honoring those who glorified and supported slavery. Perhaps it wasnt clear to the Commission on Racial Equity and Inclusion the mayor-president of East Baton Rouge Parish charged with studying racial inequities. Based on a comprehensive report the group recently released, theres no need to change the names of streets like Lee Drive, General Forrest Avenue and Confederate Avenue, and theres no need to take down statues just because someone contributed to slavery. Instead, the group members said, Baton Rouge should focus on educating people about racism and consider other changes. Maybe they werent paying attention this past summer. Many people are tired of waiting. They dont want to hear that changes will be coming, some day. They want change. Now. George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was killed by White police officers as cellphones recorded the death on a Minneapolis street. People across the nation were outraged, sparking protests across the world. The demands were simple: Communities must recognize and deal with inequities and injustices by eliminating systematic racism, instituting new laws and abandoning longstanding symbols of racism. Broome seemed to get it. "We are in a season where people are recognizing symbols that continue to promulgate racial division and are painful reminders of our past as we try to live in the present," Broome said during an Advocate town hall in June. Broomes 24-member commission did good work in a relatively short time, submitting a comprehensive document detailing significant equity issues. The bad news is it didnt deal with an in-your-face matter: street names and monuments. Broome didnt mention streets and monuments while establishing the panel, adding them later as an afterthought. The panel appears to have taken her lead. Commission representatives said they decided to focus on longer-term, significant issues such as economics, education and employment. As it stands now, the law requires someone on a specific street to seek a name change, then a majority of homeowners on the street must agree. That is ridiculous. When someone buys a home, they buy the home and property, not street-naming rights. The law also requires anyone requesting a street name change to pay for the changes. That is outrageous. Some streets may have two or three street signs. Others might have a dozen or more. That might cost the same as a monthly mortgage or auto payment. Fortunately, the Baton Rouge commission said there needs to be a better legislative process for changing building and street names, monuments and official city holidays. Unfortunately, a commission suggestion that this be examined is weak. The otherwise strong report had air sucked out because it sidesteps the street and monument matter, pushing it off for another day. The body couldve been more forceful. The mayor couldve received the report, as is, and insisted that things will change. That didnt happen. I guess some commission members think the good people dont care enough or would violently oppose changing the names of Pickett, Stuart and Hood avenues in Southdowns and changing the names of Confederate Avenue, Appomattox and General Forrest in Shenandoah. I prefer to think that when otherwise good people are educated about the impact of these names on others that they, too, would agree that changing these names is the best and right thing to do. If it's up to one commission member, Dr. Sonja Wiley of LSU, there is no choice; the names must be zapped. "We're going to change the names and take down the monuments," she said Thursday afternoon. I believe her. I just wish the entire body said so. Baton Rouge has had a Martin Luther King sculpture downtown since the 1990s. Its been worn and weathered as skateboarders and others have used the small plaza for amusement. A group of good citizens and companies are funding a refurbishment. The 21-foot King tribute represents his ideals and his desire for unity. Orange and blue interlocking pieces indicate that we can link and rely on each other. The colors are different but connected. Maybe Baton Rouge citizens can be educated more about King and how he dealt with uncomfortable matters as he demanded immediate change. Imagine if he had said some day well be able to vote and some day well sit where we please on public buses while we wait for people to be educated. +7 Will Sutton: Amanda Gormans national spotlight helps Louisiana's youth poets shine Like millions across the nation, Akilah Toney watched Amanda Gorman as she deliver a poem at the presidential inauguration. Like many, she was Stock Market News UK Economic Data - UK offers to work with allies to combat unfair behaviour by China-backed firms 29-01-2021 02:28 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk An autopsy on a Slidell man who was fatally shot by law enforcement officers responding to a report of a stabbing Sunday afternoon at a convenience store showed that he was struck by three bullets in the chest, St. Tammany Parish Coroner Charles Preston said. Caleb McCree, 43, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Coroner's Office. The autopsy listed gunshot wounds as the cause of death. State Police are investigating the officer-involved shooting. Shots were fired by the Slidell Police Department and St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, according to a news release from Slidell police Sunday. The agency had not clarified whether both responding Slidell police officers fired their weapons, but the two, along with a sheriff's deputy, are on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. +2 Man fatally shot by police at Slidell gas station suffered from mental illness, mother says Beth Nilsson treasures a photo her son, Caleb McCree, taken in Las Vegas two years ago where he was beaming with pride after bungee jumping. State Police did not respond to a request for comment on the status of the investigation. McCree, who lived with his mother in Slidell, suffered from mental illness, according to his family. His mother told a reporter this week that her son took medication. 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 Law enforcement agencies have released few details about the incident, which began with a 911 call about a stabbing at the Circle K convenience store on Airport Road near Interstate 12. A Slidell police officer was first on the scene and another Slidell police officer and a St. Tammany Parish sheriff's deputy arrived in response to a call for backup. They encountered a man armed with two bladed instruments, according to a State Police preliminary report. During the encounter, officers discharged their weapons and struck the suspect. A stabbing victim was treated at a hospital and released later that night. No officers were injured. McCree's mother, Beth Nilsson, said she hopes the investigation will provide her with more information about what led to her son's death. In the meantime, she urged families who have loved ones with mental illness to seek help for them. The year 2020 has had devastating effects on the fashion industry and has been even harsher on manufacturers and suppliers around the world. The disruption was quite sudden and now that it is time to rewire the industry, a Gurugram-based startup Fashinza has formally unveiled Indias one of its kind B2B platform that helps apparel and fashion brands outsource their manufacturing with complete transparency and reliability. An end-to-end cloud-based production platform, it helps apparel and fashion brands outsource their manufacturing efficiently. Fashinza already has 400 plus ethical partner factories across India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka and counts brands like Forever21, Noon.com, FirstCry, The Souled Store, and Bewakoof.com among their customers. In his comments on the new platform, Pawan Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO, Fashinza, said, Our cloud-based software is transforming the fashion industry by digitizing global supply chains and making sustainable sourcing easy and cost-effective for brands and every player in the supply chain. Our platform enables brands to manage the entire product development, sourcing, and production process from design right through delivery, all in one place. Fashinza helps brands reduce inventory forecasting errors and produce goods with complete transparency and minimal effort. We currently have manufacturing units in India, Bangladesh, and Srilanka and have worked with brands across India, USA, UK, Europe, and Australia. Abhishek Sharma, Co-Founder and COO, Fashinza said, At Fashinza, we are creating a new generation supply chain and product development platform for the Fashion Industry. Through Fashinza, we are also addressing the problems of small and medium sized manufacturers. MSMEs industrial units dont have experience in using state-of-the-art technology that radically improves operations by introducing transparency and efficiency in the production process. By partnering up with us they not only get to work with both national and international brands but also get an opportunity to upscale their business and operations through the integration of latest technologies." Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 21:57:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Workers clear snow in streets of Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Jan. 28, 2021. Thousands of workers have taken to the streets to clear snow after heavy snow and gales swept Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua) LAist only exists with reader support. If you're in a position to give, your donation powers our reporters and keeps us independent. Our reporting is free for everyone, but its not free to make. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now. The L.A. sheriff's deputy who fatally shot a man in Willowbrook in October, along with his partner and the two detectives investigating the shooting, refused to testify Thursday at a coroner's inquest into the man's death. In declining to testify, the two deputies cited their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in the shooting of Fred Williams III, 25. The Sheriff's Department is conducting a criminal investigation into the shooting, as it does in all cases in which a deputy shoots someone. The department has not identified the deputy who pulled the trigger or his partner, citing a "credible threat of violence" against them -- even though both are seen on body camera video of the incident. Sheriff's officials have named the two detectives assigned to the case -- John O'Brien and Christopher Dimmitt. They both said publicly testifying could compromise the outcome of the investigation. The Sheriff's Department provided the inquest's hearing officer with statements from the detectives in a sealed packet with other relevant materials, according to the hearing officer. Sheriff's officials also refused to testify at the November inquest into a deputy's fatal shooting of Andres Guardado. DON'T EXPECT ANY SURPRISES The Williams shooting was the first caught on a body-worn camera, which the department started using in October. Video shows the deputy shooting Williams as he's jumping over a fence with an apparent gun in his hand. A coroner's official testified he was shot once in the upper back, and that the bullet struck both lungs and perforated his aorta. Immediately after the shooting, the deputy radioed that Williams pointed a gun at him, although that is not clear in the video. A department spokesman said deputies recovered a 9mm handgun at the scene. A coroner's investigator testified there were eight bullet casings on the ground when she arrived -- suggesting the deputy fired eight times. After less than three hours, the hearing officer, retired state appeals court justice Candace Cooper, ended the inquest for the day and said she would review sealed documents provided by the Sheriff's Department before issuing a ruling. It's unlikely there will be any surprises. In her opening statement, Cooper reiterated that inquests are limited in their scope. Under state law, inquests only determine the name of the person who died, the time and place of death, the medical cause of death, and whether the death was the result of natural causes, an accident, suicide, or was "at the hands of another." A 'CHARADE' AND 'A WASTED OPPORTUNITY FOR JUSTICE' In both inquests, Cooper has so far not indicated an interest in seeking answers to any other questions, frustrating community activists who hoped the proceedings would provide greater transparency into the incidents and how the Sheriff's Department investigates them. Williams family attorney Carl Douglas denounced the inquest as a "charade" and "a wasted opportunity for justice." He called the detectives' refusal to testify "particularly disappointing." This is just the second coroner's inquest in nearly 40 years. The Board of Supervisors encouraged Medical Examiner-Coroner Dr. Jonathan Lucas to conduct them to increase transparency and accountability at the troubled Sheriff's Department. After two deputies and two detectives declined to testify in the Guardado inquest, Cooper determined what we already knew -- that a deputy shot him five times in the back. PRIMARY SOURCES: Victoria has been battered by a month's worth of rain in just six hours with the wild weather prompting more than 600 residents to call for help. Three people had to be rescued by SES workers as flash floods wreaked havoc across the state on Friday - the wettest day in ten months. Two had to be rescued after attempting to drive through flood waters in South Melbourne and Bendigo, while one person was trapped in a house in Avoca in the state's Central Highlands. Some areas received as much as 70mm of rain while Melbourne was dumped with 40mm. Dean Narramore, from the Bureau of Meteorology told reporters the state had 'copped a drenching' within the last 24 hours and the rain is expected to last well into the night. Victoria saw its wettest day in ten months on Friday with the rain expected to last into the night Some areas received as much as 70mm of rain while Melbourne was dumped with 40mm A car in Melbourne is seen driving through a huge downpour of rain as wild weather batters Victoria 'Melbourne metro itself has seen 40mm in four hours and the month's average for January is 47mm,' he said. 'Many locations, not only in Melbourne, but right across western and central Victoria, have had a month's worth of rain in less than six to 12 hours.' Most of the state saw rainfalls up to 50mm, with the highest in the Grampians with Mount William and Stawell seeing 70mm and 60mm respectively. A chemist in Bendigo was so badly flooded staff were forced to put nappies on the floor to act as makeshift sandbags. Shocking photos obtained by Nine News show dozens of drenched nappies lining the walls of the pharmacy. Severe thunderstorms warnings have also been set in place for the Mallee district in Victoria's north, while flood warnings have been issued for the Yarra River. Severe weather warnings have also been given to residents in Bendigo, Shepparton, Seymour, and Wangaratta. A cyclist does his best to peddle through flood waters in Victoria on Friday A chemist in Bendigo was so badly flooded staff were forced to put nappies on the floor to act as makeshift sandbags A street in Melbourne is seen completely flooded after the city received 40mm of rain in just four hours The rain is expected to continue to hammer down all night with conditions easing around the state by midmorning on Saturday The rain is expected to continue to hammer down all night with conditions easing around the state by midmorning on Saturday. 'For the summer season and also for the year, since it's pretty early, it's the wettest we've seen for this season across many parts of Victoria,' Mr Narramore said. 'It has been a dry run for most of the state since around December, but generally across state and through metro Melbourne it's the wettest we've seen so far.' Meanwhile, the SES responded to 647 calls for help within the last 24 hours with more than 200 being related to flooding, and 234 for building damage. SES spokesperson, Josh Gamble, said it was 'disappointing' to see so many Victorians attempting to drive through flood waters. Meanwhile, the SES responded to 647 calls for help within the last 24 hours with more than 200 being related to flooding, and 234 for building damage Victoria has been battered by a month's worth of rain in just six hours with the wild weather prompting more than 600 residents to call for help 'Luckily there were no injuries, however, responding agencies put our lives and our equipment at risk trying to get to these people and it only takes 15 centimetres of water for vehicles to float and cause further risk and near-drowning,' he said. 'So we please recommend people use their common sense and do not drive through any form of floodwaters and put further community and emergency responders at risk.' He also warned residents in heavily affected areas to prepare their homes for floods. 'We need residents of low-lying areas to monitor conditions and have their flood plan in place,' Mr Gamble said. 'If they want to stay they need to make sure they have sandbags at the ready or have other plans in place to get to higher areas of their property, should floodwaters come into play.' Meanwhile, Sydney suffered its wettest day of the year so far on Thursday with 19mm of rain falling in some parts. More rain is expected to fall over the weekend with the miserable conditions finally clearing up on Monday with just a 40 per cent chance. A map of Australia shows the rain forecast to lash NSW, Victoria, QLD and WA on Friday Brisbane will see a hot weekend but there's a 60 per cent chance of rainfall on Sunday ruining an otherwise sunny end to the week. Those on the other side of the country in Perth will see perfect conditions over the next few days with endless sunshine and temperatures soaring into the late 30s. Adelaide will also see a dry and sunny weekend reaching a top of 26C on Saturday and 29C on Sunday. Rain is expected to fall in Hobart on Saturday but those in the Tasmanian city should see a dry and sunny day on Sunday. Those in Australia's capital will see a wet weekend with Canberra seeing a 60 per cent chance of rain on Saturday and a 40 per cent chance on Sunday. Heavy storms however will hammer down across Darwin over the weekend with the next five days seeing a 90 per cent chance of rain. Nevada Taylor was attacked on Jan. 23, 1906, as she walked home from a street car stop in St. Elmo. The attack triggered a set of events that led to the lynching of the man accused and then hurriedly found guilty. It ended with the U. S. Supreme Court intervening to find the Hamilton County Sheriff and his accomplices guilty of obstruction of justice. Review for Series on Ed Johnson Story: This is the story of Ed Johnson. As the 115th anniversary of his lynching approaches, the Ed Johnson Project joins WUTCs Scenic Roots, Ray Bassett, in telling this dramatic story. Besides being one of the thousands of horrific incidents of racial terror that occurred in this country, Ed Johnsons story is a story of historic firsts. Noah Parden, a local attorney, was one of the first African American attorneys to argue before the Supreme Court. Justice John M. Harlan issued the stay of execution for Ed Johnson. Following the lynching, the Supreme Court conducted a criminal trial for the first and only time in its history. The landmark Supreme Court case set a precedent for federal oversight of local civil rights that was used throughout the Civil Rights era and still today. Tune in to WUTC 88.1 FM on Thursday, Feb. 4, at 3 p.m. to hear the first episode of this six-part series. Mr. Bassett is joined by Mariann Martin, an EJP committee member; and Judge Neil Thomas, retired Chattanooga trial judge and great-nephew of W.G.M. Thomas, an attorney for Mr. Johnson in his state trial. The three discuss the initial crime, the arrest of Mr. Johnson, and his trial in Hamilton County. The remaining episodes are scheduled to air Thursdays at 3 p.m. for the next five weeks. About the Ed Johnson Project: The Ed Johnson Projects mission is to promote reconciliation and healing by engaging local communities in remembering the Ed Johnson story and reflecting on its implications for us today. It fosters and promotes a deeper understanding and awareness of the lynching of Ed Johnson; honors the courageous pursuit of justice which was undertaken by his attorneys Noah W. Pardon and Styles L Hutchins in appealing the case directly to the U. S. Supreme Court; and measures the endearing legal, historical and social significance this case duly has in the establishment of justice and advancement of our society. For more information on the project visit: www.facebook.com/EdJohnsonProject or www.edjohnsonproject.com. A New York Times science and health correspondent whose reporting on the coronavirus pandemic has been a regular part of the newspapers front page and its leading podcast, The Daily, used a racial slur while serving as an expert guide on a Times-sponsored trip for high school students, The Times said on Thursday. Donald G. McNeil Jr., a 45-year veteran of The Times who has reported from 60 countries, was the subject of complaints by travelers who went to Peru in 2019 as part of Student Journeys, a series featuring experts from the papers roster of staff members and contributors. The Daily Beast reported on Thursday that at least six students or their parents, out of 26 on the trip, had complained about Mr. McNeils comments. The Times later confirmed in a statement that Mr. McNeil had used a racial slur. In 2019, Donald McNeil Jr. participated in a Student Journeys as an expert, The Times said in the statement. We subsequently became aware of complaints by some of the students on the trip concerning certain statements Donald had made during the trip. Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) produced and extensively characterized novel organic molecules with a long helical structure. Unlike previous helical molecules, these longer compounds exhibit special interactions between coils that could give rise to interesting optical and chemical properties with applications in light polarization, catalysis, and molecular springs. More often than not, organic molecules with unique 3D structures bear physicochemical properties that cannot be found in other types of compounds. Helicenes, chains of simple benzene rings that adopt a helical structure, are a good example. These molecules, which resemble a spring, have interesting applications in optics and as chemical sensors or catalysts. However, it is still difficult to synthesize long helicenes; the longest one ever made was sixteen benzene rings long, which amounted to a helical structure with slightly more than two full turns and a half. In a recent study published in Chemistry - A European Journal, a team of scientists at Tokyo Tech mixed things up by synthesizing a different type of organic molecule with a helical structure. Unlike helicenes, the basic unit of their compounds was anthracene, a linear chain of three aromatic rings (see Figure 1). In previous works, the team had managed to synthesize [3]HA, which stands for "helical anthracene with three anthracene units." However, as Professor Shinji Toyota, the corresponding author of the study, explains, "[3]HA was not long enough to reach a full turn. Therefore, it did not exhibit some of the peculiar characteristics that arise from the interactions between different 'layers' of the helical structure in a face-to-face fashion." Using a carefully planned step-by-step process, the scientists managed to synthesize [4]HA and [5]HA, which they proceeded to characterize through a variety of experiments backed by theoretical calculations. They verified the composition and structure of the compounds using proton nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray analysis. These findings were confirmed through density functional theory calculations, a widely used approach used to make quantum mechanical models of electronic and nuclear structures. Then, the researchers quantified the stability of the different helical anthracenes by using them in a virtual chemical reaction that changed them into flat molecules. Interestingly, the stability of 3[HA] was almost the same as that of [4]HA and [5]HA. This indicates that the destabilizing forces that naturally appear in longer molecular chains ([4]HA and [5]HA) actually cancelled out with the new face-to-face stabilizing interactions between different helical layers. These interactions between layered anthracene moiety was visualized by Non-Covalent Interaction (NCI) analysis (Figure 32). The effect of these new interactions was also apparent in the photoemission properties of the longer molecules; their emission bands upon excitation were longer-lived, highlighting the fact that excited states were preserved longer. Finally, the scientists explored the helical inversion process in the new, longer compounds. This inversion refers to the process of left-handed spirals changing into right-handed ones and vice versa. Some attractive optical properties such as circular polarization are lost if left- and right-handed spirals are present in equal proportion. This motivated the team to analyze the stepwise process by which each helical structure changes directions. Overall, this study provides some much-needed insight into a new type of helical molecule. Already looking ahead, Toyota comments on future works involving these exciting compounds: "Extending helical anthracenes further and producing them with a single coiling direction remains a challenge, and so does testing their performance as molecular springs. Our team is currently working on synthesizing even longer molecules and performing structural modifications." Only time will tell what's in line for helical structures when longer ones finally spring up! ### Related Links The front cover of Chemistry-A European: Construction of Helical Structures with Multiple Fused Anthracenes: Structures and Properties of Long Expanded Helicenes https:/ / chemistry-europe. onlinelibrary. wiley. com/ doi/ 10. 1002/ chem. 202005357 Demonstrating the formation of nanosized molecular complexes resembling Saturn https:/ / www. titech. ac. jp/ english/ news/ 2018/ 041830. html Toyota Laboratory http://www. chemistry. titech. ac. jp/ ~toyota/ index-en. html About Tokyo Institute of Technology BOISE Idaho lawmakers advanced two bills Thursday to spend more of the state general fund on their own operations and legal defense. The Senate voted 27-7 along party lines in support of SB 1022, which would transfer $4 million into the Legislative Legal Defense Fund. And the Senate Finance Committee voted 8-2 to advance SB 1033, which increases annual funding for legislative operations by 26%. SB 1022 permits the House speaker and Senate president pro tem to spend the money as they see fit on legislative legal defense. Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, objected that at a time when the Legislature is demanding more accountability about spending from the executive branch, there isnt more scrutiny of that legal defense spending. It is the peoples money, she told the Senate. There is quite a bit of money. This has always bothered me a little bit, that individuals can spend that kind of money without a lot of oversight and scrutiny. Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise, responded, We didnt choose to get sued by the treasurer, we didnt choose to get sued by two members of the House, we didnt choose to be sued by a group of 30-some disability groups. But we have to defend ourselves. Those were references to three current or recent lawsuits; the Idaho Supreme Court just rejected state Treasurer Julie Ellsworths appeal in a dispute with the Legislature over Capitol office space, while the other two are lawsuits now pending in federal court over the lack of COVID-19 safety measures during the current legislative session. It was actually the Legislature that sued Ellsworth, not the other way around, after she refused to move her offices out of the state Capitol; when she lost in district court, she appealed to the state Supreme Court. Attorney fees are expensive, Winder said. But Ill point out by having outside counsel just in the three most recent cases, we have prevailed, and I think thats worth something. So I would urge your support for this. The Senate-passed bill now heads to the House side. If it passes there and is signed into law, it would authorize a supplemental appropriation within the current budget year; the bill also has an emergency clause, so the funds would be transferred as soon as the bill becomes law. Prior to the Senates floor session, the Senate Finance Committee, which consists of the Senate portion of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, convened for a hearing on SB 1033, sponsored by the speaker and pro tem and co-sponsored by the two JFAC co-chairs. It would increase the transfer from the general fund for legislative operations each year by an additional $1,756,000 a year, to a new total of $8,511,000, a 26% increase. Its the first increase since 2008. The transfers, which occur in four parts each year, cover everything from legislative and staff salaries and benefits to travel, consultants and equipment. There are insufficient funds in order to cover all of the expenses of the House and the Senate," Senate Finance Chairman Steve Bair said, "and the speaker and the pro tem requested we run this bill in order to increase the funds. He said, Thats the number they proposed, so we supported it. Two Senate Finance members, Sens. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise, and Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, voted no; both said they wanted to do more research into the need for the funds before they decided on their final votes in the full Senate. You are free to vote your conscience, Bair told the Finance Committee. The bill authorizes a direct, ongoing appropriation that would occur each year, and it contains an emergency clause making it retroactive to Jan. 1, 2021. The last increases in the legislative transfer were even larger by percentage. They were a 29% boost in fiscal year 2002; and a 21% increase in fiscal year 2009. Based on agreements between the 35-member Senate and the 70-member House, the Senate receives 37% of the transfers and the House receives 63%. SB 1033 now moves to the full Senate. To become law, it would need to pass both there and in the House and receive the governors signature. Ironically, both bills won approval shortly after a discussion in the House State Affairs Committee, where, amid a presentation from administration officials about Gov. Brad Little's proposals to enact a number of his "Building Idaho's Future" initiatives through supplemental appropriations in the current year, rather than waiting to fund them in next years budget, some committee members expressed deep suspicion about the idea of supplemental appropriations. Bair, after the Senate Finance Committee meeting, said, "We've already got reports of what went on down there in committee today. I think people don't understand the supplemental appropriation process, and why that's being done. They think the governor is trying to commit some sort of monetary fraud, and that is not true. I've never seen more transparency about a budget." Chuck Schumer was saying there is only one question senators will have to answer before God and their own conscience, is President Trump guilty of inciting an insurrection a word they keep throwing around like candy against the United States. Why arent they saying its also about Pelosi and all the things she should answer for, and Biden and Bidens son and all the things they should answer for? And half the other senators? Why are they just trying to single out Trump still? The guy is out of office and they still want to crucify him. Shows you their mentality. 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. (Natural News) Attorneys Greg Glaser and Ray Flores are taking on the vaccine industry with a new lawsuit. If successful, all Americans will have the right to exempt themselves from forced vaccination if they so choose, regardless of the reason. While Americans are already protected under the Constitution from unsolicited invasion of bodily autonomy by the government, the suit seeks to reiterate and reestablish this in the specific context of vaccines. On Feb. 22, Glaser and Flores will appear in Federal Court to request a court order recognizing the role that vaccines play in the childrens health epidemic and exempting all persons from mandatory vaccination. It also aims to emphasize the importance of real control group studies that compare the health outcomes of vaccinated versus unvaccinated. Images of the court documents as filed are available at this link. One of them shows that unvaccinated adults enjoy 1,248 percent better health than vaccinated adults. Similarly, unvaccinated children enjoy 1,099 percent better health than vaccinated children. (RELATED: This study came to similar conclusions.) All vaccines are experimental, dangerous and not worth the risk Highlighting statements made by President Donald Trump back in October about how the cure cannot be worse than the problem itself, the suit emphasizes the fact that vaccines simply do not live up to the claims made about them, in terms of both safety and efficacy. A 2020 Pilot Survey Data Comparison provides numerical proof that vaccines are causing an exponential increased risk of chronic illness in America. There is simply no denying, based on the available evidence, that unvaccinated people are orders of magnitude healthier than vaccinated people. Vaccines are a reasonable suspect in Americas pandemic of chronic diseases and disorders, another section of the suit explains. Vaccines include legally classified neurotoxins in amounts that have never been proven safe. Vaccines are experimental because they have never followed the scientific method for testing with true placebos or a control group of entirely unvaccinated individuals. Another chart outlining chronic disease rates over the years depicts a sharp uptick right around the time that the government vaccine program really started to expand. The introduction of the adult vaccination schedule also brought about a precipitous increase in adult-onset chronic illness. By definition, all vaccines are experimental because none of them have been properly safety tested, and nobody can say for sure how each individual person will react to them. All vaccine regulatory approvals are supported by: Fake placebos (so-called placebos that contain neurotoxins) Fake controls (so-called controls of people who are also vaccinated) Short-term testing windows (so-called tests with monitoring periods as short as 3 days) Long-term passive surveillance of vaccine injuries (so-called surveillance with an unknown to approximately 99% failure rate of reporting) In this manner, vaccine science has not even evolved enough to recognize the basic dictionary definition of words, let alone become advanced enough to reach the status of settled science,' Glaser and Flores explain. Another thing worth considering is the fact that many vaccines now come from communist China. Glaser and Flores warn that these communist Chinese vaccines have infiltrated the United States, and now account for more than 50 percent of the global active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) market. Communist China has more than 500 companies registered to sell in the U.S. and 10 times that many serving its own market, they further explain. China ranks second among countries that export drugs and biologics to the United States. It is certainly worth your time to read through the lawsuit as it contains plenty of data and information showing that vaccines are dangerous and do not work as claimed. Be sure to share the link with your friends and family. To learn more about the dangers and ineffectiveness of vaccines, be sure to check out Vaccines.news. Sources for this article include: InformedConsentDefense.org NaturalNews.com U.S. Border Patrol agents on Friday reported a 436 percent increase in migrants apprehended in so-called stash houses near Laredo, Texas since October when compared to the same time last year. The stash houses at the Texas-Mexico border are operated by human trafficking organizations to hide undocumented immigrants. The homes, stuffed full of unmasked people in Texas neighborhoods, also have drawn the CBP's concern over the spread of the coronavirus. Data released by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol's Laredo Border Sector - which is responsible for 136 miles of the southwest border along the Rio Grande River - shows that agents have detained over 1,200 undocumented immigrants in stash houses since October. In some instances, migrants who have paid someone to ferry them across the border are tricked into dealing with a smuggler who then holds them against their will in one of these homes, extorting them for even more money. Pictured are 64 of the undocumented immigrants who were arrested Tuesday during raids at three homes in Laredo, Texas, that were carried out by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Laredo Border Sector said it has seen a 436 percent increase in apprehensions since October at stash houses used by human trafficking organizations More than 30 undocumented immigrants (pictured) were detained by agents from CBP's Laredo Sector Border Patrol on Tuesday while searching three homes, including two that held migrants were held against their will A two story home in the Laredo Sector was one of three that were raided by CBP agents on Tuesday. The agents said they were acting on an anonymous tip The figures represent a 436 percent increase compared to the same period last year - from October 2019 through January 2020 - when agents apprehended 231 migrants from stash houses within the Laredo zone. On Tuesday, Laredo Border Sector agents acting on an anonymous tip detained 64 undocumented immigrants and a U.S. citizen in charge of three stash houses in a raid in Laredo, Texas. In two of the houses, CBP agents said the migrants were held against their will. All of the migrants - foreign nationals from Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador - were in the United States illegally. On January 20, the border sector's agents were alerted by residents in Rio Bravo, Texas, to a group of people who were being smuggled near a ranch there. They were being put in a stash house - with an American citizen who had led them across the Mexico-United States border. Pictured are 22 of the 64 undocumented immigrants detained by CBP at a stash house in Laredo, Texas. The agency said none of the migrants were wearing face masks to protect them from potentially being infected with COVID-19 Migrants await to be process inside a Laredo, Texas, stash house what was busted by CBP On January 20, the CBP agents from the Laredo Sector Border Patrol were alerted by residents in Rio Bravo, Texas, to a group of individuals who were being smuggled near a ranch and located 29 migrants at a stash house with an American citizen, who had led them across the Mexico-United States border The rising numbers in arrests of undocumented immigrants at stash houses between October and January represents 4 percent of the nearly 32,000 migrants who have been detained by CBP's Laredo Border Sector agents since October. The increased activity of smugglers using homes across the Laredo Border Sector has raised major concerns for Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'We continue to encounter stash houses with large numbers of [undocumented immigrants] in residential neighborhoods and in close proximity to other homes and families,' Hudak said. 'As residents throughout our area limit social gatherings and sacrifice to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we see smugglers and these [migrants] totally disregard globally recognized safety practices, putting themselves and others at risk.' 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 Quarterly Activity - Cashflow Report Melbourne, Jan 29, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - FEED for the Vali-1 ST1 connection to the Beckler Field (which is connected to the Dullingari facilities and ultimately Moomba) was awarded to GPA Engineering. The main objective of the now completed FEED phase was to complete the necessary engineering to identify long lead items and refine the cost estimate for a final investment decision, which will then initiate the procurement stage.To maximise value from the Vali gas field, through increased production and resultant cash flow, further wells are planned. To this end, potential locations for further drilling in the field have been identified and are under discussion within the joint venture, with rig scouting for these wells underway. The development concept for the Vali gas field (refer ASX release dated 17 September 2020) identified that up to nine fracture stimulated vertical wells will be targeted for optimal production from reservoirs in the Patchawarra Formation and the Tirrawarra Sandstone. The first two wells in this program are under consideration for drilling in the first half of 2021 (subject to regulatory and joint venture approvals and rig availability), and they will appraise upside potential in sands within the Toolachee Formation and Nappamerri Group.Completion of the Vali-1 ST1 well is necessary ahead of connecting the well into the Moomba gathering system. During the quarter, production tubing was run into the hole with isolation packers successfully set on two occasions, however, pressure testing via the production tubing in the well bore indicated a leaking seal assembly on the completion. A black viscous substance was noted as a film on the first packer assembly after its retrieval from the borehole. The substance may be precipitating on the casing and causing the packer leaks under pressure testing. Samples have now been sent for analysis to determine chemical composition and a plan will be developed to remove the material on returning to site to finalise the completion. Although frustrating, deferral of the completion is not critical to the timeline for first production.Cultural Heritage and environmental surveys were recently completed in ATP 2021 for the surface facility, flowline and possible future well locations. The process was completed in a timely manner with the Wongkumara People, Erias/environmental projects and GPA/FYFE and we appreciate and thank all parties for their effort to complete this work in a timely manner.First reserves for the Vali Field were certified by ERC Equipoise Pte Ltd ("ERCE"), which completed a rigorous and independent review of the Vali gas discovery and subsequent flow results. The Vali-1 ST1 well discovered stacked gas pay in the Nappamerri, Toolachee, Patchawarra and Tirrawarra Formations, however, the scope of the ERCE reserves certification was for the Patchawarra Formation reservoir only. The reserves booking is the first for Vintage and supports commercialisation of the Vali gas field with its planned connection into the Moomba gathering system.In its report, ERCE estimated gross 1P reserves for the Patchawarra Formation of 12.3 billion standard cubic feet ("Bcf"), 2P of 30.3 Bcf and 3P of 78.9 Bcf which equates to 1P of 13.4 petajoules ("PJ"), 2P of 33.2 PJ and 3P of 86.6 PJ.Vintage is hopeful that gas produced from the Vali Field will be much greater than the 2P figure estimated by ERCE, with upside to potentially come from stacked reservoirs, including the shallower Nappamerri Group and Toolachee Formation. Vintage has brought this project from farm-in, to discovery, to successful testing and now to reserves booking in just over one year, which is an outstanding achievement for a company at such an early stage since listing.To view the quarterly report, please visit:About Vintage Energy Ltd Vintage Energy Ltd (ASX:VEN) has been established to acquire, explore and develop energy assets principally within, but not limited to, Australia, to take advantage of a generally favourable energy pricing outlook. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 19:58:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A Hindu devotee walks in front of a Hindu temple on the occasion of Thaipusam amid the movement control order in Batu Caves near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 28, 2021. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua) -- Malaysia reports 5,725 new cases in highest daily spike, total passes 200,000-mark; -- Restaurants in Bangkok see easing dine-in restriction; -- Indonesia reports 13,802 new COVID-19 cases, 187 new deaths; -- Senior doctor first to receive anti COVID-19 jab in Sri Lanka. HONG KONG, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia-Pacific countries on Friday: KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia recorded 5,725 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its highest daily spike since the outbreak of the coronavirus in the Asian country, bringing its total tally to 203,933, the Health Ministry said. Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that seven of the new cases were imported cases and 5,718 were local transmissions. A staff member disinfects a school in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak) BANGKOK -- Thailand has extended the daily dine-in time in restaurants in certain areas as the domestic outbreak appears to be largely under control, the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said. Thailand confirmed 802 new cases of coronavirus infection with Samut Sakhon province still reporting hundreds of cases daily, Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said. Students walk to a school in Faizabad, Afghanistan's northern Badakhshan province, Oct. 4, 2020. (Str/Xinhua) KABUL -- Afghanistan's Public Health Ministry reported 69 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the country's total tally to 55,008, including 5,002 active cases. The COVID-19 pandemic has so far claimed 2,400 lives in Afghanistan since February. Health workers wait in a hall before receiving a dose of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine during mass vaccination program for health workers as the main priority group in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Jan. 28, 2021. (Photo by Supriyanto/Xinhua) JAKARTA -- The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 13,802 in the past 24 hours to 1,051,795, with the death toll adding by 187 to 29,518, the Health Ministry said. A staff member checks the body temperature of students at the entrance to a girl's school in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Jan. 25, 2021. (Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua) COLOMBO -- Sri Lanka's health officials kicked off the country's first COVID-19 vaccination program by inoculating a senior consultant physician at the National Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) who has been in the front lines of the pandemic, local media reported. Students queue for washing hands with alcohol before being allowed into their classrooms at the Bak Touk High School in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Jan. 11, 2021. (Photo by Sovannara/Xinhua) PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia confirmed two new imported COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections in the kingdom to 463, said a Ministry of Health (MoH) statement. A staff member wearing a face mask cleans a multi-purpose bubble pod at a hotel in Manila, the Philippines on Jan. 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali) MANILA -- The Department of Health (DOH) of the Philippines reported 1,849 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 521,413. The death toll climbed to 10,600 after 48 more patients died from the viral disease. Photo taken on Dec. 11, 2020 shows houses in the suburbs of Wellington, New Zealand. (Xinhua/Guo Lei) WELLINGTON -- New Zealand reported six new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in managed isolation, with no new cases in the community detected. The new cases were imported cases reported in arrivals from Qatar, Ethiopia, Italy and Britain, and all have been transferred to a quarantine facility in Auckland, according to the Ministry of Health. Health workers wait in line to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Mumbai, India, Jan. 16, 2021. (Photo by Fariha Farooqui/Xinhua) NEW DELHI -- India's COVID-19 tally rose to 10,720,048 as 18,855 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, said the latest data from the federal health ministry. According to the official data, the death toll mounted to 154,010 as 163 COVID-19 patients died since Thursday morning. Students take body temperature checks before the school opening ceremony in a high school in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi on Sept. 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Tao Jun) HANOI -- Vietnam reported nine new cases of COVID-19 infection on Friday morning, all locally transmitted, according to its Ministry of Health. The new cases were all recorded in northern regions, including four in Hai Duong province, two in Quang Ninh province, and one each in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, Bac Ninh province and Hai Phong city, said the ministry. A man wearing a face mask walks in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang) SEOUL -- South Korea reported 469 more cases of COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 77,395. The daily caseload fell for three straight days, but concerns remained about cluster infections linked to a Christian missionary group in Daejeon, about 160 km south of Seoul, that has a nationwide network. 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 hearing to determine if a South Jersey man charged with stabbing his neighbor to death last May will return to jail following his arrest on new charges in Florida has been moved to next week, a court official confirmed. A hearing to revoke 18-year-old Zachary Lathams release was slated for Friday afternoon, but his attorney requested a delay, the official confirmed Friday morning. A reason for the delay was not provided and efforts to reach his attorney were unsuccessful. The hearing was rescheduled for Feb. 4. The Cumberland County Prosecutors Office declined to comment on the delay Latham, charged with aggravated manslaughter in the May killing of William T. Durham Sr., 51, has been free pending trial since weeks after the incident and has been living in Florida. He was arrested there over the weekend for allegedly threatening another motorist with a weapon that turned out to be a pellet gun and trying to ram the victims vehicle. Prosecutors in New Jersey have filed to revoke his release, citing the Florida incident and violations of an earlier order that he stop commenting publicly about the case on social media. The new charges were filed after Latham clashed with another driver at a car meet outside a warehouse in Fort Myers, Florida, on Saturday night, according to a probable cause statement filed by a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol. The victim, described as a 17-year-old, told police that he was leaving the site when Lathams Infiniti blew past me and cut me off. Latham allegedly stopped his car, got out and ran toward the other motorist screaming get out of the car, get out of the car, I have a gun. The victim claimed Latham lifted his shirt to reveal what appeared to be a black/dark handle or pistol grip in Mr. Lathams pants. The victim told police he knew the other driver and that Latham has a violent past, adding that he feared for his life because he thought the object was a real firearm. The airsoft pellet gun made to resemble an AK-47 that the Florida Highway Patrol said they found in a vehicle driven by Zachary T. Latham, 18, in Fort Myers, Florida.(Florida Highway Patrol photo) When the driver tried to flee, he put his car in reverse and thought he hit something. As he drove away, he claimed Latham attempted to ram his car. The victim told an officer nearby what had happened and Latham was quickly stopped. Latham told police the other driver cut in front of him and that when Latham confronted him the 17-year-old backed into a friends car. Latham indicated he was simply trying to chase down the other driver for hitting the friends vehicle. I recorded the whole thing, Latham allegedly told police, but later we found out that was a false statement, the trooper noted in his report. Witnesses told police they saw the Infiniti trying to ram the victims car into the warehouse and also reported that Latham claimed earlier in the evening he had a gun in his possession. Police found a black airsoft gun that resembled an AK-47 rifle in a backpack in Lathams car. The guns stock was folded so that the rifle was in a pistol configuration, the arresting officer said. Latham denied taking it out of the bag, adding that it belonged to his little brother. He said he left the magazines for the weapon in the trunk, but the officer noted that a magazine for the gun was found in the bag with the rifle. While speaking with police, Latham indicated he was in the U.S. Army, the report notes. He joined the New Jersey Army National Guard in May 2019 and a spokeswoman for the Guard confirmed Friday that he is no longer a member. Zachary Latham was separated from the New Jersey Army National Guard in September 2020, she said. Latham was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and freed from jail on electronic monitoring Monday after posting bond. Trouble between Latham and the Durhams began early last year after the victims wife, Catherine, told Latham to stop speeding in their Vineland neighborhood. Latham posted a video of the encounter on TikTok, and followed up with additional videos mocking the family. Clashes between them grew more heated in the following weeks and boiled over on May 4, when Durham Sr., a veteran state corrections officer, and his sons arrived at Lathams property to confront him. They were unarmed, but Latham emerged from his house with a stun gun and knives as his wife recorded with her cellphone. A bloody brawl followed between the Durhams, Latham and two of his friends. Latham stabbed Durham Sr. multiple times and he later died at a hospital. Latham, who claimed he was acting in self-defense, was freed from jail in May over the objections of prosecutors and Durhams family. William T. Durham Sr., a correctional officer at South Woods State Prison, was stabbed to death in a fight with a neighbor. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. A woman who allowed her home to be used to store drugs has had her children taken away from her and placed into care since her arrest, a court has heard. Veronica O'Connor (41) was not present in her home when it was raided by gardai, although two individuals who did not live in the house were present along with her two children. O'Connor of Bunratty Road, Coolock, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to permitting the sale of controlled drugs from her address on February 22, 2017. She has two previous convictions for road traffic offences. Sergeant Janice Gray told John Berry BL, prosecuting, that on the date in question, gardai obtained a search warrant for O'Connor's address on foot of confidential information. The door to the house was barred when gardai arrived and was not immediately opened when they knocked. Sgt Gray said that when the door was opened, gardai found two people in the house who did not reside there, as well two children. O'Connor was found in a car outside the house and had been talking with her brother having received bags of clothing from him. Gardai discovered heroin with a value of 2,412 in the kitchen inside a container that would normally contain tea. They also discovered 48 Diazepam tablets for which the accused took responsibility. Mr Berry told the court that the State's case was that O'Connor was knowingly allowing people to use her home for the supply of heroin. He said that she gave no names as to who these people were and the State is not going so far to say that it was the two people who were in the house when gardai arrived. Sgt Gray agreed with Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, that at least one of those two people would be known to gardai and is now serving a fairly lengthy sentence for a drugs offence. She agreed there were no trapping of wealth in the house. The sergeant agreed that his client was on methadone, had relapsed back into taking heroin and was trying to detox so she could get treatment. She agreed his client has had a long addiction, but has gotten clean on several occasions. Mr Le Vert told the court that the two children have been taken away from his client and are now in care. Judge Martin Nolan said the accused was a lady of a certain age who should have known better, but had little record of conviction. He said that while the amount of drugs was serious enough, it was not too serious in relation to the amounts that come before the court. Judge Nolan said he did not think she deserved a custodial sentence. He sentenced O'Connor to two years imprisonment, but suspended the entirety of the sentence on condition that she keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years. Posted Thursday, January 28, 2021 5:34 pm OLYMPIA Openly carrying firearms or other weapons at public demonstrations and the Capitol Campus could become prohibited if a state Senate bill passes this session. In its first public hearing, the bill received some support from Democratic lawmakers and gun reform advocates, while Republicans and gun rights supporters said it goes too far. "It's time," bill sponsor Sen. Patty Kuderer, D-Bellevue, told the Senate Law and Justice Committee on Tuesday. "Given what we've seen and given the level of political decision, it makes sense as Washington to join those other states that have enacted bans." The bill would make it illegal to open carry a firearm while participating in or attending any demonstration held at a public place, within 1,000 feet of a demonstration at a public place after law enforcement advises the person to leave until they no longer possess the firearm, on state Capitol grounds, or inside a legislative office or hearing. It does not apply to people possessing any weapon inside a private dwelling, building or structure. Safety at the state Capitol has been a topic of discussion this legislative session after a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol and protesters breached the governor's mansion gate at the Washington State Capitol on Jan. 6. Many protesters in both Washington, D.C., and Olympia were openly carrying guns. Before the start of the legislative session, Gov. Jay Inslee deployed the National Guard to assist state patrol and Capitol police in keeping the Capitol safe. Fencing also was erected around the Legislative Building, and strict areas where protesters could meet were designated. Few protesters have since traveled to the state Capitol. Concealed carry is allowed in the state Capitol with the correct license. Guns are not allowed in the Senate public galleries. Openly carried guns are also prohibited from House galleries. This bill does not apply to concealed-carry rules in the Capitol. Tom Kwieciak, a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, called the definitions "unconstitutionally vague." He also said the law would be ripe for selective enforcement. In the bill, "demonstration" is defined as conduct by one or more people communicating or expressing views or grievances. It does not include casual use of property by visitors or tourists. "Public place" is defined as any site that is accessible to the general public. "Although it may not be common in some of your districts," Kwieciak told committee members, "many citizens in Washington do exercise their right to open-carry firearms in our state every day without incident." Dan Mitchell, owner of Sporting Systems in Vancouver, said the bill "reeks of inequity." "If we're doing such a marvelous policy job, why are there so many angry people outside?" he asked committee members. He also cautioned the committee against doing anything to undermine civil rights. Republican leadership agreed that the bill may go too far. In a Tuesday news conference, Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, said the bill goes beyond just banning open carry in or around the Capitol. It has restrictions on having a weapon in the car and has a broad definition of "public places," she said. "This bill conveys something in writing that is much different than what it purports to," she said. Kuderer said she did not think the bill would undermine any rights. Lawmakers put restrictions on amendments all the time, she said. She also pointed to courthouses, jails and prisons as places where guns aren't allowed. "It's not a suspension of the Second Amendment," she said. "It's simply a reasonable restriction." Adrian Diaz, interim police chief of the Seattle Police Department, testified in support of the bill. He said he supports the Second Amendment, but he sees the threats at large demonstrations when people open carry. Guns make no one safe and increase danger for everyone involved, he said. Democrats aren't sure what the best options are for safety at the Capitol. There are no metal detectors to get into the Legislative Building, although they were installed for one session in 2005 and then removed. House Majority Leader Rep. Pat Sullivan, of Covington, told reporters Monday that lawmakers will have to think of different ways to incorporate safety measures so everyone has a good experience when they come to the Capitol, but he wasn't sure what that might look like. Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, said safety at the Capitol is not just about lawmakers. "It's about people really feeling welcome to come and they feel safe when they visit," she said. Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane, said it's important to strike a balance between access and safety. House Minority Leader J.T. Wilcox, of Yelm, told reporters Tuesday that even though there were armed people banging on a House door last session demanding to see him, he believes most of the gun rights rallies over the last 10 years have been "very well-conducted and peaceful." He added it's already against the law to aim a weapon at someone or to threaten someone with a weapon, and "we should enforce those (laws) without exception." The bill will be up for a vote in committee on Thursday. MDE and Library of Michigan Promote Equity in Literacy with Selections of African American Authors and Their Books MDE and Library of Michigan Promote Equity in Literacy with Selections of African American Authors and Their Books Martin Ackley, Director of Public and Governmental Affairs 517-241-4395 Education January 29, 2021 LANSING In celebration of African American History Month, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and the Library of Michigan are excited to release the first week of outstanding African American authors and their literary works that have been selected through nominations from Michigan educators. This month-long series is coordinated with MDEs release of its Equity in Literacy resource guide to help local schools and teachers improve literacy skills of all students, with a particular emphasis on children of color and working class and poor children. Our nation has a long history of outstanding African American authors whose works need to be shared, said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. To improve literacy in our state and country, we need not only to improve our students technical literacy skills but also to increase their interest in and engagement with the works that they read. Diversity in childrens literature is critical to engagement. All children need to see themselves in their literature. All children need to see a broad range of people and cultures in their literature. Diversity in literature engages children, and the engagement leads to more reading, greater fluency, greater vocabulary development, and a broader knowledge of the world. Most importantly, it leads to children who become life-long readers because they value what they read, not because they are told to read. Seven African American authors and their literary works will be featured each week during the month of February along with information about the nominator and a brief description of the nominators use of the work with students. The weekly calendar will be posted on MDEs Equity in Literacy website. Among the authors and selections for the week of February 1-7 are: Selected Poems by Langston Hughes, The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson, and Isaiah Dunn is My Hero by Kelly Baptist. The Equity in Literacy resource provides guidance to schools throughout the state about evidence-based literacy strategies, initiatives, and programs to improve literacy achievement and access to literacy, with special attention to reducing class, racial, and ethnic disparities. In releasing this guidance, Dr. Rice said that in 2021 in the United States, all children should learn to read, and learn to read well enough that they can fully pursue their dreams in adulthood. Yet in no state, let alone in the country as a whole, have we managed to come close to this level of substantial literacy for 100 percent of our children. This should be cause enough for concern in and of itself, Dr. Rice said. Of additional and profound concern is that, on average, our children of color and our working class and poor children in Michigan and across the country underperform their peers. This is not a reflection of their capability. As educators and policymakers, both in Michigan and across the country, we have a collective responsibility to do better. Earlier this month, MDE launched the initiative to recognize and celebrate outstanding African American authors and their literary works. Educators throughout the state were invited to nominate authors and their literary works that educators have used in their classrooms with students. The request generated 143 nominations submitted from 71 different traditional school districts, public school academies, nonpublic schools, and others. We greatly appreciate the educators who accepted the challenge and submitted a nomination, Dr. Rice said. Their interests and submissions were instrumental to the success of this new initiative. To recognize African American authors is to celebrate and to raise up their literary work, expand the use of diverse literature in classrooms, and offer students an opportunity to engage in literature in which they see themselves (mirrors) and others (windows) in their reading, as presented in the work of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop. In addition to celebrating outstanding African American authors through this initiative, MDE is hosting a free virtual conference for educators and administrators, Building Mirrors and Windows: Children Seeing Themselves and Others in the Literature that We Teach, on February 25, 2021. The conference will provide participants with ideas to increase the amount of diverse literature available to students and how to use the materials for instruction and student engagement. For more information on the conference or the African American authors project, please contact mde-earlyliteracy@michigan.gov. The Equity in Literacy guidance document describes research-based literacy instruction and addresses practices that support access to high-quality literacy learning for all Michigan students. The document is divided into five sections: Practices for creating engaging literacy learning environments The daily involvement of students in literacy The scientific or technical aspects of literacy The role of family engagement Resources to support equity in literacy The Equity in Literacy guidance will be a living document. The guidance and resources, including the book recommendations, will be periodically updated. The document and additional resources are also available on MDEs Equity in Literacy website. Credit: University of Southampton Critically endangered eels in the Thames will benefit from cutting-edge new work that sheds light on how the creatures swim up the river's estuary. A traditional London delicacy, the creatures now face even more pressing problems than fishing threats. However, scientists from University of Southampton, HR Wallingford and the University of Nottingham working with ZSL (Zoological Society of London) hope their new study, published in the journal Ecological Modelling, will help conservation efforts. The European eel is a mysterious and often overlooked creature. After starting their lives at an unknown location in the Sargasso Sea, near Bermuda, the eels drift across the Atlantic on oceanic currents and then navigate up the rivers of Europe, including the Thames, to feed and grow. The eels live in the river for up to 30 years before waiting for a stormy night in autumn to begin the long journey back to their spawning grounds. However, since the 1980s, eel numbers have seen a decline of around 95% and have been placed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's "Red List." The drop in numbers is believed to be for a number of reasons, but one of the major problems in rivers is that eels are unable to migrate to their important freshwater habitats past hazards and barriers, such as weirs, sluice gates, power station intake pipes, hydropower devices and dams. Demystifying how the eels migrate through the estuaries will allow both conservationists and engineers to design measure to support the recovery of this species of cultural and ecological importance. The new science can also help with selecting eel-friendly sites for new developments and to design low-impact infrastructure. The method can be applied anywhere in the world that eels are in danger from human structures such as tidal turbines, power stations and factories. Professor Paul Kemp of the University of Southampton, and the principal investigator on the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded project "Vaccinating the Nexus" under which this research was conducted said: "It is really great that this interdisciplinary research, which involves engineers, mathematicians and biologists, is providing the information needed to help protect this species of high cultural and ecological value." Dr. Tom Benson, senior scientist at HR Wallingford explains: "To build the model we took information about the eels' swimming habits, such as the fact that they follow freshwater and swim at different depths during the day and night, alongside information about the river, such as direction of the tide and the salinity gradient. We then checked the results against the actual numbers of eels caught in eel traps at Brentford Lock, which are monitored by ZSL's team of citizen scientists." Alison Debney, Conservation Programme Manager at ZSL said: "We're delighted that our information will help conserve this critically endangered species and help with the good management of our river systems. Once again, our citizen scientists have helped shape cutting-edge science, in this case ensuring effective mitigation measures for eels, and helping humans and wildlife to coexist." Dr. Markus Owen of the University of Nottingham sad: "It was fascinating and great fun to work with Tom and the team to turn our understanding of eel behaviors and knowledge of river flows into predictive models. Exploring various assumptions allowed us to work out which combinations of swimming behavior were consistent with the data from ZSL." Explore further European eels: One gene pool fits all More information: Thomas Benson et al. Agent-based modelling of juvenile eel migration via selective tidal stream transport, Ecological Modelling (2021). Thomas Benson et al. Agent-based modelling of juvenile eel migration via selective tidal stream transport,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2021.109448 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 new accuracy row has broken out over the upcoming film Spencer starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, with royal experts branding it inaccurate because it's set on a weekend at Sandringham which never happened. It was revealed in June last year that the Twilight actress, 30, would depict the late royal in a film which dramatises a 'critical' few days at the Norfolk estate in the early 1990s, when Diana decided that her marriage to Prince Charles wasn't working. It follows the moments in which the Princess of Wales realised she 'needed to veer from a path that put her in line to one day be queen', and is said to take place during one of Diana's final Christmases at the House of Windsor in Sandringham. But according to royal biographers Robert Jobson and Ingrid Seward, Diana had stopped visiting the estate before the period in which the drama is set. Royal experts have branded the upcoming Spencer film starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana as 'inaccurate' because it's set on a weekend at Sandringham which never happened Robert added that Diana had already made the decision regarding her marriage 'years before', while Ingrid pointed out that the princess 'never wanted a divorce'. It follows widespread criticism of Netflix drama The Crown, which saw politicians, experts and friends of the Royal Family call for a disclaimer to warn viewers that the show twists the truth. Friends of close senior royals including Prince Charles even went so far as to accuse it of 'trolling on a Hollywood budget'. Speaking on True Royalty TV's The Royal Beat, Robert said: 'I don't even think she was there that weekend. She wasn't even at Sandringham, on this supposed weekend. 'The film will suggest this is where the decision was made to divorce, but she never made that decision. I didn't think she was at Sandringham after 1990 and this was set in 1991.' Ingrid added: 'The film is based on three days at Sandringham, and the period that it is based on, Diana wasn't going to Sandringham anymore. Way back when: It was revealed in June last year that the Twilight actress, 30, would depict the late royal in a film which dramatises a 'critical' weekend in the early 1990s, when Diana decided that her marriage to Prince Charles wasn't working 'It's probably going to just play up what life was like at Sandringham, which would be quite interesting for a lot of people to see. It has a good setting.' The screenplay of Spencer was written by Steven Knight, who worked on Peaky Blinders, so Robert predicted the film will be 'explosive and rock n roll'. Like The Crown, the latest series of which was branded a 'spiteful attack on the Royal Family by making them look like inept idiots' by Angela Levin, author of Harry: Biography of a Prince, Robert suggested this film will also mix fact with fiction. 'I think it's a shame because there's so much out there that we know that is true, but then again they need that scope to be able to do a fictional drama like this,' he said. Kristen, 30, left, said she hasn't been excited about a role in a long time ahead of her portrayal of Princess Diana (right in 1994) Ingrid agreed, adding: 'Why do fiction when the fact is actually more interesting?' The announcement that Los Angeles-born Kristen had won the role over a British actress was met with fury, but many remarked on her incredible resemblance to the late princess in an image released this week. Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larrain defended his decision to cast the American star, telling Deadline: 'Kristin is one of the greatest actors around today.' He added: 'Kristen can be many things, and she can be very mysterious and very fragile an ultimately very strong as well, which is what we need.' The troubled marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana will be the subject of the new film (Pictured above in Sicily British royal tour of Italy in 1985) 'The combination of those elements made me think of her. The way she responded to the script and how she is approaching the character, it's very beautiful to see. I think she's going to do something stunning and intriguing at the same time.' In October, Kristen admitted she's nervous about taking on the role in new movie Spencer, especially the task of mastering the late princess' accent. In an interview with InStyle, the actress gushed that she hasn't been 'this excited about playing a part... in so long.' She added: 'In terms of research, I've gotten through two and a half biographies, and I'm finishing all the material before I actually go make the movie... It's one of the saddest stories to exist ever, and I don't want to just play Diana I want to know her implicitly.' The Royal Beat is available from 30th January on True Royalty TV. Trump's policies destroyed infrastructure Biden needs to raise refugee ceiling to 125,000, advocates say Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Former President Donald Trump's cuts to the refugee ceiling will continue to impact resettlement for years as President Joe Bidens commitment to resettle 125,000 refugees per fiscal year will only be as good as the infrastructure that has been decimated in recent years, advocates said Wednesday. Representatives from faith-based groups and a national security expert discussed issues facing refugee resettlement in the United States with reporters on a zoom conference organized by the National Immigration Forum. Trumps cuts to the number of refugees allowed to be resettled in the U.S. each year to as low as 15,000 refugees for fiscal year 2021 meant that some employees of resettlement organizations lost their jobs, reporters were told. As were thinking about this from a policy standpoint, this is a problem that is more significant than raising a number," said Southern Baptist Conventions Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Vice President for Public Policy, Travis Wussow. "Its about rebuilding the pipeline for refugee settlement." Trump lowered the refugee ceiling to 15,000 people in his final year in office, down from the close to 100,000 refugees resettled in the last full fiscal year of the Obama administration (2016). Since the 1980s, the U.S. has set ceilings at an average of 95,000 people per year, Bethany Christian Services Vice President of Public and Government Affairs, Nathan Bult, said. Until about four years ago, resettling refugees was extremely bipartisan, said Bult. The most common question we receive is, is it safe to resettle refugees? This is not a process where you simply purchase a plane ticket and you can simply come to the U.S. The Trump administration differed from previous Republican and Democrat presidents by cutting refugee numbers, he said. It cut off funding to refugee resettlement organizations and dismantled the logistical systems required to bring in 95,000 refugees per year. Aid organizations have struggled to connect families who want to help refugees with people who need help after Trumps cuts, said World Relief's Church Mobilization Director Matthew Soerens, who is also the national coordinator of the Evangelical Immigration Forum. We have lost a lot of infrastructure in the last few years. Theres been a 38% reduction in the number of offices for refugee resettlement since 2017, he said. World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals and one of nine agencies authorized to resettle refugees in the U.S., laid off 140 employees in 2017 after Trump's first refugee ceiling cut. Because the organization got paid by the government for each refugee it resettled, it received less funding when Trump lowered refugee numbers. In 2019, over 100 offices for refugee resettlement closed or suspended programs. Despite an estimated 1.4 million people in urgent need for resettlement worldwide, the U.N. reaches less than 1% of the need, said Bult. Now is the time for the U.S. to reassert global leadership. To resettle 125,000 refugees in a year, nonprofits and government agencies will have to increase their current rate of resettlement eightfold. They will have to do so before they know how many refugees will want to apply to the U.S., Soerens said. Its great to put a ceiling, but that doesnt tell us how many refugees will be arriving. The resources historically followed the arrival of the refugees, but we need to build it before they arrive, he said. Trumps refugee policies damaged lives around the world and abdicated Americas place of leadership, said Elizabeth Neumann, the former deputy chief of staff of the Department of Homeland Security under Trump who endorsed Biden in the 2020 election. The fearmongering that took place over the last four years was not grounded on any actual threat. A lot of the assertions on why we needed the travel ban were not grounded in reality, she said. Tone down the rhetoric. Start dealing in facts. Thats the best way to keep us safe. Its not to close our doors. The travel ban Neumann cited was set in motion by former President Barack Obama, who in December 2015 signed into law the Visa Waiver Improvement Program and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act, which designated Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia as areas of concern. The countries affected by the travel ban before Bidens revoked it last week were Eritrea, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Myanmar, Nigeria, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Venezuela, and Yemen. Trump issued the first version of the travel ban on Jan. 27, 2017. In April 2018, Trump removed Chad from the list of the blocked countries. Last year, he added Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania due to their failure to share terrorist, criminal, or identity information for their travelers. Neumann argued that refugees from war-torn countries dont pose a higher security threat than Americans who are already in the country. And the refugees who have committed terrorist attacks chose radical beliefs after they arrived in the U.S., she contended. Advocates said that refugees have to pass through a complex series of logistical obstacles, background checks and bureaucracy before they enter the U.S. Getting into the U.S. can take two years as well as requires a large number of skilled professionals to organize. Bidens refugee ceiling sends an important message to the rest of the world, Neumann asserted. Setting the ceiling, even if its difficult or impossible to achieve this year, its sending a signal that were back, she said. "It is my understanding these resettlement agencies domestically will need time and space to step up." Ahead of the upcoming to be presented on February 1 exporters' bodies have made a presentation to Nirmala Sitharaman and are waiting eagerly for a favourable Budget. They had made a presentation to the for tax deductions on product development and Research and Development, Income Tax rate reduction for non-corporates, double tax deduction scheme for internationalisations and deemed export status to Indian industry under the global bidding of procurement. The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) and Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) in their presentation to the government have suggested to bring a Double Tax Deduction Scheme for Internationalizations to allow exporters to deduct against their taxable income, twice the qualifying expenses incurred for approved overseas activities including market preparation, market exploration, market promotion, and market presence. Talking to ANI, Ajai Shai, Director General and CEO, FIEO said, "We want the budget to draw a road map for export. Recently, only exports were in positive territory. The basic focus for the export sector should be Research and Development. Research and Development is extremely important for countries' export. We had requested that tax deduction on Research and Development expenditure, which has come down from 200 per cent to 100 per cent now may be restored to its original position as Research and Development investment in India is extremely low." "We also want that Centre can provide duty-free import of Research and Development equipment and consumers to large companies who are in the field of exports. We are also focusing on the marketing expenses for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). If we can create an export development fund this will help the SMEs," he added. He further suggested that the central government may consider introducing a scheme in line with Sabka Vishwas (Legacy Dispute Resolution) Scheme, 2019 to resolve all disputes relating to Customs and Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Dr A Sakthivel, Chairman, AEPC said for bolstering the textile and apparel sector, the government should provide higher budgetary allocation, mitigate the high cost of working capital, strengthen the brand value of Indian textile and apparels, ease access to funds for technological upgradation, remove the cap on benefit under the Technology Upgradation Fund (TUF) scheme, increase research and development into new products to suit emerging global demand, increase international technical collaborations, raise Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in multi-brand retail and draw an aggressive export policy. Echoing similar concern Karthikeyan Natarajan, President, and Chief Operating Officer, Cyient told ANI that Budget should focus on innovation in India. "We hope the Budget lays down a clear roadmap for a higher innovation quotient and sets a vision to carve India into an innovative economy by 2050. This would require India to grow from 0.5 per cent of Research and Development spends to the GDP to improve to 1.5 per cent by end of this decade and reach 2.5-3 per cent by 2050," he said. Rajiv Bhalla, Managing Director, Barco India also harped on research and development. He said, "We are also hopeful that the budget will address measures essential for an accelerated digital transformation. This includes investment in Research and Development, automation technologies, skilling and development of a talent pool trained in digital age skills, which will help accelerate the pace of development. A journalist has been arrested after taking and sharing photographs of activists protesting against the conditions in a controversial military camp housing hundreds of asylum seekers in Kent. Freelance photographer Andy Aitchison, 46, attended a demonstration outside Napier Barracks, in Folkestone, on Thursday morning and took photos as protesters threw buckets of fake blood at the gates of the site. The images were later used in local press reports. The protest, which saw demonstrators holding signs reading: Close Napier now and There will be blood on your hands, came in response to mounting concerns about poor living conditions in the barracks where more than 100 people have contracted coronavirus in the last two weeks. On Friday afternoon a fire broke out at the site, which has been used to house around 400 asylum seekers since September, prompting renewed calls for the camp to be closed. The cause of the fire is as yet unknown. More than six hours after the demonstration on Thursday, five police officers arrived at the home of Mr Aitchison, who has worked as a photographer for 26 years, and arrested him under suspicion of criminal damage of a dwelling. Mr Aitchison said he felt he had been censored for shining a light on the poor conditions at the military site (Andy Aitchison) They seized his mobile phone and the memory card from his camera, and instructed him to accompany them to the local police station. The photographer, who had never been arrested before, was held in a police cell for over five hours before being released on bail at around 10pm. Mr Aitchison has been granted bail until 22 February, and has been instructed not to attend Napier Barracks until the case has been concluded. Police also arrested one of the protesters, a 36-year-old man, at the scene of the demonstration. He was arrested on suspicion of the same offence and has also been released on bail until 22 February. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said it was extremely concerned by Mr Aitchisons arrest, while the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on media freedom, Damian Collins, who is also the local MP for Folkestone and Hythe where Napier Barracks is located, also expressed concern. Mr Aitchison told The Independent he was shocked by his arrest, adding: Its such a bizarre thing, getting arrested for the work I do. Ive never had anything like this before, and Ive photographed many, many a protest. Recommended Home Office criticised after blaming asylum seekers for Covid outbreak It feels like a light has been shone on them and theyve got the sledgehammer out. Its censorship: if you dont toe the line, we shut you down. Mr Aitchison, who lives a four-minute drive from the military site, said the demonstration lasted 10 minutes max and was non-violent. All [the protesters] did was throw buckets of food colouring, water and shampoo or conditioner at the gate and on the ground in front of the gate, he said. As far as I know the only possible damage could be the netting on the fence might be slightly stained and there might be a puddle of red liquid in front of the gate. The 46-year-old said he was concerned that the arrest would have an impact on his career, as a criminal record would prevent him from doing work in the prison sector, where a lot of his freelance jobs are based. Mr Aitchison has photographed a number of demonstrations outside the barracks in recent months (Andy Aitchison) Mr Aitchison said he was also frustrated at being banned from attending the site of Napier Barracks, where he has photographed a number of demonstrations since the site started housing asylum seekers in September. It does seem like a political thing. People have highlighted how bad things are there, and Ive shared that with the world, and because of that Ive been hit. Its going to have an impact on me for the rest of my life, and for work, he added. Pamela Morten, NUJ national freelance organiser, said the union was extremely concerned at Mr Aitchisons arrest on suspicion of criminal damage, adding: Andrew was present solely as a journalist and took no part in the protest. News gatherers are key workers and it is their role and duty to report on matters of public interest. The police should not be seeking to interfere, prevent or restrict what journalists record in this way. Local Conservative MP and chair of the APPG on media freedom Mr Collins said he had raised the matter with Kent Police and that he would continue to take a close interest in this case. A spokesperson for Kent Police confirmed that the force was called following a report of a protest in Shorncliffe, Folkestone, at around 8am on Thursday and that a 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage, and that further enquiries led to a second man being arrested at around 3pm the same day. A Home Office spokesperson did not address Mr Aitchison's case but said vandalism was completely unacceptable and those found breaching lockdown restrictions will be fined. Work as a journalist or photographer is deemed a reasonable excuse for leaving home, under the Health Protection Regulations. On asylum seekers concerns over their health and safety, the department said it was offensive to suggest that the sites were not good enough for asylum claimants. AMHERST The town has scheduled a virtual information session Tuesday night on COVID-19 vaccinations, accessible via Zoom or telephone, that begins at 7 p.m. Cooley Dickinson Health Care medical doctors Estevan Garcia, chief medical officer; and Joanne Levin, medical director of infection prevention, will be speaking at the Feb. 2 event and will take questions. Cooley Dickinson of Northampton is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, that includes Brigham and Womens Hospital. Garcia and Levin will present information on the vaccine and be on hand to help answer your questions as well, the town of Amherst said in a notice publicizing the information session. Amherst Pubic Health Director Emma Dragon will also be available to answer questions. The Cooley Dickinson hospitals website says: Following federal and state guidelines, Mass General Brigham is coordinating the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine distribution for its entire healthcare system, of which Cooley Dickinson is a part. Details often change weekly or even daily in regard to information on planned distribution locations, availability, and health and eligibility information specific to certain populations. The hospital encourages checking the website for most up to date information on vaccination, at: www.cooleydickinson.org/home/covid-19-vaccine/ The Feb. 2 Amherst vaccination information meeting at 7 p.m. is accessible by Zoom at https://bit.ly/2MwsDHd By telephone at: (646) 876 9923; Webinar ID: 899 2832 2178 Muzaffarnagar : , Jan 29 (IANS) Farmers from western Uttar Pradesh will now move to the Ghazipur border near Delhi to 'strengthen' the ongoing farmers' agitation. Speaking at the Maha Panchayat here on Friday, farmer leaders were unanimous in their opinion that they would take the ongoing agitation to its logical conclusion. Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Naresh Tikait said that the ongoing agitation is now directly related to the honour of farmers, adding that the Centre has insulted the farmers to a great extent. He said that there is no question of succumbing to pressure and calling off the protest against farm laws is not an option. "We need to strengthen the protest. If we remain united, no one can break us," he said. BKU spokesman Rakesh Tikait, who also attended the Maha Panchayat, was so overwhelmed to see the surging crowds that he became emotional after he was offered buttermilk and water from his village. Political leaders who attended the Maha Panchayat included Jayant Chaudhary of the Rashtriya Lok Dal, Imran Masood of the Congress, Sanjay Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former MP Harendra Malik. Chaudhary came down heavily on the Centre and said that the government did not make any 'honest' effort to resolve the farmers' issue. He also announced his full support to the ongoing farmers' agitation. Chaudhary moved a resolution for social boycott of those who are opposing the farmers' agitation, which was unanimously agreed upon. The decision of the BKU to 'move towards Ghazipur border' now means that the UP farmers will play a more dominant role in the agitation that was, till now, dominated by farmers from Punjab and Haryana. The story that comes to life through his book is that of his team of pilots and of the LCA programme itself, how it was commissioned, the challenges in the development phase and the pressure of realising the dream of domestically developing a fighter plane. It was only a couple of weeks ago that the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the go ahead for the manufacture of 83 homegrown fighter jets, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCAMk1A) better known as Tejas. While this move meant a big boost for India's aviation industry, it was also a project that was many decades in the making. In his book, The Tejas Story: The Light Combat Aircraft Project, retired air marshal Philip Rajkumar chronicles the sweat, toil and courage of the officers and pilots involved at the various developmental stages of India's LCA programme. The Indian Air Force pilot headed Tejas' flight test programme for nearly a decade, beginning in 1994 and took prototypes to the skies to check for cracks and faults in the design. The story that comes to life through his book is that of his team of pilots and of the LCA programme itself, how it was commissioned, the challenges in the development phase and the pressure of realising the dream of domestically developing a fighter plane. The excerpt that follows takes off from the first flight of the prototype to morph into the beginning of the LCA story, the role of aeronautical engineers and scientists in the project's initial stages and how several Indian research and defence organisations came together to work on designing the fighter plane. *** The military precision with which the events of the day of the first flight unfolded and the flawless performance of the prototype, gave many people the erroneous impression that what had been achieved was easy and inconsequential. The Raksha Mantri, George Fernandes, told us much later that on the day preceding the first flight, a foreign aerospace company had written to him warning him of catastrophic consequences, if he permitted the first flight to take place. Their view was that the FCS software had not been developed with adequate rigour and had not been validated properly. It is therefore very important for me to set the record straight and give the reader an insight into the challenges overcome by Team LCA, while developing the aircraft. The LCA story actually began in the late 1970s. Air Chief Marshal IH Latif was the CAS from 1978 to 1981. He was unhappy with the in-service performance of the HAL upgraded Gnat, the Ajeet fighter. The aircraft had severe limitations of payload, range and serviceability and did not fit into the planned re-equipment of the IAF fighter fleet. He was also aware of the need to phase out some of the earlier versions of the Mig-21 in the mid-1990s. He therefore asked HAL to design a relatively low-cost replacement for the Ajeet and the Mig-21. In 1980 India was able to successfully put a 40 kg satellite into low earth orbit and join a very select club of nations with that capability. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and its engineers received well-deserved kudos in the national and international media. Unfortunately, the aeronautical community had nothing remotely as significant as the Rohini to show for their existence since the 1940s. When some leading aeronautical personalities approached Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the early 1980s with a request to be given a chance to prove their design capabilities, she took the bold step of asking them to design a state-of-the-art fighter for the IAF. The planners at Air Headquarters got to work and issued an Air Staff Target (AST) for a cost-effective replacement for the Ajeet and Mig-21. The aeronautical scientists and engineers did not agree with that approach, and wanted to utilize the opportunity to bridge the technology gap that had opened up between India and the advanced countries of the world since the Marut (HF-24) programme of the 1960s. They wanted the aircraft to have four crucial new technologies which were the fly-by-wire Flight Control System (FCS), a glass cockpit (round dial analogue instruments being replaced by multi-function displays controlled by a mission computer), composite materials in the airframe and micro-processor controlled general systems. They also decided to develop the jet engine to power the LCA as well as a Multi Mode Radar (MMR) which would be the primary sensor on board the aircraft. The seeds for protracted programme delays and cost overruns were sown by these decisions. The IAF not wanting to sound overly pessimistic went along with these ideas, and took the first step of issuing an AST for a multi-role fighter while expressing serious reservations about the development schedule. An AST is a document which contains a preliminary set of operational requirements drawn up by the IAF for discussion with the design agency. During these discussions, designers tell the planning staff at Air HQ whether the operational targets given in the AST can be met with existing technologies available in the country, or whether there would be a need to develop new technologies indigenously, or source them from abroad. HAL realized they had no experience of working with any of the technologies which had to be incorporated into the new aircraft to meet operational requirement targets set out in the AST. They were very under-confident of developing an aircraft by the mid-1990s to meet IAF re-equipment plans. They rightly assessed that the programme would require the harnessing of national capabilities across a spectrum of technologies and considerable investment of time and resources towards project management. They felt they were not equal to the task and agreed to the creation of a separate programme management agency. In 1985 Rajiv Gandhi had become the Prime Minister at the young age of 45 years. An equally young Scientific Adviser to the Raksha Mantri (SA to RM), Dr VS Arunachalam, had a grand dream of making DRDO a world class R&D organization. An immediate rapport was established between these two decision makers. Dr Arunachalam became a special favourite of the Prime Minister, but Dr Arunachalam was a metallurgist and not an aeronautical engineer. He quite naturally assumed that anything could be accomplished given the necessary political support, resources, leadership and dedication of the workforce. Dr Arunachalam was able to prevail upon the GOI to create a Society under the Ministry of Defence called the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to act as the programme management agency for the LCA project. ADA was to be headed by a Director General who would report to the SA to RM. The principal partner in the programme was to be HAL along with other public sector agencies, the private sector and academic institutions. Dr S.R. Valluri, former Director of the National Aerospace Laboratories, was appointed the first Director General of ADA in mid-1985. Dr Valluri was a very renowned aeronautical scientist and commanded much respect in professional circles. He chose Raj Mahindra, former MD of the HAL Design Bureau to be the chief designer of the LCA. They went about putting together a team of designers drawn from ISRO, HAL, NAL and the IAF. A search for a foreign partner was also started, and discussions were held with Dassault Aviation of France, Messerschmitt, Bolkow & Blohm (MBB) of Germany, Dornier of Germany and British Aerospace (now BAE Systems) of the UK. After prolonged discussions at Air HQ, the Ministry of Defence, HAL and the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) an Air Staff Requirement (ASR) for a multi-role fighter was issued by Air HQ in late-1985. Around this time in late-1985, serious differences emerged between Dr Arunachalam and Dr Valluri over the choice of the chief designer for the project. Dr Arunachalam felt Raj Mahindra was too old to be at the helm of a long gestation project like the design and development of a modern fighter aircraft and wanted a younger man. Dr Valluri refused to relent and resigned from his post. Dr Arunachalam assumed the mantle of DG ADA as well and started looking around for someone in his forties to run the programme. The choice was very limited as there was no one in India who had any experience in managing such a complex undertaking. Finally at the end of 1986, 43-year old Dr Kota Harinarayana who was Director, Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) was appointed the Programme Director (LCA), and was for all practical purposes the head of ADA. Government sanction was received in 1986 to build five prototypes at an estimated cost of about Rs 575 crore. Choosing a foreign collaborator proved difficult, and hectic negotiations were conducted all through 1986. Finally, Dassault Aviation of France was chosen to provide the necessary inputs for the Project Definition Phase (PDP). About 500 HAL Design Bureau engineers were deputed to ADA for the PDP. A dozen aeronautical engineers from Dassault came to Bangalore in July 1987 and got down to work. As all this activity was going on, a debate began about technology choices. The most crucial technology and expertise Indian engineers were interested in, was the fly-by-wire FCS. There was a school of thought which said American FCS technology was the best in the world and the LCA should have nothing less. Another equally strident point of view, which was supported by the IAF, was that the USA was an unreliable source of technology, given its penchant to impose sanctions on countries that did not toe its line of thinking. European sources of technology though not quite up to US standards were far more reliable and therefore India should not go to the USA for the FCS for the LCA. While this debate raged, certain political developments took place which improved Indo-US relations. Soon after he became the Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi went on an official visit to the USA and met President Ronald Reagan for the first time. The leaders of the worlds two largest democracies immediately established a good bond between them. When Rajiv Gandhi asked Reagan for help for the LCA programme his request was readily agreed to. The United States Air Force (USAF) was the agency designated to provide help to the Indian DRDO to develop the fly-by-wire FCS. The USAF in turn detailed Wright Laboratories, Dayton, Ohio, to do the needful and the DRDO laboratory chosen to absorb the technology transfer was the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a DRDO laboratory at Bangalore. The USA also offered to provide GE F-404 jet engines to power the prototypes. This offer was accepted by ADA as everyone knew that the indigenous engine, the Kaveri, would take time to develop, test and certify. In 1987 ADA bought 11 GE F-404 engines at a cost of nearly US$ 11 million. By the end of 1988 the PDP was completed and the report was circulated to various agencies including Air HQ. The report landed up on the table of Air Commodore S. Krishnaswamy (Kitcha, later CAS), Director Air Staff Requirements. Kitcha was an experienced fighter pilot and a graduate of the Empire Test Pilots School, Boscombe Down, UK. At that time, in early 1988, he happened to be one of the very few people at Air HQ who understood the nuances of technology choices. He wrote a report on the PDP document, which was very sceptical about ADAs ability to design a state of the art fighter with a host of new technologies, which were being introduced into an aircraft for the first time in the country. He felt, quite rightly, that the time frame projected for design, development including flight testing and introduction into service was far too ambitious. He also said that without foreign help it would be very risky to develop the flyby-wire system, the glass cockpit, the composite airframe and the micro-processor controlled general systems. Due cognizance was taken of this report by the decision makers at Air HQ. The IAF recommended that a confidence and competence building route of proving the four crucial technologies, by flying two Technology Demonstrator aircraft through a limited flight test programme, be followed before embarking on fullscale engineering development of prototypes. Dassault Aviation was very keen to partner ADA in the LCA programme and offered the three digital channels with an analogue fourth channel fly-by-wire technology which they had successfully developed for the Rafale fighter. The FCS computer would be a hybrid digi-ana computer having three digital processors with three independent channels and one hard wired analogue channel. In the 1980s confidence in digital technology was not very high, and the French thought it was a good idea to have an analogue channel as a back-up in case of any problems with the digital channels. They said they would go for a quadruplex digital fly-by-wire FCS when they had gained more experience with the digi-ana hybrid FCS. Unfortunately, their offer was spurned in favour of the quadruplex digital fly-by-wire technology offered by Martin Marietta Control Systems (MMCS), later Lockheed Martin and now BAE Systems of the USA. The FCS computer would be fully digital having four digital processors with four independent channels. The Americans were very confident about the reliability of digital technology and there was no doubt that at that time it was cutting edge technology. Since they would have no control over the development of a system as crucial as the FCS, Dassault Aviation walked out of the programme, a decision which I am sure both parties regret to this day. With an experienced aircraft house like Dassault as a partner ADA/HAL may well have been able to develop the aircraft, and have it in service by the end of the 1990s. In my view, the decision to accept the US offer of quadruplex digital fly-by-wire technology and go it alone with only consultancy agreements with various foreign firms added a decade or more to the programme. This decision, I suspect, was taken because the thrust was to acquire the latest technology and build self-reliance through indigenization rather than on delivery of an operational fighter in a reasonable time frame to meet IAF modernization plans. It was a classic case of the best being the enemy of the good. Operational requirements should drive technology choices and not the other way around. At the end of 1989 Rajiv Gandhi lost the general election, and Dr Arunachalam had to establish new equations with the VP Singh government. In August 1990, Saddam Hussein of Iraq invaded Kuwait, oil prices sky rocketed and the countrys foreign exchange reserves depleted rapidly. The GOI was unable to decide to go ahead with the programme. Two whole years were lost before the programme could be put back on track. *** The above excerpt reproduced from Philip Rajkumar's The Tejas Story: The Light Combat Aircraft Project has been made available by Manohar Books. The author is a retired air marshal of the Indian Air Force and has flown a total of 5200 hours in 55 different aircrafts. Lebanons leaders have denounced the violence that gripped the northern city of Tripoli overnight Thursday, following days of clashes between protesters and police. For the past week, residents of one of Lebanons most impoverished cities have taken to the streets, pressing for an end to the 24-hour coronavirus lockdown that has worsened already dire economic conditions across the country. The unrest escalated on Thursday night, with a mob of protesters setting fire to the Tripoli municipal government building. Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab said condemnation is not enough, pledging to have the criminals arrested one by one and referred to the judiciary. The criminals who torched the Tripoli municipality, attempted to set ablaze the Sharia Court and wreaked havoc in the city have expressed deep hatred against Tripoli, he said in a statement. Lebanons Internal Security Forces, which accused the rioters of throwing rocks and hand grenades in their direction, fired tear gas to disperse the crowds. The Lebanese Red Cross tweeted that six people had been taken to the hospital on Thursday. The day before, Omar Tayba, 29, died from a gunshot wound sustained watching the protests, his brother said. More than 220 people, including more than two dozen police officers, have been injured in the clashes this week, the state-run National News Agency reported. Human Rights Watch researcher Aya Majzoub called for Lebanons authorities to launch an independent investigation into Taybas death and to release the findings to the public. I have no words to express the shock, anger, sadness, she tweeted. The government neglected the needs of Tripolis people and used brute force to silence them when they dared demand a better life." Earlier this month, Lebanon declared a state of emergency and a round-the-clock curfew its third this year. The coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 2,500 people in Lebanon, has overwhelmed hospitals already short on beds and resources. The new lockdown measures come as the small Mediterranean country is experiencing its worst financial crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. The Lebanese pound has lost more than half its value since October 2019, when protests first erupted over high youth unemployment, perceived government corruption and a lack of basic services. The massive explosion at Beiruts port in August caused as much as $4.6 billion in damage to the citys infrastructure, compounding Lebanons economic problems. Lebanese President Michel Aoun met with National Defense Minister Zeina Akar on Friday to discuss the security situation in Tripoli, his office said. The president requested an investigation into the circumstances of what happened and the strict pursuit of perpetrators who have infiltrated peaceful demonstrators. While much of the general public anxiously awaits a chance to be vaccinated, dozens of Lakewood Public School staff members have received shots from a local health care center that has a close if unofficial relationship with the district. As of Wednesday, CheMed Health Center, a private, non-profit treatment facility in Lakewood, had vaccinated 110 district employees, including seven school nurses, 30 occupational and physical therapists, and nine security guards eligible due to the risk of transmission inherent in their work, plus 62 teachers, administrators, aides and other school employees with qualifying medical conditions, according to the district. CheMed was scheduled to vaccinate another 58 eligible district employees on Thursday, according to Michael Inzelbuch, the Lakewood Board of Education attorney and a spokesman for the district, who released the vaccination figures in an email on Wednesday and presented them to the school board during a Zoom meeting that night. Inzelbuch said in an interview Thursday that he believed those vaccinations had taken place. The total of 168 vaccinations is about 17% of the districts entire staff of 1,000 or so teachers, administrators, aides, nurses, custodians and others. CheMed did not respond to request for comment on Thursday. Inzelbuch and CheMeds chief operating officer, Mark Berkowitz, said in a joint interview last week that there is no official agreement between the district and the federally-qualified health center to provide vaccinations to school staff. Rather, they said, CheMed has a history of accommodating the needs of Lakewoods broader school community, which has included using Spanish-speaking providers or translators to treat the public schools many Latinx students and their families, and testing more than 1,000 students and staff for the virus since the pandemic erupted last spring. They can use any provider, Inzelbuch said of district staffers. But CheMed has, since March, worked with our staff, theyve worked with the Lakewood community. Inzelbuch said district staffers have been sent intermittent emails over the past two weeks informing them of the existence of CheMed and another health care center in Lakewood, Ocean Health Initiatives, or OHI, as nearby locations where they could register on their own to be vaccinated. Berkowitz said district staffers have not been given preference in scheduling vaccinations ahead of others with similar eligibility. They simply happened to be among the 3,800 people CheMed had vaccinated during its first three weeks of receiving the vaccine from the state Department of Health, he said. Berkowitz said there was nothing he could pinpoint to distinguish CheMeds vaccination process, other than efficiency and adequate staffing. Standard for all its services, he said, Spanish translation is available. Chemed also treats patients from Lakewoods large Orthodox Jewish community, as well as anyone else, he said. However efficient it may be, CheMed is subject to the same limitations and demands as other vaccine centers, and on Thursday its website informed would-be registrants that it was out of vaccine doses, while its automated phone line kept a caller on hold for half an hour before he gave up. On the next two Saturdays, Jan. 30 Feb. 6, OHI will conduct drive-thru vaccinations in the parking lot of Lakewood High School. The daylong events will be limited to 200 eligible recipients who have already registered and been scheduled. Inzelbuch said the district has no role in the event, other than providing security and allowing OHI to use its broad expanse of blacktop. Like vaccinations given by CheMed, district staffers did not get preference over the general public. Inzelbuch said he suspected there may well be staffers at the drive-thru event, though it will be for the general public. Vaccinations are not mandatory for students or staff in Lakewood Public Schools, or any district in New Jersey. But Inzelbuch said the districts effort to encourage staffers to be vaccinated voluntarily was absolutely connected to its status as one of the few public school systems in Ocean County to offer all in-person classes. The more staffers who are vaccinated, the safer in-school classes will be, he said. Inzelbuch said the popularity of in-school classes among the familys of Lakewoods 6,400 public school students was underscored by their 90% in-school participation rate. During the public portion of Wednesday nights meeting, several parents spoke in support of in-person classes, including Rifka Eisdorfer, a member of Lakewoods large Orthodox Jewish community. While the overwhelming number of Orthodox students in Lakewood attend private Yeshivas, Eisdorfers son is enrolled in a district school for children with special needs, where in-person learning has been far better for him, she said. I feel that, specifically with this population, it takes a village, and I really feel that we need that village to help raise our children. Specifically, my case, Im a single mom, Orthodox Jewish mom. Three kids. Im in college three days a week, Im a nursing major, trying to get ahead, Eisdorfer told the virtual board. If we were to shut down, I dont feel like COVID specifically would be addressed, because Im talking for myself but Im imagining this goes for a lot of moms we would kind of find alternatives, she said. You know, underground situations, day cares that are open or various different ways of coping so that we could continue our daily routine and schedule, she said. Or I would have to drop out of college and be my childs full-time teacher, which wouldnt be beneficial for him. But the in-person policy has been questioned by the local teachers union, the Lakewood Education Association, whose leadership accused the district of failing to take adequate steps to minimize the risk of coronavirus transmission. A spokeswoman for the union, Dawn Hiltner, said Inzelbuchs public announcements of the vaccination numbers were a public relations ploy to bolster the districts position. Even so, Hiltner said it was good to hear that staffers were being vaccinated. Inzelbuch said the announcements were intended to encourage other staffers, as well as the broader school community and the entire township, to be undaunted in their efforts to be vaccinated, despite persistent reports of vaccine shortages, suspended registration programs, and busy phone lines. He said he hoped every other district would likewise encourage staffers to be vaccinated and work with local healthcare providers as best they could to accommodate vaccinations for staff and the general public alike. It doesnt cost a penny, Inzelbuch said. Why wouldnt you want to do that? Tell us your COVID-19 vaccination stories, send us a news tip or questions about the vaccination process on our tip form. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. No surprise ... One of my favorite actors who has since passed, Jerome Silberman, was Jewish. You may know him as Gene Wilder. He also was once married to Gilda Radner, another Jew and another of my favorites, who made me adore the television show "Saturday Night Live." She passed away many years ago and much too young! And someone I consider absolute genius, Dr. Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology through dialogue between a patient and a psychoanalyst. Freud was born to Galician Jewish parents. SURPRIS... Officially, Donald Trump left office only last week, but in truth the frenetic, ALL-CAPS soul of the Trump presidency took flight weeks before, when @realdonaldtrump, the presidents Twitter feed and the purest expression of his ID, finally met an unceremonious end under Jack Dorseys long-reluctant banhammer. For the better part of five years, Trumps Twitter was an instrument of power as frightening as it was bizarre: the federal governments most consequential public-address system that also happened to be a grumpy old mans favourite method for yelling at his TV. Trump used Twitter to hire and fire, negotiate war and peace, get out the vote, conjure conspiracies and finally to incite an insurrection, but mostly he used it to mint his favourite currency attention by goading and trolling the global media into talking only and ever about him. I had long been ambivalent about banning Trumps tweets; as the president, Trump enjoyed near-infinite access to media, so shutting down this single channel didnt seem worth the trouble. Fuming tweets: Trumps use of Twitter was far more menacing to society than Id suspected. Credit:The New York Times But weeks into Trumps absence from Twitter, I have come around to the wisdom of banishment. I am starting to realise that Trumps Twitter was far more menacing to society than Id suspected, and the ban quite a bit more successful at stifling his style of trolly propaganda than Id guessed. Shares of Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) listed at a 4% discount from its issue price at Rs 24.90 on NSE today. IRFC share made its debut at Rs 25 on BSE, declining 3.85% apiece. The initial public offer (IPO) of the company that was open between January 18-20, 2021, at a price band of Rs 25-26 per share, was subscribed nearly 3.5 times. It received bids for 432 crore shares against the issue size of 124.75 crore. Ahead of the IPO, IRFC had raised about Rs 1,400 crore from anchor investors. Set up in 1986, IRFC- a dedicated market borrowing arm of the Indian Railways, became the first NBFC from the PSU sector that went public today. The IPO of the fifth railway's company to hit the stock market since 2017- comprised of an issue size of Rs 4,600 crore, out of which the fresh issue comprise Rs 3,100 crore and OFS Rs 1,500 crore. The issue constituted up to 13.64% of the post issue paid-up equity share capital of the company. IRFC share allotment was finalised on January 25. Government's stakeholding reduced to 86% from 100% post the IPO. Most brokerages have given IRFC subscribe rating, especially for the long term. IRFC received Sebi's approval for its public issue on 25 February 2020. The company will utilise the net proceeds from the Rs 4,634-crore IPO towards augmenting the company's equity capital base to meet future capital requirements arising out of growth in business and general corporate purposes. The company will not receive any proceeds from the offer for sale and the same will be received by the Government of India. Share Market News Live: Sensex rises 500 points, Nifty at 13,946; HDFC, Indus Ind Bank, Maruti top gainers Stocks in news: Maruti, TVS Motor, IRCTC, GHCL, Cummins, Pidilite, Tata Chemicals [January 29, 2021] LTG (Ret.) Michael D. Barbero Joins TerraScale As Chairman CULVER CITY, Calif., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TerraScale, a clean infrastructure design and development firm committed to developing digital infrastructure around the world, today announced that U.S. Army Lieutenant General (Retired) Michael D. Barbero has joined the company in the role of Chairman. General Barbero is a career Infantry leader, who has served in a wide variety of leadership assignments and has commanded forces at every grade, from Lieutenant to Lieutenant General. During his service as a General Officer in the US Army, he spent 46 months in Iraq over three separate combat tours of duty. In addition to assisting with development and implementation of TerraScale's global vision and government contracting strategy, General Barbero will help lead the company's rollout of Project Energos, a plan to develop large-scale clean digital infrastructure projects around the world. Project Energos commenced in 2020, with a $3 billion pilot project currently underway in Reno, NV. "We are thrilled and honored to welcome General Barbero to the TerraScale team," said Danny Hayes, CEO of TerraScale. "In addition to a vast network of high-level relationships and deep understanding of gloal geopolitics, he possesses the senior leadership experience and business acumen to advance complex, billion-dollar projects from start to finish." A seasoned business manager spanning both civilian and military sectors, General Barbero has unique experience at the intersection of technology, security, and green energy. His past experience includes the management of a $2 Billion program to develop and field new technologies, tactics and operational capabilities to counter the effectiveness of the Improvised Explosive Devise against US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. General Barbero also managed a $13 Billion Foreign Military Sales program during his service in the Middle East, in which he worked closely with senior government leaders, contractors, and foreign security ministries and forces to achieve financial and operational goals relating to complex political and military projects. "I look forward to working closely with Danny Hayes and the talented team at TerraScale to execute solutions to some of the world's most pressing data, cybersecurity and energy challenges," General Barbero said. "I believe that clean, efficient digital infrastructures are key to preparing for the future, and that TerraScale has the resources, passion, and expertise to lead this transformation." General Barbero came to TerraScale as a referral from former CIA Director, General (Retired) David H. Petraeus. About TerraScale TerraScale is a clean infrastructure design and development firm that is transforming and modernizing digital infrastructures around the world. Through the company's consortium, TerraScale takes a unique approach to future proofing our planet by collaborating with best-in-class green engineering, technology, real estate, energy and construction firms globally, to ensure maximum value delivery across the lifecycle of its projects. TerraScale's projects and programs are designed to meet the needs of government and industry in the most responsible, secure and sustainable manner. For more information on TerraScale, please visit: https://terrascale.org View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ltg-ret-michael-d-barbero-joins-terrascale-as-chairman-301218143.html SOURCE TerraScale [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 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. Navigating, exploring and thinking about space are part of daily life, whether it's carving a path through a crowd, hiking a backcountry trail or maneuvering into a parking spot. For most of human history, the driving force for day-to-day wayfinding and movement across the landscape was a need for food. And unlike other primates, our species has consistently divided this labor along gender lines. In new research published in Nature Human Behaviour, scientists including James Holland Jones of Stanford and lead author Brian Wood of University of California, Los Angeles, argue that the increasingly gendered division of labor in human societies during the past 2.5 million years dramatically shaped how our species uses space, and possibly how we think about it. Underlying these conclusions is a huge and detailed trove of travel data revealing stark differences in the ways men and women among the nomadic Hadza people of Tanzania use space. A contemporary hunter-gatherer society, the Hadza provide a window into a highly mobile lifestyle, which was the norm for our species before the widespread adoption of agriculture. "We're taking gender differences as a given in this particular cultural setting, and then asking what consequences they have downstream," said Jones, an associate professor of Earth system science at Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences (Stanford Earth) and a senior fellow at Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. A better understanding of this dynamic could yield clues about why men and women seem to think about space differently. Research in many human populations suggests men and women are better at different types of spatial tasks. On average, women tend to excel on spatial memory tasks, while men tend to score higher on two basic measures of spatial cognition associated with movement: mental rotation of objects and accurately pointing to distant locations. 'Male work is more navigationally challenging' The paper examines a popular theory that men's hunting for wild game would produce more extensive and sinuous travel, and that women's harvesting of plant foods would lead to more concentrated, straight-line travel to and from known locations. While previous efforts to substantiate the theory have relied heavily on verbal accounts, the researchers here tested it by examining more than 13,000 miles of travel logged on lightweight GPS trackers worn by Hadza foragers between 2005 and 2018. "One or two researchers would walk through camp early in the morning as people were rousing," the authors write. "We would greet people at their homes or hearths and hand out GPS devices to be worn during the day." Around nightfall, when most people had returned to camp, Wood and assistants hired in the Hadza community removed the devices. They ultimately used data from 179 people, representing 15 camps and ranging in age from two to 84 years old. The authors also examined the degree of overlap in the lands visited by men and women. "One of the most surprising results of this study was the fact that Hadza men and women essentially occupy different worlds from a young age. In our data, most of the landscape was effectively gender-segregated," said Wood, an assistant professor of anthropology at UCLA who began working on this paper a decade ago as a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford. To analyze the movement data, the researchers adopted techniques from the field of movement ecology and also developed custom software. As expected, the results show men walked further per day, covered more land in less direct paths and were more likely to travel alone. "In this hunting and gathering context, male work is more navigationally challenging," the researchers write. Although some individual day journeys extended to 20 miles or more, Hadza men overall averaged eight miles per day and women - many of them accompanied by young children - averaged nearly five miles. Gender differences emerged by the age of six. From the mid-forties, the gender difference declined, mostly due to decreasing travel by men while women sustained more of their daily mileage. Human mobility in a changing world Detailed spatial data like those amassed in this study will aid future comparative research into human mobility, according to the authors. This holds particular resonance in light of a pandemic that has forced sudden revisions of normal movement patterns and heightened attention to the costs and benefits of different spatial habits. Already, Wood has begun to apply technical, logistical and scientific lessons from this study to a new National Science Foundation project meant to help identify research and policy priorities to prepare the U.S. for inevitable future pandemics - in part by measuring mobility and modeling patterns of social interaction. "The study of human movement can be used to identify at-risk communities for disease transmission and spread," Wood explained. Even when we're not in a pandemic, Jones said, people's mobility drives economic activity, social cohesion and environmental impacts. And the environment, in turn, shapes spatial behavior. That feedback loop is at the heart of some of the internal migration patterns already emerging as a response to global warming. As once-rare weather events become commonplace, Jones explained, migrant laborers will likely travel longer distances for work; more people will engage in seasonal migration to pursue agricultural work or escape hurricanes and droughts, and crop failures will drive more rural residents to urban areas. Changing mobility is going to be one of the key ways that humans adapt to a heated world. Knowing more about gender differences and other drivers for spatial behaviors across a wide swath of human populations and ecological contexts will help us anticipate how this adaptation will play out and inform policies to manage it." James Holland Jones, Associate Professor of Earth System Science, Stanford Kamala Harris' stepdaughter Ella Emhoff has signed with IMG Models after an eye-catching appearance at the January 20 inauguration. Emhoff, 21, is the daughter of Harris' husband Doug Emhoff and his first wife Kerstin, a film producer. A fine art student at the Parsons School of Design in New York City, specializing in textiles, Emhoff had been in talks with the agency since her stepmother's career pushed her into the spotlight. Her Miu Miu coat and viral eyebrow-wiggling at Mike Pence sealed the deal: before inauguration day she had about 50,000 followers on Instagram, and a week later the total had surpassed 300,000. Ella Emhoff, pictured next to her father Doug at the inauguration, has signed with IMG Models The 21-year-old's eyebrow wiggle at Pence went viral after the moment was caught on camera Emhoff now joins the ranks of Gigi Hadid, Kate Moss, Gisele Bundchen and Alek Wek. Her signing comes a day that of Amanda Gorman, the 22-year-old youth poet laureate who performed at the inauguration. 'It's not really about shape, size or gender any more,' said Ivan Bart, the president of IMG Models. 'Ella communicates this moment in time. There's a cheekiness and a joy she exudes.' He said his response to seeing her at the inauguration was: 'Wow, she's communicating fashion.' Emhoff, with her unconventional looks and 18 tattoos - among them a cow, a vase, and bacon and eggs, plus several she did herself during lockdown - said the approach from Bart took her back, even though she had been dabbling in modelling for a smaller agent. 'I was pretty surprised when everything with IMG was happening because when I was younger, I never saw that as being part of my timeline,' she told The New York Times. 'As someone who, like a lot of young girls out there, had self-confidence issues, it is intimidating and scary to go into this world that is hyper-focused on you and the body.' Amanda Gorman, the youth poet laureate, pictured at the inauguration, also signed with IMG Gisele Bundchen (left) and Gigi Hadid are among the famous faces to be part of the IMG lineup She said she was encouraged by the diversity of models working today, and the opportunity to be 'part of that change'. Bart told the paper he noticed Emhoff a fundraiser for Harris during the presidential primaries. Emhoff joins Alek Wek at IMG Models 'I noticed her as soon as she walked in the door,' he said. He said that, during the summer, they began talking about the possibility of her joining IMG. They had a Zoom call, and she showed him her loom and some of her knitwear pieces. Emhoff has spoken frequently of her strong family unit, with her brother Cole, 26, parents and Harris - who she refers to as 'Momala, the world's greatest stepmom.' The siblings, named after jazz legends John Coltrane and Ella Fitzgerald, call their father Doug. Before the inauguration, she told The New York Times she hoped her father would take up knitting, 'like I do.' Her mother tweeted the news of her IMG deal, saying: 'Very proud (but nervous) MAMA! Ella will stay true to her cheeky self with all of our support.' Emhoff said: 'I've obviously got a bigger platform now, and I'm excited to share a lot of things I really care about, and do some good.' She said she was 'excited to do things like wear fun clothes' and 'to bring a bit of Bushwick into the high fashion realm'. She also hoped to fundraise for knitwear artists. 'There are a lot of people out there that need a lot of help,' she said. 'If I can do anything to help with that, I want to, and I think this opportunity will be really beneficial toward that.' The EU's drugs regulator has approved the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine for people aged over 18. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said the AstraZeneca vaccine was about 60% effective in the trials on which it based its decision. The move comes amid a dispute over whether Astra-Zeneca is breaking its vaccine delivery commitments to the EU. The European Commission has published its contract with the Anglo-Swedish drug-maker, hoping to show a breach. What is the supply row about? Last week AstraZeneca said vaccine supplies would be reduced because of problems in one of its EU factories. The shortfall is expected to be about 60% in the first quarter of 2021. The EU has also received fewer than expected doses of the two other vaccines it has approved - from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. The EU has said AstraZeneca must honour its commitments and deliver the jabs it ordered by diverting doses manufactured in the UK. But the company said its contract for UK supplies prevents this. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen told German radio on Friday that the EU contract signed in August contained "binding orders", and called for an explanation. The commission later said it had agreed a plan to introduce export controls on coronavirus vaccines. It means individual member states will decide whether to allow the export of vaccines produced in their territory. It will be in place until the end of March. A European Commissioner said it was being introduced to enhance transparency and to ensure that all EU citizens had access to vaccines. How effective is the AstraZeneca vaccine? Germany's vaccine commission said this week that it could not recommend the use of the jab in people aged over 65, citing a lack of data on how it affected this age group. The UK has been using the AstraZeneca vaccine in its mass immunisation programme for weeks now, and public health officials say it is safe and provides "high levels of protection". Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 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. State Republican Parties Stand as Firewall for Trump in Fight Over Future of GOP State and county Republican Party committees have rushed to former President Donald Trumps defense in the face of his upcoming impeachment trial, highlighting the former presidents popularity and power within the GOP. The House voted to impeach Trump earlier this month on the sole impeachment charge of incitement of insurrection, with Democrats claiming he incited violence at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month. Trump called on the protesters not to engage in violent acts before the protest and later told them to go home in peace. Forty-five Republican senators voted several days ago against holding an impeachment trial, arguing it would be unconstitutional to impeach a former president, sending a signal that there are not enough votes to convict Trump, with a conviction requiring a two-thirds majority. At the same time, in both swing states and Republican bastions, state and local GOP committees, which are stocked with Trump supporters who remain loyal, members have moved to punish Republicans who have called for Trumps impeachment. On Saturday, the South Carolina Republican Party will decide whether to censure Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) for his vote to impeach Trump. Rice was among 10 Republicans who joined Democrats to impeach Trump over the Capitol riot. Republican Party chairwoman Dreama Perdue, GOP chairwoman in Rices home Horry County, said the move is meant as a rebuke for what many of his constituents consider an act of betrayal. The effect amounts to a firewall protecting Trump and his politics from Republicans who want to cut ties with the former president. In Washington state, several county party committees have called for the removal of the two House members who voted for Trumps impeachment. Primary challengers have begun lining up to take on all 10 Republican House members who voted to impeach the former president. Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward, a staunch Trump ally, was reelected on Jan. 22, fending off several challengers for the role, after the former president endorsed her for another two-year term. In a short call last week, Trump called on Arizonans to reelect Ward, saying that he gives her his complete and total endorsement, due to her stances on a number of issues. She is a terrific person. She is a person I know. Youll never find anybody as dedicated to every aspect were all dedicated to, Trump said, in his first post-White House endorsement. Trumps hold on state parties reflects the ex-presidents continued popularity with the base and the loyalty he has gained in the typically obscure local GOP apparatus. Trump brought in millions of new voters to the party with his populist approach. And Republicans should welcome those voters decision to stay involved, even when Trump is not on the ballot, argued Constantin Querard, a conservative Republican strategist in Arizona. Without Trump, some of them will go home, but some of them will stick around forever, he said. And since many of the former presidents loyalists have been elected to posts with multi-year terms and positioned to keep rising, Trumps influence on the party structure isnt likely to wane soon. The Associated Press contributed to this report. ATLANTA, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Community Credit Union (www.DeltaCommunityCU.com), Georgia's largest credit union with more than $7.7 billion in assets, announces a call for entries in its 16th annual scholarship program. Again this year, five applicants will be awarded a total of $25,000 based on each applicant's academic achievement, community involvement and submission of an essay on a subject selected by the Credit Union. "Given the ongoing economic impact of the COVID-19 health crisis, we are especially grateful for opportunities in 2021 to reward hard-working students so they may focus on their academic and career goals and, ultimately, begin investing in their own communities and causes that are important to them," said Delta Community CEO Hank Halter. "As our Scholarship Program enters its 16th year, we remain committed to investing in individuals, families and the communities we are privileged to serve." This year's essay question concerns adaptability: Along with many other civic-minded businesses and organizations, Delta Community did its best to respond to the unprecedented challenges and concerns that arose in 2020. We modified our business operations to sustain excellent member service during the COVID-19 pandemic and took more proactive measures to address systemic social and racial inequities for the benefit of our employees and communities. How do you plan to adapt to the challenges that may present themselves in the 2021 school year? Students seeking a first undergraduate degree are eligible to win a scholarship, which may be used to fund tuition, books, housing and other expenses. Applications must be received between Feb. 1 and March 1, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Winners will be notified by April 5, 2021. Applicants must be Delta Community members enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university in the United States during the fall semester of the 2021 - 2022 academic year. For more information and to apply, visit www.DeltaCommunityCU.com/Scholarships. In addition to two scholarship programs, the Credit Union offers hundreds of free classes through its award-winning Financial Education Center; school sponsorships; and free workshops in community organizations throughout metro Atlanta. About Delta Community Credit Union Delta Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative with a mission of providing better service and value on the products consumers use to manage household expenses and save for the future. Founded in 1940, Delta Community is Georgia's largest credit union with more than 430,000 members, 26 metro Atlanta branches and three out-of-state branch locations. It welcomes anyone living or working in metro Atlanta as well as employees of more than 150 businesses including Chick-fil-A, Delta Air Lines, RaceTrac and UPS. Visit www.DeltaCommunityCU.com to open an account or follow the Credit Union on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DeltaCommunity and Twitter at @DeltaCommunity. SOURCE Delta Community Credit Union Related Links http://www.deltacommunitycu.com HAWTHORNE, Calif., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SkyOne Federal Credit Union and California State PTA are teaming up to expand member benefits to both groups. SkyOne, a local not-for-profit financial cooperative, provides members with free tools such as financial education and affordable banking services to help them manage finances and save for the future. The 750,000-member strong California State PTA is the California chapter of the National Parent Teacher Association, the largest children's advocacy association in America. "We're excited about furthering California State PTA's mission to positively impact the lives of all children and families," said Joseph Whitaker, SkyOne's President and CEO. "PTA has been an essential part of the education system for 120 years, and this collaboration is now more meaningful than ever." "There is great synergy between SkyOne and California State PTA, and we are thrilled to start this partnership," said Celia Jaffe, President of California State PTA. "Not only will California State PTA members benefit from the excellent range of financial services and educational tools offered by SkyOne, but SkyOne members and their children will be able to reap the many benefits of joining their local PTA." Each organization has agreed to extend benefits to the other's membership base. SkyOne will provide its members with a one-year California State PTA membership, and in turn, California State PTA members can join SkyOne and enjoy numerous benefits including easy access to deposits with thousands of ATMs and shared branches nationwide; a live call center; no-fee early paycheck arrival via direct deposit; low nuisance fees; and competitive rates on loans and savings. In addition, any potential member who would like to join SkyOne but would not otherwise qualify can join California State PTA and become a member of SkyOne. "It's important to SkyOne to promote and advance the extraordinary work California State PTA is doing," said Shannon Doiron, SkyOne's Chief Marketing Officer. "By partnering with California State PTA to share benefits, our members will be helping to support and sustain schools, families, and communities all over California." Both companies expect to increase brand awareness as they promote each other through their websites, membership packets, and community events. About SkyOne Federal Credit Union: Founded in 1949, SkyOne Federal Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution with over 41,000 members nationwide and $600 million in assets, located in Hawthorne, California. The credit union offers a range of financial products including checking and savings accounts, consumer loans, real estate loans, and investment services. SkyOne is passionate about helping its members build a strong financial foundation and reach financial freedom. Free tools, such as financial education and affordable banking services, are available to assist members in managing their finances and saving for the future. Deposits are federally insured for at least $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). In 2017, SkyOne was certified as one of the Great Places to Work in the financial services industry. Learn more at https://www.skyone.org/join. Follow SkyOne on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. About California State PTA: California State PTA connects families, schools and communities. It is part of the foundation of our public-education system and a trusted messenger to millions of members, parents, families, educators and allied agencies throughout the state. PTA is the nation's largest volunteer-led child advocacy association working to drive improvements in the education, health and well-being of all children and families. For more information, visit www.capta.org. Media Inquiries: For SkyOne Federal Credit Union Shannon Doiron, Chief Marketing Officer [email protected] (310) 491-7624 Michelle Markham, Marketing Manager [email protected] (310) 491-7619 For CA PTA Heather Ippolito, Vice President of Communications [email protected] Ignacio Barragan, Assistant Executive Director California State PTA [email protected] View source version on www.skyone.org/category/news/ SOURCE SkyOne Federal Credit Union Related Links skyone.org Only about a quarter of Louisiana nursing home workers who have been offered vaccines have accepted the shots so far, as the federal effort to immunize people who live and work in long term care facilities continues to move slowly. Gov. John Bel Edwards administration said Thursday it was redirecting doses originally allocated to the nursing home program to the broader public until the program uses the tens of thousands of doses it has on hand. Residents of nursing homes have been much more willing to get vaccinated when CVS and Walgreens, the federal governments partners, show up, Dr. Joe Kanter, Louisianas state health officer, said at a media briefing. About 69% of residents who have been offered shots so far have accepted, he said. The uptake among staff is far worse: 26%. About 240 of the states 270 nursing homes have received one visit from Walgreens or CVS for the vaccinations, Kanter said, and vaccinators will make multiple visits to give out second shots and a new round of first shots. The program is also visiting other long term care facilities, like assisted living centers. For the first five weeks after vaccines began arriving in Louisiana on Dec. 14, the long term care program took about 57% of doses of Modernas vaccine allocated to the state. That added up to 93,600 doses that are earmarked for nursing homes. +8 These Louisiana cities are administering the coronavirus vaccine faster than others; see map Residents in New Orleans and Louisiana's other southeastern parishes are receiving coronavirus vaccines at a much faster rate than in the rest But earlier this month, Edwards administration and several other states stopped giving part of its weekly allocation to the program as the doses were going unused, Kanter said. For the past two weeks, the state has taken the full allocation of Moderna doses from the feds, and will continue to do so until the balance drops, he said. Kanter said only 28,000 of the 93,600 doses allocated to the partnership have been used so far, with 19,149 going to residents and 8,889 going to staff. CDC data shows higher numbers, about 40,500 doses used, including 838 second doses, but that is still less than half of the 96,300 doses taken by the program. It hasnt gone as fast as we wanted it to, Kanter said. Theres no point in just having doses sitting there. ...At this point the precedent is pretty well set that if you still have a considerable number in the bank, so to say, you dont have to continue to pay into it. Were not going to pay into it until that balance gets lower. +5 Louisiana coronavirus vaccine effort picks up for elderly, but high demand brings challenges After a slow start, Louisianas decision to make vaccines available to people aged 70 and older has kicked the mass COVID-19 vaccination effor That temporarily gives the state more doses to use on people 70 and older, thousands of whom are waiting for their turn as providers delay appointments because of a lack of supply. But it also reflects a slow pace of vaccinations at perhaps the most at-risk group of people, nursing home residents, who were included in the first priority group because of how prone they are to die from outbreaks of the disease. We are concerned, Edwards said Thursday. 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 But the governor also said he believes the number of workers at nursing homes and other long term care facilities accepting the vaccine will increase when vaccinators make their second pass through their facilities. Thats what happened at the states war veterans homes, he said, when uptake doubled. The program is starting to make its first visit to assisted living centers now, and Kanter said it will visit every long term care facility in the state by Feb. 8. The overwhelming majority of shots given so far have gone to nursing homes, he said. The federal government has several times revised its estimates of how many doses it thinks will be needed to immunize all long term care residents and staff who want the vaccine, Kanter said. That number currently sits at 116,000, which means the state will at some point have to resume sending doses to the program. If doses are leftover at the end, Edwards said the state will claw them back to be used on Louisiana residents. Mark Berger, the executive director of the Louisiana Nursing Home Association, said in a statement nursing homes have been working diligently to educate residents and staff members to get vaccinated. This week, the Louisiana Department of Health, in consultation with the nursing home association, distributed a document to all nursing homes giving suggestions on how to increase uptake among staff. The ideas included making senior staff available for one-on-one or small group consultations to debunk disinformation on the Internet, discuss side effects and acknowledgement of history and experiences of African Americans with vaccination. Slow rollout for vaccines at Louisiana nursing homes comes amid increasing virus outbreaks Even though an increasing number of Louisiana's most vulnerable residents in long-term care centers are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, it cou Although our profession is still in the midst of the vaccination process, we are celebrating the many staff members and residents who have been vaccinated, Berger said. LNHA believes that the educational efforts will encourage more health care staff members to become vaccinated in the second round of vaccination clinics. More broadly, the state is receiving a bump of 9,200 Moderna doses next week, to 38,100 total, after being told to expect relatively flat shipments for the next month or more. That means the state will receive a total of 67,350 doses, as its Pfizer shipments remain flat. The Biden administration told states they will have a three-week window into the number of doses they are receiving, a break from the past administration, which gave a few days notice of the upcoming weeks shipment. Kanter said he believes the uptick in Moderna doses will hold true for all three of the coming weeks, but said the state hadnt received confirmation yet. Some health providers, including the states largest health system, Ochsner in New Orleans, have cancelled thousands of appointments in recent weeks because of a lack of supply. Kanter said he believes the longer window into shipments will mitigate the cancellation of appointments because providers will have a better sense of how many doses to expect. Staff writers Faimon Roberts and Youssef Rddad contributed to this story. An ambulance of the Le Chan District's Center for Preventative Medicine in Hai Phong City takes those who have been in close contact with a coronavirus case in Quang Ninh Province to centralized quarantine camps, January 28, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Chinh. Three northern Vietnam localities recorded 14 Covid-19 local cases Thursday evening, bringing the total confirmed community transmissions in a single day to 98. Dang Quang Tan, head of the General Department of Preventative Medicine under the Ministry of Health, said Hai Duong Province recorded an additional 11 Covid-19 local cases Thursday evening, bringing the total confirmed community cases in the province to 84. Quang Ninh recorded two additional cases, bringing the total confirmed community cases in the province to 13, according to the provincial Department of Health. In Hai Phong, the municipal Department of Health reported a positive case at the Hai Phong Children's Hospital Thursday. The child's mother is an employee worker of Vietnam Poyun Electronics in Hai Duong, where at least 73 community cases were confirmed Thursday morning. The mother tested negative, but the child tested positive three times. Hai Phong authorities Thursday suspended bars and dance clubs in the city, and erected checkpoint stations around city entrances. Activities involving crowds of 30 or more people have also been banned, and students would stay home starting Friday. So far, Hai Duong has collected over 4,200 Covid-19 test samples, 117 of them from Poyum employees. Quang Ninh has managed to track down 851 people related to the confirmed case and taken samples from 609. Vietnam's streak of no Covid-19 community transmission cases in nearly two months was broken Thursday morning in a big way with 84 cases confirmed in Hai Duong and Quang Ninh, starting with a 34-year-old woman working for Vietnam Poyun Electronics in Hai Duong and a 31-year-old man who works at the Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh. At least 10 other patients work at the airport with the man. The 34-year-old woman in particular, a resident of Hung Dao Commune in Hai Duongs Chi Linh Town, had come into close contact with a colleague who tested positive for the virus upon arriving in Japan last week. The colleague was later revealed to be infected by a coronavirus variant originating in the U.K., which is believed to be up to 70 percent more contagious than ordinary strains. Hai Duong's Chi Linh, where the Poyun firm is located, has been placed under lockdown for 21 days starting Thursday noon. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said at a meeting Thursday afternoon he believed the infection must have been lurking in the city for at least 10 days. Kimberley Garner stepped out with her mystery boyfriend in Miami on Thursday as she furiously hit back amid mounting backlash about stars jetting abroad on 'work trips'. The former Made In Chelsea star, 29, took to Instagram to say: 'I run a business, I'm not an influencer' as she defended her reasons for being in the U.S. during the height of the pandemic. Kimberley said she jetted out of the U.K. on December 14 - a week before London moved into Tier 4- to 'check on my apartment'. Defensive: Kimberley Garner stepped out with her mystery boyfriend in Miami on Thursday as she furiously hit back amid mounting backlash of stars jetting abroad on 'work trips' Kimberley, who travelled to Barbados before checking on her Miami apartment, is one of many stars who have been trolled online after being slammed by Home Secretary Priti Patel for jetting abroad under the ruse of a 'work trip' despite strict COVID-19 travel rules. Taking to Instagram, Kimberley, who owns her own swimwear business Kimberley London, wrote: 'I bought my place here this time two years ago. It was a massive achievement, still really can't believe it sometimes. I run a business- I'm not an influencer. 'Flew out of the UK on the 14th December to come check on my apartment, this was before any lockdown, and plan to wait here until I can return home. I miss London a lot.' Across the pond: Kimberley said she jetted out of the U.K on December 14 - a week before London moved into Tier 4- to 'check on my apartment'- but went to Barbados first Her say: The former Made In Chelsea star, 29, took to Instagram to say: 'I run a business, I'm not an influencer' as she defended her reasons for being in the U.S. during the pandemic Kimberley has been enjoying the past month in the sunshine and has gone public with her romance with her new mystery beau. The swimwear designer has kept coy about his identity on social media but the couple looked loved up as they headed out on a stroll hand-in-hand. Kimberley showcased her tanned and toned physique in a white crop top and denim shorts. She teamed the look with a navy blazer and black Chanel handbag. Kimberley's outrage Instagram post comes amid backlash towards influencers who have jetted abroad during the pandemic. As they shared photos from sun loungers, lockdown had appeared not to apply to so-called influencers and models who 'used loop-holes' to jet off the sunnier climes under the guise of work. Angry: Home Secretary Priti Patel slammed stars for bragging about their holidays and people 'turning up with their skis at St Pancras Station', adding, 'Going on holiday is not an exemption' On Wednesday Priti Patel criticised those who have been holidaying in the sun when they have been told to stay at home. She said going on holiday was 'not an exemption' as she unveiled a strict borders clampdown to slow the spread of the virus, telling the Commons: 'People should simply not be travelling. 'We see plenty of influencers showing off where they are mainly sunny places.' Living it up: Kimberley has been enjoying the past month in the sunshine and has gone public with her romance with her new mystery beau As the criticism intensifies, members of the public appear to be taking umbrage with their tone deaf posts from Dubai - now dubbed 'Covid Cosablanca.' Hostile messages on Instagram and Twitter pages are accusing them of recklessly spreading the virus and putting the NHS under increasing strain. Many claim they jetted off for 'unavoidable work trips' - with some even going so far as to suggest that their social media posts should make them 'key workers'. Laura Anderson, who appeared on Love Island in 2018, moaned about how 'hard it was to be an influencer' after she was met with a backlash about her Dubai trip, before claiming she went as a 'coping mechanism' to deal with COVID. Scores of reality TV stars 'used loop holes' to flee to Dubai to lounge in luxury hotels, pose for pictures with cocktails on sun loungers and enjoy beach parties. Outrage: Many influencers claim they jetted off for 'unavoidable work trips' - with some even going so far as to suggest that their social media posts should make them 'key workers' AstraZeneca offered eight million more doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to the European Union to try to defuse a row over supplies, but the bloc said that was too far short of what was originally promised, an EU official told Reuters. The Anglo-Swedish firm unexpectedly announced cuts in supplies to the EU last week, citing production problems at a Belgian factory, triggering a furious response from the bloc. EU officials said that meant a 60% cut to 31 million doses in the period to the end of March, a major blow for its 27-member countries which are already lagging vaccination campaigns in Israel, Britain and the United States. The EU official directly involved in the talks said AstraZeneca offered earlier this week to increase deliveries to possibly 39 million doses in the first quarter, but that was deemed inadequate. The size of the AstraZenecas offer has not previously been reported. Under a contract agreed in August, the company should have supplied at least 80 million doses to the EU in that period, the official said, and possibly even 120 million depending on how you read the contract. A second EU official said in a media briefing on Wednesday that the company had proposed to supply a quarter of the agreed volume of doses through March, which in the contract amounted to a three-digit figure - consistent with nearly 40 million out of a total of 120 million mentioned by the first source. AstraZenecas chief executive Pascal Soriot told newspapers on Tuesday the company had no legal requirement to deliver to the EU on a precise timetable, because it had only committed to supplying vaccines under a best-effort clause. At a meeting with EU officials on Wednesday, Soriot repeated this and made no new offer of extra doses from the 39 millions pledged earlier in the week, the first EU official said. NO UK DOSES To make up for the shortfall caused by problems at a factory in Belgium, EU officials asked AstraZeneca to re-route to the bloc some of the doses it manufactures in Britain. But Soriot said at Wednesdays meeting that AstraZeneca had contractual arrangements with Britain that prevented the company from diverting doses produced there to the EU, two EU officials said. AstraZeneca did not respond to repeated requests for comment. On Friday, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen reiterated that AstraZeneca had binding obligations and could not to make commitments with other buyers that would trump the EUs deal. Britain has a contract with AstraZeneca for 100 million doses that was signed before the EU deal for at least 300 million shots. Two officials said the EUs contract committed it to paying 336 million euros ($406 million) to AstraZeneca, mostly to finance production of vaccines at four named factories. Two of these, run by Oxford Biomedica and Cobra Biologics, are in Britain, while the others are in Germany and Belgium. Part of the money went to the UK, one of the officials said. Asked about the EU requests, Britain said the EU had established its own supply chains, and declined to comment on its own or the EUs contracts with AstraZeneca. The European Commission declined to comment. The EU has not yet approved the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is already being used in Britain. A decision is scheduled later on Friday. Short link: AQTOBE, Kazakhstan -- More than 60 oil workers have gone on strike in Kazakhstan's northwestern region of Aqtobe as they seek a salary increase. The workers of the AMK-Munai company's Bashenkol field walked out on January 29 saying that their monthly salaries of about $160 should be doubled as they currently fail to allow them to provide for their families. One of the strikers told RFE/RL that the workers have been demanding a salary increase since March last year, but nothing has been done. "The management kept saying that salaries had been defined in individual work contracts and did nothing. That is why we decided to start the strike," the worker said. AMK-Munai Director Erzhan Qoldasov confirmed to RFE/RL that workers have made demands but said that the operations at the oil field were not disrupted. "We will discuss the issue. We will meet with them, Qoldasov said. Five days earlier, dozens of oil workers at the nearby Kokzhide oil field also started a strike based on the same demands. Strikes by oil workers are a sensitive topic in the oil-rich Central Asian nation after police used firearms and killed at least 16 people while dispersing protesting oil workers in the southwestern town of Zhanaozen in December 2011. Posted Friday, January 29, 2021 3:20 am Washington State may soon have a new state dinosaur, thanks to the efforts of an elementary school class and the Washington State Legislature. The proposed state dinosaur is Suciasauras Rex, named for a fossil fragment found in 2012 on Sucia Island in San Juan Islands. The fossil is a 17-inch piece of the dinosaurs upper leg and dates to about 80 million years ago. It is the only dinosaur fossil ever found in Washington State. HB 1067, the bill to recognize Suciasaurus, was introduced this year by Melanie Morgan, D-Tacoma, on behalf of a class at Elmhurst Elementary in the Franklin Pierce School District, who learned about the fossil and took steps to have it recognized by the state Legislature. The bill was introduced last session, passed the House by a wide margin but did not get a hearing in the state Senate. Morgan reintroduced the bill this session. This bill is more than just about a dinosaur, Morgan said at a hearing Jan. 27. It's our formal recognition and appreciation for the hard work, preparation, creativity, and the drive of these students who are now in the sixth grade. Suciasaurus was a two-legged carnivore about half the size of its relative Tyrannosaurus Rex and lived about 12 million years before its famous cousin. It originally stalked its prey between Baja Mexico and Northern California. The fossil came to rest in the San Juan Islands after land masses drifted north over eons. Twelve states and Washington D.C. also have official state dinosaurs. Washington already has a state fossil. It is the Columbian mammoth. The Washington State Journal is a nonprofit news website managed by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation. Learn more at wastatejournal.org. 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 cannot...express my gratitude for this program, Parents Lead student Jenny McCoy said while she was in the program. The amount of support...goes above and beyond anything I could have hoped for. Financially, without these scholarships, going back to school would not have been an option. The Frederick Community College (FCC) Foundation, Inc. is seeking to raise money for the FCC Parents Lead program through the Unity Campaign. The Unity Campaign is a 12 Days of Giving project, sponsored annually by the United Way of Frederick County. As part of the campaign, individuals are asked to donate to local causes and programs like Parents Lead between March 10 and March 21, 2021. The FCC Foundation is grateful to be one of the 31 non-profit organizations chosen to participate in the Unity Campaign this year, said FCC President Elizabeth Burmaster. FCC and the Parents Lead program are committed to helping our students who are parents overcome educational barriers and increase financial stability for their families. The Unity Campaign is a collaboration between nonprofit partners, sponsors, and the greater Frederick community. It raises money for nonprofit organizations that support Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) households in need of food, shelter, clothing, financial sustainability, and healthcare. The Parents Lead program was designed specifically to help parents attend FCC and earn a degree. Created for financially-eligible parents, it provides specialized curriculum, advising services, and funding to offset the costs of child-rearing. A total of 50 students have been accepted into the FCC Parents Lead program since its inception in early 2018. I cannot even begin to express my gratitude for this program, Parents Lead student Jenny McCoy said while she was in the program. The amount of support absolutely goes above and beyond anything I could have hoped for. Financially, without these scholarships, going back to school would not have been an option. To learn more or to make a donation to the FCC Foundation during the Unity Campaign, click here. For more information on the FCC Parents Lead program, click here. The British perceived these gatherings as breeding grounds for sedition. The situation started worsening when the officers refused to listen to the farmers' grievances Nearly 140 unarmed peasants were killed by the British on 28 January, 1894 in Assam for protesting against the high taxation in land revenue levied by the colonial administration, when the military opened fire. Today a 'martyr's column' stands where the incident had taken place Patharughat, a small village in Darrang district. What led to the peasant's revolt in Patharughat? The British began to impose land taxes after the annexation of Assam in 1826. They decided to increase agricultural land tax reportedly by 70-80 percent in 1893. Indian Express quoted Kamalakanta Deka, a professor of Assamese at Patharughat Higher Secondary School as saying, "Up until then the peasants would pay taxes in kind or provide a service in lieu of cash. Across Assam, peasants began protesting the move by organising Raij Mels, or peaceful peoples' conventions." But the British perceived these gatherings as breeding grounds for sedition. The situation started worsening when the officers refused to listen to the farmers' grievances. "There was a lathi charge, followed by an open firing which killed many of the peasants present," said Deka. Guwahati-based author Arup Kumar Dutta, who has written a book Pothorughat on the incident, said: "official records, as mentioned in the Darrang District Gazette, 1905, edited by BC Allen, placed the casualties in the Patharughat incident as 15 killed and 37 wounded." However, unofficial sources claim it was a much higher number. Dutta writes: "Doli Purana, ostensibly written by an eyewitness named Narottam Koch, has the line Sat kuri raij mori thakil dar chelai pori which translates to imply that 140 were killed." Significance of incident: For the larger Assamese community, Patharughat comes second only to the Battle of Saraighat, when the Ahoms defeated the Mughals in 1671. "It is extremely inspirational for the Assamese community, like a national awakening," Deka said. While many often refer to the episode as as the "Patharughat Ron" or the "Battle of Patharughat", Dutta said it was a "misnomer". "It was a peaceful protest and a precursor to the Civil Disobedience movement, which was later propagated by Mahatma Gandhi," he said. What about the site today? Former governor SK Sinha had unveiled a martyrs column at the site on 28 January, 2001. Every year on 28 January, the government and local people pay tribute to the martyrs of the incident (Krishak Swahid Diwas) in an official function. The Indian Army pays its respects in military style the next day. Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated an Integrated Training and Skill Development Centre for the farmers near the site. Commentary Myanmars Political Drama What Episode Are You Watching Now? Former Myanmar military dictator Gen. Ne Win Late on the evening of March 1, 1962, General Ne Win was among the honored guests at a Chinese ballet performance in Yangon. The general enjoyed a drink as he took in the show. Guests recalled seeing the general and his bodyguards return home soon after the performance ended. But this relaxed scene was a facade. In the early hours of March 2, troops dispatched by the general arrived at the residences of government leaders and detained them. At 8:50 a.m. he went on the air to announced a military takeover of the government. Not even Ne Wins close subordinatesincluding Brigadier General Aung Gyi, who would become the No. 2 in the Revolutionary Council formed shortly after the couphad prior knowledge of the power grab. The current rumors that a coup is imminent in Myanmar and the rising political tensions are troubling, but lets hope the generals arent planning to go that far. They will surely think twice before they do anything to drag the country back to the stone age. They would only be digging their own graves. Putting aside rumors, and looking beyond the headlines we consume daily in newspapers and online, including in this publication, a levelheaded senior military officer told me this week that if the military was planning a coup, they would never signal it in advance. Understood. Nonetheless, as a foreign friend who worked in Myanmar for decades put it, Myanmar (or Burma) is never predictable; watching the countrys political drama unfold, one must expect the unexpected. The expat, who now lives outside Myanmar, said to me: It is painful to watch this dramathe suspense is killing me. But I believe every crisis presents opportunities, and I hope the same will be true of this saga. In a statement, Western embassies in Yangon affirmed their support for Myanmars democratic transition and efforts to promote peace, human rights and development in the country. They continued, We look forward to the peaceful convening of the Parliament on February 1 and the election of the President and speakers, adding, We oppose any attempt to alter the outcome of the elections or impede Myanmars democratic transition. The statement reflects the aspirations of the majority of Myanmars people. One ironic consequence of the militarys threatening posture is that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will only receive moral support and sympathy from the public at home and abroad; her status and the ruling partys image will be elevated without her having to lift a finger. A business tycoon who in the past worked with the military regimeand enriched himself in the processthis morning summed up his feelings in one word outrage. He said he was disgusted watching the political events unfold in Myanmar. It is ugly and I have nothing much to say, he said before hanging up the phone. One can see his point of view. Last night, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi reportedly held a series of meetings with party loyalists at her residence to discuss the crisis. A levelheaded senior military officer told me this week that if the military was planning a coup, they would never signal it in advance. She is said to have shared her objections to the militarys demandsfor a vote recount, the postponement of the coming Parliament session from Feb. 1, and the abolition of the Union Election Commissionand to have discussed possible scenarios for dealing with the unfolding situation. But this is a woman who spent years under house arrest and in detention, survived violent attacks by thuggish mobs when traveling in the countryside, and endured public humiliation. Today, she is the leader of the country. One would assume that at 75 the State Counselor would be calm and patient. But lets think positively. Even by the time she went to bed last night she must have been silently thanking her adversaries in the military, or whoever it might be, as they have somehow managed to make her and her party sympathetic figures once again. Over the decades, she has had no shortage of enemies who inadvertently promoted her cause and her status at home and abroad. She should be sending flowers to them in gratitude. At 6 a.m. this morning, a friend sent me a chat message expressing concern that a coup would only make life more difficult for people who are already experiencing economic hardship and poverty, while struggling with the effects of the pandemic. My friend is not a journalistjust an informed citizen sharing his speculations. He wanted to talk about how Myanmars neighbors and allies would respond in case of a coup: Russia will win if there is a coup. The army plans to buy more hardware from Russia. I said, Russia doesnt care. He wrote: China will lose. And Business owners are going to lose. Followed by Crony businessmen and their kids would suffer from a coup. Then Myanmar will become an unstable partner in the BRI, (referring to Chinas massive infrastructure development plan, the Belt and Road Initiative). This month, Myanmar received high-level visits from China, Russia and Japan all three are Myanmar-friendly governments. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was here to sign agreements on the economy, trade and technical cooperation with the aim of speeding up the implementation of BRI projects in Myanmar. Russia came to sell military hardware but nothing else. But did Russia embolden the generals? my friend quizzed me. I replied that not even China, Myanmars giant neighbor and key ally, would accept a coup. However, my friend said, despite its desire to see stable leadership in Myanmar, Beijing will put its own interests first at the end of the day. I had to agree. Then my friend turned the discussion to social media, where many netizens were expressing opposition to the militarys interference in politics amid the rumors of an impending coup. He was worried that there would be a crackdown on telecom infrastructure and social media, or even a temporary shutdown of internet access, such as was recently imposed in Chin and Rakhine states. People will revolt, he wrote. They may not revolt for democracy. But people will revolt if their mobile phones are taken away from them. In the meantime, the NLD isnt taking any chances with their communication devices; top party leaders have reportedly instructed MPs to deactivate their SIM cards in a preemptive measure in case they are arrested, and to erase any sensitive data from their devices. One ironic consequence of the militarys threatening posture is that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will only receive moral support and sympathy from the public at home and abroad. I told my friend to calm down. I know that many military officers and their families are addicted to social media and Facebook. If the internet were shut down, they would be the ones to revolt, let alone the civilian population! To comfort my colleague, I shared a rumor concerning former regime leader Senior General Than Shwe. Now in his late 80s, when not engaging in his hobby of palm reading, it is said that the once paramount leader enjoys surfing Facebook every day. Then we are safe, my colleague said. If he likes Facebook, it wont shut down! I joked that the once powerful regime leader still monitors events from behind the throne and continues to pull strings via Facebook (were lucky that he doesnt share Donald Trumps tweeting addiction), so were safe. In its modern history, Myanmar has seen three military coups. These occurred in the pre-smartphone, pre-social media era, in 1958, 1962 and 1988. The generals then were fortunate; to control the population, all they had to do was send a convoy of military vehicles into the national broadcasting station, where soldiers pointed guns at a newscaster and told him to read out a statement announcing the militarys takeover. Indeed, this is one of the most dramatic memories for those who lived through the 1988 upheaval. Nowadays, I told my friend over messenger, staging a coup could be problematic first, youd have to take over social media or shut down the internet. If not, youd first face the problem of convincing the public that a coup had indeed taken place and that it wasnt fake newsno easy task. Your second immediate problem would be controlling information and news of counter-coups and mutinies on social media. This sounds like an awful lot of work if you are in military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaings shoes, I teased my friend. It would be the officers and their family members that would most resent and protest the coup! Despite the talk of a possible coup in the coming days, a military leader assured me that the senior general doesnt want to do it. Ne Win, who introduced the Burmese way to socialism and brought self-imposed isolation on the country, later told his colleagues that he regretted the coup he staged in 1962, but added that once you take hold of a tigers tail, you cant let go. Some leaders are delusional, I told my friend; idiotically, they think they have the capability to run the country again. It would be like digging their own grave. The expat messaged back: Its like a 10-part TV political drama series, and Im up to episode 7 and have no idea whats going to happen. He added, In Burma, the level of pride level is very high. The level of logic is well low. He concluded: But almost 50 million lives depend on what happens in episode 7 TO BE CONTINUED. You may also like these stories: A Military Coup in Myanmar Is Unlikely, But. The Strange Birds Behind the 88 Coup Myanmar Military Refuses to Rule Out Coup as It Presses Claim of Fraud in Nov. Election Meeting Between Myanmar Govt, Military Fails to Resolve Crisis Over Election Myanmars Political Drama What Episode Are You Watching Now? /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES./ OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 28, 2021 /CNW/ - Martello Technologies Group Inc., ("Martello" or the "Company") (TSXV: MTLO) will release financial results for the third quarter of the 2021 fiscal year after financial markets close on Wednesday, February 17, 2021. The results will include the three and nine months ended December 31, 2020. Following the release of the third quarter fiscal 2021 financial results, Martello will host a conference call with John Proctor, President & CEO and Erin Crowe, CFO at 8:00 AM Eastern Time on Thursday, February 18, 2021. Conference Call Details Date: Thursday, February 18, 2021 Time: 8:00 AM EST Canada/USA Toll Free: 1-800-319-4610 International Toll: +1-604-638-5340 Callers should dial in 5 10 min prior to the scheduled start time and simply ask to join the Martello call. An audio recording of the call will be available on February 18, 2021 at martellotech.com. Other Information Martello wishes to clarify a statement in its press release issued January 21, 2021 entitled Martello Completes Integration of GSX and Provides Insight into Growth Plan. The press release stated that the Gizmo solution from GSX and the iQ service analytics software from the 2018 Savision BV acquisition represented approximately 58% of total revenue in Q2 FY21 on a combined basis. The Company clarifies that sales of all solutions from the GSX and Savision BV acquisitions represented approximately 58% of total revenue in Q2 FY21 on a combined basis. About Martello Technologies Group Martello Technologies Group Inc. (TSXV: MTLO) is a technology company that provides digital experience monitoring (DEM) solutions. The company's products provide monitoring and analytics on the performance and user experience of critical cloud business applications, while giving IT teams and service providers control and visibility of their entire IT infrastructure. Martello's software products include Microsoft 365 end user experience monitoring, unified communications performance analytics, and IT service analytics. Martello is a public company headquartered in Ottawa, Canada with employees in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region. Learn more at http://www.martellotech.com This press release does not constitute an offer of the securities of the Company for sale in the United States. The securities of the Company have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, (the "1933 Act") as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the 1933 Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. 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 news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as:"anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "will" and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding the timing for the release of the Company's financial results for the third quarter of the 2021 fiscal year. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: Continued volatility in the capital or credit markets; Our ability to maintain our current credit rating and the impact on our funding costs and competitive position if we do not do so; Changes in customer demand; Disruptions to our technology network including computer systems and software, as well as natural events such as severe weather, fires, floods and earthquakes or man-made or other disruptions of our operating systems, structures or equipment; Delayed purchase timelines and disruptions to customer budgets, as well as Martello's ability to maintain business continuity as a result of COVID-19; and other risks disclosed in the Company's filings with Canadian Securities Regulators, including the Company's annual information form for the year ended March 31, 2020 dated December 24, 2020 , which is available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this news release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. SOURCE Martello Technologies Group For further information: Tracy King, Vice President of Marketing, [email protected], 613.410.7636; John Proctor, President & CEO, [email protected], 613.271.5989 Related Links https://martellotech.com/ Close to 2,000 more Rohingya left refugee camps in Coxs Bazar on Thursday as Bangladeshi authorities moved them to a remote island in the Bay of Bengal that international humanitarian organizations have said is inhabitable. This third batch of refugees was taken in buses to the port city of Chittagong, from where they would board Bangladesh Navy ships bound for Bhashan Char Island on Friday, said Commodore Abdullah Al Mamun Chowdhury, the director of Bhashan Char project. On Thursday, 1,800 Rohingya were taken to Chittagong from Coxs Bazar. By midday Friday, they will reach Bhashan Char from Chittagong, Chowdhury told BenarNews. About 1,000 more Rohingya are scheduled to leave the camps in southeastern Bangladesh on Friday and reach the island the next day, he said. Some 3,000 Rohingya in total will be relocated to Bhashan Char on Friday and Saturday, he said. These latest offshore transfers of refugees will double the population of Rohingya sent to the controversial low-lying island, which has been developed to house refugees in a bid to relieve pressure on crowded mainland camps. Bangladesh relocated 1,642 Rohingya to Bhashan Char on Dec. 4 and 1,804 on Dec. 29. These Rohingya joined 306 of their compatriots, who were moved to the island after they arrived last May on a dinghy in Teknaf, a sub-district of Coxs Bazar near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. Most of the 1 million Rohingya who fled Myanmar live in 34 refugee camps in and around southeastern district, including more than 740,000 who escaped a brutal crackdown in Rakhine state in 2017. International humanitarian and rights organizations had said no one should be relocated from Coxs Bazar until United Nations experts certify that the remote island is habitable, and a mechanism is in place to ensure that refugees are accorded basic human rights. Fortify Rights, a Southeast Asian group, had said in October that Bangladesh had coerced the Rohingya into moving to Bhashan Char, an allegation that the government had forcefully denied several times. When Bangladesh started the program in early December, the United Nations said at the time that it had not been involved in preparations for the mass relocation of refugees offshore and had limited information on the plan. The U.N. then confirmed to BenarNews on Dec. 31 that Bangladesh had not yet permitted it to assess the habitability of Bhashan Char, although Dhaka said it was prepared to facilitate U.N. participation. Bangladeshs plan is to move 100,000 refugees to Bhashan Char in stages. The government spent about U.S. $280 million to construct housing, a large embankment, cyclone shelters and other infrastructure on the island, officials had said. Bangladesh touts the relocation as a solution to decongest the camps in Coxs Bazar. On Bhashan Char, the Rohingya can engage in farming and fishing work, which isnt possible in the mainland camps, A.K. Abdul Momen, Bangladeshs foreign minister, told BenarNews last month. I like the atmosphere Most of the Rohingya whom BenarNews spoke to last month in Coxs Bazar said they had voluntarily decided to move to Bhashan Char in the hope of a better life. On Thursday, other Rohingya expressed similar sentiments before they boarded buses to Chittagong. I have decided to move to Bhashan Char for safety, security and a better life, because fighting and lawlessness have become regular features at the Kutupalong camp. In the first phase of relocation, 25 of my relatives moved to the island, Nurul Islam, a Rohingya refugee, told BenarNews. I am thrilled that I can start a new life there. Nasima Begum, a Rohingya woman, was also heading to Bhashan Char via Chittagong. My relatives living in Bhashan Char have shown us the island via video calls. I like the atmosphere. I would not be worried about safety and security in Bhashan Char, she said. Nur Mohammad, a leader in the Shamlapur refugee camp, told BenarNews that more Rohingya from his camp had been showing interest in moving to Bhashan Char. This shows that Bangladesh has succeeded in its Rohingya relocation plan despite international opposition, said Ehsanul Haque, a professor of international relations at Dhaka University. More Rohingya are interested in relocating to Bhashan Char as the people who moved in the first two batches have been leading a good life there. With the increase in the number of people, the U.N. and the international community may change their position on Bhashan Char, Haque told BenarNews. But the government must focus on repatriation of the people to their homeland in Myanmar, he said. On Jan. 19, Bangladesh and Myanmar resumed China-brokered talks on Rohingya repatriation for the first time in a year, with Dhaka urging the neighboring country to create conditions in which refugees would agree to return. The two sides tentatively discussed a fresh attempt to begin repatriation in the second quarter of the new year, though it was not immediately clear what guarantees Rohingya would receive about their safety and livelihood under the plan. Myanmar has made all necessary arrangements for the repatriation and reaffirmed Myanmars readiness to receive the verified displaced persons in line with the bilateral agreements, Naypyidaws Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement issued after the meeting. MEDFORD, Ore. The Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport is lobbying the local community for support in adding a flight to Dallas-Fort Worth, intended to capitalize on an anticipated surge in travel when the coronavirus pandemic ends. The Chamber of Medford & Jackson County on Thursday passed along a letter to its members from Jason Foster, Air Service & Economic Development Manager for the Medford airport. In it, Foster asks that the airport receive report for the new flight to Dallas-Fort Worth. Foster said that the airport will be applying again for a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. "Our airport has been heavily impacted by the Pandemic like most of the industry," Foster said. "However, we have fared much better in a lot of ways. We were able to maintain every one of our direct routes, all air carriers, and 80% of our available seats." Despite the inevitable impacts of COVID-19, the Medford airport has received some windfalls since it began in early 2020. The CARES Act allocated $15 million in funding that allowed the airport to resume several paused construction projects, and both Alaska Airlines and Allegiant added new non-stop flights in 2020. According to Foster, the airport is looking to "expand while many are being forced to contract" in preparation for a surge in post-pandemic travel. A flight to Dallas-Fort Worth would connect to more than 100 cities in the eastern U.S. that the Medford airport can't currently reach with a single layover. "The most important part of this is the increased accessibility," Foster said. "Medford and the rest of our region will become more accessible to businesses, and more importantly, vacationers. The hottest vacation spots after the Pandemic will be outdoor destinations." "Destinations where those who are still uneasy can socially distance themselves and enjoy a 'normal' vacation," Foster continued in his letter. "Increasing our accessibility will allow our region to attract a larger share of those vacationers. This increase in travelers will bring a much needed economic boost to our local businesses and restaurants who have struggled over the last year." The Chamber and Travel Medford have thrown their support behind the airport's effort, asking for letters of support from local businesses, city governments, and other chambers of commerce. The Chamber also asked if businesses or municipalities would be willing and able to commit matching grant funds. Specifically, the Chamber said that it is looking for the following: Corp-backed realty portal on Friday said it will invest around Rs 40 crore over the next 15 months on advertising campaign. In a statement, Housing.comsaid it has launched new TV and digital advertising campaign, starring bollywood actors Manoj Bajpayee and Rajkummar Rao. "To be promoted across TV and digital media, the campaign will run for the next 15 months and it will involve a total expense of nearly Rs 40 crore across varied platforms," it said. Dhruv Agarwala, Group Chief Executive Officer, Housing.com, Makaan.com and PropTiger.com saidthe adoption of technology in real estate, especially with the challenges posed by the pandemic, has made the process of finding homes for buying or renting much simpler. is an online property classified, while the PropTiger is into brokerage of residential properties available in primary markets. In October last year, Australia-based REA Group Ltd increased its shareholding and acquired a controlling stake in Elara Technologies, which owns three leading realty portals Housing.com, PropTiger and Makaan.com, in a cash and equity deal estimated up to USD 70 million. US-based Corp too increased stake in Elara Technologies by acquiring preference shares worth USD 34.5 million. REA is also Corp group firm. (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.) Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low near 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. ADVERTISEMENT Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has said he would organise a grand reception for the new Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, in Kaduna. The governor said this in a message in Kaduna on Friday congratulating Mr Attahiru on his appointment. He also lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for choosing the major general to lead the Nigerian Army. According to a statement by the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Homeland Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, Mr El-Rufai said Mr Attahirus appointment was as a result of the officers hard work, commitment, dedication and outstanding professionalism. Going further, Governor El-Rufai stated his belief that under the leadership of Major-General Attahiru, the Nigerian Army would be taken to even greater levels of proficiency and responsiveness in the discharge of its constitutional duties. El-Rufai said the People and Government of Kaduna State were very proud of the new Army Chief, and were optimistic that he would succeed and take the Nigerian Army to greater heights. As he wished the new COAS the very best in his new office, Governor El-Rufai highlighted the strategic relationship between Kaduna State and the Nigerian Army, stating that a grand reception would be planned for the incoming Army Chief by the People and Government of Kaduna State. ALSO READ: Attahiru assumes office as new army chief as Buratai bows out He also congratulated the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Isiaka Amao. He wished them the highest success in their crucial new endeavours. The three officials were recently appointed by Mr Buhari after they had overstayed their tenure for years and repeated calls for their removal by Nigerians in the wake of the insecurity ravaging parts of the country. Seven Shady Grove Fertility physicians are honored as 2021 Top Doctors for Infertility by Northern Virginia Magazine. Id like to extend my congratulations to all of the honored physicians in Northern Virginia Magazine along with my deepest appreciation to our peers who believe in our passion to make parenthood possible for members of the Northern Virginia community." Shady Grove Fertility (SGF), the largest fertility center in Virginia, announced today that seven SGF physicians were recognized as Northern Virginia Magazines 2021 Top Doctors for infertility. Local physicians throughout Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. earn their Top Doctors badge based on peer nominations and physician-led panels representing 50 specialties. A research team then vets each nomination to ensure the physician is in good standing with the Virginia Department of Health Professionals. 2021 marks SGFs 30th anniversary, a milestone that is made possible by the trust, relationships, and commitment forged between our patients and physicians, reflects Eric A. Widra, M.D., SGFs Chief Medical Officer, who sees patients in SGFs K Street - Washington, D.C. location. We are privileged to assist our patients during their family-building journeys and will continue to lead the charge by providing innovative, patient-centric, effective options for overcoming infertility. The Seven SGF Physicians Selected as Northern Virginia Magazines Top Doctors SGFs board-certified reproductive endocrinologists offer patients a warm and collaborative approach to patient treatment and care, offering a full range of diagnostic and treatment options for male and female infertility. Because of SGFs reputation for providing personalized care, the practice touts 96 percent of SGF patients would recommend SGF to a family member or friend, according to survey data. The seven SGF physicians honored as Northern Virginia Magazines 2021 Top Doctors include: In honor of the recognition, Northern Virginia Magazine asked Dr. Widra for a favorite patient story. I was asked for my favorite patient story, but that is an impossible task. Through my career, I have had so many favorite cases, that I cant choose one. I have had cases where a woman donated eggs to her sister to start her own family after years of struggle. A family who turns to IVF to help them eliminate an inherited disease in their family history. Couples who continually miscarry and are finally able to have a healthy child through IVF and genetic testing of their embryos. The woman whose uterus was lost to cancer or surgery and now has a family by using a gestational carrier. The couple who thought they couldnt have kids because of a low sperm count. The same sex couples who cant start families without us. All of these are a tapestry of favorites that I have been privileged to help, shared Dr. Widra. Each day, we have a list of patients who have come in for testing and we review their results in the afternoon. Many of these are having their first pregnancy test after a treatment. As I click on their names, I have the same rush of hope and anticipation for a positive result that I had on my first day as a fertility doctor, adds Dr. Widra. Building Families at SGF, the Largest Fertility Center in Virginia SGF proudly serves diverse communities throughout Northern Virginia at the following seven locations: SGF also has two Richmond-based offices (Henrico Doctors' - Forest and Stony Point) and two Washington, D.C.-based offices (Sibley Hospital Campus and K Street). Id like to extend my congratulations to all of the honored physicians in Northern Virginia Magazine along with my deepest appreciation to our peers who believe in our passion to make parenthood possible for members of the Northern Virginia community, says Dr. Widra. SGF credits its network of 4,000+ physicians annually who refer their patients to SGFs fertility specialists among the reasons their 85,000 SGF babies born milestone in 2019 was achieved. For people struggling to conceive, seeing a fertility specialist sooner leads to higher pregnancy rates. New patients may contact the SGF New Patient Center at 1-888-761-1967 or complete a brief online request form to schedule a virtual consult with an SGF physician. A virtual physician consult is the first step toward pursuing a pregnancy with the help of SGF. About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF) SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 85,000 babies born and 5,000+ 5-star patient reviews. With 37 locations throughout FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C., and Santiago, Chile, we offer patients virtual physician consults, deliver individualized care, accept most insurance plans, and make treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including 100% refund guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com. A mostly dry weekend will give way to more rain early next week, with most of the Bay Area set to receive about half an inch of rain by the end of Monday. Several inches are expected to fall on the North Bay and South Bay mountains, the National Weather Service said. The drying-out from this weeks storms which caused some flooding in the Central Coast and briefly led to evacuations in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties is expected to last until late Sunday. By Monday, there will be widespread light rainfall in most of the Bay Area, said Weather Service meteorologist Roger Gass. Maybe about half an inch. The mountains will get a little more. Bay Area high temperatures will be in the 50s and low 60s for the next several days, with lows in the 40s. This weeks storms dropped 2.06 inches of rain on San Francisco, 1.58 inches on Oakland, 2.91 inches on San Jose, 2.70 inches on Redwood City, 2.02 inches on Richmond, 2.30 inches on Santa Rosa and 2.32 inches on Napa, Gass said. In Monterey County, an evacuation warning was upgraded to an evacuation order for the Carmel River Lagoon and Mission Fields areas south of the downtown area. Now Playing: Video: Caron Creighton Due to heavy rain, rapid rises are occurring on the Carmel River, the Monterey County sheriffs office said in a statement. Water is backing up in the Carmel Lagoon near Carmel River State Beach. Flooding is already occurring. A large section of Highway 1 washed away late Thursday on the Big Sur coast at Rat Creek, south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Engineers were inspecting and did not immediately know how long repairs would take. The slipout occurred on a 45-mile stretch of the road between Big Sur and Ragged Point that had been closed to traffic because of fears of storm-related road damage. In Santa Cruz county, evacuation warnings downgraded on Thursday from evacuation orders remained in effect in the Boulder Creek, Felton and Ben Lomond areas. In the Sierra, Interestate 80 was closed briefly to westbound traffic over Donner Summit on Friday morning while workers cleared up spinouts. After it reopened, chains were required for travelers in both directions. Chains were also required for motorists on Highway 50 over Echo Summit. Highway 88 was closed over Carson Pass and Highway 89 was closed at Emerald Bay on the west side of Lake Tahoe, due to snow. The Squaw Valley ski resort reported 4 feet of new snow and expected to operate 7 of its 24 lifts on Friday. The resort website sait operations are limited and blizzard conditions exist. Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh has announced support to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), the members of which are staging a protest against the Centres new farm laws at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border. The former Union minister has spoken to BKU president Naresh Tikait and spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, RLD vice president and his son Jayant Chaudhary said. It is a matter of life and death for farmers, but do not worry. All have to stay together, united in this this is Chaudhary saahabs (Ajit Singhs) message, the RLD vice president said in a tweet in Hindi. The Tikait brothers, sons of legendary farm leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, are leading the BKU, the members of which are camping at the UP Gate (Ghazipur border) for two months now demanding a rollback of the contentious farm laws brought by the Centre in September last year. The RLD, which was virtually wiped out in the last Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, was founded by Singh, son of Chaudhary Charan Singh, a former prime minister and a farmer leader from western Uttar Pradesh. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain EU member state ambassadors approved a new map of coronavirus danger zones across the bloc on Friday, allowing authorities to impose stricter regional travel restrictions. The European Commission remains opposed to a blanket travel ban or closures of national borders across the European Union, despite some members seeking tougher measures. But Brussels does want to "strongly discourage non-essential travel" and the map from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is part of that effort. The commission recommended adding a new category of "dark red" zones to the weekly European health map published. These are regions where authorities have detected 500 or more COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the previous two weeks. Testing and quarantine rules would limit travel to and from these areas, even for journeys deemed "essential" under current guidelines. Certain exemptions are provided for inhabitants of border areas and transport workers. According to a preliminary ECDC map seen by AFP on Thursday, 14 of 27 EU countries have at least one region classified as "dark red". The commission is trying to coordinate member state measures so as to avoid a repeat of the fiasco in May last year, when cascading border closures led to travel and transport chaos. But Portugal, which holds the rotating EU presidency of the EU, told the ambassadors' meeting that additional national measures were still possible, according to diplomats. Portugal, where the epidemic is exploding, decided on Thursday to ban non-essential travel abroad for a fortnight. Belgium had taken the same measure from Wednesday, with a ban until March 1, and Germany is considering a drastic reduction in air traffic with countries it considers at risk. The European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, was asked on Friday about the measures taken by his home country, Belgium. He warned that the generalised scope of it, not taking into account the health situation in the area of origin or destination, was "not in line" with the Commission's recommendations. "We would prefer this not to be prolonged and especially that, if measures are taken, they are better integrated into the recommendations," he told broadcaster RTBF. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Quarterly Activities - Cashflow Report Melbourne, Jan 29, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Nova Minerals Limited ( ASX:NVA ) ( FRA:QM3 ) ( OTCMKTS:NVAAF ) continued its fast-track exploration strategy at the district scale Estelle Gold Project in Alaska, achieving a significant milestone with a "Snapshot in time" release of a JORC compliant 3.3Moz maiden inferred interim resource at its Korbel Main prospect in the September quarter.Results of the diamond drilling program continue to expand the Korbel Main resource area, confirming that the mineralisation extends by over 2,000m from the North-West to the South-East, and to depths of 500m.Field operations are ahead of schedule and on budget when it comes to variables we can control. The unforeseen bottleneck has been the assay laboratory that continues to operate under severe COVID protocols and restrictions. This being said, Nova expect results in the very near term and to further mitigate these delays, half of the samples are in a second assay lab. We expect both labs to work simultaneously, which would result in receiving our assays much faster.Nova announced exceptional gold leach recoveries averaging 76% at the Korbel Gold Deposit (Table 1*). All initial metallurgical test-work results are consistent with Nova's expectation that supports a future low strip, bulk mining, heap leach mining operation.To view the quarterly report, please visit:About Nova Minerals Ltd Nova Minerals Limited (ASX:NVA) (FRA:QM3) (OTCMKTS:NVAAF) is a dynamic explorer and developer of its flagship Estelle Gold district in the Tintina gold belt. Nova's strategy is to substantially increase the current 4.7Moz resource on the Korbel prospect. Subsequently to continue to lock in value through moving Korbel towards production whilst increasing the resource base across the pipeline of targets within the Estelle gold district. Nova Minerals also holds strategic investments in Snow Lake Resources Ltd (Thompson Brothers Lithium Project), Torian Resources Ltd (ASX:TNR) and RotorX Aircraft Manufacturing Co. Residents in three Victorian towns have been urged to get tested for Covid-19 after the virus was detected in wastewater. An alert has been issued for Gisborne, Leongatha and Hamilton after Covid-19 was detected in wastewater at the Leongatha wastewater treatment plant on January 19. Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) advised anyone with symptoms to get tested for the virus, even if they are 'mild'. People from three Victorian towns have been urged to get tested for Covid after the virus was detected in wastewater. Pictured: Hydrographer Andrew Lamb taking samples from a sewer in Victoria, May 2020 Residents of Gisborne in the Macedon Ranges, Leongatha in Gippsland and Hamilton, south-west of Victoria, have been alerted to get tested if they have even 'mild' symptoms (Stock) 'Anyone who lives in or has visited Gisborne from January 24 to 26, Hamilton from January 25 to 27 or Leongatha from January 17 to 19, is urged to get tested if they have any symptoms of coronavirus, however mild,' DHHS said in a statement. DHHS said the initial testing of the Leongatha wastewater treatment plant showed a 'weak result' but has since been confirmed with independent testing. 'The detection of viral fragments was unexpected given there had been no confirmed cases of coronavirus in these communities at the time,' DHHS said. 'But it can take several weeks for someone to stop shedding the virus.' The wastewater result might be a sign there has been positive cases. Covid was detected in wastewater at the Leongatha wastewater treatment plant on January 19. Pictured: People wearing masks on December 31, 2020 in Melbourne IMPACTED VIC TOWNS AND DATES Leongatha, south-west of Melbourne: January 17 - 19 Gisborne in the Macedon Ranges: January 24 - 26 Hamilton in Gippsland: January 25 - 27 Advertisement ' As India celebrated its 72nd Republic Day, Harpic Mission Paani hosted its first Waterthon celebrating the countrys water heroes. The 8-Hour long Waterthon brought together leading policy makers, celebrities from all walks of life, the Armed Forces and corporates to address the criticality of water for hygiene and conservation. Indias largest Waterthon witnessed a series of thought-provoking sessions deliberating on efficient solutions and the need to prioritize efforts towards water conservation. Mission Paani has partnered with WWF-India and Swarovski Waterschool to mobilise their Waterschool curriculum for encouraging early water conservation habits in children. Laxman Narasimhan, Global CEO, Reckitt Benckiser Group commented, Hosting Indias largest Waterthon on Republic Day is highly symbolic and a matter of pride for us at RB. People from all walks of life have come together today on the Harpic Mission Paani platform, united towards a common goal of saving water. This day has celebrated Indias water heroes who have selflessly led and addressed the criticality of water for hygiene. We are hopeful that Harpic with its key initiatives will successfully drive behavior change towards water conservation and hygiene with Mission Paani. Speaking on building purpose-led brands, Harold van den Broek, President, RB Hygiene said At RB, we are pioneers of Health, Hygiene and Nutrition and we deliver our purpose- to protect heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner and healthier world. Our brands like Harpic, Finish and Lysol have been at the forefront of driving behaviour change. We are committed to building brands with purpose with a clearly defined fight that is linked to key societal issues in line with UNs defined Sustainability Development Goals. Actor and Mission Paani Ambassador, Akshay Kumar said, Water is a wealth we have to conserve. The demand for water will rise by 40 percent in the next 9 years, which is something we will not be able to fulfill. Add to that, there are chances of a water crisis taking place in 28% of the country for which we all will be responsible. At the rate that humanity is going, in next 100 years, we will finish all the water available. Water can be sold at the rate of gold, it can even be costlier. We might even see a war on it. There might come a time where there won't be rivers, lakes. We will struggle to even find a drop. It is the need of the hour for us to take a pledge to save water so that we can live a life of a better tomorrow. At the event Narasimhan Eswar, Senior Vice President, South Asia, RB Hygiene, said, Saving water is now more important than ever before. The pandemic has taught us that high levels of sanitation and hygiene are essential for all sections of society. Harpic Mission Paani is a defining peoples movement, aimed at creating a more direct impact on water, hygiene and sanitation. Our aim with Harpic Mission Paanis Swachhta aur Paani campaign is to increase awareness and encourage citizens on the urgency for efficient usage and conservation of water as well as hygienic sanitation. Sukhleen Aneja, CMO & Marketing Director, RB Hygiene, South Asia said, Children hold the key to our future and are hence the best evangelists for Mission Paani. With Harpic's Mission Paani we wish to bring about a lasting behaviour change. Last year, we released the Water anthem co-created with legendary AR Rahman and rendered by an all-children's choir urging India on the need for using water responsibly. This year Mission Paani has partnered with WWF and Swarovski School of Water to launch and has mobilised the water curriculum focused on teaching children the importance of water conservation from an early stage. Iraqi security forces killed the man believed to be the second-highest commander of Islamic State (IS) and the groups top leader in Iraq, Abu Yaser al-Issawi, during an operation on Thursday, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi announced. Our heroic armed forces have eliminated Daesh commander Abu Yaser al-Issawi as part of an intelligence-led operation, Kadhimi tweeted. Iraqs Counterterrorism Service said its forces killed Issawi in the Wadi al-Shay area outside Kirkuk in coordination with Iraqs National Intelligence Service. The area is considered one of the remaining hideouts of IS sleeper cells that have terrorized local populations with assassinations and kidnappings since Iraq declared victory over the supposed caliphate in late 2017. A spokesperson for Kadhimi's office confirmed the news of the jihadi leader's death to Al-Monitor. Iraq's Counterterrorism Service said Issawi was "shot in the head by the rifles" of its soldiers. On Friday, however, the US-led international military coalition to defeat IS said Issawi was killed along with ten other suspected IS personnel in an airstrike during a "partnered operation" with Iraq's security forces. Originally from Anbar province, Issawi whose full name is thought to be Jabbar Salman Ali Farhan is believed to be IS Iraqi wali, or governor, and a deputy to so-called caliph Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi. His death at the hands of Iraqs security forces would mark a notable victory for the Kadhimi government, which faces increased criticism after IS claimed a rare double suicide bombing in a crowded downtown marketplace in Baghdad last week. The twin blasts killed more than 30 people and injured more than 100, prompting Kadhimi to fire a number of security officials, including the commander of Iraqs federal police and the deputy interior minister for intelligence affairs. An Iraqi official speaking on condition of anonymity told Al-Monitor the prime minister personally ordered the formation of a security task force to find Issawi following last weeks massacre. We promised and fulfilled, Kadhimi wrote Thursday. I gave my word to pursue Daesh terrorists, [and] we gave them a thundering response. Daesh is the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. Iraqi security officials believe the 39-year-old Issawi rose to prominence as a military commander and governor of north Baghdad before being placed in charge of the groups entire franchise in Iraq as the so-called caliphate collapsed. The Iraqi official told Al-Monitor that Issawis death came after security forces had tracked down 17 of his associates in Kirkuk and Salahuddin provinces over the last five months, including the man believed to be Issawis private courier, Laiq Muhammad Dawud al-Bayati, and the suspected top ringleader of IS militants in Kirkuk, Ghassan Najm Saleh Ahmed al-Obeidi. Issawi is the highest-ranking IS official killed or captured since Abdul Nasser Qardash was detained by Syrian Kurdish-led forces at the Battle of Baghouz in 2019. Qardash, who was later handed over to Iraq's security services, is the highest-ranking IS official ever captured alive. The group's original self-declared caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, died in a US Delta Force raid on a compound in northwest Syria near the Turkish border in October 2019. IS' current leader remains at large. Al-Monitor has reached out to the US-led international military coalition for comment. A rapidly developing low-pressure system is bringing stormy conditions to a wide area of the Sea of Japan coast, from Hokkaido to Hokuriku. Weather officials are warning of sudden squalls that could disrupt traffic and bring heavy snowfall to the area. Weather officials say the winds and snow can quickly intensify. They are calling for caution against disruptions to traffic as well as snowstorms and heavy snowfall. The Meteorological Agency says the weather system is moving east over the Sea of Japan. Some locations in northern Japan are being hit by blizzards. Wind gusts of about 100 kilometers per hour were recorded in the city of Akita, Akita Prefecture, and in the town of Fukaura, Aomori Prefecture, on Friday morning. Fierce winds of over 70 kilometers per hour are forecast in the Kansai region for Friday evening and in Hokuriku, Tohoku and Hokkaido overnight into early Saturday. Weather officials say people should brace for "whiteout" conditions, in which snow whipped up by strong wind causes extremely low visibility. People are also advised to be on the alert for heavy snowfall. The city of Sapporo was blanketed with 18 centimeters of snow over the course of 6 hours on Friday morning. Snow is accumulating even on the plains in Hokkaido and Hokuriku. In a 24-hour period through Saturday morning, up to 70 centimeters of snow is expected in Hokuriku and Niigata and Gifu prefectures, and up to 60 centimeters in Hokkaido and Tohoku. The weather agency is asking people to stay alert for blizzards, heavy snowfall, high waves and avalanches as well as power outages. The government has set up a liaison office at the crisis management center in the Prime Minister's Official Residence to monitor the situation. New restrictions on flights from the Caribbean and Mexico announced Friday are likely to trigger bankruptcies in Canada's airline sector and force permanent closures for airports and travel agencies, aviation experts say. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021., to provide an update on the COVID-19 pandemic.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick New restrictions on flights from the Caribbean and Mexico announced Friday are likely to trigger bankruptcies in Canada's airline sector and force permanent closures for airports and travel agencies, aviation experts say. "Todays announcement really was the nail in the coffin for the airline and tourism business," said Robert Kokonis, founder and managing director of aviation consulting firm AirTrav Inc. "Were going to see bankruptcy filings, you might even see a few outright failures." John Gradek, a lecturer at McGill University and the head of its Global Aviation Leadership Program, said Sunwing and Transat A.T. Inc. are most at risk of bankruptcy, given their reliance on flights to sun destinations. Sunwing said it was "categorically untrue" that the airline is at risk of bankruptcy. Spokeswoman Melanie Filipp said that the decision to suspend flights to all sun destinations was based on ongoing collaboration with the government and the Canadian aviation industry. Transat announced a complete suspension of all Air Transat flights, including to Europe, until April 30 and is repatriating customers to Canada over the next two weeks. "We will do everything we can to return our customers back to Canada," said CEO Jean-Marc Eustache. At WestJet Airlines Ltd. and Air Canada, Gradek said he expected further cuts, including layoffs of between 400 and 500 at WestJet and around 2,000 at Air Canada. For Air Canada, flights to sun destinations represent around 12 per cent of total revenue, which would translate to around $200 million in lost revenue between now and April 30, Gradek estimated. The experts' comments came as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that airlines have reached an agreement with the government to halt flights to the Caribbean and Mexico until April 30. The government will also require entrants to Canada to quarantine in a hotel on arrival, costing them more than $2,000, Trudeau said. If travellers test negative for COVID-19 after three days, they will be allowed to quarantine at home, albeit under increased surveillance. If entrants test positive for the virus, they will have to complete their 14-day quarantine at a government facility to ensure they are not carrying a more aggressive variant of the disease, Trudeau said. Airline bookings had already dropped significantly this month after the federal government announced that travellers entering Canada would have to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before departure. The drop in demand prompted airlines to cut more routes and staff, with Air Canada laying off 1,700 workers this month. But this latest round of restrictions will limit travel even further, potentially forcing sweeping changes to the landscape of Canada's aviation industry, Kokonis said. "This will definitely finish off hundreds of travel agents, if not thousands, across the country," he added. Airlines have been in negotiations with the federal government for months over the terms of any sector-specific aid. Ottawa has said that any aid would be contingent upon airlines issuing full refunds to passengers who have had flights cancelled since the start of the pandemic. On Friday, several industry groups said they hope the restrictions will prompt action by the government on financial relief. The National Airlines Council of Canada, which represents the country's major carriers, reiterated its call for government aid and said the organization looked forward to working with Ottawa on a recovery strategy for the industry. Unifor called for immediate financial support to prevent a total industry collapse. "You can't have one without the other. Further travel restrictions without providing financial support for airline workers is a risk to the very future of Canada's airline industry," stated Jerry Dias, the union's national president. The Canadian Airports Council said the country's airports are burning through cash reserves, laying off staff and assuming additional debt with demand down 85 to 90 per cent since spring. "Today, there is nothing left to cut, yet the restrictions keep piling on," said president Daniel-Robert Gooch. The Association of Canadian Independent Travel Advisors said the sector, especially those running storefront agencies, is in critical need of support to survive. "Im very disappointed that they would not have made this announcement today simultaneously with an announcement of aid," added Kokonis. The flights that remain, particularly trans-Pacific or transatlantic routes, are more financially important to the airlines than flights to sun destinations because of the contracts that airlines have to ship cargo along with them, Gradek said. Those cargo routes are also important during the pandemic because they can be used to transport medical equipment and potentially vaccines, Gradek said. "For those who wonder why all flights cannot simply be stopped, we note that doing so would lead to unintended consequences," said Robert Giguere, CEO of the Air Canada Pilots Association. "Turning the tap off on aviation would turn off the supply chain of vital goods to Canadians including mail, PPE, and pharmaceuticals to name a few." "Last week, our pilots operated flights with very few passengers less than six per cent of pre-pandemic loads but carried millions of kilos of essential goods in the cargo hold into and across Canada," Giguere said. Airlines' revenue from cargo has spiked during the pandemic, and could soon surpass revenue from passenger sales, Gradek said. In the last few months, Air Canada has converted some planes exclusively to carry cargo. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2021. Companies in this story: (TSX:AC; TSX:TRZ) Tel Aviv, Jan 29 : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the US' decision to suspend the sale of the F-35 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will not affect ties between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi. "It won't affect them, we've passed the point of no return," Xinhua news agency quoted Netanyahu as saying at press conference broadcast on his Facebook page on Thursday. "Everyone understood that this was a historic step and that there were enormous benefits here," the Prime Minister said. "It's somewhere else already. I think it's going to move forward," he was quoted as further saying. Netanyahu's remarks came a day after US President Joe Biden's administration announced that it has put a temporary hold of several major foreign arms sales initiated by former President Donald Trump, including the deal to provide 50 F-35 advanced fighter jets to the UAE. The UAE deal was fast-tracked by Washington after Abu Dhabi agreed to normalise relations with Israel. Six workers were killed and several others were taken to a hospital after a liquid nitrogen leak Thursday at a poultry processing plant in Gainesville, Georgia, officials said. Fire crews from Hall County and Gainesville responded to a report of burns at the Foundation Foods facility -- formerly Prime Pak Foods -- around 10:12 a.m. on Thursday, said Zachary Brackett of Hall County Fire Services. Units arrived and found a large group of employees that had evacuated, along with multiple people who were experiencing medical emergencies in and around the facility, Brackett said. About 130 workers evacuated the plant. Five men and one woman were killed, according to the Hall County Sheriff's Office, which identified the victims on Friday as Jose DeJesus Elias-Cabrera, 45; Corey Alan Murphy, 35; Nelly Perez-Rafael, 28; Saulo Suarez-Bernal, 41; Victor Vellez, 38: and Edgar Vera-Garcia, 28. Their bodies have been taken to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for autopsies, the sheriff's office said. Authorities said previously that five of the victims died at the scene and one died at the hospital. Three people who are in critical condition remained hospitalized Friday, according to Northeast Georgia Health System spokeswoman Beth Downs. Eight other patients were discharged Thursday or Friday. All had respiratory issues, officials said. The injured included three Gainesville firefighters and one Hall County firefighter. Official says a nitrogen line ruptured Brackett said there was no explosion, and the cause of the leak remains under investigation. Nicholas Ancrum, vice president of human resources at Foundation Food Group, said preliminary reports indicated a nitrogen line ruptured. 'Until this investigation is completed, we cannot say with confidence precisely how this accident occurred,' he said. The sheriff's office is managing the investigation. 'Those lost today include maintenance, supervisory and management team members,' Ancrum said. 'Every team member is equally important to us and our hearts go out to their families and communities who have suffered such a devastating loss.' Officials from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, the Office of Insurance and Safety Fire, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are at the site, Gov. Brian Kemp said. He added his condolences, saying: 'Our hearts are broken hearing about the tragedy that took place at Prime Pak Foods. Marty, the girls, and I ask all Georgians to join us in praying for the families facing a terrible loss and the other employees who are receiving medical care. May God be a hand of peace, comfort, and healing in the days ahead.' Foundation Food Group finalized its purchase of Prime Pak in early January, Ancrum said. Foundation Food Group is a privately owned company based in Gainesville with four facilities in the area. Gainesville is about 60 miles northeast of Atlanta. American comedian and former host of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart finally joined Twitter. Stewart, who had once famously said "The Internet is just a world passing around notes in a classroom" has now decided to become part of it with his new Twitter endeavour. Stewart's entry also has to do with an Internet event: Reddit and r/WallStreetBets. On Thursday, late night host Stephen Colbert shared a tweet from his verified Twitter account, stating, "Well, one thing changed since 2008 a friend of mine joined Twitter." He then shared Stewart's first-ever tweet. Stewart's first ever tweet reads "This is bulls***. The Redditors aren't cheating, they're joining a party Wall Street insiders have been enjoying for years. Don't shut them down...maybe sue them for copyright infringement instead!! We've learned nothing from 2008. Love, StewBeef." This is bullshit. The Redditors aren't cheating, they're joining a party Wall Street insiders have been enjoying for years. Don't shut them down...maybe sue them for copyright infringement instead!!We've learned nothing from 2008.LoveStewBeef Jon Stewart (@jon_actual) January 28, 2021 StewBeef is Stewart's nickname amongst his fans. The Reddit fiasco Stewart is referring to is how subreddit r/WallStreetBets led to a surge in American videogame company GameStop's shares soaring over 400% this week, after aggressive touting of GameStop's stock by several of its members. The soar in GameStock was the result of actions that appear to have helped fuel a so-called short squeeze in GameStop (GME) stock, where investors who had used options to bet against the stock needed to cover those bets by buying shares. WallStreetBets has since turned its attention to other stocks, with movie theater chain AMC (AMC) spiking more than 300% on Wednesday. The subreddit also went temporarily private - with moderators posting a message: "We have grown to the kind of size we only dreamed of in the time it takes to get a bad nights sleep," they said. "We've got so many comments and submissions that we can't possibly even read them all, let alone act on them as moderators." In his second tweet, Stewart thanked everyone for the warm welcome, but says he only plans to use Twitter in a sporadic and ineffective manner. The Magnesium Market is poised to experience spend growth of more than USD 781.29 million between 2021-2025 at a CAGR of over 3.11%. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Request free sample pages This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005141/en/ SpendEdge has announced the release of its Global Magnesium Market Procurement Intelligence Report (Graphic: Business Wire) Read the 120-page research report with TOC and LOE on "Magnesium Market Procurement Intelligence Report, Pricing Outlook in Geographies that include APAC, North America, South America, and MEA, and insights into best practices to optimize procurement spend." SpendEdge's reports now include an in-depth complimentary analysis of the COVID-19 impact on procurement and the latest market data to help your company overcome sourcing challenges. Our Magnesium Market procurement intelligence report offers actionable procurement intelligence insights, sourcing strategies, and action plans to mitigate risks arising out of the current pandemic situation. The insights offered by our reports will help procurement professionals streamline supply chain operations and gain insights into the best procurement practices to mitigate losses. Information on Latest Trends and Supply Chain Market Information Knowledge centre on COVID-19 impact assessment Insights into the Market Price Trends Suppliers in this market have moderate bargaining power owing to moderate pressure from substitutes and a moderate level of threat from new entrants. Buyers can benchmark their preferred pricing models for magnesium Market, Procurement, Management with the wider industry information and identify the cost-saving potential. Insights to help buyers identify and shortlist the most suitable suppliers for their Magnesium Market requirements. This procurement report answers the following questions: Am I engaging with the right suppliers? Which KPIs should I use to evaluate my incumbent suppliers? Which supplier selection criteria are relevant for? What are the Magnesium Market category essentials in terms of SLAs and RFx? To get instant access to over 1000 market-ready procurement intelligence reports without any additional costs or commitment, Subscribe Now for Free. Insights into strategies that will help buyers optimize their category management practices. The report answers the following questions: What should be my strategic procurement objectives, activities, and enablers for the Magnesium Market category? What negotiation levers can I pull for cost-saving? What are Magnesium Market procurement best practices I should be promoting in my supply chain? Some of the top Magnesium Market suppliers enlisted in this report This Magnesium Market procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. China Magnesium Corp. Dead Sea Magnesium Luxfer MEL Technologies Magnesium do Brasil SA Ningxia Hui-Ye Magnesium Marketing Co. Ltd. POSCO Regal-mg (Shanghai Regal Magnesium Ltd Co.) VSMPO-AVISMA Corp. Wenxi YinGuang Magnesium Industry (Group) Co. Ltd. Zhejiang Dun An New Energy Co. Ltd. Get access to regular sourcing and procurement insights to our digital procurement platform- Contact Us Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more https://www.spendedge.com/request-for-demo View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005141/en/ Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The Industrial and Commercial LED Lighting market is anticipated to reach USD 296 billion by 2026 according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. In 2017, the commercial lighting segment dominated the global market, in terms of revenue. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the leading contributor to the global market revenue during the forecast period. A significant increase in infrastructure development and implementation of smart cities drives the growth of the Industrial and Commercial LED Lighting Market. Other driving factors include higher efficiency offered by LED lights, reducing prices, favorable government regulations, and stringent standards regarding energy efficiency. The increasing awareness regarding use of energy efficient lighting solutions among consumers further supports market growth. Increasing demand from developing nations along with technological innovation is expected provide numerous growth opportunities to the Industrial and Commercial LED Lighting market players during the forecast period. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/industrial-and-commercial-led-lighting-market/request-for-sample Increasing government initiatives regarding promotion of LED lighting solutions fuels the growth of Industrial and Commercial LED Lighting market. Growing use of LED lighting in public infrastructure such as museums, and other structures by governments, along with rising awareness regarding use of energy efficient among consumers would support the market growth in the coming years. The Asia-Pacific Industrial and Commercial LED Lighting Market generated the highest revenue in 2017, and is expected to lead the global market throughout the forecast period. The growing construction sector and adoption of smart technologies drive the market growth. The increasing government funding in development of efficient infrastructure supports the market growth in the region. The increase in construction of commercial buildings in this region, upgradation of existing infrastructure, and ban on certain incandescent lights boosts the growth of the market in the region. The different end-users for Industrial and Commercial LED Lighting include industrial, commercial, and others. In 2017, the commercial lighting segment accounted for the highest market share. The commercial sector includes hospitality, retail, healthcare, education, and commercial offices. The increasing use of LED lighting solutions in the commercial sector for higher energy efficiency, durability, and longer life supports Industrial and Commercial LED Lighting Market growth. Complete Summary with TOC Available @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/industrial-and-commercial-led-lighting-market The leading companies profiled in the Industrial and Commercial LED Lighting Market report include Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., Cree, Inc., GE Lighting Solutions, Toshiba Corporation, Digital Lumens, Inc., Osram Licht AG, Dialight Plc, Cooper Industries Plc, Deco Lighting, Inc., and Sonaray LED Lighting. These companies launch new products and collaborate with other market leaders to innovate and launch new products to meet the increasing needs and requirements of consumers. Industrial and Commercial LED Lighting Market Size and Forecast, 2017-2026 by Installation New Installation Retrofit Industrial and Commercial LED Lighting Market Size and Forecast, 2017-2026 by Application Indoor Lighting Outdoor Lighting Industrial and Commercial LED Lighting Market Size and Forecast, 2017-2026 by End-User Industrial Commercial Others Industrial and Commercial LED Lighting Market Size and Forecast, 2017-2026 by Region North America US. Canada Mexico Europe Germany UK France Italy Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific China India Japan Rest of Asia-Pacific Latin America Brazil Middle East & Africa Avail discount on this report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/industrial-and-commercial-led-lighting-market/request-for-discount-pricing About Polaris Market Research Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. Contact us- Polaris Market Research Phone: 1-646-568-9980 Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com Web: www.polarismarketresearch.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. After the Industrial Revolution, the dominant source of energy worldwide became fossil fuels, with horse-drawn carts being replaced by cars fuelled by petrol and furnaces replaced by electric or gas ovens. But although this was a practical shift for human beings, it became catastrophic for the environment.According to a 2019 World Bank report, in 2016, the air pollution in Greater Cairo alone was 66 PM (micrograms of particulate matter per cubic metre), or more than six times the recommended limit set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) of 10 PM.Some 35 per cent of this is caused by the burning of fossil fuels. The figure has a dangerous effect on human health because the more carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions there are, the less the quality of the air, contributing to respiratory problems. CO2 is also a major greenhouse gas responsible for global warming, and this could eventually make the planet uninhabitable.To reduce CO2 emissions and air pollution, the world needs to shift towards low-carbon sources of energy such as renewables that will play a key role in the decarbonisation of energy systems in the years to come. Some countries have switched to renewable sources of energy, like Canada which produced the most renewable energy in the world in 2019 followed by Sweden.Egypt is switching to renewable energy by 17 per cent per year, the highest rate in Africa.According to statistics issued by the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy, renewable energy plants, especially solar-energy plants and wind plants, are producing more and more electricity in Egypt. This type of investment has also been a life jacket for the Egyptian economy over the past couple of years. It now has the potential to provide the country with double its electricity needs, up to 58.3 Gigawatts (GW) compared to the 31.4 GW produced in the past.Examples of such projects are the Gabal Al-Zait wind project (2016-2019) and the Banyan solar-energy plant (2018-2019). Both have huge productive capacity. Laws were also issued in 2015 to increase investment in the field of renewable energy, with the aim of encouraging people to decrease their dependence on non-renewable energy. They also encouraged private-sector companies to produce solar-energy kits that could be used by individuals to turn them into productive consumers, with the government buying the surplus electricity they produced.Various initiatives have been working on providing Egyptian households with solar energy. The Small-Scale Grid-Connected Solar System is a national project initiated by the Industrial Modernisation Centre (IMC) affiliated to the Ministry of Trade and Industry and by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) with the aim of generating electricity using small, decentralised, grid-connected systems in households, hotels, public places, commercial areas, and industrial buildings. The project also aims at providing training opportunities for technical staff and technical consultation and support for new markets as well as encouraging local production of the technology in Egypt.Project manager Hend Farouh gave details about the project and the services it provides for Egyptian households. The objective is to remove the barriers to increased power generation by small, decentralised, grid-connected systems implemented by households and small- and medium-sized enterprises, she said, adding that installing such systems in residential areas could save on electricity bills and electricity consumption and increase confidence in solar energy as well as encouraging more facilities to install them. The project builds on planned government initiatives to develop a market for small, decentralised, renewable energy power generation by ensuring adequate returns on targeted private-sector investments.The project is financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the UNDP acts as the GEF implementing agency. It was executed by the Industrial Modernisation Centre (IMC) of the ministry of industry and foreign trade, which will assume the overall responsibility for results as the UNDPs implementing partner, Farouh added.PROJECT GOALS: The project has been awarded the 2020 British Energy Institute Award, low carbon category, for its efforts in decreasing CO2 emissions by providing a model for best practices in implementing small solar-energy systems on the rooftops of different facilities.It will catalyse the development of the decentralised, grid-connected, small-scale renewable energy power-generation market in Egypt and solar systems in particular. The target is to facilitate the installation of new decentralised private-generation systems, resulting in the direct reduction of greenhouse gases. Complementary indirect mitigation benefits are expected from sustained market growth, with an estimated greenhouse-gas reduction of at least 0.6-0.7 million tons of CO2 or equivalent, Farouh said.Each plant is composed of a solar module, an inverter, and a monitoring structure. The solar module converts solar energy into a type of electricity called direct current. Then the inverter converts the direct current from the solar modules into the conventional electricity used in our homes called alternative current, she said.The electricity generated is measured by a meter that subtracts the power consumed from the surplus power generated. There is also a monitoring system that can monitor the system locally or remotely.Farouh said that solar energy was not only environmentally friendly, but was also lucrative for consumers. Solar energy helps you to reduce your electricity bills. Trading electricity using solar panels under the metering scheme will allow you to save more money, especially with future energy-subsides removal policies. However, it all depends on the size of the solar system you choose to install. In some cases, people who have installed the system may save up to 100 per cent on their electricity bills, she said.Independently generating electricity systems have a long life and require little maintenance. Most solar panels are guaranteed for 20-25 years and are given a performance warranty of up to 10 years. Renewable energy sources like solar energy can thus reduce a households greenhouse gas emissions. The photovoltaic technology used in solar panels is environmentally friendly and does not release any CO2 or other pollutants, as the majority of panels are made using silicon which comes from sand, Farouh said.House owners can apply to join the service using simple steps. They need to send in their electricity bills and ownership documentation for their house. They should have a reasonable amount of non-shaded, unobstructed roof space for the installation and need to join a net metering scheme before installing it, she said. They are also recommended to install energy-saving LED lighting and apply for energy efficiency plans. A residential client can receive technical support for up to 10 Kilowatts (KW) of the installed system.The average cost for a KW of electricity generated using the system could range from LE10,000 to LE14,000 KW, according to market prices. The projects website includes a calculator to help people interested in installing the system to calculate the cost, the needed area, and the payback period for the system they want to install. There is a recommended list of companies, including 50 Egyptian companies, that can install the systems and apply the relevant standards of technical support.ACHIEVEMENTS: Thus far, a total of 115 such solar-energy plants have been built in Egypt, yielding 8.2 MW in electricity. Every year, they produce 13 GW of electricity per hour. There have been 201 trainees working on the project, and the implemented systems are worth $7.2 million in investments.The project has been implemented in 15 governorates, with 78 per cent of installations in Greater Cairo. Other places include the Red Sea, South Sinai, Damietta, Ismailia, Minya, Sohag, Aswan, and Alexandria governorates. The project has managed to decrease CO2 emissions by 7.9kg per ton per year. Seventy-five residential units located in 6 October city have installed generators provided through the project. Sixty per cent went to the industrial sector, 13 per cent to the commercial sector, 10 per cent to the educational sector, nine per cent to the touristic sector, and six per cent to the household sector.There are, however, still some barriers. Our largest problem is the lack of awareness, and we are reducing this by online and offline campaigns to raise awareness of the project. There is also the high initial cost of the service. So, we work with banks and financial institutes to offer facilitated loans. Lastly, there is a lack of technical experience. To solve this problem, we have developed technical requirements to ensure the quality of installation, maintenance, and warranty, Farouh said.Over the last couple of years, there has been a renewable energy mania on social media, with some people specialising in the field even launching Facebook and YouTube channels to teach the public how to make solar-energy power plants using objects found at home.I have been to many public places where solar energy is used, and I think that it is environmentally friendly and efficient. It would also give people a break from the hefty electricity bills they have to pay every month. I wish that there could be a system that allowed the residents of the same building to split the cost of installing a solar-energy plant so that the idea could spread, commented Ali Mohamed, a professional living in Giza.Farouh said that in the near future the project aimed at leading a major transformation in the solar-systems market in Egypt. The idea is to allow Egypt to scale up the supply of electricity to meet ever-growing demand without burdening the state with additional subsidy payments and to meet the need to invest in large power plants while also contributing to the governments target of having 20 per cent of all power generation produced by renewable energy sources by 2022, Farouh said.It aims at creating stakeholders who profit from renewable energy and have an interest in promoting it and involving individuals and households in their own power generation and transforming them from consumers to producers.It also aims at training more skilled technicians and providing a supply chain of system components, as well as working with local financial institutions to increase the available financing for small and medium-sized renewable energy projects, she added.She said that the project was currently working on a solar-energy hub, which is a platform to connect all stakeholders, including system integrators, facilitators, distribution companies, and clients. The platform will give clients information about entities that give financial and technical support for implementing solar systems in different sectors including households and manufacturing facilities. Work is also being done to manufacture more local components. *A version of this article appears in print in the 28 January, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Without that registration, migrant labourers cannot access social or medical services in the cities where they work. They have been among the hardest hit in China by the pandemic, as authorities have carried out scattered lockdowns to fight the virus and employers have reduced hours and pay. In a normal year, hundreds of millions of people travel by plane, train and car to be with their families for the Lunar New Year. The holiday, which typically includes big festive banquets and fireworks, is normally the only time many workers can return to their home towns to see loved ones. This year, many are making plans to spend the holiday alone. Travellers are screened before entering the Wuchang Railway Station in Wuhan. Credit:AP Zhu Xiaomei, who works at a fabric store in the eastern city of Hangzhou, typically makes the 30-hour journey by train to her home town in the south-western province of Sichuan to be with family. This year she will spend the holiday alone for the first time, inside her 12-square-metre dormitory, which lacks a kitchen. Of course it is a bit upsetting, Zhu, 40, said. I have never experienced this feeling. For many Chinese families the holiday will represent a second year that the pandemic has kept them apart. Just hours before the start of the Lunar New Year last year, the authorities imposed sweeping lockdowns and suspended trains and planes across the country. In a matter of hours, more than 35 million people in the city of Wuhan and the surrounding areas were ordered to stay at home. Chinese officials are concerned that widespread travel could give rise to fresh outbreaks, especially in rural areas, where testing is less common and there has been some resistance to quarantines and other public health measures. Customers look at red lanterns and decorations at a store at the Yuyuan Bazaar in Shanghai on Wednesday ahead of the Lunar New Year. Credit:Bloomberg While Chinas outbreak is relatively under control compared with other countries and life is largely normal in many cities, clusters of new cases have emerged in recent weeks, prompting sporadic lockdowns and mass testing efforts. China reported 54 new cases on Wednesday and 52 on Thursday, compared with more than 155,000 new cases in the United States on the same day. Chinese officials have vowed to vaccinate 50 million people before the Lunar New Year, but questions remain about the efficacy of some Chinese-made vaccines. Authorities still expect hundreds of millions to travel this Lunar season, which lasts until March, despite the threat posed by the virus. Many of those travellers are going to large cities, not just rural areas. Several major cities in recent days have tightened restrictions on travel. Beijing is requiring visitors to test negative for the virus before being granted entry. Loading The Chinese government, in response to the migrants outrage over the new restrictions, has tried to offer sweeteners including gift baskets, activities and shopping discounts to encourage them to stay put. In Shanghai, officials plan to pay the phone and medical bills of those who forgo their journeys home. In Beijing, the authorities have encouraged companies to pay employees overtime, while house maids have been told they will receive about $US60 ($78) if they work during the holidays. In Tianjin, a northern city, the government has promised subsidies to businesses for every worker who stays. Some cities and counties have gone further, promising a better shot at accessing social benefits such as schooling and healthcare. Some officials are offering rural migrants who forgo holiday travel favourable treatment in applications for residency in cities. Through these heart-warming measures, let migrant workers stay in their place of employment and spend the Spring Festival without worries, Chen Yongjia, a Chinese official, said last week at a news conference in Beijing hosted by the State Council, Chinas cabinet. In China, the Lunar New Year holiday is typically referred to as the Spring Festival. In the run-up to the holiday, the government has led a propaganda campaign aimed at persuading migrant workers to avoid travelling home. Large red banners invoking filial piety and model citizen behaviour have started to appear on city streets. Mask or a ventilator? You pick one of the two, one banner reads. If you come home with the disease, you are unfilial, another exclaims. If you spread the disease to your mother and father, then you are utterly devoid of a conscience, a third banner reads. Last years lockdowns tipped Chinas economy into its first contraction in nearly a half-century, but it later bounced back as officials ordered its state-run banks to lend and factories to open. Earlier this month, China reported that its economy grew 2.3 per cent in 2020, most likely outpacing other large countries, including the United States. Loading Getting people to spend money has been less effective. Another widespread outbreak would cast a pall on any pent-up demand for shopping that usually accompanies the Lunar New Year holiday. What would be really damaging is if the virus spread enough to have to shut down more factories and construction sites, said Arthur Kroeber, managing director of Gavekal Dragonomics, an independent economic research firm. Kroeber said the authorities did not seem eager for a repeat of last years draconian response. They are trying to walk a tightrope, Kroeber said. To impose harsh rules on gatherings for a second year would be embarrassing, he added. The holiday restrictions have added to a difficult time for many migrant workers in China. Many did not work for months last year as the economy came to a standstill amid lockdowns and other restrictions. While wealthier workers in China largely kept their jobs during the pandemic, many migrants struggled to make a living amid cuts to their wages and hours. Shi Baolian, 47, a worker at a chemical factory in the eastern city of Suzhou, said she had been looking forward to going home for the holiday to see her father and help him clean his house. But she cancelled her plans after a cluster of cases emerged in her home town in the northern province of Hebei. Shi said she would celebrate the holiday instead with her husband in Suzhou. She said the city had no new year atmosphere and that she missed the fireworks and red-and-gold banners of her home town. I cant go home, so I will just work, she said. After the epidemic is over, then we will go back. In the interview, Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak spoke about the initiation of criminal proceedings in mid-2020 on the publication of recordings of conversations of high-ranking officials, not about the opening of a new criminal proceeding in January 2021, the press service of the President's Office said. "Some media outlets have mistakenly interpreted the words of head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, said in an interview with the NV project, published on January 28. In the interview, Yermak spoke about the initiation of criminal proceedings in mid-2020 on the publication of recordings of conversations of high-ranking officials, not about the opening of a new criminal proceeding in January 2021," the website of the head of state said on Thursday evening. 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. (JTA) A Moroccan institution has with official government backing signed an agreement with the U.S. State Department to combat anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, the second such agreement in the Arab Middle East. The agreement signed Friday by El Mehdi Boudra, the president of Association Mimouna, and Elan Carr, the State Departments envoy to combat anti-Semitism, signals the far-reaching ambition of the Trump Administrations Abraham Accords, to normalize among Arabs the acceptance of not just Israel, but of Zionism. The Memorandum of Understanding says the sides intend to work to... A food contract between a supplier and the National Guard did not provide enough meals, forcing units still deployed to Washington, D.C., to buy local, Military.com has learned. Because of the mix-up and shortage of meals, the Guard resorted to buying "a large quantity of various food choices off of the local economy," according to Army Maj. Aaron Thacker, a Guard Bureau spokesman. There was never a risk of a food shortage, he emphasized. Read Next: The Marine Corps Is Developing a Better-Fitting, More Functional PT Uniform "There are contingencies to the master feeding plan that are put in motion in the event that the primary feeding plan has an issue," Thacker said in an email Thursday, adding there were also "tens of thousands" of Meals, Ready-to-Eat on hand if necessary. Further details into how much the Guard spent on local restaurants and providers and how many members were given these meals over contractor-provided food were not immediately available. Guardsmen were spotted eating Chick-fil-A this week. Thacker noted that the USO has partnerships with restaurants and other businesses and offered the Guard support, although this was not used for main subsistence. "Corporations and other groups make donations to the USO ... and the USO decides how to offer those donations as support to the military," he said. "[But] those donations are not a replacement for any food provided by the military -- it is only a supplement to boost morale." In an unrelated effort started early in the deployment, 18 restaurants around Capitol Hill donated meals to troops -- from pizza to burgers to doughnuts. Some, including local chain We the Pizza, offered residents the chance to donate pizzas to the troops at $3 per head. Nearly 26,000 Guard troops from every state and territory deployed to the D.C. region for President Joe Biden's Jan. 20 inauguration after a mob of President Donald Trump supporters broke into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The National Guard presence in Washington will decrease to about 7,000 by the end of this week, Gen. Dan Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said Monday, but about 5,000 will remain in the district until at least mid-March. A contract solicitation from the D.C. National Guard published Jan. 16 shows the Guard's plan to provide "grab and go meals" for troops through the end of the month, as Guard numbers in the district drop week over week. "The District of Columbia National Guard requests the procurement of meals for 25,000 personnel (22-24 Jan 2021), 21,000 personnel (25 Jan 2021), and 10,000 personnel (26-31 Jan 2021) activated in support of the current civil unrest within the district," the solicitation reads. "This includes three meals per person per day (Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner), to be delivered to the DC Armory, from 22-31 January 2021." The claim that Guard troops were short of meals first surfaced on social media. In a since-deleted Nextdoor post, a northern Virginia resident asked neighbors whether they knew of any restaurants or organizations willing to work with the Guard to provide food, citing a lack of supplies that particularly affected troops self-isolating in hotel rooms after testing positive for the coronavirus. Military.com reached out to Guardsmen deployed to D.C., some of whom said the food situation was initially "not great," citing incidents in which rations delivered to hotel rooms were delayed. But the troops, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said these appeared to be isolated incidents, not systemic problems. When asked whether Guardsmen were leaving quarters to get food on their own, Thacker said he was unaware of any Guard members in quarantine leaving their quarters. Guard members in hotel rooms have a unit representative assigned to check in on them and are given meals three times daily, he said. "The military is a tiered system of leadership where individuals always have someone looking out for them," he said. "If someone did not receive food, there are two-way lines of communication between that individual and a first-line leader who is responsible for the health and welfare of that individual and to help resolve any issues." Almost 200 National Guard members have tested positive for COVID-19, Maj. Gen. William Walker, commander of the District of Columbia National Guard, said Monday. Those who test positive are quarantined and won't return to their home states until they're fully recovered, Hokanson added. The two leaders did not disclose how many troops are currently in self-quarantine for the 14-day isolation period. Photos leaked to media outlets last week showed dozens of troops resting on the floor of a parking garage, resulting in outcry from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. One Guard member told Politico, which first reported the story, that it was nearly impossible to social distance in such tight spaces. After lawmakers complained, Guard members were allowed to return to the Capitol for their breaks. Troops will continue to be provided with food until the mission concludes at the end of March, Thacker said. The Guard has no plan to set up any sort of field dining facility, though -- that would fall afoul of safety guidelines limiting mass gatherings, he said. Guardsmen in D.C. have been mobilized under Title 32 orders, which puts them under their state's control while receiving pay and benefits from the federal government. As a result, troops don't receive any per diem or stipend to use for food, Thacker said. Ahead of the inauguration on Jan. 20, famed chef Jose Andres and staff with his nonprofit, the World Central Kitchen, were seen dropping off food to Guard members patrolling Capitol grounds. D.C residents were also quick to volunteer donations, including food and comfort items. But officials this week once again said that, while these gifts are well-intentioned, the Guard cannot accept donations. -- Gina Harkins and Hope Hodge Seck contributed to this report. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: National Guard Has No Plans to Investigate Leaked Photos of Troops in Parking Garage Rhea Chakraborty may never have heard of Harry Anslinger and has definitely never met him. Still, much of the harassment shes faced recently due to her alleged drug habits has its roots in his actions almost a century ago, and in a different continent. Anslinger, as Commissioner of the USAs Federal Bureau of Narcotics in the 1930s, pioneered the countrys decidedly racist war on drugs. He considered marijuana a scourge on society, ruining the moral fabric of America, and decreasing Americans capacity for gainful employment, despite the fact that harms of moderate consumption were unproven, and its benefits ignored. As with opium some decades prior, he proclaimed it a villainous substance brought in and consumed by immigrants, primarily Mexicans, which posed a threat to the American way of life. This rhetoric was later pushed onto the global stage. The goal of marijuana prohibition became paramount and manifested in the UNs 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, a document that has since shaped drug policies across the world. This classified cannabis as a Schedule IV substance, a category reserved for the most dangerous of drugs like heroin. The western worlds perception of cannabis as a menace with no redeeming features was universalised, though not without protest. India, in fact, took issue with this stance and had clauses inserted that made exceptions for industrial and horticultural use. While the 20th century saw US-inspired stigma against the plant encourage prohibition world-over, the 21st century has seen strong activism and gradual legislation in favour of its legalisation. The coverage of the US elections last November was dominated by the polarized presidential race which Joe Biden eventually won; what went unnoticed was support across partisan lines for cannabis legalization, resulting in a number of states reforming their laws. Weeks later, the UN, whose 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs inspired drug prohibition globally, voted to reclassify cannabis from a highly-regulated Schedule IV substance to a loosely regulated Schedule I substance. These changes havent been guided just by the realisation that the rhetoric of cannabis prohibition was flawed. The crops vast commercial potential has slowly but steadily created a vibrant and varied global market for recreational, medicinal and industrial cannabis products, projected to be worth almost $90 billion by 2027, and has been a key catalyst for change. Cannabis, though commonly considered just a recreational drug, is far more than that. Cannabis plants with high levels of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), a psychoactive chemical with narcotic properties, can be used recreationally. However, low-THC cannabis, called hemp (specifically from the cannabis Sativa strain), has numerous medicinal and industrial uses. Hemp can potentially be used to manufacture supercapacitors, a key component of high-performance energy-storage devices used in batteries for electric cars, and can be used to make biofuels for regular vehicles. It also contains Cannabidiol or CBD, a chemical that can be used as a medication for anxiety, epilepsy, pain relief, and other ailments. In recent years, its inspired significant innovation. On Kickstarter, an entrepreneurial crowd-funding platform, cannabis-based products being made include cosmetics, clothing, food, eyewear, shoes and even a vehicle. What makes hemp even better are the ecological benefits it offers relative to materials it replaces, be it substituting for cotton in textiles, trees in paper, sand in concrete, or crude oil in plastics. Anurit Kanti, a researcher on the subject, told me in an earlier interview that he even considered it a silver bullet in the fight against climate change. China Cashes In Given the evident commercial scope of the crop, its no surprise that China has emerged as one of the foremost players in the global cannabis market. This, despite the Chinese states chequered history with the plant. Though its usage here, especially hemps, dates back millennia, the Chinese government remains wary of its narcotic properties - a fear inspired partly by their horrid experience with opium under British rule. Due to this, theres heavy regulation of cannabis growth and high fines for illegal possession. It also caused China to vote against its reclassification in the UN last month. Despite prohibiting the cultivation of high-THC cannabis and its narcotic use, China has recognised cannabis industrial and medicinal potential. In 2004, it permitted the licensed cultivation of hemp in the Yunnan province. In 2017, the Heilongjiang province followed suit, and in one year harvested nearly 1/3rd of what European and Canadian fields produced combined. Increased acreage and the development of high-yield seeds has enabled these regions to produce more than half the globes industrial hemp. With similar plans for other provinces, Chinas share of the pie will likely grow bigger. Chinas dominance in the industry is underscored by their possession of over half of the 600 important cannabis-related patents filed with the World Intellectual Property Organisation. Unlike China, India voted for the reclassification of cannabis in the UN, last month. While domestic laws remain stringent, this could be a catalyst for change. Anurit Kanti certainly believes that. "As more governments reckon with the potential of the cannabis crop, they will change their stance." India stands to benefit as well. With both the centre and states short of revenue due to the pandemic, tax levied on cannabis products could help fill their empty coffers. Its potential is visible in estimates from ABCDs research, which showed that tax from recreational cannabis alone (if levied at the same rate as cigarettes) would earn $31.45 million in revenue from Delhi in 2018, and $27.78 million from Mumbai. Additionally, as the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy noted, decriminalization of cannabis would bring relief to an overburdened criminal justice system. Significant police and judicial resources are spent on prosecuting cannabis users (and disproportionately those users from low-income groups), which would be better used in the efficient enforcement of law and order elsewhere. Can India have an impact? India has an equally storied history with the cannabis plant. Commonly used in the subcontinent for millennia, it was only outlawed in 1985 by the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, following from the 1961 UN Single Convention. While the act permitted industrial and horticultural use (as well as the consumption of bhaang), heavy regulation of cultivation and stigma meant that it fell out of favour. Still, recreational cannabis consumption, though illegal, is widespread. According to a 2018 study by the German firm ABCD, New Delhi and Mumbai were the 3rd and the 6th highest consumers of recreational cannabis in the world, respectively. A 2019 AIIMS study corroborated these estimates, reporting that 2.8% of Indians (3.1 crore people) consumed marijuana products in the previous year. Incidentally, less than 10% of users suffered from harmful dependent consumption, as compared to 20% for alcohol. Meanwhile, a nascent hemp industry has emerged in the last decade, said Delzaad Deolaliwala, co-founder of Bombay Hemp Company (BOHECO). When BOHECO started in 2013, he told me in an interview for an earlier article, there was barely anyone in the market. This number has grown to over 40 in the time since. Even Patanjali considered venturing into this space in 2018. At the moment, companies here focus largely on apparel, medicines and food products. The Uttarakhand government took a crucial step in the right direction by legalising the licensed cultivation of low-THC hemp in 2016. Since then, Madhya Pradesh has considered doing so, though concrete action has been lacking. In 2019, the Union Government permitted research and development in Uttar Pradesh as well. Though theres money to be made, jobs to be created and innovation to be encouraged here, legal limitations have stifled supply chains to the point of economic unviability, according to Tarun Jami. Jami is the founder of a startup producing carbon-negative building materials called GreenJams, which produces hempcrete. However, the limited domestic supply of hemp has made hempcrete about six times the cost of cement-based concrete, damaging its commercial potential. The quality, as well as quantity of hemp, supplied needs to improve, requiring investment in research and development of better seeds and cultivation practices. Dilsher Dhaliwal, the founder of Everest EcoHemp, Indias largest licensed hemp producer, said in an earlier interview, "Government regulations have a role to play. Cannabis classification as a narcotic places it under the jurisdiction of the excise department. With the excise department being a regulatory body, research into hemp was difficult to conduct until recently. He added, keeping THC levels below 0.3% isnt easy, since Indian cannabis species tend to be high-THC, seeds need to be grafted with imported low-THC varieties, which involves a great deal of trial-and-error. Though this is happening on a limited scale - BOHECO, for example, works with institutions like the G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment in Uttarakhand and the National Botanical Research Institute in Lucknow - a great deal more is required to unlock the plants potential. Living up to high potential Decisive action in favour of deregulation could clearly benefit India in a number of ways - theres money to be made, jobs to be created, an agricultural sector to be boosted, climate change to be fought, and tax revenue to be earned. We're in an opportune moment for such action to be taken in many ways. The market for cannabis products, both recreational and industrial, seems to be on the verge of major growth. Though China dominates global supply, its grasp over the market might weaken if companies consider moving supply chains out of the country, as they have throughout 2020. This sentiment likely wont last and must be taken advantage of. This opportunity though isnt Indias alone. Other countries, incentivized by the UNs reclassification and economic potential, might follow suit as well. The times are changing in the world of cannabis, and India cant afford to be left behind. If it aims to challenge Chinas supremacy and live up to its ambition of becoming a global economic powerhouse, it must take similarly decisive action. In many ways, getting with the times should be perfectly natural this has been a part of the countrys culture for millennia. Surely, it cant let a few decades of stigma keep it from embracing its past, and more importantly, what could be a very promising future. Shantanu Kishwar is a Teaching Assistant at FLAME University, Pune. He also writes The Curiosity Catalogue, a fortnightly newsletter. ROME, JAN 29 - President Sergio Mattarella is set to meet the 5-Star Movement (M5S) and the parties belonging to the centre-right opposition on the third day of formal consultations on Italy's government crisis on Friday. On Thursday the head of state met, among others, the party that triggered the crisis in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic by pulling its support for Giuseppe Conte's executive, ex-premier Matteo Renzi's Italia Viva (IV). Renzi's comments after the Thursday's meeting were interpreted by many political pundits as suggesting it will be difficult for Conte to form a new government, which would be his third, with IV's support. Two of the parties in what was the ruling coalition, the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and the left-wing LeU group, told Mattarella on Thursday that they were in favour of him handing a new mandate to Conte. This is set to be what the M5S calls for too. The hypothesis of a 'Conte Ter' administration had looked to be the most likely conclusion to the crisis after Conte's effort to replace IV with 'constructor' lawmakers from outside the coalition failed, prompting the PD and the M5S to stop ruling out patching things up with Renzi. But the odds against a third Conte government have increased with Renzi talking about the possibility of a government of national unity, perhaps led by a figure from outside the world of politics. Conte, who quit as premier on Tuesday, remains at the helm of government during the crisis for day-to-day business. Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, said Friday that the centre right is united in calling for snap elections. "I read reports that the centre right is divided and it has been devastated by lawmakers changing side," Meloni told Radio Anch'io. "That is not how it is. "It seems to me that the centre right is united when it comes to taking action and we all agree on the need to have new elections. "I don't think that will change". The options for Mattarella, who as president is the arbiter of Italian politics, at the end of the consultations include giving someone a mandate to try and form a new government or calling a new round of talks. (ANSA). A Texas representative is demanding that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez apologize and retract comments made to Sen. Ted Cruz over Twitter in a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Rep. Chip Roy, who represents parts of Austin, San Antonio and Central Texas, asks Pelosi to implore Ocasio-Cortez to retract her comments, or he (and presumably other Republicans) "will be forced to find alternative means to condemn this regrettable statement." "It has come to my attention that Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sent out a tweet a few hours ago in which she accused Senator Ted Cruz, in essence, of attempted murder," Roy wrote. "As a member of this body who disagreed with 'objections' to the electors and who has expressed publicly my concerns about the events leading to January 6th, it is completely unacceptable behavior for a Member of Congress to make this kind of scurrilous charge against another member in the House or Senate for simply engaging in speech and debate regarding electors as they interpreted the Constitution." IMPEACHMENT: Don't expect Sens. Cornyn or Cruz to vote to convict Trump during impeachment trial Ocasio-Cortez had harsh words for Cruz when he expressed agreement with Ocasio-Cortez's call to look into stock trading app Robinhood for blocking people from purchasing stock in GameStop and other companies as Wall Street reels from a sudden increase in share prices for shorted stocks, Chron's Jay R. Jordan reported. "I am happy to work with Republicans on this issue where theres common ground, but you almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago so you can sit this one out," Ocasio-Cortez wrote in response to Cruz, referencing the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Cruz has faced widespread criticism for his vocal objection to certifying the 2020 presidential election results and parroting former President Donald Trump's baseless claims of voter fraud. Ocasio-Cortez called on Cruz to resign and reiterated that she's willing to work with other Republicans in Congress on the issue. Roy is in his second term as representative. He previously served as Cruz's chief of staff during Cruz's first term as senator. Right-wing extremist Stephan Ernst was sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday for the murder of Walter Luebcke, a pro-refugee politician whose 2019 death shocked Germany. Ernst is likely to spend at least 15 years in prison due to the seriousness of the crime, the judges in Frankfurt's higher regional court ruled on Thursday, while reserving the right to keep the 47-year-old in preventive detention even longer. Ernst shot Luebcke in the head on the politician's own porch on June 2, 2019. Luebcke, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) who led the local government in the central district of Kassel, is said to have been targeted due to his support for Merkel's open-border policy during the 2014/2015 refugee crisis. Prosecutors said Ernst was motivated by right-wing extremism and xenophobia. Ernst's co-defendant, another known right-wing extremist identified only as Markus H under German privacy laws, was handed a suspended sentence of one year and six months for violating arms laws. The court did not find him guilty of aiding and abetting the crime. Ernst had admitted to the killing, but changed his version of events three times. In his most recent testimony, Ernst placed part of the blame on H and said he had been with him at the scene of the crime. H gave no response to the allegation, only speaking once in the trial to respond to a weapons expert's assessment and in doing so showing his own expansive knowledge on the subject. Markus H's defence team had argued for their client's full acquittal. Presiding judge Thomas Sagebiel said he had no option but to hand down the harshest sentence possible to Ernst, but noted that the man's confession could lead to a milder punishment. Sagebiel explained that the convicted killer could cooperate in a rehabilitation programme for right-wing extremists, which could influence the minimum length of the custodial term or help him to avoid preventive detention upon completing that term. Source: dpa/GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Roseburg, OR (97470) Today Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. High 83F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low near 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Job losses: Melrose is to close GKN Automotive's assembly plant in Birmingham The corporate raider that controversially bought GKN was accused of sending British jobs abroad last night after plans to close yet another factory emerged. Melrose bought the manufacturing giant for 8billion two years ago and promised to MPs that it would aim to make GKN 'a British manufacturing powerhouse'. But it has since slashed hundreds of jobs, with fresh outrage erupting yesterday as it emerged that a plant in Birmingham will now be shuttered as well. The decision to close GKN Automotive's assembly plant in Erdington, a site which dates back to the 1930s, puts 519 jobs at risk. GKN claimed the site was no longer viable because of 'an increasingly competitive global market' triggering claims it planned to move the jobs to its other sites in Europe. Workers were left 'shocked and angry' by the unexpected news, according to union Unite. A spokesman for GKN said: 'Proposing this closure is a difficult decision.' But Labour MP Jack Dromey, who represents Erdington, accused the company of breaking its promises, adding: Despite all the warm words, the cold reality three years on is that one of GKN's finest plants now faces closure.' Melrose promised a bright future to GKN's employees - a promise they have now broken. A Melrose spokesman said: 'Melrose has honoured every single promise and undertaking it made to Government at the time of the takeover. 'We are investing tens of millions every year into groundbreaking research and development projects in vehicle e-drive, hydrogen powered aircraft and other new technologies. 'Our new Global Technology Centre in Bristol and our Automotive Research Centre in Abingdon are two prime examples as well as our 10m Skill Fund, working hand in hand with Unite, and our apprentice scheme.' Germany's Paul Ehrlich Institute, which is in charge of medicines, confirmed that it was already in touch with Russia regarding the paperwork for the registration of Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus in the European Union. "I would not say that it is cooperation because we have different goals than the developers, but yes, there were requests, there were contacts on this. Paul Ehrlich Institute offers international support, which means, we consulted our Russian colleagues via a videoconference on two aspects of regulations [on medicines in the EU]," the head of the institute, Dr Klaus Cichutek said. According to Cichutek, the two aspects were the existing conditions for the registration and further consultations with colleagues from other EU countries, Sputnik reported. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), in charge of distributing the vaccine abroad, said earlier today that it could deliver 100 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine to the European Union in the second quarter of the year, once the main part of the domestic mass vaccination campaign is completed. 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. On May 11, 2015, a 68-year-old South Korean businessman, recently back from the Arabian Peninsula, went to a hospital with symptoms of fever and cough. After four more visits, he was finally admitted to a hospital in Seoul with pneumonia, and on May 20, he was diagnosed as infected with the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The day after this first confirmed MERS coronavirus case, the South Korean government confidently announced that the situation was under control. Yet, as seems all too familiar to those of us who lived through 2020, the country lacked a national strategy to control the outbreak. To make things worse, during the initial phase of the outbreak, the government withheld most of the information regarding MERS patients, leaving hospitals and local governments scrambling to identify patients and potential contacts. This lack of transparency eviscerated trust, as well as any hope of effective contact tracing and disease control. The result was 186 infections and 38 deaths in South Korea, the biggest MERS outbreak outside Saudi Arabia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Six years later, Korea has been praised around the world for its response to COVID-19. Even in the midst of a recent spike in cases, South Korea reports 554 new cases daily and a total of 1,378 deaths. This is a sad and stark comparison with the United States, which continues to break its grim records for new cases and deaths per daymore than 155,000 cases daily and a total death toll of over 425,000 at the time of writing. The U.S. has seen 129.43 deaths per 100,000 people, compared with just 2.67 per 100,000 for South Korea. While states in the U.S. continue to impose restrictions and lockdowns, South Korea has managed to control the virus without ever imposing a nationwide lockdown or travel restrictions. With the exception of schools and certain public facilities, South Korea has largely remained open both internally and to the rest of the world. One of us, living in Seoul until recently, has been able to eat indoors at restaurants and bars and visit art galleries throughout the pandemic. The other, living in St. Louis, has not dined inside a restaurant since March. Advertisement Advertisement How has South Korea managed such a successful national COVID-19 response? The answer is relatively simple: a national strategy based on what it learned from its MERS coronavirus failure. The MERS disaster stimulated Reform of the National Infectious Disease Response System and subsequent changes in laws to ensure effective control of infectious disease outbreaks and transparency in the process. In the meantime, South Korea also increased funding for epidemiologists and other public health surveillance measures. As a result, when the current pandemic hit, the country was ready. While the focus has been on South Koreas response to the current pandemic, what is important is how the country learned from its MERS failures and rebuilt public trust to enable such an effective response. This has particular significance in light of the Biden administrations recently announced national COVID-19 strategy, which aims to restore public trust by prioritizing science and data. However, new technologies and scientific breakthroughs can invoke mistrust and fear when not communicated properly, as seen with the new COVID-19 vaccines. While we should be vigilant about the potential threat to privacy posed by new technologies, we also need to acknowledge that surveillance itself is not always bad. Three clear examples show how South Korea has been using data, technology, and science to tame COVID-19 without threatening democratic freedoms. Advertisement Advertisement First, South Korea learned the importance of effective contact tracing from the MERS outbreak. As COVID-19 began to spread, the South Korean government transformed the Smart City data platform it was developing into a public health tracking tool. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, or KDCA, developed the Epidemiological Investigation Support System, or EISS, a platform that enables public health authorities to rapidly collect and analyze data to track confirmed COVID-19 cases. The system began operating on March 26, 2020, just two months after the countrys first confirmed COVID-19 case. Using the EISS, once the KDCA confirms a COVID-19 case, authorized investigators request each patients location data that is entered into the system by respective entities pursuant to Koreas Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act. The system then performs real-time tracking analysis, which, complemented by traditional interviews by human contact tracers, enables both quick contact tracing and the identification of pandemic hot spots. Advertisement This system has allowed tracking and investigation of confirmed COVID-19 cases in less than 10 minutes, rather than a day or more before the EISS. Data privacy and security are ensured by making sure that only KDCA investigators with the necessary legal authority can access the EISS, and by logging every system access for security incidents. To minimize the collection of personal information, the maximum data collection period for each case is set at 14 days, the incubation period of the disease. And the system is temporary: At the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the personal information will be destroyed. Advertisement Second, South Korea has been using a smartphone app to monitor compliance by those under isolation or quarantinethose confirmed to have COVID-19, those in close contact with a confirmed case, and international travelers. Throughout the pandemic, South Korea has not closed its borders to any international travelers entering the country. Instead, it has implemented special entry procedures mandating a 14-day self-quarantine and free COVID-19 testing to prevent spread. The Self-Quarantine Safety Protection App is a two-way app that enables the quarantined person to report any symptoms and the designated case officer to monitor the individuals quarantine compliance via GPS-based location data with consent. While quarantine compliance monitoring via the app is strongly recommended, it is not mandatory. Those without smartphones or those who wish to opt out can be monitored via the traditional method of phone calls by a case officer. Still, the adoption rate of the app was at 91.8 percent as of Sept. 1, and both South Koreans and travelers are reassured by knowing that those at risk of spreading COVID-19 are compliant with self-quarantine measures. Advertisement Third, South Korea has made special efforts to provide accurate COVID-19 information to the public. Twice-daily official government briefings ensure that the public receives the most up-to-date and accurate information related to COVID-19. In addition, a consortium of South Koreas police, health, and communications agencies is operating a situation room to monitor COVID-19-related fake news on major websites. The government has also requested that key international internet platforms including Google, Facebook, and Twitter prioritize official COVID-19 information by the government, which they have done. Advertisement Advertisement Of course, this is not to say that South Korea got everything right. Its use of location data to track COVID-19 cases has raised privacy concerns, and the Self-Quarantine Safety Protection App was found to have security flaws (which were subsequently fixed). Generally, however, South Koreans appear to be satisfied with the governments COVID-19 response and have not experienced any critical privacy or security violations. In fact, a survey by a leading South Korean policy think tank, STEPI, found that South Koreans now favor continuous public health measures for infectious disease control, including health surveillance. Advertisement These measures of coordination, communication, and collection of location data could work in the United States, but they have been held up by poor national leadership and fears of infringement on civil liberties and privacy rights. The Biden administration has promised a return to science-based effective leadership, but fears of public health surveillance remain. We share many concerns about the dangers of surveillance, but properly constrained, temporary public health surveillance is the only way to fight a deadly pandemic. For this to work, we have to be able to trust public surveillance, particularly the way that public authorities use the sensitive personal data about our health and location that an effective system requires. This erosion of trust is why only 42 percent of Americans support using contact-tracing apps, stating concerns about what both tech companies and the government might do with the data. In fact the uptake of these apps in available states is even lower, with download rates ranging from 1 to 13 percent of state populations despite the privacy-preserving features of many apps. Moreover, without any coordinated national strategy, not all states apps are interoperable through a common key server. Advertisement Advertisement By contrast, despite its own flaws, South Koreas COVID-19 health surveillance is operating on a foundation of the strong public trust rebuilt in the years following the MERS disaster. After that failure, Koreas public health law was amended to mandate public disclosure of information such as movement paths, transportation means, medical treatment institutions, and contacts of patients of the infectious disease once an infectious disease crisis reaches a certain level. Transparency of this kind of data does carry an inherent tension with privacy risks, but South Koreas emphasis on information transparency is safeguarded by one of the strongest comprehensive data privacy laws in the world, its Personal Information Protection Act. In addition, its public health law includes provisions that ensure rigorous protection of personal datamaking sure it is used to help fight the pandemic and not for any other purpose. By contrast, the U.S. lacks a comprehensive federal data privacy law, and during the early phase of the pandemic, Congress scrambled to introduce multiple contact-tracing data privacy bills without success. Advertisement Public debates surrounding COVID-19 health surveillance have often framed the issue as a trade-off between privacy and health. However, privacy is not just about the right to be let alone or having full control over ones information. Rather, privacy can exist based on trust. When the government acts as a trustworthy data steward, its public health surveillance measures can actually work to protect both privacy and health. Based on trust that their government is using their data only for good, South Koreans view health surveillance during a public health crisis not as a threat to privacy or a potentially harmful method of state control but as a necessary tool to protect public health and ensure their right to know. That is, transparent and responsible health surveillance becomes a tool that can protect democracy rather than threaten it. Advertisement Advertisement While South Koreas specific public health measures might not be transferable to other countries, its willingness to learn from mistakes certainly is. Moreover, after the last four disastrous and shambolic years, rebuilding public trust in government is more important than ever in the United States. While the recent rollout of COVID-19 vaccines brings hope, initial distribution has been met with delays and obstacles. We failed with testing and contact tracing, yet we could have learned from these mistakes and done better with the vaccine. New, more infectious COVID-19 variants have forced the United Kingdom and other countries into national lockdowns again and are already spreading throughout the United States. While the previous administration never had a coordinated plan to control the virus, there is still a chanceand urgent needto do better. South Koreas model offers both a blueprint of success and a reminder that a combination of good governance, good science, and public trust is the only way to effectively deal with public health crises. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Another 10 cases with the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 were identified in Romania, the Health Ministry informs on Friday. "These are the results of tests from several cities in the country between January 13 and 21, 2021. The samples were processed in the Medlife laboratory and were reported this afternoon to the National Institute of Public Health - National Center for Communicable Diseases Monitoring and Control. Currently, 18 cases of the new SARS-CoV-2 variant have been reported," the source said. Of these new ones, six are from Bucharest and two each from Valcea and Cluj.Recently, an outbreak with this strain, found in the UK, was identified at school no. 28 in Bucharest, with several people being tested and monitored by doctors. Former Chief Minister (CM) of Bihar Lalu Prasad has been shifted to a private ward from the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) after his health improved on Thursday, doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here informed. "He is improving. The fluid retention in his lungs has reached a normal level. He is also not facing any difficulty in breathing," a senior doctor from the team assigned to look after Lalu's health told IANS. The former minister was kept in the CICU of the hospital under the supervision of Dr Rakesh Yadav, a noted cardiologist AIIMS. He has treated Lalu Yadav earlier as well. Dr Yadav had earlier said that the leader was gradually recovering from pneumonia infection which infected his lungs. He had developed Pulmonary Edema, which led to the pneumonia infection. Pulmonary Edema is a condition where excess fluids get collected in the lungs. 72-year-old RJD chief was admitted to AIIMS on Saturday. He was brought to Delhi by air ambulance through a chartered flight after his health condition deteriorated while undergoing treatment at Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) Hospital in Ranchi where he was admitted earlier. His wife Rabri Devi and sons Tej Pratap and Tejashwi Yadav accompanied him to the hospital. An eight-member team of RIMS had referred him to AIIMS for the treatment. RIMS Director Dr Kameshwar Prasad had told IANS that Lalu was found to be infected with pneumonia and had trouble breathing. The former Union Minister has been in jail since December 2017 after being convicted for a fodder scam. He has served most of his jail sentence in Jharkhand at the RIMS hospital. 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. On January 28, a zoom meeting was held devoted to the analysis of the residential real estate market. Valentin Uvarov, Head of conceptual architecture at Urban Experts, spoke about the COVID trends in residential architecture. Event organizer: Ukrainian Real Estate Club Marina Gurevych, Head of the consulting department at NAI Ukraine, also shared her vision of the market transformation processes, strengthened by the coronavirus, and the forecast for the development of these trends in 2021. During the meeting, Valentyn Uvarov spoke about the reassessment of population mobility in the city, region, country and the world as a whole. Indeed, during the quarantine period, houses became not only a "place to sleep", but also an office, a recreational area, a room for eating, and a gym. In addition, the lockdown broke the stereotype of the need to buy, relax, or engage in different types of activity in different parts of the city or regions. All this can be done while staying at home. Valentyn Uvarov noted that high-quality architecture is an indispensable condition for modern housing. Personal space and comfort are key factors when choosing a home. One of the main trends is suburban real estate. It is important to mention that, for the first time in the past 10 years, a strong demand for suburban property has recovered. Lockdown shifted our focus from the need for "downtown housing", because those who had the opportunity to quarantine in the countryside received a great advantage in quality of life. In addition, the main drawback, which was 5 years ago, is the lack of infrastructure, is no longer relevant. More and more developers are developing suburban areas. For example, a suburb of Kyiv is a leader in terms of development compared to the capital itself. Another trend is more personal space in the home and work areas. In 73% of office companies, almost half of the staff will work remotely. Valentyn also spoke about popular requests for housing: summer premises - large format terraces / balconies; greater privacy of residents. Minimizing social contact with strangers, service providers; own infrastructure in a residential complex / town with a full range of services; own recreation area only for residents of the residential complex / city. Urban Experts architecture company providing full-stage architecture and consulting services for mixed-use, commercial, residential, infrastructure and transport projects in the Eastern Europe region. Leslie Jones Architecture leaders on the British architecture market, offering turnkey solutions for retail and leisure projects, residential and transport facilities, large-scale transport projects. Urban Experts is a licensed assessor company in certification of projects and buildings according to the BREEAM INTERNATIONAL New Construction and BREEAM In-Use standards. BREEAM is an international environmental certification system. This standard confirms that the building is comfortable, cost-effective and safe for the environment We use its standards in our work, therefore we create not only aesthetically attractive and commercially successful real estate. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global flow meter market size is estimated to reach USD 12.3 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 5.8% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The penetration of IoT has helped the evolution of smart flow rate measurement solutions, leading to an increased demand for intelligent flow meters. The adoption of flow meters is expected to increase as rapid urbanization triggers the need for better water and wastewater management. The market has been segmented on the basis of product, application, and region. Based on products, the market has been classified into Differential Pressure (DP), Pressure Displacement (PD), magnetic, ultrasonic, Coriolis, turbine, vortex, and others (variable area, multiphase, thermal, and others). The magnetic segment accounted for the largest share of the global flow meters market in 2019. However, the ultrasonic and Coriolis segments are expected to grow at the highest rate over the forecast period owing to the advancements in technology that have made ultrasonic and Coriolis flow meters more reliable and accurate than their counterparts. Coriolis meters enhance the reliability, accuracy, and efficiency of liquid flow rate measurement. Furthermore, the integration of IoT in flow rate measurement solutions has helped transform Coriolis meters into intelligent flow meters. Hence, the adoption of these meters is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period. Extensive adoption of Coriolis flow meters by the oil & gas, chemical, and refinery sectors is projected to drive the growth of the overall product segment over the forecast period. Strategic profiling of the prominent industry participants across the globe highlights various aspects of these players such as company overview; financial performance; product categorization with their features, applications, and types; and strategic and recent developments, which have been covered in the research report. Moreover, the report offers an extensive list of other industry players operating in the market, value chain analysis, as well as product mapping of prominent vendors and manufacturers of flow meters. Overall, the study offers in-depth analysis, insights, and a holistic view of the entire market. Browse Details of Report @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/flow-meters-market Flow Meter Market Report Highlights Water and wastewater is likely to dominate the application segment through the forecast period owing to the increasing initiatives taken by several governments for water and wastewater management Businesses in Middle Eastern countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Syria are highly vulnerable to political instability. Businesses in other Middle Eastern countries such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar focus on expanding their presence by establishing friendly relations with eminent manufacturers in Western countries One of the key factors supporting the product demand over the forecast period is the integration of IoT in flow meters, which has led to the introduction of smart flow rate measurement solutions Custody transfer application in the oil and gas sector is one of the key applications creating lucrative opportunities for ultrasonic and Coriolis flow meters The Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the fastest rate over the forecast period owing to substantial demand and adoption of flow meters in various application sectors, particularly in China, India, and Southeast Asian countries Flow meter market key participants are ABB (Asea Brown Boveri) Ltd., Emerson Electric Co., General Electric (GE), KROHNE Messtechnik, Hontzsch GmbH, Siemens AG, Hitachi, Ltd., and Yokogawa Electric Corporation Flow Meter Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the global flow meter market based on product, application, and region: Flow Meters Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027) Differential Pressure (DP) Positive Displacement (PD) Magnetic o Wired o Wireless Ultrasonic Coriolis Turbine Vortex Others Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here Civil rights activists are calling on New Jerseys top federal prosecutor to investigate the fatal shooting of Carl Dorsey III by a Newark plainclothes detective, after authorities released a videotape of the chaotic, deadly encounter just after midnight on New Years Day, and appeared to contradict an earlier assertion by local officials that weapons were recovered at the scene. Tonight, Im calling publicly on Rachel Honig, the acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, to launch a civil rights investigation into the murder of Carl Dorsey, said Peoples Organization for Progress Chairman Lawrence Hamm, addressing two dozen protestors gathered in the bitter cold Thursday night at the scene of shooting on South 11th Street at Woodlawn Avenue. Its not just the county prosecutor, its not the state attorney general that we have to rely on, theres also federal courts and the federal justice system, said Hamm, adding that he would reiterate the demand outside Honigs Newark office next week during his groups regular Justice Mondays rally. And if Carl Dorsey was unarmed, then I have a suspicion that his civil rights were violated. The detective, Rod Simpkins, an 18-year Newark Police veteran, is on administrative leave, said a spokesperson for the citys public safety director, Anthony Ambrose. Dorsey, who lived in South Orange, was 39. Thursday, January 28, 2021 - Sister Dawn, of The Newark Anti-Violence Coalition lights candles at a rally on Woodland Ave & S 11th St, the scene of a fatal police shooting in Newark of a South Orange man, Carl Dorsey III, early on New Years' Day.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Under state law regarding police-related fatalities, the incident is under investigation by the New Jersey Attorney Generals office, which released a civilian surveillance tape that captured the 12:03 a.m. shooting. In releasing the tape, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said no gun was recovered on or near Dorsey. An initial account by Mayor Ras Baraka said two guns had been found at the scene. Just a week before the shooting, Ambrose said not a single shot had been fired by a Newark police officer in all of 2020. The last fatal police shooting in Newark was in January 2019, when Officer Jovanny Crespo killed Gregory Griffin and wounded Andrew Dixon as their car fled from police. Crespo was indicted on charges including manslaughter, in a case thats pending. The video of the Dorsey shooting shows an unmarked hatchback pulling up alongside two parked cars on South 11th Street. Simpkins jumps out of the car from the rear passengers side door, and runs toward the front of the car. At the same time, Dorsey comes running into the frame from somewhere ahead of the vehicle and runs toward it, in Simpkins direction. The two collide, though not quite head on, and as Simpkins falls toward the street he twists back toward Dorsey and fires his handgun. Dorsey appears to be hit, and falls toward the sidewalk between the parked cars. Warning: The video below shows lethal violence. Simpkins then gets up have a look at Dorsey, first from the street, and then after walking around one of he parked cars and crouching down next to the collapsed shooting victim, according to the video. Just after the shooting, the video shows two other plainclothes officers get out of the vehicle Simpkins had been in, followed moments later by several others running into the frame from behind the vehicle apparently the group of officers who authorities say had been patrolling nearby Avon Avenue and responded to gunfire. Authorities said there was no police body or dash camera footage exists in the shooting. Thursday nights protest was the second gathering in Dorseys name, one week after a slightly larger one in the same spot. Just because theres a videotape dont mean theres going to be justice, Hamm, the longtime activist, said. Just because theres witnesses dont mean theres going to be justice. But Quamir Hodges hadnt braved sub-freezing temperatures out of pessimism. Hodges, 23, who lives in Newark and runs Brothers Auto Shop on Avon Avenue, a block from the shooting, said he was committed to justice after having served eight years behind bars for a robbery conviction in Union County at age 14, first briefly in the county juvenile detention center, then, after being bumped up, for seven years as a teenager and young adult in state prison. Its something that we see all the time now, in this lifetime, all around the county, said Hodges, a member of the New Jersey Parents Caucus youth group. The first one in Newark in a long time, and it touched. It was right down the street from my business, he said. Hodges shivered after an hour outside in the wind and temperatures in the low-20s. But skipping the event never crossed his mind. No, said Hodges. We cant let that distract us. Thursday, January 28, 2021 - A woman holds a sign at The Newark Anti-Violence Coalition holds a rally at Woodland Ave & S 11th St, the scene of a fatal police shooting in Newark of a South Orange man, Carl Dorsey III, early on New Years' Day.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. As one of the most experienced archaeologists studying California's Native Americans, Lynn Gamble(link is external) knew the Chumash Indians had been using shell beads as money for at least 800 years. But an exhaustive review(link is external) of some of the shell bead record led the UC Santa Barbara professor emerita of anthropology to an astonishing conclusion: The hunter-gatherers centered on the Southcentral Coast of Santa Barbara were using highly worked shells as currency as long as 2,000 years ago. "If the Chumash were using beads as money 2,000 years ago," Gamble said, "this changes our thinking of hunter-gatherers and sociopolitical and economic complexity. This may be the first example of the use of money anywhere in the Americas at this time." Although Gamble has been studying California's indigenous people since the late 1970s, the inspiration for her research on shell bead money came from far afield: the University of Tubingen in Germany. At a symposium there some years ago, most of the presenters discussed coins and other non-shell forms of money. Some, she said, were surprised by the assumptions of California archaeologists about what constituted money. Intrigued, she reviewed the definitions and identifications of money in California and questioned some of the long-held beliefs. Her research led to "The origin and use of shell bead money in California" in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology. Gamble argues that archaeologists should use four criteria in assessing whether beads were used for currency versus adornment: Shell beads used as currency should be more labor-intensive than those for decorative purposes; highly standardized beads are likely currency; bigger, eye-catching beads were more likely used as decoration; and currency beads are widely distributed. "I then compared the shell beads that had been accepted as a money bead for over 40 years by California archaeologists to another type that was widely distributed," she said. "For example, tens of thousands were found with just one individual up in the San Francisco Bay Area. This bead type, known as a saucer bead, was produced south of Point Conception and probably on the northern [Santa Barbara] Channel Islands, according to multiple sources of data, at least most, if not all of them. "These earlier beads were just as standardized, if not more so, than those that came 1,000 years later," Gamble continued. "They also were traded throughout California and beyond. Through sleuthing, measurements and comparison of standardizations among the different bead types, it became clear that these were probably money beads and occurred much earlier than we previously thought." As Gamble notes, shell beads have been used for over 10,000 years in California, and there is extensive evidence for the production of some of these beads, especially those common in the last 3,000 to 4,000 years, on the northern Channel Islands. The evidence includes shell bead-making tools, such as drills, and massive amounts of shell bits -- detritus -- that littered the surface of archaeological sites on the islands. In addition, specialists have noted that the isotopic signature of the shell beads found in the San Francisco Bay Area indicate that the shells are from south of Point Conception. "We know that right around early European contact," Gamble said, "the California Indians were trading for many types of goods, including perishable foods. The use of shell beads no doubt greatly facilitated this wide network of exchange." Gamble's research not only resets the origins of money in the Americas, it calls into question what constitutes "sophisticated" societies in prehistory. Because the Chumash were non-agriculturists -- hunter-gatherers -- it was long held that they wouldn't need money, even though early Spanish colonizers marveled at extensive Chumash trading networks and commerce. Recent research(link is external) on money in Europe during the Bronze Age suggests it was used there some 3,500 years ago. For Gamble, that and the Chumash example are significant because they challenge a persistent perspective among economists and some archaeologists that so-called "primitive" societies could not have had "commercial" economies. "Both the terms 'complex' and 'primitive' are highly charged, but it is difficult to address this subject without avoiding those terms," she said. "In the case of both the Chumash and the Bronze Age example, standardization is a key in terms of identifying money. My article on the origin of money in California is not only pushing the date for the use of money back 1,000 years in California, and possibly the Americas, it provides evidence that money was used by non-state level societies, commonly identified as 'civilizations.' " ### New research from the University of Sheffield has found being overweight is an additional burden on brain health and it may exacerbate Alzheimer's disease. The pioneering multimodal neuroimaging study revealed obesity may contribute toward neural tissue vulnerability, whilst maintaining a healthy weight in mild Alzheimer's disease dementia could help to preserve brain structure. The findings, published in The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports, also highlight the impact being overweight in mid-life could have on brain health in older age. Lead author of the study, Professor Annalena Venneri from the University of Sheffield's Neuroscience Institute and NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, said: "More than 50 million people are thought to be living with Alzheimer's disease and despite decades of ground breaking studies and a huge global research effort we still don't have a cure for this cruel disease. "Prevention plays such an important role in the fight against the disease. It is important to stress this study does not show that obesity causes Alzheimer's, but what it does show is that being overweight is an additional burden on brain health and it may exacerbate the disease." She added:"The diseases that cause dementia such as Alzheimer's and vascular dementia lurk in the background for many years, so waiting until your 60s to lose weight is too late. We need to start thinking about brain health and preventing these diseases much earlier. Educating children and adolescents about the burden being overweight has on multimorbidities including neurodegenerative diseases is vital." Researchers from the University of Sheffield and the University of Eastern Finland examined MRI brain scans from 47 patients clinically diagnosed with mild Alzheimer's disease dementia, 68 patients with mild cognitive impairment, and 57 cognitively healthy individuals. The novel study used three complementary, computational techniques to look at the anatomy of the brain, blood flow and also the fibres of the brain. The international team compared multiple brain images and measured differences in local concentrations of brain tissues to assess grey matter volume - which degenerates during the onset of Alzheimers - white matter integrity, cerebral blood flow and obesity. In mild dementia patients, a positive association was found between obesity and grey matter volume around the right temporoparietal junction. This suggests obesity might contribute toward neural vulnerability in cognitively healthy individuals and those with mild cognitive impairment. The study also found that maintaining a healthy weight in mild Alzheimer's disease dementia could help preserve brain structure in the presence of age and disease-related weight loss. Joint author of the study, Dr Matteo De Marco from the University of Sheffield's Neuroscience Institute, said: "Weight-loss is commonly one of the first symptoms in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease as people forget to eat or begin to snack on easy-to-grab foods like biscuits or crisps, in place of more nutritional meals. "We found that maintaining a healthy weight could help preserve brain structure in people who are already experiencing mild Alzheimer's disease dementia. Unlike other diseases such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes, people don't often think about the importance of nutrition in relation to neurological conditions, but these findings show it can help to preserve brain structure." ### The study was conducted in collaboration with the University of Eastern Finland. Professor Hilkka Soininen, joint author of the paper said: "The results emphasize different perspectives on lifestyle and nutrition in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. It's important to avoid obesity for brain health, but for patients with Alzheimer's disease, it is essential to take care of proper nutrition and maintain a healthy weight." The Neuroscience Institute at the University of Sheffield 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: To view the full paper please visit: https:/ / content. iospress. com/ articles/ journal-of-alzheimers-disease-reports/ adr200267 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. About NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is the nation's largest funder of health and care research. The NIHR: Funds, supports and delivers high quality research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care Engages and involves patients, carers and the public in order to improve the reach, quality and impact of research Attracts, trains and supports the best researchers to tackle the complex health and care challenges of the future Invests in world-class infrastructure and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services Partners with other public funders, charities and industry to maximise the value of research to patients and the economy The NIHR was established in 2006 to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research, and is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. In addition to its national role, the NIHR commissions applied health research to benefit the poorest people in low- and middle-income countries, using Official Development Assistance funding. The Institute for Public Relations is holding a Feb. 4 webinar on how to communicate effectively with audiences and break down resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine. Overcoming Vaccine Hesitancy: A Tool for Practitioners will share the results from a survey conducted in October as well as insights from a review conducted by the University of Floridas Center for Public Interest Communications. The 16 social and behavioral psychologists, medical anthropologists, behavioral economists, neuroscientists and political communications scholars involved in the review addressed such topics as what drives vaccine hesitancy and how to make audiences more resilient against misinformation. The 12 p.m. webinar will be led by Center for Public Interest Communications director Ann Christiano and postdoctoral research associate Jack Barry. To find out more, or to register, click here. MMGY Travel Intelligence will host a Feb. 2 webinar on the opportunities expected to result from the rise of interest in cannabis tourism. The event, the second in a three-part series, will focus on adult-use cannabis tourism. Presented by Enlightn Strategies president Brian Applegarth, the webinar will utilize data from Cannabis Tourism: Opportunities, Issues & Strategies, a report published by MMGY Travel Intelligence and Enlightn. Topics to be addressed include the role of cannabis in a destinations ecosystem, cannabis-related experience development and revenue stream opportunities. To register for the event, click here. The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International announces its schedule of virtual experiences and in-person events for 2021. HSMAI will begin the year with virtual experiences and transition to in-person events as it becomes safe to gather physically. HSMAI Americas is set to host three virtual experiences in March, including the HSMAI Adrian Awards Celebration on March 23, as well as the Curate Global Executive Insights Forum in May. The organization has also planned live events on Sept 28 and 29 in Dallas, and HSMAI Sales Leader Forum in October at a location to be announced. The demand for HSMAI members and stakeholders to connect has been profound during the crisis, said HSMAI president and CEO Robert Gilbert. We believe this mix of virtual and face to face programs represents both the opportunity to learn and exchange best practices that will help our members lead the recovery for their hotels and hotel companies. Visit the HSMAI Americas website for registration and more information on all HSMAI 2021 events and programs. The National Weather Service has hoisted a winter storm warning for the entire region from 1 p.m. Sunday through 10 a.m. Tuesday, Groundhog Day, with the potential for a foot or more of snow. Winds gusting to 45 mph are likely to cause significant blowing and drifting, and coastal flooding is possible. Whether the result will be a classic noreaster with the biggest snow in five winters or a classic virtual misfire by the computer models, be grateful you havent been a floor at a local supermarket this weekend. With evermore confidence, meteorologists have been saying that an unusually long-duration winter storm is forecast to begin affecting the region Sunday and linger into early Tuesday The weather service sees rain mixing in at the Shore, cutting down on snow totals, with some mixing possible for a time inland Sunday night and Monday morning; however the precipitation eventually will become all snow all the way to the beach towns. Caprice would be a primary concern for the accumulation forecast, Chad Shafer, a lead meteorologist at the weather service office in Mount Holly, said Saturday. Amounts could vary widely. Some banding heavy snow falling in narrow corridors, while intensities would be reduced nearby is expected. That said, the weather service sees a 90% chance of at least 6 inches for Philadelphia, and significant snow is all but inevitable. The cats out of the bag, said Tom Kines, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc. As folks continue stocking up on milk, eggs, bread, butter, and assorted beverages, dont be surprised to see tweaks in accumulation forecasts. READ MORE: Snow is snubbing Philly in January, and February is looking mild across the nation But anyone who has spent more than a few winters around here is aware that snow has been known not to happen. And chaos evidently has had a far better season than the computer models that attempt to calculate the next moves of the atmosphere. When the wheels fall off For all the advances in forecasting and computer technology, in the 21st century the I-95 corridor has experienced some historic snow-forecast busts. Veteran meteorologists have experience with watching the wheels fall off a forecast. One of the most infamous busts occurred 20 years ago in March 2000, and coincidentally it involved a storm that was to begin affecting the region on a Sunday and linger into Tuesday. The drumbeat for a cosmic snowfall that would shut down the I-95 corridor gained volume on a Wednesday and grew only louder as the week progressed. On Friday, the usually staid National Weather Service warned of the potential for a storm of historic proportions, with accumulations of one to two feet or more possible. The region ended up with about one to two inches of what was largely an unidentifiable frozen substance. In January 2015, what appeared to be a megastorm was targeting the I-95 population center. Again, it was to commence on a Sunday in Philadelphia. To the north, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio took the extraordinary step of clearing the citys streets of all traffic, cutting off coveted food deliveries. This will most likely be one of the largest blizzards in the history of New York City, he said. READ MORE: 30.7 inches fell upon Philly 25 years ago, and snow hasnt been the same since New York got a generic five inches. Philadelphia, with up to two feet in the forecast, ended up with 1.2 inches. It was dubbed The Flizzard of 2015. Gary Szatkowski, then the head of the local weather service office, apologized. His boss, Louis W. Uccellini, said that wasnt necessary. The forecasts were based on the best science available. Models of imperfection Computer models are remarkable tools and meteorologists consult scores of them run by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and elsewhere. They share at least one trait with their human interpreters: fallibility. From the get-go, they have to rely on incomplete and imperfect observations, which are used to capture the three-dimensional initial condition of the atmosphere. Applying the laws of physics, they then undertake massive calculations to measure how the weather systems have changed in the previous six hours and how it might change in the next six, on out in time. What explains the observation issues? Most of the planet is uninhabited. About 70% of the Earths surface is water, and lesser-developed countries have priorities other than sending up weather balloons. The gaps are so significant that forecasters run ensembles multiple models tweaked to account for whats missing and possible errors to come up with likely outcomes. Any errors worsen with time, and the machines continue to have issues, meteorologists say. The models have been struggling as of late, said Judah Cohen, a scientist with Atmospheric and Environmental Research in Massachusetts. Regardless of what does or doesnt happen, local supermarket registers are likely to accumulate some cash. In January and February grocers count on snow to drive customers back into stores, balancing out the dip in sales volume following the holidays, said Jere Downs, a former executive for Krogers, the nations biggest chain. This is really important. People, evidently, are prone to overbuy before the storm, and The Inquirer has found no evidence of widespread milk binge-drinking. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Tottenham defender Serge Aurier stormed out of the stadium after being substituted at half-time of the defeat to Liverpool on Thursday night. Spurs went into the interval behind after Roberto Firmino's injury time goal just before the break. The manner of the opener - a ball across the box for the Brazilian to tap in from close range - is understood to have caused heated discussions between players in the home dressing room. Jose Mourinho's decision to then remove the Ivorian before the second-half prompted him to leave the stadium altogether. It remains to be seen whether the club take any further action. "It was the mood of team that was difficult to accept you are losing," Mourinho said afterwards of the half-time drama. "It's difficult to accept the nature of the goal because the goal is in some aspects a replica of the chance they had in the first minute. "So it's, of course, a mood where people is not happy." Tottenham went on to lose the match 3-1 with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Sadio Mane adding further goals with only a Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg strike in reply. Recommended Mourinho shows little sign of inspiring Spurs out of downward spiral To make matters worse talismanic striker Harry Kane appears set for a spell on the sidelines after picking up knocks to both of his ankles in the first-half. "For Harry to leave a game, when he wants to play always and with the team losing, for Harry to come out is not a nothing injury," Mourinho said. "It's an injury. For how long I can't tell you, I don't know. We have to wait and see." 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. First President of Ukraine, Head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) Leonid Kravchuk believes that it is practically impossible to reach an agreement with Russia on Donbas without pressure from the international community. "It's not easy to get along with Russia. I don't want to have unnecessary illusions that we can agree on something. We have been working for seven years and practically unite very few positions, and for the last six months - nothing at all, because Russia has different views," Kravchuk said on the air of a talk show on the NASH TV channel on Thursday evening, thus admitting that negotiations at the TCG had reached a dead end. "When I came to the first meeting in Minsk on July 22, an agreement was reached on a comprehensive regime of a ceasefire, and we began to implement these agreements. And I, frankly speaking, thought to myself that perhaps some steps have begun to move more clearly, more actively and more responsibly to peace - not only by Ukraine, but also by all participants in the process. But when I attended these meetings and realized that it was a fake, that they say one thing and do another, that they think that it is possible to deceive Ukraine and it will make any concessions, only unilateral, that it will surrender its national interests for the sake of some incomprehensible goals, I concluded that it is impossible to agree on anything under normal conditions," Kravchuk said, noting that Moscow distorts the Package of Measures for implementation of the Minsk Protocol and interprets it in its own interests. He added that "if Russia puts pressure and tells a lie," Ukraine should act in the same way and rely on political pressure with the involvement of international partners, including the United States, to force Russia to fulfill the agreements, and not interpret them in its own interests. At the same time, Ukraine itself needs a unified firm position in Ukrainian politics, Kravchuk stressed. "At the next meeting, I will ask them one question: "Do they support the seven points [steps to implement the doctrine of the 'Russian Donbas'], which was proclaimed by their ['DPR'] ringleader? [Denis Pushilin] "If they approve of these seven points, where there is absolutely no talk about the integration of these regions of Ukraine, where there is absolutely nothing about Ukrainian interests as a state as a whole, but it is about the creation of national-Russian state structures, then let them say it officially at the meeting. It cannot be that their leader says one thing, and they - another," said Kravchuk. When asked if it is impossible to come to an agreement with the Russian Federation through the TCG, then why waste your time, Kravchuk replied: "While these negotiations are Minsk negotiations, they are still in operation, they also have other tasks: sanctions, unification of European partners. We want to show that Ukraine was and is an advocate of realization." PHILIPSBURG:--- Algemeen Pensioenfonds Sint Maarten (APS) and IGY Marinas agreed on the terms of a loan for the Yacht Club at Isle de Sol (IDS) in Simpson Bay. The loan will enable IDS to increase their clientele, complete the restaurant enhancement project in the marina, and refinance existing agreements to more favorable conditions. It is the first time APS has invested in the yachting industry. IGY Marinas is the largest international marina network in the Caribbean and services approximately 20% of the mega-yachts worldwide. Hop-Inn, IDS operating company, has a proven record of financial stability, and IGY as a parent company provides extra security as a guarantor. We welcome the opportunity to add this investment to our local portfolio, which currently contains six vital and financially healthy projects on Sint Maarten. The yachting industry is of pivotal economic importance to Sint Maarten and we take enormous pride in this contribution to an important branch of our tourism product, said APS Director Nadya Croes-Van Putten. IGY is very excited to be working with APS and proud that they have chosen to partner with Yacht Club Isle de Sol as a first investment in the yachting sector. APS support of the yachting sector is an extremely important step towards ensuring that the marine industry and marine trades on St. Maarten continue to thrive, said Brian Deher, Regional Director Caribbean and Central America for IGY Marinas. 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 More than a quarter of the Texas workforce 3.5 million employees would get a raise if Democrats succeed in their bid to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, though Republicans say the effort would also lead to as many as a million jobs lost in the state as businesses try to weather the coronavirus pandemic. Roughly half of those working in some parts of Houston and San Antonio the vast majority of whom are workers of color and women would be affected by the plan, according to estimates by the Economic Policy Institute, a pro-labor group that used federal data to analyze the impact of the proposal. Democrats say those numbers are evidence of how badly the wage increase is needed, with nearly 200,000 Texans making the $7.25 an hour minimum now, according to federal data. RELATED: Working minimum wage in Houston? You need to work 112 hours to afford a 2BR apartment. The effort which calls for incremental increases to reach $15 an hour by 2025 is a long shot, as the idea is universally opposed by Republicans, who hold 50 seats in the U.S. Senate, enough to block most Democratic priorities. But Democrats say they're serious about getting it done while they have control of Congress, angling to get it through the Senate with a simple majority vote by tying the legislation to the federal budget. Texas would be among the states most affected by the legislation. Just less than 3 percent of Texas workers are paid at or below minimum wage, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data among the highest percentages in the nation, according to the data. Texas is also one of 21 states that has not raised the minimum wage above the federal minimum, even as some other red states, including Florida and Arkansas, have done so. Its been over a decade since Congress raised the minimum wage, and we must act with a sense of urgency to deliver for working families, said U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a San Antonio Democrat. Castro said 40 percent of workers in his district would see their annual income increase by an average of nearly $4,000 dollars. Thats money directly in folks pockets to help cover the costs of housing and child care, and also will directly stimulate our local economy as we recover from this COVID crisis, he said. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox But Republicans point to a Congressional Budget Office analysis that a $15 an hour minimum wage would lead to job losses for 1.3 million workers, even as the proposal would lift just as many of them above the poverty level. It seems to me this bill is a sweet deal but only if you get to keep your job, U.S. Rep. Ron Wright, an Arlington Republican, said during debate on a 2019 version of the bill that passed the House. The negative impacts of such a disastrous bill would be felt in high-income urban areas, but they would be even more severe in lower income rural areas. Restaurants say they would be especially hard hit by elimination of the tipped minimum wage, set at $2.13 an hour, which Democrats bill calls for phasing out by 2027. The Texas Restaurant Association says the bill stands to overshadow coronavirus relief efforts of the Biden administration by the possibility that restaurants may have to absorb a dramatic hike in costs at a time when they can barely keep their doors open. The fiscally conservative Employment Policy Institute estimated Texas could lose more than 370,000 jobs and the right-wing Heritage Foundation estimated the losses in Texas could be closer to 1 million. I would argue we shouldnt be raising the minimum wage in a normal time but this would be a horrible time to talk about raising the minimum wage, said Vance Ginn, chief economist at the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation and a former budget official for the Trump administration. Ginn said lawmakers should instead be focused on improving workforce development programs and removing barriers for workers trying to get a better wage, such as occupational licenses. But research has shown such losses have not happened in states and cities that have raised the minimum wage in recent years. The Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at the University of California-Berkeley found wage increases in six cities had no significant negative effect on employment in those cities in a 2018 study that focused on food service jobs. A separate five-year study that focused on the effects at McDonalds restaurants found many paid workers above the new minimum to retain employees, rather than cut them. Another study compared New York City where minimum wage doubled to 12 other cities where wages stayed flat and found restaurant job growth was greater in New York than the others as wages there increased. There is some evidence that Democrats proposal is a popular one. In November, 60 percent of voters in Florida backed a proposal to increase the states minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. Pew Research Center, meanwhile, found 67 percent of Americans supported increasing the minimum in 2019. And 2016 polling by the University of Texas at Austin found 62 percent of Texans supported raising the federal minimum. U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a Houston Democrat, said everything is on the table to pass the bill, but she is hopeful that Democrats could build support in Congress by showing Republicans how many people in their districts could benefit. She also said the bill gives businesses five years to figure out how to make the wage increases possible. In my district, youre talking about 48 percent of the workers, she said. Its 180,000 workers, 180,000 families we can lift up and provide a way to be able to support their families and to be able to enjoy the economy. ben.wermund@chron.com Penn State Health officials said this week they are planning large-scale COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Dauphin, Cumberland and Lebanon counties, and possibly others, and in the State College area. They said they expect to hold them in collaboration with the state health department, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and, possibly, other health care systems. Dr. Peter Dillon, the executive vice president and chief medical officer, said Penn State Health expects they will be offered by mid- to late-February. However, he cautioned that timeframe is contingent on receiving an expanded supply of vaccine, and everything is very fluid. The clinics will be open to Penn State Health patients as well as non-patients. RELATED: Want the COVID-19 vaccine? Main central Pa. providers dont even have appointments Dillon also said Penn State is preparing to make vaccine available at medical practices throughout the region. However, theres presently the barrier of insufficient supply and the fact the main vaccine available so far requires ultra storage in equipment that only exists at hospitals. Penn State Health officials hold out hope the vaccine supply, as a result of federal effort, will soon increase and new brands of vaccine will further aid the process by not requiring ultra cold storage and, in the case of one nearing approval, requiring only one dose to be fully effective. For now, Penn State Health officials say the best way to assure yourself of getting vaccine as soon as its available is to stay in touch with your local doctor. As of Friday morning, that seems the best, although far from a perfect one, for non-Penn State Health patients as well. Many other providers are directing people to the state health department map listing providers, including pharmacies and smaller clinics, which have received vaccine. But some if not most of those are out of vaccine and not even scheduling appointments. For example, Sadler Health Center, a federally-supported medical practice in Carlisle with 10,000 patients, has nowhere near the quantity to cover all our patients, Laurel Spagnolo, the director of development and community engagement, said on Friday. Sadler has received only about 500 doses, and has needed to provide many of those to local independent health care providers, such as EMS crews. Similar to Penn State Health, Sadler is figuring out which patients are at highest risk from COVID-19 and contacting them to offer vaccine. But with the supply so limited and uncertain, Sadler presently isnt keeping a waiting list, Spagnolo said. WellSpan Healths dedicated online portal for scheduling vaccine appointments is temporarily closed to new appointments. However, people can use the portal to open an account and then be notified when vaccine becomes available. Still, it doesnt amount to being on a waiting list, spokesman Ryan Coyle said. Meanwhile, health care providers are urging people to be patient and not become discouraged and give up on vaccine. Spognolo said vaccine is not the end-all, be-all, and said stressed that people can help themselves greatly by continuing to wear face masks, social distance and wash their hands frequently. In order to kick COVID, we need to do those three very important things, she said. EDITORS NOTE: NJ Cannabis Insider is hosting a two-day business and networking conference March 9-10, featuring some of the states most prominent industry leaders. Early-bird registration is open. Tickets are limited. Lawmakers on Friday advanced a new compromise on penalties for underage marijuana use, hoping to pass something that will make Gov. Phil Murphy agree to sign big bills to legalize and decriminalize weed into law. Its the Legislatures second shot at a cleanup bill this month. The first fell apart when Black lawmakers came together in opposition, arguing that the penalties it set forth for those under 21 would disproportionately affect Black and brown youth. But this measure is not so different from that prior attempt. The main change on penalties is the lowering of fines those 18 to 20 could face for possessing marijuana. The bill, introduced Thursday evening, was approved by Assembly Community Development and Affairs Committee Friday afternoon in a 4-2 vote. Many issues that I think we missed, unfortunately, came back, said Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly, D-Passaic, who sponsored the latest bill. He said the measure represents what the voters of New Jersey asked for when we came to this, but protecting our youth. If the full Legislature passed the cleanup bill, Murphy could sign it and the two other bills legalizing (S21) and decriminalizing (S2535) marijuana into law together. He has said he cannot sign the other two as is, citing conflicting language that both legalizes possession of marijuana for those under 21 and makes it a disorderly persons offense. Lawmakers will have to move quickly to make the deal work, something that hasnt happened so far. If the Assembly holds a quorum after Feb. 1, it will mark the deadline for Murphy to sign or veto the first two bills. The next quorum is scheduled for Feb. 8, so as of now that is the deadline. That prior cleanup bill sought to establish fines of $50 to $500 for those 18 to 20 caught with cannabis, while those under 18 would receive warnings or agree to enter into drug education or treatment programs. The new bill caps fines at $50 for possessing up to six ounces of marijuana and $100 for possessing more. It levies uniform penalties for possessing marijuana bought on the street and product from licensed dispensaries once they are open and selling to the public. The bill also bars police from using the smell of marijuana to stop a young person and search them for marijuana. But it keeps those other penalties for people under 18. If juveniles do not abide by their agreement on education or treatment programs, they could face a formal juvenile delinquency complaint under the bill. It also calls for a task force to review data submitted by law enforcement to the Attorney General on who is fined or warned for their use. Instead of waiting on the Legislature, Murphy could conditionally veto the bills to demand the changes. But lawmakers passed the decriminalization bill with a veto-proof majority, and lawmakers have said they would not concur with the governors proposed changes. The governor had set Friday as a deadline to take action on the bills, but with movement on the new one, no veto or signature came by 4 p.m. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Amanda Hoover may be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Andrew Yang was mulling a run for New York City mayor last fall when he reached out to a labor union with proven political clout to introduce himself. During the chat the president of the Hotel Trades Council, Rich Maroko, let slip that his daughters supported Yangs unconventional presidential bid, so the mayoral hopeful decided to surprise them in December with a brief video extolling their father and wishing them a happy holiday, according to someone familiar with the recording. The friendly gesture began Yangs courtship of the union, which recently interviewed candidates in the crowded Democratic field as it seeks a municipal leader at a time of unparalleled crisis for its roughly 40,000 members. Even as it struggles financially, due to the bottoming out of the citys tourism industry, the hotel workers union remains among the most coveted labor endorsements for Democrats seeking to replace Mayor Bill de Blasio. As they participate in nightly candidate forums and compete for attention on policy rollouts ahead of the June 22 primary, a less visible race is underway for the 10 or so viable candidates: The fight for high-profile endorsements that can serve to validate first-timers, inoculate establishment politicians from common criticisms and offer undecided voters some direction in the race. I gotta change my phone number, cause somehow my phone number got out, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew joked in a recent interview, describing the frequency of outreach from the candidates. Rev. Al Sharpton, the well-known civil rights activist, said five leading candidates reach out two or three times each week. They call and ask me how Im doing, call and ask about whatever issue Im working on, Sharpton said on Wednesday. Weve been in this long enough to know why theyre really calling. Scott Stringer addresses the media at a news conference. In a multicandidate primary that will debut a system allowing voters to rank up to five candidates rather than select just one, endorsements have taken on increased importance this year. Story continues City Comptroller Scott Stringer announced his candidacy with a multi-racial coterie of young, progressive upstarts who could build excitement around a conventional politician before announcing the backing of one of his closest political allies, Rep. Jerry Nadler. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams kicked off his virtual campaign with remarks from Daneek Miller and Laurie Cumbo City Council members who represent voter-rich districts in Queens and Brooklyn. And attorney and MSNBC commentator Maya Wiley was joined at her launch by Michael Gianaris, a state Senate leader whose support was intended to signal the first-time candidates ability to forge alliances in the impenetrable state capitol. But many of the most desired endorsements are still unclaimed, leaving the candidates in a mad dash to secure them all while their aides often downplay the connection between insiders and voters. Among the most sought-after backers are the Working Families Party, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and 1199SEIU, which represents 400,000 health care workers and retirees. A spokesperson for that union declined to comment, but the organization is believed to be considering Wiley, who is being advised by its former political director, Patrick Gaspard. The union was one of the only major endorsements de Blasio received during his primary bid in 2013, and its backing helped lift the cloud of despair that had been hanging over his candidacy at the time. Candidate screenings for other prominent unions are getting underway. People involved in the process said 32BJ SEIU, which represents building service workers; District Council 37, the citys largest municipal union; the United Federation of Teachers; and the Hotel Trades Council are partial to the familiarity of Stringer and Adams. But they say the unions have not discounted Wiley, despite a noncommittal answer during a recent screening over whether she would join workers in a picket line and her alliance with the citys former labor commissioner, Bob Linn, who has rankled some of their leaders. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose star power eclipses the rest of the citys congressional delegation, has signaled she is unlikely to endorse in the race anytime soon, according to several people involved in the election. Her spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. And the Democratic Socialists of America, which is aligned with Ocasio-Cortez and has worked to propel political newcomers to legislative victories in recent years, is also planning to sit out the race to instead focus on a City Council slate, several people involved in the organization have said. I guess its kind of cool folks are putting me on that list. I dont really think about it like that, Williams said in a recent interview. Getting a lot of candidates who are reaching out. Happy to talk to folks anyone that calls actually. Williams, who won a citywide race with support from older Black Democrats in Central Brooklyn and younger progressives across the city, said he has yet to decide whether to back any mayoral contender. He said he is hoping to frame the narrative on police reform and an increase in shootings and wants a candidate who balances management credentials, progressive values and political courage. I dont know that anyone has encapsulated that quite yet, he said. Williams political positions mirror those embraced by Stringer, Wiley and Dianne Morales, a former nonprofit executive. But he counts Adams, an ex-cop and political centrist, as a friend and is pleased with the attention the borough president has paid to increased gun violence, according to several people familiar with the matter. An endorsement from Williams, who raised his profile with an unsuccessful run for lieutenant governor in 2018, would cut against criticism Adams is already beginning to face from the left wing of the Democratic Party over his history with the NYPD. It would also undercut a narrative that Adams has fractured relationships with some of the citys prominent Black politicians, most notably Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. The two have long-standing tension and Jeffries is unlikely to endorse Adams in the race, according to several people familiar with their relationship. Adams is also not a shoo-in, those people said, to receive the support of Rep. Yvette Clarke and her mother, Una Clarke an influential duo in Central Brooklyn whose support for de Blasio helped his political career. (Wall Street executive Ray McGuire likely did not endear himself to the Clarkes by donating $2,800 to Adem Bunkeddekos 2020 challenge to Yvette Clarke.) Both Wiley and Stringer have been angling for endorsements in Central Brooklyn to expand their own presumed bases of support in Manhattan and Brownstone Brooklyn and undercut Adams. Meanwhile, the leaders of the Bronx and Queens Democratic parties State Sen. Jamaal Bailey and Rep. Greg Meeks are wary of Adams close ties to the Brooklyn Democratic Party, with whom they have historically been at odds, according to several people involved in county politics. In a recent interview, Bailey said he has solid relationships with all of the other Democratic county leaders in the city but has not decided whether to team up for an endorsement. The county organizations do not have a successful electoral track record of late, and none backed de Blasio in his winning mayoral bid in 2013. But, in a crowded field with ranked-choice voting and changes to county leadership that better reflect the racial makeup of the Democratic party, they are being courted nonetheless. There has been talk of a partnership among some of the county leaders. Sharpton confirmed he is considering an alliance with Meeks, Jeffries and Carl Heastie, the Assembly speaker who is involved in the Bronx Democratic Party. I dont think I would jump out ahead of them. I think the four of us may go together or not go at all, he said. The party leaders are not enamored of Stringer, particularly given his support of county-backed challengers like failed District Attorney candidate Tiffany Caban in 2019, according to several people involved in county politics and the mayors race. McGuire has been courting Meeks, whose re-election he donated to, and politicians in the voter-rich section of Queens the congressman represents. One of his early meetings when he decided to embark on his first run for elected office, for instance, was at Sangrias in Jamaica, Queens, with state Sen. Leroy Comrie. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards has been hosting all the candidates for lunch and plans to dine with Kathryn Garcia, the citys former sanitation commissioner, in Rockaway next week. Im enjoying all this caloric intake at this moment, he joked. He said he hasnt homed in on a favorite candidate yet, and plans to join forces with Meeks. Candidates are also angling for a trio of endorsements viewed as influential among the active voters on the West Side of Manhattan: Borough President Gale Brewer, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and the New York Times editorial board. Johnson said he is meeting with everyone who reaches out and declined to comment on any candidate, though his tension with Stringer is well established in political circles. Reached by phone this week, Brewer said she is too busy between her current job and her own run for City Council to give the mayors race much thought. I dont know yet. I can barely breathe, she said, ticking off a list of land use decisions she is tasked with weighing in on. I got Governors Island, South Street Seaport, Noho, Soho, vaccinations, the City Council thing. I cant do any more. Right now Im editing ULURPs. Erin Durkin contributed to this report. HONG KONG, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Political figures sanctioned by the United States for the national security legislation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) have vowed all-out efforts to safeguard the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent his regards to the officials of the HKSAR government who were unreasonably sanctioned when hearing the work report delivered via video link by HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Wednesday. "I would like to express my gratitude to President Xi. We will be more steadfast in safeguarding national security in our work," John Lee Ka-chiu, the HKSAR government's Secretary for Security, said. The implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong has dealt a major blow to those colluding with foreign forces to undermine Hong Kong's stability and endanger national security, Lee said, stressing that any plot to obstruct the national security law by the so-called sanctions is doomed to fail. Commissioner of Police of the HKSAR government Chris Tang Ping-keung said that he and other police officers are proud to shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding national security and his determination to safeguard national security will not waver in spite of the "sanctions." "Any country that uses the national security law in Hong Kong as an excuse to impose so-called sanctions is obviously of double standards and bullying," he said. "The work of the Hong Kong police is entirely legal, constitutional, just and reasonable." Tam Yiu-chung, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, also said it is his duty to safeguard national security and Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, and he is still committed to the cause. The political figures highly recognized the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong" in Xi's speech. As a member of the Drafting Committee for the HKSAR Basic Law, Tam said the principle was highlighted during the drafting process. "If Hong Kong is not governed by patriots, is it by destroyers?" Tam said only by upholding the principle, will the cause of "one country, two systems" continue to make progress in Hong Kong. The well-being of Hong Kong residents has been severely jeopardized as some local opposition politicians have begged foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong since the social unrest, Lee said, adding that the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong" is in line with the public expectations and the overall interests of Hong Kong society. Thanks to the national security law, social order has gradually resumed and people's lives have shown new vitality in Hong Kong. With violence and activities advocating "Hong Kong independence" being contained, residents no longer worry about blocked traffic and trashed subway stations, and have regained their peaceful lives, Lee said. "The police will continue to crack down on all criminal activities that endanger national security and protect the safety of Hong Kong residents and their property," Tang said, also pledging continued efforts to support the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic. Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Sheila Abayie Buckman (Mrs) has cautioned the general public that the police will be left with no choice to prosecute persons who have been arrested for not wearing facemask. According to her, inasmuch as it is the desire of the Ghana Police Service to continue to sensitize the public about the wearing of facemask, the Police personnel will not hesitate to find the provision under the law to prosecute repeat offenders. Briefing the media at the conference room of the Ministry of Information on the Police activities, Superintendent Buckman (Mrs) hinted that since 18th January 2021, the Police has arrested a total of 961 persons. She added that the Greater Accra Region has the highest number of arrest of 330 out of the 961 persons; emphasizing that the Police had given verbal caution to 484 persons out of the 961 who were discharged as well as given written caution to 477 of the total arrested persons. She reiterated that the Ghana Police Service as part of its activities to enforce the instruction of President Akufo-Addo to ensure the wearing of the facemasks and also adhering to the safety protocols had granted some 477 persons who were arrested bail after they were made to wear their masks and do so properly. Repeat offenders; if we arrest you again in this next trip and we realise that you are a repeat offender, you will leave us with no choice than to find the provision under the law to prosecute you, she cautioned. She, however, made a special appeal to the public, the media and to the human rights advocacies to join the effort with the Police in reaching out to the masses to wear their facemasks at all times at public places to protect all from contracting the deadly COVID-19 disease. So, please, lets all get on board and preach the good of wearing the mask to ensure that we stop coronavirus, she appealed. Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[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 this Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, photo, two ways to donate via Apple Pay and Google Pay to the Salvation Army's annual holiday red kettle campaign are incorporated next to the Army's iconic red shield on Chicago's Magnificent Mile. Cashless shoppers have a new option to give to the Army's red kettle campaign this year using their smartphone. Leaders hope adding Apple and Google payment options will boost fundraising to the campaign, which makes up 10% of The Salvation Army's annual budget. Those donations fund programs providing housing, food and other support to people in poverty. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) (CNN) -- President Joe Biden is reopening enrollment on the federal Affordable Care Act exchanges as part of two health care executive actions that he signed Thursday, taking a step to help uninsured Americans that former President Donald Trump rejected. It's Biden's first move toward delivering on his campaign promise to bolster the landmark health reform law that he championed as vice president. And it comes as more Americans could be facing the loss of coverage because of the pandemic-fueled economic downturn. "Today, I'm about to sign two executive orders that basically, the best way to describe them, to undo the damage Trump has done," Biden said. "There's nothing new that we are doing here other than restoring the Affordable Care Act and restoring Medicaid to the way it was before Trump became president." Open enrollment on the federal exchanges, which the Trump administration cut in half to six weeks, ended on December 15. But Biden has the power to reopen sign-ups, which will allow the uninsured to select policies under a special enrollment period. Biden's order calls on the Department of Health and Human Services to reopen enrollment on healthcare.gov, which serves 36 states, to those who need coverage from February 15 until May 15. The agency is expected to do so on Thursday, according to a White House official. "As we continue to battle Covid-19, it's even more critical that Americans have meaningful access to health care," Biden said. Trump refused to take this step last year, despite heavy lobbying from elected officials of both parties and the health care industry. Eleven states that run their own Obamacare exchanges, along with the District of Columbia, allowed their uninsured residents to obtain coverage outside the usual time frame. Most, if not all, are also expected to reopen their enrollment, the White House official said. Thursday's executive orders focus on health care. Biden also signed measures aimed at strengthening Medicaid, as well as rescinding the so-called Mexico City Policy -- which bans the US government from funding foreign nonprofits that perform or promote abortions -- and reviewing the Title X abortion referral restrictions. Here are the executive actions Biden has signed so far Biden has turned to executive actions in his first days in office to swiftly start putting in place his agenda and to wipe out that of his predecessor. His early orders have included mandating masks on federal property, reversing Trump's ban on transgender Americans joining the military, providing additional nutrition assistance and accelerating the manufacturing and delivery of supplies for vaccination and testing. Reversing Trump administration directives As part of Thursday's executive measures, Biden is directing federal agencies to re-examine a multitude of actions taken by his predecessor. "He changed and made more inaccessible, more expensive and more difficult for people to qualify for either of those two items, the Affordable Care Act or Medicaid," he continued. These include policies that weaken protections for people with pre-existing conditions and that undermine the Obamacare exchanges or other health insurance markets. He also wants agencies to review measures that make it more difficult to enroll in Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act and that reduce affordability or financial assistance, including for dependents. And the President is asking agencies to look at Affordable Care Act and Medicaid waivers and demonstration projects that the Trump administration approved or put in place that may reduce coverage or undermine the programs, including work requirements. The agencies will also consider whether additional actions are needed to strengthen and protect access to health care. Augmenting the Affordable Care Act Increasing the number of insured Americans by strengthening the Affordable Care Act was at the heart of Biden's health care campaign promises. However, his two main measures -- creating a government-run public option and increasing Obamacare's federal premium subsidies -- will require Congress and face plenty of opposition. The President included a proposal to boost Affordable Care Act subsidies so that consumers don't pay more than 8.5% of their income for coverage in his $1.9 trillion relief package, which is already facing hurdles on Capitol Hill. Reopening enrollment is a much easier lift, though it's unclear how much impact it will have. Anyone who loses job-based health insurance coverage is already eligible to sign up on the exchanges within 60 days of becoming uninsured. Enrollment in the first five months of 2020 jumped 46% compared to the same period the year before, the Trump administration said in June. Also, more people have appeared to hold on to job-based coverage than expected, while those who have lost their employment and most of their income have turned to Medicaid. Between February and August, Medicaid enrollment jumped by more than 5.8 million people, or 9.1%, according to federal data released in late December. During the most recent open enrollment period, overall Obamacare sign-ups for 2021 coverage increased when comparing the 36 states participating on the federal exchange both this year and last year -- the only time that happened under Trump. But the number of new consumers for 2021 slid somewhat. Nearly 9 uninsured million people could get free or subsidized bronze plans on the Affordable Care Act exchanges during a special enrollment period, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis released Wednesday. Bronze plans typically have lower premiums, but higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. A total of about 15 million uninsured people could shop for coverage on the exchanges, Kaiser said. Making the changes work The key to reopening enrollment will be publicizing it and providing help for people to sign up, according to a recent Kaiser discussion with navigators who assist those looking for coverage on the exchanges. They also say the period should last more than six weeks. The Trump administration slashed advertising by 90% and deeply cut funding for enrollment assistance -- two measures Biden is expected to reverse. Unspent revenue from exchange user fees appear to have accumulated to more than $1 billion over fiscal years 2018 to 2020, according to Kaiser. Just over half of consumers who looked for coverage during the open enrollment period for 2020 coverage encountered difficulties, and nearly 5 million folks sought in-person help but couldn't get it, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis released Monday. The White House official said the special enrollment period would be accompanied by "robust outreach" but declined to say how much money would be spent or to provide an enrollment projection. Efforts are expected to include paid advertising, direct outreach to consumers and partnerships with community organizations. "The outreach budget for healthcare.gov was slashed dramatically during the prior administration," the official said. "So folks who were uninsured weren't really given the opportunity to learn about the ability to get coverage. That's what we're aiming to rectify during this special enrollment period." Many health care moves expected Thursday's measures will likely be the first of many efforts to bolster the Affordable Care Act and roll back Trump administration health care actions. Among Biden's top priorities will likely be saving the law itself from being declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The justices are currently considering a case brought of a coalition of Republican state attorneys general -- and backed by the Trump administration. It revolves around Congress reducing the penalty for not having health insurance to zero several years ago, which the states argue rendered the individual mandate unconstitutional and the entire law invalid. The case will continue even if the Justice Department under Biden withdraws, because it originated with Texas and other Republican-led states. But the President could work with the new Democratic majority in Congress to short circuit the GOP states' legal argument -- by setting the penalty at a $1, for instance. Biden's executive measures will also likely lead to the reversal of various measures the Trump administration put in place to chip away at the Affordable Care Act. These include broadening the duration of short-term health plans to a year, and, more recently, allowing Georgia to stop using the federal exchange, healthcare.gov, and shift to a private sector model instead. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services went a step further in recent weeks, establishing a pathway for all states to do this for 2023. Biden's health care officials are also expected to focus on Medicaid. The Trump administration made many historic changes to the health insurance program for low-income Americans, in line with Republicans' long-standing wish list. Officials allowed states to introduce work requirements and just approved Tennessee's request to shift its federal Medicaid funding to a type of block grant. The Supreme Court recently agreed to consider the approval of work requirements in Arkansas and New Hampshire, which were voided by lower courts. These measures run counter to Biden's promise to expand access to Medicaid so his administration will likely seek to limit or undo these waivers during his term, as well as possibly restore the criteria on waivers' impact on increasing coverage. The Department of Health and Human Services is expected to take "a very close look" at the approvals involving work requirements, based on Thursday's executive order, the White House official said. Also, Congress has limited states' ability to trim their Medicaid rolls during the public health emergency. The Biden administration may want to continue some of those provisions after it ends. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. VANCOUVER - A British Columbia Supreme Court judge refused to ease Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou's bail conditions Friday, saying the current restrictions are the minimum required to ensure she does not flee Canada. Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei, leaves B.C. Supreme Court during a break from a hearing in Vancouver, Wednesday, January 13, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward VANCOUVER - A British Columbia Supreme Court judge refused to ease Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou's bail conditions Friday, saying the current restrictions are the minimum required to ensure she does not flee Canada. Justice William Ehrcke dismissed Meng's application for changes to her bail conditions, which would have allowed her to leave her Vancouver home outside the hours of her overnight curfew without the presence of security. Meng's husband testified earlier this month that she has underlying health conditions and he believes his wife is at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 because of her proximity to her private security detail whenever she leaves. However, unlike people incarcerated in close quarters, Ehrcke said Meng may self-isolate at home if she chooses, except when required in court. "While at her residence, the current bail conditions do not pose any increased risk from COVID-19," he said. Meng doesn't live a great distance from the Vancouver courthouse, he added, and members of her security team have been required to wear masks since Nov. 19, after B.C. updated its ongoing public health rules. A member of a security detail looks on as Chief Financial Officer of Huawei, Meng Wanzhou leaves her home in Vancouver, to go to British Columbias Supreme Court, Friday, January 29, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward In the event she must attend court, Ehrcke said, "I am satisfied that the current arrangement of being transported by Lions Gate personnel who are wearing masks does not pose an unacceptable health risk." Ehrcke said he had not seen any evidence about Meng's current health or why she is more at risk of COVID-19 than any other 48-year-old. "I have not been given details about her hypertension or her operation for thyroid cancer, which she underwent some 10 years ago in 2011." Meng, a Chinese citizen, is wanted in the United States on fraud charges based on allegations both she and the company deny. She is fighting the extradition and her lawyers argue she has been subjected to an abuse of process and should be freed. She was arrested at Vancouver's airport on the American warrant on Dec. 1, 2018, and the judge released her on $10-million bail days later. In his oral ruling delivered Friday, Ehrcke said the current bail conditions are "substantially the same as the conditions that Ms. Meng's own counsel recommended to the court in December 2018." The conditions included requirements that Meng stay inside one of her two Vancouver homes overnight, remain in a defined geographical area during the day and wear a GPS monitoring device at all times. Meng also agreed to 24-7 surveillance and supervision by a security company. Meng's husband, Liu Xiaozong, told the court the presence of security staff has made it difficult for his family to spend time outside together. Liu testified they used to go to the grocery store, shopping malls and playgrounds with their children, who are afraid of being identified by the public because of the close proximity of the security detail. But Ehrcke said during his ruling that the president of the security company tasked with supervising Meng testified that she still faces potential risks to her safety and the possibility that someone may try to "extract" her from Canada. Douglas Maynard, president of Lions Gate Risk Management Group, told the court Meng has generally been complying with her bail conditions and acknowledged under cross-examination that the bail variation she sought could have resulted in a significant loss of revenue to the company. Ehrcke said it's significant that Meng's team did not present any evidence from Lions Gate CEO Scot Filer, who is one of the sureties for her bail. "When I questioned counsel about this, I was told that Mr. Filer was not willing to say that he supports the current application for a bail variation." The judge said he remains of the view that Meng's bail conditions are the minimum necessary to ensure she does not flee Canada. She has significant financial resources at her disposal and faces charges that could ultimately result in her incarceration in the United States if she's convicted, he noted. "The current bail conditions were carefully crafted in an attempt to mitigate the risk of flight by Ms. Meng," Ehrcke said. "An integral component was the supervision and surveillance of Ms. Meng by Lions Gate personnel when she is away from her residence." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2021. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Advertisement The EU sensationally backed down last night over its plans to impose Covid vaccine controls on the Northern Ireland border after the proposals were met with a strong and united backlash from UK and Irish politicians. EU chiefs had been accused of an 'incredible act of hostility' after announcing controls on the export of jabs to the UK, including Northern Ireland. In a move which would have effectively created a 'hard border' on the island of Ireland, EU officials had planned to override part of the Brexit trade agreement and demand checks of vaccines flowing from Europe into Northern Ireland. Ireland's Taoiseach Micheal Martin raised objections to EU leaders, while Michel Barnier, who was the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, said he was calling for 'co-operation' over vaccines between the UK and Brussels. And in another strongly-worded statement, Boris Johnson last night said he had 'grave concerns' over the proposals and demanded the EU 'urgently clarify its intentions'. But in a major climb-down, hours after announcing the proposals, bloc leaders quickly reversed the decision and say they will now no longer go ahead with the controls. In a statement released late last night, the European Commission said: 'To tackle the current lack of transparency of vaccine exports outside the EU, the Commission is putting in place a measure requiring that such exports are subject to an authorisation by Member States. 'In the process of finalisation of this measure, the Commission will ensure that the Ireland / Northern Ireland Protocol is unaffected. The Commission is not triggering the safeguard clause. 'Should transits of vaccines and active substances toward third countries be abused to circumvent the effects of the authorisation system, the EU will consider using all the instruments at its disposal. 'In the process of finalising the document, the commission will also be fine-tuning the decision-making process under the implementing regulation.' Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the EU U-turn was 'welcome' but added 'lessons should be learned'. What is Article 16 and why has the EU invoked it? Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol allows either the EU or the UK to override part of the Brexit trade agreement in relation to border controls in Northern Ireland. The protocol itself was designed to avoid a re-emergence of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. But in the deal, both parties agreed to a get-out clause, which could be used if the protocol was thought to be causing 'serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties'. However the EU has now invoked the clause, to put measures on vaccines coming from the EU to Northern Ireland. The move is being introduced amid a huge row between the UK and EU over vaccines supplies, with Brussels accusing the UK of 'hijacking doses'. The row started after Oxford vaccine maker AstraZeneca announced it would not be able to supply as many vaccines as it had first hoped to the EU by Spring. The EU has since unveiled plans for an export ban which could stop 3.5million Pfizer vaccines - made in Belgium - from being exported to the UK. The aim of this move will be to prevent the possibility of the UK bringing vaccines into Northern Ireland 'through the backdoor', by using the controls-free border to bring in vaccines from the EU. Advertisement In a statement on Twitter, he said: 'Welcome news, but lessons should be learned; the Protocol is not something to be tampered with lightly, it's an essential, hard won compromise, protecting peace & trade for many.' The reversal came after Brussels had earlier rode roughshod over the Brexit agreement by imposing controls on the export of jabs to this country, including Northern Ireland. The bloc unilaterally invoked emergency powers in the withdrawal deal to stop Northern Ireland being used as a 'back door' for the export of jabs into the rest of the UK. The move came after the EU publicly rowed with AstraZeneca over its delivery contract, unveiled plans to potentially block millions of jabs from being exported to Britain and was even reported to be considering seizing control of production sites. The plans to invoke article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol provoked a particular fury from UK politicians. It was slammed by the country's First Minister, Arlene Foster, who accused the EU of an 'incredible act of hostility'. The furious First Minister said in a statement: 'This is an incredible act of hostility. The European Union has once again shown it is prepared to use Northern Ireland when it suits their interests but in the most despicable manner - over the provision of a vaccine which is designed to save lives. 'At the first opportunity the EU has placed a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over the supply chain of the Coronavirus vaccine.' Ms Foster also called for Boris Johnson to step in and use 'robust measures' to ensure UK interests are put first. Irish Premier Micheal Martin also raised concerns. An government spokesperson said: 'We are aware of the issue and the Taoiseach is currently in discussions with European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen to express our concerns.' A Number 10 spokesperson last night said Mr Johnson had spoken to Mr Martin and expressed his 'concern' about the EU's power-play. Mr Johnson also demanded that the EU 'urgently clarify its intentions' and 'what steps it plans to take to ensure its own commitments with regards to Northern Ireland are fully honoured'. A No 10 spokesman added: 'The UK has legally-binding agreements with vaccine suppliers and it would not expect the EU, as a friend and ally, to do anything to disrupt the fulfilment of these contracts.' Michael Gove lodged an angry protest with the vice-president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, while Labour also condemned the move, with Northern Ireland spokesman Louise Haigh urging Brussels to reverse a 'deeply destabilising' decision. Meanwhile, in an interview with The Times, Michel Barnier, who was the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, said he was calling for 'co-operation' between Brussels and the UK over the supply of vaccines across Europe. Mr Barnier said: 'We are facing an extraordinarily serious crisis, which is creating a lot of suffering, which is causing a lot of deaths in the UK, in France, in Germany, everywhere. 'And I believe we must face this crisis with responsibility, certainly not with the spirit of oneupmanship or unhealthy competition. I recommend preserving the spirit of co-operation between us.' It comes after the EU's vaccine war entered a dangerous new phase last night as the bloc introduced rules that will allow it to block life-saving jabs getting to Britain and European politicians accused the UK of 'hijacking' doses. The new controls, which will come into effect on Saturday and last until March, allow the EU to keep track of all vaccines produced on the continent and block exports to certain countries - including the UK, which is expecting to take delivery of another 3.5million Pfizer BioNTech jabs from Belgium in the coming weeks. The rules also back-date to three months ago, giving Brussels the ability to snoop on past vaccine shipments after Brussels accused AstraZeneca of sending doses meant for Europe to Britain. Health minister Stella Kyriakides insisted that the 'transparency mechanism' is not intended to target any country, even as Croatia's PM branded the UK 'hijackers' while the EU's justice commissioner said Britain had started a 'war'. As the vaccine battle raged on: An EU bid to pressure AstraZeneca into diverting vaccine supplies from the UK backfired after lawyers said there was no contractual reason to do so; European regulators finally gave approval for the firm's vaccine, a month after it won the green light in the UK; The Croatian prime minister appeared to accuse the UK of 'vaccine hijacking' by 'offering more money' for doses; France's Emmanuel Macron gave an incendiary interview in which he wrongly claimed the AstraZeneca vaccine was 'quasi-ineffective' in older people; The UK vaccination programme powered ahead, with 15 per cent of adults having now received their dose roughly seven times the figure in the EU; A one-shot vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson cleared its penultimate hurdle, with the UK in line for 30million doses; France announced it was closing its borders to non-EU countries except for 'essential' travel. Boris Johnson (pictured) tonight demanded the EU 'urgently clarify its intentions' after European leaders imposed Covid vaccine controls on the Northern Ireland border The move has been slammed by Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster (pictured), who tonight accused the EU of an 'incredible act of hostility'. In a strongly-worded statement (pictured) tonight, a furious Ms Foster said: 'This is an incredible act of hostility. The European Union has once again shown it is prepared to use Northern Ireland when it suits their interests but in the most despicable manner - over the provision of a vaccine which is designed to save lives.' The EU's health commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, (left) said today that vaccine export controls are not targeting any specific country, while Ursula von der Leyen, (right) the German president of the European Commission, said the EU's deal with the pharmaceutical giant is 'crystal clear' The UK has streaked ahead of Europe in terms of the number of vaccines administered, and has now jabbed more than 7million people compared to Germany's 2million Last night, Lord Ricketts, a former UK ambassador to France, accused Brussels of 'escalating recklessly in an attempt to get more doses [of the vaccine] from the UK'. He added: 'The EU is all at sea on this.' Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted: 'The European Union was originally inspired by Christian social teaching at the heart of which is solidarity. 'Seeking to control the export of vaccines undercuts the EU's basic ethics. They need to work together with others.' The bloc yesterday confirmed plans to require vaccine manufacturers to gain approval before exporting batches from the Continent. Dozens of countries were exempted from the measures, including Switzerland. But the UK was included, in a move which could affect supplies here. How are other European countries doing with their vaccine roll-out? France Hit by bureaucratic and logistical delays, France has still managed to vaccinate more than one-million citizens, but its roll-out is behind schedule. It had hoped to jab four-million people by the end of February, but has now revised that down to two-and-a-half-million. In a further blow, French health chiefs earlier this week announced that the opening of half a million new appointment slots to administer Covid vaccines would be pushed back three days. A decrease in the deliveries of Pfizer-BioNtech vaccines was blamed. Spain Spain has also been hit with delays in its vaccine roll-out. In fact, the delays have been so bad, officials have been forced to stop the roll-out in some areas, so that they have enough to give a second dose to those who have already received their first. Madrid and Catalunya are two areas where this is the case. Like France, they have jabbed more than one-million citizens so far. The roll-out has recently been hit by the Pfizer delay, with regional governments receiving only 196,000 doses instead of the 350,000 they had been expecting. Germany Germany has been particularly slow with its vaccination programme. Some political commentators believe this could be the drive behind the EU vaccine war - to deflect attention from Germany's poor performance. Angela Merkel's government has come under fire from German media, including tabloid Bild, who labelled them 'vaccine snails' earlier this week. Its first dose vaccine programme was suspend until yesterday, due to a delay in jab deliveries. But it hopes to receive 11million doses by the end of March. Italy Initially one of the leading EU countries in terms of vaccine roll-out speed. Italy managed to vaccinate more than 1.5million people by mid-January. But its roll-out has been hit by delivery delays and dropped off following the announcement of Pfizer's Europe-wide delay. Denmark The EU's vaccine poster-child, Denmark raced ahead of the rest of the bloc with its vaccine roll-out. The vaccine programme began on December 27. Since then, nearly 2 per cent of the population has been vaccinated - far more than any other EU country. But, because it is tied into the EU's vaccine procurement programme, it too will suffer from the delays to the Pfizer and AstraZeneca deliveries. Advertisement The UK is expected to receive 3.5million doses of the Pfizer vaccine from its factory in Belgium. The EU's late decision to include Northern Ireland in the restrictions caught London by surprise and appeared to underline the determination of Brussels to restrict exports. In a statement, the Commission claimed it was justified to avoid 'serious societal difficulties due to a lack of supply threatening to disturb the orderly implementation of the vaccination campaigns in the member states'. Commission officials refused to rule out a plan that could lead to their taking control of vaccine production plants but a source said no plan was 'in action' at present. Brussels has been under growing pressure from member states over its sluggish vaccine programme, which has seen inoculations fall far behind the UK. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen faced personal scrutiny over her handling of the situation. 'Vaccination is our only way out of the crisis, it has to be a leader's responsibility. I'm really stunned by how carelessly [she] has looked after the start of the vaccination over the past few months,' Carsten Schneider of the centre-Left Social Democrats (SPD) told the Daily Telegraph. In France, Emmanuel Macron also appeared to pull support for the EU's hard-line vaccine policy, saying jab exports should be 'controlled, not blocked or banned.' Speaking at the Elysee, the French president said: 'Vaccine exports should be controlled, not blocked or banned, which would make no sense because we are also dependent on non-European production. 'It should be controlled because there is questionable behaviour and we will be receiving fewer deliveries that do not honour the contractual engagements agreed.' Meanwhile, the Irish Independent reports that the sensational turn-around over the Northern Ireland protocol came after Ms von der Leyen held a 'frantic' phone call with Irish Taoiseach Mr Martin, while an EU source described the move as an 'oversight'. Ms von der Leyen later tweeted about the phone call, saying: 'I spoke to Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD this evening to agree on a satisfactory way to introduce an export authorisation mechanism for COVID vaccines.' The EU was thrown into a tailspin this week after AstraZeneca warned production problems in Belgium meant supplies would be cut by two thirds in the first quarter of this year. The Commission has piled pressure on the firm to divert supplies from its UK factories. In an extraordinary move, Ms von der Leyen yesterday published the contract with British-based AstraZeneca, but lawyers said it would not help the Commission's case. While European ministers have publicly insisted that they are entitled to jabs under the terms of the AstraZeneca contract, Steven Barrett - a respected commercial lawyer with the Radcliffe Chambers - told MailOnline that it actually shows the opposite. 'The EU's public position is legally unsustainable, and they have made public comments that are demonstrably wrong,' he said. Pulling apart the EU contract, Mr Barrett pointed to section 5.1 as the most damning, saying that it 'clearly shows' the company is only under a 'Best Reasonable Effort' clause to supply the EU - as boss Pascal Soriot has stated. While section 5.4 does state that factories in the UK are considered to be part of the EU under the terms of the contract, he called this 'a distraction' that 'is not relevant to the EU's point'. 'This is actually a mildly embarrassing climbdown from the EU, who have a rule that all vaccines used in the EU have to be made in the EU. 'What they have done in that clause is say, for the purposes of this contract, the UK counts as the EU.' But, he added, it does not mean they are entitled to doses made in UK factories. In addition, clause 6.2 of the contract states that 'competing agreements' signed by AstraZeneca might affect the supply of vaccines to the EU. 'They knew there would be competing agreements,' Mr Barrett said. 'Everyone in the world knew there would be competing agreements. They knew that might mean doses were delayed. 'I believe the EU is publicly asserting that it now has a right to jump the queue and take doses that belong to other people. That is expressly wrong,' he added. 'This merely is a demonstration that the EU's mishandling of vaccine procurement and the roll-out has become a huge political problem for them,' Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said. 'Their knee jerk response [is] to become protectionists. They are getting hammered, quite rightly, so they are trying to deflect. It is a veiled threat.' Fellow Tory David Jones added: 'It is a form of blackmail that they are engaging in. They have got a dispute with AstraZeneca over the provision of vaccine. 'How is that in any sense remedied by imposing a ban on Pfizer products being exported to the UK? They are behaving like playground bullies by trying to stop the UK from benefiting from the Pfizer vaccine. This crazy.' Meanwhile the EU finally gave approval to the British-designed AstraZeneca jab, a month after the UK, dismissing concerns from Germans that there was not enough data to show it is effective in the over-65s. The European Union is currently embroiled in a very public war of words with AstraZeneca over its jab, after the company announced initial shipments to the bloc would be cut by at least 60 per cent while supplies to the UK would be unaffected. In an attempt to force the issue, the EU today published a version of the contract it signed with AstraZeneca - though a lawyer who spoke to MailOnline said it actually shows their position to be 'legally unsustainable' This is the key paragraph that the EU hopes will bolster its claim to the UK vaccines - though AstraZeneca insists the UK and European supply chains are separate and that delays in one will not affect the other Emmanuel Macron astonishingly claims AstraZeneca vaccine is 'almost ineffective' on over-65s despite EU just giving it the green light France's president Emmanuel Macron has astonishingly claimed the AstraZeneca vaccine is 'almost ineffective' on people who are over 65 years of age. Macron made the explosive comments despite the EU giving the AstraZeneca vaccine full approval to be rolled out to its member states on Friday. His comments came as the EU's vaccine war entered a dangerous new phase on Friday as the bloc introduced rules that will allow it to block life-saving jabs getting to Britain, while European politicians accused the UK of 'hijacking' doses. Speaking to reporters only hours before the European Medecines Agency (EMA) recommended the vaccine for adults of all ages, Macron said there was 'very little information' available for the vaccine developed by the British-Swedish company and Oxford University. 'Today we think that it is quasi-ineffective for people over 65,' he told the reporters, his office confirmed to AFP news agency. 'What I can tell you officially today is that the early results we have are not encouraging for 60 to 65-year-old people concerning AstraZeneca,' he said. Macron said he was awaiting the EMA's verdict - which came later Friday - and also that of France's own health authority 'because they have the numbers'. The French expert decision on the vaccine is expected at the start of next week, according to sources close to the health authority. 'I don't have any data, and I don't have a scientific team of my own to look at the numbers,' Macron acknowledged. Meanwhile, Germany's vaccine commission on Friday maintained its advice against using AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccines on older people, saying it was only 6.5 per cent effective for the age group. 'The reason is because there is currently insufficient data on the effectiveness of the vaccines on people above 65 years old,' said the commission known as STIKO. The advice by the panel of medical experts will be taken into account by the government as it officially draws up its decree on usage of the vaccine. Contrary to Macron's claims, British scientists have insisted that Oxford University's Covid vaccine will work on over-65s. Doctors in England say elderly patients are already turning up worried that they will get a jab that won't work for them because of 'misleading' news reports. But the developers of the vaccine, Britain's regulator and independent scientists say there is 'really good evidence' that the jab will work. Even though it was only trialled on a small number of people over 65 - just 660 - before it was approved, lab tests showed that the immune response was strong, it was safe for people to take and appeared to affect elderly people as well as it did young people, for whom there is data proving it prevents Covid-19. Advertisement Commercial lawyer pulls apart EU's contract row with AstraZeneca A respected commercial lawyer has pulled apart the EU's argument that it is entitled to AstraZeneca vaccines developed in the UK. Steven Barrett - a respected commercial lawyer with the Radcliffe Chambers - points a clause in the contract, section 5.1, that clearly states the vaccine developer only needs to use its 'Best Reasonable Efforts to manufacture the Initial Europe Doses'. Section 5.4 of the EU's contract with AstraZeneca, which the bloc published earlier today, states: 'AstraZeenca shall use its Best Reasonable Efforts to manfuacture the vaccine at manufacturing sites located within the EU (which for the purpose of this section 5.4 only shall include the United Kingdom).' Mr Barrett claims this is a 'distraction,' that is 'not relevant to the EU's point,' 'What they have done in that clause is say, for the purposes of this contract, the UK counts as the EU.' But, he added, it does not mean they are entitled to doses made in UK factories. In addition, clause 6.2 of the contract states that 'competing agreements' signed by AstraZeneca might affect the supply of vaccines to the EU. It goes on to state: 'AstraZeneca shall not be deemed in breach of this Agreeemnt as a result of any such delay due to the aforementioned competing agreements'. Mr Barrett argues: 'They knew there would be competing agreements. 'Everyone in the world knew there would be competing agreements. They knew that might mean doses were delayed. 'I believe the EU is publicly asserting that it now has a right to jump the queue and take doses that belong to other people. That is expressly wrong,' he added. Advertisement In an extraordinary move, the EU is trying to force the drug-maker to ship jabs made in the UK to the continent to make up for the shortfall, despite the company insisting the two supply chains are separate. Earlier in the day, Brussels published a version of the contract it signed with AstraZeneca to try and force the vaccine-maker to send doses made in the UK to Europe - but appeared to have shot itself in the foot. And in another embarrassing stumbling bloc for the EU, it emerged that they have not purchased any new Novavax shots - which passed phase III trials yesterday - while the UK bought 60million doses five months ago. Meanwhile, in a further blow to the EU's shambolic vaccine roll-out, it emerged today that the bloc has yet to purchase any Novavax vaccines - the latest jab to pass phase III trials on Thursday with an effectiveness of 90%. The UK, where the vaccines will be made, put pen to paper on a deal for 60million doses back in August last year, while the EU only completed 'exploratory' talks in December and is yet to sign up for the jabs. Britain's medical regulators still need to give final approval for the vaccine to be used, but it is expected to enter circulation in late summer. The EU meanwhile, will likely be left playing catch-up with the UK once again. Separately, EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders ramped up the war of words by accusing the UK of starting 'a vaccine war' and saying that Britain has shown 'a lack of solidarity'. 'The EU commission has pushed to co-ordinate the vaccines contracts on behalf of the 27 precisely to avoid a vaccines war between EU countries, but maybe the UK wants to start a vaccine war? 'Solidarity is an important principle of the EU. With Brexit, it's clear that the UK doesn't want to show solidarity with anyone,' he told the BBC. Europe is running desperately short of Covid vaccines meaning its roll-out is now falling badly behind the UK - a shambles that one German newspaper this week described as 'the perfect advert for Brexit' - causing deep embarrassment among EU ministers. The vaccine programme also hit another stumbling block on Friday as it emerged the EU has not yet secured a contract for British-made Novavax vaccines, which passed phase III trials yesterday with a 90% success rate. Ministers only completed 'exploratory' talks to buy Novavax in December last year while the UK put pen to paper on a contract to buy 60million doses back in August, more than five months ago. It means the EU will once again be playing catch-up with the UK, which has so-far jabbed more than 7million people compared to Germany's 2million. In retaliation, the EU has sent inspectors into the Belgian plant at the centre of supply issues - while also demanding that millions of AstraZeneca jabs made in Britain be shipped over to make up for the shortfalls. Ministers have refused to accept explanations given by AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soriot that the EU and UK supply chains are separate, that national favoritism has nothing to do with the delays, and that the true reason is European ministers placed their order three months behind Britain. Ursula von der Leyen, the German president of the European Commission, said the EU's deal with the pharmaceutical giant is 'crystal clear' that supplies would come from four factories including two in Britain. The UK signed a deal with AstraZeneca in May for 100million doses all made at labs in Oxford and Staffordshire and put into vials at a facility in Wrexham. The EU signed up for 100million doses of the British-designed jab three months later in August. Ms von der Leyen said today that AstraZeneca, who warned Brussels this week that its first delivery at the end of March will be down 60 per cent, has offered 'no plausible reasons' for production problems. She told Deutschlandfunk radio: 'There are binding orders and the contract is crystal clear.' She said the contract set out delivery amounts for December and the first three quarters of 2021, and also mentioned four production sites, two of which are in Britain. Her extraordinary statement this morning came as the bloc prepares to today unveil new powers that could see the shipment of millions of vaccine doses to Britain being blocked within days. As the row over the EU jabs shortage intensifies, the European Commission will set out a mechanism to allow member states to refuse vaccine exports. The move will heighten fears about whether Britain's expected supply of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine which is manufactured in Belgium could be disrupted. Britain has ordered 40 million doses. It came as Belgian health authorities revealed they had been sent into an AstraZeneca factory in the town of Seneffe where doses of its vaccine are being made. The commission requested the inspection due to doubts over the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical firm's explanation for its shortfall in deliveries to the bloc. To add to the complications, Germany's top vaccine panel said it is not recommending the AstraZeneca jab only for over-65s because there is not enough evidence on whether it works for the elderly. Tory MP for Clwyd West, David Jones, said: 'German efforts to cast doubt on the efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine make the EU's extreme eagerness to get their hands on it all the more perplexing'. The European Medicines Agency is today due to approve the AstraZeneca jab for use in the bloc but Germany expects the regulator to impose restrictions on who it can be given to. German health minister Jens Spahn told a press conference: 'We're not expecting an authorisation without limits.' Europe is facing increasing pressure to back down over the vaccine row amid warnings that the continent's rhetoric is 'sounding like Donald Trump'. One EU diplomatic source told The Times: 'When some Germans are sounding like Donald Trump it is time for everyone to take a deep breath and count to ten. A vaccine war between the EU and UK is one of the worst things that could possibly happen right now.' But an EU official defended the bloc's hardline stance, telling The Guardian: 'In an ideal world, we would not be here, the whole story of vaccination would run smoothly without any problems. It means the EU will once again be playing catch-up with the UK when it comes to getting its hands on the new jabs (pictured), having previously delayed a contract for AstraZeneca vaccines by three months EU vaccine export ban could cut UK supplies The EU's decision to introduce what amounts to an export ban on vaccines could affect the UK's orders of millions of jabs made abroad. Brussels is currently trying to save face after its desire to introduce jabs across the 27 members states simultaneously left it lagging far behind the UK and other nations like Israel. Today's decision to require companies to have exports to certain countries approved before they are sent contains exemptions for many nations, but the United Kingdom is not on the list. Britain is expecting to receive approximately nine million more jabs over the next three weeks from Oxford/AstraZeneca's factories in Wrexham and Oxford and Pfizer/BioNTech's production centre in Puurs, Belgium. If European leaders decide to blockade vaccine exports across the English Channel, the American drugs company Pfizer could be left unable to ship supplies bound for the UK. This would mean some of the 3.5million doses reportedly set to arrive by mid-February could get stuck inside the EU. AstraZeneca's boss pledged earlier this year that the company would start supplying the UK with two million doses per week from the third week of January. These supplies from the two firms alone would be just enough to cover all of the 8.6million people outstanding in the top vaccine priority groups, but if deliveries are stopped or fall short, the target could be in jeopardy. Boris Johnson has repeatedly this week played down any threat to the UK's vaccine supplies. And his spokesman, asked about the threat by the EU today, said: ''AstraZeneca has clearly stated that it will be able to provide two million doses a week and we have stated we will get them out to people as quickly as possible.' He added: 'The deals we have in place with the seven vaccine developers will ensure our supplies continue to grow.' It is not clear how many doses are already sitting in Britain's warehouses, with ministers refusing to reveal numbers because of security concerns. But No 10 has confirmed that they are distributing vaccines out as soon as they can after they are delivered from the manufacturers. Additionally the Pfizer vaccine has to be kept at -70C in order to work. What this means is that there are unlikely to be large stocks of vaccines sitting in reserve in UK warehouses, ready to take up the slack if there is any cut in deliveries. Last night it was revealed the Novavax jab, which will be manufactured in Stockton-on-Tees, appears to be effective against both the original strain of coronavirus and a mutant strain first identified in Kent. The UK has secured access to 60 million doses of the new vaccine, but it has yet to be approved by the regulator. This means it will be available in the second half of this year at the earliest. Advertisement 'But unfortunately we are not in an ideal world, and we have seen over the last weeks that not all works well.' The EU has been left furious by AstraZeneca's announcement that it would have to cut deliveries of its Covid-19 vaccine to the bloc by 60 per cent because of production problems. Brussels has raised questions about whether doses from the factory have secretly been shipped to Britain. That has led to the EU to reconsider whether jabs being manufactured on the continent should be allowed to leave while it is suffering a supply crisis. As a result, under the proposals to be finalised today, customs authorities in EU countries will have to notify the commission every time jabs are being sent outside the bloc. An EU official said: 'There is a possibility in certain circumstances not to allow the export to move forward. We want to ensure we have a say about where these vaccines are ending up.' The official insisted that a refusal would happen only in 'rare cases' when companies were failing to fulfil their contractual commitments to the EU. The criteria for blocking exports will be published today, with the mechanism expected to come into force within days. European Council president Charles Michel, who chairs meetings of EU leaders, backed the use of legal measures to protect the bloc's vaccine supply. In a letter to the leaders of four member states, he wrote: 'The EU needs to take robust action to secure its supply of vaccines and demonstrate concretely that the protection of its citizens remains our absolute priority.' The EU is facing a shortfall in supply of vaccines after AstraZeneca warned Brussels last week that problems with production in Belgium meant the bloc will receive only a quarter of the 100 million doses it had expected to receive in the first three months of this year. French health authorities are already struggling with shortages. A number of regions across the country cancelled first-jab appointments that were due to be held in early February, postponing them by at least a month. German health minister Jens Spahn said the country was likely to face a shortage of vaccines until at least April. Spain's Madrid and Cantabria regions have also stopped first vaccinations and are using remaining doses to administer second shots to those who have had the first one. Portugal, where infections and deaths have spiked to record levels after Christmas, said delivery delays meant that people who have top priority including health professionals will all be fully vaccinated by April, around two months later than initially planned. The Netherlands will also struggle to execute its vaccination programme. News of restrictions in Europe come after Nicola Sturgeon was accused of taking the EU's side in the bitter vaccine row as she vowed to publish details of the UK's supplies despite Boris Johnson ordering her to keep them secret. Despite the PM warning that the information must be confidential to protect the rollout, Ms Sturgeon told Holyrood she will release it from next week 'regardless of what they say'. The timing of Ms Sturgeon's intervention yesterday was particularly provocative given that it came as Mr Johnson was on an official visit to Scotland to make the case for the Union. How did the UK end up as one of the world's leading countries on the vaccine roll-out? The UK is one of the world's leading countries when it comes to the speed of the roll-out of its coronavirus vaccination programme - a fact made all the more impressive given where the nation started when the pandemic hit early last year. At that point the country had just one vaccine manufacturing site - a facility in Liverpool which made flu jabs. But the Government quickly set up a vaccine task force in April to make sure the UK was well-positioned to benefit from medical breakthroughs. The experts appointed to the task force reportedly recommended seven projects for investment within its first two weeks, according to The Times. Advance purchase orders were hammered out by the task force with suppliers despite the fact there were no guarantees that any of the vaccines would work or that they would be signed off by regulators. That early work meant the UK was in pole position to receive the jabs, if and when they were shown to be effective and safe. The task force's strategy means two companies have been relied upon to do much of the heavy lifting during the UK's vaccine roll-out: Pfizer and AstraZeneca. The UK ordered 40 million doses from the former and 100 million doses from the latter. Agreements are also in place with a handful of other would-be suppliers should their products get the green light. The speed with which the UK moved on vaccines was perhaps best illustrated this week when Pascal Soriot, the chief executive of AstraZeneca, revealed the deal with Britain was agreed three months before the EU's. The UK's supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine is made at sites in Oxford and Staffordshire before it is put into vials at a facility in Wrexham, while the Pfizer jab is made in Belgium. Every new batch of vaccine in the UK has to be safety tested by the National Institute of Biological Standards and Control in Hertfordshire before it can be sent for delivery. This process takes about four days and once each batch has been rubber-stamped it is taken to secure Government warehouses where the NHS takes over the process and decides where the doses will be sent. The physical roll-out of the vaccine is headquartered from an NHS office in London, with doses sent to more than 1,400 vaccine sites across the country. It is easily the biggest vaccination drive in the history of the health service and many believe it will become an annual programme. Advertisement Tory MPs vented fury at Ms Sturgeon - who wants Scotland to be independent and rejoin the bloc - saying she is 'obviously more inclined to help the EU than she is the UK'. Tory MP Peter Bone told MailOnline: 'The simple truth is she has a tendency to support the EU rather than the United Kingdom. 'It is wrong, her behaviour. I would have thought she would praise the success of the UK because Scotland shares in that. 'If she was in the EU and not part of the UK she would still be waiting for her vaccines. 'Get behind the UK government and stop playing petty politics.' Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, said it would be 'deeply irresponsible' for Ms Sturgeon to publish the data. Tory former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith accused Ms Sturgeon of 'showboating to try and curry favour' with the EU. Sir Iain told The Telegraph the SNP leader 'should for once in her life, thank the UK Government, for having vaccines so people in Scotland have a better chance of surviving coronavirus than if it was stuck in the EU, which is her dream'. Tory MP Mr Jones accused Ms Sturgeon of 'trying to ingratiate herself with the EU, in the hope that if she won a referendum, Scotland would be allowed to join'. Earlier, MEPs had threatened a 'trade war' with the UK over the supply issue as the bloc continued to pile the pressure on AstraZeneca to bail out its shambolic vaccine rollout. European politicians warned the 'consequences' of refusing to divert stocks of the UK-made jabs to EU would be a ban on exports of the Pfizer version from Belgium - suggesting 3.5million doses due to arrive soon could be at risk. So far both AstraZeneca and Pfizer look to be holding firm against the sabre-rattling from Brussels. It comes after MEPs warned that the UK would 'suffer' for denying the EU, and the bloc's health commissioner insisted Britain should not receive priority even though it signed a contract with AstraZeneca three months before Brussels did. Stella Kyriakides said: 'We reject the logic of first come, first served. That may work in a butcher's shop but not in contracts and not in our advanced purchase agreements.' Cabinet minister Michael Gove said the UK will discuss 'how we can help' the EU's vaccination effort. But asked if the UK might lose out because the EU has not got enough doses, Mr Gove said: 'No. The programme of vaccination has been agreed and assured and the supplies were fixed some time ago and we will make sure that the vaccine programme proceeds exactly as planned.' While AstraZeneca has committed to 'even closer' co-ordination with EU officials, the company stuck firmly to its guns, saying it had been 'open' with the bloc about the 'complexities' of scaling up its vaccine production. The firm also left a small but poignant sting in the tail, with a reminder to European leaders of its commitment to provide millions of vaccines to people across the continent 'at no profit' during the pandemic. In an extraordinary move this afternoon, Nicola Sturgeon risked undermining the UK's position by announcing she will publish details of the country's vaccine supplies from next week It comes as the German press (pictured inset: An article in Die Zeit) turned on Brussels as it denounced the EU's shambolic vaccine rollout as the 'best advert for Brexit' Cabinet minister Michael Gove said the UK will discuss 'how we can help' the EU's vaccination effort. But asked if the UK might lose out because the EU has not got enough doses, Mr Gove said: 'No.' PM and UK health chiefs insist AstraZeneca vaccine IS effective for ALL age groups after Germany claims jab should not be used on over-65s yet Boris Johnson and UK health chiefs insisted the AstraZeneca vaccine works for all age groups after German scientists said they will not recommend it for over-65s because they believe there is not yet enough evidence. The PM and Public Health England struck a bullish note after a Berlin commission said there was 'insufficient data to assess the efficacy of the vaccine for persons aged 65 years and older'. British regulators, by contrast, have approved the jab for all age groups - with AstraZeneca pointing to data published in a medical journal showing that 100 per cent of older adults generated antibodies in trials. Germany's stance comes amid an angry row between the EU and AstraZeneca over vaccine supplies, with the bloc lagging far behind Britain in immunising its population against Covid-19. Although it is possible the position could change with more evidence, it raises the prospect of splits between the UK and EU on what vaccines are regarded as effective - with speculation that in the future travel to some destinations could be contingent on having been inoculated. On a visit to Scotland this afternoon, Mr Johnson said he was not worried about the news from Germany. 'No, because the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) our own authorities have made it very clear that they think the Oxford-AstraZeneca is very good and efficacious and gives a high degree of protection after just one does and even more after two doses,' he said. The PM said the MHRA concluded the vaccine is 'effective across all age groups' and 'provides a good immune response across all age groups'. He added on the German conclusions: 'So I don't agree with that.' Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisations at PHE, said there had been 'too few cases' of coronavirus in older people in Phase 3 clinical trial to determine efficacy in this age group, but other data on immune response had been 'reassuring'. AstraZeneca said: 'The latest analyses of clinical trial data for the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine support efficacy in the over 65 years age group.' Advertisement Britain is on course to produce 60million more Covid vaccines as UK-based Novavax jab passes phase three trial Britain was on course to secure another 60million Covid jabs last night after the latest UK-backed vaccine cleared a crucial hurdle. US biotech firm Novavax announced its vaccine had successfully completed its phase three clinical trials in the UK, paving the way for regulators to give final approval in the coming weeks. Under a deal with the Government, 60million doses of the vaccine will be produced on Teesside for use in this country, in what could prove to be another triumph for Britain's world-leading vaccine programme. Novavax, which will be made at the Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies factory in Stockton-on-Tees according to local reports, last night said the trials had shown its vaccine was 89.3 per cent effective The trial is the first to be completed since the emergence of the new variant of the disease in Kent. Preliminary analysis suggests the vaccine was 85.6 per cent effective against this mutation. The two-shot vaccine still requires final approval from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. But Whitehall sources said that, if the regulatory process goes smoothly, the jabs could start coming on stream this summer, allowing a huge acceleration in the drive to inoculate all adults by the end of September. Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the 'spectacular' results, adding in a tweet: 'Good news that the Novavax vaccine has proved effective in UK trials. 'Thank you to all the volunteers who made these results possible. Our medicines regulator will now assess the vaccine, which will be made in Teesside.' Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said: 'Having taken part in Novavax's vaccine trial myself, I am particularly thrilled to see such positive results.' Advertisement Two Pfizer doses 'are 99.96 per cent effective': Double jab weeks apart prevents almost ALL cases of Covid-19, research in Israel suggests Almost all cases of Covid are prevented with two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, research suggests. Data gathered in Israel which is leading the world in the vaccine rollout found that just 0.04 per cent of those vaccinated with both doses went on to develop coronavirus. Of 700,000 people who were vaccinated, just 300 later contracted the virus, with only 16 requiring hospital treatment, according to preliminary data released by Israeli health officials. The vaccine also protects against the more infectious UK variant of Covid-19, the research suggests. Professor Eyal Leshem, an Israeli infectious diseases specialist, said the reports were 'very good news'. He added: 'The initial findings are quite incredible. 'After one dose, the cases fell substantially and after two, there were just 0.4 per cent. 'Time will tell, we still need to accumulate data but these are very encouraging preliminary reports.' More than 30 per cent of Israel's population has received a vaccine, with several studies into its effectiveness under way. Professor Leshem added: 'On one hand, we're seeing very high community transmission rates with 1,000s of cases every day - the highest rates we've experienced since the beginning of the outbreak. 'But when we look specifically at these hundreds of thousands of Israelis that are vaccinated, they don't get infected. 'And even in those few cases that get infected, they experience a mild disease - only a handful need to go to the hospital, only a handful experienced severe disease and needed to be admitted to the hospital. 'It's what we call real life, ecologic evidence of vaccine efficacy - the high efficacy of the vaccine.' Advertisement Ms Sturgeon's comments came as she was grilled by Tory Ruth Davidson at First Minister's Questions yesterday afternoon. Pushed on why Scotland's vaccinations were happening more slowly than England's, Ms Sturgeon dismissed claims that the authorities north of the border were sitting on supplies. And she referenced a previous row with Westminster when the Scottish government published information about supplies, only to be told to withdraw the material. Ms Sturgeon complained that despite the orders the UK government has been 'briefing' the details out, adding: 'I've said to my officials actually, regardless of what they say, I think we will just go back to publishing the actual supply figures from next week so we all have transparency around that.' According to reports, the Belgian federal medicines agency completed an inspection at the AstraZeneca production site in Seneffe, Hainaut. Samples and records are said to have been taken and another visit is due in the coming days. The firm has blamed a production problem at the site, owned by a French life-sciences company, for the reduction in how much supply the EU can expect. However, there is scepticism in Brussels over the explanation, with un-evidenced claims the UK is being given stocks. A prominent German MEP warned the UK would 'suffer' unless it agreed to the EU's demands to share more vaccine. Peter Liese, who is in Angela Merkel's CDU party, suggested Brussels could block shipments of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, which is made in Belgium. He said: 'The BioNTech vaccine, which is only produced in Europe and has been produced with the aid of the German state and European Union money, has been shipped to the United Kingdom. 'If there is anyone thinking that European citizens would accept that we give this high quality vaccine to the UK and would accept to be treated as second class by a UK-based company, I think that the only consequence can be immediately stopping the export of the BioNtech (vaccine) and then we are in the middle of a trade war. 'So the company and the UK better think twice. When we see Europe is not treated well, not by the United States and not by the UK, then we have to show our weapons. 'We need to tell the other companies in the world if we treat the Europeans as second class, you will suffer for this.' To add to the complications, Germany's top vaccine panel said it is not recommending the AstraZeneca jab only for over-65s because there is not enough evidence on whether it works for the elderly. The panel of scientists said the Oxford/AstraZeneca product was 'considered appropriate' for 18-65 year-olds but should not be used for older people 'based on available data'. 'There is currently insufficient data to assess the efficacy of the vaccine for persons aged 65 years and older,' it said. The commission did not lend any credence to the sensational claim published by German media on Monday that the jab was only eight per cent effective among over-65s, a theory debunked by the manufacturers and German health ministry. Instead, it said there was not enough data to make a decision either way - after AstraZeneca's boss said the 'very ethical' Oxford scientists had slowed down trials on older people until the vaccine was proved to be safe. Downing Street has refused to rule out giving UK vaccines to the EU once the most vulnerable in the country have been inoculated. The Prime Minister's official spokesman was repeatedly asked by reporters whether Number 10 was considering the idea. The spokesman said it 'remains our priority to vaccinate the most vulnerable people across the UK to ensure we can give those who are at clinical risk protection against the virus'. Pushed on whether that left the door open to sending vaccines to Europe once the most vulnerable had been jabbed, he added: 'Phase one includes those who are most vulnerable to the virus that remains our priority to make sure we get vaccines to all those as quickly as possible. 'Phase one is groups one to nine (on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation suggested priority list). The mid-February target is the first four groups within that.' Put to him that after the first nine cohorts had been vaccinated, vaccines could then be shared, the spokesman added: 'I didn't say that.' AstraZeneca warned Brussels last week the problems in Belgium meant the bloc would receive only a quarter of the 100million doses it had expected by April. A spokesman told MailOnline: 'Our CEO Pascal Soriot was pleased to participate in a meeting this evening with the EU's Vaccine Steering Board. 'We had a constructive and open conversation about the complexities of scaling up production of our vaccine, and the challenges we have encountered. 'We have committed to even closer co-ordination, to jointly chart a path for the delivery of our vaccine over the coming months as we continue our efforts to bring our vaccine to millions of Europeans at no profit during the pandemic.' Government sources insisted only once the AZ factories in Oxford and Newcastle-under-Lyme had fulfilled their commitment to the UK will they be free to supply other countries. The UK signed a deal with AstraZeneca last May to supply 100million doses of the vaccine it developed with Oxford University. EU nations placed a joint order for 400million doses from AstraZeneca three months later, in August, to be made at two sites on the continent, as well as the two UK sites. The resultant 75million shortfall in the first three months of this year has caused a major row between the two sides. Tory MP Andrew Bridgen told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'The fact is that we ordered the vaccine three months before the EU. 'The EU are coming out with a very strange excuse for botching their procurement of vaccine at the moment. 'They're saying that the reason it took them three months longer than the UK to order the vaccine is because they were negotiating for better prices for and better value for money, which is ludicrous when the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, our own UK vaccine, is being produced at cost at 3 a dose subsidised by the UK taxpayer. 'I don't know how you get better value for that. 'The EU then insisted on the contract that they did sign with AstraZeneca that they get delivery at the same time as the UK, which had ordered it three months before. 'Obviously that's going to be produced in Belgium at a new facility they're setting up. 'AstraZeneca made the EU aware that was going to be very difficult but they promised to make best efforts, that was in the contract.' Aaron Bell, a Tory member of the Commons science committee, said: 'I understand and sympathise with the EU's disappointment that AstraZeneca is having yield issues at its Belgian plant, but the suggestion that the UK's supply should be diverted to the continent is clearly inappropriate.' Tensions rose when Mr Soriot told European newspapers in an interview on Tuesday that the supply schedule for the EU was not a 'commitment' but agreed as a 'best effort'. He said that as Brussels had signed its supply contract three months later than the UK it had left less time to sort out production 'glitches' at sites on the continent. 'The contract with the UK was signed first and the UK, of course, said 'you supply us first', and this is fair enough,' he added. But Miss Kyriakides flatly rejected the argument and demanded the vaccines being made in the UK for domestic use be exported to the EU. At a briefing in Brussels, she said: 'There is no hierarchy of the factories. The EU's health commissioner last night insisted that Britain should not receive priority even though the UK signed a contract with Astra-Zeneca three months before the bloc did. Pictured: AstraZeneca office building in Brussels Britons dash for last flights home from Dubai before 1pm travel ban comes in TODAY Models and social media influencers are among thousands of British travellers facing a race home today to avoid being stranded in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The scramble to get a flight comes after ministers added the United Arab Emirates to the so-called red list of countries from where travel to the UK is prohibited. Some British passengers including make-up artist Amy Wilson from Glasgow said they had just managed to get home just before the ban on direct inbound passenger flights from the UAE to Britain comes into effect at 1pm today. Ms Wilson tweeted: 'Can't believe how lucky me and Jack have been with flights. Got back from Turkey two hours before the quarantine deadline and getting the last flight home from Dubai before the UK closes its boarders to the UAE. Someone's looking out for me.' But others including Only Fans model Honey Evans from Leeds said they would stay out in Dubai. She tweeted: 'Flights from Dubai to the UK are banned. Guess I have no choice but to stay out here. Shame.' Emirates and Etihad Airways said all UK passenger flights from the UAE have been suspended, although British Airways told passengers that some were still running. Up to 10,000 UK residents are thought to be in the country, which is popular with wealthy winter sun-seekers for its luxurious hotels and beaches. Scores of social media influencers and millionaires have flocked there recently. Ministers announced the move at 5pm yesterday, giving holidaymakers less than 24 hours to scramble for tickets on the handful of direct flights scheduled to arrive in the UK before the deadline. Britons will still be allowed to come back on indirect flights. Business trips to the UAE will no longer be considered essential. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted last night: 'From Friday 29 January at 1pm, we're extending our travel ban with the United Arab Emirates, Burundi and Rwanda all added to the UK's red list. 'This means people who have been in or transited through these countries will be denied entry, except British, Irish and third country nationals with residence rights who must self-isolate for ten days at home.' Advertisement 'You are aware in the contracts there are four factories listed but it does not differentiate between the UK and Europe. 'The UK factories are part of our advance purchase agreements and that is why they have to deliver.' The commissioner said the EU was losing people to the pandemic every day, adding: 'These are not numbers. They're not statistics. These are persons with families with friends and colleagues that have been affected as well. 'Pharmaceutical companies, vaccine developers, have moral societal and contractual responsibilities which they need to uphold. 'The view that the company is not obliged to deliver because we signed a best effort agreement is neither correct nor is it acceptable. 'The 27 European Union member states are united that AstraZeneca needs to deliver on its commitments in our agreements.' Following talks with AstraZeneca, Miss Kyriakides tweeted on Wednesday evening: 'We regret the continued lack of clarity on the delivery schedule and request a clear plan from AstraZeneca for the fast delivery of the quantity of vaccines that we reserved.' It was also reported Britain had ordered enough vaccines for the year - of 367million doses, enough for 5.5 per person - and could end up dishing them out to other countries anyway - meaning EU countries would benefit. A source told the Times: 'There is plenty of vaccine. It exceeds what the government wants to do.' The industry insider also told the newspaper the demands from Brussels were 'political rhetoric' and would be a 'human rights issue' if they did try to divert doses. They said: 'They cannot stop vaccines that are contracted for delivery. Some of these vaccines have already been given to people who are due to receive their second dose. It would be a human rights issue for millions of people if that process was stopped.' Mr Johnson said it would have been a 'great pity' if the UK had stayed in the EU's vaccine programme rather than set up its own plan. 'I do think that we've been able to do things differently, and better, in some ways,' the Prime Minister told MPs. More than a tenth of the UK population has received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. This compares to just 1.75 per cent in France, 1.96 per cent in Germany, 2.50 per cent in Spain and 2.15 per cent in Italy. Meanwhile experts revealed how Britain's vaccine roll out will limit the spread of coronavirus, but by exactly how much will not be made clear until mid-February. Providing a boost to the UK's hopes of ending lockdown, England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam said jabs 'couldn't fail to have some effect on transmission'. He said it was less a question of 'will they?' and rather 'to what extent' will inoculation help to reduce the spread. But Mr Johnson and his chief scientists said last night that experts won't know much effect the coronavirus vaccines are having on the country's epidemic until mid-February. These set of graphs show the number of vaccines ordered by the UK and the EU. The EU has also ordered a number of other vaccines, including 300million Sanofi-GSK doses and 405million CureVac doses The PM said the impact of the jabs won't be felt in hospital and deaths data until then due to the lag in time it takes between getting injected and developing immunity. He told a Downing Street press conference tonight that he would not consider lifting lockdown restrictions until he'd seen concrete 'evidence that those graphs are coming down'. The immunisation drive has only really got up to speed in the last few weeks and it takes between a fortnight and a month for a person to build up immunity. Both the Pfizer and Oxford University vaccines have been proven to block severe illness, so experts hope they'll start to make a dent in the death and hospitalisation rates in the coming weeks. No10's scientists will be monitoring those metrics, specifically in the most vulnerable groups - including the over-80s, over-75s and care homes residents - who are currently receiving the jabs. So far 6.8million, or one in 10, people in Britain have received at least one dose of the vaccines. In three weeks time, when most of those people have protection, experts will expect to see a near 10 per cent drop in hospital admissions. Not all of the people vaccinated will be immune, however, because the jabs are not perfect. Pfizer's is 95 per cent effective at blocking severe disease, while Oxford's is around 70 per cent. Another burning question which will determine how gung-ho ministers can be with easing restriction is to what extent the vaccines stop people from spreading Covid. The Government has commissioned a study to investigate the vaccines and their role on transmission, which is being overseen by Public Health England. It is focused on frontline healthcare workers who've been jabbed. England's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, told a Downing Street press conference earlier this week: 'I think you've got to be extremely cautious and wait until we've got proper data. 'It's too early to say what's happening in the UK. It's being looked at very, very carefully. You shouldn't expect to see nobody getting ill who's been vaccinated. Vaccines are not 100 per cent effective. We will still see people who get disease. 'We will still see people who get severe disease, but it will be much, much reduced with the vaccine, and we need to wait and look at the data and get proper estimates of that rather than try to make early cuts and guesses as to what this is showing.' STEPHEN GLOVER: The day the bullies of Brussels went mad By Stephen Glover for the Daily Mail We have known for a long time that the European Union is a bully. It bullied Greece during the financial crisis which started in 2009, and from the moment the British people voted to leave the bloc, it tried to bully us into submission. But never until now have we seen the increasingly tyrannical nature of the EU and in particular the European Commission in Brussels quite so starkly. It is behaving in a manner that is both disgraceful and more than slightly mad. The Eurocrats really have lost the plot. The Commission's introduction of rules yesterday that will allow it to prevent life-saving jabs getting into Britain even though they have been ordered and paid for is a shamelessly aggressive act. At the same time, Brussels dramatically invoked Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol. This move has effectively removed the province from the EU Customs area, in contravention of an agreement made with the UK. Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland's First Minister, rightly called this 'an incredible act of hostility'. So desperate is the EU to ensure vaccines do not leave its territory and find their way into Britain, it is prepared to impose a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. A hard border, it must be said, which it resisted tooth and nail during negotiations with the Government. There is even talk of the Commission invoking powers which would enable it to seize intellectual property and data from pharmaceutical companies. The move would be targeted in particular at the Anglo-Swedish giant AstraZeneca, which Brussels outrageously accuses of withholding vaccines it has ordered. The EU, which is supposed to be a union of liberal democracies friendly to Britain, is acting as though it were an authoritarian state such as Russia or China, with a deeply antagonistic mindset towards a former member. The truth is that Brussels is not only a bully. It is an incompetent one. Whereas Britain ordered hundreds of millions of vaccines from several different sources in good time, the Commission was slow, blundering and inept. Meanwhile, brilliant researchers at Oxford University, supported by AstraZeneca, came up with the goods. Now the Commission is trying to punish this country for what are actually its own multiple errors. It won't work, not least because AstraZeneca has two plants in this country producing vaccines. They will go to the British Government first for the simple reason that it signed an agreement three months before the EU did. One amusing sub-plot of this crazy story is that while the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, insists that Britain must give up tens of millions of its Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines, President Emmanuel Macron of France continues to question whether they are effective for those over 65. Where is Germany's Angela Merkel in all this? Can she and other grown-up leaders of EU countries relish the spectacle of the flat-footed, overbearing and unelected Commission poisoning relations with an ally? Is this really the Europe they want? Perhaps even once-intransigent Remainers will now see the point of our leaving the EU. More than ever before, we should be relieved and grateful to have left this increasingly malign madhouse. Loading In a smaller phase 2b study in South Africa, the vaccine was found to be 60 per cent effective at preventing COVID-19 illness. That dropped to 49 per cent when people with HIV were also included. In that trial 90 per cent of the sequenced cases were attributed to the highly contagious strain. Professor Shabir Maddi, principal investigator in the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trial in South Africa, said the results were encouraging. This is the first COVID-19 vaccine for which we now have objective evidence that it protects against the variant dominating in South Africa, Professor Maddi said. Professor Raina MacIntyre, head of the biosecurity program at the Kirby Institute at the University of NSW, said information was urgently needed about the other vaccines Australia has acquired and how effective they are against these variants. They all target the same protein, so we can expect reduced efficacy to variant strains with these vaccines, she said. These are likely to become the dominant strains globally and are more contagious, and the B117 appears to be more severe. Australia is set to receive 51 million doses of the Novavax jab from the middle of the year. Before that, Pfizer will start providing the country with at least 80,000 doses a week to a total of 10 million by the end of the year. AstraZeneca has committed to providing a total of 1.2 million internationally produced doses initially, and 50 million doses are being manufactured at CSLs Melbourne facility. The first delivery of that locally manufactured vaccine will be earlier than expected. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video The first doses have been brought forward to an expected late March supply of approximately 1 million per week, Mr Hunt said. By the end of March, CSL will have provided approximately 2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, he said. Mr Hunt has previously described the AstraZeneca vaccine as the ace in the hole of the countrys inoculation strategy, with the majority of Australians set to receive that vaccine. In Germany, scientists on the Health Ministrys vaccine committee did not find the AstraZeneca vaccine unsafe, but said the jab should not be given to older age groups due to a lack of trial data. The experts endorsed the vaccines rollout for people aged 18 to 64. There are currently insufficient data available to assess the vaccine efficacy from 65 years of age, the committee said in its draft decision on Thursday (German time). Loading The European Medicines Agency was to hand down its verdict on the vaccine on Fridaywhile the Australian medical regulator is expected to make a decision on the AstraZeneca vaccine in February. On Friday, Mr Hunt said he had complete faith in the Therapeutic Goods Administrations assessment. Our approach will be led by what we believe will be the best medical regulator in the world, the Therapeutic Goods Administration. A TGA spokesperson said all matters are being carefully considered as part of its assessment process, including the evidence supporting immunisation in various age groups. The TGAs decision will also be informed by the Advisory Committee on Vaccines, an independent group of clinical and technical experts, the spokesperson said on Friday. AstraZeneca has acknowledged over 65s represented a small proportion of trial participants but insists the jab will provide a strong shield against serious illness and death in all age groups. The latest analyses of clinical trial data for the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine support efficacy in the over 65 years age group, a spokesperson said. Millions of elderly residents in the UK have already been given the vaccine and work is under way to assess its efficacy outside the trials. Loading Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he did not agree with Germanys decision. He said British authorities think the AstraZeneca vaccine is very good and efficacious and gives a high degree of protection after one dose and even more after two doses. Any restrictions on using AstraZeneca for over 65s will complicate Australias rollout strategies because older people are due to be prioritised given their vulnerability to COVID-19. If the TGA made a similar finding to Germany, the Morrison government would have to rely more heavily on the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine during the initial rollout. The majority of student across the Upper Thumb remain in class as schools continue to announce new COVID-19 cases among students and staff members. Some schools have even made the decision to transition certain grades to temporary remote learning if exposed to an individual with coronavirus symptoms. On Jan. 27, Deckerville Community Schools notified parents of two school associated COVID-19 cases in a student or staff member. According to announcement, cleaning and disinfecting of the exposed locations has been completed. The school's COVID-19 dashboard, located on its website, has been updated regularly and remains the ideal location for Deckerville community members to seek school related virus news. While Deckerville Community Schools will remain open, the district has made the decision to transition students and teachers in the classrooms of affected students to remote learning. Per health department guidelines, these students will be able to return to in-person instruction Tuesday, Feb. 3 if they are showing no symptoms. We are doing our best to continue with face-to-face instruction, while keeping our students and staff safe, said Deckerville Superintendent Michael Hugan. Previously, on Jan. 19, the school responded to multiple news outlets reporting an outbreak of COVID-19 in the Deckerville Elementary School. According to the Facebook post addressing the issue, most cases reported since returning on Jan. 4 had been in the high school or among staff member, not the elementary school. Additionally, many of these cases had been among students or staff members who were already quarantined before becoming symptomatic. Outside of state mandate, our elementary students transitioned to remote learning for nine days before Christmas break due to an outbreak in early December, not January as previously reported by several media outlets, Hugan said. We are working closely with our county health department to respond to positive cases and potential exposures. As of Jan. 28, we have had a total of 20 positive cases reported among staff and students since the beginning of October, he added. On Jan. 27, Caseville Public School also announced it had been notified of at least two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in a student or staff member. Although it did not specify which grade levels were affected, Superintendent Ken Ewald stated in the letter that cleaning and disinfecting of the exposed location has been completed. According to school officials, all those who have been in close contact with the infected individuals have been contacted and are aware of any need to quarantine. School resumed as usual Jan. 28. Previously, on Jan. 21, an alert was sent home to parents informing them of several students recently exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. Caseville's Head Start/GSRP classroom transitioned to virtual learning from Jan. 25 to Jan. 28 out of an abundance of caution. Caseville Public School returned to school-wide in-person learning Jan. 11 after a week of remote learning following the holiday break. The school continues to utilize early dismissals on Fridays at 1:50 p.m. with the last Friday of each month being a half day with dismissal at 11:20 a.m. On Jan. 25, Bad Axe Public School was made aware of one new COVID-19 case among students or staff members. This announcement came via Bad Axe Public Schools' COVID-19 dashboard, located on its school website. Although this case could be probable or confirmed, disinfecting of applicable areas in the school has taken place including classrooms, locker rooms, and common areas. We had one of our young 5's classrooms, in our elementary school that needed to quarantine, but they have since returned this week, said Bad Axe Superintendent Greg Newland. We also had a case in the high school in which 16 individuals had to quarantine. Those students have also returned to school this week, he added. Bad Axe School has reported 10 cases since reporting began in October 2020. The school continues to offer in-person and virtual instruction. I would expect that we will continue to have positive or presumed positive cases that are identified for the foreseeable future, Newland said. Our hope would be that the quarantine numbers in each case can be contained and we can avoid having a large number of students and staff needing to quarantine at one time. On Jan. 25, Ubly Community Schools also notified parents of an elementary school staff member who had testing positive for COVID-19 and a junior high student. The staff member and student had exhibited symptoms the week prior, exposing some students. The school worked with the Huron County Health Department to trace close contacts to those who tested positive. On Jan. 17, Cass City Public Schools announced two presumed positive and one positive COVID-19 cases. Due to these exposures, a third-grade class transitioned to remote learning until Jan. 19 and a young 5s class transitioned to remote learning until Jan. 27. All additional students who were in close contact with a symptomatic individual had been notified by the school or health department. On Jan. 15, Harbor Beach Community Schools reported a student had tested positive for COVID-19. That student was supposedly in close contact with several high school students. The school also announced a staff member within the elementary school, having contact with both Kindergarten rooms, reported having symptoms of COVID-19. Although the health department did not feel quarantining the students was necessary, the staff member did seek testing. In each announcement, Harbor Beach Community Schools reminds families that they do not determine who is quarantined and the length of quarantine as it is the responsibility of the health department. On Jan. 13, Laker Schools announced on its school website that an elementary student had tested positive for COVID-19. According to the update, the student had been out of school since the holiday break and has no close contacts associated with the school. Previously, on Jan. 7, Laker was notified of three positive cases. These included two students and one non-instructional staff member. Additionally, three other students and one additional staff member were quarantined due to close contacts with the positive cases. On Jan. 7, USA Schools also reported a high school student who tested positive and a second student who was presumed positive for COVID-19. According to the update, the school district is coordinating closely with the Tuscola County Health Department. Along with daily health screenings and frequent cleaning of high traffic surfaces across the school, USA also continues to apply a safe but effective anti-viral fog in classrooms every evening to disinfect all surfaces in addition to nightly cleaning. Due to medical privacy laws, schools are unable to release the names of individuals with COVID-19 but continue to communicate changes and updates with the community. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 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. Expecting to fetch up to US$49,000 at auction, a 72-year-old bottle of Glen Grant single malt whisky from Scotland is displayed at a Bonhams auction preview in Hong Kong, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. Despite the economic uncertainty brought on by the pandemic, interest in the rare whisky remains high. Compared to other investment commodities, collectable whisky is doing strong in the past 10 years, with a four-fold increase in its price, Bonhams specialist Christopher Pong said. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) A 72-year-old bottle of Glen Grant single malt whisky from Scotland fetched more than $54,000 in an auction in Hong Kong on Friday. It is the first time that the 1948 Glen Grant whisky, by independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail, was offered in an auction. It is number 88 of 290 decanters bottled by the company and was auctioned off by Bonhams, fetching a price of 421,600 Hong Kong dollars ($54,300) including premium. The bottle had a book estimate of 300,000 to 380,000 Hong Kong dollars ($38,000 to $49,000). The whisky, the oldest from the Glen Grant distillery, is in a Dartington crystal decanter with an American black walnut presentation box. Despite the economic uncertainty brought by the pandemic, interest in rare whiskies remains high. Compared to other investment commodities, collectable whisky has done well in the past 10 years with a four-fold increase in prices, said Christopher Pong, wine and whisky specialist at Bonhams. Other whiskies featured in Friday's auction included a 35-year-old Hibiki whisky from Japan in a Kutani ceramic decanter that sold for 372,000 Hong Kong dollars ($48,000). Expecting to fetch up to US$49,000 at auction, a 72-year-old bottle of Glen Grant single malt whisky from Scotland is displayed at a Bonhams auction preview in Hong Kong, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. Despite the economic uncertainty brought on by the pandemic, interest in the rare whisky remains high. Compared to other investment commodities, collectable whisky is doing strong in the past 10 years, with a four-fold increase in its price, Bonhams specialist Christopher Pong said. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Explore further Rare 72-year-old Scotch whisky to be auctioned in Hong Kong 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Haiti - Diaspora : Dates of the next Mobile Consulate in Florida The Consulate of the Republic of Haiti in Orlando informs the Haitian Community of Central Florida of the next two Mobile Consulate. Mobile Consulate in Jacksonville : Friday, February 5, 2021 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Jacksonville Evangelical Church located at 507 Casat Ave. Jacksonville, FI 32254. Mobile Consulate in Fort Pierce Thursday, February 11, 2021 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Philadelphia Church of the Nazarene located at 820 Soltman Ave. Fort-Pierce, FI 34950. For all information, please contact the Consular Post : (407) 897-3232 HL/ HaitiLibre UNHCR's IBelong Campaign to End Statelessness UNHCR UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomes Icelands accession to the United Nations Statelessness Conventions, key international treaties to counter statelessness. We welcome Icelands accession, which brings the world one step closer towards ending statelessness, said Pascale Moreau, UNHCR Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe. Europe is home to more than 500,000 stateless people. The total number of stateless people globally remains unknown. UNHCR reports on some 4.2 million stateless people in 79 countries in the world based on available data, but the actual figure is believed to be much higher. Iceland acceded to the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness on 26 January; both will enter into force in the country on 26 April 2021. Icelands accession follows a number of significant steps the country has undertaken in the past years to align the national legislation with both conventions with regards to preventing, identifying, and reducing statelessness and protecting stateless persons. Icelands accession to the 1954 and 1961 treaties brings the total number of State parties to these instruments to 95 and 76, respectively. As this year marks the 60th anniversary of the 1961 Convention, UNHCR hopes that more countries will follow Icelands example and accede to the UN Statelessness Conventions this year. In 2014, UNHCR, launched the global #IBelong Campaign to End Statelessness by 2024. Since then, 12 States have acceded to the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and 15 have acceded to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. For more information, please contact: In late 2020 the U.S. Navy introduced Tomahawk Block 5, the first new version since Block 4 in 2005. The block versions actually represent an accumulation of individual upgrades that have turned the current Tomahawk into a substantially different cruise missile than the previous block. The unique new features of Block 5 include being able to hit ship size targets at max range (over 1,600 kilometers) by using a new target seeker. Block 5 also uses a new warhead that has greater penetrating power against large warships and is more effective against all targets. There is also upgraded communication and navigation systems that are more resistant to jamming and other EW (Electronic Warfare) measures. All this means Block 5 communications are more difficult to detect as well as disrupt. The navigation system is better able to function even with heavy GPS jamming thanks to a more accurate, and unjammable INS (Inertial Navigation System). Another notabl feature is that Block 5 does not increase the price, with is still between a million and 1.5 million dollars (depending on features) per missile. Thats a lot cheaper than high-speed missiles that cost three or four times more, are heavier and have shorter range. The relatively low cost of the Tomahawk makes it effective for more missions, like attacking land targets or being used in large numbers. All Block 4 Tomahawks will be upgraded to Block 5 and remaining Block 3s will be retired because most were built in the 1990s and now not worth the expense of an upgrade and refurbishment. Most Tomahawks in U.S. service are carried and fired from surface ship or nuclear submarine (SSN) VLS (Vertical Launch System) cells. There is also a version for use from torpedo tubes, which is all British SSNs use. The Tomahawk has quietly become the primary offensive weapon for the American fleet. The RGM-109 Tomahawk Land Attack Missile weighs 1.2 tons, is six meters (18 feet) long and has a range of 1,600 kilometers. It reaches its target at a speed of 600-900 kilometers an hour, flying at an altitude of 17-32 meters (50-100 feet), and propelled by a jet engine generating only 273 kg (600 pounds) of thrust. Accuracy is on a par with JDAM (10 meters/ 31 feet). Tomahawk can be reprogrammed in flight to hit another target and carries a vidcam to allow someone to check on prospective targets. With Block 4 came the new JMEW (Joint Multi-Effects Warhead System) warhead. This is a 450 kg (1,000 pound) warhead designed mainly for penetrating underground bunkers, but it will also provide excellent blast effect for less robust targets. Exact penetration was not revealed. JMEW uses laser terminal guidance, enabling it to hit within a few meters (ten feet) of its aiming point. JMEW can also hit moving targets, like ships. The Tomahawk, when it showed up in 1983, was one of the first combat UAVs but it wasn't reusable. The Tomahawk has been a primary land attack weapon for surface ships and submarines since the 1990s. Over 6,000 have been manufactured so far. The U.S. Navy has fired over 2,200 in combat and over 600 for training and testing. The U.S. Navy currently has over 3,000 Tomahawks on its warships or in storage. Tomahawk is expected to remain in service until 2040, with older ones refurbished to extend their useful lives. That usually means batteries and electronics are replaced or upgraded, along with elderly mechanical components. Block 0, 1 and 2 were introduced during the Cold War, which ended in 1991. Some Cold War versions of Tomahawk were optimized for ranges of up to 2,500 kilometers, or for use from aircraft carrying nuclear warheads. These were gone by the time Block 3 entered service in 1994. In between blocks there were often major upgrades. Block 4 got a big upgrade in 2012 with the addition of GPS and remote control in flight. The more recent upgrades added improvements in the guidance system and defensive capabilities against electronic jamming. The need for these new features was seen in 2015 when the navy tested the current Block 4 Tomahawk to see if its new two-way communications capability could enable it to effectively hit moving targets. The Block 4 managed to do so, but not under combat conditions. That is, not with warships using defensive or electronic weapons to shoot down the incoming missile or mislead its guidance system. One navy test used a nearby aircraft (which could be a UAV) that was tracking the exact location of the target ship. That could also be done from a space satellite. A fully developed anti-ship capability for Tomahawk requires regular upgrades in the guidance system to make it capable of operating without constant two-way communications. The navy is aware of the fact that Tomahawk is not the ideal anti-ship missile. Against modern defenses anti-ship missiles have to move faster than a Tomahawk and be equipped with a better terminal guidance system. The speed problem cannot be fixed, but the Tomahawk could be equipped with a more capable terminal guidance system. That might be able to handle the tracking and targeting systems for gun and missile systems designed to knock down anti-ship missiles when they get close. In any event, Tomahawk Block 4 has a way to go before it is a competitive anti-ship missile against modern warships. But developing and testing upgrades will give Tomahawk a useful anti-ship capability while not being the most effective anti-ship missile out there. There are apparently some novel proposals for using a radically new anti-ship warhead that turns Tomahawk into a two-stage missile with the warhead making the final attack at much higher speed. That increases the cost and weight of Tomahawk which has been a stable and reliable design with lots of combat experience. It was easier to tinker with the guidance system, warhead and range and come up with affordable new capabilities that work. One reason for the continued usefulness of Tomahawk is its ability to do more and more things reliably. Because of these constant improvements and consistent reliability, American (and other) warships continue to use Tomahawks in combat on a regular basis. The targets tend to be on land and not mobile. Most of these uses are publicized, but some are not. Several hundred Tomahawks were used against Libya in 2011, which demonstrated the effectiveness of Tomahawks in delivering major airstrikes on short notice, anywhere in the world without losing more expensive manned aircraft and exposing their pilots to getting shot down and captured. The planned Tomahawk replacement is currently the NGLAW (Next Generation Land Attack Weapon). Development of a successor to the Tomahawk has been underway since the 1990s and the current (NGLAW) effort is for a cruise missile that will be heavier (2.2 tons), have a longer range (2,000 kilometers), and a larger (one ton) warhead than Tomahawk. NGLAW will be stealthier and use a combination of new guidance and targeting systems to improve the chances of success. Price will probably be the key factor but it is expected to cost at least twice as much as Tomahawk. School closures during COVID-19 have decreased access to school meals, which is likely to increase the risk for food insecurity among children in Maryland, according to a new report issued by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). The number of meals served to school-age children during the first three months of the pandemic dropped by 58 percent, compared to the number of free or reduced-price meals served the previous spring. As a result, thousands of children across the state were placed at increased risk of food insecurity, with many likely experiencing the health ramifications associated with the abrupt disruption in their access to regular meals. "Food insecurity in children is associated with poor child health, low developmental and academic performance, and may co-occur with excess weight gain.," said study leader Erin Hager, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Epidemiology & Public Health at UMSOM. "We found that despite the best efforts of food service providers across the state to ensure access to free meals during the pandemic, they were not able to reach every family in need. We need to learn more about what we can do to overcome these access challenges." Dr. Hager and her colleagues worked with the Maryland State Department of Education (who funded this study), local school systems in the state, and food service providers to evaluate meal distribution during the first three months of the pandemic. During this time, and even now, all meals distributed are free to children under 18 years. They found that certain policies worked well to ensure access to free meals, including temporary waivers issued by Federal and State governments to enable flexibility in policies normally in place to support subsidized meals. For example, families did not have to prove that their incomes were below a certain level in order to gain access to the meals. They could also pick up multiple meals and multiple days of food for their children during a single excursion. "Leaders of the school meal programs throughout the state chose to place meal distribution sites in areas where the need was greatest," said Dr. Hager, "which we found to be very helpful for access." The staff who worked at these meal distribution sites reported in surveys and interviews that they were deeply concerned about not reaching enough children in need and worried about children going hungry during the unprecedented school closures. Financial resources remained a concern for the leaders of the meal program. After examining the financial data, the researchers concluded that, without significant local, state, and federal support, the financial health of these programs will take a major hit during the pandemic, when revenues are greatly reduced and expenses have grown. "The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the crisis of food insecurity in our nation's children," said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, UM Baltimore; the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor; and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine. "We need to take a hard look at the lessons learned from this study to determine long-term solutions for providing meals to students when school is regularly not in session, including summer months and holidays." ### About the University of Maryland School of Medicine Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 45 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs; and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished two-time winner of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1.2 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically based care for nearly 2 million patients each year. The School of Medicine has more than $563 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total population of nearly 9,000 faculty and staff, including 2,500 student trainees, residents, and fellows. The combined School of Medicine and Medical System ("University of Maryland Medicine") has an annual budget of nearly $6 billion and an economic impact more than $15 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine, which ranks as the 8th highest among public medical schools in research productivity, is an innovator in translational medicine, with 600 active patents and 24 start-up companies. The School of Medicine works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu To whom does Google hand its trickiest and most controversial issues? That would be Kent Walker, the companys senior vice president for global affairs and its chief legal officer. A former Clinton administration prosecutor and Harvard graduate, the long-time Google staffer now handles some of the tech giants biggest existential problems. US anti-trust action? Thats Kent. EU competition queries? Thats Kent, too. Trust and safety issues? Once again, Kent. Independent.ie sat down (virtually) with the Californian to talk about some of the bigger issues facing Google: content safety, Trump, anti-trust, transatlantic data, unions. The interview took place against the backdrop of Mr Walker opening Googles new Safety Engineering Centre in Dublin, which will ramp up the companys efforts to tackle harmful content, such as child safety and violent extremism, as well as other matters of concern, like ad transparency and botnet research. The idea is to give regulators and policy makers from Ireland and Europe a closer, more open look at what (and why) Google makes the decisions it does around content, from workflow processes to engineering perspectives. It comes ahead of the appointment of Irelands new Online Safety Commissioner, which will have substantial powers to fine or sanction Google and other big tech firms around content-safety issues. But right now, it might be argued that Googles highest-profile trust and safety content issue comes in the form of a former US president, brooding offline in his Florida lair. Like other big tech platforms, Google wont let Donald Trump post new material for fear of inciting violence. Its subsidiary, YouTube, has extended Mr Trumps weekly suspension. How long will that last? Given the fact that there's still potential for violence, we've extended that for another seven days, Mr Walker says, sticking to YouTubes position. We'll continue to watch it and try to judge it in line with the policies and practices we have for everyone. Expand Close Protest: Supporters of former president Donald Trump storm the Capitol Building in Washington on January 6. Photo: Leah Millis/ Reuters / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protest: Supporters of former president Donald Trump storm the Capitol Building in Washington on January 6. Photo: Leah Millis/ Reuters Not every non-Maga commentator was happy with the decision. German chancellor Angela Merkel criticised the decision, arguing that were all in a dystopian world where the power over public communication is vested in a few key tech company bosses, no matter how righteous the decision. This was always going to be a challenging decision, says Mr Walker. But I think this was also a somewhat extraordinary set of events that played out in the US Capitol over the course of the last month. You saw the National Guard being deployed for [the presidential] inauguration for first time in living memory. The company didnt have much other choice, he says. We want to be consistent in our application of these policies, he says. Whenever somebody is doing something that we think creates a risk of violence, one of our core principles is to try to figure out how to act in a socially responsible way. That might be a situation where there's a realistic risk of harm, like this situation, or it might be people spreading misinformation about Covid in a way that undermines public health. Donald Trumps suspension is the tip of the iceberg of what Google deals with. It now has 20,000 people working on content moderation and policy areas. However, In Europe, content moderation and artificial intelligence may soon not be enough. The passing of the EUs Digital Services Act will make big tech firms much more responsible for harmful content, regardless of whether they say they tried really hard to prevent it. Ireland is expected to become a key regulatory axis on this content regulation, due to Googles European base being located in Dublin. Mr Walker says that he is looking forward for Google to work more closely with European authorities on content issues, especially if it provides clearer guidelines. We don't think any one company should be doing this on our own, he says. The more of a structure we can put around it, the better. He says that while Google has made mistakes, the fundamental problems in trying to moderate content issues are complex. Expand Close Kent Walker, Googles SVP for global policy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kent Walker, Googles SVP for global policy We're trying to balance this fundamental challenge between individuals ability to express themselves and access content from around the world, which is the promise of the World Wide Web, he says. But theres also the notion of social responsibility for a platform, for a company. We've always had policies for YouTube and other services around things like terrorism or incitement to violence, but trying to figure out exactly when something crosses that line is, in some cases, not very clear. We're trying to do our best to be responsible in making those decisions in a thoughtful and principled way. On this issue, Mr Walker says that Google has a generally decent relationship with regulators, but that sometimes, consistency is hard to achieve. Were seeing tensions between privacy and competition with regulators, he says. Privacy regulators tend to want companies to hold information in a one-to-one relationship with a user, where competition regulators tend to want companies to share information with rivals. "One of our challenges is how to balance those different things and how do it differently in different countries or different regions around the world. Nobody's got the single answer to that question. One global issue that may affect Google, more than most tech companies, is the current standoff between the US and the EU on international data flows. The collapse of the Privacy Shield agreement last year, followed by a determination by the Irish Data Protection Commissioner that some data flows may now be unlawful, has left half the tech world hanging on an Irish High Court case between the DPC and Facebook. The problem stems from basic differences between the US, which believes surveillance of digital accounts is proportionate for national security, and the EU, which thinks its an unacceptable overstepping of human privacy rights. With his legal hat on, does Mr Walker think that a compromise can be arrived at by the two blocs? I think there may be a series of incremental changes ahead of potentially longer-term legislative changes that take more time to play out, he says. It is a complex issue that they are trying to square between national security concerns and privacy concerns. "Even within Europe, there are a number of national security laws that are somewhat outside the scope of European privacy. So trying to get alignment between the US and Europe on how they handle that is a big issue. There are, however, some encouraging early signs. President Biden's new nominee for secretary of commerce, Gina Raimondo, said in her confirmation hearing that she was looking into this as a matter of urgency, he says. And there are constructive engagements going on with the European Commission. It's a thing that we have found answers for before. Expand Close Urgency: Gina Raimondo, President Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of commerce, is to look at issues of security and privacy. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Urgency: Gina Raimondo, President Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of commerce, is to look at issues of security and privacy. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque But werent they really just fudges, such as Safe Harbour and Privacy Shield, that were ultimately struck down by European courts? You know, some of diplomacy is the art of graceful fudging, he says. Its the art of muddling through, as some people call it. And so if you can find a way to generally reconcile both of those interests, both security and privacy for both Europe and the United States, my sense is that there's a path there. Mr Walker adds that both he and Google support a federal privacy law in the US. This would borrow, in some measure, from the GDPR. So over time, I can see more of a convergence around those issues. Back in the US, Google is facing its own sizeable legal challenge. In late 2020, a number of US authorities including the Department of Justice (DOJ) and several states launched anti-trust cases against the company, alleging that it controls too much of its competitive markets and locks up distribution agreements. An example given by the US DOJ is a commercial arrangement that Google has with Apple, making Google Search a default search engine on iPhones, iPads and Macs. Mr Walker has taken the lead in fighting back against these claims. In a robust defence posted in his Google blog, he argues that its trivially easy to switch search engines on a phone or laptop. Nevertheless, theres a wider mood among some policy makers that tech companies such as Google have simply become too big and powerful. Some are even calling for the companys breakup. I think there are a lot of new issues that will be put on the table for conversation, he says. And these are issues around which there have been conversations for the last couple of years. As you know, we have a couple of pending antitrust cases. Were optimistic that we'll be able to show our practices were designed to, and did, help consumers and improve the quality of our products. But that'll all play out over the course of the next couple of years. Google also experienced something relatively foreign to a big Silicon Valley company before Christmas a union popped up. Although small, with just a few hundred members out of tens of thousands of workers, it was something of a landmark for a Californian web tech firm. Was Mr Walker surprised? Its unusual in that it's not really a collective bargaining structure in the way you might normally think of a union, he says. But its important. We've actually had lots of experience in Europe with a number of workers councils that we've worked with for quite a few years. Indeed, some of the vendors we work with are also unionised. So we've we've always been a pretty open workplace. And the future of Dublin? Google has around 8,000 people employed at its European base, half of whom are staff. In the last year, the company has signalled that it will pay for local housing for some local (non-Google) workers in critical community roles, such as teachers and nurses. Although it recently passed on a lease for a new additional building, local representatives have maintained that Googles presence in Dublin remains a long-term fixture. Is that also the view from Mountain View? It's not by accident that we have Dublin as our European headquarters, says Mr Walker. It's been a great base of operations for us and we continue to expand there. It's really kind of become a mirror of Google itself. We've been there for 17 years. So we hope and expect that the current regulatory environment we have will continue to expand. We're doubling down on online safety here. Vaccinations for COVID-19 are slowly being distributed in the greater region, including throughout Fort Bend County, and there is promise that more vaccines are on the way in coming weeks. Good news and more good news. I am working closely with the Department of State Health Services to bring more vaccines to Fort Bend County, State Rep. Jacey Jetton, District 26, said in a statement. Our recent allocations were not quite where they needed to be, so we are working on getting caught up. While there is still a limited supply from the federal government, we are making sure Fort Bend County is at least getting their fair share of Texas vaccines. On HoustonChronicle.com: Sugar Land health authority addresses COVID-19 concerns in Fort Bend County According to figures from the DSHS, there have been 50,127 people in Fort Bend County who have received at least one dose of the vaccine with 10,569 fully vaccinated. There are an estimated 681,745 people in the county 16 years old or older. It is also estimated there are 15,096 frontline and vulnerable people in the county. On HoustonChronicle.com: Fort Bend County suspends preregistration for vaccine for the rest of the week Fort Bend has only been getting about 1,000 vaccines or less a week, other than the one time allocation of 5,000, said State Rep. Ron Reynolds, District 27. Next week, Fort Bend will be allocated 31,400 vaccines. Reynolds went on to report that vaccine hubs are on the way to the area but appointments will be necessary in order to get a vaccination. According to Reyonlds, starting Friday, Feb. 5, and going to Sunday, Feb. 7, the county will have four vaccine hubs set up to administer the vaccines. Next Monday or Tuesday Fort Bends Vaccination Appointment Portal will open for people in 1A and 1B categories to make an appointment, Reynolds said. Once your appointment is set, you will be given your location and time to receive your vaccine. The Fort Bend County Vaccination Appointment Portal is located at www.fbchealth.org. Registration is currently closed as the county reports it already has enough people preregistered. We have enough residents preregistered to use all the vaccine from our two most-recent shipments, according to the county website. Therefore, preregistration will not re-open this week. As we prepare for future allocations, we are developing a system upgrade designed to improve the residents registration process. Reynolds reported that more vaccines are coming to Fort Bend County. We were told yesterday (Thursday) that Fort Bend can expect an allocation of about 9,750 doses a week moving forward in the next coming weeks, he said. I am hopeful with a real plan by the Biden Administration that these allocation numbers will be higher in the coming weeks and months. President Biden has already ordered another 200 million doses of vaccine from Pfizer and Moderna. Vaccinating residents in a timely fashion is being organized locally. This week, I participated in a Mass Vaccination Training with Memorial Hermann, Jetton said. We will be implementing drive-through vaccine options in Fort Bend County to vaccinate as many people as possible. For more information visit the DSHS COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ page at tinyurl.com/px34avxg. We are asking people to be patient while you are waiting to get your vaccine, and stay home as much as you can, Reynolds said. Continue to mask up, practice good hygiene, hand washing and sanitizing, and practice social distancing. Please get tested on a regular basis; some people are asymptomatic and have no idea they are carrying and spreading the virus. We are Fort Bend strong and can get through this as a resilient community that we have proven to be. rkent@hcnonline.com San Jose suspended its search for a new police chief for two weeks and postponed an upcoming candidates forum Thursday after the only finalist from outside the department the chief who presided over the Minneapolis Police Department at the time of the killing of George Floyd withdrew his candidacy. The two-week pause gave the city time to seek candidates from outside the San Jose Police Department, San Jose City Manager Dave Sykes said in a statement. A virtual forum for the five remaining candidates, set to take place Saturday morning, was postponed to Feb. 13. The city had fallen short of its commitment to find a diverse candidate pool, Sykes said. The postponement capped a hectic week in the search to replace retired chief Eddie Garcia, who stepped down last month to become Dallas top cop. The city manager named six finalists on Monday, a list that included Medaria Arradondo, the Minneapolis police chief since 2017. Arradondo withdrew his application within 24 hours, leaving four candidates from within the department and one who spent two decades as a San Jose officer. Through a spokesman, Arradondo told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he remained committed to Minneapolis and downplayed his pursuit of the San Jose chiefdom. A San Jose recruiter reached out to request Arradondos resume and he gave permission for it to be sent to San Jose, the spokesman told the Star Tribune. Sykes declined to say whether Arradondos characterization was correct, but confirmed that the Minneapolis chief conducted an interview with a recruiter in the application process. Arradondo likely did not want to go through public vetting in the candidates forum, said District 2 Councilman Sergio Jimenez. Jimenez said San Joses next police chief will need to strike a delicate balance on issues of race and police misconduct in a city of immense diversity. We are a third Asian, a third Latino, a third white and that is the beauty of our city and our country, but it also has some inherent challenges, Jimenez said. He hoped to see a broader range of finalists, including those from within and those from outside the San Jose Police Department. He said both perspectives come with pluses and minuses when it comes to creating changes in policing. There is no perfect solution, he said. Maya Esparza, councilwoman for San Joses District 7, questioned the wisdom of recruiting Arradondo to San Jose, which, like many Bay Area cities, erupted in protest following Floyds death last year. The unrest prompted officials to impose the citys first-ever curfew. I was just as disappointed as anyone else to see the Minneapolis chief make it to the finalist position, Esparza said. Following Garcias resignation announcement in August, the city made extensive efforts to solicit community input, Esparza said, with many residents expressing a desire to see a chief with new ideas to reimagine policing in San Jose. Residents were told they would have an opportunity to weigh in on the search at a virtual forum Saturday, she said, only to see that event postponed in the wake of Arradondos abrupt withdrawal. It has been really disheartening for the community and the police department to see the deadlines extended, Esparza said, emphasizing the need for transparency. We need to have these conversations in public, and the public needs to have their voices heard. District 10 Councilman Matt Mahan called the two-week pause appropriate, but said it is important that the search include perspectives from beyond San Jose. We need someone with proven leadership skills who can simultaneously motivate and support officers while also building trust and holding those officers to high standards of accountability, he said. I dont think there should be a trade-off there. Nora Mishanec is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nora.mishanec@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NMishanec President Bidens categorical rejection of climate change denialism in sweeping executive orders this week sent Gov. Gavin Newsom on a victory lap after years of wrestling with the Trump administration and automakers over mileage standards. Hope you watched @POTUS remarks, he taunted Toyota, Fiat, Hyundai and Subaru on Twitter, urging them to join General Motors and Nissan in abandoning a legal challenge to Californias authority to set stricter emissions standards. Newsom, and indeed the state, country and world, are right to celebrate Washingtons return to reality after four years of relentless rollbacks of environmental policies. But the Biden era also means the governor and other state policymakers will be called on to explain what theyre doing and not doing to stem pollution beyond doing battle with Trump. Acknowledging a profound climate crisis, Biden ordered the federal government to halt new oil and gas leases and review existing fossil-fuel extraction from public lands and waters, which account for about a quarter of the nations carbon emissions, reversing the Trump administrations push to expand drilling in California and beyond. He also ordered federal agencies to end fossil-fuel subsidies, directed the formation of a task force on reducing planet-warming emissions, called for a Civilian Climate Corps to put Americans to work on the task, and declared climate change the mere mention of which was scrubbed from official documents under Trump a national security priority. Bidens orders also set a goal of protecting 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030, a reversal of his predecessors conservation reductions, and established a White House council on environmental justice, one of several measures to address the disproportionate impact of pollution on poor and minority communities. Along with earlier directives to rejoin most of the world in the Paris climate accords and rescind permission for the Keystone XL pipeline to transport oil from Canadas tar sands, Bidens orders represent a welcome reunion of U.S. and California environmental policies. Newsom previously set the same 30% target for land and water conservation by 2030, in addition to a goal of phasing out new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, and he created a state climate corps. California likely can expect a restoration of its revoked authority to set its own fuel efficiency standards, which Biden has already called for tightening. And the state opposed Trumps efforts to open more of its land and water to drilling, contesting oil leases sold in Kern County by the lame-duck administration. But the governor has a fraught relationship with environmentalists when he isnt countering a reactionary White House. Despite having called on the Legislature to ban hydraulic fracturing, he presided over more than a doubling of oil and gas permits last year compared with 2019, some of which went to a company represented by the firm of the lobbyist whose birthday he infamously helped celebrate at the French Laundry restaurant in Yountville. The California Environmental Justice Alliance accuses the governor of an unfortunate and significant backslide in its latest scorecard, citing his failure to support or sign several key bills in 2020. The year before, Newsom even blocked what would have been the Legislatures landmark response to Trumps environmental rollbacks, vetoing a bill by state Senate leader Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, to block retreats from Obama-era standards. Now that the new president is busy tending to the damage wrought by his predecessor, Newsom can take a well-deserved break from that task and set about advancing his own environmental record. 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. Christy Turlington was bundled up as she landed at an airport in New York on Friday. The cover girl's look was a dramatic difference from her appearance at the Fendi show in Paris earlier this week where she was dressed in a pink suit while sharing the runway with Bella Hadid, Demi Moore, Cara Delevingne and Kate Moss. The 52-year-old looker is one of the original supermodels alongside Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell from the 1990s. What a difference: Vogue model Christy Turlington, 52, is a glam queen at a Paris fashion show before going casual as she lands in NYC At the airport, the Calvin Klein model had on a mid length black coat over a chambray shirt with dark slacks and white sneakers. The Unzipped star added a Ruth Bader Ginsburg face mask with her hair pulled back and glasses on her head. Over her shoulder was a $3,000 orange Goyard Saint Louis tote. She also carried an peach overcoat and a nude colored shopping bag. Chilled out for the long flight: At the airport, the Calvin Klein model had on a mid length black coat over a chambray shirt with dark slacks and white sneakers No personal assistant seen: The star added a Ruth Bader Ginsburg face mask with her hair pulled back and glasses on her head. Over her shoulder was an orange taxi purse. She also carried an overcoat and a bag This is quite a change from how she looked while walking in the Fendi Family Affair show at the 2021 Paris Fashion Week. San Francisco native Turlington looked elegant when on the catwalk for designer Kim Jones's first couture catwalk show for Fendi in Paris on Wednesday. British designer Jones, who joined Italian fashion house Fendi as its lead designer for womenswear in September 2020, and continues to fulfil his role as artistic director at Dior Men's. Jones succeeds the late Karl Lagerfeld in his Fendi role, which the designer held from the mid-1960s. Chanel designer Karl sadly died February 19, 2019. Christy said on Instagram, 'Never say never. Congratulations @mrkimjones on your EPIC @fendi couture debut collection. Thank you for having us.' Sleek: This is quite a change from how she looked while walking in the Fendi Family Affair show at the 2021 Paris Fashion Week. Cara is seen right A look for the roaring 20s: She wore wet hair and dewy makeup for an ethereal look So many stars: Christy, far left, with Kate Moss, Kim Jones and Demi Moore After the show: Christy catches up with Naomi after the Fendi show during Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2021 This comes after news Christy as well as Cindy Crawford, 53, Linda Evangelista, 55, and Naomi Campbell, 50, are getting a special show: the docuseries The Supermodels which has been picked up by Apple. The men behind the series are Imagine Documentaries producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer who are best known for the films A Beautiful Mind and Angels & Demons. The Supermodels will be a four part series overseen by Oscar winner Barbara Kopple of American Dream fame. The series will look at how the models changed the fashion industry in the 1990s when Versace and Chanel were tops. The series opens with looking at the ladies start in the Eighties when they were new faces. A show about these four: This comes after news Christy as well as Cindy Crawford, 53, Linda Evangelista, 55, and Naomi Campbell, 50, are getting a special show: the docuseries The Supermodels which has been picked up by Apple Then in the Nineties the four ladies became friends and started appearing together at events and runway shows. Soon they became household names and even more famous than the brands they were representing. The Supermodels also brings fans up to date on what the four beauties are doing now. A dynamo always: Christy is seen on the runway in 1991, left, and at FGI Night Of Stars Gala at Cipriani Wall Street in NYC in 2019, right A favorite for healthy products: The San Francisco native landed on many magazine covers For example, Crawford has two model kids, Kaia and Presley, and has the brand Meaningful Beauty. And Turlington serves on the Harvard Medical School Global Health Council, and as an advisor to the Harvard School of Public Health Board of Deans Advisors. And their influence on younger models such as Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner will also be noted, it was shared. 'I have long been curious about the real story behind the "original supermodels" the four iconic women who not only defined the world of fashion in the 90s, they set the stage for how beauty became the access point for defining the culture,' said Grazer in an Instagram post. Happy life! Christy is seen here with her husband, filmmaker Ed Burns 'Ron and I feel honored to tell the never before told story of Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista and how they became cultural icons, activists for change and role models to millions around the globe.' He added, 'Thrilled to work with these 4 brilliant women and Oscar winning director Barbara Kopple to bring their story to the world.' The Supermodels is part of an exclusive first-look deal Apple, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Grazer and Howard executive produce with Campbell, Crawford, Evangelista, Turlington, Sara Bernstein and Justin Wilkes. Fans have been devouring Lupin ever since it debuted on Netflix earlier this month, and it seems they won't have to wait long for more. Netflix revealed a new poster for Lupin featuring series star Omar Sy, looking stylish as ever, which confirms Part 2 of the first season arrives this summer. The first five episodes debuted on January 8, though it's unclear how many episodes will be in Part 2. New episodes: Fans have been devouring Lupin ever since it debuted on Netflix earlier this month, and it seems they won't have to wait long for more The show has already proven to be one of the streaming service's biggest hits, surpassing other recent hits such as Bridgerton and The Queen's Gambit. Lupin, which debuted its first five episodes on January 8, is on track to be viewed by 70 million households worldwide after its first month of release. This high viewership easily surpasses Bridgerton, which is on track to reach 63 million streams and The Queen's Gambit with 62 million streams in a month. Big hit: The show has already proven to be one of the streaming service's biggest hits, surpassing other recent hits such as Bridgerton and The Queen's Gambit It was also the first French series to crack the Netflix Top 10 list for the streaming services' most-watched shows. Lupin centers on Omar Sy's Assane Diop, who lives his life inspired by the Arsine Lupin character created by French novelist Maurice LeBlanc. Assane was the only son of an immigrant from Senegal, who was framed for stealing a diamond necklace from his employer, Hubert Pellegrini (Herve Pierre), and is sent to prison, where he kills himself out of shame, leaving Lupin an orphan. French show: It was also the first French series to crack the Netflix Top 10 list for the streaming services' most-watched shows 25 years later, Lupin, inspired by the LeBlanc book his father gave him, sets his sights on the Pellegrini family for revenge. The series is a contemporary adaptation of the novels by Maurice LeBlanc, who launched the character in 1905. The series is created by Killing Eves George Kay in collaboration with Francois Uzan. Revenge: 25 years later, Lupin, inspired by the LeBlanc book his father gave him, sets his sights on the Pellegrini family for revenge Lupin also stars Vincent Londez as Captain Romain Laugier, Ludvine Sagnier as Claire and Shrine Boutella as Lt. Sofia Belkacem. Omar Sy is coming off Night Shift and The Call of the Wild last year, and he also stars in one of next year's biggest movies. Sy will portray Barry Sembene in the highly-anticipated Jurassic World: Dominion, which is slated for release on June 10, 2022. Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. A version of this story originally appeared in our free weekly newsletter, The Investigator. HARRISBURG Pennsylvanias recent expansion of who is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine was coupled with frustration and confusion as people clamored to sign up for appointments, only to be disappointed by a cumbersome, fragmented system. The chaos is fueled by a lack of supply: Like other states, Pennsylvania is only receiving a fraction of the vaccine doses it needs from the federal government which is purchasing the vaccine from drug companies like Pfizer and Moderna and distributing it to states to meet the demand. By the end of this week, Pennsylvania will have received about 1.5 million doses since it started vaccinating health care workers Dec. 14. As Gov. Tom Wolf pointed out this week, the state needs at least 8 million doses to cover the two-dose regimen for everyone in Phase 1A, which was recently expanded to include people older than 64 and those over 16 with certain medical conditions. Without more supply, could a streamlined, centralized system for scheduling vaccine appointments make the process a little easier on the public? New York manages a state-run signup portal that allows residents to receive vaccines at state vaccination sites, but also gives them the option to contact their pharmacy or health-care provider directly for a vaccine. New Jersey has a state-run portal that allows residents to pre-register to receive an alert when its time to make an appointment. But even those states are struggling with supply, and have had to shut down vaccination sites or suspend appointments until more vaccines are available. Pennsylvania does not have a centralized scheduling system, and is not operating any state-run mass vaccination sites at this time. Instead, the state is relying on individual health-care providers like hospitals, community health centers, and private practices, along with pharmacies, to create and manage their own scheduling process. The relationship that folks have with their provider or with their pharmacists is what was best suited to actually administer the vaccine, and so we are allowing those providers and those pharmacists to be able to use their scheduling systems that they might have already had in place, Alison Beam, the states acting secretary of health, said Tuesday. The extent to which the Pennsylvania Health Department is involved in the scheduling process is minimal: It has a map posted to its website with clickable pins showing where vaccines might be available. Spotlight PA has also created an easier, county-by-county listing of providers. Scheduling an appointment for a vaccine involves calling or emailing a facility directly, or signing up through that providers website. Often, the effort results in a long hold, an overflowing voice mailbox, or a disheartening automated message stating that there are no appointments available. Building a centralized system might be beneficial for residents, but it wouldnt be simple to pull off. Health-care systems generally dont have IT systems that communicate well with each other, and that makes scheduling or sharing records difficult, said Sezgin Ayabakan, a professor at Temple University specializing in health information technology. And while New Yorks centralized site works because its mass vaccination clinics are all operated by the state, individual providers administering vaccines in Pennsylvania like pharmacies, hospitals, or private practices all work differently, with varying staff or operating hours. Given that the number of vaccines a site receives week-to-week varies and as a result, the number of appointments a site can schedule its better to let individual providers handle the scheduling, said Kristie Bennardi, CEO of the Keystone Rural Health Consortia. The consortia is operating two vaccine clinics three days a week and is working through a waiting list of 1,426 people and counting. A centralized system could help facilities cut down on the administrative work it takes to get someone scheduled, like weeding out people who sign up multiple times at different locations, but Keystone has been able to manage it by hiring a part-time staff member, Bennardi said. Ayabakan said a single system in Pennsylvania would also be complicated by its numerous counties, of which only a small number have local health departments. A website also wouldnt benefit seniors or people from different social demographics who lack computer literacy, he said. In those cases, the most critical institutions to make sure people are getting connected with vaccines are the local pharmacies or social institutions like churches that are already embedded in communities, Ayabakan said. 100% ESSENTIAL: Spotlight PA relies on funding from foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Become a member today at spotlightpa.org/donate. An Arizona man who took part in the insurrection at the US Capitol while sporting face paint, no shirt and a furry hat with horns has offered to testify at former President Donald Trump's upcoming impeachment trial, his lawyer has said. Jacob Chansley - who calls himself the 'QAnon Shaman' and has long been a fixture at Trump rallies - and at least four other people who are facing federal charges stemming from the attack have suggested they were taking orders from Trump. Lawyer Albert Watkins said he hasn't spoken to any member in the Senate since announcing his offer to have Chansley testify at Trump's trial, which is scheduled to begin the week of February 8. Watkins said it's important for senators to hear the voice of someone who was incited by Trump. Trump is the first president to be twice impeached and the first to face a trial after leaving office. The charge this time is 'inciting violence against the government of the United States'. Scroll down for video Albert Watkins, the lawyer for Jacob Chansley, who took part in the insurrection at the US Capitol while sporting face paint, no shirt and a furry hat with horns is offering to have his client testify at former President Donald Trump's upcoming impeachment trial Watkins said his client was previously 'horrendously smitten' by Trump but now feels let down after Trump's refusal to grant Chansley (pictured on January 6) and others who participated in the insurrection a pardon. 'He felt like he was betrayed by the president,' Watkins said Trump is the first president to be twice impeached and the first to face a trial after leaving office. The charge this time is 'inciting violence against the government of the United States' Watkins said his client was previously 'horrendously smitten' by Trump but now feels let down after Trump's refusal to grant Chansley and others who participated in the insurrection a pardon. 'He felt like he was betrayed by the president,' Watkins said. The words of Trump supporters who are accused of participating in the riot may end up being used against him in the impeachment trial. Chansley hasn't yet entered a plea to charges civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, disorderly conduct in a restricted building, demonstrating in a Capitol building and other counts. He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Washington. In successfully seeking his detention until trial, prosecutors said Chansley went into the Capitol carrying a US flag attached to a wooden pole topped with a spear, ignored an officer's commands to leave, went into the Senate chamber and wrote a threatening note to then-Vice President Mike Pence. Chansley and at least four other people who are facing federal charges stemming from the riot have suggested they were taking orders from Trump. Dustin Thompson (pictured), 36, is charged with stealing a coat rack during Capitol riots. He is pictured carrying the coat rack Thompson could be seen clearly on surveillance footage entering the Capitol building Thompson (left) is pictured with his lawyer, Sam Shamansky, on January 25. Thompson is said to have 'believed the calculated, repetitive lies about how our democracy had been compromised and was being taken from them and they had to prevent that,' Shamansky said As of Monday, at least 95 individuals have been charged in connection with the riot, according to DOJ records Chansley told investigators he came to the Capitol 'at the request of the president that all "patriots" come to DC on January 6,' according to court records. Chansley and at least four other people who are facing federal charges stemming from the riot have suggested they were taking orders from Trump. Dustin Byron Thompson, 36, from Columbus, Ohio, who is accused of entering the Capitol and stealing a coat rack from the Senate during the January 6 siege of the building, claims he was 'inspired to do so by Trump's lies about election fraud'. Thompson was accompanied by his layer Sam Shamansky on Monday morning at the US District Courthouse in the Ohio state capital. 'How else do you explain otherwise rational, law-abiding citizens traveling to DC and doing what they did?' Shamansky asked as he made the point to a federal judge in the hearing which saw his client released on own recognizance. In what could signal a defense strategy for many of the people ensnared after the Capitol riots, Thompson's attorney essentially is laying the blame at Trump's feet, saying his client was merely following the instructions of the former president. Also this week, Justin McAuliffe was arrested. Prosecutors said on Thursday that people who were in contact with McAuliffe, 39, on social media alerted authorities about his involvement in the riot. McAuliffe is pictured leaving the Central Islip Federal Courthouse on Thursday He appeared to be wearing a t-shirt with the word 'patriot' written on the front as he got into a vehicle As of Monday, at least 95 individuals have been charged in connection with the riot, according to DOJ records. Thompson is charged with federal misdemeanor counts of knowingly entering any restricted buildings or grounds and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. He is charged with theft of government property which carry potential prison terms of up to one year and fines up to $100,000. Shamansky revealed to the Columbus Dispatch that his line of defense will be to outline how his client 'got brainwashed to the point they felt duty bound to follow the encouragement of their commander-in-chief during a highly charged political rally immediately preceding the invasion'. Thompson is said to have 'believed the calculated, repetitive lies about how our democracy had been compromised and was being taken from them and they had to prevent that,' he said. 'It was nothing less than a call to arms from the highest level of government.' Also this week, the FBI arrested another New York City area man in the rampage at the Capitol. Prosecutors said on Thursday that people who were in contact with Justin McAuliffe, 39, on social media alerted authorities about his involvement in the riot earlier this month. According to court papers, a photo showed the Long Island resident casually lounging in an unnamed lawmakers office. The papers also cite a Facebook message in which he claimed people were smoking marijuana in the office and that police didnt try to clear them out right away. McAuliffe made an initial court appearance Thursday afternoon on federal charges of disorderly conduct in a restricted area. His defense attorney declined comment on Thursday. Later Thursday evening, McAuliffe was photographed leaving the Central Islip Federal Courthouse following his initial appearance. He appeared to be wearing a t-shirt with the word 'patriot' written on the front as he got into a vehicle. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) The case involving a Filipino domestic helper found with the UK COVID-19 variant upon arrival in Hong Kong on Jan. 2 is now deemed closed even if it remains unclear where she got infected, the Health Department said on Friday. All of the close contacts of the 30-year-old patient from her province in Solana, Cagayan and the people she interacted with upon arrival in Manila for her flight have been traced and tested. Those who tested positive for COVID-19 were not found with the more transmissible variant, Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said, "Lahat ng ginenome sequence natin na close contacts ng Filipino domestic helper in Hong Kong, lahat ay negatibo sa UK variant that's why the case was closed already," Vergeire said in a media briefing. [Translation: All samples of her close contacts sent for genome sequencing are negative for the UK variant so we closed the case.] The official, however, admitted that not all samples were reviewed by the Philippine Genome Center because some of the contacts had low viral load and did not pass the standards for genome sequencing. Vergeire assured that they put a stop to the possible spread of the variant by placing the patient's contacts under strict quarantine and monitoring. "Kung sakaling hindi man (sila negative sa variant) at nalusutan tayo, na meron talaga palang variant among these people, we were able to quarantine them at naka-recover na po sila," she said. [Translation: If they had the variant, we were able to quarantine them. They have recovered.] Vergeire said they cannot make a categorical statement whether the domestic worker picked up the variant in the Philippines or in Hong Kong since they were not able to test her co-passengers during the flight. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said Irish people must stop going on foreign holidays. Photo: John Thys/Reuters Tens of thousands of people travelled in and out of the country last month by air and sea, new figures have revealed. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures for December have revealed there were 164,400 overseas passenger arrivals and 178,800 overseas passenger departures. These compared with 103,900 arrivals and 96,800 departures in November 2020. The CSO noted that overseas travel in December 2020 remained considerably lower than in December 2019, when there were 1,372,600 arrivals and 1,383,800 departures, falls of 88pc and 87pc respectively. However, earlier this week, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said Irish people must stop going on foreign holidays. The Government view is very clear, that people should not travel, he said. Read More Of the 164,400 persons arriving in Ireland in December, 135,900 (82.7pc) arrived by air and 28,500 (17.3pc) arrived by sea. Of the 178,800 persons departing Ireland, 156,100 (87.3pc) departed by air and 22,800 (12.7pc) departed by sea. Of those arriving in Ireland, 65,100 (39.6pc) came by cross-channel routes, 79,100 (48pc) by continental routes, 11,700 (7pc) by transatlantic routes and 8,500 (5pc) by other overseas routes. In separate CSO figures released today, it emerged the number of health care workers diagnosed with Covid-19 reached 1,548 in one week. The health sector has being bearing the brunt of dealing with the pandemic, and the week ending January 22 was the fourth week with more than 1,000 cases diagnosed in health care workers. The CSO however also revealed that the average number of contacts per positive case per week is falling, at a time when strict Level 5 restrictions are in place. Its latest Covid-19 insights bulletin which gives information on people who have diagnosed or died from the virus, said that for the week ending 22 January, the number of weekly cases was 9,311, a decrease of 8,825 from the previous week. Dublin accounted for almost a third (2,906) of all new cases for that week, but it was the third week in a row that weekly cases in the capital fell. Cork was the county with the second-highest number of new cases (1,036) for the week ending 22 January. No other counties had more than 1,000 cases in that week. It was the third week in a row that Leitrim had recorded fewer than 100 new cases, The statistics revealed that since the start of the pandemic, 10,068 more women than men were diagnosed with Covid-19. A total of 318 people died due to Covid-19 in the week from Saturday 16 January to Friday 22 January, more than 10pc of all deaths to date. The average number of contacts per positive case per week was two in the week ending 22 January, down from three contacts in early January. Meanwhile, in the last four weeks, there have been 3,294 cases linked to an outbreak in nursing homes, 866 linked to residential institutions and 1,083 linked to hospital or a community hospital/long-stay unit. Read More Ukraine and Japan signed an intergovernmental agreement on a grant for the purchase of special equipment for the medical facilities of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, including a magnetic resonance imaging machine. The agreement was signed by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine Takashi Kurai on January 28, the Foreign Ministry's press service informs. According to the signed agreement, the grant provided by the Japanese side is JPY 200 million (about USD 1.82 million). Dmytro Kuleba expressed gratitude to the Japanese side for its consistent support for the implementation of reforms in Ukraine, large-scale infrastructure projects, the countering of Russias aggression and combating the COVID-19 pandemic. "Over the years, Ukrainian-Japanese cooperation, built on the principles of mutual trust and respect, has brought many achievements. Today, when our country and the whole world are fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical to have modern medical equipment for fast and high-quality diagnosis of diseases. I am grateful to the Japanese side for this timely support of the Ukrainian Government's efforts to counter COVID-19," the minister noted. Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine Takashi Kurai said the purchased medical equipment should provide access to quality and timely diagnosis to about 400,000 patients, including not only employees of the State Border Guard Service, but also a wider range of Ukrainian citizens. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine also praised Japan's unwavering position in support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as on the need for further sanctions pressure on Russia in order to de-occupy Donbas and Crimea. The parties reaffirmed their readiness to actively expand comprehensive cooperation between Ukraine and Japan in the spirit of mutually beneficial partnership. Photo credit: mfa.gov.ua ol Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 28) The OCTA research team sounded the alarm over the upward trend of COVID-19 cases in Cebu province the past week which rose by about 67%. The report dated Jan. 28 called Cebu a "serious concern" after the province averaged 147 new daily infections in the past seven days, when it only had 11 cases per day from the week before. The province's reproduction number of 1.57 even surpassed the nationwide rate of 0.96 in that period. Its positivity rate was also at 6%, which if uncontrolled, could prompt the need to revert to tighter quarantine restrictions. "While the attack rate of Cebu was still below the high risk cutoff, the significant increase in new cases, if unmitigated, could pose challenges to the healthcare system of the province," the report said. The last time Cebu was under enhanced community quarantine, the province tallied 400 infections per day, OCTA reminded. It said this number could be reached again in just two weeks. Researchers also fear that the new COVID-19 variant that was first detected in the United Kingdom and has been found in northern provinces, may have reached Cebu as well. The report also noted that the growth in cases in provinces where the UK variant has been identified has slowed down. However, Cebu officials are reluctant in shifting to stricter quarantine measures despite the post-holiday surge. "I dont see any compelling reason why we should go back to [general community quarantine]," Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella told reporters. "After all, our [modified general community quarantine] is controlled and we still have our quarantine passes. We still prevent crowding. We are not totally complacent and we are very vigilant." Cebu City has been under MGCQ since September after it allegedly "flattened the curve." There were only 81 active (or sick) COVID-19 cases in Cebu City on Dec. 27. On Jan. 26, nearly a month later, the Department of Health in Central Visayas recorded a total of 986 active cases. Labella said he is still studying if it is necessary to augment police personnel in enforcing health protocols in the city. He added that he needs to consult with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry if they need to expand the curfew hours to prevent the spread of the virus. The mayor reiterated that there will be no city-wide lockdowns but only lockdowns in small areas or pocket areas within a barangay. He stressed that he does not want an entire barangay to be locked down. Cebu-based journalist Dale Israel contributed to this report. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Skyline Commerce Center can support a variety of users who are seeking 15,000 square feet or more in a high-visibility location. The buildings' configurations, transportation access and proximity to a strong labor force make it ideal for last mile and e-commerce users. Conor Commercial Real Estate is pleased to announce the completion of Skyline Commerce Center, a two-building, 198,109-square-foot Class A speculative industrial development in Mesquite, Texas. The development is ready to lease and provides high visibility and direct access to major thoroughfares in a desirable infill location with unmatched access to labor. "Skyline Commerce Center can support a variety of users who are seeking 15,000 square feet or more in a high-visibility location," stated John Dobrott, President Industrial at Conor. "The buildings' configurations, transportation access and proximity to a strong labor force make it ideal for last mile and e-commerce users." Strategically located on South Buckner Boulevard with Interstate 30 frontage, the development is visible to more than 168,000 vehicles each day. The location provides easy access to I-30, Highway 80 and I-635, and is just seven miles from Downtown Dallas and 14 miles from Dallas Love Field Airport. Triple Freeport Tax Abatement and incentives through the City of Mesquite are also available to tenants. Building 1 incorporates 135,396 square feet, divisible to 40,000, with a 32' clear height, 260' building depth, 50' x 52' bay spacing and office space to-suit. The building also offers 23 truck docks, one drive-in door, 12 trailer parking stalls, 133 car parking stalls and ESFR sprinklers. Building 2 is 62,713 square feet, divisible to 15,000, and offers a 28' clear height, 150' building depth, 50' x 52' bay spacing and office space to-suit. Additionally, it provides 18 truck docks, two drive-in doors, 122 car parking stalls and ESFR sprinklers. Cadence McShane Construction Company and Ware Malcomb's design-build team provided comprehensive design and construction services for Skyline Commerce Center. For information on leasing the property, contact the exclusive marketing agents, Matt Dornak, SIOR (214.267.0461 / mdornak@streamrealty.com), Drew Feagin (214.560.5162 / drew.feagin@streamrealty.com) and Adam Jones (214.560.5102 / adam.jones@streamrealty.com) with Stream Realty. Shown is an infarcted heart in which green represents cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells), red shows B2M expression and blue represents cell nuclei. The area deprived of green is the infarcted area. Credit: Louk Timmer Hubrecht Institute Researchers from the Hubrecht Institute have mapped the recovery of the heart after a heart attack with great detail. They found that heart muscle cells called cardiomyocytes play an important role in intracellular communication after a heart attack. The researchers documented their findings in a database that is accessible for scientists around the world. This brings the research field a step closer to the development of therapies for improved recovery after heart injury. The results were published in Communications Biology on the 29th of January. In the Netherlands, an average of 95 people end up in the hospital each day because of a heart attack. During a heart attack, the blood supply to a part of the heart is blocked, for example, due to a blood clot in a coronary artery. Attempts to restore the blood supply known as reperfusion, are made as soon as possible. However, a part of the heart has already been without oxygen for some time. Depending on the size and duration of the infarction, this causes cardiomyocytes to die. This can result in the formation of scar tissue, which is stiffer than normal heart tissue and therefore makes it more difficult for the heart to properly contract. This can cause the pumping function of the heart to deteriorate, which can eventually lead to heart failure. In other words, insight into the recovery of the heart after a heart attack and how this leads to the formation of scar tissue is extremely important. However, much is still unknown. Researchers from the lab of Eva van Rooij have therefore examined this further. They studied how the hearts of mice recover at three different time points following a heart attack. To this end, they used single-cell sequencing, a technique that enables the examination of the RNA of individual cells. The researchers generated an enormous dataset with information about the role of different types of cells during the recovery process after a heart attack. Shown is a control heart in which green represents cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells), red shows B2M expression and blue represents cell nuclei. Credit: Louk Timmer Hubrecht Institute Communication network Consequently, they used the data to map a communication network. Louk Timmer, researcher on the project, says, "Cells communicate with each other by secreting molecules. These molecules then trigger the recipient cell to take a specific action, which may be important for the recovery process. We have now mapped with great detail how different cells communicate with each other at different time points after a heart attack. That had never been done so thoroughly before." This communication network is now documented in a database and accessible to scientists around the world. Formation of scar tissue The role of cardiomyocytes in the recovery following a heart attack has been largely unknown, partly because of technical difficulties. However, another recent paper from Van Rooij's lab overcame these obstacles, allowing the researchers to specifically study the function of cardiomyocytes in the recovery process. "We noticed that at the earliest time point measured after the heart attack, cardiomyocytes were secreting increased amounts of a molecule called B2M. Subsequent experiments showed that the secretion of B2M can result in the activation of so-called fibroblastscells responsible for the formation of scar tissue," says Timmer. Cardiomyocytes thus seem to indirectly stimulate the production of scar tissue early in the recovery process. "Intuitively, we already thought that cardiomyocytes play an important role in intracellular communication during heart recovery, and it is great that we have now been able to confirm that." When asked about the next research steps, Timmer emphasized the importance of additional studies. "Various scientists and experts can use this data, which enables us to gain a better understanding of the cells and molecules that are involved in the recovery of the heart and the way they communicate with each other. Hopefully, we can eventually improve the recovery process so that people end up with less damage after a heart attack." Explore further Heart cells respond to heart attack and increase the chance of survival More information: "Single-cell transcriptomics following ischemic injury identifies a role for B2M in cardiac repair". Bas Molenaar, Louk T. Timmer, Marjolein Droog, Ilaria Perini, Danielle Versteeg, Lieneke Kooijman, Jantine Monshouwer-Kloots, Hesther de Ruiter, Monika M. Gladka & Eva van Rooij. Communications Biology, 2020. Journal information: Communications Biology "Single-cell transcriptomics following ischemic injury identifies a role for B2M in cardiac repair". Bas Molenaar, Louk T. Timmer, Marjolein Droog, Ilaria Perini, Danielle Versteeg, Lieneke Kooijman, Jantine Monshouwer-Kloots, Hesther de Ruiter, Monika M. Gladka & Eva van Rooij., 2020. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01636-3 Donald Trump met with US House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in Florida Thursday amid a tug of war over the Republican Party's future, with congressional leadership appearing eager to present a united front with the former president. Winning back the House of Representatives from Democrats in 2022 was the primary topic of the meeting at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, according to a readout provided by Save America, a political action committee linked to Trump. "President Trump's popularity has never been stronger than it is today, and his endorsement means more than perhaps any endorsement at any time," it said. McCarthy, an ally who encouraged Trump's baseless election fraud claims, distanced himself from the outgoing president after Trump was accused of inspiring his supporters to storm the US Capitol earlier this month. He declared that Joe Biden was the winner of the November election and that Trump "bears responsibility for (the January 6) attack on Congress by mob rioters." But on Thursday McCarthy appeared back in Trump's graces, as the men grinned broadly in a handout photograph taken in an ornate room reminiscent of a European palace. "Today, President Trump committed to helping elect Republicans in the House and Senate in 2022," McCarthy said in a statement that also attacked Democrats for "impeaching a president who is now a private citizen." "A united conservative movement will strengthen the bonds of our citizens and uphold the freedoms our country was founded on," McCarthy added. House Democrat Katherine Clark expressed shock that McCarthy was re-aligning with Trump after the "seditious" Capitol assault. Despite "active threats of violence," she said, "Kevin McCarthy's response is a photo op with the treasonous instigator." With Trump impeached for an unprecedented second time, and the Senate girding for his trial, it was unclear how much political clout Trump would retain beyond his presidency. Story continues But recently several Republicans, following polling showing strong party support for Trump, have signaled they will remain in the brash billionaire's orbit -- or at least not publicly break with him. Pro-Trump Republicans will hold huge sway in the coming years. They are a large enough contingent to influence the Republican primaries. But should Trump be cast out and they abandon ship, the party would be severely weakened in its attempts to challenge Democrats for congressional control. "You have the Trump wing of the party, wanting to purge those who have stood up to the president's lies, (and) you have the establishment wing of the party wanting to purge the party of Trump," Republican former congressman Carlos Curbelo told MSNBC. "Right now, it's clear that the Trump wing is dominant." mlm/bfm Then-President Donald Trump departs the White House en route to Florida after signing the Tax Cut and Reform Bill in the Oval Office in Washington, on Dec. 22, 2017. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) New Constitutional Terrain: Experts Mixed on Constitutionality of Trump Second Impeachment Trial The upcoming Senate impeachment trial against former President Donald Trump is a first-of-its-kind proceeding and legal scholars have expressed mixed opinions about its constitutionality. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) raised a point of order on the Senate floor earlier this week, forcing the chamber to take a stance on the constitutionality of the proceedings. Although it returned a 55-45 vote, meaning the trial will go ahead, it also revealed nearly half of the chamber is of the view the proceedings are unconstitutional. Many scholars who are arguing that the trial is unconstitutional are relying on an interpretation of Article II, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution which states, The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. According to their reading of the text, these scholars say impeachment is for current officeholders, and since Trump had already left office, the Senates jurisdictionor authorityto hold an impeachment trial expired on Jan. 20, when his term came to a close. Robert A. Levy, who is the chairman of the board of directors at the Cato Institute, explained the interpretation in a blog post. He said if Trump was still in office, he would be subjected to impeachment and conviction, according to Article II. But since his term has ended, even though he was impeached, he is no longer subjected to conviction. Professor Robert Natelson, senior fellow in constitutional jurisprudence at the Independence Institute, told The Epoch Times via email that in his reading of the text, the Constitution only implies, but does not state, that impeachment is for current officeholders. But he also added, the Constitutions general policy against bills of attainder argues for a narrow interpretation of the impeachment power. A bill of attainder is an act of a legislature declaring a person or a group of people guilty of a crime. This reading of the Constitution is shared by many Senate Republicans who disagree on moving forward with the trial, which has opening arguments scheduled for the week of Feb. 8. House Clerk Cheryl Johnson, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) walk through the Capitols Statuary Hall to deliver the article of impeachment for incitement of insurrection against former President Donald Trump to the Senate floor in Washington on Jan. 25, 2021. (Tasos Katopodis/Pool/via Reuters) In the other camp, legal scholars and many Senate Democrats are arguing that former officeholders are still subject to the impeachment power after leaving office because the Constitution permits the punishment of disqualification after being removed. These scholars are relying on Article I, Section 3, which states, Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States. A group of constitutional law scholars wrote in an open letter (pdf) in support of the Senate trial arguing that due to Article I and Article II the Constitutions impeachment power has two aspects. The first is removal from office, which occurs automatically upon the conviction of a current officer. The second is disqualification from holding future office, which occurs in those cases where the Senate deems disqualification appropriate in light of the conduct for which the impeached person was convicted, the group contends. The impeachment power must be read so as to give full effect to both aspects of this power, they added. But not all scholars agree. Impeachment, as the founding generation of this country conceived it, was meant solely as a proceeding for removal of an individual from certain qualifying public offices, not for the purpose of disqualifying him or her from future office, or for any other reason, Professor Juscelino F. Colares, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University, told The Epoch Times via email. He continued, as a potential punishment after trial disqualification cannot work as an express or implied grant of jurisdiction for such trial. The notion that any adjudicatory body must first have jurisdiction before it can reach the merits is elementary, and U.S. Senatorslawyers in their own right or notknow better, he said. Colaress reading of the Constitution is shared by Levy who argues, disqualification is a limited remedy for someone who has faced the judgement in cases of impeachment. As we know, Trump was impeached but not convicted. In my view, he may not now be constitutionally convicted or disqualified, he added. Historical Examples Legal scholars supporting the trial has further contended that their argument that impeachment trials of former officeholders are proper is supported by historical precedents. Professor Frank Bowman, a law professor at the University of Missouri and who has written about impeachment, and Professor Brian C. Kalt, a law professor at Michigan State University, co-wrote an op-ed on Jan. 11 arguing that the history, structure, rationale, and application of the impeachment clauses support a trial post-presidency. They say there have been three examples in U.S. history where former officeholders, who were impeached, were tried by the Senate. One was Sen. William Blount, who the Senate eventually determined could not be subjected to impeachment because he was not an officer under the Constitution. Another was federal judge George English, whose trial was dismissed after House managers argued there was little point in proceeding. The third was William Belknap, secretary of war for President Ulysses S. Grant, whose impeachment trial sparked a debate in a Senate about its constitutionality. Senators eventually voted to say that the Senate has jurisdiction over former government officials. Belknap, in the end, was narrowly acquitted. Natelson, who previously taught constitutional law and is the author of The Original Constitution: What It Actually Said and Meant, added that this argument is also supported by examples by the British Parliament, from which the U.S. founding fathers had drawn inspiration. Natelson is also a contributor of The Epoch Times. The meaning of the word impeachment is defined by the understanding when the Constitution was written, and both the British Parliament and early state legislatures impeached people after they had left office, he said. Colares and Levy both argue that because Belknaps case has not been tested in court, it cannot yet be designated as legal precedent. We are in new constitutional terrain here, Colares said. Meanwhile, Natelson said whether the upcoming trial is constitutional, no one knows for sure. So anyone who answers this question categorically one way or another is either just arguing a case or is not well informed, he said. Another area that is drawing constitutional concern is Chief Justice John Robertss decision not to preside over the impeachment trial. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the Senate president pro tempore, will instead preside over the trial. Article I, Section 3, Clause 6, of the Constitution, specifies, When the President of the United States is tried the Chief Justice shall preside. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts arrives to the Senate chamber at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 16, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Paul argued in an op-ed earlier this week that without Roberts, the impeachment trial is not valid. If Justice Roberts is not presiding over this, then it is not impeachment. This charade will be nothing more than bitter partisanship and political theater, Paul said. The Supreme Court has not responded to a request for comment from The Epoch Times or other news outlets over Robertss lack of participation in the upcoming trial. Colares surmises that Robertss decision is likely because the trial is against a person who is no longer president. He added, in the unlikely case of conviction, the Court on which [Roberts] sits and which he presides might have to decide a challenge on the (un)constitutionality of the Senates authority. The Democrat-controlled House on Jan. 13 voted 232197 to impeach Trump on a single article of impeachment, alleging that the president incited an insurrection that caused the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6. The impeachment was completed in a single seven-hour session and has been criticized by Republicans for its expediency and lack of due process. Although Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is going full steam ahead with the impeachment trial, the 55-45 vote for Pauls order could be an indication that a Trump conviction is unlikely as a two-thirds majority is needed to convict. The article was updated to include more comments from interviewees. TORONTO, Jan. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mandalay Resources Corporation ("Mandalay" or the "Company") (TSX: MND, OTCQB: MNDJF) is pleased to provide preliminary details on the initial intercepts into a newly discovered veining horizon underneath and related to the Youle deposit at its Costerfield operations (Victoria, Australia). Highlights: 460.5 g/t gold over a partially recovered true width of 0.11 m in BC176; and in BC176; and 165.1 g/t gold over a true width of 0.20 m in BC176W1 wedge hole off BC176. Notes: True width of BC176 is quoted from only recovered core. There is approximately an additional 40% of veined core that was not recovered. Further intercept details can be found in Table 1 in the Appendix to this document. Dominic Duffy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mandalay, commented, "We are excited by the initial drill hole underneath the Youle deposit as it returned a very significant intersection of high gold grades in both the parent hole and confirmatory wedge hole approximately one metre away. At approximately 90 metres below the last intercept on Youle, this discovery may indicate a new gold mineralized structure below and separate from the high-grade Youle deposit. This is a major milestone for our exploration program so early in the year and reinforces our planned 2021 program of deeper drilling below several of the known deposits." The Initial Intercept Study of the structural dynamics within and surrounding the Youle deposit highlighted the distinct probability of a continuation to auriferous veining within a subvertical geometry underneath the westerly-dipping Youle deposit. BC176 was the initial drill hole within the program to test this target. At approximately 90 metres below the deepest known intercept on Youle and 200 metres below current on vein development, BC176 intercepted a quartz structure with abundant visible gold (Figure 1 and 3). Unfortunately, the intercept was not fully recovered and it is estimated that approximately 40% of the intercept was ground away in the drilling process. 0.58 m (down hole length) of core containing the auriferous quartz vein was recovered assaying 460.5 g/t gold. Figure 1. Photograph of the BC176 intercept with enlarged image of the gold seen on the edge of the core. https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6c26085d-6aba-4324-b007-3b5b68ada343 As the intercept was not fully recovered, a casing wedge was set 20 m above the initial intercept and another capture of the vein was achieved approximately 1 m to the south. This time the vein was fully recovered and a 0.20 m vein was observed. Again, the vein exhibited grains of gold through the quartz alongside blebs of stibnite (Figure 2). This vein was also sampled and assayed at 165.1 g/t gold over a true width of 0.20 m. Figure 2. Photograph of the BC176W1 intercept which is a twin of the initial poorly recovered BC176 intercept. The figure also shows an image of a gold grain approximately 2 mm in diameter taken under microscope. https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6c860088-2d9e-4726-a166-669b3544252e Measurements from the oriented core show this intercept to be subvertical to east dipping which is a stark contrast to the predominantly westerly dipping Youle vein, however, analogues can be found in the upper portions of Youle and the historic Costerfield mine where subvertical auriferous veining is prevalent. Within BC176 other quartz veining was intercepted including a west-dipping laminated quartz vein and another subvertical vein in the same orientation as the gold bearing vein. To date, gold has not been visually detected in the other veins and the remaining core has not yet been sampled. Structural interpretation and the relationship to Youle proper is also only preliminary at this time. Drilling is ongoing to test the extent of the visually auriferous, veining and the parallel vein sets. Mandalay will continue to supply updates as more results become available. Figure 3. Longitudinal section of Youle illustrating the location of the BC176 and BC176W1 intercept. As the intercepts are within 1m of each, one dot portrays both intercepts. https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4ee0b9cb-729f-4940-8a7f-27d6cb8548b5 Notes: True width of BC176 is quoted from only recovered core. There is approximately an additional 40% of veined core that was not recovered. Drilling and Assaying All diamond drill core was logged and sampled by Costerfield geologists. All samples were sent to OnSite Laboratory Services in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, for sample preparation and analysis by fire assay for gold, and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) for antimony. Site geological and metallurgical personnel have implemented a QA/QC procedure that includes systematic submission of standard reference materials and blanks within batches of drill and face samples submitted for assay. Costerfield specific reference materials produced from Costerfield ore have been prepared and certified by Geostats Pty Ltd., a specialist laboratory quality control consultancy. See Technical Report entitled "Costerfield Operation, Victoria, Australia NI 43-101 Report" dated March 30, 2020, available on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com ) for a complete description of drilling, sampling, and assaying procedures. Qualified Person: Chris Davis, Vice President of Operational Geology and Exploration at Mandalay Resources, is a Chartered Professional of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (MAusIMM CP(Geo)), and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. He has reviewed and approved the technical and scientific information provided in this release. For Further Information Dominic Duffy President and Chief Executive Officer Edison Nguyen Manager, Analytics and Investor Relations Contact: 647.260.1566 About Mandalay Resources Corporation Mandalay Resources is a Canadian-based natural resource company with producing assets in Australia and Sweden, and care and maintenance and development projects in Chile. The Company is focused on growing production at its gold and antimony operation in Australia, and gold production from its operation in Sweden to generate near term cash flow. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securitieslaws,includingstatementsregardingtheexplorationanddevelopmentpotentialof theYouledeposit(Costerfield).Readersarecautionednotto place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things,changesincommoditypricesandgeneralmarketandeconomicconditions.Thefactors identifiedabovearenotintendedtorepresentacompletelistofthefactorsthatcouldaffect Mandalay.Adescriptionofadditionalrisksthatcouldresultinactualresultsanddevelopments differingfromthosecontemplatedbyforward-lookingstatementsinthisnewsreleasecanbe foundundertheheading"RiskFactors"inMandalay'sannualinformationformdatedMarch 30, 2020, a copy of which is available under Mandalay's profile at www.sedar.com. In addition, there can be no assurance that any inferred resources that are discovered as a result of additionaldrillingwilleverbeupgradedtoprovenorprobablereserves.AlthoughMandalayhas attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differmateriallyfromthosedescribedinforward-lookingstatements,theremaybeotherfactors thatcauseactions,eventsorresultsnottobeasanticipated,estimatedorintended.Therecan be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results andfutureeventscoulddiffermateriallyfromthoseanticipatedinsuchstatements.Accordingly, readersshouldnotplaceunduerelianceonforward-lookingstatements. Appendix Table 1. Youle Extensional Drilling Composites Drill Hole ID From (m) To (m) Drill Width (m) True Width (m) Au Grade (g/t) Sb Grade (%) AuEq (g/t) AuEq (g/t) over min. 1.8m mining width BC176 194.67 195.25 0.58 0.11 460.5 0.1 460.6 28.1 BC076W1 194.96 195.32 0.36 0.20 165.1 0.0 165.1 18.3 Kate Garraway has admitted she is struggling as a single parent and finds herself asking 'what would Derek do? in a situation. The Good Morning Britain presenter, 53, discussed her husband Derek Draper's ongoing Covid battle in the March issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. The TV personality revealed doctors had told her Derek's infection was the 'highest they had seen in a patient who had lived', after being diagnosed with the potentially deadly virus in March last year. When asked how she is coping looking after their two children, Darcey, 14 and William, 11, while Derek remains in hospital, Kate said: 'I'm not sure I am coping! I honestly don't know how single mums do it; it's just so hard. Candid: Kate Garraway has opened up about how she is struggling as a single parent and admitted she finds herself asking 'what would Derek do? in a situation 'A lot of the time I find myself thinking, "What would Derek say?" and "What would Derek do?" 'I'm lucky that I'm being supported by lots of friends, too, and Ranvir [Singh] has been really helpful because she's been operating as a single mum since her son, Tushaan, was very little. 'I asked her, How do you do it?" and she said, "You just have to accept that you can't do everything." Kate also touched on how she is hoping to see 'some kind of trajectory of improvement' in Derek's condition, as he continues to recover in hospital. When asked how she is coping looking after their two children, Darcey, 14 and William, 11 (pictured) while Derek is in hospital, Kate said: 'I'm not sure I am coping!' Heartbreaking: The Good Morning Britain presenter, 53, discussed her husband Derek Draper's ongoing Covid battle in the March issue of Good Housekeeping magazine Discussing his current state, she said: 'It's very much two steps forward, three steps back, but if I think back to where we were in March 2020... 'When Derek's lungs were solid with infection and his infection rates were the highest doctors had seen in anyone who has lived, we're undoubtedly in a more positive place.' Throughout the ordeal, Kate confessed his has found so much kindness in unexpected places, including her neighbour who brings their family cakes. She said: 'That's been one of the positives of this horrible time, and I've found it [kindness] in the most unexpected places. Battle: The TV personality also revealed that doctors had told her Derek's infection was the 'highest they had seen in a patient who had lived', after being diagnosed with the potentially deadly virus in March last year 'There's a lovely lady who lives over the road from me and I didn't know her before all this, but every week she makes a cake for me and the kids. 'Somehow she always knows when we most need a lift! We've really got to know each other because of it, too, and that's been lovely.' This comes days after Kate was told her husband Derek may 'never come out of a coma' amid his ongoing battle against coronavirus. Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, her colleague Piers Morgan, 55, urged viewers to take the virus seriously and made the stark revelation the political advisor Derek remains in perilous condition. In his desperate message to viewers, Piers said: 'We know from our colleague Kate Garraway, whose husband is still in a coma from Covid. He may never come out of that coma. She's been told this, and it's heartbreaking.' He had previously revealed that Derek now has holes in his heart and lungs and has lost eight stone during his battle against the deadly virus. Last week, Kate gave a heartbreaking update on her husband's ongoing battle with Covid-19, saying 'his body has been ravaged' by the virus. Kate spoke to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid about her upcoming book which will detail the last year of her family's life, admitting she's been feeling 'physically low and at the end of my tether' since Christmas. The mother-of-two appeared emotional as she also told how a friend's mother-in-law had died from Covid at the age of just 51 after contracting the virus late last month. Kate told GMB: 'It's been a strange time, I've been a bit low since Christmas - physically low, I felt physically at the end of my tether and had to regroup a bit. Sad: Last week, Kate gave a heartbreaking update on her husband's ongoing battle with Covid-19, saying 'his body has been ravaged' by the virus 'This week, a friend of mine's mother-in-law, who is 51 - younger than me - died from Covid. She got it at Christmas, it went down very quickly and she died, I just thought I can't believe that here we are so far on.' While Derek no longer has coronavirus, the disease has left him suffering from multiple health conditions including diabetes and holes in his heart and lungs. 'Derek's still ravaged from the effects of Covid from way back in March, his recovery is incredibly uncertain,' Kate explained last Thursday. Kate added that she's working with Derek's medical team to come up with new treatments but she's finding the scale of the current Covid death rate 'unbearable'. Tough year: Kate spoke to her co-stars about her upcoming book which will detail the last year of her family's life. Released in April, the GMB star's book is titled The Power Of Hope 'I'm trying to look for new things and new ways and talking to doctors about what we can do for him meanwhile people are still dying in extraordinary numbers - people that aren't older and haven't got underlying conditions, it's unbearable.' She added to Piers that he inspired her to write her book The Power Of Hope after he told her to keep a diary since the early days of Derek's illness: 'You and Susanna say: 'You're just an inspiration to keep going', and I thought if I could tell my story and some of the people that have helped me then maybe that will be helpful for people.' Susanna was full of praise for her friend, telling her: 'What I think is so inspiring is that we know the hell that you are going through but you still turn up all of the time, you're always just you. 'You've still got a smile, it's a joy to interact with you and a lot of people think: 'How can she maintain that?' 'And that's one of the things I'd like to know from you - when you're in your lowest, darkest place how can you still look to the light?' 'The book is not a completely written I must admit. I am about a third a way through it,' Kate said, adding that writing the book, which will be released in April, has helped her emotionally. She also revealing the poignant words Piers told her in March 2020 when Derek was first hospitalised. Release: Kate took to Instagram on Wednesday to share the front cover of her 'raw and emotional story', The Power Of Hope, about her husband's 'long fight' Her co-star had referenced a cartoon comic that now-President Joe Biden told him about after losing his son; an animation of someone asking God: 'Why me?', and God replying: 'Why not?' Kate explained that she sees that cartoon as inspirational, telling Piers and Susanna: 'It works to inspire you with confidence, what was so powerful about taking that message on board is you don't waste energy on the unfairness of the world, you pour it into trying to solve it. 'I then started saying, when they told me that Derek's chances of survival were next to nothing and will probably die But some people were surviving it, and I thought: 'Well, why not? Why can't Derek survive?' and 'Why can't Derek now be the one who bucks his damage and recovers?'' 'You can start to flip it to shift away the unfairness and try and take it as a positive, and think why not me be the one who comes through this? 'I think it just takes away that grinding horror of unfairness in all situations.' Kate took to Instagram on Wednesday to share the front cover of her 'raw and emotional story', The Power Of Hope, about her husband's 'long fight'. 'Sending so much love': Kate's celebrity friends took to the comment section to show their support Kate told her followers Derek's 'journey is far from over' and the family are working out what their 'new future will look like'. Kate wrote: 'Hello everyone - I've not been on here for a while as I've been taking time to gather myself and focus like everyone else on getting through this latest lockdown. 'The pandemic is far from over and so is Derek's journey but I have decided to share our story and what's helping to keep me going, as we all try to work out what our new futures will look like. 'I am really hoping that it will help you with all that you are going through.' Read the full interview with Kate Garraway in the March issue of Good Housekeeping, on sale January 29. Long road ahead: While Derek no longer has coronavirus, the disease has left him suffering from multiple health conditions including diabetes (pictured December 2019) Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. Crossing Columbus At the peak of the Mexican Revolution, General Francisco Pancho Villas army raided the border town of Columbus, New Mexico, in a devastating surprise attack on March 9, 1916. Far from forgotten, that tragic event is commemorated yearly in Columbus as the Cabalgata Binacional weekend. The affairan occasion to promote peace and harmony between Mexico and the United Stateshas become a cross-border reconciliation attracting over a thousand participants, with many tracing on horseback Villas path across the Chihuahuan Desert for two weeks prior to the event. By deftly combining archival footage of the 1916 raid with contemporary accounts from colorful and astute local denizens on both sides of the border, a filmmaker from Arizona, Cathy Lee Crane, unpacks a devastating moment in American historyand in so doing raises all kinds of interesting questions about what it means to cross the border today. (Cathy Lee Crane, 2020, 75 minutes) PASADENA Corey Williams heaved a square, metal cafe umbrella base over his left shoulder and used his right hand to pull himself up the blue, 16-foot ladder that he had toted to a Pasadena church on his Jeep. Then he climbed down to get the air pollution monitors that were ribbon-tied to a steel fence pole. This was Williams third set of monitors to install in Pasadena, a city east of Houston and bordered to the north by a dense row of petrochemical facilities. The others he put in place sit on the pitched rooftops of private homes. All are part of an effort by local residents and Air Alliance Houston, the nonprofit where Williams works, to track for themselves what pollutants they breathe. The initiative is meant to fill gaps in information between that provided by a state monitoring system, intended to capture regional data, and a new county monitoring program still being built out. The group joins a growing list of communities, such as in Pleasantville and eastern Fort Bend County, taking advantage of improved technology to gather their own neighborhood-specific data. The installation Jan. 25 in Pasadena marked a significant step for those in Harris Countys second-largest city, where an interest in policing petrochemical companies has come up against the goal of supporting industry and the jobs they bring. Pasadena Mayor Jeff Wagner refused to support Air Alliances initial effort to put monitors on schools, organizers said. His two spokespersons did not return multiple requests for comment. More Information Where to find monitor data State: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/sites Harris County: https://pcs.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/CAMP-Dashboard.aspx Fort Bend/Houston: https://charts.apis-aq.com/fort-bend-environmental Pleasantville: https://openmap.clarity.io/ Pasadena: To be posted https://airalliancehouston.org/ See More Collapse Weve got to defend ourselves, said Juan Flores, another Air Alliance staff member, who passed zip ties and a screwdriver up to Williams. Flores, who lives across the Houston Ship Channel from Pasadena in Galena Park, coordinated with residents on the project. That afternoon, he could see one school theyd hoped to use. The red-brick St. Peters Episcopal Church where they put the monitor instead was across the street. Flores is among those hoping it will be a way for flagging officials to penalize polluters exceeding limits and responsible for environmental disasters. One state monitor In earlier years, Pasadena residents had little to go on when it came to understanding their air quality. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality operates 30 monitoring stations across the Houston area and pulls data from dozens more. They are fancy machines, picking up detailed levels of various compounds with a goal of tracking air quality region-wide over time. The monitoring stations can also be used to evaluate air quality for the surrounding community, said Cory Chism, who oversees the states monitoring. Only one sits in Pasadena. Its in the industrial corridor to the north, soon to be replaced by one at Richey Elementary School that will take continuous measurements. (Air quality standards are based on hourly, 8-hour or daily average exposures.) The state data is hard to interpret, but improvement is in the works. A new county monitor was also installed in Pasadena in recent months, part of an effort to establish a countywide monitoring system following the 2019 Intercontinental Terminals Co. fire near Deer Park that sent a smoke plume over the region. The days-long disaster highlighted how ill-prepared Harris County was for an emergency like it, with essentially no monitoring ability. The countys Pasadena device monitors air quality from the John Phelps Annex, home to the countys overhauled pollution control services department. Eight other devices in the new county system were installed elsewhere, including one placed Wednesday behind a chain-link fence in Manchesters Hartman Park. Homes line one side of the park; a Valero refinery borders another. Is this the monitor? County Commissioner Adrian Garcia asked when he arrived that afternoon for a TV news interview and to see the device. Wow. Garcia, a Democrat who represents Precinct 2, had worked to get an industry-backed grant to pay for it and three others. The monitor is basically a tripod with small solar-powered boxes attached, a bit taller than the average person. A newly hired county technician explained to Garcia what it did. Garcia, County Judge Linda Hidalgo and others held a press conference the next day touting how better prepared they were for the next environmental disaster. That afternoon in the park, a boy gave female county staffers tiny white flowers plucked from the grass. He breathed in the air. Off and running In 2018, Paula Torrado held the Air Alliance community outreach job that Flores now does. In Pasadena, she focused on educating residents about the health dangers of vehicle and bus exhaust. She wanted to measure air pollution as part of that. When she turned to the city for support, she said, she found no cooperation from the mayor or staff. In a July 2018 meeting, Councilman Sammy Casados publicly raised the issue. Wagner, the mayor, questioned whether Casados was breaking meeting procedure. Councilman Cody Ray Wheeler, an unabashed critic of the mayor, found the response disheartening. He questioned who the mayor was serving: the people or the chemical plants? Two and a half years later, the monitors were up and Patricia Gonzales, founder of Caring for Pasadena Communities, was among those eager to review the data. She wanted evidence to entice officials to help them fight polluters. That same desire had spurred other communities, too, said Grace Tee Lewis, who works with some of them through the Environmental Defense Fund. (EDF put a monitor at Pasadena Memorial High School, part of a slew installed after the ITC fire; the monitor doubles as a teaching tool.) The monitors arent the most accurate but they can provide cause for city or county investigators to deploy more precise devices, Tee Lewis said. Judge Hidalgo, at the recent press conference, promoted a legal department stepping up enforcement. What they measure depends on the device, but the Pasadena monitors will track five-hour averages of volatile organic compounds, ozone, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, plus wind direction and speed. Tee Lewis expects such citizen-science to expand. In a Zoom meeting Thursday night, the Fort Bend/Houston Super Neighborhood group celebrated their monitors website launch. Were off and running, environmental committee treasurer Michael Ballare told the group. Air Alliance Executive Director Bakeyah Nelson logged in, remembering when they first captured air samples in buckets. ITC may have provided a wake-up call to the whole region to the dangers of air pollution, but these residents had lived it for years. Now they could now check their neighborhood pollutant levels online anytime they wanted. emily.foxhall@chron.com Since the publication more than half a century ago of a landmark article that referenced the "vanishing American Jew," it's been hard to shake that idea as the dominant narrative of American Jewish life. Yet the U.S. Jewish community is the largest in the world, with an estimated 7 million Jews - slightly more than Israel's 6.8 million. And despite a low birthrate, American Jews actually are growing in number, primarily due to three factors: immigration, intermarriage and education. Over the past three decades, Jewish immigrants have come in large numbers from the former Soviet Union, Latin... Adversary Air Industry Leader Brings Advanced Jets for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Training MESA, Ariz., Jan. 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Top Aces Corp. is pleased to announce the arrival of its first batch of F-16 fighters to the company's F-16 Center of Excellence in Mesa, Arizona. Under the U.S. Air Force IDIQ contract, Top Aces will begin providing its unmatched adversary training for the USAF, U.S. Navy and DoD in 2021. Top Aces is the first commercial provider in the world to offer the supersonic F-16. The upgraded fleet of F-16s are able to employ an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, helmet-mounted cueing system, tactical datalink and high off boresight missile capability to provide unparalleled adversary air training. "Our vision is to be the most trusted provider of innovative combat training solutions in a highly specialized industry where experience matters," said Top Aces Corp. President Russ Quinn, a 26-year USAF veteran and previous Aggressor pilot with over 3,300 F-16 flight hours. "We acquired our fleet of F-16s in order to fulfill our vision of training the next generation of combat leaders here in the U.S." "For the past fifteen years, Top Aces has effectively and affordably trained air force leaders throughout the world. We're excited to join with the USAF and bring both professional and highly credible adversary air capability to the U.S.," added Mr. Quinn. For further information, please visit www.topaces.us. Media contact: Russ Quinn President, Top Aces Corp. media@topaces.com +1 480-792-6200 Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/890dc61b-7e90-4398-a78b-7b1710276f5c https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ab69a790-eeb8-4466-b71e-8d5914b64582 A parliamentary inquiry into the NSW governments council grants scandal will be expanded to scrutinise new allegations of pork barrelling over a $177 million state and federal bushfire relief fund, of which the majority was allocated to Coalition-held electorates. The upper house inquiry will call for new submissions to examine the handout of the grants after only $2.5 million of the first round of funding went to the NSW Labor-held seats of Cessnock and Lismore, analysis done by inquiry chair Greens MP David Shoebridge reveals. Greens MP David Shoebridge. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer None was received in the Labor held seat of the Blue Mountains, or in the electorates held by the NSW Greens or the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers. In November, the federal and state governments announced $177 million had been fast-tracked to 71 projects under the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery fund. Among the allocated grants was a $3.6 million for an engineered coastal seawall in Nambucca, $11 million to build a Macleay Valley Skydiving Adventure Park and $10 million to upgrade the Tumut Mill in the Snowy Valleys region. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2021) - Nutritional High International Inc. (CSE: EAT) ("Nutritional High" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division ("MED") has provided its conditional approval for the Company to acquire ownership of Palo Verde LLC ("Palo Verde"). Palo Verde is a Colorado based processor and manufacturer of cannabis vape and edible products including vape cartridges, all-in-one vapes, syringes, chocolate edibles and infused pre rolls, for the recreational and medical markets. These products are sold by Palo Verde under the Company's award winning FLI brand. In addition, the Company owns the building and equipment which has been leased to Palo Verde since 2014. This approval from the MED is conditional on approvals from Pueblo County, expected during the month of March, 2021, after which, the Company intends to complete the acquisition of Palo Verde in accordance with the Company's press release of May 19th 2020. "We are very pleased to be one of the few publicly traded cannabis companies which has been approved for ownership of a cannabis license in Colorado," said John Durfy, the CEO of Nutritional High. "The acquisition of Palo Verde will represent an important milestone in the implementation of our branded manufacturing strategy and will allow us to directly enter one of the most important cannabis markets in the United States." In accordance with recent legislative and regulatory changes in the State of Colorado, publicly traded companies are now able to directly own licensed cannabis businesses in the State subject to the approval of the MED and local licensing authorities. On May 15, 2020, an agreement of purchase and sale was signed between Nutritional High and the owner of Palo Verde, and an application to approve the change of ownership was submitted to the MED for approval. In accordance with the purchase agreement, Nutritional High will acquire 100% of Palo Verde for nominal consideration and assumption of third-party debt. There is no finder's fee associated with this transaction. Further details regarding the acquisition will be provided at closing. About Nutritional High International Inc. Nutritional High is focused on developing and manufacturing branded products in the cannabis industry, with a specific focus on edibles and oil extracts for medical and adult recreational use. The Company works exclusively in jurisdictions where such activity is permitted and regulated by state law. The Company has a strategy for acquisitions in extraction, production and sales sectors of the cannabis industry. Nutritional High has brought its flagship FLI edibles and vape product lines from production to market in various markets including Colorado where its FLI products are manufactured by independent licensed producer Palo Verde, LLC. For updates on the Company's activities and highlights of the Company's press releases and other media coverage, please follow Nutritional High on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit www.nutritionalhigh.com. For further information, please contact: Robert Wilson Chief Financial Officer Nutritional High International Inc. 416-666-4005 Email: rwilson@nutritionalhigh.com NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR OTC MARKETS GROUP INC., NOR THEIR REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDERS HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be correct. We assume no responsibility to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. The Company's securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. Persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking information expressed in this press release include, but are not limited to: obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals including acquiring and renewing U.S. state, local or other licenses, the uncertainty of existing protection from U.S. federal or other prosecution, regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. state-law legalization, market and general economic conditions of the cannabis sector or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/73113 This file illustration picture shows vials with COVID-19 Vaccine stickers attached and syringes with the logo of U.S. biotech company Novavax, Nov. 17, 2020. AFP US biotech firm Novavax said Thursday its two-shot Covid-19 vaccine showed an overall efficacy of 89.3 percent in a major Phase 3 clinical trial in Britain, and remained highly effective against a variant first identified there. But the positive news was offset by other results that showed it offered significantly less protection against a highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus first identified in South Africa, which is spreading rapidly around the world. Novavax said it began working on new vaccines against emerging strains in early January and expects to select ideal candidates in the coming days, then begin clinical testing in the second quarter of the year. "NVX-CoV2373 has the potential to play an important role in solving this global public health crisis," said the company's president and CEO Stanley Erck, using Novavax's name for the vaccine. "We look forward to continuing to work with our partners, collaborators, investigators and regulators around the world to make the vaccine available as quickly as possible." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted that the results were "good news." "Our medicines regulator will now assess the vaccine, which will be made in Teesside. If approved, we have 60m doses on order," he added. The vaccine was one of six candidates backed by a US government project formerly known as Operation Warp Speed, which has provided the company $1.75 billion. It's also being tested in a trial in the US and Mexico, which has recruited 16,000 of 30,000 participants. Unlike the Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines, which deliver the genetic instructions to make a protein of the virus to human cells, the Novavax shot injects the same molecules directly into the body to evoke an immune response. - South Africa variant reinfection worry - The British trial involved 15,000 people aged 18 to 84, including 27 percent who were over the age of 65. The first interim analysis was based on 62 cases, of which 56 cases of Covid-19 were observed in the placebo group versus six cases among people who received NVX-CoV2373. The company's preliminary analysis indicated the variant first identified in Britain, B.1.1.7, was detected in more than 50 percent of the confirmed cases. Efficacy by strain was calculated at 95.6 percent against the original Covid strain, and 85.6 percent against B.1.1.7. But the efficacy was much lower in a smaller, mid-stage trial conducted in South Africa. This study enrolled just over 4,400 patients from September to mid-January, during which time the B.1.351 variant, which contains critical mutations along the virus' spike protein, was spreading rapidly through the country. Overall efficacy was 49.4 percent in this trial, but the figure rose to 60 percent among the 94 percent of trial participants who were HIV-negative. Worryingly, Novavax said about a third of participants in the South Africa trial had been previously infected with the original form of the virus, while the subsequent infections during the study were largely from the variant. The studies are the first to assess how vaccines performed against both the UK and South Africa variants in the real world. Pfizer and Moderna have previously said their vaccines remain effective against the variants, but their studies were based on lab research. The US said Thursday it had found its first two cases of the B.1.351 variant on American soil, leading to concern it could reignite the national infection rate, which is currently in decline. Novavax's announcement puts pressure on another vaccine maker, Johnson Johnson, which is expected to announce its phase 3 trial results next week. (AFP) Day care shortage creates barriers for working parents With a labor shortage plaguing the state, working parents are ready to fill these positions. The lack of childcare options creates barriers. Meeting with Amit Shah not about change of leadership: Karnataka Minister Cyclone Yaas: Amit Shah to hold review meeting with Chief Ministers of states to be affected Amit Shah defers visit to West Bengal India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 29: Home Minister Amit Shah has postponed his visit to West Bengal amid farmers' protest at Delhi's borders. Sources did not give the reason for the deferment of his trip during which he was to address two rallies on Saturday and Sunday, but it comes as farmers have intensified their protests against three farm laws amid incidents of clashes with "locals" at some places. BJP sources said Shah will arrive in Kolkata on Friday night and start his public programmes on Saturday with a visit to ISKCON (International Society of Krishna Consciousness) in Mayapur and later address a rally at Thakurnagar. He will also address his party''s social media volunteers in Kolkata in the evening. Shah was to attend several programmes as the BJP steps up its campaign in the state where assembly elections are expected to be held in April-May. Republic Day mayhem: Shah meets injured police personnel PM Modi on what to expect from Union Budget 2021 | Oneindia News The saffron party has emerged as the main challenger to the ruling Trinamool Congress, headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in the state. The party is pulling out all stops to end her 10-year-old reign and has deputed a number of senior leaders, including Union ministers, to its state campaign. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. Global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky on Friday said it has appointed Chris Connell as Managing Director for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Connell, who is set to be based in Kaspersky's regional office in Singapore, will spearhead the company's APAC business expansion efforts in addition to continuing his role as the Deputy Vice President of Global Sales for the company. He brings to the new role over 23 years of professional experience in sales and commercial leadership in various companies and across many sectors, including solution selling, consumer, B2B (business-to-business) and channel sales. Prior to joining Kaspersky, Connell worked at companies such as Ingram Micro Europe and Australia, Tech Data and IBM. "I am excited to take up this new leadership role in a region where cybersecurity trends are dynamic but also diverse in terms of needs and development," Connell said on his appointment. In his new role, Connell is expected to lend his expertise to shore up the cyber-resilience of APAC's healthcare institutions. In addition, he will look to further develop and continue the growth in both commercial and enterprise cybersecurity, with a strong focus on threat intelligence for industry partners in the digital economy, as well as small and medium businesses. Kaspersky said that the expansion of Connell's role at the company comes at a pivotal moment for the cybersecurity ecosystem in the Asia-Pacific, where sector spending is projected to hit $28.2 billion by 2022. Data breaches have become increasingly commonplace in the region, with incidents of patient records being stolen from group healthcare institutions, and privacy lapses suffered by tech giants such as online shopping and transportation companies, all occurring over the past year. Usually it's her famous father dominating the headlines, but Ronan Keating's daughter Missy has claimed the spotlight all for herself in a brand new photoshoot. The 19-year old shows off her lithe physique in a dusty blue satin one-piece from online retailer PrettyLittleThing while posing for a new series of shots from her London home. With current health and safety guidelines in mind, Missy sensibly remained behind closed doors during the isolation shoot, which took place in her bedroom. My turn: Usually it's her famous father dominating the headlines, but Ronan Keating's daughter Missy has claimed the spotlight all for herself in a brand new photoshoot Sprawled a cross a comfortable looking throw, the teenager is pictured idly browsing the pages of fashion magazine Vogue while modelling the distinctive Metal Trim Suspender Strap Satin Body. The social media influencer and her brother Jack, 21, spent the Christmas period with her father Ronan and step-mother Storm, in addition to their children Cooper, three, and Coco, ten months. Love You Anyway hitmaker Ronan previously revealed his three eldest children sadly hadn't been able to meet Coco after she was born during lockdown. Looking good: The 19-year old shows off her lithe physique in a dusty blue satin one-piece from online retailer PrettyLittleThing while posing for a new series of shots from her London home Staying in: With current health and safety guidelines in mind, Missy sensibly remained behind closed doors during the isolation shoot, which took place in her bedroom Speaking previously about his youngest child's arrival, he said on Good Morning Britain: 'None of Coco's brothers or sisters could be there, but I was there, it was different because of the circumstances we were in, but it was very special. 'Luckily Storm's mum was here. Mine was with Coop[er] in the house, she got here before lockdown, but it was amazing Coco she is flying. 'The older kids are in Ireland, they've been over here when lockdown began, but please god if things settle soon, they'll be able to get over and see their new baby sister.' Reading between the lines: Sprawled a cross a comfortable looking throw, the teenager is pictured idly browsing the pages of fashion magazine Vogue Striking: Missy models the PrettyLittleThing Metal Trim Suspender Strap Satin Body in her new range of shots Missy previously lived in Dublin with her boyfriend Mark Elebert, however, it was reported she has now moved back to London. She spoke to RSVP Live about moving out last year: 'I have definitely needed to grow up a lot and adapt to doing a lot of adult things like paying bills but it has been an adventure the whole time. 'I am constantly learning things and meeting a lot of really cool people, so life is definitely good for me right now. 'I feel like I started 2020 off right with a good mind set and a plan for the exciting year ahead!' Moving on: Missy previously lived in Dublin with her boyfriend Mark Elebert, however, it was reported she has now moved back to London Hillsong Church pastors are faced with accusations of financial abuse by its former members and pastor alleging that they are using the tithe money to fund lavish lifestyles. Just months after former pastor Carl Lentz was fired due to a sexual misconduct controversy, former church members and a pastor revealed that many of Hillsong NYC pastors often spent tithe money on things like designer clothes, weekly manicures, expensive restaurant meals and living in an expensive high-rise building in Brooklyn, The Christian Post wote. Nicole Herman, a former Hillsong LA service pastor, told the New York Post that she personally loaded the funds onto the debit card-like pre-paid expense (PEX) cards as told by leaders. "I was instructed to fill them. We had a team count the tithes after every service and they would allocate X amount of money for the PEX cards," Herman said. Volunteers who made purchases for the church and pastors, including Lentz, were given the reloadable cards. Herman stated that her ex-husband was Hillsong LA's chief financial officer and thus, refilling of the money on the PEX cards were done through him. "None of that money was coming from anywhere else," she added. In November 2020, Hillsong Church announced that an independent investigation was launched "into the inner workings of Hillsong NYC/East Coast" after hearing about the issues of individuals connected with this branch of the church. A former Hillsong member named Jenna Babbitt said that she provided childcare services for some pastors, including Reed and Jess Bogard, who resigned earlier this month from Hillsong Dallas. Babbitt stated that she was also given a PEX card to pay for the food of the children she cared for but was never asked to explain the purchases. She added that the lawyers investigating the Hillsong NYC contacted her too. Herman, speaking to the New York Post, confirmed Babbitt's claim and said that the church indeed did not seek reimbursement for the cards' personal use. But in 2016, Hillsong LA terminated this practice when the Bogards were discovered to be overusing them. "The exploitation of free labor while these pastors are making bank is just crazy to me," Babbitt said. She now works at a non-profit organization in Dallas after leaving the church in 2017. Brandon Walker, a church volunteer who helped Hillsong Church plant a branch in Dallas, also witnessed things he said are "a lot of toxic activity." These include splurging $1,100 a day on Airbnb rentals, expensive clothes and restaurants. Walker recalled that once when he was out with his two friends and Jess Bogard, she bought them matching $100 jackets and took them to a very expensive Italian restaurant, North Italia. He said that the bill was about $700 and was surprised of her extravagance of spending "$1,000 for no reason." He also observed that money spent on volunteers are done with manipulation, remembering a time when he was paid for a job. He said that one time when he needed money, Reed Bogard gave him some $600 but "as a favor." Walker further claimed, "That's a tactic a lot of these pastors use to keep their secrets. Buying us expensive gifts, giving us money, like, 'I got your back, so when I need you to have my back, this is something to remember.'" Christian Headlines reported that according to Hillsong's 2019 Annual Report, the church gets most of its funds from the tithes. Hillsong East Coast, the branch that includes Hillsong NYC, made $12.7 million during that year, and 88 percent of it came from tithes and offerings. As a church, Hillsong is exempted from paying taxes in the U.S. More than 66 percent of the church's earnings in 2019 went to a mixture of staff salaries, benefits and expenses ($3.8 million), and operating expenses including venue rentals, staffing and production costs ($4.9 million). Alabamas K-12 public school employee retirement numbers show November, December and January departures at the highest levels in nearly a decade. According to numbers released by the Teachers Retirement Systems of Alabama, 3,245 public school employees retired in calendar year 2020, the highest number since a mass exodus in 2011 when state lawmakers changed the rules about retirement benefits. Officials said the stress and dynamics of working in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic were contributing, but not the only, factors to the rate of retirements. Of those, 750 retired September through December, nearly twice the rate of retirements seen during the same time period since 2011. Compared to last school year, its totally different, Bessemer City Superintendent Autumm Jeter told AL.com. Bessemer schools, with 3,200 students and 400 employees, saw 23 retirements during 2020, the highest number since 2011. Statewide, the numbers not only exceeded last years, but also exceed the five- and 10-year averages of 2,941 and 2,979, respectively. Retirements in 2020 were down in June, which marks the end of the school year, but the rate of retirements picked up beginning in July. The number of Alabama K-12 school retirements 2012 through Jan. 2021 While the numbers continue to rise, the timing of those retirements has changed and present a concern for education officials. Retirements typically come at the end of the school year, said Jeter, who saw 13 of 23 retirements occur after July, in the middle of the school year. The retirements now in the pandemic are happening throughout the year. Its a challenge to fill those positions during the school year, and even finding substitutes has been a struggle due to the pandemic. Some positions have been filled, Jeter said, but others will require substitutes until a permanent hire can be found. The total number of retirements reported by the Teachers Retirement System reflect all public school employees, not only teachers. Public school employees hired prior to 2013 can retire after 25 years of service or at age 62 with 10 years of service. Those hired after 2013 must work until age 62 to receive retirement benefits. The largest number of retirements in a single year came in 2011, when lawmakers changed retirement qualifications and how benefits would be awarded. As a result, 4,258 public school employees retired that year, with a quarter of those retirements taking place in December. Jeter said a mix of teachers and other employees in Bessemer have decided to retire. In Sylacauga City Schools, a 2,000-student district with more than 250 employees, 17 employees retired during 2020, a number reached only once since 2011. Nine of those retirements came between July and December. Fortunately, Superintendent Jon Segars said, seven of those retirements were expected and replacements were ready to fill their shoes. From our conversations with these employees, the pandemic was a contributing factor with three, Segars said in an email to AL.com. Its always tough to replace the experience we lose with retirements, but we are extremely happy with the talent we were able to recruit and hire. An analysis of district-level retirement data provided by TRS showed that in calendar year 2020: 72 school districts had a higher number of retirees than in 2019, 28 of the 72 districts had the highest number of retirees since 2011, and of those 28 districts, 14 had a higher number of retirees than in 2011, 22 of the 72 districts had two to three times the number of retirements in 2020 than they had in 2019. An analysis of five- and 10-year averages of retirements in each district showed this in comparison to calendar year 2020: 88 school districts had more retirees than their five-year average, 82 school districts had more retirees than their 10-year average, and 82 school districts had more retirees than the five- and 10-year averages. Isolating the September through December period, a comparison of 2020 retirees with those in same period in previous years found: 77 school districts had more employees between September and December than their five-year average, 56 school districts had more employees retire between September and December than their 10-year average, and 56 school districts had more employees retire between September and December than both their five- and 10-year averages. Alabama, like other states, is already experiencing a teacher shortage. Certified teachers in some subject areas like math, science and special education are particularly difficult to find and hire. Fewer college students are choosing education as a major, state education officials said during a recent board of education work session, which makes replacing retired teachers even more difficult. ADVERTISEMENT The police in Kano on Friday said they have arrested a woman over the death of her teenage house help under mysterious circumstances. Khadija Musa, 19, an indigene of Kwara State, arrived in Kano three months ago and was engaged as a house help by the suspect in Salanta quarters of the Kano metropolis. The police are withholding the suspects name. According to the police, witnesses, including those who washed the victims body, said it had several wounds and cuts that suggested she had been cruelly beaten. However, the suspect reportedly told the police that Miss Musa died after being bitten by a cat. The police spokesperson in Kano, Haruna Kiyawa, told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday that the police interrogated the gateman of the house in which the woman lived with the deceased. The officer said the police had received a call last Saturday from a hospital that rejected the corpse of the deceased after suspecting a foul play. He said the police took custody of the body and ordered for a full medical examination. He said the police later released the corpse for burial after the medical examination. Mr Kiyawa said residents of Salanta quarters, however, conducted the burial before the arrival of the family of the deceased from Kwara State. He said preliminary investigation revealed that a third party had brought Miss Sule to work as a house help and that she worked for the suspect alongside another girl and a gateman until her death. Mr Kiyawa said the police had obtained statements from both of them. ALSO READ: Police arrest suspected armed robbers at Ogun Shrine He said the suspect, a mother of three, was living alone as her husband is living abroad. Parents not aware of daughters location The police also said when contacted, the parents of the deceased in Kwara State said she had left home in search of work but they were not aware she was in Kano. He said the police commissioner in the state, Habu Sani, has ordered a thorough investigation of the case and promised to ensure the culprit faces prosecution. Cancel culture. Its all over social media. Now, its coming to our TV screens thanks to the ABCs new comedy-drama, Aftertaste. The show, about a disgraced chef who loses everything and tries to remake himself in the Adelaide Hills, was created by screenwriter Julie De Fina with Matthew Bate. It is De Finas first major show to get off the ground and she says it couldnt feel more relevant. Television writer Julie De Fina. In this current climate, theres something to be said about males of a certain status who then lose all their power, she says. Once you remove that, whats left of them? Ultimately, its not a story of redemption. It becomes something completely different. And thats the story of the new world, I think. Handing over the torch, albeit reluctantly. Aftertaste premieres on the ABC on Wednesday, February 3. Vonne Patiag, The Unusual Suspects SBS is set to be the home of a new, four-part drama this year. The show is best described as a female-led heist set in Sydneys ritzy eastern suburbs. One of the shows writers, Vonne Patiag, says on the surface The Unusual Suspects is a comedy but deep down its much more than that. TV writer Vonne Patiag. Its about friendship and female empowerment, Patiag says of The Unusual Suspects. But also cross-cultural understanding and empathy. Its about the two versions of Sydney the version we want and the version were living in. Patiag says coronavirus shutdowns, while devastating for the TV industry, gave writers more time to sit with their ideas and even pursue passion projects. We used the production shutdown to go back over the scripts with a magnifying glass, he says. Im so excited about 2021. Patiag co-wrote The Unusual Suspects alongside creator Jessica Redenbach (Spirited, Rush) and Roger Monk (Nowhere Boys, The Secret Life of Us). Margarett Cortez served as script consultant. Mithila Gupta, Bump One of the breakout hits for Stan this year was Bump, a drama centred around a high-achieving teenager who has a surprise baby. Season two is already in development. If all goes well, new episodes will land later this year or early 2022. (Nine, the owner of Stan, is also the owner of this masthead.) One of Bumps writers, Mithila Gupta, says the element of surprise is the shows strong point. Surprise is the most underrated emotion, she says. Theres so much content out there at the moment its really rare to be genuinely surprised. I also think [the show] is really life-affirming, which is what we need right now. Its weird and wonderful but at the core of it, we strive to be truthful with the story and the characters and thats what makes it resonate so broadly. Screenwriter Mithila Gupta. Gupta has been working in popular television for 10 years. She started on Neighbours and was part of the team that incorporated the first Indian family into the regular cast. More recently she has worked on Doctor Doctor and hopes to one day create her own show. Im interested in the Indian diaspora, she says. Im inspired by the resilience of humans and how we keep fighting. I have real respect for my parents who worked their butts off to fulfil the immigrant dream so I could have my whimsical writing career. I want brown folk to feel seen [on screen] in a way I never did. Peter Cox, New Gold Mountain Four-part series New Gold Mountain has been described as SBSs most ambitious drama to date. The show, shot in Victoria and is due out later this year, will explore the Australian gold rush from the perspective of Chinese miners. It was created and written by Peter Cox, who got his big break with SBSs The Insiders Guide to Happiness almost 20 years ago. For this series, he collaborated with Corrie Chen, who serves as director, and Benjamin Law, who wrote one of the episodes. TV writer Peter Cox. Credit:Paul McLaughlin. In the broadest terms, this is a pretty big-budget Western with all the bells and whistles, Cox says. Horses, salons and shootouts all those things youd expect. And in the mash-up is a murder mystery. This one character, Leung Wei Shing, is a real, historical character as far as we can tell. He is the first Chinese detective in Victoria in the mid-1860s. The series will jump between different characters perspectives. We had this rule from the outset, Cox says. No goodies and no baddies. Ian Meadows, RFDS Australia has a long-running love for local medical dramas. The Seven Network is hoping to tap into that nostalgia with a new drama called RFDS (named after the Royal Flying Doctors Service). Co-creator Ian Meadows says the show will be familiar and accessible but also action-packed. Actor and TV writer Ian Meadows. Credit:Renee Melides We wanted to have those elements that are really satisfying about a medical drama without it being a strict procedural, he says. We wanted to go for a fast-paced, energised show. Also the funny moments and the beauty of the outback, the people. Meadows has previously written for Network Ten dramas Offspring and Playing for Keeps and has been an actor in shows such as Home and Away. He says what makes RFDS different from other medical dramas is the way he and the rest of the writing team felt like they didnt have to hold back. We were working through this during the worst of the [NSW] drought, he says. So in the first episode, we really dived headfirst into the mental health challenges of that. There was never a sense at any point that this wasnt something we couldnt talk about. Sarah Smith, Amazing Grace Seven isnt the only commercial broadcaster serving-up an all new Australian drama this year. In just a couple of weeks, the country is set to be introduced to Amazing Grace, a show set in a natural birthing centre. Amazing Grace co-creator and executive producer Sarah Smith. Co-creator Sarah Smith has previously written for shows such as All Saints and McLeods Daughters. More recently, she was the executive producer and co-creator of the eight-part thriller, Bite Club. Smith says this new show will be very timely given Australia is emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. Its really positive and uplifting, she says. Its not all sugary and sweet ... but it is about forgiveness of yourself and others. Theres no villains. Its about the light and shade of having complex relationships with your family, as we all do. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has offered to step down as the government's contact tracing czar, but was asked to stay on, Malacanang said Friday. "Mayor Magalong's resignation, however, has not been accepted," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a statement, adding that the official "continues to enjoy the trust and confidence" of the leadership of the country's COVID-19 task force. Magalong's move comes amid the controversies over a birthday bash he attended earlier this month at a Baguio City hotel an event which has drawn widespread backlash due to the supposed breach of coronavirus health protocols. In his resignation letter, Magalong cited a recent incident where "several lapses in protocol were committed." "In hindsight, being a senior officer of the Task Force, I should have done an immediate spot correction of the errors that I witnessed during that time," Magalong wrote in the document dated Jan. 28 and addressed to National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. "I am committed to hold myself accountable and do what is necessary to rectify this misstep," the mayor added, saying the incident was a reminder that a "higher standard is always expected" of him. Explaining the rejection, Galvez said Magalong has contributed a lot to the task force, and his resignation would be a huge loss for the body. "Napasakit sa amin nung pinasa nya yung kanyang resignation paper pero hindi po namin matatanggap dahil napakalaki ng ginawa ni Mayor Magalong sa amin," Galvez said in a statement. "Malaking kawalan po sa amin 'yun, lalo po ngayon sa mga adverse event kailangan po ng 'syndromic' surveillance at saka contact tracing," he added. [Translation: We were hurt when he [Magalong] submitted his resignation paper, but we couldn't accept it, because Mayor Magalong has done a lot for us. It would be a big loss for us, especially now with adverse events that we would need 'syndromic' surveillance and contact tracing.] The contact tracing czar was put in the spotlight after photos of him attending events organizer Tim Yap's controversial birthday party circulated online. Parts of the January 17 celebration caught on camera showed Yap and other personalities not wearing face masks and face shields a violation of the city ordinance that requires fines of at least 1,000. Magalong's wife was also seen without protective gear in a photo with celebrity KC Concepcion, but the mayor said they also asked her to pay up, in line with local regulations. RELATED: 'No entitlement here': Baguio City mayor assures no one absolved after Tim Yap's viral birthday bash Investigation on the incident is ongoing, Galvez said, as he appealed to the public to "withhold their judgment" and let the probe take its due course. The Health Department also expressed support for Magalong, saying the official has immensely helped the contact tracing efforts in the country. "We know that the President has that trust and the DOH also trusts Mayor Magalong," Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media forum. President on Thursday strongly defended the three contentious agri laws that have sparked intense protests from a section of farmers, and condemned as "'very unfortunate" the Republic Day violence and the "insult" to the tricolour during the farmers' tractor parade here on January 26. In his customary address to the joint sitting of Parliament that marks the start of the Budget session, Kovind also referred to the Chinese aggression on the border, and asserted that his government is vigilant and fully committed to protecting the country's interests. Additional forces have been deployed to safeguard India's sovereignty, he said while paying tributes to the 20 soldiers who made supreme sacrifices in a clash with the Chinese army at the Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh in June last year. India and China are locked in a tense military standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5 last. He also noted that the new farm reform laws enacted in September last year have immediately benefited 10 crore small farmers, and said various parties in the past had supported these measures. Criticising the violence which marred the farmers' protest on the Republic Day, he said if the Constitution gives us the right to freedom of expression, it also teaches us to take laws and rules seriously. The President's hour-long address was boycotted by over 20 opposition parties in support of the demand of the protesting farmers for the repeal of the three farm laws. Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu raised slogans like 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' during the address and demanded repeal of the three laws. Some opposition MPs were heard raising slogans in the Central Hall's gallery. Noting that the Supreme Court has put the implementation of the three laws on hold, Kovind said the government will respect whatever is the decision of the apex court. "My Government has always respected freedom of expression and holding of peaceful agitations in a democratic set up. However, the recent acts of dishonouring the Flag and showing disrespect to the auspicious occasion of the Republic Day are unfortunate," he said. The President also said the rights and facilities available under the system prevailing before the enactment of the three new laws are not affected in any way. "Rather, through these agricultural reforms, the Government has provided new facilities to the farmers and has empowered them". Acknowledging that the Budget session is being held at a challenging time of COVID-19, the President said no matter how big the challenge is, India will not stop. Whenever India is united, it has achieved impossible goals, he added. The President expressed sadness that in the fight against the pandemic, India has lost many countrymen and paid homage to his predecessor Pranab Mukherjee and six MPs who passed away during the period last year. Kovind expressed his satisfaction over the government's measures to fight the pandemic and asserted that its timely decisions saved lives of millions of people while also helping the economy. Over 80 crore poor people were provided free ration for eight months, he said. In his speech, the President highlighted the views of the government approved by the Union Cabinet. Lauding the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' programme, the President said it is not just confined to manufacturing in India but is also a campaign aimed at elevating the standard of living of every Indian as well as boosting the self-confidence of the country. Referring to the country's vaccination programme, he said, "It is a matter of immense pride that India is conducting the world's largest vaccination programme. Both the vaccines rolled out under this programme are produced indigenously. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Economic Adviser K V Subramanian on Friday said economic growth leads to sustainability and even if India were to have real GDP growth rate as low as 3.8 per cent each year from 2022-23 to 2028-29, the country's levels will still come down. Subramanian further said India has a track record of having adopted expansionary fiscal policy focused on infrastructure spending. "Growth leads to sustainability, but not vice versa... Even if India were to have the real GDP growth rate as low as 3.8 per cent each year from FY23 to FY29, the debts will still come down," he said during a press conference. Subramanian further pointed out that in advanced economies, there is a conflict between outcomes delivered by inequality and growth. "While in India, there is a convergence -- both inequality and per capita income have similar impact on socio-economic indicators," he said. The CEA stressed that India must continue to focus on growth so that "we expand the pie, enabling redistributive policies that lift people out of poverty", adding that growth can mitigate 85 per cent of poverty. Subramanian said when history judges India for its response to this once-in-a-century health crisis, it will be hailed for its mature and bold measures. He also pointed out that an increase in spending on public healthcare to 2.5 per cent of GDP can bring down a typical household's out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare from 65 per cent to 35 per cent. Subramanian also called for increasing India's expenditure on R&D from around 1.5 per cent to 3 per cent. "India has been an outlier in its global innovation performance. India must aspire to increase its gross expenditure on R&D from around 1.5 per cent to 3 per cent of GDP," he noted. (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.) West Bengal Governor slams Mamata Banerjee over 'regionalism' India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Kolkata, Jan 29: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday has slammed State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and accused her of regional appeasement ahead of upcoming Assembly elections in the state. Governor Dhankar attacked Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government and said on Twitter that political neutrality is being compromised in the state, while political commitment is being promoted. Budget 2021: An important decade for the first future of India says PM Modi Terming it an alarming scenario, Governor Dhankhar shared a video of Banerjee in which she can be heard saying that her government doesn't discriminate among people on the basis of language. "Deeply concerned and disturbed at video @MamataOfficial -attention drawn by political & otherwise worried quarters. Alarming scenario!' POLITICAL NEUTRALITY' @WBPolice @HomeBengal being compromised & political commitment promoted. This aberration augurs ill for fair election (sic)," Dhankar tweeted. Farmers' Protest: Cops issue ultimatum in Ghazipur, farmers refuse to budge "Why in name of officials! Why drag administration @HomeBengal & police @WBPolice in this! Surely official positioning @MamataOfficial cannot be on such considerations of regionalism or otherwise. Time to set high standards as already there was abysmal low in earlier elections," he added. PM Modi on what to expect from Union Budget 2021 | Oneindia News Earlier, in a bid to appease the non-Bengali speaking voters in the state, Bengal CM had said she has an "excellent relationship" with many of her IAS and IPS officers are from other states, including Bihar, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. "If we live together throughout, why should there be a division during elections?" she asked. (CNN) Layering your face is in but not as a fashion statement. It may just save a life. Public health officials are suggesting double masking as a way to increase the level of protection from the coronavirus and its multiple, more contagious variants. "If you have a physical covering with one layer, you put another layer on, it just makes common sense that it likely would be more effective, and that's the reason why you see people either double masking or doing a version of an N95," Dr. Anthony Fauci, now chief medical adviser to US President Joe Biden, told NBC's Savannah Guthrie. Biden and US Vice President Kamala Harris have been doubling up for weeks in fact Biden was often seen with a surgical mask under his go-to black fabric covering before being sworn into office. On Inauguration Day, transportation secretary nominee Pete Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten Buttigieg, took a selfie double masking, and inaugural poet Amanda Gorman wore a surgical mask beneath her Prada version. Republican US Sens. Mitch Romney and Marco Rubio were seen sporting double masks on Capitol Hill in mid-December. Layer on the protection A single-layer mask isn't really effective in blocking aerosols, studies show, and even homemade two- and three-ply fabric masks are only partially protective somewhere in the 50% to 60% range of effectiveness. Surgical masks, also called medical-grade masks, are made of three layers of nonwoven fabric typically made from plastic. The colored top layer of fabric is made of medical-grade spunbond polypropylene, which is a resin polymer heat-bonded into a weblike structure. A 2020 study found surgical masks were about 50% effective at protecting the wearer from other people's aerosols and between 60% and 70% effective at protecting others. But put a surgical mask under a cloth mask and you get "over 91% removal efficiency for particles," said Joseph Allen, an associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the director of the school's Healthy Buildings program, in a recent interview. In mid-December, Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech who is a leading expert in aerosol transmission of viruses, and Dr. Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine at UCSF/San Francisco General Hospital, published a commentary calling for double masking, "For maximal protection," Marr and Gandhi suggested the public could "wear a cloth mask tightly on top of a surgical mask where the surgical mask acts as a filter and the cloth mask provides an additional layer of filtration while improving the fit." A second option, they said, could be to wear a three-layer mask made from a flexible, tightly woven fabric that conforms to the face, with an insert of a "non-woven high-efficiency filter material," such as a vacuum bag. Of course, the best facial coverings for protection are the N95-type respirators, made from fibers woven with an electrical charge that can trap errant particles, much like a sock that sticks to a blanket in the dryer. Similar products include the Chinese KN95, the European FFP1 and FFP2 versions, the Australia-New Zealand P2, the Korean 1st Class and the Japanese DS2. "Consider upgrading from a cloth mask to a surgical mask, or from a surgical mask to an N95/KN95/equivalent if available. Better masks may help reduce risk from more-contagious strains," former US Centers for Disease and Control director Dr. Tom Friedan tweeted Monday. But the CDC isn't currently recommending N95 masks for the general public, partly due to a shortage of the masks for health care workers, and also due to concerns that people will tolerate the masks, which can hinder breathing. "I worry that if we suggest or require that people wear N95's they won't wear them all the time," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the new head of the CDC told CNN's Anderson Cooper and Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta in a town hall Wednesday. "They're very hard to breathe in when you wear them properly," Walensky said. "They're very hard to tolerate when you wear them for long periods of time." Proper wear and care of your mask Whatever mask you wear, be sure to do so properly including while double masking. No uncovered noses are allowed. Both masks should go over the bridge of the nose, below the chin and be flush on the face, resting along the skin, experts say. When you choose your cloth mask, you shoud look for a tight weave, according to studies. Use the light test to check the weave: If you can easily see the outline of the individual fibers when you hold up the mask to the light, it's not likely to be effective. And be sure to clean and dispose of your masks properly. Surgical masks are one-time use only, and if they are soiled or breathing becomes difficult, the mask should be carefully discarded and replaced, the FDA said. The CDC recommends storing any dirty fabric masks in sealed plastic bags until you can wash them. "Wash wet or dirty masks as soon as possible to prevent them from becoming moldy. Wet masks can be hard to breathe through and are less effective than dry masks," the CDC says. Dry your mask completely in a warm or hot dryer, the CDC says, or by hanging it "in direct sunlight to dry completely. If you cannot hang it in direct sunlight, hang or lay it flat and let it dry completely." Flash U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday confirmed in a phone call with Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein that Washington and Baghdad will continue the strategic dialogue soon. A statement by the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs quoted Blinken as saying that the new U.S. administration "is interested in the bilateral relations, and will build the pillars of dialogue based on the results of the previous rounds of the strategic dialogue." Blinken said that the "Biden administration stands firmly with the government and people of Iraq in fighting terrorism," according to the statement. He also confirmed U.S. support for the Iraqi economy and its readiness to strengthen partnership in various sectors, pointing out the coordination between the two governments regarding confronting the coronavirus pandemic, the statement said. For his part, Hussein congratulated Blinken on assuming the position of top diplomat in the new U.S. administration and wished him success, stressing the importance of starting THE dialogue between the two countries. The two also discussed several issues in the region, as well as the means to achieve regional stability, the statement added. The phone call between the two ministers is the first since Blinken took office. The relations between Baghdad and Washington have witnessed rising tension since Jan. 3, 2020, after a U.S. drone struck a convoy at the Baghdad airport, killing Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces. The tension pushed the two sides to hold several sessions of strategic dialogue starting from last June, and the U.S. has pledged to cut its troops in the country. The late John Shortall The death has occurred of John Shortall, St Martin's, Harristown, Graignamanagh, Kilkenny. John died, peacefully, in University Hospital, Waterford, on Thursday, January 28. John will be sadly missed by his loving wife May, daughter Martina, son John, son-in-law Murt, daughter-in-law Elizabeth, his adored and adoring grandchildren James, Amy, Phoebe, Roisin and Kirstyn, his extended family, both here, in the UK and the USA, his neighbours and friends. The family would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff at the University Hospital Waterford, the Renal Unit Kilkenny, the Health Centre Graignamanagh and Kissane's Pharmacy Graignamanagh for the wonderful care they have shown John. Due to current government Covid-19 restrictions, a private burial service and prayers will take place in Calvary Cemetery, Graignamanagh, at noon on Saturday, January 30. Johns funeral cortege will pass through Graignamanagh at 11.40am on Saturday morning and will pause at John's house for a moment on the way to the cemetery. A message of condolence can be left for John's family in the Condolence section at RIP.ie, thank you. In the interests of everyone's safety, please observe all the Covid 19 safety precautions. The late Breda Byrne (nee McCullagh) The death has occurred of Breda Byrne (nee McCullagh), Athy Road, Carlow Town, Carlow / and formerly of Acore, Goresbridge Kilkenny, January 28 peacefully in her 90th year. Predeceased by her husband Thomas M Byrne, loving and adored mother of Colette, Thomas and Margaret. Devoted grandmother to Mark, Marie, Ava, Thomas, Evan, Bryan, Edward, Mia, Shane and great grandmother to Molly. Loved sister of Billy, Pascal and Michael and pre deceased by her siblings Kevin, George, Jimmy, Maura, Angela, Christina and Bernie. Sadly missed by her children, grandchildren, sons-in-law Michael and Raymond and daughter-in-law Anna, nephews, nieces, relatives and many friends. Owing to the government restrictions a private funeral Mass will be celebrated for family. The Mass may be viewed on the Cathedral parish webcam (www.carlowcathedral.ie/webcam/) at 11.15am on Saturday morning after which Breda will laid to rest in St Marys Cemetery. Please use the online Condolences link on RIP.ie to offer the family your sympathies. The family would like to thank you for your co-operation and understanding at this most difficult time. The late Hanora (Nora) Maddock (nee Freyne) The death has occurred of Hanora (Nora) Maddock (nee Freyne), Clonassy, Mullinavat, Kilkenny. Nora died peacefully at University Hospital Waterford in her 105th year, she was the last surviving member of the Freyne family. Beloved wife of the late Thomas Maddock. Deeply regretted, by her loving children, David, Kathleen, Seamus (in England), Tom, Philip and Andy (in Australia), her 14 grandchildren, her 12 great-grandchildren, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and a wide circle of friends. Arriving on Saturday at St Beacon's Church, Mullinavat for Requiem Mass at noon. Burial immediately afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. In accordance with Government and HSE guidelines, attendance is limited to 10 family members in the church. For those who would have liked to attend, but cannot due to restrictions, Mass will be streamed live on the following link https://churchmedia.ie/st-beacons-church-mullinavat/ House private, please. Messages of support and expressions of sympathy can be added on the condolence section on RIP.ie. The late James (Jim) Phelan The death has occurred of James (Jim) Phelan, late of Harristown Piltown, Kilkenny. Died January 28, peacefully at home in the care of his loving family. Sadly missed by his loving wife Kitty (nee Coghlan), loving father to daughters Tina (Gaule), Carmel (Kearns), Celine and Ashling, sons John, Davy and James, sister Maureen(Maher), sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Arriving for Funeral Mass at 11am on Saturday, January 30, in Templeorum Church. Click on the link to view a live stream of the Funeral https://youtu.be/2WhHLHR8C5I It will be followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. Dude to HSE guidelines, the funeral mass and burial will take place for immediate family. It is suggested to use the online condolences page at RIP.ie as an option to offer sympathies. Thank you for your cooperation and consideration at this difficult time. The late Bridget Purcell (nee McCormack) The death has occurred of Bridget Purcell (nee McCormack), Coon East, Via Carlow, Kilkenny. Peacefully at St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny. Bridget will be sadly missed by her loving husband Phil, daughter Marie, son Nicholas, grandchildren Kate and Darragh, daughter-in-law Annette, brother Denis, sister-in-law Ber, niece and nephews, 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 Bridget with Requiem Mass celebrated on Saturday, January 30 at noon in St Brigid's Church, Coon, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. House private on Saturday morning please. (max of 10 family members in the church and cemetery). Please use the online condolence book at RIP.ie if you wish to offer your sympathies. Bridget's family would like to thank you for your support and understanding at this difficult time. The late Patrick (Pat) Roche The death has occurred of Patrick (Pat) Roche, Clossgregg, Thomastown, Kilkenny at his home on January 27. Sadly missed by his sister Maura, brother-in-law Bernard, nieces Christina and Jenni, aunts and uncles, many cousins, Good neighbours and friends. A message of sympathy can be left by using the Condolence option on RIP.ie. The late Thomas (Tom) Walsh The death has occurred of Thomas (Tom) Walsh (Newtown, Newpark Upper, Kilkenny) January 28, unexpectedly but peacefully, at St Luke's Hospital, Thomas (Tom), beloved husband of Rosemary and much loved father of Orla and Victoria, sadly missed by his loving wife and daughters, sisters Kitty (Marnell), Mary (Evans) and Alice (Conway), sons-in-law Riccardo and Tom, grandchildren Cameron, Sofia and Ailbhe 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 Tom (max of 10 people). For those unable to attend due to restrictions, you may view the Requiem Mass at 10.30am on Saturday, January 30 at the following link www.stjohnskilkenny.com. House private please. Those wishing to leave a message of condolence for Tom's family can do so on RIP.ie. Tom's family would like to thank everybody for their support and understanding in these difficult days. The FCA said it was concerned that closing bank branches at this time could have 'significant consequences' for customers Banks have been urged by the City watchdog to rethink plans to shut branches during lockdown. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it was concerned that closing bank branches at this time could have significant consequences for customers. Banks are preparing to close at least 300 branches by the end of 2021. Under new rules announced in September, banks should give customers at least 12 weeks warning before shutting a branch. The FCA said Covid restrictions would make it harder for banks to reach all customers affected, which may include small businesses that are temporarily closed. Sarah Coles, of Hargreaves Lansdown, said: Banks play a vital role in many peoples lives, so customers can really struggle if a branch disappears. A UK Finance spokesman said the industry remains committed to supporting customers through the Covid-19 crisis. Lobby group Which? has given banks a two-week deadline to agree to continue providing basic banking services at the Post Office after Barclays attempted to bar its customers from withdrawing cash at the Post Office to cut costs. Like many older people, my parents live with a number of health challenges. This week, I discovered they suffer from an additional risk: living in Fairfax County, Virginia. Eleven years ago, when my parents moved from Scottsdale, Arizona, to live near their grandchildren in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., we took comfort in the fact that Fairfax County offers an excellent standard of living, including top-notch medical care. Its one of the wealthiest, most highly educated counties in the country. When the new coronavirus hit last spring, we joined millions of families across the country in taking precautions to keep our loved ones safe. We felt relief when a vaccine was announced: We had nearly made it to safety. But bad news came just after the new year, when my 81-year-old father-in-law, who had recently moved to an assisted-living facility in Missouri, tested positive for COVID-19. Thankfully, after a weeklong hospital stay, he was released and is on the path to recovery. Our family seemed to have made it through the pandemic, and soon we would all be vaccinated. Patience is not a virtue My siblings and I were determined to get our parents in the front of the line for a vaccine. I told my mother to let her doctor know that she wanted to be added to the list. At 80 years old and in fragile health, Mom was told by her doctor that she would have to sign up for the vaccine with the county once registration was open online. Fine. We waited on the county health departments website for announcements about vaccine eligibility and scoured the fine print as soon as they came out. Her age put her in the second eligible group, Phase 1b, just behind health care workers. On Jan. 12, my dad sent in the form and we waited for a call. April Ponnuru's parents, Don and Shirley Foster, in Alexandria, Virginia, in May 2020. It didnt come. The health department warned on its website that my moms group included approximately 150,000 people. My father, in his early 70s, would have to wait even longer. After a few days, we decided to make some calls of our own. The health department explained that there were no openings. Wed just have to be patient. Story continues Vaccination has been maddeningly slow in Virginia. As of Jan. 25, we had the highest percentage of unused vaccines in the nation. My parents were left unprotected, not because there wasnt enough vaccine available, but because there wasnt a sensible plan in place. I assumed catching COVID was your own fault: We were cautious. And yet, somehow, my entire household got COVID-19. As the languid pace continued, I read reports that county school teachers, many of whom have not taught in classrooms since last spring, were being prioritized for vaccines. At the same time, their union was making demands: Teachers vaccinated teachers should not have to return to classrooms even in the fall. And maybe not even this calendar year: The union stated that all school children must be vaccinated, too, before teachers should return to school. Never mind that theres no vaccine that has even been approved for children under 16. And still we waited. No call. Two positive diagnoses On Jan. 23, Dad told me he wasnt feeling well. Because it was a weekend, we encouraged him to get a telehealth appointment with a local clinic we had used before. We sent him the link, and he got an appointment the same day. The doctor prescribed him a Z-Pak to help with his upper-respiratory symptoms and ordered him to get a COVID-19 test from a mobile testing center. The next day, it came back positive. Our challenge was now more complicated: how to take care of Dad while keeping Mom safe. The doctor didnt want Mom to rush out for a test the cold air is hard on her lungs, and she doesnt drive much anymore. We were told to watch for symptoms. My sister and I urged Mom to stay with one of us while my father recovered. No way. She wasnt about to leave her husband of 49 years when he was sick. They would do their best to isolate from each other while sharing a home. My hospital is still full: Don't get lulled by COVID-19 vaccine. Stay careful and free up hospital space for others. My sister, my husband and I gathered items from our homes that could be helpful to them, ran to the drug store (twice) and the grocery store, and made a million phone calls. On Monday, I loaded my car with meals made by a dear friend and get-well cards crafted by my children and drove to my parents home. At the door, my mom looked tired and worried. I asked her whether she was feeling OK her asthma had been acting up and she insisted she was fine. Its hard for you, not being with Dad, isnt it? Her lip quivered, her eyes filled with tears and she nodded. Last Tuesday, Mom had a scheduled telehealth appointment. My parents use my dads smartphone for these appointments, which made keeping the appointment almost comically complicated. Dad had to clean his phone with alcohol wipes and explain from yards away what button to push. When Mom accidentally hit the wrong one, they had to start over. Once online, the medical team noticed her breathing was labored and told her to go to the emergency room. My sister raced our mother over, double-masked and windows down. I met them there, we checked her in and waited. A few hours later, she had a chest X-ray, a positive COVID test and an immediate transfer to another hospital, where she received a monoclonal antibody infusion. Coronavirus: Some school districts are willing to open up public schools for a price Our areas hospital system has just said that its canceling first-dose vaccination appointments in response to a change in state directives. Gov. Ralph Northam says there will soon be a statewide registry so people can learn when they will get a vaccine, "even if the answer is they can't get an appointment for a month or two." For my family, though, the snafus no longer matter. Mom and Dad are home, and at least they are finally able to care for each other. Even so, my siblings and I are worried about them. Well spend the coming days trying to get my dad a monoclonal antibody infusion, monitoring their symptoms, bringing them things they need. My family all of us are doing our part. Millions of families are making countless sacrifices to try to keep those around them safe. Its baffling and infuriating that our government has not done the same. April Ponnuru lives in Alexandria, Virginia, and is managing director of Ridgely Walsh, a public affairs firm. She was previously the policy director and senior adviser to the Conservative Reform Network and is a veteran of numerous Republican congressional offices and Jeb Bush's presidential campaign. Follow her on Twitter: @AprilPonnuru You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Virginia fails to vaccinate. Meanwhile, my parents caught COVID-19. New Delhi: British Prime Minister Theresa May, who lost the parliamentary majority in the in recently concluded elections has on Thursday won the confidence vote with support from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). May's Conservative Party was running a minority govt since June 8 election debacle but managed to pass the Queens Speech by a majority of 14. The House of Commons voted by 323 to 309 to approve last week's Queen's Speech, which laid out the government's agenda for the next two years Earlier in June, Theresa Mays gamble of early elections backfired and she had lost her parliamentary majority which created uncertainties as the country was preparing to negotiate its departure from the European Union. However, after losing the majority May remained confident and she had said my resolve is the same that as it has been. Whatever the results, the Conservative party will remain the party of stability. Suggested Read: UK election results 2017: Theresa May to pick cabinet amid Democratic Unionist Party talks For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. 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. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! European Visitor Suspected of Anaheim Homicide A Romanian native is being sought by Anaheim homicide detectives in connection with a fatal shooting in the northern Orange County city. Police are looking for Florin Raducanu in connection with a fatal Anaheim shooting. (Courtesy of the Anaheim Police Department) The Anaheim Police Department on Jan. 27 announced a $1 million arrest warrant ]for Florin Raducanu, 37, related to the fatal shooting of a 42-year-old man. Both the suspect and victim are from Romania and were in Orange County as visitors, police said. The victim, 42-year-old Aurel Trandafir, was wanted in his Eastern European homeland for robbery. He was fatally shot at least once Jan. 24, about 7:47 p.m. at Abbys Anaheimer Inn, at 1201 W. Katella Ave., police said. Now homicide detectives are asking the public help them find their chief suspect. They said Raducanu is considered to be armed and dangerous, and is known to use numerous aliases. Anyone who spots Raducanu is asked to call 911 or detectives at 714-321-3669.Or, call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIPS-OCCS. As the Budget Session 2021 commenced on Friday, President Ram Nath Kovind, while addressing both houses of the Parliament, spoke on a range of issues from the Republic Day afters protests to the steps the government has taken to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic. While several opposition parties including the Congress, TMC, NCP and Shiv Sena, boycotted the President's joint address, Kovind also highlighted the need to for a joint session of the Parliament. Also read: Savings Schemes, Second-life Career Options: How Budget 2021 Can Help Senior Citizens Post Retirement Here are some of the highlights from Kovind's speech: On the Republic Day protests Calling the incidents from Republic Day unfortunate, he spoke about lessons on law and order from the Constitution. "The insult of the holy day like the tricolor and the Republic Day happened in the past is very unfortunate. The Constitution that gives us the right to freedom of expression, the same constitution teaches us that law and rule should be followed equally seriously," he said. On the Farm bill and on going farmers protests The President said that the three farm laws, that have seen massive protests by farmers since they were passed, had been passed after much deliberation and that there had been no reduction in rights and facilities of farmers. "My government wants to make it clear that before the formation of the three new agricultural laws, there was no reduction in the rights and facilities which were under the old system. Rather, through these agricultural reforms, the government has given new rights to farmers as well as new rights," he said. Covid Vaccine Diplomacy While India has been lauded by many for its vaccine diplomacy, the latest accolades came from the President himself. He said, "It is a matter of pride that India is running the biggest vaccination program in the world. Both vaccines of this program are made in India. In this crisis India shouldered its responsibility towards mankind & provided lakhs of doses of vaccines to several nations." Also read: Indian Economy to Get Shot in the Arm from Union Budget 2021-22, Says Report On India's Covid fight India had gone into three months of lockdown since March and experts had said it helped reduced the number of cases in the country. President Kovind said, "I am satisfied that the timely decision taken by my Government saved the lives of lakhs of citizens. Today the number of new COVID cases is going down rapidly. The number of recoveries is very high." On India's stand-off with China Saying the government was fully committed to the interests of the country, President Kovind said, "In June 2020, 20 of our soldiers made their supreme sacrifice in the Galvan Valley to protect the motherland. Every countryman is grateful to these martyrs... My govt is fully committed to protecting the interests of the country and is also vigilant. Additional forces have also been deployed to protect India's sovereignty over the LAC." On India's economy Ahead of the Budget during a time when India's economy suffered greatly because of the pandemic, Kovind said, " In this period of Corona, the country has started recovering from the damage done to the economy amid efforts to save the life of every Indian. Even in these difficult times, India has emerged as an attractive place for the investors of the world." On Kashmir Over a year after the abrogations of Article 370 in Jammua and Kashmir, the President said that the people had supported the government's policy of development. He said, "Only a few weeks ago, for the first time since independence, the Zilla Parishad elections in Jammu and Kashmir have concluded successfully." English designer Richard Quinn's exhibit at the NGV Triennial is a lovely thing; heavily embroidered with sequins and pearls, five kilos of frocklet with integrated high heels, helmet mask, bodysuit hosiery and matching handbag glinting in its airy glass case at the intersection of an upper gallery and mezzanine corridor. Dash through the Triennial as I did, however (hell bent to get around in two hours; forget it), and you're likely to miss it. Which would be a shame. And not just because it's so dang pretty you can almost see it sway and hear it click-tinkling down the runway of Quinn's show in London last year, but because it's a virtual millefeuille of clues to the Triennial itself. Look 2, ensemble from Richard Quinns 2020 autumn-winter collection on display in NGV Triennial. Richard Quinn Credit:Sean Fennessy It speaks to the moment, says Danielle Whitfield, NGV fashion and textile curator. Richard Quinns work is on the cutting edge of all those conversations were having around the world and that make up the Triennial: the purpose of design, the intersections between different design disciplines, interrogations of new materials, environmental impacts. Hes also at that experimental avant-garde end [of fashion], inventing new techniques, new processes, new ways to address sustainability, ethical supply... In its own weirdly British way, Quinn's Triennial queen also tackles the hottest hot button issue in fashion right now; cultural identity and the fraught ways we all pick clothes to signal who we think we are and where we belong. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain As part of standard patient protocol, doctors inform women of the risks of pregnancy. But there is one exception to this standard: stillbirth. University of Arkansas law professor Jill Wieber Lens argues that women have a right to know of the risk of stillbirth, and, consistent with the evolution of informed consent law, this right should be enforceable through a medical malpractice tort claim. Stillbirth, or pregnancy loss after 20 weeks but before birth, is not uncommon. Annually, 26,000 U.S. women give birth to a stillborn baby, or roughly one out every 160 pregnancies. The United States' stillbirth rate is higher than the stillbirth rates of many other high-income countries and has not decreased as have other countries' rates. "Numerous countries have reduced their stillbirth rates through initiatives that include requiring doctors to disclose the risk of stillbirth to women and to educate women on simple preventative measures," Lens says. "A tort claim enforcing a woman's right to disclosure of stillbirth could have a similar effect in the United States." In "Medical Paternalism, Stillbirth, & Blindsided Mothers," published in the Iowa Law Review, Lens contends that women remain ignorant of the possibility of stillbirth because of the remnants of medical paternalismdoctors choose not to disclose the risk because they think women don't need to and shouldn't know about it, because the risk is low, and they think it might cause anxiety in patients. There could be other reasons. Doctors might believe that anxious women would want additional visits, which might not be covered under current insurance billing standards. "Possibly the only one benefiting from current non-disclosure is the doctor," writes Lens, "as he or she may be motivated by billing incentives more than what is best for the patient and her unborn child." In the article, Lens explained that doctors historically were obligated to disclose only those risks they thought patients needed to know. However, decades ago, courts rejected this paternalism in favor of a patient's right to information and self-determination. This led to the adoption of a so-called "materiality standard," which requires doctors to disclose all risks that a reasonable patient would want to know. Lens applied this materiality standard and the evolved principles of informed consent law to a pregnant woman's right to know about the risk of stillbirth. The right easily satisfies the materiality standard, she said. Additionally, Lens argued, there is no evidence to support the myth that disclosure will cause anxiety for pregnant women. In current routine practice, doctors disclose many risks associated with pregnancy, including the risks of miscarriage and fetal abnormalities, such as down syndrome and fatal trisomies. But empirical studies confirm that pregnant women remain unaware of the possibility and reality of stillbirth. "The narrative of the irrational and emotional pregnant woman does not justify the doctor's non-disclosure," she said. "This narrative is common, but there is no evidence to support it. Keeping women in the dark about stillbirth only prevents them from taking actions that could prevent stillbirth, such as not smoking, sleeping on one's side and monitoring the baby's movements." In addition to patient and fetal health, there are other benefits that could be achieved through a tort claim, Lens explained. Educating women will likely reduce the number of malpractice claims filed after stillbirth, as patients are less likely to sue when they feel informed and are satisfied with doctor-patient communication. Though stillbirth will still be devastating for women, knowing about the risk ahead of time might help alleviate some of the shock. Finally, informing women of the risk of stillbirth might increase public awareness and help reduce the stigma and taboo surrounding stillbirth. Explore further Study questions impact of pregnancy-related programme on stillbirth rates More information: Jill Wieber Lens. Medical Paternalism, Stillbirth, & Blindsided Mothers. 106 Iowa L. Rev. 665 (2021) As the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened, families and inexperienced hikers have fled large metropolitan areas they would usually spend their free time in and have literally ran for the hills. As state park visitation skyrocketed at some Texas parks over 2020, rescues of hikers also increased. At Big Bend State Park, the largest park in the state, staff reported 23 rescues last year, more than double the 11 recorded in 2019 before the pandemic, as reported by Texas Monthly Magazine. Their story opens with the rescue of a 45-year-old San Antonio man, whose rescue called for four hours from 13 crew members and lots of equipment. Mandalay told shareholders that a study of the structural dynamics around the Youle deposit highlighted the distinct probability of a continuation to auriferous veining within a sub-vertical geometry underneath the westerly-dipping deposit The BC176 intercept is pictured with enlarged image of the gold seen on the edge of the core Mandalay Resources Corporation ( ) ( ) (FRA:R7X2) revealed positive intercepts from a newly-discovered veining horizon near the Youle deposit on the companys Costerfield gold operation in Australia. Highlights included 460.5 grams per ton (g/t) gold over 0.1 metres (m) and 165.1 g/t gold over 0.2m, according to a statement Friday. Toronto-based Mandalay told shareholders that a study of the structural dynamics within and surrounding the Youle deposit highlighted the distinct probability of a continuation to auriferous veining within a sub-vertical geometry underneath the westerly-dipping Youle deposit. Around 90m below the deepest known intercept on Youle and 200m below current on vein development, drill hole BC176 intercepted a quartz structure with abundant visible gold, Mandalay told investors. While the intercept was not fully recovered, with about 40% of the intercept ground away in the drilling process, the company recovered 0.6m of core containing the auriferous quartz vein assaying 460.5 g/t gold. Another intercept was fully recovered and a 0.2m vein appeared in the core that exhibited grains of gold through the quartz alongside blebs of stibnite, which was sampled and assayed at 165.1 g/t gold over a true width of 0.20m. We are excited by the initial drill hole underneath the Youle deposit as it returned a very significant intersection of high gold grades in both the parent hole and confirmatory wedge hole approximately one metre away, Mandalay CEO Dominic Duffy said in a statement accompanying the results. At approximately 90 metres below the last intercept on Youle, this discovery may indicate a new gold mineralized structure below and separate from the high-grade Youle deposit. This is a major milestone for our exploration program so early in the year and reinforces our planned 2021 program of deeper drilling below several of the known deposits. Mandalay added that drilling is ongoing at Costerfield to test the extent of the visually auriferous, veining and the parallel vein sets. A heroic mother who drowned after she raced into a dangerous rip to save her son told him 'don't let go of me' moments before her tragic death. Leonie Jackson drowned after she dove into the water at Congo Beach, on the New South Wales' south coast, to rescue her ten-year-old son during a trip for her 50th birthday. Tributes have since poured in for the mother-of-two who was the first deaf person to become the CEO of the Deaf Society and who spent years working for charities that focused on hearing impairments. Ms Jackson's young sister Clarie Gibbs, said Leonie was 'my hero, big sister and one of the best human beings'. Leonie Jackson, 50, (pictured, left) drowned after she dove into the water at Congo Beach, on New South Wales' South Coast to save her ten-year-old son 'Leonie would always keep a promise and the last words she spoke were 'don't let go of me'. 'Leonie, I promise you we won't,' Ms Gibbs told the Gold Coast Bulletin. Family and friends of Leonie have promised to 'not let go' of her two beautiful young boys and continue her mission to fight for inclusion and access for all. Ms Gibbs said that while some heroes wear capes, it was her sister's creative, kind and self-less nature that made her a hero to the very end. Miami High School Principal Sue Dalton, said she 'hit the jackpot' when she began working with Leonie, as she truly understood what inclusion meant for students with disabilities. Tributes have since poured in for Ms Jackson who is being remembered as a pioneer for the deaf community 'She genuinely instilled belief in these children that they too could break down barriers and believe that anything was possible if you work hard for it and get back up every time you get knocked down,' Ms Dalton said. The principal said Leonie gave deaf students and their families hope in her fight to give children equal access inside and outside the classroom. The mother's legacy will be remembered by her family as they set up a memorial in the hallway of Miami High School for Leonie's family, friends and beloved deaf community. Almost two weeks ago, a surfer spotted Ms Jackson and her son struggling in the water and ran to help them. Witnesses pulled the pair onto the shore and started CPR until paramedics arrived. Her son was not injured but Ms Jackson was unable to be saved. Ms Jackson's efforts to save her son at Congo Beach on the New South Wales south coast (pictured) have been described as 'heroic' by family and friends The mother had worked as the Executive Manager, Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships for the Deaf Society since being named the CEO in 2015. Friend and former colleague Tony Abrahams, Ai-Media Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, told the Daily Telegraph Ms Jackson 'was one of my very closest friends'. 'Her heroic sacrifice - diving into a rip to save her son just one day after celebrating her 50th birthday - is a tragedy beyond words and speaks to the character of a woman and a leader whose life was lived in service to others. CEO of Deaf Services and the Deaf Society, Brett Casey, said the news of her death had devastated the deaf community. 'This has come as a shock to the whole community. To many of us, myself included, Leonie was far more than a colleague, her passing is an incredible loss to our organisation, the Deaf community, and the Australian disability sector at large,' he said. Tributes have since poured in for the mother-of-two who was the first deaf person to become the CEO of the Deaf Society and spent years working for charities that focused on hearing impairments 'Australia's Deaf community would look very different today if not for the passionate work of Leonie Jackson. Deaf Services and the Deaf Society will not be the same without her, and neither will many of our lives, or those of the community we serve. 'Leonie was a true leader, a community engager, and a fantastic mother of two amazing boys. Her advocacy and work in the deafness sector in NSW and Australia have impacted millions of Australians,' CEO of Hear for You David Brady wrote. Ms Jackson is the third person in NSW to die while trying to rescue another from a rip this year. The Supreme Court's refusal to grant interim protection to Team Tandav and its observation that actors cannot play roles hurting the religious sentiments of others has led to consternation in the industry with many insiders worried about the road ahead for India's soft power. A day after the apex court ruling on the starry political saga from Amazon Prime Video from which several scenes have already been cut, most Bollywood biggies were silent. However, there were others, including Hansal Mehta, Pritish Nandy and Konkona Sen Sharma, who spoke of the line between art and the artiste being blurred and the implications of it. Some asked how actors could be held accountable for who they played on screen. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court declined to grant interim protection from any coercive action to Tandav director Ali Abbas Zafar, actor Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub and others facing multiple FIRs for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. The court observed that freedom of speech and expression is not absolute and is subject to restrictions, Ayyub's lawyer defended the alleged objectionable part of the web series, saying that as an actor he has no artistic control over dialogues spoken by him. You cannot take up a role without reading the script. You cannot play role hurting religious sentiments of others, the bench remarked. Viewing the observations with alarm, several said it exposes actors, whose very job is to play varied characters, to legal trouble. Sharing the news report about the SC order, actor Konkona Sen Sharma tweeted, "Almost all involved in the show have read the script and signed the contract! Let's arrest the whole cast and crew?" Read: Konkona Sen Sharma Takes a Dig at the Tandav Controversy Almost all involved in the show have read the script and signed the contract! Lets arrest the whole cast and crew? https://t.co/xbqbQ641D7 Konkona Sensharma (@konkonas) January 28, 2021 Actor Guahar Khan, who plays a pivotal role in Tandav, used a series of monocled emojis depicting scrutiny to respond to a Twitter user who said, Excellent. Next people playing murderers on screen might be tried for the same. After all, they read the script Screenwriter-lyricist Mayur Puri, whose works include "Om Shanti Om" and "Happy New Year", said it was "ridiculous" to hold an actor responsible for the actions of a fictional character. Puri said the decision has set a dangerous precedent, one which clearly blurs the line between the art and the artiste. "What I thought was particularly alarming was making a creator or an actor responsible for what a character does. That's fiction! you'd say Amrish Puri was a bad person. He wasn't, he just played those characters. You can't hold him responsible. It's a rather stringent interpretation of the law, it's blindsided. It's completely unwarranted," Puri told PTI. "So from now on we have to play characters that are exactly who we are. Dear directors, writers & producers are you by any chance writing a role for a nomadic nerd identifying as a cisgender straight woman who is 5'8" and just the right amount of weird & wonderfully astounding?" tweeted "Scam 1992" actor Shreya Dhanwanthary. At the centre of the controversy is a scene that shows Ayyub's student leader Shiva playing Bholenath, another name for Lord Mahadev, in a college theatrical production, for which the makers apologised and even decided to implement changes under pressure. Filmmaker Onir, who described the apex court decision as sad, said the entire industry should be protesting as it affects everybody. Somehow that collective voice is missing, for whatever reasons it seems to be divided but it is absolutely unfortunate," Onir told PTI, also citing the backlash faced by shows such as Leila, A Suitable Boy and Mirzapur. "There is no end to this. It is very sad that we are turning our country into a space which will suffocate art. Different opinions flourish and it is ok, one can criticize, debate but don't throttle it. It is extremely sad that something like this is happening, especially when the platform has already reedited the series," he said. "At the end of the day, art is supposed to push boundaries, create dialogue, debate and hold a mirror to society so that it reflects what is happening around," he added. You Cant Play Role That Hurts Religious Sentiments, SC Tells Tandav Actors Denying Interim Protection from Arrest Producer Pritish Nandy, who has produced the International Emmy-nominated show Four More Shots Please, said people have the right to disapprove or criticise but intimidating a creative team is just wrong. "We are globally recognised for our content today. That is why it is so sad to see what is happening to shows like 'Tandav' and 'Mirzapur' which have had phenomenal response otherwise There are far simpler remedies available. Use those," Nandy told PTI. The writer-producer said suppression of the creative voice would diminish India's role as a global soft power. "We are becoming more and more intolerant. Fringe groups are trying to set the creative agenda for India. This is tragic and self defeating because India is a phenomenally talented nation and to suppress its talent, its genius would be grossly unfair. Don't take the service if you don't have the stomach for good content, was his advice. At the heart of all creativity is freedom. Enjoy the freedom. Allow others to celebrate their freedom. And the world will be a better place," he added. Filmmaker Hansal Mehta asked his followers on Twitter, "Arnab or Tandav? Which is more dangerous?" He was referring to TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami whose purported WhatsApp chats have caused a huge controversy. Following up on the tweet, he further wrote, "Deep Sidhu or Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub?" Deep Sidhu, an actor and activist, has been named by Delhi Police in an FIR in connection with Red Fort incidents. Arnab or Tandav? Which is more dangerous? Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) January 27, 2021 Actor Mohan Kapur, known for featuring films such as "Mission Mangal", "Bodyguard" and is set to star in "Ms Marvel" series, added his voice to the chorus of concern. "#Tandav on @PrimeVideoIN is nothing but a brilliantly essayed political drama with top notch performances by each & everyone! The show has NOTHING objectionable. "There is none, not one, zero, nada, zip, zilch mention of any deity for anyone to take any umbrage," he tweeted. Responding to a news alert on SC's decision on 'Tandav', actor Richa Chadha tweeted: Priorities of the apex court! Congress leader and lawyer Kapil Sibal also weighed in on the Supreme Court's decision. "Tandav Opinion of courts remind me of a pendulum which swings to one way to the other depending on who decides.. Such swings betray the cause of justice," he wrote on Twitter. In November last year, the government brought OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar besides other online news and current affairs content under the ambit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, giving it powers to regulate policies and rules for the digital space. So far, there was no law or autonomous body governing digital content in India. Ellsworth: Did you get the message from your body? 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. Loading In a smaller phase 2b study in South Africa, the vaccine was found to be 60 per cent effective at preventing COVID-19 illness. That dropped to 49 per cent when people with HIV were also included. In that trial 90 per cent of the sequenced cases were attributed to the highly contagious strain. Professor Shabir Maddi, principal investigator in the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trial in South Africa, said the results were encouraging. This is the first COVID-19 vaccine for which we now have objective evidence that it protects against the variant dominating in South Africa, Professor Maddi said. Professor Raina MacIntyre, head of the biosecurity program at the Kirby Institute at the University of NSW, said information was urgently needed about the other vaccines Australia has acquired and how effective they are against these variants. They all target the same protein, so we can expect reduced efficacy to variant strains with these vaccines, she said. These are likely to become the dominant strains globally and are more contagious, and the B117 appears to be more severe. Australia is set to receive 51 million doses of the Novavax jab from the middle of the year. Before that, Pfizer will start providing the country with at least 80,000 doses a week to a total of 10 million by the end of the year. AstraZeneca has committed to providing a total of 1.2 million internationally produced doses initially, and 50 million doses are being manufactured at CSLs Melbourne facility. The first delivery of that locally manufactured vaccine will be earlier than expected. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video The first doses have been brought forward to an expected late March supply of approximately 1 million per week, Mr Hunt said. By the end of March, CSL will have provided approximately 2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, he said. Mr Hunt has previously described the AstraZeneca vaccine as the ace in the hole of the countrys inoculation strategy, with the majority of Australians set to receive that vaccine. In Germany, scientists on the Health Ministrys vaccine committee did not find the AstraZeneca vaccine unsafe, but said the jab should not be given to older age groups due to a lack of trial data. The experts endorsed the vaccines rollout for people aged 18 to 64. There are currently insufficient data available to assess the vaccine efficacy from 65 years of age, the committee said in its draft decision on Thursday (German time). Loading The European Medicines Agency was to hand down its verdict on the vaccine on Fridaywhile the Australian medical regulator is expected to make a decision on the AstraZeneca vaccine in February. On Friday, Mr Hunt said he had complete faith in the Therapeutic Goods Administrations assessment. Our approach will be led by what we believe will be the best medical regulator in the world, the Therapeutic Goods Administration. A TGA spokesperson said all matters are being carefully considered as part of its assessment process, including the evidence supporting immunisation in various age groups. The TGAs decision will also be informed by the Advisory Committee on Vaccines, an independent group of clinical and technical experts, the spokesperson said on Friday. AstraZeneca has acknowledged over 65s represented a small proportion of trial participants but insists the jab will provide a strong shield against serious illness and death in all age groups. The latest analyses of clinical trial data for the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine support efficacy in the over 65 years age group, a spokesperson said. Millions of elderly residents in the UK have already been given the vaccine and work is under way to assess its efficacy outside the trials. Loading Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he did not agree with Germanys decision. He said British authorities think the AstraZeneca vaccine is very good and efficacious and gives a high degree of protection after one dose and even more after two doses. Any restrictions on using AstraZeneca for over 65s will complicate Australias rollout strategies because older people are due to be prioritised given their vulnerability to COVID-19. If the TGA made a similar finding to Germany, the Morrison government would have to rely more heavily on the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine during the initial rollout. 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. A Dutch court has ordered Royal Dutch Shell Plcs Nigerian unit to compensate for oil spills in two villages over 13 years ago. Shell Nigeria is liable for damages from pipeline leaks in the villages of Oruma and Goi, the Hague Court of Appeals said in a ruling Friday. The amount of compensation will be decided later. The court also ordered the Nigerian unit and its Hague-headquartered parent company to build better warning systems so future leaks can be quickly detected. The case is the first in which a company and its foreign subsidiary have been tried in the Netherlands for allegedly breaching duty of care abroad, and it could have far-reaching implications for future suits brought against oil firms. The ruling sets a precedent for where such case can be heard and potentially increases the number of court cases taking place in oil companies home countries, rather than those where alleged pollution is happening. We continue to believe that the spills in Oruma and Goi were the result of sabotage. We are therefore disappointed that this court has made a different finding on the cause of these spills and in its finding that Shells Nigeria unit is liable, Shell said in a statement. Sabotage, crude oil theft and illegal refining are a major challenge in the Niger Delta. The court also said that a case over whether Shell was liable for an oil leak in the village of Ikot Ada Udo would continue. The court established that the spill was a result of sabotage, but is seeking to determine whether the pollution has spread and if it still needs to be cleaned. Shell has other legal woes to contend with. In a separate action brought by Milieudefensie, the Dutch arm of Friends of the Earth, a court in The Hague will determine in May whether Shell is violating human rights by extracting fossil fuels. While in the U.K., thousands of Nigerians are asking British legal authorities for permission to sue the company for environmental damages caused in the Niger Delta. After Fridays ruling, the only possible future legal avenue left to either party, would be to appeal at the Netherlands highest court. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Energy Oil Gas Awarded Top Employers Global 2021 certification in 20 countries across Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and North America BENGALURU, India, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, has been recognized by the Top Employers Institute as a Top Employer 2021, across Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and North America in recognition of its excellence in employment practices. Infosys has been recognized with the Top Employer Global certification across the following regions: North America USA , Canada , Mexico Asia Pacific India , Singapore , Australia , New Zealand and Japan Middle East UAE, Bahrain & Oman Europe Belgium , Netherlands , Germany , Sweden , Switzerland , Romania , France, Ireland and the United Kingdom Pravin Rao, Chief Operating Officer at Infosys, said, "This year's certification reinforces our dedication to supporting our people, especially in these unprecedented times. It is important to acknowledge the contribution and excellence that comes from investing in our workforce, and nurturing a workplace that champions fairness, integrity, transparency and drives leadership by example. Through our progressive 'people first' policies and practices, we are working to consistently improve employee value. Infosys is continually creating employee experiences with empathy, that can help an individual reach their potential and deliver at the highest level." The Top Employers certification is also a recognition of Infosys' Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) vision to facilitate best-in-class employee experience and to be recognized among the best employers in the regions that Infosys operates. David Plink, Chief Executive Officer at Top Employers Institute, said, "Despite the challenging year we have experienced (which has certainly made an impact on organisations around the globe), our global Top Employers have continued to demonstrate the power of putting their people first in the workplace. As a global Top Employer, Infosys has shown their dedication to their employees on an international level across numerous countries and we congratulate them for their global certification." The Top Employers Institute has certified almost 1700 organizations in 120 countries/regions. These certified Top Employers positively impact the lives of over 7 million employees globally. About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With nearly four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, financial expectations and plans for navigating the COVID-19 impact on our employees, clients and stakeholders are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding COVID-19 and the effects of government and other measures seeking to contain its spread, risks related to an economic downturn or recession in India, the United States and other countries around the world, changes in political, business, and economic conditions, fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry and the outcome of pending litigation and government investigation. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. These filings are available at www.sec.gov . Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. SOURCE Infosys Zoo robbery sounds like something Captain Planet would half-ass a fight against in an episode that's 90 percent Planeteer whining. But it's actually one of the fastest growing crime problems in the world. It's getting to the point that you can't step into the average nature reserve without a guy in a ski mask running past, screaming and clutching an enraged pelican. And not every theft is as charming as the time a stolen lemur wriggled away from his thief, escaped to a local playground , and was discovered by a lemur-loving five-year-old. This is a serious problem. Consider, for example ... 4 The Great Philadelphia Insect Heist The issue of zoo theft burst into the public imagination in 2018, when the people of Philadelphia awoke to the news that a criminal mastermind stalked their streets with a stolen army of 7,000 terrifying murder insects. This was a startling development even for Philly, where the average news story starts with "Drunk Challenges Mayor To Fistfight" and ends with "...repeatedly in the groin, as residents and the Phillie Phanatic screamed in a manner onlookers could only describe as 'inchoate'." Continue Reading Below Advertisement The stolen insects included giant centipedes, fire-legged tarantulas, hissing cockroaches, desert hairy scorpions, and something called a red spot assassin bug, which we're literally too scared to Google. Every one of those animals personally hates you and God, and we didn't even get into the six-eyed sand spider, which has been described as "one of the most venomous spiders in the world," behind only the Brazilian Wandering Spider and Ann Coulter. Pueri/Wikimedia Commons *Cracked cannot be held legally responsible for any readers who just instinctively attacked their computer screen. Continue Reading Below Advertisement All 7,000 creepy-crawlies were seized in a daring heist at the Philadelphia Insectarium, which was basically cleaned out. Police quickly identified the crime as an inside job, largely because they found the main suspect's uniform nailed to the wall with two huge knives. Subsequent investigations revealed that the theft originated when the spider-wrangler in question learned that he was about to be fired. Instead, he recruited a strike team of fellow disgruntled employees and "staged a coup," seizing control of the Insectarium and carrying off multiple carloads of endangered species. Sadly, this did not end with the Insectarium's owner teaming up with the six-eyed sand spider to stage a Die Hard-style fightback against the thieves. Continue Reading Below Advertisement The mastermind was ultimately arrested, having made one tiny mistake (neglecting to turn off literally any security cameras before scooping tarantulas into a sack like a soon-to-be-arrested mall Santa). But only 5 percent of the stolen insects were ever recovered. Investigators concluded that the rest were already circulating on the thriving endangered insect black market, where they had an estimated value of $40,000. Which is frankly an insanely low amount of money to steal and house thousands of cockroaches for. Like, they could probably have got more if they'd just stolen the Insectarium director's car. Either way, the thefts were devastating for the popular Insectarium, which risked losing its ranking as one of the world's most horrifying nightmare zoos. Human behaviors highly determine where wildlife may move and persist in a landscape, hence showing the importance of 'Anthropogenic Resistance' in conservation planning. Credit: Conservation Biogeography, Humboldt-University Berlin For species to survive in the wild, maintaining connectivity between populations is critical. Without 'wildlife corridors,' groups of animals are isolated, unable to breed and may die out. In assessing wildlife connectivity, many aspects of the landscape are measured, but the impact of human behavior has largely been overlooked. Now, an international team led by the University of Gottingen and Humboldt University Berlin, introduce the concept of 'anthropogenic resistance', which should be studied to ensure sustainable landscapes for wildlife and people for the future. Their perspective article was published in the journal One Earth. Landscapes around the world are increasingly affected by rapid urbanization, deforestation and similar developments driven by human activity. So far, data collection has largely focused on measuring properties of the landsuch as agriculture, urbanization, forestland, crops, or elevation. Other impacts from people are usually lumped together in categories such as population density, or distance from settlements or roads. The researchers propose that it is not merely the presence, absence, or number of people, but what the people are actually doing which affects wildlife movement. In fact, a range of psychological and socioeconomic factors can play a part in 'anthropogenic resistance.' Some examples of these factors include hunting, poaching or supplementary feeding. For their study, the researchers looked at three case studies in detail: wolves in Washington State; leopards in Iran; and large carnivores in central India. The same concept can be applied to other species: for example the Eurasian lynx, which are returning to their historical ranges; or roe deer who use croplands for both shelter and food but reduce their presence during the hunting season. In some parts of the world, cultural and religious beliefs can result in the tolerance of large carnivores, such as tigers and lions, despite substantial livestock losses and threats to human life. The researchers considered effects from beliefs, values and traditions to wildlife in different areas. The authors claim these nuanced differences in human behavior strongly determine where wildlife may move and persist in a landscape. Conflict between wolves and people is intense in many parts of the world, heightening 'Anthropogenic Resistance' to their comeback. Credit: Conservation Biogeography, Humboldt-University Berlin A pack of wolves crossing a 'green bridge' built to connect highly fragmented habitats of Germany. Credit: Conservation Biogeography, Humboldt-University Berlin Professor Niko Balkenhol, from Wildlife Sciences at the University of Gottingen, explains, "Anthropogenic resistance is also relevant to the BearConnect project, which aims to understand the factors that determine connectivity in European populations of the brown bear. Bears are capable of moving across huge distances, as shown by bear JJ1, better known as 'Bruno', who traveled from the Italian Trento region all the way to Bavaria, where he was shot. It is important to note that, although Bruno was able to cross the physical landscape, he was stopped by the severe 'anthropogenic resistance' provided by humans who could not tolerate his behavior." "Our paper shows that 'anthropogenic resistance' is an important piece of the puzzle for connectivity-planning to ensure the functionality of corridors for wildlife and people," says Dr. Trishna Dutta, senior author of the study, also from Wildlife Sciences at the University of Gottingen. Dutta goes on to say: "It reveals that there are advantages for social and natural scientists to collaborate in understanding the effects of 'anthropogenic resistance' in future studies." Explore further COVID-19 highlights risks of wildlife trade More information: Arash Ghoddousi et al, Anthropogenic resistance: accounting for human behavior in wildlife connectivity planning, One Earth (2021). Arash Ghoddousi et al, Anthropogenic resistance: accounting for human behavior in wildlife connectivity planning,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2020.12.003 When the 1918 Spanish flu hit Germany, Ursula Haeussler was just three years old. She grew up on a farm near Berlin and her first memory is of her uncle and godparents visiting her family, coming down with the flu and passing away from the illness within days. She said they were all between the ages of 25 and 30 years old. So when Haeussler got the opportunity to get a COVID-19 vaccine last week, she took it. She received her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine Jan. 22 at Kaiser Permanente Fremonts vaccination clinic, and she said it didnt hurt a bit. I didnt feel it at all, its really good. ... I was a little bit tired a few nights maybe, but thats it. Haeussler said with the 1918 flu, there wasnt a vaccine to help end the pandemic, so she hopes everyone feels lucky to even have the option and urges people to get a vaccine as soon as its available to them. [The 1918 flu] wasnt like now. There was nothing you could do when you got it, she said. There was no vaccine. Now its so different because you get this wonderful vaccine. While it may take a long time for the COVID-19 pandemic to one day fade from our memories, Haeussler said she doesnt remember the 1918 flu having as much of a lasting effect on daily life since much of Europe was concerned with the effects of World War I and the rise of dictators across the continent. The pandemic ravaged the country and Germany experienced around 287,000 influenza deaths between 1918 and 1920, New York Fed economist Kristian Blickle reported. Haeussler moved to California in 1974 since her daughters had moved to the state. Until the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Fremont resident was living alone in an apartment where she did her own laundry and cooked her own meals. Now she lives with her daughter, Cora Assali, who at 79 years old also just got her first dose of the vaccine. She helps take care of her mother now. Ursula Haeussler Haeussler also has no memories of people wearing masks, but she said with the scientific information we have today, shes been happy to wear one to stop the spread. We just had no idea [in 1918] and people just died. People didnt wear masks, she said. I think its very necessary to wear a mask. You should do everything the scientists say. Gabriel Clement, a nurse manager in the nephrology and peritoneal dialysis department at Kaiser Permanente Fremont Medical Center, said it was an amazing moment to see Haeussler get the vaccine. It was such an honor to meet Ursula and talk to her about everything she has lived through, she said. Our staff felt privileged to be able to care for her in this way and keep her safe from COVID-19. Like many of us, Haeussler has spent the pandemic isolated from most friends and family, though she and her daughter do occasionally have socially distanced visitors in their backyard. She said she hopes the new administration will help people take the pandemic more seriously. I hope now since we have a new government Im glad to see Mr. Biden trying at least to get unity. Its so terrible so many people have died. Its so sad so many people have lost their jobs. I hope its all getting better now. DALLAS, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On Feb. 2, Texas Trees Foundation will partner with Target and the Arbor Day Foundation to plant 50 trees in Veterans Park in Dallas, Texas. The 50 trees planted by volunteers recruited by the City of Dallas will combat Dallas' urban heat island, contribute to its overall tree canopy, and provide healthy, safe and green outdoor spaces for generations to come. Texas Trees Foundation North Texas residents are encouraged to register to volunteer at the event by visiting Dallas Parks and Recreation's website. Volunteers must wear a mask at all times during the planting and follow recommended COVID-19 safety guidelines. "We are proud to encourage and support local efforts to plant trees. Cities and towns around the globe that line their streets and fill their parks with trees are building healthier, happier communities," said Dan Lambe, Arbor Day Foundation president. Texas Trees Foundation's Urban Heat Island Management Study found that Dallas is heating up faster than every city in the country except for Phoenix. Heat-related deaths in the United States account for more deaths annually than all other natural disasters combined, and tree plantings in the hottest areas with high density residential was found to reduce deaths by more than 20 percent. "Texas Trees Foundation is focused on making spaces cooler, greener and cleaner, and data has long affirmed that planting trees is vital to achieve this laudable and critical goal," said Janette Monear, CEO/President of Texas Trees Foundation. "These new trees at Veterans Park will provide an outdoor sanctuary for North Texas residents to experience the joy nature can provide." To learn more about the Veterans Park planting event, please visit texastrees.org/projects/branchingout or email Joshua Wilbanks at [email protected]. Related Files Media Alert - Veterans Park 2.2.21.pdf Related Images texas-trees-foundation-planting-day.png Texas Trees Foundation Planting Day Related Links City of Dallas Volunteer Registration Page Texas Trees Foundation Planting Projects SOURCE Texas Trees Foundation 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| 2021-01-29 21:48:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Africa's leading mobile network, MTN, has announced a donation of 25 million U.S. dollars to support African Union's COVID-19 vaccination program. The donation, which comes in a unique public/private partnership, will help secure up to seven million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for health workers across the African continent, thereby contributing to the vaccination initiative of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), according to an AU statement on Friday. Stating that the donation is a remarkable milestone in efforts to ensure equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine for Africa's people, the statement of the 55-member pan-African bloc said Africa, with a population of about 1.3 billion, requires many more doses to achieve the goal of vaccinating at least 60 percent of the population. "Our goal is to ensure that all those who need the COVID-19 vaccine have access to it very quickly, but the biggest hurdle in Africa has been financing of the vaccines, and the logistics of vaccinating at scale," said John Nkengasong, Director of Africa CDC. "We therefore welcome the right partnerships, like the one with MTN, to achieve our minimum 60 percent vaccination target," he said. On January 14, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chairperson of AU, announced that AU had secured a provisional 270 million COVID-19 vaccine doses on behalf of its Member States, through advance procurement commitment guarantees of up to two billion dollars to the manufacturers by the African Export-Import Bank. Since the beginning of the pandemic, MTN has made significant contributions to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and save lives and livelihoods within its African market. This donation is another example of MTN's efforts to help find lasting solutions to the challenges facing the continent. "The devastating impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented and profound. Public and private partnerships are needed if we are to succeed in the fight against the pandemic and restore social and economic norms for our continent and our communities," said Ralph Mupita, President and Chief Executive Officer of MTN Group. Enditem Op/Ed by Chris Devonshire-Ellis Outlined several Government upcoming policies Stressed need to develop digitization and A.I. New reforms Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose image is increasingly Hipster-Guru, took on a position of global statesman in his speech yesterday at the World Economic Forum. Pointing out that India was scaling up vaccine production and would soon be exporting globally (in sharp contrast to what is currently happening in the European Union and United States), Modi stated: These vaccines will help the countries of the world on a much larger scale, at a higher speed and stressed that India had behaved as a globally responsible citizen during the pandemic. In these tough times, India has been undertaking its global responsibility from the beginning. When airspace was closed in many countries, India took more than 100,000 foreign citizens back to their countries & delivered essential medicines to more than 150 countries, Modi added. We highlight other important aspects of his speech below. Promoting investment in frontier technologies We are promoting the investment in frontier technologies like AI, additive manufacturing, and interdisciplinary cyber-physical systems. During the pandemic, Indian companies are capable of absorbing supply shocks Several points have been decriminalized in Company Law. To raise competitiveness, connectivity infrastructure is being strengthened. During pandemic we saw that Indian companies are capable of tackling supply shock, they maintained medical supply in India and across the world. Digital competitiveness India has a vibrant start-up sector and 2/3rds of our economic output comes from cities. We have a commitment to Ease of living, ease of doing business, and climate-sensitive development. We are working to converge the physical and digital worlds in our cities. By 2025, India will have 25 cities with Metro services. India is also progressing fast on electric vehicle production. Indias vast internet connectivity We have issued 1.3 billion Aadhar cards, made 1.1 billion mobile connections, and have 750 million internet subscribers in India. 3,00,000 common service centers in the country are giving digital services in villages. 600,000 villages will be connected by Fibre Net in the next few years. UPI transactions have crossed 2 billion per month. This is mainly because of private apps. We want to invest in frontier technology such as AI. A strong law is also being worked on for data protection. Equity and innovation in MSMEs Digital lending platforms can help MSMEs get access to credit. Our effort is that MSMEs should benefit from AI and ML. Through the government e-Marketplace (GeM), 450,000 MSMES have joined in government procurement online. Energy infrastructure will support growth Infrastructure is one of the foremost priorities of the Indian Govt in the last 6 years, India has added 36GW to production capacity, roads and real networks are being augmented. US$1.5 trillion worth of projects will be implemented in the next 5 years. Logistics policy has also been contemplated. Reforms are an ongoing exercise, to improve competitiveness. By 2040, Indias infrastructure needs will be around US$4.5 trillion By 2040, Indias infrastructure needs will be around US$4.5 trillion. This target will be achieved by both the government and the industry. We are working tirelessly to provide an enabling environment. The Empowered Group of Secretaries has been formed, Sovereign Funds have been allowed 100% tax relief for infra investments. Single point contact has also been established for investment; asset monetization programs are also underway. We need to ensure that technology becomes a tool of ease of living and does not become a trap. Boosting manufacturing in India The Government has continuously taken several majors steps to boost manufacturing in India. Corporate Tax was brought down to 15% for new manufacturing units. GST rates have been reduced. Through GST & Faceless Assessment tax structure has been simplified. Labour laws have been reformed. Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan Our Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (the national self-sufficient India policy) is committed towards global good and the global supply chain. India has the capacity, capability and reliability to strengthen the global supply chain. A national logistics policy Answering a question on the importance of infrastructure in a growing economy, Modi said that the government will release a national logistics policy. Summary Modis speech was mainly for Indian domestic consumption, but did include several points towards continuing reform, and a more coherent national logistics and supply chain development, driven by hi-tech and digitization. This in turn suggests that India will maintain and enhance its position as a worthwhile destination for foreign investment in these sectors, and in areas also supported by them such as Teslas recent new factory to produce electric vehicles in Gujarat and related technologies. Related Reading Johnson & Johnson said Friday its COVID-19 vaccine prevented moderate to severe disease in an estimated 72% of U.S. participants in its trial, making it less protective than the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna products now in wide distribution. Yet because it requires just one shot and is simpler to store, the J&J drug would be easier to disseminate, making it a welcome addition to the arsenal against the pandemic, said infectious disease experts who were not involved with the study. The drug demonstrated an 85% efficacy in preventing severe disease, and its potency appeared to become greater over time. A month after getting the injection, no recipients developed a case of COVID-19 that led to hospitalization or death, the company said. But the efficacy numbers for the J&J product were lower in some other countries just 57% protection against moderate to severe disease in South Africa, where a coronavirus variant has mutated to the point that it has partly escaped protection from the vaccine. That suggests the world is in a race against time, before the variant becomes firmly established elsewhere. It was not immediately clear why the J&J vaccine seemed less protective than the Pfizer and Moderna products, both of which prevented more than 90% of disease in trials, said Paul Offit, a prominent vaccinologist at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. But he said the results were nevertheless promising, adding that the company is still studying whether a second dose might boost performance even higher. If you can keep people out of the hospital, that is the goal, said Offit, who was not involved in the study. Even 72% is also excellent. Yet the differing levels of efficacy raise the question of who gets which drug, said Michael LeVasseur, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Drexel Universitys Dornsife School of Public Health. He foresaw the possibility of equity issues if wealthier people have better access to the higher-performing drugs and also the question of the best medical practice. Do we give the less effective one to those who are at lower risk of disease? he asked. Still, the performance of the J&J vaccine is better than that of the flu vaccine in most years, said Offit, a co-inventor of a vaccine against rotavirus. Even the 57% figure in Africa is encouraging, despite the mutations that have enabled the virus to evade protection conferred by the vaccine, he said. Its not completely escaping, he said. There is still some protection. The J&J vaccine works differently from the Pfizer and Moderna products, which consist of genetic instructions in the form of RNA, delivered inside millions of tiny spheres made of waxy molecules called lipids. The J&J vaccine, on the other hand, consists of genetic instructions that are packaged within another type of virus called an adenovirus, which has been modified so it cannot cause disease. But in all three cases, the end result is the same. The genetic instructions prompt the recipients cells to make a harmless fragment of the coronavirus, thereby allowing the immune system to make customized antibodies and other defenses should the person ever become infected with the real virus. The J&J vaccine, made by Belgium-based subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals, has another advantage besides requiring just one shot. Compared to the RNA vaccines, it is easier to store. Company officials said the drug should remain stable for at least three months at standard refrigerator temperatures. The Pfizer product must be stored at a temperature below negative 90 degrees Fahrenheit, well below the range of standard freezers, though it can be kept in refrigerators for five days right before administration. The Moderna vaccine must be stored at negative 4 degrees, though it can be refrigerated for up to 30 days before administration. Still other candidates are on the horizon. Earlier this week, drugmaker Novavax said its two-dose vaccine prevented nearly 90% of symptomatic cases in a trial in the United Kingdom, though as with the J&J product, the vaccine appeared less effective against the variant identified in South Africa. By Sui Changquan The American think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released last month the fifth of its series of Armitage-Nye reports,U.S.-Japan Alliance in 2020: An Equal Alliance with A Global Agenda. The report is considered as a bellwether for the US-Japan alliance policy as the policy suggestions in the serial reports put forth in recent years have been repeatedly adopted by the Japanese and American governments. The latest report describes in great detail the so-called threats posed by China in military, economic, technical and other fields in an attempt to underscore the importance of intensifying the US-Japan alliance. Against the backdrop of increasingly fierce competition between Beijing and Washington, the report tries to capture the attention of Tokyo and the White House with the so-called China threat and hopes to persuade President Biden into strengthening the US-Japan alliance. The new report uses a different tone about Japan, unlike the remonstration used in previous reports. While the third report bluntly asked whether Japan wanted to stay a first-class country or it was willing to become a second-grade one, the fifth report spent a large part on affirming Japans handling of Asian-Pacific matters in recent years and suggested allowing it a more equal position in the alliance with the US. The new report underscores the need to expand the US-Japan partnership and alliance and strengthen the cooperation with countries that share common interests and values with the Asia Pacific and Europe. It calls for closer US-Japan cooperation in a broader scope, not limited to military, economic, and technical fields, and advises including Japan in the Five Eyes alliance. Washington believes that giving Tokyo a more equal position in the alliance will encourage Japan to play a bigger role in Americas Indo-Pacific strategy. In fact, the Guidelines for U.S.-Japan Defense Cooperation signed in 2015 already emphasized the global nature of the alliance between the two countries. On the one hand, with thedeclining national strength, the US has a greater need to break through the regional limitation to the US-Japan alliance in order to maintain its global domination. On the other hand, it offers an opportunity for Japan to participate more broadly in international affairs and consequently achieve its political purpose. Its foreseeable that Japan will be pushed to the frontline more often to cope with security threats. The US will step back and mainly provide Tokyo with extended nuclear deterrence, intelligence support, and sea and air force support. As to economic and technical cooperation in the Asia-Pacific, Washington is likely to share its domination in those domains through the alliance with Japan. Such a pattern, with Japan fighting on the frontline and the US raking in benefits in the rear, will become the normal state of the future US-Japan alliance. It is good for Japan to achieve its goal of becoming a political power leveraging Americas strengths, and also lowers the cost for the US to maintain its global hegemony. Yet, such an alliance envisioned by Washington is nothing more than a castle in the air despite the seemingly good prospects. The non-reconcilable structural conflicts between the two countries remain the biggest hurdle in the alliance, and a relationship genuinely equal is far beyond reach for the many obstacles. On security, the US policy of restricting and taking advantage of Japan will remain unchanged. On the economy, there is less possibility for Japan to assist the US in curbing China at the expense of its development interests as the country is more reliant on the Chinese market with the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). On politics, China isnt high on the Biden teams agenda, as it already has its plate full with pandemic prevention and control, political divide, and other domestic issues. Besides, the unclear outcome of Japans next prime minister election has also created uncertainties for the cooperation between Washington and Tokyo. Its easy to see that the latest Armitage-Nye report is just a new bottle containing old wine with the sinister intention of hyping up the so-called China threat and turning Japan into US pawn in the Asia Pacific. Deepening the US-Japan alliance doesnt seem so optimistic since both sides have their calculations for the cooperation. The author is an expert from the National Defence University,PLA China. Gov. Phil Murphy will hold his final coronavirus press conference of the month Friday afternoon at the Trenton War Memorial. The press conference starts at 1 p.m. and will be streamed live on the governors YouTube.com channel. Murphy will be joined by the state health departments deputy commissioner for public health services Dr. David Adinaro, state epidemiologist Dr. Christina Tan and State Police Superintendent Colonel Pat Callahan. Adinaro is attending in place of state health commissioner Judy Persichilli, who must quarantine after one of her staff members tested positive for the virus. Its the second time since late November that Persichilli, 71, has had to isolate after a positive test among one of her subordinates. At 10 a.m., Murphy planned to lead a contingent of officials and politicians on a tour of the states mega-vaccine site at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford. There were 3,116 patients in the states 71 hospitals with the coronavirus or suspected case as of 10 p.m. Thursday, five fewer than in the previous 24-hour period. Officials reported 548 patients in intensive care and 378 on ventilators. Hospitalizations have decreased nearly 16% in the past four weeks. On Thursday, Murphy disclosed 3,962 more COVID-19 cases and 82 additional fatalities. At least 724,371 have been vaccinated in New Jersey as of 9 a.m. Friday, according to the states COVID-19 dashboard. Of those, 610,110 are first doses. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JGoldmanNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Sailors stuck off the Chinese coast are complaining of callous treatment by local authorities, with some denied medical care for hours and even days despite symptoms including a broken hand and claims another sailor vomited blood. About 60 of the ships are carrying Australian coal, according to maritime data, which China has blocked from entering in an apparent trade strike, but the ships cannot leave because of commercial arrangements and for fear of being detained by Chinese authorities. The National Union of Seafarers of India, which represents some of the sailors, and the shipping companies involved have labelled the situation a humanitarian crisis as supplies and medicines continue to run out. The deadlock was triggered by Australias deteriorating relationship with Beijing, which saw Australian coal and up to $20 billion in other exports blocked in retaliation for Australias position on the coronavirus inquiry, human rights and national security. On one coal ship, the Anastasia, an officer told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that a colleague who broke his hand waited five days before being allowed to go onshore for treatment and only then after paying security to ensure he returned to the ship. Yuri Gribkov, Russia's consul general in Estonia, has admitted taking Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine. He got his second shot three days before his term ended and was to return to Moscow. Russia has for months sought to discredit Pfizer's vaccine and championed its homegrown Sputnik V. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. A top Russian diplomat has admitted getting the Pfizer vaccine, shunning the Sputnik V shot developed by his own country. Yuri Gribkov, who is Russia's consul general to Estonia, was confronted by a reporter from the Estonian news outlet Delfi on Wednesday as he left a hospital in Ida-Viru, an Estonian town located 32 miles from the Russian border. Gribkov's term as consul general is due to end on Friday. He visited the hospital just after midday on Wednesday for what was his second shot of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine, Delfi reported. When confronted by the reporter, Gribkov confirmed that he had just received the second dose, according to a video of the interaction published by The Daily Beast, which worked with Delfi on the investigation. "Pfizer?" the reporter is heard asking. "Yes," replied Gribkov. Russia approved the Sputnik V vaccine, developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Research Institute, for emergency use in August 2020, and began inoculating citizens on December 7. The emergency-use approval came before the vaccine completed phase-3 trials, and many everyday Russians have expressed doubt over its efficacy. But Gribvok told The Daily Beast he didn't wait to get vaccinated until he was back in Russia because his physician in Estonia had diagnosed him with "very weak lungs." "The Russian embassy like other foreign embassies received a diplomatic note from the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a suggestion to have [diplomats] vaccinated," Gribkov said. Vials Russia's Sputnik V vaccine seen at the Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow on August 6, 2020. Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Russian Direct Investment Fund via AP Despite this, the footage will likely raise awkward questions for Gribkov upon his return to Russia, as Moscow has not approved any other vaccine. Story continues Insider has contacted Russia's Presidential Press Office for comment. Pro-Kremlin media have have for months sought to sully the reputation of non-Russian vaccines like Pfizer's. The outlets are trying to create the image that "Russia fights the pandemic more effectively than Western democracies, boosting the credibility of a Russian vaccine and undermining that of other [Western] vaccines," according to the European Union-funded EUvsDisinfo campaign. Several state-media outlets even labelled the Pfizer vaccine "the shot of death," EUvsDisinfo said. One of those was Tsargrad TV, owned by an oligarch ally of President Vladimir Putin, which on January 15 published eight articles that called the Pfizer vaccine the "shot of death," The Daily Beast said. Gribkov told The Daily Beast that he denied that Russian government officials had internally labelled the Pfizer shot as deadly. "None of my colleagues, who I know for a long time, said that it is a 'shot of death,'" he said. Read more: Vaccine inequity on Capitol Hill: Members of Congress got the shots but essential Hill workers are left waiting A doctor holding a vial of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. Vincent Kalut / Photonews via Getty Images Pfizer announced that its vaccine had 90% efficacy on November 9, 2020. In an apparent attempt to steal the spotlight, Russia's health ministry announced later that day that Sputnik V also had 90% efficacy. Pro-Kremlin disinformation networks have also sought to cast doubt on the efficacy of Pfizer's shot on social media, according to a December 2020 report from the Delegation of the European Union to Azerbaijan. The claims included that Pfizer used "fake clinical trials" and delayed news of its vaccine efficacy "to get rid of Trump." Former President Donald Trump has also made the latter claim, accusing Pfizer of deliberately withholding its vaccine trial results until until after Election Day. Russia has not approved Pfizer's vaccine, but the company is considering seeking approval, according to the state-run TASS news agency. Russian state media have also worked to rubbish a vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, calling it "the monkey vaccine" because it was widely tested on apes. "Western vaccine developers are openly mocked on multilingual Russian state-controlled media, which has in some cases led to absurd claims that vaccines will turn people into monkeys," Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, wrote in a December blog post. However, Russia announced in December that it was working with AstraZeneca to explore whether their two vaccines could be combined. That Gribkov was able to get two doses of a vaccine when the majority of Estonians haven't had their first shots has not gone down well at the Ida-Viru Central Hospital, which has launched an inquiry. "I can't think of any regulations that would have allowed something like this to happen," Tarmo Bakler, the hospital's administrator, told The Daily Beast. Read the original article on Business Insider Acting Capitol Police Chief, Yogananda Pittman, says that a wall around Capitol Building should keep Congress members secure. This is after the Capitol Police failed to secure it on January 6. After the Capitol incident, the building itself is ringed by fences to prevent large groups of people from causing chaos again. Fencing in the Capitol Building According to Chief Pittman, a wall is needed to protect the Congress members better after the incidents of unknown breachers who penetrated and caused trouble. The DEMS were furious and alleged there is a plot against them. Pittman said in a statement that before September 11, 2001, an opinion by security specialists said a lot more is needed to secure the U.S. Capitol. Another argument surfaced in 2006 that then suggested a fence surrounding the compound of the Capitol Building. Citing these proofs why walling in is the solution for the DEMS who initiated new security procedures. Beefing up the security Pittman said that more additions to security measures might not be enough. The inclusion of a permanent fence will be a better solution for more security measures. Last will be the troops to back up the Capitol force if needed. After the happenings on January 6, the Capitol and National Guard barriers stationed in the District of Columbia are different. Also, fences with barbed wire encircled the building that is still there since ex-President Trump left the White House. The nation's Capital city is crawling with numerous guards' men still on station. Information from administration officials said that they would stay until mid-march. One purpose is to keep law and order which the Dominant party impeaches their former commander-in-chief. Also read: Capitol Police Chief Apologizes for Being Unprepared During the January 6 Bowser is against a permanent wall Pittman's statement was not acceptable to some sectors in the capital. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser disagreed and stated that it was not a sound idea. She posted her tweet on Twitter. 1/ Based on conversations with federal partners, there are some potentially volatile events upcoming that will require extra security. Fencing and the presence of troops will be a part of that. But we will not accept extra troops or permanent fencing as a long-term fixture in DC. Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) January 28, 2021 Bowser added that upcoming events and consultation with federal agencies would need extra security to keep volatile events from chaos. Adding that fencing and additional troops are part of the measures. She stressed that having extra troops stationed full time or a foreboding fence is not accepted as permanent. The DEMS mayor mentioned the fencing will stay there but will be taken out in time. All the fencing surrounding the White House and Capitol buildings will be removed just like businesses taking down the covers in time. Time for the Guard to leave Washington The National Guard's stay should have been until the inauguration ends, but the DEMS want them to stay longer. Several Republican lawmakers punctuated the Guard should be deployed back to their states but, they should be informed of what comes next. A statement done by eleven Republicans gave a letter to the U.S. Army acting Secretary John Whitley. The Guard has been stressed and subjected to many trials like the pandemic, riots by identified groups, disasters, and even prepared for overseas deployment. They criticized how the men and women of the Guard are used. GOP Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas is a vet and speaks for them; they should leave. Pittman argues the wall around Capitol Building is the best solution. Related article: Senator Tom Cotton says National Guard not Needed, Democrats Should Send them Back @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. 'EXTRAORDINARY STEP FORWARD' A GREENER WORLD GM'S INVESTMENT IN ELECTRIC USING RENEWABLE ENERGY (TNS) General Motors "aspires" to have all of its global new light-duty vehicles, including full-size pickups and SUVs, be zero emission by 2035. It also targets 2040 for its global products and plants to be carbon neutral.GM made the announcements Thursday, stopping short of saying all of its vehicles will be zero emissions, which means either battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell propulsion.Carbon neutral means that all vehicles and plants will be zero emissions and GM will buy carbon credits to offset those that are not." 'Aspire' is a great word because it helps us work toward our vision," said Dane Parker, GM's chief sustainability officer. "We're taking action to have our vehicles be zero emissions by 2035. This is going to take the effort of a lot of people and a lot of governments to get there. So we have a vision, we have a plan and we're taking action today to get there."Parker said GM's global plan for zero-emission vehicles includes heavy-duty pickups by 2040. Put simply. Parker said, By 2040, 100% of our portfolio will be fully electric and thats the vision were setting out.Parker said GM also signed the Business Ambition Pledge for 1.5-degree Celsius, which is a call by a global coalition of United Nation agencies, business and industry leaders to protect the environment.General Motors is joining governments and companies around the globe working to establish a safer, greener and better world, said GM CEO Mary Barra in a statement. We encourage others to follow suit.GM will offer zero-emissions vehicles across a range of prices and it is working with all its stakeholders, including suppliers and the Environmental Defense Fund, to build charging infrastructure and promote consumer acceptance.Parker said this path will not eliminate jobs.We plan on using the resources we have and allocating them in a way that supports our EV future and bringing the high-paying jobs we have today into the future, Parker said.Also, GM foresees today's gas stations converting to tomorrow's charging stations. Already in other countries, gas stations are being repurposed to public fast-charging points, and "that's a trend that I would see growing," Parker said.The Environmental Defense Fund calls GM's move an "extraordinary step forward.""GM is making it crystal clear that taking action to eliminate pollution from all new light-duty vehicles by 2035 is an essential element of any automakers business plan," said Fred Krupp, Fund president, in a statement.About 200 countries have signed the 2015 Paris Agreement, which the U.S. rejoined on President Joe Bidens first day in office. It sets a collective goal to limit global warming to below 2-degrees Celsius, preferably 1.5-degree Celsius, compared with preindustrial levels, to mitigate climate change damage.To meet that goal, the world must reduce the net impact of carbon emissions from all human activities to zero by 2050, Barra said."As one of the worlds largest automakers, General Motors seeks to lead our industry and our world toward those goals," Barra said. "For General Motors, our most significant carbon impact comes from tailpipe emissions of the vehicles that we sell in our case, its 75%. That is why it is so important that we accelerate toward a future in which every vehicle we sell is a zero-emissions vehicle."Barra told Wall Street late last year that GM will offer 30 new all-electric vehicles globally by 2025, that means 40% of the companys U.S. models offered would be EVs.GM is also working to cut emissions from its global manufacturing plants. It is investing $27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles by 2025, up from the $20 billion GM had planned to invest before the pandemic.This investment will pay to further develop GMs Ultium battery technology, which will underpin its new electric vehicles.Also, it covers updating GM factories such as Factory ZERO in Detroit and Hamtramck where GM is planning to build at least five electric vehicles in the future, the first being the 2022 GMC Hummer EV pickup due out later this year.Also, GM is retooling its Spring Hill Manufacturing in Tennessee to build electric vehicles from globally sourced parts.GM is investing in new factories too such as Ultium Cells LLC near its former assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio. GM sold the Lordstown plant to electric pickup maker Lordstown Motors, which will launch the Endurance pickup later this year.Beyond environmentally friendly cars and factories, GM plans for 100% of its electric vehicle batteries to be reused as other forms of energy storage. The Ultium system, for example, is designed to be repairable, so we dont intend for any of our batteries to be disposable," Parker said.GM said more than half of its capital spending and product development team will be devoted to electric and electric-autonomous vehicle programs.While GM said it plans "to offer an EV for every customer, from crossovers and SUVs to trucks and sedans," it will continue to increase fuel efficiency of its traditional internal combustion cars with technology such as Stop/Start, better aerodynamics, smaller, boosted engines, more efficient transmissions and other vehicle improvements including weight reduction and lower rolling resistance tires.To address emissions from its own operations, GM said it will source 100% renewable energy to power its U.S. sites by 2030 and global sites by 2035, which represents a five-year acceleration of the companys previously announced global goal.To account for the expected remaining carbon emissions, GM expects to invest in carbon credits or offsets, it said.GM said it will assess these "offset solutions" in the coming years, adding that "offsets must be used sparingly."GM has worked with some of its largest suppliers to create a sustainability council to share best practices. GM is also collaborating with suppliers to set targets for the supply chain to reduce emissions and use more sustainable materials.It is also important that electricity generated to charge EVs comes from renewable sources like wind and solar, so GM has worked with utilities and developers to support investments in renewable energy near GM facilities via power purchase agreements and green tariffs.Finally, GM partnered with EVgo last year to add more than 2,700 new fast chargers by the end of 2025, to help accelerate consumer electric vehicle adoption. The new fast chargers will be powered by 100% renewable energy. You can listen to the latest episode of Today in Pa at this link, or on any of your favorite app including Alexa, Apple, Google, Spotify and Stitcher. Episodes are available every weekday on PennLive. Feel free to subscribe, follow or rate Today in Pa. as you see fit! Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | Jan. 29, 2021 The legalization of marijuana; pushing for a higher minimum wage; and implementing a tax on natural gas drilling are all items listed on Gov. Tom Wolfs agenda. State lawmakers pass legislation for a proposed constitutional amendment that would minimize governors power in emergency situations. In Philadelphia, SEPTA rolls out Mask Force Philly, an intiative which seeks to increase passengers compliance of coronavirus safety guidelines. Plus, a falcon and a couple of owls were caught hanging out at Pittsburgh International Airport. Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa, a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Claudia Dimuro. Today in Pa is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories pertaining to Pennsylvania that lets you know, indeed, whats happening today in Pa. Todays episode refers to the following articles: If you enjoy Today in Pa, consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, wed like to know what you think about the program, too. 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. In this Jan. 2, 2021 file photo a vial of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and U.K.-based drugmaker AstraZeneca is checked as they arrive at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, England. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday Jan. 29, 2021 to authorize use of the vaccine AstraZeneca developed with Oxford University. It would be the third cleared for use in the EU, after the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (Gareth Fuller/Pool via AP, File) Regulators authorized AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population. The European Medicines Agency's expert committee unanimously recommended the vaccine to be used in people 18 and over, although concerns had been raised this week that not enough data exist to prove it works in older people, and some countries indicated they may not give it to the elderly. The shot is the third COVID-19 vaccine given the green light by the European Medicines Agency after ones by Pfizer and Moderna. The EMA's decision requires final approval from the European Commission, a process that occurred swiftly with the other vaccines. Hours later, the EU gave its backing for the vaccine's use throughout its 27 nations. "I expect the company to deliver the 400 million doses as agreed. We will keep on doing all we can to secure vaccines for Europeans, our neighbours & partners worldwide," tweeted EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. With trials showing about 60% efficacy, the vaccine appears to offer less protection than ones already authorized, but experts have said any vaccine with an efficacy rate of over 50% could help stop outbreaks. In this Monday, Jan. 4, 2021 file photo, 82-year-old Brian Pinker receives the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from nurse Sam Foster at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford, England. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday Jan. 29, 2021 to authorize use of the vaccine AstraZeneca developed with Oxford University. It would be the third cleared for use in the EU, after the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (Steve Parsons/Pool Photo via AP, File) The agency recommended the vaccine's use by older people, despite limited data regarding its efficacy in people over 55, citing the immune responses seen and experience with other vaccines. "At least some protection is expected," Bruno Sepodes, of the EMA's expert committee, said Friday at a briefing. He acknowledged that "the exact level of protection cannot be estimated for the time being." Many countries on the continent have been struggling to vaccinate people as quickly as Britain, Israel, the U.S. and elsewhere, and it was long hoped that the AstraZeneca shot would help speed things up at a time when countries face surging cases in a pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 400,000 people in the bloc. The EU bet heavily on the shot, which is cheaper and easier to handle than some other vaccines, with orders for 300 million doses to be delivered after authorization and options for another 100 million doses. In this Jan. 11, 2021 file photo a paramedic draws a syringe of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine at the mass vaccination centre in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday Jan. 29, 2021 to authorize use of the vaccine AstraZeneca developed with Oxford University. It would be the third cleared for use in the EU, after the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell, File) "None of them is a magic wand on its own, but together they provide tools and options to prevent different aspects of the disease," said Emer Cooke, the head of the EMA. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been authorized for use in all adults in other countries, even though only 12% of the participants in its research were over 55 and they were enrolled later, so there hasn't been enough time to get results. EMA's decision authorizes AstraZeneca's vaccine to be used across the bloc, but individual countries can still decide how and to whom they will give the doses they receive. Lithuania, for instance, will not use the vaccine in older people, the country's deputy Health Minister Zivile Simonaityte said, according to the Baltic News Service. It was not clear, however, what age groups would be given the shot, but Simonaityte noted that trials in people 55 and over were not "comprehensive." In this Jan. 11, 2021 file photo Mary Williams, right, receives an injection of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine at the mass vaccination centre in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday Jan. 29, 2021 to authorize use of the vaccine AstraZeneca developed with Oxford University. It would be the third cleared for use in the EU, after the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell, File) Germany may follow a similar path. The country's independent vaccine advisory committee recommended Friday that the shot only be given to people under 65. The final decision rests with the government, but it is likely to follow this advice. Thomas Mertens, the head of the German advisory committee, said the general approval by EMA was "confusing" in light of the data provided by AstraZeneca but that he and his colleagues would gladly update their recommendation if further data comes in. Mertens stressed that the German experts were mainly concerned about the clinical data provided by the company so far. "The AstraZeneca study was a little more messy overall," he said. Julian Tang, a virologist at the University of Leicester, said the German decision to restrict the vaccine's use to younger people meant more older people would be vulnerable to COVID-19 and that some would die unnecessarily. In this Saturday, July 18, 2020 file photo a general view of AstraZeneca offices and the corporate logo in Cambridge, England. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday Jan. 29, 2021 to authorize use of the vaccine AstraZeneca developed with Oxford University. It would be the third cleared for use in the EU, after the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File) "There's a tremendous cost to this," he said. "It means you have an extra vaccine that could be used to protect people that is going unused and more people will be at risk." Tang described the EMA's authorization Friday as "the best decision in the current situation, where the EU is in desperate need of a usable vaccine." The agency assessed four trials in the U.K., Brazil and South Africa and said the research showed the vaccine proved to be about 60% effective by reducing the number of people who got sick. The trials have not yet shown whether the vaccine can stop disease transmission. A separate study testing the AstraZeneca vaccine in the U.S. is still underway. As the EU has struggled to roll out the vaccine, politicians have blamed supply problems, but other factors, like onerous paperwork and poor planning, have also played a role. The EU has particularly lashed out at AstraZeneca after the drugmaker said it would initially supply less vaccine than originally anticipated. Exacerbating concerns about supplies to the bloc, which is home to some 450 million people, Moderna told countries including Italy and Denmark the company would be delivering fewer vaccines than originally expected. In this Dec. 1, 2020, file photo the exterior of the European Medicines Agency is seen in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday Jan. 29, 2021 to authorize use of the vaccine AstraZeneca developed with Oxford University. It would be the third cleared for use in the EU, after the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File) The AstraZeneca office building in Brussels, Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. Amid a dispute over expected shortfalls, the European Union is looking at legal ways to guarantee the delivery of all the COVID-19 vaccine doses it bought from AstraZeneca and other drugmakers as regulators are set to consider approving the Anglo-Swedish company's vaccine for use in the 27-nation EU. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Spahn, the German health minister, said he understood many were waiting impatiently for the vaccine, but cautioned that "several hard weeks of vaccine shortage still lie before us." Two more vaccine makers also recently announced results, with Novavax saying this week that its shot appears 89% effective based on early findings and Johnson & Johnson saying its long-awaited single-shot vaccine was 66% effective at preventing moderate to severe illness. If those vaccines are eventually licensed, that could help alleviate the pressure on the world's huge demand for the limited shots currently available. The authorization of the AstraZeneca vaccine comes amid a bitter dispute between the drugmaker and the bloc after the company said it would sharply reduce initial deliveries from 80 million doses to 31 million. The EU also introduced tighter rules on exports of COVID-19 vaccines that could hit shipments to nations like the United Kingdom. The AstraZeneca vaccine has already been authorized in more than 40 countries, including Britain, India, Argentina and Mexico. The World Health Organization is also reviewing it; a recommendation from the U.N. health agency would allow its purchase and distribution to developing countries from a global program known as COVAX. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. home Life Scientific study supports Biblical account of Adam and Eve A "provocative and misunderstood" scientific study published this year supports the Bible's Adam and Eve story by demonstrating that all humans are descended from a common mother and father, a prominent science writer and public speaker claims. Author Michael Guillen, president of Spectacular Science Productions, who has taught physics at Harvard and was a science editor for ABC News, commented on the scientific discovery from May regarding human ancestors in a Saturday op-ed for Fox News. Summarizing the discovery, announced by a team of U.S. and Swiss scientists, Guillen wrote that "all humans alive today are the offspring of a common father and mother a an Adam and Eve a who walked the planet 100,000 to 200,000 years ago, which by evolutionary standards is like yesterday." "Moreover, the same is true of nine out of every 10 animal species, meaning that nearly all of Earth's creatures living today sprang into being recently from some seminal, Big Bang-like event," he added. As Mark Stoeckle at Rockefeller University and David Thaler at the University of Basel explained back in May, they based their findings on analysis of DNA "bar codes" of 5 million animals from 100,000 different species. "Experts have interpreted low genetic variation among living humans as a result of our recent expansion from a small population in which a sequence from one mother became the ancestor for all modern human mitochondrial sequences," Thaler said back them. "Our paper strengthens the argument that the low variation in the mitochondrial DNA of modern humans also explains the similar low variation found in over 90 percent of living animal species a we all likely originated by similar processes and most animal species are likely young." Thaler later added: "Scholars have previously argued that 99 percent of all animal species that ever lived are now extinct. Our work suggests that most species of animals alive today are like humans, descendants of ancestors who emerged from small populations possibly with near-extinction events within the last few hundred thousand years." Responding to the resurfacing of the study, Franklin Graham, who heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, affirmed that when God spoke, there was a "big bang," which he said was Creation itself. "This is really just science confirming what the Word of God tells us," Graham said on Facebook in response to the research. "Even though science points to the truth of Scripture, they still want to give it an evolutionary spin. God created the first man and the first woman a Adam and Eve. He created the Heavens and the Earth, and everything in it. God's Word is true from cover to cover!" he added. Ken Ham, a Young Earth Creationist who heads Answers in Genesis, meanwhile urged scientists to accept that the Genesis account of Creation is true. "To find out the truth about speciation and how observational science confirms the Bible's account of created kinds as per the biblical timeline, people need to read some up-to-date research that devastates the millions of years/evolutionary account," he added on Facebook, before linking to an AiG article from July, providing an analysis of the mitochondrial DNA tests. In his Fox News op-ed, Guillen suggested that there are two main ways in which Stoeckle and Thaler's study lines up with the Bible. "First, it affirms that we and our fellow creatures on Earth arose from a recent and profound Creation event, orchestrated by some unknown mechanism. And second, the DNA bar codes reveal that species are quantized," he said. "Instead of there being a continuum of animal varieties, as one might expect from millions of years of gradual evolution, creatures fall into very distinct, widely separated populations a what the Bible describes as 'kinds,' from the Hebrew word min." Courtesy of The Christian Post HONG KONG China announced on Friday that it would no longer recognize certain British travel documents, in retaliation for Britains decision last year to grant potentially millions of Hong Kong residents visas and eventually a path to citizenship. The announcement, which came hours after Britain declared a formal start date for its new visa program, was the latest escalation of tensions between the two countries over the fate of Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese control in 1997. After Beijing moved to impose a national security law on Hong Kong last summer that gave the authorities sweeping powers to curtail dissent, Britain accused China of violating its promise to grant Hong Kong 50 years of semi-autonomy. The British government said in June that it would create a special visa pathway for holders of British National (Overseas) passports, a unique category created for Hong Kongers before the 1997 transfer of power. Under the new rules, Hong Kong residents who had applied for BN(O) status before the handover would be eligible for a special visa that would entitle them to live, work or study in the United Kingdom for up to five years; after an additional year, they would then be allowed to apply for citizenship. 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 Advertisement The Abraham Baker House, where a young Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis learned to ride horses, is on the market in the Hamptons for just shy of $2 million. Located in East Hampton, the new listing was recently shared on the Douglas Elliman website for $1.995 million. The home was built around 1745 and the lot, which is 0.9 acres large, has enough room for two additional homes to be built on the property if the buyer wishes. The house where Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis learned to ride horses has been listed for just shy of $2 million The house, sometimes referred to as the Abraham Baker House, is located in East Hampton near one of the town's beaches There is a wooden outdoor patio to enjoy meals and lemonade when the summer weather allows The home is two stories tall and built in a shingle-style. It consists of three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and two fireplaces. There is also a wooden outdoor patio. There is also room for a pool on the property. The home is located just across the way from the Two Mile Hollow Beach. The Riding Club of East Hampton used to make hay at the Abraham Baker House, which is where Jackie learned to ride, as well as where she competed with Janet, her mother. The home includes two different fireplaces, keeping the heat on and available in any part of the house The home is two stories tall and built shingle-style, having all the hallmarks of a home built before the Revolution There are three bedrooms in the home, so 'Home Sweet Home' is not for an overwhelming amount of people East Hampton has declared the property a Special Historic Landmark, one of just 15 in the town, according to 6sqft. As a child, Jackie lived on Park Avenue throughout the year, but would go to the Hamptons, where her grandfather lived, over the summer. The house has been listed as a Special Historic Landmark by East Hampton, one of just 15 in the community In addition to the three bedrooms, there are also three bathrooms in the Abraham Baker House Pictured: Another bedroom in the Abraham Baker House, which was built some time around the year 1745 She may have started riding horses on the property when she was as young as two years old. Behind the Hedges reports that the home also includes a large dining room and original wooden floors, as well as the original riding lockers for members of the club. The two fireplaces in the house are a nice touch, as are the wooden floors that line the bottom floor of the home The Riding Club of East Hampton is where Jackie O learned to ride horses and competed with her mother, Janet There is enough room on the property to build two additional houses if the buyer pleases, as well as a pool In November 1993, Jackie was writing one of her horses in Virginia when she was thrown off. When she was taken to a hospital, a swollen lymph node was discovered in her groin. Pictured: First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy enjoying herself. She loved riding horses throughout her life Further symptoms and tests revealed a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which Jackie died of in May 1994 at the age of 64. The Wall Street Journal reported in May that the summer house Jackie went to in the Hamptons, Wildmoor, was put up for sale for $7.5 million. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Corky Lee, a photojournalist who spent five decades spotlighting the often ignored Asian and Pacific Islander American communities, has died. He was 73. Lee died Wednesday in New York Citys Queens borough of complications from COVID-19, his family said in a statement. His passion was to rediscover, document and champion through his images the plight of all Americans but most especially that of Asian and Pacific Islanders, his family said. The self-described undisputed unofficial Asian American Photographer Laureate, Lee used his eye to pursue what he saw as photographic justice. Almost always sporting a camera around his neck, he was present at many seminal moments impacting Asian America over a 50-year career. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Corky (Young Kwok) Lee was born in New York City to Chinese immigrant parents. He was the first child in his family to graduate from college. A self-taught freelance photographer, Lee aimed his camera lens on a slew of subjects from anti-Vietnam war protests to police brutality. Most recently, he was documenting anti-Asian racism brought on by the pandemic. Lee was there when Asian Americans took to the streets to protest the lack of jail time for the killers of Vincent Chin. The 27-year-old Chin was beaten to death in Detroit in 1982, a time when Japan was being blamed for the U.S. auto industrys decline. The two laid-off white autoworkers who killed Chin who was Chinese assumed he was Japanese. They were convicted of manslaughter but got just three years of probation. In 2017, Lee organized a vigil outside the Nevada home of one of Chins attackers. An event that had an indelible influence on Lees desire for more Asian representation was the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. In previous interviews, Lee spoke of being in junior high and coming across a picture from the 1869 completion of the railroad in Utah. The iconic Champagne Photo featured almost no Chinese workers, even though they made up the majority of the labor. In 2002, Lee gathered some of those laborers descendants in the same spot for a reenactment. More than a nice gesture, Lee felt the anniversary photograph was restoring Asians into the history of the country they helped build. He went on to recreate the photo on more than one anniversary. Lee also believed in paying it forward to Asian American journalists coming after him. He was a founding member of the New York chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association. He is credited with helping raise more than $100,000 in scholarship funds through annual photo auctions. AAJA is heartbroken over the loss of our beloved Corky Lee, a trailblazer whose career has been instrumental to our collective understanding and appreciation of the history, triumphs and struggles of Asian America, AAJA President Michelle Ye Hee Lee said in a statement. A private funeral service will be held at Wah Wing Sang Funeral Home in New York. Lee is survived by his brother John. A councillor is pushing the City of Winnipeg to study all options in the potential creation of a supervised consumption site, despite the provinces refusal to back such centres. A councillor is pushing the City of Winnipeg to study all options in the potential creation of a supervised consumption site, despite the provinces refusal to back such centres. Coun. Sherri Rollins raised a motion Thursday, calling for the city to explore funding, partnership and implementation alternatives to establish "a low-barrier, supervised drug consumption site." Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said she hopes the Manitoba government will follow the lead of other provinces and support one or more such centres, also known as safe consumption or safe injection sites. In the meantime, she said the surge in substance abuse, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, requires council to take immediate action. "I believe safe consumption, supervised consumption saves lives When you can disrupt overdoses, youre saving lives," said Rollins, chairwoman of the protection and community services committee. At supervised consumption sites, people can consume illegal drugs with medical supervision. As of 2020, 39 such sites were operating in Canada, including facilities in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Ottawa. According to Health Canada, the sites save lives by preventing accidental overdoses and helping connect users to social services, while also reducing public drug use, discarded drug equipment and the spread of infectious diseases. Such sites dealt with 15,000 overdoses and drug-related medical emergencies across the country between 2017 and 2019, with no fatalities, according to Health Canada. The Manitoba government has so far rejected calls to add safe consumption sites at times over concerns they could attract crime. Calgary police once linked increases in drug-related activity, violence and vehicle crimes in 2018 to the Alberta citys safe injection site; health experts credited the centre with preventing hundreds of overdoses during the same period. On Thursday, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister said his government has focused on other mental health and addictions initiatives, which he deems a higher priority than a safe consumption site. "We have been of the view (those sites) would be a lower priority investment than the tens of millions that were investing in other preventative measures," he said. By contrast, Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew welcomed the city council attempt to address rising drug use, and urged the province to show similar "leadership." "The evidence shows that harm reduction works, and a safe consumption site could be a part of a good solution to help our less fortunate relatives through this difficult time," said Kinew. The recent increase in used drug needles discarded in Winnipeg Transit shelters underlines a clear need to take action, advocates said. Forty-seven used needles were recently found during a single shelter cleanup at River Avenue and Osborne Street, said James Van Gerwen, executive vice-president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505. "If there was a safe consumption site, hopefully (those leaving the needles) would move out of bus shelters Our shelter cleaners are overwhelmed right now," said Van Gerwen. Rollins said her motion will determine if the city can partner with First Nations and all other governments to try to get a supervised consumption site established. "This motion is to ask everyone (to contribute)," she said. In fall 2018, the federal government announced Ottawa would allow municipalities and non-profit organizations to apply for exemptions from provincial rules barring safe consumption sites. On Thursday, Mayor Brian Bowman said he wouldnt oppose the creation of a safe consumption site in Winnipeg, "If the science and data supports it." However, he stressed having Winnipeg solely create or fund one isnt being contemplated, at this point. "I keep in mind that health is a provincial jurisdiction." The mayor suggested the province is currently rejecting the sites "through a political partisan lens catering to ones base" and urged it to focus on research instead. Couns. Scott Gillingham (St. James) and Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) echoed the mayors view the province should lead the way on any potential safe consumption site. "I really dont support this sort of mission creep to get into mental health (and addictions) services," said Browaty. Rollins motion is slated to be referred to the protection and community services committee next month. with files from Larry Kusch joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga Tina Turner has rightfully earned her status as the Queen of Rock n Roll. With a gripping life story and decades of hits including Whats Love Got to Do With It, Proud Mary, and Private Dancer, Turner rose to the top of the music heap and did it in style. Tina Turner performs during a concert at Central Park in 1969 in Manhattan, New York | Walter Iooss Jr./Getty Images Tina Turners iconic interview with Larry King By the late 1990s, Turner had already solidified her legacy as the Queen of Rock n Roll. She was long past her marriage with her abusive ex-husband Ike Turner and had collected awards and accolades along the way. In February 1997, Turner stopped by Larry King Live to speak with the longtime talk show host about her career, her rocky road to happiness, and much more. King let Turner know how her inspiring story has helped countless women who have been in abusive relationships. Do you realize that you are a feminist hero in America? he asked her. Do you realize that? Im beginning to, she answered. It wasnt something that I planned. I kind of see it as a gift because of the life I lived, it had a meaning. She added, I think if I had not given the story to the world, maybe my life would not be as it is. Tina Turner hasnt lived in the US for decades King and Turner speak about Turners now-husband Erwin Bach. They had been dating for over a decade at the time and were madly in love. Turner met the music executive by chance in an airport in Germany, and they got married in 2013 after nearly three decades together. When Turner spoke with Larry King in 1997, she had already moved on to another chapter of her life: living outside the United States. Tina Turner | Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images RELATED: Larry King Once Commented on Tina Turners Undergarments The reason why Tina Turner prefers living in Europe King asked Turner about her decision to expatriate and what that experience is like for her. I have left America because my success was in another country and my boyfriend was in another country, Turner said, pointing to Private Dancers success in the UK as a driving factor in her leaving. Basically, Europe has been very supportive of my music. King was confused by her answer. More than America? he asked, to which she replied, Yes. Hugely. Hugely more? King said, surprised. Youre a major star here! Youre a superstar in America. Not as big as Madonna, Turner smiled. Im as big as Madonna in Europe! Im as big, in some places, as The Rolling Stones. Tina Turner has lived all over Europe Turner went on to describe where her life had taken her over the previous decade and the various places she lived. She first moved to England when she began dating Bach, and later moved to his native Germany for three years. She also mentioned that she had bought a house in the south of France, which was profiled in a 2000 issue of Architectural Digest. She also discussed her current home of Zurich, Switzerland and her reason for moving to the small European nation. My boyfriend moved there to run the company and I always wanted to go to Switzerland and I was very happy, she said. When the two got married in 2013, Turner renounced her American citizenship and became a citizen of Switzerland. Last updated on April 15 2015 This page describes the privacy practice of Christian Times digital properties, including www.ChristianTimes.com, mobile sites and applications, offered by Christian Times and certain of its subsidiaries. INFORMATION THAT WE GATHER The information gathered when you use Christian Times falls into two categories: (i) Personal Information, which includes personal information you provide when you subscribe, order, complete a survey, register for an account, enter a contest or provide your email address and (ii) non-personal information collected through technology, which includes tracking information collected by Christian Times, third parties, vendors or advertisers. 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If we make a significant or material change in the way we use your personal information, the change will be posted on this page thirty (30) days prior to taking effect. The statements of MP, member of the Servant of the People faction Oleksandr Dubinsky that the Center for Combating Corruption is behind the U.S. sanctions against him are an attempt to discredit the sanctions and do not correspond to reality, an informed source in diplomatic circles told Interfax-Ukraine. "Dubinsky says that the sanctions are the result of a discrediting campaign initiated by the Center for Combating Corruption, that it is slander by the center. This narrative is a very clear attempt to undermine the validity of the sanctions. Since, if he says that only one non-governmental organization in Ukraine caused the sanctions, because of this they look unreasonable, less reliable and unimportant. But the truth is that the U.S. Department of the Treasury relies on a wide variety of non-classified and classified sources for its decisions," the source said. According to the source, the United States could track Dubinsky's activities long before the information from the Center for Combating Corruption appeared. "I have nothing against the Center for Combating Corruption, it is a good organization, it is very reliable and does important work. But he uses them, trying to undermine the validity of this investigation and sanctions," the source said. In addition, the source said what Dubinsky had done was said in a press release due to the imposition of sanctions. "They did research that has classified and unclassified sources. But the narrative he is spreading that he just held a press conference and is now defamed by an NGO is untrue. He was actively involved in spreading the conspiracy theory and called for an investigation into candidate for the U.S. presidency," the agency's interlocutor said. The source said the sanctions were based on the 2018 U.S. presidential decree calling for sanctions against those who interfere in the U.S. elections. Interfax-Ukraine has information that, despite this decree, on December 2, 2019, Derkach and Dubinsky wrote letters to Senators Lindsey Graham, Mick Mulvaney and Devin Nunes, seeking to create an "inter-parliamentary group" to "stop corruption." Derkach announced this group on Facebook on December 5, 2019, which Dubinsky was a member of, and said that he was eager to work with the Americans. "It is like standing and shouting, 'please investigate me' for meddling in the U.S. elections," the source said. It is also known that the visit of former Mayor of New York, lawyer of the 45th President of the United States (2017-2021) Donald Trump Rudy Giuliani to Ukraine took place at about the same time, on December 5, and in the NBC news about his efforts Dubinsky is directly mentioned as one of his aides, who "digs up dirt on the opponents of the president [Trump]." The source said that Dubinsky's assertions that the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine is meeting with representatives of the Servant of the People party and putting forward any demands to them do not correspond to reality. "Mr. Dubinsky continues to say that the U.S. Embassy calls on Servants of the People to make demands either to 'surrender' Dubinsky, or on how he should be expelled from the party. This is fabrication of information, an attempt to create the illusion that the United States is trying from outside control Ukraine and the Servant of the People party. The truth is that they asked the embassy representatives to come to Parkova [Street] to tell the Servant of the People leaders and some others about the sanctions process," the source said. TSX: GPR | NYSE American: GPL (All dollar amounts expressed in US dollars unless otherwise noted) VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Great Panther Mining Limited (TSX: GPR) (NYSE-A: GPL) ("Great Panther" or the "Company") announces today it has filed the "Technical Report on the 2020 Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources of the Tucano Gold Mine, Amapa State, Brazil" ("Technical Report"). The Technical Report supports the Company's updated Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimate ("MRMR") for Tucano announced by news release on December 15, 2020. The Technical Report has an effective date of September 30, 2020 , and is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.greatpanther.com, and will be filed on EDGAR as soon as practicable at www.sec.gov. 2021 Exploration Programs and Exploration Strategy Update "Our 2020 exploration programs were successful in extending the existing open pit mine life at Tucano and adding significant resources to our mineral inventory for the Guanajuato Mine Complex", stated Rob Henderson, President and CEO. "2021 will represent a significant increase in our exploration efforts with a planned record of 90,000 metres of drilling representing a $13 million investment. Our key objectives will be to continue to extend the Tucano open pit mine life, further prove up the underground with a view to extending the high-grade zones, and make meaningful inroads into key targets in the expansive Tucano regional land package. Building on our 2020 exploration success in Mexico will also be a key focus for this year." The Great Panther exploration strategy is built on the objective of result driven exploration programs leading to resource replacement and near-mine growth, and longer-term organic growth through regional exploration. The following outlines Great Panther's 90,000 metres ("m") drilling program for 2021. Drilling Program Meters USD (millions) Tucano (Brazil) Open pit 24,000 3.5 Underground 8,000 1.7 Regional 28,000 3.2 Sub-Total 60,000 8.4 Mexican Operating Mines GMC(1) 15,000 2.0 Topia 5,000 1.0 Sub-Total 20,000 3.0 Other Projects(2) 10,000 2.0 Total 90,000 13.4 (1) "GMC" refers to the Guanajuato Mine Complex comprised of the Guanajuato Mine, San Ignacio Mine and the Cata processing plant. (2) Planned 2021 drilling metres and expenditure for Other Projects (described below) are new disclosures. The Company previously provided planned 2021 drilling expenditures for the Tucano Mine and Mexican operating mines in its January 14, 2021 press release which provided production and cost guidance for these mines. Tucano (Brazil) Great Panther's strategy for Tucano is to explore and grow the gold resource potential of the tenement portfolio, covering an almost 2,000 square kilometres ("km2") portion of the Vila Nova Greenstone Belt (the "Belt"). In 2021, five drill rigs are planned to complete 60,000m of drilling and over 500km of regional soil sampling will identify high priority regional targets. The Tucano Gold Mine is host to a 7-kilometer-long trend of gold deposits surrounded by the large, near 2,000km2 tenement package controlled by Great Panther. Despite the long history of the deposit, discovered in the late 1990's and with first production in 2005, little exploration or resource drilling has been carried out outside the Tucano mine trend. A number of targets were defined in aero-geophysical and regional geochemical surveys in the late 1990's and Great Panther plans include carrying exploration of those viewed as the highest potential targets within reasonable proximity of the current mining operations. Open Pit Resource replacement and expansion. The 24,000m combined Reverse Circulation ("RC") and Diamond Drilling ("DD") campaign is focused on near-mine targets including TAP C, Urso and Torres, as well as testing of several geochemical anomalies associated with the mine sequence that have not been evaluated. Urucum underground. The current underground MRMR incorporates just part of the anomalous trend below the Urucum pits. There are a number of high-grade mineralized zones suggested by the modelling of the historical drilling. The 8,000m diamond drilling program is focused on upgrading one of the known high-grade zones at Urucum North while testing another zone at Urucum Central. The extent of these high-grade zones is important in determining the placement of the primary decline that will be used to access the mining areas. Regional target drilling. A total of 28,000m has been planned for fast-track evaluation of key targets such as Mutum, Saraminda and Lona Amarela using Auger, Rotary Air Blast ("RAB") and RC drilling programs plus multi-element soil geochemistry. Initial orientation studies in 2020 and currently underway at Mutum suggest the interpretation of detailed soil sampling using multi-element geochemical analyses will allow for the skipping of the auger drilling step and going straight to RAB or RC drilling, which is expected to accelerate the start of drill permitting processes by four to eight months. A detailed soil grid is currently being opened to cover the 5km long Mutum gold trend and RAB and RC programs are being prepared for Saraminda and Lona Amarela. Mutum, Saraminda and Lona Amarela are within 15 km of the of the existing mine operations. New target generation. Having defined the regional structural model associated with the mineralization events, Great Panther has prioritized high potential exploration corridors within the 2000km2 area of interest. It has initiated a program of regional multi-element soil sampling over these corridors with the intention of defining new targets within the Belt and prioritizing these targets using the combination of the geochemistry and existing regional aero-geophysical data. Mexico San Ignacio. Exploration efforts continue with 5,000m of fill-in surface drilling planned along the Purisima veins south of the development of the San Pedro ramp, deeper in the Purisima/Purisima alto vein system and continue testing for Au-Ag mineralization along 1.1km of Purisima vein north from the old San Ignacio shaft. Guanajuato. A concerted effort of sampling and geological mapping in accessible parts of the historical mining areas is near completion and will be followed by a planned 10,000m of underground drilling on the most prospective areas, including along the north side of Valenciana, between Valenciana and Cata, and in the Pozos, Promontorio, and Guanajuatito areas. The 2020 exploration efforts more than doubled the known Inferred Mineral Resource estimate. See the Company's news release dated November 23, 2020 and the related technical report filed on December 23, 2020 with an effective date of July 31, 2020 for more details. Topia. 5,000 m exploration surface drilling are planned focussed on defining new Mineral Resources in six areas along the strike and down-dip extents of present mining efforts. Other Projects Other Projects. These may include the Plomo gold project in Sonora ("Plomo"), El Horcon which has proximity to the GMC, or Coricancha in Peru. The $2.0 million budgeted for these projects will be allocated on the basis of a number of factors including potential for return on investment, access and availability of resources, community and permitting considerations. Plans for Plomo, for example, will see detailed geological / alteration / structural mapping to confirm an earlier geological interpretation from 2012, before any surface drill testing. El Horcon drilling will be subject to a successful study on the addition of a zinc concentrate flotation for the Guanajuato plant. Drilling for Coricancha would focus on expanding readily accessible high grade Mineral Resources along the Constancia, Wellington, and Escondida veins and is subject to achieving acceptable community agreements for access. QUALIFIED PERSONS All scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Neil Hepworth, Chartered Engineer MIMMM, Chief Operating Officer of Great Panther, Nicholas Winer, FAusIMM, Vice-President, Exploration of Great Panther, and Robert F. Brown, P. Eng., Geological Consultant of Great Panther, each a non-independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101)". ABOUT GREAT PANTHER Great Panther is a growing gold and silver producer focused on the Americas. The Company owns a diversified portfolio of assets in Brazil, Mexico and Peru that includes three operating gold and silver mines, four exploration projects, and an advanced development project. Great Panther is actively exploring large land packages in highly prospective districts and is pursuing acquisition opportunities to complement its existing portfolio. Great Panther trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol GPR, and on the NYSE American under the symbol GPL. CAUTIONARY NOTES ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (together, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Tucano Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates and the GMC Mineral Resource estimates and the assumptions underlying the estimates; the Tucano life of mine extensions; the Company's ability to advance successfully opportunities for resource growth and mine life extension in the future; the exploration potential of Tucano near-mine, underground and regional land package; the Company's plans to complete and results of further exploration and drilling at Tucano, Topia, GMC, Plomo, El Horcon and Coricancha; the Company's ability to further prove up the underground resources to support the development of an underground mine; the Company's ability to successfully execute and fund its exploration strategies as planned; and the Company's plans to pursue acquisition opportunities to complement its existing portfolio. These forward-looking statements and information reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic and regulatory uncertainties, and contingencies. These assumptions include: the accuracy of the Company's Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates and the assumptions upon which they are based; ore grades and recoveries; metal prices remaining as estimated; national and international transportation arrangements to deliver Tucano's gold dore to international refineries continue to remain available, despite inherent risks due to COVID19; international refineries that the Company uses continue to operate and refine the Company's gold dore, and in a timely manner such that the Company is able to realize revenue from the sale of its refined metal in the timeframe anticipated, despite inherent risks due to COVID19; currency exchange rates remaining as estimated; capital, decommissioning and reclamation estimates; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation); all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals for the Company's operations and exploration and drilling programs are received in a timely manner and maintained, including the various drilling permits required to complete the programs; the Company will be able to access the prospective exploration and drilling areas without interruption; continued operations at Tucano in accordance with the Company's mine plan, including the expectations regarding the ongoing geotechnical control of Urucum Central South ("UCS") where mining re-started in the last week of October; management's estimates in connection with the assessment of provisions for loss and contingent liabilities relating to legal proceedings may differ materially from the ultimate loss or damages incurred by the Company; assumption that the Company will be successful in resolving the legal claims that ban the use of cyanide in the Tucano processing; management's estimates regarding the carrying value of its mineral properties may be subject to change in future financial periods, which may result in further writedowns and consequential impairment loss; conditions in the financial markets; the ability to procure equipment and operating supplies and that there are no material unanticipated variations in the cost of energy or supplies; the accuracy of the geological, operational and price and exchange rate assumptions on which the cost assumptions are based; operations not being disrupted by issues such as pit-wall failures or instability, mechanical failures, labour disturbances and workforce shortages, illegal occupations or mining, seismic events, and adverse weather conditions; the Company's expectations that metallurgical, environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, political, marketing or other issues will not materially affect the estimates or Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources or its future mining plans; and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements to be materially different. Such factors include, among others, risks and uncertainties relating to: the impact of COVID19 on the Company's ability to operate as anticipated, including the risk of an unplanned partial or full shutdown of the Company's mines and processing plants, whether voluntary or imposed by authorities, which would adversely impact the Company's revenues, financial condition and ability to meet its production and cost guidance; the inherent risk that estimates of Mineral Reserves and Resources may not be accurate or that the assumptions upon which they are based are different than expected; the discontinuity of the ore body and mine selectivity may result in a risk that dilution and mining recovery estimates used in the Mineral Reserve estimation do not accurately reconcile with the Company's ability to recover the tonnage, grade and metal content estimated in the Mineral Reserves; metal prices may decline or may be less than forecasted; fluctuations in currency exchange rates (including the U.S. dollar to Brazilian real exchange rate) may increase costs of operations; potential of further instability or failure of walls of the UCS pit, which compromises a material part of the Mineral Reserves being accessed in 2021; there is no assurance that the Company will be able to continue mining and be able to access the UCS Mineral Reserves which may adversely impact the Company's Mineral Reserve estimates, production plans and future revenues, including the potential risk that the Mineral Reserves at UCS may not be accessible at all or that access may be dependent on further remedial work that might interrupt operations; operational and physical risks inherent in mining operations (including pit wall collapses, tailings storage facility failures, environmental accidents and hazards, industrial accidents, equipment breakdown, unusual or unexpected geological or structural formations, cave-ins, flooding and severe weather) may result in unforeseen costs, shut downs, delays in production and exposure to liability; risk that the Company is not successful in its litigation, including a risk that the use of cyanide would be banned in respect of Tucano's operations causing Tucano to have to cease operations if an alternative to cyanide treatment cannot be identified and implemented in a cost-effective way (of which there is no assurance); planned exploration activities may not result in conversion of existing Mineral Resources into Mineral Reserves or discovery of new Mineral Resources; potential political and social risks involving Great Panther's operations in a foreign jurisdiction; the potential for unexpected costs and expenses or overruns; employee and contractor relations; relationships with, and claims by, local communities; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in a timely manner, which if not granted could result in an interruption to operations, including the permits and approvals of the expansion of the GMC tailings facility and the exploration and drilling programs required to complete the various programs being planned; changes in laws, regulations and government practices in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates; legal restrictions related to mining; diminishing quantities or grades of Mineral Reserves as properties are mined; operating or technical difficulties in mineral exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; the Company's inability to meet its production forecasts or to generate the anticipated cash flows from operations could result in the Company's inability to meet its scheduled debt payments when due or to meet financial covenants to which the Company is subject; ability to maintain and renew agreements with local communities to support continued operations, including any access which may be required for the exploration and drilling programs described in this news release; there is no assurance that the Company will be able to identify or complete acquisition opportunities; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in respect of Great Panther, in its annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2019 and material change reports filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators available at www.sedar.com and reports on Form 40-F and Form 6-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov. There is no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove accurate or that actual results will not vary materially from these forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described, or intended. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements and information are designed to help readers understand management's current views of our near- and longer-term prospects and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not intend, nor does it assume any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, changes in assumptions, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law. CAUTIONARY NOTE TO UNITED STATES INVESTORS CONCERNING ESTIMATES OF MEASURED, INDICATED AND INFERRED RESOURCES The Company prepares its disclosure in accordance with the requirements of securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Terms relating to Mineral Resources in this news release are defined in accordance with NI 43-101 under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves 2014 (CIM Definition Standards). The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") has adopted amendments effective February 25, 2019 (the "SEC Modernization Rules") to its disclosure rules to modernize the mineral property disclosure requirements for issuers whose securities are registered with the SEC under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The SEC Modernization Rules have replaced SEC Industry Guide 7, which will be rescinded following a transition period and after the required compliance date of the SEC Modernization Rules. As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC will now recognize estimates of "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources", which are defined in substantially similar terms to the corresponding CIM Definition Standards. In addition, the SEC has amended its definitions of "Proven Mineral Reserves" and "Probable Mineral Reserves" to be substantially similar to the corresponding CIM Definition Standards. United States investors are cautioned that while the foregoing terms are "substantially similar" to corresponding definitions under the CIM Definition Standards, there are differences in the definitions under the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definition Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any Mineral Resources that the Company may report as "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared the resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules. United States investors are also cautioned that while the SEC will now recognize "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources", investors should not assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories would ever be converted into a higher category of Mineral Resources or into Mineral Reserves. Mineralization described by these terms has a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to assume that any "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources", or "Inferred Mineral Resources" that the Company reports are or will be economically or legally mineable. Further, "Inferred Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. Therefore, United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of the Inferred Resources exist. In accordance with Canadian securities laws, estimates of "Inferred Mineral Resources" cannot form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies, except in limited circumstances where permitted under NI 43-101. In addition, disclosure of "contained ounces" is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC has historically only permitted issuers to report mineralization as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. SOURCE Great Panther Mining Limited Related Links www.greatpanther.com The Democrat party is currently attempting to impeach former President Donald Trump because he supposedly instigated the violent demonstration which took place in a doorway of the Capitol on January 6. However, the evidence is in. President Trump did nothing wrong that day. Instead, Democrat party propagandists created a false narrative that Trump and his supporters are violent insurgents. 1. The first proof is the fact that President Trump called for a peaceful demonstration in his earlier speech at a peaceful rally that day: We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated, lawfully slated. I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voice heard. Contributing to this proof is the fact that all video versions of Trump's speech were taken off the internet by censors at YouTube, probably because they didn't want any alternative to the narrative being presented by the Democrat party's propagandists. They even expelled Trump from Facebook and Twitter, probably to prevent him from countering their narrative. 2. The second proof is the fact that no intelligent person ever deduces a pattern from a single incident. This incident only seems to be a pattern to those who have been consuming the Democrat party's propaganda for the last four years. Talk show host Dennis Prager described their anti-Trump propaganda narrative in a January 26 essay: For four years, the media and their party, the Democrats, told us every day that Trump is a fascist, a dictator, a racist, and a white supremacist; that he was an agent of the Russian government -- a real-life Manchurian candidate. We were also repeatedly told by the lying media (Trump's accurate description of the mainstream media) that in Charlottesville, Virginia, Trump said there are "very fine" Nazis (see the PragerU video, "The Media's 'Very Fine People' Myth"). Yes, the media told us with a straight face that a man with a Jewish daughter, Jewish son-in-law, and Jewish grandchildren said there are fine Nazis. Biden said he decided to run for president because of this lie. In contrast, when there is incident after incident of fighting with police, a pattern can be reasonably deduced. For example, the leftist groups Antifa and BLM staged riots in city after city last year. They even fought police for several days at the White House in early June. These battles formed part of an attempted insurrection, according to a June 3 exclusive in the Washington Times: Activists of the far-left Antifa movement began planning to foment a nationwide anti-government insurgency as early as November as the U.S. presidential campaign season kicked off in earnest, according to a law enforcement official with access to intelligence behind the shadowy group. 3. The third proof is the fact that the police waved the demonstrators toward an entrance to the Capitol Building which was only lightly defended by a few policemen. Antifa was there, pretending to be Trump supporters, and helped spark the riot. For more on these events watch this Rudy Giuliani video and explore the links in this American Thinker blog posting. Contributing to this proof is the fact that censors at YouTube took down Giuliani's videos, probably because they didn't want anybody to learn that there were alternatives to the Democrat Party's narratives. (Giuliani's videos can still be watched at rudygiulianics.com.) 4. The fourth proof is the fact that Germany's ruling party and press pulled a similar trick in order to discredit a huge peaceful demonstration by opponents of the coronavirus lockdown in Berlin on August 29. A German blogger explains their propaganda technique: How do you manage to delegitimize a peaceful mass protest against the corona measures in such a way that the media report not about a protest by hundreds of thousands, but about the "storming" of the Reichstag? Quite simply: you approve an application by a group of Reichsburger to assemble directly in front of the Reichstag (N.B. the official applicant for this assembly was Ex-NPD-member Rudiger Hoffmann) and station only three policemen in front of the west entrance despite the large police presence everywhere in the area. Then you let a crazy Q-Anon-chick scream into the microphone that "Donald Trump has declared freedom," that "the police have laid down their weapons," and that "everyone should now occupy the steps of the Reichstag," and, presto, you have the images you need to dominate the coverage ... a mob of a few dozen people with Reichsburger flags "storming the Reichstag." Never mind the fact that the massive demonstration at the Siegesaule (i.e., Victory Column) organized by Querdenken 711 had absolutely nothing to do with this incident, which was carried out by a right-wing-extremist splinter group. The demonstration had already been delegitimized as a protest staged by Reichsburger extremists and tin-foil-hat lunatics in the days leading up to it, and now the visual confirmation was provided. Contributing to this proof are the close parallels between the two incidents, suggesting that those in Washington were copying the German technique. According to ZeroHedge: All they actually had to do, in both Berlin and DC, was allow a small fringe group of angry protesters to gain access to the building, film it, and then pump out the "attempted coup" narrative. It made no difference whatsoever that the "domestic terrorists" (in both Berlin and Washington) were a completely unorganized, unarmed mob that posed absolutely zero threat of "staging a coup" and "overthrowing the government." It also made not the slightest difference that Trump didn't actually "incite" the mob (yes, I put myself through the agony of reading every word of his speech, which was the usual word salad from start to finish). We're talking propaganda here, not reality. YouTube screen grab (cropped). Those who lived in the Soviet Union developed a healthy dose of cynicism, which helped them read in between the lines of Pravda and Izvestia and figure out what was really going on. We need to learn to read between the lines of the Democrat party's propaganda. Whenever they censor the alternative, they are indicating that they know they are lying. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian reiterated he is willing to be the first in his city to get vaccinated against COVID-19 no matter which brand in a bid to boost the confidence of his constituents. I already said it publicly and Ill say it again, I can be the first patient to be vaccinated, Gatchalian told CNN Philippines The Source on Friday. It doesnt matter which brand as long as FDA approved siya. I always have that qualifier. The city earlier held a simulation exercise for the vaccine rollout to prepare residents on what to expect for the future activity. This early, Gatchalian noticed some challenges, including residents having vaccine preferences, as well as a wait and see attitude. Of course its their right naman, Im not saying na huwag sila mamili, pero [Its their right, Im not saying they shouldnt choose but] that will be the challenge trying to make them understand that these vaccines all went through the rigorous checks of FDA, and they have all very good efficacy, Gatchalian said. Challenge number 2 Weve noticed that the registration is quite slow. Meaning, a lot of people are still in that, let me wait and see stage, let me look at my neighbor first, he recounted. The Valenzuela City government earlier inked a deal with AstraZeneca for the advanced purchase of 640,000 vaccine doses, which Gatchalian said can cover around 70% of the citys adult population. 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. Dr. Oren Parnas of Jerusalem's Hebrew University is profiling individual pancreatic cancer cells from early stage tumors in a bid to discover markers for early diagnosis. By the time Barbara Goodman was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer in October 2001, there were already 30 tumors in her liver. "We knew we were in for a pretty tough battle," recalled her husband, Kenneth Goodman, then president of New York-based Forest Laboratories, a pharmaceutical company. "But I had an entire research organization I could draw upon." Nevertheless, nine months after her diagnosis, Barbara died. She was only 51, far younger than usual for pancreatic cancer patients, who are diagnosed, on average, at 70. In his wife's memory, Kenneth established the Barbara S. Goodm... 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 New York Times star reporter on the coronavirus pandemic, Donald McNeil Jr., 66, has been accused of making offensive comments, including using the N-word on a 2019 student trip to Peru The New York Times has stopped short of firing one of its most prominent reporters despite claims he used the N-word during a Times-branded student trip to Peru. Donald McNeil Jr., 66, whose writing on the coronavirus pandemic over the last year has been submitted for a Pulitzer prize, is alleged to have used the racial slur in front of a group of 16 students and some of their parents. But the Times has decided not to fire him after its editor believed McNeil did not use the words with 'hateful or malicious' intent. The incident comes just a week after the paper ended the contract of an editor after she tweeted that she had 'chills' watching President-elect Biden's plane landing at Andrew Air Force Base shortly before his inauguration. In McNeil's case, more details were revealed by the newspaper in a statement on Thursday night. 'In 2019, Donald McNeil Jr. participated in a Student Journeys trip as an expert,' The Times said in the statement. 'We subsequently became aware of complaints by some of the students on the trip concerning certain statements Donald had made during the trip. 'We conducted a thorough investigation and disciplined Donald for statements and language that had been inappropriate and inconsistent with our values. 'We found he had used bad judgment by repeating a racist slur in the context of a conversation about racist language. In addition, we apologized to the students who had participated in the trip.' The Times would not provide details of how McNeil had been disciplined. McNeil, who has worked for the paper since 1976 and is a science and health reporter, has also declined to comment on the claims. Students and parents complained to the tour company and the newspaper that Donald McNeil Jr. made sexist or racist remarks on the trip. Pictured, The New York Times Building HQ Students who were on the trip to Peru together with their parents complained McNeil used the 'n-word,' and said that white supremacy did not exist. He is also said to have made other disrespectful comments about black teens while on the trip, according to the Daily Beast. A photo from the $5,000-a-head trip seen by the Beast showed 16 students took part. From the group, at least six complained to the tour company that McNeil used racially insensitive or racist language. 'I expect immediate action on the actions taken by Donald, I am deeply disappointed about the New York Times because of the comments he made during our trip. I think firing him would even be appropriate,' one traveler wrote. McNeil joined the Times in 1976 and his his COVID-19 coverage has been submitted for a Pulitzer Prize for public-service journalism 'Not only did Donald say various racist comments on numerous occasions, but he was also disrespectful to many students during mealtimes and in other settings,' another stated in their review. 'I would change the journalist. He was a racist,' a third person wrote. 'He used the 'N' word, said horrible things about black teenagers, and said white supremacy doesn't exist.' 'He made students in the program feel uncomfortable with his remarks. I was really disappointed after hearing great things about his work,' added a fourth participant. On Thursday night, the Times' editor Dean Baquet, pictured, sent an email to staff at the paper explaining what had happened and said McNeil's conduct did not appear to be 'hateful or malicious.' On Thursday night, the Times' editor Dean Baquet sent an email to staff at the paper explaining what had happened. Baquet said he had authorized an investigation into McNeil's conduct but found that his intentions did not appear to be 'hateful or malicious.' 'When I first heard the story, I was outraged and expected I would fire him. I authorized an investigation and concluded his remarks were offensive and that he showed extremely poor judgment, but that it did not appear to me that his intentions were hateful or malicious,' Baquet wrote. 'I believe that in such cases people should be told they were wrong and given another chance. He was formally disciplined. He was not given a pass.' Baquet admitted that the Times had been 'too tolerant in disciplining high-profile journalists.' 'Fair treatment has to be the foundation of the diverse and equitable newsroom we are building,' he wrote. McNeil's racist comments come when the paper has been the subject of controversy. Last week, the Times came in for criticism after ending the contract of editor Lauren Wolfe after she tweeted that she had 'chills' on Joe Biden's inauguration day. Wolfe lost her gig with the paper, where she had started working last May, after tweeting: 'Biden landing at Joint Base Andrews now. I have chills.' Lauren Wolfe lost her gig as a New York Times freelance editor last week Lauren Wolfe lost her gig with the paper, where she had started working last May, after tweeting: 'Biden landing at Joint Base Andrews now. I have chills' She also tweeted that Trump was 'mortifying' and 'childish' for having refused to send Biden a military place to bring him to D.C. She later deleted that tweet after acknowledging that it was inaccurate, and Biden had made the choice not to take a military plane In her new blog Wolfe says she has 'spent two decades in journalism or press freedom advocacy'. She detailed covering rape in Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo Wolfe also tweeted that Trump was 'mortifying' and 'childish' for having refused to send Biden a military place to bring him to D.C. She later deleted that tweet after acknowledging Biden had made the choice not to take a military plane. On Tuesday Wolfe launched her own site to defend her post, asking 'is it cold in here?' and arguing that working at the paper was like 'being in a shoe that was a bit too tight'. She added: 'I was fired from my only straight news job Ive ever had last week because I expressed emotion publicly on something I should not have, according to the publication.' The Times had said Wolfe's dismissal was not on the basis of the tweet alone, but did not comment any further on the reasons for letting her go. But Wolfe argues the tweet was 'the only reason they fired me', calling their statement on the matter 'a shot at my reputation'. "Effectively in desperation to get any hand to mouth existence he committed this string of offences," a defence lawyer said. (stock photo) A 33-year-old man who turned to burglary when he became homeless has been for 15 months, but given time already served, he should be released if not immediately, within weeks. Belfast Recorder Judge Stephen Fowler QC said on Friday, while he hoped Alan Michael McCarthy manages to find a bed when freed, he was sure his solicitor Pearse McDermott of McCann and McCann will "take every step, every opportunity" to try and secure him one. The Belfast Crown Court judge was told that McCarthy had come north in the hope of finding a better life but ended up turning to crime "effectively in desperation". Sentencing him Judge Fowler QC said while McCarthy became a burglar when unfortunately for him he was homeless and had difficulties, he should have approached the appropriate authorities for help. However he added taking everything into account, particularly the considerable period already served in custody, together with his guilty pleas and not wasting the courts time, he was prepared to grant McCarthy considerable discount. Prosecution counsel James Johnston told the court that McCarthy was successful only in two of his five commercial break-ins of restaurants, pubs clubs and coffee-shops around Belfast city centre. Mr Johnston also reveled that when police eventually caught up with him in the early hours of November 4, 2019, he asked them: "How can it be burglary if you don't get anything?" Defence counsel Luke Curran said that as a consequence of McCarthy becoming homeless after coming to Northern Ireland in the hope of things turning out better, he had nothing to sustain him. "Effectively in desperation to get any hand to mouth existence he committed this string of offences," said Mr Curran. While he added McCarthy had no justification for what he did, "he was at an all time low and had nothing to his name effectively". McCarthy, of no fixed abode, who pleaded guilty to the five burglaries, will serve an additional 15 months on supervised license upon his release. It needs to be something that is actually in the city code, that is enshrined into law, and that folks can count on, year after year after year, to provide them with the access to water that they need and deserve, said Ramirez-Rosa, who introduced the earlier version of the ordinance and is lead co-sponsor on the new one. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) The Department of Health on Friday said 57 close contacts of the Filipino who returned to Bontoc from United Kingdom have tested positive for COVID-19. Authorities have traced 369 of his close contacts and 223 underwent RT-PCR swab tests. Of this number, 57 turned out positive for COVID-19 including the 12 cases with the more transmissible variant first detected in United Kingdom. Forty-one test results are pending, while 135 contacts tested negative for COVID-19. The said traveler was not found with the UK variant, but officials previously said all 12 variant cases in the town are linked to him. The source of the variant, which spread in Bontoc in Mountain Province, remains a mystery. Health officials are also looking into eight Filipino travelers who recently entered Bontoc as possible source. Some samples are undergoing genome sequencing, while DOH also eyes sending 37 other samples to the Philippine Genome Center. The country has 17 known cases of the UK variant. 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 Air Force Academy is undertaking a wide-ranging "honor review" after a massive scandal in which some 249 cadets ended up under investigation for some form of cheating. The alleged honor code violations appear to be a direct result of changes to class structure last spring due to pandemic restrictions. "Part of the review will focus on the spring semester of 2020, when the Academy made the unprecedented decision in March to send the lower three classes home, approximately 3,000 cadets, in order to best protect their health and safety," academy officials said in a news release Friday. "The decision forced a swift, 8-day transition of the Academy's academic curriculum to at-home remote classes, a first for the traditionally in-person institution. Unfortunately, amidst these extraordinary circumstances and challenges, 249 cadets were suspected of violating the Academy's Honor Code." Read Next: These Are the Official Space Force Ranks The release noted that the honor code violations entailed various forms of cheating, including improper source citation, "using unauthorized online tutoring websites to receive solutions to exam questions in real time," and completing exams in small groups rather than individually. The cheating behavior was discovered through established Dean of Faculty academic safeguards. A spokesman for the Air Force Academy told Military.com that two cadets had been dismissed as a result of infractions. He did not immediately have information about how many cadets had admitted to cheating and how many investigations are still underway. The release noted, however, that the "vast majority" of those suspected have admitted to cheating and been placed on a six-month probation and remediation program. While on probation, the spokesman said, students cannot represent the academy at any sporting events or competitions or participate in any academy clubs. Remediation, he said, consists of additional honor code training and instruction to make clear what behaviors are off-limits. "Probation and remediation have proven to be effective tools, where more than 90% of cadets who go through remediation do not commit another Honor Code infraction," officials said. The review will generate findings and recommendations to improve and clarify the honor code, according to the release. It's being undertaken in collaboration with AF CyberWorx, a public-private initiative with an emphasis on cyber capability, and will entail conversations with alumni, cadets, leaders and other stakeholders. "The Honor Review Committee will focus on reviewing tenets of the current Honor Program, previous Honor assessments, studies, reports, and surveys," officials said in the release. "They will also look at internal processes, structures, and activities associated with the Honor Program. After completion, changes and timing will be implemented based on the conclusions and suggestions of the review." Lt. Gen. Richard Clark, superintendent of the academy, emphasized the need to see behavior change as a result of the review. "Findings and recommendations are great, but they don't equal progress until action is taken that results in enduring positive change," he said in a statement. While COVID-19 conditions added complexity to this cheating scandal, it's far from the first time the Air Force Academy has dealt with the issue. In 2019, suspicious exam results prompted an investigation into cheating among at least 10 cadets. And in 2017, 13 first-year cadets were accused of cheating on a test. A 2014 report from the Colorado Springs Gazette found multiple instances of cheating and criminal behavior, including sexual assault, leading to courts-martial and expulsions. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Related: More Than 70 West Point Cadets Allegedly Caught Cheating on Math Exam CORK, Ireland, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson Controls International plc (NYSE: JCI), the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, today reported fiscal first quarter 2021 GAAP earnings per share ("EPS") from continuing operations, including special items, of $0.45. Excluding these items, adjusted EPS from continuing operations was $0.43, up 8% versus the prior year period (see attached footnotes for non-GAAP reconciliation). Sales of $5.3 billion decreased 4% compared to the prior year and declined 5% organically, reflecting the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. GAAP net income from continuing operations was $327 million. Adjusted net income from continuing operations was $311 million, up 2% versus the prior year. Earnings before interest and taxes ("EBIT") was $492 million and EBIT margin was 9.2%. Adjusted EBIT was $471 million and adjusted EBIT margin was 8.8%, an increase of 80 basis points versus prior year results, despite the revenue decline. "2021 is off to a strong start with solid financial performance in our fiscal first quarter, demonstrating our continued commitment to disciplined execution, in what remains a challenging market environment," said George Oliver, chairman and CEO. "The continued benefits from our actions taken in fiscal 2020 to reduce structural costs, combined with ongoing efforts to minimize discretionary expenses, enabled us to achieve record first quarter profitability and free cash flow. Although many of our end markets remain under pressure due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, we further advanced our strategic growth initiatives, with continued reinvestment in our businesses to ensure we are best positioned for the recovery. As we progress into the second quarter, we expect to return to organic revenue growth, with strong margin expansion and year-over-year growth in earnings per share." Mr. Oliver added, "Our OpenBlue digital technologies are reinventing the building landscape, creating dynamic smart facilities that help our customers meet their sustainability commitments, while delivering healthy places, enriched experiences and cost savings. Our vision for a healthy world centers on healthy buildings, which means delivering on the most critical elements to serve People, Places and the Planet. We believe we are uniquely positioned to lead the industry in translating new building technology capabilities into game-changing solutions that deliver on that vision." In a separate press release issued today, Johnson Controls announced an ambitious set of new Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) commitments, science-based targets as well as a net zero carbon pledge to support a healthy, more sustainable planet over the next two decades. "Our commitments reinforce the urgency to make positive changes that will improve the health of our planet, and we believe we are uniquely positioned to help customers and suppliers achieve their sustainability goals, in addition to our own," said Katie McGinty, vice president & chief sustainability, government and regulatory affairs officer at Johnson Controls. "We are excited to step up the role we play and will continue to innovate and uncover new pathways to meet our goals which will contribute to healthier people, healthier places and a healthier planet." Income and EPS amounts attributable to Johnson Controls ordinary shareholders ($ millions, except per-share amounts) The financial highlights presented in the tables below are in accordance with GAAP, unless otherwise indicated. All comparisons are to the first fiscal quarter of 2020. Organic sales, total segment EBITA, adjusted segment EBITA, adjusted corporate expense, EBIT, adjusted EBIT, adjusted net income from continuing operations, adjusted EPS from continuing operations and free cash flow are non-GAAP financial measures. For a reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures and detail of the special items, refer to the attached footnotes. A slide presentation to accompany the results can be found in the Investor Relations section of Johnson Controls' website at http://investors.johnsoncontrols.com. Fiscal Q1 GAAP Adjusted 2020 2021 2020 2021 Sales $5,576 $5,341 $5,576 $5,341 Segment EBITA 623 642 625 642 EBIT 308 492 448 471 Net income from continuing operations 159 327 306 311 Diluted EPS from continuing operations $0.21 $0.45 $0.40 $0.43 SEGMENT RESULTS Building Solutions North America Fiscal Q1 GAAP Adjusted 2020 2021 2020 2021 Sales $2,167 $2,034 $2,167 $2,034 Segment EBITA 258 255 259 255 Segment EBITA Margin % 11.9% 12.5% 12.0% 12.5% Sales in the quarter of $2.0 billion, decreased 6% versus the prior year. Organic sales also declined 6% versus the prior year, driven by a decline in project installations and, to a much lesser extent, service. Strong growth in Performance Solutions was more than offset by a decline in Fire & Security and HVAC & Controls. Orders in the quarter, excluding M&A and adjusted for foreign currency, decreased 7% year-over-year driven by lower demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Backlog at the end of the quarter of $5.9 billion increased 1% compared to the prior year, excluding M&A and adjusted for foreign currency. Adjusted segment EBITA was $255 million, down 2% versus the prior year. Adjusted segment EBITA margin of 12.5% expanded 50 basis points versus the prior year driven by significant cost mitigation actions and restructuring benefits as well as positive mix, which more than offset the impact of the volume decline. Building Solutions EMEA/LA (Europe, Middle East, Africa/Latin America) Fiscal Q1 GAAP Adjusted 2020 2021 2020 2021 Sales $928 $906 $928 $906 Segment EBITA 90 95 90 95 Segment EBITA Margin % 9.7% 10.5% 9.7% 10.5% Sales in the quarter of $906 million decreased 2% versus the prior year. Organic sales declined 5% versus the prior year driven by a decline in project installations. Volumes declined across all regions and platforms. Orders in the quarter, excluding M&A and adjusted for foreign currency, increased 2% year-over-year driven by service. Backlog at the end of the quarter of $1.8 billion increased 5% year-over-year, excluding M&A and adjusted for foreign currency. Adjusted segment EBITA was $95 million, up 6% versus the prior year. Adjusted segment EBITA margin of 10.5% expanded 80 basis points over the prior year, including a 20 basis point headwind related to foreign currency. Adjusting for foreign currency, underlying EBITA margin expanded 100 basis points as positive mix and mitigating cost actions more than offset the impact of the volume decline. Building Solutions Asia Pacific Fiscal Q1 GAAP Adjusted 2020 2021 2020 2021 Sales $629 $615 $629 $615 Segment EBITA 72 79 72 79 Segment EBITA Margin % 11.4% 12.8% 11.4% 12.8% Sales in the quarter of $615 million decreased 2% versus the prior year. Organic sales declined 6% versus the prior year driven by a decline in project installations which more than offset growth in service. Although China continues to rebound, declines continue in certain other parts of the region. Orders in the quarter, excluding M&A and adjusted for foreign currency, decreased 1% year-over-year as growth in service was more than offset by a decline in project activity. Significantly improved demand in China was offset by further declines in Japan, Hong Kong and South East Asia. Backlog at the end of the quarter of $1.8 billion increased 12% year-over-year, excluding M&A and adjusted for foreign currency. Adjusted segment EBITA was $79 million, up 10% versus the prior year. Adjusted segment EBITA margin of 12.8% expanded 140 basis points over the prior year as favorable mix and the benefit of mitigating cost actions more than offset the impact of the volume decline. Global Products Fiscal Q1 GAAP Adjusted 2020 2021 2020 2021 Sales $1,852 $1,786 $1,852 $1,786 Segment EBITA 203 213 204 213 Segment EBITA Margin % 11.0% 11.9% 11.0% 11.9% Sales in the quarter of $1.8 billion decreased 4% versus the prior year. Organic sales declined 2% versus the prior year as low double-digit growth in residential was more than offset by a decline in commercial HVAC, Fire & Security and Industrial Refrigeration. Adjusted segment EBITA was $213 million, up 4% versus the prior year. Adjusted segment EBITA margin of 11.9% expanded 90 basis points versus the prior year as positive price/cost and the benefit of mitigating cost actions more than offset the impact of the volume decline and negative mix. Corporate Fiscal Q1 GAAP Adjusted 2020 2021 2020 2021 Corporate Expense ($118) ($67) ($81) ($67) Adjusted Corporate expense was $67 million in the quarter, a decrease of 17% compared to the prior year, driven primarily by mitigating cost actions and continuous structural cost reductions. OTHER ITEMS For the quarter, cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations was $0.5 billion and capital expenditures were $0.1 billion , resulting in free cash flow from continuing operations of $0.4 billion . and capital expenditures were , resulting in free cash flow from continuing operations of . During the quarter, the Company repurchased 8 million shares for $346 million . . During the quarter, the Company recorded a net $124 million divestiture reserve reversal in discontinued operations related to the sale of the Power Solutions business. FY21 SECOND QUARTER AND FULL YEAR GUIDANCE The Company initiated fiscal 2021 second quarter guidance: Organic revenue growth up slightly Adjusted EBITA margin expansion of 80 to 100 basis points, year-over-year Adjusted EPS before special items of $0.47 to $0.49 ; represents 12 to 17% growth year-over-year The Company initiated fiscal 2021 full year guidance: Organic revenue growth up low-to-mid single digits Adjusted EBITA margin expansion of 40 to 60 basis points, year-over-year Adjusted EPS before special items of $2.45 to $2.55 ; represents 9 to 14% growth year-over-year 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 www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow us @johnsoncontrols on Twitter ### Johnson Controls International plc Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Johnson Controls International plc has made statements in this communication that are forward-looking and therefore are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements in this document other than statements of historical fact are, or could be, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this communication, statements regarding Johnson Controls' future financial position, sales, costs, earnings, cash flows, other measures of results of operations, synergies and integration opportunities, capital expenditures and debt levels are forward-looking statements. Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "should," "forecast," "project" or "plan" and terms of similar meaning are also generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Johnson Controls cautions that these statements are subject to numerous important risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond Johnson Controls' control, that could cause Johnson Controls' actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others, risks related to: Johnson Controls' ability to manage general economic, business, capital market and geopolitical conditions, including the impacts of natural disasters, pandemics and outbreaks of contagious diseases and other adverse public health developments, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; the strength of the U.S. or other economies; changes or uncertainty in laws, regulations, rates, policies or interpretations that impact Johnson Controls' business operations or tax status; the ability to develop or acquire new products and technologies that achieve market acceptance; changes to laws or policies governing foreign trade, including increased tariffs or trade restrictions; maintaining the capacity, reliability and security of our enterprise and product information technology infrastructure; the risk of infringement or expiration of intellectual property rights; any delay or inability of Johnson Controls to realize the expected benefits and synergies of recent portfolio transactions such as its merger with Tyco and the disposition of the Power Solutions business; the outcome of litigation and governmental proceedings; the ability to hire and retain key senior management; the tax treatment of recent portfolio transactions; significant transaction costs and/or unknown liabilities associated with such transactions; the availability of raw materials and component products; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; work stoppages, union negotiations, labor disputes and other matters associated with the labor force; the cancellation of or changes to commercial arrangements. A detailed discussion of risks related to Johnson Controls' business is included in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Johnson Controls' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 2020 fiscal year filed with the SEC on November 16, 2020, which is available at www.sec.gov and www.johnsoncontrols.com under the "Investors" tab. Shareholders, potential investors and others should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements and should not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made only as of the date of this document, unless otherwise specified, and, except as required by law, Johnson Controls assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update such statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this communication. ### Non-GAAP Financial Information The Company's press release contains financial information regarding adjusted earnings per share, which is a non-GAAP performance measure. The adjusting items include restructuring and impairment costs, transaction costs, integration costs, net mark-to-market adjustments, Power Solutions divestiture reserve adjustment and discrete tax items. Financial information regarding organic sales, EBIT, EBIT margin, adjusted EBIT, adjusted EBIT margin, total segment EBITA, adjusted segment EBITA, adjusted segment EBITA margin, adjusted corporate expense, free cash flow, and adjusted net income (loss) from continuing operations are also presented, which are non-GAAP performance measures. Adjusted segment EBITA excludes special items such as integration costs because these costs are not considered to be directly related to the underlying operating performance of its business units. Management believes that, when considered together with unadjusted amounts, these non-GAAP measures are useful to investors in understanding period-over-period operating results and business trends of the Company. Management may also use these metrics as guides in forecasting, budgeting and long-term planning processes and for compensation purposes. These metrics should be considered in addition to, and not as replacements for, the most comparable GAAP measure. For further information on the calculation of thee non-GAAP measures and a reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures, refer to the attached footnotes. ### JOHNSON CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL PLC CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (in millions, except per share data; unaudited) Three Months Ended December 31, 2020 2019 Net sales $ 5,341 $ 5,576 Cost of sales 3,613 3,773 Gross profit 1,728 1,803 Selling, general and administrative expenses (1,294) (1,427) Restructuring and impairment costs - (111) Net financing charges (59) (52) Equity income 58 43 Income from continuing operations before income taxes 433 256 Income tax provision 61 65 Income from continuing operations 372 191 Income from discontinued operations, net of tax 124 - Net income 496 191 Less: Income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests 45 32 Less: Income from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests - - Net income attributable to JCI $ 451 $ 159 Income from continuing operations $ 327 $ 159 Income from discontinued operations 124 - Net income attributable to JCI $ 451 $ 159 Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations $ 0.45 $ 0.21 Diluted earnings per share from discontinued operations 0.17 - Diluted earnings per share $ 0.62 $ 0.21 Diluted weighted average shares 726.5 774.0 Shares outstanding at period end 720.3 764.0 JOHNSON CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL PLC CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION (in millions; unaudited) December 31, September 30, 2020 2020 ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,839 $ 1,951 Accounts receivable - net 5,177 5,294 Inventories 1,913 1,773 Other current assets 1,105 1,035 Current assets 10,034 10,053 Property, plant and equipment - net 3,082 3,059 Goodwill 18,207 17,932 Other intangible assets - net 5,384 5,356 Investments in partially-owned affiliates 1,003 914 Noncurrent assets held for sale 155 147 Other noncurrent assets 3,559 3,354 Total assets $ 41,424 $ 40,815 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt $ 464 $ 293 Accounts payable and accrued expenses 4,046 3,958 Other current liabilities 3,976 3,997 Current liabilities 8,486 8,248 Long-term debt 7,469 7,526 Other noncurrent liabilities 6,646 6,508 Shareholders' equity attributable to JCI 17,656 17,447 Noncontrolling interests 1,167 1,086 Total liabilities and equity $ 41,424 $ 40,815 JOHNSON CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL PLC CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (in millions; unaudited) Three Months Ended December 31, 2020 2019 Operating Activities Net income attributable to JCI from continuing operations $ 327 $ 159 Income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests 45 32 Net income from continuing operations 372 191 Adjustments to reconcile net income from continuing operations to cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 207 207 Pension and postretirement benefit income (46) (40) Pension and postretirement contributions (17) (12) Equity in earnings of partially-owned affiliates, net of dividends received (52) 8 Deferred income taxes (59) (3) Non-cash restructuring and impairment costs - 54 Other - net (25) 16 Changes in assets and liabilities, excluding acquisitions and divestitures: Accounts receivable 224 237 Inventories (98) (114) Other assets (70) (92) Restructuring reserves (34) 33 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 91 (498) Accrued income taxes 22 524 Cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations 515 511 Investing Activities Capital expenditures (91) (126) Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired - (48) Business divestitures, net of cash divested 11 - Other - net 43 1 Cash used by investing activities from continuing operations (37) (173) Financing Activities Increase (decrease) in short and long-term debt - net (20) 10 Stock repurchases (346) (651) Payment of cash dividends (190) (203) Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests - (5) Proceeds from the exercise of stock options 31 21 Employee equity-based compensation withholding (21) (20) Other - net (1) (2) Cash used by financing activities from continuing operations (547) (850) Discontinued Operations Net cash used by operating activities (36) (194) Net cash provided by investing activities - - Net cash provided by financing activities - - Net cash flows used by discontinued operations (36) (194) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (11) 57 Changes in cash held for sale - - Decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash $ (116) $ (649) FOOTNOTES 1. Financial Summary The Company evaluates the performance of its business units primarily on segment earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (EBITA), which represents income from continuing operations before income taxes and noncontrolling interests, excluding general corporate expenses, intangible asset amortization, net financing charges, restructuring and impairment costs, and the net mark-to-market adjustments related to restricted asbestos investments and pension and postretirement plans. The financial results shown below are for continuing operations and exclude the Power Solutions business. (in millions; unaudited) Three Months Ended December 31, 2020 2019 Actual Adjusted Non-GAAP Actual Adjusted Non-GAAP Net sales Building Solutions North America $ 2,034 $ 2,034 $ 2,167 $ 2,167 Building Solutions EMEA/LA 906 906 928 928 Building Solutions Asia Pacific 615 615 629 629 Global Products 1,786 1,786 1,852 1,852 Net sales $ 5,341 $ 5,341 $ 5,576 $ 5,576 Segment EBITA (1) Building Solutions North America $ 255 $ 255 $ 258 $ 259 Building Solutions EMEA/LA 95 95 90 90 Building Solutions Asia Pacific 79 79 72 72 Global Products 213 213 203 204 Segment EBITA 642 642 623 625 Corporate expenses (2) (67) (67) (118) (81) Amortization of intangible assets (104) (104) (96) (96) Net mark-to-market adjustments (3) 21 - 10 - Restructuring and impairment costs (4) - - (111) - EBIT (5) 492 471 308 448 EBIT margin 9.2% 8.8% 5.5% 8.0% Net financing charges (59) (59) (52) (52) Income from continuing operations before income taxes 433 412 256 396 Income tax provision (6) (61) (56) (65) (53) Income from continuing operations 372 356 191 343 Income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests (45) (45) (32) (37) Net income from continuing operations attributable to JCI $ 327 $ 311 $ 159 $ 306 (1) The Company's press release contains financial information regarding segment EBITA, adjusted segment EBITA and adjusted segment EBITA margins, which are non-GAAP performance measures. The Company's definition of adjusted segment EBITA excludes special items because these costs are not considered to be directly related to the underlying operating performance of its businesses. Management believes these non-GAAP measures are useful to investors in understanding the ongoing operations and business trends of the Company. A reconciliation of segment EBITA to income from continuing operations is shown earlier within this footnote. The following is the three months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 reconciliation of segment EBITA and segment EBITA margin as reported to adjusted segment EBITA and adjusted segment EBITA margin (unaudited): (in millions) Building Solutions North America Building Solutions EMEA/LA Building Solutions Asia Pacific Global Products Consolidated JCI plc 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 Segment EBITA as reported $ 255 $ 258 $ 95 $ 90 $ 79 $ 72 $ 213 $ 203 $ 642 $ 623 Segment EBITA margin as reported 12.5% 11.9% 10.5% 9.7% 12.8% 11.4% 11.9% 11.0% 12.0% 11.2% Adjusting items: Integration costs - 1 - - - - - 1 - 2 Adjusted segment EBITA $ 255 $ 259 $ 95 $ 90 $ 79 $ 72 $ 213 $ 204 $ 642 $ 625 Adjusted segment EBITA margin 12.5% 12.0% 10.5% 9.7% 12.8% 11.4% 11.9% 11.0% 12.0% 11.2% (2) Adjusted Corporate expenses excludes special items because these costs are not considered to be directly related to the underlying operating performance of the Company's business. Adjusted Corporate expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2019 excludes $37 million of integration costs. (3) The three months ended December 31, 2020 exclude the net mark-to-market adjustments on restricted investments of $21 million. The three months ended December 31, 2019 exclude the net mark-to-market adjustments on restricted investments of $10 million. (4) Restructuring and impairment costs for the three months ended December 31, 2019 of $111 million are excluded from the adjusted non-GAAP results. The restructuring actions and impairment costs related primarily to workforce reductions, plant closures and asset impairments. (5) Management defines earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) as income (loss) from continuing operations before net financing charges, income taxes and noncontrolling interests. EBIT is a non-GAAP performance measure. Management believes this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors in understanding the ongoing operations and business trends of the Company. A reconciliation of EBIT to income (loss) from continuing operations is shown earlier within this footnote. (6) Adjusted income tax provision for the three months ended December 31, 2020 excludes tax provision from net mark-to-market adjustments of $5 million. Adjusted income tax provision for the three months ended December 31, 2019 excludes tax provisions related to Switzerland tax reform of $30 million and net mark-to-market adjustments of $3 million, partially offset by tax benefits for restructuring and impairment costs of $16 million and integration costs of $5 million. 2. Diluted Earnings Per Share Reconciliation The Company's press release contains financial information regarding adjusted earnings per share, which is a non-GAAP performance measure. The adjusting items include transaction/integration costs, net mark-to-market adjustments, restructuring and impairment costs, Power Solutions divestiture reserve adjustment, and discrete tax items. The Company excludes these items because they are not considered to be directly related to the underlying operating performance of the Company. Management believes these non-GAAP measures are useful to investors in understanding the ongoing operations and business trends of the Company. A reconciliation of diluted earnings per share as reported to adjusted diluted earnings per share for the respective periods is shown below (unaudited): Net Income Attributable to JCI plc Net Income Attributable to JCI plc from Continuing Operations Three Months Ended Three Months Ended December 31, December 31, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Earnings per share as reported for JCI plc $ 0.62 $ 0.21 $ 0.45 $ 0.21 Adjusting items: Integration costs - 0.05 - 0.05 Related tax impact - (0.01) - (0.01) Net mark-to-market adjustments (0.03) (0.01) (0.03) (0.01) Related tax impact 0.01 - 0.01 - Restructuring and impairment costs - 0.14 - 0.14 Related tax impact - (0.02) - (0.02) NCI impact of restructuring and impairment - (0.01) - (0.01) Power Solutions divestiture reserve adjustment (0.21) - - - Related tax impact 0.04 - - - Discrete tax items - 0.04 - 0.04 Adjusted earnings per share for JCI plc* $ 0.43 $ 0.40 $ 0.43 $ 0.40 * May not sum due to rounding The following table reconciles the denominators used to calculate basic and diluted earnings per share for JCI plc (in millions; unaudited): Three Months Ended December 31, 2020 2019 Weighted average shares outstanding for JCI plc Basic weighted average shares outstanding 723.1 769.9 Effect of dilutive securities: Stock options, unvested restricted stock and unvested performance share awards 3.4 4.1 Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 726.5 774.0 The Company has presented forward-looking statements regarding adjusted EPS, organic revenue, adjusted EBITA margin and free cash flow conversion, which are non-GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures are derived by excluding certain amounts, expenses, or income from the corresponding financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. The determination of the amounts that are excluded from these non-GAAP financial measures are a matter of management judgment and depends upon, among other factors, the nature of the underlying expense or income amounts recognized in a given period, including but not limited to the high variability of the net mark-to-market adjustments and the effect of foreign currency exchange fluctuations. Our fiscal 2021 full year and second quarter guidance for organic revenue also excludes the effect of acquisitions, divestitures and foreign currency. We are unable to present a quantitative reconciliation of the aforementioned forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable forward-looking GAAP financial measures because such information is not available and management cannot reliably predict all of the necessary components of such GAAP measures without unreasonable effort or expense. The unavailable information could have a significant impact on the Company's second quarter and full year 2021 GAAP financial results. 3. Organic Growth Reconciliation The components of the changes in net sales for the three months ended December 31, 2020 versus the three months ended December 31, 2019, including organic growth, is shown below (unaudited): (in millions) Net Sales for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2019 Base Year Adjustments - Divestitures and Other Base Year Adjustments - Foreign Currency Adjusted Base Net Sales for the Three Months Ended December, 2019 Acquisitions Organic Growth Net Sales for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2020 Building Solutions North America $ 2,167 $ - - $ 3 - $ 2,170 $ - - $ (136) -6% $ 2,034 -6% Building Solutions EMEA/LA 928 - - 21 2% 949 9 1% (52) -5% 906 -2% Building Solutions Asia Pacific 629 (2) - 28 4% 655 - - (40) -6% 615 -2% Total field 3,724 (2) - 52 1% 3,774 9 - (228) -6% 3,555 -5% Global Products 1,852 (71) -4% 37 2% 1,818 - - (32) -2% 1,786 -4% Total net sales $ 5,576 $ (73) -1% $ 89 2% $ 5,592 $ 9 - $ (260) -5% $ 5,341 -4% 4. Free Cash Flow Reconciliation The Company's press release contains financial information regarding free cash flow which is a non-GAAP performance measure. Free cash flow is defined as cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures. Management believes this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors in understanding the strength of the Company and its ability to generate cash. The following is the three months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 reconciliation of free cash flow for continuing operations (unaudited): (in billions) Three Months Ended December 31, 2020 Three Months Ended December 31, 2019 Cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations $ 0.5 $ 0.5 Capital expenditures (0.1) (0.1) Reported free cash flow $ 0.4 $ 0.4 5. Net Debt to EBITDA The Company provides financial information regarding net debt to adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-GAAP performance measure. The Company believes the total net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio is useful to understanding the Company's financial condition as it provides a review of the extent to which the Company relies on external debt financing for its funding and is a measure of risk to its shareholders. The following is the December 31, 2020 calculation of net debt to adjusted EBITDA (unaudited): (in millions) December 31, 2020 Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt $ 464 Long-term debt 7,469 Total debt 7,933 Less: cash and cash equivalents 1,839 Total net debt $ 6,094 Last twelve months adjusted EBITDA $ 3,210 Total net debt to adjusted EBITDA 1.9x The following is the last twelve months ended December 31, 2020 reconciliation of income from continuing operations to adjusted EBIT and adjusted EBITDA, which are non-GAAP performance measures (unaudited): (in millions) Last Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2020 Income from continuing operations $ 976 Income tax provision 104 Net financing charges 238 EBIT 1,318 Adjusting items: Integration costs 96 Net mark-to-market adjustments 263 Restructuring and impairment costs 672 Acquisition related compensation charge 39 Adjusted EBIT (1) 2,388 Depreciation and amortization 822 Adjusted EBITDA (1) $ 3,210 (1) The Company's definition of adjusted EBIT and adjusted EBITDA excludes special items because these costs are not considered to be directly related to the underlying operating performance of its businesses. Management believes this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors in understanding the ongoing operations and business trends of the Company. 6. Trade Working Capital as a Percentage of Net Sales The Company provides financial information regarding trade working capital as a percentage of net sales, which is a non-GAAP performance measure. Trade working capital is defined as current assets less current liabilities, excluding cash, short-term debt, the current portion of long-term debt, the current portion of assets and liabilities held for sale, accrued compensation and benefits, and other current assets and liabilities. Management believes this non-GAAP measure, which excludes financing-related items, non-trade related items and businesses to be divested, is a more useful measurement of the Company's operating performance. The following is the December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 calculation of trade working capital as a percentage of net sales (unaudited): (in millions) December 31, 2020 December 31, 2019 Current assets $ 10,034 $ 11,320 Current liabilities (8,486) (9,692) Total working capital 1,548 1,628 Less: cash and cash equivalents (1,839) (2,160) Less: assets held for sale - (87) Less: other current assets (1,105) (1,508) Add: short-term debt 11 20 Add: current portion of long-term debt 453 1,342 Add: accrued compensation and benefits 836 844 Add: liabilities held for sale - 44 Add: other current liabilities 2,393 2,611 Trade working capital $ 2,297 $ 2,734 Last twelve months net sales $ 22,082 $ 24,080 Trade working capital as a percentage of net sales 10.4% 11.4% 7. Income Taxes The Company's effective tax rate from continuing operations before consideration of transaction/integration costs, net mark-to-market adjustments, restructuring and impairment costs and discrete tax items for the three months ending December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 is approximately 13.5%. 8. Restructuring and Impairment Costs The three months ended December 31, 2019 include restructuring and impairment costs of $111 million related primarily to workforce reductions, plant closures and asset impairments. SOURCE Johnson Controls International plc Jenni 'JWoww' Farley and Angelina Pivarnick prepared to battle each other on Thursday's episode of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. After 10 months of not speaking, the two longtime frenemies were finally about to come face-to-face during a group gathering in Las Vegas. Both of them were still furious at each other after the fallout from Angelina's November wedding, at which Jenni, 34, helped give an off-color speech that went disastrously. Together again: Jenni 'JWoww' Farley and Angelina Pivarnick prepared to battle each other on Thursday's episode of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation The crowd at the wedding booed and Angelina, 34, threw a fit on-camera, leaving Jenni deeply hurt, with the two later firing back at each other on social media. As Jenni arrived in Vegas, everyone predicted there would be a nasty blow-up between them, the latest in 11 years of fights between the two. 'The whole squad is gearing up for war,' said Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino, 38, as Jenni's plane landed. 'Anger and emotions are running high. I don't know if it's gonna go well.' Angelina had earlier made peace with Deena Cortese, 34, who along with Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi, 33, had also taken part in the speech. Wedding drama: Angelina was ready to move on, but remained wary of JWoww Mike and the other guys worked hard to help Angelina and Deena reunite, and had just begun to celebrate their success. They all decided to spend the day at a water park, and really enjoy their vacation. The women sunned, and the guys bounced around on giant water inflatables. Desertvacation: The women, including Deena Cortese, sunned and the guys bounced around on giant water inflatables while relaxing in Las Vegas Angelina refused to do anything too strenuous, joking that she'd just gotten her own new inflatablean upgraded, curvier posterior. The day was relaxing, until the texts hit everyone's phones: Jenni was coming to town. 'Oh my God,' lamented Vinny Guadagnino, 33. 'We've been through hell and back putting this family together, and now she's coming?' Bad timing: 'Oh my God,' lamented Vinny Guadagnino, 33. 'We've been through hell and back putting this family together, and now she's coming?' Jenni's arrival had been delayed by the extensive facial work she'd recently had done, but she'd finally gotten the all-clear from her doctor that it was okay to fly. At dinner that night, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, 35, broke the news to Angelina, who was not ready to see Jenni just yet. The next morning, Angelina looked at herself in the mirror and steeled herself for her frenemy's arrival. The messenger: At dinner that night, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, 35, broke the news to Angelina, who was not ready to see Jenni just yet 'I am not looking forward to this,' she admitted. Ronnie visited Angelina in her room to see how she was doing, and to urge her to remain calm. Unfortunately, Angelina seemed to get more and more agitated the longer he was there. Not ready: 'I am not looking forward to this,' Angelina admitted 'I've been through so much PTSD with that girl,' she told Ronnie. 'Even when I'm right, she says I'm wrong. She says I'm lying the accusations she's spilling out. I'm not about that. I can't.' Ronnie urged Angelina to 'be the bigger person,' and she replied that she was tired of doing that, and tired of the 'drama' that Jenni brought. In a confessional, Ronnie explained, 'Jenni and Angelina have had issues for years. Both sides are at fault. So I am sitting here trying to be calm with her, trying to talk to her, just trying to be rational with her, and Angelina keeps bringing up the past. Ange! It's not about the past. We need to move forward.' Longtime issues: In a confessional, Ronnie explained, 'Jenni and Angelina have had issues for years. Both sides are at fault. So I am sitting here trying to be calm with her, trying to talk to her, just trying to be rational with her, and Angelina keeps bringing up the past. Ange! It's not about the past. We need to move forward' 'Stop being a reactor,' Ronnie told Angelina. 'Take the first f***ing step.' Hours later, she calmed down and apologized to Ronnie, joining him in the guys' hotel room. As the group sat together peaceably, Jenni called to announce over speakerphone, 'I landed!' Calmed down: Hours later, Angelina calmed down and apologized to Ronnie, joining him in the guys' hotel room 'How you feeling?' Mike asked her, as everyone looked on. 'I'm feeling,' Jenni said flatly. 'I wish I looked a little bit better, but I'm alright.' 'Oh stop it,' Mike replied. 'We just miss your face.' The boys: Vinny, Ronnie, The Situation and DJ Pauly D worked hard on reuniting Angelina and Deena Pauly booed and Angelina laughed at the reference to Jenni's facial work. The gang split up then, with the guys going off to welcome Jenni, and the girls heading to the pool. Everyone worried that Jenni was 'coming in hot,' or spoiling for a fight. Cute couple: Pauly looked happy with girlfriend Nikki Hall Angelina told Deena, Lauren Sorrentino, 36, and Pauly's girlfriend Nikki Hall, 26, that she had no intention of apologizing. 'If you have that outlook, you're f***ed,' Lauren emphasized. Jenni had no idea that Deena and Angelina had made up, nor that a text she'd earlier sent Deena was shown on camera. It read, 'Don't give in at all, or I'm not coming.' Public text: Jenni had no idea that Deena and Angelina had made up, nor that a text she'd earlier sent Deena was shown on camera When Jenni showed up, Mike launched right in and told Jenni that Angelina was there. He asked her if she thought they could make up 'for the family.' 'I have no feelings for her,' Jenni responded. 'So, like, I don't give a s***.' No feelings: 'I have no feelings for her,' Jenni told The Situation. 'So, like, I don't give a s***' Ronnie noted privately that Jenni was 'lying through her teeth,' as obviously she'd been upset. 'All of that lying might break your new face,' he cracked. Told that Deena and Angelina had made up, Jenni seemed fine with it, but swore that she had no intention of doing the same. Getting emotional: Jenni got worked up while talking about Angelina 'Angelina literally chose gasoline and she watched my s*** burn,' she told the cameras, referring to their public feud. 'I'll never give her a match again.' While Jenni stewed, Angelina quietly freaked out in her room. In an attempt to make her feel better, the gang had her husband Chris Larangeira fly out to Vegas for a few days. He joined her for the evening's all-important dinner, at which the two women would see each other for the first time. Showing support: Angelina's husband Chris Larangeira joined her for the evening's all-important dinner, at which the two women would see each other for the first time The spread was so lavish, formal and important it reminded the gang of 'The Last Supper.' Asked which seat everyone wanted, Vinny looked around the table and cracked, 'Jenni wants to sit where it's easiest to flip it.' DJ Pauly D, 40, thought he wasn't entirely joking. 'Jenni and Angelina are sitting down at the same exact dinner at the same exact time, first time in 10 months,' he marveled privately. 'I have a feeling a table will be flipped.' Table flip: 'Jenni and Angelina are sitting down at the same exact dinner at the same exact time, first time in 10 months,' he marveled privately. 'I have a feeling a table will be flipped' Joining the gang for the meal, Deena looked over at the table's still-empty chairs, and asked, 'Why is there two seats?' 'Chris is here,' Lauren informed her, referring to Angelina's husband. 'Oh, here we go,' Jenni said, as Angelina and Chris walked up behind her. Jersey Shore: Family Vacation will return next week on MTV. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 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. Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here Hong Kong: Views sought on SIM registration (To watch the full press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.) The Government will launch a public consultation on January 30 to seek views on the implementation of a Real-name Registration Programme for Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Cards. Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau briefed the media on the consultation paper at a press conference this afternoon. He explained that the implementation of the registration programme seeks to facilitate the sustainable and healthy development of Hong Kong's telecommunications services and more effective enforcement against criminal activities associated with SIM cards. He noted that due to their anonymous nature, pre-paid SIM (PPS) cards have been exploited by criminals in undertaking illegal activities. Without any regulatory requirement to register PPS users, it is difficult for law enforcement agencies to trace and identify the ringleaders behind the scenes, creating impediments for tackling crimes. The Government proposes to implement the real-name registration programme through a regulation made pursuant to the Telecommunications Ordinance, providing the necessary legal basis for telecommunications operators to register, collate and keep the registration information of users as required under the regulation. The programme would cover all SIM cards issued by local telecommunications operators for use in Hong Kong. Mr Yau said: The purpose of this consultation is, in fact, to ask operators who are involved in the trade and also members of the public whether this proposal is possible. In the scheme, we are asking for very simple and straightforward information. For the service providers, what they need (to do is) build a system so that they can have a depository of such information, and if need be, allow law enforcement agencies to obtain it. For the users, at the end of the day, what they need to do is provide information - no more than what they have been doing - when (buying) service plan sim cards. Of course, like any other consultation, we want to hear from the public. If there is a need to extend this, we will certainly consider it. Asked if the service providers will have to acquire users facial information or biometric information, Mr Yau said the Government has no intention to do so. The Government will consolidate views received upon the conclusion of the consultation period and table the regulation at the Legislative Council, with a view to completing the legislative process within the current legislative session, Mr Yau added. The public consultation will end on February 28. Views can be submitted by email to [email protected], fax to 2511 1458 or post to Communications & Creative Industries Branch, Commerce & Economic Development Bureau, 21/F, West Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar. Click here for the consultation document. This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. When he ran for re-election last year, Scott Perry vowed to represent all of the people of Pennsylvania in Washington. He told the Patriot-News/PennLive Editorial Board he understood the diversity of his district from the Amish community to those who live on Allison Hill in Harrisburg. And he pledged to listen to the voters, bridge the divides and work for all of his constituents. Elections 2020: PennLive Candidates Forums U.S. Rep. Scott Perry and Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, candidates for Pennsylvanias 10th Senatorial District, join PennLives Facebook Live today to explain why they will best serve the region in Congress. Your respectful questions and comments are welcome. Posted by PennLive.com on Tuesday, October 20, 2020 His actions over the past few weeks have proven otherwise. Instead of trying to calm political tensions for the good of our nation, he has done just the opposite. He has stood with extremists fueling the chaos at the nations Capitol that cost five people their lives. The York County Republican has spread the false narrative of a stolen presidential election, undermining responsible and dedicated public officials in his own state. And he voted in the House to invalidate the votes of thousands of the people hes supposed to represent in Pennsylvania all in a vain attempt to keep President Donald Trump in office. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, second from right, talks with Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., who objected to confirming the Electoral College votes from Pennsylvania during a joint session of the House and Senate to confirm the Electoral College votes cast in November's election, at the Capitol, early Thursday, Jan 7, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)AP Thats not even the worst of it. The latest and most disturbing reports have connected Rep. Perry to yet another scheme to prevent President Joseph Biden from taking office. He served as go-between to get Trump to name a new attorney general who would do his bidding, advance false claims of election fraud and invalidate Bidens win. PennLives Charles Thompson wrote that Perry was leader of the floor fight to get Pennsylvanias 20 electoral college votes invalidated in the House earlier this month, hours after police and National Guard members reclaimed the U.S. Capitol from pro-Trump mobs who stormed the building on Jan. 6. These are serious charges, and Rep. Perry doesnt deny any of them. Hes proud to be in the vanguard of those still standing with a president whom millions of voters have spurned. From the onslaught of letters and opinion articles PennLive has received in the past few weeks, many Pennsylvanians are spurning Rep. Perry. Members of Indivisible York gather at Continental Square in York demanding that U.S. Rep. Scott Perry resign, January 11, 2021. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com Many of our readers are demanding something be done to stop Rep. Perry from doing more damage to hurt Pennsylvania voters and the nation. Our National Guard can recall him for court-martial, Robin B. Agerton of Mechanicsburg wrote. The House Ethics Committee can convene to expel him. He can be forced to resign for inciting violence, engaging in insurrection, or just because he is a liar. Strong words, but they echo the language of most of the letters that have flooded into our inbox. He lied, he denied, and he cheated, Mike Radosinovich of Harrisburg said. Vote him out! Larry Arnold of Harrisburg issued a rallying cry: True patriots of the 10th Congressional District: rise up peacefully and recall Scott Perry. We add our voices to those calling for Scott Perry to resign. He has shown he is incapable of representing the diverse peoples of the 10th Congressional District. And he will only continue to stoke the fires that encouraged acts of hatred and violence on Jan. 6. Quality local journalism has never been more important. You deserve the best. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. The hostility between the protestors and the police rose last night, as protestors refused from evacuating the protest sites. All protest sites have tight security as of today morning and BKU leader's address encouraged the farmers to stay put. The President gave his address today, where he expressed his thoughts on the situation and criticized the Republic Day violence. Tensions rose at Delhis Ghazipur border on Thursday night, after the administration in neighboring Ghaziabad district issued orders for protesting farmers to vacate the site by night. Late Thursday, more farmers started arriving in Ghazipur even as several appeals were made by leaders in western UP asking others to join Friday. Protestors returned to the sites as they saw a viral video of BKU leader Rakesh Tikait, who is leading the protest at Delhi-UP border, as declared that he was ready to face bullets if needed. Late last evening, a massive force of security personnel gathered at the Ghazipur border, ready to drive the protesters out even if it took all night. These included 300 CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) personnel, 600 troops of the Provincial Armed Constabulary and 1,000 police personnel. Tikait issued an emotional appeal on stage at the site where he said that the agitation would continue. As videos of the leader breaking down started doing the circulating, farmers in Haryana blocked the Chandigarh national highway near Kandela village of Jind district. The leader said, They want to destroy farmers, we will not allow this to happen. Either the laws will be taken back, or Tikait will kill himself. This is a conspiracy against farmers. Also read: Amid ongoing Farmers-Centre deadlock, Delhi traffic police closes Ghazipur border; traffic diverted at several locations Also read: Farmers stir: Sikh elders reject lumpens, no takers for Khalsa hijack This video ensued a throng of farmers returning to Ghazipur to attend a Mahapanchayat called by Rakesh Tikait today mrning at Muzzaffarnagar. In order to dissuade the farmers from protesting, the administration had cut off the electricity and water supply at the protest sites, which was restored today morning. Two other key border points, Tikri and the epicenter of farmers protests, Singhu, have also been placed under heavy security. The police have dug up roads using JCB machines. Tikait also said, We will not vacate the spot. We will talk to the Government of India about our issues. I urge the people to remain peaceful. Delhi Deputy CM, Manish Sisodia arrived at the Ghazipur border today morning to meet the protesting farmers. President Ram Nath Kovind said that the government has attempted to bring a positive change in the system, so that Indian agriculture can become modern and can expand. He said, Today, my government is not only purchasing record quantity on MSP but also increasing the number of procurement centers. He added, The need of the hour is that special attention should be paid to the small and marginal farmers who have only one or two hectares of land in the agricultural sector. More than 80 percent of all farmers in the country are small farmers and their number is more than 10crore. The President criticized the violence on Republic Day and said, The national flag and a holy day like Republic Day were insulted in the past few days. The Constitution that provides us Freedom of Expression, is the same Constitution that teaches us that law & rules have to be followed seriously. Also read: Union Budget Session Kicks-Off: President articulates Govts vision; Oppn parties hold protest 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. She caused a stir after sharing sexy topless snaps to Instagram on Monday. And Elizabeth Hurley was sure to command attention as she defiantly flaunted her ample assets in a sizzling bikini throwback selfie posted on Friday. The actress, 55, put on a sultry display as she rocked the intricately beaded pale blue swimwear while sunbathing. Sizzling: Elizabeth Hurley was sure to command attention as she flaunted her ample assets in a stunning beaded bikini for a throwback snap shared to Instagram Friday Elizabeth, who is staging her own 'pretend vacation' by sharing snaps from previous trips while in lockdown in the UK, looked sensational as she posed for the camera. She put on a busty display as she reclined on a lounger and struggled to contain her cleavage within the tiny swimwear top. The brunette beauty wore her locks down for the selfie, letting her tresses cascade around her, and also added a touch of makeup to complete her beach look. Elizabeth penned: 'Day 2 of my glorious #pretendvacation in the Maldives at @milaidhoo and anointing myself with @clinique SPF30... Im off to drink a fruity cocktail. (In real life were expecting a foot of snow) #stayhome' Drama: The actress, 55, recently caused a stir after sharing a selection of sexy topless snaps of herself to Instagram On Thursday, Elizabeth returned to Instagram after sparking a furore with her snowy topless snaps as she shared another throwback snap from a previous holiday. She appeared to be in great spirits as she flaunted her figure in a taupe bikini while pining for a sunny getaway. The sexy snap saw Elizabeth larking around on an idyllic beach, displaying her slender pins as she kicked into the air. She rocked a huge smile as she flung her arms into the air, with the sunglasses-clad beauty wowing with her jaw-dropping physique. Beach babe: Elizabeth Hurley made her defiant return to Instagram on Thursday as she shared another bikini picture showcasing her incredible physique Captioning the snap, Elizabeth penned: 'Pretend vacation! Im so fed up with being at home, Im pretending Im away and am living vicariously through my camera roll for the next 10 days #pretendvacation.' It comes after Piers Morgan apologised to Elizabeth for branding her latest topless shoot 'creepy' amid confusion over who took the pictures. On Good Morning Britain on Wednesday, the host, 55, said sorry to the actress in the wake of her clarification that her 80-year-old mother was the photographer rather than her son Damian, 18, as Piers first thought. Despite his apology, Piers backtracked and claimed he did not believe her claims that her mother was behind the lens, based on previous comments from the star in 2018 that confirmed Damian often takes her sexy snaps. He said: 'Apparently, it was her mum... how long did you keep your 80-year-old mother out in the snow to take these pictures? I'm not buying a word of this, I reckon it was Damian... it is creepy if your teenage son took these photos.' Shocker: It comes after Piers Morgan apologised to Elizabeth for branding her latest topless shoot 'creepy' amid confusion over who took the pictures After Piers' initial comments on Tuesday, later that day Elizabeth clarified that her mother was the photographer behind her latest slew of sizzling Instagram snaps. She reposted the photos on her Twitter feed, after Piers accused her of being 'thirsty and creepy' and getting her son Damian to photograph her. In the post, Elizabeth revealed on this occasion her mother Angela was behind the camera. Following up on her comments the next day, Piers responded defiantly, saying: 'I would like to apologise to Elizabeth Hurley. I called her thirsty... the point is, I inadvertently followed the newspaper lead that it was her son.' When Susanna asked why it would be creepy for Damian to take the pictures, he said: 'That would be creepy... you don't believe anything you're saying... Shocker: On Good Morning Britain on Wednesday, the host, 55, said sorry to the actress in the wake of her clarification that her 80-year-old mother was the photographer rather than her son Damian, 18, as Piers first thought 'Apparently, it was her mum. How long did you keep your 80-year-old mother out in the snow? Susanna, you wouldn't do that... I'm not buying a word of this, I reckon it was Damien. It is creepy if your teenage son took these photos.' Susanna went on: 'I don't mind who did them, she looks phenomenal', while Piers echoed: 'She looks great, don't get me wrong.' Elizabeth revealed last year that her mother had moved into her Herefordshire mansion so they could spend the lockdown together. The model stripped off to just a pair of white bikini bottoms for the images, as she went topless and covered her modesty with a monochrome jacket. Close bond: The star clarified that her mum was the snapper for her latest sizzling shoot Oh dear! Piers took aim at Elizabeth on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, hours after she first shared the images online Piers took aim at Elizabeth on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, hours after she first shared the images online. Despite his co-host Susanna Reid, 50, defending Elizabeth - claiming she looked 'fabulous' - and insisting Piers was in fact 'thirsty' himself, he maintained the pictures were inappropriate and demanded she 'put clothes on'. Elizabeth is known for sharing sexy snaps and back in 2018, she revealed it was often Damian who is behind the lens when she poses for the saucy shots. Meanwhile, Ulrika Jonsson claimed Elizabeth's topless Instagram snaps are 'wholly inappropriate' after they caused a stir on social media on Monday. The presenter, 53, said it 'doesn't sit well with her' that the actress would enlist family members such as her 80-year-old mother to take the images as it feels like 'crossing a boundary.' Snapper: Elizabeth is known for sharing sexy snaps and back in 2018, she revealed it was Damian, 18, (pictured) who is behind the lens when she poses for the saucy shots Writing in her column for The Sun, Ulrika said she would usually champion an older celebrity who is proud to flaunt their body, and praised Elizabeth for looking so incredible at her age. The mother-of-four admitted the main reason she opposes the photos is that Elizabeth enlists her loved ones such as her mother and son Damian, 18, to take the pictures. She said: 'But would I ask my 73-year-old mum or 26-year-old son to take pictures of me in just my underwear? Not on your nelly. 'Firstly, it would never happen because I think my the would both be mortified at the thought. But secondly, it just feels wholly inappropriate.' Ulrika added that getting family involved in a racy photo shoot is 'crossing a boundary, and it's a boundary that 'doesn't sit well' with her. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 28) - The issue of ABS-CBN's franchise renewal might be best addressed in the next Congress, according to House Committee on Legislative Franchises chairperson Rep. Franz Alvarez. "Based on my understanding from the House leadership, the ABS-CBN franchise issue is best left to the next Congress," he said in a statement on Thursday. Alvarez made the statement after Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor, one of the 70 congressmen who junked ABS-CBN's franchise renewal application, urged the House plenary on Wednesday to tackle the pending bill that would grant the network an interim franchise. House Bill No. 6732 seeks to provide ABS-CBN a provisional franchise until Oct. 31, 2020. However, Alvarez said the measure is already considered "moot and academic." He noted that the issue was already "put to rest" when his committee decided to reject ABS-CBN's bid for another 25 years of franchise in July last year. "Under the rules, anyone of the 70 House members who voted against the franchise application could file a motion for reconsideration on behalf of ABS-CBN to challenge the decision of the Committee," Alvarez explained. "Unfortunately, there was none, thus the Committee decision has become final." House Bill 6372 was filed by then House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and seven other lawmakers in May 2020. But it's second reading approval was recalled after lawmakers raised that it was unconstitutional for the chamber to approve it both on first and second readings on the same day. The House did not tackle the bill and just proceeded to discuss the bills that would grant ABS-CBN a fresh franchise. Early this month, Batangas 6th District Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto filed a bill that would renew ABS-CBN's franchise. Senate President Vicente Sotto III filed a similar bill in the upper chamber. Taiwanese ferrous scrap buyers are swooping on import cargoes offered at low prices by traders desperate to offload material amid constant price falls during the week to Friday January 29, markets sources told Fastmarkets. Fastmarkets daily price assessment for containerized cargoes of an 80:20 mix of No1 and No2 heavy melting scrap, imported from the United States, cfr main port Taiwan was $360-365 per tonne on Friday, down by $5 per tonne from a day earlier and by $40 per tonne from $400-405 per tonne on January 22. Prices were on a sharp downward trend this past week on the back of a rapid slashing of prices by traders who wanted to sell material quickly in a hastily weakening market. Initial negotiations, which started at $390-405 per tonne cfr Taiwan on Monday, plunged quickly to $370 per tonne cfr Taiwan by Wednesday, with transactions later heard concluded at $375 per tonne cfr Taiwan on Tuesday. Negotiations fell further to $365-370 per tonne cfr Taiwan by Thursday, with traders short-selling cargoes at $370 per tonne cfr Taiwan and bids by end users coming in at $350-365 per tonne cfr Taiwan. Negotiations fell again on Friday, to $360-365 per tonne cfr Taiwan. Bids at $320 per tonne cfr Taiwan were dismissed by market sources as unworkable. "Buyers are bidding at those levels because domestic prices have fallen by NT$1,000 ($36) per tonne this week, especially with a major steel mill slashing domestic purchase prices twice," a Taiwanese trader told Fastmarkets on Thursday. Domestic scrap prices were at an equivalent of $330 per tonne this week. "However, domestic prices are not an accurate gauge of import prices because the quality of domestic scrap is different," another trader in Taiwan told Fastmarkets on the same day. Buyers said domestic scrap supply was sufficient, and that they were not in urgent need of imported material. "I have more than enough time to wait to buy, given my high scrap inventory and the potential for prices to fall further," a buyer source at a steel mill told Fastmarkets on Thursday. Offers for Japanese scrap have also fallen, especially on news of Tokyo Steel's Utsunomiya facility undertaking maintenance, as well as power outages in the country. Offers were at $385-390 per tonne cfr Taiwan at the start of the week, down from $410-425 per tonne cfr Taiwan the previous week. They fell further to $360-365 per tonne cfr Taiwan by early Friday. There was talk in the market that offers had fallen below $360 per tonne cfr Taiwan by Friday, with a transaction concluded at $355 per tonne cfr Taiwan. But this could not be confirmed by counterparties. There were transactions heard concluded at increasingly lower prices of $375, $370 and $365 per tonne cfr Taiwan throughout the week. "There's a sense that Japanese prices are lower than material from the United States. All this is because Tokyo Steel is not taking material at its Utsunomiya works," a second buyer source in Taiwan told Fastmarkets. Johannesburg: Namibia is expected to sell 170 wild elephants in an auction ending today because of disputed claims that growing herds are threatening people. The animals, including rare desert elephants and calves, have been rounded up in remote northern areas over the past few weeks. Elephants in Africa. Credit:Tusk/AP The authorities have said that anyone can buy them as long as they meet strict criteria, including quarantine facilities and a game-proof fence certificate for the property where they will be kept. In an advertisement for the high-value animals published last month, the environment ministry said: Due to drought and increase in elephant numbers coupled with human-elephant conflict incidences, a need has been identified to reduce these populations. Myanmar is facing a deepening political crisis just days before its newly elected parliament is set to convene, amid rising tensions between the country's powerful military and Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government. Ever since Suu Kyi's ruling National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in the Nov. 8 poll, the military and its political factions have demanded authorities investigate its allegations of mass voting fraud. A spokesperson for Tatmadaw, as the military is known, on Tuesday declined to rule out the possibility of a military coup, while commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing on Wednesday floated the idea of revoking the constitution. Myanmar's election commission on Thursday labeled the vote -- only the second free general election after decades of military rule -- transparent and fair. The U.S., United Nations and the European Union on Friday urged the military to respect the widely accepted results. "We oppose any attempt to alter the outcome of the elections or impede Myanmar's democratic transition," the joint statement from several diplomatic missions noted. "The military is pushing these unsubstantiated claims of voting fraud not to contest or overturn the election outcome but to save face after losing an election," said Dereck Aw, lead analyst for Myanmar at Control Risks. "They are using these allegations as leverage in crucial negotiations that are happening between the Tatmadaw and the NLD right now." Still, Suu Kyi's party is pushing back. Myo Nyunt, a member of the NLD's central executive committee said it was "inappropriate" for the military to continue pushing its claims after the elections results had been certified. "Whatever they do, it needs to be in line with existing laws." Author Thant Myint-U, who wrote "The Hidden History of Burma: Race, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Democracy in the 21st Century" noted in a tweet Thursday that Myanmar was "veering towards its most acute constitutional crisis since the abolition of the old junta in 2010." Among the military's chief complaints are accusations of 8.6 million instances of voter fraud in the country of nearly 55 million people, spokesman brigadier general Zaw Min Tun said during a press conference on Tuesday. He also said the military has observed more than one million duplicate votes. "We cannot keep our mouths shut after we found out such strong evidence," he said at the time. The building crisis follows a rocky first five-year term in which the civilian government repeatedly clashed with the military for more power in a country that for nearly five decades was under junta rule before embarking on political reforms in 2010. In addition to appealing to the election commission and the government to assure a fair election, the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party and a former general, Soe Maung, have sought a Supreme Court hearing on the alleged irregularities. That hearing will take place on Friday, according to the court. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged "all actors to desist from any form of incitement or provocation, demonstrate leadership, and to adhere to democratic norms," in a statement released Thursday. Health workers in protective gear spray disinfectant in a blocked off area in Shanghai's Huangpu district on Jan. 27, 2021, after residents were evacuated following the detection of a few cases of COVID-19 coronavirus in the neighbourhood. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Beijing Again Suggests US to Blame for Pandemic as WHO Probes Virus Origins A year after the CCP Virus outbreak in Chinas Wuhan city seeded a global pandemic, Beijing has redoubled its efforts to spread unfounded theories that the virus originated in the United States. The disinformation offensive propelled by Chinese diplomats and state media came as a World Health Organization (WHO) team arrived in the country to investigate the origins of the virus. Meanwhile, Chinese state media have stirred up a smear campaign against U.S. vaccines as the regimes vaccine diplomacy has suffered setbacks around the world. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying was the first to revisit the conspiracy theory. She said during a Jan. 18 press briefing that the United States should invite WHO experts to conduct origin tracing in the country. If the United States truly respects facts, it should open the biological lab at Fort Detrick, give more transparency to issues like its 200-plus overseas bio-labs, she said. Chinese state media then piled on, raising questions about the activities at Fort Detrick, a prominent military biomedical research lab in Maryland, which helped make the topic go viral on Chinese social media. Days earlier, as a WHO team arrived in Wuhan, the outgoing Trump administration called on the health body to press the regime for access to records at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) to assess whether the outbreak could have been the result of a laboratory accident. The State Department said the United States had reason to believe that several WIV researchers became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified virus case in Wuhan, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses. Gordon Chang, author of The Coming Collapse of China, said the regime has a lot to hide, especially its activities at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. In desperation, Beijing is trying to divert global attention to our Fort Detrick, Chang said in an email. According to a Jan. 2 Daily Mail report, then-U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Pottinger told a group of global politicians that the latest U.S. intelligence has indicated the virus which causes COVID-19 leaked from the WIV. There is a growing body of evidence that the lab is likely the most credible source of the virus, Pottinger said, according to the outlet. Beijings swipe at U.S. labs marks the latest attempt to deflect blame after its coverup of the outbreak in Wuhan, which enabled the diseases global spread. Last March, a Chinese diplomat infamously suggested, without evidence, that U.S. soldiers could have brought the virus into the city. Hundreds of athletes from the U.S. military were in Wuhan for the Military World Games in October 2019. Those claims sparked a fiery backlash from the United States and Western governments, but it didnt stop the regime from peddling other unsubstantiated theories throughout the year that the virus originated from outside China. In the past few months, Chinese state media have misrepresented comments by foreign experts to suggest that the outbreak came from overseas, such as Italy. A now-retracted paper by Chinese researchers also claimed that the outbreak started in India before spreading to China. Chinese officials have latched onto these reports to frame a new narrative that the virus emerged from multiple places around the world before reaching Wuhan, a theory dismissed by most Western scientists. The claim has been promoted at the highest levels of the CCPs leadership with Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying on Jan. 2 that more and more research studies have shown that the pandemic is likely to have emerged in many places around the world. Officials have also fanned the theory that the virus was brought into China through frozen food imports, despite the WHO saying there is no evidence that people can catch COVID-19 from food or food packaging. Smearing US Vaccines The disinformation front took aim at another target in recent weeks: U.S. vaccines. The regime, keen to use its COVID-19 vaccines to burnish its global image, suffered a setback earlier this month when a late-stage trial in Brazil found that a vaccine developed by Chinese state-run drug company Sinovac was only 50.4 percent effective, just enough to pass the 50 percent threshold required for regulatory approval. Days later, Chinese state media and personalities seized on reports of deaths in Norway and Germany after people received the Pfizer vaccine, to question the safety of the vaccine. The media reports also suggested that Western media were suppressing the news. In Norway, its health agency has since said there is no evidence so far of a direct link between the vaccine and the deaths. In Germany, the deaths were determined not linked to the inoculations. Beijing is trying to discredit Americas COVID-19 vaccines because their vaccines are only marginally effective and perhaps unsafe, Chang said. Earlier this week, disinformation stoked by Chinese state media and official social media accounts alleging that WHO does not recommend Moderna COVID-19 vaccine started trending on Weibo, Chinas version of Twitter. The online posts were actually misrepresentations of a WHO guidance issued on Jan. 25 which advised against use of the Moderna vaccine for those under 18 or who are pregnant. Chang believes Beijings disinformation campaigns wont achieve its purpose because they are divorced from reality. In any event, the Chinese people will eventually let the world know what happened, he added. The Communist Partys moves have been so inhumane that they will not allow its lies to stand. Social activist Anna Hazare late Friday cancelled a fast he had planned for Saturday against the Centre's farm laws. He announced his decision in the presence of senior BJP leader and former Maharashtra chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis. According to a report by NDTV, he told reporters he had received a letter that the government would increase the Minimum Support Price (MSP) offered to farmers by 50 per cent, adding that he had been agitating on various issues for a long time. "It is not a crime to protest peacefully. I have been raising the farmers' issue for three years, they die by suicide because they don't get the right prices for their crops...the government has decided to increase the MSP (Minimum Support Price) by 50 percent - I have got the letter," he said. Hazare said that he had cancelled his fast scheduled for Saturday since the Centre decided to work on his 15 demands for farmers. Hazare had earlier written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his decision to launch "the last hunger strike" of his life on farmers' issues in Delhi by January end. Later on Thursday, he announced he would commence his fast on January 30. On December 14, Hazare had written to Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, warning of a hunger strike if his demands including the implementation of the M S Swaminathan Committee's recommendations on agriculture were not fulfilled. Another demand made by him was grant of autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices. "On the issue of farmers, I have had correspondence (with the Centre) five times, however, no response came. As a result, I have decided to go on the last hunger strike of my life," Hazare had in his missive to the prime minister. He wrote four letters to the concerned authority to seek permission to stage his hunger strike at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi but no response came from their side too, he had said. A storm system will move into southern Michigan Saturday night and continue Sunday. Heres how much snow our area can expect. The storm system that should bring us snow for the second half of the weekend is the powerful storm hitting California right now. While all of the data is very consistent on the weather outcome here, please check in this weekend for snow forecast updates. The snow will be heaviest as you go south and west of Ann Arbor and Detroit, with the heaviest snow in Michigan falling over the far southwest corner. We should still get a few inches of snow in our area. Heres the snowfall forecast as of 6 a.m. Friday, January 29. This forecast comes from the National Weather Service and lines up closely with all of the various computer models we use to forecast snow. Total snow forecast through 7 p.m. Sunday, January 31, 2021 Right now Id call it a two inch to four inch snow across the Ann Arbor area and Detroit area. Id lean toward the lower end of the range on the north side of our area, and the higher end on the south side of our area. The snow starts in the middle of the night Saturday night, and continues off and on Sunday. Snowfall rates should be light to maybe occasionally moderate. Also note that while the energy from this storm system will quickly shift to the East Coast during the day Sunday, Mondays wind flow could be right for lake effect snow spurts off of Lake Huron. Those spurts of snow could make it into our area and produce a couple of additional inches of snow. So keep an eye on the late weekend snow with me and MLive. TO STAY UP ON MICHGANS WEATHER, BOOKMARK THIS LINK. [January 29, 2021] Jim Anspach, The Renowned Global Expert in Subsurface Utility Engineering, Joins ProStar GRAND JUNCTION, Colo., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ProStar Holdings Inc. ("ProStar" or the "Company") (TSXV: MAPS) is pleased to announce that Jim Anspach, a global expert in Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE), has joined ProStar and will serve as Chair on the Company's Technology Advisory Board as well as a subject matter expert on the development of ProStar's Solution. Mr. Anspach has been instrumental in the utility engineering industry with more than 40 years of global experience, including in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia. Mr. Anspach was a founding governor and President of The American Society of Civil Engineer's Utility Engineering & Surveying Institute (UESI). Additionally, he was elected as a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers for his life-long eminence in utility engineering and utility damage prevention development, knowledge and experience. "Developing systems and practices that create better location data of the vast underground utility infrastructure have been my life's work," stated Jim Anspach. "I have joined ProStar as I feel the Company offers the most modern and technical platform that enables a simple solution to solve several major challenges facing the utility industry today." The mission of the ProStar Technology Advisory Bard ("TAB") is to provide integrated executive direction and guidance in order to identify and to ensure the ProStar's Solution remains a leader in the industry and data quality standards. The TAB, under Mr. Anspach's leadership, will identify industry trends, document wider industry needs and improve industry standards, practices, and workflows. The TAB will engage with key industry leaders that include engineering and surveying firms, government regulators, academia, and standards committees in order to assess their requirements and influence the direction of the development of ProStar's Solution. "I am very pleased that Jim has joined ProStar and will Chair our Technology Advisory Board and also serve as our subject matter expert on SUE matters. Jim is not only a great addition to our Company in terms of guiding our development and ensuring we adhere to industry standards, but he also brings a tremendous amount of credibility and visibility to ProStar," After all, Jim is considered the godfather of subsurface utility engineering and literally everyone in the industry knows who he is," said Page Tucker, CEO of ProStar. About ProStar (TSXV:MAPS) ProStar specializes in the development of Precision Mapping Solutions. ProStar's Solution is patented, natively cloud and mobile, and offered as a SaaS recurring revenue model. ProStar's Solution is designed to improve the business operations of any industry that requires the precise location of sub-surface infrastructure including utility, oil & gas, construction, engineering & surveying, 811 and contract locating. ProStar's Solution enables real-time access to precise location information where and when it is most needed. Knowing the type, precise location, and condition of what lies below the earth's surface can significantly reduce costs, decrease liabilities, improve environmental stewardship and increase productivity during construction and maintenance activities. For more information visit: prostarcorp.com 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. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities. Alex Moore Investor Relations Support investorrelations@prostarcorp.com 970-242-4024 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jim-anspach-the-renowned-global-expert-in-subsurface-utility-engineering-joins-prostar-301217802.html SOURCE ProStar Holdings Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Rhode Island Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott lifts the states early closure advisory for restaurants beginning this Sunday, but the restrictions to bars remain in force. She also announced that 86,315 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered statewide, with those being 64,435 first doses and 21,880 second doses, at her weekly briefing at Veterans Memorial Auditorium Thursday. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner now leads the association of Climate Mayors. The coalition is comprised of hundreds of mayors across the country who individually committed to fighting climate change in their cities. STIMULUS: Texas fishing industry finally gets COVID-19 funds Turner replaces Martin Walsh of Boston as the chair of the organization. Walsh was appointed Secretary of Labor by President Joe Biden. "The global pandemic has brought the connection between climate change and community health to the forefront of our cities and our society," Turner said in a statement. "With a new administration in the White House, Climate Mayors are prepared to lead swift, bold action on climate that will help our nation recover and build for a better future." The organization gained notoriety in 2016 when former President Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement. Member mayors, many of whom were new at the time, pledged to uphold the goals of the accord despite the country's withdrawal. In 2020, Turner unveiled Houston's Climate Action Plan which showed how the city could reduce greenhouse gases and become carbon neutral by 2050. Four young children who were killed in a horror drunk driving accident have been remembered in a heartbreaking memorial service one year after their deaths. Antony, 13, Angelina, 12, and Sienna Abdallah, 9, and their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11, were all killed after a car ploughed into them in Oatlands in Sydney's north-west on February 1. Samuel William Davidson, 30, had been driving the ute that hit the children - who were on their way to get ice-cream - and has pleaded guilty to nine charges including four counts of manslaughter. Hundreds of mourners paid their respects to the young lives lost at the Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral in Harris Park on Friday for the one-year anniversary mass. Danny and Leila, the parents of Antony, Angelina and Sienna, sat in the front row surrounded by their three other children. The couple who were a pillar of strength in the days after the crash shared heartwarming accounts of their children on a day they said was for not for hatred but for 'forgiveness'. Antony, 13, Angelina, 12, and Sienna Abdallah, 9, were three of the four victims killed in the horrific crash that shocked Australia in Sydney's north-west on February 1 Their 11-year-old cousin Veronique Sakr (right, with her mother Bridget and brother Michael) was also killed During the service, classmates, friends and family all placed roses underneath photos of the children while prayers and songs filled the cathedral. Loved ones took turns to read a prayer and pay tribute to the lives lost and Ms Abdallah shared a heartbreaking account of her three 'best friends'. She described Antony as a 'selfless gentleman', and Angelina her 'saint of strength', while saying her 'baby girl' Sienna could light up any room. Ms Abdallah said she was constantly in awe of her children who were incredibly selfless and loving. Antony would offer his food to those around him first, Angelina wrote in a 'gratitude' journal every night and on her eight birthday Sienna chose to spend it feeding those in need. 'My children filled up my heart with love, joy and laughter. My hobby was my kids,' Ms Abdallah said. Hundreds of mourners paid their respects to the young lives lost at the Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral in Harris Park on Friday for the one-year anniversary mass. Prime Minister Scott Morrison is seen in the crowd Danny and Leila, the parents of Antony, Angelina and Sienna, sat in the front row surrounded by their three other children 'I couldn't get enough of them. I used to say ''God what have I done to deserve my beautiful kids?'' 'Antony, Angelina and Sienna I love you with all my heart. I miss everything about you, I pray to God we are all reunited one day in God's time.' Mr Abdallah also shared a heartfelt message saying despite being the anniversary of his children's deaths, it was not a day for anger. 'We sing happy birthday to them, as this is the day they went to heaven, where we will one day hope to join them,' he said. 'This is a day of forgiveness, not hate or anger.' Among the crowd of mourners sat Prime Minister Scott Morrison and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. The families will hold another event on Monday night at the site where their children's lives were taken - to mark the official one year anniversary of the crash that rocked Australia. Ms Abdallah said she was constantly in awe of her children who were incredibly selfless and loving Danny and Leila are seen at the crash scene on February 4 2020 just days after the accident Four of the young relatives were killed instantly at the time of the collision, while another cousin, Charbel Kassas suffered serious injuries that left him in a coma for several weeks. In the aftermath of the crash thousands of friends, family and well wishers from right across Sydney flocked to the makeshift shrine on Bettington Road to pay tribute and leave flowers. Some of the most poignant moments in the wake of the tragedy came from the Abdallah family. Just hours after the crash and before he had been able to comprehend the loss three of his six children, Mr Abdallah fronted cameras to share stories about their lives. 'My name is Daniel Abdallah. I have a wife, Leila, and six beautiful children I've been blessed with. Yesterday, I lost three of my children,' he said, fighting back tears. Just hours after the crash and before he had been able to comprehend the loss three of his six children, Mr Abdallah (pictured) fronted cameras to share stories about their lives 'I'm numb. All I just want to say is please, drivers, be careful. These kids were just walking innocently, enjoying each others' company and this morning I woke up, I've lost three kids.' Davidson had spent almost the entirety of February 1 - a sweltering summer day - partying with his two housemates at their rental property in Oatlands. He had a cocktail of drugs and alcohol in his system at the time. That evening at about 7.45pm, Davidson got into his car with a passenger and drove to a nearby petrol station to get cash out. CCTV captured the blue Mitsubishi 4WD driving along Bettington Road on their way to the petrol station. As they drove down the steep hill on the same road just minutes later, Davidson lost control of his vehicle at a speed of close to 140km/h. The car swerved off the road to the left and ploughed into the group of young children. Despite Davidson's horrific crime, the Abdallah family have forgiven the 30-year-old after the tragedy. He is due to be sentenced in March. Sofia Richie showed off her jaw-dropping physique in sizzling photos shared to her Instagram account on Friday. The 22-year-old model was seen posing next to a statue of a woman stretching her arms outward while at her father Lionel Richie's mega mansion in Los Angeles. The post was meant to promote the British clothing brand PrettyLittleThing; the social media personality has worked with the company in the past and fronted one of their ad campaigns in 2016. Hot stuff! On Friday, Sofia Richie shared a photo to her Instagram account showing her wearing a cropped cardigan that allowed her to show her toned tummy Richie was seen wearing a tan-colored cropped cardigan that allowed her to show off her toned tummy. The fashion icon contrasted her top with a pair of loose-fitting dark orange cargo pants. The ex-girlfriend of Scott Disick was spotted wearing a few gold necklaces, which she kept under her cardigan. Richie pushed most of her gorgeous hair down onto her back while allowing a few strands to hang over her face. Brand ambassador: The model's post was a promotion for the British clothing company PrettyLittleThing Her brief caption for the post read: 'Lounging.' She later posted a similar photo to her story and held much of her hair back for the second shot. Richie's previous promo for the company was posted to the brand's own Instagram account on January 20. The photo showed the model sitting with her back to a wall while wearing PrettyLittleThing's PU Borg reversible trench coat; she also made a point of showing off her impressively sculpted legs. Long history: Richie has made multiple appearances in campaigns and promotional photos for the clothing brand, and was recently featured in a post made to PrettyLittleThing's Instagram account Shortly after making her first appearance for the clothing company, the model spoke to WWD and remarked that she prefers to be comfortable in the outfits given during photoshoots. 'Whatever I put on I have to feel good in. Thats all that really matters to me. As long as I feel good in it, then I know its right,' she said. Richie also discussed her own personal style, and shared how she found inspiration from various sources. The model stated, 'Im the kind of person who will pull sheets out of magazines and print materials and put them in a book. Thats me, I do that. And Tumblr. I get a lot of good stuff from Tumblr, its just like a sea of pictures.' Main attraction: In 2016, the social media personality was chosen as the face of one of the clothing company's campaigns As temperatures plunge, indoor public spaces, like bus depots, libraries and senior centers, usually become de facto warming centers. And temperatures are plunging as low as 11 degrees Friday, forecasts predict. But in the age of COVID-19, many of those places are either closed, reduced in capacity or being used in efforts to combat the spread of coronavirus. The city is not opening any warming centers due to COVID concerns, said William Hoey, vice president of mission integration at St. Vincents Medical Center in Bridgeport. People will be referred to 211. The approach is similar throughout the region, said Michael Downes, chief of staff to Mayor Laura Hoydick of Stratford, where the Birdseye Municipal Complex opened as a warming center last February now serves as a vaccination site. At this point we do not have a plan to open warming centers, Downes said. COVID-19 has made opening such warming centers safely an enormous challenge. We have discussed with other towns as well as our own community and senior services, and in the event of anyone determined to be of need we will make arrangements for individuals who need assistance. Gov. Ned Lamont said Thursday during his afternoon press conference that it will be extraordinarily and unseasonably cold over the next few days. I want to make sure that everyones safe and get them so they know where they can go and be safe. The governor activated the states cold weather protocol Thursday. That mechanism allows the state to provide support to municipalities to open up cold weather shelters and so they are reimbursed for doing so, said Paul Mounds, Lamonts chief of staff. It also notifies those at various state agencies in the event any requests come through the states emergency operations center. As the governor mentioned, we like to put that out in due time, much sooner than cold weather hits the state so everyone is prepared and ready, Mounds said. Kim Fawcett, chief revenue officer at Bridgeport Rescue Mission, said the shelters facilities shifted to taking in long-term residents in the summer. Residents must have tested negative for COVID-19 and agree to adhere to the facilitys COVID-19 rules in order to stay there. As a result, the organization has not opened its two warming centers one for women, one for men to take in people off the street as it normally would. Were absolutely beside ourselves in worry and we just dont have a solution that can keep the people who are living with us safe, said Fawcett, who also referred people in need to 211. Trumbull Chief of Staff Kathy Champion said the town would also try to help any residents in need. Traditionally we would turn to the senior center and the library to open as warming centers if needed, she said. Because they are both closed due to COVID and the inability to service our residents in a socially distance manner, we would recommend anyone to first reach out to friends and family, and if need be, we suggest anyone to go to the mall to warm up. If we encounter a power outage in town where residents do not have access to heat, then the situation will be reevaluated and addressed. Greater Bridgeport Transit CEO Doug Holcomb said the capacity of the companys Water Street bus stations lobby which might normally see 30, 40, 50 (riders) in there at any given time has been reduced to 15 and cannot accommodate anyone other than bus passengers. Normally we have a warming and cooling center and are happy to help out, Holcomb said Thursday. The pandemic changed that. Connecticuts death toll attributed to COVID-19 surpassed 7,000 this week, just two months since the state eclipsed 5,000 deaths. While Connecticuts hospitalizations and the percentage of daily positive tests have remained relatively stable in recent weeks, a new variant of the coronavirus emerged Thursday in the United States. We just dont want crowds. Seating is blocked off, Holcomb said. Staff writers Amanda Cuda, Donald Eng, Peter Yankowski and Brian Lockhart contributed to this story. Kolkata: The Communist Party of India (MarxistLeninist), or the CPI (ML), on Thursday announced that it will contest in 12 seats independently and not as alliance partners with the Left Front-Congress in the Assembly polls scheduled to be held this year in West Bengal in April-May. Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, CPI (ML) general secretary, Dipankar Bhattacharya, said, We have decided to contest in Phansidewa (Darjeeling), Maynaguri (Jalpaiguri), Mathabari (Malda), Khargram (Murshidabad), Manteswar (Burdwan), Jamalpur (Burdwan), Onda (Bankura), Ranibandh (Bankura), Krishnanagar South (Nadia), Nakashipara (Nadia), Dhanekhali (Hooghly) and in UttarPara (Hooghly). Also read: West Bengal Assembly Passes Resolution Against Farm Laws, Sixth State to do so He said, Apart from 12 seats, we will support candidates of other parties including Trinamool Congress (if people of that constituency allow us) to derail BJPs dangerous game-plan to capture West Bengal. Our main agenda is to prevent BJP from coming to power in Bengal. On the Congress-Left Front alliance, he said that he did not feel the alliance had the seriousness to fight against the BJP. "Therefore, we have decided not to be a part of the alliance and decided to congest alone in 12 seats. If required we will support other party leaders in some seats, which can be from Left Front, Congress and Trinamool Congress. We believe that there should be a strong opposition in States similar to the ruling government in Bengal to prevent BJP from coming to power," he said. We want a strong Left Front in Bengal but it is a matter of concern that many Left leaders have joined the BJP. BJP is trying to capture Bengal forcibly and it is evident with their strategy to poach leaders from other parties, he said. On the farmers protests, that took a violent turn on Tuesday (January 26), Bhattacharya said, We have demanded a high-level probe into the matter because we all know Deep Sidhus association with BJP leaders and he was also seen with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in one of the photographs. It is unfortunate whatever happened at Lal Quila but it has left many unanswered questions." He added, "In the past (post 2014), we have seen how the ruling BJP attempted to tag peoples movement as an act of traitor. We have seen this in the Rohith Vemula case. We have seen how BJP treated and tagged the Shahin Bagh protestors as traitors. So, considering BJPs past track record in handling such peoples movements, we have demanded an inquiry into the January 26 incident. In the recently held Bihar Assembly polls, the CPI (ML) registered its highest tally in over 30 years in Bihar by winning 12 of the 19 seats it contested. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine provided the state-owned enterprise (SOE) Antonov with a state guarantee for the raised loan of UAH 2.980 billion, the corresponding guarantee agreement was signed on December 31, 2020, according to the information of the State Treasury Service of Ukraine. According to it, the state guarantee was provided in accordance with resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 1352 of December 29, 2020, which is designated "for official use." As reported, on December 29, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and state-owned enterprise Antonov signed a memorandum of cooperation in the construction of aircraft for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The memorandum was signed with the participation of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. The supply of the first production aircraft will be carried out after the completion of certification tests and receipt of the type certificate for the An-178-100R aircraft and is planned for 2023. Earlier, the contract for the supply of An-178 was signed with a foreign customer. The state-owned enterprise Antonov in January-September 2020 reduced its revenue by 3.2%, to UAH 3.524 billion, while net profit by 18.7%, to UAH 495.6 million. In 2019, its net profit fell by 71.5%, to UAH 447.98 million, and revenue by 33.1%, to UAH 5.999 billion. (Natural News) On Thursday, Jan. 28, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that Facebooks business model has real-world consequences and can often lead to incidents of violence. These remarks came just one day after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg accused Apple of abusing its dominance in the tech industry. Cook made his remarks during a speech at a data privacy conference in Brussels, Belgium. While he did not mention Facebook by name, it was clear that Zuckerbergs company was the target of Cooks speech. The latter stated that he was very concerned about how data is regularly harvested for targeted ads something Facebook routinely does as part of its business model. If a business is built on misleading users, on data exploitation, on choices that are no choices at all, it does not deserve our praise it deserves scorn, said Cook. The Apple CEO further set his sights on the way Facebooks algorithms continuously recommend extremist groups and similarly dangerous content to its users in order to boost engagement. This is a practice that Facebook has already said it will scale back on by no longer automatically recommending political groups and pages. (Related: Apple lobbying Congress to weaken anti-forced labor bill so they can profit from Chinas SLAVE labor industry.) At a moment of rampant disinformation and conspiracy theories juiced by algorithms, we can no longer turn a blind eye to a theory of technology that says all engagement is good engagement, said Cook. It is long past time to stop pretending that this approach doesnt come with a cost of polarization, of trust and, yes, of violence. Cook pointed out that the apps of companies like Facebook, Google, Snapchat and others that rely on the adtech industry use on average at least six trackers that can watch and record the behavior of users even across apps. Users may not know whether the apps they use to pass the time, to check in with their friends, or to find a place to eat, may in fact be passing on information about the photos theyve taken, the people in their contact list or location data that reflects where they eat, sleep or pray. Apple versus Facebook feud is brewing Cooks comments came just one day after Zuckerberg spoke at length about how Apple abused its position in the tech market to interfere with the way other big tech companies used their apps. This occurred during his companys latest earnings call with market analysts. Facebook says Apple is misleading users regarding privacy and abusing its dominance in the tech industry Zuckerberg was angered by Apples introduction of a new iPhone feature known as the App Tracking Transparency, which forces apps to ask for the users permission before accessing important device identifiers. These identifiers are regularly harvested by Facebook and other tech companies like Google, sometimes without the users knowledge, for targeted advertising. Zuckerberg claims that the release of the App Tracking Transparency and its privacy-nutrition labels was not done out of a sincere attempt to provide users with a simple way of protecting their data. Rather, the Facebook CEO believes it is in Apples competitive interest to limit the ability of other companies to access data. Apple has every incentive to use their dominant platform position to interfere with how our apps and other apps work, which they regularly do to preference their own, said Zuckerberg. And this impacts the growth of millions of businesses around the world. Zuckerberg argues that it was in Apples best competitive interests to make the privacy changes. And I think that this dynamic is important for people to understand because we and others are going to be up against this for the foreseeable future. Facebook reportedly considering hitting Apple with antitrust suit Zuckerberg considers Apple to be one of his biggest competitors. Due to Apples so-called anti-competitive behavior, the Facebook CEO is reportedly considering filing an antitrust suit against it. The suit, which was first reported by The Information on Thursday, alleges that Apple is using its position to enforce rules against outside developers that its own apps do not have to follow. As we have said repeatedly, we believe Apple is behaving anti-competitive by using their control of the App Store to benefit their bottom line at the expense of app developers and small businesses, said a company spokesperson. Both Apple and Facebook are already dealing with government antitrust problems. The Department of Justice is investigating Apples near-totalitarian control over the App Store. Meanwhile, Facebook is being sued by the Federal Trade Commission and state regulators for, ironically enough, alleged anti-competitive behavior. Technology does not need vast troves of personal data, stitched together across dozens of websites and apps, in order to succeed, argued Cook during the data privacy conference. Advertising existed and thrived for decades without it. And were here today because the path of least resistance is rarely the path of wisdom. The Information admits that Facebook may ultimately decide against filing an antitrust suit. But the hiring of outside legal counsel and the extensive legal preparations signal that this feud between the two big tech corporations wont be ending anytime soon. Learn more about the relationships the different tech giants like Zuckerberg and Cook have with their competition by reading the latest articles at TechGiants.news. Sources include: CNBC.com FT.com BusinessInsider.com CNet.com TheInformation.com The Ho Airport will start receiving commercial flights by March this year. This came to light yesterday when Africa World Airlines (AWA) announced that commercial flights on the Accra-Ho-Accra route were expected to commence by March 20, 2021 with an affordable introductory fare to attract tourists and investors, boost socio-economic activities and promote development in the Volta Region. The flights will operate twice weekly on Thursdays or Fridays and Sundays or Mondays at an introductory fare of GH99 for a one-way trip, which will take about 15 minutes. Speaking to the media at a stakeholder consultative engagement organised by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), in collaboration with the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL), AWA and others, to discuss the viability and possibilities of operating the Ho Airport, the Head of Marketing at AWA, Dr Ade Dayo, said the commercial operations would need potential partnerships. He said the partnerships would help provide Ghanaians with packages such as the all-in-one tourist package, which includes air tickets, ground transport, hotel accommodation and visits to tourist sites. Growth of region Dr Dayo said it would need collaborative efforts to drive the growth of the region. "We understand and know the potential that exists within the Volta Region, and we, as an airline, are ready to take this opportunity, so long as stakeholders agree to packages that are affordable to the general populace," he said. Responses Dr Dayo said responses from stakeholders had been proactive, adding that AWA would ensure that Ghanaians were able to afford the flights for the Ho Airport to be fully operationalised by the GACL. Although AWA would want to operate at affordable fares, he said, it would also need to work hard to cover cost and ensure that its operations were cost-effective and, therefore, all stakeholders must show interest in the project. Prospects The Head of Business Development Services at the GACL, Ms Amma Faake Gadzekpo, said operations at the Ho Airport could broaden the tourism prospects of the Volta Region and augment the good fortunes of the region. The Volta Regional Manager of the GTA, Mr Alexander Nketia, called on well-meaning Ghanaians and tourists to sign on to the all-in-one package. He assured the people that the authority would work closely with industry operatives such as travel operators, tourist site operators, among others, to make the Volta Region attractive. Background In June last year, a co-Chairman of AWA, Togbe Afede XIV, indicated the readiness of the company to run Ho-Accra-Ho flights at the new Ho Airport. AWA is ready to start with Ho-Accra-Ho flights; maybe three flights a week for a start. We are only waiting for the official handing over of the airport to the government and inauguration, he said. Togbe Afede, who is also the Agbogbomefia of Asogli in the Volta Region, said that when he led a team of Chinese investors from the China-Africa Development Fund to the airport for feasibility studies on a proposed pilot academy and maintenance, repair and overall (MRO) operations at the airport. 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 University News The nearly 600 graduates recognized as part of the University of New Havens virtual Winter Commencement were praised for their resilience throughout the coronavirus global pandemic and encouraged to continue to shape a positive future. By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications Nearly 600 graduates were recognized as part of the Universitys virtual Winter Commencement. Rose Keithan 21 MHA acknowledges that this past year has been challenging for her and for her classmates, but she believes the University community has shown great resilience in responding to the impact of the coronavirus global pandemic. That was the theme of her messages as she addressed her fellow graduates as part of the Universitys virtual Winter Commencement. Students at the University of New Haven continue to push ahead, become resourceful, and find new ways to achieve their goals, said Keithan, who served as president of the Universitys Graduate Student Council. The University community is continually evolving to set high standards for high-quality education. COVID-19 is just another hurdle our community has overcome and adapted to, and it has given us great and valuable lessons that we might not have learned otherwise. President Steven H. Kaplan, Ph.D. praised graduates for their resilience. Keithan was one of nearly 600 graduates who were recognized as part of the Universitys virtual Winter Commencement ceremony. Graduates resilience throughout the past year was a theme throughout the event, as they were commended for their continued dedication to their education throughout the pandemic. In the midst of a global pandemic, you have successfully navigated the rigors of higher education, said University President Steven H. Kaplan, Ph.D. You have emerged stronger and wiser and better equipped to tackle the complex issues of our world. Daniel Kwiatkowski 21, who earned a degree in finance, spoke on behalf of students earning bachelors degrees. He acknowledged that although students did not expect to celebrate Commencement virtually, it did present something for which they can be grateful. Our time at the University of New Haven has helped us to grow and learn, he said. One of the most important things Ive learned as an undergraduate especially over the past year is to never take anything for granted and to appreciate all the small things in life. Lets appreciate that we can graduate from the comfort of our homes with our loved ones right by our sides. Rose Keithan 21 MBA spoke to her fellow graduates. This has been opportunity to step up Susan Frampton, Ph.D., president of Planetree International, a leading nonprofit that works with organizations around the world to promote patient-centered care as a model for improving the quality of healthcare, delivered the Commencement address. A medical anthropologist, author, and leader of Planetrees advocacy efforts, Dr. Frampton has been a key partner in the University of New Haven becoming one of the first colleges or universities in the nation to pursue higher education certification from Planetree. Susan Frampton, Ph.D., president of Planetree International, delivered the keynote address. Acknowledging that the Class of 2021 is graduating during a truly unprecedented moment in history, she commended them for staying focused on their studies and completing their degrees. Calling them an awesome, resilient group, she challenged them to use their voices to continue to make the world better. Choose to spend time wisely and lend your talents, energy, and gifts to making 2021 and beyond memorable for the progress we make in ending this pandemic and for the progress we make to improve equity and social justice, said Dr. Frampton, who served as director of the Center for Health Promotion at the Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford before joining Planetree in 2000. This has been opportunity to step up and be heard. You can stay in the tunnel of gloom or you can choose to be a force of positive change. It is up to us to make the most of it As part of the ceremony, Dr. Frampton was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Arts & Letters degree, and Merryl Tengesdal 94, a retired United States Air Force Colonel and a graduate of the Universitys electrical engineering program, was conferred an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree. Merryl Tengesdal 94 received an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree. The first and only African American woman to have piloted the Air Forces U-2 spy plane, Tengesdal served deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. She has been cast on the second season of Tough as Nails, a competition series premiering on CBS in February. Now a certified personal trainer, she serves as an inspirational speaker, and she offered her own words of encouragement to the winter graduates of the Class of 2021. I challenge you in this dynamic environment to help shape a positive future by creating innovative solutions to help others thrive during this period, said Tengesdal, who a received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University in 2013. The determination and drive that helped you succeed at the University will bring hope to others through whatever endeavors you choose as your lifes passion. Graduates in each of the Universitys academic colleges and schools had their own virtual ceremony, in which they were recognized by their deans and professors. Keithan, the outgoing graduate student council president, left her classmates with one final challenge as Chargers. I implore you to continue to express your concerns, stand up against any wrongs, ask for help, and, most importantly, make your voices heard, she said. Hard times are undoubtedly upon us, but it is up to us to make the most of them and move forward. AirPlay Audio Engineer Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino) , California , United States Software and Services Summary Posted: Jan 26, 2021 Weekly Hours: 40 Role Number: 200217886 The AirPlay Audio team is responsible for all-things Audio in AirPlay. This includes streaming music from your iPhone or iPad to an AirPlay receiver, music playback on one or more HomePods, home theatre audio with HomePods and AppleTVs, audio accompanying AirPlay Mirroring, and much, much more. We're looking for a proactive, creative and hardworking engineer to join our team, somebody who can help take these technologies to new and unexplored heights. Key Qualifications Strong programming skills with C and/or C++ Experience with media system playback design, especially audio Experience debugging problems in a highly concurrent environment Experience with using and developing media libraries especially for mobile platforms An ability to work with multi-functional engineering teams An ability to work well with tight schedules and rapid development cycles Excellent judgment and integrity with the ability to make timely and sound decisions Description The Connected Media group is looking for a senior software engineer to join our team to work on AirPlay. We are looking for expert developers that have debugged complex and layered software stacks. You will be curious, self-motivated, and thorough when they approach new challenges. As an engineer on our team you will be responsible for crafting and implementing new features in AirPlay across our product lines. You will be able to collaborate effectively on a team, and thrives in a dynamic, highly fluid environment. Education & Experience BS/MS in Computer Science or equivalent Additional Requirements Desired but not required: Experience in developing and maintaining an API for multiple clients Experience programming on embedded systems Experience with using and developing media libraries especially for mobile platforms Excellent communication and reciprocal skills Familiarity with inner workings of media systems and audio/video codecs Familiarity with network media streaming protocols such as RTP and RTSP Familiarity with the TCP/IP suite of protocols 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. Amazon is reportedly looking to open its first packing warehouse in Ireland, allowing it to avoid delays brought by new Brexit trade arrangements. The retail giant wants to use a 650,000-sq-ft unit at a business park in Baldonnell, west of Dublin, according to the Bloomberg news agency. If the deal goes ahead, customers are expected to receive Amazon purchases faster, as many items are currently dispatched from the UK. Live: Export slump warning as two-thirds of lorries leave UK empty Gilles Fernandez, the commercial director of An Post Commerce, which delivers Amazon parcels in Ireland, hailed the move as good news for Irish customers. By avoiding the Brexit pipeline, Amazon can get their parcels to us in An Post faster for immediate delivery to the customer, he said. Although Amazon opened a delivery warehouse at Rathcoole in Ireland last year, the Baldonnell site would be the first in the country where products are packaged by Amazon employees. An Amazon spokesperson told The Independent that the company would not comment on rumour and speculation. Like other retailers, Amazon has been affected by post-Brexit custom rules, which came into effect from 1 January, causing trade disruption between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. As a result of the changes, the company has already stopped selling alcohol in Northern Ireland. This move could be followed by the delisting of other products such as pet food and some over-the-counter medicines, ITV reported on Tuesday. Earlier this month, bosses at supermarkets including Tesco and Sainsburys called on the government to prevent significant disruption to Northern Ireland food supplies. They told cabinet office minister Michael Gove the "current proposals, increased bureaucracy and certification in such a short timescale, are unworkable, and asked the government to intervene. Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak says that there is no relationship between businessman Ihor Kolomoisky and President Volodymyr Zelensky. "As far as I know, there are no [relations]. This is the first president of Ukraine who has shown by his example that it is possible to be absolutely distant from financial groups, from the so-called oligarchs," he said in an interview with the NV publication, answering the question on the relations of the president with Kolomoisky. Also, commenting on the relations between the President's Office and businessman Rinat Akhmetov, he said: "As the President's Office, we have no agreements with anyone." Also, according to Yermak, the current government "is probably the only one that does not have a television channel." As for the so-called spheres of influence in the Servant of the People faction and the orientation of individual MPs towards Kolomoisky and Akhmetov, Yermak said: "You mentioned the Servant of the People faction. Of course, 250 people are a huge faction. Of course, there are different spheres of influence. But again, slavery system ended long ago. I do not believe in these phrases and these insinuations that someone is someone else's person. It seems to me that very often wishful thinking is passed off as reality." By Francesco Guarascio and Sabine Siebold BRUSSELS (Reuters) - AstraZeneca offered eight million more doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to the European Union to try to defuse a row over supplies, but the bloc said that was too far short of what was originally promised, an EU official told Reuters. The Anglo-Swedish firm unexpectedly announced cuts in supplies to the EU last week, citing production problems at a Belgian factory, triggering a furious response from the bloc. EU officials said that meant a 60% cut to 31 million doses in the period to the end of March, a major blow for its 27-member countries which are already lagging vaccination campaigns in Israel, Britain and the United States. The EU official directly involved in the talks said AstraZeneca offered earlier this week to increase deliveries to possibly 39 million doses in the first quarter, but that was deemed inadequate. The size of the AstraZeneca's offer has not previously been reported. Under a contract agreed in August, the company should have supplied at least 80 million doses to the EU in that period, the official said, and possibly even 120 million "depending on how you read the contract". A second EU official said in a media briefing on Wednesday that the company had proposed to supply a quarter of the agreed volume of doses through March, which in the contract amounted to a "three-digit" figure - consistent with nearly 40 million out of a total of 120 million mentioned by the first source. AstraZeneca's chief executive Pascal Soriot told newspapers on Tuesday the company had no legal requirement to deliver to the EU on a precise timetable, because it had only committed to supplying vaccines under a "best-effort" clause. At a meeting with EU officials on Wednesday, Soriot repeated this and made no new offer of extra doses from the 39 millions pledged earlier in the week, the first EU official said. NO UK DOSES To make up for the shortfall caused by problems at a factory in Belgium, EU officials asked AstraZeneca to re-route to the bloc some of the doses it manufactures in Britain. Story continues But Soriot said at Wednesday's meeting that AstraZeneca had contractual arrangements with Britain that prevented the company from diverting doses produced there to the EU, two EU officials said. AstraZeneca did not respond to repeated requests for comment. On Friday, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen reiterated that AstraZeneca had binding obligations and could not to make commitments with other buyers that would trump the EU's deal. Britain has a contract with AstraZeneca for 100 million doses that was signed before the EU deal for at least 300 million shots. Two officials said the EU's contract committed it to paying 336 million euros ($406 million) to AstraZeneca, mostly to finance production of vaccines at four named factories. Two of these, run by Oxford Biomedica and Cobra Biologics, are in Britain, while the others are in Germany and Belgium. "Part of the money went to the UK," one of the officials said. Asked about the EU requests, Britain said the EU had established its own supply chains, and declined to comment on its own or the EU's contracts with AstraZeneca. The European Commission declined to comment. The EU has not yet approved the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is already being used in Britain. A decision is scheduled later on Friday. ($1 = 0.8261 euros) (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio; Additional reporting by Sabine Siebold, Paul Sandle and Ludwig Burger. Editing by Catherine Evans and Mark Potter) The Robinhood app, a commission-free trading platform has changed the world by challenging the notion of traditional investment and financial education. Now, the app is a billion dollar business, with more than 13 million users. It has also recently been the spotlight of dialogue following numerous price spikes in different company stocks. Who Owns Robinhood? Born in Bulgaria, Robinhood co-founder and CEO Vlad Tenev was raised in a community where there are only two options for saving: putting it in a state bank or leaving it under the mattress. Financial education on the other hand was a privilege that requires tons of resources to get your hands on the books. When the Berlin Wall fell, Tenev and his family moved to the United States. Tenev studied at Stanford University where he was earning a degree in mathematics. There, he met Baiji Bhatt, the son of Indian immigrants who earned a degree in Physics. During that time, a free economy and competition made the U.S stock market the most notable wealthy empire in the world. 'Occupy Wall Street' Movement Gives Rise to Robinhood But for Tenev and Bhatt, the free market situation was only true in theory. some people still had greater privileges over the others in terms of access, resources, and even opportunity to participate in the stock market. Consequently, stock trading was limited to the few. According to Wall Street Journal, there was a power vacuum during that time where only 10 percent of the US household owns 87 percent of all the stock's total value. In the wake of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Tenev and Bhatt created Robinhood in an attempt to level the playing field. It was the first-ever trading platform during that time that offered commission-free trading. This allowed millions of laypersons to participate and get involved in the economy. Since then, more and more underprivileged people had jurisdiction over choices that could shape their financial dreams. Read more: GameStop, 'King Maker' Elon Musk Push Robinhood and Reddit Up the App Store Charts How Does Robinhood Make Money? By streamlining the trading process, Robinhood has opened trading to a new demographic: the younger and more unprivileged ones. Since then, Robinhood was the fastest-growing brokerage platform. Because of their success, more and more brokerage platforms have begun offering commission-free trading to players. The trend has pushed more people to learn financial literacy and opportunity, even with little to no resources to do so. Although in 2016, they launched Robinhood Gold, a subscription model for big traders who want instant deposits. The design aimed to target other markets like experienced traders. Robinhood app was the first finance app to bag an Apple Design Award. Now headquartered in California, the app is now earning through diverse sources including selling information to big traders, customer's cash balances, as well as margin lending. It is now being used by more than 13 million users. Related Article: Elon Musk Calls Out Robinhood for 'BS' Shorting Scam on Stock Trading-Only Allows Small-Time Investors! This article is owned by Techtimes Written by Nikki Delgado 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman met with the media for the first time in about six weeks on Friday and covered a lot of topics over 35 minutes. Here are a few takeaways. Cashman said MLB is telling the Yankees that spring training will start on time, but he says non-roster players have not been invited yet because the Yankees dont want to have to foot the bill if the start is delayed. * * * Cashman gave an interesting response when he was asked about DJ LeMahieu expressing frustration about his contract negotiations taking months instead of two weeks since both sides badly wanted a reunion. As far as Im concerned, hes just as guilty as we are in terms of why it took so long, Cashman said. Cashman added that LeMahieu could have accepted the Yankees first offer and signed in two weeks, but he said no. * * * When Cashman was asked about re-signing Brett Gardner, he raved about the free agent outfielder but did not say he wanted him back. He said hes not allowed to say much, but he did say that he wanted LeMahieu back during his Dec. 16 presser. Well see how things transpire here over the coming weeks, but obviously hes still on the board, Cashman said. Buy DJ LeMahieu Yankees gear: Fanatics.com, MLBShop.com, Lids Cashman had preliminary contract talks with Masahiro Tanakas agent early into spring training, but after hearing the asking price opting to put that money into adding two starting pitchers, two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber via free agent signing and Jameson Taillon, a 14-game winner in 2018, in a trade. Tanaka signed with his former Japanese team on Thursday after seven seasons with the Yankees. I want to thank Masahiro Tanaka, Cashman said. He was a tremendous Yankee. Obviously, he came over with great fanfare, and for good reason he was obviously one of the worlds great pitchers when we were able to sign him and he came over here and lit the world on fire until the initial episode with the elbow. But he got a lot of medical opinions, as we all know, three different doctors recommending not to have a surgery. And those recommendations held up, because he never needed to surgery. And I tell you what, he performed to that contract. * * * Cashman admits that he made risking starting pitching additions signing Kluber, who pitched just one inning last season, and trading for Taillon, who hasnt pitched since May 1, 2019 due to his second Tommy John surgery. There is risk ... but we did as much due diligence as we possibly could as far as the medical evaluations, Cashman said. Hopeful is certainly an appropriate word in this. We made the commitment because we believe that despite the risk, it was risk worth taking. Now were going to test drive that better or worse. Get Yankees text messages: Cut through the clutter of social media and text during games with beat writers and columnists. Plus, exclusive news and analysis every day. Sign up now. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. WASHINGTON - The Biden administration has halted an effort to install several Trump loyalists on Defense Department advisory boards, Pentagon officials said Wednesday, as the new administration considers a series of unusual appointments that were made in the waning days of the Trump administration. At least temporarily, the decision affects appointees that include Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie, both of whom served as campaign managers for former president Donald Trump. They were named to the Defense Business Board in December, as the Trump administration also abruptly dismissed other members with a form letter from what had historically been a nonpartisan panel advising the defense secretary. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is weighing his options, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Wednesday night. "The Secretary, as you would expect, is reviewing current policies in place across the Department to determine if any changes are necessary, to include the advisory boards," Kirby said in a statement. "No final decisions have been made with respect to board membership. But we will make the information available should that change." A senior defense official familiar with the halt, first reported by Politico, said Wednesday night that several appointees that the Trump administration named had not yet completed their paperwork to join a board. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the halt affects the processing of all new appointments and renewals, and that related financial and security reviews have been put on hiatus. Neither Lewandowski nor Bossie had been sworn in on the business board yet. But others on the boards also serve at the pleasure of the defense secretary, allowing Austin to oust anyone he is not comfortable with it. The Trump administration sought to install several loyalists on several advisory boards in its closing days. In one effort in December, eight appointments were announced to the Defense Policy Board, including former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., former Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., and Scott O'Grady, a former fighter pilot who became famous after getting shot down over Iraq and in recent months insisted falsely that Trump beat Biden "in a landslide." One day before the inauguration, O'Grady and two other officials - retired Brig. Gen. Anthony Tata and former ambassador Charles Glazer - were sworn in on the Defense Policy Board. Trump sought to appoint Tata as undersecretary of defense for policy this fall, but his nomination was scuttled after lawmakers raised concern about a history of incendiary remarks by Tata that CNN surfaced. They included calling former president Barack Obama a "terrorist leader." Tata apologized to senators for his comments in a letter as his nomination was pending. Trump later installed him to perform the duties of the undersecretary of defense for policy, effectively skirting concerns that the Senate raised. The body of a missing Texas A&M University Galveston Campus student was found and identified Friday, university officials said, following the unrelated death of another student. Galveston police discovered remains believed to be that of Maritime Academy Cadet Brandon Lee Perlowski on Pelican Island near the campus, according to a Friday afternoon update from the school. The identification is not confirmed. "We are deeply troubled and saddened by this news. This heartache comes at an especially challenging time for our community both nationally and globally. We are hurting and mourning with you," a university statement said. "We send our deepest condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of both Aggies we have lost over the past 24 hours." On Thursday night, a student was found dead in a dorm room in what is believed to be a separate incident. The school identified the student as a member of the Class of 2023 and said no more details were available. Officials did not identify the cause of either death. Counseling services are available to students, the university said in a statement. The missing student disappeared before Thursday evening, prompting search efforts from the Galveston and Texas City police departments and Coast Guard that were temporarily suspended before dawn Friday. NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here Has Rep. Greene embraced the QAnon conspiracy theory about a global cabal of liberal child abusers, claimed that school shootings such as the one in Parkland, Florida, were staged and probably spent time in the produce section of her local grocery store screaming at organic radishes because she thinks theyre communists? Yes, definitely on the first two things, and probably on the last one. New Delhi: Delhi's border points at Tikri and Singhu remained under heavy police deployment on Friday in the aftermath of the violence that broke out during a tractor parade by farmers in the national capital on Republic Day, officials said. Personnel of the Delhi Police, along with those of the paramilitary forces, have been deployed at the borders. Singhu & Saboli borders are closed.Auchandi,Lampur, Safiabad,Piau Maniyari,Singhu school&Palla toll tax borders are open. Pl Take alternate route. Traffic is heavy & diverted from NH44. Pl avoid Outer Ring Road,GTK road& NH 44.@CPDelhi @SplCPTrafficDel @DelhiPolice @dtptraffic Addl. CP Traffic, Outer Range, Delhi (@dcptrafficouter) January 29, 2021 Several roads have been closed and the traffic police had asked the commuters to take other routes. "Gazipur border closed. Traffic diverted from NH 24, NH 9, Road no 56, 57 A, Kondli, Paper market, Telco T point, EDM Mall, Akshardham & Nizammudin Khatta. Traffic is very heavy in the area & Vikas marg, Pl take alternate route. "Singhu, Auchandi, Mangesh, Saboli, Piau Maniyari borders closed. Lampur, Safiabad, Singhu school & Palla toll tax borders opened. Pl Take alternate route. Traffic diverted from NH44 near DSIDC Narela. Avoid Outer Ring Rd, GTK road & NH 44," the Delhi Traffic Police said in tweets. Delhi Police There was a traffic snarl on National Highway 24 on Thursday evening following the closure of the Ghazipur border. Hundreds of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) members stayed put on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway on Friday, notwithstanding the Ghaziabad administration's ultimatum to vacate the UP Gate protest site. 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 Securities and Exchange Commission, the nations top financial regulator, said on Friday it is reviewing recent trading volatility that has led to a meteoric rise in GameStop and AMC Entertainment and other stocks. In a statement, the SEC vowed to to protect individual, retail traders and also promised to scrutinize actions taken by brokerages that may disadvantage investors or otherwise unduly inhibit their ability to trade certain securities. We will act to protect retail investors when the facts demonstrate abusive or manipulative trading activity that is prohibited by the federal securities laws, the SEC said in a release. The Commission is working closely with our regulatory partners, both across the government and at FINRA and other self-regulatory organizations, including the stock exchanges, to ensure that regulated entities uphold their obligations to protect investors and to identify and pursue potential wrongdoing, the regulator added. The statement came as a handful of heavily shorted equities soared on Friday, with shares of high-flying stocks like video game retailer GameStop, theater operator AMC and headphone maker Koss rallying 50 percent, 53 percent and 43 percent, respectively. The SECs pledge to clamp down on brokerages that may have unduly limited customers ability to trade in the speculative names likely comes as good news to members of WallStreetBets Reddit and other retail traders. Many individual trades took to Twitter and other social media platforms on Thursday to protest Robinhoods decision to restrict access to the high-flying names at the center of the controversy. Armie Hammer will no longer be a part of Paramount+s The Godfather series, The Offer, according to multiple reports. Read article Hammer, 34, was announced early last month as the lead of the 10-episode series, which tells the behind-the-scenes story of the making of the 1972 film. He was set to play Al Ruddy, the producer responsible for the mafia movie. Variety and The Wrap reported on Thursday, January 28, that he has since left the project. The Social Network stars TV exit comes just weeks after he stepped away from the Jennifer Lopez-led rom-com Shotgun Wedding amid allegations about his personal life. MUNAWAR HOSAIN/startraksphoto.com 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 January 13. Hammer, for his part, shut down claims that his alleged direct-messaging scandal was to blame for him ending his partnership with the Lionsgate project. 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 told TMZ at the time. Lionsgate is supporting me in this, and Im grateful to them for that. The On the Basis of Sex actor made headlines this month after multiple women came forward claiming he sent them graphic messages on social media that detailed cannibalism and rape fantasies. Hammers ex-girlfriend Paige Lorenze was one of the women who accused him of inappropriate DMs and sexual encounters in an interview with the Daily Mail on Friday, January 22. Adam Nemser/startraksphoto.com The 22-year-old model, who dated the actor for a few months in 2020, claimed that Hammer had carved his initial into her lower hip, calling their relationship a real-life Fifty Shades of Grey without the love. She alleged that he really thought that his fantasies were normal behavior in the BDSM, non-normative, sexual kink community, adding that someone can be just as traumatized by consensual sex. Lorenze added: Its unacceptable that he coerces women into agreeing to let him hurt them. Read article Hammers lawyer, however, denied all of the allegations in a statement to Us. These assertions about Mr. Hammer are patently untrue. Any interactions with this person, or any partner of his, were completely consensual in that they were fully discussed, agreed upon, and mutually participatory, the attorney said. The stories being perpetuated in the media are a misguided attempt to present a one-sided narrative with the goal of tarnishing Mr. Hammers reputation, and communications from the individuals involved prove that. Read article The Call Me by Your Name actors estranged wife, Elizabeth Chambers, for her part, is horrified and shocked by the messages Hammer allegedly sent, a source exclusively told Us. Shes living in a nightmare she doesnt even recognize the man she married anymore, the insider added. The pair, who split in July 2020 after 10 years of marriage, share daughter Harper, 6, and son Ford, 4. 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. Interest in Opyls specialist clinical trial recruitment services using social media channels and insights data (consulting model) escalated throughout the quarter. Opyl works at the intersection of clinical trials, artificial intelligence, and social media. ( ) has reported a positive cash flow of $26,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2020, along with an R&D refund of $249,000 thus increasing the overall net cash balance from $704,000 to $730,000. During the quarter, receipts from customers were $117,000 with trade receivables increasing by $171,000 to around $297,000. Sales have continued to accelerate reflective of a solid business development pipeline delivering social media management and deep listening and insights projects. Sales in the quarter were $317,000 up by 82% or 140,000 as compared to the previous quarter. All of the retainer clients initially lost in June/July 2020 due to COVID19 have re-signed with Opyl for 2021. Continues to realise growth Opyl CEO Michelle Gallaher said: Opyl continues to realise growth in demand for deep social media listening and insights projects from local and international markets, higher profit margins, and projects with higher price points as noted in the September Quarter Activity Report. The scale alliance with huumun (UK-based collaborator) has been instrumental in driving revenue and market growth, helping Opyl to secure six new revenue projects in the past seven months with a global pharmaceutical client highlighting our ability to provide a unique value-adding extendable service. Interest in Opyls specialist clinical trial recruitment services using social media channels and insights data (consulting model) escalated in the past period as COVID-19 infections eased in Australia, particularly Victoria and clinical trial recruitment into hospital sites resumed. This revenue stream will become a key focus for Opyl in the coming periods with the development and beta launch of the Opyl trial recruitment platform scheduled in Q4 FY2021. Company operations During the period, Opyl recruited three strategic hires to help expand its deep social media listening and insights as well as clinical trial recruitment services. The company recruited a general manager of sales and marketing, an analytics and insights manager and a social media technology specialist. Each brings new capabilities and broadens Opyls ability to penetrate the market and support its client engagements. In addition to the R&D tax rebate, Opyl also received various COVID-19 support incentives provided by both federal and state governments amounting to $38,000. Research and Development Opyl has continued to invest in its clinical trial prediction/protocol design platform and the clinical trial recruitment platform, which will complement the existing consulting service the company offers to the market. Clinical trial recruitment will be a strategic focus for the company over the next six months moving the platform into a beta launch and focussing on securing strategic alliances, contracts, and revenue. The prediction/ protocol design platform continued to pass through the development pathway, as expected, increasing the specificity and reliability of the tool. TORONTO - The scourge of overdose deaths underscores the need for Canada to decriminalize simple possession of hard drugs, the head of the national chiefs of police association said on Thursday. Needles are seen on the ground in Oppenheimer park in Vancouver's downtown eastside on March 17, 2020. The scourge of overdose deaths underscores the need for Canada to decriminalize simple possession of hard drugs, the head of the national chiefs of police association said on Thursday. In urging action, Bryan Larkin noted that overdose deaths are outpacing those from the pandemic and homicides in British Columbia and likely Ontario. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward TORONTO - The scourge of overdose deaths underscores the need for Canada to decriminalize simple possession of hard drugs, the head of the national chiefs of police association said on Thursday. In urging action, Bryan Larkin noted that overdose deaths are outpacing those from the COVID-19 pandemic and homicides in British Columbia and likely Ontario. "Over the last six years, 18,000 Canadians have lost their lives to drug addiction," Larkin said. "If 18,000 people lost their lives in traffic collisions, our country and our communities would not accept that. There would be outcry." Larkin, president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, made his comments at a virtual forum called "Policing 2021." The issue of decriminalization as was the case with cannabis is "polarizing" both within society and within police ranks, he said. Like many others, Larkin said he was raised to believe "drugs are bad and people who use drugs are criminals." But criminalization, he said, has disproportionately affected the marginalized and people of colour, and there's now an awareness that addictions are a mental health issue. "Nobody wakes up wanting actually to have an addiction," said Larkin, chief of Waterloo Regional Police Service. "The opioid overdose crisis in Canada doesn't discriminate." Antje McNeely, who is Larkin's Ontario counterpart, said that changing the mindset of police officers when it comes to dealing with drug abusers was also important. "We've been hard-wired," said McNeely, police chief in Kingston, Ont. "It is a mind change for the front line and the rest of us as well." The national chiefs association raised eyebrows last year when it first began advocating for decriminalization of possession. Discussions on the topic were spurred by the legalization of cannabis and the mounting opioid death toll now exacerbated by the pandemic. In response, the federal government has been looking at Canada's drug policy, with a view to reducing opioid-related deaths during the pandemic. Prosecutors were instructed last year to prosecute only the most serious drug-possession offences. Larkin, who said he has been encouraged by Ottawa's response, noted the nexus between addictions and mental health, saying more than 10 people kill themselves each day in Canada. That is not something police can fix, he said. Peter Sloly, chief of the Ottawa Police Service, agreed police need to become a "diminishing" element when it comes to dealing with people in mental health crises. While police will always have some role in such responses, there needs to be a different model that takes in social services, education and the health-care sector, he said. "We've been not just the last resort, but often the first resort on these types of incidents," Sloly told the forum. "We've become a bit of a Swiss Army knife." Sloly cited a program in Eugene, Ore., where up to 90 per cent of mental health calls are handled without hard police intervention. Such changes take years to implement successfully and he warned against moving too quickly. "There's a group of people out there who believe that police should have nothing to do with mental health services," Sloley said. "I just don't think it is practical." The chiefs also acknowledged systemic racism in policing but said the issue was no longer being swept under the rug. At the same time, Sloly said simply addressing the issue within police services won't fix the wider problem. "We're still going to have the conditions that produce crime and victimization, marginalization and discrimination," he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2021 In the wake of deadly rioting at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month, two Bay Area members of Congress announced Thursday the introduction of a bill titled the "No Congressional Gun Loophole Act" to prevent members of Congress and their staff from having firearms on the grounds of the Capitol. Under current law, members of the public may not possess firearms on the Capitol grounds, but members of Congress are excepted under regulations with the Capitol Police. The bill, introduced by Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, and Jackie Speier, D-San Francisco/San Mateo, would override that exception. A bill with substantially the same language was introduced in December but was not adopted before the end of the legislative session. The reintroduced bill has attracted more than two dozen co-sponsors to date, all Democrats. Huffman predicts that after recent events like the Jan. 6 violence at the Capitol, the bill will have a better chance of passage than the original. In a statement to announce the bill he said, "While we'd like to think we could rely on common decency, we now have colleagues who are QAnon and white supremacist sympathizers, incite violence and insurrection, and have even bragged about bringing guns into the House Chamber." Speier offered a particularly personal reason for pressing the bill. In a statement she said, "As a survivor of gun violence, I know what it's like to battle for your life after being shot five times and left for dead." Speier referred to a time in 1978 when, as a young staffer, she accompanied U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan to Guyana to investigate claims that some Bay Area residents were being detained there against their will in a cult led by the Rev. Jim Jones. In the subsequent massacre, Ryan was killed and Speier was shot multiple times. She escaped by pretending to be dead. Jones and more than 900 of his followers died as a result of a mass self-inflicted cyanide poisoning. Speier has been an outspoken opponent of gun violence and an advocate of stronger federal gun legislation, including a ban on assault weapons and universal background checks. The regulations that permit members of Congress to have guns at the Capital go back more than 50 years. The regulations do not allow guns in the Senate or House chambers. Metal detectors have recently been installed at the entrance to the House chambers and Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced an intent to impose fines for those who try to avoid them. Copyright 2021 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. The donation includes 230 Microtak KTK transport ventilators and 100 Magnamed electronic ventilators for beds in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs), worth over US$2.6 million. "I am grateful for this donation that will strengthen the health system in very difficult circumstances; it comes at a time when Brazil is also fighting the pandemic," she expressed. The diplomat stressed that to date more than US$114 million in donations have been raised to combat the pandemic, through international cooperation efforts. Esta manana, el Minsa recibio una donacion de 230 respiradores de transporte Microtak KTK y 100 ventiladores pulmonares electronicos Magnamed por parte de la Republica Federativa de Brasil, que permitiran reforzar la atencion de pacientes #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/S1wBfTd2eS Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller speaks during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. The federal government will work with Indigenous leaders to co-develop legislation aimed at giving First Nations, Metis and Inuit people control over the delivery of health care in their communities. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Hyderabad, Jan 29 : Six persons were killed when their auto-rickshaw was hit by a speeding truck in Telangana's Mahabubabad district on Friday, the police said. The deceased include three women who were on their way to Warangal to shop for a marriage. The accident occurred near Marrimitta in Guduru mandal of Mahabubabad district. According to eye witnesses, the truck being driven at a high speed crushed the three-wheeler. The auto-rickshaw was totally mangled in the collision. A proclainer was used to pull out the auto-rickshaw from under the truck. Meanwhile, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao expressed shock over the death of six persons in the road accident. He conveyed condolences to members of the bereaved families. The Chief Minister enquired from the police officials about the accident. He instructed them to immediately provide medical treatment to the injured. 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. Newly elected Rep. Young Kim (Californias 39th Congressional District) needs to refund me the $25 I donated to her campaign. Others should join me in seeking campaign donation refunds from those elected officials whose campaign rhetoric differs from what they do and say once in office. For me, the refunded money could buy a heating pad because my neck gets very sore watching Republicans play RINO games. Young Kim and I talked briefly in early August when a mutual friend held a fundraiser at her Buena Park home. Gale Stoddard, known as the Voice of the Filipino People, is a strong President Trump supporter and was happy to lend her lovely backyard to help Young Kim. While I dont live in Kims district, I supported her campaign with a small donation, wrote a news release about the event that was published in the local media, and distributed lawn signs. It was thrilling when the 2020 Red Wave helped Kim flip the seat from Democrat control. However, now my neck continually hurts watching Kim and other Republicans play the RINO game. Kims first congressional vote turned my neck to the left when she voted to certify the Electoral College although many constituents questioned the integrity of the election process in several key states. Instead of seeking answers to election integrity questions, she joined other Republicans who seemed anxious to complete the certification process. My neck turned further left when, in her first congressional act, Young Kim joined with five other Republicans in a misguided effort to censure President Trump. All President Trump did was encourage supporters to come to D.C. on January 6 so they could join him in peacefully seeking answers to questions about alleged voter fraud. Then my neck twisted to the right when Young Kim voted not to impeach President Trump. My neck really started to hurt on January 20 when, during Kims NPR interview, she said: I came to Congress to break through the partisan gridlock and get things done for the - not only my district but to move our country forward. Why is it always Republicans reaching out to Democrats? Did anyone see Democrats reaching out to Republicans in 2017 following President Trumps inauguration? Of course not! Democrats were too busy investigating the Russian collusion hoax. Left, left, right, left no wonder my neck hurts! Kim is not the only one in Congress who plays RINO games. One of the best RINO game players is House Minority Speaker Kevin McCarthy (Californias 23rd Congressional District). People could seriously injure their necks going back and forth following McCarthy. My neck turned to the right when McCarthy announced he would vote against impeachment. Then my neck quickly turned to the left when following the vote, he announced his continued support for Never Ever Trumper House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney. Cheney led a tiny delegation of ten misguided Republican representatives who voted for impeachment. Included was newly elected RINO Rep. David Valadao (Californias 21st Congressional District). For those keeping score, it was Trump House Republicans 197 and Cheney 10. Shouldnt that be enough for McCarthy to pull his endorsement of Cheney as House Republican Conference Chair? Many in the Republican Conference want Cheney out. My neck already ached from turning so far to the left and hurt even more when McCarthy didnt attend President Trumps departure ceremony at Joint Base Andrews. Aides claimed it wouldnt work logistically for McCarthy to attend both Trumps departure and Bidens inauguration. Sure. Yeah. Okay. My neck turned to the right again when McCarthy said in an interview that he had concerns about Liz Cheney although he doesnt want to oust her from the leadership position. Does McCarthy want Cheney to remain conference chair, the third most powerful Republican on the Hill because hes playing the RINO game? Boy, is my neck sore! (Uh oh, boy is gender-specific. Let me rephrase that.) People, my neck is sore! Reps. Kevin McCarthy, Young Kim, David Valadao, and other RINOs must remember that the Republican Party is the Party of Trump even if hes not sitting in the Oval Office. While some Republicans are singing unity with Democrats who treat them like something you step in a cow pasture, Trumplicans remain very angry about the alleged rampant 2020 election fraud. We want answers to: Unconstitutional voting/election laws Ballot mishandling Other indicia of election fraud Equal protection clause violations Contestable process fouls Maybe Trumplicans should ask RINO game player, Sen. Lindsey Graham, for help. Graham could then go on Fox News and keep repeating plans to hold hearings about election fraud. News flash for RINOs Republicans will no longer vote for RINO candidates solely because the Democrat challenger is worse! (Thats probably why Senators Perdue and Loeffler lost in Georgia.) At least with Democrats, you know what to expect socialism, America Last, illegal aliens becoming citizens, high taxes, overwhelming regulations, defunding the police, andwell, just Google Venezuela for more details. Some say the only way to end RINO games is for President Trump to start a new Patriot Party with the nearly 75 million who voted for him in November. Others say the answer is to remain in the Republican Party and push RINOs out. Anything to get my neck from hurting so much! And that brings me back to wanting Rep. Young Kim to refund the $25 donation I made at that August 2020 fundraiser. It is my sincere belief that candidate Young Kim defrauded me. I had a reasonable expectation that, if elected, Kim would support President Trump and would not seek to censure the president without giving him due process. All those who supported a candidate (whether running for re-election or as a freshman) who misled them (campaign rhetoric versus actual performance), should also consider asking for a campaign donation refund. IMAGE: California Rep. Young Kim. YouTube screengrab. The new vending machines dispensing coronavirus test kits at the Oakland International Airport will soon roll out more widely in the Bay Area and beyond. Wellness 4 Humanity, the digital health company that designed the vending machines, is set to distribute more of them in major cities throughout the U.S., including San Francisco, Los Angeles and Dallas. The machines were developed in partnership with San Francisco-based tech company Swyft Inc. The company also launched its first vending machine Monday in New York and plans to get 1,000 more up and running in the next three to six months. Were trying to be the Redbox of testing, said Pavel Stuchlik, co-founder of Houston-based Wellness 4 Humanity, refering to the DVD rental-kiosk company. The goal is to go into every major neighborhood to provide additional coronavirus testing, he said. UC San Diego launched similar vending machines at the beginning of its winter quarter on Jan. 2 as part of its Return to Learn program for in-person instruction, university spokesperson Christine Clark said. She said testing has risen significantly with the new method. According to a UCSD news release, the university increased test frequency to weekly after the holiday break, with the vending machines providing greater access and convenience. The machines, supplied by vendor USelectIt, distribute 2,000 test kits a day and are now the primary source of student testing, according to the university. From March 2019 to January 2021, the university processed 100,000 student tests, Clark said. In January alone, that number is at 44,000. Here is what we know so far about the Wellness 4 Humanity vending machines: Where can I find a vending machine in the Bay Area? So far, Wellness 4 Humanity has vending machines available at Oakland International at both airport terminals in contactless kioks. Stuchlik says the company hopes to install vending machines at grocery stores, school campuses, shopping malls and all major airports, including San Francisco International. How does it work? Individuals must purchase a COVID-19 test kit on the companys website. You will then receive an email confirmation with a QR code to scan into the vending machine to collect the kit. Each kit includes a Saliva RT-PCR Test, a return shipping label, user guide and a biohazard bag. The saliva sample has to be sent via FedEx, according to Oakland International officials. How long does it take to get results? Individuals will receive their test results via a mobile app in 24 to 48 hours. How accurate are the results? According to the companys website, the test kits are 99.99% accurate. How much are the test kits? The test kits range from $130 to $150, depending on location, according to Stuchlik. Can health insurance cover the cost of the test kit? Yes depending on your health care plan. The company recommends that individuals check with their provider to see if they qualify for reimbursement. What if I dont have health insurance? Wellness 4 Humanity currently does not have an option for people who are uninsured. Stuchlik says the company plans to raise money to provide tests to people who dont have insurance. Jessica Flores is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores About This Page This "Under Construction" page is an automatically generated placeholder Web page for a domain that is not yet attached to an active Web site. This page replaces the "Not Found" error pages and notifies visitors that a Web site is coming soon. How Do I Replace This Page? Publishing your Web site, updating the name servers, or forwarding to another domain name will automatically replace this default page. If you do not have an existing Web site hosting package or web forwarding, further information to get your Web site online can be found by clicking the following links. If your Web site is not ready to be published and you would like to replace this page, you may do so by configuring your under construction page. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close A record price gap has opened between Sydneys detached houses and units after the median price of a standalone residence in the city surged by $4200 a week during the last three months of 2020. The median price for a separate house in Sydney reached a record $1.21 million in the December quarter and is 66 per cent higher than the median unit price, Domain Group data shows. That is the biggest difference between houses and units in Sydney since Domain began tracking prices in 1993. The average price gap over the past decade has been 46 per cent. Unit prices in Sydney are lagging detached house prices. Credit:Steven Siewert The strong recovery in the value of standalone houses in the second half of last year means that property type has erased the 14 per cent price slump during 2017 and 2018. In contrast, the median price of a Sydney unit remains $20,000 lower than before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic last March and 7.5 per cent below the median unit value in mid-2017 when property prices last peaked. A Louisiana cemetery has apologized and changed its rules after denying burial to a sheriff's deputy because he was black. Allen Parish Sheriff's Deputy Darrell Semien, 55, died on Sunday in Oberlin, Louisiana, after a brief battle with cancer. He was a beloved father and husband whose friends called him 'Soul'. When his widow Karla contacted Oaklin Springs Cemetery to arrange is burial, she was told they could not accommodate the family because a by-law in the cemetery's sales contract prohibits African Americans from being buried there. 'The agreement was made in the 1950s and said: 'The right of burial of the remains of white human beings.' It's unclear who exactly at the cemetery enforced it but she has been fired. The cemetery has now apologized to the family and changed its rules. They offered the family a plot but they turned them down. Allen Parish Sheriff's Deputy Darrell Semien, 55, died on Sunday in Oberlin, Louisiana, after a brief battle with cancer. He is shown, right, with his widow, Karla, on their wedding day Oaklin Springs Cemetery in Oberlin, Louisiana, told the Semien family they could not buy a plot because of their race Karla Semien posted on Facebook after the incident, saying she 'can't believe' that in '2021', this was happening. Semien worked in law enforcement for 15 years after working for 20 years as a crane operator. His obituary reads in part: 'He worked very hard to provide for his family as a crane operator for twenty years. 'For the past fifteen years, he became a police officer for the Reeves Police Department, as well as, the Allen Parish Sheriffs Office and there he truly found his calling.' A funeral service is planned for him on January 30 at the church which he has belonged to for the last 20 years. He had seven children and one grandchild. Karla told local network KLFY how the woman at the cemetery coldly turned them away. 'First me and one of my other sons got out of the car when she drove up, and he's white, and she said she was sorry for our loss, and I told her, "Thank you." Karla shared the incident on Facebook. She said she was stunned to receive the treatment in 2021 Semien with his daughter, Shayla. He had seven children and one grandchild 'And before I could say anything else, the rest of them started coming out of the car, and she looked at them, and then she looked at me and says, "We're going to have to have a discrepancy." 'She said, "We're not going to be able to sell you a plot." 'To be told this is like we were nothing. He was nothing? 'He put his life on the line for them,' she said. 'My dad wasn't any man, he was a phenomenal man. 'He was a police officer in this same community for 15 years. He was denied a place to lay because of the color of his skin,' his daughter, Shayla, added. H. Creig Vizena, the board president for Oaklin Springs Cemetery, found out about what happened and called a meeting to change the rules. He is now urging other cemeteries to check their by-laws and contracts to make sure they do not have similar clauses. It's unclear if the employee enforced the rule on any other black families. 'I apologized and I'm still apologizing. I am so sorry that this happened. It's horrible,' Vivena said. Police in Thailand arrested dozens of tourists for violating COVID-19 protocols. Ever since the coronavirus spread was declared a pandemic, governments across the globe took drastic measures to ensure safety of their citizens. Protocols were placed and new rules were implemented. No one in the world was prepared for something like this but we all still tried to adjust and follow safety protocols. But some people still refuse to take the deadly virus seriously and are openly flouting rules in defiance of the law and regards for the safety of others in their community. The violators arrested in Thailand, around 89 in total, were mostly from the United Kingdom and United States and France. According to the BBC, more than ten different countrys citizens were involved in the arrest. They had engaged in a party on January 26 at a beachfront bar called 'Three Sixty Bar' on the Kho Phangan island. There were also 22 local residents who joined the merriment. The occasion was Three Sixty Bars fifth-year anniversary and there was a grand celebration. According to some reports, the guest list was as large as 200 invitees. Every venue has to follow rules, even if it is their fifth anniversary. The event risked spreading COVID-19 and the organizers will be persecuted, said Suparerk Pankosol, Police colonel. The bar owner and drinks seller were among those arrested. He might be charged with violating the Communicable Disease Act. The crime is worth 1 year of imprisonment along with a fine of up to 100,000 baht (Rs 2,43,046). The police caught wind of this party from social media posts promoting the event and raided the place. One of the factors that alerted the police was that the bar was open after 9 pm. The country is currently under strict lockdown and has severe rules in an attempt to control the spread of this virus. All establishments need to be closed before 9, as there is night curfew. When the police stormed inside, they discovered there was absolutely no social distancing (which is obvious when hundreds of guests are crammed into one room). The officers arrested many of the party-goers who were not affected in the least. According to the Daily Mail, the arrested tourists continued to drink and smoke and made comments like its a jail party. The violators can be charged with imprisonment of two-years or a penalty 40,000 baht (INR 97,072) or both. The local court will be deciding the fate of these arrested tourists as well as the party organizers. New Delhi, Jan 29 : Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra told the Supreme Court that his tweets were not published with the intention to diminish the faith of people in the highest court of the country. "To believe any institution of power in a democracy is beyond criticism is like saying migrants need to find their way back home during ill-planned, nationwide lockdown: it is irrational and undemocratic," said Kamra in an affidavit. Kamra is facing contempt of court case for publishing tweets making undignified and derogatory comments against the top court. In the affidavit Kamra stressed that public's faith in the judiciary is founded on the institution's own actions and not on any criticism or commentary about it. "The suggestion that my tweets can shake the foundations of the most powerful Court of the world is an overestimation of my abilities. Just as the Supreme Court values the faith public places in it, it should also trust the public not to form its opinions of the court on the basis of a few jokes on Twitter. "The public's faith in judiciary is founded on the institution's own actions and not on any criticism or commentary about it," said Kamra in affidavit. Kamra added that judges of our constitutional courts are amongst the most powerful people in the country. "They have extraordinary powers over the fundamental rights and lives of citizens of this country, and their office and tenure are constitutionally protected to shield them from political interference," he said However, Kamra argued that constitutional offices, which includes judicial offices, know no protection from jokes. "I don't believe that any high authority, including judges, find themselves unable to discharge their duties only on account of being the subject of satire or comedy," said Kamra defending his tweets in the affidavit. The top court is scheduled to hear the matter initiating contempt against Kamra later in the day. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text The novel coronavirus emerged in Wuhan in late 2019 and has since spread across the world, infecting more than 100 million people and killing about 2.1 million. The WHO has said the purpose of the mission is not to assign blame for the pandemic but to figure out how it started in order to better prevent and combat future outbreaks of disease. "We are looking for the answers here that may save us in the future, not culprits and not people to blame," Mike Ryan, the WHO's top emergencies official, said earlier this month. China, which for months rejected calls for an international probe, has pledged adequate access for the researchers. The team is expected to spend several weeks interviewing people from research institutes, hospitals and a market linked to many of the first cases. World Health Organization investigators exited a two-week quarantine Thursday in Wuhan, China, to begin their work in search of the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. The international team boarded a bus after exiting their hotel in the afternoon. More than 120 countries have called for an independent investigation into the origins of the virus, with many governments accusing China of not doing enough to contain its spread. "It's imperative that we get to the bottom of the early days of the pandemic in China, and we've been supportive of an international investigation that we feel should be robust and clear," White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said Wednesday. There continue to be concerns in many countries about access to and supplies of the vaccines that have been developed to protect people from COVID-19. Japan's top government spokesperson said Thursday that AstraZeneca will make more than 90 million doses of its vaccine in Japan. "We believe it is very important to be able to produce the vaccines domestically," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters. Like many countries already carrying out vaccination campaigns, Japan plans to prioritize front-line medical workers when it begins administering the shots in late February. Japan has arranged to buy 120 million doses of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. The vaccine requires a two-shot regiment for each person. The European Union and AstraZeneca have clashed this week after the company said it would have to cut planned deliveries to the EU due to production delays. EU officials are demanding the doses be delivered on time and have threatened to put export controls on vaccines made in EU territory. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that EU President Ursula von der Leyen assured him any EU actions would not affect shipments to Canada. Another source of widespread concern is a number of variants of the virus that have been discovered. Colombia says it will ban flights from Brazil starting Friday because of a variant circulating there. Colombian President Ivan Duque said the measure would be in place for 30 days. Anyone who recently arrived in Colombia from Brazil is also being required to quarantine for two weeks. BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of sympathy to Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador recently over his infection with COVID-19. In the message, Xi said that upon learning that President Lopez Obrador has been infected with the virus, he would like to extend his sympathy and wish Lopez Obrador a speedy recovery. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, China and Mexico have helped and supported each other, and joined hands in fighting the pandemic, Xi said. The Chinese government and people firmly support the anti-pandemic efforts of the Mexican government and people, Xi said, noting he believes that under the leadership of President Lopez Obrador and the Mexican government, Mexico will surely achieve an early victory over the pandemic. The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. 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 Labor is taking a leaf out of the NSW Coalitions book with plans to grow regional jobs through green energy as it shakes up its climate portfolio and positions the party to gain ground in key regional seats. Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese shifted long-term climate and energy spokesman Mark Butler out of the portfolio in Thursdays reshuffle and slotted in the Right factions former treasurer Chris Bowen, who he said would bring a focus on jobs to the portfolio. Former treasurer Chris Bowen was moved by Labor leader Anthony Albanese to bring a jobs focus to the climate and energy portfolio. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen One senior Labor MP said Mr Bowen had been selected to replace Mr Butler in part because he would shore up support for climate action on the Right of the party, and because Mr Butler wasnt successfully selling Labors vision to create jobs while phasing out fossil fuels. Climate has been a vexed issue for the Labor Party, caught between inner-city electorates calls for ambitious climate action and fears in regional electorates that a shift from fossil fuels will cost jobs. Cicely Tyson, groundbreaking award-winning actor, dead at 96 Cicely Tyson, the pioneering Black actor who gained an Oscar nomination for her role as the sharecroppers wife in Sounder, a Tony Award in 2013 at age 88 and touched TV viewers hearts in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, died Thursday at age 96. Tysons death was announced by her family, via her manager Larry Thompson, who did not immediately provide additional details. With heavy heart, the family of Miss Cicely Tyson announces her peaceful transition this afternoon. At this time, please allow the family their privacy, according to a statement issued through Thompson. ADVERTISEMENT A onetime model, Tyson began her screen career with bit parts but gained fame in the early 1970s when Black women were finally starting to get starring roles. Besides her Oscar nomination, she won two Emmys for playing the 110-year-old former slave in the 1974 television drama The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. Tysons memoir, Just As I Am, was published this week. Im very selective as Ive been my whole career about what I do. Unfortunately, Im not the kind of person who works only for money. It has to have some real substance for me to do it, she told The Associated Press in 2013. Besides her Oscar nomination, she won two Emmys for playing the 110-year-old former slave in the 1974 television drama The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. A new generation of moviegoers saw her in the 2011 hit The Help. In 2018, she was given an honorary Oscar statuette at the annual Governors Awards. This is a culmination of all those years of haves and have nots, Tyson said. She was one of the recipients for the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor. At that ceremony, President Barack Obama said: Cicelys convictions and grace have helped for us to see the dignity of every single beautiful memory of the American family. Sounder, based on the William H. Hunter novel, was the film that confirmed her stardom in 1972. Tyson was cast as the Depression-era loving wife of a sharecropper (Paul Winfield) who is confined in jail for stealing a piece of meat for his family. She is forced to care for their children and attend to the crops. ADVERTISEMENT The New York Times reviewer wrote: She passes all of her easy beauty by to give us, at long last, some sense of the profound beauty of millions of black women. Tyson went on to earn an Academy Award nomination as best actress of 1972. In an interview on the Turner Classic Movies cable channel, she recalled that she had been asked to test for a smaller role in the film and said she wanted to play the mother, Rebecca. She was told, Youre too young, youre too pretty, youre too sexy, youre too this, youre too that, and I said, `I am an actress. In 2013, at the age of 88, Tyson won the Tony for best leading actress in a play for the revival of Horton Footes The Trip to Bountiful. It was the actress first time back on Broadway in three decades and she refused to turn meekly away when the teleprompter told to finish her acceptance speech. Please wrap it up, it says. Well, thats exactly what you did with me: You wrapped me up in your arms after 30 years, she told the crowd. She told The AP afterward she had prepared no speech I think its presumptuous and that I burned up half my time wondering what I was going to say. She reprised her role in a Lifetime Television movie, which was screened at the White House. In the 1974 television drama The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, based on a novel by Ernest J. Gaines, Tyson is seen aging from a young woman in slavery to a 110-year-old who campaigned for the civil rights movement of the 1960s. In the touching climax, she laboriously walks up to a whites only water fountain and takes a drink as white officers look on. Its important that they see and hear history from Miss Janes point of view, Tyson told The New York Times. And I think they will be more ready to accept it from her than from someone younger New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael offered her praise: Shes an actress, all right, and as tough-minded and honorable in her methods as any weve got. At the Emmy Awards, Pittman won multiple awards, including two honors for Tyson, best lead actress in a drama and best actress in a special. People ask me what I prefer doing film, stage, television? I say, I would have done Jane Pittman is the basement or in a storefront. Its the role that determines where I go, she told the AP. Marianne McGoldrick, Chief Credit Officer of Piermont Bank Its an exciting opportunity to join Piermont, where innovation and speed underpin how it serves its clients, drives product development and technology advancements. Piermont Bank, a tech-enabled digital commercial bank headquartered in New York City, is pleased to announce that Marianne McGoldrick has joined the bank as Chief Credit Officer. Ms. McGoldrick will oversee Piermont Banks credit administration, including credit approval process, loan policies, and procedures, while ensuring its lending portfolios overall quality. She and her team will be safeguarding Piermonts culture of prudent risk management. Ms. McGoldrick is an accomplished commercial banking executive with more than 30 years of industry experience. Her previous experiences include seven years with Sterling National Bank, where she served as a Team Leader, Market Credit Director, and lastly, Deputy Chief Credit Officer during her tenure. She also previously worked at HSBC Bank USA and The Bank of New York as a Team Leader in Middle Market Banking. Its an exciting opportunity to join Piermont, where innovation and speed underpin how it serves its clients, drives product development and technology advancements. It is also motivating to work with a group of talented professionals, said Marianne McGoldrick. I look forward to working closely with the team in developing creative credit products for small and medium-sized companies and innovating our commercial credit and risk management platform. Established in 2019, Piermont Bank is women-founded, entrepreneur-led, and technology-fortified. Since its launch, the bank has enjoyed high growth and the benefits of an experienced team diverse in experiences, backgrounds, and cultures. Some recent promotions and additions to the companys leadership team include Felix Leno, promoted as its Chief Risk Officer, Rodrigo Suarez appointed as Head of Innovation, and Felicia Meaney, who joined to oversee Human Resources. We are thrilled to have another highly accomplished executive like Marianne joining the Piermont Bank family, said Wendy Cai-Lee, founder and CEO of Piermont Bank. At Piermont, we believe in the power of diversity and recognize how it adds great value to our strategic thinking. It also helps us to come up with creative solutions to better serve our small-and medium-sized businesses, which are full of diversity and innovative business models. **** About Piermont Bank Piermont Bank is a tech-enabled digital commercial bank founded in 2019 with a mission of changing the face and pace of banking. Piermont is women-founded, entrepreneur-led, technology-fortified. It provides an unprecedented experience that blends the best of banking and agile Fintechs. At Piermont, we deliver peer banking we meet you where you are, reflect your business needs, and act with speed. For more information, visit http://www.piermontbank.com. VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX:ASM) (NYSE American; ASM) (FSE:GV6) ("Avino" or the "Company") announces that it has filed a new short form base shelf prospectus dated January 25, 2021 (the "Base Shelf Prospectus") and prospectus supplement dated January 27, 2021 (the "Prospectus Supplement") in Canada, pursuant to which Avino may distribute common shares (the "Offered Shares") from time to time pursuant to a sales agreement dated January 13, 2021 (the "Sales Agreement") with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (the "Designated Agent"), H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, Roth Capital Partners, LLC, and A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners (collectively, with the Designated Agent, the "Agents"), as agents or as principals, for the distribution of the Offered Shares in the United States up to the aggregate sales amount of US$25.0 million (the "Maximum Amount"), in accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement (the "Offering"). The Offering is being made in the United States under the terms of a registration statement on Form F-3 (SEC File No. 333-252081) (the "Registration Statement") filed with, and declared effective on January 29, 2021 by, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") in the United States, and the Base Shelf Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement filed in each Province of Canada, except Quebec; the Registration Statement, Base Shelf Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement being collectively, the "Prospectus"). The sales of the Offered Shares will be made directly on the NYSE American, and will be deemed sales of Offered Shares under the Prospectus in transactions that are deemed to be "at-the-market distributions" as defined in National Instrument 44-102, Shelf Distributions ("NI 44-102"). The Offered Shares will be distributed at the market prices prevailing at the time of sale. As a result, prices may vary as between purchasers and during the period of distribution. The period of distribution will be until the Maximum Amount has been achieved, unless terminated earlier under the terms of the Sales Agreement. The Company has agreed to pay the Agents a cash commission up to 3.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering. The Prospectus Supplement relating to the Offering, together with the Base Shelf Prospectus and the Registration Statement (collectively, the "Offering Documents") will be filed with the securities commissions in all of the Provinces of Canada, except Quebec, and the Registration Statement previously filed with the SEC. The Offering Documents will contain important detailed information about the securities being offered. Before you invest, you should read the Offering Documents and the other documents the Company has filed for more complete information about the Company and the Offering. Copies of the Sales Agreement and the Offering Documents will be available for free by visiting the Company's profiles on the SEDAR website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators at www.sedar.com or the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, as applicable. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor will there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About Avino: Avino is primarily a silver producer with a diversified pipeline of silver, gold, and base metal properties in Mexico. Avino produces from its wholly owned Avino Mine near Durango, Mexico. The Company's silver and gold production remains unhedged. The Company's mission and strategy is to create shareholder value through its focus on profitable organic growth at the historic Avino Property and the strategic acquisition of mineral exploration and mining properties. We are committed to managing all business activities in a safe, environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner, while contributing to the well-being of the communities in which we operate. On Behalf of the Board "David Wolfin" ________________________________ David Wolfin President & CEO Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. Safe Harbor Statement - This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (together, the "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including our belief as to the expected closing of the Offering and the use of proceeds from the Offering. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and the dates of technical reports, as applicable. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the future circumstances, outcomes or results anticipated in or implied by such forward-looking statements will occur or that plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. While we have based these forward-looking statements on our expectations about future events as at the date that such statements were prepared, the statements are not a guarantee that such future events will occur and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which could cause events or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and assumptions include, among others, our ability to satisfy the conditions to closing of the Offering and to use the proceeds from the Offering as expected, the effects of general economic conditions, the price of gold, silver and copper, changing foreign exchange rates and actions by government authorities, uncertainties associated with legal proceedings and negotiations and misjudgments in the course of preparing forward-looking information. In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Known risk factors include risks associated with project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in metal prices; title matters; uncertainties and risks related to carrying on business in foreign countries; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain of our officers, directors or promoters of with certain other projects; the absence of dividends; currency fluctuations; competition; dilution; the volatility of the our common share price and volume; tax consequences to U.S. investors; and other risks and uncertainties. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We are under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws. SOURCE Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. Related Links http://www.avino.com/ A second former senior official from Northern Ireland's health watchdog has taken up a post at disgraced care home firm Runwood Homes, it can be revealed. Theresa Nixon, former Director of Assurance at the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), has been appointed to lead the Board of the company's Northern Ireland branch, which is currently undergoing a rebrand. She joins her former colleague, Dermot Parsons, former interim chief executive of the RQIA, who is taking up the role of managing director of the firm. Under the rebrand, the company will become known as Kathryn Homes (NI). On Thursday night, the daughter of a resident who died after sustaining a head injury in a home owned by Runwood Homes appealed to Mr Parsons and Ms Nixon to help her uncover the truth about her mother's tragic death. Iris Hull died from a catastrophic head injury last August after she was found lying face down in the bathroom of her room at Clifton Nursing Home, on the same day she was diagnosed with Covid-19. Runwood Homes subsequently sent the wrong medical notes to Ms Hull's grieving family. They then sent medical notes in Ms Hull's name but relating to a period when she was no longer a resident at the home. The first set of notes relate to a resident of a Runwood Homes facility in England. The second set of notes cover the period of May 4 to 31, when the 87-year-old great grandmother was fighting for her life in hospital after she sustained the head injury on April 30. Ms Hull's daughter, Shirell Hull, said: "I won't give up until I find out what happened to my mum. "This has caused my family so much pain and anguish and I am calling on Dermot Parsons and Theresa Nixon to help me get to the truth." Ms Hull said she hoped the company could be turned around, but expressed her doubts. "We still don't know what happened to my mum," she said. "The death certificate says she died from a head injury and Covid-19 but we still don't know how she fell and we haven't been able to get complete records to even tell us what medication she was on at the time. "I have so many questions about what happened to my mum, she used to say to me she hadn't had any dinner or that she was freezing and I would have brushed it off but now I am wondering about everything she told me." Mrs Hull's case is currently at the centre of a high-level probe by the Belfast Trust into conditions at the home following the deaths of nine residents during a Covid-19 outbreak when the grandmother was a resident there. The situation became so concerning that the Belfast Trust stepped in to remove all residents amid serious concerns for their safety. The home was temporarily taken over by a different care home firm, Healthcare Ireland, meaning residents were allowed to remain in the home. Runwood Homes is at the centre of two police investigations examining allegations of neglect at two other homes, Oak Tree Manor and Glenabbey Manor. A spokesperson for Runwood Homes said: Runwood Homes continues to extend our sympathies to the Hull family following the passing of Iris last year. We are unaware of any outstanding requests for information from the family but will co-operate fully with any queries they may have. Sitting behind the Victorian shopfronts on Clarendon Street in South Melbourne is a mirrored concrete building. Designed by Wood Marsh Architecture for developer Piccolo Developments, this brutalist apartment block captures the hues of the surrounding laneways as much as the worn patina of the Victorian parapets along this shopping strip. Piccolo House includes 24 one- and two-bedroom apartments. Credit:Trevor Mein The recipient of an architecture award from the Australian Institute of Architects (Victorian Chapter), it includes developer Michael Piccolos office at the top level, with the cafe Nine Yards at ground level. I was looking to relocate my office [after being in Carlton for 20 years] and was searching for the right site, one that had at least two street frontages, says Piccolo, whose company is synonymous with top-end developments, such as apartments, mainly on Melbournes fringe. Houston: A 43-year-old Indian-American pediatrician diagnosed with terminal cancer shot dead a lady doctor and then killed himself after taking hostages at a medical office in Austin, according to police in the capital city of the US state of Texas. The armed man was identified as Dr Bharat Narumanchi, who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, police said, adding that he had recently been turned down for a volunteer position at the medical facility. Police received a call on Tuesday saying a man walked into the offices of Children's Medical Group (CMG) with a gun and was holding hostages inside the building, the CNN reported, citing Austin Police Department press release. Initially several hostages were being held, police said, but several escaped and others were allowed to leave, except a pediatrician named Katherine Dodson. The hostages who escaped the office told officers on the scene that the man was armed with a pistol and what appeared to be a shotgun, police said. He also had two duffel bags. Dr Narumanchi had visited the CMG office a week prior to the shooting and applied for a volunteer position. The suspect had terminal cancer and had only been given weeks to live, Austin police Lt. Jeff Greenwalt told reporters on Wednesday. "So we feel like his terminal cancer probably played a large part in whatever it was that occurred in his life and what was happening yesterday," he was quoted as saying by US media reports. But for now, Greenwalt said, investigators are still trying to unravel what could have led to the hostage situation. He called for any of the doctor's family and friends who might have knowledge about Narumanchi to contact the homicide department. Earlier, police said hostage negotiators tried to make contact with Narumanchi, but were unsuccessful. After repeated attempts, SWAT (special weapons and tactic) officers entered the building where they found Dodson and Narumanchi dead from apparent gunshot wounds. "It appeared that Dr Narumanchi shot himself after shooting Dr Dodson," according to the police department's news release. The incident is still under investigation. "There were five people inside the building when the suspect arrived," Greenwalt said, adding that they were all employees and no children or patients were present when the incident happened. It wasn't until the SWAT team was able to send a robot fitted with a camera inside the doctor's office that police got a full sense of the situation. "We were able to see that both subjects were deceased," Greenwalt said, referring to Dodson and Narumanchi. The Travis County Medical Examiner will be conducting an autopsy to determine the official cause and manner of death. To receive Steve Gutterman's Week In Russia each week via e-mail, subscribe by clicking here. The State Duma speaker said Russia could collapse if top officials take public transport. President Vladimir Putin raised the specter of global conflagration -- again -- in a remote appearance at the Davos economic forum. Back home, apartment raids and a court ruling seemed to betray Kremlin concerns about Aleksei Navalny and the wider discontent that is evident at protests over his arrest. Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward. Perils Of Public Transportation Over the years and in its several incarnations -- as a kingdom under the tsars and as the central republic of the Soviet Union, to name two -- Russia has faced plenty of serious threats, among them the Time of Troubles and the Nazi invasion in World War II. This week, State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin named one that seems, um, not obvious: He suggested that the country could fall apart if state officials are pressured to take public transport rather than riding in cars -- whether their own, apparently, or the government vehicles that cause congestion when police stop traffic to make way for President Vladimir Putin and others near the top. Volodins point seemed to be that officials and the people they are supposed to serve should worry about what they do at work, not how they get there, saying that officials might travel by tram and trolleybus but be responsible to nobody and for nothing. But this populism leads to collapse. The remarks from Volodin, who was Putins chief domestic politics adviser for four years and has chaired the Kremlin-controlled lower parliament house since 2016, raised eyebrows in a country whose economic progress has long been hobbled by high-level corruption. They were striking in part because he asserted that it had already happened in the past, speaking of times when, he said, "officials had switched [from cars] to buses, trolleybuses, and trams" and "we lost the country." He did not say when that happened, but if he was referring to the perestroika era and the Soviet collapse of 1991, he may have an incomplete understanding of the causes of the U.S.S.R.s disintegration -- as well as the concept of cause and effect. The verbal attack on populism appeared aimed at Aleksei Navalny, the jailed Kremlin opponent who brought tens of thousands of people into the street across Russia on January 23 to call for his release and lambaste Putin. Navalny, who was barred from challenging Putin in the 2018 election due to financial-crimes convictions in cases he contends were fabricated, returned to Russia on January 17 from Germany, where he had been flown for treatment following a near-fatal nerve-agent poisoning in August 2020 that he blames on the longtime president. Palace Coup? A day after he was ordered jailed for a month pending a hearing that could result in a 3 1/2 year prison term, Navalny released a video investigation alleging that a massive estate was built for Putin at a cost of $1.36 billion -- the latest in a long series of reports seeking to document evidence that Putin and his allies are a money-mad crew living large on resources stolen from the Russian people. Its a claim that clashes loudly with years of efforts by Putin, who sometimes likens himself to a galley-slave, to cultivate the image of a servant of the people. The Palace for Putin video has been viewed more than 100 million times, with statistics from Navalnys associates suggesting it has been watched by one in six Russians aged 15 and up. If Volodins remarks were intended to target Navalny, they were a small part of a sweeping state effort to neutralize the Kremlin foes effort to mount large and persistent street protests. Ahead of a second day of nationwide demonstrations planned for January 31, law enforcement officers raided the homes of several Navalny associates and their relatives, detaining some of them in scenes that seemed to accentuate the absurdities of politics -- or what the Kremlin has put in place of them -- in Russia today. Piano Woman One journalist noted the curious detail that Russian police who crowbar & saw their way into opposition activists' flats are meticulous about having the person present when they conduct a search. And Anastasia Vaislyeva, a physician who heads an informal union of medical professionals, played Beethoven on the piano as police came to search her apartment at 3 a.m. Navalny himself, meanwhile, remained in jail: A court rejected his appeal against the 30-day detention order, meaning he will remain behind bars during the Sunday protests. For a decade, Putin has tried to play down Navalnys importance: He and his spokesman avoid even uttering the name of one of the Kremlins most prominent critics, and he is virtually barred from state TV. But observers say the Russian authorities, since Navalny boarded the flight to Moscow in Berlin, have had the opposite effect, helping elevate him instead of pushing him further to the margins. That view is apparently shared by some in or near the Kremlin itself, according to a January 27 report in the Financial Times. Why do people hit their fingers when theyre trying to hammer a nail? They should have been more careful with their hammering, it quoted a person who regularly speaks to Putin as saying. The scale of the reaction increases Navalnys importance. 'Matters Of Concern' It has also helped spark condemnation from the West -- something Putin also seems eager to play down or suggest is irrelevant. After Putins first phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden on January 26, the White House said that Biden had raised several matters of concern including Navalnys poisoning, but the Kremlins readout of the call made no mention of it. And Putin, speaking at the World Economic Forum at Davos by video link, appeared eager to change the subject. As he has done in the past, seemingly attempting to draw attention away from events at home and to turn the tables on the United States and the West, he issued a dire warning -- but one that lacked a grounding in concrete evidence -- that global conflict could be as close as it was in the 1930s. The coronavirus pandemic has aggravated existing problems around the world, Putin said, warning that international institutions are weakening, regional conflicts are multiplying, and the global security system is deteriorating. 'The End Of Civilization' This weeks agreement between the United States to extend the New START treaty limiting their long-range nuclear arsenals was a step in the right direction, he said. But the "inability and unreadiness to resolve such problems led to the catastrophe of World War II." Of course, such a wide-scale hot conflict, I hope, is impossible now in principle. I very much hope this -- it would mean the end of civilization, he said. But I repeat, the situation may develop in an unpredictable and uncontrollable way. A loose translation of those remarks might go like this, at least in part: Washington and the West, ease up on Moscow over matters like human rights, freedom of assembly, and Russias interference in Ukraine; we may have just extended the cap on our nuclear warheads but we still have a lot of them. Suggesting that traditional values are under threat from the West, Putin said there is a chance that we will face a formidable breakdown in global development, which will be fraught with a war of all against all and attempts to deal with contradictions through the appointment of internal and external enemies will lead to a grim dystopia. That particular warning may sound strange to Kremlin critics who accuse Putin of doing exactly that: using the specter of internal and external enemies to draw attention away from his own governments actions abroad and its flaws and abuses at home. At the protests on January 23, many participants called for Navalnys release. But like at previous demonstrations he has organized, attendance has also been driven by discontent over broader issues including concerns about the rule of law, backsliding on democracy and human rights, and economic troubles that have hit Russians pocketbooks. Population Woes The suddenly stronger challenge Putin faces from Navalny comes at a time that is not ideal for the Kremlin. Russias population declined by more than 500,000 people in 2020, by far the steepest drop in over a decade and a blow to Putins goal of robustly reversing the post-Soviet demographic decline. Real disposable incomes dropped to their lowest point in a decade last year, according to the state statistics agency, and are now 10 percent below levels in 2013. That was the year that Putins approval rating, which stood at about 65 percent in November 2020, had fallen to a longtime low of 61 percent, according to the independent polling agency Levada Center. Months later, in March 2014, Russia seized control of Crimea from Ukraine after sending in troops, securing key buildings, and staging a referendum condemned as illegitimate by much of the rest of the world. Moscow also fomented unrest in the eastern Ukrainian region known as the Donbas, helping separatists seize parts of two provinces -- land they still hold after nearly seven years of war and more than 13,000 deaths. Those moves led to U.S. and European Union sanctions, but Putins ratings shot up -- the so-called Crimea bump -- reaching 88 percent in October 2014 and 89 percent in June 2015, according to Levada. Donbas Talk Moscows official position is that the portions of the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces held by the Russian-backed forces are part of Ukraine and should remain that way while enjoying increased autonomy. On January 28, though, two top Russian state-media figures seen as Kremlin propagandists spoke to a conference in the region and suggested that should change. Vladimir Solovyov, a prominent political talk show host on state TV, called the people of the separatist-held part of the Donbas the salt of the Russian earth. Speaking in separatist-held Donetsk, Margarita Simonyan, editor in chief of the state-funded network RT, delivered what sounded like a clear call for outright Russian control over the region, saying: Mother Russia, take the Donbas home. The remarks seem unlikely to herald any swift, drastic action, in part because analysts say there would be little appetite for it among Russians, but they could be meant to draw Russians attention away from Navalny and test responses at home and abroad. On January 29, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Simonyan is not qualified to voice Russias official position and that no attempt to make the separatist-held territory part of Russia is either directly or indirectly on the agenda. 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. High schoolers discover four exoplanets through Harvard and Smithsonian mentorship program Cambridge, Massachusetts - They may be the youngest astronomers to make a discovery yet. This week, 16-year-old Kartik Pingle and 18-year-old Jasmine Wright have co-authored a peer-reviewed paper in The Astronomical Journal describing the discovery of four new exoplanets about 200-light-years away from Earth. The high schoolers participated in the research through the Student Research Mentoring Program (SRMP) at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Directed by astrochemist Clara Sousa-Silva, the SRMP connects local high schoolers who are interested in research with real-world scientists at Harvard and MIT. The students then work with their mentors on a year-long research project. "It's a steep learning curve," says Sousa-Silva, but it's worth it. "By the end of the program, the students can say they've done active, state-of-the-art research in astrophysics." Pingle and Wright's particular achievement is rare. High schoolers seldom publish research, Sousa-Silva says. "Although that is one of the goals of the SRMP, it is highly unusual for high-schoolers to be co-authors on journal papers." With guidance from mentor Tansu Daylan, a postdoc at the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, the students studied and analyzed data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). TESS is a space-based satellite that orbits around Earth and surveys nearby bright stars with the ultimate goal of discovering new planets. The team focused on TESS Object of Interest (TOI) 1233, a nearby, bright Sun-like star. To perceive if planets were orbiting around the star, they narrowed in on TOI-1233's light. "We were looking to see changes in light over time," Pingle explains. "The idea being that if the planet transits the star, or passes in front of it, it would [periodically] cover up the star and decrease its brightness." To the team's surprise, they discovered not one but four planets orbiting around TOI-1233. "I was very excited and very shocked," Wright says. "We knew this was the goal of Daylan's research, but to actually find a multiplanetary system, and be part of the discovering team, was really cool." Three of the planets are considered "sub-Neptunes," gaseous planets that are smaller than, but similar to our own solar system's Neptune. It takes between 6 and 19.5 days for each of them to orbit around TOI-1233. The fourth planet is labeled a "super-Earth" for its large size and rockiness; it orbits around the star in just under four days. Daylan hopes to study the planets even closer in the coming year. "Our species has long been contemplating planets beyond our solar system and with multi-planetary systems, you're kind of hitting the jackpot," he says. "The planets originated from the same disk of matter around the same star, but they ended up being different planets with different atmospheres and different climates due to their different orbits. So, we would like to understand the fundamental processes of planet formation and evolution using this planetary system." Daylan adds that it was a "win-win" to work with Pingle and Wright on the study. "As a researcher, I really enjoy interacting with young brains that are open to experimentation and learning and have minimal bias," he says. "I also think it is very beneficial to high school students, since they get exposure to cutting-edge research and this prepares them quickly for a research career." The SRMP was established in 2016 by Or Graur, a former postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Astrophysics |Harvard & Smithsonian. The program accepts about a dozen students per year with priority given to underrepresented minorities. Thanks to a partnership with the City of Cambridge, the students are paid four hours per week for the research they complete. "They are salaried scientists," Sousa-Silva says. "We want to encourage them that pursuing an academic career is enjoyable and rewarding--no matter what they end up pursuing in life." ### Pingle, a junior in high school, is considering studying applied mathematics or astrophysics after graduation. Wright has just been accepted into a five-year Master of Astrophysics program at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. About the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian is a collaboration between Harvard and the Smithsonian designed to ask--and ultimately answer--humanity's greatest unresolved questions about the nature of the universe. The Center for Astrophysics is headquartered in Cambridge, MA, with research facilities across the U.S. and around the world. This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Recently, after WhatsApp threatened to change its privacy policy, people were nuged to the alternate Signal messenger app. However, serious discussion of Signals history, and funding sources, has been entirely absent from the puff pieces by media. This investigation reveals how CIA created the Signal app , funded by the US government to protect communications of its agents deployed for regime change. Open Whisper Systems Signal was launched by now-defunct Open Whisper Systems (OWS) in 2013, brainchild of shadowy tech guru Moxie Marlinspike real name Matthew Rosenfeld. In February 2018, responsibility for managing the app passed to the nonprofit Signal Foundation, launched with $50 million in startup capital provided by billionaire former Facebook higher-up Brian Acton, the Foundations executive chair. OWS never published financial statements or disclosed the identities of its funders at any point during its operation, although the sums involved in launching and maintaining a messaging platform used by a vast number of people internationally over several years were surely significant. Open Technology Fund Rosenfeld alleges the app never [took] VC funding or sought investment at any point during that time, and quite how much money was involved in total is a mystery. Its clear though that at least $2,955,000 was provided by the Open Technology Fund (OTF) 2013-2016, and the organizations website refers to Signal being originally developed with OTF funding. The site is also home to a dedicated OWS profile, which boasts of how the OTF enabled the OWS team to continue providing Signal at no cost around the globe and adapt their operations for a growing user base. The OTF was created in 2012 as a pilot program of Radio Free Asia (RFA), an asset of US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which is in turn funded by US Congress to the tune of $637 million annually. In August 2018, its then-CEO acknowledged the outlets priorities reflect US national security interests. Radio Free Asia RFAs own origins harken back to 1948, when National Security Council Directive 10/2 officially authorized the then-newly created Central Intelligence Agency to engage in operations targeted at communist states, including propaganda, economic warfare, sabotage, subversion, and assistance to underground resistance movements. The station formed a key part of this effort, along with Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberation From Bolshevism, later Radio Liberty it broadcast unrelenting propaganda in China, North Korea, Vietnam and elsewhere. In 2007, the CIAs official website stated these psychological warfare initiatives were among the longest-running and successful covert action campaigns the US ever mounted. After the CIAs role was made public in the 1970s, Congress took over running and funding the stations, before in 1999 they were grouped along with other state-run media entities under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, USAGMs forerunner. Shadow Internet The launch of the OTF followed the US State Department, then led by Hillary Clinton, pursuing an Internet Freedom policy, ostensibly an effort to develop tools to subvert restrictive internet policies. However, an extensive June 2011 New York Times investigation pointed to a far darker raison detre, concluding that the endeavor was in fact an effort to deploy shadow internet and mobile phone systems dissidents can use to undermine repressive governments. Among these assets were State Department-funded stealth wireless networks, which would enable activists to communicate outside the reach of governments in countries like Iran, Syria and Libya. Reinforcing this conclusion, in February 2015 Jillian York, director of the International Freedom of Expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and an OTF advisory board member, stated that she fundamentally believed Internet Freedom was at heart an agenda of regime change. It may be no coincidence that Signal founder Rosenfeld previously created encrypted communications programs TextSecure and RedPhone, both featured in a March 2013 Gizmodo guide, Which Encryption Apps Are Strong Enough to Help You Take Down a Government? US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) USAGM is moreover evidently extremely proud of Signal, an official factsheet published November 2019 giving the app top-billing in a list of tools supported by OTF. The agency might be, given how popular it has become with dissidents overseas, including those in countries and regions of intense interest to Washington. For example, Signal became the messaging platform of choice for protesters in Hong Kong after its launch, just as the National Endowment for Democracy, the US government regime-change arm, greatly increased its direct and indirect support and promotion of activists and activist groups there. In an unexpected twist, in June 2020 funding for a number of USAGM projects was unexpectedly frozen, including OTF plans to directly aid protesters in Hong Kong, just as the administrative region prepared to implement a highly controversial and much-contested national security law. One was the creation of cybersecurity incident response teams to analyze Chinese surveillance techniques in real-time during demonstration, and share relevant information directly with developers of secure communications apps, in order to circumvent crackdowns and restrictions. Another shelved initiative was a $500,000 rapid response fund in support of anyone subject to digital attack by authorities. Still, the next month Signal became the most-downloaded app in Hong Kong, the apps official Twitter account resultantly boasting that unlike competitor Telegram, which had just announced it would cease cooperating with authorities requests for user data, we never started turning over user data to HK police. Excerpts from report by Kit Klarenberg for RT. Kit is an investigative journalist exploring the role of intelligence services in shaping politics and perceptions. Advertisement Tony and Emmy award-winning actress Cicely Tyson died on Thursday at age 96, her family announced. She is pictured at the Emmy Awards in 2019 Legendary award-winning actress Cicely Tyson, known for her onscreen portrayals of strong black women, has died at the age of 96. Tyson's family announced her death on Thursday in a statement via her manager Larry Thompson. 'With heavy heart, the family of Miss Cicely Tyson announces her peaceful transition this afternoon. At this time, please allow the family their privacy,' Thompson said. No cause of death was given. Days before her passing, she released her new memoir, Just As I Am, which she promoted in an appearance on CBS This Morning with Gayle King earlier this week. King tweeted a video of the interview after Tyson's death was announced, writing: 'Thank you Cicely Tyson... for everything...' Her manager Larry Thompson said that she 'thought of her new memoir as a Christmas tree decorated with all the ornaments of her personal and professional life.' 'Today she placed the last ornament, a Star, on top of the tree,' he said in a statement Thursday. In her touching interview with King, Tyson was asked 'When the time comes, what do you want us to remember about you?'. The actress simply replied: 'I done my best. Thats all.' Tyson, who had just turned 96 in December, was a acting icon, who pioneered roles for black stars over a career which spanned more than six decades. Her most-lauded performances came in historical works such as the 1972 movie Sounder in which she played a Louisiana sharecropper's wife. That film earned her only Academy Award nomination. She received an honorary Oscar in November 2018, with the Academy saying her 'unforgettable performances and personal integrity have inspired generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences'. Besides her Oscar nomination, Tyson had won two Emmys for playing the 110-year-old former slave in the 1974 television drama 'The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.' Tributes poured in from celebrities after her death was announced. President Obama - who awarded her the Medal of Freedom in 2016 - wrote: 'In her extraordinary career, Cicely Tyson was one of the rare award-winning actors whose work on the screen was surpassed only by what she was able to accomplish off of it. She had a heart unlike any otherand for 96 years, she left a mark on the world that few will ever match.' Tyson, who became known for her onscreen portrayals of powerful black women, received numerous accolades during the course of her film, television, and stage career that spanned six decades. In 2018 she received an Honorary Academy Award In the 1974 television drama The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, based on a novel by Ernest J. Gaines, Tyson is seen aging from a young woman in slavery to a 110-year-old who campaigned for the civil rights movement of the 1960s She was one of the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2016. President Barack Obama is pictured presenting her the medal during the White House Ceremony Thank you Cicely Tyson... for everything... pic.twitter.com/6LslgGYtOx Gayle King (@GayleKing) January 29, 2021 Oprah Winfrey posted a picture of herself with Tyson on Instagram, writing: 'Cicely decided early on that her work as an actor would be more than a job. She used her career to illuminate the humanity of Black people. The roles she played reflected her values; she never compromised. Her life so fully lived is a testimony to Greatness.' Actor and director Tyler Perry also posted an emotional tribute, telling how Oprah broke the news to him while he was watching one of Tyson's movies. He wrote online: 'I was sitting at the table working when I got this overwhelming feeling to watch Miss Jane Pittman. I hadn't seen the movie in years. I didn't even understand the feeling to turn it on, but I did anyway. Not 12 minutes into the movie my phone rang. It was Oprah calling to tell me that Cicely had died. 'This one brought me to my knees! She was the grandmother I never had and the wisdom tree that I could always sit under to fill my cup.' He added: 'My heart breaks in one beat, while celebrating her life in the next. To think that she lived for 96 years and I got to be a part of the last 16 brings me great joy. 'She called me son. Well, today your son grieves your loss and will miss our long talks, your laughter from your belly, and your very presence. Always so regal, always so classy, always a lady, always a queen. Every time we would talk I would ask, How are you? and you would say, Im still here. He must have something he wants me to do. Well, I think its safe to say you have done all you were put here to do, and we are all better for it.' Tyson recently starred in Tyler Perry's 2020 Netflix thriller, A Fall from Grace, her final film role before her death. Shonda Rhimes, Cicely Tyson, and Ava DuVernay attend the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in February 2019 in Beverly Hills Actor and director Tyler Perry also posted photos of himself with Tyson, as well as an emotional tribute. Perry wrote: 'She was the grandmother I never had and the wisdom tree that I could always sit under to fill my cup' And actor Michael B. Jordan wrote: 'Youve paved the way for so many & blessed the world with your light! Thank you!!! Rest In Power' Former co-star Marlee Matlin wrote: 'She was a consummate pro and all class.' Director Kenny Leon added: 'God bless the greatest and the tallest tree.' Levar Burton shared a photo of the two of them from Roots, and wrote on Twitter: 'This one cuts deep. @IAmCicelyTyson was my first screen Mom.. Elegance, warmth, beauty, wisdom, style and abundant grace. She was as regal as they come. An artist of the highest order, I will love her forever.' Tyson recently said in interviews that she had no plans to retire, and had continued taking on film and television roles up until her death. She was due to reprise her role as Miss Luma Lee Langston in the second season of OWN series Cherish the Day that premiered last February. She also had a recurring role as Ophelia Harkness in ABC legal drama How to Get Away with Murder since 2014, for which she received five Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actress. A onetime model, Tyson began her screen career with bit parts but gained fame in the early 1970s when black women were finally starting to get starring roles. She refused to take parts simply for the paycheck, remaining choosey. 'I'm very selective as I've been my whole career about what I do. Unfortunately, I'm not the kind of person who works only for money. It has to have some real substance for me to do it,' she told The Associated Press in 2013. She had a recurring role as Ophelia Harkness in ABC legal drama How to Get Away with Murder (pictured) since 2014, for which she received five Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actress Tyson gained widespread recognition as well as an Oscar nomination for her role as the sharecropper's wife in 1972 film Sounder (left). In 1974 she touched TV viewers' hearts with the titular role in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (right) Tyson had promoted her book on Twitter following its release Tuesday Tyson's career boomed even in her 80s and 90s. In 2011, she was part of the ensemble of the much-praised film The Help and in 2013, at age 88, she won a Tony for a Broadway revival of The Trip to Bountiful, the story of a woman returning to her small hometown. It was her first time on Broadway in 30 years. She was also one of the recipients for the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. At that ceremony, President Barack Obama said: 'Cicely's convictions and grace have helped for us to see the dignity of every single beautiful memory of the American family.' In February 2019 at age 94, Tyson was on the cover of Time magazine's 'The Art of Optimism' edition and an interviewer asked if she had considered retiring. 'And do what?' was her response. Tyson's parents moved from the island of Nevis in the Caribbean to New York, where Cicely (her name was spelled early on as Cecily and Sicely) was born in 1924, the youngest of three children. When her parents separated, the mother went on welfare. At age nine, Tyson sold shopping bags on the streets of East Harlem. When she graduated from high school, she found work as a secretary at the Red Cross. Her striking looks prompted friends to advise her to take up modeling and that led to acting schools, theater, movies and television. 'My mother told me I could no longer live in her house because I was determined to be an actress,' she told an interviewer in 1990. 'I said "OK," and I moved out.' Days before her passing, Tyson had appeared on CBS This Morning where she discussed her new memoir, Just As I Am, in an interview with Gayle King The iconic actress had received numerous accolades over the course of her television, film, and stage career that spanned over six decades. She is pictured left holding the two Emmy Awards that she won for her performance in The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman in 1974 Oprah Winfrey, Cicely Tyson and Jane Fonda at 'Lee Daniels' The Butler' film premiere after party in 2013 She was a secretary and model before taking acting jobs in the 1950s. In the early 1960s, she became one of the first black actors to appear regularly on US television, playing George C. Scott's secretary on the series 'East Side, West Side.' Her rise to fame began in the early 1970s when black women were finally starting to get starring roles. Sounder, based on the William H. Hunter novel, was the film that confirmed her stardom in 1972. Tyson was cast as the Depression-era loving wife of a sharecropper (Paul Winfield) who is confined in jail for stealing a piece of meat for his family. She is forced to care for their children and attend to the crops. The New York Times reviewer wrote: 'She passes all of her easy beauty by to give us, at long last, some sense of the profound beauty of millions of black women.' Her performance evoked rave reviews, and Tyson won an Academy Award nomination as best actress of 1972. In an interview on the Turner Classic Movies cable channel, she recalled that she had been asked to test for a smaller role in the film and said she wanted to play the mother, Rebecca. She was told, 'You're too young, you're too pretty, you're too sexy, you're too this, you're too that, and I said, 'I am an actress.'' In 2013, at the age of 88, Tyson won the Tony for best leading actress in a play for the revival of Horton Foote's The Trip to Bountiful. It was the actress's first time back on Broadway in three decades and she refused to turn meekly away when the teleprompter told to finish her acceptance speech. 'Please wrap it up, it says. Well, that's exactly what you did with me: You wrapped me up in your arms after 30 years,' she told the crowd. She told The AP afterward she had prepared no speech - 'I think it's presumptuous' - and that 'I burned up half my time wondering what I was going to say.' Tyson was married once, to jazz great Miles Davis (pictured together). The wedding was held in 1981 at Bill Cosby's house in Greenfield, Massachusetts, attended by show business notables. They divorced in 1988 Tyson (left) presents the Eleanor Roosevelt Woman of Courage Award from the Wonder Woman Foundation, Inc., to Rosa Parks on November 14, 1984 The iconic actress received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997. She is pictured above at the ceremony alongside actor Laurence Fishburne and former California State Senator Diane Watson She reprized her role in a Lifetime Television movie, which was screened at the White House. Cicely Tyson in her senior photo at Straubenmuller Textile High School, New York in 1944 Tyson told People magazine in 2015 that she used her career to take on issues important to her, such as race and gender. In an interview with CBS she said she saw the Hollywood hierarchy as a ladder with white men at the top, followed by white women and black men. black women were at the bottom. 'And we're holding on to the last rung,' she said. 'And those fists are being trampled on by all those three above and still we hold on.' One of her early stage roles was in The Blacks, an off-Broadway production about race that helped boost the careers of Jones, Maya Angelou, Louis Gossett Jr., Godfrey Cambridge and Roscoe Lee Brown. Tyson took parts as prostitutes in two other plays in the 1960s before deciding to make a stand. 'After that, I was offered the part of another whore and I said no because I didn't want to get typecast and because it was demeaning to black women,' she told the New York Times. In the 1974 television drama 'The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman,' based on a novel by Ernest J. Gaines, Tyson is seen aging from a young woman in slavery to a 110-year-old who campaigned for the civil rights movement of the 1960s. In the touching climax, she laboriously walks up to a 'whites only' water fountain and takes a drink as white officers look on. 'It's important that they see and hear history from Miss Jane's point of view,' Tyson told The New York Times. 'And I think they will be more ready to accept it from her than from someone younger.' Cicely Tyson models a B. Michael design in The Heart Truth Red Dress collection during Fashion Week in New York, Feb. 13, 2009, when she was in her 80s Tyson recently starred in Tyler Perry's 2020 Netflix thriller, A Fall from Grace, her final film role before her death. She is pictured with the filmmaker and Omari Hardwick in 2018 New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael offered her praise: 'She's an actress, all right, and as tough-minded and honorable in her methods as any we've got.' At the Emmy Awards, 'Pittman' won multiple awards, including two honors for Tyson, best lead actress in a drama and best actress in a special. 'People ask me what I prefer doing - film, stage, television? I say, 'I would have done 'Jane Pittman' is the basement or in a storefront.' It's the role that determines where I go,' she told the AP. Tyson was married to jazz trumpet legend Miles Davis from 1981 through 1988 and Davis, who died in 1991, put her on the cover of his album 'Sorcerer.' Their marriage was a rocky one, troubled by reports of his alleged philandering, domestic violence and substance abuse. But in a 2015 interview with CBS, Tyson said: 'I don't really talk about it but I will say this: I cherish every single moment that I had with him.' Following her death, scores of celebrities took to social media to share their tributes, and post pictures of themselves with Tyson. Broadway star Tracie Thomas, thanked her for paving the way. 'A queen and a trailblazer indeed,' she wrote on Twitter. Shonda Rhimes, the executive producer of How to Get Away with Murder, called Tyson 'an extraordinary person' adding that her death is 'an extraordinary loss.' 'She had so much to teach. And I still have so much to learn. I am grateful for every moment. Her power and grace will be with us forever,' Rhimes said in a touching Instagram post. Television producer Shonda Rhimes (left) and filmmaker Ava DuVernay (right) paid tribute to the icon in poignant posts on Instagram Actress Zendaya and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson paid tribute to Tyson on social media after news broke of her passing Thursday Martin Luther King III tweeted: 'The world lost a trailblazer today. #CicelyTyson paved the way for so many artists after her and beautifully portrayed iconic roles such as Harriett Tubman and my mother, Coretta Scott King. Rest in peace, Cicely. You will be missed.' Maxine Waters wrote: 'So saddened to hear my friend #CicelyTyson has passed-one of the most profound, talented, & celebrated actors in the industry. She was a serious actor, beautiful & spiritual woman who had unlocked the key to longevity in the way she lived her life. Forever all my love & respect.' Reece Witherspoon posted: 'Heart broken to hear about Cicely Tysons passing. I had the honor of traveling with her to visit children in N.O. after the devastation of Katrina. What a gift we experienced to be graced by her wisdom, kindness & compassion for all. She will be missed. May God carry her home.' Actress Zendaya wrote on Instagram: 'This one hurts, today we honor and celebrate the life of one of the greatest to ever do it. Thank you Cicely Tyson. Rest in great power.' Rapper Common paid tribute to the star, calling her a 'trailblazer', while actress Viola Davis said she was heartbroken by Tyson's death Don Lemon posted an interview he did with Tyson, while model Beverly Johnson called her a 'force of human dignity' Scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson wrote: 'Though we are not related, her mother was friends with my grandmother in the West Indies, with strongly resonant struggles and triumphs. Farewell to a force of nature unto herself - in person, on stage, and on the screen.' Comedian-actor Sherri Shepherd posted: 'If only we could be as blessed as the prolific, vivacious and pioneering Cicely Tyson to live to be 96 and have had such a full life, accomplish so many awesome milestones and leave such an incredible body of work. Shell never be forgetten!' Amanda Gorman, the poet who performed at Joe Biden's inauguration, said in a written statement; 'Often times the talent and success of black girls and women are treated as gold in the pan-temporary and fleeting. Tyson showed the world that the black woman is more than a moment. We are legends, myths in our own right.' Rapper Common wrote on Twitter: 'Im so sad to hear the news that trailblazing artist and cultural icon Cicely Tyson has passed away today. While she may be gone, her work and life will continue to inspire millions for years to come. God Bless.' Olivia Munn posted her own tribute to Tyson calling her talent a 'gift', and Tiffany Haddish posted 'Rest In Peace Queen' 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. Prime Minister on Friday expressed confidence that the Budget for 2021-22 would be seen as part of the packages announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over the past 10 months to offset the impact of Covid-induced lockdowns. Perhaps for the first time in the history of India a finance minister had to present four-five mini budgets in the form of separate packages in 2020, Modi told the media before Parliaments started. Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Budget in the Lok Sabha on Monday. As businesses were almost shut in April last year due to the countrywide lockdown, announced to tackle the pandemic, the finance minister announced the first package in March. She followed these up with three more. ALSO READ: Economic survey 2020-21: Forget rating agencies, spend without fear The packages focused on vulnerable sections of the people, giving them free food, work under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act and direct benefit transfers, besides agriculture and micro, small and medium enterprises. They initiated reforms and linked some of them to the fiscal leeway given to the states. The government claimed it, along with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), announced packages worth Rs 29.87 trillion, which is about 15 per cent of Indias GDP. Of this, the RBIs measures constituted 6 per cent of GDP and the governments 9 per cent. However, independent experts estimated the fiscal cost of the government measures at slightly more than Rs 3 trillion. ALSO READ: A missed opportunity: Eco Survey fails to address the problem of employment Of the reforms announced by the finance minister in packages, three related to the controversial farm laws. The 19 Opposition parties boycotted the presidents address to the joint sitting of on Friday, in solidarity with the farmers protests against the Acts. Modi asked MPs to debate and discuss all the issues that concerned the people of the country, and hoped they would not shy away from contributing to fulfilling the peoples aspirations, by making full use of and following all the propriety of democracy. A golden opportunity has come before the nation to fulfil the dreams of the freedom fighters. There should be proper utilisation of this decade and, therefore, there should be discussion and presentation of different views this session for meaningful results, keeping in mind this entire decade, he said. I have full faith that all the members of will make this session more productive. Dozens of Kori Gordons clients are suffering physically, mentally and emotionally since she has had to keep her doors closed while observing unclear provincial health orders. Advertisement Advertise With Us Dozens of Kori Gordons clients are suffering physically, mentally and emotionally since she has had to keep her doors closed while observing unclear provincial health orders. Gordon, who owns Natural Elements Wellness Centre in Brandon, offers holistic therapies, including float therapy and halotherapy. Despite her numerous attempts to engage with the government and public health officials to clarify the services her small business offers, the government has repeatedly miscategorized them. Float therapy is essentially a sensory deprivation tank, with water at skin temperature and saturated with Epsom salt. Halotherapy is also a salt-based treatment halo is a Greek prefix meaning salt where the client sits in an isolated room breathing dry micro-particles of salt. The three float chambers at Natural Elements are each in their own separate rooms, while the halotherapy room is also single occupancy. Appropriate health and sanitation protocols were in place long before COVID-19 arrived to Manitoba. With scheduling, one client will not encounter another, though they will encounter the properly distanced and masked owner. After a forced shutdown in the spring, when COVID-19 reached Manitoba, Gordon was finally able to reopen in June. "At that point, I really had to fight. It was tooth and nail I was fighting because they were telling me that I wasnt going to be able to open until at least the end of August into September. I was furious," she said. "In the first round of openings, back in the spring, hairdressers were able to open. I thought, if hairdressers can open, surely I can open." The answer was "no." The reasoning, Gordon said, was that she did not belong to a governing body. Neither do hairdressers, she countered. Thats when the government categorized her business as a swimming pool. "I said, no. Then it was a spa. I said, No, not a spa, either. Thats when they landed on personal services," said Gordon. A provincial spokesperson said via email to The Brandon Sun that the public health orders state that regulated health professions, those that fall under The Regulated Health Professions Act, and non-regulated health professions, that are set out in Order 19, can operate under the current public health restrictions. Any health-care-related businesses that fall outside of that cannot operate. For Gordon, thats all the more confounding. She can continue to offer Reiki, as that falls under Order 19, which includes perdortists and reflexologists. "So I can do a Reiki session for somebody, where Im an hour in an enclosed room with them, close contact, touching them. But I cant do access bars (another energy healing modality), which is the same type of thing, same situation, just different hand positions," said Gordon. "I also cant have anybody come in to go to do float therapy and halotherapy, where theyre in a room by themselves with no contact." The Sun is in possession of two dozen letters from clients, written in the hopes the government and public health officials would recognize how she fits in with the current orders, and that they consider her services essential. Letter after letter outlines painful physical ailments and mental health disorders alleviated by float therapy and/or halotherapy. Quality of life for Gordons clients have improved for some, quite dramatically due to the holistic therapies she offers, and that often includes reduction in pain and other medications. See below: "Clients struggle without access to holistic health services" for excerpts from several letters. Many of the letters also note that these clients feel safer at Natural Elements than they do at the grocery store or at a massage therapists office. Gordon, who opened her small business in May 2019, has more than 100 clients who use her holistic therapy services. The pandemic did throw a wrench in her plans in the spring of 2020, but when she did reopen in June, clients returned and the business grew. She launched a stress release program and, later in the summer, a pain relief program. "I started that one (pain relief) just before the lockdown started, so people were just in the middle of it and had to quit. A lot of people were left kind of hanging in the middle of their program," said Gordon. Clients who attend float therapy in one of three enclosed cabinets at the Natural Elements Wellness Centre in Brandon float in Epsom salt saturated water for an hour or more, often weekly, to help alleviate stress and pain for such ailments as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and arthritis, among others. "Those that have participated in the six-week stress release program, a number of them continued on with the new tools that they had received through their six-week program. They had built up their momentum, and they were doing quite well. Then its all taken away from them." Jonathan Alward is the director for the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesss prairie region. He said some businesses, such as Gordons fall into a huge grey area. While noting Order 19 specifically mentions three types of health services, the order as a whole demonstrates a broad-based approach to non-regulated health professionals and wellness services that are being offered. "Thats fine with them (the three mentioned). I can understand the justification for all of those, but there are so many other things that people could do safely in that same vein, to help mental and physical health that were left out," Alward said. "I dont know why that was the case. We certainly raised them with the province and keep pushing that." Alward said it is frustrating, and he feels bad for many of these owners that, through no fault of their own, have been forced to close and are being left out. "I understand, to a degree, the province taking some really big sectors that impact a lot of peoples lives and open them up first. But weve also had two and a half months to figure out these smaller businesses that can operate completely safe, and let them have a chance to keep their business afloat long term, as well," he said. Gordon tried to take a different approach. Item 55, in the list of businesses allowed to open, states: "A business that provides mental health or addictions supports or services, such as counselling." In mid-December, she sent letters out to a variety of officials requesting clarification. She hasnt received a single reply. In January, she and other small businesses in Brandon sent a letter asking for consideration to open according to region, based on local COVID-19 numbers. And, if the answer was, no, then the business owners wanted the rationale science and fact. The two-page missive makes a case for the province to go back to the drawing board in its handling of small businesses. They received what appears to be a form letter, from the office of the assistant deputy minister for Health, Seniors and Active Living, which cites unprecedented times and collaborative efforts. At daily COVID-19 updates, the Sun has tried various ways to pose questions to get more detailed answers. The response is always much like Dr. Jazz Atwals this past Tuesday who first responded to the question as one about a retail business. After we asked the question again, he said physical and mental health services are available. "The regulated health professionals are able to work and people can access health care. People do have access to that. They are able to connect with their health-care providers virtually or in person if need be," he said. Gordon wonders what kind of government can brush people off and not provide answers. She sent a letter to the Westman Regional Cabinet Office, four local MLAs, Dr. Brent Roussin and Premier Brian Pallister on Monday signalling she would open her business Thursday, on Bell Lets Talk Day, moving forward with 55 on the list of allowed businesses. She received a response within 20 minutes from the regional office saying someone would get back to her by the end of the day Tuesday. "I cannot comment if it would fit under the intent of the sections you reference below but want you to note that I have reissued the request for an urgent or immediate response. Thank you for your patience. I will ensure I follow up with you by end of day Tuesday (tomorrow)," stated senior manager Jordan Sisson. Gordon said on Thursday she hasnt heard back. She ultimately chose not to reopen. She does not want to risk involving COVID-19 enforcement and a hefty $1,296 fine. "Im in limbo. I dont want to go outside what the orders potentially mean. I dont know where to go at this point," she said. Kori Gordon, owner of Natural Elements Wellness Centre in Brandon, stands outside her business, which is currently closed under the provincial pandemic guidelines. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun) Clients struggle without access to services Because of the extremely personal nature of health and mental health, the Sun agreed to preserve Natural Elements Wellness Centre clients anonymity. These are a few excerpts from two dozen clients who wrote letters about how the continued closure of the wellness centre affects them. "I have a chronic illness that causes pain and fatigue. I can do many things at home to take care for myself and help manage the pain, but I have not found anything quite like the relief offered from floating in the tanks at Natural Elements Wellness Centre," wrote one client. "There are many studies that support and show the relief that this offers patients who suffer with a wide variety of symptoms." Another client, a teacher, wrote: "This closure has had a profound impact on my health both physically and mentally. I started going to the float chambers to relieve stress and anxiety. As a teacher, I have an abundance of both this year. I had been floating once a week for seven weeks. The benefits of the float chambers far outweighed my expectations of them," she stated. "It not only reduced my anxiety and panic attacks, it also improved the quality of my sleep and overall tension. Floating relieved the pain in my neck and lower back from arthritis. My headaches, which were daily and required prescription medication to fight them, were diminished to about once a week. My overall well-being and outlook on life improved when the rest of my life was in total turmoil." One client served multiple tours in Afghanistan and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). "Going to Natural Elements and being able to float for an hour while listening to meditation podcasts have helped me manage my PTSD. With the lockdown, businesses like Natural Elements are being forced to close thus causing regression in the progress I had made. As massage parlours and psych offices have been deemed essential services, so should Natural Elements," he stated. Yet another client, a 71-year-old man who battles with PTSD and depression, stated floating and halotherapy has proved effective in helping him face daily challenges. "These are invaluable to me, especially during these trying times," he stated. "Not only do these help my mental state, they also provide for physical healing. I suffer from arthritis and have found no better medicine than floating. I cannot emphasize strongly enough that for many of us who use this therapy that taking it away has caused us anxiety and now having to rely on pills and creams to help in relieving the pain." That clients wife wrote a letter attesting to her husbands improved condition, noting he has been on medication for years for his mental health conditions. "When he started going to Natural Elements, and in particular the floating component, he was able to ease off of his medications considerably and was much more relaxed," she stated, adding floating helped ease their anxiety in these pandemic times. One client, with chronic allergies, asthma and eczema, found relief with halotherapy. In addition, she brought her 14-year-old to the centre to help treat her ongoing mental health needs. "Revoking my daughters right to treat her mental health with a service that she has found connection and hope in is extremely disappointing to the both of us. In a time where we are told the importance of accessing service for our mental health needs, its frustrating when that service is non-accessible due to government constraints," the mother stated. "I believe that Natural Elements offers something that many people can find benefit in, rather than resorting to conventional prescription medication. Having lost this service leaves me and many others being denied a service that improves our physical and mental health, as well as our right to a choice based health care plan." One client who spoke with the Sun has used the float therapy almost weekly since before the pandemic. She has an anxiety disorder. "I found it provided a reset for me. It was another coping mechanism to help me deal with life before COVID, never mind during COVID. When it was taken away, it was a tool that they took away from us to cope with all this, even more stress," she said. "It really is an important tool for my mental health." Now that client is struggling, has had to take extra medication to compensate. "In a perfect world, if there are tools, instead of medication, Id prefer to be using those tools. Not only did it counteract the negative, it was also a positive in my life. It was something I looked forward to." She also said Gordon is invested in her clients and their well-being. Posted Friday, January 29, 2021 3:07 am Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania counties are set to co-host a virtual community briefing about COVID-19 vaccination efforts taking place in the three Southwest Washington counties. Steven Krager, the deputy health officer for the three counties will be joined by Washington State Department of Health Assistant Secretary for Environmental Public Health Lauren Jenks. The duo will address some of the frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination, including how the vaccine is distributed in the state and where people can go to schedule vaccination appointments. The briefing will take place at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 1 and stream live on three county Facebook pages: Clark County Public Health, facebook.com/clarkcowa.ph/; Cowlitz County Health & Human Services, facebook.com/cowlitzHHS/; Skamania County Community Health, facebook.com/Skamania-County-Community-Health-367750763328784/ (Newser) Cicely Tyson, the pioneering Black actor who received an Oscar nomination for her role as a sharecroppers wife in Sounder, won a Tony Award in 2013 at age 88, and touched TV viewers hearts in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, died Thursday at age 96. Tyson's death was announced by her family, her manager said. A onetime model, Tyson began her screen career with bit parts but gained fame in the early 1970s when Black women were finally starting to get starring roles. Besides her Oscar nomination, she won two Emmys for playing the 110-year-old former slave in the 1974 drama The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. Tyson's memoir, Just As I Am, was published this week. "I'm very selective as Ive been my whole career about what I do. Unfortunately, I'm not the kind of person who works only for money. It has to have some real substance for me to do it," she said in 2013. story continues below In 2018, Tyson she was given an honorary Oscar statuette. "This is a culmination of all those years of haves and have-nots," she said. In 2016, Tyson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. At that ceremony, President Obama said, "Cicely's convictions and grace have helped for us to see the dignity of every single beautiful memory of the American family." Sounder, based on the William H. Hunter novel, confirmed her stardom in 1972. Tyson was cast as the Depression-era loving wife of a sharecropper, played by Paul Winfield, who is confined in jail for stealing a piece of meat for his family. She is forced to care for their children and attend to the crops. She later recalled that she had been asked to test for a smaller role but wanted to play the mother, Rebecca. She was told: "You're too young, you're too pretty, you're too sexy, you're too this, you're too that," Tyson said. "And I said, 'I am an actress.'" (Tyson's Medal of Freedom class included Tom Hanks and Michael Jordan.) Cargill announced the permanent end of a salt mining operation that has been in operation since the 1800s. The private organization, Cargill, announced the end of its operations at the Avery salt mines in Avery Island, Louisiana. They had originally planned to halt the operations at the last quarter of 2021 as the lease with the landowner Avery Island Inc. is expiring at around the same time. While Cargill will no longer produce salt from the mine, there is still a significant amount of work that needs to be done at the facility to safely close the production line, which will likely take until 2024. A detailed site closure plan has been established outlining work activities. The company is working with employees to offer a variety of support services as they are needed. "For over 24 years, we have been proud to be part of the Avery Island and New Iberia communities," said Sonya Roberts, president of Cargill's salt business. "This was a difficult business decision, but ultimately the right one as we considered the future economics of the mine's operation and our production capacity until the end of the year. We'd like to thank Avery Island Inc. for their partnership over those years and thank our hard-working employees who have made the mine successful." Related Article: Sea Salts Could Be Causing Air Pollution in the Arctic What happens to the workers? It is still unclear what will happen to the company's primary labor force. While employee impacts are still being determined, Roberts notes that the company remains committed to treating employees with dignity and respect in line with Cargill's values, according to Cargill's release. Salt Mining A salt mine is a mine from which salt is extracted. The mined salt is usually in the form of halite (commonly known as rock salt) and extracted from evaporite formations. Salt mines are one of the most steady industries that have been functioning since the earliest civilizations. Avery Island Salt Mines The mine on Avery Island has been operating since the mid-1800s and was the first rock salt mine in North America. The mine is owned by Avery Island Inc. and has been managed by Cargill since 1997, when it acquired the lease from Akzo-Nobel. Avery Island is one of three salt mines operated by Cargill. All three mines produce deicing salt used to keep roads safe and clear during the winter months throughout the U.S. and Canada. Cargill also operates a salt evaporation facility in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, where it expands capacity and increases efficiency. Those facilities are not impacted by this announcement. Cargill also operates 22 other salt production locations that produce, package, and ship salt for road deicing, food, water softening, agricultural, industrial, and packaged ice control products. "We are confident we will be able to fulfill our customer obligations and do not expect disruptions to their operations," said Roberts. "Our supply chain is robust, and we remain committed to investing in our other operations while continuing to grow our salt business." ALSO READ: War, Abuse, and Environmental Poisoning: The Legacy of the Rio Tinto Mine For more environmental news updates, don't forget to follow Nature Worls News! Newly confirmed secretary of state vows to promote LGBT agenda Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The newly confirmed U.S. secretary of state has vowed to support the LGBT agenda by flying pride flags at United States embassies and resurrecting the "special envoy for the human rights of LGBTI persons." Antony Blinken, who was confirmed 78-22 by the United States Senate Tuesday, shared his thoughts about LGBT issues during his Senate confirmation hearing last week, which took place before President Joe Biden took office. As he questioned Blinken, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said, "You and President-elect Biden have indicated that you're going to support, appoint a new special envoy for human rights on LGBTI people, a position that I've been pushing to make permanent through the International Human Rights Defense Act." As a presidential candidate, Biden vowed to make LGBT activism a centerpiece of his foreign policy. "After four years of Trump administration efforts to specifically marginalize, minimize, do damage to the rights of the LGBTI people, I think it's going to be vital to appoint a seasoned expert on this issues. Are you going to move forward towards a speedy appointment towards an LGBTI envoy and would you consider raising it to an ambassadorial level?" Markey asked. Blinken answered in the affirmative: "This is a matter, I think, of some real urgency, we've seen violence directed against LGBTQI people around the world increase. We've seen, I believe, the highest number of murders of transgender people, particularly women of color, that we've seen ever and so I think the United States playing the role that it should be playing in standing up for and defending the rights of LGBTQI people is something the Department is going to take on and take on immediately." Markey also asked Blinken if he would "repudiate the findings of the report of the Commission on Unalienable Rights and reaffirm the United States' acceptance and adherence to the human rights laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights" and whether he would "ensure that ambassadors are able to fly the pride ... flag at our embassies around the world." "Yes to both," Blinken replied. The Commission on Unalienable Rights was created by the State Department under then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in July 2019. In a press conference announcing the State Department Commission, the secretary of state argued that "international institutions designed and built to protect human rights have drifted from their original mission." According to Pompeo, "As human rights claims have proliferated, some claims have come into tension with one another, provoking questions about which rights are entitled to gain respect." Democrats and progressive advocacy groups quickly criticized the move to create the commission, warning that it constituted an attempt to remove LGBT rights and abortion from the consensus definition of human rights. During the Trump administration, the United States signed the Geneva Consensus Declaration, which declared that "there is no international right to abortion." During the Trump administration, U.S. embassies were told not to fly the pride flag, which consists of the rainbow colors and is designed to show support for LGBT rights. Then-Vice President Mike Pence defended the State Department's declaration that "on the flagpole of our American embassies that one flag should fly and that's the American flag," saying "I support that." As Markey explained, the special envoy for the human rights of LGBTI persons was "left vacant in the Trump years." The position was created during the latter part of the Obama administration. The first special envoy for the human rights of LGBTI persons was Randy Berry, who served in the position from 2015 to 2017 before former President Donald Trump appointed him to the position of United States Ambassador to Nepal. While Markey contended that "the Trump administration rolled back much of the United States' previous efforts to support and promote LGBTI rights around the world," the previous administration pushed 69 countries to decriminalize homosexuality and same-sex relationships. Blinken is the fourth member of Biden's cabinet that has been confirmed by the Senate. The others are Director of Intelligence Avril Haines, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen. The Opposition party demanded a large fiscal stimulus to the economy, asserting that such a step alone will put money in the hands of people and stimulate demand New Delhi: Alleging that seven years of the Narendra Modi government have "wrecked" the economy and high growth prospects, the Congress on Thursday said it is afraid that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present "dressed-up" revised estimates for 2020-21 in the upcoming Budget session of Parliament and attempt to build an attractive narrative for the coming fiscal year. The opposition party demanded a large fiscal stimulus to the economy, asserting that such a step alone will put money in the hands of people and stimulate demand. At a press conference, former finance minister P Chidambaram also demanded that the government should make direct cash transfers to 20-30 per =cent of the families at the bottom of the economy at least for a period of six months. He said the Congress believes that the reality is that the economy is in a recession, the recovery will be slow and painful, and the "rate of GDP growth in 2021-22 (in constant prices) will be modest -- no more than five per cent". "We are afraid that the FM will present a dressed-up Revised Estimates for 2020-21 and attempt to build an attractive narrative for 2021-22. The RE for 2020-21 will be a set of false numbers and, therefore, the BE for 2021-22 will be a conjurer''s illusion," Chidambaram said, reading out a party statement at the press conference with senior Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Mallikarjuna Kharge by his side. Sitharaman is scheduled to present the annual Union Budget in Parliament on Monday. The budget for 2020-21 began to unravel within weeks of its presentation, Chidambaram said, noting that the Congress had even at that time pointed out that the assumptions behind the budget were wrong and the targets set were unattainable. "Even without the pandemic, the economy would have continued on the downward path that had begun in the first quarter of 2018-19 and continued for eight successive quarters. The pandemic pushed the economy into an abyss -- minus 23.9 per cent in Q1 of 2020-21 and minus 7.5 per cent in Q2," he said. The current finance minister has the distinction of presiding over the first recession in four decades, the Congress leader added. The year 2020-21 will end with negative growth and none of the numbers estimated at the beginning of the year will be achieved, he claimed. The revenue targets will be missed by a large margin, capital investment will take a hit, the revenue deficit will be close to five per cent and the fiscal deficit will exceed seven per cent, Chidambaram said. "There is no point in wasting time over the budget of 2020-21. It was a disaster at the start and will be a catastrophe at the end of the fiscal year," he said. Former chief economic advisor to the government Arvind Subramanian described the period 2004-2010 as the golden years of the Indian economy and the equivalent period of 2014-20 has witnessed the slow but "inexorable descent into a deep hole", the Congress alleged. "The conclusion of a recent study by Brookings using IMF and World Bank data is humiliating but not surprising at all: the biggest rise in poverty will be in India and India will overtake Nigeria and become the country with the largest number of poor people," Chidambaram said, adding that this "is the contribution of the Modi government at the end of seven years". "Looking ahead, we do not see a ''V'' shaped recovery. We believe that the recovery, slow and painful, will still leave millions of households struggling to survive and it will resemble more the letter ''K''. As a result, inequality will increase. Those who are behind will be pushed back further," he said. In what it said was its "prescription" for economic recovery, the Congress called for formulating and implementing a rescue plan for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to revive the closed units, recover the jobs that were lost and create new jobs for those who have moderate education and skills. It also demanded a reduction in tax rates, especially GST and other indirect tax rates (for example on petrol and diesel), and called for increased government capital expenditure. The party urged the government to recapitalise the public sector banks immediately and encourage them to lend without the fear of investigative agencies probing every loan. Congress also called on the government to abandon protectionist policies, re-engage with the world, enter into bilateral trade agreements with as many countries as possible and remove the bias against imports. "By a stroke of good fortune, if even a part of the agenda that we have set out is accepted by the government (and we do not crave any acknowledgement), we shall be happy and relieved for the sake of the people of India," Chidambaram said. The spread of a new UK strain of Covid-19 stabilized or fell in most British regions with the country under a severe lockdown, even as overall case loads remained high. The East Midlands was only place where the percentage of cases linked to the new variant rose in the week to Jan. 23, the Office for National Statistics said Friday, suggesting the UK's restriction have helped arrest transmission of a strain officials have warned is more deadly and easier to spread. In total, 1 in 55 people in England were infected with any form of the disease in the week, the ONS estimated, as the number of cases dipped marginally to just over 1.06 million. The rate in London, the worst-affected region, was 1 in 35. Both figures are unchanged from last week. The findings provide more evidence that the severe lockdown imposed in England at the start of January is having an impact on a spiraling number of infections that threatened to overwhelm hospitals. The most recent seven-day average for reported cases is a little over 20,000, down from nearly 60,000 around the turn of the year. 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. 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. Central New York school district officials say they are pleased Gov. Cuomo has lifted the yellow and orange Covid zones, which also lifts a requirements for schools to do rigorous coronavirus testing. Under the designations, schools had to conduct Covid-19 testing of certain percentages of their in-school population to meet the requirements. Districts first had to seek permission from the required number of students and staff. Now that burden has been lifted. School district officials said they will likely continue with voluntary asymptomatic testing in the schools on a periodic basis. The list of schools that had been testing frequently under the previous rules included some Syracuse city schools, some schools in the Catholic Diocese, the Lyncourt School and a school in the Jamesville-DeWitt district in the orange zone. There were several other private schools in the zone. Numerous others were placed in the yellow zone. Onondaga County was helping schools with the testing. Schools in the orange zone were required to test 10% of their in-school population every two weeks. Schools located within yellow zones required asymptomatic testing of each schools in-person population monthly. More than 170 schools were placed into these zones, along with schools in other counties as well. While we are pleased that the state has lifted the zone designations, we intend to continue partnering with the county to conduct voluntary asymptomatic testing within our schools, Jamesville-DeWitt School Superintendent Peter Smith said. Onondaga County will continue to offer voluntary asymptomatic testing in schools to help stop the spread of the virus, county officials said. Elizabeth Doran covers education, suburban government and development, breaking news and more. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact her anytime at 315-470-3012 or email edoran@syracuse.com A cordoned-off bar terrace in Trieste on January 19 Italy on Friday opted to ease coronavirus restrictions in most of its regions, despite warnings from public health experts that such a move may be rash. A source in the health ministry said all but five of Italy's regions would now be considered "yellow", according to a colour-coded system of yellow, orange and red that indicates coronavirus risk. A "yellow" zone allows for the daytime reopening of bars and restaurants and greater freedom to travel. Italy's islands of Sicily and Sardinia, as well as its regions of Umbria, Puglia and the autonomous province of South Tyrol will be considered "orange", the source said. The changes come as other countries in Europe are mulling hardening restrictions. The World Health Organization's European branch warned on Thursday that it was "too early to ease up" due to a "still very high" presence of the virus. "Yes, Italy is bucking the trend," said Walter Ricciardi, a public health expert who advises Italy's health minister on the pandemic. He told AFP lockdown measures adopted in Italy over Christmas and New Year helped stabilise virus numbers, without lowering them. Nevertheless, "right now it is extremely difficult to propose stricter measures due to resistance from both politicians and public opinion", Ricciardi said. France meanwhile is looking at a possible third lockdown, with President Emmanuel Macron expected to make an announcement on new measures over the weekend or on Monday. 108-year-old Fatima Negrini recently became one of the oldest people in the world to get a Covid-19 vaccine in Milan 'This is war' Italy was one of the first countries to have been hit by the coronavirus, with devastating consequences. Nearly 88,000 people have died, and the economy has plunged into a record recession. Even if politically unpalatable, Ricciardi said the country would benefit from a "brief stiffening" of virus rules, as well as more centralised decision-making on the pandemic. According to GIMBE, an independent think tank, Italy had 799 virus cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the January 20-26 period. Until that number is brought to below 50 cases, it would be impossible to ensure effective virus test and tracing procedures, Ricciardi warned. He also suggested that Italy's largely decentralised response to the pandemicwith regions left in charge of vaccinations, with mixed resultsneeded fixing. "We need a clearer chain of command... a decisive step-change in management with a government fully in charge, ready to centralise decisions in its hands," Ricciardi said. Politicians are currently preoccupied with the government crisis triggered by this week's resignation of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. His cabinet remains in charge, but only in a caretaker function. "This is a war ... and if we were to compare it to World War II, we are not in 1945, but in 1941," Ricciardi said, warning that victory was still far off, and that the political crisis needed to be solved quickly. "If we don't have a government with full powers... it is clear that the situation in Italy risks becoming even more critical," he added. Explore further Italy surpasses 1 million coronavirus vaccinations: PM 2021 AFP POTSDAM, Germany and BERLIN, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GISMA Business School is pleased to announce that it has been awarded 'University of Applied Sciences' status, having received official state recognition by the Federal State of Brandenburg in Germany. As a University of Applied Sciences, GISMA is now entitled to award bachelors and masters' degrees. This recognition grants GISMA degree awarding powers and the opportunity to launch its Hochschule, a tertiary education institution with a focus on teaching practice-oriented skills in digital transformation, business, technology and agribusiness. Professor Dr Stefan Stein, newly-appointed President of GISMA Business School, said: "This is an incredible achievement for us. For over 20 years our strong industry roots and international inter-connectedness made GISMA a unique place to study." "Becoming a University of Applied Sciences is the logical next step in our ambition to educate and prepare students from all over the world for the global and regional business community on a high academic level. A digital revolution is evolving out there, faster and faster. This does not only affect traditional industries, but also our universities. We will now be able to contribute to a new education revolution, offering a multidisciplinary approach reflecting the changes in qualification and competences demand of the outside world." GISMA Business School is launching the Hochschule in two locations Potsdam and Berlin with seven programmes, all state recognised. The institution is AMBA-accredited, with the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA) validating the programmes. The programmes, delivered in English, and both online and on campus, will include a Global MBA; MScs in Leadership for Digital Transformation, International Agribusiness, International Business Management, and Data Science, AI and Digital Business; and BScs in International Business Management, and Data Science, AI and Digital Business. The University of Applied Sciences will be based in Potsdam, the capital and largest city of the German federal state of Brandenburg. The campus, set to open in summer 2021, will be located near the Innovation Centre of SAP, one of the world's largest enterprise software companies. A second location in Berlin, immediately ready to welcome international and domestic students, occupies facilities in Dessauer Strasse in the heart of the German capital, close to Potsdamer Platz and some of the key players in the corporate world, the main government and public institutions. "The two locations will add great value to the students' learning experience. In Potsdam they will benefit from the proximity with the SAP Centre and Potsdam's network of industry leaders, and Berlin is regarded as one of the most dynamic and innovative business hubs in the world," added Professor Stein. For more information visit: www.gisma.com Note to editor: the University of Applied Sciences status translates to the German Hochschule, and refers to institutions of higher education, corresponding to universities and colleges in English. About GISMA Business School GISMA Business School was founded in 1999 in Hannover providing global management education to young professionals and executives from Germany and around the world. Since then, GISMA has established a global community of alumni who have accelerated their careers in Germany and abroad with a solid foundation in management theory and invaluable connections with fellow alumni. With centres in Hanover, Hamburg, Berlin, London, and soon in Potsdam, GISMA awards undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, and offers programmes of top European business schools, such as The University of Law, the triple-accredited Grenoble Ecole de Management and Kingston University under the GISMA Global GmbH brand. Expert faculty from around the world bring both academic and practical experiences to the classroom. GISMA educates individuals to be responsible members of the global business community. It stands for practice-oriented and inspiring management education that enables students to be engaged in life-long learning and synergizing relevant academic science and practice. GISMA cooperates with a network of globally operating organisations in business and higher education and supports the business community in its internationalisation and change processes by preparing students for the global and regional (German) business community. SOURCE GISMA Business School Geneva: The UN refugee agency has warned the asylum system is under attack at Europes borders, calling on countries to investigate and stop illegal pushbacks and expulsions. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said new arrivals to the European Union continued to decline each year, with 95,000 arrivals by sea and land last year a decrease of 23 per cent compared to 2019 and by one third compared to 2018, when more than 141,000 asylum seekers arrived. With so few arrivals to Europe, this should be a manageable situation, said UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection Gillian Triggs. It is regrettable that the issue of asylum remains politicised and divisive despite such declining numbers. Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, wants asylum seekers to transit through his country on the way elsewhere, in contradiction to EU rules that state asylum must be sought in the first European point of entry. Credit:AP She didnt specify individual cases, but said the agency had received a continuous stream of reports of some countries limiting access to asylum, sending people back after they had reached European territory or waters, and using violence against them at borders. FLINT, MI -- Rosie the Riveter has taken her place with other Flint automotive pioneers -- memorialized with a $40,000 bronze statue that was unveiled Friday, Jan. 29, at Bishop Airport. Sculpted by Joe Rundell, the statue shows Rosie, a symbol of womens empowerment and American feminism, wearing a collared shirt and bandana, striking a signature pose -- flexing her bicep. Her image was used in a campaign that recruited women to work for defense industries during World War II, including converted General Motors plants in the Flint area and elsewhere as men enlisted to fight in World War II. Women entered the factories to do the heavy lifting, the heavy manufacturing, the riveting, said Gary Fisher, vice president of the Genesee County Historical Society, one of those who celebrated the unveiling of the new statue in the baggage return area of the airport terminal building. That was going to be a new thing (for women). Nowhere in the country was that challenge more important than right here in Flint, Michigan. If they hadnt stepped into the breach and done what they did ... we wouldnt have won the war, Fisher said. We wouldnt have preserved our way of life. The Rosie statue was paid for with a fund-raising effort spearheaded by Amber Taylor, executive director of Back to the Bricks and president of the Flint Womens Forum. Taylor made fund-raising presentations to more than 30 groups and the FWF raised more than $15,00 for the project with a 5k walk and run, according to Bishop Airport officials. A Women that Rock Rosie Radiothon hosted by Shea Automotive Group and radio station 103.9 the Fox helped push fundraising past its goal. I believe in this statue and what she stands for and what she represents, Taylor said Friday. Rosie is the tenth statue honoring pioneers of Flints automotive history, the third to be installed at the airport, and the first woman depicted among the 10, each of which was sculpted by Rundell. Five of the statues are located in a single block in downtown Flint, immediately west of the flat lot on Saginaw Street, including Billy Durant, Louis Chevrolet, Albert Champion, David Buick and Charles Stewart Mott. Further south on Saginaw, a statue of Otto P. Graff is on display, and a statue of Mott is also displayed on the campus of Mott Community College. In addition to Rosie, statues of Walter Chrysler and Charles Nash are on display at the airport. Rundell said the idea for the Rosie statue came from Al Hatch, the founder and former chairman of Back to the Bricks. Al said, weve got all these men and Rosie was a very important part of it, Rundell said at the unveiling of his work. Flints role in World War II was significant as GM became the federal governments chief supplier, ceasing production on civilian vehicles and instead manufacturing military trucks, aircraft, weapons and parts. There are scores of (Flint-made) products that have never been publicly listed, but the others make an array that is impressive enough, read a 1943 Flint Journal article. They are Buicks Pratt & Whitney aircraft engine parts, tank parts, steel shell cases, gun mounts, aluminum casings and forgings for other manufacturers of aviation engines. There are Chevrolets armored cars, Pratt and Whitney parts, tank parts, antiaircraft cannon and shot. There are AC spark plug divisions machine guns, automatic pilots, aviation spark plug and combat vehicle instrument panels. And now its Tanks by Fisher instead of Body by Fisher. Airport Director Nino Sapone said the addition of Rosie to the airport terminal is fitting. Hundreds of thousands of passengers use this airport to access our region every year. It is an honor to have been chosen to showcase this wonderful statue, Sapone said. Since the original Rosie the Riveter worked on the line at an aircraft factory in Michigan, and other Flint-area factories during WWII, where better to display this statue than at our areas aviation and industrial hub gateway? The man behind the statues: Back to the Bricks sculptor Joe Rundell brings DIY mindset to his art Al Hatch steps back after 15 years as Back to the Bricks chairperson From horsepower to firepower: How General Motors and Flint helped the WWII effort They have been inseparable ever since they went public with their romance earlier this month. And Francesca Farago proved her commitment to new girlfriend Demi Sims as she proudly showed off the TOWIE personality's name tattooed on her bum. The Too Hot To Handle star, 27, shared a sizzling bikini snap to Instagram on Thursday where she displayed the new inking of her girlfriend's name. Ink: Francesca Farago, 27, proved her commitment to new girlfriend Demi Sims, 24, as she proudly showed off the TOWIE star's name tattooed on her bum Francesca looked incredible in the photos as she donned a mint green floral bikini that highlighted her jaw-dropping physique. Eager to point out the tattoo, Francesca commented on her own post and asked her followers: 'Who sees the new tat?' Demi, 24, has also got a tattoo to prove her commitment to her new girlfriend, getting an 'F' on her wrist during a raucous night out on their trip. In a clip, make-up artist Demi pulled an animated facial expression as she recorded their big step. Couple: Francesca and Demi have been inseparable ever since they went public with their romance earlier this month 'New tat': Eager to point out the tattoo, Francesca commented on her own post and asked her followers: 'Who sees the new tat?' 'Baby, how you feeling? What you gonna get tattooed on you?', the Essex native asked her new girlfriend, to which Francesca replied: 'Great!' The Netflix star then pointed at her tiny tattoo, with her partner admitting: 'She wants to go bigger, she's so funny!' Moments later, Francesca returned to the chair as she enlarged her design, before Demi flashed her tatted wrist. It comes after Demi was left stunned after someone recently interrupted her kissing Francesca to tell the couple to 'get a room'. Stunning: Francesca looked incredible in the photos as she donned a mint green floral bikini that highlighted her jaw-dropping physique The couple couldn't keep their hands off each other as they packed on the PDA in a bar in Mexico. While filming them on her phone, Demi asked Francesca: 'Baby, do you love me? How much? She loves me.' The couple then kissed on the lips and someone near them shouted: 'Get a room.' Despite the jeer coming from one of their pals, Demi appeared shocked but soon recovered and replied: 'We will. We're gonna get a room, oh baby.' Wow! Demi and Francesca got tattoo tributes for each other during a raucous night out in Mexico on Saturday Wild: The TOWIE star showed off her dainty 'F' piece on her wrist (L), while the Too Hot To Handle personality debuted her 'Demi' inking It appeared the comment was made by Francesca's Too Hot To Handle co-star Hayley Cure, who she formed a close bond with on the show and even shared a kiss with at one point. The dynamic duo have been flaunting their loved-up status on social media during their sun-soaked 'work' trip. After revealing their new status, TV star Demi received a sweet message from her ex-girlfriend Megan Barton Hanson, who she briefly dated in 2019. Francesca first received attention for her role in the Netflix original series Too Hot to Handle, which premiered last April. In their element: The dynamic duo have been flaunting their loved-up status on social media during their sun-soaked 'work' trip Inspired by an episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld, the show places 14 contestants together in a Mexican luxury resort, and in order to win $100,000, none of the cast members are allowed to have sex or engage in any other intimate contact. The Canadian beauty was one of the contestants that made it to the final episode, and forged a close relationship with co-star Harry Jowsey. The two split up shortly after the show's finale, but reconciled and became engaged during the show's reunion special taped eight months later; Francesca later announced that they broke off the relationship. Demi has previously dated Leonie McSorley, with them last being seen out together in October, and having confirmed their romance in July. Andrew Forrest, Chairman, Minderoo Foundation speaks at The 2017 Concordia Annual Summit at Grand Hyatt New York on September 19, 2017 in New York City. (Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit) RM Williams to Be 100 Percent Aussie-Made: Andrew Forrest Billionaire mining magnate Andrew Forrest is hoping he can make RM Williams 100 percent Australian-made again, saying he will do whatever it takes to make it happen. Forrest made the comments while visiting the RM Williams factory in Salisbury, Adelaide earlier this week with his wife Nicola. It was the first time the couple set foot in the factory since their investment firm Tattarang acquired the iconic brand in October, returning the famous boots to Australian-ownership. Forrest said bringing full production to Australia would need to be a staged process, and setting a timeframe was unrealistic. Currently, it is estimated that 35 percent of production for the iconic boots takes place overseas including countries such as Portugal, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong. Forrest noted though, that the factory, which currently makes 1,200 boots per day, needed to be expanded to keep up with demand. However, it was the skills shortage that had the billionaire really concerned. Now were doing it to a large extent, but to a larger extent we dont have the skills here among us, he told reporters. To generate those skills we probably need to bring others in to help train us, so we re-skill and upskill and we do things in our company, in our state, in our country, which have been done all over the world, he added. He lamented that Australia had lost many of the trades that used to underpin local manufacturing. We dont even have a TAFE which can provide the skills here in South Australia, so weve really got to start at ground floor, he said. Forrests Tattarang acquired the 88-year-old company from U.S. private equity firm L Catterton, bringing it under Australian ownership for the first time since 2014. A YouGov survey conducted by the Australian Workers Union (AWU) last year found local sentiment for Australian-made goods was on the rise. Now more than ever Australians want to be making our essential products here, Daniel Walton, secretary of the AWU said. Australians make high-quality products and we do so efficiently, he said. The survey found 88 percent of Australians agreed local manufacturing should be making essential products, while 70 percent of Australians were more likely to buy Australian products than before. San Francisco Deadheads, you might just end up having the perfect school to enroll your children in. Jerry Garcia, the frontman of the Bay Area band that rose to fame as a part of the counterculture in the 1960s, is one of multiple figures in consideration to get a school renamed after them following the San Francisco Unified School District boards decision Tuesday to rename 44 of their schools, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken concludes his first press briefing at the State Department in Washington on Jan. 27, 2021. (Carlos Barrisa/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) US Prepared to Prosecute Islamic Terrorists Convicted of Beheading Journalist Daniel Pearl: Secretary of State The United States is deeply concerned by the Pakistani Supreme Courts decision to acquit and release the main suspect in the 2002 kidnapping and murder of former Wall Street Journal reporter, Daniel Pearl, Secretary Of State Antony J.Blinken said on Jan. 28. Pearl, 38, was working as the South Asia bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal in 2002 and investigating Islamic terrorist in Karachi after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States when he was kidnapped. A video of his beheading emerged weeks later. On Thursday, the court ordered the release of Pakistani-British man Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh after he was acquitted by a panel of three judges. In a statement, Blinken said the courts decision to release Sheikh was an affront to terrorism victims everywhere, including in Pakistan. The United States recognizes past Pakistani actions to hold Omar Sheikh accountable and notes that Sheikh currently remains detained under Pakistani law. We expect the Pakistani government to expeditiously review its legal options to ensure justice is served, Blinken wrote. We take note of the Attorney Generals statement that he intends to seek review and recall of the decision, he said. Blinken said that the United States is also prepared to prosecute Sheikh in the United States for his horrific crimes against an American citizen. The Secretary Of State added that the government is committed to securing justice for Daniel Pearls family and holding the terrorists accountable. It comes as the new administration reviews the Afghanistan peace process, in which Pakistan is a key player. Dr. Judea Pearl, father of American journalist Daniel Pearl, who was killed by terrorists in 2002, speaks in Miami Beach, Fla., on April 15, 2007. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File) Sheikh was among four men arrested in 2002 and convicted of the kidnap and murder of Pearl in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi. However, Sheikh always denied his role in his killing. He had previously been given the death penalty. But in April last year, the Sindh High Court in Karachi commuted Sheikhs sentence from execution for murder to seven years in jail for kidnapping, and acquitted three co-defendants accused in the case, citing lack of evidence. The Pakistani government and Pearls parents challenged that decision and pleaded to the Supreme Court to reinstate the death penalty. But on Thursday, after a majority 2-1 ruling, the supreme court judges turned down both pleas. Prior to Pearls death, Sheikh had previously been indicted in the United States in 1994 for the kidnapping of another U.S. citizen in India. In regards to Sheikhs current situation, his lawyer, Mahmood A Sheikh, said that his client may be released as soon as Friday. It depends upon how fast the government of Sindh will be in obeying and implementing the order of supreme court of Pakistan, Sheikh said. Sheikh is in their custody and the Sindh government can release him tomorrow if they want. Its on them. Pakistans attorney general said in a statement that authorities in Sindh, the southern Pakistani province where Pearl was abducted, would file a petition at the earliest asking the Supreme Court to review its decision. Agence France-Presse The mysterious deaths of nine young hikers in the winter of 1959 at a remote pass in the Ural mountains has been an odd fascination for Russia for decades. In that time, it has spawned countless theories from aliens to a botched nuclear test. Now research published Thursday in the journal Communications Earth and Environment has added weight to a natural explanation for the deaths of the experienced mountaineers, whose frozen bodies were found scattered across the snowy landscape, some with terrible injuries. With no survivors and several questions left unanswered, doubts over the "Dyatlov Pass Mystery" have lingered despite an official inquiry that last year ruled the students had died in an avalanche. The new research suggests that a combination of factors including a cut made into the snow when the trekkers pitched their tent and a build-up of snow by strong, icy winds triggered a delayed avalanche that drove the students outside into temperatures of -25 degrees Celsius (-13 Fahrenheit). "Several parts of the Dyatlov Pass Mystery will never be explained, because no one survived to tell the story," said co-author Johan Gaume, who heads the Snow Avalanche Simulation Laboratory at EPFL in Switzerland. Conspiracy theories On the night of 1 February 1959, hikers led by Igor Dyatlov set up camp on the slope of the Kholat Saykhl, "Dead Mountain". At some point after midnight something unexpected caused expedition members to cut their way out of the tent and escape towards a forest, more than a kilometre downslope, without appropriate clothes. Some of the bodies were found strangely discoloured or had missing eyeballs. Others had internal injuries but no outer signs of trauma. One man's body registered a high level of radiation, while one woman's tongue was missing. A criminal case was opened and closed soon after. It remained classified until the 1970s. The Dyatlov Pass incident became one of Russia's greatest mysteries, inspiring numerous books, documentaries and feature films dedicated to the tragedy. Among the different theories circulated over the decades were an attack by a yeti-like creature, an explosion caused by a secret weapons test, falling rocket debris, or even some unknown psychological force that drove the hikers to kill each other. Gaume said he was first made aware of the story in 2019, when he was contacted by a journalist about the decision to reopen the case. "I got truly fascinated", he told AFP. He teamed up with Alexander Puzrin, a professor at ETH Zurich, who had experience in forensic geotechnical investigations. 'Brutal force' Prosecutors last year concluded that the group was killed by an avalanche and found that most had died of hypothermia. But questions remained. These included how an avalanche could have happened on such a slight slope; how it could have been triggered hours after the tent was pitched; and why several of the group had traumatic injuries not normally seen in avalanches. The researchers created an analytical model to look at slab avalanche release under the environmental conditions in which the mountaineers set up their tent. Their analysis suggests the hikers could have unknowingly set up camp hacking a ledge into the frozen ground for shelter on a weak layer of snow. During the night, winds may have deposited more snow in a slab above the tent and researchers estimate the avalanche could have been triggered between 9.5 and 13.5 hours after the hikers set up camp. The study also used simulations of the injuries taking into account that the hikers would have been lying down when the incident happened and found they fitted with the autopsy reports. Gaume said the study was "the most exciting case I ever worked on. "We felt like detectives!" He stressed however that the researchers do not claim to have solved the mystery. "I think it is also a great story of courage and friendship in the face of a brutal force of nature," he said. Thousands of San Francisco residents have signed a petition in a bid to stop the city renaming 44 schools honoring historical leaders who have since been branded by activists as 'racist' - including Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. The San Francisco Board of Education voted 6-1 earlier this week to rename a third of the city's schools, nearly three years after the board started considering the idea. The approved resolution calls for removing names that honored historical figures with direct or broad ties to slavery, oppression, racism or the 'subjugation' of human beings. They include the nation's first president, George Washington, the third U.S. president Thomas Jefferson and the man credited with abolishing slavery, Abraham Lincoln, the 13th president of the United States. The final decision on school names won't be made until April 19th, but the parents' hope is that there will be enough public opposition that the plan will be abandoned. Almost 8,000 people have signed an online petition strongly criticizing the decision. The renaming of the schools comes as part of a nationwide reckoning around racial justice that has seen Confederate flags banned, military bases renamed and statues toppled of racist and Confederate figures across America in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd. Thousands of San Francisco are hoping to block plans to rename a school named after Abraham Lincoln because of his treatment of Native Americans. Pictured Abraham Lincoln High School in the Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco The president, who is often held up as an American hero for abolishing slavery, is just one of 44 historical figures that could soon have their names scratched off schools within the San Francisco Unified School District It is estimated that the cost of renaming each school will be $100,000, with schools needing to replace signs, school gear and other branding if their names are forced to change. 'Public pressure could influence their process,' said Lope Yap Jr, vice president of San Francisco's George Washington high school alumni association to the New York Post. 'If they get enough backlash they might reconsider.' 'We feel that whether socialist, conservative or independent, if you honor truth in history, politics needs to be put to the side,' Yap said. 'We don't want to erase things.' Hundreds of school alumni have also written letters to the school board criticizing the decision to remove names which also include revolutionary War hero Paul Revere to Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein. 'As parents/constituents, we strongly disagree with this decision - when schools are still yet to open and SFUSD has not come up with an effective plan for remote learning, we believe that renaming schools is the wrong priority,' the petition reads. 'As Mayor London Breed recently said, this decision by the School Board is '...offensive. It's offensive to parents who are juggling their children's daily at-home learning schedules with doing their own jobs and maintaining their sanity...It's offensive to our kids who are staring at screens day after day instead of learning and growing with their classmates and friends.' For some San Francisco parents, the brush stroke was too broad. 'This is a bit of a joke. Its almost like a parody of leftist activism,' said Gerald Kanapathy, a father of two young children, including a kindergartener at a San Francisco school not on the list. 'I dont particularly mind the notion that some of the schools need to be renamed. There are a lot of questionable choices out there,' he said. 'But they sort of decided on this and pushed it through without much community input.' 'I want to ensure people this in no way cancels or erases history,' San Francisco Board of Education President Gabriela Lopez said, commenting specifically about Feinstein and the wider group as well. 'But it does shift from upholding them and honoring them, and these opportunities are a great way to have that conversation about our past and have an opportunity to uplift new voices.' Lopez said the decision is timely and important and sends a strong message that goes beyond racism tied to slavery and condemns wider 'racist symbols and white supremacy culture we see in our country.' A group called Families for San Francisco opposed the vote for similar reasons, calling it a 'top-down process' in which a small group of people made the decision without consulting experts and the wider school community. 'We think it is very important for the community at large to be engaged to figure out who should be honored with public school names,' said Seeyew Mo, the group's executive director. 'We would like to have historical experts to provide historical context as we are evaluating people from the past with todays sensibilities,' he said. Senator Diane Feinstein (left) could have her name removed from Dianne Feinstein Elementary (right) because she allowed the Confederate flag to fly in front of San Francisco City Hall in the 1980s Roosevelt Middle School (right) could also be rebranding over President Theodore Roosevelt's (left) opposition of civil rights and black suffrage for black people ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S RACIAL LEGACY Lincoln was born in 1809 in Kentucky He was president from 1861-65 He was shot dead in April 1865 in DC In 1854 in Peoria, Illinois, he declared his opposition to slavery, saying: 'My ancient faith teaches me that 'all men are created equal'; and that there can be no moral right in connection with one man's making a slave of another.' Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the country moved into the third year of the Civil War. Lincoln's proclamation had declared 'that all persons held as slaves' within the rebellious states 'are, and henceforward shall be free.' *** In 1852 Lincoln said he rejected 'both extremes' on the slavery debate. Lincoln said in 1858 he was against racial equality: 'There is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races from living together on terms of social and political equality.' In 1862 Lincoln told black leaders during a visit to the White House that they were to blame for the Civil War, saying: 'But for your presence amongst us, there would be no war.' Lincoln told journalist Horace Greeley his priority was saving the union, saying: 'If I could save the union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.' Frederick Douglass in 1876 said Lincoln was 'preeminently the white man's president, entirely devoted to the welfare of white men'. Douglass continued: 'He was ready and willing at any time during the first years of his administration to deny, postpone, and sacrifice the rights of humanity in the colored people to promote the welfare of the white people of this country.' Advertisement Yap also said that he disagreed with the claim by the board that Lincoln was discriminatory and damaging to Native Americans. 'His accomplishments overwhelm any dark history,' he said. 'They forget that abolitionists praised Abraham Lincoln. To me, this issue is nutty.' The district's renaming committee decided Lincoln is not worthy of keeping his name on Abraham Lincoln High School because 'the majority of his policies proved to be detrimental to Native Americans.' 'Abraham Lincoln is not seen as much of a hero at all among many American Indian Nations and Native peoples of the United States, as the majority of his policies proved to be detrimental to them,' the committee meeting notes state. Under his watch, Indigenous peoples had much of their land taken away from them.' In 1862, the Homestead Act, where citizens could claim ownership 160 acres of land, and the Pacific Railway Act, which gave railroad companies permission to build a transcontinental railroad through America 'led to the significant loss of land and natural resources, as well as the loss of lifestyle and culture, for many Indigneous peoples', the committee said. In 1864, the Lincoln administration then oversaw the deportation of the Navajo tribe from their land in what is now Arizona. The tribe was forced to march a brutal 450 mile journey to Bosque Redondo, New Mexico. The walk became know as the 'Long Walk of the Navajo', with at least 200 dying on route and over 2,000 dying during conflict before a treaty was signed in 1868 granting the Navajo permission to set up a reservation. Lincoln was also behind the largest mass hanging in US history, where 38 Dakota men were condemned to death in Minnesota in 1862 for their part in the Dakota War. He did, however, commute the sentences of 264 others, preventing them meeting the same fate. Other reasons for the president's ousting include 'rampant corruption in the Indian Office, the precursor of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, continued unabated throughout Lincoln's term and well beyond' where government-appointed Indian agents stole resources meant for tribes. 'The history of Lincoln and Native Americans is complicated, not nearly as well known as that of the Civil War and slavery,' Jeremiah Jeffries, chairman of the renaming committee and a first grade teacher, told the San Francisco Chronicle. 'Lincoln, like the presidents before him and most after, did not show through policy or rhetoric that black lives ever mattered to them outside of human capital and as casualties of wealth building.' 'The history of Lincoln and Native Americans is complicated, not nearly as well known as that of the Civil War and slavery,' Jeremiah Jeffries, chairman of the renaming committee said A statue of US president Abraham Lincoln is seen inside San Francisco's Abraham Lincoln High School in December 2020 Jeffries said the committee decided on the renaming once they discussed Lincoln's treatment of Native Americans, and that the positive parts of his record cannot discount the negatives. 'The discussion for Lincoln centered around his treatment of First Nation peoples, because that was offered first,' he said. 'Once he met criteria in that way, we did not belabor the point.' The move has become the source of some debate, however, as to many Lincoln is one of the greatest presidents America has seen with his leadership during the Civil War and abolition of slavery a critical and progressive moment in the move toward racial equality across the nation. Harold Holzer, a Lincoln scholar and director of the Hunter College's Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute, said he disagrees with the renaming of Abraham Lincoln High School. 'He saved the country from dividing and ruin,' he told the San Francisco Chronicle. 'He should be honored for it.' 'No one deserves more credit for the destruction of slavery. Lincoln is much more liberator than he is an abuser on the subject of racial justice.' George Washington's name will be removed from the high school named after him, right. The father of the nation owned slaves and ordered Indians killed Measuring the worth of historical figures by modern standards is problematic, he said. 'Nobody is going to pass 21st century mores if you're looking at the 18th and 19th centuries,' he said. In total, the committee is hoping to rename a third of the district's 125 schools. Thomas Edison will be scratched off Thomas Edison Charter Academy due to his 'fondness for electrocuting animals'. George Washington's name will be removed from the high school named after him. The father of the nation owned slaves and ordered Indians killed. Herbert Hoover Middle School is to be renamed over the namesake's role in redlining - the segregation of black families - when he was secretary of commerce. And Roosevelt Middle School faces a rebranding over President Theodore Roosevelt's opposition of civil rights and black suffrage for black people. Naturalist John Muir, Spanish priest Junipero Serra, American Revolution patriot Paul Revere and Francis Scott Key, composer of the 'Star Spangled Banner' may also their schools renamed. Modern figures haven't been spared from the cut either. Feinstein, who was Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988 and has since served as a Democrat California Senator since 1992, will have her name removed from Dianne Feinstein Elementary because she allowed the Confederate flag to fly in front of San Francisco City Hall. During her time as mayor, she also oversaw the eviction of the Filipino neighborhood Manilatown and 'allowed police dogs to attack Filipino veteran elders', the committee ruled. Jeffries said Feinstein has never made amends for these failings. 'On a local level Dianne Feinstein chose to fly a flag that is the iconography of domestic terrorism, racism, white avarice and inhumanity towards black and indigenous people at the City Hall,' Jeffries said. 'She is one of the few living examples on our list, so she still has time to dedicate the rest of her life to the upliftment of black, First Nations and other people of color. She hasn't thus far, so her apology simply wasn't convincing.' The trailblazing 87-year old's star has dimmed in recent years with dismayed liberals joining calls for her retirement last year after she embraced Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham at the end of heated confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett. The renaming process was led by a committee created in 2018 to study the names of district schools amid a national reckoning on racial injustice that followed a deadly clash at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The committee was asked to identify schools named for people who were slave owners or had connections to slavery, colonization, exploitation of workers or others, and anyone who oppressed women, children, queer or transgender people. They also sought to change names of schools that honored anyone connected to human rights or environmental abuses or espoused racist or white supremacist beliefs. Lopez said the schools have until April to suggest new names, which the board will vote on, and the actual renaming 'could take a couple of years.' Berlin, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jan, 2021 ) :Europe's row with AstraZeneca worsened Thursday after Germany declined to recommend the firm's Covid vaccine for older people, while the more contagious South African variant of the virus was detected for the first time in the already hard-hit United States. With countries worldwide again tightening anti-virus restrictions after months of stop-and-start measures, the economic toll so far was coming into focus with the US seeing its sharpest contraction in growth since 1946. UN data released Thursday also said the global tourism sector, battered by border closures and bans on mass gatherings, lost $1.3 trillion in revenue in 2020. Given the world's weariness over the pandemic that has now killed some 2.2 million people and infected more than 100 million, countries have been anxious to expedite vaccination campaigns. The European Union's efforts were hit by an announcement from British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca that it could only supply a quarter of the doses it had promised for the first quarter of 2021. The EU has demanded the drug maker meets its commitments by supplying doses from its UK factories, but Britain insists it must receive all of the vaccines it ordered -- and there are simply not enough to go round. Adding to the row on Thursday was an announcement from Germany's vaccine commission that it could not recommend AstraZeneca's vaccine for those over 65 since there was not enough data to assess its efficacy. AstraZeneca and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson immediately defended the jabs, which have already been widely used in Britain on older people. The controversy comes as the European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday to announce whether to recommend authorisation of AstraZeneca's jab, after the body has previously approved the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. - Virus variant found in US - The virus has killed more than 430,000 in America, by far the highest absolute toll, and more troubling news came Thursday when authorities announced they had found two people in South Carolina infected with a strain first detected in South Africa that health authorities suspect is more transmissible. Scientists are worried about this mutation because it seems able to elude some of the effects of current vaccines and synthetic antibody treatments, though firms Moderna and Pfizer said their vaccines still work against the variant. A more contagious form of the virus could nonetheless mean more people get sick, a portion of whom could end up hospitalized or in the most severe cases dead. The economic pain over the last year in the US was clear in data out Thursday that showed the world's largest economy shrunk by 3.5 percent in 2020. The figures underscore the job awaiting President Joe Biden, who took office just over a week ago promising to get the country back on track with a $1.9 trillion spending proposal. At the same time, a long-delayed effort to probe the virus's origins creaked forward for a World Health Organization team of experts in Wuhan, China. "So proud to graduate from our 14 days... no-one went stir crazy & we've been v productive," tweeted team member Peter Daszak after the investigators left their quarantine hotel wearing masks, peering out of their bus window at the gathered media. New Delhi: Arnav Sharma, an eleven year old Indian origin who is at present living in London, UK has scored 162 on a Mensa IQ test making him one of the brainiest children in the country. Quite surprisingly he has scored higher than famous geniuses Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. The teen is from Reading town in southern England, had passed the much famous Mena IQ test without any kind of preparation and the news has been doing rounds all over the world. He did not even check the papers of the test before he appeared. According to The Independent, The famous Mena IQ test mainly measures the verbal reasoning ability in which Arnav secured rank among the top one per cent of the nation. "The Mensa test is quite hard and not many people pass it so do not expect to pass," Sharma was quoted while interacting with reporters. "I took the exam at the Salvation centre and it too about two and a half hours, and was conducted by seven or eight people", he stated further. Previously Arnav was least interested about the examination and said, "I had no preparation at all for the exam but I was not nervous. My family were surprised but they were also very happy when I told them about the result." Meesha Dhamija Sharma, mother of the 11-year-old gem was also overwhelmed with joy and happyness. According to the proud mother she has kept her 'finger crossed' throught out the examination. Also Read: Watch: Newborn baby walks immediately after taking birth "I was thinking what is going to happen because you never know and he had never seen what a paper looks like," she explained. "At one-and-a-half years old I took him to India for a holiday to see his grand parents, his grandmother told me about him and said Arnav is going to do very well with his studies,"she said. It was not until he was two-and-a-half years old that she became aware of his mathematical prowess. "He was counting up to more than 100. That was when I stopped teaching him because I came to know that there is no end to his numbers," she said. When asked about whether there was anyone else in the family with an unusually high IQ, she could not recall anyone, adding: "His dad is quite clever as well but not as clever." Sharma, who attends Crossfields School on the outskirts of Reading, has been selected for Eton College and Westminster, both highly competitive and sought-after schools, with no preparation. But it is worth noting his talents are not restricted to numbers. Sharma used to have a passion for singing and dancing and reached the semi-finals for 'Reading's Got Talent' for dancing with a bollywood act when he was eight. "It is a high mark which only a small percentage of people in the country will achieve," a spokesperson for Mensa said. Mensa is believed to be the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world. Also Read: Delhi: Newborn declared dead by city hospital, found alive Membership is open to anyone who can demonstrate an IQ in the top 2 per cent of the population, measured by a recognised or approved IQ testing process. It was founded in 1946 in Oxford by Lancelot Lionel Ware, a scientist and lawyer, and Roland Berrill, an Australian barrister, but the organisation later spread around the world. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Denton, TX (76205) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-30 01:01:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia is working to get 34,000 nationals back from Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks, the Ethiopia Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonen said on Friday. Presenting a six-month performance report to Ethiopia's parliament, Mekonen who is also Ethiopia's acting Foreign Minister, said extensive work is being undertaken to return home 34,000 Ethiopians living in difficult conditions in the Middle East. Tens of thousands of Ethiopians are estimated to reside in Saudi Arabia, engaged in various sectors ranging from construction works to domestic work. Many of the Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia are living under difficult conditions, either laid off from their work or their salaries reduced because of the COVID-19-induced global economic downturn. "The Ethiopian government is working on a plan to transport on average 1,000 citizens a week," said Demeke. Demeke also said efforts will be undertaken to respond to the problems of citizens living in other foreign countries, reported state media outlet Ethiopia News Agency (ENA). In recent months, Ethiopia has stepped up efforts to return home its citizens stranded in various foreign countries, as part of the government's newly unveiled "citizen focused diplomacy". The Ethiopian government is also working to dismantle sophisticated human trafficking networks, as well as create economic opportunities for nationals with low incomes. Enditem FLINT, MI -- Police are still searching for a suspect in a shooting in Flint that left a woman dead and four people injured, including a baby girl. Police responded to a shooting in the 1900 Block of Tebo Street around 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan 28, where they found five victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Multiple residences and vehicles on the block had been struck by gunfire, investigators discovered. Victims were transported to local hospitals where a 57-year-old woman was listed as deceased. The hospital currently has the 11-month-old listed in critical condition, along with a 46-year-old man. A 28-year-old woman and 17-year-old man are listed in good condition. The 17-year-old is the babys father, according to police. No one else is related to one another. A suspect has not been identified, but police believe the suspect was possibly driving a white Chevrolet Equinox, model year unknown. The scene was processed by Michigan State Police Bridgeport Crime Lab personnel. No further information is available at this time, according to police. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Trooper Mark Swales at 989-414-0329 or to remain anonymous contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-JAIL (5245), P3Tips mobile app, or CrimeStoppersofFlint.com. Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley issued a statement after the shooting. Our community has been devastated once again by gun violence. I pray for calm and call for all of us -- mothers, fathers, pastors, neighbors -- to come together to send a unified demand for peace in our community, he said. We know these times are challenging and tensions are high, but police cannot do it alone. The violence must stop. The circle of retaliation must stop. This tragic loss of life cannot continue. Whenever a life is cut short, especially when a child is lost or injured, our whole community suffers. I pray for the victims, their families, and our community. Read more on MLive: Woman killed, baby critically injured after 5 people shot in Flint Genesee Township police chief resigns under unknown circumstances Police looking for hit-and-run driver after Flint crash that left 1 hospitalized Man dead, woman critically injured after double shooting in Flint Bay City couple and their baby son died of exposure to the cold, police say (CNN) Dating app Bumble has been known for setting its own standards for how people should behave on the internet from banning shirtless and underwear mirror selfies to photos of guns. Now, the company is making clear that there is no place for body shaming of any kind on its platform. "Find something else about their profile to talk about. Or, if you're not interested in someone, you can swipe left," the company said in a blog post this week. "If you're not sure if a message will come across as body shaming, a good rule of thumb is simply not to comment on another user's body or health at all." Bumble updated its terms and conditions this week to explicitly list "physical appearance" among other discriminatory language it does not tolerate. The list also includes "race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity." The updated policy comes as Bumble looks to make its debut on Wall Street. The company filed paperwork earlier this month for an initial public offering. According to the filing, the Bumble dating empire counted 42.1 million monthly active users as of the end of September. In the blog post this week, the company said body shaming may entail projecting an opinion of what a "good body" is in a bio on the platform, or critically commenting on someone's body or health in a direct message to someone. "Body shaming includes fat shaming, health shaming, criticizing skin or hair, thin shaming, unsolicited opinions, and mocking someone's physical features," the company said in the blog post. As other tech platforms have found, however, setting a new policy is one thing, but enforcing it can be more challenging. The company said it uses automated safeguards to detect comments and images it prohibits, and that it will also rely on people reporting individuals for body shaming. Individuals will receive a warning and "repeated incidents or particularly harmful comments will result in being banned from the platform." The body shaming policy is just the latest way that Bumble and its founder Whitney Wolfe Herd have aimed to set the company apart as a female-friendly platform. The company once publicly slammed and blocked a misogynist user, and it has a policy where it flags lewd images sent through direct messages on its app. [January 29, 2021] Wells Fargo & Company Announces Tender Offers by Its Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Wells Fargo (News - Alert) & Company (NYSE: WFC) today announced the commencement of cash tender offers (the "Offers") by Wells Fargo Securities, LLC ("Wells Fargo Securities"), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company, to purchase up to $4,500,000,000 combined aggregate principal amount (the "Maximum Tender Amount") of the 11 series of Wells Fargo & Company securities listed in the table below (each, a "Series of Securities," and collectively, the "Securities"). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005361/en/ Financial documents (Photo: Business Wire) Title of Security CUSIP Number Principal Amount Outstanding Tender Cap (1) Acceptance Priority Level (2) Fixed Price (3) Fixed Spread (Basis Points) (3) U.S. Treasury Reference Security Bloomberg (News - Alert) Reference Page Early Tender Premium (4) Floating Rate Notes due July 26, 2021 949746SB8 $1,200,000,000 N/A 1 $1,004.86 N/A N/A N/A $30 3.069% Notes due Jan. 24, 2023 949746SK8 $3,750,000,000 N/A 2 N/A +5 bps 0.125% U.S. Treasury Notes due Jan. 31, 2023 FIT1 $30 2.625% Notes due July 22, 2022 95000U2B8 $3,750,000,000 $1,875,000,000 3 N/A +0 bps 0.125% U.S. Treasury Notes due Jan. 31, 2023 FIT1 $30 Floating Rate Notes due Jan. 24, 2023 949746SL6 $1,250,000,000 $625,000,000 4 $1,010.68 N/A N/A N/A $30 3.50% Notes due March 8, 2022 94974BFC9 $2,500,000,000 $1,250,000,000 5 N/A +7.5 bps 0.125% U.S. Treasury Notes due Jan. 31, 2023 FIT1 $30 Floating Rate Notes due May 24, 2021 949746RZ6 $150,000,000 $45,000,000 6 $1,002.30 N/A N/A N/A $30 Floating Rate Notes due Aug. 10, 2021 949746SF9 $200,000,000 $60,000,000 7 $1,004.51 N/A N/A N/A $30 Fixed-to-Floating Rate Notes due Oct. 30, 2025 95000U2H5 $3,000,000,000 $300,000,000 8 N/A +65 bps 0.125% U.S. Treasury Notes due Jan. 15, 2024 FIT1 $30 3.30% Notes due Sept. 9, 2024 94974BGA2 $2,250,000,000 $225,000,000 9 N/A +45 bps 0.125% U.S. Treasury Notes due Jan. 15, 2024 FIT1 $30 3.00% Notes due Feb. 19, 2025 94974BGH7 $2,500,000,000 $250,000,000 10 N/A +45 bps 0.375% U.S. Treasury Notes due Jan. 31, 2026 FIT1 $30 Floating Rate Notes Due Oct. 31, 2023 949746SJ1 $2,000,000,000 $200,000,000 11 $1,017.38 N/A N/A N/A $30 (1) Each Tender Cap set forth in the table above (and as defined below) represents the combined maximum aggregate principal amount of such Series of Securities that will be purchased pursuant to an Offer. (2) Subject to the Maximum Tender Amount, the Tender Caps (as applicable and as defined below), and proration, the principal amount of each Series of Securities accepted for purchase in the Offers will be determined in accordance with the applicable acceptance priority level (in numerical priority order with 1 being the highest Acceptance Priority Level (as defined below) and 11 being the lowest) specified in this column. (3) Per $1,000 principal amount of Securities validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) on or prior to the Early Tender Deadline (as defined below) and includes the Early Tender Premium of $30 per $1,000 principal amount of each Series of Securities (the "Early Tender Premium"). (4) Per $1,000 principal amount of Securities validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to the Early Tender Deadline. The terms of the Offers are set forth in the offer to purchase (the "Offer to Purchase"), dated Jan. 29, 2021, and are limited to the Maximum Tender Amount, subject to the tender caps (the "Tender Caps"), as applicable, and the acceptance priority levels (the "Acceptance Priority Levels"), as set forth in the table above, as well as proration procedures, if applicable. The Floating Rate Notes due July 26, 2021; the Floating Rate Notes due Jan. 24, 2023; the Floating Rate Notes due May 24, 2021; the Floating Rate Notes due Aug. 10, 2021; and the Floating Rate Notes Due Oct. 31, 2023 are referred to collectively as the "Fixed Price Securities." The applicable consideration offered per $1,000 principal amount of each series of Fixed Price Securities validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the applicable Offer shall be the amount set forth in the table above under the heading "Fixed Price" for the corresponding Fixed Price Securities. The amounts set forth in the table above under "Fixed Price" include the Early Tender Premium (the "Fixed Price Total Consideration"). The 3.069% Notes due Jan. 24, 2023; the 2.625% Notes due July 22, 2022; the 3.50% Notes due March 8, 2022; the Fixed-to-Floating Rate Notes due Oct. 30, 2025; the 3.30% Notes due Sept. 9, 2024; and the 3.00% Notes due Feb. 19, 2025 are referred to collectively as the "Fixed Spread Securities.") The applicable consideration offered per $1,000 principal amount of each series of Fixed Spread Securities validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the applicable Offer shall be the "Fixed Spread Total Consideration" determined in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase by reference to the applicable fixed spread for such series of Fixed Spread Securities, plus the applicable yield to maturity based on the bid-side price of the applicable U.S. Treasury Reference Security, as quoted on the applicable Bloomberg Reference Page, at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on Feb. 12, 2021. In calculating the applicable Fixed Spread Total Consideration or Late Fixed Spread Tender Offer Consideration (as defined below) for a series of Fixed Spread Securities, the application of the par call date, if any, will be in accordance with standard market practice as described in the Offer to Purchase, except that in the case of the Fixed-to-Floating Rate Notes due October 30, 2025, the applicable par call date will be applied in all events. Holders of Securities that are validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Feb. 11, 2021 (the "Early Tender Deadline") and that are accepted for purchase will receive the Fixed Price Total Consideration or the Fixed Spread Total Consideration, as applicable, for Securities accepted for purchase. Such Total Consideration amount is inclusive of the applicable Early Tender Premium. Holders of Securities that are validly tendered (and, to the extent withdrawal rights are available, not validly withdrawn) after the Early Tender Deadline, but before 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on Feb. 26, 2021, unless extended or earlier terminated with respect to a Series of Securities (the "Expiration Date"), and that are accepted for purchase will receive only the applicable Total Consideration minus the applicable Early Tender Premium. The Fixed Price Total Consideration minus the Early Tender Premium is the "Late Fixed Price Tender Offer Consideration," and the Fixed Spread Total Consideration minus the Early Tender Premium is referred to as the "Late Fixed Spread Tender Offer Consideration." The Late Fixed Price Tender Offer Consideration and the Late Fixed Spread Tender Offer Consideration are referred to collectively as the "Late Tender Offer Consideration." In addition, to the applicable Total Consideration or the applicable Late Tender Offer Consideration, holders whose Securities are purchased in the Offers will receive accrued and unpaid interest in respect of their purchased Securities from the last interest payment date for such Series of Securities to, but not including, the Settlement Date for such Series of Securities, payable on the Settlement Date. The Settlement Date is currently expected to be March 2, 2021. A Series of Securities may be subject to proration (rounded to avoid the purchase of Securities in a principal amount other than in an integral multiple of $1,000) if the aggregate purchase price of such Series of Securities validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) would cause the Maximum Tender Amount or any of the Tender Caps to be exceeded. If proration is required, Wells Fargo Securities will determine the applicable proration factor as soon as practicable after the Expiration Date, and Wells Fargo & Company will announce the results of proration by press release. Tenders of Securities pursuant to the Offers may be validly withdrawn at any time before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Feb. 11, 2021, as it may be extended with respect to a Series of Securities (the "Withdrawal Deadline"). Securities tendered after the Withdrawal Deadline may not be withdrawn, except where additional withdrawal rights are required by law. There are no guaranteed delivery procedures in respect of the Offers. The Offers are conditioned upon the satisfaction of certain customary conditions described in the Offer to Purchase. The Offers are not conditioned upon the tender of any minimum principal amount of Securities. Subject to applicable law, Wells Fargo Securities may, in its sole discretion, waive any condition applicable to an Offer. Wells Fargo Securities may extend, terminate, withdraw, or otherwise amend an offer in any respect, including by increasing or decreasing the Maximum Tender Amount or increasing, decreasing, or eliminating any of the Tender Caps. If Wells Fargo Securities changes the Maximum Tender Amount or any of the Tender Caps, it does not expect to extend the Early Tender Deadline or the Withdrawal Deadline, subject to applicable law. Under certain conditions and as more fully described in the Offer to Purchase, Wells Fargo Securities may terminate an Offer before the Expiration Date. The Offers are open to all registered holders of Securities. A beneficial owner of Securities that are held of record by a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee (each, a "Custodian") must instruct such Custodian to tender such Securities on the beneficial owner's behalf in a timely manner. Beneficial owners should be aware that a Custodian may establish its own earlier deadline for participation in an Offer. D.F. King & Co., Inc. is serving as the tender agent and information agent. Requests for documents may be directed to D.F. King & Co., Inc. by telephone at 212-269-5550 (banks and brokers) or 1-877-283-0318 or email at wfc@dfking.com. Questions regarding the Offers may be directed to Wells Fargo Securities at 704-410-4759 or collect at 1-866-309-6316 or email at liabilitymanagement@wellsfargo.com. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to purchase or the solicitation of an offer to sell any Securities. The Offers are being made only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase. The Offers are not being made to holders of Securities in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky, or other laws of such jurisdiction. None of Wells Fargo Securities, Wells Fargo & Company, the Tender Agent, the Information Agent, the trustee, the paying agent, or any of their respective affiliates or boards of directors makes any recommendation in connection with the Offers. Please refer to the Offer to Purchase for a description of terms, conditions, disclaimers, and other information applicable to the Offers. About Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets and proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of all middle market companies in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment, and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth and Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 30 on Fortune's 2020 rankings of America's largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. News Release Category: WF-CF View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005361/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The family of a 17-year-old Nebraska boy who died in a car wreck after he bought liquor cannot recover damages from the Kwik Shop where the alcohol was illegally sold, a Douglas County District Judge has ruled. Judge Timothy Burns dismissed a lawsuit filed by the mother of George Gervase, of Elkhorn, who died in October 2018. The lawsuit alleged Kwik Shop did not properly supervise its employees, including the clerk who sold the liquor to two teenagers, who then sold it to Gervase and another teen. Burns ruled that Nebraska law specifically prohibits intoxicated teenagers or their estates from recovering damages. The law specifies that liquor sellers may be held responsible only when intoxicated minors injure others, The Omaha World-Herald reported. Daniel Fischer, an attorney for Gervases estate, said that he and Gervases mother, Jessica Kinnersley, are determining whether to appeal. Gervase died when his car hit a pole after he had been drinking with friends. His blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit. The Kwik Shop clerk, Kevin Hart, was sentenced to a year in prison and 18 months of supervised release after he pleaded no contest to procuring alcohol for a minor. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Nebraska Australia was notably absent in the list of more than 50 countries which pledged to protect 30per cent of the planet to halt species extinction and address climate change issues. Victoria alone has more than 2000 threatened species, of which about 700 are now designated critically endangered. Given the recent devastating fires and this highly critical report, there should be a moratorium on the logging of all remaining native forests until national standards and an enforcement regime are in place. Ray Peck, Hawthorn Learning about clean energy in a practical way How is it that all our schools do not have solar panels on their roofs? Most of their power demand is during the daytime, few schools have overshadowing trees or buildings, and they have plentiful roof space. Further, as Nicola Philp (Opinion, 28/1) points out, we have a communal obligation to do everything we can to reduce our carbon footprint. Educating our children about clean energy through practical action would seem to be a good place to start. John Hillel, Mount Waverley Political advantage of a strong climate policy Does removal of Mark Butler from Labors climate and energy portfolio mean both our government and opposition will defy efforts of the Biden administration and others to step up global action on climate? When will the ALP recognise that it will be attacked by some vested interests whatever its policy on climate, and that the best way to respond is a strong policy which clearly articulates benefits to people like the one the Democrats successfully campaigned with in 2020? Jim Allen, Panorama, SA Immediate action to keep our planet habitable Our children could face the prospect of their planet becoming uninhabitable in their lifetimes, says John Hewson (Opinion, 28/1). The new US President has made it clear he is aware of the urgency, will act and will encourage (force) other countries to join him. Our Prime Minister, encouraged by the deniers within his Coalition, continues to procrastinate. He has proudly defended past unpopular policies as necessary to keep Australians safe. Immediate and significant action to keep the planet habitable is the ultimate test of whether this sentiment is truth or spin. Peter Thomson, Brunswick THE FORUM What were you thinking? Bad moves, Anthony Albanese. Two respected shadow ministers lose out in your left to right reshuffle. Mark Butler and Tanya Plibersek have been taken away from roles of immense importance. Butler has been a very capable climate activist and spokesperson for years and Plibersek a most effective advocate for education, including skills and training (TAFE), the latter now lost to her. Mr Albanese, you have lost me with these moves. I trust that Chris Bowen and Richard Marles, both competent, will step up to the mark in these vital policy areas. If they dont, the outlook looks grim. Nora Sparrow, Canterbury Labors winning team Yes, Noel Butterfield, our strength lies with Penny Wong and Tanya Plibersek (Letters, 29/1), but we do not need to be denied Wongs astute mind because she is a senator. John Gorton was a senator and he became prime minister. And having Tanya Plibersek as our deputy leader would certainly complete a formidable Labor leadership that we have lacked since the Hawke era. Vivienne Fry, Beaumaris Why Labor has split If Joel Fitzgibbon had worked creatively with his community in the Hunter Valley, and the education arms of their unions, to develop a constructive transition plan from the mining of fossil fuels, a bitter struggle within Labor could have been avoided. Mark Butler, with his commitment to building an economy based on an environmentally sustainable future, is the reason many hang in with the ALP. The ability to handle change and steer others through it is a mark of good leadership, and unions have led the way on many social issues. What a tragedy Fitzgibbon has not drawn on this history, and has thus managed to jeopardise the future of our children and split the Labor Party at the same time. Prue Gill, Carlton North Underestimated leaders Is history about to repeat itself? The Ages coverage of Albo is very similar to the coverage of Sleepy Joe Biden nine months out from the US elections. Will the Australian media have misjudged the Australian electorate, as did the US media misjudge President Biden? Geoff Wescott, Northcote Remaining vigilant Greg Bartons article We must stem the rising toxic tide of extremism (Opinion, 29/1) is a wake-up call, especially for politicians who belie the potential influence of extremist groups and, in some cases, could or would exploit it for political opportunism. As yet we do not have the level of extremism that exists in the US, but democracy is a fragile entity and something we should not take for granted. Vigilance is essential. Judith Morrison, Mount Waverley Home-grown extremism When Hillary Clinton called Trump supporters a basket of deplorables, she was derided by the right wing. How mild were her words. Given the racist and anti-Semitic views of the Proud Boys and their ilk, we should call them what they are: neo-Nazis. And they are here too. To allow them to flourish under the banner of free speech is a serious mistake. If there are defects in our laws prohibiting racial vilification, they should be amended. The root cause of this extremism is also unemployment and should be tackled. Robin Edwards, Malvern East Oh sorry, am I late? Marnie Vinall left out the most effective method to deal with the always late friend (Opinion, 29/1). First, you calculate their average lateness, for example, half an hour. Then, if you want to meet them at 7pm, you arrange it for 6.30pm. When you arrive at 6.50pm, you will only have a short wait, after which you can generously forgive their late arrival. But what if they actually get there at 6.30pm and have to wait 20 minutes for you? In that case you will experience the inner glow of triumph that revenge brings. But does this method really work? Dont ask me, I dont have any friends. Simon Thornton, Alphington The joys of lateness Marnie Vinall, I discovered lateness benefits early in life. Growing up, my father, bless him, dragged us off to church on Sundays always early, always getting a front-row seat and me, always feeling over-exposed and bored stiff. As soon as I was old enough, I went to church alone, late, got a back-row seat and found benefits in this compulsory event: checking out persons of interest, what outfits they wore, how pious they were, how dusty the pews and if any spiders were weaving their way down onto an unsuspecting ladys hat. Later in life, as I speed out the door, leaving when I am due to arrive, I remind myself better to be late than dead on time. Kerry Bergin, Abbotsford Cause for celebration I thought the joint article by Josh Frydenberg and Josh Burns (Opinion, 27/1) was uplifting and relevant. I was stunned at the response from readers (Letters, 28/1). While several applauded an all too rare example of bipartisanship, almost every reader attacked both political parties or simply Frydenberg and the Liberals. Surely we should encourage bipartisan views rather than slap them down as hypocrites or introduce other topics that were not the subject of the article. Alan Kozica, South Yarra High cost of elections According to your article (The Age, 27/1), Kevin Andrews has indicated to local members that he will retire in the next term of Parliament. Surely he should retire now and save the community money (ie, by not having to hold a byelection to replace him), or do conservative Liberals care nothing about this? Peta Colebatch, Hawthorn Inspirational leadership The Reverend Alistair Macrae was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his contributions to the church and the community, but has handed his award back because of Margaret Courts bad theology (The Age, 28/1). True leadership requires action representing beliefs and standards. I applaud him for demonstrating the courage to set a standard for behaviour and what is morally right despite religious background and backlash. He provides leadership to lift others, it is inspirational. Robyn Stonehouse, Camberwell Accepting the whole The Reverend Alistair Macrae made the point that anything that harms people is bad theology and not from God. The authority of the Bible relies on the assertion that it is the inspired word of God, yet it sanctions many obnoxious and inhumane practices, such as the keeping of slaves, and putting to death anyone who curses or strikes their parent or works on the Sabbath. Would it not follow that any theology based on the Bible is a bad theology? If you believe that a text is the inspired word of God, you are not entitled to disown the parts that you find distasteful or offensive. Brian Kilday, Jeeralang Junction A question of context First principles to be applied prior to quoting isolated verses from the Bible: Who said it, when, and in what context? This changes lots of things, really. Reverend Jim Pilmer, Camberwell The simple facts, PM So Boris Johnson is deeply sorry for every life that has been lost and says we truly did everything we could to minimise loss of life (World, 28/1). Pardon? No closing of the UKs borders? Allowing bars and restaurants to stay open until 10pm? Handing out free meal vouchers to help the economy recover? Wake up, Prime Minister. The more that people mingle, the more the virus will spread. It is not rocket science. Jen Gladstones, Heidelberg Im sorry is not enough Is it enough to apologise for being responsible for more than 100,000 coronavirus deaths, many of which were avoidable? New Zealand and Australia led the way last year with Go hard, go early, go home. Boris Johnsons shambolic ramblings were Go soft, go late, go to the pubs but make sure you leave one hour early to fool the virus and Go Christmas shopping, youve earned a treat. In our family communications to the UK, the phrase incompetent government often crops up. There has to be a point where under-performance morphs into criminal neglect of duty for which Boris Johnsons sorry is just another sad inadequacy. Roger Green, Ferntree Gully Prioritise Indigenous Giving preference to Indigenous Australians in the queue for COVID-19 vaccination would stand as a strong measure for redressing past wrongs. It would be simple, effective and courageous, and a strong move towards closing the gap. Sadly, I doubt that our politicians have the guts to do this. Graeme Rose, Stanley Avoiding responsibility The federal health minister yesterday praised Australias extraordinary efforts in achieving zero community transmission. It seems it is good news when it is an national success. However, when people died in federally managed aged care in Victoria, the Prime Minister We regulate aged care, but when there is a public health pandemic...whether it gets into aged care, shopping centres, schools or anywhere else, then they are things that are matters for Victoria (ABC). Richard Jamonts, Williamtown AND ANOTHER THING Credit:Illustration: Matt Golding Environment Joel Fitzgibbon is to Labor what Craig Kelly is to the Liberals. When will these parties wake up and get rid of these dinosaurs? Corrado Tavella, Rosslyn Park, SA For once Id be happy if our government followed US policy and re-joined the world on climate action. Ray Jones, Box Hill North Its official: the government and opposition believe saving the planet is too (politically) expensive. Let the other countries do the lifting. Jerry Koliha, South Melbourne The Butler didnt do it. Tony Lenten, Glen Waverley Labor Albo is unelectable. Find a lower-house seat for Penny. Hayden put his party and country before self. Tony Jackson, Fitzroy Shuffling deck chairs has never saved a sinking ship. This one needs the skipper to go first, not last. Nicholas Melaluka, Fairfield The Labor pains will continue until an electable leader is delivered. Graham Cadd, Dromana Find Wong a House of Reps seat and bingo, our next prime minister. Judi Crisp, Queenscliff The knives are out. A note to Shorten: Mate, a souffle doesnt rise twice. George Greenberg, Malvern Rudd, Gillard, Rudd, Shorten, Albanese. Deja vu. Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills The far-rightFar-right extremists sang Waltzing Matilda in the Grampians (28/1). Ban it before it spreads like a virus. David Hughes, South Melbourne Cant we send them to the bush to pick fruit for the farmers? Eric Kopp, Flinders If you are not anti-fascist, then what are you? Michael Neighbour, Beaconsfield Upper Claire Spivey will be joining the Duggar family pretty soon. The 19-year-old is set to marry Justin Duggar, Jim Bob, and Michelle Duggars 14th child, this year. When they announced their courtship in September 2020, the pair shocked fans. Justin, who was just 17 at the time, further stunned followers when he announced his engagement two months later. Justin and Claires engagement has been a bit overshadowed by Jill Dillards very public family feud, though. Claire might not be a Duggar yet, but it seems like she, and presumably, Justin have taken a side in the family drama already. Claire is following most of the Duggars Ahead of her wedding to Justin, Claire has been busy signing up for social media and adding her new in-laws to her feed. So far, the soon-to-be Duggar is following everyone from Jinger Vuolo to James Duggar, who recently joined Instagram. She also counts John David Duggar and Abbie Burnett, and Jana, Jedidiah, and Jason Duggar among her online friends. AJ Calloway, Hilaria Baldwin and the Duggar family | D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra Claire, who joined the platform in September 2020, has just six public posts so far. That is bound to change, though. The couple is likely getting married sometime in the next 30 days, and a photo explosion is expected. While she waits to walk down the aisle, Claire is clearly keeping up with what most of the Duggars are up to on social media. Still, she isnt interested in keeping up with everyone. Jill is suspiciously missing from the list, but so is Lauren Swanson and Josiah Duggar While Claire has made quick work of adding most of the Duggar family members on Instagram, there are a couple of members of the expansive family who have been left out. Claire is not currently following Jill or her husband, Derick Dillard. Jill and Derick remain blacklisted from most Duggar family events. Some fans wonder if Jill has even met Claire yet. If she hasnt met the bride-to-be yet, it might not be happening anytime soon. Things between Jill, Derick, and the Duggar family have gotten much tenser in recent months, and several Duggar kids have spoken out against them. Jill and Jessa Duggar from Counting On | TLC via YouTube RELATED: Counting On: Derick Dillard Appears to Shade Michelle Duggar After He and Wife, Jill Duggar, Skip Another Duggar Event While Claire isnt currently following Jill or Derick, they arent the only family members suspiciously left off her Instagram list. She also hasnt yet followed Josiah Duggar and his wife, Lauren Swanson. The pair, who married in 2018, is far from prolific posters, but it is still interesting. She also has failed to follow Amy Duggar, Justins rebellious cousin. In recent months, Amy has come out in defense of both Jill and Derick. She, too, appears to be at odds with Jim Bob, Michelle, and several Duggar siblings. When will Claire Spivey officially become a Duggar? Claire and Justin are keeping their wedding date a pretty big secret. An online registry suggests the pair will wed in late February, but family followers think the wedding is happening way sooner than that. Critics initially thought they would be getting married during the weekend of Jan. 22, after some of the Spiveys traveled to Springdale, Arkansas. Counting On: Justin Duggar and Claire Spivey | Us Weekly via YouTube The wedding didnt happen that weekend, but the pair may say I Do this week. Visitors still seem to be flocking to Northwest Arkansas, and Justin appeared to go snowboarding last weekend. Some family followers theorize that Justin and Claire enjoyed a bachelor and bachelorette weekend ahead of their upcoming nuptials. For now, fans will need to wait and see. PORT LUIS, Mauritius, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading CFD broker HotForex has received two new titles from the Global Forex Awards, "Most Trusted Forex Broker Global" and "Best Forex Educational Resources Global", in recognition of the company's exceptional commitment to helping its clients feel secure, supported, valued and confident at every step of their trading journey! With over 2.5 million live accounts opened, HotForex is proud to be a trusted broker of choice around the world. They provide free negative balance protection to every client, market leading insurance up to 5,000,000 and a dedicated 24/5 support team. The company received the award commenting: "From the start, our mission has been to provide the best customer service by maintaining a superb client centric culture. It is wonderful to have our success noticed and appreciated not just by our clients, but by some of the industry's most respected awarding bodies." 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About HotForex HotForex is an internationally acclaimed multi-asset broker of choice to over 2.5 million live accounts worldwide that has earned over 45 coveted industry awards. The company offers a wide variety of account types, innovative products, platforms, tools and educational resources besides outstanding customer service and unparalleled trading conditions. Risk Warning Trading Leveraged Products such as Forex and Derivatives may not be suitable for all investors as they carry a high degree of risk to your capital. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/830182/HotForex_Logo.jpg Contact: HF Markets Ltd, [email protected], +44-2033185978 SOURCE HotForex Related Links https://www.hfmarkets.com Do you remember the scene at the end of Monty Python's Life of Brian, where Brian is being crucified and a fellow victim (played by Eric Idle) tries to cheer him up by singing Always Look on the Bright Side of Life? Tasteless and funny, it's a parody of all those self-help books that talk about the importance of 'positivity'. I've always taken claims that a positive mental attitude will help you get on top of everything, from problems at work, to beating cancer with a big pinch of salt. But we do need hope, particularly right now. And there is indeed good evidence that being positive and optimistic can improve not only our mental but also our physical health, too. It even seems to have a big impact on life expectancy. The researchers found that the most optimistic people lived, on average, seven to ten years longer than those who were more pessimistic. Interestingly, there was a gender difference, with optimistic women living 15 per cent longer than their pessimistic contemporaries, and cheerful men managing an extra 11 per cent of life It's an area of research I'm interested in because I am, at heart, a pessimist. Wanting to find out more, a few years ago I made a documentary, where I went looking for evidence for a link between optimism and health. I also tried to make myself more optimistic (as a pessimist, I naturally expected to fail). As part of that documentary, I visited the town of Oxford in the U.S. state of Ohio, where, in 1975 a scientist from the local university came up with an ambitious plan to recruit all the over-50s in the town for a study into ageing more than 1,000 signed up. I've always taken claims that a positive mental attitude will help you get on top of everything, from problems at work, to beating cancer with a big pinch of salt, writes Dr Mosley (pictured) Decades later, researchers from Yale University tracked them down and found that those who'd felt the most optimistic about the future back in the 1970s, had lived, on average, about seven-and-a-half years longer than those who were more pessimistic. In most cases mental attitude was more important than almost any other factor. To put these extra seven-and-a-half years into context, if we could cure cancer tomorrow, it would add around four years to the average life expectancy. In another more recent study, published in 2019, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine discovered that optimistic people not only live longer, but are more likely to achieve 'exceptional longevity', i.e. live to 85 or older. The researchers found that the most optimistic people lived, on average, seven to ten years longer than those who were more pessimistic. Interestingly, there was a gender difference, with optimistic women living 15 per cent longer than their pessimistic contemporaries, and cheerful men managing an extra 11 per cent of life. Optimistic men and women had a 60 per cent greater chance of reaching 85 years old than those who were more downbeat. This is possibly because optimistic people are more resilient, better able to bounce back from stressful events. Or perhaps they expect to live longer and therefore have healthier habits, such as staying slim and doing more exercise we don't really know for sure. But what we do know, as I've discovered, is that you can learn to become more optimistic. Here are five techniques I've found helpful for countering my own Eeyore-ish tendencies and which are based on solid research. 1 Visualise a positive future. Once a week, for just a few minutes, stop and write down what would make you happy in, say, ten years' time. Think about what you would like to see happening in your career, your family, your finances or your health. Imagining a positive future really can make a difference, as a 2018 study by Northwestern University in the U.S. showed. The researchers asked students either to write about some event in the past or about their imagined future success and then filmed them for a mock interview, and gave them a difficult academic test. They found that the 'positive future' students showed greater motivation, more confident body language and put more effort into tackling the test. 2 Don't give in to catastrophic thinking. I have a tendency to constantly expect the worst, to catastrophise. My wife, Clare, on the other hand, expects things to turn out fine and she's almost always right. It's hard, but when you start to have gloomy thoughts about the future, you have to remind yourself of all the times when you thought things would go badly wrong, and they didn't. Once you reduce your fear, you can begin feeling more optimistic. 3 Challenge your thoughts. Remember, thoughts are not real. They are not statements of fact. They can be challenged. You might want to give your negative thoughts a name, like 'Donald'. So when you start thinking, 'my life is a mess and nothing seems to work out', try saying to yourself: 'That is just Donald sounding off again.' Try putting the other side of the argument. List the things you like about yourself and count your blessings. Challenging your own (negative) thoughts and replacing them with positive ones is effective, and is the basis of a very successful psychological approach called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). 4 Practise mindfulness. First thing most mornings, I sit in a quiet place for ten to 20 minutes, initially focusing on physical sensations, such as the weight of my body, then focusing on my breath, allowing thoughts to drift in and out of my consciousness. This technique is known as mindfulness a way of focusing your attention on being in the present moment, being aware of your thoughts and anxieties, but not engaging with them. Research using brain scanners shows that this kind of 'mindful meditation' can alter the structure of the brain and, in turn, lead to a more optimistic outlook (find free apps online to get you started). First thing most mornings, I sit in a quiet place for ten to 20 minutes, initially focusing on physical sensations, such as the weight of my body, then focusing on my breath, allowing thoughts to drift in and out of my consciousness [File photo] 5 Train your brain to look for the positive. This is the basis of an approach called cognitive bias modification (CBM), where you teach your brain to seek out the positive. A simple way of doing this is to use an app such as Mood Mint (2.99 from the AppStore on iPhones), which shows you a screen with blank, angry or smiley faces. As quickly as possible you try to spot the smiley face and click on it, then a new set of faces appears (do this for five to ten minutes a day). A review published in The Lancet last June showed a modest but consistent effect of CBM when it came to reducing stress and anxiety. Conquer your coronasomnia Stuck indoors, stressed, with less to do, many of us are spending extra time in our beds. But it doesn't seem to be helping our sleep, according to a recent survey, which found that rates of insomnia in the UK have soared from one in six before the pandemic, to one in four now in a phenomenon that has been labelled 'coronasomnia'. Meanwhile, Google searches for the word 'sleep' and 'insomnia' have both markedly increased over the past month. Interestingly, when you dig down into the data, peak searches for these words occur at 2.30am and 4.30am. Stuck indoors, stressed, with less to do, many of us are spending extra time in our beds. But it doesn't seem to be helping our sleep, according to a recent survey [File photo] It seems that a lot of people wake in the early hours, can't go back to sleep, and go looking for answers. Unfortunately, looking for answers online, in the middle of the night, is probably the worst thing you can do, as it will stimulate your brain just when you want it to be relaxed. Coronasomnia, like many other forms of insomnia, is driven largely by an overactive mind and too much worrying. I find the best thing to do if I am wide awake at 3am and can't sleep, is to get out of bed, find a quiet place to read and only return to bed when I start feeling drowsy. It's a simple, low-tech solution but taking the stress out of lying in bed worrying about being awake, really does help. Perhaps it's time to rewrite the old saying, 'Man's best friend is his dog', as according to research, women had a more important role in forging our current, close relationship with canines. Based on a study of hunter gatherer societies, anthropologists from Washington State University in the U.S., concluded that: 'Humans were more likely to regard dogs as a type of person if the dogs had a special relationship with women. They were more likely to be included in family life, treated as subjects of affection and generally, people had greater regard for them.' Why is not clear, but certainly this is borne out in our family: for although our dog, a King Charles Spaniel called Tari, hangs around me when we are eating (hoping I will pass her a treat under the table), it is Clare she sits on when we are watching TV. She is currently stationed at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium. joined the German Armed Forces in 2011. Before she started working in a NATO post she worked as a reporter and moderator at the German mission radio station Radio Andernach for which she also went on mission to Prizren, Kosovo. Alba DAlcamo was born in Palermo, Italy. She has always worked in a multicultural environment and taken every chance to gain academic and professional experiences. Her passion for travelling and speaking foreign languages gives her confidence while operating in tourism, hospitality and marketing. Alba now brings her positive attitude and wealth of industry experience to the SHAPE Communications Division as a volunteer, exploring and supporting different sections such as production, social media, writing and more. New Delhi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday slammed the Centre, saying that an incompetent and insensitive government is all set to rollout the Goods and Services Tax (GST) without any planning foresight and institutional readiness. He also compared it with demonetisation. The Congress vice-president alleged that the Modi government wants to implement the reform in a hurry so they can take credit for the same. He said the country deserves a GST rollout but not at the cost of traders pain and anxiety. India deserves a #GST rollout that does not put crores of its ordinary citizens, small businesses & traders through tremendous pain &anxiety Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) June 30, 2017 The Congress leader said that the grand old party has championed the GST since the beginning. Unlike demonetisation, GST is a reform that @INCIndia has championed & backed from the beginning Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) June 30, 2017 The Congress party has decided not to attend the midnight GST session. The party alleged it a "grand self-promoting tamasha (gimmick)" to gain publicity. But like demonetisation,GST is being executed by an incompetent&insensitive Govt w/o planning foresight &institutional readiness #GSTTamasha Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) June 30, 2017 The party also accused the government of "insulting" India's freedom struggle, as the previous three-midnight functions held in the central hall of Parliament were related to the country's independence. This was a reason why it had decided not to attend the session, leaders said. Also Read | Ghulam Nabi Azad: Congress to boycott GST launch programme to be held in Central Hall of Parliament on June 30 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Sir Rod Stewart and his son have reached a plea deal to settle battery charges stemming from an altercation with a security guard at a luxury Florida hotel on New Year's Eve. On Friday, prosecutors and defense attorneys announced that the 76-year-old rockstar and son, Sean Stewart, 40, would not be going to trial for the altercation at The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach on New Year's Eve 2019. The terms of the agreement were not released to the public, but it brings to an end a very public, year-long legal battle in which Stewart, a member of the RocknRoll Hall of Fame who was knighted by the Queen in 2016, was accused of punching guard Jesse Dixon, 33, in the stomach and performing a Nazi salute whilst wearing a gold lame jacket. The musician (pictured on the night of the alleged fight), 76, and his son Sean, 40, have reached a plea agreement over battery following an alleged incident involving security guard Jesse Dixon at a luxury hotel in Palm Beach, Florida on New Year's Eve 2019 Footage of the incident, obtained and published exclusively by DailyMail.com several weeks after the fight, revealed that Sir Rod performed what appeared to be a mock Nazi salute before thumping Dixon Stewart appears to perform an ironic Nazi salute (pictured left and right) with his right arm extended high above his head while he formed a moustache with his left hand Pictured is security guard Jesse Dixon, 33, who claimed that he was punched by Rod Stewart after he denied him access to a private event to which he was reportedly not invited The rockstar was accused of the charges alongside his son Sean, 40, pictured together in Los Angeles in 2015 The alleged incident took place at The Breakers hotel in Palm Beach, Florida The incident started on New Year's Eve 2019, when security guard Dixon told police that Stewart and his family were at the check-in table for a private party that they weren't authorized to attend. Dixon said the group became loud and began causing a scene. Dixon told investigators he put his hand on the younger Stewart's chest and told him to back up and make space, the report said. That's when Sean Stewart, the rock star's 40-year-old son, got 'nose to nose' with Dixon, he claimed. Footage of the incident, obtained and published exclusively by DailyMail.com several weeks after the fight, revealed that Sir Rod performed what appeared to be a mock Nazi salute before thumping Dixon. His wife and their two sons, 14-year-old Alastair and Aiden, eight, were standing nearby as the musician, wearing a glittering gold lame jacket, raised his right arm high above his head and placed his left hand above his mouth - appearing to imitate a moustache. Sean Stewart then shoved Dixon backwards. Rod Stewart punched Dixon in his 'left rib cage area' with a closed fist, a police report said. The police report said Sean Stewart told investigators he became agitated when they were not able to attend the event 'due to Dixons interaction with him and his family.' Rod Stewart, pictured on Instagram, is a rockstar known for his hits 'Maggie May' and 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy' On January 11 2020, days after the alleged incident, Stewart is seen leaving The Ritz after celebrating his 75th birthday Palm Beach officer Stephen Mancino said he viewed security footage at the hotel and determined that the Stewarts were the 'primary aggressors.' Two Breakers employees who were working the private event told police they saw Sean Stewart push Dixon and Rod Stewart punch the guard. Dixon signed an affidavit saying that he wanted to press charges against the Stewarts. Stewart has married three times and has eight children. He is pictured receiving his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005 alongside his third wife Penny Lancaster, who he married in 2007, as well as children Kimberley Stewart, Sean Stewart, Ruby Stewart and Liam McAllister Stewart married third wife Penny Lancaster back in 2007 and the couple share sons Alastair, 15, and Aiden, nine. He is also dad to six other children; sons Sean, 40, and Liam, 26, and daughters Kimberly, 41, Ruby, 33, Renee, 28, and Sarah Streeter, 58. Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Loire UK Midco 3 LimitedGlobal Credit Research - 29 Jan 2021London, 29 January 2021 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has completed a periodic review of the ratings of Loire UK Midco 3 Limited and other ratings that are associated with the same analytical unit. 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The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister has also directed the officials to make sure that the kanwariyas are not allowed to play vulgar songs but only bhajans. They will be allowed to play only bhajans and not film songs that are either vulgar or provocative, CM Adityanath said. Loud and provocative DJs have often led to trouble so this time DJs per se may not be allowed or encouraged, a police officer said. Adityanath chaired a meeting to supervise arrangements for the annual pilgrimage, scheduled to begin from July 8. More than 3 crore devotees are expected to participate in the Kanwar Yatra. This is the first time that a chief minister has supervised arrangements for the Kanwar Yatra, which takes place during the Shravan month of Hindu calendar. Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party and Congress have criticised Adityanath for the move saying, "the UP chief minister is promoting superstition at a time when world is keeping its foot on the Mars and the Moon. ALSO READ | UP CM Adityanath highlights 100 days of achievements, says govt will continue to work for poor, farmers Pruning of gular trees is first of its kind decision. Its surprising, for gular is a medicinal plant and is even used during yagnas. May be the pruning order is due to the fact that gular is a dense and full tree with its branches almost touching the ground. May be the order is to ensure that the vessel filled with holy water doesnt get damaged, said Acharya Chintamani Joshi, principal of Meerut-based Sanskrit Degree College. Adityanath has also directed the officials to meet the kanwariyas before the yatra commences to explain them the dos and donts during the pilgrimage. ALSO READ | UP CM Yogi Adityanath: 'We have finished hooliganism in UP' For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Yves here. Americas relationship with the military is becoming more and more unhealthy. The all volunteer service is a cover for shifting the human cost of service mainly onto young men and women who lack better career prospects, as in members of the lower/lower middle classes who lack the family monies and connections to have more attractive options. And while that deal once might have seemed attractive between government-funded higher education, medical care, and pensions, extended tours of duty have changed this equation. And while it used to be members of the right that were subject to hard-ons for men in uniform (as opposed to a mere healthy respect for military service), Team Dem has more recently gone into swoons over current and former senior military men in the wake of RussiaRussia! Recall that Lambert and others warned of the Clinton camps lobbying for a change in the Constitutional order, including the incoming President having to be acceptable the Pentagon. By Mandy Smithberger, the director of the Center for Defense Information at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) and >William D. Hartung, the director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy and the author of Prophets of War: Lockheed Martin and the Making of the Military-Industrial Complex Originally published at TomDispatch This months insurrection at the Capitol revealed the dismal failure of the Capitol Police and the Department of Defense to use their expertise and resources to thwart a clear and present danger to our democracy. As the government reform group Public Citizen tweeted, If youre spending $740,000,000,000 annually on defense but fascists dressed for the renaissance fair can still storm the Capitol as they please, maybe its time to rethink national security? At a time of acute concern about the health of our democracy, any such rethinking must, among other things, focus on strengthening the authority of civilians and civilian institutions over the military in an American world where almost the only subject the two parties in Congress can agree on is putting up ever more money for the Pentagon. This means so many in our political system need to wean themselves from the counterproductive habit of reflexively seeking out military or retired military voices to validate them on issues ranging from public health to border security that should be quite outside the militarys purview. Its certainly one of the stranger phenomena of our era: after 20 years of endless war in which trillions of dollars were spent and hundreds of thousands died on all sides without the U.S. military achieving anything approaching victory, the Pentagon continues to be funded at staggering levels, while funding to deal with the greatest threats to our safety and national security from the pandemic to climate change to white supremacy proves woefully inadequate. In good times and bad, the U.S. military and the industrial complex that surrounds it, which President Dwight D. Eisenhower first warned us about in 1961, continue to maintain a central role in Washington, even though theyre remarkably irrelevant to the biggest challenges facing our democracy. These days, its completely normal for military and defense officials to weigh in endlessly on what once would have been civilian matters. As the Biden years begin, its time to give some serious thought to how to demilitarize our democracy. Unfortunately, in the America of 2021, the short-term benefit of relying on the widely accepted credibility of military figures to promote policies of every sort is obvious indeed. Who in the political class in the nations capital wouldnt want a stamp of approval from dozens of generals, active or retired, endorsing their favorite initiative or candidate? (Its something in years past the authors of this piece have been guilty of as well.) As it happens, though, such approval comes at a high price, undermining as it does the authority of civilian officials and agencies, while skewing resources toward the Pentagon that should be invested elsewhere to keep us truly safe. Its an essential attribute of the American system that the military remains under civilian authority. These days, however, given the number of current or retired military officers who have become key arbiters of what we should do on a dizzying array of critical issues, civilian control is the policy equivalent of an endangered species. In the last election season, long before the attack on the Capitol, there was already an intense national discussion about how to prevent violence at the polls, a conversation that all too quickly (and disturbingly) focused on what role the military should play in the process. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was repeatedly asked to provide assurances that it would have no role in determining the outcome of the election, something that in another America would have been a given. Meanwhile, some actually sought more military involvement. For example, in a widely debated open letter to Milley, retired Army officers John Nagl and Paul Yingling stated that if Donald Trump refuses to leave office at the expiration of his constitutional term, the United States military must remove him by force, and you must give that order. Proposals of this sort undermine the integrity of the many laws Congress and the states have put in place to prevent the military or armed vigilantes from playing any role in the electoral process. Similarly, both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have identified the military as a key future player in distributing the Covid-19 vaccine, something that could and should be handled by public-health institutions, if only they, like the Pentagon, had adequate resources. The Military Knows Best? During and after the attack on the Capitol, officials from the military and national security worlds were given pride of place in discussions about the future of our democracy. Their opinions were sought out by the media and others on a wide range of issues that fell well outside their primary areas of expertise. A letter from 10 former secretaries of defense calling on the Republican caucus to respect the results of the election was given headline attention, while political figures pressed to have retired military officers involved in the January 6th assault tried in military, not civilian, courts. Before pursuing the second impeachment of Donald Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi typically turned to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs (who isnt even in the civilian chain of command) to seek assurance that he could stop the president from starting a last-minute nuclear war. And none of this was faintly unusual, given that retired military officers have regularly been asked to weigh in on subjects as varied as abortion rights, climate change, and childhood obesity. Its not, of course, that such figures shouldnt be able, like anyone else, to offer their opinions or support on matters of public health and safety, but that their voices shouldnt matter more than those of public-health experts, scientists, medical professionals, or other civilians. Despite its failure to win a war in decades, the military remains one of Americas most respected institutions, getting the kind of appreciation that generally doesnt extend to other more successful public servants. After almost 20 years of forever wars, its hard, at this point, to accept that the militarys reputation for wisdom is deserved. In fact, continually relying on retired generals and other present or former national security officials as validators effectively erodes the credibility of, and the publics trust in, other institutions that are meant to keep us healthy and safe. In the Covid-19 moment, it should be clear that relying on narrowly defined notions of national security harms our democracy, a subject that none of those military or former military figures are likely to deal with. In addition, in all too many cases, current and retired military officials have abused the public trust in ways that call into question their right to serve as judges of whats important, or even to imagine that they could provide objective advice. For one thing, a striking number of high-ranking officers on leaving the military pass through the infamous revolving door of the military-industrial complex into positions as executives, lobbyists, board members, or consultants for the defense industry. They work on behalf of firms like Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and General Dynamics that receive a combined $100 billion annually in Pentagon contracts with little accountability, even as they remain key go-to media figures. They then use their former rank and the prestige attached to it to lobby Congress and influence the media on the need for endless wars and an ever-increasing military budget to support major weapons programs like Lockheed Martins troubled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter all without bothering to disclose that they stand to gain financially from the positions theyre taking. And the prospect of a big, fat salary in the weapons sector upon retirement also exerts an unhealthy influence on officers still serving in the military who are often loath to anger, or in any way alienate, their potential future employers. This revolving-door phenomenon is widespread. A study by the Project on Government Oversight found that, in 2018 alone, there were 645 cases in which the top 20 defense contractors hired former government officials, military officers, members of Congress, and senior congressional legislative staff as lobbyists, board members, or executives. This should hardly inspire public trust in their opinions. In some cases, ex-military officers have even taken to the airwaves and the op-ed pages of newspapers to advocate for war without disclosing their ties to the arms industry. A 2008 New York Times investigation, for example, revealed that a number of retired-officers-turned-media pundits with continuing defense industry ties had, for years, advocated for the Iraq War at the Pentagons behest. Ex-generals like former Trump administration Defense Secretary James Mattis, who served on the board of General Dynamics before taking the helm of the Pentagon and returned there shortly after stepping down, too often use their stature to refrain from providing basic information to the media while befogging the transparency and accountability that should be a pillar of democracy. The Politicization of the Military When civilian voices and policies are eclipsed as the central determinants in how our democracy should operate, a larger dilemma arises: continuing to rely on the military as a primary source of judgment for whats right or wrong in the civilian world risks politicizing the armed forces, too. From retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn leading chants of Lock her up! at the 2016 Republican National Convention to the competition between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as well as, in the 2020 election campaign, between Joe Biden and Donald Trump to see who could get more retired generals to endorse him or her only helps militarize the civilian election process and politicizes what should be a nonpartisan institution. Given the more than a trillion dollars Americans annually invest in the national security state, its striking to note, for instance, how such institutions let us down when it came to addressing the threats of white nationalism. Last summer, the Intercept uncovered a buried FBI report on the shortcomings of various federal agencies when it came to dealing with domestic terrorism. Before the 2020 election, the bureau refused to release that report on the domestic threat of white supremacy. Last year, in a similar fashion, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) withheld for months its assessment of the same lethal threat of racist extremism in this country. While there must be a full investigation of what happened at the Capitol on January 6th, reports seem to indicate a striking blindness in the national security state to the possibility of such an attack. Its not that the DHS, the FBI, or the military need an influx of new funds to face the problem. Rather, whats needed at this moment in history is a clearer focus on the real risks to our country, which have little to do with foreign terrorists, the Taliban, or other such groups the U.S. has been fighting abroad for years on end. The Department of Defense typically did itself and the rest of us no favors by burying a report on widespread racism in the ranks of the military, which, though completed in 2017, didnt see the light of day until this January. Only in the aftermath of the riot at the Capitol did that organization finally begin to truly address its own white-supremacy problems. The military, like so many other American institutions, has failed to reckon seriously with deep-seated racism in its ranks. Even before the January 6th insurrection, it was clear that such racism made it nearly impossible for Black officers to be promoted. And while many questioned the naming of key military bases after Confederate generals, the issue has only recently been addressed (over a presidential veto at that) with the creation of a new commission to rename them. Reports of active duty, reserve, and veteran members of the military aiding the Capitol insurrection only bring into stark relief the inexcusable costs of not having addressed the problem earlier. More Pentagon Spending Wont Make Us Safer There are also high costs to be paid for relying on the Department of Defense to handle problems that have nothing to do with its primary mission. Using the armed forces as key players in addressing crises that arent military in nature only further undermines civilian institutions and is often counterproductive as well. In the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, a number of politicians called for President Trump to use the Defense Production Act (as it seems Biden will indeed soon do) and the Department of Defense to ramp up the production of N95 masks, ventilators, and other personal protective equipment. The story of what happened to such funds in the Trump years should be telling. The Washington Post discovered that $1 billion in supposed pandemic relief money was instead funneled directly to defense contractors and $70 million of the funds the Pentagon spent went to ventilators that proved unfit for Covid-19 patients. While some of that money did go to bolster mask supply chains, another Post investigation discovered that such efforts did not come close to addressing national shortfalls and amounted to less than the department spends on instruments, uniforms, and travel for military bands. Perhaps the most disturbing cost of our overreliance on the military can be found in Congresss budget and policy priorities. In December of last year, a bill to authorize nearly $740 billion in Pentagon spending garnered enough votes to easily overcome President Trumps veto (motivated mainly by his refusal to condone renaming military bases named after Confederate generals) at the very moment when Congress was blocking legislation to give $2,000 relief checks directly to Covid-19 embattled Americans. By now, two decades into the twenty-first century, its clear that more money for the Pentagon hasnt made this country safer. It has, however, helped give the military an ever more central role in our previously civilian political world. Bidens selection of retired General Lloyd Austin III to be secretary of defense only emphasizes this point. While its certainly laudatory to appoint the first Black leader to that position, Austin has retired so recently that he needed a congressional waiver from a law requiring a seven-year cooling off period before taking up such a civilian post (just as Mattis did four years ago) another sign that civilian control of the military is continuing to weaken. In addition, now that he has retired from his role in private industry, Austin stands to make a small fortune, up to $1.7 million, when he divests his stock holdings in Raytheon Technologies. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex, President Eisenhower warned Americans in his 1961 farewell address. How right he proved to be! Sixty years later, its become all too clear that more must be done to deal with that very unwarranted influence. The immediate crises of the American republic should be clear enough right now: responding to the pandemic and restoring our civilian democracy. Certainly, military leaders like Milley should be appreciated for agreeing on the need to prioritize the pandemic and oppose sedition. However, more Pentagon spending and more military influence will not, in the end, make us any safer. Amaravati, Jan 29 : Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar is expected to take a call on a panel of three IAS officers proposed by the state government for the role of secretary in the State Election Commission. "I furnish the following names of IAS officers to select one of them to be appointed as secretary to the state election commission as desired," said Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das. He proposed the names of G. Vijay Kumar, a 2001 batch IAS officer, K. Kanna Babu (2006) and P. Raja Babu (2013). Earlier, Secretary Vani Mohan was relieved by Kumar, necessitating the new names amid the rocky relations between the SEC and the state government. The SEC has already recommended the relieving of a bunch of officers, including the Collector of Guntur from the forthcoming Panchayat elections duties. Nominations for the first of the four phase rural local bodies elections have begun on Friday. Rewind, Review, and Re-Rate: The Verdict, About a Down-and-Out Lawyer Fighting for Justice R | 2h 9min | Drama | 17 December 1982 (USA) When a director slows the action down and focuses on the actor, we see a nervous twitch here, a tremble of the chin therea multitude of subtle cues that give insights into a characters emotional state. If done right, these long, unbroken shots can help viewers immerse themselves in the world that the filmmaker is trying to bring to life. This technique is used to near-perfection in the 1982 legal drama The Verdict, starring Paul Newman in perhaps his finest performance. Paul Newman in the opening film credits for the drama The Verdict. (Twentieth Century Fox) Helmed by Sidney Lumet (12 Angry Men, Serpico, Network), a director who is known for bringing the best out of his actors, the film begins with an intimate look at Newmans character, Frank Galvin. Franks a down-on-his-luck Boston attorney, who has had very few cases in recent years. Hes playing a game of pinball in a run-down bar, and much like his life, he keeps losing game after game. The large window in the background paints a dreary, gray scene, and that, along with a crooked Christmas ornament dangling nearby, signals that its winter. This long, unbroken shot immediately gives you an insight into Frank. Each time he loses a pinball game, he pauses and takes a sip from his semi-flat beer or a drag from a cigarette. Lawyer Frank Galvin (Paul Newman) in a dark tavern, with a bleak winter view visible through a window. (Twentieth Century Fox) Later, we see Frank at several funeral services. As bereaved attendees shuffle around, Frank hands out his business cards to family members, hoping to drum up some business. These dismal scenes culminate in Frank getting tossed out of a funeral home, after being a little too pushy and insensitive with his card-dispensing. That evening, Frank holds court at a local bar, telling lewd jokes to a rapt circle of buddies, guffawing at every punchline. He staggers back to his office wherein a drunken ragehe smashes some of his framed law certificates, resulting in a glass shard cutting his brow. Later, his only friend, Mickey Morrissey (Jack Warden), shows up and finds him in a near-comatose state. Mickey revives Frank and reveals a surprise: Hes got a case tailor-made for Frank that could not only restore the mans reputation as a lawyer but also make him rich. Lawyer Frank Galvin (Paul Newman, L) consults with his friend Mickey Morrissey (Jack Warden), in The Verdict. (Twentieth Century Fox) The case involves a couple of well-respected doctors who practice at an esteemed Catholic hospital in the city. The doctors stand accused of malpractice: of improperly administering anesthetic to a young woman during an operation. The woman has not only lost her unborn baby but has also lapsed into a vegetative state. The case seems open-and-shut, just begging for an out-of-court settlement. As the alcoholic cobwebs begin to clear from Franks head, his still-intelligent eyes dart about at the prospect of an easy fortune. But when Frank shows up to take Polaroid snapshots of the victims withered body, lying in a hospital bed, he has a cathartic moment. As he stares at her, any sense of greed he had is replaced with something else. Frank is summoned to the church to meet with Bishop Brophy (Edward Binns), who represents the interests of the diocese. In the opulent church office, the bishop offers Frank a generous settlement that will set him up for life. Bishop Brophy (Edward Binns, L) wants lawyer Frank Galvin (Paul Newman) to settle out of court, in The Verdict. (Twentieth Century Fox) However, Frank has been transformed: Hes now seeking justice for the victim, at all costs. He turns down the offer, saying that if he accepts the money, hed just be a rich ambulance chaser. In other words, accepting the settlement would forever cost him his integrity and perhaps his soul. For Frank, the case represents not only justice for the victim but also a validation of his skill and talent as an attorney. Hed no longer be viewed as a has-been if he fights it out. As the legal storm looms on the horizon, Frank realizes that the odds are stacked against him. The church has hired a top-flight law firm, which is headed by ruthless legal guru Ed Concannon (James Mason). Legal guru Ed Concannon (James Mason) is hired to oppose Frank Galvin in court. (Twentieth Century Fox) During this time, Frank falls for Laura Fischer (Charlotte Rampling), and the two begin an intense relationship. Although Laura seems supportive and nurturing, we wonder if she truly has Franks interest at heart. Charlotte Rampling plays Laura Fischer, the love interest of Frank Galvin (Paul Newman), in The Verdict. (Twentieth Century Fox) And as Frank begins to experience setback after setback, we wonder: Does he really have what it takes to go up against such a high-powered legal team, especially when the presiding judge dislikes him? Simply put, The Verdict is a riveting legal drama with not only a compelling story but also stellar acting and direction. The films slow-building tension gradually ratchets up every time Frank is met with a new challenge (or falters in the face of one) and our sympathy for him deepens. The films an authentic-feeling character study about a man whose passion for truth and justice outweighs his capabilities or does it? Find out for yourself in this outstanding cinematic tour de force. The Verdict Director: Sidney Lumet Starring: Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden, James Mason Rated: R Running Time: 2 hours, 9 minutes Release Date: Dec. 17, 1982 (USA) Rated: 5 stars out of 5 Ian Kane is a filmmaker and author based out of Los Angeles. To see more, visit DreamFlightEnt.com or contact him at Twitter.com/theRealIanKane Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size As a child, Suzanne Simard often roamed Canadas old-growth forests with her siblings, building forts from fallen branches, foraging mushrooms and huckleberries and occasionally eating handfuls of dirt (she liked the taste). Her grandfather and uncles, meanwhile, worked nearby as horse loggers, using low-impact methods to selectively harvest cedar, Douglas fir and white pine. They took so few trees that Simard never noticed much of a difference. The forest seemed ageless and infinite, pillared with conifers, jewelled with raindrops and brimming with ferns and fairy bells. She experienced it as nature in the raw: a mythic realm, perfect as it was. When she began attending the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, she was elated to discover forestry: an entire field of science devoted to her beloved domain. It seemed like the natural choice. By the time she was in grad school at Oregon State University, however, Simard understood that commercial clear-cutting had largely superseded the sustainable logging practices of the past. Loggers were replacing diverse forests with homogeneous plantations, evenly spaced in upturned soil stripped of most underbrush. Without any competitors, the thinking went, the newly planted trees would thrive. Instead, they were frequently more vulnerable to disease and climatic stress than trees in old-growth forests. In particular, Simard noticed that up to 10 per cent of newly planted Douglas fir were likely to get sick and die whenever nearby aspen, paper birch and cottonwood were removed. The reasons were unclear. The planted saplings had plenty of space, and they received more light and water than trees in old, dense forests. So why were they so frail? Simard suspected the answer was buried in the soil. Underground, trees and fungi form partnerships known as mycorrhizae: threadlike fungi envelop and fuse with tree roots, helping them extract water and nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen in exchange for some of the carbon-rich sugars the trees make through photosynthesis. Research had demonstrated that mycorrhizae also connected plants to one another and that these associations might be ecologically important, but most scientists had studied them in greenhouses and laboratories, not in the wild. For her doctoral thesis, Simard decided to investigate fungal links between Douglas fir and paper birch in the forests of British Columbia. Apart from her supervisor, she didnt receive much encouragement from her mostly male peers. The old foresters were like, Why dont you just study growth and yield? Simard told me. I was more interested in how these plants interact. They thought it was all very girlie. Now a professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia, Simard, who is 60, has studied webs of root and fungi in the Arctic, temperate and coastal forests of North America for nearly three decades. Her initial inklings about the importance of mycorrhizal networks were prescient, inspiring whole new lines of research that ultimately overturned long-standing misconceptions about forest ecosystems. By analysing the DNA in root tips and tracing the movement of molecules through underground conduits, Simard has discovered that fungal threads link nearly every tree in a forest even trees of different species. Carbon, water, nutrients, alarm signals and hormones can pass from tree to tree through these subterranean circuits. Resources tend to flow from the oldest and biggest trees to the youngest and smallest. Chemical alarm signals generated by one tree prepare nearby trees for danger. Seedlings severed from the forests underground lifelines are much more likely to die than their networked counterparts. And if a tree is on the brink of death, it sometimes bequeaths a substantial share of its carbon to its neighbours. Advertisement Although Simards peers were sceptical and sometimes even disparaging of her early work, they now generally regard her as one of the most rigorous and innovative scientists studying plant communication and behaviour. David Janos, co-editor of the scientific journal Mycorrhiza, characterised her published research as sophisticated, imaginative, cutting-edge. Jason Hoeksema, a University of Mississippi biology professor who has studied mycorrhizal networks, agreed: I think she has really pushed the field forward. Loading Some of Simards studies now feature in textbooks and are widely taught in graduate-level classes on forestry and ecology. She was also a key inspiration for a central character in Richard Powerss 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Overstory: the visionary botanist Patricia Westerford. In May, Knopf will publish Simards own book, Finding the Mother Tree, a vivid and compelling memoir of her lifelong quest to prove that the forest was more than just a collection of trees. Before Simard and other ecologists revealed the extent and significance of mycorrhizal networks, foresters typically regarded trees as solitary individuals that competed for space and resources and were otherwise indifferent to one another. Simard and her peers have demonstrated that this framework is far too simplistic. An old-growth forest is neither an assemblage of stoic organisms tolerating one anothers presence nor a merciless battle royale: its a vast, ancient and intricate society. There is conflict in a forest, but there is also negotiation, reciprocity and perhaps even selflessness. The trees, understorey plants, fungi and microbes in a forest are so thoroughly connected, communicative and co-dependent that some scientists have described them as superorganisms. Recent research suggests that mycorrhizal networks also perfuse prairies, grasslands, chaparral and Arctic tundra essentially everywhere there is life on land. Together, these symbiotic partners knit earths soils into nearly contiguous living networks of unfathomable scale and complexity. I was taught that you have a tree, and its out there to find its own way, Simard told me. Its not how a forest works, though. Suzanne Simards hunch about how groups of trees interact revolutionised forest ecology. Credit:Brendan George Ko/The New York Times Licensing Group/Redux Advertisement In mid-2019, I met Simard in Nelson, a small mountain town not far from where she grew up in southern British Columbia. One morning we drove up a winding road to an old-growth forest and began to hike. The first thing I noticed was the aroma. The air was piquant and subtly sweet, like orange peel and cloves. Above our heads, great green plumes filtered the sunlight, which splashed generously onto the forest floor in some places and merely speckled it in others. Gnarled roots laced the trail beneath our feet, diving in and out of the soil like sea serpents. I was so preoccupied with my own experience of the forest that it did not even occur to me to consider how the forest might be experiencing us until Simard brought it up. These trees are very perceptive. Very perceptive of whos growing around them. Im really interested in whether they perceive us. These trees are very perceptive, she said. Very perceptive of whos growing around them. Im really interested in whether they perceive us. I asked her to clarify what she meant. Simard explained that trees sense nearby plants and animals and alter their behaviour accordingly: the gnashing mandibles of an insect might prompt the production of chemical defences, for example. Some studies have even suggested that plant roots grow toward the sound of running water and that certain flowering plants sweeten their nectar when they detect a bees wing beats. Trees perceive lots of things, Simard said. So why not us, too? I considered the possibility. Wed been walking through this forest for more than an hour. Our sweat glands had been wafting pungent chemical compounds. Our voices and footsteps were sending pressure waves through the air and soil. Our bodies brushed against trunks and displaced branches. Suddenly it seemed entirely plausible that the trees had noticed our presence. A little farther along the trail, we found a sunny alcove where we stopped to rest and chat, laying our backpacks against a log plush with moss and lichen. A multitude of tiny plants sprouted from the logs green fleece. I asked Simard what they were. She bent her head for a closer look, tucking her frizzy blond hair behind her ears, and called out what she saw: queens cup, a kind of lily; five-leaved bramble, a type of wild raspberry; and both cedar and hemlock seedlings. As she examined the log, part of it collapsed, revealing the decaying interior. Simard dug deeper with her thumbs, exposing a web of rubbery, mustard-yellow filaments embedded in the wood. Mycorrhizae in the soil between Douglas firs. Credit:Brendan George Ko/The New York Times Licensing Group/Redux Thats a fungus! she said. That is Piloderma. Its a very common mycorrhizal fungus one she had encountered and studied many times before in circumstances exactly like these. This mycorrhizal network is actually linked up to that tree. She gestured toward a nearby hemlock that stood at least 30 metres tall. That tree is feeding these seedlings. Advertisement In some of her earliest and most famous experiments, Simard planted mixed groups of young Douglas fir and paper birch trees in forest plots and covered the trees with individual plastic bags. In each plot, she injected the bags surrounding one tree species with radioactive carbon dioxide and the bags covering the other species with a stable carbon isotope, a variant of carbon with an unusual number of neutrons. The trees absorbed the unique forms of carbon through their leaves. Later, she pulverised the trees and analysed their chemistry to see if any carbon had passed from species to species underground. It had. In the summer, when the smaller Douglas fir trees were generally shaded, carbon mostly flowed from birch to fir. In autumn, when evergreen Douglas fir was still growing and deciduous birch was losing its leaves, the net flow reversed. As her earlier observations of failing Douglas fir had suggested, the two species appeared to depend on each other. No one had ever traced such a dynamic exchange of resources through mycorrhizal networks in the wild. In 1997, part of Simards thesis was published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature a rare feat for someone so green. Nature featured her research on its cover with the title The Wood-Wide Web, a moniker that eventually proliferated through the pages of published studies and popular science writing alike. In 2002, Simard secured her current professorship at the University of British Columbia, where she continued to study interactions among trees, understorey plants and fungi. In collaboration with students and colleagues around the world, she made a series of remarkable discoveries. Mycorrhizal networks were abundant in North Americas forests. Most trees were generalists, forming symbioses with dozens to hundreds of fungal species. In one study of six Douglas fir stands measuring about 930 square metres each, almost all the trees were connected underground by no more than three degrees of separation; one especially large and old tree was linked to 47 other trees and projected to be connected to at least 250 more; and seedlings that had full access to the fungal network were 26 per cent more likely to survive than those that did not. Depending on the species involved, mycorrhizae supplied trees and other plants with up to 40 per cent of the nitrogen they received from the environment and as much as 50 per cent of the water they needed to survive. Below ground, trees traded between 10 and 40 per cent of the carbon stored in their roots. When Douglas fir seedlings were stripped of their leaves and thus likely to die, they transferred stress signals and a substantial sum of carbon to nearby ponderosa pine, which subsequently accelerated their production of defensive enzymes. Simard also found that denuding a harvested forest of all trees, ferns, herbs and shrubs a common forestry practice did not always improve the survival and growth of newly planted trees. In some cases, it was harmful. When Simard started publishing her provocative studies, some of her peers loudly disapproved. They questioned her novel methodology and disputed her conclusions. Many were perplexed as to why trees of different species would help one another at their own expense an extraordinary level of altruism that seemed to contradict the core tenets of Darwinian evolution. Soon, most references to her studies were immediately followed by citations of published rebuttals. A shadow was growing over my work, Simard writes in her upcoming book. By searching for hints of interdependence in the forest floor, she had inadvertently provoked one of the oldest and most intense debates in biology: Is co-operation as central to evolution as competition? Douglas fir as a seedling. Credit:Getty Images The question of whether plants possess some form of sentience or agency has a long and fraught history. Although plants are obviously alive, they are rooted to the earth and mute, and they rarely move on a relatable timescale; they seem more like passive aspects of the environment than agents within it. Western culture, in particular, often consigns plants to a liminal space between object and organism. It is precisely this ambiguity that makes the possibility of plant intelligence and society so intriguing and so contentious. Advertisement In a 1973 book titled The Secret Life of Plants, the journalists Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird claimed that plants had souls, emotions and musical preferences, that they felt pain and psychically absorbed the thoughts of other creatures, and that they could track the movement of the planets and predict earthquakes. To make their case, the authors indiscriminately mixed genuine scientific findings with the observations and supposed studies of quacks and mystics. Many scientists lambasted the book as nonsense. Nevertheless, it became a New York Times bestseller and inspired cartoons in The New Yorker and Doonesbury. Ever since, botanists have been especially wary of anyone whose claims about plant behaviour and communication verge too close to the pseudoscientific. In most of her published studies, Simard, who considered becoming a writer before she discovered forestry, is careful to use conservative language, but when addressing the public, she embraces metaphor and reverie in a way that makes some scientists uncomfortable. In a TED Talk Simard gave in 2016, she describes a world of infinite biological pathways, species that are interdependent like yin and yang and veteran trees that send messages of wisdom on to the next generation of seedlings. She calls the oldest, largest and most interconnected trees in a forest mother trees a phrase meant to evoke their capacity to nurture those around them, even when they arent literally their parents. In her book, she compares mycorrhizal networks to the human brain. And she has spoken openly of her spiritual connection to forests. Some of the scientists I interviewed worry that Simards studies do not fully substantiate her boldest claims and that the popular writing related to her work sometimes misrepresents the true nature of plants and forests. For example, in his international bestseller, The Hidden Life of Trees, the forester Peter Wohlleben writes that trees optimally divide nutrients and water among themselves, that they probably enjoy the feeling of fungi merging with their roots and that they even possess maternal instincts. There is value in getting the public excited about all of the amazing mechanisms by which forest ecosystems might be functioning, but sometimes the speculation goes too far, the University of Mississippis Hoeksema said. It will be really interesting to see how much experimental evidence emerges to support some of the big ideas we have been getting excited about. At this point other researchers have replicated most of Simards major findings. Its now well accepted that resources travel among trees and other plants connected by mycorrhizal networks. Most ecologists also agree that the amount of carbon exchanged among trees is sufficient to benefit seedlings, as well as older trees that are injured, entirely shaded or severely stressed, but researchers still debate whether shuttled carbon makes a meaningful difference to healthy adult trees. On a more fundamental level, it remains unclear exactly why resources are exchanged among trees in the first place, especially when those trees are not closely related. Loading In their autobiographies, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace each credited Thomas Malthus as a key inspiration for their independent formulations of evolution by natural selection. Malthuss 1798 essay on population helped the naturalists understand that all living creatures were locked into a ceaseless contest for limited natural resources. Darwin was also influenced by Adam Smith, who believed that societal order and efficiency could emerge from competition among inherently selfish individuals in a free market. Similarly, the planets dazzling diversity of species and their intricate relationships, Darwin would show, emerged from inevitable processes of competition and selection, rather than divine craftsmanship. Darwins theory of evolution by natural selection is obviously 19th-century capitalism writ large, wrote the evolutionary biologist Richard Lewontin. Advertisement Veteran diplomat Robert Malley will serve as the U.S. special envoy for Iran, White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed on January 29. U.S. officials had said on January 28 that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will name Malley, a top national-security aide to former President Barack Obama, as the administrations point person on Iran. Malley was a key member of Obama's team that negotiated a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, an agreement that Trump abandoned in 2018, arguing that the 2015 accord did not go far enough. The Trump administration also imposed crippling sanctions on Iran as part a "maximum pressure" campaign aimed at forcing Tehran to negotiate a new agreement that would also address the country's missile programs and its support for regional proxies. In response, Iran has gradually breached parts of the pact, saying it is no longer bound by it, despite international calls for Tehran to return to full compliance. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Malley is building a dedicated team of clear-eyed experts with a diversity of views. "Leading that team as our special envoy for Iran will be Rob Malley, who brings to the position a track record of success negotiating constraints on Iran's nuclear program. The secretary is confident he and his team will be able to do that once again," Price said. Earlier this week, Blinken said the Biden administration was willing to return to commitments under nuclear agreement if Iran returned to "full compliance." "Then we would use that as a platform to build, with our allies and partners, what we call a longer and stronger agreement and to deal with a number of other issues that are deeply problematic in the relationship with Iran," Blinken said on January 27, adding, "But we are a long ways from that point." Jake Sullivan, the White House national-security adviser, on January 29 told a Washington-based think tank it was a critical early priority for President Biden to deal with what he called an escalating nuclear crisis with Iran as Tehran gets closer to having enough fissile material for an atomic bomb. "From our perspective, a critical early priority has to be to deal with what is an escalating nuclear crisis as [Iran] moves closer and closer to having enough fissile material for a weapon," Sullivan told an online program sponsored by the U.S. Institute of Peace. Iranian officials insist that the United States should make the first move by returning to the nuclear pact, which eased international sanctions in exchange for curbs on Iran's disputed nuclear program. They also say the country's missile program and regional policies are off the table. Speaking at a news conference during a visit to Istanbul, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the demand that Tehran reverse an acceleration of its nuclear program before Washington lifts sanctions "is not practical and will not happen." Iran denies pursuing atomic weapons, saying its nuclear program is for civilian purposes. After Malley's name first surfaced in news reports as a leading candidate for the post, a number of foreign-policy veterans praised him as a respected, even-handed diplomat. However, he has also drawn criticism from Iran hawks and pro-Israel groups that expressed concern that he would be soft on mainly Shi'ite Muslim Iran and may be willing to sacrifice the security of Israel and Sunni-ruled Arab states in the Persian Gulf to do so. Malley who served as the president and CEO of the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit organization focused on global conflict, announced on January 29 that he is stepping down to be the new special envoy. He has held numerous senior positions in the Democratic administrations of Obama, in which Biden served as vice president, and Bill Clinton with a focus on Middle East and Persian Gulf policy making. With reporting by Reuters and AP Since early March, when most Americans were becoming dimly aware of something called a coronavirus, weve checked in frequently with vaccine researcher Peter Hotez. COVID has made Hotezs bowtie a familiar sight on cable news channels. He and his team at the Texas Childrens Hospital Center for Vaccine Development are working on a COVID-19 vaccine. Hes also dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. At the beginning of the U.S. outbreak, he was carefully nonpartisan, appearing on both Fox News and MSNBC. But as his horror grew about the lack of a national response to the pandemic, he sharply criticized the Trump administration. Now, its the Biden administrations turn. In a Tuesday op-ed in the Washington Post, Hotez explained why new variants of SARS-COV-2 require Biden to radically step up his vaccine game. Here Hotez explains how we could do that and what he believes the U.S. must do to get vaccine into more arms. Whats going on with COVID-19 right now? Could you give us an overview? The number of new cases is starting to decline. When we last spoke, the U.S. was at this awful level of 250,000 new confirmed cases a day. Since the count of confirmed cases is an underestimate times 4, that was really a million new cases a day. Now were down to around 160,000 to 180,000 new cases a day. If six months ago youd told me wed be at that level, Id have been horrified. I remember when Dr. Fauci predicted that we could get to 100,000 new cases a day: We thought that was shocking. So the fact that we feel relief at going down to 165 is a weird, new normal. But the rate of new cases is going down a little bit, for reasons I dont think we really know. Some say its because the post-holiday surge is over the surge that follows Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. There may also be a component of seasonality to the virus that people like Marc Lipsitch, at Harvard School of Public Health have been modeling. Maybe people are finally socially distancing and mask-wearing to a greater extent. Or it could be some combination of all those three things. I dont think we really know. But its going down: Thats the good news. The terrible news is, these new variants are turning out to be a much bigger factor than a number of us thought they would be. The Centers for Disease Control said recently that the new UK variant, which seems to be more transmissible, may become the dominant virus type in the U.S. by March. On top of that, Tony Fauci has said the evidence is increasingly clear that what the Brits say is true: that the mortality rate may also be higher by as much as a significant percentage. I had thought that was because the UK health system was just being overwhelmed that people were on gurneys in the hospital hallways and that may still be true as well. But there seems to be something else. That makes me worried that this downturn were seeing is not much more than in the eye of the hurricane theres a metaphor that Houstonians will appreciate and that we may still be in for the next big hit. That makes me rethink U.S. vaccination strategy. Its been good that the Biden administration has a vaccine plan. The previous administration really didnt, beyond dropping off the vaccines on the doorsteps of the states. But now, what are we going to do about vaccinating the American people? Heres where Im starting to have differences with what were hearing from the Biden administration. Theyre laying out a plan that will get us through vaccinating the American people by the fall. President Biden himself announced Tuesday that were going to have maybe enough additional doses of the mRNA vaccines to fully vaccinate 300 million Americans by the end of summer or fall. Im saying, Well, no, thats thats not gonna work. Telling us by the fall is like telling us when the glaciers are gonna come back down from Quebec. I mean, thats not adequate. Were going to have to figure out a way to vaccinate the American people by late spring. Thats a tall order. To beat back the virus we need to give two doses to three-quarters of the population, to 246 million Americans. Thats half a billion immunizations. To get there, wed need a rate of immunizations two or three times higher than whats proposed. MORE FROM LISA GRAY: Texas likely won't move to next vaccine phase until May or June, official Dr. David Lakey predicts Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The other interesting experience Im having now is what it means to not sort of contradict, but question the the Biden administration and make a recommendation thats different from the party line thats Chriss new dynamic that I hadnt, that I didnt think would ever be a problem, but is maybe starting to be a problem. So that maybe well explore it. Is it strange for you, being critical now of the Biden administration? At the beginning of the pandemic, you tried hard to be nonpartisan, to speak both on Fox News and CNN, but over time you came to criticize the Trump White House sharply. I went to war with the White House Coronavirus Task Force starting in late spring or early summer summer. They implemented a deliberate disinformation campaign that downplayed the epidemic, discredited masks, and said COVID-19 deaths were due to other causes. They said that high hospital admissions were due to catching up on elective surgery, and were spectacularizing hydroxychloroquine. In my circles, no one seemed to have a problem with my pushing back against the White House then. But now its different. Im not attacking the Biden White House. Ive been very complimentary. Ive said theyre going to tough route ahead, and that I would do things differently. But even that modest variation from the White House plan has been met with a strong reaction. Whos reacting that way? Many people people who are so upset about what happened last year, and what happened with the Trump administration, and they see the Biden administration as some type of salvation. Im the first to say, Look, now we have a national response. And we have an evidence-based, scientifically driven team thats not going to launch a disinformation campaign. Thats a low bar to clear, but its a huge improvement. Im very supportive. I know a lot of people in the Biden administration and have access to them. But there are things about the White House plan that need to be adjusted. As a scientist, my focus has been on saving lives, and I do whatever that takes. I mean, I launched that war against the disinformation campaign, but not because I wanted to go to war with the Trump White House. Im not politically ideological. I wanted to save lives and to get people to wear masks and social distance. Its the same thing with the Biden administration. I worry that people are already used to that 600,000 number 600,000 deaths by May that they think its sort of a fait accompli, and Im saying no, hell no. Somebody once said to me, Theres the short answer and the long answer, The short answer is no. The long answer is, hell no. So Im giving the long answer: Hell no. Hell no, were not going to get the 600,000 deaths! There are things we can do now. And Im making suggestions. And I wrote that piece in The Washington Post that kind of spelled it out. And again, it wasnt throwing darts. I was very positive about whats happening now, but were gonna need some adjustments. This week in a Washington Post op-ed, you stated strongly that the U.S. needs to speed up vaccinations, moving twice as fast as Biden has proposed. Could you talk about that? If were going to get to 100 million immunizations a month, first, we have to expand the vaccination hubs. I think everyones in agreement with that. Clearly the Houston areas local leadership the mayor and the county judge is committed to that. On HoustonChronicle.com: Vaccine deliveries keep Harris Health afloat a few more days More from Lisa Gray Local Should kids still wear masks? Texas Children's chief... The pharmacy chains are doing a good job H-E-B has a great website and the hospital system is doing a great job too. But even with those, we need additional sites, especially in low-income neighborhoods, which are pharmacy deserts. I think everybody agrees with that. I think the guidelines are still too confusing and fussy. We need to streamline that: Id like to see vaccinations offered to everyone who wants one. But the U.S. doesnt have nearly enough vaccine to do that now. Right. The response from the Biden administration was, were gonna get more mRNA vaccine by the fall. And I said no. We need vaccinations now. The suggestion I made is not to rely only on the mRNA vaccines. Im confident this is not a new idea to the Biden administration. They certainly must be looking at every possibility. But things have been slowed down with the AstraZeneca-Oxford adenovirus vaccine. My understanding is that the FDA insisted that they conduct a full-scale Phase Three trial in the U.S., and we wont have results for that until April. Meanwhile, the European Medicines Agency, the EMA, is going to make a ruling on the AstraZeneca Oxford vaccine on Friday based on studies done in Europe and also probably on data from Brazil and South Africa. Those are large, reliable studies? Yeah. And most people think the EMA will likely rule in favor of releasing that vaccine to the European Union through emergency use authorization. I suppose there is a possibility that something of concern will come up and cause additional delays. But Im assuming that they get approval. Because of these new variants, theres great urgency here in the U.S. So Im saying that sometimes we have to do things that take us out of our comfort zone in order to save lives. That means, rather than focusing only on the new study that were doing in the U.S., we also look at the dossier presented to the EMA. As a regulatory agency the EMA is up there with our U.S. FDA. Theyre the two best regulatory agencies in the world. So if they sign off, I think we should say, Look, lets do it. Lets use that vaccine. Weve already bought 300 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine. Weve paid for it over a billion dollars so lets use it. Now is the time. We need to get ahead of the variant. One of the interesting features about the AstraZeneca vaccine is that, from some of the data Ive seen, its not as effective in older individuals. So you might say, Well, then what good is it? Lets say we use that vaccine for the 20- to 50-year-olds, or the 20- to 45-year-olds. I know we have some of that vaccine stockpiled. Lets use that to start vaccinating those younger people now. That would help slow virus transmission, so it would reduce the likelihood that the new variants will emerge. Besides the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, theres also the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which I think will get up. And theres also the recombinant protein vaccine our lab has developed at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Childrens Hospital. In India theyre scaling that up to a billion doses. Nobody from the White House has approached us to say, Hey, Peter, what can we do to bring that vaccine in. There seem to be blinders: All they can see is getting the mRNA vaccines. I dont quite know whats driving that. We have to figure out a way to bring the other ones on board. And soon! Were in the eye of the hurricane. When youre in the eye of the hurricane, you dont say, Were going to buy a better house in the fall. What makes you so nervous about these variants? Its how quickly they become the dominant lineage in a community that shows that they have a higher ability to spread. So with individuals who so far have dodged this bullet and not gotten infected, were going to see a much higher rate of infection. That could overwhelm our hospital systems, like were seeing in the UK. Its amazing how, between September and November, one strain went from being a rare variant in England to accounting for at least half of all the virus isolates in southeastern England and then parts of London. Thats how quickly this thing moves. And thats not even the only variant. Weve got the South African one and the Brazilian one. Theres one from Denmark circulating in California. Its not so much that the vaccines arent going to work against them: They may have some reduction. But its the fact that the variant is going to spread so quickly, and the deaths are going to start to accelerate again. GOT QUESTIONS: Ask us your COVID questions here. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Remember President Trump said he didnt want to get to a million deaths? Well, guess what: I dont want to get to a million deaths either. Because Im saying these things, some people whove been on my side for a long time when I was really concerned about what the Trump administration was doing some of them now see what Im saying as a betrayal of sorts. Its really odd. I havent changed. My focus is on saving lives and Ill say or do whatever it takes to save lives. Thats what Ive been doing for over a year now waking up at 4 or 5 a.m. every day, and working late into the night on Zoom calls, trying to get our labs vaccine up, and explaining the science of all of this to the nation through the media. Ive tried to remain consistent: I try to reach people anywhere I can. Most people are seeing me on CNN or MSNBC now. I was on Fox for a while and still get on there now and then, and Im reaching out to conservative news outlets. I did NewsMax and the Daily Caller not long ago. A month ago I wouldnt have guessed that youd appear in those places. Well, you know, they have a different view of the world. But I dont have a problem with that. So as you talk about science, youre trying to reach anybody you can? This is one of the cool things about Texas, right? For all the terrible things people in other parts of the country say about Texas, the truth is, its one of the most diverse places in the world. Weve always had tolerance for different views. I find people in Houston to be some of the most intellectually curious people Ive ever met in part because nobodys from here, right? Everybodys coming from somewhere else. People here have an open-mindedness. They like to hear different points of view. So I love going on conservative news outlets. And then I also go on a number of African American radio stations, because African Americans are the other big group hesitant about the vaccines. We did a study with a group at Texas A&M led by Tim Callaghan hes a social scientist; Im a lab person, not a social scientist and we found that the two most vaccine-hesitant groups were Trump voters and African Americans. That was almost identical to what the Kaiser Family Foundation found. So those are the two groups that I think we have to reach, and thats what Ive been doing. Can you imagine two groups further apart? Except theyre connected by vaccine hesitancy. So its interesting: How do you get a message to those two groups? What are the words you select? How can I say the right things to get people to accept vaccines? Youve been fighting the anti-vaccine movement for years, and youve said that its grown into an anti-science movement. Are you seeing more of that lately? Yeah. Its scary. In the past it was mostly thought of as a fringe element. Now its become mainstream, and it dominates the internet. I have a paper out this week that takes a step back and looks at that. This has become a major activity of mine trying to understand anti-science movements and how to combat them. Im glad PLOS Biology, one of the top basic science journals, was willing to take it. The paper traces some of the anti-science movement back to Stalinist Russia in the great purge of the 1930s. Its really interesting how much anti-science has a historical thread that runs through the USSR and now Russia. It started with Stalin, continued with Khrushchev, went through the Cold War. Now Putin has picked it up in a big way, and is really amplifying it through his program of what now called weaponized health communication. Its causing a lot of damage. So its not only our homegrown anti-vaccine groups, like Texans for Vaccine choice and Oklahomans for Vaccine Choice, but theres also a big component coming out of the Russian government. That makes it very complicated to fight. At the federal level, the U.S. needs to create some kind of interagency task force to fight anti-science not only include the Health and Human Services agencies, but also Homeland Security, Commerce, the Justice Department, and State Department. That has to be an important activity for the U.S. government. How does that Russian involvement work? I know lots of real, live Americans who have major reservations about vaccines. I get lots of email from them. So how does Russia influence that? Well, before we go too far, lets face it: Theres not been a good communication program coming out of Operation Warp Speed. Theres been a non-communication program, except for the pharma CEOs. Now Bidens trying to correct that, which is good. It was reasonable for people to say, Hey, whats going on here? What are these vaccines? But the problem is, weve now got groups that are dominating the internet on social media and e-commerce sites. Theyre peddling a lot of fake information anti-vaccine books and COVID conspiracy books. Both U.S. and British intelligence say that a lot of this is coming from the Russians. Theyre piling on through bots and trolls, dominating the internet with these anti-vaccine messages. Why would they want to do that? From what I understand, theyre trying to destabilize democracies, to show the world that their model of governance is the best of all, compared to what we do in the U.S. and Western Europe. Unfortunately, thats having some impact and effect. We need to figure out a way to counteract that. Someones got to stand up to Putin and say, Were not playing this anymore. We havent been able to do that for the last four years. So this is going to be an important priority. What else is on your mind these days? Im worried for the nation. Everyones exhausted and and now people are really upset that theyre not getting vaccine. Im getting heartfelt emails from people who are desperate calling around to pharmacies, trying to get on their websites. The American people dont feel the governments taking care of them. Theyre calling around to Sams Club and Walmart and all the other pharmacy chains, and no ones not getting anywhere. We should not underestimate how destabilizing thats going to be for the country. We need vaccine now. Its not going to take much to erode goodwill with this administration. We usually meet a new administration with this spirit of hope and excitement, and thats not there. This is a worried nation. Thats unfair to the Biden administration but so what? It was also unfair that when FDR passed away, and Truman had to take on the whole war with Japan. The reality is that the new administration has inherited a mess. But thats also the reason why people voted for Biden, right? Its not because these are the most charismatic people on the planet. Americans did it because this administration would be made of people that have spent a lot of time in government. Theyre not going to spend two weeks figuring out how to work the White House microwave. Theyre able to hit the ground running. lisa.gray@chron.com twitter.com/LisaGray_HouTX A healthcare worker receives a dose of Covishield, a COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India, at a government-run hospital at Baruipur on the outskirts of Kolkata. (Image: Reuters) A total of 28,47,608 beneficiaries have so far been vaccinated for COVID-19 through 52,667 sessions held till the evening of January 28, the thirteenth day of the immunisation drive, according to a provisional report of the Union Health Ministry. On January 28, 4,91,615 beneficiaries were vaccinated till 7.00 pm through 9,994 vaccination sessions, the ministry said. 293 AEFIs have been reported till 7 pm on day 13 of the vaccination drive, it said. The ministry said that India carried out the fifth-highest number of COVID-19 vaccinations by inoculating 2.03 million people till January 26. Addressing a press conference, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that India was the fastest country to reach 1 million COVID-19 vaccinations in six days, while the US took 10 days, Spain 12, Israel 14, the UK 18, Italy 19, Germany 20 and UAE 27 days. Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates of the novel coronavirus pandemic Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the vaccination drive with healthcare workers at the frontline of India's COVID-19 battle getting their first jabs on January 16. 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 Indias drug regulator has approved two vaccines - Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech and Covishield from the Oxford/AstraZeneca stable being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) - for emergency use in the country. 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. Here are all developments related to the COVID-19 vaccine in India: > As many as 40,187 healthcare workers, or 73 percent of the targeted beneficiaries, received vaccine doses on January 28 in Maharashtra, taking the number of those inoculated against COVID-19 so far to 2,19,696, the state health department said. > Over 8,200 healthcare workers received COVID-19 vaccine shots in Delhi on the day in the second week of the vaccination drive as the city recorded a turnout of more than 77 percent. After a sluggish start since the exercise was kicked off on January 16, the inoculation drive has picked up pace in the last several days. > As many as 20,636 healthcare personnel in the private sector were administered the COVID-19 vaccine in Telangana on the day, the government said. The number of personnel planned to be inoculated during the day was 45,973 and the state recorded around 45 percent coverage, an official release said. > As many as 4,794 healthcare workers were vaccinated for COVID-19 in Himachal Pradesh on the day, according to an official. > India will soon make available many more COVID-19 vaccines to other countries after two Made-In-India jabs have already been introduced to the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on the day while emphasising the country's global responsibility in fighting the pandemic. > India has gifted over 55 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines to its neighbouring countries and several of those in its extended neighbourhood, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said. > India sent half a million free doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Sri Lanka on the day, officials said, part of diplomatic efforts by Delhi to deepen ties with its neighbours. States Total Beneficiaries Andhra Pradesh 1,70,910 Arunachal Pradesh 8,651 Assam 27,693 Bihar 1,06,824 Chandigarh 2,764 Chhattisgarh 62,110 Delhi 48,008 Goa 2,882 Gujarat 1,54,234 Haryana 1,15,968 Himachal Pradesh 18,848 Jharkhand 24,315 Karnataka 2,84,979 Kerala 1,06,393 Madhya Pradesh 1,67,838 Maharashtra 2,18,030 Odisha 1,94,058 Punjab 50,977 Rajasthan 2,44,204 Tamil Nadu 88,467 Telangana 1,46,665 Uttar Pradesh 2,77,608 Uttarakhand 19,517 West Bengal 1,84,596 Miscellaneous 48,401 Here is the state-wise vaccination: (With inputs from PTI) Follow our full coverage on COVID-19 here The Texas Education Agency agreed last summer to pay up to $15 million for two years of access to a digital platform for dyslexic students that will not be ready for widespread use until February or March, according to documents and emails obtained by the Houston Chronicle. Documents show TEA officials used emergency procurement measures to tap Baltimore-based AmplioSpeech to provide access to its virtual learning platform to students with dyslexia and speech-language disorders, as well as trained speech pathologists. At minimum, the agency agreed to pay $410,000 a month to the company. TEA officials say eight districts are using the software as part of a pilot program now, with 300 students using the service. Records show the agency does not have an official contract with the company, and the only documents outlining what the company was hired to do are purchase orders, emergency procurement forms and a four-page table of pricing and services they would provide. Emails and requisition forms show the agency plans to spend as much as $15 million for 23 months depending on how many students use the service, and state officials expect districts to pay up to an additional $15 million over the same period to AmplioSpeech. According to a TEA statement, Matt Montano, deputy commissioner of special populations and monitoring, originally reached out to AmplioSpeech last spring to help continue speech therapy services for students after schools closed to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. TEA paid the company $1 million. Before that first contract was completed, Montano and others decided to buy access to the companys platform. Stakeholder groups have long expressed concern around the quality of services provided to students with dyslexia in Texas, TEA officials wrote. Long-term, this partnership with AmplioSpeech will aid school systems in providing high-quality dyslexia services to eligible students well into the future. This platform is just one way TEA is responding to those concerns at the student level. TEA officials on Thursday said the agreement will last 23 months, but only the first 11 months are funded. According to an AmplioSpeech pricing sheet, its online platform will enable students to videoconference with therapists, allow therapists to track student progress and give students access to games and additional work they can do on their own as well as digital access to dyslexia curricula currently used by Texas schools. TEA officials said they hoped the platform will be launched statewide within the next two months. Eight districts currently are using the platform as part of a pilot, and some are paying additional fees for AmplioSpeech-employed speech language pathologists to work with their students, according to the TEA. TEA officials wrote in a statement that CARES Act dollars were used to bring as much ongoing benefit to the state from those federal monies as possible. However, some special education and dyslexia advocates say much of the work promised by the arrangement with AmplioSpeech can be done with existing resources. You could use Zoom to do this work. So, if youre going to spend $15 million, spend it on the service, not on the platform, said Robbi Cooper, state leader for policy and advocacy with Decoding Dyslexia. To really help districts, the money should be spent offsetting the cost of the providers and therapists working with kids. Kristin McGuire, director of governmental relations for the Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education, said much still is unknown about the arrangement and how schools would interact or be expected to help shoulder the cost of the new platform. And because the platform will not be ready for a statewide launch until most of this school year is over, she questioned how much benefit it would have. Im not sure who would have asked for this, McGuire said. Im never not going to be thankful to participate in some type of disability intervention service, but I cant say that this was kind of a statewide desire or desperate ask. Im not sure exactly where the decision to do this came from. COVID opened the door Records show TEA awarded a contract to AmplioSpeech last April, without soliciting cost projections or proposals from other companies. The agency paid the company $1 million up front on April 15 to provide access to its platform, and in some cases speech and language pathologists, to help dyslexic students across Texas receive therapies remotely. That contract was meant to provide at least 10,000 students with help, which agency officials said it accomplished. AmplioSpeech CEO Yair Shapira said he started the company in Israel in 2014 after trying to help his son overcome a stutter. The platform went through years of research and development before it first was unveiled in some Israeli and U.S. schools in 2019. He said the companys U.S. operations are headquartered in Maryland, but 36 employees live in Texas and many others are scattered across the country. It serves tens of thousands of students nationwide, Shapira said. Media reports show it has also been used in Michigan and Walton County, Fla. TEA officials said Montano first became familiar with AmplioSpeech at a conference and contacted the company when schools began to close last March. Records show AmplioSpeech employees submitted a proposal to connect dyslexic students with speech pathologists. The company proposed to provide training, a TEA-branded dashboard, online documentations of services, self-practice tools, technical support and language therapists to help districts that were short-staffed. In exchange, it wanted $1 million up front, an additional $20.15 per student served each week, plus $66.36 per student served by an AmplioSpeech therapist. COVID opened the door in many ways, Shapira said. To have evidence-based curricula, this new technology, personalized and standardized therapy intervention we believe AmplioSpeechs platform worked great during COVID times and will work for the horrible learning loss were starting to see in post-COVID times. Although AmplioSpeechs original agreement was not set to expire until the end of September, emails show TEA officials were eager to keep using the companys platform or something similar. By the summer, Montano said TEA officials had reached out to seven potential vendors for a project that would give students access to a new dyslexia platform. Three, including AmplioSpeech, submitted bids. The work TEA sought was nearly identical to what it received from AmplioSpeech in the spring, except the work ultimately awarded to AmplioSpeech in the fall would include digitizing dyslexia curricula currently used in Texas schools so it could be accessed over the platform. Under a payment schedule approved by TEA, the company is to receive $410,000 a month for 11 months to provide services to 0-20,000 students. That caught the attention of TEA accountants, who sought to clarify AmplioSpeechs completed work with Montano before paying the first invoice. While the contract started on October 1, I do not think they have provided a service to a single student, Montano replied. TEA accountant David Alonzo seemed baffled and emailed Montano a table detailing what TEA owed the company for serving as few as zero students. Just want to confirm with you, is the 410K charge valid for zero students? Alonzo asked. Yes. This makes sense, Montano replied. Please proceed with payment. Shapira and Montano said the first few invoices paid by TEA helped cover the cost of digitizing the existing dyslexia curricula. TEA officials said they began the second contract under a broad purchase agreement to facilitate a quick launch of the service. It took a while to get the ball rolling, Shapira said. I hope it will be launched very soon, and eventually it needs to get into the hands of hundreds of thousands of students. Not ready for rollout It is not the first time a TEA arrangement with a vendor has drawn scrutiny. In 2017, the agency issued a $4.4 million no-bid contract to a new technology firm to collect and analyze data regarding disabled students individual education programs. That contract was canceled seven months later amid concerns raised by parents and special education advocates. State auditors later said TEA had paid the company, SpedX, $2.5 million but the firm had done only about $150,000 worth of work. The U.S. Department of Education has ordered TEA to repay the $2.5 million in federal dollars spent on the aborted project. The agency still is fighting that penalty. AmplioSpeechs pricing schedule shows districts would pay $10 for each student who uses the platform, plus an additional weekly per-student fee if districts use the companys speech language pathologists to provide services. Montano and TEA officials said they are working with the company to reduce or eliminate the fees paid by districts after some in the pilot program said the costs would likely preclude some schools from being able to participate. Currently, 300 students in eight districts are using AmplioSpeechs platform as part of the states pilot program. Houston ISD officials issued a statement saying that the district received 25 student passes from TEA, but that 4,575 students were using AmplioSpeech this year. They did not respond to questions about how the service is working and how much the district is paying for the service. Melissa De Leon, director of special education for the Orenda Public Charter School District in Georgetown, said 50 students there are using the service. She said the charter system had a vacant speech and language pathologist position they were unable to fill, and AmplioSpeech was able to fill that gap with its professionals. She said the services the company was providing were high quality, and the digital platform has been especially helpful with remote and in-person learners. Misty Higgins, special education director at Port Neches-Grove ISD, said about 25 of its students who are homebound due to medical conditions connect with AmplioSpeechs speech and language pathologists but that no students in their schools are using the platform. We are very grateful for TEA and for AmplioSpeech developing this, Higgins said. I feel like its been very beneficial, and our parents have really liked it. While the service may be helpful to some districts, special education directors in local districts are not as concerned with having a digital platform for dyslexic students as they are with how they will help students with disabilities catch up after missing out on services during the pandemic, McGuire said. Is this the most appropriate way to prioritize our relief funding, when we know and everyone has acknowledged theres some sort of learning loss experience, regardless of disability? McGuire said. I would much prefer a district be able to look at its population of students, their individual needs, and say, Were going to use this relief funding to pay for this particular service, or to contract with this occupational therapist to make up for what this student didnt get. Cooper with Decoding Dyslexia agreed. I think it was hastily done with good intentions and bad results, Cooper said. CARES Act dollars, to me, would mean its used for a shorter period of time during the pandemic. And the fact they ran this by special education directors to see if they could absorb the additional $15 million its like buying somebody a car, and you dont know if they can afford to pay the insurance. shelby.webb@chron.com twitter.com/shelbywebb The conspiracy that eventually culminated in violence during the farmers tractor rally on January 26 began as early as the three farm laws were passed by the Centre in September last year, Delhi Police suggested in one of the 33 FIR registered in the violence on Republic Day. Delhi Police have accused over 37 leaders in the FIR, including Yogendra Yadav and Medha Patkar, of misleading farmers and instigating them to violence during the Republic Day tractor parade, a report in The Print said. Police have registered 33 FIRs so far in connection with the violence that left over 394 policemen injured. Lookout notices have been issued against 44 people. The FIR mentions multiple IPC sections, including 307 (attempt to murder), 147 (punishment for rioting) and 353 (assault/criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 120B (Punishment of criminal conspiracy). The FIR alleges that the violence on 26 January were pre-planned by the protesters and their leaders and their objective was not to follow the designated routes for the tractor rally. The FIR also alleged that the timing of the so-called parade was meant to disrupt the Republic Day parade at Rajpath. Pointing out to the chronology that eventually led to the incident, a senior police officer said that events since 26 November have been mentioned in the FIR. In a case of criminal conspiracy, police have to investigate the chronology of events and what led to the incident, in this case, the violence. The tension had been simmering for long, mistrust was created and that is what will be investigated in this case and established with evidence, the officer reportedly said. The FIR reads that the farm laws were passed with the objective to provide farmers with multiple marketing channels and provide legal framework for farmers to enter into pre-arranged contracts regarding their agricultural produce. Some people, however, labelled the laws as corporate-friendly and anti-farmer. The FIR alleged that leaders like Yogendra Yadav had announced about the tractor rally beforehand. They also threatened to break the respective blockades set up by the police and carry out their parade. It added that inspite of four routes being discussed between farmers and police, the tractor rally violated the guidelines and started at 8 am itself. The FIR also said that riding tractors, trollies and even horses, armed with sticks, iron rods, some of them also carrying swords breached barricades and injured policemen. 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. Wild Justice has been ordered to pay 10,000 legal costs to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) following their loss in the High Court. Last week, the court ruled that NRW's General Licences to control wild birds were lawful following a legal challenge by the campaigning body. The licences are available for the purpose of preventing serious damage or disease to crops or livestock, protecting public health and conserving certain species of wild birds. Legal costs were claimed by the lawyers representing NRW following Judge Jarman QC dismissing all three claims made by Wild Justice on the legality of the licences. The 10,000 is the most available under the Aarhus Convention, which sets a cap on environmental cases. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) said the significant legal costs were 'a wake-up call' for Wild Justice. For two years, Wild Justice has used the legal system to attack shooting and those who manage the countryside," said Steve Griffiths, BASC Wales director. "They failed on all three grounds of this claim and now the judge has ordered them to pay costs at the maximum level possible. This is another significant defeat for Wild Justice and the manner in which they lost has been watched closely by other organisations and communities. He said a newly set-up 'Fighting Fund' afforded BASC the ability to cover legal bills, register as an interested party and add its voice to NRWs defence. Mr Griffiths added: It was right for BASC to make sure shooting had a voice in court and to support Natural Resources Wales in defending their general licence. We knew from the outset that we would not be able to claim back our costs, but it was money well spent so that shooting could stand up to Wild Justice and show the countryside would not be bullied. What was the legal challenge? The legal challenge made by Wild Justice related to general licences GL001, GL002 and GL004 to kill wild birds issued by NRW on 1 January 2020. The grounds of challenge centred around how the body went about assessing whether there were other satisfactory solutions to killing the birds listed in the General Licences. It also looked at the extent to which the licences specified the circumstances in which they may be relied on, and whether NRW had sufficient evidence to justify derogating from the general prohibition on the killing of wild birds. A number of 20 NGOs sent a "Call for Decency and Transparency" to the Government and subordinate institutions, investigative bodies, the College of Physicians and political leaders from the ruling coalition and the opposition, in the context of the fire at the "Matei Bals" Hospital. "Just a few months after the tragedy in Piatra Neamt, a new fire kills people in a hospital in Romania. Despite the recurrence of these disasters in the institutions of the public health system, from the Giulesti Maternity Hospital to the Matei Bals Institute, the reaction of the authorities, no matter the political party, is the same. The civil society demands transparency in the investigation of this tragedy and in taking the necessary urgent measures to prevent its recurrence. It is clear that the way in which the authorities have acted so far does not work. The activity of the authorities so far has NOT been likely to bring the necessary results so that patients, their families and Romanian citizens, in general, feel safe and benefit from a proper medical act within the institutions financed from public money," the document reads. The signatories request that the results of the investigation from the fire at the Piatra Neamt Hospital be made public, along with the measures taken and the stage of their implementation in the other health units treating COVID patients nationwide, including the "Matei Bals" Institute.The civil society representatives note that the language and tone used in communication "must be in accordance with the duties and responsibilities associated" with the public office of the speaker.At the same time, the signatories demand the urgent finding of solutions to guarantee "competent management, without political appointments, through competition and with the limitation of the interim period and of the number of possible terms in office," as well as efficient spending of public money in all institutions in the health system.The document was posted on the Facebook pages of Geeks For Democracy, #REZISTENTA, Asociatia VeDem Just, Voci pentru Democratie si Justitie, Initiativa Romania, Coruptia ucide, Asociatia Platforma Romania 100, Asociatia Daruieste Viata. DALLAS, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Family law attorney Whitney Keltch Green and health care attorney Wade Emmert have joined Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal, LLP as partners in the firm's Dallas office. "Whitney and Wade possess innovative approaches to their practices of law. Working in tandem with clients, they are solution-finders in and out of a courtroom," said Carrington Coleman Managing Partner Monica Latin. "We are pleased to welcome them to our firm." A passionate advocate for clients facing personal turmoil, Ms. Green has developed a practice based on creative solutions in matters involving divorce, child custody/support disputes, adoptions, premarital agreements, modifications, enforcements, and complex property disputes. Her work also focuses on unique legal questions involving children, including parental alienation, grandparents' rights, special needs, and addiction and mental health concerns. Her work has earned recognition from the Best Lawyers in America in Family Law for 2020 and 2021, D Magazine's Best Lawyers Under 40, and Thomson Reuters' Texas Rising Stars. She holds a 10.0 "superb" rating from AVVO.com. Ms. Green is also the President of the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers. Mr. Emmert is a board-certified Health Law attorney with more than 25 years of experience representing Texas practitioners and hospitals, including complex health care transactions and regulatory compliance matters. Mr. Emmert also serves as an adjunct professor at the Texas A&M University School of Law where he teaches courses on Health Care Transactions and Antitrust, and Health Care Fraud and Abuse. He has been recognized on Thomson Reuters' Texas Super Lawyers listing and among the top 1 percent of America's Most Honored Professionals. Also joining the firm are associates Dorlin Armijo, Stephanie Assi and Abbye West. Ms. Armijo and Ms. Assi join the firm's Litigation practice group. Ms. West's practice focuses on Family Law. About Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal, LLP Carrington Coleman is a 51-year-old Dallas-based law firm focused on litigation and transactional services in the real estate, oil and gas, securities, construction, professional services, technology, and health care industries, among others. The firm provides counsel in corporate transactions, corporate governance, banking, bankruptcy/restructuring, intellectual property, litigation and appeals, employment, and family wealth/estate planning. Learn more about the firm at www.carringtoncoleman.com. Media Contact: Rhonda Reddick 800-559-4534 [email protected] SOURCE Carrington Coleman The Concept of the SBU reform is based on NATO standards. The Verkhovna Rada on Thursday, January 28, passed at first reading a draft law launching the long-sought reform of the Security Service of Ukraine. The conclusion of Parliament's security and defense committee says the draft law is aimed at increasing the SBU's institutional capacity to ensure state security and bringing the legislation regulating its activities in line with modern challenges and threats to the state security, which the SBU must tackle, as well as strategic and conceptual guidelines on the development of the security and defense sector, reforming the law enforcement system, and the relevant recommendations of Ukraine's foreign partners. Read alsoNATO says new bill on SBU requires further workThe bill strengthens the agency's counterintelligence and anti-terrorist capacity and expands its powers to employ forces and means against terrorist organizations, illegal armed and paramilitary groups, and transnational criminal organizations outside Ukraine, as well as on conducting "special information operations" (psy-ops) and countering such operations by foreign actors targeting Ukraine. The bill also proposes multilevel mechanisms for a preventive response to national security threats: proposals, official warnings, and motions. In particular, the range shall be expanded of preventive action to hinder intelligence and subversive activities targeting Ukraine. The relevant amendments are proposed to be introduced into the laws on state secrets, TV and radio broadcasting, and the electoral code. Also, the bill defines mechanisms for countering intelligence and subversive action by foreign special services, illegal armed groups and terrorist organizations employing NGOs and political parties, as well as media. Among other things, the bill proposes to put the SBU beyond the framework of Law "On the organizational and legal grounds for combating organized crime." "Thus, special units combatting corruption and organized crime shall be liquidated. Countering organized and transnational crime shall be carried out from the standpoint of countering intelligence and subversive activities to the detriment of Ukraine," the committee notes. At the same time, the law enforcement function of the SBU is significantly limited by the gradual (until 2024) transfer of the pre-trial investigation function to the State Bureau of Investigation. The bill also contains provisions aimed at optimizing the structure, including toward personnel cuts and new standards of social guarantees for the operatives, set to be introduced in stages. It also provides for a partial demilitarization of the agency with the transition to special, non-military ranks for the part of its employees. Memo In early 2016 a permanent international advisory group on the SBU reform was established with the participation of the representatives of the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine, the NATO Communication Office in Ukraine, the NATO Centre for information and documentation in Ukraine, and other international organizations, the Anti-corruption Action Center NGO reported. The Concept of the SBU reform, based on NATO standards, was developed and finalized in July 2016 before being submitted for formal approval. The comprehensive reform aimed specifically at transferring part of the SBU functions to the other law enforcement agencies the National Anticorruption Bureau, the State Bureau of Investigations (after its launch), and the National Police. The reform was also supposed to introduce civil control over the security agency. However, the reform stalled for years. The Atlantic Council wrote back in 2019 that the United States and Europe have an interest in a reformed SBU, which would make Ukrainian law enforcement more efficient and effective, reduce opportunities for government corruption, and bolster the SBUs contribution to the conflict with Russia. Reporting by UNIAN TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital, one of the most comprehensive academic medical centers in the nation, announced today that it has named Qualenta Forrest, JD, its new Executive Vice President and Chief People and Talent Officer. Forrest will officially begin her new role on April 5, 2021. She will lead Tampa General Hospital's Human Resources Department with a focus on the voice of team members and an evidence-based strategy to provide support and enhance engagement. "We're proud to welcome Qualenta to Tampa General Hospital," said John Couris, CEO and president of Tampa General Hospital. "Qualenta will help us achieve our vision to be the safest and most innovative academic medical center in the country. We are excited to have Qualenta lead our diversity and inclusion efforts, and continue our focus on team member engagement, leadership development, talent management and comprehensive human resources initiatives." Forrest comes to Tampa General from CHI St. Vincent, a regional health network in Arkansas, where she served as Market Vice President, Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer. Prior to her time at CHI St. Vincent, Forrest worked at Medical University South Carolina as Associate Chief People Officer. Forrest earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock-William H. Bowen School of Law, and BA degrees in Spanish and criminal justice from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. "I'm thrilled to join the Tampa General Hospital team and look forward to caring for the people who provide the best medical care to our community," said Qualenta Forrest. "It is a privilege to join a culture that also values putting people first and I look forward to the opportunity to continue to foster a people-first culture." ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL Tampa General Hospital, a 1006-bed non-profit academic medical center, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2020-21 Best Hospitals, and one of the top 4 hospitals in Florida, with five specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center and its 32-bed Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health and 19 outpatient Radiology Centers. Tampa Bay residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics, and they can even receive home visits in select areas through TGH Urgent Care at Home, powered by Fast Track. As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org. Media Contact: Karen Barrera Assistant Director of Communications & Partnerships (813) 844-8725 (direct) (813) 928-1603 (cell) [email protected] SOURCE Florida Health Sciences Center, Inc. d/b/a Tampa General Hospital Related Links http://www.tgh.org Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 23:35:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Newly appointed Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene on Friday formed his cabinet, keeping half of the ministers who served under his predecessor Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. The Mongolian cabinet is made up of 16 ministers in addition to Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene. In the new lineup, former mayor of the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator Sainbuyan Amarsaikhan was appointed as deputy prime minister. The new cabinet is expected to tackle challenges of keeping jobs, recovering the economy and carrying out health and educational reforms amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The cabinet was formed after former Prime Minister Khurelsukh resigned and dissolved his entire government at his own request last week, with two ministers having tendered their resignation amid social pressure and public protests. Mass protests were triggered in Ulan Bator last Wednesday after TV footage showed a COVID-19 patient who had just given birth being transferred from a maternity hospital to a quarantine facility wearing only hospital pajamas and plastic slippers in the freezing weather together with her baby. Enditem Several universities in Hanoi have applied tighter measures on COVID-19 prevention and control in addition to allowing students to begin their Lunar New Year holiday a week early amid continuous reports of new community cases of the viral disease in northern localities. Students at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) will begin their Lunar New Year, or Tet, holiday on February 1, a week earlier than scheduled. While HUST decided to delay schedules for thesis and dissertation defense set for after January 31 until further notice, it continues with the same plans arranged for between Friday and January 31. In a similar move, the Foreign Trade University in Hanoi allowed students to start their Tet holiday from Friday. As a step to strengthen anti-COVID-19 measures, the Vietnam National University (VNU)-Hanoi has instructed its member schools to review and list all staff members and students who are the direct and indirect of COVID-19 patients and report to the VNU committee for COVID-19 prevention and control. Some of such contacts are requested to practice home isolation according to the guidance of the Ministry of Health, whereas others can go to work as normal. However, these people should proactively implement self-medical supervision and disease prevention measures under the guidance of specialized agencies. The VNU-Hanoi also recommended member schools stop crowded activities, while carrying out other normal activities on the requirements of ensuring reasonable distances, checking body temperatures, wearing face masks in public places, using antiseptic solutions, and making complete and timely medical declarations. The university also requested member schools to make a list of staff members and students who will return to their hometowns in the regions where community COVID-19 cases have been detected. The schools are advised to deploy additional safety measures, such as school breaks and online teaching and learning, when necessary. Similarly, Phenikaa University asked students to install the contact-tracing Bluezone app, make medical declarations every day, and wear face masks during study and work. Students who do not wear face masks will be asked by the instructor to leave the classroom and marked as absent. The university has a plan to organize Tet celebrations at its campus for students hailing from the localities with COVID-19 infections, which have been sealed off or suspended inter-provincial transport for the disease control. After almost two months without any locally-transmitted cases, Vietnam was blindsided by a new wave of domestic COVID-19 cases in different northern localities on Thursday. The national tally stood at 1,651, with 1,430 recoveries and 35 virus-related deaths, as of Friday morning. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The most senior black minister in the Government hit out today at calls to 'decolonise' teaching of Britain's imperial past, saying schools should tell children more about the nation's difficult history. New Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng also accused the Black Lives Matter campaign of having a 'cartoon-like view' of colonialism and the British Empire. In an interview with the BBC's Political Thinking podcast he attacked protesters who tore down and defaced statues of slave traders and other historical figures with chequered pasts, describing it as 'an act of vandalism. Mr Kwarteng, 45, whose parents came to the UK from Ghana in the 1960s, said : 'I don't think you can just rip down statues - I mean that's illegal and an act of vandalism. 'People should learn more about the empire. I don't quite understand what ''decolonising the curriculum'' means. 'Is the implication that it's a colonial relic and that you've got to try and decolonise it? 'I'm saying the opposite - that you've got to learn more about colonialism.' New Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng (right) accused the Black Lives Matter campaign of having a 'cartoon-like view' of colonialism and the British Empire. In an interview with the BBC's Political Thinking podcast he attacked protesters who tore down and defaced statues of slave traders and other historical figures with chequered pasts, describing it as 'an act of vandalism. Mr Kwarteng took over as secretary of state from Alok Sharma, who was appointed full-time president of the UN Cop26 climate conference, three weeks ago. He has previously not been afraid to call out racism in the UK. Last February he attacked Andrew Sabisky, who was ousted as a No10 adviser over vile social media posts. Mr Sabisky - a self-style 'superforecaster' - quit amid fury at past comments in which he talked about forced contraception of the 'underclass' and suggested black people had lower IQs. Mr Kwarteng, then a junior business minister, said there must be 'much more severe' vetting in No10 so the same mistakes could not 'happen again'. 'What I do know is his remarks were offensive and racist and as soon as they came to light he left the government pretty quickly,' Mr Kwarteng told Sky News. Speaking to the BBC today he attacked Black Lives |Matter for a one-dimensional view of British history. 'I'm not someone who is obsessed with trying to correct history. I think you've got to understand history and understand that it's very complex and there are different arguments that are presented and I have a plea to understand the arguments and the context of the British Empire,' he said. 'Even when you say the phrase the British Empire, you're talking about something that lasted more or less 400 years and covered a huge expanse of territory. 'So within that time and geography there's a huge amount of variety, different cultures and different time periods and getting a sensitivity to that is hugely important. 'I think a lot of the debate around Black Lives Matter and imperialism or colonialism has a very kind of cartoon-like view of what was happening over centuries across a quarter of the world.' A father-of-three who stabbed a member of the Defence Forces seven times following an altercation in a pub has been jailed for two years. Adam Dempsey (23) was not involved in the initial altercation, but later came up behind Ross Hayden who was trying to protect his girlfriend and stabbed him seven times. Dempsey of Ardmore Grove, Artane, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm at Ardlee Inn, Artane, on June 16, 2018. His 15 previous convictions are all for road traffic offences. Detective Garda Alan Roche told Sinead McMullen BL, prosecuting, that on the night in question Mr Hayden was with his then girlfriend in the pub. Det Gda Roche said a man from a group which included Dempsey repeatedly made comments as he passed by the group which included Mr Hayden. Mr Hayden's girlfriend finally told this man to cop on and this led to another woman becoming involved and grabbing her hair. Read More Mr Hayden attempted to protect his girlfriend, which is when Dempsey came up behind him and stabbed him. Dempsey walked away, but returned 20 or 30 seconds later and stabbed Mr Hayden again. The victim was stabbed a total of seven times, including five times in the back. He declined to make a victim impact statement and is currently serving as a member of the Defence Forces in Kosovo. Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, said his instructions were that his client used a broken bottle of Bulmers to inflict the stab wounds. The detective said CCTV footage shows Dempsey holding a silver and shiny object, but he cannot describe it better than that. Det Gda Roche said the medical report documents the victim mentioning a screwdriver, but it has not been established what item was used to stab Mr Hayden. Mr Le Vert said his client has had drug difficulties since he was aged 13. He said on this night his client was intoxicated with both alcohol and cocaine. Counsel said his client has three children but his relationship with his partner has come to an end as a consequence of this offence. He said his client had 5,000 in court as an offer of remorse to the victim. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Dempsey to three years imprisonment. She suspended the final 12 months on strict conditions, including that he hand over the 5,000 in compensation to Mr Hayden or to a charity of the victim's choice. The re-appointment of Dr. Yao Archibald Letsa as the Volta Regional Minister has sparked mixed reactions in the Volta Region, especially among supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). While some have rejected President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos nominee, others have applauded the President for his choice. This has created division in the party at the regional level, with regional and constituency executive members unhappy with the Presidents choice and the municipal and district chief executives on the other hand declaring their full support for the nominee. Over the past few days, series of press conferences for and against as well as protests have been held in the region to express views on the Presidents nominee who has been appointed for the second time. Proper procedure Adding its voice to the cacophony of views on the Presidents selection of Volta Regional Minister, the Volta Region NPP Resource Group has called on protesters to use the appropriate procedures in the constituency to have their grievances addressed, rather than hitting the streets, an action the group has described as disrespectful to the President. At a press conference in Ho last Wednesday, on behalf of the group which solicits funding for activities of the party in the region, the Secretary, Mr King David Akpabil, said they were solidly behind all the nominations of President Akufo-Addo to serve for another four years of developing the nation. The secretary noted that the recent demonstration in Ho, which was orchestrated by the regional executive, breached the duty of members to uphold publicly party policies. He added that it also created discord and factionalism within the party and brought the name of the party into disrepute and public ridicule. Party constitution The action was a blatant disregard of the grievance procedure of the party, which provides that a member with a grievance against the party may, in writing, petition the constituency, regional or national executive committee, Mr Akpabil said. He said the nomination of Dr Letsa was done after much consultation and considerations and, therefore, could not easily be rejected without any just cause. Mr Akpabil thanked the President for his decision to re-appoint Dr Letsa, adding, We wish to use this opportunity to congratulate Dr Letsa as the Volta Regional Minister. Let it be known that it is not the whole of Volta Region that has rejected him. 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 This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions India and China have agreed to soon hold the 10th round of Corps Commander-level talks to take forward the de-escalation process in eastern Ladakh, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. India and China had last week agreed to push for an early disengagement of troops and resolved to continue "effective efforts" to stabilise and control the situation in eastern Ladakh at their ninth round of military talks on the border standoff. "It was said that both sides agreed to follow the important consensus of the leaders of the respective country and maintain the momentum of talks," MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing while referring to the joint statement issued after the ninth round of military talks. He was asked about the status of negotiations on the border standoff. Srivastava said it was also agreed during last week's military talks to soon hold the 10th round of Corps Commander-level dialogue to take forward the deescalation process. In the talks, both sides held extensive deliberations on modalities for disengagement of troops from all the friction points in eastern Ladakh where the two militaries have been engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball face-off for nearly nine months. India has been maintaining that the disengagement process has to start simultaneously at all friction points and no selective approach was acceptable to it. Close to 1,00,000 Indian and Chinese troops are deployed in eastern Ladakh as both sides have been holding on to their ground and showing readiness for a long-haul, amid continuing diplomatic and military talks to find an amicable solution. In the military talks, India has all along been demanding restoration of status quo ante in all areas of eastern Ladakh prior to April. The face-off had begun on May 5. Last month, India and China held another round of diplomatic talks under the framework of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs. However, no concrete outcome emerged from the meeting. Following the sixth round of military talks, the two sides had announced a slew of decisions including not to send more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground and avoid taking any actions that may further complicate matters. This round was held with a specific agenda of exploring ways to implement a five-point agreement reached between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at a meeting in Moscow on September 10 on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave. The pact included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements and protocols on border management and steps to restore peace along the LAC. Justin Rodriguez has always had to make his own way. Growing up on the West Side next door to St. Marys University, he bagged groceries at an H-E-B to help pay his tuition at Catholic high school. After graduating from Antonian College Prep in 1992, he paid for a couple semesters at San Antonio College out of his own pocket. He earned a business degree from University of the Incarnate Word while working for USAA, filing paperwork and taking customer calls. Hes worked hard to get into the thick of things. Now 46 and a newly elected Precinct 2 Bexar County commissioner, he fits comfortably into a political system that relies for its survival on webs of relationships and loyalty. That system allows elected officials to draw government salaries and hold second jobs including jobs that involve putting together bond deals for cities, counties and other arms of local government. On ExpressNews.com: Rodriguez revels in shaking up status quo Thats what Rodriguez is doing. By his own estimate, he puts in more than 50 hours a week serving his constituents on the West Side and in the inner city, at a salary of $131,000 per year with a $9,000 annual auto allowance. He also works part-time for the powerhouse law firm Locke Lord LLP. He declined to disclose how much hes earning there. Why is Rodriguez moonlighting? For me, its to keep the cobwebs off my law license. The way I see it, these things arent forever I dont know where Ill be in a few years, Rodriguez said of holding elective office. And to be completely honest, Ive got two kids in college and one headed to college. On ExpressNews.com: Puro Podcast: a visit with Justin Rodriguez He and his wife have a daughter at the University of Texas at Austin and a son at UTSA. Dry, technical, lucrative What Rodriguez is doing is allowed under Texas law and the state constitution. One of the few restrictions on county commissioners in Texas is that they cant vote on anything in which they have a financial interest. In April, a month and a half after Rodriguez won the Democratic primary in Precinct 2, Locke Lord announced what amounted to a small coup. The firm, which has offices across the country and one in London, had hired three public-finance attorneys from Norton Rose Fulbright, another powerhouse firm. Rodriguez was one of them. The Bond Buyer, chronicler of the U.S. debt market and its players, picked up the story. It noted that Locke Lord had hired Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson in 2019, two months after he was elected. Bond work is dry, technical stuff, and lawyers play multiple roles in it. On the one hand, theres bond counsel for the governmental entity that wants to sell debt. Those lawyers scour securities and state law, meet with government finance departments, draft a lot of dense documents and render the all-important opinions that tell potential investors whether bond issues satisfy applicable laws and how their interest payments would be taxed. Not all bond attorneys work directly with public officials. Some deal with the investment bankers who structure and sell the bonds. Thats what Rodriguez does. His title is senior counsel. Bond revenue is the lifeblood of nearly every new street, sidewalk, library, senior center and publicly-financed stadium, and lawyers and investment bankers keep it flowing. They operate almost entirely behind the scenes but having a former or current elected official on the payroll is a huge benefit for law firms that do bond work for local governments. Successful politicians bring a constellation of valuable connections. They can secure hard-to-get meetings. And they know how to talk to other insiders, some of whom theyve done favors for. Hiring politicians with law licenses to do bond work is permissible, though Gov. Greg Abbott made noises about outlawing the practice during his 2014 campaign against Democrat Wendy Davis. Why? Because her law firm, Newby Davis PLLC, advised numerous local governments on bond transactions, including a nearly $319 million bond deal for the Tarrant Regional Water District. Abbotts disdain for the practice appeared to dissipate after he crushed Davis at the polls. For law firms, its smart business. Possibility of self-dealing But whats permissible and whats right arent always the same thing. The problem with hiring a politician to advise clients on bond sales is the potential for conflicts of interest. Voting in a way that benefits his or her employer would be the most blatant example. Beyond that, it gets gray. If elected officials pitch their law firms to other public agencies and if those agencies do business with the governmental body the officials lead or depend on it for funding is that a conflict of interest? Yes, but thats just my opinion. Its an area of such incredible complexity, said Don Kettl, a professor at UT-Austins LBJ School of Public Affairs. He researches public finance and policy processes and institutions. Which side of the street is the person walking on? he asked. The risk is that theres the possibility of self-dealing. Rodriguez said hes been careful to avoid conflicts of interest on commissioners court I dont cut any corners with respect to that. Larry Roberson, head of the Bexar County District Attorneys civil division, which serves as the commissioners counsel, backs him up. This particular commissioner has been pro-active, he said. Commissioners facing votes that would clash with their private business interests have to file an affidavit and not vote on the matter, a process known as recusal. With this commissioner, Ive never seen a conflict that rises to that level. It helps that Locke Lord has no contracts with Bexar County, the county-owned University Health System, the San Antonio River Authority or, for that matter, the city of San Antonio. Still, the firm does have at least one local government client. Under a contract signed in 2015 (more than three years before Rodriguez became a commissioner), his law firm serves as counsel for the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority, created by the state and Bexar County Commissioners Court in 2003, essentially to build toll roads. I asked Locke Lord about its decision to hire Rodriguez. This is the response I received: We thoroughly vet client matters to identify conflict of interest issues, and when appropriate we institute strict firewalls. When an elected official joins the firm, we add additional internal procedures to strengthen our process. The firm didnt specify how it keeps an eye out for potential conflicts. Justin was a highly regarded state legislator and held his current position as Bexar County Commissioner for Precinct 2 while practicing the same type of law at another large law firm and therefore understands the requirements of the law and our rules of professional responsibility, the Locke Lord statement said. People know him Rodriguez has thrived politically. Since winning a seat on San Antonio ISDs school board in 2004, four years out of law school, hes never lost an election. He defeated a vulnerable candidate in Council District 7 Elena Guajardo in 2007, and made a name for himself as one of councils more thoughtful liberals. Hitting the offices term limit in 2011, he won a seat in the Texas House of Representatives the following year. Hes been doing bond work since his early days as a councilman. Rodriguez said he currently puts in no more than 10 hours a week. His clients include investment banking firms such as J.P. Morgan, Citibank, Hilltop Securities and UBS. Which makes sense he speaks their language. He was an investment banker doing government bond deals for more than 11 years, from October 2007 in his first year on council to January 2019. Thats when he was appointed to replace longtime Precinct 2 Commissioner Paul Elizondo, who had died unexpectedly in December 2018. Rodriguez was elected to the seat in his own right in 2020. His last employer in the investment banking world was New York-based Siebert Williams Shank, one of whose co-owners is former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros. Cisneros lured Rodriguez away from William Blair, a competing firm, in 2016. Justin is a veteran investment banker. It made sense to bring in somebody with his particular set of skills, Cisneros said. He had a deep knowledge of the (Rio Grande) Valley and school districts across the state. Rodriguez had crisscrossed South Texas to help hammer out bond sales for the city of Corpus Christi, the Port of Brownsville, Mission ISD and others. A decade ago, he participated in a $400 million bond issue for Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Experience aside, I asked Cisneros about the attractiveness of Rodriguezs political connections, which hes been accumulating since his term on the SAISD board. I think its a mix its a combination of things, he said. Hed already been in the business. People know him for his work in the field. When Rodriguez landed the appointment in Precinct 2, he and Cisneros said they agreed it was time for him to step down from Siebert Williams Shank. The firm does a lot of work in the region, including with Bexar County. Its just not a straightforward way to do business, Cisneros said. Before he joined the firm, Rodriguez was one of the up-and-coming politicians Cisneros met with occasionally. Also, Cisneros was one of Elizondos staunchest allies and a longtime friend, and Rodriguez had emerged as something of an heir apparent in Precinct 2. Near the end of my interview with Cisneros, he said, From time immemorial, members of commissioners court have had outside employment. Thats been the tradition in San Antonio. Hes right. Just look at two of Rodriguezs colleagues. Precinct 4 Commissioner Tommy Calvert is the general manager of community radio station KROV. Trish DeBerry, Precinct 3s new commissioner, is CEO of the DeBerry Group, a communications firm that holds a number of contracts with public agencies, including the San Antonio Water System and Brooks Development Authority. Shes said her firm wont pursue new public contracts, to avoid potential conflicts of interest. I believe her, just as I believe Rodriguez is careful to avoid ethical pitfalls in his second job. The problem is the loose rules under which they operate, which open up the potential for conflicts. That leaves us with two options: trust that elected officials wont have any ethical, self-interested lapses, or assume that they will. The first is too pie-in-the-sky. The second is too cynical. But Bexar County residents dont have any other options. greg.jefferson@express-news.net The Griffiss International Airport in Rome is getting more than $57,000 out of the $36.5 million in relief funding awarded to New York State to help airports struggling during the pandemic. Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand helped secure the funding to help keep airports open to support travel and tourism, especially in rural areas. As New Yorkers continue battling the COVID-19 crisis, we cannot leave airports behind," said Gillibrand. Airports, travel, and tourism will be a critical part of our economic recovery and these federal dollars will help airports across Upstate New York continue providing high-quality and safe transit when travel takes off. Syracuse Hancock International Airport is also getting more than $4.7 million in funding, while the Albert S. Nader Regional Airport in Oneonta and the Hamilton Municipal Airport in Hamilton will get $13,000 each. Its key Tucano gold mine in Brazil hosts a 7km-long trend of gold deposits, which is surrounded by a 2,000 square kilometre (sq km) land package controlled by the company, and the latter will be the focus this year The Tucano gold mine in Brazil hosts a 7km-long trend of gold deposits, surrounded by a 2,000 sq km land package controlled by the company Great Panther Mining Limited (TSE:GPR) (NYSEAMERICAN:GPL) (FRA:G3U) has outlined its exploration plans for this year, which will see a record 90,000 metres (m) sunk and around US$13 million spent. "Our key objectives will be to continue to extend the Tucano open pit mine life, further prove up the underground, with a view to extending the high-grade zones, and make meaningful inroads into key targets in the expansive Tucano regional land package," said Rob Henderson, the CEO of the precious metals miner, which has assets in Mexico, Brazil and Peru. "Building on our 2020 exploration success in Mexico will also be a key focus," he added. Its key Tucano gold mine in Brazil hosts a 7km-long trend of gold deposits, which is surrounded by a 2,000 square kilometre (sq km) land package controlled by the company, and the latter will be the focus this year. Five drill rigs are planned to complete 60,000m of drilling and more than 500km of regional soil sampling to identify high priority targets, said Great Panther, noting that little exploration or resource drilling had been carried out outside the Tucano mine trend. At the Tucano open pit mine, 24,000m of reverse circulation (RC) drilling is planned, including the TAP C, Urso and Torres targets, as well as testing of several geochemical anomalies. At the Urucun underground pit at Tucano, 8,000m of diamond drilling program is planned to upgrade one of the known high-grade zones at Urucum North, while testing another zone at Urucum Central. For the regional exploration, 28,000m has been planned for fast-track evaluation of key targets such as Mutum, Saraminda and Lona Amarela, which are all within 15km of the existing operating mine. Meanwhile, in Mexico, at the group's San Ignacio mine, 5,000m of fill-in surface drilling is planned along the Purisima veins, and at the Guanajuato mien complex, sampling and geological mapping in accessible parts of the historical mining areas is nearly complete, which will be followed by a planned 10,000m of underground drilling on the most prospective areas. At the Topia mine in Mexico, 5,000m of exploration surface drilling is planned, to define new resources in six areas along the strike and down-dip extents. Work, budgeted at US$2 million, at Great Panther's other projects may include the Plomo gold project in Sonora state, Mexico and the El Horcon which is near to GMC, or Coricancha asset in Peru. Also in today's statement, Great Panther said it had now filed the technical report, which included the updated reserve and resource estimates for the producing Tucano gold mine, reported in December. Proven and probable reserves were put at 629,000 ounces of gold, of which 299,000 are in the more readily exploited open pit. The higher confidence measured and indicated (M&I) resources now stand at 953,000 ounces of the yellow metal, which includes the reserves. At the Tucano open pit, measured and indicated resources were pegged at 561,000 gold ounces, which is an increase of 28% since September 2019. Inferred resources at Tucano now total 534,000 ounces. Shares in New York added nearly 4% to US$0.84 each. ---Updates for share price--- Contact the author at giles@proactiveinvestors.com A woman stabbed 20 times by a monster who killed her best friend is to relive the horror on TV next week. Sinead OLeary will reveal how she and Nichola Sweeney were getting ready for a night out in 2002 when their world was destroyed forever by evil Peter Whelan. He broke into Nicholas home and began a frenzied and unprovoked knife attack on the two young women which left one dead and the other fighting for her life. Survivor Sinead, who was 19 at the time of the attack, will retell the horrific story on TG4s Finne next Wednesday as part of a campaign to keep evil Whelan behind bars. She and Nicholas family were horrified to discover the murderer, who has made several applications for parole despite getting a life sentence, had been allowed out of prison on supervised family visits. Sinead has been fighting for justice for Nichola as well as struggling to get her life back together. Sinead, now 37, has revealed the full horror of that fateful night on April 27 2002 on the CrimeLapse podcast. The two girls had planned to watch TV in Nicholas home in Rochestown, Cork, while her parents were away for the weekend in London but decided to head into town at the last minute. Sinead was sitting on Nicholas bed putting on makeup a little before 11pm while her 20-year-old friend was in the bathroom when suddenly a man appeared at the bedroom door. For a second Sinead thought it might be a friend of one of Nicholas brothers but he launched a ferocious attack on her. He threw me on to the ground. He did not speak, he just had this really intense angry expression on his face, she said. I screamed to Nichola as he was stomping on me. She came out and was screaming at him to stop and he turned to her and looked at her really menacingly and lifted up his shirt to show two knives tucked into his belt and to show her what he was about to do. He still didnt say anything, just pulled out the knife and started stabbing down on top of me. Expand Close Peter Whelan on the day he pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder of Nichola Sweeney and Sinead O'Leary in 2002 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Peter Whelan on the day he pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder of Nichola Sweeney and Sinead O'Leary in 2002 Nichola was screaming. It was all fast and furious and she was begging him to stop. The knife was coming down on my stomach and my chest. Sinead put her arms up to protect her body and the knife was going in one side of her limbs and coming out the other. He was watching Nichola as if he was enjoying her reaction, said Sinead. He launched at her then. The blade had broken in my arm so he lunged with the other knife towards Nichola. As Nichola tried to lock herself in the bathroom Sinead realised she would somehow have to get to a phone and call for help. I had three stab wounds in my chest, two in the stomach and my arms were really bad in a lot of different places. I ran to her parents room and then kept going, down the stairs with blood everywhere, it was squirting out of my arm. Sinead locked herself in a downstairs bathroom and then heard the man walk past the door. She came out into the darkness not knowing if he was still there and ran to her friend. Nichola was face down on the floor moaning. I sat with her and told her I had to go for help. I told her everything would be okay. Sinead found Nicholas mobile phone and rang the police, the ambulance service and then her parents who all rushed to the scene. Nichola had been stabbed eleven times, once through the heart and medics could find no pulse when they arrived. Sinead gave a description of the attacker to the gardai and then collapsed. They thought I was going to die, Sinead said. Meanwhile, sadistic Whelan, also then 19, had gone home two doors away, changed his clothes and had a cigarette with his mother before returning to the scene and asking gardai about events inside. They recognised him from Sineads description and arrested him. He told them: Its a pity I did not do more. Sinead said: My mum said it looked like I had been attacked by a shark, there was skin hanging off my arm and blood everywhere. Its really frightening and chilling for me the fact he was able to within minutes completely mask his demeanour and act like a concerned neighbour. To be able to do that, to be that manipulative, that Machiavellian and evil is really frightening. He had no empathy for human life. Whelan was known to gardai for previous assaults, including one on girls with a hurley, and had been thrown out of a pub that night for trying to smash a glass ashtray on a barmans head. He told gardai he did not know Sinead nor Nichola nor why he attacked them, choosing the house at random. I dont know why I did it. I was going to kill myself or someone else and I didnt have the courage to do it to myself, he told officers. Whelan was handed a 15-year sentence for the attempted murder of Sinead and a mandatory life sentence for the murder of Nichola, with the sentences to run consecutively. Whelan, who pleaded guilty, launched multiple appeals against the sentencing. Sinead said she and Nicholas family were devastated to discover Whelan had been before the parole board three times already and has been allowed out on family visits, the first time when he had only done four years. Sinead has written to Justice Minister Helen McEntee to try and stop the killers day release. She said it was despicable that the system allowed Whelan to use his time behind bars to launch appeals rather than participate in rehabilitation programmes. Whelan was successful in getting his 15-year sentence for the attempted murder of Sinead reduced to 11 in 2013 and has been out on day release at least four times. Sinead said she was violently ill when she made the discovery because she was never informed. It was mind-blowing. We had no idea. I could have bumped into him in the street. It is criminal the way we have been treated. He is a huge danger to the public and has shown no remorse. A temperature warmup usually translates into more violence on local streets. Here's the start of a balmy Friday and local po-po confronting a fierce, angry and armed denizen of the criminal class . . . Check-it . . . This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan has sought Germany's help in securing COVID-19 vaccines, Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua said on Thursday, after Berlin asked for the island's assistance in easing a shortage of automobile semiconductor chips. Wang told reporters she made the request at a meeting with Germany's de facto ambassador in Taipei, who handed her a letter seeking help to resolve the shortage, which is hampering the European nation's fledgling economic recovery from the pandemic. At their meeting on Wednesday, Wang said, she told the head of the German mission in Taipei that she hoped Germany could "assist Taiwan in obtaining vaccines within the feasible range". Germany's Economy Ministry declined comment. In the letter, German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier asked Wang to help persuade manufacturers in Taiwan, home to the world's largest contract chipmaker and one of Germany's main suppliers, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), to ease the chip shortage. Wang met senior chip executives this week who pledged to help tackle the problem. Late last month, Taiwan said it had agreed to buy almost 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, including 10 million from AstraZeneca Plc, with the first to start arriving from March. Another 4.76 million are expected to come from global vaccine programme COVAX, but the government has given no details of which company may supply the rest. Pfizer Inc has jointly developed with Germany's BioNTech SE one of the main vaccines which is now being rolled out worldwide. Countries are battling vaccine shortages worldwide. Germany's health minister said on Thursday he expected the current shortage to persist into April. Taiwan has kept the pandemic well under control thanks to early and effective prevention, with 896 cases, including seven deaths. Most the infections have been imported from abroad and only 79 people are now in hospital. (Reporting by Jeanny Kao and Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Michael Nienaber in Berlin; Editing by Toby Chopra) The city temporarily closed its senior wait list for a COVID-19 vaccine Friday after more than 70,000 people called to enroll, and will focus its latest shipment of 9,000 doses on the most vulnerable. That meant the Houston Health Department did not open new appointments Friday, as it has in past weeks. Instead, it will direct about 5,300 of the doses toward the wait list, which is operated by the Harris County Area Agency on Aging. Another 2,400 will go to providers in vulnerable communities, and 1,300 are reserved for previously booked appointments, the department announced. We know it is important to vaccinate the people who are the most vulnerable, and they should be among the first to get shots, especially when supply is scarce, Mayor Sylvester Turner said. The Houston Health Departments distribution plan for next week focuses on those with a higher risk for illness and death and people living in vulnerable communities. The doses headed to vulnerable communities will go to Walgreens locations on Wallisville Road and Airline Drive, along with Hope Clinic and Ibn Sina, who will offer the shots to their existing clients, according to the Health Department. Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer City officials also said they are working to schedule second doses for those who already have received their first shot. Next week, it plans to schedule shots for people who received their first dose Dec. 31, Jan. 4 or Jan. 5 at the George R. Brown Convention Center; from other Health Department clinics between Jan. 3 and Jan. 8; and at Minute Maid Park on Jan. 9. More information on that schedule is available on the citys website. Many residents have been anxious about those appointments, as their 28-day windows approach and they do not hear from the city. Health officials are asking residents not to inquire about those appointments unless they are within 48 hours of the 28-day window and have not heard anything. The city cited a new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control that says the second dose should be administered as close as possible to 28 days after the first shot, but it can be given up to 42 days later. Still, officials said people should be able to get their second doses on time. We anticipate second dose appointments being offered within the 28-day window, said Scott Packard, communications director for the health department. As of Friday morning, the city has given 34,503 Moderna shots. About 10,000 of those were distributed at a Minute Maid Park mega site the city launched on two Saturdays and since has discontinued. It now is offering shots at Bayou City Event Center, Delmar Stadium, the convention center, and at its Northside, La Nueva Casa de Amigos, Sharpstown and Sunnyside health centers, along with the JW Peavy Senior Center and the Acres Homes, Hiram Clarke, and Magnolia multi-service centers. Appointments are required for all vaccinations and no new slots currently are available. Residents can register for notifications about new appointments by subscribing to the HoustonRecovers option at AlertHouston. The city said it will contact and screen people who left a message to get on the Area Agency on Agings wait-list in coming days. It emphasized those people do not need to call back. Harris Countys separate wait list for the vaccine is available on its website. The site ran into technical troubles when it launched Tuesday, but more than 165,000 people have signed up already. Anyone can get on that waiting list, though right now vaccines are limited to certain front-line workers, people 65 and over and those with certain health conditions. Those include cancer; chronic kidney disease; COPD; heard conditions like heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies; solid organ transplantation; obesity; pregnancy; sickle cell disease and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. dylan.mcguinness@chron.com A man has died after his car collided with a lorry in Co Limerick (Brian Lawless/PA) A man has died after his car collided with a lorry in Co Limerick. Emergency services were called to the scene on the M7 motorway eastbound at Richhill in Lisnagary shortly after 9pm on Thursday. The motorist, in his 40s, was treated for injuries but was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. Gardai said no other injuries were reported. The victim was taken to the mortuary at University Hospital Limerick, where a post-mortem examination will be arranged. The crash site has been preserved for examination by garda forensic collision investigators, with the road closed to traffic and diversions in place. Gardai are appealing for any witnesses to the crash to come forward and also to any road users with camera footage, including dashcam, from the area at the time to make it available to investigators. Anyone with information is asked to contact Henry Street garda station on 061 212400, the garda confidential line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station. [January 29, 2021] Amerigroup Creates Scholarship for ETSU Nursing Students Interested in Rural Healthcare Driven by a commitment to improve healthcare in rural and distressed areas of Tennessee, Amerigroup Tennessee has created a new scholarship opportunity at East Tennessee State University's College of Nursing. Applications are currently being accepted for the Amerigroup Rural Medicine Scholarship (ARMS), which will be awarded in the fall of 2021 to three students in ETSU's Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) concentration. Valued at $52,000 per student, the scholarship will cover all tuition and fees. Recipients of the scholarship will agree that upon graduation, they will aim to fulfill a nurse practitioner position that allows them to serve in a distressed county in Tennessee for at least three years. Each year, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) prepares an index of county economic status for every county in the United States, measuring them based on average unemployment rate, per capita market income and poverty rate. Currently, Tennessee has 11 distressed counties, including Lake, Lauderdale, Hardeman, Perry, Wayne, Clay, Grundy, Bledsoe, Scott, Hancock and Cocke. Thousands of rural Tennesseans receive care in a less timely fashion than their urban counterparts, lack access to locally available healthcare services and even face long distance travel to reach a hospital or to access medical specialty care. In response, Amerigroup Tennessee and the ETSU College of Nursing have joined forces to help care for patients residing in rural areas where services and resources may be limited. Amerigroup's investment will create primary care access for approximately 3,750 Medicaid members per year. "I congratulate Amerigroup and applaud their efforts to serve our students and residents by making nursing scholarships at ETSU a top priority," said State Senator Rusty Crowe. "It is a win-win - our students will be able to make their dream of obtaining a university education a reality and communities needing access to healthcare in Tennessee will benefit as well. I also appreciate their efforts to help alleviate the nursing shortage we have in Tennessee. I look forward to seeing how these scholarships will benefit Tennesseans." Amerigroup Tennessee presented $156,000 to ETSU to fund the scholarships at a virtual event held n Jan. 29 which was attended by several local, state and federal elected officials. "The Amerigroup Rural Medicine Scholarship was established to remove financial barriers and allow students to focus on reaching their education and career goals creating a straight path to success, and to encourage students to seek Nurse Practitioner positions that allow them to serve in a distressed county in Tennessee," said Robert Garnett, plan president, Amerigroup Tennessee. "Amerigroup continues to invest and work with our community partners to find innovative solutions that bring more providers to eastern Tennessee to practice in traditionally underserved and non-urban areas. We are grateful to work with the ETSU College of Nursing to deliver on our mission of improving lives and communities and most importantly, strengthening our healthcare workforce in rural areas." The new scholarship opportunity aligns with ETSU College of Nursing's commitment to improving healthcare in rural communities. "We are excited that Amerigroup has partnered with the ETSU College of Nursing to assist in addressing the nursing shortage facing our communities, particularly rural and distressed areas," said Dr. Kathryn Wilhoit, interim dean of the College of Nursing. "These scholarships will open doors for students to prepare to be advanced practice nurses able to provide much needed care services to many areas of our state." When considering applications for ARMS, preference will be given to in-state students who have demonstrated a strong desire to serve in their local neighborhoods and communities or to those who have been a caregiver to individuals in their immediate families. Applicants who demonstrate financial need or are first-generation graduate-level students are strongly encouraged to apply. More information about how to apply for the Amerigroup Rural Medicine Scholarship (ARMS) is available at www.etsu.edu/nursing/amerigroup_scholarship.php. To view the virtual presentation ceremony, held Friday, Jan. 29, visit: https://youtu.be/dmmeQH35wzg. About East Tennessee State University East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular purpose to improve the quality of life for the people of the region. Today, the university offers more than 150 programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels and has more than 98,000 living graduates. The footprints of our students, alumni, faculty and staff can be seen across the region and around the world. About Amerigroup Tennessee Amerigroup Tennessee, Inc. helps improve healthcare access and quality for more than 460,000 Tennessee residents who participate in the state's various Medicaid programs. Amerigroup serves Tennesseans by developing and delivering innovative care management programs and services. Amerigroup Tennessee members are assured care that is not only accessible, but also accountable, comprehensive, integrated and patient-centered. It provides ongoing community relations and outreach to encourage members to become active participants in their healthcare. For more information about Amerigroup, please visit our website at www.myamerigroup.com/tn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005473/en/ [ 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. Cicely Tyson, the stage, screen and television actress whose vivid portrayals of strong African American women shattered racial stereotypes in the dramatic arts of the 1970s, propelling her to stardom and fame as an exemplar for civil rights, has died. She was 96. Her death was announced by her longtime manager, Larry Thompson. Cicely Tyson at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in September 2019, in Los Angeles. Credit:AP In a remarkable career of seven decades, Tyson broke ground for serious black actors by refusing to take parts that demeaned black people. She urged black colleagues to do the same and often went without work. She won three Emmys and many awards from civil rights and womens groups, and at 88 became the oldest person to win a Tony, for her 2013 Broadway role in a revival of Horton Footes The Trip to Bountiful. (ANSAmed) - CAIRO, JAN 29 - For 20 years, an Egyptian noblewoman has been a champion for the rights of cats, dogs and donkeys in Egypt, working with one of the few animal rights organisations in a country that uses brutal means to keep the stray population under control. Amina Abaza belongs to an influential Egyptian family of Circassian origin dating back to the late 18th century. Her family produced the highest number of nobles in the country from the 19th to the mid-20th century. "I started a shelter for stray cats, dogs, and donkeys, and an organisation to protect animal rights called SPARE, the first fully Egyptian animal protection society," Abaza told ANSAmed. The goal of SPARE, whose acronym stands for "Society for the Protection of Animal Rights in Egypt", is to help wounded animals, poisoned dogs and cats, and animals that have been shot by the authorities as part of seasonal culling programmes. It also seeks to help animals that are abused, tortured and mistreated out of ignorance, poverty or simply for amusement. "SPARE was founded in 2001," said Abaza. "A dog that was my friend when I was little used to wait for the school bus with me every day, but then was killed one night. I heard horrible screaming, and the next day my dog was not there to wait for the bus with me. Her name was 'La plus belle de la terre' (the most beautiful on earth). I think that was the day I decided to do something for animals," she said. "In two decades, more than 10,000 animals have been helped, treated, spayed and neutered and also sent to Europe for adoption," she said. "At the moment we have our animal sanctuary at our farm in Sakkara," south of Cairo, she said, adding that it hosts nearly 70 animals including donkeys, dogs, cats, and a camel. "I adopted them all, because nobody wanted them," she said. "In our SPARE clinic, we had an abused animal almost daily, having been thrown in a canal, or strangled by children, or the victim of a car accident or sadistic practices," said Abaza, whose family has never had any member hold a role as ruler or president of Egypt, but has been defined by some Egyptian media one of the "families that rule the country". The Abaza family has also contributed to the modern Arabic intellectual landscape through the works of journalists and political activists. Abaza said animals are killed in Egypt "because we have rabies, but this is not a reason to kill them savagely with poison or shooting. If the authorities have to kill, they should do it through euthanasia, a gentler way". "In Egypt there are very few official animal welfare organisations. The registered ones are very few, maybe 10. There are over 50 unregistered NGOs, but not all are good ones because some work only to get donations and they treat the animals badly, starving them, not giving them vaccines or good veterinary care," Abaza said. She expressed regret regarding adoptions. "Unfortunately there have not been many. In 19 years, only 2,500 animals have been adopted, because most of our animals are from the streets, not purebred. Most of them were adopted in Holland, Germany and Austria," she said. When asked about the relationship between her NGO and Italy, she said she remembered one of the SPARE managers. "A great lady named Egitzia Romeo. She cared for SPARE for 8 years. We all loved her very much and she was an Italian born in Egypt. May she rest in peace".(ANSAmed). The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). A child tries out an throat swab sampling robot at an exhibition in Beijing on Sept. 6. Shanghai should establish a university specializing in public health as part of efforts to plug a shortage of skilled medical practitioners in this field, said a senior member of the citys political advisory body, just as China sees a resurgence in Covid-19 outbreaks a year into the pandemic. Yao Jianjian, a member of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) proposed turning Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences into the citys first national-level public health institute. The proposal to bolster trained public health professionals came after the Ministry of Education published a reply to the CPPCCs proposal to strengthen recruitment. Since the pandemic broke out a year ago, universities have rushed to set up public health schools or expand existing facilities at institutions, such as Tsinghua University, Southern University of Science and Technology and Peking Union Medical College. Whether or not establishing a separate public health university is the best way needs to be tested by putting it into practice, Li Liming, director of the Peking Universitys Center for Public Health and Epidemic Preparedness and Response, told Caixin. For the future development of Chinas public health education structure, comprehensive measures such as setting up higher-level institutes and accelerating the combination of multiple disciplines would result in an integrated education system, said Li. Among Chinas 137 so-called Double First Class universities, which are being groomed to be world-class institutions by 2050 as part of a government tertiary education initiative, only 22 have public health schools, according to the Ministry of Education. Most of the leading public health institutes are in Beijing and Shanghai, with fewer in central and western regions. There should be representative public health institutes in different regions across the country so that the overall level of public health will be improved, Li said. Along with new institutes, plans to support postgraduate education in public health have also been ramped up. The Ministry of Education expressed support for the graduate enrollment schemes for 83 institutions, with the aim of doubling the admittance of students in public health related majors. The Ministry of Education and the National Health Commission have already begun related reforms, with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and 10 universities expanding the cultivation of students in the masters program for public health and setting up the Medicine+MPH double major program, which focuses on real-life applications for public health. Unlike the established clinical medicine education system, there is not an integrated education system for public health in China. Li suggested conducting professional training for public health and disease prevention, and organizing graduate internships in disease control centers and hospitals. Contact editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com) Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. January 29 : The talented actor Manoj Bajpayee has always let his performances speak for himself. The actor, who never really cared about the medium or the platform where his work will be seen, announced a new film, which will be released directly on an OTT platform. Taking to his Instagram handle today, The Family Man actor announced his new film Despatch, which will be directed by Kanu Behl and bankrolled by Ronnie Screwvalas production company RSVP Movies. Manoj, who has always focused on the performance he gets to play and not the format, revealed that Despatch will be an edge of the seat thriller about the world of crime journalism. The film will also feature Shahana Goswami. Enter the world of crime journalism with #Despatch. This edge of the seat thriller will be a direct to digital release! #FridaysWithRSVP #RonnieScrewvala @rsvpmovies @kanubehl @shahanagoswami @rii.sen5 @arrchita_ @pashanjal @hasanainhooda @ancientfeline @siddharthdiwan, the actor wrote. Director Kanu Behl had assisted director Dibaker Banerjee on the hit movie Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and co-wrote LSD: Love Sex aur Dhokha. His directorial debut, Titli was highly appreciated and was screened at several international film festivals, including Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, Zurich, Filmfest Hamburg, and BFI London. Meanwhile, on the work front, Manoj Bajpayee has recently announced another film titled Silence... Can You Hear It? The murder mystery will also feature Prachi Desai and Arjun Mathur in lead roles. Helmed by Aban Bharucha Deohans, the film revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a woman. It will release on Zee5 in March 2021. The makers of the film claim that the audiences will stay hooked to this thriller, which has been given a contemporary treatment. The movie is a classic whodunnit drama for the modern yet rooted Indian audience. (Newser) A lawyer says he's one step closer to uncovering the truth about a legendary treasure of Civil War gold said to have been lost in the Pennsylvania wilderness, reports Penn Live. The FBI excavated a site in Elk State Forest in 2018, acting on a tip from treasure hunting group Finders Keepers. The group had determined that the Union Army's cache of gold barswhich supposedly disappeared en route from Wheeling, West Virginia, to the US Mint in Philadelphia in 1863must be buried there. But the FBI said the group was wrong. Initially embarrassed at their apparent mistake, Finders Keepers father-son owners Dennis and Kem Parada now believe the FBI is hiding something, possibly the treasure, and have been fighting to gain access to documents sealed from public view due to an "ongoing criminal investigation." story continues below Their lawyer, William J. Cluck, says a break came with a recent public records request, when he learned the name of the federal judge who sealed the records. "I got what I wanted," Cluck says, adding he'll now petition the judge to lift the lid, so to speak. "We are convinced that they found gold," says Cluck, noting a ground-penetrating survey ordered by the FBI found a buried, metallic mass with the density of gold. That was before the March 2018 dig, which involved the FBI's Art Crimes Division. Witnesses observed 50 agents and armored cars on site all night, Cluck tells PennLive. "So, what are we supposed to believe?" He argues the Paradas should get a portion of the treasure's value, per Fox News. Estimates vary, but the Paradas believe it could be worth as much as $400 million. (Read more treasure stories.) 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 Louisiana Department of Health reported 1,537 more confirmed coronavirus cases and 39 more confirmed deaths in its noon update Friday. The number of hospitalizations decreased by 44, and the number of patients in need of ventilators decreased by 8. There are also 50,282 total "probable" coronavirus cases in Louisiana, according to the agency's dashboard. These are another few key statewide statistics as of Friday: Total confirmed cases: 346,994 Total "probable" cases: 50,282 Total confirmed deaths: 8,241 Currently hospitalized: 1,546 Currently on ventilators: 198 Vaccine series initiated: 339.445 (updated twice weekly) Vaccine series completed: 57,926 Presumed recovered: 344,321 as of January 25 (updated weekly) Note: The Advocate and The Times-Picayune staff calculates daily case count and confirmed death increases based on the difference between today's total and yesterday's total of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths. The Louisiana Department of Health releases a daily case count on its dashboard that includes probable cases as indicated by a positive antigen test. That case count can be different than the one listed here. 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 Here are some of the parishes with the highest single-day increase in confirmed coronavirus cases, based on the Friday report: Jefferson: 196 St. Tammany: 123 East Baton Rouge: 117 Orleans: 101 Caddo: 99 Bossier: 93 Calcasieu: 70 Lafayette: 64 You can view more graphs and charts breaking down the data by clicking here. Louisiana began reopening for Phase 1 on May 15-16 then moved to Phase 2 on June 5. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards extended Louisiana's Phase 2 restrictions twice in August before moving the state to Phase 3 on Sept. 11. The governor then moved the state back to a modified Phase 2 near the end of November. This is a developing story. More details and analysis to come. University of Arkansas law professor Jill Wieber Lens argues that women have a right to know of the risk of stillbirth, a right that should be enforceable through a medical malpractice tort claim As part of standard patient protocol, doctors inform women of the risks of pregnancy. But there is one exception to this standard: stillbirth. University of Arkansas law professor Jill Wieber Lens argues that women have a right to know of the risk of stillbirth, and, consistent with the evolution of informed consent law, this right should be enforceable through a medical malpractice tort claim. Stillbirth, or pregnancy loss after 20 weeks but before birth, is not uncommon. Annually, 26,000 U.S. women give birth to a stillborn baby, or roughly one out every 160 pregnancies. The United States' stillbirth rate is higher than the stillbirth rates of many other high-income countries and has not decreased as have other countries' rates. "Numerous countries have reduced their stillbirth rates through initiatives that include requiring doctors to disclose the risk of stillbirth to women and to educate women on simple preventative measures," Lens says. "A tort claim enforcing a woman's right to disclosure of stillbirth could have a similar effect in the United States." In "Medical Paternalism, Stillbirth, & Blindsided Mothers," published in the Iowa Law Review, Lens contends that women remain ignorant of the possibility of stillbirth because of the remnants of medical paternalism -- doctors choose not to disclose the risk because they think women don't need to and shouldn't know about it, because the risk is low, and they think it might cause anxiety in patients. There could be other reasons. Doctors might believe that anxious women would want additional visits, which might not be covered under current insurance billing standards. "Possibly the only one benefiting from current non-disclosure is the doctor," writes Lens, "as he or she may be motivated by billing incentives more than what is best for the patient and her unborn child." In the article, Lens explained that doctors historically were obligated to disclose only those risks they thought patients needed to know. However, decades ago, courts rejected this paternalism in favor of a patient's right to information and self-determination. This led to the adoption of a so-called "materiality standard," which requires doctors to disclose all risks that a reasonable patient would want to know. Lens applied this materiality standard and the evolved principles of informed consent law to a pregnant woman's right to know about the risk of stillbirth. The right easily satisfies the materiality standard, she said. Additionally, Lens argued, there is no evidence to support the myth that disclosure will cause anxiety for pregnant women. In current routine practice, doctors disclose many risks associated with pregnancy, including the risks of miscarriage and fetal abnormalities, such as down syndrome and fatal trisomies. But empirical studies confirm that pregnant women remain unaware of the possibility and reality of stillbirth. "The narrative of the irrational and emotional pregnant woman does not justify the doctor's non-disclosure," she said. "This narrative is common, but there is no evidence to support it. Keeping women in the dark about stillbirth only prevents them from taking actions that could prevent stillbirth, such as not smoking, sleeping on one's side and monitoring the baby's movements." In addition to patient and fetal health, there are other benefits that could be achieved through a tort claim, Lens explained. Educating women will likely reduce the number of malpractice claims filed after stillbirth, as patients are less likely to sue when they feel informed and are satisfied with doctor-patient communication. Though stillbirth will still be devastating for women, knowing about the risk ahead of time might help alleviate some of the shock. Finally, informing women of the risk of stillbirth might increase public awareness and help reduce the stigma and taboo surrounding stillbirth. ### A medic from Empress EMS loads a suspected COVID-19 patient from the Regency Extended Care Center into an ambulance in Yonkers, N.Y., on April 7, 2020. (John Moore/Getty Images) COVID-19 Deaths Among New York Nursing Home Residents Rise by 40 Percent Almost 4,000 nursing home residents in New York have died from COVID-19 after being moved to hospitals, state health officials disclosed Thursday, increasing the death toll among those elderly by more than 40 percent. New York made the unusual move last year to split deaths among the group, only releasing figures for residents who died in nursing facilities. New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, accused Gov. Andrew Cuomos administration earlier Thursday of underreporting the number of nursing home deaths by as much as 50 percent. She called on the state to ensure public reporting by each nursing home of COVID-19 deaths of residents both at the facility and at hospitals. New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said in response that the state didnt underreport deaths, but had acknowledged for months that it was only publicly releasing deaths of residents that occurred at homes, not those that occurred at hospitals. Now Zucker has reported new figures: the number of nursing home resident deaths rose from 8,740 to 12,743, about the same number that Jamess investigation posited. State health data thats been audited shows that from March 1, 2020, to Jan. 19, 5,957 residents died in nursing facilities and 3,829 died in hospitals. Additionally, the state has 2,957 presumed COVID nursing home fatalities, or deaths believed to stem from the illness. The confirmed number of COVID-19 deaths in New York, 34,742, remains unchanged, Zucker said. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo delivers his State of the State address at the state Capitol in Albany, N.Y., on Jan. 11, 2021. (Hans Pennink/AP Photo) COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. James found that at least 4,000 of the deaths happened after state officials issued guidance stating that nursing home residents must not be denied re-admission or admission based solely on a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 diagnosis. Some of the deaths occurred in facilities that had no reported COVID-19 infections before receiving such admissions. Critics say the policy led to more nursing home deaths. James said it was consistent with federal guidance that said nursing homes should admit residents they would have normally admitted. But she also wrote: While additional data and analysis would be required to ascertain the effect of such admissions in individual facilities, these admissions may have contributed to increased risk of nursing home resident infection, and subsequent fatalities (whether due to actual transmission of infection from new residents to incumbent residents, or due to the facilities poor self-assessment during the admission process that was followed by failure to provide appropriate care to that patient or other residents.). Zucker said the attorney general found no evidence that the policy, which was changed about five weeks after it was issued in March 2020, resulted in additional fatalities in nursing homes. State officials previously released a report blaming staff members at the homes, along with visitors, for infecting residents. The undercount in deaths sparked fresh calls for action against New York, which has one of the highest COVID-19 death tolls per 100,000 residents in the nation. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) urged James and the Department of Justice to subpoena Cuomo administration officials. The department, which was looking into the issue last year, will decide if an investigation is warranted, the White House said Friday. Any investigation would be led by the Department of Justice. Were in a new age where theyre independent and they will determine what path they take moving forward, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters in Washington. The department didnt immediately respond to an inquiry. Just a year and a half after a ceremonial groundbreaking at the corner of Adkisson Drive and Norman Chapel Road on the campus of Cleveland State Community College, the new Health and Science Center is just weeks away from opening its doors. The first courses will be taught in the colleges first new academic facility in more than 40 years beginning March 15. Nursing, EMS/Paramedic, Medical Assisting, and Microbiology students will be the first to use the brand new space. The 53,000-square foot, two-story structure was constructed by BarberMcMurry Architects. We are thrilled with the experiential teaching opportunities we'll have in the new building, said Dr. Barsha Pickell, Cleveland State Community College vice president for Academic Affairs. We will have a state-of-the-art simulation lab and simulated hospital unit for our nursing students; a simulated physicians office suite with reception area, exam rooms, laboratory, and records area for our medical assisting students; ambulance simulators for our EMS students; and spacious new biology labs, classrooms, and computer labs. Students and faculty alike are excited about the real hands-on learning experiences they'll have and are eager to move in. These classes are currently underway in other buildings on campus. However, the college will officially move the classes into the Health and Science Center mid-term, during Spring Break 2021. It will officially open for classes, and to the public, on March 15. Also set to open later this year is Cleveland States brand new Athens Center. It will be based in the new McMinn Higher Education Center currently under construction in McMinn County. The 52,000-square foot facility is located at the corner of George R. Price Boulevard and Denso Drive in Athens, Tennessee. The Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT-Athens) and the University of Tennessee Extension Offices will also be housed at the new location. The building is being constructed by Rouse Construction Company. The Pentagon logo seen during a media briefing in the Press Room of the Pentagon in Washington on Oct. 21, 2014. (Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty Images) Pentagon Says Taliban Have Not Met Their Commitments in Peace Deal The Pentagon said Thursday that the Taliban have not met their commitments in the Afghan peace deal with the United States, including reducing violence and cutting ties with terrorist organizations. Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that the Biden administration believes it is hard to see a way forward for a negotiated settlement with the militant group unless it meets its commitments under the 2020 deal. Kirby was referring to a four-component peace pact between the United States and the Taliban (pdf) signed in February 2020, which included a Trump administration commitment to the Taliban to remove all U.S. military, intelligence, and contractor personnel from Afghanistan by May if peace-keeping conditions were honored. The Taliban promised to prevent the use of Afghanistan territory to launch attacks against the United States and its allies, and committed to engage in peace talks with the Afghan government that would eventually lead to a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire. The Taliban have not met their commitments, Kirby said at a news briefing. Without them meeting their commitments to renounce terrorism and to stop the violent attacks on the Afghan National Security Forces its very hard to see a specific way forward for the negotiated settlement, but were still committed to that. Kirby noted that the Biden administration remains committed to the peace deal, saying that there is no change to the U.S. commitments made. But the Taliban are not meeting their commitments to reduce violence, and to renounce their ties to Al-Qaeda, he said. As long as this is the case, Kirby said, its going to be difficult for anybody at that negotiating table to remain committed to their promises. Last year, according to Afghanistans human rights commission, killings of civilians in the country conflict rose to more than 2,900 last year. Some senior U.S. commanders have been skeptical of the Talibans stated commitment to peace, with the Pentagon noting continued high levels of Taliban violence against the Afghan government and other targets. In the latest deadly attack in the capital of Kabul, two female Supreme Court judges were gunned down on Jan. 17 on their way to work, according to a statement from the countrys Presidential Palace. Read More Taliban Calls on Biden to Honor Trumps Deal to Withdraw Troops From Afghanistan Former President Donald Trump, in a bid to move the process further down the roadmap to a peace settlement, in November ordered a reduction of U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan to 2,500 from 4,500. Military officials have said they are mainly conducting counterterrorism operations. Christopher Miller, in his final days as the acting secretary of defense said on Jan. 17 that the Pentagon is planning for additional troop reductions to zero by May, adding that any such future drawdowns remain conditions-based. However, Kirby told reporters Thursday that no decision had been made by Bidens administration about future troop levels in Afghanistan, noting that the Defense Department is currently comfortable with the troop level in the country. I would say this to the leaders of the Taliban, that they make it that much more difficult for final decisions to be made about force presence by their reticence to commit to reasonable, sustainable, and credible negotiations at the table, Kirby said. Tom Ozimek and Reuters contributed to this report. Southern Pines, NC (28387) Today Cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 82F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Occasional rain tapering to a few showers late. Low 53F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. 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. NYC Public Schools Lost 43,000 Students This Year New York Citys K-12 public schools have seen a 4 percent decline this school year, with about 43,000 students pulling out of the system, according to preliminary data released by the citys education department. The preliminary data, released Wednesday, suggests that the sharpest decline of New York Citys enrollment occurred in non-mandatory early childhood grades. Enrollment for 3-K and pre-K students has so far dropped 8 percent and 13 percent, respectively. While NYC Public Schools remains the nations largest public school district, its total enrollment was brought down to 960,000 compared to 1.1 million students in the 2018-19 school year. According to education officials, there has been a decline in enrollment every year since 2016, but this years particularly sharp decline can be attributed to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. They also pointed to the shrinking birth rate in the city. The enrollment loss echoes a national trend, the officials said. Enrollment fell in all of the nations 10 biggest school districts this year, ranging from 2 percent to 8 percent losses. Although enrollment largely determines the amount of funding and state aid each school is entitled to, education officials said its too soon to tell how it will affect how much money goes to the citys public schools next year, given that state budget is still in flux. Given the current circumstances of pandemic it is no surprise that we are seeing greater fluctuations in enrollment this year, Katie OHanlon, a spokesperson for the Department of Education, said in a statement. However, no school district has stabilized its school system the way we have, which means that we can and will continue to offer the gold standard in health, safety, and learning in a completely transformed educational environment to our students. The report comes as New York states population continues to decline, more than any state in the United States. The data released last December by the Census Bureau estimated New Yorks population to be at 19.5 million as of July 1, 2019, indicating that there were 126,300 fewer people compared to the prior year. Ranking just ahead of New York in 2019-20 was Illinois, with a population drop of about 79,000. Meanwhile, Texas and Florida were the nations biggest leaders in population growth, with up about 374,000 and 241,000 people for the period. In terms of percentage growth, Idaho (2.1 percent), Arizona (1.8 percent), Nevada, and Utah (1.5 percent) are the fastest growers. Former Belfast Telegraph journalist Vincent Kearney has been appointed RTE's northern editor for its news coverage. Mr Kearney will replace Tommie Gorman in the role who retires in the spring. He is an award-winning journalist whose 32 years experience has included senior editorial positions in regional and national newspapers. Read More Originally from Belfast, but now living in Lurgan with wife Louise and family, he worked at the Tele, was NI correspondent for The Sunday Times and later for the BBC worked on Spotlight and was its home affairs editor. He left Ormeau Avenue to make the short trip to RTE's Belfast office in January 2019. Currently RTE's northern correspondent Mr Kearney has reported across all the broadcasters news programmes, providing television, radio and online coverage. He said he was thrilled to take up the new position, "that is without doubt one of the best jobs in journalism on the island of Ireland". "Tommie Gorman will leave behind an amazing legacy and huge shoes to fill," he added. "I am delighted to be the person to be given the opportunity to fill them. RTE has a reputation for authoritative and comprehensive coverage of Northern Ireland affairs and I relish the challenge of continuing that tradition." Following the announcement, Mr Kearney was congratulated by politicians, the current and former secretary of state and other prominent figures. Among them deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill. "I look forward to working with you in your new role," she tweeted. "Also, every best wishes to Tommie Gorman as he steps back after 20 years of reporting on the North. Enjoy whatever comes next for you." Managing director of RTE news and current affairs, Jon Williams said: "Few know and understand Northern Ireland better than Vincent Kearney. "A gifted storyteller, three decades of reporting Northern Ireland have given Vincent insights and authority in a place where trust and credibility matter more than most. "From the aftermath of Brexit, to the continuing Covid crisis, RTE has a unique role as an all-island broadcaster. No-one is better placed to continue the work of Tommie Gorman, and David Davin Power and Jim Dougal before him, than Vincent Kearney." Paying tribute to Tommie Gorman, Mr Williams added: "For 41 years, from Brussels to Belfast, via Sligo and Saipan, Tommie Gorman has been the beating heart of RTE News. He has earned the trust of audiences, north and south - and of all sides in Northern Ireland, telling their story, sharing his insights, and championing RTEs role as an all-island news organisation." EBRD at Davos Week EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso led a senior EBRD delegation at this weeks virtual Davos conference. The President will speak at a panel on Building on Europes Edge in the Green Transition Friday at 5pm, OCE Chief Economist Beata Javorcik participated in a discussion on Preparing for Deglobalisation and Managing Director Sustainable Infrastructure Group Nandita Parshad chaired a panel on Accelerating Clean Energy Transitions. Learn more Chief Economist Beata Javorcik also participated in the Frankfurt Finance Week. On a panel about The state remains centrestage she presented the findings of the latest EBRD Transition Report. Her comments about the role of state-owned banks and their risk-taking capacity as well as their exposure to political consideration were also covered by the media. Learn more (in German) EBRD President warns against rising inequality Speaking to the leading French newspaper Le Monde, EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso expressed her concerns about the widening inequalities caused by the recession following the coronavirus pandemic. Ms Renaud-Basso underlined that this matter is one of the EBRDs priorities and is particularly urgent. She also warned that delays in the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines will have an impact on the recovery. Read more (in French) Dealing with the effects of climate change through climate adaptation EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso joined world leaders during the (virtual) Climate Adaptation Summit (CAS), hosted by the Netherlands, with the aim to galvanise and scale up global efforts to address the impacts of climate change. In her intervention she emphasised the need for a paradigm shift in how markets internalise climate risk in order to drive capital towards more resilient economic development. Learn more EBRD shareholders approve membership of UAE The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken the first step to become a member of the EBRD with the Banks Board of Governors approval of its request to become a shareholder of the multilateral financial institution. The membership is expected to create new business opportunities and benefit many of the economies where the EBRD invests, especially in the UAEs vicinity. Learn more Project signings Largest Green Transition Bond private placement The EBRD issued its largest private placement of a Green Transition Bond yet this week and the first such placement to be bought solely by a Japanese investor. The Japan Post Insurance Co. purchased the bond for AUD 280 million and the Bank will use the proceeds to finance green transition projects that seek to enable significant improvements towards decarbonisation and improvement of resource efficiency in key sectors of the economy such as manufacturing and food production. Learn more Supporting Serbia to expand broadband to rural areas In Serbia, an 18 million EBRD loan and a 1.7 million Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) grant will allow the country to finance the design and construction of fibre broadband infrastructure to gain access to fast broadband in rural regions of the country. Learn more 20 million risk-sharing facility with Bank Attijari Tunisia In Tunisia, the EBRD is increasing access to finance for micro and small businesses with the provision of a 20 million Risk Sharing Framework (RSF) to Banque Attijari Tunisia. The financing will help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the local economy. Learn more Supporting green investments in Tajikistan In Tajikistan, the EBRD organised a financing package of US$ 4 million to the largest private lender Bank Eskhata under its Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF) to support green financing for households and small private-sector companies investing in green technology solutions. Learn more Donors Helping Azerbaijani Pizza Mizza grow its brand The EBRDs business advisory programme, funded by the EU, assisted the Azerbaijani brand Pizza Mizza in identifying an optimal marketing strategy to offer their customers amazing food, consistent delivery and to create an identity and concept to remember. Business New Europe dedicated a story to this initiative. Learn more EBRD in the News Following her panel in Davos. EBRD Managing Director Sustainable Infrastructure Group Nandita Parshad spoke to Chinas CGTNs Global Business programme about the acceleration of clean energy transition and the private sectors role in it. Watch here EBRD Director, Energy EMEA, Harry Boyd-Carpenter, and Associate Director Anna Chmielewska spoke with the project finance magazine Refinitv about the offshore wind sector in Poland. The EBRD representatives expressed their confidence in the development of the sector and underlined the associated risks are now bankable. Read more EBRD Head of Bosnia and Herzegovina visited the largest nationwide independent broadcaster N1 for an interview about the economic prospects of the country. She underlined the Banks continuous support with a focus on the private sector. Watch the interview Andreea Moraru, EBRD Director for Greece, spoke to the daily Kathimerinis new financial edition Money Review about the Banks investments in 2020 and its plans for the next years, highlighting the EBRDs support for green projects, the energy and banking sectors. Read more (in Greek) Comments by the EBRD Deputy Director for Ukraine Alexander Pavlov about a possible engagement of the Bank in the privatisation of the state-owned lender Oshchadbank were widely reported in in the country this week. He said: Provided that the transformation of Oshchadbank and the state-owned banking sector as a whole continues to move in the right direction, we hope to reach a deal already in 2021. Read more Subscribe to instant email updates on EBRD news about topics such as coronavirus and climate finance. Sign up English designer Richard Quinn's exhibit at the NGV Triennial is a lovely thing; heavily embroidered with sequins and pearls, five kilos of frocklet with integrated high heels, helmet mask, bodysuit hosiery and matching handbag glinting in its airy glass case at the intersection of an upper gallery and mezzanine corridor. Dash through the Triennial as I did, however (hell bent to get around in two hours; forget it), and you're likely to miss it. Which would be a shame. And not just because it's so dang pretty you can almost see it sway and hear it click-tinkling down the runway of Quinn's show in London last year, but because it's a virtual millefeuille of clues to the Triennial itself. Look 2, ensemble from Richard Quinns 2020 autumn-winter collection on display in NGV Triennial. Richard Quinn Credit:Sean Fennessy It speaks to the moment, says Danielle Whitfield, NGV fashion and textile curator. Richard Quinns work is on the cutting edge of all those conversations were having around the world and that make up the Triennial: the purpose of design, the intersections between different design disciplines, interrogations of new materials, environmental impacts. Hes also at that experimental avant-garde end [of fashion], inventing new techniques, new processes, new ways to address sustainability, ethical supply... In its own weirdly British way, Quinn's Triennial queen also tackles the hottest hot button issue in fashion right now; cultural identity and the fraught ways we all pick clothes to signal who we think we are and where we belong. Roofing Experts in Maryland Marylands roofing industry leader, Four Seasons, is proud to announce its continued record of unparalleled customer service, earning top honors from manufacturing, retail and corporate ratings firms. We've taken Maryland by storm with our second-to-none customer-service approach, our excellent craftsmanship and, of course, our family-friendly prices, says Debbie Dewan, director of operations. At Four Seasons, we make sure that the customer service is just as good as the work itselfwhere the homeowner, not our business, comes first. We pride ourselves on making every customer feel like the most important customer. This 100% attention to putting people first has helped Four Seasons outplace its competitors in the roofing industry. It boasts an A+ ranking with the Better Business Bureau. It earned Angies List Super Service Award. It is a Top Pro on Thumbtack and a Guild Quality Member. And it consistently gets 5-star reviews on Google and Houzz and Yelp. With more than 1,500 customers and almost 500 installations measuring more than 910,000 sq. ft., this company boasts elite rankings and honors that set it apart. Customers appreciate our no-pressure, no-nonsense approach to business and value our community service. As a locally owned and operated company, we are not a franchise. We personally respond to every e-mail and phone call. We provide free in-home consultations and we handle every project ourselvesfrom roofing to gutters, siding and windows. All shapes, all sizes, all styles. Moreover, homeowners can feel safe knowing that we are fully insured, licensed and bonded, and each employee undergoes scrupulous background checks. Check out this outstanding customer review: Recent windstorm did some damage to my house and I needed a new roof installed fastAlex, the owner of Four Seasons, was very professional and courtesy from day one. Their estimator did a great job explaining me what needed to be done and what was not necessaryI am very grateful for what they did for me on a short notice. For top-notch customer service on your next roofing job from a company that delivers success on every project, visit us at https://fourseasonsroofingmd.com today and see why we outrank the competition. About the Company: Based in Owings Mills outside of Baltimore, Four Seasons Roofing is a full-service licensed and certified business that offers a full range of services for both residential and commercial buildings, including installation, inspection, repair, gutters, shingles, attic insulation, skylights and windows. From flat to sloped, tile and metal, no building is beyond our scope of work. We use only the best materials made from the finest manufacturers. Countless testimonials speak volumes about our outstanding customer service. We offer financing and special offers throughout the year. For more information on any of our services, call us at 410-210-4933, or email us directly at info@fourseasonsroofingmd.com. The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation will double its investments in data science and AI grants in 2021 to $40 million. The foundation is also introducing initiatives to promote the responsible and inclusive use of data and AI. We sit at the frontier of the digital age with a set of choices about the future of these powerful tools, said foundation president Vilas Dhar. Will it be a future where control remains in the hands of a few to benefit the elite? Or a future where we all participate in the co-creation of AI and data that solves our greatest global challenges and makes our individual lives better? The foundations 2021 commitments are intended to empower civil society to fully participate in shaping the future so that the benefits of AI and data are shared by all. The three-pillar commitment from the foundation, which is named for the late founder of IDG, includes: A $40 million commitment to AI and data science for public good, enabling nonprofits and non-governmental organizations to leverage AI and data to further work in environmental protection, foster economic prosperity, strengthen tech education opportunities for young people, and create a more inclusive, equitable tech workforce. Grants also will be directed toward organizations designing new approaches to data dignity, data stewardship, and AI ethics. A new data and AI services consultancy for nonprofits, to be launched this spring. The foundations in-house team of data and AI experts will work with nonprofit organizations on data maturity and infrastructure and creation of exemplar cases of AI for public good. Fostering an inclusive tech, data, and AI ecosystem. Through collaboration with organizations including Oxford, MIT, and the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, the foundation will catalyze efforts to bring stakeholders together, elevate diverse perspectives on AIs future, and inspire young technologists to pursue tech for public good. A key focus will be including marginalized voices to ensure that the development of AI benefits everyone. The foundation also is announcing support for the World Economic Forum Global AI Action Alliance, with Dhar co-chairing this alliance of more than 100 leading companies, governments, international organizations, and academics. Vietnams animal feed exports would likely touch the $1 billion mark in the near future as many large-scale enterprises in the field have continued to expand their production, trade experts have predicted. Animal feed being packed at a JAPFA Comfeed Vietnam factory in Thai Binh Province. VNA/VNS Photo The Duyet The countrys livestock feed exports in December 2020 grew very robustly, reaching US$80 million, up to 55 per cent month-on-month and 10 per cent year-on-year, statistics from the General Department of Customs showed. This sharp increase in December was fueled by a high growth rate in three leading markets of China, Cambodia, and the US at 84 per cent, 66 per cent and 69 per cent, respectively. Thanks to such a significant growth seen in December, the countrys animal feed export turnover in 2020 reached over $800 million, up 17 per cent compared to 2019 with China, Cambodia and the US being the three largest consumption markets, accounting for over 10 per cent of the nations total export value. Last year, Vietnamese exports of animal feed to China in 2020 topped $211.23 million, a yearly increase of 16 per cent, and making up for 26.4 per cent of the total turnover while the figure to Cambodia hit $122.3 million, increasing 23 per cent year-on-year or equivalent to 15.3 per cent of the proportion. Meanwhile, exports to the US reached $114.5 million, up 125 per cent compared to 2019, accounting for 14.3 per cent of the proportion. This impressive growth rate demonstrated that Vietnamese animal feed could penetrate more and more into tough markets. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the country's turnover in exports of such products to key markets increased in 2020 compared to the previous year. However, turnovers of many small markets were still declining such as Japan with $26.2 million, down 27 per cent year-on-year; South Korea with $19 million, down 18.5 per cent and Indonesia with $11 million, down 33 per cent. Vietnam is now home to 265 animal feed production businesses, of which 180 were domestically run. Although domestic enterprises outperformed in terms of quantity, foreign firms still led the way in terms of capacity and market share. VNS Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 23:21:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Indian officials and special branch of Delhi police investigate at the site of a low intensity blast near the Israeli embassy in the heart of Delhi in India, Jan. 30, 2021. Investigation is on in the Friday evening's low intensity blast near Israel embassy in Delhi, as the local police have gathered a CCTV footage showing a cab dropping off two persons near the spot where the explosion took place, confirmed a local cop on Saturday. No human injuries or deaths were reported, though a couple of vehicles parked nearby were partially damaged due to the impact of the blast. (Photo by Partha Sarkar/Xinhua) JERUSALEM, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- An explosion occurred close to the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi, India on Friday, Israeli Foreign Ministry said. According to a statement by the ministry, there were no casualties reported. Israeli media reported the device was an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi spoke to his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, after the explosion. "The Indian Foreign Minister vowed...to act resolutely to find all those involved in the explosion," read the statement from Jerusalem. "We take this very seriously. (The) matter is under investigation and no effort will be spared to find the culprits," Jaishankar posted on his Twitter account. A statement issued by the office of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the national security advisers of both countries spoke on the ongoing investigation. "Prime Minister Netanyahu is fully confident that the Indian authorities will complete the investigation and guarantee the safety of the Israelis and the Jews there," said the statement. No organization has taken responsibility yet for the attack this Friday. Enditem East Timor's prosecutor general will not investigate claims the country's prime minister was behind deadly unrest that erupted in 2006, saying the allegations are "too political". Former prime minister Mari Alkatiri has called on current Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao to resign, amid claims he orchestrated the violence that plunged the country into crisis. Alkatiri quit as prime minister in June 2006 after a request Gusmao, who was then the president, amid claims Alkatiri and some of his ministers gave instructions to arm civilian militia during the crisis. But last week, rebel leader Alfredo Reinado alleged Gusmao was the "mastermind" who had fomented the 2006 unrest, which left 37 people dead and drove 100,000 from their homes. Gusmao has refused to respond to Reinado's claims, saying he won't engage in a war of words with the rebel leader. The death of a Sydney woman, found unconscious with neck trauma on a footpath five years ago, has been referred to the homicide squad. Deborah Spencer, 51, died in Sydney's Nepean Hospital after she was found lying on a South Penrith footpath on the morning of May 22, 2016. The fracture of her hyoid bone, in her upper neck, was deemed a significant condition contributing to her death, NSW coroner Derek Lee said in findings published on Friday. But Mr Lee couldn't say with any certainty how the injury occurred. Deborah Spencer, 51, died in hospital after she was found lying on a South Penrith footpath on the morning of May 22, 2016 The evidence before him left open the possibility Ms Spencer died after an accidental alcohol-related fall or after an episode of interpersonal violence. 'As for the latter, the evidence is even less clear as to whether any possible episode of interpersonal violence consisted of a push or strike, or a combination of one or more of such acts of violence,' he said. Mr Lee was told local detectives hadn't yet sought formal assistance or advice from the homicide squad. The specialist skills of homicide detectives could benefit the investigation, the coroner said. Ms Spencer's inquest heard she and her boyfriend were drinking in Penrith from early afternoon on May 21, eventually settling under Lemongrove Bridge with a cask of wine. A friend reported seeing Ms Spencer lying on the ground but conscious and aware of her surroundings about 10pm. Spencer died in Sydney's Nepean Hospital (pictured) in May 2016 He received a call from Ms Spencer's partner about 10.50pm to say she'd had a fall and they were coming to the friend's home. But they never arrived - and the boyfriend ended up sleeping at another friend's home. Two people saw the boyfriend attempting to rouse Ms Spencer the next morning about 7am. Both saw Ms Spencer with a black eye while one thought he saw blood on the boyfriend's arm, the inquest was told. The boyfriend told one passer-by he'd simply found Ms Spencer lying on the footpath. Ms Spencer's blood alcohol on hospital arrival was 0.173 while a large amount of bleeding on the brain was deemed 'unsurvivable'. Ms Spencer (pictured) was found unconscious with neck trauma on a footpath five years ago Friends later told police Ms Spencer, who lived in England until 2001, drank alcohol daily and was known to fall when drunk. But Ms Spencer's injuries observed in her autopsy were also unlikely to be explained by a single-impact fall, Mr Lee said. The boyfriend, who was also drunk on May 21, gave inconsistent accounts to police about various details including when he'd last seen her. The couple also had a history of alleged domestic violence, with Ms Spencer telling police in March her boyfriend threatened to kill her and had tried to strangle her. He'd acted in similar ways previously, she said, without detailing further incidents. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) 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. 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. Foreign Secretaries of India and on Friday carried out a comprehensive review of the overall and held discussions on preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to in March. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said both sides reviewed progress in the bilateral relationship, including in the areas of defence and security, border management, trade, connectivity, power, energy and cooperation in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen arrived here on Thursday on a three-day visit, primarily to prepare ground for Modi's upcoming visit to In the talks held under the framework of India- foreign office consultations, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Momen agreed to maintain the steady momentum of bilateral cooperation and people-to-people ties. "Both sides held a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in the bilateral relationship, including in the areas of COVID-19 cooperation, trade, connectivity, development partnership, power, energy and water resources, regional and multilateral cooperation as well as border management and security and defence cooperation," the MEA said in a statement. At a virtual summit with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina last month, Modi described the neighbouring country as a "key pillar" of India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. It said discussion also focussed on preparations for the forthcoming visit of Modi to and events relating to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. "Both sides also agreed to hold the next home secretary level talks, commerce secretary level talks and the secretary level meeting of joint rivers commission before the March summit," the MEA said. It said both sides noted with appreciation the close cooperation on the coronavirus-related issues, including India's gift of two million doses of Covishield vaccine to Bangladesh in keeping with its 'Neighbourhood First' policy. "It was also agreed to maintain the steady momentum of bilateral cooperation and people-to-people ties. In this regard, both sides noted with satisfaction the renewal of the air travel bubble arrangement that will facilitate essential travel between the two sides," it added. In the meeting, the two countries underscored the importance of the year 2021 in the context of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh, the 50th year of bilateral diplomatic ties as well as the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Around 93,000 Pakistani troops had surrendered before the joint forces of the Indian Army and the "Mukti Bahini" on December 16, 1971 that led to the birth of Bangladesh. The MEA said both sides decided to further strengthen the ongoing coordination to jointly commemorate these anniversaries. In this context, both sides expressed appreciation for the participation of the Bangladesh tri-services contingent at the Republic Day Parade here. "Both sides noted the significance of this event in reminding present generations in both countries about the struggle and sacrifices of Indian and Bangladesh forces and peoples during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War," the MEA said. The Bangladesh foreign secretary was accompanied by Bangladesh High Commissioner Mohammad Imran, Secretary (East) Mashfee Shams and representatives from the ministries of foreign affairs, commerce and water resources of Bangladesh. The Indian delegation consisted of representatives from the ministries of external affairs, home affairs, commerce and industry, Jal Shakti and finance. (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.) OROVILLE, Calif. - Around a dozen people in Oroville gathered for a protest outside of the city chambers on Thursday morning as the city council discussed the possibility of Cal Fire taking over the local fire department. Community members say one concern they have is the potential financial impacts. Right now, the city of Oroville is paying approximately $3.5 million on fire services each year. The new contract with Cal Fire would cost around $5.2 million if it moves forward. The council heard a presentation from Cal Fire during the special meeting that lasted around four hours. There was no action taken and the direction given was to hear a five-year alternative plan from the Oroville Fire Department at the next regular city council meeting. "We would be employed by Cal Fire, employed by the state, but potentially shipped off to other areas, we enjoy providing services for the city, that's what we signed up for," said Joel Harper, who has been with the Oroville Fire Department for 7 years. RELATED: Mayor confirms leaked closed session discussion involving switch to Cal Fire for emergency city response Pastor Stephen Terry, from Oroville, was among the demonstrators, "I am protesting Oroville Fire being contracted by Cal Fire. Cal Fire is a great organization and I have nothing against it. My points are the costs will be too high, people will be offered jobs but they might not be able to stay in Oroville. Most of them are homegrown people," he said. Oroville City administrator, Bill LaGrone says, "Our employees would become employees of Cal Fire and would be assigned to this station, should they choose to leave to another community, that will be available through Cal Fire but that will be their choice," said LaGrone. LaGrone says some benefits of the new contract would be that they will get to fill the El Medio Fire station almost immediately if this moves forward. He also says they would be buying into a much larger organization with more resources. He says this is part of a six-step process and if the city decides to move forward with the new contract with Cal Fire, the process could take anywhere between 12 to 18 months. Blast outside Israeli embassy in New Delhi: EAM Jaishankar speaks to Israeli FM India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 29: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday spoke to his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi regarding the explosion outside the Israeli embassy here, and assured him of "fullest protection" to diplomats and the mission. In a tweet, Jaishankar said India has taken the incident "very seriously". "Spoke just now to Israeli FM Gabi Ashkenazi about the explosion outside the Israeli Embassy. We take this very seriously. Assured him of the fullest protection for the Embassy and Israeli diplomats," Jaishankar tweeted. HM Amit Shah briefed by Delhi Police on blast near Israeli Embassy The minister further added that the matter was under investigation. "No effort will be spared to find the culprits," he said. According to Delhi Police Additional PRO Anil Mittal, "a very low intensity improvised device went off... No injury to any person was reported and nor was there any damage to property except the glass panes of three vehicles parked nearby." For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 20:38 [IST] Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-30 00:35:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JUBA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Friday approved the establishment of the long-awaited African Union Hybrid Court enshrined in the 2018 revitalized peace deal to try war crimes committed during the more than six years of conflict. Michael Makuei Lueth, Minister of Information and Broadcasting said the cabinet has authorized Rueben Madol, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to start the process of establishing the Hybrid Court. "Cabinet authorized him (Madol) to start the process of establishing all these institutions in accordance with the provision of the peace agreement," Makuei told journalists in Juba after the weekly cabinet meeting. Chapter 5 of the peace deal signed by President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar calls for the establishment of the Hybrid Court, transitional justice, accountability, reconciliation and healing institutions. The UN panel of experts on South Sudan has on several occasions accused the government of delaying and obstructing the process of establishing the Hybrid Court. The court once set up will be constituted by both South Sudanese and judges from other African countries. South Sudan is currently struggling to implement key aspects of the 2018 peace deal, like the training and unification of both opposition and government troops. The necessary unified forces estimated to be around 83,000 personnel are expected to take charge of security during the transitional period. Charles Tai Gituai, chairperson of the Revitalized Joint Monitoring Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) which monitors the fragile peace deal said on Thursday that the peace process has stalled citing delays in the graduation of the unified forces. He disclosed that the intermittent clashes witnessed in the Central Equatoria state since September 2020 between the South Sudan army (SSPDF) and Sudan People's Liberation Army-In-Opposition (SPLA-IO) threaten the fragile ceasefire that has been largely holding since 2017. South Sudan descended into conflict in December 2013, following political disagreement between President Kiir and his deputy Riek Machar, leading soldiers loyal to the respective leader to fight. The 2015 peace agreement signed to end the conflict collapsed in the aftermath of renewed violence that broke out in July 2016, forcing Machar to flee the capital. Enditem PARMA, Ohio -- Decades after Funks Food City closed, the intersection of State and Grantwood roads will once again boast a grocery store. This week, it was announced that Discount Drug Mart was the winning bidder -- at $725,000 -- to purchase the former State Road Elementary School site from the Parma City Schools. Were excited to join the Parma community, said Discount Drug Mart Government Affairs Director Steve Ferris, who expects the new store to open in 2022. Weve wanted to build a store there for many years. We believe this is a perfect location. The State Road location will be the popular Northeast Ohio grocery, drugstore and pharmacy chains first Parma store. The roughly 28,000-square-foot building will include a drive-thru pharmacy and stock more than 50,000 items for sale. Discount Drug Mart plans to build a 28,000-square-foot building with a drive-thru pharmacy at the former State Road Elementary School site in Parma. (John Benson/cleveland.com) To the surprise of Parma City Schools Superintendent Charles Smialek, the vacant 3.9-acre site only attracted two bidders. The other entity was a developer. I thought there would be a greater amount of interest on State Road, in the middle of bustling Parma, Smialek said. We entered into this with an appraisal of $600,000. Honestly, were pretty excited to be able to dispose of the land with quite a considerable amount above the appraisal amount. Its important to note this was not going to be a site for a future elementary school. Given that, and given the fact that it really hasnt served any purpose for us, $725,000 in the midst of a pandemic is a nice piece of compensation for obsolete land, he said. State Road Elementary School was open from 1921 to 2012. The land has most recently been used as a food distribution site for the city. The superintendent acknowledged that Discount Drug Mart reached out to both the district about the parcel and the city regarding zoning. From a development perspective, we believe its a good fit, Mayor Tim DeGeeter said. We appreciate their willingness to work with our administration as the project moves forward through the planning process. Parma Community Department Services Director Erik Tollerup said Discount Drug Marts investment in Parma will help maintain the economic vitality of that section of Ukrainian Village. To further highlight their dedication to community service and health, at the request of Ward 9 Councilman Roy Jech, Discount Drug Mart has offered to donate $50,000 and the rear quarter-acre of this parcel to the City of Parma for the creation of a new pocket playground, Tollerup said. Jech said the proposed park aligns with Discount Drug Marts mission to be community-friendly. State Road Elementary always had a playground there that was a popular spot for children and families after hours, Jech said. We kind of lost that when the school closed. Thats a pretty well-concentrated area as far as homes, so it would be something thats accessible to children without having to cross State Road to go to Veterans Memorial Park, he said. Ill push for a pavilion and a picnic area, too, something that will be neighborhood-friendly. Read more news from the Parma Sun Post. More than 9% of people in West Virginia have received at least their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to data published Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationally, that number stands at less than 6%. "We continue to lead the nation," Gov. Jim Justice said in a news conference Monday. The governor's announcement comes amid continued struggles with vaccine rollouts across the US. States are still working to ramp up their administrations with the help of mass vaccination sites and volunteer vaccinators, while others say they're running out of supply and have appealed to the federal government for more doses. West Virginia is second in the nation in terms of vaccines administered per capita and share of distributed doses that have been administered, according to CDC data, and has often led the nation in these metrics. The state has so far administered about 106% of the doses it has officially received, Justice said. "This is a hard number to believe," the governor said. "We're getting more doses out of the vials than what they really anticipated." The state has added a sixth syringe to ancillary kit packs, said Jim Hoyer, director of the state's interagency coronavirus task force. "It is not every single vial that you get the extra dose, but we are getting enough, as the governor pointed out, that this is making a significant impact," he said. The latest CDC data shows West Virginia has administered about 84% of the doses it's received -- but the agency has previously said its data may be a few days behind. Nationally, the rate of administration is at about 55%. State broke from federal plan early on Addressing senior residents during his news conference, the governor added that the state may have saved "a thousand, 10 thousand, twenty thousand" lives because of its decision to move older residents higher in its priority list. Many seniors "had lost hope because they knew they couldn't get a vaccine shot really and truly until probably April," Justice said. "Well, it's January." And so far, West Virginia has vaccinated nearly 74,000 people 65 and older, he said. "We were told, and we were given models by the federal government that, really, basically said we can't get to you probably until April. But we didn't follow that model," he said. Earlier this month, the state announced a program prioritizing the vaccinations of older residents against the virus, in an operation dubbed "Save our Wisdom." That plan came about a week before federal leaders asked states to move people 65 and older to the front of the line, along with people with high-risk conditions. The state also opted out of a federal partnership to administer vaccines to long-term care residents and staff, working instead with local pharmacies. And Justice is hopeful West Virginia can keep its vaccination momentum up. Starting next week, he said vaccination clinics will be available in all 55 counties. "They will receive a number of vaccine doses based on population," the governor said. "This will make sure that our limited supply of Covid vaccines are reaching every corner of our state." A total of 12 people have been detained in France on suspicion of brutally beating a Ukrainian teenager in Paris, the Franceinfo news site has reported, with reference to the Paris Prosecutor's Office. According to the report, police detained two more suspects early on January 29. In total, law enforcement officers have already detained 12 people, including 11 teenagers and an adult. A group of unidentified individuals brutally beat up a 14-year-old Ukrainian teenager in Paris on January 15. A video from a surveillance camera shows a teenager being knocked to the ground and severely beaten up by a group of young men, apparently teenagers. The attackers used cold weapons, sticks, and jumped on the victim's head. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the beating of a Ukrainian teenager in Paris was shocking and stressed that the perpetrators must be punished. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko told Ukrinform on January 28 that the injured teenager was in a stable condition and that the Ukrainian Embassy in France was in contact with his family and doctors. op We dug out of our first real snow of the season and more may be coming this weekend. Sure, you could pull on some snow pants, but its as good an excuse as any to hibernate. As always, we have recommendations for takeout, streaming and home goods to make your nesting a little bit cozier (new hot chocolate finds!). The death has occurred of Ger Doran 10 Dooley`s Terrace, Athy, Kildare Deeply regretted by his loving cousin Esther, relatives and friends. Rest in Peace Funeral Arrangements Later The death has occurred of Peter EARLY Lakeside Park, Naas, Kildare Loving husband of the late Seppie and devoted father of the late Michelle. Sadly missed by his loving sons David, Peter, Brian andJohn Paul, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sister-in-law, extended family, friends and neignbours. May He Rest In Peace Due to current Government guidelines regarding public gatherings, a private family funeral will take place with Funeral Mass on Saturday morning at 10am in The Church of Our Lady and St. David, Naas. Those who would like to join the private funeral service remotely by webcam can do so by clicking on https://www.naasparish.ie/our-parish/naas-webcam or via the Naas Parish App on the webcam folder. Burial afterwards in St. Corban's Cemetery, Naas. If you wish to leave a message of condolence for the family, you may do so in the Condolence Book below. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to the Friends of St. Brigids Hospice, The Curragh. The death has occurred of Frank Foster Prosperous, Kildare Foster, Frank, Prosperous, Co. Kildare, January 27th 2021, peacefully at Tallaght Hospital, surrounded by his loving family, beloved husband of the late Anne. Deeply regretted by his loving children Aileen, Damien, Emer and Fiona, son-in-law Larry, grandchildren Mason and Sophia, partner Marguerite, sisters Maeve and Carmel, mother-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, friends and Colleagues in CIE. Rest In Peace Due to the current government guidelines, a private family funeral will take place for Frank. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral but cannot due to the current restrictions, please leave a personal message for the family in the condolence section below. Frank's Funeral Mass can be viewed Saturday morning at 11am by going to www.prosperousparish.net Frank's funeral cortege will be leaving his residence on Saturday morning at 10.40 approx. to arrive at the Church of Our Lady & St. Joseph, Prosperous for 11am Funeral Mass, followed by burial in Killybegs Cemetery. Those who would like to line the route may do so in a safe and socially distanced manner. The death has occurred of Christina (Chris) Lawler (nee Brennan) Naas Road, Newbridge, Kildare Lawler, Christina (Chris) nee Brennan, Naas Rd., Newbridge, 28th January 2021. Peacefully in the wonderful care of the staff at Beech Park nursing home, Kildare. Sadly missed by her loving husband Jackie, children Richard, Elizabeth & John, daughters-in-law, Louise & Nuala, son-in-law Damien, grandchildren Lauren, Emma, & Ronan, sisters Kathleen & Maureen, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family, relatives & friends. May Christina Rest In Peace. A private family funeral will take place due to advice on public gatherings. Removal from Anderson & Leahy funeral home to arrive at St. Conleths Parish Church, Newbridge for 11am Mass on Saturday. Funeral afterwards to St. Conleths Cemetery, Newbridge. Christinas funeral will be live-streamed on www.newbridgeparish.ie/webcam. For those who cannot attend due to the current restrictions, please leave a condolence message below. The family would like to thank you for your co-operation, understanding and support during this sensitive time. The death has occurred of Sr. Ellen Teresa BUTLER Holy Family Convent, Naas Road, Newbridge, Kildare / Kilmoganny, Kilkenny BUTLER Sr. Ellen Teresa (Holy Family Convent, Newbridge, Co. Kildare and formerly of Kilmoganny, Co. Kilkenny) January 27, 2021. Deeply regretted by her sister, Clare, nieces, nephews, her extended family, the Community and Staff at Holy Family Convent, all Holy Family Members and many friends. May she rest in peace. Due to Government advice and HSE restrictions on public gatherings, a private Funeral Mass will take place in St. Conleths Parish Church on Friday, January 29 at 11 am and can be viewed on the parish webcam at https://www.newbridgeparish.ie/webcam-1. Burial immediately afterwards in St. Conleths Cemetery. Ar dheis De go raibh a hanam. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral but due to the current restrictions cannot, can leave their condolences on the condolence section below on RIP. The death has occurred of Bernie Doran (nee Doyle) Lullymore, Rathangan, Kildare Wife of the late John and sister of the late Paddy. Peacefully in the wonderful care of Beechpark Nursing Home. Sadly missed by her loving daughters Ann-Marie and Colette, sisters Mary and Sheila, relatives, neighbours and friends. May Bernie Rest In Peace Due to current government guidelines regarding public gatherings, a private family funeral will take place, with a maximum of 10 people to attend the church. 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 page below. Removal on Friday to arrive at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Derrinturn for requiem mass at 1:30 pm. Burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Those who may have wished to attend but now cannot may view on Friday from 1-30pm at the following link . https://www.carburyparish.ie/our-parish/webcam-derrinturn/ The death has occurred of Elizabeth (Lizzy) Jordan Loughbollard, Clane, Kildare Jordan, Elizabeth (Lizzy), Loughbollard, Clane, Co. Kildare, January 26th 2020, suddenly at home, deeply regretted by her loving children Amanda, Oliver, Sean and Eoin, grandchildren, mother Betty, sisters Maggie and Hilda, extended family and friends. Rest In Peace Due to current government guidelines, a private family funeral will take place for Elizabeth. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to the current restrictions cannot, please leave a personal message for the family in the condolence section below. Elizabeth's Funeral Mass can be viewed on Friday morning at 10.30am by going to www.claneparish.com Oliver Reilly Funeral Directors accept no responsibility for any live webcam interruptions or issues. As the farmers' protest at Ghazipur border in Ghaziabad got a new lease of life, the opposition Congress, and the on Friday rallied support for the movement and slammed the BJP over the contentious farm laws. The size of Bharatiya Kisan Union protesters camping at the Ghazipur border with Delhi had come down to around 500 Thursday night following an ultimatum given by the local administration to vacate the site, as additional security force personnel were deployed there. However, the crowd increased manifold overnight and continued during the day as more protesters joined the stir from western UP on the call of BKU leaders. president Akhilesh Yadav also threw his party's weight behind the farmers' movement and hit out at the BJP for "torturing" the peasants and levelling false accusations against them. "The BJP wants to defeat the farmers, who feed everyone, by keeping them hungry and thirsty, levelling false accusations against them. But barring a few BJP supporters, rest of the 125 crore Indians are still standing with the farmers. SP is with the farmers! Yadav tweeted in Hindi. "Spoke to (BKU leader) Rakesh Tikait ji just now and enquired about his health. The whole country is watching the way the BJP government has accused and tortured farmer leaders. Today even the supporters of BJP are bowing their heads in shame and hiding their faces. Today, the spirit and sympathy of the country is with the farmers, he said in another tweet. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also alleged that the protesters were pelted with stones by BJP hooligans at the Singhu border protest site, where violence broke out on Friday. "Just now the BJP hooligans have pelted stones at the farmers' movement on the Singhu border. The whole country is watching how the BJP is torturing the innocent farmers of the country for some capitalists. The conspiracy of the BJP and the cruelty done to children, women and elderly farmers is condemnable, Yadav tweeted. Congress Uttar Pradesh unit chief Ajay Kumar Lallu reached the Ghazipur border to express solidarity with the farmers' movement. "The Congress stands with full force in support of farmers and the Congress will not allow the farmers' movement to become weak at any level, Lallu said, according to a statement from his party. He also assured the farmer leaders that his party will stand by them and fight till the withdrawal of the three contentious agricultural laws enacted last September by the BJP-led central government. BSP supremo Mayawati also joined the growing clamour, announcing her party will boycott the President's address to the joint sitting of both Houses over the Centre's stand on the farmers' demand to repeal the new agri laws and its "dilly-dallying" approach on matters of public interest. "In protest over (the Centre) not accepting the farmers' demand of repealing the three controversial agri laws and adopting a dilly-dallying approach in matters of public interest, the BSP has decided to boycott the President's address in Parliament," Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi. "Also, I request the Centre to take back the farm laws and normalise the situation in Delhi. Innocent farmers should not be made a scapegoat in the wake of the violence on Republic Day. There is a lot of truth in the objection of BKU and other leaders from UP in this matter," the former UP chief minister added. Delhi witnessed violence during a tractor rally by farmers on Republic Day. Thousands of farmers have been protesting at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh demanding rollback of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations. However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture. (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.) On Monday, a coronavirus vaccination clinic run by the philanthropic arm of St. Helena Hospital, one of the biggest health care providers in Napa County, ran out of shots and had to shut down for the week. Then, on Thursday, after a 42-year-old county supervisor received a leftover dose of vaccine at a different clinic something that happened late in the day as workers sought to prevent supplies from going to waste Napa County officials said they will increase the number of age-eligible, high-priority people on standby lists to get leftover vaccine. County-run public health sites are also not scheduling any first doses for next week, since they have enough vaccine only to cover second doses. The developments are emblematic of the struggles that providers and health officials across the state and country are grappling with: not enough vaccine, and heated debate over who should get the shots first and what steps providers should take to avoid discarding precious vaccine. Rampant vaccine shortages are the biggest hurdle preventing providers from vaccinating more people. The underlying problem is that a very limited amount of vaccine is being shipped nationwide. Weve been dark since Monday night since we shot 647 vaccines, said Glen Newhart, CEO of St. Helena Hospital Foundation, the hospitals philanthropic arm that raised money for and organized the vaccination clinic. The clinic gets doses from the county and from Adventist Health, the health system that operates the hospital. That was everything we have, he told The Chronicle on Thursday. As we speak here, I havent had any updates on when well receive additional vaccines. The last report Wednesday night, I asked (the county): Should I think about reopening on Friday? The answer was no, theres no vaccines. Counties and providers are allocated a certain number of doses each week from the state which gets allocations from the federal government and the number fluctuates wildly week to week. This week, for instance, Napa County Public Health vaccination sites administered about 1,100 first doses and 150 second doses. Next week, it plans to administer about 450 second doses, with no first doses scheduled until it gets more vaccine, according to county spokeswoman Janet Upton. The county, with a population of nearly 138,000, has administered over 19,000 doses though they go to people who work in the county as well as to residents. Elderly Napa County residents have expressed frustration about trying to get a vaccine over the past couple of weeks. Thats why it stood out that a county supervisor, Belia Ramos, 42, received a shot last week at a county vaccination clinic as it prepared to close for the day. Ramos was there filming a Spanish language public service announcement about vaccine safety, according to Upton. Theres a logical explanation: Providers sometimes have leftover doses at the end of the day, which they do not want to go to waste (the vaccines expire after too much time out of cold storage). In accordance with state guidelines, they look for people who are eligible due to their age or occupation to take the extra doses, but they must balance that with the need to quickly administer all the vaccine. The Napa County site where Ramos received a shot usually has between one and four leftover doses, and sometimes more, at the end of the day, Upton said. That day, it had at least seven and they went to four people from the eligible tier who were on standby in case there were extra doses, a couple of volunteers who work at the site, and Ramos. We are adhering to the categories and simultaneously putting forth our best effort (so) vaccines do not go to waste, said Ramos, who said she will forgo her second shot until vaccine supply is more stable. Going forward, Napa County vaccination sites will increase the standby list from four people to six people. We will work to refine our standby waste prevention protocol to ensure any excess does go to those who are 65+, Upton said. We need to do better, said Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza. We need processes in place, that if there are extra vaccines, that were drawing from the list of those that are eligible. Thats a commitment we made to this community and thats a commitment we have to uphold. Newhart said St. Helena Hospital has never thrown away any doses or given them to people not in eligible tiers at the end of the day. He described staying open later so that someone eligible could reach the site. In one case, a clinic staffer knocked on the door of an elderly man with co-morbidities nearby who had missed his appointment earlier in the day, and drove him to the site to get the shot. If we find ourselves in a position of having extra doses, we do everything we can to find people who are in the appropriate tier to deliver those vaccines to, even though it can sometimes be a challenge, Newhart said. Catherine Ho and Mallory Moench are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com, mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho, @mallorymoench Shadow of the Tomb Raider Comparison - Xbox One vs. Xbox One S vs. Xbox One X vs. PS4 vs. PS4 Pro 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. Posted Thursday, January 28, 2021 5:31 pm The cannabis industry has boomed across the state in recent years, so Western Washington University will offer classes to prepare for a career in the business. Western announced in a news release that it has adopted four new certificate programs focused on career preparation and skills development through its Professional and Continuing Education program. The university is partnering with a cannabis education company called Green Flower to offer classes in the marijuana business, agriculture/horticulture, healthcare and law/policy. The programs are expected to begin in March. "Western has a strong tradition in supporting innovative educational opportunities in cannabis science education," said Vice Provost for Outreach and Continuing Education, Robert Squires, in the news release. "These excellent professional and continuing educations programs provide further opportunities for Washington citizens to benefit from an area of underserved career opportunity." Ever since the first Washington state retail marijuana retail store opened in Bellingham in July 2014, sales have taken off locally as well as across the state. According to a new study from Washington State University, retail sales of pot totaled more than $40 million in Whatcom County in 2020, the eighth highest county total in the state. In 2015, Whatcom marijuana sales totaled a little over $8 million. Last year the Washington cannabis sector contributed $1.85 billion to gross state product, according to the WSU study. Cannabis retail sales brought in $468.8 million in tax revenue in 2020, more than liquor/alcohol sales. These four Western certificate programs are offered 100% online. Each 24-week program costs $2,950, and includes three eight-week courses. Students can complete their courses on a flexible schedule through instructor-led weekly modules, according to Western. After completing a certificate, students will have access to Green Flower's Employer Network, which provides priority access to open positions, hiring contacts, and networking opportunities within multiple large national and regional cannabis companies. Enrollment is open now. For more information, visit wwu.cannabisstudiesonline.com. ___ (c)2021 The Bellingham Herald (Bellingham, Wash.) Visit The Bellingham Herald (Bellingham, Wash.) at www.bellinghamherald.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. New Delhi, Jan 29 : The Budget Session of Parliament commences on Friday and business of both the Houses will begin with President Ram Nath Kovind's address at 11 a.m. The session is being held in two parts this year due to Covid-19 pandemic. Following tradition, the President will address the joint sitting of Parliament at the Central Hall. The speech highlights the government's plan and policy vision for the next financial year. The president's speech also highlights the work carried out by the government in the past years. Last year as well, President Kovind had addressed the joint sitting of Parliament from the Central Hall. The two Houses will meet later separately for the tabling of the President's Address. The Economic Survey will also be tabled in both Houses in this 30-minute sitting after paying obituary references. The first part of the Budget Session is scheduled to conclude on February 15 while the second part will commence on March 8 and is expected to end on April 8. Given the Covid-19 outbreak, Parliament will sit in two shifts. The morning session is dedicated to the Rajya Sabha while the Lok Sabha will sit in the evening. The Rajya Sabha will sit from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., while the Lok Sabha will sit from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Zero Hour and Question Hour will be held. All Covid protocols will be followed during this session on the same lines as the Monsoon Session last year. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget at 11 a.m. on February 1. The Lok Sabha shall hold 12 sittings and during the second phase of the session, there will be 21 sittings of the House. Question Hour, Zero Hour will also be held during this session. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday said that 16 opposition parties have jointly decided to boycott the President's address over the manner in which the three farm laws were passed. They have also demanded an independent probe into the Centre's role in the violence that shook the national capital during the farmers' tractor parade on Republic Day. This is the second time in a row when the opposition is staying away from the Presidential address. Last year, the opposition parties, barring the Bahujan Samaj Party, had staged their own programme in front of the Ambedkar statue, reading from the constitution and preamble in support of those opposing the citizenship law. This year, the opposition parties, who are divided and fighting each other in the states, will make a joint statement in solidarity with the farmers protesting against the controversial new agricultural laws and other issues to boycott the Presidential address. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Myanmar's military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing speaks to military personnel at the Defense Services Academy by videoconference from the Ministry of Defense in Naypyidaw, Jan. 27, 2021., Myanmar election authorities broke weeks of silence on Thursday to reject the militarys claims of widespread election fraud in the 2020 elections, weighing in a day after the army chief issued a threat to abolish the countrys constitution amid rising political tensions over the electoral dispute. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) swept the Nov. 8 elections with 82 percent of the vote, and the 75-year-old leader is set to launch her second five-year term in late March. The army and its affiliated Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) have contended for weeks that there was widespread voter fraud and have ramped up pressure on electoral authorities to investigate. But neither the military nor the USDP, which fared poorly in the November vote, have presented any evidence of actual voter fraud. The Union Election Commission (UEC) issued a statement on its Facebook page that said the election was conducted transparently and devoid of fraud with no significant errors that would affect the credibility of the vote. It also said that it was investigating 287 complaints, including cases raised by the military, and that duplicated names had appeared on some list. The UEC pointed out that voters could not cast multiple ballots because their pinky fingers were dipped in indelible ink after they cast their ballots. The commission also reminded readers that the constitution dictates that state power and sovereignty come from the countrys citizens and cannot be negotiated. The UECs statement also noted that the body has ultimate authority over election-related issues, and relevant laws do not mandate that it must negotiate with the government. It is not the case that a citizens will [vote] should be negotiated or adjusted by give and take with a person or an organization by ignoring the law, the statement said. If this is changed in any way, it would be a violation of the constitution, Union Election Law, Parliamentary Electoral Laws, as well as against the will of the people. By any law, [the UEC] is not mandated to seek ways to solve and negotiate [election-related] issues with the Union Parliament and the Union Government, the statement said. The military charges that many people who did not have national identification cards were allowed to vote in the election. The USDP claims to have found 8.6 million irregularities in voter lists in 314 townships that could have let voters cast multiple ballots or commit other voting malpractice. The UEC said that the Election Law mandates that anyone over 18 years old can vote with or without a national ID card as long as the person has proof of Myanmar citizenship. Talk of a military coup A day earlier, military commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said the constitution shall be abolished, if not followed and cited military coups in 1962 and 1988, during a video speech to military personnel at the Defense Services Academy, raising public concern about the possibility of an army revolt over claims that the November 2020 election was fraudulent. On Tuesday, military spokesmen declined to rule out staging a coup over the claim that the countrys 2020 elections were tainted by voter fraud. Min Aung Hlaing said the armed forces must abide by the constitution, which is the mother of the law. Thats why we shall respect and abide by it, he said. If this law is not followed or respected, then it shall be abolished. I mean it shall be abolished even if it is the constitution. During his speech, Min Aung Hlaing cited examples of when the countrys constitution was abolished in the past. A military dictatorship under General Ne Win abolished the 1947 constitution during the reign of the Union Revolutionary Council, and another military regime abolished the 1974 constitution after a coup detat in 1988. The simmering crisis in a country that endured harsh military rule for five of the seven decades since its independence from Britain in 1948 drew a statement of great concern from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He urges all actors to desist from any form of incitement or provocation, demonstrate leadership, and to adhere to democratic norms and respecting the outcome of the 8 November general election. All electoral disputes should be resolved through established legal mechanisms, said Guterres spokesman, Stephane Dujarric. The 2008 constitution, written by the military junta that ruled the country until 2011, allows the military commander-in-chief to assume and exercise state sovereignty, with the permission of the president, during states of emergency that could cause the disintegration of the union. But it does not condone military coups. The charter also guarantees that 25 percent of seats in parliament are occupied by unelected uniformed soldiers who have an effective veto to block proposed constitutional changes. The military alleges that the ruling NLD, the UEC, and Myanmars parliament have used the law for their own benefit after the Union Parliament Office rejected calls for a special parliamentary session to discuss the alleged voting fraud. The wrong decision Political observers are urging the parties to find a solution to allay public concern over a possible military takeover. Yangon-based attorney and legal analyst Kyee Myint said the military could take over the administrative role of the country only after the constitution has been abolished. He [Min Aung Hlaing] said the 2008 constitution would be abolished just as the 1974 constitution had been abolished because the military is constrained by the constitution, he said. We have pointed out that the 2008 constitution has prevented the military from a military coup, so it is a dead end for them. If they take over civilian control under the 2008 constitution, it will be a violation of the law. So, the only way to avoid a dead end is to abolish the 2008 constitution, he said. Thats why he said it. Political analyst Maung Maung Soe urged both sides to meet for discussions on the issue. The military is implying that there are those who are not complying with constitutional mandates, he said. It must be referring to the NLD government. When it said that the constitution would be abolished if it is not followed, it also meant that the crisis can be resolved if the laws are followed. NLD spokesperson Myo Nyunt said the military would be making the wrong decision by choosing to end Myanmars nascent democracy with a military coup. We should ask who hasnt abided by the constitution, and how they would abolish it, he said. Judging by the claims made at the military information committees press conference, we need to retain our democratic system. Putting an end to it by a military coup would be the wrong choice. Former information minister and retired military officer Ye Htut said the military chief simply spelled out the worst-case scenario, but there is little possibility of an actual military coup. I think [he] was stating a worst-case scenario in which all the conditions lead to a state of emergency, he said. But as for whether the military will conduct another coup detat, it is very unlikely that it would take over civilian control by illegal means. RFA contacted Presidents Office spokesman Zaw Htay for comment, but he did not reply. Khin Maung Myint, a resident of the central Myanmar town of Mandalay, said that ordinary citizens want the military and the ruling government to work together for the betterment of the country. We would like the military to focus on its professional duties in defense service and regain the trust and admiration of the people, he said. The people would like to see the military and government work together with the people to improve the economy, health care, and education. The new parliamentary session will begin on Feb. 1 in Naypyidaw. Appointed military lawmakers and USDP legislators have not yet confirmed if they will attend. Reported by Thet Su Aung and Thiha Tun for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. (Photo : Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images) This time, COVID-19 could cause sperm damage and infertility to males, an experimental study says. COVID-19 has posed another threat to humans. This time, it could cause sperm damage and infertility to males, an experimental study says. COVID-19's effect on males The latest findings brought news that COVID-19 infection can damage sperm cell quality which can lead later to its death. Additionally, a new study in the journal Reproduction yield a result that besides sperm cell death, it could also be subject to inflammation and oxidative stress, the researchers announced in a report by Channel News Asia. "These findings provide the first direct experimental evidence that the male reproductive system could be targeted and damaged by COVID-19," the researchers reported. COVID-19 can affect the internal organs like kidneys and lungs through a droplet transmission in the respiratory system. The infection can extend to the male reproductive system. It can harm the development of the sperm cells, as well as the sex hormones, according to an earlier study. However, experts said that they are still in doubt about the results that suddenly came out. They reminded the public to take their time in making a statement that still needs further evaluation after several clinical trials. The study concluded that sperm cells are likely to be inflamed in men suffering from COVID-19 infection compared to those who were not infected. Through this reported presumption, experts remained 'in caution.' An andrology professor from the University of Sheffield, Allan Pacey stated he still needs to be more careful about the data that came out recently. He further explained that the researchers only concluded that COVID-19 infection can cause sperm damage to men. The South Yorkshire researcher said that the data interpretation only exhibits association. Read Also: Nokia is 'Clueless' on their Stock Share's Gain,Teases New Phone Another expert from the United Kingdom, Dr. Channa Jayasena said that the sperm count gradually decreased for a time being when a man became ill due to flu. Jayasena added that what makes it difficult to study is the observed sperm reductions caused by COVID-19 infection alone, and not just from being sick. In addition, Alison Murdoch, who is an expert based at Newcastle University, told via email that there is still no strong evidence for the possible transmission of COVID-19 via semen, according to CNN. A study conducted between COVID-19 and non- COVID-19 men A study was conducted around 105 fertile men with no COVID-19 and 84 fertile men with COVID-19 in a span of 60 days with 10-day intervals for the sperm cell analysis. Behzad Hajizadeh Maleki, a lead researcher revealed that the study denoted the association of sperm cells' condition and their quality and fertility capacity. Maleki said that even the decline in the sperm count and quality can gradually improve, the underlying diseases of the patient can also be a big impact on the study. It was also found out that high levels of ACE2 enzyme were seen in men with COVID-19. ACE2 is scientifically called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. It is the protein responsible for the COVID-19 spread, and it gives the virus easy access to other cells in the body. According to The Conversation, this enzyme is often present in people who have diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Further concerns in the study Pacey said that after 14 studies about COVID-19's effect on male's sperm cells, the effect of the virus was only temporary. He continued that several factors could also contribute to sperm cell damage and infertility, like medicines used for COVID-19 treatment. Other concerns covered are men's obesity and other medications which can also be attributed to sperm damage and low sperm count. Related Article: Pet Cats, Dogs May Need COVID-19 Vaccine, New Study Suggests This article is owned by Tech Times. Written by Joen Coronel 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The COVID-19 vaccination drive kicked off in on Friday, a day after India's gift of 5 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine reached the island nation. The drive began at the Army Hospital in Narahenpita as frontline workers fighting COVID-19 were vaccinated with the 'Made in India' Covishield vaccine. The vaccination drive was formally launched at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases with the participation of State Minister of Primary Health Services, Pandemics and COVID Prevention, Dr Sudarshini Fernandopulle, and India High Commissioner Gopal Baglay. The first vaccine was given to Dr Ananda Wijewickrema, a specialist at the hospital. The hospital staff was then vaccinated, Colombo Page reported. "Made in India vaccine was administered in various hospitals in Colombo. This drive was formally launched at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. Hon'ble MOS Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, High Commissioner and various other dignitaries attended the event," Indian High Commission in tweeted. Last week, Sri Lanka's drug regulatory body -- National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA)--gave a go-ahead to Oxford Astrazeneca's vaccine. The AstraZeneca-Oxford Covishield vaccine developed in the UK is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII). India on Thursday sent a total of 5 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccines to under the "Vaccine Maitri" initiative. After receiving the consignment of vaccines, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa tweeted: "Received 500,000 COVID-19 vaccines provided by people of India at BIA today (28). Thank you! PM Shri Narendra Modi and people of India for the generosity shown towards People of Sri Lanka at this time in need." Sri Lanka plans to first vaccinate about 150,000 health personnel and 120,000 tri-forces, police and other security personnel, who are in the frontline fighting against the virus. Vaccinations will be conducted at Colombo National Hospital, Colombo North and Colombo South Teaching Hospitals, Mulleriyawa Base Hospital, Homagama Base Hospital and National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Sri Lankan Ministry of Health said. Sri Lanka has recorded over 61,000 Covid-19 cases so far. As many as 297 people in the country have succumbed to the virus. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After a successful launch in China, the Xiaomi Mi 11 is ready to go global that will happen on February 8. Theres no official word on the Mi 11 Pro (or Mi 11 Lite for that matter) yet, though. But that doesnt mean the phone is coming alone to the party, it will arrive hand-in-hand with the global announcement of MIUI 12.5. Xiaomi will announce the exact details of Mi 11s international rollout at the event, which starts at 12PM UTC. So far Spain seems to be the only country confirmed to get it, but other EU countries with Mi stores also seem like safe bet. The exact price will be revealed at the event, but expect the phone to cost around 800. No surprises here, the Mi 10 launched at the same price last year. The Pro version started at 1,000, but chances are low that the Xiaomi will unveil its top model in Europe first instead of China. We may get a new smart band, though. As the version number suggests, MIUI 12.5 is a moderate update over v12.0. Its still based on Android 11, but has some cool new tricks up its sleeve. For example, it will let you hide icons of pre-installed apps youre not using to keep the homescreen tidy. A more interesting addition is MIUI+, which allows you to run apps from your phone on your Windows computer (including running several apps at a time). Youll also receive notifications from the phone. While the Mi 11 comes with MIUI 12.5 out of the box, there are 27 Xiaomi and Redmi phones waiting to be updated. The first betas are already out, starting in China. We can expect a more detailed roadmap for the global rollout of the update to be discussed on February 8. Source 1 (in Portuguese) | Source 2 Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment 2020 gave all of us time to relive the story of our lives and especially the relationships of our lives that are broken. It caused us to take relational inventory. If you are anything like me, this created some incredible tension and anxiety inside of you regarding the lackluster of some of the relationships of your life. Maybe you leaned in trying to make it better. Maybe you leaned out not knowing how to make it better. Maybe you are just stuck in the anxiety of the relationships of your life and you need help to discover how to live in Gods peace in the midst of the anxiety. The Apostle Paul gives us insight into how we can live in peace in the anxiety filled relationships of our lives. Paul told the Philippians that if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete his joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind (Philippians 2:1-2). We all need some encouragement in the discouraging relationships of our lives. Paul has our attention. He tells the Philippians to, Complete his joy. What does it mean to complete his joy? Paul is saying, I am at peace and complete in joy when three things are true of those I am in relationship with. You have the same mind, meaning You are living like Christ has told you to live. You have the same love, meaning, Christs love should compel you to action like Christ. You have full accord, meaning, You are letting go of divisive and disunifying relationships. He wants them to stop bickering about things in their life that they arent in control of. He wants them to take their hands off of it. You and I wont be as fatigued in our lives when we stop fighting battles Christ has not asked us to fight. Some of us have relationships that are in proximity to our lives that drain the life out of us. They are our kryptonite. You must remember there are some battles God has not asked you to fight. He reminded Israel of this in 1 Kings 12:24 when God told them not to fight against their relatives. Your mind may be saying to you, But these relationships shouldnt be this way. But they are. Paul talks to us about the battles we are to fight. He tells us in Philippians 2:3 to do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit. When you and I enter with selfish ambition, we think others owe us for what we have done for them. When we enter with conceit, we want them to change because of how bad their lives make our lives feel. Instead of selfish ambition or conceit, we should enter in humbly not counting ourselves more significant than others (Philippians 2:3a). But what does that mean? It means you take your hands off of trying to force people to be someone for Christ they dont want to be. The humility of God says to humanity, I give you permission to be who you want to be even if that is not who I want you to be. Yes, they will experience judgment because of it and maybe even severe consequences, but what we dont understand about love is that love stops trying to control the outcome of a destructive persons life and we entrust them to Almighty God and trusts that Hes got them. God wants us to stop trying to control other peoples lives and live ours. God wants us to stop trying to make our lives matter by trying to get other peoples lives to be what we want them to be. Humility gives you the ability to be at peace in the relational tension of your life. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:4 tolet each of us look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others. This is good advice for we who are trying to get an outcome from someone elses life that they dont even want for their own life. Stop trying to make the relationships in your life that matter so much to you WORK and go serve people whom Christ has called you to serve with no expectations of anything in return. You know you have died to self when you stop serving people for your selfish gain and you serve them simply because Christ has called you to serve expecting nothing in return. Those are the relationships Christ wants you to find the most fulfillment in, those that can do nothing for you in return. Jesus left heaven and came to earth to do that for us. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:5-7, Jesus gave up his own interests and came here and served us even to the point of death, death on a cross. Peace comes when you let go of your selfish ambitions in relationships and you serve Gods purpose for your existence. Jesus gave up equality with God to come here and be one of us. Think about that. Think about the selflessness and the humility that was required of Jesus to do this. He emptied himself. He gave up His rights in His relationship with God the Father. Are you bitter about the relationships you have had to give up for Christ? Christ gave up equality with God for you? He gave up a perfect relationship with the Father to have a redemptive relationship with us. What relationship do you need to let go of and give up for Him and go seek a redemptive relationship? Yes, God wants us to look after our own interest as the verse says, but not at the expense of serving others who cant repay us for what we do for them. And when you serve someone who cant repay you in like manner, you become like Christ. When we do this, God the Father will reward us for this like He did Christ. God the Father will give you back everything you give up for Him, and MORE! Just ask Jesus! Paul says in Philippians 2:9-12, one day every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father. Even the unbelieving tongues. Even the condemning tongues. One day God will silence the tongues that condemn you because you follow Him and His voice will reign louder than theirs as He confesses who you are in Him to the glory of Jesus! Stop white-knuckling the human relationships of your life and get busy serving others for Jesus. Remember, the peace of God will come when your purpose for Christ matters more to you than your selfish ambitions in the human relationships of your life. Lucknow, Jan 29 : In the third round of Covid vaccination on Thursday, less than half of the target for vaccination of health workers was recorded. Despite the Uttar Pradesh Health Department's decision to relax rules and allow out of turn inoculation, this was a steep fall of nine per cent, compared to the last round on January 22. According to official sources, about 49 per cent (6,790) health workers turned up for vaccination on Thursday against the target of 14,311, putting Lucknow on the 70th spot out of total 75 districts in the state in terms of turnout percentage. In order to meet the vaccination target, the health department had allowed centres to vaccinate health workers even if they were not in the schedule for Thursday's drive, but discrepancies in lists affected the numbers. District immunisation officer M.K. Singh said, "It has come to our notice that there were some anomalies. We will probe the matter. Those who did not turn up today will get a second chance on February 5." However, not a single incident of any adverse reaction was reported from those who got the shot in the city. The drive had been expanded on Thursday and vaccination was carried out at 114 booths across 43 centres. The inoculations per booth were also increased from 100 to 125 to cover more health workers since the turnout in the previous two rounds was low. In the first round, the turnout at 12 centres was 70 per cent, and in the second round, it was 58 per cent. Covaxin was administered at three centres where 189 health workers, about 50 per cent of those enlisted, received the shots. Covidshield was used at the remaining 40 centres where the turnout was about 49 per cent. Among super-specialty medical institutes, SGPGIMS recorded a high turnout of 87 per cent this time, whereas KGMU recorded 48 per cent and RMLIMS 49 per cent vaccinations. The target for the fourth round on Friday is to vaccinate about 13,000 health workers. The vaccination is being carried out at 104 booths across 43 centres. Eleanor Torrey West, who dedicated her life to preserving Ossabaw Island, a 26,000-acre inheritance off the coast of Georgia so large, lush and varied in terrain that visitors could walk among hardwood forests, palm tree stands and salt water marshes, died on Jan. 17 at her home in Savannah. She was 108. Her death was confirmed by her grandson Beryl Gilothwest. Mrs. West was a pioneer of mainstream environmental conservation, embracing it well before most Americans. In the 1960s, for instance, though struggling with the financial burden of maintaining Ossabaw Island, which her parents bought in 1924, she rebuffed lucrative offers from developers and instead sold the island to the State of Georgia for $8 million, half of the islands appraised value. New Delhi, Jan 28 (UNI) The US has signalled that it will rejoin the nuclear deal with Iran that the prior administration had quit if Tehran verifiably stops violating the 2015 agreement with world powers. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaking on Wednesday in his first news conference since being sworn in the previous day, said the US is a long way from the point of fulfilling President Joe Bidens campaign pledge to rejoin the deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) if Iran resumes compliance with it. Iran is out of compliance on a number of fronts, and it would take some time, should it make a decision to do so, for it to come back into compliance, and (some time) for us then to assess whether it was meeting its obligations. So, we're not there yet, to say the least, Blinken said. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... A Moscow court on Friday put the brother and several allies of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny under house arrest for two months as authorities sought to stymie more protests over the jailing of the top Kremlin foe. Navalnys supporters called for rallies on Sunday to demand his release. Tens of thousands of people demonstrated across Russia last weekend to protest his Jan. 17 arrest and 30-day detention. Moscow police announced that pedestrian movement would be restricted in the city center on Sunday and that subway stations in the vicinity of the planned protest site would be closed. Restaurants and stores in the area also will be closed, mayoral aide Alexei Nemeryuk was quoted as saying by the state news agency Tass. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The 44-year-old Navalny, the anti-corruption investigator and the best-known critic of President Vladimir Putins government was arrested upon returning from Germany, where he spent five months recovering from nerve-agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin. Russian authorities have rejected the accusations. Navalny was jailed for 30 days after Russias prison service alleged he had violated the probation terms of his suspended sentence from a 2014 money-laundering conviction that he has rejected as politically motivated. On Thursday, a Moscow court rejected his appeal to be released, and another hearing next week could turn his 3 1/2-year suspended sentence into one he must serve in prison. Navalnys brother, Oleg, served a 3 1/2-year sentence after being convicted in the same case in what was widely seen as an attempt to pressure the opposition leader. As part of government efforts to stem the protests, police detained Navalnys brother, his top ally, Lyubov Sobol; Oleg Stepanov, the head of Navalnys Moscow office; Dr. Anastasia Vasilyeva from the Navalny-backed Alliance of Doctors; and Maria Alekhina from the Pussy Riot punk collective. They were detained for 48 hours as part of a criminal probe into alleged violations of coronavirus regulations during last weekends protests. On Friday, Moscows Tverskoy District Court put them under house arrest until March 23 as requested by investigators. In a strong challenge to the Kremlin, demonstrations calling for Navalnys release took place in more than 100 Russian cities on Jan. 23. Nearly 4,000 people were reportedly detained at those protests, and some were given fines and jail terms. In Moscow, over 1,600 people have been charged with violations, and 154 received jail terms ranging from seven to 15 days for their involvement in the protests, the Moscow City Court said Friday. Russias Investigative Committee said it put Navalnys top strategist, Leonid Volkov, on the wanted list on charges of encouraging minors to participate in unauthorized rallies. Volkov, who has lived abroad since 2019, has rejected the charges. As part of a multipronged effort by the authorities to discourage Russians from attending Sundays demonstrations, the Prosecutor Generals office ordered the state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, to block the calls for joining the protests on the internet. The Prosecutor Generals office and the Interior Ministry also issued stern warnings to the public not to join the protests, saying participants could face criminal charges of taking part in mass riots if the rallies turn violent. That carries a prison sentence of up to eight years, and those engaging in violence against police could face up to 15 years. Navalnys arrest and the harsh police actions at the protests have brought wide criticism from the West and calls for his release. Appearing in court via video link from the Matrosskaya Tishina jail, Navalny on Thursday denounced the criminal proceedings against him as part of a government campaign to intimidate the opposition. You wont succeed in scaring tens of millions of people who have been robbed by that government, he said. Yes, you have the power now to put me in handcuffs, but its not going to last forever. Raising the heat on Putin just after Navalnys arrest, his team released a two-hour video on his YouTube channel about a lavish Black Sea residence purportedly built for the president that features amenities like an aqua-discotheque, an opulent hookah lounge equipped for watching pole dances and a casino. The video has been viewed over 100 million times and drew a stream of sarcastic jokes on the internet. Putin has said that neither he nor any of his close relatives own the property, and the Kremlin has insisted it has no relation to the president even though its protected by the federal bodyguard agency FSO that provides security for top government officials. In an apparent bid to contain the damage to Putins image, Russian state television reported from the compound that showed it under construction and included an interview with an engineer who claimed the building would be a luxury hotel. Navalny fell into a coma on Aug. 20 while on a domestic flight from Siberia to Moscow. He was transferred to a Berlin hospital two days later. Labs in Germany, France and Sweden, and tests by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, established that he was exposed to the Soviet-era Novichok nerve agent. Russian authorities have refused to open a full-fledged criminal inquiry, citing a lack of evidence that he was poisoned. Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed to this story. KYIV. Jan 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) Smuggling has become a part of the life of Ukrainians, because the country's population predominantly justifies "smuggling schemes," having benefits from them, Ihor Tyshkevych, an expert in Programs for International and Domestic Policy of the Ukrainian Institute of the Future (UIF), has said, commenting on the results of a sociological survey conducted by the UIF. On Friday, at the press center of Interfax-Ukraine, the Ukrainian Institute of the Future presented the results of the "Smuggling during Pandemic" sociological study. "According to the survey, 56.5% of Ukrainians (47.2% of residents of border areas) are confident in the legality of consumer goods in their use. In 2019, the indicators were 46.2% and 42.2%, respectively. Positive dynamics can be traced as in general data on the country and in the border regions," Tyshkevych said. At the same time, he said that there is disappointing news, since the population still justifies smuggling, having a profit from them, and the level of critical attitude to this problem is low. "For example, only 5% of employees would like to quit a company involved in smuggling, 5% would write an anonymous letter and only 3.4% would offer their help in preventing illegal activities. In general, citizens' loyalty to smuggling is often caused by the crisis in labor market, especially in border areas," Tyshkevych said. According to him, the population mainly notes a decrease in the amount of smuggled goods in trade. However, citizens continue to massively transport goods across the border in personal luggage. "The largest number of citizens is involved in the so-called "jacket" scheme, when citizens transport goods across the border as personal luggage. This scheme continues to function during the pandemic, that is, from March 2020, but it is large in volume itself. All other schemes, in the overwhelming majority, continue to be used," the expert said. Tyshkevych also said that the COVID-19 pandemic has made its own adjustments to international trade. This was manifested, in particular, in a decrease in the number of imported goods in retail outlets in Ukraine and in an increase in their prices. UIF Executive Director Vadym Denysenko said that smuggling is a political challenge for Ukraine, but the state has not done anything for several years in a row to overcome it. "The state does not notice such problems as smuggling, since over the past four years four heads of customs have been replaced, but NABU opened only one criminal case, and this was during the time of [the presidency of Petro] Poroshenko. However, this is the direct jurisdiction of NABU. One gets the impression that this topic is taboo for the team of [director of National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine] Artem Sytnyk," Denysenko said. The Ukrainian Institute of the Future launched a smuggling research project supported by PMI Impact in 2019. In 2020-2021, according to the speakers of the event, the Institute will begin the second stage, during which the mechanics of the processes will be analyzed in depth and the dynamics of smuggling will be assessed. On Friday, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari took umbrage at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's support for BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait who allegedly played a role in the Republic Day violence. The AAP government facilitated the provision of drinking water and other facilities at the Ghazipur border a day after the Ghaziabad District Magistrate ordered the protesting farmers to vacate the site. Kejriwal backed the decision of Tikait and other farmers to continue their sit-in protest and condemned the attempts to besmirch the movement. Tiwari lamented that an elected Chief Minister was supporting "unrest" in the name of the farmers' stir. He also made a veiled reference to the tearing of The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 by all AAP MLAs on the floor of the Delhi Assembly. Maintaining that people had understood the reality, the BJP leader reiterated PM Modi's assurance that the Minimum Support Price system and the APMCs will continue. What a pity! Elected CM of Delhi who has first passed the farmbill in vidhansabha and now he is supporting unrest in the name of Kisan.. @ArvindKejriwal , MSP - .. PM https://t.co/feTsjVfTPH Manoj Tiwari (@ManojTiwariMP) January 29, 2021 Read: Delhi Farmer Protest LIVE Updates: Farmers Clash With Cops At Singhu; Alipur SHO Injured The impasse over farm laws continues At present, the talks between the Union government and the farmers' unions have come to a standstill. This development comes after the associations refused to agree to the Centre's proposal for suspending the implementation of the aforesaid legislation for one and a half years. While the 12th round of talks lasted for nearly 5 hours, the farmers claimed that the two sides sat face-to-face for less than 30 minutes. Maintaining that there was no problem in the three agrarian laws, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated that the Centre had offered to suspend them for one and a half years as a token of respect for farmers. Moreover, he categorically said that the Union government is ready for another meeting only if the farmers want to discuss this proposal. The situation further exacerbated on January 26 after the farmers' tractor rally turned violent resulting in 394 Delhi police personnel getting injured and extensive damage to public property. Until now, the police has registered 33 FIRs in connection with the violence while Look Out Circulars have been issued against 44 persons including farmer leaders. Read: 'A Majority Of Protesters At Delhi Border Are From Congress': Farm Leader Makes Huge Claim A 22-year-old suspect has been formally charged in the slaying of a man found in Inglenook earlier this month. The body of Carl Joseph Miserendino III, a 35-year-old financial advisor, was discovered Jan. 1 in the 4000 block of 40th Avenue North. Birmingham police Thursday announced a capital murder warrant against Isaiah Williams White. The citys East Precinct officers were dispatched at 9:05 p.m. that Friday to 4040 40th Avenue. North on report of a person down. Officers arrived on the scene where they found Miserendino lying unresponsive near a residence. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced him dead on the scene. A homicide investigation was underway Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, after a man was found dead on the side of an Inglenook home. Police quickly identified White as a suspect in the killing, though they havent released additional details on what led to Miserendinos death. The victims car stolen and recovered in Florida. investigators have since been searching for White for weeks. The warrant against White was issued on Jan. 6. He was arrested today in Fort Lauderdale. Sgt. Rod Mauldin said he will remain in custody in Florida on other warrants which jail Broward County Jail records show to be armed carjacking and arson. Once White is extradited to Alabama, he will be held without bond. By Andrew Korybko from CGTN U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held their first phone conversation on January 26 since the former's inauguration last week. The readouts of their call vary in terms of content, but both leaders' official websites noted that they discussed extending the New START nuclear arms control agreement for another five years before it expires on February 5. While the White House noted that they also discussed the SolarWinds cyber-espionage scandal, alleged Russian meddling in last year's U.S. elections, the Russian bounty scandal in Afghanistan, and anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny's recent arrest, the Kremlin made no reference to any of these, but it doesn't mean that they weren't touched upon during the call. Rather, the Biden administration wanted to signal mostly to its domestic audience that the new president is tougher on Russia than former President Donald Trump was, even though the 45th president is regarded by many in Russia as being the most anti-Russian one since the end of the Cold War after sanctioning Moscow over the years and pulling out of several arms control agreements. For President Putin's part, his team wants to emphasize the common interest between both countries to advance the global good of saving the New START. They'd prefer not to make a fuss about their areas of disagreement in order to avoid lending credence to what the Kremlin regards as baseless conspiracy theories spread for domestic political reasons. What's most important for both of them and the rest of the world more broadly is that neither party tried to make the emergency negotiations to extend the New START for up to another five years contingent on their counterpart making concessions on other issues. For instance, the Biden administration didn't exploit the talks to hint that no deal would be possible unless Russia complied with the U.S.'s demand to unconditionally release Navalny from custody after he was arrested upon his return home for probation violations from a prior case. The explanation behind this very reasonable approach by the Biden administration is that it understands that extending the New START is also in the U.S.'s national interests, and thus no political games should be played. To explain, former President Trump pulled out of several arms control agreements and appeared willing to let the New START lapse had he been re-elected in order to provoke a costly Cold War-like arms race with Russia, among other reasons. The Biden team, however, keenly knows that America cannot participate in, let alone win, such an unnecessary competition while it faces a slew of much more urgent crises at home. The most pressing of these is the need to economically rebuild the country after the devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Being much more politically experienced than Trump's team, President Biden knew better than to play such games that threaten the U.S.'s national interests. Nevertheless, for most domestic political purposes, the Biden team used the opportunity of the two leaders' first phone call to pressure Russia on unrelated issues. In other words, they exploited the chance to push their soft power for symbolism's sake, rather than out of the sincere intent to achieve anything of tangible significance connected to them. The Kremlin didn't take the bait to blow this out of proportion by directly responding to those attempts in its readout, choosing instead to focus on the most important part of their call the emergency negotiations to extend the New START. As it stands, everything indicates that a deal will indeed be reached before it expires in February. Both sides are serious about this since they understand how counterproductive it would be for them to get mired in a new nuclear arms race in the midst of the global economic crash catalyzed by COVID-19. This speaks to both leaders' pragmatism in putting aside the plenty of other disagreements between them, such as the ones that the White House described in their readout of the call, in order to advance the global good of ensuring strategic stability between these two nuclear superpowers. Geopolitical competition between them will still remain in that event, but at least it'll be much more manageable. Advertisement Thousands of New Orleans residents are decorating their houses to resemble Mardi Gras floats 'to cheer people up' after the coronavirus outbreak forced the cancellation of this year's elaborate event. Mardis Gras is the biggest festival on the New Orleans calendar and was supposed to kick off in just 18 days time. But because tens of thousands of people usually pack into the city to celebrate, officials quickly called off this year's event. The two-week long celebrations are usually held in February or March each year - this year's festivities were supposed to begin on February 16. Louisiana has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis, with 394,909 cases recorded across the state and 8,743 deaths. A majority of those have occurred in and around New Orleans. The state is still struggling through a second wave of the virus, with more than 2,500 new cases confirmed on Thursday alone. Despite the grim reality of the ongoing pandemic, plucky locals are still eager to enjoy the color and spirit of the Mardi Gras this year. Kook Teflon, a local psychic medium, has created her 'Haus of Fortune' themed house float to 'cheer people up'. 'A lot of people say they have been depressed, and the porch cheers them up,' Teflon told Nola.com. 'There have been pandemics throughout time. We have to find ways not to sink into our hopelessness.' Thousands of New Orleans residents are decorating their houses to resemble Mardi Gras floats 'to cheer people up' after the coronavirus outbreak forced the cancellation of this year's elaborate event. Pictured: A home decorated in honor of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club Mardis Gras is the biggest festival on the New Orleans calendar and was supposed to kick off in just 18 days time. Pictured: View of the Harmony String Trio House in New Orleans New Orleans rapper Big Freedia, named Grand Marshal of the Krewe of House Floats 2021, poses for a photo in front of the 'Queen of Bounce' House Kook Teflon, a local psychic medium, has created her 'Haus of Fortune' themed house float to 'cheer people up' But because tens of thousands of people usually pack into the city to celebrate, officials quickly called off this year's event. Pictured: View of the Alice in Wonderland House Despite the grim reality of the ongoing pandemic, plucky locals are still eager to enjoy the color and spirit of the Mardi Gras this year. Pictured: View of the Birds of Bulbancha House, whose decorations are sponsored by Krewe and Red Beans Local residents Jennifer and Doug Walner hired the Krewe of Red Beans to design and create their 'Queen's Jubilee' at their St. Charles Avenue mansion (pictured) The design includes the Walner family - Jennifer, Doug and their two sons Cooper, 20, and Charlie, 17, and dog Tommy - on the mansion's balcony wearing royal costumes and face masks Local residents Jennifer and Doug Walner hired the Krewe of Red Beans to design and create their 'Queen's Jubilee' at their St. Charles Avenue mansion. The design includes the Walner family - Jennifer, Doug and their two sons Cooper, 20, and Charlie, 17, and dog Tommy - on the mansion's balcony wearing royal costumes and face masks. 'It's a play on the Mardi Gras mask,' explained Jennifer. 'This is Covid time, and you need to wear a mask. 'We miss gathering with friends and family, but I don't think anyone is surprised or sad that Mardi Gras isn't happening, because we want life to come back in one way or another.' Meanwhile Elizabeth Alpaugh's cottage has designed her own house float called 'Bloom de Fleur'. She spent hours designing 24 flowers for her home and encourages others to get creative. 'Think about what aspects of Mardis Gras make you happy, start brainstorming, go to a craft store and use what you have around the house,' she said. 'Do something that brings you joy.' Louisiana has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis, with 394,909 cases recorded across the state and 8,743 deaths. A majority of those have occurred in and around New Orleans. Pictured: View of a home decorated with a huge pot, vegetables, and lobster to honor Chef Leah Chase A household decides to decorate its house with a large joker statute to celebrate the color and spirit of Mardi Gras The iconic Bernie Sanders inauguration pose has joined the festivities. The Bernie Sanders figure, wearing a face mask and the now famous mittens, sits on a bench next to a sign which reads 'Waiting for the Parade' The aptly named 'Bee Hive House' features bees wearing joker hats to keep in the spirit and color of Mardi Gras View of a home decorated in honor of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans A beautiful white house is decorated with bright yellow and blue Mardi Gras sunflowers A Mansion on St. Charles street is seen with a giant dinosaur statue out front earlier this month. It is one of thousands of homes which have been jazzed up ahead of the festivities Mardi Gras is the biggest festival on the New Orleans calendar, with the two-week long celebrations usually held in February or March of each year. Because tens of thousands of people pack into the city to celebrate, officials quickly called off this year's event - which was set to kick off on February 16. Crowds are seen on Bourbon Street during festivities in 2019 Bright and colorful floats are usually seen on the streets during Mardi Gras celebrations. However, this year, locals have channeled their creativity into decorating the exterior of their houses. Pictured: he Mystic Krewe of Nyx parade in NOLA last year Back in November, after officials cancelled the event, resident Megan Joy Boudreaux posted to Twitter: 'Turn your house into a float and throw all the beads from your attic at your neighbors walking by.' The idea initially started off as a joke, but Boudreaux soon started a Facebook group, the Krewe of House Floats, expecting a few friends and neighbors to join. The numbers rose before 39 subgroups evolved to discuss neighborhood plans Now, there are more than 9,000 members, including out-of-state 'expats' set to decorate their homes in solidarity. Residents have made online maps showing whereabouts the decorated residences are located. 'I didn't think I was starting a Mardi Gras krewe. Here I am,' Boudreaux told the Associated Press. 'I've got myself a second full-time job.' Boudreaux says houses should be decorated two weeks before February 16 - when Mardi Gras was meant to kick off. That gives people both the time and space to travel around the city to see the colorfully kitted-out homes. The Acadiana Hay Ride House, with decorations sponsored by Krewe of Red Beans, pays homage to zydeco pioneers Boozoo Chavis and Clifton Chenier and the "Cajun Hank Williams" D.L. Menard Back in November, after officials cancelled the event, resident Megan Joy Boudreaux posted to Twitter: 'Turn your house into a float and throw all the beads from your attic at your neighbors walking by.' Pictured: The Bee house features large flowers and bees The Birds of Bulbancha House features dozens of intricately detailed birds of paradise as well as exotic flowers A view of spray painted ladders, fitted with a sign 'Reserved for 2020' and seats attached to the top for children to catch Mardi Gras beads A house features alligators, snakes and grave stones in honor of Marie Laveau, Voodoo Queen of New Orleans One New Orleans family has decked out the front of their home with a large home clown statute to celebrate the color and spirit of Mardi Gras View of "The Queen of Bounce" House decorated to honor rapper Big Freedia One home in the city decided to opt for a Jurassic theme, and planted large statues of dinosaurs in their front yard View of The Queen's Jubilee House, whose decorations are sponsored by Krewe of Red Beans. The idea to turn homes into 'house floats' has put struggling artists back to work and injected money into the local economy Kick-starting the economy! Some have hired or bought from out-of-work artists and suppliers affected by the parade cancellation. Pictured: Carley Sercovich hot glues an addition to a coral reef of boxes and spray foam at the foot of her front steps in the Algiers Point neighborhood of New Orleans Meanwhile, discussions in the Facebook groups include how-tos, ads for props and neighborhood themes. Artists have given livestreamed outdoor lessons. Katie Bankens posted that her block's theme was Shark Week staycation paradise. When a resident worried that she was not 'crafty' enough, administrator Carley Sercovich replied that if they could play music and throw trinkets to neighbors, 'you are perfect for this Krewe!' Boudreaux also suggested that people could hire or buy from out-of-work artists and suppliers hit by the parade cancellation. A spreadsheet of artists and vendors followed. One of them, artist Dominic 'Dom' Graves, booked more than 20 five-person classes in professional papier mache techniques, at $100 a person. Devin DeWulf, who already had started two pandemic charities as head of the Krewe of Red Beans walking club, kicked the house float idea up a few notches at the suggestion of Caroline Thomas, a professional float designer. Their 'Hire a Mardi Gras Artist' crowdfunded lotteries collected enough money to put crews to work decorating 11 houses, plus commissioned work at two more houses and seven businesses. 'We've put about 40 people to work, which is nice,' DeWulf told the Associated Press. Thousands of New Orleans residents are decorating their houses to resemble Mardi Gras floats after the coronavirus outbreak forced the cancellation of this year's elaborate event. Pictured: A home decorated to honor late blyes musician Dr. John who lived in the city Despite the grim reality of the ongoing pandemic, plucky locals are still eager to enjoy the color and spirit of the Mardi Gras this year. Pictured: A home decorated in honor of New Orleans resident and jazz clarinetist Pete Fountain View of a home decorated to celebrate Mardi Gras with oversized Mardi Gras clowns Thousands of New Orleans residents are decorating their houses to resemble Mardi Gras floats after the coronavirus outbreak forced the cancellation of this year's elaborate event. Pictured: View of restaurant Commander's Palace decorated in honor of New Orleans resident and jazz clarinetist Pete Fountain View of a home decorated to celebrate Mardi Gras with oversized Mardi Gras clowns. Despite the cancellation of this year's event, many are still eager to bring a celebratory spirit to the city More than 9,000 people have joined the Facebook group 'Krewe of House Floats' and 39 subgroups have been formed. Pictured: Artists discussing decorations outside a home last week Thom Karamus shows his paper mache head of the hookah-smoking caterpillar from 'Alice in Wonderland' in New Orleans last week Madeline Fox and her husband, Tom Fox, stand on their porch in River Ridge with decorations made to decorate their yard for Mardi Gras. The pair believe that a new tradition has just started in the city Charlotte 'Charlie' Jallans-Daly, right, and her wife, Sharon Jallans-Daly, pose for a picture behind giant ruby slippers which are part of Wizard of Oz 'house float' decorations for Mardi Gras One home decked out like a tiki bar featured the sign 'Wasted Away Again in Coronaville'. The owner used styrafoam balls and red gold tees to recreate the COVID-19 virus A mansion on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans has been decked out with a large statue of a dinoasaur. Because pandemic dangers from large and widespread crowds have canceled Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans this year, thousands of people are decorating their homes as floats One commissioned house is rented by a pair of nuns. Sisters Mary Ann Specha and Julie Walsh, who run a shelter for homeless women with children, had to get permission for their own crowdfunding from the motherhouse of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Dubuque, Iowa. 'They loved it,' Specha stated. Meanwhile, several mansions along a short stretch of St. Charles Avenue had elaborate displays with signs noting their creation by one of the citys biggest float-making studios. Tom Fox, whose wife, Madeline, painted a Spongebob Squarepants scene and made jellyfish from dollar store bowls, said he thinks a new tradition may have begun. 'Even when Mardi Gras comes back, I think people are going to keep doing this,' he 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. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! 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. home US Franklin Graham stands up for parents objecting to drag queen story hours in libraries Evangelical leader Franklin Graham is lauding the efforts of parents and concerned community activists who are protesting efforts to bring the Drag Queen Story Hour to their local libraries. "Men in full drag reading books to kids at the public library? No wonder people are protesting!," Graham said in a Facebook post on Thursday in response to an AL.com article about pushback in the South against drag queens reading books to children such as one titled Stella Brings the Family, about a girl who takes her two dads to a Mother's Day celebration. "Drag Queen Story Hours have been held at libraries or book stores the last couple of years in cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans, and New York. Now it has come to the South, and some are protesting a a librarian is reported to have even resigned over the issue," Graham added. The president of a library board in Lafayette, Louisiana, resigned following debate over plans to hold a Drag Queen Story Hour in October, which Mayor Joel Robideaux has suggested might be canceled, according to AL.com. Concerned parents and community activists protested outside a library in Columbus, Georgia, that hosted the event in August. A group called Common Sense Campaign Tea Party called on concerned parents to protest Saturday at a public library in Mobile, Alabama, that is hosting the event. The Christian Post earlier reported on the Drag Queen Story Hour as efforts were being made to emulate the Drag Queen Story Hour in the U.K., where it's known as Drag Queen Story Time and books about "feminist fairytales and gender fluid novels" are read to "young children." Drag Queen Story Hour started in San Francisco, California, in 2015 where it was launched to provide "positive and unabashedly queer role models" for children and now has chapters in 40 states and in other countries. "One individual summed up their concerns on social media: 'The program is designed to purposely target children so as to make sexual perversion acceptable through repeated exposure,'" Graham continued. "I urge parents and library workers to let your concerns be known. "Parents and grandparents can effectively protest by staying out of the library altogether on those days and letting others know to keep their children away also. And why not ask about starting a Christian Book Story Hour at those same libraries? The Bible tells us, 'The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it' (John 1:5). Last year, parents in Long Beach, California, also spoke out against the Drag Queen Story Hour when the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library hosted a drag queen named Xochi Mochi who dressed as a five-horned demon to read to children. While Christian parents protested the event and Omar Navarro, a Republican running against Democrat Maxine Waters for her congressional seat spoke out against it, the Church of Satan praised the library's decision to host the drag queen who describes himself as "your resident killer Klown from outer space." CP earlier reported on concerns raised about two animated television shows about drag queens. One called "Drag Tots!" is a show about toddler drag queens featuring transgender model RuPaul that debuted in June. The other, "Super Drags," will air on Netflix. This article was originally published in The Christian Post and is re-published here with permission Sixth class pupil Emma Cunningham from Scoil Mhuire na nGael, Dundalk, is celebrating after being named the Senior County Winner of the prestigious national art competition, Someone Like Me, which will see her join pupils from 47 other schools to compete for the much sought-after national title at an online awards ceremony to be held on Thursday, January 28. The competition, which is organised by the National Disability Authority, attracted more than 1,500 entries from national schools across the length and breadth of the country. Now in its fifth year, Someone Like Me aims to foster more positive attitudes towards persons with disabilities by highlighting the similarities that exist between all people. During the last school term of 2020 teachers and their pupils right across Ireland worked through special lesson plans which challenged them to respond artistically and creatively to the theme of Someone Like Me, while, at the same time, appreciating and respecting similarities and differences in people, developing a shared understanding of how we should treat others in a caring, sensitive and inclusive way, and promoting a sense of belonging and connectedness. The judges were particularly impressed with the submissions from 6th Class Pupil Emma Cunningham from Scoil Mhuire na nGael, selecting her as Senior County Winner based on her insightful and inspirational responses to the theme. Congratulating Emma, Minister of State with special responsibility for disability, Anne Rabbitte T.D. said: We are exceptionally pleased with the response to this years competition. 2020 was a difficult year for everyone, not least teachers and their pupils. Despite the challenges of living in the midst of a global pandemic, primary school teachers and pupils have demonstrated their commitment to helping to build a more inclusive society, she said. I would like to pay tribute to the National Disability Authority for adapting this years competition to ensure that Covid-19 did not prevent pupils taking part. While I know it will be an anxious wait for the pupils and teachers to hear which of the 48 county winners will be awarded the national title, we must remember that every entry is a winning entry when it comes to nurturing a positive understanding of, and attitude towards, disability. The competition, which offers a range of prizes up to the value of 750, was open to all primary school pupils from junior infants to sixth class and more than 1,500 entries were received from individual pupils, class groups and whole schools right across Ireland. As modern evangelicals, it is tempting to treat idolatry as a relic from the ancient past. Who, after all, bows down before golden calves or worships images of Nebuchadnezzar anymore? In Here Are Your Gods: Faithful Discipleship in Idolatrous Times, Bible scholar and Langham Partnership international director Christopher J. H. Wright stresses that idolatry is alive and well, even if it often operates outside our conscious awareness. Freelance writer and editor of The Worldview Bulletin Christopher Reese spoke with Wright about idolatry in the Old Testament and resisting its lure today. How did the authors of Scripture understand pagan gods and idols? Did they believe other deities existed? In one sense, the answer is clearly no. Compared with Yahweh, the only true and living God, all other so-called gods are actually not-gods. That is the clear teaching of Isaiah 4055 and some psalms. And yet, for all who worshiped them (whether pagans or Israelites themselves), those other gods clearly affected the whole world of personal, social, economic, and political life. So yes, they existbut not as God, only as human constructs to which people attribute power and authority. You trace all human idolatry back to the events of Genesis 3. Can you elaborate on that connection? Genesis 3 portrays a moment when human beings choose to distrust Gods goodness, disbelieve his warnings, and disobey his instructions, instead defining for themselves what counts as good and evil. Having dethroned God, they end up submitting to entities, either material or spiritual, within the created orderor else they assert their own moral autonomy. And it all ends in tears, as Paul makes clear ... 1 You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe now. Subscribers have full digital access. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. DUBLIN, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Foundry & Forging Robots Market Research Report by Type (Electric Drive Robots and Hydraulic Robots), by Application (Automotive Industry, Metal Foundry Industry, and Semiconductor Foundry Industry) - Global Forecast to 2025 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Foundry & Forging Robots Market is expected to grow from $222,445.53 Million in 2020 to $315,313.70 Million by the end of 2025. This research report categorizes the Foundry & Forging Robots to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Type, the Foundry & Forging Robots Market is examined across Electric Drive Robots and Hydraulic Robots. Based on Application, the Foundry & Forging Robots Market is examined across Automotive Industry, Metal Foundry Industry, and Semiconductor Foundry Industry. Based on Geography, the Foundry & Forging Robots Market is examined across Americas, Asia-Pacific , and Europe , Middle East & Africa . The Americas region surveyed across Argentina , Brazil , Canada , Mexico , and United States . The Asia-Pacific region surveyed across Australia , China , India , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , Philippines , South Korea , and Thailand . The Europe , Middle East & Africa region surveyed across France , Germany , Italy , Netherlands , Qatar , Russia , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , Spain , United Arab Emirates , and United Kingdom . The report deeply explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Foundry & Forging Robots Market including ABB, Alfa Industrial Group, Arburg GmbH + Co KG, iRobot, KUKA, Omron Adept Technology, Inc., Staubli, Tecnomatic Robots, The Yaskawa Electric Corporation, and Yamaha Robotics. COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, so for and, the long-term effects projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. The ongoing research amplifies the research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlaying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report is delivering insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecast, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Foundry & Forging Robots Market on the basis of Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies. The Competitive Strategic Window helps the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. During a forecast period, it defines the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Foundry & Forging Robots Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Foundry & Forging Robots Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Foundry & Forging Robots Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Foundry & Forging Robots Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Foundry & Forging Robots Market? 6. What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Foundry & Forging Robots Market? Key Topics Covered: 1. Preface 1.1. Objectives of the Study 1.2. Market Segmentation & Coverage 1.3. Years Considered for the Study 1.4. Currency & Pricing 1.5. Language 1.6. Limitations 1.7. Stakeholders 2. Research Methodology 2.1. Research Process 2.1.1. Define: Research Objective 2.1.2. Determine: Research Design 2.1.3. Prepare: Research Instrument 2.1.4. Collect: Data Source 2.1.5. Analyze: Data Interpretation 2.1.6. Formulate: Data Verification 2.1.7. Publish: Research Report 2.1.8. Repeat: Report Update 2.2. Research Execution 2.2.1. Initiation: Research Process 2.2.2. Planning: Develop Research Plan 2.2.3. Execution: Conduct Research 2.2.4. Verification: Finding & Analysis 2.2.5. Publication: Research Report 2.3. Research Outcome 3. Executive Summary 3.1. Introduction 3.2. Market Outlook 3.3. Application Outlook 3.4. Type Outlook 3.5. Geography Outlook 3.6. Competitor Outlook 4. Market Overview 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19 4.3. Geographic Growth Opportunities 5. Market Insights 5.1. Market Dynamics 5.1.1. Drivers 5.1.2. Restraints 5.1.3. Opportunities 5.1.4. Challenges 5.2. Porters Five Forces Analysis 5.2.1. Threat of New Entrants 5.2.2. Threat of Substitutes 5.2.3. Bargaining Power of Customers 5.2.4. Bargaining Power of Suppliers 5.2.5. Industry Rivalry 6. Global Foundry & Forging Robots Market, By Type 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Electric Drive Robots 6.3. Hydraulic Robots 7. Global Foundry & Forging Robots Market, By Application 7.1. Introduction 7.2. Automotive Industry 7.3. Metal Foundry Industry 7.4. Semiconductor Foundry Industry 8. Americas Foundry & Forging Robots Market 8.1. Introduction 8.2. Argentina 8.3. Brazil 8.4. Canada 8.5. Mexico 8.6. United States 9. Asia-Pacific Foundry & Forging Robots Market 9.1. Introduction 9.2. Australia 9.3. China 9.4. India 9.5. Indonesia 9.6. Japan 9.7. Malaysia 9.8. Philippines 9.9. South Korea 9.10. Thailand 10. Europe, Middle East & Africa Foundry & Forging Robots Market 10.1. Introduction 10.2. France 10.3. Germany 10.4. Italy 10.5. Netherlands 10.6. Qatar 10.7. Russia 10.8. Saudi Arabia 10.9. South Africa 10.10. Spain 10.11. United Arab Emirates 10.12. United Kingdom 11. Competitive Landscape 11.1. FPNV Positioning Matrix 11.1.1. Quadrants 11.1.2. Business Strategy 11.1.3. Product Satisfaction 11.2. Market Ranking Analysis 11.3. Market Share Analysis 11.4. Competitive Scenario 11.4.1. Merger & Acquisition 11.4.2. Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership 11.4.3. New Product Launch & Enhancement 11.4.4. Investment & Funding 11.4.5. Award, Recognition, & Expansion 12. Company Usability Profiles 12.1. ABB 12.2. Alfa Industrial Group 12.3. Arburg GmbH + Co KG 12.4. iRobot 12.5. KUKA 12.6. Omron Adept Technology, Inc. 12.7. Staubli 12.8. Tecnomatic Robots 12.9. The Yaskawa Electric Corporation 12.10. Yamaha Robotics 13. Appendix 13.1. Discussion Guide For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/sp3p0m Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.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. A Washington state man has been arrested for double murder after a woman's head was found in the back of an abandoned car and the dismembered remains of another woman were discovered inside the trunk. Mauricio Nava-Garibay, 28, was arrested after authorities made the grim discovery when responding to reports of an abandoned vehicle in the area of 2200 West Charla Lane near Othello, eastern Washington state, Thursday. Police said Nava-Garibay later confessed to killing the two women in a fight before cutting up their bodies because he said they 'were too heavy to lift' into the vehicle whole. The names and ages of the victims have not been revealed. Investigators have potentially determined who one of the women is but their bodies are said to be in such poor condition that identification is difficult. A Washington state man has been arrested for double murder after a woman's head was found in the back of an abandoned car and the dismembered remains of another woman were discovered inside the trunk Adams County Sheriff's Office said it received a call about a suspicious vehicle with blood on the hood abandoned near the Edison Tracks around 6:30 a.m. Thursday morning. Deputies arrived on the scene to find the 2014 Honda Accord with a blood-like substance, flesh and white hair on the outside. They also saw a 'flesh appearing object' in the backseat of the car, reported KIMATV. Closer inspection of the vehicle revealed what was described as 'flesh' hidden under a blanket on the back seat. Deputies believed the remains were pieces of a human body but could not be sure and called in the state's crime lab. Investigators then discovered a human head on the back floorboard and what was believed to be other possible human remains in the trunk. Authorities later confirmed the remains belonged to two individuals. Investigators were able to determine who the owner of the car was and potentially the identity of one of the victims, reported KIMATV. It is not clear if this means the car belonged to one of the dismembered women. A man seen walking away from the scene was then identified as Nava-Garibay and authorities learned he was connected in some way to the vehicle owner. Nava-Garibay was detained for questioning by authorities. Pictured Adams County Sheriff Dale J. Wagner. Deputies made the grim discovery when responding to reports of an abandoned vehicle in the area of 2200 West Charla Lane near Othello, eastern Washington state, Thursday During a police interview, the 28-year-old allegedly confessed to murdering the two women. He told officers he got into a physical fight with one of the women at her home on East Cypress Street and the other woman then also got involved, according to a probable cause document. Nava-Garibay allegedly told cops he was fighting with the first woman inside her home when things became physical. He told her he had a present for her in the garage, documents state. When they both entered the garage, the suspect allegedly stabbed the woman in the neck with a knife. He then punched her in the face, stabbed her multiple times in the body and strangled her with a belt and extension cord, reported KIMATV. Authorities said Nava-Garibay said the second woman also entered the garage during the fight so he pushed her causing her to fall onto the car and then the ground, smashing her head on the concrete. Nava-Garibay then allegedly grabbed her by the head and stabbed her in the back of the neck. The suspect then cut the bodies of the victims into multiple pieces because he couldn't lift them, he allegedly confessed to officers. Court documents say he stuffed the body parts into the car and drove them to the spot where he abandoned it. It is not clear when the women were killed or how long the bodies were left inside the vehicle before Thursday's grim discovery. However, the condition of the remains made the victims difficult to identify, authorities said. It is also not clear how Nava-Garibay is connected to the two victims. Nava-Garibay was booked into the Adams County Jail Thursday night on suspicion of two counts of murder in the first degree and two counts of removal or concealment of a body. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney. Othello Police Department, Grant County Sheriff's Office, Washington State Patrol, Washington State Patrol Crime Lab Response Team and Moses Lake Police Department are assisting Adams County Sheriff's Office with the investigation. Cicely Tyson, the stage, screen and television actress whose vivid portrayals of strong African-American women shattered racial stereotypes in the dramatic arts of the 1970s, propelling her to stardom and fame as an exemplar for civil rights, died on Thursday. She was 96. Her death was announced by her longtime manager, Larry Thompson, who provided no other details. In a remarkable career of seven decades, Ms. Tyson broke ground for serious Black actors by refusing to take parts that demeaned Black people. She urged Black colleagues to do the same, and often went without work. She was critical of films and television programs that cast Black characters as criminal, servile or immoral, and insisted that African-Americans, even if poor or downtrodden, should be portrayed with dignity. Her chiseled face and willowy frame, striking even in her 90s, became familiar to millions in more than 100 film, television and stage roles, including some that had traditionally been given only to white actors. She won three Emmys and many awards from civil rights and womens groups, and at 88 became the oldest person to win a Tony, for her 2013 Broadway role in a revival of Horton Footes The Trip to Bountiful. 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 Britain's Covid vaccine drive got another boost today as Johnson & Johnson confirmed that its world-first single shot jab blocks 66 per cent of coronavirus infections and prevents 100 per cent of hospital admissions and deaths among people who get it. Johnson and Johnson the US drugs giant behind the jab also found it prevented severe symptoms in 85 per cent of people and no-one who got the jab died or needed hospital treatment from 28 days after being inoculated. The 66 per cent efficacy was a global average, with the jab preventing 72 per cent of cases in the US but only 57 per cent in South Africa, which is being devastated by a mutated variant that appears to be less susceptible to vaccines and immunity from older versions of the virus. It is promising, however, that the jab still worked in South Africa and still prevented hospitalisation. Britain has already secured 30million doses of the vaccine, enough to fully immunise the same number of Brits because it does not need to follow the same dosing regime as the other approved jabs. And the country has the option to purchase 22million more. J&J will send its full data to the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the coming days to clear the final hurdle of approval. The jab, made by Janssen, the Belgian arm of J&J, has the potential to significantly turn the tide on the UK's coronavirus crisis and ramp up its world-leading vaccine rollout because it uses similar technology to the Oxford vaccine, making it easy to transport and store, but requires a single injection. Professor Peter Openshaw, an immunologist from Imperial College London who sits on SAGE, described the results as 'extraordinary news', telling ITV News: 'It's such a success for the vaccine development field as a whole and to see this announcement that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine - which is on the list of those that have been procured by the UK vaccine taskforce - also looks so effective is wonderful.' Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the breakthrough as 'very encouraging', while Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the UK was now in 'pole position to protect our population and make sure we get out of this pandemic'. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi tweeted that it was 'another encouraging milestone in our efforts to vaccinate the nation'. It came on the back of an announcement from American firm Novavax last night that its jab was 89 per cent effective. That vaccine still requires two doses and will also need to be reviewed by regulators before being deployed. It is expected to be rolled out in Britain by summer. Under a deal with the Government, 60million doses of the vaccine will be produced on Teesside for use in this country, in what could prove to be another triumph for Britain's world-leading vaccine programme. Pfizer's and AstraZeneca's are the only ones currently being rolled out in the UK and have accounted for the 7million doses given out already. Another jab, made by US firm Moderna and approved by the British regular, won't be delivered until March because the UK was late to get its order in. Despite widespread criticism for the Government's pandemic response, the Vaccines Taskforce, led by investor Kate Bingham who did the job without a salary and today admitted she 'broke Dry January' to have a glass of wine when she heard about the Novavax results, have been roundly praised for their ability to secure huge numbers of doses of vaccines that have so far turned out to be successful. Number 10 freed up more than 6billion to develop and procure Covid jabs a fraction of the 200-plus billion spent on supporting businesses during the economically-crippling lockdowns. So far the UK has placed orders worth 2.9billion for 367million doses of Covid vaccines, made by seven developers. The single-dose vaccine invented by Johnson & Johnson was shown to be 66 per cent effective in trials, but 86 per cent effective at preventing severe Covid with no participants requiring hospitalisation due to the disease It came on the back of an announcement from American firm Novavax last night that its jab was 89 per cent effective. That vaccine still requires two doses and will also need to be reviewed by regulators before being deployed. It is expected to be rolled out in Britain by summer So far the UK has placed orders for 367million doses of the seven most promising Covid vaccines made by AstraZeneca , Pfizer , Moderna, Valneva, Janssen, GlaxoSmithKline and Novavax at a cost of 2.9billion Britain's top scientists were united in their praise of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine today. Professor Kevin Marsh a tropical medicines expert at the University of Oxford, said: 'The results of the single-shot vaccine announced today are extremely encouraging. 'Particular strengths of the study are its size (over 40,000 people), the spread of participants over eight countries and three continents, and a wide range of ages. HOW DOES THE J&J VACCINE WORK? Johnson and Johnson's vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus). The team have modified the adenovirus so it can enter cells but can't replicate inside them or cause illness. Researchers have already used this technology to produce vaccines against a number of pathogens including flu, Zika and Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers). After the J&J vaccine is injected into a person's arm, the adenoviruses enter human cells and travel to their nuclei, the chamber where the cell's DNA is stored. The vaccine are programmed to carry the genetic code of the coronavirus's 'spike protein', which Sars-CoV-2 uses to invade the body. Iit uses this genetic code to trick the body into mounting an immune response, priming the immune system to attack coronavirus if the real virus infects the body. Advertisement 'It is possible that some people will look at the overall reported efficacy of 66 per cent in preventing moderate to severe Covid-19 and focus on comparisons with potentially higher 'top line' efficacy reported for some other vaccines. 'This would be a mistake. The real headline result is that a single shot vaccine, capable of easy long term storage and administration provided complete protection against hospitalisation and death. 'This is important because the immediate requirement of vaccination globally is to limit deaths as quickly as possible.' Dr Alexander Edwards, associate professor in biomedical technology at Reading University, added: 'Today we hear more great news about new Covid-19 vaccines. The exciting news regarding the Janssen vaccine is that this entire clinical trial assessed a single dose rather than two doses used for all previous trials reported. The type of vaccine is similar to the AstraZeneca/Oxford viral vector, so will require similar manufacturing capacity. 'We need to see more details and eagerly await the detailed trial results. It's not possible at this stage to compare the protection provided by different vaccines each trial has different protocols, and a head-to-head comparison is the only fair way to unpick if one vaccine is better than another. As we start to build up multiple data sets from many different trials, we can start to understand what types of immune response provide protection this remains vital to deal rapidly with any further variants.' J&J said no safety concerns were raised in the trial involving 44,000 volunteers - a third of which were over 65 and two fifths suffered from an underlying health condition such as obesity, diabetes and HIV. There were a total recorded 468 infections in its phase 3 tests which spanned across eight countries. Overall the efficacy was 66 per cent in all arms of the trial, but the jab was shown to have slightly less efficacy (57 per cent) in South Africa, where a mutant strain of Covid-19 is feared to make jabs less potent. It slightly more effective (72 per cent) in the US. England gave out 344,464 Covid vaccines on Thursday, official figures show, as Britain reaches the halfway point of its target to immunise 15 million of the most vulnerable by mid-February with first doses now given to 7.5million Hailing the early results in the study, the global research chief for Janssen Dr Mathai Mammen said: 'Gambling on one dose was certainly worthwhile.' J&J said it plans to file for emergency use authorisation in the US within a week, before also sending applications abroad. BRITISH COUPLE WHO TOOK PART IN J&J TRIAL HOPE THEY'VE 'LED BY EXAMPLE' A British couple have said they hope they've 'led by example' after volunteering to test the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine. Rosemary Sexton, 43, and Steve Caudwell, 41, who are Green Party members on Solihull Borough Council, have both now had the single-shot jab, developed by the company's pharmaceutical arm, Janssen. Ms Sexton, an osteopath, said that being part of the trial 'seemed like a little thing that I could do to be part of that bigger effort'. 'My motivation was obviously we're all stuck in this situation at the moment and it's all very frustrating, and there's that feeling of wanting to do something to help,' she told the PA news agency. 'We have obviously been encouraging people to go out and get vaccinated as soon as they're offered the chance to. 'So, on the one hand, it felt like an opportunity to maybe lead by example a bit, and say 'Look, I have confidence in the scientific process and in the work that's gone in to develop these.' 'Hopefully other people will see that and be fairly reassured that this is all being done thoroughly. 'The way I see it, I'm relatively young and healthy and relatively low risk, so actually I'm a good person to be trialling it out.' Trials found the vaccine to be 66% effective at preventing Covid-19, while offering even higher protection against the most severe coronavirus symptoms. The UK has ordered 30 million doses, with the option of millions more. It was tested in a clinical trial involving 43,783 people, during which time 468 Covid-19 cases were observed. Both Ms Sexton and her fiance, who is running to become mayor of the West Midlands, attended Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham this week to take part in the trial. Ms Sexton said she was reassured by the trial being in its third phase, and added that they were told how to report any side-effects, though neither have experienced any so far. 'They did mention that there might be rarer side-effects, and they were obviously wanting to know,' she said. 'I've got an app on my phone so I can report back any symptoms.' Mr Caudwell said one of the reasons he signed up was to 'normalise this idea of vaccination'. 'It was really straightforward,' he told PA. 'You just answer a few questions as part of the sign-up process, and I got a call the next day.' He said the process involved 'a lot of screening and making sure that I understood the consent process and what the implications were'. He added: 'They ask you to download an app where you record how you're feeling, (and) they ask you to take your temperature a couple of times a day. It's all very professional, as you can imagine. 'This is a way that I feel I can do something that helps out.' Advertisement The Health Secretary Matt Hancock heralded the results as 'good news' and said the UK's approach of securing large vaccine stocks was 'paying off'. 'After the good news last night of the effectiveness of the Novavax vaccine that, should it be approved, will be made in Teesside, this lunchtime we just had more good news about the new Janssen vaccine. This is a single dose vaccine, and our approach of buying abroad and making here at home is paying off.' He added: 'I want to say a huge thank you to everybody involved who's helped get the UK in this pole position to protect our population and to make sure we get out of this pandemic.' In the trials, researchers tracked illnesses starting 28 days after vaccination which scientists say is about the time when immunity would be triggered if participants had received a two-dose vaccination instead. The shot uses a cold virus to carry the Covid-19 spike protein - which it uses to invade cells and the part of the virus that is attacked by antibodies - to trigger an immune response. This is similar to the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, which also uses an adenovirus with spike proteins from Covid-19 attached. Both doses can be stored in a household fridge, a significant leg up over Pfizer's which must be stored at -75C (-94F) before use. J&J has also launched a large-scale clinical trial of a two-dose version of its vaccine, which was set up in case the single dose version wasn't effective enough. The company plans to go ahead with that study, regardless. It came after US biotech firm Novavax announced its vaccine had successfully completed its phase three clinical trials in the UK last night, paving the way for regulators to give final approval in the coming weeks. Under a deal with the Government, 60million doses of the vaccine will be produced on Teesside for use in this country, in what could prove to be another triumph for Britain's world-leading vaccine programme. Novavax, which will be made at the Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies factory in Stockton-on-Tees according to local reports, last night said the trials had shown its vaccine was 89.3 per cent effective The trial is the first to be completed since the emergence of the new variant of the disease in Kent. Preliminary analysis suggests the vaccine was 85.6 per cent effective against this mutation. The two-shot vaccine still requires final approval from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. But Whitehall sources said that, if the regulatory process goes smoothly, the jabs could start coming on stream this summer, allowing a huge acceleration in the drive to inoculate all adults by the end of September. Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the 'spectacular' results, adding in a tweet: 'Good news that the Novavax vaccine has proved effective in UK trials. Thank you to all the volunteers who made these results possible. Our medicines regulator will now assess the vaccine, which will be made in Teesside.' Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said: 'Having taken part in Novavax's vaccine trial myself, I am particularly thrilled to see such positive results.' Vaccines taskforce chief Kate Bingham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It's a fantastic result because it shows that the Novavax vaccine is effective against both the UK variant as well as the South African variant and has shown phenomenal efficacy and it's made in Teeside - so not only have we trialled the vaccine to show that it's safe and effective, but we're also making it too, so we'll be able to save lives in the UK.' The progress of the Novavax vaccine represents another success for the UK's Vaccines Task Force, which has left the EU scrambling to catch up. A sluggish regulatory process in Brussels has meant only the Pfizer vaccine has so far been approved for use in the EU. The bloc's vaccine drive has been plunged into crisis, with Brussels embroiled in a bitter stand-off with Astra-Zeneca after the Anglo-Swedish firm said it could only supply a fraction of the 100million does it had allegedly promised. It came as England gave out 344,464 Covid vaccines on Thursday, official figures show, as Britain reaches the halfway point of its target to immunise 15 million of the most vulnerable by mid-February with first doses now given to 7.5million. The NHS data shows that 344,464 vaccinations were administered across England on January 28 - of which 343,193 were given to people receiving their first dose. The UK needs to be vaccinating at least 400,000 people every day over the next two weeks in order to fulfil Number 10's promise of immunising all 15million of the most vulnerable Brits by February 15. Figures show that 1,271 had received their second jab on Thursday and the number of first vaccinations in England were up by 36 per cent, 91,472, from 252,992 immunisations on Wednesday. However, a vaccine postcode lottery means that while 84 per cent of over-80s have been immunised in the North East and Yorkshire, this is lower at 78 per cent in the South East and only 65 per cent in London. It emerged earlier this week that vaccine supplies are being diverted away from the North, which is storming ahead with its vaccine drive, and redirected to the South to help it catch up. Jasmine Stefanovic certainly loves to dress up to celebrate occasions. But on Friday, she opted for a low-key affair with just her nearest and dearest to celebrate her 37th birthday in Sydney. Much like her festivities, the Mara & Mine shoe designer kept her outfit simple and casual. Simple and casual: Jasmine Stefanovic enjoyed a low-key 37th birthday celebration dressed in an all-black ensemble while out and about in Sydney on Friday The blonde beauty wore a black jumper with matching tracksuit pants, teamed with pink and black Nike trainers. Despite the downpour outside, the radiant mother-of-one beamed as she prepared to get her eight-month-old daughter Harper out of the car. Nearby, her husband Karl was seen making a mad dash across the street while running errands ahead of meeting up with his wife. Low profile celebrations: The blonde beauty worDespite the downpour outside, the radiant mother-of-one beamed as she prepared to get her eight-month-old daughter Harper out of the care a black jumper with matching tracksuit pants, teamed with pink and black Nike trainers Busy body! Nearby, her husband Karl was seen making a mad dash across the street while running errands ahead of meeting up with Jasmine Style notes from Jasmine: The Today show host appeared to coordinate his outfit with Jasmine's by opting for an all-black ensemble of a T-shirt and trackpants. The TV presenter differed his look from Jasmine's with a pair of white Nikes The Today show host appeared to coordinate his outfit with Jasmine's by opting for an all-black ensemble of a T-shirt and trackpants. He differed his look from his wife's with his choice of sneakers - a pair of white Nikes. Karl's block colour outfit accentuated his slimmed-down physique, which the TV presenter has been working on since starting the New Year with a health kick. Getting trim: Karl's block colour outfit accentuated his slimmed-down physique, which the TV presenter has been working on since starting the New Year with a health kick Special day: This comes after Karl shared a sweet tribute to celebrate Jasmine's 37th birthday earlier in the day. He shared photos on Instagram to mark to special day, a selfie of him and his wife at an event This comes after Karl shared a sweet tribute to celebrate Jasmine's 37th birthday, earlier in the day. He shared photos on Instagram to mark to special day - a selfie of him and his wife at an event, and another of the blonde beauty and his daughter Ava, from his marriage to ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn. Karl wrote in the caption to Jasmine: 'Happy birthday my beauty. You are light and love and everything in between. 'Happy birthday my beauty': He also shared a photo of Jasmine with his daughter Ava, with the caption: 'You are light and love and everything in between. You've even taught Ava never to get angry when I get home late from the pub' 'You've even taught Ava never to get angry when I get home late from the pub,' he added. Karl and Jasmine met in late 2016 and married in December 2018 in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. They welcomed Harper in May 2020. In celebration of their second wedding anniversary, he paid tribute to his wife writing: 'Happy anniversary love. What love in your heart. What laughter in your eyes. What joy you bring us all. Xxx,' he wrote, underneath a picture of Jasmine holding their daughter. New Delhi: Violence broke out at the Singhu border protest site after large groups of people claiming to be locals reached there to vacate the area, leading to a clash between them and agitating farmers and prompting police to resort to baton charge and use tear gas shells. Delhi Police SHO (Alipur) Pradeep Paliwal was injured in the violence after a man attacked him with a sword, an official said, adding that some people were also wounded. #WATCH | Delhi: Group of people claiming to be locals gather at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border) demanding that the area be vacated. pic.twitter.com/AHGBc2AuXO ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2021 The official said that police detained the man who attacked the station house officer. The locals demanded that the farmers vacate the Singhu border protest site as they had "insulted" the national flag during their tractor parade on Republic Day. Armed with sticks, the group of locals reached the site and asked the farmers to leave while raising slogans against them. Both sides also pelted stones at each other. The protestors at the Singhu border, much of which is barred for entry from outside, were coming out in numbers to resist the locals. Photo However, they were promptly stopped by farmer union volunteers which helped the situation from turning ugly. "They are not locals, but hired goons. They were throwing stones, petrol bombs at us. They attempted to burn down our trolleys also. We are here to resist them. We won't leave the place," said Harkirat Mann Beniwal, 21, from Punjab's Khanna district. O ne of the most radical and rapid reversals in policy by the Biden administration has been over immigration to the US. No longer are those arriving from Mexico drug dealers, criminals, rapists as Donald Trump suggested they often were; now Joe Bidens manifesto says that it is a moral failing and a national shame when a father and his baby daughter drown seeking our shores ... Immigration is essential to who we are as a nation, our core values, and our aspirations for our future. Under a Biden administration, we will never turn our backs on who we are or that which makes us uniquely and proudly American. The United States deserves an immigration policy that reflects our highest values as a nation. President Biden has certainly set about implementing that new approach. Family reunification is a pressing priority, and first lady Jill Biden will join a taskforce to achieve that end. Some 611 children are still without their parents after being split up in 2017 and 2018. Mr Biden will shortly announce a near-tenfold increase in the number of refugees being admitted to the US, to some 125,000 (set in the context of a population of 328 million). President Biden wants to strengthen asylum systems, so that the border patrols, courts and Department for Homeland Security (DHS) are no longer simply different mechanisms to deport people. To that end the president has anointed a 100-day moratorium on deportations. The causes of mass migration the long caravans of desperate people travelling north to escape drugs crime, violence, tyranny and poverty in Latin America will also be addressed. Refugees will be encouraged to register and settle in other south and Central American states, with economic support from the US. (Newser) The acting chief of the US Capitol Police would like to see permanent fencing installed around the Capitol in the wake of the Jan. 6 storming of the buildingand she's not the first to make that suggestion. In a Thursday statement, Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman said a 2006 security assessment recommended the same thing. "In light of recent events, I can unequivocally say that vast improvements to the physical security infrastructure must be made," said Pittman. NBC News reports the move would be a "striking shift from the accessibility many Americans have enjoyed over the years visiting the grounds of 'The People's House,'" from its lawn to its steps. story continues below DC Mayor Muriel Bowser was unequivocal in her response, tweeting in part, "We will not accept extra troops or permanent fencing as a long-term fixture in DC. When the time is right, the fencing around the White House and US Capitol, just like the plywood we've seen on our businesses for too long, will be taken down." CNN quotes pushback from both sides of the aisle, with Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss tweeting that it would be a "mistake to turn the home of our democracy into a fortress." GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik argued "there has been no threat briefing given to Members of Congress to justify this proposal." DCist notes a 7-foot fence was put up in the wake of the riot and will remain up for at least 30 days. (Read more U.S. Capitol stories.) The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe has been significantly updated for the new model year and is already available at Cocoa Hyundai! For the new model year, Hyundai has given its popular midsize crossover utility vehicle a mid-generation facelift. The slight redesign includes updated design cues and content throughout the vehicles interior and exterior, including even its powertrain options. For example, a new Smartstream 2.5L turbocharged engine is now available beneath the hood of the Santa Fe. In Cocoa, Florida, the all-new 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe is already available in one local dealerships inventory: Cocoa Hyundai. The dealerships staff has provided an informative model research page dedicated to the model, helping shoppers learn whats new in the midsize crossover as well as providing easy access to inventory and a form where customers can request additional information. This is just one of many such pages, as the website hosts a rather expansive resource for shoppers to utilize whenever shopping for a new vehicle. All of the brands models are detailed on different pages, and shoppers can even see how these models compare to some of their competitors by checking out competitive comparison pages as well. Shoppers in the area that might be interested in a new 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe of their own are encouraged to head over to the dealerships website, http://www.cocoahyundai.com, to find its dedicated page. There they can learn all about the new model and find one that suits their needs. Any specific questions that arise throughout the shopping process can be directed to the sales desk at 321-631-2444. Cocoa Hyundai is located at 1825 West King St. in Cocoa. New Delhi, Jan 29 : President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday lauded the coordination between the central and state governments which, he said, had strengthened democracy as well as the prestige of the Constitution. "My government has also presented a unique example of collective power of the federal structure. This coordination between the central and state governments has strengthened democracy and also strengthened the Constitution's prestige," he said in his address to the members of both the Houses of Parliament at the commencement of its Budget Session. "No matter how big the challenge is, we will not stop; India will not stop. Whenever India has united, it has achieved goals considered impossible. "In this fight against the coronavirus pandemic, we also lost many countrymen. A man dear to all of us and my predecessor President Pranab Mukherjee also passed away during this period. Six members of Parliament also left us untimely because of coronavirus. I pay my humble tributes to all. "I am satisfied that due to timely decisions of my government, the lives of millions of countrymen were saved. Today, the number of new corona patients is decreasing rapidly and those cured of the infection is very high," the President said. Kovind also talked about the Union government's actions on the economic front during the pandemic. He said that along with the announcement of a record economic package to handle the Indian economy, the government also took care that no poor starved. "Through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, 80 crore people were ensured 5 kg extra grain free of cost per month for eight months. The government also cared for the migrant workers." The President said: "My government also launched the Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan in six states to provide jobs to migrants who had returned to their native villages from cities during the epidemic. "This helped create employment equivalent to 50 crore man days." "Nearly Rs 31,000 crore were also directly transferred to the Jan Dhan accounts of poor women. During this period, more than 14 crore gas cylinders were given to poor women beneficiaries free of cost under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana across the country." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell said this week the Jackson County Adult Detention Center was experiencing its first outbreak of COVID-19, with more than 5 percent of the inmates infected. Ezell said Wednesday 20 inmates had tested positive for the virus and were in isolation. He said each of the prisoners infected was experiencing minor symptoms. There are currently 20 inmates housed in the ADC. Through interlocal agreements, the ADC not only houses Jackson County prisoners, but those from the countys four municipalities, as well. Ezell also said that as COVID-19 cases began to be diagnosed in Mississippi, new rules were put in place to limit contact between ADC personnel and inmates. Among the virus-prompted changes was a policy under which those arrested on misdemeanors would not be jailed, with the following exceptions: Domestic violence DUI/Public intoxication Those who are violent, disorderly or unruly Those who contribute to civil unrest Those who have been ordered to jail by a judge Ezell noted there could be exceptions in some cases. Additionally, personal in-house visitations have been suspended indefinitely, except for law enforcement personnel, and all recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are being followed. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Investigations editor Larry Parnass, investigations editor, joined The Eagle in 2016 from the Daily Hampshire Gazette, where he was editor in chief. His freelance work has appeared in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Hartford Courant and CommonWealth Magazine. Georgia is easing regulations for international travellers to enter the country as well as for the citizens of Georgia who are returning to the country from abroad, Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava said. When coming to Georgia foreign visitors must present at the border a document that proves that he/she underwent a complete course of coronavirus vaccination. Citizens of all foreign countries who are vaccinated will be able to enter Georgia. As for foreign visitors who are not vaccinated, citizens and residents of the EU, Israel, Switzerland, the USA, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain if they have had a negative PCR test result within the past 72 hours. Also, on the third day after coming to Georgia they are obliged to do another PCR test. The self-isolation will not be mandatory for them any more if they are still negative, Agenda.ge reported. International flights will resume in Georgia starting February 1 and all airline companies that have already operated or plan to enter the country's aviation market in the future will be able to operate regular flights. France and Italy suffered further blows to their vaccine rollouts yesterday after a major manufacturer said it could not deliver the doses originally expected. US supplier Moderna will deliver 20 per cent fewer jab doses to Italy by early February than previously thought, according to the countrys special commissioner for Covid. France is now expecting 25 per cent fewer doses than originally scheduled, its health ministry said. The cuts are the latest in a series of setbacks to European Union nations hoping to improve coronavirus inoculation rates. EU officials are already up in arms over news drugs giant AstraZeneca will only deliver around a quarter of the 100million doses it had allegedly pledged for the first three months of the year. France and Italy suffered further blows to their vaccine rollouts yesterday after US supplier Moderna said it could not deliver the doses originally expected The company said deliveries would fall short because of a production glitch, said to be at a hub in Belgium. In contrast, Britain has already secured 100million doses of the AstraZeneca jab, developed with Oxford University, and pre-ordered 17million doses of the Moderna vaccine which are expected to arrive in the spring. The delays mean countries including France, Portugal and the Netherlands will struggle to meet their vaccination targets. Portugal, where deaths and infections have spiked to record levels, warned it could take up to two months longer than initially planned to complete the first phase of its vaccinations. France shuts its borders Paris announced a ban last night on all travel to and from France from countries outside the EU. Travel from countries within the EU will require a negative Covid test, prime minister Jean Castex said. The closure of Frances borders except for essential travel is intended to prevent the spread of new variants including those found in the UK and South Africa, Mr Castex said. He also said the numbers allowed into shopping malls would be reduced and controls against those breaking a nightly curfew would be stepped up. France has had 75,620 Covid deaths in total. It recorded 23,770 new cases on Thursday. Advertisement Yesterday French authorities instructed hospitals to delay the first injections for two to four weeks to conserve doses for those waiting for a second injection. Madrid has already cancelled first dose injections for two weeks over supply issues. The EU maintains AstraZeneca is reneging on a promise over doses. But the bloc did not sign an agreement with the pharmaceutical giant until August last year following delays over approval three months after the UK. By July, Britain also had agreements with Pfizer, Valneva and GlaxoSmithKline. Leading German politicians hit out at beleaguered European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen over the fiasco yesterday, insisting she should take full responsibility. Lars Klingbeil, general secretary of the centre-Left Social Democrats (SPD) said yesterday: I am absolutely stunned by how negligent Mrs von der Leyen has been in overseeing the start of vaccinations in recent months. The SPDs Carsten Schneider also added: Vaccination is our only way out of the crisis, it has to be a leaders responsibility. High demand has also meant the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, on which the EU was largely relying, has experienced delays. Domenico Arcuri, leader of Italys pandemic response, said the country was astonished, concerned and disappointed, adding that almost every day the forecasted deliveries are changed. Hungary yesterday became the first EU country to approve Chinas Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine, sealing a deal for 5million doses. Last week, it became the first to approve Russias Sputnik V vaccine, ordering a million doses. Last night the International Chamber of Commerce warned the EU that blocking vaccine exports could worsen the crisis. In a letter to Mrs von der Leyen, sent on Thursday, the group warned: Our immediate fear is that the proposed EU export controls risk triggering retaliatory actions by third countries that could very rapidly erode essential supply chains. As the travel industry continues to struggle with the financial fallout from the pandemic, a leading trade group for Americas airports has elected Philadelphia International Airport CEO Chellie Cameron to be one of its top advocates to Congress and the Biden administration. Camerons first order of business: helping secure $17 billion in additional relief for commercial airports nationwide, PHL among them. We just cant keep up in this environment in a situation that we really didnt create, Cameron said. And ultimately we think airports are important enough to communities to be able to justify that expenditure of dollars. Cameron is an executive committee member of the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), and this month she started a two-year term as chair of the groups U.S. Policy Council. The trade groups $17 billion ask is based on estimates of revenue lost from steep drops in passenger traffic, as well as the costs of implementing new safety measures and upkeep related to COVID-19. Passenger volume at PHL is still down almost 70% compared with 2019, cutting into revenue streams from paid parking lots to inside the terminals. Our entire ecosystem is hurt, Cameron said. So the airlines are not doing well. The concession operators arent doing well again, because of the passenger levels. And so we desperately need dollars to help us fund our ongoing operations. READ MORE: The pandemic took a big bite out of Phillys tax base. What happens if suburbanites keep working from home? It costs nearly $1 million a day to operate the airport. PHL received $116 million under the CARES Act relief package that Congress passed last spring, the equivalent of about 3 months of operating costs. The nations airports altogether received $10 billion in CARES Act grants. Airports are now slated to receive another $2 billion as part of the COVID-19 stimulus bill adopted in December. PHL estimates it will get about $20 million from that package, or less than a months worth of expenses, Cameron notes. Cameron remains concerned about the potential for layoffs at PHL a possibility she raised last July absent more money from Washington. The airport had to keep at least 90% of its roughly 1,000-person workforce on the payroll in exchange for federal relief funding. The first commitment lasted through December, and the latest agreement lasts through Feb. 15. If an additional relief package goes through and does not include airports, after Feb. 15, we are going to have to start looking at our staff as the next place where we can start to shed some costs because we wont be able to keep things at that level, Cameron said. Before the pandemic, the airport was full six to eight times a day during banks of flights the busy scheduling blocks when planes are coming and going, and passengers are making connections. READ MORE: Bidens plan to fix student loans puts spotlight on debt cancellation and easier bankruptcies Now we do it two or three times a day, Cameron said. We still need the entire facility, we just dont have the activity to support the facility that we built. Last spring, when travel plummeted after pandemic lockdown orders, PHL deferred landing fees it typically collects from airlines. By the end of 2020, carriers had all paid that money back to the airport, Cameron said. When it comes to domestic travel, Cameron said the airlines have gotten much better at adapting their schedules to the current moment. In other words, where people want to go, which are the leisure destinations, vs. the business destinations, she said. American Airlines, the dominant air carrier in Philadelphia, said last month that it will suspend four routes between PHL and Europe in 2021 due to low demand, but still plans to resume flights to 12 European destinations by summer. Weve talked to them about our European traffic and the international traffic, Cameron said. They remain committed to bringing that traffic back to PHL, but its really going to depend on what happens at the national level. Late in the Trump administration, regulators lifted certain travel restrictions between the U.S. and the U.K., many European countries, China, and Brazil. When the Biden administration came in, they put those restrictions back into place, and they added South Africa to the restrictions, Cameron said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is also now requiring COVID-19 testing for any passenger flying to the U.S. from a foreign country. Those travelers must get tested three days (or fewer) before their flight and show a negative test result, or provide documentation that they previously recovered from the coronavirus. As those sorts of executive orders and policy decisions are being made at the federal level, its going to impact what the airlines can and cant do, and what kind of demand exists for those specific routes, Cameron said. Doing things safely is really everybodys goal, she added. We want to open up travel, but opening up travel that isnt safe doesnt help anybody. A worker wearing a mask delivers packages during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, the United States, April 13, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua) Months after she was spat on and verbally harassed by a stranger in San Francisco in March 2020, 26-year-old Zhu Yuanyuan is still haunted by fear. Living in the U.S. for five years, being blamed for the COVID-19 might be the last thing she would have ever expected. The man shouted at me and yelled an expletive about China. When a bus passed, he screamed after it, saying run them over, Zhu told the New York Times. For the rest of 2020, countless misleading news regarding COVID-19, as well as irresponsible remarks from public figures, have made Asian-Americans like Zhu realize who the real culprit was behind their suffering. They were infuriated to see that the then US President Donald Trump labeled COVID-19 as the Chinese virus, while Fox News, a cable news television channel in the U.S., spread rumors such as the coronavirus outbreak was created in a lab in Wuhan and China has blood on their hands for their role in the pandemic, ignoring objections from the World Health Organization and prestigious medical journals such as The Lancet, a prominent British medical journal. The neo-obscurantism taking shape Former US President Donald Trumps China virus rhetoric has been condemned by experts and members of the public for inciting xenophobic crimes across the country, as well as spreading false information of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Xinhua /Liu Jie) The idea that whatever China does must be wrong is especially troubling, considering the fact that their tactics appear to have gotten to grips with the pandemic. First of scoring partisan points and then of finding a scapegoat to blame, the press are ignoring their role as providers of information and refusing to learn the lessons of what techniques work in controlling a pandemic, FAIR, a New York-based media critique organization, noted in its 2020 report. Zhang Weiwei, a professor and director of the China Institute of Fudan University in Shanghai, noted that by feeding the world biased information, the Western world has entered an era of neo-obscurantism. The Enlightenment of Europe replaced obscurantism with rationalism, leading to a great progress in human history. But in modern era, the Western world pushed their discourse system, as well as its political and economic mode to extremes, leading to what I call neo-obscurantism, said Zhang. Neo-obscurantism is a mixed product of biased Western ideology, misguided social sciences and very parochial culture. It makes the West misunderstand China, as well as fail to understand their own problems, Zhang added. According to a survey conducted by Pew Research Center in April 2020, around 61 percent Americans said they were following news about the coronavirus outbreak at both the national and local level. News media is a major source of COVID-19 information for the Americans. Instead of feeding the public authentic information and scientific anti-pandemic measures, some Western media seized the opportunity to situate their news stories in the context of Sino-Western tensions, defining the pandemic as Chinese, ignoring facts and professional suggestions from international science communities. The Daily Telegraph, an Australian tabloid newspaper, published a fabricated report in May, saying that its journalist Sharri Markson obtained a 15-page research document from the Five Eyes intelligence agencies, naming the Wuhan Institute of Virology as the origin of COVID-19. The false claim was soon denied by intelligence agencies from both the US and Australia, while senior officials in Australias intelligence community told the Sydney Morning Herald on May 4 that The Daily Telegraphs so-called secret dossier was based on news reports without any intelligence information. But the damage was done. The unethical report was widely quoted by Western media, and Markson was even invited to spread her lies on Fox News, feeding the public false information. Many public figures like Markson, including US congressman Michael McCaul and former State Secretary Mike Pompeo, laid blame for the severity of COVID-19 on China and the WHO, raising conspiracy theories without solid evidence against China. Such biased reports and remarks have contributed to the rise of the worlds discontent over and misunderstanding of China. According to Pews survey in 2020, 73 percent of U.S. adults say they have an unfavorable view of China, up 26 percentage points since 2018. Bruce Aylward, an epidemiologist who led an advance team from the World Health Organization (WHO), speaks at a press briefing at WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Chen Junxia) By contrast with those media reports, medical professionals have expressed totally different opinions on Chinas endeavor to curb the spread of COVID-19. Bruce Aylward, a Canadian epidemiologist and leader of WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019, noted in his teams report that China has changed the course of a rapidly escalating outbreak through ambitious, agile and aggressive containment efforts, while Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet, said Chinas reaction is decisive and quick, including the decision on the lockdown of Wuhan. There is an American saying: The system works. However, if the Chinese system works, its not news in the WestIn my line of work, only bad news is real news, and good news is no news. This is especially so when it comes to reporting on China. Alex Lo, writer of South China Morning Post, noted in his column. Dwindling credibility and severe consequences According to statistics from Pew, 52 percent of Americans say they now have either not too much or no confidence at all in journalists to act in the best interest of the public, a number that has dropped slightly since 2018. (Photo by Pixabay) Misinformation and irresponsible remarks from Western media and public figures have led to severe consequences. Refusing to wear masks, savage riots at the U.S. Capitol all pointed out that the West is bearing the consequences. Biased reports have already caused damage to Western nations governance, as public opinions can influence the governments policies and decisions. said Cao Peixin, a professor at the Communication University of China. Many Western citizens have now retreated into information cocoons of like-minded media sources, only accepting negative views about China. Media has blurred their judgement, making them self-centered and ignorant of the modern world, Cao added. When Harvard scholar Cass R. Sunstein created the term information cocoon in 2006, he stressed that people love reading things that fortify and confirm their own opinions, in which people enter information cocoons. Biased reports and remarks regarding China from Western media and public figures have now accelerated the speed of peoples retreating into information cocoons filled with lies about China. Many Western citizens now only believe things that are false, failing to learn countless things that are true. But as the COVID-19 pandemic has now been under control in China and the nation became the only major economy to record positive growth in 2020, some Western media had to accept the fact that the information they were spreading were proven false, with their credibility dwindling swiftly. According to statistics from Pew, 52 percent of Americans say they now have not too much or no confidence at all in journalists to act in the best interests of the public, a number that has dropped slightly since 2018, while 56 percent of Americans think journalists have low or very low ethical standards. Chinas economy is recovering much better than any nation in the world, and the life of its people are now almost back to normal. That is totally different from what Ive read in the newspaper, Ola Anderson, a 26-year-old Norwegian student told Peoples Daily Online. By telling lies about China, media outlets credibility is dwindling. I would like to see more stories from the Chinese perspective, it may offer me a more balanced view, said Ola, who added that nowadays new media in Norway deliver many factual reports about Chinas achievement in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. [Misinformation of China] results in intellectual disadvantages for citizens in the West by preventing them from having a proper picture or perspective on a country they have been told is the greatest threat to freedom, democracy and world peace, said Alex Lo. Enable Ginger Cannot connect to Ginger Check your internet connection or reload the browser Disable in this text field Edit Edit in Ginger Edit in Ginger The Union minister said that the relations between India and China are at crossroads today and whatever choices the nations make will have global consequences and not just for the two countries. Jaishankar mentioned that the last year standoff showed disregard for decreasing troop levels and an inclination towards violating peace. External affairs minister S. Jaishankar highlighted 8 key points for improving Indo China relations at the 13th All India Conference of China Studies. Jaishankar also talked about the eastern Ladakh standoff between India and China in May 2020 and remarked that the incident has put the relationship under exceptional stress. The Union minister said that the relations between India and China are at crossroads today and whatever choices the nations make will have global consequences and not just for the two countries. Jaishankar mentioned that the last year standoff showed disregard for decreasing troop levels and an inclination towards violating peace. We are yet to receive a credible explanation for the change in Chinas stance or reason for the massing of troops. he added. At the online conference, Jaishankar highlighted 8 principles for refining ties between India and China. First, the minister underlined the importance of past experiences and lessons and commented that, From that, we can seek proper guidance that will be to the benefit of both nations. Second to it he added that agreements that had already been reached in the past must be adhered to in their entirety. Thirdly, addressing the issue of the breach of Line of Actual Control (LAC) he said, Whether handling of the border areas is concerned, the Line of Actual Control must be strictly observed and respected. Any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo is completely unacceptable,. Fourth, noting that both nations are committed to a multi-polar world Jaishankar mentioned that, there should be a recognition that a multi-polar Asia is one of its essential constituents. Also Read: After RDay tractor rally, demand for probe into foreign funding of farmers protest intensifies Also Read: Biden UN Envoy undermines India at UNSC: High time for US to back India? Fifth, he said that one-sided sensitivity to interests, concerns and priorities by any nation would not prevail and the relationship should be reciprocated from each end. Sixth, he said the pursuit of the rising powers of the two nations cannot be ignored. Seventh, he outlined the importance of management of divergences and differences between the countries. Lastly he stressed that, India and China must think beyond the current situation while handling matters. He added that, Development of ties can only be based on mutuality such as mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, mutual interest. Respecting the three mutuals and observing those eight principles that I spoke about will surely help us make the right decisions,. New Delhi, Jan 29 : The Budget Session commenced on Friday with President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the joint sitting of Parliament amid 18 opposition parties boycotting the event and Congress member Ravneet Singh raising slogans against the government on farmers' issue. Following tradition, the President began Budget Session 2021 with his address at 11 a.m. at the Central Hall of Parliament highlighting the government's plan, policy and vision for the next financial year as well as the steps taken during pandemic. The President condemned the farmers' violent march on Republic Day and their attempt to dishonour the dignity of the Red Fort where Prime Minister unfurls Tricolour on Independence Day every year. Vice President M.Venkaiah Naidu also spoke on the event addressing the joint sitting of Parliament. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the media, saying "This Budget is a golden opportunity to fulfill dreams of freedom fighters". The two Houses later met separately for the tabling of the President's Address. The Economic Survey was also tabled in both Houses during the 30-minute sitting after paying obituary references. Both, the President's address as well as the Economic Survey was tabled first in the Lok Sabha amid sloganeering by opposition parties against the three farm laws. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla later adjourned the House till Monday -- the day when the Union Budget will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The session is being held in two parts this year due to Covid-19 pandemic. The first part of the Budget Session is scheduled to conclude on February 15 while the second part will commence on March 8 and is expected to end on April 8. Given the Covid-19 outbreak, Parliament will sit in two shifts. The morning session is dedicated to the Rajya Sabha while the Lok Sabha will sit in the evening. The Rajya Sabha will sit from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., while the Lok Sabha will sit from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Zero Hour and Question Hour will also be held. All Covid protocols will be followed during this session on the same lines as the Monsoon Session last year. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget at 11 a.m. on February 1. The Lok Sabha shall hold 12 sittings and during the second phase of the session, there will be 21 sittings of the House. Question Hour, Zero Hour will also be held during this session. The Bahujan Samaj Party and the Aam Aadmi party also joined the 16 opposition parties, who boycotted the President's Address over the manner in which the three farm laws were passed. This is the second time in a row when the opposition stayed away from the Presidential Address. Last year, the opposition parties, barring the Bahujan Samaj Party, had staged their own programme in front of the Ambedkar statue, reading from the constitution and preamble in support of those opposing the citizenship law. This year, the opposition parties, who are divided and fighting each other in the states, made a joint statement in solidarity with the farmers protesting against the controversial new agricultural laws and other issues to boycott the Presidential address. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Advertisements of the upcoming Black Friday sales are seen on TV screens at a Walmart store in Westminster, Colorado, U.S. on Nov, 23, 2016. (Rick Wilking/Reuters File Photo) Walmart Plans Big Push to Challenge Amazon on Advertising NEW YORK/DALLASWalmart Inc. plans to expand its advertising business, adding space for ads at its U.S. stores and sharing its vast trove of shopper data with brands, the worlds largest retailer said on Thursday, looking to challenge rival Amazon.com Inc. as a media powerhouse. The efforts are key to Walmarts aggressive plan to achieve a more than tenfold increase in its advertising business within five years, according to a source familiar with the matter. Reuters previously reported Walmarts annual advertising revenue was expected to be nearly $1 billion in 2020. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company, with nearly 5,000 stores nationwide, has set a goal to become one of the top 10 advertising platforms in the United States within the next five years, a slightly conservative goal, the source said. Walmart has expanded its advertising business after years of sputtering progress, even as a deal to buy a 7.5 percent stake in video-sharing app TikTok remains in limbo. Walmart refocused its strategy starting in early 2019, cutting ties with its external advertising partner and taking the business in-house as Walmart Media Group. Now, it will be named Walmart Connect, the company said. This is about us really digging in and pivoting the business from one which was really focused on search and display with our biggest suppliers, Walmarts chief customer officer, Janey Whiteside, told Reuters. We want to continue to do that, leverage our physical properties, and find ways to help advertisers make better use of their dollars. Tasha heads to checkout at a Walmart Store in Chicago, November 23, 2012. (John Gress/Reuters File Photo) Walmart said it will build a new advertising platform in partnership with ad technology company Trade Desk Inc. It will allow brands to use Walmarts ample shopper data to make ads more effective, even on websites and apps Walmart does not own. Brands will be able to target ads to audiences using Walmarts data on shopping behavior across categories and brands. Advertisers can then monitor sales inside Walmart stores in real time and adjust ad campaigns as needed, Whiteside said. Accurately measuring whether an ad led to a purchase has been a long-term technological challenge. Walmart is betting that allowing brands to use its data on ads across streaming video or smart TVs will draw in more ad dollars. The retailer said it will take advantage of its brick-and-mortar stores to compete with online retailer Amazon, and will sell ads on over 170,000 screens inside more than 4,500 U.S. stores, including on TVs and screens of self-checkout kiosks. We have this unparalleled source of data that we can bring to bear, Whiteside said. Who else can actually tell you if a customer saw something online and then a week later, physically bought it in the store? Mark Boidman, managing director and head of media and tech services at boutique investment bank PJ Solomon, also said Walmarts plans to grant ad buyers more marketing options in-store would be an advantage. The ability to use on-premise media, and in particular digital signage and digital out-of-home media, allows brands and retailers to be reactive and provide contextually relevant content and advertising, said Boidman. Think coffee promotions in the morning or marketing hot chocolate or snow shovels ahead of a big snow storm. By Melissa Fares and Sheila Dang During a brief address ahead of the Budget Session of the Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to all Members of Parliament (MPs) to help make the session productive. We need to capitalise on the opportunities that this new decade will bring and have discussion in this session regarding Indias future, PM Modi said on January 29. The prime minister said that the Budget Session, set to begin with President Ram Nath Kovinds joint address, would be the first session of this decade. This decade is essential for Indias future, PM Modi added. PM Modi said that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had to present not one, but four-five mini-Budgets in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. I am sure this Budget will also be seen as a continuation of measures announced in 2020, PM Modi added. FM Sitharaman is scheduled to deliver the Union Budget 2021-22 on February 1. Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates on Budget 2021 and the Economic Survey release As many as 18 Opposition parties, including the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), have said they will boycott the presidents Address over the contentious farm reform laws that farmers across multiple states are protesting against. In the joint statement issued on January 28, the parties announced they have decided to stay away from the Presidents Address in both the Houses of the Parliament and reaffirmed their collective demand for the three farm reform laws to be repealed as demanded by agitating farmers. The statement said that the new agricultural laws were brought without consultations with states and farmer unions and lacked national consensus. Police fired tear gas and resorted to baton charge Friday to break up a clash between farmers and a large group of men claiming to be local residents who hurled stones at each other at the Singhu border, one of the main protest sites against farm laws. Delhi Police SHO (Alipur) Pradeep Paliwal was injured in the violence after a man attacked him with a sword, an official said, adding that some people were also wounded. The official said that police detained the man who attacked the station house officer. The group claiming to be locals demanded that the farmers vacate the Singhu border, one of the main protest sites around the capital. The Delhi Police said the SHO, who was attacked by a man with a sword, has suffered grievous injuries on his hand. "SHO Alipur, Delhi, intervenes between rioting protestors (MKSC faction) and local Singhu villagers, who had gone to register their protest against the happenings on Republic Day-2021 and continued loss of ordinary livelihoods for over two months," the Delhi Police said in a tweet. In another tweet, it said, "This is how the SHO was assaulted; he has suffered grievous injuries on his hand... Peace has been restored. Legal action is being initiated." The official said that police detained the man who attacked Paliwal. Armed with sticks, the group of locals reached the site and asked the farmers to leave while raising slogans against them. Both sides also pelted stones at each other. The protesters at the Singhu border, much of which is barred for entry from outside, came out in numbers to resist the locals. However, they were promptly stopped by farmer union volunteers which helped the situation from turning ugly. "They are not locals, but hired goons. They were throwing stones, petrol bombs at us. They attempted to burn down our trolleys also. We are here to resist them. We won't leave the place," said Harkirat Mann Beniwal, 21, from Punjab's Khana district. Thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally called by farmer unions on January 26 to highlight their demand for repeal of the Centre's three farm laws. Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled by the prime minister on Independence Day. As China ramps up efforts to make its energy sector clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient, the country is seeing fast growth in the scale of development and utilization of renewable energy resources nationwide. By the end of last August, its cumulative installed capacity of hydroelectric projects, wind power projects, and photovoltaic power projects had reached 360 million kW, 220 million kW, and 220 million kW respectively, the highest in the world. As of the end of 2019, the countrys nuclear power plants in operation and under construction recorded a total installed capacity of 65.93 million kW, ranking second in the world. Northwest Chinas Qinghai province boasts rich clean energy resources. It has 100,000 square kilometers of desertified land that can be used as the sites of photovoltaic power generation facilities and wind farms, with the amount of exploitable solar energy exceeding three billion kW and that of exploitable wind energy 75 million kW. On Dec. 30, 2020, the Qinghai-Henan 800 kV ultra-high voltage (UHV) direct current (DC) power transmission project passed the test on full-voltage, full-current, and overload operation, and officially started 800 kV full-voltage operation. Stretching from the Tibetan autonomous prefecture of Hainan, Qinghai province, all the way to Zhumadian city of central Chinas Henan province, the Qinghai-Henan power transmission project is the first UHV DC power transmission project planned and built by the State Grid Corporation of China (State Grid) for large-scale development of new energy resources in Qinghai. With a total length of 1,563 kilometers, the project runs through Qinghai province, northwest Chinas Gansu province and Shaanxi province, and Henan province. As the worlds first all-clean energy UHV power transmission project, it has served as a bridge between the abundant energy resources in Qinghai and the huge demand for energy in Henan. On Jan. 22, a branch company of State Grid Henan Electric Power Company in Henan province carried out a fire drill to simulate emergency response procedures in case of fire caused by converter transformer malfunction at a converter substation of the power transmission project. As the 16th fire drill carried out at the converter substation since the project was fully put into operation at the end of last year, the emergency drill was further guarantee of safe and stable operation of relevant equipment in the project. As of Dec. 31, 2020, the project had accumulatively delivered 3.41 billion kWh of green electricity to Henan, saving the world from the emission of 2.53 million tons of carbon dioxide and the consumption of 1.54 million tons of raw coal, according to Li Qingjun, deputy director of the construction department of State Grid Qinghai Electric Power Company. The energy artery has not only provided Henan province with access to clean energy from Qinghai, but also benefited central Chinas Hubei and Hunan provinces and east Chinas Jiangxi province. From July to August last year, Hubei and Jiangxi purchased 76 million kWh electricity via the Qinghai-Henan power transmission project. Chinas green energy development has played an important role in reducing carbon emission intensity. By 2019, carbon emission intensity in China had decreased by 48.1 percent compared with that of 2005, which exceeded the target of reducing carbon emission intensity by 40 to 45 percent between 2005 and 2020, reversing the trend of rapid carbon dioxide emission growth, said a white paper titled Energy in Chinas New Era released in December 2020 by the countrys State Council Information Office. At the same time, China is moving increasingly faster toward a clean and low-carbon energy consumption structure. Preliminary calculations indicate that coal consumption accounted for 57.7 percent of the countrys total energy consumption, 10.8 percentage points lower than that in 2012; the consumption of clean energy, such as natural gas, hydropower, nuclear power, and wind power, accounted for 23.4 percent of the total amount of energy used in China, an increase of 8.9 percentage points over 2012; and non-fossil energy accounted for 15.3 percent of Chinas total energy consumption, up 5.6 percentage points against 2012. China has reached the target of raising the share of non-fossil energy to 15 percent in total energy consumption by 2020, the white paper pointed out. With rapid improvement in its energy science and technology capabilities, the country has established complete industrial chains for the manufacturing of clean energy equipment for hydropower, nuclear power, wind power, and solar power. China has successfully developed and manufactured the worlds largest single-unit hydropower generators, with a capacity of one million kW. In July 2020, Chinas first self-developed offshore wind turbine with a capacity of 10 MW started operation in Fuqing city of southeast Chinas Fujian province. It represents the largest single-unit wind turbine in Asia and the second largest single-unit wind turbine in the world. Renewable energy has become a major approach to tackling climate change. In an effort to realize the goal to achieve peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality, renewable energy will be a main part in Chinas energy increment in the future, said Tao Ye, deputy director of the renewable energy development center of the Energy Research Institute under Chinas National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). In uncertain times, it can be comforting to look back. That's what New Orleans top Carnival historians invite you to do in WYES new program, New Orleans Parades from the Past. When we found out there wouldnt be parades this year, we thought, We have to figure out a way to bring parades to our viewers, said Peggy Scott Laborde, senior producer at WYES-TV and host/producer of the show Steppin Out. Debuting Monday, Feb. 1, at 9 p.m., the new, one-hour program features Laborde, joined by acclaimed Carnival experts Arthur Hardy and Errol Laborde. The trio takes a visual journey back to the early days of Carnival through archival footage and home movies from the 1920s through the 1960s that include rare glimpses of the first parades of now-superkrewes Endymion and Bacchus. We sat down in the Kornman theatre at WYES and the film started rolling, and it was like we were all watching our own home movies from growing up with Carnival every year, Peggy Scott Laborde said of filming the show. We just started chatting, sharing our memories and of course, with Arthur and Errol, some great historical tidbits and back stories. Laborde said among her favorite finds is a clip of Zulu from 1939 that Hardy notes in the program is the earliest footage hes seen of the krewe long before the first coconut was thrown. They were very much a neighborhood organization back then, she said. The floats were more like the size youd see with Krewe du Vieux now and made out of tinfoil. I love getting to see the neighborhoods back then and seeing the floats rolling through the French Quarter like they used to do. The program features plenty of footage from Rex from silent, black and white views from 1923 of floats being pulled by mules, to full-color reels of mammoth moving creatures like lions and alligators, and fantastical walking figures delighting crowds in the 1950s and 1960s. Almost a dozen other krewes also enjoy screen time, including some, like Comus and Venus, that have long since ceased to roll. Some notable New Orleanians also make appearances in the vintage footage, including celebrated float designer Herbert Jahnke and Pontchartrain Beach founder Harry Batt Sr. A special nod is also offered to the artistic impact of float designer Blaine Kern, who died in 2020. In addition to Monday, Feb. 1, at 9 p.m., New Orleans Parades from the Past will be broadcast on Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., and on Mardi Gras, Feb. 16, at 5 p.m., providing plenty of options to cozy up on the couch with some king cake and peek into the past. During these sad and challenging times, theres something about feeling this sense of continuity, said Laborde. Looking at these old films, you obviously see that much has changed, but theres so much thats also stayed the same. +12 Here are 12 not-to-miss Mardi Gras float houses in New Orleans, with a map Think of this list as a snapshot of where we stand right now. It may help guide our readers to some of the best examples of float houses. It m +2 Nyx disputes claims as New Orleans officials threaten to withhold krewes 2022 parade permit In a news conference on Tuesday, City Hall spokesman Beau Tidwell expressed dismay that the Mystic Krewe of Nyx had held its annual Carnival b Dr. Fatima Ebrahimi has invented a new fusion rocket that could one day take humans to Mars Dr. Fatima Ebrahimi, who works for the US Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), has invented a new fusion rocket that could one day take humans to Mars. The device uses magnetic fields to shoot plasma particles from the back of the rocket and propel the craft through space. Using magnetic fields allows scientists to tailor the amount of thrust for a particular mission and astronauts change the amount of thrust while piloting to distant worlds. Ebrahimi's innovation would also take space faring heroes to the Red Planet 10 times faster than current rocket thrusters that use electric fields to propel the particles. 'I've been cooking this concept for a while,' said Ebrahimi. 'I had the idea in 2017 while sitting on a deck and thinking about the similarities between a car's exhaust and the high-velocity exhaust particles.' 'During its operation, this tokamak produces magnetic bubbles called plasmoids that move at around 20 kilometers per second, which seemed to me a lot like thrust.' Fusion is the power that drives the sun and stars, and combines light elements in the form of plasma. The device uses magnetic fields to shoot plasma particles from the back of the rocket and propel the craft through space. Pictured is the thruster concept that shows the plasma particles being pushed around by the magnetic reconnection Plasma is the hot, charged state of matter composed of free electrons and atomic nuclei that represents 99 percent of the visible universe - and is capable of generating massive amounts of energy. Scientists have been working around the clock to replicate fusion in a lab with the hopes of harnessing its power to produce electricity for rockets traveling through deep space. Current plasma thrusters that use electric fields to propel the particles can only produce low specific impulse, or speed. But computer simulations performed on PPPL computers and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, a DOE Office of Science User Facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California, showed that the new plasma thruster concept can generate exhaust with velocities of hundreds of kilometers per second, 10 times faster than those of other thrusters. That faster velocity at the beginning of a spacecraft's journey could bring the outer planets within reach of astronauts, Ebrahimi said. 'Long-distance travel takes months or years because the specific impulse of chemical rocket engines is very low, so the craft takes a while to get up to speed,' she said. Using magnetic fields allows scientists to tailor the amount of thrust for a particular mission and astronauts change the amount of thrust while piloting to distant worlds. 'But if we make thrusters based on magnetic reconnection, then we could conceivably complete long-distance missions in a shorter period of time.' Although using fusion to power rockets is not a new concept, Ebrahimi's thruster differ from leading devices in three ways. The first is that changing the strength of the magnetic fields can increase or decrease the amount of thrust, which will allow better maneuvering through the dark abyss that is space. 'By using more electromagnets and more magnetic fields, you can in effect turn a knob to fine-tune the velocity,' Ebrahimi said. Second, the new thruster produces movement by ejecting both plasma particles and magnetic bubbles known as plasmoids. The plasmoids add power to the propulsion and no other thruster concept incorporates them. However, the last difference between Ebrahimi's concept and other ones is that hers uses magnetic fields to shoot particles of plasma out from the back of the rocket space-proven devices using electric fields. Using magnetic fields may be a game changer, as It allows scientists to tailor the amount of thrust for a particular mission. 'While other thrusters require heavy gas, made of atoms like xenon, in this concept you can use any type of gas you want,' Ebrahimi said. Scientists might prefer light gas in some cases because the smaller atoms can get moving more quickly. Each year, more hybrid and electric models are available to drivers as a way to reduce carbon emissions and provide more miles to the gallon. Toyota has been an industry leader for producing hybrid vehicles since it released the iconic Toyota Prius back in 2000. Now, the brand offers more than a dozen hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles that address the needs of a wide variety of drivers. The brands hybrid lineup is all-encompassing and provides sedans, crossovers and SUVs to choose from. Drivers in southern Wisconsin who want to enjoy the potent performance and numerous benefits that come with driving a hybrid can shop for Toyota hybrid vehicles at Hesser Toyota in Janesville. Hesser Toyota offers a wide selection of new Toyota models for drivers to choose from, including a long list of hybrid models that include the Prius, Camry Hybrid, Corolla Hybrid, RAV4 Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid, Sienna and Venza. Each of these models are packed with the brands intuitive technology like Toyota Safety Sense features and standard touchscreen displays that provide Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. Those interested in learning more about the hybrid vehicles offered at Hesser Toyota are invited to visit the dealerships website, https://www.hessertoyota.com, and view its inventory and informative model research pages, where the dealerships team explains the specifications and features of each model. Hesser Toyota is located at 1811 Humes Road and interested parties can contact the dealerships staff by dialing 608-754-7754. OTTAWA Manitoba will receive eight per cent fewer doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine by this spring than it had been promised. OTTAWA Manitoba will receive eight per cent fewer doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine by this spring than it had been promised. The figure is contained in federal data that details how many trays of the vaccine will arrive before April 4. The data was shared with the provinces on Wednesday. Internal records show Manitoba has been told to expect 138 trays of the Pfizer vaccine by that date, instead of the 149 trays promised. By the provinces count, that means 6,435 fewer Manitobans will be immunized. Heres where the situation stood as of Thursday. 1) Why is the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine delayed? Pfizer makes most of its COVID-19 vaccines at a plant in Puurs, Belgium, which the company plans to upgrade so it can increase output. Pfizer had insisted that countries would still get their full shipments in the first quarter, meaning all the doses scheduled to arrive by March 31, would be on time. It expected a decrease in January and February, followed by a surge in March, thanks to the larger output. 2) Will that still happen? Canadian officials insist they will get their promised four-million doses from Pfizer by March 31, but information released by Ottawa to provinces Wednesday casts doubt on that plan, largely due to how doses are counted. In the first weeks of vaccinations, nurses around the world realized they could often squeeze out six full doses from a vial meant to contain five. Pfizer is now asking countries to count its doses that way, but Health Canada has not yet approved such a change, and not all syringes can actually suck up the sixth dose. The internal document obtained by media suggested Canada would only receive 3.51 million Pfizer doses by March 31. "The rub is (that) the numbers don't add up to four million at this time," Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, who is overseeing Canada's rollout, told reporters Thursday. Fortin claimed Pfizer would increase the doses if Canada cant get all six from each vial it receives. "Pfizer is very much aware of that and will... scale up their (deliveries) if that is what is required," he said. 3) When will everyone get vaccinated? Ottawa insists that every Canadian adult who wants a vaccine will get at least their first dose by Sept. 30. Manitoba says it can only guarantee 74 per cent of adults will get their two-dose vaccination by Dec. 31, and 53 per cent by the end of September. Federal officials have given the provinces three scenarios for how many types of vaccines will be available. Those internal projections suggest that only three-quarters of Manitoba adults will be vaccinated by the end of the year under current Moderna and Pfizer contracts. Thats unless those contracts are renegotiated or more vaccines reach the market. 4) Why do Manitoba and Ottawa have different numbers? Manitoba, which is already getting six doses from every Pfizer vial, counts the doses per tray differently than Ottawa. For example, the projection Ottawa shared with provinces Wednesday, shows that Ottawa expects Manitoba would get enough trays of Pfizer vials to administer 134,550 doses, but Manitoba counts that as 161,460 shots. The province is intentionally taking a cautious approach by publishing data based on the figures it receives from Ottawa. For example, the province was given a single, overall number for the estimated number of doses Pfizer would send in the summer and fall. On Dec. 10, Manitoba was told to expect 216,000 Pfizer doses from July to September, but still has no clue how many will arrive each month. "We're always, always looking for data. The biggest problem right now is nobody is telling us what's happening," a senior Manitoba official told the Free Press, on the condition of anonymity. 5) Its about the number of doses per vial, right? Yes. Manitoba has a supply of one-millilitre "low dead space" syringes that make it easier to get six doses from each vial. However, these needles are in short supply in other parts of Canada, so the federal government has ordered millions of them. These syringes help to avoid waste. Provincial officials say that 0.5 per cent of Pfizer doses have gone to waste so far; the companys shipments create a buffer for five per cent wastage. Each shot must come from the same vial because mixing leftover amounts from more than one vial increases the risk of infection and may result in an inconsistent immune response. 6) Is Manitoba slower than other provinces? The province has decided to focus on giving each recipient both doses within the timelines recommended by Pfizer and Moderna. It has rejected prolonging the period for a booster shot, unlike other provinces, and says the current supply-chain disruptions justify that approach. That is why Manitoba ranks near the top when it comes to the number of people fully vaccinated. It is near the bottom for the proportion of shots given, because at least one-third is reserved for the second shot. Like Britain, Quebec has opted to give all doses up front, wagering that more widespread, but partial immunity, is needed there because it has some of the worst COVID-19 spread in the developed world. But Quebecs plan to wait as long as 12 weeks for second shots runs the risk of coronavirus infections and even mutations. Thats why the World Health Organization suggests capping deferrals at six weeks. Manitoba officials have patted themselves on the back for not having to cancel any vaccine appointments. Other provinces that held out for more shipments, must prioritize who can wait the longest for their booster shot. Instead, Manitoba will send some doses it had allocated for first jabs to the Thompson vaccination site, to give other Manitobans their second dose on time. 7) Whats up with the European Union? The EU was slow to sign deals with manufacturers despite having a larger role in the development and production of the vaccines being used today. The European Commission has asked companies to report where they send doses. Some politicians have asked companies to halt exports, but it doesnt appear this has happened yet. The Prime Ministers Office said European officials insisted Wednesday the existing plan "is not intended to disrupt exports of vaccines to Canada." Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are made in the United States and in Europe. Canadas Moderna shipments have so far not been delayed. 8) What else might cause vaccine delays for Canada? Canada has bought more doses of approved and unapproved COVID-19 vaccines than any other country, but is a small player in terms of developing or funding these projects, and has limited manufacturing capability. The federal Liberals have delayed an unrelated review of drug pricing meant to cut prescription costs. Some have speculated that this aims to appease Pfizer in vaccine negotiations, but both Ottawa and the company reject that idea. The Liberals have hinted that the practice by some provinces to change second-dose timelines has made it trickier to negotiate with manufacturers. It remains unclear why Pfizer doses only arrive in Canada from Belgium and not its Michigan production plant. The regulatory approval of another vaccine would likely ease Canadas shortage, and some might even be able to be produced in Canadian factories. With files from Danielle Da Silva dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca (CNN) Former US President Donald Trump may be gone from the White House but his legacy of catastrophic mistrust is poisoning Washington, dimming hopes of a unified effort to crush the pandemic before mutant viral strains take root. Nine days after newly sworn-in President Joe Biden told America that "every disagreement doesn't have to be a cause for total war," recriminations between the parties and the Republican meltdown are consuming Congress. It's now clear that the January 6 mob attack on Capitol Hill, while failing in its bid to reverse Trump's election loss, has utterly fractured the basic level of trust needed to make a political system function at a critical national moment. In the quarter century of bitter political battles since former speaker Newt Gingrich's Republican revolution, Washington has never been this inflamed. At times on Thursday, it appeared that the whole of Congress was fixated on its own civil wars, cut off from behind its high iron fence from the reality of America's darkest modern winter. And with more than 432,000 Americans dead from Covid-19 and the economy in ruins, hopes are fading -- amid the acrimony -- of a bipartisan effort to beef up the crucial vaccine drive. The magnitude of that death toll has much to do with Trump's neglect when he was in office. The tumultuous forces now rocking Capitol Hill are, in most cases, linked to Trump or the extremism of his acolytes who have fully bought into his alternative reality that rejected truth and democracy itself. In an extraordinary comment on Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned of the enemy "within" in an apparent reference to some pro-Trump Republicans. "We have members of Congress who want to bring guns on the floor and have threatened violence on other members of Congress," Pelosi said. Given the urgency of getting every American -- regardless of party -- a vaccine before the pandemic mounts another deadly wave, it might have been expected that the Republican House leader would be locked in negotiations. But Kevin McCarthy was in Florida, paying homage to the ex-President, paving the way for Trump's political comeback and effectively launching the 2022 midterm election campaign. The make-up session means McCarthy is pinning his hopes of winning the House majority next year on the Trump base and an aggressive political effort by the former President. Far from being ostracized for trying to destroy democracy, Trump is yet again dictating its future. Trump is still a hero to his base, but since he just comprehensively lost a national election, McCarthy is taking a gamble. In the shorter term, his genuflection means that with the House GOP in thrall to the former President and his vengeful instincts, Republicans will be even less ready to work with Biden on critical efforts to respond to the pandemic. 'You almost had me murdered' Adding to the sense of unchained uproar, the Republican Party is eating its own. Trump protege, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, flew to Wyoming Thursday to lead a revolt against No. 3 House Republican leader Liz Cheney, who -- in a vote of conscience -- voted to impeach the former President over the mob assault. It is extraordinary that the only senior Republican in danger of being toppled over the insurrection that has been forgotten or excused by many Republican leaders is Cheney, an authentic and lifelong conservative. Rank-and-file Democrats, meanwhile, are pushing an attempt to expel newly elected Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has supported the fringe conspiracy movement QAnon, following a report by CNN's KFile that before running for office she supported calls for the assassination of Democratic leaders on social media. Greene, a Georgia Republican, is an enthusiastic supporter of Trump and in a town hall meeting on Thursday night repeated lies that the election was stolen from the ex-President who has endorsed her several times. In another sign of the toxicity paralyzing Congress, House Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York lashed out at Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who had appeared to agree with her on the need for an investigation probing chaos on Wall Street. The New York Democrat, who has said she felt her life was in danger during the insurrection, tweeted that "you almost had me murdered." Just before a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol, Cruz had objected to the certification of Arizona's electoral votes, embracing the baseless allegations from Trump of an improper election. The acidic mood in Congress is also caused by the chasm on whether to punish the ex-President for inciting the riot. Republican disinterest in holding the former President accountable for the insurrection in his impeachment trial starting next month is eroding the already tenuous effectiveness of the 50-50 Senate. And in a previously unthinkable suggestion, the acting chief of the Capitol Police proposed a permanent fence around the Capitol. Not even the terrorist attacks on September 11 led to proposals for such draconian security measures. Calm reigns at the White House The pandemonium on Capitol Hill contrasts with the methodical calm that now prevails at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue just over a week into Biden's presidency. The President doggedly pressed ahead with his effort to rollback Trump's political program on Thursday, signing an executive order that will expand access to Obamacare, the health care law Trump tried to destroy. Incredibly, given the circumstances, Biden still believes that he can get Republicans and Democrats on board with his pandemic rescue bill, though has signaled he may be ready to negotiate the $1.9 trillion price tag. "He continues to believe that this can be -- should be and will be a bipartisan bill ... and he's having conversations with and listening to leaders and members of both parties to assure that we get to exactly that place," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. But there are increasing signs of impatience among Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill, suggesting that time may be quickly running out for the new President to put a bipartisan veneer on the bill. "We want to work with our Republican colleagues to advance this legislation in bipartisan way, but the work must move forward, preferably with our Republican colleagues, but without them if we must," Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. Pelosi also signaled that she was ready to use a procedural device known as reconciliation to swiftly pass a bill to boost vaccine supplies, alleviate the housing crisis and extend unemployment benefits if Republicans didn't sign on. The President has announced an ambitious bid to completely overhaul the faltering vaccine distribution effort left over by the previous administration. But the plan is contingent on a huge boost in funding that only Congress can provide. While hospitalizations and new cases of Covid-19 have fallen across the country, the baseline is still highly elevated. Many medical experts are concerned that mutations of the virus that are more transmissible, slightly more deadly and may be more resistant to vaccines could soon become dominant and trigger another wave of sickness and death. Two cases of one of those variants, first detected in South Africa, were found in South Carolina, officials said Thursday. The discovery was so worrying because Biden said this week that it will be the end of the summer before all Americans get the vaccine. Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and an informal adviser to Biden's coronavirus team, warned of "the darkest of days ahead." "What we can expect to see in the course of the next, I think, six to 14 weeks, is something that we haven't even come close to experiencing yet," Osterholm said on CNN's "New Day." That's not a message that is breaking through on Capitol Hill. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Trump's legacy of mistrust sends Congress into total war." President Biden's push to get Americans vaccinated is set to get a massive boost as Johnson & Johnson revealed on Friday that its one-dose shot prevents 72 percent of US infections and 100 percent of deaths. America has a contract for 100 million doses, and the firm has said it can provide that supply by June. President Biden aims to get 100 million Americans vaccinated by late April, but states say they are running out of doses of vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, both firms say they are manufacturing as fast as they can and the White House is desperate to boost its supply of shots. Because it requires just one dose, 100 million doses of J&J's vaccine will get twice as many people full protection as 100 doses of either of the two vaccines currently approved in America. The shot was slightly less effective globally (66 percent) because it only prevented 57 percent of cases in the South Africa and 66 percent in Brazil, where new variants that are somewhat resistant to vaccines are rampant. J&J said it would ask the FDA to give emergency authorization for its shot within the week, but doesn't expect the regulators will actually green-light the jab until March, despite the urgent need to boost the US supply. The US has a $1 billion contract with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) for 100 million doses, pending the green light from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The firm has said it is on track to provide the doses by June. A single dose of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine prevents 72% of COVID-19 cases in the US but was only 66% effective in Brazil and 57% effective in South Africa where variants carrying mutations that may make vaccines less effective are common In the trial of nearly 44,000 volunteers, the level of protection against moderate and severe COVID-19 was 66 percent in Latin America and just 57 percent in South Africa, where a particularly worrying variant of the novel coronavirus is circulating. J&J's data suggests its vaccine completely prevents hospitalization and death. No participants who received the shot died of or had to be hospitalized for COVID-19. Those results compare to the high bar set by two authorized vaccines from Pfizer and partner BioNTech and Moderna, whose two-dose shots were around 95 percent effective in preventing symptomatic illness. Those trials, however, were conducted mainly in the United States and before the broad spread of new variants now under the spotlight. Brazil's variant is triggering massive outbreaks and reinfections there, and one case has been reported in the US. Dr Anthony Fauci warned that the South African variant was most concerning to him because it has mutations - shared by the Brazilian variant - that could make vaccines less effective. He said on Friday that the shot is 'value added' despite its lower efficacy, compared to vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer. Specifically, the fact that the shots are cheap to make, easy to store and offers protection within seven to 10 days of one shot - 'and only one shot' - will mean they fill an important role in the rollout, Dr Fauci said. He also noted that J&J is ready to make 'in the numbers of billions' of doses. J&J's main study goal was the prevention of moderate to severe COVID-19, and the vaccine was 85 percent effective in stopping severe disease and preventing hospitalization across all geographies and against multiple variants 28 days after immunization. That level of prevention 'will potentially protect hundreds of millions of people from serious and fatal outcomes of COVID-19,' Dr Paul Stoffels, J&J's chief scientific officer, said in a statement. Its average efficacy of 72 percent makes it about as effective as Oxford University's vaccine, made by AstraZeneca, which is authorized in the UK, but not in the US. The company plans to seek emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration next week. Public health officials have been counting on the J&J vaccine to increase much-needed supply and simplify the US immunization campaign. Unlike the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, J&J's does not require a second shot weeks after the first or need to be kept frozen, making it a strong candidate for use in parts of the world with weak transportation infrastructure and insufficient cold storage facilities. SOUTH AFRICA'S VARIANT MAKES J&J'S VACCINE WEAKER - BUT IT STILL PREVENTED NEARLY 90% OF SEVERE INFECTIONS Several studies have emerged this month showing that a South African variant of the coronavirus has mutated in areas of the virus that are key targets of vaccines, reducing their efficacy. 'What we are learning is there is different efficacy in different parts of the world,' Stoffels said in a telephone interview. Importantly, though, in a sub-study of 6,000 volunteers in South Africa, Stoffels said, the J&J vaccine was 89 percent effective at preventing severe disease. Ninety-five percent of cases in the South Africa portion of the trial were infections with the South African variant. A mid-stage trial of a Novavax Inc coronavirus vaccine in South Africa also showed lower efficacy in the country. It proved to be 60 percent effective among volunteers who didn't have HIV. In a separate, late-stage trial in the UK, the vaccine was 89.3% effective. In the J&J trial, which was conducted in eight countries, 44 percent of participants were from the United States, 41 percent were from Central and South America and 15 percent were from South Africa. Slightly more than a third of the volunteers were over age 60. There were no serious adverse events among those who received the shot, the company said. Full results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. J&J's vaccine uses a common cold virus known as adenovirus type 26 to introduce coronavirus proteins into cells in the body and trigger an immune response. The Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines use a new technology called messenger RNA (mRNA) that requires it to be stored in a freezer. VACCINES FROM J&J AND NOVAVAX COULD SPEED THE SLOW US ROLLOUT TOWARD BIDEN'S GOAL OF 100M SHOTS IN 100 DAYS The news of another safe and effective vaccine comes as the United States has surpassed 430,000 COVID-19 deaths and with hospitals in many states still struggling to keep up with patients despite recent declines in new infections. Concerns about fresh surges in the United States have also grown due to the presence of a more contagious coronavirus variant first discovered in the UK and news of the arrival of the South African variant on Thursday in South Carolina, as well as the Brazilian variant in Minnesota, announced on Monday. The US vaccination program got off to a slow start in December and has accelerated to around one million shots per day nationwide. President Joe Biden has promised that at least 100 million shots will be administered in his first 100 days in office, but concerns about supply disruptions have added uncertainty to that target. The United States has an agreement to buy 100 million doses of J&J's vaccine for $1 billion. The company said in a statement the vaccine would be ready immediately upon emergency approval but Stoffels declined to specify how many doses. The government also has the option of purchasing an additional 200 million doses. J&J has said it plans to deliver 1 billion doses in 2021 and will produce the vaccine in the United States, Europe, South Africa and India. US trial results for the vaccine from AstraZeneca Plc and Oxford University are expected in early February, opening up the possibility of a fourth vaccine option. It has already been approved in the UK, Europe and many countries based on results of a separate trial. Novavax is also discussing with the FDA whether its data is sufficient to apply for emergency use authorization. J&J is studying the effects of its vaccine given in two doses at two months apart, but results of that trial won't be available until this summer, Stoffels said. The spot of the blast is less than two kilometres from the venue of the Beating Retreat ceremony, which is underway. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other government officials are present at the event A low-intensity IED blast occurred near the Israel Embassy in Delhi on Friday evening. No injuries have been reported so far, reports said, adding that the windscreens of a few cars have been damaged by the force of the explosion. The Delhi Police said that the blast occurred at 5.05 pm on the APJ Abdul Kalam Road near the embassy. "The mirrors of two to three cars are broken. Three fire tenders were rushed to the spot," an official told PTI. The spot of the blast is less than two kilometres from the venue of the Beating Retreat ceremony, which is currently underway at Rajpath. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other government officials are present at the event, NDTV reported. Reports quoted the Delhi Police as saying that the IED bomb is suspected to have been "wrapped in a plastic bag and left on the pavement", where it detonated. "Initial impressions suggest it was a mischievous attempt to create a sensation," the police's statement added. A team of the Delhi Police Special Cell has arrived at the spot to investigate the incident, and the area has been cordoned off. A bomb disposal squad and firefighters have also been deployed at the location of the bomb, India Today reported. With inputs from PTI THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) European and North American cyber cops have joined forces to disrupt what may be the worlds largest network for seeding malware infections, striking a major blow against criminal gangs that have been using it for years to install ransomware in extortion schemes, steal data and engage in financial theft. Separately, the FBI announced the arrest Wednesday of a Canadian as part of a bid to disrupt a ransomware gang it said had targeted the health care sector and included the seizure of nearly half a million dollars in cryptocurrency. European Union police and the judicial agencies Europol and Eurojust said Wednesday that investigators took control of the infrastructure behind the botnet known as Emotet. A botnet is a network of hijacked computers, and this one has effectively served as a primary door-opener for cybercriminals since 2014. This is a really big deal. Emotet was one of the largest, if not the largest, botnets delivering a wide variety of malware. Their botnet consisted of hundreds of thousands compromised hosts which were used to send more than 10 million spam and phishing emails a week, said Allan Liska, an analyst with Recorded Future. The Emotet model of recent years was a game changer for ransomware gangs who otherwise rely on other access methods, said Jake Williams, president of Rendition Infosec, another cybersecurity firm. Emotet has allowed ransomware gangs to outsource initial access, and focus their efforts instead on a cybercrime variety that has crippled Western government, healthcare and educational networks by scrambling their data and only providing a decoding software key after they have paid up. Those who dont risk having data exfiltrated by the hackers exposed publicly. Williams said via text message that although someone will eventually fill the gap theres no question that this will hurt (ransomware gangs) and help defenders in the short/mid term. Authorities in the Netherlands, Germany, the United States, the U.K., France, Lithuania, Canada and Ukraine took part in the international operation coordinated by the two Hague-based agencies. Dutch prosecutors said the malware, run out of eastern Europe by a Russian-speaking organization, was first discovered in 2014 and evolved into the go-to solution for cybercriminals over the years, responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in losses beginning with financial theft through a banking trojan. They said two of the main servers for the infrastructure were based in the Netherlands and a third in another undisclosed country. The Emotet botnet was effectively used to manage infections of victims and provide a distributed bulwark against takedown attempts by authorities. In the disruption by law enforcement, its command-and-control infrastructure was routed to servers controlled by law enforcement, cutting off criminal tenants of Emotet from quarry they have infected. Europol said law enforcement agencies approach was unique and new. In Washington, D.C., later Wednesday, the FBI announced the attempt to disrupt against NetWalker, a relatively new ransomware gang accused of amassing tens of millions of dollars. Ransomware expert Brett Callow at the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft said its victims include Michigan State University, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District in Illinois, the College of Nurses of Ontario and the Medical School of the University of California at San Francisco, which paid a $1.1 million ransom. An FBI spokesman said Sebastien Vachon-Desjardins of Gatineau, Quebec, was arrested in the scheme and the agency said in a statement that cryptocurrency worth $454,000 in ransomware income was seized. Earlier this week, authorities in Bulgaria took down a dark web site that NetWalker used to communicate with its victims, it said. Callow said it was too early to say how big of an impact the arrest would have on NetWalker, whose members are Russian speakers. He said he was not aware of the group using Emotet for distribution. The Emotet and NetWalker operations build on one by Microsoft late last year against a different botnet known as Trickbot which was pushed out using Emotet and used in ransomware attacks. The U.S. National Security Agency was also reported to have tried to take down Trickbot. Costin Raiu, research director at the cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, said the Emotet takedown should impact other cybercriminal groups ability to maintain and grow their botnets. It remains to be seen if they will be able to stage a comeback, be it either as Emotet, or perhaps merge with another group and continue from there. Emotets door-opening malicious software was automatically delivered to computers in infected email attachments containing Word documents. A variety of different lures were used to trick unsuspecting users into opening these malicious attachments, Dutch prosecutors said in a statement. Emotet email campaigns have been disguised as invoices, shipping notices and COVID-19 information. Cryptocurrency has been a great enabler of cybercrime and has led law enforcement to step up efforts to track online transactions of dirty money. In 2017, police shut down the worlds leading darknet marketplace then Dutch police quietly seized a second bazaar to amass intelligence on illicit drug merchants and buyers. About the photo: In this Sept. 12, 2019 photo, County Sheriff Janis Mangum stands in a control room at the county jail, in Jefferson, Ga. A ransomware attack in March took down the offices computer system, forcing deputies to handwrite incident reports and arrest bookings. (AP Photo/Sudhin Thanawala) Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 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 Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways, Commerce & Industry and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Govt of India, while addressing the FICCI's 'Future of Rail Transport- 3rd edition of Smart Railways Conclave' highlighted that Railway Ministry has converted COVID-19 infused lockdown adversity into an opportunity resulting in long term gains. Elaborating on the same, the minister stated that railway Ministry was able to complete 200 long-pending infrastructure works during this lean period that led to doubling the speed of freight trains from where it was a year ago. Goyal said that today a cargo train from Mumbai reaches Guwahati in approximately two and a half days compared to the earlier timeline of 7 days. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Britain has "no vested interest" in clinging on to Northern Ireland and should be given the opportunity to get rid of ties, according to Louis de Bernieres. In a letter to The Times the author argued for the establishment of an "Irish federation" that would retain Stormont and allow the Irish Government to assume other responsibilities. "There used to be very strong reasons for the Northern Irish wanting to remain British but these have all gone," wrote the Captain Corelli's Mandolin novelist. "The Republic is no longer a corrupt and backward theocracy run by gangsters. It would initially be sensible for an Irish federation to be established, retaining Stormont, while Dublin assumes control of defence and foreign policy." Mr de Bernieres (66), who has written 10 novels, lives in Denton in Norfolk. He was responding to possibilities of another referendum on Scottish independence, on which he said the populations of England and Wales should be allowed to set the course of any future relationship. He argued that many in England and Wales would be "glad to see the back of" Scotland despite acknowledging sentimental ties to the country. "It seems to me that the constant complaining and smug grandstanding of the Nationalists, and the barely concealed Anglophobia of too many Scots, have so alienated us that we would be glad to see the back of them. It is impossible to continue to love those who no longer love us," he said. Getting rid of the mechanism used by the Treasury to work out the level of public spending for each of the devolved administrations would benefit England and Wales, he added. "The scrapping of the Barnett formula would leave us about 3% better off, and the two main problems would be theirs rather than ours. These are the fact that they would have to leave the sterling zone while not being in the eurozone, and that there would have to be some kind of border or tariff arrangement between us." Scotland is poorly run in comparison with England, he claimed, and therefore there would be an opportunity to benefit from a "brain drain" further down the line. In an article in the Irish Times last year, de Bernieres argued for the Republic to join the UK in an "Anglo-Irish economic zone" outside of the EU - something he claimed would happen "if Ireland were being strictly rational". Writing about his support of Brexit, he said the main reason he voted for it was because of "our loss of sovereignty". He said his parents, who were also Brexiteers, were "outraged at having endured two World Wars only to end up being subject to laws not drawn up by our own parliament". "It was easier for continental Europeans to compromise on democracy because they do not have the advantage of being protected, as we are, by the mere fact of being an island," he added. He again argued that the English had no reason to want to "cling on" to Northern Ireland, and said if Scotland voted for independence, how they would survive economically should not be England's problem. "The English should shrug, and agree that it's understandable that everyone should prefer their own mess to somebody else's order, because, after all, that's how we feel ourselves," he said. Speaking about Boris Johnson's 2019 general election voctory, de Bernieres claimed the UK "at last has a leader who exudes energy, good humour and optimism, and pulls impossible rabbits out of hats even as his detractors scoff". Queenslands police commissioner says officers are looking into the full history of the 17-year-old accused driver charged over the deaths of a young Brisbane bayside couple, to see whether the tragedy could have been prevented. But Commissioner Katarina Carroll has reiterated that media reports the teenager was out on bail at the time of the incident are not an accurate description of the situation. A vigil was held at the intersection where the couple died. Credit:Toby Crockford Asked at a media conference on Friday whether she and her officers were frustrated that juveniles were committing offences while on bail, Ms Carroll said the media needed to get the facts right. Im constrained in talking about the individual, obviously, because they are a juvenile, and their criminal matters were dealt with some time ago, she said. Advertisement Models, social media influencers and reality TV stars have defiantly stayed at the poolside in Dubai and Abu Dhabi after thousands of other British travellers raced home to beat the travel ban which began this afternoon. The likes of Mia Sully from Absolutely Ascot and Love Island stars Joseph Garratt and Anton Danyluk were pictured on Instagram enjoying life in the sunshine today, despite the UK Government adding the United Arab Emirates to the so-called red list of countries from where travel to Britain is prohibited during the coronavirus pandemic. Others including Only Fans model Honey Evans from Leeds said they would stay out in Dubai despite the ban. She tweeted: 'Flights from Dubai to the UK are banned. Guess I have no choice but to stay out here. Shame.' Following a backlash, Ms Evans later added: 'So many people giving me s*** for being in Dubai.' Due to border closures caused by Covid-19, Dubai to London was the world's busiest international route in January with 190,365 scheduled seats this month. In normal times the busiest route to and from London is New York City. Many Britons are staying out in Dubai because they know they will only have to quarantine at home for ten days upon their return - and a rule forcing them to stay in a hotel will not come in until February 8 at the earliest. But some said they had just managed to get home just before the ban on direct inbound passenger flights from the UAE to Britain came into effect at 1pm today. Dubai, which is home to some 240,000 British expats and is a major tourist destination for UK travellers, is likely to face a major economic hit from the travel ban. It comes as daily reported coronavirus cases in the UAE near 4,000 and Dubai sacked the head of its government health agency without explanation following the surge. Three flights from Dubai and two from Abu Dhabi were due to land at Heathrow before the 1pm curfew. One flight arrived at Manchester Airport from Abu Dhabi, and one landed in Glasgow from Dubai. Emirates and Etihad Airways said all UK passenger flights from the UAE have been suspended, although British Airways told passengers that some were still running. It comes as: Britons can still return on indirect flights from the UAE but business trips are no longer considered essential; UK residents must self-isolate at home with the rest of their household for ten days if returning from the UAE; Non-UK residents could travel to another country not on the banned list, stay for ten days, then come to UK; Those arriving from red list countries face having to quarantine in airport hotels for ten days from February 8. And in other developments related to the pandemic today: A fourth Covid-19 vaccine to be produced on Teesside could be approved for use in the UK within weeks; The row between the European Union and AstraZeneca over vaccine supply shortages in the bloc deepened; The Government said a further 1,239 people died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 yesterday; Primary age pupils' performance in reading and maths was found to have plunged following school closures. Other countries which have banned flights from the UAE include Denmark, which had concerns over the reliability of Covid-19 tests at some private clinics in Dubai - although the UAE has since reassured Denmark about this. Meanwhile British athletes at a training camp in Dubai have criticised the Government for the 11th-hour rule change after the usual elite-sport travel exemptions were scrapped for the UAE. Instagram influencers posted photographs of themselves still in Dubai today despite the UK travel ban coming into force YouTube influencer Gav Gibson posted a photograph of him with a drink at Train Beach Club at La Mer in Dubai today Love Island's Joseph Garratt (left) and his girlfriend Desiree Schlotz continued to enjoy the sun in Dubai today Absolutely Ascot star Mia Sully posted a photograph on Instagram this morning of her by a swimming pool in Dubai Mia Sully (left), social media stratgeist Bianca Lynch (centre) and Yazmin Oukhellou from Towie (right) in Dubai today Yazmin Oukhellou from The Only Way Is Essex sits by a poolside in Dubai today despite the travel ban coming into force Anton Danyluk (left) from Love Island is among those still in Dubai despite the travel restrictions coming in today Former Coronation Street star Arianna Atjar also posted an Instagram photograph from a poolside in Dubai today Dutch model Anniek van Keulen who works for Clean Nutrition posted this Dubai poolside picture on Instagram this morning Stephen Parsons posted this picture of him getting a haircut from celebrity barber Ryan Ward while in Dubai, saying: 'Was supposed to get a flight today... I got a fresh trim instead' As daily reported coronavirus cases near 4,000 in the UAE, Dubai has sacked the head of its government health agency Daily confirmed Covid-19 deaths in Dubai have also been increasing in recent weeks - back to levels last seen in May 2020 The last flight to the UK from Dubai before new quarantine restrictions kicked in touched down at Birmingham Airport this afternoon carrying several hundred relieved passengers who scurried home to beat the 1pm deadline. Dubai faces economic cost of flight bans After throwing its doors open to partygoers over the New Year, Dubai is now facing the economic cost of surging coronavirus cases as flight bans threaten its 23billion tourism sector. Britain last night placed an outright travel ban on the Middle East party haven where the New Year revelry has been blamed for a spike in infections. Denmark also shut down flights last week while Germany is now requiring negative tests for travellers from the UAE. Before the pandemic struck last year, 100,000 British tourists a month were visiting Dubai during the winter, typically spending 34million per month to stay in its stylish hotels - which now face a setback after enjoying a revival in December. British tourists normally make up seven per cent of all visitors to Dubai, the third-largest group behind Indians and Saudis, but the UK government has shut down flights over fears of importing the feared South African strain of the disease. The Philippines has discovered the UK variant in a man who returned from Dubai, while Israel has closed its main airport to nearly all flights after finding more than 900 positive cases in people coming back from the emirate. The UK ban is also an irritation for long-haul travellers who would normally connect in Dubai, where flagship carrier Emirates has stopped flights from Britain to Australia. While many countries shut down travel from Britain after the UK variant was blamed for an exponential growth in cases in Kent and elsewhere, Dubai kept its doors open. Glamorous British influencers and reality stars flocked to Dubai to enjoy the city's famous beaches and bars, some claiming that their trips were essential for work. Dubai's re-opening has helped to staunch the bleeding of its crucial tourism and hospitality sectors after lockdowns and curfews cratered its economy. Hotel occupancy in the city rose to 71 per cent in December, the highest since the pandemic began. But cases have climbed alarmingly for weeks, with deaths also rising to their highest level since the spring, forcing some new restrictions on gyms and bars. 'The new year shenanigans in Dubai were an obvious superspreader event,' one expat doctor told the Financial Times. Advertisement Passengers blasted Boris Johnson for giving them less than 24 hours to return. Businessman Nick Powell, 66, was due home on a Manchester flight on Saturday but boarded a flight to Birmingham after it was cancelled. He said: 'I run a ceramics business and I could've done with another 10 days and schedule some more meetings. But I didn't wanna be stuck in a hotel with no flights to get home. So I'm glad to be here before the 1pm deadline, but it has been crazy and frustrating. The government gave us no time at all.' Mr Powell, of Denby, North Wales, said an added inconvenience was the longer journey from the Midlands to his home Grandparents David and Debbie Butler, from Bollington, Macclesfield, flew home early leaving their daughter and grandchildren behind. Mr Butler, 72, said: 'It's hugely unsatisfactory. If we hadn't got this flight, we would've been stuck there. And our visas were due to run out as we've been there for more than a month. 'We would've been stuck there. And our visas were due to run out as we've been there for more than a month. 'I'd like to have stayed on with my wife, daughter and grandchildren. My daughter lives there, so it's hard to leave them behind in a situation like this. Now we have to quarantine for 10 days on top of that.' Karen Moran, 34, was returning to the UK with her husband Christian, 32, after seven years living in Dubai. By complete chance, the flight they had picked turned out to be the last one before tighter restrictions are imposed on incoming travellers. They had booked onto a flight at 7am into Manchester but when they woke up at 4am they discovered this had been cancelled and they would be given a new destination at the airport. 'It was chaotic,' said Karen, 'we found out we would be flying to Birmingham and we felt lucky to get onto the flight. At the gate we saw many people being turned away, about one in every four it seemed. 'I asked and was told that they were travelling to places where the borders had been closed. Maybe they weren't UK residents. It was a confused situation. 'In the end the flight was almost full. We were just lucky to get on it and good luck for us that we can avoid the isolation.' Karen's father Gary Stockton, 63, said: 'It was all change for the taxi driver. I expected to be going to Manchester and was suddenly diverted to Birmingham.' International watch businessman Tony Harris, 52, from Derby, said he had taken a calculated risk when booking his flight to Dubai last Sunday. 'I had meetings with Middle Eastern clients which needed to happen and as I've been working from home anyway I thought it was worth a calculated risk. 'I tried to check in last night before I went to sleep and there was a technical issue which stopped me. When I woke up this morning I saw a text to say the flight had been changed. It was a full flight as far as I could see.' Mr Harris said his hotel had arranged for his Covid test three days before his departure. Musician Steve Singh, 40, from Leeds arrived in Birmingham having flown from Pakistan via Dubai. He said: 'I fly a lot up to five times a month and this was the busiest Emirates flight that I've been on since Covid began. 'People just want to avoid 10 days isolation in a hotel. I know business class was completely full and there were not many spare seats.' The final direct flight from Dubai to London's Heathrow Airport landed shortly before mid-day with passengers expressing relief that they were on it. Lara, 23 who had been in Dubai for six weeks visiting family revealed that she was initially scheduled to fly back on Sunday. She said: 'There are a lot of Brits in Dubai, well known social media influencers are running around all over the city and they are all panicking. People enjoy sitting in a swimming pool in Dubai today as UK brought in a travel ban for the United Arab Emirates A woman wears a bikini and a visor at the poolside in Dubai today as the coronavirus pandemic continues Instagram influencers pose in a swimming pool in Dubai today as other Britons rushed to get home before the 1pm deadline Only Fans model Honey Evans from Leeds said she would stay out in Dubai. She tweeted: 'Flights from Dubai to the UK are banned. Guess I have no choice but to stay out here. Shame.' Love Island's Arabella Chi posed for a picture yesterday having returned to Britain following a trip to Dubai earlier this month Love Island contestant Georgia Harrison posted this picture from Dubai on Instagram yesterday, during her stay in the UAE 'The Covid situation is getting worse in Dubai and I think the ban is a good move. As soon as I heard about it, I changed my return flight, and the airline were very good at arranging this. But I know quite a few people who weren't able to get on it and are not trying to figure out a way of getting back.' Q&A on UAE travel - and are there exemptions? Why is the UAE being added to the travel ban? It follows evidence that the more infectious South African strain of Covid-19 had been detected in the UAE. What does this mean? From 1pm today, no passenger flights from Dubai or Abu Dhabi may arrive in the UK. Non-UK residents will be banned from entering if in the UAE within ten days. Have all flights been cancelled? No. Emirates and Etihad Airways said all UK passenger flights from the UAE were suspended, although British Airways told passengers that some were still running. Are there exemptions? Yes. British, Irish and third country nationals with residence rights in the UK will be allowed to return from the UAE but they will need to travel via a third country. Are there many Britons in Dubai? Up to 10,000 UK residents are thought to be in the UAE Will arrivals from the UAE have to quarantine in hotels? Not yet. Officials are said to be considering this from the week beginning February 8. For now, UK residents must self-isolate at home with all members of their household for ten days if returning from the UAE. Can you circumvent the rules? Non-UK residents are banned from entering Britain if they have been in the UAE within ten days. So a non-UK resident in Dubai could travel to a country not on the banned list, stay there for ten days, then enter Britain. How many countries are now on the banned list? The UAE joined the existing red list of 30 countries mainly in South America and southern Africa along with Rwanda and Burundi in central Africa. Will this affect those travelling through Dubai? Yes. The ban could have a much wider impact for British travellers returning from further afield because Abu Dhabi and Dubai are major international transit hubs. Advertisement Dr Lucy Medcalfe, 35 who had been in Dubai working in a clinic for the past six weeks said: 'I was initially scheduled to return on a late Friday flight but managed to get my ticket changed. 'I was a bit concerned that I might not be able to get a seat, so am quite relieved to be home. Covid levels in Dubai are increasing, there's not much social distancing and I feel that this travel ban is a positive move.' Hairdresser Kim, who had been in Dubai for the past three weeks working said: 'It was all a bit of a rush trying to get on this flight, but I was desperate to come back. 'I go to Dubai quite regularly and this ban is a bit worrying because of the impact that it might have on my work.' Arthur Bird, 19 who had been in Dubai for the past three weeks visiting his parents said: 'Dubai is very popular with Brits and is a major travel hub. I don't understand the benefits of this ban because you can still fly to the UK, only you can't do it directly. How does that make sense? 'Covid rates are increasing in Dubai but that's also because they are testing more. But I think the ban is a good thing even though it's going to could cause more problems for me, especially if it stays in place for a long time. UK Athletics believes there are about a dozen British athletes in Dubai, including long-distance runner Charlotte Purdue and middle-distance runners Jake Wightman and Eilish McColgan. Dundee-born McColgan, who competes in the 3,000 metres steeplechase and 5,000 metres races, wrote on Instagram yesterday: 'Today has been a nightmare - hours in the airport trying to sort out our visa.' At Dubai International Airport today, the early morning flights to London were unusually full as Britons clamoured to be on the last direct services home. 'It was pretty chaotic,' admitted one returning businesswoman. The woman, who asked not to be identified, said: 'I wouldn't say it was panic stations, but quite a few people who were due to fly back in the next few days certainly changed their plans in a hurry after the news came through. 'After all, how long is it going to be before we have to quarantine in a hotel for ten days when we return? No-one fancies that. Some people were asking about standby tickets, but I think most travellers will have to find alternative indirect routes back to the UK.' Arriving at Heathrow from Dubai today, engineering assistant and influencer Klaudia Zakrzewska, who has 22,300 followers on Instagram, said she spent a 'nightmare' two-and-a-half hours in a queue at the airport as she tried to beat the deadline to return home. Ms Zakrzewska, 27, of Greenford, west London, who was meant to be on holiday with friends in Dubai until next week, said: 'From Dubai, it was a complete mess. Flights got cancelled and we managed to get back on the last flight.' Klaudia Zakrzewska (left), 27, and Elizabeth Svensson (right), 35, from London, arrive back in the UK at London Heathrow Airport's terminal two after being on holiday in Dubai for 15 days Grandparents David and Debbie Butler (pictured left, at Birmingham Airport today), from Bollington, Macclesfield, flew home early leaving their daughter and grandchildren behind. International watch businessman Tony Harris (right), 52, from Derby, said he had taken a calculated risk when booking his flight to Dubai last Sunday Passengers arrive from Dubai today after the last flight to Birmingham Airport landed at 11.45am Businessman Nick Powell (left, at Birmingham Airport today), 66, was due home on a Manchester flight on Saturday but boarded a flight to Birmingham after it was cancelled. Musician Steve Singh (right), 40, from Leeds arrived in Birmingham having flown from Pakistan via Dubai Karen Moran, 34, was returning to the UK with her husband Christian (pictured at Birmingham today), 32, after seven years living in Dubai Sidd Raj (left), 23, who had been in Dubai for the past two weeks visiting relatives, told MailOnline at London Heathrow today that he heard about the travel ban at 10pm local time yesterday, which prompted him to immediately change his ticket. Chris Eggeling (right), 61, was waiting to board the 9.10am Emirates flight to Dubai from London when he decided not to continue with his journey because of the problems he might face getting home. His company paid 5,000 for a business class ticket She said she only heard about the new restrictions on Thursday night and 'everyone was panicking' at her hotel as they rushed to get ready to leave. She said: 'It was all just so confusing. There were no real guidelines about what to do and what was going on. We just suddenly were told that all the flights were going to stop at 1pm. Passengers say they are NOT being asked to declare reasons for travel Passengers departing from Heathrow Airport are not being asked to declare the reasons for their travel, despite Government assurances that they would be asked to do so. Anker Baros, who was travelling to Athens, told MailOnline: 'I've not been asked anything about my reasons for travel. I was asked to show documentation that I had tested negative for Covid, but apart from that there were no other checks. 'My reasons are valid as I'm going for a business meeting and an important family matter, but nobody bothered to ask me.' Another passenger who was also travelling to Athens but did not want to be named said: 'The check in staff were very good but nobody raised any issues about my reasons for travel. It's very confusing because the British Government say that they will do a lot of things but don't seem to act on them. It's lucky that they didn't ask me because I'm not sure if my reason for travelling would be considered vital; I'm going to see my cousin.' Antony Fisher, who was travelling to Frankfurt on business, said: 'I did see on the news that passengers would have to declare their reasons for travelling. But I wasn't asked anything. 'The airport's not that busy and it was quite easy and quick checking in. I didn't hear anybody being asked about whey they are travelling.' A senior member of the check in staff, who was overseeing the check in process for a number of airlines, told MailOnline: 'The Government haven't told us when we have to start asking passengers for their reason for travel. Until we receive a directive on this, we will not be asking anybody. I'm sure it will start happening quite soon but as yet, we are not obliged to inquire about why people are travelling.' Advertisement 'We just thought 'let's not risk it and be stuck out here for months'. It has been stressful because it has all been so last-minute. People were packing in the corridors of our hotel and people were running to the airport and fighting for the last spots - it was like a movie.' Make-up artist Lily Smith, also arriving at Heathrow today, said she was happy to have scrambled on to the last flight to get home to Canary Wharf in east London but said arranging it was 'just annoying'. After touching down at Heathrow, she said: 'It was 2am in Dubai and we had to get someone from London to call Emirates on our behalf to change the flights. We had to book ourselves on the 7.45am flight, which was really packed. 'There was not any notice really. I had about 30 minutes to pack. It was terrible. I even had plans to extend because I wasn't ready to come home but my plans have just gone straight into the bin. It has ruined everyone's plans and the notice was just rubbish.' Medical supplies retailer Khalid Mugher, 60, was on a business trip to Dubai that was cut short in the early hours. A message from his son alerting him of the travel changes meant he had to rebook flights and go to hospital to get a Covid test at 4am before getting a flight back to Heathrow. He said: 'I had to go to the hospital at 4am to get my Covid test, which was a risk. I had to change flights and to pay extra money. 'I think it will be a long time before I can get to go back to Dubai but I think my life is more important than my business. Everyone was rushing.' A return traveller, who would only give her name as Atiqua, said it was 3am in Dubai when she found out via a telephone call from her sister that she would have to immediately return home to England. After arriving on the last flight back to Heathrow, she said: 'The worst thing about it is that my car is still at Manchester because this was the last flight I could use to get home. 'It was stressful. It was really, really crowded. Even though they were saying to do social distancing, how can you do social distancing on a plane? I am just glad to be back now because I need to be with my family.' By lunchtime in Dubai the main Emirates departure hall had returned to its lockdown norm of being eerily quiet with the vast marble-tiled terminal only processing small groups of passengers on a handful of flights. One passenger arrived at Dubai Airport early this morning to discover her Emirates flight to Manchester had been abruptly cancelled. Emma Rhodes, a 21-year-old student, arriving back at Birmingham Airport on a flight from Dubai today. She said she boarded the 'packed' flight to Birmingham, having originally been set to come home on an Emirates flight destined for Manchester Passengers arrive at London Heathrow Airport this morning with the last few flights coming back to the UK from Dubai Air passengers walk into the arrivals hall at London Heathrow Airport this morning as flights continue to come into the UK Travellers arrive at London Heathrow Airport's terminal two with their baggage today as some flights continue to operate Charlotte Jones, 31, from Liverpool told MailOnline: 'The airline told us it was because the UK government had refused that specific fligh. UK athletes in Dubai slam Government for rule change on elite sport By DAVID COVERDALE and RIATH AL-SAMARRAI British athletes have criticised the Government for the 11th-hour rule change which means many now have to quarantine for 10 days when they return from a training camp in Dubai. It was announced last night that the United Arab Emirates was being added to the Government's 'red list' of countries from where direct flights to the UK are banned. The usual elite-sport travel exemptions have also been scrapped for those countries, meaning anyone who arrived back in Britain after 4am on Friday morning must now self-isolate for 10 days. It is understood that up to 12 Great Britain international athletes have been at warm-weather camps in Dubai, including Jake Wightman, Eilish McColgan and Charlotte Purdue. Since the announcement, some athletes have been scrambling to find ways to get home indirectly. 400m runner Laviai Nielsen got an early morning flight out of Dubai on Friday and is heading back to the UK via Zurich, while race walker Tom Bosworth is flying home via Frankfurt. Bosworth, though, will have to quarantine after missing the cut-off and is now hoping to get a treadmill delivered to his home so he can continue some form of training in what is a crucial period in the build-up to the Olympics in July. He told Sportsmail: 'It is incredibly frustrating. Athletes, our support staff and governing bodies are trying to work with the Government so we can continue to compete, train and prepare as normal as possible. 'We understand that rules have to change and things have change very, very quickly. But if we leave on a training camp with the clearance to do so, and with exemptions from quarantining, those have to be honoured or at least give us time so we can change our plans and get home. 'Reasonable notice for 'elite' sports people would have given all athletes time to get home or move their training elsewhere. We totally understand rules have to change and I fully support that, but it's very, very difficult to deal with it with just a few hours of notice, which is what we had on Thursday night. 'We are not social media influencers 'working', we are training. We can't train from the house, which is why it's all so frustrating. We wouldn't have travelled if we knew the Government would so easily go back on their word.' Advertisement 'So they had reallocated passengers to the Birmingham and London Heathrow flights, leaving us all to find our own way home. 'Our new flight to Birmingham was 50 minutes delayed and people were hurrying on at the last minute after boarding was meant to close - loads of people not filled out passenger locator forms and all the Manchester forms are now incorrect because we'd all put Manchester Airport rather than Birmingham but Emirates didn't seem bothered. 'But because of this change, loads of people will have to travel on public transport rather than in their car which is so silly, especially as the whole reason for this is because they're worried about a strain of Covid that may be resistant to the vaccine. All they've done is increase the possibility of spreading it which is just ridiculous.' Speaking via wifi on her plane, Ms Jones added: 'Now we're cutting it fine to get in before the deadline we're due to land at 11.55am only an hour before the ban comes in.' The solicitor said she and her husband Andrew, who works in finance, and their ten-month-old daughter Olivia had left Britain before the lockdown began and therefore broke no rules. John Martin St Valery, chairman of the British Business Group in Dubai, told The National: 'Regrettably, the behaviour of some visitors over the past few weeks, and the flouting of regulations, has made tourists unpopular. 'Clearly, this is not good news for the UAE's travel and hospitality industry but we must continue to do all we can as a collective to try and drive case numbers down and avoid further variant strains coming to the UAE.' State media Wam reported that the UAE would 'maintain its role as an important travel and logistics hub while adhering to the highest standards of health and safety.' At London Heathrow Airport this morning, travellers from Dubai spoke of panic as they rushed to make last minute changes to their journeys before the ban on flights from the country comes into effect. Ian Parkes, 50, was originally meant to return on Saturday on a flight from Dubai to Manchester, which was cancelled, arriving instead at Heathrow so that he could get home before the ban kicks in. Mr Parkes, who had been fitting Covid testing machines in Dubai, said: 'My company rang me up and said get back as quick as you can. That was the first I knew about the travel ban from Dubai. 'I had been in Egypt for ten days before that and was supposed to come home on a flight to Manchester. I'm just glad that I've made it back in time, even though I've arrived in London but that was the only flight Emirates Airline could book me on.' Mr Parkes added: 'I think this ban is a good move but it's a bit late. Dubai is a very popular destination and a lot of people have been travelling there. I don't understand why the Government is taking this action now, they should have done it about a year ago.' British middle-distance athlete Eilish McColgan posted this picture of her in Dubai on January 18 where she has been training British long-distance runner Charlotte Purdue is also training in Dubai and posted this picture of her there on January 18 British middle-distance runner Jake Wightman has been training in Dubai and posted this photograph in November last year Busiest international route this month for scheduled flights is Dubai to Heathrow Dubai to Heathrow was the busiest international route for scheduled flights this month, according to a respected flight data company. OAG looked at how many scheduled seats were available for all international flights in January 2021 - and there were 190,365 available on Dubai to Heathrow services, beating Cairo to Jeddah into second place (154,377). Orlando to San Juan was ranked third (151,916). The domestic ranking was dominated by Asian routes, which account for nine out of the top ten busiest. Number one in this ranking was Jeju International to Seoul Gimpo in South Korea with 1,069,677 seats available this month. Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City was second (1,020,790) and third was Sapporo New Chitose to Tokyo Haneda (716,292). OAG suggested that the Dubai to London route was at the top of the international table at the start of this month 'as a result of the removal of the UAE from the UK's quarantine list'. However, it pointed out that January lockdown in England will 'likely impact demand for this route'. The rest of the top ten busiest international routes for January 2021 were Paris Orly to Pointe-a-Pitre in Guadeloupe (fourth, 138,475 seats), Seoul Incheon to Tokyo Narita (fifth, 127,170), New York JFK to Santiago DO (sixth, 120,876), Moscow Domodedovo to Simferopol (seventh, 116,956), Shanghai Pudong to Taipei (eighth, 115,969), Cairo to Riyadh (ninth, 115,124) and Fort de France in Martinique to Paris Orly (10th, 113,363). The rest of the top ten domestic route table comprises Beijing to Shanghai Hongqiao (fourth, 695,156 seats), Fukuoka to Tokyo Haneda (fifth, 670,234), Guangzhou to Shanghai Hongqiao (sixth, 643,431), Shanghai Hongqiao to Shenzhen (seventh, 630,500), Jakarta to Denpasar (eighth, 566,375), Jeddah to Riyadh (ninth, 548,226) and Tokyo Haneda to Osaka Itami (10th, 520,689). OAG explained that the busiest routes are 'defined as those with the largest volume of scheduled seats in the current calendar month' and says 'data is for both directions on each route'. In normal times the busiest international route is Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, with the busiest to and from London being New York. Advertisement Sidd Raj, 23 who had been in Dubai for the past two weeks visiting relatives, told MailOnline that he heard about the travel ban at 10pm local time yesterday, which prompted him to immediately change his ticket. He was originally scheduled to return to London next Saturday. Mr Raj: 'I was at Dubai airport by midnight, I'm lucky to get back because I think I got the last seat. The ban was a bit rushed and I feel that travellers could have got a bit more notice. 'I totally understand why it's been introduced and the need for a lockdown, but it could have been planned better. 'Luckily I already had a valid recent Covid negative test which meant I could board the flight. But imagine if I didn't have this. It would have meant a very complicated journey getting home.' Nick More, 42 had been in Dubai for the past month with his family. Mr More, who works in finance said: 'We were having a great time. I was working while the kids were by the pool and we were hoping to spend a bit more time in Dubai. 'As soon as I heard about the travel ban, I got onto the airline and it was very easy to change our tickets. It's a great time to be in Dubai. Top class accommodation is quite cheap and the weather's wonderful, so I think this ban is going to spoil a lot of people's plans.' William Ross-Anderson, 23, was waiting for his brother Hamish who had been stranded in Dubai as he was unable to get on the Emirates flight to Heathrow. Mr Ross-Anderson had flown in from Zambia and was busy on the phone helping his brother make alternative travel arrangements. He said: 'There were no seats left on the direct flight and now my brother is trying to figure out a way of how he can get to London. We were coming from different countries, but our flights were arriving at more or less the same time, so we arranged to meet at the airport before travelling to our home in Cheltenham. 'It's caused a lot of problems for my brother because he was due to be going back to university on Monday. We haven't worked out how he's going to get to the UK, but I hope he's not waiting around at Dubai airport for too long.' One passenger revealed how he abandoned his travel plans to Dubai after learning about the travel ban while seated in the business class lounge watching television. Chris Eggeling, 61, was waiting to board the 9.10am Emirates flight to Dubai from London when he decided not to continue with his journey because of the problems he might face getting home. His company paid 5,000 for a business class ticket. Mr Eggeling, a pilot who flies private jets for wealthy clients said: 'I had cleared immigration, was having some breakfast and watching the television in the business class lounge and then I saw the news about the Dubai travel ban. 'Not being able to get back on a direct flight would have created a lot of problems for me because I'm on a very tight schedule. I was supposed to be in Dubai until February 5 but decided not to get on the plane.' Mr Eggeling added: 'The airline staff were a bit shocked. I then had to go through the whole process of going through immigration and customs so that I could get out of Heathrow. The whole thing has been badly managed by this Government, it's a bit of a farce.' Air passengers are pictured inside Dubai Airport in the United Arab Emirates this morning which was mostly quiet Emirates planes are pictured at Dubai Airport in the United Arab Emirates earlier this month on January 13 Emma Rhodes boarded the 'packed' flight to Birmingham, having originally been set to come home on an Emirates flight destined for Manchester, scheduled for Friday. Which British influencers have defended trips abroad? Kady McDermott Former Love Island contestant has hit back at a number of followers who criticised her decision to continue posting sun-soaked snaps from the Maldives, while Britain is in lockdown On one of pictures, showing her stepping out of a crystal blue sea, a follower remarked: 'Breaking the rules again - don't see this as a business trip!' But Kady hit back: 'Oh so because you don't see it as a business trip it means it isn't? Oh ok lol.' Replying to another follower on a different picture, she said: 'This is how I pay my bills!' Gabby Allen Former Love Island contestant Gabby Allen moved out to Dubai on December 7. She too faced criticism but, unlike many other influencers, she quickly set out her argument for the move - saying that her boyfriend, Brandon Myers, had a business. In a post on Instagram, she said: 'Hey guys, just to let you know, we made the decision to fly out to Dubai as my boyfriend's business is based here & luckily allows us to travel,' she wrote. 'We were both fit to travel with negative PCR tests [for COVID-19]. I wanted to come on here and acknowledge this to my followers as it was a difficult decision for me. 'I really hope you can understand that it was an opportunity I had to take.' Amber Gill Perhaps one of the more bizarre defences came from former Love Island star Amber Gill. The former reality show winner jetted off to Dubai in December following news that London and much of the south East would be affected by the new rules. But she said she 'no idea' what she was doing and claimed she was confused by the Tier 4 rules. In a staggering Instagram post, she wrote: 'Just want to put it out there that I had no idea Tier 4 was a thing. 'The flight here was booked way before. I thought the only changes were being made on the 16th meaning I was still allowed to travel for work.' Laura Anderson Laura Anderson has insisted that flying to Dubai was 'a coping mechanism' during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Love Island star, 31, said she 'felt guilty the whole time' she was away after claiming she'd flown to the UAE for a 'business trip' following backlash towards influencers bending travel restrictions to fly abroad. During an Instagram Q and A, after being asked whether she felt guilty about being in Dubai, she said: 'I felt guilty the whole time. I don't think anyone realised how bad the strain would get, and how quickly. So hearing people upset, I felt horrific.' Holly Hagan Geordie Shore's Holly Hagan - who has remained in the UK - weighed in on the widely-discussed issue of reality stars jetting to Dubai amid the coronavirus pandemic. During an Instagram Q&A on Tuesday evening, the TV personality, 28, was quizzed over her thoughts on the vast amount of celebrities, including her MTV co-stars and Love Islanders, heading to Dubai amid restrictions and rules. She was quick to defend her peers and pals, and while she admitted it is 'frustrating' for social media users to see their lavish antics, she personally would prefer 'people to be happy in Dubai than suffering at home'. Holly remained at home during the pandemic, while many of her pals - including Chloe Ferry and Sophie Kasaei - upped and left to Dubai. Sheridan Mordew The fitness influencer sparked a backlash earlier this week when she defended her decision to leave the UK for Dubai on This Morning. The 24-year-old, from Sunderland, who has a following of around 11,000 on Instagram, arrived in Dubai on January 2, just a few days before the third national lockdown. Since then, the social media star, who runs 'Shape Up With Sher,' has been sharing glamorous, sunshine-filled content with her Instagram followers as she enjoys relaxed restrictions in the United Arab Emirates. But as she tried to justify her travels to Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on This Morning, the influencer failed to win over viewers. They called her 'selfish' and 'disgraceful' for trying to imply her work - sharing sun-soaked selfies and outdoor fitness classes - was essential. 'The reason I came to Dubai was purely for business,' Sheridan started during a video call with the This Morning duo. A cynical Phil told Sheridan: 'A lot of the fitness stuff, this could be in your garage in Bolton, you don't have to be in Dubai to do that.' The influencer claimed she had travelled to the United Arab Emirates because she was struggling with her mental health, adding that 'clients depend on me to bring them happiness'. She said her thought process was: 'The only way I'm gonna get out of this is to find an opportunity to get out of here on a plane to Dubai. She said the travel was 'the opportunity to get good content,' and stressed she has no children and no ties 'I'm not going to get content at home watching Netflix,' she said. 'It is all about the whole aspect of content, getting clients, all that kind of stuff.' Advertisement She had to get a negative Covid-19 test to initially fly to Dubai and then 'paid for a PCR test in order to come back' to the UK. She added: 'I feel like now, I wouldn't advise people to go (to Dubai) because things have changed; they don't know if they'd get back, or have to pay for hotel quarantine. I wouldn't feel comfortable going now, myself.' Another woman arriving back from Dubai, speaking outside Birmingham Airport's arrivals building, said she had cut short an indefinite stay in the UAE. The woman, who declined to give her name as she waited with a luggage trolley stacked with three colour-coded cases, said: 'I didn't have a fixed date to come back. I had another few weeks on my hotel stay, but I've left part-way through. I'm not bothered by the money.' International wrist-watch businessman Tony Harris had been in Dubai on business, meeting travelling clients from India and Pakistan. A frequent flyer until the second lockdown, he described how the Birmingham-bound plane had been 'full', including business class. The 52-year-old, who lives near Derby, said: 'I had been flying every week or two in normal times, but I looked at the situation and thought 'I cannot keep delaying trips for business'.' Regarding the chance any delay in the flight on Friday could have landed him with a 10-day hotel quarantine stay, he said: 'I took a calculated risk - I work from home anyway, so working from a hotel would have made no difference to me.' Tony Harris said his hotel in Dubai had arranged for him to have a Covid-19 test three days before his flight back to Birmingham, which was negative. Asked what coronavirus control measures had been in place in the UAE that he had seen, he said: 'Yeah, it's Covid-safe. 'Everyone is wearing a mask - you get the odd person whose nose is showing, but people forget don't they. You are only allowed two people in a taxi, plus the driver - three people if it's a big taxi.' Karen and Christian Moran, from York, had booked a flight back to the UK six months ago, after a change in circumstances, having been working in Dubai for seven years. Events planner Mrs Moran, 34, said they were notified in a text message from Emirates at 3am on Friday that their original flight home to Manchester was cancelled, so they 'rushed to the airport' to get aboard the Birmingham-bound plane. She added: 'When we were at the boarding gate (in Dubai) there were extra checks, some people were getting turned away, but it wasn't clear why. 'A member of airline staff said it was because the borders within the UK were closed. There was one young girl nearly crying but I did see her later - she got on the plane.' Ministers in Britain acted to enforce the ban following evidence that the more infectious South African strain of Covid-19 had been detected in the UAE. Up to 10,000 UK residents are thought to be in the country, which is popular with wealthy winter sun-seekers for its luxurious hotels and beaches. Scores of social media influencers and millionaires have flocked there recently. Ministers announced the move at 5pm yesterday, giving holidaymakers less than 24 hours to scramble for tickets on the handful of direct flights scheduled to arrive in the UK before the deadline. Britons will still be allowed to come back on indirect flights. Business trips to the UAE will no longer be considered essential. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted last night: 'From Friday 29 January at 1pm, we're extending our travel ban with the United Arab Emirates, Burundi and Rwanda all added to the UK's red list. 'This means people who have been in or transited through these countries will be denied entry, except British, Irish and third country nationals with residence rights who must self-isolate for ten days at home. 'Passengers must still have proof of a negative test and completed Passenger Locator Form before arrival or could otherwise face a 500 fine for each.' Thanks to other rules introduced on Wednesday, adding the UAE to the red list means Britons returning from there face having to quarantine in airport hotels for ten days. It was still unclear yesterday when this will come into force, but officials are thought to be considering the week beginning February 8. Arrivals from countries not on the red list will still be required to quarantine, but at home instead. In addition to the ban on direct flights that comes in from 1pm, another set of restrictions came into force today from 4am. UK residents must self-isolate at home with all members of their household for ten days if they return from the UAE, and non-UK residents are banned from entering Britain if they have been in the UAE within ten days. The latter does not apply to British, Irish and foreign nationals with UK residence rights. Former Geordie Shore star Chloe Ferry, 25, is among the scores of influencers who have flocked to Dubai in recent weeks. Others include Sophia Peschisolido, 23, the daughter of Tory peer Karren Brady, who posted Instagram snaps of herself in Dubai. Love Island stars such as Laura Anderson, who has since flown back, were also among those to jet off to the Gulf state before the third national lockdown began. One influencer caused fury this week by claiming to be there as an essential worker. Sheridan Mordew, 24, who has been in Dubai since the start of January, said she was there for an 'essential work trip' to provide sunny content for fans in lockdown and 'motivate them'. Home Secretary Priti Patel criticised influencers in the Commons on Wednesday as she unveiled the measures for quarantine hotels. She blasted them for setting a bad example by holidaying in the sun when Britons have been told to stay at home. The UAE joined the existing red list of 30 countries mainly in South America and southern Africa along with Rwanda and Burundi in central Africa. It could have a much wider impact for British travellers returning from further afield because Abu Dhabi and Dubai are also major international transit hubs. Thousands more planning to travel back from Asia and Australasia will now see onward flights axed. The restrictions mean UK residents who arrive from the UAE after 4am today will have to quarantine for ten days along with their whole household. They are not entitled to early release after five days with a negative test under the Test and Release scheme. A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'The decision to ban travel from these destinations follows the discovery of a new coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa, that may have spread to other countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Burundi and Rwanda.' British arrivals from 'red list' countries are also facing having to quarantine in airport hotels for ten days under new measures announced on Wednesday. It was still unclear yesterday when they will come into force, but it is understood officials are eyeing the week beginning February 8. Arrivals from countries not on the red list will still be required to quarantine, but at home instead. Under the new measures, anyone wanting to leave the UK will also have to complete and present a declaration form at the border stating why their reason for travel is essential. Border Force and police numbers will be boosted at ports and airports to question outbound passengers. Carriers will also be responsible for barring any passengers who don't have the declaration form or whose reason for travel does not meet Government requirements. Due to border closures caused by Covid-19, Dubai to London was the world's busiest international route in January with 190,365 scheduled seats over the month, according to airline data provider OAG. Emirates and Etihad normally carry large numbers of passengers connecting from Britain to destinations like Australia through their airport hubs, meaning the decision to cancel those flights will have far-reaching implications. Towie's James Lock and his girlfriend Yazmin Oukhellou were out in Dubai earlier this month Love Island star Georgia Steel (left) was in Dubai but has recently been posting pictures in the Maldives. Molly Mae Hague (right) posted pictures in the Maldvies, but is now back in the UK Chloe Ferry of Geordie Shore, who travelled out to Dubai at the end of 2020 - before lockdown measures were introduced - originally claimed she had hoped to stay for 'two months' The Australian government said it will add more charter flights from Britain if needed as a result of the Emirates and Etihad cancellations. Fines for holidays with police checking your passport at the airport How can the Government stop Britons from going on holiday? Lockdown rules already ban people from international travel unless it is for work. Leaving home is only permitted for a small number of reasons. Under the lockdown laws introduced at the start of January and which will run until March 31, people in England are allowed only to leave the house for a very slim range of activities. But the rules, which are largely the same as for the second lockdown in November, also ban foreign leisure travel, just as they prohibit domestic leisure travel. What happens if I want to travel abroad? People wanting to leave the UK will have to fill out a form giving the reason for their trip. Anyone who turns up at ports and airports without a valid reason for travel will be directed to return home and may face a fine. Priti Patel said: 'Going on holiday is not a valid reason, so we will introduce a new requirement so that people wishing to travel must first make a declaration as to why they need to travel. This reason for travel will be checked by carriers prior to departure.' Travel operators are also expected to face fines if they fail to inspect these forms. What will I have to prove if I went to travel? Work trips are allowed, so you will have to show some proof that your flight or sea crossing is vital for your employment. However, there are a range of other reasons for 'essential travel. These are the same at the reasons for leaving your house: medical care, to escape harm, compassionate visits - for example a funeral - and weddings. The list of travel exemptions will be urgently reviewed so that only the most important and exceptional reasons are included. Who is going to enforce these rules? It is not clear whether airlines and other travel operators will have the unilateral ability to decide whether someone has given a genuine reason for a trip on their forms, or it will end up being referred to police. There will also be an increased police presence at ports and airports, fining those in breach of the stay at home regulations. Why is this being highlighted now? The Home Secretary lashed out at social media influencers who have been posting images of themselves in sunny parts of the world like Dubai during the lockdown. Many have claimed they were travelling for work, but have attracted a backlash from people stuck at home after also enjoying the nightlife and beaches. Ms Patel also singled out people 'turning up with their skis' at London's St Pancras station to catch the Eurostar to European resorts, adding: 'That is clearly not acceptable.' Advertisement Eran Ben-Avraham, an Australian stranded in Britain due to strict limits on the number of arrivals in Australia, said his options for getting home were continually shrinking. 'At the moment it is only giving us three options of flying Qatar, ANA or Singapore Airlines,' he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 'Every day it is making it more difficult to get home. The flights back are anywhere from like 4,000.' Asked yesterday what will constitute 'essential' travel under the new rules, senior minister Michael Gove told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think if it's an essential humanitarian reason, if there is a powerful business reason, we can look at specific case by case reasons why people should travel. 'But we're very clear that people should not be travelling abroad to go on holiday, to boost their Instagram profile... [or] for anything other than essential reasons.' He was asked several times when the new measures will come into force, but failed to answer. The travel industry warned that the UAE move raised fears of more countries being added to the red list. Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: 'I think the Government will need to be clear on why countries are being added to the high-risk list. 'If it grows each week, with new countries being added, then it will sap consumer confidence in future travel and no-one in the travel sector wants to see blanket hotel quarantine introduced via the backdoor.' Meanwhile, after opening itself to New Year revellers, Dubai is now being blamed by several countries for spreading the coronavirus abroad, as questions swirl about the city-state's ability to handle record spikes in Covid-19 cases. The government said the kingdom is doing all it can to handle the pandemic, though it has repeatedly declined to answer questions about its hospital capacity. In a statement, the government said: 'After a year of managing the pandemic, we can confidently say the current situation is under control and we have our plans to surge any capacity in the health care system should a need rise.' However, Nasser al-Shaikh, Dubai's former finance chief, offered a different assessment on Twitter, and asked authorities to take control of a spiralling caseload. 'The leadership bases its decisions on recommendations from the team, the wrong recommendations which put human souls in danger and negatively affect our society,' he wrote, adding that 'our economy requires accountability'. Dubai, known for its long-haul carrier Emirates, the world's tallest building and its beaches and bars, became one of the first travel destinations to describe itself as open for business last July. The move staunched the bleeding in its crucial tourism and property sectors after lockdowns and curfews had hit the economy. As tourism restarted, daily reported coronavirus case numbers slowly grew, but mostly remained stable through the autumn. But then came New Year's Eve - a major draw for travellers from countries otherwise shut down over the virus who partied without face masks in bars and on yachts. For the last 17 days, the United Arab Emirates as a whole has reported record daily coronavirus case numbers as queues at Dubai testing facilities grow. Towie's Yazmin Oukhellou (left) told fans she was in Dubai 'for work purposes, for business', but added: 'Obviously we'll make the most of it while we're here as well.' Love Island's Laura Anderson (right) faced a backlash when she spoke about how hard it was to be an 'influencer' Fitness influencer Sheridan Mordew, 24, from Sunderland, arrived in Dubai on January 2, just a few days before the third national lockdown Geordie Shore's Sophie Kasaei is another reality TV star who has been out in Dubai recently Quarantine hotels: What are they, how much and when do they come in? Tougher border controls have been announced in a bid to protect the UK against the spread of new coronavirus variants. Here is how they will work: What are quarantine hotels? UK nationals and residents returning from one of 30 listed countries will be taken to a Government-approved hotel where they must self-isolate for 10 days. Foreign nationals and non-UK residents from those destinations - which include South America, southern Africa and Portugal - are already banned from entering the UK. How much will they cost? The finances have not been announced but it could cost in excess of 1,000 per person. Which hotels will be included? This has not been confirmed but hotel chain Best Western said it was ready to 'step in'. When will the policy be introduced? That has also not been announced. The delay will allow people to return home without the additional hotel stay. What is happening with enforcement of existing rules? Home Secretary Priti Patel said there are 'still too many people coming in and out of our country each day'. There will be an increased police presence at ports and airports, fining those in breach of the stay-at-home regulations. Will I have to give a valid reason to leave the UK? Passengers will be required to declare their reason for travel, such as for business. Operators are being told not to allow people to board if their trip is not essential. Why are further border measures being launched? Hotel quarantine has been proposed as a way to ensure people follow self-isolation rules relating to international travel, and guard against new variants of coronavirus entering the country. Amid significant pressure on the NHS, there are concerns about the risks posed by strains identified in South Africa and Brazil. What were the existing rules for arrivals to the UK? Direct flights to the UK from South Africa, Brazil and Portugal are suspended but British residents are permitted to return through indirect routes and then self-isolate at home. More widely, anyone entering the country from abroad, including UK nationals returning home, must provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test result taken up to three days before departure. Travellers must also self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival even if they tested negative. In England, travellers may be able to end self-isolation early if they pay for a private coronavirus test. How long would new quarantine hotels be in place for? This is as yet unknown. Conservative former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said measures should be about 'buying us enough time', adding: 'We don't know which countries these variants are arising in.' Advertisement In Israel, more than 900 travellers returning from Dubai have been infected with the coronavirus, according to the military, which conducts contact tracing. The returnees created a chain of infections numbering more than 4,000 people, the Israeli military said. Tens of thousands of Israelis had flocked to the UAE since the two countries normalised relations in September. Israeli health ministry expert Dr Sharon Alroy-Preis was quoted by Channel 13 TV as complaining in a call with other officials that a few weeks of travel had been more deadly than decades of no relations with the Arab nation. Since late December, Israel has required those coming from the UAE to go into a two-week quarantine. Israel later shut down its main international airport until through the end of the month over rising cases. Denmark already discovered one traveller coming from Dubai who tested positive for the South African variant, the first such discovery there. In the Philippines, health authorities say they discovered a British strain infecting a Filipino who made a business trip to Dubai on December 27. He returned to the Philippines on January 7 and tested positive. He 'had no exposure to a confirmed case prior to their departure to Dubai', the Philippines department of health said. In the time since, Filipino authorities have discovered at least 16 other cases, including two coming from Lebanon. As daily reported coronavirus cases near 4,000, Dubai has sacked the head of its government health agency without explanation. It stopped live entertainment at bars, halted non-essential surgeries, limited wedding sizes and ordered gyms to increase space between those working out. It also now requires coronavirus testing for all those flying into its airport. The UAE had pinned its hopes on mass vaccinations, with Abu Dhabi distributing a Chinese vaccine by Sinopharm and Dubai offering Pfizer-BioNTech's inoculation. The UAE says it has given 2.8 million doses so far, ranking it among the top countries in the world. Dr Santosh Kumar Sharma, the medical director of Dubai's NMC Royal Hospital, told the AP 'the number of cases (is) ever-rising', with over half its beds occupied by coronavirus patients. The World Health Organisation said that before the pandemic, the UAE had nearly 13,250 hospital beds for a country of more than nine million people. It said Dubai and the UAE's northern emirates built field hospitals amid the pandemic with some 5,000 beds, with Abu Dhabi building more. But Dubai closed its 3,000-bed field hospital in July - the same day it reopened for tourism. Both Dubai and the UAE's health ministry now advertises for nurses on Instagram. 'The sad thing is that great efforts have been made since January 2020 for us to come and undermine them with our own hands,' former finance minister Mr al-Shaikh wrote. 'What makes things worse is the lack of transparency.' Earlier this week, the UAE's autocratic government told those who are worried to 'refrain from questioning the efforts of all those who have worked to contain this pandemic'. Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured in Bishop's Stortford yesterday) criticised influencers in the Commons on Wednesday as she unveiled the measures for quarantine hotels Bishop Barron's Word on Fire Launches New Academic Publishing Line With its first book releasing in January, Word on Fire Academic will host scholarly publications that contribute to the "great conversation." NEWS PROVIDED BY Word on Fire Catholic Ministries Jan. 29, 2021 IRVING, Texas, Jan. 29, 2021 / The publishing line is the fourth for Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, which also continues to release books through the Word on Fire Institute, its Word on Fire Classics line, and the original Word on Fire imprint. "Although Word on Fire is known for digital media, we've consistently emphasized the enduring value of books," explains Brandon Vogt, Word on Fire's Senior Content Director. "In all we do, we stand on the twin pillars of intelligence and beauty. You'll see both on display in our new Word on Fire Academic line. These books break new ground in several fields, showcasing fresh and invigorating scholarship, and the books themselves are gorgeously designed. They'll be read and enjoyed by all who cherish the intellectual life." The first Word on Fire Academic book, Holly Ordway's "Tolkien's Modern Reading: Middle-earth Beyond the Middle Ages," will release on January 25. "Tolkien's Modern Reading" addresses the widely accepted view that J.R.R. Tolkien was dismissive of modern culture. Drawing on meticulous archival research, Ordway shows how Tolkien's genius was intimately connected with the literature of his own time and concerned with the issues and crises of the modern world. Word on Fire Catholic Ministries ( Word on Fire is now accepting submissions for publication through each of its imprints. For more details, please contact SOURCE Word on Fire Catholic Ministries CONTACT: William Sipling, Communications Director, 866-928-1237, Share Tweet NEWS PROVIDED BYJan. 29, 2021IRVING, Texas, Jan. 29, 2021 / Christian Newswire / -- Word on Fire is announcing Word on Fire Academic, a new publishing imprint for scholarly publicationsfrom textbooks, to published dissertations, to academic volumesthat contribute to the "great conversation" by embarking upon original research and meticulous intellectual investigation.The publishing line is the fourth for Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, which also continues to release books through the Word on Fire Institute, its Word on Fire Classics line, and the original Word on Fire imprint."Although Word on Fire is known for digital media, we've consistently emphasized the enduring value of books," explains Brandon Vogt, Word on Fire's Senior Content Director. "In all we do, we stand on the twin pillars of intelligence and beauty. You'll see both on display in our new Word on Fire Academic line. These books break new ground in several fields, showcasing fresh and invigorating scholarship, and the books themselves are gorgeously designed. They'll be read and enjoyed by all who cherish the intellectual life."The first Word on Fire Academic book, Holly Ordway's "Tolkien's Modern Reading: Middle-earth Beyond the Middle Ages," will release on January 25. "Tolkien's Modern Reading" addresses the widely accepted view that J.R.R. Tolkien was dismissive of modern culture. Drawing on meticulous archival research, Ordway shows how Tolkien's genius was intimately connected with the literature of his own time and concerned with the issues and crises of the modern world.Word on Fire Catholic Ministries ( wordonfire.org ) exists to draw people into the Body of Christ, which is the Church, and thereby give them access to all the gifts that Jesus wants his people to enjoy. To be most effective in this mission, Word on Fire places an emphasis and urgency on the use of contemporary forms of media and innovative communication technologies.Word on Fire is now accepting submissions for publication through each of its imprints. For more details, please contact publishing@wordonfire.org SOURCE Word on Fire Catholic MinistriesCONTACT: William Sipling, Communications Director,866-928-1237, communications@wordonfire.org A Ming Dynasty black lacquer box on show [For China Daily] China's long history of using natural lacquer to make daily objects more beautiful and durable is evident in the lacquer ware found in Neolithic relics in the country. Throughout centuries, the production of lacquer objects boomed to elevate the craft to a higher level of artistry. An exhibition now on at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou through Oct 23, 2022, reviews the glory of lacquer art in ancient China, showing some 87 fine objects in the museum collection dated between the Song (960-1279) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. A phoenix and peony lacquer box on show [For China Daily] The show begins with a prosperous scene of lacquer making in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, two major production hubs in the Song era. By then, the industry had developed a variety of delicate carving and embellishing techniques for lacquer ware. The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) witnessed another height in lacquer making, when more manufacturing centers emerged in South China. And as the imperial capital was relocated to Beijing, the techniques were introduced to the northern region, and studios were established at the court to tailor lacquer objects for the ruling class. The Qianlong Emperor of Qing is known for his extraordinary tastes in culture. During his reign, lacquer objects with sophisticated patterns became a glamorous spotlight of imperial art. Popular motifs on lacquer ware included clusters of flowers of various species and descriptions from literary classics, which hailed the leisurely lifestyle of scholars. A Ming Dynasty lacquer decoration screen on show [For China Daily] A Qing Dynasty lacquer box on show [For China Daily] A Qing Dynasty lacquer Hulu vase on show [For China Daily] Flowers are popular motifs in Qing lacquer art. [For China Daily] Patterns that hail a leisure lifestyle of scholars and their high morality are popular motifs in Qing lacquer art. [For China Daily] Patterns that hail a leisure lifestyle of scholars and their high morality are popular motifs in Qing lacquer art. [For China Daily] (Source: chinadaily.com.cn) 6. Vocally oppose cancel culture. Our discourse is now dominated by a social theory which recognizes only oppressors and oppressed with no middle ground or differing opinions allowed. Our youth are being indoctrinated with this destructive mindset in our schools. An example is the culturally responsive teaching standard currently proposed by the Illinois State Board of Education, which will force teachers to adopt a curriculum of progressive viewpoints, under which teachers must work actively in the classroom against systems of oppression while promoting student activism and advocacy for a progressive agenda. Cancel culture is at root a Marxist-based model, and as with all Marxist theories, pits different groups of people against each other in bitter, unending conflict. Adopting such doctrines in government results in expanding hatred, suppression of speech, economic decline and social disintegration, as we are already seeing in parts of America today. If the Republicans will not stand for civility and freedom, who will? Ethnic minorities, younger adults and women are less likely to accept the coronavirus vaccine if offered it, figures have revealed. Overall, 88 per cent of adults said they would be very or fairly likely to agree to a jab, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. Some 4 per cent were very or fairly unlikely and less than 1 per cent said they had declined the offer of a vaccine. Meanwhile, 49 per cent of Black Britons surveyed said they would get the jab - compared to 85 per cent of white adults. So far, 7.4 million people have had at least one vaccine dose across the UK. The attitudes towards vaccination of more than 14,000 people in Britain between December 10 and January 10 were examined by researchers. The also looked at how this may vary by sex, age, disability, ethnicity, health and region. A health worker administers a Covid-19 vaccine inside a former nightclub that has been turned into a NHS vaccine centre in St Albans earlier this month Less than half, 49 per cent, of black or black British adults surveyed said they would be likely to get the vaccine, compared to 85 per cent of white adults. More than a quarter - 28 per cent - of black adults said they would be unlikely to do so, as did 7 per cent of white adults. Some 13 per cent of 170 people with mixed ethnicity and 8 per cent of 460 Asian or Asian British adults said they would be unlikely to get a jab. A report from the Government's scientific advisory committee earlier blamed 'structural and institutional racism and discrimination' for vaccine scepticism among Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. Younger adults were less likely to report wanting the vaccine if offered compared with older adults, and rates were lower in women compared to men. The biggest gender difference was for those aged 30 to 49 years, with 76 per cent of women likely to have a vaccine compared to 82 per cent of men. This gap was present among younger age groups but disappeared among the over-70s. Examining reasons among those who said they were unlikely to get a jab overall, 48 per cent said they were worried about potential side-effects, 46 per cent about any long-term health impact, and 44 per cent wanted to wait to see how well the vaccine works first. Almost a third - 32 per cent - said they do not think the vaccine will be safe. Almost two-thirds - 64 per cent - of adults from ethnic minority background who said they were unlikely to get a jab said they were worried about potential side-effects. Among a small number of clinically extremely vulnerable adults who said they would be unlikely to get vaccinated, 44 per cent said they were worried about any impact on an existing health condition. Some 30 per cent of disabled adults unlikely to get a vaccine said the same. This compares to 11 per cent of adults overall. Before approval, the vaccines underwent a rigorous testing process to pass standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Less than half, 49 per cent, of 150 black or black British adults said they would be likely to get the vaccine, compared to 85 per cent of 240 white adults (file photo) Reports of serious side-effects, such as allergic reactions, have been very rare, and no long-term complications have been reported, the NHS says. The survey did not include adults living in care homes and some of the sub groups analysed had small sample sizes so the findings should be treated with caution, the ONS said. A report from the Government's scientific advisory committee earlier this month said historical issues of unethical healthcare research and systemic racism are key factors for lower levels of trust in Britain's mass vaccination programme. This justification was echoed by equality campaigner Trevor Phillips - the former head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission - who said it was 'absurd' to claim hesitancy was down to a language barrier or misconceptions. Equality campaigner Trevor Phillips - the former head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission - said it was 'absurd' to claim hesitancy was down to a language barrier or misconceptions He told The Times: 'The NHS and government have to realise that what they are seeing is probably a sincere rejection of the vaccine on religious or cultural grounds and quite probably a deep suspicion of anything proposed by white authorities. He added: 'The underlying suggestion that we are all just a bit backward or don't understand the arguments for the jab is just belittling people of colour.' NHS England's regional medical director for London said 'concerns that go back generations' in certain communities due to historic vaccine experiments, as he insisted the vaccine is safe.' NHS England has said it is 'supporting local authorities in their vital work with their diverse communities and faith groups to promote vaccine acceptance and willingness to accept the vaccination offer'. Earlier this month, doctors expressed fears over 'fake news' causing South Asian people to reject the Covid vaccine over false claims that the jabs contain alcohol or meat and can alter patients' DNA. Dr Harpreet Sood, a Global Digital Health Advisor, said language and cultural boundaries are partly responsible for the false material spread via social media and WhatsApp. The practising doctor is working on an NHS anti-disinformation campaign with South Asian influencers and religious leaders to disprove myths about the jab. Much of the false information appears to be targeted at Muslims, who do not drink alcohol or eat pork, and Hindus, who consider cows to be sacred. An undated document released by Sage on Friday found 'marked difference existed by ethnicity, with black ethnic groups the most likely to be Covid-19 hesitant, followed by Pakistani/Bangladeshi groups'. Joanmes de-Gallerie receiving a vaccine at the Nightingale facility at the Excel Centre, London Dr Sood told the BBC: 'We need to be clear and make people realise there is no meat in the vaccine, there is no pork in the vaccine, it has been accepted and endorsed by all the religious leaders and councils and faith communities.' He added: 'We're trying to find role models and influencers and also thinking about ordinary citizens who need to be quick with this information so that they can all support one another because ultimately everyone is a role model to everyone.' Almost half of people in some areas with high populations of ethnic minorities are refusing the coronavirus jab Nearly half of all people in some areas with a large population of ethnic minorities are refusing the Covid vaccine when offered it due to fears about what it contains. In Birmingham, 50 per cent of those living in areas with high populations of Asian and African-Caribbean people turned down the vaccine when offered it. In Ealing, west London, between 10 and 15 per cent of black people are refusing the vaccine - compared to just 5 per cent of other groups. Meanwhile in Stoke-on-Trent, medics say between 20 and 30 per cent of black and ethnic minority people didn't show up to get their vaccine. In other groups, this figure stood at between 2 and 3 per cent. Fake information about what goes in it or concerns about potential side effects are the main deterrents, local clinical director Lenin Vellaturi claimed. SAGE earlier blamed 'structural and institutional racism and discrimination' for vaccine scepticism among BAME communities - as a survey found 72 per cent of black people were unlikely to have the Covid jab. Advertisement Around 100 mosques are using Friday prayers to raise coronavirus awareness and dispel myths around vaccinations, and Imams have agreed to be filmed being vaccinated in a bid to 'inspire confidence' in their communities and show that jabs are permissible and halal. An earlier poll - conducted by the UK Household Longitudinal Study - which found that vaccine scepticism among black, Asian and ethnic minority groups in the UK is high. Though the study, conducted in November with 12,000 respondents, found overall high levels of willingness to be vaccinated - at 82 per cent - 72 per cent of black people said they were unlikely or very unlikely to be vaccinated. Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Eastern European groups also said they were unwilling to take the Covid jab, while women, younger people and those with lower levels of education were also more hesitant than others. A SAGE report responding to the study: 'Trust is particularly important for black communities that have low trust in healthcare organisations and research findings due to historical issues of unethical healthcare research. 'Trust is also undermined by structural and institutional racism and discrimination. Minority ethnic groups have historically been underrepresented within health research, including vaccines trials, which can influence trust in a particular vaccine being perceived as appropriate and safe, and concerns that immunisation research is not ethnically heterogenous.' The findings have sparked concern among GPs who are now calling on No10 to begin a public health campaign that encourages black people in particular to receive a coronavirus vaccine. Prof Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: 'We are concerned that recent reports show that people within BAME communities are not only more likely to be adversely affected by the virus but also less likely to accept the Covid vaccine, when offered it. Imam Qari Asim, chairman of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, said some people who were initially hesitant about getting a vaccine have decided to get one since the site opened at Al-Abbas Islamic Centre. Leeds-based Mr Asim, who is leading the initiative to get imams and mosques to address challenges posed by so-called anti-vaxxers, said: 'We are urging places of worship and community hubs to be used as vaccination centres to inspire confidence in communities. Around 100 mosques are using Friday prayers to raise coronavirus awareness and dispel myths around vaccinations. Pictured: The congregation at the Makka Mosque in Leeds 'As an Imam, my message is simple - do not trust 'fake news', verify before you amplify. 'Taking the vaccine is currently the only available solution to defeating coronavirus, to save thousands of precious lives and be with our loved ones again.' Mr Jenrick said he hoped to see more vaccination centres open up in cathedrals, synagogues and mosques. 'Faith leaders are helping build trust in the community and saving lives by encouraging take-up of the vaccine,' he said. 'The more that we are able to do that, the quicker we will be able to lift these restrictions.' Capitol rioter Jacob Anthony Chansley, better visualized as the face-painted and fur-wearing "QAnon Shaman" storming the Capitol building, has expressed readiness to testify at former President Donald Trump's upcoming impeachment trial in the Senate, the Associated Press (AP) news agency reported, citing his lawyer Albert Watkins MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th January, 2021) Capitol rioter Jacob Anthony Chansley, better visualized as the face-painted and fur-wearing "QAnon Shaman" storming the Capitol building, has expressed readiness to testify at former President Donald Trump's upcoming impeachment trial in the Senate, the Associated Press (AP) news agency reported, citing his lawyer Albert Watkins. Earlier in January, a Federal court in the US District of Columbia charged Chansley with knowingly entering and remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority, as well as with violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. According to the lawyer, Chansley was previously "horrendously smitten" by Trump but now feels like he was betrayed after the former leader's refusal to grant his client and others who participated in the riot a pardon. Watkins has not spoken to any senator on the matter yet but believes it is important that the senators hear the voice of those who were incited by Trump. In addition to Chansley, at least four more people facing federal charges over the riot have said that Trump's words prompted them to storm the Capitol, AP reported, adding that their testimony could be heard in the impeachment process, scheduled for early February. On January 6, Trump supporters stormed Capitol Hill in a bid to prevent Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's victory after Trump urged them to not allow the election to be stolen. Five people died and more than 170 cases have been open by police in connection to the riots. As a result, the US House of Representatives impeached Trump for inciting the riot. A Sydney bodybuilder who went on a drug-fuelled violent rampage while wearing no trousers after yelling that he was really 'Superman', then lead police on an insane 45 minute car chase, has been jailed. Rhys Evans, 32, was jailed for 18 months - with a minimum period without parole of 10 months - after pleading guilty to several offences including assault, resisting arrest, failing to stop during a police pursuit and reckless driving. The charges related to two rampages, the first on September 3 when he was apprehended acting erratically on Spofforth Street, Cremorne. Not-so-super, man: gym nut Rhys Evans (pictured), 32, was sentenced to 18 months jail after two drug-fuelled rampages that included assaulting police, driving on the wrong side of the freeway and being tasered and pepper sprayed six times One charge Rhys Evans faced and plead guilty to was using his luxury Range Rover (pictured) as an offensive weapon. he eventually crashed in Chatswood Evans approached strangers and asked for help while carrying his trousers, and when police attempted to detain him for his own and public safety, he became aggressive and violent. He shouted 'I am Superman and I will kill you' at officers and was involved in one officer falling down stairs to a concrete path, the Daily Telegraph reported. Five other officers restrained him, after tasering him twice and using capsicum spray three times. The second incident occurred on October 30, when Evans was driving his luxury Range Rover erratically on the Warringah Freeway around 5am. Police gave chase but with Evans driving on the wrong side of the freeway they called off that pursuit due to safety concerns. He was stopped around 5.45am after colliding with several parked cars and the footpath at at the intersection of Centennial Ave and Jenkins St, Chatswood. Again Evans was tasered and this time it took eight officers to subdue him. In the chase Evans used his vehicle as a weapon to avoid arrest, resulting in a charge of using an offensive weapon to avoid arrest. In Manly Local Court, Evan's laywer told Magistrate Bruce Williams that her client's life had spiralled downwards due to long-term mental health and drug issues. What goes up: Rhys Evans life had spiralled downwards due to long-term mental health and drug abuse issues, his solicitor told Manly Local Court before he was sentenced 'It came undone last year,' Evans' solicitor Carrie Nicol said. He was reported as heavily drug-affected in both incidents. Mr Williams said: 'Assaulting police officers is serious all they were trying to do is protect the public and were hurt as a result.' As well as being jailed, Evans lost his driving licence for two years. Tens of thousands of Russian citizens in more than 120 cities and towns from Saint Petersburg and Moscow in the west to Irkutsk and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the East, turned out on the weekend of January 23 to peacefully protest the arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and to demand his release. Navalny, a lawyer and anti-corruption activist, was detained on January 17th. He was arrested at Moscows Sheremetevo Airport upon his return to Russia from Germany, where he was recovering from an attempt to assassinate him by a nerve agent. The arrest, which was streamed live in Russia by independent journalists, resulted in the biggest unauthorized protests of Russian President Vladimir Putins tenure. The U.S. supports the right of all people to peaceful protest, freedom of expression, tweeted Rebecca Ross, spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Steps being taken by Russian authorities are suppressing those rights. Police response was at first relatively muted, but as the crowds of protestors grew and refused to disperse, the heavily armored riot police began to randomly pull people out of the crowd, arrest them and drag them off. Across the country, well over 3,700 people were detained. Continued efforts to suppress Russians rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, the arrest of opposition figure Aleksey Navalny, and the crackdown on protests that followed are troubling indications of further restrictions on civil society and fundamental freedoms, said U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price. Russians rights to peaceful assembly and to participate in free and fair elections are enshrined not only in the countrys constitution, but also in Russias OSCE commitments, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in its international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. [The United States calls] on Russian authorities to release all those detained for exercising their universal rights and for the immediate and unconditional release of Aleksey Navalny. We urge Russia to fully cooperate with the international communitys investigation into the poisoning of Aleksey Navalny and credibly explain the use of a chemical weapon on its soil, said Spokesperson Price. The United States will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies and partners in defense of human rights whether in Russia or wherever they come under threat. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa Friday called on Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and its core military leadership during his two-day official visit to Qatar ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jan, 2021 ) :Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa Friday called on Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and its core military leadership during his two-day official visit to Qatar. During the visit, the Army Chief along with Emir of the State of Qatar also held meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Affairs Doctor Khalid Bin Muhammad Al-Attiya and Chief of Staff Qatar Armed Forces Lieutenant General (Pilot) Ghanim Bin Shaheen Al-Ghanim, said an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release. During the meetings, matters of mutual interest, defence and security cooperation and regional geo-political environment were discussed. The COAS also witnessed passing out parade at Ahmed Bin Muhammad Military College. He appreciated high standards of institution and its efforts towards grooming of young cadets to take on challenges of future battlefield. Qatari leadership reiterated that Pakistan and Qatar share brotherly relations of strategic value. While expressing their satisfaction over level of defence relations between the two Armed Forces, both sides underscored the importance of further enhancing the cooperation. Help India! The article is the authors rebuttal to Ajai Gudavarthys article titled Mobilisation and Composite culture published by The Hindu on 21 January. By Md. Aariz Imam Support TwoCircles Contrary to popular opinion, that theory and practice are two irreconcilable extremes, the fact is the two are sequential steps, where theory must precede practice and not the vice versa. While in theory rests the intellectual part, the practice covers the operational aspects of any revolution. Any effort to switch the process would result in catastrophe. To elaborate further, every revolutionary idea is grounded in a theory. Without it, there can be no revolutionary imagination. Theories shape the narrative and narrative acts as fodder for the frontline volunteers and leaders who lead the movement. In other words, it is the strength and weakness of the theory that determines the nature and shape of any movement. Having said that it is also important to remember that there might be tremendous operational and logistical challenges in the pursuit of goals set by the narrative. But the challenges in the advocacy of the cause in no way should raise a question mark on the theory and the narrative. The singular commitment and faith in the theory is a revitalizing force that helps in overcoming all roadblocks. Moreover, it has to be remembered that the implementation part goes through a long and winding road, hence patience and perseverance is the key. For long the Muslims have failed to theorize their oppression. And by the above discussion it is evident that in the absence of a theory, they would forever fail to set their narrative and build a movement around it. No movement means no revolutionary zeal and a perpetual status quo. The perpetual status quo is a perpetual opportunity for not just the oppressors but also those who enable it. Interestingly, for this failure, the blame is put on the Muslims themselves by those very people who have appropriated Muslim cause, crowd, voice and vote for around three-quarters of a century. Coming to the article by the famed Ajay Gudavarthy published on 21 January 2021, in The Hindu, one cannot but notice the suave art of narrative building. Semantics play a very important role in narrative building. And the writer has used every skill in his repertoire to play around with the semantics in the build-up to the narrative. Semantics is the usage of words, phrases and meta description in a certain way to achieve a set objective. Semantics has the power to convert theories and ideas from abstract to concrete form and from concrete to abstract depending on the purpose for which the write-up is prepared. Some of the more popular words and phrases quite often used in this art have mathematical sources. For instance, prime, composite, odd, even, complex, calculus, algebra, algorithm and so on. The sheer usage of such fancy keywords and phrases by famed and accomplished writers gives credence to their opinion in the eyes of innocent and vulnerable readers. Some other popular words that are a rage these days in the market are transformative, synergy, ecology, environment, sustainability, disruptive, ecosystem, scalable, intelligent, smart, integrated and so on. More on it later. Semantics has played an important role in the vilification of the Muslim community worldwide. For example, the word Islamophobia is etymologically wrong when it comes to defining the planned violence and state-sponsored hate campaign against Muslims. Yet it is widely used and has been normalized to the extent that even Muslims use it. There exists no such term as Islamophobia in India or anywhere in the world in the public sphere. Most of the people from other faiths dont fear Islam. Or even if they do, their fear is limited to their home. And most of it is because of ignorance seeped in folklore and tradition or due to falsification of history. This certainly doesnt automatically mutate into hate and violence. There are other forces in play which act independent of any Islamophobia and create an atmosphere of hate against Islam. What you see in the form of violence in public space is not the result of any phobia towards Islam. Phobia means fear. But, the persecution of Muslims across the globe is because of hate. It would be far more appropriate to term it terrorism or state-sponsored terrorism in absence of any other term like anti-Semitism which is used when defining the violence carried out against the Jews. Remember the violence carried out against Jews is not termed as anti- Judaism. Similarly, we have seen how the usage of terms like Jihad, Fatwa and Talaq by both the secular as well as communal forces has added to adverse narrative building around Muslim symbols. The purpose of dwelling on the semantics was to highlight the problem arising out of the usage of certain words and the story that builds around it. The article by Mr Gudavarthy with the words composite culture in its heading Mobilisation and composite culture gives the hint of what it intends to say. The message gets loud and clear with the subheading that says The anti-CAA stir of 2020 needed the universality that todays farm protests have. To begin with, let us recall the popular cry of the organizers of anti-CAA protests across the country. Even as the Citizenship law was blatantly communal in its design, the protestors called it a fight of all the communities. They called it an attack on secularism and hence a fight for protecting the constitution, and day in day out read the preamble as a symbol of the pledge. They made all attempts to showcase their composite culture by welcoming guest speakers of all faiths. They celebrated all the festivals and organized interfaith prayers. At one protest site outside Jamia Millia Islamia, the organizers tore down posters that were being shown to Shashi Tharoor in which La Ilaha Illallah was written. The posters were raised in protest against the tweet by Mr. Tharoor, Our fight against Hindutva extremism should give no comfort to Islamist extremism either, referring to La ilaha illallah being used as an anti-CAA slogan. Contrast this with how the Sikhs have been raising their religious slogan Jo bole so nihaal, Sat sri akaal unapologetically without any fear. The distinction can also be seen in how the Nihang Sikhs, a warrior sect among Sikhs in a show of strength rode on horseback with their traditional arms and arrived at the Singhu border to support the protesting farmers. Let us recall how the Muslim intelligentsia distanced itself from Sharjeel Imam much before he was arrested, who by many accounts was the pioneer of Shaheen Bagh protest. The Muslim community has maintained a studied silence and distanced herself from the arrest and vilification of several Muslim students and activists who have been behind bars on the politically motivated charges of conspiring and inciting Delhi violence that erupted during the CAA protests. Where the reality was that the narrative in Delhi was changed to one of violence on both sides rather than a pogrom that was in fact carried out, as written by the head of a committee constituted to write a report on the Delhi riotsthat ripped through northeast Delhi from 23 to 26 February 2020 killing 53 people, the majority of them Muslimin his foreword to a fact-finding report by the Delhi Minorities Commission. Furthermore, in the elections that followed in Delhi and Bihar, Muslims extended unconditional support to the secular parties. No commitments were taken to strengthen the anti-CAA movement. No questions were asked from Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD leader who led the opposition campaign in Bihar about Meeran Haider, the Delhi unit president of RJDs youth wing, who is languishing in jail. No questions were asked from Arvind Kejriwal about the rehabilitation of the victims in Delhi. Yet its appalling to read that the anti-CAA protests lacked universality or were short in composite culture. If the women, children and elderly, braving the cold wave for around three months was not enough, they paid with their blood during the Delhi pogrom. This brings me back to the question of semantics and narrative building. Laced with popular reach and diction does the author intend to raise doubts about the acceptability of anti-CAA protests? Let us examine further. The author believes that the problems Muslim face is that of singular identity and that, to be more palatable they have to mould themselves as per popular imagination. Here one can see that how singular identity i.e. identity denoted by faith alone is being looked down upon. Also, one cannot but recall how this singular Muslim identity has been imprinted on the popular imagination of the majority, through relentless stereotyping by the majority community. Hence, once again it is evident how the blame is put on the Muslims themselves. The author insists that his assertion stands vindicated by citing Amartya Sens book, The Ideas Of Justice, in which he has argued: that any identity that is imagined in the singular will remain a source of violence. More on Amartya Sens observation later, here one would do good to remind the author that the CAA protestors were not people from Muslim clergy (alone), and hence cannot only be looked as identity based on faith. The protestors were professionals from different fields, students, professors and activists pursuing different subjects who need no certificate of universality or dual identity from anyone. The writer certainly goes beyond his remit when he takes his theory singular identity and starts building arguments around it. In a very benevolent tone intended to trap the young and impressionable, he starts listing the problems with the assumed singular identity. He raises the question of belonging and trust, continues his narrative by indicating that Islam is a religion with origins outside, rants about 40 Muslim nations across the globe and sends a subtle but false alarm by saying that Islam is the fastest-growing religion. The author tries to tap into the reserves of nationalism by claiming that Muslims are seen as a global community rather than a national one. As is customary partition serves as the best bait in such encrypted enunciation, hence the author drives the point home by contrasting Sikhs from Muslims with the argument that distinguishes Sikh farmers as those without a demand for a separate nation. The author has suggested that these hurdles impede Muslim acceptance in the popular imagination. But nowhere has the author questioned the popular imagination. Nowhere has the author questioned the reluctance of the majority community to organize and protest under the leadership of Muslims. Nowhere has the author questioned the secular leaders and activists who were invited in Shaheen Bagh and the sit-in elsewhere, but who failed to expand the geographical reach of the protest by organizing it in non-Muslim areas. After all in their own words wasnt it a fight to save the constitution and consecutively a responsibility of every single individual to organize and agitate. Nowhere has the author used the constitution to counter the standards of universal appeal. Nowhere in the write-up, the author can be seen celebrating the pluralism and diversity of the rich Indian heritage. On the contrary, his write-up is laced with multiple layers of majoritarian bias, one that on the face of it appears a softer and more accommodative and magnanimous version of Hindutva. If it hadnt been the case the author would have questioned the growing radicalization among the majority community instead of asking Muslims to take the witness box and confronting them with the questions of Universality and Singular identity. As a remedy for his manufactured ills, the author suggests Muslims to discover Indic-Islam to instil a sense of belongingness amongst the sceptics. Islam, the author must remember is for the entire mankind and hence is already universal in its appeal. No further argument required. Going back to Amartya Sens words, cited by the author, that any identity that is imagined in the singular will remain a source of violence, one needs to go no further than the constitution to answer. Atom is the fundamental unit of matter. In the same way, individuals are the fundamental unit of democracy. The individual can have a unitary identity or can be associated with multiple identities. The constitution was made on behalf of every individual which means that the constitution is a personal safeguard of every single individual. If there is an attack on rights of even a single individual it is an attack on the constitution, irrespective of the individual having singular or multiple identities. On the other hand, if the constitution denies rights to even a single individual, that individual has the right to register his grievance. A constitution is no holy book, its an organic document and the constitution itself contains provisions on how to amend it. Under Keshav Nanda Bharti judgment, except for the basic structure, the constitution can be changed, modified, altered or deleted. The words mentioned in the Preamble form the heart of the constitution and hence fall under basic structure. While parliamentary democracy, fundamental rights, judicial review, secularism are all held by courts as a basic structure, the list is not exhaustive. The majoritarian confusion on identity would be funny if it wasnt so sinister in its design. It first stereotypes minorities, pushes them to ghettos, limits their opportunities and then comes back as the saviour blaming the minorities themselves for the stereotype and marginalization. On the other hand when someone rises from the minority and starts mobilizing them these saviours would be quick to limit them within the boundaries of the identity they initially came criticizing. Its this Catch-22 situation for the minorities that has limited their politics, leadership, narrative and movement. Throughout the anti-CAA protests, the Muslims were adamant on calling the protests a constitutional fight, more specifically a fight to save secularism. To draw a parallel let us take the example of the ongoing farmers protest which is against the corporatization of the farm sector. Corporatization is a definite push towards capitalism which directly hurts the socialist principles of our constitution. Socialism like Secularism forms part of the preamble and hence is part of the basic structure of the constitution. Yet, not a single farmer is claiming that its a fight to save the constitution. The message is loud and clear. The farmers are protesting for their rights. It is but natural its a fight to save the constitution. One need not go announcing it on a loudspeaker. Muslim intelligentsia must remember that just like individuals the constitution must safeguard the interests of every single community. Any law that violates the rights of any single community is yet again an attack on the constitution. It is not at all necessary that one has to bring together people of different faiths to project ones fight as a constitutional battle. Only when the theoretical base is piled up on a strong reasoning, the implementation can take a coherent form. To forge a grand solidarity there are certain other ways. Confidence must be instilled in the oppressed and the marginalized that the Muslims will rally behind them whenever they lead a fight to save the constitution. And assurance must be taken from them that they would reciprocate. Till then any overt effort to prove our fight as a constitutional fight will be falling for the majoritarian trap, which despite the pursuit would forever pose in front of Muslims the same illegitimate and bogus questions of universality and identity. Muslims must think for how long they are going to answer. Both the Muslim intelligentsia as well as the liberals must note down. We have had enough of answering. Md. Aariz Imam is a Jamia Millia Islamia Alumnus and Research scholar at Magadh University MALDEN, Mass., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Housing Families will open a new shelter for homeless individuals at the OYO Hotel in Malden in early February, the result of close collaboration between the City of Malden, Malden Redevelopment Authority, Malden's legislative delegation, and several nonprofit partners. Housing Families, a Malden-based housing services organization, has provided emergency shelter for families for nearly 35 years, but this will be their first shelter for adult individuals. The 22-bed shelter will house individuals from the Metro North region, with priority given to Malden residents. Malden and its neighboring cities have long lacked an individual shelter, and the local need has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Because congregate shelters have been especially vulnerable to COVID-19, Housing Families' new shelter provides each individual with a private room and bathroom to ensure social distancing and reduce COVID-19 transmission. This shelter project was organized and coordinated by the Malden Redevelopment Authority (MRA) along with Housing Families, Eliot Community Human Services, the Malden Warming Center, Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD)'s Malden mobile outreach team, Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA), and Bread of Life, with active support from the City of Malden and Metro North Housing. Together, these agencies secured resources for the individual shelter, including case workers, food from Bread of Life, and a pool of rapid rehousing funds to help homeless individuals transition to permanent housing. The shelter and rapid rehousing efforts will supplement the City of Malden's coordinated response to COVID-induced housing instability, which already includes rental assistance, court-based eviction prevention, and a local moratorium on eviction enforcement in most cases. As part of the rapid rehousing services, shelter occupants will have access to financial assistance necessary to secure long-term housing, including rental assistance and security deposits. They will also receive social services and case management support. Story continues Housing Families and the City worked with State Senator Jason Lewis and State Representatives Paul Donato, Steve Ultrino, and Kate Lipper-Garabedian to secure funding through the state Department of Housing and Community Development. That combination of legislative advocacy and municipal support makes the project feel truly community-supported, says Housing Families CEO Laura Rosi. "It was inspirational to see housing services providers, the City of Malden, and our local legislators come together to make this project happen. We are both grateful and proud of the dignified temporary housing that we will be providing and that will benefit the health of the individuals we serve and the community," said Ms. Rosi. "This pandemic has allowed us to see that now, more than ever, access to housing is essential for the safety of individuals, families, and for society as a whole." "This shelter, which opens during one of Malden's darkest winters, shows the collective power of our community coming together to support our most vulnerable neighbors," said Malden Mayor Gary Christenson. "This project is possible due to the tremendous collaboration between my office, Ward Councillor Jadeane Sica and MRA staff, along with our state legislators, and nonprofit leaders, including Housing Families. We are proud to support this much-needed shelter in our community." "This shelter is a vital component of the housing stability safety net the City and MRA have built since the pandemic began," said MRA Executive Director Deborah Burke. "Our rental assistance and court-based eviction prevention programs help keep people from becoming homeless, and now this shelter will serve people experiencing homelessness and help them secure permanent housing." Individuals experiencing homelessness can request services by contacting Tom Southerton, Housing Families' Program Manager during business hours at 781-322-9119 ext. 159. The Malden Warming Center, located at 529 Eastern Avenue in Malden, will also act as an intake site for this shelter and individuals interested in staying at the shelter can visit the warming center for more information. Transportation to the shelter will be provided and Bread of Life will supply the shelter residents with three meals a day. This shelter is for adult individuals only and families with children who are experiencing homelessness should contact the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) at 781-388-7300. Housing Families Inc. Housing Families was founded in 1986 in an effort to end family homelessness. We provide safe, temporary shelter and quality affordable housing to homeless and at-risk families, offering individualized supportive services to enrich children's lives, nurture the potential of each family member, and help families maintain permanent housing. Housing Families operates a nationally recognized eviction prevention program and a housing stabilization program and has grown into one of the largest operators of affordable housing for homeless and low-income families in Massachusetts. For more information on Housing Families and our services, visit housingfamilies.org. Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/housing-families-inc-opening-first-ever-individual-shelter-in-malden-301218261.html SOURCE Housing Families Inc. (Natural News) Any reasonable American knows that, without a doubt, former President Donald Trump should not yet be a former president. We know with certainty that for a year, at least, ahead of the 2020 election, Democrats and their swarms of lawyers plotted how to steal Trumps reelection victory and install a weak-minded puppet, Joe Biden, who they could control and who would push through their country-wrecking Marxism. We know they went into key battleground states and convinced their political allies to unconstitutionally change voting rules and procedures in the weeks before the Nov. 3 election, using health fears over COVID-19 as justification (even though it was safe enough for their residents to shop the big box retailers). The strategy was as simple as it was diabolical: Get the battleground states to adopt universal mail-in balloting and then change validation requirements so that rafts of fake ballots could flood the system for Biden, then call anyone who questioned the procedures or claimed the voting was rigged a dangerous conspiracy theorist. Obviously, the steal worked; Trump is in Mar-a-Lago and Biden is in the Oval Office, the main difference being that Trump knows where hes at. Now, Democrats who also managed to eke out enough victories to take control of the Senate and retain control of the House are moving quickly to legalize the vote theft and, thus, make it impossible for Republicans and libertarians to ever unseat them. Moreover, they are also working on legislation that essentially criminalizes any dissent voiced by GOP voters. The Democrats appear intent on instituting one-party rule in the United States, Phill Kline, editor of Real Clear Politics, wrote this week. Theyre trying to use the U.S. Capitol riots as an excuse to criminalize dissent and banish conservative voices from the public sphere, and at the same time theyre hoping to use their temporary, razor-thin majority in Congress to rewrite the rules governing our elections in a way designed to keep the Democratic Party entrenched in power for decades to come, he added. Legislation dubbed Patriot Act 2.0 would create a brand-new domestic terrorism agency (not that DHS and the FBI dont already have divisions that focus on all terrorism, foreign and domestic) that Democrats and leftists would use as a force of Brown Shirts to intimidate critics and Trump supporters into silence. Essentially, First Amendment activities like posting memes, protesting and voicing opposition to Democrat politics would be redefined as threats to domestic security and summarily punished. Then, of course, there is the Democrat Protection Act, so to speak. Although the Constitution explicitly places state legislatures in charge of managing federal elections, HR 1 seeks to use the power of the purse to bludgeon the states into conforming to a centralized system pioneered in California and other deep-blue states. Congress cant technically compel the states to change their voting laws, but seasoned politicians know that the states have become dependent on federal money to run their elections, and cant afford to pick up the tab themselves, Kline writes. Thus, under the threat of being cut off from tax money their own citizens contribute to federal coffers, most states would accede to Uncle Sam. Worse, HR 1 claims that Congress has the ultimate supervisory power over Federal elections despite the Constitutions specific language to the contrary (Article I, Sect. 4). To that end, according to WorldNetDaily, the bill: Bans the requirement to provide a full Social Security number for voter registration Creates a nationwide Motor Voter registration, automatically registering people who obtain a drivers license, which is how thousands of illegals became registered voters in California and Nevada Establishes nationwide same-day registration Prohibits the type of work done by Judicial Watch to clean voter rolls of non-residents Mandates early voting Creates nationwide vote-by-mail and legalized ballot harvesting Bans a personal identification requirement as a condition of obtaining a ballot Prohibits requiring notarization or a witness signature to obtain or cast an absentee ballot Permits a voter to designate any person to deliver an absentee ballot and puts no limit on how many ballots a person may deliver Lays the groundwork for D.C. and Puerto Rico statehood Puts redistricting in the hands of Congress Now, though Article 1, Sect. 4 grants Congress some authority to set voting rules, there is no way states would have ratified the Constitution in the 1780s if the central government were given this kind of authority to run federal elections. But this isnt about the Constitution, obviously, because the theft of the 2020 election was purely unconstitutional. This is about perpetuating Democratic control of government until the end of time. See more reporting like this at Resist.news. Sources include: RealClearPolitics.com WND.com NaturalNews.com Evangeline Lilly majorly snubbed her Crisis co-star Armie Hammer as she took to Instagram on Thursday to promote the upcoming thriller. 'I am proud to be a part of a hard-hitting thriller that tackles the issues that surround an industry that profits from addiction,' gushed the actress, 41, who included the official poster for Crisis featuring herself, Hammer, and actor Gary Oldman. To conclude her caption, Lily noted that she was 'proud to be in this poster with #GaryOldman,' with no mention at all of Hammer's participation in the film. Armie, who? Evangeline Lilly majorly snubbed her Crisis co-star Armie Hammer as she took to Instagram on Thursday to promote the upcoming thriller Crisis, written and directed by Nicholas Jarecki, follows the three unique stories of a DEA agent, a determined mother, and a university professor set amid the ongoing opioid epidemic in America. While Armie's character tries to track down a drug trafficker smuggling Fentanyl Lilly's character, a recovering Oxycodone addict, tries to find the truth behind her missing son. Meanwhile, Oldman's character plays a university professor who realizes horrifying things about a new medication being touted as a 'non-addictive' painkiller. The film has a star packed cast that also features Greg Kinnear, Michelle Rodriguez, Luke Evans, Lily-Rose Depp, Kid Cudi, Duke Nicholson, Veronica Ferres and Martin Donovan. Crisis will be released in theaters across the United States on February 26, followed by a VOD release on March 5. Evangeline's obvious Instagram snub comes amid Armie's current 'cannibal' controversy, which commenced earlier this month after disturbing direct messages allegedly sent by the actor to a woman were leaked to the public. Favorite co-star: To conclude her caption, Lily noted that she was 'proud to be in this poster with #GaryOldman,' with no mention at all of Hammer's participation in the film; Evangeline pictured in 2019 The leaked messages depicted graphic instances sexual deviancy, including cannibalistic desires intense BDSM role play, and rape fantasies. Most recently, Hammer's ex girlfriend Paige Lorenze shared shocking revelations about the star's taste for over-the-top BDSM sex and drugs with DailyMail.com. Lorenze, 22, opened up about her 'deeply traumatic' four-month relationship with Hammer last week, describing how it left her emotionally and physically scarred. Lorenze claims the actor is a heavy drinker and enjoyed taking 'hallucinogens' as well as party substances, during their time together. The former professional skier-turned-Instagram model provided DailyMailTV with an exclusive image of a sickening scar just millimeters away from her private parts that was left when Hammer allegedly carved his first initial 'A' into her skin during a kinky sex game Crisis: Crisis, written and directed by Nicholas Jarecki, follows the three unique stories of a DEA agent, a determined mother, and a university professor Epidemic: The film is set amid the ongoing opioid epidemic in America Finding the truth: While Armie's character tries to track down a drug trafficker smuggling Fentanyl Lilly's character, a recovering Oxycodone addict, tries to find the truth behind her missing son She recently revealed that Hammer allegedly learned how to tie women up by practicing on mannequins he stored in the basement of the $5.8 million home he shared with his estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers and their two young children in Los Angeles. 'He told me that he had mannequins in his basement in his family home that Elizabeth and him were living at to practice rope tying on,' Lorenze told The Sun. 'It creeped me out, honestly. It was really strange. I'd never even heard of anything like that before.' Lorenze also claimed that Hammer talked about wanting to strangle his dog, a Welsh Terrier named Archie. 'He would get angry at his dog and say like: "I'm going to kill this dog, I would have strangled him if you weren't here,"' she said, noting that she does not believe he ever hurt the animal. Uncovering: Meanwhile, Oldman's character plays a university professor who realizes horrifying things about a new medication being touted as a 'non-addictive' painkiller Star-studded: The film has a star packed cast that also features Greg Kinnear, Michelle Rodriguez, Luke Evans, Lily-Rose Depp, Kid Cudi, Duke Nicholson, Veronica Ferres and Martin Donovan Upcoming: Crisis will be released in theaters across the United States on February 26, followed by a VOD release on March 5 Lorenze's story about the basement mannequins was supported by photos posted online by another alleged former lover, known on Instagram as Nastya D. Screenshots of messages purportedly sent to Nastya D by Hammer showed a mannequin wrapped in red rope with what he called a 'leash' coming out of the back. A partially blurred message accompanying the photos read: 'I was thinking about how perfect your [expletive] are and I tried to come up with a chest harness that had a handle in the middle of your perfect [expletive]... oh, and a [expletive] knot.' In her interview with DailyMailTV, Lorenze exposed Hammer as an out-of-control narcissistic sexual deviant and said his wild fantasies and BDSM-fueled desires could 'seriously injure another woman.' She described how Hammer - who has claimed he's '100% a cannibal' in vile Instagram messages to other women - licked blood from the wound he left when he allegedly carved his initial into her. Controversy: Evangeline's obvious Instagram snub comes amid Armie's current 'cannibal' controversy, which commenced earlier this month after disturbing direct messages allegedly sent by the actor to a woman were leaked to the public; Armie pictured in 2019 The blond beauty said Hammer was fixated on biting her body, begging that she allow him to take lumps of flesh from her arm, before consuming them. Hammer, who is currently embroiled in a bitter divorce and custody battle with his wife Chambers, also urged his lover Lorenze to participate in 'role play' sex, she said. Even on their first night of intimacy, Lorenze claimed Hammer insisted: 'You can either call me daddy or sir.' Lorenze described their time together in Los Angeles as 'like a real life 50 Shades Of Grey without the love'. Laying out more of his sick fantasies, Hammer begged the Instagram model to have her ribs removed, so that he could barbecue them. Coming forward: Most recently, Hammer's ex girlfriend Paige Lorenze shared shocking revelations about the star's taste for over-the-top BDSM sex and drugs with DailyMail.com Horrifying: Lorenze, 22, opened up about her 'deeply traumatic' four-month relationship with Hammer last week, describing how it left her emotionally and physically scarred; Paige, Armie, and his mother pictured in 2020 Even with his family at Thanksgiving, Hammer took along his leather bound BDSM case for kinky sex games. In a photo shared exclusively with DailyMailTV Hammer is seen posing with Lorenze and his mother Dru Ann during the holidays, which they celebrated in Dallas, Texas. In another exclusive photo the former couple are seen shirtless on a moped in the desert, Hammer smiling and wearing a cowboy hat. In a statement to DailyMail.com, Hammer's lawyer said: 'These assertions about Mr. Hammer are patently untrue. Any interactions with this person, or any partner of his, were completely consensual in that they were fully discussed, agreed upon, and mutually participatory.' Up until 2020 Hammer was regarded as one of the most suave, handsome and brightest stars and family men in Hollywood. But behind closed doors, Lorenze saw a 'broken' side of the actor, famous for films like The Lone Ranger, Social Network and Call Me By Your Name. Roleplay: Hammer, who is currently embroiled in a bitter divorce and custody battle with his wife Elizabeth Chambers, also urged his lover Lorenze to participate in 'role play' sex, she said 'Armie is deeply insecure. He really opened up at times about his marriage break-up and family issues,' she said. 'He would cry in my arms, about how he loved his kids and felt Elizabeth was a great mother. But then would villainize his wife at other times. 'And he also talked about all the women that he had been with, which made me think he cheated all the time. There are issues too with his parents, which haunt him. I didn't ask questions, I just listened, because I felt we had an instant trust. 'Now I think a lot of it was an act, attention seeking and part of his mind games. It was an Oscar winning performance.' Despite issues with his family Hammer still took Lorenze to visit his mother Dru Ann for Thanksgiving in Dallas. Lorenze says that 'money problems' meant the pair drove 1400 miles from LA to Dallas for the family gathering. Disgusting: Lorenze also claimed that Hammer talked about wanting to strangle his dog, a Welsh Terrier named Archie; Archie pictured Rage-filled: 'He would get angry at his dog and say like: "I'm going to kill this dog, I would have strangled him if you weren't here,"' she said, noting that she does not believe he ever hurt the animal; Armie and Archie pictured in 2013 'It was a rare moment when I felt like we were in a normal relationship, because he felt we were serious enough to meet his family,' she recalls. 'I immediately bonded with his mom, who was super kind and considerate. Even around them Armie would call me his 'little pet'.' But Lorenze sensed the tension between mother and son. 'He told me that his mother poured oil on his head one night speaking in tongues, claiming he had demons inside of him. 'That seemed weird, but she seemed a sweet traditional and Christian woman. But I feel now she knew he had a dark side.' Hammer even took his BDSM leather case on the trip, but Lorenze 'refused to have sex out of respect to his mom'. Just days after returning home, in early December, Lorenze, still recovering from his branding, decided to call off their romance. 'It was too much. I felt sick to my stomach, insecure and no longer attracted to him - and he was getting stranger,' she said. Denial: In a statement to DailyMail.com, Hammer's lawyer said: 'These assertions about Mr. Hammer are patently untrue. Any interactions with this person, or any partner of his, were completely consensual in that they were fully discussed, agreed upon, and mutually participatory'; Armie pictured in 2018 'I texted him that morning to say I do not think we can see each other anymore. 'Perhaps I hoped he would change or try to make things right, but instead he replied: 'okay I understand'. 'He left soon after to see his family in the Cayman Islands for Christmas, but told me he did not want to go as he was lonely and sad. 'It will take me a long time to get over this. It still feels like a fever dream and not real.' Hammer's romance came as he and ex wife Elizabeth Chambers attempted to work out joint custody of their children and requested that she return to the US to arrange a custody schedule. In September, the actor told British GQ his separation from Chambers, whom he married in 2010, was a 'seriously seismic event'. 'I don't think you'll find anyone in the world who would ever say what I'm going through is an easy thing to go through,' he said. Seismic event: Hammer's romance came as he and ex wife Elizabeth Chambers attempted to work out joint custody of their children and requested that she return to the US to arrange a custody schedule; Elizabeth and Armie pictured in 2018 Hammer said when he and Chambers discussed their separation, they kept their focus on what was best for their kids. Lorenze added: 'Elizabeth is a really smart loving caring person and he is doing all of this with no regard to his family, ''We have been in touch. Elizabeth has been nothing but supportive of me and she wants me to get my truth out. I cannot thank her enough. 'I feel this is so hard for her, she has been through hell with him.' She concluded: 'People who know Armie say he already has three new 'pets', one aged 19. 'I am worried for her safety. After what happened to me, I cannot imagine what she is going through, even though she may not realize the physical and mental trauma.' Lorenze plans to use her platform to support women, who are victims in abusive relationships. Developer Johnny Ronans firm is suing Bewleys over ownership of the cafes iconic Harry Clarke stained-glass panels, estimated to be worth around 2m. A dispute erupted in December after Bewleys owner Paddy Campbell vowed to donate the valuable artwork to the public. Ronan Group Real Estate (RGRE), controlled by Mr Ronan, wrote to Bewleys last month seeking acknowledgement from the Campbell family that the windows belonged to the property development company as landlord and owner of the premises. However, a source said the response from Bewleys was unsatisfactory. RGRE has subsequently lodged legal papers and the two companies are set to do battle in the High Court once again. Proceedings were issued in the Commercial Court this week. A spokesperson said RGRE would not be commenting. Read More Ownership of the decorative stained-glass panels, commissioned by Bewleys from artists including Harry Clarke, Pauline Bewick and Jim Fitzpatrick, has already been transferred to the cafes parent company. RGRE is claiming that Bewleys did not have the right to do this because the artworks are integral to the building and are owned by the landlord. Speaking to the Irish Independent previously, RGRE said it was more than happy for Paddy Campbell to remove any and all of his own sculptures from the premises. It is RGREs wish that the premises remain open and accessible to the public, and that the windows continue to be enjoyed by all visitors. Indeed, it is a condition of the lease that the cafe remains open for trade and that the windows cannot be removed, they added. It is understood Mr Campbell intended to donate the artworks to the State as part of his retirement wishes. This could potentially afford the parent company a lucrative tax break although Mr Campbell says he is motivated by their artistic value. Artist Jim Fitzpatrick, known for his iconic portrait of Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara, tweeted at the time that it was incredible news his stained-glass window in Bewleys would be donated to the public. However, RGRE said: It is not in Bewleys gift to transfer ownership either between its group companies, as it has purported to do, or to transfer ownership to the State as Paddy Campbell has so generously indicated are his wishes. The Campbell family said previously: The works of art are not part of the building and did not form part of Bewleys original sale of the premises to Royal Insurance in 1987. Protected The artworks have always remained in the ownership of Bewleys, and have been protected, maintained and insured by Bewleys. Bewleys was in a protracted legal battle with RGRE over rent arrears that nearly shut down the Grafton Street cafe permanently last year and not for the first time. In 2012, Bewleys took legal action seeking to have its 1.5m rent halved to 728,000, as recommended by an independent arbitrator. However, this was overturned by the Supreme Court, which ruled in the Ronan Groups favour. Zulema Riquelme, a 46-year-old nursing technician, receives a shot of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Metropolitan Hospital in Santiago, Chile, Dec. 24, 2020. (Chilean Presidential Palace/Handout via Xinhua) SANTIAGO, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Thursday welcomed a shipment of nearly 2 million vaccines developed by Chinese firm Sinovac Biotech as the South American country is preparing for mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19. "Today is a day of joy, excitement and hope because, as you see behind me, there is the plane that brought a shipment of almost 2 million doses of Sinovac vaccines from China," Pinera said after the aircraft landed at the Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in the capital Santiago. Pinera was accompanied by Health Minister Enrique Paris, Dr. Alexis Kalergis, director of the Millennium Institute in Immunology and Immunotherapy (IMII), where the drug is being tested in Chile, and the charge d'affaires of China's Embassy in Chile, Zhou Yi, among other officials. The vaccines, which were stored and shipped at a temperature of between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius to keep them in perfect condition, were immediately unloaded from a LATAM Airline's Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Pinera noted that the Health Ministry approved Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine as "safe and effective" for immunizing all age groups over 18, including those over 60. On Jan. 20, the Chilean Institute of Public Health (ISP) authorized the emergency use of the Sinovac vaccine. Another shipment is to arrive on Jan. 31, bringing almost 2 million more Sinovac vaccines that will be used in the immunization drive, Pinera added. On Wednesday, "after having the certificates that certify the safety of this vaccine, we will be able to initiate a mass vaccination process in all regions of the country," Pinera said. He also announced that he and Health Minister Paris "are going to be vaccinated with a Sinovac vaccine and, probably, we will do it in the second week of February." Chinese envoy Zhou told Xinhua that since the onset of the pandemic, China has devoted all its efforts to researching and developing vaccines and promoting global health cooperation. China attaches great importance to Chile's demand for vaccines and is willing to continue promoting bilateral cooperation on vaccines against COVID-19, said Zhou. Meanwhile, IMII Director Kalergis said the results of the trials so far are promising. "The work in our phase III clinical study in Chile is preliminary, but it is very important because we are evaluating the vaccine in our country, and the results that we have seen in the study in Chile clearly show favorable safety data and also immunogenicity," said Kalergis. Chile's Health Ministry reported Thursday that 714,143 people have tested positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic here, of which 670,336 have recovered, and 18,174 have died from the disease. Chile is facing a resurgence in infections and has thus had to resume restrictive measures and confinements in towns hardest hit by the virus amid the peak tourism season of the austral summer months. By Zhang Weiwei New US President Biden, both during the election campaign and after taking office, vowed to mend relations with US allies, saying that he would unite with countries with similar concepts to safeguard their shared values and interests to rebuild Americas leadership on the international stage. What does this mean for Northeast Asia? The geopolitical landscape in Northeast Asia has undergone marked changes compared with four years ago. First, China is quickly approaching the US in economic, technological, and international influence, with more intense competition between them. Second, China, Japan, and the ROK are working more closely together with vast space of cooperation in such areas as industrial chain integration, trade in service and the digital economy. Third, with the Korean nuclear issue still in suspense, the political legacies from the Trump administration is showing its adverse effects. How will the sustained US-China rivalry affect the geopolitical trend in Northeast Asia, or how will the geopolitical interactions in the region affect US-China relations? Northeast Asia, which is home to Americas two major allies and its biggest adversary , so to speak, has drawn close attention from the international community. Japan and ROK, Americas two major allies in Northeast Asia, have both similar and different feelings toward the incoming Biden administration. On the one hand, both countries suffered greatly from the America first policy in the past four years, during which they were suppressed by the Trump administration in terms of military expense sharing and economic and trade relations. Hence, both have high expectations for Bidens commitment to mending ties with allies. Meanwhile, both countries have been embroiled by the Trump administrations besiegement of the Chinese economy and technology and, to varying degrees, hope for a generally stable US-China relationship that doesnt go to the extreme. On the other hand, Japan and ROK have different focuses. Compared with the ROK, Tokyo is more eager to take Washingtons side and secure its commitment to applying Article 5 of the Japan-US security treaty to the Diaoyu Islands and to strengthening cooperation on the Indo-Pacific vision. Seoul, however, is more focused on the Biden administrations policy on the Korean nuclear issue, and is worried about being forced by the US into the Indo-Pacific strategy to assist it in containing China. In Northeast Asia, either Japan and the ROK since the end of World War II or China after its introduction of the reform and opening-up policy have boosted their development and international status by embracing the global system and participating in international competition. Therefore, these countries are not afraid of competition as long as its fair game. As they keep improving themselves, they will bring more benefits for people in the region, promote common progress and create a positive cycle. Not long ago, China and the EU wrapped up their negotiations on the China-EU investment treaty, a concrete step that demonstrates Chinas resolve to open up further and deepen reform, and its courage and willingness to embrace international competition on a higher level. As to leadership, thats not something that can be planned or promoted. Real leadership will and can only be reflected and acknowledged through action. Those who bring peace and development, prosperity, and stability to the region will be truly respected and recognized. The Biden administration has arrived, but both the US and Northeast Asia have changed. We need to make considerations based on the new reality and new requirements. China and the US can only contribute to regional and global welfare by developing a relationship of cooperation and benign competition. To some extent, the world can only avert falling apart when Northeast Asia remains intact. All parties should work together toward this goal, not the opposite. (The author is a senior researcher of Department for Asia-Pacific Studies of China Institute of International Studies (CIIS). This article is originally published on huanqiu.com.cn, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn) New Delhi: India, scraping all the previous central and state taxes at the stroke of midnight on Friday launched one centralised Goods and Service Tax(GST). Country's biggest ever tax reform was launched by President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a special function held at the historic Parliament House Central Hall at midnight on June 30. Speaking at the special GST rollout function, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the "GST means Goods and Service Tax but it also means Good and Simple Tax". There are 500 types of taxes that play their roles. Today(June 1) we are getting rid of them," Modi said. "From Ganganagarto Itanagar and Leh to Lakshadweep, it is one nation, one tax." The day marks a decisive turning point in determining the future course of the country, he said, adding GST would ensure one nation, one tax. President Pranab Mukherjee, who was also India's Finance Minister during UPA's government in 2011 congratulating GST council said, "this historic moment is the culmination of 14-year long journey which began in December 2002." #GST formally launched in Parliament by PM Modi and President Mukherjee. pic.twitter.com/BcGOG7gflS ANI (@ANI_news) June 30, 2017 "When a change of this magnitude is undertaken however positive it may, there bound to be some teething troubles & difficulties in the initial stage," President Mukherjee said. Trending Now: GST launched on July 1: Top quotes from President Pranab Mukherjee's speech "GST will make India's exports more competitive and provide a level-playing field to domestic industry to compete with imports," he added. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the launch of India's biggest ever tax reform since Independence will help the economy grow by 2 percent. "We have done this at a time when the world is facing a slow growth, isolationism and lack of structural reforms. With the GST, India has shown that these forces can be overcome through display of inclusion, openness and boldness," Jaitley said. It shows India can collectively think and act with maturity for a broader purpose, he added. Besides Modi and Mukherjee, the starry midnight launch was attended by Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda. However, Opposition parties including Congress and TMC didn't attend the midnight GST roll out ceremony except for NCP, JD-U, JD-S. The GST was first proposed in 2003, the idea of the one centralised tax was bogged down for years in bipartisan debate, with political parties in government trying to push it and those in opposition dragging it down. Before Modi came to power three years ago, his party was not particularly in favour of the GST. Read as it happened | GST launch highlights: President Mukherjee, PM Modi launch Goods and Service Tax in India Under the new system, goods and services will be taxed under four basic rates - 5%, 12% 18% and 28%. Over 1,200 items, from shampoo to tea to automobiles, have been put in these four broad tax categories. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. home World ISIS threatens Pope ahead of Christmas A pro-ISIS media group has threatened to attack Pope Francis as Christians around the world gear up to celebrate the birth of Christ. Al-Abd Al-Faqir made the threat in a new propaganda poster showing a handgun being pointed at the Pope. It carries the slogan 'Don't think you are away from our attacks'. Another poster threatened violence to 'slaves of the Cross' and showed a gunman creeping up behind the Pope, PJ Media reports. Last year, the ISIS-affiliated media group Wafa Media Foundation made a similar threat of violence in the run-up to Christmas when it released a poster showing a man in a balaclava driving towards the Vatican. It was captioned 'Christmas blood ... so wait'. According to PJ Media, ISIS produced an e-book in which it said any attack on the Vatican was likely to be met by strong resistence from the Mafia. 'There is no doubt that if Muslims want to take over Italy, the Islamic State European fighters will have to ally with other militias to fight the Mafia before the conquest of Rome,' it reportedly said. The Vatican has previously acknowledged it could be the target of an ISIS attack. In 2015, Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the Vatican would ensure that the appropriate security measures were in place to deal with any threat. 'The Vatican could be a target because of its religious significance,' he said. 'We are capable of increasing the level of security in the Vatican and the surrounding area. 'But we will not let ourselves be paralysed by fear.' ISIS has previously called for 'lone wolf' attacks to be carried out in Europe. In one ISIS-inspired attack in 2016, 12 people were killed at a Christmas market in Berlin. Courtesy of Christian Today The produced water treatment market is poised to grow by USD 327 mn during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of about 1% during the forecast period. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005488/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Produced Water Treatment Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Worried about the impact of COVID-19 on your Business? Here is an Exclusive report talking about Market scenarios, Estimates, the impact of lockdown, and Customer Behaviour. Get FREE Sample Report in Minutes! The report on the produced water treatment market provides a holistic update, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario and the overall market environment. The market is driven by rising demand for oil and gas. The produced water treatment market analysis includes application segment and geography landscape. This study identifies the rise in unconventional oil and gas resources as one of the prime reasons driving the produced water treatment market growth during the next few years. This report presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters. The produced water treatment market covers the following areas: Produced Water Treatment Market Sizing Produced Water Treatment Market Forecast Produced Water Treatment Market Analysis Companies Mentioned Baker Hughes Co. Enviro-Tech Systems General Electric Co. Minerals Technologies Inc. Ovivo Inc. Schlumberger Ltd. Siemens AG TechnipFMC Plc VEOLIA ENVIRONNEMENT SA Weatherford International Plc Related Reports on Utilities Include: Rooftop Solar Market by Application and Geography Forecast and Analysis 2020-2024- The rooftop solar market size has the potential to grow by 11.36 GW during 2020-2024, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 5.62%. To get extensive research insights: Click and get FREE sample report in minutes The rooftop solar market size has the potential to grow by 11.36 GW during 2020-2024, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 5.62%. To get extensive research insights: Water Quality Monitoring Equipment Market by Application and Geography Forecast and Analysis 2020-2024- The water quality monitoring equipment market size has the potential to grow by USD 1.74 billion during 2020-2024, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate during the forecast period. To get extensive research insights: Click and get FREE sample report in minutes Key Topics Covered: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market segment analysis Market size 2019 Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024 Five Forces Analysis Five forces summary Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by Application Market segments Comparison by Application Onshore Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Offshore Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by Application Customer landscape Geographic Landscape Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024 MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024 South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Key leading countries Market opportunity by geography Market drivers Demand led growth Market challenges Market trends Vendor Landscape Vendor landscape Landscape disruption Competitive scenario Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors Baker Hughes Co. Enviro-Tech Systems General Electric Co. Minerals Technologies Inc. Ovivo Inc. Schlumberger Ltd. Siemens AG TechnipFMC Plc VEOLIA ENVIRONNEMENT SA Weatherford International Plc Appendix Scope of the report Currency conversion rates for US$ Research methodology List of abbreviations Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005488/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ Losses from cryptocurrency theft, hacks and fraud fell 57% last year to $1.9 billion, as market participants boosted security systems, but crime in the decentralized finance space continued to grow, a report from crypto intelligence company CipherTrace showed. Criminals got away with a record $4.5 billion in 2019 in the crypto market. Related: Cryptocurrency Fraud Losses Surge to $4.4 Billion: CipherTrace Report Fraud was the dominant cryptocurrency crime in 2020, followed by theft, and ransomware. Half of all thefts, or about $129 million, were hacks tied to decentralized finance (DeFi), which are transactions on platforms that facilitate lending outside of banks. Cryptocurrencies have attracted renewed scrutiny and interest as institutional investors have piled into digital assets, particularly bitcoin, propelling the latter to a record high of $42,000 this month. Thefts from hacks against centralized exchanges continue to decrease as these financial institutions mature and adopt stronger security measures, Dave Jevans, CipherTraces chief executive officer, said in an interview. Regulation and enforcement are restricting centralized fraud schemes, which are pushing criminals to exploit decentralized finance services, he added. The total number of loans on DeFi platforms was nearly $25 billion, as of late Wednesday, data from industry site DeFi Pulse showed, up more than 500% from roughly $4 billion in August last year. DeFi sites run on open infrastructure, with algorithms that set rates in real time based on supply and demand. DeFi platforms enjoy many exemptions from traditional regulatory enforcement regimes that centralized exchanges, money service businesses and banks face, said Jevans. For example, DeFi platforms often do not have to perform customer verification (Know Your Customer) or transaction anti-money laundering. This makes them ideal venues for moving and laundering money. The report also showed bitcoin addresses with criminal ties sent, at minimum, $3.5 billion worth of bitcoins throughout 2020, or less than 1% of total crypto transactions. This figure includes bitcoin addresses controlled by dark markets, ransomware actors, hackers, and fraudsters. Jevans said the bulk of those bitcoins would be laundered by bad actors, meaning they will make their way to an exchange where they are converted to fiat currency and transferred to a bank. (Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss, editing by Rosalba OBrien) Topics Trends Profit Loss Fraud Head of Ukraine's mission to NATO to be appointed in near future Stefanishyna Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, hopes that the head of Ukraine's mission to NATO will be appointed in the near future. "The decision to appoint the head of the Ukrainian mission to NATO is made by the president, since this is a diplomatic position. We have formed a number of proposals to determine the candidacy ... and we hope that he will be appointed in the near future," Stefanishyna said during the Hour of Questions to the Government in parliament on Friday. She clarified that the appointment of the head of mission will be after "communications between the Prime Minister and the President with the Secretary General [of NATO] and discussion, including this issue." "This issue has actually been resolved," said Stefanishyna. CALGARY - Ottawa says it is referring the impact assessment of a Suncor Energy Inc. oilsands mine extension in northern Alberta to an independent review panel. Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jonathan Wilkinson, left, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hold a press conference in Ottawa on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick CALGARY - Ottawa says it is referring the impact assessment of a Suncor Energy Inc. oilsands mine extension in northern Alberta to an independent review panel. The review is in the public interest given the extent to which the open pit project could adversely affect areas of federal jurisdiction, and considering concerns expressed by the public and Indigenous groups, Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said Friday. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada is to work with the Alberta Energy Regulator to co-ordinate federal and provincial regulatory processes, he said, including the potential for a joint review panel. Its next steps are to invite public and Indigenous comment on the draft impact statement guidelines and the public participation plan before finalizing both. The Alberta government is urging Ottawa to complete their assessment in a timely fashion to avoid delays that drive away investment, said Peter Brodsky, senior press secretary for provincial Energy Minister Sonya Savage. He added the referral to an independent review panel doesn't reflect on the AER's "comprehensive, world-class review process." Suncor filed an application for the mine development a year ago even though it said it won't be needed until 2035, when the nearby existing mine that supplies its Base Plant is played out. At the time, CEO Mark Little said filing early is "prudent'' under the federal regulatory system, adding the project represents one of several options the Calgary-based company is considering and wouldn't be officially approved for development for at least a decade. In its project application, Suncor suggests construction would start as early as 2026 so that the mine could be operational by 2030. Spokeswoman Erin Rees said the company will work with the panel to provide what is needed to complete the assessment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2020. Companies in this story: (TSX:SU) At the age of 26 he has achieved huge success. Adarsh Gourav is right now the talk of the town, thanks to his outstanding performance in The White Tiger. TOI This young boy is so good that he has even managed to overshadow the powerhouses of talent Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra, his co-stars in this Ramin Bahrani film. TOI Who Is Adarsh Gourav? Gourav hails from Jamshedpur and he came to Mumbai to achieve his big dreams. Apart from being such a fine actor, he has impeccable talent in music as well. Adarshs father is a Central Government employee and he was transferred to Mumbai in 2007. That's when he started his journey and its as filmy as it can be. He played young Shah Rukh Khan In My Name Is Khan Twitter While singing at Kala Godha Arts festival, he was spotted by a filmmaker and was asked if he wants to do acting. He got excited because he wanted to see himself on television and after auditioning, he was a cast as young Shah Rukh Khan in My Name Is Khan (2010). After that he studied in Mithibai College Mumbai and later went to The Drama School of Mumbai. In one of his interviews with a tabloid, he was asked about his struggle as an outsider, to which he said, Since I started quite early, mujhe kabhi aisa feel nai huya ki I am doing something very hardcore. I had friends, I had my school. I had so many distractions. I had this advantage that I started very early. But yes, it is something that requires a lot of patience. Just believe in yourself. And keep working on yourself. You cant afford to become stagnant. There are 10,000 people ready to replace you in a second. And there are people as good as you or better than you- its just about an opportunity that they are waiting for. An antagonist in Sridevis Last Film Mom Twitter After My Name Is Khan, we saw him in Sridevis Mom where he played the antagonist Mohit Chadha and aced that role. Most of us hated him so much in the film and that's the best compliment he could ever receive as an actor. Balram Halwai In The White Tiger And now in 2021 he has become a global star with his portrayal of Balram Halwai in The White Tiger and one cannot stop raving about his performance in the film. His co-star Rajkummar Rao heaped all praises for him in an interaction with Pinkvilla, he said, " With PC, we all know her talent. Adarsh, playing Balram, is so dedicated. The way he functions on sets and off sets. They are the kind of actors I like to work with. He further explained that both Priyanka and Adarsh are very passionate about their job and whatever they do. He also said that these kinds of actors inspire him on sets. It's a great synergy as everybody is working towards making a wonderful film. And that's what we want out of a team," Rajkummar added. Twitter He has also done a film called 'Rukh' alongside Manoj Bajpayee and a short film 'Clean Shaven' directed by Anurag Kashyap starting Radhika Apte too. The boy deserves all the love and appreciation. Have you watched The White Tiger yet? Up to 150,000 fewer people will be vaccinated by the end of March due to supply issues with AstraZeneca, the Oireachtas Health Committee has been told. Ireland will now only get 1.1m AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which will cover 550,000 people, chair of the vaccine taskforce professor Brian MacCraith has confirmed. It had been expected that Ireland would have taken delivery of 1.4m vaccines, to cover 700,000 people as two doses are needed, by the end of March. Prof. MacCraith said he expects a 50% reduction in the amount of the so-called 'game changer' AstraZenca vaccine in the next two months. He said: The totality for quarter one now is 286,000, when we have been planning on expecting 600,000. "So that gives you that approximate 50% reduction," he said when asked about reduced delivery of AstraZeneca. Separately, the HSE's implementation lead for the vaccination plan and workforce, David Walsh, could not say how many care home staff and residents have yet to be vaccinated. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly had promised that all those working and living in care homes would be vaccinated by last Sunday. Mr Walsh told the Committee that there are 117 nursing homes where there are "substantial numbers" of people who have not been vaccinated. Read More More than 180 Covid-19 outbreaks in nursing homes Sinn Fein health spokesman David Cullinane warned that officials and politicians should not be "overpromising" when it comes to the delivery of vaccines. Pressed on the AstraZeneca vaccine, Prof. MacCraith said the total expected delivery for AstraZeneca in February is 190,000 doses. "That will be split over three deliveries and we don't have absolute certainty on those deliveries yet. We expect to have a delivery in mid-February and delivery in late February." He said the only information provided by AstraZeneca for March is the promise of an initial batch of 95,000 doses. "But that's one of two or three deliveries but they will only confirm at this stage the 95,000 which is the first delivery." Fine Gael TD Bernard Durkan asked when daily updates on vaccines will be published by the HSE, however, no specific date was provided. Social Democrat's co-leader Roisin Shortall also called for regular updates on the number of vaccines that have been arriving in the country and said a rolling total of vaccines that have been administered should be provided "at least twice weekly". Prof MacCraith said batches of the Pfizer vaccine are arriving here once a week, while the Moderna vaccine comes in "approximately fortnightly". Ms Shortall said "it's important that we don't raise people's expectations" adding that the "goalposts are changing" around delivery. Mr Walsh told the Committee that an IT system to allow for the mass rollout of vaccines is being built from scratch. He said this IT system would usually take six months to develop, but it is being rolled out in just three weeks. Mr Walsh said that the vision is to have a fully digitally supported process from end to end covering all aspects of the vaccine programme. 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. Kitsch or an extraordinary piece of art? Depends on who you ask. Serbias president attended the unveiling on Wednesday night of a grandiose monument to a medieval monk and historic ruler which has come under fire from critics who call it oversized and kitschy. President Aleksandar Vucics allies say the 23-meter-high (75-foot-high), 70-ton bronze sculpture of the legendary founder of the Serbian state, Stefan Nemanja, placed on a gilded egg-shaped pedestal in downtown Belgrade will be a new landmark of the Serbian capital. Opponents think the monument is a megalomaniacal and pricy token of Vucics populist and autocratic rule that should be removed. Vucic told a crowd of several thousand of his supporters, who kept no social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic, that the beautiful statue represents an art masterpiece which is a symbol of the Serbian statehood and unity. He said that all those who dream of removing it will not succeed because it represents the anchor of the whole Serbian nation. Social media commentators have named the sculpture Saruman on a Kinder Egg and critics said the sculpture made and designed in Russia is inconsistent with traditional Serbian architectural style and instead resembles Soviet-era mega-size monuments. An independent Society of Serbian art conservators said the monument is an ideological product of despotism which has no connection with Serbia and Belgrade of the 21st century. Art historian Aida Corovic said it's not a monument to Stefan Nemanja but to Vucics arrogance. Belgrades deputy mayor, Goran Vesic, rejected the criticism, saying the once rundown part of the city is becoming one of the most beautiful places in the capital and a new center of the city. The monument was placed on a renovated square in front of Belgrades old railway station. It is a part of the Belgrade Waterfront project financed by a United Arab Emirates company that includes Dubai-style shopping malls and high-rise buildings. The building of the monument has often been compared by critics to a hotly disputed revamp of Macedonias capital, Skopje, earlier in the 2000s that included dozens of monuments and sculptures which have earned it nickname the kitsch capital of the Balkans. Both projects became synonymous with secretive and reckless spending. The price paid to the Russian sculptor for the monument has been proclaimed a state secret, but independent estimates range to around 9 million euros ($11 million.) Srinagar, Jan 29 : An encounter with terrorists began in Tral area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Friday after security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation, officials said. The operation was launched on the basis of specific information about the presence of terrorists. As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where the terrorists were hiding, they came under heavy fire that triggered the encounter. "Encounter started at Mandoora Tral area in Awantipora. Security forces are on the job," police said. BAY VILLAGE, Ohio Fraud: Longbeach Parkway On Jan. 20, a 33-year-old resident reported that someone had used his identity and Social Security number to apply for unemployment benefits through the State of Ohio. The man was advised by his employer that this had occurred. The employer told the Department of Job and Family Services that the individual was still employed. The man filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and contacted his financial institutions about the fraud. The detective bureau is investigating. Fraud: Cowles Drive On Jan. 22, a 65-year-old resident told officers that a former neighbor, who had purchased her home over 20 years ago, had dropped off a letter that was mailed to the previous address from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. It turns out that someone had used the womans identity and Social Security number to apply for unemployment benefits. The woman is still employed and has no idea how the scammers got her information. The woman was told to contact her financial institutions about the fraud. She was also referred to the Unemployment Fraud website. Detectives are investigating. Drunken driving: Lake Road At 7:51 p.m. Jan. 22, an officer on patrol stopped a driver for numerous moving traffic violations. The driver, a 44-year-old Avon Lake resident, appeared to be under the influence. The man failed field sobriety tests and was arrested. At the police station, he refused to provide a breath sample to test his blood-alcohol content. Read more news from the West Shore Sun. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! 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. To ensure a safer and a healthier lifestyle amidst this pandemic, Panasonic India - a leading diversified technology company, today launched the new range of Air Conditioners (ACs) under the HU series enabled with recently announced nanoeX technology. nanoeX technology releases hydroxyl radicals contained in water. Hydroxyl radicals are also known as natures detergent that are capable of inhibiting bacteria and viruses, including 99.99% of the adhered novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Panasonic has successfully tested* the nanoeX device as well as nanoeX ACs for the inhibitory effect on the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) at Texcell Laboratory, France. The new line-up of the five-star inverter nanoeX ACs will be available in 1-ton and 1.5-ton. The (CS/CU-HU18XKYF) will be priced at INR 66, 000. Indian consumers can experience the new range of Panasonic ACs, across major retail outlets, online portals and Panasonic brand stores soon. Speaking at the launch, Mr. Manish Sharma, President and CEO, Panasonic India & South Asia, said Panasonic has been a frontrunner when it comes to developing pathbreaking technologies over the years to cater to the ever-evolving needs of the consumers. Our new range of Air Conditioners come with the nanoeX technology demonstrating our commitment of making products that are relevant and in line with consumer requirement. Panasonic first tested the nanoeX device at Texcell Laboratory, France where we did see success in inhibiting novel coronavirus. We challenged Texcell Laboratory further to test the nanoeX device with Panasonic AC and this was also successful in inhibiting novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Mr. Suguru Takamatsu, Divisional Head Consumers Sales Division, Panasonic India said, India has one of the lowest penetrations of ACs in the world at 5% that holds immense growth prospects in the segment. Further, with deteriorating air quality and the spread of new diseases, consumers have become more health-conscious. Therefore, our new range of Panasonic nanoeX ACs are capable of eliminating the growth of certain pollutants such as allergens, bacteria, viruses, moulds, odours, and certain hazardous substances to enable a healthier lifestyle for our consumers. Mr. Gaurav Sah, Business Head, Air Conditioners Group, Panasonic India said, Our rich expertise of over 60 years in AC manufacturing has helped us innovate with products that add value to our consumers daily life. The new line-up of nanoeX ACs are equipped with ECONAVI, Twin Cool INV, and Jetstream technology for maximum safety and comfort. Tested* under lab conditions in Texcell, the new Panasonic nanoe X ACs have an inhibitory effect on the adhered novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). These ACs are installed with the nanoeX device which releases 4.8 trillion hydroxyl radicals in a second that cleanses and deodorizes the indoor air. These nanoe X ACs can operate in fan mode and do not always require a compressor/ air cooling feature to be turned on ensuring - energy efficiency and round the clock indoor safety. Dr. Prerna Kohli, a renowned Clinical psychologist and founder of MindTribe.in was invited at the Panasonic India press conference. Sharing her views on the situation Dr. Kohli said, Contrary to the popular belief that Covid-19 only had a physical impact on people, no one was ready for the impact it had on the mental wellbeing. With little or, no control over external environment people, today, have become more anxious about having a healthy lifestyle, falling ill and infecting others unknowingly, worries related to childcare and elderly parents. And, until the vaccine becomes accessible and compatible for all, this concern will remain in the near future. However, we still have an option to take control of our mental stature and, our indoor environment by making smart choices. I believe, such breakthrough tech-innovations like Panasonics nanoeX are a reflection of our evolving lifestyle needs, takes care of our indoor safety and at the same time offers complete peace of mind. Dr.Kohli further added. The new range of Panasonic nanoeX ACs i.e., HU series features Miraie - Panasonics Artificial Intelligence (AI) and IoT platform to ensure connected living. Comfort factor is ensured through superior cooling via Twin Cool INV, ECONAVI and Jetstream. The promise of durability is assured through Shield-Blu and ecoTOUGH technology. The HU series have been designed aesthetically and will be available in Advance facia. A safer and healthier indoor air quality is ensured through Panasonics original nanoe X and nanoe-G technology. nanoe-G technology works on the principle of ionizer technology and is already present across our Air Conditioner range. 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. San Antonio's famous River Walk is in the running for a special accolade from USA Today, and the competition is harmless at best. The newspaper company nominated 20 River Walks throughout the country as a part of their 2021 10Best project with the help of a panel of urban planning experts. So what exactly is our River Walk up against? Not much. Let's take a look at the top contenders. Sure, the Hudson River Park in Manhattan boasts great views of the New York City skyline, but the Hudson River itself is famed for urban pollution and dead body dumps and discoveries, just like in The Sopranos. So do what you will with that information. RELATED: 15 River Walk restaurants locals actually like to visit Another honorable mention is the Chicago River Walk. While it is beautiful, especially at night, but it's honestly just too frigid in the windy city to enjoy it for the majority of the year. The skyscrapers surrounding the downtown portion of the river walk basically create a wind tunnel that's even more painfully cold than the rest of the foot traffic areas downtown. Boston's Charles River Esplanade also gets an honorable mention. But visiting makes you feel kind of like a loser because everyone that's working out there has a prestigious university sweatshirt on from one of the surrounding schools, and again, it's really just too cold to enjoy it most of the year. Savannah's Riverstreet is charming, but lacks enough plant life to compliment the river nearby. Others in the running aren't even river walks. Indianapolis' Canal Walk is in the running for some reason. No hate Indy, but it's just not a river. Cincinnati's Smale Riverfront Park isn't even technically a river walk, but a concrete filled park with painfully wannabe modern art pieces and play areas. I say that as a Cincy native with love, because it simply doesn't fit in with the historic architecture nearby. RELATED: Yes, the River Walk really is that magical With stunning natural life, appropriate planning and design, and easy navigation paired with our warm climate, there's really no competition at the end of the day for the San Antonio River Walk. You can make that known to the world by voting for the San Antonio River Walk once per day until February 15 at noon at USA Today's website. The winner will be announced on February 26. 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 upper ranks of corporate security are seeing a high rate of change as companies try to adapt to the evolving threat landscape. Many companies are hiring a chief security officer (CSO) or chief information security officer (CISO) for the first time to support a deeper commitment to information security. Follow this column to keep up with new appointments to senior-level security roles and perhaps gain a little insight into hiring trends. If you have an announcement of your own that you would like us to include here, contact Amy Bennett, executive editor. New CISO appointments, May 2021 Ben Nelson joins FICO as CISO Prior to joining the analytics software company, Nelson served as CISO of Tableau and VP of cloud security at Oracle. He also held the CISO role at RightNow Technologies, which was acquired by Oracle in 2011. (H/t PR Newswire) Dave MacKinnon appointed CSO at N-able Prior to joining the provider of IT management and automation solutions for MSPs, MacKinnon held security leadership positions at AT&T/Warner Media and Turner. N-able (formerly SolarWinds MSP), completed its rebrand in March as part of its planned spin-off from parent SolarWinds. (H/t N-able) Omesh Agam steps into CISO role at Celonis Prior to joining the process mining software provider, Agam served as CISO of Appian. In his new role, he reports directly to Celonis co-CEO and co-founder Bastian Nominacher. Columbus State University Nicol Lewis, CISO, Columbus State University Nicol Lewis joins Columbus State University as CISO Prior to joining CSU, Lewis served as CISO for The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services. Prior to that she held IT and security roles at the Georgia Technology Authority and Georgia Public Library Service. Simon Eyre promoted to CISO at Drawbridge In his new role as CISO, Managing Director and Head of Europe at the security software company, Eyre will drive Drawbridges corporate cybersecurity strategy and oversee infrastructure, security, and privacy initiatives. Semperis appoints Jim Doggett as CISO Prior to joining the security solutions provider, Doggett held security leadership roles at AIG, Kaiser Permanente, and JP Morgan Chase. He currently serves on the Board of Directors at Panaseer. (H/t Semperis) National Hockey League appoints Jared Maples EVP & CSO Maples replaces Dennis Cunningham, who is retiring after serving as the league's executive vice president of security since 1993. Prior to joining the NHL, Maples served for four years as director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. (H/t Security Magazine) Scott Kopcha promoted to newly created CISO role at Goodwin Prior to his appointment as the global law firm's first CISO, Kopcha served as the firms managing director of information security. In his new role, Kopcha reports to chief operating officer Michael Caplan. (H/t Goodwin) David Ting promoted to CISO and SVP of engineering at Nylas Ting joined Nylas in 2020 as VP of engineering, a role he held at FlexPort, DataVisor and Cardfree before joining the developer API platform provider. (H/t devops.com) Paul Nizov joins ABBYY as company's first CISO Prior to joining the OCR software maker, Nizov most recently served as managing director at EY, based in the UAE. His earlier work focused on securing critical infrastructure in North America through positions at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Booz Allen Hamilton. (H/t ABBYY) Nick McKenzie joins Bugcrowd as chief information and security officer Prior to joining the bug bounty platform, McKenzie most recently served as executive general manager chief security officer at National Australia Bank. He has held security and risk leadership roles at Standard Chartered Bank, JP Morgan, and NatWest Markets and is an advisory board member for Google and Digital Shadows. Earlier in his career, he worked as a penetration tester at EY and Dimension Data. (H/t Bugcrowd) SolarWinds appoints Tim Brown as CISO, VP of security Brown joined the company in 2017 as vice president, security with responsibilities spanning internal IT security, product security and security strategy, and has now expanded his role as SolarWinds CISO. He has over 25 years of experience developing and implementing security technology and is an avid inventor, holding 18 issued patents on security-related topics. New CISO appointments, April 2021 Gary Owen joins iCapital Network as CISO Prior to joining the financial technology platform provider, Owen served as CISO at Wells Fargo and Warner Media. He has held security leadership roles at Promontory Financial Group, Goldman Sachs & Co., and Citigroup and is currently on the board of the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC), having previously served as the organization's chairman and vice chairman. (H/t Business Wire) Sounil Yu steps into the CISO role at JupiterOne Prior to joining the cyber asset management company, Yu was the CISO-in-Residence for YL Ventures. He is the creator of the Cyber Defense Matrix and the DIE Triad. Yu previously served as chief security scientist at Bank of America. JupiterOne appoints Uber CISO Latha Maripuri to the company's board of directors In her current role Maripuri oversees cybersecurity engineering, technical privacy and physical security systems for the ride sharing company. Prior to joining Uber, she was the global CISO at News Corp. Maripuri also served as a global business and technology executive at IBM, where she helped shape the IBM Security division. Mad Mobile Anil Varghese, global CISO, Mad Mobile Mad Mobile appoints Anil Varghese as global CISO Anil Varghese, a renowned industry veteran brings over two decades of information security and risk management leadership experience to the firm. He most recently served as SVP/CISO for Exeter Finance, a Blackstone portfolio company. Timothy Youngblood joins T-Mobile as SVP, CSO & product security officer The veteran CISO most recently served as corporate VP & CISO at McDonald's. Before that he held the CISO role at Kimberly-Clark and Dell. NTT Research names Matthew Ireland CISO Ireland joined NTT in 2016, serving in a variety of security leadership roles. Most recently he was virtual CISO for NTT Research beginning in September 2019. Prior to NTT, Ireland served as enterprise availability engineer at Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield and as director of information security at Harland Clarke Holdings, a financial services corporation. (H/t busineswire) Barbara Kissner joins Tassat as the FinTech's first CISO Kissner brings to her new role 25 years experience as a CIO, CCO and in cybersecurity for banks, consultancies and insurance companies. Most recently she served as EVP & CIO at Amalgamated Bank. (H/t Tassat) Paul Suarez joins Caseys General Stores as the retailer's first CISO Prior to joining Casey's, Suarez most recently served as senior director of international infosec at WalMart. Before that, he held business development roles at RSA and Avaya. (H/t Retail Technology Innovation Hub) Intel 471 hires Brandon Hoffman as companys first CISO Hoffman is returning to the cybercrime intelligence provider, having previously served as the companys Vice President of Intelligence Solutions. Prior to his return to Intel 471, Hoffman most recently served as CISO and head of security strategy at IT service management company Netenrich. In his new role, Hoffman will report directly to CEO Mark Arena. (H/t Intel 471) Netenrich hires Christopher Morales as CISO and head of security strategy Prior to joining the IT service management company, Morales led advisory services and security analytics for Vectra AI and held roles in cybersecurity engineering, consulting, sales and research at HyTrust, NSS Labs, 451 Research, Accuvant, McAfee and IBM. (H/t Security Magazine) Mike Britton joins Abnormal Security as the startup's first CISO Prior to joining the email security platform provider, Britton most recently served as global chief security and privacy officer at Alliance Data. In his nearly 16 years in security leadership at Alliance Data, Britton held positions where he led all aspects of security, governance, risk, and compliance. (H/t Abnormal Security) Brian Spanswick joins Cohesity as company's first CISO Prior to joining the data management company, Spanswick most recently served as senior director of risk and information protection for the Splunk Global Security team. (H/t Financial Buzz) Mortgage Connect appoints Ian Morganas as CISO Prior to joining the mortgage services provider, Morganas served as CISO of Covius. He also held IT leadership positions at LenderLive Network, Alameda Mortgage Corporation, and Assurity Financial Services. (H/t DSnews) CareerBuilder hires Benjamin Doyle as CISO Prior to joining the job listing site, Doyle most recently served as managing principal and practice lead of information security and risk management at FoxPointe Solutions. (H/t PR Newswire) Marcos Christodonte II joins Unqork as global CISO Prior to joining the no-code application platform provider, Christodonte most recently served as global CISO at Gartner and has held security leadership and management positions at Bridgewater Associates, NATO and the US Army. (H/t Security Magazine) Tim Roemer replaces Gil Orrantia as Director of Homeland Security for the State of Arizona The former CISO for the state of Arizona is bringing the cybersecurity operations he oversaw in that role to the state Department of Homeland Security. Prior to joining the State of Arizona, Roemer worked as an analyst for the CIA. (H/t govtech) Jason Lish joins Lumen Technologies as CSO Prior to joining the telecommunications company, Lish served as chief security, privacy, and data officer at Advisor Group. He has also held IT leadership roles at Alight Solutions and Charles Schwab. (H/t Fierce Telecom) Benchling hires Zach Powers as CISO Prior to joining the informatics platform provider, Powers most recently served as CISO & CIO of One Medical Group and VP of enterprise security at Salesforce. (H/t PR Newswire) Sharecare names David Guthrie CIO & CISO Prior to joining the digital health company, Guthrie was CTO for virtual sleep care platform BetterNight and Chief Product officer at patient engagement solutions provider PatientPoint. He serves as a board member for AVOXI and Brightlink. (H/t Security Magazine) Barbara Cousins joins Flywire's Executive Board Cousins has held the CISO role at Flywire since 2017. Prior to that she served in leadership positions in risk management at Devonshire Investors and KPMG. (H/t Security Magazine) New CISO appointments, March 2021 Jim Routh joins Supply Wisdom and GrammaTech boards of directors and joins Virsec as Chief Security Advisor (H/t city biz list, businesswire, Yahoo! Finance) F5 promotes Gail Coury to SVP and CISO Coury joined F5 in 2018, serving as VP and GM of the Silverline managed service offerings. Prior to joining F5, Coury held CISO roles at Oracle Cloud, PeopleSoft, and J.D. Edwards. Coury also serves as board chair of One in Tech, an ISACA Foundation committed to building equity and diversity in the digital world. (H/t HelpNetSecurity) Confluent hires Cory Scott as company's first CISO Prior to joining the streaming platform provider, Scott was Googles head of security and product privacy for their Devices and Services division and served as CISO at LinkedIn. Robinhood names Caleb Sima CSO Prior to joining the financial services company Sima served as VP of information security at Databricks and managing VP for cyber security at CapitolOne. In his new role, Sima reports to CEO Vlad Tenev. (H/t HelpNetSecurity) MassMutual appoints Ariel Weintraub as CISO Weintraub most recently served as Head of Enterprise Cyber Security at MassMutual. Prior to joining the life insurance company, she held security leadership positions at BNY Mellon and TIAA. Weintraub has an MC in Cyber Security from New York University. (H/t Security Magazine) H1 appoints Julie Stern as SVP of Engineering and CISO Stern brings more than 30 years of leadership experience at healthcare and technology organizations to her role at H1 where she is running the 60+ person engineering team for the global healthcare organization. She most recently served as CTO at HealthReveal where she oversaw significant AI, architecture, and organizational changes. Stern also served as CTO at leading healthcare technology companies including Accolade and Vesta Healthcare (Hometeam). (H/t PR Newswire) Corelight hires Bernard Brantley as company's first CISO Brantley joins Corelight from Amazon where he led a threat hunting and threat intelligence team covering a wide range of threat scenarios. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. (H/t Cision) Backblaze hires Mark Potter as CISO Potter brings more than 20 years of experience working in IT to his new role at the cloud storage company. Prior to joining Backblaze, he served as CISO of NewWave Telecom & Technologies, Inc. and Danya International. (H/t HelpNetSecurity) Cone Health names Doug McMillian CISO In his role as the first CISO at the North Carolina-based network of healthcare providers, McMillian will oversee the information security program and establish cybersecurity and governance practices. McMillan has been serving as the organization's interim CTO since 2019 and will also continue in that role. (H/t Cone Health) Pioneering US actress Cicely Tyson, best known for Roots, The Help and Sounder has died, aged 96. She died on Thursday but details have not been disclosed. Her manager, Larry Thompson, said in a statement, I have managed Miss Tysons career for over 40 years, and each year was a privilege and blessing. Cicely thought of her new memoir as a Christmas tree decorated with all the ornaments of her personal and professional life. Today, she placed the last ornament, a star, on top of the tree. Young Tyson was born in 1924, in New York City to West Indian immigrant parents. Her show-business career began inadvertently when she was asked to model at a hairstyle show and was spotted by an Ebony magazine fashion editor. She quickly became a top model and later turned to acting. In television she nabbed the first recurring role for a Black woman in a US drama series, East Side / West Side in 1963, and later starred as Kunta Kintes mother in Roots. She became a household name in the US thanks to her starring role in Miss Jane Pittman, in which a 110-year-old woman recalls her life, required her to portray the heroine over a nine-decade period. There were many telemovies, The Wilma Rudolph Story, King: The Martin Luther King Story, When No One Would Listen, A Woman Called Moses, The Marva Collins Story, The Women of Brewster Place, The Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, Trip to Bountiful, The Rosa Parks Story plus Guiding Light, Gunsmoke, Emergency, How To Get Away With Murder, House of Cards, amongst others. Film credits include Sounder, Twelve Angry Men, Odds Against Tomorrow, The Comedians, The Last Angry Man, A Man Called Adam , The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, Bustin Loose, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Help and Hoodlum. She also championed civil rights. In one of her last roles, during the series finale of Madam Secretary, Tysons character talked the nations first woman president into reviving the equal rights amendment. In 2016 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honour for civilians in the USA. Last year she was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. There were also Broadway performances and a Tony Award for The Trip to Bountiful in 2013. Once married to jazz legend Miles Davis and despite rumours of abuse and infidelity, Tyson said she had fond memories of her time with the mysterious music man. Asked only this week by Gayle King how she would like to be remembered, she said, Ive done my best. Thats all. Source: NY Daily News, Variety Related This was something I thought about before the end of the year as winter was coming and we always expect snow, Pentz said. This was a way to get kids outside and give them something to do as so many of them are learning virtually and have to sit in front of a screen all day. Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday expressed "full confidence" in the Indian authorities in ensuring the safety of Israelis and Jews in India following a blast close to the country's embassy in New Delhi. A minor improvised explosive device (IED) blast took place outside the Israeli Embassy in the heart of Lutyens' Delhi on Friday evening. India's National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval spoke to his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben-Shabbat and updated him on the situation and ongoing investigation into the bombing near the Israeli embassy, officials said here. The update was conveyed to Prime Minister Netanyahu, they said. Netanyahu asked to convey to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi that Israel has "full confidence that the Indian authorities will do a thorough investigation of the incident and ensure the safety of Israelis and Jews who are there", the officials said. The two sides agreed to continue full cooperation through all channels, they said. India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also spoke to his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi and assured him of "fullest protection" to diplomats and the mission. Live TV In a tweet, Jaishankar said India has taken the incident "very seriously". "Spoke just now to Israeli FM Gabi Ashkenazi about the explosion outside the Israeli Embassy. We take this very seriously. Assured him of the fullest protection for the Embassy and Israeli diplomats," he said. The minister further added that the matter was under investigation. "No effort will be spared to find the culprits," he said. Earlier, the Israeli foreign ministry said all its diplomats and embassy staff are "safe and sound" following the blast. "An explosion occurred a short while ago, close to the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi. There are no casualties and no harm was done to the building. All Israeli diplomats and embassy staff are safe and sound," a foreign ministry release said. "The event is being investigated by the Indian authorities who are in contact with Israeli officials," it said, adding that the foreign minister is frequently being updated on the situation and has directed to take all necessary precautions. "We will report further developments as they occur," the release said. Delhi Police Additional PRO Anil Mittal has said the blast was of "very low intensity". "No injury to any person was reported and nor was there any damage to property except the glass panes of three vehicles parked nearby," he said. Initial impressions suggest it could be a mischievous attempt to create a sensation, Mittal said. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 29 : Shobha Surendran, the firebrand woman leader of the BJP who was the party state general secretary and a member of the national executive of the party, has skipped the party leadership meet at Thrissur attended by the party in charge of the state CP Radhakrishnan and a galaxy of leaders. Shobha has been sulking ever since K Surendran was inducted as the party state president. Surendran and Shobha held diametrically opposite positions in the BJP scheme of things in Kerala. While Shobha was appointed the party state vice president in March 2020 when Surendran assumed office, she refused to accept it stating that it was a demotion from her position as party state general secretary. However Surendran and his mentor, Union minister of state for external affairs and former state president of BJP, V Muraleedharan did not budge even after there was pressure from all corners including the state leadership of the RSS. Surendran while speaking to media persons at Thrissur said "Shobha is very much part of our team. She may not have attended the meeting owing to some personal issues." Interestingly, Shobha is a good orator which endears her to the party cadres and sympathisers. She has always increased her vote share right from contesting the Palakkad assembly seat on a BJP ticket to the Attingal Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 general elections. She increased the party's vote share from 10 percent to 24 percent clocking a total of 2.5 lakh odd votes from the 85,000 votes it had in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The party office bearers above the level of party district general secretaries are participating in the Thrisssur meeting and are conducting preliminary discussions on party candidates. Sources said the BJP is contemplating to field former state president and former Mizoram governor, Kummanam Rajashekharan from the Nemom seat in Thiruvananthapuram hitherto represented by veteran leader and former Union minister O Rajagopal who may not contest citing age-related issues. Former state president PK Krishnadas is likely to contest from Kattakada in Thiruvananthapuram and party state general secretary C Krishnakumar from Malampuzha in Palakkad district. Superstar Suresh Gopi is likely to be fielded from Thiruvananthapuram central seat. BJP state president K Surendran has already informed the party leadership that he is not contesting the elections. With the assembly elections likely to be held in the middle of April, the BJP leadership is having preparatory meetings. A meeting with the state RSS leadership was held on Wednesday. BJP All India President JP Nadda is to reach the state on February 3 and will be here till February 4 and the party is likely to resolve the burning organizational issues during his visit. Nadda is also likely to meet the Christian religious heads as also the NSS and SNDP leaderships, the two powerful organisations of the Nair and Ezhava communities. Representative image Government welfare schemes can help India achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of reducing poverty, improving access to drinking water, sanitation and housing by 2030, said the Economic Survey 2021 released on January 29. Seventeen SDGs, including elimination of poverty and hunger, universal access to drinkable water, sanitation, and healthcare, among others, were adopted by the United Nations in September 2015. The member nations were directed to attempt achieving them by 2030. While India has succeeded in addressing the "bare necessities" or basic needs of a large section of the population over the past several years, a gap exists between urban and rural, and among different income groups, the survey noted. This gap, according to the survey, could be addressed through the welfare schemes such as Jal Jeevan Mission, which focuses on supply of potable drinking water; Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) - the campaign to improve sanitation facilities and build toilets; and Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAY) - the affordable housing programme for the poor. "Government schemes, such as the Jal Jeevan Mission, SBM-G, PMAY-G, may design appropriate strategy to address these gaps to enable India achieve the SDG goals of reducing poverty, improving access to drinking water, sanitation and housing by 2030," the document read. The survey also called for increased cohesion between the central and state governments to achieve the targeted goals through effective implementation of the welfare programmes. "There should be effective targeting of the needier population be they in urban or rural areas or across states. As civic amenities in urban areas are also provided by the local self-governments, there must be effective convergence in scheme implementation at the Centre-State and local levels," it said. The Economic Survey uses the Bare Necessities Index (BNI) to compare the progress made by states in providing access to basic needs. The index primarily focuses on access to water, sanitation, housing, micro-environment, and other facilities. "Compared to 2012, access to 'the bare necessities' has improved across all states in the country in 2018. Access to bare necessities is the highest in the states such as Kerala, Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat, while it is the lowest in Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Tripura," the survey said. These bare necessities cover "goal 6 of SDG", which focuses on access to clean water and sanitation to all and "goal 7 inter alia aims to provide universal access to electricity and clean cooking fuel", it further added. On Universal Healthcare Coverage, which is also one of the SDGs adopted by the UN, the Economic Survey noted that "India must take steps to improve healthcare accessibility and affordability in the country". The measures, however, are required to be long term. Lessons should be learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic, "which showed that countries with much higher healthcare investments and concomitant health infrastructure have struggled to contain the pandemic", the survey added. Indian companies garnered close to Rs 92,000 crore through public issuance of equity during April-December this fiscal, a 46 per cent jump from the preceding financial year, with rights issue remaining the most preferred route for financing business needs. Companies had raised Rs 62,816 crore in the April-December period of 2019-20, according to the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on Friday. During April-December 2020, however, the number of companies raising money through public issue reduced to 33 from 49 in the same period last year, the survey noted. Of the total Rs 91,993 crore mopped up through public issuance of equities in April-December 2020, Rs 60,907 crore was raised through 16 rights issues as compared to Rs 51,866 crore from 13 issues in April-December 2019. With regard to private placement route, the survey mentioned that the year 2020-21 (up to December) witnessed a decline in fund raising through such route compared to the similar period for previous year. This could be attributed to lower fund mobilisation via preferential issue of equity shares. In April-December 2020, there were 183 issues mobilising Rs 91,631 crore through private placement compared to 229 issues raising Rs 1,79,444 crore during the same period last year. Within the private placement route, 21 qualified institutional placements (QIPs) raised Rs 64,148 crore during the period under review as compared to 9 QIPs that raked in Rs 34,028 crore in the April-December period proceeding fiscal. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WLFI)- A bill at the statehouse would ban mental health providers from providing conversion therapy. Similar legislation has been passed in 20 other states. This practice is something that mental health providers say is detrimental to people who have gone through it. Conversion Therapy is defined as a pseudoscientific practice that tries to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. "We know that a lot of folks who have gone through this practice have anxiety and depression and some folks have unfortunately taken their life because of this, said State Senator J.D. Ford a Democrat who represents District 29. That's why we think this issue needs to be front and center." Senator Ford is the first openly gay lawmaker at the Indiana State House and the author of Senate Bill 32. "This would be a great way to reach out and say yes we want you here," said Senator Ford. The American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the World Health Organization all say that conversion therapy is a practice they don't support. Local mental health providers say the science on this subject is clear. "The negative effects the detrimental effects on mental health outcomes for individuals who participate in conversion therapy are clear, said Brent Clemenz the Senior Director of Clinical Service at Valley Oaks Mental Health Services. It increases depression and anxiety and it also increases the risk of suicide attempts as well." That's why this bill would prohibit a mental health provider from engaging in conversion therapy with a patient less than 18 years of age. If a mental health provider were to violate the prohibition, they would be subject to disciplinary action. "As a man, I had to learn what my masculinity was and spend as much time with guys as possible to understand that was a peer relationship and that men were not something I should be attracted to," said Mathew Shurka who is a conversion therapy survivor. Shurka told his survival story at a town hall hosted by the Indiana Stonewall Democrats. He also works for the organization Born Perfect, which advocates in all 50 states to ban the practice of conversion therapy. "This bill protects the youth," added Shurka. "These conversion therapy programs target youth more than any other group." While this bill wouldn't stop religious organizations from practicing conversion therapy, supporters say it will send the message that it's wrong. "If you choose to do this as a church that is your freedom of religion, said Ashley Smith the President of Pride Lafayette. However I would hope the parents would look at what the mental health providers are saying and think hey this isn't a good idea." With science backing up the supporters' arguments, they hope lawmakers will show support for the LGBTQ community. "Let's do the right thing and let's show Hoosiers that we really support all Hoosiers and not just this fraction or this fraction," said Smith The bill is still waiting for a hearing in the Health and Provider Services committee To read the bill in full click here. An Alabama assistant principal and his wife have been indicted in connection to allegedly fraudulent claims their daughter had a terminal illness. Daniel Taylor, 38, and Jessica Taylor, 37, were indicted by an Elmore County Grand Jury on charges of aggravated child abuse of their daughter, The Wetumpka Herald reported. Authorities said the Taylors held fraudulent fundraisers to benefit their daughter, who they allegedly led people to believe had cancer or another terminal illness. According to the DAs office, the parents subjected the child to invasive medical procedures and tests despite no medical records indicating the child had cancer or any other terminal illness. The Taylors were arrested and released after posting bonds of $30,000 each. Aggravated child abuse is a Class B felony that carries a possible prison sentence of 2 to 20 years. Daniel Taylor is the assistant principal of Coosada Elementary School. The Elmore County Board of Education released a statement saying the case does not involve any other students and is unrelated to his role as a school administrator. The Herald reported Daniel Taylor is on leave from his position. The Realme 7 series in Europe includes three smartphones - Realme 7, Realme 7 5G, and Realme 7 Pro. Today the company added a fourth member to the lineup as it introduced the Realme 7i in the Old Continent. However, the Realme 7i arrived in Europe is not the same as the one announced last year in India and a few other Asian countries. The European 7i is actually a rebranded Narzo 20. That means the Realme 7i in Europe comes with a Helio G85 SoC, 6.5" HD+ screen, and a 6,000 mAh battery with 18W charging. Realme 7i (Europe) Realme Narzo 20 For photography, the 7i has a total of four cameras on board - an 8MP selfie camera with a 48MP primary camera on the back joined by an 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro units. The Realme 7i features a rear-mounted fingerprint reader, boots Android 10-based Realme UI, and comes in a single 4GB/64GB memory configuration priced at 159. It's already up for purchase on Realme's European site in Glory Silver and Victory Blue color options. Realme 7i in Glory Silver and Victory Blue colors Since the European 7i is a rebadged Narzo 20, you can learn more about it by reading our Narzo 20 hands-on review. Source WOODS HOLE, Mass. -- The most powerful substance in the human brain for neuronal communication is glutamate. It is by far the most abundant, and it's implicated in all kinds of operations. Among the most amazing is the slow restructuring of neural networks due to learning and memory acquisition, a process called synaptic plasticity. Glutamate is also of deep clinical interest: After stroke or brain injury and in neurodegenerative disease, glutamate can accumulate to toxic levels outside of neurons and damage or kill them. Shigeki Watanabe of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, a familiar face at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) as a faculty member and researcher, is hot on the trail of describing how glutamate signaling works in the brain to enable neuronal communication. In a paper last fall, Watanabe (along with several MBL Neurobiology course students) described how glutamate is released from neural synapses after the neuron fires. And today, Watanabe published a follow-up study in Nature Communications. "With this paper, we uncover how signals are transmitted across synapses to turn on the switch for plasticity," Watanabe says. "We demonstrate that glutamate is first released near AMPA-type glutamate receptors, to relay the signal from one neuron to the next, and then near NMDA-type receptors immediately after the first signal to activate the switch for synaptic plasticity." This new study was also partly conducted in the MBL Neurobiology course, where Watanabe is a faculty member. "It began in 2018 with (course students) Raul Ramos and Hanieh Falahati, and then we followed up in 2019 with Stephen Alexander Lee and Christine Prater. Shuo Li, the first author, was my teaching assistant for the Neurobiology course for both years," Watanabe says. He will be returning to the MBL this summer to teach in the course -- and discover more. ### The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is dedicated to scientific discovery - exploring fundamental biology, understanding marine biodiversity and the environment, and informing the human condition through research and education. Founded in Woods Hole, Massachusetts in 1888, the MBL is a private, nonprofit institution and an affiliate of the University of Chicago. DGAP-News: ADM Energy PLC / Key word(s): Agreement ADM Energy PLC: ADM extends agreement with Trafigura 29.01.2021 / 09:30 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DEEMED TO CONSTITUTE INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014. UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. 29 January 2021 ADM Energy PLC ("ADM" or the "Company") ADM Energy extends agreement with Trafigura for conditional financing of up to $120m Further to the announcement of 3 February 2020, ADM Energy PLC (AIM: ADME; BER and FSE: P4JC), a natural resources investing company, is pleased to announce that is has extended for a further 12 months its indicative MOU to enter into a strategic alliance with Trafigura Pte Ltd ("Trafigura"), a market leader in the global commodities industry. There are no other changes to the original MOU. ADM and Trafigura intend to create a strategic alliance that enables the development and financing of energy projects in Africa. Under the terms of the MOU, ADM will act as the sponsor for investment opportunities in the African energy sector ("Projects") which will be presented to Trafigura for consideration as a trading counterparty, or financing provider. Trafigura will be entitled to provide ADM with conditional pre-financing of up to US$100 million for the acquisition or development of Approved Projects. It is anticipated that Trafigura may subscribe for up to US$20 million in convertible loan notes in ADM as definitive agreements and project funding for Approved Projects are agreed. Osamede Okhomina, CEO of ADM Energy plc, said: "We are pleased to extend our agreement with Trafigura, which demonstrates the strength of our relationship and their belief in our growth strategy. This relationship with a multi-billion dollar industry partner gives ADM access to capital to secure and develop projects that will increase our exposure to value-accretive, high-quality assets. We are in regular discussions with Trafigura and are pursuing a number of attractive opportunities in the West African region that we believe will be prosperous for the partnership." Enquiries: ADM Energy plc +44 20 7459 4718 Osamede Okhomina, CEO www.admenergyplc.com Cairn Financial Advisers LLP +44 20 7213 0880 (Nominated Adviser) Jo Turner, James Caithie Arden Partners plc +44 20 7614 5900 (Lead Broker) Paul Shackleton, Dan Gee-Summons Hybridan LLP +44 20 3764 2341 (Joint Broker) Claire Louise Noyce Oddo Seydler Bank AG +49 69 920540 (Designated Sponsor) Michael B. Thiriot Luther Pendragon +44 20 7618 9100 (Financial PR) Harry Chathli, Alexis Gore, Joe Quinlan About ADM Energy PLC ADM Energy PLC (AIM: ADME; BER and FSE: P4JC) is a natural resources investing company with an existing asset base in Nigeria. ADM Energy holds a 9.2% profit interest in the Aje Field, part of OML 113, which covers an area of 835km offshore Nigeria. Aje has multiple oil, gas, and gas condensate reservoirs in the Turonian, Cenomanian and Albian sandstones with five wells drilled to date. ADM Energy is seeking to build on its existing asset base in Nigeria and target other investment opportunities across the West African region in the oil and gas sector with attractive risk reward profiles such as proven nature of reserves, level of historic investment, established infrastructure and route to early cash flow. About Trafigura Founded in 1993, Trafigura is one of the largest physical commodities trading groups in the world. Trafigura sources, stores, transports and delivers a range of raw materials (including oil and refined products and metals and minerals) to clients around the world and has recently established a power and renewables trading division. The trading business is supported by industrial and financial assets, including a majority ownership of global zinc and lead producer Nyrstar which has mining, smelting and other operations located in Europe, Americas and Australia; a significant shareholding in global oil products storage and distribution company Puma Energy; global terminals, warehousing and logistics operator Impala Terminals; Trafigura's Mining Group; and Galena Asset Management with circa 850 shareholders, Trafigura is owned by its employees. Over 8,500 employees work in 48 countries around the world. Trafigura has achieved substantial growth over recent years, growing revenue from USD12 billion in 2003 to USD147 billion in 2020. The Group has been connecting its customers to the global economy for more than two decades, growing prosperity by advancing trade. Visit: www.trafigura.com This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com. Tesla will increase the capacity of its gigafactory in Shanghai to 450,000 cars this year from the current 250,000 as the vehicles produced there enjoy growing popularity, the company said as quoted by Chinese media. "Over a multiyear horizon, we expect to achieve 50 percent average annual growth in vehicle deliveries. In some years we may grow faster, which we expect to be the case this year," the company said. Tesla started shipping China-made cars last year, with the Model 3. Earlier this year, the company started delivering China-made Model Y crossovers, too. The Model Y launched at a lower price than expected, prompting a rush to buy as it seeks to take up a bigger portion of the Chinese market. In the first 11 months of 2020, Tesla's China sales stood at 111,600 vehicles, nearly 20,000 vehicles more than all three Chinese competitors combined, even though the local models are cheaper than Teslas. This has led one analyst, Daniel Ives from Wedbush, to forecast that Tesla's total annual deliveries could hit 1 million next year driven by Chinese demand. China is the "heart and lungs" of Tesla's demand growth story," Ives said in December. Tesla delivered close to 500,000 cars last year, in line with its target. This compared with 367,500 cars delivered the previous year. That milestone helped Tesla book its first full year of profit. Tesla plans to deliver between 840,000 and one million cars this year. Sales for 2020 stood at $31.5 billion, Tesla reported earlier this month, and net profit came in at $721 million. While the bulk of the sales figure came from its core business, Tesla also made $1.6 billion from selling emissions credits to other carmakers. While the results were undoubtedly strong with the sales figure beating analyst expectations, those same analysts had expected a higher net result. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: First violinist Christopher Neal opens the camera on his iPad and immediately recognizes the face staring back at him. A spray of wires and medical tubes frame Gonzalo Alvarado. Hes dressed in a hospital gown, propped up by pillows. He offers Neal a tepid smile. The last time the two men met this way virtually, screen-to-screen Alvarado, a patient at Houston Methodist, had an unusual music request. This man, I played for him once before, recalls Neal, a 20-year Houston Symphony veteran. He said something about a song from Titanic, the movie, when the violinist stood on the deck as the ship sank. I had a flashback to my grandmother because that song was actually one of her favorite hymns, Nearer, My God, To Thee. Neal works with Musicare, a pilot program for the Houston Methodist Center for Performing Arts Medicine. Since the program launched in April, musicians have performed 408 private concerts for ICU patients at Methodist. The performances began in the surgical ward, then trickled into the COVID-19, cardiovascular and neurological ICUs as well. The center, which also treats performing artists for injuries related to their profession, prefers its musicians to select works that are uplifting or enriching. The music should land somewhere around the tempo of the human heart, roughly 60 to 72 beats per minute. Soon, Musicare will launch as a clinical trial which investigates the impact of live music by collecting blood and analyzing how mood and sleep patterns may be affected. So for data sake, choosing pieces with distinct harmonic and melodic patterns is key. But Neal doesnt hesitate to play the hymn. He cradles the string instrument under his chin, lifts his bow and begins to play. The look on Alvarados face changes. He relaxes. It was gratitude, just gratitude, Neal says. For a moment, Mr. Alvarado escaped the hospital and the constant poking and prodding. Music has the power Years ago, before Alvarado needed a liver transplant, he was a self-described jazz man. Like any reputable cool cat, he favored the saxophone and all kinds of smooth tunes. Back then, Alvarado was living paycheck to paycheck and says he couldnt afford to see live music. But, he could listen on the radio. That was before Alvarados wife left, when he still worked as an auto parts salesman and damn good at it, he says. A lot of customers would always come back and look for me. The divorce bankrupted him, both financially and emotionally. He says its why he turned to alcohol, the only medication he had. Alvarado remembers he would drink and listen to music all night long. Now, from his bed in Methodists intensive care unit, the music comes to him. Mei Rui, assistant professor of music medicine at Methodist and founder of Musicare, has performed for Alvarado at least five times. Hes a hospital staff favorite. Every so often, she wheels her electric piano into his room and asks what hed like to hear. It isnt ideal, says Rui, who has a doctorate in musical arts. Musicians dont like electric instruments, but this makes it possible to play bedside. Sometimes its just the two of them. Other times, a symphony musician will accompany her on rounds, and theyll perform together in hospital corridors. Or, her duet partner might tune in remotely, as Neal did for his reunion with Alvarado. It gave me a lot of joy and inspiration, Alvarado says. Just like if I was at home, sitting in my recliner, hearing the music that I love. Alvarado leans back as Neal plays a little Bach. Later, when Rui joins for a piece from Thais, the opera by Jules Massenet, he opens a magazine and flips through the pages. After the concert, Rui packs up her sheet music and tells her patient goodbye. Hes starting to fade. His voice grows raspier by the second. She closes his door behind her and the tears start to fall. When he was talking about his alcoholism, I put the pieces of the puzzle together, Rui says. The first time I ever played for Mr. Alvarado was over iPad, and he said, I dont have family to come visit me. So to see his joy and know we helped alleviate that feeling of loneliness Music has that power. Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax Ruis study monitors both patients and physicians. The latter, she says, are experiencing acute stress and symptoms of burnout as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Houston Symphony is the centers official partner company musicians have given 181 performances though Rui has convinced world-famous musicians such as cellist Yo-Yo Ma and classical pianist Emanuel Ax to participate, too. People pay for very expensive tickets to hear him play in Carnegie Hall, she says of Ma. But here he is, donating his time. Rui fell in love with the piano at age 3. By 6, she was playing concerts and traveling for competitions. She studied biochemistry and music at Yale University, but could never choose between the two. That indecision is what directed her career path into music medicine research. For most of my life, music was magic. I could communicate with the audience without opening my mouth because music is the universal language, she says. Medicine is also universal even though everything is evidence-based. But medicine heals the way music can heal. Other organizations, including the International Association for Music & Medicine, have researched musics effects on patients. A study conducted at John Hopkins Medicine found that group singing improved quality of life, voice strength and clarity with Parkinsons patients. Now the Center for Music & Medicine at John Hopkins has expanded its research to include the effect of music on other neurological conditions such as Alzheimers, epilepsy and stroke. Ruis hope is that one day music will be used as a safe alternative to some prescriptions, that an insomniac might reach for Bach or Beethoven over Ambien. Theres a misconception about classical musical, and the diversity its repertoires offer, Rui says. Patients think its stuffy or elitist. Now that were using MRI images of the brain, it often has a more relaxing effect than their own favorite genre they just dont know it. Overcoming technical hurdles Neal knew of Rui long before the symphony approached him about performing for patients. Her reputation as an accomplished pianist preceded their introduction, and shed played with other company members for neighborhood concerts. And he knew how much music could soothe the soul. His father had suffered from cancer; the disease eventually killed him. I saw how he responded to music when he was both lucid and not, Neal recalls. The symphony came to me because of my experience. Its really delicate work, and its not for everybody. You see people who are very ill, who are hooked up to machines. They can be very upset, they can be cranky as I would be. Neal hopes his virtual visits at least provide a distraction. Sometimes he gets to engage more with the patient, and their exchange feels like a positive diversion. Ive learned a lot from the ones who are actually able to communicate, he says. I was playing Bachs Siciliano for this man who was having trouble breathing. He was some kind of historian and reminded me that in 1720, there was no Italy. He was very charming and gave me this amazing history lesson. Another time, Neal was struck by a patient who listened, but couldnt speak and was having trouble sleeping. So I played a long, 20-minute piece and the man dozed off, Neal recalls. That was a great compliment to me, because you change a persons life. The virtual concerts dont always run smoothly theyre not an exact science. When performed solo, some songs can get a little squeaky. The wi-fi might go out. And Neal worries about the sound quality. But he knows the message is getting through. As musicians, we train for so long and for so many years to do this one very specific thing. So its nice to feel utilized, Neal says. For a performing artist, the base reward is being able to give. Its a reason to create, thats our whole business giving to another person whos right there in front of you. amber.elliott@chron.com FRACKVILLE Scott E. Taylor, criminal captain of the Schuylkill County Sheriffs Office, announced he plans to seek the magisterial district judge seat for District Court 21-2-1 in Frackville. Serving as an officer of the Court of Common Pleas in Schuylkill County for over 22 years, I feel it would be a natural progression for me to serve as magisterial district judge, a position where I could use my court experience and understanding of the law to render fair and impartial decisions to those who come before me, Taylor said. I believe in due process, that people appearing before the court should be treated fairly. But I also recognize the importance of maintaining law and order. Taylor, of Frackville, believes that he has the qualifications and fair-mindedness to serve. Taylor served on the U. S. Department of Homeland Securitys Counterterrorism Task Force and was co-chair to the Law Enforcement Sub-Committee. He also serves on the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Drug Task Force and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Gang Task Force, among others. A lifelong county resident, he has been a national certified firefighter in the volunteer fire service for 30 years; he is a member of Friendship Fire Company, Englewood. He also has served for 16 years as a Schuylkill County commissioners-appointed member of the local Emergency Planning Committee and a member of the Keystone Incident Management Team with operation section chief skills. Taylor is a member of the National Rifle Association and an NRA firearms instructor; a member of the Frackville Elks; Pulaski Masonic Lodge 216; Fraternal Order of Police, Black Diamond Lodge 80; and the Pennsylvania Narcotics Officers Association. He is a graduate of Pottsville Area High School and attended the Sheriffs Academy at Penn States Dickinson School of Law, Carlisle. Taylor and his wife, Taryn, have two daughters, Johannah and Amelia. Taylor said he plans to cross-file on the Republican and Democratic ballots for the May 18 primary. The magisterial district includes Frackville, Ashland, Gilberton, Girardville and Gordon boroughs; Butler, North Union, Union and Ryan townships; and the Altamont district of West Mahanoy Township. Templeton India Growth Fund will complete 25 years later this year. It was the first mutual fund scheme rolled out by Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund (FT MF) when the fund house set shop in India in 1996. But the celebrations are bound to be muted on account of another anniversary it will be one year in April since the fund house decided to wind up six of its debt schemes. On February 1, the Supreme Court (SC) is expected to give its directions on the next step in the winding up process, after the recent e-voting exercise. If all goes well according to the plan, investors may, in a matter of few months, start getting their money in tranches as and when the fund house is able to liquidate its holdings. But Franklin Templetons (FT) struggles would be far from over. The fund houses image has taken a beating. Besides, the AMCs equity schemes too are struggling with below-average performances. Can Franklin Templeton get out of this mess and regain its lost glory? A hit on its profitability Through its high yield-oriented debt schemes, FT MF had built a profitable business. These schemes charged high expense ratios, as they delivered better returns, says Dhirendra Kumar, founder and chief executive officer of Value Research. So long as the schemes delivered returns, they were investor favourites. By September 2019, FT MF was the ninth largest fund house in terms of assets and the sixth most profitable (net profit of Rs 402.59 crore in financial year 2018-2019). When FT decided to wind up the six schemes, it lost close Rs 30,853 crore worth of assets or nearly 60 percent of its own debt assets, virtually overnight. These schemes accounted for 36 percent of total assets managed by FT MF. Its profits, subsequently, got impacted. FT MF will not have a good presence in debt segment, as these six product categories will not be available at least for the foreseeable future, says Deepak Chhabria, chief executive officer and director at Axiom Financial Services. It is highly unlikely that the Securities and Exchange Board of India will allow FT to re-launch schemes in these categories in the near future. These six schemes categories consist a little over one-third of investor assets among all debt funds. Also read: Franklin Templeton voting: Observers report says voting not as per Companies Act Not just a blow to these six schemes The winding-up has left investors bitter. Other debt schemes of FT also saw outflows. According to estimates given by Morningstar Investment Advisers India, Franklin India Banking & PSU Debt Fund had net outflows of Rs 164.74, between May and December 2020. Franklin India Corporate Debt Fund had net outflows of Rs 272.68 crore in the same period. Its equity funds, too, faced collateral damage. As the news of the debt schemes winding up and of court litigation gathered steam, many investors from its equity funds also started withdrawing. That FTs equity performance had been weak in recent years made matters worse. In the last three years, most of FT MFs equity schemes have delivered returns below their category averages, shows data from ACE MF. It will be an uphill task for FT MF to get its equity funds back in the reckoning, as these funds will have to beat other fund houses equity schemes, some of which have been consistent outperformers, says Chhabria. According to Morningstars estimates, equity schemes of FT MF had net outflows of Rs 9,637 crore between March 2020 and December 2020. To be sure, experts say investors might also be taking money off the table as FT MFs schemes started to outperform in the second half of CY20. Franklin Templeton did not reply to Moneycontrols queries. Long and tough road ahead Unless FT does damage control and takes drastic steps to restore investors faith, the fund house may find the going tough. Corporate governance expert Shriram Subramanian, founder, InGovern, says that SEBI must penalise FT MF with 2-3 years of asset management fees it had collected in these six schemes over the last few years. Timely repayment of investors money in these six funds is of utmost importance. If the fund house is able to do that, it can then try to explain to investors why its decision to wind-up the schemes was justified under those circumstances. However, if it is not able to pay the entire amount, investors will not have a reason to listen, says the chief executive officer (CEO) of a fund house, requesting anonymity. In fact, says Dhruv Mehta, chairman of Sapient Wealth and Advisors the fund house must pay back to investors at the same net asset value as the schemes had on April 23, 2020 (the day they were shut) or at a higher NAV. Just returning the money to unitholders would not be enough to woo investors back. The fund houses move to wind-up the six debt schemes was unprecedented. As matters drag along in the courts, the fund houses image gets hurt further. FT MF will need to do a lot of work to win back investors. Getting the performance of equity schemes to benchmark-beating levels is another tough task ahead. This is crucial as the fund house has repeatedly stressed that it will continue to carry on its business in India. Critics suggested taking the back fees paid and the bonuses of fund managers. There was another suggestion made in the court. It was about appointing another asset management company to oversee the winding up process. One of counsels in Supreme Court (SC) suggested that a third-party such as State Bank of India be given the authorisation to oversee the winding-up process. However, this was not a formal proposal as no third-party was yet approached. Also, how well this would work is yet to be tested, although trustees have the right to do so. All eyes are now at SC that will next hear the Templeton matter on February 1. The drive to reopen Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the third largest school district in the country, has become a pitched battle between educators and the state apparatus, the latter backed up by the corporate media and the unions. The fight by Chicago educators to prevent the reopening of schools is the focal point of the class struggle in the United States, with every other major district in the country looking to Chicago to set a precedent. In this context, it is of the utmost importance for teachers and other educators to organize independently of the unions and join the Chicago Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, as well as attend this Saturdays national meeting of the Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, which will bring together the network of committees that have formed across the country, as well as committee members in the UK and Germany. Educators protest the deadly reopening of Chicago public schools (@CTULocal1) Resisting the campaign by the Biden administration and the media to reopen schools, Chicago educators are leading the struggle against the resumption of in-person instruction as the pandemic enters a new and deadlier phase. Underscoring the stakes involved are recent reports of the presence of more transmissible and possibly deadlier variants of the coronavirus in Chicago and around the country. Already, after the phased reopening of schools implemented by CPS with the acquiescence of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) since the start of the year, it was reported Thursday that Marshall High School custodian and SEIU Local 73 member Marcus Young had died from COVID-19. The CTU has reported that there have already been over 150 infections in Chicago schools since the reopening process began on January 4. Additionally, even though there are no plans to vaccinate children in the immediate future, there are worrying reports of a new spike among four- to six-year-old children of COVID-19-related Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), which has already killed dozens of children and left others with severe organ damage in 47 states. The stakes involved in Chicago are indicated in part by todays teachers union-hosted Fireside Chat with Dr. Anthony Fauci, featuring American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten and National Education Association (NEA) President Becky Pringle. Clearly suggesting the importance of restarting in-person education, Fauci said, Were not going to get back to normal until we get children back into school, both for the good of the children, for the good of the parents, and for the good of the community. Although Fauci suggested it was important to get teachers vaccinated as quickly as we possibly can, he indicated schools might be able to intermittently survey the students, the teachers, the staff with rapid antigen tests to get a feel of what the penetrance of infection is. While CPS officials have been forced to temporarily back down from plans to force teachers into classrooms this week, they remain aggressively committed to reopening schools for in-person instruction on Monday, with CPS CEO Janice Jackson telling WBEZ, We expect students and staff to be in school on Monday. Even though the district told families who opted for in-person learning to stay home and allowed teachers access to their district-provided Google accounts and virtual classrooms, principals have been told to deny or retract telework approvals for teachers, which would result in a loss of pay. In response to this flagrantly illegal retaliationwhich should trigger a strike, according to the resolution overwhelmingly approved by educators last Saturdaythe CTU has merely called for people with lost pay to report it to the union so they can be added to a grievance. A CPS teacher who works on the South Side noted, There are Pre-K and cluster teachers who have been locked out for a couple weeks and are still out. We are waiting on the union. Theyve been abandoned. If we dont strike, and teachers tomorrow are still locked out, we have a major solidarity issue to deal with. In fact, the CTU is responsible for the biggest attacks on worker solidarity through their acquiescence to the reopenings, which saw Pre-K and special education cluster program teachers ordered back into classrooms on January 4. Far from preparing for a strike to put an end to the dangerous reopening plans, the CTU is doing everything it can to avoid a strike, which could easily get out of its control and begin raising much more radical demands. For that reason, the union jumped on the Wednesday ruling by Cook County Judge Raymond Mitchell, who refused to grant an injunction to suburban Cicero School District 99 ordering teachers back into school buildings. Like their counterparts in Chicago, Cicero educators have refused orders to report to school buildings and have continued to teach remotely. In his ruling, Mitchell wrote: I can accept the premise that in-person teaching is preferable to remote learning, just as I can accept the notion that in-person court proceedings are preferable to remote proceedings. But I also recognize that there are countervailing public health considerations that prompted us to resort to remote proceedings in the first instance. We are all anxious to return to normal, but maintaining the status quo relative to remote learning while teachers are vaccinated hardly seems an exigent circumstance requiring injunctive relief. The reality is CTU is trying to work out with the district some kind of phased-in reopening, which would see teachers brought into schools after they are able to receive a first dose of the vaccine. A plan along these lines has also been floated by Chicago Principals & Administrators Association President Troy LaRaviere, who has suggested that the district should open only 50 to 100 schools as a pilot, and prioritize workers at those schools for vaccines. Educators should beware, such a phase-in will not adequately protect educators or other CPS staff from becoming gravely ill or even dying, and it places students, their families and the wider community at enormous risk of further infections and deaths. The CTU wants nothing more than to work out a miserable settlement it can sell to teachers, and union leaders have also been working to convince the membership that their negotiations have led to a safer reopening plan. In a remarkable graphic, CTU touts the latest district proposals, which remain completely inadequate and unscientific, as proof of their hard work. The critical question facing Chicago educators is the need to organize independently of the CTU and the Democratic Party, which are carrying out the reopening campaign on behalf of the financial aristocracy. Instead, educators must orient themselves towards other sections of the working class who face the same deadly conditions. Beneath the surface, there is an enormous radicalization taking place among workers and a striving to put an end to the homicidal policies imposed by the ruling elites. This opposition must be guided by a conscious leadership and organized through a network of independent rank-and-file committees at every workplace and neighborhood, which are democratically controlled by workers themselves and committed to prosecuting the class struggle in the interests of the entire working class. Preparations for a nationwide general strike must be widely discussed and developed among educators and all workers through these rank-and-file committees. Such a strike would have wide reverberations internationally and is the only means through which the working class can contain the pandemic and save hundreds of thousands of lives in the coming months. There is not a moment to lose! Sign up to get involved today at wsws.org/edsafety! For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Ayear to the day since Australias first coronavirus case was diagnosed, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a vaccine against the virus had been approved for local use. After more than 29,000 cases and 909 deaths, the federal government has promised the Australian adult population will be vaccinated against COVID-19 at hospitals, specialist hubs, GP clinics and chemists by the end of October. In an undertaking described by Department of Health secretary Brendan Murphy as the most complex logistical exercise that perhaps weve done in public health in this country, the federal government is leading state and territory health departments in a mammoth inoculation operation. What does Australias vaccination timeline look like? And where will you get yours? Here is what we know so far. Credit: Who is being vaccinated first? Australians aged 16 and over are being vaccinated against COVID-19 in at least four and possibly five phases. Thats more than 24 million people able to receive their jabs, in total, over eight months. Advertisement The first innoculation was of 84-year-old Jane Malysiak on February 21, which started Phase 1a of the rollout. This phase was made up of people either at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 or at a higher risk of becoming very sick if they do: so, quarantine and border workers, frontline healthcare workers, and staff and residents at aged care and disability facilities. There are about 678,000 people in Phase 1a across Australia. By March 14, there had been 164,437 vaccinations. Already underway is Phase 1b: all other healthcare workers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over 55 and other Australians over 70 who are not in aged care, younger people with an underlying medical condition and emergency and some critical workers. That adds up to about another 6.1 million people. Australia is aiming to have 4 million people all of Phase 1a and more than half of Phase 1b vaccinated by the end of April. Most Australians will have their vaccine in either Phase 2a (the remaining Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, other Australians over 50 and other critical and high-risk workers) or Phase 2b (everyone else aged 16 and over) using the AstraZeneca vaccine. If the Therapeutic Goods Administration approves a vaccine for use in children (more on that later), Phase 3 of the rollout will see children under 16 vaccinated. Proof of vaccination will be recorded on the existing Australian Immunisation Register which can be accessed via MyGov or the Express Plus Medicare mobile app. Advertisement Which vaccine will you get? At this stage, Australias rollout plan is hinged on two vaccines: one by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer and biotechnology company BioNTech, the first doses of which arrived on February 15, and the other by researchers at the University of Oxford and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, which first arrived on Australian soil on February 28. We have two vaccines, which are effective and safe enough, and that is a long way from where we thought we would be six months ago, says Professor Julie Leask, an immunisation uptake researcher from the University of Sydney. Despite early reports that the Pfizer vaccine would be reserved for people in the earliest stage of the rollout, once AstraZeneca doses were made available they were put to use, meaning people in phase 1a and 1b have been receiving either vaccine from early March. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved the Pfizer vaccine for use in people aged 16 years and over. It comes in two doses, to be given 21 days apart. Australia has bought 20 million doses, including an extra 10 million secured in early February, which are being manufactured in Belgium. Clinical trials indicated it would prevent symptomatic COVID-19 in 95 per cent of recipients. The Pfizer vaccine is an mRNA vaccine, which means it works by giving the body the material that encodes the protein of the virus, rather than the protein itself. Essentially, it shows the body what the virus looks like without actually infecting it, so it can design its immune response. Doses of the Pfizer vaccine need to be imported from Europe and stored in a cold chain facility at minus 70 degrees, which is part of why they do not form the bulk of Australias vaccine strategy. Advertisement The TGA identified some side-effects with the Pfizer vaccine: more than 60 per cent of people will experience fatigue, more than half will get a headache, more than 30 per cent will suffer muscle pain or chills and more than 20 per cent will experience joint pain. But most Australians should expect to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, which federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has called the ace in the hole of Australias rollout. The AstraZeneca vaccine is a non-replicating viral vector vaccine: scientists have taken a virus that usually gives chimpanzees a cold but is harmless to humans and genetically engineered it to look like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to trigger an immune response. It will need to be stored at 2 to 8 degrees, like most vaccines. This vaccine was approved by the TGA for adults aged 18 and over and will require two doses 12 weeks apart. Phase three trials indicate it has an overall 70 per cent efficacy at preventing symptomatic COVID-19, which is about on par with the average efficacy of the annual influenza vaccine. Australia will have 53.8 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine: 3.8 million imported from overseas and 50 million manufactured by Melbourne-based biotechnology company CSL under an agreement, beginning at 1 million doses a week. Professor Leask says that although the AstraZeneca vaccine has slightly lower efficacy rates than Pfizers, its worth is in how much easier it will be to transport and store. Its not just about whether the vaccine is quite effective or very effective, its also about whether you can reasonably deliver the vaccine to a country with a huge land base, she says. It should also be noted that no one who took part in clinical trials of the AstraZeneca vaccine developed severe coronavirus or died, leading health authorities to conclude it has 100 per cent efficacy against severe cases of the virus. Advertisement While Australia has based its strategy on the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccinations, we also have two other vaccine agreements: one for 51 million doses of the Novavax vaccine, being made in several locations across Europe, and another 25.5 million doses of a mix of vaccines under the international COVAX distribution program, which aims to provide fair global access to vaccines once they are made available. Phase-three trials of the Novavax vaccine showed 89 per cent efficacy in preventing COVID-19 after early data indicated it may offer even greater protection against coronavirus by having an effect on transmission as well as symptomatic infection. If all of these agreements come through, Australia could have access to about 150 million vaccine doses. There are also some vaccines going through approvals processes overseas that Australia does not have any agreements for notably the Moderna vaccine, which is being rolled out in the UK. Loading Where will you be vaccinated, and by whom? The Pfizer vaccines have been administered at up to 50 hospital hubs with ultra-cold freezers in metropolitan and regional areas across Australia. NSW Health had its initial Pfizer vaccination hubs at RPA, Westmead and Liverpool hospitals, but is now vaccinating with the Pfizer and AstraZeneca at Hornsby, St George, Nepean, Newcastle, Wollongong, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo and Wagga Wagga hospitals. In Victoria, Austin Health, Barwon Health, Monash Health and Western Health host vaccination hubs. Advertisement Researchers told the men they were being treated for bad blood, a term used to describe several ailments, including syphilis, anemia and fatigue, according to the CDC. Those who had syphilis were never given adequate treatment for their disease, even with the advent of penicillin, according to the CDC. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Calcium propionate is calcium salt of propionic acid, formed by reaction of calcium hydroxide with propionic acid. The compound exhibits mold inhibiting property, which is extremely beneficial for prevention of growing microorganisms in food and beverages. Growing consumption of calcium propionate as a preservative and leavening agent in bakery and dairy products is a major driver of the global market. The increasing applications of calcium propionate in bakery products hold a major share of the market in terms of value. It is used for milk fever prevention in cows and is a great feed supplement for poultry, dogs, cattle, and horse. The use of calcium propionate in baked products depends upon various influencing factors such as storage method, storage temperature, product type, and others. It acts as an anti-microbial agent which is beneficial in the production of pharmaceuticals, especially for skin disease caused by a parasite. This property is also useful in preventing bacterial growth and preventing cosmetics from spoiling. Being less toxic and cost-effective compared to other substitutes such as sodium propionate, sorbates, and others are the primary drivers of the market growth. Changing lifestyle and food consumption habits coupled with growing working population have increased the demand for processed and ready-to-go food products and are likely to propel the market growth during the forecast period. R&D innovations in food processing and the extensive use of the product in emerging markets are projected to drive the market positively. Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/calcium-propionate-market-5648 Market Segmentation The global calcium propionate market is segmented on the basis of its application and region. Based on the applications, the global market is segregated into bakery products, dairy products, animal feed, processed meat, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and others. Regional Analysis The global calcium propionate market is segmented into five major regions of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. North America is the leading region in the global calcium propionate market owing to the presence of well-established mature foods & beverages industries in this region. Countries such as the U.S. and Canada hold a major share of the regional market and may further witness healthy growth in the coming years due to the high production and consumption of bakery and dairy products in this region. Europe is another substantial region expected to witness positive growth in the market. The increasing need for the longer shelf life stability and growing awareness of the foodborne disease is anticipated to fuel the regional market in countries such as the U.K, Germany, France, Italy, and others. The Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region in terms of the consumption of calcium propionate. Countries such as China, India, Japan, and others are the major contributors to the market share in this region. The surging demand for processed food and increasing disposable income are the major drivers of the market in this region. Moreover, use in pesticides to increase agricultural production and productivity in the emerging countries such as China, India, Indonesia, and Thailand in this region favors the market growth positively. Lastly, Latin America and the Middle East and Africa are also significant contributors to the market growth on account of the growing food industries in countries such as Mexico, Brazil, and South Africa. Get a Free Sample Now@ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5648 Competitive Analysis Some of the key players in the global market of calcium propionate are A-M chemicals co., Ltd (China), ADDCON (Germany), Fine organics (India), Kemira Oyj (Finland), Impextraco NV (Belgium), Krishna Chemicals (India), Niacet (U.S), Macco Organiques inc (Czech Republic), Perstorp Orgnr (Sweden), Cargill Incorporated. (U.S), AB Mauri India Pvt.Ltd. (India), BASF SE (Germany), Triveni Chemicals (India), Kemin Industries, Inc. (USA), and Eastman Chemical Company (U.S). Irish politicians, from both sides of the border, have been as common as shamrock in the White House every St Patrick's Day. It is a chance for them to press the flesh with US politicians with even a passing interest in Irish affairs and to have a word in the ear of whoever is President. This year the Taoiseach, Micheal Martin has not ruled out a trip to meet new president Joe Biden, but there will be no politicians from Northern Ireland present. That is a sensible decision by the local parties. Coronavirus is rampant in the US, and while every effort will be made to ensure the safety of visitors to the White House, the optics of making such a trip would be unfavourable. How could local politicians plead with the public to obey restrictions - presuming they are still in place on March 17 - while glad-handing their way across the Atlantic. President Biden has made tackling coronavirus a priority and perhaps he will cancel the annual reception to show that he is really serious about containing its spread. Ukrainian exporters, interested in entering the Egyptian markets, will benefit significantly from the establishment of joint ventures with localization of production in this country. "The establishment of joint ventures and the organization of production in the territory of Egypt can provide Ukrainian companies with access to a market of 1.3 billion consumers with a total GDP of $3.4 trillion. If the appropriate level of localization of production is reached, the goods are considered to be made in Egypt and have the right to duty-free movement both within the country and within the existing economic integration associations (African countries and most Arab countries)," Ambassador of Ukraine to Egypt Yevhen Mykytenko said at an online briefing for Ukrainian exporters entitled "Entering market and doing business in Egypt", the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine informs. Ukrainian diplomats acquainted Ukrainian business representatives with the overall economic situation in Egypt, the peculiarities of operation in local markets. In particular, they said that Ukraine ranks 11th among exporters to Egypt, accounting for 2.8% of total countrys imports. As noted, Ukrainian goods with a high level of added value are promising: products of mechanical engineering, shipbuilding and car building industries, energy equipment, high-tech products of aviation and space industries, as well as increasing exports of scientific and technical, engineering, information, educational and other services. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs data, the total volume of Ukraine-Egypt trade in goods (for 12 months) and services (for 9 months) amounted to $1,772 million in 2020. Exports of Ukrainian goods to Egypt amounted to $1,618 million, imports - $75 million. For nine months of 2020, Ukraine-Egypt trade in services amounted to $79 million. Ukrainian companies provided services to Egypt to the tune of $24.34 million, Egyptian companies to Ukraine $54.43 million. ol A wellness brand is being slammed on social media for flying a group of influencers to St. Barths for a lavish trip in the middle of a deadly global pandemic. Vital Proteins, a supplement brand that specializes in collagen products, is currently hosting the luxurious island getaway for more than half a dozen Instagrammers, models, and musicians. But while the group has been proudly flaunting their opulent trip online, other social media users are blasting the 'terrible PR move,' criticizing the 'appalling' way those involved are flouting public health warnings and even threatening to boycott the brand. Uh-oh: A wellness brand is being slammed on social media for flying a group of influencers to St. Baths for a lavish trip in the middle of a deadly global pandemic Vacation: Vital Proteins, a supplement brand that specialized in collagen products, is currently hosting the luxurious island getaway Ad time: More than half a dozen Instagrammers, models, and musicians came along for the promotional trip Must be nice: The influencers have all been posting photos and videos from the trip Promotional: They've also made sure to get plenty of snaps with the product Not into it: But while the group has been proudly flaunting their opulent trip online, other social media users are blasting the 'terrible PR move' What pandemic? They've only been seen wearing masks on a couple of occasions, like while traveling by van Yikes... Critics are calling out the 'appalling' way those involved are flouting public health warnings and even threatening to boycott the brand The five-day 'wellness retreat' appears to have kicked off about two days ago, with a private flight charted from the US to the Caribbean island. Several of the influencers shared photos and videos of themselves boarding the plane from Miami, Florida. 'My @vitalproteins family asked if i wanted to fly out to St Barths for a wellness retreat and you already know what i said!' boasted Don Benjamin. Others who have posted include Carina Zavline, Liane V, Nina, Candice, Hofit Golan, Alvaro Nunez, each of whom have anywhere from 60,000 to 4.4 million Instagram followers. While the influencers appear to be staying at private accommodations, it is still a rather large group made up of at least seven people who don't all live in the same household. That does not include any brand representatives that are also on the trip, nor does it include any staff responsible for cleaning or cooking for them. Off they go: The five-day 'wellness retreat' appears to have kicked off about two days ago, with a private flight charted from the US to the Caribbean island On their way: Several of the influencers shared photos and videos of themselves boarding the plane from Miami, Florida Influencer Nina shared video of herself descending the stairs of the plane No real world problems here: Candice shared snaps of herself on the plane Getting a tan: They've shared lots of snaps of themselves enjoying the beach and the pool, like this one of Carina Zavline 'My @vitalproteins family asked if i wanted to fly out to St Barths for a wellness retreat and you already know what i said!' boasted Don Benjamin Outdoor fun: Liane V shared photos of herself using an outdoor shower Who cares? The group appears to be living it up despite the global pandemic Silent: The influencers have not detailed any precautions they took prior to the trip Facts: Precautions or no, epidemiologists and government health experts around the glove have warned against travel during the pandemic Spreading: Smeone who is asymptomatic and tests negative may still carry the disease and spread it to others In St. Barts, the group has collectively shared dozens of photos and videos, showing them swimming and goofing off in the pool, sunbathing, walking down to the beach, and taking out kayaks. They also participated in exercise and yoga classes, enjoyed a day out on a yacht, and went out to a Japanese restaurant. Danger: Even in places where Americans can travel, it is not recommended At the restaurant, two of the women even shared a cocktail. The influencers have not detailed any precautions they took prior to the trip, including whether or not they quarantined for two weeks or tested negative before travel. In St. Barths, though, one shared photo and video from a group outing several days in to a PCR testing site. In a statement made to DailyMail.com, a spokesperson for Vital Proteins said that the company took every possible precaution to ensure that the trip was handled in the safest possible way - noting that the use of a private jet was intended to keep its guest safe and isolated from others. All of the attendees also had to show negative PCR test results before embarking on the trip, and they were all tested again at the end of the getaway. 'We also chose Saint Barthelemey because of their handling of COVID, where they have strict entry requirements wherein you must have a negative COVID test within 48 hours before being permitted entry, and again to enter the United States and the UK,' she spokesperson added. 'In addition there have been minimal COVID cases on the island itself.' According to the statement, all of the brand guests were also housed in 'separate stand alone bungalows' to keep close contact to a minimum. Precautions or no, epidemiologists and government health experts around the glove have warned against travel during the pandemic, noting that someone who is asymptomatic and tests negative may still carry the disease and spread it to others. The safest way to stop the spread, experts agree, is not to travel at all and to limit contact with anyone who lives outside the home as much as possible. The safest way to stop the spread, experts agree, is not to travel at all and to limit contact with anyone who lives outside the home as much as possible Fitness: The group has also had several workout and yoga classes More: They have shared countless photos and videos of the workouts They appear to be staying in a secluded residence, though it's unclear how many members of staff are working Promoting the brand: Vital Proteins has been tagged in many of the posts Risky: They don't appear to be wearing masks at all except when required to do so indoors at a public place While Vital Proteins has no doubt encouraged its influencers to share social media content from the trip, it hasn't had entirely the positive, aspirational effect they were hoping for When contact is necessary, masks are always recommended. These influencers, though, don't appear to be wearing masks at all except when required to do so indoors at a public place. While Vital Proteins has no doubt encouraged its influencers to share social media content from the trip, it hasn't had entirely the positive, aspirational effect they were hoping for. On Twitter, Harper's Bazaar editor Omid Scobie called out the brand for the ill-timed holiday. 'I really hate to be a killjoy but why has @vitalproteins flown influencers from around the world out on a wellness trip to St Barts IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC?' he tweeted along with photos from the trip. 'Is promoting supplements really *that* important? Terrible PR move,' he added. 'I was fan of their products and brand so this is disappointing to me. Doesnt matter how much pre-travel testing was done its a bad look and sends out a terrible message to the thousands of people who buy their products and are staying put at home.' In St. Barts, the group has collectively shared dozens of photos and videos, showing them swimming and goofing off in the pool, sunbathing, and walking down to the beach They've also taken a kayak out for a spin, but more importantly, for pictures 'I really hate to be a killjoy but why has @vitalproteins flown influencers from around the world out on a wellness trip to St Barts IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC?' wrote Harper's Bazaar editor Omid Scobie Calling them out: Others have shared similar concerns about the move Others have agreed, calling it a 'bad idea' and 'irresponsible behavior.' 'The irony of a wellness brand contributing to the potential spread of a global pandemic is MIND-BLOWING,' wrote one. 'You've got to be kidding me!? What in the world do they think they're doing flying people"influencers"to another location/country.. Is it really that important to promote whatever supplements or "wellness" they're promoting? What happened to online work/meetings?! Incredible!' said another. One more said: 'I think it's brilliant that they've done it. I know not to shop with them now.' Yet another tweeted: 'The rules dont apply to all these days. Just some apparently.' '[The] height and depth of ignorance is just appalling,' said another. Vital Proteins' spokesperson explained that there is 'no factual evidence' to suggest its guests' attendance on the trip contributed to the spread of COVID-19, and noted that the intention of the trip was to help encourage a healthy, wellness-focused lifestyle. 'People should feel empowered to embrace wellness even during uncertain times,' they said. 'Each day we have a schedule of wellness activities for the influencers including morning meditation, mindfulness exercises, yoga, sound baths, personal training, hiking, water-sports, paddle-boarding, smoothie making, healthy recipes, and more. 'The intention of the Vital Wellness House was to inspire people to live full, vibrant lives with regards to the primary pillars of wellness which include physical health/fitness, health/nutritional, emotional/supportive/inspirational, social connection and forming positive relationships, and the environment/sustainability, especially during uncertain times.' Indoor dining: The group also went out to a Japanese restaurant Whatever: While they may be willing to risk their own health, they could also spread the disease to waiters and other restaurant employees Like old times: The group dressed up and went out without a care in the world No one on the trip appears to be concerned about the pandemic Sharing is spreading: Two of the influencers even sipped from the same cocktail although they used different straws How many? It's also unclear how many representatives for the supplement brand are on the trip NEW DELHI: The Special Cell of Delhi Police, which is probing the 'conspiracy and criminal designs' behind the Republic Day violence in the national capital, has summoned six farmer leaders, including BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait and Boota Singh Burjgil, to the Crime Branch office on January 29 for questioning. The Crime Branch will probe cases of violence at the Red Fort, ITO, Nangloi Crossing, and six other places during the farmers' tractor parade on Republic Day, an official said. The Delhi police have so far registered 33 FIRs in connection with the violence, and also issued LOCs against 44 people, mainly farmer leaders, in connection with the Jnauary 26 violence, to prevent them from leaving the country. Lookout circulars have been issued against Boota Singh Burjgil, Darshan Pal Singh, Rakesh Tikait, Saravan Singh Pandher, Satnam Pannu, Yogendra Yadav, Medha Patkar, Lakha Sidhana, Deep Sidhu, Joginder Singh Ugaraha, Rishipal Ambawata, Balbir Singh Rajewal among others. The farmers, who have been summoned by the Delhi Police include names like Buta Singh Burjgil, Darshan Pal Singh, Rakesh Tikait, Saravan Singh Pandher and Satnam Pannu. On January 28, Delhi Police issued lookout notices against farmer leaders and registered a case under the stringent UAPA and sedition for the Republic Day violence. A confrontation was building up at the UP Gate in Ghazipur bordering Delhi with heavy security deployed while frequent power cuts were witnessed in the evening at the protest site, where Bharatiya Kisan Union members, led by Rakesh Tikait, are staying put since November 28. Earlier, Delhi Police has issued a notice to Tikait asking him to explain to why legal action should not be taken against him for breaching the agreement with police regarding the tractor rally on January 26. The police asked the 37 farmer leaders, including Tikait, Yogendra Yadav, Balbeer Singh Rajewal whose names have been named in an FIR in connection with the violence, to submit their response within three days. Tikait, the BKU's national spokesperson, was adamant threatening, "I will commit suicide but won't end protest until the farm bills are repealed." He also claimed threat to his life, alleging that armed goons were sent to the protest site. Condemning the Uttar Pradesh government and police for the ultimatum, he said, "No violence has taken place at the Ghazipur border but still the UP government is resorting to policy of suppression. This is the face of the UP government." Meanwhile, Centre has extended the deployment period of four companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) till February 4 to maintain the law and order situation in Ghaziabad in view of farmers' protest. Their deployment was earlier till January 28 but has been extended as the sit-in protest at Ghazipur border continues against Centre's farm laws. A notice has also been served to farmers at Ghazipur border under Section 133 of CrPC (conditional order for removal of a nuisance) by Ghaziabad ADM City Shailendra Kumar Singh to vacate the site. Nineteen people have been arrested so far and over 25 criminal cases registered by Delhi Police in connection with the violence that broke out during the farmers' tractor march on Tuesday, Police Commissioner (CP) SN Shrivastava had said on Wednesday adding that 394 police personnel sustained injuries in the violence and several of them are still admitted to hospitals. Several public and private properties were damaged in acts of vandalism by the protestors. Live TV San Francisco, Jan 29 : With newsletter tools becoming popular among independent journalists and writers, Facebook is also planning to roll out a similar service, The New York Times reported on Friday. Facebook's newsletter service could include features to help writers and journalists build their followers on the social media platform, curate their email lists and paid subscription tools, said the report, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter. The report suggests that interest in the newsletter space is growing among social media platforms. Twitter this week announced it has acquired Revue, an email service that makes it free and easy for anyone to start and publish editorial newsletters. Newsletter service Substack claimed to have over 250,000 paying subscribers across its service as of September 2020, according to a report in The Verge. Founded in 2017, Substack's software allows writers to easily reach out to their followers by publishing and distributing both free and paid emailed newsletters. The company, in return gets a nominal cut of the sales from the writer's subscription. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly supportive of the company's newsletter project which is part of its Journalism Project. The initiative is part of the social media network's plan to provide more legitimate news sources. Gov. Kate Brown on Thursday endorsed the states abrupt decision to stop disclosing detailed summaries of every Oregonian with COVID-19 who dies during the pandemic. The Oregon Health Authority announced the decision at 4 p.m. Wednesday, saying the number of new deaths would still be announced daily in summary, with aggregate information about ages, gender and county residence available online. For more than 10 months, the health authority listed information for each Oregonian who died, including a persons age, county, location of death, date of a positive coronavirus test, date of death and general presence of underlying health conditions. But state officials say providing that much detail became too much work, essentially requiring a full-time position. Its unclear if any other state provided as much detail as Oregon about individual fatalities. The states decision to limit information was immediately panned by some state lawmakers. Sen. Michael Dembrow, a Portland Democrat who writes a daily newsletter full of coronavirus news and analysis, contacted the health authority and asked officials to reconsider to no avail. I believe that theres real human value in seeing these individuals that weve lost each day, even if we dont know their names, or really much about them at all other than their age and location, Dembrow wrote in a message Wednesday night to constituents. Still, they come across as individuals, as more than a statistic. I value that, particularly in the midst of this dreadful pandemic, and I know many of you do as well. Senate Republicans suggested on Twitter that the decision to reduce available information smells like a cover-up from here. Dru Draper, a spokesman for the caucus, said Thursday the health authority should publish biographical details as it has done throughout the pandemic. It seems like that was working, he said. At the end of the day, whats the reason to give people less information? Why are we changing the way we are reporting deaths all of the sudden? Draper noted that deaths have decreased since December, so it should take the health authority less time to compile details for release. Announcing the change now, he said, seems aligned with an effort to limit precise fatality details about seniors who, under direction from the states Democratic governor, are behind teachers in vaccination order. It seems like thats the only thing that could have changed the calculus, Draper said. House Republicans also criticized the change. The decision to suspend access to key information calls into question the governors commitment to transparency and accountability at a time when state-level decisions have made Oregon a national outlier by ignoring CDC guidelines and dismissing a science-based approach to vaccine distribution, Republican Leader Christine Drazan of Canby said in a statement. In order to maintain trust and preserve transparency, Governor Brown and OHA must reverse yesterdays decision and commit to providing clear, consistent and timely data in all categories moving forward, she added. Browns office Thursday defended the health authoritys decision to stop providing detailed death reports. A spokesman touted the states new data dashboard, unveiled Wednesday, as a way to provide more timely information that will continue to give Oregonians a full picture of COVID-19 deaths in the state without as much painstaking work for state officials. To my knowledge, no state in the nation discloses as much COVID-19 data to the media and public as Oregon, Charles Boyle said in a statement. On the last day of detailed reporting earlier this week, Oregon reported details for 22 deaths, including 17 seniors. As an example, the states 1,888th fatality was an 82-year-old Douglas County man with underlying medical conditions who tested positive Jan. 14 and died Jan. 23 at Mercy Medical Center. That level of detail is now gone. The health authority on Thursday noted that of the six new deaths reported, four were among people 80 and older, one death was an Oregonian age 70-79 and one was 60-69. That information was already available online by tracking the cumulative change in deaths by age range. The state did not announce deaths by gender or county. But tracking cumulative changes online, statistics show three men died and three women died, The Oregonian/OregonLive found. The deaths were among residents of Columbia, Deschutes, Douglas, Klamath, Malheur and Multnomah counties. Ending detailed death descriptions will make it difficult to know with precision how many elderly Oregonians test positive for coronavirus and subsequently die during the period when Brown allowed teachers to receive vaccines ahead of seniors. The newsroom filed a public records request Thursday for each of the 20 deaths announced a day earlier, seeking the basic biographical information the state has previously disclosed. State officials have not yet responded. But the agency previously declined similar requests for information stored in its online public health database, asserting that state law makes that data and information exempt from disclosure unless officials choose to release it. State officials began providing detailed information with the first death March 14. Facing concerns about inadequate transparency on other coronavirus data, Brown later that month said she instructed the health authority to share all COVID-19 information with the public that does not compromise patient privacy. Heres the full statement from Browns spokesman on Thursday: Governor Brown is committed to ensuring Oregonians have timely information about COVID-19. From the beginning of the pandemic, Oregon has set a national standard for transparency by reporting daily on COVID-19 cases and deaths. However, in recent weeks, reconciling death data has begun to significantly delay daily reportingwith daily reports sometimes not being issued until the eveningbecause of the time it takes for state epidemiologists to verify the information from each death certificate. In order to ensure reporting is more timely, the Oregon Health Authority has shifted to using a data dashboard to continue to give Oregonians a full picture of COVID-19 deaths in the state. This change will also allow Oregons data to be included in daily national data updateswhich had recently been made difficult because of the late hour Oregons data was being reported. To my knowledge, no state in the nation discloses as much COVID-19 data to the media and public as Oregon. This was an internal reporting decision made by OHA, however, I have confirmed that OHA will still be able to include information about COVID-19 deaths, with age ranges, in their daily updates. -- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt State State bids final adieu to late Temjen Toy (L) Nagaland Police personnel presenting the guard of honor (R) Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio paying his last respects to Temjen Toy on Friday. (DIPR/NP) Correspondent KOHIMA, JAN 29 (NPN) | Publish Date: 1/29/2021 12:53:22 PM IST A State Funeral was accorded to late Temjen Toy, Friday afternoon at the official residence premises of the chief secretary, where hundreds of mourners bade farewell to the departed soul. Late Temjen Toy, was chief secretary Nagaland at the time of his death and died on Thursday evening after a brief illness. Hundreds of mourners led by state chief minister Neiphiu Rio, his cabinet colleagues, opposition NPF leader T.R. Zeliang, legislators, senior government bureaucrats, high ranking officers of police and security forces paid their last respects to late Temjen Toy here on Friday. Speaking at the funeral service, chief minister Neiphiu Rio fondly recalled his association with Temjen Toy whom he described as one of the best and finest civil servant Nagaland has ever had. Rio recalled late Temjen as a humble upright and dedicated officer who always wore a cheerful look besides being very loveable and a real gentleman. The chief minister recalled that Temjen , the senior-most bureaucrat, was not a typical file-pushing officer, but always had an out-of-the-box approach in governance. Further, Rio said late Temjen never shied away from any kind of storm but faced everything with a calm approach and contributed a lot in areas beyond his official call of duty. Recalling his close ties, Rio said Temjen enriched him in various fields. Despite suffering from a serious ailment, Rio said Temjen remained very positive about his recovery. On Temjens insistence to resume official work, Rio said it was agreed . He said Temjen exuded the same confident spirit when he rejoined work on January 18 and functioned from his residence. On the suddenness of Temjens demise, Rio said he never knew that his life will be cut short in this manner. Rio said the demise of Temjen was a huge loss for the state government and people who will always remember him, while conveying heartfelt condolences to the family on his behalf as well as the state government. In his emotional eulogy, retired chief engineer (Power) Er. Lanu Toy, father of late Temjen Toy expressed gratitude to God for the life of Temjen and how his sons ailment provided the family to spend quality time during the past few months with him. Recalling his sons early childhood, Er. Toy said Temjen, while still a child, used to ask him to be honest in all dealings. Even though Temjen was suffering from the dreaded disease (cancer), Er. Toy said his sons unwavering spirit gave them hope because he trusted Gods ultimate plan and surrendered to His will. Er. Toy thanked all those gathered for sharing the grief of the family including the State government for according a befitting State funeral in honor of his son. He also expressed gratitude to the people and churches who were praying for Temjen and also various tribal organisations for sharing their grief and concern in the hour of grief. Speaking on behalf of IAS Association of Nagaland, addl. chief secretary & finance commissioner, Sentiyanger Imchen recalled that at their last meeting, late Temjen exuded hope that he would recover but only to pass away so soon. He described late Temjen Toy a seasoned bureaucrat and known for his administrative skill as evident from his leadership in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. He said Temjen was a friend, philosopher and guide to many in the government service. Sentiyanger said Temjens level of commitment and dedication in his service was witnessed by everyone and so the void caused by his sudden demise would be felt not only in various aspects of governance but in the lives of those who knew him. Speaking on behalf of Ao Senden, Chubawati Longchar said the late Temjen Toy was the backbone of the society and that his contribution towards the Ao community was immeasurable and too numerous to count. He described Temjen as the finest officer that Ao community had ever produced and who gave his best for all. Longchar remarked that a personality of Toys stature comes once in a generation and his death has created a deep void in the Ao community that would be difficult to fill even in the years to come. Meyi Onen Jamir of Kohima Aor Telongjem (Kohima Ao Union) also expressed shock at the sudden demise of Toy and said the union felt devastated. A bona fide member of Kohima Ao Union, officers forum and KABA member, Jamir said late Temjen Toy was a committed officer and was privileged to have worked with him. He said his demise was a big blow to the Ao community and his absence would be deeply felt. Jamir thanked the State government for according State funeral to Temjen Toy, who was the highest ranking officer in the State from the Ao community. Former additional chief secretary, HK Khulu, a close colleague and family friend, also recalled his association with late Temjen . Family members- Dr Kezevituo Keditsu; former legislator , I. Imkong and late Temjen Toys eldest son Sempisang were among others who also spoke at the funeral service. After Senior Pastor of Kohima Ao Baptist Church Rev Sentisashi shared the word of God and benediction, a guard of honour was presented by Nagaland Police for late Temjen Toy and the Tri Colour was handed over to late Temjens wife, Mrs. Ruovi Toy. Nagaland Governor, R.N. Ravi, former chief minister and governor Dr. S.C. Jamir besides various organisations, churches, tribal hobos, IAS associations, NCS, NBCC etc, also sent condolences to the family. The funeral service was chaired by Cabinet secretary Jane Alam while State chaplain Rev YT Yamyap pronounced the invocation. The pianist of the program was Khyochano TCK. The funeral was attended by a host of dignitaries including ministers, advisors, legislators, government officials and well wishers. After the funeral service the body was taken to the residence of late Temjens father Er. Lanu Toy at AG colony, Kohima, where it was laid to rest. Condolences pour in for Temjen Toy DIMAPUR, JAN 29 (NPN): Condolences continued to pour in grieving the demise of chief secretary, Temjen Toy, who passed away on January 28 after a brief illness in Kohima. Kashiho: Minister of Geology & Mining and Soil & Water Conservation, V. Kashiho Sangtam expressed sadness at the passing away of Toy and said that Nagaland in his demise has lost a an upright and dynamic bureaucrat. Kashiho described late Toy as a man of strong character and a brilliant officer who served the people with sincerity and commitment. The minister further conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for departed soul to rest in eternal peace. Jacob: Minister of Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Jacob Zhimomi expressed deep sorrow and pain at the untimely demise of Temjen Toy. In a condolence message, Zhimomi described late Toy as a brilliant IAS officer, who dedicated his service for the welfare of the Nagas. Zhimomi further conveyed condolence to the bereaved family and prayed for the departed soul to rest in peace. Noke: Advisor Social Welfare and Home Guard & Civil Defence, Noke Wangnao expressed shock on the untimely demise of Temjen Toy. While conveying condolences to the bereaved family members, Noke described late Toy as one of the finest bureaucrats he had associated with during his long political career till date. The advisor said that the state in his demise has lost one of the most sincere, dedicated and responsible bureaucrats, adding that his immense contribution to the government and the people of the state in various capacities during his illustrious career will be remembered forever. Noke further prayed for departed to rest in eternal peace. NPF: NPF president, Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu on behalf of the party rank and file expressed pain at the untimely demise of Temjen Toy. In a condolence note, Dr. Shurhozelie said late Toy was not only a great administrator, who held the highest position in the State government but was an upright, humble and a man of statesmen who dedicated his entire life for the welfare of the Naga people. His death was a great loss for the government and the Nagas, but his contribution towards the State and the people will be always remembered, he said. Further, NPF conveyed condolences and prayed that God grant solace and comfort to the bereaved family members. Thenucho Tunyi: Former home minister Thenucho Tunyi has mourned the demise of Temjen Toy and said that in his demise the people of the state have lost a noble soul. He described late Toy as an able administrator who demonstrated a firm dedication to his work. His ability to discern was a God given gift and he could tackle complicated matters wisely and skilfully, Tunyi said. While conveying condolences to the bereaved family members, the former home minister said late Toy was a man of humility, who carried out his duties with dignity and confidence. Naga Hoho: Naga Hoho has expressed sadness and sorrow on the untimely demise of Temjen. The hoho in a condolence note by its president, H.K. Zhimomi described late Toy as a dedicated, sincere and a promising officer and above all a very humble person. NH said that late Toys contributions for the welfare of the people will always be remembered. The hoho conveyed condolences to the bereaved family members and prayed for departed to rest in eternal peace. AGOK: Angami Gazetted Officers Krotho (AGOK) has expressed shock and pain over the untimely demise of T. Temjen Toy. In a condolence message, AGOK president, Dr. Kedozeto Punyu and general secretary, Megolhou Dolie stated that the state in his demise has lost a great man, not only as a senior bureaucrat but a true leader, building team spirit and camaraderie wherever he led. The Krotho stated that late Toy was a great source of inspiration and encouragement to them, and recalled the foundation stone for the Multi Utility Centre at AGOK Badze, Meriema that was laid by him on November 9, 2017. The Krotho further conveyed condolences to the bereaved family members, and prayed that departed rest in peace. CANSSEA: Confederation of All Nagaland State Services Employees Association (CANSSEA) too joined in mourning the demise of Temjen Toy, whom they described him as humble, sincere, dedicated and upright bureaucrat. The association stated that his selfless service towards humanity shall go down in the annals of history. The association further prayed that Almighty grant solace to the bereaved family and departed to rest in eternal peace. 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| 2021-01-29 23:35:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said on Friday it's investigating the death of three elephants on diverse dates in Sagala Area, a hotspot for human-wildlife conflict in southeast Kenya. KWS said all the deceased jumbos' had their tusks intact, implying that the deaths were not as a result of attempted poaching. "Investigations are however underway to pinpoint the actual cause of the demise, and to bring the perpetrators to book," KWS said in a statement issued in Nairobi. Sagala Area, located in Taita Taveta County, is a human-wildlife conflict hotspot, and KWS said initial indications point to a possible case of retaliatory poisoning by parties whose identities are yet to be identified. The wildlife agency appealed to communities living adjacent to parks and reserves not to take the law into their hands, but to report any cases through the right channels for quick action. The latest incident comes amid a surge in cases of human-wildlife conflict which also poses a threat to wildlife survival needs. The government has so far compensated more than 400 human deaths, over 4,500 human injuries as well as more than 5,000 crop damages, according to KWS. Enditem Palestinian officials breathed a sigh of relief with the swearing-in of Joe Biden. Palestinian government spokesman Ibrahim Melhem said President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh welcomed the announcements made by top officials of the Biden administration declaring the reversal of some of Donald Trumps anti-Palestinian decisions. He said the new administrations moves emphasized the US support for a two-state solution and the need to resume Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Despite Bidens optimistic words, it is unclear yet whether there will be any substantive changes in US foreign policy toward Palestine/Israel. Khalil Assali, a Jerusalem-based political analyst, said the resumption of efforts at the Jerusalem consulate on Agron Street will revive US-Palestinian communication. The move of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the existence of one of the worst US ambassadors to Palestinian-American relations has caused a total cessation of talks. So, for sure the reopening of a mission in Jerusalem that is dedicated to Palestinians will revive both secret and public meetings on the political level as well as on the economic and development levels, said Assali. Despite the public statement welcoming the US moves, Palestinians say it is unclear whether the Biden administration will reverse all decisions or whether there will be added conditions on the issue of the return of the Palestinian office in Washington and the US mission in East Jerusalem. Palestinian officials are worried about having to return to the earlier version in which the Washington offices status will be reviewed every six months as part of anti-terrorism congressional legislation. Also, it is unclear how the East Jerusalem US mission will work while the Biden administration has stated it will not reverse Trumps decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem. Oraib Rantawi, director of Al-Quds Center for Political Studies, argued in his daily column in Ad-Dustour Jan. 28 that it is not wise to wager too much on the Biden administration. Having wide expectations before we find out the position of the new administration on key issues will lead us to a trap of exaggerated expectations that the new administration will put enough pressure on Israel to accept the two-state solution, Rantawi wrote. Sam Bahour, a Palestinian-American business consultant living in the West Bank, told Al-Monitor all the excitement about the return of USAID to Palestine and the opening of the PLO diplomatic mission in DC is premature. The reasons why the Palestinian leadership stopped taking US funds was due to Congress passing specific laws with potentially huge liabilities on the PLO, and this has not been resolved. Why would the Palestinian leadership now feel like it can accept potential liabilities they rejected only a short time ago? As for the PLO office in DC, this would be a lost opportunity for the PLO to accept this instead of only agreeing to open an embassy of Palestine to the US. As we are all too used to, the US is not being held accountable for its blaring missteps. Nevertheless, Khalil Assali, publisher of the Jerusalem-centric news site Akhbar el-Balad, told Al-Monitor the potential return of USAID funding to the Palestinian areas, including Jerusalem, will reactivate civil society organizations. Of special concern to many are the financial problems facing leading Palestinian specialized hospitals in East Jerusalem. These hospitals, which have been providing important and advanced medical support to Palestinians, especially cancer children from Gaza, are hoping to be able to dig themselves out of economic hardship. Employees of the Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem went on a work stoppage on Jan. 26 because of consistent delays and partial salaries due to the extreme financial crisis that has developed over the years, in part due to the abrupt cut in US aid during the Trump administration that had been pledged by Washington. UNRWA is also hoping the return of US funding will help it overcome a $200 million deficit it is facing. UNRWA spokesman Sami Mshasha notes that UNRWA had been receiving $360 million in US government aid when Trump stopped all support in 2017. Samir Hulileh, a Palestinian economist living in Ramallah, told Al-Monitor the US decision to revive its financial support will effectively end a financial siege placed on the Palestinian government and its institutions by the US administration. Palestinians have suffered in the last years as a result of this siege, the pandemic and the Israeli financial restrictions, which have resulted in a 12% retraction of income in the past year. This means the $300 million in various US government support will make a difference whether it is given to the Palestinian government, to security use, to the private sector, humanitarian support or support to UNRWA, Hulileh said. Hulileh noted the US decision is likely to release support from other funders and governments, which took the US decision as a signal to suspend support to Palestinians. However, Hulileh wondered whether this will cause a revisit to how money is spent so as to have a sustainable and underpouring economy, or whether we will go back to the old financial mechanisms and living on aid. The welcome that Palestinians have given to the early statement by the Biden administration reflects a major need for a return to the status quo that existed before Trump used a sledgehammer of political and economic policies with the aim of forcing Palestinians to surrender to US-Israeli dictates. But having the relief of US pressure is a far cry from having a serious effort by Washington to move the peace toward a political breakthrough, which will require time and knowing the results of the upcoming Israeli and Palestinian elections. The neighborhoods east of the Industrial Canal commonly referred to as New Orleans East too often get a bad rap in the media, said City Council members on Thursday, and they argued that reports on crimes there should be more specific to individual neighborhoods. The council unanimously passed a resolution on the matter, arguing that generalizing the area as "New Orleans East," a section of New Orleans with a quarter of the city's population and two-thirds of its land mass, is unfair to the residents who live there. +3 Renewed development, an indoor water park, more: Here's Cyndi Nguyen's vision for New Orleans East It was the third Saturday in November, and New Orleans City Councilwoman Cyndi Nguyen was sipping coffee in a nondescript meeting room near th Instead, reports should single out specific neighborhoods in the East where crimes occur, council members said. The media should apply the same practice to all individual neighborhoods in the city. "We as residents of New Orleans East are calling on the media to change this discriminatory practice," said Councilmember Cyndi Nguyen, who represents the East. "Rather than using blanket terms, events should be referred to using specific neighborhoods, streets and intersections." The resolution comes after the Metropolitan Crime Commission, a nonprofit criminal justice watchdog group, in a January report highlighted that a quarter of the 753 homicides that have occurred since 2016 have happened in the 7th District, the boundaries of which generally overlap with New Orleans East. 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 The report, which cited police figures, called the 7th District "the deadliest district in Orleans Parish." Neighborhoods in New Orleans East include Pines Village, Plum Orchard, Little Woods, West Lake Forest, Read Boulevard West, Read Boulevard East, Vivant/Venetian Isles, Village de L'Est, and Lake Catherine, the latter of which is mostly taken up by the Bayou Sauvage National Refuge. But like other parts of New Orleans, there are regular disagreements on where specific neighborhood boundaries are located. In 1960, planners began the process of draining miles of swampland east of the Industrial Canal for a residential development they called New Orleans East. The vast area, then described as a suburb within a city, drew employees of surrounding commercial plants and other upwardly mobile families. The moniker stuck, and over time grew to encompass the entire 133-square mile area. Over the years, some residents have complained that the East's safer and more affluent neighborhoods are unfairly lumped in with other more crime-heavy areas when media outlets give descriptions about crimes in that part of the city. Grouping all the East's neighborhoods together creates "the false impression that the entire community is unsafe," which dissuades economic development and cuts civic pride, the resolution states. What Durbin, 27, didnt know is that the six sculptures in the exhibition Troll Hunt are scheduled to officially close on Jan. 31, Sunday, and to be taken down whenever thereafter is practicable to make way for a new large-scale outdoor sculpture exhibit this spring. Rating: Worth a drive One of the best restaurant openings last year was a food truck called Lobo Provisions, cooking wood-grilled Texas comfort food from an Airstream trailer under oak trees and string lights off Old Blanco Road near Bulverde. After an early crush of business, the pandemic forced owners Quinten Frye and Kristin Scharrer to rethink their approach. They moved the operation across the road this month and traded out the Airstream for a stripped-down rolling smoker rig, and Lobo Provisions Smoke Shack was born. Mike Sutter /Staff The streamlined operation puts you one-on-one with Frye, a San Antonio chef whos traveled from Austin to California to Hawaii, where he landed on a James Beard semifinalist list for Rising Star Chef. At Lobo, hes focused on smoked brisket, chicken, breakfast tacos and weekend specials like smoked pork pozole. Thats more than enough to make this weekend cookout worth a drive. On ExpressNews.com: Review: Lobo Provisions food trailer is like a county fair with better food Mike Sutter /Staff Best dish: Frye starts his brisket with a rub of salt, pepper and garlic confit. Then he smokes it for six hours before wrapping it up in banana leaves for a while longer, letting the steam work its alchemical magic. The menu calls it brisket barbacoa, and it brought together the best of those two barbecue styles: brisket with its symphony of fat and lean, and barbacoa with its silky, slow-roasted velvet texture. Its $14 for a half-pound with flour tortillas, queso fresco, pickled onions and creamy green salsa for a do-it-yourself taco kit or a sop-and-glow fiesta for two. Mike Sutter /Staff Other dishes: The most humble of chicken parts, the leg quarter, got the same kind of careful attention as the brisket at Lobo, starting with an 18-hour brine in sweet tea, lemon peel and oregano. Frye smokes it high and hot to get the skin crispy and to seal in the juices, then mellows it down for a smoky finish that marries the flavors happily ever after ($13 for a trio of leg quarters with tortillas, salsa, pickled onions and queso fresco). A weekend special of smoked pork pozole, with big pieces of tender pork sharing a bowl with white and golden hominy in a chile-infused broth ($13), made me wish it were part of the regular menu. On ExpressNews.com: Critics picks: The best 25 San Antonio restaurant dishes of 2020 Picnic-style sides rounded out the experience, including a creamy, spicy coleslaw ($4), sweet and smoky barbecue beans ($5), smoked and soy-lime-marinated jalapenos ($3) and a killer macaroni salad made with pimento cheese, Dukes mayo and smoked paprika ($5). Mike Sutter /Staff Lets get back to the brisket, though, because its a star from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays and Sundays when Frye folds it into fluffy, made-to-order eggs for breakfast tacos on sturdy flour tortillas from Culebra Meat Market ($9 for two). Expect that same big, bold flavor from breakfast tacos with eggs and sweet, smoky nuggets of lean chorizo ($8). Bonus: On a cool, breezy January morning, those tacos made a perfect country breakfast with coffee from the QuickDraw Coffee trailer parked just across the lot. gettyimagesbank Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low near 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. A Republican group, angry over the direction of the GOP in the aftermath of false claims the presidential election was stolen and the Capitol riot, is calling for the resignations of a dozen congressional lawmakers from their own party including Alabamas Mo Brooks. In a press release Friday, the Republican Accountability Project (RAP) said it has launched a $1 million billboard campaign calling for the resignations of Brooks and others. The billboards feature close-up photos of the lawmakers and identical text: You lied about the election. The Capitol was attacked. Then in larger type, it has the lawmakers name followed by Resign. Others the group is calling to resign are Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Josh Hawley of Missouri and Reps. Devin Nunes and Kevin McCarthy of California, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Madison Cawthorn and Dan Bishop of North Carolina, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Louie Gohmert of Texas and Elise Stefanik of New York. Brooks responded to the billboard campaign on Twitter on Friday morning. I PROUDLY stand with Senators Cruz & Hawley; Jim Jordan, Louie Gohmert &130+ Congressmen fighting for honest elections, Brooks said in the tweet. Leadership = attacks by voter fraud profiters. Read Jimmy Carter/James Baker 2005 election theft report for truth & warning. I PROUDLY stand with Senators Cruz & Hawley; Jim Jordan, Louie Gohmert & 130+ Congressmen fighting for honest elections. Leadership = attacks by voter fraud profiters. Read Jimmy Carter/James Baker 2005 election theft report for truth & warning.https://t.co/B7Vqp5U5bU Mo Brooks (@RepMoBrooks) January 29, 2021 There has been no evidence of widespread election theft or voter fraud. More than 60 cases related to the election have been dismissed in the courts and the U.S. Department of Justice under former President Donald Trump also said the election was not stolen. The digital billboards will run in the targeted lawmakers district. Brooks north Alabama district includes the cities of Huntsville, Decatur and Florence. These representatives and senators helped incite the attack on the Capitol by spreading lies about the election, Sarah Longwell, executive director of RAP, said in the press release. They have proved that they are unfit to hold office. They should be nowhere near power. Olivia Troye, a former senior adviser to Vice President Mike Pence, and Elizabeth Neumann, a former top official in the Department of Homeland Security under Trump, are directors of RAP. Brooks is facing separate resolutions introduced in the House calling for his expulsion and his censure. No action has been taken in the House on those resolutions, which have been referred to the House Ethics Committee. Both resolutions take issue with Brooks speech at a Trump rally near the White House on Jan. 6 hours before Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, resulting in five deaths. New Delhi: IndiGo on Friday said it will start direct flights between Kurnool and Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam, and Chennai from March 28 onward under regional connectivity scheme Udan. As per the airline's press release, Sanjay Kumar, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, IndiGo said, "It will strategically enhance regional connectivity in southern India, as Kurnool will be one of three capitals in the state of Andhra Pradesh, as well as the node for the upcoming Hyderabad-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor." Flights on all three routes -- Bengaluru-Kurnool, Visakhapatnam-Kurnool and Chennai-Kurnool -- will operate four times per week under the regional connectivity scheme, the release noted. Under the Udan scheme, financial incentives from the Centre, state governments and airport operators are extended to selected airlines to encourage operations from Unserved and underserved airports, and keep airfares affordable. The release said Kurnool will be the judicial capital of Andhra Pradesh and its increased accessibility will not only help tourists but also government officials travelling to and from the city. 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. Dalton Tong, a longtime healthcare finance leader and likely the first Black member of the HFMA National Board shares his story and suggests ways colleagues can improve opportunities within healthcare and across society for Black people and other minorities. After waves of racial unrest broke across the country in 2020, healthcare organizations and leaders have renewed their focus on the effects of racism and racial disparities. As healthcare leaders look for actions to address those challenges and health inequity issues, Dalton A. Tong, FHFMA, CPA, MBA, 70, shared his experiences and vision of how the sector can help. Following 50 years serving in various roles in healthcare finance practice and education, Tong sees progress and improvements, as well as the need for new efforts to bolster low-income, minority patients and attract more Black professionals into the field. Tongs hard-won insight on the challenges and opportunities for improvement stems from nearly 30 years of working in various healthcare finance and leadership roles in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region followed by two decades instructing new generations of students on the intricacies of healthcare finance. The insight also stems from his roots in Guyana, in South America, where his mother raised him and his three sisters. Growing up without access to running water and substantial meals, Tong worked to advance through education. At 14, he obtained international certification to teach local high school students and only later was able to obtain his own high school diploma at night school, while working during the day. In 1970, at the age of 20, Tong immigrated to the U.S. to study accounting at the University of Baltimore. Within months of starting college, he took a part-time accounting clerk job at South Baltimore General Hospital. Three decades later, Tong would serve as the director of the University of Baltimores honors accounting program and as a senior professional faculty member of Johns Hopkins University. I have come from a faraway place to a point in my life where I can reflect back, Tong said. Reflecting in public did not come easily to the modest Tong, but instead followed the prodding of his adult daughters to share his story and insights and hopefully to inspire others to follow in his footsteps. Why do Black students want to go to engineering school? They see Black astronauts, Tong said. Why do they want to go to medical school? Why do they want to become lawyers? They see pictures, they see evidence of the investments and the rewards. Healthcare finance should do the same thing. What healthcare finance can look like to minorities Tong recalls that for his first job in a hospital, his office was in a hallway near the bathroom entrance. It was a strange arrangement that only later drew Tongs reflection. I was insensitive to what was happening then, Tong said. When I reflect now, I can see some unconscious bias perhaps that may have been at work, or perhaps there was some consciousness about [my] desk location to say, Heres this young Black guy who is here with us. Lets put him where he belongs. But Tong continued to pursue his education and professional training, and within 10 years had risen to vice president of finance for the 500-bed teaching hospital. I went from the restroom to the boardroom in a few years at that place, Tong said. Therein resides the satisfaction, I suppose. The hospital also invested in Tong, including funding his participation in a Harvard executive education program. In 1985, Tong went on to become CFO of Greater Southeast Community Hospital. Six years later he became CFO of Greater Southeast Healthcare System, based in Washington, D.C., its COO in 1992 and its CEO two years after. That has probably happened to a lot of people, [but] we dont talk a lot about it among Black people in healthcare, said Tong of his career trajectory. Tong talks about coming to an intersection of success and loneliness at one point in his career. I had achieved all of this stuff, but there were times where I would go to meetings and, being the only Black person, I was so ostracized and couldnt chat with people, Tong said about his time as a mid-level executive. I may have had a suit and tie [like everyone else] in the room, but I was not even recognized. I had arrived, man, but youre still very lonely. How things have changed The healthcare sector has changed over time in some important ways. That low point in Tongs professional outlook was followed by what he describes as gradual inclusion. Tong attributes part of that improvement to his involvement with HFMA. HFMA's then-CEO, Dick Clarke, reached out to Tong in the early 1990s, by which point Tong had served as president of HFMA's Washington, D.C., Chapter, about rising to serve as a chapter liaison representative for Washington, D.C., North Carolina and Virginia. Dick took an interest and ensured that I felt I belonged in the organization, Tong said. Tong rose to serve on the HFMA National Board for two terms, spanning 1993 to 1995. Although the Association does not have records on the race of Board members, Tong is believed to be the first Black member of the Board. When HFMA created a National Diversity Task Force in the early 1990s, Tong served as chairman for three years. Continuing racial challenges in healthcare The societal climate for minorities, including their health status, is a continuing challenge, but there are opportunities for finance leaders to drive improvements. Tong has long reflected on the rise of racial concerns in U.S. society and sees a variety of ways that the healthcare industry, including finance, can help address those. For instance, Black people are twice as likely to be uninsured as white people, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report. That can pose a significant financial barrier to care. Weve made tremendous progress, but at the same time there is still a void of attention that needs to be addressed, Tong said. Its a malignancy, but it is potentially curable. Tong cited the need for metrics with which to measure progress over time. However, sharp disagreement among those who want to address inequities in healthcare remains about those metrics, such as total number of minority and women employees versus numbers in leadership specifically. In healthcare, racial inequities are starkest in the indigent population, which remains the case despite the Affordable Care Act having ameliorated the situation somewhat, he said. People go to bed and the nightmare they have is waking up the next morning to find they have no healthcare insurance, Tong said. Availability and access issues will continue to be on the radar screen because they have eluded us. Sustainable access, sustainable availability. Another priority for healthcare in efforts to reduce racial disparities is addressing the cost of care, he said. We need to find leaders who can imagine ways to bring together the right, unbiased minds devoid of political instincts, but just caring minds who can sit down and begin to imagine what a utopia healthcare system might be like, Tong said. Its very possible, but its not going to be easy. Tong said healthcare CFOs can better stand up for others by first standing up for themselves. They would have to be at least as courageous as others have been in insisting that they have a voice at the table, not just pencil pushing and looking at numbers, and helping leaders to understand the impact of those numbers, Tong said. The lesson came from his own experience when he aimed to move beyond his organizations numbers to find ways to convey their meaning. Training can allow finance professionals to distinguish between needs and wants, target efficiency, engage in optimality and drive toward good choices. The CFO is in the pivotal position. They control the money, and if they are listened to, they can then share their professional discipline to get boards and communities to buy into what, at times, could be a sacrifice, Tong said. But ultimately, it would allow a sustainable outcome that would make for a better product. Major systemic change likely will mean some form of rationing, Tong said, because there is a scarcity of resources. That scarcity will require CFOs to make choices, and changes may entail less spending on personnel and more spending in technology. How much we spend, where we spend money, how we staff and where we staff for optimal results [are all key decision areas], Tong said. Technology, such as better diagnostic and therapeutic technologies, may mean fewer people are required to drive outcomes. That can be both a challenge and an opportunity. That might be a value-added presence that a CFO might have. If they can imagine a future that is so different, and if they can help plan for the acquisition of the response to that future, it will help sustain their organizations in ways that werent heretofore imagined, Tong said. Healthcare CFOs also can help address racial disparities in health status by focusing on prevention and wellness in the community. Those were significant priorities when Tong was a leader at Greater Southeast Healthcare System. We went into community clinics, we prepared young teenage mothers for interventions before their babies were born because when we didnt do that, we saw the results: Sick babies in our NICU units costing a lot of money, Tong said. Initiatives also included outreach to barber shops, where the health system encouraged Black men to receive blood pressure checks while they were getting haircuts. The critical challenge of attracting minorities to healthcare finance Even though there are no active barriers to opportunities for Black people and other minorities in healthcare finance, growing their ranks within the industry segment will require a commitment from organizations to pique the interest of potential recruits. Initiatives that can help minority recruitment efforts include scholarships, the sharing of anecdotes by finance members from different demographic groups and initiatives to create access. If organizations can create ways to make that happen, to make students have an interest in becoming part of the organization, it will go a long way, Tong said. Tong has aimed to follow that advice during teaching stints at multiple colleges, where he has urged young Black students to consider careers in healthcare finance. I would say, Here is an opportunity waiting for you in healthcare finance. Even though you dont see a lot of faces that reflect the composition of that industry, feel free to venture into it, and I am here to help you, Tong said. Having more minority members in healthcare finance may result in improved empathy for the situations faced by patients who cannot afford their care. Having people at the front line in the hospitals, the business counselors and the debt collectors, etc., showing a little bit of patience might help, Tong said. A lot of that might go against the grain of the economic objectives of the organization, the profit imperative. If you can find people who can manage that profit imperative with some dose of empathy here and there without collapsing your organization, it would make for a good outcome. Beyond a lack of broad insurance coverage, health inequities are driven by divergences in the availability of healthcare. It is one thing to access it. Its another thing to ensure there are the right capabilities in these institutions, Tong said, referring to hospitals that serve large low-income minority populations. He highlighted the need to reverse the increasing technological gap between suburban hospitals and inner-city facilities. That way, no matter where healthcare facilities are located, they would have capabilities like high-quality neonatal intensive care units. Ive worked in urban healthcare in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, and I can tell you, [for] the poor population, there [was] a difference in the care they got at the time, Tong said. There was a difference in care because they have no insurance to command that care. That challenge applies beyond the uninsured to patients enrolled in Medicaid. Medicaid provides some level of health subsistence, [but] it is not the optimal care that the same person with a bad liver or gall bladder is going to get out in a county somewhere, Tong said. I loathe saying that, but it is the reality. Tong urged healthcare finance professionals to lead in addressing societal inequities and healthcare disparities. We should let people know that [for] this problem we call the healthcare problem, the solutions reside with people who matriculate and come out of the healthcare financial ranks, Tong said. Tong said some were not surprised that he became a health system CEO after serving as a CFO because of the insights the finance role provided. I had my hands on some buttons, and I knew where the resources resided; I had a discipline that I cultivated about measuring and understanding needs and wants, Tong said. HFMA in its programs and education can cultivate a society of solution-makers, who can then be mobilized around the country to make a difference in these situations when we encounter them. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Indoor dining in New York City can reopen on Valentines Day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday. Beginning on Feb. 14, restaurants in the five boroughs will be able to serve customers indoors at 25% of their capacity. He said the announcement comes as the state registered its lowest coronavirus (COVID-19) positivity rate, 4.65%, since Dec. 11, as the post-holiday surge the state has experienced since Thanksgiving continues to reduce. Indoor dining closed again across the city on Dec. 14. A similar restriction on dining was in place for Orange Zones across the state, but a Jan. 13 court order lifting the indoor ban in an Eerie County Orange Zone prompted the state to again allow indoor dining across New York -- excluding New York City. Cuomo put the five-borough ban in place through an executive order separate from the micro-cluster strategy that was the focus of the court ruling. Indoor dining on the South Shore has been closed even longer -- since mid-November -- when that part of the borough was designated an Orange Zone as part of the states micro-cluster strategy. The designation meant certain non-essential businesses were closed, restaurants were reduced to just takeout, and houses of worship had to limit capacity to 25 people. The micro-cluster strategy has worked in communities across the state by limiting the types of activities and number of interactions that can increase the spread, like large gatherings and higher-risk businesses, state spokesman Jack Sterne said. If Staten Islanders take this seriously, wear masks, socially distance, wash their hands, and follow the rules, we can stop the spread. The designation left South Shore restaurant owners frustrated, as some were forced to close and others, outside of the Orange Zone -- in some cases across the street or down the block -- were able to remain open for indoor service. Since then, elected officials on Staten Island have made repeated calls for the state to lift indoor dining restrictions while the city sees some of the lowest COVID-19 infection metrics in the state. This means that some local businesses, who have been barely hanging on during this crisis, will be put in jeopardy of permanent closure, simply because they happen to be on the wrong block or the wrong side of the street, Councilman Steven Matteo said at the time. Meanwhile, Staten Islanders who live in the Orange Zone are just going to travel to the Yellow Zone communities in the borough, anyway. Previously, Cuomos office explained to the Advance/SILive.com that what seems to be an arbitrary system in drawing zone borders is actually done in a micro-focused way that identifies where people live who are testing positive. On Friday, Cuomo again thanked Staten Island, saying the borough has made good progress changing its behaviors and lowering its infection rate over a seven-day average to 5.53%. The two-week delay in opening indoor dining gives restaurant owners time to prepare, order supplies, and bring any extra staff back to work, he said. We make decisions based on facts and numbers but facts change. It sounds inconsistent but facts change and COVID facts change dramatically and change often, Cuomo said. In addition to lifting the ban on indoor dining, the governor said weddings across the state will also be allowed beginning March 15. Venues will be able to open at 50% capacity with a maximum of 150 guests, all of whom must be tested prior to attending. Additionally, the local health department must approve of each venues opening. If I said today movie theaters today can open 100%, I dont believe people will go. People need to be confident that its safe, he said about the need to increase testing and ramp up rapid testing. FOLLOW KRISTIN F. DALTON ON TWITTER. MEP Center COVID-19 Responses The CARES Act recognized the potential of manufacturers to implement creative strategies to adapt and respond to the pandemic and provided $50 million for the 51 MEP Centers in every state and Puerto Rico to assist manufacturers in a wide variety of ways. These efforts include helping firms retool production systems, identify new supply chains, integrate new technologies, deliver safety training, and enhance cybersecurity protection. A team at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, led by CURS Interim Director Dr. Nichola Lowe, Professor of City and Regional Planning, documented the wide range of MEP Center responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their report is based on the teams research conducted during the fall of 2020 Key findings include: 94,681 manufacturers contacted by MEP Centers as reported June 30 through September 30, 2020 8,966 manufacturing client projects completed by MEP Centers as reported June 30 through September 30, 2020 MEP Centers in 48 states provided new or expanded consulting services or performed needs surveys MEP Centers in 42 states provided product and/or supplier matching services MEP Centers in 31 states created return-to-work guides MEP Centers in 29 states provided assistance with retooling to produce PPE MEP Centers in 13 states assisted manufacturers with PPE product testing and development MEP Centers have expanded far beyond process-oriented client support, demonstrating their ability to also help firms retain and redirect workforce talent, design innovative products and develop emergency response strategies that will be helpful for future pandemics and natural disasters. Scaling these efforts further will ensure our national economic recovery is driven by manufacturing innovation and the growth of high-paying, quality jobs, said Dr. Nichola Lowe. The report contains 51 profiles, one for each state and Puerto Rico. Each profile is 1-2 pages long and outlines the MEP Centers pandemic-related assistance to their states manufacturers in areas such as training, layoff aversion, domestic sourcing and technology needs. The report includes a detailed chart that shows the types of pandemic-related assistance done by each states MEP Center. MEP Centers used the opportunities afforded by CARES Act funding to respond to both shorter-term challenges related to COVID-19, such as PPE retooling assistance and conducting needs assessments, as well as long-term opportunities that will benefit manufacturers long after the pandemic is over. In the short-term, MEP Centers have shown innovation and an ability to lean on nonconventional partners to meet common goals, shared Olivia Raines, Project Lead at the Center for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. About the Center for Urban and Regional Studies The Center for Urban and Regional Studies conducts and supports research on urban and regional affairs research that helps to build healthy, sustainable communities across the country and around the world. This project was supported by the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with funding from the North Carolina Coronavirus Relief Fund, established and appropriated by the North Carolina General Assembly. About ASMC The American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC) is a trade association of manufacturing extension centers that work to improve the innovation and productivity of Americas manufacturing community. ASMC advocates for legislative and programmatic resources that allow our small manufacturing clients to better compete in the global marketplace. The Coalition and its members do this by increasing awareness of the importance of American small manufacturers, the challenges which they face, and the federal legislation and programs that affect them. A former Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, has defended his motion last year at the Senate for the removal of the former service chiefs. He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for finally yielding to the call and replacing them. Mr Shettima, now senator for Borno Central district, had moved the Senate motion calling for the sack of the former service chiefs. The motion followed the massacre of about 70 rice farmers in Zabarmari area of Jere Local Government Area of Borno. Speaking with journalists on Thursday night in Maiduguri, Mr Shettima said he joined other Nigerians to call for the replacement of the military chiefs despite some of them being his kinsmen and friends. He commended President Buhari for proving that he is a listening leader and one who takes time to carefully make decisions. Mr Shettima had also a few weeks ago again tackled the presidency on keeping the former commanders, who had exhausted their service years, amidst a worsening situation. The President made a well-informed decision, he said on the choice of the new chiefs. I have interacted with some of them and I can attest to their character and professionalism. General LEO Irabor (the Chief of Defence Staff), is one of the finest officers the Nigerian Army has produced in recent times. Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, who is the Chief of Naval Staff, had served here in Borno and so has General Ibrahim Attahiru (the new Chief of Army Staff) who was also in Borno for a brief period. Commenting on the appointment of Mr Attahiru, who was once removed as the commander of the fotces fighting Boko Haram insurgents for alleged poor performance, Mr Shettima said: We all know that depending on the situation General Attahiru might have met on the ground as theatre commander back then, there is always a difference between when someone is working under another and when he is in charge. Today, he is chief of army staff who heads the Nigerian Army. This appointment provides an opportunity that will inshaAllah prove General Attahirus leadership credentials and I believe that inshaAllah he will succeed. The success of all the service chiefs is in our best interest as leaders and as people of Borno. We will gain absolutely nothing if they fail while we will gain everything if they succeed. I am sure the President made an informed decision, it is for all of us to rally round the president and the service chiefs, to give them all the support so that inshaAllah they succeed in bringing an end to the Boko Haram madness, Mr Shettima said. Nothing personal against former COAS, CAS Mr Shettima stressed that he had nothing personal but the interest of Borno and the nation in lending his voice to the call for new service chiefs. There was nothing personal in our calls for the change of service chiefs. For instance, the former Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai, we both grew up in Maiduguri, we attended the same primary school and the same university. The former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique, we even have marital affinity. But the issue goes beyond our personal interests and affiliations. It is about our survival as a people and no one can take away the fact that these service chiefs made contributions to Bornos fight against Boko Haram and Nigerias fight with bandits and other criminals. We really wish them the very best. He said it was best for him to speak his mind in the manner he did if that would contribute to Buharis success. ADVERTISEMENT We are more Buhari than some of those who castigated us for telling the truth when it mattered, he said. In both 2015 and 2019 elections in Borno State when I was governor, Buhari recorded his highest percentage margin of the vote not in Katsina, Kano or Jigawa but here in Borno. We gave Buhari more than 90 per cent margin over his opponents, Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 and Atiku Abubakar in 2019. We are Buharist to the core but at the same time, we adore the President without being hypocrites, Mr Shettima said. Counties with a greater number of cannabis dispensary storefronts experience reduced numbers of opioid-related deaths relative to other locales, a recent University of California, Davis, a study has found. This is the first study to examine the association between active cannabis dispensary operations -- both medical and recreational -- and opioid-related mortality rates at the county level, suggesting that providing alternative pain management could improve public health outcomes, researchers said. While the associations documented cannot be assumed to be causal, they suggest a potential relationship between increased prevalence of medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries and reduced opioid-related mortality rates." Greta Hsu, Study Lead Author and Professor of Management, Graduate School of Management, University of California - Davis The study was published Wednesday, Jan. 27, in the British Medical Journal. The article was co-authored by Balazs Kovacs of Yale University. "Given the alarming rise in the U.S.'s fentanyl-based market and in deaths involving fentanyl and its analogs in recent years, the question of how legal cannabis availability relates to opioid-related deaths can be regarded as a particularly pressing one," researchers said. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- the source for researchers' opioid data --, opioids were involved in 46,802 overdose deaths in 2018, accounting for nearly 70 percent of all drug overdose deaths. "Overall, greater understanding the public health outcomes of cannabis legalization on opioid misuse is needed for policymakers to properly weigh the potential benefits versus harms of promoting cannabis legalization," Hsu said. The significant death rate from synthetic opioids "As the spread of COVID-19 has overtaken global health resources and attention, another health crisis appears to be silently raging in the background: increasing opioid-related overdose deaths," Hsu said. Reports from public health tracking systems such as the University of Michigan's System for Opioid Overdose Surveillance suggest, she said, that opioid-related mortality rates in 2020 increased substantially over previous years. "But there is an alternative approach to thinking about how to address widespread misuse of opioids: altering the supply of available drugs with potential medical usages in pain management," Hsu said. "In particular, public health researchers have wondered whether increasing the availability of cannabis, which is generally thought to be a less addictive substance relative to opioids, could be associated with a decrease in opioid-related deaths." In this study, researchers looked at the 812 counties (out of more than 3,000 total) in the United States that legally allowed cannabis dispensaries by the end of 2017. They documented opioid mortality rates and counted dispensaries selling cannabis between 2014 and 2018, aggregating all opioid-related deaths but also separating out deaths due to prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids. Finding a relationship between county-level medical and recreational dispensary numbers and reduced opioid-related mortality rates appears particularly strong with regards to deaths associated with synthetic (non-methadone) opioids, researchers found. This class of opioids includes fentanyl and its analogs, which have sharply overtaken other types of opioids in a number of deaths in the U.S. in recent years. (Opioids refer to a class of chemically related drugs that include the illicit drug heroin, prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.) By the end of 2018 -- the latest date county-level mortality rates available from the CDC -- 33 states had legalized medical cannabis, which requires purchasers to have a medical identification card or doctor recommendation. Ten states, by then, and the District of Columbia had legalized recreational cannabis, which requires buyers to be 21. There is no federal database for dispensaries. Under federal law, cannabis is still illegal in the United States. To gather data on cannabis dispensaries, researchers examined county-level data from Weedmaps.com to count actual storefront businesses, with street addresses, that are in operation. Researchers noted that counties oversee criminal justice, social service, and health and emergency service programs -- all vital dimensions of the public infrastructure related to drug use and markets. Other studies of the association between cannabis laws and opioid-related deaths often focus at the state level. However, the researchers noted that a focus on state legislation can be less reliable because state laws sometimes take months or years to go into effect. Further, many local counties within cannabis-legal states do not allow storefronts or other sales opportunities, limiting access to cannabis among individuals within those counties. "As business school researchers, we tracked evolving cannabis markets across the U.S. from 2014 onwards in an effort to understand how this new category of organizations emerged," Hsu said. "We realized, however, that our county-level database could also be used to examine whether the availability of legal cannabis in an increasing number of geographic areas has any implications for opioid misuse. Allowing for the legal sale of cannabis is a key step in increasing its availability, since it shifts the cost structure of supplying cannabis, making cannabis more easily and widely accessible to customers." Researchers said more study is needed to determine if there are true cause and effect, and that other issues still must be considered. "At the same time, cannabis' potential harms for adolescent's cognitive development, medical conditions such as schizophrenia, and public safety risks should not be ignored," Hsu added. AS the white pirogue drifted in the waters just off Belle Garden in Tobago early yesterday morning, fishermen working nearby knew something was wrong. What they saw in the small vessel stunned them. Fourteen bodies, all of them male, along with a skull and other skeletal remains, were piled inside the vessel as it floated four miles off Belle Garden, police confirmed. The bodies were all clad in tracksuits and green rain jackets and were severely decomposed, police investigators said. (@ChaudhryMAli88) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th January, 2021) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Pakistani counterpart discussed ways to ensure those responsible for the murder of American reporter Daniel Pearl are held accountable, State Department Spokesperson Ned price said on Friday. On Thursday, the Pakistan Supreme Court acquitted and ordered the release of the man accused of beheading Pearl. "Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister [Shah Mahmood] Qureshi discussed how to ensure accountability for convicted terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and others responsible for the kidnapping and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl," Price said in a statement after the phone call. The White House, after the ruling, expressed outrage over the court's decision and called on Islamabad to consider having the Sheikh tried in the US for murder. Pearl, who was the Wall Street Journal's South Asia bureau chief, was abducted and beheaded by Islamist militants in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi in 2002. Last year, Sheikh, who was originally convicted and sentenced to death, had his sentence reduced to seven years in jail after murder charges were dropped. Pakistan's government opposed the acquittal. A U.S court has given an ultimatum to Autumn Spikes, an ex-mistress of the African richest man, Aliko Dangote, to respond to his libel suit. A copy of the courts civil action summons obtained by PREMIUM TIMES , on Friday, said Ms Spikes has 20 calendar days from the day she is served with the wealthy Nigerian suit to file her response. Ms Spikes has said she has yet to be served the court documents. PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported how Mr Dangote, used a pseudonym, John Doe, to file a libel suit against Ms Spikes for allegedly trying to extort $5million (about N1.9billion) from him. He is seeking damages in excess of $30,000 (about N11.4million) against Ms Spikes. Court warns PREMIUM TIMES on Friday saw a copy of the summons issued by a Deputy Clerk of the Miami-Dade County Court in Florida, U.S, on January 26, warning Ms Spikes against failing to respond to the suit on time. Titled, IMPORTANT, the court summons warned Ms Spikes she could lose the case if her response was filed late. The document added that her late response to the suit could also cost her her wages and money, and that her property might thereafter be taken without further warming from the court. It read in part, A lawsuit has been filed against you. You have 20 calendar days after this summons is served on you to file a written response to the attached Complaint with the clerk of this Court. A phone call will not protect you. Your written response, including the case number given above and the names of the parties must be filed if you want the court to hear your side of the case. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case, and your wages, money, and property may thereafter be taken without further warming from the court. There are other legal requirements. Get a lawyer Ms Spikes was also advised in the summons to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may call an attorney referral service or a legal aid office (listed in the phone book), the summons added. The summons also listed various locations where she could file her written response if she chooses to do so by herself. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit. Love affair gone bad The lid on Mr Dangotes affair of about 10 years with Ms Spikes was blown open in a January 1 Instagram post of a short footage by the lady, showing herself seated beside Mr Dangote who was lying down on a couch with part of his buttocks exposed. Mr Dangote had sought to end the affair at about the time another former girlfriend of his, Bea Lewis, took to the social media in December to expose their past time together. Ms Spikes recently said she was pressured and influenced to sign a non-disclosure agreement with Mr Dangote whom she said insultingly offered her $15,000 and $2,500 to keep her affair with him private. ADVERTISEMENT The lady had through an email exchange between her lawyer and Mr Dangotes, insisted on being paid $5million by the wealthy business man for his decision to end their affair. Mr Dangote in his suit alleged that Ms Spikes had threatened to take their affairs to media talks shows and the social media in violation of an existing Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) between them. Ms Spikes denies Mr Dangotes claim in a recent Instagram post. Pleas in Supreme Court seek Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia to kin of those who died of COVID-19 Stand up comedian Kunal Kamra refuses to apologise for tweet against Supreme Court India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, Jan 29: In a recent development, stand up comedian Kunal Kamra has refused to tender an apology for his tweet against the Supreme Court for which a contempt notice was issued against him. In his affidavit submitted in the top court on Friday, Kamra said, "Public's faith in judiciary is founded on its own actions, not on criticism about it." Farmers' Protest: Cops issue ultimatum in Ghazipur, farmers refuse to budge Kamra also told the Supreme Court that suggesting his tweets/ jokes could shake the foundations of the most powerful court in the world is an over-estimation of his abilities. "The suggestion that my tweets can shake the foundations of the most powerful Court of the world is an overestimation of my abilities," the affidavit filed by Kamra said. "To believe any institution of power in a democracy is beyond criticism is like saying migrants need to find their way back home during an ill planned nationwide lockdown; it is irrational and undemocratic," he added. Farmers protest: FIR against Shashi Tharoor, Rajdeep Sardesai, six others over Jan 26 violence in Delhi The stand up comedian also said that there is a growing culture of intolerance in the country. He also talked about the arrest of another comedian Munawar Faruqui. PM Modi on what to expect from Union Budget 2021 | Oneindia News In December, 2020, the Supreme Court had issued contempt notice against Kamra after a petitioner claimed that the comedian's tweets were scandalous. "All these tweets are scandalous and we had sought consent from the attorney general," advocate Nishant R Katneshwarkar, who appeared for one of the petitioners, said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 11:09 [IST] MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd January, 2021) The number of terrorist attacks has gone down in Europe in the past 10 years, but other threats are still very much present, with Anti-Semitism and Islamophonia on the rise in Europe, as well as hate, discrimination and radicalism, UN High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Miguel Angel Moratinos told Sputnik. "It is not me, it is the statistics that say that in the last 10 years there has been a decrease in terrorist acts in the whole world and particularly in Europe. Can we be happy about that no, should be on alert yes," the UN envoy said. The envoy underscored that the often-linked migration and terrorism had "nothing to do" with each other, adding that many of the attackers were, in fact, born in Europe. "So what we have to fight is terror, here, in Europe, everywhere. So I think now we should try, instead of antagonizing, we have to be alerted of anti-Semitism as it is growing in Europe, Islamophobia is growing in Europe, I think that is one of the main issues. That is the importance of my role as the UN High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations," Moratinos said. The situation is of especial concern when it comes to "an increase of hate, discrimination, radicalism in certain parts of our society," Moratinos said. The UNAOC can provide tools the society needs to practice social inclusion to combat that problem, the UN envoy said. As for the fight against terrorism, the UNAOC can work with the new way of studying terrorist attacks, which focuses on root causes. "I think if you compare the way terrorism was addressed in the beginning of this century after the twin towers attack and then Madrid attack and the others and today, at the beginning, when you used to mention the root causes, people said it was not important, today, in a global strategy plan of the UN, the root causes are essential. Because we want to go to the root, why do these people want to kill us? Why are they attacking us?" Moratinos said. The societies need to be able to protect themselves, to use all the means available to them to ensure that protection, the UN envoy said, but "if we don't work on the root causes it will not end." "The role of the Alliance of Civilizations is to work on these root causes," Moratinos said, which means working on education programs, eliminating hate and hate speech and discrimination, making sure that people stay on the right course. "And that is what we have to concentrate on," Moratinos said. C-Bonds MB-10 Tablets, on EPAs List N, are being used to effectively disinfect classrooms and school buses of viruses and bacteria without leaving residue Products on EPA List N kill coronavirus SARS Co-V-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, when used according to label directions HOUSTON, Jan. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- C-Bond Systems (the Company or C-Bond) (OTC: CBNT), a nanotechnology solutions company, today announced that its EPA registered MB-10 Tablets can directly address President Bidens call to properly sanitize schools and school buses for full reopening. As the President and other high ranking officials strengthen the call to have all teachers and children return to school, they are also demanding that schools take the appropriate steps to disinfect against the spread of COVID-19, said Scott R. Silverman, Chairman and CEO of C-Bond. We believe that getting in front of the right people, specifically decision makers in school systems, can help expand awareness and, more importantly, the use of MB-10 Tablets. The Company has communicated, through its advisors, with state and local school officials to pursue this opportunity. EPA registered MB-10 Tablets are a broad spectrum disinfectant effective against a wide range of bacteria and viruses. MB-10 Tablets, which are quickly and easily applied using a commercially available sprayer, effectively disinfect in minutes to provide fast-acting protection that is safe for skin contact and pets. MB-10 Tablets leave no chemical residue post-application and can be allowed to air dry. The tablets are safe for all hard, non-porous surfaces. MB-10 sanitizes glass, plastics, sealed fiberglass, consoles, HVAC systems, door handles, seating and seat belts, LED/LCD screens and electronics, and a wide range of metal materials, without leaving a chemical residue or odor. Products on EPAs List N kill the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) when used according to the label directions. MB-10 Tablets have demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to SARS-Co-V-2 on hard, non-porous surfaces. Therefore, MB-10 Tablets can be used against SARS-Co-V-2 when used in accordance with the directions for use against SARS-Co-V-2 on hard, non-porous surfaces. Refer to the EPA website at https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-coronavirus-covid-19 for additional information. COVID-19 is caused by SARS-Co-V-2. About C-Bond C-Bond Systems, Inc. (OTC: CBNT) is a Houston-based advanced nanotechnology company and marketer of the patented C-Bond technology, developed in conjunction with Rice University and independently proven to significantly strengthen glass in key automotive and structural applications. The Companys Transportation Solutions Group sells C-Bond nanoShield, a liquid solution applied directly to automotive windshields, sold through distributors. The Companys Safety Solutions Group sells ballistic-resistant glass solutions directly to private enterprises, schools, hospitals and government agencies. The Company also sells disinfection products, including MB-10 Tablets. For more information, please visit our website: www.cbondsystems.com, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbondsys/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBond_Systems. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release about our future expectations, including the likelihood that getting in front of the right people, specifically decision makers in school systems, can help expand awareness and, more importantly, the use of MB-10 Tablets, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, and our actual results could differ materially from expected results. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, C-Bonds ability to raise capital; the Companys ability to successfully commercialize its products; the effect of the COVID-19 global pandemic on the Companys and its customers ability to operate; the Companys ability to source materials; as well as other risks. Additional information about these and other factors may be described in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) including its Form 10-K filed on March 25, 2020, its Forms 10-Q filed on November 16, 2020, August 14, 2020, and May 15, 2020, and in future filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this statement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. 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JURISDICTION You agree that any claim, action, or proceeding arising out of these Terms and Conditions, or your use of the Website, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of New York applicable to contracts to be wholly performed therein, and any action based on or alleging a breach of this Terms and Conditions must be brought in a state or federal court in New York. In addition, you agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of such courts. People are forever trying to invent a new sandwich. Congress in Collingwood will place a darling little pigs head croquette injected with chicken stock between rounds of soft, crustless white bread with green herb aioli. Hectors Deli in Richmond will make you a sandwich of crumbed mushrooms with tarragon butter, green oak lettuce and hectic sauce. At Mrs Palmer Sandwich in Surry Hills, NSW, the monster made-to-order sambos have included one of deep-fried chicken, bacon, cheese, hot sauce and chipotle mayo; the whole thing then deep-fried. The best sandwich already exists, created by legions of Australian mums. Credit:Illustration by Simon Letch Why, I ask myself, do they bother? The best sandwich already exists, created by legions of Australian mums with little more than a loaf of soft white sandwich bread, a tin of pickled beetroot and a few common household salad items. The Great Australian Salad Sandwich is a totem of ordinary everydayness that lives on, far beyond its origins in smelly school bags, corner milk bars and Holden station wagons parked by the beach. An exemplar of domestic and democratic virtues, it goes equally well with soft drinks (Passiona!), beer, Thermos tea, chocolate thickshakes or Campari spritzes. It is flawless, magical, transformative and healing but only when properly engineered. This means the butter must be taken out of the fridge to soften, or it will tear the soft white bread. The sandwichs innate capacity for sogginess must be thwarted by first draining the rounds of beetroot, sliced cucumber and sliced tomato on paper towel. Layers must be socially distanced: the tomato should not be next to the bread, for obvious reasons. Place the cheese on one slice of bread and a lettuce leaf on the other to shield it from undesirables. Mayonnaise is an effective adhesive. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th January, 2021) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar talked over the telephone about strengthening collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region via the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), the State Department said in a readout of the conversation on Friday. "The Secretary underscored India's role as a preeminent US partner in the Indo-Pacific and the importance of working together to expand regional cooperation, including through the Quad," the readout said. "Both agreed to coordinate closely on global developments and look forward to meeting in person at the earliest opportunity." Blinken and Jaishankar also discussed the coronavirus vaccination efforts, regional developments, as well as further steps in enhancing bilateral ties. India and the United States have been deepening their defense partnership over the years amid the rise of China in the Indo-Pacific region. The former Trump administration had friendly relations with the current Indian government as did the Obama administration. Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). An 11-year-old Muncy girl has won a $10,000 scholarship from Ellios Pizza in the Phenomenal Kids Scholarship Contest. Alyson Creasy created her own nonprofit, Alys Monkey Movement, when she was 10 years old to raise money to purchase stuffed monkeys and donate them to childrens hospitals to help patients going through challenging health issues. Creasy was the grand prize winner. We absolutely loved interacting with our village throughout this journey, said Alys mom, Kristy Creasy. Watching them focus on something positive and grow together as a community with hope in our future generations was truly the best gift of all. Ellios awarded the scholarship via Zoom with the help of Weis Markets, which provided balloons, flowers, cake and a $500 to Alys Monkey Movement. We are delighted we had so many wonderful entrants and an outpouring of support for our kids in the fourth annual Phenomenal Kids Scholarship Contest, said Bill Whalen, executive vice president of Dr. Oetker USA, LLC, the parent company of Ellios Pizza. Aly is truly a phenomenal child and were proud to be able to donate to her college education and recognize a truly exceptional student making a positive impact in her community. The Ellios Phenomenal Kids Scholarship Contest invites parents and legal guardians with children between the ages of 6 and 12 to write a character submission highlighting what makes their child phenomenal for a chance to win a $10,000 scholarship. For its 2020 contest, submissions were judged based on community involvement, passion with purpose, creativity and academic achievement. The 2020 contest was open to residents of Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. READ 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. (JTA) At the opening of his trial in Nuremberg, Julius Streicher made several uncharacteristically friendly statements about Jews a people he had devoted his professional life to demonize. Streicher, editor in chief of the Der Sturmer anti-Semitic weekly, claimed that hed always viewed German Jews as legitimate compatriots and long supported Zionism. So the Jewish question was for me solved in Germany, but I believed that another international solution will come, that we should meet with Zionists, listen to their demands, he said on April 26, 1946 at the military tribunal w... Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Spirituality isn't usually considered a factor in conservation efforts. But indigenous peoples who worship wildlife may be helping protect endangered species from extinction. The Soligas tribe in the Western Ghats of India reveres the Bengal tiger. Their coexistence in India's Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve has helped the tiger population flourish, says Shadi Atallah, a natural resource economist in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at University of Illinois. Atallah first learned about the Soligas from a BBC article that discussed how the tiger population doubled from 2010 to 2014, after the tribe obtained property rights to their ancestral land. "The BBC article stated that the local tribe venerates the tiger and that worshiping relationship makes them the best conservationists," Atallah says. "We could not find anything in the conservation economics literature that backs that claim. There was nothing that accounted for spirituality ecosystem service values." He and co-author Adrian Lopes wanted to investigate how the tribe's spiritual beliefs might make them effective conservation stewards. The researchers conducted a case study to assess spiritual value of the Bengal tiger for the Soligas tribe and show how such values can be harnessed as an economic tool for promoting sustainable wildlife conservation. Atallah and Lopes used bioeconomic modeling to estimate four different management scenarios: Whether or not the Soligas tribe had property rights to the land, and whether or not poaching fines were implemented for illegal harvesting of the tigers. Their results were clear: Tribal property rights were by far the best policy to protect the tigers. "We observed that if you remove the property rights and poaching fines, the species goes to extinction in 49 years. Implementing poaching fines alone delays the extinction by nine years but does not prevent it," Atallah says. He suggests the tribe's veneration of the tiger makes them less likely to look for the quick reward of illegal poaching. There is little precedent for including spiritual values in economic models, Atallah notes. "Putting a dollar value on spirituality is controversial," he says. "But by leaving it out of economic calculations, we assume it has a value of zero." Bioeconomic models include biological information such as status and growth rate of a species and economic policies such as property rights and fines. They can also account for the values generated from wildlife ecotourism. But so far, they have not included wildlife spiritual values, Atallah states. "If we can place a value on spiritual ecosystem services the way we do for ecotourism, we would not be under-accounting for those services when governments make policy decisions," he notes. Conservation efforts often consist of establishing protected areas by separating humans and wildlife. Such policies may involve expulsing indigenous communities and are controversial on ethical and humanitarian grounds. But Atallah and Lopes' research also provides an economic argument by showing that local tribes are, indeed, the best conservationists. The Indian Forest Rights Act grants indigenous tribes property rights to their ancestral lands; however, the tribes need to provide documentation for their claim to the land, and lack of proof has in some cases led to expulsion. "Our research shows if a government has to decide which policy instrument to use, spending money in courts to secure the property rights of the local tribes is much more effective than spending money on catching and fining poachers," Atallah says. "If you care about the survival of the species, securing the property rights of the tribes that venerate them is the best tool you can have," he concludes. Explore further Indigenous lands: A haven for wildlife More information: Adrian A. Lopes et al. Worshiping the Tiger: Modeling Non-use Existence Values of Wildlife Spiritual Services, Environmental and Resource Economics (2020). Adrian A. Lopes et al. Worshiping the Tiger: Modeling Non-use Existence Values of Wildlife Spiritual Services,(2020). DOI: 10.1007/s10640-020-00416-1 Patna, Jan 29 : Lending support to the farmers' movement, the various political parties which are part of the opposition Grand Alliance ('Mahagathbandhan') held a meeting on Friday where they discussed forming a 'human chain' across the country on Saturday. After the meeting, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav said the leaders of the Mahagathbandhan are standing firmly with the farmers. He said the government is trying to pit farmers and jawans against one another. Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, appealed to the people of Bihar to join him in the human chain. He said the way the farmers of Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh are joining the farmers' agitation, in the same way Bihar farmers should come forward. He said the Opposition parties boycotting the President's address to a joint sitting of Parliament shows that the Central government wants to impose the three 'black laws' (referring to the three Central farm laws). He sarcastically asked what is the compulsion that the Central government is trying to impose the farm laws. Tejashwi hit out at the Central government saying, "The farmer laws are not for the annadatas (farmers) but for 'fund donors'. There is a move to give the land of the farmers to the businessmen." Yadav also flayed the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar and said the crops are being procured here at half the price. He said diesel prices are soaring due to which the farmers are incurring losses. He questioned the silence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on the issue of the farmers agitation and expressed confidence about the success of the 'human chain' to be formed on Saturday. 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. Chinas Chips Shortage Likely to Result in Price Hike for Electronics As China seeks to boost its domestic chipmaking capabilities, an increase in demand for mini LED chips that are used in manufacturing laptops, tablets, and other electronic devices has crowded out chipmakers ability to produce older, conventional LED chips used for display screens. This shortage has already resulted in price hikes for the conventional LED chips. Industry experts predict that manufacturers will likely transfer the price hike downstream, to retailers of consumer electronic goods. According to a Jan. 20 report by Hong Kong Economic Times, tech giants Apple and Samsung are preparing to launch new laptops, tablets, and TVs that are fully equipped with mini LED backlights this year. This will lead to skyrocketing demand for mini LED chips. As producing mini LED chips yield far higher profit margins than conventional LEDs, manufacturers are cutting down their capacity to make traditional LEDs. Taiwan-based market research firm TrendForce stated that mainland factories in the downstream LED supply chain have aggressively stocked up on electronic components in order to mitigate the impending price increase on raw materials and manufacturers tight production capacities after the Lunar New Year. However, products of certain serial numbers or specifications are already in shortage. Thus, manufacturers are giving higher quotes to small- and medium-size clients who place low-volume orders. A fire at a Chinese chipmaking factory called Xuzhou GAPSS last month caused production on 400,000 pieces of a LED chip material known as patterned sapphire substrate (PSS), to be suspended. This incident also led to a five to ten percent price hike in core LED chip materials, which is likely to exacerbate the shortage of LED chips further. A price increase letter dated Jan. 6 from a leading Chinese semiconductor firm CR Micro was widely circulated among the industry. In the letter, the company told its customers that product prices will be adjusted accordingly from New Years Day, with an increase of 10 percent. In addition, other Chinese semiconductor manufacturers such as New Clean Energy, Goodix Technology, Silan Microelectronics, and Fuman Electronics have all issued price increase notices, according to a report by Radio Free Asia. Their price hikes ranged from 10 to 30 percent. In addition to price increases for electronics that contain such LED chips, other sectors that use the chips are likely to cut down on production due to the chip shortage. Those sectors include automobiles, cameras, and water heaters. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Speaking via a webcam from perhaps the most secretive regime on earth, the North Korean official outlined his countrys grave concerns for human rights not in his own authoritarian nation, where millions are said to be on the brink of starvation following brutal COVID-19 lockdowns; he was talking about Australia. In January, the Australian government faced a grilling before the United Nations during the latest review of its human rights record. All countries in the UN find themselves in the hot seat once every five years, and it often devolves into finger-pointing this time recommendations for Australia from North Korea and a heated warning from China not to make baseless charges against other countries for political purposes raised eyebrows. But while Australia is a far cry from such regimes, experts say we still have some concerning blind spots for an otherwise robust democracy particularly around the treatment of asylum seekers and Indigenous Australians. So how does our human rights record actually stack up on the world stage? What is being done about it? And how might a bill of rights make a difference? Some asylum seekers transferred to Australia for medical treatment have been held in hotels for more than seven months. Many were recently released following public outcry. Credit:Jason South What are human rights anyway? We often talk about our rights to free speech, to protest, even supposedly to remain fiercely mask-free (as one visitor to a Bunnings store very confidently declared during the height of Victorias second wave of COVID-19). But Australia is not the US, where many can recite their Bill of Rights offhand. Here, such freedoms are less certain than we might think. Advertisement When angry barons marched on a greedy English king eight hundred years ago, the King reluctantly signed the Magna Carta, spelling out freedoms such as the right to a fair trial (of sorts) and separation of church and state. After the Enlightenment, this list grew the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (for all wealthy men, at least) became foundational to America as it threw off the British Empire. Today, at the Human Rights Law Centre in Australia, Hugh de Kretser keeps a copy of the one of the finest documents ever written handy on his desk: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It was drafted after the atrocities of World War II by the newly formed United Nations, when the world came together to say never again. While not legally binding itself, this list of rights sets the foundations for a number of binding treaties of which Australia is a signatory, recognising all people as born free and equal. But, while Australia was among the nations who helped write it, more than 70 years on, we are the only Western democracy without our own explicit charter of rights. Instead, we have a patchwork of protections, says international law expert Dr Fiona McGaughey, laws to protect against discrimination, for example, as well as privacy.A handful of rights are already enshrined in our constitution including voting and freedom of religion. Others, such as freedom of speech and the press, are implied by the law. Theres a safety net of laws but that safety net has many holes in it, de Kretser says. North Korean official Han Tae Song, speaking from a country with a notorious record of human rights abuses, recommends that Australia cease cruel and inhumane treatment of those in detention during the UN review. Credit:United Nations But why are other countries judging our record? Isnt that just politics? McGaughey remembers sitting in the audience during Australias last UN human rights review in 2015 and watching the seats around her fill up. We always attract a lot of interest, lots of countries want to review us. Advertisement This time around, during a pandemic, the seats were largely empty but the list of countries lining up on webcam remained long. And it unfolded against the backdrop of Australias intensifying war of words (and trade) with China. You get people saying, Who are they to point the finger at us, theyre much worse, but thats how it works, McGaughey says. Any of the 193 countries in the UN can step up to the microphone during a countrys human rights review, she says, no matter their own record. Loading This peer review process is quite unique for the UN, actually. They usually use independent experts, quasi-judicial bodies. Of course, states will take their own position based on their relationship to that state or the issues they consistently like to highlight. But thats not to say its purely an exercise in theatre or politics. Everyone knows what the dynamics are. And experts say that the concerns raised again and again for Australia are valid usually drawn from other independent reports and UN findings. Advertisement So Australia isnt being singled out? No country is perfect. The US, long the bastion of civil liberties, has its own serious racial injustice problem the disproportionately high number of African Americans behind bars (and killed by police) sparked the Black Lives Matter movement. Under Trump, an immigration crackdown at the Mexican border had separated thousands of children from their families before public backlash saw it called off. Still, experts such as de Kretser say Australia stands out for two major human rights failures in an otherwise successful democracy: how we treat asylum seekers and how we treat the first people of Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. McGaughey agrees Australia is something of an outlier on the world stage. On the one hand, its multicultural and free. On the other, our treatment of asylum seekers, in particular, is unusual so we do get criticised more than the other democracies. Hence the big turnout [on review day]. This time it struck me how similar [the concerns] were to 2015. Although now were also seeing climate change [inaction] emerge as a human rights concern from places like Fiji [and France]. What is Australias human rights record? Since our last grilling before the UN, Australian bureaucrats stress the nation has legalised same-sex marriage, rolled out the new National Disability Insurance Scheme to give people with disabilities more choice, and launched a suite of inquiries into the institutional mistreatment of vulnerable people, including in disability and aged care. Its also vowed to investigate those shocking reports of war crimes allegedly committed by Australian soldiers overseas, which China has seized upon in recent months, and continued to campaign for human rights beyond our borders including against the death penalty (as highlighted by the tragic case of Bali Nine pair Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan). Advertisement When Australia won a coveted seat on the UNs official human rights council in 2017, it promised to swiftly hold a referendum on constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians. But nations taking part in the 2021 review were quick to point out that, even under the governments new agreement with Indigenous leaders to at last design a Voice to Parliament, progress has been slow. Indeed, decades of reports outlining how to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians (which are still, on average, nine years shorter than their non-Indigenous counterparts) have largely been ignored. The national Closing the Gap strategy, revamped in July, has failed to eliminate Indigenous disadvantage in all but two target areas of seven since it began in 2008. First Nations people remain vastly over-represented in both the child protection system and our prisons, often arrested for less serious offences. Since leading academic Professor Marcia Langton worked on the royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody in 1991, hundreds more Indigenous Australians have died in cells and handcuffs, frequently because of preventable medical complications, and yet she says many procedures in watchhouses and jails have not changed. Australia has also drawn criticism among its peers for its low age of criminality 10-year-olds can be locked up compared to an international standard of age 14. Last financial year, almost 600 children aged between 10 and 13 were imprisoned in Australia. More than 60 per cent were Indigenous. In 2020, the decision on whether to raise the age was pushed back by state and federal leaders, to the disappointment of medical, legal and Indigenous groups. Langton says the low age of criminality is now her most pressing concern for Indigenous justice because of the extraordinarily high rates of incarceration of Aboriginal children. De Kretser puts Australias resistance to a change so far down to political cowardice. Its a simple fix, theres overwhelming support and evidence for it, these communities will be safer for it because we wont be locking kids into a lifetime of crime, well be intervening early with supports instead to get them back on track. But theres law and order politics, theres fear. Advertisement Photo: Paul McGrath, North Shore News North Vancouver RCMP are investigating and a suspect is on the loose following an armed bank robbery Thursday. According to police, a suspect entered the TD Canada Trust branch on Marine Drive at Pemberton Avenue just after 11 a.m. and attempted a stick-up. A person came in and brandished a weapon and then left the scene. There were no injuries, said Sgt. Peter DeVries, North Vancouver RCMP spokesman. But we are still searching for one male. Multiple 911 calls came in as soon as the suspect left, drawing a heavy police response. DeVries could not say what the weapon was or whether the suspect actually made off with any cash. We're just right at the beginning of this investigation, he said. One witness who identified herself as Maryam described a startling scene outside in the moments after. There were cops running outside the bank with huge guns, like, I havent seen that in a very long time, she said. DeVries said rigorous response is called for when public safety is under threat in a bank robbery. They are treated as a high-priority call. We make very fast attendance. And we respond, particularly where there's a weapon being brandished, with the appropriate amount of force, he said. It's a necessity, and it's a rare necessity, but nonetheless, it's what keeps our officers safe. It's what keeps the public safe. Any witnesses who have not yet spoken with police are asked to contact the North Vancouver RCMP at 604-985-1311. A private crew of three men is scheduled to spend eight days at the International Space Station (ISS) after they each paid $55 million to join the new Ax-1 mission from Houston-based company Axiom Space. Three men from three different countries will make the historic trip led by former NASA astronaut and Axiom vice-president Michael Lopez-Alegria, in what is "The first private ISS crew in the history of humankind," Axiom said in a tweet. SPACEX SETS RECORD: SpaceX sets new record with controversial satellite launch According to an Axiom press release, the trip is scheduled for January 2022 and includes a multi-national crew made up of American Larry Connor, an entrepreneur, and non-profit activist investor, Canadian investor and philanthropist, Mark Pathy, and Israeli businessman Eytan Stibbe. The first launch of the Ax-1 mission will fly on a SpaceX Crew Dragon led by mission commander Lopez-Alegria who called the group a "collection of pioneers," according to the press release. "We sought to put together a crew for this historic mission that had demonstrated a lifelong commitment to improving the lives of the people on Earth, and I'm glad to say we've done that with this group," Axiom Space President and CEO Michael Suffredini said in the press release. "The humanitarian leaders will lay the groundwork for a full realization of low Earth Orbit's possibilities," Axiom said Axiom Space refers to the men as "Axionauts" and has plans to work with each of them to perform on-orbit research according to their mission goals. Some of the research includes Connor collaborating with the Mayo Clinic; Pathy will be working with the Montreal Childrens Hospital on health-related research; while Stibbe plans to conduct research for Israeli researchers and do educational activities from orbit, according to the media release. Each of the men will have to undergo 15 weeks of Axiom training and they will also have to pass medical tests, according to Suffredini. "70-year-old Connor will become the second-oldest person to fly in space, after John Glenn's shuttle flight in 1998 at age 77," Marcia Dunn with the Associated Press said. Axiom intends to offer two private missions per year to the ISS and plans to construct its own privately-funded space station. TEL AVIV, Israel, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuvo Group, an emerging leader in maternal-fetal health, today announced new clinical data for INVU, an FDA-cleared, prescription-initiated, remote pregnancy monitoring platform, at the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM)'s 41st Annual Pregnancy Meeting. The data, presented in a scientific poster, "Amplitude-modulation of maternal electrocardiography and phonocardiography as a novel method for wireless non-invasive uterine monitoring," supports a new method for detecting maternal uterine activity (MUA) tested by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). MUA monitoring is an essential element of pregnancy management, however, existing methods to measure MUA tocodynamometry (TOCO) and the intrauterine pressure catheter (IUPC)have limitations. The current widespread standard for measurement of MUA, TOCO, may give inaccurate readings based on a number of factors, such as movement, belt positioning and body mass index (BMI), while the current gold standard of care, measurement via an intrauterine pressure catheter (IUPC), is invasive and limited to intrapartum use. Additionally, both methods must generally be performed at a clinic or hospital. "Nuvo recognizes the pressing clinical need for reliable remote pregnancy monitoring options," says Amit Reches, chief technology officer, Nuvo Group. "As such, we analyzed existing methods of measuring uterine activity and developed an accurate, non-invasive, remote alternative utilizing our INVU platform." "To date, there are few options for patients to remotely perform their indicated fetal monitoring, necessitating frequent visits to the doctor's office and significant patient burden," said Nadav Schwarz, MD, clinical director of Outpatient Maternal Fetal Medicine Services at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. "This study supports the use of maternal electrocardiographic and phonocardiographic signals to detect contractions, expanding the options for remote monitoring of maternal and fetal health." To test a novel algorithm that enables non-invasive and reliable detection of MUA, Nuvo used a prospective, comparative, open label, multicenter study in which 40 laboring women were simultaneously monitored for 30-60 minutes with IUPC and Nuvo's INVU. Additionally, ten subjects were monitored with TOCO. MUA measurement by INVU was based on the modulation of the maternal electrocardiographic and phonocardiographic signals caused by the changing medium of the contracting uterus. Three blinded assessors also marked the contractions for each time point. The study's results show that MUA monitoring via INVU is accurate and reliable, even in women with a BMI 30. INVU identified over 87 percent of contractions detected by the IUPC. These findings are in addition to the previous validation and FDA clearance of INVU's maternal and fetal heart rate monitoring capabilities. The study was used to support a new 510(k) submission for the device, which is currently under review by the FDA. About Nuvo Group Nuvo Group is committed to serving providers and expectant mothers by advancing pregnancy care with new technology, tools and practices. The INVU platform combines proprietary hardware for data collection, innovative cloud-based software for computational power and AI tools to optimize the pregnancy care experience on a global scale. INVU has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. FDA for maternal and fetal heart rate monitoring, and has a 510(k) pending for remote monitoring of maternal uterine activity in the United States. Company leadership is comprised of dedicated data engineers, experienced medical and business professionals, software designers and proud parents who embrace a collective mission to give every life a better beginning. For more information and complete indications, contraindications, warnings and precautions along with instructions for use, visit: www.nuvocares.com SOURCE Nuvo Group Related Links http://www.nuvocares.com Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 A 2-year-old girl was among three people injured in a shooting Thursday night in Newark. The child, a man and a woman were brought to University Hospital to be treated after being shot around 11:10 p.m. on Cabinet Street, Newark police said. No arrests have been and the investigation is ongoing. The residence is about a block from the hospital. Editors Note: This story has been updated to reflect the childs correct age. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JGoldmanNJ. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. New Delhi, Jan 29 : High voltage drama continued to unfold on Friday at New Delhi's Ghazipur border as the situation there remained tense after the farmer leaders were asked to vacate the border. Opposition Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) Vice-President Jayant Chaudhary arrived at the border to lend his support to the protesting farmers. Chaudhary said, "My family (referring to farmers) is here, my family is in crisis today. I have come here as a citizen and have arrived here to support the farmers." "Our party is also the party of farmers, I want the farmers of the country to stand up. The Central government is trying to suppress the protest by using force. My strategy at the moment will be the same as will be decided by the farmers sitting." "Ever since Yogiji came to power in Uttar Pradesh, the state has continuously imposed Article 144. In a democracy, there is freedom of expression, the people have the right, there is also the freedom to protest, you cannot remove them nor can they be deprived of that freedom." "The farmers are being insulted on a daily basis, their grievances should have been easily sorted out, the farmers do not want to sit here any longer," the RLD leader said. "Opposition in their own way is expressing their protest against the Central government in support of the farmers. Some are doing that inside Parliament and some outside it. The government should think that they have got a five-year mandate only and not forever." Meanwhile, more farmers are coming to the border in support. The protests have been going on at the Delhi borders over the Central farm laws. The last, which was the 11th round of talks between the Central government and farmers' unions had remained inconclusive. Since the violence on Republic Day, the pressure on the farmers was mounting. But since Friday morning, they have again started coming to the border. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Only 33% of Philadelphia third graders read at grade level, and the school board wants to know what Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. is going to do about it. On Thursday night, the school board launched a new approach to monitoring the Philadelphia School District and its schools chief, examining in great detail how city students fare on reading assessments and what might be needed to advance sluggish progress. Late last year, the board adopted a goal of having 62% of third graders reading at grade level by 2026. Based on standardized tests administered this fall, however, the district is off track with only 35% of children meeting reading standards. Reading at third grade is significant; research shows that children who are proficient readers by the end of that year are likely to graduate from high school. Broken down by subgroup, the numbers are stark for Black and Hispanic students (31% and 24% read at grade level, respectively). Also, 20% of English-language learners read proficiently; and 26% of special-education students read at grade level. Twenty-one schools are on track based on these fall exams; 64 schools are nearly on track, and 63 schools are off track. The district did not release the names of the schools. We are very off track with certain groups of students, board member Mallory Fix Lopez said. Fix Lopez led an intense, two-hour monitoring session at Thursdays board meeting. Hite, who has been Philadelphias superintendent since 2012, will be evaluated on the boards goals and guardrails, including the reading goal examined Thursday. (The other goals are around district math performance and district graduates readiness for college and careers.) Schools that are off track on reading, officials said, tend to have lower attendance, higher numbers of school violence, higher teacher turnover, and other complicating factors. Why is the district struggling? Hite and others said that the districts literacy work has not emphasized all the core aspects of becoming literate and writing, and that its system of supports has been implemented unevenly at schools. Leaders also pinned the blame on teacher turnover and on inadequate professional development. The board in the last few years has invested $17 million in an early literacy initiative that leaders said would move the needle on reading gains. Hite said that the program helped move students from the lowest achievement tier, below basic, into the basic category, and that now the charge was to move those students into proficiency. Fix Lopez wondered if the investment was worth it, given the progress to date. As a board member, she said, I would say no. The school board said it will hold such monitoring exercises monthly and return frequently to points of concern. It also said it would shift spending priorities, putting more resources into helping struggling students and schools. We know that it is going to require something different for the students in these subgroups, its going to require more, Hite said. That will mean trade-offs, the superintendent said. Board President Joyce Wilkerson asked Hite how the district will adjust student experience, based on what the breakdown of reading achievement shows. Hite said that the districts work developing a culturally responsive curriculum will address some of those low expectations that individuals have for certain groups of children. Also Thursday night, board members expressed approval for Hites school reopening plan unveiled Wednesday, which will send about 9,000 prekindergarten through second-grade students back to classrooms two days a week beginning Feb. 22. Its the third time the district has attempted a reopening; students have been fully remote since March. I want to express my strong preference for the plan that youve laid out, board member Lee Huang said. I trust the medical experts that we have advising us, Fix Lopez said. City health officials have said they believe its safe for the district to bring back some elementary school children, with precautions in place from six feet distancing to increased cleaning. But while board member Angela McIver said she appreciated the tough position Hite was in, she does not agree that students should come back in February. I cannot, in good conscience, support any reopening plan while witnessing cities all over the country whose hospitals are overwhelmed by a virus our country has failed to control, McIver said. I cannot support a reopening plan when mutations in the virus are making COVID far more contagious with not as much known about newer variants coming out of Brazil and South Africa. The board members did not need to vote on Hites reopening plan; they did so last summer. Chinese leader Xi Jinping (bottom) arrives at the closing session of the Chinese regimes rubber-stamp legislature conference while other Communist Party officials applaud, in Beijing, on May 28, 2020. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) Chinese Regime Announces First Senior Official to Get Sacked in 2021 Chinese authorities recently announced the first senior official in 2021 to be sacked under a sweeping anti-corruption campaign. Li Wenxi, former vice chairman of the Liaoning Province Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), was placed under investigation for violating laws and discipline, the Chinese regimes anti-corruption watchdog announced on Jan. 25. The CPPCC is a political advisory body to the Chinese Communist Party. Earlier, a number of Party members associated with Li had also been sacked. For instance, former deputy director of the public security department of Liaoning Province, Bai Yuexian; and Liu Guoqiang, fellow CPPCC vice chairman, who had worked with Li for many years, who was arrested recently on Jan. 23. According to public information, Li, a native of Benxi city, Liaoning, began working as director of his hometowns police bureau in April 1994. He rose up the ranks of the security apparatus and became director and Party secretary of the Liaoning public security department. In March 2011, he was transferred to the CPPCC vice chairman role. He retired in 2013. Li worked closely with Bo Xilai, the disgraced official who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2013 on corruption charges, when the latter was the Liaoning governor from 2001 to 2004. Li was actively involved in the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in the Liaoning area, according to research by the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG), a U.S.-based nonprofit. Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) is a spiritual practice composed of meditative exercises and a set of teachings centered on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. It grew in popularity in the 1990s, with 70 million to 100 million adherents in China by the end of the decade, according to official estimates at the time. Threatened by its popularity, the CCP under then-paramount leader Jiang Zemin launched a systematic elimination campaign against the practice in 1999, utilizing the entire state apparatus. Bo and others in a faction loyal to Jiang were rewarded for actively participating in the persecution. Bo later became part of a coup attempt to oust Xi Jinping and prevent him from taking power. Bo and his accomplices ultimately were not successful, and were felled by Xis anti-corruption campaign that targeted Xis political enemies. According to WOIPFGs records, Li was one of the officials who tracked down Falun Gong practitioner Gao Rongrong. She was an employee of the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts in Shenyang city. She was abducted and taken to the Longshan Labor Camp because of her faith. On May 7, 2004, several security officers tortured Gao in an attempt to coerce her into giving up her faith. They shocked her face with electric batons from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Her face became severely burnt, swollen, and full of blisters, according to the WOIPFG investigative report. Gao eventually died in 2005 at the age of 37. Li was director of the Liaoning public security department at the time. Lis former associate, Bai Yuexian, was dismissed in September 2020. Bai and Li worked together for 11 years. Under Lis tutelage, Bai rose through the ranks of the local security apparatus. After Bai fell from grace, his political backer Li was also investigated. Lius former colleague Liu Guoqiang was also recently arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes. The CCDI stated that it recently concluded its investigation into Liu and found that he disobeyed the Party, lacked loyalty and honesty to the Party, was double-faced, had no sense of rules, blindly listened to political liars, spent huge sums of money to bribe people, was corrupt, and was deliberately opposed to organizational reviews. The CCDI added that Liu will next be prosecuted. Liu was also close to Bo Xilai, having served as the Liaoning vice governor under him. During the time that Bo and Liu served in Liaoning, many Falun Gong practitioners were incarcerated at the Masanjia Labor Camp, notorious for grueling conditions and torture. Baghdad Although Iraqs higher authorities affirmed that early elections are to be held in early summer, the High Electoral Commission is unable to sit for the ballot on the scheduled date, which prompted the council of ministers to approve Jan. 19 the commissions request to delay the voting until October. In a joint meeting Jan. 13, and in the presence of Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq Jeanine Plasschaert and members of the commission, Iraqs three presidencies the president, prime minister and parliament speaker stressed the need to take all measures and make the preparations for early elections, so as to ensure the utmost credible outcomes. Once he took office seven months ago, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi pledged to hold early elections as the protesters demanded and Iraqs top Shiite cleric Ali al-Sistani backed as well. Now that the government allocated the funding for the elections and provided the commission with the necessary support, particularly to update the voters registration system, the ball is seemingly in the court of the parliament and the political blocs in order for them to do their part of the work relating to early elections, i.e., to complete the law relating to the federal court, which is in charge of approving the elections results, and vote to dissolve parliament, which is the sole constitutional way to organize elections ahead of time. However, do these blocs agree on a date to dissolve the parliament? Former Prime Minister and State of Law Coalitions head Nouri al-Maliki said in his last TV appearance that the elections cannot be held on the scheduled date. At the same time, the office of Sadrist movement head Muqtada al-Sadr warned during a press conference Jan. 13 against changing the election date and demanded to hold it in June as previously decided by the Kadhimi government. The political parties differing views on the early elections date reflect their varying capabilities to run in the race, in light of the new election law that parliament passed in late 2020. The law allows voters to vote for a specific candidate and divides Iraq into multiple electoral districts. There are parties that fear that armed groups exert control in the small electoral districts. These parties aspire for a better security situation prior to the elections, and are joined by those blocs and parties that base their electoral propaganda on a figure or the charisma of a leader such as Malikis State of Law Coalition. They believe that they will not win a lot of votes in the small electoral districts. In contrast, there are parties that have a large popular base such as the Sadrist movement or that have weapons and are capable of influencing in the central and southern parts of Iraq. They perceive that they can win the largest number of parliamentary seats in the elections. Ahmad al-Kanani, a member of parliament for the Fatah Alliance, told Al-Monitor, The matter of changing the election date or holding it at the scheduled time is neither related to political desires nor electoral motives. Rather it is about the electoral commissions ability to organize the polls in a favorable atmosphere. Postponing them until October was anticipated in order to allow the commission to complete the preparations. Muhammad al-Khalidi, a member of parliament for the Sunni Forces Coalition, attributed putting off the election date for many reasons, including issuing all biometric election IDs and the federal court law. He told Al-Monitor, We believe that guaranteeing appropriate security conditions is the top requirement for holding the elections. The government needs to set the security conditions until the electoral lists are completed and the candidates are able to conduct their propaganda away from any threats or assassinations. A quick review of the Iraqi political parties views regarding the election date shows that the Sadrist movement, the Kurdistan Democratic Party led by Massoud Barzani as well as Kadhimi are the only ones in favor of holding the elections June 6. They are either in favor of postponing the elections or do not mind doing so, although they publicly oppose this and warn against postponement, as did the Fatah Alliance Jan. 19, saying that it is displeased with the new date. Nevertheless, informed sources told Al-Monitor that the parliamentary blocs' officials, including those of the Fatah Alliance, were in favor of the election date change and of setting it for late 2021 or early 2022 in order to have time to build electoral alliances. The questions now are focused on the new date, namely Oct. 16, and whether or not there will be enough time to complete all arrangements. Will parliament pass the law of the federal court, which now misses one of its members who died last year, as well as the election budgeting? Will a majority of members vote in favor of dissolving parliament? The political reasons behind postponing the elections are correlated with the political parties failing to decide on their alliances and on how they will run in the race under the new law. The traditional Shiite parties except for the Sadrist movement fear that the ongoing popular protests in the central and southern parts of Iraq capture the Shiite voters mood to the advantage of the liberal and national forces. They are studying the option of building alliances among themselves after overcoming the protest crisis once and for all. In addition, the Sunni parties would rather see the Shiite Popular Mobilization Units leaving their areas and the displaced returning before the elections are held. All the while, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is witnessing a severe domestic crisis due to the Kurdish parties disputes over how to deal with Baghdad in terms of the economic crisis and the sharing of local authorities. Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has announced that her party will boycott President Ram Nath Kovind's address to a joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament on Friday, the first day of the budget session, to protest against the three farm laws. Taking to Twitter, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati urged the central government not to make the farmers' leaders "scapegoats" for the violence that took place in Delhi during the tractor rally on Republic Day. "In protest against not accepting the demand of agitating farmers for withdrawal of the three disputed agricultural laws, and also in the matter of public interest, it has been decided to boycott the President's address to Parliament today," Mayawati said (Translated from Hindi). "It is requested to the central government to not make innocent farmers' leaders scapegoats under the pretext of riots on Republic Day. It is also requested from the central government to normalise the situation in Delhi by withdrawing agricultural laws. There is also a lot of truth in the objection of BKU and other leaders of UP in this matter. The government should pay attention," she added. A total of 16 political parties including--Congress, NCP, J-K Conference, DMK, AITC, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, RJD, CPI (M), CPI, IUML, RSP, PDP, MDMK, Kerala Congress (M) and AIUDF-- in a joint statement on Thursday announced that they will boycott the President's address in the Parliament to register their protest against the three farm laws. Apart from these 16 parties, AAP and SAD have also announced that they will also boycott the President's address. The will begin today with an address by President Ram Nath Kovind to Parliament. The first part of the session will continue till February 15. The second part of the session will be held from March 8 to April 8. Rajya Sabha will function from 9 am to 2 pm and Lok Sabha from 4 pm to 9 pm with Zero Hour and Question Hour. Members of Parliament have been requested to undergo an RT-PCR test against COVID-19 before the start of the (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For months, people have been clamoring to get access to Clubhouse, a buzzy invite-only social media app where members join virtual rooms to have live, unscripted discussions. Topics range from the 'future of San Francisco,' with the city's district attorney participating, and Kanye West to startup pitch events and various off color conversations. Unlike other social networks, the platform is audio-based not text making it feel like an interactive podcast (or a conference call). On any given night, according to a blog post this week from founders Paul Davison and Rohan Seth, there are thousands of different rooms that people can join for live conversations. 'Hosts' act as moderators of conversations and those in the room can raise their hands, virtually, to have their mic turned on to lend their voice. Participants include a who's-who list of venture capitalists, tech leaders and celebrities. Davison and Seth, who are both well connected in the tech industry from previous roles at top companies, said their goal with Clubhouse 'was to build a social experience that felt more human where instead of posting, you could gather with other people and talk.' In the less than a year since it launched, Clubhouse has become a recognizable name in Silicon Valley, attracted 2 million users around the world, and is now reportedly worth $1 billion after an infusion of capital. The company now plans to 'scale ... as fast as we can and open it up to everyone soon,' according to the blog post this week. But all the attention has also created potential headaches for the company. Twitter, a platform with a much larger audience, recently started experimenting with a new feature called 'Spaces,' which it describes as a live audio experience where multiple people can communicate and discuss or debate a topic. Twitter product lead Kayvon Beykpour previously said the company needs to 'support other formats' and the move is not Twitter saying 'here's an interesting startup doing something interesting, let's try to replicate it.' Clubhouse has also faced questions about whether it is equipped to handle moderating harmful speech and abuse on its platform, especially as it scales. Some members and critics have publicly shared examples of antisemitism, misinformation and harassment on the platform. The audio-only format brings fresh challenges when it comes to content moderation, something that its much larger social media peers continue to struggle with when it comes to text, videos and images. CNN Business has previously reported on the issues facing podcast moderation, given that voice is not cataloged by the internet the same way as text; the live element of Clubhouse makes this all the more challenging. 'There are all these kinds of nuances of language that exist in text, but in real-time audio are even more fleeting and difficult to wrap one's hands around,' said Sarah Roberts, an assistant professor at UCLA and content moderation expert. 'By the time any moderation might be applied, the damage could essentially already have been done.' In a blog post last October, Clubhouse said in recent months it had added safety features, including blocking, muting, in-room reporting and a way for moderators to close a room. In November, it said it introduced 'temporary and encrypted audio recording, solely for Trust & Safety purposes.' The company said 'if no incident is reported in a room, we delete the temporary audio recording when the room ends.' Clubhouse's terms of service prohibit the recording of conversation without express written permission of all speakers involved. With the new funding, the company said it plans to scale its Trust & Safety team, listing two new job postings devoted to the topic. Amsterdam: Europes medicines regulator has recommended approving AstraZeneca and Oxford Universitys COVID-19 vaccine for people over the age of 18, the third vaccine to be cleared for use in the European Union. The AstraZeneca vaccine demonstrated an efficacy of around 60 per cent in the trials on which it based its decision, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said in a statement. A nurse administers the AstraZeneca vaccine to a man in Dundee, Scotland, on January 4. Credit:Getty Images There were not yet enough results for people over the age of 55 to determine how well the vaccine would work for this group, EMA said. However, it said protection was expected and that the vaccine can be given to older people. With this third positive opinion, we have further expanded the arsenal of vaccines available to EU and EEA member states to combat the pandemic and protect their citizens, said Emer Cooke, Executive Director of EMA. MIDDLETOWN The Middlesex United Way Womens Initiative is a volunteer-based group whose mission is to bring about positive change in our community through philanthropy and service. Their goal is to build community engagement by sharing and creating volunteer and philanthropic giving opportunities, elevate women by recognizing and celebrating accomplishments, past and present; and invest in our community by making grants to local programs that support one or more of our focus areas. The focus of the Womens Initiative are three main areas affecting the lives of women and children in Middlesex County: empowering women, financial stability and childhood development. They work to ensure that women have the resources and support they need to make healthy choices. They also provide education and tools to women of all ages to assist in them being independent and self-sufficient. Last, they work to make sure parents and children have a proper foundation for healthy development. Since the onset of COVID-19, the Womens Initiative adapted to the uncertain and challenging times by going 100 percent virtual while also continuing their tradition of investing in community partners. They even were able to host a multi-event series, Power for the Vote, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. Youth ages 8 to 12 were asked to read the book, How Women Won the Vote, to learn about the suffrage movement. The committee donated books to Russell Library, and six young women submitted essays and drawings illustrating what the right to vote means to them. This was the first collaboration of the Womens Initiative, Women in the NAACP Committee of the Middlesex County Branch, Russell Library and Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore and they hope to continue this partnership. The Womens Initiative partnered with Conspiracy, a small business in downtown Middletown, to sponsor a cocktail-making class infused with womens history. Participants learned how to make two cocktails named in honor of Sojourner Truth and Zitkala-Sa and the incredible contributions these women made to the movement. As members learned and enjoyed their drinks, local jazz performer Nick Di Maria played, and highlighted female musicians and their contributions to the arts. To conclude the series, the Womens Initiative hosted a virtual discussion taking an inclusive look at womens suffrage. Dr. Kelly Marino of Sacred Heart University and Professor Brittney Yancy of Goodwin University led a robust discussion about the suffrage movement, focusing on the women who were left out of the national headlines, including women of color, working-class women and those from Connecticut. An important aspect of the organization is their grants program. The Womens Initiative makes grants to community organizations focusing on women and girls in the areas of childhood development, financial stability and health. The grant committee meets most months to discuss grant application and award local organizations with monies. In 2020, over $10,000 was invested in community partners, impacting hundreds of girls and their families. Some organizations that received grants are the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, Before and After School Recreation Enrichment Program, Hinkas Food Pantry and Middlesex County Coalition for Housing and Homelessness. The group is actively looking for new members to join them this year to continue their excellent work in empowering, building, investing and elevating women and children in our community. A $35 annual membership means joining like-minded women who are interested in driving community change through philanthropy and service, participating in events and volunteer projects that make a meaningful difference and networking with women who have a passion for the community. To learn more, please contact Christina Heckart atchristina.heckart@middlesexunitedway.org or register to attend the annual meeting, which will celebrate this years accomplishments virtually March 9 at 5 p.m. on Zoom. Any woman who is interested in learning more about the group and their involvement in the community is encouraged to attend. TRIPOLI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th January, 2021) The Lebanese armed forces have established control over the central part of the northern city of Tripoli after several hours of clashes between protesters and police, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Friday. The armed units and military vehicles have entered Al Nour Square, where the city administration is located, driving the protesters away. For some time, the protesters continued to throw Molotov cocktails and stones at servicemen. However, the rest of the activists were soon dispersed with tear gas. Citizens of Tripoli, Lebanon's poorest and second-largest city, have taken to the streets in protest of harsh living conditions wrought on by the economic crisis. The demonstrators are also protesting the coronavirus lockdown, claiming it has impacted their livelihoods. The unrest left more than 110 people injured on Thursday and over 200 more on Wednesday, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The political crisis in Lebanon was sparked by the poor economic situation in fall 2019. The resignation of the government failed to improve the economic situation, which was aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic and the devastating explosion on Beirut's port, and the protests are still underway. The ongoing comedic-mystery-thriller drama "Cheat on Me If You Can" has only one more episode to go and the drama released some stills of its thrilling finale! "Cheat on Me If You Can" centers its story between a divorce lawyer and his wife. Jo Yeo Jeong stars as Kang Yeo Joo, an author of a few best-selling mystery novels and is famous for her unique writing style. Most of her stories end by finishing off her immoral male characters for being unfaithful. So, she is nicknamed the "Praying Mantis." She spends all day thinking up different ways to kill people. Kang Yeo Joo is married to a divorce lawyer named Han Woo Sung (Go Joon). He signed a contract with his wife that says, "If you cheat on me, you die." She eventually notices some suspicious behavior from her husband and is having thoughts that he's actually cheating on her. Warning! Spoilers will be mentioned below! In the drama's previous episode, it was unveiled that Baek Soo Jung's (Hong Soo Hyun) death was somehow linked to the president nine years ago. It was also pointed out that her father who is currently a presidential candidate, Park Jae Geun (Choi Jung Woo) was also involved in the case. Initially, Kang Yeo Joo thought that Baek Soo Jung's agency CEO Yoon Hyung Sook (Jun Soo Kyung) is a criminal however, someone else came in at the police station and turn themselves claiming that they are the culprit! This makes us even more confused as the truth is far from reach once again. Ahead of its finale, KBS2 TV dropped some stills of Kang Yeo Joo focusing on her new novel titled "Cheat on Me If You Can," which is considered as the final key to the truth. Her expression showcases different emotions. She looks determined but worried at the same time. Her fear about figuring out the secret behind her work "Secret Prayer Room," which had previously put her in danger is very evident in her expression. She seems to have made up her mind and she head's out holding a paper envelope and Cha Soo Ho (Kim Young Dae) ceases her. One photo depicts Kang Yeo Joo handing over the envelope to Ma Dong Kyun. Viewers are now wondering: will her new book be published and shed light on the truth behind Baek Soo Jung's murder as well as the "secret prayer room"? Another set of photos released shows the kidnapping of Han Woo Sung by unidentified people. His face is full of blood and he looks like he's about to lose consciousness. Suddenly, Cha Soo Ho appears and when he discovers that it is Han Woo Sung, he comes close holding a sharp knife. "Cheat on Me If You Can" production team shared their thoughts and explained that Han Woo Sung who was unfaithful to his wife will faces his consequence. And with just one more episode to go, viewers should be able to find out the identity of the kidnappers are and whether Han Woo Sung will be able to survive the kidnapping. Kdramastars owns this article. Written by Liza Parker The inaugural flight of a newly administered LIAT touches down at the Argyle International Airport on Thursday 21st January, 2021. (Facebook photo) As this country welcomed the inaugural flight on Thursday 21st January of a newly administered LIAT service, local employees and those in the wider region of LIAT in its original configuration have again made public appeals (online) to regional governments for financial help. This, as the workers continue to wait on millions of dollars owing to them for salaries, pensions and now severance pay. In response, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, which has taken ownership of the newly administered LIAT, has committed to make a special plea to all regional governments, through the Administrator appointed by the Court under the amended Bankruptcy law, to make payments to their nationals, after negotiations with the several unions that represented the LIAT workers. Hundreds of workers were terminated late last year while the airline entered a court-sanctioned restructuring process, under the supervision of an administrator, as the airline moved to avoid liquidation. The termination of workers began effectively on April 1, 2020, when over 90 per cent of LIAT staff was temporarily laid off, without being given proper notice and pay. In October 2020, about 90 per cent of the total staff, including pilots, flight attendants, engineers and ground support personnel, was made redundant; weeks after the controversial temporary layoff deadline had expired. At the time of the layoffs and terminations, LIAT was majority-owned by four CARICOM shareholder governments, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. That has since changed with Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines agreeing to hand over their shares to Antigua and Barbuda. The workers, noting that LIAT was publicly touted as an essential service vital to ensuring regional connectivity, said, "The shocking and troubling reality now is that these former employees have not received any monies legally due to them, inclusive of severance entitlements despite numerous pleas to those who are responsible. The former staff members are pleading with all across the region to help them get their message spread everywhere. And Barbados Today reported that people on social media have been responding to the ex-workers cry. One reader declared "this is an absolute disgrace with another describing the treatment as shameful on the governments involved. The European Commission is investigating whether Mondelez International breached antitrust legislation by allegedly hindering cross-border trade between European Union member states in chocolate, biscuits and coffee to push up prices. We are opening a formal investigation to see whether Mondelez, a key producer of these products, might have restricted free competition in the markets concerned by implementing various practices hindering trade flows, ultimately leading to higher prices for consumers, Margrethe Vestager, an executive vice-president at the EC in charge of competition policy, said in a statement. The probe is centred on whether the US-based snacking and confectionery giant, which owns the BelVita and Oreo brands among others, restricted so-called parallel trade, where goods are sold across EU member states by traders outside of the manufacturers distribution network. Restrictions to such parallel trade can lead to the isolation of a national market whereby the manufacturer or supplier can charge higher prices to the detriment of consumers, the EC explained. Restrictions to parallel trade can also lead to less product diversity. It added: The opening of a formal investigation does not prejudge its outcome. In response, Cadbury chocolate owner Mondelez said it will engage constructively with the Commission in its investigation, adding in a statement: We learned about the European Commissions announcement that it has opened a formal investigation into Mondelez Internationals practices related to the cross-border supply of products within the European Economic Area. We will work constructively with the European Commission as it conducts its review. Alchemer is trusted by tens of thousands of brands around the world. Please take my survey now As part of its "own-initiative investigation of suspected anti-competitive practices", the Commission said it carried out unannounced inspections at "the premises" of Mondelez in November 2019, without providing more details. John Baumgartner, an analyst at financial services firm Wells Fargo, said Mondelez had previously had kick-backs when it tried to introduce price increases in the EU given the combined purchasing power of retailers within the trading bloc. Thematic Reports Are you worried about the pace of innovation in your industry? GlobalData's TMT Themes 2021 Report tells you everything you need to know about disruptive tech themes and which companies are best placed to help you digitally transform your business. Find out more "Even if violations are found, we would not expect it to impact Mondelez's underlying global growth potential driven by mix-accretive innovation, choco-bakery expansion, new distribution, and a revival of local brands," he wrote in a follow-up research note. He says the transfer of detainees should be handled at the level of the state rather than individuals. Head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Donbas Leonid Kravchuk says Ukraine will not agree to the format of the transfer of hostages through an individual, namely MP from the Opposition Platform - For Life Party Viktor Medvedchuk, Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest ally in Ukraine. Speaking in an interview for Apostrophe TV, Kravchuk explained why the transfer of certain hostages from occupied Donbas to Medvedchuk by a flight from Rostov-on-Don, via Minsk, to Kyiv had not taken place. Read alsoUkraine envoy says 'DPR'/'LPR' block prisoner swap since Sept According to him, Russia wanted to "perform a show" and "boost poll numbers" for some people in Ukraine by bringing Ukrainian hostages from the occupied areas of Donbas. "The swap did not happen and it would not happen the way it is proposed. There is an established and proven procedure for an exchange. And this shall be done at the level of the state rather than individuals," Kravchuk said. He said there are moral principles that cannot be compromised. "But manipulating those principles, those norms concerning alive people means falling into a moral pit. I call it a moral pit when people pull out all the stops, being ready to cynically act... (to serve) their own interests rather than the interests of people and the established exchange procedure, disregarding the lives of those people and the torments they have endured," he added. "I couldn't have ever thought that in Ukraine there are so many enemies from within who, either for the sake of their ambitious interests, or for power, or for the sake of money... will stop at nothing. And this is the fact when you can say: those people who have resorted to such steps and who wanted to use a difficult situation to their advantage, they are exactly such people," Kravchuk added. Prisoner swap in Donbas: Details On January 16, some Russian media outlets reported that the occupation forces in Donbas were ready to hand over some Ukrainian prisoners to the Ukrainian side through the mediation of Medvedchuk. Kravchuk said he regards such statements by the leaders of the so-called "LPR/DPR" as another attempt by Russia to avoid implementing international agreements. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry accused the Russian Federation of violating the established mechanisms for the release of persons held in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. On January 20, Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada Ombudsperson Liudmyla Denisova said the Russian side should hand over nine prisoners to Ukraine. On January 22, Kravchuk said Medvedchuk's private PR stunt to transport prisoners from occupied Donbas was no longer feasible. Reporting by UNIAN Federal Department of Finance Bern, 29.01.2021 - The Federal Department of Finance (FDF) and the Swiss National Bank have signed a new agreement on the SNBs profit distributions. Provided that the SNBs financial situation permits, an amount of up to CHF 6 billion per annum will now be distributed to the Confederation and the cantons. The new agreement governs the SNBs profit distributions through to the 2025 financial year. It already covers the 2020 financial year and thus retroactively replaces the 20162020 agreement and the supplementary agreement of 2020, which provided for maximum distributions of CHF 2 billion and CHF 4 billion respectively. The maximum distribution of CHF 6 billion per annum will comprise a base amount of CHF 2 billion, which will be distributed if there is a net profit of at least CHF 2 billion. Added to this are four possible supplementary distributions of CHF 1 billion each, which will be made if the net profit reaches the thresholds of CHF 10 billion, CHF 20 billion, CHF 30 billion and CHF 40 billion respectively. The criteria for making the maximum distribution have been met for the 2020 financial year and CHF 6 billion will therefore be distributed to the Confederation and the cantons. Under the National Bank Act, the SNB is obliged to set up provisions from its annual result to maintain the currency reserves at the level necessary for monetary policy. The profit remaining after allocating funds to the provisions is, in principle, available for distribution to the Confederation and cantons. To ensure that the distribution flows are smoothed in the medium term, the FDF and the SNB set out the key elements in an agreement that covers several years. The cantons were informed in advance about the new agreement. Address for enquiries Communication Federal Finance Administration FFA, Tel. +41 58 469 18 34, kommunikation@efv.admin.ch Publisher Federal Department of Finance https://www.efd.admin.ch/efd/en/home.html Federal Finance Administration http://www.efv.admin.ch New Delhi: Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday termed lynching incidents in the country as barbaric and asserted that they should not be seen from a religious angle. Law enforcement agencies at the district and the state level must take effective steps to prevent such incidents in future, the minister said, a day after a man was killed in Jharkhand for allegedly transporting beef. It has been condemned by and one all. The prime minister also, for the second time, spoke about it. It is happening in different parts of the country and it is barbaric and atrocious. No religious angle is linked to it, he told reporters here. The latest incident of lynching has been reported from Ramgarh in Jharkhand where the victim, identified as Alimuddin Asghar, was intercepted by a mob on suspicion of transporting beef in his van. Also Read: Ideological battle not required in President election, says Venkaiah Naidu Asghars lynching yesterday came even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned acts of violence in the name of cow vigilantism. Addressing a gathering at Sabarmati Ashram, Modi had said that killing people in the name of gaubhakti (cow worship) is not acceptable. This is not something Mahatma Gandhi would approve. Also Read: Venkaiah Naidu seeks inclusion of 'Emergency' chapter in schools For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. 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. ANSAmed - Weekly diary from February 1 to February 7 (ANSAmed) - ROME, JANUARY 29 - The following are the main events of interest scheduled in the Euro-Mediterranean area between February 1 and February 7: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1 BRUSSELS - EU, Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager holds a video conference with Roberto Gualtieri, Italian economy minister. BERLIN - National Covid-19 vaccine summit with Chancellor Angela Merkel, regional directors and manufacturers. BRUSSELS - EU, Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Oliver Varhelyi holds a video conference with Ayman Safadi and Nasser Shraideh, Jordanian deputy prime minister and foreign minister, and international cooperation minister, respectively; Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita; and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. MADRID - Covid-19, press conference by Spanish authorities on health situation. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2 BRUSSELS - EU, launch event for Horizon Europe. BRUSSELS - EU, Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski holds a video conference with Joze Podgorsek, Slovenian agriculture minister. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3 BRUSSELS - EU, speech in video conference by Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans at the online launch of the publication 'European Mobility Atlas'. VIENNA - Opec+, meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC). THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4 VARIOUS CITIES - World Cancer Day. MILAN - online 11:30 p.m. - Press conference for 'Milan Fashion Week Women's Collection', with city councillor Cristina Tajani and Carlo Capasa, president of the National Chamber of Italian Fashion. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5 CAIRO - Inter-Palestinian talks in view of reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. BRUSSELS - EU, Commissioner for Health and Food Security Stella Kyriakides holds a video conference with representatives from the EU Scientific Advice platform on Covid-19. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6 No major events scheduled. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7 No major events scheduled. (ANSAmed). (ANSA). An urgent search is underway for two girls missing from Sydney's western suburbs. Charlotte Kinloch, 11, and Tori Carr, 15, were last seen at a home on The Northern Road in Luddenham at about 5am on Thursday. NSW Police said they hold 'serious concerns' for the girl's welfare due to their age. The pair are believed to be travelling in a silver KIA Sportage, with the registration DQZ-47S. The car was reported stolen on Thursday. Charlotte Kinloch, 11, and Tori Carr, 15, were last seen at a home on The Northern Road in Luddenham at about 5am on Thursday Charlotte is white, 175cm tall and of a large build. She has shoulder length brown hair and a nose ring. The 11-year-old was last seen wearing a shirt, possibly black in colour. Tori is of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, 165cm tall and thin. She has long dark brown hair and black eyes. She was last seen wearing a yellow LA Lakers singlet. Anyone who sees the girls, or who has further information, is urged to contact Nepean Police or Crime Stoppers. Why North Star felt it was key to keep in-person education amid COVID (CNN) Toyota is back on top. The Japanese company has reclaimed its place as the world's best-selling automaker, with its latest results showing an edge over Volkswagen Group. Toyota sold 9.5 million vehicles around the world in 2020, according to figures released on Thursday that include its Daihatsu and Hino lineups. That's compared with the 9.3 million units delivered last year by Volkswagen, which owns brands including Audi, Skoda and Porsche. Big carmakers have tussled over the global crown for years. In 2013, Toyota became top dog as it overtook General Motors in sales. Two years later, Volkswagen gained on the Japanese company, though the top of the rankings remained unchanged. In 2017, the German firm officially unseated Toyota. While the rebound is good news for Toyota, it doesn't mean the company is out of the woods. Over the past year, the coronavirus pandemic wiped out sales and disrupted supply chains across the auto industry. Toyota deliveries dropped 11.3% in 2020 compared to the previous year, while Volkswagen suffered a 15.2% slide. Now, carmakers are facing a critical shortage of semiconductors that threatens to hamstring production. According to UBS analysts, Volkswagen could lose out on production of 100,000 units in the first three months of the year, or roughly 4% of global quarterly output, as a result of the components shortages. The biggest carmakers are still making money, though. Volkswagen said last week that profits for 2020 topped $12 billion, pointing to a recovery in the second half of the year. The company also pointed to a slight uptick in its share of the global passenger market, as well as a huge jump in purchases of electric cars and hybrids. Toyota has not yet released its full-year financial results for 2020. Hanna Ziady contributed to this report. This story was first published on CNN.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. 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. Alleviating Debt Concerns Sasago studied commerce at Waseda University in Tokyo and the University of Sydney in Australia prior to attending HBS. His ability to pursue a graduate school education depended on the need-based financial aid he received to help with tuition and other expenses. He notes that the Japan Fellowship, which is supported by alumni in the HBS Club of Japan, enabled me to be inspired by a new possibility without the concern of heavy student debt. He explored that possibility full tilt while earning his MBA. Some days, my student life was half academic, half ramen chef, says Sasago, who interned at a popular Cambridge ramen eatery to fine-tune his cooking skills. Senior Lecturer Lena Goldbergs elective course Challenges and Opportunities in the Restaurant Business and a related independent study opened amazing opportunities for me in terms of learning and contacts in Boston, he shares. Sasago also found support in Bostons Japanese business community and from fellow ramen enthusiast Masato Nakamura (MBA 2020), who became his business partner. During his first-year summer break, Sasago secured initial funding from investors in Japan, and in November 2019, with Nakamura and some friends, he presided over a mostly successful Yasu & Masas Ramen pop-up event in Cambridge. Everyone ate well, and no one got food poisoning, he laughs, but it was definitely a learning experience. Pandemic Delays Plans With plans for a summer 2020 restaurant opening, Sasago was one day away from signing a lease on a space in South Boston in March when COVID-19 hit, and everything stopped, he explains. Despite the obvious barriers to launching a business during a pandemic, Sasago remains determined to move forward with his plan to offer Boston diners a unique blend of authentic Japanese culture and cooking, organic farm-to-table ingredients, anda novelty for ramen venuescocktail service. With classic entrepreneurial resilience, by June, Sasago had already found a property with more space and in a better location and was interviewing chefs for a planned winter 2021 opening. In view of COVID-19s persistent threat, Sasago revised his business plan to include expanded take-out and delivery, and meal kits with high-quality ingredients for cooking at home. Building on what he learns in Boston, he hopes someday to bring the concept to consumers in emerging markets across the globe. Most restaurant owners can cook, but they dont have a business mindset, Sasago says. I have that advantage now, and I know we can make this work. (JTA) Among the flurry of actions Joe Biden took on his very first day as president are several with special resonance for Jewish voters. Biden reportedly plans to issue several executive orders and multiple legislation proposals shortly after he is inaugurated on Wednesday. Many will reverse the policies of the Trump administration. Biden will reportedly seek to rejoin the Paris climate accord, enact new measures aimed at combating the coronavirus pandemic (including a mask mandate in federal government buildings) and extend pandemic limits on evictions, foreclosures and student loan... PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Please see below for links to each of the Aberdeen Standard Investments U.S. closed-end monthly factsheets including performance and portfolio composition as of December 31, 2020. Equity Funds Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. ("IAF") Factsheet Aberdeen Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc. ("AEF") Factsheet Aberdeen Global Dynamic Dividend Fund ("AGD") Factsheet Aberdeen Japan Equity Fund, Inc. ("JEQ") Factsheet Aberdeen Standard Global Infrastructure Income Fund ("ASGI") Factsheet Aberdeen Total Dynamic Dividend Fund ("AOD") Factsheet The India Fund, Inc. ("IFN") Factsheet Fixed Income Funds Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. ("FAX") Factsheet Aberdeen Global Income Fund, Inc. ("FCO") Factsheet Aberdeen Income Credit Strategies Fund ("ACP") Factsheet Property Funds Aberdeen Global Premier Properties Fund ("AWP") Factsheet Important Information In the United States, Aberdeen Standard Investments is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc., Aberdeen Asset Managers Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments Australia Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments (Asia) Ltd., Aberdeen Capital Management, LLC, Aberdeen Standard Investments ETFs Advisors LLC and Aberdeen Standard Alternative Funds Limited. Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results. If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact: [email protected] SOURCE Aberdeen Standard Investments /NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES/ VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 29, 2021 /CNW/ - Pontus Protein Ltd ("Pontus" or the "Company") (TSXV: HULK) is pleased to announce the highly successful completion of its first day trading as a public company. Over 1.4 million shares were traded on the initial debut, with a resulting closing price of 0.75 per share. Pontus Protein Ltd. Logo (CNW Group/Pontus Protein Ltd.) Message from the CEO CEO Connor Yuen stated: "We are extremely pleased with the interest and enthusiasm investors had in welcoming our company to the public markets. After an extensive period preparing to be publicly traded, our first day exceeded our expectations. Our work is far from over, and this is just the beginning, as we look forward to being able to execute on the vision of the company and become a leader in plant-based protein. There is a tailwind in this sector which our shareholders recognize as consumers look towards sustainable plant-based products." Plant-based Protein Powder Market The plant-based protein powder developed by the Company is a premium entry into the global protein supplements market. This market is currently valued at USD $15 Billion and will grow to USD $20 Billion by 2025 (source: Grand View Research 2018). The growth is fuelled by more North Americans reducing or eliminating animal products. The North American Plant-based Protein Market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 14% from 2019 through 2025. Investor Relations Update The Company is pleased to announce that it has retained Edge Growth Holdings Corporation ("Edge Communications Group" or "Edge") for strategic investor relations and capital markets communications services. Under the terms of the three-month agreement, the Company will pay Edge a monthly fee of $10,000 and grant to Kevan Matheson, the principal of Edge, 50,000 incentive stock options. Other than the options to be granted and 100,000 shares, neither Edge, Kevan Matheson, nor any employees of Edge have any direct or indirect interest in Pontus or its securities. Story continues About Pontus Protein Ltd Pontus Protein Ltd makes pure plant-based protein powder sourced from nutritious water lentils, farm-grown in Vancouver, BC. Not only does Pontus Protein Powder exceed certified organic standards, but it's also gluten-free, pure and allergen safe. It's jam-packed full of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and ALL the essential amino acids. This is not your average lentil, these are water lentils, a crop that can be harvested every 24 hours, in an indoor aquaponic farm that uses 95% less water than traditional agriculture, using the leading proprietary CEVAS aquaponic agritech technology. This is wonderful news for a planet populated with us hungry and health-conscious humans. Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding the Company. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future, including but not limited to the trading of the common shares on the TSXV and any additional benefits the listing may have on awareness Pontus, its Pontus Protein Power or ability to meet the market demands of the plant based and alternative protein market. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements, including risks related to factors beyond the control of the Company. The risks include, but are not limited to, the following: the unknown magnitude and duration of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the unknown business effects of the listing of Pontus' common shares on the facilities of the TSXV, and other general business, economic, or market related risks. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. This press release is not an offer of the securities for sale in the United States. The securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Pontus Protein Ltd. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2021/29/c7581.html MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Alabama will soon announce a time frame for expanding who can get COVID-19 vaccinations, the state health officer told lawmakers Thursday. But he said the supply of vaccine coming into the state remains far short of what is needed. Youll hear very soon about expanded eligibility as other states have done, State Health Officer Scott Harris told lawmakers during budget hearings. Harris told reporters he expects to be able to discuss a time frame Friday. Currently, only health care workers, people 75 and older, first responders and nursing home residents are eligible for vaccinations. Lawmakers described widespread public frustration and anger with the rollout, including sites running out of vaccine and some sites allowing younger people to get vaccinated. Harris said he understood the frustration but the state has been limited by the number of doses it receives. We all have constituents that are very frustrated, very anxious, very angry a lot of them about the vaccine rollout, Republican Sen. Arthur Orr from Decatur said. The state of 5 million people received 764,125 doses - enough to give about 380,000 people the two shots required for maximum protection. There are currently more than 700,000 people eligible for the vaccinations. I know it has been intensely frustrating for a lot of people, Harris said. The fundamental problem is there is not enough to go around. The Biden administration has recommended states make people over 65 eligible for the vaccine. Harris said they are working now to try to determine if there is enough capacity to handle that. "We dont have a lot of extra vaccine out there, but there may be a little bit, Harris said. Expanding eligibility to 1.5 million people would require 3 million doses when the state is getting about 60,000 first doses a week. The state is getting an extra 10,000 doses for the next three weeks but it is unclear how long that will last. Alabama has more than 400,000 undistributed doses, according to state numbers. Harris said most of those are designated for people in upcoming appointments including second shots. "The states that have the big giant clinics that you see that are giving out shots all day long, they tend to be giving out their second shots and just hoping the supply is going to keep up. Some of those states have turned away people who are showing up to get second shot because they have already given that shot to another person. "That's how you run your percentage up and get shots in arms really quickly but it doesn't guarantee that people are going to get their second shot," Harris said. Auburn University has been vaccinating people under 75, including people with medical conditions or people who cant maintain distancing at work, according to the school's vaccination plan. Ryan Easterling, a spokesman for the Alabama Department of Public Health, said while some communities may be ahead of others, the state has reached out to Auburn to clarify the allocation plan and ensure that community outreach has been adequate for current risk groups prior to entities moving to additional subsets of eligible groups. Killary View Cottage, Leenane, Co Galway Asking price: 645,000 Agent: DNG Cregg OCallaghan (086) 8237548 The Killary Harbour fjord in Galway is Irelands only example of a deep glacier-scraped valley, providing what is arguably the countrys most dramatic view. On one side, in what is Connachts highest peak, is the 2,671ft high Mweelrea, while to the south rise the Maumturk Mountains and the Twelve Bens. The spectacular flooded valley runs for 10 miles and hosts mussel farming, pleasure cruises, steep hillwalks and scuba diving in a wildlife-rich location. There are otters, barnacle geese, whooper swans, dolphins, sharks, seals, salmon and sea trout. The village of Leenane, at the head of Killary Harbour on the Galway-Mayo border, is itself postcard pretty and, with its breathtaking setting, famously took centre stage in Jim Sheridans movie, The Field, alongside Oscar nominated Richard Harris, Sean Bean, John Hurt, Brenda Fricker and Tom Berenger. Expand Close The village of Leenane and Killary Harbour featured in The Field with Richard Harris / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The village of Leenane and Killary Harbour featured in The Field with Richard Harris With its ancient tombs and potato ridges marking out the mountains and the mirror-sharp waters to reflect it all, youd be hard pressed to find a more scenic site on which to build your dream home. So when local hotel industry professional Fiona King obtained a waterfront site overlooking this incredible vista at Leenane, it was a given the exterior of her new home was as good as it could ever be. So she began planning ahead for what it would look like inside. I used to order glossy magazines from America and I would trawl through every one of them, says King, who also bought piles of interior design books through Amazon. Making notes from these, she built a clear vision of what her new house would be in Leenane. I always imagined a cathedral-style ceiling, with the double-height and the big windows taking in the view of the valley. Expand Close The dining room with views of the fjord / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The dining room with views of the fjord In 2006, she got to work on her three-bed stone cottage on a site which was a gift from her late father, Richard King, a well-known local sheep farmer, and mum Mary, who ran a bed and breakfast at Killary House. With the family B&B next door, Fiona wanted her new house to stand out as completely different to the 200-year-old home she grew up in. With the help of her brother Joe and her gathered design plans, she also hired an engineer to map it out for the builders. I was very hands-on, recalls Fiona, who was on site every day to make sure everything was going the way she wanted it. As the work went on, I rearranged the whole inside. Everything that is in the house, I picked myself. Expand Close Two local stone men were behind the crafted stonework at Killary View Cottage / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Two local stone men were behind the crafted stonework at Killary View Cottage The longest part of the job was the intricate stonework. Two local men Tommy Kane and Michael John Joyce worked long hours on the exterior of the house. Tommy is renowned in the area for his stonework, says Fiona, who was delighted she got him on board and couldnt be happier with the result. The German-manufactured windows and doors were chosen to complement the roof slates and stone. I love them, says Fiona. My brother and sister-in-law ordered them in from Germany. They are aluminium on the outside and timber inside. The overall floor space of the house is 1,851 sq ft. The first thing that hits you when you enter the front door is the large picture window in the living area with the views out over Killary fjord. Expand Close The living room with mezzanine / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The living room with mezzanine The kitchen and living room are open-plan, with double-height ceilings to make the most of the views outside and a mezzanine looking down on the area. The cherrywood kitchen was made locally and the floor throughout is teak with a cherry stain. The stone fireplace in the living room has a multi-fuel stove and there is also underfloor heating. There are two bedrooms on the ground floor, one with an ensuite bathroom and walk-in wardrobe, and the other is beside the family bathroom. The master bedroom, also ensuite, is upstairs and the mezzanine is large enough for a double bed if another sleeping space was needed. Expand Close The views from the other side of the property are just as impressive / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The views from the other side of the property are just as impressive Double doors in the living room open out to a deck that overlooks the fjord and mountains. The price is 645,000 with an option to purchase an adjoining site on the west side with full planning permission for a house with garage already granted. DNG Cregg OCallaghan says interest in the property is already very strong, The Leenane Hotel, where Fiona has worked for nearly 20 years, is only 200 yards away from the house and the village has two pubs and a shop. The two adventure centres in the area draw in people from near and far, and its also a very popular part of the country with walkers. Fiona is now busy renovating the period family home next door and savouring her involvement in another big project in this incredible setting. (SAD) leader alleged that the government is using brute force against the protesting farmers due to which they boycotted President Ram Nath Kovind's address to a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament on Friday. "Farmers are protesting for over six months and around 300 have lost their lives. The government did not listen to their demands and are now using force on them to end the movement. This is why all the opposition parties believe that farmers are being oppressed," he said outside the parliament. The SAD leader also said that farmers have been discussing these issues with the government, but there has been no outcome. A total of 16 political parties including--Congress, NCP, J-K Conference, DMK, AITC, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, RJD, CPI (M), CPI, IUML, RSP, PDP, MDMK, Kerala Congress (M), and AIUDF-- boycotted the President's address in the Parliament to register their protest against the three farm laws. Apart from these 16 parties, BSP, AAP, and SAD also boycotted the President's address. MPs of Left parties also held a protest march to Parliament in support of farmers' agitating against the union agriculture laws. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2021) - Nutritional High International Inc. (CSE: EAT) ("Nutritional High" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that yesterday it has signed a binding letter agreement (the "Agreement") to acquire 100% of California-based OutCo Labs Inc. ("OutCo") (the "Transaction"). Founded in 2015, OutCo is a fully-vertically integrated, California-based licensed cannabis producer. OutCo specializes in manufacturing and retailing premium quality cannabis flower and high margin extract products including award-winning vape cartridges, tinctures, topicals, capsules and flower products which are sold under in-house brands through wholly owned retail stores and 3rd party dispensary clients throughout California. OutCo is an established operator in the California cannabis landscape with annual run rate revenues of approx. USD $8.0 million. Led by a team of innovative entrepreneurs and talented extraction and product manufacturing professionals, OutCo operates a 15,000 sq. ft. vertically integrated cultivation, extraction, and product manufacturing facility situated in El Cajon, California. The commercial-scale manufacturing facility in El Cajon has excellent space and infrastructure to house an expanded marijuana infused products ("MIPs") manufacturing operation including the production of edibles. In addition, OutCo owns and operates two of the five licensed dispensaries located in unincorporated San Diego County as well as a cultivation operation in Mendocino County. Cannabis Flower To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7105/73165_544a969e24290ad7_002full.jpg High THC Caplets To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7105/73165_544a969e24290ad7_003full.jpg Full Spectrum Sauce Cartridge To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7105/73165_544a969e24290ad7_004full.jpg The California cannabis market remains the largest in the United States. According to BDS Analytics, spending for legal cannabis use reached $3.2B in the state between January and November 2020 and is projected to exceed $4B by 2022. It is anticipated that if the Transaction is completed that OutCo will be the engine of growth for Nutritional High in California and will serve as a platform to launch the Company's proprietary brands across the state. OutCo's deep knowledge of the California market coupled with top tier expertise in product manufacturing, sales, and marketing is expected to enable the proliferation of Nutritional High's products throughout California. Transaction Highlights Accelerates Top-Line Growth, OutCo adds USD $8.0 million of annual run rate revenue Increased scale and broader access to capital Manufacturing and cultivation capacity will support the introduction of Nutritional High's full suite of branded products in California Top selling OutCo-branded products (Thrive and Outco) enhance premium brand recognition Opportunity to manufacture and wholesale OutCo's higher-margin branded products across Colorado and Oregon Cost synergies in commercial execution, manufacturing operations and company-wide G&A Management Commentary John Durfy, CEO of Nutritional High, commented, "This acquisition is transformative for Nutritional High and will provide the Company with a platform to execute our expansion into California. We've examined multiple entry-points to establish in-house production and robust commercialization capabilities in California and this transaction checked every box. It is expected to accelerate top-line growth, enable efficiencies across our operations through the addition of OutCo's highly skilled operating team and bring a pipeline of market and product expansion potential that we expect to execute on over the next several years. We're looking forward to working closely with Lincoln Fish and his team to work on growth and optimization initiatives together." Mr. Durfy continued, "We exited the distribution business in California with the goal of pivoting into higher margin product manufacturing. This acquisition combined with yesterday's conditional regulatory approval in Colorado will help achieve that goal and offer significant strategic value to our U.S. cannabis strategy. We're eager to deploy Palo Verde's technology and expertise in cold ethanol extraction into California and OutCo's product manufacturing know-how will be instrumental in ramping up sales in Colorado and Oregon. California remains the crown jewel of the U.S. market and we have secured our foothold as a player in that market. OutCo has proven itself to be one of the top operators in California and we look forward to welcoming OutCo's seasoned team to Nutritional High. Our redefined presence now in the three primary states of California, Colorado and Oregon will act as a foundation for potentially multiple bolt-on synergistic acquisitions in these markets over the coming months." Adam Szweras, Chairman of Nutritional High, commented, "This acquisition is a major step towards our goal of repositioning Nutritional High back into the high margin segments of the industry: extraction and manufacturing. This transaction is a testament to the execution capability of the new management team in John Durfy and Rob Wilson, and I look forward to seeing them continue to grow the business in conjunction with Lincoln Fish, OutCo's CEO, and the rest of the OutCo C-level team who will be integrated as part of our leadership team." Lincoln Fish, CEO of OutCo added, "We could not be more excited about becoming part of Nutritional High. The new management is driving a remarkable turnaround and our combined capabilities, together with some of the short-term strategic moves already in the works, will make this one of the public companies in the US Cannabis space to watch in the coming weeks and months. John Durfy is the right person to lead this charge and the OutCo team is the right one to execute the plan in California and beyond." Transaction Details Pursuant to the Agreement signed on January 28, 2021, Nutritional High will acquire 100% of OutCo for total consideration of: (i) CAD $9.537 million payable in Nutritional High stock at a deemed issue price of CAD $0.015 per share; (ii) the assumption of CAD $2.543 million of OutCo's liabilities; (iii) 42,386,667 common share purchase warrants of Nutritional High each exercisable into one common share at a price of CAD $0.03 for a period of two years (the "A Warrants"); (iv) 25,432,000 common share purchase warrants of Nutritional High each exercisable into one common share at a price of CAD$0.05 for period of two years (the "B Warrants"); and (v) additional consideration of up to US$3.0 million payable in Nutritional High stock, upon completion of certain milestones. Both the expiry date of the A Warrants and the B Warrants will be accelerated requiring exercise within 60 days if the 10-day VWAP of Nutritional High shares is equal to or greater than CAD $0.048 in the case of the A Warrants and CAD $0.08 in the case of the B Warrants. Issuance of the A Warrants is subject to regulatory approval. On closing of the Transaction, OutCo will be entitled to appoint one (1) director to the Board of Nutritional High to be approved by both OutCo and Nutritional High. In addition, the Company will appoint one (1) additional independent director to be approved by both parties. The Nutritional High shares to be issued in connection with the Transaction will be subject to a contractual escrow that will provide for the release of such shares over an eighteen (18) month period with 25% being released on the date of issuance and 25% every six (6) months thereafter. In connection with the Transaction, Nutritional High will enter into a lease agreement with East Hill Properties LLC ("East Hill") for the right to operate on East Hill's licensed 1.0-acre outdoor cultivation and licensed 12,000 square foot nursery in Mendocino, California. The Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, final due diligence by the respective parties, execution of a definitive acquisition agreement (the "Definitive Agreement") which shall supersede the Agreement, receipt of applicable corporate approvals, and other regulatory and/or governmental approval. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. FMI Capital Advisory Inc. is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Nutritional High in connection with the Transaction. About Nutritional High International Inc. Nutritional High is focused on developing and manufacturing branded products in the cannabis industry, with a specific focus on edibles and oil extracts for medical and adult recreational use. The Company works exclusively in jurisdictions where such activity is permitted and regulated by state law. Nutritional High has brought its flagship FLI edibles and vape product lines from production to market in various markets including Colorado where its award winning FLI products are manufactured by Palo Verde, LLC. The Company signed a purchase agreement for Palo Verde and on Jan. 28th 2021, received conditional Colorado regulatory approval. For updates on the Company's activities and highlights of the Company's press releases and other media coverage, please follow Nutritional High on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit www.nutritionalhigh.com. For further information, please contact: Robert Wilson Chief Financial Officer Nutritional High International Inc. 416-666-4005 Email: rwilson@nutritionalhigh.com NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR OTC MARKETS GROUP INC., NOR THEIR REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDERS HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements include statements regarding the timing and ability to complete the Transaction on the terms described herein; the Transaction serving as an engine of growth for the Company in California and a platform to launch the Company's proprietary products across the state; the ability to achieve cost synergies; the impact on the Company's top line growth; the ability to complete further synergistic acquisitions; the ability of OutCo to execute on its strategy. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. This forward-looking information reflects the Company's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to the Company and on assumptions the Company believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: the ability of the Company to successfully satisfy the conditions to closing the Transaction, the ability of OutCo and the Company to successfully execute on their respective business plans; legal changes relating to the cannabis industry proceeding as anticipated; and the Company's continued response and ability to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic being consistent with, or better than, its ability and response to date. The Company's securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. Persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; the actual results of the Company's future operations; competition; changes in legislation affecting the Company; obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals including acquiring and renewing U.S. state, local or other licenses, the uncertainty of existing protection from U.S. federal or other prosecution, regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. state-law legalization, market and general economic conditions of the cannabis sector or otherwise; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals; risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic including various recommendations, orders and measures of governmental authorities to try to limit the pandemic, including travel restrictions, border closures, non-essential business closures, service disruptions, quarantines, self-isolations, shelters-in-place and social distancing, disruptions to markets, economic activity, financing, supply chains and sales channels, and a deterioration of general economic conditions including a possible national or global recession; and a deterioration of financial markets that could limit the Company's ability to obtain external financing. A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in the Company's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. 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, are subject to change after such date. However, the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/73165 Announcement on Completion and Results of Purchase Plan of D-Shares by Haier International Co. Ltd. ("HIC") Qingdao / Shanghai / Frankfurt, 29 January 2021 Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. ('the Company') received a notification from Haier International Co., Ltd. ("HIC"), which is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company's principal shareholder Haier Group Corporation. HIC further acquired 992,337 D-Shares in the Company through block trade and by this completed its Purchase Plan of D-Shares ("Purchase Plan") published on 26 September 2019. Details of the Implementation of the Purchase Plan by HIC On 26 September 2019, HIC purchased 57,142,857 of the Company's D-Shares through block trade, accounting for 0.90% of the then total issued share capital of the Company (the "First Purchase"). Affected by the privatization of the Company's subsidiary Haier Electronics Group Co., Ltd.(hereinafter referred to as the "Privatization Project"), on 13 March 2020, HIC announced to delay the implementation period of the Purchase Plan until the completion or termination of the Privatization Project. The Privatization Project was implemented and completed on 26 December 2020 and on 31 December 2020, HIC notified to continue to implement the Purchase. The updated cumulative Shareholding Increase cap not to exceed 2% of the then total issued share capital of the Company (including the shares purchased in the First Purchase). Otherwise, the Purchase Plan remained unchanged. On 28 January 2021, the Company was informed by HIC that it had cumulatively purchased 58,135,194 of the Company's D-Shares including the First Purchase, accounting for 0.644% of the Company's total issued share capital so far. The average price per share paid in the Purchase Plan was Euro 1.135 per share, with a total amount of Euro 66 million (including handling fees) having been paid. As of the date of this announcement, the Shareholding Increase Plan has been completed. Haier Group Corporation and its concerted actors including HIC now collectively hold 3,173,254,342 shares of the Company, accounting for 35.15% of the Company's total issued share capital so far. Summary of implementation of HIC's Purchase Plan In summary, the Purchase Plan was completed as follows: Entity to Shareholding Increase Method of Shareholding Increase Number of shares increased in Shareholding Increase(share) Average price for Shareholding Increase (Euro/share) Amount for Shareholding Increase (Euro) Percentage of shares increased in Shareholding Increase to the total share capital of the Company HIC block trade 58,135,194 1.135 66 million 0.644% Inspection opinions from the lawyer King & Wood Mallesons Beijing issued the King & Wood Mallesons Beijing's Inspection Opinions on the Matter of Purchase Plan of the Company's D-Shares by HIC and was of the view that HIC was qualified for implementing this Purchase; this Purchase can be exempted from applying to CSRC for a waiver from making an offer complied with the paragraph 2 (2) of Article 63 of the Administrative Measures on Takeover of Listed Companies, and can apply to the stock exchange and the securities registration and clearing organization to complete share transfer and transfer registration formalities directly (if necessary); this Purchase has performed corresponding information disclosure obligations. Others Previous announcements regarding the Purchase Plan of HIC haven been disclosed by the Company at https://www.dgap.de/dgap/News/cms/haier-smart-home-coltd-release-according-article-the-wphg-the-german-securities-trading-act-with-the-objective-europewide-distribution/?newsID=1200957 ; https://www.dgap.de/dgap/News/corporate/haier-smart-home-coltd-haier-international-ltd-revised-intention-relation-share-purchases/?newsID=1293881 ; https://www.dgap.de/dgap/News/cms/haier-smart-home-coltd-release-according-article-the-wphg-the-german-securities-trading-act-with-the-objective-europewide-distribution/?newsID=1415850 The entity to Shareholding Increase undertakes not to reduce its holdings of the Company's shares during the legal period. It is hereby notified the above. The Board of Directors of Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. About Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd.: Haier is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household appliances with a focus on smart home solutions and customized mass production. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. develops, produces and distributes a wide range of household appliances. These include refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, air conditioners, water heaters, kitchen appliances as well as smaller household appliances and an extensive range of intelligent household appliances. The Company distributes its products through leading household brands such as Haier, Casarte, Leader, Candy, GE Appliances, AQUA and Fisher & Paykel. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. has launched Smart Home Experiential Cloud, which connects homes, users, enterprises and ecosystem partners, and facilitates the integration of Haier's online, offline and micro-store businesses and supports user interaction to further optimize the user experience. IR contact: Yao Sun (Sophie) - Haier Smart Home Germany T: +49 6172 9454 143 F: +49 6172 9454 42143 M: +49 160 9469 3601 Email: y.sun@haier.de With all the discussions of Big Tech floating around these days, its hard not to think about what kind of personal information companies may be collecting from you, and how theyre using it. Indeed, a recent study reveals that much of the American population remains concerned over this data collection, and what it may mean for the future. Conducted by Data Privacy Manager and provided by Universal Media-Analytics in Mechanicsburg, the study showcases how active individuals are in protecting their data in relation to their views on data collection as a whole. For example, 61 percent of those individuals who are active about their privacy are under the age of 45. An additional 79 percent of individuals say they are very or somewhat concerned about how companies are using their personal information in general. The study shows another 81 percent of other individuals feel as if they have little or no control over data collected. Also, interestingly enough, another 64 percent state that they harbor the save level of concern over the governments collection of data as well. A total of 46 percent of customers feel as if theyve lost control over their own data. There does appear, however, to be a movement within people to take back the control they feel theyve lost. A separate consumer privacy survey conducted by Cisco states that 48 percent of respondents claimed they switched companies or providers of their data policies or data sharing practices. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the fact their digital footprint is being used for organizations and enterprises to leverage for personalized marketing. Todays consumer is as smart as they have ever been, with more information at their fingertips, says Kyle Cook, SVP of Digital and Emerging Media at Universal Media-Analytics in Mechanicsburg. The issue comes when advertisers arent using consumer data in a compliant manner. When that is done, consumer trust is lost and creates a vicious cycle. Therefore, consumers should take action and understand what data is being used on their behalf. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Cook continues, With regulations such as GDRP and CCPA, consumers are starting to get some of the power back by understanding how their data is being used and if they dont like that, they are more than able to opt out of any data sharing. He has been undergoing mandatory hotel quarantine in Sydney after touching down in Australia ahead of filming for his latest movie, Black Site. And on Thursday, actor Jai Courtney was spotted finally leaving the hotel following his 14-day isolation period. The hunky 34-year-old was sporting the exact same outfit he arrived in to start his two week stay. Time to go! On Thursday, actor Jai Courtney was spotted leaving his 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine in Sydney after touching down in Australia Jai once again opted for a casual ensemble consisting of black jeans and a grey Sepultura T-shirt. He paired the look with Converse sneakers and covered his chiseled jaw and nose with a surgical mask. The 34-year-old hunk looked serious as he wheeled his suitcase and a duffel bag to a waiting car. So nice, he wore it twice! The hunky 34-year-old was sporting the exact same outfit he arrived in to start his two week stay Jai relocated to Los Angeles in 2012, but has returned Down Under to star in the upcoming film Black Site. Production for the action-thriller is set to get underway on the Gold Coast in February. The film follows a group of officers at a top-secret CIA black site who come up against an infamous high-value detainee whose deadly agenda could have massive consequences. Casual: Jai once again opted for a casual ensemble consisting of black jeans and a grey Sepultura T-shirt Starring alongside Jai in the film is fellow Australian actor Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty) and American actress Michelle Monaghan (Made of Honor). Jai is also gearing up to reprise his role as Captain Boomerang in the hotly-anticipated Suicide Squad sequel, which is scheduled to hit theaters in August. Speaking with Collider in April last year, Jai drummed up excitement for the film, when he revealed: 'I got sent the script, and it's just a really great [script], I was surprised by everything [in it].' Jai will be rejoined by fellow Australian star Margot Robbie and English actor Idris Elba in the James Gunn-directed flick. In a press conference yesterday afternoon, French Health Minister Olivier Veran announced that the government would likely be compelled to announce stricter lockdown measures to face a continued acceleration in the spread of the pandemic. Veran admitted that the nationwide curfew from 6 p.m. had failed to reverse the spread of the virus, and the more contagious variants of the virus, principally the one first identified in the UK, have become established across France. Macrons spokesperson, Gabriel Attal, stated yesterday that a decision will be taken by the end of the week. The curfew was implemented to prevent a national lockdown that would impact upon corporate profits through the closure of schools and non-essential workplaces. For weeks, the Macron government has rejected demands from the scientific community and health care professionals for a lockdown. French President Emmanuel Macron (Image Credit: AP Photo/Francois Mori) Macron had been due to speak on Wednesday, in what had been widely reported to be an announcement of a limited lockdown in which schools and workplaces would all remain open. The speech was cancelled on Wednesday afternoon, with reports that he would not speak before at least Saturday. This week, Macron has released a series of increasingly open denunciations of scientists calls, including from his own chief scientific adviser Jean-Francois Delfraisy, for lockdowns. The president has had enough of this automatic and robotic manner of managing the crisis. He wants new solutions, a top legislator in Macrons party told RTL radio anonymously on Wednesday. The same day, Le Monde published comments of Macron adviser Stephane Sejourne, who denounced what he called the uncontrolled and suffocatingbecause sometimes contradictoryinterventions of scientists into the debate on coronavirus policy. This permanent escalation in the media makes the public debate hysterical, he added. Sejourne said that scientists are not there to make policy. They must clarify the decisions of the public powers, not clarify themselves. This mixing of roles has to stop. In other words: the role of scientists is not to warn the public about dangers they face and outline a scientifically-based response. It is to provide advice to the government, and, when the government proceeds to ignore scientific warnings in defence of the interests of the corporate elite, to be quiet and acquiesce to everything. Four days earlier, Macron denounced in a press conference this kind of incessant tracking of errors; we have become a nation of 66 million prosecutors. That is not how we face a crisis or move forward. Sejournes comments were more immediately in response to Delfraissy, who had announced in a television interview with BFMTV on Sunday evening that the UK variant was identified in 7-9 percent of positive cases examined in the Paris region, and possibly other regions. He said, we will probably have to go to a new lockdown. By Tuesday, after being lectured by Macron, Delfraisy gave an interview to Liberation, stating that there was no immediate rush to impose a lockdown, and that a decision could be delayed until the end of the week. The governments attack on scientists is a conscious and deliberate effort to promote right-wing anti-lockdown forces. It takes place as far-right riots spread in the Netherlands against COVID-19 restrictions, and the attempted coup detat by American fascists instigated by US President Trump on January 6, whose promotion of fascists had been concentrated on attacks on even the most minimal restrictions against the pandemic. Macron himself, who praised the fascist dictator Petain as a great soldier in 2018, is continuously working to promote the extreme right by whipping up of anti-Muslim hysteria. At the beginning of January, Le Monde revealed that his adviser, Bruno Roger-Petit, had met with the neo-fascist Marion Marechal Le Pen, the niece of Marine Le Pen. In his press conference yesterday, Veran was forced to admit that the governments policy has failed to stop the virus spread. There are now more than 20,000 cases each day, while this figure has risen by 10 percent each week. The last two weeks, there have been more urgent cases at the hospital than the number of people able to leave, Veran said. The lessons we have drawn from the countries where the variants have circulated earlier and harder than here are that they have caused a strong epidemic wave, stronger than the preceding ones, given the contagiousness of these variants. The fact that they are spreading in our country leads one to think that the curfew and the totality of restrictions were useful but probably not sufficient. In Britain, where the more contagious strain is dominant nationally, the seven-day rolling average of daily deaths is more than 1,200. In France, more than 300 people are dying every day. The number of intensive care patients is at more than 3,000, the same level as at the end of October when a limited lockdown was announced. In an interview on Sunday, Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer insisted that the government would seek to keep schools open as long as possible, even if a third lockdown is announced. Schools are being used as holding pens, so that parents can continue to work. The trade unions have opposed any action by teachers for the closure of schools. Macrons policy effectively has the support of the entire French political establishment. To the extent that they have said anything at all, the Socialist Party (PS) and the Republicans (LR) have focused their criticism of the government on its failure to confer with them in its decision-making. None of the parties or trade unions are opposed to the de facto herd immunity policy Macron is pursuing, allowing the virus to spread so that corporate profit-making can continue. Oregons plan to fight systemic racism through fair coronavirus vaccine distribution struck multiple walls Thursday when the states vaccine equity group learned its recommendations were too broad and that race cant be a factor when deciding who gets a shot next. The 27-member Vaccine Advisory Committee, tasked with suggesting who should be vaccinated after Gov. Kate Browns priority groups, is now suggesting that people with underlying conditions, front-line workers, people in custody and people living in low-income and group senior housing should get vaccinated next. That amounts to about 1.2 million people, according to the estimates the group used, and would follow about 1.5 million already slated to get the vaccine, including health care workers, senior care residents and staff, educators and people 65 and older. The scope of the recommendations remained the Achilles Heel of the groups mission, with multiple members pointing out that with current vaccine supplies, the recommended categories were simply too broad. In fact, the recommendations are so broad that state and local officials will likely have the final say in which precise subgroups will get vaccinated when, state public health director Rachael Banks told the committee. I just want to be really, really transparent, Banks said, adding that the agency will continue to be thinking about health inequities. One week ago, the group recommended that people of color and Black and Indigenous communities get shots, as well as people with underlying conditions. But Banks indicated the health authority couldnt directly implement the BIPOC portion of the recommendations. Were not able to prioritize services or make decisions based on services solely on somebodys race or ethnicity, Banks said, adding that race and ethnicity are social constructs meant to examine how people experience racism. Instead, the agency can target segments of the population based on a metric called the social vulnerability index, which includes multiple factors such as demographics and underlying health conditions. Despite holding meetings for the past three weeks, Thursday marked the first time the committee was explicitly told it could not prioritize vaccinations based solely on race and ethnicity. Oregon's Vaccine Advisory Committee is almost done with final recommendations for who should get vaccinated against the coronavirus after the state's priority groups. Some committee members said they hoped final recommendations could be revised when vaccine production increases nationally. So far, Oregon, with a population of 4.2 million, has administered 359,370 doses out of 606,725 received. Maybe say somewhere that, you know, these could potentially be revisited depending on supply of vaccine, said Kalani Raphael, of the Oregon Pacific Islander Coalition. Its just so hard. Very, very challenging. The group is meeting again Feb. 2. -- Fedor Zarkhin; fzarkhin@oregonian.com; 503-294-7674 Shay Mitchell has been hard at work on her sparkling tequila brand Onda, for which she recently enjoyed a founders trip to Jalisco, Mexico. The Pretty Little Liars star has since returned home to Los Angeles, where she's gotten back to her daily grind. She kept it cute Thursday in pigtails, as she went casual chic in a beige ensemble, while stopping to pump gas in the Los Feliz neighborhood, on her way to work. Pretty in pigtails: Shay Mitchell kept it cute Thursday in pigtails, as she went casual chic in a beige ensemble, while stopping to pump gas in the Los Feliz neighborhood, on her way to work The 33-year-old donned a lightweight overcoat, layered over a white crop top, with beige joggers, white sneakers and a black face mask. She previously shared a new video to YouTube of her trip to Jalisco with her Onda cofounders Kelli Adams, Noah Gray and Max Dworin. Mitchell and Adams enjoyed a catamaran trip to a gorgeous beach in Puerto Vallarta, where they posed in some sexy bikini photos to promote the brand. The group later took an excursion to their distillery, where they took a tour and enjoyed a tasting. Beige chic: The 33-year-old donned a lightweight overcoat, layered over a white crop top, with beige joggers, white sneakers and a black face mask Tropical getaway: She previously shared a new video to YouTube of her trip to Jalisco with her Onda cofounders Kelli Adams, Noah Gray and Max Dworin Beach babes: Mitchell and Adams enjoyed a catamaran trip to a gorgeous beach in Puerto Vallarta, where they posed in some sexy bikini photos to promote the brand Making magic: The group later took an excursion to their distillery, where they took a tour and enjoyed a tasting They posed around a pile of agave plants in a team photo on the brand's Instagram, captioned: 'Once upon a time in Mexico with the founders.' The You actress also shared a behind-the-scenes clip from the photo shoot to her Instagram Story, as she posed on a rock, writing: 'So many fun moments from this trip...' She posted another clip of her bikini-clad body lying on the beach with a can of Onda and a radio, as the waves crashed in and out. Behind-the-scenes: The You actress also shared a behind-the-scenes clip from the photo shoot to her Instagram Story, as she posed on a rock, writing: 'So many fun moments from this trip...' Sand and sun: She posted another clip of her bikini-clad body lying on the beach with a can of Onda and a radio, as the waves crashed in and out Precious moments: Mitchell also brought along partner Matte Babel, 40, and daughter Atlas, one, sharing a clip of the toddler, writing: 'Looking back at this time and realize how little Atlas was...' Mitchell also brought along partner Matte Babel, 40, and daughter Atlas, one, sharing a clip of the toddler, writing: 'Looking back at this time and realize how little Atlas was...' She launched Onda Sparkling Tequila back in July, featuring lime and grapefruit flavors, made with real fruit juice. The Dollface actress told People: 'We visited the best distilleries in the magical town of Tequila, which is in the heart of Jalisco, Mexico. 'This distillery stood out not only because it is one of the most awarded tequila distilleries in Mexico, but also because it is owned and primarily run by women.' Google has agreed to pay 120 French media companies 90 million ($142 million) over three years to participate in its new journalism product, in a sign its proposal to sidestep new Australian regulations may fall short of publisher expectations. Industry sources told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age Google would pay some of Frances biggest publishers between 25 million and 30 million a year to participate in its soon-to-launch Google News Showcase product. Google France signed a licensing deal with French publishers last week. Credit:AP The revelation comes as Google attempts to convince the federal government the Showcase product would be a better way to pay media companies for news in Australia, as it fights back against tough new government proposals to regulate its relationships with publishers. The governments new media bargaining code, deemed unworkable by Google and Facebook, would force the two digital giants into binding commercial agreements to pay Australian news businesses or risk steep fines of up to 10 per cent of their annual revenues. It will be debated again by a Senate committee next week. Healthcare workers attend to a patient at the Covid-19 Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU) of the Enfermera Isabel Zendal new emergency hospital, in Madrid, on January 27, 2021 With tensions soaring in Europe over vaccine supply shortages, the crisis has come to a head in Spain with regional vaccination campaigns delayed or even halted as doses run out. As worldwide cases soar past 100 million, global governments are scrambling to get their hands on scarce vaccine supplies, with a bitter row erupting between Brussels and London over the AstraZeneca jab. Although Spain secured early supply deals, delays in shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have piled pressure on its 17 regions, which are responsible for managing the pandemic. "We have had to suspend new first doses for at least the next two weeks due to lack of vaccine," Ignacio Aguado, deputy head of the Madrid region, said Wednesday, urging the government "to move heaven and earth" to get more supplies. Catalonia's health chief also said the region had practically finished its reserve supplies, warning that within days "the refrigerators will be empty". And at the weekend, the southern Andalucia region halted its programme because its strategic supplies were almost used up. "Since no vaccines arrived last week, we had to draw on the strategic reserve that was gradually running out, so we stopped at the weekend so we could continue on Monday with what was left," a regional health ministry source told AFP. A medical worker prepares a Moderna Covid-19 vaccine at the Hospital Sant Joan de Deu in Barcelona on January 16, 2021 By Tuesday afternoon, the central government had sent in emergency supplies and the campaign resumed. "If the health ministry hadn't sent this new shipment of 79,500 vaccines, we would have had to stop completely," he said. Spain has suffered one of the highest infection rates in Europe, counting more than 2.7 million cases and over 57,000 deaths and currently has one of the worst incidence rates of nearly 900 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. So far, health ministry figures show it has administered just over 78.9 percent of the 1.76 million vaccines received as part of the EU's vaccination plan. And the shortages look set to continue. "Last week we received 50 percent of what we should have received and this week.. we're going to experience the same, so Madrid cannot continue vaccinating healthcare professionals," regional health chief Enrique Ruiz Escudero told MPs on Thursday. A healthcare worker attends to a patient at the Covid-19 Intermediate Care Unit at the Enfermera Isabel Zendal new emergency hospital in Madrid on January 27, 2021 Other regions also said they had only received half the expected supply and had only salvaged their campaigns thanks to their strategic reserves. "When we said we were going to put vaccines in reserve, we had a lot of criticism, saying why didn't we just use all of the vaccine instead of reserving some?" said the Andalusian health ministry source. "It turns out we were right." Uncoordinated But medical professionals said both the government and the regions were at fault, with multiple vaccine strategies meaning it had been rolled out in an unbalanced way that sometimes left the most vulnerable exposed. "On the one hand, fewer vials or doses than expected are arriving. On the other hand, it was 'every man for himself' to avoid being last in the vaccination rankings," said Angela Hernandez, deputy head of Madrid's AMYTS doctors union. The Covid-19 wing of the Enfermera Isabel Zendal new emergency hospital, in Madrid on January 27, 2021 The government was at fault for trusting the supply would turn up as promised, "and for not coordinating a joint, equitable plan with the regions". And the regions should have prioritised vulnerable groups rather than those which were logistically easiest. "They should have set aside enough doses to finish vaccinating care home residents and staff before moving on to healthcare professionals," Hernandez said. Among healthcare staff, those with the highest exposure should have been prioritised, she said, flagging Madrid's "lack of coordination which had left frontline staff without the possibility of being vaccinated for at least two weeks". "With such a precious commodity, no effective treatment, and production and distribution problems on a global scale, we should have seen this coming," she said. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP To ensure that the new American government could not do what the British government had been doing to the colonists, the Fourth Amendment was enacted. by Andrew P. Napolitano Last week, Joseph R. Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. The federal government began arresting those it claims attempted to interfere violently with Congress' constitutional duties to authenticate Electoral College votes on Jan. 6. The Senate announced it would go forward with a second impeachment trial of Donald J. Trump, even though he is no longer in office. And the Defense Intelligence Agency sent a two-page memo to Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore. Guess which of these events never made it to the front pages? If you guessed the DIA memo, then you'd be correct. In that memo, the government acknowledged for the first time that it willingly and knowingly has violated the Constitution by using commercially available software to track the movements of innocent people in America without search warrants. When asked how it could get away with this, the DIA told Wyden it had a unique interpretation of a recent Supreme Court decision that expressly prohibits the very spying in which the DIA engages. Here is the backstory. Those of us who follow the government's violations of natural rights and constitutional guarantees have been arguing for years that the feds have the ability to monitor the movements of our smartphones. We have also argued that the feds can listen in on conversations that take place in the presence of the smartphones, and they do all this without obtaining a search warrant. Last week, the feds admitted that they have been doing this since the latter part of the Obama administration and throughout the Trump administration. After years of denying this, the feds must have seen the handwriting on the wall and knew that someone would soon be asked about this during the confirmation process for Biden's intelligence community nominees. A failure to give a truthful answer would be career-ending, and perhaps freedom-ending. The DIA's justification for its warrantless spying is breathtaking. It argues that because it is not law enforcement, it is not subject to the constitutional restraints imposed upon law enforcement as interpreted by the Supreme Court. This is an argument that the court has never accepted. The DIA, apparently, thinks it is a law unto itself. It also claims that because it can purchase the tracing software commercially, it can use it freely, just like any other purchaser. Such a rationale utterly defies the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. Private purchasers are not bound by the Fourth Amendment but the government is. In 2018, in a case called Carpenter v. United States, the Supreme Court was confronted with an appeal of a conviction based on FBI use of commercially purchased tracking software, which agents employed to trace the defendant's movements, and which put him in the vicinity of a series of armed robberies. On the basis of that data, he was convicted of the robberies. The court vacated the conviction, holding that the government needs a search warrant based on probable cause of crime before it can use surveillance techniques to trace or track a potential defendant. The DIA and other domestic American spy entities there are 16 that the government acknowledges it operates have taken the view that because the tracking software is available commercially, and because the domestic spies are intelligence and not law enforcement, they need not obtain a warrant. Stated differently, because the DIA did not seek to use its powers to compel a warrantless search of phone records, but rather stole phone signals, it committed no wrong! This is a profound and direct violation of the Fourth Amendment, which was written for the very purpose of upholding the quintessential American right the right to be left alone. The pre-Revolutionary British government regularly violated this right by obtaining secret general search warrants from courts in London. General search warrants permitted the bearer to search where he wished and seize what he found. To ensure that the new American government could not do what the British government had been doing to the colonists, the Fourth Amendment was enacted. It states that there shall be no search or seizure or surveillance but for one authorized in writing by a judge based on probable cause of crime sworn to under oath and specifically describing the place to be searched and the person or thing to be seized. When it comes to surveillance, there is no exception to this. The Fourth Amendment serves a dual purpose. The first is to prevent fishing expeditions such as the very acts the DIA now admits it utilizes in violation of the natural right to privacy. The second is to compel the government to focus its resources on those suspects as to whom it has a judicially recognized probable cause of crime. The depth of the government's admissions are staggering. Its architecture is a decrepit three-legged stool on which sits totalitarianism, arrogance and lawlessness. One leg of the stool upholds a self-crafted immunity from compliance with the laws of the land. The second leg supports ways to avoid constitutional norms while still appearing licit in the eyes of the public. And the third and weakest leg offers its interpretation of the Constitution separate and apart from what the Supreme Court has ordered. This stool should be cast into the dustbin of history. It was built by those who have been unfaithful to their oaths to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States the very same Constitution that is only as valuable as a safeguard to freedom as is the fidelity of those into whose hands we have reposed it for safekeeping. We have put it into the hands of madmen. Copyright 2016 Judge Andrew P. Napolitano. All rights reserved. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Old radiation may lead to new problems for a massive project aimed at protecting Staten Islands East Shore from future flooding. Before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) can begin the first phase of the project commonly known as the East Shore Seawall, there needs to be environmental remediation done on long-contaminated sections of land near Oakwood Beach and Great Kills Park. Without the radiation remediation, the future of the project is unclear and a federal official needs to give permission before USACE can perform the work. Multiple roadblocks have already hindered the projects progress; when it entered the design phase in 2016, the federal government estimated a 2018 construction start with a completion date for this year. Now, Sen. Charles Schumer is leading calls for USACE to get to work. The latest roadblock can be solved with a policy waiver that would allow USACE to perform the remediation work. The Army Corps needs to quit futzing around and instead grant the policy waiver so they can take the lead removing the hazardous material and pave the way for this vital seawall to move forward, Schumer said. Staten Island, its homeowners, and local businesses need protection against coastal storms and the devastating flooding experienced during Superstorm Sandy and I will continue fighting for the seawall to be built ASAP. CHANGING INTERPRETATIONS USACE has the ability to do the remediation work, but the land in question is owned by New York City. The city is willing to pay for it, but doesnt have experience handling remediation work, multiple officials said. Involved parties had long believed USACE would handle the remediation, but the corps changed its interpretation of two decades-old policies in late 2020. On Dec. 3, Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand along with former Rep. Max Rose sent a letter to former Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Rickey James asking for a policy waiver. The assistant secretary for civil works oversees USACE. They received a response acknowledging that letter before President Trump left office. Now, the offices of Schumer, who became Senate Majority Leader after Democrats gained additional seats in that chamber of Congress, and Gillibrand are working with USACE under the new administration of President Biden. USACE spokesman, James DAmbrosio, did not answer specific questions about why the policy interpretation changed or if theyd perform the remediation, but said the corps is fully committed to expediting implementation of this critically needed project for the South Shore of Staten Island. USACEs official name for the project is the South Shore of Staten Island Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, and DAmbrosio pointed out that USACE advanced funds in earlier stages of the project. Not only does USACE have a strong record of supporting this project, and all Hurricane Sandy-impacted project areas of New York and other states, many of our New York District and North Atlantic Division employees live in the Staten Island community, he wrote in an email. The corps estimates construction related to the projects first contract to begin in late 2021, and for the entirety of the project to be completed by 2025. A 2019 USACE report estimated the cost of the project to be $615 million. That first contract is for work including a tide gate and levee that will run down from Hylan Boulevard, to a flood wall around the southern part of the Oakwood Wastewater Treatment Plant. The contract for the flood wall, which will connect to the East Shore Seawall up to Fort Wadsworth, is the second scheduled contract in the project, and the only other one to require remediation work. Superstorm Sandy decimated the East Shore in 2012, but the area has felt severe impact from multiple storms going back more than a century. Scientists expect rising sea levels related to climate change to only put the area at further risk. A DECADES-OLD PROBLEM An NYPD anti-terror flyover in 2005 preparing for a possible dirty bomb scenario originally found the radiation around Great Kills Park, which is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. Information about the radiation wasnt made public until 2006 after a congressional survey. According to the National Parks Service (NPS), New York City chose in 1925 to use the former wetlands that now make up Great Kills Park as a landfill in an effort to turn those wetlands into usable property. At the time, waste was commonly used to fill land for such purposes. The majority of the waste was placed from 1944 to 1948, and the site operated as a city park until 1972 when it transferred to the federal system, according to NPS. An Advance/SILive.com report from the time of the NYPDs helicopter flyover indicated a piece of metal equipment possibly part of an old X-ray machine was found underground on Aug. 2, 2005. Large portions of the park have been closed to the public since then. In 2017, NPS approved an environmental investigation report for USACE on 43 acres of Great Kills Park, including the section affected by the seawall project. The report specifies that the point of the investigation was, in part, to inform construction planning for the project. The investigation found contaminant levels that may pose a risk to human health and the environment, according to the report. OFFICIALS FIGHTING FOR PROJECT Borough President James Oddo said hes been working with the agencies involved in the seawall project and Schumer, who he described as the key in making this happen. He said Schumers new position as majority leader and the Bidens election make him even more important to the project than during the Trump administration. Senator Schumer and I, for the last 20 years, have found a very strong working relationship, Oddo, a Republican, said. Senator Schumer is pivotal. He was pivotal before the change in (presidential) administration. He was pivotal before the elections in Georgia. Hes now even a bigger player in this. Without completion of the first two contracts, which need remediation, Oddo, who is set to leave office at the end of the year, said the biggest part of the project the East Shore Seawall will be unable to move forward. That work is part of the fifth and sixth contracts for the larger project. The frontline work contract five, contract six, the actual wall. This impacts that, he said. You cant build out the line of protection in those contracts five and six until you got this thing settled, so this is a thing that threatens the timeline most seriously. The borough president, who served as mid-island city councilman when Superstorm Sandy hit in 2012, has been working since then to bring the seawall to fruition. Much of Oddos work in office, including the Mid-Island Blue Belt has focused on flood mitigation in East Shore beach communities that can face severe consequences from just a heavy rain. On Jan. 11, Oddo and his office met with Mayor Bill de Blasios Office of Resiliency in which the city shared its perspective on the project, specifically that it is willing to fund the remediation work, but inexperienced at handling those sorts of projects. This is a screen grab from the last meeting @MaxRose4NY & I had with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in December. As you can see, it details an anticipated construction schedule that would result in completion of the seawall in 2025. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/N3TLwsV3sC Jimmy Oddo (@HeyNowJO) January 11, 2021 Oddo said he felt having the USACE handle remediation was the best path forward. My take on this is, without even hearing the city has never undertaken work like this, my inclination is Id rather have the feds do it, Oddo said. I am of the belief, the strong belief, that we need to get the Army Corps to do it. This is their forte. The mayors office agrees. First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan wrote in a Jan. 11 letter to Brig. Gen. Thomas Tickner, commander of USACE, that managing that sort of remediation would be a first for the city. Director of the Mayors Office of Resiliency Jainey Bavishi said Thursday that the city is committed to paying for the remediation, but echoed her colleagues in government calling for USACE to handle the work. Staten Islanders were devastated by Hurricane Sandy and must be protected from future storms without delay, she said. New York State Department of Environmental Commissioner Basil Seggos also sent a letter to the brigadier general calling on USACE to handle the remediation work. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) and City Council Minority Leader Steven Matteo (R-Mid-Island) also met Wednesday with USACE officials regarding the project. The freshman congresswoman, who represented the East Shore during her time in the New York Assembly, described the project as near and dear to my heart, and said seeing its completion is one of my highest priorities. She said their conversation with the corps included information about possible economic and recreational opportunities for the waterfront, and the possibility of raising Hylan Boulevard outside Great Kills Park in an effort to add another layer of flood protection. Matteo said he and the congresswoman made it clear to USACE that the remediation needs to be addressed with urgency, because this step is obviously key to completing this vital project. We will continue to follow up with them until we know this will be resolved. The DEEPER project: New photonic tools to reveal deep brain alterations causing diseases Genova/Lecce (Italy), 28th January 2021 - Understanding and treating brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, addiction, chronic pain, depression and schizophrenia, entails the comprehension of the alterations that may occur in the deep regions of the gray matter. Thanks to the European-funded project DEEPER, an international research consortium, coordinated by IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology), will develop new photonic technologies to access those regions and reveal the molecular and cellular dysfunctions underlying the origin of the disorder. The new technological tools are developed with the goal to directly treat the diseases in a minimally invasive and highly effective way. DEEPER will transfer the technological results from laboratory to market, with the ambition to have an impact to strengthen Europe's industrial position in the biophotonics market. The DEEPER project (Deep Brain Photonic Tools for Cell-Type Specific Targeting of Neural Diseases) has been funded by the European Union with about 5.7 million euros for the next 4 years, through one of the most technologically ambitious financing systems, the Research and Innovation Action (RIA) on "Disruptive photonics technologies" (ICT-36-2020). The project is a large-scale European initiative involving 12 partners in 8 countries. The project is coordinated by Massimo De Vittorio, Coordinator of the IIT's Center for Biomolecular Nanotechnologies in Lecce, with the support of two other IIT Principal Investigators, Tommaso Fellin, Coordinator of IIT Neuroscience Area and Head of the Optical Approaches to Brain function Lab in Genova, and Ferruccio Pisanello, Head of the IIT's Multifunctional Neural Interfaces with deep-brain regions Lab in Lecce. DEEPER puts together technologists, neuroscientists and clinical experts with hi-tech companies, sharing the long-term vision of enabling effective treatments for multiple neurological pathologies that have a dramatic impact on society. According to the World Health Organization estimation, hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide suffer from brain disorders (WHO, 2006). The burden of these pathologies on public health is significant, and it is expected to considerably grow. The DEEPER project will aim to augment the understanding of what causes these brain disorders, focusing at the anatomical and functional alterations occurring in hard-to-access deep regions of the brain. To do so, researchers will develop an entire new class of photonic devices and instruments exploiting light for imaging and manipulating the neuronal activity in deep brain regions with the highest resolution, penetration and specificity. The new tools will be molecular optical sensors, minimally invasive brain probes, next generation microscopes and endoscopes, that will use light both to acquire images of specific deep brain areas, and to control brain electrical activity on selected portions of the central nervous system in a very controlled fashion, in order to study dysfunctions at molecular and cellular level. Then, the international consortium will use the newly developed technologies in a number of clinically relevant experiments, which will contribute to reveal the alterations underlying the origin of the disorder. DEEPER technologists, neuroscientists, clinical and pre-clinical experts will transfer the technological results from laboratory to market, with the ambition of building a value chain with strong market impact in order to strengthen Europe's industrial position in the biophotonics market. The research consortium is coordinated by the IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italy) and involves the University of Zurich (Switzerland), the University of Geneve (Switzerland), the University of Strathclyde (UK), the University of Freiburg (Germany), the University of Hamburg (Germany), the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences (Czech Republic), the Sorbonne University (France), the Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel), the IBEC-Institute for Bioengineering of Catalogna (Spain) and two companies, OptogeniX (Italy) and Atlas Neuroengineering (Belgium). ### Website: https:/ / deeperproject. eu/ Twitter: https:/ / twitter. com/ ProjectDeeper This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. JACKSON, Miss., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EastGroup Properties, Inc. (NYSE: EGP) (the "Company") is saddened to announce the recent passing of Leland R. Speed, Chairman Emeritus of the Company's Board of Directors and a director of the Company, at the age of 88. Mr. Speed was the Company's founder and served as Chief Executive Officer until 1997. His service as a director began in 1978; he served as the Chairman of the Board from 1983 to 2015 and then as Chairman Emeritus until the time of his death. Marshall Loeb, President and CEO, stated, "Mr. Speed's contributions to EastGroup are tremendous. His real estate knowledge and expertise were instrumental to the growth of the Company. His leadership and 'healthy, wealthy, wise' philosophy were the capstone for our positive culture. From my internship to today, he made EastGroup feel like family, and he could often be found in conversations with employees about a variety of topics, from Company history to personal wellbeing and ways to make positive impacts in our communities. Mr. Speed was a positive thinker, loved real estate, and he brought positive energy to all he encountered. He would often speak fondly of his family, and he loved telling stories about his grandchildren. Mr. Speed's legacy will live on within the Company and the Jackson community. I will miss him, and our Company will miss him." EastGroup's directors and employees extend our deepest sympathies to Bessie Speed, his wife of almost 60 years, and their beloved children, grandchildren and extended family. Company Information EastGroup Properties, Inc. (NYSE: EGP), an S&P MidCap 400 company, is a self-administered equity real estate investment trust focused on the development, acquisition and operation of industrial properties in major Sunbelt markets throughout the United States with an emphasis in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina. The Company's goal is to maximize shareholder value by being a leading provider in its markets of functional, flexible and quality business distribution space for location sensitive customers (primarily in the 15,000 to 70,000 square foot range). The Company's strategy for growth is based on ownership of premier distribution facilities generally clustered near major transportation features in supply-constrained submarkets. EastGroup's portfolio, including development projects and value-add acquisitions in lease-up and under construction, currently includes approximately 47 million square feet. EastGroup Properties, Inc. press releases are available at www.eastgroup.net. SOURCE EastGroup Properties Related Links http://www.eastgroup.net "These results have many potential benefits for the successful treatment of patients affected by beta-globinopathies like sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia, including a better dose response, a minimized chance of clonal expansion and tumorigenesis, a reduced cost of therapy, and a potentially reduced need for chemotherapy or radiation before beginning gene therapy," said Laura Breda, PhD, research assistant professor at CHOP and first author of the paper. "All of us in the CuRED Frontier Program at CHOP are dedicated to finding new and improved curative therapies for blood disorders, and we look forward to taking steps to move this vector into clinical trials." Sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia are genetic blood disorders caused by errors in the genes for hemoglobin, a protein consisting of globin and iron-containing subunits that is found in red blood cells and carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body. The disorders, sometimes referred to as beta-globinopathies due to mutations in the beta-globin gene, lead to serious health complications, ranging from delayed growth and jaundice to pain crises, pulmonary hypertension, and stroke. Because children with beta-globinopathies have two abnormal copies of the hemoglobin gene one from each parent researchers have explored gene therapy as a potential breakthrough treatment. Using an engineered carrier called a vector to introduce a functional copy of the beta-globin gene, this therapy has the potential to restore normal hemoglobin production in patients with beta-globinopathies. However, there are challenges to this approach, including limited dose response, dose-related toxicities, and the need in many cases for myeloablation, a procedure in which the bone marrow is suppressed via chemotherapy or radiation before gene therapy can begin. In order to reduce unwanted side effects and increase effectiveness of gene therapy for these conditions, the CHOP researchers developed a new vector using an engineered lentivirus, the same retrovirus used to create gene therapy vectors in ongoing gene therapy trials for beta-globinopathies. The lentiviral vectors currently in use all contain the human beta-globin gene along with its promoter; three so-called hypersensitive sites that are important for gene transcription; and a truncated version of intron 2, which does not code for proteins. The CHOP researchers hypothesized that including the full intron, rather than a truncated one, in addition to other genomic elements that promote uniform expression of the beta-globin gene would enhance beta-globin and thus functional hemoglobin expression. Based on this hypothesis, the research team generated five novel lentiviral vectors by combining different additional genomic elements. As a benchmark, they also generated three vectors similar to those that have already been used in clinical trials, which they used to compare to their novel vectors. Using a variety of in vitro and in vivo screening approaches, the researchers found that one of their vectors, ALS20, expressed significantly higher transgenic hemoglobin levels than other vectors currently used to treat beta-globinopathies. Compared with the three benchmark vectors, ALS20 produced 157%, 84%, and 40% more adult hemoglobin, which would have a greater clinical impact on patients, especially those who require higher hemoglobin production to become transfusion independent. ALS20 was also more powerful, with a lower dose providing higher hemoglobin production, which could reduce the need for myeloablation and possibly allow for in vivo delivery methods. From a safety standpoint, ALS20 viral particles did not contain unwanted genomic RNA byproducts, and mice treated with ALS20 exhibited normal physiology without any proliferative disorders or cancerous formations compared with controls. "Considering the body of evidence presented in this work, we believe that ALS20 is an outstanding candidate for the successful treatment of beta-globinopathies," said senior author Stefano Rivella, PhD, Kwame Ohene-Frempong Chair on Sickle Cell Anemia and Professor of Pediatrics at CHOP. "Our vector may not only provide safer therapy with a reduced probability of genome toxicity and milder conditioning requirements, but it may also improve the efficacy and offer a competitive product for the gene therapy market." The research was supported by the Comprehensive Center for the Cure of Sickle Cell Disease and other Red Cell Disorders (CuRED) Frontier Program at CHOP, the Commonwealth Universal Research Enhancement Program (CURE) Department of Health of Pennsylvania, and the Associazione Veneta per la Lotta alla Talassemia (AVLT). The team also received support through private donations, including those from the 2018 CHOP Daisy Days campaign and The Runway. Breda L, Ghiaccio V, Tanaka N, Jarocha D, Ikawa Y, Abdulmalik O, Dong A, Casu C, Raabe TD, Shan X, Danet-Desnoyers GA, Doto AM, Everett J, Bushman FD, Radaelli E, Assenmacher CA, Tarrant JC, Hoepp N, Guzikowski V, Smith-Whitley K, Kwiatkowski JL, and Rivella S. "Lentiviral vector ALS20 yields high hemoglobin levels with low genomic integrations for treatment of beta-globinopathies," Molecular Therapy, online January 29, 2021. DOI: 0.1016/j.ymthe.2020.12.036 About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 595-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu Contact: Dana Bate Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (267) 426-6055 [email protected] SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Related Links http://www.chop.edu A portfolio of distressed AIB mortgages has been sold to an investment consortium that describes itself as an ethical fund. There are around 620 owner-occupier mortgages in the banks Project Iris portfolio which have been in arrears for a number of years. They have been acquired by a group that includes Home for Life, an Irish private company that operates mortgage-to-rent deals for financially distressed homeowners. The consortium has promised to come up with borrower-friendly solutions for those whose mortgages have been sold. Called the Home Solutions Initiative, the consortium is made up of debt collection agency Everyday Finance, Arizun Asset Management (Ireland) and London-based investment group LCM Partners as well as Home for Life group. Last year, Home for Life raised 75m from LCM Partners saying the funding would allow it to raise up to 160m more through an existing deal with AIB. Home for Lifes securing of the portfolio means mortgage campaigner David Halls bid has failed. He had funding from UK debt investor Arrow Global. AIBs Project Iris portfolio contains around 620 owner-occupier mortgages in long-term arrears. The bank was anxious to sell to a group that would keep as many borrowers in their homes as possible. Up to now, it and other banks here have been selling distressed mortgages to vulture funds. The mortgages had an original book value of 150m. The discount involved in the sale was not disclosed. The majority of the mortgage holders first entered default over five years ago. Most of the households are expected to end up in the Governments mortgage-to-rent scheme where ownership of the house is given up and the family becomes social housing tenants. Mortgage holders who qualify have their debts written off. Many of those suitable for the scheme are in vulnerable circumstances due to issues such as family break-ups or, increasingly, because they are approaching retirement age with large debts that theyll be unable to pay on a State pension. Before the AIB sale went ahead, distressed mortgage holders were given a chance to engage with the bank and strike a restructuring deal which would mean their loans would not be sold. None of the vaccines approved for use in the EU are a magic wand to defeat the pandemic, the head of the European Medicines Agency has warned. On Friday, the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine became the third to secure EMA approval for use in the EU, along with the PfizerBioNTech and Moderna vaccines. The AstraZeneca vaccine is considered particularly important as it is easier to store and transport, and can be administered in a single dose. Emer Cooke, EMA's Exec. Director: "We will continue to work hard, together with the Member States, @EU_Commission and our international partners, to play our part in fulfilling the needs of not only Europeans but people around world suffering as a result of the #COVID19 pandemica EU Medicines Agency (@EMA_News) January 29, 2021 Speaking after its approval on Friday, EMA executive director Emer Cooke said more hard work is needed to develop vaccines and treatments to beat the pandemic. She said: We now have three vaccines that have been developed and recommended for approval against a disease that we did not know about one year ago. None of them is perfect. None of them has all the characteristics that we might want it to, to help us, to allow us to move completely forward. None of them is a magic wand on its own but together they provide tools and options to prevent different aspects of the disease. She added: Every day we learn more about this disease, and we need to continue to work hard to get more vaccines and treatments available to help beat the pandemic, step by step, product by product, mutation by mutation. There are legally binding obligations on the company for continuing manufacture, monitoring and updates Emer Cooke, EMA On Friday the AstraZeneca vaccine was approved for use in the EU for everyone over the age of 18. There had been concerns its use might be limited, after German public health officials ruled out its use in people over the age of 65. The EMA said that while the dataset of that age group who took part in clinical trials was small, protection is expected, given that an immune response is seen in this age group and based on experience with other vaccines. Ms Cooke said: The recommendation to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine is based on data that shows the vaccine offers protection against Covid-19, with a reassuring safety profile. She said the AstraZeneca vaccine is easier to handle than the other mRNA-based vaccines in terms of transport and storage. This should simplify the logistics of rolling the vaccine out across the EU, and hopefully can provide a boost to vaccinations in the member states, she added. The approval has come amid an ongoing row between the EU and AstraZeneca over the promised delivery schedule of the vaccines. On Friday, Ms Cooke reminded the pharma-giant that approval comes with legally binding obligations. She said: It provides a controlled and robust legal framework for pharmacovigilance manufacturing controls and other post-approval obligations. This means that there are legally binding obligations on the company for continuing manufacture, monitoring and updates. AstraZeneca has been asked by the EMA to conduct trials to determine its effectiveness against other variants of Covid-19. Ms Cooke said work will continue on approval for other vaccines and treatments. She added: One year on, we know there are no silver bullets. But there are significant steps and miles that have been and can be delivered. And these are necessary to multiply the options available for healthcare systems, todays achievement will deliver yet another option. Health official: 'I am hopeful for the brighter days ahead' President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen discussed with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky assistance in the fight against coronavirus. Always good to speak with President Zelensky. EU wants to help Ukraine fight COVID-19, in particular until vaccines are available via COVAX, she wrote on her Twitter account. Always good to speak with President @ZelenskyyUa. EU wants to help Ukraine fight #COVID19, in particular until vaccines are available via #COVAX. Also reiterated firm support for reform agenda - judiciary & anti-corruption efforts are very important. #MovingForwardTogether pic.twitter.com/Km6PcVpzwf Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) January 29, 2021 Ursula von der Leyen also reiterated firm support for the reform agenda in Ukraine, noting that the judiciary and anti-corruption efforts are very important. In early January, the European Commission received a letter from 13 EU countries with a request to speed up the provision of assistance in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic to the Eastern Partnership countries, namely Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus. ish Ambassador Pham Hai Anh, Charge dAffaires a.i. to the UN, reaffirmed Vietnams support for a comprehensive political solution led and owned by Libyans on the basis of respecting its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Participants at the online meeting of the UN Security Council on current issues in Libya (Photo: VNA) Addressing an online meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on current issues in Libya and operations of the UN Supported Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on January 28, the Vietnamese diplomat spoke highly of the positive developments in politics and security in the country and urged the Libyan parties to make further progress on forming an interim government to start a transitional period leading to elections in the country. He also praised the efforts of UNSMIL, acting special representatives, neighbouring countries, regional organisations, and relevant partners in promoting the peace talks. Acting Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Libya Stephanie Williams applauded the recent positive developments in politics and security in the country, saying the Libyan parties have agreed to establish a mechanism to monitor the long-term ceasefire agreement in Libya, signed on October 23 with support from the UN. Williams, who is also Head of UNSMIL, called on the UNSC to continue its support to promote the peace process in Libya, including allowing UNSMIL to support the ceasefire surveillance mechanism. Representatives from UNSC member countries called upon stakeholders to fully comply with the ceasefire and continue to promote a roadmap towards elections. They also expressed their hope that Jan Kubis, the UN Secretary-Generals newly-appointed Special Envoy for Libya, will continue accelerating the peace process. Meanwhile, a Libyan representative stressed the commitments and efforts of the Government of National Accord (GNA) in promoting a peaceful solution to the Libyan issue, expressing a hope that the UNSC and UNSMIL will take more concrete actions to push up the peace process in the country./. VNA CHICO, Calif. - The Chico Chamber of Commerce is co-hosting the 2021 Business Summit & State of the City Address, with the City of Chico on Friday. The event will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Zoom. Chico Mayor, Andrew Coolidge, City Manager, Mark Orme, Matt Madden, Chief of Police, Steve Standridge, Fire Chief, Brendan Ottoboni, Public Works Director-Engineering, Mark Francis, President & CEO, Golden Valley Bank, and Ben Winter, Chair of the Board, Transfer Flow, Inc. will be in attendance. The annual Business Summit and State of the City Address is a unique forum that brings both city leaders and business leaders together to help us all understand the issues of our local and regional economies. This will be done virtually this year due to COVID-19, and while not ideal, we are hoping that the online venue will allow for even more participation from the community, said Ben Winter, Transfer Flow, Inc., Chair of the Chamber Board. Mark Francis, President & CEO, Golden Valley Bank says, Its been quite a year economically with a huge amount of outside money coming into our community. It will be interesting to see how long that money can take us into the future. Through good times and challenging times, a healthy working relationship is essential between a City and their business community. So, its a sincere privilege to continue to work hand-in-hand with the Chico Chamber of Commerce as they host the 2021 Business Summit & State of the City event. - Mark Orme, City Manager, City of Chico. To register for the 2021 Business Summit & State of the City Address, click here. Kolkata, Jan 29 : A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials on Friday carried out a raid at the house of noted magician P.C. Sorcar Junior in connection with the probe probe into Tower Group's chitfund scam. According to sources, federal investigation agency sleuths raided the premises of the magician's Mukundapur residence located in the city's Eastern Metropolitan (EM) Bypass. Both the central agency officials and the family members of Sorcar remained tight-lipped about the reasons of the search operation. Besides the magician's Mukundapur house, the CBI team also raided three more locations in connection with the probe. Sources said that Sorcar reportedly signed an agreement with Tower Group and became their brand ambassador. The search operation was carried out to examine the details of the deal and some transactions between the magician and the chit fund company. No, youre not dreaming. Thats the sound of bubbling water and the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air as you contemplate waking up. The Barisieur coffee maker and alarm clock lets you start your day with a freshly brewed cup of joe (or loose leaf tea) without leaving the cozy confines of your bed. The beautifully designed (and pricy) system created by British industrial designer Joshua Renouf is composed of hand-blown borosilicate glass and polished stainless steel components that sit on a wood tray, giving it a science lab meets contemporary sculpture vibe. Barisieur even has a built-in mini milk fridge to keep everything you need within reach. The clocks display dims as the night goes on and theres a built-in USB charger for your phone. Just set Barisieur to start brewing 5 minutes before the alarm and stay in bed a little longer. $445, b8ta.com 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. South Africa: NAFCOC commends appointment of Somadoda Fikeni The National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NAFCOC) has commended President Cyril Ramaphosa for appointing renowned political and social commentator, Dr Somadoda Fikeni to head the Public Service Commission. Dr Fikeni will become the commissions commissioner for a five-year-term. NAFCOC President Sabelo Macingwane said that the federation feels that Fikenis appointment is one of the inspired appointments made by President Ramaphosa during his term of office. We feel that this appointment would instil confidence in the public service, especially after a period where the public service has been hollowed out and senior officials have been hounded out and replaced by yes-men and women or loyalists who were/are ready to do the bidding of those in the executive arm of the state. Dr Fikeni has made a name for himself over many years of polished or excellent service to the institutions and agencies he has been associated with, Macingwane said in a statement on Thursday. Macingwane said that his federation believes that Fikeni would rise to the occasion and ensure that the commission meets it obligation and promote the efficient performance in the public service, and deal harshly with dead wood and those who are in the public service to enrich themselves, their families and cronies. "Getting a public service that is led by properly qualified and ethical people can only be good for any country, especially a developing country with unique challenges like those facing South Africa at the moment. We hope that Dr Fikeni will help the commission to promote the good values and principles in public administration, as set out in the Constitution. Over the years public services have been used by some of our leaders to deploy people for nefarious reasons that had nothing to do with promoting good public administration. This has led to our people continuously losing confidence in public service and administration, Macingwane said. He added that NAFCOC wishes Dr Fikeni well, and hope he will untangle the web of mediocrity and sense of entitlement prevalent in some parts of public service and administration. We hope that he will set this institution on the path to excellence and thus help put South Africa on par with some of the best run and administered countries in the world, Macingwane said. The Public Service Commission plays a critical role in development of this country as it derives its mandate from Sections 195 and 196 of the Constitution. The Commission is also tasked and empowered to investigate, monitor and evaluate the organisation and administration of the public service. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Ballymahon car dealer Peter Hanley has broken his silence on how an online video detailing a patients required oxygen intake levels helped overcome a two week battle with Covid-19. The 69-year-old Newtowncashel native successfully emerged from the rigours of a virus, which has already claimed almost 3,000 deaths nationwide, last Tuesday (January 19). Now, the best part of three weeks on, Peter has spoken for the first time of his own brush with mortality as the country tries desperately to stem the tide of a virus which has wreaked havoc across almost every sector of Irish society. Despite suffering from an underlying health condition sustained as a result of a road traffic accident several years ago, the free talking former Bord na Mona employee, said he never once let the challenges or threats posed by Covid-19 to get the better of him. I had the sick stomach and the headaches and then there was the fact that my lungs arent the best after an old crash I had a lock of years ago, he told the Leader. But I was alright and I am the sort of fella who likes to keep going and sure, I was alright in the end. Part of that get up and go approach saw Peter take to starting up his own form of mental and physical exercise whilst in the midst of a 14 day period of self isolation. Be Jesus, I wasnt tired, no, said Peter, when asked about whether fatigue was one of his many symptoms. My daughter Laura got an online video, which helped me keep track of my oxygen and I didnt let it go down below 90 (SpO2) because if I did, I knew I would have to go to hospital. In a bid to uphold those figures and his own respiratory well being, Peter recalled completing 12,000 steps in a day, all within the confines of his own bedroom. What I did was, I just got an old film, put it on and it kept me concentrated, he reminisced. Looking back on his own diagnosis, Peter is still at a loss as to how he contracted the virus and somehow managed to prevent spreading it to his wife Liz and near 20 strong workforce. I havent a clue, he said simply. She never contracted it and stayed away from me the whole time. But I remember feeling shivery cold that Saturday and I just thought I was getting a cold. I went home that night and didnt say anything to anyone, got up on the Sunday and worked all day at a lawnmower I had at the house. There wasnt a loss on me, so on the Monday I got up and though I felt a bit groggy, I went into work and passed no remarks. It was the following day when I got up out of bed, I just said to Liz to call the doctor as my chest was bad. But he said he wouldnt go near me until I had a Covid test and it was the next day when it came back positive. A well respected businessman for the best part of half a decade, the name Hanley is synonymous with enterprise, resolution and no shortage of success. Peter has been very much front and centre in helping to mould that sense of ingenuity not just within the boundaries of south Longford, but right across the wider midlands region. Its a virtue which has served him well, both from a commercial and personal standpoint. I would be half mad anyway, he joked, as he looked on from the forecourt of his car dealership in Ballymahon. Im forever on the move and Im up at 6am every morning to do my 5km walk. Dedication and perseverance are two character traits you get the impression Peter adheres to closely, attributes which have and continue to serve him well despite the fiscal obstacles posed by Irelands ongoing public health emergency. Ah sure, I will probably take the boots off someday, but then theyll probably be back on me in the garage at home, he said, while responding to thoughts of retirement anytime soon. We have 16 or 17 full time lads in there and a few young fellas that come in of a Saturday, its a great team we have. This year marks Peters 52nd year at the helm of a family business which is undeniably one of Co Longfords most revered names in its motor dealership fraternity. His take on the current financial malaise affecting the local and wider economy is as predictable as it is candid. That said, his appraisal on the Governments own handling of the pandemic is indisputable. The lockdown looks like its here to stay for a while, doesnt it? Peter asked inquisitively. But I have to say the Government are doing a fantastic job, unreal. Sure, business is hard at the minute, but I havent had to let any of the boys go. There was a bit of worry around the Christmas and I didnt want them going onto the 350 (Pandemic Unemployment Payment) a week. A deeply cherished figure in the world of local GAA, Peter could, and perhaps should, have enjoyed a longer playing career than he ultimately enjoyed. By his own admission, personal and professional ambitions took precedence, something he contended was the right decision in the long run. Ah sure, I wasnt much good at it, to be honest, he said, revealing his favoured position was that of taking up the role of a no nonsense corner back. I was working in Bord na Mona at the time and I was trying to get a business up and running at the same time. The way I looked at it was I was only getting in a big mans way. Having overcome coronavirus, life, it would seem, could not be any better for Peter and he concluded by thanking everyone for the messages of the goodwill he has received. MINSK -- Prisoners packed into barracks deep in the forest, ringed by meters-high fencing, topped with barbed wire, and complete with guard dogs and watch towers. What sounds like something from the pages of World War II appears to have been the actual fate of more than 100 Belarusians in August 2020, when protests erupted across the country after a presidential election that tens of thousands believe was rigged to extend the decades-long rule of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The camp near Slutsk, some 100 kilometers south of the capital, Minsk, was a detox center before its alleged mercurial makeover and was shut down quickly and seemingly forgotten. Now, however, apparent photographic evidence has emerged, and some of those who say they were held there have spoken out. The revelations follow close on the heels of the emergence of a leaked audio recording allegedly of a top Interior Ministry official speaking some months later of plans to build a similar camp for "hard-core" anti-Lukashenka protesters. Lukashenka's government dismissed the earlier report of plans to build an internment camp as "fake" news, but has so far not reacted to claims it actually operated one. Lukashenka faces growing international isolation for his government's alleged rigging of the August 9 vote and the brutal postelection crackdown. Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusians continue to demand the resignation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid a brutal crackdown on protesters. The West refuses to recognize him as the country's legitimate leader after an August 9 election considered fraudulent. Tens of thousands of Belarusians have been detained in protests that have continued nearly nonstop since the election. Hundreds have been victims of alleged torture, according to rights monitors. Lukashenka and top officials in his government have been placed under sanctions by the United States, the European Union, and Canada, among others. "This operation reflects Lukashenka's intention to suppress street protests by any means, as we have been observing since the beginning of the Belarus political crisis," explained Arseny Sivitsky, director of the Minsk-based Center for Strategic and Foreign Policy Studies. The camp at Slutsk is reported to have operated only for a few days, on August 13-15. Many of those detained there appear to have been transported from Minsk's Akrestsina detention facility, one of the most notorious such centers in Belarus. As Amnesty International and other rights monitors have documented, Akrestsina has been the site of brutal prisoner treatment. For example, on August 13 -14, Amnesty recently reported, "relatives of those detained at Akrestsina recorded the sounds of incessant beatings which were clearly audible in the street, and numerous voices screaming out in agony with some begging for mercy." Dzmitry Dzmitryeu, a photographer for the independent Belarusian news weekly Novy chas (New Time) and a former police officer, was detained on August 9 outside a polling station in Minsk, allegedly for political agitation. He said he was first taken to the Akrestsina detention center before being transported to the Slutsk camp on August 13. "It was obvious that the whole territory had just been enclosed by high fencing," he told RFE/RL's Belarus Service. "It was made of fresh wood that didnt look weathered yet. The fence was 5 meters high. And the watchtowers were brand new. Guards were posted there. Everything was absolutely fresh." Zmitser Khvedaruk says he was transferred to the camp in Slutsk from Akrestsina on August 13. "We weren't told where we were being taken," he told RFE/RL. "When we arrived, we were left outside in the cold near a wall. We were in the same clothes [as when arrested]; it was very cold. Then they took me and gave me a cold shower and I couldn't dry myself. Then, a member of the Interior Ministry told us that we were in the detention center in Slutsk. From my knowledge of Belarusian prisons, I knew that in Slutsk no such institution existed. It was dark, fenced in, there were guards with dogs. It was absolutely clear where we were." Khvedaruk said he spent one night in a barracks at the Slutsk camp with approximately 150 other people. Like Dzmitryeu, he said before they were released the next day they were all forced to sign a document that included a warning they would be reinterned if arrested again. "It was a camp," said another Slutsk detainee who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals from the authorities. "Walls, watch towers, barbed wire. It was in the forest, far from the road. The area [of the camp] was relatively big. In our barracks there were about 100 people. There were about three or four such barracks, I can't remember exactly. We were told if we didn't follow orders, we would be returned to Akrestsina." 'Urgently Prepared' Orders to establish the camp came from the Belarusian prison authorities on August 10, according to an individual who said he was involved in the project and who spoke to RFE/RL on condition of anonymity. That source also provided photographs of what he said was the site. "On August 10, the Corrections Department was instructed to urgently prepare one of its facilities for the creation of a camp. The decision was made to use Compulsory Rehabilitation Center No. 3 (LPP-3) for this purpose," the source said. "The people who were being treated there at the time were immediately transferred to other centers. On August 12, LPP-3 was prepared for use as a site for detaining individuals under paramilitary guard." According to RFE/RL's source, before those being treated for alcoholism at LPP-3 were transferred, they were forced to work reconfiguring the site, including digging deep holes and putting up camp walls and barbed wire. For reasons that remain unclear, as quickly as the camp at Slutsk was opened it was shut down on August 15. More Camps To Come? The revelations come after a senior Belarusian Interior Ministry official, Deputy Interior Minister Mikalay Karpyankou, was apparently caught on audio in October discussing plans to set up a similar detention camp at a different location. In the recording, the voice alleged to be that of Karpyankou is heard discussing what he says are plans to build a long-term internment facility in Ivatsevichy, in southwestern Belarus, that is already home to a penitentiary. "We are also talking about the possibly of building a camp for protesters. And a database is being created," the voice says, adding that "hard-core" protesters would be "resettled" at the facility, which would be enclosed with "barbed-wire fencing." It is unclear how far such plans have advanced, if at all. The Interior Ministry dismissed the recording, which was released on social media earlier this month by the By Pol Initiative -- a group of former Belarusian security and justice officials and officers who have abandoned Lukashenka and joined the opposition -- as "fake" news. Opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya was one of many who said they were convinced of the recording's authenticity, expressing shock and anger at its contents. With support at home and abroad evaporating, Lukashenka has few levers at his disposal to retain his grip on power except additional repressions, Sivitsky explained to RFE/RL in e-mailed comments. "And these tactics have already brought some results -- protest activities have decreased in numbers compared to August-September 2020," Sivitsky said. "However, it costs a lot for Lukashenka in terms of domestic and international legitimacy, which has been irreversibly called into question." "The Belarusian authorities simply don't have any positive agenda," he concluded. A low-intensity blast was reported near the Israel embassy in the national capital on Friday evening, the Delhi Police confirmed. The blast took place at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road, about 1.4 kilometers (1 mile) from the Israeli Embassy in Delhi. The explosion was caused by a "very low intensity improvised device" police said, adding that there were no injuries. The explosion damaged the window panes of three nearby parked cars, Delhi Police Additional PRO Anil Mittal said in a statement. "Initial impressions suggest a mischievous attempt to create a sensation," the statement added. The Police Control Room was informed of a "bomb blast" in the area and senior officials, including deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Pramod Kushwah, rushed to the spot, officials said. "An explosion occurred recently near the Israeli embassy in India. There were no casualties in the blast, and no damage to the building," Israel's foreign ministry said in a statement. "The incident is under investigation by the authorities in India, who are in contact with the relevant Israeli authorities." The blast occurred shortly after 1700 IST (1130 GMT), while India's President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were participating in a military ceremony a kilometer away from the site. External affairs minister Dr. S. Jaishankar said, "Spoke just now to Israeli FM @Gabi_Ashkenazi about the explosion outside the Israeli Embassy. We take this very seriously. Assured him of the fullest protection for the Embassy and Israeli diplomats. Matter is under investigation and no effort will be spared to find the culprits." Close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road were being checked to ascertain the sequence of events, officials said. "Union home minister Amit Shah is in touch with senior Delhi police officials and is constantly monitoring the situation," reported news agency ANI. In 2012, a blast near the embassy in New Delhi injured an Israeli diplomat's wife, her driver and two others. "An alert has been issued at all airports, important installations and government buildings in view of blast reported in Delhi. Enhanced security measures have been put in place," the central industrial security force said. Mumbai Police is on high alert after the blast in Delhi today. Security tightened, the officials informed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Western Australia will allow arrivals from Queensland and Victoria to visit without a 14-day quarantine in the next week. Queensland will be dropped to a very low risk category from midnight Monday and Victoria will move to the same category from this coming Friday. Only NSW will remain as a low risk state which means arrivals need to self-quarantine for 14 days and under COVID-19 tests, WA Premier Mark McGowan said he couldnt consider any changes until the state reached 28 days of no community transmissions. Mr McGowan said all arrivals from Queensland and Victoria who were currently under self-quarantine could leave their locations from when their state became very low risk. People travelling to Perth Airport will still need to complete a G2G pass declaration, have no COVID-19 symptoms and accept a temperature test and a COVID-19 test at the airport if required. People travelling over the land border will need to have their G2G pass filled out and will be spoken to at the border. Mr McGowan said the decisions were based on the latest health advice and were subject to change if any new local cases emerged in other states. Click here to read more from WA Today. Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Liquid Telecom, a subsidiary of Econet Global, owned by Zimbabwean telecom enterpreneur Strive Masiyiwa, said Thursday it had acquired a stake in Quattro Business Solutions (QBS), a major provider of digital services. "The strategic acquisition of this international partner allows Liquid Telecom to increase the breadth of digital service offerings to local partners," Liquid Telecoms, which is registered in London, said. Liquid Telecoms, which operates a fibre optic cable from Johannesburg to Cairo, announced the purchase of the Middle East and African operations of QBS, a leader in the fast-growing ecosystem of Microsoft Dynamics partners. "The acquisition will allow Liquid Telecom to innovate and enhance its digital services offerings," Liquid Telecoms said in a statement. QBS is an official indirect Cloud Solution Provider for Microsoft Dynamics and currently supports over 800 partners in 25 countries. "This purchase gives Liquid Telecom the ability to be a well-rounded Microsoft partner, offering deep capability on Dynamics 365 in addition to Office 365 and Azure. This acquisition is core to our strategy to deepen our cloud service offerings by bringing award-winning Microsoft Dynamics 365 solutions to our digital ecosystem - enhancing the competitiveness of African enterprises at a global scale and is in line with our mission to build Africas digital future, said David Behr, Group Chief Digital Officer at Liquid Telecom. We are thrilled about this acquisition and what it means for the future of Liquid Telecom. We will continue seeking out strategic partnerships that help us achieve our goal of building the continents digital future, said Behr. Liquid Telecom provides services across 13 countries in Eastern, Southern and South Africa. The services cover mobile operators, carriers, enterprise, media and content companies and retail customers with high-speed, reliable connectivity, hosting and co-location and digital services. Liquid Telecoms has built Africas largest independent fibre network, stretching more than 73,000km, and operates state-of-the-art data centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, Harare and Kigali, with a combined potential 19,000 square metres of rack space and 78 MW of power, the firm said. The company said businesses needed a diverse set of digital solutions to ensure they were successful in digitally transforming themselves. With the QBS offering now added to its stable of digital solutions, Liquid Telecom has positioned itself as the digital service provider that will support its partners through a seamless digital transformation journey. We are convinced it is in our Gulf & African partners best interest to have a strong partner like Liquid Telecom to accelerate their Microsoft cloud business. The acquisition will not affect any operations for current business partners, and business agreements with partners will continue as normal with regard to their platforms, prices, and the people that they are currently engaging with, said Michael Hartmann, CEO of QBS MEA. -0- PANA AO/RA 28Jan2021 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. Artwork made by Michael, the son of comedian Jim Gaffigan, is on display at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah. Gaffigan's other son, Patrick (right), also had an entry. PHOTO:Jim Gaffigan FB page Comic's Son Has Artwork on Display at Quilt Museum By West Kentucky Star Staff PADUCAH - Internationally-known comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan has been bragging about his son's artwork and where you can see it - the National Quilt Museum in Paducah.In his self-deprecating style, Gaffigan said on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram that he's feeling, "great pride and slight confusion," over his son Michael's third-place win in the Kindergarten through 4th grade division of the School Block Challenge. It's an annual quilt block competition for students, sponsored by Moda Fabrics. The company provides three different fabrics that must be included in every entry.Gaffigan's post included a photo of an entry by another son, Patrick, which did not win a prize. However, Gaffigan said, "I am proud of their great work and I know my mother who loved needlepoint and cross-stitch wouldve been over the moon about something like this."According to the museum, all of the entries can be seen through April 6. See the National Quilt Museum website (link below) for more information and visitor guidelines related to the pandemic.On the Net: Sorry! This content is not available in your region The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. MONTREAL - Quebec is ramping up its ability to identify COVID-19 variants as health officials reported Friday that eight cases of the more transmissible U.K. variant have been identified in the province. Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube holds a mask during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, at the legislature in Quebec City. Quebec is reporting 1,295 new COVID-19 cases and 50 deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, including nine in the previous 24 hours. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot MONTREAL - Quebec is ramping up its ability to identify COVID-19 variants as health officials reported Friday that eight cases of the more transmissible U.K. variant have been identified in the province. Officials announced an $11-million investment to increase Quebec's capacity to identify new variants. "The situation in some countries is worrying, and we want to make sure that we can quickly detect the emergence of variants that may have an impact on the transmissibility, but also the effectiveness of vaccines against COVID-19," Health Minister Christian Dube said in a statement. Officials from the Quebec's public health institute announced Friday that two new cases of the U.K. variant had been identified and said the plan is to move quickly to identify genetic mutations in the virus and measure vaccine response to the new variants. "What we see is what we have in other countries what we see in the U.K. and in other countries where there are variants, where they increase transmissibility," Dr. Michel Roger, the institute's chief microbiologist, told a technical briefing. It can go fast, but now we know it can happen. Thats why were putting this plan together to act fast and hoping that we stop it when it comes to Quebec. Roger said that with an increased capacity to sequence virus genomes, the province will be able to analyze 65,000 samples from positive test results bythe end of 2021, with a focus on travellers, so-called superspreader events and on people who get sick despite being vaccinated. The plan comes amid the spread of novel coronavirus variants around the world, with three potentially more transmissible and more virulent variants of the virus having been detected in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil. In Quebec, Roger said four of the confirmed cases of the U.K. variant were linked to a student returning from Britain who infected her mother, father and sister. She didnt follow the guidelines, she should have isolated before going home, Roger said. It shows why its important to follow the public health guidelines we would not have had the mini outbreak in this family. Surveillance of variants has been in place in the province since April, with 7,000 positive samples having been sequenced about three per cent of all cases. The new Quebec program has an objective of sequencing 10 per cent of positive samples. Roger said they are keeping tabs on Ontario, where experts have said the U.K. variant could become the dominant strain of the virus by March. There are 51 confirmed cases of the U.K. variant in Ontario. The new variants are a major concern for Quebec authorities, who welcomed on Friday new travel restrictions imposed by the federal government. Travellers returning to Canada will soon be required to take a COVID-19 test and isolate for three days at a hotel at their own expense. With March break around the corner, Deputy Premier Genevieve Guilbault says the new health orders come at the right time. There will be less people who can contract the virus and the variant of the virus abroad and bring it here, Guilbault told reporters in Quebec City. And this is what worries us the most. Guilbault also said that as of Monday, Quebec police will be able to hand out tickets to citizens who aren't respecting quarantine, after the province reached a deal with Ottawa to apply the federal health order. Meanwhile, Quebec on Friday reported 1,295 new COVID-19 cases and 50 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, including nine in the previous 24 hours. Hospitalizations dropped to 1,217, a decrease of 47, and the number of patients requiring intensive care dropped by three, to 209. Quebec has reported a total of 259,993 infections, 9,717 deaths linked to the virus and 235,516 recoveries from COVID-19. The province has nearly exhausted all of its COVID-19 vaccine doses. Officials said they had administered 3,071 injections Thursday and had about 2,043 vaccine doses left from the 238,100 total doses they had received. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2021. By William Schwartz | Published on 2021/01/28 Following the announcement that "The Uncanny Counter" webtoon had acquired over 140 million views between its official Daum and Kakao accounts, the author of that webtoon confirmed that a third season was under consideration. "The Uncanny Counter" webtoon is currently in its second season. Fans had been curious whether the story would continue after that point, and the author was inspired by this positive reaction to consider continuing the story. It was unclear whether a third season of "The Uncanny Counter" was a prospect previously being considered by the author, or if this reaction was inspired by the unsuspected success of the drama adaptation, as a third season would mean more original material that could possibly be adapted. "The Uncanny Counter" drama ended with ratings of 11% and is currently the most popular drama on Netflix in South Korea. "The Uncanny Counter" webtoon is currently available in South Korea and Indonesia. It is planned to be released in the North American region via Tapas sometime in February. The story of both the webtoon and the drama deals with various employees at a noodle restaurant who also hunt down malicious spirits. Written by William Schwartz 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 Janette Ok was growing up in Michigan, her familys Korean church hired a woman to lead its English-speaking ministries. Seeing pastor Mary Paik administer the sacraments and send her congregation off with a benediction each week offered Ok tangible evidence that despite what people said, women could and should preach and pastor. It was this image that I really clung to during the drought of exposure to Asian American female preachers that I experienced for years afterwards, said Ok, now a pastor and New Testament professor at Fuller Theological Seminary. I did not see another one for years after we moved to California. Whether in Californiahome to the largest Asian American population in the countryor elsewhere in the US, few churchgoers see Asian American women behind the pulpit; less than 5 percent of American churches are led by women of color, according to the 2018 National Congregations Study. And even fewer see Asian American women pastors in predominantly Asian congregations. Ok is one of the organizers of a new program aiming to change that. She wants to see more women like her lead in Asian American church contexts, especially if they didnt have a role model like she did growing up. The PastoraLab for Asian American Women Ministers, a partnership between Innovative Space for Asian American Christianity (ISAAC) and Fullers Center for Asian American Theology and Ministry, officially launches in March thanks to a $1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment. The two-year cohort, designed to support Asian American women who have been called to the pulpit in Asian American spaces, was conceptualized by ISAAC cofounder and executive director Young Lee Hertig. The project will also conduct research to get a more detailed picture of Asian American church affiliations, since the group spans evangelical, mainline, and historically monoethnic denominations. In traditions like the Southern Baptist Conventionwhich many Chinese American churches belong toor the Presbyterian Church in Americapopular among Korean Americansdenominational convictions generally keep women from senior pastor or preaching roles. But there are also sizeable Asian American populations in the United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), Evangelical Covenant Church, and the Vineyard, whose stances allow women in all leadership roles. In churches where women are permitted to preach and pastor, the denominations position is just the beginning, said Daniel Lee, academic dean of the Center for Asian American Theology and Ministry at Fuller. It can be quite challenging to receive a call to be on a pastoral team or to be a senior pastor as a woman. This is the hard reality for all women, but for Asian American women, its even more challenging, given the Asian cultural heritage of patriarchy, as well as race-gender intersections. Lee Hertig, who struggled with the patriarchal Christianity in the Presbyterian church in Seoul where she grew up, went on to become ordained in the PC (USA) and has dedicated her ministry to advocating for and mentoring fellow Asian American women. Back in 1992, Lee Hertig became Fullers first female faculty member of color; the school invited her to apply as students began to push for multicultural curriculum in the aftermath of the LA riots. Over her career as a professor and minister, she often found herself one of the only Asian Americans and the only Asian American woman on staff. Though she was nominated for faculty of the year in her first year, the work was isolating and exhausting. She was stretched thin serving on different committees and meeting with students. At one point, a colleague suggested Lee Hertig work at the "B level" in teaching and focus on publishing. I told him, I cannot turn away all these women and women of color students knocking on my door. You have a luxury of delegating to other white male faculty, but I cannot, she recalled. Lee Hertig, who also taught at United Theological Seminary in Ohio, could relate to the female students who came to her feeling church homelesslike they could either choose to remain in an Asian church tradition that represented their culture or move to a white church tradition that supported women in pastoral leadership. In the context of Asian American churches, especially evangelical churches, women have been discipled their entire lives into faithful service to God and others and yet are rarely given the opportunity to lead, pastor, and preach, said Ok. As a result, many Asian American female seminary students pursuing ordained ministry have gone on to serve in predominantly white or multiethnic congregations. We felt we had to choose between gender equality or ethnicity, said Lee Hertig, who has worked for years to dismantle what she believes is a false binary. In 2017, she and three others launched A More Equal Pulpit Project, a program designed bring gender parity to pastoral spaces in Asian American and Hispanic churches. Beyond the lack of role models, girls growing up in Asian American churches can encounter narrowly gendered calls to pursue servant leadership, which might mean exclusively working with children or in a behind-the-scenes role. Christs life exemplifies service, of course, but when youre talking to young Asian girls, you also have to empower them to speak up and be visible, said Ok. The PastoraLab program puts participants in a setting where they can process their callings, ministry, and personal lives alongside women who have faced some of the same challenges and expectations. The program will launch with three cohorts of 810 leaders, all based in Southern California. Together, they will study the biblical hermeneutics behind gender equality and engage in a preaching lab. Right now, PastoraLabs core leadership team is predominantly Korean American, but Lee Hertig is working to expand their diversity to reflect the applicant pool, which invites East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, and adoptee and mixed-race Asian American women to take part. Before theyve even begun, organizers have already seen a glimpse of the range of backgrounds in the incoming cohorts. One participant is a Korean American woman who pursued a career in ministry after escaping a cult. Another is a Taiwanese American accountant in her 60s who felt the call while incarcerated and now leads a church in a parking lot for the homeless community in Skid Row. Lee Hertig plans to also have the cohorts learn from the prophetic preaching model set by female black preachers (she cited Bishop McKenzi Vashti as a personal inspiration) and to engage male allies who can help women navigate male-dominated church spaces. One question has circled both Lee Hertig and Oks churches for years: If women are so passionate about the gospel and so invested in theological education, why arent there more opportunities for them? Right now, Ok is watching her own nondenominational, Asian American churchEkko Church in Orange Countyoffer more chances for women to preach and pastor. The congregations pastoral team currently includes three men and three women. Over the course of Lent they will have three laywomen, known as ministers in training, preach sermons for the first time. But this didnt just happen. We made it happen with the Spirit at work among us, said Ok. What I mean is that it required (and still requires) us to be intentional, to duke things out, to de-center male authority and voices as dominant, reimagine a more equal pulpit, and disrupt former patterns where women were treated as inferior members. Johnathan Daniels, an employee at the Loretto Hospital accounting department, has become the hospital's biggest - and youngest - advocate for COVID testing and vaccinations. PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 4Cable TV International, Inc. (OTC: CATV) (the "Company") announces today that it hired Karma Snack Agency as their Marketing Firm. While working diligently on the accounting to file and be current, the company is working hard to ensure revenues for the company grow exponentially. Having purchased several companies that had several brands, 4Cable TV begins to rebrand its current assets to increase revenues from the products under the brands Hip, Chai, Get Medicated, and Hip n Chai. The company's vision of becoming an influential player in the worldwide cannabis space requires hiring top talent. Therefore, Mr. Feldenkrais chose a top marketing firm to grow this company. Branding and marketing are the key to sales. Having hired a top firm that handles Fortune 500 companies, we expect the company to create household names from their brands and products in the cannabis industry. Michael Feldenkrais, our CEO, explains: "It is an honor to have been accepted by Karma Snack Agency as the agency on record to navigate the waters of the worldwide cannabis industry. This is just the beginning of what our team is going to look like as we choose top people to develop strong and powerful brands." About Karma Snack: Karma Snack, LLC is a full-service internet marketing services company. Karma Snack marketing consultants average over 17 years of marketing experience and are backed by senior staff with over 30 years of Advertising, Design, and Fortune 500 C-level experience. Karma Snack has paced the search engine marketing industry, led by a world-class team of industry experts. The company is based in Miami Beach, Florida and run by its CEO Eric Rosado. Mr. Rosado is a true pioneer in the field of Internet Marketing and considers himself as he puts it "a student of the market." Mr. Rosado achieved more than 5 MILLION rankings on Google. He holds many certifications in Internet Marketing and his biggest testament is his client's results. Over $3 Billion to date. Mr. Rosado has overseen internet marketing campaigns for HSBC, ING, AT&T, HP, Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway, and Nike to name a few. "We are enraptured by the partnership, as it is in line with our mission and values. Our partnership with Michael Feldenkrais and 4Cable TV International lends to us a successful multi-decade record working with globally recognized companies. The partnership is an exciting growth opportunity, and we are proud to add the company to our service portfolio which has included Fortune 500 companies such as AT&T & Time-Warner the future is bright," said Eric Rosado, CEO, Karma Snack. About 4Cable TV International, Inc. 4Cable TV International, Inc. (OTC: CATV) is seeking to create and operate a fully integrated global Cannabis business, ranging from growing to retailing. To accomplish this strategy, the Company has begun to actively seek acquisition targets in the Cannabis industry, which may include companies in which the CEO or other related parties have interests. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release regarding 4Cable TV International's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the Company's future business and prospects, strategic plans and strategic transactions. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on the Company's current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of its business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of the Company's control. The Company's actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause the Company's actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others: general economic and financial conditions; consumer demand for CBD/hemp products and services; volatility in the trading markets and the lack of liquidity in the Company's common stock; the Company's ability to successfully execute on its new CBD/hemp strategy; the Company's limited operating history in the CBD/hemp business; the legal status of the Company's CBD/hemp business; risks inherent in the CBD/hemp business; existing and new government regulations and changes in regulatory requirements; risks related to rules and regulations at the U.S. federal, state and municipal levels with respect to CBD/hemp; the Company's ability to obtain financing or raise capital on favorable terms or at all in order to execute its business strategy; the Company's ability to successfully identify and integrate acquired businesses; and risks associated with engaging in transactions with third parties, including related parties. For a discussion of additional general risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see CATV's OTC Market filings. Any forward-looking statement made in this press release are based only on information currently available to the Company and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law. Contact: +1 (833) 211-3200 [email protected] SOURCE 4Cable TV International, Inc. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE The debate over mandatory paid employee leave hit the Legislature on Thursday, with workers saying the policy shift would allow them to stay home when sick and business groups describing it as a costly burden on already struggling establishments. After more than three hours of testimony and debate, the chairman of the House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee directed the sponsors of two similar sick leave bills to work together to craft a single compromise measure that could be voted on by as soon as next week. The sponsors of the two bills reluctantly agreed to the approach, but expressed concern with the delay. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ They also said its time for a state law requiring businesses to offer paid time off for employees to attend to personal or family medical emergencies, even if the states business community is opposed to the idea. No one should have to choose between their paycheck and their life, said Rep. Angelica Rubio, D-Las Cruces, the sponsor of one of the two bills. While previous attempts to pass a paid leave bill have stalled at the Roundhouse, this years proposals could face better odds due to election-related changes in the Legislature and overwhelming Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate. The measures discussed Thursday, House Bills 20 and 37, differ in how much paid leave a worker can accrue and in other details, but both are backed by a coalition of workers advocacy groups and labor unions. Multiple grocery store workers called or logged in to testify during Thursdays remote hearing, with many of them saying they currently cant afford not to go to work even when feeling ill. Carl Trujillo, who identified himself as a meat-cutter at a grocery store, said he has felt pressured to come to work in such situations. If Im not feeling well, I should not have to deal with the public, he said. However, numerous business leaders and lobbyists representing industry groups said the legislation would pose a financial strain for employers at an inopportune time. Now is not the time for additional mandates on struggling restaurants, said Allison Smith of the New Mexico Restaurant Association. Specifically, opponents of the two paid leave bills noted many businesses around New Mexico are already struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic and state business restrictions that have been imposed in an attempt to slow the virus spread. Inhibiting the growth of small businesses or making it harder to start and run a small business is not in the best interest of our states families, workers, fiscal future or economic outlook, a coalition of business groups including the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce said in a letter to committee members. But the business groups indicated they might support a statewide paid leave law if it exempts very small businesses and has a delayed implementation to give employers time to prepare. For her part, Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, a sponsor of the other paid leave bill, countered that a state law would improve overall public health. We do not want workers coming in to work sick, Chandler said. Currently, nine states have enacted paid family and medical leave laws, with California the first state to do so in 2002, according the National Conference of State Legislatures. Other states like Colorado, Washington, Oregon and New York have approved similar legislation in recent years. Both New Mexico bills debated Thursday require the state Department of Workforce Solutions to keep records and investigate allegations of employer noncompliance. However, Bill McCamley, the agencys secretary, pointed out the legislation does not currently include funding to hire more workers to accomplish such tasks. Meanwhile, the city of Albuquerque is already years into the paid leave debate, though past efforts to mandate the benefit have failed. That includes a 2017 ballot measure which voters narrowly rejected and bills introduced through the city council process. But the issue remains in play, with the councils most recent paid leave bill still pending. The council was scheduled to act on a new proposal in December but decided to delay a decision until Feb. 1, with some councilors saying they wanted to wait to see what the Legislature decided. Journal staff writer Jessica Dyer contributed to this report. Former president Donald Trump met with top House Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. "The meeting between President Donald J Trump and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, was a very good and cordial one," a statement from the Trump's office said. It added that the two discussed many topics, and "number one of which was taking back the House in 2022." In a separate statement released on Thursday, McCarthy confirmed that Trump has committed to help Republicans retake Congress in 2022. As reported by New York Post, McCarthy said that House Republicans and the Trump administration had achieved historic results for all Americans. "We were able to do this because we listened to and understood the concerns of our fellow citizens that had long been ignored... A Republican majority will listen to our fellow Americans and solve the challenges facing our nation," he noted. Trump's office added that the former president's popularity has never been stronger than it is now, and "his endorsement means more than perhaps any endorsement at this time." 9 News reported that it is unknown where his office has based the popularity claim. But polling aggregates showed that Trump's disapproval rating is at a higher mark now compared at any point in his presidency. A Pew Research poll on Jan. 15 showed that only 29 percent said they approve of how Donald Trump is handling his job, which is the lowest of his presidency. Kevin McCarthy's visit came three weeks after he said that Trump bears responsibility for the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as he failed to respond more quickly to the bloody incursion that left five people dead. But he later backtracked his statement. The violent riot prompted 10 House Republicans to vote for Trump's impeachment. The Republicans who voted for his impeachment include Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who is known to be a top McCarthy lieutenant, according to a Tampa Bay Times report. In his latest statement, the House minority leader said Democrats have only put forward an agenda that divides the country, "such as impeaching a President who is now a private citizen and destroying blue-collar energy jobs." Kevin McCarthy noted that "the radical Democrat agenda must be stopped for the sake of the country." Donald Trump is currently facing an impeachment trial in the Senate for allegedly inciting rioters who stormed the Capitol. Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel earlier said that the party would not automatically block Trump in a 2024 presidential race if he chooses to run again for the position. "What I really do want to see him do, though, is help us win back majorities in 2022," McDaniel, a Trump loyalist, said in a report. McDaniel was reelected earlier this month to the party's top position. She said she sees Trump as having a continuing role to play even if he is not a candidate. The RNC is planning to invite Donald Trump to its spring donor meeting in Florida in April, according to an unnamed source. In addition, Trump has said he plans to be active in endorsing candidates and opposing those he considers disloyal. Related story: Trump Plans His Inauguration Exit as Pence Finally Concedes To Kamala Over a Friendly Call Probe on Donald Trump's Stay in Mar-a-Lago Residence Meanwhile, Palm Beach officials are doing a legal review of Trump's use of Mar-a-Lago as a residence in line with a 1993 permit that restricts long-term stays at the resort. But Eric Trump, Trump's son and executive vice president of the Trump Organization, said his father is within his rights to stay at the exclusive club as long as he chooses, according to a Daily Mail report. Neighbors claimed that Trump had violated a past agreement that limits guests' stays at the Mar-a-Lago to not more than seven days and up to three non-consecutive times a year. Donald Trump has now been at the resort for more than a week after he flew there before President Joe Biden's inauguration. He signed a special exception use agreement in 1993 that let him convert the mansion into a for-profit social club. Eric Trump noted that the 1993 agreement did not establish a rezoning. He added that there are also stipulations in the deal with the town and zoning ordinances that mandate the club return to residential use if, for some reason, it didn't work or wasn't profitable. He also said that his father is the owner and the director of Mar-a-Lago. "This why these guys aren't gaining any traction... There is a big difference between a guest and an owner," Eric Trump added. Read also: McConnell Approves of Second Impeachment Efforts Against Trump Programme also expected to benefit UK economy LONDON, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- New research commissioned by immigration specialist InvestUK has revealed the British public's positive perceptions of the new Hong Kong British National Overseas (BNO) Visa scheme, ahead of its opening for applications from 31 January 2021. The survey conducted by YouGov found that those expressing a preference supported the BNO programme by a margin of over 2:1 (49% vs. 21%), suggesting that Hong Kong people can expect a warm reception when considering immigration to the UK under the new route. With the IMF forecasting the UK's GDP to return to growth of 4.5% in 2021, the research also found that the British public expect the BNO programme to have a positive impact on the UK economy by a ratio of 3:1 (43% v 13%) among those expressing a preference. According to the survey, British people have an overwhelmingly positive impression of the characteristics of Hong Kong people, with respondents most commonly associating them with being hard-working (41%), well-educated (35%) and entrepreneurial (28%). These traits will be particularly relevant for new arrivals from Hong Kong seeking employment opportunities in the UK. Rupert Gather, Chairman of InvestUK, said, "Finding the right job is critically important to successfully immigrate into a new country. Based on these findings, Hong Kong people moving to the UK should be highly valued by potential employers. However, they will also need to ensure they find support to understand how to navigate the UK job market, tap into the right networks for vacancies and best showcase their skillsets." Despite the current economic volatility, Office of National Statistics figures show that the UK job market had 578,000 vacancies as of December 2020, up by 14% compared with the previous quarter, suggesting there are opportunities available for new arrivals. Estimates by the UK Home Office indicate that 123,000 to 153,000 people with BNO status and their dependants could arrive in the UK in the first year of the scheme. With extensive experience of helping international talent relocate to, invest and start businesses in the UK, InvestUK recently launched BNO Premier, a complete solution to assist Hong Kong people in successfully immigrating to the country, with a free booklet containing essential advice available to download at https://www.bnopremier.com/. Note to Editors All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,671 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 22nd - 25th January 2021. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. Architecture is a defining interest in Jeremy Lechtzins life. He lives in New York, where towering wonders invite the skyward stare. But he spends as much time looking down and squinting. A brick thats not like the others. Dates etched in stone. The particulars of a sewer cap. These are the details that interest him. I do spend a lot of time walking around looking for these little oddities, trying to figure out, is that an uninteresting oddity or an oddity with a story behind it? he said. Mr. Lechtzin reports on an oddity in The Times this week, but it isnt little. In 1870, nearly every street address in Brooklyn was changed. He tells the story of a fledgling bureaucracy stumbling to keep up with a growing city, and flawed reforms that are still felt by Brooklyn residents today. Its told with reams of Mr. Lechtzins research and months of archival digging. A mother who feared for her life was ignored by police when she came to them for help five days before she was beaten to death by her bikie partner, a coroner has found. Queensland Deputy State Coroner Jane Bentley released findings into the death of Tara Brown, 24, more than five years after she was killed on September 8, 2015. Ms Brown was driven off a Gold Coast road, in Queensland, by Bandidos sergeant-at-arms and partner Lionel Patea, before being beaten to death with a steel fire hydrant cover while trapped in her car. The pair had been together since 2011 and shared a three-year-old daughter. Patea pleaded guilty to her murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2017. Ms Bentley says Ms Brown had gone to police to make an application for a domestic violence protection order on September 3 - five days before her death, Brisbane Times reported. Queensland Deputy State Coroner Jane Bentley released findings into the death of Tara Brown, 24, more than five years after she was killed on September 8, 2015 Ms Brown was driven off a Gold Coast road, in Queensland, by Bandidos sergeant-at-arms and partner Lionel Patea, before she became trapped in her car and beaten to death with a steel fire hydrant cover Her pleas for help were rejected, with one officer telling an internal investigation it was 'commonplace for women to make false allegations to further their position in Family Court matters'. Ms Brown's solicitor had called ahead at the Southport Police Station to request a private room for Ms Brown so she could discuss her fears over Patea. But Ms Bentley says police failed to provide a room or to take a statement when Ms Brown arrived at the station. Ms Brown even showed the constable at reception she had received 'hundreds of messages in the space of hours' from Patea. One of the messages read: 'U COLD HEARTED DOG U CAN GET F****D IM LOOSING IT TARA SERISLLY IM A SINGLE DAD IF U WANNA DITCH US IM GUNNA MAKE U FEEL LIKE U WISIH U NEVER HAD UR DAUGHTER.' 'The constable spoke to his shift supervisor, a sergeant, and both concluded that they had no evidence to confirm that domestic and family violence had occurred,' Ms Bentley said. The state coroner also said Ms Brown had seen a member of Patea's family outside the station and expressed concern they might be watching her. Ms Brown also revealed she had been pinned down on the bed and threatened with a pair of scissors by Patea. Ms Bentley said the constable did not accurately record the incident when he was told about it. Ms Brown even showed the constable at reception she had received 'hundreds of messages in the space of hours' from Patea (pictured, mock-up of one of the texts sent by Patea) The state coroner also said Ms Brown had seen a member of Patea's family outside the station and expressed concern they might be watching her Ms Brown also revealed she had been pinned down on the bed and threatened with a pair of scissors by Patea 'Ms Brown reported that Mr Patea held scissors to her throat and threatened her, but the constable's recollection and reporting of events differed dramatically from that of the solicitor and Ms Brown's mother, who were also present,' Ms Bentley said. 'He recorded that scissors fell out of Mr Patea's pocket after he pushed her onto the bed and that it was not a violent push. 'Ms Brown was reluctant to sign a statement about the events.' Ms Bentley also said Queensland Health had failed to follow-up with Ms Brown after she raised concerns about her relationship during an antenatal appointment. Hospital staff also allowed Patea to be present at the birth of the pair's three-year-old daughter despite overhearing him threatening to slit the throat of Ms Brown's mother, according to Ms Bentley. Ms Bentley revealed his presence breached a domestic violence order and that staff failed to contact police. On September 8, 2015, the day of her murder, Ms Brown had just dropped off her three-year-old daughter Aria at daycare when Patea chased down her hatchback with a four-wheel-drive Ms Bentley also said Queensland Health had failed to follow-up with Ms Brown after she raised concerns about her relationship during an antenatal appointment During the time of Ms Brown's death, she had been hiding from Patea at a safe house and friends' homes. On September 8, 2015, the day of her murder, Ms Brown had just dropped off her three-year-old daughter Aria at daycare when Patea chased down her hatchback with a four-wheel-drive. Patea ultimately rammed the back of Ms Brown's car, forcing her down an embankment and trapping her inside the overturned vehicle. He used the metal slab weighing 7.8kg taken from the side of the road to repeatedly bash her head, causing 'non-survivable' brain injuries. Emergency operators listened helplessly as the mother cried for help - as more than a dozen 'thumping' sounds were recorded over the phone. It was later revealed Patea had learned Ms Brown had been seeing another man and had threatened her in the days leading up to her death by holding a pair of scissors to her throat. 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. Society Insurance, a Wisconsin-based insurance carrier specializing in coverage for select business niches, has added Joseph Aranas as regional sales manager for the Georgia market. Aranas will help spearhead Societys launch of insurance programs for restaurants and bars in Georgia this spring. In his new role as regional sales manager, Aranas is responsible for marketing Societys products and services as well as developing relationships with independent insurance agents in the market. Most recently a senior sales executive for Travelers, Aranas has marketing and sales experience in the insurance industry and will work with local independent insurance agents to craft coverage packages and provide educational materials to help Georgia restaurants and bars protect their businesses. Society specializes in protecting restaurants, bars, grocery stores, convenience stores, medical clinics and artisan contractors. Topics Georgia Restaurant New Delhi, Jan 29 : President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday dubbed the "disrespect" shown to the Tricolour at the Red Fort during the farmers' tractor rally on January 26 as "unfortunate" and urged people to abide by rules and regulations. In his address to members of both Houses of Parliament at the start of the Budget Session, Kovind pointed out that the Indian Constitution, which gave the citizens the right to freedom of expression, also directed them to take law of the land equally seriously. Kovind also spoke about central government schemes, pointing out that under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, 1.5 crore poor had received free treatment costing up to Rs 5 lakh. The country had witnessed huge benefits from works done by this government in the last six years in the health sector during coronavirus crisis, he added. "It is a matter of pride for us that India has launched the world's largest vaccination drive against coronavirus. Both vaccines given the go-ahead are manufactured in India. The country has supplied millions of doses of corona vaccine to other nations as part of its obligations towards humanity at large." The President said that the crisis across the globe during the pandemic had reminded us why a self-reliant India was so important. If you have to increase your importance on the world stage, you have to become self-reliant by reducing dependence on others," he said. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text A nursery nurse is unable to recognise herself or her family after a cold sore left her with the UK's worst case of face blindness. Hannah Read, 22, fell into a coma caused by brain inflammation encephalitis - which was triggered by a cold sore - aged just eight years old. When she woke up, Ms Read, from Ringwood, Hampshire, failed to recognise the faces of her friends and family. Ms Read was diagnosed with prosopagnosia - or face blindness - and still sees every face as just 'two eyes, a nose and a mouth' years later. Specialists told nursery nurse Ms Read she has the worst case of face blindness in the UK and there is no cure for the condition - but she still hopes she may improve. Hannah Read, 22, (pictured) is unable to recognise herself or her family after a cold sore left her with the UK's worst case of face blindness Ms Read (left with her mother, and right as a child) fell into a coma caused by brain inflammation encephalitis - which was triggered by a cold sore - aged just eight years old and was put on life support. When she woke up, Ms Read, from Ringwood, Hampshire, failed to recognise the faces of her friends and family Ms Read has to get the children she looks after at work to wear name badges, and memorises her colleagues favourite clothes as their faces all look the same to her. What is prosopagnosia, or face blindness? Prosopagnosia is a neurological disorder characterised by the inability to recognise people's faces. Also known as 'face-blindness', the severity of the condition depends on the degree of impairment a person suffers. Some people with prosopagnosia may only struggle to recognise a familiar face, while others will be unable to discriminate between unknown faces, and in more severe cases sufferers cannot distinguish a face as being different from an object. Some sufferers are unable to recognise their own faces. The condition is not related to memory loss, impaired vision or learning disabilities. It is thought to be the result of abnormalities, damage, or impairment in the right fusiform gyrus - a fold in the brain that appears to coordinate facial perception and memory. Prosopagnosia can result from stroke, traumatic brain injury, or some neurodegenerative diseases. In some cases the condition is congenital, and present at birth. It appears to run in families, which makes it likely to be the result of a genetic mutation or deletion. Some degree of prosopagnosia is often found in children with autism and Asperger's Syndrome. Treatment of the condition focuses on helping sufferers develop compensatory strategies, including relying on voice recognition, clothing, or unique physical attributes. Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, comedian Stephen Fry and former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt are among those who have admitted suffering from face blindness. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Advertisement When she plays sport with friends, the only way she knows who's on her team, and who to pass a ball to, is because they wear a different coloured bib. Ms Read's visual perception means she cannot watch TV, and when online dating she couldn't see if the person on the profile was the person who showed up. She has now settled down with boyfriend Dan Hancock. Encephalitis can be triggered by any virus - including Covid-19 - and Ms Read hopes to raise awareness of this largely-unknown yet potentially-fatal reaction to an infection. Ms Read said: 'When I was at the Isle of Wight festival, I went to the toilet and when I came out, I looked to see where my boyfriend was, but he was standing next to someone wearing exactly the same clothes, so I didn't know which one he was! 'So I just stood and waited for him to see me. 'Every face looks the same. I can see two eyes, a nose and mouth, but they literally all look the same on everyone's faces.' Ms Read fell ill in August 2006, when she flew to Gran Canaria on holiday with her family. On the second day started to be violently sick. She said: 'I went to the doctor but they thought I was just dehydrated, so gave me hydration tablets, but the next day I had a really high temperature and a bad headache. 'I kept asking if I could go to bed, which was really out of character, [and then] I became unconscious.' Ms Read's father Andy, 55, rushed her to Clinica Roca Hospital, San Augustin, in a taxi and she suffered 15 seizures on the way there. She was diagnosed with encephalitis, a potentially-fatal inflammation of the brain, triggered by the cold sore virus. She was transferred to intensive care at Matermo Infantil Children's Hospital, where she fell into a coma and had to stay for three weeks. Ms Read said: 'I was kept alive by machine. No one knew whether I was going to survive or not. 'I was two hours away from the hotel, so my heavily pregnant mum stayed with me and slept on the floor, and my dad and sister would drive to visit every day. 'My dad said he was kissing me goodbye every time he left because he didn't know if I would still be there the next day.' Ms Read came out of her coma after a couple of days, but it was weeks later that she showed signs of her brain functioning. She was flown home and transferred to Southampton General Hospital. Ms Read said: 'I can't remember anything from before I got ill or even going back home. Ms Read's visual perception means she cannot watch TV, and when online dating she couldn't see if the person on the profile was the person who showed up. She has now settled down with boyfriend Dan Hancock (pictured together) Ms Read (far left, with her parents and sisters) was diagnosed with prosopagnosia - or face blindness - and still sees every face as just 'two eyes, a nose and a mouth' years later 'I had no clue I was even in hospital at the time, but I know I couldn't feed myself and the machines kept me alive. 'When I got home, when everything should have been familiar, nothing was - I couldn't find my way round the house. 'I couldn't recognise any of my family or friends, and it wasn't until about three weeks later I knew I had face blindness.' Encephalitis: Devastating brain condition that leads to memory loss Encephalitis is an uncommon but serious condition in which the brain becomes inflamed. It can be life-threatening and requires urgent treatment in hospital. The illness can be caused by viral infections or a problem with a person's immune system. Some strains of the illness are spread by mosquito. Encephalitis can starts with flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature and headache. It is not infectious but can take a long time to fully recover from. Some patients are left with long-term problems including, memory loss, frequent seizures personality and behavioural changes problems with attention and persistent tiredness. Source: NHS Advertisement Ms Read was in hospital for two more weeks re-learning how to walk and talk, but was discharged when there was nothing more the doctors could do to aid her development. It wasn't until then that her parents noticed there was something different about their eldest daughter. 'When I came home I had to relearn the alphabet and couldn't dress or bathe myself, which is why it took a bit of time for them to notice I wasn't recognising faces,' she said. 'The part of my brain that processes faces never recovered. 'My two sisters, Elle and Mia, are really close in age and of similar height, so I couldn't tell them apart!' At school, she had to ask a teacher to direct her to her friends if she was the last one in the playground, because she couldn't recognise them. It's not just human faces that look the same - she also struggles to tell animals apart. Ms Read added: 'I remember we used to drive through the New Forest and, because I can't recognise animals, horses, cows and donkeys look the same, so my parents would point to some cows and I would say it was a field of dogs!' There wasn't a neurologist in England that specialised in face blindness at that time, so her family contacted Dr Brad Duchaine from Dartmouth College in the US. He diagnosed her with face blindness, or prosopagnosia, and said there was no cure. She said: 'I'm really independent now and can go out by myself, having the reassurance that I can use Google Maps if I ever feel lost. 'Some people still think I'm being rude when I pass them in the street and don't recognise them though!' In 2012, faceblindness specialist Dr Sarah Bate, from Bournemouth University, told Ms Read she had the most-severe case in the UK. The lack of understanding has inspired Ms Read to keep raising awareness of encephalitis and face blindness, which can be contracted through any viral infection, including Covid-19. The Encephalitis Society have seen several reports of coronavirus-positive patients developing meningo-encephalitis. It said early data suggests Covid has neurological complications in around 30 per cent of patients. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, attends the annual Allen and Co. Sun Valley media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, U.S. (Image: Reuters) Apple CEO Tim Cook fired off a series of thinly veiled shots at Facebook and other social media companies Thursday, escalating an online privacy battle pitting the iPhone maker against digital services that depend on tracking people to help sell ads. Too many are still asking the question how much can we get away with? when we should be asking what are the consequences? Cook said. What are the consequences of not just tolerating but rewarding content that undermines public trust in life-saving vaccinations? What are the consequences of seeing thousands of users join extremist groups and then perpetuating an algorithm that recommends more? Speaking at a virtually held International Conference on Computers, Privacy & Data Protection, Cook said its time to stop pretending that this approach doesnt come with a cost of polarization, lost trust and yes, of violence. Cook never specifically named Facebook or any other company. But his remarks left little doubt that his missives were aimed at the social media sites that have been criticized for enabling conspiracy theories, hate speech and political misinformation that culminated in the Jan. 6 insurrection that overtook the U.S. Capitol while Congress met to confirm the election of President Joe Biden. A social dilemma cannot be allowed to become a social catastrophe, Cook added, referring to a Netflix documentary about technologys and especially social medias corrosive effects on society. That film took square aim at Facebook and how its algorithms manipulate its nearly 3 billion users to get them to look at the ads that generate most of its revenue. Cooks broadside came as Apple prepares to roll out a new privacy control in the early spring to prevent iPhone apps from secretly shadowing people. That puts the feature on course to come out after a more than six-month delay aimed at placating Facebook and other digital services that depend on such data surveillance to help sell ads. Although Apple didnt provide a specific date, the general timetable disclosed Thursday means the long-awaited safeguard known as App Tracking Transparency will be part of an iPhone software update likely to arrive in late March or some point in April. After delaying the planned September introduction of the safeguard amid a Facebook-led outcry, Apple had previously said it would come out early this year. Apple released the latest schedule update as part of Data Privacy Day. Apple has been holding off to give Facebook and other app makers more time to adjust to a feature that will require iPhone users to give their explicit consent to being tracked. Analysts expect a significant number of users to deny that permission once it requires their assent. Currently, iPhone users are frequently tracked by apps they install unless they take the extra step of going into iPhone settings to prevent it. Technology does not need vast troves of personal data, stitched together across dozens of websites and apps, in order to succeed, Cook said. Advertising existed and thrived for decades without it. As a supplement to Cooks remarks, Apple also released an 11-page report to illustrate how much apps can learn about their users in daily life. Facebook stepped up its attacks on Apples new privacy control last month in a series of full-page ads in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other national newspapers. That campaign suggested some free digital services will be hobbled if they cant compile personal information to customize ads. On Wednesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg questioned Apples motives for the changes, saying the iPhone maker has every incentive to use its own mobile platform to interfere with rivals to its own messaging app. Apple may say that they are doing this to help people, but the moves clearly track their competitive interests, Zuckerberg said. Google, which also relies on personal data to power the internets biggest ad network, hasnt joined Facebook in its criticism of Apples forthcoming controls on tracking. Google profits from being the default search engine on the iPhone, a prized position for which it pays Apple an estimated $9 billion to $12 billion annually. But Google warned in a Wednesday blog post that Apples new controls will have a significant impact on the iPhone ad revenue of other apps in its digital network. Google said a handful of its own iPhone apps will be affected by the new requirement, but plans to make changes to them so they wont be affected by Apples new controls. It did not identify which apps. We remain committed to preserving a vibrant and open app ecosystem where people can access a broad range of ad-supported content with confidence that their privacy and choices are respected, wrote Christophe Combette, group product manager for Google Ads. Its the oddest of odd couples, yet understandable. According to a Reuters exclusive, the U.S. oil industry is teaming up with the U.S. corn industry to defeat a common foe: newly inaugurated President Joe Biden. President Joe Biden has made his intentions on electric vehicles clear: hi team with march on towards electric veichles, transitioning the entire federal fleet of ICE vehicles to U.S.-made EVs in a process that will surely take years. But the oil industry isnt eager to go quietly into that dark night, and is hoping U.S. corn growerswho have fought valiantly on the opposite side of the oil industry for tougher biofuel standardsare equally as reluctant to sit back and watch the shift to Evs happen, at their expense. The oil industry, according to Reuters, is meeting a cool reception. The U.S. oil industry and the corn industry have always found themselves on opposite sides of the biofuel argument. The oil industry has clamored for a smaller biofuel mandate while the corn lobby has fought hard to maximize the amount of biofuel that oil refiners must blend with traditional gasoline. So much so have they found themselves at opposite ends of the spectrumand so large the lobbiesthat biofuel waivers and biofuel mandates have made their mark on nearly every presidential election. According to Reuters, The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers oil refining trade group confirmed that it has indeed recently reached out to national representatives of the corn and biofuel industries. The oil industry is hoping to have the corn growers support for some policy that would both reduce carbon emissions from transportation fuels and block any attempt by the federal government to subsidize EVs. Those EV subsidies are a threat to gasoline demand, as well as to ethanol demand. The corn and oil industry lobby, forces combined, could be a force to be reckoned with. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: (Natural News) A lot of people have noticed over the last few days that the Wuhan virus case/death tracker CNN kept on display 24/7 under the Trump administration at the very least frequently goes missing or, at the most, has disappeared entirely. It depends on who you talk to and how often the people making the accusations watch the network. Admittedly, I dont have the stomach to watch most of CNNs programmed anchors programming, but when I have this week I, too, have noticed its not there. (Article by Sister Toldjah republished from RedState.com) Here are a few examples: Hey, @CNN, I think you forgot your COVID tracker the last couple of days. It just sort of disappeared a couple of days ago. I'm sure this was just an oversight and you're dedicated to keeping us informed, so I look forward to seeing that on screen again any minute. Amelia (@AmeliaHammy) January 22, 2021 Hey @CNN what happened to the Covid-19 case tracker? I notice it's gone. Is the pandemic over? Alexander Fulton (@AlexFulto93) January 22, 2021 Fox News host Tucker Carlson, a frequent thorn in the side of the snowflakes at CNN, also made it a point on his program Thursday night to note how now was the time for CNN to take down their COVID death ticker because theres no reason for them to remind people now that Joe Biden is in office. He also pointed out that when he had had the chance to watch some of their coverage that the tracker had been dutifully removed: Tucker Carlson: Its Joe Bidens first day in office and you know what that means: CNN can finally take that Covid death ticker off the screen. There no reason for it now. pic.twitter.com/HNv6UC8RLp TV News HQ (@TVNewsHQ) January 22, 2021 As he often does, Carlson triggered the network to the point that their PR department and resident fact checker Daniel Dale pushed back by posting screengrabs and proclaiming Carlson was lying: Last night on his program @TuckerCarlson again lied to his audience about CNN, stating wed dutifully removed the COVID-19 tracking graphic from our coverage now that President Biden has taken office. That is false. We look forward to his correction tonight. #factsfirst pic.twitter.com/MRotv8Quzb CNN Communications (@CNNPR) January 22, 2021 Carlson's claim that CNN got rid of the Covid tracker because Biden is now in charge is like previous versions of the claim entirely false. CNN is still running the tracker, especially during Covid segments. It ran the tracker alongside Biden's own speech yesterday. pic.twitter.com/3YqEmZNBg2 Daniel Dale (@ddale8) January 22, 2021 Except no, Carlson didnt say they had removed it entirely. He pointed out it was time for them to take it down, and that they had dutifully removed it from the coverage hed watched. Other Twitter users pointed out similarly: .@ddale8 I've been watching CNN all day and have yet to see the covid tracker. My perception is that it was visible quite often before the election. #FactCheckingTheFactChecker Don Spilky (@donspilky) January 22, 2021 CNN Misinformation First Here @CNN "Fact Checker" actually admits that @TuckerCarlson was correct that CNN did in fact take down the COVID tracker (it's not on air now) as it was posted 24/7 during Trump now it's "especially during COVID segments." Dale is terrible at PR. https://t.co/G0H4OipYQ2 RoadMN (@RoadMN) January 22, 2021 In addition to CNN, NPRs perspective on coronavirus deaths seems to have conveniently changed since Joe Bidens inauguration: The reasons why are so obvious and sickening: And suddenly all the Covid case and death trackers on the major news networks disappear. Suddenly Democrat mayors and governors push to open back up the economy. Im sure this is all just a funny coincidence! Mike McGowan (@Like_Mike1992) January 21, 2021 1 day after inauguration CNN has already taken down it's covid tracker, the WHO admitted high cycle PCR tests are BS, and Democratic governors suddenly see the problems with lockdowns. These sick fucks ruined people's lives and suppressed opinions to win an election. Politics Betting Will Cormier (@PoliticalBetsWC) January 22, 2021 Cormier just flat out nailed it. Its truly disgusting when you think about how news networks like CNN manipulated COVID news for 8 months on the vaccine, on hospital equipment and rooms, on the origins of the virus, etc all in an effort to hurt Donald Trumps chances at reelection. Worse than manipulating coronavirus news because of politics is, in the process, they also scared and misled millions of people at a time when many are feeling depressed, lonely, isolated, and helpless. Id say shame on CNN but I think we all know that they simply dont have any. Read more at: RedState.com and CNNSoFake.news. For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe. Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime. Investigators have revealed the massive suspected Russian cyber attack that preyed on government agencies and blue-chip businesses may be far greater than first realized, as a third of victims had not even installed the software previously thought to have been used to carry out the 'Pearl Harbor of hacks'. Brandon Wales, the acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency which is investigating the attack, said a staggering 30 percent of federal agencies and private firms now known to have been breached had no direct connection to SolarWinds. Several victims had already fallen foul to the attack long before SolarWinds even deployed its network management software Orion which was corrupted by the highly sophisticated hackers. Wales said there is evidence hackers used Microsoft's cloud software as a way into some systems, sparking fears that millions of individuals, businesses and government agencies may have been vulnerable to the attack. In late December, the nation's top security agencies including the FBI and the Pentagon were rocked by an unprecedented breach when it emerged SolarWinds had been hacked. The attackers, which US intelligence officials have since said were 'likely' from Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service, used Orion as an open door to break into the computer systems of users. The attack began as far back as October 2019 leaving hackers free rein to explore the networks of government agencies, private companies and think-tanks for months. Investigators have revealed the massive suspected Russian cyber attack that preyed on government agencies and blue-chip businesses may be far greater than first realized, as a third of victims had not even installed SolarWinds But it has now emerged the attack may have affected far more than the 18,000 customers using SolarWinds software. Wales told the Wall Street Journal investigators have concrete evidence that hackers broke in using other systems besides SolarWinds gaining access to their targets 'in a variety of ways'. 'This adversary has been creative. It is absolutely correct that this campaign should not be thought of as the SolarWinds campaign,' he said. Instead, Wales said hackers exploited known bugs in software products, guessed passwords and took advantage of issues in the configuration of Microsoft's cloud software. Once inside the cloud-computing account, attackers were then able to leapfrog to other accounts and trick systems into gaining access to emails and documents in the cloud. Last week, cyber security firm Malwarebytes said it had been hacked and revealed it does not use any SolarWinds software. The firm said hackers had instead broken into its internal emails by abusing access to Microsoft Office 365 and Azure software. Another security firm CrowdStrike, which is also not a SolarWinds customer, also said hackers had tried unsuccessfully to access its email through a Microsoft reseller. Brandon Wales, the acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (above), said a staggering 30 percent of federal agencies and private firms now known to have been breached had no direct connection to SolarWinds GOVT AGENCIES KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN TARGETED BY HACKERS SO FAR Pentagon Treasury FBI Department of State Department of Homeland Security Commerce Department National Institutes of Health Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Los Alamos National Laboratory Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of Secure Transportation Advertisement John Lambert, the manager of Microsoft's Threat Intelligence Center, told the Journal 'this is certainly one of the most sophisticated actors that we have ever tracked in terms of their approach, their discipline and range of techniques that they have.' So far, investigators have not identified any cloud software other than Microsoft's targeted in the attack or any other tech company other than SolarWinds used to infiltrate other systems, Wales told the Journal. Microsoft announced at the end of December that the perpetrators behind the massive cyber attack had broke into its own internal network and accessed some of its source code. The source code - the underlying set of instructions that run a piece of software or operating system - is typically among a technology companys most closely guarded secrets. The revelation also went beyond previous announcements that Microsoft had just detected malicious SolarWinds software in its systems and removed it. However, the company did say at the time it had found no evidence that the hackers had accessed its production services or customer data or that its systems were used to attack others. A source told the Journal SolarWinds is carrying out its own investigation into the possibility that Microsoft's cloud software was the initial entry point into its own network. At present, the true scope of the breach is still not fully known but Wales said it was 'substantially more significant' than the Cloud Hopper attack - where eight of the world's biggest technology service providers were hacked by Chinese spies. Wales said the probe continues to show the hack was to enable spies to carry out 'long-term intelligence collection'. 'When you compromise an agency's authentication infrastructure, there is a lot of damage you could do,' he said. Wales said there is evidence hackers used Microsoft's cloud software as a way into some systems, sparking fears millions may have been vulnerable The number of government agencies and private businesses affected is still not known. Last month, intelligence officials said an estimated 18,000 organizations were affected by malicious code that piggybacked on the SolarWinds software. Of those customers, though, 'a much smaller number has been compromised by follow-on activity on their systems,' they said. So far investigators had found less than 10 US government agencies whose systems were compromised. CISA has not disclosed which agencies were affected but some have admitted they were targets, including the State Department, Commerce Department, Treasury, Homeland Security Department, Defense Department, and the National Institutes of Health. Meanwhile, Wales told the Journal the number of private-sector firms so far identified as victims was well under 100. US intelligence officials have publicly blamed Russia for the attack. In his first phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden brought up the hack among 'other matters of concern'. A handful of federal government agencies have officially confirmed having been affected, including the U.S. Treasury Department (above), the Commerce Department, and the Department of Energy 'President Biden made clear that the United States will act firmly in defense of its national interests in response to actions by Russia that harm us or our allies,' the White House said in a statement. Earlier in January, all four US intelligence agencies the FBI, Directorate of National Intelligence, the National Security Agency and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a statement saying Russia was 'likely' behind the attack. Their investigation 'indicates that an Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actor, likely Russian in origin, is responsible for most or all of the recently discovered, ongoing cyber compromises of both government and non-governmental networks,' they said. The agencies said they believe the hack was 'an intelligence gathering effort'. 'We are taking all necessary steps to understand the full scope of this campaign and respond accordingly,' the statement said. Both Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and then-Attorney General Bill Barr had previously pointed to Moscow as the culprit. But then-President Donald Trump, who repeatedly refused to criticize Putin, dismissed Russia's involvement instead trying to pin the blame on China. Russia has denied all involvement. In his first phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden brought up the hack among 'other matters of concern' Nigeria on Thursday reported 864 new coronavirus infections from 24 states across the country, according to health officials. The new daily figure indicated a significant decrease from the 1,861 infections reported on Wednesday. Thursdays relatively low figure occurred because no data was included from Lagos, the epicentre of the disease in Nigeria, which on Wednesday recorded almost half of the days total. No reason was given by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for the non-inclusion of data from Lagos. A similar situation occurred last Friday when no data was included from Lagos and no reason was given for the situation. However, in the past, some states that normally record new daily cases, such as Kano, did not record a new case on particular days because no test was carried out on those days, largely due to lack of reagents or workers protest. Lagos, however, remains the epicentre of the virus in Nigeria with over a third of the total infections. Over 46,000 infections and nearly 300 deaths have been recorded in the commercial city. Meanwhile, Thursdays 864 new cases raised Nigerias infection tally to 127,024 in total. On Thursday, three people died from the deadly disease which has spread to over 200 countries worldwide, infecting more than 100 million people and killing over two million. A total of 1,547 people have now died from the disease in Nigeria. Last week was one of the worst in Nigerias COVID-19 pandemic era. According to a PREMIUM TIMES review of data provided by the NCDC, 11,659 persons tested positive for the virus last week (January 17- 23), which is 18 per cent higher than the previous weeks record of 9,880. Of the over 127,000 new cases, a total of 100,853 patients have recovered across the country. Meanwhile, there are over 20,000 patients still receiving treatments in isolation centres. Specifics The 864 new cases were reported from 24 states FCT (129), Anambra (87), Rivers (82), Benue (80), Oyo (76), Plateau (61), Kaduna (54), Delta (51), Nasarawa (38), Kwara (36), Edo (32), Katsina (26), Kano (24), Taraba (18), Ogun (14), Sokoto (11), Gombe (10), Jigawa (7), Akwa Ibom (6), Cross River (6), Zamfara (5), Bauchi (5), Osun (4), and Ekiti (2) Abuja, the second most impacted city in Nigeria, led on Thursday with 129 new cases. Nigerian authorities a few days ago said the COVID-19 vaccines much expected this month will no longer arrive until February. ADVERTISEMENT Nigeria, a country of about 200 million people, has only conducted over 1.2 million tests for the virus. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. San Francisco, 29 Jan 2021: The Report 3D Cell Culture Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Technology (Scaffold-free, Scaffold-based), By Application (Cancer, Stem Cell Research), By End Use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028 The global 3D cell culture market size is expected to reach USD 3.48 billion by 2028 registering a CAGR of 10.7%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The development of 3D optimized assays, kits, and protocols coupled with the evolution of assay techniques is anticipated to drive the three-dimensional cell culture market. As 3-dimensional cultures have the capacity to closely mimic a typical morphology and microarchitecture of organs, these are continuously developed for the studies that require in vivo model systems to analyze the effect of a foreign drug over body tissues and organs. This, coupled with the availability of various choices in terms of material and structure of the scaffold for different in vitro applications, is anticipated to support revenue generation for scaffolds. Recent researches have explored the use of a diverse range of scaffolds including graphene scaffolds, nanofibers, freeze-casting, natural marine collagen, and others. In addition, the application of lab-on-a-chip techniques in several assay types-proliferation, viability, stimulation, transport, patch clamping, high content screening, and metabolic activity-leads to a rise in demand for projects with advanced and efficient solutions. Access Research Report of 3D Cell Culture Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/3d-cell-culture-market 3D Cell Culture Market Report Highlights The scaffold-based technology segment is anticipated to register a lucrative year-on-year growth owing to rising demand for 3D model-based research coupled with an increased incidence of chronic diseases Moreover, the introduction of novel tools and techniques is anticipated to boost revenue generation in the scaffold-based technology segment Furthermore, companies, such as Tecan and Sigma-Aldrich, offer scaffold-based 3D solutions; which are readily adopted by the end users Cancer was the largest application segment of the market in 2020. This is because 3D cultures efficiently replicate the associated influences and complexity of in vivo tumor microenvironment including the impact of extracellular matrix and cell-to-cell contact Cells in 3-dimensional cultures help in the analysis of behavior and properties of the tumor, protein distribution, gene expression, and monitor response to anticancer therapies Potential scientific and clinical impacts of the 3D-cultivation approach for embryonic, adult, and cancer stem cells are estimated to boost the growth of the stem cell research segment Biotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations accounted for the largest share in 2020 owing to a rise in the adoption of 3D cell culture techniques in tissue engineering and drug discovery Combination of 3D cell culture techniques with Human-induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (HiPSCs) has been successfully used for the development and discovery of drugs for liver diseases North America led the market in 2020 owing to extensive usage of 3D cell culture models for medical research purposes In April 2020, a team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh used Multicellular Tumor Spheroids (MCTSs) to assess drug responses in drug screening studies for oncology Asia Pacific is expected to register the fastest CAGR from 2021 to 2028 due to rising investments by North American and European companies in APAC regional market The key market players focus on geographical expansions, partnerships, collaborations, acquisitions, and novel product launches to reinforce their market presence For instance, in December 2020, Curiteva, Inc. acquired FossiLabs, LLC. The latter has developed a process to fabricate scaffolding structures that promote osseointegration List of Key Players of 3D Cell Culture Market Merck KGaA Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. PromoCell GmbH Greiner Bio One International GmbH Corning, Inc. 3D Biomatrix Lonza Avantor Performance Materials, LLC Tecan Trading AG 3D Biotek LLC Global Cell Solutions, Inc. InSphero Access Press Release of 3D Cell Culture Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-3d-cell-culture-market The coronavirus crisis cost the global tourism sector $1.3 trillion in lost revenue in 2020 as the number of people travelling plunged, the UN said Thursday, calling it "the worst year in tourism history". Revenue lost last year amounted to "more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis," the Madrid-based World Tourism Organization said in a statement, warning that between 100 million and 120 million direct tourism jobs were at risk. International tourist arrivals fell by one billion, or 74 percent, in 2020 with Asia, the first region to feel the impact of Covid-19, seeing the steepest decline, it added. "While much has been made in making safe international travel a possibility, we are aware that the crisis is far from over," WTO head Zurab Pololikashvili said in the statement. The rollout of Covid-19 vaccines is expected to "slowly normalise travel" in 2021 but many countries are reintroducing travel restrictions such as quarantines, mandatory testing and border closures "due to the evolving nature of the pandemic", the body said. The Asia and Pacific region recorded an 84 percent drop in arrivals. It was followed by Africa and the Middle East with a 75 percent drop, Europe with 70 percent fewer visitors "despite a small and short-lived revival in the summer" and the Americas where arrivals fell by 69 percent. International tourism arrivals rose by four percent in 2019 to 1.5 billion, with France the world's most visited country, followed by Spain and the United States. The last time international tourist arrivals posted an annual decline was in 2009 when the global economic crisis led to a four percent drop. The WTO said most experts do not see a return to pre-pandemic levels of tourism activity before 2023. Open-air and nature-based tourism will see growing demand when tourism restarts, with domestic tourism also expected to be more popular, the body said. The WTO said most experts do not see a return to pre-pandemic levels of tourism activity before 2023 / AFP/File While international tourism has taken a hit from the outbreak of disease in the past, the coronavirus is unprecedented in its geographical spread. By comparison, international tourism arrivals fell by just 0.4 percent in 2003 after the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) which killed 774 people worldwide. The coronavirus has killed at least 2,176,000 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP. The tourism industry accounts for about 10 percent of the world's gross domestic product (GDP) and jobs. Gov. Kristi Noem: GOP Needs to Reevalute How to Keep Promises to the American People South Dakotas Gov. Kristi Noem has said that although its clear Democrat leadership does not work, the Republican Party has not done enough for the American people either and needs to reflect on how to keep the promises its made to constituents, particularly on healthcare and immigration. Leadership has consequences, and we saw Democratic leadership play out in our cities, in our country in 2020violence, mobs, rioting, looting, lack of enforcement of laws. Thats Democrat leadership on display. In that Federalist piece, I talked extensively about Republicans, what we havent followed through on and what we need to do in the future, she said in an interview with Newsmax about an opinion piece she wrote for the Federalist. We said we would reform health care, repeal ObamaCare. We have not done that. We said we would deal with immigration. We have not done that. Theres a lot of different promises that weve made to the American people that we just have not had the fortitude to pursue and actually get into place and impact their lives, Noem continued. In her article, Noem condemned the Jan. 6 violence at the Capital but said its time to stop pointing fingers for why the attack on the Capital happened, why Republicans lost control of the Senate, and start taking responsibility to meet the needs of the American people based on the founding principles in the Constitution. So, the Republican Party has a self-evaluation they need to go through, Noem said. And we really need to focus on making sure were doing what we say. Ive always watched every single president, and Ive watched their actions of what theyve actually put into place with policies. We as Republicans need to make sure we follow-through with everything we say we stand for as well. Democrats and some Republicans have blamed former President Donald Trump for inciting the breach at the Capitol building despite his calls for protesters to act peacefully and patriotically. But Noem said it is the governments failure and in particular, Republicans own failure for not living up to the principles that the GOP was founded on. Democrats have unanimously called for Impeaching Trump a second time over the attack on the Capital, and give Republicans have joined their efforts. However, Noem praised the former president for following through on what he promised and having policies that honor individual freedom and the ability to build a prosperous life, as envisioned in the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution. President Trump did things of great magnitude for this country. What he did on tax reform, on trade deals, his support of Israel, his protection of our national defense, his enforcement of our laws, Noem said. This man got up every single day and fought for the common everyday Americans so that they could have a chance to be successful and pursue the American dream. His legacy is going to be remembered as one of the greatest presidents that weve had because of the policies he pursued and the fact that he actually did what he campaigned on and he followed through on it, she added. Noem made an appeal to Republicans to reflect on the core values of the party, that are enshrined in the Constitution, which she said respects each individuals God-given rights and freedoms. South Dakota is one of the states that did not shut down its small businesses or places of worship during the pandemic, instead relying on individuals to make decisions to keep themselves safe. As I told you all last month, were in a much stronger financial position than other states across the country. States that shut down their economies are now looking at tax increases or drastic spending cuts to make ends meet, Noem said in her State of the Union address in January, adding, We continue to get good news about South Dakotas revenue situation. Ongoing general fund revenues are up to tens of millions of dollars through December, compared to last fiscal year. Noem has received sharp criticism for not mandating masks and social distancing rules throughout her state. One of the Syrian regime-affiliated businessmen implicated in the massive explosion that tore through Beirut last year is denying links to the London-based company believed to have shipped the explosive chemicals that ended up in the Lebanese capital. Lebanese authorities say the August explosion was caused by some 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate stored unsafely at the citys port since 2014. The blast killed nearly 200 people, wounded 6,500 and left a quarter of a million residents without homes. The stockpile of ammonium nitrate that exploded was originally bound for Mozambique. A privately owned company in Mozambique told AFP that it ordered the chemicals from a company called Savaro in 2013, but the shipment was never delivered. Lebanese filmmaker Firas Hatoum first uncovered that George Haswani and brothers Imad and Mudalal Khuri ran companies that shared the same London address as Savaro. Haswani, a dual citizen of Syrian and Russia, owns Hesco Engineering and Construction Company. Haswani told Reuters from his home in Damascus that his alleged involvement in the Beirut blast was the result of a fabricated media whirlwind. He described any links between Savaro and his company as a coincidence and likely the result of the same Cypriot agency, Interstatus, registering both of them. I dont know what other companies are registered by this Cypriot company, five or three or 70 or more, Haswani told the news agency. We dont know Savaro and we hadnt heard about them before this. The United States sanctioned Haswani in 2015, accusing him of serving as an intermediary for the Syrian regimes oil purchases from the Islamic State. Mudalal Khuri was also sanctioned that year for acting as a middleman for Syrias "attempted procurement of ammonium nitrate in late 2013. His brother, Imad, was sanctioned in 2016 for supporting Mudalals business activities. The International Network on Explosive Weapons has accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assads forces of using ammonium nitrate, a chemical compound commonly used in fertilizers, to build barrel bombs. Police seized tens of thousands of dollars worth of fentanyl and arrested multiple men on narcotics trafficking charges during a drug bust at a hotel in Massachusetts earlier this week, according to authorities. Detectives from the Randolph Police Department were responding to past complaints about drug activity by conducting targeted surveillance around 2:05 p.m. Wednesday when they saw a suspected drug deal go down and pulled over a car in the area of James Tighe Road, officials said. The suspect, later identified as 28-year-old Juan Franjul Castillo, was arrested. Fentanyl was allegedly found in the mans possession and seized by police, according to a statement from the department. A short time later, detectives were granted a warrant to search a room at a hotel along Route 139 in Randolph, the statement said. During their search of the room and the occupants belongings, authorities found and seized roughly 450 grams of fentanyl packaged individually for sale. The drugs have an estimated street value of around $45,000, according to police. Along with the fentanyl, $5,850 in cash, multiple cellphones and various narcotics-related packaging materials were also found inside the hotel room, authorities said. Two other men, 34-year-old Anyelo Medina-Jimenez and 30-year-old Julio Carpio-Jimenez, were arrested at the hotel after the search, according to the department. Randolph police detectives were assisted by members of the South Shore Drug Task Force and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, officials said. Castillo, a Dominican national, Medina-Jimenez, a Providence, Rhode Island resident, and Carpio-Jimenez, a Meriden, Connecticut man, were each charged with trafficking more than 200 grams of fentanyl, according to police. Authorities also charged Castillo with trafficking more than 10 grams of fentanyl, the department said. The three men were expected to be arraigned Thursday in Quincy District Court, according to authorities. Citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, police noted that nearly 450,000 people died from an overdose involving an opioid from 1999 to 2018. Deaths linked to synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, accounted for 67% of opioid-involved deaths in 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 07:36:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Gao Li enters the departure hall of Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 28, 2021. On the first day of the Spring Festival travel rush in 2021, Gao Li, a "post-90s" migrant worker in Shanghai, packed up his luggage and set foot on his way back to his hometown of Huangpi, Wuhan of central China for the Spring Festival. Before checking in, he fumbled for the negative nucleic acid testing report in his bag. Nothing could be more important than this piece of "luggage". Two days ago, Shanghai medical workers came to Gao Li's working site and conducted nucleic acid testing on more than 100 workers who planned to return home. On Jan. 27, they got their important "pass". At 7:55 this morning, train G598 left Shanghai Hongqiao Station on time. Gao stared out of the window, eager to return home. The train sped along. Gao could not wait to see his loved ones he hadn't seen for a long time. In fact, long absence is not only relatives, but also a taste of the New Year. "For us Wuhan people, there are a lot of emotions that have been stored up and we need to express them in this reunion moment," said Gao Li. Gao is an installation worker of the China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd. After the outbreak of the Wuhan epidemic last year, he went to Wuhan with his father Gao Yongxiang and relatives from his hometown to become the first group of builders of Wuhan Leishenshan Hospital, which was swiftly built for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. On this trip home, Gao received one nucleic acid testing, two times of whole-body disinfections, three health QR code checks and four body temperature tests. When arriving at the village committee of Shuikousi Village, local village officials checked his negative nucleic acid testing report and distributed him with epidemic prevention notices and anti-epidemic supplies. According to the relevant policies, Gao does not need any form of isolation, and only need to monitor his health conditions at home and accept routine nucleic acid testings. "Last year, the village officials said that after the epidemic, there will be a reunion year. Now I understand this truth better. Only when everyone is healthy can there be happy families and a peaceful country," Gao said. This year's Spring Festival travel rush is the first of its kind under normal epidemic prevention and control. Xinhua reporters followed Gao Li's footsteps from his working place in Shanghai to his hometown Huangpi, Wuhan, to record his way back home during the Spring Festival travel rush. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) Advertisement An abandoned Cold War bunker, tucked away among period properties in Cardiff, is on the market for a starting price of 40,000. The unassuming 2,000sq ft brick building in Llandaff - one of the Welsh capital's priciest suburbs - offers a fascinating glimpse into history behind decades of overgrowth and neglect. However, the former civil defence control centre will require a lot of work to make it habitable. The interior is damp, with mouldy walls, and lies strewn with litter - along with long-forgotten furniture including rusting bunk beds. The Cardiff Council-owned bunker was built in 1956 to coordinate local operations in the event of an emergency. It remained operational until the Civil Defence Corps, who were stationed there, were disbanded in 1968. An abandoned Cold War bunker, tucked away among period properties in Cardiff, is on the market for a starting price of 40,000. The unassuming 2,000sq ft brick building in Llandaff - one of the Welsh capital's priciest suburbs - offers a fascinating glimpse into history behind decades of overgrowth The former civil defence control centre will require a lot of work to make it habitable. The interior is damp, with mouldy walls, and lies strewn with litter The Cardiff Council-owned bunker was built in 1956 to coordinate local operations in the event of an emergency. It remained operational until the Civil Defence Corps, who were stationed there, were disbanded in 1968 When the CDC left, the building was maintained by volunteers until 1984. It then served as the county standby control room and was used for storage until its doors closed for the final time in 1991. (Above, rusting bunk beds in the bunker) In 2012, Graham Tatnell spoke of his time as a member of the corps at the building. He said it could have become a Cold War nerve centre should a 'World War III' ever have become a reality. Mr Tatnell, a former hospital technician, said: 'I know it was supposed to be for nuclear warfare. But no one would have been any help if there was a bomb dropped. But we did flood relief and Aberfan [1966 mining tragedy] and other disasters. 'When we finished, the chairman just shut the doors and left, so all the things that we had were left there, including photos. 'It was sad that the place has deteriorated and it had obviously been vandalised.' When the corps left in 1968, the building was maintained by volunteers until 1984. It then served as the county standby control room and was used for storage until its doors closed for the final time in 1991. Author Nick Catford took photographs of the inside of the building in 2003 (including the one seen here). Mr Catford specialises in researching and writing books on the intriguing historic buildings of Britain's past, including bunkers and tunnels as well as trains and railways The rooms of the bunker in the past provided an office, control room, living and sleeping accommodation, referring back to the property's intended use. (Above, how it looked in 2003) It was reported in 2013 that the local Llandaff Society group were looking into turning the Vaughan Avenue building into a Cold War museum. But the damage caused by vandals and the elements is said to have hampered this suggestion ever becoming a reality The Civil Defence Corps was a civilian volunteer organisation set up in Britain in 1949 to manage and provide rescue services in areas affected by a major national emergency. As concerns about a possible Soviet attack grew, membership of the CDC expanded to 330,000 by March 1956 - with recruitment continuing into the mid-1960s In 2012, Graham Tatnell spoke of his time as a member of the corps at the building. He said it could have become a Cold War nerve centre should a 'World War III' ever have become a reality What was the Civil Defence Corps? The Civil Defence Corps was a civilian volunteer organisation set up in Britain in 1949 to manage and provide rescue services in areas affected by a major national emergency. At the time, the main threat was considered to be a nuclear attack by the Soviet Union, which had conducted its first nuclear test in August of that year. As concerns about a possible Soviet attack grew, membership of the CDC expanded to 330,000 by March 1956 - with recruitment continuing into the mid-1960s. The corps was stood down in 1968. However, civil defence planning did remain active within the Home Office's Civil Defence and Common Services Department. Its responsibilities were passed to the F6 Division of the Police Department in 1970, who in turn passed them on to the Fire and Emergency Planning Department in 1984, which became the Emergency Planning Division in July 1989. Advertisement Since then, it has been dormant with just nature, wildlife and the occasional trespasser visiting - some of whom have helped themselves to items that Mr Tatnell remembers were left in the building. It was reported in 2013 that the local Llandaff Society group were looking into turning the Vaughan Avenue building into a Cold War museum. But the damage caused by vandals and the elements is said to have hampered this suggestion ever becoming a reality. Author Nick Catford took photographs of the inside of the building in 2003. Mr Catford specialises in researching and writing books on the intriguing historic buildings of Britain's past, including bunkers and tunnels as well as trains and railways. Describing his visit on subbrit.org.uk, Mr Catford said: 'There is a store room with Dexion shelving, still stacked with equipment, much of it dating from World War Two. 'There are a large number of tin helmets, stretchers, gas masks, dustbins, buckets, stacked tables, and a large quantity of small wooden blocks, of unknown use. He continued: 'The adjacent room is also a store although it was originally the dormitory with bunk beds still in place along two walls. 'There's more furniture here plus respirators and a wheelbarrow. Internally the bunker has changed very little since it was built and feels like a 1950s' bunker as soon as you walk through the door.' Some of the documents Mr Catford saw that day, plus items removed at the time of the building's closure, are believed to have been given to the Glamorgan Archive in Cardiff. Now the bunker is going to auction at a guide price of 40,000 with Seel & Co. The auction house describes the property as a single-storey building of brick construction with a flat roof, one door and currently no window openings. Its rooms in the past provided an office, control room, living and sleeping accommodation, referring back to the property's intended use. The auction house selling the bunker says that the building may be suitable for a variety of uses, subject to achieving the necessary planning consent. Bidding will open at 9am on Tuesday, February 2 and the auction will close in lot order from 5pm, all via the Seel & Co website. The auction house selling the bunker says that the building may be suitable for a variety of uses, subject to achieving the necessary planning consent Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian commenting on recent military activities near Taiwan said, We warn those 'Taiwan independence' elements: those who play with fire will burn themselves, and 'Taiwan independence' means war, In an attempt to pressurize Taiwan, China recently flew warplanes and fighter jets near the island. According to Taiwans defence ministry eight Chinese bomber planes capable of carrying nuclear weapons, four fighter jets and one anti-submarine aircraft entered its south-western air defence identification zone. This was followed by 12 fighters, two anti-submarine aircrafts and a reconnaissance plane being flown on the consecutive day. Despite claims of being an independent nation by the democratically elected President Tsai ing-wen of Taiwan formally known as Republic of China, China considers Taiwan part of its own territory and regards that it should be united with mainland China. When asked about the recent military activities near the island, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said, The military activities carried out by the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army in the Taiwan Strait are necessary actions to address the current security situation in the Taiwan Strait and to safeguard national sovereignty and security. They are a solemn response to external interference and provocations by Taiwan independence forces, He added that, We warn those Taiwan independence elements: those who play with fire will burn themselves, and Taiwan independence means war,. Also Read: Amid India-China standoff EAM S Jaishankar outlines 8 principles Also Read: Union Budget Session Kicks-Off: President articulates Govts vision; Oppn parties hold protest The United States has obligations to assist Taiwan in protecting itself. Calling Chinas warning unfortunate Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby in a news conference said, The department sees no reason why tensions over Taiwan need to lead to anything like confrontation. And so, we find that comment unfortunate, and certainly not commensurate with our intentions to meet our obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act. He added that Nothing has changed about the departments commitment. Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by subscribing or contributing today. 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. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Novavax Inc. said Thursday that its COVID-19 vaccine appears 89% effective based on early findings from a British study and that it also seems to work though not as well against new mutated versions of the virus circulating in that country and South Africa. The announcement comes amid worry about whether a variety of vaccines being rolled out around the world will be strong enough to protect against worrisome new variants and as the world desperately needs new types of shots to boost scarce supplies. The study of 15,000 people in Britain is still underway. But an interim analysis found 62 participants so far have been diagnosed with COVID-19 only six of them in the group that got vaccine and the rest who received dummy shots. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The infections occurred at a time when Britain was experiencing a jump in COVID-19 caused by a more contagious variant. A preliminary analysis found over half of the trial participants who became infected had the mutated version. The numbers are very small, but Novavax said they suggest the vaccine is nearly 96% effective against the older coronavirus and nearly 86% effective against the new variant. The findings are based on cases that occurred at least a week after the second dose. Both those numbers are dramatic demonstrations of the ability of our vaccine to develop a very potent immune response, Novavax CEO Stanley Erck said in a call with investors late Thursday. Scientists have been even more worried about a variant first discovered in South Africa that carries different mutations. Results from a smaller Novavax study in that country suggests the vaccine does work but not nearly as well as it does against the variant from Britain. The South African study included some volunteers with HIV. Among the HIV-negative volunteers, the vaccine appears 60% effective. Including volunteers with HIV, overall the protection was 49%, the company said. While genetic testing still is underway, so far about 90% of the COVID-19 illnesses found in the South African study appear due to the new mutant. These are good results. There is reason to be optimistic about the 60% effectiveness, said Glenda Gray, head of the South African Medical Research Council. Even against the new variant that now causes more than 90% of new cases in that country, were still seeing vaccine efficacy, she said. More concerning is what the study showed about a totally different question the chances of people getting COVID-19 a second time, said the leader of the South African study, Shabir Madhi of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Tests suggested that nearly a third of study participants had been previously infected, yet rates of new infections in the placebo group were similar. Past infection with early variants of the virus in South Africa does not protect against infection with the new one, he said. There doesnt seem to be any protection derived. Novavax said it needs some additional data before it can seek British authorization for the vaccines use, sometime in the next month or so. A larger study in the U.S. and Mexico has enrolled slightly over half of the needed 30,000 volunteers. Novavax said its not clear if the Food and Drug Administration will need data from that study, too, before deciding whether to allow U.S. use. Meanwhile, it is starting to develop a version of the vaccine that could more specifically target the mutations found in South Africa, in case health authorities eventually decide that updated dosing is needed. Vaccines against COVID-19 train the body to recognize the new coronavirus, mostly the spike protein that coats it. But the Novavax candidate is made differently than the first shots being used. Called a recombinant protein vaccine, the Maryland company uses genetic engineering to grow harmless copies of the coronavirus spike protein in insect cells. Scientists extract and purify the protein and then mix in an immune-boosting chemical. ___ AP Medical Writer Marilynn Marchione contributed. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. The Delhi Police has arrested a man who had allegedly snatched a wireless set from a constable during a tractor parade by farmers at Nangloi, officials said on Friday. According to the police, the accused was previously involved in three cases lodged in the national capital in 2019. Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer) A Koan said, "We have arrested the accused who snatched a wireless set from Constable Sonu at Nangloi on Republic Day. The wireless set has been recovered from his possession." Delhi's border points at Tikri and Singhu remained under heavy police deployment on Friday in the aftermath of the violence that broke out during the farmers' tractor parade in the national capital on January 26, officials said. Personnel of the Delhi Police, along with those of the paramilitary forces, have been deployed at the borders. Several roads have been closed and the traffic police has asked the commuters to take other routes. Senate Republicans dont want to spend the $1.9 trillion on COVID relief that the Biden administration is proposing. None of them. Not Susan Collins, not Lisa Murkowski, not the eight other Republicans to their right that Democrats would need to get 60 votes. They dont think its necessary. Most Senate Republicans havent thought broad COVID relief was necessary since last spring. Mitch McConnell had to drag the conference into spending $900 billion at the end of 2020 in advance of the Georgia runoffs. Now theyre done. Advertisement Given that reality, Democratic leaders in the House and Senate are teeing up the budget reconciliation process, which would allow the Senate to pass the $1.9 trillion legislation by majority, without threat of a filibuster. That does not mean that the talks between a bipartisan working group and the Biden administration are completely dead; Democratic leaders insist that all theyre doing is preparing a backup option in case those talks collapse. But enhanced unemployment benefits expire in mid-March, and theyre determined to reach their legislative goal by that effective deadline by hook or by crook. The House and the Senate will consider budget resolutions, the first step in the reconciliation process, next week. Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Senate Republicans are treating Democrats business decision as a deep betrayal to Joe Bidens inaugural call for unity. Advertisement Thats going to send a signal to America, and to Republicans throughout Congress, that this presidents message of unity was rhetoric as opposed to substance, Indiana Sen. Todd Young, a member of the bipartisan working group, said of Democrats decision to set up reconciliation. Here we have an action that is contradictory to that very pledge, retiring Ohio Sen. Rob Portman said. Republicans in the group, as the No. 2 Republican senator, John Thune, told Politico, felt a little bit betrayed by the representations that they were getting about the Democrats intentions. The Republican howls that Biden and Democrats are poisoning the well by moving so quickly to reconciliation are more than a bit theatrical. On the late evening of Jan. 11, 2017nine days before President Donald Trump was sworn inI was covering the Senate as 51 Republicans, including Young, Portman, Thune, Collins, and Murkowski, voted for a budget resolution to kickstart the process of repealing Obamacare by reconciliation. That one didnt work out so well for Republicans, but later that year they would pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act through reconciliation. They had an agenda, they had the votes, and so they did it. Advertisement Advertisement If theyre forced to choose between honoring Bidens call for bipartisanship and honoring Bidens call for delivering more COVID funds to the public, Democrats arent particularly concerned about the political damage stemming from Republicans calling them mean for opening a second, partisan legislative track. I can guarantee you, no one back home cares, Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz told HuffPost Thursday. They just want their relief. But there were more practical reasons for attempting the bipartisan path first until it was clear the two sides had little common ground. While reconciliation and its promise of a filibuster-free means of passing legislation sounds like tremendous fun, its a complete pain. If you ignore the rather un-ignorable obstacle of the filibuster, a bipartisan deal on a relief bill could theoretically move as quickly as it can be drafted. Reconciliation, though, has to jump through time-consuming procedural hoops. First, the budget committees in each chamber have to negotiate and agree on a budget resolution. Then each chamber has to vote on the budget resolution itself. Advertisement This process is politically fraught in the Senate. Budget resolutions are open to any and all amendments when theyre debated on the floor. Majority leaders try to get through this process by keeping the chamber in session until the opposition is too exhausted to continue any further. This process has become known as a vote-a-rama. During the vote-a-rama, Republicans will force agonizing votes on moderate Democratic senators, like Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, and try to create all the politically damaging material they need against vulnerable senators up for reelection in 2022, like Raphael Warnock and Mark Kelly, until they pass out. It will be an extraordinary test of brand-new Majority Leader Chuck Schumers abilities to keep his conference together as Republicans release a barrage of attempts to break them apart. Advertisement Advertisement Once Democrats are through with that, they will have to write a major piece of legislation that 50 out of 50 Democrats can support. Each senator, in other words, will have an effective veto, with Bernie Sanders pulling one way and Manchin the other. The product will have to go through an inspection from the Senate parliamentarian, too, to see that all of its components are within the constraints of reconciliationspecifically, that the legislation strictly covers taxing and spending policy. Some Republicans are already musing that Democrats will tear themselves apart so spectacularly in this process that they may even have to come back to the well and beg for Republican votes. Its unlikely to come to that. Democrats know that once they turn to reconciliation to achieve the central piece of Bidens legislative agenda, theyre not allowed to failand they shouldnt, since the big idea here is to divvy up money. But the timing, procedural hoops, rules constraints, and nonexistent margin for error will make this a cumbersome process, and mid-March an ambitious deadline. 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. Samsungs Galaxy Watch 3 received ECG support at the tail-end of 2020, and now Samsung is pushing out the support for it to new countries around the globe where the watch is available for purchase. Alongside support in the US the ECG feature will be available in numerous countries within the EU as well as parts of Asia and . Amounting to a total of 31 new countries that were still awaiting approval. For Samsung this is a big deal. Because more users will be able to test out and see the benefits of a feature that isnt widely available among many smartphones. But this certainly benefits the users more. Because many users have no doubt been waiting on the feature since it was advertised with the watch at launch. Advertisement 31 new countries now support the ECG feature on the Galaxy Watch 3 Of the new countries gaining support, most are in the EU. This includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, and more than a few others. Outside of the EU, the UAE, China, and Indonesia also now have support. Approval for the ECG feature came through in December though. At the time, Samsungs Health Monitor app finally acquired the CE marking. Which is what allows the ECG feature to be activated on the watch in the new countries. It should also be noted that the feature is available for Galaxy Watch Active 2 users as well. Thanks to the Samsung Health Monitor app is available on that watch as well. Advertisement If youre waiting on this feature for your own watch, itll still be around a week or more before it shows up. Most likely. Samsung states that the update for the Health Monitor app on those watches will be progressively pushed out to users from February 4. It also doesnt guarantee that everyone will get the update on the same day. The update also includes blood pressure monitoring The update isnt just about ECG readings. As the Samsung Health Monitor app also includes the capability to monitor blood pressure. This is also available on both the Galaxy Watch 3 and the Galaxy Watch Active 2. So if you have either watch keep an eye out for that particular update as it should be arriving sometime within the next week or two. Advertisement Users shouldnt have to search for the Samsung Health Monitor app on their watch. If youre on the latest version of software that the watch has available, then the app is automatically installed when that update is/was applied. As it was part of it. Which means your watch is already prepared for the new features. ADVERTISEMENT The police in Imo State said it has commenced investigation into the killing of two persons in Owerri. One of the victims has been identified as Stephen Okonye, a lecturer in the Department of Computer Science, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede. Ever Nwosu, a spokesperson of the polytechnic, told reporters on Thursday that Mr Okonye was shot by gunmen on Monday, alongside his friend, one Chimaobi Nwako, who was a member of Rain of Life Bible Church, Owerri, where the slain lecturer also served as an assistant pastor. The late Mr Okonye hailed from Delta State, while his friend, Nwako, hailed from Ehime Mbano Local Government Area in Imo, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). It is a very sad development and we are already investigating the circumstances surrounding the death, Mr Nwosu said. The police spokesperson in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, said the killing was being investigated. The Commander of the 211 Quick Response Group of the Nigeria Air Force, Elisha Bindul, whose office is close to the scene of the incident, said they discovered the lecturers body in a Lexus car a few moments after the sound of gunshots. It was about 8 p.m. on Monday when we heard the sound of gunshots. We got to the scene a few minutes later but the assailants took advantage of a traffic jam to attack their victims and escape. We alerted the police, who are currently on top of the situation, Mr Bindul, a group captain, said. (NAN) Britons are being targeted by scammers with fraudulent calls and text messages claiming that they must pay a fine for breaching lockdown rules, Ofcom warned. The racketeering messages purport to come from the UK Government, the NHS, people's local GP surgeries and even the World Health Organisation (WHO). They aim to trick unsuspecting members of the public into handing over money to cover the costs of non-existent penalty charges. Other coronavirus-related scams presently being run include emails, calls or texts promising to offer a COVID-19 test, vaccine, treatment or financial support. Britons are being targeted by scammers with fraudulent calls and text messages claiming that they must pay a fine for breaching lockdown rules (as pictured), Ofcom warned. HOW TO SPOT A SCAM Check web and email addresses carefully to ensure they are genuine. Think about the message you are being given legitimate texts will not be written in broken, error-riddled English, unlike many scams. If a call or message claims comes from an official body, contact them separately to verify that it is real. Do not click on suspect links or attachments these can lead to phishing sites or download viruses. Remember that scams in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can be reported to Action Fraud. Advertisement 'In the calls, a recorded message or caller will claim to be contacting you about the coronavirus,' an Ofcom spokesperson warned. 'They might offer a test for the virus, a treatment or cure, or might offer to discuss your medical needs. However, these calls are designed to encourage you to either speak to an operator, or press a button on your phone for more information.' 'If you speak to an operator, you could be at risk of giving them your personal information or your financial details, which could result in identity theft or financial loss,' they continued. 'If you press a button on your phone you could be connected to a high-cost premium number, leaving you liable for a significant call cost.' 'If you think one of these calls or texts might be genuine from your GP, for example you can call your GPs surgery separately to check whether they have tried to contact you.' Ofcom also warned that there are scams in operation which claim to be legitimate messages from the the communications regulator itself. 'A recorded message or caller will claim that, because of more people working from home due to coronavirus, your broadband needs to be slowed down or switched off,' Ofcom explained. 'As with the scam calls outlined above, they will try to encourage you to either speak to an operator, or press a button for more information. If you do this, you could face the same risks,' they continued. 'Ofcom will never call you out of the blue like this. If you receive one of these calls claiming to be from us, please hang up.' Information on how to spot the various scams currently known to be in play can be found on the Ofcom website. The racketeering messages purport to come from the UK Government, the NHS, people's local GP surgeries and even the World Health Organisation (WHO). They aim to trick unsuspecting members of the public into handing over money to cover the costs of non-existent penalty charges. Pictured: a legitimate government text message (left) vs a phishing scam (right) Other coronavirus-related scams presently being run include emails, calls or texts promising to offer a COVID-19 test, vaccine, treatment or financial support. Pictured: A fraudulent text message (left) links victims to a fake Government website (right) to steal personal data 'For the less digitally-savvy, scam emails can be a real threat,' said cyber security website RapidSpike.com CEO Gav Winter, who highlight one such threat he and his colleagues have recently identified. 'It contains links for you to accept an invitation to a COVID-19 vaccine from the NHS but it is entirely fake. It even gives an option for people to click to decline it.' 'These links will take you to websites that then attempt to steal your data such as asking for your address and bank details, so dont ever click on them.' 'For the less digitally-savvy, scam emails can be a real threat,' said cyber security website RapidSpike.com CEO Gav Winter, who highlight one such threat he and his colleagues have recently identified. 'It contains links for you to accept an invitation to a COVID-19 vaccine from the NHS but it is entirely fake (pictured, left). It even gives an option for people to click to decline it.' 'The best way to check if an email is real is by clicking on the name of the person that has sent it,' Mr Winter continued adding that the fraudsters were operating from a Hotmail address that was clearly not a legitimate NHS email (right) 'The best way to check if an email is real is by clicking on the name of the person that has sent it,' Mr Winter continued adding that the fraudsters were operating from a Hotmail address that was clearly not a legitimate NHS email. 'These kinds of scams are particularly heartless, as they are preying on the feelings of the entire nation as we wait patiently to be contacted for the real vaccine.' 'Cyber crimes like this are also on the rise due to so many more of us managing our daily lives online. Make sure to warn any friends and family you think may be more susceptible to these scams, to help keep their data safe.' EDWARDSVILLE Angela P. Donohoo and Ronald S. Motil have been elected to fill associate judge vacancies in the Third Judicial Circuit, according to Chief Judge William A. Mudge. Donohoo and Motil will fill associate judge vacancies created by the election of Associate Judge Stephen A. Stobbs to the circuit court and the resignation of Associate Judge John B. Julian. Angela Donohoo and Ron Motil bring a great deal of experience and professionalism to our bench, said Mudge. They are great additions to the Third Judicial Circuit, and join an outstanding group of men and women who impartially and fairly administer justice for the people of Madison and Bond counties. My colleagues and I look forward to working with both of them. Donohoo has been practicing law for nearly 18 years. Her law practice, Levo-Donohoo, is in Troy. A past president of the Madison County Bar Association, she has vast expertise in Family, Probate and Estate Planning law. She is a board member of Hope Rescues and is a former president of the Board of the Metro East Humane Society. She and her family reside in Bethalto. Motil has been practicing law for almost 38 years. Licensed to practice in two states, he is a past president of the Madison County Bar Association, as well as the Tri-City Bar Association. He serves on the oversight committee with the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission and is the city or village attorney for Pontoon Beach, Maryville and Madison. A past member of the Marquette Catholic High School Board, he brings a wealth of civil, workers compensation and municipal law experience to the bench. He and his family reside in Maryville. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is defending his administrations distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine as Republicans grow more critical that just a quarter of the vaccine doses available for long-term care residents have been administered. The New York Times puts Illinois near the bottom of all states in getting out at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. Among similar-sized states, Illinois is under-performing. The state is about the middle of the pack for administering the second dose. For total percentage of doses used, Illinois is in the bottom half. Pritzker said Thursday that, despite the comparisons, Illinois distribution is speeding up. And, Ive explained before about second doses and making sure people understand the time lag between the time that somebody administers that dose and the time that it is reported being administered, Pritzker said. Whats happening is the average number of doses per day thats being administered is going up significantly. Data from the Illinois Department of Public Health showed that more than 55,800 vaccines were administered Wednesday. Thats on top of the 53,600 administered the day before. The seven day rolling average is 36,728. Illinois started administering doses Dec. 15. As of Thursday, 26.6% of Illinois allotted COVID-19 doses for long-term care residents had been administered, or just 131,284 of 496,100. Republican state senators criticized the governor for under-performing other states and for administering only a quarter of the doses meant for long-term care residents, a population considered at most risk from COVID-19. In a letter to the governor, they said those in long-term care facilities have been dying, families havent seen each other in months, and our economy has faced historic obstacles. Yet, with a vaccine in hand, Illinois has failed its residents. State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said its unacceptable. We want to help, we want to be part of the process, we know we can do things to help and yet were not allowed to, McClure said. And then when things go wrong its somebody elses fault, its not his fault. McClure said the legislature has been cut out of this and other issues, like the states unemployment problems. He demanded public hearings and even audits. We should be able to prod and get answers to questions, McClure said. I shouldnt have to call 50 people to get a response about an issue. Senate President Don Harmons office said Harmon, D-Oak Park, shares the concerns raised by both the governor and Republican senators about the ineffective and unacceptably slow roll-out of the long-term care facility vaccination program by the federal government and its corporate partners. Clearly things havent gone the way we were led to believe they would go, and clearly this isnt just a problem in Illinois, Harmon spokesman John Patterson said. We are reviewing the matter and best course of action for getting answers and, more importantly, results. It is our hope that the Biden administration will be able to quickly correct this problem it inherited. As of Thursday, Illinois public health officials reported 1.4% of the states population is fully vaccinated. . Total cases in west-central Illinois counties as of Thursday, according to individual county health departments, were: Brown County 626 total, 592 recovered, seven deaths Cass County 1,830 total, 1,745 recovered, 32 deaths Eight new cases and one additional death. Greene County 1,271 total, 1,202 recovered, 42 deaths Jersey County 2,317 total, 2,191 recovered, 44 deaths Macoupin County 4,234 total, 2,991 recovered, 100 deaths 12 new cases and one additional death. Morgan County 3,409 total, 3,253 released from restrictions, 94 deaths Eight new cases. Pike County 1,613 total, 1,519 recovered, 45 deaths Six new cases. Sangamon County 15,090 total, 206 deaths 54 new cases. Schuyler County 636 total, 608 recovered, 16 deaths One new case. Scott County 412 total, 373 recovered, one death Statewide, 4,191 new cases of coronavirus disease and 103 deaths were reported Thursday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. There have been 1,116,372 cases and 19,067 deaths in Illinois. A GROOM at his wedding reception feared for his safety when he lashed out to hit an uncle of the bride with a clothes iron several times over the head, a court has heard. At Gort District Court yesterday, Brendan Cloherty (34) of Castlepark, Ballybane, Galway avoided jail for the assault on Kevin Barry at the Lady Gregory Hotel, in Gort, on July 19, 2019. In court, Judge Patrick Durcan imposed a suspended eight-month prison term on Mr Cloherty for the assault causing harm of Mr Barry and producing a weapon, a clothes iron, in the course of the assault. Mr Cloherty had pleaded guilty to both offences and Judge Durcan said "this was a totally unnecessary incident". Judge Durcan said the assault by Mr Cloherty was perpetrated on a guest at his own wedding. Sgt Daithi Cronin told the court that when gardai arrived at the hotel they established "a serious altercation" had taken place. Sgt Cronin stated that Mr Cloherty hit Mr Barry several times over the head with the clothes iron, which he had taken from one of the hotel rooms. Solicitor for Mr Cloherty, Ann Gillane, told the court Mr Cloherty fled from the hotel on the night after the assault and that he feared for his safety on the night. Ambulance Ms Gillane said before fleeing, Mr Cloherty asked the hotel manager to call an ambulance for Mr Barry. She said: "There was nothing premeditated in this." Ms Gillane said unfortunately, Mr Cloherty chose his wedding night to have a few drinks after not taking any alcohol since 2011. She said: "There was a number of parties at the wedding, you could really call it feuding families at the wedding." Ms Gillane said Mr Cloherty made a comment "and he felt that he was set upon by a number of parties". She said Mr Cloherty went upstairs to find his bride and she wasn't there. Mr Cloherty then went into his best man's bedroom. She said: "In there, he heard a kerfuffle and heard a number of raised voices coming up the stairs. Foolishly, he armed himself with a clothes iron. "When he went out of the room in the corridor, five of those individuals came towards him hitting him. He then saw Mr Barry coming right up towards him and he hit out with the clothes iron. He sincerely regrets it." Ms Gillane said that since 2011, Mr Cloherty has had constant employment as a labourer and has turned his life around and now doesn't take any drugs or alcohol. AMD determined to ramp up Radeon RX 6000 GPU production throughout 2021 AMD Radeon RX 6600M GPU joins surprising choice of Ryzen 5000 CPU as gaming benchmark leak hints at upcoming Zen 3/RDNA 2 laptop AMD may soon offer Navi 10 and Navi 12 headless GPUs for cryptocurrency mining similar to NVIDIA's CMP HX cards PowerColor registers the AMD Radeon RX 6700 with 6 GB of GDDR6 VRAM on the EEC; numerous Radeon RX 6700 XT SKUs registered too DDR3 still relevant: sudden spike in demand combined with shrinking supply may lead to 50% value increase this year GeForce laptop makers who don't explicitly state their target TGP levels would be withholding vital performance information from potential customers and we're going to start calling them out for it Initial gaming benchmarks offer insights into the performance of one of NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 3060 laptop GPUs MSI justifies keeping people in the dark about NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series GPU wattages, despite there being up to 70 W TGP differences between RTX 3080 cards Availability of AMD Ryzen 5000 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 gaming laptops will be scarce in the first half of 2021; release of iGPU Cezanne-H laptops seems unlikely Actually, abandoning Max-Q makes a lot of sense. Here are our top 3 reasons why Nvidia is finally getting rid of it Buyer beware: Nvidia has at least 28 variants prepared for the mobile RTX 3000 GPU stack Crypto miners could target laptops next: Nvidia's mobile RTX 3060 Max-P GPU is actually fast enough for ETH mining NVIDIA is encouraging OEMs to list TGPs and clock speeds of its RTX 30 series Max-Q GPUs as WhisperMode 2.0 arrives in latest GeForce Experience update The NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3060 with 12 GB GDDR6 VRAM will be available from the last week of February Haiti - Cap-Haitien : Soon electricity 24/24 Thursday January 28, Patrick Almonor, the Deputy Mayor of Cap-Haitien and Numa Jean Mara, Director of the North Regional Office of Electricity of Haiti (EDH) carried out an evaluation visit of the rehabilitation works of the Sainte-Philomene. Remember that this Power Plant will receive, in the coming days, 6 powerful Generators of 2 MW each, ie a total additional power of 12 MW. The Groups are already located in Port-au-Prince and the Government is waiting for the end of the development work before sending them to Cap-Haitien to be installed there. The Regional Director of EDH Numa Jean Mara specified that once installed these 12 MW additional which will be added to the 12 MW already existing, "the city of Cap-Haitien can be supplied with electricity 24 hours a day without any problem.". The two men said they were satisfied with the progress of the work. HL/ HaitiLibre Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has called on the Prime Minister to step up and take greater responsibility for quarantining returning Australians, which she says is a federal responsibility. Ms Palaszczuk is moving forward with her plan to quarantine international arrivals in regional areas, with a formal proposal expected to hit Prime Minister Scott Morrisons desk by Monday. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk: Now is the time for the Commonwealth to step up to the plate. Credit:Getty As we contend with the new unknowns of COVID-19, a national quarantine plan would mean proper Commonwealth funding as well as adequate Defence Force and Border Force resourcing, she wrote on Twitter. Theres no doubt the state-run hotel quarantine program currently in place is first-class, having served Queensland well over the last 10 months. FREYR has entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Alussa Energy Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: ALUS); upon closing, the combined company will be renamed "FREYR Battery" and be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol "FREY" FREYR's mission is to accelerate the decarbonization of transportation and energy systems by delivering the world's cleanest and most cost-effective batteries FREYR is expected to receive approximately $850 million in equity proceeds as a part of the business combination, enabling the company to accelerate the development of up to 43 GWh of clean battery cell manufacturing capacity in Norway by 2025 Transaction includes a $600 million fully committed Private Investment in Public Equity ("PIPE") anchored by strategic and institutional investors, including Koch Strategic Platforms, Glencore, Fidelity Management Research Company LLC, Franklin Templeton, Sylebra Capital and Van Eck Associates Corporation 100% of FREYR's existing shares will roll over into in the combined company Pro forma equity value of the combined company would be approximately $1.4 billion FREYR AS, (the "Company" or "FREYR"), a Norway-based developer of clean, next-generation battery cell production capacity, today announced that it will become a publicly listed company through a business combination with Alussa Energy Acquisition Corp. ("Alussa Energy") (NYSE: ALUS), a Cayman Islands exempted, publicly listed special purpose acquisition company ("SPAC"). The transaction represents a pro forma equity value of $1.4 billion for the combined company upon closing which will be named "FREYR Battery" ("Pubco"). Pubco's common stock is expected to start trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol FREY upon closing, expected in the second quarter of 2021. FREYR is targeting development of up to 43 GWh of battery cell production capacity in Norway by 2025 to position the Company as one of Europe's largest battery cell suppliers. FREYR expects to deliver safer, higher energy density and lower cost clean battery cells made with renewable energy from an ethically and sustainably sourced supply chain. The Company's ambition is to become the battery cell producer with the lowest lifecycle carbon footprint in the world. FREYR plans to utilize Norway's inherent advantages, including access to renewable energy, some of Europe's lowest electricity prices and shorter delivery distances to main markets in Europe and the US as compared to competitors in Asia. The Company is partnering strategically on next-generation semi-solid battery cell technology that is expected to materially reduce manufacturing costs and provide a highly competitive market position for FREYR. The Company's solutions will address the rapidly growing global markets for electric vehicles, energy storage, and marine applications, representing an estimated addressable market of about 5,000 GWh per year by 2030. Daniel Barcelo, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Alussa Energy, commented, "We are excited and privileged to partner with FREYR, as this transaction represents a compelling investment opportunity to address the rapidly growing market for electrification of global transportation and energy systems. Furthermore, Norway with its entrepreneurial cities like Mo i Rana provide a great foundation for FREYR's Gigafactories. We evaluated over 75 investment opportunities across the global energy and energy transition sectors since our IPO in late 2019, and FREYR clearly stood out as a frontline player in adopting leading-edge battery technology to address a significant and growing market with a unique commitment to full-cycle sustainability. We have full confidence that FREYR's experienced execution team, combined with the capital resources from this transaction, including strategic investors Koch Strategic Platforms and Glencore, makes the Company well-positioned to play a transformational role in decarbonizing global energy and transportation markets." Tom Jensen, Chief Executive Officer of FREYR, said, "We believe the combination of foundational capital from committed investors with commercially available, advanced battery solutions is the fastest way to accelerate the energy transition. FREYR is dedicated to delivering one of the most sustainable and cost-effective clean battery cells based on 100% renewable energy and ethically sourced raw materials. We are truly excited to share our ambition with Alussa Energy and some of the leading international investors as we embark on our plan for the production of one of the most environmentally friendly battery cells in the world. We believe our partnership-based business model positions FREYR to accelerate long-term value creation by targeting sustainable, superior returns to our shareholders and stakeholders." Torstein Dale Sjtveit, Founder and Executive Chairman of FREYR, continued, "FREYR has attracted a diversified and experienced team, partners and initial customers in a short period of time. The capital raise and NYSE listing add further momentum to our progress and positions us as a catalyst for European battery cell production and the Nordic battery ecosystem. We see this transaction as a strong confirmation of FREYR's growth potential enabled by cutting-edge technology and access to clean renewable energy. Moving ahead, FREYR will focus on executing our project plans, attracting more talent, cultivating partnerships and providing our customers with sustainable and cost-effective clean battery cells." Todd Kantor, Portfolio Manager of Encompass Capital Advisors LLC, a Member of Alussa Energy's Sponsor, added, "As a hedge fund primarily focused on investing across the energy eco-chain, we view FREYR as one of the most exciting investment opportunities in the energy transition movement, particularly given the Company's potential to deliver innovative electrification solutions through a sustainable and clean platform." Transaction Overview The business combination values the combined company at an implied $1.4 billion pro forma equity value. The transaction will provide an estimated $850 million of net proceeds to the Company, assuming no redemptions by Alussa Energy shareholders, including a $600 million fully committed PIPE at $10.00 per share of the Company anchored by strategic and institutional investors, including Koch Strategic Platforms, Glencore, Fidelity Management Research Company LLC, Franklin Templeton, Sylebra Capital and Van Eck Associates Corporation. 100% of FREYR's existing shares will roll over into the combined company. The transaction implies an equity value of FREYR of approximately $410 million. Current FREYR shareholders (fully diluted) are expected to own approximately 30% of the combined company after transaction close, representing an exchange ratio of approximately 0.179031 of shares of the combined company for each share of FREYR based on the currently available information and assuming a $600 million PIPE. The boards of directors of both Alussa Energy and FREYR have approved the proposed business combination, which is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2021, subject to, among other things, the approval by Alussa Energy's and FREYR's shareholders and satisfaction or waiver of other customary conditions set forth in the definitive documentation. Additional information about the proposed transactions contemplated by the business combination agreement (the "Transaction"), including a copy of the business combination agreement and investor presentation, will be provided in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by Alussa Energy with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and available at www.sec.gov. Advisors Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC acted as the equity capital markets advisor to Alussa Energy. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, BTIG, LLC and BTIG Norway AS acted as the financial advisors to Alussa Energy. Skadden Arps, Slate, Meagher Flom LLP served as M&A legal counsel to Alussa Energy, Ellenoff Grossman Schole LLP served as securities counsel to Alussa Energy, Wiersholm AS served as Norwegian counsel to Alussa Energy, and Appleby (Cayman) Ltd served as Cayman Islands legal counsel to Alussa Energy. Rystad Energy and Sustainable Governance Partners acted as business and environmental, social and governance advisors, respectively, to Alussa Energy. Kite Hill PR LLC acted as the public relations advisor to Alussa Energy. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich Rosati P.C. served as U.S. legal counsel to FREYR, and Advokatfirmaet BAHR AS, served as Norwegian legal counsel to FREYR. Crux Advisers AS acted as investor relations and communications adviser to FREYR. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, BTIG, LLC and Pareto Securities AS served as placement agents for the PIPE financing. Davis Polk Wardwell LLP served as legal counsel to the placement agents. Investor Webcast Conference Call Information FREYR and Alussa Energy will host a joint investor conference call to discuss the proposed business combination today, Friday, January 29, 2021 at 8:00 EST/14:00 CET. To follow the conference call via webcast, please use this link: https://streams.eventcdn.net/freyer/investor-conference-call/ To listen to the prepared remarks via telephone, please dial US: +1-833-350-1443 NO: +47 23 96 63 25 Conference ID: 4357642 About FREYR A/S FREYR plans to develop up to 43 GWh of battery cell production capacity by 2025 to position the company as one of Europe's largest battery cell suppliers. The facilities will be located in the Mo i Rana industrial complex in Northern Norway, leveraging Norway's highly skilled workforce and abundant, low-cost renewable energy sources from hydro and wind in a crisp, clear and energized environment. FREYR will supply safe, high energy density and cost competitive clean battery cells to the rapidly growing global markets for electric vehicles, energy storage, and marine applications. FREYR is committed to supporting cluster-based R&D initiatives and the development of an international ecosystem of scientific, commercial, and financial stakeholders to support the expansion of the battery value chain in our region. For more information, please visit www.freyrbattery.com. About Alussa Energy Acquisition Corp. Alussa Energy is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. While Alussa Energy may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any industry or sector, Alussa Energy intends to focus on businesses across the entire global energy supply chain. For more information, please visit www.alussaenergy.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains, and certain oral statements made by representatives of Alussa Energy and FREYR and their respective affiliates, from time to time may contain, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Alussa Energy's, Pubco's and FREYR's actual results may differ from their expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as "expect," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believes," "predicts," "potential," "might" and "continues," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, Alussa Energy's, Pubco's and FREYR's expectations with respect to future performance of the combined company, anticipated financial impacts of the Transaction, the anticipated addressable market for the combined company, the satisfaction of the closing conditions to the Transaction, the exchange ratio (which is subject to certain inputs that may change prior to completion of the Transaction) and the timing of the completion of the Transaction. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results. Most of these factors are outside the control of Alussa Energy, Pubco or FREYR and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement; (2) the inability to consummate the Transaction, including due to failure to obtain approval of the shareholders of Alussa Energy or other conditions to the Closing in the Business Combination Agreement; (3) the failure of investors in the PIPE to fund their commitments upon the Closing; (4) delays in obtaining or the inability to obtain any necessary regulatory approvals required to complete the Transaction; (5) the inability to obtain the listing of Pubco's ordinary shares on the New York Stock Exchange following the Transaction; (6) the risk that the Transaction disrupts current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the Transaction; (7) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Transaction, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth economically and hire and retain key employees; (8) costs related to the Transaction; (9) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (10) the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on Alussa Energy, Pubco and FREYR and their ability to consummate the Transaction; (11) the possibility that Alussa Energy, Pubco or FREYR may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and (12) other risks and uncertainties to be identified in the registration/proxy statement (when available) relating to the Transaction, including those under "Risk Factors" therein, and in other filings with the SEC made by Alussa Energy, Pubco and FREYR. Alussa Energy, Pubco and FREYR caution that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive, and caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. None of Alussa Energy, Pubco or FREYR undertakes or accepts any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, subject to applicable law. No Offer or Solicitation This press release is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities pursuant to the Transaction or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. No Assurances There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed, nor can there be any assurance, if the Transaction is completed, that the potential benefits of combining the companies will be realized. Information Sources; No Representations This press release has been prepared for use by Alussa Energy, Pubco and FREYR in connection with the Transaction. The information herein does not purport to be all-inclusive. The information herein is derived from various internal and external sources, with all information relating to the business, past performance, results of operations and financial condition of Alussa Energy was derived entirely from Alussa Energy and all information relating to the business, past performance, results of operations and financial condition of FREYR and Pubco was derived entirely from FREYR. No representation is made as to the reasonableness of the assumptions made with respect to the information herein, or to the accuracy or completeness of any projections or modeling or any other information contained herein. Any data on past performance or modeling contained herein is not an indication as to future performance. No representations or warranties, express or implied, are given in respect of this press release. To the fullest extent permitted by law in no circumstances will Alussa Energy, Pubco or FREYR, or any of their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, shareholders, representatives, partners, directors, officers, employees, advisors or agents, be responsible or liable for any direct, indirect or consequential loss or loss of profit arising from the use of this press release, its contents (including without limitation any projections or models), any omissions, reliance on information contained within it, or on opinions communicated in relation thereto or otherwise arising in connection therewith, which information relating in any way to the operations of FREYR or Pubco has been derived, directly or indirectly, exclusively from FREYR and has not been independently verified by Alussa Energy. Neither the independent auditors of Alussa Energy nor the independent auditors of FREYR or Pubco audited, reviewed, compiled or performed any procedures with respect to any projections or models for the purpose of their inclusion in this press release and, accordingly, neither of them expressed any opinion or provided any other form of assurances with respect thereto for the purposes of this press release. Important Information about the Transaction and Where to Find It In connection with the Transaction, Alussa Energy and Pubco will file relevant materials with the SEC, including a Form S-4 registration statement to be filed by Pubco (the "S-4"), which will include a prospectus with respect to Pubco's securities to be issued in connection with the proposed business combination and a proxy statement (the "Proxy Statement") with respect to Alussa Energy's shareholder meeting at which Alussa Energy's shareholders will be asked to vote on the proposed Business Combination and related matters. ALUSSA ENERGY SHAREHOLDERS AND OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS ARE ADVISED TO READ, WHEN AVAILABLE, THE S-4 AND THE AMENDMENTS THERETO AND OTHER INFORMATION FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION, AS THESE MATERIALS WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ALUSSA ENERGY, PUBCO, FREYR AND THE TRANSACTION. When available, the Proxy Statement contained in the S-4 and other relevant materials for the Transaction will be mailed to shareholders of Alussa Energy as of a record date to be established for voting on the proposed business combination and related matters. The preliminary S-4 and Proxy Statement, the final S-4 and definitive Proxy Statement and other relevant materials in connection with the Transaction (when they become available), and any other documents filed by Alussa Energy with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov) or by writing to Alussa Energy Acquisition Corp. at c/o PO Box 500, 71 Fort Street, Grand Cayman KY1-1106, Cayman Islands. Participants in Solicitation Alussa Energy, Pubco and FREYR and their respective directors, executive officers and employees and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the holders of Alussa Energy ordinary shares in respect of the proposed business combination. Alussa Energy shareholders and other interested persons may obtain more detailed information regarding the names and interests in the Transaction of Alussa Energy's directors and officers in Alussa Energy's and Pubco's filings with the SEC, including when filed, the S-4 and the Proxy Statement. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210128006233/en/ Contacts: For investor inquiries, please contact: For FREYR: Steffen Fried Chief Financial Officer (+47) 975 57 406 steffen.foreid@freyrbattery.com For Alussa Energy: Chi Chow Investor Relations cchow@alussaenergy.com Tel: 929-303-6514 For media inquiries, please contact: For Alussa Energy: Emma Wolfe alussa@kitehillpr.com A storm system will move into southern Michigan Saturday night and continue Sunday. Heres how much snow our area can expect. The storm system that should bring us snow for the second half of the weekend is the powerful storm hitting California right now. While all of the data is very consistent on the weather outcome here, please check in this weekend for snow forecast updates. The snow will be heaviest over our southwest corner of Lower Michigan. The heaviest snow will still be south and west of Kalamazoo, in the very southwest corner and in northern Indiana and Illinois. We should still get several inches of snow in our area. Heres the snowfall forecast as of 6 a.m. Friday, January 29. This forecast comes from the National Weather Service and lines up closely with all of the various computer models we use to forecast snow. Total snow forecast through 7 p.m. Sunday, January 31, 2021 Right now Id call it a three inch to five inch snow across the Kalamazoo area. Id lean toward the lower end of the range on the northeast side of the Kalamazoo area, and the higher end southwest of Kalamazoo. The snow starts before midnight Saturday night, and continues off and on Sunday. Snowfall rates should be light to maybe occasionally moderate. The heaviest snow rates should fall a few hours either side of sunrise Sunday. The energy from this storm system will quickly shift to the East Coast during the day Sunday, making the snow taper down to light snow by Sunday afternoon. Keep an eye on the late weekend snow with me and MLive. TO STAY UP ON MICHGANS WEATHER, BOOKMARK THIS LINK. : A two-day meeting of the CPI's council meeting to be held here from Saturday would discuss preparations for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Assam. The meeting would also dwell into the alleged anti- people policies of the NDA government at the Centre, among others. Addressing the CPI's executive committee meeting on Friday, the party general secretary D Raja said the Assembly elections are crucial to the The meeting finalised the agenda for the council meetings. "There is a special agenda for the elections in Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam. These polls are critical ones for the Left...", he said. The preparations for the polls would be heard from the respective state leaders during the national council meetings, and the party's prospects in the elections can be discussed, he said. While the is a part of the ruling LDF in Kerala, it is a constituent in the Left front in West Bengal. Congress and the Left have formed an alliance for the polls in the eastern state. In his address, Raja alleged that the NDA government used Parliament to enact a number of anti-worker and anti-farmer laws and the upsurge of working class, peasantry, students and women could be seen across the country against the alleged retrograde policies. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the country in March last year, but some sources said the virus cases were reported in December or January, he claimed. But the Modi government was busy in organising a welcome party to the then US President Donald Trump, he said. The Assembly elections in Delhi happened around the same time and the BJP-RSS decided to win the poll in the national capital by polarising people, the leader alleged. The NDA government has been working in the interests of corporate houses, he said. "Using the pandemic as a smokescreen, the government brought out many policies which are really anti-national. So, we will discuss all these things," he said. Raja further said the BJP's membership has increased in spite of the pandemic. (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 Tibetan businessman has been released from prison in China after completing a five-year sentence for inciting separatism by campaigning for Tibetan language education, including in interviews with The New York Times, his lawyer said on Friday. The businessman, Tashi Wangchuk, returned to Yushu, his hometown in the northwestern province of Qinghai, and was staying with a sister, the lawyer, Liang Xiaojun, said on Twitter and in a telephone interview. But Mr. Liang said he could not be sure that Mr. Tashi was fully free. In China, former prisoners can be essentially confined to their homes or other places even after their formal release, especially in politically charged cases. I dont think theres any doubt that he is out, Mr. Liang said in the interview, citing a phone call he had with Mr. Tashis brother-in-law. His brother-in-law said that hes in good health, but I havent been sent any pictures of him yet, Mr. Liang said. That may be because hes still not too free. 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| 2021-01-29 13:07:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close VALLETTA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Malta is looking forward to enhancing high-level exchanges and cooperation with China and strengthening coordination in international fora to further cement and promote the friendship between the two countries and peoples, Maltese President George Vella said here on Thursday. Vella made the remarks when he met the newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Malta Yu Dunhai at the Presidential Palace in Valletta, capital city of Malta. Vella spoke highly of the Malta-China relations and thanked China for its support for his country in combating COVID-19. Malta-China relations have set a model of peaceful coexistence between countries of different sizes, populations, cultural traditions and political systems, said Yu when he presented his credentials to Vella. Yu noted that the two governments in 2018 signed a memorandum of understanding on jointly building the Belt and Road, mapping out a new blueprint for bilateral cooperation across the board in the new era. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Malta have stood together and exhibited the determination to overcome the challenge shoulder to shoulder. Yu said as the two sides will celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral ties in January 2022, China stands ready to work with Malta to enhance dialogue, communication and cooperation, continue to firmly support each other on international and regional issues and jointly uphold multilateralism so as to lift their relations to a new high. Enditem WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- At her recent Senate confirmation hearing, former Michigan governor and current Secretary of Energy nominee Jennifer Granholm pledged to make electric grid security a priority. She also expressed hope that actions to enhance grid security will be part of infrastructure legislation proposed by the Biden Administration. Protect Our Power, the nation's leading organization dedicated to making the electric grid more secure and resilient, today applauded Granholm's focus on hardening our nation's electric grid to protect it from cyberattacks, and for embracing measures as part of a comprehensive infrastructure legislation. "We look forward to working with Governor Granholm on protecting our nation's electric grid from cyberattacks, and we enthusiastically support her nomination," said Jim Cunningham, executive director of Protect Our Power. News of a massive breach of U.S. cybersecurity systems made headlines last month. A group of hackers linked by experts to the Russian government breached numerous U.S. government agencies, including the Departments of State, Homeland Security, Commerce and Energy, as well as the National Institutes of Health, the Pentagon, the Treasury, and the National Nuclear Security Administration as well as thousands of U.S. businesses. "This cyberattack served to underscore the importance of strengthening the security of our nation particularly the electric grid, which powers all other components of our critical infrastructure," Cunningham said. "Our quality of life and national security clearly depends on uninterrupted, reliable power supplies. We must have a heightened sense of urgency across all levels of government and business to better protect our electricity system and mitigate the impacts of cyber-attacks wherever they occur." Protect Our Power is a non-partisan, non-profit group focused on improving electric grid security and has been working with all aspects of the electric power industry since 2016 to build consensus on what needs to be done and how to finance a plan for upgrading our electric grid. The group has worked with key stakeholders, including power companies and Federal and State officials, to drive needed physical and regulatory improvements and advocate for a national policy to address this national threat. SOURCE Protect Our Power Related Links https://protectourpower.org/ Walter Reed, who was the district attorney for St. Tammany and Washington parishes for three decades before himself becoming a criminal defendant, should not be allowed to practice law again, the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board decided this week. The decision on whether to permanently disbar Reed, 74, now rests with the Louisiana Supreme Court. Convicted on 18 fraud and corruption counts, Reed was serving a 48-month federal prison sentence in West Virginia when the U.S. Bureau of Prisons allowed him to return to Covington in August due to health concerns, including prostate cancer. He will continue home incarceration until completing his time in October. His attorney, Richard Simmons, said that Reed's focus is dealing with his health and that Reed might tender his law license based on medical issues. He added that Reed sold a condominium in New Orleans in order to pay restitution estimated at $125,000-$130,000 to the 22nd Judicial District Attorney's Office. The effort to yank Reed's law license has been a lengthy one, and began a few months after he was found guilty by a federal jury in 2016 and before he was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon in 2017. 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 Reed, who fought an extensive post-conviction battle to stay out of prison, also fought to keep his law license. His attorneys offered documents noting his work as an undercover narcotics agent with the New Orleans Police Department and his role flushing out the sniper in the 1973 Howard Johnson's attack. They also presented letters from prominent figures on his behalf. A committee of the Office of Disciplinary Counsel conducted a hearing in late 2019 and in January 2020 issued a report recommending permanent disbarment. The full board heard oral arguments in June. "The committee found that (Reed) had violated duties owed to the public, the legal system and the profession," the report said, adding that his actions were "clearly intentional" and for his own personal benefit. His misconduct "caused harm to the public, the legal system and the profession." While the committee said Reed's work as a police officer and courage in the sniper incident were mitigating factors, as a long-tenured DA, "should have known better than to engage in the crimes for which he was convicted." 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. Joe Biden didnt have to do a lot with his inaugural address, just deliver a concise, clear speech that somehow knit together the soul of a deeply fractured nation. He needed to offer healing and comfort to the hundreds of thousands of Americans whose lives have been ripped apart by the COVID-19 pandemic while sketching out a vision for the next four years that spoke to both Main Street and Wall Street. In other words, no pressure. But Biden, a politician with the soul of a parish priest, pulled it off, delivering a speech that appealed to the nations better angels. He accomplished this while not shying away from the titanic challenge of healing the gaping wound that his predecessor ripped in our body politic with four years of gas lighting and sledgehammer attacks on our institutions. Where his predecessor nursed grievance and exacerbated division, Biden sought reconciliation and, perhaps, even a kind of forgiveness. And so today, at this time, in this place, let us start afresh. All of us. Let us listen to one another. Hear one another. See one another, Biden said in remarks that stretched an economical 20 minutes. Show respect to one another. Politics need not be a raging fire, destroying everything in its path. Every disagreement doesnt have to be a cause for total war. And we must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated, and even manufactured. He didnt mention Donald Trump by name. He didnt have to. Trump, the first president to skip an inauguration in 152 years, skulked out of Washington hours before Biden took to the stage at the Capitol. He left the city in much the same way he entered it, in a funk of self-aggrandizement and a barrage of self-serving falsehoods. Bidens prayerful address, prefaced by a ceremony on the National Mall honoring the pandemics victims that was, by turns, beautiful, painful and consoling, strained for connection for the American public. The contrast with Trumps dystopian American Carnage address, delivered four years (and several lifetimes ago) could not have been more stark. And because he was where he was, in a capital city turned into an armed camp, Biden acknowledged the violence that rocked the Capitol on Jan. 6, referring to the riotous mob who thought they could use violence to silence the will of the people. Tens of millions of Americans, egged on by Trump, still believe the fiction that his election was fraudulent. Reaching them could be impossible. Nonetheless, he offered a hand. To all those who did not support us, take a measure of me and my heart. If you still disagree, so be it. Thats democracy, thats America, he said. I will be a president for all Americans. I promise you I will fight as hard for those who did not support me, as those who did. True, words will only get Biden part of the way. On Thursday he woke up to a Washington where his party barely controls the House, is tied in the Senate, and one of Trumps chief enablers Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley is already throwing roadblocks in the new administrations way. Biden reminded us of who we were, fellow Americans who are there for each other at a time of trial; who we can be again at our best, a people who open our souls instead of hardening our hearts, and warning that we will be judged, you and I, by how we resolve these cascading crises of our era. And as if he were leaving Mass, he sent the crowd forth: So, with purpose and resolve, we turn to the tasks of our time, sustained by faith, driven by conviction, and devoted to one another and the country we love with all our hearts. It was benediction from a politician with the soul of a parish priest. It is also the challenge of our times. John L. Micek is editor in chief of The Pennsylvania Capital-Star in Harrisburg. He can be reached at jmicek@penncapital-star.com. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Researchers at the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) have released a detailed and wide-ranging report revealing the toll of the COVID-19 crisis on the health and social circumstances of Ireland's older adults. The report was launched by Frank Feighan, TD, Minister of State for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy. The TILDA COVID-19 report delves into a broad range of factors that affect the lives of adults aged 60 years and over during the first few months of the pandemic, including changes to everyday activities, social interactions, physical activity, and other behaviors, as a consequence of measures put in place to curb the spread of the virus. The highly-anticipated report measures the effect that restrictions to reduce the spread of COVID-19 infection have had on 4,000 adults aged 60 years and older, including unmet healthcare needs, and changes to caregiving and receipt of care. TILDA's report, the most comprehensive of its kind, also examines the scale of increased loneliness and social isolation among older adults, and the impact on mental and physical health. It also describes the extent of exposure to COVID-19 among participants and their families and friends during the early months of the pandemic, and the level of concern about the virus among this at risk group. How was the study carried out? When the COVID-19 pandemic reached Ireland in March 2020, TILDA was uniquely positioned to document the impact that the pandemic has had on the lives of older adults, and with the support of the Health Research Board (HRB), TILDA surveyed 4,000 of its existing participants between July and November 2020. TILDA has studied the lives of older adults in Ireland for more than 10 years and provides a rich account of the health, financial, and social state of a nationally representative sample of older adults. Almost 4,000 study participants, aged 60 years and older completed a survey questionnaire that was posted to their home. The findings of the report outline key information collected in this survey. Key findings of the report Compliance: There is a high level of compliance with Government public health advice with 80% of the over-60s reporting adherence to advice on social distancing measures and engaging in protective behaviors to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Compliance: 62% of participants report not traveling to visit family members and 80% do not visit friends at all since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prevalence of COVID-19: Prevalence of COVID-19 among participants was 5%. This was three times higher among adults aged 60 to 69 years compared to the over 70s (6% vs. 2%). Impact of Pandemic: Between July and November 2020, one in 20 (5%) adults aged 60 and over have lost a family member or friend due to COVID-19 infection. Impact of Pandemic: Those most concerned about the pandemic live alone; are aged 70 and over (54%), are female (52%); are educated to primary level (56%), and live in rural areas (51%). Physical Activity: Almost one quarter (22%) of older adults in Ireland did not meet minimum recommended levels of physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, 27% report that they walk more often than they did prior to the pandemic, 17% also exercise more often at home than they did previously. Loneliness: 30% of older adults feel lonely at least some of the time. Increased isolation has resulted in an increase in loneliness across the population. Loneliness: Loneliness is associated with poorer overall quality of life and physical and mental health. Increased loneliness and social isolation due to COVID-19 restrictions have had a negative effect on the wellbeing of the population. Depression: 21% of adults aged 60+ report potentially clinically meaningful levels of depressive symptoms. Worryingly, this is double the prevalence of depression seen before the pandemic. Stress: 29% report high stress levels and 11% have moderate-to-severe anxiety levels. This represents a significant increase from before the pandemic. Delayed Medical Care: Almost one third (30%) of adults aged 60 and over delayed or did not get medical care they needed. 43% of participants delayed dental care, and 31% postponed an appointment with a GP. This will likely have serious consequences for the health of older adults, now and in the future. Caring: 15% of those aged 60 and older report that they cared for someone during the pandemic. This is more than double the proportion who reported caring in 2018 (6%). Most of this care is provided to people's spouses. Dr. Mark Ward, Lead author of the report and Senior Research Fellow at Trinity College Dublin, said: "The lives of older adults have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As we near the anniversary of the arrival of the virus in Ireland, it is essential that we understand how people's lives have changed and what these changes mean for their health and wellbeing. TILDA research consistently shows the importance of social activities and the bonds that come from these for older adults wellbeing. Now however, opportunities for social interactions have been denied. This TILDA report shows the extent of the changes older adults have made to their lives, including limiting social interactions, postponing medical appointments, and taking on new caring responsibilities. We also show how these changes have led to greater levels of loneliness and poorer mental health. Our hope is that the information in this report can contribute to our recovery from the pandemic and continue our efforts to make Ireland the best place in the world to grow old." Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Principal Investigator of TILDA said: "Since the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, we have known that this unprecedented crisis has disproportionately impacted upon the health, circumstances and wellbeing of older adults across the world. TILDA's report gives a thorough and accurate account of the scale of this impact on older adults living in Ireland to support Government and health authorities to see and address the negative impacts of the crisis. Aside from the greater susceptibility to severity of COVID-19 infection faced by older adults, the pandemic has led to a significant rise in stress, anxiety, loneliness and depression, and unveils the huge sacrifices older adults have had to make. TILDA's report shows the gaps in supports such as caregiving that must be addressed as soon as possible in order to help build back independence and resilience in older adults." Frank Feighan, TD, Minister of State for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy said: "The Government is acutely aware of the impact COVID-19 has had on all of our lives, but in particular on those most at risk: older people and those with underlying conditions. This TILDA report underscores the negative impacts of the pandemic on older people's health and wellbeing. The Government is working on multiple fronts, together with our partners in the community and voluntary sector, to try to mitigate these negative impacts, through public health messaging campaigns, the ongoing provision of essential health and social care services, and the Community Call initiative among others. The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine is bringing renewed hope to us all, and in particular those who have been most affected by the pandemic. Looking to the future, in order to provide better care and supports in the home for our older citizens, the Government is committed to establishing a new statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home support services, which is currently being developed. The new scheme aims to ensure that everyone has equal access to home support on an affordable basis in accordance with their assessed care needs." Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak More information: The report is available online: The report is available online: tilda.tcd.ie/COVIDData/reports/ Scientists have eavesdropped on dinner time for the large marine predator the whitespotted eagle ray for the first time in order to learn more about how it eats. Underwater recordings show the animals trawling the seabed and sucking up large shellfish before using their powerful mouths to crush them before swallowing. This feeding mechanism has long been known, but has been hard to study and record due to the elusive nature of the animals. Underwater recordings show the whitespotted eagle rays (pictured) trawling the seabed and sucking up large shellfish before using the powerful mouths to crush them The recordings capture the moment the predator smashes the shell of molluscs, including oysters, clams and conchs. They do this in order to get to the soft interior of the animal which is protected by the hard shell. Analysis of the sounds revealed the type of prey being eaten from as far away as 330ft (100m) from the cracking sound alone. 'Passive acoustics-based documentation of shell-crushing behaviour has not been seriously considered as a tool to identify the ecological role of large, mobile molluscivores before this study,' lead author Dr Matt Ajemian from Florida Atlantic University. 'We knew from previous experience with these animals that the cracks they made during feeding were loud, almost like an explosion, but there were no data to support it at the time. That's what led us to conduct this initial study.' Researchers focused on whitespotted eagles and observed them eating 434 times, which included animals from eight different species. Hard clams, banded tulip, crown conch, lettered olive, Florida fighting conch, lightning whelk, pear whelk and horse conch were all on the menu. 'Molluscs vary in texture, thickness and strength. The differences we observed in consumption signals and behavior associated with the two primary prey types analyzed are likely due to variations in these shell shapes,' said Kim Bassos-Hull, co-author of the study. The recordings capture the moment the predator smashes the shell of molluscs, including oysters, clams and conchs. They do this in order to get to the soft interior of the animal which is protected by the hard shell 'It was clear that hard clams took a considerably longer time to process than banded tulip shells and all other gastropods. 'This was likely driven by the greater number of fractures rays needed to implement during processing and winnowing of hard clams presumably to access the prey's soft tissues.' The researchers hope the development of the technology will allow non-invasive ways of monitoring how many clams are being eaten by large predators like rays. The findings are published in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. A small painting by Sandro Botticelli fetched $US92.2 million ($120 million) at auction at Sothebys on Thursday, in the art markets first big test of the new year. The result, an auction record for the Renaissance painter, was also the highest price paid for an old master work since Leonardo da Vincis Salvator Mundi sold for $US450 million in 2017. It also represented a windfall for the foundation of billionaire Sheldon Solow, who had bought it for about $US1.3 million in 1982. The proceeds from the sale may be used to establish a private museum in Manhattan. Sandro Botticellis Young Man Holding a Roundel has sold for $US 92.2 million. Credit:AP Its a marvellous painting, Marc Porter, chairman of Christies in the Americas, said this week. Its very attractive and seductive and undeniably rare. And the question for the market is whether this pursuit of extremely rare, appealing, commercial works of art will continue to attract a large number of bidders even in the depth of the COVID-19 emergency. For now, at least, the answer is affirmative. The bidding at the auction, which was live-streamed from New York, lasted just 4 1/2 minutes and drew only two competitors. The winning bid was placed by Lilija Sitnika, a London-based staffer who works with Russian clients. The underbidder was from Asia, Sothebys said, declining to elaborate further. The work was estimated at more than $80 million. (The final price included the hammer fees.) Live Water Jackson Hole's Cody Creek Sanctuary was awarded Wall Street Journal's "House of the Year, third place" The fact the Wall Street Journal recognized it as a House of the Year is further testimony to the quality of life with nature that this home affords. Live Water Properties is honored to tell the story through Latham Jenkins marketing talent. Alex Maher, founding partner at Live Water Properties. Cody Creek Sanctuary, a 65-acre private refuge minutes from downtown Jackson, WY, was announced as the Wall Street Journals House of the Year third-place winner. Each year, Wall Street Journal readers select from 52 featured House of the Week properties, to award the titles of the nations top three homes on the market. Cody Creek Sanctuary was recognized for its classic and elegant log home, remarkable open spaces, invaluable wildlife habitat and expansive waterscapes. The property is listed with Live Water Properties residential real estate branch Live Water Jackson Hole and broker Latham Jenkins. With six wetland areas, over a half-mile of spring creek with native Snake River cutthroat trout, a local elk herd numbering in the hundreds, and over 130 species of birds that call it home, this rare property is quite deserving of the designation Sanctuary, says Alex Maher, president/founding partner at Live Water Properties. The fact the Wall Street Journal recognized it as a House of the Year is further testimony to the quality of life with nature that this home affords its owners. Live Water Properties is honored to tell the story through Latham Jenkins marketing talent. The appeal of Cody Creek to WSJ readers follows a year of exponential growth in real estate sales in both the Western ranch market and the Jackson Hole luxury market. As the global pandemic swept the country, the romantic lure of the West and the promise of returning to a simpler life has led to a new type of westward expansion. Cody Creek embodies what buyers are seeking in both of these markets the open spaces and quiet peaceful seclusion of ranch life, and a location minutes from downtown Jackson Hole. Cody Creek blends Teton views and resort amenity convenience, says Macye Maher, CFO/founding partner at Live Water Properties. It is an exceptional property that looks like a colorful canvas lit up in alpenglow. Its home to wild animals. One word summation: stunning. Cody Creek is the first home in Jackson Hole and first Wyoming home to take the top three honors in the annual online poll. Macye Maher adds, The success of listing Cody Creek lies with the trust the Seller has with our Broker Latham Jenkins and the Live Water Team and in our marketing efforts with unparalleled national market reach. ### About Live Water Properties is a land and ranch real estate firm specializing in premier fly fishing, hunting, ranching, timberland, recreational and conservation land. With $2.2 Billion in closed deals, they are distinctly qualified to assist in all aspects of land ownership. Since their inception in 2001, Live Water Properties has grown into a 27-person, 13-state firm with Brokers in Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, Nebraska, Montana, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. LiveWaterProperties.com About Live Water Jackson Hole A resident for more than 25 years, Latham Jenkins has an unmatched understanding of Jackson Hole luxury real estate. What sets Jenkins apart is his innate ability to connect people with life-changing experiences throughout Jackson Hole. Whether you live here, making a move or exploring possibilities partner with Latham and find more than a home find a way of life. Learn more, LiveWaterJacksonHole.com But Mr. de Blasio has also warned that the city is facing major budget cuts and layoffs. He recently announced that the citys property tax revenues are projected to decline by $2.5 billion next year, driven by a drop in the value of office buildings and hotel properties that have emptied out during the pandemic. The mayor also addressed concerns over police brutality raised in protests last summer. He said the city would allow communities to have a direct role in selecting police precinct commanders a proposal he announced with Eric Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, earlier in the day. He also said he planned to strengthen the Civilian Complaint Review Board. One idea from the mayors speech was immediately celebrated by bike advocates: taking a lane of car traffic from the Brooklyn and Queensboro Bridges to create new bike lanes under the name Bridges for the People. Mr. de Blasio also pledged to build new public spaces like pedestrian plazas or green spaces in more than 30 neighborhoods hit hardest by the virus. For Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat in his second term who cannot run again because of term limits, the speech was a sign that he is not resigned to being a lame duck mayor. But he will face challenges that few mayors have had to confront in their last year. More than 10 months after the pandemic hit, New York City is struggling to fight off a second wave of coronavirus cases. Restaurants are closed for indoor dining, and middle and high schools have not reopened. More than 26,700 people have died in the city of Covid-19. The arrival of a vaccine has brought hope, but the rollout in the city and across the nation has been plodding and chaotic. About 575,000 first doses of the vaccine have been administered in the city since mid-December, and the mayor has pledged to speed up the process once the city receives more doses. Mr. de Blasio plans to open mass vaccination sites at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, and officials have been setting up more than 400 vaccination sites across the city. Some critics were skeptical of the mayors lofty rhetoric when he has so little time left in office. Benjamin Kabak, a transit advocate, applauded the Brooklyn Bridge bike lane, but questioned whether Mr. de Blasio could tackle everything he proposed. The Frankfurt Regional High Court delivered the sentencing in the trial of the murder of Kassel district president Walter Lubcke. It followed the same pattern as the sentencing issued by the Munich Regional High Court two-and-a-half years ago in the trial of the far-right terrorist National Socialist Underground: the main defendant received the maximum possible sentence, his accomplice a mild warning, and the right-wing extremist terrorist networks behind the murder and deeply rooted in the state apparatus were covered up and ignored. The court sentenced the 47-year-old neo-Nazi Stephan Ernst to life imprisonment because he shot the Christian Democrat politician Lubcke on June 2, 2019, on the terrace of his house. The judges also stressed the particular severity of his guilt, which virtually excludes the possibility of parole after 15 years. After the end of the sentence, the court can order an additional period of security detention. Stephan Ernst with lawyers at the Frankfurt Main Regional High Court (Thomas Lohnes / Pool Photo via AP) There was no doubt about Ernsts guilt. He was identified at the crime scene two weeks after the attack by traces of his DNA. After his arrest, he confessed to the crime and led the police to where the murder weapon was concealed. He subsequently withdrew his confession on the advice of a lawyer associated with the far-right milieu, before presenting a further confession. During the trial, he also acknowledged his part in the crime. Ernst was acquitted on another charge. Although the state prosecutor presented extensive evidence, including traces of DNA on a knife found in Ernsts home, the court deemed it not to have been proven that Ernst sought to murder Ahmed I. on January 6, 2016. The Iraqi asylum seeker was attacked and stabbed near to Ernsts home. Ernsts accomplice, the self-described neo-Nazi Markus H., was merely handed a suspended sentence of 18 months for violating firearm regulations. He had already been released from custody in October and left the court as a free man. The period of suspension will last three years. The state prosecutor accused H. of accessory to a murder and called for a sentence of nine years and eight months. They accused him of strengthening Ernsts resolve to go through with the murder, sharing his hatred, radicalising him, and teaching him how to shoot. Lubckes family, which participated in the trial as a co-plaintiff, went further and accused H. of direct participation in the murder. They based themselves on a statement by Ernst, who incriminated his accomplice during the trial by saying that he was present at the crime scene on the night of the murder. The judges rejected both accusations, of accessory to murder and the joint responsibility for the crime, with the claim that they had not been proven beyond doubt. They deemed Ernsts accusations as not credible, since he had described H.s role in various ways at different times. Yet it is obvious that without H. Lubckes murder would not have taken place, as the familys lawyer, Holger Matt, said in his closing arguments. Ernst and H. knew each other since the 1990s from joint activities in neo-Nazi organisations. In October 2015, they visited the meeting in Lohfelden where Lubcke defended accommodating refugees in his district and opposed supporters of the far-right Pegida movement. H. then published a video of the meeting online, which made Lubcke the target of a right-wing campaign of agitation involving neo-Nazis, the Alternative for Germany, and members of Lubckes own party, the CDU. Ever since, Ernst and H. jointly prepared the murder. They practiced shooting, acquired an arsenal of weapons, attended AfD demonstrations and communicated over encrypted chats that they deleted after the murder. There is much to suggest that H. was the driving force behind this. During the search of his home, police found several firearms, munitions, a bust of Hitler, and right-wing literature. He kept his pens in an old canister of Zyklon-B, the poison gas used by the Nazis to exterminate the Jews. All of this was known. But neither the investigators nor the judges showed any interest in digging deeper. This would have inevitably drawn attention to the right-wing extremist networks in which Ernst and H. were active. They have extensive ties with the security apparatus and are covered up in high places. The court therefore stuck firmly to the narrative of the lone wolf and let H. walk free. Already in September 2019, in an article entitled The fascist network behind the murder of Walter Lubcke, the WSWS stated: Everything indicates that Ernst and Markus H. are part of a much larger right-wing terrorist network. Their case bears striking similarity to that of the far-right terrorist gang, the National Socialist Underground (NSU). It is now known that the neo-Nazi milieu in Kassel maintained close contact with the NSU, which carried out a total of 10 murders, including their ninth victim, Halit Yozgat, in Kassel in April 2006. According to the political scientist Hajo Funke, a leading expert on right-wing extremism, Ernst, who has a long criminal record, was active in a right-wing terrorist milieu, including a whos who of C18 and NSU supporters. The Correctiv research platform recently presented a list of the connections between Ernst, the neo-Nazi milieu in Kassel, and the group of supporters around the NSU, which also included several informants for the domestic intelligence agency. Ernst was himself a friend of the informant Benjamin Gartner (code-name vegetable), who worked under the supervision of the intelligence official Andreas Temme. Temme was in Halit Yozgats internet cafe when he was murdered, and subsequently transferred to work in Walter Lubckes district office. The information about this conspiracy is being suppressed by the state with an iron fist. The files of the Hesse state intelligence service, which could clarify the background to the Lubcke murder, will remain under lock and key on the order of the CDU/Green state government for decades. Neither the court nor the state prosecutors office wanted to challenge this. The lawyer Alexander Hoffmann, who represented Ahmed I. in the Lubcke trial and was a co-plaintiff in the NSU trial, told Der Spiegel in an interview, Im no longer surprised, we already experienced during the NSU trial that the investigative authorities refuse to recognise and acknowledge structural problems and fundamental mistakes. I thought politicians would see the attack on Walter Lubcke as an attack on themselves and would therefore have a direct and immediate interest in this trial, he added. But we didnt see any of that. The politicians find it difficult to clearly and fully delineate themselves from the righteven with regard to neo-Nazis. Because they would then have to delineate themselves fully in content, for example on refugee policy. Just two weeks after Lubckes murder, the WSWS warned, In reality, Lubkes (sic) murder is not the result of a weak state, but rather the systematic promotion of right-wing extremists by the state and the ruling elite. This is the dirty secret of German politics. This support ranges from the outright trivialisation of right-wing extremist acts of violence, the blindness on the part of the intelligence agencies towards right-wing extremist groups, the deliberate promotion of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), the downplaying of the Nazis crimes on university campuses, and the toleration of right-wing extremist terrorist groups by sections of the security apparatus. The ruling from the Frankfurt Regional High Court has vindicated this warning. Stephan Ernst was convicted as a lone wolf, but the right-wing extremist networks that made the murder possible are being covered up and continue with their work. As in the Weimar Republic, when paramilitary groups with state support terrorised the working class, these forces are needed to suppress popular opposition to social inequality, the strengthening of the repressive state apparatus and militarism. Cicely Tyson arrives at night two of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sept. 15, 2019 (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) Award-Winning Actress Cicely Tyson Dies at Age 96 NEW YORKCicely Tyson, the actress who gained an Oscar nomination for her role as the sharecroppers wife in Sounder, won a Tony Award in 2013 at age 88 and touched TV viewers hearts in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, died Thursday at age 96. Tysons death was announced by her family, via her manager Larry Thompson, who did not immediately provide additional details. With heavy heart, the family of Miss Cicely Tyson announces her peaceful transition this afternoon. At this time, please allow the family their privacy, according to a statement issued through Thompson. A onetime model, she began her screen career with bit parts but gained fame in the early 1970s. Im very selective as Ive been my whole career about what I do. Unfortunately, Im not the kind of person who works only for money. It has to have some real substance for me to do it, she told The Associated Press in 2013. Cicely Tyson arrives at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sept. 20, 2009. (Matt Sayles/ AP Photo) Besides her Oscar nomination, she won two Emmys for playing the 110-year-old former slave in the 1974 television drama The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. A new generation of moviegoers saw her in the 2011 hit The Help. At the Emmy Awards, Pittman won multiple awards, including two honors for Tyson, best lead actress in a drama and best actress in a special. New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael offered her praise: Shes an actress, all right, and as tough-minded and honorable in her methods as any weve got. Cicely Tyson peers through a monocle at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Feb. 19, 1973. (AP Photo) Tyson made her movie debut in the late 1950s with small roles in such films as Odds Against Tomorrow, The Last Angry Man, and The Comedians. She played the romantic interest to Sammy Davis Jr.s jazz musician in A Man Called Adam. She gained wider notice with a recurring role in the 1963 drama series East Side, West Side, which starred George C. Scott as a social worker. She played a role in the 1968 drama The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter that was hailed by a reviewer as an absolute embodiment of the slogan Black is beautiful. In Roots, the 1977 miniseries that became one of the biggest events in TV history, she played Binta, mother of the protagonist, Kunta Kinte, played by LeVar Burton. She also appeared on Broadway in the 1960s in The Cool World, Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright and other plays. Off-Broadway, she appeared with such future stars as Maya Angelou, Godfrey Cambridge and James Earl Jones in a 1961 production of French playwright Jean Genets The Blacks. She won a Drama Desk award in 1962 for a role in the off-Broadway Moon on a Rainbow Shawl. After her Sounder and Miss Jane Pittman successes, Tyson continued to seek TV roles that had messages, and she succeeded with Roots and King (about Martin Luther King) and The Rosa Parks Story. She continued with such films as The Blue Bird, ConcordeAirport 79, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Grass Harp and Tyler Perrys Diary of a Mad Black Woman. She won a supporting actress Emmy in 1994 for Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All. She was nominated for Emmys several other times, including for Roots, King, The Marva Collins Story Sweet Justice and A Lesson Before Dying. In recent years, she was part of a panel discussion for Cherish the Day, an eight-episode OWN anthology series created and produced by Ava DuVernay. Cicely Tyson poses with her award for best actress in a play for The Trip to Bountiful, in the press room at the 67th Annual Tony Awards in New York on June 9, 2013. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) Tysons parents moved from the island of Nevis in the Caribbean to New York, where Cicely (her name was spelled early on as Cecily and Sicely) was born in 1924, the youngest of three children. When her parents separated, the mother went on welfare. At 9 Cicely sold shopping bags on the streets of East Harlem. When she graduated from high school, she found work as a secretary at the Red Cross. Her striking looks prompted friends to advise her to take up modeling and that led to acting schools, theater, movies and television. My mother told me I could no longer live in her house because I was determined to be an actress, she told an interviewer in 1990. I said OK, and I moved out. Tyson was married once, to jazz great Miles Davis. The wedding was held in 1981 at Bill Cosbys house in Greenfield, Massachusetts, attended by show business notables. They divorced in 1988. By Mark Kennedy Rajib Banerjee, who recently quit the Mamata Banerjee cabinet in Bengal, on Friday resigned from the post of MLA, and TMC membership. Banerjee, who represented the Domjur assembly seat, met Speaker Biman Banerjee at the state Assembly and submitted his resignation letter. "I have resigned as the MLA of the state assembly. I submitted my resignation letter to the speaker. I thank my party supremo Mamata Banerjee for providing me the opportunity to serve the masses," Banerjee, a two-time MLA, said. "In the days to come, I would continue to serve the people of the Domjur constituency," he added. Amid speculations of him leaving the Trinamool Congress, Banerjee later said in a Facebook post that he had also submitted his resignation as a member of the All India Trinamool Congress with immediate effect. "During my tenure, I have worked with some wonderful people and great leaders and tried to fulfil my responsibility with hardwork and zeal. I wish all my former colleagues all the very best for the futures to come. I will be forever grateful to our Chairperson for giving me the opportunity to work for the betterment of West Bengal," he said on the social networking site. The development comes amid Amit Shah's visit to Bengal on Friday ahead of the elections. The Union Home Minister will on Saturday hold a mega public meeting in Thakurnagar, an area dominated by people belonging to the Matua community, amid their discontent over delay in implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in West Bengal. A week back, Banerjee had said he was still with the party but his future move will depend on the situation. Banerjee, while speaking to reporters after garlanding a bust of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in his Domjur assembly constituency in Howrah district, had said he has no immediate plan to quit from the MLA's post. "I will remain a party worker, a TMC MLA but I cannot say now what will be my future move, which will depend on the situation," Banerjee, who had handled irrigation and forest portfolios, said. Banerjee had earlier aired his grievances over loyal and hard-working leaders and workers allegedly not being given due respect in the party and the disconnect between the top brass and grassroots. According to reports, BJP State unit president Dilip Ghosh had previously urged Banerjee to "not waste precious time and join the BJP". Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, in the plea, argued that state has failed to provide uniform grounds of adoption and guardianship for all citizens. "The Court may direct the Law Commission of India to examine the laws of adoption & guardianship and suggest 'Uniform Grounds of Adoption and Guardianship' in spirit of Articles 14, 15, 21, 44 within 3 months, while considering international laws & international conventions," it said. New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from Centre on a PIL seeking a gender and religion-neutral uniform law of adoption and guardianship for all citizens. A bench, headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde, after a brief hearing in the matter, issued notice on the plea. Upadhyay was represented by senior advocates Anjana Prakash and Geeta Luthra. The plea urged the top court to remove the anomalies in the grounds of adoption and guardianship and make them uniform for all citizens without discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Upadhyay cited that even after 73 years of independence and 71 years of India becoming a democratic republic, Muslims, Christians and Parsis don't have adoption laws. "Due to lack of a common law for all, Muslims, Christians, Parsis approach the court under the Guardians and Wards Act 1890. Muslims, Christians and Parsis can take a child under the said Act only under foster care. Once such a child becomes major, he can break all his relations," his plea said. The plea argued that Muslims are bound to follow Kafala system under which a child is placed under a Kafil (guardian) who takes care of child's upbringing, marriage, well-being but the child continues to remain the descendant of his biological parents and not adopted. "An adopted child cannot inherit guardian's property and retains his biological name. If child's family is not known, only then he can carry the name of adoptive family whereas in Hindu law adopted child turns to be the child of his or her adoptive father or mother for all purposes with effect from the date of the adoption," the plea argued. The plea contended that the current practice of adoption is discriminatory on its very face as Hindus have codified law of adoption but Muslims, Christians, and Parsis do not have. The petitioner submitted that adopted child by Hindus turn equivalent to biological child of adoptive parents whereas its opposite in Muslims, Christians and Parsis. "Adoptive parents can be natural guardian of adopted son and his wife under Hindu Law but not in Muslim, Christian and Parsi Law," added the plea. --IANS ss/vd Mayor Jim Kenney on Friday urged city health officials to swiftly open coronavirus vaccination clinics to replace the one run by Philly Fighting COVID and ensure the 7,000 people vaccinated at the now-shuttered site will receive their second doses. In a letter, Kenney also directed the health department to investigate how PFC came to work with the city on testing and vaccination and provide a report within 30 days. He wrote that he was confident in Health Commissioner Thomas Farleys handling of the pandemic, but concerned the debacle with the group could cast a shadow on the citys vaccine distribution. Farley told The Inquirer on Friday it had been a mistake to work with Philly Fighting COVID, which is run by a self-described bunch of college kids and was dropped as a city partner on Monday after questions emerged about its for-profit status and potential use of patient data. We shouldnt have gone into relationship with them in the first place, Farley said. He said he had realized the group was untrustworthy after it updated its privacy policies to allow residents personal information to be sold. READ MORE: City drops Philly Fighting COVID as vaccination partner after it failed to disclose for-profit arm Andrei Doroshin, the groups 22-year-old CEO, has insisted the wording of the updated privacy policy was a mistake and that he never intended to sell anyones data. On Thursday, he also admitted he had taken four vaccine doses home and administered them to his friends. But in a news conference inside his Fishtown apartment complex on Friday, Doroshin maintained that he and his organization had done nothing wrong, instead slamming Farley and claiming he and his Drexel University friends were the only ones who had a plan for vaccine distribution. The saga has increased tension in the city amid the high-stakes vaccine rollout one that has already been slowed nationwide by the extremely limited federal supply of shots, which is millions short of whats needed. Since older and high-risk residents became eligible for the vaccine earlier this month, people have clamored for appointments, and often found them hard to get. Meanwhile, city officials have asked residents to stay on high alert and heed requirements for masking and distancing. In his letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Inquirer, Kenney told Farley his approach to the nearly year-long pandemic has helped save thousands of lives. The mayor also ordered the department to send all doses allocated to Philly Fighting COVID which had been about 6% of the citys supply, he noted to other vaccination sites. He specifically directed the department to increase the vaccine allotment for the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, another organization that is vaccinating residents and one cited this week by council members who questioned whether systemic racism had played a role in the citys partnership decisions. Farley said he agreed with those and other requests outlined in Kenneys letter. Its an appropriate way to really learn from this and improve, Farley said. On Friday, City Councilmember Bobby Henons office confirmed that Philly Fighting COVID had provided coronavirus tests to his family at his home in December. The report of private testing for Henons family, first reported by WHYY, came after Henon defended the group this week. Asked about testing for the councilmembers family, Doroshin said there were no favors done and said his group had provided at-home testing to many residents it was not clear how many but not to any other city officials. A spokesperson for Henon said workers at the site had offered to come to the familys home after they showed up when it was closed and said the family had paid in full for the testing. READ MORE: Philly Fighting COVIDs founder met with City Council about vaccines in November. No one asked about his health-care credentials. Testing had been Philly Fighting COVIDs first role in its partnership with the city; Philadelphia gave the group a $194,000 contract for coronavirus testing last summer, according to documents Doroshin provided to The Inquirer. The city has failed thus far to release documents related to the partnership, despite a request from The Inquirer under the states Right to Know law. A city spokesperson did, however, acknowledge that the health department had authorized more than $110,000 for testing services. The city did not give the group any funding for vaccinations, the spokesperson said. At the start of the vaccine rollout, Philly Fighting COVID operated the only preregistration website in the city, and officials encouraged Philadelphians to use it. City logos were plastered throughout the groups mass vaccination center at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, leading some to assume the site was run by the city. The city now has its own preregistration portal, where residents sign up to be notified when appointments are available. Beyond the questions about its privacy policies, the group had also drawn scrutiny for establishing a for-profit arm despite presenting itself as a nonprofit. Farley said he had been alerted to the potential issues by questions from an Inquirer reporter. That was unprofessional and that made them an untrustworthy organization, Farley said. Absolutely, I think it was right to terminate that relationship. Doroshin insisted Friday that Philadelphias dirty power politics contributed to the citys decision to cut ties with his organization, but he did not elaborate when pressed by reporters. He said the organization plans to provide the citys health department with all the data it collected from residents, then delete the data from its servers. Some city leaders have openly worried that the groups alleged missteps could further existing mistrust, particularly among people of color, who are already hesitant to get a vaccine after decades of health-care inequity. We need to work to earn back that trust, Farley said Friday. Among other requests, Kenney asked the health department to identify any and all weaknesses in the vetting process that could have prevented the present outcome and include proposals in its report for ensuring the citys future vaccine partners act equitably and professionally. I look forward to reviewing the findings of your report, he wrote to Farley, and to seeing every Philadelphian access these life-saving vaccines. Staff writer Laura McCrystal contributed to this article. President Joe Biden on Thursday signed two executive orders that focused on health care, describing his action as reversing "the damage" done by former President Donald Trump. In brief remarks from the Oval Office, Biden said he was not initiating "any new law, any aspect of the law." Biden noted that he was restoring the Affordable Care Act and the Medicaid to the way before Donald Trump became president, CBS News reported. Because by fiat, the president said Donald Trump made it "more inaccessible, more expensive and more difficult for people to qualify for either of those two items." Related story: Biden Signs New Executive Orders on Food Stamps, Stimulus Checks, and Federal Minimum Wage Biden Restores Health Care Initiatives Through the executive actions, Biden ordered the Department of Health and Human Services to open a special enrollment for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through HealthCare.gov from Feb. 15 to May 15 to take new applications for subsidized benefits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. HealthCare.gov is a federally run health insurance marketplace. Biden also instructed federal agencies to review existing policies under the Trump administration to make sure they do not hinder the public's access to health care. The president's order also includes rescinding the Mexico City Policy, which cut federal funds to global organizations that offer abortion-related services. Mexico City Policy Abolishment The Mexico City Policy is known as the global gag rule. It prohibits U.S. dollars from flowing to international non-governmental organizations that provide abortions and advocate to legalize and expand abortion access or provide abortion counseling. According to another CBS News report, the policy was first announced by former President Ronald Raegan in 1984 and has been revoked and reinstated by Democratic and Republican administrations, respectively. The Mexico City Policy was re-enacted and expanded under the Trump administration. Biden's memorandum also orders the Department of Health and Human Services to review possibly dismantling a similar policy in the United States that hinders money from Title X from going to health care centers that provide abortion services. Republican lawmakers criticized Biden's order in restoring federal funding for foreign abortions and abortion referrals, saying that abortion is murder. "Let me be clear - abortion is murder, and the federal government should not support it let alone PAY for it," Rep. Ronny Jackson said in a Daily Mail report. Jackson was also known to be the presidential physician of former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. The White House made no recent announcements about the provision, suggesting that Republicans are preemptively defending abortion-related actions they feel could come in the future of Biden's administration. The Republican Study Committee (RSC) said their members are dedicated to preserving the Hyde Amendment that prevents taxpayer money from being used for abortions of women in the U.S. RSC said in a tweet that taxpayers should never be forced to fund abortion. Lawmakers known to protect the provision are GOP Representatives Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Vicky Hartzler of Missouri, and Kevin Brady and Ronny Jackson of Texas. It also includes Byron Donald and Greg Steube of Florida. About 200 Republicans signed a letter saying that they will not vote for any legislation that would amend or throw out the Hyde Amendment. Read also: Defense Department Halts Border Wall Building as It Reviews Biden's Order President Cyril Ramaphosa recently warned against vaccine nationalism, where rich countries hoard COVID-19 vaccines for their own citizens and disadvantage poor countries. Speaking at the World Economic Forums digital Davos conference, Ramaphosa said he is deeply concerned about the problem of vaccine nationalism, which, unless addressed, will endanger the recovery of all countries. He said rich countries acquired large doses of the vaccine from developers and manufacturers, sometimes up to four times what their population needs. There is no need for a country which has 40 million people to acquire 160 million doses when the world need access to those vaccines, he said. The president urged wealthy countries to release the excess vaccines that they have ordered and are hoarding. Ending the pandemic worldwide will require greater collaboration on the rollout of vaccines, ensuring that no country is left behind in this effort, he said. Ramaphosas view echoed criticism from Peoples Vaccine Alliance, a collaboration between aid groups including Oxfam and Amnesty International. The alliance said wealthier nations have bought up enough doses to vaccinate their entire populations nearly three times over by the end of 2021 if those currently in clinical trials are all approved for use. Updated data shows that rich nations representing just 14 per cent of the worlds population have bought up 53 per cent of all the most promising vaccines so far, the Peoples Vaccine Alliance said. 70 of the poorest countries, in comparison, will only be able to vaccinate one in ten people against COVID-19 this year. What you are not told On face value, Ramaphosas attack against countries which ordered more vaccines than what they need seems fair and even noble. There is, however, far more to the vaccine acquisition process than what Ramaphosa or the Peoples Vaccine Alliance are willing to say. Speaking to Michael Avery on BusinessTechs Business Talk, Sygnia founder and CEO Magda Wierzycka explained in June 2020, when the issue of vaccines came to the fore, there was not a single COVID-19 vaccine and there were no vaccines in development. Wierzycka said in mid-2020 pharmaceutical giants and companies which specialise in vaccine developments only started to look at their own methodologies to create vaccines to see if they can amend them to create a COVID-19 vaccine. It is, however, very expensive to develop and test vaccines, and this is where rich countries like the UK, the European Unions, and the United States stepped up to fund these developments. They did not know which of the vaccine developments, if any, would be successful, and they subsequently funded numerous companies on a pre-order risk basis. The rich countries therefore gave numerous vaccine developers money with the agreement that if they are successful, they will receive the vaccine first to vaccinate their citizens. Developing countries do not have money to take big risks and they could therefore not fund the development of COVID-19 vaccines through pre-orders. The good news is that many of the vaccine developers who were funded successfully produced vaccines, including AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Moderna. Because rich countries helped to fund all these companies to develop vaccines, they now have pre-ordered and pre-stocked vaccines from all these providers. It may now appear that they are hoarding vaccines because of their existing pre-orders, but this is merely a result of the funding and negotiations which took place months ago. Instead of painting rich countries as vaccine hoarders, they should be commended for generously funding vaccine developments even though there was no guarantee of success. This funding made the development of COVID-19 vaccines possible, from which the rest of the world can now benefit. It is every man for himself Commenting on South Africas challenge to secure enough vaccine doses for its whole population, Wierzycka said this is not surprising. She said because the pandemic is affecting every country the same, it was always going to be every man for himself. No-one is going to stand as a collective. This is what we are seeing, Wierzycka said. South Africa was slow to start negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to secure COVID-19 vaccines. The Treasury revealed that the Department of Health only requested a deviation procurement processes on 6 January 2021 to start negotiation with four large vaccine producers. This means South Africas struggle to secure vaccines is not a result of vaccine nationalism, but rather its lack of action when it was needed months ago. News24 reported that Pfizer even attempted to contact South African health officials to offer them vaccines, but the health officials were allegedly non-responsive. For Ramaphosa to now blame wealthy countries, which funded the development of vaccines, for hoarding vaccines and hurting poorer nations is disingenuous. It would be far more productive to focus on procuring vaccines from multiple companies, especially those which hold the most promise protecting against the new COVID-19 variants. Ramaphosa should also acknowledge that his government has bungled the process and involve the private sector to secure and roll out vaccines. The good news is that it is not too late. Wierzycka said there is still the opportunity for South Africa to enter into quid-pro-quo negotiations with vaccine developers. We are late to the ordering game for existing vaccines, but it is not impossible to order the existing vaccines. It can even be done at reasonable pricing, she said. Wierzycka highlighted that South Africa has a great scientific community and is often used for clinical trials for new vaccines. This can be used to our advantage. Magda Wierzycka interview 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. EMILY ST. LAWRENCE, Chariho girls lacrosse, senior: St. Lawrence tied a school record for goals in a game with nine in a win over Smithfield. St. Lawrence scored 17 goals for the week and has 32 for the season. CARLY CONSTANTINE, Stonington softball, sophomore: Constantine singled home Shea OConnor with the winning run to hand Waterford, the states No. 2 ranked team at the time, its first loss of the season. For the week, Constantine was 5 for 15. GREG GORMAN, Westerly baseball, junior: Gorman, a junior, hit a massive home run in a win against Barrington. The homer went over the fence in center field and landed in a nearby road. Gorman was 3 for 3 with four RBIs in the game. He is hitting .571 with 10 RBIs for the season. BRADIN ANDERSON, Wheeler baseball, freshman: Anderson, a freshman, pitched a complete-game shutout to beat Grasso Tech. Anderson struck out three to earn the first win of his varsity career. Vote View Results A leading US diplomat slammed Turkish, Russian and Emirati policy in Libya on Thursday at the United Nations. Richard Mills, the head of the US mission to the UN, said the three states should stop interfering in Libya. We call on all external parties, to include Russia, Turkey, and the UAE, to respect Libyan sovereignty and immediately cease all military intervention in Libya, said Mills, according to a transcript from the US Mission to the United Nations. Mills spoke at a UN Security Council briefing on Libya. The US representative at such events is usually the US ambassador to the United Nations. However, US President Joe Bidens nominee, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has yet to be confirmed in the Senate. Libya is embroiled in a civil war between the UN-recognized Government of National Accord and the eastern-based Libyan National Army. The United States recognizes the Government of National Accord and Turkey heavily supports it militarily. Russia and the United Arab Emirates back the Libyan National Army and its leader, Gen. Khalifa Hifter. Turkey has sent military forces to the country, and Russian mercenaries are known to be operating there at the least. Mills reiterated the US position in support of the October cease-fire in Libya, but said outside powers were undermining it. "The external actors who have militarily intervened in this conflict have wholly, completely, ignored Libyan demands, said Mills. That cease-fire set a three-month deadline for foreign troops to leave Libya; the deadline passed Jan. 23. We call on Turkey and Russia to immediately initiate the withdrawal of their forces from the country and the removal of the foreign mercenaries and military proxies that they have recruited, financed, deployed, and supported in Libya, Mills added. The statements are similar to those of the previous administration. Mike Pompeo, the Secretary of State under former President Donald Trump, said in May that the United States opposed weapons transfers to Libya. In December, he accused Russia of sowing chaos in the country. The same month, he criticized Turkey for sending Syrian rebel forces to fight in Libya. Pompeos rebuke of Turkeys Libya policy came late in the Trump presidency, however, and was related to the administrations opposition to Turkey purchasing the Russian S-400 missile defense system. In contrast, the Biden administration is taking a more critical stance on Turkish policy from the start. Bidens secretary of state, Antony Blinken, called Turkey a so-called partner during his January confirmation hearing due to the S-400 purchase. Mills comments on Turkish actions in Libya add to this criticism from the Biden administration. The Trump administration also did not rebuke its ally UAEs foreign policy in Libya, while Mills named Abu Dhabi explicitly at the meeting. Vietnam exports first batch of rice to UK under UKVFTA A company named Long Dan imported jasmine rice produced by Vinaseed to sell it at its supermarket in the UK. At present, the UK applies an import tax of 17.4 per cent for jasmine rice. Vietnam is exempt from this thanks to the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), improving the competitive capacity of Vietnamese products compared to other countries, like Thailand. Vietnamese Commercial Counsellor in the UK Nguyen Canh Cuong said that along with Long Dan, numerous other enterprises will also import Vietnamese rice under the UKVFTA. The UKVFTA came into effect since January 1, 2021, creating more convenient conditions for exporting Vietnamese jasmine rice to the UK. This products export turnover is expected to rise sharply against 2020, Cuong said. In 2019, the export turnover of rice to this country increased by 376 per cent compared to the figure of 2018, however, due to the high tariffs, this product faced difficulties in competition. Vietnam ranks 22nd among countries exporting rice to the UK, making up 0.24 per cent of the total import turnover to this country, despite Vietnam being one of the five largest rice exporters in the world. The nation is the third-biggest trade partner of Vietnam in the EU. According to the General Department of Customs of Vietnam, in 2019, bilateral turnover reached $6.6 billion, including $5.8 billion in export value and $857 million in import value. In 2011-2019, bilateral trade grew at an average 12.1 per cent, higher than Vietnam's average trade growth of 10 per cent with other countries. ALBANY Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and his health commissioner on Friday offered some different perspectives on an investigation that said the state underreported the deaths of nursing home residents connected to the coronavirus by as much as 50 percent. At a news conference Friday, Cuomo argued that Attorney General Letitia James report released Thursday affirmed everything state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker had said over the past year, although there were differences between James' findings and Zucker's past statements about a health department guidance that required admission of COVID-19 patients into nursing homes. The attorney general's report said the practice may have increased the risk of COVID-19 infections at the congregate facilities a notion that was largely dismissed in a report by the Department of Health that was released in July. Zucker called the reports highest-profile finding that his health department had undercounted nursing home deaths in the state by about 50 percent misleading. To misrepresent that number is actually inaccurate, Zucker said. When they said theres undercounting, thats just factually inaccurate. In counting COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes, the Health Department had not been including people who contracted COVID-19 in nursing homes, but then died in hospitals. James report did count such deaths in finding that the administration had undercounted total nursing home deaths by roughly 50 percent. Until James report was released on Thursday, the Cuomo administration for months had resisted calls from lawmakers to release the information about hospital deaths, saying it was being audited. The numbers became available after James report was released on Thursday. When I saw the attorney general report, I decided we needed to finish that up quickly and get these numbers out in real time, Zucker said on Friday. Zucker stated on Thursday that although the audit remains ongoing, DOH data that from March 1 to Jan. 19 found there had been 9,786 confirmed fatalities associated with nursing home residents, including 5,957 fatalities within nursing facilities, and 3,829 within a hospital. On Friday, Cuomo said repeatedly that James report affirmed all the statements made by the Cuomo administration defending its own performance. This report affirms everything the commissioner (Zucker) said for the past year, Cuomo said. But James report does not mirror all of Zuckers statements. For instance, in July, the Health Department issued a report absolving the Cuomo administration of blame for more than 6,000 nursing home deaths caused by COVID-19. At particular issue was a Health Department directive, from March 2020, disallowing nursing homes from denying admission or readmission to residents based solely on a positive or suspected COVID-19 diagnosis. If a COVID-19-positive patient at a hospital was medically stable and needed nursing home care, many nursing homes believed the directive required them to accept that person. The attorney generals report, however, did not mirror the Health Department's conclusion that its own directive was blameless for nursing home deaths. The James report found that 4,000 nursing home deaths occurred after the issuance of the March 25 guidance including some in 323 facilities that apparently had no reported COVID-19 infections before receiving admissions or re-admissions of hospital residents diagnosed with the virus. Previous coverage "While additional data and analysis would be required to ascertain the effect of such admissions in individual facilities, these admissions may have contributed to increased risk of nursing home resident infection, and subsequent fatalities," the report stated. Cuomo's office, however, noted several sections of James' report that did affirm the administration's prior statements. For instance, James' report stated that the Health Department's March 25 guidance was consistent with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services guidance, which stated that nursing homes should accept residents they would have normally admitted, even from a hospital and with COVID-19. The department's policy was also consistent with Centers for Disease Control guidance, the James report found. And James' investigation so far has not revealed an admission from any nursing home operator that they could not care for referred residents, a point the Cuomo administration has also emphasized. At Friday's briefing, Cuomo expressed empathy for the families of those who died in nursing homes. The governor said that he understood the instinct to place blame amid such pain, noting his own grief following the death of his father, former Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, in 2015. "What I would say is: Everyone did the best they could," Cuomo said. "I believe everyone, the federal government, the Centers for Disease Control, the Department of Health, made the best decisions they could, based on the facts they had." Cuomo also announced that New York will resume allowing weddings with up to 150 guests on March 15. The guests must be tested for COVID-19 prior to the wedding and the event must be approved by the local health department. And Cuomo said he planned to allow New York City restaurants to reopen at one quarter capacity on Valentines Day. At a separate briefing in Washington, D.C., White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked whether President Joseph R. Biden would support a federal investigation into nursing home deaths in New York and Cuomos role. Psaki said that any investigation would be led by the Department of Justice. Were in a new age where theyre independent and they will determine what path they take moving forward. The federal Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Emilie Munson contributed reporting. India's fundamental growth drivers remain resilient and robust, making the country an attractive business destination globally, aerospace major Boeing said on Thursday. "India's aerospace industry is persevering through the global pandemic, which has brought significant challenges," Boeing India President Salil Gupte said while giving a brief about the company's participation at the upcoming Aero India. "The nation's fundamental growth drivers remain resilient and robust, making India an attractive business destination globally, and Boeing is committed to the advancement of India's aerospace industry." Accordingly, Boeing will hold discussions with customers and industry partners about its range of capabilities during the upcoming event. At the exhibit, Boeing will feature F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet, F-15EX, KC-46A, AH-64E Apache, P-8I, Chinook, 737-10 and 787-9. Besides, the company said that due to the significant impact of Covid-19 on the commercial aviation market, Boeing's forecasts indicate that it will take around three years for air travel to return to 2019 levels and a few years beyond that to return to long term growth trends. "India's large domestic passenger market relative to total passenger travel (domestic and international) presents an opportunity for a quicker recovery when the Covid-19 pandemic abates," the company's statement said. "India is expected to grow at a world-leading compound annual growth rate of 5.2 per cent through 2039. This is mainly contributed by the rapidly growing middle class in India." According to the statement, Boeing announced the 'Boeing India Repair Development and Sustainment' (BIRDS) hub initiative as part of its commitment to supporting and strengthening indigenous aerospace and defence capabilities in the country. The initiative envisions a competitive MRO ecosystem for engineering, maintenance, skilling, repair and sustainment services of defence and commercial aircraft in India. Health official: 'I am hopeful for the brighter days ahead' 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 With the world slowing and steadily recovering from the lethal phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, India is pinning its hopes on Budget 2021 to revive the economy. The infrastructure sector has been the backbone for the development of the nation, and the energy sector specifically, has played a vital role in the same. Given that Budget 2021 is around the corner, the energy sector has widespread expectations, mainly from the context of direct taxes. Budget 2021 Tax Consolidation Scheme: Need of the Hour The modus operandi of any infrastructure player includes setting up of multiple special purpose vehicles that operate for each project undertaken by them. Typically, a parent entity may have 50 to 100 entities under its umbrella. Currently, each of these entities is administered and assessed for tax as a separate entity which has led to many administrative and financial difficulties. The long-pending request from the sector is the concept of a tax consolidation scheme. This model works around the concept of taxing the parent entity in respect of all income accrued to it, including the income of its subsidiaries. This concept is not new or unconventional and many developed countries including the US, Australia, and Japan have already successfully implemented the said regime. This model would benefit the industry by reducing compliance cost and disregarding intra-group transactions that result in unnecessary complexities. This will ensure that the group as a whole is paying tax on the total income earned by it. In addition, it will also benefit tax authorities in administering these entities. Currently, authorities have to administer a number of entities and there are chances that many of them are not even under the tax radar. However, with this concept, there would be less chance of income escapement and lesser entities can be administered more efficiently. With the government's motto of ease of doing business and with the financial crunch hitting the economy hard, there could be no better time to introduce this concept which could act as a great impetus to the industry. Also Read: Budget 2021: Date, time, sector-wise expectations; everything you need to no Relaxation in the provisions of Section 94B Infra players operate on huge leveraging and the sector is debt intensive with a long gestation period. While the government is incentivising lower withholding rates on loans taken from non-residents, the impact of thin capitalisation provisions under Section 94B of the Income Tax Act ('the Act') has been draconian. Therefore, the existing limit of 30% of EBITDA certainly requires a revisit and an enhancement for this sector. Further, as an industry practice, any loan taken from a lender is guaranteed by the parent entity. An undesired impact is that even though loans are raised from third-party non-resident lenders, thin cap rules are applicable. Hence, money borrowed from non-resident lenders with the guarantee of resident associated enterprises, are also considered for the purpose of disallowance. Therefore, clarification should be made on the definition of an associated enterprise to mean non-residents to avoid unintended additional cost. Expanding the scope of Section 35AD Section 35AD of the Act provides investment allowance on the capital expenditure incurred on specified business. Power projects have always been capital intensive. Inclusion, setting up and operating renewable power plants under the definition of specified business for the purpose of Section 35AD, would incentivise these players to heavily invest and build renewable energy for the nation and meet its renewable energy targets. Concessional tax regime If an Indian company opts for the 'lower tax regime' in FY 2019-20, it would be allowed to add back unabsorbed depreciation attributable to 'additional depreciation' pertaining to earlier in opening written down value. However, a clarification is required to provide similar relief to entities opting for a concessional tax regime in FY post-FY 2019-20. Incentivise consumers to shift to Renewable source of energy With the government in Budget 2020, shifting focus to renewable energy by allocating Rs 22,000 crore, a section may be inserted under the provisions of Chapter VIA Heading B to provide deduction for setting up solar panels for personal or captive consumption. This may act as an impetus to expand the use of renewable sources of energy in India. Relax the provisions of Section 80JJAA Currently, Section 80JJAA of the Act, provides deduction to employers on additional workforce employed by them. The energy sector is labor-intensive and with the current situation of unemployment, relaxing the provisions of Section 80JJAA and increasing the wage limit from the existing Rs 25,000, would incentivise the sector. Such changes would be in sync with labour code changes and industry standards. In a nutshell, the major expectation is to incentivise and promote the energy sector and to revive the economy, and restore it to normalcy after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Jimit Devani is Partner, Shailvi Singhal is Senior Manager and Vibha Venkatesh is Assistant Manager with Deloitte Haskins and Sells LLP.) Update: This article has been changed to reflect that the cost of the project is $20.4 million. SPRINGFIELD A former office building in East Springfield will be the new home of Springfield Prep Charter School this summer. The $20.4 million project will feature a 51,000-square-foot building on four acres. The school, which has operated in temporary spaces since it opened in 2015, expects to move into its new campus in time to start the next school year. Since we opened, we have gotten used to doing more with less, but our scholars deserve the best, said founder and Executive Director Bill Spirer. We are completely transforming this building into a modern, bright, technology-integrated school campus that offers great spaces to gather, learn together, play, and collaborate. The new site is a former office building at at 2071 Roosevelt Ave. The campus will feature a full gymnasium with a stage, multiple playgrounds and outdoor classroom space. There will also be dedicated classrooms for science and art, and a multipurpose cafeteria and community room. We always knew we would need more space and have been looking for the right space in Springfield for a number of years, Spirer said. The school started off on Pine Street sharing space with Veritas Prep Charter School. Now it is at the Jewish Community Center campus on the Springfield/ Longmeadow line. Springfield Prep has 380 students in kindergarten through sixth grade, and will grow to its full size, with 486 students through eighth grade, in the 2022-23 school year. Like all charter schools in Massachusetts, Springfield Prep is a free public school with no screening requirements. Students are enrolled through a lottery. Since COVID we have been mostly remote, except for some students who have had barriers to remote learning, Spirer said. We are hoping to bring more students back on-site throughout the winter and the spring. Spirer said teachers, students and families have had to adapt to a new way of teaching and learning, but everyone is adapting. Its incredibly hard, but our teachers have done an amazing job. We are a small school and that allows us to be dynamic and agile, so we have made a lot of program changes to support our students as well as possible during these challenging times, he said. A rendition of the renovated Springfield Prep Charter School in Springfield. Charter schools do not have access to funds from the Massachusetts School Building Authority and must fund building projects through operating reserves, private fundraising and bank financing. The majority of the Springfield Prep project is being financed through a $13.3 million bond issued by MassDevelopment and purchased by Boston Private Bank & Trust. Civic Builders, a nonprofit that develops and finances schools in under-resourced neighborhoods, provided $3.5 million of new market tax credit proceeds, which U.S. Bank purchased. BlueHub Capital provided an initial bridge loan that enabled the school to acquire the property. The school has also raised $2.8 million through a capital campaign. Given what our scholars, staff, and families have been able to accomplish in temporary spaces, I know we will be able to achieve even greater heights together in a school building that has the resources and amenities that many schools take for granted, said Kelvin Molina-Brantley, who helped found the school and is now on the board of directors. We are proud to be building another state-of-the-art school building that will serve thousands of deserving Springfield scholars for many years to come. The school purchased the building in January 2020 and broke ground in August. The contractor is Fontaine Brothers, a Springfield firm, with designs by Jones Whitsett Architects. The project is managed by QPD Co., a real estate consulting firm that focuses on charter school and nonprofit development. The project will generate 64 prevailing wage construction jobs. At full capacity, the school will employ more than 70 full-time staff members. The project incorporates design elements to increase energy efficiency and overall sustainability, including a new heating, air conditioning and ventilation system. We are ensuring that we are following the most updated guidelines about safety and that the space is as safe as it can be for our students and staff, Spirer said. The school is set to open in the fall, pending any pandemic restrictions set by the state. This school year has been challenging in so many ways, and not seeing our students in person has been the most difficult part of this, Spirer said. Having this new campus in our future gives us something exciting to look forward to. We cant wait. Related Content: I spent more than four years living in the shadows as a victim of human trafficking. America may have outlawed slavery a century and a half ago, but there is still a frightening underground network of labor and sex trafficking in this country, even in the most unassuming communities. I grew up in West Africa in a loving family, but my parents struggled to make ends meet. To us, Europe and America were places of prosperity and opportunity. I was 19 years old when, in 1999, a family friend asked me to go to Paris with her to help her with hair braiding. I was excited; I had never been out of West Africa before, and I was hopeful that I would be able to make money that I could send back to my family. I arrived in Paris but I was only in France for two days. Out of the blue, the family friend told me we were flying to the United States. She took me through airport security using a fake passport, and we flew to Atlanta, where she put me in an apartment with her. I wasnt allowed to tell my family where I was, and this is when I first knew something wasnt right, but it was too late. It was more than a year before my family even knew I wasnt still in Paris. I worked for this woman for four years as a hair braider, and I was never paid a dollar. I had food to eat and a place to sleep, but that was all. I worked seven days a week, often until two in the morning, and then waking up again four hours later to start all over again. I was frequently abused, physically, mentally and emotionally. I was treated like an animal, and I was made to feel like one. I lost so much weight that I was just skin and bones; I tried to commit suicide twice. Im often asked why I didnt escape sooner. But I was in a strange new country where I knew no one. I didnt speak the language, and I had no legal paperwork. I had nowhere to go, no one to tell and no way to explain what was happening to me. Trafficking was not even a word that was in my vocabulary, even in my native language. I was only allowed to call my family when my trafficker was present. She put the phone on speakerphone and monitored everything I said. I knew that if I spoke out in any way against her, I would be beaten. Finally, I ran. I turned to a friend, a former employee at the shop of my trafficker, and she hid me in her apartment. In 2011, I found a lawyer named Kadidja who could help me. I wanted to get the papers I needed to leave the country and go see my mother. But the lawyer told me that if I left the country, I would never be able to come back, because I was an illegal immigrant. I sought out multiple lawyers to find a way to become a legal U.S. resident, but none of them could help me until 2015, when I met a lawyer named Kembra. She told me about human trafficking, and thats when I realized that what I had been through was called labor trafficking. Thankfully, she put me in touch with an organization in Atlanta called Tapestri, which helped me get a visa, and they connected me to World Relief Triad, which then helped me start fresh in a new city and pay for an apartment, medical care and basic supplies. Once I received my legal documents, they even helped me find a job doing hair. Today, I pay my own rent. I am working on getting my GED, and I hope to become a pharmacy technician. I feel like I am finally earning my place in America and giving back to the country that helped me escape from the prison I was in for so many years. When I tell my story now, I tell people that trafficking happens right in front of us. Look up from your phone when youre at the store, or walking down the street, or at the gas station. If youre in law enforcement, be aware that people with stories like mine exist. If youre a business owner, hire us. Find the organizations that are helping survivors, and ask how you can help. You can also advocate. The visa I received, which dramatically changed the course of my life, would not exist without those who advocated for the passage of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in 2000. Last year I joined more than 25,000 others in a letter urging our government to fully enforce this critical law once again. I will never know the advocates whose influence made the legal change necessary for me to be protected in the U.S., nor the names of those who donated clothes, money, grocery gift cards and other items that found their way to me when I was getting onto my feet. To all of them, I say: Thank you for changing the life of a stranger you will never meet. Pulcherie Kindoho is a survivor of human trafficking. Posted Friday, January 29, 2021 3:22 am - Washington State Journal Washington drivers will pay an extra 18 cents per gallon in gas taxes if a new 16-year, $25.8 billion transportation package backed by House Democrats is approved. The gas tax includes a 3 cent tax increase on diesel as well as a 1% increase on sales tax for rental cars. The package, according to legislators and supporters, is focused on preservation and maintenance of existing state transportation systems. The Columbia River bridge connecting Portland to Washington, the US Highway 2 trestle and the removal of culverts to unblock fish passages are the key projects funded by the proposed plan. Rep. Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, and other legislators on his committee conducted 90 meetings with stakeholders across the state, making a point to include communities affected by the projects. House Republicans seem baffled that they werent included in those meetings. The spirit of bipartisanship was set aside when my Republican colleagues and I werent asked to have a seat or a voice at the table, Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia, said. Barkis is the ranking Republican on the House Transportation Committee. His largest concern was the timing of the taxes. Fey said imposing taxes is always difficult, but transportation projects need funding now. Without approval, the state will have to start cutting projects. Rep. Bill Ramos, D-Issaquah, also discussed partnerships with the Office of Minority and Womens Business Enterprises and the Washington State Department of Transportation to further bridge the equity gap within the transportation sector creating and certifying more contractors across the state. These investments will create thousands of jobs, well paid jobs, Fey said. Highlights of the package include $4.6 billion going toward maintenance and preservation projects, $6.7 billion toward state and local projects and another $2.5 billion set aside for carbon reduction investments. Carbon reduction investments include an incentive program that would reduce the sales tax on electric vehicles and investments on electric vehicle charging. The Washington State Journal is a non-profit news website managed by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation. Learn more at wastatejournal.org. Im also not sure how you do an investigation on something where you dont have the name of the individual so its anonymous, he said. How do you investigate that? Who do you interview? Who do you talk to? How do you know what information, if there are recordings, you know, body camera, or otherwise? How do you know where to gather that information? Even as San Francisco resumed outdoor dining, some gym activities and indoor haircuts on Thursday the last of the Bay Area counties to reopen after the state lockdown concerns lingered over Californias vaccination rollout. The states new vaccination plan will prioritize people by age rather than by risk of infection beginning in mid-February, and people with disabilities and other groups said that is not only unfair but puts their lives at risk. How dare you! said Sage Doshay of Saratoga, expressing fury at the states plan. Doshay is 29. She has a medical condition that requires her to take immunosuppressive medications and leaves her at a high risk of complications if she contracts COVID-19. Shes put off medical care she needs because she would have to see the doctor in person. She isnt comfortable visiting the doctor because she lives with her parents, who she said also have compromised immune systems. Our lives have value, Doshay told The Chronicle. Our experiences have value. Our suffering is a black mark on society. And if youre pretending that this is just about waiting, it should be a stain on your conscience as a medical professional for the rest of your career. The new eligibility criteria, which Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Jan. 22, prioritizes age over risk of infection. The idea was to add efficiency to a bungling, confusing rollout because it is easier for officials to determine age than medical condition, or job title. The new system will allow us to scale up much more quickly to get vaccines to impacted communities much more expeditiously, he said Monday. Currently, Californians eligible to be vaccinated are those at least 65 years old, as well as health care and nursing home workers, and those working in education, child care, emergency services, agriculture, restaurants and other food services. But once those groups are mostly vaccinated, the criteria will change and become largely based on age. Originally, the next group was to have included workers in transportation and manufacturing, as well as prison inmates and people with health issues or disabilities were part of the group after that. Those groups will no longer be prioritized. The state has not given a timeline for when the next age groups will become eligible. That will depend on the supply of vaccine, which has been short. The problem right now is supply, supply, supply, said Susan Philip, acting health officer for the Department of Public Health in San Francisco, speaking at a UCSF forum on Thursday. She said the distribution bottleneck is preventing the city from opening high-volume vaccination sites at Moscone Center and the Wholesale Produce Market, both located in neighborhoods hard hit by the pandemic. Dr. Mark Ghaly, the states health and human services secretary, said that younger individuals in professions or in situations where they arent nearly as exposed as some of the high-exposure industries will end up waiting a little longer than others who have either high risk or high exposure to COVID risk factors. There of course is going to be some sectors of our population who dont come to the front of the line as quickly as others. Were working to make sure that communication is simple and well understood, he added. People at high risk for COVID-19 but not yet 65 say forcing them to wait for the vaccine puts them in danger. It scares us, said Andrew Imparato, who serves on a state vaccine advisory committee and is executive director of Disability Rights California. We dont feel that disability community is being taken seriously, Imparato said, adding that he and other advocates for the disabled agree that older people should be prioritized for getting the vaccine but that younger people who are at high risk because of underlying health conditions or who live in group settings should have access at the time as people over 65. The California Department of Public Health did not respond to a request for comment on these concerns. Essential workers, such as bus drivers and train conductors, said they, too, should be prioritized. On Thursday, BART Board Vice Chair Rebecca Saltzman said during a meeting Thursday she was so disappointed that the governor went to an age-based vaccination system, which bumps transit operators down the list. Its appalling, she said. These are workers who have put themselves on the line every day since the start of the pandemic. Saltzman said that getting shots for workers is her priority No. 1. right now. Ethicists say they understand why a one size fits all approach feels flawed to people who are left out of it. In an ideal system, wed create a prognostic system that would estimate each persons risk of dying of COVID first, and of transmitting it second. But we cant do that, said Dr. Alexander Smith, a bioethicist and professor of medicine at UCSFs division of geriatrics who has studied the allocation of scarce resources during the pandemic. We dont have the time, and we dont have the data, he said. And explaining such a complex system to the public would be a monumental path doomed to failure. Smith noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that people aged 65 to 74 are 90 times more at risk of dying from COVID-19 than are people in their 20s, and are eight times more at risk of being hospitalized for the disease. In short, Smith said, theres a difference between the way a doctor can tailor individual treatments to patients, versus what a state can do during a pandemic. The public health measure aims to do the most good for the most people, he said. And in a pandemic were invoking public health ethics. Its an argument that doesnt sit well with Charis Hill, 33. Its as if the governor does not want me to live anymore, to be honest, Hill said. Hill, who uses the pronoun they, has a condition called axial spondyloarthritis, which causes inflammation in the spine, leads to pain and fatigue, and puts them at a higher risk of complications from the coronavirus. Ive been systemically prevented from full access to life even before the pandemic, Hill said. And the pandemic has just heightened that experience. Hill has long been bothered by the idea that only older people face serious complications from the virus. Thats now been turned into policy, they said. San Francisco Chronicle staff writers Mallory Moench and Aidin Vaziri contributed to this story. Nanette Asimov and Michael Williams are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com, michael.williams@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov, @MichaelWilliams After years of running high-class escort services, a secretive Sydney businesswoman is ruffling the feathers of her country neighbours over plans for a helipad at her ultra-luxurious and very private retreat which attracts an eye-watering nightly rate of $11,000. Eyebrows were raised when high walls, security cameras and a stern warning not to trespass were erected at the entrance to a five-acre farm on Promised Land Road, about a 15-minute drive from Bellingen, a small town on the Mid North Coast. Inside the $11,000 per night paparazzi-free luxury retreat near Bellingen. Over the past three years, the new owner spent $6 million to create Hermes Estate, a five-star paparazzi-free zone in the most opulent two-bedroom villa in the country. As well as a French chef, private butler and Dom Perignon on ice, the website for Hermes Estate claims: Its a couples wonderland, a VIPs utopia, an artisans paradise. The property offers bespoke experiences to cater to the most discerning tastes. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! After wowing smart home users (including us) with its eye-popping, touch-sensitive smart light panels, Nanoleaf has launched an Essentials line of more traditional smart lighting products, including a color A19 bulb. Like most things Nanoleaf, the Essentials A19 comes with a few twists, including its trippy, 120-sided design and its support for Thread, an IP-based Internet of Things (IoT) protocol backed by the likes of Apple, Google, and Samsung SmartThings. Thread is a low-power, high-reliability, and security-focused protocol thats been percolating for more than six years, but its only supported by a handful of products, which means its potential has yet to be fully realized. The same could be said for Nanoleafs Essentials A19 bulb, which boasts some interesting featuresincluding the ability to sync with music, Mac and PC monitors, and Nanoleafs own Shapes light panelsthat arent yet ready for prime time yet. Another wrinkle is the fact that the bulbs most advanced features rely on a Thread border routera device that acts as a bridge between a Thread network and another networks, such as Wi-Fiand for now, theres only one consumer model: the $99 Apple HomePod Mini. This review is part of TechHives coverage of the best smart light bulbs, where youll find reviews of competing products, plus a buyers guide to the features you should consider when shopping this category. Still, the $20 Essentials A19 is a compelling smart bulb, what with its unique design, its easy setup, and its compatibility with Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant. And if youre not ready to invest in a HomePod Mini, you can still control the bulb via Bluetooth. Configuration For now, there are just two products in Nanoleafs Essentials line: the A19 bulb were reviewing, and a $50 smart LED lightstrip. A promotional image from Nanoleaf depicts a variety of other interesting lights, including BR30 downlights, decorative candle bulbs, and GU10 and/or GU24 downlights, but the A19 and the lightstrip are the only two products that have been officially announced. The most arresting thing about the Nanoleaf Essentials A19 bulb is its nifty, 120-sided shape, also known as a rhombicosidodecahedron (yes, thats nine syllabels). Functionally speaking, though, the A19 is a typical bulb with an E26 base that will fit in a standard light socket. Rated to last up to 25,000 hours, the Essentials A19 bulb is tunable from a warm 2,700 Kelvin, similar to a bedroom incandescent bulb, to a cool 6,500 K, which is closer to daylight on a hazy day. The bulb can also cast up to 12 million colors, which you can choose from a circular palate in the Nanoleaf app. Capable of emitting up to 1,100 lumens of brightness (roughly equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent bulb), the A19 had no trouble lighting up my bedroom, and it would serve equally well lighting a desk or another workspace. Setup Getting the Nanoleaf Essentials A19 up and running was easy. Using the Apple Home app, I just scanned the QR code on the base of the bulb; the Home app quickly added the bulb to my collection of HomeKit devices, and that was it. (Want to know more about HomeKit? Read this story.) If you prefer Google, you can use the Google Home app to add the bulb to your Assistant-controlled smart devices. You dont need an Apple HomePod Mini to start using the bulb; if you like, you can simply control it via Bluetooth. Bluetooth control of the bulb, however, entails some pretty significant limitations, starting with the fact that youll need to be in the same room (or reasonably nearby, as in 33 feet or so) to connect to the bulb. Youll still be able to add the A19 to scenes and schedules, but if your phone is out of range, the scenes wont be applied and the schedules will fail to trigger. To take advantage of the Essential A19s more advanced functionality, youll need that HomePod Mini or another Thread Border router. I started testing the A19 using Bluetooth, because the HomePod Mini wasnt available. Once Apples smaller smart speaker arrived, I didnt have to do anything special to connect it to the bulb; as they like to say in Cupertino, it just worked. Ben Patterson/IDG Some of the most promising features of the Nanoleaf Essentials A19 bulb require a Thread border router, and for now, that means a $99 HomePod Mini. With the Essentials A19 connected via Thread, it suddenly began responding to my commands much more quickly (it was a tad sluggish when using Bluetooth), and I could control the bulb from all the way across my apartment, or even from across town. (Like the full-sized HomePod, the HomePod Mini acts as a HomeKit hub allowing for out-of-home control of HomeKit devices). Features and functionality Nanoleaf has ambitious plans for its Essentials collection of lights, including the ability to mirror the colors on your Mac or Windows display, to sync with its Shapes light panels, and to sync with your music. Essentials bulbs, including the A19, willeventuallyalso work with HomeKits new Adaptive Lighting feature, which automatically adjusts the hue and brightness of your lights according to the time of day in your particular region. For now, though, those features are all still in the works, and once they do arrive, theyll all require a Thread connection. The Essentials A19 does have plenty of primed-and-ready features. Take circadian lighting, which (similar to Apples Adaptive Lighting feature) automatically adjusts the light according to the time of day. We particularly appreciate that Nanoleafs circadian lighting feature works both with Thread connections and via Bluetooth. Ben Patterson/IDG The redesigned color palate on the Nanoleaf app makes it easy to pick colors and white temperatures for the Essentials A19 bulb. The Nanoleaf app offers a redesigned touchscreen color palate that makes it easy to pick a color or a white color temperature; you can also plug in a hex color code or RGB value to get a precise color, a rare option in a smart bulb app. You can also group the Essentials A19 bulb with other Essentials lights, Nanoleafs Shapes light panels, or other compatible smart lights (including those from Philips Hue) for creating color scenes. One thing you cant do using the Nanoleaf app is any form of scheduling (which is otherwise possible for the Nanoleaf Shapes series). If you want to put the Essentials A19 bulb on a schedule, you can do so using the Apple Home or Google Home app, which both offer standard daily and weekly schedules, as well as sunrise/sunset triggers. You can also add the A19 to HomeKit automations and Google Assistant routines, including the Assistants Gentle Sleep and Wake feature (which gradually dims the light at bedtime and ups the brightness in the morning). While the Essentials A19 bulb is (as youve probably gathered by now) compatible with HomeKit and Google Assistant, its not compatible with Alexa, which marks something of a break with Nanoleafs previous smart lights. A Nanoleaf rep didnt offer a timeline for when Alexa support might arrive, or whether it will arrive at all. Bottom line As Ive already said, Nanoleafs Essentials line, including the A19 bulb reviewed here, show plenty of promise, and we cant wait to see the final, feature-complete lineup. Were also eager for the arrival of more Thread border routers, including some cheaper options than the HomePod Mini. For now, though, this A19 bulb remains very much a work in progress. MIDDLETOWN Despite launching her new bakery, Cake, Batter and Roll, during the pandemic, Lindsey Chartrand has found great success in an unexpected way. Everything has a little bit of a silver lining, said Chartrand, who launched a food truck in 2019. When breweries were required to offer food instead of just beer, her customer base grew, so much so that Chartrand was able to leave her day job. Between the rules changing, people wanting to support small businesses and it being outside so its safer, I did very well, she said. Because of the popularity of the truck, Chartrand knew launching a brick-and-mortar storefront could lead to endless possibilities. It opened Dec. 22, at 124 College St. The handheld Liege waffles, with traditional breakfast and savory options, required an imported waffle maker. Soon customers began seeking her out, Chartrand said. The waffles are made from yeast dough, rather than a traditional pancake batter, and contain pearl sugar, which caramelizes when cooked. Chartrand also offers sandwiches and salads, and, soon, protein bowls. Her endeavor is booming, something Chartrand attributes to Middletown being a great place for small businesses, she said. Plus, opening just before the holidays drew many customers. Chartrand, who most recently worked for Butchers & Bakers in Farmington, has been in the restaurant business for 26 years, and is from a long line of at-home bakers and farmers. Its in my blood, she said. It was off-the-land in upper New York state. They didnt have grocery stores local to them, they grew their own vegetables, they raised their own meat, and they made their own breads and everything else from scratch all the time, Chartrand said. Most of her recipes have been passed down from aunts and cousins, including the coffee cakes, her biggest seller. Chartrands sister is a big fan of crime stories and podcasts, which has inspired their upcoming line of Cereal Killers, made with cereal milk, with various flavors such as Golden Grahams. One of the pastries will be called the Ted Bunty. We love puns, she said. Employee Selda Radoncic worked with Chartrand at Butchers & Bakers. I was always inspired by Lindsey because she worked hard during her food truck days, Radoncic said. It was nice seeing her being able to open up a store after two years on the food truck. Radoncic has been impressed by how nice customers are in Middletown, she said. Ive been in food service for over 10 years. Ive never met people so kind. And, theyre telling people, Chartrand said about word-of-mouth business. One of the first cakes made at the bakery was vegan. When the host told friends where it came from, they wanted to know where the place was, so they sent customers her way, Chartrand said. People are definitely spreading the word. Chartrands favorites are the cinnamon swirl bread and salted Nutella bars. Those are spot-on, she said of the latter. The bread has become a customer favorite, the owner said. We had to quickly up our par on that, because since the beginning, people started to come in for that. Go big or go home, Chartrand said of about her supersized portions. It becomes a talking point. It becomes a way to remember here something unique to us, she said. A number of her creations are gluten- and dairy-free, and vegan. Its hard to discern the difference between these and other pastries made from traditional recipes, Chartrand said. People come in and get the M&M brownies and they have no idea. Friday and Saturday, the bakery was sold out of the gluten-free items by 9 a.m., she said. Baker Kristin Tyler was among the first applicants for the job. Chartrand hired her right away, knowing she was a great fit for the bakery. We matched, Chartrand said. I am able to explore different flavors, be super creative with what I make. Lindsey pretty much gives me a shape and says, Here you go. Do what you want, said Tyler, who created the Nutella bar. Everyone loves salt, and everyone loves sweets, so we put them together. Its a win-win. There was a whole lot of tasting those first couple weeks, but were trying to minimize the tasting, of these indulgences, Chartrand said. The shops also sells homemade dog treats, with proceeds donated to a new charity every month, Chartrand said. Other items include vegan butter, made from scratch, to go along with various breads, such as French baguettes. This weekend, Cake Batter and Roll will be baking vegan pumpkin mead bread in partnership with Middletowns Bergen House meadery, located at the former trolley house on lower Main Street. The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce is holding a grand opening there Friday, according to President Larry McHugh, who said hes pleased Cake, Batter and Roll has opened, especially considering the pandemic. Its a tough time to open a business and we wish them all the best, he said. Hours are 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends. Thursday and Friday, the bakery is open until 4 p.m. For information, see the Cake, Batter & Roll Facebook page or visit cbrbakery.com. File photo of 2020 March for Life in Washington DC The Bishops of the United States raise their voices in opposition to President Bidens executive order which allows federal funds to flow to foreign healthcare providers that support and perform abortions. By Devin Watkins US President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Thursday which reverses a ban on federal funds for organizations that promote and provide abortions in developing nations. His order cancelled the so-called Mexico City Policyalso known as the Promoting Life in Global Health Policy. It barred the use of taxpayer funds from going to organizations which perform abortions, offer abortion counseling, or advocate for so-called abortion rights. First enacted by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, the policy has previously been cancelled twice by Democratic presidents and renewed twice by Republican ones. Bishops strongly oppose the move In response, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the United States (USCCB) released a statement lamenting the executive order. It is grievous that one of President Bidens first official acts actively promotes the destruction of human lives in developing nations, they said. The statement was signed by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace. The Bishops say they strongly oppose President Bidens reversal of the policy. This Executive Order is antithetical to reason, violates human dignity, and is incompatible with Catholic teaching, they wrote. We urge the President to use his office for good, prioritizing the most vulnerable, including unborn children. Promoting respect for human life The US Bishops also note that the Church is the largest non-government healthcare provider in the world. As such, they added, the Catholic Church stands ready to work with [President Biden] and his administration to promote global womens health in a manner that furthers integral human development, safeguarding innate human rights and the dignity of every human life, beginning in the womb. The Bishops concluded by saying that care must start with ensuring that the unborn are free from violence, recognizing every person as a child of God. March for Life 2021 President Bidens executive order came just a day ahead of the annual March for Life, which is taking place in a virtual format on Friday. The yearly event sees thousands of Americans gather in Washington D.C. and elsewhere to promote a culture that respects life from conception to natural death, as well as to voice opposition to abortion. On Friday, Pope Francis tweeted his support for efforts to protect life. The culture of life is the heritage that Christians want to share with everyone, he tweeted. Every human life, unique and unrepeatable, is priceless. This must be courageously proclaimed ever anew through word and action. Netflix welcomed two former "Game of Thrones" stars to the cast of "The Sandman" series. The streaming giant continues to tease fans with more incredible content coming this 2021. This time, it hyped fans with live-action adaptation of the hit comic book series with the same name. The official Twitter account of Netflix UK & Ireland shared the first look of the confirmed cast members of "The Sandman." "THE SANDMAN - a new dark fantasy Netflix series based on the comic book series created for DC by Neil Gaiman. Starring: all of these great people..." the caption stated alongside a poster of the cast members. THE SANDMAN - a new dark fantasy Netflix series based on the comic book series created for DC by Neil Gaiman. Starring: all of these great people... pic.twitter.com/h9CamoNjl2 Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) January 28, 2021 Tom Sturridge leads the star-studded team as Dream, the Lord of the Dreaming. His character, who is also known as Morpheus, is part of the seven entities. The other Endless include Destiny, Destruction, Despair, Delirium, Desire, and Death. Sturridge will be joined by Vivienne Acheampong (Lucienne), Sanjeev Bhaskar (Cain), Asim Chaudry (Abel), and Boyd Holbrook (The Corinthian). Meanwhile, two GoT alums complete the main cast of "The Sandman" Netflix series: Gwendoline Christie (Lucifer) and Charles Dance (Roderick Burgess). All About "The Sandman" Series The highly-anticipated series is said to be a blend of dark fantasy and modern myth. Deadline also reported that the upcoming adaptation will fuse fiction, legend and historical drama. The story will reportedly follow the story of the Dream King as he tries to put everything into their right places after all the cosmic and human mistakes he committed. Aside from the award-winning actors and actresses on the cast list, several notable people will also work behind the camera. Allan Heinberg, who is well-renowned for his works in "Wonder Woman" and "Grey's Anatomy," will direct and executive produce. Neil Gaiman, the author of the book series, and David S. Goyer will work with Heinberg. The three also co-wrote the said project. "For the last 33 years, the Sandman characters have breathed and walked around and talked in my head. I'm unbelievably happy that now, finally, they get to step out of my head and into reality," Gaiman said in a statement, per The Hollywood Reporter. The author also expressed his excitement to see Dream and all his characters come to life through the industry's finest actors. Gaiman's "The Sandman" comic book series began to creep into people's minds in 1989. Finally, it will soon arrive as an 11-part series on the streaming giant. See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles Image: HowardWilks/Pixabay Kenya has opened its borders to Indian travellers, inviting us to take a journey of self-discovery by experiencing nature in its raw state. With the beginning of new year and the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine, countries have started promoting tourism again to normalise life and stabilise economies. International tourism is a major source of income for many businesses, as it facilitates a healthy flow of currency and supports the lifestyle of locals as well. Now, Kenya has reopened its borders to Indian travellers. And thats great news because the African nation has always been a favourite with desi travellers. The decline of international tourism is attributed to the travel restrictions imposed by both Kenya and India as part of the measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure the safety and comfort of travellers, the visa application process has to be completed online; a charge of $ 50 (roughly Rs 3,700) shall be incurred. The application can be submitted through www.ecitizen.go.ke. Furthermore, Kenya Airways (the Kenyan government airlines) has scheduled direct flights from Mumbai to Nairobi three times a week. The direct flights take approximately six hours, making it a convenient international destination (for perspective: it takes three hours to fly to Goa from Delhi). Not only does it take a short time to get there, but Kenya is also easy on your pockets; Rs 1 = 1.51 Kenyan Shilling! Certain health and safety protocols have to be undertaken for the safety of travellers. It is necessary for passengers to undertake a COVID-19 test at least 72 hours before departure and to carry a physical copy of the same. The yellow fever vaccine continues to be a mandate for every Indian traveller visiting Kenya across all age groups; travellers would thus need to possess a valid vaccine card upon their arrival into Kenya. The country has also implemented hospital protocols within hotels, tourist attractions as well as airports to ensure everyone's safety. Here are the experiences Kenya has to offer: Masai Mara National Reserve Image: GekkoDigitalMedia/Pixabay This picturesque forest is named in honour of its ancestral inhabitants, the Maasai people. This is one of the most famous and important wildlife conservation areas in Africa, and its world renowned for its exquisite wildlife like the lion, African leopard, cheetah and African bush elephant. It also hosts the great migration of the wildebeest, an event commended as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa! Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has refused to explicitly confirm if Australia is in talks with pharmaceutical companies to secure supplies of newer vaccines to combat variants of coronavirus such as the two highly infectious strains that have emerged in the UK and South Africa. But he insists Australia will not be left behind. Look, I would be cautious on making judgements on existing vaccines against the variants at this point in time. That will remain a matter for the vaccine advisory committee and the medical regulator, he said. At this point in time, the advice remains that the vaccines that we have are the right vaccines for the circumstance. But as that continues to evolve, we are in a position to be able to adapt. On the prospect that the Therapeutic Goods Administration finds the AztraZeneca vaccine - the centrepiece of Australias vaccine strategy - is not suitable for people over the age of 65, Mr Hunt said: We are already prepared for all possible options. We have a total vaccine supply of approximately 140 million doses for a population of 25.5 million, requiring two doses per person, so we have strong levels of vaccine, but we also have a range of options for roll out, which have already been prepared for all circumstances. He added that the government was expecting the Novavax vaccine to be ready in the second half of the year. It could be either a primary vaccine, if that was required (and we are always in the hands of medicine and evidence), or secondly, it could be a subsequent vaccine, if like the flu, further use of vaccination is required, Mr Hunt said. All of our medical advisors have been absolutely clear throughout that ... the whole world does not yet know the longevity of immunity - that will be determined in what will be the greatest global vaccination program the world has yet seen. BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China has prohibited all offline training outside the campus in areas with medium and high COVID-19 infection risk, according to a notice issued by the Ministry of Education on Thursday. Highlighting the importance of supervision and inspection work over places for after-school training during the winter vacation, the document urges off-campus training institutions for primary and middle school students to fully implement local epidemic containment measures. It also prohibits one-time fees for training lasting over three months, or in any disguised forms, to prevent the hidden dangers of refund difficulties and causing financial burdens for students' families Canada, Russia Join Australian WTO Barley Dispute With China Canada and Russia will join Australias World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), citing concerns over the wider ramifications a ruling could have on global barley markets. In May, the CCP imposed 80 percent worth of tariffs on Australian barley imports as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged dumping of barley into the local market. The tariffs came not long after Chinese Ambassador Cheng Jingye in Canberra warned of potential economic sanctions against the country following its calls to investigate the origins of COVID-19. Australian officials tried for months to negotiate but were unable to even get in contact with their Chinese counterparts. In December, then-Trade Minister Simon Birmingham announced Australia would launch an official dispute via the WTO. Canada, one of the top five barley exporters globally, said they had a substantial interest in the consultations due to their high exposure to the China market. Farmer John Magill inspects barley crop in Parkes, Australia, on his farm on Oct. 25, 2006. (Ian Waldie/Getty Images) Given the significant amount of trade in barley between Australia and China, Chinas trade remedies measures could have effects on global trade in barley more generally, including impacts on Canadian barley, the submission stated. Canadas global annual barley exports in 2017, 2018 and 2019 were valued at CA$531 million, CA$683 million, and CA$700 million respectively, with Canadas exports to China representing 71.7 percent of its total barley exports over this period, it continued. Russia, which accounts for 11 percent of global barley exports, said it had a substantial trade and systemic legal interest in the consultations. Australias WTO submission cited over 30 different issues with how Chinese authorities handled its anti-dumping investigation and its implementation of tariffs. China incorrectly defined the product under consideration and also incorrectly defined the like products, it stated in its submission. China initiated investigations without sufficient evidence, China failed to examine or review the accuracy and adequacy of the evidence provided in the application, and China failed to reject the application or terminate promptly the investigation given the lack of sufficient evidence the submission said. China did not provide all interested parties a full opportunity for the defence of their interests. The latest moves continue an ongoing Beijing-instigated trade dispute against Australia, encompassing beef, lamb, wine, barley, lobster, coal, timber, and cotton industries. However, Australian exporters have been quick to shift their focus to different markets, including Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. In fact, in December, Australia enjoyed its fourth-highest monthly trade surplus ever. Australian ministers meanwhile, have stood firm while dealing with a litany of threats and political interference from the CCP. Just two weeks ago, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy declared Donald Trump culpable in the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol. By Thursday, he was seeking his political support. A private meeting between the two men at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort signaled a remarkable turnaround in the former president's stature among elected Republicans. In the immediate aftermath of the insurrection Trump inspired, the idea that he would enjoy any sort of kingmaker role in his post-presidency seemed highly unlikely. But following an initial wave of condemnation, Republicans appear to be warming toward Trump, fully aware that his supporters are poised to punish anyone who displays disloyalty. With that in mind, party leaders are working to keep Trump in the fold as they focus on retaking the House and Senate in 2022. United and ready to win in 22, McCarthy tweeted after their meeting. Both he and Trump issued statements outlining their pledge to work together to help Republicans win back control of the House and Senate in 2022. The realignment with Trump comes as those who have crossed him continue to feel the burn. Trump ally Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, spent the day in Wyoming trying to take down Rep. Liz Cheney, the No. 3 House Republican, who voted for Trump's impeachment. Amid the backlash, Senate Republicans largely made clear this week that they have no intention of convicting Trump. While Trump tries to exert influence, he's undeniably diminished. Before he incited his supporters to storm the Capitol, Trump was expected to spend his post-presidency gleefully settling scores with Republicans rivals, launching a Twitter-fueled takedown of his successor and mulling over running again for a second term. Now, he is largely isolated and silenced by social media platforms as President Joe Biden attempts to dismantle his agenda executive order by executive order. He has not been seen in public since he disappeared behind the well-manicured hedges at Mar-a-Lago last Wednesday, a half-hour before his presidency ended. He has spent his days consulting with aides and defense lawyers as he prepares for his historic second impeachment trial. Things are very different now. Last time, Trump had an army of defenders that included a team of Washington lawyers, a presidential communications shop, a taxpayer-funded White House counsels office and the steadfast backing of top Republicans, including the Republican National Committee. Watch: King - This tells you everything you need to know about the GOP This time, Trump is still scrambling to pull together a legal team, with the trial less than two weeks out. I think hes at a significant disadvantage, said criminal defense attorney Alan Dershowitz, who was part of Trumps legal team in 2020 but is among the long list of lawyers sitting this one out. Yet even the impeachment trial, once seen as an opportunity for Senate Republicans to purge Trump from the party by barring him from ever running for office again, is now being used as a rallying cry to reunite the party against Democrats. Instead of debating whether he is guilty of willfully inciting violence against the government of the United States," Republicans have instead attacked the process, arguing that it is unconstitutional to try a president who has already left the White House. At a time when our country needs to come together, Democrats in Congress are rehashing the same strategy that they employed for the last four years: politically motivated overreach that will only divide us further, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel said in a statement that came after heated internal divisions over whether the group should publicly criticize Trump for inciting the riot. In an interview, McDaniel declined to criticize the five Republicans senators who voted this week to move forward with the trial. But she said its more important to look at the 45 that said this is ridiculous." Aside from the trial, Trump has gradually begun to return to the public conversation, firing off press releases from the political committee he created before leaving the White House. Hes decompressing. Hes got a legal team hes trying to organize, and he just needs to keep doing what hes doing," said Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close congressional ally who has been helping Trump stand up a legal team after numerous firms punted. I think theres an adjustment," said Matt Schlapp, chair of the American Conservative Union and another Trump ally. Jason Miller, an adviser to Trump, insisted that it was too early to discuss the presidents impeachment strategy and the post-presidential political operation that is expected to include former White House political director Brian Jack and Trump's former campaign manager Bill Stepien. Weve had discussions about where we want to get active with regard to the 2022 midterms and how we help Republicans win back the Senate and the House," Miller said, but Trump has yet to decide whether he will get involved in primary races to challenge Republicans who voted to impeach him. After those members faced intense backlash from Trump supporters, Senate Republicans voted overwhelmingly Tuesday for an attempt to dismiss his second impeachment trial. I think thats pretty clear that Republican voters are adamantly opposed to impeachment and Republicans who vote for impeachment do so at their own peril, Miller said. Watch: What does a Joe Biden presidency in the US mean for the global economy? Despite the Capitol riot, polls show Trump remains deeply popular among Republican voters many of whom now consider themselves more closely aligned with him than the party. Its not Trump so much theyre trying to hug. It's Trumps base theyre trying to hug," said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist. I think Trumps departure left a huge vacuum. He was the one thing that united Republicans more than anything. I mean, the Republican Party became the Trump Party for four years. And without him leading it, theres an obvious power vacuum, and I think you're seeing that play out now in Congress." The question is whether Trumps influence will endure. The internal divisions his team is fomenting could ultimately undermine the partys quest to retake Congress. And its unclear whether he can transfer his personal popularity to other candidates when hes not on the ballot. Republicans lost control of the House in 2018 and gave up the Senate this month despite a last-minute appeal from Trump. Graham, who declared just this month that he's done with Trump All I can say is count me out. Enough is enough. has since stressed the importance of keeping the party together. I want to make sure that the Republican Party can grow and come back, and were going to need Trump and Trump needs us," he told reporters. As for Republicans who vote to convict Trump, I guess it depends on what state youre in and what phase in your career you are, he quipped. ___ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington and Steve Peoples in New York contributed to this report. The UK Board Exam 2021 got delayed due to the COVID-19 lockdown restriction imposed by the state government The Uttarakhand Board of School Education (UBSE) has announced that a total of 2,72,313 students will sit for their board exams in 1,347 board examination centres across the state from the 2020-21 batch. Pauri, with 166 centres, has the highest number of UBSE examination centres, while Champawat has the lowest, with 40 centres. Of the total exam centres, 223 have been recognised as sensitive centres, while 22 have been marked as very sensitive centres. The decision was taken on Wednesday in a meeting chaired by UBSE secretary Neeta Tiwari. Sources say that the boards are likely to be conducted in late April or early May. A total of 1,48,828 students are registered for appear for UBSE 10th Exam 2021. Similarly, 1,23,485 are slated to appear for Intermediate Exam. In terms of the maximum number of students, 44,143 students are slated to appear from Haridwar, while only 8,255 students are set to appear from the Champawat district. The UK Board Exam 2021 got delayed due to the COVID-19 lockdown restriction imposed by the state government. Last year, 2,71,415 students has sat for the written board exams across 1,324 Exam Centres. The COVID-19 pandemic had caused the board exams to be held in two phases. Meanwhile, the UK Board is expected to announce the dates for Class 10 and 12 Board Exams 2021 soon. The date sheet has not been announced yet, but the preparations are underway. The board has decided to increase the number of exam centres this year to ensure proper social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the date sheet is released, it will be made available on ubse.uk.gov.in. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Germany will from Saturday ban most travellers from countries hit by new, more contagious coronavirus variants to prevent a surge in infection numbers, the government said Friday. The move, set to last until February 17, is necessary "to protect the people of Germany and to limit the entry and rapid spread of the new virus variants", according to a government decree seen by AFP. The affected countries are Britain, Ireland, Portugal, Brazil and South Africa, as well as the southern African kingdoms of Lesotho and Eswatini. The entry restrictions cover arrivals by air, bus, rail and sea, but several exceptions will be granted. Germans and other nationals living in Germany are allowed to return, while passenger transits and freight traffic will also be unaffected. Exemptions also include the entry of medical workers and people in other key jobs. The emergence of virus mutations in Britain, Brazil and South Africa, deemed more infectious than the original strain, has fuelled concern at a time when many nations are struggling to rein in the pandemic. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said earlier this week that he wanted to reduce flights into Germany to "almost zero". The European Union remains opposed to a blanket travel ban or closures of national borders, despite some members seeking tougher action. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday said all non-essential travel "should be strongly discouraged". Portugal, which has strong air links with Brazil, has seen an explosion in cases and on Thursday decided to limit foreign travel for two weeks. Belgium has taken a similar step, putting a ban in place until March 1. Germany coped relatively well with the first coronavirus wave last spring but has been hit hard by a second wave in recent months. Europe's biggest economy renewed restrictions in November, shutting down bars and restaurants as well as culture and leisure facilities. Measures were tightened further in December, with schools and non-essential shops also ordered to close. The current shutdowns are set to last at least until mid-February. The curbs appear to be paying off, with the daily infection numbers falling although the number of deaths every 24 hours remains high. The country has recorded over two million cases and more than 55,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Two leading British economists whove launched a scathing critique of the unrealistic assumptions their peers have added to conventional economics to make it more tractable mathematically have not spared one of my great favourites: behavioural economics. It has lost its way, too. The economists are Professor John Kay of Oxford University and Professor Mervyn King, a former governor of Britains central bank, the Bank of England. Their criticism is in the book, Radical Uncertainty: Decision-making for an unknowable future. As I wrote in this column last week, economists have been working for decades to make their discipline more academically rigorous by using mathematical techniques better suited to the stationary physical world where everything that happens is governed by the unchanging laws of physics or to games of chance, where the probability of something happening can be calculated easily and accurately. Like Alice in Wonderland facing the appearing and disappearing Cheshire Cat, people are very good at coping with uncertain situations. Its amazing how often we get it right. Credit:Matt Davidson (after John Tenniel) Kay and King call this modelling small worlds, where the right and wrong answers are clearly identified, whereas the large worlds occupied by consumers, businesses and government policymakers are characterised by radical uncertainty. We must make decisions with so little of the information we need about the present and the future that we can never know whether we jumped the right way, even after the event. Three mobile operators have joined forces to boost rural broadband coverage in a move widely welcomed by farming and rural businesses. O2, Three UK and Vodafone have reached an agreement to deliver the first stage of the 1bn Shared Rural Network. The firms will build and share 222 new 4G mobile masts, which will be used to increase broadband coverage in rural areas. 124 new sites will be built in Scotland, 33 in Wales, 11 in Northern Ireland, and 54 in England. Their target is to reach 95 percent of the population by 2026, and it may help in the future roll-out of 5G. The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said the Shared Rural Network would 'enhance the lives of millions in the countryside'. The group highlighted figures which show that rural productivity is 16 percent below the national UK average. Only 66% of rural areas currently have good access to 4G coverage, figures show, with only a 1% improvement recorded last year. CLA President Mark Bridgeman said: This agreement will hopefully speed up the process of increased coverage being rolled-out - and the improvement will help unlock investment in the rural economy. Better coverage could also see more businesses start-up or re-locate to the countryside, creating new jobs as the country emerges from the Covid-19 crisis. "But that will only happen if the proposed timescales are fulfilled. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Published on 2021/01/28 | Source It's a new atmosphere. On the 28th, the magazine Dazed released a pictorial of actor Jung Hae-in with GOUTAL PARIS, a high perfumery house. Jung Hae-in caught the eye with a dreamy yet chic atmosphere in this pictorial, which was held under the concept of a Valentine's noble. The colorful styling and the lovely eyes of Jung Hae-in in the bright background show his soft and sweet charm. It also confirms Jung Hae-in's colorful image, including his mysterious and sensual appearance as well as his unique calm and sophisticated atmosphere. Meanwhile, Jung Hae-in is set to crank up as Ahn Joon-ho, in the Netflix original series "D.P". and is set to shoot as Im Soo-ho, a graduate student from a prestigious Korean-German university, in JTBC's new drama "Snowdrop". 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. SunLive has received a spate of complaints about bad and illegal parking and a Tauranga woman is sharing her experience in the hope people will be more considerate. Karen and her partner returned from a swim at the Mount Main Beach to find a car had parked across the white lines leaving just a few centimetres gap between the cars. Her first thought was that her car had been hit because the other one was so close. I was concerned that they damaged my work vehicle. And then I thought, oh, what an idiot. Who parks like that? Karen says the driver would have known how badly theyd parked and not bothered to correct it. The only way they could get out of that car was through the passenger's door. Theres no way they could have got out of the driver's door. Also this week a reader sent a photo of a truck parked illegally for over an hour on Devonport Rd. The ute was parked on yellow lines across the footpath and stuck out onto the road. The ute was blocking the footpath for over an hour. Supplied image. A Tauranga City Council spokesperson says its an offence to park a vehicle without due care or reasonable consideration for other road users Depending on the circumstances an infringement could be issued for people not parking within a marked parking space if this adversely affects other people, he says. The fine for this is $60. The Land Transport (road user) Rule 2004 states vehicles must be parked with due care and consideration for other road users. Its a legal requirement but its also about respecting other people, says the spokesperson. If people have concerns about how someone has parked their vehicle they can contact council on 07 5777 7000. [January 29, 2021] Pentwater Urges a Halt to Rio Tinto's Attempt to Obstruct Turquoise Hill's Financing and Governmental Discussions Pentwater Capital Management LP ("Pentwater"), the largest minority shareholder of Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. ("Turquoise Hill" or the "Company") (TSX:TRQ) (NYSE:TRQ), urges regulators, including the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (" SEC (News - Alert) "), to carefully consider Rio Tinto's alleged breach of securities laws and continued improper actions involving Turquoise Hill. Just over a week ago, a Federal District Court in the Southern District of New York appointed Pentwater as lead Plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against Rio Tinto. That lawsuit outlines how Rio Tinto violated federal securities laws by failing to timely disclose its knowledge of the massive cost overrun and schedule delay at the Oyu Tolgoi mine which is 66% owned by Turquoise Hill. In the short period of time since Pentwater's appointment, Rio has taken additional action to harm Turquoise Hill. Just yesterday, Turquoise Hill announced that Rio Tinto is ordering Turquoise Hill to: (1) stop all conversations with the Government of Mongolia, its fellow shareholder in the Oyu Tolgoi mine, and (2) stop attempting to finance the cost overrun overseen by Rio with project bonds.1 Additionally, just one short week ago, Rio unilaterally declared that it will not proceed with the undercut at the mine unless its own self-serving mine finance plan is implemented. Even Rio's hand-picked board of directors at Turquoise Hill knows that acceding to Rio's demands would be inconsistent with their and Rio's fiduciary obligations owed to Turquoise Hill and all of its shareholders. Why would Rio (in its capacity as operator of the mine) possibly think it is good business practice or good government relations to forbid Turquoise Hill (the 66% owner of the mine) from having direct, one-on-one communication with the government of Mongolia (the 34% owner of the mine)? Why would Rio possibly think it is good business practice or good government relations to order Turquoise Hill to accept a value destructive financing option to finane the very cost overruns overseen by Rio Tinto? Why would Rio think it is good business practice or good government relations for Rio Tinto (the mine operator) to dictate to the mine owners that the undercut should only proceed after Rio gets its way on the mine financing plan? These questions answer themselves. Of course, Rio's perspective might be influenced by the $1.4 billion in fees that it has already been paid by OT and Turquoise Hill. Rio's recidivist disregard for its legal obligations is alarming. It has been reported that the cost and schedule overruns at Oyu Tolgoi are under investigation by the SEC, the UK Serious Fraud Office, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, and the Government of Mongolia. Rio was fined by the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority for breaching Disclosure and Transparency Rules in reporting its activities at a mine in Mozambique, and is under a separate investigation by the U.K. Serious Fraud Office for corruption and bribery in its conduct of business in the Republic of Guinea. Rio has been reprimanded due to its destruction of the Juukan Gorge, where an Australian government inquiry has found its actions inexcusable and emblematic of a flawed corporate culture. Rio's new CEO has been on the job for less than a month after its previous CEO departed after unforgivable corporate misdeeds. Unfortunately, rather than cleaning house and putting Rio on a path toward becoming a good corporate citizen, Jakob Stausholm is perpetuating Rio's flawed corporate culture. He promoted Arnaud Soirat to Chief Operating Officer despite the fact that Mr. Soirat was identified by whistleblower Richard Bowley as having knowledge of the fraud to hide Rio's cost overruns and schedule delays from Turquoise Hill shareholders and the Government of Mongolia. Now, Mr. Stausholm is personally orchestrating Rio's actions against Turquoise Hill and the Government of Mongolia disclosed yesterday. On December 22, 2020, Turquoise Hill issued a press release informing shareholders of the progress being made in its comprehensive funding review process. Turquoise Hill disclosed that market testing and continued negotiations confirmed that multiple sources of competitively priced non-equity capital are available that would create significant value for Oyu Tolgoi's shareholders and not require any "completion support" from Rio Tinto. But any solution that does not enable Rio to continue profiting at the expense of other Oyu Tolgoi stakeholders does not seem to be amenable to Rio. Rio Tinto is now using seemingly every tactic at its disposal to prevent Turquoise Hill from securing a financing solution that benefits all of its shareholders, not just Rio alone. This cannot be allowed. Pentwater urges regulators to consider Rio's ongoing improper activities across the globe. 1 Rio is utilizing a special committee of the OT board in its attempt to control Turquoise Hill. This special committee is compromised of just Rio and Turquoise Hill. Rio, however, is the only entity that has the right to cast a vote on this committee. Rio's proposal on financing and governmental communication has been put forward to this committee. Rio plans to cast its vote in favor of this proposal. Once Rio has so voted, Turquoise Hill is arguably contractually obligated to support this proposal when it is then introduced at the next OT Board meeting. It is through this mechanism that Rio is overriding Turquoise Hill's right and fiduciary obligation to finance the mine in the most economically efficient manner and work with the government of Mongolia to create the greatest amount of value for all OT shareholders. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005112/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] NSW Health is hunting down people who were guests of an Auckland hotel where a highly transmissible coronavirus variant is believed to have circulated as Australia is expected to reinstate its travel bubble with New Zealand this weekend. After tracking down seven people who stayed at the Auckland Pullman between December 30 and January 13, NSW Health said it was contacting others who had arrived in Sydney after staying at the hotel on January 24. Additional cases have been linked to the hotel this week. The Pullman Hotel in Auckland is the centre of the latest outbreak in New Zealand. Credit:Getty NSW Health was unable to say how many people still needed to be contacted. We are continuing to work with our federal and international colleagues regarding new travellers related to the more recently advised dates, a spokesperson for NSW Health said. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Before his menu won renown, AuntDai, like many restaurants around the world, was bleeding cash. Montreal is under lockdown, and on-site dining is forbidden. Even before the pandemic, Mr. Fei recalled, he was working 16-hour days, juggling two jobs in an effort to support his wife, Ying, and their 11 year-old daughter, Allison. He has owned three Montreal restaurants, the first of which was destroyed by a fire. After the coronavirus arrived in Canada last year, he was laid off from his I.T. job. Since the big tweet, however, takeout orders have been so brisk that Mr. Fei, who doesnt particularly like to cook, spends his days helping AuntDais chef cut vegetables, when he isnt monitoring his busy Twitter feed. I overcame a lot, he said. In addition to its disarming frankness, Mr. Feis menu tells the story of his life. The beef-and-potato stew was one of my favorites in university, he explains in the description though he added by phone that hes not such a huge fan of the restaurants version, to be honest, preferring the rendition he discovered in the cafeteria at the Tianjin University, when he was a student dating his future wife. Mr. Fei grew up in an impoverished family in a rural area of Jiangsu province, where his parents are farmers. He was the first person in his village to attend university, an event the community celebrated with fireworks. New preclinical study shows vector results in significantly more hemoglobin production than vectors currently used in gene therapy for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia Philadelphia, January 29, 2021--Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have developed a gene therapy vector for blood disorders like sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia that is potentially safer and more effective than those currently used in gene therapy trials for those conditions. The vector, an engineered vehicle for delivering functional copies of the hemoglobin gene to correct a genetic abnormality, leads to the production of more hemoglobin with a lower dose, minimizing the risk of toxic side effects. The findings were published today in Molecular Therapy. "These results have many potential benefits for the successful treatment of patients affected by beta-globinopathies like sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia, including a better dose response, a minimized chance of clonal expansion and tumorigenesis, a reduced cost of therapy, and a potentially reduced need for chemotherapy or radiation before beginning gene therapy," said Laura Breda, PhD, research assistant professor at CHOP and first author of the paper. "All of us in the CuRED Frontier Program at CHOP are dedicated to finding new and improved curative therapies for blood disorders, and we look forward to taking steps to move this vector into clinical trials." Sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia are genetic blood disorders caused by errors in the genes for hemoglobin, a protein consisting of globin and iron-containing subunits that is found in red blood cells and carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body. The disorders, sometimes referred to as beta-globinopathies due to mutations in the beta-globin gene, lead to serious health complications, ranging from delayed growth and jaundice to pain crises, pulmonary hypertension, and stroke. Because children with beta-globinopathies have two abnormal copies of the hemoglobin gene - one from each parent - researchers have explored gene therapy as a potential breakthrough treatment. Using an engineered carrier called a vector to introduce a functional copy of the beta-globin gene, this therapy has the potential to restore normal hemoglobin production in patients with beta-globinopathies. However, there are challenges to this approach, including limited dose response, dose-related toxicities, and the need in many cases for myeloablation, a procedure in which the bone marrow is suppressed via chemotherapy or radiation before gene therapy can begin. In order to reduce unwanted side effects and increase effectiveness of gene therapy for these conditions, the CHOP researchers developed a new vector using an engineered lentivirus, the same retrovirus used to create gene therapy vectors in ongoing gene therapy trials for beta-globinopathies. The lentiviral vectors currently in use all contain the human beta-globin gene along with its promoter; three so-called hypersensitive sites that are important for gene transcription; and a truncated version of intron 2, which does not code for proteins. The CHOP researchers hypothesized that including the full intron, rather than a truncated one, in addition to other genomic elements that promote uniform expression of the beta-globin gene would enhance beta-globin - and thus functional hemoglobin - expression. Based on this hypothesis, the research team generated five novel lentiviral vectors by combining different additional genomic elements. As a benchmark, they also generated three vectors similar to those that have already been used in clinical trials, which they used to compare to their novel vectors. Using a variety of in vitro and in vivo screening approaches, the researchers found that one of their vectors, ALS20, expressed significantly higher transgenic hemoglobin levels than other vectors currently used to treat beta-globinopathies. Compared with the three benchmark vectors, ALS20 produced 157%, 84%, and 40% more adult hemoglobin, which would have a greater clinical impact on patients, especially those who require higher hemoglobin production to become transfusion independent. ALS20 was also more powerful, with a lower dose providing higher hemoglobin production, which could reduce the need for myeloablation and possibly allow for in vivo delivery methods. From a safety standpoint, ALS20 viral particles did not contain unwanted genomic RNA byproducts, and mice treated with ALS20 exhibited normal physiology without any proliferative disorders or cancerous formations compared with controls. "Considering the body of evidence presented in this work, we believe that ALS20 is an outstanding candidate for the successful treatment of beta-globinopathies," said senior author Stefano Rivella, PhD, Kwame Ohene-Frempong Chair on Sickle Cell Anemia and Professor of Pediatrics at CHOP. "Our vector may not only provide safer therapy with a reduced probability of genome toxicity and milder conditioning requirements, but it may also improve the efficacy and offer a competitive product for the gene therapy market." ### The research was supported by the Comprehensive Center for the Cure of Sickle Cell Disease and other Red Cell Disorders (CuRED) - Frontier Program at CHOP, the Commonwealth Universal Research Enhancement Program (CURE) - Department of Health of Pennsylvania, and the Associazione Veneta per la Lotta alla Talassemia (AVLT). The team also received support through private donations, including those from the 2018 CHOP Daisy Days campaign and The Runway. Breda L, Ghiaccio V, Tanaka N, Jarocha D, Ikawa Y, Abdulmalik O, Dong A, Casu C, Raabe TD, Shan X, Danet-Desnoyers GA, Doto AM, Everett J, Bushman FD, Radaelli E, Assenmacher CA, Tarrant JC, Hoepp N, Guzikowski V, Smith-Whitley K, Kwiatkowski JL, and Rivella S. "Lentiviral vector ALS20 yields high hemoglobin levels with low genomic integrations for treatment of beta-globinopathies," Molecular Therapy, online January 29, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.12.036 About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: In a strange case, a woman managed to tackle an armed robber by performing oral sex on him until the police arrived to arrest him. The woman performed oral sex on the robber who had hijacked a petrol station and managed to distract him until cops arrived. After which she reportedly said 'Take Him, I Can't Anymore'. The bizarre case has been grabbing headlines as the 24-year-old thief was arrested after the woman took it upon herself to hold the robber. The robber reportedly forced a staff member at the station to hand over cash during a terrifying burglary in Bratislava, Slovakia in the early hours of Wednesday. The male shop assistant then fled to the back office after allegedly being punched in the face by the ruthless robber. According to the TASR news agency, citing a police source, a mystery woman entered the petrol station via a back door willing to help staff stall the criminal. The female - who is not believed to be an employee - reportedly performed an oral sex act on the 24-year-old thief in a bid to stop him fleeing. A staff member on the premises had already called the police who arrived to discover the woman and the robber lying naked on the floor, reports say. It is not clear if the woman performed the reported act on the man out of fear of being assaulted. Bratislava police spokesperson Michal Szeiff told TASR: "In one of the rooms, the officers saw the man receiving sexual services from the young woman." According to local media, the woman told police when they arrived: "Take him, I can't anymore." Mr Szeiff said the thief resisted arrest forcing cops to "use force" to detain him. in Tamil Nadu India, a wife bit off her husband's penis, after the latter found her in a compromising state with her lover. She was arrested from Thuraimoolai village. A similar incident had taken place in Muzaffarnagar, where a wife in a fit of rage chopped off her husband's penis for staying with his second wife, and neglecting her in Uttar Pradesh. A few months ago, a kidnapped woman, who was being sexually assaulted, bit off the penis of the man who was allegedly assaulting her on knifepoint in South Carolina. Just a couple of months ago, a Nigerian woman bit off her husband's penis after a violent brawl in which the man had reportedly "left marks on her breasts". After a violent clash, the husband had gone to sleep when the accused woman bit off his penis. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 29, 2021 08:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 29, 2021 / Aegis Capital Corp. (www.aegiscapcorp.com) a full-service wealth management, financial services and investment banking firm is pleased to announce Ghazaleh Ebrahimi has joined the firm as a Senior Vice President of Investments. Ghazaleh Ebrahimi has worked in the financial industry for over 30 years. Initially Mrs. Ebrahimi started in the banking sector in 1990 and eventually transitioned to wealth management in 1998. She went on to gain experience working at investment firms such as Northwestern Mutual Life, Citigroup, Bank of America Investment Services, Stone & Youngberg, and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company. She has built her business on long-lasting relationships by understanding her clients' goals and providing them with personalized investment strategies that help them address their financial needs. Mrs. Ebrahimi's focus is customizing portfolios designed to help grow and conserve wealth by delivering an exceptional level of personalized service and experience. She works with clients ranging from small business owners to highly compensated professionals. Mrs. Ebrahimi's sole purpose is to deliver boutique level service while still offering a full-range of products and services to her valued clients. Robert Eide Aegis' CEO commented: "Ghazaleh's planning-focused approach offers clients personalized advice to help achieve their goals. Her approach is an excellent value-add to her clients and our culture. We are pleased to welcome her to our team as we look forward to our continued growth on the West Coast." Michael Pata Aegis' Head of Business Development commented: "I am excited to add another high-quality member to our team and look forward to working with Ghazaleh as we continue to grow and attract talented financial advisors. Ghazaleh comes to Aegis with more than three decades of industry experience and has dedicated her career to providing her clients with the highest quality advice and service." About Aegis Capital Corporation Aegis Capital Corporation "Aegis" has been in business for over 35 years catering to the needs of private clients, institutions and corporations. Aegis was founded in 1984 and offers its investment representatives a conflict free service platform and is able to provide a full range of products and services including investment banking, wealth management, insurance, retirement planning, structured products, private equity, alternatives, equity research, fixed income and special purpose vehicles. Aegis is able to provide quality service through its primary clearing relationship with RBC Correspondent Services whose parent company, Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY), is one of the world's leading diversified financial services companies. Member: FINRA / SIPC Any questions contact: Michael Pata, Head of Business Development Telephone: 1-212-813-1010 mpata@aegiscap.com www.aegiscapcorp.com SOURCE: Aegis Capital Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/626791/Aegis-Capital-Corp-announces-the-hiring-of-a-new-Senior-Vice-President-of-Investments-in-San-Francisco-CA Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill has raised grave concerns over the PSNI handling of the investigation into the death of Noah Donohoe. The 14-year-olds body was recovered from a storm drain close to the M2 motorway in June, six days after he went missing in Belfast. On Thursday, Ms ONeill met with PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne to discuss the matter. Following the meeting, she tweeted: This evening I met the Chief Constable & registered my grave concerns around the PSNI handling of the investigation into the death of Noah Donohoe. This investigation is a matter of public interest & no stone can be left unturned. I will continue to support Fiona & Donohoe family. This evening I met the Chief Constable & registered my grave concerns around the PSNI handling of the investigation into the death of Noah Donohoe This investigation is a matter of public interest & no stone can be left unturned I will continue to support Fiona & Donohoe family Michelle OaNeill (@moneillsf) January 28, 2021 Earlier this week, Ms ONeill appealed for anyone with information about the case to come forward. She said: I have met with the Donohoe family, continue to engage with them and they have my full support in terms of getting truth and justice around what happened to Noah. I think any mummy in that position that Fiona (Noahs mother) is sitting in today, not having answers about what happened to her wee boy, could not fail to be heartbroken. We will all do and should do everything we can to make sure that every piece of information is uncovered and that Fiona has the answers that she needs to have. Expand Close Michelle ONeill said she has grave concerns over the investigation into Noah Donohoes death (Liam McBurney/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michelle ONeill said she has grave concerns over the investigation into Noah Donohoes death (Liam McBurney/PA) The PSNI said last year they believed Noah entered the drain in the Northwood Road area of north Belfast. He had cycled to the area from his home in south Belfast and, shortly before he went missing, was seen with no clothes on. Prior to that, he was seen falling off his bike in Shore Road. His disappearance prompted a major search operation, with hundreds of people from across Belfast involved. The PSNI have been contacted for comment. David Hatef David Hatef is one of the premier brokers in the Washington, DC, metropolitan region and provides unrivaled expertise, representation, and access to Washingtons most coveted homes. Haute Residence is pleased to welcome David Hatef to the exclusive Haute Residence Network as its representative in the Washington, D.C. Metro luxury real estate market. A native Washingtonian, a lawyer by training, and the product of a local real estate family, David is the peerless resource for those who value excellence, and it shows in his booming residential real estate practice. A trusted advisor to Senators, physicians, law firm partners, and corporate executives, David is one of the premier brokers in the Washington, DC metropolitan region and provides unrivaled expertise, representation, and access to Washingtons most coveted homes. Visit David Hatef's Haute Residence profile: https://www.hauteresidence.com/member/david-hatef/ Visit David Hatef's website: https://davidhatef.com/ ABOUT HAUTE RESIDENCE Designed as a partnership-driven luxury real estate portal, Haute Residence connects its affluent readers with top real estate professionals, while offering the latest in real estate news, showcasing the worlds most extraordinary residences on the market and sharing expert advice from its knowledgeable and experienced real estate partners. The invitation-only luxury real estate network, which partners with just one agent in every market, unites a distinguished collective of leading real estate agents and brokers and highlights the most extravagant properties in leading markets around the globe for affluent buyers, sellers, and real estate enthusiasts. HauteResidence.com has grown to be the number one news source for million-dollar listings, high-end residential developments, celebrity real estate, and more. Access all of this information and more by visiting:http://www.hauteresidence.com 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 ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration confirmed Thursday that thousands more nursing home residents died of COVID-19 than the state's official tallies had previously acknowledged, dealing a potential blow to his image as a pandemic hero. The surprise development, after months of the state refusing to divulge its true numbers, showed that at least 12,743 long-term care residents died of the virus as of Jan. 19, far greater than the official tally of 8,505 on that day, cementing New York's toll as one of the highest in the nation. Those numbers are consistent with a report released just hours earlier by Attorney General Letitia James charging that the nursing home death count could be off by about 50%, largely because New York is one of the only states to count just those who died on facility grounds, not those who later died in the hospital. While we cannot bring back the individuals we lost to this crisis, this report seeks to offer transparency that the public deserves, James said in a statement. The 76-page report from a fellow Democratic official undercut Cuomo's frequent argument that the criticism of his handling of the virus in nursing homes was part of a political blame game," and it was a vindication for thousands of families who believed their loved ones were being omitted from counts to advance the governor's image as a pandemic hero. Its important to me that my mom was counted, said Vivian Zayas, whose 78-year-old mother died in April after contracting COVID-19 at a nursing home in West Islip, New York. Families like mine knew these numbers were not correct. Cuomos office referred all questions to the state health department. Several hours after the report, State Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker released a lengthy statement attempting to refute James' report but which essentially confirmed its central finding. Zucker's figure of 12,743 nursing home resident deaths included for the first time 3,829 confirmed COVID-19 fatalities of those residents who had been transported to hospitals. Those figures could be even higher, but the health department said its audit was ongoing, didn't break out deaths presumed but not confirmed to be caused by the virus, and omitted those in assisted living or other types of long-term care facilities. Zucker, however, still took issue with James' characterization of his department's official tally as an undercount. He said DOH was always clear that the data on its website pertains to in-facility fatalities." James has for months been examining discrepancies between the number of deaths being reported by the state's Department of Health, and the number of deaths reported by the homes themselves. Her investigators looked at a sample of 62 of the states roughly 600 nursing homes. They reported 1,914 deaths of residents from COVID-19, while the state Department of Health logged only 1,229 deaths at those same facilities. Thursday's release backed up the findings of an Associated Press investigation last year that concluded that the state could be understating deaths by as much as 65%. State Sen. Gustavo Rivera, a Democrat who has blasted the Cuomo administration for its incomplete death count, said he was sadly unsurprised by the report. Families who lost loved ones deserve honest answers, Rivera said. For their sake, I hope that this report will help us unveil the truth and put policies in place to prevent such tragedies in the future. Cuomo, who last fall released a book touting his leadership in dealing with the virus, has not been shy about using New York's lower nursing home death count to make the argument that his state is doing better than others in caring for those in such facilities. There's also no doubt that were in this hyper-political environment so everybody wants to point fingers, Cuomo told CBS This Morning in October. New York, actually, were number 46 out of 50 in terms of percentage of deaths in nursing homes ... its not a predominantly New York problem. The attorney generals report also took aim at New York's controversial March 25 policy that sought to create more space in hospitals by releasing recovering COVID-19 patients into nursing homes, which critics contended was a driving factor in causing nursing home outbreaks. James report said those admissions may have contributed to increased risk of nursing home resident infection and subsequent fatalities, noting that at least 4,000 nursing home residents with COVID-19 died after that guidance. But James report said the issue would require further study to conclusively prove such a link. New Yorks health department released a much-criticized report last summer that claimed the March 25 policy, which was reversed in May, was not a significant factor in deaths. James review also found that a lack of infection controls at nursing homes put residents at increased risk of harm, that homes with lower federal scores for staffing had higher fatality rates, and that a broad measure Cuomo signed in April shielding nursing homes and other health care providers from lawsuits may have actually encouraged homes to hold back on hiring and training. As the pandemic and our investigations continue," she wrote, it is imperative that we understand why the residents of nursing homes in New York unnecessarily suffered at such an alarming rate. ROCHESTER, Minn. - Law enforcement in Olmsted County recently started partnering with Community Outreach Specialists to help respond to crisis calls about with mental health, welfare checks and people who suffer with a chemical dependency. Three new specialists recently started assisting. There has been a social worker in Olmsted County since 2017, but the pandemic sped up the process to allow an expansion of the program. Nikki Niles is the Program Manager of the Diversity, Equity and Community Outreach Team and she explained historically, most crisis calls are dropped into one bucket instead of having specific help. She said it's important officers are able to differentiate between a criminal call and a crisis call, meaning they need to treat public health matters through a public health lens and treat criminal matters through a criminal lens. "Sometimes those roles will intersect, but we can still provide the appropriate service to the client however they're presenting in that moment," said Niles. There's no doubt the pandemic has brought on new challenges for first responders. "We started to see burn out if you will. We've started to see the onset of new mental illnesses and diagnosis," Niles explained. "We've started to see an increase in chemicals, just kind of all dealing with everything that's going on around us with some of the things that we can't control." Even though this program has only been implemented in the field for a week, Niles said she's seen how the specialists are giving the person they're helping a sense of comfort. It gives them the freedom to talk about the issue they're facing without fears of consequences. As this partnership grows, Niles wants everyone to systemically understand the importance of treating crisis calls the correct way and for other jurisdictions to implement similar programs. Manulife Investment Managements Hancock Natural Resource Group (HNRG) has wrapped up the acquisition of a majority stake in Chilean fruit exporter David Del Curto (DDC), on behalf of its third-party clients. Financial details of the deal remain undivulged. Based in Chile, David Del Curto produces more than ten types of fruits across its 11 farms. In addition to fruit production, the company also packs the fruits and exports them to other countries. DDC operates three packing facilities with a capacity of nine million boxes of fruit. It packs and markets fruit for nearly 90 third-party growers, as well as fruits from its own farms. Additionally, the fruit producer manages one of the largest nurseries in Chile. DDC CEO Fernando Cisternas said: By joining the Manulife Investment Management and HNRG team, we are able to rely on their extensive agricultural experience to expand our operations and further the reach of the firm. We feel the acquisition will bring tremendous additional resources to our teams and partners. Under the deal, Cisternas will oversee day-to-day operations. The acquisition could help HNRG to diversify its growing agricultural portfolio. HNRG CEO William E Peressini said: "We are very excited to work on the ownership transition with the strong DDC management team that is already in place and value The Corso Group's continuing partnership. "We will also work closely with the existing teams on land stewardship which we anticipate will include redeveloping existing orchards and developing those orchards that have not been under cultivation. Thematic Reports Are you worried about the pace of innovation in your industry? GlobalData's TMT Themes 2021 Report tells you everything you need to know about disruptive tech themes and which companies are best placed to help you digitally transform your business. Find out more "Through these efforts we will look to expand DDC's production, as well as enhance existing and new marketing partnerships, to create additional opportunity." The Corso Group, the investment unit of the Cortes Solari family office that acquired an ownership stake of DDC in 2005, will maintain a minority shareholding in the firm. A GameStop store is pictured amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Manhattan borough of New York City, on Jan. 27, 2021. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters) SEC Says Its Reviewing Recent Trading Volatility Amid GameStop Frenzy The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the top U.S. financial regulator, said Friday that it is reviewing recent trading volatility that led to the rise of GameStop, AMC, and others. The agency said it would protect retail investors and promised to investigate actions taken by hedge funds and brokerages that might disadvantage investors or otherwise unduly inhibit their ability to trade certain securities. We will act to protect retail investors when the facts demonstrate abusive or manipulative trading activity that is prohibited by the federal securities laws, the SEC said in a news release. The Commission is working closely with our regulatory partners, both across the government and at FINRA and other self-regulatory organizations, including the stock exchanges, to ensure that regulated entities uphold their obligations to protect investors and to identify and pursue potential wrongdoing, the regulator added. FIRNA refers to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. As of Friday, GameStop was up to $320 per share, which is up more than 400 percent. Other stocks like AMC and KOSS are up 1,800 percent and 280 percent, respectively. On Thursday, after trading platform Robinhood and others moved to restrict access to purchasing GameStop, AMC, and others, users protested and complained. Right-wing and left-wing figures and officials criticized the move. Robinhood said on its website after the PR fracas that it was easing some trading restrictions, but it was still not allowing purchases of fractional shares in GameStop and about 12 other companies. In one victory for the retail pack, short-seller Andrew Left, who runs Citron Research and sparked the slugfest with his call against GameStop, said in a YouTube video that his company would no longer publish short-selling research. Users on the Reddit forum WallStreetBets on Friday continued to push GameStop and AMC. GameStop, AMC, and others like American Airlines Group Inc all have high short interest ratios, making them subject to a squeeze on funds that have bet on the shares falling. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), the ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, said Friday morning in a televised interview that hes worried about unequal access to capital markets. What Im seeing here is this larger case, which is: Average, everyday investors are cut off from the access that insiders like c-suite members of companies, and hedge funds and private equity naturally get, he said. And that the credit-investor standard has bifurcated our markets into a highly prosperous lie. Reuters contributed to this report. The company this week signed agreements to sell nine of its Kalahari Copper Belt licences to Sandfire Resources for US$3mln ( ) hailed progress in operational activity and deal-making in recent months as it reported half-year result. The exploration and development company, which in the pre-revenue stage, had 1.05mln of cash in the bank at the end of the six months to end-September 2020, having raised 900,000 before expenses in June. In the period the company made a 366,945 loss compared to 193,484 a year earlier. During the period, Galileo spent 163,000 mostly in shares to acquire 21 copper and nickel-platinum group elements exploration prospecting licences in the highly prospective Kalahari Copper Belt in western Botswana and the Limpopo Mobile Belt in the east. Since the period ended, Galileo has remained busy, undertaking geophysical surveying over several licences in the Kalahari Copper Belt project that turned up several highly prospective geological settings for copper-silver mineralisation. The most prospective targets will be selected for early drill testing. Five more prospecting licences were also snapped up in the North East Kalahari Copper Belt. These licences include the Quirinus copper-silver prospect where much of a series of copper-in-soil anomalies extending for 13.4km are untested. Not sitting on its hands, Galileo this week signed agreements with Sandfire Resources ( ) to sell nine of its Kalahari Copper Belt licences for US$3mln, half in cash and half in shares of the ASK-listed company, plus contingent future success payment of US$10mln-80mln subject to future ore reserve volumes being unearthed across the acreage. Sandfire, which is building the T3 copper-silver mine nearby, committing to spend US$4mln on the licences within two years and has first refusal rights over another 15 Kalahari Copper Belt licences that are retained by Galileo. Looking forward, Galileo said a decision is due in the next couple of months from the South African government over a proposed Tailings Storage Facility design at its Glenover phosphate project. MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) Prosecutors in the case of a slain University of Iowa student are calling defense attorneys' subpoenaing of the victim's bank records a fishing expedition. The Gazette reports that defense attorneys for Cristhian Bahena Rivera have subpoenaed Mollie Tibbetts bank records. Prosecutors with the Iowa Attorney General's Office have filed a motion objecting. Rivera is charged with first-degree murder in Tibbetts' July 2018 stabbing death. Officials say Rivera stalked Tibbetts while she was running in Brooklyn, Iowa, and stabbed her to death when she rejected his advances. Riveras trial is set to begin May 17. HOUSTON, Miss. (WTVA) - Smoking is now legal in all Mississippi prisons and regional jails. Inmates will be able to smoke legally beginning on Feb. 1. James "Jim" Meyers is the sheriff of Chickasaw County. Photo Date: Jan. 28, 2021. James "Jim" Meyers is the sheriff of Chickasaw County. Photo Date: Jan. 28, 2021. The Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) made the decision in an effort to cut down on contraband. Chickasaw County Sheriff Jim Meyers helps oversee the Chickasaw County Regional Correctional Facility. It will help our guards from having to look so much for tobacco products, he said. MDOC will also begin selling tobacco to inmates. The money from tobacco sales will go towards helping men and women on parole learn job skills. Meyers does not agree with the decision to allow smoking. Well, me personally, I dont agree with it personally, and the reason being is because of the second-hand smoke. In order to prevent second-hand smoke, Meyers said there will be specific areas outside for smokers. Employees will also post signs to inform inmates where they cannot smoke. Only smokeless tobacco will be allowed inside the facility, the sheriff said. Police in Texas have arrested a pair of 14-year-old boys who are accused of fatally stabbing a married mother-of-three Uber Eats driver in the neck during a robbery-gone-awry last weekend. The two juvenile suspects are facing capital murder charges for the killing of Ryan Munsie, 31, in the Fort Worth suburb of Haltom City last Saturday. Haltom City police said in a press release that the teenagers, who are not being named because of their age, were taken into custody by SWAT team members at Mercantile Square Apartments in the 3600 block of Tanacross Drive in Fort Worth on Wednesday. According to the police, the arrests came after detectives discovered evidence that linked the 14-year-olds to the crime. Scroll down for video Police in Texas have arrested two 14-year-old boys on capital murder charges for the stabbing death of Uber Eats driver Ryan Munsie (left and right). The mom-of-three was delivering food in suburban Fort Worth on Saturday when she was stabbed in the neck SWAT team members arrested the two teens at Mercantile Square Apartments in the 3600 block of Tanacross Drive in Fort Worth Ryan is pictured on her wedding day with her husband of four years, Camaron Graham Robbery was said to be the likely motive, but Sgt. Eric Peters, of the Haltom City Police Department, said the only thing the perpetrators took was Munsie's cellphone, reported CBS DFW. Officers tracked the stolen device and found it at a dumpster at the apartment complex in Fort Worth. Detectives reviewed surveillance video and interviewed residents, which ultimately led them to the two teens who lived in the building. Graham described Munsie as a hard-working and devoted mother who wanted her children to be happy Peters described Munsie's killing as a crime of opportunity, rather than a targeted attack. 'It ended up being just a random thing where these two juveniles were out looking for somebody to rob and just ran into her,' he said. Both 14-year-olds were transported to the Tarrant County Juvenile Justice Center in Fort Worth after their arrest. Before the arrests were announced, Munsive's husband of four years, Camaron Graham, gave an interview to WFAA and opened up about his loss. 'I dont wish that pain on anyone,' Graham said. 'My worst enemy shouldnt feel this pain.' The widowed husband said when he and Munsie first met seven years ago, they were both homeless, but through hard work they got an apartment, tied the knot and started a family. Around the time of her death, Munsie was working four jobs to help provide for the couple's three children. Munsie was bringing a food order to someone at the Northern Cross Apartments in the 4200 block of Northern Cross Boulevard in the Fort Worth suburb of Haltom City when she was attacked 'She wanted to make everyone happy, she wanted to work, and she wanted to make sure our kids had a set future,' Graham said. Munsie was found dead in a breezeway at the Northern Cross Apartments in the 4200 block of Northern Cross Boulevard in the Fort Worth suburb of Haltom City on Saturday night. Munsie was delivering food to a customer in the building but did not make it to the door before she was killed. Munsie was employed as an ambulance driver for the disabled, but had taken the Uber Eats delivery job on the side to supplement her income. We were all so proud of her, delivering UberEats to earn extra money due to cuts in their income due to Covid. This is how she died. An UberEats delivery, wrote Ryans sister, Erin Munsie, in a Facebook post. I didnt know a person could feel this level of sadness. I keep thinking Im having a nightmare and Im going to wake up any minute. Munsie's sister, Erin Munsie (left), said their family were so proud that she had taken another job delivering food to boost her income Munsie was employed as an ambulance driver for the disabled. She is pictured with her co-worker and friend, Bailey Ables Ryna and Camaron are pictured with their three children, now ages 5, 7, and 11 Munsie and her husband have three children, ages 5, 7 and 11. 'Her children were her world,' Munsie's friend Bailey Ables told WFAA. 'When I think of her, how funny she was, she was always trying to put a smile on someone elses face. Always asked how your day was and if you needed something, shed get it for you.' Ables has started a GoFundMe campaign to help Munsie's husband with her funeral expenses, which by Friday has drawn more than $70,000 in donations. Police were offering a $1,250 reward for any information that leads to the arrest of a suspect. Posted Thursday, January 28, 2021 5:21 pm Thurston County Superior Court judge set bail at $250,000 Tuesday for a 25-year-old man who led police on a chase on Interstate 5 before being shot near Grand Mound. Five Thurston County deputies and one Washington State Patrol trooper reportedly fired on Victor Hugo Ortiz Bucio on Jan. 13. After the shooting, all six officers were placed on administrative leave while Ortiz Bucio remained in custody at a local hospital. Ortiz Bucio is accused of three counts of third-degree rape of a child, second-degree child molestation, four counts of second-degree assault and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle. Judge James Dixon set the bail amount during Ortiz Bucio's preliminary appearance in court Tuesday, citing a substantial danger he may commit a violent crime. He also is barred from possessing firearms and contacting minors. Ortiz Bucio was arrested and booked into Thurston County Corrections Facility on Jan. 25, according to the jail log. The Mason County Sheriff's Office took the lead on an inter-agency investigation into the officer-involved shooting to keep it independent from both the Thurston County Sheriff's Office and State Patrol. Investigators initially released few details on the incident but a probable cause statement among public court documents reconstructs law enforcement's investigation into the case. A Thurston County deputy in a marked patrol vehicle observed a dark colored Chevrolet Silverado truck driving erratically near the intersection of Yelm Highway and Boulevard Road Southeast after 8 p.m. Jan. 13. The deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the driver, who deputies later identified as Ortiz Bucio, did not stop, according to the statement. At the time, the vehicle was reportedly traveling 70 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone. Ortiz Bucio's vehicle eventually entered U.S. Highway 101 and then the southbound lanes of Interstate 5, where it traveled at speeds exceeding 90 mph, the statement read. By this time, multiple deputies and state troopers were pursuing the vehicle. About 15 minutes after the first deputy signaled the vehicle to stop, Ortiz Bucio stopped near I-5 Exit 88. Multiple deputies and troopers stopped as well and demanded Ortiz Bucio show his hands, according to the statement. However, officers say Ortiz Bucio stepped out of the truck and pointed an automatic pistol at the responding deputies and troopers. Three deputies and one trooper reported fearing for their lives, the statement read, and five deputies and one trooper fired their handguns at Ortiz Bucio. Bullets struck Ortiz Bucio and Thurston County Sheriff's Office K9 Arlo, the statement read. K9 Arlo was shot twice in the incident. A GoFundMe organized by the Thurston County Deputy Sheriff's Foundation raised over $73,000 for the dog who had to undergo surgery following the shooting. The probable cause statement does not indicate whether Ortiz Bucio fired his pistol. Ortiz Bucio allegedly admitted to investigators on Jan. 18 that he intentionally drove recklessly to draw the attention of law enforcement, according to the statement. At the time, Ortiz Bucio was under investigation by the Lacey Police Department for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. In his Jan. 18 statement, Ortiz Bucio allegedly told investigators he wanted to die rather than go to prison, according to the statement. He also allegedly admitted he was shot after pointing a handgun at law enforcement. Ortiz Bucio is scheduled to reappear in court for his arraignment on Feb. 9, if the prosecuting attorney charges him. ___ (c)2021 The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.) Visit The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.) at www.theolympian.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. NEW DELHI : In another potential boost to availability of robust covid-19 vaccines in India, Novavax early Friday announced its interim phase-3 results showing that its protein subunit jabs have an efficacy of 89.3% against the novel coronavirus. More importantly, the efficacy results of the vaccine come from a trial in UK and South Africa, where two more transmissible strains are more prevalent, indicating that the vaccine provides protection against them. Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start NVX-CoV2373 is the first vaccine to demonstrate not only high clinical efficacy against COVID-19 but also significant clinical efficacy against both the rapidly emerging UK and South Africa variants," Novavax president and chief executive officer Stanley C. Erck said in a statement. In India, Serum Institute will be manufacturing around 1 billion doses of the vaccine under the local brand Covovax, with half of them expected to be reserved for India. The company will start manufacturing the vaccines from March, chief executive officer Adar Poonawalla has earlier said. Novavaxs efficacy results from the phase 3 trial in UK is based on 62 covid-19 cases more than 15,000 participants between 18-84 years of age. Of the total cases, 56 were observed in the placebo group and six cases in the vaccine group, resulting in a point estimate of 89.3%. Of the 62 cases, 32 were infected with the new UK strain. An analysis of 56 of these cases showed that the vaccine was 95.6% against the original coronavirus strain and 85.6% against the UK variant strain, the company said. The efficacy shown against the emerging variants is also extremely encouraging. This is an incredible achievement that will ensure we can protect individuals in the UK and the rest of the world from this virus," said UK Vaccine Taskforce chairperson Clive Dix was quoted as saying in the statement. In South Africa, the company conducted a phase 2b trial of over 4,400 participants with cases being counted from September through mid-January. At last count, the researchers had 44 cases, and genetic sequencing of some of the samples showed that 92.6% of them were infected with the new South Africa variant of the virus. The efficacy rate in the South Africa arm of the trial was 60%. The 60% reduced risk against COVID-19 illness in vaccinated individuals in South Africans underscores the value of this vaccine to prevent illness from the highly worrisome variant currently circulating in South Africa, and which is spreading globally," Shabir Maddi, executive director of the Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA) and principal investigator in the Novavax vaccine trial in South Africa, said in the statement. The company said that additional analysis on both trials is ongoing and the results will be shared via non-peer reviewed pre-print portals as well as submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. Novavax is also conducting a trial of 30,000 participants in the US and Mexico, and has so far enrolled over 16,000 participants and expects to complete it targeted enrollment in the first half of February. The company initiated a rolling submission to the UKs regulatory agency, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), in mid-January. An approval in the UK could provide a boost to its emergency licensure in India. However, Serum Institute of India, which is contract manufacturing the vaccine under its brand Covovax and planning to conduct a bridging study, has not yet received a clearance from the Indian regulators subject expert committee to conduct a trial. In a meeting on 19 January, the company was asked to submit revised clinical trial protocol before the committee for further deliberation", as per the minutes of the meeting. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. The continued support and funding will allow the company to focus on existing drill programs, further target definition, resource modelling and possible JV/Offtake opportunities at its high-grade nickel sulphide projects in Western Australia. A further 11.1 million options have been exercised at $0.10 each, plus an additional 2 million options exercised at $0.12 each ( ) (FRA:T59) has announced another large tranche of option conversions, predominantly by a group of key cornerstone investors, to contribute around $1.3 million to the working capital of the company. The cornerstone investors comprise long-term sophisticated investors with significant investment and minerals experience, many of whom were original investors in the companys IPO and are currently the top 20 shareholders. A further 11.1 million have been exercised at $0.10 each and an additional 2 million options have been exercised at $0.12 each - well before their expiry date in 2023. Endorsement of the portfolio This continued support via the conversion of these options well ahead of expiry further endorses the companys strategic portfolio of high-grade nickel sulphide projects in Western Australia, which includes Saints Nickel Project and Leinster Nickel Project and the recently acquired Nepean Nickel Project. Auroch managing director Aidan Platel said: We are very pleased by the strong show of support from such a core group of our shareholders, which is a great endorsement to the company itself and to its portfolio of high-grade, high-potential nickel sulphide assets in WA. This inflow of capital combined with our existing cash balance puts Auroch in a great position to carry out the aggressive exploration programs scheduled for 2021, as well as develop and build upon the high-grade resources at all three of our nickel sulphide projects as we move towards scoping studies and possible development. Aggressive exploration planned The capital raised through the exercise of these options builds on the companys existing strong cash position of $3.2 million and provides the funding for the aggressive exploration programs scheduled for this year. The company plans to complete a 3,500 metres reverse circulation (RC) drilling program, which is already underway at Nepean to test near near-mine extensions to the high-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation, as well as previously untested high-priority targets along the 10 kilometres of underexplored strike. Down-hole (DHEM) and surface MLEM surveys at Nepean, as well as air-core and other geochemical surface sampling programs, will be carried out to define and refine drill targets for the next round of RC drilling to start late in March. At the Leinster Project, Auroch also plans to complete a 3,000-metre RC drill program to test exciting high-potential targets along strike from the Horn, as well as other greenfield prospects such as Firefly and North Sinclair. The company also plans to complete a 1,500-metres RC drill program at the Saints Project to test for feeder channel massive nickel sulphide mineralisation at the T4, T5 and T6 prospects. Financial outlook The company looks forward to receiving further tranches of its 39.7 million outstanding $0.10 options conversions prior to their expiry in November 2021. This will remove any medium-term cash risk and provide the company with sufficient funding for planned exploration and resource drilling, leading towards the goal of JORC (2012) compliant resource estimates for all three nickel sulphide projects by the years end. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 A recent study, currently available on medRxiv* preprint server, shows that long-term adaptive immunity to endemic coronaviruses is widespread, but low in magnitude, and that it shares phenotypic features of spike-specific antibodies and T cell memory across all tested coronaviruses. Study: Adaptive immunity to human coronaviruses is widespread but low in magnitude . Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock Unlike the highly pathogenic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the a causative agent of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, alongside original SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, endemic human coronaviruses circulate widely around the world, but typically cause common cold with rather limited morbidity and mortality. However, despite the early development of immunity against multiple endemic human coronaviruses, a majority of adults are still susceptible to periodic re-infections most notably those that are immunocompromised. As the infection is mild or even asymptomatic, partially protective immune memory can be considered. When COVID-19 pandemic is concerned, defining the degree of serological and cellular immunity needed to protect against reinfection or severe disease remains a fundamental question. It is likely that a mixture of serum antibodies and T/B memory cells provides a long-term protection. Consequently, the study of coronavirus-specific T and B cell memory can give us a crucial preview into the development of long-lasting, protective SARS-CoV-2 immunity, as the role of cross-reactive immunity, and which cells dominate in the response, is currently unclear. Hence, to address important knowledge gaps regarding this issue, a research group led by the Dr. Hyon-Xhi Tan from the University of Melbourne, Australia, aimed to assess the prevalence and phenotypic characteristics of spike-specific antibodies against human coronaviruses, as well as memory T and B cell responses in a cohort of SARS-CoV-2 uninfected adults. Methodological approach For the purposes of this study, researchers have recruited a cohort of 42 SARS-CoV-2 uninfected adults from 18 to 67 years of age, without any recent cold symptoms or other signs related to COVID-19. In this group of individuals, the researchers have quantified CD4 T-cell and antibody responses to spike antigens. More specifically, to determine the distribution of CD4 T cell memory responses, they have stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells with recombinant spike glycoprotein antigens and quantified antigen-specific T memory cells by measuring up-regulation of the activation markers CD25 and OX-40 by flow cytometry. Taking into account the divergent host receptor specificity and potential differences in tissue tropism among human coronaviruses, the researchers have also appraised whether memory or chemokine receptor phenotypes differed among spike-specific CD4 T-cell populations. Tissue samples from human donors were used for this scientific endeavor. Cellular vs. humoral immunological memory In a nutshell, this study has revealed that the magnitude of immunity to human coronaviruses is independent of age and characterized by quite robust antibody titers, widespread CD4 T cell memory within both T memory cells and circulating T follicular helper cells, as well as by an enrichment of T cell memory in lung-draining lymph nodes. SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive T cells have been observed in 48 percent of study participants, and correlated with specific human coronavirus HKU1 memory. Furthermore, human coronavirus-specific T cells exhibited a CCR6+ central memory phenotype in the blood, but were enriched for CXCR3 expression and frequency in human lung draining lymph nodes. On the other hand, neutralizing antibody activity was relatively low, and memory B cells were only sporadically detected in the circulation or lung-draining lymph nodes. Cellular and humoral immunological memory seems to be independently maintained for human coronaviruses. A preview of a long-term immunity Overall, these data clarify the characteristics of long-term immunity to endemic coronaviruses, which have comparable magnitudes and share phenotypic features of spike-specific antibody and T cell memory across all four human coronaviruses," say study authors. As the modest neutralization activity shows that sterilizing humoral cross-immunity is likely absent, there is an emphasis on additive contributions of multiple arms of adaptive immune system specifically anti-viral T-cell responses. These types of insights into the homeostatic maintenance of immunity against human coronaviruses are likely to provide a preview of a long-term specific immunity established either after wide-spread infection or vaccination. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. One of the first academic studies to examine the working lives of disabled teachers in England has called for 'urgent change' after finding evidence of significant workplace discrimination and barriers to their career progression. The University of Cambridge research concludes that disabled teachers remain 'on the margins' of a drive for greater inclusivity in schools. It draws on in-depth interviews with several teachers to suggest ways this could improve. In particular, the study identifies the need to encourage more disabled people into teaching, highlighting the skills, knowledge and empathy they can bring to classrooms. The authors suggest that disabled teachers continue to experience discrimination not because of the innate prejudice of colleagues, but because of the general pressure on schools created by various performance targets, which makes it difficult for them to accommodate staff with different needs. This may explain the fairly overt discrimination that some interviewees recounted: including a case where one teacher was told to 'grit her teeth and get on with it' when she requested time off work, and another in which a staff member was disciplined after devising workarounds for systems that she couldn't use. The study itself is small, offering a snapshot of disabled teachers' working lives using pre-existing evidence and detailed interviews with 10 professionals. In part, this reflects the under-representation of disabled people in teaching: the last time the Government recorded their numbers (in 2016), of the data returned, just 0.5% of teachers self-reported as disabled in stark contrast to the estimated 16% of working age disabled adults in the general population. It is, however, also one of the only studies of its kind. The authors state that disabled teachers are 'typically marginalised within research, as well as mainstream education', and express the hope that their work will make the case for further evidence-gathering to inform policy and practice. The study was carried out by Professor Nidhi Singal and Dr Hannah Ware, from the Cambridge Network for Disability and Education Research (CaNDER), in the University's Faculty of Education. Dr Ware said: "There has been a significant focus on making mainstream schools more inclusive for disabled children and others. However, disabled teachers, who are entrusted with enacting that ethos, seem to have been side-lined in those efforts. These findings raise a serious question: How can we possibly promote inclusivity in schools if it only extends to children?" Professor Singal added: "Much of the evidence we gathered suggests that stresses in the system are amplified for disabled teachers and that part of the solution is to recruit more disabled people into the profession. For schools, that would constitute a double-win: not only are disabled teachers excellent role models; they also often bring additional qualities and strengths into classrooms." The participating teachers, whose details were anonymised for the study, had a wide range of disabilities. Interestingly, not all of them had felt sufficiently confident to disclose these to their schools. The interviews revealed significant commonalities of experience. Perhaps surprisingly, the teachers were overwhelmingly positive about their relationships with pupils. Many had developed coping mechanisms to handle their disability in the classroom: for example, one dyslexic teacher explained how she actively used her disability as a basis for ad-hoc spelling challenges in class. The findings also suggest that disabled teachers can be highly empathetic and skilled at differentiating their teaching and learning methods to suit all students. By definition, they also help to make schools more inclusive and promote positive attitudes towards disabled people. Most of those interviewed described a more problematic relationship with their fellow staff. Several said that they often felt lonely or undervalued at work, and were concerned that while colleagues were mindful of the challenges faced by disabled children, they displayed poor disability awareness with regard to adults. One participant described 'a hostile environment' every time she had to ask for adjustments to accommodate her disability; another, who has primary lymphodema in three limbs, said that whenever she took time off work, "you could feel their resentment when you came back". Nine of the 10 participants said they had experienced discriminatory practices at work. One teacher, who has myalgic encephalomyelitis and fibromyalgia, had been told she had to come into school after a flare-up left her in severe pain. "The deputy head said: 'grit your teeth and get on with it'," she told the researchers. Another teacher recounted being unable to use the approved colours for the school's marking system (green and red) because she has scotopic sensitivity. When she devised an alternative solution, which involved giving pupils feedback using a computer, she was formally disciplined for not following official procedures. In line with some of the teachers' own comments, the authors argue that many of these problems emanate from systemic pressures. There is also some emerging, anecdotal evidence that the additional strain on schools caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which occurred after the research was completed, may have worsened the extent to which colleagues feel unable to accommodate disabled teachers' needs. "These colleagues are typically well-meaning people who, outside school, would make every effort to accommodate a disabled person," Singal said. "Part of the problem is that in school their only option is to get on with the job." The research identifies several 'levers for change' that would improve disabled teachers' experiences. Many participants highlighted the value of mentors, support networks, and of having senior leaders capable of empathising with the different demands that disabilities impose. "I don't know if I am the first disabled PE teacher, but I feel like I am pretty much doing this by myself," one participant told the authors. "It would be great to meet other disabled teachers." The researchers therefore argue that there would be multiple benefits for disabled teachers and schools if more disabled people could be supported to enter the profession. Among other recommendations, they also highlight the need for more awareness training, particularly for school leaders. Given the present study's limited scale and scope, the authors also call for more research and data-gathering about disabled teachers and their experiences in English schools. "This is not just an education issue: it's part of a wider disenfranchisement of disabled people in the workplace," Ware added. "But we stand more chance of resolving it in education by strengthening our understanding of disabled teachers' experiences." ### The findings are reported in the journal, Disability & Society. ADVERTISEMENT The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on Friday its operatives arrested 10 suspects for computer-related fraud known as Yahoo-Yahoo. Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesperson for the EFCC, said the suspects were arrested at their academy in Bwari axis of Abuja where they were said to be learning the trade of cyber-trickery. The suspects, aged between 20 and 30 years, are Sixtus Jude, Moses Samuel, Isalan Johnny, Dapet Nimshak, Samuel Ogboche, Victor Samuel, Victor Asuquo, Ibrahim Yunusa, Yahaya Usman and Chijoke Ikwuoha. The agency said they were arrested with different incriminating items such as mobile phones and computers. The promoter of the Academy is, however, on the run, investigations showed that the sponsor recruits and train young individuals who show interest in internet fraud, the official added. ALSO READ: EFCC arrests 30 internet fraud suspects The sponsor gets his percentage of their earnings based on an agreement between him and the recruits. He also serves as a conduit for laundering the money gotten from internet fraud by some of the suspects, he said. The commission said the suspects will be prosecuted when an investigation is completed. 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. DENVER, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) recently won a spot as an approved technology provider on both the Georgia Technology Authority (GTA) Direct and the California Network and Telecommunications (CALNET) programs. This means state and local government agencies and educational institutions in Georgia and California can now access Lumen's technology services and platform through each state's respective contract vehicle. Helping agencies modernize their IT coast to coast. "We know that each state agency, city, town or school has its own unique needs when it comes to their IT infrastructure. Contract vehicles like GTA Direct and CALNET make it easier for agencies of all sizes to capitalize on the latest smart technologies and better serve their constituents," said Sonia Ramsey, Lumen vice president for the state and local government and education market. "We're committed to helping public sector organizations embrace, transform and thrive in light of the rapid progression of technology in the 4th Industrial Revolution." Research shows that most IT leaders believe a century's work of technological advancements will take place in the next five years. To prepare for that evolution, Lumen is committed to working with public sector organizations and using its technology platform to help agencies transform how they deliver services to citizens. As an approved service provider under both the GTA Direct IT services program and the CALNET contract, Lumen can now offer a variety of voice, video, data, network and security services that support agencies in Georgia and California. GTA and Lumen The GTA Direct IT services program provides a quick path to managed IT services for agencies, local governments, colleges and universities and boards of education statewide. Lumen was selected under the initial three-year contract to provide a variety of technology services, including data circuits for wide area networks, dedicated internet connections, managed Wi-Fi, ethernet, network security, voice services and unified communications and collaboration solutions. Lumen is already a trusted technology provider in Georgia, with more than 165,000 connections and 6,000 fiber route miles across the state. "The GTA Direct program provides a quick path to IT services for more than 1,200 state government entities," said Calvin Rhodes, state chief information officer and executive director of the Georgia Technology Authority. "We're proud of our work to create a transparent, integrated enterprise where technology decisions are made with the citizen in mind." CALNET and Lumen CALNET delivers telecommunications services and solutions to state and local governments, as well as educational entities. Lumen was selected to provide fast and secure voice, collaboration tools such as web conferencing, internet, ethernet and data network services to the state under the CALNET contract. Having won portions of the previous CALNET contracts, Lumen recently won an expanded version that emphasizes the modern Lumen platform of adaptive networking, integrated security services, unified communications with contact center and flexible high-speed internet with speeds up to 100 Gbps. The new contract has a five-year term and three one-year options. Lumen already has more than 15,000 fiber route miles and nearly 4,000 on-net buildings with 600,000 connections in California that help it deliver the latest network and platform for transformation around the state. By supplying secure cloud connectivity, collaboration tools, and managed services over its carrier-class fiber network, Lumen provides public sector organizations with the security and reliability they need to carry out their mission. Additional Resources Learn more about the State of Arizona Network contract award: https://news.lumen.com/2020-07-28-CenturyLink-Wins-State-of-Arizona-Network-Contract Learn more about the Texas Department of Information Resources award for managed services: https://news.centurylink.com/2018-03-01-Texas-Department-of-Information-Resources-awards-managed-services-contract-to-CenturyLink Learn more about Lumen being selected as a network provider for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania : https://news.centurylink.com/2017-12-11-CenturyLink-selected-as-network-provider-for-the-Commonwealth-of-Pennsylvania About Lumen Lumen is guided by our belief that humanity is at its best when technology advances the way we live and work. With approximately 450,000 route fiber miles and serving customers in more than 60 countries, we deliver the fastest, most secure platform for applications and data to help businesses, government and communities deliver amazing experiences. Learn more about the Lumen network, edge cloud, security, communication and collaboration solutions and our purpose to further human progress through technology at news.lumen.com, LinkedIn: /lumentechnologies, Twitter: @lumentechco, Facebook: /lumentechnologies, Instagram: @lumentechnologies and YouTube: /lumentechnologies. Learn more about Lumen's public sector capabilities on Twitter at @lumengov and on LinkedIn at @lumenpublicsector. SOURCE Lumen Technologies Related Links https://www.lumen.com Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) speaks during a protest in front of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau headquarters in Washington on Nov. 28, 2017. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Sen. Elizabeth Warren Demands SEC to Deal With Market Manipulation Amid GameStop Surge In a letter (pdf) to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday morning, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) questioned price swings on stocks like GameStop, AMC, and others and asked for the agency to address any systemic concerns for financial systems. Casino-like swings in stock prices of GameStop reflect wild levels of speculation that dont help GameStops workers or customers and could lead to market instability. Today I told the SEC to explain what exactly its doing to prevent market manipulation, Warren wrote on Twitter. Warren, who has painted herself as a champion of Medicare for All and similar policies, said the SEC now needs to review the market activity around GameStop to act to ensure that markets reflect real value, rather than the highly leveraged bets of wealthy traders or those who seek to inflict financial damage on those traders. To protect and restore public trust in sound securities regulation and enforcement, the Commission must identify gaps in existing securities laws and rules and ways in which the Commission can improve its enforcement capabilities, Warren wrote in a news release accompanying the letter, adding that she asked the SECthe chief financial regulator in the United Statesto respond to her question by Feb. 5. A number of elected officials in Congressboth Democrats and Republicanshave seized on the GameStop development, calling for hearings and investigations into the matter. Among them, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.)an ardent supporter of former President Donald Trumpcalled on the Department of Justice to investigate trading platforms like Robinhood after they halted the purchase of GameStop, KOSS, AMC, and other stocks. This unilateral move was done in a concerted effort to de-platform and silence individual investors, Gosar wrote. Were pleased to share that weve raised over $1 billion from existing investors to continue to invest in record growth. This is a strong sign of confidence from investors that will help us continue to further serve our customers, a Robinhood spokeswoman said in an email. Reuters contributed to this report. We accept obituaries only from the funeral home in charge. For information on submitting an obituary, please contact The Herald-Dispatch by phone at 304-526-2793 or email at obits@herald-dispatch.com. Obituaries for The Herald-Dispatch must be received by 2 p.m. to appear in the next days publication. Obituaries for the Wayne County News, which publishes on Wednesday, must be received by noon Tuesday. The European Union is working to secure that Ukraine receives the second part of the tranche of macro-financial assistance (MFA) in the amount of EUR 600 million as soon as possible, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has told President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. According to the website of the head of the Ukrainian state, Zelensky, in turn, thanked the EU for the provision of the first MFA tranche to Ukraine in the amount of EUR 600 million in December 2020. "This helped to maintain our macro-financial stability," the president told the President of the European Commission during a phone call. The parties discussed the efforts that the Ukrainian authorities are making to implement anti-corruption reforms. Zelensky informed Ursula von der Leyen about the beginning of the reform of the Security Service of Ukraine, the creation of the Bureau of Economic Security, and toughened responsibility for inaccurate declaration of income. As noted in the report, the President of the European Commission thanked the head of the Ukrainian state for his personal efforts in the implementation of anti-corruption policy. Texas Rep. Chip Roy is once again making headlines for throwing himself into drama, this time between Senator Ted Cruz and U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Roy released a statement in the form of a press release on his website Friday, calling for Ocasio-Cortez to resign after she slammed Cruz for his actions before the insurrection after he agreed with her on her tweet calling Robinhood's recent actions unacceptable. ADVERTISEMENT The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, said on Thursday the state government would immortalise the late Nigerian ambassador to the U.S, Sylvanus Nsofor, by renaming the Imo High Court complex after him. The late Mr Nsofor, who died in December in the U.S at the age of 85, was a retired justice of the Supreme Court. He hailed from Oguta in Imo State. Mr Uzodinmas announcement of the governments plan to immortalise Mr Nsofor was made at a valedictory session held at the Court of Appeal, Owerri, in his honour. The governor said Mr Nsofor was a man who stood for justice and fairness when he served as a judge of the Court of Appeal. My government will immortalise Nsofor because he was a man with a high level of integrity and he made us proud as a state. His legacy should be emulated by every leader. He showed good example as a lawyer and also gave remarkable judgments as a judge, Governor Uzodinma said. Even in death, we are proud of him because he represented us well, he added. A judge of the Court of Appeal, Owerri, Ayobode Sodipe, said the late Mr Nsofor would be remembered for his contributions to the bench. I was able to read most of his judgments as an Appeal Court judge, I saw wisdom in all his decisions and his legacies will forever remain. He was a great man who was respected by the international community, on behalf of my colleagues here, we say a last farewell to an honourable gentleman, Justice Sodipe said. A senior lawyer, Mike Ahamba , said Mr Nsofor had a good track record as a judge and represented Nigeria well as an ambassador. We are very proud of him, even in death, he will be highly respected because he served both Imo state and the Federal Government diligently, he said. Blessing Iweajunwa, an Owerri-based lawyer, said Mr Nsofors track record was a big source of motivation for lawyers. He practises as a lawyer before he was elevated as a judge, he had an excellent career and we are very proud of him, she added. (NAN) 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 Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. One of the bright spots in the East Sea tension this year is that many countries have clarified their legal stance in the sea through diplomatic notes exchanged at the UN, said Dr Pham Lan Dung, acting director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. Lucknow, Jan 29 : Nearly 5.85 lakh girl students in primary, upper primary, secondary classes and pursuing higher education in Uttar Pradesh have benefited under the 'Kanya Sumangala' scheme, official sources said on Friday. Under the scheme, Rs 15,000 each is given to families on the birth of a girl child to enable parents take care of her health, education and other needs. The money is released in installments at the time of birth, vaccinations, admissions to Classes 1, 5, 9 and graduation. The state government has reached out to schools and colleges in all 75 districts to directly connect eligible girls to this flagship scheme of the Uttar Pradesh government, which was launched by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in October 2019. Women Welfare Department Deputy Director Ashutosh Kumar Singh said that Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 are given at the time of birth and vaccinations respectively, followed by another Rs 2,000 at the time of admissions in Classes 1 and 6. Another installment of Rs 3,000 is given when girls enrol in Class 9 in secondary schools. Girls who pass intermediate and get admitted to graduation or diploma courses get the sixth installment of Rs 5,000. Department Director Manoj Kumar Rai said that the scheme not only helps in curbing female foeticide and child marriage, but also ensures education for the girl child. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has warned that 'coronavirus will be with us for life' as he urged regional leaders to abandon social distancing measures and instead learn to 'live with' the virus. 'This issue of Covid will continue for life,' he said at his weekly live webcast on social media, adding that social distancing measures will 'lead nowhere.' The 65-year-old strongman leader, who was himself infected with Covid, has shunned social distancing throughout the pandemic and has since announced that he will not take a vaccine. But his popularity has been falling amid a slow jabs roll-out and soaring death toll, driven by a more-infectious Covid mutant that caused hospitals in the jungle city of Manaus collapse. President Bolsonaro has urged regional leaders in Brazil against bringing in more social distancing measures to combat Covid, saying people must 'live with' the virus Brazil has the world's second-highest death toll from the disease, behind only the USA, which has been driven by the emergence of a new and more-infectious variant of the virus Bolsonaro has shunned social distancing and mask-wearing throughout the pandemic, and has refused to take a vaccine, leading many to blame him for the country's high death-count Critics say the slow vaccine rollout is the latest in a long line of fumblings that have blighted Brazil with the second-highest coronavirus death toll in the world after the United States. The country is reliant for a mass jabs roll-out on China's Sinovac jab, and has so-far produced around 6million doses of it, but trials have show it to be only a little over 50% effective - barely meeting the standard for approval. Brazil has also given approval for the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, but has only recieved 2million doses so far and is still waiting for shipments of key ingredients so it can produce the shots locally. Bolsonaro attempted to defend the roll-out on Thursday, saying: 'Europe and some countries in South America don't have vaccines. 'And we know that the demand is high. We have signed deals, contracts, from last September, with various companies, and the vaccines are starting to arrive,' he said. 'They will arrive and will vaccinate the whole population in a short space of time.' Brazil has seen cases soar to record levels in recent months, driven by a new and more-infectious variant of the virus that began in the jungle city of Manaus Deaths have also been rising on a par with the first wave, driven by a collapse in the health system in Manaus which saw hospitals run out of oxygen Bolsonaro's comments reflect a change of tone in recent weeks, as many have been angered by the president's failure to quickly vaccinate Brazil's 210 million people. His personal pledge not to take any shot has stoked growing anti-vaccine sentiment. The end of a COVID-19 welfare scheme, and a sharp rise in new infections, have also dented his popularity. Brazil is predominantly reliant on a Chinese shot, developed by Sinovac Biotech, but is awaiting a shipment of active ingredient from China needed to domestically producer an AstraZeneca vaccine. In the meantime, the country has received 2 million ready-to-use AstraZeneca shots until the active ingredient arrives. Meanwhile researchers confirmed that a new Brazilian variant of the disease is now the dominant form of the virus in Manaus, confirming what many had long-suspected - it is more infectious than the original. Felipe Naveca, who studies coronavirus mutations in northern Amazonas state, said the new variant was present in 51 percent of samples taken from coronavirus patients in December. By January 13, it was 91 percent. 'Moreover, it has spread into the interior of the state' of Amazonas, of which Manaus is the capital. 'We have found it in 11 of 13 towns that we have studied,' said Naveca. The jungle city of Manaus has been particularly hard-hit with the new variant, forcing local leaders to ship in oxygen for patients from neighbouring Venezuela Relatives have been forced to drag oxygen canisters from filling trucks and into hospitals to keep their suffering relatives alive as the health system in Manaus collapsed Three cases of infection with the new variant were detected Tuesday in the vast South American country's Sao Paulo state - the most populous with 46 million inhabitants. Brazil has recorded more than 218,000 deaths due to the coronavirus - a toll second only to that of the United States. 'The indications already were that (this variant) is more contagious as it has similar mutations to the ones linked to greater transmissibility observed in the virus variants from Britain and South Africa,' said Naveca. 'Now, data on the very high frequency with which it has been found reinforces the suspicion that it is more contagious.' The British and South African variants have already spread across dozens of countries. Portugal said Wednesday it was suspending flights to and from Brazil due to the surge in the number of coronavirus cases and the detection of the new variant. The United States, Britain, Italy and Peru have already barred flights from Brazil. The World Health Organization said Wednesday that the Brazil variant, called P1, was now in eight countries - up from two just a week ago. Naveca said the data 'does not allow us to say whether this variant is more deadly' than the original, even though the number of infections and deaths in Manaus has exploded in recent weeks. The harms the financial and psychological costs of false positives, follow-up procedures, overdiagnosis and overtreatment are experienced by many. So the best screening tests are targeted at people with the highest risk, who are most likely to benefit. Limiting lung cancer screening to current and former heavy smokers not only prevents lung cancer deaths, it may actually reduce all-cause mortality (the rate of death from any cause), a benefit screening experts note no other cancer test has been able to demonstrate. Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty were among those who introduced legislation to close loopholes that allow Title X family planning funds to go to entities that perform abortions, including Planned Parenthood. Senator Blackburn said, We must close loopholes that allow for abortion giants like Planned Parenthood to receive federal funding. This legislation will help end taxpayer funded support for the abortion industry and protect the unborn. Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, said, The abortion industry has used the Title X family planning program as a marketing slush fund, paid for by taxpayers to build a client base for abortion. Nothing stops them from selling abortions on their own time, but they want our time and money. Students for Lifes Institute for Pro-life Advancement just released a poll showing that almost half of all Millennials and Gen Z, those most targeted for abortion, dont want their tax money to pay for abortions at home and more than half dont want to pay for it worldwide. Legislators should refrain from this kind of extremists overreach in abortion policy as the only groups pushing for it just want to get paid to end life. Lets be clear: If your healthcare kills people on purpose, youre doing it wrong. Sponsors said The Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act: Sorry! This content is not available in your region An NHS nurse who first met her baby girl after nearly three months in hospital with Covid-19 has admitted she has 'no recollection' of her daughter's birth. Eva Gicain, 30, of Basildon in Essex, was off work from September as she entered the third trimester of her pregnancy and her risk of becoming ill with coronavirus increased. However, Mrs Gicain, who works at a London hospital, contracted coronavirus and was admitted to A&E in Basildon in late October while 34 weeks pregnant. Her condition deteriorated and she had an emergency Caesarean section at 35 weeks. But appearing on Good Morning Britain today, Mrs Gicain admitted she has no memory of giving birth to her daughter, Elleana, and does not remember being transferred to Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge 10 days later as she fought for her life. Scroll down for video An NHS nurse who first met her baby girl after nearly three months in hospital with Covid-19 has admitted she has 'no recollection' of her daughter's birth. Pictured: Eva Gicain, 30, with her husband Limuel and baby Elleana Eva (pictured right) was off work from September as she entered the third trimester of her pregnancy and her risk of becoming ill with coronavirus increased Mrs Gicain said she rang her GP after becoming concerned with her sore throat and fever. She was quickly told to go to A&E. Speaking about Elleana's birth, she added: 'I don't have any recollection. I don't even know when she was born, I woke up and the doctors told me that she was born on November 4. '[I have] a guilt feeling as we had been excited. We'd planned everything. That [my husband] would be there during my delivery and we didn't expect this to happen.' 'But I'm still thankful that I am here right now and I can spend more time with them,' she continued. Her husband Limuel Gicain, who was also suffering with Covid-19 and had to self-isolate, added: 'I felt so helpless as I couldn't be by her side.' However, Mrs Gicain (pictured leaving the hospital) contracted coronavirus and was admitted to A&E in Basildon in late October while 34 weeks pregnant. Her condition deteriorated and she had an emergency Caesarean section at 35 weeks Mrs Gicain was admitted to critical care at the Royal Papworth Hospital and put on a special machine that takes over the job of the lungs, giving them time to recover. After three weeks with the artificial lung, called an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine, her condition improved. The machine removes carbon dioxide from the blood and adds oxygen, and is used to treat coronavirus patients as a last resort when other forms of ventilation have been unsuccessful. Mrs Gicain was moved to a step-down ward a few days before Christmas, and was finally discharged from the hospital to applause on January 12 after 76 days in hospital in Cambridge and Basildon. 'The first thing I remember is just a few days before Christmas and being told where I was, what I had been through and that Elleana was doing well,' said Mrs Gicain. But appearing on Good Morning Britain today, Mrs Gicain admitted she has no memory of giving birth to her daughter, Elleana (pictured together), and does not remember being transferred to Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge 10 days later as she fought for her life 'I was able to regularly video call my husband, Limuel, and Elleana, and we spent a long time on the phone together on Christmas Day, although I couldn't speak much as my throat was so sore from having been ventilated. 'Not being able to see them in person and touch them was so difficult. I was determined to get home to them as soon as possible.' A few days after returning home, she said: 'I am feeling much better now. When I held Elleana for the first time I didn't want to let go. It was a special moment. 'Life is unpredictable and we are now just looking forward to being a little family and spending time together.' Mr Gicain, also aged 30, was isolating at home with Covid-19 while his wife was unconscious in hospital in Cambridge and his baby daughter was at Basildon's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Mrs Gicain (pictured bottom left with her family while appearing on Good Morning Britain) is one of the youngest patients to receive ECMO for Covid-19 at Royal Papworth Hospital 'I was very unwell so I couldn't leave the house, never mind visit either my wife or daughter' he said. 'It was so horrible the three of us being in separate places at a time when we should all have been together. 'I was finally able to visit Elleana just in time for her being discharged from NICU on November 21.' The healthcare assistant had already agreed a name with his wife as they knew they were having a girl, and was able to confirm the spelling his wife wanted by looking at some personalised pyjamas she bought that were meant as a Christmas present. Mrs Gicain is one of the youngest patients to receive ECMO for Covid-19 at Royal Papworth Hospital. The hospital is one of five centres in England commissioned to provide ECMO for adults in acute respiratory failure. The family celebrated Christmas Day on January 21 and said that Elleana, now nearly three months old, is doing well. The utopian flat rate of income tax has been the subject of economic and political debate for a long time. Advocates of the system point to the obvious benefitsa simplified, easy-to-understand tax with minimal compliance burden and reduced scope for tax planning, avoidance and evasion. A system which encourages innovation, risk-taking and enterprise without having to worry about higher tax rates taking away a large share of the reward. The critics, who far outweigh the advocates, point to the adverse redistribution of income such a system would causewith the rich benefiting from a lower average rate of tax at the expense of the middle class. Most countries in the world follow a progressive" system of tax where income up to a threshold remains exempt, followed by gradually increasing tax rate as income levels rise. This system is designed for a lesser tax burden on lower-income groups, while recovering higher taxes from the rich who have a higher ability to pay. As a result, tax collections under the progressive system tend to be higher than flat tax regimes since the rich contribute disproportionately to tax revenues. Flat tax regimes rely on simplicity, broadening of the tax base and the trickle-down effect of enhanced economic activity to deliver higher post-tax incomes for all citizens. View Full Image A comparison of the effective tax rates across the old tax regime, new tax regime and flat tax at 17.5% Many countries in Eastern Europe (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania, to name a few) and Russia have experimented with some form of flat taxationa proportionate tax rate across income levels with high exemption thresholds, increased allowances and tax credits to offer relief at lower income levels. Specific design (tax rate and tax-free thresholds) along with other contextual reforms (social security schemes, direct benefit transfers) aimed at minimizing the impact of underlying income re-distribution determine the success of the reform. Can such a system be successful in India with its wide income disparity, complex provisions governing exemptions, surcharges and cesses, tax-free agricultural incomes, interplay between direct and indirect tax regimes and different taxation rules for different types of income? We have tried estate tax and wealth tax in the past. Estate tax was abolished in 1985 with marginal collections and high administration costs and inefficiencies in implementation. Wealth tax was abolished in 2015 for similar reasons. The new tax regime introduced in FY20, where taxpayers can opt for simple slab-based taxes without exemptions and deductions, is also a step in this direction. India continues to suffer from wide income disparitiesthe policy regime has focused on widening the taxpayer base and encouraging new taxpayers to start contributing to the exchequer. In 2018-19, only 3.8% of Indians aged 20 and above paid income tax, according to data from the income tax department. Of this, 3.8%, less than 4%, accounted for 60% of personal tax collections. It would be very difficult to implement a flat tax regime with such concentration of tax collections. Any shift to a flat tax rate will need to be gradual, accompanied by sustained efforts to dramatically widen the tax base and ease the burden of higher tax contribution on lower income groups through better social security (health, education etc.), direct benefit transfers and other schemes to help balance the twin objectives of revenue neutrality and net income neutrality for lower income groups. Over the longer term, enhanced output resulting from productive reinvestment of surpluses at higher income levels should result in rising economic gains across society, in theory. Tapati Ghose is partner, Deloitte India Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Traveller organisations around the country are today calling on Travellers to fully adhere to COVID-19 public health measures, including restrictions on funerals. In this way people can show the deceased the respect and dignity they deserve. Both the Government and the Catholic Church have stated that only immediate family members up to a maximum of 10 people should attend church and graveside services and physical distancing should be maintained at all times. Restrictions relate to ALL funerals, including those of people who have died of COVID-19. There are no post-funeral social gatherings and An Gardai Siochana have powers to enforce COVID-19 restrictions during this crisis. Neither are large gatherings allowed for months mind and yearly headstone blessings. The advice comes a day after large numbers attended a Traveller funeral in Carrick-on-Shannon which drew strong condemnation locally. Support Bereaved Families in the Future These restrictions are not easy and Traveller organisations understand the importance of funerals to bereaved families. We want to make sure people to take the long-term view on this. We want to make sure that as many people as possible are around to support bereaved families in the future. Bereaved families are vulnerable, may be in a state of shock and feel unable to get the message across that its ok to stay away from a funeral. But, given the COVID-19 situation, bereaved families do understand that people need to stay at home. The reality is that we dont know who has, or who does not have, the virus so it is vital that we take ALL precautions. We are all being encouraged to act as if we all have COVID-19 and thats why weve been told to stay at home as much as possible and not to meet up in groups. Gatherings Put the Community at Risk The COVID-19 crisis is particularly hard on Travellers given underlying health conditions and overcrowded living conditions. Gathering at funerals is a sure-fire way to make the situation worse and pass on the virus if any one person does happen to have it. This puts the whole Traveller community at further risk. By adhering to the restrictions, we can do our part in reducing (as far as possible) further spread of virus and/or prevent any unnecessary deaths. Marking the passing of a loved one is hugely important and to see a loved one buried without the usual ceremonies is very difficult. But it will be possible in the future to hold a church service for the loved one who has passed. At that point people will get a chance to pay their respects in person and pass on their good wishes to the family. Alternative Ways to Express Condolences In the meantime it is possible to communicate via mass card, telephone, Whats App or Facebook and to pass on messages of sympathy that way. And often you can watch the church service online through the churchs website. It is also possible to set up a book of online condolences at www.rip.ie. Bereaved Traveller families need our support not just now but into the future. By staying at home during COVID-19 we can make sure we will be there for them in the weeks, months and years to come. Supported by: Paul ODriscoll, PP, Parish of the Travelling People Maria Joyce, National Traveller Womens Forum Martin Collins, Co Director, Pavee Point Traveller & Roma Centre Bernard Joyce, Irish Traveller Movement Thomas McCann, Traveller Counselling Service Kathleen Sherlock, Minceirs Whiden James OLeary, INVOLVE Kevin Burn, Exchange House Ireland Nancy Power, National Traveller MABS Michael Power, Traveller Voice Magazine Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman would present her third Union Budget on Monday. In normal circumstances, it would have been an annual, monotonous and predictable affair that would have consisted mainly of a statement of the governments intent and allocation of money for different purposes. With consumption tax going out of the Central governments jurisdiction after the rollout of the Good and Services Tax, the Budget speech had lost even the power to influence prices a fear factor that had made the Union Budget so special and frightening. This years Budget, however, could be special, especially in the wake of Covid-induced economic catastrophe in the country. There is a hope among people and businesspersons that the government the countrys biggest consumer would come out in support of the economy. The country needs a path-breaking Budget to bring back the tottering economy on the growth track and revive investor confidence in the country. While the Covid pandemic offers a great opportunity for the finance minister to reset the economy and administer bitter medicine for its health, it also increases expectations that could be difficult to fulfil. For example, people belonging to the middle class want lower income-tax outgo, companies want tax concessions, and farmers want freebies. In a nutshell, everybody wants to pay less or nothing. Therefore, instead of opting for a welfare budget, the finance minister should support sectors such as infrastructure and construction that could have a greater and faster positive effect on reviving the economy. She could also try to put more money in the hands of the people who could use it for consumption. A few thousands of rupees more in the pockets of a middle-class family would invariably boost retail sales. The next issue is how does the minister raise money for boosting the economy. As tax collection could be a tad lower than normal, the government appears to be ready to go easy on borrowing more money. The minister, however, should exhaust all options before going on a borrowing spree. The Central government owns hundreds of companies, which have been undervalued because of their poor performance and bureaucratic interference. Navratna companies like Coal India, NMDC, Sail and Bhel among others could see a great appreciation in value if the government followed the model of the joint venture between Maruti Udyog Limited and Suzuki Motors by letting private partners run the company. The government could also consider exiting all public sector banks, which will unburden taxpayers and bring in new capital and employment. The State Bank of India and Postal Bank with a vast pan-India network could be used for government schemes and welfare purposes. In history, very few people get an opportunity to prove their mettle. This Budget could become a Manmohan Singh moment for Ms Sitharaman to script the second turnaround story for India. If the opportunity is lost, it would be a tragedy for her as well as the country. Mayor Linda Tyer said the Pittsfield School Committee, on which she sits, could not wait any longer to begin getting students back to classrooms. Vocational students, like those at Taconic High School, need to return to their shops to complete hands-on learning requirements for graduating with professional credentials, she said. 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 Here is the latest Hamilton County arrest report: AGOBI, AVIA 7627 BISHOP DR CHATTANOOGA, 37416 Age at Arrest: 30 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County IN TRANSIT TO DAVIDSON CO --- ANDREASON, CHAD JAMES 4727 S 1300 E APT 31 MILLCREEK, 84117 Age at Arrest: 39 years old Arresting Agency: Red Bank POSS METH RESALE TAMPERING WITH OR FABRICATING EVIDENCE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA --- BALABUCH, DANIEL U 2901 WILLIAMSBURG LANE RED BANK, 37415 Age at Arrest: 68 years old Arresting Agency: Red Bank DOMESTIC ASSAULT --- BALLOU, DASHAUN MARQUAILL 1607 CAROUSEL RD CHATTANOOGA, 37411 Age at Arrest: 19 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) --- BERRY, SYDNEY BAILEY 5 MONTAYNE DR ROSSVILLE, 30741 Age at Arrest: 20 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga VIOLATION OF PROBATION (THEFT OF PROPERTY --- BRADSHAW, KELLY LYNN 727 E 11TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37403 Age at Arrest: 39 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga CRIMINAL TRESPASSING --- CARREY, MARIAH HOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37403 Age at Arrest: 20 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Airport Auth. CRIMINAL TRESPASSING --- COLLINS, STEVEN MICHAEL 128 B CALIFORNIA AVE RED BANK, 37415 Age at Arrest: 22 years old Arresting Agency: Red Bank DOMESTIC ASSAULT --- COOK, JENNIFER D 5412 MAY CIR HIXSON, 37343 Age at Arrest: 47 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA --- CUNNINGHAM, JESSICA LYNN 7005 FAIRINGTON CIRCLE HIXSON, 37343 Age at Arrest: 31 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County AGGRAVATED DOMESTIC ASSAULT --- DAVENPORT, ZACALA MECOLE 7717 CECILIA DR CHATTANOOGA, 37416 Age at Arrest: 32 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga VIOLATION OF PROBATION ( DOMESTIC ASSAULT) --- EDWARDS, CHRISTOPHER L 5297 SPRIGGS STREET EAST RIDGE, 37412 Age at Arrest: 25 years old Arresting Agency: East Ridge DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE --- EDWARDS, JUSTUS CAIN 4719 TOMAHAWK TRL CHATTANOOGA, 374112433 Age at Arrest: 36 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PUBLIC INTOXICATION --- ENGLAND, ANTHONY J 310 12TH AVENUE DAYTON, 37321 Age at Arrest: 18 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY --- HEAD, TONYA SUE 101 NORMAN LN CHATTANOOGA, 37405 Age at Arrest: 40 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County THEFT OF PROPERTY --- HIXSON, ROBERT ALLEN 592 GATE ST CHATTANOOGA, 37412 Age at Arrest: 32 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County THEFT OF PROPERTY / VEHICLE --- HOLT, CHRISTOPHER KEITH 305 REDBUD DR FORT OGLEETHORP, Age at Arrest: 49 years old Arresting Agency: Collegedale Police Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) --- JACKSON, MARTIN L 1100 ANITA DR. CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyNONSUPPORT AND FLAGRANT NONSUPPORT---JOHNIKIN, ELPATRO LAWRENCE6101 VANCE RD CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest: 41 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---JONES, COURTNEY WEBB2408 SHADY LN CHATTANOOGA, 37404Age at Arrest: 41 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyDOMESTIC ASSAULTDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE---JONES, MAURICE LOVELL2121 CLEVELAND AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37404Age at Arrest: 57 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyVIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSS. OXYCODONE FOR RESALE---MCCABE, ROCKY SHANE220 CULVER STREET RED BANK, 37415Age at Arrest: 38 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyPOSSESSION OF STOLEN LICENSE PLATESUNLAWFUL REMOVAL OF REGISTRATION PLATEDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEREGISTRATION, DRIVING UNREGISTERED VEHICLE---PAYNE, BRIDGETTE ALEXIS897 MILLWEE HOLLOW RD ROSSVILLE, 30741Age at Arrest: 25 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyFAILURE TO APPEAR---PITTS, RAVEN ONTENA4715 BONNY OAKS DR. APT. 414 CHATTANOOGA, 37416Age at Arrest: 28 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyVANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF---REID, JOSEPH607 HEMPHILL CIR CHATTANOOGA, 374112912Age at Arrest: 28 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaUNL. CARRYING OR POSSESSING WEAPONTINTED WINDOWS VIOLATION---RICKETTS, ROBERT JOHNHOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37407Age at Arrest: 40 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaVANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF (ATTEMPTED)---ROBERTS, CHRISTOPHER572 SIMS DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 37415Age at Arrest: 18 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyCRIMINAL CONSPIRACY---ROBINSON, ASHLEY NICOLE4929 WOODLAND VIEW CHATTANOOGA, 37410Age at Arrest: 29 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyTHEFT OF PROPERTY---SHULTZ, BENJAMIN M320 COUNTY CLUB RD CLEVELAND, 37312Age at Arrest: 40 years oldArresting Agency: Collegedale PoliceBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---SIMPSON, JONATHAN EDWARD95 ANDERSON LN ROSSVILLE, 30741Age at Arrest: 32 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---SMITH, CHRISTOPHER GEORGE2410 LYNDON AVENUE APT 14 CHATTANOOGA, 37416Age at Arrest: 26 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyFELONY RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT---STAMBAUGH, ANGELA MARIE160 PRINCESS LANE ROSSVILLE, 30741Age at Arrest: 53 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyCRIMINAL TRESPASSING---THOMPSON, JAMES824 ARLINGTON AVE APT. B CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest: 62 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyTHEFT OF PROPERTY---TOLLIVER, TIMOTHY TYRONE8934 SHERIDA LN CHATTANOOGA, 374161539Age at Arrest: 45 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyAGGRAVATED ASSAULTAGGRAVATED ASSAULTVANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF---TOWNSEND, TRAVIYELL CAURDELL119 HOLLYBERRY LN CHATTANOOGA,Age at Arrest: 18 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaASSAULT---WALKER, DEZMOND C9607 BARBEE RD SODDY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest: 18 years oldArresting Agency: Soddy DaisyDOMESTIC ASSAULT---WEAVER, CALVIN VINCENT300 TALLEY TERRACE CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest: 57 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaLIGHT LAW VIOLATIONDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE---WILLIAMS, TERRI M1202 BRUIN LANE ROSSVILLE, 30741Age at Arrest: 45 years oldArresting Agency: Collegedale PoliceBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---WILSON, ROBERT LEON118 WIDOW STREET SALE CREEK, 37373Age at Arrest: 50 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton County(VOP) DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE---WRIGHT, AMBER NICOLE3200 E 46TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37407Age at Arrest: 25 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyTHEFT OF PROPERTY (UNDER 1000)---YOUNG, MALIK8482 HART LANE OOLTEWAH, 37363Age at Arrest: 21 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaTHEFT UNDER $500 The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. DUSHANBE -- Tajik journalist Daler Sharifov, who was sentenced to one year in prison in a case media watchdogs labelled "absurd," has been released after serving his time. Sharifov's relatives told RFE/RL that the independent journalist was released on January 29 and was currently with his family in his native city of Vahdat. Sharifov, who writes about domestic politics and religious issues, was sentenced in April 2020. He was arrested on January 28, 2020, on charges of inciting ethnic, racial, and religious hatred and spreading "propaganda" on behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Prosecutor-General's Office said at the time that the case was based on "more than 200 articles and commentaries containing extremist content" aimed at "inciting religious intolerance" that had been published on social media between 2013 and 2019. The charges centered on a dissertation Sharifov published in 2019 which examined Islamic theology and included quotes from Muslim Brotherhood leaders. Similar to several authoritarian countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Tajikistan considers the Muslim Brotherhood an extremist organization and banned it in 2006. Sharifov's relatives, human rights organizations, and media-freedom groups rejected the accusations against the journalist as unfounded and demanded his release. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists called the incitement charges "absurd," stressing that Sharifov's arrest was aimed at silencing a critical journalist ahead of parliamentary elections in March 2020 that were won, as expected, by President Emomali Rahmon's ruling party. Writing for the independent news website Ozodagon from 2013 until its closure in 2019 following "years of harassment," Sharifov often commented on violations of human rights and religious freedoms, according to RSF. Nine years ago, the journalist spent several days in the hospital after being assaulted in a still-unsolved attack. La Paz, Jan 30 : Bolivian President Luis Arce expressed his appreciation for China's support for the Latin American country's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. "We appreciate your cooperation in the fight against Covid-19 and in the development of strategic projects for Bolivia," he tweeted after a phone conversation on Thursday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday. "We are making progress in matters of cooperation to tackle the pandemic, such as vaccines for Bolivia," he said, describing "the health of the people" as a "priority." Meanwhile, the Bolivian president said his country will promote "the formation of a commission to work immediately on a bilateral agenda of mutual interest." During their conversation, Xi said China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Bolivia on Covid-19 vaccines. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, China has provided Bolivia with material and technical assistance to fight the epidemic through various channels, the Chinese president said. China will continue supporting Bolivia in the anti-epidemic fight within its capacity, Xi said. On January 9, the Bolivian government announced the country was experiencing a second wave of the pandemic and stepped up lockdown measures. The country has reported 208,074 coronavirus cases, according to data released Wednesday night. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua has dialed down expectations that the Philippine economy could swing back to positive territory as early as first quarter of this year. Instead, President Dutertes top economic manager now believes positive growth likely will be registered later than initially thought or at best, by second quarter. This year will be a slow start. Then we will be able to ramp up later... Positive growth starting the second quarter, Chua told journalists during a forum hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines on Friday. The Philippine economy shrank by -9.5% in 2020, its worst year since World War II due to the raging pandemic, worsened by the impact of the eruption of Taal Volcano and strong typhoons. READ: PH economy plunges by record -9.5% in 2020 as Q4 GDP maintains slump Chua first announced his sanguine outlook in December, but that was anchored on prospects that the strict quarantine will be eased with the turn of the year. Back then, hopes were high that most cities of Luzon would transition to a relaxed quarantine regime by first quarter of 2021. The region accounts for two-thirds of economic output, but was heavily battered by a series of typhoons super typhoon Ulysses being the worst - last year. Economic managers had also been banking on allowing children aged 10 to 14 to start going out with their parents and spend to grease the wheels of the economy that already sank into recession in 2020. Chua had been arguing that 50 percent of spending on non-essentials, like travel and leisure, come from this age group. READ: 50% of market demand to 'not recover' if minors still banned in public places The IATF had adopted the economic teams recommendation last week, but was later overruled by President Duterte who said kids must still stay in their homes as a new COVID-19 variant looms large. The lockdowns under the so-called general community quarantine for Metro Manila and several nearby provinces, along with Davao, have been extended until end-February. READ: Metro Manila, Cordillera Region under GCQ status in February Indian farmers listen to their leader Rakesh Tikait at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, in New Delhi (AP) Major Indian opposition parties have boycotted the opening day of parliaments budget session in solidarity with farmers engaged in a two-month standoff over new agricultural laws which the government refuses to repeal. The protests were marked by violence on Tuesday, Indias Republic Day, when tens of thousands of farmers stormed the 17th century Red Fort in a brief but shocking takeover that played out live on news channels. Clashes between the protesters and government forces left one protester dead and nearly 400 police officers injured. Indias ceremonial president Ram Nath Kovind listed the governments priorities in an address to parliament. The budget is to be presented on Monday. Expand Close Tuesdays protest at the historic Red Fort monument (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tuesdays protest at the historic Red Fort monument (AP) He described this weeks violence as unfortunate and said people in a democracy are expected to respect the rule of law. A statement by the Congress party said 16 opposition parties boycotted the presidents address to parliament in full solidarity with the agitating farmers, whom the Modi government is trying to defame. After the violence, three smaller groups among more than 40 farmers organisations disassociated themselves from the protest. Police also said they have arrested 19 protesters and detained 50 others for questioning, while farmers leaders are also being sought. Expand Close Indian prime minister Narendra Modi (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Indian prime minister Narendra Modi (AP) People living near the farmers campsites on the outskirts of New Delhi also are demanding that the farmers leave the area due to the disruptions to their businesses and lives. Traffic crawled on the outskirts of the Indian capital on Friday as authorities rushed hundreds of riot police to three of the farmers campsites, hoping to convince the protesters to go home. They have vowed to stay until the laws are repealed, but talks with the government have been unsuccessful. The protests have been the biggest challenge to Indias prime minister Narendra Modi since he came to power in 2014. He says the new laws are necessary to modernise Indian farming. The farmers say the new laws will turn agriculture corporate, and leave them behind. Tanzanian President John Magufuli has once again stirred controversy with his anti-COVID-19 vaccine rant as he called it a conspiracy of the West to bring in new infections into the continent. Magufuli, during an event on Wednesday, said that if scientists in the West were so quick to develop a vaccine against COVID-19, why did they never came up with a cure for more deadly diseases such as HIV, cancer, tuberculosis, malaria, etc. Magufuli accused "white people" of using Tanzanians as guinea pigs for the vaccines. Read: Africa Secures Another 400 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses 'Part of conspiracy to steal' Magufuli, who has received a lot of criticism for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, alleged that donated vaccines are part of a conspiracy to steal Africa's wealth. Magufuli said that everybody wants a piece of Africa because of its richness and natural resources, saying the donations are not out of any love, it is a plan to steal from Tanzanians and Africa. The President of the East African nation, who won the general election in October last year, has made similar unfounded allegations in the past as well regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Read: COVID-19: Pfizer-BioNTech Say Their Vaccine Effective Against UK, South Africa Variants The 61-year-old politician had earlier called on Tanzanians to follow social distancing and other preventive measures. He had also urged his people to use herbal medicines as a cure for COVID-19. Tanzania has not updated COVID-19 numbers since the middle of last year, which currently stands at just 509 cases and 21 deaths despite rising infections in the region. Magufuli claims that Tanzania has become COVID-free with zero new cases and deaths in the last six months. Several of his own countrymen are denouncing his tactics, including the Catholic church, opposition leaders, and some members of the general public. Read: Battling COVID-19, South Africa Prepares For First Vaccines Magufuli's re-election in 2020 was also marred by controversy with opposition leaders calling it a "butchering of democracy". Magufuli, who was first elected to office in 2015, was chosen to lead his party in the 2020 polls after a former foreign minister, who had planned to challenge his candidacy was expelled from the party. The election saw the widespread deployment of troops across polling stations as protesters and candidates were arrested. According to reports, agents were barred from accessing polling stations, while allegations of multiple voting also emerged. Read: Biden Reimposes Ban On Travellers From Europe, Adds South Africa To List (Inputs from AP; Image Credit: AP) KYODO NEWS - Jan 29, 2021 - 17:44 | All, Japan, World Israel has removed import restrictions on food items from Japan imposed after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, bringing the number of countries and regions retaining such trade policies to 15, the Japanese government said Friday. The measure took effect Monday to exempt Fukushima and five other prefectures in Japan from submitting radiation inspection certificates for their food exports or having all the items tested upon entry to the Middle Eastern country, the farm and foreign ministries said. All food products from Fukushima and some items such as grain, seafood and mushrooms from Iwate, Miyagi, Tochigi, Gunma and Chiba were subjected to the import restrictions. About a decade after the massive earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011, triggered core meltdowns in three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, 39 countries and regions have lifted import restrictions. "Based on science, we will continue to tenaciously urge countries and regions retaining (import) restrictions to ease or eliminate them," farm minister Kotaro Nogami said at a press conference Friday. The 15 countries and regions maintaining restrictions on Japanese food imports include China, South Korea and the United States. Related coverage: Emperor's evacuation to Kyoto weighed after Fukushima nuclear disaster Only 30% of Fukushima residents happy with disaster recovery progress IAEA ready to send monitor team for Fukushima water release 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 STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) - Mississippi State University (MSU) announced on Tuesday that it is preparing a plan to be in place if the university received vaccines for the Bulldog community. Brent Crocker is the emergency manager at MSU and helped put together the plan by the university. This is something that we feel is important because we want to vaccinate our community as quickly as possible," he said. "We want to protect the people of Mississippi State University. Crocker said the university deemed the Longest Student Health Center to be the best place to house a drive-through vaccination site. The university will provide vaccines from 9 A.M. until 4 P.M. Monday - Friday if it gets enough doses. Crocker believes this access to students, faculty, and staff would also provide support to county vaccination sites. It would help pull a lot of burden off of them," said Crocker. "Instead of the employees of Mississippi State needing to register and use that facility, they would be able to take care of it here on campus. MSU teamed up with its IT department to create a website that will allow the MSU community to register for vaccines. With all this work and planning, Crocker said its all worth it if it allows the university to be prepared. We want to make sure that the University is prepared as possible so that if vaccines become available to the university, we have a way of helping increase those number of vaccinations by taking care of the Mississippi State University community, Crocker said. Worldwide, over one billion people live with a disability. Historically, they have been discriminated against and stigmatized by society. To improve their rights, they should be included in political decision-making, yet there is a lack of political representatives who are known to have a disability. This under-representation may be due to several factors, including how voters perceive a political candidate with a disability. However, a new study published in Frontiers in Political Science, found for the first time that voters do not apply negative stereotypes when evaluating candidates with a disability. Rather, voters tend to perceive candidates with a disability as capable, honest, and caring. Stereotypes as information short-cuts To form an impression of others, and with a lack of motivation and resources to dig past the surface, we tend to use stereotypes of social groups as a basis of information. We do this in a political context as well. ''Stereotypes can serve as 'information shortcuts','' says Dr Stefanie Reher (University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom). ''Being aware of how stereotypes and assumptions might affect one's beliefs might help voters make more deliberate decisions''. She describes two types of stereotypes that might influence voters' perceptions of candidates with a disability: trait stereotypes, and stereotypes about competence and political beliefs of candidates. Trait stereotypes operate if voters perceive candidates with a disability as weaker or more vulnerable, but also as courageous or inspiring. Competence and beliefs stereotypes are at work if voters might perceive candidates with disabilities as more concerned with healthcare and minority rights, and less concerned with (for instance) defense. The research To study voters' perception of candidates with a disability, Reher surveyed 1,500 British participants. In the online survey, participants were presented with descriptions of two fictional candidates and were asked to assess them on several dimensions. The descriptions gave background information about the candidates: gender, age, ethnic background, profession, years of political activity, and previous experience of elected office. They either did not mention any disability or included one of three selected disabilities: paralysis below the waist, blindness, or deafness. Overall, voters do not appear to apply negative trait stereotypes, such as incompetence and weakness, when assessing candidates with a disability. Particularly, voters perceive them as more caring, with a difference between 4% to 6% from non-disabled candidates, and more honest, with a difference between 3% to 5%. The findings also indicate that effects of competence and beliefs stereotypes are larger than trait stereotypes. Specifically, voters perceive candidates with a disability as more concerned with minority rights, healthcare, and social welfare, with a difference between 4% to 12%. Interestingly, candidates with a disability were perceived to be more left-wing, with a difference between 3% to 5%. ''The study suggests that voters consider disabled people as very capable of fulfilling the tasks of elected office,'' says Reher. ''In fact, it appears that the experience of being disabled is even seen as an asset in some policy domains, including social security and healthcare.'' Implications of the study These findings have implications for governments and political parties. Reher continues, ''the finding that voters do not perceive disabled candidates as less competent than non-disabled candidates is very informative for governments and political parties, as well as aspiring disabled politicians themselves.'' The problem of under-representation in politics may not lay with voters. Instead, increasing different types of support for candidates with a disability is key. ''If voters do not support candidates less because they are disabled, this suggests that there are other factors preventing disabled people from reaching positions of political power'', Reher adds, ''including a lack of accessibility and financial support for reasonable adjustments, and potentially a hesitancy within parties to nominate disabled people as candidates.'' ### Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday postponed his visit to West Bengal amid farmers' protest at Delhi's borders and IED blast outside the Israeli embassy in the national capital. Shah was scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on Friday night on a two-day visit beginning on Saturday to take stock of the BJP's preparedness ahead of the West Bengal assembly election. His visit was expected in the backdrop of growing rebellion in the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) with several ministers and MLAs openly speaking out against the party and the functioning of the state government. Speculations were rife that former minister Rajib Banerjee who has resigned as a cabinet minister and TMC MLA, expelled TMC MLA Baishali Dalmiya and Uttarpara MLA Prabir Ghoshal would join the saffron party during Shah's visit. On Saturday morning, Shah was scheduled to visit Iskcon, Mayapur. After that, he was scheduled to go to Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas, a bastion of Matuas, where he was scheduled to address a public rally. Later in the day, he was scheduled to hold a closed-door meeting with social media cell of the party. He has some other engagements too. Shah was also expected to hold a meeting with party leaders to review its poll preparedness. On Sunday he was scheduled to visit Aurobindo Bhawan to pay his respects to Sri Aurobindo followed by Bharat Sevashram Sangha. From here he was expected to proceed to Howrah to address a public meeting. He was also scheduled to visit Belur Math. In the biggest single-day exodus from the TMC, political heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, along with 35 party leaders, including five MLAs and an MP, had joined the BJP during Shah's rally in Medinipur on December 19. Since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when the BJP bagged 18 seats from the state, 14 legislators of the TMC, four from the Left Front and two from the Congress have joined the saffron party. Elections to the 294-member state assembly are due in April-May. Novavax, a little-known company supported by the United States federal government's Operation Warp Speed, announced that its COVID-19 vaccine proffered robust protection against the novel coronavirus. However, it also discovered that its vaccine is less effective against the fast becoming prevalent variant first detected in South Africa. Novavax Vaccine Works, But Not on South African Variant According to Novavax, its coronavirus vaccine is 89 percent effective at alleviating illness based on an interim analysis of a United Kingdom study. In a separate trial, the vaccine was shown to be far less effective against the new variant. In its 15,000-volunteer trial in the United Kingdom, the vaccine reportedly alleviated nine out of 10 cases, including against a new strain of COVID-19 circulating there, reported Stat. According to the data, it is suggested that individuals who previously had infections of the virus might not be immune to the South African variant, named 501Y.V2 or B.1.351, which is now making its rounds in at least 30 nations. The results arrived the same day that health officials reported the first two United States cases of COVID-19 caused by the South African variant, reported Science News. It occurred in two people in separate parts of South Carolina with no association with each other. Neither had recently traveled, so it is not clear where they got the virus. The announcement of Novavax arrives amid concerns regarding whether a variety of vaccines being disseminated around the world will be adequately potent to protect against worrisome new variants. The world is in dire need of new types of shots to bolster scarce supplies. The study of 15,000 individuals in Britain is still ongoing, reported AP. The news is another setback in the global race to end a pandemic that has recorded over 2.1 million fatalities. This could be problematic for the U.S., which hours previously reported its first known infectious variant cases in two unrelated people in South Carolina. In a 4,400-volunteer South African study, the vaccine was shown to be 49 percent effective. In 94 percent of the study population that did not have HIV, the effectiveness was recorded at 60 percent. An interim analysis of the Britain study found 62 participants to have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Only six of them in the group were administered the vaccine, and the rest received dummy shots. The cases occurred when the U.K. was in the middle of a spike in COVID-19 caused by the more contagious variant. The first U.S. cases arrived days after Moderna and Pfizer stated that their vaccines are less effective against the same variant as well. Novavax has been running trials in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and the United States. In a small South African trial, the efficacy rate fell to merely under 50 percent. In the Britain trial, Novavax observed 62 cases of symptomatic COVID-19 cases, with 56 in the placebo group and six administered the vaccine. One patient on placebo had severe COVID-19 compared with none in the vaccine group. Novavax Inc. presented the interim data from the United Kingdom and South Africa trials in a news release on January 28. @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A woman arrested during Denver law enforcements investigation into an intentionally set fire in Green Valley Ranch last year appeared in federal court Friday afternoon to face firearm and drug charges. Denver Gazette news partner 9News reported that while the arrest of 23-year-old Tanya Bui stemmed from the polices investigation of the arson, the current charges are not related to the fire. Bui faces charges of possession of less than 50 kilograms of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm connected to a drug trafficking crime, both felonies. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms filed the criminal complaint against Bui. Bui appeared Friday in order for Magistrate Judge Scott Varholak to advise her of her rights. The marijuana possession charge carries a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine and two years of supervised release. The firearm charge carries at least five years, up to a life sentence, up to a $250,000 fine and up to five years of supervised release. Varholak set Buis next hearing for Feb. 3, during which he will decide whether to grant her release on bail. If she is not indicted by then, she will also have a preliminary hearing. Varholak ordered her detained until then. According to 9News, court records identify one suspect in the fire investigation as a relative of Bui, and a cell phone used by the suspect registered in her name and paid for by her. Investigations into the homicides also revealed Bui was involved in drug trafficking and illegal gun sales, court documents say, and Buis relative was also selling drugs on her behalf. The fire in Green Valley Ranch killed Djibril Diol and Adja Diol, both immigrants from Senegal, and their two-year-old daughter Khadija. Djibrils sister Hassan Diol and her infant daughter, Hawa Baye, also died in the blaze. Earlier this week, Denver Police announced the arrest of three teenage boys in connection with the deadly fire, who remain unidentified because they are underage. FMCG sales to rebound on Lunar New Year (unsplash) This was revealed in the latest study by NielsenIQ. Specficially, the Lunar New Year (Tet in Vietnamese) is the biggest festive event in Vietnam. It is the time of year when migrant workers return to their home towns to spend time with family and friends. It is a red-letter holiday in Vietnams FMCG calendar, as sales are higher than during non-festive periods.Popular Tet consumption categories are beverages, beer, biscuits and pies, snacks, and coffee, with volume growth ranging from 10 to 50 per cent, depending on category. Given that the countrys economy is dependent on exports and tourism, the adverse impact of COVID-19 on these key sectors have resulted in job losses and constrained consumption in the country. Even though there are no restrictions in place, we believe that the pandemics impact on employment will lead to consumers optimising spending and looking for better bargains, says Richard Thomas, director of Intelligent Analytics at NielsenIQ Vietnam. A study we did in Vietnam showed that the most sought-after promotions are free gifts and direct discounts. Retailers and manufacturers should keep this in mind when planning their promotional strategies. Retailers and manufacturers invest heavily in promotions and price reductions during banner festive events such as the Lunar New Year. These promotions, which are among the most effective ways to drive sales, can sometimes result in promotional wastage where brands lose money because of ineffective promotions. Therefore, in order to capitalise on festive sales, brands and retailers must rethink their promotional strategies and ensure they are promoting the right products, using the right mechanics, and at the right price to better meet the needs of Lunar New Year shoppers. Though a portion of consumers may be shopping on constrained budgets due to the economic impact of the pandemic, insulated consumers will be taking the opportunity to treat themselves during the festive season by splurging out on premium products. Some indulgent categories such as beer and chocolates are highly promotion-sensitive, presenting an opportunity for manufacturers and retailers to capture incremental sales during the festive period. In addition, manufacturers and retailers should also offer special promotions on premium gifting categories such as abalone, chicken essence, birds nest, and liquor as insulated spenders may have additional budgets to spend due to scaled down parties, open houses, and celebrations. The Duchess of Sussex is 'unlikely' to accompany her husband, Prince Harry, when he plans to return to the UK in early summer. The sixth in line to the throne will almost certainly travel to see his family for the first time since the couple acrimoniously quit as working royals alone, multiple sources have told the Daily Mail. Insiders stress that the couple's plans have yet to be finalised and much depends on the pandemic and whether travel restrictions remain in place at the time. But their understanding, at this time, is that Harry, 36, will fly to the UK to see the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William along with his niece and nephews without Meghan and, probably, their son Archie. Prince Harry is expected to fly back to the UK over the summer - depending on Covid-19 travel restrictions - though it is not known whether he will be joined by his wife and son In June and July there are some important dates on the royal calendar that Meghan might miss Sources were at pains to stress that Meghan's tentative decision not to accompany her husband is for 'personal and practical' reasons and is not in any way being construed as a 'snub'. But if she decides not to travel it will save royal officials something of a diplomatic headache Sources were at pains to stress that Meghan's tentative decision not to accompany her husband is for 'personal and practical' reasons and is not in any way being construed as a 'snub'. But if she decides not to travel it will save royal officials something of a diplomatic headache. The couple had been expected to attend key royal events in June, including Prince Philip's 100th birthday celebrations and Trooping The Colour, the official celebration of the Queen's 95th birthday. Harry is also due in the UK in July for the long-awaited unveiling of the statue that he and William commissioned in memory of Diana at Kensington Palace. But there has been widespread, quiet concern that the couple's involvement in the larger family events and the inevitable public and media furore that would surround their appearance could detract from the significance of such key occasions. A source said: 'It should be strongly stressed that there is still an element of uncertainty about this because of the unpredictable Covid situation, but the understanding is the duke is more than likely to come back on his own. 'This is a personal and practical decision by the couple, but it would certainly help officials navigate what is likely to be a fairly tricky situation.' Meghan, pictured here with her husband and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, may miss the Duke of Edinburgh's 100th birthday, Trooping of the Colour and the unveiling of a memorial to Princess Diana Prince Harry helps to launch new online mental health service for first responders in Australia set up by Invictus Games co-founder Prince Harry has helped to launch a 'critical' new mental health tool in Australia for frontline workers. The Duke of Sussex, 36, joined Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, to assist in launching the Peak Fortem, which is based on a successful UK model, and is an online resource for first responders and their families to help work through stress and trauma. In a statement released to support to tool, which was set up by Invictus Games co-founder David Wiseman, Prince Harry referenced his experience in the military, and said: 'Our mental fitness is one and the same as our physical fitness. 'Serving in the military, I saw first hand how critical it is to train your mind as a muscle - not only to endure challenges and stresses but to excel, grow and build resilience in all aspects of life. 'Peak Fortem is the product of teamwork, dedication and a commitment to supporting and strengthening communities of all kinds - values upheld by Australia's first responders.' It comes after the royal worked alongside the U.K.s Ministry of Defence and spearheaded a mental fitness tool aimed at helping the military with their well-being in April last year. Advertisement Another added: 'Her Majesty made very clear when they left the UK that Harry and Meghan were still much loved members of her own family and would be very welcome to attend family events. That still holds true. 'Practically, however, it comes with the need for a certain amount of diplomacy. There is still a great deal of distance between Harry and many family members, particularly his brother. No one wants a repeat of the Commonwealth Service.' This refers to the Sussexes' final official engagement at Westminster Abbey last March, which saw Harry and William barely acknowledge each other, such was the depth of their rift, which is far from healed. It will be the first time Harry has seen any of his family since quitting royal duties to pursue lucrative business deals abroad. Harry, Meghan and Archie have been living in North America, first Canada and then California, since November 2019. While the couple returned to the UK in early March for a last round of official engagements and meetings, Archie who will turn two in May did not accompany them. He has not seen any of his British relatives since he was six months old. Harry and Meghan have since made clear they have no plans to return to the UK in any meaningful way as revealed a year ago by the Mail. They have bought an 11million mansion in Montecito in California, bagged multi-million-pound deals with companies including Netflix and Spotify and set up an office and non-profit foundation, Archewell. A third source confirmed they had also been told Harry was likely to return home alone. 'Harry wants to come back for The Queen and Prince Philip's big birthdays. But it looks likely it will be just him,' they said. 'If Meghan comes back, the feeling is that it would overshadow the occasion. People would only be looking at the 'drama' of it all. 'Of course she would be welcome, but a decision not to come would postpone that headache for a while at least.' The prince is expected to stay at Frogmore Cottage at Windsor, the home he and Meghan decided to keep as a UK base. The prince is expected to stay at Frogmore Cottage (pictured) at Windsor, the home he and Meghan decided to keep as a UK base Meghan's mother Doria Ragland was pictured in California this week The couple have temporarily lent it to Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank. A spokesman for the Sussexes did not respond to a request for comment. The pair are said to have had a 'painful' year since Megxit after the couple's nanny moved back to the UK and the pandemic left them feeling 'alone,' the authors of Finding Freedom claimed earlier this month. Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie, who co-wrote the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's bombshell biography, alleged that moving to LA brought difficult changes for the couple who stepped back as senior royals in March last year. To be at the point they are at now, having set up an empire and a charity in just over nine months, shows just how hard they have worked to make this transition a success, said Omid Scobie, writing in Grazia. 'But its taken a lot of work to get here. The journey has been painful. Omid Scobie added that since making the move to LA the couple have been 'eager to contribute to the community,' particularly in regards to the Covid-19 response, and are keen to put the 'focus back on what mattered'. Writing in Grazia, Caroyln Durand said a friend of the couple told her the couple felt 'alone' after their nanny left It comes after it was reported that Prince Harry was refused permission for a wreath to be laid at the Cenotaph for Remembrance Sunday on his behalf, in another possible sign of a family rift. The Duke of Sussex, who spent ten years in the armed forces, made the personal request to Buckingham Palace, but was refused due to the fact he had left royal duties in March, The Times reported last November. The Queen was not thought to have been informed of the request or its refusal, which is said to have 'deeply saddened' the Duke of Sussex, the publication reported. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on whether Prince Harry's request had been refused. Last month it was reported that the couple want a 12-month extension to the Megxit deal that would see them keep their royal patronages and head back to the UK to seal the deal in person. However, sources told Omid that the couple have no such plans, adding: 'They really haven't looked back'. Meghan Markle's rescue dogs have been a big 'support' during Covid and her 'personal trials and tribulations' in 2020, CEO of her patronage Mayhew reveals By Chloe Morgan for MailOnline Meghan Markle's rescue dogs have been a big 'support' during Covid and her 'personal trials and tribulations' in 2020, the CEO of her patronage Mayhew has revealed. Caroline Yates has offered a glimpse into her relationship with The Duchess of Sussex, 39, and claimed that The Duchess of Sussex, 39, often references how 'important' her rescue dogs - a beagle named Guy and a black labrador called Pula - have been. 'Whenever we talk to the Duchess about the charity, she always references how important her dogs are and what a support they are,' she said, speaking to Hello! 'Particularly during everything that's happened this year, with COVID, and with the personal trials and tribulations she went through this year.' 'It was really nice to share our experiences with her about how important animals are when things are tough and what a comfort they can be.' The CEO of The Mayhew Caroline Yates has provided insight into her relationship with Meghan Markle. Pictured, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, hosting a special Time100 talk Tuesday, October 20, 2020 The Duchess of Sussex and Gloria Steinem discuss representation, why each vote matters and how all women 'are linked, not ranked,' Pictured, with rescue dogs Guy and Pula The London-based animal charity, for which the royal is a patron, also had the honour of sharing the festive card in December 2020 on their social media channels. It featured an artistic rendering of the couple with their son Archie and their pet dogs as they played in the garden of their 11million ($15million) home in Montecito, and read: 'Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.' Speaking of the 'honour,' Caroline said: 'We had no idea what it would look like before we got the photo, and when we saw it, we thought, "Oh wow!" It's very family-oriented, it was really lovely.' Caroline also went on to say that despite Meghan relocating to America with Prince Harry and their son Archie, very little has changed - adding that the royal still receives regular updates from Mayhew. This year's Christmas card featuring Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their son Archie (pictured) She added that the royal is particularly interested in an animal assisted intervention programme named TheraPaws, which aims to promote physical, social and emotional wellbeing. It comes after the animal charity has revealed in May last year that The Duchess of Sussex had been secretly working with her patronage as it 'desperately' struggled with funding amid the coronavirus crisis. Meghan Markle has been 'in touch' with her patronage the Mayhew throughout the crisis, according to the charity's media officer. Sarah Hastelow told Newsweek she couldn't give details of the contact, but explained: 'She's been such a champion of animals and animal welfare. It's always been a passion of hers.' The charity's website details that it 'desperately needs extra funds' to buy supplies to be able to continue it's work with animals. Sarah added that the royal had 'been in touch' during the period, but added that she 'couldn't say much more than that.' Meanwhile a source from the Sussexes' team explained: 'The Duchess is in touch and working with Mayhew at this time.' The went on to add that the organisation was 'more than a classic animal charity' and that it was 'supporting so many other people in the community' during the pandemic. Meghan, an advocate of adopting rescue dogs, chose animal welfare charity Mayhew as one of her first patronages. She previously visited the shelter in January 2019, and was introduced to Maggie, a one-year-old Jack Russell who was up for adoption on the charity's website. The duchess picked up Maggie when she saw her shivering, and clutched her to her chest as she chatted to Mayhew staff, who told her about the charity's projects in India and Afghanistan. And in January, the royal made a surprise visit to the charity in one of her last official outings in the UK before she jetted back to Canada to be with Archie. Mayhew was founded in 1886 and today sees itself as an animal welfare social worker, keeping cats and dogs, whether family pets or companions for the homeless, safe and well alongside their owners, and supporting communities. It has a pet refuge service, provides vet services for vulnerable owners, and has a team of animal welfare officers who work with local residents helping local communities. The Madras High Court has said the Act does not intend to punish an adolescent boy for entering into a relationship with a minor girl and batted for parental and societal support for the couple "in the grips of biological changes." Justice N Anand Venkatesh observed that while the Act was brought in to protect children from sexual offences, a large array of cases were arising on the basis of complaints being filed by families of adolescents and teenagers involved in romantic relationships. Therefore,the "legislature has to keep pace with changing societal needs" and bring amendments to the Act, he said while quashing criminal proceedings against an autorickshaw driver facing charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for marrying a minor. "The scheme of the Act clearly shows that it did not intend to bring within its scope or ambit, cases of the nature where adolescents or teenagers involved in romantic relationships are concerned," the judge said. He observed that the provisions of the Act, as it stands today, would surely make the acts of the boy an offence due to its stringent nature. Punishing an adolescent boy who enters into a relationship with a minor girl by treating him as an offender was never the objective of the Act, he said. "An adolescent boy and girl who are in the grips of their hormones and biological changes and whose decision-making ability is yet to fully develop, should essentially receive the support and guidance of their parents and the society at large," the court observed. An adolescent boy caught in a situation like this will surely have no defense if the criminal case is taken to its logical end, the judge added. Referring to the victim girl's earlier statement, he said she "has clearly stated that she was the one who insisted that the 2nd Respondent take her away from her home and marry her due to the pressure exerted by her parents." With the parents of the girl or the family subsequently lodging a complaint, the accused is booked under the POCSO Act, the judge said. Invariably the boy gets arrested and thereafter, "his youthful life comes to a grinding halt." Such a person who is sent to prison in a case of this nature will be persecuted throughout his life. "It is high time that the legislature takes into consideration cases of this nature involving adolescents involved in relationships and swiftly bring in necessary amendments under the Act." The judge said the legislature has to keep pace with the changing societal needs and bring about necessary changes in law and more particularly, in a stringent law like the POCSO Act. He pointed out at the de facto complainant, mother of the girl, as well as the latter jointly seeking for quashing of the proceedings against the man, also facing charges of kidnap under the IPC, was "peculiar." The mother had insisted that "let bygones be bygones" and had wanted her daughter to settle down, the court observed. The judge said there can be no second thought as to the seriousness of offences under the POCSO Act and the object it seeks to achieve. However, it was also imperative for the Court to draw the thin line that demarcates the nature of acts that should not be made to fall within the scope of the Act. "...for such is the severity of the sentences provided under the Act, justifiably so, that if acted upon hastily or irresponsibly, it could lead to irreparable damage to the reputation and livelihood of youth whose actions would have been only innocuous," he said. "What came to be a law to protect and render justice to victims and survivors of child abuse, can become a tool in the hands of certain sections of the society to abuse the process of law," the judge noted. Referring to studies, he said adolescence is associated with many psychosocial and developmental challenges, including the processing of intense emotions and "first loves". Regarding the present case, the court said "the offences are purely individual/personal in nature" and involved the persons concerned and their families only. The court said the second respondent was working as an autorickshaw driver to eke out his livelihood and quashing the proceedings would not affect any overriding public interest in the case. It would in fact pave the way for both of them to settle down in their life and look for better future prospects, the court 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.) Johannesburg, Jan 29 : The South African Constitutional Court has ordered former President Jacob Zuma to appear and testify before a state inquiry panel set up to probe corruption during his administration. "Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is ordered to obey all summons and directives lawfully issued by the Judiciary Commission of Inquiry into allegations of State Capture," the highest court said in its ruling on Thursday. He "does not have the right to remain silent during these proceedings", the ruling added. The ruling came after Zuma refused to appear and give evidence before the inquiry in November last year, claiming the chair of the commission, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo was biased against him, reports Xinhua news agency. Zuma's legal team previously said if he was compelled to appear at the inquiry, he wouldn't testify, however, the court directed him to give evidence. The Constitutional Court also ordered Zuma to pay all the costs including the expenses of two legal representatives. It was not immediately clear what actions the embattled former president is likely to take now as the apex court compelled him to testify before the commission. His corruption trial is scheduled to begin this year after several delays in 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The former leader, who was in office from May 2009 to February 2018, testified only once before the commission in July 2019. But he withdrew after a few days considering he was treated as an "accused" and not as a witness. Arlene Moon, called Goochie by her family, is a 95-year-old great-great-grandmother with chronic lung disease. Shes exactly the kind of person California wants to vaccinate but it took countless calls and the advocacy of her great-granddaughter waiting in line for an hour at a clinic to get her a shot. Moon has short-term memory loss and cant navigate a plethora of websites. She cant drive herself to get a vaccine and would have trouble, given her balance issues, if she had to stand in line. Thats if she can even get a slot, since her luck depends on her location and health care provider. Kaiser Permanente hospital staff in San Mateo County told her there werent vaccines available to give her. But her 81-year-old son-in-law David Bain managed to get his first dose at Palo Alto Medical Foundation, run by Sutter Health, after overcoming technological struggles with his granddaughters help. The five-generation family living together in the Belle Haven neighborhood of Menlo Park have all been on a frustrating emotional roller coaster to get the possibly life-saving shot for the matriarch. Finally, on Saturday, her great-granddaughter Vanessa Bain waited in line for an hour at Ravenswood Family Health Center in East Palo Alto, with Moon in the car and then in a wheelchair, hoping her great-grandmother could get a shot without an appointment. She did - and staff also offered one to Vanessa Bain as her caregiver, to the 34-year-olds surprise. On a recent video call, Moon and Bain agreed that the process was frustrating and confusing. The people that are the most vulnerable are the ones who are disproportionately likely to suffer, said Bain. What is happening to seniors who are on their own or people who have physical or developmental disabilities who are trying to advocate for themselves? California health care providers are desperately trying to get vaccine shots in arms as fast as possible. While numbers are improving, a chaotic rollout created a confusing maze of different rules and directions, depending on each county and provider. Now the state is prioritizing older people, yet many are still struggling to make an appointment, much less get to the vaccination site. Getting a shot can require internet savvy, a cell phone and a car. The irony is that the highest-risk seniors can have the hardest time finding information about whether theyre eligible, navigating technology to book a slot, or mustering the physical strength to get to vaccine sites and sometimes wait in line to get the shot. The process can be even harder for seniors with cognitive impairment or English language barriers. Across the state, its unclear how many seniors are getting the vaccine, because counties dont always release demographic data, and even then it can include health care or other essential workers. In San Mateo, 7% of vaccine recipients were older than 85, 14% between 75 and 84, and 12% between 65 and 74. In Contra Costa County, 22% of doses have gone to people 75 and older, while 17% went to those between 65 and 74. At San Franciscos first mass vaccination site at City College, 2,786 people aged 75 and above have been vaccinated, out of the citys total of 66,007 doses. Debbie Toth, head of senior services organization Choice in Aging headquartered in Contra Costa County, praised county health services working overtime to get out vaccines, but said, For the end user, it isnt ideal. The frail seniors she works with are not on the internet. Phone lines are overwhelmed. Mass vaccination clinics arent ideal for serving seniors or people with disabilities if theres a walk between parking and the entrance or a line, she said. The county asks people to arrive no earlier than 10 minutes prior to their appointment to avoid creating a line, and keeps chairs for those who need assistance while waiting, spokesman Scott Alonso said. The county is also adding traffic staff to help out. Many seniors depend on younger family members to help them get a vaccine. San Francisco resident Raymond Holland, a 79-year-old diabetic who recently completed cancer treatment, said he was confused over whether he was prioritized for a shot and how to book an appointment. He pored over Kaisers website and found nothing, he said. His son Miles Holland said it wasnt clearly marked, but as a health care worker in Portland, he knew how to navigate the system. There were no appointments left, however. A Kaiser spokesperson said that COVID-19 vaccine supply and therefore appointments are currently very limited and unpredictable. Kaiser, which has more than 270,000 members older than 75 in Northern California, is receiving an average of only 25,000 doses per week, which are also being used to vaccinate health care workers. The health system said it would be reaching out to members 75 and older in coming days to schedule appointments online or by phone. The system will also prioritize higher-risk patients and those in vulnerable communities. We understand and apologize for the frustration some of our members have encountered, a Kaiser spokesman said. The elder Holland finally got a slot at a UCSF-run mass vaccination site at City College after his daughter-in-law, a UCSF graduate, followed a link to sign up for spots posted in a Facebook page. Currently there is no centralized booking system at the site: People 75 or older are invited. Holland doesnt yet have his second shot scheduled. I have never seen such a screwed-up system of communication in my life, he said. Its an absolute nightmare. Were just grateful, his son said. I can only imagine people who dont have those types of connections through health care they are lost. David Bain, the 81-year-old, got his appointment through Sutter after grappling through a frustrating technological process bouncing among an online form, chat box and busy phone line. The former IBM computer programmer said hes better with the internet than most people his age, but the new technology isnt always intuitive. He finally booked online on his fifth try with his granddaughter beside him. The system needs to be made more user-friendly and more senior-friendly, Bain said. After experiencing an initial deluge, Sutter increased server capacity to handle more hits to its website and added hundreds of phone operators and extended call center hours. The health system also mailed letters and called and emailed members over 75 to let them know they were eligible and how to schedule. Tens of thousands of Sutter patients over 75 have already set up their COVID-19 vaccination online. Wes Watkins, 75, of San Francisco, booked an appointment online through Sutter and got his shot Jan. 21, but his wife Doris Watkins, 73, hasnt gotten an appointment yet. Watkins tried to make an appointment for her with various health care providers, all with different systems to figure out. When the city released a website for residents to get notified for vaccination, he signed up and immediately got a text that his wife was eligible. He responded asking where and how he could book an appointment, but never got a response from the likely automated text. Its very frustrating, Watkins said. UCSF, which is leading the site along with the city and other health care providers, extended direct invitations to UCSF Health patients ages 75 and above who reside in San Francisco and other Northern California cities. Community organizations also invited neighbors disproportionately impacted by the virus, spokeswoman Elizabeth Fernandez said. UCSF used the Eventbrite website for those invited to schedule appointments in the weeklong pilot. The city is working on creating a centralized booking system, she said. Even those who know how to make an appointment can have little luck. Every morning when Aston Pereira wakes up in his home in Napa, he registers online to get a COVID-19 vaccine through Kaisers online system. He does the same before he goes to bed. So far he, 70, and his wife Eileen Pereira, 67, have received no response. Theyre technically eligible to get a vaccine in California, but not yet prioritized by many health care providers, including Kaiser, since vaccine supply is still strained. They noted, though, that they know younger friends in Napa County whove already gotten shots through other providers. This week, the couple sped up the process of moving Eileen Pereiras 96-year-old mother, who lived in Belmont, into a care home in Daly City. Shes already scheduled to get a vaccine next week. The couple said they didnt want to bother fighting the health care system elsewhere. I knew it would be a worthless exercise, Eileen Pereira said. Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mallorymoench 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 Bengaluru, Jan 30 : Karnataka Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar said on Friday that parents can pay only 70 per cent of the tuition fees fixed by the private schools and the schools should not charge development fees or library fees this academic year. The decision comes after protests by parents' associations who have been opposing private schools sticking to their fee structure even during the pandemic year, where schools conducted only online classes and a section of parents have incurred financial losses. The parents had even threatened to stage a massive protest on Saturday demanding the state government's intervention, while the private school managements had threatened to discontinue the online classes for students who failed to pay the fees. The Minister told reporters that all the private schools, irrespective of which board they follow, will be allowed to charge only 70 per cent of the tuition fee collected last year for the current academic year. "The schools cannot collect any other fee but the reduced tuition fee. However, we welcome any school that voluntarily reduces the fee further. In fact, many private schools had implemented for a 25 to 30 per cent reduction in fee," he said. Kumar also said that the schools should make provision for payment of the tuition fee in three instalments. "If any parent has already paid the full amount of the fees this year, the excess amount paid can be adjusted for the next academic year," he said. According to him, the Education Department will set up district and state level committees to resolve any disputes over charging excess school fees. He said that he has held several rounds of consultations with educationists, elected representatives from the Graduates and Teachers constituencies, private school managements and parents' associations before taking the decision to reduce the fee. The minister said that the government had to exercise its powers under the Right to Education (RTE) Act and also the Epidemic Diseases Management Act to fix the fee structure for this academic year. "I was hoping the dispute over the fees would be resolved amicably between the parents and the school managements as many parents had stood in a queue all night to get admission into the schools and considered themselves lucky to have got through. But today, the relation between the two has soured," he noted. He added that many parents have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and some of them have been getting half of their salaries. Hence, the school management committees must allow them to pay fees in instalments. "We have also realised that many schools have not been able to pay salaries to their teachers and have been facing financial losses since last year. In case of force or trouble from schools, then a separate committee has been formed by the government to look into these issues and take actions against such schools," he said. Facebook is developing a new tool that will keep ads away from sensitive posts in your News Feed. The social media platform is testing 'topic exclusion' controls that allow advertisers to keep marketing from politics, crime, controversial social issues and other designated topics. It's already started using the controls with a limited number of advertisers. At the same time, advertisers are pressuring Facebook to examine the tone and impact of posts even when they're not near ads. In summer 2020, companies like Coca-Cola and CVS paused marketing on the site in reaction to hate speech and election misinformation proliferating on Facebook. Scroll down for video Facebook is testing out 'topic exclusion' controls that will let advertisers block their marketing from appearing near certain topics. A limited number of companies are using the tools but Facebook says development and testing will take much of the year The topic exclusion tools will allow a toy company to block its advertising from popping up near content related to 'crime and tragedy,' Facebook explained in a blog post Friday. 'These controls will help to address concerns advertisers have of their ads appearing in News Feed next to certain topics based on their brand suitability preferences.' Other topics will include 'news and politics' and 'social issues.' Facebook says product development and testing of the topic exclusion controls will take 'much of the year.' Topic exclusion controls can currently keep ads away from posts labeled 'politics and news,' 'crime and tragedy' and 'social issues.' The tool comes after a contentious campaign season that saw a rise in hate speech, conspiracy theories and election misinformation 'These are new controls, and it's important we build them with safeguards to protect people's privacy as we continue to move forward.' The new tool already exists on other parts of Facebook, including in-stream video and in-app ads on its Audience Network, CNBC reported. Facebook and other social media companies have been working to develop brand safety tools with the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), a powerful consortium of top advertisers, agencies, media companies and industry groups founded in 2019. Its members include Adidas, BP, Diageo, General Mills, Mars Inc., Mastercard, Nestle, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and Vodafone. The new topic exclusion controls are at outgrowth of Facebook's efforts to respond to GARM's recommendations. Facebook's new ad filter comes after Facebook's discussions with the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), a powerful consortium of top advertisers, media companies and industry groups that includes Diageo, General Mills and Unilever 'Providing advertisers topic exclusion tools to control the content their ads appear next to is incredibly important work for us, and to our commitment to the industry via GARM,' said Carolyn Everson, Facebook VP for global business. As misinformation, conspiracy theories and hate speech have proliferated online via groups like QAnon, GARM has also pushed platforms to consider how such content affects society, regardless of whether its ad-supporter. Last year, at the height of the US presidential campaign season, top advertisers including Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Honda and Microsoft paused social media advertising after complaints Facebook wasn't doing enough to police misinformation and content that incited violence and hate. After the attack on the Capitol building in Washington, DC, earlier this month, Facebook banned advertisements for weapon accessories and protective equipment until at least two days after President Biden's inauguration on January 20. The ban came after Facebook drew criticism for allowing posts that promoted and organized the January 6 attack by supporters of President Donald Trump. The prohibition added gun safes, vests and gun holsters to the list of banned items that included weapons, ammunition and weapon enhancements like silencers. Facebook has also blocked the creation of any new events on its platform in close proximity to places such as the White House and U.S. Capitol in Washington, as well as state capitol buildings. Facebook, which has more than 3 billion users worldwide, has been investing in other tools to foster legitimate news sources: The company is developing newsletter tools for independent reporters as part of the Facebook Journalism Project, according to The New York Times. Though details are sparse, the program could allow writers to build a network of Facebook followers and develop paid subscriptions. The project could launch as early as this summer, the Times reported. Bitcoin billionaire's the Winklevoss twins have blamed pandemic-driven inequality for the rise of the Reddit GameStop mob. Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, who famously sued Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, said the shutdown of viral retail investing was tied to a broader curtailing of liberty. It comes after cheap trading platform Robinhood, favored by meme-driven investors, halted buy orders on 13 securities, including GameStop on Thursday. 'I think if anyone thinks this is about just one stock or two stocks, they're mistaken,' Tyler told CNBC. 'I think it's a systemic issue in the thread of our country and its fragility in what's happening in the inequality, and frankly the hypocrisy of the political leaders who say you can't open your business and run your business and make a living in the pandemic. 'We won't pass a stimulus bill on time. And oh, by the way, now you can't trade. What's the next thing they're going to control and say you can't do?' Shares in GameStop soared by 103 per cent to $393.01 at 4:05am in New York The Winklevoss twins weren't alone in their condemnation. Elon Musk last night took to Twitter once again to lend his support to WallStreetBets. 'u can't sell houses u don't own u can't sell cars u don't own but u *can* sell stock u don't own!? this is bs shorting is a scam legal only for vestigial reasons,' the Tesla boss wrote. He is referring to the practice of shorting stocks where shares are sold in advance of acquiring them to make profit. A trader essentially bets on stock falling in price. The meme-driven 'short squeezers' have capitalised on billionaire hedge funds with 'short books' - i.e. they are overexposed to sudden price surges in low value stocks. The Winklevoss twins were unable to point to a particular politician or body which was orchestrating the crackdown on the retail investors but said 'the regulators' were 'leaning on' trading platforms. 'OK so who made the call to Robinhood? Do you think Robinhood woke up and made the decision themselves to halt the tickers?' Tyler asked the host. Fortt replied: 'I don't know but I'm not claiming to. You just said that the authorities are doing all of these things.' Tyler replied that while he didn't know who made the decision to clampdown on trading, he didn't believe it came from Robinhood. 'And I think it's a fair question,' the Winklevoss twin said. 'The fact that you're the journalist, you should be asking, not me. 'Who do you have from Robinhood on to question? You haven't done your job in emailing Robinhood and asking them.' An incensed Fortt retorted: 'If I haven't done my job, you're implying I'm wasting my time talking to you.' Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev, 33, last night said that the firm's reasons for limiting trades on 13 securities, including GameStop, had nothing to do with directions from any third party such as big hedge funds or the Securities and Trade Commission (SEC). He said it was because, as a brokerage firm, they needed to meet certain financial requirements such as SEC net capital requirements and clearing house deposits. Tyler Winklevoss clashed with MSNBC's Jon Fortt for making claims that he believed the clampdown retail investing was driven by powers operating in the shadows An outraged Jon Fortt replied: 'I don't know but I'm not claiming to. You just said that the authorities are doing all of these things.' Cameron Winklevoss was appearing on the broadcast with brother Tyler 'In order to protect the firm and protect our customers we had to limit buying in these stocks,' he said. He said they wanted to create 'a stable and reliable platform', and were confident that was the case. He was asked whether there was a problem within the firm. 'There's no liquidity problem' he said. 'We're doing what we can to allow buying and remove these restrictions in the morning.' He said the app had had 'unprecedented interest'. GameStop shares soared again this morning in pre-market trading as Robinhood lifted its restrictions on the unlikely stock which has surged by 1,700 per cent this month. Robinhood even started selling its users' stock without their permission on Thursday after market volatility put the White House on alert. GameStop soared by 103 per cent to $393.01 at 4.05am in New York, while other meme-driven surges were seen in AMC - up by 62 per cent - and in clothes firm Express Inc. which rose by 43 per cent. Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev, 33, last night defended his firm's decision to impose restrictions as protesters gathered on Wall Street to vent their fury at the hedge fund establishment. Vlad Tenev, the CEO and co-founder of Robinhood, on Thursday night defended his company's actions 'We had to make a very difficult decision. It's been a challenging day,' Tenev told MSNBC. Robinhood cited 'recent volatility' for the decision to block users from buying stock in GameStop and 12 other companies which the Reddit users had selected for 'short squeezes.' They've been hit with a class-action lawsuit accusing them of siding with Wall Street by blocking investors' ability to buy shares. The firm borrowed $1 billion from its investors Thursday as their existing infrastructure struggled to meet the demands of millions of new users who have downloaded their app in recent days. Portugals surging third coronavirus wave is being driven by the highly transmissible variant first detected in the UK, according to the countrys health minister, as the daily death tolls continue to rise sharply. Record numbers of deaths were set every day last week, increasing from 167 on 18 January to 275 on 24 January, and rising to 303 yesterday. Portugal blames the sustained rise in deaths and new cases on the more virulent variant first identified in southeast England. The risk of this virus spreading through society has increased, Prime Minister Antonio Costa told a news conference last week. We have seen that, in the space of a week, the variant has spread significantly. The variant accounted for around 20 per cent last week, the health minister, Marta Temido, told broadcaster RTP, warning the figure could reach 60 per cent by this week. The country, which has a population of 10 million, now has the world's highest per capita seven-day averages of both new cases and deaths. Last Thursday the seven-day average of the daily death toll stood at 186; yesterday it catapulted to 275. Portugal suspended all flights to and from the UK from Saturday in order to limit the influx of the new variant, first identified in Kent. Only repatriation flights between the countries are allowed. It came a week after the UK halted flights to and from Portugal in an effort to stop a variant detected in Brazil from reaching the UK a decision labelled absurd by the Portuguese government. The UK variant, also known as B117, has spread to more than 50 countries since it was first detected in the southeast of England in September 2020. Public Health England estimates it is between 30 and 50 per cent more transmissible than the first strain, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that it may be associated with a higher degree of mortality. In light of the sustained rise in new cases and deaths, parliament voted to extend Portugals lockdown this week until mid-February, with prime minister shouldering the blame for the world's worst coronavirus surge that has seen the countrys health system on the verge of becoming overwhelmed. Mr Costa said the coronavirus situation had deteriorated in part because of the decision to relax measures between Christmas and the New Year, and the surge in the number of cases caused by the new variant. "There were certainly errors: often the way I transmitted the message to the Portuguese ... and, when the recipient of the message did not understand the message, then it is the messenger's fault," he said. The lockdown, which came into force on 15 January, should begin to cause infection numbers to fall from next week, he added. Schools have been closed and people told to work remotely where possible, while non-essential services have been halted. "Unfortunately we are dealing with a disease that surprises us every day and we do not give up... we continue to fight every day," Ms Temido told parliament before representatives voted to extend the measures. QINGDAO, China, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SOS Limited (NYSE: SOS ) (the "Company" or "SOS") announced today that it has completed the initial steps of the execution of its blockchain strategy, and successfully developed cutting-edge firewall system, personal biological information storage system, and antivirus system all of which are based on blockchain and AI. Copyright of these software systems have been registered with the PRC Copyright Protection Center. In addition, SOS also owns close to 100 software copyrights and 4 certification, all of which are related to cloud computing for rescue and insurance marketing, and blockchain-based Infrastructure. These intellectual property assets demonstrate a solid and complete ecosystem for marketing solution for the rescue service and insurance industry based on blockchain, big data, AI, 5G and satellite network in compliance with the industry, national and international standards, such as ISO, etc. SOS recently established a subsidiary named "Qingdao SOS Digital Technologies Inc." to be focusing on the research of cryptocurrency and blockchain-based insurance, blockchainized security management, DeFi, etc, Dr. Eric (Huazhong) Yan is appointed as the President of this newly created subsidiary. Management expects to announce more innovative solutions and products related to the blockchainized security framework in the near future. SOS Chairman Yandai Wang commented, "R&D is our lifeblood and our growth engine. We anticipate investing 15% of our revenue in R&D and the annual growth of R&D budget to be over 10% in each of the next 5 year ." About SOS Limited SOS Limited, through its operating subsidiary, SOS Information Technology Co., Ltd. ("SOS") is a high-technology company providing a wide range of services to its corporate and individual members, including marketing data, technology and solutions for emergency rescue services. SOS transforms digital technology into data-driven operations through the research and development of big data, cloud computing, Internet of Things, blockchain and artificial intelligence. We have created a SOS cloud emergency rescue service software as a service (SaaS) platform with three major product categories: basic cloud, cooperative cloud, and information. This system provides innovative marketing solutions to clients such as insurance companies, financial institutions, medical institutions, healthcare providers, auto manufacturers, security providers, senior living assistance providers, and other service providers in the emergency rescue services industry. SOS has obtained a national high-tech enterprise certification and the title of "big data star enterprise," awarded by Gui'an New District Government. Staying on the forefront of digital technology innovation, the Company has registered 99 software copyrights and 2 patents. For more information, please visit: http://www.sosyun.com/ Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements made herein are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "plan," "outlook," and "project" and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements include timing of the proposed transaction; the business plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of the parties;, SOS's estimated and future results of operations, business strategies, competitive position, industry environment and potential growth opportunities market acceptance of our products; the ultimate impact of the current Coronavirus pandemic, or any other health epidemic, on our business, our research programs, healthcare systems or the global economy as a whole; our intellectual property; our reliance on third party organizations; our anticipated financial and operating results, including anticipated sources of revenues; our assumptions regarding the size of the available market, benefits of our product offering, product pricing, timing of product launches; management's expectation with respect to future acquisitions; statements regarding our goals, intentions, plans and expectations, including the introduction of new products and markets; and our cash needs and financing plans and etc. These forward-looking statements reflect the current analysis of existing information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. As a result, caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. SOS may not realize its expectations, and its beliefs may not prove correct. Due to known and unknown risks, our actual results may differ materially from our expectations or projections. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact our expectations and projections can be found in our periodic filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. SOS's SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . SOS disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE SOS Limited On Friday, Assistant Commissioner Cornelius said a formal review of the security measures would be conducted by police, including whether more needed to be done to stop vehicles from entering and travelling on the tram tracks. Weve worked very closely in partnership with City of Melbourne and other agencies around assessing and identifying the very best physical security features that we can put in place around the city, he said. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Well take the opportunity as a result of this incident to go back and again, assess ... those security arrangements ... But you know, theres a balance that has to be struck here. Because of course, the trams going up and down Bourke Street Mall, thats a very critical part of our public transport infrastructure. Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said now was the time to look at whether retractable bollards, which had been used successfully overseas, could be installed on Bourke Street. There are a number of cities where trams or buses are able to get through automated bollards while waiting at the stop. The bollard will go down and then let them through and rise again, he said. In Cardiff, for example, they appear to be very smooth. As the buses arrive, bollards would drop down and rise again. I think that sort of solution, if its been done there and elsewhere, technically it should be possible. You would hope authorities look at that and work through the issues. However, Associate Professor Douglas Tomkin, an expert in hostile vehicle mitigation from the University of Technology Sydneys Designing Out Crime Centre, said the bollards were problematic and prone to error. There are certainly ways in which you can have retractable devices that a tram could activate when you get near but they are difficult to install, subject to weather and all sorts of other problems. And if they jam, you have a real problem, he said. I have heard so many cases of them getting damaged by water or stuff gets into them or they have mechanical issues, and they are awfully expensive to install. The car hit a bollard on Bourke Street Mall on Thursday evening. Credit:Wayne Taylor Professor Tomkin said there were other strategies that could be used to help deter vehicles from entering the tram tracks. I think there are various ways to discourage traffic from getting to those areas in the first place. Security consultant Luke Percy-Dove, the chief executive of Matryx Consulting and an expert in areas of physical security design and counter-terrorism, said retractable bollards were very expensive and were not a foolproof solution to stopping hostile vehicles entering the area. They need to be installed into the ground, and they need to go down as deep as the bollard retracts. Its quite a big hole to put them into. This makes it difficult because of the services in the ground already - water, electrical, gas, whatever it may be, he said. At Southern Cross Station, a temporary safety bollard is treated to some guerilla art. Credit:Hannah Francis He said from his perspective, the Mall is really well protected now. I was in there last week and noticed very few weak spots in terms of getting onto the footpath as happened a few years ago, he said. Google has agreed to pay 120 French media companies 90 million ($142 million) over three years to participate in its new journalism product, in a sign its proposal to sidestep new Australian regulations may fall short of publisher expectations. Industry sources told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age Google would pay some of Frances biggest publishers between 25 million and 30 million a year to participate in its soon-to-launch Google News Showcase product. Google France signed a licensing deal with French publishers last week. Credit:AP The revelation comes as Google attempts to convince the federal government the Showcase product would be a better way to pay media companies for news in Australia, as it fights back against tough new government proposals to regulate its relationships with publishers. The governments new media bargaining code, deemed unworkable by Google and Facebook, would force the two digital giants into binding commercial agreements to pay Australian news businesses or risk steep fines of up to 10 per cent of their annual revenues. It will be debated again by a Senate committee next week. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-28 21:30:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on Jan. 12, 2021 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) "Facts have proven that to contain China is a mission impossible and will only end up shooting oneself in the foot," said a spokesperson for Chinese Ministry of National Defense. BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- It is an impossible task to contain China, a Chinese military spokesperson said Thursday. Wu Qian, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks at a press conference in response to a media query on the military relations between China and the United States during and after the Trump administration. China-U.S. relations experienced severe difficulties during the Trump administration, with the military ties between the two sides facing numerous risks and challenges, Wu noted. "Facts have proven that to contain China is a mission impossible and will only end up shooting oneself in the foot," Wu said. Wu called on the new U.S. administration to work with the Chinese side, in the spirit of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, to strengthen dialogue, focus on cooperation, and manage and control divergences, so as to promote the sound and steady development of bilateral ties. At the beginning of the year, the two militaries carried out practical exchanges on several occasions, Wu said, noting that the two sides held a video-based work meeting on searching for the remains of American war captives and missing persons on Jan. 26 and 27, which demonstrated the importance China attaches to the humanitarian concerns of the U.S. side. Wu called on the United States to work with China toward the same goal, properly address China's concerns related to bilateral military ties, and push their military relations forward along the right track. The day after she announced her pregnancy, 'endo warrior' Halsey proudly showcased her bump - marked 'baby' - as well as her two 'scars that got me this angel.' The expecting 26-year-old - who suffers from severe endometriosis - 'braved multiple terrifying surgeries' in 2017 to help her more easily conceive. Halsey (born Ashley Frangipane) 'loves this mini human already,' which will be her first child with boyfriend Alev Aydin, whom she was first pictured with at a Lakers game in January 2019. '#endowarrior': The day after she announced her pregnancy, Halsey proudly showcased her bump - marked 'baby' - as well as her two 'scars that got me this angel' The two-time Grammy nominee - who suffered a miscarriage in 2015 - and the Turkish 36-year-old got matching 'seeds' tattoos on their feet by Liquid Tattoo artist Amanda Owley last June. Hours before Halsey announced her baby news, she visibly fumbled responding when Kelly Clarkson said cooking was 'fun to do with your kids.' 'Yeah! Definitely, oh my gosh,' the New Jersey-born pop star said on the daytime talk show. 'I'm in total agony right now': The expecting 26-year-old - who suffers from severe endometriosis - 'braved multiple terrifying surgeries' in 2017 to help her more easily conceive Babydaddy: Halsey 'loves this mini human already,' which will be her first child with boyfriend Alev Aydin (R), whom she was first pictured with at a Lakers game in January 2019 Permanently branded: The two-time Grammy nominee - who suffered a miscarriage in 2015 - and the Turkish 36-year-old (L) got matching 'seeds' tattoos on their feet by Liquid Tattoo artist Amanda Owley back on June 21 'You know, if I was, didn't, like, live alone and, you know, with my dog, and you know, have no family or love in my home I would have fun with kids too.' Halsey also admitted: 'I can't stop eating. I don't know what's gotten into me. You know, I think it's kind of being home in the quarantine.' Career-wise, the biracial, bisexual, and bipolar belter published a 144-page book of poetry in November titled I Would Leave Me If I Could. Trying to keep the secret: Hours before Halsey announced her baby news, she visibly fumbled responding when Kelly Clarkson (L) said cooking was 'fun to do with your kids' The New Jersey-born pop star said: 'Yeah! Definitely, oh my gosh. You know, if I was, didn't, like, live alone and, you know, with my dog, and you know, have no family or love in my home I would have fun with kids too' Halsey also admitted: 'I can't stop eating. I don't know what's gotten into me. You know, I think it's kind of being home in the quarantine' Meanwhile, Alev's last career gig was portraying a character called Guy in Paul Osborne's 2018 thriller Cruel Hearts. Aydin also co-created and wrote the eight-episode comedy series Small Shots, which premiered on Netflix back in 2017. Before the film buff, Halsey previously romanced Evan Peters, Yungblud, G-Eazy, Machine Gun Kelly, and Lido. Author: Career-wise, the biracial, bisexual, and bipolar belter published a 144-page book of poetry in November titled I Would Leave Me If I Could 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. LOS ANGELES, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dominguez Firm, a personal injury firm based in Southern California is excited to announce that it has selected Luis Moros as the recipient of its Spring 2021 Collegiate Scholarship. We received many worthy entries, but Luis' stood out, even in a sea of exceptional candidates. Luis F. Moros J.J. Dominguez, Founder and CEO of The Dominguez Firm continues his commitment to encouraging deserving students as they pursue their dreams of a higher education. Mr. Dominguez firmly believes that students with outstanding academic records and a history of activism within their communities should be able to attend college, regardless of their financial situation. Luis Moros' academic achievements certainly impressed us. However, it was his incredible ability to not just overcome but thrive despite the incredibly difficult circumstances he found himself in that most caught our attention. Born in Venezuela, Luis and his family were forced to flee when the political situation became dangerous for them. From this traumatic situation, Luis soon found himself thrust into a new, unfamiliar environment in the U.S. He arrived without knowing any English and soon experienced extreme culture shock. Yet, not only did Luis persevere, he was proactive in his quest to adapt to his new life in the U.S. First, he worked hard to improve his English and never stopped concentrating on his studies. Then he used his newfound experience to create the nonprofit organization We the People to help recent immigrants to the U.S. adapt to their new country. Perhaps his most poignant achievement was helping to collect over $8,000 in school supplies for at-need students in his native Venezuela. Today, Luis is a student at Florida International University. He is pursuing his dream of becoming an attorney and dedicating himself to public service. His goal is to fight for the rights of the immigrant community, "The Dominguez Law Firm Collegiate Scholarship demonstrates that the American Dream is possible. Winning this scholarship allows me to represent Latin families as a role model. Without a doubt, I am not here to represent myself, but to be a liaison that helps creates leaders, not followers." The Dominguez Firm is a powerhouse personal injury and employment law firm that has been helping clients for over 30 years. The firm's award-winning attorneys have recovered over $750 million* for deserving clients with a focus on outstanding customer service. For a free consultation, call 877-265-2167. Available 24/7. Media contact: Rosalia Rodriguez [email protected] 800-818-1818 SOURCE The Dominguez Firm, LLP Taras Semeniuk The Russian delegation to the PACE has seen its powers restored in full, which continues similar steps the Assembly took back in 2019. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine's new delegation was working to pursue the efforts launched by their predecessors toward having Russia expelled from the PACE. Back then, it was a major bulk of annual dues to the Assembly that Russia was refusing to pay as a member state The Russian delegation's reinstatement in the PACE is not the Ukrainian delegation's fault. They tried real hard not to let it happen A recent, and very critical, report by Austrian MP Stefan Schennach on civil society rights violations, Navalny's arrest, lack of progress on Crimea and Donbas demands, and a statement of the occupation of Georgia in Abkhazia and South Ossetia should have logically ended up with a conclusion in line with the requirements put forward by the Ukrainian delegation and their allies. Unexpectedly for everyone, however, Schennach has called on the Assembly to affirm the Russian delegation's authority for the sake of "dialogue." He also urged lawmakers not to return to the "institutional crisis", referring to 2019, when the subject of such crisis was the annual monetary contributions to the PACE budget, which Russia said it wouldn't pay. The Russian delegation's reinstatement in the PACE is not the Ukrainian delegation's fault. They tried real hard not to let it happen. It's that Europeans are set to make peace with Russia, being ready to turn a blind eye to human rights violations, unresolved issues of the Crimea annexation attempt and the occupation of Donbas, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia. This all means that a new reality has come that we have to live in amid global pandemic. Besides, Joe Biden's election in the United States is making certain adjustments to Europe's geopolitics. At present, the efforts to restore dialogue with the Kremlin means for Europeans a chance to resume business as usual, which had worked well right until 2014. However, dialogue doesn't mean that Russia will pull out of Crimea, Donbas, and the occupied territories of Georgia. And neither does dialogue guarantee that Navalny will become Russia's next president and that democratic elections will be held there. However, Europeans want to believe in this and therefore go for a compromise. The PACE, as an institution, has no decisive influence on policies, while being a platform where delegates can and will voice arguments to prove their point on multiple issues. For example, the Kremlin will continue to emphasize their outrage over Kyiv being unwilling to hold direct talks with Moscow proxies in Donbas, also claiming that Russia has nothing to do with the ongoing conflict. The current win of the Russian delegation in the PACE is also a result of Russia's consistent lobbying efforts across the EU. However, the "return to dialogue" exposes Europe's weakness and testifies, one might say, to the betrayal of the fundamental principles of the international legal infrastructure, which is designed to prevent a "big war", preserve borders intact in the post WW2 world. But what values then does Europe believe in and what principles does it adhere to? Now it seems that the struggle for the same values will be raging at the level of national institutions in individual countries. For example, members of the UK House of Commons called on the government to impose sanctions against two Russian billionaires Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov, as per The Times. Now it seems that the struggle for the same values will be raging at the level of national institutions in individual countries According to the publication, such measures were proposed by British legislators over the situation with Alexei Navalny, who was arrested in Moscow on January 18. For example, MP Margaret Hodge (Labour) has called on the country's authorities to support the Russian opposition "not by words but by actions", recalling that Navalny had previously suggested that Western powers impose restrictions on a number of Russian oligarchs, including those storing part of assets in Britain. Across the pond, both the Dems and the GOP have found points of rapprochement and cooperation, in particular on anti-Russian policy. Donald Trump once said he would like to "get along" with Putin, for which his opponents branded him "Putin's puppy". However, even with a loyal Trump, US policy was not soft, because it is built and focused not on one person, but on institutions. So even now, the fact that Putin has initiated a telephone conversation with Biden means that the Kremlin understands that it will be impossible to live long in sanctions. And neither the Americans nor the Europeans like Russia's rapprochement with China. However, right now for Russia is a good time to at least try to bargain for something. Taras Semeniuk is an analyst with Kyivstratpro The March 15-17 event in Naples will feature CEOs, innovators, and industry experts, who will come together to present a series of lectures on a range of topics and explore what can be done to both catalyze innovation and improve healthcare The summit venue at Arthrex's corporate campus will be open to the public on March 16 Corp ( ) announced Friday that it will host the first annual Future of Healthcare Summit that will convene the top leaders in the $5 trillion healthcare industry. In a statement, the company said the live event will be held at Arthrex's corporate campus in Naples, Florida from March 15-17. The summit is an invitation-only event for healthcare providers. The event will feature world-class CEOs, innovators, and industry experts, who will come together to present a series of lectures on a wide range of healthcare topics and explore what can be done to both catalyze innovation and improve healthcare. said that CEO Dr Michael Dent has developed an agenda that focuses on genomics, functional medicine, anti-aging, stem cells, artificial intelligence, diagnostic advances, telemedicine, intellectual property, tissue regeneration, cancer treatments, and medical devices. The summit venue will be open to the public on March 16, where a series of Ted Talk-style lectures will cover the latest healthcare trends, technology, and treatments. This open forum will allow the public the opportunity to learn about the latest advances in healthcare and how they are being applied today and what to expect in the future. HealthLynked said it has confirmed a world-class slate of speakers including: Bob Gasparini, former president Laboratories; Robert Mino JD, Healthcare patent attorney; Dr Michael Dent, CEO of HealthLynked and founder Laboratories; Gagan Babber, dormer co-founder & CTO of Collaborate Cloud; and Dr Edwardo Maristany, Naples Center of Functional Medicine. Attendees of the summit include doctors, hospital executives, academics, researchers, venture capitalists, pharmaceutical firms, policymakers, philanthropists, and future leaders, the company said. And the seating will follow COVID-19 spacing guidelines as Arthrex campus facilities are equipped with Synexis air purification systems that kill airborne COVID-19 to add an additional layer of safety for the attendees. "The next 15 years will bring a wave of medical breakthroughs in new therapies, medicines, medical devices and data analytics. We have achieved new milestones in gene editing, cancer immunotherapy and artificial intelligence, said Dr Dent. All of these advances will allow us to more effectively treat disease and find cures that have eluded us. Our goal is to provide an informative series of lectures to show the future of healthcare and create an environment for innovative thought leaders to turn ideas into actionable solutions." For a look at the full agenda, as well as speaker bios, please visit the 2021 Healthcare Summit website. For additional sponsorship opportunities, please email summitsponsors@healthlynked.com. Contact the author: patrick@proactiveinvestors.com Follow him on Twitter @PatrickMGraham TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrain authorizes the emergency use of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India The National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) approved the emergency use of Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India under the name Covishield. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine will support national efforts towards vaccinating vulnerable members of the public at risk of developing complications from COVID-19, including the elderly and people with chronic diseases, as well as other vulnerable groups identified by the Ministry of Health. The decision comes following extensive research conducted by the NHRA in cooperation with the Clinical Research Committee at the NHRA and the Immunization Committee at the Ministry of Health, which considered the results of clinical trials held in several countries published by Oxford/AstraZeneca as well as information shared by the Serum Institute of India, covering manufacturing processes and batch analyses. Dr Maryam Athbi Al-Jalahmah, CEO of the NHRA, stated that the Authority has undertaken a comprehensive evaluation of the information submitted by the manufacturer, Serum Institute of India, which included the quality and consistency of the vaccine as well as immune response results. Dr Al-Jalahmah went on to note that the manufacturer has undertaken rigorous randomised studies to uphold the high safety standards required by Bahrain, which requires its testing on broad demographic groups, in addition to collecting additional critical information on effectiveness, safety and efficacy data. Data collected by Oxford/AstraZeneca shows a 70.42% efficacy rate with minor side effects, such as headache, fatigue, chills, and injection site pain. Covishield from Oxford/AstraZeneca is the third vaccine to receive emergency authorization in Bahrain following Sinopharm and Pfizer-BioNTech. It is worth noting that the Serum Institute of India is registered as a manufacturer of medicines and vaccines in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and currently produces other key vaccines authorized by the World Health Organization, such as BCG, hepatitis, measles, polio and influenza vaccines. Cote, an upscale Korean barbecue steak house in the Flatiron district, will be able to double the number of people it can sit to about 100, up from the estimated 50 it can serve in its outside cabanas, according to the owner, Simon Kim. Its been very challenging, said Mr. Kim, adding that the restaurant already had a 100-reservation waiting list for Valentines Day. Now that we are opening indoors, its going to mean we no longer have to hemorrhage tens of thousands dollars each week. While the restaurant industry celebrated the announcement, it also expressed dismay with the lag time of more than two weeks. The governor said that the delay of the start of indoor dining was meant to give businesses time to order supplies, notify workers and get up to speed, and cautioned that the plan could change if positive test rates worsened. Restaurants in the city are ready to safely open now, said Andrew Rigie, the director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance. Unfortunately, once again the states standards are being applied inequitably in the five boroughs without a transparent and data-driven system for further reopening the citys restaurant economy. Indeed, New York City eateries have suffered the brunt of the governors restrictions. Indoor dining restrictions in most other parts of the state were lifted more quickly, and those restaurants have been able to operate at double the capacity allowed in the city. The industry had hoped that the state would allow restaurants in the city to stay open until midnight, but state officials were adhering to the statewide closing time of 10 p.m. The governors decision comes at an incredibly precarious phase in the states battle against the virus, which has killed more than 42,500 people in New York State, the one-time epicenter of the pandemic. Research illuminates lobsters' genetic response to changing climate The American lobster, which supports the most valuable fishery in North America, may be more susceptible to the effects of climate change than previously thought, according to a new study published in Ecology and Evolution. This finding could help fishery managers anticipate the long-term effects of climate change for one the nation's most precious natural resources. The American lobster's range extends from Atlantic Canada to the mid-Atlantic waters of the United States, but increased carbon dioxide emissions by humans are warming and acidifying their ocean habitat. To date, studies of the early life stages of lobsters have concluded that ocean acidification, compared to warming, had relatively limited impact on growth and metabolism. However, according to the new publication, their genes tell a different story. "Our study indicated that acidification is affecting these lobsters on a molecular scale," said Maura Niemisto, lead author and research associate at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. "Because of environmental changes, they have genes firing at an even higher rate." Niemisto published the research with Bigelow Laboratory Senior Research Scientist David Fields and University of Maine Research Professor Richard Wahle, who is based at the Darling Marine Center. Co-authors Spencer Greenwood of the University of Prince Edward Island, and Fraser Clark of Dalhousie University contributed expertise in genomics. The work built on previous experiments by co-author Jesica Waller of the Maine Department of Marine Resources. Through their genes, all living organisms have the capacity to regulate a wide range of biological processes. Changes in their environment can influence this. For example, many organisms have a heat shock protein gene. When they get overheated, the environmental stress triggers cells to produce a protein that helps the organism adapt. This study focused on the postlarval stage of lobsters because they live in the upper water column, where ocean acidification and temperature are changing quickly. In addition, they are planktonic, which means they have limited control of their movement to avoid unfavorable environments. The scientists conducted laboratory experiments to expose postlarval lobsters to the temperature and acidity levels projected for the end of the century. Under these conditions, they found lobsters' cells adjusted gene regulation to support shell structure and immune functions. This response was stronger in relation to increased acidity than increased temperature. The study also revealed that, when their environment was both warm and acidic, the lobsters showed significantly more genetic response than when exposed to either stressor alone. "Stressors on an organism have the ability to compound into something that makes it really hard to grow through all the developmental stages to get to a full-grown lobster," said Niemisto, who conducted the research as part of her master's thesis in marine biology at UMaine. The implications of these responses remain unclear for lobsters in the Gulf of Maine, which is acidifying and warming faster than the majority of the world's oceans. While the results suggest that lobsters have the genetic capacity to adapt to their changing environment, it may come at a cost. The genetic processes take a significant amount of energy, which comes from a limited budget. "So, if they're spending a lot of energy on building proteins to respond to stressors, something else has to give," Niemisto said. Researchers are now looking to see exactly where that extra energy is coming from and what is being given up. For example, if lobsters have to expend energy on maintaining their shells, they may not be able to invest in their immune system. The authors say the next step is to better understand these genetic responses in relation to larger-scale changes. Pairing this study's findings with further research on the ecology and biology of lobsters can help reveal their likely response as a population. "This study has cracked open the door to our understanding of the basic biology of lobster larvae and their response to the changing environment," said co-author Fields. "However, there is still a lot to learn. As the use of these genetic tools grows, so will our understanding of the larval lobster biology and the impact of climate change on this iconic fishery." ### This research was supported by funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's Ocean Acidification and National Sea Grant programs, and the National Science Foundation. Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences is an independent, nonprofit research institute located in East Boothbay, Maine. From the Arctic to the Antarctic, Bigelow Laboratory scientists use innovative approaches to study the foundation of global ocean health and unlock its potential to improve the future for all life on the planet. Learn more at bigelow.org, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. ADVERTISEMENT The Ekiti government, on Friday, directed both private and public hospitals in the state to henceforth conduct COVID-19 tests for patients with fever, cough and catarrh. The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Oyebanji Filani, gave the directive in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado Ekiti. Mr Filani said that the move was part of efforts to curtail the spread of the virus in the state. According to him, the symptoms of the second wave of coronavirus are similar to other common diseases, such as malaria and respiratory tract infection, adding that it may also be asymptomatic. The commissioner instructed all the health facilities in the state to contact their respective local governments Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (LGDSNO) for modalities on the conduct the tests on their patients. He solicited for the understanding and support of all stakeholders for the new order, saying it was aimed at warding off the virus in the state. Mr Filani emphasised the need for the general public to also cooperate with healthcare providers to achieve the desired goal. He warned that the government would not hesitate to sanction any hospital that failed to comply with the directive. (NAN) A medical staff checks temperature of car passengers in the northern province of Quang Ninh on January 28, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Cuong. The latest Covid-19 outbreak in northern Vietnam has dented tourism firms hopes for a revenue surge during the upcoming Tet, the nations longest holiday. Nguyen Cong Hoan, deputy director of Hanoi Redtours, said his company stands ready to suspend services as soon as authorities order it, especially to places like Ha Long Bay, a tourist hotspot located in the northern province of Quang Ninh. Fifteen new Covid-19 cases have been confirmed in the province since Thursday. "Although we are not pessimistic about the 2021 outlook, the outbreak surely has put more roadblocks on our recovery journey this year after experiencing major challenges caused by the pandemic last year," he told VnExpress International. Other tourism firms have canceled or made changes to their tours to ensure safety and keep the business running after Vietnam recorded over 149 new Covid-19 patients within two days, just two weeks before the years biggest festival. Leading tour company Vietravel has made plans to relocate 101 tours to Quang Ninh in the next three weeks to other destinations in the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta. The company has also offered to refund customers with other tour options in the upcoming months. Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh, deputy director of the companys marketing department, said that the latest outbreak will have a major impact on the tourism industry as many people were making travel plans after Vietnam went nearly two months without a community transmission. Vietrantour has canceled 12 tours with over 200 customers in Ha Long, Quang Ninh and Cat Ba, Hai Phong City. Hanoitourist is relocating its Ha Long tours to other destinations like the northern province of Ninh Binh. Le Hong Thai, deputy director of Hanoitourist, said many southern customers have called to know if they could cancel or reschedule their tours to the north. "Tourism companies will be hurt, but we support the administration of local authorities to quickly contain the outbreak." Vietnams tourism industry went through one of the most difficult years in its history last year when the Covid-19 pandemic slashed the number of foreign arrivals by nearly 79 percent to 3.8 million. Industry revenues plunged nearly 56 percent to VND17.9 trillion ($771.55 million) as flights were cancelled and people became reluctant in making travel plans due to fear of contracting the novel coronavirus. Industry insiders say that many difficulties will likely linger this year, especially with the new outbreak affecting the northern localities of Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, and Hanoi. Hoan of Hanoi Redtours, which saw revenues plunge 80 percent last year, estimates it would take around three years for the industry to recover to pre-pandemic levels. Municipal authorities in several northern localities have suspended all crowd-gathering events as government officials warned that the new Covid-19 variant has a faster contagion rate. 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. 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. Beyond the ski slopes, one of the most iconic symbols of the Alps are the alpine flowers. These plants are not only beautiful -- they are also used in liqueurs and medicines, and they form the foundation of the local food chains. But a recent study in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution shows that, although plant diversity may initially increase with glacier retreat, many of these species may soon become endangered. "Our results indicate that plant diversity will ultimately decrease once the glaciers disappear -- and up to 22% of the species we analyzed may locally disappear or even go extinct once the glaciers are gone," says lead author Dr Gianalberto Losapio of Stanford University in the USA. "We show that 'not all species are equal before global warming' and that there are some species benefiting from global warming -- the so- called 'winners,' -- while others -- 'the losers' -- will suffer." As glaciers retreat, they expose newly available land for plants to grow, but this also changes the inhabitability and diversity of the downstream ecosystems. Losapio and his collaborators used geological records to reconstruct the positions of four glaciers in the Italian Alps, allowing them to approximate the age of downstream communities. By combining this information with their own contemporary survey of 117 plant species and analyses of local environmental conditions, they used computational models to calculate how the plant distribution had changed over the past five millennia. These models also forecasted the effects of future glacier retreat. Their findings indicated shifts in the interactions within plant communities, with competitive species becoming more prevalent in the long term. Although some cooperative species, such as Artemisia genipi, were the first to colonize terrain, their populations would decline within only 100 years. Although there is some uncertainty in the calculated dates of the older communities, the researchers received similar estimates using alternative methods as well. These findings also do not explore the role of evolution, and it may be possible that some species have adapted to changing conditions in the past. But the unprecedented rate of current glacier retreat makes it unlikely that there is time for such adaptations now. This study contributes to the United Nations' Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. These objectives focus on understanding the mechanisms of biodiversity loss and increasing the conservation and sustainable management of threatened species and ecosystems. "Plants are the primary producers at the basis of the food web that sustains our lives and economies, and biodiversity is key to healthy ecosystems -- biodiversity also represents an inestimable cultural value that needs to be properly supported," says Losapio. "Our study, with its results and innovative approach, may help conservationists, natural park managers and practitioners to mitigate and anticipate the consequences of anthropogenic impact on Earth's ecosystems." ### Pregnant woman delivers baby after being shot at home; family thanks God Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Family members of a 24-year-old pregnant Georgia woman who was shot while standing in front of a home are now thanking God after she survived along with her newborn, who was reportedly delivered at the scene on Tuesday evening. Everything was good, Reginald Hampton, brother-in-law of the shooting victim, Angel Cruz, said in an interview with News12. I just thank everybody that come through to check up on both of them, really all of them. Thank God theyre OK. An incident report from the Richmond County Sheriffs Office said just before 3 p.m. they received a call about a gunshot victim in the 2500 block of Drayton Drive in Augusta. When they arrived on the scene they were met by Cruz, a witness identified as Dangelo Wimbley, 24, along with her boyfriend Perry Williams, 28, whom police is investigating as a suspect. Officers also noticed an unloaded Black Glock 19 9mm handgun on top of the front passenger seat inside a blue Ford Explorer parked in the driveway of the residence. Cruz told police she was in front of the home when she felt something strike her stomach. She went inside the home and noticed she was bleeding heavily from her stomach and called police. Williams told police that he was inside his bedroom at the time of the shooting and indicated to police that theres a lot of drive-by shootings in the area, according to the police report. Police asked him if he was in possession of any firearms and he said the firearms were stored in his bedroom closet. When they entered the home, police observed two AR-15 style firearms found in a bedroom closet, two 9mm Glock magazines on the floor of the bloody bedroom, a clear plastic bag containing marijuana and what appeared to be a large amount of blood on the bed and on the floor of the bedroom. Williams was also searched and found to be in possession of a black Glock 19 holster. Wimbley told police he was on the phone with Williams at the time of the shooting and heard a gunshot over the phone. He said he heard Williams yelling immediately after the gunshot and quickly drove to the scene to see what happened. Williams was turned over to criminal investigators, who charged him with reckless conduct and misdemeanor possession of marijuana while Wimbley was held on two probation violations and a state court bench warrant. Another pregnant woman was shot dead along with her unborn child and five others in Indianapolis Sunday, the Associated Press reported. A 17-year-old boy is being held as a suspect in those killings. Kezzie Childs, 42, Raymond Childs, 42, Elijah Childs, 18, Rita Childs, 13, and Kiara Hawkins, 19, and her unborn child were pronounced dead after being found in a home in Marion County. A sixth victim, a male juvenile, was also hospitalized with gunshot wounds after he was found on a nearby block before the other victims were discovered. Hawkins was reportedly first taken to an area hospital, but both she and her unborn male child died despite life-saving efforts, authorities said. What we saw this morning was a different kind of evil, Randal Taylor, the citys police chief, said at a press conference. There are no right words to say at this time. I myself am heartbroken for the lives that have been taken too soon, for the young life thats forever been changed and for the young life that never got a chance to start, for the neighborhood left to pick up the pieces in the wake of unprecedented violence and for all of the family and friends that have been rocked by grief. Covaxin info sheet finds no mention of two rare but known risks Two rare but known risks find no mention in the third and fourth versions of the information sheet Bharat Biotech has shared with beneficiaries of Covaxin, according to a report in The Wire. The risks relate to antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) and vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease (VAERD). This is a source of concern as the recipients are expected to give their informed consent to getting the shot after reading the information sheet. Read more here Covaxin a buffet vaccine that can tackle mutations: Top virologist Covaxin, manufactured by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, is a broad spectrum buffet vaccine which will be effective against all mutations of Covid-19, compared to other a la carte inoculants that will need changes, a top virologist told ThePrint. Covaxin will work against all mutations as it produces a broad immune response where one or the other antibody produced will eventually neutralize the virus, Dr V. Ravi, former dean, basic sciences, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) told ThePrint. Read more here Why Covid-19 vaccines are not for pregnant women The immune system of the body and how it responds to infections overall is altered by pregnancy, which can at times be reflected in more severe symptoms as well, according to a report in The Indian Express. This applies to Covid-19 infections as well. Experts have said pregnant or lactating women have not been included in any Covid-19 trial. Therefore, this group should not receive the vaccine at this time. This is also part of the advisory put out by the central health ministry. Read more here Covaxin, Covishield safe for those on blood thinners: ICMR chief Contrary to what the factsheets for Covaxin and Covishield say, there is no problem in administering the two vaccines to those on blood thinners such as aspirin and clopidogrel, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava said Thursday, according to a report in ThePrint. The manufacturers of both the vaccines Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India have approached the drug controller to make the changes to the factsheets. Covaxins current factsheet says those who are on blood thinners or have bleeding disorders cannot get the shot. Covishelds existing factsheet asks vaccine beneficiaries to inform their physicians in advance. Read more here OPINION: Vaccine hesitancy cannot be tackled by drugmakers alone The central and state governments together with health policymakers need to play a key role in educating the general public about vaccines. Hesitancy cannot be tackled just by pharma firms alone, said Santanu Pramanik, deputy director at NCAER National Data Innovation Centre, and Sonalde Desai, director at NCAER NDIC, in an opinion piece for The Indian Express. Policies must be implemented to address the health and financial risks associated with any adverse events. Training needs to be imparted to health providers in answering questions, identifying and treating potential side-effects. Information about vaccination schedule, locations, regimen, dealing with adverse events should be readily available. Read more here Michael Ellis is a highly experienced, superbly qualified intelligence professional. He has a strong record of accomplishment in all three branches of government. Last year, Ellis, a family friend, was selected to be the general counsel at the National Security Agency (NSA). But now, after Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff demanded that he be removed, the Biden administration has placed him on administrative leave. The Washington Post and other left-liberal media outlets have assisted Pelosi and Schiff by attacking Ellis. The attack on Ellis selection lacks merit. The attacks on his character are disgusting. This post deals with the former. The process whereby Ellis was selected to be the NSA general counsel began in January 2020 and lasted eleven months. Ellis was found to be qualified for the position by a panel of career lawyers before any political appointee was involved in the process. That finding was more than justified. The NSA GC deals with the intersection of law and national security policy. Ellis credentials in both areas are impressive and unassailable. A Dartmouth grad, Ellis earned his law degree at Yale. After that, he clerked for Amul Thapar (then a U.S. district court judge, now a judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals) and Jeffrey Sutton of the Sixth Circuit. Both jurists are Bush 43 appointees. Both have, at various times, have been listed as potential Supreme Court nominees. After that, Ellis was hired by Rep. Mike Rogers as a staff attorney for the House Intelligence Committee. He served on that committee for four years, first under Rogers and then under Rep. Devin Nunes. He became chief counsel for the committee. Ellis accomplishments on the intel committee include his role as lead staffer for the bipartisan committee report on the Snowden disclosures and his participation in drafting bipartisan Intelligence Authorization Acts, FISA reform bills, and cybersecurity information sharing laws. Ellis developed expertise on FISA and other intelligence collection authorities. He regularly briefed then-Ranking Member Schiff when Democratic staffers were unavailable. In 2017, Ellis moved to the White House counsels office. He became senior associate counsel to President Trump and deputy legal advisor to the National Security Council (NSC). On top of all this, Ellis has been a Navy Reserve intelligence officer since 2007. In that capacity, he wrote an article for the Presidents Daily Brief Ellis credentials in the areas of law and national security are obvious and stellar. Clearly, he is very well qualified to serve as general counsel at the NSA. However, Ellis selection for the NSA GC job didnt sit well with President Trumps enemies. Consequently, NSA slow rolled it. After being selected in November, Ellis passed a polygraph exam the next month and was granted a security clearance. Yet, NSA refused to appoint him, in violation of merit system principles. Only after the Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller ordered NSA to appoint Ellis did his appointment become effective. Pelosi, Schiff, and their allies in the left-wing media outlets portray the Trump Defense Departments involvement in Ellis selection as problematic. In reality, the Defense Departments general counsel selects his counterpart at the NSA to ensure that the NSA GC is not beholden to the NSA Director, and thus can speak truth to power at the Agency. As far as I can tell, there is no evidence of improper political influence in connection with the selection of this highly qualified candidate. Nor is there anything exceptional about the NSA GC having served in government in political roles prior to his appointment. For example, Glenn Gerstell (NSA GC, 2015-2020) was an Obama bundler. Rajesh De (NSA GC, 2012-2015) was Obamas Staff Secretary. Nonetheless, Pelosi and Schiff screamed foul at Ellis appointment. Pelosi demanded that acting Defense Secretary Miller block Ellis from serving as NSA GC. Miller refused to do so. However, on the day Joe Biden was inaugurated, and one day after the publication of a flawed Washington Post hit piece, Gen. Paul Nakasone, the NSA director, placed Ellis on administrative leave. In his inaugural address, Joe Biden talked about unity. But actions speak louder than words. The Democrats mistreatment of Michael Ellis shows the real face of the new administration nasty, vindictive, and intolerant. A good man and an outstanding lawyer is being persecuted and unfairly maligned. The Washington Post has tried to justify this treatment by airing the lefts grievances with Ellis work during the Trump administration. (It identifies no problem with work on the House Intelligence Committee.) I will discuss these grievances in another post. On Thursday, it was reported that freshman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene had endorsed a theory that wealthy Jewish bankers had started Californias 2018 Camp Fire by firing a laser from space in order to benefit themselves financially. You can read her Facebook post, uncovered by Media Matters reporter Eric Hananoki, here. In it, Greene postulates that the Vice Chairman of Rothschild Inc, international investment banking firm may have used space solar generators beaming the sun[]s energy back to Earth to fire a laser beam or light beam coming down to Earth to cause the 2018 Camp Fire in California in order to manipulate the stock market and line the pockets of Rothschild Inc, Solaren, and Sen. Dianne Feinsteins husband, Richard Blum. Advertisement Feinstein and her husband are Jewish, and conspiracy theories involving the Rothschilds are a long-standing anti-Semitic trope. Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the associate dean and director of global social action of the Wiesenthal Center, told me anyone who used the term Rothschild banker, thats shorthand for Jews. Cooper called on Greene to apologize and said she should not be on the House Committee on Education and Labor. Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. When told of a video Greene once posted on social media in which a narrator says an unholy alliance of leftists, capitalists, and Zionist supremacists has schemed to promote immigration and miscegenation, with the deliberate aim of breeding us out of existence in our own homelands, Cooper said: This is clearly a person that has an anti-Semitism problem. Advertisement Democrats have been calling for weeks to expel Greene from the House of Representatives, based on her anti-Semitism, conspiracy-mongering, and insurrection-backing. Given her popularity with former President Donald Trump and with the QAnon movement, and its overall interest in owning the libs, the institutional Republican Party has been much more reluctant to respond. But after the latest revelations, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel called the comments disgusting and said there is no place for anti-Semitism in our party and that the comments should be looked into. And a spokesperson for California Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, told Slate, These comments are deeply disturbing and Leader McCarthy plans to have a conversation with the Congresswoman about them. Advertisement Before that conversation could occur, Greene put out a statement denouncing the radical, left-wing Democrat mob and the Fake News media trying to take me out and saying I will never back down. Advertisement I will lead the charge to be a voice for the Silent Majority, she wrote. Speaking of silent majorities: I asked every member of House Republican leadership whether or not they believe, as Greene has speculated, that the 2018 Camp Fire might have been caused by powerful Jewish interests shooting an energy beam from space, or if such comments were appropriate. Here is a list of their responses or nonresponses, which will be updated if and when these Republican House leaders get back to Slate. A spokesperson for Rep. Steve Scalise, the House minority whip, said, No, of course he does not believe that. Advertisement Rep. Tom Emmer, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee: We dont support any hate-driven conspiracy theories. A spokesman for Rep. Liz Cheney, chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, replied in response to both questions, no. Rep. Mike Johnson, the vice chairman of the House Republican Conference, responded of course not and of course not. Rep. Jason Smith, the secretary of the House Republican Conference, did not respond when his office was asked if he believed that Rothschild Inc had fired space lasers to start the 2018 Camp Fire, or if such comments were appropriate. Advertisement Rep. Gary Palmer, the chair of the House Republican Policy Committee, did not respond when his office was asked if he believed that Rothschild Inc had fired space lasers to start the 2018 Camp Fire, or if such comments were appropriate. Advertisement This lack of widespread condemnation is a marked departure from how the House reacted to Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar over 2019 statements that congressional support for Israel was all about the Benjamins baby. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and House Democratic leadership described the remarks as anti-Semitic tropes and asked Omar to apologize, which she unequivocally did. This didnt stop House Republicans from sponsoring a resolution to condemn Omar. Of the three Republican sponsors of that failed resolution who remain in the HouseRep. Greg Steube, Rep. Jeff Duncan, and Rep. Louie Gohmertnone responded when asked whether or not they shared Greenes belief that Rothschild Inc may have fired space lasers to start the 2018 Camp Fire. The ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC) convened its first meeting in 2021 in a virtual format on January 28. At the meeting (Source: VNA) The meeting appreciated the role and contributions of Vietnam as the ACCC Chairman in 2020 with the completion and adoption of mid-term review report implementing the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 (MPAC 2025) at the 37th ASEAN Summit in November last year. Participants focused their discussion on the way to implement recommendations in the report in order to enhance effectiveness of projects in the master plan and promote the connection in fields. They emphasised that the effective implementation of the MPAC 2025s projects and activities will support and contribute to carrying out the post-2025 ASEAN Community Vision and the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework. The meeting recognised and highly valued progresses in implementing the MPAC 2025. Particularly, 13 out of 15 initiatives in the master plans strategic areas, namely sustainable infrastructure, digital innovation, seamless logistics, regulatory excellence and people mobility, are being carried out. Projects in the list of ASEAN potential infrastructure works continue to be promoted through programmes on capacity building and technical assistance. The event also passed orientations and priorities on connectivity in Bruneis ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2021 and a three-year working plan for 2021-2023 in order to accelerate the MPAC 2025. Accordingly, ASEAN will focus resources and call on outside partners to support and promote projects in the strategic areas, and especially prioritise unimplemented projects and those contributing to the blocs recovery efforts. It also agreed to give information on and encourage the synchronous participation of ASEAN specialised agencies in implementing projects within the MPAC 2025, increase coordination mechanisms, while connecting the implementation of the MPAC 2025 with initiatives on regional connectivity and ASEAN partner countries. At the 28th ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, in September 2016, ASEAN leaders adopted the MPAC 2025 with a vision of a seamlessly and comprehensively connected and integrated ASEAN. The ACCC was established to oversee, assess and make periodic reports to the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) and the ASEAN Summit on situation and challenges in implementing the MPAC 2025./.VNA Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 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. Retired General Lloyd Austin prepares to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing to be the next Secretary of Defense, in Washington, on Jan. 19, 2021. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via REUTERS) Indo-Pacific Remains a Key Focus for Australia, US Alliance The Indo-Pacific remains a key focus of the Australia-United States alliance, both Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin affirmed on Jan. 27. Reynolds and Austin spoke for the first time since the new defence secretary took office in January. Reynolds said the meeting was a warm and productive conversation between close allies. Secretary Austin and I had a wide-ranging discussion on the ambitious year ahead to further deepen our cooperation, including progressing the significant outcomes from the 2020 Australia-US Ministerial (AUSMIN) meeting, Reynolds said. She said the two nations would continue to work with allies and partners to promote security, prosperity, inclusivity, and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. It is vital that we continue working together across the breadth of our relationship as the Indo-Pacific region evolves and faces new challenges, she said. U.S. and Australian special operations forces conduct a high-altitude low-opening parachute jump from a Royal Australian Air Force C-27J Spartan of the 35 Squadron during Talisman Sabre in Queensland, Australia, on July 17, 2019. (Lance Cpl. Nicole Rogge) Meanwhile, Austin said the United States and Australia were an Unbreakable Alliance. Reynolds echoed the sentiment, saying: After more than a century since we first fought side-by-side the shared values and unwavering defence relationship between our two countries remain unbreakable. Long time allies, Australia and the United States have increased cooperation in the Indo-Pacific under both the Obama and Trump administrations after the United States pivoted its defence focus away from the Middle East to the Pacific. Australian naval ships replenish a United States Navy ship in the South Indian Ocean, during the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 on April 12, 2014. (LSIS James Whittle/Australia Department of Defence via Getty Images) Seen as a move to contain the Chinese regimes growing presence in the Indo-Pacific, both Australia and the United States reiterated an alignment in matters of regional and global security challenges. Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, founded on existing international law and norms in a region free of malign behaviour. The new statements released separately by Reynolds and Austin echo the sentiments expressed in a joint statement made during last years AUSMIN summit by Reynolds and former Secretary of Defence Mark Esper and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The statement noted that a key concern for both countries was the increasing threat the Chinese regime posed to the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific region. Austin is expected to make his first official visit to Australia sometime later this year for the next AUSMIN summit along with the new Secretary of State Antony Blinken. There were no casualties in the past day. The Command of Ukraine's Armed Forces has reported three violations of the latest ceasefire agreement committed by Russia-controlled armed groups in the Donbas warzone on Thursday, January 28. "In the past day, January 28, three ceasefire violations were recorded in the area of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO)," the press center of the Ukrainian JFO Command said on Facebook in an update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on January 29, 2021. In particular, the Russian Federation's armed formations fired 120mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns, and rifles near the village of Vodiane, as well as automatic and hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and rifles near the village of Katerynivka. Read alsoUkraine's foreign ministry initiates entry ban for Russian propagandistThe Joint Forces fired back, reads the report. The violations were reported to OSCE representatives through the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) on the ceasefire and stabilization in Donbas. There were no casualties in the past day. Since midnight, enemy forces have not attacked Ukrainian troops. Ukrainian military say the situation is under full control. Donbas ceasefire: Background Participants in the Trilateral Contact Group (Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE) on the peace settlement in Donbas on July 22 agreed on a full and comprehensive ceasefire along the contact line from 00:01 on Monday, July 27, 2020. On the very first day of the newly-agreed truce, Russia's hybrid military forces mounted three attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine. Ukraine has reported more such violations over the latest period. Reporting by UNIAN The verdict is clear: The vast majority of Republicans will stand firm with former President Trump. The next phase is clear, too: Republicans are rallying around a common grievance that big government, big media and big business are trying to shut them up, shut them out and shut them down. Why it matters: The post-Trump GOP, especially its most powerful media platforms, paint the new reality as an existential threat. This means political attacks are seen or characterized as assaults on their very being. Fox News' Tucker Carlson told us that many in Trump's base feel that the "combined forces of global power have turned on them and are cracking down hard hilariously, in the name of democracy." "Not a sustainable moment," Carlson added. "Something will break. Ben Shapiro, a media leader on the right, told us this sentiment "is widespread, and it grows more dominant with every NYT columnist calling for a social media crackdown, every WaPo columnist lumping in mainstream conservatives with Capitol rioters, every corporation mirroring woke priorities." Shapiro created an internal and external firestorm at Politico when he guest-authored the franchise Playbook. Staff revolted, which Shapiro cites as another example of mainstream media trying to silence the right. If anything, the calls for calm and rethinking among some GOP leaders grew fast into claims of grievance and revolution. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), a vocal Trump backer, drew 1,000 people yesterday at a rally in Wyoming where he attacked House GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney, a lightning rod on the right after she voted to impeach Trump. "Washington, D.C., mythologizes the establishment power brokers like Liz Cheney," Gaetz said. "But there are more of us than there are of them." Conservatives were quick to try to move on from the mob storming the Capitol after incitement by Trump. Listen or watch conservative media, and claims of systematic "silencing" are mounting by the day: Trump was banned from Facebook and Twitter. from Facebook and Twitter. Facebook, a hotbed for conservative argument and misinformation, wants to downplay politics on its platform. a hotbed for conservative argument and misinformation, wants to downplay politics on its platform. Google and others shut off money for Republicans who voted against certifying President Bidens victory. shut off money for Republicans who voted against certifying President Bidens victory. Carlson signed off on Fox last night by saying: "This is the free speech channel the last one left in American media." Sean Hannity added: "Only a couple of us, Tucker." The big picture: Pay attention to this trend. The more personal and visceral politics becomes, the higher the chances for chaos and worse. What we're watching: In a terrorism alert this week warning of continuing danger from anti-government extremists, the Department of Homeland Security pointed to "perceived grievances fueled by false narratives." A horrific seaplane crash into a river in Sydney that killed a British catering tycoon and his family was caused by the pilot choking on carbon monoxide, an inquiry has found. Richard Cousins, his fiancee Emma Bowden and their children died when their DHC-2 Beaver nosedived into Jerusalem Bay on the Hawkesbury River on New Year's Eve in 2017. Catering giant Compass boss Mr Cousins, 58, Ms Bowden, 48, her daughter Hannah, 11, Mr Cousins' adult sons William and Edward, and pilot Gareth Morgan all perished in the crash. The plane was operated by Sydney Seaplanes, which has been providing flights around the city's tourist sites for 80 years. After a three-year investigation hampered by the plane's lack of a recording device, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau on Friday confirmed in its final incident report that exhaust gas leaked into the cabin, poisoning the pilot and passengers with carbon monoxide - reinforcing earlier update on the investigation in July 2020. The family was on holiday from the UK and returning to Sydney after dining at a restaurant on the Hawkesbury when the single-engine 1964 DHC-2 Beaver seaplane crashed. Gareth Morgan (pictured), 44, died when his aircraft crashed into Jerusalem Bay on the Hawkesbury River shortly after take-off during a New Year's Eve joy ride in 2017 Richard Cousins, 58, a millionaire CEO, his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48 died in the accident (pictured) The body of a passenger aboard a seaplane that crashed into the Hawkesbury River is brought ashore along with debris of the wreck at Apple Tree Bay, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in NSW, Sunday, December 31, 2017 NSW police and salvage personnel work to recover the wreckage of a seaplane that crashed into Jerusalem Bay, north of Sydney, Thursday, January 4, 2018 TIMELINE OF EVENTS 3.00pm - British businessman Richard Cousins, four members of his family and Canadian pilot Gareth Morgan board an eight-seater seaplane at Cottage Point to return to Rose Bay. 3.05pm - Flight starts taxiing towards Cowan Creek take-off area for the planned 35-minute flight south to Sydney. 3.11pm - Flight lifts off the water. A photograph from the front seat passenger's recovered camera reveals the DHC-2 Beaver is airborne and heading northeast. 3.12pm - A person on the water takes a photo of the seaplane as it heads east towards the Hawkesbury River where it was expected to rise above the terrain and turn south to Rose Bay. 3.12pm - A final picture is taken by the passenger at Little Shark Rock Point moments before the plane turns and heads west. 3.13pm - Several witnesses see the plane head 'directly' towards Jerusalem Bay - a long and narrow stretch of water surrounded by steep terrain. - Minutes later witnesses see the plane, now 1.75km from where it turned west, make a sharp right turn and nosedive into the water. - 'The aircraft collided with the water in a near vertical position,' air crash investigators say. Source: Australian Transport Safety Bureau interim factual report Advertisement The plane entered the bay, then made an unexpected, sharp right turn before its nose dropped and it pitched into the water, sinking 13 metres below the surface. The pilot, who had taxied for 27 minutes before collecting passengers, had elevated levels of carboxyhaemoglobin in his blood when he died, a toxicology report found. The other passengers also had heightened levels of the compound, which was almost certainly due to carbon monoxide leaking into the engine bay and then through three bolt holes into the cabin, the ATSB concluded. Exposure to carbon monoxide replaces the oxygen in the blood and can lead to tiredness, shortness of breath, confusion and death. 'The pilot would have almost certainly experienced effects such as confusion, visual disturbance and disorientation,' ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hood said in a statement. 'This investigation report release will bring the families of those lost in this tragic accident a greater sense of understanding of the circumstances of the loss of their loved ones.' The accident may have been prevented if the pilot had access to a carbon monoxide detector to alert him to dangerous gas levels before he became affected. The ATSB has written to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to consider mandating the device for all aircraft. The 11-year-old girl's father received approval from the NSW Supreme Court in October 2020 to continue his lawsuit against Sydney Seaplanes over the accident. Investigators found pre-existing cracking of the seaplane's engine collector-ring, which could lead to exhaust leakage, and a breach in the plane's firewall, which can allow gases from the engine bay to enter the cabin. The discovery has led the ATSB to issue safety advisory notices to the industry focusing on the prevention and detection of carbon monoxide in piston-engine aircraft. The bureau released its preliminary report into the fatal crash in January 2018, which found no evidence of problems with the DHC-2 Beaver. Investigators instead turned their attention to Mr Morgan's actions moments before the crash. The plane departed from Cottage Point, in northern Sydney, headed for Rose Bay in the eastern suburbs. The expected flight path should have seen Mr Morgan - a highly experienced Canadian pilot - taxi away from Cottage Point, take off and turn east to gain altitude over the Hawkesbury River. Instead, he turned northwest and, flying below the height of the mountainous terrain, entered Jerusalem Bay and made a sharp right-hand turn before the plane dropped nose-down into the water. Mr Cousins' sons Edward, 23 (left) and William, 25 (right) were also killed when their seaplane plunged into the Hawkesbury River Ms Bowden's 11-year-old daughter Heather also died in the tragic incident The Sydney Seaplanes aircraft was carrying a pilot and five passengers when it crashed at Cowan Creek, Jerusalem Bay on the Hawkesbury River The route confounded those who knew the pilot, who was considered very experienced and safety conscious. Sydney Seaplanes' managing director Aaron Shaw remembered Mr Morgan as 'an excellent and professional pilot as well as a highly respected colleague and man'. Investigators had weighed up a number of theories, even considering the possibility Mr Morgan was accidentally knocked out by a passenger while taking photos. Mr Cousins and Ms Bowden were due to marry in June 2018 and had been living together with her daughter Heather in Tooting, south-west London. Neighbours described them as a 'happy go lucky' couple looking forward to their wedding. Mr Cousins was chief executive of British catering giant Compass since 2006 and was named number 11 in the world's 100 best performing CEOs by Harvard Business Review after turning a $2.8billion profit. When Mr Cousins announced in September 2017 that he would be retiring from Compass Group, the company's share price plummeted. The 58-year-old had also served on the board of supermarket giant Tesco, but resigned in 2016 in protest at plans to buy wholesaler Booker. A senior Pentagon official on Thursday dismissed China's war threat against and reaffirmed Washington's commitment to supporting Taipei's defense capability under the Relations Act (TRA). The TRA, which was passed when Washington switched its diplomatic recognition to China in 1979, outlines America's commitment to defend Taiwan, the South China Morning Post reported. "Nothing has changed in relation to our commitment to the Relations Act. This is something that has been supported in a bipartisan way for decades. The department of defence will continue that same support. We have an obligation to assist Taiwan with their self-defense and that will continue," Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters. This comes after Chinese defense ministry spokesperson Wu Qian threatened that "Taiwan secession means war," adding that recent military drills by the People's Liberation Army in the Taiwan region were aimed at "provocations" by the latter. Earlier this month, the United States expressed plans to strengthen ties with Taiwan under the Biden administration. Taipei had later thanked the US for its commitment of "rock-solid support" against China's coercion. "We sincerely thank US State Department for its rock-solid support of democratic of Taiwan in the face of Beijing's ongoing coercion. Based on shared values and interests, we are committed to our partnership with the United States in furthering peace and stability in the Indo Pacific," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan said in a tweet amid Beijing's growing belligerence. Hours after several Chinese warplanes intruded into Taiwan's air defence identification zone, the US noted with concern the pattern of ongoing Chinese attempts to intimidate its neighbours and urged Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure against Taipei. The US State Department last week had said that Washington will stand with friends and allies to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values in the Indo-Pacific region. The flight by the Chinese bombers and fighters last week came just days after Joe Biden assumed the US presidency. Taiwan Defense Ministry said that Taiwan's Air Force scrambled fighter jets as 13 Chinese warplanes intruded into Taiwan's southwest air defence identification zone (ADIZ), Focus Taiwan reported. India will turn to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans budget on Monday to see how she prioritizes spending to get the pandemic-ravaged nation back to being the worlds fastest-growing major economy. Sitharamans plan will likely rely on generous public spending to spur activity, putting more money in the hands of the average taxpayer to boost consumption and easing rules to attract investments when she presents the budget at 11 a.m. in New Delhi. Expectations are high, going into this budget," said Samiran Chakraborty, an economist with Citigroup Inc. Expenditure profile could move from survival to revival as the focus on infrastructure increases." That spending may continue to keep the fiscal deficit far wider than the 3% of gross domestic product mandated by law. The budget gap for the year to March will probably be 7.25% of GDP against a planned 3.4%, according to a Bloomberg survey. The same poll shows the target for the next fiscal year will likely be 5.5%. Missing deficit goals will be the least of the worries for Prime Minister Narendra Modis government. It has to contend with creating jobs for the millions who lost their livelihoods to lockdowns to combat the worlds second-largest coronavirus outbreak, quelling protests by farmers against agriculture reforms and reviving growth in an economy headed for its biggest annual contraction on record. Indias GDP will shrink 7.7% in the year ending March, according to the statistics ministry. The Finance Ministry estimates GDP will likely expand 11% next fiscal year, people familiar with the matter said, commenting on the forecast that formed the basis for drawing up the budget aimed at once again making India the worlds fastest-growing major economy ahead of Chinas estimated 8.1% pace. A pickup in tax collections in recent months will offer some respite for Sitharaman, who will also seek to raise record amounts by selling state assets in the new financial year starting April after the pandemic all but ruined disinvestment plans in the current year. Her efforts will also get a boost from the annual dividend paid to the government by the central bank, which is expected to also complement fiscal steps with more monetary stimulus when it meets later next week. Opinion is divided about new tax measures in the budget, with some calling for a tax on the rich to fund pandemic-related expenditure and others opposing any such move. A 4% tax on the nations 954 richest families could raise the equivalent of 1% of Indias GDP," Oxfam said in a report released Monday. Economists including Nomura Holdings Inc.s Sonal Varma think a Covid levy is a bad idea given that the economy is still normalizing after a strict and vast lockdown. Still, improved tax collections and income from privatization should help the finance minister pare borrowings next fiscal year. She may announce a gross borrowing plan of 10.6 trillion rupees ($145 billion) for the 12 months starting April, according to a median forecast of 15 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News. Thats less than the record 13.1 trillion rupees estimated for the current year. Key Themes The total spending plan for next fiscal may surpass last years 30.4 trillion rupees, with focus likely on expanding a jobs guarantee program to cities and increasing allocation on education, housing, and health as India rolls out a vaccine drive to inoculate 1.3 billion people. Outlay for defense may also see an increase, in a signal to China that India is prepared and capable of dealing with the border standoff. Unsurprisingly, many of the key themes in the budget will revolve around Covid-19, either directly on health issues, or regulatory support to sectors most affected" such as hospitality, retail, aviation, said Nomuras Varma. Infrastructure, agriculture, the social sector, promotion of domestic manufacturing, alongside incentives to boost construction and housing are likely to be the focus." While Modis popularity with voters has remained undiminished, theres an expectation his government may use Mondays budget to win over protesting farmers. The protesters have been opposing Indias new agriculture laws that they say will hurt incomes and leave them vulnerable to big corporations. The government has no choice but to loosen up their purse strings," said Yamini Aiyar, president and chief executive of Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi. They will have to be more generous with social security spending like expanding jobs programs to correct rising urban joblessness, health spending, expanded housing and more fiscal support for states and local governments." Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Connecticuts official death toll attributed to COVID-19 has surpassed 7,000, just two months since the state eclipsed 5,000 deaths. Forty-four deaths reported Thursday increased the states death toll to 7,020 during the pandemic. Connecticut has seen a sustained and intense epidemic peak that has been at a high level, said Dr. Daniel Weinberger, an associate professor in epidemiology of microbial diseases at the Yale School of Public Health. He noted there are lags from when people contract the virus to when they develop symptoms and die. The reporting process adds a further delay, Weinberger said. Deaths that are being reported now could reflect people who were infected several weeks ago or longer, he said. The deaths of some people who were infected during the holiday period could just be reported now. While deaths from the virus have continued to mount, Connecticuts hospitalizations and the percentage of daily positive tests have remained relatively stable in recent weeks. On Thursday, Connecticut reported 1,426 new infections, diagnosed from 40,185 tests for a one-day positivity rate of 3.55 percent. Hospitalizations declined to their lowest point since Nov. 24, with 21 fewer patients, dropping the statewide total to 995. Connecticut reached 7,000 deaths as January became the deadliest month at any point during the pandemic, according to U.S. News and World Report. Gov. Ned Lamont noted on Thursday that the seven-day positivity rate dropped to around 4.4 percent. Obviously, fatalities are a lagging indicator, but hospitalizations are down, vaccinations are up, he said. Its breaking my heart, we ought to be bending this curve very, very soon. And its not Connecticut its happening in 49 other states as well, those fatalities are still cresting. The grim total comes as Lamont has said the state is in a race to vaccinate as many people as possible ahead of new COVID variants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned a highly transmissible variant of the virus first detected in England could become the predominant strain in the U.S. by March. Other variants have been identified in Brazil and South Africa. South Carolina officials announced Thursday the first two U.S. cases of the South African variant, the Associated Press reported. Neither person had recently traveled, and the two cases were found in different parts of the state, raising concern among South Carolina health officials. Lamonts office announced four new cases of the U.K. variant, known as B.1.1.7, had been found in Connecticut on Monday, bringing the statewide total to eight known cases. In the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced earlier this month that England would go into a second lockdown after COVID-19 hospitalizations jumped, the Associated Press reported. The lockdown closed schools for in-person learning for all children except those of key workers and vulnerable students. Nonessential businesses and personal services were also ordered to close. Connecticuts state epidemiologist Dr. Matt Cartter told school superintendents during a recent call the U.S. could take similar measures if the virus becomes the predominant strain here. But Lamont clarified on Thursday he didnt believe the variants will result in schools going back to fully remote as they were last spring. Right now, I think the vaccines are going to be able to stay ahead of whatever risk there is there, he said. Im fairly confident that if we continue our flow of vaccines ... were gonna be having school in March. On the vaccine front, the governor said the state expects to see a 16 percent increase in the number of doses it receives from the federal government starting next week up to about 54,000 a week from 46,000. Lamont said those doses will come from Moderna. There have been 299,876 people in the state who have received their first shot, while 64,379 have received their final dose. Some 35 percent of the states 75 and over population have been vaccinated, according to the governors office. The state plans to open six additional vaccination sites where residents can schedule an appointment over the phone. Josh Geballe, the states chief operating officer, said those sites will include Bristol Hospital, as well as locations in Danbury, Kent, Middletown, Stamford with others to be announced next week. Another 80 people, many who work as contact tracers, have been redeployed to help with the states vaccination phone line. Fourteen sites are also available through CVS and Walgreens. As more people are vaccinated, the governor indicated he would ease some restrictions as early as next week. Maine, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have already begun rolling back curfews at restaurants. Lamont suggested he would eliminate a numerical cap on houses of worship. I think were gonna to do that. Look, Ill be blunt were gonna have all the folks 75 and above vaccinated, at least that want to get vaccinated with their first dose within a couple weeks, the governor said. But a leading state Republican has accused Lamont of claiming their idea as his own after they said he rejected their proposals to ease restrictions on houses of worship. We saw the same maneuver in December when Gov. Lamont dismissed House Republicans suggestion to fund an aid program for our states hospitality industry, only to announce his own program days after rejecting our proposal, Republican House Leader Vincent Candelora said. The Connecticut Catholic Conference said it welcomed the possibility, calling it an important step toward welcoming back more of our faithful to Mass and the sacraments. The statement said the church remains firmly committed to ensuring that all steps are taken to promote public health and safety. Judge ruled today that doctors could lawfully disconnect Danny from ventilator A baby whose mother died on the day he was born, without knowing he had suffered irreversible brain damage, should be allowed to die, a judge has ruled. Danielle Jones, 18, died after collapsing at her parents' home in Bristol on January 17, Mr Justice Hayden heard. Her son, Danny, was delivered by Caesarean section and treated in an intensive care unit. Mr Justice Hayden heard that Miss Jones had not told anyone that she was pregnant. He was told that she had collapsed for no apparent reason and was declared dead on arrival at hospital. Specialists said Danny had suffered irreversible brain damage during birth and should be allowed to die. Mr Justice Hayden ruled today that doctors could lawfully disconnect Danny from a ventilator and stop providing life-support treatment. Danielle Jones (pictured above), 18, died after collapsing at her parents' home in Bristol on January 17, Mr Justice Hayden heard. Her son, Danny, was delivered by Caesarean section The judge heard that Ms Jones' boyfriend, Ozzy Godfrey, also 18, was thought to be Danny's father. He said relatives agreed that Danny should be allowed to die. Mr Justice Hayden, who is based in London, considered the case at a virtual public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court on Friday. He said Danny and his parents could be named in media reports. But the judge said the hospital where Danny was being cared for could not be named, and medics treating him could not be identified. He also said no photographs of Danny could be published. Bosses at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust had asked Mr Justice Hayden to decide what moves were in Danny's best interests. Mr Justice Hayden heard that Miss Jones had been 36 weeks pregnant - two weeks short of full term. A specialist told the judge that Danny's brain had been denied oxygen during birth. He said Danny had been in an intensive care unit since shortly after birth and was being given 'mechanical ventilation'. Mr Justice Hayden heard that Miss Jones (pictured) had been 36 weeks pregnant - two weeks short of full term. A specialist said that Danny's brain had been denied oxygen during birth The judge was told that Danny could not be treated, would not recover and would never have any 'meaningful interaction' with the outside world. Lawyers representing trust officials said it had not yet been possible to carry out tests to confirm that Mr Godfrey was Danny's father. There was therefore no-one with parental responsibility who could give doctors permission to withdraw life-support treatment, they said. In those circumstances, a judge had to make a decision. Mr Justice Hayden said he hoped that tests could be carried out to prove who Danny's father was, so that both parents could be named on a birth certificate. The judge saw Danny, with relatives, in hospital via a computer link during a break in the hearing and said he was 'suffused' with the love of 'both sides' of his family. Mr Justice Hayden said: 'He is surrounded by toys. There's a Winnie-the-Pooh, a monkey and a small traditional teddy bear with a big bow.' The judge added: 'There's also a white fluffy toy that belonged to Danny's mother. 'It looked almost new and it brought home to me, with powerful force, how very young his mum was.' The Delhi High Court Friday sought response of Kishore Biyani led Future Retail Ltd (FRL) on a plea by US-based e-commerce giant seeking direction to order enforcement of the award by Singapore's Emergency Arbitrator (EA) restraining FRL from going ahead with its Rs 24,713 crore deal with com NV Investment Holdings LLC, in its plea, also sought detention of the Biyanis, directors of Future Coupons Pvt Ltd (FCPL) and FRL and other related parties in civil prison and attaching of their properties for alleged "wilful disobedience" of the emergency arbitrator's order. Justice J R Midha issued notices to FRL, Future Coupons Pvt Ltd, Biyanis and other related parties and listed the matter for further hearing on February 1. The court, which heard part arguments of the parties, asked them to respond to the brief note of submissions of each other. has approached the high court also seeking to restrain Kishore Biyani-led Future Group from taking any steps to complete the transaction with entities that are a part of the Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani (MDA) Group. It also sought to restrain Future Group from taking any steps to transfer or dispose of FRL's retail assets or the shares held in FRL by the Biyanis in any manner without prior written consent of Amazon. The Future Group and Amazon have been locked in a legal battle after the US-based company took FRL into the emergency arbitration over alleged breach of a contract between them. The three domestic firms -- FRL, FCPL and Reliance -- have however contended before the high court that if Amazon's claim -- that it indirectly invested in FRL by investing in FCL -- was accepted then it would amount to a violation of Indian foreign direct investment laws which permit only 10 per cent investment by a foreign entity in the multi-brand retail sector. According to Amazon, the EA award passed under the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) Rules is enforceable under Section 17(2) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. It referred to an order passed by the high court on December 21, 2020, prima facie holding that the EA's award was valid under the Indian law. Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing FRL, submitted that Amazon had a deal with FCPL and signed an agreement with Biyani. FCPL has a shareholding agreement with FRL which has no agreement with Amazon. Everyone wants to come and stand at the door, he said. My promoters gave me permission. The company and jobs have to be saved. Reliance said I'll keep all the jobs and business. If this transaction cancels, the shops will be closed just because this big fat American company wants to make money, he argued. Senior advocate Gopal Subramanium, representing Amazon, urged that FRL shall not further precipitate the situation as the matter is being heard by the court. On being asked by the court, he explained the agreements between FCPL and Amazon and said the understanding was that the US company would invest in FCPL and the monies would be transferred to FRL. Therefore we had certain protective rights in the agreements read together, he said. In the petition, Amazon has alleged that Future Group, Kishore Biyani and other promoters and directors have deliberately and maliciously disobeyed the EA award despite it being binding on them and not having challenged it in accordance with the law. The majority respondents' action of simply ignoring the order (of EA) and continuing with the impugned transaction (deal) is not only contumacious but calls into serious question their respect for enforceability of contracts, the rule of law and the administration of justice.., it said. It sought to injunct Future Group and its officials from taking any steps in furtherance of the deal with Reliance. In August last year, Future had reached an agreement to sell its retail, wholesale, logistics and warehousing units to Reliance. The SIAC on October 25 last year, had passed an interim order in favour of Amazon barring FRL from taking any step to dispose of or encumber its assets or issuing any securities to secure any funding from a restricted party. Subsequently, Amazon wrote to market regulator SEBI, stock exchanges and Competition Commission of India (CCI), urging them to take into consideration the Singapore arbitrator's interim decision as it is a binding order, FRL had earlier told the high court. As per the SIAC interim order, a three-member arbitration panel needs to be set up within 90 days (from the date of the judgement) with one judge each being appointed by Future and Amazon, along with a third neutral judge. On November 10, 2020, Amazon had told the court that it and FCL have appointed their respective arbitrators. (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 Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. Would you pay PHP 1,800 for MVIS if it was done right? AutoIndustriya.com, Toyota Malaysia January 29, 2021 17:56 The newly implemented Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) and Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers (MVICs) is drawing a lot of flak and criticism across the country. There are various reasons for the uproar, including faulty test results (Land Cruiser saga), vehicles that passed AND failed, and the case of a car getting damaged while testing. However, one of the biggest underlying reasons would be the price of the test. Undergoing a test at a PMVIC will cost PHP 1,800 for private vehicles and PHP 600 for motorcycles. The price is more than double that of an emissions test in the past. If your car fails, you have to pay again to undergo a re-test. While some PMVICs might waive the fee of a re-test, others may not. Do note that the PHP 1,800 price covers the MVIS alone. You still have to factor in vehicle registration that starts from around PHP 3,000 for smaller vehicles, and it only goes up from there. On any other day, the price to undergo an MVIS inspection might be fine. However, some are citing the on-going pandemic as a reason to forego MVIS. Furthermore, the economy isn't doing too well either since the prices of commodities and unemployment rates are sky-high. But is the PHP 1,800 fee plus registration really expensive? Let's take a look at other countries. In England, the MOT (Ministry of Transport) test for private vehicles is GBP 54.85 (around PHP 3,600), according to their website. The price doesn't include, however, the expensive road taxes and other payments vehicle owners in the UK have to pay. Over in Japan, the vehicle inspection and registration process, popularly known as shaken, is even more expensive. According to a source in Kyoto, the price varies per vehicle. That's due to different classifications, engine displacement, and age. However, prices for shaken can still cost as much as JPY 200,000 (PHP 92,000). And if your vehicle fails, you'll have to undergo the same process and pay again. There is a reason why vehicle owners spend up to a week or more preparing their vehicles just for it. Unlike the Philippines, where registration is renewed annually, shaken isn't strictly an annual process vehicle owners have to make. Our source says that the shaken for the vehicle that costs JPY 200,000 is valid for two years and six months. Still, that's at least PHP 40,000 per year if you split the cost annually. Interestingly, we were told that some vehicles are required to take annual shaken tests. Another example our source told us paid only JPY 50,000 (PHP 23,000) for his shaken, but is required to undergo the process yearly. Understandably, the prices of vehicle registration above are for developed countries which is why they cost a lot more, especially compared to the Philippines. For better comparison, we asked our friends in Thailand how much vehicle registration costs. Surprisingly, vehicle registration and inspection aren't cheap either. According to a contact, he spent THB 10,000 (PHP 16,000) for his vehicle's inspection and registration. Similar to Japan's shaken, he said prices can go up or down depending on the vehicle, engine displacement, and age. For some vehicles, registration can cost only cost around THB 2,000 to 3,000 (PHP 3,200 to 4,800) with inspection priced at around THB 200 to 300 (PHP 320 to 480). But for reference, we were told registration renewal for a Nissan Navara costs around TBH 7,000 (PHP 11,220). Now, think about how much registration costs for your Navara? We doubt it's PHP 11,220 even with MVIS. Interestingly in Malaysia, private vehicles are not required to undergo annual roadworthiness inspections. Instead, they are only required to do so when any of the following is made: engine change, transfer ownership, a vehicle is adapted to LPG, vehicle registration number is changed, or if road tax is out of date for more than a year. Inspection costs in Malaysia typically range from MYR 30 to 50 (PHP 355 to 600). However, the road tax for renewing vehicles can range anywhere from MYR 90 (PHP 1,070) and go up to MYR 6,000 (PHP 70,000) depending on vehicle size and engine displacement. Compared to other countries, even in Thailand, MVIS inspection and LTO registration fees in the Philippines are quite affordable. So, what's the problem then? Economy aside, the main reason for the outcry over MVIS and PMVICs is because of the issues with the testing process and questions about the credibility of the testing centers. If PMVICs were able to iron out all these matters and make sure that the right vehicles pass (or fail), there shouldn't be any problem paying the fee. Of course, we want our PHP 1,800 spent wisely. If we keep seeing new cars fail and clunkers pass, then we'll be up in arms too. GOP Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., faces backlash after a CNN review of her Facebook page revealed that she allegedly liked posts urging for violence against Democrats while promoting extremist conspiracy theories. Marjorie Taylor Greene is on fire over old Facebook posts Greene repeatedly went on fire for her past support of QAnon conspiracy theory as well as liking comments saying that "through removal or death, doesn't matter, as long as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Goes" and "a bullet to the head would be quicker" than removing Pelosi, as per CNN review. According to NBC News, the Representative also responded to a user who suggested former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama be hanged and say, "Stage is being set. Players are being put in place. We must be patient. This must be done perfectly or liberal judges would let them off." In a speech posted on Facebook Live, Marjorie Taylor Greene said the House Speaker was "guilty for treason," a crime punishable by death. Posts were dated 2018 and 2019 when she was not yet running for office. The Facebook posts reviewed have not yet been verified as they were deleted. Read also: Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Biden's Attempt to Provide 100-Day Moratorium on Deportations Greene called a school shooting survivor a coward for refusing to talk to her @YouTube On Wednesday, a video posted to YouTube circulated online, showing the GOP representative berating gun control to a school shooting survivor in Parkland, Florida, activist David Hogg, in 2018. The video shows Greene following and records Hogg in Washington calling him a "coward" for refusing to debate her over gun policies. The lawmaker repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of mass shootings. She also suggested the mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017 might have been staged by gun control activists, based on another video. Moreover, Greene promoted a conspiracy theory about Clinton, a top aide, and child murder and mutilation, in another Facebook post. Ahead of the CNN story, the representative called the report in a tweet on Tuesday "a hit piece focused on her time before she ran for political office." The Republican lawmaker said she had teams of people managing her pages over the years. "Many posts have been liked. Many posts have been shared. Some did not represent my views," she added. Read also: Former President Trump Would Not Consider Launching Third Party, Adviser Says Greene did not clarify if the old Facebook posts in question, all less than five years old, reflect her views. But the GOP lawmaker claims reporters were "trying to cancel her and silence her voice by taking old Facebook posts from random users. GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene served in Congress for only a few weeks and has faced calls from some colleagues to resign over the spread of "false" information regarding the election in the run-up to the U.S. Capitol riot this month. Greene has denounced the violence, but she blamed the media and the left as per CNBC. Read also: Did 'The Simpsons' Predict Kamala Harris' Fate as the US vice President? Here's What We Know @ 2021 HNGN, 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. Chandigarh: Actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, who has been booked in connection with the religious flag incident at Red Fort, has said he needs some time to bring out the truth and then will join the investigation. The 36-year-old Sidhu is in the eye of a storm for being among the protesters who put up a religious flag atop the Red Fort on Republic Day. Deep Sidhu Arrest warrant has been issued against me and also a look out notice has been issued against me. First I want to give this message that I will join the investigation, Sidhu said in a video uploaded on Facebook. He said he needed some time to bring out the truth. Because whatever has been spread, it is false information and it is misleading the public at large. Therefore, I need a couple of days to bring out the truth and then I will join the investigation, said Sidhu. Photo I am requesting the investigation agencies...I have not done anything wrong then why should I run away and why should I be scared. I am not scared. I have done nothing wrong and that will come out, he said. He told the investigation agencies and the police department that he will come to them in two days. The kind of rumours being spread is not based on facts. I need two days to bring out the truth based on the facts and I will collect all the evidence and proof, he stated. Tractor rally The Delhi Police had named actor Deep Sidhu in an FIR lodged in connection with the Red Fort incident. Sidhu was present at the Red Fort when a religious flag and a farmer flag were put at the flagpole at the historic monument, triggering massive outrage. Sidhu had been accused by farm bodies of trying to defame their agitation and termed a "traitor". The fallout over alleged missteps by the group Philly Fighting COVID sparked new questions and outrage Thursday, after the organizations 22-year-old CEO admitted he had taken home doses from Philadelphias largest vaccination site and inoculated his friends. Three days after the city cut ties with the group over questions about its privacy policy and for-profit status, Philadelphia City Council members voted to hold hearings on the citys partnership with Philly Fighting COVID, which through Monday had vaccinated about 7,000 residents. To have selected an unknown and unproven entity for a contract of over $100,000 for testing and then to [give] the green light for a massive [vaccine] operation at the Philadelphia Convention Center without doing our homework is absolutely unacceptable, said Councilmember Cindy Bass. We demand answers. Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Pa.) asked the citys health commissioner to answer questions about how the city will ensure vaccine distribution is equitable and any future partners are vetted and credible. Drexel University sought to distance itself from the group, which was founded by Drexel graduate student Andrei Doroshin and listed a Drexel professor as its chief science officer. In a statement, university president John Fry said the school had no involvement in the group and was not part of the citys investigation. The city cut ties this week after Philly Fighting COVID abruptly ended its coronavirus testing program, failed to disclose that personal information residents entered into the preregistration portal could be sold, and presented itself as a nonprofit even after establishing a for-profit arm. Doroshin, the CEO, had previously called the reports that he had removed vaccine doses baseless and told Philadelphia Magazine that he had no idea why they are saying this. A nurse told The Inquirer that she had seen Doroshin take doses. READ MORE: City drops Philly Fighting COVID as vaccination partner after it failed to disclose for-profit arm But on the Today show Thursday morning, Doroshin admitted he had taken home four doses of the vaccine and inoculated his friends, even though he is not qualified to administer the vaccine. The doses were about to expire, Doroshin said, adding that he called around trying to find someone in need of the vaccine. We called everybody we knew. Every single person. Earlier that day, however, a 68-year-old Bucks County man had been turned away from the site, according to his wife. Lynn Newbould told The Inquirer her husband, Bill, received a text message three hours before his appointment that said he couldnt be vaccinated because he didnt live in the city even though she got her first dose there one week earlier. (WHYY also reported that Philly Fighting COVID had turned away elderly patients with appointments on the day Doroshin took home doses.) We thought, OK, now theyre changing their requirements, said Newbould, a clinical researcher from Newtown. The couple understood being turned away based on residency. But then to hear the guy took them home and gave it to his 20-year-old friends instead of my husband is just, you know, really upsetting. READ MORE: Philly Fighting COVIDs founder met with City Council about vaccines in November. No one asked about his health-care credentials. Philadelphia is among only a few cities managing its own vaccine rollout, and its distribution has outpaced most. Across the country, 21.7 million people have received at least one dose of the two-shot vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even as the nations average new case numbers continued declining, bad news came from South Carolina, where a coronavirus variant identified in South Africa that could spread more easily was found for the first time in the United States. Pennsylvania reported 6,036 new cases, including a large backlog from urgent care centers, and 198 deaths. Philadelphia reported 475 new cases and 15 deaths. New Jersey reported 3,962 cases and 82 deaths. Gov. Tom Wolf said Thursday that Pennsylvania was discussing ways to improve the coronavirus vaccine rollout while working with the federal government as it tries to increase the supply of doses. He said getting the commonwealth back on track after the pandemic is one of his legislative priorities for the year, saying he wanted to put billions into a reformed workforce development system, increase broadband access for students, and raise the minimum wage. We need to make major, major targeted investments to strengthen our economy, Wolf said at a briefing where he also touted expanding election and criminal reforms and legalizing recreational marijuana. In a statement, House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R., Centre/Mifflin) called Wolfs address disappointing. The governor and his administration should have no other top priority than getting Pennsylvanians vaccinated, Benninghoff said. Asked about Philly Fighting COVID, Wolf said the issue was not his concern because Philadelphia is managing its vaccine distribution independently from the state. This is one of those cases where I can actually point the finger and say, its not my job, he said. READ MORE: City Council wants answers as questions build over Philly Fighting COVID partnership, handling of vaccines Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley has said the city will contact anyone vaccinated by the group, investigate the missing doses, and set up clinics to replace the Philly Fighting COVID site. Angry that a self-proclaimed group of college kids was allowed to partner with the city, Bass and her Council colleagues raised concerns and said it was a disturbing example of systemic racism, citing officials reluctance last spring to partner with Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium. The Philly Fighting COVID debacle clearly shows the administration does not value the work of the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, said Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson. This city has a dismal track record with supporting Black and brown businesses with and through its contracting process. Councilmember Cherelle Parker noted that the Black doctors organization, which is run by medical professionals, received 2,500 vaccine doses, while a group run by students with no medical experience received 7,000. I want to know, how did this unproven, unqualified group of non-health-care-related people get pushed to the front of the line of the vaccine distribution? Parker asked. Who advocated on their behalf? Doroshin told NBC News the group never sold patient data, and said the privacy policy indicating the group could do so was mistakenly posted. He also said hes received death threats since the city cut ties. He acknowledged that he was not qualified to administer vaccines. That is my mistake to carry for the rest of my life, but it is not the mistake of the organization, Doroshin said. A spokesperson for District Attorney Larry Krasner said the office was aware of Doroshins comments in the interview and reiterated that the allegations about Philly Fighting COVID are concerning. She urged members of the public aware of criminal activity to contact their office. Tipsters can also contact the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office. Staff writers Oona Goodin-Smith, Rob Tornoe, and Erin McCarthy contributed to this article. Government Launches One Stop Shop for Business Government has announced the launch of the Business Liaison Unit at the Ministry for Business, as a One Stop Shop for business startups. The primary aim of the One Stop Shop is to assist members of the public with the formalities of setting up a new business in Gibraltar thus ensuring that the process is hassle free for the individual. The Business Liaison Team will assist with all the required documentation which needs to be submitted and will liaise with the relevant Government Departments to ensure everything is processed in a timely manner. Due to COVID-19 restrictions currently in place the One Stop Shop will be launching in two phases. The first phase will launch on 1st February 2021 where the Business Liaison Team will be available, via email, to provide support and guidance to individuals on the business start-up process. The team can be contacted via email on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The second phase will launch once COVID-19 restrictions have been relaxed, with the introduction of an appointment service with the Business Liaison Team. All paperwork required to start up a business will be provided during this meeting. This will do away with the need for individuals to visit all the different government departments to obtain the relevant documentation. An announcement will be made in due course. Minister for Business, the Hon Vijay Daryanani MP said: I am delighted to announce the opening of our One Stop Shop for Business. I have had representations made by the private sector on the need to expedite the setting up of a business for our entrepreneurs. More so now during these difficult times, we need to encourage new business. This will be done in two stages. I hope our entrepreneurs will find this service helpful and I aim to be directly involved in making sure this is a success. A vehicle pursuit that began in south Laredo ended with authorities deploying spike strips near The Outlet Shoppes at Laredo, according to the U.S. Border Patrol. Agents responded to a report of a suspicious Nissan sport utility vehicle driving east on Soria Drive on Tuesday morning. Air and Marine Operations kept track of the vehicle as it drove into the neighborhoods off of La Pita Mangana Road. Agents said the driver dropped off several individuals, who were quickly apprehended, on Alvarado Lane. A pursuit ensued when the driver of the vehicle refused to stop, authorities said. Border Patrol then alerted the Texas Department of Public Safety. Troopers pursued the vehicle as it traveled to the downtown area. Then, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer successfully deployed spike strips on the vehicle as it traveled toward The Outlet Shoppes of Laredo, authorities said. DPS took custody of the driver, a U.S. citizen, and the vehicle. He was identified as Jorge David Posadas, 27. Posadas was arrested and charged with evading arrest with a vehicle, evading arrest on foot and reckless driving. Border Patrol detained the passenger, who was determined to be in the country illegally. This case highlights the teamwork and collaboration between state and federal agencies to enforce the law and keep our communities safe. Agents were able to intercept the group of (immigrants) shortly after they illegally entered the (United States) and the driver was arrested after leading DPS troopers in a pursuit, said Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak in a statement. Border Patrol encourages the community to report suspicious activity at 1-800-343-1994 or via the USBP Laredo Sector app. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Speaking via a webcam from perhaps the most secretive regime on earth, the North Korean official outlined his countrys grave concerns for human rights not in his own authoritarian nation, where millions are said to be on the brink of starvation following brutal COVID-19 lockdowns; he was talking about Australia. In January, the Australian government faced a grilling before the United Nations during the latest review of its human rights record. All countries in the UN find themselves in the hot seat once every five years, and it often devolves into finger-pointing this time recommendations for Australia from North Korea and a heated warning from China not to make baseless charges against other countries for political purposes raised eyebrows. But while Australia is a far cry from such regimes, experts say we still have some concerning blind spots for an otherwise robust democracy particularly around the treatment of asylum seekers and Indigenous Australians. So how does our human rights record actually stack up on the world stage? What is being done about it? And how might a bill of rights make a difference? Some asylum seekers transferred to Australia for medical treatment have been held in hotels for more than seven months. Many were recently released following public outcry. Credit:Jason South What are human rights anyway? We often talk about our rights to free speech, to protest, even supposedly to remain fiercely mask-free (as one visitor to a Bunnings store very confidently declared during the height of Victorias second wave of COVID-19). But Australia is not the US, where many can recite their Bill of Rights offhand. Here, such freedoms are less certain than we might think. Advertisement When angry barons marched on a greedy English king eight hundred years ago, the King reluctantly signed the Magna Carta, spelling out freedoms such as the right to a fair trial (of sorts) and separation of church and state. After the Enlightenment, this list grew the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (for all wealthy men, at least) became foundational to America as it threw off the British Empire. Today, at the Human Rights Law Centre in Australia, Hugh de Kretser keeps a copy of the one of the finest documents ever written handy on his desk: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It was drafted after the atrocities of World War II by the newly formed United Nations, when the world came together to say never again. While not legally binding itself, this list of rights sets the foundations for a number of binding treaties of which Australia is a signatory, recognising all people as born free and equal. But, while Australia was among the nations who helped write it, more than 70 years on, we are the only Western democracy without our own explicit charter of rights. Instead, we have a patchwork of protections, says international law expert Dr Fiona McGaughey, laws to protect against discrimination, for example, as well as privacy.A handful of rights are already enshrined in our constitution including voting and freedom of religion. Others, such as freedom of speech and the press, are implied by the law. Theres a safety net of laws but that safety net has many holes in it, de Kretser says. North Korean official Han Tae Song, speaking from a country with a notorious record of human rights abuses, recommends that Australia cease cruel and inhumane treatment of those in detention during the UN review. Credit:United Nations But why are other countries judging our record? Isnt that just politics? McGaughey remembers sitting in the audience during Australias last UN human rights review in 2015 and watching the seats around her fill up. We always attract a lot of interest, lots of countries want to review us. Advertisement This time around, during a pandemic, the seats were largely empty but the list of countries lining up on webcam remained long. And it unfolded against the backdrop of Australias intensifying war of words (and trade) with China. You get people saying, Who are they to point the finger at us, theyre much worse, but thats how it works, McGaughey says. Any of the 193 countries in the UN can step up to the microphone during a countrys human rights review, she says, no matter their own record. Loading This peer review process is quite unique for the UN, actually. They usually use independent experts, quasi-judicial bodies. Of course, states will take their own position based on their relationship to that state or the issues they consistently like to highlight. But thats not to say its purely an exercise in theatre or politics. Everyone knows what the dynamics are. And experts say that the concerns raised again and again for Australia are valid usually drawn from other independent reports and UN findings. Advertisement So Australia isnt being singled out? No country is perfect. The US, long the bastion of civil liberties, has its own serious racial injustice problem the disproportionately high number of African Americans behind bars (and killed by police) sparked the Black Lives Matter movement. Under Trump, an immigration crackdown at the Mexican border had separated thousands of children from their families before public backlash saw it called off. Still, experts such as de Kretser say Australia stands out for two major human rights failures in an otherwise successful democracy: how we treat asylum seekers and how we treat the first people of Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. McGaughey agrees Australia is something of an outlier on the world stage. On the one hand, its multicultural and free. On the other, our treatment of asylum seekers, in particular, is unusual so we do get criticised more than the other democracies. Hence the big turnout [on review day]. This time it struck me how similar [the concerns] were to 2015. Although now were also seeing climate change [inaction] emerge as a human rights concern from places like Fiji [and France]. What is Australias human rights record? Since our last grilling before the UN, Australian bureaucrats stress the nation has legalised same-sex marriage, rolled out the new National Disability Insurance Scheme to give people with disabilities more choice, and launched a suite of inquiries into the institutional mistreatment of vulnerable people, including in disability and aged care. Its also vowed to investigate those shocking reports of war crimes allegedly committed by Australian soldiers overseas, which China has seized upon in recent months, and continued to campaign for human rights beyond our borders including against the death penalty (as highlighted by the tragic case of Bali Nine pair Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan). Advertisement When Australia won a coveted seat on the UNs official human rights council in 2017, it promised to swiftly hold a referendum on constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians. But nations taking part in the 2021 review were quick to point out that, even under the governments new agreement with Indigenous leaders to at last design a Voice to Parliament, progress has been slow. Indeed, decades of reports outlining how to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians (which are still, on average, nine years shorter than their non-Indigenous counterparts) have largely been ignored. The national Closing the Gap strategy, revamped in July, has failed to eliminate Indigenous disadvantage in all but two target areas of seven since it began in 2008. First Nations people remain vastly over-represented in both the child protection system and our prisons, often arrested for less serious offences. Since leading academic Professor Marcia Langton worked on the royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody in 1991, hundreds more Indigenous Australians have died in cells and handcuffs, frequently because of preventable medical complications, and yet she says many procedures in watchhouses and jails have not changed. Australia has also drawn criticism among its peers for its low age of criminality 10-year-olds can be locked up compared to an international standard of age 14. Last financial year, almost 600 children aged between 10 and 13 were imprisoned in Australia. More than 60 per cent were Indigenous. In 2020, the decision on whether to raise the age was pushed back by state and federal leaders, to the disappointment of medical, legal and Indigenous groups. Langton says the low age of criminality is now her most pressing concern for Indigenous justice because of the extraordinarily high rates of incarceration of Aboriginal children. De Kretser puts Australias resistance to a change so far down to political cowardice. Its a simple fix, theres overwhelming support and evidence for it, these communities will be safer for it because we wont be locking kids into a lifetime of crime, well be intervening early with supports instead to get them back on track. But theres law and order politics, theres fear. Advertisement 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. The FIR was lodged following a complaint by a resident who alleged that 'digital broadcasts' by these people were responsible for the violence during a tractor rally by farmers in Delhi Noida: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and six journalists have been booked by the Noida Police for sedition, among other charges, over the violence during farmers' tractor rally in Delhi, officials said on Thursday. The FIR was lodged at the Sector 20 police station in Noida following a complaint by a resident who alleged that "digital broadcast" and "social media posts" by these people were responsible for the violence during a tractor rally by farmers in the national capital. The journalists named in the FIR are Mrinal Pande, Rajdeep Sardesai, Vinod Jose, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath and Anant Nath. An unidentified person has also been named in the FIR. "Yes, the FIR has been lodged," a senior Noida Police officer confirmed to PTI. The FIR has been lodged under Indian Penal Code sections 124A (sedition), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 120B (criminal conspiracy), among others. They have also been booked under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act. The Noida Police have begun investigation into the matter, according to officials. On 26 January, thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally called by farmer unions to highlight their demand for repeal of the Centre's three farm laws. Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled by the prime minister on Independence Day. SPRINGFIELD Hundreds of people arrived at the Eastfield Mall on Friday for COVID-19 vaccinations on the first day the Boston Road mall began offering them as the sole mass vaccination site in Western Massachusetts. Those who registered for appointments in advance began filling into the mall the first thing Friday morning. The vaccinations are taking place inside the mall near the former Macys department store. People on scene said the process of registering online has been a mixed bag, the actual vaccination process is going smoothly. Pat Conz and her brother, Robert Kelly of Springfield, signed up online through the website Curative.com at the same time, but got appointments for different days. I signed up through the state website and it sent me to a few different places and after I input all the information it asked for a credit card. I knew that was wrong so I stopped and got my son and daughter-in-law to help me said Conz, who will be 75 this spring and is the caretaker for her 80-year-old brother. Conz said once they logged directly on to the Curative website the application process was simpler, but did require a lot of steps. Im not the savviest person with a computer, so I was thankful to have my son and daughter-in-law to help me, but for people who dont have someone it can be very difficult, she said. Pat Conz and her brother Robert Kelly are happy to be able to get vaccinated at the COVID vaccination site at Eastfield Mall on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican) When they arrived at the Eastfield Mall, Conz explained the situation to the staff and they were able to give her the vaccine at the same time as her brother so she would not have to come back a second day. Once I got past the online process everything went well here, she said. " Everyone was helpful and it was very organized. Dean Shultis, vice president of the supply change operations for Curative, the company administering the vaccine, said said he wants the experience to be as simple as getting a flu shot. " We have sites all over the country and have a streamlined process. As long as they register online we have staff here who can help with with any questions or concerns when they arrive, Shultis said. He said there is a state run call center that people can call to help them navigate the online registration process. On mass.gov, the first number listed for non-emergency questions regarding COVD-19 is 2-1-1. There is also an emergency crisis line number (888) 215-4920 and a contact at the governors office at (617) 725-4005. Shultis said Curative also has a call center that people can call if they are not getting anywhere with the state numbers. The number for the call center 888-702-9042. Its important to know that the call center staff cannot make an appointment for anyone, but they can help someone navigate the online registration page and answer questions about registering for the appointment, he said. The state has set up a mass vaccination site at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, and plans to do the same at Fenway Park in Boston and the Doubletree Hotel in Danvers. The state has also set up general vaccination sites across the state at hospitals and pharmacies, and other locations. The Eastfield Mall is the only mass vaccination site west of Worcester. Curative expected to administer 610 vaccinations on its first day. When it began taking appointments, there were as many as 900 slots available per day. All of them are booked through next week. Right now its patients 75 and older, but once the state tells us what the criteria is we can open up more appointments, Shultis said. State Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, posted on Twitter: Its a city of 160,000 people. @MassGovernor, this process is not going well. Lesser said he has gotten a lot of feedback from senior citizens striggling to figure out the registration porcess. The Phase 2 vaccine rollout is creating mass confusion and anxiety for our eligible senior population. The system is cumbersome, contradictory, and asks residents over 75 to navigate a haze of web links, locations, and instructions, each with different criteria and scheduling systems. And for those with limited ability to navigate the internet, there is no access to appointment booking at all, he said. As a national leader in healthcare, it is simply inexcusable that Massachusetts has fallen so far behind other states. We need to do better. Im grateful to partner on this issue with Senator Friedman, who has tirelessly advocated for health equity during this crisis, and Senator Gobi, who sounded the alarm on this issue in her letter calling on the COVID-19 Task Force to set up a centralized sign-up system. For some people the registration process did not seem so daunting. Josephine Hillios, of Chicopee, found the online registration process to be pretty simple. I had no problems registering, it was pretty easy to fill out the information, she said. Josephine Hillios of Chicopee getting her COVID vaccination at Eastfield Mall site on Friday. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican) Once she arrived to the Eastfield Mall she was directed to a check-in area where they confirmed her information and then she sat with a nurse and a clinical specialist who asked her some health related questions from a screening she filled out online and then the shot was administered in her upper right arm. My son works for Pfizer, so Im really glad to be getting this vaccine, " said Hillios, referring to the pharmaceutical company providing the COVID-19 vaccine for Curative vaccination sites. Emily Moos, the vaccines operations and cold chain lead for Curative, said patient comfort and safety is her teams top priority. For vaccinations patient care is of the utmost importance. These are new vaccines and we want to be able to provide the patients any answers they need and that we can and give them that extra level of comfort at each step of the process, she said. Patients do not need to have insurance to obtain the vaccine, she said. We vaccinate at no cost to the patient and regardless of insurance status, she said. The vaccination site located in the former Macys department store at the mall has an area for waiting, vaccinations and a rest area for patients after they are vaccinated. They are required to remain on site for a minimum of 15 minutes after getting the vaccine. It can be 15 to 30 minutes depending on their medical history. If they are on blood thinners or have a history of anaphylactic reactions we ask them to wait 30 minutes, but that is a clinical decision made by our nurses, she said. Moss also ensures the vaccines remain between a certain temperature range. There is a refrigeration system at the site as well so that no vaccines go to waste even if a patient cancels an appointment. Robert Keough, of Springfield, chatted with clinical specialist Mariah Davis, as nurse Christa Feeney prepared the vaccine. I signed up online and it was no problem at all, said Keough. I did it myself and it didnt take me very long. SHENZHEN, China, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntkey, a leading provider of power solutions, unleashes two new models of PC power supply units - the GS700 PRIME and GS800 PRIME. The GS700 PRIME & GS800 PRIME: https://en.huntkey.com/product/gs700-prime/ https://en.huntkey.com/product/gs800-prime/ They belong to the same series, but they are designed with different power outputs. The GS700 PRIME's rated power is 600W and peak power is 700W; the GS800 PRIME is rated 700W, with peak power at 800W. Both of them are 80 Plus Bronze certified, which means they are more energy efficient compared to other PSUs. Equipped with Active Power Factor Correction (APFC), they are capable of supplying more stable and reliable power with lower ripple and noise. Three main features of them are as follows: Stable & Reliable Power: Output precision of +5V/+3.3V is well controlled under 3% and even under 1% at typical load, which is far lower than the Industrial Standard 5%, meaning more stable and reliable power will be supplied. Strong Power Delivery: Output of +12V reaches up to 55A at the maximum. The stronger power +12V can supply, the better CPU/graphic card will perform. Low Noise: The 12cm thermally sensitive fan intelligently controls its rotating speed to lower the sound and heat generation. The LLC topology structure can eliminate electronic noises. Specifications: Model: GS700 PRIME Rated Power: 600W Peak Power: 700W PFC Type: A-PFC/180V-264V Topology Structure: LLC+DC-DC Energy Rating: 80 Plus Bronze(EU) Cooling Fan: 12cm Hydraulic Bearing Fan P(4+4) Length: 70cm (20+4)Pin Length: 50cm 4PIN Connector: 2 Connecters SATA Connector: 4 Connecters PCI-E Connector: P(6+2)PIN*2 Size(mm): 140(L)x150(W)x86(H) Model: GS800 PRIME Rated Power: 700W Peak Power: 800W PFC Type: A-PFC/180V-264V Topology Structure: LLC+DC-DC Energy Rating: 80 Plus Bronze(EU) Cooling Fan: 12cm Hydraulic Bearing Fan P(4+4) Length: 70cm (20+4)Pin Length: 50cm 4PIN Connector: 2 Connecters SATA Connector: 4 Connecters PCI-E Connector: P(6+2)PIN*2 Size(mm): 140(L)x150(W)x86(H) For more information, please visit: https://en.huntkey.com/ About Huntkey Founded in 1995, Huntkey is a leading global provider of PC power supplies, power strips, surge protectors, laptop adapters, phone chargers, monitors and air purifiers. Huntkey is an Asia renowned brand, a member of The International Power Supply Manufacturer's Association (PSMA) and China Power Supply Society (CPSS). Including three total nearly 1,000,000 square meters industrial parks, Huntkey is one of the most famous brands and largest companies in mainland China. It is headquartered in Shenzhen, with branch companies in the US, Japan and Hong Kong, and with cooperating factories in Vietnam, Brazil, Argentina and India. In 2020, Huntkey introduces its latest photocatalyst air purifier - the desktop air purifier globally. The desktop air purifier is designed portable and can efficiently remove chemical vapors, odors, haze particles, and many more air pollutants. Check them out via: https://en.huntkey.com/products/air-purifiers/ SOURCE Huntkey Related Links https://en.huntkey.com/ New mosquito species from Asia is set to ignite major problems in East African cities. A new research release has shown that the Asian mosquito species are invariably vulnerable to the local strains of malaria in East Africa. Scientists have discovered that these species of Mosquitoes have invaded some major East African cities and are becoming increasingly rampant In certain urban environments. This further explains the fear that this invader could cause in urban malaria cases found in east Africa. In the current years, Anopheles stephensi, the major malaria vector in urban India and some parts of Asia invaded some parts of East Africa and became intensively sufficient in some towns and cities across Ethiopia, Sudan, and Djibouti. Originally, most malaria cases in Africa are caused by the mosquito species called Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus, which act as highly powerful vectors that carry the parasites from one person to another. Although the new mosquito species is not very powerful at dissipating malaria, it is well-adjusted to urban conditions as it can easily grow or breed in water-storage containers and not just natural bodies of water. ALSO READ - Scientists Lets Mosquito Bite Him For Research New Research Finds Another Burdening Factor To This Dangerous Species A new research was recently published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. It highlighted how it has seen another worrying factor to this disturbing species forming up in Africa: it says that it has the capability of picking up local malaria parasites. An experiment was conducted by the researchers. They collected a colony of An. stephensi and An. arabiensis mosquitoes from the local water sources found in Ethiopia, they then took them to the dark and fed them with some fresh blood from patients with Malaria disease. To their very surprise, they found out that most significantly a higher proportion of invasive An. stephensi mosquitoes contaminated the malaria parasite compared to the native An. arabiensis mosquitoes. Teun Bousema, a study author and Professor of Epidemiology of Tropical Infectious Diseases at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, said in a statement. " Just to help us check whether the local malaria parasite can formulate in the new mosquito, we had to perform a mosquito feeding experiment with the blood of an Ethiopian malaria patient but shockingly, the Asian mosquito turned out to be more vulnerable to local malaria parasites than our Ethiopian mosquito colony. The mosquito is an extreme and efficient spreader of the two main species of malaria." Awareness by WHO The World Health Organization has told the world about the complications of this invasive mosquito. Though the risk of this new dangerous mosquito isn't yet so clear, their report which was released in 2019 had clearly shown the conceivable risk of this invasive Asian species appearing in the horn of Africa. They've hereby advised on possible action with the aim and urgency of eliminating the species from the invaded areas. Dr. Fitsam Tadesse, a lead study author from the Radboud Institute for Health Sciences said that the possible way to target this mosquito should be approached aggressively and should be a maximum priority. "The urgency in our action is what will prevent the spread of these mosquitoes to other urban areas on the continent. The mosquito larvae must be duly targeted in places where it currently occurs. It should be prevented from spreading over long distances like airports and seaports. If this fails, the risk of urban malaria will rise in large parts of Africa." He further stated. RELATED ARTICLE - Volcanic Glass Could Potentially Control Mosquito Population For more news, stories about mosquitos and similar topics, don't forget to follow Nature World News! New Delhi, Jan 29 : Coconut oil is natures hair care miracle, offering 10-fold benefits when it comes to hair health. While its numerous hair advantages are well known, here are the top 5 benefits that make coconut oil indispensable. 1. Coconut Oil Is The Ultimate Hair Protector No one does the job of shielding hair better than coconut oil. Living in a warm and sunny environment has its own set of problems for hair. Every exposure to sun causes hair to lose moisture and shine, increasing dryness. But not when there's coconut oil to protect it. A Research Gate study reveals that coconut oil seeps 10 layers deep into the hair shaft and forms a layer of protection that continually hydrates your hair. It also has SPF and anti-oxidant abilities to safeguard from sun damage. Additionally, chemical damage from shampoos and other styling products, including heat damage, can be averted by applying coconut oil prior to exposure. 2. Coconut Oil Restores Hair Health From Within As you tire out from superficial hair care products that do more damage than good in the long run, remember that coconut oil seeps into the deepest part of the hair shaft and rejuvenates the hair follicles to restore hair health from the inside out. The fatty acids and vitamins of this oil go deep into the hair to moisturize and hydrate the hair follicles to combat dryness. 3. Coconut Oil Is A Scalp Saviour Humidity and extreme climatic changes are not friends to our scalp. With abundant anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, coconut oil has the ability to prevent and treat multiple scalp issues including dandruff, dryness, and other infections. It also efficiently removes sebum build-up, a critical factor causing greasiness in the scalp and hair. 4. Coconut Oil Effectively Removes Frizz While we wish everyday were a good hair day, the reality is often quite different. Frizz, which is a result of moisture being sucked out of hair, generally happens when the harsh chemicals in some shampoos deplete the hair of its natural moisture. During the drying process, moisture is sucked out, especially in humid climes leading to frizzy hair. Applying a few drops of coconut oil to freshly washed, damp hair, ensures that the moisture stays locked in and your hair stays frizz free. 5. Coconut Oil is Natural and Environmental Friendly Coconuts trees, common as they are in the tropics, literally grow abundantly all around us. Hence, coconut oil is natural, local, available in plenty and perfectly suited to our hair's multi-faceted needs, Let us ditch the multitude of exorbitantly priced, non-biodegradable and unnecessary hair products, and replace it with the all-natural goodness of coconut oil and do our part in protecting the environment. Our hair, our bank account and our planet will thank us for it. (As told by Aparna Santhanam, dermatologist, and hair and wellness expert. She can be reached at dr.aparnasanthanam@gmail.com. The views expressed are personal.) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 With pressure mounting to get Covid-19 vaccine doses into arms as quickly as possible, many overburdened city health departments across the country have turned to partnerships with hospitals, nonprofit organizations and pharmacies. In Philadelphia this week, one such deal went awry after the city leaned on a start-up led by college students who were eager to get involved but had little experience. The start-up is an organization called Philly Fighting Covid, which was founded last year by a 22-year-old graduate student, Andrei Doroshin. The group quickly won plaudits for volunteering to run free testing sites and for using 3-D printers to make face shields that it supplied free to health care workers. So when Philadelphia began receiving shipments of vaccine and needed help administering doses on a large scale, the city health department turned to Philly Fighting Covid to operate what would be the largest vaccination site in the state, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It took less than three weeks after vaccinations began for the partnership to sour. Since it opened on Jan. 8, the site has vaccinated nearly 7,000 people, though there were reports in local media that appointments had been overbooked and some people were turned away. Mr. Doroshin attributed those problems to issues with an online sign-up system that allowed thousands of ineligible people to register for appointments. 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. To the editor: This past year has been challenging for so many people across our nation and right here at home. The COVID-19 health crisis and loss of loved ones, flood recovery in Midland, people out of work, a very competitive election and the assault on the U.S. Capitol, caused serious difficulties and uncertainties in our community. Right now, the political environment across America is turbulent and our country is divided. Social media and the constant 24-hour news cycle strain communication. Still, no matter where you stand politically, on Jan. 20 we witnessed the smooth, peaceful transition of power and responsibility to the new Biden administration. Throughout these historic challenging events, our federal representative, John Moolenaar, was steady and strong. John Moolenaar works extremely hard, is a good listener and is a very thoughtful and reflective person. Members of Congress make many decisions and cast hundreds of votes on complex issues ranging from economic policy to foreign policy. From time to time, some may disagree with John Moolenaars votes or decisions. He is not perfect. No one is. But John is honest, transparent and straightforward. John Moolenaar has never forgotten his hometown roots. He provides top-notch constituent service helping people with social security problems, legislative questions and veterans benefits, to name just a few. John Moolenaar is an outstanding congressman. He is a strong force on the House Appropriations Committee. John is demonstrating exceptional leadership to provide federal assistance for flood mitigation in the Midland area and for the repair of Sanford, Edenville, Smallwood and Secord dams. John is working in a bi-partisan fashion with Senators Stabenow and Peters and the entire Michigan Congressional delegation to rebuild our region. Thanks for serving John! Keep up the great work! BILL SCHUETTE Midland New Delhi, Jan 29 : The Centre for Justice, Law and Society (CJLS), Jindal Global Law School has undertaken a comprehensive study of the district-wise availability and accessibility of specialist doctors (obstetrician/gynaecologists, paediatricians, and radiologists) across all Indian states and union territories, and the ramifications of the paucity of such doctors in rural, urban, and scheduled regions. The purpose of this study was to closely analyse the shortage of specialists in the country and thereby explore the feasibility of setting up Medical Boards as proposed in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020. On March 17, 2020, the Lok Sabha passed the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020. Among other reforms, the Bill proposes the constitution of Medical Boards consisting of at least three specialist doctors along with other members as designated by the state or union territory. These Boards will be empowered to determine whether a pregnancy that has advanced beyond 24 weeks can be terminated, provided the foetus is diagnosed with 'abnormalities'. The Bill is set to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha in the upcoming budget session. This study by CJLS revealed, first, that there is an absence of data for Primary Health Centres (PHCs) due to which our research had to be limited to Secondary Health Centres (SHCs). It covered the time period from 2015 to 2019 and found that there is an abysmal shortage of specialist doctors and healthcare facilities in India, a result of poor investment in public healthcare (1.6% of GDP in of 2019-20, which is among the lowest in the world). On average, Indian states and union territories recorded a shortfall of 80% of obstetricians and gynaecologists, making the setting up of functional Medical Boards practically impossible. Additionally, a region-wise analysis shows that many states have a near complete absence in the availability of certain specialists, with a shocking 100% shortfall of paediatricians in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Sikkim. Similarly, states such as Himachal Pradesh recorded a 98% shortfall in obstetricians/gynaecologists, who are one of the specialists required for the Medical Board. C. Rajkumar, Founding Vice Chancellor O.P. Jindal Global University, emphasized the importance of this research in establishing the challenges of constituting Medical Boards at a state or district level. He noted that "this study highlights the shortcomings of the healthcare system in India and the need to invest in it to ensure that healthcare service delivery, particularly for reproductive rights, is easily accessible and affordable to all persons." Medical Boards were never envisaged in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act in 1971, and the law makes no mention of any third-party authorisation for abortion. These Boards are unconstitutional and violate the fundamental rights of pregnant persons by subjecting them to multiple invasive examinations and causing unnecessary delays in the termination process. The right to terminate a pregnancy should vest with the pregnant person and Indian jurisprudence has established this through cases such as Puttaswamy v. Union of India, Navtej Johar v. Union of India and Joseph Shine v. Union of India where the Supreme Court recognized the rights to privacy, dignity, equality, and sexual and reproductive autonomy. These bureaucratic authorization requirements have been also recognized as major barriers to accessing safe and legal abortion services under international law. Dipika Jain, the lead author of the study, stated that "The MTP Bill is not set in a rights-based framework and Medical Boards are draconian and invasive as they strip away autonomy from the pregnant person. Our study indicates a severe lack of doctors across India and this will make the setting up of Boards unfeasible. Even if the Boards are set up, pregnant persons who are in more remote areas of the country will incur many costs in travelling and this will add to their financial burden. This legal reform will make abortion to access more challenging for many people, especially those from marginalised groups." The human rights violations caused due to denial of accessible healthcare services will be exacerbated by the invasive and prolonged authorisation processes of Medical Boards. Thus, it is imperative that the Government sends the MTP Amendment Bill to the Standing Committee for further deliberation with multiple stakeholders to ensure that it a rights-based legislation. Loading In a smaller phase 2b study in South Africa, the vaccine was found to be 60 per cent effective at preventing COVID-19 illness. That dropped to 49 per cent when people with HIV were also included. In that trial 90 per cent of the sequenced cases were attributed to the highly contagious strain. Professor Shabir Maddi, principal investigator in the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trial in South Africa, said the results were encouraging. This is the first COVID-19 vaccine for which we now have objective evidence that it protects against the variant dominating in South Africa, Professor Maddi said. Professor Raina MacIntyre, head of the biosecurity program at the Kirby Institute at the University of NSW, said information was urgently needed about the other vaccines Australia has acquired and how effective they are against these variants. They all target the same protein, so we can expect reduced efficacy to variant strains with these vaccines, she said. These are likely to become the dominant strains globally and are more contagious, and the B117 appears to be more severe. Australia is set to receive 51 million doses of the Novavax jab from the middle of the year. Before that, Pfizer will start providing the country with at least 80,000 doses a week to a total of 10 million by the end of the year. AstraZeneca has committed to providing a total of 1.2 million internationally produced doses initially, and 50 million doses are being manufactured at CSLs Melbourne facility. The first delivery of that locally manufactured vaccine will be earlier than expected. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video The first doses have been brought forward to an expected late March supply of approximately 1 million per week, Mr Hunt said. By the end of March, CSL will have provided approximately 2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, he said. Mr Hunt has previously described the AstraZeneca vaccine as the ace in the hole of the countrys inoculation strategy, with the majority of Australians set to receive that vaccine. In Germany, scientists on the Health Ministrys vaccine committee did not find the AstraZeneca vaccine unsafe, but said the jab should not be given to older age groups due to a lack of trial data. The experts endorsed the vaccines rollout for people aged 18 to 64. There are currently insufficient data available to assess the vaccine efficacy from 65 years of age, the committee said in its draft decision on Thursday (German time). Loading The European Medicines Agency was to hand down its verdict on the vaccine on Fridaywhile the Australian medical regulator is expected to make a decision on the AstraZeneca vaccine in February. On Friday, Mr Hunt said he had complete faith in the Therapeutic Goods Administrations assessment. Our approach will be led by what we believe will be the best medical regulator in the world, the Therapeutic Goods Administration. A TGA spokesperson said all matters are being carefully considered as part of its assessment process, including the evidence supporting immunisation in various age groups. The TGAs decision will also be informed by the Advisory Committee on Vaccines, an independent group of clinical and technical experts, the spokesperson said on Friday. AstraZeneca has acknowledged over 65s represented a small proportion of trial participants but insists the jab will provide a strong shield against serious illness and death in all age groups. The latest analyses of clinical trial data for the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine support efficacy in the over 65 years age group, a spokesperson said. Millions of elderly residents in the UK have already been given the vaccine and work is under way to assess its efficacy outside the trials. Loading Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he did not agree with Germanys decision. He said British authorities think the AstraZeneca vaccine is very good and efficacious and gives a high degree of protection after one dose and even more after two doses. Any restrictions on using AstraZeneca for over 65s will complicate Australias rollout strategies because older people are due to be prioritised given their vulnerability to COVID-19. If the TGA made a similar finding to Germany, the Morrison government would have to rely more heavily on the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine during the initial rollout. However, she continued, her main aim was not political but literary, an attempt to describe her own agonized evolution. As the descendant on her mothers side of an anti-Semitic French Fascist, and on her fathers side of forebears slaughtered at Auschwitz, she had to shape her own identity from a very young age. When she had her own son, she realized she could not keep quiet about Mr. Duhamel for fear he might strike again. She also had to confront her mothers strange complicity. When asked why she wrote the book, Ms. Kouchner replied: Because my mother is dead. Her mother had many sides: the playful intellectual whom Ms. Kouchner adored; the woman who turned to drink after the suicides of both her parents; the suffering parent whose sister, the actress Marie-France Pisier, also died in an apparent suicide. She was also the feminist mother who did not say no in Cuba when Castro in good macho fashion sent a car to scoop her up; the mother who left Ms. Kouchners father, Bernard Kouchner, a founder of Doctors Without Borders and later the French foreign minister, because he chose to save other children, not his own. In many respects, Ms. Kouchners mother is the pivotal figure of the book, beloved and then estranged. Her mother sided with Mr. Duhamel, at least with silence, when confronted in 2008 with the charge that two decades earlier, her second husband had sexually abused his 14-year-old stepson. 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 on Thursday said it would further expand its ongoing COVID-19 inoculation drive to include people belonging to the age group of 35 years or older. The Director-General of the Israeli Health Ministry, General Hezi Levy, announced on January 28 that the country is expanding its vaccination campaign to include people aged 35 years or older. This comes as the country records a massive surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths despite the ongoing restrictions to curb the spread of the disease. Read: Israel Warns US Against Nuclear Deal, Says Military Prepared To Strike Iran If Needed Over 50% vaccinated in Israel Israel has already administered COVID-19 vaccines to more than 4.35 million of its 9 million people, which is more than 50%, the highest in the world in terms of per capita. The COVID-19 vaccination in the country started earlier last month after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein became the first to be inoculated. The country has recorded more than 6,21,000 cases and a little over 4,600 deaths to date. Read: US Assures 'two-state Solution' To Israel-Palestine Conflict At UNSC Israel began inoculating its people in December after the country gave approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Weeks later Israel approved Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. Israel has reportedly struck a deal with Pfizer-BioNTech under which it will provide citizens' vaccination data to the companies in exchange for 10 million doses, 4,00,000-7,00,000 doses every week, enough to inoculate its entire population. Read: UAE Cabinet Approves Establishing Embassy In Tel Aviv Months After Relations Normalise Israel started by prioritising health care workers and the elderly in the first week of its vaccination drive. The country then expanded the programme to include teens aged 16-18 in order to help them return back to the classrooms. This came as Israel extended the COVID-19 lockdown until the end of this month over a surge in new cases and deaths. Israel has already banned all non-essential international travel following the detection of new variants in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Read: Israel's Ultra-orthodox Rabbi Says COVID-19 Vaccines Will Turn People 'homosexuals' (Image Credit: AP) home US Mother of Chris Watts victim says she is praying God will have mercy on him The Colorado man convicted of killing his wife and two daughters heard heartbreaking testimonies from his victims' family as he was sentenced to life in prison for their deaths. Chris Watts was found guilty of murdering Shanann Watts and their daughters Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3. He was also found guilty of the unlawful killing of an unborn child as Shannan Watts was 15 weeks pregnant at the time of her death in August. Watts had initially claimed that his family had gone missing and even made appeals in the media for their safe return. However, he changed his story when their bodies were discovered three days later and claimed that he had killed his wife in a fit of rage after seeing her smother Celeste. Shanann Watt's family was in court for the sentencing on Monday, where they told Watts of their grief in moving impact statements. Her father Frank Rzucek said Chris Watts had 'carried them out like trash'. 'I trusted you to take care of them, not kill them. And they also trusted you,' he said, before adding, 'You disgust me.' Her mother Sandra Rzucek said she was praying for healing for her family after their ordeal. She also said she was praying for Chris Watts, whom she said she had loved 'like a son'. 'We trusted you,' she said. 'Your faithful wife trusted you. Your children adored you. 'I didn't want death for you because that's not my right,' she added. 'Your life is between you and God and I pray that he has mercy for you.' She said the family would 'never get over' the deaths of their daughter and grandchildren. 'I am still struggling to understand how and why this tragedy occurred. I may never be able to understand and accept it, but I pray for peace and healing for all of us,' she said. Courtesy of Christian Today Female-led team in the Penn State Department of Mechanical Engineering seeks to reimagine gas turbine engines within hybrid electric propulsion systems to decrease the carbon footprint of aviation UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Leading a diverse, collaborative coalition that spans universities, industry and disciplines, Penn State has been awarded $8 million from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to chart the course for hybrid electric aircraft. "This is a bold project that will explore the possibility of a safe, efficient and innovative path to reduce the fuel consumption and lower the carbon footprint of the aviation industry," said Karen Thole, distinguished professor, mechanical engineering department head and the principal investigator. The four-year project will focus on single and twin-aisle aircraft that carry 100 passengers or more, which the researchers say are well suited for hybrid propulsion. However, it is not as simple as integrating a battery into a traditional, gas-powered propulsion system, according to Thole. The team will seek to reimagine the entire system, optimizing and re-designing the core of the gas turbine engine. "With our collaborators, we will use all the knowledge surrounding these hybrid systems and find new ways to operate them with increased efficiency," said Reid Berdanier, assistant research professor in mechanical engineering. According to the researchers, Penn State, with its historic strengths in gas turbines, is pioneering the development and testing of concepts for small engine cores that are efficient and integrate well into the hybrid system. They will be using emerging technologies such as additive manufacturing, machine learning and cyber-physical modeling to forge these new frontiers in hybrid propulsion. "The goal is to shrink the engine as much as possible," Thole said. "In doing so, this brings up other technical issues, including how to manufacture the parts and how to improve efficiencies." Amrita Basak, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, explained using metal additive manufacturing (AM), commonly referred to as metal 3D printing, will be an enabling technology to reduce the size of the engine core. "This could push the boundary of AM," she said. "Optimizing part precision, surface roughness and conformity on such a small scale could change the way we 3D print metallic parts." Thole explained that by leveraging the National Experimental Turbine (NExT) program in the Steady Thermal Aero Research Turbine (START) Laboratory, the AM capabilities at the Center for Innovative Materials Processing Through Direct Digital Deposition (CIMP-3D) and the resources of the Materials Research Institute, Penn State is uniquely positioned to lead this project. She also noted the guidance offered by the University's Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Office in the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research significantly contributed to the proposal's success. "The broad coalition of partners dedicated to the hybrid electric airplane project has enormous potential to develop advances and engage in innovation and discovery to bring transformational change to the field," said Lora Weiss, senior vice president for research. "We were pleased to support the development of their proposal and the assembly of the strong interdisciplinary research team and are excited that it will result in foundational knowledge for NASA and society at large." Other key facets will include integrating machine learning and cyber-physical models, spearheaded by Michaela Amoo and Ahmed Rubaai from Howard University, and systems level architecture, led by Georgia Tech's Timothy Lieuwen and Brian German. NASA's funding was provided by the agency's University Leadership Initiative, which was created to empower universities to collaborate to pioneer technologies with significant impacts on aeronautics and aviation. This project represents the first female-led team funded by the initiative. "This is a proud moment for us," Thole said. "I'm honored to be a part of such a talented and diverse team. These unique minds and experiences are absolutely going to strengthen the project. Our team is also committed to educating a diverse group of students who will impact the future of aviation through unique research opportunities." In addition to solidifying collaborations between the universities, the project will draw upon valuable insights from their industry partners: Pratt & Whitney, a world leader in designing and manufacturing aircraft and helicopter engines and auxiliary power units, and CVD MesoScribe will use a novel approach to deposit sensors on the additively manufactured gas turbine components. "With the aviation market estimated to grow at around 4.5%, our industry's contribution to global CO2 will need to decrease so the aerospace industry's commitment to sustainability has never been stronger," said Sean Bradshaw, technical fellow in sustainable propulsion at Pratt & Whitney. "A strong research collaboration between academia and industry is vital and the fundamental insights generated from this important research will augment current efforts by the aviation industry to become more sustainable." ### Additional collaborators include Irewole Orisamolu, Pratt & Whitney, Jeffrey Brogan, CVD MesoScribe and Collins Aerospace. NORTHWOOD, Iowa - A 120 year-old building has been given a new lease on life. The former Northwood Lumberyard has been transformed into 'The Timbers', an event center set to host weddings, receptions, anniversaries and other joyous celebrations. After two contractors purchased the building about five years ago, they planned to tear it down. However, after discovering that the building was in too good of shape to take down, they turned to the non-profit organization TUNE to not only buy the property, but redevelop it into an events center. Inside and around the building, many facets of the lumberyard were kept intact, including the wooden supports and the dancefloor, and the tin on the roof. TUNE Vice President Wendy Weisert notes that outside of the larger meeting space at Diamond Jo Casino, a smaller events center of its size was non-existent in Worth County, though interested parties that have already started booking events are utilizing the hotels near the casino. "There's one coming from Rockwell, another from New Ulm, another from Alden, Minnesota, that are happening here, and are taking advantage of the hotel facilities, but they still want their reception here." The first big event to be held at 'The Timbers' is a bridal expo in March. "Fringe and Lace by Brittany is holding a bridal expo in March, in conjunction with us. All proceeds raised, she's donating back to us." TUNE was able to receive some grants to cover the cost of the redevelopment, which is slated to cost around $1.2 million. There is still some work to be done, though, including adding a fire alarm system and outside signage. British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell gave evidence in 2016 that she had no memory of anything amiss on Jeffrey Epsteins properties in the 2000s, despite accusations by dozens of women and girls that they were sexually abused by the financier. Ms Maxwell, who is criminally charged with aiding Epstein in his sexual abuse of teenage girls, said during a July 2016 deposition for a defamation lawsuit that she learned about abuse claims like everybody else, like the rest of the world, when it was announced in the papers. Asked if she had tried to find out whether the allegations were accurate, Ms Maxwell was stopped by her lawyer from answering, in a transcript released yesterday along with other documents pursued by the Miami Herald. However, she indicated she left Epsteins employment because she ceased to be happy in the job and I ceased to be happy spending time with Mr Epstein. She said he became more difficult to work with, according to the transcript. Asked to be more specific, she said: Just general. Just doesnt work. The quote was in the public portion of a transcript of a deposition that resulted from a since-settled lawsuit brought against her by one of Epsteins accusers, Virginia Giuffre. Dozens of pages were blacked out and more than 100 pages of the 193-page document had redactions. The redactions came after US District Judge Loretta A Preska ruled that any evidence addressing Ms Maxwells sexual relations with adults could remain sealed. Her lawyers had sought to keep the document sealed on the grounds it could affect potential jurors for her trial next July. The transcript of a deposition by Ms Maxwell that took place earlier in 2016 was released last October. In it, she was combative throughout seven hours of questioning. Read More In the second deposition, her lawyer frequently warned her not to answer questions and even threatened to walk out. In the first deposition, she denied introducing Britains Prince Andrew to under-age sex partners and said she could not recall taking Ms Giuffre out for a night of clubbing with Andrew in London. She also said she had flown on Epsteins private planes with former president Bill Clinton, but refused to describe Epstein and Mr Clinton as friends. In the second deposition, she was adamant she never saw Epstein getting massages from teenagers who were not yet adults. Did anyone ever complain to you that Mr Epstein had demanded sex of them? lawyer David Boies asked. Never, she responded. Expand Close Andrew with Virginia Roberts and Ghislaine Maxwell / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Andrew with Virginia Roberts and Ghislaine Maxwell Ms Maxwell, who has acknowledged being Epsteins girlfriend in the 1990s, said she knew of only three women he had sexual relations with at his properties in Manhattan, New Mexico, Florida, Paris and the Virgin Islands. She said she knew he received massages at his Virgin Islands property because they happened in the master cabana or on the beach, where anyone could see. I dont have a specific memory, it was just on the beach, so there wouldnt be any privacy, Ms Maxwell said, although she added that she never arranged for any women who came to visit him to give him a massage. At one point, Mr Boies said he needed to ask you some questions about your sexual activities with Mr Epstein. OK, Ms Maxwell responded. The next page of the transcript was blacked out. Ms Maxwell (59) has been held without bail since pleading not guilty last July to recruiting girls for Epstein to abuse in the mid-1990s. Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender, killed himself in a Manhattan federal jail in August 2019 as he awaited a sex-trafficking trial. At their Thursday night meeting, park board commissioners raised questions about the immediate effect the legislation will have on district park officers and the insufficient time it allows for police officers to be trained on the new policies before they go into place. Up in the air: Terminal at Dublin Airport on Wednesday. It is estimated that half of all people flying in are on holiday. Photo by Steve Humphreys Almost 4,500 passengers arrived at Dublin Airport in the first three days of this week, according to new figures revealed. While still a tiny proportion of the number of passengers that would normally pass through arrivals, it underscores the challenge in persuading people not to undertake non-essential travel. Of the more than 2,000 people who landed at the airport between Tuesday and Wednesday, about one third were returning from holidays. Flights are still operating from destinations such as Lanzarote and Malaga, some of the favourite hotspots for Irish sunseekers. All people over the age of six arriving in Ireland must now provide evidence of a negative or not detected PCR Covid test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival here. That evidence has to be produced to immigration officers on arrival. But the Department of Justice said that 39 passengers had arrived in Ireland between Monday and Wednesday without a negative Covid test. Of those, 28 landed at Dublin Airport. Passengers without valid evidence of a negative Covid test can face a 2,500 fine or six months in prison. The DAA, the semi-State company that operates Dublin Airport, said that 2,325 passengers arrived at the gateway on Monday, 936 on Tuesday, and 1,202 on Wednesday. That was out of a total of 4,665 arrivals and departures on Monday, 1,843 on Tuesday and 2,135 on Wednesday. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said earlier this week that of the 800 people who came into the country through airports, 397 were returning from holidays. Total passenger numbers at Dublin Airport continue to be around 95pc lower than normal. Airlines across Europe are facing a complete disaster, with traffic across the region expected to be 64pc lower this month compared to a year ago, according to Eamonn Brennan, the head of Eurocontrol, the Brussels-based agency that manages European airspace. It is clear that the months of February and March will be exceptionally low across the network, except for cargo, some business traffic and skeleton schedule services, he said. Even April is expected to perform very poorly with only a limited pick-up for the Easter period, he added. Mr Brennan predicted that the number of flights in Europe during the Easter break will probably be only between 25pc and 30pc of normal levels. It is a complete disaster for European aviation an industry thats already on its knees, said Mr Brennan. Read More He said its reasonable to expect the epidemiological situation to have improved in many European countries by the second quarter as vaccines continue to be administered. That, he said, could make non-essential air travel more accessible, which could facilitate a small improvement for airlines in the second quarter, followed by a larger recovery in the summer. If that happens, he predicted that traffic levels might be about 55pc lower in June compared to a year earlier. However, Mr Brennan said it is also reasonable to expect that many states may potentially choose not to relax their national travel restrictions, which will severely curtail demand and any possibility for air travel to improve until the summer period at the very earliest. In that case, he said, traffic levels could still be 70pc below normal levels in June. Texas Governor Orders Agencies to Sue Biden Administration for Climate Actions That Kill Jobs Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday vowed to oppose what he called the Biden administrations bid to destroy jobs with its volley of actions targeting the oil and gas industry. Abbott signed an executive order during a press conference in Odessa on Thursday, which directed all state agencies to sue the Biden administration for any federal actions that threaten the Lone Star states energy sector. Texas is going to protect the oil and gas industry from any type of hostile attack launched from Washington D.C., Abbott said. President Bidens embrace of the green new deal is a job killer in Texas. It also takes a wrecking ball to the energy independence that Texas has been able to provide to the United States of America and Texas is not going to stand idly by and watch the Biden administration kill jobs in Midland, in Odessa or any other place across the entire region, he added. Abbotts order (pdf) came on the heels of a series of executive actions taken by President Joe Biden in the name of fighting climate change. These include the decision to revoke authorization for the Keystone pipeline, the decision to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord, and a moratorium on issuing new oil and gas leases on federal land and waters. While Bidens actions have drawn fire from Republicans, industry groups, and even some Democrats, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said at a Wednesday press briefing at the White House that Biden wants to make sure workers in the energy industry have better choices in jobs that pay better and are cleaner, giving the example of being a solar power technician instead of being a miner. Kerry also claimed that its a false notion that dealing with climate comes at the expense of energy workers, adding that there is a lot of money to be made in the creation of new healthier jobs in sectors such as green hydrogen, geothermal heat, and other renewables. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday criticized the Biden administrations actions on energy policy that he collectively dubbed a piecemeal green new deal. Theres nothing green about a tsunami of pink slips for American workers, or carting Canadian crude around in trucks and trains instead of a pipeline, McConnell said on the Senate floor. This piecemeal green new deal is the wrong prescription: wrong for the environment, wrong for national security, and most of all for the working Americans who will soon be formerly working Americans if this keeps up. Wilfully throwing our own people out of work, reducing our domestic energy security, raising costs and prices for working familiesall for no meaningful impact on global temperatures, McConnell added. McConnell also cited a study (pdf) by energy consulting firm OnLocation, which concluded that Bidens oil and gas lease ban would mean the loss of nearly 1 million jobs by 2022. The decision on federal lands will leave us down nearly one million American jobs by next year alone, McConnell said on the Senate floor. Its a heck of a way to kick off a presidency. But Texas is prepared to fight back, Abbott said, with his executive order directing every state agency to, use all lawful powers and tools to challenge any federal action that threatens the continued strength and vitality of the energy industry. Each state agency should work to identify potential litigation, notice and comment opportunities, and any other means of preventing federal overreach within the law. Abbott also said he would support legislation that would prohibit cities from banning natural gas appliances, an action he said was recently taken in San Francisco. In Texas, we will not let cities use political correctness to dictate what energy source you use, he said. Mimi Nguyen-Ly contributed to this report. An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday discharged General Lance Corporal Bright Akosah who allegedly shot and killed a taxi driver at Adjin Kotoku near Accra after robbing him of his vehicle. The court also discharged Ebenezer Tetteh, a trader and Francis Aidoo, a tailor, alleged accomplices of Corporal Akosah. The accused were facing charges of conspiracy to rob and robbery. They however denied the offence. The accused persons were discharged after Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Fuseini Yakubu had told the court that the Police had completed investigations and they had consolidated the case dockets of the accused. ASP Yakubu further stated that the Police is forwarding a duplicate docket to the Attorney-Generals office for the preparation of the bill of indictment on the charges of murder of the 40 year old Samuel Tawiah, conspiracy and robbery. According to him, the charge of murder constituted an indictable offence. He said the accused have already been put before a District Court following the murder charge. ASP Yakubu therefore prayed the Circuit Court to discharge the accused persons. The court presided over by Mrs. Evelyn Asamoah granted Prosecutions prayers and discharged them accordingly. The facts, as narrated earlier by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Fuseine Yakubu, was that the deceased, Samuel Tawiah, is a resident of Afuaman, near Pokuase in Accra. ASP Yakubu said Akosah is a Police officer with the Police SWAT Unit at the Regional Police Headquarters in Accra. Tetteh also resides at Agbogboloshie and Aidoo, a tailor, lives at Cape Coast. He said on September 12, last year, Akosah and Tetteh went to Adjin Kotoku and its environs to survey areas where their victims could easily be robbed. He said the following day Akosah, dressed in his Police uniform, and armed with his pistol, instructed Tetteh to proceed to Adjin Kotoku to lay ambush at a spot they had agreed on. He said based on that Akosah went to Pokuase Junction to stop a Nissan Versa Taxi with registration; GW 6818-20 and lured the driver, Samuel Tawiah, to drive him to his site at Adjin Kotoku. Prosecution said Akosah, who sat at the back seat, directed Tawiah to Tetteh's hideout and gave Tetteh a signal to come out. The prosecution said sensing danger, Tawiah tried to escape but Akosah pulled his pistol and shot him twice at the back. He said the two pulled Tawiah out and dumped him in the bush, where Akosah shot him for the third time in the left ear. ASP Yakubu said Akosah and Tetteh abandoned the deceased in the bush and informed Aidoo that they had succeeded in robbing a taxi cab and asked him to look for buyers for the vehicle, which they drove to Biriwa and parked it there. He said on September 14, last year, at about 8am, the Anti-armed robbery Unit of the CID, acting on intelligence, feigned interest in the car and therefore negotiated the price with Aidoo for GH8,000.00. Prosecution said Aidoo informed Akosah who agreed on the amount and subsequently asked him to bring the buyers, but Aidoo was arrested in the process and took the Police to Elmina where Akosah was arrested with the Nissan Versa vehicle. He said the Police also found on him were NP 22 Pistol, one magazine loaded with eight rounds of 9 MM ammunition, one wrap of dried leaves suspected to be narcotic drug, one lighter, iPhone Seven plus, One Itel phone, and a spanner. A Police ID card, a Voter ID card, and a GCB Visa Card all bearing the name of Bright Akosah were also retrieved. Prosecution said Akosah admitted the offence of robbery and mentioned Tetteh as his accomplice. He said on September 16, last year, Akosah led the Police to arrest Tetteh near the Awudome Cemetery who confessed that it was Akosah who shot and killed Tawiah when he tried to snatch his vehicle. Akosah confessed killing Tawiah, prosecution said. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video ADVERTISEMENT An American foundation, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, is poking accusing fingers in the eyes of Nigerian political elites, saying they are using the British educational system as a money-laundering shield in the guise of seeking better schooling opportunities for their wards. This challenge is a key point in a Thursday report released in Washington DC written by its non-resident scholar on democracy, conflict and governance, Mathew Page, titled West African Elites Spending on UK Schools and Universities: A Closer Look. Mr Page, its author, is a famous Nigeria expert, author, and consultant on Nigeria. Previously, he was a top Nigeria expert with the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Intelligence and Research, where he also served the Defense Intelligence Agency, Marine Corps Intelligence and the National Intelligence Council. He is also a nonresident fellow with the Centre for Democracy and Development in Abuja. The report was commissioned by the UK government, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing said in Abuja Friday, saying it was motivated by her governments desire to better understand the risk to the UK from illicit finance in West Africa. We will now consider the reports finding and take a view on what if any further action is required. Ms Laing stated that Tackling illicit corruption in Nigeria is critical to the countrys prosperity and security, and to addressing poverty and inequality, adding that the UK is working in partnership with Nigeria to tackle corruption and illicit finance and has excellent relationships with Nigerian agencies and civil society who are fighting corruption. The Carnegie report also suggested colleges and universities in the United Kingdom are complicit in the process, saying the UK is still reluctant to acknowledge outside criticism of the sectors AML [anti-money laundering] shortcomings or to derive lessons learned from recent anticorruption failures adding that some have even shown willingness to matriculate students linked to knownand even convictedkleptocrats. The UK government also got knocks from the report for its policies and programmes seeking to boost the countrys international education sector which the report said, lack a much-needed anti-corruption component. It argued the case that the increasing reliance on schools in advance countries of the west for the education of their wards expands the disincentives to strengthen their own home educational institutions. The capital flight and greater foreign exchange and currency pressures associated with paying costly school and university fees have harmed these countries future development and prevented them from correcting deeper socioeconomic inequalities that compound underdevelopment and can even spark violent conflict. As long as PEPs flock into the education sectors of countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States instead of investing in their own sectors, West African countries will continue to suffer a brain drain and financial outflows that harm their economies the report asserted. Ms Laing responded that The UK has a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and remains committed to tackling it wherever it happens, including in the United Kingdom (UK) education system. The traditional argument by many Nigerian political elites that they accumulated vast wealth before entering politics, does not hold water, according to the report based on data, because very few would be able to show convincing evidence of how they did so. While the majority of Nigerian and Ghanaian students studying in the UK are neither linked to PEPs [politically exposed persons] nor represent a corruption risk, the report claimed, a small but significant share do and that Illicit financial flows into UK educational institutions via West African PEPs are noteworthy and should receive greater scrutiny. Arguing for reforms, the report said a stronger policy focus on the corruption vulnerabilities of the UK education sector could also support UK international development goals by reducing educational escapism by elites who choose to school abroad while neglecting domestic educational institutions. South Africans who wish to receive a COVID-19 vaccine will be required to register on the governments upcoming online platform called the Electronic Vaccine Data System (EVDS). The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday announced the system would be used to capture all relevant data associated with the administration of the vaccine in South Africa. The first consignment of 1 million COVID-19 vaccines, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, is due to arrive in the country on 1 February. DOH Acting Chief Operating Officer (COO) Milani Wolmarans explained the EVDS is linked to supply chain management to ensure that there are enough doses to inoculate the vaccinees when they arrive at the local vaccination service site. In accordance with the vaccination rollout strategy, healthcare workers will be the first groups to be enrolled for vaccination via an online app linked to the EVDS, followed by essential workers. Government is also set to launch an online self-registration portal tied to the system in the first week of February. In order to get an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination, users will have to register on this platform, which will be available on mobile devices and desktops. This platform will likely be opened up to more users based on the three COVID-19 vaccine rollout phases announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, which are as follows: Phase 1 : Frontline and healthcare workers. : Frontline and healthcare workers. Phase 2 : Essential workers, institutionalised persons, and the elderly. : Essential workers, institutionalised persons, and the elderly. Phase 3: The remaining adult population. Below is how the COVID-19 vaccine registration process will work, as outlined by Wolmarans. Step 1: Registration Upon registration, you will be required to submit your personal and contact information, as well as information about your place of work. This includes details such as: Name and surname Date of Birth Gender E-mail address Phone number This will then be used to match you to a registered vaccination service point when the vaccine is allocated. Information provided on the portal will also be used to communicate with individuals about the vaccination program when necessary, through this application, the department said. Step 2: Appointment SMS sent You will then receive an SMS which contains the date and vaccination site for your appointment. This will also include a vaccination code which you will need to present as proof of the appointment. Step 3: First dosage delivered When reporting to the vaccination site, you will have to bring along your ID document. Medical aid members will also have to provide their scheme details. Once the vaccinator has checked your details and vaccination code to confirm whether you are eligible, you will be required to provide consent to receive the vaccine. After the vaccine is administered, your registered information and vaccination code will be captured on the EVDS. You will then receive another SMS confirming that you have received your first jab. Step 4: Follow-up shot Another follow-up SMS will then be sent to confirm an appointment for a second dosage to be administered. This will typically be around 1-3 weeks after the first shot. Two-shot COVID-19 vaccines will only provide protection from the virus one week after the second dosage is administered. Step 5: Vaccine certificate issued Once the second dosage is received, you will be issued with an electronic vaccine certificate as proof that you have been vaccinated. This can then be accessed by yourself through a secure platform. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) President Rodrigo Duterte signed the measure amending the Anti-Money Laundering Act on Friday, just days before an international financial watchdog reviews the country's policies and decide on possible sanctions. The new law, Republic Act No. 11521, expands the coverage of activities and persons subject to scrutiny by the Anti-Money Laundering Council. It now covers Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, particularly transactions exceeding 500,000, as well as real estate developers and brokers engaging in single cash transactions worth more than 7.5 million. The AMLC is also granted the authority to investigate, and in doing so apply for a search and seizure order or subpoena with any competent court. It also has the power to preserve, manage, or dispose assets pursuant to a freeze order, preservation order, or judgment of forfeiture. The law states no court can issue temporary restraining orders or writs of injunction against any asset preservation order, with the exemption of the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. In 2019, the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force found that the Philippines has not conducted any prosecutions related to terrorist financing due to "deficiencies," noting a low number of asset freezes due to the lack of terrorist designations. Under the new law, the AMLC can also freeze assets and funds from individuals in the UN Security Council's list of terrorists and their financiers. The AMLC earlier said the enactment of the Anti-Terrorism Act will also help the country avoid being graylisted by the FATF. Returning to the gray list will merit higher costs for transactions with Philippine banks and other institutions, like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. There could be adverse effects on trade and even remittances, which involves billions of dollars sent home by overseas Filipino workers to their families. Chandigarh, Jan 29 : The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday called upon its party workers to rush to three dharna sites on Delhi-Haryana and Delhi-UP borders in larger numbers to boost the farmers' agitation. In an appeal issued here, senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia appealed to all SAD and Youth Akali Dal (YAD) workers who had returned to Punjab in the last one week to go back to the dharna sites at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur. "The central government is making attempts to crush the farmers agitation in connivance with the BJP-led government in Haryana. We must thwart their nefarious designs to silence the voice of our 'annadatas'. No sacrifice is too big to ensure a victory for farmers," the former Akali Minister said. The SAD assured the agitating farmers that the party leadership would support them as and when requested by the farmer unions. Majithia also denounced the "misuse" of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against farmer leaders and journalists. He said that the UAPA was framed for use against those challenging the unity and integrity of India but it should not be used to persecute anyone. The Akali leader condemned what he called "crude attempts to suppress the agitation by letting loose lumpen elements on peaceful farmers at Ghazipur on Thursday". He said similar attempts were made at Singhu on Friday. "It is extremely unfortunate in a democracy. Coercive steps like cutting off water and power supplies at dharna sites and preventing food from reaching the protesters will only strengthen their agitation," Majithia added. (JNS) Several nominees for U.S. President-elect Joe Bidens national security team acknowledged on Tuesday that the United States isnt ready to rejoin the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. On Tuesday morning, Avril Haines, nominee for the director of national intelligence, remarked that Biden said that the United States would re-enter the JCPOA if Iran comes back into compliance, but things are a long ways from that. She also told the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that Biden has also indicated in doing so... As a second impeachment trial for Donald Trump approaches next month, Republicans in states across the country are lining up behind the former president with unwavering support. Perhaps no state has demonstrated its fealty as tenaciously as Pennsylvania, where Republican officials have gone to extraordinary lengths to keep Trumpism at the center of their message as they bolster the presidents false claims of a stolen election. Eight of nine Republicans in Pennsylvanias congressional delegation voted to throw out their states own electoral votes for President Joe Biden on Jan. 6, just hours after a mob had stormed the Capitol. A majority of Republicans in the state Legislature had endorsed that effort. And one House member from the state, Scott Perry, was instrumental in promoting a plan in which Trump would fire the acting attorney general in an effort to stay in office. In the weeks since the Nov. 3 election, Republicans in Pennsylvania have made loyalty to the defeated ex-president the sole organizing principle of the party, the latest chapter in a rightward populist march repeated across other states. As elsewhere, the Pennsylvania GOP was once led by mainstream conservatives, but it is now defined almost exclusively by Trumpism. It faces major statewide races in 2022, for offices including governor and the Senate, with an electorate that just rejected Trump in favor of Biden. Far from engaging in self-examination, Pennsylvania Republicans are already jockeying before the 2022 primaries to prove that they fought the hardest for Trump, who, in spite of the losses by his party in the White House, the Senate and the House, still exerts a strong grip over elected Republicans and grassroots voters. As the Republican base has shifted suburbanites leaning more Democratic and rural white voters lining up behind Republicans over culture-war issues GOP leaders recognize the extent to which the former president unleashed waves of support for their party. In Pennsylvania, just as in some Midwestern states, a surge of new Republican voters with grievances about a changing America was triggered by Trump, and only Trump. Donald Trumps presidency and his popularity has been a big win for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, said Rob Gleason, a former chair of the state GOP. Even though numerous state and federal courts rejected the Trump campaigns baseless claims of voter fraud, Gleason said the belief that the voting was rigged lingers in the minds of a lot of people. He predicted it would drive Republican turnout in upcoming races. He said he had met this week with a prosecutor who feels the election was stolen and was pondering a run for a statewide judgeship this year. Other Republicans are more skeptical that lock-step support of the former president is the best path forward in Pennsylvania, a critical battleground state that is likely to be up for grabs in the next several election cycles. We have become, over four years, the party of Trump, and it has been one test after the other, said Ryan Costello, a former GOP House member from the Philadelphia suburbs who has been critical of Trump and is exploring a run for Senate. It is not a sustainable growth strategy to double and triple and quadruple down on Trump when he gets divisive. Despite Costellos apprehension, most Republicans thought to be mulling runs for Senate or governor have made it clear that they are prepared to pass a Trump loyalty test. They include members of the Republican congressional delegation, hard-line members of the Legislature, and even Donald Trump Jr. The presidents oldest son is the subject of persistent rumors that he will run for high office in the state mostly because of his ties to Pennsylvania, where he went to prep school and college. The Trump family spent an enormous amount of time campaigning in Pennsylvania in 2020, and as it seeks its next political stage, the state remains a big one. The transformation of the Republican Party in Pennsylvania has been stark. Less than two decades ago, it was led by political centrists such as former Sen. Arlen Specter and former Gov. Tom Ridge, who became the first secretary of homeland security. Now it is embodied by Perry, a member of the hard-line Freedom Caucus who won a fifth term in November for his Harrisburg-area seat. His Democratic opponent, Eugene DePasquale, said he lost the race fair and square. But he called the Republican congressmans efforts on behalf of Trump in a scheme involving the Justice Department a radical attempt to overthrow the election. Perry, a purveyor of misinformation about the presidential election, acknowledged Monday his role in introducing {div id=second_half class=story-page}Trump to an official in the Justice Department. That official, Jeffrey Clark, was willing to abet Trump in pressing Georgia to invalidate its electoral votes for Biden. The plan never unfolded. But Perry, a retired National Guard general who dodged the new metal detectors in the Capitol, rejected calls by Democrats to resign. Just as resolute in their defense of Trump were the other Pennsylvania House Republicans who voted to reject the states electoral votes for Biden on Jan. 6. Rep. Conor Lamb, a Democrat from western Pennsylvania, said on the House floor that his Republican colleagues should be ashamed of themselves for spreading lies that led to the breach of the Capitol. His impassioned speech nearly precipitated a fistfight. The Trump people were putting out a message: We better see you publicly fighting for us, Lamb said in an interview this week. The 2022 midterm is shaping up to be choosing the candidate who loves Trump the most, he said of GOP primary contests. But he called that an opportunity for Democrats to talk about issues affecting peoples lives, such as the economy and the pandemic, while Republicans remain fixated on the 2020 election. Theyre making their main political argument at this point based on a fraud; theyre not making it based on real-world conditions, he said. The election was not stolen. Biden really beat Trump. Lamb, who has won three races in districts that voted for Trump, has been mentioned as a contender for the open Senate seat. I would say I will be thinking about it, he said. (END OPTIONAL TRIM.) Apart from the House delegation, much of the Trumpist takeover in Pennsylvania has occurred in the Legislature, where Republicans held their majorities in both chambers in November (a result that the party fails to mention in its vehement claims of election fraud in the presidential race). In contrast to states such as Georgia and Arizona, where top Republican officials debunked disinformation from Trump and his allies, in Pennsylvania no senior Republicans in Harrisburg pushed back on false claims about election results, some of them created by lawmakers themselves or by Trumps lawyer Rudy Giuliani. A majority of Republicans in the General Assembly urged the states congressional delegation in December to reject the states 20 electoral votes for Biden after the results were legally certified. Such was the pressure from grassroots Trump supporters that the majority leader of the state Senate, Kim Ward, said in an interview last month that if she refused to sign on to such an effort, Id get my house bombed tonight. The full embrace of Trumps lies about a stolen election followed months of Republican lawmakers echoing his dismissals of the coronavirus threat. Lawmakers who appeared at ReOpen PA rallies in Harrisburg in May, flouting masks and limits on crowd sizes, morphed into leading purveyors of disinformation about election fraud after Nov. 3. One state senator, Doug Mastriano, who is widely believed to be considering a run for governor, paid for buses and offered rides to the Save America protests in Washington on Jan. 6 that preceded the breach of the Capitol. Mastriano has said he left before events turned violent. As the Legislature convened its 2021 session, Republicans recommitted to a hard-line agenda. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a Democrat, was removed by the Republican majority as president of the state Senate at a legislative session Jan. 5. Fetterman had strenuously objected to Republicans refusal to seat a Democratic lawmaker whose narrow victory had been officially certified. Republicans in the state House are seeking to change how judges are elected to ensure a Republican majority on the state Supreme Court, after the current court, with a Democratic lean, ruled against claims in election fraud cases last year. Republican lawmakers have also plunged into a lengthy examination of the November election, even though no evidence of more than trivial fraud has surfaced, and courts rejected claims that election officials overstepped their legal mandates. Republicans announced 14 hearings in the House. Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, a Democrat, was grilled in the first one last week. Dismissing the series of hearings as a charade, she called on Republicans not to sow further distrust in the integrity of the states election, which drew a record 71% turnout despite a pandemic. We need to stand together as Americans, Boockvar said in an interview, and tell the voters these were lies, that your votes counted, they were checked, they were audited, they were recounted many places, and the numbers added up and they were certified.{/div} ADVERTISEMENT The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved a reduction in tuition fees for fresh students of the Lagos State University (LASU). In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Tokunbo Wahab, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, on Friday, he said the reduction is only for fresh students recently admitted into the institution. The governor has reduced the fee for fresh students by N10, 000 and it is only for students in Stream 1, Stream 2 remains as it is. This means students will now pay about N57,000 as against N67, 000, which was the old fee, he told PREMIUM TIMES. Concession Mr Wahab said the concession was reached after several meetings with the student body and governing council of the institution. He said both parties technically agreed to the reduction of the fees. Mr Wahab added that the downward review of fees for fresh students shows Mr Sanwo-Olus commitment to quality and affordable education for all students, regardless of their background or race. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how the management of the institution increased tuition fees for fresh students to N67, 048 from N25, 000, which is about 168 per cent increase, while old students of the school will continue to pay N25, 000. The management said the economic recession and the need for the institution to generate more revenue for sustainability led to the upward review of fees. Since the increase, several protests have been held by students to show their displeasure. Mr Wahab added that for Lagos indigenes, their bursary has been increased from N25,000 to N50,000. He said the bursary would cover the students school fees. Scholarships are also available for brilliant students, he added. The government official said fresh students are not entitled to bursaries until their second year in the institution In request for fourth event between president and Joe Biden, Rudy Giuliani calls current schedule 'outdated dinosaur and not reflective of voting realities in 2020' Joe Biden is in close contact with Nancy Pelosi over the safety of lawmakers after the speaker warned the "enemy is within House of Representatives". While confirming the rampant fear among Congress following the riots at the US Capitol, the White House has refused comment on specific lawmakers, including Marjorie Taylor Greene. Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said they "don't want to elevate conspiracy theories further in the briefing room, so I'm going to leave it at that". It followed a brush off questions about Greene earlier in the week when Psaki refused to comment on her social media posts that appeared to endorse the "hanging" of Democrats. It comes as former president Donald Trump faces up to fresh claims he was cultivated by Moscow over a period of decades in a bid to damage US interests. Yuri Shvets, an ex-KGB spy posted to Washington DC in the 1980s, told The Guardian that Mr Trump was the subject of a charm offensive by the spy agency. "They had collected a lot of information on his personality so they knew who he was personally. The feeling was that he was extremely vulnerable intellectually, and psychologically, and he was prone to flattery," Mr Shvets said. Joe Biden, meanwhile, is facing growing scrutiny of his reliance on ruling by fiat with an unprecedent number of uniliteral executive orders despite promising to promote unity through bi-partisan legislation. Bristling at the criticisms, White House communications director Kate Bedingfield tweeted: Of course we are also pursuing our agenda through legislation. Its why we are working so hard to get the American Rescue Plan passed, for starters. Before calling a lid on the day, Biden visited wounded troops at Walter Reed Medical Centre. Key stories: In 2018, Australian-Zimbabwean actress Charmaine Bingwa was officially named as the winner of the Heath Ledger Scholarship. And just three short years later, the 35-year-old has made waves in Hollywood, landing a role in the CBS series The Good Fight. A spin-off from the hit show The Good Wife, Charmaine will star opposite Christine Baranski, Justin Bartha and Rose Leslie on the drama series. Fast track: In 2018, Australian-Zimbabwean actress Charmaine Bingwa (pictured) was named as the winner of the Heath Ledger Scholarship. And just three short years later, the 35-year-old has made waves in Hollywood, landing a role in the CBS series The Good Fight She told Perth Now on Friday that she was 'absolutely thrilled' about being cast in the show. Charmaine is now based in the USA, and has been living in New York, where filming is underway amid the pandemic. 'Just seeing everyone wearing masks, [especially] coming from WA, and it's just so cold filming in New York City,' she told the paper of the experience. Good work! She told Perth Now on Friday that she was 'absolutely thrilled' about being cast in the show. Charmaine is now based in the USA, and has been living in New York, where filming is underway amid the pandemic Charmaine was up against hundreds of candidates by a highly-acclaimed judging panel for the 2018 Heath Ledger Scholarship, and remarkably made history as the first black woman to win the coveted award. She took a moment on stage after her win to credit the late Heath Ledger in inspiring her to openly come out as gay. Referring to the late Heath's iconic performance in Brokeback Mountain, the budding actress said: 'It inspired me to live my life to the fullest and I came out as openly gay. That's the power of performance.' Winner: Charmaine was up against hundreds of candidates by a highly-acclaimed judging panel for the 2018 Heath Ledger Scholarship, and remarkably made history as the first black woman to win the coveted award 'I think Heath believed in everyone having a fair go but the current state of screen diversity means that not everybody is able to have a fair go. 'As a female, as a person of colour, as a gay person, I have the trifecta here,' she added. In honour of the beloved actor, the scholarship is often awarded to an ambitious and highly talented Australian as a way of encouraging and launching an immediate start to their career. The head of Spain's Tourist Office in the UK has told an online conference for the Spanish travel trade that he is confident that British tourists will return to the country again soon. Javier Pinanes predicted that "with the right conditions, there could be a significant influx this summer as people will leave en masse". "Notwithstanding the negative outlook, there are positive, hopeful signs," he added. Pinanes said that Britain is a hardy country and "people are keen to travel and are ready to do so as soon as they are able". Safety However he highlighted that safety guarantees would be key to the recovery of the British market, which makes up almost 30 per cent of the arrivals at Malaga Airport. The London-based official explained that he hoped by April that 40 per cent of the UK population would be vaccinated and issued a warning that if "Spain and its resorts didn't keep up with control of the pandemic, recovery will be difficult". He reminded online attendees that the UK provided 18 million visitors to Spain in 2019 with a spend of 18 billion euros, but that this dropped 82 per cent in 2020. Brexit In terms of Brexit, Pinanes was clear that "the pandemic has swallowed Brexit whole. We needn't worry as this summer there won't be great changes". The virtual conference was run by Turespana, the government tourism agency and entitled Reset and Restart. Also speaking were Reyes Montoro, Tourism minister, and the directors of various Spanish Tourist Offices around Europe. Montoro launched a message of hope, saying that now vaccines were being given out confidence would soon be restored, but she added that countries needed to agree common travel criteria and corridors. Speaking from the Spanish Tourist Office in the Netherlands, its director Ignacio Valle said that the economy in that country hadn't been hit too hard and "the Dutch still have the money that they didn't spend in 2020". Meanwhile, Ruben Lopez, office director in Dublin, highlighted the positive reaction to the Andalucia region's special Covid-19 free tourist insurance plan. Journal of the American College of Surgeons study of 186,779 discharged patients from national CMS survey data set confirms important role of physician communication in overall patient satisfaction CHICAGO (January 29, 2021): Trauma patients and patients who need emergency surgery have little to no opportunity to get acquainted with the surgeon and team that will perform their operation. However, a large study has found that effective and meaningful physician communication is a more important contributor to the overall satisfaction of trauma patients and those having emergency surgery than it is for patients admitted to the hospital for medical reasons or for elective procedures. The study was selected for the 2020 Southern Surgical Association Program and published as an "article in press" on the website of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons in advance of print. The researchers found an unexpectedly significant effect of physician communication among patients admitted through a hospital's trauma bay or emergency department. They analyzed patient survey data to determine how several factors, including interactions with nurses and doctors, contributed to satisfaction ratings in five different patient categories: trauma, direct-admit (elective) surgery, emergency department (ED)-admitted (emergency) surgery, ED-admitted medical, and direct-admit medical. "Nurses uniformly come out as the most highly ranked, and that's because they provide wonderful bedside care and have so much contact with the patients," said lead study author Samir M. Fakhry, MD, FACS, vice president of the Center for Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Research for HCA Healthcare, a publicly traded company based in Nashville, Tenn., that operates 187 hospitals and other health care facilities. "But in the case of the trauma patients, and to a lesser degree the emergency surgical patients, physician communication ranked as the number two factor," he said. Among elective surgery and medical admission patients, physician communication didn't register even as a third or fourth factor. "There's something about the way the trauma surgeons are delivering their care that is an important driver of the satisfaction scoring that is provided by our patients," Dr. Fakhry said. The authors noted that no previous large study has investigated overall satisfaction among trauma and emergency surgery patients. Study investigators analyzed Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey data of 186,779 non-maternity patients discharged from 168 HCA Healthcare hospitals in 2018 and 2019. HCAHPS is a post-discharge survey that asks patients about their hospital experience. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services uses HCAHPS data to generate hospital ratings reported on its Hospital Compare website. The survey captures patient impressions of a number of factors about the hospital experience, including communication with doctors and nurses. The researchers found that physician communication had a greater impact on overall satisfaction after accounting for nursing factors among trauma and emergency surgery patients, representing a 12 percent boost in the former and an 8.6 percent boost in the latter. In categories in which physician communication received low ratings, it was unlikely that high scores in other factors could compensate to bring the overall satisfaction score above the 50th percentile. "The things trauma surgeons and the people around them are doing seem to be very important to their patients," Dr. Fakhry said. "For many people in hospital leadership, the trauma service is an important mission of the hospital, but they wouldn't expect the trauma service to contribute very much to a positive patient experience because we're dealing with injured people. However, this study shows trauma care has a significant impact on hospital ratings." The authors noted that future research should explore what specific aspects of the physician's behavior in trauma, emergency surgery, and ED admissions contribute to patient satisfaction. "We like to say in the world of trauma that the 't' in trauma is for team, so it would be important to stress that the team approach we employ in trauma may be an important part of the findings of the study," Dr. Fakhry said. "That's something we're going to explore in future studies to try to determine what it is, specifically, that trauma surgeons are doing, how they relate to the nurses, and if the interaction between the doctor and the nurse are all something we can turn into an even more positive experience for the patient." In an invited commentary, Thomas J. Esposito, MD, MPH, FACS, a professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, noted the study focuses attention on the importance of communication, but also expressed reservations about the "reliability and veracity" of surveys, citing the inaccuracy of pre-election opinion polls in the last two presidential election cycles. "I would encourage these investigators to expand their research and further dive into the data as well as the survey process," Dr. Esposito wrote. ### Study coauthors are Mark J. Lieser, MD, FACS, and John Chipko, MD, of Research Medical Center, Kansas City, Mo.; Tabatha Cooper, MS, of the Data Analytics Research and Reporting, Clinical Operations Group, HCA Healthcare, Nashville; Dorraine D. Watts, PhD, RN, Nina Y. Wilson, MSN, RN, Ransom J. Wyse, MPH, and Jeneva M. Garland, PharmD, RPh, of the Center for Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Research, Clinical Operations Group, HCA Healthcare; Matthew M. Carrick, MD, FACS, of Medical Center Plano in Plano, Texas; and Gina M. Berg, PhD, of Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, Kan. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Fakhry has no conflicts of interest related to this research and study coauthors have no relevant relationships to disclose. Citation: Critical Role of Trauma and Emergency Surgery Physicians in Patient Satisfaction: An Analysis of HCAHPS Data from 186,779 Patients and 168 Hospitals in a National Healthcare System. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. DOI: https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1016/ j. jamcollsurg. 2020. 12. 017 . About the American College of Surgeons An international expert team of the World Health Organization (WHO) will complete their 14-day quarantine, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a daily news briefing on Thursday that the quarantine was in line with standard international practice. He said the expert team would conduct interviews and discussions while complying with China's epidemic prevention regulations, Xinhua news agency reported. "All activities should conform to scientific principles and serve the supreme goal of preventing future risks and protecting people's lives and health," said the spokesperson. When asked to comment on a United States spokesperson's concern about the "fake information" on the origin of the novel coronavirus, Zhao said that any words and deeds with negative presumptions, or attempts to politicize the issue, were inappropriate. He pointed out that the virus's origin tracing is an ongoing process that may involve multiple places and areas. "It is a complicated scientific matter and requires scientists to carry out scientific research and cooperation globally." International scientific research and cooperation on origin-tracing aims to understand the virus, animal reservoirs, and transmission routes, so as to better prevent possible future risks and respond to similar public health crises, said Zhao. "We hope that the United States can work with China, in a responsible manner, respect facts, science, and the hard work of the international expert team, so that they can carry out origin-tracing and scientific research without political interference," he added. A fugitive wanted in the shooting of a man at a boat dealership in Little Egg Harbor earlier this month was captured Thursday in Atlantic City, officials said. Donald Rutter, 61, of Tuckerton was charged with the attempted murder of the 55-year-old Little Egg Harbor resident, as well weapons-related offenses on Jan. 6, one day after the shooting occurred, and had been on the run since that time, according to a statement from the Ocean County Prosecutors Office. On Jan. 5, the Little Egg Harbor police were called to Jarvis Marine on Radio Road after someone dialed 911 and reported that a man had been shot there, the office said. When they arrived, they found that the man had been shot in the midsection, authorities said. The man was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center for treatment and has since been released from the hospital and was reportedly recovering from his injuries, authorities said. No motive for the shooting was disclosed by the prosecutors office. Rutter, who was identified the next day as the alleged shooter, couldnt be found after an exhaustive search of the area involving Little Egg Harbor and Tuckerton police as well as New Jersey State Police, New Jersey State Park Police, the United States Marshals Service, Ocean County Sheriffs Office, and the prosecutors office, authorities said. Rutter was finally located Thursday in Atlantic City and was taken into custody by the United States Marshals Service and lodged in the Ocean County Jail where he awaited a detention hearing, the office said. I am extremely thankful for the outstanding teamwork exhibited by all the law enforcement agencies involved in locating Rutter, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said in a statement. This is a prime example of law enforcement at its best, with our partners at the local, county, state, and federal levels coming together - working tirelessly for more than three weeks - to capture a fugitive from justice. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. English Finnish Municipality Finance Plc Stock Exchange Release 29 January 2021 at 10:00 am (EET) Municipality Finance Plc financial calendar in 2021 In this stock exchange release, Municipality Finance Plc provides its financial calendar for 2021. The calendar includes the planned publication dates of Municipality Finances financial reports. The financial statements of Municipality Finance for the year 2020 will be published on 15 February 2021. An investor webcast on financial statements is arranged in English on 16 February at 2:00 pm (EET). The webcast will be available at https://munifin.videosync.fi/financial-statements-bulletin-2020 . The annual report 2020 will be published around 4 March 2021. On the same date, Municipality Finance will also publish the Pillar III disclosure based on the Capital Requirements Regulation, the Corporate Governance Statement and the remuneration report. The half year report for the period 1 January30 June 2021 will be published on 5 August 2021. The financial reports are published in English and in Finnish. The Annual General Meeting of Municipality Finance Plc is planned be held on 25 March 2021. MUNICIPALITY FINANCE PLC Harri Luhtala Executive Vice President, Finance, CFO Tel. +358 50 592 9454 MuniFin (Municipality Finance Plc) is one of Finland's largest credit institutions: the company's balance sheet totals EUR 41 billion. The company is owned by Finnish municipalities, the public sector pension fund Keva and the Republic of Finland. MuniFin's mission is to build a better future in line with the principles of responsibility and in cooperation with its customers. MuniFin's customers are Finnish municipalities, municipal federations, municipally controlled companies and non-profit housing corporations. Lending is used for environmentally and socially responsible investment targets such as public transportation, sustainable buildings, hospitals and healthcare centres, schools and day care centres, and homes for people with special needs. MuniFin's customers are domestic but the company operates in a completely global business environment. It is the most active Finnish bond issuer in international capital markets and the first Finnish green bond issuer. The funding is exclusively guaranteed by the Municipal Guarantee Board. The Municipality Finance Group also includes the subsidiary company, Financial Advisory Services Inspira Ltd. Read more: www.munifin.fi Anil Agarwal-led reported consolidated net profit of Rs 3,017 crore in the December quarter, up 35 percent from same period last year on the back of higher revenues. The companys net sales in the period under review stood at Rs 22,498 crore, up 6.4 percent from the corresponding period last year as companys aluminium and zinc India business lent firm support to the topline. Net sales were up on higher commodity prices, rupee depreciation and increased volumes at Zinc India and iron Ore business, partially offset by lower volumes at Oil and Gas business, lower power sales in Talwandi SAbo Power Limited, said the company release today. "Our businesses stayed resilient in the quarter amidst uncertain market environment reporting the highest EBITDA in last two years. We continue to ramp up across the Zinc and Iron & Steel verticals along with successful project delivery in the Oil & Gas vertical. Aluminium business has had yet another exemplary quarter as it continued the momentum of cost rationalisation from improved integration and systemic improvements," Sunil Duggal, chief executive officer at Vedanta was quoted as saying. The company reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and ammortisation (EBITDA) of Rs 7,695 crore in the quarter gone by, up 18 percent from same period last year. The EBITDA margin in the period under review stood at 39 percent as against 34 percent in the corresponding period last year. The company's finance cost for Q3 FY21 was at Rs 1,321 crore, up 7 percent year-on-year, mainly on account of increase in gross borrowings and lower capitalisation of interest cost. The company's gross debt at Rs 62,412 crore as on Dec 31, 2020, was up by Rs 3,225 crore as compared to March 31, 2020, majorly on account of temporary borrowing at Zinc India, said the company. "Our balance sheet continues to remain strong with a consolidated Net Debt / EBITDA ratio of 1.5X with improving debt maturity profile. Yet we target to reduce net debt by above Rs 5,000 crore in the coming quarter," G.R. Arun Kumar, chief financial officer at Vedanta was quoted as saying. Meanwhile, the net debt stood at Rs 35,357 crore as on December 31, 2020, higher by Rs 14,084 crore as compared to March 31, 2020, on account of dividend payment and intercompany loan to Vedanta Resources Limited, offset by positive cash flow. "We have cash and cash equivalents of Rs 27,055 crore. The company invests in high quality debt instruments as per the Board approved policy. The portfolio is rated by CRISIL, which has assigned a rating of Tier-I (implying Highest Safety) to our portfolio," the company statement said. For the current fiscal, the company has chalked out a capex of about Rs 600 crore. Of this, the company has used its capex of Rs 350 crore and is expected to end the fiscal with capex spent at Rs 500 crore. Advertisement Boris Johnson tonight demanded the EU 'urgently clarify its intentions' after European leaders imposed Covid vaccine controls on the Northern Ireland border. The Prime Minister said he had 'grave concerns' and urged EU leaders to 'honour their commitments to Northern Ireland' after bloc chiefs moved to override the Brexit trade deal in a major escalation of its vaccine war. In an incendiary move, Brussels rode roughshod over the agreement by imposing controls on the export of jabs to this country, including Northern Ireland. It effectively creates a hard border on the island of Ireland despite the EU repeatedly insisting it would never allow one. The bloc unilaterally invoked emergency powers in the withdrawal deal to stop Northern Ireland being used as a back door for the export of jabs into the rest of the UK. As the vaccine crisis on the Continent spiralled out of control, the bloc publicly rowed with AstraZeneca over its delivery contract, unveiled plans to potentially block millions of jabs from being exported to Britain and was even reported to be considering seizing control of production sites. The move to invoke article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol meanwhile has been slammed by the country's First Minister, Arlene Foster, who tonight accused the EU of an 'incredible act of hostility'. What is Article 16 and why has the EU invoked it? Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol allows either the EU or the UK to override part of the Brexit trade agreement in relation to border controls in Northern Ireland. The protocol itself was designed to avoid a re-emergence of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. But in the deal, both parties agreed to a get-out clause, which could be used if the protocol was thought to be causing 'serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties'. However the EU has now invoked the clause, to put measures on vaccines coming from the EU to Northern Ireland. The move is being introduced amid a huge row between the UK and EU over vaccines supplies, with Brussels accusing the UK of 'hijacking doses'. The row started after Oxford vaccine maker AstraZeneca announced it would not be able to supply as many vaccines as it had first hoped to the EU by Spring. The EU has since unveiled plans for an export ban which could stop 3.5million Pfizer vaccines - made in Belgium - from being exported to the UK. The aim of this move will be to prevent the possibility of the UK bringing vaccines into Northern Ireland 'through the backdoor', by using the controls-free border to bring in vaccines from the EU. Advertisement In a strongly-worded statement, the furious First Minister said: 'This is an incredible act of hostility. The European Union has once again shown it is prepared to use Northern Ireland when it suits their interests but in the most despicable manner - over the provision of a vaccine which is designed to save lives. 'At the first opportunity the EU has placed a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over the supply chain of the Coronavirus vaccine.' Ms Foster also called for Boris Johnson to step in and use 'robust measures' to ensure UK interests are put first. Meanwhile, Irish Premier Micheal Martin has also raised concern. A government spokesperson said: 'We are aware of the issue and the Taoiseach is currently in discussions with European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen to express our concerns.' A Number 10 spokesperson tonight said Boris Johnson had spoken to Mr Martin and expressed his 'concern' about the EUs move. Mr Johnson has also demanded that the EU 'urgently clarify its intentions' and 'what steps it plans to take to ensure its own commitments with regards to Northern Ireland are fully honoured'. A No 10 spokesman added: The UK has legally-binding agreements with vaccine suppliers and it would not expect the EU, as a friend and ally, to do anything to disrupt the fulfilment of these contracts. Meanwhile Michael Gove lodged an angry protest with the vice-president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans. Labour also condemned the move, with Northern Ireland spokesman Louise Haigh urging Brussels to reverse a deeply destabilising decision But the EU tonight stood firm on the move, describing it as a 'justified safeguard measure' to deal with a lack of vaccine supply to its member states. It comes after the EU's vaccine war entered a dangerous new phase today as the bloc introduced rules that will allow it to block life-saving jabs getting to Britain and European politicians accused the UK of 'hijacking' doses. The new controls, which will come into effect on Saturday and last until March, allow the EU to keep track of all vaccines produced on the continent and block exports to certain countries - including the UK, which is expecting to take delivery of another 3.5million Pfizer BioNTech jabs from Belgium in the coming weeks. The rules also back-date to three months ago, giving Brussels the ability to snoop on past vaccine shipments after Brussels accused AstraZeneca of sending doses meant for Europe to Britain. Health minister Stella Kyriakides insisted today that the 'transparency mechanism' is not intended to target any country, even as Croatia's PM branded the UK 'hijackers' while the EU's justice commissioner said Britain had started a 'war'. As the vaccine battle raged on today: An EU bid to pressure AstraZeneca into diverting vaccine supplies from the UK backfired after lawyers said there was no contractual reason to do so; European regulators finally gave approval for the firms vaccine, a month after it won the green light in the UK; The Croatian prime minister appeared to accuse the UK of vaccine hijacking by offering more money for doses; Frances Emmanuel Macron gave an incendiary interview in which he wrongly claimed the AstraZeneca vaccine was quasi-ineffective in older people; The UK vaccination programme powered ahead, with 15 per cent of adults having now received their dose roughly seven times the figure in the EU; A one-shot vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson cleared its penultimate hurdle, with the UK in line for 30million doses; France announced it was closing its borders to non-EU countries except for essential travel. Boris Johnson (pictured) tonight demanded the EU 'urgently clarify its intentions' after European leaders imposed Covid vaccine controls on the Northern Ireland border The move has been slammed by Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster (pictured), who tonight accused the EU of an 'incredible act of hostility'. In a strongly-worded statement (pictured) tonight, a furious Ms Foster said: 'This is an incredible act of hostility. The European Union has once again shown it is prepared to use Northern Ireland when it suits their interests but in the most despicable manner - over the provision of a vaccine which is designed to save lives.' The EU's health commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, (left) said today that vaccine export controls are not targeting any specific country, while Ursula von der Leyen, (right) the German president of the European Commission, said the EU's deal with the pharmaceutical giant is 'crystal clear' The UK has streaked ahead of Europe in terms of the number of vaccines administered, and has now jabbed more than 7million people compared to Germany's 2million Lord Ricketts, a former UK ambassador to France, last night accused Brussels of escalating recklessly in an attempt to get more doses [of the vaccine] from the UK. He added: The EU is all at sea on this. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted: The European Union was originally inspired by Christian social teaching at the heart of which is solidarity. Emmanuel Macron astonishingly claims AstraZeneca vaccine is 'almost ineffective' on over-65s despite EU just giving it the green light France's president Emmanuel Macron has astonishingly claimed the AstraZeneca vaccine is 'almost ineffective' on people who are over 65 years of age. Macron made the explosive comments despite the EU giving the AstraZeneca vaccine full approval to be rolled out to its member states on Friday. His comments came as the EU's vaccine war entered a dangerous new phase on Friday as the bloc introduced rules that will allow it to block life-saving jabs getting to Britain, while European politicians accused the UK of 'hijacking' doses. Speaking to reporters only hours before the European Medecines Agency (EMA) recommended the vaccine for adults of all ages, Macron said there was 'very little information' available for the vaccine developed by the British-Swedish company and Oxford University. 'Today we think that it is quasi-ineffective for people over 65,' he told the reporters, his office confirmed to AFP news agency. 'What I can tell you officially today is that the early results we have are not encouraging for 60 to 65-year-old people concerning AstraZeneca,' he said. Macron said he was awaiting the EMA's verdict - which came later Friday - and also that of France's own health authority 'because they have the numbers'. The French expert decision on the vaccine is expected at the start of next week, according to sources close to the health authority. 'I don't have any data, and I don't have a scientific team of my own to look at the numbers,' Macron acknowledged. Meanwhile, Germany's vaccine commission on Friday maintained its advice against using AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccines on older people, saying it was only 6.5 per cent effective for the age group. 'The reason is because there is currently insufficient data on the effectiveness of the vaccines on people above 65 years old,' said the commission known as STIKO. The advice by the panel of medical experts will be taken into account by the government as it officially draws up its decree on usage of the vaccine. Contrary to Macron's claims, British scientists have insisted that Oxford University's Covid vaccine will work on over-65s. Doctors in England say elderly patients are already turning up worried that they will get a jab that won't work for them because of 'misleading' news reports. But the developers of the vaccine, Britain's regulator and independent scientists say there is 'really good evidence' that the jab will work. Even though it was only trialled on a small number of people over 65 - just 660 - before it was approved, lab tests showed that the immune response was strong, it was safe for people to take and appeared to affect elderly people as well as it did young people, for whom there is data proving it prevents Covid-19. Advertisement Seeking to control the export of vaccines undercuts the EUs basic ethics. They need to work together with others. The bloc yesterday confirmed plans to require vaccine manufacturers to gain approval before exporting batches from the Continent. Dozens of countries were exempted from the measures, including Switzerland. But the UK was included, in a move which could affect supplies here. The UK is expected to receive 3.5million doses of the Pfizer vaccine from its factory in Belgium. The EUs late decision to include Northern Ireland in the restrictions caught London by surprise and appeared to underline the determination of Brussels to restrict exports. In a statement, the Commission claimed it was justified to avoid serious societal difficulties due to a lack of supply threatening to disturb the orderly implementation of the vaccination campaigns in the member states. Commission officials refused to rule out a plan that could lead to their taking control of vaccine production plants but a source said no plan was in action at present. Brussels has been under growing pressure from member states over its sluggish vaccine programme, which has seen inoculations fall far behind the UK. The EU was thrown into a tailspin this week after AstraZeneca warned production problems in Belgium meant supplies would be cut by two thirds in the first quarter of this year. The Commission has piled pressure on the firm to divert supplies from its UK factories. In an extraordinary move, Mrs von der Leyen yesterday published the contract with British-based AstraZeneca, but lawyers said it would not help the Commissions case. While European ministers have publicly insisted that they are entitled to jabs under the terms of the AstraZeneca contract, Steven Barrett - a respected commercial lawyer with the Radcliffe Chambers - told MailOnline that it actually shows the opposite. 'The EU's public position is legally unsustainable, and they have made public comments that are demonstrably wrong,' he said. Pulling apart the EU contract, Mr Barrett pointed to section 5.1 as the most damning, saying that it 'clearly shows' the company is only under a 'Best Reasonable Effort' clause to supply the EU - as boss Pascal Soriot has stated. While section 5.4 does state that factories in the UK are considered to be part of the EU under the terms of the contract, he called this 'a distraction' that 'is not relevant to the EU's point'. 'This is actually a mildly embarrassing climbdown from the EU, who have a rule that all vaccines used in the EU have to be made in the EU. 'What they have done in that clause is say, for the purposes of this contract, the UK counts as the EU.' But, he added, it does not mean they are entitled to doses made in UK factories. In addition, clause 6.2 of the contract states that 'competing agreements' signed by AstraZeneca might affect the supply of vaccines to the EU. 'They knew there would be competing agreements,' Mr Barrett said. 'Everyone in the world knew there would be competing agreements. They knew that might mean doses were delayed. 'I believe the EU is publicly asserting that it now has a right to jump the queue and take doses that belong to other people. That is expressly wrong,' he added. 'This merely is a demonstration that the EU's mishandling of vaccine procurement and the roll-out has become a huge political problem for them,' Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said. 'Their knee jerk response [is] to become protectionists. They are getting hammered, quite rightly, so they are trying to deflect. It is a veiled threat.' Fellow Tory David Jones added: 'It is a form of blackmail that they are engaging in. They have got a dispute with AstraZeneca over the provision of vaccine. 'How is that in any sense remedied by imposing a ban on Pfizer products being exported to the UK? They are behaving like playground bullies by trying to stop the UK from benefiting from the Pfizer vaccine. This crazy.' Meanwhile the EU finally gave approval to the British-designed AstraZeneca jab, a month after the UK, dismissing concerns from Germans that there was not enough data to show it is effective in the over-65s. The European Union is currently embroiled in a very public war of words with AstraZeneca over its jab, after the company announced initial shipments to the bloc would be cut by at least 60 per cent while supplies to the UK would be unaffected. In an attempt to force the issue, the EU today published a version of the contract it signed with AstraZeneca - though a lawyer who spoke to MailOnline said it actually shows their position to be 'legally unsustainable' This is the key paragraph that the EU hopes will bolster its claim to the UK vaccines - though AstraZeneca insists the UK and European supply chains are separate and that delays in one will not affect the other Commercial lawyer pulls apart EU's contract row with AstraZeneca A respected commercial lawyer has pulled apart the EU's argument that it is entitled to AstraZeneca vaccines developed in the UK. Steven Barrett - a respected commercial lawyer with the Radcliffe Chambers - points a clause in the contract, section 5.1, that clearly states the vaccine developer only needs to use its 'Best Reasonable Efforts to manufacture the Initial Europe Doses'. Section 5.4 of the EU's contract with AstraZeneca, which the bloc published earlier today, states: 'AstraZeenca shall use its Best Reasonable Efforts to manfuacture the vaccine at manufacturing sites located within the EU (which for the purpose of this section 5.4 only shall include the United Kingdom).' Mr Barrett claims this is a 'distraction,' that is 'not relevant to the EU's point,' 'What they have done in that clause is say, for the purposes of this contract, the UK counts as the EU.' But, he added, it does not mean they are entitled to doses made in UK factories. In addition, clause 6.2 of the contract states that 'competing agreements' signed by AstraZeneca might affect the supply of vaccines to the EU. It goes on to state: 'AstraZeneca shall not be deemed in breach of this Agreeemnt as a result of any such delay due to the aforementioned competing agreements'. Mr Barrett argues: 'They knew there would be competing agreements. 'Everyone in the world knew there would be competing agreements. They knew that might mean doses were delayed. 'I believe the EU is publicly asserting that it now has a right to jump the queue and take doses that belong to other people. That is expressly wrong,' he added. Advertisement In an extraordinary move, the EU is trying to force the drug-maker to ship jabs made in the UK to the continent to make up for the shortfall, despite the company insisting the two supply chains are separate. Earlier in the day, Brussels published a version of the contract it signed with AstraZeneca to try and force the vaccine-maker to send doses made in the UK to Europe - but appeared to have shot itself in the foot. And in another embarrassing stumbling bloc for the EU, it emerged that they have not purchased any new Novavax shots - which passed phase III trials yesterday - while the UK bought 60million doses five months ago. Meanwhile, in a further blow to the EU's shambolic vaccine roll-out, it emerged today that the bloc has yet to purchase any Novavax vaccines - the latest jab to pass phase III trials on Thursday with an effectiveness of 90%. The UK, where the vaccines will be made, put pen to paper on a deal for 60million doses back in August last year, while the EU only completed 'exploratory' talks in December and is yet to sign up for the jabs. Britain's medical regulators still need to give final approval for the vaccine to be used, but it is expected to enter circulation in late summer. The EU meanwhile, will likely be left playing catch-up with the UK once again. Separately, EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders ramped up the war of words by accusing the UK of starting 'a vaccine war' and saying that Britain has shown 'a lack of solidarity'. 'The EU commission has pushed to co-ordinate the vaccines contracts on behalf of the 27 precisely to avoid a vaccines war between EU countries, but maybe the UK wants to start a vaccine war? 'Solidarity is an important principle of the EU. With Brexit, it's clear that the UK doesn't want to show solidarity with anyone,' he told the BBC. Europe is running desperately short of Covid vaccines meaning its roll-out is now falling badly behind the UK - a shambles that one German newspaper this week described as 'the perfect advert for Brexit' - causing deep embarrassment among EU ministers. The vaccine programme also hit another stumbling block on Friday as it emerged the EU has not yet secured a contract for British-made Novavax vaccines, which passed phase III trials yesterday with a 90% success rate. Ministers only completed 'exploratory' talks to buy Novavax in December last year while the UK put pen to paper on a contract to buy 60million doses back in August, more than five months ago. It means the EU will once again be playing catch-up with the UK, which has so-far jabbed more than 7million people compared to Germany's 2million. In retaliation, the EU has sent inspectors into the Belgian plant at the centre of supply issues - while also demanding that millions of AstraZeneca jabs made in Britain be shipped over to make up for the shortfalls. EU vaccine export ban could cut UK supplies The EU's decision to introduce what amounts to an export ban on vaccines could affect the UK's orders of millions of jabs made abroad. Brussels is currently trying to save face after its desire to introduce jabs across the 27 members states simultaneously left it lagging far behind the UK and other nations like Israel. Today's decision to require companies to have exports to certain countries approved before they are sent contains exemptions for many nations, but the United Kingdom is not on the list. Britain is expecting to receive approximately nine million more jabs over the next three weeks from Oxford/AstraZeneca's factories in Wrexham and Oxford and Pfizer/BioNTech's production centre in Puurs, Belgium. If European leaders decide to blockade vaccine exports across the English Channel, the American drugs company Pfizer could be left unable to ship supplies bound for the UK. This would mean some of the 3.5million doses reportedly set to arrive by mid-February could get stuck inside the EU. AstraZeneca's boss pledged earlier this year that the company would start supplying the UK with two million doses per week from the third week of January. These supplies from the two firms alone would be just enough to cover all of the 8.6million people outstanding in the top vaccine priority groups, but if deliveries are stopped or fall short, the target could be in jeopardy. Boris Johnson has repeatedly this week played down any threat to the UK's vaccine supplies. And his spokesman, asked about the threat by the EU today, said: ''AstraZeneca has clearly stated that it will be able to provide two million doses a week and we have stated we will get them out to people as quickly as possible.' He added: 'The deals we have in place with the seven vaccine developers will ensure our supplies continue to grow.' It is not clear how many doses are already sitting in Britain's warehouses, with ministers refusing to reveal numbers because of security concerns. But No 10 has confirmed that they are distributing vaccines out as soon as they can after they are delivered from the manufacturers. Additionally the Pfizer vaccine has to be kept at -70C in order to work. What this means is that there are unlikely to be large stocks of vaccines sitting in reserve in UK warehouses, ready to take up the slack if there is any cut in deliveries. Last night it was revealed the Novavax jab, which will be manufactured in Stockton-on-Tees, appears to be effective against both the original strain of coronavirus and a mutant strain first identified in Kent. The UK has secured access to 60 million doses of the new vaccine, but it has yet to be approved by the regulator. This means it will be available in the second half of this year at the earliest. Advertisement Ministers have refused to accept explanations given by AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soriot that the EU and UK supply chains are separate, that national favoritism has nothing to do with the delays, and that the true reason is European ministers placed their order three months behind Britain. Ursula von der Leyen, the German president of the European Commission, said the EU's deal with the pharmaceutical giant is 'crystal clear' that supplies would come from four factories including two in Britain. The UK signed a deal with AstraZeneca in May for 100million doses all made at labs in Oxford and Staffordshire and put into vials at a facility in Wrexham. The EU signed up for 100million doses of the British-designed jab three months later in August. Ms von der Leyen said today that AstraZeneca, who warned Brussels this week that its first delivery at the end of March will be down 60 per cent, has offered 'no plausible reasons' for production problems. She told Deutschlandfunk radio: 'There are binding orders and the contract is crystal clear.' She said the contract set out delivery amounts for December and the first three quarters of 2021, and also mentioned four production sites, two of which are in Britain. Her extraordinary statement this morning came as the bloc prepares to today unveil new powers that could see the shipment of millions of vaccine doses to Britain being blocked within days. As the row over the EU jabs shortage intensifies, the European Commission will set out a mechanism to allow member states to refuse vaccine exports. The move will heighten fears about whether Britain's expected supply of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine which is manufactured in Belgium could be disrupted. Britain has ordered 40 million doses. It came as Belgian health authorities revealed they had been sent into an AstraZeneca factory in the town of Seneffe where doses of its vaccine are being made. The commission requested the inspection due to doubts over the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical firm's explanation for its shortfall in deliveries to the bloc. To add to the complications, Germany's top vaccine panel said it is not recommending the AstraZeneca jab only for over-65s because there is not enough evidence on whether it works for the elderly. Tory MP for Clwyd West, David Jones, said: 'German efforts to cast doubt on the efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine make the EU's extreme eagerness to get their hands on it all the more perplexing'. The European Medicines Agency is today due to approve the AstraZeneca jab for use in the bloc but Germany expects the regulator to impose restrictions on who it can be given to. German health minister Jens Spahn told a press conference: 'We're not expecting an authorisation without limits.' Europe is facing increasing pressure to back down over the vaccine row amid warnings that the continent's rhetoric is 'sounding like Donald Trump'. One EU diplomatic source told The Times: 'When some Germans are sounding like Donald Trump it is time for everyone to take a deep breath and count to ten. A vaccine war between the EU and UK is one of the worst things that could possibly happen right now.' But an EU official defended the bloc's hardline stance, telling The Guardian: 'In an ideal world, we would not be here, the whole story of vaccination would run smoothly without any problems. 'But unfortunately we are not in an ideal world, and we have seen over the last weeks that not all works well.' The EU has been left furious by AstraZeneca's announcement that it would have to cut deliveries of its Covid-19 vaccine to the bloc by 60 per cent because of production problems. Brussels has raised questions about whether doses from the factory have secretly been shipped to Britain. That has led to the EU to reconsider whether jabs being manufactured on the continent should be allowed to leave while it is suffering a supply crisis. As a result, under the proposals to be finalised today, customs authorities in EU countries will have to notify the commission every time jabs are being sent outside the bloc. An EU official said: 'There is a possibility in certain circumstances not to allow the export to move forward. We want to ensure we have a say about where these vaccines are ending up.' It means the EU will once again be playing catch-up with the UK when it comes to getting its hands on the new jabs (pictured), having previously delayed a contract for AstraZeneca vaccines by three months The official insisted that a refusal would happen only in 'rare cases' when companies were failing to fulfil their contractual commitments to the EU. The criteria for blocking exports will be published today, with the mechanism expected to come into force within days. European Council president Charles Michel, who chairs meetings of EU leaders, backed the use of legal measures to protect the bloc's vaccine supply. In a letter to the leaders of four member states, he wrote: 'The EU needs to take robust action to secure its supply of vaccines and demonstrate concretely that the protection of its citizens remains our absolute priority.' The EU is facing a shortfall in supply of vaccines after AstraZeneca warned Brussels last week that problems with production in Belgium meant the bloc will receive only a quarter of the 100 million doses it had expected to receive in the first three months of this year. How did the UK end up as one of the world's leading countries on the vaccine roll-out? The UK is one of the world's leading countries when it comes to the speed of the roll-out of its coronavirus vaccination programme - a fact made all the more impressive given where the nation started when the pandemic hit early last year. At that point the country had just one vaccine manufacturing site - a facility in Liverpool which made flu jabs. But the Government quickly set up a vaccine task force in April to make sure the UK was well-positioned to benefit from medical breakthroughs. The experts appointed to the task force reportedly recommended seven projects for investment within its first two weeks, according to The Times. Advance purchase orders were hammered out by the task force with suppliers despite the fact there were no guarantees that any of the vaccines would work or that they would be signed off by regulators. That early work meant the UK was in pole position to receive the jabs, if and when they were shown to be effective and safe. The task force's strategy means two companies have been relied upon to do much of the heavy lifting during the UK's vaccine roll-out: Pfizer and AstraZeneca. The UK ordered 40 million doses from the former and 100 million doses from the latter. Agreements are also in place with a handful of other would-be suppliers should their products get the green light. The speed with which the UK moved on vaccines was perhaps best illustrated this week when Pascal Soriot, the chief executive of AstraZeneca, revealed the deal with Britain was agreed three months before the EU's. The UK's supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine is made at sites in Oxford and Staffordshire before it is put into vials at a facility in Wrexham, while the Pfizer jab is made in Belgium. Every new batch of vaccine in the UK has to be safety tested by the National Institute of Biological Standards and Control in Hertfordshire before it can be sent for delivery. This process takes about four days and once each batch has been rubber-stamped it is taken to secure Government warehouses where the NHS takes over the process and decides where the doses will be sent. The physical roll-out of the vaccine is headquartered from an NHS office in London, with doses sent to more than 1,400 vaccine sites across the country. It is easily the biggest vaccination drive in the history of the health service and many believe it will become an annual programme. Advertisement French health authorities are already struggling with shortages. A number of regions across the country cancelled first-jab appointments that were due to be held in early February, postponing them by at least a month. German health minister Jens Spahn said the country was likely to face a shortage of vaccines until at least April. Spain's Madrid and Cantabria regions have also stopped first vaccinations and are using remaining doses to administer second shots to those who have had the first one. Portugal, where infections and deaths have spiked to record levels after Christmas, said delivery delays meant that people who have top priority including health professionals will all be fully vaccinated by April, around two months later than initially planned. The Netherlands will also struggle to execute its vaccination programme. News of restrictions in Europe come after Nicola Sturgeon was accused of taking the EU's side in the bitter vaccine row as she vowed to publish details of the UK's supplies despite Boris Johnson ordering her to keep them secret. Despite the PM warning that the information must be confidential to protect the rollout, Ms Sturgeon told Holyrood she will release it from next week 'regardless of what they say'. The timing of Ms Sturgeon's intervention yesterday was particularly provocative given that it came as Mr Johnson was on an official visit to Scotland to make the case for the Union. Tory MPs vented fury at Ms Sturgeon - who wants Scotland to be independent and rejoin the bloc - saying she is 'obviously more inclined to help the EU than she is the UK'. Tory MP Peter Bone told MailOnline: 'The simple truth is she has a tendency to support the EU rather than the United Kingdom. 'It is wrong, her behaviour. I would have thought she would praise the success of the UK because Scotland shares in that. If she was in the EU and not part of the UK she would still be waiting for her vaccines. Get behind the UK government and stop playing petty politics.' Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, said it would be 'deeply irresponsible' for Ms Sturgeon to publish the data. Tory former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith accused Ms Sturgeon of 'showboating to try and curry favour' with the EU. Sir Iain told The Telegraph the SNP leader 'should for once in her life, thank the UK Government, for having vaccines so people in Scotland have a better chance of surviving coronavirus than if it was stuck in the EU, which is her dream'. Tory MP Mr Jones accused Ms Sturgeon of 'trying to ingratiate herself with the EU, in the hope that if she won a referendum, Scotland would be allowed to join'. Earlier, MEPs had threatened a 'trade war' with the UK over the supply issue as the bloc continued to pile the pressure on AstraZeneca to bail out its shambolic vaccine rollout. European politicians warned the 'consequences' of refusing to divert stocks of the UK-made jabs to EU would be a ban on exports of the Pfizer version from Belgium - suggesting 3.5million doses due to arrive soon could be at risk. So far both AstraZeneca and Pfizer look to be holding firm against the sabre-rattling from Brussels. It comes after MEPs warned that the UK would 'suffer' for denying the EU, and the bloc's health commissioner insisted Britain should not receive priority even though it signed a contract with AstraZeneca three months before Brussels did. Stella Kyriakides said: 'We reject the logic of first come, first served. That may work in a butcher's shop but not in contracts and not in our advanced purchase agreements.' Cabinet minister Michael Gove said the UK will discuss 'how we can help' the EU's vaccination effort. But asked if the UK might lose out because the EU has not got enough doses, Mr Gove said: 'No. The programme of vaccination has been agreed and assured and the supplies were fixed some time ago and we will make sure that the vaccine programme proceeds exactly as planned.' While AstraZeneca has committed to 'even closer' co-ordination with EU officials, the company stuck firmly to its guns, saying it had been 'open' with the bloc about the 'complexities' of scaling up its vaccine production. The firm also left a small but poignant sting in the tail, with a reminder to European leaders of its commitment to provide millions of vaccines to people across the continent 'at no profit' during the pandemic. In an extraordinary move this afternoon, Nicola Sturgeon risked undermining the UK's position by announcing she will publish details of the country's vaccine supplies from next week It comes as the German press (pictured inset: An article in Die Zeit) turned on Brussels as it denounced the EU's shambolic vaccine rollout as the 'best advert for Brexit' Cabinet minister Michael Gove said the UK will discuss 'how we can help' the EU's vaccination effort. But asked if the UK might lose out because the EU has not got enough doses, Mr Gove said: 'No.' PM and UK health chiefs insist AstraZeneca vaccine IS effective for ALL age groups after Germany claims jab should not be used on over-65s yet Boris Johnson and UK health chiefs insisted the AstraZeneca vaccine works for all age groups after German scientists said they will not recommend it for over-65s because they believe there is not yet enough evidence. The PM and Public Health England struck a bullish note after a Berlin commission said there was 'insufficient data to assess the efficacy of the vaccine for persons aged 65 years and older'. British regulators, by contrast, have approved the jab for all age groups - with AstraZeneca pointing to data published in a medical journal showing that 100 per cent of older adults generated antibodies in trials. Germany's stance comes amid an angry row between the EU and AstraZeneca over vaccine supplies, with the bloc lagging far behind Britain in immunising its population against Covid-19. Although it is possible the position could change with more evidence, it raises the prospect of splits between the UK and EU on what vaccines are regarded as effective - with speculation that in the future travel to some destinations could be contingent on having been inoculated. On a visit to Scotland this afternoon, Mr Johnson said he was not worried about the news from Germany. 'No, because the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) our own authorities have made it very clear that they think the Oxford-AstraZeneca is very good and efficacious and gives a high degree of protection after just one does and even more after two doses,' he said. The PM said the MHRA concluded the vaccine is 'effective across all age groups' and 'provides a good immune response across all age groups'. He added on the German conclusions: 'So I don't agree with that.' Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisations at PHE, said there had been 'too few cases' of coronavirus in older people in Phase 3 clinical trial to determine efficacy in this age group, but other data on immune response had been 'reassuring'. AstraZeneca said: 'The latest analyses of clinical trial data for the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine support efficacy in the over 65 years age group.' Advertisement Britain is on course to produce 60million more Covid vaccines as UK-based Novavax jab passes phase three trial Britain was on course to secure another 60million Covid jabs last night after the latest UK-backed vaccine cleared a crucial hurdle. US biotech firm Novavax announced its vaccine had successfully completed its phase three clinical trials in the UK, paving the way for regulators to give final approval in the coming weeks. Under a deal with the Government, 60million doses of the vaccine will be produced on Teesside for use in this country, in what could prove to be another triumph for Britain's world-leading vaccine programme. Novavax, which will be made at the Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies factory in Stockton-on-Tees according to local reports, last night said the trials had shown its vaccine was 89.3 per cent effective The trial is the first to be completed since the emergence of the new variant of the disease in Kent. Preliminary analysis suggests the vaccine was 85.6 per cent effective against this mutation. The two-shot vaccine still requires final approval from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. But Whitehall sources said that, if the regulatory process goes smoothly, the jabs could start coming on stream this summer, allowing a huge acceleration in the drive to inoculate all adults by the end of September. Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the 'spectacular' results, adding in a tweet: 'Good news that the Novavax vaccine has proved effective in UK trials. 'Thank you to all the volunteers who made these results possible. Our medicines regulator will now assess the vaccine, which will be made in Teesside.' Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said: 'Having taken part in Novavax's vaccine trial myself, I am particularly thrilled to see such positive results.' Advertisement Two Pfizer doses 'are 99.96 per cent effective': Double jab weeks apart prevents almost ALL cases of Covid-19, research in Israel suggests Almost all cases of Covid are prevented with two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, research suggests. Data gathered in Israel which is leading the world in the vaccine rollout found that just 0.04 per cent of those vaccinated with both doses went on to develop coronavirus. Of 700,000 people who were vaccinated, just 300 later contracted the virus, with only 16 requiring hospital treatment, according to preliminary data released by Israeli health officials. The vaccine also protects against the more infectious UK variant of Covid-19, the research suggests. Professor Eyal Leshem, an Israeli infectious diseases specialist, said the reports were 'very good news'. He added: 'The initial findings are quite incredible. 'After one dose, the cases fell substantially and after two, there were just 0.4 per cent. 'Time will tell, we still need to accumulate data but these are very encouraging preliminary reports.' More than 30 per cent of Israel's population has received a vaccine, with several studies into its effectiveness under way. Professor Leshem added: 'On one hand, we're seeing very high community transmission rates with 1,000s of cases every day - the highest rates we've experienced since the beginning of the outbreak. 'But when we look specifically at these hundreds of thousands of Israelis that are vaccinated, they don't get infected. 'And even in those few cases that get infected, they experience a mild disease - only a handful need to go to the hospital, only a handful experienced severe disease and needed to be admitted to the hospital. 'It's what we call real life, ecologic evidence of vaccine efficacy - the high efficacy of the vaccine.' Advertisement Ms Sturgeon's comments came as she was grilled by Tory Ruth Davidson at First Minister's Questions yesterday afternoon. Pushed on why Scotland's vaccinations were happening more slowly than England's, Ms Sturgeon dismissed claims that the authorities north of the border were sitting on supplies. And she referenced a previous row with Westminster when the Scottish government published information about supplies, only to be told to withdraw the material. Ms Sturgeon complained that despite the orders the UK government has been 'briefing' the details out, adding: 'I've said to my officials actually, regardless of what they say, I think we will just go back to publishing the actual supply figures from next week so we all have transparency around that.' According to reports, the Belgian federal medicines agency completed an inspection at the AstraZeneca production site in Seneffe, Hainaut. Samples and records are said to have been taken and another visit is due in the coming days. The firm has blamed a production problem at the site, owned by a French life-sciences company, for the reduction in how much supply the EU can expect. However, there is scepticism in Brussels over the explanation, with un-evidenced claims the UK is being given stocks. A prominent German MEP warned the UK would 'suffer' unless it agreed to the EU's demands to share more vaccine. Peter Liese, who is in Angela Merkel's CDU party, suggested Brussels could block shipments of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, which is made in Belgium. He said: 'The BioNTech vaccine, which is only produced in Europe and has been produced with the aid of the German state and European Union money, has been shipped to the United Kingdom. 'If there is anyone thinking that European citizens would accept that we give this high quality vaccine to the UK and would accept to be treated as second class by a UK-based company, I think that the only consequence can be immediately stopping the export of the BioNtech (vaccine) and then we are in the middle of a trade war. 'So the company and the UK better think twice. When we see Europe is not treated well, not by the United States and not by the UK, then we have to show our weapons. 'We need to tell the other companies in the world if we treat the Europeans as second class, you will suffer for this.' To add to the complications, Germany's top vaccine panel said it is not recommending the AstraZeneca jab only for over-65s because there is not enough evidence on whether it works for the elderly. The panel of scientists said the Oxford/AstraZeneca product was 'considered appropriate' for 18-65 year-olds but should not be used for older people 'based on available data'. 'There is currently insufficient data to assess the efficacy of the vaccine for persons aged 65 years and older,' it said. The commission did not lend any credence to the sensational claim published by German media on Monday that the jab was only eight per cent effective among over-65s, a theory debunked by the manufacturers and German health ministry. Instead, it said there was not enough data to make a decision either way - after AstraZeneca's boss said the 'very ethical' Oxford scientists had slowed down trials on older people until the vaccine was proved to be safe. Downing Street has refused to rule out giving UK vaccines to the EU once the most vulnerable in the country have been inoculated. The Prime Minister's official spokesman was repeatedly asked by reporters whether Number 10 was considering the idea. The spokesman said it 'remains our priority to vaccinate the most vulnerable people across the UK to ensure we can give those who are at clinical risk protection against the virus'. Pushed on whether that left the door open to sending vaccines to Europe once the most vulnerable had been jabbed, he added: 'Phase one includes those who are most vulnerable to the virus that remains our priority to make sure we get vaccines to all those as quickly as possible. 'Phase one is groups one to nine (on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation suggested priority list). The mid-February target is the first four groups within that.' Put to him that after the first nine cohorts had been vaccinated, vaccines could then be shared, the spokesman added: 'I didn't say that.' AstraZeneca warned Brussels last week the problems in Belgium meant the bloc would receive only a quarter of the 100million doses it had expected by April. A spokesman told MailOnline: 'Our CEO Pascal Soriot was pleased to participate in a meeting this evening with the EU's Vaccine Steering Board. 'We had a constructive and open conversation about the complexities of scaling up production of our vaccine, and the challenges we have encountered. 'We have committed to even closer co-ordination, to jointly chart a path for the delivery of our vaccine over the coming months as we continue our efforts to bring our vaccine to millions of Europeans at no profit during the pandemic.' Government sources insisted only once the AZ factories in Oxford and Newcastle-under-Lyme had fulfilled their commitment to the UK will they be free to supply other countries. The UK signed a deal with AstraZeneca last May to supply 100million doses of the vaccine it developed with Oxford University. EU nations placed a joint order for 400million doses from AstraZeneca three months later, in August, to be made at two sites on the continent, as well as the two UK sites. The resultant 75million shortfall in the first three months of this year has caused a major row between the two sides. Tory MP Andrew Bridgen told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'The fact is that we ordered the vaccine three months before the EU. 'The EU are coming out with a very strange excuse for botching their procurement of vaccine at the moment. 'They're saying that the reason it took them three months longer than the UK to order the vaccine is because they were negotiating for better prices for and better value for money, which is ludicrous when the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, our own UK vaccine, is being produced at cost at 3 a dose subsidised by the UK taxpayer. 'I don't know how you get better value for that. 'The EU then insisted on the contract that they did sign with AstraZeneca that they get delivery at the same time as the UK, which had ordered it three months before. 'Obviously that's going to be produced in Belgium at a new facility they're setting up. 'AstraZeneca made the EU aware that was going to be very difficult but they promised to make best efforts, that was in the contract.' Aaron Bell, a Tory member of the Commons science committee, said: 'I understand and sympathise with the EU's disappointment that AstraZeneca is having yield issues at its Belgian plant, but the suggestion that the UK's supply should be diverted to the continent is clearly inappropriate.' Tensions rose when Mr Soriot told European newspapers in an interview on Tuesday that the supply schedule for the EU was not a 'commitment' but agreed as a 'best effort'. He said that as Brussels had signed its supply contract three months later than the UK it had left less time to sort out production 'glitches' at sites on the continent. 'The contract with the UK was signed first and the UK, of course, said 'you supply us first', and this is fair enough,' he added. But Miss Kyriakides flatly rejected the argument and demanded the vaccines being made in the UK for domestic use be exported to the EU. At a briefing in Brussels, she said: 'There is no hierarchy of the factories. The EU's health commissioner last night insisted that Britain should not receive priority even though the UK signed a contract with Astra-Zeneca three months before the bloc did. Pictured: AstraZeneca office building in Brussels Britons dash for last flights home from Dubai before 1pm travel ban comes in TODAY Models and social media influencers are among thousands of British travellers facing a race home today to avoid being stranded in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The scramble to get a flight comes after ministers added the United Arab Emirates to the so-called red list of countries from where travel to the UK is prohibited. Some British passengers including make-up artist Amy Wilson from Glasgow said they had just managed to get home just before the ban on direct inbound passenger flights from the UAE to Britain comes into effect at 1pm today. Ms Wilson tweeted: 'Can't believe how lucky me and Jack have been with flights. Got back from Turkey two hours before the quarantine deadline and getting the last flight home from Dubai before the UK closes its boarders to the UAE. Someone's looking out for me.' But others including Only Fans model Honey Evans from Leeds said they would stay out in Dubai. She tweeted: 'Flights from Dubai to the UK are banned. Guess I have no choice but to stay out here. Shame.' Emirates and Etihad Airways said all UK passenger flights from the UAE have been suspended, although British Airways told passengers that some were still running. Up to 10,000 UK residents are thought to be in the country, which is popular with wealthy winter sun-seekers for its luxurious hotels and beaches. Scores of social media influencers and millionaires have flocked there recently. Ministers announced the move at 5pm yesterday, giving holidaymakers less than 24 hours to scramble for tickets on the handful of direct flights scheduled to arrive in the UK before the deadline. Britons will still be allowed to come back on indirect flights. Business trips to the UAE will no longer be considered essential. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted last night: 'From Friday 29 January at 1pm, we're extending our travel ban with the United Arab Emirates, Burundi and Rwanda all added to the UK's red list. 'This means people who have been in or transited through these countries will be denied entry, except British, Irish and third country nationals with residence rights who must self-isolate for ten days at home.' Advertisement 'You are aware in the contracts there are four factories listed but it does not differentiate between the UK and Europe. 'The UK factories are part of our advance purchase agreements and that is why they have to deliver.' The commissioner said the EU was losing people to the pandemic every day, adding: 'These are not numbers. They're not statistics. These are persons with families with friends and colleagues that have been affected as well. 'Pharmaceutical companies, vaccine developers, have moral societal and contractual responsibilities which they need to uphold. 'The view that the company is not obliged to deliver because we signed a best effort agreement is neither correct nor is it acceptable. 'The 27 European Union member states are united that AstraZeneca needs to deliver on its commitments in our agreements.' Following talks with AstraZeneca, Miss Kyriakides tweeted on Wednesday evening: 'We regret the continued lack of clarity on the delivery schedule and request a clear plan from AstraZeneca for the fast delivery of the quantity of vaccines that we reserved.' It was also reported Britain had ordered enough vaccines for the year - of 367million doses, enough for 5.5 per person - and could end up dishing them out to other countries anyway - meaning EU countries would benefit. A source told the Times: 'There is plenty of vaccine. It exceeds what the government wants to do.' The industry insider also told the newspaper the demands from Brussels were 'political rhetoric' and would be a 'human rights issue' if they did try to divert doses. They said: 'They cannot stop vaccines that are contracted for delivery. Some of these vaccines have already been given to people who are due to receive their second dose. It would be a human rights issue for millions of people if that process was stopped.' Mr Johnson said it would have been a 'great pity' if the UK had stayed in the EU's vaccine programme rather than set up its own plan. 'I do think that we've been able to do things differently, and better, in some ways,' the Prime Minister told MPs. More than a tenth of the UK population has received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. This compares to just 1.75 per cent in France, 1.96 per cent in Germany, 2.50 per cent in Spain and 2.15 per cent in Italy. Meanwhile experts revealed how Britain's vaccine roll out will limit the spread of coronavirus, but by exactly how much will not be made clear until mid-February. Providing a boost to the UK's hopes of ending lockdown, England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam said jabs 'couldn't fail to have some effect on transmission'. He said it was less a question of 'will they?' and rather 'to what extent' will inoculation help to reduce the spread. But Mr Johnson and his chief scientists said last night that experts won't know much effect the coronavirus vaccines are having on the country's epidemic until mid-February. These set of graphs show the number of vaccines ordered by the UK and the EU. The EU has also ordered a number of other vaccines, including 300million Sanofi-GSK doses and 405million CureVac doses The PM said the impact of the jabs won't be felt in hospital and deaths data until then due to the lag in time it takes between getting injected and developing immunity. He told a Downing Street press conference tonight that he would not consider lifting lockdown restrictions until he'd seen concrete 'evidence that those graphs are coming down'. The immunisation drive has only really got up to speed in the last few weeks and it takes between a fortnight and a month for a person to build up immunity. Both the Pfizer and Oxford University vaccines have been proven to block severe illness, so experts hope they'll start to make a dent in the death and hospitalisation rates in the coming weeks. No10's scientists will be monitoring those metrics, specifically in the most vulnerable groups - including the over-80s, over-75s and care homes residents - who are currently receiving the jabs. So far 6.8million, or one in 10, people in Britain have received at least one dose of the vaccines. In three weeks time, when most of those people have protection, experts will expect to see a near 10 per cent drop in hospital admissions. Not all of the people vaccinated will be immune, however, because the jabs are not perfect. Pfizer's is 95 per cent effective at blocking severe disease, while Oxford's is around 70 per cent. Another burning question which will determine how gung-ho ministers can be with easing restriction is to what extent the vaccines stop people from spreading Covid. The Government has commissioned a study to investigate the vaccines and their role on transmission, which is being overseen by Public Health England. It is focused on frontline healthcare workers who've been jabbed. England's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, told a Downing Street press conference earlier this week: 'I think you've got to be extremely cautious and wait until we've got proper data. 'It's too early to say what's happening in the UK. It's being looked at very, very carefully. You shouldn't expect to see nobody getting ill who's been vaccinated. Vaccines are not 100 per cent effective. We will still see people who get disease. 'We will still see people who get severe disease, but it will be much, much reduced with the vaccine, and we need to wait and look at the data and get proper estimates of that rather than try to make early cuts and guesses as to what this is showing.' STEPHEN GLOVER: The day the bullies of Brussels went mad By Stephen Glover for the Daily Mail We have known for a long time that the European Union is a bully. It bullied Greece during the financial crisis which started in 2009, and from the moment the British people voted to leave the bloc, it tried to bully us into submission. But never until now have we seen the increasingly tyrannical nature of the EU and in particular the European Commission in Brussels quite so starkly. It is behaving in a manner that is both disgraceful and more than slightly mad. The Eurocrats really have lost the plot. The Commissions introduction of rules yesterday that will allow it to prevent life-saving jabs getting into Britain even though they have been ordered and paid for is a shamelessly aggressive act. At the same time, Brussels dramatically invoked Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol. This move has effectively removed the province from the EU Customs area, in contravention of an agreement made with the UK. Arlene Foster, Northern Irelands First Minister, rightly called this an incredible act of hostility. So desperate is the EU to ensure vaccines do not leave its territory and find their way into Britain, it is prepared to impose a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. A hard border, it must be said, which it resisted tooth and nail during negotiations with the Government. There is even talk of the Commission invoking powers which would enable it to seize intellectual property and data from pharmaceutical companies. The move would be targeted in particular at the Anglo-Swedish giant AstraZeneca, which Brussels outrageously accuses of withholding vaccines it has ordered. The EU, which is supposed to be a union of liberal democracies friendly to Britain, is acting as though it were an authoritarian state such as Russia or China, with a deeply antagonistic mindset towards a former member. The truth is that Brussels is not only a bully. It is an incompetent one. Whereas Britain ordered hundreds of millions of vaccines from several different sources in good time, the Commission was slow, blundering and inept. Meanwhile, brilliant researchers at Oxford University, supported by AstraZeneca, came up with the goods. Now the Commission is trying to punish this country for what are actually its own multiple errors. It wont work, not least because AstraZeneca has two plants in this country producing vaccines. They will go to the British Government first for the simple reason that it signed an agreement three months before the EU did. One amusing sub-plot of this crazy story is that while the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, insists that Britain must give up tens of millions of its Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines, President Emmanuel Macron of France continues to question whether they are effective for those over 65. Where is Germanys Angela Merkel in all this? Can she and other grown-up leaders of EU countries relish the spectacle of the flat-footed, overbearing and unelected Commission poisoning relations with an ally? Is this really the Europe they want? Perhaps even once-intransigent Remainers will now see the point of our leaving the EU. More than ever before, we should be relieved and grateful to have left this increasingly malign madhouse. By Ajamu Baraka: and Ann Garrison In this interview for Pacifica Radios Covid, Race and Democracy, Ajamu Baraka warned of a new era of totalitarian neoliberalism. January 28, 2021 " Information Clearing House " - Anybody who is in opposition to the hegemony of the neoliberal project is at some point over the next few years going to experience the heavy hand of the state. Ann Garrison: On January 20, we saw Joe Biden carry on about unity behind seven-foot fences topped with razor wire and 25,000 plus National Guard troops deployed . One friend of mine said that this pointed to an irony deficiency. Is there anything you'd like to say about it? Ajamu Baraka: Well, I think it is ironic, but it's quite understandable that the kinds of activities that the US has been involved in promoting and supporting globallyundermining democracies, subverting states, undermining and destroying any semblance of the rule of lawhave basically come back to haunt them. You have a militant movement in the US partially inspired by the inability of the state and the system to address their material interests and to look at their concerns regarding their own understanding of democracy and its deficiencies. They feel like they lack space to articulate those views, and theyve decided to engage in militant actions to make sure that their voices are heard, and they believe that they are upholding democracy. And their experience with the state made them feel justified in advancing their concerns about democracy in violent forms. The state has demonstrated to them that the way you defend democracy is through state violence. So they were taking their defense into their own hands and bringing it right back to the center of empire. Some of us call that blowback. AG: For the past four years, liberals on the coasts have excoriated the white working class in the middle of the country, whom they perceive to be deplorable Trump supporters. Do you think that this is helpful? AB: No. Not only is it not helpful, it is inaccurate and it has helped to create the narrative that many of these forces have embraced; that is the centerpiece of their grievances. They believe that liberals and the liberal order have not addressed their needs, their interests. They believe that the economic elites are only out for themselves and that therefore they needed to rally behind Trump, a billionaire who claimed that he understood their interests and would fight for them because nobody else was. So this characterization of them as deplorables, and as either Nazis or Nazi-like, is not only not helpful but also contradictory in the sense that those folks who level those charges still have not been able to explain why the Trump presidency happened. For example, some nine million people who voted for Trump in 2016 had voted for Barack Obama in 2012. Liberals can't explain why, after four years of constant anti-Trump rhetoric, the Trump forces expanded their ranks by another 11 million voters. So this is something in play that's a little bit more sophisticated than these people just being deplorables or Nazis. And that something has to be interrogated. It has to be extracted. It has to be understood if you're going to have a politics to counter it. And right now the liberals have not understood where these elements are coming from because they have basically painted those 75 million people as a monolith of deplorables. The neoliberals have constructed a politics that is going to result in a continuation of the same conditions, politically and economically, that created what they pretend to be most opposed tothe Trump movement. So this is the failure of imagination, the failure of critical analysis, the embracing of illusions that has characterized much of the politics in the US for a couple of decades now. And we see the consequences of that with us every day. AG: In the 48 hours after Biden became president, Israel bombed Syria, killing a family of four, a US convoy of trucks crossed into Syria to steal oil yet again, a double suicide bombing in Baghdad killed 32 people and Foreign Affairs, the journal of the US Council on Foreign Relations, published a piece with the headline Th e M yth of a R esponsible W ithdrawal from Afghanistan , which said, the Biden administration should accept that there is no feasible middle way for a responsible withdrawal. What do you think is next? AB: The continuation of policies that have resulted in the US being bogged down in Afghanistan for two decades, policies that will ensure that the wars that the US is involved in will continue. There will be a continuation of the commitment to US global full-spectrum dominance. In other words, violence is still at the center of the neoliberal project. And they intend to reintroduce that instrument under the Biden administration. There were reports leading up to the election that Democratic Party-associated elements were secretly suggesting to the Afghan authorities that they would not have to worry about a peace process being executed once Joe Biden came to power. And they made the argument using some of the same terms and framework that we saw in that article in Foreign Affairs, that the US had a responsibility to remain in Afghanistan. And so they will fully prepare to undermine whatever progress was made for extracting US forces from that territory. There will be a continuation of the commitment to US global full-spectrum dominance. So we're not surprised to see the kind of elements that Biden has brought to his administration. These people were part of the Obama Administration, and they are committed to the US national security strategy, which is attempting to maintain US global hegemony using the instrument that they believe they are dependent on now, which is in fact global violence. AG: Yesterday, I signed a petition to Twitter to restore @real Donald Trump , the Twitter account of the 45th president of the United States. I didn't share the petition on my social media pages because I didn't want to have to fend off a lot of cancel culture, but I had enough faith in Pacifica to think I wouldn't get kicked off the air for sharing it in the broadcast version of this conversation. What do you think of Twitters suspension of Trump and 70,000 more accounts that they said were linked to the QAnon conspiracy theory? AB: I think it was quite troubling. I understand the disgust, the revulsion people have to Donald Trump. We know who Donald Trump is. He's a sociopath, he's a white supremacist. Hes despicable, but Donald Trump is, in fact, America. Donald Trump represents the kind of attitude and the kinds of values that made the US settler state what it is today. So, this notion on the part of the liberals that he is some kind of aberration is completely ridiculous. In fact, it's ahistorical, but because of the disgust and because of the very serious legitimation crisis the US is facing, and the concern that neoliberal politicians have with the possibility of a return of Donald Trump, they have used the incident on January 6th as their opportunity to not only target Donald Trump as a person, but to target his movement, to undermine an above ground, legal political tendency, a tendency that generated 75 million votes. If they can move against Donald Trump and make a connection between his speech and what occurred on January 6 in order to justify a permanent ban on someone who was the President of the United States with 88 million followers, then arbitrarily take down these other accounts that they say are conspiratorial, and if people then cheer because they hate Donald Trump, we are seeing a monumental mistake being made by liberals who think that this state is their friend, and that this state will get rid of Donald Trump, but somehow be able to maintain a commitment to civil liberties. Donald Trump represents the kind of attitude and the kinds of values that made the US settler state what it is today. No, they are in fact conditioning the public to accept the constraints of civil liberties, or to have faith in private capitalist entities to determine what is acceptable speech and information that can be disseminated. I believe they are, in essence, setting up the kind of dystopia that we see in science fiction movies, where you have corporate interests that have a complete and total control over every aspect of our lives. And of course, complete and total control over the ideals that are disseminated in those kinds of totalitarian society. So, this is a quite troubling and even more troubling because so many people don't recognize that its dangerous. But it's quite slick because, like you said, you don't want to share your petition because you know people would go crazy if you said in public that you believe that Donald Trump's rights have been violated. So, this is a quite dangerous moment because what we see, in my opinion, is the hegemony of irrationality. AG: Neoliberal militarists are comparing the Capital Riot to 9/11 and using it to justify the further militarization of Washington DC and Biden's domestic terrorism bill . At the same time, he has appointed infamous militarist Susan Rice to a new position, Director of Domestic Policy. Who do you think will become domestic targets during the Biden-Harris years? AB: Anyone who is involved in oppositional politics, including those elements that are part of the Black Lives Matter movement, and anyone else who questions US colonial policies. Anyone who will advance sharp analysis of the capitalist state, who will question some of its dominant ideals, who might even suggest that police forces should be withdrawn from certain neighborhoods. And anyone who would advocate better relations with the so-called adversaries of the US, like the Chinese and the Russians. Theres no telling what is going to be seen as acceptable speech and political practice because we are entering a new totalitarian era. So I think anybody who is in opposition to the hegemony of the neoliberal project is at some point over the next few years going to experience the heavy hand of the state. Let me just say this about the state that we've been talking about. People say that these Big Tech entitiesTwitter, Facebook, Google, YouTube, etceteraare private corporations, and that therefore they have no obligation to protect free speech rights: We need to make a correction. These entities are of course private, but the essence of neoliberalism is the spinning off of elements of the state that are public to private entities. So what we have with these Big Tech companies is, in fact, the spinning off of the function of speech monitoring and massive surveillance to these private companies. These companies are in fact, from my point of view, part of the ideological state apparatus. They are part of the state, just like the private corporate media is part of the state. So we have to expand our understanding of what we refer to as the state. AG: A lot of people are frightened, particularly Black, Brown, and Jewish people, and most likely Asians now given all the bipartisan China-bashing underway. People, especially in these communities, have good reason to be frightened. And a lot of people are using the word fascist as they have for the past four years. But you've warned that neoliberal fascism will also get worse. Could you tell us what you mean by neoliberal fascism? AB: Well, first let me say that it's quite understandable, and we should be quite concerned about some of the more hardcore elements that we associate with the traditional right, who are quite capable and seem to be committed to using various methods to advance their political project. We saw some of those elements in the Capitol on January 6. So it's understandable that we be concerned with that, but I've been warning people also that we should be more concerned with the neoliberal elements that control the state and did even during the time that Donald Trump was occupying the executive branch. We have to remind ourselves, or at least come to the understanding, that neoliberalism is a right-wing ideology. It is a right-wing set of policies, including privatization, deregulation, globalization, so-called free trade, austerity, and reductions in government spending, all to empower the private sector and diminish the public sector. Neoliberalism has to be connected to its essence, which is neoliberal capitalism. The turn to neoliberalism was born out of an act of violence. A neoliberal capitalist project was imposed on the people of Chile after the assault and the overthrow of Salvador Allende in 1973. So this is a right-wing, violent phenomenon. Okay? Now it's been able to dress itself up in the garb of state respectability, but it is a rightist tendency. And so that right-wing, neoliberal, totalitarian element is the element that is now constricting the range of acceptable political activity. They are the ones that re-introduced McCarthyism, McCarthyism 2.0. They are the ones that are now moving to smash this political opposition in the form of the Trump movement. They are the ones that have allowed the FBI to create first, the Black identity extremist category to target us and to modify that with another term but the same objectiveto target and undermine Black radical political opposition. So I've been making the argument that while we have been watching the theatrics of Donald Trump, the neoliberal state has been systematically conditioning the people to accept a new kind of totalitarianism. We've always had totalitarianism, but this is a new kind that will, they believe, ensure the continuation of their dominance. That right-wing, neoliberal, totalitarian element is the element that is now constricting the range of acceptable political activity. And I'm suggesting to people that, even though we hate Donald Trump and the traditional right, we are in a position now where we have to defend their traditional bourgeois rights as well as our own, and not allow the acceptable space of political, ideological opposition to be reduced. We know that the state will reconcile with the right. Their real opposition and the basis for a potential cross class united front is opposition to socialists and communists, those of us on the left. And we on the left we are the real targets of this settler political state. So we've been trying to warn people to be vigilant and not allow themselves to be manipulated by these very powerful forces. And it's very difficult because they control all of the major means of communications and thought dissemination. But we've got to, to the extent that we can, present an alternative perspective so that we can build the kind of opposition we have to build if we're going to survive this critical period. AG: So it sounds like you think there's more we can do than duck and cover. AB: We have to. Those of us who have been part of the Black Liberation Movement, we have survived because we have resisted, and we also have survived because we know that we have been through the worst. You see, this thing referred to as fascism is nothing new for us, a colonized people, people who have been enslaved. It has typically been called fascism only when white people do certain things to other white people. When the Nazis were studying, how they were going to construct laws in Germany, they were studying the apartheid system in the US. The Germans practiced building concentration camps in their murderous assault on the territory today referred to as Namibia. So it's when these policies of brutality, of systematic violence, of rape, when they are moved from the periphery, from the colonial periphery to the Global North, that's when they become Hitlerist, the ultimate expression of violence. King Leopold II in the Congo? Thats written off. It's not something thats important, even though 10 million African people lost their lives. And we don't quantify the level of irrational violence, but we do say that we have an experience with this kind of irrational violence. And so we know we have to resist. And so we know that Donald Trump is not the worst US president. We know that things can in fact get worse. And what we do and have done is to prepare our forces, to resist, and to try to provide leadership to other resistors. Because we know even though it will get more difficult, we know that we are still on the right side of history. And there are enough people of conscience in this country who believe that we can build a new, better world. We believe that once we can organize ourselves, even though it may be difficult for a while, we have a real possibility of not only surviving, but also transforming this backward society. Ajamu Baraka is the national organizer of the Black Alliance for Peace and was the 2016 candidate for vice president on the Green Party ticket. Baraka serves on the Executive Committee of the U.S. Peace Council and leadership body of the United National Anti-War Coalition (UNAC). He is an editor and contributing columnist for the Black Agenda Report and contributing columnist for Counterpunch. He was recently awarded the US Peace Memorial 2019 Peace Prize and the Serena Shim award for uncompromised integrity in journalism. Ann Garrison is an independent journalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2014, she received the Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza Democracy and Peace Prize for promoting peace through her reporting on conflict in the African Great Lakes Region. Please help support her work on Patreo n . She can be reached on Twitter @AnnGarrison and at ann(at)anngarrison(dot)com. Over the past 12 months, drone strikes have shifted the trajectory of conflict from Yemen and Libya to the Caucasus. Looking at some of the most prolific powers in the drone world, such as Iran and Turkey, it is clear that the new era of drones has changed the rules of war, Washington Post reported. A total of 102 countries have programs to develop and produce military drones. Some governments use the power and prestige of unmanned aerial vehicles to project national interests; others use drones to act outright, pursuing political goals remotely. And at least 57 armed groups are capable of launching drones. Iran develops sophisticated drone systems Drones are a valuable tool in the Iranian arsenal. The Iranian drone program has been complemented by sophisticated self-made drones that it supplies to regional allies. General Qassem Soleimani allegedly orchestrated the delivery of drones to Iran, adopting a strategy to ensure that other governments and groups in the region use the same or similar drones. This tactic makes it nearly impossible to determine who delivered the killing blow to the drones, and therefore who should be held accountable. Houthi rebels in Yemen exemplify this drone denial strategy. In 2019 and 2020, the Houthis used Iran-supplied drones to assassinate, disrupt lucrative oil refining, and strike cities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Following drone attacks in September 2019 on Aramco's oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the international community has had a particularly hard time finding those responsible. The Houthis initially announced the attack and used Iran-supplied technology to strike. However, conflicting evidence suggests Iran is directly responsible. This plausible denial, and the comfortable confusion that followed, has hampered the international community's efforts to bring those responsible to justice. Turkey's foreign policy increasingly relies on drones Turkey has become one of the most active drone users in the world, relying heavily on them to showcase its prestige and power. The workhorse of the Turkish Armed Forces is the Bayraktar TB2 - a combat drone developed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's son-in-law Selcuk Bayraktar. These drones have played a key role in Erdogan's ambitious plans to spread Turkish power in the region and support key allies. In recent months, Turkey has deployed drones in Syria, northern Iraq, and the Caucasus - and has used drones to defend its oil claims in the Mediterranean. Turkey also intervened in the war in Libya using its drones in what one UN official called the largest drone war in the world. Thanks to this success, Turkey was also involved in another major conflict in 2020. While Armenia and Azerbaijan fought for air supremacy over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus, Turkey supported the Azerbaijani military. In December, Armenia agreed to surrender part of the disputed territory. What does the future hold? The actions of Iran and Turkey symbolize a broader trend in international conflict: countries increasingly rely on drones. This trend is likely to intensify as China and the US continue to sell drones to their allies. Trump has tried to counter the influence of China's drones by advocating weakening U.S. regulations on drone exports. In the final weeks of his presidency, Trump has pushed for the sale of drones to key allies such as Morocco, the UAE, and Taiwan. However, these sales can backfire. As drones change the scale and rules of the modern battlefield, drone misuse will become increasingly likely, either due to more attacks without a clear culprit or from mid-sized forces that are determined to engage in more serious conflict. It may be too early to tell if President Biden will continue to sell and deploy drones in the same way Trump did. But as more governments and nongovernmental groups acquire high-tech drones, it will become easier to be an engaged and distant participant in conflicts that play out in an increasingly cloudy and congested sky. A leading phonemaker in China has unveiled remote charging technology it claims can power up your phone from 'several feet away.' Xiaomi boasted on Friday that its Mi Air Charge Technology, enables users to remotely charge electronic devices without any cables or wireless charging stands. The system works with phones, smartwatches, fitness bracelets and other wearables, the company says, and can charge multiple devices at the same time. In addition, walls and other physical obstacles wont diminish its charging power. Also on Friday, Motorola posted footage on Weibo of its own remote charger, which has a three-foot radius. Scroll down for video Xiaomi says its new Mi Air Charge Technology allows an isolated charging 'pile' to power up a phone from 'several meters away' The Mi Air Charge system relies on space positioning and antenna arrays. The isolated charging tower, or pile, has five phase interference antennas built in to detect a smartphones exact location. A phase control array composed of another 144 antennas transmits millimeter-wide waves directly to the phone. Xiaomis smartphones will be outfitted with a receiving antenna array that will convert the millimeter-wide waves into energy to turn the sci-fi charging experience into reality. The technology can charge multiple devices at once at works with phones, smartwatches and other wearables The company is hoping the Mi Air Charge is the first step in banishing power cords altogether, with smart home products all charging remotely from the same source. The company didnt say how long it would take to charge a fully spent phone, but wireless chargers are rated by output in watts (W) and anything 18W or higher is considered fast charging. The Mi Air Charge isnt that powerfulits only 5 wattso presumably, users will sacrifice speed for convenience and safety. A spokesperson confirmed the technology 'is completely safe.' 'The radiation is actually very low, it will do no harm to human body,' they said in an email to the Daily Mail, adding that the system 'will run rigorous tests before commercialization ... and strictly comply with official safety standards of each country where they are sold.' In October Xiaomi rolled out an 80-watt charger that it claimed could fully charge a smartphone battery in less than 20 minutes. Xiaomi says physical obstacles won't diminish the system's charging power The system would fill a standard 4,000 mAh battery the same as is in the new Google Pixel 5 to 10 percent capacity in one minute, 50 percent in eight minutes and 100 percent in 19 minutes. The Beijing-based company said it was 'an order of magnitude' ahead of other smartphone brands. 'The introduction of 80W Mi Wireless Charging Technology is expected to set a new benchmark not only in the area of wireless charging but in charging as a whole,' Xeomoi said in a blog post. 'Xiaomi has been spearheading this trend by recognizing the importance of battery life and faster charging for the future development of smartphones.' Both the Mi Air Charge and 80W Mi technology are still in the development stage and are neither is slated to be part of any current Xiaomi devices. A phase control array composed of 144 antennae inside the charging station transmits millimeter-wide waves directly to the phone Last month, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun confirmed that when the companys Mi 11 drops on February 8, it wont have a charger. Lei didnt hint at a remote charging solution, but did address the environmental toll of the billions of power adapters in the world. 'Today everyone has a lot of idle chargers, which is both a burden to you and on the environment,' Lei said, asking, 'Is there a better solution between industry practice and environmental protection?' The same day Xiaomi unveiled its Mi Air Charge, Motorola posted footage of its own remote charger on Weibo. Lenovo Chinas General Manager Chen Jin posted the clip, which shows Motorolas over-the-air system charging multiple phones remotely. It's reach is only about three feet away, though, less than Xiaomi's. Motorola's transmitter can also be blocked by hand to stop the remote charging, Android Authority reported. home World South Sudan: Aid agencies plead for peace efforts after deal reached UK aid agencies including Tearfund and Christian Aid have used the International Day of Peace today to highlight the need for peace in South Sudan. With Oxfam, CAFOD, Mercy Corps, Saferworld and Conciliation Resources, the agencies released a statement urging support for the peace deal between warring parties signed on September 12. It says: 'Peace is the first and foremost priority to our partners and the communities we work with in South Sudan. We want to reiterate our solidarity with South Sudanese women, men, boys and girls who bear the brunt of the devastating conflict which broke out in December 2013. 'We are gravely concerned about the continuation of violence which has forced more than 4.3 million people to flee their homes. The conflict has led to 7 million people in South Sudan requiring humanitarian assistance. Up to 2.4 million children are out of school in the country a the highest proportion of out of school children in the world. 'In the wake of the signing of the peace agreement last week, all sides need to immediately stop all hostile and violent action. The implementation of the peace agreement should be a key priority for all parties and any other interests should be put aside.' The statement says peace needs 'more than a formal agreement', stressing the need for local community-based reconciliation and peace-building projects. It says: 'Civil society, youth groups, diaspora communities, women's groups and faith-based organisations can play a key role in the prevention and resolution of conflict in South Sudan. Exclusion of these groups from peacebuilding efforts a at national, regional or local-level a marginalises the voices of ordinary South Sudanese. Building sustainable peace is a long-term process and empowering people to reconcile their differences locally and end violence is an achievable and crucial step forward.' Source: Christian Today Two new datasets published to LawAtlas.org today offer a comprehensive look at state laws that address earned sick leave and Ban the Box. The datasets provide a snapshot of how these employment-focused laws differ between states, and highlight opportunities for states to expand these evidence-based regulations. "States have a critical role to play in promoting the health and well-being of their residents. These data provide a clear picture that opportunities exist nationwide for states to foster equitable economies in which job seekers are evaluated on their merits and workers have access to paid leave benefits to care for themselves and loved ones," said Adam Lustig, MS, Manager and Co-Principal Investigator of the Promoting Health and Cost Control in States initiative at Trust for America's Health. The datasets were created using policy surveillancea high-quality scientific method for developing legal databy the Center for Public Health Law Research at Temple University's Beasley School of Law in collaboration with TFAH, and with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "We have seen a growing body of evidence supporting the fact that earned sick leave laws and Ban the Box laws are important legal approaches to ensuring equity in hiring in the United States," said Lindsay K. Cloud, JD, Director of the Center's Policy Surveillance Program. "These datasets are an invaluable resource as we continue to seek to better understand the impact of employer-provided protections and fair chance hiring practices on health, and particularly on the social determinants of health amid the COVID-19 pandemic." Earned Sick Leave Laws As of January 1, 2021, 15 states and the District of Columbia have an earned sick leave law that requires employers of varying sizes to provide paid time away to address medical needs for themselves or their families as a benefit to their employees. Across states, eligibility requirements, employer size, how and when an employee may use their time, and rate of leave accrual of the laws vary: All 16 jurisdictions allow earned sick leave to be used to care for a family member. Geographically, earned sick leave policies are almost exclusively in place in the northeast and on the west coast, with Colorado, Arizona, and Michigan being exceptions. Of the 16 jurisdictions that have earned sick leave laws, just six require employers of all sizes to provide this benefit. Only two states, New York and Colorado, allow employees to use earned leave immediately upon accrual. Eight states provide the most generous accrual of earned sick leave, enabling workers to earn one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked. By contrast, DC provides an accrual rate of 1 hour for every 87 hours worked for employers with 24 or less employees. Washington is the only state that does not specify a limit on the amount of earned sick leave that can be accrued within one year. Ban the Box Laws As of January 1, 2021, 36 states and the District of Columbia have a Ban the Box law that prevents an employer from asking about a potential employee's criminal history until after fairly considering the applicant's relevant qualifications. These laws vary greatly in who they apply to, and their enforcement mechanisms: Thirty-six jurisdictions have Ban the Box laws that regulate public employers. However, significant gaps remain as only three of these jurisdictions' ban the box policies apply to government contractors. Only 15 of the 37 jurisdictions with Ban the Box laws regulate private employers, leaving a significant portion of the workforce lacking access to this important fair hiring practice. The most common positions exempt from Ban the Box laws regulating private employers include: working with children, working with vulnerable adults, law enforcement, and positions where a criminal history check is required by law. Access the datasets on LawAtlas.org. Trust for America's Health is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community and makes the prevention of illness and injury a national priority. Learn more at www.tfah.org The Center for Public Health Law Research at the Temple University Beasley School of law supports the widespread adoption of scientific tools and methods for mapping and evaluating the impact of law on health. Learn more at phlr.org. Explore further New data show a number of opportunities exist for states to lift working families out of poverty with the earned income More information: Promoting Health and Cost Control in States Initiative: State Policy Project. Center for Public Health Law Research Policy Surveillance Program. Promoting Health and Cost Control in States Initiative: State Policy Project. Center for Public Health Law Research Policy Surveillance Program. lawatlas.org/page/promoting-he state-policy-project Who is Justice Pushpa, who said groping child without 'contact' is not sexual assault? India oi-Briti Roy Barman New Delhi, Jan 29: Recently the Bombay High Court has pronounced that pressing 12-year-old's breast without 'skin to skin contact' doesn't come under POCSO Act's 'sexual assault' definition or opening pant zip, holding girl's hands not sexual assault. The Bombay High Court verdict regarding a case of groping of a minor girl sent shockwaves for its controversial statement. The case involved a 12-year-old girl who had reportedly been groped by a 39-year-old man in December 2016. Justice Pushpa Virendra Ganediwala was on the single judge bench. Born in 1969, Ganediwala got gold medals in B.Com, LL.B. and LL.M. exams. She cleared NET-SET exam in first attempt and was Honorary Lecturer in various colleges. She practised in Amravati District Court. She was panel Advocate for various Banks and Insurance Companies. She was directly appointed as District Judge in 2007 and held postings as City Civil Court, Mumbai; District Court and Family Court at Nagpur; Joint Director of Maharashtra Judicial Academy (MJA); Principal District and sessions Judge, Nagpur; Registrar General, High Court of Judicature at Bombay and also Principal Judge at City Civil Court, Mumbai. She was elevated as Bombay High Court's Additional Judge in 2019. The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Bombay High Court's controversial order acquitting an accused, which had stated 'skin-to-skin' contact necessary to be classified as sexual assault under the POCSO Act. Attorney General KK Venugopal said the order would set a dangerous precedent. PM Modi on what to expect from Union Budget 2021 | Oneindia News Following the first incident, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has held that "the act of holding a girl's hands and opening the zip of pants will not come under the definition of sexual assault" under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012. The act instead comes under the ambit of "sexual harassment" under Section 354-A (1) (i) of the Indian Penal Code, observed the bench. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 17:14 [IST] The Vietnam Maritime Administration (VMA) plans to set up a working group to inspect the hike in freight rates among shipping companies that have routes to Europe and America. In a recent interview with Vietnam News Agency, deputy head of the VMA Hoang Hong Giang said the move aimed to remove difficulties for export activities and ensure transparency in the listing of freight prices. Giang attributed the price hike to the strict border controls and limited trade activities during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Many seaports, especially in Europe and America, are in a state of stagnation due to a lack of manpower. This results in millions of congested containers at ports or borders, causing a shortage of empty containers for packing, Giang said. Some seaports applying isolation measures also leads to longer ship turnaround times than before. Another reason was the increase in import demand of America and Europe for goods from China and Asia, Giang said. The increased demand led to an imbalance between the volume of goods exported and imported from October 2020. In 2020, the volume of export containers increased, up 13 per cent over the same period last year, reaching 7.38 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), while the volume of imported goods increased 8 per cent, reaching 7.27 million TEUS. During the last three months, freight rates had soared to US$8,000, even to $10,000 in certain cases, from less than $1,000 at the beginning of 2020. It has sharply driven up expenses for exporters and raised concerns over a lack of transparency and inadequate price management of containers, he said. Besides rising freight rates, many businesses couldnt occupy room on ships due to the lack of empty containers, goods ready for export thus couldnt be transported, leading to rising inventories, he said. As many as 90 per cent of Vietnamese enterprises inked import contracts with the CIF (cost, insurance and freight) condition, and export contracts with the FOB (free on board) condition. Under these contracts, foreign partners were mainly responsible for shipping phases. However, due to the increased rates, the foreign partners required Vietnamese enterprises to share the added cost, he said. "The continuous increase in freight rates and surcharges has caused many difficulties for businesses, increasing transportation and storage costs, affecting production and distribution of goods. It is now the peak season for exported goods such as agricultural and aquatic products, but goods are not delivered on time. Therefore, the contracts were cancelled by foreign partners. The materials imported to Viet Nam to serve production were also delivered late, causing the production lines to be interrupted. If this situation continues, some businesses will even have to shut down production, Giang said. In order to remove difficulties for shipping, VMA had directed the port authorities to co-ordinate with State management agencies at seaports to speed up the procedures for ships entering and leaving ports, facilitating large-tonnage ships to enter and exit, requiring seaport enterprises to increase their operational efficiency, make the most of their resources to release ships quickly and prevent delays in the cargo handling process. Regarding the listing of prices, VMA had issued a document requiring shipping companies to strictly list their charge rates publicly and transparently, increasing prices in accordance with the provisions of law. So far, shipping lines had not strictly followed the regulations, Giang added. VMA had proposed the Ministry of Transport to co-ordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance to set up a working group to inspect the increase in freight rates and surcharges of shipping lines that have routes to Europe and America. It also sent a petition to the Ministry of Transport, urging it to consult the Ministry of Finance to direct the customs forces at ports to speed up the clearance of backlogged containers so that enterprises have empty containers for transportation. According to a report by the VMA, the volume of container cargo through the local seaports in 2020 reached 14.65 million TEUs, up 10.6 per cent compared to 2019, in which the export container volume was 7.38 million TEUs, up 13 per cent year-on-year, imported ones were 7.27 million TEUs, up 8 per cent compared to 2019. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the volume of goods exported and imported overseas still saw stable growth. However, in the last months of 2020, import-export businesses faced many difficulties due to rising sea freight rates and a lack of empty containers. Regarding the volume of empty containers, as of mid-January this year, the total number of empty containers stored at seaports reached 40,946, of which 40-feet containers account for 70 per cent. Such an amount was just enough to meet the average export volume over 3 to 4 days, Giang said. VNS Chinese smartphone maker, Xiaomi has launched Mi Air Charge, a new wireless charging system where multiple devices can be charged at 5W at the same time and even with physical obstacles. The brand new Mi Air Charge comes with an in-house isolated charging pile with a phase control array that consists of 144 antennas transmitting millimetre-wide waves. Xiaomi reportedly claims to have a technology that will also work with smartwatches and fitness bracelets and the company aims to make living rooms truly wireless, with speakers, lamps, and smart home devices all being powered by the same remote system. The smartphones that can work with Mi Air Charge will need an antenna array with a built-in beacon antenna and receiving antenna array. In a blog post, the company revealed that Beacon antenna broadcasts position information with low power consumption. The receiving antenna array composed of 14 antennas converts the millimetre wave signal emitted by the charging pile into electric energy through the rectifier circuit, to turn the sci-fi charging experience into reality. Apart from smartphones, it would work with smartwatches, bracelets, and other wearables in the near future. Motorola also claims to be making its proprietary wireless charging technology that could charge smartphones over a distance of up to one metre. Soon our living room devices, including speakers, desk lamps and other small smart home products, will all be built upon a wireless power supply design, completely free of wires, making our living rooms truly wireless, the company 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. HONG KONG, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Global leaders and experts agree that China and the United States remains the world's most crucial relationship, and the two must work together to combat global challenges. During a three day virtual forum "US-China Relations: The Way Forward", hosted by the China-U.S. Exchange Foundation (CUSEF) and the China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE), speakers examined the new and existing global challenges facing U.S.-China relations and the key areas that the two countries will need to focus on including fighting COVID-19, climate change, and cybersecurity. 2020 was a year of unprecedented turmoil. The pandemic sent humanity a message: the world is fundamentally changing, and the U.S. and China are more successful combating these challenges together rather than apart. The high level forum gathered panelists including Carlos Gutierrez, Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Zeng Peiyan, Chairman of CCIEE, Yasuo Fukuda, Former Prime Minister of Japan, Steven Chu, Nobel Laureate in Physics & Former U.S. Secretary of Energy and Tung Chee-hwa, Vice Chairman of the 13th CPPCC National Committee & Chairman of the China United States Exchange Foundation, amongst over 40 other senior business leaders, current and past government officials, and renowned scholars. The ongoing U.S.-China trade war along with the fiscal hardships exacerbated by the pandemic is expected to plunge the world into a recession unlike anything seen since World War II. The distinguished speakers asked to reconsider the rhetoric issued by leaders, noting COVID-19 is a virus not isolated by borders. Executive Vice President and Head of International Affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Myron Brilliant stated that COVID-19 is not a U.S. pandemic, nor a Chinese pandemic, but rather a global emergency that will be eradicated only by collaboration and contribution from the world's two biggest and most innovative economies. Economic and trade experts attested for a dire need to salvage and redefine the complex U.S.-China relationship, predicting that collaboration could hasten economic recovery. Xu Bu, President of the China Institute of International Studies, acknowledged that the U.S. and Chinese economies are more complementary than competitive, and should act accordingly. Only through allowing transparency and partnership will scientists be able to continue to make significant progress in areas imperative to global health that include research and development, the COVID-19 vaccine, and prevention of future pandemics. Michael Spence, Nobel Laureate in Economics and Philip H. Knight Professor Emeritus of Management in the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, analyzed how the Trump administration's efforts to isolate China involuntarily compelled China to begin transforming themselves, accelerating the shift of the global economy to Asia. "Whether it is short term or long term, this kind of pressure put on Chinese companies forced them to innovate themselves, and they became the true winners. Just like the U.S. wants to invest in China, Chinese companies want to invest in the United States," Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at CCIEE Zhang Xiaoqiang observed. While many admired the transformation, it is essential for both countries to be more inclusive and re-establish people to people exchanges, as partnerships could lead to beneficial advancements in areas of education, tourism, civil institutions, and think tanks. According to the President of the National Committee on United States-China Relations Stephen Orlins, "people to people relationships are the foundation of our political relationship. It's going to determine how and whether that relationship creates a more secure and prosperous world." To do this, he recommended both China and the U.S. open its borders to each other on every level. This includes reopening the consulates in Houston and Chengdu and restoring the U.S. Fulbright Program in China, which David Firestein, President and CEO of the George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations reaffirmed. Aside from the pandemic, we continue to face other world challenges such as terrorism, natural disasters, and climate change. Competition is healthy both in technology and science, but ultimately, these areas should be based on rules and directed towards positive results that benefit all. Technology lies at the heart of all these challenges and will play an integral part in finding the solutions. Among the speakers who asserted the importance of cooperation and honest exchange in the technology discussion, there were six business leaders of large corporations in China who participated. "Not just by words, but by deeds," proclaimed former U.S. Ambassador to China and former U.S. Senator from Montana, Max Baucus. In his opinion, it will be difficult for students and politicians to visit China until each country indicates to the other the fact that they want to work with each other by actions. Yet, hope is on the horizon. Though the future of the U.S.-China relationship remains uncertain, President of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs Wang Chao expressed his confidence in the foundation of U.S.-China relations "built through our joint efforts over generations." Mr. Wang added that goodwill shall remain unchanged and optimism will prevail regarding people to people exchanges. Tung Chee-hwa, Vice Chairman of the 13th CPPCC National Committee & Chairman of the China United States Exchange Foundation, ended the forum on a positive note: "Indeed, our many speakers and panelists have pointed out what should be done. If I were to summarize their thoughts expressed in these three days...return to the dialogue table, restore respect and trust, allow competition and cooperation to coexist. Let's work together now. The road is not easy, but together we will find a way." Note to Editors: About the China - United States Exchange Foundation The China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF) is an independent, non-profit and non-governmental foundation committed to the belief that a positive and peaceful relationship between the strongest developed nation and the most populous, fast-developing nation is essential for global wellbeing. Founded in Hong Kong in 2008 and privately funded, CUSEF builds platforms to encourage constructive dialogue and diverse exchanges between the people of the U.S. and China. For more information please visit https://www.cusef.org.hk/ . About the China Center for International Economic Exchanges Founded on March 20th, 2009, China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE), is a social organization and a new type of think tank, registered with and approved by the relevant authorities of the Chinese government. Guided by the philosophy of "Originality, Objectivity, Rationality and Compatibility", CCIEE aims to serve national development, improve people's welfare and promote exchanges and cooperation by conducting research on strategic and economic issues both at home and abroad, developing international exchanges and cooperation and providing consulting services and intellectual support to the government and business in decision making. For more information, visit www.cciee.org.cn . Media contact: CUSEF [email protected] Related Links https://www.cusef.org.hk SOURCE China-United States Exchange Foundation We couldnt find anything at this address. Please check the URL or go to the homepage 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. Up to 142,000 tonnes of food could be wasted over the next six months because of Brexit border disruption, ministers have admitted. An estimate drawn up by the government as an "illustration of what we could reasonably expect" suggests food, drink and feed equivalent to 96 million whole chickens may end up being thrown away. It comes as fishermen protested outside Downing Street earlier this month complaining that new paperwork was causing lengthy delays at borders and seeing entire consignments wasted. Meanwhile UK meat exporters have warned of produce being confiscated and impounded by French authorities at Calais due to incorrect paperwork, describing the new system as "convoluted, archaic and badly implemented". Labour said businesses were "paying the price" for the government's lack of preparation and trying to blame exporters for the effects of their new bureaucracy. Pressed about the wastage in a written parliamentary question, Conservative food minister Rebecca Pow said: The Government carried out a worst-case scenario analysis to ensure there was sufficient waste management capacity to handle any additional waste arising. "Over a six month period the Reasonable Worst Case Scenario for perishable goods including food, feed and drink was 142 kilotonnes and to date disruption has been minimal. But the analysis itself, published by the Cabinet Office, warns that "disruption could be lower in the initial days of January but we would expect sustained disruption to worsen over the first two weeks as freight demand builds". Boris Johnson and other ministers have written the issues off as "teething problems" but exporters now have to fill in export and entry declarations and apply for other paperwork for their consignments before they can move. Many businesses lack the expertise to deal with the new bureaucracy, which did not exist inside the single market with trained customs agents also in short supply. The situation is leaving lorries stranded at ports for days, which has seen time-sensitive consignments left to spoil or be rejected altogether by their intended recipients. Scottish fish exporters protested outside Downing Street over wasted consignments condemned to the dustbin by Brexit bureaucracy (AFP via Getty Images) Deliveries from France and Germany were at around 50 per cent of pre-Brexit levels last week as hauliers attempted to avoid red tape and queues. Labour's shadow environment and food secretary Luke Pollard, said: The Government spent months telling businesses to get ready without properly getting ready itself. Now our British food businesses are paying the price. "No-one wants to see food stuck rotting in lorry queues at ports. The Government cannot simply shrug its shoulders and place the blame on businesses they must take responsibility for the economic mess they have created through their incompetent preparations, and take action now to support our exporters and prevent this costly food waste. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 20 May 2021 Devon And Cornwall Police Demonstrate Their Skills For Policing The G7 Summit Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 May 2021 An employee stands before a costume for the Queen of Hearts by Bob Crowley on display at the Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London PA UK news in pictures 17 May 2021 Passengers prepare to board an easyJet flight to Faro, Portugal, at Gatwick Airport after the ban on international leisure travel for people in England was lifted following the further easing of lockdown restrictions in England PA UK news in pictures 16 May 2021 Emergency workers at the scene of a suspected gas explosion, in which a young child was killed and two people were seriously injured, on Mallowdale Ave Heysham which caused 2 houses to collapse and badly damaged another PA UK news in pictures 15 May 2021 Pro-Palestinian activists and supporters let off smoke flares, wave flags and carry placards during a demonstration in support of the Palestinian cause as violence escalates in the ongoing conflict with Israel, in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 14 May 2021 Member of staffs tighten screws and paint a Marlin skeleton, before it goes on display at the Natural History Museum in London, as the museum prepares to reopen to the public on 17 May, following the further easing of lockdown restrictions in England PA UK news in pictures 13 May 2021 A worshipper at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in Mordon, south London, ahead of Eid al-Fitr. The celebration marks the end of the Muslim month of fasting, called Ramadan. PA UK news in pictures 12 May 2021 A couple have wedding photos taken in Westminster, London Getty UK news in pictures 11 May 2021 The sun rises on Coquet Island, off Amble on the Northumberland coast, where as many as 35000 seabirds cram onto this tiny island to breed PA UK news in pictures 10 May 2021 Newly elected for a second term Mayor of London Sadiq Khan during his signing in ceremony at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on Londons Southbank PA UK news in pictures 9 May 2021 People mill around St. Michael's tower on top of Glastonbury Tor as it is seen through blooming yellow rapeseed on a day of mixed weather in Glastonbury, Somerset PA UK news in pictures 8 May 2021 Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford elbow bumps newly elected MS Labour candidates Elizabeth Buffy Williams, Rhondda, left, and Sarah Murphy, Bridgend & Porthcawl Labour, right, as they meet in Porthcawl, Wales PA UK news in pictures 6 May 2021 A group of five Sisters from Carmelite Monastery in Dysart cast their vote in the Scottish Parliamentary election at Dysart Community Hall, West Port, Dysart PA UK news in pictures 5 May 2021 Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer (centre) with West Midlands Metro Mayor candidate Liam Byrne (far right) and Labour Deputy Leader, Angela Rayner (far left) during a visit to Birmingham, whilst on the election campaign trail PA UK news in pictures 4 May 2021 Artists Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey stand within 100 oak saplings which form part of a living art installation entitled Beuys' Acorns by the UK-based artist duo, outside the Tate Modern in London PA UK news in pictures 3 May 2021 Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie feeds the Gentoo penguins during a visit to Edinburgh Zoo on the campaign trail for the forthcoming Scottish Parliamentary Election on May 6 PA UK news in pictures 2 May 2021 Chelsea players celebrate their fourth goal during the Womens Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich, at Kingsmeadow Stadium in south west London. The Blues won the game 4-1, (and the tie 5-3 on aggregate) sending them through to their first Champions League final AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 1 May 2020 Demonstrators during a march through London during a 'Kill the Bill' protest Angela Christofilou UK news in pictures 30 April 2021 Shoppers queue outside Primark in Belfast as shops reopen and hospitality is able to open outdoors in Northern Ireland where lockdown restrictions have begun to gradually ease PA UK news in pictures 29 April 2021 Specialist operators at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, near Telford, Shropshire, clean the Hawker Hunter aircraft displayed within the museum's National Cold War Exhibition, during annual high-level aircraft cleaning and maintenance PA UK news in pictures 28 April 2021 Millions of tulips in flower near Kings Lynn in Norfolk, as Belmont Nurseries, the UK's largest commercial grower of outdoor tulips, offers socially-distanced visits to its tulip fields at Hillington to raise funds for local charity The Norfolk Hospice Tapping House PA UK news in pictures 27 April 2021 Paula Laughton checks one of the newly installed Lego models in the new Lego Mythica land at Legoland Windsor Resort PA UK news in pictures 26 April 2021 A red panda rests on a tree at Manor Wildlife park, which reopened its doors as lockdown restrictions continue to ease, in Tenby, Wales Reuters UK news in pictures 25 April 2021 Sheep climb the hillside as flames from a moor fire are seen on Marsden moor, near Huddersfield AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 24 April 2021 Supporters protest against Manchester United's owners, outside English Premier League club Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium in Manchester AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 23 April 2021 People enjoy the warm weather at City Hall near Tower Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 22 April 2021 Uyghurs during a demonstration in Parliament Square, London, which is being held ahead of a House of Commons debate, bought by backbench MP Nus Ghani, on whether Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang province are suffering crimes against humanity and genocide PA UK news in pictures 21 April 2021 People walk at the Taihaku Cherry Orchard in Alnwick REUTERS UK news in pictures 20 April 2021 People stand in front of anti Super League banners outside Anfield as twelve of Europe's top football clubs, including Liverpool, launch a breakaway league Reuters UK news in pictures 19 April 2021 Women enjoy sunny weather in Greenwich, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in London, Britain, Reuters UK news in pictures 18 April 2021 Stephen Maguire (right) of Scotland interacts with Jamie Jones of Wales during day 2 of the Betfred World Snooker Championships 2021 at The Crucible, Sheffield PA UK news in pictures 17 April 2021 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburghs coffin, covered with His Royal Highnesss Personal Standard arrives by Landrover Defender at St Georges Chapel carried by a bearer party found by the Royal Marines during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle Getty Images UK news in pictures 16 April 2021 Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, checks the teeth of "Dentosaurus" during a visit to the Thornliebank Dental Care centre in Glasgow, as she campaigns ahead of the 2021 Scottish Parliamentary Election AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 April 2021 Myanmar's former ambassador to the UK, Kyaw Zwar Minn, outside his residence in north west London. The ambassador has been barred from entering the Myanmar embassy in Mayfair after he was removed from office PA UK news in pictures 14 April 2021 People take part in coronavirus surge testing on Clapham Common, south London. Thousands of residents have queued up to take coronavirus tests at additional facilities set up after new cases of the South African variant were found in two south London boroughs. 44 confirmed cases of the variant have been found in Lambeth and Wandsworth, with a further 30 probable cases identified PA UK news in pictures 13 April 2021 The core of the Milky Way becomes visible in the early hours of Tuesday morning as it moves over Bamburgh Lighthouse at stag Rock in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 12 April 2021 Rebecca Richardson (left) and Genevieve Florence, members of the Aquabatix synchronised swimming team, during a practice session in the swimming pool at Clissold Leisure Centre in north London, which has reopened to the public. Many facilities have reopened in the latest easing of lockdown include pubs and restaurants who can serve outside, non-essential shops, indoor gyms and swimming pools, nail salons and hairdressers, outdoor amusements and zoos PA UK news in pictures 11 April 2021 A pub staff pins up a sign announcing the reopening of the Fox on the Hill pub on Denmark Hill in London EPA UK news in pictures 10 April 2021 The Death Gun Salute is fired by the Honourable Artillery Company to mark the passing of Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at the The Tower of London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 9 April 2021 A man arrives to lay a bunch of flowers outside Buckingham Palace in central London after the announcement of the death of Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. - Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip, who recently spent more than a month in hospital and underwent a heart procedure, died on April 9, Buckingham Palace announced. He was 99. AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 8 April 2021 Cousin Pascal ridden by James King clears the chair on their way to winning the 4:05 Pool via REUTERS UK news in pictures 7 April 2021 Deliveroo riders from the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain outside Deliveroo headquarters in London, as they go on strike in a dispute for fair pay, safety protections and basic workers rights PA UK news in pictures 6 April 2021 Waves crash over the walls next to Seaham Lighthouse in Durham PA UK news in pictures 5 April 2021 Lusamba Katalay (third from left), the husband of Belly Mujinga joins activists at a vigil at Victoria station in London to mark the first anniversary of the death of railway worker Belly Mujinga who died with Covid-19 following reports she had been coughed on by a customer at London's Victoria station PA UK news in pictures 4 April 2021 People spend Easter Sunday at Hengistbury Head, Bournemouth Jake McPherson/SWNS UK news in pictures 3 April 2021 A woman looks into the camera as she attends a 'Kill the Bill' protest in London EPA UK news in pictures 2 April 2021 Members of the Bamburgh Croquet club play a game following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in Northumberland, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 1 April 2021 A family walks in St Nicholas' Park in Warwick, the hot weather which baked much of the UK this week is set to give way to a chilly Easter weekend. PA UK news in pictures 31 March 2021 A woman adds a heart to the National Covid Memorial Wall in London EPA UK news in pictures 30 March 2021 Jamie Klingler from Reclaim These Streets speaks to the media in Clapham Common, south London, after a review by the Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Thomas Winsor concluded that Metropolitan Police officers did not act inappropriately or in a heavy-handed manner at the vigil PA Commenting on the figures, the food minister Ms Pow added: "To support the smooth flow of produce across the border and help prevent food wastage, the Government has put in place traffic management mitigations such as Operation Brock, published a Border Operating Model which prioritises border flow in the early months of 2021, and worked with ports to provide additional inland sites for customs checks. "The Government has also implemented a fast-track service for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) arriving at the Kent border with a negative Covid-19 test worked closely with retailers to establish upstream testing to facilitate traffic flow." Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 When the U.K. starts accepting special visa applications from Hong Kong residents on Sunday, Chen will be among the first in line. The 40-year-old former Airbnb host believes time is running out as local officials urge action to discourage people from relocating to their former colonial homeland. "If we don't leave now, we many never be able to leave again," Chen, who asked not to be identified by his full name due to fear of reprisal by the government, said in an interview Thursday. He and his wife plan to leave immediately and hope to settle in Brighton, because, "like Hong Kong, it's near the sea." The U.K. expects some 322,000 Hong Kong residents who hold special passports created before the city's return to Chinese rule in 1997 to take advantage of the new pathway to citizenship over the next five years. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government announced the visa program for British National (Overseas) passport holders in July, after accusing Beijing of violating the terms of Hong Kong's handover by enacting a strict national security law. Such an exodus -- equal to roughly 4% of Hong Kong's population -- could have a profound impact on both Hong Kong and the U.K., fresh from its break with the European Union. The departure could result in a capital outflow of HK$280 billion ($36 billion), according to a Bank of America report published earlier this month. The projected number of immigrants would be almost as large as the population of Belfast. "We have honored our profound ties of history and friendship with the people of Hong Kong, and we have stood up for freedom and autonomy -- values both the U.K. and Hong Kong hold dear," Johnson said in a statement Friday. The plan allows for BN(O) holders to settle and apply for full citizenship after five years, provided they can meet stringent health and financial requirements in the initial application. The geopolitical implications could also be significant, as it represents the most tangible protest yet against Chinese President Xi Jinping's campaign to curb dissent in the restive Asian financial center. China has denounced the program as a breach of Thatcher-era promises against mass citizenship for Hong Kong residents, and some pro-Beijing officials have called for banning BN(O) holders from public office, or stripping their Chinese nationality -- potentially leaving them stateless. "The Chinese side has repeatedly expressed its grave concern and strong opposition and will certainly respond with countermeasures," the Chinese Embassy in London said in a statement Friday. The Chinese Foreign Ministry separately said it wouldn't recognize the passports as travel documents, a move that would have little practical impact since Hong Kong residents usually travel into and out of the city using their local identity cards. While Hong Kong has endured several waves of migration since the U.K. secured the trading post during the Opium Wars 180 years ago, the population has continued to swell to 7.5 million. Millions of Chinese flooded into the city in the decades after the Communist Party took power in 1949 and some emigrated after the Tiananmen Square crackdown fueled anxiety about the handover. In the years since, more than a million mainland Chinese have moved in. As many as 5.2 million people are potentially eligible for the BN(O) visa, a figure equivalent to more than two-thirds of Hong Kong's population. "This time, many feel that there is no home to go back to," said Victoria Hui, an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame specializing in Hong Kong politics. "So far, Beijing seems OK to have a 'blood transfusion' by bringing in mainland funds and mainlanders to fill the void. Beijing won't mind Hong Kong people leaving, so long as the city itself continues to enjoy all the benefits of an international financial center." Hong Kong has played down the threat, with top government adviser Bernard Chan predicting it would be "far, far smaller" than forecast and that those who do leave will either return or be replaced by mainlanders. The city's Beijing-backed leader, Carrie Lam, attempted Thursday to recast the Beijing-drafted national security law as a reason to stay. She questioned whether residents would want to give up local health care for the U.K.'s pandemic-strained National Health Service. "The important thing is for us to tell the people of Hong Kong that Hong Kong's future is bright, business prospects are good," Lam said in a Bloomberg Television interview. "The worries about street violence and social unrest and intimidation have subsided very significantly." The security legislation, which Xi's government imposed on Hong Kong in June without public debate, was chief among the concerns of likely applicants interviewed by Bloomberg. Some with children said they were particularly worried about political pressure in the schools, with the government vowing to "cut off" the "black hands" in the education system and revoking teachers' certifications for discussing subjects like Hong Kong independence in class. "What if I am arrested for saying something against the government while teaching, or even a simple chat with colleagues?" said Wong, a 34-year-old education administrator and part-time English teacher who's planning to leave. One WhatsApp group focused on helping educators get skills and certifications to secure employment in the U.K. has more than 100 members. Concerns about finding a job and providing the required proof of financial support, as well as apprehension of about the U.K.'s covid-19 situation, could cause some to balk at the visa. Still, political concerns were overriding some of those worries. Almost 44% of Hong Kongers would emigrate if they had the chance, according to a Chinese University of Hong Kong survey published in September, and threats to punish BN(O) passport holders provide another motivation to act quickly. Lam's predecessor, former Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, has advocated stripping BN(O) holders of their Chinese nationality. Lawmakers in Beijing are also discussing whether to ban BN(O) holders from public office, the South China Morning Post newspaper reported earlier this month. Passports applications surged after the security law's passage. Some 7,000 Hong Kong residents with BN(O) status and their dependents secured U.K. permission to stay between July and January, the U.K. said. Wong, who would be moving on his own, said he is still struggling with the idea that he might not see his parents any time soon. "This time once I leave, I will leave forever," Wong said. "So that is a very big decision." - - - Bloomberg's Iain Marlow, Natalie Lung, Chloe Lo, Shawna Kwan and Lucille Liu contributed to this report. Noah Donohoe was found dead in a storm drain after going missing last June (Family handout/PA) Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill has raised grave concerns over the PSNI handling of the investigation into the death of Noah Donohoe. The 14-year-olds body was recovered from a storm drain close to the M2 motorway in June, six days after he went missing in Belfast. On Thursday, Ms ONeill met with PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne to discuss the matter. Following the meeting, she tweeted: This evening I met the Chief Constable & registered my grave concerns around the PSNI handling of the investigation into the death of Noah Donohoe. This investigation is a matter of public interest & no stone can be left unturned. I will continue to support Fiona & Donohoe family. This evening I met the Chief Constable & registered my grave concerns around the PSNI handling of the investigation into the death of Noah Donohoe This investigation is a matter of public interest & no stone can be left unturned I will continue to support Fiona & Donohoe family Michelle OaNeill (@moneillsf) January 28, 2021 Earlier this week, Ms ONeill appealed for anyone with information about the case to come forward. She said: I have met with the Donohoe family, continue to engage with them and they have my full support in terms of getting truth and justice around what happened to Noah. I think any mummy in that position that Fiona (Noahs mother) is sitting in today, not having answers about what happened to her wee boy, could not fail to be heartbroken. We will all do and should do everything we can to make sure that every piece of information is uncovered and that Fiona has the answers that she needs to have. Expand Close Michelle ONeill said she has grave concerns over the investigation into Noah Donohoes death (Liam McBurney/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michelle ONeill said she has grave concerns over the investigation into Noah Donohoes death (Liam McBurney/PA) The PSNI said last year they believed Noah entered the drain in the Northwood Road area of north Belfast. He had cycled to the area from his home in south Belfast and, shortly before he went missing, was seen with no clothes on. Prior to that, he was seen falling off his bike in Shore Road. His disappearance prompted a major search operation, with hundreds of people from across Belfast involved. The PSNI have been contacted for comment. A woman wearing face mask looks at her phone in Hanoi, Vietnam, Jan. 23, 2021. Vietnam has reported 84 new cases of local transmission after nearly two months. A Vietnamese city will lock down for the next 21 days after newly detected cases of COVID-19 put to an end the countrys streak of 55 days with no local transmissions, state media reported. After authorities detected locally transmitted cases in the northeastern provinces of Hai Duong and Quang Ninh, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc Thursday issued a directive to lock down the city of Chi Linh, where 72 cases were discovered in a single company within the Cong Hoa industrial zone. A female employee of the POYUN Electronics Company on Tuesday traveled to Japan, where she tested positive for a mutated strain of the coronavirus first discovered in Britain in December. Following her positive confirmation, authorities discovered the 72 POYUN cases as well as 11 more among airport security at Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh. Prior to testing positive upon her arrival in Japan on Jan. 26, the traveler had flown from Hanoi to Singapore on Jan. 17. By late afternoon Thursday authorities in Hai Duong reported another 11 cases, bringing the provinces total to 83. Van Don International Airport also reported two more employees were confirmed cases. Hai Duong province set up 13 checkpoints Thursday, locking down the travelers home village of Kim Dien, and ordering social distancing at the Hung Dao commune within Chi Linh, which confirmed two COVID-19 cases. Flights stopped at Van Don International from noon Thursday as authorities reassess the situation. Authorities in nearby Bac Ninh, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh provinces also issued orders to take preventative measures. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam told the country to prepare for a possible scenario where up to 30,000 could have been infected locally. Prime Minister Nguyen wore a face mask to Thursdays session of the countrys 13th party congress meeting and required all in attendance to do the same. This was a reversal from three days ago when he and most others went maskless. Vietnam has been among the most successful countries in tackling COVID-19, reporting no deaths among its 95 million people through late Julya record that was attributed to effective contact tracing, strict quarantines, and early testing. An outbreak in July and August centered on Danang threatened to bring the daily confirmed case total into the high double digits, but daily cases returned to single digits by the end of August. As of Thursday, Vietnam has confirmed 1,560 cases and 35 deaths. Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Huy Le. Written in English by Eugene Whong. A Message From The Editor just-style gives you the widest apparel and textile market coverage. Paid just-style members have unlimited access to all our exclusive content - including 21 years of archives. I am so confident you will love complete access to our content that today I can offer you 30 days access for 1*. Its our best ever membership offer just for you. Leonie Barrie, editor of just-style Leonie's offer to you * plus VAT if applicable STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's Health Agency is seeking clarification from the European Union on how many COVID-19 vaccine doses per vial it has to pay Pfizer for and is hoping for an answer before payments fall due in a few weeks. Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter reported earlier on Tuesday that Sweden was withholding payment for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine until it has clarity on the number of doses it has been billed for. Pfizer has charged for six doses per vial rather than the agreed upon five doses. Sweden now wants the EU Commission and Pfizer to reach an agreement on how many doses there are in each vial, it added. "Yes, it is true, but it's also the case that no current bills are due to be paid yet so it's not a problem. We hope to get clarification before then," Chief Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told a news conference when asked about the report, adding that it was some weeks before payments were due. Pfizer Sweden declined to comment to Reuters on the report but told Dagens Nyheter it had charged for six doses per vial. "Since the approval of the sixth dose, we use that number. We have to go with the approved product summary", the newspaper quoted Ulrika Goossens, Head of Communications for Pfizer Sweden, as saying. Europe's medicines regulator gave permission earlier this month for an extra sixth dose to be extracted from vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, increasing the number of available shots at a time when supplies are short. To extract the sixth dose, low dead volume syringes or needles, which only retain a low amount of solution after an injection, are needed. "This is unacceptable. If a country only has the ability to extract five doses, it has received fewer doses for the same price," the paper quoted Sweden's vaccine coordinator Richard Bergstrom as saying. Sweden buys more vaccines than it needs from the joint EU purchase programme, passing the extra to neighbouring Norway, which is not a member of the bloc. (Reporting by Johan Ahlander and Helena Soderpalm; editing by Niklas Pollard, Kirsten Donovan) The first ever cross-county mobility management plan in the country is to be drawn up for a community on the Kilkenny/ Carlow border. A joint plan is to be drawn up for Graignamanagh in Kilkenny and Tinnahinch in Carlow - a community on both sides of the River Barrow at Graignamanagh. Local Councillor Peter Chap Cleere has expressed his delight about the new mobility management plan for Graignamanagh which is about to commence in February. Roadplan Consultant Engineers were appointed in January to conduct the plan on behalf of the local authority. At Januarys Callan Thomastown municipal meeting, Cllr Cleere enquired about the possibility of broadening out the scope of the plan to incorporate the Tinnahinch settlement, area which is in County Carlow, and asked Area Engineer Declan Murphy to consult with his counterparts in Carlow County Council to see if this is something they would be willing to consider. Carlow County Council have now agreed to a joint venture and for the first time ever in the country, we have a joint mobility management plan conducted for two different counties. Cllr Cleere commented: I am delighted that Carlow County Council have come on board and agreed to the joint venture for the mobility management plan. The plan will now cover, Graignamangh and Tinnahinch settlements, and will incorporate the bridge as part of this plan. Cleere continued: Following on from a very successful Local Area Plan (2021-2027) by both counties, I am absolutely delighted to see greater synergies and joined up thinking to the approach of the area. With over 9 million for flood relief defences, A Future Vision for Graig / Tinnahinch Tourism plan and now this mobility management plan, the future is certainly bright for the area. Whilst there may be a county boundary separating the two areas, both communities will benefit greatly from this new collaborative approach will benefit everyone. Welcoming US President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw a Trump-era rule rescinding work authorisation for H4 visa holders, who are spouses of those possessing H-1B work visas with majority being highly-skilled Indian women, a South Asian advocacy group has said it signals the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to supporting immigrant women workers. An H-4 visa is issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to immediate family members (spouse and children under 21 years of age) of the H-1B visa holders, most of whom are Indian IT professionals. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. The H-4 visa is normally issued to those who have already started the process of seeking employment-based lawful permanent resident status in the US. Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security withdrew its proposal to rescind H 4 work authorisations. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) on Monday said that the proposed rule titled, 'Removing H-4 Dependent Spouses from the Class of Aliens Eligible for Employment Authorisation,' was being withdrawn. This means that more than 100,000 H 4 EAD (Employment Authorisation Document) recipients, the majority of whom are women of colour, keep their right to work. This move to preserve the programme signals the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to supporting immigrant women workers who play an essential role as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) said on Thursday. Despite this hopeful news, SAALT continues to hear from community members who have been adversely impacted by significant delays in the processing of H 4 work authorisation documents, it said in a statement. These people must be protected and the Biden administration must unilaterally extend the validity period of all expired H 4 EADs and resolve USCIS processing delays, SAALT said. Hopefully, we will see these extensions come with the introduction of the Citizenship Act of 2021 in the coming weeks, SAALT said. It seeks to formalise work authorisation for H 4 EAD visa recipients, create an accessible and equitable pathway to citizenship (especially for undocumented essential workers) and commit to a structural transformation of our broken immigration system that addresses and resolves backlogs. SAALT said that Biden and Congress must work together to pass clean immigration and essential worker bills. Meanwhile, FWD.us, a pro-immigration lobbying group, commended the Biden-Harris administration for taking immediate action to turn the page from the Trump-Pence administration's disastrous immigration policies and to do right by more than 100,000 hardworking immigrants who are contributing to the United States every single day in the midst of a deadly pandemic. Allowing H-4 visa holders the ability to continue working and providing for their families has profound, life-changing effects for these individuals and our communities. Roughly 93 per cent are women and many are working in essential roles that are key to supporting our nation's economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, said FWD.us president Todd Schulte. Spouses of Indian professionals on H-1B visas, mostly women, are the biggest beneficiaries of the Obama-era rule that gave employment authorisation cards. The Trump administration in 2017 announced that it would rescind that rule. However, the Republican Party-led Trump administration was not able to complete the process in the four years of its rule. During the presidential election, the Biden campaign had promised to withdraw the Trump administration's move. In December, a group of 60 members of the US House of Representatives in a letter urged Biden to unilaterally extend the expiration work authorisation documents for holders of H-4 visas. In 2015, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a rule allowing certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B visa holders to legally seek employment in the US, the letter said. This rule presented an important step towards rectifying gender disparities in our immigration system, as around 95 per cent of H4 visa holders who have secured work authorisations are women, FWD.us said. As of December 2017, the USCIS had approved 1,26,853 applications for employment authorisation for H-4 visa holders. According to a 2018 report by Congressional Research Service (CRS), 93 per cent of approved applications for H-4 employment authorisation were issued to individuals born in India and five per cent were issued to individuals born in China. According to FWD.us, many H-4 visa holders are doctors, scientists and teachers, and are working in crucial industries that are key to the nation's response and economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Research shows that ending H-4 would damage the economy and cost jobs, with no clear benefit to other workers. "Expanding protections for spouses and children of temporary workers will help keep families together and keep the US globally competitive as we rebuild from the pandemic," it added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) " " The trial of Nicola Sacco (right) and Bartolomeo Vanzetti was one of the most sensational and controversial in American history. The two were found guilty of murder and executed in August of 1927. Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) The world will probably never know whether Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were truly guilty of murdering two men in 1920. But the controversial trial of these immigrant anarchists is considered one of the 20th century's most famous. Italians Sacco and Vanzetti both emigrated to the U.S. in 1908. Settling in Massachusetts, Sacco worked as a shoe factory edge trimmer, while Vanzetti was a fishmonger. But according to the HowStuffWorks podcast "Stuff You Missed in History Class," the men were also involved in some unsavory activities. They belonged to Gruppo Autonomo, an East Boston anarchist cell that was plotting a violent overthrow of the government. And they'd written for an Italian anarchist newsletter actions that resulted in their names being placed on a "watch list" of potentially dangerous people. Still, neither had a criminal record. Advertisement In April 1920, two men were gunned down outside a shoe factory in South Braintree, Massachusetts, while carrying some $15,000 in payroll money. Eyewitnesses said a group of Italian-looking men did it, then sped away in a Buick. Sacco and Vanzetti were fingered for the crime partly because they were linked to the Buick and had guns and brought to trial before Judge Webster Thayer of the Massachusetts Superior Court in May 1921. Controversy enveloped the trial, in which the men were found guilty and sentenced to death. While the men lied several times during questioning by police out of fear, they said, because of the anti-immigrant and anti-Communist sentiment sweeping the nation Judge Thayer was openly biased against the duo because they were foreigners and draft dodgers who held anti-government views. At one point, he called them "anarchist bastards." " " One of many support rallies for Sacco and Vanzetti in London, 1921. Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) In addition to facing a prejudiced judge, the Italians' lawyer wasn't that talented and witnesses testifying on the men's behalf were heavily pressured about the veracity of their claims. The men didn't speak English fluently, either, leading to speculation they may not have fully understood all of the questions being asked. Perhaps most important, however, is that the prosecution did not present any witness who could positively identify the men as the murderers. After the verdict, intellectuals and leftists around the globe rallied in support of the men, calling for a retrial due to the unfairness of the proceedings. But none was granted, even when convicted murderer Celestino Madeiros confessed to the crime, saying he committed it with the Joe Morelli gang. Sacco and Vanzetti were electrocuted in August 1927. Massive protests against their execution erupted around the nation and world. In Germany, six people died during demonstrations, while in Geneva, 5,000 people staged a protest, destroying American goods. Today, opinion is divided as to whether the men were guilty. Modern FBI ballistics techniques indicate Sacco was likely guilty, as a bullet from his gun killed one of the men. But there is no similar evidence indicating Vanzetti was involved. Innocent or guilty, most experts today believe the two men should have been afforded a new trial because theirs was definitely skewed in favor of the prosecution. In 1977, then-Governor Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts issued a proclamation stating the two were unfairly treated and no stigma should be attached to their names. Learn more about Sacco and Vanzetti in "The Sacco-Vanzetti Affair: America on Trial" by Moshik Temkin. HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale. NOW THAT'S INTERESTING The Sacco and Vanzetti trial is considered one of the top 10 trials of the 20th century. Some of the others making the cut are the Scopes monkey trial, regarding the teaching of evolution; the Rosenberg trial, concerning Russian espionage; and the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders. WASHINGTON President Biden has named Robert Malley, a veteran Middle East expert and former Obama administration official, to be his special envoy for Iran, two senior State Department officials said Thursday night. Mr. Malley will be responsible for trying to persuade Tehran to rein in its nuclear program and stop enriching uranium beyond limits imposed by a 2015 deal with world powers and agree to new negotiations before the United States lifts its bruising economic sanctions against Iran. It is far from clear if the strategy, as directed by Mr. Biden, will succeed. Iran has repeatedly said it will not come back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear accord until the United States eases its sanctions, setting up a high-stakes contest over which side will blink first. Returning to the nuclear deal, which was negotiated by the Obama administration, was among Mr. Bidens campaign promises after President Donald J. Trump withdrew from it in 2018. Since then, Iran has steadily violated the agreement that had sought to limit its nuclear program, and last year, international inspectors concluded that it again had enough fuel to build a bomb. Charlie Kirk says rapper Lecrae shouldn't be allowed to perform in churches after Warnock support Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative student group Turning Point USA, said prominent Christian entertainer Lecrae "should never be allowed" to perform in Christian churches after he campaigned for Raphael Warnock, a pro-choice Democrat. Kirk, author of The MAGA Doctrine, made the comments at Pastor Jack Hibbs Calvary Chapel Chino church the week of the inauguration of President Joe Biden. Lecrae was a featured performer at a December 2020 event in Atlanta called "Get Out the Early Vote Rally & Concert," which was hosted by Democrats Warnock and Jon Ossoff before Georgia's runoff elections. While there, the artist stressed the importance of ones freedom to vote. Both Warnock and Ossoff won a U.S. Senate seat. Following the event, The Reach Records founder and his involvement raised eyebrows from some conservatives online because both of the politicians are pro-choice. Also weighing in, Kirk called for churches to ban Lecrae altogether. There's an honest assessment that needs to be done ... If every church was as prayerful and alert, as involved as this church, especially in this last election, things will look a lot differently, Kirk, an avid Donald Trump supporter, said. "Especially look at the State of Georgia where you have pastors that are coming out, and they are saying, 'We don't like the whole culture war Christianity thing. We're not going to get involved in this election' when we know the stakes. And now all of a sudden you see the stakes of what happened." Kirk then singled out Lecrae, who often shares his social views online. Lecrae maintains that he is neither right or left-leaning but instead, his thoughts are based on being a follower of Christ. You have the Christian rapper, Lecrae, who comes out and campaigns for Raphael Warnock, the pro-abortion advocate, Kirk commented as Pastor Hibbs sighed. That's the guy who were listening to on K-LOVE, who we're supposed to look up to, who, in my personal opinion, should never be allowed to perform at another church after advocating for Raphael Warnock, he declared. Trump advocate Charlie Kirk tells pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino church that rapper Lecrae "should never be allowed" to perform at a Christian church again because he campaigned for pro-choice Dem Sen. Raphael Warnock. pic.twitter.com/OTNNmWMMm2 Nicola (@namenzie) January 24, 2021 Kirk went on to argue, Lecrae, who's a Christian rapper, he wanted to be loved and accepted by the Democratic power establishment more than standing up for truth, the pro-abortion Raphael Warnock. The Christian Post reached out to Kirk for further clarity on his claims that a Christian should be banned from church for his or her political affiliation. "While I hold no personal animosity toward Lecraeand would be happy to discuss the issue with him privatelythe scriptures are incredibly clear that we are 'fearfully and wonderfully made' and that God 'formed us in our inmost being' and 'knit us together in our mothers womb,'" Kirk told CP. "Senator Warnock calls himself a 'pro-choice pastor' and that makes him complicit in the genocide of nearly 400,000 black babies that are killed every year in America alone. Lecrae nevertheless decided to publicly campaign for this man and I find that morally incompatible with our Christian faith. I stand by what I said." Lecrae did not respond to a request for comment by press time. But the artist has used his Twitter platform following the political event to address evangelical Christians. For the record, you dont have to be what evangelicalism/religious right says you have to be to love the Lord, Lecrae tweeted on Jan. 2. Im no the leftist or Marxist they fear me being & Im not the right wing conservative they demand I be. Im a Christ follower. Lecrae has been open about his past and has expressed deep regret for encouraging his ex-girlfriend to have an abortion. In November 2020, he also shared a message to Christians concerning their political views and being pro-life. What if the Christians who want to reduce the number of abortions, supported funding health care for women, dealt with the systemic racism that creates poverty for women of color, and addressed the income gap between White people and people of color, he wrote on Twitter. Before winning his seat in the Senate, Warnock, senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, spoke briefly about his stance on abortion during a debate on Dec. 6. "I have a profound reverence for life and an abiding respect for choice, Warnock said. The question is: whose decision is it? And I happen to think that a patient's room is too small a place for a woman, her doctor and the U.S. government. I think there's too many people in the room. "But those who are concerned about life, and I certainly am, ought to be focused on the incredibly high rates of infant mortality and maternal mortality in our country, when compared to other developed nations. That's something that government could work on. And I've been working on it my entire career." 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 Hague Court of Appeal ordered Shell on Friday to compensate Nigerian farmers for two oil spills in the country 13 years ago, in the first lawsuit in which a company has been held liable in the Netherlands for its actions abroad. The ruling of the Dutch court is setting a precedent for future lawsuits brought against oil firms in the countries where they are based, instead of the countries where oil spills or oil pollution has allegedly taken place. After 13 years, justice! Friends of the Earth Europe tweeted after the Hague courts verdict. Donald Pols, Friends of the Earth Netherlands director, said, as carried by The Associated Press: From this moment onwards, Dutch multinationals will be held accountable for their activities and their actions in developing countries. The court will decide at a later stage what compensation Shells Nigerian unit will have to pay for the oil spills. Shell, for its part, continues to say that the spills were the result of sabotage, which has been frequent in the Niger Delta in Nigeria. We continue to believe that the spills in Oruma and Goi were the result of sabotage. We are therefore disappointed that this court has made a different finding on the cause of these spills and in its finding that the Nigerian unit of Shell is liable, the Anglo-Dutch major said in a statement, as carried by Bloomberg. Sabotage, crude oil theft and illegal refining are a major challenge in the Niger Delta, Shell noted. Shell has been taken to a Dutch court in a separate case brought by Friends of the Earth Netherlands, which argued in court that Shell is violating its duty of care and threatening human rights by knowingly undermining the worlds chances of staying below 1.5 degrees Celsius during the hearings that ended last month. The Dutch Court of Justice is expected to deliver a verdict in the case on May 26, 2021. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Pritzker Sends 500 IL National Guard Troops to DC By The Associated Press SPRINGFIELD - Gov. J.B. Pritzker is sending about 500 Illinois National Guard members to Washington D.C. until mid-March for a ``security mission.In a statement Thursday, Pritzker said the Defense Department asked for Illinois guard troops to assist federal and local agencies to secure the capital.The states National Guard soldiers will be in Washington, D.C., by the start of next week along with a small group of Illinois Air and National Guard airmen.The deployment of national guard troops to Washington follows the Jan. 6 violent siege of the Capitol that left five dead and others injured. A British couple have told how they to quit their jobs to travel the world for a year despite the ongoing global pandemic. Lizzy, 25, and Richard, 27, both from Yorkshire, decided to push ahead with their globe-trotting plans and jetted off on December 30. They travelled to London Gatwick in West Sussex, despite government advice at the time urging people to avoid unnecessary trips to Tier 4 areas to limit the spread of coronavirus, to board their flight to the Caribbean island of Antigua, which recorded just three new Covid-19 cases in the past seven days. They're now in Costa Rica. In a TikTok video which went viral, the couple explained how people told them they were crazy to go travelling right now, but that they have 'been dreaming and saving to do this for years, and wanted to at least try'. They said: 'There were times we have thought we shouldn't go at all or delay it, but once we were back in the Tier system and we were permitted to leave the UK, we decided to go for it. Scroll down for video Lizzy, 25, and Richard, 27, both from Yorkshire, decided to quit their jobs to travel the world for a year despite the ongoing global pandemic. Pictured on a previous trip to Santorini last year In a TikTok video which went viral, the couple explained how people told them they were crazy to go travelling right now, but that they have 'been dreaming and saving to do this for years, and wanted to at least try' Lizzy and Richard travelled from London Gatwick, in West Sussex, to fly to Antigua on December 30 'There is so much of the world open for tourists right now and who are living as normal, and our mindset was that if countries are open for tourism and happy to have us there, then we would love to visit.' The couple met when they were studying at university and always knew they wanted to travel together. They explained: 'We had jobs at university and saved to go away during the summer breaks. 'Once we had full-time jobs after uni, we used most of our annual leave for budget trips away. The couple have just left the Caribbean island of Antigua, their first stop, which recorded just three new Covid-19 cases in the past seven days The couple admitted there were time they thought they shouldn't go at all or delay it, but once the UK was put back in the Tier system and they were permitted to leave, they decided to go for it. Pictured: Lizzy on a beach in Antigua The couple, pictured in Costa Rica on their travels, met when they were studying at university and always knew they wanted to travel together 'We found that we would rather see more places for longer periods of time, than less places paying luxury prices.' Eventually Lizzy and Richard realised they'd saved enough to travel full time for a year provided they budgeted accordingly. 'We worked long hours to save enough during that time, but we always knew we both had a passion for seeing the world and wanted to explore that further,' Lizzy explained. 'We set goals and stuck to them; we both had a savings goal and didn't stop until we made it, always with the view to use that money to travel for as long as we could. Lizzy and Richard both had a passion for seeing the world and saved up for years to afford their dream trip The global pandemic put a huge spanner in the works, but Lizzy and Richard - who have been together for over six years - decided to go ahead with their plans regardless last month 'We didn't go out for many meals or coffees. We cycled to work, made packed lunches instead of buying lunch, and when we went away we spent the bare minimum on accommodation and meals.' The global pandemic put a huge spanner in the works, but Lizzy and Richard - who have been together for over six years - decided to go ahead with their plans regardless. They admitted it's not all been plain sailing: 'The main challenges are uncertainty around where we're going and when, the entry requirements to different countries and potentially getting stuck in a country due to a lockdown,' they explained. 'We are only travelling to countries which are open to tourists and we are following all restrictions put in place by those countries, like taking PCR tests before entering. Lizzy and Richard are only travelling to countries which are open to tourists and are following all restrictions put in place there The intrepid duo are hoping to travel for a year but are taking things as they come. Pictured: Lizzy in Costa Rica Lizzy (pictured in Greece last year) said they may decide to get jobs along the way because the world is changing so quickly 'We know we can't live this life forever, but we both wanted to do it while we're young,' Lizzy said. Pictured: the couple on a beach in Antigua 'We used the UK government website to determine which countries are open to tourists right now and what the entry requirements are.' The intrepid duo are hoping to travel for a year but are taking things as they come. 'We know we can't live this life forever, but we both wanted to do it while we're young,' Lizzy said. 'We hope to travel for the year, but we are taking things day by day as the world is changing so quickly. We also may try to get jobs somewhere abroad too.' You can follow their adventures by heading to @flossys-wonderland on Instagram, where they detail their adventures. Jaipur, Jan 29 : At least four people including a woman have died and five hospitalised after drinking spurious liquor in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district, police said on Friday. According to the police, the incident took place at Saran Ka Kheda village under Mandalgarh police station of the district on Thursday. All the five people, who are in critcal condition, have been hospitalised at the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital at the district headquarters. The deceased were identified as Hazari Bairwa, Sardar Bhat and Daleel Singh, including the woman Saturi, while two women Neetu and Manju are among the others, who are critical. Police added that the people did not consume the liquor at the same time, but at different times. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed his sorrow on the death of the four people and also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of the deceased, where as Rs 50,000 grant for those who are hospitalised. On January 13 this month, spurious liquor claimed lives of eight people while many others turned blind after the consumption. Police and Excise officials thereafter raided the premises and destroyed the illegal liquor kilns in the village. At leaset 7 people died and 5 people lost their eye sight in Kanwalias village of Gulabpura police station area in Bhilwara district during the Lok Sabha elections on May 6, 2004 after consuming spurious liquor. On November 18, 2008, four people died due to consumption of spurious liquor in Amargarh, Mandal police station area. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text 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. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 15:08:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TASHKENT, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- A mine accident has killed two men and injured two others while they were illegally digging for gold in the central Jizzakh region of Uzbekistan, local police said Friday. The two men died after being trapped in a 15-meter deep mine following a rockslide, while two others survived and are currently being treated in a local hospital, it said, adding they were digging gold ore illegally. Uzbekistan allowed private gold mining in 2019 that prompted dozens of individual entrepreneurs to hunt for gold legally, but reports indicate illegal mining still exists. Uzbekistan's state media said last year that illegal gold mining in the Central Asian country involved some 10,000 people in a season and produced around one ton of gold every year. Enditem Shepherd's Men Announces Brasfield & Gorrie's Five-Year Fundraising Campaign Results Company Employees & Subcontractors Donate $1.2 Million to Support SHARE Military Initiative NEWS PROVIDED BY Shepherd's Men Jan. 28, 2021 ATLANTA, Jan. 28, 2021 /Standard Newswire/ -- In 2016, Brasfield & Gorrie made a five-year commitment to fundraise among its employees and subcontractors---for Shepherd's Men to support the SHARE Military Initiative at the Shepherd Center. During this five-year campaign, employees and subcontractors visited the Shepherd Center to see the work underway first-hand, participate in events alongside former SHARE clients and, attended a broad range of events to support veterans in need of clinical care. This five-year relationship building campaign resulted in a $1.2 million donation to Shepherd's Men. More than $374,000 of the donation was raised in 2020. SHARE Military Initiative is a comprehensive rehabilitative program that focuses on assessment and treatment for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who suffer from traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress. SHARE, which has treated over 750 veterans, male and female, provides the treatment and tools to successfully rehabilitate and return veterans to their families and communities. For seven consecutive years, Shepherd's Men members have been running across the country and hosting unique events to raise funds and awareness for the SHARE Military Initiative. Traumatic Brain Injuries High Among Veterans The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) reported nearly 414,000 Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) among U.S. service members worldwide between 2000 and late 2019. In fact, more than 185,000 veterans who use the VA for their health care have been diagnosed with at least one TBI. Veterans with a history of TBI are more than twice as likely to die by suicide, compared to those without TBI, according to the September/October 2019, Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. "Our employees and subcontractors have come to know Shepherd's Men quite well and deeply appreciate the work they're doing to support veterans with TBI and post-traumatic stressbecause the need is tremendous," said Brent Perkins, director-Personal Development, Brasfield & Gorrie. "It is our honor to support Shepherd's Men and the SHARE Military Initiative. We feel privileged to align with their outstanding work, look forward to learning more about the lives that will be impactedand, we are grateful to our employees and subcontractors for their generosity in helping Shepherd's Men lift up our veteran heroes who protect the freedoms that we all so richly enjoy." SHARE Military Initiative Offers Life-Saving Clinical Support Shepherd's Men will utilize the resources so generously given to them by Brasfield & Gorrie to continue its mission of providing funding to the vitally important SHARE Military Initiative at Shepherd Center. At a cost of approximately $35,000 per client, numerous individuals will be the beneficiaries of the life-saving treatment that is rendered at SHARE, all at no cost to the individual. Because it is very difficult to secure funding from governmental sources, it is incumbent upon the community to ensure this life-saving program remains viable to our nation's heroes. Brasfield and Gorrie's kindness will produce a positive, lasting effect that will be measured for generations. "We are eternally grateful to Brasfield & Gorrie for raising much-needed funds for our beloved veterans and their families," said Travis Ellis, co-founder, Shepherd's Men. "We will not rest until our returning heroes receive the treatment they need to live purposeful, gratifying lives after their honorable service to this country. "By supporting our veterans with this five-year campaign, Brasfield & Gorrie is directly impacting the lives of many veterans who deserve the best life has to offer. Also, it is our hope this relationship building strategy will be an advantageous roadmap for other organizations to follow." Brasfield & Gorrie Founded in 1964, Brasfield & Gorrie is one of the nation's largest privately held construction firms, providing general contracting, design-build, and construction management services for a wide variety of markets. We are skilled in construction best practices, including virtual design and construction, integrated project delivery, and Lean construction, but we are best known for our preconstruction and self-perform expertise and exceptional client service. Brasfield & Gorrie has 12 offices and approximately 3,000 employees. Our 2019 revenues were $3.8 billion. Engineering News-Record ranks Brasfield & Gorrie 22nd among the nation's "Top 400 Contractors" for 2020. About Shepherd's Men Shepherd's Men is an organization comprised of dedicated patriots committed to creating advocacy and opportunity for our nation's heroes who have been affected by the hidden injuries of war. They serve our noble warriors by means of outreach, empowerment and the funding of treatment. It is their belief that victory in combat is achieved on two fronts on the field and in the mind. Shepherd's Men is raising funds and awareness for the SHARE Military Initiative at Shepherd Center in Atlanta. This comprehensive rehabilitation program focuses on assessment and treatment for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who suffer from traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorders. For more information, please visit www.shepherdsmen.com and watch this video. For more information on the SHARE Military Initiative, click here. #SHARETheBurden22 About the Shepherd Center Shepherd Center, located in Atlanta, is a private, not-for-profit hospital specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury or brain injury. Founded in 1975, Shepherd Center is ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top 10 rehabilitation hospitals in the nation and is a 152-bed facility. Last year, Shepherd Center had more than 900 admissions to its inpatient programs and 571 to its day patient programs. In addition, Shepherd Center sees more than 7,300 people annually on an outpatient basis. For more information, visit Shepherd Center online at www.shepherdsmen.com. SOURCE Shepherd's Men CONTACT: Sheryl R. Sellaway, 404-695-5564, Sheryl@righteouspragency.com Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 This handout photograph released on Jan. 27 by The Vatican Media shows Pope Francis holding a live streamed weekly private audience in the library of the apostolic palace in The Vatican, during the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus. AFP-Yonhap VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis apologized for staying sitting during an audience Friday, blaming the "troublesome" sciatica that has caused him to cancel several events in recent weeks. "I would like to speak to you standing up but sciatica is a troublesome guest," the 84-year-old told members of the Roman Rota, a top Catholic Church tribunal. "So I apologize and will speak sitting down," he added at the meeting marking the opening of the Holy See's judicial year. The Argentine pontiff was forced to delegate two masses on Sunday and Monday and postpone his New Year's greeting Monday for ambassadors to the Holy See due to a bout of sciatica. He also skipped New Year's masses at St Peter's Basilica as a result of the chronic nerve condition that causes pain in his hip, and for which he wears orthopaedic shoes. Pope Francis delivers his weekly general audience from the library of the Apostolic Palace, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at the Vatican, Jan. 27. Reuters-Yonhap A young man attacked a 71-year-old pensioner as he crossed a street in a completely unprovoked attack giving him a bleed on the brain. Seamus Ward, then aged 32, attacked elderly Charlie Tighe as he walked across the Main Street in the village of Milford in Co Donegal. Ward, who had been drinking, struck Mr Tighe with such force with one punch he knocked him to the ground. The pensioner suffered a black eye, cuts to his face and was rushed to hospital. A witness to the attack on June 24th, 2019, told how she heard Ward shout at Mr Tighe "You think you're a big man now?" before attacking him. Ward, of Drumkern, Milford appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court where he was charged with assault causing harm to Mr Tighe. A medical report on Mr Tighe revealed he suffered a loss of consciousness, swelling and bruising, a black eye, cuts to the face and head and also a small bleed to the brain. In his victim impact statement to the court, Mr Tighe said he could not remember the attack and was in a lot of pain and confusion. He was told that he could lose the sight in his right eye and had to have two teeth removed and got headaches for six months after the attack. He said he still wakes up in a pool of sweat because of the nightmares from the attack and even bought a dog for himself for company but also for security. Mr Tighe, who was in court accompanied by his daughter Tara, said it was the worst experience of his life. Tragically his own brother was killed in a car accident at the exact spot where he was attacked back in the 1960s, he said. Garda Mark McHugh told the court that Ward was arrested and he was shown CCTV of the incident. He said he didn't recall the incident but said he was ashamed after watching the CCTV footage taken from a local bar named Dustys. He said he was sorry and he hoped Mr Tighe was okay and it was later revealed how the accused had called the local Garda station to enquire about the condition of Mr Tighe. He claimed there had been ongoing 'history' between the pair which arose out of allegations about his father, who was a former Garda. Mr Tighe had also claimed that following the attack, Ward had made faces at him form his jeep but this was denied by the accused. Barrister for Ward, Mr Peter Nolan said his client had issues with alcohol and that he had been to rehab twice. He had previous convictions including one for dangerous driving causing the death of a friend in 2008 for which he had done community service but had no convictions since that time. Mr Nolan added that his client had 2,000 in court by way of some compensation and to defray some of the costs to Mr Tighe for the injuries he had caused him. He added that his client accepted that his behaviour was appalling but that he had lost control because of the drink on the day. Judge John Aylmer adjourned the case until next week to decide on a final sentence. 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. Sparsh Sanjeevani A public health initiative by HMIF to strengthen Government of Indias Ayushman Bharat Yojana through Mobile Chikitsa and other initiatives and other initiatives Mobile Chikitsa to cater 2 villages per day, targets 25 000 people in Rajasthan Phase 1 of HMIF First Mobile Medical Unit to impact 16 villages in Laxmangarh block of Alwar District, Rajasthan Hyundai Motor India Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Hyundai Motor India Ltd. today commenced their first health initiative Mobile Chikitsa, under their public health programe, Sparsh Sanjeevani, to bolster Indias healthcare services in rural neighborhoods. The project, Mobile Chikitsa is a mobile primary healthcare clinic with doctor on board and equipped with testing facilities for spot diagnostic tests. The medical unit of Mobile Chikitsa was flagged-off for Laxmangarh, a tehsil in Alwar district of Rajasthan, today in the presence of Mr. S.S Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. and senior CSR officials of HMIF. Commenting on the commencement of the Mobile Chikitsa, Mr. S.S Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. said, Hyundai global vision of Progress for Humanity reiterates our aim to drive sustainable change in communities across the globe. Mobile Chikitsa under our public health initiative Sparsh Sanjeevani, will strengthen the accessibility of healthcare services in the most vulnerable communities of rural India. We hope to augment the Government of Indias programmes of reforming the public healthcare system and advance the countrys pursuit of health and wellness for all. Aligned with Government of Indias Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Mobile Chikitsa will cater to a community of up to 25 000 people and if need be can service up to 3 additional communities. A qualified MBBS doctor on board will provide free consultation and medicines through the attached pharmacy. The Mobile Chikitsa unit is equipped with testing facilities for spot diagnostic tests covering blood sugar, BP, Malaria, Dengue etc. They will not provide any routine vaccinations. Parallelly, awareness programs about different diseases and their prevention will also be conducted. The Mobile Chikitsa unit will cover 2 villages per day through a fixed roster and service around 100 patients. Patients will be provided with a health card to record their case history and individuals diagnosed with serious ailments will be referred to the nearest government or private hospital. Mobile Chikitsa - has been designed on similar lines and will service areas where there are no healthcare facilities. The van will cover the villages of Lili, Raipur Jat, Jawli, Toda, Hasanpur, Mundjori, Tilakpur, Ucchar, Narnol, Gor Pahari, Deewli, Manjpta, Semla, Berla Bass, Kajota and Kanwara. In February 2018, the Government of India announced Ayushman Bharat Yojana for creation of 1 50 000 Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) by transforming the existing Sub Centers and Primary Health Centers. These centers have been mandated to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) bringing healthcare closer to the homes of people. They cover both, maternal and child health services and non-communicable diseases, including free essential drugs and diagnostic services. The initiative will be expanded in a phased manner in other parts of the state and in select areas across the country. Nya Brown, a 15-year-old Massachusetts girl who went missing nearly two weeks ago, was located Thursday and reunited with her family, police said. The announcement comes after the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division said they had joined the search for the Belmont teenager, who went missing around 6 p.m. on Jan. 17, according to authorities. The girl was safely recovered Thursday afternoon by investigators from the Belmont Police Department and the FBI Boston Divisions Child Exploitation-Human Trafficking Task Force, along with officers from Arlington, Boston and Dedham, law enforcement said. She has been reunited with her family, the Belmont Police Department said in a statement. We would like to thank the public for its assistance and all of you for publicizing this case. The department had in the days since Jan. 17 put out multiple calls over social media for information on Browns whereabouts and released numerous photographs of her. Related Content: FBI joins search for Nya Brown, 15-year-old Massachusetts girl who went missing nearly 2 weeks ago Posted Thursday, January 28, 2021 5:18 pm For the first several months of the pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assured pregnant patients they were in no greater danger from the novel coronavirus than anyone else. It wasn't until the agency analyzed national data last summer that they discovered pregnant people with COVID-19 appeared to be at higher risk for serious illness and hospitalization. Now, a new study from Washington state confirms those results and also finds a much higher risk of death than previously reported, suggesting the peril to pregnant patients continues to be underestimated across the country. The analysis found the COVID-19 mortality rate among them was more than 13 times higher than among those of similar ages who were not pregnant. Those pregnant women with COVID-19 were also 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized due to the disease and had higher rates of preterm birth. "The idea that pregnant patients were protected from COVID-19 is a myth," said lead author Dr. Kristina Adams Waldorf, an obstetrician at the University of Washington School of Medicine. The findings underscore how important it is for pregnant patients to take precautions against getting infected, said Dr. Emily Adhikari, an obstetrician at University of Texas Southwestern who was not involved in the project but has also examined COVID-19's impacts on pregnant women. Her studies found 95% have no adverse outcomes but it's hard to predict the 5% who will. "Prevention is key," Adhikari said. Adams Waldorf and her colleagues, who represent a collaboration among the 35 largest medical centers across the state, followed 240 pregnant women who tested positive for the novel coronavirus last year between March 1 and June 30. Most of the women had mild illness and no problems with their pregnancies. But 10% were hospitalized due to COVID-19, compared to 2.8% among the comparison group, according to the study published Wednesday in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Three women died from the virus representing 1.3% of the expectant patients. That's a "shockingly high rate," Adams Waldorf said, and far more than the 0.1% mortality among similarly aged people in Washington who were not pregnant. "It's really, really rare for pregnant women to die and we work really hard to keep them alive," Adams Waldorf said. "To fail in these three instances says a lot about the disease and how it impacts pregnant patients." The women in the study who died were from ethnic minority groups and had other health conditions, including obesity and high blood pressure. Washington's COVID-19 death rate for pregnant people was much higher than a recent estimate by the CDC. But Adams Waldorf said it's more likely that the national estimates are low, than that Washington's high rate is exceptionally high. Dr. Denise Jamieson, chief of gynecology and obstetrics at Emory University School of Medicine, said she wouldn't put too much emphasis on the exact death rate calculated by the Washington group, because the sample size was small. "But the fact that it's similar to what was found (by the CDC) tells a consistent and compelling story that there seems to be an increased risk of death," said Jamieson, who was not involved in the Washington study. She agrees that the CDC is probably underestimating deaths of expectant people, because much of the federal data on COVID-19 patients fails to note whether they were pregnant or not. The Washington study also found 45% of patients who suffered severe infections late in their pregnancies gave birth early. "Many people don't realize that getting COVID-19 in pregnancy can put you at risk for a preterm birth and an infant that might have to spend months in a neonatal ICU," Adams Waldorf said. She urges pregnant patients who work in high-risk jobs to consider vaccination when they qualify. Pregnant people were not included in clinical trials on the two COVID-19 vaccines approved in the U.S., but both the CDC and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend they be offered the shots. ___ (c)2021 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. In the times of COVID-19 read what this BOSS is offering for employees to relieve their stress Uttar Pradesh govt to withdraw cases filed against COVID-19 lockdown violaters India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Lucknow, Jan 29: The Uttar Pradesh government is planning to withdraw cases registered in connection with COVID-19 violations last summer. On Thursday, the government said the law and justice department of the state has issued a direction to the principal secretary to collect all the information regarding such cases as part of the process to withdraw them. Law minister Brijesh Pathak cited demands by traders and said the decision to withdraw the cases has been taken because of that. "The state government has started the process to withdraw such cases." PM Modi on what to expect from Union Budget 2021 | Oneindia News "With this decision, Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country to withdraw the FIRs registered in connection with breaking of COVID protocols during the lockdown. It will also serve as a warning to abide by the directions of the government and take special precautions in such situations in the future," the statement said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 10:13 [IST] Brave battle: Victoria Davis with her husband Colm who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease A former principal awarded an OBE for services to Special Education has sadly passed away at home on Wednesday. Colm Davis retired from his position as head teacher of at Tor Bank School, Dundonald, in 2017, a year after he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease when the condition took away his ability to speak. His family have asked for donations to either Motor Neurone Disease Association Northern Ireland, Marie Curie or Northern Ireland Hospice in lieu of flowers. Mr Davis, who is survived by his wife Victoria and three children, Victoria, Amy and Colm, will be remembered for his tireless fundraising efforts for the Motor Neurone charities and for his positive outlook on life. Mr Davis, who had dedicated 36 years to education before his retirement, had been a committee member of the MND Association and worked to raise the profile of the organisation and the work it carried out. In 2018, he supported a campaign by the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) aimed at reducing the trauma of those with the devastating condition when dealing with the welfare system. Despite his terminal condition, he had been ordered to undergo reassessment for PIP, the state benefit replacing Disability Living Allowance. Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701) Today Cloudy with occasional rain...mainly in the morning. High 53F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 46F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. HUNTERSVILLE, NC The pace of coronavirus spread in Mecklenburg County is starting to slow down, according to county health officials who reported decreases in daily infection rates and hospitalizations this week. The news comes as the top public health official in the county extended a directive urging residents to only leave their homes for essential activities. Friday morning, Mecklenburg County reported 84,444 known COVID-19 cases and 766 deaths, representing an increase of nearly 6,000 new cases and 76 lives lost to the virus in the span of nine days. In Huntersville, at least 4,424 new cases and 38 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed as of Jan. 28, according to North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services data. The tally represents an increase of at least 258 new cases and four deaths in Huntersville in the span of eight days. According to county public health officials, this week an average of 11.9 percent of those tested for coronavirus in Mecklenburg County were positive, down from 13.8 percent reported last week. An average of 420 individuals were hospitalized in the country during the past week, down from 540 a day reported last week. Despite the dip in numbers, Harris extended the county's public health directive, which had been set to expire Tuesday, through Feb. 28. "While our metrics have improved over the three weeks that the Directive has been in place, the number of cases, hospitalizations and positivity rate remain high," Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris said Thursday. "I am grateful to our community for their commitment to following the Directive, but we need to remain vigilant with the prevention measures that are necessary to continue to move our community in the right direction." Missing from the extended order, however, was a call for schools to remain virtual. "Individuals should continue to utilize full-virtual options where in-person activity is not required," MCPH said in a statement. "For schools, the CDC study released earlier this week, indicates that with appropriate safety measures in place schools can be a safe location for students to learn and for school staff to support that learning. Public Health continues to be supportive of in classroom learning as the optimal options for our youth." Story continues County health offiicals also urged that residents only participated in recreational activities with those that they live with. The directive instructs residents in Mecklenburg County to: Only leave your home for essential activities and remain at home between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., unless an exception as set forth in the Governor's Executive Order applies. Avoid leaving your home if you are over 65 or at high-risk for developing serious illness. Avoid any non-essential travel. Avoid gathering with individuals that you do not live with. Wear a cloth face covering, Wait 6 feet apart and avoid close contact, and Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer. Quarantine and get tested if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19. Answer the call and participate in contact tracing to protect against further spread if you receive a call or text from Mecklenburg County Public Health. Get a flu shot and get the get the COVID-19 vaccine, when it is available to you. As of Jan. 28, at least 50,835 first doses of vaccine had been administered in Mecklenburg County, and 11,774 individuals had completed their vaccination series, according to DHHS. SEE ALSO: This article originally appeared on the Huntersville Patch Later, I entered rehab for five months in Canberra, and Sue came to visit me. She was so invested in my sobriety and happiness; she made me feel I was worth fighting for. I was still struggling to understand how someone could be so kind but, bloody hell, I lapped it up. Sue, the healers neighbour and friend, visited me twice a day. She would sit on my bed and feed me Sustagen and bananas. Id think, How can someone show you so much love when they dont know you? She saved my life. Every day, she made me look her in the eye and say, I will come back from this. She was there for me in a way that no one else knew how to be. FIONA: I met Sue in December 2015. I was homeless, staying with a psychic healer in her bungalow in Adelaide. A few months earlier, Id emerged from a 15-day coma that I hadnt been expected to survive and checked myself into a psychiatric hospital. The experience had been rich pickings for my stand-up routine, but I was a mess. And Id fallen off the wagon again. Fiona OLoughlin (right) and Sue Underwood: I didnt want to waste my time or Sues ever again rolling around in the mud of my guilt. Credit:David Solm In 2018, I was a contestant on Im a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! and won. I rang Sue, who has managed small businesses, and asked her to have a look at my books because I wanted to get back in control of my life. She discovered a letter from the tax office I didnt even know I had, informing me I was about to be garnisheed for the third time. When she negotiated a payment arrangement, I knew I needed her in my life, not just as my bookkeeper but also as my manager, PA, general support person and friend. I think people thought, What the hell is Fiona up to now? but I needed someone who could help me put my alcoholism front and centre of everything I do like refusing any kind of invitation where I know theres going to be a lot of booze. I didnt seem to know I had the right to do that. When I got out of hospital, I gave Sue all my credit cards. I surrendered everything to her in order to stay safe. I had three relapses in 2019, one of them bad enough to land me back in hospital. Relapsing with full knowledge of your disease is another beast altogether. You drink to shut out the knowledge. When I got out of hospital, I gave Sue all my credit cards. I surrendered everything to her in order to stay safe. I didnt want to waste my time or hers ever again rolling around in the mud of my guilt. There was no finger-wagging from her, just a renewed commitment to get back on track. And life has steadily been getting better. One day, I realised Id gone three months without a relapse, and then another three. The only reason I got there was because I had someone I could say anything to even, I feel like a drink. The answer doesnt matter; the fact that I can just say it is enough. Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani urged the new US administration Friday to step up pressure on the Taliban and not rush to withdraw more troops. Ghani said the Taliban have failed to live up to conditions agreed in their February 2020 deal with the United States to reduce attacks in Afghanistan and sever longstanding ties to Al-Qaeda. "The United States and NATO must take a very strong stand on the conditions-based approach," Ghani said in an online address to the Aspen Security Forum. "They signed an agreement; that agreement now needs to be implemented." Even though Taliban and Afghan government negotiators opened peace talks in Doha last year, violence in Afghanistan has soared. Ghani said the Taliban must admit to attacking government forces and conducting a string of assassinations of public figures. The Taliban exploited former president Donald Trump's rush to pull US forces from Afghanistan to continue attacking government forces, Ghani suggested. After the US-Taliban deal last year, US officials assured Kabul "there will be a ceasefire or a very substantial reduction of violence," Ghani said. "Instead, violence has peaked," he said. And rather than pursuing peace talks in good faith, "the Taliban are finding one excuse after another not to meet." - 'They will not let go' - Ghani said he spoke with new US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday and was assured that President Joe Biden's administration would review matters by sending a new team to Afghanistan, and would consult more closely with Kabul. "We couldn't be more pleased with the early focused, systematic attention and a dialog between two partners that have mutually sacrificed and have a mutual interest," he said. The Taliban believe they defeated the US and that NATO forces in Afghanistan are "on the run", Ghani said. "Now, robust diplomacy and a stand on conditions-based approaches will enable us all hopefully to resume meaningful discussion," he added. Story continues The United States has about 2,500 troops in Afghanistan, down from close to 13,000 a year ago. In the Trump administration's withdrawal deal with the Taliban, the US was supposed to pull all troops out by May 2021 in return for security pledges from the insurgents. Ghani said US forces need to remain, without specifying how many. He said he expected Biden to make "the right decision." "NATO without US enablers cannot continue its mission," he said. If the "Taliban realise that they can prevail through violence, they will not let go," he added. "A combination of presence, plus diplomacy, bringing US tools of power in a concentrated manner.... would be extremely crucial to our success." In separate comments, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the Biden administration supports the framework for an Afghanistan peace deal established in the US-Taliban agreement. He said the administration is "taking a hard look" at how much the Taliban is meeting the conditions it agreed to -- on reducing violence, cutting ties with Al-Qaeda, and genuinely negotiating with the Kabul government. "In that context we will make decisions about our force posture, and our diplomatic strategy going forward," he said at the US Institute for Peace. sl-pmh/wat SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - An injured California inmate firefighter has been released from federal immigration detention and is home with his parents and sister for the first time since his arrest more than two decades ago when he was age 16. Bounchan Keola was hurt when a tree fell on him while he was helping fight a deadly wildfire southwest of Redding in Northern California in early October. He was released from a California state prison two weeks later but was immediately picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. His attorney says Keola was freed Wednesday under a court precedent that says detainees cant be held indefinitely if they cant be deported and if they arent dangerous or a flight risk. The president said the relevant draft law provides an opportunity for all citizens to make important decisions on the country's life, while politicians losing influence are trying to criticize the bill. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has congratulated the nation on the adoption of a bill on the national referendum. In his video blog, he said the relevant draft law provides an opportunity for all citizens of Ukraine to make important decisions on the country's life, while politicians who are losing some of their influence are trying to criticize the bill. "Perhaps you've noticed that this is already a pattern: if public supports something, while politicians oppose it, this means something is being taken from politicians. This was the case when we abolished parliamentary immunity, and this is what happened now. This is a disaster for some, because now important decisions will be made not by them, but by all citizens of Ukraine, at a referendum," Zelensky said. The president said the adoption of the relevant bill was among the points of his election campaign. Read alsoZelensky elaborates on bill to reduce number of legislators"We promised it and we delivered. My congratulations to the people of Ukraine, my condolences to some parties," he said. Zelensky added some MPs had spoken out against this bill, but now they have changed their position. He also expressed the hope there would be fewer MPs in the future who "change their shoes" so quickly. "It is believed, a cheetah is the fastest animal on planet. In fact, it's not. It's some lawmakers with their speed of turning coats. At first, they were categorically against the referendum, but now they are initiating a referendum on five issues, or more. I think the Facepalm meme could become the official logo of this political force. And a slogan: '20 years on the side-flipping market!'" Zelensky said. National referendum bill: Background The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, on January 26 passed a bill on the national referendum. The document determines the possibility of holding an e-referendum, but only after a separate law is adopted that would regulate the relevant procedure. A referendum on a popular initiative is proclaimed by President in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine. The national referendum on a popular initiative is proclaimed at the request of at least 3 million Ukrainian citizens who have the right to vote provided that signatures for the appointment of the referendum have been collected in at least two-thirds of the regions with at least 100,000 signatures secured in each such region. According to the bill, the following issues may be decided at a national referendum: Approval of the law on amendments to sections I, III, XIII of the Constitution of Ukraine; Issues of altering Ukraine borders; and Expiration of a law or its individual provisions. The bill also defines issues that cannot be a subject of a national referendum. Reporting by UNIAN Marchuk is "sharply negative" about the idea of Ukraine returning its nuclear status. Ukraine should develop an international initiative to bring the Budapest Memorandum back onto the international agenda. This was announced by the first chief of the SBU Security Service (1991-1994), the former prime minister of Ukraine (1995-1996), the former secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (1999), Yevhen Marchuk, in an interview for the media outlet Krym.Realii. Read alsoUkraine has confident position on Russia's violation of int'l maritime law in Kerch Strait case MFA "The fact is that ignoring the Budapest Memorandum poses a threat not only to Ukraine, but also to the world and international law. Ukraine is the first that has suffered from non-fulfillment of this document," he said. "But this has negative consequences throughout the world in terms of the limitation and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Today, all nuclear states are wary of this idea and initiatives in this regard, as well as trust in each other in general. They are aware that that reducing nuclear competition has become insecure: the guarantor countries may refuse to fulfill their guarantees, as was the case for Ukraine. Therefore, both North Korea and other countries now evaluate such initiatives in a special way," Marchuk said. He says it makes sense for Ukraine to create an analytical group of scientists and specialists of international law for a brainstorm to hammer out recommendations on the use of the provisions of the Budapest Memorandum in the complex of measures that are being developed to end the Russian occupation of Ukraine and its further reintegration. Marchuk added that he is "sharply negative" about the idea of Ukraine returning its nuclear status, which some politicians press for. Reference The Budapest Memorandum was signed on December 5, 1994. Under to the document, Ukraine received guarantees of territorial integrity in exchange for renouncing nuclear weapons. The memorandum was signed by the leaders of Ukraine, the United States, Russia, and the United Kingdom. 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. A female history teacher has been struck off for having sex with her former pupil and moving the teenage girl into her home. Gemma Beckett, 31, started teaching the 18-year-old when she first joined John Henry Newman Catholic College, Birmingham, as a year 13 pupil in September 2016. A misconduct panel heard later that year the schoolgirl, whose mother had just died, and Ms Beckett, began a 'mutual romantic relationship with each other'. Teaching watchdogs were told the relationship 'intensified in 2017' and in July the teenager - referred to only as Pupil A - left the school's roll and moved into Ms Beckett's home in October. But an investigation was only launched in September 2019 when the school was alerted to their relationship. Ms Beckett, who had worked at the school since 2013, resigned before the investigation concluded and has now been banned from the classroom following a Teaching Regulation Agency ruling at a hearing in Coventry. Ms Beckett did not attend the hearing but admitted all of the allegations in her signed response. She also admitted 'that her conduct amounts to unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute'. Gemma Beckett, 31, started teaching the 18-year-old when she first joined John Henry Newman Catholic College, Birmingham, as a year 13 pupil in September 2016 The panel was told that the teacher and teenager had exchanged gifts which the teacher did not tell her superiors about and had met outside school, including in Ms Beckett's home. It was also accepted Ms Beckett 'engaged in sexual activity with Pupil A' and 'she moved Pupil A to live in her home'. The panel ruled: 'Ms Beckett's conduct was sexually motivated and that she had entered into an inappropriate relationship with a pupil. In the panel's view, whilst Pupil A was over the age of 18 from the start of the conduct complained of, and had left the College before the most serious conduct commenced, the relationship had arisen as a result of Ms Beckett being her teacher and there was some culpability even after Pupil A was no longer on the roll at the College.' The probe also discovered late-night emails sent from the teacher's College account to the student's personal Gmail, where they also swapped numbers, and that the pair had exchanged gifts. Ms Karen McArthur, who chaired the panel, said: 'It was clear from the documents that these were sent to a Gmail account, which included Pupil A's name at the start of the email address. 'The panel was therefore content that Ms Beckett had corresponded with Pupil A, via Pupil A's personal email account. 'From the timings of the emails, it was similarly clear to the panel that these were sent out of College hours and, on occasion, late at night or early in the morning. 'These emails included conversations of a personal nature, such as information on Ms Beckett's university degree, and nicknames and slang terminology being used.' Ms Beckett told the college that she had 'been discreet' about the relationship' so she did not put colleagues into difficult position' and 'moved the conversation on' if asked about her personal life. Ms McArthur added: 'Pupil A was over the age of 18 from the start of the conduct complained of, and had left the College before the most serious conduct commenced. 'The relationship had arisen as a result of Ms Beckett being her teacher and there was some culpability even after Pupil A was no longer on the roll at the College.' Sarah Buxcey, acting on behalf of the Education Secretary, banned Ms Beckett from the classroom - but she will be allowed to appeal for reinstatement after five years. Ms Buxcey added: 'In the light of the panel's findings against Ms Beckett, which involved her developing feelings for Pupil A and entering into a relationship with her whilst, for a short time, she remained a pupil at the College, there was a strong public interest consideration in respect of the protection of pupils. 'Similarly, in the light of there being findings of dishonesty and a lack of integrity again Ms Beckett, the panel considered that public confidence in the profession could be seriously weakened if conduct such as that found against her was not treated with the utmost seriousness when regulating the conduct of the profession. 'Her dishonest conduct was, effectively, one of omission / diversion and the sexual misconduct was with an adult, albeit one who was a pupil (or had been a pupil in recent time). 'In the panel's view, these factors just mitigated the seriousness to a level that did not require them to be deemed 'serious'. 'I have also noted 'The panel did not, however, have any further material before it from Ms Beckett to explain how she allowed the events to develop. 'This was would have assisted the panel in its consideration as, being mindful that Ms Beckett was a relatively newly qualified teacher, she should have been more aware of the risks regarding teacher/pupil relationships, by virtue of her training'. 'In my judgement, the lack of insight means that there is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour.' The panel dismissed only one allegation - that Pupil A was vulnerable - even though Ms Beckett believed she was. The teenager may have been vulnerable in late 2016 but the complaints related to a period three months after that - and there was no evidence she was still vulnerable then, the panel found. AGM Presentation 2020 Sydney, Jan 29, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Victor Group Holdings Limited ( ASX:VIG ) was officially listed on the Australian Securities Exchange ("ASX") on May 9, 2014 under the stock code VIG (hereinafter referred to as the company abbreviation).Since 2017 VIG's predominate focus is providing its customers with enterprise management services as well as acting as an operator of cloud enabled smart education platforms.VIG provides SaaS, IaaS & PaaS solutions to customers, building and operating education cloud platforms which bring together best in class resources and applications from strategic partners such as education service and elearning content providers and offering a wide range of elearning solutions for educational institutions, students and parents.Education cloud platforms are digital educational resources enabled by cloud computing and other technologies. VIG connect with online leaning spaces and intelligent terminals to provide users with various supporting functions for teaching, learning, research, ad ministration and social interactions, thereby facilitating a full and deep integration of information technologies and learning.Business model 1: Cloud Education solution Technical SupportClients require cloud education tools for their existing Students, teachers and courses. Tencent & VIG provide technical services to achieve online lesson preparation, teaching, homework distribution and collection, and assessments.Potential Clients: RTO (including TAFE, university) and other educational institutions, such as Torrance University, VCE training school etc.Tencent Support:1. Online Education Platform and regular maintenance;2. Technical support for clients to upload their online courses;3. Assist account opening and cancellationBusiness Model 2: Online Course PlatformVIG introduces and promotes online courses for students around the world Courses are provided by VIG and its joint partners, and students can choose their own courses. RTOs are our main Business clients, these include TAFE, universities and other educational institutions as course partners such as Torrance University, GuotaiAn , Haitong,Potential Clients: To C is Students all around the world, To B is companies or schools who would like to use our courses on the platform.Tencent Support: Statistics on the revenue of VIG cooperation coursesBusiness model 3: Exclusive Reseller for the Courses on Tencent Classroom in OceaniaPotential Clients: Oceania students who requires more in depth tutorial outside of their current curriculums.Tencent Support: Tencent Classroom, and traffic statistics of Oceania studentsFinancial HighlightsTotal revenue at $5.8 m in FY2020, down 16.3% compared to FY2019. Due in part to:- Discontinuation of VIG's Training and consulting services business in order for the Company to allocate resources to other initiatives with greater future potential.- Decrease in SaaS, IaaS and PaaS solutions revenue due to the pause in economic activity brought on by the COVID 19 pandemic, resulting in reduced business activities from widespread restrictions on movement.- Revenue from core operations i.e. the SaaS, IaaS and PaaS solutions down 9.1% vs 16.3% for total operating revenue.New Cloud Education service offering introduced generating $353k in revenue:- Resilient business offering which is less affected from COVID 19 disruptions.- Foundational aspects of building e learning content commenced and expected to accelerate over coming years.Strategic Growth Initiatives- The current COVID 19 pandemic is determining a rethinking of consumers' behaviour and purchasing decisions Businesses are trending towards embracing technology to collaborate. And in the educational space, most tertiary institutions are relying on online education as oppose to traditional offline classroom learning.- VIG intend to capitalise on this on going trend is to acquire and deliver more Australian approved tertiary courses through its cloud based infrastructure.- VIG see s an opportunity to accelerate the implementation of our growth strategy through strategic investment and targeted acquisitions for complementary technology, Australian education content, market share and/or operations for further Australian expansion.- VIG will also seek to implement initiatives which can drive students to utilise their cloud educational platforms.To view the AGM Presentation, please visit:About Victor Group Holdings Limited The Victor Group is a consulting firm specialising in providing enterprise management services. They assist the entrepreneurs/management to better manage their company and provide advisory services in relation to most aspects of running a business (e.g. political, financial, legal, technological, behavioural etc.). Its operating model focuses on carrying out large-scale seminars and specific enterprise management consulting courses. Its current business involves providing Enterprise Management Consulting Services (EMCS) which include marketing management training and consulting courses that are currently delivered offline and face to face. Due to the decrease in traditional business and to take advantage of all aspects of modern digitalised business applications, the Victor Group expanded its existing business to various economic development zones in China through internet after the data center acquisition in June 2016. The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. English French Dassault Aviation receives order for 12 Rafales for French Air and Space Force Saint-Cloud, January 29th, 2021 - Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, today signed a contract for the sale of 12 Rafale aircraft with Florence Parly, French Minister of the Armed Forces. These aircraft will replace the 12 Rafales of the French Air and Space Force (FASF) sold to the Hellenic Air Force. The contract was signed during a visit by the French Minister of the Armed Forces to the Argonay plant in Haute-Savoie which has produced the flight control systems for all Dassault aircraft since 1963. Dassault Aviation and its industrial partners would like to thank the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, the French defense procurement agency DGA and the Armed Forces for their renewed confidence. "This contract for 12 new aircraft will enable our Air and Space Force to continue the Rafale build-up while awaiting the fifth tranche, which is scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2030. The contract is a great satisfaction for Dassault Aviation, Thales, Safran and the 500 French companies involved in the program, in the particularly difficult conditions facing our aeronautics sector in the context of the Covid crisis", said Eric Trappier. * * * ABOUT THE RAFALE: The only totally omnirole aircraft in the world, able to operate from a land base or an aircraft carrier, capable of carrying 1.5 times its weight in weapons and fuel, the Rafale has been designed to perform the full spectrum of combat aircraft missions: Interception and air-to-air combat using a 30-mm gun, Mica IR/EM missiles and Meteor missiles. using a 30-mm gun, Mica IR/EM missiles and Meteor missiles. Close air support (CAS) using a 30-mm gun, GBU laser-guided bombs and AASM GPS-guided bombs. using a 30-mm gun, GBU laser-guided bombs and AASM GPS-guided bombs. Deep strike using Scalp/Storm Shadow cruise missiles. using Scalp/Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Maritime strike using the Exocet AM39 Block 2 missile and other air-to-surface weapons. using the Exocet AM39 Block 2 missile and other air-to-surface weapons. Real-time tactical and strategic reconnaissance using the Areos pod. using the Areos pod. Buddy-buddy in-flight refueling . . Nuclear deterrence using the ASMP-A missile. The Rafale entered service with the French Navy in 2004 and with the French Air and Space Force (FASF) in 2006, gradually replacing the seven types of previous-generation combat aircraft. It has been combat proven in different theaters: Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria. Of the 192 aircraft ordered by France to date, 152 have been delivered. A total of 114 Rafales have been ordered by Egypt, Qatar, India and Greece. ABOUT DASSAULT AVIATION: With over 10,000 military and civil aircraft (including 2,500 Falcons) delivered in more than 90 countries over the last century, Dassault Aviation has built up expertise recognized worldwide in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, ranging from the Rafale fighter, to the high-end Falcon family of business jets, military drones and space systems. In 2019, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of 7.3 billion. The company has 12,750 employees. dassault-aviation.com PRESS CONTACTS: Corporate Communications Stephane Fort - Tel +33 (0)1 47 11 86 90 - stephane.fort@dassault-aviation.com Mathieu Durand - Tel +33 (0)1 47 11 85 88 - mathieu.durand@dassault-aviation.com HD photos: mediaprophoto.dassault-aviation.com HD videos: mediaprovideo.dassault-aviation.com Attachment Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 18:29:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A health worker wearing protective suit washes his hands at a temporary isolation shelter for asymptomatic patients in Jakarta, Indonesia, Jan. 29, 2021. The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 13,802 in the past 24 hours to 1,051,795, with the death toll adding by 187 to 29,518, the Health Ministry said on Friday. (Photo by Arya Manggala/Xinhua) JAKARTA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 13,802 in the past 24 hours to 1,051,795, with the death toll adding by 187 to 29,518, the Health Ministry said on Friday. According to the ministry, 10,138 more patients were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recoveries to 852,260. The coronavirus has spread to all the country's 34 provinces. Specifically, in the past 24 hours, West Java recorded 3,835 new cases, Jakarta 3,448, Central Java 1,495, East Java 1,006 and East Kalimantan 667. Enditem January 29 : Ajay Devgns directorial venture MayDay has recently completed its first schedule in Hyderabad, and is into its second schedule. The film that rolled on December 11 has a very interesting star cast with Ajay Devgn himself playing a pilot. The film also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Rakul Preet Singh, Angira Dhar, Aakanksha Singh, and Ajey Nagar among others. To this interesting cast, one more top star has been added. The team is all set to welcome Boman Irani to the starcast. The talented actor will play the role of a top airline owner in this edge of the seat thriller. Irani will soon join the shoot with the MayDay team. Ajay, who also produces the film, has put together an interesting cast. He had earlier roped in Ajey Nagar, who has huge popularity in the online space. His online fans know him as CarryMinati, a popular YouTuber. Ajey, who will now try his hand in acting, will be seen in an important role in MayDay. Actress Aakanksha Singh was also brought onboard to play the role of Ajay Devgn's wife. Aakanksha became popular for her performance in the television series Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha and Gulmohar Grand. Rakul Preet Singh essays the role of a co-pilot to Ajay. The actress had earlier worked with Ajay in De De Pyar De. Amitabh Bachchan has recently started shooting for the film, and had shared on social media that he is experiencing fear as he begins shooting for MayDay. Big B revealed that the first few days on the set is always a nightmare for him, and he is petrified and in constant apprehension. MayDay will hit the big screens on April 29, 2022. Ukraine's National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting on Thursday implemented two sanctions against the 112 Ukraine television network: a warning and a fine equivalent to 25% of its license fee for airing remarks "containing calls for an aggressive war or its propaganda and/or inciting ethnic, racial, or religious animosity and hatred." The move comes after an inspection of the company on January 22, 2020, based on monitoring of the channel's programs aired between August and December 2019, the regulator said on its website. The remarks were made by guests in the studio. In processing the results of the inspection, the regulator was guided by the experience of the European Court of Human Rights. In particular, it took into account Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which, on the one hand, establishes the right to freedom of speech, yet at the same time stipulates that the exercise of these freedoms, which come with liabilities and responsibility, may involve certain formalities, conditions, restrictions, or sanctions, as provided by the law and necessary in a democracy. "The airing by the television channel of these remarks is a direct continuation of Russian propaganda and narratives similar to the official political and propagandist position of the Russian Federation, which has been recognized as an aggressor state by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the international community of a majority of European countries. They bear the hallmarks of prejudice and the manipulation of public opinion, in particular by spreading incomplete or biased information," the regulator said. Also, the guests' speeches contained deliberate scaremongering, misrepresentation and intimidation, manipulation of words about intentions to kill people, and repeated use of negative language creating a negative image of a certain social group, in particular people who are involved in budget approval and the defense sector, the regulator said. All the remarks were made not only live on programs, but also in their rebroadcasts. Given the above, the regulator concluded that the channel is in breach in the law and issued a warning. It also recognized the presence of calls "to launch an aggressive war or its propaganda and/or incite ethnic, racial, or religious animosity and hatred in the remarks aired by the licensee" and fined the channel 25% of its license fee, which is UAH 114,067. The company has one month to bring its operations into line with the legal requirements. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-30 00:07:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close GABORONE, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Botswana announced a further extension of night curfew to Feb. 28 following revelations that risks posed by COVID-19 have increased in the southern African country. The restriction on movement of persons shall continue to apply from 20:00 and 04:00 (1800-0200 GMT) daily, President Mokgweetsi Masisi announced in a notice given through the government gazette published Friday. During this curfew period, a person shall be required to carry a movement permit at times when movement is restricted. The sale and consumption of liquor in public places shall continue to be suspended, as the two activities are regarded as super spreaders of the global pandemic, said Masisi. Botswana announced a curfew last December and then extended the curfew up to Jan. 31 following the emergence of a new and more transmissible strain of COVID-19. Enditem ACROSS AMERICA Maylette Brown's birthday was Friday. She turned 47 years old. She's too young to have funeral arrangements in place, but as the mother of three children and someone with a host of underlying health conditions, she does anyway. Just in case. Brown, of Winchester, California, dodged two coronavirus bullets last year. She wasn't as lucky this year. Brown has numerous underlying health conditions asthma, breast cancer, lupus and others. Despite trying hard to avoid it, she tested positive for coronavirus this year. On Thursday, Brown was home after being in and out of the hospital. She's on oxygen and has a chest port, and two home health caregivers are assigned to her. Speaking by phone, she coughed and often gasped for air. She also got emotional. "I'm not going to lie," she told Patch. "I'm scared." Brown, whose salvation has been her faith, her children, and her neighborhoods, doesn't ask for much. Just prayer and for people to stop bickering over COVID-19. "This nation has lost so many people from this virus," she said. "People, stop complaining. Stick together and help each other. We all can do this." Read the full story by Toni McAllister for Murrieta Patch The Latest The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order late Friday requiring face masks on all public transportation in the U.S., including planes, boats, subways, ferries, taxis, trains and rideshare vehicles. The order takes effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday and will continue indefinitely. The CDC's order comes just over a week after President Joe Biden issued an executive order requiring masks for traveling in the U.S., as well as requiring a negative COVID-19 test for travelers coming to the U.S. from other countries. He also issued an executive order requiring face masks in all federal buildings. Masks must be worn over the nose and mouth while waiting, boarding, traveling and disembarking, according to the order. Story continues "Appropriately-worn masks reduce the spread of COVID-19 particularly given the evidence of pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19," the order reads. However, as the United States enters the final full month of a dark winter alongside a global pandemic, parents may have one more thing to look forward to once warmer weather arrives. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said during Friday's White House coronavirus briefing that he hopes to see children being vaccinated starting in the next few months. Hopefully, by the time we get to the late spring and early summer, we will have children being able to be vaccinated, Fauci said. While current vaccines have not yet been approved for children, getting them vaccinated will be critical to the country achieving herd immunity. Children represent about one-fourth of the population; and for the U.S. to reach widespread resistance to the virus, about 70 percent to 85 percent of the population must be vaccinated. While this is good news for parents hoping to safely send their children back to school, the United States is still struggling to keep a swift pace in its efforts to vaccinate adults first. As of Thursday, only about 1.3 percent of Americans had been fully vaccinated with the required two doses of the currently available vaccines, AP reported. Meanwhile, a day before the number of new coronavirus cases surpassed 25.8 million, the first of yet another new variant strain has been confirmed in the United States. Two cases of a variant that first originated in South Africa were confirmed in South Carolina on Thursday, according to an Associated Press report. The two cases don't appear to be connected, and neither patient has a history of recent travel, the state health department told The AP. "That's frightening," because it means there could be more undetected cases within the state, Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious diseases physician at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, told AP. "It's probably more widespread." The South Africa variant is one of three emergent strains that are being closely watched by U.S. public health officials. Other variants first reported in the United Kingdom and Brazil have already been confirmed in the United States, and researchers believe these three variants may spread more easily. As these new variants emerge, public health experts are calling on Americans to mask up and mask up again. The time has come to upgrade the simple cloth masks that have become a staple shield during the pandemic. Now, public health experts are recommending that Americans don a second mask over or under the one they already wear. The best combination, according to a Washington Post report, will likely be a fabric mask on top of a surgical mask. Fauci touted double-masking earlier this week during an appearance on the "Today" show, saying two layers "just makes common sense that it likely would be more effective." Also, the World Health Organization on Friday officially changed its guidance for pregnant women considering a COVID-19 vaccine. Previously, the WHO said only expectant mothers who were considered high risk should get the vaccine. The move came after health experts expressed disappointment with the guidance, The New York Times reported. The experts noted it was inconsistent with guidance issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, while they have not been tested in pregnant women, have not shown any harmful effects in animal studies. And the technology used in the vaccines is generally known to be safe, experts said. In other vaccine news, Novavax, a little-known, Maryland-based company supported by the U.S. federal government's Operation Warp Speed, confirmed on Thursday that its COVID-19 vaccine offers robust protection against the virus, The New York Times reported. But here's the downside: The company has said its vaccine is not as effective against the fast-spreading variant first discovered in South Africa. The announcement from Novavax comes came just days after Moderna and Pfizer said their vaccines were also less effective against the same variant. Finally, Johnson & Johnson's one-shot COVID-19 vaccine is just about ready to go out to the public, although research is showing it is less protective than the two-shot alternatives. Following Phase 3 of the clinical trials of the single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, the company's vaccine showed it was 66 percent effective overall in preventing moderate-to-severe COVID-19, 28 days after vaccination, according to a news release from the company. However, studies showed it was more effective 85 percent in preventing severe disease in all adults 18 years and older. Newest Numbers At least 317 deaths and 20,312 new cases of coronavirus were reported in the United States as of 10:55 a.m. ET Saturday, according to a Washington Post database. The Post's reporting shows that over the past week, new daily cases have fallen 14.8 percent, new daily deaths have risen 4.2 percent and COVID-19-related hospitalizations have fallen 13 percent. Currently, 101,003 people are hospitalized with a coronavirus-related illness in the United States, according to the Covid Tracking Project. As of Saturday, 36 states and U.S. territories remained above the positive testing rate recommended by the World Health Organization to safely reopen. To safely reopen, the WHO recommends states remain at 5 percent or lower for at least 14 days. As of 11 a.m. ET Saturday, the United States had reported nearly 26 million cases and almost 437,000 deaths from COVID-19-related illnesses, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Stay up to date on the latest coronavirus news via The New York Times or The Washington Post. Read More From Across America: This article originally appeared on the Across America Patch A glance at some of the day's highlights from the Proactive Investors newswire ( ), the freight management firm, has said it expects to deliver profits for the year just ended that are significantly ahead of market expectations. Following higher than anticipated demand for its services in the UK and Europe during November and throughout December, the group now expects to report adjusted profit before tax of about 7.2mln for 2020, up 40% on 2019s 5.15mln. The group said it traded well ahead of budget in the final two months of the year with strong performances from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, particularly Lithuania. ( ), the independent publisher, has raised revenue and profit expectations for the year to the end of February 2021. The company said revenue for the current fiscal year is expected to be ahead of market expectations while profit is tipped to be well ahead of the current consensus forecasts. The publisher said the better-than-expected performance has been driven by continued strong trading in the Consumer division, for both Adult and Children's publishing. ( ) said it has landed a new contract, with the company selected by an Asian telecoms company for campaign management operations. The marketing software firm described it as a recurring contract and over a three-year term said it is expected to generate US$1.0mln-US$1.2mln of revenue. The company is to provide a variety of services as well as its software product. Additionally, the company noted that it has also won additional business from an existing company. Pelatro is to provide advanced analytics to the client under the contract which is set to be a highly collaborative engagement with the client. ( ) has said electricity demand in India is starting to recover from the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and it still expects to resume dividend payments this year. The coal-fired power station owner also said it will unveil a series of ESG in initiatives alongside its full-year results as criticism of the use of thermal power mounts. These plans will gradually reduce and offset carbon emissions from its Chennai plant, the group added, in recognition that a comprehensive decarbonisation strategy is critical for the company. ( ) has said it will provide the data management platform for a pilot coronavirus (COVID-19) programme being rolled out by an unnamed Fortune 500 American professional services and construction company. The tests will be supplied and administered its partner BHA-Medical Limited with Catenae securely processing the results via its GDPR-compliant technology before sending them to the individual employees. The data will also be fed into Public Health England's database for use by the NHS Test and Trace service. PLC ( ) said it is on track to deliver strong growth in 2021 as it reported results covering the period prior to its flotation on the London Stock Exchange on October 2, 2020. For the period from incorporation on September 3, 2019, to September 30, 2020, the developer of esports teams said it had secured investments prior to its initial public offering totalling 5mln while ending the period with net cash of 1mln alongside a pre-tax loss of 2.7mln representing start-up and listing costs and its pre-revenue status. Post-period, Guild said it had raised 20mln through its IPO, as well as clinching its maiden sponsorship deal with contracted revenues of 3.6mln over three years and setting up two esports teams comprised of top-ranked video game players. The company also said as of January 28 its cash balance stood at 18mln. ( ) said it has brought 1,295 S19 and S19 pro cryptocurrency mining machines into production this week. The company said the machines, which were ordered in November and delivered ahead of schedule, will add around 127 petahash of computing power to its existing fleet of mining machines, bringing its total computing power to 772 petahash. ( ) said it has significantly strengthened its cash position which it noted will accelerate its pipeline of novel therapies for cancer and advance its vaccine candidate for coronavirus (COVID-19). In its results for the six months ended October 31, 2020, the developer of immunotherapies said it ended the period with 25.7mln in cash compared to 3.6mln in April last year, while post-period another 20.5mln had been raised from the issue of convertible loan notes and an open offer to shareholders. In the figures, the pre-revenue company reported a pre-tax loss for the period of 4.3mln compared to 3.08mln in the prior year. ( ) said it has raised expectations for the current fiscal year after a strong final quarter, the third hike in its current financial year. The company said revenues for the three months to the end of January are expected to be up by roughly 9% year-on-year, with a return to modest like-for-like revenue growth. The operating profit margin has also shown strong growth compared with last year. As a result, the group's board expects that results for the year ending January 31, 2021, will be ahead of current market expectations. ( ) has said it expects its continuing operations to report underlying earnings for 2020 in line with the market consensus. The company, which in December sold off the division that provides price comparison and contract arrangement services for small-to-medium enterprises (SME) consumers to focus on providing energy procurement, utility cost optimisation and legislative compliance services, said its performance in the final quarter of 2020 remained resilient, despite the continued disruption caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The average energy consumption reduction by customers for the April to December period (i.e. after the first UK lockdown) is expected to be around 18% better than the 25% reduction modelled in the board's coronavirus downside case. ( ) has extended its agreement with Trafigura, over a US$120mln financing, for a further 12 months. Through an indicative memorandum of understanding (MOU) the companies intend to create a strategic alliance to develop energy projects in Africa. ADM is seeking opportunities in the African energy sector to present to Trafigura. PLC ( ) said its Tirupati Graphene and Mintech Research Centre (TGMRC), which is focused on graphene manufacturing, graphene applications development and minerals processing technology development, has secured its first commercial contract. The graphite specialist said the contract involves the provision of mineral processing technology development services to mining firm Optiva Resources to develop mineral processing technology solutions for the Vanadium, Titanium, Magnetite (VTM) deposits at its Marela project in Guinea. PLC ( ) said investee company Paraytec has now received all clinical samples required to test its new coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnostic tool. Paraytec is working with Sheffield University on the tool and will use the samples to measure it against guidelines for false positive and negative tests set by the Medical Health Regulatory Authority. Results from this phase of clinical testing are now expected by the end of February due to the impact of the latest coronavirus lockdown on the delivery of the samples. ( ) said it has kicked off a field exploration programme at the Jundee East gold project in Western Australia Jundee East is a previously unrecognised greenstone belt spanning some 80 square kilometres, close to Northern Star Resources Jundee gold mine, which produced over 7mln ounces of gold. The company is conducting soil sampling along with other field exploration methods as it seeks to determine the most effective method to define targets in the area. ( ) has announced a large contract for software and services with a major telecoms network operator that serves more than 3.2mln customers in central and western Canada. The new customer contract has an order value to be recognised over the next two financial years of 1.3mln for perpetual software licences, associated implementation services, and annual maintenance and support, the group added. ( ) has updated investors on the outlook for its projects in the March quarter of 2021. In a quarterly update, the AIM-listed company said for the first quarter of the year a program of field sampling and drill access permitting is planned for its Ragged Range gold project in Western Australia, as well as an initial 3,000-metre drill program. Meanwhile, Thor said there will be preparation for resource extension drilling and testwork at its Alford East copper project in South Australia, while at the Kapunda site in the same territory it is planning geotechnical and gold focussed drilling, additional borehole hydrogeological testing and the commencement of SELT drilling and copper and gold recovery testing. ( ) ( ) said a five-year study of five circulating tumour cell (CTC) isolation platforms has identified the key advantages of the companys liquid biopsy system. The group said the research showed that Parsortixs performance was robust, with mean cell capture rates of 71% and 67% for the two cell types targeted. The leading US-approved antibody-based CTC system was unable to enrich one particular line, called EpCAM low cells. ( ) said a follow-up magnetic survey at its Olympic gold project in Nevada has indicated where a previous productive gold vein might lie. A strong anomaly was detected on the prospect to the west of the former OMCO mine, which stopped producing in the 1940s, and has provided enough information to start drilling, the company said. The survey also indicated a strong magnetic anomaly underneath the Trafalgar Hill target at Olympic and money for drilling in both areas is in the budget for this year subject to coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions. ( ) has provided an update on its progress ramping up production at its newly commissioned Cononish Gold and Silver Mine in Scotland, as well as its exploration activities on the Cononish Project and Grampian Project. The gold exploration and production company focused on Scotland noted that its ongoing exploration programme is focused on increasing the mineral resources in the area around the Cononish Gold and Silver Mine where first gold pour was achieved on November 30, 2020, further delineating existing prospects, and making new discoveries. In a separate statement, Scotgold Resources confirmed that all resolutions put to shareholders at its annual general meeting held on Frday, were carried on a show of hands. Zephyr Energy PLC ( ) has updated investors on its analysis of the State 16-2 well results which include positive indications of stacked, continuous oil and gas plays. The well, drilled in the Paradox Basin, Utah, USA, penetrated a total of 21 clastic reservoirs within the Paradox formation, and hydrocarbon saturation is indicated across most of them, Zephyr noted. It added that substantial drilling gas shows were observed across five of the reservoirs including the primary target, Cane Creek. Robust drilling gas shows were observed across a further ten of the reservoirs. In a separate statement, Zephyr Energy announced that it had received notice of exercise for warrants - issued in November 2019 - to subscribe for 3,340,909 new ordinary shares of 0.1p each at a price of 2p per ordinary share. ( ) has told investors it is to restructure its board and further cut costs, as it seeks to take advantage of opportunities provided by the recently sealed farm-out deal for the Ruvuma project. The company said it plans to reduce gross general and administrative costs by 30% this year plus by a further 25%-30% next year. It aims to lower these costs to below 1mln per year, which would equate to a 75% reduction since 2018. Sirius Real Estate Limited ( ) said it has collected almost all rent due from its portfolio of German business parks despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. For the first nine months of its financial year, which ends on March 31, 2021, Sirius said it has received 97.7% of rents with 98% receipts for calendar year 2020. Write-offs had amounted to 205,000 out of a total rent and service charge invoicing of 141.2mln, Sirus added. PLC ( ), the UK property investment company, has announced the disposal of four properties from its portfolio. The company said it has sold retail properties at auction in Chester, Scarborough, Bedford and Llandudno for an aggregate 1.6mln, in line with the most recent valuations. said these disposals have reduced the company's high street retail sector weighting from 11% to 10%. ( ), the AIM and Altx traded metals processing company, has said it was notified on January 28, 2021, that Colin Bird, its non-executive chairperson purchased 500 000 Jubilee ordinary shares of 1p each at a price of 10.77p (223.26 rand cents) each and that Leon Coetzer, its chief executive officer purchased 500 000 ordinary shares of 1p each at a price of 10.90p (225.96 rand cents) each. Following the share purchases, Bird is interested in 500,000 Jubilee ordinary shares, representing approximately 0.022%, and Coetzer is interested in 527 810 ordinary shares, representing approximately 0.024% of the issued share capital. Coetzer commented: "Along with my Chairperson, I am pleased to be acquiring a further stake in Jubilee at this exciting stage in the Company's development. The strong support we experience from our shareholders, institutional and retail, is an endorsement of Jubilee's developments to date and I am very excited about the future growth and prospects of our Company." IronRidge Resources Limited ( ), the African focused minerals exploration company, has announced the appointment of Amanda Harsas as its full-time company secretary, to take effect from February 1, 2021. It said Harsas is a senior finance executive with a demonstrable track record and over 20 years' experience in strategic finance, business transformation, commercial finance, customer and supplier negotiations and capital management. Prior to joining IronRidge, she worked across several sectors including healthcare, insurance, retail and professional services. Her appointment as company secretary will run in conjunction with her new role as chief financial officer to the company, as announced on November 16, 2020, and she replaces Karl Schlobohm, who has acted as IronRidge's company secretary since 2009. In conjunction with the appointment, the company also announced a change of registered office to Level 33, Australia Square, 264 George Street Sydney NSW 2000, Australia. The group said the Harsas appointment and change of registered office are in line with the company's strategy to gradually migrate all management and administrative services in house, as mutually agreed with DGR Global Limited. The company noted that DGR Global intends to maintain its equity interest in IronRidge following the completion of the administrative services contract. Sativa Wellness Group Inc. (AQUIS:SWEL) (CSE: SWEL) has announced the results of the company's annual general and special meeting of shareholders held on January 26, 2021. There were 97,361,247 shares voted, representing 32.18% of the total shares issued and outstanding. A majority of the shareholders voted to accept the financial statements for each of the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years. Shareholders unanimously voted to set the number of directors at six. In addition, RSM Canada has been appointed as auditors of the company for the upcoming year. A majority of the shareholders voted against the resolution to approve the company's stock option plan. Sativa added that following the reverse takeover of Stillcanna Inc., the fiscal year-end of the company has changed to December 31. The change of year-end is expected unlock synergies amongst the vertically integrated operating subsidiaries of the company and is intended to lead to cost savings going forward. (LON: PAT), the diversified gold exploration and development company with assets in West Africa and India, has announced the appointment of Allenby as the company's Nominated Adviser and sole broker with effect from Friday, January 29, 2021. ( ), the AIM-listed investor in natural resource opportunities, announced that, in-line with its planned secondary compliance listing - as announced on August 21, 2020 - on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), it has now received conditional approval from the ASX in response to its formal request for admission to the Official List. The approval confirms that the ASX considers Metal Tiger to be suitable to list on the ASX, subject to the company satisfying certain customary conditions precedent prior to admission. Having received the conditional approval, Metal Tiger said it will set about satisfying the conditions with the intention of listing on the ASX in the coming weeks and a further announcement will be made in due course. Metal Tiger also has noted that Cobre Limited, in which the firm owns 19.99% of the issued share capital, has released its quarterly activities report to December 31, 2020, which can be accessed via the following link: https://cdn-api.markitdigital.com/apiman-gateway/ASX/asx-research/1.0/file/2924-02335409-2A1277287?access_token=83ff96335c2d45a094df02a206a39ff4 In another separate statement, Metal Tiger noted that another investee company, Sandfire Resouces has also released its quarterly activities report to December 31, 2020, and associated presentation. Metal Tiger is currently interested in 6,296,990 Sandfire shares representing approximately 3.5% of the issued share capital. As announced on December 8, 2020, 2,842,667 of the Sandfire shares held by the Company are subject to an equity derivative financing arrangement with a global investment bank. Sandfire Quarterly Report link: https://cdn-api.markitdigital.com/apiman-gateway/ASX/asx-research/1.0/file/2924-02334789-6A1017465?access_token=83ff96335c2d45a094df02a206a39ff4; Sandfire Quarterly report presentation link: https://www.sandfire.com.au/site/PDF/ce5931a2-2155-43a9-9cb6-f5f0e38a5f61/SandfireDecember2020QuarterlyReportPresentation Supply@ME Capital PLC ( ) has published numbers for the period during which it reversed into cash shell Abal Group. Turnover in the 6 months to June 30, 2020, increased to 368,000 (2019: 11,000) with losses after tax of 2.11mln. Exceptional listing costs of 1.37mln were written off during the period. ( ) confirmed that it has issued a total of 750,000 fully paid ordinary shares in the company at a price of 0.6p per share following the exercise of warrants in terms of the placing agreement dated October 17, and 3,375,000 fully paid ordinary shares in the company at a price of 1.25p per share in terms of the placing agreement dated May 31, 2020. PLC ( ), the AIM-listed metals exploration and development company said it has received notices to exercise warrants over a total of 11,773,926 new ordinary shares of 0.1p each, 7,563,400 warrants at an exercise price of 1.0p for and 4,210,526 warrants at an exercise price of 0.75p for. Subscription monies of 107,213 have been received by Power Metal in respect of these exercises. Landore Resources Limited ( ) announced that it has received a notice to exercise warrants over a total of 357,142 ordinary shares, for which funds of 62,499.85 have been received by the company. Salt Lake Potash Limited ( ) ( ) has published its Quarterly Report for the period ending December 31, 2020. The company is focused on transitioning from developer to producer at the Lake Way SOP Project in Wiluna, Western Australia, as it looks to complete construction and commence commissioning the Process Plant in the current quarter. ( ), the company focused on mineral exploration in Canada and Australia, has announced that a new, updated, corporate presentation is available on the company website via the Investors tab, under Presentation: www.panthermetals.co.uk ( ) said it has raised 2.1mln through a share placing to fund its investment strategy that it said will focus on providing investors with exposure to disruptive growth opportunities, in particular medical cannabis, that have near-term re-rating potential and would otherwise be inaccessible. ( ) said it has executed formal agreements with two of its shareholders for loans that were originally announced on December 10. The pharmaceuticals firm said AOP Orphan International AG, which owns a 10.7% stake in the company, and Christian Schweiger, a board member with a 3.5% stake, have provided letters of intent stating that they would be prepared to lend the group up to 4mln (3.54mln) and 1mln Swiss francs (820,021) respectively in order to provide additional working capital, amounting to around 4.4mln in total. ( ) announced that at a general meeting held on Friday, January 29, 2021, at 14 Coach and Horses Yard, Mayfair, London, W15 2EJ all resolutions were duly passed. New York, Jan 29 : Expressing outrage at the Pakistan Supreme Court's decision to affirm the acquittal of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the key accused in the 2002 kidnap and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl, Washington has said it was prepared to prosecute him in the US. Both President Joe Biden's spokesperson Jan Psaki and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday made the suggestion to have the British-born terrorist tried in the US if Pakistan cannot hold him accountable. "We call on the Pakistani government to expeditiously review its legal options, including allowing the US to prosecute Sheikh for the brutal murder of an American citizen and journalist," Psaki said at her daily briefing here. She said the US is outraged by the Pakistani apex court's decision to exonerate him and the three other suspects in the brutal killing of The Wall Street Journal's South Asia bureau chief and called it "an affront to terrorism victims everywhere, including in Pakistan". The spokeswoman added he US recognised that the Pakistani government had tried to hold Saeed accountable and was holding him under national security laws. In his statement, Blinken said: "We are also prepared to prosecute Sheikh in the US for his horrific crimes against an American citizen. We are committed to securing justice for Daniel Pearl's family and holding terrorists accountable." He said that the US is deeply concerned about any possible action to release him after the Supreme Court acquitted him. The new Secretary of State said that Saeed was charged in a US court in 2002 with hostage-taking in connection with the murder of Pearl that year and the kidnapping of an American tourist Bela Nuss in India in 1994, suggesting he could be tried in that case. Pakistani governments have been ambivalent about prosecuting Saeed, considered a hero by some, for the murder of the 38-year-old journalist, who was decapitated by the terrorists. A graphic video showing his beheading was delivered to the US consulate a month later. Under international pressure, Pakistan had him tried in a court in the Sindh province and he was sentenced to death. On April 2, 2020, the Sindh High Court, however, acquitted him and the three others charged in the murder. The Supreme court upheld the decision on Thursday. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis) Bhim Army chief meets farmer leader Rakesh Tikait at Ghazipur, offers help to strengthen protest India pti-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 28: Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad on Friday met farmer leader Rakesh Tikait at Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border and said the Dalit group will provide all help to strengthen the agitation against the new farm laws. This comes a day after the Ghaziabad administration gave an ultimatum to the agitating farmers to vacate the UP Gate protest site in Ghazipur by Thursday night, even as farmer leader Rakesh Tikait remained adamant saying he would commit suicide but not end the stir Azad reached UP Gate around 6:30 PM with nearly 100 members of the Bhim Army. Farmers to hold 'Sadbhavna Diwas' on January 30, observe day-long fast The Dalit leader said Tikait is the "pride of western Uttar Pradesh" and he would fight shoulder-to-shoulder with the farmer leader. "We stand firm with our farmers and will provide all help needed to strengthen their protest," Azad said. He claimed that the government will "try every trick to end this movement and instigate farmers to resort to violence". "I appeal to you not to deviate from the path of non-violence," he said. Earlier in the day, tens of thousands of farmers gathered in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar for a mahapanchayat in a massive outpouring of support for the Bharatiya Kisan Union-led protest against the three new farm laws in Ghazipur. The mahapanchayat resolved to throw its full weight behind the protest at Ghazipur, where farmers have been camping for over two months to demand the repeal of the farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops. ADVERTISEMENT The presidency has released the statement below alleging an orchestrated smear campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari. Femi Adesina, the presidents spokesperson, claimed the campaign will be executed to portray the president as pandering to ethnic and other primordial tendencies, contrary to his pledge to belong to all Nigerians. Read the full statement below. There is compelling reason to alert the nation of another orchestrated smear campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari, using some online newspapers and blogs. The campaign, scheduled to be launched anytime soon through editorials and purported special investigative stories, is designed to further exacerbate tension in the land, by portraying the President as pandering to ethnic and other primordial tendencies, contrary to his pledge to belong to all Nigerians. Impeccable security findings indicate that those behind the plot have procured online blogs and newspapers, which are to launch coordinated publications, alleging subjugation and suppression of a particular religion and ethnic groups. A specific medium has so far contacted some opinion leaders, especially those very critical of President Buhari. Part of the planned publication is to make unwary readers believe that the President has continually used the powers of his office to shield and protect an ethnic group against crimes of murder, kidnappings, rape and banditry in the southern, middle belt and some northern states. The publication will also refer Nigerians to a 58-page document, which chronicles purported atrocities of the ethnic group in the South since 2017, all of which it claims the Presidency has turned blind eyes to. Again, the hatchet job will allege that the President has continued to place members of his ethnic nationality in sensitive positions, so as to confer undue advantage on them. This allegation is by no means supported with reasonable facts and figures. Just on Thursday, President Buhari, while meeting with the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), led by Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Saad Abubakar, restated his even-handedness on the issues of ethnicity and religion. Said the President: The Federal Government under my leadership does not, and will not, allow religious prejudice or partisanship to influence any of its decisions and policies. It is my solemn decision to be fair and just to all segments of society. Those who are bent on stoking ethnic and religious unrest in the country remain deaf to reason, and impervious to reality. They are hell-bent on distorting reality, and Nigerians are urged to be wary of them. It is all about quest for power, and filthy lucre. Femi Adesina Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) (Alliance News) - London Stock Exchange Group PLC on Friday confirmed its USD27 billion acquisition for financial market data and infrastructure provider Refinitiv has been completed. Shares in LSEG were down 0.6% in London on Friday morning at 8,620.00 pence each. Chief Executive David Schwimmer said: "Completion of the acquisition of Refinitiv marks an important milestone in LSEG's history. I am delighted to welcome our new board directors, shareholders, executive management and all the new Refinitiv colleagues joining LSEG. "This transformational transaction brings together two highly complementary global businesses with a shared commitment to an Open Access philosophy, working in partnership with customers. LSEG is focused on delivering the benefits of the transaction helping customers to access data, trading tools, analytics and risk management across the financial markets and at scale around the globe. LSEG is well positioned for long-term sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving landscape as a leading global financial markets infrastructure and data provider." Now the deal is completed, LSEG has issued Refinitv about a 37% economic interest and a 29% voting interest in the stock exchange operator. Martin Brand, Erin Brown and Douglas Steenland have also been appointed to LSEG's board. Blackstone Senior Managing Director Martin Brand, on Friday, said: "LSEG's combination with Refinitiv creates a global leader in financial data and infrastructure. We are excited to be a long term partner to LSEG as the company continues to grow and innovate." LSEG's total enlarged share capital - of 463.8 million - has been readmitted to trading on Friday. LSEG also noted it holds 67.4 million shares in treasury. LSEG first announced its agreement to purchase Refinitiv in July 2019. It bought Refinitiv from Thomson Reuters Corp and a consortium of investments funds affiliated to Blackstone Group Inc. Thomson Reuters and the Blackstone funds now will own 37% of the enlarged LSEG. LSEG, in mid-January, said the European Commission conditionally approved the deal, after previously raising concerns. As a result, the stock exchange and clearing operator agreed to sell Borsa Italiana parent company London Stock Exchange Group Holdings Italia SpA to Euronext for EUR4.33 billion, with the sale receiving approval from LSEG shareholders in November. The sale was an attempt to placate regulators in Europe, allowing LSEG to complete its Refinitiv acquisition. It had earlier received merger control clearances from the relevant authorities in the US, Australia, Canada and the UAE for the acquisition. By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Albuquerque Fire Rescue crews kept fuel from polluting a storm drain after it leaked from a truck on Interstate 40 just after noon Thursday. AFR said the call came in around 12:20 p.m. on westbound I-40 near San Mateo. A tow truck had a puncture to its fuel tank, causing about 50 gallons of the fluid to leak on to the road. Hazardous materials responders were dispatched to deal with the spill and were able to successfully keep the fuel from entering into the storm drain that was approximately 200 (feet) from where the leak occurred, an AFR spokesman said. The scene was turned over to New Mexico State Police and the state Department of Transportation. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Do you want to add a new member to your family and give back to the world at the same time? Then you should consider adopting a dog, cat or other animal from a local shelter or organization. Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many pets are still looking for their forever homes and shelters still working to place pets with families. There are thousands of dogs, cats and other animals of all ages, sizes and breeds without a home in Texas and many of them are located within driving distance. For those looking to adopt, a great place to begin the search for a new friend is at Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue, where Saru / Gumdrop the guinea pig is waiting patiently, or another local adoption center. If you aren't sure if you have time to take care of a pet year round, many shelters also offer opportunities to foster pets until they are placed in appropriate homes. Here at Patch, with a little help from our friends at Petfinder, we round up a list each week of all the pets recently put up for adoption in your area. Whether you're a dog or cat person, there are several great options available. Click on any listing for more information, or to start the adoption process. Editors note: This list was automatically generated using data compiled by Petfinder. Please report any errors or other feedback to content@patch.com. Name: Ginger / Ivy / Holly Species: Guinea Pig Location: Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Medium, Female, Guinea Pig Description: "If you are interested in adopting please visit our website at www.theguineapigrescue.com and complete the on-line adoption application.The pairs..." Learn more Name: J.J. / Emily / Penelope Species: Guinea Pig Location: Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Young, Medium, Female, Guinea Pig Description: "If you are interested in adopting please visit our website at www.theguineapigrescue.com and complete the on-line adoption application.The pairs..." Learn more Story continues Name: Saru / Gumdrop Species: Guinea Pig Location: Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Young, Medium, Male, Guinea Pig Description: "If you are interested in adopting please visit our website at www.theguineapigrescue.com and complete the on-line adoption application.The pairs..." Learn more Name: Biggie Species: Dog Location: Dfw Pug Rescue, PO BOX 2591, Grapevine, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Senior, Small, Male, Pug Description: "Looking for that special friend that will always make you smile? I just may be him! My name is Biggie..." Learn more Name: Chevy Species: Dog Location: North Texas Basset Hound Rescue Inc, P.O. Box 3229, Grapevine, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Large, Male, Basset Hound Description: "You can fill out an adoption application online on our official website.Chevy is ready to find his fur-ever home. This..." Learn more Name: Manchas Species: Dog Location: City Of Lewisville Animal Shelter, 995 E Valley Ridge Blvd, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Senior, Medium, Male, Border Collie Mixed Breed Mix Description: "ADOPT ME HERE (click on or copy and paste link into web browser): https://bit.ly/3qXYTSd.. .Hello! I am Manchas!..." Learn more Name: Gator Species: Dog Location: City Of Lewisville Animal Shelter, 995 E Valley Ridge Blvd, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Large, Male, Bluetick Coonhound Labrador Retriever Mix Description: "ADOPT ME HERE (click on or copy and paste link into web browser): https://bit.ly/3iVlBHW.. .Hello! I am Gator...." Learn more Name: Hank Species: Dog Location: City Of Lewisville Animal Shelter, 995 E Valley Ridge Blvd, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Large, Male, German Shepherd Dog Mixed Breed Mix Description: "ADOPT ME HERE (click on or copy and paste link into web browser): https://bit.ly/2MC54wI.. .Hello! I am Hank...." Learn more Name: Dempsey Species: Dog Location: City Of Lewisville Animal Shelter, 995 E Valley Ridge Blvd, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Medium, Male, Chihuahua Terrier Mix Description: "ADOPT ME HERE (click on or copy and paste link into web browser): https://bit.ly/3qUvAzW.. .Hello! I am Dempsey...." Learn more Name: Gumbo Species: Dog Location: City Of Lewisville Animal Shelter, 995 E Valley Ridge Blvd, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Large, Male, Bluetick Coonhound Labrador Retriever Mix Description: "ADOPT ME HERE (click on or copy and paste link into web browser): https://bit.ly/3iRGe80.. .Hello! I am Gumbo!..." Learn more Name: Bistro Species: Dog Location: City Of Lewisville Animal Shelter, 995 E Valley Ridge Blvd, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Medium, Male, Retriever Mixed Breed Mix Description: "ADOPT ME HERE (click on or copy and paste link into web browser): https://bit.ly/3qZe7X9.. .Hello! I am Bistro...." Learn more Name: Rats Species: Cat Location: City Of Lewisville Animal Shelter, 995 E Valley Ridge Blvd, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Small, Male, Domestic Medium Hair Domestic Short Hair Mix Description: "ADOPT ME HERE (click on or copy and paste link into browser): https://bit.ly/3iVMU59.. .Hi! My name is Rats...." Learn more Name: Maudie Species: Cat Location: City Of Lewisville Animal Shelter, 995 E Valley Ridge Blvd, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Baby, Medium, Female, Domestic Medium Hair Domestic Short Hair Mix Description: "ADOPT ME HERE (click on or copy and paste link into browser): https://bit.ly/3r49Xxt.. .Hi! My name is Maudie...." Learn more Name: Revlon Species: Cat Location: City Of Lewisville Animal Shelter, 995 E Valley Ridge Blvd, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Small, Female, Domestic Medium Hair Domestic Short Hair Mix Description: "ADOPT ME HERE (click on or copy and paste link into browser): https://bit.ly/3a9eRCt.. .Hi! My name is Revlon...." Learn more Name: Whiskers Species: Cat Location: City Of Lewisville Animal Shelter, 995 E Valley Ridge Blvd, Lewisville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Small, Female, Domestic Medium Hair Description: "ADOPT ME HERE (click on or copy and paste link into browser): https://bit.ly/2MAkscB.. .Hi! My name is Whiskers...." Learn more Name: Cora Species: Dog Location: Dfw Humane Society, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Young, Large, Female, Labrador Retriever Shepherd Mix Description: "Cora is about 9 months old. She is very energetic and needs an active family." Learn more Name: Jacob Frye Species: Dog Location: Dfw Humane Society, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Large, Male, Pit Bull Terrier Pointer Mix Description: "Jacob Frye is very friendly but due to his size, he would do better in a home without small children." Learn more Name: Blu Species: Dog Location: Dfw Humane Society, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Large, Male, Pointer Hound Mix Description: "Blu is about 4 years old." Learn more Name: Bruno Species: Dog Location: Dfw Humane Society, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Large, Male, Pit Bull Terrier Description: "Bruno is about 2 1/2 years old." Learn more Name: Jackmerius Tacktheratrix Species: Dog Location: Dfw Humane Society, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Medium, Male, Hound Description: "Jackmerius Tacktheratrix is about 1 year old." Learn more Name: Kiki Species: Dog Location: Dfw Humane Society, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Young, Medium, Female, Pit Bull Terrier Labrador Retriever Mix Description: "Kiki is about 11 months old." Learn more Name: Regina Species: Cat Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Senior, Medium, Female, Domestic Short Hair Description: "Rescue Only: Regina is not available for adoption. She has a significant upper respiratory infection and needs to be monitored..." Learn more Name: Ruth Species: Cat Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Senior, Medium, Female, Domestic Short Hair Learn more Name: Rouge Species: Cat Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Senior, Medium, Female, Domestic Short Hair Learn more Name: Terries Species: Cat Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Baby, Medium, Male, Domestic Short Hair Description: "Rescue Only: Terries is not available for adoption. He has his leg removed due to it being severely injured and..." Learn more Name: Athena Species: Dog Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Young, Large, Female, Pit Bull Terrier Mixed Breed Mix Description: "Athena is a fun young outgoing female terrier mix with a stunning brindle coat! Smaller than she looks. Good on..." Learn more Name: Aurora Species: Cat Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Medium, Female, Balinese Domestic Short Hair Mix Description: "Rescue Only: Aurora is not available for adoption. Aurora is having a difficult time adjusting in the shelter environment. We..." Learn more Name: Luna Species: Dog Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Young, Large, Female, Pit Bull Terrier Labrador Retriever Mix Learn more Name: Balto Species: Dog Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Large, Male, Husky Mixed Breed Mix Description: "Balto is a very sweet boy who likes to choose his own friends! He would prefer to be the only..." Learn more Name: Squish Species: Cat Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Baby, Medium, Male, Domestic Short Hair Learn more Name: Dexter Species: Dog Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Large, Male, Hound Mixed Breed Mix Learn more Name: Dakota Species: Dog Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Small, Male, Parson Russell Terrier Mixed Breed Mix Good With: Dogs Learn more Name: Olive Species: Dog Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Young, Large, Female, Chihuahua Pit Bull Terrier Mix Description: "Rescue Only: Olive is not available for adoption. She has a hard time adjusting to the shelter environment and is..." Learn more Name: Smokey Joe Species: Cat Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Senior, Medium, Female, Domestic Short Hair Learn more Name: Thomas Species: Cat Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Medium, Male, Domestic Short Hair Description: "Rescue Only: Thomas is not currently available for adoption. He came in with an injury to his mouth and we..." Learn more Name: Razzle Species: Cat Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Senior, Medium, Male, Domestic Short Hair Learn more Name: Mr. Sticks Species: Dog Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Small, Male, Manchester Terrier Mixed Breed Mix Good With: Dogs Learn more Name: Lil Bee Species: Dog Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Young, Large, Female, Pit Bull Terrier Mixed Breed Mix Learn more Name: Dingo Species: Dog Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Medium, Male, Siberian Husky Hound Mix Learn more Name: Milo Species: Dog Location: Irving Animal Services City Of Irving Texas, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Young, Medium, Male, Pit Bull Terrier Mixed Breed Mix Description: "Sweet young male with a lot of fun energy! Loves to run and play. Plays well with other dogs. Just..." Learn more Name: DJ (foster needed!) Species: Dog Location: One By One Pet Rescue, Flower Mound, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Baby, Large, Male, Husky Shepherd Mix Good With: Dogs Description: "Foster needed! Please read entire adDJ came to us after being adopted and returned to animal services. He is..." Learn more Name: Luffy Species: Dog Location: Epic Animal Rescue, PO Box 93163, Southlake, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Young, Medium, Male, Shepherd Labrador Retriever Mix Good With: Dogs and cats Learn more Name: Bo Species: Dog Location: Lost Paws Rescue Of Texas, P O Box 116256, Carrollton, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Small, Male, Yorkshire Terrier Dachshund Mix Good With: Kids and dogs Description: "BREED-Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie)/Dachshund Mix;SEX-Male;SIZE-Small;WEIGHT-13 lbs.;AGE-Approximately 4 Years;SPAY/NEUTER-Yes;HOUSETRAINED-Currently Uses Doggie Door;GOOD WITH KIDS-Yes;GOOD..." Learn more Name: Regal Species: Dog Location: Lost Paws Rescue Of Texas, P O Box 116256, Carrollton, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Baby, Medium, Female, Shepherd Good With: Kids and dogs Description: "BREED-Shepherd Mix; SEX-Female; SIZE-Medium at Adulthood; WEIGHT-12 lbs; AGE-Approximately 4 Months; SPAY/NEUTER-No, Too Young At This Time; HOUSETRAINED-Currently Uses Doggie..." Learn more Name: Karl Barx Species: Dog Location: Lost Paws Rescue Of Texas, P O Box 116256, Carrollton, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Baby, Medium, Male, Shepherd Good With: Kids and dogs Description: "BREED-Shepherd Mix; SEX-Male; SIZE-Medium at Adulthood; WEIGHT-12 lbs; AGE-Approximately 4 Months; SPAY/NEUTER-No, Too Young At This Time; HOUSETRAINED-Currently Uses Doggie..." Learn more Name: Copi Species: Dog Location: Lost Paws Rescue Of Texas, P O Box 116256, Carrollton, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Small, Female, Miniature Pinscher Terrier Mix Good With: Kids and dogs Description: "BREED-Miniature Pinscher (Min Pin)/Terrier Mix;SEX-Female;SIZE-Small;WEIGHT-19 lbs.;AGE-Approximately 4 Years;SPAY/NEUTER-Yes;HOUSETRAINED-Currently Uses Doggie Door;GOOD WITH KIDS-Yes;..." Learn more Name: LeeRoy Brown(LB) Species: Dog Location: Basset Rescue Across Texas Inc, P O Box 116225, Carrollton, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Medium, Male, Basset Hound Good With: Kids Description: "You can fill out an adoption application online on our official website.Hi my name is Leeroy Brown, LB for short!..." Learn more Name: Derek Species: Dog Location: Lost Paws Rescue Of Texas, P O Box 116256, Carrollton, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Baby, Medium, Male, Terrier Good With: Kids and dogs Description: "BREED-Terrier Mix; SEX-Male; SIZE-Medium at Adulthood; WEIGHT-12 lbs; AGE-Approximately 6 Months; SPAY/NEUTER-Yes; HOUSETRAINED-Currently Uses Doggie Door; GOOD WITH KIDS-Yes; GOOD..." Learn more Name: Dude Species: Dog Location: Lost Paws Rescue Of Texas, P O Box 116256, Carrollton, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Baby, Medium, Male, Terrier Good With: Kids and dogs Description: "BREED-Terrier Mix; SEX-Male; SIZE-Medium at Adulthood; WEIGHT-12 lbs; AGE-Approximately 6 Months; SPAY/NEUTER-Yes; HOUSETRAINED-Currently Uses Doggie Door; GOOD WITH KIDS-Yes; GOOD..." Learn more Name: Orion " Kitten Male Full of Fun!!! " Species: Cat Location: Animal Rescue Foundation Of Texas, Flower Mound, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Young, Medium, Male, Tabby Domestic Short Hair Mix Good With: Kids, dogs and cats Description: "Nickname: Gender: Male, Neuter and Microchip is scheduled on 1-28-20DOB: 07/16/20Declawed: No Good with Cats: YesGood with..." Learn more Name: Duff Species: Dog Location: Salvaged Souls Pet Rescue, Colleyville, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Large, Male, Labrador Retriever Good With: Kids and dogs Description: "Foster home needed in DFW, until vetted!Very sweet and friendly, great with children and gets along well with other..." Learn more Name: Minnie Species: Cat Location: Texas Exotic Cat Rescue, PO Box 212, Dallas, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Young, Medium, Female, Bombay Bengal Mix Good With: Kids and cats Description: "Minnie is a friend of Oreo, so they may be adopted as a pair which includes a $25 discount. These..." Learn more Name: Tabboo Species: Cat Location: Texas Exotic Cat Rescue, PO Box 212, Dallas, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Large, Female, Bengal British Shorthair Mix Description: "Tabboo is a lovely dark tabby girl of 1-2 years of age, who came in with Cougar and Tiger and..." Learn more Name: Mr. Red Species: Cat Location: Texas Exotic Cat Rescue, PO Box 212, Dallas, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Adult, Medium, Male, Exotic Shorthair Good With: Kids and cats Description: "Mr Red is a loving x-tomcat, small for his age, just over a year old, and built like a Persian,..." Learn more Name: Bri Species: Dog Location: Paws Of Love Animal Rescue, Dallas, TX Age, Size, Sex, Breed: Baby, Medium, Female, Labrador Retriever Australian Cattle Dog / Blue Heeler Mix Good With: Kids, dogs and cats Description: "This little cutie is Bri Bri is around 10 weeks old, currently 8 lbs. and is a lab/Heeler/Shepherd mix Her..." Learn more This article originally appeared on the Coppell Patch Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 23:36:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RABAT, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Morocco and Israel agreed on Friday to set up intergovernmental working groups to foster cooperation, after the two countries agreed on Dec. 22, 2020 to establish full diplomatic relations, Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Such intergovernmental groups will work in cooperation in fields, including investment, agriculture, water, environment, tourism, science, innovation and energy, the statement added. This announcement followed a phone call on Friday between Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita and Israel's National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat. The statement added that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the working groups will meet online. "A Moroccan high-level delegation will visit Israel as soon as possible, probably in February, to finalize the terms of these agreements," it said, adding that "an Israeli delegation, led by Ben-Shabbat, is also expected in Morocco in February." Bourita and Ben-Shabbat also "discussed the huge potential of cooperation that will benefit not only Morocco and Israel, but also the entire region," the statement added. 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. Variety critic Dennis Harvey has accused Carey Mulligan of twisting his words and says he did 'not say or even mean to imply she is not hot enough' for her role in Promising Young Woman. In his initial review of the new movie, Harvey had written that the actress was an 'odd choice' for the lead role, branding her as someone who appeared to be in 'bad drag'. Mulligan had blasted the magazine for the sexist critique, saying 'it drove me crazy' and that she felt the review was saying she 'wasn't hot enough to pull off this kind of ruse'. Variety magazine apologized to the actress yesterday for the 'insensitive' review of her new movie which said she wasn't attractive enough for the lead femme fatale role. But Harvey today said his words had been twisted and he was 'appalled to be tarred as a misogynist'. Carey Mulligan has more to say a month after she called out Variety for a movie review Mulligan took issue with the Variety review for being 'transparent' and behind the times Variety critic Dennis Harvey has accused Carey Mulligan of twisting his words and says he did 'not say or even mean to imply she is not hot enough' for her role in Promising Young Woman He added that Mulligan's interpretation from the review that she's 'not hot enough' is 'bizarre' and 'quite a leap'. 'I did not say or even mean to imply Mulligan is 'not hot enough' for the role,' he told The Guardian. 'I'm a 60-year-old gay man. I don't actually go around dwelling on the comparative hotnesses of young actresses, let alone writing about that.' Harvey said he had been 'appalled to be tarred as a misogynist, which is something very alien to my personal beliefs or politics'. 'This whole thing could not be more horrifying to me than if someone had claimed I was a gung-ho Trump supporter,' he added. In his initial review, Harvey had also suggested that Margot Robbie, a producer on the project, should have taken on the role instead of Mulligan. But Harvey today said his words had been twisted and he was 'appalled to be tarred as a misogynist'. Pictured: Mulligan in Promising Young Woman The review read: 'Mulligan, a fine actress, seems a bit of an odd choice as this admittedly many-layered apparent femme fatale Margot Robbie is a producer here, and one can (perhaps too easily) imagine the role might once have been intended for her. Whereas with this star, Cassie wears her pickup-bait gear like bad drag; even her long blonde hair seems a put-on.' In response to the criticism of his review, Harvey said: 'What I was attempting to write about was the emphasis in the film and [Mulligans] performance on disguise, role-playing and deliberate narrative misdirection. 'Nor was bringing up Margot Robbie meant to be any comparison in 'personal appearance'. 'Robbie is a producer on the film, and I mentioned her just to underline how casting contributes to the films subversive content a star associated with a character like Harley Quinn [Robbies Suicide Squad character] might raise very specific expectations, but Mulligan is a chameleon and her very stylised performance keeps the viewer uncertain where the story is heading.' Mulligan's portrayal of Cassie in Promising Young Woman is receiving widespread acclaim Harvey added that he had assumed that his words wouldn't be interpreted as 'simpleminded sexism' by film-makers who had created such a complex movie. 'I assumed that film-makers who created such a complex, layered movie wouldnt interpret what I wrote as some kind of simpleminded sexism,' he said. 'And while Carey Mulligan is certainly entitled to interpret the review however she likes, her projection of it suggesting shes not hot enough is, to me, just bizarre. Im sorry she feels that way. 'But Im also sorry thats a conclusion she would jump to, because its quite a leap.' The Variety review was posted online a year ago, but was updated with an 'Editor's Note' apology in bold after Mulligan spoke out about in a recent interview. 'Variety sincerely apologizes to Carey Mulligan and regrets the insensitive language and insinuation in our review of 'Promising Young Woman' that minimized her daring performance,' the apology reads. She claimed that personal appearance should not be deemed a fair criticism for actors Variety told the Daily Telegraph that Harvey is a freelance critic, and would not comment on whether he would continue to write for the publication. A statement said 'Variety has no further comment. The apology speaks for itself'. Mulligan spoke out again this week, talking about the controversy with fellow movie star Zendaya in Variety's 'Actors on Actors' series. During the interview, Zendaya probed Mulligan on calling out Variety after the Promising Young Woman review was released. 'I feel its important that criticism is constructive,' Mulligan said. 'I think its important that we are looking at the right things when it comes to work, and were looking at the art and were looking at the performance. 'And I dont think that goes to the appearance of the actor or your personal preference for what an actor does or doesnt look like which it felt that that article did.' 'So I think in criticizing or bemoaning a lack of attractiveness on my part in a character, it wasnt a personal slight,' Mulligan continued. 'It didnt wound my ego, but it made me concerned that in such a big publication an actresss appearance could be criticized and it could be accepted as completely reasonable criticism. Mulligan spoke out again this week, talking about the controversy with fellow movie star Zendaya in Variety 's 'Actors on Actors' series 'Its important to call out those things, because they seem small and they seem insignificant. But it stuck with me, because I think its these kind of everyday moments that add up.' 'Beautifully said,' Zendaya responded. The apology came about after Mulligan called out Variety in an interview with The New York Times after Variety published their review. 'I read the Variety review, because Im a weak person,' Mulligan said to the Times. 'And I took issue with it. It felt like it was basically saying that I wasnt hot enough to pull off this kind of ruse. 'It drove me so crazy. I was like, Really? For this film, youre going to write something that is so transparent? Now? In 2020? I just couldnt believe it.' Promising Young Woman, first released on Christmas Day in 2020, holds a 91 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes But Variety's apology has been criticized by fellow movie critic Jeffrey Wells, who said that while he disagreed with Harvey's review the publication should have given him an opportunity to respond. He blasted online: 'Theyve completely washed their hands of Harvey in this instance and have more or less thrown him under the bus.' Promising Young Woman, first released on Christmas Day in 2020, holds a 91 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie features Mulligan as Cassie, who fights back against the men who try to sleep with her while she is seemingly intoxicated. Mulligan has earned a Best Actress award from the National Board of Review for her performance, with Oscar buzz following her as well. Sailors stuck off the Chinese coast are complaining of callous treatment by local authorities, with some denied medical care for hours and even days despite symptoms including a broken hand and claims another sailor vomited blood. About 60 of the ships are carrying Australian coal, according to maritime data, which China has blocked from entering in an apparent trade strike, but the ships cannot leave because of commercial arrangements and for fear of being detained by Chinese authorities. The National Union of Seafarers of India, which represents some of the sailors, and the shipping companies involved have labelled the situation a humanitarian crisis as supplies and medicines continue to run out. The deadlock was triggered by Australias deteriorating relationship with Beijing, which saw Australian coal and up to $20 billion in other exports blocked in retaliation for Australias position on the coronavirus inquiry, human rights and national security. On one coal ship, the Anastasia, an officer told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that a colleague who broke his hand waited five days before being allowed to go onshore for treatment and only then after paying security to ensure he returned to the ship. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti accused the BJP-led Centre on Friday of using the template of "terrorising Kashmiris" into silence in other parts of the country as well, including in relation to farmer protests. "GOIs template of terrorising Kashmiris into silence by using draconian laws & othering them is being extended to other parts of the country. Be it CAA or farmer law protests both were termed anti-national & anti-terror laws like UAPA invoked to quell these peaceful movements," she said in a tweet. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, who has been vocal in her opposition to three new farm laws of the Centre, said the government should repeal the legislations. Tehran, Jan 29 : Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif described the policy of Donald Trump's administration on Iran as "maximum failure," noting the United States blocked Iranians' access to food and medicine through sanctions, official news agency IRNA reported. Zarif made the remarks on social media on Thursday after new US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Iran to "come back into full compliance" with the 2015 nuclear deal before Washington does "the same thing", Xinhua news agency reported. It is Washington that violated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and punished by economic sanctions other countries that adhered to the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, he said, referring to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal. Terming Donald Trump's policy a "sordid mess," Zarif said Iran "abided by the JCPOA" and "only took foreseen remedial measures." "Now, who should take the first step (to come back into compliance with JCPOA)?" asked the Iranian top diplomat. On Wednesday, Blinken reaffirmed the Biden administration's declared policy that Washington would rejoin the 2015 international agreement on Iran's nuclear program if Tehran came back into full compliance. Earlier in the day, Iranian parliament's speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf visited the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant where Iran is enriching uranium at the 20-percent level as part of its Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions (SAPCS), a parliamentary decision approved last month. Qalibaf noted on the sidelines of his visit that Iran is "ahead of schedule" in its enrichment program, since 17 kg of 20-percent enriched uranium has been produced since January 4, while SAPCS requires 120 kg a year to be enriched. Analysis Four Years On, No Answers Over Murder of Critic of Myanmars Military A mourner with U Ko Nis portrait at his funeral on January 30, 2017, in Yangon. / The Irrawaddy YANGON Four years ago today, Myanmar lost one of its leading reformers U Ko Ni a longtime critic of the militarys role in politicsin a fatal shooting. The truth about his murder has still not come out. The respected Muslim lawyer was assassinated in a plot involving ex-military officers in daylight outside Yangon International Airport on Jan. 29, 2017, as he returned from an overseas trip. U Ko Ni was the National League for Democracys (NLD) legal adviser and an aide to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. U Ko Ni was credited with creating the position of state counselor for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi after the partys landslide victory in the 2015 general election. The position made Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is constitutionally barred from the presidency, the de-facto leader of the country but infuriated the military. The hired assassins bullet that took the life of the 63-year-old in the first year of the NLD government exposed the persistence of dark forces opposing the countrys democratic transition and the dangers faced by reformers. Myanmars citizens, who had endured decades of hardship and sacrifice, were in a hopeful mood after the civilian government took office. Ahead of his murder, U Ko Ni felt the country was at a turning point. The lawyers son, Ko Thant Zin Oo, told The Irrawaddy: I remember how he was active and happy after the [2015] election. Before his murder, the lawyer who was well known for finding loopholes in the military-drafted 2008 Constitution was advising the NLD on charter reform. No motive for the murder has ever been satisfactorily provided. According to the then military-appointed minister for home affairs, the assassins were motivated by extreme nationalism and personal grudges and were resentful of U Ko Nis political activities. The ministers remarks were widely perceived as an attempt to disguise the real motives. Many suspect the involvement of more powerful figures, eager to stamp out the lawyers reforms. Four men were convicted for U Ko Nis murder. The gunman Kyi Lin who also killed taxi driver U Ne Win as he tried to apprehend the assassin and a conspirator, former lieutenant Aung Win Zaw, were given the death penalty. An accomplice, Zeya Phyo, a former military intelligence captain, was jailed for five years, and Aung Win Zaw, received a three-year sentence. Former lieutenant colonel Aung Win Khaing, who is suspected of masterminding the plot, is still at large after he mysteriously disappeared in Naypyitaw, with its heavy security presence. The authorities say they have no leads about his location. U Nay La, the prosecution lawyer in U Ko Nis case who was also a close friend of the victim, said no motive was established during the trial and he does not expect to find one until Aung Win Khaing is arrested. I believe the truth will come out only after he is arrested. I am sad the police have not made sufficient efforts to capture the fugitive, U Nay La said on Friday. The two death sentences were commuted to life in jail in last years presidential amnesty, a process that dismayed U Nay La. Those receiving death sentences rarely fear execution, he said. Ko Thant Zin Oo said the familys stance has not changed since the verdict was announced in February 2019. At the time the family said: The court decision could set a precedent. It is hoped the verdict will deter other would-be perpetrators from such heinous acts against people holding different values and principles. Ko Thant Zin Oo said any further action will be taken in consultation with lawyers. U Ko Nis colleague U Khin Maung Htay, one of the lawyers who represented the family during the murder trial, said the case will not be closed until Aung Win Khaing is captured. The court has declared him a fugitive. The police have the main responsibility to bring him to court and to identify if anyone was behind the plot, he said. U Khin Maung Htay said the murder was a sacrifice in the process towards democratization. We must not let his death be in vain, we all need to keep moving toward democracy and make progress in the rule of law, he said. For his beloved country, what would U Ko Ni want to see if he was still alive? I am sure he would want to see the rule of law strengthened and constitutional change. They were two things he always talked about, his son said. You may also like these stories: Tension Grows Following Militarys Coup Talk Biden Administration Should Tread Carefully on Myanmars Rights Issues: Observers The Inside Story of Thailand and Myanmars Troubled Dawei Mega-Project A Scranton man faces charges after investigators say he tried to flush drugs down a toilet as they searched his apartment. Rodolfo Santiago Ortiz, 32, 838 Moosic St. Rear, Scranton, is charged with possession with intent to deliver, tampering with evidence, endangering the welfare of children and related counts. According to a criminal complaint, Lackawanna County detectives found Santiago Ortiz in a locked bathroom. After getting inside, they saw suspected heroin in the toilet. They also found a duffle bag containing about 28.5 grams of suspected heroin, a digital scale and plastic bags with black shamrocks on them, which matched those obtained in previous controlled purchases from the apartment. Three children were also in the apartment, according to the complaint. Santiago Ortiz was jailed in the county prison in lieu of $50,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 4 at 9:15 a.m. Environmental activists against Enbridge Energys Line 5 running beneath the Great Lakes say the states approval of permits needed to build a tunnel to house a new section of the oil pipeline is unfortunate, but the fight is far from over. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) said today that it approved applications to discharge wastewater into the lakes and perform construction work in protected wetlands, which are among the authorizations Enbridge needs to build its proposed $500 million utility tunnel next to the Mackinac Bridge. The permits are not the final word on the tunnel project, which still needs to clear similar federal approvals and must yet get through a lengthy review by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC). However, the state permit approvals do put EGLE at cross-purposes with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has ordered the pipeline be shut down this May after the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) concluded the company has been historically non-compliant with its 1953 easement. Related: Michigan regulators approve Enbridge Line 5 tunnel permits Whitmers administration stated the existing dual pipelines through the Straits of Mackinac present an unacceptable risk to the Great Lakes and threaten over 350,000 jobs in Michigan that rely on Michigans pristine natural resources. The Governor and DNR determined that Enbridge must cease operation of the dual pipelines by mid-May of 2021, said Chelsea Parisio, Whitmers deputy press secretary. Todays decision by EGLE to issue permits related to tunnel construction, consistent with law, in no way lessens the pressing need for a shutdown of the existing pipelines by mid-May and Enbridges legal obligation to comply with that deadline. The tunnel project occurs under authorities drafted in a 2018 deal with former Gov. Rick Snyder and Republicans in Lansing. The enabling legislation has been upheld in court despite challenges from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Our public resources must not be subjected to the grave risk and catastrophic consequences that could result from a breach in Line 5, Nessel said. While EGLEs decision on the separate question of whether a tunnel should be built is based on its obligations under state law, I remain committed to removing the pipelines that threaten to pollute our environment on an alarming scale and jeopardize the sanctity of our Great Lakes. Enbridge stated EGLEs decision is an important milestone for the tunnel project but that it doesnt resolve Whitmers order to stop Line 5 in May, which the company is fighting in federal court. Such a shutdown before the completion of the Great Lakes Tunnel Project would lead to major energy shortages in the region and severe economic consequences for Michigan, neighboring states and Canada, Enbridge said. Related: Canadian pressure mounts on Michigan governor to back off Enbridge pipeline Although Whitmers order does not stop the tunnel project, Line 5 opponents are hopeful it complicates the tunnel review in a way that creates a scenario in which the project is deemed unnecessary and can be rejected for that reason. Sean McBrearty, legislative and policy director at Clean Water Action, said regardless of EGLEs unfortunate decision today, the fight is far from over. Enbridge still needs permits and approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission and the US Army Corps of Engineers before they are able to build an oil tunnel, McBrearty said. So far those two agencies appear to be conducting much more thorough reviews of Enbridges proposal, as is appropriate for a project that would risk the Great Lakes for an oil companys continued profits. The Environmental Law & Policy Center and Michigan Climate Action Network teamed up to intervene in the oil pipeline tunnel permit case at EGLE to ensure that the environmental impacts including climate impacts - of the tunnel are fully considered. EGLEs approval of permits to build an oil pipeline to operate for 99 years is starkly out of touch with the realities of the climate crisis, and undermines our states efforts to lead on climate, said Kate Madigan, director of the Michigan Climate Action Network. Michigan Environmental Council Policy Director Sean Hammond said EGLEs decision is a step toward environmental peril. One of EGLEs roles is to protect Michigans environment -- its in its name, Hammond said. Fridays decision to allow Enbridge, a company known for its oil spills, to build a Line 5 tunnel through our Great Lakes is a step toward environmental peril. The insufficient geotechnical data provided in the application alone should not allow this permit approval. Other opponents to the pipeline appealed to President Joe Bidens administration to strictly review Enbridges remaining permit applications before EGLEs decision was made. CWA and a number of other environmental groups teamed up and sent a letter to Bidens administration on Jan. 20 through the Council on Environmental Quality. We request that your Administration ensure that the Great Lakes tunnel proposal is held to the highest standards of NEPA review as is fitting for such a major project, the letter states. Related: Enbridge pledges to defy Whitmer shutdown order Enbridge pledges to defy Whitmer shutdown order Canadian government and business interests are also getting involved. Whitmer administration officials say formal calls are coming from nearly all corners of Canada to allow the pipeline to operate and to continue with the tunnel project. Diplomats and business leaders across the border say the move imperils Canadian jobs and theyre threatening to escalate the matter with new President Biden, who is juggling the desire of climate voters demanding a shift away from fossil fuels with efforts to improve an international relationship strained under Donald Trump. Local and provincials officials in Ontario, where the 645-mile pipeline crosses back into Canada at Sarnia, are pushing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take the matter directly to Biden. At some point, there will be some discussions with the new administration, whether that be directly between our prime minister and the president, or at the cabinet-level on both sides. Thats still up in the air, " Joe Comartin, a former Parliament member and Canadas consul-general in Detroit, previously said. The Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority, which is tasked with overseeing the construction and operation of the utility tunnel, will discuss work for the project at Feb. 3 meeting. Construction of the tunnel is expected to start this year if the federal permits are approved. Completion is expected in 2024. Read more on MLive: AG Nessel confident energy will reach UP residents if Line 5 is shut down State extends Enbridge Line 5 tunnel application review to January Enbridge plans to seek dismissal of Gov. Whitmers order to shut down Line 5 A bout of volatility was witnessed as key benchmarks bounced back from the day's low in mid-afternoon trade. IT shares corrected for fourth consecutive day. The Nifty managed to hold the 13,800 mark. Investors remained cautious ahead of the Union Budget on Monday. At 14:23 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 57.91 points or 0.12% to 46,932.27. The Nifty 50 index lost 9.25 points or 0.07% to 13,826.80. The broader market traded higher. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.30%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index gained 0.20%. The market breadth was positive. On the BSE, 1571 shares rose and 1203 shares fell. A total of 153 shares were unchanged. Farmer Protest: The media reported that scuffles broke out at Singhu border on Friday between protesting farmers and locals who were demanding that the area be vacated. The police had to resort to lathicharge and fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Police barricades were also reportedly broken, reports added. The protest started on 26 November 2020. The farmers are demanding a complete rollback of the new farm reform laws and a guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system being retained. Multiple rounds of talks between the Centre and the farmers' union leaders have ended in a stalemate. Numbers to Track: In the foreign exchange market, the partially convertible rupee appreciated to 72.9675 compared with its previous closing of 73.05. The yield on 10-year benchmark federal paper fell to 5.949% from its previous closing of 5.933%. MCX Gold futures for 5 February 2021 settlement rose 0.56% to Rs 48,896. The US Dollar index (DXY), which tracks the greenback's value against a basket of currencies, rose 0.26% to 90.69. In the commodities market, Brent crude for March 2021 settlement added 12 cents to $55.65 a barrel. The contract slipped 0.51% or 28 cents to settle at $55.53 in the previous trading session. Buzzing Index: The Nifty IT index fell 1.46% to 24,932.25, extending declined for fourth day. The index has lost 5.88% in four sessions. Larsen & Toubro Infotech (down 4.17%), Mphasis (down 2.21%), MindTree (down 2.04%), Infosys (down 1.62%), Wipro (down 1.55%), TCS (down 1.5%), Tech Mahindra (down 0.82%), Info Edge India (down 0.59%), Coforge (down 0.5%) and HCL Tech (down 0.42%) declined. Earnings Impact: Dr. Reddy's tumbled 4.29% at Rs 4666.95. On a consolidated basis, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories posted a net profit of Rs 19.80 crore in Q3 FY21 as against a net loss of Rs 569.7 crore in Q3 FY20. The drug maker's consolidated revenue increased 12% year on year to Rs 4930 crore in Q3 FY21. R&D expenses were at Rs 410 crore, representing 8.3% to revenues. The company reported impairment charge of about Rs 600 crore during the quarter. In January 2021 there had been an additional generic launch for the product Nuvaring, which led to considerable erosion in the value of this product for the company, and accordingly the firm took an impairment charge of Rs 320 crore. In addition, considering the current market dynamics, the firm took an additional impairment charge of Rs 280 crore on the intangibles pertaining to other products. The firm had an impairment charge of Rs 1320 crore in Q3 FY20 and Rs 78.1 crore in Q2 FY21. Cummins India jumped 4.70% to Rs 667.05 after the company's consolidated net profit jumped 20.2% to Rs 240.10 crore on a 1.7% fall in net sales to Rs 1406.66 crore in Q3 FY21 over Q3 FY20. With respect to future outlook, the company said that it expects gradual recovery of demand in upcoming quarters. With market conditions continue to remain uncertain and visibility for end market recovery still somewhat limited, the company is not providing a full year revenue guidance for FY 2021. Indian Oil Corporation added 2% to Rs 94.50 after the PSU's company standalone net profit jumped 110% to Rs 4,916.59 crore on a 1.22% rise in revenue from operations to Rs 1,46,598.83 crore in Q3 FY21 over Q3 FY20. The company said the average gross refining margin (GRM) for the period April- December 2020 fell 11.38% to $ 2.96 per barrel against $ 3.34 per barrel for the same period of the previous year. Bharat Electronics gained 1.33% to Rs 133 after the PSU company posted a 25% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 278 crore on a 4% rise in net sales to Rs 2269.93 crore in Q3 FY21 over Q3 FY20. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian operator Bharti Airtel was able to claim a first this week with the trial of a live 5G network in the Hyderabad region using the 1.8 GHz band. However, the companys CEO is not keen to celebrate until more spectrum becomes available. According to Indian press reports the operator believes it can use its 4G resources to help it launch 5G commercially; it does, apparently, have the network upgrades required. However, this would mean using dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS), which the operator sees as offering a limited 5G experience and also undermining 4G provision. DSS has aided 5G launches in a number of markets already, including Brazil and South Africa. However, Airtels CEO Gopal Vittal has apparently insisted that a true 5G experience is only possible after the government allocates mid-band spectrum (2.5-3.7 GHz) for the new networks. This, the company believes, would enable the low-latency, high-speed service the network (and something like one million 5G-capable devices already in circulation) apparently needs. Competitor Reliance Jio has announced plans to launch a 5G network in the second half of 2021 but will the spectrum be available by then? India was supposed to auction off several bands for 5G usage last year, but this has been postponed. The plan now is to auction off the 3.3-3.6 GHz band later this year, after a 4G auction scheduled for 1 March. The price of 5G spectrum and what spectrum will actually be offered remain the main issues worrying Indias operators. Theres still uncertainty, for example, over whether the 26GHz-28GHz band will become available. And even when the auctions actually happen operators will face the challenge of charging for 5G in a way attracts customers but that also boosts ARPU. Award-Winning Actor Cicely Tyson Dead at 96 By The Associated Press NEW YORK - Cicely Tyson, the pioneering Black actor who gained an Oscar nomination for her role as the sharecroppers wife in Sounder, won a Tony Award in 2013 at age 88 and touched TV viewers hearts in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, died Thursday at age 96.Tyson's death was announced by her family, via her manager Larry Thompson, who did not immediately provide additional details.With heavy heart, the family of Miss Cicely Tyson announces her peaceful transition this afternoon. At this time, please allow the family their privacy, according to a statement issued through Thompson.A onetime model, Tyson began her screen career with bit parts but gained fame in the early 1970s when Black women were finally starting to get starring roles. Tyson refused to take parts simply for the paycheck, remaining choosey.Im very selective as Ive been my whole career about what I do. Unfortunately, Im not the kind of person who works only for money. It has to have some real substance for me to do it, she told The Associated Press in 2013.Tributes from Broadway and Hollywood poured in, including from Broadway star Tracie Thomas, who thanked her for paving the way. A queen and a trailblazer indeed, she wrote on Twitter. Former co-star Marlee Matlin wrote: She was a consummate pro and all class. Director Kenny Leon added: God bless the greatest and the tallest tree.Tysons memoir, Just As I Am, was published this week.Besides her Oscar nomination, she won two Emmys for playing the 110-year-old former slave in the 1974 television drama The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. A new generation of moviegoers saw her in the 2011 hit The Help.In 2018, she was given an honorary Oscar statuette at the annual Governors Awards. I come from lowly status. I grew up in an area that was called the slums at the time, Tyson said at the time. I still cannot imagine that I have met with presidents, kings, queens. How did I get here? I marvel at it.Writing in Blacks in American Film and Television, Donald Bogle described Tyson as a striking figure: slender and intense with near-perfect bone structure, magnificent smooth skin, dark penetrating eyes, and a regal air that made her seem a woman of convictions and commitment. (Audiences) sensed... her power and range.Sounder, based on the William H. Hunter novel, was the film that confirmed her stardom in 1972. Tyson was cast as the Depression-era loving wife of a sharecropper (Paul Winfield) who is confined in jail for stealing a piece of meat for his family. She is forced to care for their children and attend to the crops.The New York Times reviewer wrote: She passes all of her easy beauty by to give us, at long last, some sense of the profound beauty of millions of Black women.Her performance evoked rave reviews, and Tyson won an Academy Award nomination as best actress of 1972.In an interview on the Turner Classic Movies cable channel, she recalled that she had been asked to test for a smaller role in the film and said she wanted to play the mother, Rebecca. She was told, Youre too young, youre too pretty, youre too sexy, youre too this, youre too that, and I said, `I am an actress.In 2013, at the age of 88, Tyson won the Tony for best leading actress in a play for the revival of Horton Footes The Trip to Bountiful. It was the actors first time back on Broadway in three decades and she refused to turn meekly away when the teleprompter told to finish her acceptance speech."`Please wrap it up, it says. Well, thats exactly what you did with me: You wrapped me up in your arms after 30 years, she told the crowd. She had prepared no speech (I think its presumptuous, she told the AP later. I burned up half my time wondering what I was going to say.)She reprised her winning role in the play for a Lifetime Television movie, which was screened at the White House. She returned to Broadway in 2015 opposite James Earl Jones for a revival of The Gin Game.Her fame transcended all media. Wendell Pierce took to Twitter to praise Tyson as an actor who captured the power and grace of Black women in America and Gabrielle Union said we have lost a visionary, a leader, a lover an author, an icon and one of the most talented actresses the world has ever seen. Neil deGrasse Tyson called her a force of nature unto herself and Shonda Rhimes said "her power and grace will be with us forever.In the 1974 television drama The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, based on a novel by Ernest J. Gaines, Tyson is seen aging from a young woman in slavery to a 110-year-old who campaigned for the civil rights movement of the 1960s.In the touching climax, she laboriously walks up to a whites only water fountain and takes a drink as white officers look on.Its important that they see and hear history from Miss Janes point of view, Tyson told The New York Times. And I think they will be more ready to accept it from her than from someone youngerNew Yorker film critic Pauline Kael offered her praise: Shes an actress, all right, and as tough-minded and honorable in her methods as any weve got.At the Emmy Awards, Pittman won multiple awards, including two honors for Tyson, best lead actress in a drama and best actress in a special.People ask me what I prefer doing film, stage, television? I say, I would have done Jane Pittman in the basement or in a storefront. Its the role that determines where I go, she told the AP.Tyson made her movie debut in the late 1950s with small roles in such films as Odds Against Tomorrow, The Last Angry Man, and The Comedians. She played the romantic interest to Sammy Davis Jr.s jazz musician in A Man Called Adam.She gained wider notice with a recurring role in the 1963 drama series East Side, West Side, which starred George C. Scott as a social worker. Tyson played his secretary, making her the first Black woman to have a continuing role in a dramatic television series.She played a role in the 1968 drama The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter that was hailed by a reviewer as an absolute embodiment of the slogan Black is beautiful. In Roots, the 1977 miniseries that became one of the biggest events in TV history, she played Binta, mother of the protagonist, Kunta Kinte, played by LeVar Burton.She also appeared on Broadway in the 1960s in The Cool World, Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright and other plays. Off-Broadway, she appeared with such future stars as Maya Angelou, Godfrey Cambridge and James Earl Jones in a 1961 production of French playwright Jean Genets The Blacks.She won a Drama Desk award in 1962 for a role in the off-Broadway Moon on a Rainbow Shawl.After her Sounder and Miss Jane Pittman successes, Tyson continued to seek TV roles that had messages, and she succeeded with Roots and King (about Martin Luther King) and The Rosa Parks Story.She complained to an interviewer: We Black actresses have played so many prostitutes and drug addicts and house maids, always negative. I wont play that kind of characterless role any more, even if I have to go back to starving.She continued with such films as The Blue Bird, Concorde Airport 79, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Grass Harp and Tyler Perrys Diary of a Mad Black Woman.She won a supporting actress Emmy in 1994 for Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All. She was nominated for Emmys several other times, including for Roots, King, The Marva Collins Story Sweet Justice and A Lesson Before Dying.In recent years, she was part of a panel discussion for Cherish the Day, an eight-episode OWN anthology series created and produced by Ava DuVernay. She played the mother of Viola Davis on the long-running How to Get Away with Murder.Tysons parents moved from the island of Nevis in the Caribbean to New York, where Cicely (her name was spelled early on as Cecily and Sicely) was born in 1924, the youngest of three children. When her parents separated, her mother went on welfare. At 9 Cicely sold shopping bags on the streets of East Harlem.When she graduated from high school, she found work as a secretary at the Red Cross. Her striking looks prompted friends to advise her to take up modeling and that led to acting schools, theater, movies and television.My mother told me I could no longer live in her house because I was determined to be an actress, she told an interviewer in 1990. I said `OK, and I moved out.Tyson was married once, to jazz great Miles Davis. The wedding was held in 1981 at Bill Cosbys home in Massachusetts, attended by show business notables. They divorced in 1988.Tyson was never hard to spot. She tried to say no to wearing a terrifically large hat to Aretha Franklins 2018 funeral, only to be overruled by her designer. The hat would become a viral highlight.I never thought in my career that I would be upstaged by a hat! And I did not want to wear it, Tyson said later. I said, I cant wear that hat, I will be blocking the view of the people behind me, they wont be able to see and theyll call me all kinds of names. He just looked at me and said, Put the hat on.She came around, telling the AP she thought of the hat as homage to Franklins appearance at Obamas inauguration. China is set to construct new housing to accommodate nearly 400 people on Woody Island, a sign of its effort to support a growing population on this key outpost in the disputed South China Sea, Chinese government documents and satellite imagery show. Bidding documents acquired by Radio Free Asia show that local officials started planning the public housing facility in mid-2020. It is the fifth such facility to be built on Woody since 2012, when China established Sansha City on the island to administer the Paracels, Spratlys, and other contested areas. According to the records, Hainan Fangcheng Construction and Engineering Group Company Limited, a private enterprise, won the construction contract earlier this month. One of these documents reveals the planned location for the new building along Beijing Erheng Road, about 200 meters away from the city government headquarters in Sansha City. Satellite imagery reviewed by RFA shows that an area on Beijing Erheng Road corresponding to the location described in the document was cleared in August 2020. The cleared area is between another public housing building and the citys public security bureau, both of which are named in the bidding document. Satellite image from Dec. 14, 2020, showing the construction site of a new public housing building on Woody Island, as well as other facilities. Satellite Imagery: Planet Labs Inc.; Analysis: RFA The new housing project underscores how China is working to grow and support the populations of its remote island outposts in the South China Sea, notwithstanding the contested nature of Chinas sovereignty over the features it is building on. Taiwan and Vietnam also claim the Paracel Islands. International attention typically focuses on Chinas assertive behavior at sea by its coastguard and maritime militia which often operate out of Woody Island and Chinas other outposts. Last week, China adopted legislation authorizing its coastguard to use force against foreign vessels, which was protested by the Philippine government, which described it as a verbal threat of war. But Chinas little-watched construction work in the Paracels and the Spratly Islands further south also sheds light on an important aspect of its ongoing strategy to assert its sweeping territorial and maritime claims. RFA reported last week on how China has in recent months been reclaiming more land on Woody Island and reinforcing its coast against erosion, in a sign of its effort to ensure the long-term viability of its settlement there. A bidding document for the new housing project specifies that the building will be 23 meters high, occupy 2,000 square meters, have 214 rooms, and accommodate up to 391 people. That will expand the current pool of accommodations. Two five-story public housing buildings were reportedly completed in June 2014, and the city started a second pair of public housing buildings on Woody Island in 2015. In the same year, Sansha City started constructing a new residential neighborhood on the island for fishermen. China has worked to improve the infrastructure and living conditions on Woody Island and other settlements within the citys jurisdiction to reduce the hardships of living there. Local officials, provincial authorities, central ministries, private and state-owned enterprises, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), and other entities have coordinated the development of seawater desalination plants, green energy installations, storm shelters, and a wide range of other facilities. And as this infrastructure has grown over the years, so too has Sansha Citys population. In early 2013, Sanshas party secretary and mayor claimed that the city had 833 permanent residents and 233 household registration-holding residents by the end of 2012. (At the time, the city's leader did not explain the differences between these two categories of residents, but "permanent residents" may refer to people who live in Sansha full-time while remaining registered elsewhere). According to official statistics from Hainan province, the city had 427 registered households with 600 residents by 2017. As of Jan. 27 of this year, Sansha Citys website reported 1,800 permanent residents, not including soldiers stationed in the city, and 621 household registration-holding residents. Other sources suggest the city had 2,500 permanent residents by 2017, again not including soldiers. Because these figures do not include the PLA, they only capture a portion of Sansha Citys population. The PLA maintains a significant presence on Woody Island and other occupied features in the Paracel and Spratly islands. For example, when Sansha City was established in 2012, a Chinese news outlet claimed that, between military and civilian personnel, Chinas telecommunications infrastructure in the Paracel Islands had nearly 4,000 users. Local officials have described attracting residents to Sansha City and promoting formal household registration as a means of asserting Chinas sovereignty. And many of these residents ranging from civilian bureaucrats to maritime law enforcement personnel perform important duties related to defending Chinas claims in the South China Sea disputes. The city government subsidizes the bureaucrats, workers, soldiers, and fishermen who live in the city, particularly encouraging fishermen to live in Sansha for at least 180 days per year. Beyond building public housing projects on Woody Island, Sansha City is supporting its expanding population through other means. The city recently was recognized as a National Sanitary City for its public sanitation, environmental protection, and public health efforts. The citys government has also built housing projects on other occupied features to provide a higher quality of life on once-desolate outposts. For example, in October 2019 it finished a major housing project on Tree Island in the Paracels, reportedly completing 53 houses grouped into nine larger buildings. Bidding records from late 2020 indicate that Sansha City is planning additional housing projects on Tree Island, namely a three-story public housing building with 140 housing units, a dining hall, and other facilities. 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 (Natural News) Biden signs executive order on the national security consequences of climate change U.S. spies, analysts and policymakers will write the countrys first National Intelligence Estimate on climate change under an executive order President Biden plans to issue todayMuch of Bidens directive will focus on national security an arena experts say will become more strained as the planet heats up. (Article by Marc Morano republished from ClimateDepot.com) The task of writing the National Intelligence Estimate will fall to Avril Haines, Bidens newly installed director of national intelligence. These documents typically include input from the multitude of U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA. Its a level of analysis reserved for the most significant threats facing the United States. # Climate Depots Marc Morano responds: Having abundant domestic energy is one of the hallmarks protecting U.S. national security interests. Restricting domestic energy is one of the biggest national security threats not climate change. One of the greatest threats to U.S. national security is the reliance on foreign sources of energy. Climate activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) explained in 2020 that American wars have been, to a greater or lesser extent, strategic struggles over control of coal ports, shipping routes, and oil fields. Kennedy added, Protecting American oil and coal resources and ports became a raison detre for an endless parade of new American wars and interventions. But during the Trump administration, Americas domestic energy boom contributed to a secure U.S. During his farewell address, former President Trump explained: I am especially proud to be the first president in decades who has started no new wars. TRUMP: "I am especially proud to be the first president in decades who has started no new wars." pic.twitter.com/dlxyTwZDXp Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 19, 2021 Previous presidents paid lip service to energy independence but during Trumps administration, America not only achieved independence but also went one step better by enabling an American energy renaissance that led to U.S. energy dominance! In 2019, U.S. energy exports exceeded imports for the first time since 1952, the EIA reported. The EIA also reported, In 2019, U.S. energy production exceeded energy consumption for the first time since 1957, when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president. Trumps energy achievements were so off the charts that the last time the U.S. saw this kind of energy dominance was when Harry S. Truman was president in 1952! President Trump accomplished all of this while the U.S. continued to lead the world in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. See:DEMOCRATS DIDNT CLAP AS TRUMP TOUTED AMERICAN ENERGY BOOM IN SOTU We have unleashed a revolution in American Energy the United States is now the number one producer of oil and natural gas in the world, Trump said. And now, for the first time in 65 years, we are a net exporter of energy. What climate activists like RFK Jr. fail to comprehend and the Trump administration understood is that a policy that promotes a massive expansion of U.S. domestic energy production is one of the best safeguards against engaging in an endless parade of wars and interventions over energy supplies. Thanks to the Trump administrations America First energy policy, the U.S. no longer needs to start or fight in wars over energy. America has its own domestically produced energy to rely on. And the Biden-Harris administration will overturn it all with the coming Green New Deal and many other climate regulations and the UN Paris climate pact. Biden and Harris are set to go way beyond anything President Obamas administration attempted in the area of climate change policy. See:Noam Chomsky: Biden on climate is farther to the left than any Democratic candidate in memory Bidens climate agenda was largely written by the Sunrise Movement "Today's executive order starts by saying it is the policy of this administration that climate considerations shall be an essential element of U.S. foreign policy and national security," White House National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy says. https://t.co/IdxzzBeGnP pic.twitter.com/qLzGFcgTaK ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 27, 2021 The proposed climate solutions of the Green New Deal and the Biden administrations climate and energy executive orders is a threat to U.S. national security as the plan would only serve to shrink U.S. energy production and increase our dependence on Middle Eastern oil and force us to rely on energy from other potentially hostile nations, which could increase the odds of future wars. Banning domestic energy exploration and pushing the Green New Deal is bad for Americas national security because their goals are to either place more restrictions or eliminate altogether American drilling, mining, fracking, pipelines, and energy extraction. The GND will result in more reliance on conflict energy from such places as the Middle East, Venezuela, and China, where human rights and environmental protection may be less than desirable. But the GND, by restricting fossil fuels and mandating solar, wind and electric vehicles will result in more environmental degradation due to increasing the U.S. dependence on rare earth mining operated by China and Russia. See: Green Killers: Congos Miners Dying to Feed Worlds Hunger for Electric Cars Last year about 70% of the worlds supply came from the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the poorest, most violent and corrupt places on Earth. Much of its cobalt comes from around this town. Shutting down U.S. energy supplies means dependence on Middle East oil, which means a permanent state of war for the Military-Industrial Complex, climate skeptic Tony Heller wrote in 2020. The GND with its restrictions on fossil fuels and mandates on solar, wind, and electrical vehicles will result in the U.S. losing both energy independence and dominance, and the GND will further increase U.S. dependence on rare earth mining operated by China and Russia. China, for example, supplies about 90% of rare-earths for the world. On the cobalt front, China has also quietly gained control over more than 90% of the battery industrys cobalt refining, without which the raw ore is useless. Russia is a massive nickel producer, explained energy analyst Mark P. Mills of the Manhattan Institute. Bidens climate czar John Kerry is dead wrong on climate change being a national security threat. See:John Kerry doubles down on climate change: It is increasingly a national security threat Olansky Dermatology Associates is a well-respected, full-service dermatology practice that provides patients in the Atlanta area with comprehensive skin care services performed by a team of skilled dermatologists, physician assistants, laser specialists and medical estheticians. Olansky Dermatology Associates serves patients at two state-of-the-art clinics, with Buckhead and Roswell, GA, locations. The Roswell office now joins the Buckhead location in providing a full menu of aesthetic services, including microdermabrasion, microneedling, chemical peels and so much more at their state-of-the art-clinic. Olansky Dermatology Associates will help find what makes you look and feel beautiful with many different options in dermal fillers and other cosmetic injections. 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Olansky Dermatology Associates has a Buckhead office located at 3379 Peachtree Rd NE, Suite 500 in Atlanta, GA, and a Roswell, GA, location at 11755 Pointe Place, Building B-2. These extensively trained and board-certified specialists serve patients with a wide variety of needs, from cosmetic enhancements and acne treatment to Mohs skin cancer surgery. Both the Buckhead and Roswell offices offer same day and next day appointments for urgent matters. For more information about Olansky Dermatology Associates, please call (404) 355-5484 or visit http://www.olanskydermatology.com. Also, follow the practice happenings on social media on Instagram at @olanskyaestheticscenter. 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! As a prelude to the release of VCE results in December, this paper tracked down top students from previous years to see where they landed. Patrick Walker got an ATAR of 99.95 in 2011 and is training to be a paediatrician. Credit:Penny Stephens One of them, Patrick Walker, a 2011 graduate from McKinnon Secondary College, shared some observations that stayed with me. Walkers perfect ATAR the competitive ranking system for university admissions got him into medicine at Monash University. Once there, he was struck by the realisation he was one of the few medical students who attended a public school. McKinnon College always pushed him to do better, Walker told The Ages Adam Carey, and I think you get that at private schools. But other public schools lack the resources to offer such intensive support, Walker surmised. Why did his remarks linger? New Orleans officials are plowing ahead with a $100 million-plus plan to move City Hall to Municipal Auditorium, perhaps seeking the first renovation bids by the summer even though nearby residents panned the proposal during a virtual presentation Thursday night. The proposal is being driven by almost $40 million in FEMA money to renovate the Armstrong Park auditorium. But it relies heavily on the assumption that the building would house only a portion of City Hall's current workforce in a post-pandemic environment, with a large number of employees transitioning permanently to remote work. 030420 City Hall locations Officials in Mayor LaToya Cantrells administration are considering a plan that would put some city offices in the Municipal Auditorium and th Beyond repairing and renovating Municipal Auditorium to house offices, the project would also involve building a 700-space parking garage on the other side of Basin Street and potential Armstrong Park improvements to reduce flooding during storms. Municipal Auditorium is smaller than the existing City Hall, which already cannot accommodate all employees, but Capital Projects Director Vincent Smith said it would house only a portion of the workforce. The rest would work remotely, as has been the case for about 70% of City Hall workers during the coronavirus pandemic to allow for social distancing. The new City Hall would house public-facing employees, including those who deal with permitting, and the City Councils offices and chambers. +2 New Orleans officials eye splitting City Hall between Municipal Auditorium, old VA Hospital Mayor LaToya Cantrells plan to move New Orleans City Hall to Municipal Auditorium is evolving into a proposal that could see government offi Neighbors worried about the effect that City Hall would have on the nearby communities, including increasing traffic. They argued it would diminish Armstrong Park's status as a cultural touchstone. The Treme community produced many cultural plans for the park. None were accepted because the plans and vision came from the community, for the community, Cheryl Austin wrote in to the meeting. None included relocating City Hall within the footprint. Here's a thought: Remove the park, and rebuild affordable houses. With the return of affordable houses, maybe our culture will return. Mayor LaToya Cantrell has been floating Municipal Auditorium as the new City Hall since early in her term. The effort began to take shape in late 2019 when her administration commissioned a study that found the current City Hall needed major repairs that would cost roughly as much as building a new home for the municipal government. Proposal for moving City Hall to Municipal Auditorium A site plan for the proposal to move New Orleans City Hall to Municipal Auditorium in Armstrong Park presented by city officials during a virt 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 While theres a handful of locations that could work, Ramsey Green, the deputy chief administrative officer for infrastructure, has repeatedly said Municipal Auditorium is particularly attractive because of FEMA money from a settlement for damages during Hurricane Katrina. At this point, FEMA needs the city of New Orleans to state what the city is going to do with that $38 million, Green said. We factually know that building cannot come back to what it was pre-Katrina because theres no demand for that kind of use of that building. We also know that [only] $38 million will not bring it back to any kind of use. Could City Hall move to Municipal Auditorium? Cantrell administration taking steps toward it Mayor LaToya Cantrell is taking the first steps toward perhaps converting Municipal Auditorium into New Orleans next City Hall. City officials have already set aside about $22 million in borrowed money for the project. They are looking to federal funding, and the money to be made from selling the existing City Hall site, to cover the rest of the $100 million to $150 million in work on the auditorium project. Implementing a master plan for the rest of Armstrong Park would cost an additional $25 million or more. When residents raised concerns about lacking full funding, Green acknowledged it was not an ideal situation. But he said the financial realities facing New Orleans make it imperative to use the FEMA money and move out of the current City Hall, which is facing increasing maintenance costs. Neither Green nor Smith said what would happen to other government offices that are now located in the same complex as City Hall. They include Civil District Court, the assessors office and registrar of voters office. City officials plan to put contracts for architectural work and project management out for bid next month and expect to award them about five months later. The goal would be to begin construction before August 2023, the deadline for getting all the FEMA money under contract. +7 City Hall in New Orleans is decrepit, and there are two costly options to fix that problem Like at least two New Orleans mayors before her, Mayor LaToya Cantrell is contemplating the future of City Hall, with an eye toward leaving th In the meantime, Green said a website is expected to be set up in the coming weeks to provide information about the project and gather feedback. But residents suggested city officials were acting as if the plan was a done deal, one that their concerns would not alter. Whats the point? You guys have bulldozed us and decided. You think you are doing a favor by informing us about progress on a project that will destroy our neighborhood, resident Liz Serra wrote in to the meeting. (JNS) - Following a district-wide recount, Republican Iowa State Sen. Mariannette Miller-Meeks won one of the closest races for a federal office in American history, defeating fellow state Sen. Rita Hart, a Democrat, by just six votes in the state's 2nd Congressional District in the Nov. 3 election for the U.S. House of Representatives to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Dave Loebsack. Miller-Meeks, 65, an ophthalmologist who won on her fourth try running for Congress, served as a nurse and physician in the U.S. Army as an active and reserve member. After being the first female faculty me... Mumbai, Jan 29 : Continuing its all-out war on the drugs mafia, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has carried out a series of raids in Navi Mumbai, recovered large quantities of banned narcotics and nabbed three peddlers, an official said here on Friday. The NCB also detected a unique modus operandi of the peddlers procuring LSD - a powerful hallucogenic drug - through the Dark Net for their customers. The raids were carried out by the teams of NCB sleuths over 48 hours in Nerul, Navi and yielded 336 blots of LSD (commercial quantity), 6 gms cocaine and 430 gms marijuana. Three drug peddlers who are said to be running a thriving network in Navi Mumbai since long have been arrested. They are: Arbaaz Shaikh, Vineet Chandran and Suraj Singh, said NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede. Shaikh and Chandran were intercepted in a Chevrolet Beat car late on Wednesday and after their interrogation, Singh was nabbed late on Thursday, with the total quantities recovered from them. Since the NCB entered into the Bollywood-narcotics mafia probe in a big way as a fallout of the death probe of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June 2020, it has gone hammer-and-tongs after drug suppliers, financers, agents and street peddlers besides customers, in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Navi Mumbai. By Philip Blenkinsop and Alistair Smout BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission's contract with AstraZeneca to supply COVID-19 vaccines includes Britain along with the EU as places where the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker should make its best efforts to manufacture vaccines for the EU. The contract is at the heart of a dispute over access to vaccines, after AstraZeneca announced last week it would fall short of delivering promised vaccines to the EU by March because of production problems in Belgium. Speaking after European medical regulators approved the vaccine, AstraZeneca Chief Executive Pascal Soriot said manufacturing glitches were inevitable and the company was focused on boosting supplies to the bloc after resolving most of the issues. Seeking to defuse the row, Soriot said there were millions of doses ready to be shipped to EU countries. The company was working to increase capacity from the projected 31 million doses in the first quarter, using drug substance taken from other parts of the world, he added. AstraZeneca and the EU had signed a deal for up to 400 million doses of the vaccine. Last week, the firm unexpectedly announced cuts of up to 60% in supplies to the bloc, citing production problems at a Belgian factory, triggering a furious response from the bloc. The EU is now looking into a scheme to monitor and authorise export of vaccines, potentially blocking them if its own supply is not met. The EU, whose member states are far behind Israel, Britain and the United States in rolling out vaccines, is standing its ground, pressing the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker to deliver the doses as promised in the contract. AstraZeneca has been making large quantities of its vaccine in Britain, but has said a contract it signed with the British government requires it to fulfil Britain's order before it can send doses manufactured there abroad, including to the EU. The company agreed on Friday to publication of its advance purchase agreement with the European Commission. The 41-page contract was published https://bit.ly/2MBIaoU, although certain parts were redacted. Story continues The contract says that AstraZeneca must uses its "Best Reasonable Efforts" to manufacture the EU doses, but the parties disagree on what this means. AstraZeneca's contention is that this is more of a subjective assessment, but a commission official said on Friday it was an objective legal standard. The official pointed to a sentence in the contract by which AstraZeneca says it is not under any obligation to others that would impede complete fulfilment of the agreement's requirements. The commission also contends it does have the right to doses made in Britain and refers to a section at the end of the contract listing two British production sites. "AstraZeneca shall use its Best Reasonable Efforts to manufacture the vaccine at manufacturing sites located within the EU (which for the purpose of this Section 5.4 only shall include the United Kingdom)," the contract says in a section on manufacturing sites. The contract does not say whether AstraZeneca is obliged to send vaccines produced in Britain to the European Union. Soriot stressed the progress AstraZeneca had made in producing a vaccine in less than a year. "It is not simple, it is very complicated," Soriot said. "We've had issues that led to us not producing (what) we were hoping to produce, but we're trying to really catch up and you know there's not much more we can do." (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, John Chalmers and Francesco Guarascio in Brussels, Alistair Smout in London and Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by John Chalmers Nick Macfie and Keith Weir) 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 Public Prosecutor's Office has demanded a 17-month prison sentence for the woman who left her two-and-a-half-year-old son alone in the car while she and her partner allegedly played the tables in a Marbella casino. The same sentence is being requested for the mother's partner, who is also facing temporary abandonment of a minor charge. The German couple, who were holidaying on the Costa del Sol, dispute the version of the events presented to a Malaga court and the case will go to Andaucias Superior Court of Justice of Andalusia (TSJA) with a likely hearing in 2022. The National Police said the events took place in the early afternoon of last Saturday (23 January) when they were alerted by a member of the public that there was a child left alone inside a parked car near the Casino Marbella. Officers found a Mercedes car with a German number plate and inside there was a child in his car seat. The police observed that the child was half asleep, the windows were up and there were no adults around. The doors of the vehicle were apparently unlocked. After the officers verified that the boy was fine they tried to locate his family by the vehicle's number plate, but efforts to find it in the police database were unsuccessful. Police say that after a while, a couple came out of the casino and, seeing the patrol, ran to the vehicle. Officials identified both and verified that the woman was the boy's mother. She is in her 30s and German, like her partner. According to sources, the woman told the officers that she had felt ill and had gone to the casino's toilets. However, the police officers found that between them they were carrying gambling chips to the value of 5,000 euros. The police went to the casino to interview employees in order to check their story. Apparently, after talking to several staff, they discovered that the couple had been playing at roulette and blackjack tables. Leifer is a member of an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish sect that practises strict adherence to Jewish law. Living with her rabbi husband and children in the unremarkable, stained block of flats with plastic-shuttered windows and makeshift nets blocking out mosquitoes and the Middle Eastern sun, Leifers life was a far cry from a Melbourne prison cell. She came here to hide, says Daniel, a resident who asked that his surname not be published. Its super-religious here. It was a landing zone for her. Emmanuel was so corrupt that its mayor eventually went to jail. Daniel lives in the valley near Emmanuel, a stones throw from Leifers house. He says he was one of the first to raise the alarm to the Australian authorities that Leifer was not, as an Israeli court had found, incapacitated and unable to perform daily tasks. He says she was continuing to tutor young children. I gave the police the stills of kids going in and out of her house, he recalls. The people of Emmanuel are very poor. She would give them money, candy, tutor them. Leifer fled Australia in 2008, 24 hours after she was accused of sexually molesting students and sacked by the Adass Israel Schools board. The extradition process took more than a decade to resolve. She is accused of sexually abusing three school students between 2004 and 2008. Charge sheets allege most of the offences were committed in Elsternwick, but also in Elwood, Frankston and Emerald, and the regional towns of Blampied and Rawson. Sisters Elly Sapper, Dassi Erlich and Nicole Meyer, who allege they were abused as children by Leifer, were among the 30 people watching Thursdays hearing via video link. Leifer has long maintained her innocence. She fled to Israel in 2008 when the allegations were first aired, but was extradited this week following the decision of the Supreme Court of Israel, which dismissed her final appearance and ordered she return to Australia to face prosecution. Private investigators pictures of former Australian school principal Malka Leifer apparently showing her leading a normal life in Israel despite her claims to Israeli authorities that she suffers a debilitating mental illness. Shana Aaronson, formerly of Jewish Community Watch an organisation that assisted in bringing the taped evidence of Ms Leifer living a normal life in Emmanuel to the police in 2018 says there are many cases of sexual abuse in ultra-Orthodox communities. Aaronson, who is now director of Magen, which deals with sexual abuse in Orthodox communities in Israel, claims there has even been an uptick in abuse in Leifers home town of Bnei Brak one of the poorest and most densely populated cities in Israel since the COVID-19 pandemic. JCW footage shows Leifer waiting at the bus stop, talking on the phone and visiting the post office in the city. It was enough to convince Israels police to arrest her on the grounds of lying to the court and feigning insanity to evade the judicial system. The revelations reignited the extradition effort. Her mental fitness was re-examined and during the next three years of proceedings, Leifer was locked away in Israels only womens prison. While many ultra-Orthodox community members refused to comment for this article, one member of Bnei Braks Justice Court, ultra-Orthodox educator Mordechai Zeev Blewi, gave a brief comment that he believed Leifer should see fair treatment and not be made an example of. Alleged vicims Elly Sapper, Dassi Erlich and Nicole Meyer arrive at a press conference after the news that an extradition hearing date had been set for alleged sexual abuser Malka Leifer. Credit:Jason South If she is not OK, then she needs to be dealt with. As long as she doesnt get more than she deserves, he told The Age. Yet allegations of Haredi community support for her have run long and deep in this case, with accusations of interference reaching as high as the Israeli government. An ultra-Orthodox doctor working in the Israeli healthcare system, who asked not to be named out of fear of a threat to her employment, claims to have exposed political meddling in Leifers extradition case just months after she was re-arrested in 2018. According to the source, accounts of Leifer during her time as school principal in Melbourne as a wonderful person, charismatic who everybody loved did not match up with the court-ordered psychiatric reports that she has chronic schizophrenia. The doctor says the medical team consulted with a psychiatrist colleague in Jerusalem, who verified that the psychiatric departments ordered by the court to report on Leifers mental state were being contacted by then Israeli health minister Yaakov Litzman. A year later, Israels police said they had enough evidence to indict Litzman for witness tampering. In a statement, police said that besides belonging to the same religious sect, Leifer worked alongside Litzmans wife in the education sector. Litzman is currently Israels housing minister. A private investigators photograph of Malka Leifer apparently showing her leading a normal life. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu relies on the support of ultra-Orthodox political parties such as Agudat Yisrael, which Litzman leads, to maintain his ruling coalition. With elections approaching, the source said that although she will vote, as an Orthodox woman, she does not want a new government that includes the Haredi (or ultra-Orthodox) parties. They arent embarrassed to grant favours to those in the community they dont see it as corruption, just helping. As long as they have political power and everyone needs them, nothing happens. As long as Litzman is in power, nothing is going to happen. The doctor pointed to a recent statement released by the president of Melbournes Adass Israel School, Benjamin Koppel, regarding Leifers trial as an example of the Haredi communitys failure to encourage reporting acts of abuse to the authorities. The statement read: We encourage anyone who feels affected by Mrs Leifers return to seek support and have made professional counselling available on a free and strictly confidential basis to any member of our community. The Israeli doctor was appalled. They may have given up the fight for Leifer how can they do anything now? But they are saying that if anyone else is affected, come to us which means do not go to the police. Undercover footage shows Malka Leifer shopping at a time when she was said to be mentally unfit to face a court. Allegations that Leifer fled Australia in the middle of the night are disputed by her defence team in Israel, but a ruling from a civil case against the school won by one of Leifers alleged victims, Dassi Erlich, said that members of the Adass Israel community helped her evade justice. Manny Waks is concerned that some members of that community might leave Australia ahead of Leifers trial. Theres a big fear and potential for people to evade justice by escaping to Israel again, he says. What happens if certain individuals [of the Adass leadership] realise they are on the radar? They can easily evade justice and avoid responsibility for the injustice that has taken place. Both the prosecution and the defence in Leifers extradition case reject the notion that Israel acts as a haven for criminals. Mr Waks has also raised concerns about the response of the Adass Israel school. The Adass community are continuing with their charades. While their statement was seemingly very supportive and sympathetic towards victims, where have they been before today? Why didnt they offer an apology before? he asked. There is a lack of education, apology, acknowledgement and responsibility this is a slap in the face for past victims but also very dangerous for current students, Mr Waks said. Waks adds that while some within the Adass Israel community do want to see Leifer face justice, the insular and closed nature of the community means a statement like that would have a detrimental impact; they would be seen to be going against the community and bringing it into disrepute. Referring to Australias royal commission that found a marked absence of supportive leadership for survivors of child sex abuse and their families, Waks says that if an institution doesnt address critical issues, they are an unsafe institution. He claims that the very reason Leifer was able to avoid the Australian charges for so long was due to her supporters within the community. Their influence, the resources they have at their disposal most or all are from the ultra-Orthodox community and segments within that. Many of those who have supported her have an interest in preventing her facing justice. Leifers defence lawyers completely and utterly deny that there was a strategy of delay, yet the six-year battle for extradition has strained relations between politicians in Israel and Australia. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews met personally with Netanyahu in 2018, telling him the only just outcome was for Leifer to face a jury. In a written statement on Wednesday, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne welcomed the extradition and thanked all those within the Israeli government whose co-operation has allowed us to reach this point. Attorney-General Christian Porter added that Leifers arrival on Australian soil finally concluded the long-running process to see Ms Leifer returned to Australia to face serious sexual assault charges against her. Loading Israeli prosecution lawyer Avital Ritner-Oron told The Age that despite the fact that proceedings had taken a long time, the system proved itself and we reached what we see as a just decision in the District Court and the Supreme Court, to finally be able to send her back. Malka Leifer used every trick in the book to avoid extradition, and that came up in the [final] Supreme Court decision also. But at the end of the day because the justice system does work in Israel, she was only able to delay extradition and not prevent it, despite all her efforts, she adds. Ritner-Oron says she has offered Australian prosecutors any assistance they require. Leifers defence lawyer, Nick Kaufman, agreed that justice had been done, whether or not he agreed with the result. He told The Age that the case had been blown out of all proportion by the media because of the Jewish Community Watch report and involvement of politicians on both sides of the world. He added that he was disappointed with one aspect of the final Supreme Court ruling which he labelled as purely technical in regards to the interpretation of the extradition treaty between Israel and Australia, signed in 1970. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Kaufman had argued that the alleged offences committed in Australia were not considered rape at the time of signing, although still an arguable case for indecent assault. The only way rape could be committed in those days was a lack of consent; the concept of grooming or abuse of authority as a sexual offence did not exist at the time of signing the agreement. Waks termed this moment in court as a low point of victim-blaming. To hear the sisters being blamed for the abuse they endured was very hard to bear. I had to walk out for fresh air for five minutes, take a breath and come back. That was horrific. Loading Waks believes that Israel wont have finished its part in this saga until the case is reviewed to resolve the matter of political interference and corruption. Once the Israeli court did its job, the political arm acted fast. But the battle so far has been just to get to the very beginning, and now the actual criminal trial begins, he says. Leifers Israeli defence team says the Leifer family has found a new Australian lawyer, Tony Hargreaves, and they are very confident we found the right person for the job. The BJP had come into its own and formed governments at the Centre under a well-liked figure. In contrast, the Congress had haemorrhaged Sonia Gandhi is in frail health. She had to leave New Delhi for a while on medical advice in order to escape the winter pollution. Is there a vacancy at the top that can be filled in orderly fashion and even routine party functioning restored, or will the old firm break? Indias founding party may just be at that sort of moment. Should the Congress break, it is unlikely to become two as in 1969, and then again become one under a decisive leader. There is no such leader on the horizon. It will therefore likely become several regional entities, and then probably scatter like the Janata Party, which had some big names in it but no stalwart with mass, nationwide, appeal. Mrs Gandhi had pulled a rabbit out of the hat when she produced two UPA governments at the Centre on the trot through sheer political sagacity, coalition-building prowess, and light-touch political management. This reprieve for the Congress was gained in 2004 in the face of sheer adversity and was the more remarkable for that. The circumstances then were not propitious. The BJP had come into its own and formed governments at the Centre under a well-liked figure. In contrast, the Congress had haemorrhaged. Key party leaders -- Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee -- had split away in the late 1990s, with Ms Banerjee even joining the BJP-led NDA alliance for a while and Mr Pawar doing tactical manoeuvres with the BJP as per his convenience, although he would later join the UPA government. While Mrs Gandhis shepherding of her party in such circumstances is the stuff of folklore, it is now equally plain that in those years of wielding power (2004-14) the Congress leadership did little to ground the party organisation and nurture it, although it was clear that a cadre and ideology-based national party -- so far on the fringes-- had already emerged as an alternative. The Congress had little to offer to counter the ideological propaganda of the RSS-BJP. Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs government had delivered a sustained average rate of economic growth of nearly eight per cent per annum over a 10-year period. The Congress gullibly thought this would be enough to see it through in the elections. This was a gross underestimation of the power of industrial-scale communal propaganda, aided by a hostile media which, effectively, acted as a force-multiplier. The medias stance was an indication that Indias big business was far from pleased with the Manmohan-Sonia government. The reason was that the government had gone well outside the prism of a hundred-per-cent-market focus to extend benefits to poorer communities. This was too much for the corrupt, self-serving, elite. At the same time, the small and medium companies and the urban middle classes and the rural communities -- the very sections for whom Congress rule had been benign -- became hostage to the continuous stream of a vicious, communal, mind-bending, propaganda onslaught. These in fact participated, happily, in preparing the ground for the mythical hero to arrive -- one who will slay every demon. The Congress comprehensively failed to meet the challenge of majoritarian right-wing elements because it had frittered away the thought-and-action system nurtured by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, Maulana Azad and countless fearless men and women who gave their lives for an ideal that would necessarily unify India, rather than divide it, or cater only to particular sections of it. Rajiv Gandhi downwards, the Congress projected itself merely as a party of governance -- and not one that united the people on the basis of effective policies, effectively communicated. This is fundamentally why it permitted itself, in slow stages, to overlook the importance of having a worthwhile party organisation. Even when a party has an active ideological ingredient, it is of no use when there is no organisation to back it, and to disseminate it. And the Congress, for long, has become a party which, in the main, has left its ideology on a museum shelf. It also lacks an organisation. Ideology and organisation are indeed inextricably bound. There is some irony in the fact that prominent Congress dissidents -- who go under the rubric of G-23 -- rightly underline a democratically elected organisation but do not even mention ideology. That is a fools errand. Once the Congress demise is guaranteed, how long many of the so-called secular regional parties, or those on the Left, survive is also a matter of conjecture. Historically, these are -- in the main a derivative of the wider Congress system that Rajni Kothari spoke of, although each emphasised specific concerns (some caste, some class) and arose in opposition to the Congress. This question needs be considered in the face of entrenchment in power of a far-right, chauvinist, cadre-based, party whose priority is to mobilise the resources, agencies, departments and all institutions of the State -- including the uniformed forces and the judiciary to obliterate other political parties, big or small. The Constitution of India can then simply be dispatched to a dusty corner of the archives. Rahul Gandhi, an honourable and intelligent man, had resigned as party president on a point of principle. He supports democratic elections from top to bottom. He must be permitted to have his way. Among the contemporary generation, he alone displays an ideological will. Let him provide that ballast to his party and not be distracted by the burden of dynasty. 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. With the Coronavirus pandemic taking the world by storm at the beginning of 2020, there were some significant changes that people and world Governments had to adapt to. Since there wasnt a cure to the virus, the Government implemented specific rules that had to be followed in public so people would be safe, reducing their chances of catching the virus. When the number of cases of people with the Coronavirus would spike, the UK would push for a national lockdown to keep the people safe. Since the beginning of the pandemic, they implemented some significant changes and restrictions relating to shutting the borders, along with strict travel restrictions. Lockdowns meant people were not allowed to leave their homes and could only head out for essential services. The United States also had restrictions on moving outdoors from one place to another, and the companies and businesses were allowed to stay open. Public dining and restaurants, for the most part, had to stay shut, while open-air venues were entertaining small groups of people. There were rules about the number of people who could meet in a specific area and the types of jobs and companies that could be running. They also added rules about whether people could meet in the office, with US states implementing them to varying degrees. Similarly, when the UK went into its second lockdown, it implemented the rule of six, so no more than six people could meet in public. Working as a medical practitioner or doctor in the UK is usually seen as a significant achievement, for a wide range of reasons including, India and Britain have the same roots of medicine, the same textbooks in most medical colleges, similar references, and a smooth knowledge transfer, making the system very easy to adapt to. Additionally, the NHS or National Health Services currently in place to look after the people in the EU is seen as one of the best health care systems to work for in the world. With many people affected by COVID-19, the healthcare systems in both the US and the UK were quite overwhelmed. They were not sure if their hospitals could support that large an intake of patients and if they had enough doctors to assist with all of them. The Governments were pushing to get more people into the medical field, but they had to follow many rules and regulations if they were planning on joining as medical practitioners. Furthermore, since the start of the pandemic, doctors, along with people assisting in the medical profession were working longer hours and getting through intense work schedules since they were understaffed and there were lives on the line. To the start of the pandemic, across the world people were not sure how they were going to get through. There was no cure to the virus, and doctors did not have enough information about it to know how to deal with it. There were changes and challenges that they were constantly adapting to and passing the details to the public. Fortunately for all, there is a cure distributed across the US with doctors and medical professionals being the first to receive it. They have already started distributing the same to the public and have finished giving a large chunk of the population, the first dose. However, having the right team assisting through the entire process is one of the most primary requirements when getting through the pandemic. When selecting a team of medical practitioners or doctors in the UK, their employers had to make sure they provided a background check. They wanted proof that the people they were working with did not have a criminal record. Additionally, there were specific requirements they had to get through since they were working in the medical field where they were interacting and coming in contact with people of different ages. Other than past criminal records, background checks provide information on whether a person deals well with other age groups of people, whether from the youngest to the oldest or if they had experienced in the past that means that they shouldnt interact with them. There were many challenges doctors were facing during the pandemic, with the most significant one being that there wasnt a speciality of dealing with the Coronavirus. With people catching the virus and a shortage of doctors who could assist with the process, others in the medical field had to pull up their socks and help in any way that they could. Many doctors were complaining that they were not happy about the changes that were taking place, but they made peace with it since they were doing their part to assist with the pandemic. The other challenging part of the process was that most doctors were unsure about dealing with the virus and focused on tackling the symptoms that would come up. The idea was to end up in a place where they solved the issue they were facing. About 2,500 new emergency medicine doctors enter the workforce each year in the United States. With the pandemic, however, they are ironically struggling to find a job. The US is in dire need of as many doctors, paramedics, and medical practitioners as possible but is unsure of the changes they have to get through or whether they would be in line for a job after getting through and markets opening the following year. In a strange turn of events, doctors have begun applying for additional courses, learning new streams and other information that they can use to get through a difficult and challenging time. The Coronavirus pandemic not only made changes within the job market for doctors but across the board and most people are in some way or another struggling to find work, with a large number of businesses and companies shutting down even if they are unconnected to the medical field. Chantel Jeffries recently enjoyed a tropical getaway with boyfriend Drew Taggart. And the YouTube personality is continuing to pamper herself after returning home and to her daily routine. She stepped out on Thursday wearing a long-sleeve turquoise top and matching skintight Alo Yoga bike shorts after treating herself to a magnesium wrap treatment in Los Angeles. Turquoise chic: Chantel Jeffries stepped out Thursday in a long-sleeve turquoise top and matching skintight Alo Yoga bike shorts, after treating herself to a magnesium wrap treatment in Los Angeles The 28-year-old finished the look with a black face mask, black eyeglasses, gold necklaces and a pair of white trainers, while carrying a fuzzy blue bag over her shoulder. She carried her blue and purple tie-dye Fashion Nova sweatsuit in her hand, which she previously modeled in an Instagram post. Jeffries sported the look as she posed in front of her white Tesla and a pink one belonging to pal Catherine Paiz, 30, writing: 'Twin flames.' She also revealed the sweatshirt's purple knit turtleneck accent, as she snapped a mirror selfie in the outfit. Accessorizing: The 28-year-old finished the look with a black face mask, black eyeglasses, gold necklaces and a pair of white trainers, while carrying a fuzzy blue bag over her shoulder Tie-dye vibes: She carried her blue and purple tie-dye Fashion Nova sweatsuit in her hand, which she previously modeled in an Instagram post Sweet rides: Jeffries sported the look as she posed in front of her white Tesla and a pink one belonging to pal Catherine Paiz, 30, writing: 'Twin flames' Devil in the details: She also revealed the sweatshirt's purple knit turtleneck accent, as she snapped a mirror selfie in the outfit The Chase the Summer artist later gave a glimpse at her magnesium treatment, as her naked body was wrapped in black plastic, writing: 'Time to sweat w magnesium.' She later sweated it out in an infrared sauna, posting a video from under the pink light, writing: 'To the moon.' Jeffries returned from vacation earlier this month with boyfriend Drew Taggart, after celebrating his 31st birthday in Tulum, Mexico. All wrapped up: The Chase the Summer artist later gave a glimpse at her magnesium treatment, as her naked body was wrapped in black plastic, writing: 'Time to sweat w magnesium' Sweating it out: She later sweated it out in an infrared sauna, posting a video from under the pink light, writing: 'To the moon' Birthday boy: She returned from vacation earlier this month with boyfriend Drew Taggart, after celebrating his 31st birthday in Tulum, Mexico She wrote a sweet tribute on Instagram: 'You make this planet feel like home. Happy birthday I love you as much as pie and I'll love you as long as pi continues. 'Wish I was saying this out loud so it would be punnier anyways can't wait to do everything on earth with you.' The couple confirmed their relationship back in July with a kissy photo on Instagram, after they were first romantically linked back in February, during a Super Bowl party in Miami. Were a polarized country. Americas disagreements include politics, COVID-19, climate change and more. You name it. We disagree. We dont even agree on simple facts. But, Texans strongly agree on legislation known as the George Floyd Act. The killing of George Floyd, a Black man raised in Houston, by a white police officer in Minneapolis last May sparked a series of protests across the country and an ongoing national reckoning about racism and criminal justice reform. Members of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus answered the calls for reform by announcing that the George Floyd Act would be filed in the 2021 Texas legislative session, which is now underway. Houston state Rep. Senfronia Thompson and Dallas state Sen. Royce West filed House Bill 88 and Senate Bill 161, respectively. These bills address systematic racial inequality in the Texas criminal justice system with reforms ranging from changing how police officers interact with the public to changes aimed at reducing incarceration rates for people of color. A recent survey of Texans performed by the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs found that the George Floyd Act has very robust support. When given a brief description of the George Floyd Act, an overwhelming majority (72 percent) of Texans said they support it, with more than half saying they strongly support it. In Harris County, the support was even higher. Four out of five residents say they support the legislation, including 56 percent who strongly support it. Broad-based support from men and women, across racial and ethnic groups and across generations suggests this is not a red vs. blue issue or one pitting rural and suburban Texans against urban residents. Black, white, young and old Texans support these proposed reforms. Support is found among more than 80 percent of Democrats, African Americans, millennials and members of Generation Z. Support among Latinos is 78 percent; women are at 77 percent; and independents are at 73 percent. Members of Generation X, the baby-boom generation and the silent generation all offer support at or above 64 percent, as do men (68 percent) and Anglos (64 percent). Republicans were the only sub-group surveyed that didnt offer majority support. Even then, the George Floyd Act is supported by a sizable minority at 43 percent. Support was above 50 percent among younger Republicans, and among Latino, African American and Asian American Republicans. Texans are ready for change. The Hobby School survey found even greater support for specific changes detailed in the proposed legislation. For example, 91 percent support the provision that would require police officers to intervene and render aid if another officer is using excessive force; 84 percent support a ban on the use of lethal force by a police officer if a lesser level of force could have worked; and 77 percent support a ban on the use of chokeholds by police officers. Three out of four support ending arrests for offenses that carry only a fine as possible punishment, such as minor traffic violations and disorderly conduct, while 72 percent support limiting police officers immunity from civil lawsuits. In the coming months, the Texas Legislature will consider a wide range of proposed legislation, much of which lacks a strong public consensus. The George Floyd Act is that all too rare bit of policy it has strong consensus among a wide range of Texans, and it provides legislators from both parties the opportunity to collaborate to pass legislation that can help unite us rather than divide us. The George Floyd Act can address important social and racial justice issues, and, in doing so, it can also be a unifying force. Texas can show the rest of the country what we can accomplish when we work together. Watson is founding dean of the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston; Jones is a fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute and a Hobby School senior research associate; and Cross is senior director of the Hobby School. Russ Vought, former acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget, during an interview at National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 29, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Former OMB Director Starts Think Tank to Further Trumps America First Agenda WASHINGTONAs members of the Trump administration disband, several are looking to further the America First agenda espoused by the former president. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joined the Hudson Institute as a distinguished fellow. I look forward to contributing to its mission of promoting American leadership and global engagement, Pompeo wrote on Twitter on Jan. 27. Its important that we keep putting America First! Meanwhile, Russ Vought, former director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, has established an organization focused on traditional values, namely God, country, and community. Vought announced the Center for American Restoration in the Federalist on Jan. 26, saying Trumps presidency was the first real counter assault to the left in decades, by a champion who had the stomach and the strength to sustain the withering fire of his adversaries. He said the organization will predominantly focus on policy at the federal level, although he expects much of the initial efforts will be defending against President Joe Bidens liberal agenda. The Biden administration is going to give us many opportunities, unfortunately, to have to confront and provide accountability to the federal government immediately, whether thats us needing to block his amnesty proposals or his nominees that are, quite frankly, out of the mainstream, Vought told NTD on Jan. 28. We hope to give voice to the common, forgotten men and women across this great country, possessed with extraordinary intuition, who work hard, pay their taxes, and attempt to raise their families in healthy communities. Voughts agenda is broad and he wants to tackle issues such as eliminating cancel culture, promoting pro-life, restoring election integrity, pushing for immigration integrity, treating China as the predominant national security threat, and advocating for a smaller government. I think right now, its important to reflect on where we are as a country and realize were incredibly divided, he said. And the status quo is certainly not something that we can defend and conserve anymore. He said he wants to provide an institutional home to the many grassroots activists who are concerned about the future of the country, but are often maligned by the left. To be able to provide a place for activism to be safe, and to be targeted and strategic, and to really be able to advance both our ideas to restore the consensus in this country, Vought said. He said he spoke to Donald Trump earlier this week and hes in great spirits. He has a major, obviously, a major voice in these issues. And we really believe that were continuing his legacy. Well be working with all of the groups that come out of his administration to have a coalition on these issues, Vought said. WASHINGTON A newly elected Republican member of the House known for conspiratorial social media posts spread a false theory that PG&E started the devastating Camp Fire in 2018 with space lasers in a clean-energy experiment gone awry, according to a new report. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has since deleted the Facebook post in which she made the suggestion, according to Media Matters for America, a left-leaning research outlet. But the group released a screen grab of the November 2018 post in which Greene detailed a long, meandering conspiracy theory involving Pacific Gas and Electric Co., former Gov. Jerry Brown, Sen. Dianne Feinsteins husband, space-based solar generators and unnamed people who claimed to have seen what looked like lasers or blue beams of light causing the fires. The idea is clean energy to replace coal and oil, Greene wrote. If they are beaming the suns energy back to Earth, Im sure they wouldnt ever miss a transmitter receiving station right??!! The post includes references to the Rothschild Inc. investment firm, a frequent subject of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories that are monitored by the Anti-Defamation League. It also falsely alleges the fire that ripped through Butte County was along the path of the states planned high-speed rail line, which in reality is hundreds of miles to the south. Greenes post came as the Camp Fire was in the process of being contained but had already ravaged the town of Paradise and nearby communities. The blaze was the deadliest in the states history, killing 85 people and destroying nearly 20,000 structures. The fire was actually sparked by PG&E electrical equipment, and the company later pleaded guilty to 85 felony charges, including 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter. PG&E, which filed for bankruptcy protection a few months after the blaze, agreed to a $13.5 billion settlement with victims of the fire. Greenes office did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. Neither did Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale (Butte County), whose district includes the areas devastated by the Camp Fire. House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, who worked to keep wildfire disaster relief for California from being cut off by former President Donald Trump, has faced questions about Greenes place in the House. A spokesperson said Thursday that reported comments by Greene are deeply disturbing, and Leader McCarthy plans to have a conversation with the Congresswoman about them. Greene has been under scrutiny over her social media presence, including posts trafficking in conspiracy theories related to QAnon and questioning school shootings. In recent days, social media sleuths have uncovered a video of her harassing a survivor of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting, and CNN reported she had indicated support for executing Democratic members of Congress. In a news conference Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said Greenes past comments should reflect poorly on House GOP leadership, which has assigned her to the committee that handles education policy. Its really beyond the pale, Pelosi said. Assigning her to the education committee when she has mocked the killing of little children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, when she has mocked the killing of teenagers in high school ... what could they be thinking, or is thinking too generous a word for what they might be doing? Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan NarediAni7518 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Jamshedpur Posts: 37 Thanked: 91 Times My 2019 Honda Civic Ownership Review P.S.: The photos might not be great as Im not a photographer and due to the same reason I've taken some of the photographs from the Team-BHP Honda Civic Official Review. Ive stated that below each photo taken. 1. Why a new car? As our April 2015 Honda City VX i-DTEC was about to turn four years old, the itch to get a new car was increasing. We generally keep our cars on an average for 4 years. Although the car was in Spick and span condition, with just about 29,000 odd kilometers on the odo and well maintained, we were desperately looking for an upgrade. (This is the only photo that I have of our City) 2. Alternatives considered: Well, we change our car when we get attracted to a newer vehicle, so we know exactly what car we want to buy and therefore, no alternatives were looked upon whatsoever. (We never go down the pre-owned route) 3. Complete Booking and Delivery Experience: After a lot of discussion, we finally booked our car on 31st March, 2019 and delivery would be done as soon as the car would arrive and all the formalities were done. The booking and delivery experience were not exceptional. The sales advisor was not well informed of the cars features and I had to tell him about some of them! When you enter a Maruti Suzuki Showroom in India, you will be Welcomed, but this wasnt the case with our Honda Dealer. As we had already bought our city from this very dealer, we were not expecting anything from them. In fact, when we had gone to book our MG Hector in November 2020, we were quite surprised with the delivery experience. Our Civic had reached the showroom in the last week of April and we had requested them to keep it at a covered stockyard and not as a display car, to which they obliged. The formality was done at the earliest but due to the death of a close relative, we had to wait for a few days to take the delivery of our car. It was a pain to wait, for what seemed to be so long, to take the delivery, but as we say The Fruit of Patience is Sweet, and finally we took the delivery of our Civic on 5th May, 2019. Ive added some pictures that I had clicked at the time of delivery. 4. On-Road Price and Discounts: The on-road price that we had paid for the car was around 22,91,000 (for the ZX Petrol CVT in Radiant Red Colour option) and we did not get any discounts whatsoever as the car had just been launched. I dont have the exact price break-up. Please excuse me for that. Also, we did not opt for the extended warranty or the service package. 5. Features: a) Pros: The car has some feel-good features like one touch up-down for all the power windows, grab handle even for the driver, Height-adjustable seatbelts, Vanity mirrors with lights on both the sun visors, Disc Brakes on all four wheels, Auto-dimming IRVM, electric adjust for drivers seat (along with extendable thigh support), Soft touch plastic on top of the dashboard and on the front door panels. All the doors can be locked and unlocked from both the front doors. Remote-engine start with cooling function is also there. Auto headlamps work perfectly too. The car also gets dual zone climate control and 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels. The rain-sensing wipers are irritating and one of the most useless features that cars nowadays are getting. Hondas LaneWatch assist is a gem to use in our Indian traffic conditions. All these features were missing in our Honda City Diesel. It also has ABS+EBD, ESP and Hill-Start Assist along with Agile-Handling Assist. b) Cons: Although the car has a lot of features, it still misses out on a slew of features that are being offered in cars of lower segments. At this price point, some glaring omissions that Honda has made are: a 360-degree parking camera, electrically adjustable front passenger seat, memory seats for the driver, a better music system, sun-shades for the rear windscreen, wireless charging, Ventilated seats and the list goes on! They could have made the boot a little more practical as well by giving smart cubby spaces and some hooks to hang the bags. It misses out of a cooled glove-box as well. This makes cars like Creta, Seltos, Sonet and Hector look extremely Value for money (and they are actually). In fact, our Hector scores better in practicality and VFM quotient. 6. Safety: The car has all the safety features that are expected at this price-point, like 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, Stability Control and Agile Handling Assist, hill-start assist, walk-away auto door lock and ISOFIX Child seat mounts on the rear seats. The car has been crash tested globally and it comes as a 5-Star ASEAN NCAP rated vehicle. However, Im not sure about the build quality of the India-made Civic. But looking at the safety ratings of Honda cars, Im sure that the India-made Civic is no less. 7. Exterior Styling: The design department has absolutely nailed the design of the car. It looks sleek, stylish, sporty and is one of the few cars which LOOKS fast, although this one sadly, isnt as fast as it looks. The car has an A7-like Fastback design. Right from the chunky Hondas signature Chrome Strip on the front to the futuristic LED headlights (only on the top end variant), it sure is a looker! The car has all-LED lights at the front, along with marker lamps on the side that enhance the cars looks. The wheels, in my opinion, are okay-looking, and the C shaped taillights, when in action, look sporty. Below are some random shorts that I have taken over time. 8. Quality: The doors are heavy and have a reassuring feel to it. The paint quality is also good on the car, although it gets scratched easily and the smallest of scratches are visible clearly when looked upon closely (perks of having a red car). The interiors build quality is right up with the best, the soft-touch plastics feel great and all the switch controls feel really great to operate. The switch controls are of a good quality and the buttons do feel like that of a luxury car when you operate them. There are hardly any visible panel gaps and the quality of materials used everywhere feel impressive, especially after our Honda City. The wiper and indicator stocks too, feel long lasting. The same is the case with the windows and ORVM controls. In all, the car has a good fit-finish. 9. Interiors: The interior feels good too. When sitting in the drivers seat, you feel like the cabin hugs you. The centre console is such that it feels like a cockpit due to its low-slung nature. The leather seats are also of a good quality and the seats feel very comfortable as well. The beige upholstery makes the cabin feel quite airy. The front seats have good side bolstering and have a wide base, with the driver getting an extendable thigh-support, which is of great use. This makes the car very comfortable for long drives. However, it DOES need lumbar adjustment. The dashboard on the other hand is black with a faux metal strip and some brushed aluminum here and there. The touchscreen is small at 7 inches and Honda could have done with a better responsiveness for the screen. The car has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that work fine. The display is nice to look at and the reversing camera has multiple views with adaptive guidelines. Thankfully it gets a few physical controls, along with a knob for controlling the volume. The display for the air conditioning is integrated in the infotainment system itself. Physical buttons are provided for the AC Controls. The Glove box is small and it does not have a cooling function. There is an impressive amount of storage below the glove box and since the car comes equipped with an electronic parking-break, it frees up the space that would have been occupied by a physical handbrake. There is also a small hidden compartment below the gear lever that houses an HDMI port, a USB port and a 12-volt charging socket. A place to keep your mobile phone is also there in front of the gear-lever. The door bins are decent sized and can hold a 1-litre bottle easily. Although that Tupperware water-bottle does not fit in any of the door pockets. The car is quite practical I must say. The boot, however, is small at 430 liters (our citys boot was larger at 510 liters). The seatbelt-buckles are thick. Chunky Seatbelt Buckle Driver's Seat Electrical Adjustment (including the extendable under-thigh support) HDMI, USB Port ( for CarPlay and Android Auto ) and 12-V Charging Socket 2nd UBS Port ( For Pen-Drives, not for charging, located under the front-centre armrest) (above Photo Credits : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW) Due to the cars low stance, ingress and egress is a task especially for the older people. I like it a lot however! It does feel more connected to the road and a lot sportier. You drop into the car rather than getting into it. The rear seats are such that it does take some effort to get in and out. The headroom, though limited, is quite adequate even for a six-footer and the leg-space is good too, but feels lesser than the Honda City. 10. Driving Position, feel and MID: You sit quite low to the ground and the cabin is such that it hugs you. The gear-lever is placed on spot and all the controls fall in hand quite easily as well. The steering wheel is adjustable for both-rake and reach and therefore helps in making the driving position quite comfortable. The driving position does feel sporty. Im not able to express it in words, youll need to sit in one to feel it. The steering wheel is a three-spoke unit and it has contours for your thumbs and has a chunky feel to it. It has some piano black and brushed aluminium trims here and there. The steering feel is just perfect, and it weighs up brilliantly well. You can confidently chuck the car around some good corners and the car will not lose its track. It maintains its line quite well and you wont be disappointed with the handling of the car. However, such a superb handling machine does beg for a powerful engine. There is a dead pedal as well. The car does have paddle shifters that can be used when in need of some fun! Traction control can be turned off too but its of no use as it makes no difference to the driving feel. The bonnet bulges are visible as well. The MID is all digital 7-inch unit with gauges for the fuel meter and engine temperature. The MID screen gives all the information such as the music which is playing, calling details, reversing sensors (when parking), map-navigation details among others. You can also place a call and set contacts to speed dial, and all such can be done via the MID. There is also an option to hide the tachometer from the MID. Reversing Sensors in MID ( Photo Credit : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW ) 11. Air conditioning: The car gets a dual-zone climate control and also has vents behind the centre armrest as well (an obvious thing). The controls are not touch thankfully (like our 4th gen city). The cabin is cooled in no time at all but the air vents are quite small. It takes a lot of time to adjust them as per your convenience. The vents in the city were much bigger. Small AC Vents Physical AC Controls ( Above 2 Photo Credits : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW ) 12. Visibility and Rear-view Mirrors: The rear-view mirrors are big and look dynamic. The visibility from them is quite good in fact. The left side ORVM houses a camera for the LaneWatch Assist. They also have the auto close function. The IRVM is auto-dimming and is chunky. Visibility all around is great. The mirrors work fine and the A-pillar does not have that much of a blind spot. However, due to the raised boot, the visibility from the IRVM is not a lot, but youll eventually get used to it. View from IRVM ( Notice the hump behind the headrests ) Notice the hump ( Above 2 Photo Credits : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW ) 13. Audio System and Sound Quality: There are four speakers and tweeters and they work fine. Nothing exceptional. Honda could have provided branded speakers just like Hyundai and Kia provide Bose systems and MG provides Infinity Audio systems. The speakers in our Hector (Infinity) are a class or two above the Civic and they sound fantastic. And therefore, it makes our Civics speakers sound very low (in terms of quality). 14. Noteworthy points about it: In this era of cost-cutting, one place where Honda has not cut costs thankfully is a good interior-quality. The car does feel expensive and the soft-touch materials add an overall feel to the cabin. Even the auto-dimming IRVM is thick and sturdy. There is insulation provided under the bonnet that helps in keeping the NVH low and make the car more refined. It also has the Auto-hold function, which Honda likes to call Brake Hold. The marker lamps are provided on the sides, the same ones are offered in cars in USA, and it makes the car look good at night. We like to keep our cars raw, and therefore we did not have any exterior accessory installed. We did get the Front Parking Sensors installed as a dealer-fitment, but it is of no use as its not at all accurate. I wanted to get a trunk spoiler installed, but my elder brother did not like it so we didnt get one. This is the one I was talking about. Looks quite sporty! ( Photo Credit : Honda Civic Official Brochure ) The car also gets an illumination in the form of a blue LED, next to the sunroof switch. I still dont know its purpose Blue Illumination next to the Sunroof Controls ( Photo Credits : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW ) The car also has double-rubber bedding on all doors, resulting in a lower NVH. ( Photo Credits : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW ) 15. Engine Performance and Drivability: The car comes with a 1.8L Naturally aspirated Petrol engine, with about 140 BHP and 174 NM of Torque. The 10th Gen Facelift that was launched in India was BS-6 Compliant for the Petrol right from day one. It comes equipped with a 7-stepped CVT Transmission with paddle shifters, and therefore, has the rubber-band effect! Personally, I like it as it makes this engine sound a lot sportier. But with family, they will complain for sure due to the noise creeping in from the engine. In fact, due to the CVT, the car has two characteristics, when driven sedately, the engine noise is barely audible inside the cabin, giving you a smooth and silent drive. However, there is considerable amount of tyre-noise that creeps into the cabin. But for the most part, it isnt bothersome. In fact, when the music is on, you wont notice any of the tyre noise that much. The wind noise is barely audible in the car. And when driving spiritedly, it sounds quite sporty, but the performance does not match the sporty noise and characteristics of the car. The engine loves to rev though. There is also an ECON mode that dulls down the performance a bit and helps in improving the mileage, although minutely. The paddle-shifters are of plastic but they do feel robust and good to use. There is no lag from the paddles when using them in Sport Mode. The car does not feel underpowered but you do get caught in the moment. There is a flat-spot in the power-band below 3,000 RPM but that is overcome soon by the rubber-band effect of the gearbox. City: The power feels adequate enough for the city. The CVT, coupled with the silent i-VTEC motor makes driving in the city butter-smooth and refined. There is enough power to get you going and the engine feels relaxed for the most part. However, when you want to make a quick overtake, then you do feel the rubber-band effect and for the most part you do have to go full on the throttle. Basically, to make a sudden overtake, its advisable to use paddle-shifters and the car needs to be driven in a planned manner, the reason being the annoying CVT. Once, when the car was fully loaded with 5 passengers, and 4 of them being quite heavy, the car in D mode felt lethargic, and therefore, I had to press the throttle quite heavily or as an alternative, use the Sport Mode. For the fuel efficiency aspect, with the ECON-Mode on, I receive around 8-9KMPL in the city during summers (with the AC on) and about 9-9.7KMPL in the city during the winters. We havent taken the car on the highway yet (and we do not intend to take it in the future as well) so I wont comment on the Fuel Efficiency during a highway run. Highway: As the highways around Jamshedpur are pretty bad and always under construction (Google about NH-33 and youll know), so we never take our sedans out on the highways. A car with a higher ground-clearance is advised on this highway. Thankfully, this time the highway is being built properly and I do hope to take it on a long-distance journey soon. The civic will surely feel quite comfortable on the highways. The car remains glued to the road and is stable at higher speeds. The CVT helps the car to cruise in a relaxed manner, but for sudden overtakes, you will need to plan them. JUST A RANDOM SHOT OF HOW LITTLE SPACE I LEAVE WHILE PARKING THE CIVIC (THE REASON BEING THAT WE HAVE OUR OTHER CAR PARKED PARALLELY) 16. Suspension, ride and handling: The car has a low centre of gravity which seems to work in its favour. The car has the best ride and handling in the segment I believe. The body role is minimal and its low and cockpit style seating position lends it a sporty driving position. The suspension is on-point, stiff yet comfortable. Even at triple-digit speeds, the car is stable and well-maintained. Show the car some serious corners and you will not be disappointed by its handling, although you will be disappointed by the power that is on offer, or rather the gearbox that ruins the whole experience. Straight-line stability is outstanding and the body roll is really well-maintained. The car is agile and the steering is sharp. The car has all-wheel disc brakes and the brakes perform really well. The pedal bite is strong and the brakes feel assured and confidence-inspiring. The car will stop dead in its track when you brake hard. In comparison, our Hector has a soft suspension due to which it bounces on vertical undulations, which is quite disturbing. No such issues with the civic. 17. Tyres and GC: The ZX variant comes equipped with 215/50, 17-inch tyres. The ground clearance is 171mm (Unladen) and like the 8th gen civic, this one does not scrape its belly everywhere, even with full load. 18. Some Likes and Dislikes: Likes: First of all, the LOOKS. You cant get over the looks of the car. The car gets full-led headlights. The front indicators look good particularly. The headlights and fog-lights are strong and offer good throw at night. However, you do not feel them when a car equipped with regular halogens is coming from the opposite direction. The head-position throws light far away and it lights up a dark road completely. When driving through foggy conditions, you can see the Blue tint through the fog when the lights are in head position, that looks good to me. LED Indicators Tail Lamps in action Side marker lamps ( Above Photo Credits : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW ) LED Headlights The wipers are flat-blades and do clean the windshield nicely. The spray is also strong. Unlike most cars, the water is sprayed onto the entire windscreen and not like the 4/6 jets that usually come from entry level cars. Hondas Lane-Watch Assist acts as a gem in our Indian traffic conditions. Dislikes: People who are not used to low-slung cars will always remind you how low the car is and how hard it is for them to get in and out. This gets irritating over time. Also, a lot more features could have been offered at this price-point. Some of them are 360 Degree cameras, ventilated seats, driver-seat memory, electrically adjustable passenger seat, a cooled glove-box, connected car tech and a better sounding audio system. The stock ones are not bad but listen to the Bose system available in the Koreans or the Infinity System available in the Hector and youll know the difference. All these features are offered in a lot of cars in lower segments. An honourable mention here would-be LUMBAR ADJUSTMENT for the driver. Trust me, the car seriously needs. Also, the sunroof is useless and if I had an option to remove it, I would have done that. One last thing I would like to mention as a dislike is body noise. With time, they are increasing and the service centre is absolutely useless in solving them. Some noise is coming from the dashboard or the neighbouring area, then some noise is coming from the rear-seats. A vibrating noise is coming from behind the steering wheel as well. To conclude, Civic is a car which you buy from your Heart and not your mind! It has that special feeling, the one you get in a CR-V and a Honda City, that Honda Waali Feeling, and it makes you happy every time you think of it. The car has a soul, a charm to it. The cars such as the Civic, Corolla, Octavia, Accord and CR-V have become a brand in itself, or I would rather say that such cars give their brands the recognition. And not to forget that the Civic and Corolla are one of the highest-selling cars in the world. But it is sad to see the Civic, CR-V and Accord getting discontinued multiple times in the country. I really hope they bring in the next generation of all these cars to India soon! Hello everyone, this is my first thread on this platform and I hope that this initial ownership report will be helpful. This is about our 2019 Honda Civic ZX CVT (Radiant Red) that we got home on the 5th of May, 2019. At the time of writing this review, the car has done about 11,500 kms.P.S.: The photos might not be great as Im not a photographer and due to the same reason I've taken some of the photographs from the Team-BHP Honda Civic Official Review. Ive stated that below each photo taken.1. Why a new car?As our April 2015 Honda City VX i-DTEC was about to turn four years old, the itch to get a new car was increasing. We generally keep our cars on an average for 4 years. Although the car was in Spick and span condition, with just about 29,000 odd kilometers on the odo and well maintained, we were desperately looking for an upgrade.(This is the only photo that I have of our City)2. Alternatives considered:Well, we change our car when we get attracted to a newer vehicle, so we know exactly what car we want to buy and therefore, no alternatives were looked upon whatsoever. (We never go down the pre-owned route)3. Complete Booking and Delivery Experience:After a lot of discussion, we finally booked our car on 31st March, 2019 and delivery would be done as soon as the car would arrive and all the formalities were done. The booking and delivery experience were not exceptional. The sales advisor was not well informed of the cars features and I had to tell him about some of them! When you enter a Maruti Suzuki Showroom in India, you will be Welcomed, but this wasnt the case with our Honda Dealer. As we had already bought our city from this very dealer, we were not expecting anything from them. In fact, when we had gone to book our MG Hector in November 2020, we were quite surprised with the delivery experience. Our Civic had reached the showroom in the last week of April and we had requested them to keep it at a covered stockyard and not as a display car, to which they obliged. The formality was done at the earliest but due to the death of a close relative, we had to wait for a few days to take the delivery of our car. It was a pain to wait, for what seemed to be so long, to take the delivery, but as we say The Fruit of Patience is Sweet, and finally we took the delivery of our Civic on 5th May, 2019. Ive added some pictures that I had clicked at the time of delivery.4. On-Road Price and Discounts:The on-road price that we had paid for the car was around 22,91,000 (for the ZX Petrol CVT in Radiant Red Colour option) and we did not get any discounts whatsoever as the car had just been launched. I dont have the exact price break-up. Please excuse me for that. Also, we did not opt for the extended warranty or the service package.5. Features:a) Pros:The car has some feel-good features like one touch up-down for all the power windows, grab handle even for the driver, Height-adjustable seatbelts, Vanity mirrors with lights on both the sun visors, Disc Brakes on all four wheels, Auto-dimming IRVM, electric adjust for drivers seat (along with extendable thigh support), Soft touch plastic on top of the dashboard and on the front door panels. All the doors can be locked and unlocked from both the front doors. Remote-engine start with cooling function is also there. Auto headlamps work perfectly too. The car also gets dual zone climate control and 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels. The rain-sensing wipers are irritating and one of the most useless features that cars nowadays are getting. Hondas LaneWatch assist is a gem to use in our Indian traffic conditions. All these features were missing in our Honda City Diesel. It also has ABS+EBD, ESP and Hill-Start Assist along with Agile-Handling Assist.b) Cons:Although the car has a lot of features, it still misses out on a slew of features that are being offered in cars of lower segments. At this price point, some glaring omissions that Honda has made are: a 360-degree parking camera, electrically adjustable front passenger seat, memory seats for the driver, a better music system, sun-shades for the rear windscreen, wireless charging, Ventilated seats and the list goes on! They could have made the boot a little more practical as well by giving smart cubby spaces and some hooks to hang the bags. It misses out of a cooled glove-box as well. This makes cars like Creta, Seltos, Sonet and Hector look extremely Value for money (and they are actually). In fact, our Hector scores better in practicality and VFM quotient.6. Safety:The car has all the safety features that are expected at this price-point, like 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, Stability Control and Agile Handling Assist, hill-start assist, walk-away auto door lock and ISOFIX Child seat mounts on the rear seats. The car has been crash tested globally and it comes as a 5-Star ASEAN NCAP rated vehicle. However, Im not sure about the build quality of the India-made Civic. But looking at the safety ratings of Honda cars, Im sure that the India-made Civic is no less.7. Exterior Styling:The design department has absolutely nailed the design of the car. It looks sleek, stylish, sporty and is one of the few cars which LOOKS fast, although this one sadly, isnt as fast as it looks.The car has an A7-like Fastback design. Right from the chunky Hondas signature Chrome Strip on the front to the futuristic LED headlights (only on the top end variant), it sure is a looker! The car has all-LED lights at the front, along with marker lamps on the side that enhance the cars looks. The wheels, in my opinion, are okay-looking, and the C shaped taillights, when in action, look sporty. Below are some random shorts that I have taken over time.8. Quality:The doors are heavy and have a reassuring feel to it. The paint quality is also good on the car, although it gets scratched easily and the smallest of scratches are visible clearly when looked upon closely (perks of having a red car). The interiors build quality is right up with the best, the soft-touch plastics feel great and all the switch controls feel really great to operate. The switch controls are of a good quality and the buttons do feel like that of a luxury car when you operate them. There are hardly any visible panel gaps and the quality of materials used everywhere feel impressive, especially after our Honda City. The wiper and indicator stocks too, feel long lasting. The same is the case with the windows and ORVM controls.In all, the car has a good fit-finish.9. Interiors:The interior feels good too. When sitting in the drivers seat, you feel like the cabin hugs you. The centre console is such that it feels like a cockpit due to its low-slung nature. The leather seats are also of a good quality and the seats feel very comfortable as well. The beige upholstery makes the cabin feel quite airy. The front seats have good side bolstering and have a wide base, with the driver getting an extendable thigh-support, which is of great use. This makes the car very comfortable for long drives. However, it DOES need lumbar adjustment. The dashboard on the other hand is black with a faux metal strip and some brushed aluminum here and there. The touchscreen is small at 7 inches and Honda could have done with a better responsiveness for the screen. The car has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that work fine. The display is nice to look at and the reversing camera has multiple views with adaptive guidelines. Thankfully it gets a few physical controls, along with a knob for controlling the volume. The display for the air conditioning is integrated in the infotainment system itself. Physical buttons are provided for the AC Controls. The Glove box is small and it does not have a cooling function. There is an impressive amount of storage below the glove box and since the car comes equipped with an electronic parking-break, it frees up the space that would have been occupied by a physical handbrake. There is also a small hidden compartment below the gear lever that houses an HDMI port, a USB port and a 12-volt charging socket. A place to keep your mobile phone is also there in front of the gear-lever. The door bins are decent sized and can hold a 1-litre bottle easily. Although that Tupperware water-bottle does not fit in any of the door pockets. The car is quite practical I must say. The boot, however, is small at 430 liters (our citys boot was larger at 510 liters).The seatbelt-buckles are thick.Chunky Seatbelt BuckleDriver's Seat Electrical Adjustment (including the extendable under-thigh support)HDMI, USB Port ( for CarPlay and Android Auto ) and 12-V Charging Socket2nd UBS Port ( For Pen-Drives, not for charging, located under the front-centre armrest)(above Photo Credits : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW)Due to the cars low stance, ingress and egress is a task especially for the older people. I like it a lot however! It does feel more connected to the road and a lot sportier. You drop into the car rather than getting into it. The rear seats are such that it does take some effort to get in and out. The headroom, though limited, is quite adequate even for a six-footer and the leg-space is good too, but feels lesser than the Honda City.10. Driving Position, feel and MID:You sit quite low to the ground and the cabin is such that it hugs you. The gear-lever is placed on spot and all the controls fall in hand quite easily as well. The steering wheel is adjustable for both-rake and reach and therefore helps in making the driving position quite comfortable. The driving position does feel sporty. Im not able to express it in words, youll need to sit in one to feel it. The steering wheel is a three-spoke unit and it has contours for your thumbs and has a chunky feel to it. It has some piano black and brushed aluminium trims here and there. The steering feel is just perfect, and it weighs up brilliantly well. You can confidently chuck the car around some good corners and the car will not lose its track. It maintains its line quite well and you wont be disappointed with the handling of the car. However, such a superb handling machine does beg for a powerful engine. There is a dead pedal as well. The car does have paddle shifters that can be used when in need of some fun! Traction control can be turned off too but its of no use as it makes no difference to the driving feel. The bonnet bulges are visible as well.The MID is all digital 7-inch unit with gauges for the fuel meter and engine temperature. The MID screen gives all the information such as the music which is playing, calling details, reversing sensors (when parking), map-navigation details among others. You can also place a call and set contacts to speed dial, and all such can be done via the MID. There is also an option to hide the tachometer from the MID.Reversing Sensors in MID( Photo Credit : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW )11. Air conditioning:The car gets a dual-zone climate control and also has vents behind the centre armrest as well (an obvious thing). The controls are not touch thankfully (like our 4th gen city). The cabin is cooled in no time at all but the air vents are quite small. It takes a lot of time to adjust them as per your convenience. The vents in the city were much bigger.Small AC VentsPhysical AC Controls( Above 2 Photo Credits : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW )12. Visibility and Rear-view Mirrors:The rear-view mirrors are big and look dynamic. The visibility from them is quite good in fact. The left side ORVM houses a camera for the LaneWatch Assist. They also have the auto close function.The IRVM is auto-dimming and is chunky.Visibility all around is great. The mirrors work fine and the A-pillar does not have that much of a blind spot. However, due to the raised boot, the visibility from the IRVM is not a lot, but youll eventually get used to it.View from IRVM ( Notice the hump behind the headrests )Notice the hump( Above 2 Photo Credits : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW )13. Audio System and Sound Quality:There are four speakers and tweeters and they work fine. Nothing exceptional. Honda could have provided branded speakers just like Hyundai and Kia provide Bose systems and MG provides Infinity Audio systems. The speakers in our Hector (Infinity) are a class or two above the Civic and they sound fantastic. And therefore, it makes our Civics speakers sound very low (in terms of quality).14. Noteworthy points about it:In this era of cost-cutting, one place where Honda has not cut costs thankfully is a good interior-quality. The car does feel expensive and the soft-touch materials add an overall feel to the cabin. Even the auto-dimming IRVM is thick and sturdy. There is insulation provided under the bonnet that helps in keeping the NVH low and make the car more refined. It also has the Auto-hold function, which Honda likes to call Brake Hold. The marker lamps are provided on the sides, the same ones are offered in cars in USA, and it makes the car look good at night.We like to keep our cars raw, and therefore we did not have any exterior accessory installed. We did get the Front Parking Sensors installed as a dealer-fitment, but it is of no use as its not at all accurate. I wanted to get a trunk spoiler installed, but my elder brother did not like it so we didnt get one. This is the one I was talking about. Looks quite sporty!( Photo Credit : Honda Civic Official Brochure )The car also gets an illumination in the form of a blue LED, next to the sunroof switch. I still dont know its purposeBlue Illumination next to the Sunroof Controls( Photo Credits : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW )The car also has double-rubber bedding on all doors, resulting in a lower NVH.( Photo Credits : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW )15. Engine Performance and Drivability:The car comes with a 1.8L Naturally aspirated Petrol engine, with about 140 BHP and 174 NM of Torque. The 10th Gen Facelift that was launched in India was BS-6 Compliant for the Petrol right from day one. It comes equipped with a 7-stepped CVT Transmission with paddle shifters, and therefore, has the rubber-band effect! Personally, I like it as it makes this engine sound a lot sportier. But with family, they will complain for sure due to the noise creeping in from the engine. In fact, due to the CVT, the car has two characteristics, when driven sedately, the engine noise is barely audible inside the cabin, giving you a smooth and silent drive. However, there is considerable amount of tyre-noise that creeps into the cabin. But for the most part, it isnt bothersome. In fact, when the music is on, you wont notice any of the tyre noise that much. The wind noise is barely audible in the car. And when driving spiritedly, it sounds quite sporty, but the performance does not match the sporty noise and characteristics of the car. The engine loves to rev though. There is also an ECON mode that dulls down the performance a bit and helps in improving the mileage, although minutely. The paddle-shifters are of plastic but they do feel robust and good to use. There is no lag from the paddles when using them in Sport Mode. The car does not feel underpowered but you do get caught in the moment. There is a flat-spot in the power-band below 3,000 RPM but that is overcome soon by the rubber-band effect of the gearbox.City: The power feels adequate enough for the city. The CVT, coupled with the silent i-VTEC motor makes driving in the city butter-smooth and refined. There is enough power to get you going and the engine feels relaxed for the most part. However, when you want to make a quick overtake, then you do feel the rubber-band effect and for the most part you do have to go full on the throttle. Basically, to make a sudden overtake, its advisable to use paddle-shifters and the car needs to be driven in a planned manner, the reason being the annoying CVT. Once, when the car was fully loaded with 5 passengers, and 4 of them being quite heavy, the car in D mode felt lethargic, and therefore, I had to press the throttle quite heavily or as an alternative, use the Sport Mode. For the fuel efficiency aspect, with the ECON-Mode on, I receive around 8-9KMPL in the city during summers (with the AC on) and about 9-9.7KMPL in the city during the winters. We havent taken the car on the highway yet (and we do not intend to take it in the future as well) so I wont comment on the Fuel Efficiency during a highway run.Highway: As the highways around Jamshedpur are pretty bad and always under construction (Google about NH-33 and youll know), so we never take our sedans out on the highways. A car with a higher ground-clearance is advised on this highway. Thankfully, this time the highway is being built properly and I do hope to take it on a long-distance journey soon. The civic will surely feel quite comfortable on the highways. The car remains glued to the road and is stable at higher speeds. The CVT helps the car to cruise in a relaxed manner, but for sudden overtakes, you will need to plan them.JUST A RANDOM SHOT OF HOW LITTLE SPACE I LEAVE WHILE PARKING THE CIVIC (THE REASON BEING THAT WE HAVE OUR OTHER CAR PARKED PARALLELY)16. Suspension, ride and handling:The car has a low centre of gravity which seems to work in its favour. The car has the best ride and handling in the segment I believe. The body role is minimal and its low and cockpit style seating position lends it a sporty driving position. The suspension is on-point, stiff yet comfortable. Even at triple-digit speeds, the car is stable and well-maintained. Show the car some serious corners and you will not be disappointed by its handling, although you will be disappointed by the power that is on offer, or rather the gearbox that ruins the whole experience. Straight-line stability is outstanding and the body roll is really well-maintained. The car is agile and the steering is sharp.The car has all-wheel disc brakes and the brakes perform really well. The pedal bite is strong and the brakes feel assured and confidence-inspiring. The car will stop dead in its track when you brake hard.In comparison, our Hector has a soft suspension due to which it bounces on vertical undulations, which is quite disturbing. No such issues with the civic.17. Tyres and GC:The ZX variant comes equipped with 215/50, 17-inch tyres. The ground clearance is 171mm (Unladen) and like the 8th gen civic, this one does not scrape its belly everywhere, even with full load.18. Some Likes and Dislikes:Likes: First of all, the LOOKS. You cant get over the looks of the car. The car gets full-led headlights. The front indicators look good particularly. The headlights and fog-lights are strong and offer good throw at night. However, you do not feel them when a car equipped with regular halogens is coming from the opposite direction. The head-position throws light far away and it lights up a dark road completely. When driving through foggy conditions, you can see the Blue tint through the fog when the lights are in head position, that looks good to me.LED IndicatorsTail Lamps in actionSide marker lamps( Above Photo Credits : TEAM-BHP HONDA CIVIC OFFICIAL REVIEW )LED HeadlightsThe wipers are flat-blades and do clean the windshield nicely. The spray is also strong. Unlike most cars, the water is sprayed onto the entire windscreen and not like the 4/6 jets that usually come from entry level cars.Hondas Lane-Watch Assist acts as a gem in our Indian traffic conditions.Dislikes: People who are not used to low-slung cars will always remind you how low the car is and how hard it is for them to get in and out. This gets irritating over time. Also, a lot more features could have been offered at this price-point. Some of them are 360 Degree cameras, ventilated seats, driver-seat memory, electrically adjustable passenger seat, a cooled glove-box, connected car tech and a better sounding audio system. The stock ones are not bad but listen to the Bose system available in the Koreans or the Infinity System available in the Hector and youll know the difference. All these features are offered in a lot of cars in lower segments. An honourable mention here would-be LUMBAR ADJUSTMENT for the driver. Trust me, the car seriously needs. Also, the sunroof is useless and if I had an option to remove it, I would have done that.One last thing I would like to mention as a dislike is body noise. With time, they are increasing and the service centre is absolutely useless in solving them. Some noise is coming from the dashboard or the neighbouring area, then some noise is coming from the rear-seats. A vibrating noise is coming from behind the steering wheel as well.To conclude, Civic is a car which you buy from your Heart and not your mind! It has that special feeling, the one you get in a CR-V and a Honda City, that Honda Waali Feeling, and it makes you happy every time you think of it. The car has a soul, a charm to it. The cars such as the Civic, Corolla, Octavia, Accord and CR-V have become a brand in itself, or I would rather say that such cars give their brands the recognition. And not to forget that the Civic and Corolla are one of the highest-selling cars in the world. But it is sad to see the Civic, CR-V and Accord getting discontinued multiple times in the country. I really hope they bring in the next generation of all these cars to India soon! Last edited by NarediAni7518 : 22nd January 2021 at 09:37 . Reason: Error CALABASAS, Calif., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) (the "Company"), a leading provider of high-quality single-family homes for rent, today announced the tax treatment of the Company's 2020 cash distributions. For the tax year ended December 31, 2020, cash distributions for its: Common shares 6.5% Series D redeemable perpetual preferred shares 6.35% Series E redeemable perpetual preferred shares 5.875% Series F redeemable perpetual preferred shares 5.875% Series G redeemable perpetual preferred shares 6.25% Series H redeemable perpetual preferred shares were classified as follows: Classification Percent Ordinary Dividend Income(1) 54.884368% Qualified Dividend Income 1.135938% Capital Gain Distributions(2)(3) 43.979694% Total 100.000000% (1) 100% of the Ordinary Dividend Income is treated as Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 199A Qualified REIT Dividend Income. Treasury Regulation 1.199A-3(c)(2)(ii) requires that shareholders hold their REIT shares for at least 45 days in order for the dividends to be treated as Section 199A Dividends. (2) 46.811790% of the capital gain distributions is treated as unrecaptured IRC Section 1250 gain. (3) Pursuant to Treasury Regulation 1.1061-6(c), the Company is disclosing additional information related to the capital gain dividends reported on Form 1099-DIV, Box 2a, Total Capital Gain Distributions for purposes of IRC Section 1061. IRC Section 1061 is generally applicable to direct and indirect holders of "applicable partnership interests." The "One Year Amounts" and "Three Year Amounts" required to be disclosed are both zero with respect to the 2020 distributions, since all capital gain dividends relate to IRC Section 1231 gains. Shareholders should consult with their tax advisors to determine whether IRC Section 1061 applies to their capital gain dividends. The Company's tax return for the year ended December 31, 2020, has not yet been filed. As a result, the income tax classification for the distributions discussed above has been calculated using the best available information as of the date of this release. The Company encourages shareholders to consult with their own tax advisors as to the specific tax treatment of these distributions. About American Homes 4 Rent American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) is a leader in the single-family home rental industry and "American Homes 4 Rent" is fast becoming a nationally recognized brand for rental homes, known for high-quality, good value and tenant satisfaction. We are an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust, or REIT, focused on acquiring, developing, renovating, leasing, and operating attractive, single-family homes as rental properties. As of September 30, 2020, we owned 53,229 single-family properties in selected submarkets in 22 states. Additional information about American Homes 4 Rent is available on our website at www.americanhomes4rent.com. Contact: American Homes 4 Rent Investor Relations Phone: (855) 794-2447 Email: [email protected] SOURCE American Homes 4 Rent Related Links https://www.americanhomes4rent.com Armie Hammer's estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers has broken her silence over the scandalous comments allegedly made by the actor about cannibalism. The actress, 38, commented under an Instagram post announcing that Armie's Call Me By Your Name co-star Timothee Chalamet could be reuniting with director Luca Guadagnino for a film about cannibalism. Elizabeth kept her response brief, simply writing: 'No. Words.' Armie, 34, has faced huge backlash after messages about rape fantasies, BDSM and cannibalism he allegedly sent to a woman were leaked earlier this month and despite hitting back at 'b*****t claims' has dropped out of multiple acting projects. Speaking out: Armie Hammer's estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers finally broke her silence over his alleged cannibalism comments (pictured in February 2018) According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bones & All is a coming-of-age horror/love story, based on the 2015 novel by Camille DeAngelis, with Chalamet and actress Taylor Russell in talks for the two leads. The plot 'follows Maren Yearly on a cross-country trip as she searches for the father she's never met in an attempt to understand why she has the urge to kill and eat the people that love her'. It's thought that Elizabeth has been hunkering down in the Cayman Islands with the former couple's two children since her estranged husband's scandal broke. Armie has faced backlash over some unverified Instagram direct messages, which he supposedly wrote, were leaked online earlier this month. The messages described some alarming sexual fantasies, including cannibalism: 'I am 100% a cannibal. I want to eat you. F***. That's scary to admit. I've never admitted that before.' The Social Network actor has also been subject of allegations from a few of his exes, including college student Paige Lorenze, 22, whom he dated briefly last year, claiming on YouTube that he carved his initial 'A' in the skin above her groin. Speechless: The actress, 38, commented under a post reporting Armie's former co-star Timothee Chalamet is set to reunite with director Luca Guadagnino for a cannibalism film Shocking: In recent weeks, Armie has faced huge backlash and dropped out of multiple projects after messages allegedly sent by the actor, 34, were leaked In a recent interview Paige also claimed on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, she also described in detail how the Hollywood star allegedly wanted to remove one of her ribs and eat it. The model admitted that she took it as 'dark humour' at first, before he made the request 'five times' - to the point that she believed it was more of a 'serious thing'. 'He would always say, 'I wonder what it tastes like, I bet it tastes good,' stuff like that,' she claimed. Paige also made troubling claims that Hammer would tell her stories about his childhood when his own family 'felt like he was being taken' by the devil. She previously told Daily Mail that Hammer was fixated on biting her body, begging that she allow him to take lumps of flesh from her arm, before consuming them. Speaking out: The Social Network actor has also been subject of allegations from a few of his exes, including college student Paige Lorenze, 22, whom he dated briefly last year Scarred: Paige claimed that Armie cut his first initial 'A' into her skin during a kinky sex game, which she insists got out of control Father-of-two Armie urged his lover - who is 12 years his junior - to participate in 'role play' sex. Even on their first night of intimacy, Lorenze revealed Hammer insisted: 'You can either call me daddy or sir.' The actor often tied up Lorenze, hit her with paddles and planned out 'high protocol nights' of painful sexual moves, which often left her covered in bruises. Paige also claimed the actor is a heavy drinker and enjoyed taking 'hallucinogens' as well as party substances, during their time together. The former professional skier-turned-Instagram model provided DailyMailTV with an exclusive image of a sickening scar just millimeters away from her private parts that was left when Hammer allegedly carved his first initial 'A' into her skin during a kinky sex game. Just days after returning home from spending Thanksgiving with his family, in early December, Paige still recovering from his branding, decided to call off their romance. Receipts: Paige's story about the basement mannequins was supported by photos posted online by another alleged former lover, known on Instagram as Nastya D She recently revealed that Hammer allegedly learned how to tie women up by practising on mannequins he stored in the basement of the $5.8 million home he shared with his estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers and their two young children. Lorenze's story about the basement mannequins was supported by photos posted online by another alleged former lover, known on Instagram as Nastya D. Screenshots of messages purportedly sent to Nastya D by Hammer showed a mannequin wrapped in red rope with what he called a 'leash' coming out of the back. In a statement to DailyMail.com, Hammer's lawyer said: 'These assertions about Mr. Hammer are patently untrue. 'Any interactions with this person, or any partner of his, were completely consensual in that they were fully discussed, agreed upon, and mutually participatory.' Armie also addressed the controversy in a statement to People: 'I'm not responding to these b*****t 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.' Family: Even with his family at Thanksgiving, Hammer took along his leather bound BDSM case for sex games (Armie is pictured with Paige and his mother in a photo shared with DailyMailTV) It came as he pulled out of his leading role in the romantic comedy Shotgun Wedding, opposite Jennifer Lopez. Hammer also dropped out this week from the Paramount Plus drama series The Offer, in which he was set to star as producer Al Ruddy in the behind-the-scenes story of the 1972 motion picture juggernaut The Godfather. Earlier this month DailyMail.com obtained concerning videos showing Hammer looking 'out of it', cracking open a beer while driving and licking white crystals off his friend's hand. The star 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. Armie began to trend on Twitter after the sexually graphic Instagram DMs that he allegedly penned to a woman were leaked publicly by an anonymous, now-private account, House of Effie. A source close to Hammer's family told DailyMail.com: 'He always liked to drink, do drugs, but never like this.' Hammer's estranged wife Elizabeth, 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.' 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, Hammer dead pans the camera and says: 'S**t's getting weird,' before showing a friend whose hand is outstretched with a tiny amount of small white crystals. 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. In another video, Hammer sports the same hairstyle and appears to be driving alone, and appears to show him 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.' Calling it quits: Armie and Elizabeth previously announced their split in July after 10 years of marriage (pictured in January 2020) Hammer's estranged wife Elizabeth was 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. The two announced their 10-year marriage was over in July, as a source close to Chambers admitted she was aware of his infidelities, which led to their split. Hammer and Chambers tied the knot in May of 2010, and they share daughter Harper Grace, six, and son Ford Armand, four. 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 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.' The insider claims that one of the women who contacted Chambers about her experience with Hammer was left so traumatised 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. 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?' Explosive: The graphic DMs were allegedly sent by Armie to a woman over four years. They were leaked publicly by anonymous account House of Effie on Instagram over the weekend 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. 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. Proof: 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 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. 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.' Odd: Though the messages are unverified, the user attempted to prove their authenticity by sharing private photos alleged to be from Hammer (one image is above) 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. 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. Look at that! Armie has a similar looking tattoo on his finger, as seen in the above image from 2020 which is said to be of the initials of his estranged wife 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 ViacomCBS, 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 you're married to a feminist as I am, then it's. 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. '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 - it'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''.' Hammer later blamed what he called 'over-sharing' about his past sexual exploits on alcohol in an interview with E! News, although he later claimed to Elle that same year a former girlfriend once tried to stab him in bed. Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill are set to miss the St Patrick's Day celebrations in Washington for the second year in a row. The Executive Office confirmed that the First and Deputy First Minister will not be attending this year's events due to the Covid-19 crisis. Northern Ireland's leaders will miss the chance to ingratiate themselves with new US President Joe Biden, just weeks after he took office. An Executive Office spokesperson confirmed: "Due to the ongoing public health emergency, Executive Office Ministers will not be travelling this year to the United States over the St Patrick's Day period." Last year Mrs Foster and Ms O'Neill cancelled their trip at the last minute following the outbreak of the virus. Despite the pandemic and travel restrictions in the Republic of Ireland, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has not ruled out attending this year's events. It is traditional for the Taoiseach to present the US President with a bowl of shamrocks to mark the occasion. An Irish Government spokesperson said: "While arrangements for marking the traditional St Patrick's Day celebrations are not finalised, any arrangements will take account of Covid-19 related measures, both here and in the US." Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has also indicated he expects the visit to go ahead. Here, the UUP and Alliance Party confirmed that none of their representatives will be travelling to the US. An Alliance spokesperson said that no invitation had been received and none was expected. The UUP said nobody from the party will be travelling to the US for St Patrick's Day "given the very serious challenges facing our country and others in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic". An SDLP source indicated that it was very unlikely anyone from their party would be in attendance. SDLP leader Colum Eastwod had vowed never to attend the yearly event while Donald Trump was in office, but would have been a likely attendant this year, but for the pandemic. Traditionally Northern Ireland politicians use the St Patrick's Day visit to meet with various businesses and Irish-American interest groups. They also attend a Speaker's lunch on Capitol Hill, followed by a White House reception with the President. Last year's reception was cancelled, though Taoiseach Leo Varadkar did attend a meeting with President Trump as part of a two-day tour. Were it not for the coronavirus pandemic, this year's celebrations would have likely been a large-scale event, given President Biden's pride at his Irish heritage. While serving as vice-President to Barack Obama, Mr Biden created controversy during the visit in 2015 after joking no-one wearing orange was welcome in his house, while meeting a delegation led by then Taoiseach Enda Kenny. The Taoiseach has already invited President Biden to visit Ireland during his term in office, with the Delaware native reportedly replying: "Try and keep me out". There is a case to be made that the control-shifting results of the 2020 elections could amplify the clout of both of Pennsylvanias U.S. Senators one Democrat, one Republican in the upcoming 117th Congress. Besides the inauguration of President Joseph R. Biden Jr., the big change this year, after the two January run-off elections in Georgia, is the retaking of the Senate by the Democrats. Of course, 50 Democrats to 50 Republicans with Vice President Kamala Harris as tie-breaker is the slimmest majority any party can have. But, said Jessica Taylor, who watches U.S. Senate politics for the Cook Political Report newsletter, it is still a majority, so I think its better (for any senator) to be in power than out of power. And the fact that they (Democrats) have the power in the House and the White House also carries a lot of weight. Thats good news for Sen. Robert P. Casey, a third-term Democrat who goes from a member of the minority party seemingly destined to butt heads with the Republican president, to being part of a majority with a chance to work with a Democrat in the Oval Office. And some say the shift also may make for interesting times for Republican Sen. Patrick Toomey, who has been called upon to broker bipartisan deals in the past, and whose skills in that regard may be needed more than ever as Democrats try to move some policy ideas with bipartisan support. Pennsylvania wont take the 180-degree turn seen so in many Northeastern states, where voters went from having two Democratic senators laboring in the minority wilderness to all of a sudden having two seats at the majority partys table. Consider, if you drive up the Eastern Seaboard from Virginia to Maine right now, the combined Senate delegation in those 12 states is 22 Democrats to two Republicans with the only Senate Republicans still standing being Toomey and Susan Collins of Maine. But Casey gives Pennsylvania a voice in the new majority, and the consensus is that it gives him a chance to make a bigger impact. I think its really good news for Pennsylvania in that Senator Casey, close friend and early supporter of the president, will definitely have more clout than he did while the Democrats were in the minority, agreed Mark Holman, a one-time chief of staff to former Gov. Tom Ridge who now works Washington as a lobbyist with the Ridge Policy Group. This may not be obvious. It is clear to all by now that, by personal style, Casey is not one of the Alpha males of the Senate. He is not part of the Senate Democrats leadership, hes not likely to lead the league in appearances on the Sunday morning politics and policy gabfests, and he certainly doesnt have the public profile of the half-dozen or so colleagues who boosted their name recognition with runs for the presidency last year. Philosophically, outside of abortion policy, Casey is also such a regular Democrat that he is not likely to often find himself in that center ground territory where the final votes for many bills may need to be harvested this session think Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, or Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine or Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. But observers say Casey is a respected member who is known for his strong focus on bills he believes will provide tangible help to the people hes heard from at his most recent town halls specifically children and the elderly. He is the guy who better than most in Washington sticks to issues that resonate in his state, and I think theres something to be valued in that approach, said a Capitol Hill staffer from Pennsylvania who spoke on the condition he not be named. He and his team are definitely alert to what the issues are in the state... Its not going to get you on Sunday morning with Chuck Todd, but youll be on the first block of the local TV news in every market but Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. They concentrate a lot on everyday issues that matter in the state. By unlucky coincidence, even though he now ranks 15th on the Democratic seniority list, Casey also will not get a chairmanship on any of the Class A committees on which he serves including Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Finance because there happen to be more senior Democrats already on those panels. Casey will be chairman of the Aging Committee, a special committee that can hold policy hearings and write reports on issues and the performance of government programs but doesnt actually write or move legislation. Where he is most likely to carry a little more clout, observers told PennLive, is in the weeds of the day-to-day work of the Congress. For example, because a greater share of the legislation that moves through the Senate is large, omnibus legislation these days as opposed to stand-alone bills any senator in the majority party has a somewhat enhanced chance to get certain priorities considered for inclusion. That could be a legislative provision, or a much-needed financial appropriation, depending on the bill. I think hell get things into omnibus bills, which is an important part of legislating, the Congressional staffer said. I also think hes going to have a good amount of sway with the bureaucratic agencies. One other potentially important note: While its hard to tell what it means right now, the senior senator from Pennsylvania does have a real relationship with the new president. Bidens family has ancestral roots in the same Scranton neighborhood from which the Caseys hail. During Bidens long career, he worked closely with both former Gov. Robert P. Casey Sr., and the son, serving two years in the Senate with Casey before becoming Barack Obamas vice president. Of course, Biden has relationships with just everyone in the Senate, so the impact of this can be overblown. But lobbyists who work on Pa.-related interests are hoping the Caseys relationship with the president, his early support of Bidens candidacy, and Pennsylvanias swing-state status will pay off when it comes securing money for projects like rebuilding locks and dams on the Upper Ohio River, which can have an outsized effect on business recruitment and job creation in western Pennsylvania. Anytime Casey wants to call someone on the domestic policy council or the White House chief of staff, its going to be easier and quick for him, Holman said. Your legislation still has to have merit, so it doesnt make that easier. But the relationships will be good. I think that combination of his seniority status on powerful committees and the relationship with the president, thats all good, said Jim Brown, who served as Caseys chief of staff from 2007 through February 2016. I think hes in a pretty good spot right now. Casey told PennLive Tuesday that, in addition to general support for Democratic policy priorities, hell keep his focus on improving access to and affordability of health care, protecting Social Security, fighting for better conditions at chronically under-performing nursing homes, and increasing money for services that allow senior citizens and those with disabilities a chance to stay out of institutional settings. I guess if you had to boil it down to three words, it would be kids, seniors and jobs, the senator said. As for Toomey, while he is no longer in the majority, he may still be called on regularly as one of those Republican senators asked to work out bipartisan deals, especially on tax and economic issues, especially as long as the Democrats strive for packages that can surpass the Senates 60-vote threshold needed to advance more controversial measures. (Democratic leaders have reserved the option to change the filibuster rule if they sense that its the only way to try to move Bidens agenda.) Toomey has played such a role in previous congresses think Trumps 2017 tax cut legislation and portions of the 2019 CARES Act and there is every reason to think that he will be in the same seat again. I think Senator Toomey is probably going to be a key swing vote on a number of key issues and has the opportunity to really help shape some serious legislation. I mean, fifty-fifty, is not much of a majority, Holman said. Hes definitely conservative but, theres going to need to be that mix, I think, to get bills across the line. It will also be fascinating to see how more willing Toomey is to flash that independent streak since he has announced that this will be his last term. As if to underscore the point, on Tuesday Toomey was one of just five Republicans who joined the 50 Democrats in killing a motion to block the upcoming impeachment trial of former President Trump by declaring the trial of an ex-president constitutionally out of bounds. And earlier this month, he was one of only a handful of Senate Republicans who said Trump should resign in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters on the U.S. Capitol. Hes honestly maybe the more interesting one to watch (from Pennsylvania), said Taylor, the Cook analyst, given that the Republican Party is sort of struggling with its identity. He could be one of the most impactful Republicans. If Democratic priorities prevail in areas like economic recovery or, down the road, a major infrastructure funding package, that would be huge for Pennsylvania, say officials in Gov. Tom Wolfs administration. They are particularly keen on Congressional Democrats stated desire supported by President Biden to dole out federal funding to help state and local governments maintain funding for schools and other key services in the face of recession-ravaged tax collections. They are also optimistic theyll see a new push for federal action on infrastructure spending, something Wolf has been pushing for through most of his second term, with little success. Those two things, if we were able to get both of those done in the next 12 months, I think would really fuel the Commonwealths economy and recovery, help putting some people back to work and plugging holes in the budget, said one administration official who works regularly with the Congressional delegation. So, the world turned on its head? Certainly not. But for Democrats in Washington, its certainly is a new day. I dont think theres any question we have opportunities with the majority and a Democratic president that we didnt have before, Casey said. Advertisement Remarkable paintings of the Nazi war effort produced by a reluctant propaganda artist who tried to avoid painting the swastika have come to light for the first time in 76 years. The family of Hans Liska, who once used champagne to mix with paint due to a lack of water, are digitising 40 of his wartime paintings. Many of them have not been seen since they appeared in German propaganda magazines during the Second World War. One striking painting from the family archive shows the fierce Battle of Berlin in 1945 which he witnessed from a radio tower. Downed British pilots can be seen bailing out from the blazing aircrafts in their parachutes. Another drawing depicts a bloody tank fight in the Eastern Front. British historian Andy Saunders has worked with the Liska family to showcase his work in the latest edition of Iron Cross magazine, which analyses German military history between 1914 and 1945. He has learnt that Liska was a reluctant cog in the propaganda machine who vehemently disliked the Nazis. Remarkable paintings of the Nazi war effort produced by a reluctant propaganda artist who tried to avoid painting the swastika have come to light for the first time in 76 years. Pictured: A Messerschmitt Bf 109-F of the German Luftwaffe over North Africa where Liska was posted The family of Hans Liska, who once used champagne to mix with paint due to a lack of water, are digitising 40 of his wartime paintings. Many of them have not been seen since they appeared in German propaganda magazines during the Second World War. Pictured: Liska's painting depicting a cameraman riding on a German Tiger P tank Who was Hans Liska? Hans Liska, born in Vienna in 1907, was inspired to become an artist after he was given drawing material by an American charity. After working for a few years as an account, he went to art college and then worked as a studio manager at an advertising agency in Switzerland. In 1936, he produced illustrated coverage of the Berlin Olympics for German magazine the Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung. Hans Liska is pictured in 1941 That same year, he then went to London to work as a reporter covering the funeral of King George V. In 1937 and 1938, Liska worked in New York and won national and international short film awards for his output covering the US Presidential election. Then, in 1940, he was drafted into the Wehrmacht's propaganda unit after the outbreak of the Second World War. He was flown to major front lines including in North Africa to depict German victories in battle. After the war, Liska was cleared of any complicity with Nazi crimes and settled in the German town of Schesslitz, where he met his future wife Lisl. He then worked with large and popular illustrated magazines and newspapers. In 1949, he produced a portrait of Pope Pius XI after a private audience with the pontiff. Then, in the 1950s, he had a long-running collaboration with German car maker Mercedes to paint pictures of their vehicles. In later life, he settled in the town of Wertheim, passing away in 1983. Advertisement Liska dragged his heels when asked to do propaganda material, once angering his superiors by claiming his drawings had been destroyed in a fire. He also tried to avoid using the swastika in his paintings. Liska's final painting, in the last throes of the war, depicted a starving German boy looking at a stale loaf of bread on a table covered in useless food coupons. Outside the window was the ruins of a German city which had been decimated by Allied bombs. Mr Saunders, editor of Iron Cross magazine, said: 'The paintings of Hans Liska are some of the most remarkable and recognisable pieces of art from the Second World War. 'As a war artist, Liska was extraordinary - and quite possibly the finest war artist of either side during the conflict. 'His use of light, the movement he captured and the sheer resonance of his work is astonishing. 'What is even more remarkable is that he was "anti-Nazi" and went to great lengths to avoid producing artwork for the SS, for example, or even representing the swastika in his paintings. 'Indeed, it is difficult to find the Nazi symbol in his work. 'His friends, too, were mostly opposed to the regime and much of his later work - almost covertly - had subtle "anti war" messages in their dark scenes and the various images of almost hopeless and futile struggle.' Liska, who was taught English by the novelist James Joyce, worked as an artist for Mercedes-Benz and the Berliner Illustrierte before the war. He was not a party member at the time he was drafted into the Wehrmacht - the German army - in January 1940. A resourceful artist, he once used champagne to paint the destruction of Calais in 1940. He could not find water so a partly drunk bottle of bubbly found in the rubble did the trick. He then looked skyward to see a British aircraft being pursued by a Messerschmitt 109 and witnessed an on fire plane crash next to him. Liska was flown to various theatres of war, including the North African desert to document triumphs, with Hermann Goring, the head of the German Air Force, personally requesting some of his artwork. Sadly, much of Liska's artwork was lost when his sketchbook went missing in the final days of the war. Liska's depiction of the German city of Wurzburg the night it was bombed and almost completely devastated by British and American bombers on March 16, 1945 is among his surviving works. Although the city did not host any major industry, and instead contained around 40 hospitals, it was targeted by the RAF's Bomber Command as part of a campaign to destroy the morale of the German public. Incendiary bombs set fire to much of the city, killing an estimated 5,000 people. In a raid which lasted just 20 minutes, almost 90 per cent of buildings were destroyed. Liska's grandson Johannes Schick, 35, an architect who lives near Nuremburg, said: 'Hans was born in Vienna and, after moving to Germany in his early 20s, worked for the Berliner Illustrierte. 'He was involuntarily drafted into the army during the war, working for a propaganda unit. 'After the war he worked with many large German companies, defining their advertising strategy. Liska dragged his heels when asked to do propaganda material, once angering his superiors by claiming his drawings had been destroyed in a fire. He also tried to avoid using the swastika in his paintings. Pictured: A German U-Boat drawn from description rather than first hand experience. Liska was known to be very good at depicting events from his own imagination as they were told to him. Liska once used champagne to paint the destruction of Calais in 1940. Pictured: German Junkers 87 Stukas over the Parthenon, Athens, 1941 Pictured: After watching the 1945 Battle of Berlin from the great Berlin radio tower Liska painted this work showing the parachutes of RAF pilots being lifted in the updrafts from fires This scene shows German soldiers probably during the Siege of Sevastopol, fought in conjunction with Romanian forces against the Soviet Union. The battle was fought over control of the port of Sevastopol, a port in the Crimea, on the Black Sea Flooding close to Dunkirk, in Northern France, in 1940 after attacks destroyed locks on the rivers and canals. Dunkirk was the scene of the largest military evacuation in history. It saw an estimated 338,000 Allied troops rescued from the beaches of Dunkirk and its surrounding area by naval and civilian ships after they were hemmed in by German forces 'A lot of the artwork from the war era produced for the propaganda units and the famous war sketch book unfortunately was stolen or lost during the last days of the war. 'A big part of the remaining works are currently held by our family archive and have not been seen since the end of the war. 'We are working towards getting some of the works into different museums over the next few years for exhibitions.' The latest edition of Iron Cross magazine is available now. Hans Liska is seen with his sketchbook in hand in this image, which was taken in occupied France. Liska was flown to various theatres of war, including the North African desert to document triumphs, with Hermann Goring, the head of the German airforce, personally requesting some of his artwork Liska's depiction of the German city of Wurzburg the night it was bombed and almost completely devastated by British and American bombers on March 16, 1945. Although the city did not host any major industry, and instead contained around 40 hospitals, it was targeted by the RAF's Bomber Command as part of a campaign to destroy the morale of the German public. Incendiary bombs set fire to much of the city, killing an estimated 5,000 people. In a raid which lasted just 20 minutes, almost 90 per cent of buildings were destroyed German Panzer-Grenadiers going into action on the Eastern Front, jumping from a Sd.Kfz 251 half-track armoured vehicle. A Soviet BT-7 light tank is seen to the left lying on the side of the path A horse is tied down in a printing press or factory in an unnamed German city, unable to escape the deadly flames. Liska likely saw this scene first-hand as a war reporter Drawn in 1945, this scene shows a group of soldiers ambushing an enemy tank rolling around a distant street corner. The scene evokes the 1945 Battle of Berlin, when Allied forces advanced on the German capital as the Nazis' forces made a last stand In this painting, a lonely and scared girl stands on a destroyed station. After the war, Liska worked through the events he experienced by painting many dark and emotional scenes, such as the one above Inhabitants of a burning building search for refuge in a bomb crater, in Berlin in 1944. The city was hit extremely hard by bombs dropped by the RAF Bomber Command, the US Air Force and French Air Froce. It was also attacked by the Soviet Union's air force. British bombers dropped around 46,000 tonnes of bombs BUDAPEST -- Hungary has become the first EU member to give initial approval to the Chinese-made Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine, with Prime Minister Viktor Orban saying he would personally choose to be inoculated with the jab because he trusts it the most. "Today the National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition gave its approval for the Sinopharm vaccine," Chief Medical Officer Cecilia Muller announced on January 29, a day after a government decree allowing any vaccine that had been administered to at least 1 million people anywhere in the world to be used in Hungary. EU-member Hungary also broke ranks with the bloc last week by issuing a provisional license to Russia's Sputnik V vaccine and ordering doses to treat 1 million people over the next three months. So after Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and the Russian Sputnik vaccine, we can also count on the Sinopharm shot," Muller told a briefing. Earlier on January 29, Orban told state media a deal to purchase the Chinese vaccine could be concluded "today or tomorrow and that the first shipment to Hungary could comprise up to 1 million doses. "The Chinese have known this virus for the longest, and I'll presume that they probably know the most about it. So I'll wait my turn, and if I can choose, I'll ask for the Chinese vaccine," the prime minister said. Orban, who has been critical of the EUs vaccine procurement program, said that Serbia provided the most inspiring example. The neighboring, non-EU country this month became the first European country to start a mass inoculation program with Sinopharms vaccine. More than 360,000 coronavirus infections have been reported in Hungary and over 12,000 people have died of COVID-19. More than 3,600 people are still in hospital, straining the countrys health-care system. The government on January 28 extended a state of emergency for 90 days and partial lockdown measures until March 1. The measures include a night curfew, a ban on gatherings, mandatory mask-wearing in public, and online tuition for high schools and universities. With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and AP Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah, a lecturer of the Central University in Accra has described President Akufo-Addo's tribute to former President Jerry John Rawlings as the "most candid". President Akufo-Addo, in his tribute to the late former President narrated how they became close in 2012 after decades of them not seeing eye to eye. "However, with time, things changed. We came to see value in each other, and understood, to a very large degree, our respective perspectives. One thing we had in common was our mutual commitment to public service. My visit to his Ridge residence in 2012 signified the easing of tensions between us, leading to a friendship that lasted for the better part of some eight years...," he indicated. Speaking to this on Peace FM morning show 'Kokrokoo', Dr Ankrah said "there's nothing like a permanent enemy" Listen to him in the video below 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 Day care shortage creates barriers for working parents With a labor shortage plaguing the state, working parents are ready to fill these positions. The lack of childcare options creates barriers. A Cork-based seafood company knew about impending regulations which would seek negative Covid tests from Irish truckers travelling to France a week before the Government did. Adrian Walsh, who owns Ballycotton Seafood, told the Irish Examiner he was informed last week through unofficial channels that France would soon require a negative Covid-19 test for hauliers. Meanwhile, a Wexford TD has criticised the Government's lack of preparation for the move, which she warned in early January was imminent. Verona Murphy wrote to the Taoiseach on January 2 to ask what plans were in place for France imposing a Covid-19 test requirement on Irish hauliers. In an email seen by the Irish Examiner, Ms Murphy told Micheal Martin she wanted to express concerns on the very real potential of supply chain disruption if we do not immediately introduce antigen testing at our ports". "The Taoiseach wrote back on January 8 to say that that wasn't required and that it wouldn't be happening. And here we are on January 27, and it's badly organised if organised at all, said Ms Murphy, a former head of the Irish Road Haulage Association. A Government spokesperson said the Government had been notified on Monday that French authorities would require the negative tests, while the Department of Transport said it was notified of the plans over the weekend. Picture: Garry O'Neill A Government spokesperson said the Taoiseach had written back to Ms Murphy outlining the protocols then in place for passenger travel, which required a negative PCR test for travellers from Great Britain. Following that, French authorities on Monday issued a requirement for Irish hauliers to present a pre-arrival negative antigen test. In response, the State this week set up free testing facilities for affected workers to provide antigen tests before departure to France to minimise disruption, the spokesman added. A Government spokesperson said the Government had been notified on Monday that French authorities would require the negative tests, while the Department of Transport said it was notified of the plans over the weekend. However, it was not until Wednesday that the Department of Transport released a statement informing hauliers of the new requirements, which would come into effect from Thursday. The short shelf life of cargo means many products face going off before they can make it to customers in mainland Europe due to the delays at ports caused by the new testing requirements. Adrian Walsh of Ballycotton Seafood explained that about 45% to 50% of his exports go to France and Spain, making them heavily dependent on the ferry routes. If someone tests positive, I really don't know what situation we're going to be in. Obviously, they will have to go into quarantine, but what happens with the product thats on the truck?, Mr Walsh asked. Fish have a very short shelf life. Around six days. So I dont know whats going to happen. If one of the drivers misses the boat, they would have to get the next boat, if its not already booked. He explained they were already facing issues with delays at ports for ferries to France. What we have seen over the last two weeks is the drivers are getting to the ports and they cant get on the boats because the boats are either overbooked or delayed, he said. Mr Walsh said that as this latest update comes into reality, his company, and companies like his, are being left with unanswered questions. We're getting no answers at the moment. We don't know who's going to be responsible. No one is putting their hands up and saying we will, or wont, cover the losses. So we really dont know. What do you think about our new website? Share your opinion Prosecutors probing the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol are building complex conspiracy cases that take aim at far-right activists, zeroing in on the motives and ideologies of the extremist groups that participated in the siege. After arresting more than 150 Donald Trump rioters for relatively minor offenses like trespassing and disorderly conduct, law-enforcement officials said on Tuesday they are poised to file more serious charges under the rarely used federal sedition statute. That would raise the stakes of the investigation for both prosecutors and accused rioters: The law doesn't lend itself to easy convictions, but it carries a prison sentence of as long as 20 years. In the initial scramble to arrest the most visible perpetrators of the siege, U.S. prosecutors built cases largely using photos and videos culled from social media. Now they are relying on more traditional law-enforcement tools, including over 500 grand-jury subpoenas and search warrants, to probe the origins of the insurrection and the motives of the rioters. The sedition statute criminalizes any attempt by two or more people to overthrow the government, take control of its property or disrupt the execution of U.S. laws. Members of right-wing groups such as the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers would be the likely targets of a sedition charge, which could force courts to reckon with the role of extremist militias in American society. Prosecutors "will put those ideologies on trial," said Alan Rozenshtein, a former legal adviser in the Justice Department's national security division who now teaches at the University of Minnesota's law school. "If there's a conviction, the message will be that to be a boogaloo boy or an Oath Keeper is to believe in seditious conspiracy." Much will depend on which part of the statute the prosecutors focus on. Under a broad interpretation of the law, two people who worked together to steal a podium or some other piece of government property from the Capitol could be charged with sedition. But prosecutors may actually be planning to charge rioters under the part of the statute that criminalizes attempts to overthrow the government, which would mark a turning point in the probe as lawmakers and civil rights advocates debate how best to hold domestic extremists accountable for their crimes. "The statute suggests that proving seditious conspiracy can either require a lot or not a lot depending on which part of the statute prosecutors charge," said David Sklansky, the faculty co-director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center. "Charging people with conspiring to overthrow the government is taking on a big burden." Proving such a charge would present challenges that U.S. prosecutors have not had to navigate in the initial wave of cases, which have focused largely on clear instances of law-breaking inside the Capitol. Investigators would have to show that the rioters communicated in the days leading up to the siege and find evidence of intent to subvert democracy. "That's not going to show up in the video, and probably is not going to be a thing that people are admitting to spontaneously on Facebook," said Jeffrey Bellin, a criminal justice expert at William & Mary Law School. "Those will become much more serious cases and take a long time." Signs of that kind of intensive investigative work have begun appearing in FBI affidavits in some of the cases. Agents have cited testimony from informants and cooperating witnesses, as well as private emails and text exchanges. Prosecutors are almost certainly deploying those and other investigative tools as they pursue another long-term target of the probe: a possible felony murder charge related to the death of Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who was reportedly bludgeoned with a fire extinguisher during the riot. In the highest-profile cases so far, the U.S. accused three members of the Oath Keepers of conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding. As part of that investigation, law enforcement officials obtained audio recordings of the rioters communicating via the Zello app, as well as records from private Facebook conversations. But prosecutors stopped short of charging the trio with sedition, at least for now. Michael Sherwin, the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, has hinted that some of the people who have been arrested on minor charges like disorderly conduct could face more serious accusations as the investigation progresses. In a court filing on Jan. 24, prosecutors said that Eric Munchel, who was photographed holding white plastic handcuffs at the Capitol, could eventually face a sedition charge. "Part of the reason they brought charges that some people have characterized as not as serious as they would've expected is to make sure people know the law is coming," said Harry Sandick, a former U.S. prosecutor in New York. "To put people into the criminal justice system before they strike again." The seditious conspiracy charge has a long and vexed history. In the 1950s, a group of Puerto Rican nationalists were convicted of seditious conspiracy for storming into the Capitol and shooting members of Congress -- an attack eerily similar to the siege on Jan. 6. Federal prosecutors also won sedition convictions against the group of terrorists that masterminded the 1993 World Trade Center attack, including Omar Abdel-Rahman, better known as the blind Muslim cleric. But sedition charges brought in 1987 against a group of White supremacists were rejected by a jury. And a sedition case in 2010 against members of a militia group in Michigan was dismissed when a judge ruled that prosecutors failed to show the defendants opposed a "positive assertion of authority" by the U.S. government. Free-speech advocates have long feared that the government could use the broad language in the sedition statute to paint legitimate anti-government protests as insurrection. In September, former Attorney General William Barr raised the prospect of charging Black Lives Matter protesters with sedition, though it was not clear which element of the law he thought would apply. "There's a danger in using charges that have such a politicized history and come very close to criminalizing dissent," said Shirin Sinnar, a law professor at Stanford who studies political violence. "The more you lower standards in this sort of situation, the more you lower standards related to protest and other First Amendment activity generally." The long-term precedent that a prosecution might set is one reason that the Justice Department may be taking its time to build sedition cases stemming from the Capitol riot, said Rozenshtein of the University of Minnesota. "If the government does bring seditious conspiracy charges, that'll make it easier for the next government to do so," he said. "But DoJ can minimize that chance by being very careful." A family, including two sons, were found dead in their Pennsylvania home basement two weeks after the father bought a gun. Pennsylvania married couple and two sons shot to death Over the weekend, a family was found dead in their southeastern Pennsylvania home in an apparent murder-suicide after the husband purchased a gun. On Sunday, 12:30 PM, the Chester County police responded in West Whiteland Township home after New Jersey relatives reported the family being unable to contact in several days. According to Daily Mail, officers who responded to the 100 block of Mountain View Drive where the family resides, he entered the residence through the garage and discovered bodies of a man, woman, and two boys in the basement, Detective Scott Pezick said. The Chester County coroner's office identified the bodies as Arti Madhusudan Adya, 47; Deepak Prabakhar Kulkarni, 50; Shubham Deepak Kulkarni, 14; and Sharvil Deepak Kulkarni, 7; all were residents of West Whiteland Township. The family sustained gunshot wounds. However, the final determination of the manner and cause of death will be based on pending autopsies as well as further investigation, said the coroner's office. Coroner Christina VandePol said that the tragedy annihilated a family, expressing sympathy to neighbors and relatives. For two years, the family resided in the Mountain View Drive, but they had lived in the township before that, Pezick explained. In a statement, the township police said the initial investigation and evidence indicate that the incident resulted from a murder-suicide and there were no threats to the community at large. However, the police have not officially identified the gunman in the murder-suicide. Read also: Teen Accused of Stabbing Neighbor for TikTok Fame, Arrested Again After Threatening a Motorist with Firearm The Pennsylvania family's dad bought a gun before the incident The law enforcement sources told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Kulkarni, the software analyst dad, had bought a gun two weeks before the murder-suicide incident. The relatives and other people close to the Pennsylvania family said they had noticed a change to Kulkarni, saying he seemed distant lately. Kulkarni was seen taking daily walks as a break to the monotony of the COVID-19 quarantine, the family's neighbor told the Inquirer. The neighbor said she saw Kulkarni a few days before the tragic incident, which usually Kulkarni was friendly and talkative but became 'not his usual self,' 6abc reported. The couple met in India and had been married for 18 years. To pursue careers in tech, the family moved to the U.S. Read also: VIDEO: Florida Police Officer Mocks Down a Female Highschool Student, Slamming Headfirst Onto the Ground The Pennsylvania father was a software analyst Kulkarni worked for more than ten years as a software analyst at Education Management Systems, as per his LinkedIn profile. Meanwhile, the mom was employed at the University of Pennsylvania as an application developer. The Pennsylvania couple's sons studied in Collegium Charter School, a public school in Exton. In the months leading up to the killings, Kulkarni canceled planned family events without providing any explanation, Anand Adya, Arti's brother, told the Inquirer. "It was obvious she wanted to meet, but he didn't let us," Anand said. Arti's brother also revealed that Kulkarni, friendly but secretive, asked him for a loan in December. Whenever Adya asks her sister if anything was wrong, she would say there is none, he said. Adya was worried for his sister and family when he could not reach his sister in more than a week. Then he drove to their rental home to check on them. When he knocked on the door and got no response, he decided to call the police, which led to the Pennsylvania family's tragic discovery. Read also: 15-Year-Old Girl Stabbed to Death by 4 Younger Girls During a Fight at a Grocery Store, Police Says @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. 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 Cuba frees Christian pastor, confiscates nearly $2K in tools needed for his business Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A bi-vocational pastor was released from jail in Cuba last Friday after authorities accused him under false pretenses of hoarding tools for his bicycle repair shop. Authorities held Pastor Karel Parra Rosabal in prison for 10 days before his release from the police unit in Jobabo, Las Tunas, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a nonprofit that serves persecuted believers in over 20 countries. The prosecutors office dropped the charges and allowed the pastor of the Fuego y Dinamica Apostolic Church in Jobabo to present proof-of-purchase documents for his work tools. The government didnt return the tools he needed to make a livelihood, however. The economic situation in Cuba is really bad right now, CSW Head of Advocacy Anna Stangl told The Christian Post. For someone like [Rosabal,] this business would have been his only or main source of income. This puts him at serious risk of not being able to feed his own family. Cubans do receive rations from the government but its not enough to survive on. Cuba likely let Rosabal free while still intending to destroy his ministry, Stangl contends. First, the government released the pastor so that the world could believe the fight for his freedom was over, she added. Once people stop paying attention, it will likely keep the tools Rosabal needs to make a living. He will either give up pastoring for a job, or his family will go hungry, warned Stangl. Most Cuban pastors persecuted by the government in similar ways continue to preach the Gospel. In the words he used, he was kicked out of his cell and told to go home, she recalled. Once the harassment starts, it will continue. It looks good on paper. Hes out of jail. But he cant support his own family. Cuba forbids the ownership of tools without proof of purchase. Rosabal had proof of purchase. The government took the equivalent of nearly $1,900 worth of tools from his house anyway, CSW reports. The advocate explained that communist leaders would likely take months to return the tools if they do so at all. A press statement from CSW states the government likely targeted Rosabal because he was part of the Pentecostal Apostolic Movement. Cubas government does not allow churches in the Apostolic Movement to register with the government legally. Rosabals imprisonment and release is a visible instance of a common secret, said Stangl, adding that many Cuban pastors are held prisoner by the government without the worlds knowledge. When a case like Rosabals gains publicity, Cuba often lets the pastor go. Rosabals case gained publicity last week as reports emerged that he was kept incommunicado for the first two days of detention and had gone on a hunger strike. Compared to other communist countries, Cuba caves to public pressure for religious freedom relatively easily, she said. The nation depends on tourism to drive its economy, so its government wants people to imagine Cuba as a socialist paradise. However, Persecution continues nonetheless. Cuba is listed in the U.S. State Departments special watch list of countries that engage in or tolerate severe religious freedom violations, joining Comoros, Nicaragua, and Russia. Like other pastors that have drawn the government's ire, Rosabal will almost certainly suffer the indignity of government surveillance, pressure and economic hindrance for the rest of his life, Stangl added. Ive been working on Cuba for about 20 years now. Persecution has remained steady. It takes different forms over the years, she said. Rather than trying to eliminate religion, they try to control it. And theyre always changing their methods. According to Voice of the Martyrs, Cuba hires gangs to smash church buildings, imprisons Christians for short periods, and places them under de-facto house arrest. Voice of the Martyrs warns that no Christians are currently known to be in prison currently in Cuba. The governments most recent strategy has been to spread lies on social media about pastors to discredit them. Short term jail sentences to intimidate pastors have also become more common, said Stangl. The U.S. The Commission on International Religious Freedom, the bipartisan body tasked with advising the federal government and Congress, has spoken out about religious freedom violations in Cuba many times. Last March, USCIRF released an update report on conditions in Cuba, voicing concerns about the status of freedom for human rights activists and journalists. The report details how authorities manipulate the legal system to wage persistent harassment against religious leaders and control religious activity. In 2019, Cuba barred four evangelical leaders from traveling to the United States to participate in the State Department's Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. NORFOLK - From the end of the 107th Nebraska Legislative Session to Ewing's celebration, here are some of the stories we covered for the week ending Saturday May 29, 2021. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global Isavuconazonium Sulfate API Market report offers a comprehensive analysis of current trends and future opportunities. This report is responsible for quantitative estimation and foreseen future for upcoming years based on the recent companies strategic moves and historical data. Further, the market report is categorized into different segments, regions, and countries level. This report also provides competitor analysis with its market share and developments. The final report will cover the impact of COVID-19 on this industry. The global Isavuconazonium Sulfate API market report presents a complete research-based study of the industry including details such as company shares, forecast data, in-depth analysis and an outlook of the market on a worldwide platform. The report further highlights the market drivers, restraints and the top manufacturers at the global and regional levels. For a thorough understanding, the report also offers market segmentation and regional analysis for the forecast period from 2020 to 2025. Click here to get a Sample PDF Copy of the Isavuconazonium Sulfate API Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-31499 According to this study, over the next five years, the Isavuconazonium Sulfate API market will register an xx% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach $ xx million by 2025, from $ xx million in 2020. In particular, this report presents the global market share (sales and revenue) of key companies in the Isavuconazonium Sulfate API business, shared in Chapter 3. This Isavuconazonium Sulfate API market report also splits the market by regions: Americas (United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil), APAC (China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, Australia), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain), Middle East & Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Turkey, GCC Countries). This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of the Isavuconazonium Sulfate API market by type, application, key manufacturers, key regions, and countries. The key manufacturers covered in this report: Breakdown data in Chapter 3. FCDA Rochi pharma Tecoland Jigs chemical Hangzhou Keying Chem Pharmaffiliates Henan Tianfu Chemical Hunan Huateng Pharmaceutical Chengdu Better Pharmaceutical Technology Jinan Boss Chemical Industry Others To inquire about report customization, feel free to reach out to our team of expert analysts @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/ask-questions-31499 This study considers the Isavuconazonium Sulfate API value and volume generated from the sales of the following segments: Segmentation by type: breakdown data from 2015 to 2020, in Section 2.3; and forecast to 2025 in section 11.7. Min Purity Less Than 98% Min Purity 98%-99% Min Purity More Than 99% Segmentation by application: breakdown data from 2015 to 2020, in Section 2.4; and forecast to 2025 in section 11.8. Research Pharmaceutical In addition, this report discusses the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, challenges, and the risks faced by key manufacturers and the market as a whole. It also analyzes key emerging trends and their impact on present and future development. Purchase the Complete Global Isavuconazonium Sulfate API Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-31499 Research Objectives To study and analyze the global Isavuconazonium Sulfate API consumption (value & volume) by key regions/countries, type and application, history data from 2015 to 2019, and forecast to 2025. To understand the structure of the Isavuconazonium Sulfate API market by identifying its various subsegments. Focuses on the key global Isavuconazonium Sulfate API manufacturers, to define, describe, and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in the next few years. To analyze the Isavuconazonium Sulfate API with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market. To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks). To project the consumption of Isavuconazonium Sulfate API submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries). To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. About Us: DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research report provider, enriching decision-makers, and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research reports, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains. Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed. For more details: DecisionDatabases.com E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.com Phone: +91 90 28 057900 Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ Reference Source: https://www.topnewscorner.com/isavuconazonium-sulfate-api-market-size-share-growth-outlook-forecast-research-report-till-2025/ News at 4Cs 90.7 WKKL Welcomes Back Alumni, Special Guests for Station Re-Launch Starting this Tuesday, February 2, 90.7 WKKL at Cape Cod Community College is celebrating its return to the airwaves with the help of radio station alumni who have found radio success on the national and local stage. Like Bill Murrays Groundhog Day, expect to flashback to a different WKKL alumni each hour playing Cape Cods Classic Alternative music in a return to WKKLs roots. Check out 90.7 WKKL on the air and over the brand new live stream at capecod.edu/wkkl. Among those returning to WKKL next week are: National radio and TV personality Clarence Barnes. National radio personality Don Gaston New York radio and records personality/music programmer RJ Jordan Local Radio Personalities Tracy Lynn, Rick Burgess, and Dan Towers. 4Cs 2020 Alumna of the Year winner, Sarah Colvin Cape Cod Lifes Radio Personality of the Year, Stephanie Viva, who will be simulcasting her Lemonadio show with 4Cs students on Thursdays from 7:00 10:00 a.m. WKKL alumna and Boston radio host Kristen Eck, who will be simulcasting her Bumblebee Radio indie music show on Fridays from 10:00 a.m. Noon. Local radio personality and 4Cs radio professor, Lisa Z. The new programming joins a new rotation of classic hits and existing shows like Manic Mondays and Golden Era radio, hosted by 4Cs Communications professor Tyler Daniels. WKKL has produced some of the best broadcasting talent in our region and beyond, and we are delighted so many are giving back to the station to help us celebrate our re-launch, said John Cox, President of Cape Cod Community College. The success of WKKL has always been built on community support, like the Makkay family who helped grow the stations footprint on campus through the establishment of the Makkay Broadcasting Center. We are excited to welcome in the new generation of student broadcasters who will benefit from our classes and the live experience WKKL provides. After being off its 90.7 FM signal for several months, the historic college radio station came back on the air after making investments in renovations and upgrades in several technical items. Upon its return, WKKL went back to its roots, returning to a Classic Alternative music format. The College has also strategized new ways to revamp College courses and programming to provide a more robust broadcasting education to students. The Makkay family is thrilled that the College has made the commitment to refurbishing the WKKL studios and supporting it with a vibrant broadcasting and communications curriculum, lead by Lisa Zinsius Supka, said Allison Makkay Davis. College radio has traditionally served as springboard into broadcasting. With the new studio equipment, WKKL will now be able to expose its students to a broader array of media options and career opportunities. This is exactly the mission we intended in 2003 when we made a similar commitment to this Cape Cod institution. To support the growth of Cape Cods only college radio station, and the students who come through the Makkay Broadcasting Center to learn the art of broadcasting, please consider giving to 90.7 WKKL. Donations can be made via the Cape Cod Community College Educational Foundation. A donation of any amount earns an official WKKL Membership, which means youll be the first to hear about new programming, events in the community, and more. Police hope CCTV footage of a Jeep captured near the scene of a fatal gangland shooting in Sydneys west earlier this month will lead them to the victims killers. Amar Kettule, a well-known member of the True Kings gang, was gunned down in William Street, Fairfield, in the early hours of Sunday, January 10. Amar Kettule was shot dead in Fairfield in the early hours of January 10, 2021. Credit:Facebook Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty told reporters on Friday that police believe Mr Kettule, 34, was caught unaware in what was obviously a well-planned murder. While police are still trying to establish what happened, he said the victim was taken by surprise and virtually assassinated in his vehicle. NEW DELHI: Irked with Zee News fearless and continuous coverage of the farmers ongoing agitation against Centres three farm laws, some anti-national elements on Friday manhandled a Zee News reporter while he was reporting from the Ghazipur Border in Delhi. Zee News reporter Abhishek Kumar had gone to Ghazipur to cover the farmers ongoing agitation and take reactions of those who had been camping there for nearly two months. While the Zee News reporter was speaking to some elderly farmers, he was manhandled by some anti-national elements. A group of unidentified protesters pushed the Zee News reporter and asked him to leave from the spot immediately and shouted slogans. This incident raises a big question - is it a conspiracy by the farmers and the anti-national elements to stop Zee News from reporting the fact and uncovering the truth behind the movement. It may be noted that the Ghaziabad Administration has given an ultimatum to agitating farmers to vacate the UP Gate protest site by Thursday night. But union leader Rakesh Tikait remained adamant, saying he would commit suicide but won't end the stir. The "verbal" communication from the district administration to BKU on Thursday comes after three farmers union withdrew their protest against the three central farm laws over the violence in Delhi on Republic Day. However, Tikait, the BKU's national spokesperson, condemned the Uttar Pradesh government and police for the move. "I will commit suicide but won't end protest until the farm bills are repealed," Tikait said, claiming a big threat to his life. However, this is not the first time that the channel has faced opposition from anti-nationals and threats to its team of reporters and camerapersons. It may be noted that Zee News was the first channel that reported Khalistani elements trying to hijack and infiltrate into the protests. The Zee News report mentioned how pro-Khalistan groups were trying to misuse the farmers movement at the behest of Pakistans notorious spy agency ISI. The Zee News report also highlighted how top leaders of the pro-Khalistan groups were remotely controlling the farmers movement from countries like Britain, America, and Canada. The genuine farmers of the country, however, have not been angry with Zee News as the truth came forward. Importantly, hundreds of people from across the length and breadth of the country have come forward in support of the Zee News campaign to expose the anti-nationals involved in the farmers movement. People from several countries have also acknowledged the facts reported by Zee News from the very beginning. On Thursday, Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary shared a video sent to him from New York, the US, that shows a rally of cars with a religious flag on the outskirts of New York. Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the Zee News Editor-in-Chief shared the video with his followers. He tweeted, "Someone from New York has sent me this video via WhatsApp showing a Pro Khalistan rally on the Republic Day of India. Watch this. Dont forget Zee News was the 1st one to expose the Khalistani connection with the farm stir." In the video, a long line of cars can be seen waving yellow coloured flags as they move towards New York. As per the video, it was taken on January 26, the same day violence was unleashed in Delhi. However, Zee News has been constantly facing the wrath of some people for reporting the fact. The Centre has also accepted the fact that Khalistan supporters have infiltrated the farmers' protest. Zee News has been reporting about Khalistan's entry into this agitation from the outset. Attorney General KK Venugopal had told the Supreme Court that the Khalistan supporters have infiltrated the farmers' protests. The banned organization, Sikhs For Justice, had solidified the fact of its infiltration in the farmers' protest by writing a letter to the Chief Justice of India, stating that it wants to see Punjab as an autonomous nation i.e. an independent nation. Live TV Two nurses and two nursing assistants of the Matei Bals hospital who were on duty at the ward where a fire broke out that killed five patients were questioned on Friday at the Bucharest Police headquarters. According to lawyer for the Matei Bals hospital Constantin Durgeru, the two assistants tried to put out the fire and managed to stop the oxygen supply, avoiding an explosion. "They told exactly what happened, in other words they told the truth. First called to testify were the people who were directly involved in the events, those who were on the night shift, namely nurses and assistants: two nurses and two assistants. (...) They testified as witnesses. One thing is certain, it is obvious that one cannot speak of the fault of the medical staff; it is very clear that the reaction was prompt. It was a completely unfortunate incident, absolutely unfortunate from all points of view, and the nurses, (...) because they were the first to come into contact with the fire, had a prompt reaction, and one of them also had the presence of mind to cut off the oxygen supply. Had the oxygen supply not been stopped, there would have had an explosion," the lawyer said.He added that the assistants did exactly the right thing: "Their first reaction was prompt, in that one of the two assistants jumped with a blanket to put out the fire, which had engulfed an unfortunate patient, and the other turned off the oxygen installation. It was obvious that she had a prompt reaction, after which both of them, one on the left and the other on the right, ran after the fire extinguishers, knowing that there were fire extinguishers at the ends of the corridor. They did exactly what they had to do. Obviously, they were well trained, reason why in such a stressful situation, although it would have been normal to panic, because we are still talking about some assistants and any normal person would have been lost in such a situation, with all the stress, but they reacted as much appropriately as possible. "The fire broke out on Friday, around 05:00hrs, EET, at a ward where COVID-19 patients had been hospitalised. Three patients got charred to death, while a fourth victim died after failed resuscitation. Later, another patient was found dead in a bathroom.Prosecutors and the police are investigating the case as culpable homicide. TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2021 /CNW/ - The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc. ("Supreme Cannabis" or the "Company") (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1) today announced that it will be reporting its second quarter financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2020 after markets close on Thursday, February 11, 2021. The Company will host a conference call to discuss its second quarter fiscal 2021 results at 8:00 AM Eastern on Friday, February 12, 2021. Interested parties can join the call by dialing 647-427-7450 or 1-888-231-8191. The conference ID number is 9983683. The call can also be accessed through the following webcast link: https://bit.ly/3qZirpD A recording of the conference call will be available for replay two hours after the call's completion. To access the recording, please dial 416-849-0833 or 1-855-859-2056 and the replay code, 9983683. The recording will be available until March 12, 2021. About Supreme Cannabis. The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc., (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1), is a global diversified portfolio of distinct cannabis companies, products and brands. Since 2014, the Company has emerged as one of the world's most premium producers of recreational, wholesale and medical cannabis products. Supreme Cannabis' portfolio of brands caters to diverse consumer and patient experiences, with brands and products that address recreational, wellness, medical and new consumer preferences. The Company's recreational brand portfolio includes, 7ACRES, 7ACRES Craft Collective, Blissco , sugarleaf, and Hiway. Supreme Cannabis addresses national and international medical cannabis opportunities through its premium Truverra brand. Supreme Cannabis' brands are backed by a focused suite of world-class operating assets that serve key functions in the value chain, including, scaled cultivation, value-add processing, automated packaging and product testing and R&D. Follow the Company on Instagram , Twitter, Facebook , LinkedIn and YouTube. We simply grow better. Forward-Looking Information. Certain statements made in this press release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to anticipated events or results and other statements that are not historical facts. The forward-looking information is based on assumptions and estimates that the Company believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the Company, including risks regarding the COVID-19 epidemic, the cannabis industry, market conditions, economic factors, management's ability to manage and to operate the business and the equity markets generally. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc. For further information: Craig MacPhail, Investor Relations, Email: [email protected], Phone: 416-466-6265, supreme.ca Related Links https://www.supreme.ca/ An eight-year-old girl has been expelled from her school in Oklahoma school after telling another girl that she had a crush on her. Delanie Shelton claims she was called in to Rejoice Christian Schools in Owasso, near Tulsa, after her daughter, Chloe, made the remark on the playground. The girl was left in tears after being told by officials that the Bible only allowed her to marry a man. And when Delanie defended her daughter, she says the school kicked out both of her children. Shelton told Fox 23 News: 'Chloe said the vice principal sat her down and says the Bible says you can only marry a man and have children with a man. My daughter was crying saying "Does God still love me"?' Chloe Shelton, 8, an Oklahoma second-grader was kicked out of her private Christian school after she told another girl on the playground that she had a crush on her Mother, Delanie Shelton was called to pick up eight-year-old daughter, Chloe from the school Shelton added: 'The vice principal asked me how do I feel like girls liking girls and I said if we're being honest, I think it's okay for girls to like girls and she looked shocked and appalled. 'They ripped my kids out of the only school they've ever really known away from their teachers and friends they've had over the past four years over something my daughter probably doesn't know or fully understand.' Shelton went on to note that that she was trying to raise her child with the view that people should be allowed to love whoever they wanted, no matter their gender. The are family are now faced with finding a new school for their daughter in the middle of a pandemic. Chloe along with her five-year-old brother were both expelled after their mother said she saw nothing wrong with 'girls liking other girls' 'Whatever makes people happy they should be allowed to do,' Shelton said. 'She was upset and crying and asking me if God still loves me if she is wrong for the way that she feels. 'The superintendent called me and let me know that they would be ending their partnership with our family.' The school, Rejoice Christian Schools reportedly told Shelton they did not condone any relationships on campus. In a statement to Fox23, the school said: 'Due to privacy and other factors, it is the schools policy to refrain from public comments regarding any particular student or family.' The school had previously cited the schools student handbook and policy. Rejoice Christian Schools describes itself as: 'One of the largest Christian schools in the Tulsa area. It is our Vision to be a Christian school that provides students with excellence in education and strength in character so that students will be spiritually, intellectually, physically, and socially equipped to impact their community and the world for Christ.' The school, which was founded in 1992 now has more than 1,000 students enrolled. Rosanna Davison has spoken of her regret that her 94-year-old grandmother has yet to meet her miracle twin baby boys due to lockdown restrictions. Ten weeks ago, the former Miss World (36) and husband Wes Quirke welcomed in babies Hugo and Oscar by c-section 35 weeks into her pregnancy. The couple also have daughter Sophia (14 months), who was born via gestational surrogacy in the Ukraine in 2019 before Rosanna got pregnant naturally a few months later with her two babies. Speaking about the reality of looking after three babies under 15 months and no childcare, Rosanna said three strong cups of coffee in the morning is an absolute must. Among those yet to meet her new babies is Chris de Burghs mum Maeve Davison, who lives in Bargy Castle in Wexford. No she hasnt met them yet and thats the sad part of this lockdown, we are obviously not able to travel to see her in Wexford. But hopefully later in the year, if the country opens up enough that we can travel down to see her, that would be amazing, she said. At the same time, I'm not going to take any risks, even if its a case of waving at her through the window with the babies, that might be a possibility then. Rosanna said that like so many other people, lockdown 3.0 has been particularly challenging for them and they have to be ultra-cautious given theyre caring for three young infants. They dont even risk going to the supermarket and order all their groceries online, and are in a support bubble with her parents. We can really feel the mood is different. January is a difficult month anyway for a lot of people but with businesses shut down and people at home with home-schooling going on, the mood is palpable this time. "But I guess for us, its difficult in a lot of ways because obviously Wes business is shut too, she said I'm constantly worried about my parents and my grandmother, shes 94 and we cant get to see her in Wexford. So things like that are always a worry, like what would we do if we got sick? We cant have anyone into the house; who would want to come into the house and look after three babies? I wouldn't want my parents here and risk them getting sick so thats a worry and were doing absolutely everything we can do stay safe and stay home. The focus is different for us; were just so busy and keeping our babies happy is a priority. Once a red-carpet regular at glitzy events, the social highlight of her week is now pizza and a glass of wine with Wes on a Friday night and she couldnt be happier. Its been amazing and something we really wanted and what we had hoped for, she said. She was helping launch the new 100pc biodegradable WaterWipes, with research showing 76pc of parents dont understand eco-terminology around baby care products. Jamaica could potentially see new operator Rock Mobile enter its telecoms market with a former banking executive at the helm after enquiries were made with the countrys regulator on new entrant market conditions. The Jamaica Gleaner reported, former head of Scotiabank Jamaica Bruce Bowen and his wife Suzanne Fernando-Bowen, contacted the Spectrum Management Authority (SMA) in response to its Spectrum Cap Consultation launched last year, to enquire on the equal distribution of spectrum to enable new market entrants. The operator said: While Rock does not object to the proposed spectrum screen at this time, it is urging the SMA to focus on maintaining a competitive landscape of which entry of new operators is a critical element. Bowed did not provide any details on the operators business model to the newspaper, but pledged to do so in the future. The operator said in a statement in response to the SMAs Proposed Spectrum Holding PolicyA Review of Mobile Spectrum Holding Policy: Rocks considered view is that policies and regulations affecting the telecommunications industry must support ease of entry by new operators. Accordingly, Rock wishes to also urge a policy of transparency as regards spectrum holdings and allocations. This is essential for effective and fair operation of the policy, Rock Mobile is owned by investment firm Rock Capital Partners a company registers in 2017 by the Bowens. The operator would go up against Digicel Jamaica and Flow Jamaica, which are the dominant market leaders in Jamaica. A national award will provide bursaries to cover up to 75 percent of course fees for postgraduate agricultural students studying in the UK. The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust has launched its 2021 Centenary Award for students studying a Masters or PhD in agriculture or a related degree. The award is open to individuals who have gained, or are expected to gain, a 2:1 or above and have been accepted or provisionally accepted on a course in autumn 2021. To date, 43 agricultural students have received bursaries to help further their studies. The Trust has identified areas that must form part of the applicants course: sustainable agriculture and climate change; international agricultural development; the application of science and innovative technology to the industry. To select the students, the panel will be looking for applicants who are excellent academic performers and also have a real passion for agriculture. Jim McLaren, NFU Mutual Chairman said: Our Centenary Award aims to support outstanding agricultural students as they grow to lead the next generation of farmers. "These young people are the future of our industry and, by giving them an opportunity to continue their studies, we hope we can help them make a difference not only to themselves but also within our farming and rural communities. Elin Havard, from Powys, was one of three postgraduate agricultural students to receive the Centenary Award bursary in 2020, helping fund her MBA Innovation in Sustainable Food and Agriculture at the Royal Agricultural University. Her passion for farming began at a young age, and she explained how the bursary is supporting her aspirations: Having grown up on a beef and sheep farm, my interest in agriculture was instilled in me as a child." She added: "I relish this opportunity to further my understanding and gain the skills required to contribute positively to the future of our industry. Students who think they may be eligible to apply for the award have been told to contact centenary_award@nfumutual.co.uk to request an application form. The closing date for the 2021 Centenary Award is 30 April 2021. Crystal Weintraub, co-owner of 1802 Roasters, serves a customer via a converted drive-through setup using the side door of the Los Angeles coffee shop. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) Drive-throughs are on special order at many restaurants as owners race to put customers at ease during the pandemic and prepare for a food service future increasingly ruled by convenience. Quick-service specialists such as Sweetgreen and Shake Shack are planning their first stores with drive-through lanes, while existing operators are scrambling to build new car service portals or jerry-build temporary openings to serve customers behind the wheel. The efforts run counter to recent urban planning thinking in which some cities seek to limit new drive-throughs to reduce auto emissions and litter, bring down obesity and improve pedestrian safety. Drive-throughs and outdoor dining patios are rare bright spots in the restaurant industry, which has seen many businesses fold or endure a sustained battering from COVID-19 restrictions on communal dining and the reluctance of many diners to venture far from the safety of home. Some eating places around the country have even revived carhop service, a dine-in-your-vehicle option that presumably contributes to restaurant and patron survival. (On Friday, Los Angeles County officials removed the ban on outdoor dining but imposed restrictions.) Investors have taken note. Los Angeles retail real estate brokers at CBRE said properties with drive-throughs have jumped to 90% of their sales business from about half in the last 12 months as investors flee from strip centers and other struggling retail venues to places were customers are actively spending money. COVID-19 anxiety has lifted sales at restaurants people can patronize by briefly rolling down their car windows, said shopping center landlord Sandy Sigal, president of NewMark Merrill Cos. The Woodland Hills landlord controls 450 restaurants in 85 U.S. centers. "The stores that had drive-throughs during this pandemic, their business went off the charts," Sigal said, citing data his company collected. Drive-throughs are easy to build, he said, but not easy to operate when customers pour in. Story continues "What's truly hard is to make sure that line keeps moving," he said, and hand customers their food within 10 minutes. "Who wants to spend their lunch hour sitting in a car?" While drive-throughs have long been associated with burgers and other inexpensive fast food, more pricey competitors in the fast-casual category such as Chipotle, Shake Shack and Sweetgreen are moving into drive-throughs, according to a recent report by Credit Suisse. Fast-salad maker Sweetgreen plans to add drive-through lanes to some new restaurants as it expands to compete with burger chains and other fast-food purveyors. This rendering shows a prototype to be built near Denver. (Sweetgreen) Sweetgreen has been eyeing drive-throughs of its own for a decade, co-founder Nicolas Jammet said, and had been making plans in recent years to build them. "Then COVID hit," he said, "and we looked at our customers and said, now is the time to fast-track this and bring it to life." The national restaurant chain, which is based in Culver City, positions itself as a healthy-food-oriented competitor to the cheap and fast hamburger purveyors that pioneered the drive-through market and still dominate it. During the pandemic, "a lot more customers are reluctant to come inside," said Jammet, who is co-chief executive. Sweetgreen has historically catered to a tech-savvy customer base, he said. Even before the pandemic, about half of the orders at Sweetgreen's 120 restaurants were placed and paid for digitally, for pickup or delivery. The company strives to "reduce friction" for customers and make ordering nutritious food "fast, convenient and cool," Jammet said. Drive-throughs are part of that strategy and will become more common as Sweetgreen expands beyond city centers into the suburbs. The first Sweetgreen with a drive-through is set to open later this year in Highlands Ranch, Colo., a neighborhood south of Denver. Drive-through customers will be required to order ahead on the company's phone app. Another option for the drivers will be to park in a pavilion with intercoms where they can order salads, warm bowls and other menu items to be delivered by carhops. "We're going to bring our food to the same kind of convenience channels that so many Americans are used to," he said. Upmarket New York burger joint chain Shake Shack, which has been operating on a to-go-only basis during the pandemic, announced in October that it will open its first drive-through late this year, with as many as eight by the end of 2022. A Shake Shack employee wears a mask as she prepares food orders for pickup in Arlington, Va. The burger chain announced in October that it will open its first drive-through late this year, with as many as eight by the end of 2022. (Olivier Douliery / AFP via Getty Images) Chief Executive Randy Garutti in an earnings call described them as "a modern version of the traditional drive lane experience," and a rendering of a prototype in trade publication QSR Magazine showed three car lanes two for drive-through service and a third for pick-ups placed through phone apps. Chipotle Mexican Grill introduced drive-throughs two years ago and opened its 100th "Chipotlane" in July. The Newport Beach company said such lanes will be included in 60% of its new stores, even though they require more staff than restaurants without drive-throughs. New Chipotles with drive-throughs outperformed new Chipotles without them by 25% last year, according to Credit Suisse. Such numbers are driving investment dollars to drive-throughs, said property broker Alex Kozakov of CBRE. "All the demand from investors has shifted to that sector" from other types of retail real estate, he said, and lenders are comfortable backing it. Other businesses people can patronize without getting out of their cars are also prospering during the pandemic, including drive-through carwashes and rapid vehicle maintenance services such as Jiffy Lube. Investors "feel that that's where the most security is right now," Kozakov said. "Whether it's today or in the future, if we have a pandemic, [drive-throughs] will be able to survive." One of the growing drive-through categories during the pandemic has been coffee, he said, a daily staple many are unwilling to forgo. Starbucks is the java juggernaut, but one mom-and-pop caffeine shop in the Cypress Park district of Los Angeles has rigged up a temporary solution to compete by turning its side door for deliveries into a drive-through. "We've been getting a lot of customers from the Starbucks down the street" who notice that the car line is shorter at 1802 Roasters, co-owner Christian Degracia said. The neighborhood coffeehouse on Cypress Avenue has been open about a year and did 95% of its business through the drive-through when outdoor dining was banned by health officials, he said. "At first we were concerned folks wouldn't buy into it," Degracia said. But "the response has been great. This has been working out for us so far, even with the shutdown." He'll miss having car service when indoor dining returns and he needs the door again, he said. "Although the shop wasn't built to be a drive-through, it was definitely fun operating it as one." The popularity of drive-throughs in a pandemic shouldn't surprise anyone, Bay Area real estate consultant David Greensfelder said. "People still want to eat out," he said, "or are having a hard time shopping. It gives them another option." Rolling out new plans for drive-throughs during a pandemic may also be a wise business move for operators concerned about whether local officials will approve them, Greensfelder said. A common city government concern about drive-throughs is that lines at popular restaurants sometimes snake onto public streets and may block traffic. "Is a company using COVID as an opportunity to move into another channel they weren't in before? It will be easier to get city approval. Carpe diem," Greensfelder said. Although drive-throughs will always have appeal, most people will want to return indoors to eat when they feel the pandemic has passed, he said. "People kept driving after the oil embargo," he said, "and flying after 9/11." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Yangon, Jan 29 : The Myanmar military has announced a further extension of the suspension period of its operations against armed groups until February 28. The initial suspension of military operations was scheduled to expire on January 31, reports Xinhua news agency. During the period, military operations will be suspended in the command areas, excluding those where government-designated terrorist groups are residing, the military's statement said. All military operations will be suspended excluding state defence and administrative measures in the country to enable ethnic armed organisations to continuously join the dialogue until they accomplish process of eternal peace, and to perform the measures of prevention, control and treatment of Covid-19, according to a statement issued on Thursday. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A New Brighton man has been indicted on murder charges in the fatal shooting four months ago of a 34-year-old victim who was attending a memorial gathering in his community. Tyler Carmon, 26, of the 100 block of Prospect Avenue, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Thursday in state Supreme Court, St. George. Prosecutors allege Carmon gunned down Cedric (Ced) Black on Sept. 15 while Black was at a memorial site on Jersey Street between Crescent Avenue and Carlyle Street. Black was part of a group that had come to honor neighborhood resident Prince Edmonds, who had been shot and killed the previous day in Mariners Harbor. Black was slain a few of blocks from the apartment where he lived on Jersey Street in the Richmond Terrace Houses, according to a statement from police. On arriving shortly after 5 p.m., officers found Black suffering from a gunshot wound to the torso, police said. He was transported to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, where he was later pronounced dead. The NYPD gathers on Jersey Street in New Brighton on Sept. 15, 2020, to investigate the shooting death of Cedric Black. (Staten Island Advance/Irene Spezzamonte) While police didnt officially release a motive for either shooting, multiple law enforcement sources have said its believed theyre each connected in some way to one of several ongoing feuds that exist between neighborhoods. Black had been paroled from prison less than five months earlier. Black was the cousin of Mike Perry, a program manager at True2Life Staten Island, an anti-violence group that works to steer young men and women away from a cycle of crime and poverty on the boroughs North Shore. Perry previously told the Advance/SILive.com he planned to recruit Black to the group. I didnt want it to end like this for him, although I knew this was a possibility, said Perry. Its a possibility for all of our brothers and sisters who come home from prison with not much opportunity. I told him, Im gonna come pick you up and bring you to my crib to talk, the Advance/SILive.com quoted Perry as saying. My plan was to see if he was interested in joining the team and working with me. I hugged him and told him I loved him. In an emotional Facebook post addressed to both Black and Edmonds after the killings, one New Brighton native shed light on the complexity of growing up in a poor, crime-ridden section of Staten Island. Yall showed me everything and raised me to be the guy I am today... I stopped rapping about the street life because I hate this s---. Honestly, I always hated this s---. Thats why I hid it from people I loved. REST IN PEACE TO ALL MY FALLEN. Cedric Black, 34, was shot and killed on Sept. 15, 2020, on Jersey Street in New Brighton. (Facebook) Besides second-degree murder, Carmon was charged with first-degree manslaughter, criminal weapon possession and criminal firearm possession. Hes also accused of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for allegedly possessing fentanyl with the intent to sell. In addition, he was charged with criminally using drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a drug scale. Defense lawyer Mario F. Gallucci said Carmon vehemently denies the charges. We have received some of the evidence from the district attorney which indicates certain defenses to the charges, which we will fully pursue when we are given the opportunity, said Gallucci. Carmon, who authorities initially said lives in Castleton Corners, remains held without bail. His next court date is Feb. 16. The defendant has previously served time in prison. In October 2015, he was convicted of attempted second-degree criminal weapon possession, said the indictment. He was sentenced to three years behind bars and two years post-release supervision. A Russian court on January 28 rejected an appeal to overturn the 30-day detention of opposition leader Alexei Navalny ahead of a hearing next month over whether he should face jail time for a years-old fraud case. Navalny had returned to Moscow this month following a near-fatal poisoning. He continues to be held at Matrosskaya Tishina detention centre, in the northeast of the capital and he appeared by video link at the country in the city of Khimki. According to CNN, the Kremlin critics next court date is scheduled for February 2, when a court will decide whether his three-and-a-half-year suspended sentence on fraud charges should be converted into a jail term due to what Russian authorities say is the violation of the terms of his suspended sentence. On Thursday, the judge ruled that Navalnys detention was lawful and that the opposition leader would remain in detention. Following the judges ruling, Navalnys reaction suggested that he was expecting it as he told the court, Everything was clear to me even before the hearing. READ: Russia Police Detain Alexei Navalny's Allies Ahead Of A Planned Demonstration Navalny said that everything is so amazing here that he doesnt even know where to start. The opposition leader had earlier complained about violations of legal procedures and a lack of opportunity to communicate with his lawyers since his detention on January 17. He said everything is, as usual, the officials take a court decision, look for violations of the law and speak them when appealing. He added, here everything is one big violation of the law. Further, Navalny went on to urge his protesters to keep coming out. While calling the demonstrator last barrier and real patriots, he said that they are the who prevents those in power from stealing everything. Navalny added, You will not be able to intimidate us - we are the majority. READ: Russia To Open Probe Against Navalny's Strategist Navalnys allies detained Navalny was arrested on January 17 on returning to Moscow from Germany, where he had spent nearly five months recovering from nerve-agent poisoning that he has blamed on the Kremlin but Russian authorities deny. The Russian law enforcement on Wednesday conducted searches at Navalnys apartment, his team headquarters and his allies. His aides, including Lyubov Sobol, Dr Anastasia Vasilyeva from the Alliance of Doctors union and Maria Alyokhina have been detained for 48 hours along with Russian opposition leaders brother Oleg. The law enforcement in the nation has already detained over 3,000 protesters demanding the immediate release of Navalny. Earlier this week, Navalny's wife Yulia was also detained in Moscow. His team, on the other hand, has called for new protests later this month to demand the release of the Kremlin critic. Leonid Volkov, one of the closest allies of the jailed leader, called on people to gather in all Russian cities on January 31 to demand "freedom for Navalny". Volkov urged people to come out in support of Navalny on January 31 at 12 pm, adding further details will be announced soon. READ: Kremlin Compares Navalny Protesters With Terrorists READ: Putin Denies Navalny Team's Allegation Of Owning $1.35 Bn Black Sea Property Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Activists prepare to send anti-Kim Jong-un regime propaganda leaflets to North Korea from the border city of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, in this photo from April 2, 2016. Yonhap By Jung Da-min The international community's move against South Korea's ban on sending anti-Kim Jong-un regime propaganda leaflets to North Korea is intensifying. Since the National Assembly, which is dominated by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), passed a bill to implement the ban last December, criticism has continued to grow internationally that the law undermines freedom of speech, with members of the U.K. Parliament and the U.S. Congress raising the issue and planning to hold a debate and hearing session, respectively. The DPK passed the law claiming it is needed to protect the lives of South Koreans living in the border region, although critics claim it is caving into North Korea's demands in the hope of keeping bilateral relations alive. Rep. Tae Yong-ho and Rep. Ji Seong-ho, defectors-turned-lawmakers with the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) and members of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, are planning to attend an online seminar to discuss the situation with members of the U.K.'s All-Party Parliamentary Group on North Korea, or APPG NK, scheduled for Feb. 3, according to Tae's office. Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi inspected on Friday a number of developmental road projects in Old Cairo as well as other projects being implemented in East Cairo. El-Sisi inspected the network of bridges that has been constructed to link Old Cairo's Civilization Axis area with the main roads of Cairo, said Presidential spokesman Bassam Radi. This comes as part of a comprehensive plan to develop the historic Ain Al-Sira area and the vicinity of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Old Cairo. The president also inspected developmental work in the vicinity of Old Cairo's Al-Sayeda Aisha district, after the removal of slums that had obliterated the features of the historic area, Radi added. Dwellers of these areas were moved to new cities that have been constructed to provide decent, safe and appropriate housing units for slum residents where social services are being secured, the spokesman said. Radi added that these efforts are within the framework of the states plan to bring the Old Cairo area back to its civilizational splendor and the ancient historic heritage it possesses. This heritage includes the Fustat area, the Cairo Citadel Aqueduct, the Religions Complex and historic mosques, Radi added. The presidents tour included road projects being implemented in the districts of Nasr City, Heliopolis and Autostrad in East Cairo. Sisi spoke with a number of officials and supervisors at some of the construction sites, urging them to adhere to the timeframes set to implement these projects in accordance to the highest standards. Short link: US-based Novavaxs Covid-19 vaccine candidate has shown nearly 90 per cent efficacy and the ability to work against the UK and South African variants of the virus. The company, in a statement, said its Covid-19 vaccine demonstrated 89.3 per cent efficacy in UK Phase-3 trial. The vaccine, a more conventional protein-based vaccine, had higher efficacy against the original coronavirus strain, 95.6 per cent, and 85.6 per cent against the more deadly and easily transmissible UK variant so 89.3 per cent overall. Results of the trials also showed that the vaccine gives some protection, at 50 per cent, against the variant causing even more concern in South Africa. Novavax said the trials involved 15,000 people. Almost 4,000 people in the study (27 per cent) were in the over-65 age group, who are most at risk from the virus. Nvx-cov2373, the protein-based Covid-19 vaccine candidate, met the primary endpoint, with a vaccine efficacy of 89.3%, in the Phase-3 clinical trial conducted in the UK. The study assessed efficacy during a period with high transmission and with a new UK variant strain of the virus emerging and circulating widely. It was conducted in partnership with the UK governments vaccine taskforce, the company said in a statement. Pune-based Serum institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, has sought the Drugs Controller General of India's (DCGI) permission to conduct a small domestic trial of the Novavax vaccine. The SII and the Indian Council of Medical Research have a tie-up with the company and bridging studies will be done once the regulators give the approval. SII's application with the DCGI is being examined. A bridging trial is a supplementary trial performed in a new region or country to get more clinical data on efficacy, safety and dose regimen. Earlier, Dr Umesh Shaligram, executive director of SII, told News18 that the company is keen on starting the bridging trials in the country and that SII would be in a position to start the trials by February once the approvals come through. Data of protection against the new variants is promising. The good thing is that the new strain in South Africa emerged as the trials of the vaccine were going on in the country, he said. In September 2020, Novavax had announced its deal with Serum Institute to produce 2 billion doses of the Covid-19 vaccines. In India, the vaccine will be called Covovax, developed by Novavax and upscaled by the SII. Florian Krammer, a professor at the department of microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, said the data was reassuring in many ways as it the vaccine worked very well against the 'old' variant and the UK variant. The low efficacy against the b.1.351 (South African variant) is concerning, he tweeted. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the news was good. Our medicines regulator will now assess the vaccine, which will be made in Teesside. If approved, we have 60m (million) doses on order, Johnson said on twitter. 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. PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Integrated Ventures, Inc is pleased to confirm that BHP Capital NY, Inc has completed its first funding round, as part of $3,000,000 Equity Investment, in the amount of $750,000, by purchasing 750 Preferred Class C Shares. Steve Rubakh, CEO of Integrated Ventures, adds the following: "On 01/28/2021, the Company has issued 8K with details, regarding $3,000,000 Equity Investment. The proceeds from $750,000 funding will be used by the Company for mining equipment purchases. Shareholders should be confident that INTV is ready to execute its immediate plans, which include: purchasing mining equipment securing additional power capacity collaborating with PetaWatt Holdings on power distribution and hosting projects." About: Integrated Ventures,Inc is Technology Portfolio Holdings Company with focus on Hosting, Development Of Blockchain Applications and Cryptocurrency Mining. For more details, please visit the Company's website: www.integratedventuresinc.com. Safe Harbor Statement: The information posted in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "plans," "explores," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, and various other factors beyond the company's control. Contact: Steve Rubakh, (215) 613-1111, [email protected] SOURCE Integrated Ventures, Inc EDWARDSVILLE State Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, on Thursday joined other Republicans in a letter to Gov. J.B. Pritzker asking the administration to answer for failures with the ongoing rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, Illinois ranks 47th in overall vaccine distribution, Plummer said. He was joined in the letter by state Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) The local distributor of American firm Novavax said it is hoping COVID-19 vaccine supplies for the country will come sooner than planned, especially with the recently reported 89.3% efficacy rate from a clinical trial in the United Kingdom. Luningning Villa, Faberco Life Sciences medical director, told CNN Philippines' The Final Word on Friday that the interim results of the trial will likely lead to an emergency use authorization grant in the UK. The results yielded a 96% efficacy rate against the original novel coronavirus, and 86% against the variant first detected in the UK, giving an overall efficacy of over 89%. A trial in South Africa, where another variant has been found, also showed a 60% efficacy rate, she added. "We are hoping because of the interim results of the phase three that came earlier, and what we are looking at, we hope that the vaccine supply would come earlier," Villa said. However, she noted that it may also be best to expect the vaccine's arrival in the Philippines in the third quarter. Last month, government officials confirmed that 30 million doses of the Novavax vaccine made at the Serum Institute of India, will arrive in the country by July 2021. Villa said a person needs to be injected with two doses of the Novavax vaccine the second dose after 21 days to get protection from COVID-19. Novavax is also currently conducting a Phase 3 clinical study in the United States and Mexico and a Phase 1/2 continuation in the US and Australia, data from which are expected as soon as early first quarter 2021, CNN reported. ADVERTISEMENT The Nigerian military on Thursday killed many bandits in several air missions it carried out in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi and Chikun local government areas of Kaduna State. The states Commissioner for Security and Homeland Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, stated this in a statement he issued on Thursday. He said the areas covered in the operation included the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road, Buruku, Ungwar Yako, Udawa, Polewire, Crossing Point, Gagafada, Kugu, Kampani Doka, Gwaska, Goron Dutse and adjoining settlements Bandits were spotted with cattle about 9km north of Gidan Audu, and were duly neutralised. This was the same situation just southwest of the same location. More bandits were similarly sighted at Gbakopai and were also neutralised. At the foot of a high ground west of the village, more bandits with cattle were sighted and engaged. Also armed bandits were sighted at Gagafada attempting to cross from Polewire to Kampanin Doka, and were neutralised by the fighter jet crew. At the Gadani area, bandits in a convoy of about 12 motorcycles were sighted crossing the rail line west of Gadani station, and were engaged accordingly. Bandits with herds of cattle were also engaged further west of the same vicinity. Over Kwafe general area, bandits on motorcycles were seen moving out of Kwafe village towards Chikun and were engaged with rounds. The commissioner also said the air force carried out a similar mission in Giwa LGA. A settlement was sighted at Yadi, active with bandits, and was engaged robustly with many bandits neutralised. Gwagwada, Sarkin Pawa, Chikun, Kwafe, Sarkin-Pawa to Polewire, Gidan Audu and adjoining settlements were observed to be calm. Other locations such as Kaduna-Abuja highway, Rijana, Polewire, Kateri, Jere and Zuba were calm with no suspicious activities observed. Governor Nasir El-Rufai noted the report with satisfaction and thanked the crews and troops for the wide-sweeping mission. Mr Aruwan assured residents of the state that further patrols will be conducted in other areas across the state in due course. For at least two years, the San Antonio city development office has routinely given developers every variance they wanted to skirt the tree preservation ordinance, letting them remove thousands of trees without the knowledge of the citys elected leaders. Now thats going to change. Reacting to an investigative report in the San Antonio Express-News, City Manager Erik Walsh has directed staff to be more transparent about any variances to the ordinance given to developers. In an email to Walsh and the City Council on Tuesday, Mike Shannon, director of the citys Development Services Department, promised to track and share all variances to tree preservation rules that are requested and approved, as well as any fines assessed or waived by the city, and any requests for exceptions to the ordinance made by elected officials. I believe this strengthened reporting and documentation will allow us to review our process related to these variances and allow us to make any necessary changes or adjustments if we identify issues in terms of appropriate application and consistency, Shannon wrote. The city decided to change the policy after the newspaper found that developers asked for 206 variances to the tree ordinance in the last two years and that all were granted. The report also revealed how state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, persuaded Shannon to waive a $2,000 fee he was assessed for cutting down a large heritage oak tree without a permit. Shannon now must send Walsh a monthly summary of any variances and fines. And if an elected official requests an exception to the tree ordinance, Shannon must alert the city manager immediately, Walsh said. On ExpressNews.com: Developers allowed to skirt tree ordinance I think it improves awareness, Walsh said. And if we start to see trends or issues that have to be addressed, then theres a heightened awareness about it. But that aside, the tree ordinance is hugely important and has been the source of a lot of debate in this city for a long time. I think that regular report that we can make available and that I can view is important from a management standpoint. Walsh said the impact of the 206 variances was minimal, noting they represented a very small portion of the total tree permits about 10,600 issued by Development Services in the last two years. Its a very small portion of the total number of permits that are issued, and so Im not concerned with that, Walsh said. I think everybodys intention is to live within the tree ordinance and the regulations, and I think the development community does that and I think we administer it that way. More and more trees lost In theory, the tree ordinance is designed to protect all heritage trees large, old-growth trees of 24 inches in diameter or greater and 35 percent of significant trees on a property. Developers who remove more than that must mitigate the loss by paying fees or planting new trees that eventually would provide tree cover of at least 38 percent on the property. A 2010 revision to the ordinance reduced the amount of trees that developers can remove and mitigate on a property from 90 to 80 percent. But the citys development code allows them to request exceptions to this rule. In floodplains or environmentally sensitive areas, where the ordinance requires the preservation of 80 percent of all trees, variances must be approved by the citys Planning Commission. Otherwise, city staff can grant the exceptions. The new tracking requirements pertain to all variances those approved by the Planning Commission as well as staff. On ExpressNews.com: Fewer San Antonio trees preserved Shannon said all requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and that any variances must be justified by hardships facing the developer. He said any exception must still meet the intent of the code. In some cases, staff approved exceptions simply because developers found it difficult to develop a site without removing more trees, the newspapers review of city records found. Some variances allowed the removal of only a few trees and required more eventual tree cover. But others led to the removal of hundreds of trees, contributing to the citys ongoing loss of overall canopy in the last decade. One recent example: On 243 acres known as Davis Ranch near Government Canyon State Natural Area, PulteGroup is developing a subdivision of more than 1,000 lots. In the process, it obtained five exceptions to the ordinance: two of them approved by the Planning Commission and three granted by staff. Davis Ranch is in the citys extraterritorial jurisdiction, which extends development controls 5 miles outside the city limits. For one 32-acre section of the development, city staff approved the preservation of just 9 percent of significant trees on the site, allowing the developer to remove more than 6,600 caliper inches. To make up for the loss, the company agreed to plant four 3-inch trees on each of the sites 156 lots. Mayor Ron Nirenberg welcomed the new policies at Development Services as a boon for oversight and transparency. He also echoed the city managers assessment that the 206 exceptions approved in the last two years were a small fraction of all developments. I hate having to read about trees lost, Nirenberg said. Its unfortunately a very complex situation because Texas is a property rights state. And while there are great things about this, it does mean that most folks have control over their land and their trees. He added, What has been more problematic to our ability to protect trees is the vast acreage of land that is protected under very liberally defined vested property rights. Property rights rule A state law grants property owners exemption from city codes if development plans for the site were filed before the codes were enacted, a so-called vested right. Construction can begin years, even decades later, but the project will fall under the codes in effect at the time of the original filing. The Texas statute allows vesting to transfer between landowners. New owners can dig up plans filed decades ago by past owners to claim exemptions from current rules. Thats how Gutierrez, the state senator, justified cutting down the oak tree on the residential lot he developed. Nonetheless, Gutierrez still should have obtained a tree permit before removing the tree, part of a process to confirm his vested rights. Walsh said it was unlikely the city could wrest more local control over the issue of vested rights, especially in a state that churns up new bills every legislative session attacking local tree ordinances. The reality is were playing defense in protecting what limited authority we have already, Walsh said. State Rep. Ray Lopez, D-San Antonio, echoed that fatalism. Unfortunately, municipalities dont do well at the state, said Lopez, a former council member. The makeup of the (Texas) House today, I just dont see that getting any traction. At the local level, current council members voiced support for Walshs policy changes. So long as the tree ordinance is on the books, its our job to enforce it, said District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez, whose Northwest Side district is often in the crosshairs of new development. Ive requested that, going forward, Development Services individually brief me on all variance applications so that I can verify adherence to the words and the spirit of this law. District 9 Councilman John Courage said he would like the new policies to go even further by requiring Development Services to report variance requests before they are approved. Its not unlike, for example, zoning, Courage said. I want to know. I want my community to know. So I would say thats a relevant report to get to us in advance of approving it, so the community has the same input into protecting their (tree) canopy as they do into protecting their other property rights. San Antonios tree canopy, which is critical to maintaining the citys air and water quality, has shrunk in the past decade. In 2009, American Forests, a Washington-based consultant, found San Antonio had about a 38 percent overall canopy. Using 2017 data inside city limits and 2012 data in the citys extraterritorial jurisdiction, the Texas A&M Forest Service found that San Antonios tree canopy had fallen to about 35 percent. The agency plans to release a more current analysis next month. I can tell you people in our district love their trees, and we want to maintain that canopy, Courage said. Ive probably had more questions about trees and protecting trees in my district than I have had on just about anything else thats come up. DESPITE tough times brought about by Covid-19, IDA Ireland is still aiming for 76 investments in the region over the next few years. As part of this, the job creation agency will construct its own advanced manufacturing centre between now and 2024, as well as upgrading its stock of business parks across the region including the National Technology Park in Plassey. The IDAs manager for the Mid-West region Will Corcoran, who has been in the role for just over a year, said the advanced facility will act as an attractor to bring more companies in. The advanced manufacturing space is a huge win for Limerick and the Mid-West. I think it will help our existing client base to remain competitive, but its a huge thing we can also use to attract companies who want to be close to the advanced manufacturing centre, and have the ability to leverage the technology and the training it will bring, he said. The IDA Ireland is also looking to identify a strategic site in an as-yet-unidentified location in the region. We are lucky we have a good supply of high-quality landbanks across the region. We, as an agency, are always looking to replenish these, said Mr Corcoran. One criticism levelled at the IDA in the past is that nowadays in Ireland, the majority of jobs and investments it secures are aimed at the graduate market. However, Mr Corcoran points out that for every new investment, there are often a lot of unseen positions. While we look at the direct employment, you must also look at the indirect employment. That sub-supply base of companies which provide parts, components into these industries. There is a huge knock-on effect. In more normal times, the impact these FDI companies have in terms of bringing their executive leadership teams in, doing training. Theyre obviously booking hotels, having dinners, and the knock-on effect of spending impacts staff in the community, he explained. Mr Corcoran added: I know from speaking to heads of sites, they are conscious of that. They want to buy local and support local companies as part of their supply chain. _______________________________ Tell us a little about your role with IDA Ireland? In my capacity as regional manager for the Mid-West, Id look after Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. Its a huge honour to have that responsibility. Essentially myself and my team support our existing client base in the region. We work with our overseas teams and operational teams to attract the next wave of investment. IDA Ireland has offices right across the world, from Shanghai to Sydney to the Silicon Valley. Ive spent just shy of 10 years in California, so I understand the work my colleagues do in terms of knocking on doors and creating that first chance to pitch Ireland and getting things to land in the Mid-West. I aim to present Limerick and the Mid-West in the best light it can be presented. How did it feel to be offered the role of mid-western regional manager? I have been in this role for just over a year. I think it was the last day of September 2019 when I officially started. It is a huge honour. Youd understand there would be challenging days as well as good days. But what attracted me to it was that opportunity to create input and particularly in the Mid-West, the region where Im from. I am from Tipperary, I went to college in the University of Limerick. Ive many close friends in Co Clare, so the opportunity to have impact close to home means a lot to me. Where were you born and raised? I'm from Silvermines, and now I am living in Ballina. What is your educational background? I studied law and European Studies at the University of Limerick. I have to say, I loved my time there. A beautiful green campus. I had the opportunity to take part in the co-operative education programme which is a huge advantage to the region. I did that within the universitys co-op and careers department. I had a law background with German and sociology. I decided to progress that a bit further, so I did the New York Bar exam to internationalist my legal qualification. How did you get to where you are today? From there, I joined Enterprise Ireland on its graduate programme. That helped indigenous companies on how they could access the US market. I spent the guts of the last decade in the USA, initially with Enterprise Ireland. With them, I was helping Irish companies try to break into the US market. Then I joined one of these companies, Iquate, to help it set up operations on the West Coast. I had good fun in enterprise and sales before I joined IDA Ireland. What attracted you to this role? Even before I joined IDA Ireland, I would have seen some of the IDA overseas colleagues in action. I was always impressed at how polished and driven they were. Like anything in life, if there is a good mission behind it, and our mission is trying to attract inward investment for the betterment of Ireland and our community, I think thats a really strong mission. There is never an issue with motivation where youre in a role where you can have impact like that. I feel really lucky and privileged to be back home in this role. How has IDA Ireland responded to the Covid-19 pandemic? We have had a period between 2015 to 2019 of overall sustained growth. There are always challenges along the way. There will always be one industry struggling or a particular sector thats having a tough time. At the time in 2019, we were looking at challenges like trade tensions, Brexit, things like how the workforce can adapt to future talent needs of companies. Of course Covid-19 wouldnt have been on my radar in September 2019. That's obviously had a huge overall impact both as an agency, and for our clients that we represent and support. The very immediate impact would have been companies looking at their own supply chain on the demand, and also on the supply side, quickly followed by their own workforce. How have you responded to the lack of Foreign Direct Investment visits? We have shifted our focus, and been able to host virtual itineraries of companies. In business and life, who would you look up to? I think Barry OSullivan at Johnson and Johnson, for what hes achieved there in terms of building out the plant. Its incredibly impressive. More so than what hes achieved there, but he has a huge desire to help the wider business community. There is a huge sense of community, and its an advantage in the region that we do come together and work on problems. Away from work, what are your pastimes and hobbies? I love watching hurling. As a Tipperary man, its not been a great 2020! But its good to see the prizes spread around a little bit. Its a pleasure being able to watch all the great entertainment it provides. Even being home, the ability to go up Keeper Hill and Moylussa, and the Ballyhouras and the Galtee Mountains. Weve a huge amount on our doorstep. I hope its something we can really appreciate out of Covid-19. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close It was not a great week for Zak Kirkup and the Liberal Party. Announcing an uncosted project to sink the City West rail line on a cost-neutral basis that was smashed by the government and having a sitting MP in a marginal seat caught speeding were not ideal. WA Opposition Leader Zak Kirkup at an election campaign announcement with party powerbroker Nick Goiran looking on. Credit:WA Liberal Party The failure of the party to properly vet a COVID-19 conspiracy-peddling candidate in a pandemic-driven election is close to catastrophic. Despite former Baldivis candidate Andrea Tokaji having an easy-to-find article sitting online since April last year linking the rollout of 5G towers and COVID-19 spread, and a series of personal social media posts supporting conspiracy theories, the Liberal Party was none the wiser until Wednesday afternoon. What do you get when you combine Lizzo, Margaret Thatcher and a funeral scene? Plenty of ties to Michigan, it turns out. For evidence, check out this video posted to Instagram by Academy Award-winning actress Olivia Coleman taken in between takes on the set of Netflixs hit drama The Crown. In the video, the cast is seen doing a choreographed dance to Good as Hell, a hit song recorded by Detroit musician Lizzo. Gillian Anderson, who plays former Prime Minister of the U.K. Margaret Thatcher in season four of the show, is also seen in the video. Anderson was born in Chicago, moved to London as a child and then came to Grand Rapids when she was 11, eventually attending City High Middle School. During a recent appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Anderson said the dance was shot while the cast was filming a funeral season before the COVID-19 pandemic, noting it was Coleman idea. Olivia apparently does a dance class in the area she lives with a bunch of friends on a regular basis, Anderson said. Last time they did a class they danced to that Lizzo song and asked if we would be interested in doing it. She said she would share it only with her friends, the other dancers, so it was never meant to see the light of day. RELATED: Gillian Anderson talks mental health struggles with The Guardian Apparently, Coleman, who plays Queen Elizabeth II on the hit show, was lying, because the video has been making its way across the internet and on late night talk shows since she posted it to social media. So humiliating, the look on my face, Anderson said with a laugh. Theres such delight and shame. Anderson spent the rest of the interview, which you can see below, talking about what its like to portray a complex and controversial woman like Thatcher, the acting techniques shes using to embody the Iron Lady and why her kids arent allowed to follow her on Instagram. Other than portraying Thatcher, Anderson is also known for her roles as Special Agent Dana Scully in The X-Files and as sex therapist Jean Milburn in the Netflix comedy-drama Sex Education. Integrated in October 2020 at ArianeGroup in Bremen, Germany, this hot-firing model of the complete Ariane 6 upper stage is fully operational having undergone extensive functional tests. Its new reignitable Vinci engine is connected to two liquid hydrogen and oxygen tanks and is equipped with all lines, valves and electronic and hydraulic instrumentation and control systems. Credit: ArianeGroup/ Frank T. Koch / Hill Media GmbH The first complete upper stage of Europe's new Ariane 6 launch vehicle has left ArianeGroup in Bremen and is now on its way to the DLR German Aerospace Center in Lampoldshausen, Germany. Hot firing tests performed in near-vacuum conditions, mimicking the environment in space, will provide data to prove its readiness for flight. Integrated in October last year at ArianeGroup in Bremen, Germany, this 'hot-firing model' of the complete upper stage is fully operational having undergone extensive functional tests. Its new reignitable Vinci engine is connected to two liquid hydrogen and oxygen tanks and is equipped with all lines, valves and electronic and hydraulic instrumentation and control systems. On board a barge departing from Neustadt port in Bremen on 29 January, the upper stage will journey to BadWimpfen and then be taken by road to Lampoldshausen. The DLR German Aerospace Center has already tested Ariane 6's Vinci engine and Vulcain 2.1 liquid propulsion engines. The complete upper stage will be installed on the new P5.2 test stand. Inside this facility all aspects of the flight are simulated including stage preparation such as the fuelling or draining of its tanks. The building has platforms that give engineers access to all parts of the stage. After final preparations, a countdown marks the start of the test. Central control room Operations inside the P5.2 testing facility are monitored from a remote central control room. During this campaign of tests, the Vinci engine will be ignited up to four times in order to gather data describing the behaviour of the whole upper stage when the Vinci engine is running. Tests will also provide data on non-propulsive ballistic phases, tank pressurisation to increase performance, Vinci reignitions, exhaust nozzle maneuvers, ending with passivation where all remaining internal energy is removed. Weekly tests will typically last 18 hours each. "We have reached another milestone in the Ariane 6 roadmap to flight. Seeing the elements of Ariane 6 coming together is very exciting. With the upcoming hot-firing tests of the complete upper stage we will gain valuable insights into the technical heart of this new European launch vehicle," commented Daniel Neuenschwander, ESA Director of Space Transportation. Karl-Heinz Servos, COO at ArianeGroup, added: "Completion of this stage for the first hot-fire tests is a major step for Ariane 6, for Germany and for European space as a whole." Walther Pelzer, Head of the German Space Agency at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), commented: "With the first Ariane 6 upper stage hot-fire testing at the new P5.2 test facility at the DLR site at Lampoldshausen, we are now one more vital step closer to Ariane 6's maiden flight." Meanwhile, a further two Ariane 6 complete upper stages are being integrated by ArianeGroup. The Combined Tests Model is intended for tests of the launch vehicle and the launch base at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, and the Flight Model 1 is intended for the inaugural flight of Ariane 6. Ariane 6 will be capable of carrying out all types of missions to all orbits thanks to its multiple reignition capability and modular design. With two versions: Ariane 62, fitted with two P120C boosters, and Ariane 64, with four, this new launch vehicle further extends and secures Europe's independent access to space. Explore further Ariane 6's core engine completes qualification tests Sun Pharmaceuticals posted a 9.2 percent year on year rise in consolidated sales from operations in the December quarter to Rs 8,782 crore, the highest ever quarterly sales posted by the company, while its net profit grew by 102.8 per cent to Rs 1,852 crore. The India sales grew by 9.4 per cent to Rs 2,753 crore while the US finished dosage sales came in at $374 mn, up 7 per cent YoY. The Ebitda was up 36.3 per cent over last year same period to Rs 2,351 crore with a resulting Ebitda margin of 26.8 per cent. Asserting that the market is gradually recovering from the impact of the global pandemic Dilip Shanghvi, Managing Director, Sun Pharmaceuticals, pointed out, Most of our businesses have done well over Q3 last year. Our global specialty sales have continued to show an improving trend and have crossed pre-Covid levels. Global Ilumya sales for nine months ended December 2020 have already crossed last full years sales. He added that for the December quarter the global specialty revenues were at $148 mn across markets. Branded formulations business in India, which accounts for 31 per cent of total sales, grew by 9.4 per cent to Rs 2,753 crore. holds an 8.2 per cent market share in the Rs 1.45 trillion Indian pharma market and the company launched 27 new products in the December quarter. Kirti Ganorkar, head of India business, Sun Pharmaceuticals said that the growth in acute has started. It is still lagging due to lower patient footfall in the doctor clinics. The footfall is not yet normalised and is around 70-72 per cent of pre-Covid levels. ALSO READ: Markets see worst weekly setback since May, Sensex off 7.8% from peak As for the US business, including Taro, the sales were up 7 per cent YoY. US is a major market for accounting for about 31 per cent of its consolidated sales. For a nine-month period, the US sales showed a decline of 11 per cent as previous year's numbers included a one-time contribution from special business. Taro posted a 5.1 per cent decline in sales in the December quarter to $140 mn while its net profit was down by 51.2 per cent to $33 million. For the nine month period, sales were $401 million, down by 14.7 per cent over nine month last year. Excluding the one-time settlement charge of $478.9 million, adjusted net profit for 9mFY21 was $107 million compared to $190 million in 9mFY20. Taros reported net loss for 9MFY21 was $357 million. R&D investments at Rs 560 crore was around 6.4 per cent of sales compared to Rs 527 crore or 6.6 per cent of sales for Q3FY20. Specialty R&D accounted for 27 per cent of the total R&D spend during the quarter. The company has repaid debt of about $490 million in 9MFY21. There was a forex gain of Rs 72 crore during the quarter as against a forex loss of about Rs 116 crore in Q2. Emerging markets clocked a 4.7 per cent growth in December quarter. For Q3FY21, external sales of API were at Rs 450 crore, down 10.5 per cent over Q3 last year. "Our API business imparts benefits of vertical integration and continuity of supply chain for our formulations business. We continue to focus on increasing API supply for captive consumption for key products," said in the statement. Consolidated R&D investment for Q3FY21 was Rs 560 crore, or 6.4 per cent of sales as compared to Rs 527 crore (6.6 per cent of sales) for Q3 last year. Filings for 90 ANDAs await US FDA approval, including 22 tentative approvals. A documentary about the Tuskegee Airmen is coming to The History Channel. Tuskegee Airmen: Legacy of Courage will air on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. central. Executive produced and narrated by Good Morning America anchor and Alabama native Robin Roberts, the hour-long documentary will explore history the legacy and impact of Americas first Black military pilots and how their significant contributions to this country inspired the next generation of activists and leaders pushing for racial equality and civic change, according to a press release. In addition to both archival and exclusive footage, the film will also feature personal anecdotes from Roberts, whose father was a Tuskegee Airman, as well as interviews with Airmen including fighter pilot Gen. Charles McGee, Lt. Colonel James Harvey and the late Franklin J. Macon, who died in November. "Tuskeegee Airmen: Legacy of Courage" premieres on the History channel on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. CST (Courtesy: The History Channel) A slate of activists and politicians will also give commentary, including Tamika Mallory, Reverend Al Sharpton, and Andrew Young. Actors Elijah Kelley and Tristan Wilds of Red Tails, the 2012 feature film about the band of military pilots and airmen, will also be featured in the documentary. The legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen is one that I hold extremely close to my heart, and I am thrilled to partner with The History Channel to tell their stories, said Roberts in the same press release. My father, Colonel Lawrence E. Roberts, was a Tuskegee Airman, and their service helped pave the way for the Civil Rights Movement and contributed to the end of segregation in the military. On Feb. 1, in celebration of Black History Month, The History Channel will launch a special iteration of its Save Our History campaign by spotlighting everyday heroes whose contributions have shaped Black history. Save Our History is an ongoing public outreach project dedicated to preserving history and historic sites nationwide. Roberts will kick off the February campaign by sharing her personal stories about her father. RELATED: US Mint to honor Tuskegee Airmen with special quarter Ted Lumpkin, original Tuskegee Airman, dies from COVID-19 at 100 Air Force football will honor Tuskegee Airmen on uniforms vs. Navy Tuskegee Airman dies at 99, days before ceremony honoring his service New Delhi, Jan 29 : The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre why it was not possible to give a one-time relaxation to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) aspirants, when relaxations have been given earlier. A bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar said: "It is just a one-time relaxation. If it is done before, why not this time." The bench asked how many candidates would come into the fray if one-time concession is made and secondly, since the beginning, how many times the UPSC have given relaxation of this nature. The bench posed these queries to Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju and sought reply Monday next week. The top court stressed that it was not asking the Centre to increase the age-limit for the civil services exam, instead exploring the possibility of one-time relaxation, for those candidates who have exhausted all attempts to take the exam. On Thursday, the top court had pulled up the Centre for filing an affidavit, in response to petitions by civil services aspirants seeking extra chance, which did not disclose the level of the decision-making for its stand. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), in an affidavit, told the apex court that civil services aspirants who have exhausted all their attempts in the exams held in October last year, should not be given an extra attempt. The top court expressed its dissatisfaction at the affidavit not having any information at which this decision has been taken by the government. The affidavit said: "It may be noted that providing an extra attempt could further have a cascading effect by creating a ground for challenge on part of those candidates who have already appeared for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination-2020. "Accommodating the present petitioners would create a cascading effect detrimental to the overall functioning and level playing field necessary to be provided in any public examination system." The bench told the Centre's counsel it preferred the affidavit should have been filed by a high-ranking official, and the decision should have been taken at the highest level. "It is a policy decision and a one-time exemption," it said, asking the Centre's counsel to file the affidavit properly. The Centre had emphasized that the contention by the petitioners, who moved the top court through advocate Anushree Prashit Kapadia, that their preparation was hampered due to the stress caused by the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, does not hold weight as the UPSC had already given extra time to the candidates by postponing the CS (Preliminary) Examination-2020 from May 31, 2020 to October 4, 2020. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text A minor IED blast took place near the Israeli Embassy in the heart of Lutyens' Delhi on Friday evening, police said. No one was injured. Some cars were damaged in the blast in the very high-security zone. READ | 'Blast near Israeli embassy in Delhi being investigated as an attempted terrorist attack'; all airports and govt buildings on alert The explosion took place on a day when India and Israel marked the completion of the 29th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations. The Israeli mission in Delhi said, "We are working with Indian authorities to find the perpetrators and the motive behind this attack. The incident happened on the 29th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries." Delhi Police Additional PRO Anil Mittal said initial impressions suggest that it could be a mischievous attempt to create a sensation. Delhi Police chief S N Shrivastava said that the force has registered a case and its Special Cell has started investigating the matter. The blast took place when President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were present a few kilometres away at the Beating Retreat ceremony at the culmination of the Republic Day celebrations. The Israeli mission said, "We are working with Indian authorities to find the perpetrators and the motive behind this attack. There was an explosion outside the Israeli embassy in New Delhi. There were no injuries, and all of our staff are safe at home. We are working with Indian authorities to find the perpetrators and the motive behind this attack. The incident happened on the 29th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called his Israeli counterpart, Gabi Ashkenazi, and assured him that the Indian authorities are committed to the security of all Israeli diplomatic staff and will continue to act resolutely to locate those involved in the explosion. Israeli Foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi thanked Jaishankar and promised full cooperation and any help required from Israel. Alon Ushpiz, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, and India's foreign secretary Harsh Shringla, also spoke and agreed to cooperate. When Mary Nyekuola first returned to South Sudan after fleeing conflict four years ago, she wept. The land she left behind had been occupied and her husband had died while a refugee in Khartoum after a long illness. She had to start from scratch, but still, it felt good to be back. I had mixed feelings. It was painful but at the same time I was happy to be home, she said as she spread a mat on the ground outside her sisters house in Bentiu, a small town in Unity State near the border with Sudan. Mary is among some 350,000 South Sudanese refugees who have returned from countries of asylum since 2017, encouraged by news from friends and family that peace is slowly returning to their country. The 30-year-old mother lives with a disability and moves around with the aid of a wheelchair and her niece. Her young children sometimes push her along an uneven, dry and dusty path to look for water. I had mixed feelings ... but at the same time I was happy to be home." When I left, it was because I could not walk and I would not have been able to run from fighting, but things are better now, she said. South Sudan became the youngest nation in 2011 after decades of war, but plunged back into conflict in 2013. More than four million South Sudanese have been displaced across the region and within their own country in one of Africas largest displacement crises. A renewed agreement on the resolution of the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan signed in September 2018 by warring parties cautiously revived hopes of long-term stability, a necessity for lasting solutions to displacement, including return and local integration. Visiting the country to observe the opportunities and challenges of the fragile peace process, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi met with government officials, refugees, internally displaced people, host communities and those who have recently returned, like Mary. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and UNHCR staff meet with South Sudanese returnees in Bentiu. UNHCR/Andreea Campeanu South Sudanese returnee, widow, and mother of four, Mary Nyekuola, sits outside a shelter in Bentiu. UNHCR/Andreea Campeanu Mary Nyekuola outside a shelter in Bentiu. UNHCR/Andreea Campeanu South Sudanese returnees take a bus from Khartoum in Sudan, to Bentiu in South Sudan. UNHCR/Andreea Campeanu A South Sudanese returnee mother and child take a bus from Khartoum in Sudan, to Bentiu in South Sudan. UNHCR/Andreea Campeanu "We have seen an increase in numbers of people returning, there has been a decline during the peak of the pandemic but now it is picking up again, he said. At Panakuach, a border point between Sudan and South Sudan, he met returning refugees traveling in buses packed high with beds, mattresses and other belongings accumulated during their time in Khartoum, Sudans capital. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is not promoting or facilitating return to South Sudan, but Grandi urged more and urgent strategic thinking by the government and partners to help returnees and the communities they settle in live in safety and dignity, with greater security and services. There is a slow paradigm shift linked to the peace process to a better situation, but the challenges are enormous authorities must firmly commit to security, rule of law and good governance. Grandi also called for the international community to help strengthen development efforts to make sure schools, health services and work opportunities are serving the people. Years of conflict in South Sudan have severely damaged basic infrastructures and stretched humanitarian aid. He called for special attention to be paid to the security and needs of the countrys women, like Mary, who have borne the brunt of horrific violence and trauma during the countrys civil war. Women have suffered enough in this country, said Grandi. We met many women who told us they are the ones who are leading their families back to returning home, theyre the ones who need more reassurance about security, about education of the children, about health and about their own livelihoods, wondering how they will live. The High Commissioners visit comes at a time of gathering momentum for a push by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to identify lasting solutions for some seven million forcibly displaced people originating from and within South Sudan and Sudan. Grandi also praised South Sudans open-door policy for refugees and the continued display of generosity and solidarity toward the nearly 300,000 refugees currently present on its soil, especially at a time when the country is experiencing enormous socio-economic, security and political challenges. Women have suffered enough in this country." The coronavirus pandemic has further deepened the plight of people fleeing war, conflict and persecution and vulnerable South Sudanese, and UNHCRs humanitarian support will continue. Asked whether she is concerned that conflict could return to her hometown, Mary says she worries, but for now is willing to take a chance. She wants to start a business so she can take care of her family and needs capital. If I am given a tea shop with items like sugar, sweets and others, my niece and I can run the shop. (Natural News) After spending the better part of last year cheering on big tech as it systematically censored and deplatformed conservative personalities from social media websites, many prominent leftist accounts on Twitter and YouTube are now getting suspended. Facebook and Twitter have gone on a deplatforming spree, suspending many accounts of prominent left-wing groups and personalities. This includes socialist student organizations and several accounts used by the radical anarcho-communist group Antifa. Many of these pages had thousands or tens of thousands of followers. According to OANN, there has been speculation that the wave of suspensions is a consequence of the violent riots that erupted in Portland following the inauguration of President Joe Biden. Independent journalist and Antifa expert Andy Ngo called the move by Twitter too little too late. I wonder why they didnt act when we were at the height of the violent riots across the U.S. that lasted for months, he added. (Related: Google data suggests Black Lives Matter is terrorism, a violent election tool, BLM/Antifa useful idiots get buyers remorse.) According to Ngo, some of the other radical leftist Twitter accounts that have been suspended include The Base, an Antifa extremist center and far-left bookstore based out of Brooklyn; the Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement and its Twitter account for its cell in New York City, an organization that calls for the release of all prisoners and the dismantling of the criminal justice system; and Jewish Worker, a far-left Jewish man who identifies as a socialist and an anti-Zionist. Facebook turns on the left, shutting down socialist pages Facebook has also suspended multiple accounts and pages belonging to far-left groups and personalities in the U.S. as well as overseas. One of the latter is the page of the Socialist Workers Party, a revolutionary socialist and communist political party in the United Kingdom, along with its student wing, the Socialist Workers Student Society. The pages of the World Socialist Web Site, a far-left Trotskyist news site based out of Michigan, and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality chapter based out of Michigan were also banned. The account of Genevieve Leigh, the national secretary of the IYSSE in the United States, was also suspended. Unfortunately, these accounts have since been restored, with a spokesperson from Facebook saying that the pages were accidentally removed from the website due to an automation error. Facebook did not provide any further details other than saying that it apologizes for the error. The big tech company has also not responded to any media requests for clarifications regarding what the automation error was, how it occurred and why it only affected the accounts and pages of several notable left-wing groups and personalities. The socialists who run the pages are furious at the supposed bias against left-wing voices. Far-left activists said that Facebook has a pattern of deliberately trying to undermine their voices. The Socialist Workers Partys evidence for this supposed bias is that several accounts belonging to activists affiliated with the party were shut down in error last December. Some of the accounts that were suspended include the personal account of Niles Niemuth, the World Socialist Web Sites managing editor and the 2016 vice presidential candidate of the revolutionary socialist and Trotskyist Socialist Equality Party. They dont even provide means by which you can recover your account, said David North, chairman of the World Socialist Web Sites editorial board. Its like the police storming in and seizing everything you have. North is uncertain of how many accounts were affected. He is further concerned that this wave of suspensions may not be the last that he and other socialists on Facebook have to deal with. Even though this particular ban has been [reversed], its a warning we dont know what might come next. Chris Marsden, national secretary of the British Socialist Equality Party believes that Facebook has far too much influence for them to be deplatforming anyone they wish. Social media is privately owned but to all intents and purposes its what used to be the market square, he said. Theyre using their power in a way thats completely undemocratic. This is one of the first times leftists have raised concerns regarding bias in Facebook. On the contrary, Facebook is usually accused of anti-conservative bias, most recently after it followed Twitters footsteps and suspended the account of former president Donald Trump indefinitely. Facebook justified this by arguing, without evidence, that Trump attempted to use his supporters to incite an insurrection, and that his continued presence on the website may lead to further violence. Learn more about the latest actions of far-left organizations like those listed above and their allies in Antifa by reading the latest articles at AntifaWatch.news. According to Facebook, Sources include: OANN.com Twitter.com FT.com Fred T. Korematsu honored as Asian American Civil Rights pioneer Fred T. Korematsu honored as Asian American Civil Rights pioneer January 29, 2021 Contact: Vicki Levengood 517-775-0558 or Beata Kica 517-614-9773 The Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission (MAPAAC) and Michigan Civil Right Commission (MCRC) join Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in recognizing Fred T. Korematsu for his contributions to civil rights and his dedication to justice and equality by proclaiming January 30, 2021 as Fred Korematsu Day. On January 30, 1919, Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland, California, to Japanese immigrants. In 1942, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States Army issued a curfew order against Americans of Japanese descent on the West Coast, who were considered to pose a threat to national security. At the young age of 23, Korematsu refused to abide by the governments order. He was convicted of violating the order but appealed his case, taking it to the Supreme Court. On December 18, 1944, in Korematsu v. United States the Supreme Court affirmed Korematsus conviction and ruled that the exclusion and detention of Japanese Americans was constitutionally protected under the war powers of Congress and the President of the United States. Nearly 40 years after the landmark Korematsu decision, Professor Peter Irons and Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga discovered secret documents that revealed that the government had hidden facts from the Supreme Court. The documents discovered indicated that the ordering of the internment of Japanese Americans in the name of national security was based on a lie. This new development allowed Fred Korematsu to appeal his case in 1983 a case which he won. Fred Korematsus tireless efforts were significant in the struggle for civil rights for all people, earning him a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton in 1998. We are honored to recognize Fred T. Korematsu for his courage and achievements as a role model for Asians Pacific Americans civil rights, MAPAAC Chair Ayesha Ghazi Edwin said. He stood up and spoke out against discrimination and promoted racial equality. His legacy serves as an example for all Americans. Fred Korematsus life, from the moment he refused to go to an incarceration camp to the day he received the nations highest civilian honor, is a lesson in commitment, resolve and dedication to what is right, said Stacie Clayton, Chair of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. He never wavered in his pursuit of justice even as decades passed, courts ruled against him and memories faded. The lesson of Fred Korematsus life is this: standing up for justice and equity may not lead to immediate change, but your actions will inspire others and build momentum to overcome obstacles that once seemed unscalable. Fred Korematsu stands today as a true hero of the civil rights movement. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has designated January 30, 2021 as Fred Korematsu Day in his honor. It is also known as the Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, celebrated annually on his birthday. Hawaii, Virginia and Florida have also established a day of recognition in honor of Fred Korematsus fight for justice and the importance of upholding our civil liberties and the Constitution. The Michigan Civil Rights Commission was created by the Michigan Constitution to safeguard constitutional and legal guarantees against discrimination. The Commission is charged with investigating alleged discrimination against any person because of religion, race, color or national origin, genetic information, sex, age, marital status, height, weight, arrest record, and physical and mental disability. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights serves as the operational arm of the Commission. Learn more about MCRC at www.michigan.gov/MDCR. MAPAAC works to advance the full and equal participation of Asian Pacific Americans in the building of a greater Michigan. Learn more about MAPAAC at www.michigan.gov/MAPAAC A person living in West Virginia is almost twice as likely to have gotten a COVID-19 vaccine than a person in Alabama. The same goes for Connecticut, New Mexico and North Dakota. Alaskans are more than twice as likely to have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. For people in Alabama, checking the national COVID vaccine statistics has been an exercise in frustration, as Alabama in January hovered near or at the very bottom of state rankings in terms of percentage of the population vaccinated and percentage of doses received that have been administered. The Alabama Department of Public Health has urged patience. Its working to distribute vaccine to various clinics and pharmacies around the state that are able to give shots to patients. They say there are data reporting issues and that the state has administered more doses than the federal stats show. State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris last week highlighted miscommunications and a lack of information from the federal government that has made the rollout more challenging. Alabama this week began taking doses back from sites that didnt distribute them fast enough. But last is still last. Other states have also experienced data reporting issues, and every state has had to navigate the murky waters of an uncertain federal vaccine rollout. Most have done so more efficiently than Alabama. Heres what other states are doing that Alabama isnt. West Virginia sets the pace West Virginia has been the surprising poster child for an efficient vaccine rollout. As of Jan. 27, West Virginia had administered 77% of the doses it had received from the federal stockpile. About 9.5% of West Virginians have received at least their first dose of vaccine. More than 2.5% of the population has received a second dose, per CDC stats. West Virginias state vaccine dashboard shows even higher numbers. The only states with similar ratios are Alaska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, which all have fewer than 1 million people. Alabama, with nearly 5 million residents, has given out about 42 percent of its doses, with 4.7% of its population getting at least their first dose. West Virginia is also far ahead of the rest of the country on vaccinating nursing homes. Residents and staff at every nursing home in the state got the opportunity to get their first doses of vaccine by Dec. 30. Health experts attribute West Virginias early nursing home successes to its decision to reject a federal program administered through CVS and Walgreens and instead use local pharmacies. That allowed those pharmacies then to move on to other segments of the population, where they already had close ties with the communities and were able to administer vaccines to people who already knew and trusted them. Tinglong Dai, an associate professor of healthcare operations management at Johns Hopkins University, wrote in a recent post that West Virginia had a numbers advantage. The federal program with CVS and Walgreens used 1,000 pharmacies to administer the vaccine to 25,000 nursing homes across the country. But in West Virginia, 250 local pharmacies were able to offer first doses to the states 214 nursing homes before January. Thats more than one pharmacy per nursing home rather than 25 nursing homes to every pharmacy. West Virginia has also been praised for preparing for its rollout before the first shipments arrived. When it got here, we already had pharmacies matched with long-term care facilities, so we were already ready to have vaccinators and pharmacists ready to go into those facilities and start providing first doses, Krista Capehart, director of regulation for West Virginias Board of Pharmacy and chief architect of its distribution plan told NPR. The state also offers online pre-registration for people anywhere in the state to sign up to be notified when they are eligible to receive the vaccine. The state encourages every West Virginian to pre-register and then offers a weekly list of vaccine clinics across the state for those who are eligible with instructions on how to make appointments. The rollout has not been flawless. One county health department was pulled from the provider list after mistakenly giving 42 people a COVID antibody treatment rather than the actual vaccine. And as with anywhere, the state does not have enough doses to offer the vaccine to everyone. But many health experts cite West Virginia as the clear leader in COVID vaccine rollout. West Virginia is about at the top of the charts, Dr. Mark McClellan, a former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, told The New York Times. We need to get more states to the point that they have the vaccination capacity of West Virginia. Online tool boosts New Mexicos efforts New Mexico has been spotlighted for efficiencies in vaccine rollout, generally ranking in the top five on the CDC dashboard in terms of distribution and percentage of the population thats been vaccinated. As of Jan. 27, New Mexico had administered 71% of the doses it received and 8.4% of the population had received at least one dose. Local media in New Mexico report that the state was the first to launch a statewide vaccine registration website, where any resident can sign up to receive the vaccine, and state officials pointed to the online component as an important element of success. That website also helped at a recent vaccine clinic in the state that had about 100 no-shows. According to reports, the state was able to fill those 100 vacant slots by sending out alerts to people who had registered on the website and no doses were wasted. In New Mexico, weve got 200 providers enrolled in our system and you as a user dont have to communicate with any of them, New Mexico Department of Health Spokesperson Matt Bieber told KRQE news in Albuquerque. All you have to do is register for a vaccine and we let you know when there is a dose available for you at a location in your area, so it just simplifies the whole process. Alabama has repeatedly promised to create an online vaccine portal, but it has not yet launched. It offers a statewide hotline for vaccine appointments for eligible groups, but that hotline has continued to experience crippling volumes of calls since it was launched on Jan. 8 and many people report frustrating experiences of repeatedly calling the line to receive busy signals. Jefferson County, the most populous in Alabama, does offer an online notification tool where people in the Birmingham area can sign up to be notified when they are eligible to receive the vaccine. But every county in Alabama is different and most do not offer local registration online. Neighboring states offer vaccine to more groups Alabama is currently one of only eight states that is restricting vaccine opportunities to people over age 75, health care workers and emergency first responders. Mississippi and Georgia arent far ahead of Alabama in terms of what percentage of the population has been vaccinated, but some Alabama residents have been crossing state lines to get vaccinated because they offer the vaccine to more people. Florida also offers the vaccine to people age 65 and over but is prohibiting out-of-state residents from receiving the early doses. In Tennessee, distribution varies by county, but many counties are also offering vaccines to people 65 and older. And other states have elected to give the vaccine out to populations by factors. In Maryland, Oregon and North Dakota, K-12 education and child-care workers are now eligible to get the vaccine. In New Mexico, people with certain medical conditions over age 16 are eligible. Looking to the future Regardless of how quickly the states are distributing the vaccine doses they have, no state has enough to go around. Even high-performing states like West Virginia and New Mexico have seen plenty of frustration from people who are not able to get the vaccine. For most Americans, its still a waiting game. Theres some hope that the shortage will be eased in the coming weeks and months. The Biden Administration increased weekly shipments to states this week and has begun giving them a three-week schedule to know how many doses are coming, instead of a one-week schedule. Alabama will receive about 10,000 more doses per week of the Moderna vaccine for the next three weeks. Harris said the state will announce plans to distribute those doses later today. Were going to try to deploy those as quickly as we possibly can in a large scale way, Harris said Thursday. But for now, the shortage remains. Any margin of increase is appreciated, but we have a long way to go to be able to provide them to any Alabamian who wants one, Gov. Kay Ivey said in a news release this week. Along with Dr. Harris, Ill continue to advocate to our federal partners that we must be more efficient in shipping these to the states in order for us to get shots in arms. With 9.10 we pave the way to further future-proof the Dynamicweb platform for ecommerce, product and marketing managers and developers by introducing new, and deepening existing functionalities. Dynamicweb, a leading eCommerce, PIM and Digital Experience Platform software provider in the mid-size and enterprise industry, announced today the launch of Dynamicweb 9.10. With 9.10 we pave the way to further future-proof the Dynamicweb platform for ecommerce, product and marketing managers and developers by introducing new, and deepening existing functionalities, shares Nicolai Pedersen, co-founder and CTO. Creating the foundation for a future-proof platform Enter Headless and .NET Standard. To empower Dynamicweb customers and partners in offering the best possible commerce experience we are releasing a new WebAPI which makes it possible to deliver a Headless experience. Dynamicweb has moved its core to .NET Standard as a major milestone on our transition to .NET 5 - Microsofts brand new technology. This allows for developers to already target this new technology stack. This technical transformation ensures that organizations buy into a foundation that is future proof and scalable. Introducing new and improved functionality The latest release of Dynamicweb helps organizations create a better commerce experience, through: A new GDSN / GS1 connector that makes it possible to fetch product data within the GDSN network A Significantly improved the Customer Center, driving repeat purchases and self-service An improved recommendation engine that will push an increase in average shopping cart value and improved the overall commerce experience And many more... Further strengthening our Microsoft ERP integrations As ERP plays a key role in (B2B) eCommerce, and the deep integration that Dynamicweb has with the Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions we are introducing the support of OData. This support paves the way to make integration to customized ERP solutions even easier and less resource dependent. We upgraded the Dynamicweb Plug-In Unit for Business Central and Finance & Operations following the update schedule of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Wave 2 Release 2020. Furthermore, we created a new and improved integration plugin for LS Retail Unified Commerce (LS Central) with templates and integration add-ins that allow you to out-of-the-box populate your existing Dynamicweb eCommerce environment with a click of the button. Availability Dynamicweb 9.10 is globally available today. As this is a transitional release it is focused on improving and stabilizing existing features while finishing the conversion and refactoring of the core project to future-proof the Dynamicweb technology. About Dynamicweb Dynamicweb offers a cloud-based Digital Experience Platform. We enable customers to deliver better digital customer experiences and to scale ecommerce success through our Content Management, Digital Marketing, Ecommerce, and Product Information Management solutions. Dynamicwebs 300+ partners, 200+ employees in offices all around the globe are proud to support well over 4.000 brands, which includes leading brands like Lego Wear, Vredestein, Unilever, Winnebago, LOreal, Flying Tiger, Toyota, Europcar and Skanska. Built on Dynamicweb, these customers are empowered to gain lifelong customer relations, increase revenue and grow their brands. Learn more at Dynamicweb.com. Retired Army Lt. Col. Daniel L. Davis is a senior fellow for the Defense Priorities think tank and a former lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army who deployed into combat zones four times. He is the author of The Eleventh Hour in 2020 America. Follow him @DanielLDavis1. For the fifth time in two weeks, Iran conducted major military drills Jan. 19, with the show of force coming two days after the U.S. flew B-52 Stratofortresses near Iranian airspace. If the Biden administration's objectives are to avoid war in the Middle East and keep America safe, continuing to apply the thoroughly discredited "maximum pressure" campaign is the last thing the new president should do. Though it may appear counterintuitive, withdrawing all our combat troops from Iraq and Syria is Biden's best play. Some analysts suggest that the best way for Biden to respond to Iran's actions is to continue applying pressure to Tehran. But overwhelming evidence screams that maximum pressure on Iran has been an abysmal failure. However flawed the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, the Iran nuclear deal, might have been, it succeeded in placing significant constraints on Iran's military and materially reduced its stockpiles of nuclear materials. It also limited -- though did not end -- Irans troubling actions in the Middle East. Advocates of President Donald Trump's maximum pressure campaign claimed the economic pressure operation would "change [Iran's] destructive behavior, [cause them to] respect the rights of its people, and return to the negotiating table." The actual results -- which were entirely predictable -- have been virtually the opposite. Since the United States unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018, Iran has significantly increased its production of reprocessed nuclear material, escalated its belligerent behavior in the region, and expanded its military training exercises in recent months. Advocates of maximum pressure regularly cite these actions as evidence that more pressure needs to be applied. But Iran has openly signaled that its provocative behavior is temporary and can be reversed. In December, Iran's parliament passed a new law further restricting adherence to the JCPOA. Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the restrictions came as a result of years of what he called a "one-sided game" resulting from Washington's withdrawal from the JCPOA while demanding full compliance from Tehran. Iran's parliament said it will return to compliance if the "other signatories fully implement their commitments." Maximum pressure has not produced any of the benefits its advocates claimed it would. To the contrary, it has provided ample motivation for Iran to do the opposite of what we would prefer, spiking tensions to the point that the risk of war -- whether by design, miscalculation or mistake -- is unnecessarily high. In truth, Iran is a weak and declining power in the Middle East that is more than balanced by other countries in the region, and it poses little threat to America. Its military has limited ability to project power beyond its borders and littoral waters. Tehran can, however, launch several variants of ballistic and cruise missiles throughout the region, and employ special operations troops and other militias. Almost the only way Iran poses a threat to America is by our relatively exposed troops in Iraq and Syria. Our troops in those two countries do nothing to protect or defend American interests. The only beneficiaries are the government in Baghdad and the Kurds in Syria. Our troops are presently risking their lives daily, yet do not have militarily attainable objectives that would signal the end of the operation. They are, quite literally, sitting in the desert conducting tactical actions divorced from any strategic relevance. And they are easily identifiable, accessible targets for Iranian military or affiliated militia. America's armed forces should be used only for missions directly related to our security, and the lives of the men and women who wear the uniform should never be asked to risk their lives and limbs for strategically inconsequential missions. Withdrawing our troops from Iraq and Syria will significantly reduce America's exposure to any Iranian adventurism in the region, and significantly lower the risk of an unnecessary war for the United States. It will not increase our risk of terrorist attack, as our powerful intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability, combined with our global ability to strike any terrorist target (ISR-strike) will continue to successfully defend our homeland. Many in Washington believe that to withdraw any U.S. troops from any deployment ever will increase our risk of attack. Evidence that has piled up over the past two decades sharply refutes that claim. The Biden administration has a chance to end such failed policies, withdraw our troops from unnecessary danger, and strengthen our national security. -- The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration. The Delhi Police Crime Branch has reached out to the people seeking evidence in the form of mobile, video footage or recording statements regarding the January 26 violence during the farmers' tractor rally. The police has also appealed to the media to provide the investigating agency the footage captured during the violent protests on January 26. The police has asked people to come to Old Delhi Police headquarters at ITO and record their statements or submit any evidence related to the R-Day protests. A mobile number 8750871237 has also been issued by the police for giving information. A landline number 011-23490094 has also been operationalised. An email id has been provided by the Crime branch for the people to contact them in case they have any evidence to share with them. Posters with this appeal will be pasted at various places in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). Meanwhile, the Crime Branch has issued notices to the six farmers unions leaders to join the probe into the rampage by the farmers during their rally on Republic Day that left at least one person dead and several injured. They have been summoned to join the investigation and record their statements before the Crime Branch. Of the 33 FIRs registered in connection with the violence, nine will be investigated by the Crime Branch. Lookout notices have already been issued against 44 protesters and farmer leaders. Delhi's border points at Tikri and Singhu remained under heavy police deployment on Friday in the aftermath of the violence that broke out during a tractor parade by farmers in the capital on Republic Day, officials said. Personnel of the Delhi Police, along with those of the paramilitary forces, have been deployed at the borders. Several roads have been closed and the traffic police has asked the commuters to take other routes. "Gazipur border closed. Traffic diverted from NH 24, NH 9, Road no 56, 57 A, Kondli, Paper market, Telco T point, EDM Mall, Akshardham & Nizammudin Khatta. Traffic is very heavy in the area & Vikas marg, Pl take alternate route. "Singhu, Auchandi, Mangesh, Saboli, Piau Maniyari borders closed. Lampur, Safiabad, Singhu school & Palla toll tax borders opened. Pl Take alternate route. Traffic diverted from NH44 near DSIDC Narela. Avoid Outer Ring Rd, GTK road & NH 44," the Delhi Traffic Police said in tweets. There was a traffic snarl on Highway 24 on Thursday evening following the closure of the Ghazipur border. Hundreds of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) members stayed put on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway on Friday, notwithstanding the Ghaziabad administration's ultimatum to vacate the UP Gate protest site. A confrontation was building up at the UP Gate in Ghazipur even as frequent power cuts were witnessed on Thursday evening at the protest site, where BKU members, led by Rakesh Tikait, are staying put since November 28 last year. Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey and Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani visited the protest site post midnight for a review of the situation even as hundreds of security personnel in anti-riot gears were deployed there since Thursday. The tractor parade on Tuesday that was to highlight the demand of the protesting farmer unions for a repeal of three new agriculture laws turned violent as the protesters deviated from the pre-designated routes, attacked police personnel, overturned vehicles and hoisted a religious flag on the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort. The police issued lookout notices against farmer leaders on Thursday and announced a probe into the "conspiracy" behind the Republic Day violence. The police have so far registered 33 FIRs in connection with the violence and issued lookout notices against 44 people, including most of the farmer leaders. (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 : Boeing has received a licence from the US government to offer its F-15EX fighter jet to the Indian Air Force , a senior executive said on Thursday. Boeing will compete with Sweden's Gripen and France's Rafale among others for the Indian Air Force's plan to buy 114 multi-role aircraft to replace its Soviet-era fleet. Ankur Kanaglekar, director, India Fighters Lead, Boeing Defense, Space & Security, told reporters discussions on the F-15EX had taken place earlier between the two governments. Also Read | Battered infra dream awaits a new deal "Now that we have the marketing licence it allows us to talk to the Indian Air Force directly about the capability of the fighter. We have started doing that in a small way," he said, adding conversations were expected to gather pace during the Aero India show next week. India and the United States have built close defence ties, with the Indian military buying over $20 billion worth of weapons in the last 15 years. Lockheed Martin is also pitching its F-21 fighter to the Indian air force, offering to build the plane in the country to win the deal estimated to be worth more than $18 billion. Boeing is bullish on India for both its defence and commercial aviation businesses, even as the Covid-19 pandemic has hit demand for air travel, forcing airlines to first get their finances in order before ordering new planes. Boeing expects domestic passenger traffic to return to 2019 levels by the end of this year, Salil Gupte, the company's India head said, adding international traffic would return to pre-COVID levels only by 2023. One of the planemaker's biggest customers is Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet Ltd, which has a large order for its narrowbody 737 MAX planes. Boeing on Wednesday got the green light from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to return its 737 MAX planes to service after a 22-month ban and Gupte said it was working to get approvals from the Indian regulator. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday visited policemen injured during the Republic Day violence that broke out during the farmers' tractor parade in the national capital. Nearly 400 policemen were injured during the tractor parade of the farmers who have been protesting against three central farm laws at Delhi's borders since November 2020. The Union Home Minister visited Shushrut Trauma Centre and Teerath Ram Hospital, where some of the policemen were admitted for treatment. Both the hospitals are located in Civil Lines area in the city. Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava also accompanied Shah during the visit. Later Amit Shah took to Twitter to say: Meeting the injured Delhi Police personnel. We are proud of their courage and bravery. Meeting the injured Delhi Police personnel. We are proud of their courage and bravery. https://t.co/7ooTwEf06x Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 28, 2021 During the visit, Shah interacted with the injured policemen, gifted them fruits and took stock of their health progress from the doctors. "Today, met the brave policemen of Delhi Police in the hospital and wished them a speedy recovery. The whole country is proud of their bravery and restraint shown in the violence that took place on Republic Day," he said in another tweet in Hindi. pic.twitter.com/wIMyF5uojK Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 28, 2021 The Delhi Police on Wednesday had alleged that farmer leaders made inflammatory speeches and were involved in the violence by agitating farmers during the tractor parade that left 394 of its personnel injured, as it warned that no culprit will be spared. Tens of thousands of farmers broke barriers to storm the national capital on Tuesday, their tractor parade to highlight their demands dissolving into unprecedented scenes of anarchy as they fought with police, overturned vehicles and delivered a national insult hoisting a religious flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort, a privilege reserved for India's tricolour. From Rajpath to Red Fort, the day unfolded in scenes of contrasts. One that Indians have seen for seven decades and the other that seared itself into collective memory with its imagery of protesters demanding a repeal of the three farm laws storming the Mughal era monument, the centrepiece of India's Independence Day celebrations. Clashes broke out in multiple places, leading to violence in well-known landmarks of Delhi and its suburbs, amid waves of violence that ebbed and flowed through the day. A protester died after his tractor overturned near ITO, one of the major flashpoints of trouble. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 13:31:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- As there was no electricity supply in the remote Bangladeshi village of Padmo Para, Fatima Khatun used to light candles to do homework after dark. "We did not score well in exams" as a result, she said. But today, a light bulb has lit up Khatun's home, allowing her to read for hours at night. The Bangladeshi village gained access to electricity for the first time in 2018 under a project financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a China-proposed multilateral financial institution. For the past five years since its inception, the Beijing-headquartered development bank has provided much-needed funding and resources to infrastructure projects across Asia. In Pakistan, before the completion of the M-4 National Motorway project, it took Sohail Iqbal nine to 10 hours to travel from Islamabad to Multan, his hometown. And that was a "very rough" and bumpy road, he recalled. The Pakistani's journey home has been significantly cut short with the completion of a 64 km-long, four-lane stretch of the M-4 motorway, which links Shorkot city with Khanewal in Punjab, the country's most populous province. The AIIB-funded project has provided a faster, safer and more cost-effective north-south route in support of Pakistan's economic and social development. "And most importantly, now, I feel very comfortable throughout the journey, I don't feel any sort of depression or fatigue," Iqbal told Xinhua. Meanwhile in Colombo, Sri Lanka, impoverished residents will no longer need to worry about having a roof over their heads, thanks to an AIIB-financed affordable public housing project, which broke ground in November last year. According to officials from China Railway 25th Bureau Group Co., Ltd., which is in charge of the construction, the completed project will consist of three individual buildings with a total of 700 residences featuring a combination of one-bedroom and two-bedroom layouts. "We thank AIIB for all the cooperation ... We are hoping to cooperate more and more with them," said Sirinimal Perera, secretary to Sri Lanka's Ministry of Urban Development and Housing. In the meantime, the AIIB has widely supported new types of infrastructure in Asia. Its investment in the Cambodia Fiber Optic Communication Network was a case in point. Approved in July, 2019, the project aims to improve the country's internet speed and quality, and support increased access to telecom services in both rural and urban areas. With a better optic communication network, the Cambodian people will enjoy faster and more reliable internet access. "I can pay directly which is very convenient and also even in rural areas. I can have access to internet. I can even watch films or live video and connect to the world," said Sok Mey, a local resident. By the end of 2020, the AIIB has provided over 22 billion U.S. dollars in investment to its members in 108 projects, dedicated to promoting infrastructure construction, regional connectivity and common development for all in Asia and beyond. Enditem Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer WASHINGTON The fallout from the coronavirus pandemic caused global oil demand to decline 9 percent in 2020, the biggest drop in at least four decades, according to an estimate by the Department of Energy. As governments worldwide restricted travel to try and slow the spread of the virus, demand for gasoline and other petroleum products cratered. For instance, U.S. gasoline demand dropped by close to 50 percent in March and April. THE ruling Zanu PF and opposition parties continue to reach out to each other, raising further hope that the necessary and much-talked about formal national dialogue involving all key stakeholders will finally take place soon, to help move the country forward. This comes after opposition leader Douglas Mwonzora, as well as Jameson Timba a close ally of Nelson Chamisa, both recently reiterated that MDC bigwigs were ready to engage with President Emmerson Mnangagwa to help resolve Zimbabwes decades-long political and economic challenges. It also comes as a large cross- section of Zimbabweans has said that the time is now opportune for Mnangagwa, Mwonzora and Chamisa to sit down together with others to lift the country. Yesterday, Chamisa himself appeared to give momentum to the current and strong national unity sentiment, recognising the work that the government is doing to fight the coronavirus pandemic. He told his supporters in a Facebook address that it was time for politicians and their followers to set aside their differences and help fight the killer disease that has taken the lives of more than 1 000 Zimbabweans to date, while also infecting tens of thousands others. It is time we work together to stop the spread of Covid-19. Unity is key in the face of this pandemic. All of us must put aside our political jackets, remove our political robes, political differences and work together in this fight. It is not the time to score cheap political points. In fact, that score board is not there Let us forget this politicking and sloganeering because this Covid-19 knows no slogan. Together we will win, weather the storm Let us not be divided by politicians, Chamisa said in his virtual address. Our togetherness will define our collective future. We appreciate the various initiatives by different stakeholders and the government, the response of the ministry of Health in particular is noted and appreciated. In this regard, we salute our warriors the nurses, doctors We remain indebted to them and their families, he added in his remarks that were notable for their departure from the politics of blame. We also honour our police, the military and prison and intelligence services as well, as all others who are providing essential services. We also thank our diaspora citizens for donations, assisting our hospitals. I am happy that it is not being politicised and there is no partisan agenda in their distribution, Chamisa also said. His address came a day after Mwonzora had also called for unity among Zimbabweans to fight the raging and virulent respiratory disease. This pandemic knows no political affiliation. The fight against Covid-19 should never be politicised, and we are all one in the fight against this pandemic. This is time for us as a people to come together and defeat this disease. Obviously, this is not the time to score cheap political scores, Mwonzora said in his address to the nation on Wednesday. The speeches have come as hopes that national dialogue may soon finally take place in the country to help resolve Zimbabwes decades-long political and economic crises have recently been raised further by Mwonzora and Timba. Timba reiterated earlier this month that Chamisa was still happy to engage with Mnangagwa adding significantly, that EDs long claimed legitimacy question would not be a pre-condition for dialogue. Speaking to the Daily News then, the even-tempered MDC Alliance secretary for presidential affairs also said that Chamisa had been among the first leaders to call for necessary national dialogue adding, however, that he had been ignored by Mnangagwa and 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 had never been more conducive for all-inclusive talks. This week, Mwonzora also further lifted the spirits of long-suffering Zimbabweans when he said he would initiate much-needed national dialogue which would include other opposition leaders and key interest groups. The resolution or the strategy of the MDC to engage in dialogue is as old as the formation of the MDC itself. It was taken in earnest after 2008, when we had a resolution as a party to engage in dialogue, which brought about the government of national unity (GNU). After the 2013 elections, we again made a resolution of the standing committee, in a town called Magaliesburg in South Africa during one of our strategic retreats with our late great leader Morgan Tsvangirai that we were going to make dialogue the mainstay of our political strategy. This was aimed at making the life of Zimbabweans better. In 2020, our national council also talked about the need to have dialogue in this country, Mwonzora told the Daily News. And, of course, on our first national standing committee (held last week) we restated that we must have dialogue in this country, and that this dialogue must be centered on those aspects that improve the lives of the Zimbabwean people. The standing committee then also said we must make sure that dialogue is initiated in this country. Of course, we have not received anything from the government but that does not stop us from initiating dialogue. In our view, this dialogue must be broad-based, inclusive, genuine and unconditional, and we are going to be initiating that dialogue with the government, Mwonzora further told the Daily News. We are also going to be dialoguing with other political parties within the opposition, those who see things the way we see them. We will also reach out to civil society as well as the churches. We will also reach out to labour and business. The reason for dialogue is because we want to engage in a new type of politics. Gone are the days of the politics of hate, the politics of acrimony, the politics of rancour. We want to bring about politics of rational disputation, Mwonzora added. It is my hope that dialogue will be all-inclusive and that should Chamisa want to be part of it he is welcome. On our part as the MDC, we are going to talk to the MDC Alliance, or whatever they chose to call themselves. They are Zimbabweans and if they think they have anything to contribute they are welcome. But we will not impose anything on other political leaders. But again, we need to stress to them that the problems of this country will be solved when people sit down and talk. Of course we will also be talking to other political parties, the new MDC president added. Daily News Bishkek, Jan 29 : Sadyr Zhaparov officially took office as the new Kyrgyz president, becoming the sixth president of Kyrgyzstan. Zhaparov took the oath at an inauguration ceremony at the Kyrgyz National Philharmonic building on Thursday, and then head of the country's Central Election Commission Nurzhan Shaildabekova handed over the president's certificate and the badge, Xinhua news agency reported. Zhaparov said Kyrgyzstan will adhere to a multi-vector foreign policy in his speech. "Enhancing cooperation and strengthening economic and cultural ties with strategic partners is a priority of our foreign policy," he stressed. The new Kyrgyz president expressed hope for furthering mutually beneficial cooperation with China. He also expressed great gratitude to countries that provided all possible assistance in difficult days, especially Russia. Zhaparov also said Kyrgyzstan will make effort to start cooperation with the United States and countries in Europe and Asia. He assured that Kyrgyzstan will fulfill international obligations within the framework of the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Eurasian Economic Union as well as other international organisations. Zhaparov won the January 10 early presidential election with 79.2 per cent of the votes. The early presidential election was held after former President Sooronbai Jeenbekov resigned amid protests against the results of the parliamentary elections, which took place on October 4, 2020. Maria Haste, wife of Dauphin County Comissioner Jeff Haste, posted photos on Facebook of herself carrying a gas mask while standing on the U.S. Capitol balcony during the Jan. 6 riot as pink tear gas rose above the crowd behind her. The balcony area is where police officers were attacked with flagpoles and other weapons as they sought to prevent the pro-Trump mob from getting inside the building. The entire area outside the Capitol had been secured prior to the arrival of protestors and the exterior plaza was closed to the public that day, according to federal officials. Maria Haste posted another photo that showed her on a higher level, facing the Capitol building, with the massive crowd behind her. Several other photos placed her directly in front of the Capitol, raising questions about her activities that day. None of her photos showed any of the violence that occurred as thousands of protestors eventually stormed into the Capitol, and she told PennLive this week that she did not enter the Capitol and was not aware at the time of the violence taking place inside the building. Her husband did not accompany her to Washington, D.C. that day. Federal prosecutors have charged hundreds of people in connection with the Jan. 6 siege that injured dozens of police officers, resulted in at least five deaths and garnered international condemnation. Most of the people charged so far have been those accused of breaching the Capitol building, including a Harrisburg-area woman who was charged with theft in connection with Nancy Pelosis missing laptop. Several defendants who stayed outside, but penetrated the secured area around the Capitol, however, have been charged with unlawfully being in a restricted area. Federal investigators included this diagram in some court records to show the secured area around the Capitol. The photo of Haste with a gas mask hanging at her side was removed from her account about an hour or so after she posted it Jan. 6, according to people who saw it on her account. She left the other photos, which were publicly accessible and drew some negative comments, for about a week until PennLive asked county officials about them. Maria Haste has since locked down her Facebook account so nearly everything is private, except for her banner photo, which shows the pro-Trump crowd on scaffolding outside the Capitol from Jan. 6 and her profile picture, which is of Donald Trump. Jeff Haste declined to be interviewed about his wifes photos or her Facebook comments about her trip to Washington D.C. to stop the steal, and comments blaming the violence on Antifa. The county spokesman, Brett Hambright, instead provided these emailed comments: I do not wish to speak for Ms. Haste or provide commentary on who is to blame for violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. However, Commissioner Haste was not at the Capitol that day; he was chairing the Board of Commissioners weekly meeting. Commissioner Haste indicated Ms. Haste did not participate in violence or breach of the Capitol building; rather, she was exercising her right and privilege to peacefully protest. Maria Haste told a PennLive reporter who visited her home this week that she followed the crowd onto the Capitol grounds and didnt see any police officers, barricades or violence that would indicate she wasnt supposed to be there. She said she was farther back in the crowd as they marched from Trumps speech to the Capitol, where Congress was set to certify the electors and seal Joe Bidens presidency. Maria Haste said she climbed the Capitol steps to get good photos of the crowd and was there for a few minutes, just to capture photos of the crowd from that vantage point. Although she said she didnt see any violence, she admitted she pulled a gas mask out of her backpack after she saw several men using bars to try to break windows because she figured tear gas might be used to stop them. She kept the gas mask at her side to have it handy, but never needed to strap it over her face, she said. Federal officials included this photo in some court documents to show the barricades that were in place before a mob pushed through to gain access to the Capitol. Although her husband was recently given a gas mask as part of the countys emergency preparedness, Maria Haste said the gas mask she used Jan. 6 wasnt county property. She said she borrowed the mask she brought to D.C. from an unnamed friend because she had seen tear gas directed at racial justice protesters over the summer and was concerned that she could be targeted, even as a peaceful protester. Maria Hastes Facebook posts focused on what she called the peaceful crowd and blamed any problems on Antifa, a theory floated by some conservatives which has been debunked by federal investigators. She said she hadnt attended a protest before and enjoyed the experience and chants of USA and Stop the Steal, until she left and started hearing news of a woman being shot and other destruction inside the Capitol. The news stained the positive image she originally had of the event, she said. I didnt know that stuff was going on in the Capitol until I left, she said, noting she left about 3:45 p.m. My husband tried to call me, but the cell coverage was bad and I could barely hear him say, You need to get out of there. Maria Haste said she posted her photos to Facebook shortly after leaving the Capitol. She said she felt the election was stolen from Trump and she wanted to be part of the voice that day, but her heart was broken when she learned of the violence and destruction. Maria Haste said she never entered the Capitol building, but she could see why others might. We didnt know we couldnt be there, she said. Did I break any barriers? No.I didnt know any of this stuff. I was there for the right reason. I support Donald Trump. Federal investigators seem to have focused on identifying protestors who went inside the building or those who allegedly were involved in physical violence against officers outside. But at least three defendants were charged with being outside the Capitol, in the same area as Maria Haste, according to a review of online federal complaints. Two of those defendants, however, engaged in other alleged lawbreaking, including one man who said he brought guns into D.C. for the event and posted photos of the guns, and another man who posted that he helped tear down a fence. We was the first ones over the fence, he said, according to court records. Everybody followed us. The third defendant, Couy Griffin, said he might have committed some minor trespassing, but had no malicious intent, according to court documents. The court records filed against him included several photos of him standing in the same general area as Maria Haste. Once again, although the crowd control barriers are not visible due to the large crowd, S1s location on the west facing steps of the U.S. Capitol was well within the restricted area, court records against Griffin said. The penalty for people who knowingly enter or remain in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority to do so, is a fine or imprisonment for less than one year. READ: Woman accused of stealing Nancy Pelosis laptop delays abuse hearing against man who called FBI READ: Not that Riley Williams: Mechanicsburg teen mistaken for woman arrested in U.S. Capitol riot YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. Police Chief of Armenia Vahe Ghazaryan received Ambassador of Belarus to Armenia Alexander Konyuk, the Armenia Police told Armenpress. Vahe Ghazaryan congratulated the Ambassador on appointment. He highly appreciated the cooperation between the Police of Armenia and the Belarusian Ministry of Interior. The Police Chief expressed readiness to continue and expand the partnership between the two respective structures. In turn the Belarusian Ambassador thanked for the warm welcome and attached importance to the current relations between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries both at the bilateral level and within the international organizations. Various issues of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan An aircraft leasing platform co-founded and headed by former Ryanair chief financial officer Howard Millar has finalised a deal to buy five mid-life jets, sealing the deal as the pandemic continues to cause massive turbulence in the global aviation market. The vehicle, Sirius Aviation Capital, has bought the single-aisle jets from BOC Aviation, a unit of Bank of China. Confirmation of the deal is expected this morning. Three Boeing 737 NGs that have been bought are in operation with Southwest in the United States, while an Airbus A320 is leased to Spirit in the US. Another A320 is in operation with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad. The size of the deal wasnt disclosed, but industry sources reckon the five aircraft are probably valued at about $140m (115m). The deal also demonstrates continuing aircraft liquidity even as carriers face a tumultuous start to 2021 as the coronavirus sparks new waves of infections in many countries. Major lessors have continued to engage in aircraft sales, and sales and leasebacks with airlines as they deal with one of the most seismic impacts ever on the commercial aviation market. As part of the acquisition deal, Sirius has entered into a joint venture with Carolous Aviation Leasing, a portfolio company of Corrum Capital Management, which is a US-based investment firm active in the aviation industry. Sirius share of the joint venture was funded via its commitment from its anchor investor, Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners (ADCP). ADCP is a joint venture between US investment firm Falcon Edge and Mubadala Investment Company, the sovereign wealth fund of Abu Dhabi. Read More The joint venture was founded in 2019 with a $1bn fund. It subsequently invested $100m in Sirius, taking a significant minority stake in the business. Mr Millar said that Sirius intends to work with Corrum Capital Management in the future on additional aircraft acquisitions and leases. James Munce, whos chief operating officer of ADCP, said that inking the joint venture with Carolus during the most challenging of years in aviation underscores the strength of Sirius business model. In January last year, Sirius had planned to buy eight mid-life jets in a $290m deal that wasnt ultimately progressed due to the emergence of the Covid crisis. Mr Millar and his colleagues originally planned to float their Sirius Aircraft Leasing Fund on the London Stock Exchange. They had intended to raise between $250m and $300m, and match it with debt, to give it the financial firepower to buy between 20 and 25 second-hand jets. Sirius aimed to have about $1.5bn of funds within three years. But in late 2018, the planned initial public offering was postponed due to market volatility, despite what the company said was a favourable response from potential investors. Sirius, which is now based in Abu Dhabi, finally pulled the plug on the flotation later in 2019. Mr Millar retired as chief financial officer of Ryanair in 2014 after 23 years with the carrier. He remains a non-executive director with the airline and is on a number of other boards. "The Transparency of Jail Data" | Main | In high-profile sentencing, victim input and collateral consequences push judge away from prison term for misconduct by former FBI attorney January 29, 2021 Lots of commentary and advice for Prez Biden's criminal justice reforms task one week in Prez Biden has been on the job for only a little more than a week, but lots of folks already have lots of thoughts and advice for what he (and his party) should be doing in the criminal justice reform arena. Here is a round up of just some of the discussions I have seen in recent days: From Al Jazeera, "Biden and prison reforms a soft target?" From The American Prospect, "How Biden Should Prosecute Corporate Crime: In top-to-bottom criminal justice reform, lets not forget the top." From The Appeal, "Why The Biden Administrations Choice To Lead The Bureau Of Prisons Matters" From Bloomberg Law, "Criminal Justice Changes Need Harris to Lead, Advocates Say" From the Boston Globe, "Biden must not miss the urgency of the moment on criminal justice reform" From The Hill, "True criminal justice reform requires family support" From HuffPost, "After Trumps Execution Spree, Criminal Justice Leaders Urge Biden To End Death Penalty" From Reason, "Democrats Have No Excuse Not to Reform the Criminal Justice System" From Time, "Much More Work To Be Done. Advocates Call for More Action Against Private Prisons After Biden's First Step Executive Order" From USA Today, "Biden's executive orders on criminal justice should extend to inmates sent home by COVID" January 29, 2021 at 04:25 PM | Permalink Comments Post a comment Moon bear Uno soaks up the sun for the first time in 18 years 29 January 2021 Following 18 years in a miserable cage, surrounded on all sides by walls, moon bear Uno is finally feeling the sun on his face and the breeze in his fur. Animals Asia rescued him from nearby a bear bile farming hotspot where it is suspected that there are over 140 bears still trapped on illegal bile farms. Unos rescue necessitated an anesthetic as it was not going to be possible to bring our transport cage through a narrow corridor into the back room, where Uno had lived since he was a cub, for a conscious transfer. The anesthetic gave our rescue team the opportunity to give Uno a brief on-site health check before loading him into our truck. The team noticed that Uno had a very bald bottom and rubbing marks on his forehead. More concerningly Uno was clearly very obese and his spine appeared to be curved, probably from all those years in such a small space without opportunities or encouragement to stretch and exercise at all. Animals Asias Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen said: This was a really significant rescue as were making inroads into the last few bile farming hotspots. Our close collaboration with the provincial Forest Protection Departments is clearly working really well, and our community work is having a great impact as were now seeing more bear owners voluntarily handing over bears as happened in Unos case. When Uno arrived at our sanctuary in Tam Dao National Park he revealed himself to be a wonderfully gentle bear during his mandatory 45-day quarantine period, where our vets closely monitored him and our bear care team gave him lots of care and attention and began the process of building trust and muscle in this neglected bear. With enrichment items and treats such as leaf browse, puzzle feeders and fresh fruit and vegetables our team got to know Uno and he learnt that he was safe and cared for. Once Unos quarantine period was complete he was moved to a den in one of our bear houses. This period of adjustment is vital for letting Uno know that he always has access to a safe space, as often bears who have been in a single cage for so many years can find access to a spacious and stimulating enclosure a little overwhelming at first. During this time Uno was given a full health check by our vets in the bear hospital. This examination confirmed the concerns from the earlier brief health check and gave the vet team an opportunity to look at Unos gall bladder with an ultrasound, which revealed a thick wall, possibly indicating a history of painful bile extraction. A sample was taken for assessment to see whether his gall bladder is diseased in which case its removal may be necessary. Soon after his health check Uno was introduced to the freedom to explore an enclosure. Like many bears, Uno was at first tentative, smelling the air and blinking at all the space in front of him while only sticking his head out of the den. However, when he managed to summon the courage to venture a little further out, it became clear that Uno knew this place was paradise compared with the cage in a back room hed suffered in for so many years. Vet and Bear Team Director Heidi Quine said: Its so wonderful to see Uno, whos lived through unimaginable boredom and restriction, begin to remember what it means to simply be a bear. Not an exotic pet, farm animal or a medicine factory, just a bear. Right from the first moment it was fairly obvious Uno had a gentle soul and now its a delight to see him shine. The moment that captured Unos story of overcoming adversity came when he sat back in the enclosure, sitting up with his eyes closed feeling the sun on his face. A moment of peace, made possible by your kindness and care. Uno will never be alone again, never just a number, but a bear with a name, and a whole lot of friends. WATERBURY A local woman will spend three months in prison after she spent 13 years collecting Social Security benefits she wasnt eligible for, according to federal prosecutors. Judge Janet Hall sentenced Omayra Santiago, 44, to three months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Hall ordered Santiago to serve the first three months of supervised release in home confinement. Santiago pleaded guilty on Oct. 3, 2019 to theft and conversion of public money. The charged stemmed from an investigation into her monthly Social Security benefits which she received for 13 years from 2005 to 2018. During that time, authorities said, she was a representative payee of her childrens Social Security Income benefits and told the Social Security Administration that her household income, resources and living arrangement caused the children to be eligible for benefits, too. In her statements to the administration over the years, she failed to mention that the father of her children owned the Waterbury property where the family lived, and that he claimed the children as dependents on his tax returns. Authorities said she also received cash and electronic deposits that she didnt report as income. In January 2017, Santiago got about $220,000 from a civil lawsuit settlement, but never disclosed to the Social Security Administration that she got the money, which she was required to, authorities said. From 2005 through 2018, Santiago collected more than $146,752.86 worth of benefits that authorities say she was not entitled to get. Hall ordered Santiago to make full restitution. NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DLA Piper represented Calendly, an Atlanta-based provider of appointment scheduling software, in its recent US$350 million Series B financing, resulting in its subsequent valuation at more than US$3 billion. The round was led by OpenView Venture Partners and included participation from Iconiq Capital. The investment will be used to provide liquidity for early shareholders and employees, as well as to continue product innovation. "We were pleased to bring our extensive experience providing strategic counsel to emerging companies in high-growth industries to assist Calendly with its Series B financing, which will enable the company to accelerate its growth and continue developing products that help its clients customize, streamline and automate their scheduling processes," said Brian Gordon, the DLA Piper partner who led the firm's deal team. "Working with Brian and the DLA Piper team was a fantastic experience. They demonstrated a high level of attentiveness to our needs as a fast-growing company and brought valuable business insights to every step of the process. We are grateful for their guidance, support and hard work to secure this funding," said Tope Awotona, CEO and founder of Calendly. In addition to Gordon (Atlanta), the DLA Piper team representing Calendly included partners Julia Kovacs (Washington, DC) and Stacy Paz (Silicon Valley), and associate Puja Vadodaria (Atlanta). DLA Piper's Emerging Growth and Venture Capital practice includes more than 200 lawyers in the US who provide strategic counsel to emerging companies in high-growth industries, including healthcare, insurance, biotech, manufacturing, communications, software and semiconductors. Over the last three years, DLA Piper has completed more than 2,100 financings totaling over US$31 billion. The firm's global Technology sector lawyers work across practice areas and offices to support technology clients from startups to fast-growing and mid-market businesses to mature global enterprises doing business around the world. About DLA Piper DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, positioning us to help clients with their legal needs around the world. In certain jurisdictions, this information may be considered attorney advertising. dlapiper.com SOURCE DLA Piper Related Links http://www.dlapiper.com Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 14:15:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CHICAGO, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Ford Motor Co. will manufacture and sell its new and all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV in China. The vehicle will be manufactured by its joint venture with a Chinese automaker, Changan Ford, local media quoted the Dearborn-based automaker as saying on Thursday. The China-built Mach-E will feature a "smart cockpit" equipped with Ford's driver-assist technologies and an infotainment system that will receive upgrades via over-the-air software updates. The vehicle will have the capability of hands-free driving on prequalified sections of divided highways. The Mach-E sold in China will have an estimated driving range of more than 600 km. While Ford's vehicle sales in the United States dropped 15.6 percent in 2020, its sales in China grew 6.1 percent. Enditem As a result of the UK leaving the EU in recent weeks, online shopping from the UK has changed a lot for consumers in Ireland and it is more important than ever for online shoppers to know where they are buying from. But how do you know where a business is based, what consumer rights apply and whether you have to pay additional taxes and charge? The Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has a list of top tips that consumers need to know before buying online: 1: A '.ie' domain is not a guarantee of an Irish-based business The most important step to now take, is to check where a business is based before you make a purchase. Check the businesss registered address in the terms and conditions (T&Cs) section of the website to find out where they are registered. This is an essential step, even if you have bought from a business previously, or if the site has a .ie or .eu domain, as this is not always a sign of where a business is registered or based. If you cannot find these details, consider buying from an alternative website. If the registered address is within an EU, they are not only required to provide their trading name and address but the business must provide you with other important consumer protections. If the registered address is outside of the EU, which now includes the UK, then your consumer rights may be different. If a business has more than one website with a number of different domains e.g. .de or .co.uk be sure to check the registered address on each website before you buy from it. 2: You may have to pay additional taxes and charges From 1 January, all online shopping orders received from the UK (excluding Northern Ireland) are subject to Irish VAT and customs charges, depending on the value and the type of items purchased (see below). Before ordering from outside the EU, check the T&Cs to find out what VAT and import charges you may have to pay. Full information about the additional charges can be found at revenue.ie 3: If you are not happy to pay additional charges - exercise your right to a refund If you are buying from an EU website, then you should be told about any additional costs before you make a purchase. If you make a purchase and, upon delivery, you are advised of additional charges and you are not happy to pay them, you can choose to refuse to pay the charges and the purchase will then be returned to the sender. Separate to this, under EU consumer protection law you have a 14 day cancellation period, so we would suggest that, as soon as you decline to pay the additional charges, you should immediately contact the business (by email) that you bought from and advise them that you are cancelling your order and are seeking a full refund. More details about your right to cancel are available at ccpc.ie or by calling their dedicated consumer helpline on 01 402 5555. 4: Always check the T&Cs for a returns policy before you buy from a non-EU website If you are buying from a non-EU website, including a UK website, you may not automatically have the right to return a purchase, or the timeframes for returns may have changed. So, before you buy, always check T&Cs to find out what it says about returns such as; Can you return an item if you change your mind and within what timeframe? Can you cancel an order before it is sent to you? Who pays for the cost of returning it you, or the business? Also check what the T&Cs say about faulty products and if there are any limits to the businesss returns or faulty goods policy. If so, you may consider buying from an EU-based website to ensure you have strong rights. 5: EU businesses are responsible for delivery delay follow-ups In recent weeks there have been reported delays in deliveries, however, if you buy from an EU website (unless you have agreed an alternative delivery date with the business) your purchases should be delivered within 30 days. If a business does not deliver it to you within the time frame agreed they should either: 1. Agree a different date, or 2. cancel the contract and get a refund A business is responsible for a purchase until it is delivered to you, unless you organised your own delivery. This means that if a business organises a courier to deliver a purchase to you, they must ensure its delivery and should the item not be delivered they should either organise a replacement or a refund. 6: If you buy from an EU website you have strong protections if something goes wrong If you buy from an EU-based business you have strong consumer protections, which ensures that you have enough, clear information and are not mislead before you make a purchase. Importantly, it ensures that you have rights if something does go wrong particularly the right to a refund. Buying from a non-EU website means that these rights do not automatically apply and therefore, if something does go wrong it may be more difficult to get the issue resolved. This is particularly important to consider if you are buying high-value items, in case any issue arises down the line. INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Indianapolis Power & Light Company, a subsidiary of the AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), today announced additions to its senior leadership and government affairs teams. The expanded teams have new capabilities for IPL to innovate to serve its customers' evolving needs. Brandi Davis-Handy will join IPL in a newly created role, chief public relations officer, US Utilities, and will lead the communications and community efforts for AES in Indiana and Ohio. Davis-Handy has two decades of journalism, corporate communications and marketing experience. She has held leadership roles in the private, public and non-profit sectors, including positions at Project Lead the Way, OneAmerica, and the 500 Festival. She previously led communications for IPL and the AES US Strategic Business Unit (SBU) for five years. Davis-Handy graduated from Hampton University, was recognized as a Center for Leadership Development Minority Achiever and was named a Breakthrough Woman in Leadership Development by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women in 2018. Aaron Cooper will assume the newly created role of chief commercial officer, US Utilities, covering commercial activities for AES in Indiana and Ohio. Cooper has more than 30 years of utility experience with Dayton Power & Light and AES. For more than a decade, he served as the director of fuel supply, where he supported AES-owned solid fuel generating stations in the US with fuel planning and procurement, logistics and contract administration. Cooper also has experience with Dayton Power & Light across a number of management functions, including customer accounts, operations, regulatory, commercial activities. Cooper graduated from Miami University in Ohio. Fred Mills, external affairs director, will retire this month after nearly two decades at IPL. Mills has served as a key leader in government and stakeholder roles, where he interfaced with federal, state and local elected officials. Mills also represented IPL on the Indiana Energy Association's Government Relations Committee and numerous other boards. Most recently, Fred served as the company's lead on the Indiana General Assembly's 21st Century Energy Task Force where he helped shape the context for future energy policy discussions throughout Indiana. "Fred has played an important role for IPL, representing the company with numerous stakeholders and working to advance the economic development goals of Indianapolis," said Kristina Lund, IPL president and CEO. "In addition, Fred's impact on AES extends beyond Indiana. Fred actively supported AES' development of our businesses in Vietnam and Bulgaria. We are grateful for Fred's leadership and many contributions over the years, and we wish him well in his retirement." Tom Raga will lead AES US Utilities' government affairs teams across Indiana and Ohio. Raga has extensive public policy experience including service in local elected office and as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. Since joining Dayton Power & Light in 2010, Raga has held management roles overseeing federal and state government relations, transmission resource planning, communications, strategic accounts, safety, environmental services, and corporate social responsibility. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Raga has spearheaded customer care efforts in both Indiana and Ohio to ensure customers had access to extended payment plans and other support. Courtney Arango has been named IPL's government affairs director. Most recently, Arango has served as the company's external affairs manager and spokeswoman. Arango has extensive experience in media, communications and policy. Previously, she was communications director in Governor Holcomb's office, and she directed communications for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). Courtney has also served in communications roles for the Indiana Senate Majority Caucus and the State Lottery Commission of Indiana. "IPL has a strong and dedicated leadership team, with many individuals who have served Indianapolis in important functions over the years," said Lund. "We are pleased to add some additional capabilities to our team, as this is an important moment for us to innovate to better serve our customers and communities." About Indianapolis Power & Light Company and AES Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL), an AES Company, provides retail electric service to more than 490,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Indianapolis, as well as portions of other Central Indiana communities surrounding Marion County. During its long history, IPL has supplied its customers with some of the lowest-cost, most reliable power in the country. For more information about the company, please visit IPLpower.com or connect at twitter.com/IPLpower, facebook.com/IPLpower or linkedin.com/company/IPLpower. The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) is a Fortune 500 global energy company accelerating the future of energy. Together with our many stakeholders, we're improving lives by delivering the greener, smarter energy solutions the world needs. Our diverse workforce is committed to continuous innovation and operational excellence, while partnering with our customers on their strategic energy transitions and continuing to meet their energy needs today. For more information, visit www.aes.com. SOURCE The AES Corporation Related Links http://www.aes.com [January 29, 2021] $21.72 Billion Growth in Global InsurTech Market During 2020-2024 | Featuring Key Vendors Including Alan SA, Clover Health, and Cytora Ltd. | Technavio Technavio announces the release of its latest report on the InsurTech market. The market is segmented by value chain positioning (marketing and distribution, IT support, policy administration and management, claim management, and others) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, and South America). The report offers an in-depth analysis of recent developments, changes in market regulations, product approvals, product launches, and the market behavior across various segments. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005221/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global InsurTech Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Get a Free Sample Report Delivered Instantly to Know More InsurTech Market: Key Findings InsurTech market value to grow by USD 21.72 billion at over 36% CAGR during 2020-2024 46% of market growth to originate from Europe during the forecast period Based on the value chain positioning, the marketing and distribution segment will offer maximum opportunities for vendors during the forecast period InsurTech market is expected to have a positive impact due to the spread of COVID-19 InsurTech Market: Growth Drivers The influence of digitization is one of the prime factors driving the growth of the market. Insurance companies across the world are fully digitalizing their processes by adopting the latest technologies. This has increased the number of connected devices which has escalated the challenges associated with managing, monitoring, and maintenance of critical data in organizations. This is compelling organizations to invest in embedded analytics technologies such as InsurTech to transform unstructured and semi-structured data into structured and meaningful information. Thishelps in understanding consumer behavior, market patterns, and enhances the business-related decision-making process. All these factors are driving the growth of the market. "Integration of Big Data and AI in InsurTech and the need to improve business efficiency will further boost market growth during the forecast period", says a senior analyst at Technavio. Develop Smart Strategies for Your Business: Get a Free Sample Report Now! InsurTech Market: Major Vendors Alan SA Alan SA operates its business through the Unified segment. The company offers digital health insurance services for companies, hotels and restaurants, and individuals among others. Clover Health Clover Health operates its business through the Unified segment. The company offers digital health insurance plans that uses patient-centred analytics to improve the quality of life of members and physicians. Cytora Ltd. Cytora Ltd. operates its business through segments such as Underwriting and Data APIs. The company offers Underwriting Productivity Suite and Data APIs that automatically augment the data to reduce the time in assessing risk. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Related Reports on Information Technology Include: Global Insurance Software Market - Global insurance software market is segmented by deployment (on-premise and cloud-based) and geography (North America, APAC, Europe, MEA, and South America). Click Here to Get an Exclusive Free Sample Report Global Commercial Telematics Market - Global commercial telematics market is segmented by product (solutions and services), platform (embedded systems, tethered systems, and smartphone integration systems), and geography (APAC, Europe, MEA, North America, and South America). Click Here to Get an Exclusive Free Sample Report About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005221/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A team of medics from the World Health Organization has embarked upon its first full day investigating the origins of Covid in China. The 13-strong team of international experts travelled to a hospital in Hubei province on Friday which was the first to treat Covid patients and interviewed Chinese researchers working on the virus. While the WHO insisted yesterday that the team will eventually visit a lab at the centre of theories that the virus was leaked, it has not published a timetable and there is no indication of when that might take place. The team had previously been confined to a hotel in the epicentre city of Wuhan while they waited out a 14-day mandatory quarantine, which ended Thursday. They were allowed to interview Chinese medics over video chat during this time. But as the world waits for results, the WHO has cautioned there is 'no guarantee of answers' amid fears that China will seek to hide information it finds embarrassing or incriminating from the researchers. Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team investigating the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic, leave the Hilton Wuhan Optics Valley Hotel where the team is currently based post-quarantine in Wuhan on Saturday A WHO team member leaves the hotel after its first full day investigating the origins of Covid in China The team had previously been confined to a hotel in the epicentre city of Wuhan while they waited out a 14-day mandatory quarantine, which ended Thursday The team are now expected to visit the lab at the centre of rumours the virus was leaked, but no timetable has been given for this trip Multiple countries have uncovered evidence that the virus was circulating months earlier than originally thought. While Beijing has tried to insist this proves the virus originated elsewhere, most scientists still think China was the origin - raising the prospect that communist officials simply hid evidence of the early spread 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 Beijing has already been accused by medics within its own country of covering up the initial spread of Covid, while its diplomats have jumped on any excuse to point the finger of blame for the virus overseas. Officially, the WHO team is in the country to investigate the origins of Covid - including the possibility it started overseas - though a vast majority of international experts believe China was the source. Pictures showed the WHO team arriving at the Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine on Friday, where doctor Zhang Jixian as the first to report 'an unknown pneumonia' in an elderly couple in late 2019 'Extremely important 1st site visit. We are in the hospital that treated some of the first known cases of COVID-19, meeting with the actual clinicians & staff who did this work, having open discussion about the details of their work,' Peter Daszak, a British member of the WHO-led team, wrote on Twitter. While big question marks remain over where exactly the team will be allowed to go and who they will be allowed to speak with during their visit, the WHO did disclose some detail on Thursday. The UN body confirmed that the team will visit the Wuhan Institute of Virology which has been accused of leaking the virus by some. The team also plans to visit the seafood market at the centre of the early outbreak, though this has been widely discounted as the source of the virus. Investigators have been plagued by delays, concern over access and bickering between China and the United States. America has accused China of hiding the extent of the initial outbreak and criticised the terms of the visit, which saw Chinese experts conduct the initial research. The WHO has sought to manage expectations. 'There are no guarantees of answers,' its emergency chief, Mike Ryan, said this month. The investigating team had been set to arrive in Wuhan earlier in January, and China's delay of their visit drew rare public criticism from the head of the WHO, which former U.S. President Donald Trump accused of being 'China-centric'. A 13-strong team of WHO scientists is taking part in its first full day of investigations into the origins of coronavirus in China after completing a 14-day hotel quarantine The team met with Chinese scientists and researchers first thing on Friday for interviews to discuss their work on battling the disease The team then travelled to the Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine to speak with doctors who first treated Covid patients Marion Koopmans of the World Health Organization team of researchers looks out from a car during a field trip in Wuhan Members of the team are pictured arriving at Hubei hospital on their first field visit during their time in China, having previously been confined to their hotel Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team investigating the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic arrive at Xinhua Hospital in Wuhan A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, said on Friday that WHO and Chinese experts were working together to trace the origin of the virus, but stressed that the mission was not a probe. 'It is part of a global research, not an investigation,' Zhao told a regular news conference in Beijing. China has pushed the idea that the virus existed abroad before it was discovered in Wuhan, with state media citing the presence of the virus on imported frozen food packaging and scientific papers saying it had been circulating in Europe in 2019. China's foreign ministry has also hinted that the sudden closure of a U.S. army laboratory at Fort Detrick in Maryland in July 2019 was linked to the pandemic. 'At the early stage in China, it was a burden particularly for Wuhan people when everyone was calling it a Wuhan virus, which was humiliating,' said Yang You, a 30-year-old Wuhan resident. 'If it could be traced to the source clearly, in my opinion, it could clear either China's or Wuhan's name.' Chinese scientists and officials have been keen to point the finger of blame outside their own borders - variously suggesting that the virus could have originated in Bangladesh, the US, Greece, Australia, India, Italy, Czech Republic, Russia or Serbia Chinese officials go for lunch after meeting with members of World Health Organization (WHO) at Hilton hotel, in Wuhan Last year when a number of players in the creative industry such as actor John Dumelo and former MUSIGA President, Bice Osei Kuffour (Obour), made a push to enter Parliament, there was hope in some circles. The optimism was due to the expectations that issues concerning the industry would now get a chance to be highlighted. However, they were all unsuccessful in their bid and for Highlife musician Kofi Kinaata, this is unfortunate and more must be done to push creatives into the law making process. If we want to be heard and our demands met, then we need to push our people into Parliament so they can speak for us. Because we do not have our representatives there, no one speaks for us. Can you imagine what would have happened if John Dumelo, Ebi Bright, Obour and the other creatives all made it to Parliament? Some of the things the creative industry needs would have been provided because they would highlight our issues, he told Graphic Showbiz recently. Kofi Kinaata said deliberate steps have to be taken to get creatives into Parliament by campaigning for those who are bold to declare their intentions to contest. I was not happy when I saw celebrities campaigning for other candidates instead of using their popularity to campaign for their own, he said. Related articles: John Dumelo should be encouraged Trigmatic Winning VGMA Songwriter three times proof of hard work - Kofi Kinaata He explained that the reason why issues concerning the creative industry were trivialised was because players did not have anyone in the decision making places to effectively speak for them. For instance, John Dumelo stood a better chance of explaining to Parliament the need to put in money to help the movie industry bounce back if he were there. Obour on the other hand could have spoken on behalf of the musicians. But without them in Parliament, who cares about our issues, he said. Asked if he would like to go into politics or contest to be a member of Parliament, Kofi Kinaata said not now. I dont think I am ready for politics now. Maybe in some years to come but not now. However, I support 100 per cent, any showbiz person who is interested in politics, he said. Musically, Kofi Kinaata, who just dropped his latest single Something Nice featuring Nigerian artiste Patoranking, said he would be doing more international collaborations. After making the name in Ghana, I need to step out of my comfort zone, hence the decision to do more collaborations. I have a number of musicians I intend collaborating with and it is going to be fire, he said. Source: Graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The morphology of mineral grains in deep TALDICE investigated through SEM. Credit: Nature Communications (2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20705-z An international team of researchers has found evidence of the mineral jarosite in ice cores extracted from Antarctica. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the researchers describe how the discovery came about and why they believe it could bolster theories regarding the presence of the same mineral on the surface of Mars. Jarosite is very rarely found on Earthit is generally seen in mining waste that has been exposed to air and rain. The researchers with this new effort were not looking for it in their ice coresthey were focused on minerals in deep ice cores that might help to better understand ice age cycles. But when they came across the yellow-brown mineral, their interest was piqued. X-ray absorption testing and electron microscopy showed it be jarosite. The researchers suggest the mineral formed in ice pockets that also held small amounts of dust. Under the ice, they had eroded, the researchers noted. The finding brought to mind another site where jarosite is foundthe surface of Mars. It was found there by the Opportunity rover back in 2004 and has been found to be abundant. Finding jarosite on Mars created a lot of excitement at NASA and around the world, because prior research had shown that water must be present for jarosite formation. The discovery of jarosite on Mars led scientists to come up with theories to explain how it might have originated. Some suggested it might have been left behind as salty water evaporated. Others suggested that Mars might have been covered by a massive ice blanket billons of years ago. They further suggested that jarosite could have formed in ice pockets. That would have been possible, they noted, if the ice blanket grew slowly with dust blowing onto it. At the time the theory was formulated, it was difficult to test because it had never been found to form that way anywhere else, including Earth. Now that jarosite has been found deep in Antarctic ice, the latter theory will likely become the most prominent. The researchers note that the theory still has one glitchthe ice in Antarctica contains very small amounts of jarositeon Mars, the mineral is found in large slabs. The researchers suggest that the difference might be explained by the huge amounts of dust on the Martian surface. Explore further Image: Jarosite in the Noctis Labyrinthus Region of Mars More information: Giovanni Baccolo et al. Jarosite formation in deep Antarctic ice provides a window into acidic, water-limited weathering on Mars, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications Giovanni Baccolo et al. Jarosite formation in deep Antarctic ice provides a window into acidic, water-limited weathering on Mars,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20705-z 2021 Science X Network Advertisement Coronavirus cases across the United States are continuing to plummet even as deaths from the virus continue to hold steady. On Friday, a total of 164,665 new infections were reported, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, which much lower than the 274,703 infections that were recorded just three weeks ago Although the Friday total is higher than the totals over the last few days, the figure is closer to what was seen in mid-November before the post-holiday surges. What's more, the seven-day rolling average of new cases currently sits at 158,739, a 30 percent decline from the average three weeks weeks earlier, a DailyMail.com analysis shows. Forty-four states are seeing a decline in cases, Johns Hopkins data reveals, with just Alabama, Connecticut, Louisiana, Nebraska, Rhode Island and Washington on the upswing. A CNN analysis projects that between natural immunity among COVID-19 survivors and people being vaccinated, as little as 12 percent and as many as one-third of the U.S. population may be protected against the virus. In addition, the number of people hospitalized has trended lower, falling 21 percent from a peak of 132,474 on January 6 to 104,303, the lowest since December 8, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project. The U.S. is soon on track to fall below 100,000 total hospitalizations - a figure not seen since December 1. 'Folks are changing behavior. Folks are wearing masks, folks are staying home, and that is resulting in these decreasing cases,' Interim Austin-Travis County Interim Health Authority Dr Mark Escott told CBS Austin. However, a total of 3,872 deaths were recorded on Friday, which is the seventh-highest number of fatalities recorded in a single day. Experts say that deaths, which rose in 17 of the 50 states last week, are lagging indicator, meaning they can rise weeks after cases and hospitalizations fall. On Thursday, a total of 164,665 new coronavirus infections were reported with a seven-day rolling average of 158,739, a 30% decline from the average three weeks earlier Although the Friday total is higher than the totals over the last few days, the figure is closer to what was seen in mid-November before the post-holiday surges Hospitalizations have fallen 21% from a peak of of 132,474 on January 6 to 104,303, the lowest since December 8 and are expected to fall below 100,000 for the first time since December 1 Currently, 44 states are seeing a decline in cases with just Connecticut, Kansas and Rhode Island trending upward, according to Johns Hopkins data Deaths continue to remain high with a total of 3,872 deaths recorded on Friday, but because it is a lagging indicator, it is expected to remain high for several weeks even as cases drop Even though deaths remain high, public health experts have been seen newly confirmed cases and hospitalizations falling over the last several weeks. This has led to many predict that the latest surge is over. But why? According to data from Bloomberg and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 26.1 million people - or about 7.9 percent of the U.S. population - have been vaccinated against COVID-19. More than 21.6 million have received one dose, which clinical trial data has shown can offer up to 50 percent of protection - and 4.2 have received both doses. What's more, several studies have shown that people who fall ill with coronavirus have immunity for at least some time. So far, 25.7 million case - 7.8 percent of the population - have been reported, according to Johns Hopkins. However, most experts believe this is a severe undercount and only presents a portion of the true number of infections in the country. Recent CDC models estimated that between February and January 2020, there were closer to 83.1 million infections in the U.S. In addition, to the 5.6 million cases reported in January, that means 87.7 million people have contracted the virus since the pandemic began. Between 7.9% people receiving at least one shot of the vaccine (above) and an estimated 26% of the population recovered from the virus, as many one-third of Americans could have soe kind of herd immunity This also means likely more than 26 percent of the population may actually be protected. When combined with the number of people who have been vaccinated that comes out to a total of 113.7, about one-third of the U.S. population who may have some level of immunity against the virus. It also means that the virus cannot so easily spread throughout the population because now it may be reaching people who are immune to it. 'There's a better chance you know someone who had it,' Adriane Casalotti, chief of government and public affairs for the National Association of County and City Health Officials, told Kaiser Health News. The estimates, which were conducted by, CNN do not account for any people who have both recovered and received the vaccine. With cases and hospitalizations on the decline, some U.S. states have slightly eased some of the tightest public health restrictions. California recorded its second-highest number of deaths, but the nearly 17,000 new cases reported on Thursday are about one-third the mid-December peak of 54,000 In California, Governor Gavin Newsom this week lifted a stay-at-home order that had affected much of the most populous U.S. state. 'We're seeing a flattening of the curve - everything that should be up is up, everything that should be down is down case rates, positivity rates, hospitalizations, ICUs,' Newsom said at a virtual news conference. The order allows hair salons to open with modifications and permits restaurants to reopen for patio dining. However many restrictions remain, including a ban on indoor worship services that affects most of the state. Newsom crafted the stay-at-home order in December as coronavirus cases worsened and in anticipation of surges from holiday gatherings. He divided the state into five regions and ultimately four of them had the order imposed because their ICU capacity fellow the stat mandated 15 percent. Only rural far Northern California stayed above the threshold. The turnaround puts California in a starkly different place than it was last month, when some Southern California hospitals overwhelmed by virus patients were crafting emergency plans for rationing care. As the sickest patients die, the death toll has exploded. California reported its second-highest number of COVID-19 deaths on Thursday at 737. The death toll now tops 39,000 and is second only to New York. But the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 has slipped below 16,250 statewide, a drop of more than 20 percent in two weeks. The nearly 17,000 new cases reported on Thursday are about one-third the mid-December peak of 54,000. In the last week the state averaged about 21,000 new cases per day, more than 5,000 fewer than the prior week. The positivity rate for people being tested has been falling for weeks, which means fewer people will end up in hospitals. In Los Angeles County, the state's most populous, the seven-day average of daily positive cases hit about 6,560 on January 22 - down from the peak of more than 15,000 on January 8, said county Public Health Department Director Barbara Ferrer. On Thursday, the state reported 13,398 new infections with 5.34 percent test positivity rate. This is down from the record-high 19,942 new cases and 6.14 percent positivity rate reported on January 15. Meanwhile, in New York, the rate of new COVID-19 cases statewide continues to fall. On Thursday, the state reported 13,398 new infections with 5.34 percent test positivity rate. This is down from the record-high 19,942 new cases and 6.14 percent positivity rate reported on January 15. This lead Governor Andrew Cuomo to announce he was lifting restriction on the state's 26 so-called 'micro clusters' due to declines in case and hospitalization rates. This means several businesses in these areas, such as schools, shops, restaurants and houses of worship, will able to operate at a larger capacity. However, Cuomo said he is not ready to lift New York City's ban on indoor dining, which went into effect in mid-December, despite the fact that that the COVID positivity rate in the city is now around eight percent. He is expected to announce a plan on Friday. 'I fully understand how difficult it is that they're closed, not just for the restaurants but all the people who are employed there. On the flip side is how fast this virus can take off,' Cuomo said. 'But we'll have a plan by the end of the week.' Cuomo may soon be facing the wrath of the state's Attorney General Letitia James, whose office released a report on Wednesday, finding that the New York State Department of Health may have undercounted nursing home deaths by as much as 50 percent. The investigation also revealed that the lack of compliance in nursing homes for infection control protocols put residents at increased risk of harm Hospitalizations are on the downward in Connecticut, but the state has struggled to lower case rates with 1,426 new infections reported on Thursday, representing a 5.5% increase over the last seven days In Rhode Island, 745 new cases were reported on Thursday, marking a 4.6% increase over the last seven days In Alabama, 3,648 new cases were recorded on Thursday, which indicates a 4.7% increase over the last seven days and i above the average peak of 3,080 on January 11 However, not all states are on the downward. In Connecticut, hospitalizations are on the decline but cases and deaths have been increasing. There are currently 1,016 patients hospitalized with the virus, and the state appears to be on track to be below coronavirus hospitalizations for the first time since November 24. Meanwhile, there were 1,426 new cases reported on Thursday, marking a more than 5.5 percent increase over the last seven days. What's more, the state is now reporting eight total individuals in the state with the UK variant, one of the highest totals across the country. 'This new strain, which is considered to be more easily transmitted, is spreading quickly throughout the world, and it's highly likely that these are not the only eight cases in Connecticut,' Gov Ned Lamont stated. 'That is why it is so important that everyone continues taking precautions to prevent transmission of this disease.' 'The health of Connecticut residents remains our top priority, and our public health officials will continue to closely monitor these cases and any other developments with this contagious virus.' In Rhode Island, another state trending upward, 745 new cases were reported on Thursday, indicating a 4.6 percent increase over the last seven days. The state is currently trying to lower its daily infection rate, which sits around 98.6 per 100,000. according to Covid Act Now, a consortium of scientists and researchers from Harvard, Stanford and Georgetown Universities. That's one of the highest in the U.S. Deaths are also around the highest they've been since early December, However, like Connecticut, coronavirus-related hospitalizations are decreasing, dropping below 350 for the first time since late November. In Alabama, 3,648 new cases were recorded on Thursday, marking a 4.7 percent increase over the last seven days. This is above the peak average of 3,080 new infections per day reported on January 11, according to data from Yellow Hammer News. State health officers continue to plead the public to wear masks, practice social distancing and wash their hands thoroughly until enough people receive the vaccine to achieve herd immunity. this reminds me of that other lawsuit or controversy surrounding taco bell's beef?? lordy Reply Thread Link Or Dairy Queen ice cream not being actual ice cream It's all just too much could the real slim shady please stand up Reply Parent Thread Link and ireland ruling that subway's bread didn't meet the requirements to legally call itself bread Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Which turned out to be bs Reply Parent Thread Link What in the world? Thats all I get there. Wheres my lawyer?! Reply Thread Link Do you do the basic tuna salad or add extra shit? I always add the fixings, lettuce, extra pickles, banana peppers and vinegar and then dump salt and vinegar chips all over it. I get hongry, I can't help it :( Reply Parent Thread Link I do Lettuce, light jalapenos , sometimes light black olives, oil and vinegar, salt and pepper, pepper jack or Swiss cheese on Italian herb and cheese bread....and because Im internally 5 years old I throw some lays up in there for the crunch. Edited at 2021-01-29 07:30 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I'm guessing it's some sort of amalgamation of various white fish and mayo. That's what fake crab is made of, anyway--minus the mayo. Reply Thread Link if it's true i could see that. if they're using fake tuna it would have to be a money-saving thing right? i don't know about fish prices though. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, imitation crab is surimi made from pollock mostly. Reply Parent Thread Link they're claiming it's not fish at all (but also won't say what their testing says it is, so now I'm wondering if one of them dropped a screw in the tuna) Reply Parent Thread Link I'm worried that it's actual meat. Have I secretly been eating Tuna of the Land all this time? NOOOOOO Reply Parent Thread Expand Link yep, Im not sure why anyone is surprised. Look at all what is in hot dog weinies. god only knows what is in it so just eat and be happy I guess. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I worked at Subway in college. The tuna comes in big old silver pouches, and what comes out likes pretty much exactly like canned tuna does - we add in the Mayo on site, it doesnt come prepared that way. The ouches tuna smelled and tasted exactly like your store bought tinned fish kept in water, so idk about this lawsuit. I never looked at it and thought this shits fake. All the punches had stamps that said tuna, dolphin safe. The fish that came out was that pink color that looks like tuna. It wasnt white and it didnt look dyed but wtf do I know Granted, its been 10 years so god knows whats happened in the meantime. Edited at 2021-01-29 04:05 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link I love this sort of deep dive into fast food so thank you for this! Did you work there during the Seafood Sensations era? Reply Parent Thread Link Haha yes! That shit looked exactly like crab meat from the store. It didnt look nefarious to someone whose had fake crab at the store. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The investigative reporter we deserve! Reply Parent Thread Link I was coming to say this because I worked there in high school too. It's like canned tuna Reply Parent Thread Link LOL this was my experience when i worked there in like 1991. Only our tuna was in big cans. Reply Parent Thread Link Do you have any nightmare stories dealing with customers? My cousin worked at Subway and she said it was easily the worst job she ever had due to people being assholes. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Fast food meats are always part mystery lol Reply Thread Link We've had cannibalism, domestic terrorism, sex trafficking, and now fake tuna all in the past 28 days. Lord have mercy. Reply Thread Link This year didn't come to play. And we're still in January. Reply Parent Thread Link terrorists, impeachment, inauguration, stock market collapsed by reddit, and now a tuna lawsuit. 2020 who Reply Parent Thread Link better show your receipt to return 2021 before the 30 days are up! Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link Dont forget eating the rich through GameStop! Reply Parent Thread Link and all on wednesdays it appears, lol thats whats bizarre to me lmao Reply Parent Thread Expand Link End days, sis. End days. Reply Parent Thread Link bless everybody's hearts... Reply Parent Thread Link 2020 set the bar high Reply Parent Thread Link i'm glad little bb me always hated this stuff lol it was so gross and still is Reply Thread Link It's probably different in Canada, but I get the tuna salad pretty regularly, and if it's not tuna, they've done an amazing job of faking it. Look, taste, smell, texture. At that point, why wouldn't you just use tuna? It makes no sense, it's not like there isn't plenty out there. Reply Thread Link Yeah Ive gotten Subway tuna a lot and never thought it was non-tuna. Reply Parent Thread Link at that point, i dont even care. if it walks like a duck ill eat it. Reply Parent Thread Link Ugh now I want some mock dock and veggies lol Reply Parent Thread Link lol same, I eat those hot dogs that you buy at the store where it's the whole pack for 99 cents, this can't be worse for me than that so. Reply Parent Thread Link Plenty out there? Theres blue fin tuna overfishing lol Reply Parent Thread Link What is going on at Subway? Bread that isn't bread and now tuna that isn't really tuna? Are we going to find out that the cheese is a fraud too? Reply Thread Link i didn't care about the bread controversy (I think it was just about the amount of sugar?) I still get veggie delights from there occasionally lol Reply Parent Thread Link Lol! Subway's been taking a few L's lately so I won't even be shocked if another lawsuit comes along claiming they've been faking their veggies all along too. But I've had their tuna a few times and it just tasted liked tinned tuna. Not that that means much but I'm curious to see how you'd even potentially win a lawsuit like this. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah the bread one was because there was more sugar and the only reason Ireland cared is because Subway didn't get a tax break if it wasn't technically considered bread. Reply Parent Thread Link IS SUBWAY EVEN FOOD!?!?!? Reply Parent Thread Link I wonder if ole' Jared is still in prison too and gained all his weight back..Subway is weird af. Reply Parent Thread Link lmaooo so their bread isnt actually bread and now the tuna isnt tuna? amazing eat fresh Reply Thread Link Everything about Subway's food/ingredients is so subpar and I'm really not sure if it actually went down in quality, or if it's just that I mostly ate Subway as a dumb kid and a starving college student and now that I'm a grown ass woman who has eaten lobster and shit, my palette is more ~refined~ Reply Thread Link I was just thinking the same thing; I used to love the veggie delight patties with cheese and veggies in the sub but I had it a couple of times last year and it tasted....not as good as it used to? Same with the chicken teriyaki too. Not sure what they are doing, but something in the milk ain't clean. Reply Parent Thread Link I feel the exact same way. theres just no going back Reply Parent Thread Link My mother swears by Subway and it confuses me because she swears most fast food places aren't using non-cloned meat aside from Burger King, but she eats from Subway of all places. Reply Parent Thread Link i think fast food companies do just slowly replace everything remotely real w artificial substitutes over time. so a lot of times things don't taste the same as we remember as children but it's bc the ingredients have literally changed. Reply Parent Thread Link I remember loving Subway as a teen, and now that I've tried literally any other sub shop (except Jimmy Johns - fuck that place), I am so confused at how I ever thought it was the best. Now I am all about a couple of local places that are eons ahead of Subway. Reply Parent Thread Link Aye shout out to my home county haha. Subway is so gross meatball sub gave me major food poisoning. Reply Thread Link I won't eat tuna sandwiches, no matter the restaurant. Mayo / or relish = pass! Reply Thread Link Not to mention tuna melts?? Like why do I want hot gooey cheese on fish??? Reply Parent Thread Link I fucking know, right? Reply Parent Thread Link not even a thin slice of sharp cheddar in a tuna on toast?? Reply Parent Thread Link Discussion of their Not Tuna and Not Bread reminds of this sketch lol: Reply Thread Link That What the Fuck is incredible Reply Parent Thread Link ew. I ate on subway once and didn't like it but their cookies a good. Just reading this post title it reminded me of this bit from Jamie Loftus: Reply Thread Link Their cookies taste like how Subway smells. Reply Parent Thread Link A Taste of Chiang Mai: Khao Soi, Coconut-Curry Noodle Soup The rich, golden curry is a Northern Thai specialty you can make at home Growing up in a small town in the Midwest, my only understanding of curry was the yellow powder in a standard issue wedding-gift spice rack. That powder originated in India, a combination of seasonings that were meant to travel well and mimic fresh curries. Many British returning to the British Isles from the then-colonized subcontinent hoped to bring home flavors they had grown to love. I never really had a hankering for the blend, and wrongly understood curry to mean just that. Years later, the world of curry as a broader category of dishes opened up to me. I learned that Indian, Thai, and Japanese curries existed, and bore little resemblance to the golden powder. My favorite of them all, perhaps, is often referred to as Northern Thai curry. Khao soi, a yellow, rich, soup-like sort of coconut milk-based curry, is a popular dish in the Chiang Mai region of Thailand. Its typically made with chicken (gai), but also beef in some cases, and served with springy egg noodles and a crown of crispy fried noodles on top. Its spice-heat is fairly mild, typically, but it isnt to be confused with the equally yellow curry from the south, which is often blisteringly hot. Gathering Ingredients Ironically, a cooking class in Krabi, a province in the south, is where I first learned to make a couple of common Thai curry pastes, the so-called red and green, themselves varying in recipe depending on whose kitchen you are in. The golden khao soi actually begins with the basic red paste (prik gaeng kua); its yellow color comes from curry powder and turmeric. Freshly made curry pastes for sale at a Thai market. (Wanz.st/Shutterstock) If you are deep into DIY here, by all means, you can make your own curry paste at home, gathering a long list of ingredients that includes chiles, garlic, galangal, and shrimp paste, an essential, odiferous umami bomb you dont want to have left over in the back of the fridge unless you have hazmat protocols. The process is time-consuming more than anything. Dont feel like you are cheating if you buy the paste pre-made: In Thailand, home cooks often buy the paste at a fresh market, where it is shaped into large mountains and is priced by the kilo. Red curry paste is standard in most Asian groceriesLobo and Mae Ploy brands, for instance. If you get to Thailand (or find a good importer), look for a brand called Nam Jai. I can always find pastes with no preservatives and an ingredient list that is entirely made up of actual foodseven without MSG, if that is not your thing. A single 100-gram packet of paste is perfect for a batch that serves four. But different brands may come in varying amounts, so you may need to adjust in the recipe below, based on their suggestions on the packaging. There is a learning process with curry paste. Determine if it carries the spice level you desire, and adjust as needed. You can always add a couple of chopped Thai chiles to the paste when you first melt it into the coconut milk. Roasted or dried chilies added in mid-cooking can help, too, but be careful, as they can get pretty spicy. My wife leaves the chiles whole or halved. I prefer to mince them completely and add them at the beginning, so that the heat spreads evenly. My belief is I get more heat from fewer chiles this way (scientific studies still pending). They freeze very well, and I have a good supply at all times. Chicken legs are the most common form of meat for khao soi, but I chop up breast and thigh meat. Beef is an option, as are vegetarian alternatives, such as mushrooms. Chicken of the woods (a foraged, wild mushroom) is fantastic. Vegetarians, be aware of the shrimp paste and fish sauce. In a perhaps blasphemous attempt to make my curry a bit healthier, I add broccoli. But steam it first and add it after cooking the khao soi separately, so its sweetness doesnt change the curry flavor. Khao soi is served with egg noodles. Buy them fresh, dried, or even frozen. I like Twin Marquis, a U.S.-made brand that comes frozen at local Asian markets, in packs of four servings, ready after two minutes of boiling. In desperation, weve used linguine. Khao Soi (Northern Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup) Serves 4 For the Curry 3 to 4 tablespoons (one 3.5-ounce/100-gram packet) red curry paste 3 cups coconut milk (two 13.5-ounce cans will give you a bit more than this; you can either save some for the next round or add it all to your batch) 1 to 3 Thai chiles, minced, halved, or left whole (optional, for more heat) 1 tablespoon palm sugar 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (Maggi is a popular brand with the Thai) 1 pound chicken legs or cut up breast meat (or pork or beef, or halved fresh mushrooms) 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or more to taste) 1 16-ounce package Chinese-style egg noodles For Garnish Thinly sliced shallots Chopped pickled mustard leaves Lime wedges Cilantro Crispy fried noodles (see Note) In a large pot or wok over medium heat, add the curry paste, Thai chiles (if using), and enough coconut milk to dilute the paste and melt it, so that it releases its aromas. Do not burn it! Then add 1 cup of coconut milk and let that mix in and start to bubble. Stir in the palm sugar, curry powder, and turmeric powder, and then add the remaining coconut milk, chicken broth, and meat. Turn the heat down a bit to let it simmer for another 15 minutes. Add the fish sauce to taste. It should be a little salty, not bland. Prepare your noodles according to package instructions, distribute them among four bowls, and ladle in the curry. Now comes the fun part: Accessorize! Top each bowl with thinly sliced shallots, chopped pickled mustard greens, and a squeeze of fresh lime. Add a bit of cilantro strewn on top, along with some crispy fried noodles for crunch. Note: I havent found a satisfactory packaged option for crunchy noodles (similar to chow mein noodles), and typically will fry up fresh noodles myself. Start with cheap dried egg noodles, cook them, and pat them dry. Heat about an inch of oil in a deep pot until very hot, then place the cooked noodles, one serving at a time, in the oil in a loose tangle; theyll crisp right up. Any moisture in the noodles will spatter up, so use a screen for the pot. Use tongs to turn the mass of noodles over once, and then, once theyre light golden brown, to pull it out and lay it on paper towels to drain. Does it all sound complicated? Be patient: Its worth it! Kevin Revolinski is an avid traveler, craft beer enthusiast, and home cooking fan. He is the author of 15 books, including The Yogurt Man Cometh: Tales of an American Teacher in Turkey and his new collection of short stories, Stealing Away. He is based in Madison, Wis., and his website is TheMadTraveler.com Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe was more forceful than usual in his media rounds yesterday morning. On RTE Radio Ones Morning Ireland he came out swinging in defence of the Governments Plan of Living with Covid-19. Donohoe wouldnt hear a bad word said about it and insisted the Coalition would be sticking rigidly to this genius plan to guide us towards the light from the depths of the Covid abyss. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the same thing in the Dail on Tuesday when asked what the strategy is when, or if, the current lockdown the third one he has imposed on the country comes to an end. The Taoiseach boldly exclaimed the plan is set out in black and white in his Living with Covid-19 indestructible master plan. Lets give the plan its full title for posterity Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with Covid-19. Thats what it says on the Governments website and thats what they are planning on sticking to for the foreseeable future. The issue with the plan is quite simple they have never stuck to it themselves. It was presented as a graduated system of restrictions that we would move between, based on a number of metrics related to the virus. It was supposed to provide the public and businesses with certainty. It was sold as a guide to plan for the future. But we have been in lockdown for most of the time since it was introduced. Read More Heres what the plan says: Individuals, families, communities, services and businesses want greater certainty, consistency and clarity. Yet now, Government ministers openly say they dont know when the current lockdown will end. They simply shrug their shoulders and say: It depends on the virus. So much for clarity and certainty. The plan goes on: While we will be living alongside the disease we need to do so with as much a sense of stability as is possible. So what did the Government do? They developed the plan to provide a robust and sustainable plan for the next 6-9 months. The plan was launched four months ago. Maybe the robust and sustainable bit kicks in after six months? We are moving from a shorter-term emergency response approach to a medium-term approach to managing risk and repairing the impact that Covid-19 has had on society and business over the past six months, the plan adds. Thank God we moved away from that shorter-term emergency response approach and are instead focusing on medium-term risk management involving nine weeks of national lockdown after a three-week period when restrictions were lifted briefly. The false promises of certainty must be especially hard to listen to for the 475,364 people who had to claim the PUP money this week. The claims of resilience and robust sustainability must infuriate the business owners who were promised clarity on when they may reopen but in reality are scratching their heads as Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar compete for air time to give little or no answers. The Covid glow has certainly come off Leo Varadkar in recent weeks. The arch communicator has been all at sea on a number of occasions during the pandemic but it has become more pronounced of late. He has gone from rubbishing any notion of a Zero-Covid policy one day to telling Labour Party leader Alan Kelly he agrees with his coronavirus suppression strategies the next. And that was on top of Varadkar suggesting people might be able to go on holidays this summer on Monday evening and the following day insisting they would be going nowhere. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Helen McEntee has been struggling to explain what role exactly gardai will play in policing what they are calling mandatory home quarantine for people arriving in our airports. Even if they had the resources, which they dont, gardai certainly do not want to go door to door to make sure people are tucked up in bed every evening. Then we have a Health Minister who doesnt seem to know how many vaccines we have and hes being put in charge of the quarantine plan. But back to the plan for living with Covid-19, much loved by the Taoiseach and Paschal Donohoe. If the plan was working, people would have some form of clarity and certainty in their lives. In reality the only thing the Government can tell us for certain is that they dont have any clarity on what theyre going to do next. The phrase du jour is that there is no silver bullet solutions to solve the Covid riddle. But surely, if you try one thing and it doesnt work out as you hoped it would, you would give something else a go. The CTU has repeatedly pointed to the low percentile of parents opting for in-person education. The reality is hybrid is a poor substitute for full-time in-person education. Many parents have found costly Band-Aids to the current situation my family was privileged to send our daughter to the YMCA where she is in a class like the one planned at her school. While we had requested to return to hybrid, it would have been a worse schedule. Instead of picking her up at 5 p.m., we would need to get her at 2:45 p.m. Most working parents I have spoken with chose remote learning due to the inconvenience of hybrid, not safety. After falling just short of first place for a Keep Texas Beautiful 2020 Governors Community Achievement Award, Friendswood should have extra incentive this year. The city, which is in Category 7 for communities with a population of 40,001-65,000, captured second place last year for the landscape award. To the winning recipient in Category 7, $250,000 in landscaping funds is awarded, courtesy of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), which sponsors the prize money. The Colony, a suburban community north of Dallas, claimed first place and Duncanville, just south of Dallas, garnered third for last years Category 7 contestants. So, Friendswood may have prevented a sweep of Dallas-area entrants last year. Towns all around us also garnered top three accolades. The city of Alvin captured first place in Category 6 and its landscape award of $210,000. Santa Fe bagged second place in Category 4. But hearty congratulations are in order for all who strive to keep Friendswood environmentally friendly. For the last three years, Friendswood is listed as just one of 37 cities across the state that have earned the badge of Sustained Excellence, applications that have received a score of 90 or higher from 2018 through 2020. The award honors achievements in seven areas, including public awareness, illegal dumping enforcement, solid waste management, community improvement and beautification and litter prevention and clean-up. All of that information brings us to this year and Friendswoods plans, we hope, to wrestle first place from The Colony. Actually, The Colony cant defend its Category 7 title. The GCAA rules state that a city, after winning first place, must sit out the next four years. So The Colony, Alvin and 2020s eight other first-place finishers are required to wait until 2025 to submit a new application. Applications from cities are due March 4 at 5 p.m. CST, states the Keep Texas Beautiful website. Last week, in preparation for this years contest entries, Keep Texas Beautiful hosted a webinar on the subject of tips from past winners. In December, hosted another webinar. The GCAA program is regarded as one of the most prestigious annual environmental awards in Texas. A total of $2 million in landscape awards is up for grabs in those 10 population categories. The Friendswood Fire Department, which is celebating its 70th anniversary this year, is reminding all that it offers free carseat checks every other Monday from 4:30-8:30 p.m. To schedule a carseat check, call the Friendswood Police Department at 281-996-3316 for more information. Free childhood immunization shots will be available on six dates this year at the Kenneth M. Camp Fire Station, 1610 Whitaker. The dates, all Saturdays, are Feb. 20, April 17, June 19, Aug. 21, Oct. 16 and Dec. 18. Before arriving, be sure to bring your childs immunization records. Im giving all a heads-up but its that important of a day. Feb. 9 is National Pizza Day. A whopping 3 billion pizzas are sold in the United States every year. That means 2 billion of that number will probably be sold on Super Bowl Sunday. Pepperoni ranks No. 1 in orders at 36 percent. Of course, Friendswood has its share of pizza places, popular ones at that, according to tripadvisor.com. Which do you think are the best in town? Is it Stefanos Pizzeria, Center Court Pizza & Brew or Ginas Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria? ravery@hcnonline.com WASHINGTON President Biden on Thursday ordered the Affordable Care Acts health insurance marketplaces reopened to give people throttled by the pandemic economy a new chance to obtain coverage, and he took steps to restore coverage mandates that had been undermined by his predecessor, including protecting those with pre-existing medical conditions. Thursdays orders also took aim at Trump-era restrictions on Medicaid, especially on work requirements imposed by some states on poor people trying to obtain coverage. Separately, Mr. Biden moved toward overturning his predecessors restrictions on the use of taxpayer dollars for clinics that counsel patients on abortion, both in the United States and overseas. Mr. Biden used Thursdays appearance at the White House to begin shoring up health care programs and policies that have been critical to a Democratic resurgence. Perhaps no policy is as important to him as the Affordable Care Act, which he helped secure as President Barack Obamas vice president. President Donald J. Trump tried and failed to overturn the law, then weakened it with executive actions and rules, including making it easier for people to buy cheap, short-term plans that are not required to cover pre-existing medical conditions. The best way to describe them: to undo the damage Trump has done, Mr. Biden said of his actions during a brief signing ceremony in the Oval Office. Theres nothing new that were doing here, other than restoring the Affordable Care Act and restoring the Medicaid to the way it was. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 16:04:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Different kinds of Kentucky bourbon whiskey are seen at the office of the Kentucky Distillers' Association (KDA) in Frankfort, Kentucky, the United States, Nov. 26, 2019.(Xinhua/Wang Ying) The value of U.S. whiskey exports shrank 28.9 percent to 845 million dollars in 2020 from 1.2 billion dollars in 2018, according to DISCUS. NEW YORK, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Exports of U.S. distilled spirits dropped in 2020 due to retaliatory tariffs from its main export market, the European Union (EU), said the industry's trade association Thursday. U.S. total exports of distilled spirits fell as much as 22.8 percent to around 1.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2020 from nearly 1.8 billion dollars in 2018, according to the latest data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). The EU imposed a 25-percent tariff on imported whiskey and bourbon from the United States in mid-2018, in retaliation for a U.S. imposition of 25-percent tariffs on imported steel from the bloc. "Since the EU's imposition of a 25 percent tariff on American Whiskey in 2018, the value of American Whiskey exports to the United Kingdom and the European Union have decreased 53 percent and 38 percent, respectively," said Christine LoCascio, chief of public policy with DISCUS, at an annual economic briefing. The value of U.S. whiskey exports shrank 28.9 percent to 845 million dollars in 2020 from 1.2 billion dollars in 2018, according to DISCUS. Sonat Hart, co-owner and president of Chicago-based KOVAL Distillery, said that due to tariffs, their exports of spirits have dropped 60 percent and the cost to do business abroad has increased by 15 percent. By contrast, exports of KOVAL Distillery expanded around 25 percent each year prior to the imposition of the tariffs, said Hart. A woman serves liquor during the Greek Fine Food Exhibition in Athens, Greece, on Jan. 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) In June 2021, the EU tariffs on U.S. whiskey will automatically increase to 50 percent, said DISCUS. LoCascio added that U.S. retaliatory tariffs on certain imported spirits had a similar effect with U.S. imports of Scotch whiskies down 37 percent in the last two years. In October 2019, the United States imposed a 25-percent tariff on Single Malt Scotch whiskey, Single Malt Irish whiskey from Northern Ireland and other spirits from selected EU members. The EU and the United States launched another round of mutual retaliatory tariffs on imported spirits in November 2020 and January 2021, respectively, according to DISCUS. "Hospitality businesses on both sides of the Atlantic have been decimated by the global pandemic, and these tariffs are a significant and unnecessary drag on their recovery," said LoCascio. LoCascio urged the United States, the EU and the United Kingdom to make it a priority to suspend these tariffs. The U.S. domestic spirits market, in contrast, continued to see growth in 2020, with supplier gross revenues at 31.2 billion dollars, up 7.3 percent year-on-year, according to DISCUS. JOB OPPORTUNITY DRC MECC/21.003 Senior Learning Officer About Us We are International Business & Technical Consultants, Inc. (IBTCI), a global consulting firm working some of the most complex and impactful development problems worldwide. We work on programs that help government agencies, private companies and donors improve the lives of others. At IBTCI you will be part of an inclusive team that provides expert solutions and advice to understand and address critical problems while giving you opportunities to succeed and grow. Job Title: Senior Learning Officer Department/Location: Kinshasa/DRC Reports To: Learning Specialist Type: Regular Full-Time Classification: This is a managerial, exempt-level position Overview: MECC is a five-year contract implemented by IBTCI to provide monitoring, evaluation, analytic, coordination, and research services to the Missions Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), and the USAID/DFID joint education program (ACCELERE!). It is intended to support Mission-wide objectives and provide analytical tools and services that allow the Mission to undertake performance management that will guide them in the full implementation of the CDCS PMP and ACCELERE! results framework. MECC services include performance monitoring, support to the Missions Learning Agenda, coordination among stakeholders at the provincial level, and M&E capacity building for Mission staff, IPs, and other relevant stakeholders. The Senior Learning Officer will support the Learning Team and MECCs activities related to Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA) and capacity building, in Kinshasa and other select field locations. Local candidates are strongly preferred. Must be authorized to work in the DRC. Responsibilities Essential Duties/Tasks and Responsibilities: Working closely with USAID/Mission staff and MECC Learning Specialist to identify CLA priorities and plan and develop relevant activities; Leading the delivery of the above-mentioned activities, such as learning events, trainings, workshops and other meetings with USAID and implementing partners in Kinshasa and selected field locations; Leading the design and development of training, workshop, and meeting materials; Writing reports related to MECC's trainings and CLA activities including - but not limited to- training reports, event reports, and quarterly and annual reports; Leading coordination and communication with MECC's training subcontractor to ensure timely completion of all training activities and deliverables; Other duties as assigned. Qualifications Minimum Requirements: At least five years' work experience in strategic learning, knowledge management, organizational development, communications, and/or M&E required, preferably in an international development context; Oral and written fluency in English and French speaking skills are required. Education: Bachelors degree in a related field; Masters degree preferred. Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Ability to effectively communicate and build relationships with diverse stakeholders; Skilled facilitation of groups, meetings, and events; Knowledge of USAID M&E principles and processes; Knowledge of USAID CLA framework and approach; Excellent written and oral communication skills in both French and English; Working Environment: Work is typically performed in an office environment. Physical Requirements: This is largely a sedentary position that requires the ability to speak, hear, see, and lift small objects up to 20 lbs. Supervisory Responsibility: This position does have supervisory responsibilities over certain learning activities and deliverables. This position may also have supervisory responsibilities over other learning personnel in the future. Travel: International and provincial travel may be required and may include travel to fragile and/or conflict-prone zones. About the Organization: IBTCI has been in business since 1987. We specialize in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL), Institutional Support (IS), Financial & Risk Management (FRM), Supply Chain Management & Procurement (SCMP); Social & Behavior Change (SBC) and Capacity Building. We provide these services across many sectors including, but not limited to, agriculture, resilience & food security, conflict & crisis, democracy & governance, economic growth & trade, education, energy & Infrastructure, environment & climate change, global health & WASH and humanitarian and disaster assistance. At IBTCI, our colleagues are encouraged to collaborate and be part of the solution while getting the tools and guidance needed to grow and support our clients' missions. How To Apply: Please apply for this job online at https://careers-ibtci.icims.com/jobs/2822/senior-learning-officer/job?mobile=false&width=960&height=500&bga=true&needsRedirect=false&jan1offset=60&jun1offset=120 and please send a copy of updated CV along with 3 contact persons in pdf or Word format to meccrecruitment@gmail.com (specify the job title in the subject) by the deadline of February 12th, 2021 Kinshasa Time. Please note this statement of work is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. IBTCI is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, or any other classification protected by applicable anti-discrimination laws. We prohibit and do not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment. We are an E-Verify Employer. VEVRAA Federal Contractor. If you are an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability, or unable to use the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact Human Resources at 703-749-0100. French Health Minister Olivier Veran on Thursday called for stricter measures to curb the new variants of the COVID-19 virus, which is contributing to higher caseloads in the country. Veran, while speaking at a regular press briefing on January 28, said that the COVID-19 virus is continuing to spread at a quicker pace and is contributing to more cases every week. Veran said that the current restrictions are not enough as the country would need stricter measures to curb the new variants, which he described as "new viruses". Read: Groups Launch First Class-action Lawsuit Against France For Systemic Racial Discrimination By Police In ID Checks Earlier this month, France reimposed COVID-19 restrictions as it announced a nationwide curfew from 6 pm to 6 am. Veran said although the curfew has been helpful, the country would need additional measures to curb the spread of the new variants from the United Kingdom and South Africa, which has so far been detected in 33 European nations. France has also imposed tighter travel rules, making the COVID-19 test mandatory for people arriving from another country, including European citizens and French nationals. Read: France's Sanofi To Make Vaccines From Rival Pfizer-BioNTech Hospitals getting overwhelmed According to reports, the French government may soon announce additional measures to help block the spread of the virus and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed. Veran on Thursday said that about 60 percent of intensive care unit beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients. Veran said that authorities will soon have to transfer patients between regions to provide relief to certain health facilities. The new UK variant has been detected in about 10 percent of COVID-19 cases in France, a government spokesperson had said earlier. Read: COVID-19: France's Top Advisor Says Country In 'emergency Situation', Calls For Lockdown France is one of the worst affected countries in the world and not just in Europe. The country has reported more than 3 million cases so far, of which 74,800 have lost their lives. France has begun vaccinating its people as part of the European Union's inoculation campaign. However, the region has been hit hard with delays in vaccine distribution, which is another concern for the country amid rising cases. Read: Biden Speaks With Macron, Seeks To Cement US-France Ties (Image Credit: AP) New Delhi, Jan 29 : A World Health Organization (WHO) team was finally allowed to get down to field work in Wuhan, even as a war of words began between the newly-formed Joe Biden administration in the US and the Chinese government over the scope of probe into the origins of Covid-19 pandemic. The WHO fact-finding mission emerged from the hotel after completing a 14-day quarantine to begin their origin-tracing mission in the city where the deadly virus. which has infected over 101 million people worldwide and claimed lives of more than two million, was first detected in December 2019. Beijing had for long been opposing the WHO's decision of sending experts to China saying that it should conduct similar trips to other countries and regions. On Thursday as the WHO team was shifted to another location in the city from their quarantine hotel, the media was kept at a distance. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, without revealing the places they will be allowed to visit, said that the team will carry out exchanges, including having discussions and field trips. It further stated that all their activities will "need to be science-based" with the utmost priority of preventing future risks and protecting people's safety and health. Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian also said that it would be inappropriate to make "any negative speculation and politicized interpretation" of the mission. "They will cause undue disruption to the expert panel's scientific cooperation in China and is not conducive to drawing a serious, science-based conclusion," Zhao said. The spokesperson was responding to a question on the United States demanding a robust and clear international probe into the origins of Covid-19 Jen Psaki, the White House Press Ssecretary, had highlighted "great concern" over the misinformation" from "some sources in China". "It's imperative that we get to the bottom of the early days of the pandemic in China, and we've been supportive of an international investigation that we feel should be robust and clear," she said, adding that the new government will continue to work with the allies to evaluate the report's credibility on the investigation once it's done. China insists that origin-tracing is a complex scientific matter that requires international research and cooperation by scientists across the globe. "We hope the US side will work with China, take on a responsible attitude and respect facts, science and the diligent work of WHO experts, so that they can research on origin-tracing free from any political disturbance," Zhao commented. While many experts believed that Covid-19 came from bats in the Wuhan seafood market, various reports had also cited last year that it had escaped, or may have been deliberately released, from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a theory supported by former US President Donald Trump. At a White House press conference last May, Trump refused to believe that the SARS-CoV-2 had occurred naturally. When asked what gave him a "high degree of confidence that the virus originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology", Trump replied: "I can't tell you that. I'm not allowed to tell you that." Doubts, however, persist if the WHO probe will actually yield any conclusive results. "It has taken them an entire year to negotiate access in any meaningful way in China," Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health at Georgetown University told The Washington Post, earlier this month. "It's like there was a murder and you go back to the crime scene a year later, after it was scrubbed, and you expect to find something," he said. Earlier this week, an AFP report from China had revealed that the Chinese authorities have deleted a social media group of relatives of Wuhan's coronavirus dead and are pressuring them to keep quiet till the WHO team is in the city. The WeChat group was used by 80 to 100 family members over the past year and was suddenly deleted without explanation about 10 days ago. "This shows that (Chinese authorities) are very nervous. They are afraid that these families will get in touch with the WHO experts," the news agency quoted Zhang, 51, whose father died early in the outbreak of suspected Covid-19, as saying. As Keiji Fukuda, a public health expert at the University of Hong Kong and former WHO official, said a few days ago: "It all comes down to what will the team have access to. Will they really be able to ask the questions that they want to ask?" (This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Two people were attacked by an assailant wielding a knife in the capital on Thursday evening. The incident took place outside a snack bar in the Gare district at around 5.30pm. The victims were standing outside when the perpetrator attacked them with a knife, injuring one person's hand. The police intervened shortly afterwards and took the suspect into custody, where it transpired they were a minor. The prosecutor's office was informed of the incident. As the suspect is aged under 18, they have been remanded into temporary custody at the Dreiborn Unisec facility. This marks the second incident of knife crime in the capital over the course of the last week, after an 18-year-old died following a stabbing in Bonnevoie on Tuesday evening. Purchase District Health Provides Vaccine Update By West Kentucky Star Staff WESTERN KENTUCKY - The Purchase District Health Department provided a vaccination update for its district on Thursday.The health department said a joint proposal was submitted to the state with Baptist Health and Mercy Health to serve as a regional vaccination sites. Under the plan, the hospitals will begin receiving 500 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine per week. Once the time arrives for booster shots, they will receive 1,000 doses per week. Vaccinations will require an appointment, and the 70 plus population will be prioritized.The department does not have a date when more doses of the vaccine will be provided for those who still need to receive their first dose. A vaccine distribution plan is being developed for all of the health departments, and the number of vaccines allocated will be determined by population size.Currently, the health department only has the second dose of the vaccine available for those who have already received their first dose.The health department said that when they receive additional vaccines, they will be divided between Ballard, Carlisle, Fulton, Hickman, and McCracken counties so that all five counties move into the next vaccination phase at approximately the same time.For those who would like to be vaccinated, a registration form can be completed at the link below.On the Net: An ASDA shopper claims he was handcuffed and 'pinned to the floor' by police for not wearing his face mask correctly. Ryan Farrell, 27, was arrested for wearing his mask 'around his neck' on Tuesday afternoon after finishing his shopping in Birkenhead. The father-of-one was first asked to fix his mask at around 4pm when he stopped at a kiosk to buy tobacco on the way out of the shop. Mr Farrell was repeatedly approached by police who asked him for his details - but he refused to provide them. He was then arrested. He claims he was pinned to the floor and handcuffed in front of his partner - who filmed the scuffle - and one-year-old son before being fined 100 and banned from the store. Police have launched a country-wide crackdown on shoppers who refuse to wear face coverings following reports that staff are receiving abuse from Britons who claim to be exempt. Ryan Farrell, 27, was arrested for wearing his mask 'around his neck' on Tuesday afternoon after finishing his shopping in Birkenhead. He said he was handcuffed and 'pinned to the floor' by police (pictured) Wearing face masks in supermarkets and shops is compulsory across the UK and enforcement of face masks is the responsibility of the police, not retailers. In England, the police can issue a 200 fine to someone breaking face covering rules. In Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, a 60 fine can be imposed. Repeat offenders face bigger fines. Mr Farrell insists he was wearing his mask correctly throughout his shop and only moved it when it caused his glasses to steam up. However, Merseyside Police claim that Mr Farrell lowered his mask, refused to give his details and then resisted arrest. The father-of-one was first asked to fix his mask at around 4pm when he stopped at a kiosk to buy tobacco on the way out of the shop. Mr Farrell was repeatedly approached by police who asked him for his details - but he refused to provide them. He was then arrested (pictured) Mr Farrell said: 'I convinced my partner to meet me after work to pick up some shopping and we wore our masks the entire way around the store. 'As we were leaving I went up to the kiosk to get some tobacco and my mask was steaming my glasses up. 'I pulled it down slightly to let the steam clear and a police officer who was close to the door gestured over to me and told me to put it back on. 'I put it right back up my nose, bought my tobacco and went to leave. 'As I was leaving, the officer said: "If I have to speak to you about your mask again I will arrest you". 'So I said "no worries, I did" and went to carry on out of the store.' Mr Farrell said the officer grabbed his coat and asked for his details, which he refused to give. Mr Farrell's partner filmed him on the ground with three police officers around him. In the clip, the police officers fix Mr Farrell's mask, stand him up and frogmarch him out of the shop (pictured) What supermarket regulations are now in place and when did they change? Sainsbury's Facemasks are mandatory in store, unless the shopper is medically exempt from wearing them. Guards at the entrance enforce the rules. There are also plastic safety screens, hand sanitiser and signs urging customers to socially distance. The store also has specially-timed slots for elderly or vulnerable people to buy their goods. Today the store told MailOnline insisted that guards had been present throughout the pandemic but more had been sent to stores that 'needed extra help'. Morrisons Morrisons have told guards to refuse entry to shoppers who have no medical reason for not wearing a facemask. Some stores have had guards throughout the pandemic but these were rolled out to all locations as of today. They also have a specialist next-day delivery service for those who cannot get to a shop in person. The shop also has an NHS priority time the key workers can go in to buy food. Tesco Tesco today joined Sainsbury's and Morrisons in banning customers without masks and bringing in security guards to enforce the rules. Today the store told MailOnline security guards had attended stores throughout the pandemic but more had now been recruited. It also has priority hours for key workers as well as limits on some items for delivery. Marks & Spencer M&S has hand sanitising as well as one-way systems in place and a facemask rule. Larger shops have restricted the purchase of non-essential goods. There is also a booking process to let people reserve a slot instore to go shopping. MailOnline has contacted M&S, and all the stores listed below, for their current arrangements as well as if and when they changed. ASDA Asda, like others, has a rule for facemasks unless there is a medical exemption announced by the customer. They also have an app that lets shoppers wait in a digital queue in their cars for a slot to go instore. Asda also say they have put a protective film on basket and trolley grips that kills bacteria. Waitrose Waitrose says facemasks must be worn in its stores unless a person is exempted from not wearing one. Marshals are at the entrances to its stores to check people are wearing mask and are shopping alone. Floor-markers help customers to follow social distancing while people are asked to keep two metres in queues. Advertisement The officer then told him he was being arrested. Mr Farrell added: 'I didn't want to give my details because I hadn't done anything wrong and when he grabbed me I tried to pull away. 'I was startled and I didn't know what to do so I tried to get him away from me. 'He then put my hands behind my back and pushed me onto the floor.' Mr Farrell's partner filmed him on the ground with three police officers around him. In the clip, she is heard shouting 'no need for that' and accusing the police of 'bullying him for no reason'. At one point she shouts: 'No need for that in front of the baby.' The police officers then fix Mr Farrell's mask, stand him up and frogmarch him out of the shop. He is issued with a 100 Covid fine for breaching regulations. As he leaves the store, his partner asks 'where are you taking him' before telling one officer: 'There's no need for that, it's plainly bullying. No need. He's done nothing whatsoever.' A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: 'The gentleman was seen by an officer to enter the ASDA store in Birkenhead wearing his face mask around his neck. 'When asked by the officer to put on the face mask he pulled up the mask and walked away but was then seen to lower it again. 'He was advised by the officer to put the mask on properly or he would receive a fine. 'The officer attempted to engage with the gentleman to explain why he had been spoken to about his mask and was asked for his name in order to record the advice, which he refused to give. 'He was advised if he refused to give his details he would be arrested. As the officer attempted to arrest him the man resisted arrest and was eventually safely handcuffed on the floor. 'He was taken out of the front of the store where he was given a fixed penalty notice under Coronavirus regulations and de-arrested.' Mr Farrell said that the incident was 'extremely upsetting' for his partner who had hardly left the house over the last year in order to protect their one-year-old son. He added: 'My son suffers with respiratory problems and almost died about a year ago, so we are very wary about putting him at risk. 'I always wear my mask because I wouldn't forgive myself if he got sick again and my partner has been very wary about going out, so this was extremely upsetting. 'The whole incident escalated very quickly and it was embarrassing for us all. 'I have never been in trouble with the police and don't want to cause any problems with them.' Mr Farrell was also told by the store's security guard that he was banned for life. A spokesperson for Asda confirmed that Mr Farrell had been banned from the store. Merseyside Police added: 'The rules are well known by everyone now, and Merseyside Police, supported by the vast majority of the public, will not accept blatant and flagrant attempts to disregard them through individual selfishness that puts lives at risk.' ASDA is one of several supermarkets to reintroduce bouncers at the door in all stores to ensure customers are wearing face coverings and socially distancing. The most recent figures showed police officers in England have now handed out 28,744 fines since the start of lockdown in March, with 80 per cent going to flouters aged between 18 and 39. A maskless shopper seen this month in a Morrisons in Peckham, south-east London. The woman, who only gave her first name of Gladys, said: 'I had a mask with me but simply forgot' Customers not wearing masks at an Asda in Swindon this month. There are various exemptions from having to wear a face mask - it is unclear if any of these apply to the customers Shoppers at a Tesco Extra in south-east London this month. Rules state that masks must be worn over the nose and mouth Cressida Dick this month insisted officers would come to the aid of supermarket staff if shoppers became 'aggressive' after being told to wear a mask. How supermarkets could be the most common place for people to be exposed to Covid Supermarkets may be the most common place where people in England are exposed to the coronavirus, official data suggests. NHS Test and Trace workers ask Covid-positive patients about where they went in the days before they developed symptoms. Around 150,000 'events' were recorded in the most recent week of data, which ended on January 3 before the third lockdown kicked in. Roughly a third of the activities listed were 'shopping' which was the highest proportion of all of the locations considered, which include hospitals, schools and care homes. But this is because supermarkets are one of the only shops allowed to stay open in England's third national lockdown. Stores have put in place Covid secure measures including regular cleaning, hand sanitisers at the entrance and only allowing a set number of shoppers inside. Experts at PHE today insisted their data did not suggest supermarkets were at the centre of coronavirus transmission in the UK, saying it does not prove where someone was infected with the disease. Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, previously said 'it is unsurprising' that supermarkets feature strongly when people are asked where they have visited because most businesses have had to shut their doors. Advertisement Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Tesco, ASDA, Waitrose and M&S have now reintroduced bouncers at the door in all stores to ensure customers are wearing face coverings and socially distancing. Exemptions to the face mask rule apply to children under the age of 11 and people who cannot wear a face covering due to a mental or physical illness. People who need to speak to or assist someone who is lip reading, or needs clear sound or facial expressions to communicate, are also exempt. Carrying an exemption card or badge is a 'personal choice' and 'not required by law', according to the government. The rules state that if you have an age, health or disability reason for not wearing a mask, then you 'do not routinely need to show any written evidence of this' and 'do not need to show an exemption card'. West Yorkshire Police Federation chairman Brian Booth warned that there were not enough officers to 'stand in every store' and it was up to the supermarkets themselves to enforce the rules. But speaking later, Dame Cressida said her officers would be prepared to assist supermarket staff if customers became 'obstructive and aggressive' when they were told they must wear a face covering. She also said it was 'preposterous' people couldn't know rules and vowed to continue a wider crackdown. Bouncers were in place at the start of the first lockdown in March to enforce social distancing and the wearing of face coverings, but began to vanish as the threat posed by Covid-19 waned during the summer, leading to an increasingly 'lax' attitude from shoppers who were seen maskless. Mr Booth said officers would only intervene if 'other offences were committed', such as when the customer refusing to wear a mask became violent or abusive. 'If there is an ongoing crime, an assault or danger to someone that must be the priority but we just don't have the resources to stand at every supermarket,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Supermarkets may be the most common place where people in England are exposed to the coronavirus, official data suggests. 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 Lowes said it will provide another $80 million to provide its seventh bonus to employees working during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The latest bonus will bring the companys total commitment to associates, communities and store safety during the pandemic to nearly $1.3 billion, Lowes said in a news release. Lowes said the $300 bonus for full-time employees and $150 for part-timers that work in stores, distribution centers and call centers will be paid on Feb. 5. Lowes also said it plans to hire 50,000 people to fill seasonal and permanent full- and part-time positions this spring. As we approach spring, I am enormously proud of the way our associates have served customers and supported each other this past year through an unprecedented health crisis, said Marvin R. Ellison, Lowes president and CEO. We are honored to be an essential business to help our customers keep their homes safe and functional during these very challenging times. Were pleased to provide this additional bonus to support our current associates and excited to welcome these new associates so we can better serve customers across the country. To apply for Lowes jobs, people can go to jobs.lowes.com/spring or text JOBS to LOWES (56937). READ MORE Welcome Guest! You Are Here: A Nairobi based tout who earlier this month went viral following an outrageous confession in court is turning out to be quite the clout chaser. A fortnight ago, Wycliffe Aloys Orinda admitted to smoking marijuana, telling Nairobi Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku that it helps him understand the BBI. He also opened up about his love for Blue Ice Vodka which he said helps him hit on older women. Watch: Nairobi Tout Tells Court He Loves Vodka Because It Makes Older Women Look More Appealing When he appeared before the court on Thursday, January 28 for his probation hearing, Orinda stunned the courtroom after protesting against sharing a remand cell with Lawrence Warunge, the homicide suspect who confessed to killing five members of his family. Orinda told the court that he fears for his life because of Warunge and sought to be freed from the Industrial Area Remand. He also mentioned that he misses his Blue Ice drink. At the same time, a disheveled Orinda told Magistrate Martha Mutuku that his belongings were stolen while in the remand. Your honor, they took off my shoes and trouser and I am being held with another suspect who killed five family members. I am scared my life is in danger, he stated. Magistrate Mutuku ordered that Orinda undergoes a psychiatric evaluation to ascertain his fitness to stand trial. The test will be conducted at the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, Nairobi. (Natural News) Before Joe Biden even sat down behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office where he has been allowed to pretend to be president until they find a way to remove him and install Kamala Harris, his left-wing handlers had a stack of executive orders waiting for him to sign. And he did sign them all 17 of them, an unprecedented number of executive actions taken by any U.S. president before him (Biden has signed many more than that since). Among those first orders were the seeds of Bidens Put America At Risk Again plan to reopen our borders to hordes of migrants from the third world. Thats right; the ink had even dried on this executive orders, and America became far less safe than it was only moments before, according to a former top Trump immigration official. With the stroke of a pen, President Biden made this country less safe, former Customs and Border Protection chief Mark Morgan told Breitbart News this week. Its pure politics over public safety. You think? Look, I know what our team said to the transition team, Morgan added. I know the facts and data and analysis that was provided. I know what they told them and gave them that showed that the wall works. Ah, right. Trumps border wall. Yeah, Biden canceled funding for that, too, just like Democrats canceled funding for the Secure Fence Act of 2006 after they took control of Congress in 2008. Morgan went on to suggest that Bidens incoming immigration team also didnt bother consulting the Border Patrol or CBP officials either about what policies were working, citing Bidens order ending the Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP), which is also known as the Remain in Mexico program. So this was this is something weve been saying was the most dangerous thing that hes been saying all along, that he was going to get rid of on Day One, and thats what he did, said Morgan. That policy [MPP] alone attributed to the absolute reduction of [migrant] families coming up from Central America. Between May 2019 and February 2020, the CBP recorded an astounding 92 percent decline in the number of families from Central America crossing illegally into the U.S. (Related: Biden sends open borders bill to Congress on first day in office: Cant wait to swear in millions of new Democratic voters.) In March, Morgan said during a press conference: Back in May, 61 percent of those we were encountering were families, the majority of those from the Northern Triangle countries. Because, again, they (transnational criminal organizations TCOs) knew our system was broken. If you came to the U.S. with a kid you were going to be released into the interior of the U.S. So, the major goal that we set out to do with the Presidents strategy with respect to this was to decrease the flow of families from the northern triangle countries. We have succeeded nine months in a row those numbers, families from Northern triangles have gone down and continue to go down. Its just frustrating what Im seeing right now, Morgan told Breitbart. To me, its all politics. Its all about politics. And our countrys less safe because of it, and its just disgusting. In recent days, thousands of migrants from Honduras forcefully crossed into Guatemala, telling journalists that the reason they were headed to the U.S. was because they believe Biden would ensure they were let in. That, Morgan said, is a direct result of the presidents open borders strategy. Dont take my word for it, he said. Listen to the migrants themselves. Quote, Biden told us we have 100 days to get to the US border. Morgan went on to note that Trumps immigration policies werent about politics. It was about law and order, he said. Its about the safety and sovereignty of this great nation. See more reporting like this at OpenBorders.news. Sources include: Breitbart.com NaturalNews.com One. Just give me the liquor neat Two, and one of them is ice Three is the perfect, simple combination Four or more! Let's get creative A beer and a shot, please Vote View Results San Francisco, Jan 29 : Taking aim at Facebook, Apple CEO Tim Cook has called for greater scrutiny of businesses built on "data exploitation". "If a business is built on misleading users, on data exploitation, on choices that are no choices at all, then it does not deserve our praise. It deserves reform," Cook said in his keynote speech at Europe's Computers, Privacy and Data Protection (CPDP) conference on Thursday. "The fact is that an interconnected ecosystem of companies and data brokers, of purveyors of fake news and peddlers of division, of trackers and hucksters just looking to make a quick buck, is more present in our lives than it has ever been," he said. The Apple CEO said that such an ecosystem degrades fundamental right to privacy first and the social fabric by consequence. His remarks came amid fierce arguments with Facebook over upcoming privacy changes in iOS that that will require app developers to seek permission from users to track them for ad targeting. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has argued that the iOS 14 privacy changes will impact the growth of millions of businesses around the world. "Apple has every incentive to use their dominant platform position to interfere with how our apps and other apps work, which they regularly do to preference their own," Zuckerberg said on an earnings call on Wednesday. "This impacts the growth of millions of businesses around the world, including with the upcoming iOS 14 changes." Facebook earlier published full-page newspaper ads to criticise Apple's upcoming privacy measure. The Apple CEO in his speech at CPDC reiterated his argument that "if we accept as normal and unavoidable that everything in our lives can be aggregated and sold, then we lose so much more than data. We lose the freedom to be human." "Together, we must send a universal, humanistic response to those who claim a right to users' private information about what should not and will not be tolerated," he said. "As I said in Brussels two years ago, it is certainly time, not only for a comprehensive privacy law here in the United States, but also for worldwide laws and new international agreements that enshrine the principles of data minimization, user knowledge, user access and data security across the globe," Cook said. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text HANGZHOU, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Yiwu, China's small commodities trade hub in eastern Zhejiang Province, will launch more than 1,500 Europe-bound freight trains this year, according to a work report of the provincial government. The cargo route linking Yiwu with Europe via Xinjiang in northwest China handled 1,399 China-Europe freight trains in 2020, soaring by 165 percent year on year, said the report reviewed at the ongoing annual session of the provincial legislature. As a major foreign trade engine in China, Zhejiang saw its exports grow by 9.1 percent, year on year, to nearly 2.52 trillion yuan (about 388.5 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020. It accounted for 14 percent of the country's total export volume. Initiated in 2011, the China-Europe rail transport service is considered a significant part of the Belt and Road Initiative to boost trade between China and countries participating in the program. As the COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected sea and air transport capacity, the China-Europe freight train service played a significant role in stabilizing international railway logistics. It ensured the smooth transportation of goods including epidemic control materials, given its all-weather, stable, and regular features. Good morning. Its been a month since Gov. Gavin Newsom introduced his Safe Schools for All Plan, in which he aims to reopen schools for in-person learning by February or March. However, with the Feb. 16 deadline to open schools looming, theres no telling how many districts have actually signed on to adopt the plan. Education leaders and teachers have openly criticized it, and negotiations over details appear to be at a standstill. Parents, eager to get their children back to in-person learning this year, have organized a campaign to safely reopen schools once case numbers decline. The debate echoes whats going on across the country, as President Bidens push to open schools in his first 100 days has been met with caution from teachers unions, who want to tamp down expectations that students will be back in classrooms before the end of the school year. Heres what we know about the state of reopening schools so far. Mr. Newsoms plan is in danger of failing. RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- UDig was recently named as one of the 2021 Best Places to Work in Virginia. Virginia Business Magazine and Best Companies Group created the annual list of the Best Places to Work in Virginia. The final rankings were announced at a virtual event on January 29, 2021. "UDig is a great place to work because of our talented, driven team. Our employees enjoy their work and feel their impact on our organization," said UDig EVP of Virginia Gordon Kelly. "The most important thing to us is building a team of skilled employees that are empowered to make a difference for our clients." UDig ensures every team member is a stakeholder in building the future of our organization and creating a positive, people-first culture. About the Survey: This statewide survey and awards program is designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Virginia, benefiting the state's economy, workforce and businesses. The 2020 Best Places to Work in Virginia list is made up of 100 companies. To be considered for participation, companies had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements: - Be a for-profit, not-for-profit business or government entity; - Be a publicly or privately held business; - Have a facility in the state of Virginia; - Have at least 15 employees working in the state of Virginia; and - Be in business a minimum of 1 year. Companies from across the state entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Places to Work in Virginia. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. For more information on the Best Places to Work in Virginia program, visit www.BestPlacesToWorkVA.com. About UDig: UDig is a technology consulting company focused on enabling your business with modern solutions. Business is a journey. And the roadmap to success is never a straight line. Through creative solutions and problem solving, our team enables yours to plan, build, and transform on your path from good to great. Then we leave you better. UDig was named one of the Best Places to Work in Virginia in 2016 and 2017 and ranked in the Inc. 5000 fastest growing companies in 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2016. UDig is headquartered in Richmond, VA, with offices in Nashville, TN and Washington, DC. Learn more at www.udig.com. SOURCE UDig LLC Related Links www.udig.com Jan. 28 , 2021 (EIRNS)Speaking yesterday at an online dialogue organized jointly by the Carter Center and the Chinese Peoples Association for Peace and Disarmament, Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai remarked, As we speak, COVID-19 continues to put human society to the test, and the China-U.S. relationship has come to a new crossroads. With the upcoming Year of the Ox bringing in confidence and hope, this dialogue is highly relevant and carries special significance. Observing that Jan. 28 marked the 42nd anniversary of Deng Xiaopings visit to the United States, and that he and President Jimmy Carter made the historic decision of establishing diplomatic relations between China and the United States.... Since then, our ever-deepening cooperation has delivered huge benefits to the two peoples, and contributed enormously to world peace, stability and prosperity. ... At this historical juncture, we are facing a consequential choice again. I agree with President Carter that China and the United States must remain closely connected.... It is our firm belief, that China and the United States can benefit from the prosperity and development of the other side. We can have competition, but we dont have to be rivals. Instead, we should strive to be partners.... Taking China as a strategic rival and imaginary enemy would be a huge strategic misjudgment.... Both China and the United States gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. ... Over the past two decades, we have carried out effective coordination and cooperation in a wide range of fields, from overcoming the global financial crisis to fighting terrorism, from helping African countries combat Ebola to addressing hotspots such as the Korean Peninsula issue and the Iranian nuclear issue. It has been proved time and again that when China and the United States cooperate, we can get things done, and that is good news for both countries and the whole world. Right now, we face the common enemy of the pandemic and an increasing threat from climate change. China sincerely welcomes Americas return to the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization and looks forward to stronger cooperation with it in these two fields. We also urgently need to enhance macroeconomic policy coordination to fend off international economic and financial risks and inject confidence into the world economy. Talks on arrangements for Leaving Cert and Junior Cert 2021 will continue next week. Education Minister Norma Foley attended another online meeting today of the exams advisory group, which is exploring all options in the face of the unexpected closure of schools since Christmas. There is concern about the impact of the loss of face-to face teaching on about 120,000 exam candidates in particular. Read More The 2021 exam candidates lost 11 weeks in school tuition last year and they have missed almost four weeks since Christmas, with no date set for their return to the classroom. With separate talks still going on about the return to the classroom of the first priority group - 23,000 special needs pupils in primary and special schools there is speculation that the second priority group, Leaving Cert students, wont be back until March. A Department of Education statement said todays meeting of the advisory group included discussion on what further measures could be made to address the demands on students preparing for the exams. It teased out the scope and form of assessment for the exams, orals and practicals and exam-related coursework projects, which are normally completed in school. Significantly, the meeting also discussed provision out-of-school learners, a cohort that attracted particular attention last year. Some were refused calculated grades because could not produce evidence from a teacher of their academic standard. Ms Foley and the Government are under pressure to make a decision soon on the State exams with the Irish Second Level Students Union (ISSU) and others seeking a choice between assessed grades and traditional exams. Meanwhile, with the results of the deferred, November 2020, Leaving Cert exams due next week, the National Parent Council Post Primary (NPCPP) helpline 1800 265 165 - will operate from Tuesday to Friday to assist students. Students who are entitled to a higher CAO offer on foot of these results, will receive a deferred college offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year. Higher education institutions making improved offers will be in contact with students during the week beginning February 8. Read More These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. The 24-year-old New York man held in the shooting of an NYPD officer this week has an arrest history and criminal warrants in New Jersey, according to court records. Ajani Jones of Yonkers, is charged with first-degree attempted murder of a police officer in the shooting about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday after a traffic stop in the city, authorities said. Police said Jones ran from police after they pulled him over on Lafayette Avenue near White Plains Road. An officer fired one shot and Jones fired four times, striking a 31-year-old officer in the lower back, according to a report in the New York Daily News. Jones, who faces 20 years to life if convicted of attempted murder, was ordered held without bail following his arraignment, according to the report. On June 17, 2020, Jones was arrested in Bergen County after an employee at Citibank on Route 17 in Paramus told police a man entered the bank and tried to cash a check with a drivers license that didnt belong to him, according to court records. Jones was charged with fraud and identity theft, according to a police investigation report. Court records show Jones also has an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court in Paramus on a charge of receiving stolen property. New Jersey court records show Jones has outstanding warrants for failure to appear in Warren and Gloucester County, where he faced drug possession charges in 2018 and 2019. Daniel Vargas, the officer injured in Tuesdays night shooting, was last listed in stable condition and is expected to survive, according to published reports. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A New York City police officer was arrested on child pornography charges on Thursday after he repeatedly posed as a teenager online to request and obtain sexually explicit photos and videos from at least 46 minors, federal prosecutors said. The officer, Carmine Simpson, 26, was charged with production of child pornography in federal court in Long Island and suspended without pay. He is the latest in a string of officers on the citys police force to be accused of sexual crimes involving minors. Prosecutors say that Officer Simpson used Twitter to contact teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17, often requesting that they create pornographic pictures and videos of themselves and send them to him. Officer Simpson told his targets that he was 17 years old and, in some cases, sent them pictures of himself to which he had applied a filter, making him look younger. At his arraignment, a prosecutor, Megan E. Farrell, said that Officer Simpson had engaged in a pattern of activity that went on for months online where he preyed on minors, grooming them, chatting with them, and essentially having them produce sexually explicit photos and images for himself. 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. Lawyer Lin Wood Asked to Undergo Mental Health Evaluation by State Bar Attorney Lin Wood, a lawyer who filed third-party lawsuits on behalf of former President Donald Trumps election challenges, said he would not undergo a mental health evaluation requested by an attorney licensing organization. The move to refuse the evaluation would potentially put his law license at risk. Wood wrote on Telegram on Thursday that the State Bar of Georgia informed him that he would have to submit an evaluation to keep his license to practice law. I have done nothing wrong. I have only exercised my right of free speech, Wood wrote in his post. I will not allow the State Bar to persecute me for doing so and thereby violate my Constitutional rights. Wood added that if the State Bar of Georgia formally requests that I submit to a mental health examination in order to maintain my license to practice law, I will respectfully decline to do so, according to the post. I am of sound mind and I have not violated any rule of professional conduct. The longtime defamation lawyer noted that I have always tried my imperfect best to use my license to practice law to do good for othersto pursue truth to achieve justice. Wood, who represented a number of high-profile figures in defamation lawsuits, then furthermore said the move by the Georgia State Bar is politically motivated. So the State Bar can do what it wants to do for political purposes or to further its agenda. I will litigate the issue if necessary for 16 years as I did for Richard whether I win it lose. I will not be intimidated by the State Bars tactics. I will not allow a state organization to control my free speech outside the courtroom, Wood continued. State Bar of Georgia Chief Operating Officer Sarah Coole told Reuters that Wood was asked by the organization to undergo the evaluation. Earlier in January, a Delaware state judge blocked Wood from representing Carter Page, a former Trump campaign advisor. The judge made a reference to Woods claims about Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Separately, Wood was fired by Kentucky teenager Nick Sandmann, who was defended by Wood. I have ended my lawyer-client relationship with Mr. Wood and no longer wish to be represented by him in the above-captioned action, Sandmann said in affidavits submitted in court this month. But in an email, Wood told the Cincinnati Enquirer: I love Nicholas Sandmann, and I wish him the very best going forward. Armenia extends import ban for six months 29 January 2021 Armenia has extended a ban on cement imports from non-Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) countries for another six months, according to ArmenPress. The aim of the ban is to protect the domestic market and domestic production. The previous temporary ban had expired on 1 January 2021. Published under Edwin Chan, a Hong Kong-born architect who worked with Frank Gehry designing the world-renowned Bilbao Guggenheim art museum in Spain, has pleaded with the Victorian government to relax its Australian only rule for designers of the new NGV Contemporary. Chan said hed love to bid for the project in partnership with an Australian firm and bring his experience and out of the box thinking to Melbourne. Edwin Chan at CHALET, a collaboration with artist Piero Golia. Credit:Alexei Tylevich On Friday, the Victorian government launched a year-long competition to find a design team for the new NGV Contemporary museum, the cornerstone of its $1.4 billion revamp of the Southbank arts precinct. But it placed strict conditions on who could apply, with the design lead and anchor practice having to have been working in Australia for at least 10 years, and at least one of the competitor team members having been a registered Victorian business for at least a year. Around 569 MW of new PV systems were installed last year under the country's rules for self-consumption. Around 56% of this capacity was deployed in the industrial segment, while commercial installations had a 23% share.From pv magazine Spain According to new statistics released by Spanish photovoltaic association UNEF, about 596 MW of new PV systems for self-consumption were deployed in Spain last year. This figure represents an increase of 30% compared to 2019, when 459 MW was installed. Of this 596 MW, around 2% corresponds to self-consumption facilities that are not connected to the grid. ... 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. French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, wearing a protective face mask, leaves following the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France on Jan. 27, 2021. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters) French, US Finance Chiefs Agree to Push Cross-Border Tax Reform PARISFrench Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and his new U.S. counterpart Janet Yellen agreed on Thursday to seek an international agreement on new rules for taxing multinational businesses, the French finance ministry said after the pairs first calls since Yellen took office. Paris and Washington clashed during the Trump administration over Frances tax on digital service companies and over reluctance from Yellens predecessor Steven Mnuchin to move forward on talks to overhaul the rules for taxing cross-border commerce. Bruno Le Maire and Janet Yellen agreed on the need to find multilateral solutions to many of the issues facing the global economy, including addressing the tax challenges of efficiently and equitably taxing the income of multinational firms, the French finance ministry said in a statement. U.S. outgoing Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen holds a news conference after a two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in Washington, U.S. on December 13, 2017. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Bruno Le Maire welcomed Secretary Yellens commitment to active U.S. participation in the ongoing OECD discussions on international taxation to forge a timely international accord, it added. Nearly 140 countries have agreed to rewrite, by mid 2021, the rules about how companies are taxed outside their home countries to take into account the rise of big digital companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook. Le Maire and Yellen also spoke about the need to reduce trade tensions between Europe and the United States, which flared during the Trump administration. The French minister in particular raised the topic of U.S. trade sanctions on French winegrowers that the Trump administration had place put in place over a long-running aircraft subsidies dispute. By Leigh Thomas 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. SPRINGFIELD MGM Springfield opened this morning and, for a change, it wont close tonight. The $1 billion resort casino in Springfields South End switches back today to 24-hour-a-day gambling for the first time since November, when the state imposed a 9:30 p.m. curfew in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. The casino had been forbidden from reopening before 8 a.m. Gov. Charlie Baker relaxed the restrictions last week. The states two other casinos Encore Boston Harbor and Plainridge Park both resumed 24-7 operations Wednesday. Table games are open on Fridays and Saturdays until 4 a.m., according to a release. Chris Kelley, president of MGM Resorts Internationals Northeast Group, which includes Springfield and the companys operations in New York state, issued a statement Thursday. MGM Springfield returns to 24 hour operations today and it feels like a step toward a level of normalcy, he said. We appreciate everyone having done their part to slow the rise in COVID-19 cases, and we will continue to be vigilant with our health and safety protocols. We are happy to welcome back some team members today, and as the capacity restriction is eased and additional amenities reopen, such as the hotel and Tap, our hope is to welcome back even more. MGM didnt share how many employees it called back. In November, right after the curfew was imposed, MGM announced that layoffs or reductions in hours would impact 250 employees. Before the pandemic triggered its closing last March, MGM Springfield had 2,000 employees. In July it reopened with 800 workers, operating under capacity restrictions and with some amenities like the hotel and movie theater remaining closed. Bruce Band, assistant director and gaming agents division chief for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, told commissioners Thursday that the three casinos were bringing back workers with the end of the curfew. Giving his regular monthly report, Band said Encore was recalling 500 employees. He didnt give numbers for MGM Springfield or Plainridge. Encore said it would furlough 600-1,000 employees when the curfew was announced. Related Content: An interdisciplinary team of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) used an innovative imaging technique for a better understanding of motor deficits in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The researchers were able to follow the escape behaviour of normal and disease zebrafish models, in 3D. Their results have recently been published in Optica, the flagship journal of the Optical Society (OSA). Professor Jinyang Liang, expert in ultra-fast imaging and biophotonics, joined an effort with Professor Kessen Patten, specialist in genetics and neurodegenerative diseases. The two groups were able to track the position of zebrafish in real time and capture the 3D motion, using a special imaging technique called dispersion-eliminated coded-aperture light field, or DECALF. "It is a unique feature for the analysis of animal behaviours from a neurodevelopment perspective. Otherwise, we would only be able to see the movement in a plane. Losing one dimension can be misleading when studying the movement. You may think zebrafish move one way, but the reality is quite different," said the expert. Their data revealed asymmetrical orientation angles of the left and right fins, indicating drastic changes in direction during the normal zebrafish' s escape from the stimulus. In contrast, the diseased zebrafish model showed slow responses and limited movement capacity due to motor deficits. Conventional light field cameras capture the information not only in x and y, but also the angle at which the light rays are coming from. This way, you can trace them back to focus on where you want. According to Professor Liang, the problem with this technology is the tradeoff. The image can have a high spatial resolution or a high angle resolution, but not both. The solution for this is the coded aperture light field (CALF) imaging, which can be achieved using digital micromirror devices (DMD). An Innovative Design The DMD acts like a diffraction element and separates the white light into a rainbow. A DMD alone cannot use it with ambient light or sunlight. "You could always use a single-wavelength light, but it leads to other disadvantages, since the colour of the light may interfere with the nerve system and affect the experiments. For example, red light could make people aggressive, and blue light is also known to affect the mood," Professor Liang explains. To bypass this limitation, the research team used a second DMD to cancel the rainbow induce by the other one. "We are the first to use this design to manage the colour dispersion within the entire visible spectrum, which allows us to use white light for this experiment," says Dr. Jingdan Liu, a postdoctoral fellow at INRS and the first author of this paper. "DECALF imaging could open up a new avenue for neuroimaging. For example, we could use this system to see neurons' activity. We could track the emitted light when a neuron 'fires' to know where the neuron is located in the brain and its connectivity," says Professor Liang. "Thanks to the work of Professor Liang, we were able to see the macroscopic behaviour of zebrafish with ALS-like symptoms. We could go even further in the study of this disease by looking at the microscopic scale.Using this innovative imaging approach, we could learn about what is happening in the neural system in normal and disease states in a non-invasive manner," Professor Patten says. ### About the Study The article "Coded-aperture broadband light field imaging using digital micromirror devices", by Jingdan Liu, Charlotte Zaouter, Xianglei Liu, Shunmoogum A Patten and Jinyang Liang, was published in the February 2021 issue of the journal of Optica. Researchers received financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Canada Foundation for Innovation, Fonds de recherche du Quebec - Nature et technologies (FRQNT), and Fonds de Recherche du Quebec - Sante (FRQS). Professor Kessen Patten acknowledges the support from the Anna Sforza Djoukhadjian Research Chair in ALS. About INRS INRS is a university dedicated exclusively to graduate level research and training. Since its creation in 1969, INRS has played an active role in Quebec's economic, social, and cultural development and is ranked first for research intensity in Quebec and in Canada. INRS is made up of four interdisciplinary research and training centres in Quebec City, Montreal, Laval, and Varennes, with expertise in strategic sectors: Eau Terre Environnement, Energie Materiaux Telecommunications, Urbanisation Culture Societe, and Armand-Frappier Sante Biotechnologie. The INRS community includes more than 1,400 students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty members, and staff. Source : Audrey-Maude Vezina Service des communications de l'INRS 418 254-2156 audrey-maude.vezina@inrs.ca 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. London: European leaders have given themselves sweeping powers to block crucial coronavirus vaccine shipments to Australia in a ploy condemned as unethical, dangerous and selfish. The new export restrictions, unveiled overnight Australian-time, grant the European Union final say on whether jabs produced on the continent by pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and AstraZeneca can leave the territory. The emergency scheme is the latest escalation in a brawl between the EU and two drug firms, which recently warned the number of doses available to Europe over the coming months would be slashed because of production problems. European leaders retaliated on Friday by publishing new export controls designed to give EU citizens priority access to locally produced jabs even though other countries, including Australia, are also relying on supplies from European factories. Published on 2021/01/28 | Source "Phoenix 2020" has been embroiled in rumors about replacing writers. The Korean Daily announced on the 28th that writer Lee Yoo-jin-V is discussing quitting the drama because she can't coordinate opinions with the production team. SBS sources told Star News that they are looking into the facts. "Phoenix 2020" is a drama about a rich woman and a poor man who married only for love and got divorced, and about what happens when they meet again after their economic situation has been completely reversed. It is a remake of the original "Phoenix" from 16 years ago and it drew attention as it was written by the original writer Lee Yoo-jin-V. The drama stars Hong Soo-ah, Lee Jae-woo, Seo Ha-jun and Park Young-rin. More than 6,000 people turned out last year for MidCitys first ever Mardi Gras-themed event. But right now, hosting a big event like that just doesnt compute. MidCity had success with their Christmas-themed pop-up bar late in late 2020, by utilizing a pandemic-conscious reservation system and their outdoor venue The Camp. And now theyre pivoting that way for Mardi Gras too. Mardi Gras at MidCity will let the good times roll again in 2021 - just this time its a three-week outdoor pop-up bar instead of daylong, festival type-thing. The pop-up opens Jan. 29 and closes out Feb. 16. This way, people can feel the spirit of Mardi Gras by celebrating safely with the iconic bevs and food of New Orleans over the next three weeks at The Camp, says Nadia Niakossary, of MidCity developer RCP Companies. Table reservations for the pop-up can be made via tableagent.com/huntsville-decatur/mardi-gras-at-midcity and are available for parties of two to 10. A credit/debit card is required to reserved a table. Theres no admission fee or cover charge to attend the pop-up, but if you cancel a reservation theres a $25-per-person fee. More info at mardigrasatmidcity.com. The Camp/MidCity is located at 5909 University Drive. To make it to traditional Mardi Gras epicenters from here, its about 350 miles to Mobile and about 445 miles to New Orleans. In Huntsville, MidCity will get the Mardi Gras vibes going with drinks such as Pat OBriens Hurricanes, Bloody Marys, etc. Drink prices start at $5 and go up to $15. The food menu boasts Louisiana go-tos like seafood gumbo, jambalaya with andouille sausage and chicken, and shrimp po-boys. Food prices go from about $10 to $18. Manny Randazzo King Cakes are in the mix too, and available for pre-order. More info soon at facebook.com/explorethecamp and instagram.com/explorethecamp. On Feb. 13, The Camps stage will host performances by New Orleans musicians and local acts. The lineup will be announced soon. Last year, performers included Crescent City funk band Dumpstaphunk and Huntsville R&B standouts Lamont Landers Band. Throughout the pop-up, The Camps will be festooned with furbelow from New Orleans Blaine Kerns Mardi Gras World, for an immersive and selfie-ready atmosphere. And that atmosphere this year includes COVID-19 safety precautions. Guests are required to wear masks when entering, exiting, and perambulating around The Camp and MidCity. Tables at the venue will be socially distanced, six-feet apart, while table service will keep guests from piling up at the bar or the onsite food trucks. Hand sanitizers will be available throughout the space. Hours for the Mardi Gras pop-up are: 4 11 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. 11 a.m. Saturdays; 11 a.m. 8 p.m. Sundays; 4 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays. France's president Emmanuel Macron has astonishingly claimed the AstraZeneca vaccine is 'almost ineffective' on people who are over 65 years of age. Macron made the explosive comments despite the EU giving the AstraZeneca vaccine full approval to be rolled out to its member states on Friday. His comments came as the EU's vaccine war entered a dangerous new phase on Friday as the bloc introduced rules that will allow it to block life-saving jabs getting to Britain, while European politicians accused the UK of 'hijacking' doses. Speaking to reporters only hours before the European Medecines Agency (EMA) recommended the vaccine for adults of all ages, Macron said there was 'very little information' available for the vaccine developed by the British-Swedish company and Oxford University. France's president Emmanuel Macron (pictured Thursday) has astonishingly claimed the AstraZeneca vaccine is 'almost ineffective' on people who are over 65 years of age 'Today we think that it is quasi-ineffective for people over 65,' he told the reporters, his office confirmed to AFP news agency. 'What I can tell you officially today is that the early results we have are not encouraging for 60 to 65-year-old people concerning AstraZeneca,' he said. Macron said he was awaiting the EMA's verdict - which came later Friday - and also that of France's own health authority 'because they have the numbers'. The French expert decision on the vaccine is expected at the start of next week, according to sources close to the health authority. 'I don't have any data, and I don't have a scientific team of my own to look at the numbers,' Macron acknowledged. Meanwhile, Germany's vaccine commission on Friday maintained its advice against using AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccines on older people, saying it was only 6.5 per cent effective for the age group. 'The reason is because there is currently insufficient data on the effectiveness of the vaccines on people above 65 years old,' said the commission known as STIKO. The advice by the panel of medical experts will be taken into account by the government as it officially draws up its decree on usage of the vaccine. Contrary to Macron's claims, British scientists have insisted that Oxford University's Covid vaccine will work on over-65s. Doctors in England say elderly patients are already turning up worried that they will get a jab that won't work for them because of 'misleading' news reports. But the developers of the vaccine, Britain's regulator and independent scientists say there is 'really good evidence' that the jab will work. Even though it was only trialled on a small number of people over 65 - just 660 - before it was approved, lab tests showed that the immune response was strong, it was safe for people to take and appeared to affect elderly people as well as it did young people, for whom there is data proving it prevents Covid-19. Brussels is furious with AstraZeneca after it warned that it would only be able to deliver a fraction of the doses the EU had been expecting once the vaccine is approved for use Pictured: A man in Paris receives the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19 during the vaccination campaign for people over 75 years old in Paris at a vaccination centre Following the German report, Professor Anthony Harnden, the deputy chairman of the UK's committee that decided the jabs priority list, vowed there was 'really good evidence' that it is 'safe and effective'. He added advisors in Berlin had made their decision because they have 'lots of' the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine that they can prioritise for older patients, but fewer doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab. Other scientists have warned the German figure is 'misleading' because of the uncertainty around their estimates due to a lack of data in the age group. But doctors have called for 'clear messaging' to the public to reassure them that the second jab approved is effective amid a barrage of queries from elderly Britons. Dr Jess Harvey, a GP in Shropshire, says she's already had several patients come in worried about the jab and fears the situation will only 'get worse'. The comments come after Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday waded into the row, insisting that the vaccine will work and he was flanked by public health chiefs from PHE and the MHRA, the regulator that approved the jab. The EU's health commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, (left) said today that vaccine export controls are not targeting any specific country, while Ursula von der Leyen, (right) the German president of the European Commission, said the EU's deal with the pharmaceutical giant is 'crystal clear' EU vaccine export ban could cut UK supplies The EU's decision to introduce what amounts to an export ban on vaccines could affect the UK's orders of millions of jabs made abroad. Brussels is currently trying to save face after its desire to introduce jabs across the 27 members states simultaneously left it lagging far behind the UK and other nations like Israel. Today's decision to require companies to have exports to certain countries approved before they are sent contains exemptions for many nations, but the United Kingdom is not on the list. Britain is expecting to receive approximately nine million more jabs over the next three weeks from Oxford/AstraZeneca's factories in Wrexham and Oxford and Pfizer/BioNTech's production centre in Puurs, Belgium. If European leaders decide to blockade vaccine exports across the English Channel, the American drugs company Pfizer could be left unable to ship supplies bound for the UK. This would mean some of the 3.5million doses reportedly set to arrive by mid-February could get stuck inside the EU. AstraZeneca's boss pledged earlier this year that the company would start supplying the UK with two million doses per week from the third week of January. These supplies from the two firms alone would be just enough to cover all of the 8.6million people outstanding in the top vaccine priority groups, but if deliveries are stopped or fall short, the target could be in jeopardy. Boris Johnson has repeatedly this week played down any threat to the UK's vaccine supplies. And his spokesman, asked about the threat by the EU today, said: ''AstraZeneca has clearly stated that it will be able to provide two million doses a week and we have stated we will get them out to people as quickly as possible.' He added: 'The deals we have in place with the seven vaccine developers will ensure our supplies continue to grow.' It is not clear how many doses are already sitting in Britain's warehouses, with ministers refusing to reveal numbers because of security concerns. But No 10 has confirmed that they are distributing vaccines out as soon as they can after they are delivered from the manufacturers. Additionally the Pfizer vaccine has to be kept at -70C in order to work. What this means is that there are unlikely to be large stocks of vaccines sitting in reserve in UK warehouses, ready to take up the slack if there is any cut in deliveries. Last night it was revealed the Novavax jab, which will be manufactured in Stockton-on-Tees, appears to be effective against both the original strain of coronavirus and a mutant strain first identified in Kent. The UK has secured access to 60 million doses of the new vaccine, but it has yet to be approved by the regulator. This means it will be available in the second half of this year at the earliest. Advertisement Politicians in the EU have this week been scathing of AstraZeneca after the company said it wouldn't be able to meet supply targets it had agreed to because of low yields in its factories on the continent, while Britain's supply continues uninterrupted. Brussels today stepped up its Covid-19 vaccine war with AstraZeneca by insisting their contract allows them to grab millions of doses made in the UK as the bloc unveiled new powers that could stop Pfizer jabs destined for British arms crossing the Channel from Europe. The European Commission Friday published a redacted version of its contract with the drugs giant, hoping to prove the company had breached a commitment on vaccine deliveries. Brussels is furious with the pharmaceuticals company after it warned that it would only be able to deliver a fraction of the doses the EU had been expecting once the vaccine is approved for use in the bloc. Britain on Friday expressed 'concern' over the EU's vaccine export control scheme, which sees Brussels partially suspend terms of the Brexit deal allowing goods to flow across the Irish border. British minister Michael Gove called European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic to 'express the UK's concern over a lack of notification from the EU about its actions', said a spokesman for the prime minister's office. The UK was 'carefully considering its next steps', he added. The Northern Ireland protocol in the Brexit deal allows goods to flow between EU member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland without the need for customs checks at the border. But there is a provision under Article 16 of the protocol for either party to unilaterally suspend the terms for specific goods if the agreement leads 'to serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties that are liable to persist'. Brussels on Friday invoked the article as part of a scheme to monitor and in some cases bar exports of vaccines produced in EU plants, amid a row with British-Swedish drugs giant AstraZeneca over supply. Arlene Foster, leader of Northern Ireland's loyalist Democratic Unionist Party, called the move to invoke Article 16 an 'incredible act of hostility'. She accused the EU of using Northern Ireland in 'the most despicable manner - over the provision of a vaccine which is designed to save lives'. Colum Eastwood, leader of the republican SDLP party, said the move was a 'disproportionate and grave error' by the EU. Ireland's foreign minister Simon Coveney said on Twitter that the government was 'working with the EU Commission to try resolve this issue'. The EU said the measures were 'justified as a safeguard measure... in order to avert serious societal difficulties due to a lack of supply threatening to disturb the orderly implementation of the vaccination campaigns in the Member States', according to the BBC. There is little or no physical infrastructure on the border due to processes put in place by the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought to an end decades of violence between those who want Northern Ireland to remain British and those who want it to be part of the Irish republic. Maintaining a 'soft' border was integral to negotiations between the two, with local leaders warning of a return to violence. Brussels has been in a furious dispute with AstraZeneca this week, accusing it of breaching its contract by delaying deliveries to EU governments while maintaining those under a deal it signed earlier with the UK. But Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides insisted: 'We are not protecting ourselves against any specific country. And we're not in competition or in a race against any country.' The escalating row came as France said it was closing its borders to people arriving from outside the European Union starting Sunday to try to stop the growing spread of new variants of the virus and avoid a third lockdown. French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the new measure Friday night after an emergency government health security meeting at the presidential palace, warning of a 'great risk' from the new variants. All those arriving from other EU countries will be required to produce a negative virus test, he said. France already had limits on cross-border travel because of the virus, and imposed tougher checks in airports and ports last week. International tourism to France has slowed to a trickle because of the pandemic, and restaurants and tourist sites have been closed since October along with many hotels. France will also close all large shopping centers starting Sunday and limit travel to, and from, its overseas territories. Castex ordered stepped-up police checks of those who violate France's 12-hour-a-day curfew, hold secret parties or reopen restaurants in defiance of a closure order in place since October. Virus infections, hospitalizations and deaths have been rising steadily but not sharply in France in recent weeks, and many doctors have been urging a new nationwide shutdown like those imposed in several other European countries. Citing the economic devastation of such measures, Castex said: 'Our duty is to put everything in place to avoid a new lockdown, and the coming days will be decisive.' France has reported among the world's highest virus death tolls, at 75,620, and more than 60% of its intensive care beds are occupied by virus patients. 'More than ever we should do everything to respect the rules,' Castex said. With a presidential race coming up next year, Macron is facing criticism over the government's handling of the pandemic, as well as its slow start to France's vaccination campaign, which has seen just 1.81 vaccine doses administered per 100 people (as of January 26). The UK by comparison has vaccinated 11.25 per 100 people. A curfew runs from 6 p.m until 6 a.m. every night but Macron is under pressure to impose a third national lockdown since the crisis began almost a year ago as data shows another increase in hospitalisations and deaths. 'The data shows that at this time the curfew is not putting enough of a brake on the spread of the virus,' Attal told a news conference after Macron chaired a cabinet meeting. Scenarios being discussed range from a very strict lockdown to maintaining the status quo, Attal said. It was unlikely no action would be taken, he said. Restaurants, bars, museums and ski resorts are closed in France but schools are still open. Shops remain open but with restrictions on the numbers allowed inside. Macron is likely to wait until Saturday, two weeks after the curfew was lengthened, before deciding on the next step. Public opinion is split. An opinion poll on Wednesday showed 52 percent of French people opposed another tough lockdown. Macron is wary of the rapid spread of a new strain of Covid-19 and resulting deaths as seen in the UK - that would require stricter measures to halt - but is also concerned that more curbs on public freedoms may trigger acts of civil disobedience, a government official said, pointing to riots seen in the Netherlands. 'I know there is a fatigue,' Gabriel Attal said during the press conference, before adding that the decision on whether to tighten measures or not would come down to health indicators. During its first lockdown last spring, France closed all schools and universities and prohibited citizens from leaving their homes other than to buy groceries, carry out essential work, seek medical attention or exercise. Schools remained open during a less stringent confinement in the autumn. The government's top scientific adviser, Jean-Francois Delfraissy, said on Sunday a new lockdown was necessary but that it was for politicians to decide how tough to make it. Failure to impose another lockdown would result in a very difficult March as a more contagious variant first detected in Britain becomes increasingly prevalent in France, Delfraissy said. Survey of English Usage Annual Report 2020 Follow @UCLEnglishUsage 1. News 1.1 New publications 2020 saw two books by Survey team members appear in print. The Oxford handbook of English grammar, edited by Bas Aarts, Jill Bowie and Gergana Popova, provides a wide-ranging and authoritative critical survey of current knowledge of the grammar of the English language, and competing research methodologies that may be applied to it. Sean Walliss monograph Statistics in Corpus Linguistics Research focuses on a single perspective. Whereas statistics is frequently associated with bottom-up number-crunching, he shows how a cyclic methodology in Corpus Linguistics, with the linguist in control, may be combined with statistically sound argumentation. Such a perspective places a greater burden on the linguist, however. Since the researcher must direct and interpret their studies, they must understand their data, their results and any claims they wish to draw. 1.1.1 The Oxford handbook of English grammar Following an introduction from the editors, the contributors explore a range of core topics in English grammar, beginning with issues in grammar writing and methodology. Chapters in part II then examine the various theoretical approaches to grammar, such as cognitive, constructional, and generative approaches, followed by the chapters in part III, which comprehensively cover the different subdomains of grammar, including compounds, phrase structure, clause types, tense and aspect, and information structure. Part IV offers coverage of the relationship between grammar and other fields lexis, phonology, meaning, and discourse while the concluding part of the book investigates grammatical change over time, regional variation, and genre and literary variation. The handbooks wide-ranging coverage will appeal to researchers and students of English language and linguistics from undergraduate level upwards. The book contains 31 chapters: Introduction, Bas Aarts, Jill Bowie, and Gergana Popova Part I: Grammar writing and methodology Conceptualizations of grammar in the history of English grammaticology, Margaret Thomas Syntactic argumentation, Bas Aarts Grammar and the use of data, Jon Sprouse and Carson T. Schutze Grammar and corpus methodology, Sean Wallis Part II: Approaches to English grammar Cognitive linguistic approaches, John R. Taylor Constructional approaches, Martin Hilpert Dependency and valency approaches, Thomas Herbst Generative approaches, Terje Lohndal and Liliane Haegeman Functional approaches, J. Lachlan Mackenzie Modern and traditional descriptive approaches, Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum Theoretical approaches to morphology, Andrew Spencer Part III: Subdomains of grammar Inflection and derivation, Andrew Spencer Compounds, Laurie Bauer Word classes, Willem B. Hollmann Phrase structure, Robert D. Borsley Noun phrases, Evelien Keizer Clause structure, complements, and adjuncts, Patrick Duffley Clause types and speech act functions, Ekkehard Konig Tense and aspect, Ilse Depraetere and Anastasios Tsangalidis Mood and modality, Debra Ziegeler Subordination and coordination, Thomas Egan Information structure, Gunther Kaltenbock Part IV: Grammar and other fields of enquiry Grammar and lexis, Doris Schonefeld Grammar and phonology, Sam Hellmuth and Ian Cushing Grammar and meaning, Ash Asudeh Grammar and discourse, Jill Bowie and Gergana Popova Part V: Grammatical variation and change Change in grammar, Marianne Hundt Regional varieties of English: non-standard grammatical features, Peter Siemund Global variation in the Anglophone world, Bernd Kortmann Genre variation, Heidrun Dorgeloh and Anja Wanner Literary variation, Lesley Jeffries More information (OUP site) 1.1.2 Statistics in Corpus Linguistics Research Sean Walliss book Statistics in Corpus Linguistics Research a new approach draws on collaborative corpus linguistics research with numerous colleagues and his independent research in statistics. The book is written for researchers and students of linguistics from undergraduate level upwards. In brief, it: outlines and develops the Survey Methodology in Corpus Linguistics; promotes a perspective of linguistics research driven by theoretical frameworks and analysis, not merely what the data allows us to see; explains statistical inference from first principles; argues for a focus on confidence intervals rather than p values to understand your data, what you are testing, and what your results might mean; values to understand your data, what you are testing, and what your results might mean; presents a series of novel statistical methods motivated by Corpus Linguistics analysis problems; shows how to reinstate logical reasoning into statistical claims. Central to the books perspective is an insistence that the linguistic researcher is responsible for the research process. Critical of black box algorithms that reduce many a researcher to a trusting reporter, the author argues that linguists are obliged to critically engage with their corpus data. They must know their data is sound and complete, and use a meaningful baseline for comparison. They must consider the limitations of their study, for example by evaluating whether the chosen corpus and queries are sufficient for their research aims, and consider if their assessment could be empirically tested by repeat studies. They must play devils advocate to their hypotheses, attempting to evaluate competing explanations rather than simply quoting the one they prefer. Throughout, researchers are compelled to engage in both linguistic and statistical argument. The core of the book introduces statistical reasoning from first principles through the medium of data visualisation with Wilson score (inverted Normal) confidence intervals on proportions. The idea is to help the researcher understand their data and claims that might be made on it. This method allows the author to show how novel statistical tests and confidence intervals on other properties may be derived. This approach to teaching statistical inference has been successfully employed for several years on our MA in English Linguistics and has been applied to numerous research questions. The book contains the following chapters: Part 1. Motivations What might corpora tell us about language? Part 2. Designing effective experiments with corpora The idea of corpus experiments That vexed problem of choice Choice versus meaning Balanced samples and imagined populations Part 3. Confidence intervals and significance tests Introducing inferential statistics Plotting with confidence From intervals to tests Comparing frequencies within the same distribution Reciprocating the Wilson interval Competition between choices over time The replication crisis and the New Statistics Choosing the right test Part 4. From effect sizes to meta-tests The size of an effect Meta-tests for comparing tables of results Part 5. Statistical solutions for corpus samples Coping with imperfect data Adjusting intervals for random-text samples Part 6. Concluding remarks Plotting the Wilson distribution In conclusion The Survey website is also hosting a web page of resources for the book, including general calculators, example data and calculations, and suggestions of further reading. More information (Routledge site) 1.2 Englicious The Englicious project is continually being enhanced with new functionality and resources. If you havent yet heard of Englicious, heres some information about the site: What is Englicious? an entirely free online library of original English language teaching resources, especially grammar. closely tailored to the linguistic content of 2014 National Curriculum for England relevant for students and teachers at Key Stages 1-5. includes grammar, punctuation and spelling test practice material. uses examples from natural language corpora. Englicious will help students: learn about English grammar in a fun way, using interactive online resources, including exercises, projects and games, all of which can be projected onto an interactive whiteboard develop their literacy skills, with a focus on spelling, punctuation and writing stimulate their enjoyment of (using) language, both in spoken and written form enhance their confidence improve their test scores, especially the Year 2 and Year 6 Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling tests in UK schools Englicious offers teachers: year-by-year overview of the new programmes of study and attainment targets in the 2014 UK National Curriculum hundreds of fully prepared lesson plans, including everything from bite-sized starters to larger projects, for use in the classroom assessments for evaluating student attainment and progress a complete and rigorous overview of English grammar the entire 2014 National Curriculum Glossary, enhanced with new terminology enabling teachers to use terminology consistently throughout the Key Stages professional development materials for teachers to brush up on their own knowledge The Englicious project now has over 10,000 registered users. In 2020, we moved our Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses for school teachers online (see below). Follow Englicious on Twitter Englicious on Facebook Englicious Youtube channel 1.3 Podcasts Our selection of short grammar podcasts aimed at school teachers can be listened to on SoundCloud, divided into Basic and Advanced explainers. EngliciousUCL Grammar Explainers (basic) EngliciousUCL Grammar Explainers (advanced) 1.4 English Grammar Day 2020 Due to the pandemic this event was cancelled in 2020. For a brief video impression of an earlier English Grammar Day, click here. We hope to be back in 2022. Grammar Day 2016 video (Youtube) You may wish to bookmark the British Library Events page. 2. Research For a full overview of research publications, presentations, etc. by members of the Survey, see Section 4. 2.1 Nuffield Grammar Project With Professors Dominic Wyse and Bas Aarts as Principal Investigators, researchers at the UCL Institute of Education (IOE) and at UCLs Survey of English Usage were awarded a grant by the Nuffield Foundation to examine whether teachers using the Surveys Englicious website (www.englicious.org) to teach six- and seven-year-olds about grammar can help pupils writing. Team members on the project began visiting schools early in 2020, but due to the pandemic unfortunately the project needed to be paused. The Nuffield Foundation kindly offered additional funding for us to restart the project after Easter 2021. It will now run until December 2021. More information 2.2 ICECUP As friends of the Survey will know, ICECUP is our research platform designed for carrying out research with parsed corpora. Our parsed corpora of speech and writing, ICE-GB and DCPSE (as featured in Sean Walliss latest book) are available for purchase, with ICECUP and built in help files. Prices start at 25 for student personal licenses. Institutional site licences, which grant institutions the right to use the corpus perpetually, start at 425 plus VAT. For more information see below. If you have never used ICECUP before and would like to try it out, you can download a sample corpus and get all the software and help files for free. ICE-GB Release 2 ordering and pricing DCPSE ordering and pricing Two 10,000 word sample corpora (plus software) are available for free download from the links below. ICE-GB sample corpus DCPSE sample corpus Compatibility: The ICECUP software requires Windows to run, and has been designed to work efficiently on computers from Windows 3.1 to 10. (It will also run on a Mac using Windows and an emulator such as Parallels. Check if your university has a license - it may be running ICECUP on its institutional Windows server.) More information 2.4 Blogs The Survey has three blogs: Bas Aarts Grammarianism blog. Sean Wallis corp.ling.stats blog. And the Survey blog. Seans corp.ling.stats blog was redesigned this year to coincide with the publication of his book. This year saw the publication of 12 new posts on statistics (and one book announcement) the greatest number since the blog began in 2012, reflecting an intensive period of research while under lockdown. 2.5 Survey seminars Survey seminars are held twice in each teaching term and are open to everyone. They are announced on the Surveys Events website. In February, Gunther Kaltenbock (University of Graz), gave a talk on A dualistic approach to grammar and its application to formulaic sequences. Unfortunately the second Spring Term seminar was cancelled due to Covid-19. In the Autumn Term, Philip Durkin (OED) spoke on An expanding or a fragmenting lexicon? Some possible approaches to loanwords, lexical change, and multilingual practices in the history of English, and Graeme Trousdale (University of Edinburgh) presented a paper on The development of nonetheless and nevertheless as discourse markers in English: a diachronic construction grammar analysis. 3. Teaching 3.1 Summer School in English Corpus Linguistics Our 2020 Summer School was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We are planning to run the Summer School again in 2021, in an online format from 1 - 2 July. Provisional timetable Day 1 09:00-11:00 Corpus Linguistics Methodology Bas Aarts 11:00-11:15 Break 11:15-13:00 Corpus Exploration using ICECUP Bas Aarts and Sean Wallis Day 2 09:00-11:00 Simple Statistics for Corpus Linguistics Sean Wallis 11:00-11:15 Break 11:15-13:00 Practical session with ICE-GB and DCPSE Bas Aarts and Sean Wallis More information 3.2 Continuous Professional Development The Survey has offers Professional Development courses to teachers in primary and secondary schools who need to teach the requirements for grammar, punctuation and spelling in the National Curriculum for England. Due to Covid-19 we are not visiting schools. But we are currently offering five online half-day training courses for teachers, all at a low cost: English Grammar for Teachers : a subject knowledge course covering the fundamentals of National Curriculum English grammar, relevant for KS1-5 teachers. : a subject knowledge course covering the fundamentals of National Curriculum English grammar, relevant for KS1-5 teachers. Teaching English Grammar in Context : a course for KS3-5 teachers, where we explore methods, tools and approaches for teaching grammar in relation to literary and other texts. : a course for KS3-5 teachers, where we explore methods, tools and approaches for teaching grammar in relation to literary and other texts. Teaching Non-Standard English Grammar : a course aimed at KS3-5 on how to encourage students to explore the grammar of so-called Non-Standard English, including regional dialect, slang, loan words and informal language. : a course aimed at KS3-5 on how to encourage students to explore the grammar of so-called Non-Standard English, including regional dialect, slang, loan words and informal language. Primary to Secondary English Grammar for Teachers : a course specifically aimed at KS3 teachers, focusing on how to bridge the gap with primary school grammar, and support reading and writing of non-fiction in English and other subjects. : a course specifically aimed at KS3 teachers, focusing on how to bridge the gap with primary school grammar, and support reading and writing of non-fiction in English and other subjects. Critical Thinking and Academic Writing for Teachers: a course aimed at secondary teachers preparing students for the academic writing and critical thinking skills they would need at university level study. More information, and how to book The Survey also offers bespoke courses for teachers in schools (INSET courses). For more information, please email the Survey. 3.3 MA in English Linguistics Most Survey colleagues teach on the MA program in English Linguistics (with pathways in English Corpus Linguistics and English in Use) which attracts students from all over the world. Our graduates have gone on to PhD scholarships in the UK and abroad, as well as careers in teaching, publishing, and public relations. Prospectus and more information 4. Publications, conference presentations, talks, dissertations and other studies using Survey material Please let us know if you would like us to include your publications based on SEU material. We would appreciate it if you send us offprints of any such publications. Aarts, B., J. Bowie and G. Popova (2020) (eds.) The handbook of English grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Aarts, B. (2020) Syntactic argumentation. 2020. In: B. Aarts, J. Bowie and G. Popova (eds.) The Oxford handbook of English grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 21-39. Aarts, B. (2020) English grammar in schools: the UK experience, Presentation (online) at the University of Oslo, Norway. Ballier, N., T. Gaillat, and E. Pacquetet (2020) Prototype de feedback visuel des productions ecrites dapprenants francophones de langlais sous Moodle. Environnements Informatiques pour lApprentissage Humain (EIAH19), University of Paris Sorbonne. Bowie, J. and G. Popova (2020) Grammar and discourse. In: B. Aarts, J. Bowie and G. Popova (eds.) The handbook of English grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 554-578. Crystal, D. (2020) Lets Talk: How English Conversation Works. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Dwyer, K. (2020). Even demons cooperate: evidence of linguistic priming in the narratives of spirit possessees. In: C. Blyth and N. Thompson (eds.). Multidisciplinary perspectives on spirit possession. London: Routledge. 135-161. Dwyer, K. (2020). Critical discourse analysis: a methodology for exploring bioethics in the biomedical and medical sciences. Anglistica AION. 231-251. Gartner, M. and K. Jung (2020) To boldly query what no one has annotated before? The frontiers of corpus querying. Proceedings of the 58th Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics. DOI: 10.18653/v1/2020.acl-main.562 Gries, S. Th (2020) Corpus linguistics: quantitative methods. In: C. A. Chapelle (ed.), The concise encyclopedia of applied linguistics. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. 340-344. [Update of 2012 publication on collostructions.] Hundt, M. (2020) Change in grammar. In: B. Aarts, J. Bowie and G. Popova. The handbook of English grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 581-603. Jeffries, L. (20202) Literary variation. In: B. Aarts, J. Bowie and G. Popova. The handbook of English grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 673-691. Kaltenbock, G. (2020) Information structure. In: B. Aarts, J. Bowie and G. Popova. The handbook of English grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 375-395. Konig. E. (2020) Clause types and speech act functions. In: B. Aarts, J. Bowie and G. Popova. The handbook of English grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 375-395. Popova, G. and J. Bowie (2020) Grammar and discourse. In: B. Aarts, J. Bowie and G. Popova. The handbook of English grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 554-578. Stefanowitsch, A. (2020) Corpus linguistics: A guide to the methodology (Textbooks in Language Sciences 7). Berlin: Language Science Press. Stratton, J. (2020) A diachronic analysis of the adjective intensifier well from Early Modern English to Present Day English. Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue Canadienne De Linguistique, 1-30. Wallis, S.A. (2020) Grammar and corpus methodology. In: B. Aarts, J. Bowie and G. Popova. The handbook of English grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 59- 83. Wallis, S.A. (2021, published 2020) Statistics in corpus linguistics research: a new approach, New York and Abingdon: Routledge. Wallis, S.A. (2020) Statistics in corpus linguistics research. Invited talk (online) at the Eastern Visayas State University, Tacloban City, Philippines. Ziegeler, D. (2020) Mood and modality. In: B. Aarts, J. Bowie and G. Popova. The handbook of English grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 418-438. Bas Aarts Director January 2021 Follow @UCLEnglishUsage This page last modified 28 January, 2021 by Survey Web Administrator. The World Economic Forum has announced the launch of the Global AI Action Alliance (GAIA), a new flagship initiative to accelerate the adoption of inclusive, transparent and trusted artificial intelligence (AI) globally. AI holds the promise of making organizations 40% more efficient by 2035, unlocking an estimated $14 trillion in new economic value. But as AI's transformative potential has become clear, so, too, have the risks posed by unsafe or unethical AI systems, stated the WEF. Recent controversies on facial recognition, automated decision-making and Covid-19 tracking have shown that realizing AIs potential requires strong buy-in from citizens and governments, based on their trust that AI is being built and used ethically. Recognizing this, over 175 organizations have proposed ethical AI principles. While this explosive growth in AI principles is welcome, it has created fragmentation. Further effort is required to translate these principles into practical tools for organizations to ensure AI's positive future. The GAIA is a new, multistakeholder collaboration platform designed to accelerate the development and adoption of such tools globally and in industry sectors. The Alliance brings together over 100 leading companies, governments, international organizations, non-profits and academics united in their commitment to maximizing AI's societal benefits while minimizing its risks. "AI holds the potential to deliver enormous benefits to society, but only if it is used responsibly. We are launching the Global AI Action Alliance along with our partners to shape a positive, human-centred future for AI at this decisive moment in its development," said Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chairman of the WEF. Members of the Alliance work together to identify and implement the most promising tools and practices for ensuring that AI systems are ethical and serve all society members, including groups historically under-represented in the AI ecosystem. Supported by a grant from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the alliance provides a community for real-time learning and rapid scaling of proven approaches to ethical AI, as well as a forum to accelerate collective action on emerging challenges and issues. A Steering Committee consisting of top global leaders from industry, government, academia and civil society guides the Alliance. The Steering Committee is co-chaired by Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM, and Vilas Dhar, President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a global AI and data philanthropy. Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM and Co-Chair of the Alliances Steering Committee, said: "It is an honour to co-lead the Global AI Action Alliance and to contribute IBM's expertise in AI ethics to accelerate the group's work. I am confident that together we can make the promise and benefits of responsible AI a reality across our society." Vilas Dhar, President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and Co-Chair of the Alliances Steering Committee, said: "In this pivotal year of global transformation, AI can be a powerful enabler of greater equity, justice and prosperity. To align stakeholders in this shared vision, GAIA offers the opportunity to bring together diverse voices, learn from success and failures, and build shared technology that amplifies the very best of humanity." Henrietta Fore, the Unicef Executive Director and member of the Steering Committee, joins the panel discussion launching the Alliance. "Technologies like AI are fundamentally changing the ways in which children learn, play and relate to each other," she said. The Alliance will be supported in its mission by leading non-profits committed to driving cutting-edge projects focused on key impact areas and unmet needs, including AI Global, the Institute of AI, AI and You, and EqualAI. "Children and young people are major users of AI. More needs to be done to help them benefit from the opportunity it offers while protecting them from the risks it poses," noted Fore. "We are happy to be part of the Global AI Action Alliance to help make AI work for, and protect, every child," she added.-TradeArabia News Service Rand Paul thinks the Republican party owes a debt of gratitude to ex-President Donald Trump and has no use for those GOP lawmakers who support The Donalds impeachment and conviction in a senate trial. I think it is a hugely partisan exercise on the part of the Democrats, Paul told Fox News on Jan. 20. But for Republicans who go along with it, I think they will destroy our party. Donald Trump isnt everything in the party but he did bring a lot of people to the party. There can be no question that Trump indeed brought a lot of people into the GOP. However, Republicans of conscience should be concerned as to specifically what kind of people decided to vote Republican because Trump was the partys standard-bearer in 2016 and 2020. The Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol, which Trump instigated and encouraged, allowed Americans to get a close look at these new Republicans. Anyone who is even vaguely familiar with the institution of slavery and the Civil War was disgusted by the number of Trump supporters who carried Confederate flags. Are they unaware that flag symbolizes a short-lived nation of eleven southern states that was founded on the toxic twin pillars of white supremacy and perpetual slavery for black men, women and children? During the Civil War, Rebel armies never managed to get a Confederate flag into our nations Capitol. It took a Trump supporter to accomplish such a dubious feat. A photo showing Kevin Seefried of Delaware carrying a Confederate flag outside the senate chamber went viral. In the background, one can clearly see a portrait of U.S. Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts. Sumner was an ardent abolitionist who became a fierce champion of justice and equality for freed slaves during the Reconstruction Era. A Confederate flag belongs nowhere near a portrait of Sumner or any other abolitionist! QAnon adherents are also among those new Republicans to whom Paul referred. To dismiss QAnon as just another conspiracy theory is akin to dismissing King Kong as just another ape. In the alternate universe of QAnon, the world is actually governed by a cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles who sexually abuse, murder and devour children during secret rites. Donald Trump is supposedly working around the clock to destroy this cabal. Members of the QAnon cult were well-represented in the mob that stormed our Capitol. Jake Angeli, a self-proclaimed QAnon shaman, told the FBI after his apprehension that he traveled to Washington, DC with other patriots from Arizona, at the request of the president that all patriots come to DC on Jan. 6, 2021. FYI, Angeli was the guy wearing a headdress that included buffalo horns. Watching video of someone so garbed in the U.S. Senate chamber was a surreal experience. Yet, Rand Paul thinks Republicans should be grateful to Trump for bringing QAnon members such as Angeli into the Republican party. Republican presidents such as Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush all served in the military during World War II and did their part to crush Nazi Germany. How would they have felt about the man who entered our Capitol on Jan. 6 wearing a shirt that bore the words Camp Auschwitz. Work Brings Freedom? Over 1.1 million persons were murdered at Auschwitz and its satellite camps in occupied Poland during World War II. Work Brings Freedom is an English translation of Arbeit Macht Frei, the mocking motto above the gate at Auschwitz. The Capitol intruders shirt also bore a skull and crossbones, a symbol widely used by the SS during World War II. Both the Confederacy and Nazi Germany were enemies of the United States. Courageous Americans shed their blood to defeat these nations. Why would any contemporary American embrace the toxic symbols of the Confederacy and Nazi Germany and actually take them into our Capitol? The fact that Trump brought such persons into the GOP is to be deplored, not celebrated. John J. Dunphy is an author, the Godfrey 15th Precinct Democratic Committeeperson and recording secretary for the Godfrey Democrats. (JNS) In an open letter posted last week to his website, young-adult novelist Barry Lyga called for like-minded colleagues in the industry to join him in blocking the publication of bodies of work written by anyone associated with the outgoing administration in Washington. Titled No Book Deal for Traitors, the letter begins, We all love book publishing, but we have to be honestour country is where it is in part because publishing has chased the money and notoriety of some pretty sketchy people, and has granted those same people both the imprimatur of respectability and a l... After being homebound for a long time owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Salman Khan is currently on a 'no-break' policy. The superstar wrapped up Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, and immediately dived into the shooting of Mahesh Manjrekar's Antim in which he is pitted opposite his real-life brother-in-law and actor Aayush Sharma. If the latest reports are to be believed, Salman has no plans of taking a breather again post wrapping up Antim. According to Mid-day, the Bharat actor will start shooting for Tiger 3 from March. A source told Mid-day, "Salman Khan has given bulk dates, beginning from March, to director Maneesh Sharma for Tiger 3. The unit will film a few crucial sequences in Mumbai with the superstar, who will reprise his role of RAW (Research & Analysis Wing) agent Avinash Singh Rathore. Maneesh has set a major chunk of the action thriller in the UAE and the surrounding countries. Dubai is expected to be the team's first stop." Salman Khan's Tiger 3 co-star Katrina Kaif will also begin shooting for the film in March. However, she will be taking a break in April for Sriram Raghavan's next with Vijay Sethupathi before resuming shooting for the spy thriller. Coming back to Salman Khan, the superstar recently took to social media to assure fans that his upcoming film Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai will arrive in theatres on Eid 2021, amid rumours of the film heading for an OTT release. The film has Salman essaying the role of a cop. ALSO READ: John Abraham Starrer Satyameva Jayate 2 To Lock Horns With Salman Khan Starrer Radhe At The Box Office ALSO READ: Salman Khan Bonds With Niece Ayat On The Sets Of Antim And It's All Things Cute! [January 29, 2021] BIGG Digital Assets Inc. Purchases Additional 24.3 Bitcoins for Netcoins Operational Float; Total Bitcoin Treasury Reaches 239.3 BTC VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BIGG Digital Assets Inc. ("BIGG" or the "Company") (CSE: BIGG; OTCQB: BBKCF; WKN: A2PS9W), owner of Netcoins (Netcoins.ca) (Netcoins), the online cryptocurrency brokerage that makes it easy for Canadians to buy, sell, and understand cryptocurrency, and owner of Blockchain Intelligence Group (BIG), a leading developer of Blockchain technology search, risk-scoring and data analytics solutions, is pleased to announce that it has acquired 24.3 additional Bitcoins which will be used for Netcoins operational float, and also become part of BIGGs long term treasury holdings. BIGG purchased the Bitcoins at a cost of CAD $41,164 per BTC, for a total investment of CAD $1,000,000. This purchase, added to BIGGs existing Bitcoin holdings, brings the treasury to 239.3 Bitcoin, valued at CAD ~$10.3 million (USD ~$8.0 million) as of 3pm PST January 28, 2021. BIGG intends to further add to its Bitcoin holdings by investing up to CAD $5 million over the next 5 weeks, dollar cost averaging the purchases, to expand the Netcoins operational float to meet increased trading volumes on the platform. BIGG believes strongly in the future of Bitcoin, its store of value capability, and its future valuation potential. BIGG CEO, Mark Binns, remarks BIGGs subsidiary Netcoins continues to experience significant monthly increases in trading volume, and with immediate settlement to customers, we require a larger crypto float to meet daily customer buying demands. To meet this demand, we have expanded our Bitcoin holdings and will continue to do so over the coming weeks. We also believe our Bitcoin holdings can act as a source of self financing and value creation over time, as we continue to expand our core crypto trading and blockchain forensic software businesses.. On behalf of the Board Mark Binns CEO mark@biggdigitalassets.com T:+1.844.515.2646 About BIGG Digital Assets Inc. BIGG Digital Assets Inc. (BIGG) believes the future of crypto is a safe, compliant, and regulated environment. BIGG invests in products and companies to support this vsion. BIGG owns two operating companies: Netcoins (netcoins.ca) and Blockchain Intelligence Group (blockchaingroup.io). Netcoins develops brokerage and exchange software to make the purchase and sale of cryptocurrency easily accessible to the mass consumer and investor with a focus on compliance and safety. Netcoins utilizes BitRank Verified software at the heart of its platform and facilitates crypto trading via a self-serve crypto brokerage portal at Netcoins.app. Blockchain Intelligence Group (BIG) has developed a Blockchain-agnostic search and analytics engine, QLUETM, enabling Law Enforcement, RegTech, Regulators and Government Agencies to visually track, trace and monitor cryptocurrency transactions at a forensic level. Our commercial product, BitRank Verified, offers a risk score for cryptocurrencies, enabling RegTech, banks, ATMs, exchanges, and retailers to meet traditional regulatory/compliance requirements. For more information and to register to BIGGs mailing list, please visit our website at https://www.biggdigitalassets. com . Or visit SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which include completion of the search technology software and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as may, expect, estimate, anticipate, intend, believe and continue or the negative thereof or similar variations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the state of the economy in general and capital markets in particular, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of BIGG. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because BIGG can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from BIGGs expectations include, consumer sentiment towards BIGGs products and Blockchain technology generally, technology failures, competition, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, BIGG disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, BIGG undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this Press Release. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Smny.sharepoint.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 1 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. The total number of people who shared the smny.sharepoint homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the smny.sharepoint homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the smny.sharepoint homepage on Twitter + the total number of smny.sharepoint followers (if smny.sharepoint has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the smny.sharepoint homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the smny.sharepoint homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if smny.sharepoint has a Facebook fan page). Basic Information PAGE TITLE Welcome to Microsoft Online Services DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. Domain and Server DOCTYPE CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Microsoft-IIS/7.5 OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2 Type of server and offered services. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. The language of smny.sharepoint.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for smny.sharepoint.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 29, 2021 / Tartisan Nickel Corp. (CSE:TN)(OTC PINK:TTSRF)(FSE:A2D) ("Tartisan", or the "Company") announces that the Company will conduct a webinar at 12 noon EST on Thursday, February 11th, 2021. The Company invites investors to join President & CEO Mark Appleby for an update on Tartisan Nickel Corp. and plans for the Company's flagship Kenbridge Nickel project. LIVE WEBINAR The Tartisan Nickel Corp. webinar will take place on Thursday, February 11th, 2021 at 12 noon local time, Toronto. The following link provides online registration details to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4BcYSGmDQN2eeQwffUiFfA After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The event is being facilitated by PBA (Paul Benwell & Associates). About Tartisan Nickel Corp. Tartisan Nickel Corp. is a Canadian based mineral exploration and development company which owns; the Kenbridge Nickel Project in northwestern Ontario; the Sill Lake Silver Property in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario as well as the Don Pancho Manganese-Zinc-Lead-Silver Project in Peru. The Company has an equity stake in; Eloro Resources Limited, Class 1 Nickel and Technologies Limited and Peruvian Metals Corp. Tartisan Nickel Corp. common shares are listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE:TN; US-OTC:TTSRF; FSE:A2D). Currently, there are 104,829,132 shares outstanding (110,854,714 fully diluted). For further information, please contact Mark Appleby, President & CEO and a Director of the Company, at 416-804-0280 (info@tartisannickel.com). Additional information about Tartisan can be found at the Company's website at www.tartisannickel.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. The Canadian Securities Exchange (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release. SOURCE: Tartisan Nickel Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/626705/Tartisan-Nickel-Corp-Announces-Webinar-on-Thursday-February-11-2021-at-12-Noon-EST BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's military will shift its conscription from once a year to twice a year, starting from 2021, a military spokesperson said at a press conference Thursday. Approved by the State Council and the Central Military Commission, recruitment for the first half of the year will run from Feb. 20 to March 31, and the recruitment for the second half will run from Aug. 15 to Sep. 30, said Wu Qian, the spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense. The recruits will be mainly selected from college students, especially those majoring in science and engineering, Wu said, noting that applicants can sign up at www.gfbzb.gov.cn for more information. China planned to start recruiting twice a year for the armed forces from 2020, however, the recruitment in the first half of last year was postponed according to the country's COVID-19 prevention measures and was combined with that of the second half. 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 headquarters of the American Irish Historical Society (AIHS) on Manhattan's glitzy Fifth Avenue has been listed for sale. The beautiful building has been put on the market for a whopping $52m, according to the Wall Street Journal. The news comes just a week after proud Irish American and Joe Biden was sworn in as President of the USA. Biden, the 46th President, is seen as being a massive ally to Ireland and Irish Americans. The beautiful old mansion is a landmark on Fifth Avenue even though it is sandwiched between two much larger buildings, and has long been revered by Irish-Americans because of its prominent location in the heart of one of the world's most famous thoroughfares. The building was designed in the style of Beaux-Arts, a French style which incorporated Gothic and Renaissance elements. The AIHS was initially founded in 1897 as a response to the Scots-Irish (Ulster-Scots) Society which was founded in 1889. The most famous member of the society since its inception was President Theodore Roosevelt, but in recent years members have included doctors, lawyers and writers, as well as some famous names such as Northern Irish actor Liam Neeson. Read More The building featured as the butt of a joke from Donald Trump rival Michael Bloomberg, who was the New York mayor at the time, and who quipped about seeing "totally inebriated" Irish people hanging from the balcony of the building on St Patrick's Day. He was later forced to apologise for the joke - as the membership of the AIHS are known for their respectable and reserved social events. In a statement on the sale of the building, a spokesperson from the AIHS said: "The American Irish Historical Society is placing its present headquarters at 991 Fifth Avenue on the market. The building, which has been the Society's headquarters since 1940, was designed by James R Turner and William G Killian in 1901 as a private residence and has had three previous owners. "Before moving to 991 Fifth Avenue, the Society was based first at the old Manhattan Hotel, then the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, and then at 132 East 16th Street. The AIHS is a cultural and scholarly organisation devoted to making better known the history of the Irish in the United States as well as to celebrating the riches of Irish culture globally. The decision to place the building on the market has been made in order to best enable the Society to pursue its cultural and scholarly mission in a sustainable manner. The Society has selected the firm Brown Harris Stevens to represent the sale of the property." MINSK -- Lawyers for Viktar Babaryka, a Belarusian banker once seen as a potential challenger to Alyaksandr Lukashenka but who was prevented from running in the presidential election and jailed on corruption charges, say his case will be heard directly by the country's Supreme Court, a move that takes away any chance of appeal. "Viktar Babaryka's right to appeal his verdict has been rejected," lawyer Dzmitry Layeuski, a member of Babaryka's legal team, wrote on Facebook on January 28. After he expressed his intention to run for president, the former Belgazprombank chief was arrested in June along with his son Eduard and charged with money laundering, bribery, and tax evasion. Babaryka and his son have rejected the charges as politically motivated. Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusians continue to demand the resignation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid a brutal crackdown on protesters. The West refuses to recognize him as the country's legitimate leader after an August 9 election considered fraudulent. Lukashenka went on to be declared the victor of the August 9 election, but opposition and public outrage over what they saw as a rigged vote has sparked continuing protests, bringing tens of thousands onto the streets with demands that the authoritarian step down with new elections be held. Security officials have cracked down hard on the demonstrators, arresting thousands and pushing most top opposition figures out of the country. Several protesters have been killed in the violence and some rights organizations say there is credible evidence of torture being used against some of those detained. Lukashenka, who has run the country since 1994, has denied any wrongdoing and refuses to negotiate with the opposition on stepping down or holding new elections. The European Union, United States, Canada, and other countries have refused to recognize Lukashenka, 66, as the legitimate leader of Belarus and have slapped him and senior Belarusian officials with sanctions in response to the "falsification" of the vote and postelection crackdown. Colonel-General Sergei Istrakov, the deputy chief of the Russian militarys General Staff, arrived in Yerevan on January 25 for what the Armenian Defense Ministry described as staff negotiations between the armed forces of the two allied states. Istrakov began the trip with separate meetings with Harutiunian and his Armenian opposite number, Colonel-General Onik Gasparian. A Defense Ministry statement released on Friday, said Istrakov met with Harutiunian again to brief him on the results of the talks that touched upon all directions of Russian-Armenian bilateral military cooperation. They discussed joint activities planned by the two sides, the statement said without elaborating. The Russian ambassador in Yerevan, Sergei Kopyrkin, met with Harutiunian and Gasparian on Thursday to congratulate them on the 29th anniversary of the official creation of the Armenian army. On Tuesday, Harutiunian inspected the main command post of a joint Russian-Armenian system of air defense protecting Armenias airspace. He was accompanied by a Russian Air Force general. Vagharshak Harutiunian stressed the need to deepen Russian-Armenian military cooperation, including in the area of air defense, said the Defense Ministry. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian similarly announced plans to deepen Russian-Armenian relations in a televised address to the nation aired on New Years Eve He said his country needs new security guarantees after the recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia already has close political, economic and military ties with Russia. It hosts a Russian military base and has long received Russian weapons at knockdown prices and even for free. Moscow deployed 2,000 peacekeeping troops to Karabakh as part of a Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement that stopped the war on November 10. In addition, it dispatched Russian soldiers and border guards to Armenias Syunik region southwest of Karabakh to help the Armenian military defend it against possible Azerbaijani attacks. FAIRFAX, Va. Jan. 29, 2021 Virginia Northern Virginia Washington, D.C. 2021 marks Eric A. Widra Washington, D.C. Paulette E. Browne , M.D., , M.D., Naveed Khan , M.D., , M.D., Eric D. Levens , M.D., , M.D., Anitha S. Nair , M.D., , M.D., Andrea E. Reh , M.D., , M.D., David S. Saffan , M.D., and , M.D., and Eric A. Widra , M.D. Virginia Northern Virginia Arlington Dulles - Aldie - Fair Oaks Fairfax Fredericksburg Leesburg Woodbridge Richmond Henrico Washington, D.C. Northern Virginia community Santiago, Chile Dana DeBoer /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Shady Grove Fertility (SGF), the largest fertility center in, announced today that seven SGF physicians were recognized as Northern Virginia Magazine's 2021 Top Doctors for infertility. Local physicians throughoutandearn their "Top Doctors" badge based on peer nominations and physician-led panels representing 50 specialties. A research team then vets each nomination to ensure the physician is in good standing with the Virginia Department of Health Professionals.SGF's 30th anniversary, a milestone that is made possible by the trust, relationships, and commitment forged between our patients and physicians," reflects, M.D., SGF's Chief Medical Officer, who sees patients in SGF's K Street -location. "We are privileged to assist our patients during their family-building journeys and will continue to lead the charge by providing innovative, patient-centric, effective options for overcoming infertility."The Seven SGF Physicians Selected as Northern Virginia Magazine's Top DoctorsSGF's board-certified reproductive endocrinologists offer patients a warm and collaborative approach to patient treatment and care, offering a full range of diagnostic and treatment options for male and female infertility. Because of SGF's reputation for providing personalized care, the practice touts 96 percent of SGF patients would recommend SGF to a family member or friend, according to survey data.The seven SGF physicians honored as Northern Virginia Magazine's 2021 Top Doctors include:In honor of the recognition, Northern Virginia Magazine asked Dr. Widra for a favorite patient story."I was asked for my favorite patient story, but that is an impossible task. Through my career, I have had so many 'favorite' cases, that I can't choose one. I have had cases where a woman donated eggs to her sister to start her own family after years of struggle. A family who turns to IVF to help them eliminate an inherited disease in their family history. Couples who continually miscarry and are finally able to have a healthy child through IVF and genetic testing of their embryos. The woman whose uterus was lost to cancer or surgery and now has a family by using a gestational carrier. The couple who thought they couldn't have kids because of a low sperm count. The same sex couples who can't start families without us. All of these are a tapestry of favorites that I have been privileged to help," shared Dr. Widra."Each day, we have a list of patients who have come in for testing and we review their results in the afternoon. Many of these are having their first pregnancy test after a treatment. As I click on their names, I have the same rush of hope and anticipation for a positive result that I had on my first day as a fertility doctor," adds Dr. Widra.Building Families at SGF, the Largest Fertility Center inSGF proudly serves diverse communities throughoutat the following seven locations:SGF also has two-based offices (Doctors' - Forest and Stony Point) and two-based offices (Sibley Hospital Campus and K Street)."I'd like to extend my congratulations to all of the honored physicians in Northern Virginia Magazine along with my deepest appreciation to our peers who believe in our passion to make parenthood possible for members of the," says Dr. Widra.SGF credits its network of 4,000+ physicians annually who refer their patients to SGF's fertility specialists among the reasons their 85,000 SGF babies born milestone in 2019 was achieved.For people struggling to conceive, seeing a fertility specialist sooner leads to higher pregnancy rates. New patients may contact the SGF New Patient Center at 1-888-761-1967 or complete a brief online request form to schedule a virtual consult with an SGF physician. A virtual physician consult is the first step toward pursuing a pregnancy with the help of SGF.About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF) SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 85,000 babies born and 5,000+ 5-star patient reviews. With 37 locations throughout FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C., and, we offer patients virtual physician consults, deliver individualized care, accept most insurance plans, and make treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including 100% refund guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com., Shady Grove Fertility, 301-545-1378, dana.deboer@sgfertility.comTwitterSOURCE Shady Grove Fertility 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. Denise Coates runs the betting firm Bet365 with her father Peter and brother John Denise, John and Peter Coates, the owners of online bookmaker Bet365, have been declared the UK's biggest taxpayers for the second year in a row. The trio paid 573million in tax last year according to the Sunday Times Tax List, who said the amount was enough to cover the annual state pensions for over 67,000 people. It assessed that over 200million of that sum came from corporation and payroll taxes, while the rest originated from salary and dividend taxes, and betting duty, which the list included in their calculations for the first time. Denise Coates, whose family has an estimated net worth of 7.2billion and is the gambling firm's joint chief executive, has received controversy in recent years for her gigantic salaries, including a 323million payday in 2019. The family behind the William Grant & Sons conglomerate, producer of the Glenfiddich and Drambuie whisky brands, came second with tax payments of 436million. Glenn Gordon paid close to 1billion in dividends to family shareholders last year, incurring taxes of 374million on the payout alone, with another 62million arising from corporation and payroll taxes. Other business leaders to make the annual list, which covers the UK's highest 50 taxpayers, include Sir James Dyson, who claims the sixth spot, JD Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin, and the Warburton baking family. They were responsible for giving 3.18billion of tax between them, up 27 per cent on the prior year, despite only a third of the list paying more tax than they did the previous year. The Sunday Times said its figures mostly cover business and personal tax exposure to the end of 2019 or the 2019/20 financial year, but a small number cover just the 2020 calendar year, such as the Harry Potter author JK Rowling. 'Rowling has not suddenly started dabbling in the dark arts of tax avoidance,' wrote the list's compiler Robert Watts. 'The reality is that she has earned a lot less over the past year.' Rowling's income has plummeted during the Covid-19 pandemic due to the closure of all Hogwarts-inspired themed attractions, the cancellation of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage show, and the absence of new Rowling-written films. 'Rowling has not suddenly started dabbling in the dark arts of tax avoidance,' wrote the list's compiler Robert Watts. 'She relied on Britain's benefits system in her youth, has written caustically of 'greedy tax exiles' and plays her taxes straight.' Watts, added: 'It's likely to be a similar story for many business grandees, whether affected by economic uncertainty over Brexit or the pandemic. 'If their companies make lower profits, they pay less corporation tax. If owners are anxious about the business environment, they may be wary of paying themselves a chunky dividend.' Pop sensation Ed Sheeran and Ocado founder Tim Steiner were new entrants on the list Among the 17 that paid more tax were vacuum cleaner mogul Sir James Dyson, who topped the Sunday Times 2020 rich list with his 16.2billion fortune, and contributed 12 million more in tax than the year before. There were also 17 new entrants to the table. Ocado chief executive Tim Steiner joined the list after he was awarded a 58million dividend while pop star Ed Sheeran brought in 28.2million to the exchequer. Those that fell from the top 50 list included Sir Phillip Green, whose Arcadia retail empire fell into administration. The Croydon-born businessman and his wife Lady Tina Green were ranked 23rd in last year's list with a tax liability of 44.4million. Institute for Public Policy Research executive director Carys Roberts said the UK tax system was 'no longer fit for purpose'. 'Last year's rich list identified the UK's ten richest people and families, yet only two of them are listed among the ten who paid most taxes in the last financial year,' she remarked 'These glaring gaps show that our current tax system is no longer fit for purpose, it's just too easy for some of the UK's richest people to avoid paying taxes in the way that most ordinary families have to.' Robert Watts insisted that the figures he gathered for the individual taxpayers were conservative estimates and that it was not always easy to determine how much some of the UK's wealthiest people paid. Ellsworth: Did you get the message from your body? Imphal: An Assam Rifles personnel was killed as militants triggered an Improvised Explosive Device(IED) blast in Manipur on Friday, police said. The IED, which was planted at 27 Assam Rifles check postat Ramva, exploded at 7.20 am. Police and Assam Rifles personnel have cordoned off the area, which falls under Sangshak police station limits in Ukhrul district. A combing operation was on. This blast is the second such attack on the paramilitary force in Manipur this month. On June 15, an Assam Rifles personnel was killed and three others were injured after militants had triggered an IEDblast in the same district. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The domestic equity benchmarks were trading flat in morning trade. At 10:23 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 1.84 points to 46,872.52. The Nifty 50 index added 6.40 points or 0.05% to 13,823.95. The broader market was trading firm. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.63% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index gained 0.43%. The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 1539 shares rose and 757 shares fell. A total of 129 shares were unchanged. Some value buying was visible after the benchmark indices corrected a little over 5.5% each in the preceding five trading sessions. Investors remained cautious ahead of the Union Budget on Monday. The Budget session of the Parliament is all set to open with the presentation of the Economic Survey of India today, 29 January 2021. Chief economic adviser Krishnamurthy Subramanian is scheduled to hold a press conference at 2.30 pm today to discuss the economic survey. The survey will include details and outcomes of the schemes and policies implemented by the government during the year under review. It may provide hints about what is in store for the economy in the coming days. COVID-19 Update: Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 101,409,081 with 2,188,840 deaths. India reported 171,686 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 154,010 deaths, according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. A total of 28,47,608 beneficiaries have so far been vaccinated for COVID-19 through 52,667 sessions held till the evening of January 28, the thirteenth day of the immunisation drive, according to a provisional report of the Union Health Ministry. New Listing: Shares of Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) were trading at Rs 25.15 at 10:15 IST on the BSE, a discount of 3.27% over the initial public offer price of Rs 26. The stock was listed at Rs 25, a discount of 3.85% to the initial public offer (IPO) price. So far the stock hit a high of Rs 25.50 and low of Rs 24.30. On the BSE, 1.21 crore shares were traded on the counter so far. Results Today: Cipla (down 0.78%), Dr Reddy's Laboratories (down 0.73%), IndusInd Bank (up 3.96%), Indian Oil Corporation (up 0.76%), Sun Pharma (up 0.28%), Tata Motors (up 2.42%), Tech Mahindra (up 0.97%) and UPL (down 0.37%) will announce Q3 earnings today. Atul (up 1.45%), Chola Finance (up 2.56%), Credit Access Grameen (down 1.23%), Dabur (down 0.94%), DLF (up 0.50%), Exide Industries (down 0.10%), JSW Energy (up 1.36%), Dr Lal Pathlabs (down 0.98%), LIC Housing Finance (up 3.14%), Manappuram Finance (up 2.45%), Solar Industries (down 0.22%) and Union Bank of India (up 2.71%) will also announce Q3 earnings today. Earnings impact: Interglobe Aviation (Indigo) rose 0.71% to Rs 1599.60. On a consolidated basis, Indigo reported net loss of Rs 620.14 crore in Q3 December 2020 compared with net profit of Rs 495.97 crore in Q3 December 2019. Revenue from operations tumbled 50.56% to Rs 4,909.98 in Q3 FY21 compared to Rs 9,931.68 crore in Q3 FY20. The airline company posted a 49.7% drop in EBITDAR to Rs 987.10 crore in Q3 December 2020 from Rs 1,960.70 in Q3 December 2019. EBITDAR margin improved to 20.1% in Q3 December 2020, from 19.7% registered in the same period last year. Pidilite Industries fell 1.77% at Rs 1685.95. On a consolidated basis, the company reported a 29% jump in net profit to Rs 446.43 crore on 19.3% rise in net sales to Rs 2299 crore in Q3 FY21 over Q3 FY20. Pidilite said robust growth was registered across all verticals driven by continued demand momentum in rural areas and strong recovery in urban including metros. Overseas subsidiaries have also performed strongly, reporting double-digit constant currency revenue growth as well as strong earnings growth. While domestic subsidiaries in the Consumer and Bazaar (C&B) segment have shown healthy growth, subsidiaries in the Business to Business (B2B) segment have shown signs of recovery in the later part of the quarter. TVS Motor Company jumped 9.84% to Rs 580.65 after the company's standalone net profit surged 119.4% to Rs 265.62 crore on 30.7% rise in net sales to Rs Rs 5391.39 crore in Q3 FY21 over Q3 FY20. EBITDA stood at Rs 511 crore in Q3 FY21, recording a growth of 41% from Rs 363 crore posted in the same period last year. In Q3 FY21, the overall two-wheeler sales of the company including exports grew by 23% to 9.52 lakh units from 7.73 lakh units in the quarter ended December 2019. Total three wheelers sales registered sale of 0.38 Lakh units in the quarter ended December 2020 as against sales of 0.48 Lakh units in the quarter ended December 2019. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gov. Greg Abbott vowed on Thursday to fight the new Biden administrations climate change agenda, calling it a direct threat to the states energy sector. Texas is going to protect the oil and gas industry from any type of hostile attack launched from Washington, D.C., he said after a roundtable meeting with industry leaders in Odessa. The Republican governor announced he had directed state agencies to immediately begin looking for opportunities to sue over new environmental regulations, and said he wants legislation passed in Austin that bans cities and counties from prohibiting natural gas appliances. Some Democratic-led cities in other states have moved to regulate gas appliances in new buildings. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed several executive orders aimed at reversing the Trump administrations environmental record, implementing a pause on new oil and gas leases on federal lands and declaring climate change a national security concern. The Democrat is seeking to make climate change a central issue of his administration, with a goal of moving the energy sector away from fossil fuels by 2035 and reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Bidens transition, though, comes at a particularly fraught moment for the oil and gas industry, still reeling from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Texas lost nearly 60,000 industry jobs in the early months of the crisis and had about 150,000 left as of the fall, according to The Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. Industry leaders have raised concerns that producers wont be able to afford tougher environmental regulations, and Abbott said its unfair to expect workers to seamlessly transition to clean energy jobs, as the Biden administration has suggested. Former Secretary of State John Kerry, who is leading the presidents climate change agenda, said this week that oil and gas workers have been fed a false narrative that efforts to address climate change come at their expense. Whats happening to them is happening because of other market forces already taking place, Kerry said. The fastest growing job in the United States before COVID was solar power technician, he added. The same people can do those jobs, but the choice of doing the solar power one is a better choice. Following Kerrys remarks, General Motors on Thursday said it plans to phase out petroleum-powered cars and trucks by 2035, opening the door for a major increase in the manufacturing of electric vehicles. But Abbott, who is gearing up for a contentious re-election battle next year, said the reality for workers is less certain. Its wrong for a president or anybody else to act like their job can be ended today, and they can just be retrained to do some other job, he said. Thats just not how real life works. jeremy.blackman@chron.com Brian Williams apologized to viewers of his MSNBC show The 11th Hour Thursday night after he introduced a video clip and a scene from a movie played in its place. But those very same viewers quickly recognized the move was intentional: a form of commentary on House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy meeting with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. For the first time, we have what Im told is exclusive video out of this meeting today between McCarthy and Trump, said Williams, a Ridgewood native who grew up in Middletown, introducing the clip. What played instead was the famous scene from the 1996 movie Jerry Maguire in which Tom Cruises Jerry tells Renee Zellwegers Dorothy, You complete me. You had me at hello, Dorothy tearfully replies. Obviously we have rolled the wrong clip, Williams said, claiming that someone was going to be in big trouble for playing the movie scene. The audience immediately recognized the gag. Give Brian Williams and his producers at the @11thHour an Emmy.... pic.twitter.com/36FjWPqAyI Icculus The Brave (@FirenzeMike) January 29, 2021 Williams, 61 (or his producers), drew praise on Twitter for the move from viewers including Supermarket Sweep host and former SNL star Leslie Jones. Oh thats petty, Brian, she said in a video narrating the moment. ... Your pettiness is spectacular. This DID NOT just happen!! Billy Baldwin tweeted. Brian Williams... legend. Im choking after Brian Williams just went rogue with the Jerry McGuire clip as actual video of the Kevin McCarthy trump meeting. @11thHour pic.twitter.com/Ioctl24bUT Tracy Jedi Mind Trick Master of the House Snark (@tracypac) January 29, 2021 The most epic trolling of Trump and McCarthy by Brian Williams, tweeted Mike Sington, a former NBCUniversal executive. Williams may be scoring points with his audience now, but in 2015 his career took a nosedive when he was suspended from his lead anchor and managing editor position at NBC Nightly News. Williams was booted from the job after he recanted a story he told on an NBC News broadcast, among other places, about riding in a helicopter that was forced down after taking fire from rocket-propelled grenades during the Iraq War. This DID NOT just happen!! Brian Williams... legend. https://t.co/1D9B4eC4gh Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) January 29, 2021 In reality, Williams had been in a following helicopter. He said he had conflated memories of the different helicopters, somehow misremembering the incident. After the truth came to light, NBC conducted a review of Williams reporting at large. He ultimately lost post at the helm of Nightly News and was replaced by Lester Holt, but was given a second chance to work again at MSNBC (where he had worked before coming to NBC), eventually getting his own show in 11th Hour. The most epic trolling of Trump and McCarthy by Brian Williams. pic.twitter.com/uwS9vVadGH Mike Sington (@MikeSington) January 29, 2021 LOLLL Brian Williams didnt come to play. pic.twitter.com/4LhYTLlm1b Rebekah Marine (@rebekahmarine) January 29, 2021 Brian Williams is savage! pic.twitter.com/rufWEIoXVf Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) January 29, 2021 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. (Newser) Health officials in the Biden administration have floated the idea of requiring passengers on domestic flights to show proof of a negative COVID test. On Thursday, executives of major airlines made clear they hate the idea. "A mistake" and a "real goat rodeo" were two of the quotes from Southwest Airlines execs rounded up by USA Today. JetBlue's president suggested it would "reduce the ability to some people who legitimately need to get [tested] for health reasons," per ABC News. And the CEO of American Airlines worried that "it would have us testing Americans on airplanes that we all know are safe to be on." All were asked about the idea by Wall Street analysts and journalists during their earnings calls after a CDC official said earlier in the week that the agency is "actively looking at it," notes Reuters. story continues below The proposed rule would expand on a new restriction that went into effect this week. Almost everyone flying into the US from abroad must now provide proof of a negative test taken no longer than three days before their flight. The airlines are cooperating with that one, but they say the logistics of making sure all domestic passengers can similarly comply is too daunting. "We don't have adequate testing capacity for the country in the first place," says Southwest CEO Gary Kelly, per ABC. "It's just unrealistic to expect that we can efficiently and effectively do testing on a larger scale." The airlines are worried that such a rule would curb already waning demand, though Dr. Anthony Fauci, for one, doesn't sound too sympathetic to that argument. For even those who've been vaccinated, "it is not a good idea to travel, period," he said during a CNN town hall. (Read more airlines stories.) 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. AS the white pirogue drifted in the waters just off Belle Garden in Tobago early yesterday morning, fishermen working nearby knew something was wrong. What they saw in the small vessel stunned them. Fourteen bodies, all of them male, along with a skull and other skeletal remains, were piled inside the vessel as it floated four miles off Belle Garden, police confirmed. The bodies were all clad in tracksuits and green rain jackets and were severely decomposed, police investigators said. [January 29, 2021] Brose North America Dually Recognized for Workplace Excellence, Winner of Two National Workplace Awards AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Brose North America, family-owned automotive supplier and industry-leader in mechatronics, announces today workplace excellence accolades awarded by two industry-leading organizations, Best and Brightest Companies to Work For and the Top Workplaces USA. For the Best and Brightest award, three Brose locations were named as top workplaces by an independent research firm that evaluates each facility in various categories, including compensation and benefits; employee engagement and retention; recruitment, diversity and inclusion; work-life balance and community initiatives. For the Top Workplaces USA 2021, all Brose locations in the U.S. were honored following an employee-wide vote and direct feedback. This is the third consecutive year that Brose North America is being recognized for achievements in human resources, employee satisfaction and workplace engagement. "Brose North America's workforce emulates our organization's founding principles, with a collective vision for family, innovation, respect, success and team. We know our people are our greatest asset. Their resilience, endless ability to innovate and accountability have led our organization to new heights during challenging times," said Wilm Uhlenbecker, President, Brose North America. "Brose was built on family values and these awards, in recognition of a culture that has been embraced and built up, is rewarding." In addition to hosting more than 300 training programs annually, a number of new programs are recently implemented across Brose's Michigan locations to support the company's focus on career development and talent retention. Last year, Brose's human resources department launched the Brose Skills Matrix, an online training system that identifies skills gaps for continuous improvement in real-time on a egional level. Brose also founded several new employee resource groups in late 2020 to help further the organization's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. "Developing effective and inclusive employee training is critical to Brose's success and the enrichment of the communities in which Brose operates," said Lisa Basila, Vice President Human Resources, Brose North America. "Our leadership is deeply committed to high quality programs to drive forward and celebrate the diverse workforce of tomorrow." Brose is a leader in mechatronicsthe integration of mechanics, electrics, electronics and sensorsand a 2020 Crain's Detroit Business Excellence in Human Resources award recipient. Brose was also honored with the Michigan Top Workplace awards in 2018 and 2019 and Best & Brightest Companies to Work for Metro Detroit in 2019 and 2020. About Best and Brightest The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For is a program of MichBusiness (formally Michigan Business and Professional Association) that provides the business community with the opportunity to gain recognition, showcase their best practices and demonstrate why they are an ideal place for employees to work. This national program celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community as a whole. It is presented annually in several markets including Atlanta, Boston, Charlette, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Milwaukee, Nashville, New York, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Nationally. Nominations are now being accepted for 2021. Visit thebestandbrightest.com to obtain an application. About Energage, LLC Headquartered in Exton, Pa., Energage (formerly known as WorkplaceDynamics) is a leading provider of technology-based employee engagement tools that help leaders to unlock potential, inspire performance, and achieve amazing results within their organizations. The research partner behind the Top Workplaces program, Energage has surveyed more than 47,000 organizations representing well over 16 million employees in the United States. About Brose Brose is the world's fourth-largest family-owned automotive supplier. The company develops and produces mechatronic systems for vehicle doors and seats as well as electric motors, drives and electronics, among others for steering, brakes, transmissions and engine cooling. More than 26,000 employees at 63 locations in 23 countries generate 6.3 billion euros in sales. Every other new vehicle worldwide is equipped with at least one Brose product. About Brose North America Brose has been a committed partner to the North American market since 1993. The mechatronics specialist now counts twelve locations across Canada, the United States and Mexico and employs approximately 6,000 people in the region. The entire range of Brose products is manufactured throughout the North American facilities, door modules and seat systems to drives and electronics. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brose-north-america-dually-recognized-for-workplace-excellence-winner-of-two-national-workplace-awards-301218208.html SOURCE Brose North America [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Flash The year 2020 marks a decade since the launch of the Free Trade Agreement between China and Peru, two countries with a longstanding friendly relationship, which is also reflected in their economic ties. China has been the prime commercial partner of the South American nation for six consecutive years. At the end of last October, Walter Martos Ruiz, who was then the Prime Minister of Peru, took time out to speak about his confidence that the increase in trade relations with China will favor the policy of economic reactivation promoted by the government of President Martin Vizcarra. The following is an edited excerpt of the interview. China Today (CT): What is your assessment of the collaboration between China and Peru to successfully deal with the COVID-19 pandemic? Walter Martos Ruiz (WMR): The collaboration between the Chinese government and Peru is important. Donations of medical and surgical equipment, masks, gloves, thermometers, and ventilators have arrived in Peru. Likewise, a delegation of Chinese specialists arrived, traveling through the provinces with the highest risk of infection, where they collaborated with local scientists by giving recommendations and crucial information to combat COVID-19. Knowing about China's experience in the fight against COVID-19 has been fundamental. An example of the help from China has been the recommendations of Chinese experts for the mandatory use of face masks in the first phase of the outbreak, when it was not mandatory in many countries. In Peru, the use of masks was mandatory from almost the beginning of the pandemic, thanks to the information provided by Chinese specialists. It should be noted that our government has worked together with the Chinese Ambassador to Peru, Liang Yu, whom we thank for his ongoing efforts to obtain important donations from the Chinese government and Chinese companies that operate in Peru. The National Emergency Operations Center, which has been operating since July in the Lima district of Chorrillos, was given a donation from the Chinese government, along with the Armed Forces of Peru, which included field hospitals and medical equipment. CT: What are your views on the development of clinical trials in Peruvian volunteers on a potential vaccine from Sinopharm? What do you think of its results and what goals does the Peruvian government have? WMR: The government of Peru considers Sinopharm one of the most important laboratories in the world, and for this reason it was of great importance to get Peru considered for the third phase of testing of its vaccine against COVID-19. Through the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Peru has signed agreements and memoranda of understanding with various laboratories worldwide, thus monitoring the development process of each vaccine. With Sinopharm, 6,000 Peruvian volunteers are participating, and 6,000 more have joined for the third phase of testing of the vaccine. The results have been positive so far, and the main objective of Peru is to be one of the first countries to receive the vaccine. With Sinopharm, a commitment has been reached to receive 10 million vaccines for Peruvian citizens, once the three phases of vaccine development are completed. CT: Do you think that in light of COVID-19, China's economic recovery could favor Peru's policy of economic reactivation? WMR: According to World Bank reports, China is the only country in which GDP has continued to grow in recent months, and this is a good sign for all countries that, like Peru, have China as one of their main business partners. It must be taken into consideration that Peru and China have signed a Comprehensive Strategic Association agreement, and this will help both countries, after the pandemic, to continue to increase their bilateral trade. It should be noted that exports to China have been developing quite regularly, despite the current restrictions on international trade. The products that are exported from Peru to China have been diversifying, and we can affirm that the Peruvian economy has grown in recent years, thanks to our strategic relationship with China. Peru is in a process of economic reactivation in a gradual and prudent manner. In this sense, the increase in trade with China will help some economic activities to thrive and increase, such as exports of agricultural and fishing products. CT: How do you see the future of Chinese investments in Peru, given that an electoral process and a change of government are coming in April 2021? WMR: Chinese investments are welcome in Peru. We consider relations with China very important for the development of our country and, therefore, we feel that they will continue to strengthen. There are many projects in various sectors, such as energy and infrastructure, which arouse the interest of Chinese investors. Peru is confident that Chinese investments will continue. It should be noted that in Peru there is a state policy that recognizes the existence of only one China, a country with which we have been linked to by migratory and cultural ties since the 19th century. Peru is committed to carrying out a transparent and safe electoral process in 2021, and all the political parties that will participate in this process show great interest in continuing to maintain the close relations with China, considering above all, the important international role of China today. CT: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Free Trade Agreement between Peru and China. What do you think are the benefits of this agreement for both countries and what path will bilateral diplomatic relations follow? WMR: The Free Trade Agreement has been one of the main mechanisms that has boosted the constant increase in trade between Peru and China over the last decade. Peru's exports to China have been increasing every year, and imports from China are very important for boosting the Peruvian economy. During these 10 years, there have been many benefits for both parties. The Peruvian economy has grown considerably thanks to our relations with China, which is Peru's main trading partner. Promperu (the Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Exports and Tourism) has many projects to promote export of non-traditional products to China. Therefore, the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly pointed out that the governments of Peru and China have common positions in the international arena, such as supporting multilateralism and the opening of economies. Bilateral relations between the two countries will continue to improve after the pandemic. We are confident that our relationship will continue to grow. After triggering a political crisis in Italy, Renzi flew to Saudi Arabia to attend a forum with the "great" Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi, who plunged Italy's government into political chaos last week, flew to Saudi Arabia in recent days to speak at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) forum. Footage has been published online showing Renzi praising the "great" Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, during the fourth addition of the FII think tank. Stating that it was a "great honour" to be at the conference in Riyadh, Renzi underlined his credentials as not just a former Italian premier but a former mayor of Florence. He described Florence as "the city of Renaissance, and Renaissance became great exactly after the plague, after pandemic," adding that "Saudi could be a place for a new Renaissance for the future." Renzi's comments, and his presence in Saudi Arabia just days after he triggered a political crisis in Italy, has been rounded on by the Italian press and the public on social media, who have raised the issue of Saudi's record on human rights, women's rights, and freedom of press. His comparison of Florence with Saudi Arabia has also raised eyebrows. Renzi triggered political chaos last week after his centrist Italia Viva (IV) party pulled its support from the government, leading to the resignation of premier Giuseppe Conte and the current crisis talks being steered by the Italian president Sergio Mattarella. The news of Renzi travelling to Saudi Arabia was first reported by Italian newspaper Domani which said that the former premier attended the conference for free however as a board member he receives an annual salary that can reach around $80,000 depending on the number of meetings and events he attends. Renzi concluded his 20-minute talk in Riyadh by telling the Crown Prince that he "believes that with your leadership Saudi Arabia can play a fundamental role" in the world and in the Middle East. Nigeria repatriated hundreds of its citizens stuck in Saudi Arabia on Thursday. The returnees had overstayed their visas and spent months living in a camp. The Nigerian government is working to fly more than 800 Nigerians home from Saudi by Friday, Reuters reported. The COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying restrictions on travel have been hard on foreigners working in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, with many getting stranded. Millions of non-Saudis live in the kingdom, some working low-income jobs. The lockdowns imposed to battle the coronavirus in the country have resulted in job losses for some. Saudi Arabia has also stopped international flights at various times since the start of the virus outbreak. Many Nigerians seek work abroad. Saudi Arabia has been criticized for years over the living conditions of its foreign worker population. In November, the government allowed foreigners to leave the country without their employers approval. "I broke the taboo. I talk about the things you are not supposed to talk about. If I don't do this, who will?" the 34-year-old tells AFP in an interview in Copenhagen. Her first novel "Dead Washer" sold more than 100,000 copies in Denmark when it was published in 2017, a literary feat in the country of 5.8 million where it was hailed as the "MeToo of Muslim women." It has since been translated into several languages, including Norwegian, Swedish and French. In her writing and when she speaks out publicly, Omar describes abuse inflicted on women and children behind closed doors -- rapes, beatings, female genital mutilation and so-called honour crimes. Her depictions have angered a small fringe in Muslim societies and required her to now live under 24-hour police protection. - 'Given me a voice' - Her bestseller tells the story of a girl named Frmesk, which means "tear" in Kurdish. It follows her from her birth in Sulaymaniah, Kurdistan, in 1986 -- just like Omar -- to a hospital bed in Denmark in 2016 where she meets a medical student, also a young Kurdish woman, who dreams of breaking free from her overly controlling father but doesn't dare. Omar says that many Muslim women -- especially in the Nordic countries, where they often find themselves caught between the liberalism of their adopted country and their parents' conservative values -- have approached her to thank her for bringing their sufferings to life through Frmesk. "My books have started a very quiet movement among women, especially women of Muslim background in Scandinavia, because they identify themselves with the topics and the characters in the novels," Omar says. "A reaction that affected me, and touched me in a way that I started crying, was from a woman between 45 and 50 years old. She came to me and she whispered in my ear: 'Thank you for giving me a voice'." As combative as her protagonist, Omar now refuses to speak about her personal life, "due to her security situation and since her words can bring about severe consequences," according to her assistant. - A 'calling' - What is known from earlier interviews is this: After several years in refugee camps, Omar came to Denmark at the age of 15, like Frmesk. They also share a distinctive look -- a streak of white in their jet-black hair. Omar has previously revealed that she has been married, is "the mother of a murdered girl" and began writing Frmesk's story while in a psychiatric ward after several suicide attempts. For her, writing books is not "a dream." "I see it as a calling, because I have sacrificed everything for it," she says with a fiery look in her eye, which gives way to a melancholic smile as she refers to her security situation. While she calls herself an "agnostic Muslim", the author is not out to criticise Islam as such and says her message is universal. "Any monotheistic religion has a dark side and a light side. Islam also has this dark side but it is still up to interpretation. It's all about who is holding the book," she says. In a country preoccupied with immigrants who don't assimilate and which is still recovering from the explosive Mohammed cartoons scandal, Omar's ardent defence of freedom of speech has been warmly welcomed in Denmark. "As long as we have other people who are threatening authors and people fighting for the right to use words... then we have a problem," she says. Omar isn't done telling Frmesk's story. A sequel was published in 2019, "Shadow Dancer", it too the recipient of literary prizes in Denmark. "I'm not finished with Frmesk's story because I think she's more than an abused child and an oppressed woman. She's more than that. She's a fighter and I need to write the rest of the story," she says. Omar is currently studying for a Masters in Political Science, and is translating her own books into Kurdish and Arabic, which she plans to publish at her own expense to avoid any censorship. A second person has been charged with murder over the death of Ballarat mother Kobie Parfitt. A 32-year-old woman who is currently in a correctional facility faces one count of murder, according to Victoria Police. She will appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday. Ballarat mother Kobie Parfitt. Credit:Victoria Police The fresh charge comes a month after Wendouree man Brendon James Prestage fronted court charged with one count of murder in relation to Ms Parfitts disappearance. The 31-year-old was arrested in Kinglake in December with the help of Victorias Critical Incident Response Team. Remains police believe belong to Ms Parfitt were found at the bottom of a mineshaft last month at Snake Valley, a town 27 kilometres west of Ballarat. The 43-year-old vanished from her Hickman Street home in Ballarat on April 28. 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. DALLAS, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Presto-X announced a transition to the Rentokil brand in the Dallas and Fort Worth markets. "The brand may be changing, but it won't change our service and dedication to our customers as we provide residential and commercial protection from pests in Texas' unique climate," said John Myers, President and CEO of Rentokil. "Presto-X has been part of the Rentokil family since 2007, and we are excited to bring the resources and knowledge of the world's largest pest control provider, Rentokil, to our customers in the Dallas and Fort Worth communities. It is our goal to take care of pest issues so that our customers can live and work pest-free." Rentokil, the global leader in pest control for nearly a century, provides a wide range of services to residential and commercial customers, such as general pest control, termite protection, mosquito control, rodent exclusion, bed bug inspections and service, bird management and more. For additional information on Rentokil and the pest control services in Dallas and Fort Worth, please visit: dallas.rentokil.com , ABOUT RENTOKIL For nearly a century, customers have trusted Rentokil to protect their families, homes and businesses from pests and the health threats and damages they can cause. Rentokil is part of Rentokil North America, which provides commercial and residential pest control to customers in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. The comprehensive pest management solutions include general pest control, mosquito, termite and bed bug inspections and service, vegetation management, and bird management. In addition, Rentokil North America operates business services companies including Ambius, specializing in hand, air and surface hygiene solutions with Hygiene360 as well as interior landscaping and scenting; Steritech, offering food safety and operational assessments; SOLitude Lake Management, providing lake and pond solutions; and Vector Disease Control International, which serves governments and municipalities with mosquito control services. For more information on Rentokil, visit dallas.rentokil.com/ . MEDIA CONTACTS: Erin Kelly [email protected] SOURCE Rentokil Related Links https://rentokil.com/us 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. National General Holdings Corp., a specialty personal lines insurance holding company owned by Allstate, has expanded its private flood product, Beyond Floods, into 13 additional states. The product offers coverage to homeowners with a focus on local, analytical, personalized flood coverage that is specific to the property. Beyond Floods is an AM Best A- rated private flood product, and is now available in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia, with plans to expand to additional states soon. According to Mohan Rajasekar, senior vice president of flood insurance products, Beyond Floods analyzes over 200 data points on every property that details the propertys risk exposure to assist customers in picking the right flood product. Chad LaTour, vice president of emerging markets, said agents can quote the product in three minutes or less with no elevation certificate required. Beyond Floods also offers customers more personalized features than traditional NFIP policies, including higher limits, free property-specific flood reports, flexible payment options and more coverage to include loss of use, protection for basements, swimming pools, ramp decks and more. National General Holdings Corp., is headquartered in New York City and provides personal and commercial automobile, homeowners, umbrella, recreational vehicle, motorcycle, supplemental health and other niche insurance products. Topics Flood 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. Amanda Knox has revealed how she still suffers survivors guilt more than a decade after the death of her roommate Meredith Kercher in 2007. Speaking in an interview with Newstalk that was broadcast this morning, Amanda, who was acquitted of the murder of Kercher five years ago, spoke about the crime that she wrongfully spent four years in jail for. I think about that all the time, about how if I had been home that night with Meredith or alone, I could be dead, she said. And, if our positions were switched, Meredith would be sitting here talking to you today about her dead friend Amanda Knox, it is that easy. And that is the real tragic crux to this story and it's one that has left me, you knowI have a lot of feelings of not having closure, because just like Meredith's family doesn't have closure, I don't have closure. She added: There's really no reason but luck that I'm sitting here talking to you today. I am daily reminded that my name and my face are associated with this tragedy. After Kercher was murdered in 2007 in Italy, where the pair were roommates, Knox spent almost four years in an Italian prison as the prime suspect for the case before being acquitted. Knox, host of the new podcast The Truth About Crime, was exonerated for the murder of Kercher in 2015, alongside her boyfriend at the time, Raffaele Sollecito. This morning the 33-year-old described how she got caught up in what she described as a sad and tragic case. Expand Close Meredith Kercher / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Meredith Kercher I mean, it's a very sad and tragic case, she said, not unlike things that happen to young women when they're vulnerable and abroad. Meredith and I were living in an apartment with two other girls, two Italian girls and one night, while Meredith was home alone, a local burglar who had been on a burglary spree for several weeks broke into our house and raped and murdered her. That's the story. I mean that's what happened. This man was named Rudy Guede and he was convicted of this crime. The only reason that it became complicated is because the investigators didn't immediately pick up on the fact that Rudy Guede had committed this crime and instead decided to arrest me and my boyfriend of five days and my boss before they had any evidence. They then pursued a case against us even when and the evidence unanimously and unequivocally showed that it was Rudy Guede had committed this crime. She told also she had turned 20 over the summer, and was young, sheltered, immature in some ways and grew up on trial and in prison under very extreme circumstances. I was thrust very suddenly into a very ugly, brutal reality starting with the horrific murder of my friend and roommate. It was a lot to process and I still feel like I'm processing it to this day. She also described being flabbergasted by her portrayal as Foxy Knoxy and the salacious suggestions made about her, that she was a man-eating femme fatal who bought lingerie in the aftermath of the death of her roommate. I was flabbergasted by it, I didn't understand why it was happening or where this narrative was coming from. I felt helpless to defend myself against it because if you want to see me through a certain lens, how can I prove you otherwise? And that has very much informed my work today, where I see narratives being written around people so that they become characters and morality plays that satisfy our fantasies and our fears. I'm trying to deconstruct that in my own work, in my own podcasting. This is something I'm very, very sensitive to, she added, in witnessing other people going through it because at the time I was powerless. I was locked in a jail cell..but there was never at any point that I was worried that my mom was going to see a news report and think, Oh my goodness, my daughter. Like, my family knows me and if anything when they watched these news reports they would be going, that is not my daughter. She also pointed out how to this day she is still associated with the murder which has been highlighted in recent media coverage of the release of Rudy Guede . There was a headline recently that really, really highlighted this issue where Rudy Guede was recently released and the headline was, The man who killed Amanda Knoxs roommate is released from prison, and of all the peoples names that should have been remembered in that headline mine should not have been there. Meredith should have been remembered, Rudy should have been named. Once again, here is this issue of people pitching characters out into the world. And here I am being made the centre of a true crime story that I am not the centre of. The Federal Bureau of Investigation seal is seen at FBI headquarters in Washington, on June 14, 2018. (Yuri Gripas/Reuters) FBI Lawyer Who Forged Email in Carter Page FISA Process Sentenced to Probation A federal judge on Jan. 29 sentenced former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith to 12 months of probation for forging an email that resulted in one of several major errors in the applications to spy on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg described Clinesmiths forgery as an inappropriate shortcut. The judge concurred with the defenses argument that the FBI attorney did not intend to lie when he added the words not a source to an email from a CIA liaison which described Page as having provided information to the agency. Boasberg, who serves as one of the judges in the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that approved the applications to surveil Page, said that Clinesmiths forgery damages the reputation of the court. The judge said he had no reason to disagree with the findings of the report by the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, which found that Clinesmiths actions were not motivated by his bias against President Donald Trump. The judge also ordered Clinesmith to serve 400 hours of community service. This punishment trivializes what I believe to be a stunning breach of duty to the Court and to the American people, Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a statement. Government lawyers had argued for a prison sentence for Clinesmith and disputed the claim that the defendant did not intend to lie when altering the email. The prosecutor argued that the forgery was akin to identity theft since Clinesmith effectively impersonated the CIA liaison by changing the message. Anthony Scarpelli, one of the prosecutors, told the judge that the resulting harm is immeasurable. In an address to the court, Clinsemith described the email forgery as a critical error in judgment and an unnecessary shortcut. I harmed the very institutions I cherish and admire, Clinesmith said. The defense attorney painted Clinesmiths misdeed as an aberration in an otherwise honorable life. The judge noted that he received roughly 50 letters attesting to Clinsemiths character. Boasberg also noted that he cant ignore the harm that Clinesmith has already suffered, including the loss of his government job and the potential of losing his attorney license. The judge noted that Clinesmith was thrust from being an obscure attorney to the center of a national hurricane over the improper surveillance of Trump campaign associates. In an address at the sentencing hearing, Page described the harm he suffered as a result of the surveillance and the related government leaks. He said a close friend cut all ties with him while the media painted him as a Russian asset. Page sought mercy and did not ask for Clinesmith to receive prison time. In arguing for a prison sentence, Scarpelli cited the cases of former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos and attorney Alex van der Zwaan, both of whom were sentenced to prison for the same charge as part of the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller. Scarpelli argued that Clinesmiths offense is more egregious than that of Papadopoulos. Bing West has been called "The Grunt's Homer." After serving as a Marine Corps infantry officer in Vietnam and then going on to be an assistant secretary of defense at the Pentagon, he has devoted his time to long embeds with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, telling their stories and bearing witness to the wars in a series of nonfiction books. His new novel, The Last Platoon, is a cautionary tale about America's "Forever War." He joins Left of Boom to talk about co-writing Jim Mattis' memoir, the real people who inspired characters in his book, and speaking truth to power at the Pentagon. Find The Last Platoon here. Subscribe to the Left of Boom podcast: iTunes | Google Podcasts | Spotify | TuneIn | Stitcher Mentioned in this episode: Helmand Province Marines The War in Afghanistan Jim Mattis Forever Wars The following is an edited transcript of this episode of Left of Boom: Hope Hodge Seck 0:00 Welcome back to Left of Boom. I'm your host, Hope Hodge Seck By any metric, Bing West has faithfully rendered more than his fair share of service to his country. He served in Vietnam as an infantry officer and wrote training manuals, then later went on to become an assistant secretary of defense at the Pentagon, addressing, among other things, insurgencies in El Salvador. His son Owen followed in his footsteps, becoming a Marine officer, and then a Pentagon official overseeing special operations. But after formally ending his public service, Bing decided he had more to offer. He committed to bearing witness to the nation's conflicts, traveling to Iraq and Afghanistan for lengthy embeds with U.S. troops. He told their stories in places like Fallujah and Helmand Province in gritty and candid nonfiction books, capturing service and heroism, and the triumphs and shortfalls of military leadership in the war zone. Now he's followed those works with a new novel, The Last Platoon. It follows a Marine Corps platoon deployed to the most violent province of Afghanistan as it battles internal conflicts while fighting an untiring enemy on its own terrain. I'm eager to learn more about how this book came to be, and how its insights relate to where we find ourselves right now as a nation in transition. Bing West, welcome to Left of Boom. Bing West 1:23 Thank you. Hope Hodge Seck 1:25 You have one of the most interesting careers of any figure I follow in the military community. So you saw combat in Vietnam as a Marine, you were a RAND Corporation analyst and then a Pentagon official, and then you started writing these incredible books about combat. When you were a grunt officer in Vietnam, did you ever think you'd be going on patrols with Marines 40-plus years later? Bing West 1:52 Well, I think the commandant says he doesn't let you off active duty until you're 100. But I didn't, you know, I had no idea that I would end up doing this. No. But I was writing then, I wrote in Vietnam. I wrote, my first book was called Small Unit Action Vietnam, where the commandant and [Gen. Lew Walt], who was in charge of our forces in Vietnam, sent me as a captain to different battlefields, to report from the battlefields as a training manual for the other lieutenants coming over, so they'd have an idea what the combat was like. So my first start in writing was with the Marine Corps writing about combat. Hope Hodge Seck 2:34 Most writers do not have that kind of start in their craft. So how did you develop that skill -- when you're in the battlefield, that presents a lot of challenge to writing thoughtfully -- and developing the skills and the techniques that it takes to be a good communicator? Bing West 2:54 I think the secret to, to being a good writer is to have an iron ass, that is, no matter what you do, it's like a long distance runner, you have to do it every day. And as you know from your own writing, you're trying for a certain amount of output on a blank piece of paper, day after day after day, no matter what you feel emotionally, you just have to do it. And at the same time, you have to read, read, read. And gradually, you you learn your craft. And there have been many stories about it. But there's no, no shortcut. You just have to put the hours of grinding in and then you look at those sentences the next day and say, 'Oh, my gosh, they're terrible. I have to start all over again.' There's no substitute just for being willing to do the hard work. There's no easy cut to becoming a writer. Hope Hodge Seck 3:45 So what were you reading all the way back then? Bing West 3:48 I was always for the real classics. I genuinely believe that F. Scott Fitzgerald, with the Great Gatsby, wrote the classic novel for the 20th century. And now we're into 21st. But it's still, every single sentence was crafted. And Hemingway was the same way, he was very careful with his craft. And I very much envy today Cormac McCarthy, and the splendor with which he can describe a scene. But you have to be I think, almost omnivorous in your writing. Well, it's like anything you do in life. There's a variation. So you don't want to get stuck just in one pattern. And I'd say I read a book about every two days, I go through one one new book about every two days. Hope Hodge Seck 4:39 Oh my goodness. Bing West 4:40 Well, but you know how it is, because you can, after a while a writer can tell you the style of the other writer just like an architect can take one look at a building and tell you who probably the architect was, because of a certain style. And the same thing is true with writers after a while. You can see how they how they juxtapose the words. And you can either decide that, intuitively, you begin to copy some and reject others until you have your own true style. Hope Hodge Seck 5:09 Who are your favorite authors right now who are writing specifically about the military? Bing West 5:15 Well, I liked Dex Filkins, but he stopped writing about them. I thought Seb Junger did a good job. Phil Klay, his new novel about Colombia was good. I'd say Phil is the up and coming one. And then there's another author now who now is I think, is living in Turkey. Hope Hodge Seck 5:40 Elliot Ackerman. Bing West 5:41 Yeah. Elliot, Elliot, I like how Elliot does things too. So I'd have to say right now, my favorites about the up and coming, you know, the ones who are much younger than me, would be Elliot and Phil, I think that they have great styles. Hope Hodge Seck 5:56 And they have a lot in common with you in that they're both veteran Marine Corps officers. Bing West 6:01 Good point. And I didn't think in those terms, the interesting thing is we haven't, we haven't in fiction had many who've come forward from these wars compared to past wars. And that was one of the reasons why I wrote my book, I felt that there was that the true story wasn't being told as fiction, which brings you into a story and keeps you asking, and then what happened. We've had a lot of good reporting, but not the texture of a novel that enables you to get into the emotions of what's occurring. Hope Hodge Seck 6:34 Well, I had planned to string you along with a few more questions before getting into your book, but I will follow your lead, and let's talk about that. So your new book is called The Last Platoon. It's your first work of fiction, if I'm not mistaken. And in some ways, it's on very familiar terms. You're writing about a salty Marine Corps captain who's deployed to Afghanistan for sort of a short rotation in the latest evolution of a seemingly endless war. How did this project and this idea came about? Bing West 7:08 For the last 20 years, I've been on the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I like the generals, I get along very well with many of the generals. They're a little bit younger than I am. But we we're able to communicate. But gradually, there was this great frustration growing in me that no one was really telling ground truth about about the war, especially in Afghanistan. And I'd have these conversations with the generals. And I'd say, you know, What are we doing? And they would say, Well, we'll get there, Bing, we'll get there. And I kept thinking, No, we won't. The only way you're going to get there in Afghanistan to the mission end that you're talking about with nation-building is the way we did in South Korea, Which took 70, seven-zero, years. And you had all these tribes that were hurtling headlong into the Ninth Century. And we send over 19, and 20 and 24 year olds, who don't speak Dari, and they're supposed to somehow help nation-build. And so I thought, in the end, I'm just going to have to sit down and try to tell a story based on every true character, of what happens when you are on the ground, and you are given a mission in a small area that is infested with Taliban and drug dealers. And then connect that to the President and the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and what they're seeing, then bring in the Taliban, bring in the drug dealers and let people understand what they were looking at, and then bring in their bosses, the people in Pakistan and Iran who are getting rich, and put them all into this pressure cooker. And let's see what happens. So that's what I did. I was so frustrated, I wanted to show any reader why we could not win the mission of nation-building in Afghanistan, and make it in such concrete terms that people would say, well, by Gosh, we're not going to repeat that kind of stupidity or ignorance again. So that was my purpose. My purpose was to write a metaphor in a way that would draw you in. It wasn't lecturing. You know, let's just have the fight. Let's see what happens. Because most people, when you think of it, every time you leave the wire, and you go outside on patrol, you're in a mystery story, because you're betting your life that you are better than the other person, the Taliban who's out there who wants to kill you. And the Taliban is betting his life that he can kill you and stay alive himself. And so I tried to write it as a mystery story so that the reader would understand both perspectives but not know how it's going to end. Because I didn't know how it was going to end. I mean, after a while, you know, your characters run away. They begin to tell you this is what I would do, on both sides. So I tried to tell it as a mystery story where the stakes are, you live or you die. Hope Hodge Seck 10:11 Hmm. So you said that the characters in your book are, it sounds like, based on people that you've encountered? Can you talk a little bit more about that? I'm sure you want to preserve some anonymity there. But how did you find them? Bing West 10:24 Maybe. Maybe not. The, the platoon commander actually, and I've asked him if it's OK if I mentioned his name and asked him please to check with his wife first. And he came back and he said, Yes, okay. He's now a major by the name of Vic Garcia and I was with his platoon in Sangin. And Vic was prior enlisted, he graduated from high school, he had fought in Fallujah, decided he want to stay in he gradually worked his way up to being a gunnery sergeant. And then he went to college, and then he became a lieutenant. So everything about Capt. Cruz in the novel is based basically on Vic. Then, of course, Cruz becomes his own man, that happens with any character. And then we all know who the president is, I think when you read it, you can immediately understand that I was referring to a certain president who's just left office, and then the Secretary of Defense, I made him a composite because I served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for international security, five or six secretaries of defense of dear friends of mine, so I made him a composite of a secretary of defense. And on the enemy side, I knew some Taliban just like Zar, who's the chief Taliban, and then the Pakistanis, they're Pakistani officers that I knew. And so in every case, and then the colonel, the marine colonel, I've had a couple of very senior Marines come to me, Well, you know, Bing, some of us aren't really like that. Oh, yes you are. You know, I had one general he was, he said, You know, he said, You're not really showing us in the greatest light. And I said, well, General, I said, you know, Admiral [Ernest] King, after World War II, he was the Chief of Naval Operations, he was asked what he thought about Herman Wouk's book, The Caine Mutiny, which is a great, great read. And King thought for a minute. And he said, Well, at one time or another in my 40 years in the Navy, I've met every one of those sons of bitches, but not all of them on the same ship at the same time. So what I was doing in The Last Platoon was bringing in very strong characters, with great defects and great strengths, and putting them all together in a mix. And it's reasonable for some people to say, well, they're not all like that. No, they're not. But there are enough so that you get an idea. This is real life, this is what really happens. Hope Hodge Seck 12:56 Well, it really drives it home talking about that colonel, in particular, in the way that you sort of highlight the chain of command and how things come down. First of all, how officers' career progressions influence the decisions they make and the risks they take in war, but also the human life cost of every single decision that's made at the Secretary of Defense, four-star level, in how it's received on the ground and how things go from there. I found that actually the most interesting thing about the book. How, I guess, have you observed this dynamic throughout your career? You talked a little bit about that. But also, do you have thoughts about how to counteract the negative externalities of that and kind of keep at the forefront, the human life cost of the decisions that are being made? Bing West 13:46 My belief is that in these wars, when you look back, and you ask what happened, I believe what happened was at the top, a combination of arrogance, kind-heartedness, and too much wealth as a nation. Now, what do I mean by that? We were hit on 9/11 and 3,000 innocent people were killed. Therefore, we had every right and duty to go after al-Qaida who had done it and destroy them. Once we started on that mission, things began to go awry. But what really went awry was that President Bush, whom I admired, I knew his father in office. I didn't know George W. Bush, but he seems like a very good man. But he, at a certain point, very early on in 2001, in about November, December, he said, We owe the Afghans freedom, and we have an obligation to build a nation. No, we don't, no we don't, not my judgment. And I started right then saying to people, No, you're going down the wrong track. But you know, who was I to be saying things. But what happened, and I think the reason we did that is, we had so much money, President Bush and everyone around him felt they were so powerful, it looked so easy to get rid of al-Qaida, that we could do more. And I think he did it out of a kind heart. But he went too far. And what really irritated me then about the generals, and about the director of CIA, is that none of them, to the best of my knowledge, went to them and said, Mr. President, you are undertaking a 70 year obligation. And do you think the next 10 presidents are going to follow through with this? To the best of my knowledge, nobody just said, if you're going to build a nation, you have to think in terms of decades, and those people, they're not even literate. What are you going to do with them? And so we went off the track, I think very early on. And that's why I try to show in the novel. The perspective, when you're in Washington about the infighting and your inbasket, and all the different things going on, and Afghanistan is just one tiny little piece of what a Secretary of Defense is doing. But if you're on the ground, it's your life. And so there was, in my judgment, a huge disconnect. And I think it's because we thought it would be too easy. And we were so wealthy and powerful, we could do it easily. I think we forgot, if you go into a war, you go in full steam, and you have a mission that can be accomplished. Everyone understands that mission and get that mission done. Instead, we diverted from one president to another one Secretary of Defense to another, one Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to another. Therefore, I tried to show in the novel the consequences when you do business that way. Hope Hodge Seck 16:36 It's interesting to read this novel now, with the Trump administration having just completed a hasty albeit incomplete draw down from Afghanistan, and Iraq for for that matter. My question to you is, first of all, what do you think of that action? And second, in light of everything you've said and everything you've seen, where do we go from here? Bing West 16:59 Well, first, the novel is set today, actually, it's set in 2021. Because that's exactly what that platoon is doing. Just defending a few artillery tubes, while the artillery tubes kill some Taliban is precisely what we're doing, with very few people. And we're very good at it. We're doing that too in Syria. But sometimes something can go wrong. We are down to a level where I think it's proper to be down to. When you consider it now, we have so many spies in Afghanistan, that there's nothing that a-Qaida are doing, the Taliban can do that we don't gradually get somebody betraying them and saying, Blah, blah, blah. And so we do have targets. And I believe with a very small number of people, we say we have 2,500 people there. But I just saw the newspaper today. And I always suspected this: They never report the contractors. There are 8,000 contractors and 2,000 American soldiers, so we actually have a force of 10,000. And then there's another 2,000, NATO, other allies there, but they have another 8,000 contractors. So we actually have 20,000, roughly, people involved in going after the Taliban and ISIS today in Afghanistan. And I think that's about the proper level. And we don't, we don't see much in the newspaper about them. But make no mistake, as I indicate in this book with what happens. Anytime you're out there, there's no such thing as a one-way war. So some of them still going to die. But I believe that that is a price we have to pay because those Islamic terrorists are still determined to kill us. And therefore we have to keep hammering them and hammering them until that disease, and it is a disease inside the Muslim religion, until that disease fades out, just like COVID will fade out. Hope Hodge Seck 18:59 I want to stay on the topic of asking your advice, since there's a whole new guard about to descend on the Pentagon, which finds itself in dire need of stability, caught between the wars it's fighting in the Middle East and future fights it wants to posture itself for in regions like the Pacific. So we've got an incoming presumptive defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, former four-star general, and a slew of other new officials, some of whom have been in the building before. What advice would you offer? And what would you recommend this new Pentagon prioritizes? Bing West 19:35 Well, from the bleachers, and I am a confirmed Republican. I would say first, it is a solid team that's coming in. But there are two things. And the first is that because the budget of the Defense Department is being so much spent on manpower, there isn't really enough for the equipment and the capital investment. Some huge decision is going to have to be made to anticipate what the next war looks like, that's going to be really tough to do. And that's where I think most of the effort should go. In terms of things like Afghanistan, I'd leave it up to the special forces, and I think they will. They know what they're doing. The other thing that is inevitable, is that crises and losses are as predictable as hurricanes. That is, you know, they're going to happen, you just don't know when. And so there will be crises for this new group. And when the crisis strikes, then we will see the mettle of these new officials. But we won't know ahead of time. You can't predict a crisis and how you're going to react to it as an entire administration. Actually, President Trump did not have a real challenge in his four years, when you look back on it. That means the odds of a serious crisis actually are increasing over the next four years, not decreasing. But in the meantime, the real issue that they're really going to have to grapple with is, you don't have enough money in the Defense Department to do everything. How are you going to prepare for the long term challenge that comes out of China? Hope Hodge Seck 21:15 To touch on a few other elements of your long and distinguished career. For anyone who doesn't know, you were a co-author on Jim Mattis, his memoir, "Call Sign Chaos." Long before he became defense secretary, he enjoyed sort of a godlike status within the Marine Corps, where he served as a general. And he's somewhat controversially insisted on not saying too much of significance on his tenure, as SecDef, snd his views on the President, Donald Trump in his memoir, although he's since broken his silence. I'm curious what it was like being a collaborator with him on that project. Bing West 21:54 Well, the reason I laugh is because Jim Mattis and I are dear friends we've known each other for 20, 30 years on the battlefields. That's why I wrote co-wrote it with him. I have been on those battlefields with him so often that we, we understood each other quite well. And were two Marines. And we spent three to four hours a day for two years on the phone with each other with a delightful editor, Will Murphy. And the three of us -- and Murphy didn't serve, but Murphy is one of those Irishmen with an attitude that he thinks he, as an editor, he knows what's going on, and he does -- so between Jim and me and Murphy, every single sentence down to the period was hammered out over time. And there's one thing, there were several things about Gen. Jim Mattis. But among other things is, he takes care of every single detail. He only sleeps about four or five hours a night. He's not married, he devotes his life to the Marine Corps, and he leaves no stone unturned, in preparing. But then when he goes on a battlefield, the reason that the troops love them, he grows fangs. He's a wolverine. When he gets on that battlefield, he is singularly focused on destroying the enemy. And that that's what clicked with the troops. They immediately knew that this general had, he'd give you an order, he would let you do the order. He believed in initiative. But he was out there to win every single battle. And in writing the book, we tried to show what he learned about being a leader step by step over time. But the interesting thing is, Jim didn't really like being a four star that much at all, he immediately would have gone back to having the division, the First Marine Division if they would have let him, because that was much more fun. Then he could really interact. He felt as a four-star, he was getting up to a level where he really didn't have a connection with the troops that he really wanted to. Jim Mattis is most at home on a battlefield. Hope Hodge Seck 23:53 Are there any regrets in retrospect on either side about not being more direct? Jim Mattis has since been very clear about what he thinks about this immediate past president and fomenting insurrection and all that, not putting any of that in the book? Bing West 24:09 Jim, I think very sensibly, and very rightly said, Look, if you are a military general, and you retire, and you keep the title general, and when you write your letters, etc, then you have an obligation to be very careful with the Constitution, because the last thing you want to do is have any president coming in and looking at a general and thinking well, he's here with me now, but the minute he leaves, he's going to be out there criticizing me. Because then the president, his commander in chief will believe he can't trust his generals. So Jim believed, keep your mouth shut and he clung to that the entire time. He wasn't going to discuss what he and President Trump talked about. He never did. But in the end, it was only at the end when President Trump, I think, went way over the line with what he did on 6 January, you know, really inciting. For the sake of the Constitution, Gen. Mattis believed he had to speak up and say, Be gone, man, be gone, you have violated your oath. And that's why he spoke out. But the idea when he was writing the book that he was going to get into stuff with a president, a sitting president, he's very, very careful. He doesn't believe the generals, once they've retired, should be actively politically pushing for one cause or one politician or another. He doesn't like that at all. And neither does Gen. Joe Dunford who retired as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. I think that that's a very sound position. Hope Hodge Seck 25:48 You've written and co-written 11 nonfiction books by my count, and I may be missing one or two, many of them in connection with embeds in Iraq and Afghanistan. Which of those if you had to choose one, was most memorable and special for you? Bing West 26:06 Well, this sounds, I mean, in the end, it was spending the last three years writing The Last Platoon because I was trying to summarize everything I have learned over 20 years. And that was the hardest, but I think the most satisfying. I noticed a few of the reviews now saying, finally, somebody has put this together so that you can understand as the story is developing, how frustrating it was on the ground and how disconnected Washington was. So I'd have to say, overall, that took the most time writing the novel and trying to get it right. But I hope in the end, I was able to show the difference between what they were thinking and Washington what was actually happening in the field. Hope Hodge Seck 26:47 As we've said, you've had this amazing and very varied career. Is there anything left on your bucket list? Anything you haven't done that that you'd like to do? Bing West 26:59 While the commandant says I can stay this in this status until I'm 95. I mean, if there's another war somewhere where I could really get out there, I'd be I'd be kind of tempted to do it. So I tried to stay in an awfully good shape. But I'm moving on now, probably that my next effort is, there's a fellow in the CIA, who was in charge of their Special Operations Group, Special Activities Group. And he and I are kind of talking with the agency about whether we could do a book to explain what the CIA actually did in what they call covert activities, because that's another area, the CIA is out there on the ground with this. That's why I have them in the novel, they're out there. So I'm kind of tempted to go the CIA route and put something together along those lines, and maybe take Capt. Cruz from this novel, and maybe put them into another one, depending on what I can work out with the CIA about what can and cannot be said. Hope Hodge Seck 28:01 Well, I will certainly read it. When you write it. I will read it. Bing West 28:05 Thank you. Hope Hodge Seck 28:06 Thank you so much for taking the time to be on the show. I've really enjoyed this conversation and really appreciate your insights on all these different topics. Bing West 28:15 Well, I'm very gratified that you took the time with me. Thank you. God bless. Hope Hodge Seck 28:25 Thanks once again for joining us here at Left of Boom. The Last Platoon was published December 15, 2020, and can be found on Amazon or anywhere else books are sold. The previous episode of Left of Boom, featuring Medal of Honor recipient, Kyle White, is already one of the most popular we've ever had. If you missed it, I encourage you to subscribe to Left of Boom today and check it out. Coming up, we've got some fantastic guests and topics, including the legendary Dale Dye and the expert designers who create military uniforms. You will not want to miss them. And as you're waiting for those episodes to drop, remember that you can find all the news and information you need about your military community every day at Military.com. US house speaker Nancy Pelosi has said members of congress face threats of violence from an enemy within, and more money is needed to protect them. Ms Pelosis remarks are an acknowledgment of escalating internal tensions over safety since the attack on the US Capitol earlier this month by supporters of former president Donald Trump. The California Democrats statement came as the acting chief of the Capitol Police said that vast improvements are needed to protect the Capitol and adjacent office buildings, including permanent fencing. Such barricades have ringed the complex since the deadly riot on January 6, but many legislators have long resisted giving Americas symbol of democracy the look of a besieged compound, and leaders have been non-committal about the idea. Ms Pelosi focused her comments on the anxiety and partisan frictions which have persisted in congress since Trump supporters assault on the Capitol, which led to five deaths. She told reporters she thinks congress will need to provide money for more security for members, when the enemy is within the House of Representatives, a threat that members are concerned about. Asked to clarify what she meant, Ms Pelosi said: It means that we have members of congress who want to bring guns on the floor and have threatened violence on other members of congress. Expand Close Ms Pelosi did not specify which legislators constituted the enemy within (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ms Pelosi did not specify which legislators constituted the enemy within (AP) She did not suggest how much money might be needed. Some legislators who voted for this months house impeachment of Mr Trump have reported receiving threats, and initial moves to enhance safety procedures have taken on clear partisan undertones. Some Republicans have loudly objected to having to pass through newly installed metal detectors before entering the house chamber, while Ms Pelosi has proposed fining legislators who bypass the devices. Ms Pelosi did not specify who she meant by her reference to an enemy within the house, and a spokesperson provided no examples when asked. First-term Republican representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has expressed support for baseless QAnon conspiracy theories, has liked Facebook posts advocating violence against Democrats and the FBI. One post suggested shooting Ms Pelosi in the head. When asked to comment, Ms Greene sent a written statement accusing Democrats and journalists of attacking her because she is a threat to their goal of socialism and supports Mr Trump and conservative values. Expand Close US president Joe Biden in the White House (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp US president Joe Biden in the White House (AP) Earlier this month, the HuffPost website reported that Andy Harris set off a newly installed metal detector while trying to enter the house chamber and was found to be carrying a concealed gun. Other Republicans have also talked about carrying firearms, which legislators are permitted to do, though not on the house or senate floors. Since the attack, the Capitol grounds have been surrounded by barrier fences and patrolled by National Guard troops. Prosecutors have charged more than 200 people for their roles in the January 6 riot, and others have been arrested after posting threats against members of congress. The public is barred from carrying firearms on Capitol grounds. Members of congress can keep guns in their offices or transport them on the campus if they are unloaded and securely wrapped. On Wednesday, the US department of homeland security issued a national terrorism bulletin warning of the possibility of more violence from people motivated by anti-government sentiment after Joe Biden became president. A senate trial on whether to punish Mr Trump is set to begin next month, following his house impeachment on a charge of inciting the insurrection at the Capitol. Mr Trump made incendiary remarks to a throng of supporters that day, urging them to march to the building. Legislators at the time were formally certifying Mr Bidens election victory, which Mr Trump has repeatedly and falsely attributed to fraud. The Nagol is Back! VTOs guide to this years Nagol, plus where to stay and play in south, central and north Pentecost. Among the students of the Border Guard Academy sent to the border posts in the northern mountainous areas, there are young men from the central and southern regions. Tran Cong Ket and children in Cao Bang province This is the first time they will celebrate Tet holiday far from their homes, in cold weather they have never experienced before. Tran Cong Ket, born in 2000, a second-year student of the academy, was sent to the Xuan Truong Border Post in Cao Bang province. Born in Ben Tre province, the homeland of coconuts, where it is warm year round, Ket is now experiencing the second winter in the north. I experienced winter last year, but I only stayed in Hanoi. But it is much colder here. I caught a cold on the first days I got here. The temperature is 8-9oC today, warmer, he said. Ket works on duty at the post or on mobile patrol to prevent smuggling and illegal entries. Ket has a younger sister. He said his parents may feel sad as he cannot return home this Tet, but they are proud of their son who contributes to the country's protection. Like Ket, Nguyen Minh Trung is also at the Xuan Truong Border Post. Before leaving for the border post, he bought many sweets to deliver to local children. Some friends of his, after hearing about his trip, wanted to give money to Trung so that he could buy gifts for the children. Local children and people here are really in big difficulty. They eat maize instead of rice when going to school, Trung wrote on his fanpage, calling for support from donors. Five days later, Trung received VND18 million from donors. He plans to join forces with local schools and the commanders of Xuan Truong Border Post to use the money in the most effective way. Trung is the only child in his family. When applying for the Border Guard Academy, he understood that he would have to sacrifice personal benefits and stay away from home on Tet holidays. I am from the south. This is the second year I bear the cold in the north. It is colder than last year, he said. My parents love me. I have not returned home since last August. But they say fighting the pandemic is like fighting enemies and I need to focus to implement my duties, he said. The High Command of Border Guard has sent 460 officers and students from the Border Guard Academy to two northern and three southern border provinces. Ngan Anh The coronavirus epidemic has triggered the steepest drop in Latin American foreign trade in 2020 since the global financial crisis more than a decade ago, a UN body said Friday. Exports from the region are estimated to have fallen 13 percent in value in 2020, and imports by 20 percent, the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) said in a report. The contraction in the value of exports was smaller than forecast (-23 percent) last August, the organization said. At the time, "the rebound in demand among the regions main trading partners, and China in particular, was not yet visible." The report said the greatest contraction of exports was in those bound for the region itself (-24 percent), while shipments to the United States and European Union were expected to fall by 14 percent and 13 percent respectively. Exports to China should grow two percent, driven by agricultural and mineral and metal shipments, mainly from South America. Exports of crops and livestock products are projected to increase slightly by two percent, while manufacturing exports are expected to drop 14 percent and mining and oil exports by 21 percent. Imports would post double-digit declines in all categories. "In sum, the expected trend in regional foreign trade in 2020 suggests there will be a loss of productive capacity in the industrial sector," said the report. The Latin American and Caribbean region has been hard hit by the coronavirus epidemic with 17 million recorded infections and more than 550,000 deaths. The ECLAC has forecast a 7.7-percent economic contraction for the region for 2020, the largest in 120 years. The commission's executive secretary, Alicia Barcena, said Friday stronger regional integration was needed to boost economic resilience. "The region has been 'disintegrating' in terms of trade and production since the middle of the last decade, coinciding with its lowest growth in seven decades," said Barcena. UTICA, N.Y. Mohawk Valley Health System has started offering a shuttle service at the St. Lukes campus in Utica, to bring patients from their vehicle right to the front door. Patients should call 315-525-0430 ahead of time to let the shuttle operators know theyre coming, then park in Lot H to be picked up. With the cold weather upon us and the significant distance from some of the St. Lukes parking lots to the front door, we decided it was important to provide a shuttle service to patients at the St. Lukes Campus, said Darlene Stromstad, president of MVHS. We hope this will make life a little easier for those coming to our campus for services. Patients will get a card with a phone number to call to be picked up and driven back to their car after their appointment. Roughly 1 million tons of cargo are to be transported via railroad between Turkey and Iran this year, Turkish authorities said on Tuesday, Financial Tribune writes. Turkeys Transport and Infrastructure Ministry said in a statement that a recent memorandum of understanding signed in a gathering of railroad representatives in Turkey's capital Ankara on Jan. 12-13 would open a new era for the transit railroad, Anadolu Agency reported. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, three train services were run daily between Turkey and Iran in 2020, transporting 564,000 tons of cargo, according to the statement. The statement also announced that freight trains would also run between Turkey and Pakistan via Iran on a common tariff between the three countries. It added that talks are still ongoing to set this tariff. With a recently completed railroad between Iran and Afghanistan, it will now also be possible to transport freight between Turkey and Afghanistan. "After the rail connection between Iran and Afghanistan was completed on Dec. 10, 2020, it became possible for a wagon loaded in Turkey to transit through Iran to Afghanistan," the statement said. The rail administrations of Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan will come together in the coming months to set a course for rail transport between Turkey and Afghanistan. The statement noted that efforts were underway for a cargo transportation corridor through Iran between Europe and China. Iran and Turkey exchanged $335.06 million worth of goods and commodities in November 2020, marking an increase in monthly trade for the second successive month. According to the latest data released by Turkish Statistical Institute, the neighboring country's November trade with Iran was 5% higher than in November 2019. This could be interpreted as a sign of recovery in bilateral trade between the two neighbors after it declined sharply during the pandemic. Irans exports to Turkey accounted for $121.6 million of the sum, up 26.68% YOY, while Turkeys exports to Iran stood at $211.464 million, down 4% year-on-year. Monthly trade between Iran and Turkey fell to under $300 million in September, mostly due to a fall in Iran's exports to the neighboring country. Their bilateral trade stood at $2.93 billion during the first 11 months of 2020 (January-November) to register a decrease of 50% compared with the corresponding period of 2019. Iran exported more than $1 billion worth of goods to Turkey during the period to register a 71% year-on-year decline. Imports from Turkey stood at $1.92 billion, down 22.6% YOY. The Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul freight train is expected to resume operations in early 2021 to boost Pakistans trade with Turkey and Iran. The railroads of Pakistan, Turkey and Iran have mutually agreed to resume regular operations soon, said Turkeys Transport Minister Adil Karaismailoglu, after the 10th edition of the Economic Cooperation Organizations Transport and Communications Ministers Meeting in Istanbul, Pakistani media outlet Islamabad Scene reported. The key requirements for the revival of ITI train, also called ECO Container train, have been fulfilled. The train is expected to resume operations in 2021. The trial run of ITI train was launched in 2009 as a project under the Economic Cooperation Organization, which is a 10-member Asian trade bloc. The rail route, which is recognized by the UN as an international corridor between the three countries, has so far only been used for test journeys. The railroad intends to greatly reduce the transit route of the goods from Istanbul to Islamabad. During the trial, the freight train from Islamabad to Istanbul took nearly 13 days to make the 6,500-km journey. The journey was later further reduced to 11.5 days. In comparison, transporting goods from European countries to Pakistan via the sea route took almost 45 days. The train has a maximum capacity of twenty 40-feet containers. The total length of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul project is 6,500 kilometers: - Iran: 2,600 km, Turkey: 1,950 km, Pakistan: 1,990 km The railroad from Istanbul, through Tehran, all the way to Islamabad has been described as tremendously beneficial to all three nations. It aims to boost economic cooperation among Pakistan, Iran and Turkey first and with the other ECO member countries afterward. Besides Pakistan, Turkey and Iran, the following countries will benefit from the ITI project: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Although the project was launched to promote economic relations among the ECO founding member countries, it offers a short, safe and affordable route for transportation of goods between Asia and Europe, extending benefits to several regional countries. From Turkey, the corridor can link up with the European rail networks via Istanbuls 76-km-long undersea Marmaray railroad tunnel. Other countries had earlier expressed eagerness to join the project and suggested further expansion to European and Middle East markets. Highlights of Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul Rail Corridor include services to facilitate cargo and container transport capacity: 20 containers of 40 feet, estimated travel time is 11 days compared to 45 days via sea route and over 30% reduction in rail fares as opposed to traditional routes. NEW JERSEY U.S. Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr., NJ-9, and Josh Gottheimer, NJ-5, are leading the full New Jersey House delegation in formally requesting that Congressional leadership include the repeal of the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap in the next COVID-19 relief package. The congressmen held a news conference at a U-Haul store in Paterson Wednesday to announce the decision. A $10,000 cap was put on the SALT deduction in the 2017 tax act, which The Center for Public Integrity called "badly broken." Gottheimer and Pascrell didn't mince words on the bill, which both described as a wholly partisan decision. "Repealing the odious SALT cap remains one of absolute top priorities in the 117th Congress," said Pascrell. "The SALT cap was enacted solely by the Republicans in their pathetic 2017 tax scam bill and New Jersey has been paying the price ever since." Both said repealing the cap would help middle class families in New Jersey, especially now, as the coronavirus continues to effect the economy. "Ever since the ruby red Moocher States whacked New Jersey with the 2017 Tax Hike Bill, Ive been fighting to fully reinstate our SALT deduction, to finally cut taxes for North Jersey families, and help more of our residents to stay here in Jersey especially now as were still grappling with the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis," said Gottheimer. "While our residents and state are hurting, its time we fought back against the Moocher States who dont pay their share." The term "Moocher States" hasn't created many fans of Gottheimer in the states he's referencing, but he isn't the only one to bring partisanship into funding debates. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said in discussing a COVID-19 relief bill that he didn't want it to be a "blue state bailout." The pandemic, both Gottheimer and Pascrell said, adds an extra layer of importance to repealing the cap, but so does a troubling trend in the state. Story continues For the third year in a row New Jersey is the state people have moved out of most, according to the 2020 National Migration Study by United Van Lines. U-Hauls 2020 Migration Trends report came to a similar conclusion, with New Jersey ranking third highest in the net migration of U-Haul trucks leaving the state last year. The New Jersey delegation sent letters to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Schumer, as well as newly confirmed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Read the letter to Pelosi and Schumer here. And the letter to Yellen here. This article originally appeared on the Fair Lawn-Saddle Brook Patch BRAMPTON, ON, Jan. 29, 2021 /CNW/ - MDA today announced that it has been awarded a contract by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to provide satellite flight operations and data management services for the Agency's Earth observation and space situational awareness satellite missions. MDA will provide spacecraft health monitoring and control, operational analysis, basic system maintenance, data order handling, image quality control and data processing and archiving for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM), SCISAT and NEOSSat from the CSA's Multi-Mission Control Centre in Longueuil, Quebec. MDA has partnered with two leading Canadian space firms Calian Advanced Technologies and Mission Control Space Services to deliver this service. The total estimated contract price is valued at CAD$36.6M excluding taxes and covers a three-year period, with an option to renew the contract for up to two additional years. MDA was the Prime Contractor for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission, Canada's third generation radar satellite system. Since its successful launch in June 2019 and commissioning later in 2019, MDA has been providing satellite operations services on this mission. This contract will extend MDA's key role in RCM operations, and expands MDA's leadership in satellite operations. SCISAT, launched in 2003, is an atmospheric research satellite that helps Canadian and international scientists improve their understanding of the depletion of the ozone layer, with a special emphasis on the changes occurring over Canada and in the Arctic. Launched in 2013, NEOSSat (Near-Earth Object Surveillance Satellite) was the world's first space telescope dedicated to detecting and tracking asteroids and satellites. Under separate contract to Canada's Department of National Defence, MDA also operates Sapphire, Canada's surveillance of space satellite which shared a launch vehicle with NEOSSat, as well as MDA's own Earth observation satellite, RADARSAT-2. QUOTES "This announcement is great news for the team at MDA. In addition to continuing to build on our decades long partnership with the Canadian Space Agency, this project will extend our key role on the RADARSAT Constellation Mission. It also continues to expand our portfolio of active operational services contracts with recurring annual revenue streams." Mike Greenley, Chief Executive Officer, MDA "Calian is proud to partner with MDA and Mission Control Space Services to deliver this critical service to the Canadian Space Agency." Patrick Thera, President, Advanced Technologies, Calian LINKS www.mda.space www.calian.com/service-lines/advanced-technologies www.missioncontrolspaceservices.com SOCIAL MEDIA Twitter: www.twitter.com/MDA_space Facebook: www.facebook.com/MDAspace LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/mdaspace YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/mdaspace Instagram: www.instagram.com/MDA_space ABOUT MDA Serving the world from its Canadian home and global offices, MDA is an international space mission partner and a robotics, satellite systems and geointelligence pioneer with a 50-year story of firsts on and above the Earth. With over 2,000 employees across Canada, the US and the UK, MDA is leading the charge towards viable Moon colonies, enhanced Earth observation, communication in a hyper-connected world, and more. With a track record of making space ambitions come true, MDA enables highly skilled people to continually push boundaries, tackle big challenges, and imagine solutions that inspire and endure to change the world for the better, on the ground and in the stars. ABOUT CALIAN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES Calian Advanced Technologies solutions include satellite gateways and infrastructure for RF communications, telemetry, tracking and control systems, space science and earth observation. Calian Advanced Technologies provides leading-edge communication products for terrestrial and satellite networks. In addition, we enable our commercial and defence customers to deliver reliable, high-quality products and systems by providing them with superior electronics engineering, manufacturing and test services. One of our key markets is satellite RF ground systems solutions for customers that have complex technical requirements. Our customers are leaders in their industries providing systems tailored to meet their demanding requirements, with practical solutions, delivered on time and on budget. ABOUT MISSION CONTROL Mission Control is a space exploration and robotics company with a focus on mission operations, onboard autonomy and artificial intelligence. We develop end-to-end robotic command and control software. Our technology allows customers to operate and automate systems deployed in harsh and remote environments like Mars, the Moon, or even here on Earth improving the autonomy, productivity, safety, and scientific return of missions. We are also committed to inspiring the next generation of explorers through our immersive technology-based education program, Mission Control Academy, which allows students to operate a real rover, as if it were on Mars. How can we help you navigate the newspace landscape? SOURCE MDA For further information: MEDIA CONTACT: Leslie Swartman, [email protected], 613-608-4845 Related Links https://mda.space The exams are going to start from 8 February and candidates must go through their admit cards thoroughly to check if there are any mistakes The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) released the IGNOU 2020 hall ticket for December Term End Examination (TEE) on its official website at 11 am today, 29 January. However, due to a technical issue, the admit card downloading procedure has been suspended temporarily. Candidates set to appear in the December TEE are advised to visit the official website at ignou.ac.in to see if the link has been restored and download their IGNOU hall ticket 2020. The admit cards would be available only for those candidates who had filled and submitted the exam form on the website. Applicants can download their hall tickets till the date of the exams and this can be done by entering their enrolment numbers and the name of their course. Follow these steps to download the December TEE admit cards once the link is back: Step 1: Visit the official website of IGNOU at ignou.ac.in Step 2: Click on the link on the homepage: Link for Hall Ticket December 2020 Term End Examination Step 3: You will be redirected to a new page Step 4: Select your course and enter your enrolment number Step 5: After clicking on Submit, you will be redirected to the admit card Step 6: View, download and take a print out of the hall ticket. Here is the direct link to download the admit card The exams are going to start from 8 February and candidates must go through their admit cards thoroughly to check if there are any mistakes. They must immediately inform the authorities if that is the case. No candidate will be allowed to sit in the exams without their hall tickets hence it is advised that applicants download and take a print out of the document to keep it safely. The IGNOU admit card will also serve as an identification certificate as it will carry the personal details of the candidates, along with the date, time and centre of the exams. Like a poorly scripted, never-ending melodrama, The Turkey-Europe Story directed by and starring President Recep Tayyip Erdogan jerks from one emotional extreme to the next, often more than once in a single episode. It has become so predictable. One minute he speaks of putting our disputes behind us and moving forward to a brighter future for the sake of our people. The next he stomps off in a huff, hurling the charge of strategic blindness. But before long hes back to wooing and turning a new page in his relationship with no mention of the faults and foibles that marred the previous page only to flare into a rage once again, committing more of the same. Turkish TV serial fans at home and abroad have grown used to the mood swings, the tantrums and hotheadedness. Some may even take a certain pride in how he has turned Turkey into what some have called the most controversial country in the region and the world. On 12 January, after months of tensions spiking thanks to his actions or his recklessness, as the Turkish opposition would have it in the Eastern Mediterranean, Libya and the Caucasus, Erdogan suddenly switched to conciliatory mode. In an address to the EU ambassadors in Ankara he said that his country was ready to put its relationship with the 27 member bloc back on track and apply a new visionary approach that would turn 2021 into the year of success in Turkey-EU relations. He called on EU capitals to join him in his quest to turn a page, adding that Turkey still had the goal of becoming a member of the EU. The mounting uncertainty that followed Brexit could be overcome when Turkey takes its rightful place in the EU family, he said, as though Turkey held the key to an EU existential crisis. As for the Eastern Mediterranean, which his own policies have turned into a flashpoint of regional tension, he called for turning it into a sea of justice and equity... a sea that does not divide us, but rather brings us closer together. Ankara had previously announced that Turkey and Greece, two NATO members, would resume exploratory talks on 25 January to resolve their dispute over oil and gas exploration rights in the Eastern Mediterranean. The talks will usher in a new era, Erdogan told the EU ambassadors before extending an olive branch to France: We want to reassess relations with France with a visionary approach to rescue them from the line of tensions. But how have Europeans responded to Erdogans charm offensive, as some media described it? The day it reported Erdogans meeting with EU ambassadors, Russia Today (RT Online) conducted an opinion poll among its readers. Can Erdogan normalise relations between Turkey and Europe? it asked. The results came as no surprise: 70 per cent of respondents said, No. In an article in Moskovsky Komsomolets, appearing in Arabic on RT Online on 12 January 2021, the writer explains, During the past two years, political scientists have observed how Turkeys involvement in regional issues has increased. Today, its forces are working to shift the balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and the Caucasus, and its media make no secret of the ultimate goal of the countrys foreign policy being to regain ancestral lands, meaning the former territories of the Ottoman Empire. This is the prevalent belief in all European countries. The German Kurdish lawmaker Helin Evrim Sommer, for one well-informed party, is under no illusions regarding the destabilising effects of Erdogans perspective. The recent tensions with Greece, which have returned from the brink of military conflict, are proof that the Erdogan government has become a serious threat to the stability of the entire region and the EU itself, she said in an interview with the AhvalNews site. If the EU does not want to completely lose its political credibility, it should apply sanctions. The EU would have rewarded Turkey with an updated customs union, visa exemptions for Turkish citizens and increased payments as part of a 2016 refugee deal if it ended its aggressive policies in the eastern Mediterranean... But there was no softening in Turkeys policy. On the contrary, the provocations increased. Sommer, who represents Die Linke (the Left Party) in the German Bundestag added: Especially with its war against the Kurds in Syria and Iraq, Erdogans government has long been the arsonist of the Middle East and has publicly violated international law. Such concerns are echoed across Europe. Brussels is at the end of its tether with Erdogan, who has inflamed crisis after crisis and then used them as a means to pressure Europe into making political and economic concessions. Erdogan is notorious for using Syrian refugees as a tool of political blackmail. The softening of his tone is clearly an attempt to ward off an impending raft of EU sanctions in March. Will it work? Turkey has a credibility problem from the perspective of the outside world, Ilter Turan, professor at the political science and international relations department of Istanbul University told the Bianet news site. There is no confidence that anything it says or does will have continuity. As a result, whatever steps it has taken to develop new relations that overcome the tremors it has caused in its current relations will have little success. Nor are they likely to succeed given Erdogans predilection for U-turns, inflammatory rhetoric and lashing out at perceived enemies. That is not to mention how Turkish intelligence has managed to ruffle European feathers. By pure coincidence, Austrian news offered a reminder of this problem the day Erdogan was courting EU ambassadors. On 12 January, Vienna announced that it had expelled an Italian man of Turkish origin who, in September 2020, had been charged with conducting military espionage on behalf of a foreign state. Feyyaz Ozturk, who turned himself in to Austrian authorities that month, identified himself as a retired member of Turkeys MIT intelligence agency and told authorities he had been instructed to assassinate three Austrian politicians who were vocal critics of the Turkish strongman. Turkey has of course vehemently denied Ozturks affiliation with MIT. Did I hear someone say credibility problem? *A version of this article appears in print in the 28 January, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: 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 Rockfire Resources PLC - Australia-focused gold and base metal exploration company - Says its wholly-owned Plateau gold deposit in Australia has surpassed a JORC (2012) Mineral Resource of 200,000 ounces of gold. Notes this represents a 515% increase in gold ounces since the company's maiden JORC (2012) mineral resource reported previously in July 2019. Says overall gold envelope at Plateau has resulted in an indicated and inferred mineral resource of 208,278 ounces of gold and 1.5 million ounces of silver. Rockfire says Plateau has higher cut-off grades of 131,302 ounces of gold and 800,000 ounces of silver at a higher cut-off, and a subset of the mineral resource at shallow depths resulted in 53,336 ounces of gold and 390,000 ounces of silver. "This represents real potential for Rockfire to achieve its ambition of near-term, open cut gold production whilst the deposit continues to be expanded through further exploration. Rockfire is striving to monetise Plateau and we are working hard to achieve this for the benefit of our shareholders. We are very pleased with progress to date and will continue to push rigorously ahead with exploration at Plateau, pursuing our ambition for early gold production," says Chief Executive David Price. Current stock price: 1.36 pence, up 33% on Friday Year-to-date change: up 47% By Zoe Wickens; zoewickens@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. US biotech firm Novavax said Thursday its two-shot Covid-19 vaccine showed an overall efficacy of 89.3 percent in a major Phase 3 clinical trial in Britain, and remained highly effective against a variant first identified there. But the positive news was partly offset by other results that showed it offered significantly less protection against a highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus first identified in South Africa, which is spreading rapidly around the world. Novavax said it began working on new vaccines against emerging strains in early January and expects to select ideal candidates in the coming days, then begin clinical testing in the second quarter of the year. "NVX-CoV2373 has the potential to play an important role in solving this global public health crisis," said the company's president and CEO Stanley Erck, using Novavax's name for the vaccine. "We look forward to continuing to work with our partners, collaborators, investigators and regulators around the world to make the vaccine available as quickly as possible." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted that the results were "good news." "Our medicines regulator will now assess the vaccine, which will be made in Teesside. If approved, we have 60m doses on order," he added. The vaccine was one of six candidates backed by a US government project formerly known as Operation Warp Speed, which has provided the company $1.75 billion. It's also being tested in a trial in the US and Mexico, which has recruited 16,000 of 30,000 participants. Unlike the Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines, which deliver the genetic instructions that make human cells create a key protein of the virus, the Novavax shot injects the proteins directly into the body to evoke an immune response. The British trial involved 15,000 people aged 18 to 84, including 27 percent who were over the age of 65. The first interim analysis was based on 62 cases, of which 56 cases of Covid-19 were observed in the placebo group versus six cases among people who received NVX-CoV2373. The company's preliminary analysis indicated the variant first identified in Britain, B.1.1.7, was detected in more than 50 percent of the confirmed cases. Efficacy by strain was calculated at 95.6 percent against the original Covid strain, and 85.6 percent against B.1.1.7. But the level of protection was lower in a smaller, mid-stage trial conducted in South Africa. This study enrolled just over 4,400 patients from September to mid-January, during which time the B.1.351 variant, which contains critical mutations along the virus' spike protein, was spreading rapidly through the country. Overall efficacy was 49.4 percent in this trial, but the figure rose to 60 percent among the 94 percent of trial participants who were HIV-negative. Worryingly, Novavax said about a third of participants in the South Africa trial had been previously infected with the original form of the virus, while the subsequent infections during the study were largely from the variant. Amesh Adalja, a doctor and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told AFP it was important to keep the decreased efficacy in perspective and the vaccine was still a success. "Sixty percent against the variant is still pretty good," he said. "Clearly, the Novavax vaccine prevented severe disease which is really in the end what matters the most." The studies are the first to assess a Covid-19 vaccine's performance against both the UK and South Africa variants in the real world. Pfizer and Moderna have previously said their vaccines remain effective against the variants, but their studies were based on lab research. The US said Thursday it had found its first two cases of the B.1.351 variant on American soil, leading to concern it could reignite the national infection rate, which is currently in decline. Novavax's announcement puts pressure on another vaccine maker, Johnson & Johnson, which is expected to announce its phase 3 trial results next week. Fire crews responded to a house fire in Steelton Thursday night, according to the department. Steelton Fire Department posted to social media that units were responding to a structure fire in the 200 block of Elm Street around 7:30 p.m. Fire crews battle a fire at 230 Elm Street in Steelton. January 28, 2021 Sean Simmers |ssimmers@pennlive.com Dauphin County dispatch reports originally came in as smoke coming out of a window and fire crews were on scene within a few minutes. By 8 p.m., the fire was under control and crews had switched to overhaul operations. The fire marshal was called to the scene. No additional details of the fire were available Thursday night. Read more on PennLive: expects the process of hiving-off its domestic (PV) unit to be completed around May-June this year, although it has not yet taken a call on a potential partner for the business, according to a senior company official. The company will be calling an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on March 5 to seek approval from shareholders on the same, as per an order of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). "We speak to many OEMs (original equipment manufacturers)...At this point in time, we have said it is not an imperative for today but more to seize the opportunity for tomorrow. "And from that perspective the current focus of almost the entire business is to ensure the continued out performance of the PV business continues and a small portion of us continue to work on this," Group CFO P Balaji said in an earnings call with reporters. Sharing an update on the progress of hiving off of the PV unit, he said, "The NCLT orders of calling EGM have already come and that happens on the 5th of March and that will be the next port of call." Once the shareholders give approval, then it moves back to the NCLT for the final order, he added. "The current mental time plan we are working (is) maybe it may happen sometime in May-June. We are preparing for that and we will be ready for the transition as and when we get the approval," Balaji said. Last year, had announced that it would turn its domestic PV business into a separate unit and seek a strategic partnership in order to help the unit secure its long-term viability. Reiterating that the company has not taken a decision on a partner, he said, "We talk to people, we do have conversation. This is about ensuring the meeting of the minds, and ensuring that we have the same view of long term future in the country. Therefore it is more about the long term opportunity of tomorrow." When asked if the improving performance of the PV unit has changed the company's mind of roping in a partner, he replied in the negative. "(The) partnership is about opportunity for tomorrow. It is not about imperative for today. Therefore, when we look at a partner, it is more about how can we drive capital productivity by sharing things that we have already invested in or fast-forward any other technology that could be coming in," Balaji said. He asserted that it is not about performance or lack of it in a quarter. "That's not the way we look at it. We do look at it long term and there is clearly a role for a partner in this business and that's the reason why we are going ahead with the subsidiarisation of the business," he said. Commenting on the impact of Brexit on the company's British arm JLR, Balaji said the overall deal agreed between the UK government and the EU "is in line with our base plan". While in the short-term there could be friction at the border, JLR is managing and will ensure that it does not have any material impact on production, he said. The other issue is the rules of origin under which 55 per cent of internal combustion engine components are sourced from UK plus EU, and about 40 per cent for EV vehicles. "This is something that needs to be sorted before 2024 and we have time in our hand. As far as immediate is concerned, we are compliant," he said. The company would have to sort out issues on the EV side since a lot of batteries and components come from China and it will have to find sources that are based in the UK and EU, he added. Asked about speculations that one of the JLR plants in the UK could be shut due to Brexit, Balaji said, "Brexit decision is just one month old. From our perspective, we will look at this from a holistic view but no decision has been taken with respect to any factory. All our factories are running and they will continue to run at this point in time. (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.) UPDATE: State health officials confirmed the tri-county region is receiving 17,220 doses next week for 1a workers and that roughly 13,880 doses represented new doses. The state is able to direct those doses to the region due to a 10,000 dose increase from Moderna versus the prior week combined with reducing doses to counties that had completed 1a populations. Nine Oregon counties will receive little or no COVID-19 vaccines next week even as Gov. Kate Browns office said the state received more doses than expected and would send 17,000 extra to the Portland area, according to a state document obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive. State public health officials did not respond to questions about the states vaccine supply and distribution plans until late Thursday, making it unclear if the cuts to rural counties are at all linked to efforts to supplement the metro area. But at least some counties said they were told the rest of the state has to sit by and watch as other counties catch up. Rebecca Austen, Lincoln County public health director, said the coastal region learned Thursday it would receive no new first-shot doses and only 100 second-dose shots next week. Lincoln County got 300 doses this week, she said, and 1,500 doses last week. I think we all knew that we would not be getting a lot, Austen said, but to get nothing is shocking. Confusion over the states distribution plans began Tuesday when Portland-area health officials said they lacked enough vaccine doses for everyone eligible since December as part of the first phase of inoculations, and those people could need to wait weeks or months as teachers and elderly Oregonians jump in line this week and in February. The next day, Brown announced via Twitter that 17,000 doses would go to the Portland area to inoculate healthcare workers and others who had been eligible in phase 1a but had not yet been vaccinated. Hours after that announcement, Browns office clarified in an email to The Oregonian/OregonLive that 17,000 doses were available due to more doses arriving from Moderna this week. But the Oregon Health Authority late Thursday said the state is receiving a net increase of only 10,000 more Moderna doses, making Browns assertion about 17,000 extra doses unclear. A spokesman for the health authority said the Moderna supply should be steady going forward, with at least 38,400 doses and 21,200 second doses sent to Oregon each week. That should lead to more vaccinations. Despite the surge in doses, Don Russell, chair of Morrow Countys Board of Commissioners, said his eastern Oregon county learned Wednesday that it would receive no vaccine supplies next week. Morrow County received 100 doses this week, according to Russell. Russell said no one discussed whether the doses his county expected to receive were headed to the Portland area instead. Morrow County is one of at least 16 local governments, including Lincoln County, that said its wrapped up Phase 1A inoculations paving the way for vaccinating teachers and senior citizens, though some counties had proceeded doing that without finishing 1a. Russell said disclosing the countys progress to state officials was a mistake and he feels the county is being punished. I regret that my parents brought me up to be honest, he said. Russell said the county was initially told it would receive an influx of doses next week and used that forecast to plan two larger clinics one in Heppner and one in Boardman to start vaccinating seniors. I know most of the people in Morrow County who are at risk of dying from this, Russell said, so I take it personally. A PowerPoint from state health leaders obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive offers glimpses to some of the questions state officials did not initially answer. The document, which is dated Jan. 27, states the Oregon Health Authority learned it would see first doses of the Moderna vaccine increase from 25,000 to 35,000 per week. We expect this to continue, the document says. The PowerPoint then states some 15,400 doses of the combined Pfizer and Moderna doses would go to the tri-county area to begin to fill the 1A backlog. It also says that nine counties would receive little to no doses in next weeks allocation. Its unclear how many eligible people in the metro area have not been vaccinated as part of the phase 1a backlog. State officials have said the eligible population in phase 1a across all of Oregon is 400,000 to 500,000 people and, as of Thursday, only about 360,000 doses have been administered. Multnomah County referred questions about the metro areas remaining 1a population to the Oregon Health Authority. Patrick Allen, the health authority director, told lawmakers during a hearing Wednesday that the agency contacted counties last week and even traveled to some jurisdictions to determine a specific number of remaining 1a eligible groups. But state officials have not answered multiple questions from the newsroom this week seeking details about vaccine allotments or the backlog, which regional leaders originally suggested could be in the tens of thousands in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties. Rudy Owens, a state spokesman, said in an email Thursday night that at least 13 counties will receive more vaccines next week, including the three in the metro area. Eighteen counties will receive fewer doses. We sent new doses to counties that reported needing additional doses, Owens said in an email. Many of the counties that we are not sending new first doses for will continue to vaccinate eligible populations with the first doses they have on hand. Russell said the vaccine distribution makes no sense because his rural constituents in Morrow County have a high COVID-19 case rate and one of the lower vaccination rates in the state due to the number of doses theyve received. He acknowledged some eligible workers declined the vaccine but said the county health department has administered every dose its received. Follow the data, he said. Meanwhile, officials in Lincoln County said residents are largely understanding about the still evolving vaccine rollout. The county had a wait list with 800 people of all ages wanting the vaccine, including seniors 75 and older who have been able to schedule appointments since Jan. 19 weeks ahead of the statewide timeline. That wait list has since been closed, Austen said, because it may be weeks before the county sees more shots roll in and county officials were overwhelmed. We have no control, Austen said of the vaccine supply, adding that state health leaders who allocate doses appear to have no idea about what were doing out here. Kaety Jacobson, a Lincoln County commissioner, said its difficult to plan based on fluctuating allocations. Standing up vaccination efforts and then lying dormant for a few weeks, then back up again 1,500 doses, 300 doses, then zero doses, Jacobson said. That is a lot of work. Andrew Theen; atheen@oregonian.com; 503-294-4026; @andrewtheen (Singapore--January 29, 2021 11:00 p.m. SPT/10:00 a.m. EST)--On February 27, 2020, the flagship journal of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, published a case study that described two patients from Wuhan, China who recently underwent lung lobectomies for adenocarcinoma and were retrospectively found to have had COVID-19 at the time of surgery. Eleven months later, the lung cancer research community gathered virtually at the IASLC 2020 World Conference on Lung Cancer Singapore to share a number of research findings examining the intersection of COVID-19 and lung cancer. Researchers from a variety of countries participated in a press briefing to examine the connection between lung cancer and COVID-19. The press briefing will be moderated by IASLC President-Elect Dr. Heather Wakelee, chief of the Division of Medical Oncology at Stanford University and deputy director of the Stanford Cancer Institute. Patient Advocate and lung cancer survivor Ivy Elkins, MBA, cofounder of the EGFR Resisters and a member of the IASLC Lung Cancer News (ILCN) Editorial Group, will contribute insights from the advocacy community's perspective. Earlier this year, Ms. Elkins co-authored an article for ILCN that reported that Black patients, Indigenous People, patients of Pacific island descent, and Hispanic patients are 3.7 times, 3.5 times, 3.1 times, and 2.8 times, respectively, more like to succumb to COVID-19, than White patients.(1) These disparities cannot be explained by differences in income alone.(2) It is, therefore, very likely that the pandemic will only exacerbate lung cancer health care delivery gaps in these already disenfranchised communities. Studies Underscore Significance of Mental Health Impact and Importance of Support Organizations The fear of contracting COVID-19 among patients with lung cancer is palpable, and three new research studies presented today underscore how vulnerable patients with lung cancer feel as they cope with the pandemic. Dr. Domenico Galetta, of the Medical Thoracic Oncology Unit of IRCCS Oncology Istitute of BARI Italy, examined 176 patients with lung and breast cancers, as well as lymphoma, for signs of psychological distress and found that about a quarter of them report severe symptoms of Post traumatic stress disorders (PTDS) with female presenting higher levels when compared with males. (Featured Poster, FP06.04). "Patients with lung cancer have higher distress compared to the other groups. This condition risks being overlooked by clinical concerns, so we underline the importance [in our abstract] to place even more attention on the psychological needs of patients," he reports. Another study conducted by the Chicago-based LUNGevity Foundation echoed Dr. Galetta's findings. The group surveyed 302 patients with lung cancer about anxiety regarding access to lung cancer care, patient preparedness to navigate care, and information needs (Abstract 3800). Overall, 96% of respondents were concerned that the pandemic will affect their cancer care, and 46% reported interruption in lung cancer care, including not being able to see their doctor. Another 18% said they experienced increased difficulty in receiving appropriate care, and 45% of respondents worry about accessing care post pandemic. "Our study reveals that patients with lung cancer continue to feel vulnerable and ill-equipped to navigate cancer care post shelter-in-place. Indeed, patient-specific factors (treatment status) and local COVID-19 caseload are important predictors of patient worries. Access to healthcare should be taken into account both during patient--physician discussions and during lung cancer-care planning at a systems-level," according to Jessica Selig, LUNGevity Foundation, Research, Chicago. At a time when patients are in more need of support services, including mental health support, organizations that provide these services report their resources have been negatively affected during the pandemic. The Global Lung Cancer Coalition (GLCC) is a partnership of 40 patient organizations across 29 countries, dedicated to improving outcomes for patients with lung cancer. The GLCC conducted a survey of its members and found that 64% receive more requests from patients with lung cancer as compared with before the pandemic, but 67% had closed or discontinued services such as support groups and seminars. GLCC found that 18 percent of organizations surveyed added new programs such as new digital services, including calls to patients and online consultations and extending helpline hours and adding new online content. "Patient advocacy and support organizations are providing more support to patients during the pandemic. However, many organizations have seen a decrease in funding, making it more challenging to [continue or increase support programs]. Patient organizations need urgent financial support to continue to meet increased patient needs and, for some, to survive," said Dr. Matthew Peters, of Concord Hospital, Concord, Australia (Abstract 3384). Would the Pandemic Affect Access to Lung Cancer Care or Slow Diagnosis? One Study From Spain Suggests That Occurred in 2020 A study conducted by a group led by Dr. Roxana Reyes, of the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Thoracic Oncology Group, Barcelona, collected data of new cases of lung cancer diagnosed in two periods, during COVID and the same period in 2019, and found a decrease in the incidence by 38% during COVID. Of those, researchers found that in the group of NSCLC there was more symptomatic and severe disease at diagnosis compared to 2019, with worse outcomes (Abstract 3700). "During COVID, the number of new cases diagnosed decreased by 38% (43 NSCLC; 19 SCLC), compared to before-COVID period (67 NSCLC; 33 SCLC)," Dr. Reyes reported. "Among those hospitalized, the mortality during hospitalization was 44% vs. 17% before COVID." TERAVOLT Study Reveals Persistently High COVID-19 Mortality Rates Among Patients with Thoracic Malignancies but no Significant Difference According with Race or Ethnicity Previously reported data on patients with thoracic malignancies who develop COVID-19 have suggested a higher mortality rate compared to the general population and to other cancer types, particularly in patients aged 65 or older or those patients suffering from active or progressive disease. This underscores importance of COVID-19 vaccination in this vulnerable patient population, when available. The TERAVOLT study, a multicenter, international observational study composed of a cross-sectional component and a longitudinal cohort component that examined more than 1,000 patients with both lung cancer and COVID-19, found that overall mortality remains high, and males have significantly higher hospitalization and mortality rates compared to females. Importantly the researchers found no significant differences in COVID-19 related mortality among different racial or ethnic groups, according to Dr. Umit Tapan, of Boston Medical Center in Boston. (Poster P09.18). Can Telemedicine Play a Role for Patients with Lung Cancer During the Pandemic? Although much of the world has moved to remote working and virtual meetings, there was concern about medicine's ability to adapt to the constraints caused by COVID-19. The use of telemedicine has flourished, but what role might it play for patients with complex diseases such as lung cancer? Previous research has shown that patients with lung cancer who pursue an exercise regimen before treatment, a process known as prehabilitation , may increase their chances of survival. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, the capacity to deliver face-to-face hospital appointments has significantly been reduced. If these crucial in person visits are curtailed by COVID-19, patients may suffer. However, a study by Stephanie Wynne, of Guy's Cancer Centre, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, , London, demonstrated that virtual, home-based prehabilitation is feasible and may improve patients' pre-surgical physical activity levels and exercise capacity (Abstract 3614). ### About the IASLC: The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) is the only global organization dedicated solely to the study of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies. Founded in 1974, the association's membership includes nearly 7,500 lung cancer specialists across all disciplines in over 100 countries, forming a global network working together to conquer lung and thoracic cancers worldwide. The association also publishes the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the primary educational and informational publication for topics relevant to the prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of all thoracic malignancies. Visit http://www. iaslc. org for more information. About the WCLC: The WCLC is the world's largest meeting dedicated to lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, attracting nearly 7,500 researchers, physicians and specialists from more than 100 countries. The goal is to increase awareness, collaboration and understanding of lung cancer, and to help participants implement the latest developments across the globe. The conference will cover a wide range of disciplines and unveil several research studies and clinical trial results. For more information, visit wclc2020.iaslc.org. "Project WE is an artists' collaboration with a mission," said Sarah Holme, Old Navy's Executive Vice President of Design. "We wanted to give these incredible artists a canvas to share their visions, and we hope the works will inspire and spark conversation within our communities." Black History Month - Artist Reyna Noriega Project WE kicks off in celebration of February's Black History Month with a special edition tee designed by Reyna Noriega , a Miami-based visual artist and educator known for her passion to teach and inspire. Noriega's design is a beautiful representation of women of colour, celebrating different skin tones, body types and hairstyles. "I let my own culture shine through in my work, in hopes others can see representation for their experiences and feel empowered," said Noriega. International Women's Day - Artist Jade Purple Brown The second edition of the Project WE tees was designed by NYC-based artist Jade Purple Brown to commemorate International Women's Day on March 8. Brown's powerful design celebrates the collective power of women coming together as "WE" through her use of strong figures, vibrant colours and optimism. "This tee is all about women uniting, creating the unimaginable, and reimagining the future of what we all can create together," said Brown. The first two editions of the Project WE tees are available at Oldnavy.ca and in stores, with styles available for the whole family. Giving Back to the Arts In honour of the Project WE collection, Old Navy is donating $1 million to Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and $100,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada (BGCC) to support youth arts programs across North America. Research shows participation in the arts is tied to positive outcomes ranging from greater self-esteem to rates of college attendance. But fifty percent of the lowest income elementary schools lack an arts classroom, indicating an opportunity gap in arts education. BGCAs aim to close that gap by providing equitable access to arts experiences to help youth achieve great futures.1 Old Navy is committed to creating a better future for future generations through The Imagine Mission (OldNavy.ca/Imagine) and has partnered with BGCA and BGCC for decades to provide opportunities for kids that need them the most. In addition to funding ongoing arts education, Old Navy's donation will also underwrite BGCA's National Arts Contest which recognizes young artists and their accomplishments in visual, digital and performing arts. Old Navy will continue to announce upcoming Project WE artist collaborations throughout the year as part of its mission to imagine a better future through art. About Old Navy Old Navy is a global apparel and accessories brand that makes current American essentials accessible to every family. Originated in 1994, the brand celebrates the democracy of style through on-trend, playfully optimistic, affordable and high-quality products. A division of San Francisco-based Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS), Old Navy brings a fun, energizing shopping environment to its customers in more than 1,200 stores around the world. For more information, please visit www.oldnavy.com . ______________________ 1 All research and statistics from Boys & Girls Club of America 2020 Arts Impact Report SOURCE Old Navy Canada For further information: Media Contacts: Zoey Fiksel, [email protected]; Jared Morrow, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, [email protected] 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. Wendy Williams isn't holding back as she talks about her ex-husband Kevin Hunter and his alleged longtime mistress Sharina Hudson. Ahead of Lifetime movie Wendy Williams: The Movie and her documentary Wendy Williams: What a Mess! which premiere on Saturday, the 56-year-old TV host got real with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live. Williams discussed how her ex's alleged affair with Hudson came about as she admitted she'd known about their relationship for 13-15 years. Wendy Williams talked more her ex Kevin Hunter's affair during their marriage, as she talked to Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live 'She was one of these less-than-smart women who moved to the big city with bright lights and she wanted to be a model,' Williams said of Hudson. 'You know how the girls with the sparkler champagne bottles at the club, they get people to spend more money, they dress scantily clad and things like that.' Williams said she would often be at the clubs hosting events during that part of her career, and that's where Hunter met his mistress-to-be. 'Kevins problem is that Kevin ended up getting with this girl. She made herself available to him. She was very disrespectful to me. Do you know he had the nerve to tell me that she admires me.' Williams revealed that she asked Hunter to be a part of her documentary, so he could tell his side of the story, but he refused. 'She was one of these less-than-smart women who moved to the big city with bright lights and she wanted to be a model,' Williams said of Hunter's alleged mistress Hudson who is reportedly still with her ex 'You know how the girls with the sparkler champagne bottles at the club, they get people to spend more money, they dress scantily clad and things like that.' Williams said of Hudson when she thinks Hunter met her in a club (Hudson pictured here in 2019) 'He rejected both things. He did not want to be part of the documentary, he didn't want to be part of the movie.' The TV personality added that she doesn't know what Hunter is doing with his life right now, but joked that he's enjoying the alimony he's getting from her. 'You know, I don't know whether he's employed or not.' She told Cohen. 'I don't know how they're raising the daughter, Journey, who's almost two years - I think she's two like next month or something. That's not my problem. My alimony for all three of them is on time every month.' she added. Williams said she took so long to leave her ex because ultimately she was in love and still believed in marriage. 'There was really no option in my mind and [there] still isnt,' she said. 'Being married is the Holy Grail.' Asked by Cohen if her upcoming movie and documentary will make anyone angry, Williams replied, 'Yeah, stand in line behind my ex-husband. No part of it: Williams said she gave her ex husband (seen here in 2018) a chance to appear in her upcoming documentary but he declined 'I don't know how they're raising the daughter, Journey, who's almost two years - I think she's two like next month or something. That's not my problem. My alimony for all three of them is on time every month.' Williams added of her ex 'I expect people to be angry. I expect people to be sad for me still. I expect people to feel like I'm lying. But I also expect people to love me more and I want for people to learn life lessons out of it. 'I've been through a lot of things so maybe you don't have to go through them, or maybe you're going through the same thing.' Earlier this week Wendy dished that she hired a private investigator to spy on her then-husband. The talk show host filed for divorce from Hunter in April 2019 after he fathered a child with Hudson but she admitted she had known about his infidelity for some time but was 'methodically planning' the best way to leave her marriage. 'There were secrets that I was keeping,' the star told E! News' Daily Pop. 'It wasn't about being not vulnerable. It was about waiting for the right time because I was methodically planning to get out of my marriage. I still played 'I love you, I love you,' Wendy,' said the former DJ. Smart move: Williams revealed earlier this week that she hired a private investigator to spy on her then-husband. The 56-year-old talk show host filed for divorce from Kevin Hunter in April 2019 after he fathered a child with another woman but she admitted she had known about his infidelity for some time but was 'methodically planning' the best way to leave her marriage' 'This is what a smart girl does if she is playing the role of being the loving wife. In the meantime, you know, the [private investigator] was following them on vacation,' she added. 'The P.I. followed her to her GYN appointments. The P.I. ended up finding out that the girl was pregnant.' According to Wendy, it was not the first time Hudson had gotten pregnant but was the first baby she 'was having with him.' And the presenter was also reluctant to speak out at the time because of her and Kevin's son, Kevin Jr., now 20. The Chanel life: Hudson leaving her New Jersey home in tight workout clothes. 'The P.I. followed her to her GYN appointments. The P.I. ended up finding out that the girl was pregnant,' said Wendy She said: 'I just let the headlines kind of speak for themselves. 'I could not talk to you all about everything going on until I was able to sit down and talk with my son. And my ex-husband was acting out of order. So, you all didn't know that, and I wasn't going to talk about that stuff. I was going to save it for the movie.' The story will play out in the upcoming Lifetime biopic Wendy Williams: The Movie and Wendy explained she agreed to the project because the time felt right, having previously rejected approaches from the network. Movie time: The story will play out in the upcoming Lifetime biopic Wendy Williams: The Movie and Wendy explained she agreed to the project because the time felt right, having previously rejected approaches from the network. Seen in 2018 Asked why now, she said: 'Because Lifetime came with the proposal that I wanted. Things just never worked out. But that was when I was still married. I'm in a different period in my life. Lifetime called. And I answered.' Wendy named her former husband Kevin's baby mama for the first time on her popular daytime show. On Tuesday the host wore a bright yellow dress as she sipped her coffee and made the shocking comments on the program. 'Welcome to Hot Topics, Sharina Hudson!' said Williams. 'Getting out of my car ... with my money.' Then she mentioned the baby Kevin had with massage therapist Sharina: 'She'll be almost three - I think she'll be three next month, don't you know.' Next she said hello to her ex. 'Good morning, Kelvin,' she said. Kelvin is Kevin's legal name. 'It's my truth.' Also this week she called Hunter a 'serial cheat.' The host admitted his infidelity didn't come as a shock because he had slept with other people throughout their 21-year marriage. Chic while dishing: On Tuesday the host wore a bright yellow dress as she sipped her coffee and made her shocking comments 'We were married for almost 22 years. We were together for 25 years,' she told SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show. 'I don't regret the day of meeting him. I don't regret putting up with him for all 25 years and that has nothing to do with him having this baby or him having this side girl for almost 15 years of our marriage.' She added, 'I've known about her almost since the beginning. I've known that Kevin is a serial cheat.' Wendy first found out the 48-year-old producer had been unfaithful while she was pregnant with their son Kevin Jr., now 20. Directed at her: 'Welcome to Hot Topics, Sharina Hudson!' said Williams. 'Getting out of my car ... with my money' Internal security units launched nearly 900 criminal proceedings over the past year. Head of the National Police of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko has said 513 police officers were fired last year for committing crimes and misconduct. Speaking at a press conference, he said internal security units had launched nearly 900 criminal proceedings over the past year, an UNIAN correspondent reports. Read alsoTransnational hacker group exposed in Ukraine (Photos)In particular, 400 of them were into the facts of bribed police officers, while over 300 were probing offenses targeting police officers. In these cases, almost 600 people have already been served with charge papers. At the same time, Klymenko said last year 142 police officers were fired for committing crimes, and 371 were laid off for misconduct. In addition, the official said he had initiated the creation of a new department, which will start operating from March 1. "This will be the main inspection, which will monitor the work of the entire system of the National Police and analyze the effectiveness of the provision of police services to citizens," Klymenko added. Reporting by UNIAN TORONTO - Special syringes that help generate extra doses of COVID-19 vaccines may be in demand right now, but one expert says the country shouldn't treat it as the only solution to getting Canadians inoculated as quickly as possible. A syringe of the COVID-19 vaccine waits to be administered in Toronto, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. Special syringes that help generate extra doses of COVID-19 vaccines may be in demand right now, but one expert says the country shouldn't treat it as the only solution to getting Canadians inoculated as quickly as possible. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn TORONTO - Special syringes that help generate extra doses of COVID-19 vaccines may be in demand right now, but one expert says the country shouldn't treat it as the only solution to getting Canadians inoculated as quickly as possible. So-called low dead space syringes, which limit vaccine getting trapped in the needle, have become popular in recent weeks as many countries try to capture six doses from each Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine vial instead of the standard five. But Kelly Grindrod, an associate professor at the University of Waterloo's pharmacy school, said one-millilitre syringes and alternate vaccines are just as important to the country's inoculation efforts. "What we're seeing now is that (vaccination) is really messy business and having more options in the long run actually will be a lot better for us than hanging our hat on one," she said. Talk of how to generate more COVID-19 vaccines from limited shipments has been a hot topic since December, when Canadians started rolling up their sleeves and technologists realized vials included enough vaccine that an additional dose per vial was within sight. Low dead space needles seemed like an easy solution for stretching the supply. For example, TSK Laboratory, a Japanese company that manufactures needles, said that if the European Union used their low dead space needles on the 100 million citizens they'd purchased Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for, an additional four to eight million people could be vaccinated. However, most countries don't have stockpiles of these needles. The syringes, Grindrod said, are most often used for expensive medicines where governments and patients want to keep costs low. They are also popular with users of illicit drugs, she said. "You might also see these being used in a hospital pharmacy department when they're preparing drugs," she said. Getting more of these needles isn't as simple as filling out an order sheet. Coming up with more of these needles takes time and money, and is tougher now there is high global demand. The Canadian Press reached out to six needle manufacturers in Canada and abroad, but none would share whether they're supplying the country or able to quickly pivot to make this kind of needle. "Low dead space syringes are niche products and there has been minimal market demand based on health care provider needs," said medical device manufacturer Becton, Dickinson and Company in an email to The Canadian Press. The company has so far provided 42 million of the 75 million vaccination devices it agreed to ship to Canada. The remainder, due to arrive in March, are all standard needles. Grindrod said there's another kind of needle that would help keep vaccine waste lower: one-millilitre syringes. They make it easier to get an extra dose than three-millilitre syringes and they're much more readily available, she said. "We've heard of hospitals and vaccine programs trying to contact vet clinics, for example, to see if they have one-millilitre syringes around because they might be using more small volumes," she said. "It's the one-millilitre in particular that they've been concerned that they're running out of." Last year, Public Services and Procurement Canada offered contracts for 145 million syringes, 95 million of which are of the three- or five-millilitre varieties. There are 50 million one-millilitre syringes on order, including 37.5 million low-dead-volume versions. But Grindrod pointed out that even with the best supplies, there's no guarantee a sixth dose can be squeezed from the vaccine vial. She said even with the right kind of needles, hospital pharmacy programs are finding the extra dose is available eight times out of 10. That rate is likely to fall when vaccination becomes more widespread and nurses or doctors unused to inoculation are on duty, she said. "These folks are used to multi-dose vials because flu shots often come as multi-dose vials, but maybe they're not drawing many like that other than flu shots for a few months a year," she said. "It's not like they're in the pharmacy doing hundreds of these every day like technicians might be." That's why Grindrod believes Canada has to combine low dead space needles, one-millilitre syringes and other vaccines we have yet to approve or receive, even if the efficacy rate is a bit lower. So far, health-care workers and long-term care residents have been vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna vaccine, but both companies are slowing down shipments as they deal with high demand and need to retool their manufacturing processes. AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson have made vaccines too, but they've yet to land in Canada and their efficacy rates trail Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. If Canada deems those vaccines or others safe and is able to receive shipments quickly, Grindrod said they could be allocated to younger and healthier Canadians. The higher-efficacy vaccines could be left for those who are vulnerable, such as the elderly or those with severe health complications, she said. "The most important thing right now is that you've got one of them, not that you've got the better one." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2021. Daniel Tong, Associate Professor, Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences, received $33,600 from New York University for a project in which Mason researchers will work with NYU researchers to generate census tract-level data for criteria air pollutants for the 750 largest cities in the United States. The data will be generated through fusing datasets from observations and computer model prediction. Criteria air pollutants are particulate matter, photochemical oxidants, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and lead. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) terms these contaminants criteria air pollutants because it sets national air quality standards based on characterizations of the latest scientific information regarding how these substances affect health and welfare. Funding for this work began in December 2020 and will conclude in December 2021. ### The officials informed the CM that the works for development of 10,011 YSR Village Health Clinics would be complete by the end of April and development of 1,133 PHCs including construction of 151 new ones and renovation of 982 old ones by October end. (DC Photo: Narayana Rao) Vijayawada: Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the officials to speed up development of old medical colleges, as also land acquisitions for new such colleges and other works being taken up by the government at an estimated cost of Rs 16,270 crore under the Nadu-Nadu programme. The CM was holding a review meeting along with deputy CM Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas and senior officials from the transport and health departments at his Camp Office here on Thursday. Complete the tender processes fast to start development of old medical colleges and begin construction of new ones by April 15, he asked the officials. The CM said measures must also be in place for their proper maintenance of these buildings. There is need to finalise a plan for administrative sanction and recruitment of staff for the hospitals, he said. The officials informed the CM that the works for development of 10,011 YSR Village Health Clinics would be complete by the end of April and development of 1,133 PHCs including construction of 151 new ones and renovation of 982 old ones by October end. The Nadu-Nedu works related to area hospitals would be completed by December end, officials said. They said that with the construction of super speciality hospitals and new medical colleges as also renovation of old ones, the state will have a total built-up area of 3.1crore square feet which is four times more than of the Beijing airport. Reddy reviewed implementation of the YSR Arogya Sri scheme referral system and inquired about the training being given to the health staff working in village/urban clinics and PHCs. He directed the officials to take feedback from the patients who availed facilities under the health scheme. The CM laid stress on ensuring that the 104 and 108 vehicles must be maintained properly. He called for strengthening the healthcare system in rural areas. On Covid-19, the officials informed the CM that the rate of recovery was at 99.04 per cent while the death rate was 0.81 per cent. The CM enquired with officials about the health of the people affected by the mystery illness in Pulla and Komadavole villages in West Godavari. Test reports confirmed that the quality of water and food was good in Pulla. We are yet to receive test reports on food items lifted at Komadavole, they said. The CM met the children who underwent cochlear implant surgeries successfully and engaged in a chat with them. 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. Dear Mr. Premack: The legislature has come back into session, and Ive read about the proposal for a referendum on secession of Texas from the US. I think it is an unpatriotic, insurrectionist idea and I cannot believe that any proud American who lives in Texas would support the concept. My emotions aside, can you tell us what the law is about secession, and whether this seditious idea is even legally tenable? P.A. State Representative Kyle Biederman (R-Fredericksburg) has filed HB 1359, calling for a referendum vote at the next general election on whether this state should leave the United States of America and establish an independent republic. If the bill were to pass and be signed by the Governor, and if the referendum were to then be approved by Texas voters, then the Secretary of State of Texas would have to inform the Texas legislature, the US President, and the US Congress of the vote. The vote would not be secession, it would be a prequel to revolution. The next step in this prequel would be a Texas Independence Committee made of up the Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, four senators selected by the Lt. Governor, and four Representatives selected by the Lt. Governor. As the Lt. Governor is a Republican and the bill does not require the committee to be bipartisan, the committee would likely be composed entirely of Republicans. The committee would then make recommendations on a) how the Texas Constitution would need to be amended to create new officers, powers, and functions for the proposed new country, b) how Texas statutes would need to be changed to create new agencies and give them broad powers for the new country, c) how to negotiate issues with the US federal government, like changes to US federal law, how US citizenship would change for Texas residents, how US property in Texas would be handled, how money and trade would be handled, how travel to and from the US would be allowed, how Texans serving in the US military would be handled, how the Texas share of the federal debt would be handled, how Texas would defend itself and whether there would be a collective defense treaty with the US, how the US military bases in Texas would be handled, how postal mail would be handled, how employees of the US federal government who are Texans would be treated and whether they would lose their pensions, how Social Security payments and Medicare for Senior Texans would end, what Texas might to do about Senior income and medical needs, and probably a million other issues. Note that successful secession from the US would end Social Security and Medicare for Texas Seniors. Secession would eliminate access to medical care for military retirees, and likely end pension benefits for both military retirees and those retired from civil service. When the committees recommendations get sent to the Texas legislature, the Texas Legislature would decide what is next. Should it vote to secede and implement the committees recommendations? Additional public votes would be necessary, especially wherever a change to the Texas Constitution is sought. So, patriotism, love of country, and other emotions set aside: would secession be legal? No. Texas became a state in 1845 by treaty, violated that treaty by seceding in 1861, and joined the confederacy a month later. General Sam Houston opposed secession in 1861 and was ousted as Governor by the rebellion. In 1865 the Civil War ended with defeat of the confederacy. Texas repealed its act of secession, declaring it null and void. Texas then passed a new state Constitution and met conditions for again sending representatives to Congress. The US Supreme Court, in Texas v White (1869) stated that the union is indissoluble and perpetual. A state can only withdraw from the Union with consent of all the other states, or by successful revolution. The court ruled that Texas never ceased being a state. HB 1359 is a proposal to lay the groundwork for unilateral withdrawal from the union. If it passes and is approved by Texas voters, subsequent secession would still be illegal. Secession would be revolution, insurrection, and sedition against the United States. Paul Premack is a Certified Elder Law Attorney, handling Wills and Trusts, Probate, and Elder Law issues. He is licensed to practice law in Texas and Washington. View past legal columns or submit free questions on those legal issues via www.Premack.com. 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. Gold prices rose by Rs 407 to Rs 49,393 per 10 gram in the Mumbai retail market on firm global cues and a weak equity market. However, the gains were capped by a firm rupee. The yellow metal had gained Rs 253 or 0.52 percent during the week in the domestic market. The rate of 10 gram 22-carat gold in Mumbai was Rs 45,244 plus 3 percent GST, while 24-carat 10 gram was Rs 49,393 plus GST. The 18-carat gold quoted at Rs 37,045 plus GST in the retail market. Volatility has surged immensely in the past two trading sessions with global equity indices coming under pressure tracking Wall Street retail-trading frenzy. The volatility witnessed by equity indices has spilled over to commodities too with silver prices being the most impacted. Ahammed MP, Chairman, Malabar Gold & Diamonds, said, In the Union Budget 2021-22, the government must reduce the customs duty to curb large-scale gold smuggling in the country. It will boost demand and strengthen consumer confidence. High taxes lead to large-scale smuggling and tax evasion. The government must assess the adverse impact of higher custom duty on the jewellery trade and propose duty reduction to make both trade and consumption of gold transparent. To bring in transparency in pricing, the government should set up a committee comprising government officials and members of the jewellers' associations which will set the board rate. If customs duty on gold and diamonds is increased, it will be difficult for the market to bounce back and grow, he said. Meanwhile, the US dollar is trading higher at 90.55, or 0.13 percent against a basket of six currencies on safe-haven demand. Gold holdings in SPDR Gold Trust, the worlds largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, decreased by 4.4 tonnes to 1,164.79 tonnes, the lowest since January 14. Spot gold soared by $20.25 to $1,863.03 an ounce at 1200 GMT in London trading. MCX Bulldesk was up 273 points, or 1.78 percent, at 15,588 at 17:31. The index tracks the real-time performance of MCX Gold and MCX Silver futures. Navneet Damani, Vice President, Motilal Oswal, said: Gold prices were steady as investors waited for developments around a US stimulus package, although the metal was on course to post a weekly and monthly decline hurt by a stronger dollar and yields. On other hand, silver prices surged higher yesterday amidst the Reddit noise hovering in the market, although confirmation on the same is still awaited. The IMF urged that fiscal support should stay in place until an economic recovery is firmly underway even as global debt is increasing at a significant pace. US jobless claims fell in the latest week, while Q4 GDP figures met expectations, supporting the precious metal prices. On the other hand, outflow in SPDR holdings is hurting the overall sentiment for gold prices, he said. The broader trend on COMEX could be in the range of $1825- 1865 and on the domestic front, prices could hover in the range of Rs 48,850- 49,300. Although COMEX gold trades higher above $1852/oz, the undertone is mixed as support from rising virus cases, mixed economic data from major economies and US stimulus expectations are countered by continued ETF outflows and lack of any cues about fresh measures by major central banks. Gold may remain choppy reflecting mixed trade in US dollar. However, rising virus cases and US stimulus expectations may lend some support, said Ravindra Rao, VP- Head Commodity Research at Kotak Securities. The gold/silver ratio currently stands at 70.83 to 1, which means the number of silver ounces required to buy one ounce of gold. Silver prices climbed by Rs 3,759 to Rs 69,726 per kg from its closing on January 28. The gains are largely attributed to buying frenzy caused by recommendations making rounds on the social media platform that silver is going to go up drastically due to supply shortage. However, caution is advised as the recent rally has no fresh triggers and is completely driven by speculation. In the futures market, the gold rate touched an intraday high of Rs 49,245 and an intraday low of Rs 48,624 on the Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX). For the February series, the yellow metal touched a low of Rs 41,560 and a high of Rs 57,100. Gold futures for February delivery soared Rs 616, or 1.27 percent, at Rs 49,240 per 10 gram in evening trade on a business turnover of 1,356 lots. The same for April edged higher by Rs 598, or 1.22 percent, at Rs 49,534 on a business turnover of 12,294 lots. The value of the February and Aprils contracts traded so far is Rs 2,256.63 crore and Rs 2,286.31 crore, respectively. Similarly, Gold Mini contract for February jumped Rs 520, or 1.07 percent at Rs 49,192 on a business turnover of 5,618 lots. Trading Strategy Kshitij Purohit, Product Manager, Currency & Commodities, CapitalVia Global Research Limited Technically, international gold is trading with bullish momentum since morning where it is sustaining above $1,830-1,820 levels. We may expect the market to test the levels of $1,890-1,900 on the upside in the upcoming sessions. Bullish sentiments may dominate the upcoming sessions and price may test the resistance levels of Rs 49,600-49,800. 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. 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. home US Instagram apologizes after removing 'hate speech' post about pastors The social networking giant Instagram is admitting that it made an error when it removed a Reformed Baptist ministry's post promoting an op-ed contending that women shouldn't be pastors and has restored the post in question. Founders Ministries, a Reformed group within the Southern Baptist Convention, posted to its Instagram account on Nov. 7 a screenshot of an article posted to the Founders webpage by Founders board member Tom Hicks titled "Only Men May Be Pastors." On Nov. 11, Founders Executive Director Tom Ascol took to Twitter to sound an alarm that the Nov. 7 Instagram post had been removed. Ascol posted a screenshot of the notification received from Instagram informing the ministry why the post had been removed. Instagram's initial explanation stated that the post did not comply with the platform's community guidelines on "hate speech or symbols." In the article, Hicks quotes 1 Timothy 2:12a14, which states: "I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet." "We want to keep Instagram a safe place for everyone and we ask that you treat other members of the community with respect," the message from Instagram to Founders Ministries explained. Ascol, who also pastors at Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida, told his followers on Twitter that Instagram had "censored" the post. "Big Brother can't tolerate biblical truth in the marketplace of ideas," Ascol wrote. Earlier this week, Hanah Ascol told The Christian Daily Reporter that the post had received great engagement and was the "second best post engagement for this year" on the ministry's Instagram account. "There was good discussion and agreement in the comments. Then Sunday evening, Nov. 11, I got the notice that the post had been reported by a viewer, reviewed by Instagram and then deleted," she explained. "The reason given was that the post 'doesn't follow our Community Guidelines on hate speech.' Included was a warning that if we violated the guidelines again then our account could be restricted or disabled." On Wednesday, a member of Instagram's communications team, Fiona Brown, told The Christian Post that the post had been restored. "We mistakenly removed this piece of content, and we apologize for the inconvenience caused, Brown wrote in an email. "We worked to rectify the mistake as soon as we were notified and have already taken steps to prevent this from happening in the future." Founders Ministries did not respond to a request for comment by press time. Founders Ministries was initially founded as the Southern Baptist Founders Conference and is committed to "encouraging the recovery of the Gospel and the biblical reformation of local churches." Founders Ministries has a goal to establish doctrines of grace and a Calvinist understand in Baptist churches. Founders publishes The Founders Journal four times per year, which highlights a wide range of "pertinent theological and ecclesiological issues." Founders also holds national and regional conferences and publishes books through Founders Press. The organization also played a role in the conservative resurgence within the Southern Baptist Convention. Social media sites like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are regularly facing backlash from conservatives who say that the organizations are censoring their content. In July, Instagram was criticized by Ryan Bomberger, the African-American co-founder of the pro-life Radiance Foundation, for removing his meme comparing the blacks lynched by the Ku Klux Klan to the babies aborted by Planned Parenthood. Earlier this year, Facebook again banned Ohio conservative Christian mommy blogger Elizabeth Johnston, also known as "the Activist Mommy," for "hate speech." Johnston was told a day later after she complained that her post was mistakenly flagged and deleted. Johnston was also suspended from Facebook in 2017 for a period of three days because of comments she made about homosexuality. Courtesy of The Christian Post Fiji has won the recent diplomatic contest to become the first Pacific island nation to take the presidency of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The body this month elected Fijis chief diplomat in Geneva, Nazhat Shameem Khan, as its 2021 leader with 29 of the 47 member nations voting for her. The UNHRC was formed in 2006, purportedly to promote and preserve human rights around the world, as well as to investigate possible violations by UN member states. Its members are elected every three years by the UN General Assembly. It has become another arena for nation-state rivalries, with participating countries seeking to cover up their own abuses while denouncing their rivals over human rights at the same time. Nazhat Shameem Khan (left), Fijian Prime Minister Bainimarama and Australian Foreign Minister Payne at UN Human Rights Council, 25 February 2019. (Photo credit: DFAT/ Christian Bonzon) US President Trump, as part of his America First program, quit the organisation in 2018denouncing it as a protector of human rights abusers, and a cesspool of political bias. The move came after outgoing UNHRC head Zeid Raad Al Hussein, a Jordanian diplomat, warned against the rise of chauvinistic nationalism, sharply condemned Trumps immigration policy, and voiced concern over the US-backed Saudi Arabian war against Yemen. US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, had flagged the withdrawal a year earlier, justifying it in the name of defending Israel and the failure of the UNHRC to bow to Washingtons demands that it serve as an instrument of US diplomatic aggression. Chief among the reforms Haley demanded of the council was the abolition of Agenda Item 7, which makes the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied territories a permanent part of the UNHRCs agenda. In reality, the worlds chief source of abuses and atrocities is US imperialism, which over the last quarter century of uninterrupted wars has killed and maimed millions and laid waste to entire societies, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria. Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay remain symbols of torture and abuse. At home, Washingtons brutal anti-immigrant policies have resulted in the torment of thousands of children and their families. Khan assumes the UNHRC presidency amid intensifying global conflicts, driven in particular by the aggressive US confrontation against Beijing. China and Russia are returning to the body this year for three-year terms, just as the US is promising to renew its global offensive under President Joe Biden, who is determined to escalate Washingtons anti-China campaign. Khans election followed a secret ballot after a diplomatic stand-off blocked, for the first time in the UNHRCs 15-year history, the usual consensus decision. The presidency rotates each year between the five geographic regions represented on the council, and the candidate is typically agreed upon by consensus within each regional group. This year the Asia-Pacific group, due to take over the leadership, failed to agree on a candidate, or even on holding a vote within the 13-member groupwhich includes China and several countries closely aligned with Washington including Japan, Indonesia and India. As a result, the council began the year with no president and was forced to hold the unprecedented vote among all 47 members. Khan faced last-minute challenges from Bahrains ambassador, Yusuf Abdulkarim Bucheeri, and his Uzbekistan counterpart, Ulugbek Lapasov. The two were reportedly backed by China, Russia and Saudi Arabia. As against Khans 29-vote majority, Bahrains envoy received 14 votes and Uzbekistans four. There were no abstentions. According to the Guardian, unnamed sources close to deliberations said China, Russia and Saudi Arabia baulked at Khans expected appointment, and orchestrated the opposing candidacies. These countries, it was claimed, appeared to be trying to install a friendly candidate country as president to avoid having their own human rights records scrutinised. The Economist, in a December article headed Proxy War, explained that the so-called democratic members of the UNHRC, hoping Biden would soon send America to join them, regarded the diplomatic battle as an important contest and supported Fiji. Australia, whose term on the UNHRC expired at the end of 2020, would likely have strongly supported Fiji. Australia and New Zealand, Washingtons main allies in the Pacific, are determined to ensure their continued dominance in what they regard as their neo-colonial backyard. While Canberra has not commented on the election, New Zealands Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta tweeted: Congratulations on Fijis election as President of the UN Human Rights Council. This is the first time a Pacific Island country has held this role and will see Pacific voices represented in this important global forum #HRC. Following the election, the New York Times, the unofficial mouthpiece of the Democratic Party, portrayed Fijis win as a victory for human rights. The result puts the small, remote island nation, which has a record of support for human rights initiatives, into a leadership position at a time of intensifying competition between states over holding rights abusers to account, the NYT declared. The paper praised Fiji for having backed investigations into reported abuses in Venezuela, the Belarus, Syria and Yemen, countries targeted by US imperialism, and suggested that with Fiji in the presidency it will be easier for the US to use the UNHRC to pass resolutions critical of China. In fact, Fiji, far from being a champion or arbiter of human rights, has an extensive list of breaches of media freedoms, police brutality and oppressive legislation, such as the sedition provisions in its Crimes Act. Khan, a former chief prosecutor and high court judge, is closely allied to the Bainimarama regime, which seized power in a military coup in 2006. The government rests on the military, despite elections in 2014 and 2018 fraudulently hailed as democratic by Australia and New Zealand. Harsh austerity measures are accompanied by intimidation of opposition parties and the working class and rampant violence by the police and military. The Guardian has revealed 400 charges of serious violence were laid against police officers in Fiji between 2015 and 2020, including for murder, manslaughter, rape, and aiding prisoners to escape. Bainimarama has used the COVID-19 pandemic to tighten his rule. A senior military officer, Brigadier-General Jone Kalouniwai, told the Fiji Sun last July that the emergency gave the countrys leaders good reasons to stifle criticism of their policies by curtailing freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The fight against COVID-19, he warned, was likely to end up violating the individual rights and rule of law that are at the heart of any liberal society. home Life Critics say it's too early for first genetically edited babies News that the world's first first genetically edited babies have been born in China has stirred debate over the ethical implications. The Associated Press reported on the claims of a Chinese researcher, who announced that twin girls were born with "a powerful new tool capable of rewriting the very blueprint of life." He Jiankui of Shenzhen, the researcher, says that he altered the DNA of a number of embryos for couples during fertility treatments, with a goal to increase resistance to possible future infection with HIV. He did not provide details of who the parents of the twin girls are, and AP clarified that his work has not been published in a journal, which would allow other experts to vet it. "I feel a strong responsibility that it's not just to make a first, but also make it an example," He said. "Society will decide what to do next" with such science, the researcher continued. Talking about the twin girls, the Stanford University-educated scientist added: "The girls are safe and healthy as any other babies." The MIT Technology Review provided further details of the gene-editing tool, CRISPR, which looks to eliminate a gene called CCR5. Hopes are that removing the gene would make babies resistant to HIV, smallpox, and cholera. The embryos reportedly have their DNA modified before they are transferred into women's uteruses, resulting in permanent changes to the gene pool. Trial listing data has shown that genetic tests have been carried out on fetuses at 24 weeks, or six months. Beside He's claim of the birth of the twin girls, it is yet to be confirmed whether the other embryos he worked on have been aborted, or are also due to be born. Dr. Kiran Musunuru, a University of Pennsylvania gene editing expert and editor of a genetics journal, was one of many experts to question He's work. It's "unconscionable ... an experiment on human beings that is not morally or ethically defensible," Musunuru said. Dr. Eric Topol, who heads the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California, added that such DNA editing is "far too premature." "We're dealing with the operating instructions of a human being. It's a big deal," he said. Others, such as Harvard University's George Church, said that HIV is "a major and growing public health threat" which would justify such attempts, however. The Guardian reported that news of He's work has prompted an investigation by Chinese health authorities. China's National Health Commission said late on Monday that it will "seriously investigate and verify" the work that has been done. Orthodox Christian author and political commentator Rod Dreher warned on Sunday on The American Conservative website that the technology could be "quickly exploited by the rich and powerful to create an elite class of Abermenschen [super humans] who are far more mentally and physically stronger than the masses, who will be progressively reduced to a servant class a and even under Chinese-style authoritatian technocracy turned into dalits, or 'untouchables.'" "The amelioration of inequality under that scenario will depend on the broad-mindedness of the elites. Good luck with that. Moreover, if you can genetically engineer humans with traits that make them smarter, you can do the same to make them more docile," he said. "Science fiction writers have known this for a long time. But it's not fiction anymore." Courtesy of The Christian Post 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. Kuala Lumpur, Jan 30 : Malaysia has begun a phase 3 clinical trial of a Covid-19 vaccine candidate developed by the Institute of Medical Biology of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (IMBCAMS), the Health Ministry said. The initiative is a collaboration between the governments of Malaysia and China to generate scientific data in the development of the vaccine candidate to evaluate its safety and efficacy against Covid-19 infection, the ministry said in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday. The trials will involve nine government hospitals across Malaysia and 3,000 volunteers for a period of 13 months. In his speech during the virtual launching ceremony, Malaysian Health Minister Adham Baba said Malaysia is very pleased to work with China, through IMBCAMS in contributing to the search for scientific evidence in the development of the inactivated vaccine. "With strong regulatory, certified researchers and experienced research sites, we are confident of producing quality scientific evidence to support the research vaccine," he said. "This cooperation will strengthen ties between China and Malaysia. I am very confident that we will have more opportunities to work together in the near future, bringing more positive results not only for both our countries, but also for the world," Adham said. For his part, Che Yanchun, head of the R&D Department, Chinese Institute of Medical Sciences Academy of Medical Sciences, said Malaysia has been chosen as the first country outside China to participate in this phase 3 clinical trial of the Covid-19 vaccine which would also take place in other countries. "I sincerely hope the phase 3 clinical trial in Malaysia will be a successful one, and it will fulfill the objectives of the clinical trial, and certainly Malaysia will also get the benefits from this trial," Che said. Do all of the worlds major religions have roots in Zoroastrianism? Do all of the worlds major religions have roots in Zoroastrianism? Thats the question to be explored at an online conference organized by Winnipegger James Christie, ambassador-at-large for the Canadian Multifaith Federation and dean of theology at the University of Winnipeg. James Christie organizing online conference exploring Zoroastrianism and religions. The conference, which is being held during the United Nations Week for Religious Harmony, is sponsored by the United Nations Association in Canada and Religions for Peace International. It will feature scholars from around the world reflecting on the theme of the Seven Testaments Trilogy, a book by Brian Arthur Brown. In the book, Brown seeks to show how Zoroastrianism is the common thread in the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoism and Confucius scriptures and traditions. It will also give consideration to the Sikh, Bahai, Shinto and Jain religions. Christie said the book is a historic breakthrough in religious understanding showing the interconnectivity between the great religions of the world. At the same time, it cherishes the unique aspects of each of the world religions, he said. "All seven of the worlds great religions are interlinked at a foundational level to Zoroastrianism," Christie said, noting there are commonalities in things such as ethics, the use of parables to teach a lesson and the mythic structure behind each religion. This is not to say other religions are "cookie cutter clones" of Zoroastrianism, he said, but their structures appear to be built on the foundation of that religion and are influenced by it. By participating in the event, people of different faiths are not compromising their religions, Christie said; they can use it as a way to find new wisdom, wherever it might be found. The free Zoom event will feature panel discussions and question-and-answer periods. It will take place Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. To participate, go to http://wfp.to/D68. faith@freepress.mb.ca An estimate of 28 trillion metric tons of ice has been lost since the mid-1990s. The rising global temperatures helped sped up the melting of sea ice, ice sheets, and glaciers. According to a new study published in the journal "The Cryosphere," the annual melt rate has jumped 57 percent in the past three decades, the research found, from 800 billion metric tons per year in the 1990s to 1.2 trillion tons today. "It was a surprise to see such a large increase in just 30 years," lead author Thomas Slater, a glaciologist at Leeds University in Britain, told Reuters. Slater and his colleagues estimated the following ice losses from 1994 to 2017: 7.6 trillion metric tons of Arctic sea ice, 6.5 trillion tons from Antarctic ice shelves, 6.1 trillion tons from mountain glaciers, 3.8 trillion tons from the Greenland ice sheet, 2.5 trillion tons from the Antarctic ice sheet, and 900 billion tons from Southern Ocean sea ice. Some 58 percent of the ice loss occurred in the Northern Hemisphere and 42 percent in the Southern. During the same period, ice loss from the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets and mountain glaciers raised the global sea level by 1.36 inches. "The ice sheets are now following the worst-case climate warming scenarios set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change," Slater said in a statement. "Sea level rise on this scale will have very serious impacts on coastal communities this century." The study did not examine permafrost, river ice, or lake ice, though the authors did write that "these elements of the cryosphere have also experienced considerable change over recent decades." Related Article: Ocean's Anti-Heat Layer Continues to Thin, Resulting to Warmer Water Cause of Massive Ice Loss About two-thirds of the ice loss was caused by the warming of the atmosphere, with about a third caused by the warming of the seas. Over the period studied, the rate of ice loss accelerated by 57%, the paper found, from 0.8tn tonnes a year in the 1990s to 1.2tn tonnes a year by 2017. About half of all the ice loss was from land, contributing directly to global sea level rises. The ice loss over the study period, from 1994 to 2017, is estimated to have raised sea levels by 35 millimeters. The greatest ice quantities were lost from floating ice in the polar regions, raising the risk of a feedback mechanism known as albedo loss. White ice reflects solar radiation back into space - the albedo effect - but when floating sea ice melts, it uncovers dark water, absorbing more heat, speeding up the warming further in a feedback loop. Glaciers showed the next biggest loss of ice volume, with more than 6tn tonnes lost between 1994 and 2017, about a quarter of global ice loss over the period. The shrinking of glaciers threatens to cause both flooding and water shortages in some regions. As large volumes melt, they can overwhelm downstream areas, then shrunken glaciers produce less of the steady water flow needed for agriculture. Government agencies and scientific institutions all over the world are working hard to look for ways to mitigate the effects of global warming and balance global temperature to ensure that global ice loss will be lessened. ALSO READ: Warning: Arctic's Thickest 'Last Ice' Now Worries Experts Than Ever For more environmental news updates, don't forget to follow Nature World News! New Delhi, Jan 29 : In wake of 18 opposition parties boycotting the President's address to the joint session of Parliament on Friday, Congress leader Manish Tewari demanded that the ceremony should be scrapped. "Time has come to do away with the Ritual of President's address to joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament & Governor's address to Vidhan Sabha's. "It is an inane recitation of a laundry list of Government's alleged achievements. A sheer waste of precious Legislative time," he said, in a tweet. Following tradition, the Budget Session commenced on Friday with President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the joint sitting of Parliament in the Central Hall, highlighting the government's plan, policy and vision for the next financial year as well as the steps taken during the pandemic. Positive CHMP opinion is an important milestone for Arvelle Therapeutics and cenobamate When approved, cenobamate will provide new hope in helping adult patients with uncontrolled focal epilepsy move closer to the goal of seizure reduction and seizure freedom ZUG, Switzerland, Jan. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arvelle Therapeutics, an emerging biopharmaceutical company focused on bringing innovative treatments to patients suffering from central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended the approval of cenobamate for the adjunctive treatment of focal onset seizures with or without secondary generalization in adult patients with epilepsy who have not been adequately controlled despite a history of treatment with at least 2 anti-epileptic products. The European Commission (EC), which is authorized to approve medicines in the European Union, is expected to issue its decision within 67 days of receipt of the CHMP opinion. There are an estimated six million people in Europe with epilepsy1 and approximately 40% of adult people with epilepsy have inadequate control of seizures after treatment with two anti-seizure medications (ASMs).2 Mark Altmeyer, President and CEO, Arvelle Therapeutics, said,"Despite the number of ASMs that are currently available, a large proportion of patients continue to have seizures which can have devastating effects on them and their families' lives. Cenobamate has been shown to significantly improve seizure control for focal-onset seizures in adult patients and this positive CHMP opinion means that patients may soon have a new treatment option," he added. In January 2021, Angelini Pharma announced that they concluded a definitive merger agreement under which Angelini Pharma will acquire Arvelle Therapeutics. As a result, Angelini Pharma will have the exclusive license to commercialize cenobamate in the European Union and other countries in the European Economic Area (Switzerland and the United Kingdom). Angelini plans to launch cenobamate after receiving approval from the EC which is expected by Q2 2021. "Positive CHMP opinion of cenobamate represents an important milestone for Angelini Pharma and for patients. Cenobamate showed significant efficacy, with more patients achieving a 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency and unprecedented rates of seizure freedom of up to 21% compared to placebo. We are impressed and excited about what Arvelle Therapeutics' people have achieved and built since we share the same vision," said Pierluigi Antonelli, CEO Angelini Pharma. "The acquisition of Arvelle Therapeutics will propel us into a leading European player, well positioned to address the needs of patients with different Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders through an innovative portfolio, medical capabilities and extensive commercial presence. The agreement will be completed in the first week of February." Cenobamate, which was discovered by SK Biopharmaceuticals, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of partial-onset (focal) seizures in adults, and it is commercially available in the U.S under the trademark XCOPRI (cenobamate tablets) CV. Dr. Jeong Woo Cho, CEO of SK Biopharmaceuticals, said, "The positive CHMP opinion brings us all toward achieving a major milestone that will enable patients in Europe to access cenobamate, which has been 20 years in the making, once approved, SK Biopharmaceuticals will ensure, with its European partners, a launch of this medicine to the epilepsy community." The CHMP positive opinion was based on three trials involving over 1,900 patients. The main trial (study 017) published in The Lancet Neurology3 was a multicentre, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial that demonstrated that cenobamate is an effective treatment option for adult patients with focal-onset seizures taking 1-3 ASMs. Cenobamate demonstrated significantly higher responder rates (percentage of patients achieving =50% reduction in seizures frequency) across all doses during the 12-week maintenance phase compared to placebo. The =50% responder rates were 40% (p=0.036), 56% (p<0.001), and 64% (p<0.001), for the 100 mg/day, 200 mg/day, and 400 mg/day cenobamate groups, respectively, compared to 25% for placebo. Furthermore, 4% (not significant, p=0.369), 11% (p=0.002), and 21% (p<0.001), of patients treated with cenobamate 100 mg, 200 mg, and 400 mg, respectively, reported 100% reduction in seizure frequency (100% seizure freedom) compared with only 1% of placebo-treated patients during the maintenance phase.3 The global disease burden of epilepsy is high.4,5 A diagnosis of epilepsy may confer significant disability on the individual, including physical, psychological and social problems that could negatively impact self-esteem, family, relationships, leisure, work, career prospects and ability to drive.4,6 In addition, people with epilepsy whose seizures are poorly controlled have higher morbidity and mortality rates and often experience comorbid illnesses, social stigmatisation, psychological dysfunction and a reduced quality of life.7,8 *Cenobamate was recommended as adjunctive treatment of focal onset seizures with or without secondary generalization in adult patients with epilepsy who have not been adequately controlled despite a history of treatment with at least 2 anti-epileptic products. About Arvelle Therapeutics Arvelle Therapeutics is an emerging biopharmaceutical company focused on bringing innovative solutions to patients suffering from CNS disorders. Arvelle is responsible for the development and commercialization of cenobamate, an investigational anti-seizure medicine, in the European market. Arvelle is headquartered in Switzerland and received start-up financing of $207.8 million, one of the largest initial financing commitments for a European-focused biopharmaceutical company, with investments from a global syndicate including NovaQuest Capital Management, BRV Capital Management, LSP, H.I.G. BioHealth Partners, Andera Partners, F-Prime Capital and KB Investments. More information is available at https://arvelletx.com. About Angelini Pharma Angelini Pharma is an international pharmaceutical company, part of the Italian privately-owned Angelini Group. Angelini Pharma is committed to helping patients in the therapeutic areas of Mental Health (including Pain), Rare Diseases and Consumer Healthcare. Over the past 50 years, in the field of mental health, Angelini Pharma has gained international recognition for its substantial efforts to improve the management of patients with mental health disorders thanks to important, internally developed, molecules (such as trazodone) and its commitment to fighting mental health stigma. Angelini Pharma operates directly in 15 countries employing almost 3,000 people and commercializes its products in more than 50 countries through strategic alliances with leading international pharmaceutical groups. In January 2021, Angelini Pharma announced that they concluded a definitive merger agreement under which Angelini Pharma will acquire Arvelle Therapeutics. As a result, Angelini Pharma will have the exclusive license to commercialize cenobamate in the European Union and other countries in the European Economic Area (Switzerland and the United Kingdom). About SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. SK Biopharmaceuticals and its U.S. subsidiary SK life science are global pharmaceutical companies focused on the research, development and commercialization of treatments for disorders of the central nervous system. About Cenobamate Cenobamate was discovered by SK Biopharmaceuticals and SK life science and is an FDA-approved ASM for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults (also known as focal-onset seizures). Cenobamate has been approved in the U.S. where it is commercially available under the trademark XCOPRI.9IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION AND INDICATION FOR XCOPRI (cenobamate tablets) CV can be found on www.xcopri.com Cenobamate is a novel small molecule that provides a unique, dual, complementary mechanism of action aimed at treatment of seizures.10,11,12 Cenobamate is the only anti-seizure medication which, at clinically relevant concentrations, acts both as a positive allosteric modulator of GABA A receptors at a non-benzodiazepine binding site and preferentially blocks the persistent sodium current.11,12 The unique dual mechanism of action of cenobamate suggests that it has the potential to both prevent seizure initiation and limit seizure spread.13,14,15,16,17 Long-term data of cenobamate is being studied in the open-label extensions of the double-blind placebo control trials as well as the open-label safety study in adults with uncontrolled focal-onset seizures.18 Additionally, cenobamate is being assessed in an ongoing randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating its safety and efficacy as adjunctive therapy in patients with primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (NCT03678753).19 Cenobamate has recently gained recognition by healthcare regulatory bodies in the United Kingdom and Germany given its potential use in treatment resistant focal-onset seizures in epilepsy. The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has designated cenobamate as a Promising Innovative Medicine (PIM). A PIM designation is an early indication that a medicinal product is a promising candidate for the Early Access to Medicines Scheme. In addition, as of August 2020, the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) has included cenobamate for the treatment of drug-resistant focal-onset seizures in adults in its list of confirmed drugs for compassionate use (CPU) programmes for one year within the country. About Study 0173 Study 017 was a multicentre, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-response study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of cenobamate as an adjunctive therapy in adults (18 to 70 years old) with uncontrolled focal epilepsy despite treatment with 1-3 anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). Following an 8-week baseline period, the study participants were randomized to one of three doses of cenobamate (100 mg, 200 mg and 400 mg once daily) or placebo for 18 weeks (6-week titration phase and 12-week maintenance phase). The primary outcomes were median percentage seizure reduction over the entire study and =50% responder rate (percentage of patients achieving =50% reduction in seizures) during the maintenance phase. Patients who had the option to enrol in an open-label extension of the 017 study will provide additional insight into the long-term clinical efficacy and safety profile of adjunctive cenobamate. References Jacob Trinh, 23, has been on a mission to reconnect with his Vietnamese culinary roots since leaving his job as a burned-out line cook at Vernick Fish early last year, selling X.O. sauce at his familys auto tag business while looking for another space to cook and share his birthright flavors with the public. Joy Parham, 34, has been searching for a way to reach a broader audience for the weekend soul food meals she preps during the week out of Urban Country, the West Philadelphia catering company she runs with her husband, Gary McCoy. Cote Tapia-Marmugi, 35, makes such gorgeous cakes that she won an episode of Netflixs Sugar Rush and runs a thriving business, Mole Street Baker, out of her South Philly home. But she aspires to make savory food, too, with vegetarian takes on her Chilean family traditions. Now with Ange Brancas new Kampar Kitchen, a collaborative space producing different meal kits to-go five nights a week out of South Phillys BOK Building, these chefs, and several others, have an opportunity to take the next steps. Let me tell you: Im terrified, says Tapia-Marmugi. Cakes? No problem. Going savory is a whole new challenge. But thats how great things start. And its a rare opportunity here because I dont think I would have pushed myself to do it on my own. Branca intimately knows about the challenges of reinventing oneself through food. The former international business consultant for Deloitte, IBM, and Fujitsu moved from her native Malaysia to the United States for her corporate career then gave it up to recreate the flavors of home at Sate Kampar. With the scent of skewers sizzling over coconut coals in the air, and an unwavering commitment to flavors that did not compromise with shortcuts, the East Passyunk BYOB she opened with husband John Branca in 2016 quickly became one of Philadelphias most compelling restaurants. READ MORE: Ange Brancas Malaysian dishes sizzle at her pop-up dinner series But after closing Sate Kampar last year due to a landlord dispute, compounded by the difficulties of COVID-19, the couple found themselves adrift, remaining active through pop-ups and community service efforts, but the lifetime savings theyd invested in their first space long gone, and their future uncertain. We dont have Sate Kampar anymore and dont have the equity or capital to build another restaurant from the ground up, she said. But our pride is strong, and we want to take the next step. So how do we come back to continue this journey in a Malaysian style? More than an incubator Enter Kampar Kitchen, created inside an unused catering kitchen at the multiuse BOK Building, where Branca did several pop-up meals last year. Brancas sparkplug personality and natural affinity for bringing diverse groups together has made her the ideal impresario for assembling an intriguing roster of chefs looking for a venue to express their craft. Check out the weekly menus with chef backstories on Instagram, where theres a link to prepurchase meals. Ring the intercom after 5 p.m. on the South Ninth Street side of the converted old school building, and out comes a hearty feast for two ranging from $50 to $60. One night might bring Trinhs Ba Vi platter of grilled Vietnamese meats, herbs, and wrap-your-own rice paper rolls. Another could feature Chris Pauls Haitian stewed conch and braised chicken patties. Parham, who cooked a fabulous New Years meal of smoky pork shoulder with onion gravy with crisply fried hot water corn bread, has anchored the Sunday slot with a steady lineup of soul food comforts. Meanwhile, there has been Filipino chicken with burnt coconut sauce from John Paul (a.k.a. Daps Can Cook), Tapia-Marmugis vegetarian take on Chilean pastel de choclos corn pies, and West African jollof rice feasts from Ruth Nakaars Fudena. Its really more than an incubator, says Branca. I wanted to take all the things weve learned at Sate Kampar with regards to getting people to learn about the stories behind the food and culture and marry that together for these chefs, to work with them to really emanate the essence of their cuisine to the public to enjoy as an experience. Branca draws on her experience as a corporate strategist and restaurateur here. But the notion of melding such diverse flavors under one roof is also rooted in the tradition of the kopitiam, she says, noting that Malaysian coffee shops often house multiple food stalls serving specialties inside the same space: Theyre curated and collected by the owner so they compliment each other, and they all come together in a very collaborative way to create a single restaurant experience. That concept of an on-site dining experience, which Branca says is more cohesive than a typical food hall, cannot be realized until the post-COVID era. But the synergy of that collective spirit channeled through takeout meal kits has proven to be a strength as Branca builds a model she believes begins to address issues of inequity especially for chefs of color without ready access to capital that have only grown during the pandemic. Branca says shes trying to level the playing field for chefs of varying experience, charging a percentage of sales rather than an equal flat fee. That resonated with an experienced chef like Joy Parham, a former culinary instructor, sous-chef at the Malvern Buttery, and caterer whos owned a business since 2017 while juggling two young children. To have this space pop up, (Ange) was offering us another resource, a way to gain a little bit of equity in the food game here. If I was just cooking food and said, Come pick this up from my house! you wouldnt take me seriously, says Parham, who isnt currently interested in owning a restaurant. People put a lot of emphasis on actually owning something. But people who actually own things also own a lot more stress than people who dont. I can take my brand anywhere. The ownership is the freedom. Because I have the ability to say, Ange, Sundays work for me, I know how to target that. Parham, who uses her catering companys kitchen in West Philadelphias Enterprise Center to prep during the week, says Kampar Kitchens marketing reach to a broader audience is a prime draw. For younger chefs like the Johnson & Wales-trained Trinh, however, Branca has taken on the role of culinary guru. Trinh, the son of immigrants who resisted embracing his Vietnamese food heritage until recently, has been recreating favorite dishes from his mother and grandma. His grandmother Huong Vuong has already schooled him on the finer points of the fantastic little banh khot pancakes that come with his platter meal. She demanded a special pan shed given Trinh returned after noticing that he was missing a crucial step in a picture on one of his social media posts: After I did a couple rounds with her approval, she said, Ok, now you can have my pan back. Branca has helped Trinh dig even deeper. She sat beside him in Rittenhouse Square tasting through half-a-dozen commercial X.O. sauces to help him refine his own blend. She urged him to source traditional betel leaves (rather than the grape leaves more common in America) to wrap his beef-filled bo nuong la lot. She helped him cure pork to create more supple meat stuffings. She told him the seafood-inspired origins of hoisin, which led him to add a dried seafood essence to his take on the dipping sauce. She really is my mentor, says Trinh. He is turning out to be such an up and rising star, says a beaming Branca. So proud of him. READ MORE: The search for XO sauce is a Philly food adventure Cultural exchange There is an additional benefit for all the chefs who use Kampar Kitchen with overlapping time slots, when the distinctive aromas from Asia, the Caribbean, and America frequently mingle in the air. There are currently seven chefs on the roster now, including Branca, who says there is a waiting list of 20 others. Whats interesting is that they seem so random, but they really do coexist and its a fun experience, says Trinh. And its not really a pop-up, its a permanent location, so who knows what can happen? We are really melding, says Parham. A lot of stories are shared. Ange actually made the hot water corn breads Sunday after seeing me make them for weeks. But this wasnt surface-level stuff, we were actually learning about each others cultures. Something as elemental as plating rice, she says, can spark that understanding. When Parham recently asked Branca to help plate rice and beans, she suddenly had to stop her. Branca, relying on her experience with Malaysian cuisine, had put too much rice on the dish. The beans are the meal here, the rice is just to bulk it up, said Parham, suddenly realizing she might also have offended Branca, whose cuisine makes rice a centerpiece. I didnt know that it was offensive to order a side of rice [at a Malaysian restaurant] but Ill never do that again. Branca was hardly offended. I thought it was hysterical, said Branca. Those are the moments when I think this platform is so special as all the chefs work together. If only we can grow in a way that captures more of these moments, these are the cultural learning experiences that are so needed right now. President Ram Nath Kovind President Ram Nath Kovind on January 29 condemned the violence that took place during the January 26 tractor rally. He asserted that with the new three agricultural reforms, the government has provided new facilities and rights to farmers. The insult to the Tricolour on Republic Day is very unfortunate. The Constitution that provides us freedom of expression is the same Constitution that teaches us that law and rules have to be followed seriously, the President said addressing the members at the Budget session of the Parliament that began on January 29. The Budget will be presented in the Parliament on February 1. Follow updates on Budget Session 2021 in our BLOG here The national capital witnessed unprecedented scenes of chaos and violence during the tractor march by farmers on Republic Day as hundreds of protesters broke away from a rally on the city outskirts and stormed Red Fort with others breaching barricades and clashing with police in other parts of the capital. The protesters hoisted a religious flag just next to the national flag at the Red Fort during the protests. The President said that the more than 100 million farmers had benefited from farm laws passed after detailed discussions seven months ago and currently stayed by Supreme Court. He said the Centre is working constantly to remove misconceptions related to farm laws and successive governments had been pushing for the agri-reform laws. My government would like to clarify that the rights and facilities that were available before the formation of the three farm laws have not been cut short. In fact with these new agricultural reforms the government has provided new facilities and rights to farmers, he said. The President address to the members of both the Houses sitting in three different halls-Central Hall, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha, for the first time due to COVID-19 protocols. The Congress and at least 17 Opposition parties boycotted the President's address in solidarity with farmers' protest against the three farm laws, which the opposition alleges, were passed arbitrarily in the Monsoon session. Enacted in September 2020, the three laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector. But, thousands of protesting farmers, primarily from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at several Delhi border points for over two months, demanding the repeal of the laws, and a legal guarantee on minimum support prices (MSP) for their crops. The President also highlighted how the country had come together over the last year to overcome several adversities, such as pandemic, floods, earthquakes, attacks, and bird flu. He also mentioned the India-China standoff at LAC in Ladakh saying that the nation was grateful to Galwan martyrs. Twenty jawans made the supreme sacrifice in Galwan valley in June 2020. Every citizen is grateful to these martyrs. My government is committed to the protection of the interests of the nation. Extra Forces have been deployed at LAC for protection of India's sovereignty, he said. The President applauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic saying that a timely decision taken by the government saved the lives of lakhs of citizens. It is a matter of pride that India is running the biggest vaccination program in the world. Both vaccines of this program are made in India. In this crisis India shouldered its responsibility towards mankind & provided lakhs of doses of vaccines to several nations, he said. The President said that India was committed to delivering Covid-19 vaccines globally. "India supplied essential medicines to more than 150 countries along with meeting the domestic needs of the country. India is committed to ensuring vaccine availability globally... The Vande Bharat Mission, which is the largest such campaign in the world, is being appreciated. India has brought back nearly 50 lakh Indians from all parts of the world, as well as more than one lakh foreign nationals to their own countries," The President also paid tributes to former President Pranab Mukherjee and six MPs who passed away in this Corona period. He also mentioned the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and the construction of Ram Temple, saying the country has done many tasks that were once considered difficult in the past year. Calloway Man Hurt While Fleeing from Deputies By West Kentucky Star Staff CALLOWAY COUNTY - A man was hurt Friday morning while attempting to flee from deputies during a standoff at a Calloway County home.The Calloway County Sheriff's Department says deputies responded at around 6:30 a.m. to a report of an unwanted person at a home on Hills Hollow Road. The man, later identified as 60-year-old Scott Okeefe, left the home prior to their arrival.Deputies later found Okeefe inside a home on Haynes Cemetery Road and tried to get him to come outside for about two hours. He fell and seriously injured himself while attempting to come out through a second story window.Okeefe was taken to Murray-Calloway County Hospital for treatment. He was then transferred to an out of state medical facility for further treatment.Okeefe is charged with violation of a Kentucky emergency protection order, resisting arrest, 2nd degree fleeing or evading police, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Global e-tailer Amazon India on Thursday signed an agreement with the Karnataka industries and commerce department to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) operating in the state to increase their exports on its global selling platform. "The agreement will enable Amazon to train and onboard MSMEs across the state on its global selling platform for driving their exports to customers in 200 countries the world over," said the US-based company's Indian subsidiary in a statement here. The e-tailer's platform lowers entry barriers for MSMEs to expand their business and launch their products globally. "MSMEs from the state export a range of products, including readymade apparel, leather goods and toys among others," said the statement. The company will conduct training, webinars and on-boarding workshops in MSME clusters at Ballari, Channapatna and Mysuru on B2C e-commerce exports and selling worldwide through its 17 international marketplaces. "The workshops will enable MSMEs to use tools for launching their brands and grow their business in overseas markets through our global selling platform," said the statement. State Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar said on the occasion that Karnataka had a vibrant agro, aerospace, automobile, biotech, garment, handicraft, textile and toys sectors. "Our partnership with Amazon India will enable MSMEs to leverage its global presence and showcase their products to customers the world over," said Shettar in the statement. Amazon India global trade Director Abhijit Kamra said the partnership with the Karnataka government would elevate MSMEs in the state to a global level. "The Amazon global selling programme has enabled over 70,000 Indian exporters to cross $2billion in exports and showcase Made in India products," said Kamra in the statement. "E-commerce firms like Amazon complemented our government's efforts in meeting the needs of customers by delivering essentials and helping thousands of MSMEs to move online to grow and expand their business during the Covid pandemic," said the state industry secretary Gaurav Gupta. The southern state has a rich cultural and traditional heritage, with multiple Geographical Indications (GIs) products like Bidriware, Channapatna toys and Kinnhal craft. Mysore silk, Udupi cotton and Ilkal sarees are world-famous. "The partnership with Amazon will help the livelihood of artisans, weavers and craftsmen in the state," added Gupta. State industrial development commissioner Gunjan Krishna said as 50 per cent of sellers from Karnataka on Amazon were in based in tier-II cities, Amazon should expand its footprint beyond Bengaluru to other parts of the state. The state has about 8 lakh MSME units with Rs 86,000 crore investments and employ 56 lakh people in 10 clusters spanning automobiles at Hubli-Dharwad, food processing at Kalaburagi, readymade garments at Hubli, raisin at Bijapur (Vijayapura) and Athani in Belagavi, heat treatment at Hubli and printing at Harohalli in Ramanagara district among others. The Charger Blog The Universitys collaboration with FactSet, a global financial data and technology company headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, and the support of the companys Black Business Resource Group have already created meaningful and exciting opportunities for students. By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications Nyhsere Woodson 21 will officially join FactSet after he graduates this spring. When Nyhsere Woodson 21 attended an information session with FactSet, he envisioned himself working for the company. After he graduates this spring, he will begin doing just that. As he learned more about the company and its culture, Woodson thought it would be a great fit. Soon after interviewing last semester, he was offered and accepted a position as a client solutions associate. In June, he will officially join the company, a leading provider of open and configurable data and technology for the global financial and investment community, in its Manhattan office. I am looking forward to being a part of the collaborative culture and the dynamic atmosphere, said Woodson, a finance major. My interviewer mentioned that I was one of the most polished and prepared candidates that he has in the seen in the past several months. I attribute that to the knowledge I have gained at the University and to my professors commitment to student excellence. This is a great opportunity Last semester, the University announced a partnership with FactSet that was created through the leadership of Brian Kench, Ph.D., dean of the Universitys Pompea College of Business; Ron Harichandran, Ph.D., dean of the Tagliatela College of Engineering; and Oni Chukwu 94 MBA, 15 Hon, a visionary technology entrepreneur with decades of experience in the software sector and a member of the Universitys Board of Governors. This collaboration, which endeavors to increase diversity in the finance industry, includes mentorship programs, access to proprietary FactSet software, and internship and career opportunities such as Woodsons. He was part of a group of talented and high-achieving seniors who were invited to take part in a special recruiting event with FactSet staff members to learn about potential post-graduation opportunities. This is a great opportunity because I will be able to have input on important projects early in my career, he said. This collaboration is important because it provides students with an opportunity to connect with industry leaders. The collaboration was also an opportunity for me to be mentored by leaders within the company, and their guidance aided me in my interview process. Will superbly position our Black underrepresented students for greater heights The University will be actively involved in FactSets Black Resource Group, one of the Norwalk-headquartered companys Business Resources Groups that were created to champion the full participation and inclusion of all FactSet employees. Chukwu, who previously served as chief executive officer and is now executive chairman at Aventri, a leader in enterprise software-as-a-service event management software for global businesses, says he is looking forward to the opportunities this partnership will offer to students. As a Black man and an African immigrant who bootstrapped myself through graduate school, I very much understand and appreciate the value and the crucial difference a helping hand to that first quality job can make to young lives, he said. When I first met CEO Phil Snow and his FactSet team to discuss this collaboration with UNH, they immediately got it and saw it as the perfect complement to their ongoing internal Black BRG company-wide initiative to attract, mentor, and retain Black employees. This is a match made at the intersection of optimal need and perfect opportunity, and will superbly position our Black underrepresented students for greater heights early in their professional careers when that intervention really counts, continued Chukwu. Geiana Taylor 21 MBA will begin her position at FactSet in June. Inspiring to see people of color in management and leadership roles Geiana Taylor 21 MBA is also looking forward serving as a client solutions associate, a full-time position that is part of a development program and becomes a consulting position after about seven to nine months. Like Woodson, she will begin her new role in June after she graduates. This is a good opportunity because it allows students like me to get real-world corporate experience that is so hard to get today, said Taylor, who will be based at the companys Boston location. The University's collaboration with FactSet is important because it allows minorities and marginalized groups to have meaningful opportunities and a chance at something great. Even from a networking standpoint, this opportunity enabled me to meet so many people throughout the company from all different locations, she continued. It was very inspiring to see people of color in management and leadership roles within the company. This collaboration is great for current students as well as prospective students who are curious about what the University is doing to help marginalized groups find job opportunities after college. An opportunity to connect with an industry leader Both the Pompea College of Business and the Tagliatela College of Engineering include an emphasis across their programs on analytics, understanding big data, innovation, and entrepreneurship, skills that Dean Kench and Dean Harichandran say will help students succeed at innovative companies such as FactSet. Taylor is most looking forward to networking and gaining meaningful experience in her new position. She also wants to inspire others, just as, she says, her future colleagues at FactSet have already done for her. I am excited for whats to come in the near future, she said. FactSet has a demonstrated great corporate culture, and they value everyone within the company. So many people from the company have already reached out to me about the position, which makes me feel confident that I made the right decision. Woodson, the undergraduate finance major, is also excited to begin his position, and he looks forward to combining his passions for finance and technology. He is grateful for the many opportunities he has had at the University, including his participation in the Pompea Business Plan EXPO, to gain experience and develop his skills. The University has prepared me for success by offering coursework that is transferrable to the real world, he said. My professors exposed us to industry practices that will be useful in our careers. The Universitys collaboration with FactSet provides students with an invaluable opportunity to connect with an industry leader in an emerging industry. Burma Meeting Between Myanmar Govt, Military Fails to Resolve Crisis Over Election A military armored vehicle is seen in Yangon on Jan. 28a rare sight in Myanmars commercial capital. / Photo:J NAYPYITAWA meeting between representatives of the government and the Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) held in Naypyitaw on Thursday in an effort to overcome the current political crisis ended without a breakthrough. Sources with knowledge of the meeting told The Irrawaddy that the Tatamdaw expressed its distrust in Myanmars election body, the Union Election Commission, and asked the government to abolish it. It also asked the government to recount all votes in the Nov. 8 general election with the militarys assistance and to postpone the incoming Parliament, which is scheduled to convene on Monday. The two sides were unable to reach any agreement, however, as State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi reportedly rejected all of the demands. The government sent two aides of the State Counselor to the meeting, while the Tatmadaw was represented by senior military officers. The meeting came as political tensions between the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) and the military reached alarming levels this week as the armed forces refused to rule out a military coup if its demand for an investigation into alleged electoral fraud was not met. Following the NLDs landslide electoral victory, the military launched a probe into the voting process after its proxy, the main opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), blamed its heavy defeat at the polls on voter fraud. The military and the USDP have since complained that their calls for an investigation into the election and the UEC have fallen on deaf ears. Hundreds of police have been deployed to the administrative capital, Naypyitaw, and security has been beefed up at the Naypyitaw City Development Committee Guesthouse, where lawmakers elected to the incoming Parliament are lodging. Meanwhile, the public has been alarmed by photos of the Tatmadaws armored vehicles driving along the streets of Yangon and other regions on Tuesday, which have gone viral on social media. In a videoconference with cadets at the National Defense College on Wednesday, Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said: The Constitution is the mother law for all laws. So, Id like to note we all need to abide by the Constitution. If one does not follow the laws, such laws must be revoked. I mean if it is the Constitution, it is necessary to revoke the Constitution. If one does not follow the law, the Constitution must be revoked. His remarks have raised public concerns about a possible coup. Foreign diplomats have also expressed their concerns about the escalating political tension in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Western Embassies, UN Chief Urge Myanmar Military to Respect Democracy Political, Religious Figures Urge Myanmar Govt, Military Leaders to Talk as Tensions Rise Myanmar Election Body Rejects Military Allegations of Electoral Fraud MasterChef Australia's Sandra Moreno has sold her multi-million dollar Queensland mansion for more than double what she paid for it in 2007. The former contestant of the hit cooking show, who purchased the six-bedroom Ashgrove property for $1.3million, listed it for sale in June 2020. The house had an estimated value of between $1.88million and $2.41million, but sold it for a tidy $3million on November 30. Wow! Former MasterChef Australia contestant Sandra Moreno has sold her multi-million dollar Queensland mansion (pictured) for more than double what she paid for it in 2007. The six-bedroom Ashgrove property, which she paid $1.3million for, was listed for sale in June 2020 The property boasts a five-car garage, media room, five bathrooms, magnificent living and dining rooms, and an exquisite kitchen with the latest appliances, dual island benches, marble finishes and a full-size cold room. It also has a gymnasium, six-person hot tub, sauna, recovery ice bath, billiards room with bar and an indoor tiled swimming pool, complete with a movie screen. There are speakers throughout the house, along with double height ceilings and deducted air-conditioning. The property, which sits on a 1,128 sqm block, was sold by NGU Real Estate's Emil Juresic and Leo Liu on November 30. How gorgeous is this! The property boasts a five-car garage, media room, five bathrooms, and magnificent living and dining rooms Woah! It also has an exquisite kitchen with the latest appliances, dual island benches, marble finishes and a full-size cold room Luxury! It also has a gymnasium, six-person hot tub, sauna, recovery ice bath, billiards room with bar and an indoor tiled swimming pool, complete with a movie screen It was sold for significantly lower than the $3.68million Sandra, who works as an interior designer, previously listed it for in November 2019. Queensland Sotheby's International Realty selling agent Tyson Clarke told realestate.com.au the property blew him away. 'You don't know what to expect but when you walk in the front doors it's kind of like a cross between Ritz Carlton and a Raffles Hotel, but instantly feels homely and relaxing,' he told the publication. 'It's kind of like a cross between Ritz Carlton and a Raffles Hotel, but instantly feels homely and relaxing': Queensland Sotheby's International Realty selling agent Tyson Clarke told realestate.com.au the property blew him away 'The finishes and attention to detail through the home are on par with the best of the best in Brisbane... This home just blows me away.' Sandra shot to fame after appearing on the first season of MasterChef Australia in 2009, where she spent 11 weeks and ended up being one of the 10 final contestants. She purchased the Ashgrove property, which used to be a red brick 1950s home, in 2007 while upgrading from nearby suburb Hendra. The launch of the Affordable Mortgage program will lead to an annual growth of the mortgage portfolio by 30%, thus budget expenditures on it in five years may exceed UAH 5 billion, First Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Kateryna Rozhkova has said. "Theoretically, if the program runs for five years and every month they issue UAH 400 million (the average monthly issuance volumes in 2020, according to our calculations, amounted to UAH 300 million), and the annual growth of the mortgage portfolio is 30%, then in five years (according to the current level of rates) the budget will spend over UAH 5 billion on compensation," Rozhkova said on Facebook. She recalled that the budget for 2021 provides for expenditures of UAH 2 billion for the "Available Loans 5-7-9%" program. Deputy Finance Minister Yuriy Drahanchuk, in turn, explained in his column for the Segodnya edition that the new mortgage mechanism will be implemented through the Entrepreneurship Development Fund. "Technically, it is not difficult. It was enough to make changes to government resolutions, according to which the fund has been financing "Available Loans 5-7-9%" to support small and medium-sized businesses throughout the year, as well as into the fund's internal documents," Drahanchuk explained. Thus, for the start of "Affordable Mortgage," additional expenditures of the state budget at the first stage are not needed, in addition to the already provided UAH 2 billion for the work of the said fund, the deputy minister added. We have known for a long time that the European Union is a bully. It bullied Greece during the financial crisis which started in 2009, and from the moment the British people voted to leave the bloc, it tried to bully us into submission. But never until now have we seen the increasingly tyrannical nature of the EU and in particular the European Commission in Brussels quite so starkly. It is behaving in a manner that is both disgraceful and more than slightly mad. The Eurocrats really have lost the plot. The Commissions introduction of rules yesterday that will allow it to prevent life-saving jabs getting into Britain even though they have been ordered and paid for is a shamelessly aggressive act. As EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen insists that Britain must give up tens of millions of its Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines, it's clear that we have never seen the increasingly tyrannical nature of the bloc quite so starkly At the same time, Brussels dramatically invoked Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol. This move has effectively removed the province from the EU Customs area, in contravention of an agreement made with the UK. Arlene Foster, Northern Irelands First Minister, rightly called this an incredible act of hostility. As the EU fights for Oxford vaccines, President Emmanuel Macron of France continues to question whether they are effective for those over 65 So desperate is the EU to ensure vaccines do not leave its territory and find their way into Britain, it is prepared to impose a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. A hard border, it must be said, which it resisted tooth and nail during negotiations with the Government. There is even talk of the Commission invoking powers which would enable it to seize intellectual property and data from pharmaceutical companies. The move would be targeted in particular at the Anglo-Swedish giant AstraZeneca, which Brussels outrageously accuses of withholding vaccines it has ordered. Where is Germanys Angela Merkel in all this? Can she and other grown-up leaders of EU countries relish the spectacle of the flat-footed, overbearing and unelected Commission poisoning relations with an ally? Is this really the Europe they want? The EU, which is supposed to be a union of liberal democracies friendly to Britain, is acting as though it were an authoritarian state such as Russia or China, with a deeply antagonistic mindset towards a former member. The truth is that Brussels is not only a bully. It is an incompetent one. Whereas Britain ordered hundreds of millions of vaccines from several different sources in good time, the Commission was slow, blundering and inept. Meanwhile, brilliant researchers at Oxford University, supported by AstraZeneca, came up with the goods. Now the Commission is trying to punish this country for what are actually its own multiple errors. It wont work, not least because AstraZeneca has two plants in this country producing vaccines. They will go to the British Government first for the simple reason that it signed an agreement three months before the EU did. Arlene Foster described the EU's decision to invoke Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol as 'an incredible act of hostility' One amusing sub-plot of this crazy story is that while the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, insists that Britain must give up tens of millions of its Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines, President Emmanuel Macron of France continues to question whether they are effective for those over 65. Where is Germanys Angela Merkel in all this? Can she and other grown-up leaders of EU countries relish the spectacle of the flat-footed, overbearing and unelected Commission poisoning relations with an ally? Is this really the Europe they want? Perhaps even once-intransigent Remainers will now see the point of our leaving the EU. More than ever before, we should be relieved and grateful to have left this increasingly malign madhouse. Government TechnologyIn this months installment of the Innovation of the Month series, we focus on a combination of efforts happening in Boston to combine existing data about quality of life at the neighborhood level with surveys about residents behavior during the pandemic. This data was then distilled into digestible stories that help the researchers better connect with their community on these topics. MetroLabs Ben Levine spoke with Dan OBrien, Alina Ristea and David Brade from Northeastern University about their project.Your team is working on multiple efforts, rolled up under the Data-Support System for a City During a Pandemic project. What are the different parts of this project, and who has been involved in them?The data-support system for Boston comprises two main efforts. First, the COVID in Boston Database contains numerous administrative and Internet-gathered data sources we curated that capture the events and conditions of greater Boston before, during and after the onset of the pandemic. Second, the Living in Boston During COVID-19 survey , which we conducted with UMass Bostons Center for Survey Research and the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), collected responses from 1,600 Bostonians about their behaviors, experiences and attitudes throughout the pandemic. The combination of these two resources has spoken to a wide variety of questions and concerns, especially highlighting a range of racial and socioeconomic inequities from infection rates, to the ability to social distance, to housing and evictions, to local economic activity.In addition to our collaborators on the survey, we have worked closely with a variety of partners to design and collect these resources. We are now working closely with numerous public agencies, including BPHC, the Mayors Office of New Urban Mechanics, the Department of Neighborhood Development, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Boston Police Department, the Office of Neighborhood Services and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, as we turn our attention to insights that can inform the recovery.What kinds of data are in the COVID in Boston Database? How do you expect they could best be leveraged?The COVID in Boston Database includes a mixture of both administrative records and data scraped from online sources, and we have created variable-by-variable documentation for potential users. The database was originally constructed over the summer and is being updated this month. The administrative records include property assessments, building permits, code and property violations, food inspections, and Bostons CityScore performance tracking. During the updates, we will add 911 and 311 data, as well as weekly and daily COVID infection cases for Massachusetts. The online data includes Craigslist posts, Yelp! reviews, Airbnb listings, and Places of Interest (POI) from various sources (e.g., Foursquare). These data can be leveraged for multiple topics regarding urban systems due to their massive metadata, geographic specificity and longitudinal nature. They can also be merged to facilitate more sophisticated analyses. The database supports a wide range of questions, including commerce and economic activity, like tracking restaurant viability through Yelp! and food inspections; dynamics of housing and disadvantage through Craigslist and code and property violations; urban planning and gentrification through building permits; crime and disorder through code and property violations, and 911 and 311 reports; and, of course, public health through analyses of the timeline of infections across communities.Can you tell us about the Living in Boston During COVID-19 survey? How does this effort interlock with the database?Surveys are a unique window into the experiences and perspectives of individuals, something that is often undervalued in the age of big data. Through the survey responses we see how the residents of Bostons various communities have been impacted by the pandemic; their concerns about the threats the virus and the economic recession pose to themselves, their families and their neighborhoods; their attitudes toward masks, social distancing and transmission risk; and the challenges they have faced in keeping their families safe, healthy and fed. The depth of these responses and what they mean for communities, however, is greatly enhanced if we can coordinate them with other data sets. Crucially, extensive data from the Boston Area Research Initiative (BARI) on neighborhoods allow us to observe the context within which these respondents are operating locally on various dimensions, from crime to economic activity to housing.We have also analyzed the survey responses alongside two sources of anonymized, cellphone-generated mobility data: Cuebiq and SafeGraph. Both have been used extensively by researchers worldwide during COVID to understand the impacts of mobility on transmission, changes in human behaviors and the effectiveness of social distancing policies. Of particular interest, SafeGraph captures patterns of visitation to POI, like grocery stores and parks. We are using the combination of these data and surveys to give greater depth to analyses of the factors that drive transmission and the equity implications of activities and movements during the pandemic.What did you find in the creation of the bite-size data stories? Were any of the findings particularly surprising?As we have released the insights from our work, we wanted to be true to the dual purposes of scientific rigor and public impact. The former requires long-winded reports that are thorough in their methodology and precise in the description of results. These are not necessarily accessible to our most important audience: the policymakers and practitioners who are too consumed with serving their communities to piece through such a report. For this reason, we decided to slice the reports up into data stories that could provide one actionable insight at a time.The data stories have been able to drive conversations with communities typically less interested in the impact and revelations of data. Releasing these data stories via social media, especially Twitter, has captured the attention of the media, community leaders and elected officials. This has allowed the community to engage with us and each other and elevated the understanding of subthemes of the pandemic, such as mask-wearing, high-risk behaviors, asymptomatic spread and the political polarization of the pandemic. Weve found the data stories to be a key driver in highlighting the value of the overall series of reports.Can you go into detail on one of these data stories? What lessons were particularly compelling, and how do you think the information can be used moving forward?The Balancing Food Access and Infection Risk data story examined which households were able to adopt strategies to secure food while limiting their risk of exposure. The analysis revealed very clear strategies for this across the socioeconomic spectrum. Residents from neighborhoods of color visited the grocery store far more often than others. When we posted this data story, a number of academics started to generate explanations, including not being able to afford larger, less frequent purchases or the difficulty of lugging groceries for those without a car. Somewhat surprisingly, it turned out that the tendency of residents in affluent neighborhoods to have their food and groceries delivered entirely explained these disparities. It was a stark and underappreciated illustration of how income disparity is a major driver in how one navigates exposure during the pandemic.This model of measuring the differences in the effects of COVID-19 across different neighborhoods in the same city is fascinating. Can other cities adopt this model? What are the next steps for Boston regarding this project?Absolutely. Some parts of this work are more ambitious than others, but they are all replicable. The piece that is most immediately accessible to cities around the country is the thoughtful use of administrative records to better understand the needs of communities. This has been at the heart of the trend toward data-driven policy and practice in recent years and is of the utmost importance now. Cities should be scrupulously tracking business licenses to know where closures are; housing courts records to know where evictions are; 311 and 911 reports to know where issues and tensions are rising; and building permits to know where capital is returning (and where its not). Given that these data systems typically already exist, it is not a far bridge to cross to use them to pinpoint the communities most in need and, more specifically, the precise needs they have now and will have in the coming months. Scraping Internet data to complement these resources requires an extra layer of skill and capacity but is certainly within reach for many communities.Last, surveys are expensive and require forethought and patience. But many universities and private vendors are prepared to help. We often forget as a society that we are not out of the woods just yet, and even when we achieve herd immunity through vaccination, economists anticipate a lengthy recovery period lasting months if not years. Surveys will continue to help us see, understand and feel the experiences and perspectives of community members as we navigate these challenging and unprecedented times in a way that big data is unable to do. When COVID-19 testing became more widely available nationwide, a meme on social media suggested a certain restaurant chain should take on the long lines to quell the wait times. The whole country could be tested by midnight if theyd let the Chick-fil-A crew run the drive-thru testing sites! the meme declares with a background of smiley emojis laughing so hard they have tears flowing from their eyes. Dont laugh. Its true. The restaurant chain is known for its drive-thru and in-restaurant customer service running like a well-oiled machine. When the coronavirus closed restaurants for sit-down dining, Chick-fil-A workers lined the drive-thru procession with electronic tablets. One station takes orders and names. The next one takes payments. Finally, the customer arrives at the pickup window for their coveted chicken products, waffle fries and other side dishes, milkshakes and beverages. A Chick-fil-A manager from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, on Jan. 22 proved that the restaurants method works. According to information compiled by The Associated Press and other published reports, people looking to receive COVID-19 vaccinations waited for up to an hour lined up in their vehicles due to a computer glitch. Will Haynie, Mount Pleasants mayor, learned of the gridlock at a church location and called Jerry Walkowiak, a Chick-fil-A manager, for some assistance. Walkowiak put his restaurants drive-thru techniques to work. He walked up to drivers ahead of the vaccination station to ensure they had their paperwork prepared. He then directed the drivers to their designated vaccine spots. Haynie gave Walkowiak a shoutout on Twitter with a video of the man getting the line of cars going. According to reports, the drive-thru techniques reduced the wait time from an hour to 15 minutes. When you need help, call the pros, Haynie said in the tweet. Chic Fil A (sic) to the rescue! he later noted. The restaurant didnt just, as a advertising campaign said, invent the chicken sandwich. It stands as a model of how things can work efficiently if everyone works together for the good of the customers and in this particular case, the community. Now if Schuylkill County can only see the return of Chick-fil-A. It left the now- demolished Schuylkill Mall in December 2009 due to falling short of corporate sales goals. If only it had a drive-thru. The COVID-19 pandemic is far from being quelled even with the availability of vaccines as new variants of the virus are worrying and further mutations will surely emerge, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Friday. "Until a large part of the population is vaccinated, we need strong public health measures everywhere to keep people safe," Loong said in a special address to the World Economic Forum's virtual Davos Agenda Summit. He also noted that governments will come under more pressure to adopt protectionist and nativist positions. Loong said it is critical that vaccines are rolled out quickly all over the world, but even with vaccines, the pandemic is far from over. He further said globalisation was under pressure even before the pandemic, while initial reactions to the crisis seemed to herald its demise, as countries scrambled to secure vital equipment. "But, it has also reminded us that our fates are intertwined, and we need to work together. From vaccine multilateralism initiatives to reopening supply chains, this collaboration restarted," he said. He said various countries have introduced extraordinary measures to support economies, but these cannot last indefinitely and hoped that the vaccine rollout will allow restrictions to be lifted and economies to rebound. "We're entering a new phase. The pandemic has exposed businesses and jobs that won't remain viable. They have to be let go to allow better jobs and businesses to take their place. Hard decisions will need to be taken," he said. To resume growth, we have to look beyond a return to the status quo. We must look ahead. The framework for international cooperation needs to be strengthened. We need a standardised, robust systems to verify the tests and vaccinations. This will be essential to reopen borders, Loong said.He also called for working together to strengthen international organizations.On the digital economy, Loong said its sustained growth necessitates the development of new e-trade regulations. "Singapore has concluded digital economy agreements with like-minded countries. We hope this is just the beginning. Countries should work together to shape the digital economy globally," he said. On US-China relations, the Singapore leader said both countries have adopted more assertive and uncompromising positions, but it is not too late to "reset the tone of their interactions", particularly with the new administration in the US. "The strategic landscape has changed significantly, as a result of the emergence of China. Concessions made to China when it was small remain, but these need to be reconsidered and recalibrated," he said. But China's influence in the world has also grown and it needs to take a "greater responsibility for providing global public goods", Loong added. For the US, it is a very difficult adjustment as, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was the world's only hyperpower, he said. "China has now emerged, with the US viewing it as a challenger -- almost a threat. If it sees China as a threat, that's going to be a very big problem," he added. "It's not going to go away or collapse like the Soviet Union," he cautioned. "So, you need to work together. If you cannot work together, then you cannot solve problems, and it will become an all-round adversarial relationship. This will result in long-term problems and challenges. This will not benefit either country or other countries," Loong said. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 21:56:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese construction firms are facilitating Kenya's pension funds to diversify into the infrastructure space, the pension industry said on Friday. Joseph Rono, director for strategy and finance at County Pension Fund (CFP) Group told Xinhua in Nairobi that the advantage of Chinese firms is that they are able to get into fixed sum contracts for property developments that can't be varied. "This means that Kenya pension funds can make decent returns on their investments in infrastructure projects," Rono said during a pension forum. CPF which is approximately 90 years old is the pension fund for county government workers. CPF Group partnered with China Wu Yi to deliver the 1.5 billion shillings (13.62 million U.S. dollars) Nova Pioneer Boys' and Girls' Secondary boarding schools in just six months. Rono said that Chinese contractors have the financial might to undertake infrastructure projects on time while maintaining high standards. He observed that contractors from the Asian nation are able to win competitive tenders floated in Kenya because they have demonstrated technical competence. According to the CPF Group, pension contributions from members have been increasing while investment opportunities have been diminishing among the traditional asset classes. Rono revealed that equities in the security exchanges have been a favorite destination for pension funds. "Pensions are now looking at infrastructure projects in order to boost old-age income security," he added. Hosea Kili, CEO of CPF Group noted that Chinese contractors have won competitive tenders to undertake their infrastructure projects because of their diligent execution of tasks. "One thing that Kenyan contractors need to learn from their Chinese peers is how to deliver construction work on time," Kili noted. Enditem Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg appears on a screen as he speaks remotely Oct. 28, 2020, during a hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. This ground-breaking multi-sector initiative, first launched in the Middle East five years ago, unites industry and sector professionals to provide an effective online platform to drive innovation, share ideas, gain insights & experiences, and generate actionable solutions to existing challenges. The African Frontiers of Innovation Series will run as a monthly online broadcast that explores the impact of the pandemic on individuals, sectors and economies. Expert speakers and career professionals will share insights on key evolving trends and delve into how different sectors are meeting Covid-19 challenges, and setting the scene for a sustainable post-Covid world. Much like the previous editions of Frontiers of Innovation, the Africa series takes a deep dive into innovative technologies and operational efficiencies across a range of sectors, including music, photography, cinema and printing, explains Mai Youssef, Corporate Communications and Marketing Services Director Canon Middle East and Canon Central and North Africa. The first instalment, which tackles the tough subject of post-Covid education, is set to air on Wednesday, 27 January. Research conducted by Human Rights Watch between April and August 2020 across nine African countries found that school closures caused by the pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities, and that: children who were already most at risk of being excluded from a quality education have been most affected. Headlined Developing digital skills and literacy for students, the first episode features distinguished guest speakers Dr Pius Egiolamhen (Dean of School, School of Art, Design and Printing, Yaba College of Technology); Julianna Lindsey (UNICEF Representative in Rwanda), and Professor Charles Ochieng Ongondo (Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development), who will explore the challenges and opportunities inherent in a post-Covid, digitally-driven education landscape across Africa. Canons Africa Frontiers of Innovation series will be moderated by award-winning Kenyan journalist Victoria Rubadiri. A senior news anchor at Citizen TV and former host of Kenyas top-rated talk show Victorias Lounge, Rubadiri is a recipient of the 2020 BBC Komla Dumor Award. As a pioneer of innovation in the imaging business, Canon EMEA first launched the Frontiers of Innovation Series in 2016, with the first edition focusing on Big Tech and the Internet of Things, while the second edition turned the spotlight on cyber security, entrepreneurship and smart cities. Both editions were held as in-presence events over one day. In 2020, as a response to the pandemic, the Canon Frontiers of Innovation Forum 2020 launched a weekly online session that proved highly successful, with more than 3 000 attendees per session. Africa Frontiers of Innovation 2021 aims to expand on this, with a series of pertinent topics geared to inspire Africans from all walks of life on what can be achieved when a crisis is viewed as an opportunity, rather than just a challenge, notes Youssef. Attendees can look forward to a deep dive into various topical issues, including: Innovation in music: how digitisation has impacted the industry and its challenges in Africa How Cinema is re-inventing itself in a COVID-19 world Content creation: the trends, challenges and how consumer demand drives innovation How print can also act as a platform for augmented reality, elevating print beyond the paper How the pandemic has fuelled an even greater need for traditional print media and what this means for the modern press Innovation in photography: exploring the application of modern photography from personal to universal, and its cross-cultural implications; key trends in genres, from food styling to fashion photography. 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As part of the strategy, Saudi Arabia plans to increase the residents of Riyadh from 7.5 million to 15-20 million in 2030, the crown prince said on the second day of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Summit on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported. Riyadh represents 50 per cent of the country's non-oil economy, and the cost of the job creation in Riyadh is 30 per cent less than other cities in Saudi Arabia, while the cost of infrastructure and real estate development is 29 per cent less, he said. The strategy also aims to improve Riyadh in terms of quality of life, tourism, education by various initiatives covering different sectors, he added. Why North Star felt it was key to keep in-person education amid COVID The citizens of Delhi woke up to a foggy morning with reduced visibility as the air quality continued to remain in 'very poor' category on Friday. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the (AQI) in Delhi today stood at 346. An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101- 200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe. On Thursday, the AQI was 329 and on Wednesday, the AQI was 321. People are advised to avoid all outdoor physical activities and move to indoor activities. If anyone is suffering from asthma, they should keep relief medicine handy, as per the SAFAR advisory. The report also added that the AQI is likely to stay in the very poor category till today. "The minimum temperature in Delhi dipped down to 3 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature is expected to touch 20 degrees Celsius," the Regional Meteorological Department of Delhi stated in its daily report. Areas near Lodhi Road recorded a minimum temperature of 3 degrees Celsius today morning and areas near Palam recorded a minimum of 6.2 degrees Celsius. Amid shivering cold, heavy security forces were deployed near Red Fort and Singhu border to prevent any unlawful activities amid the ongoing farmer protests. In addition, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) tweeted, "Mainly Clear Sky. Shallow to moderate fog is observed in the morning. Cold wave conditions at a few places." In a tweet on January 25, IMD had informed, "Cold Wave to Severe Cold Wave conditions very likely in some pockets over Punjab Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi and Rajasthan during next 4-5 days. (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.) Q-KANGAROO is supporting local businesses in a practical and powerful way. Q-KANGAROO is a mobile app that allows you to order & pay ahead for Pick-Up and Delivery of your favourite local food & drink from local restaurants, cafes, takeaways, & so much more! 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It might not seem like you're doing much but your support means the world to these businesses and Q-KANGAROO (who are also a local business)! So get involved and #SupportLocal with Q-KANGAROO this weekend! Taking precautions post-vaccination is important, since we know it can be airborne, and some emerging new variants seem to be more infectious, experts point out. As of 29 January 2021, over 28 lakh healthcare workers in India have received a vaccination as part of the national COVID-19 vaccination drive. The vaccination campaign isn't yet open to the general population. But as more people are invited to get vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, many questions are being raised about vaccination, and the usefulness of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Serum Institute of India's Covishield the vaccines approved for emergency-use in India in preventing COVID-19 disease in those who have been immunised. At the population level, vaccines lower the number of new cases of COVID-19 disease in the population. At the individual level, vaccines are engineered to defend the immunised person against COVID-19 disease. These objectives can be attained so long as the vaccines work for everyone, which isn't a guarantee, even for tried-and-tested vaccines. So, are we better off taking precautions than the vaccine? 'If I take adequate precautions, I don't need the vaccine' Since the general population isn't yet being vaccinated, all the precautions advised to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection physical distancing, hand hygiene and masks need to be continued, experts said. Moreover, being vaccinated does not mean you can't be infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. "There is no evidence to show that those who get the vaccine cant transmit the virus to others...because the vaccine has been tested [for the immunity if offers] against the COVID-19 disease, not against SARS-CoV-2 infection," said Dr Shahid Jameel, CEO of the Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance and Director of the Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University. "Even if you are vaccinated, you could be infected and not have COVID-19 disease." Whether during or after vaccinations, experts advise taking precautions including physical distancing, hand hygiene and masks in public spaces, among others. Another strong motivating factor to be cautious even after vaccination is the fact that the virus is known to be airborne. "We have known that the virus can be airborne for a few months now. You may still come in contact with people who are shedding the virus without knowing it," said Dr Om Srivastava, director of infectious diseases at Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai. "The mask definitely helps, but the vaccine is going to boost your immune response to COVID-19 , and possibly even other infections. So yes, it is highly advisable to take the vaccine." Donald Trump | (Image: AP) Thrown under the bus by the Republican leadership of the United States Senate, Donald Trump is at sixes and sevens over his impeachment trial. This is not at all surprising because, of all the elected bodies in the US, the Senate is the most inscrutable, its rules a veritable maze even for career politicians. Trump is a businessman who strayed into politics. Although he has been remarkably successful in both professions, he was like a fish out of water in his dealings with Capitol Hill, especially the Senate, throughout his now-ended one-term presidency. The most consequential difference for the US in the months ahead between Trump and his successor in the White House, Joe Biden, will be that the Senate has been virtually Bidens second home for 44 years while Trump did not even bother to learn how the upper chamber of Congress conducts its normal business. The Senate is a lasting tribute to the vision and wisdom of the founding fathers of the US. Some of its features were sought to be incorporated in the Rajya Sabha by those who debated independent Indias legislative architecture in the Constituent Assembly. The Indian Parliaments upper chamber would have qualified to be like the US Senate in the current politically polarised environment if expediency had not whittled down over the years, some of the goals behind the Rajya Sabhas creation. Individuality of members and their unrestricted freedom of action are among the most redeeming qualities of the US Senate. Any member can offer an amendment to any legislation in the Senate without having to submit to his or her partys straitjacket unlike in the House of Representatives or most US state legislatures. Such unrestrained authority to amend any Bill by an individual member means every voice from every corner of the US is heard in this chamber. Unlike Punjabs farmers today, it is never necessary for any section of US society to camp outside Washington for months, sitting in protest over any issue. Not just that, a single Senator can put a block on any legislation and even do it anonymously if the member chooses to do so. In the final stages of the India-US nuclear deal, the enabling Bill was once held up because one Senator chose to anonymously block it. Lobbyists for the Indian government had a harrowing time ferreting out who the obstructionist Senator was and finding out what he wanted in return for lifting the block on the nuclear deal. It turned out that this Senator was demanding an increase in funding for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a California institution which works to advance US nuclear weapons technology. This Senator was not at all against the nuclear deal with India. He has been clamouring for more funds for this laboratory and sensed that if he struck then, the right time as he sensed, he would get the funding. Indeed, he did. There was a high-level delegation from New Delhi in Washington when this happened: the delegation had been assured of Senate passage of the nuclear deal that week and the then US President George W Bush had promised to sign the Bill into law as soon as the Senate passed it. The House of Representatives had already cleared the legislation. The single Senators block caused embarrassment all round: in the White House, in the Senate India Caucus and in the House, where there was bipartisan and overwhelming support for India. Just as he anticipated, the obstructionist Senator had his way. He got what he wanted and then the Senate passed the India Bill. The annals of the Senate are replete with such examples, mostly over domestic issues, few over foreign security policy as in this case involving India. Until Barack Obama was elected US President, much to the chagrin of white supremacists who could not accept the idea that a black man was the leader of their country, such unique features of the Senate were rarely misused, if at all. No Senator ever clogged the business of the chamber by moving amendment after amendment just because they had the right to do so. Compromises were unfailingly worked out so that grievances were patiently heard, but the work of the Senate was never interminably held up unlike in the Indian Parliament often during the last one decade. Consider filibuster, another privileged tactic unique to the Senate against steamrolling Bills by the majority party. It is based on the right of every Senator to speak as long as he or she deems necessary on any issue. It was only in the 20th century, at the urging of wartime President Woodrow Wilson that Senators agreed to put some restrictions on the right of Senators to speak for ever. Often, the restriction that a two-thirds vote by the Senate could cut off a speaker (who would not stop) did not work because such a majority was hard to muster. The current rule is that a filibuster could be ended with 60 votes out of the Senate strength of 100. Trump may not be impeached, after all, because of a Senate rule that requires 67 votes to convict the former President. But much is about to change in this hallowed institution, which has withstood the test of time. That will be a Trump legacy even if he had no clue how this chamber functioned with its time-honoured rules. MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI A resolution condemning the attack on the U.S. Capitol was narrowly approved by a deeply divided Muskegon County Board of Commissioners during a meeting punctuated with interruptions and claims that the resolution itself was lawless. The board voted 5-4 via Zoom this week to condemn the storming of the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6. Republican board Chair Bob Scolnik joined with Democrats to approve the resolution that he brought forward. But the rest of the Republicans, including three newcomers, refused to support the resolution, pointing to violence and destruction committed by Black Lives Matter protesters in cities across the nation. We basically had an insurrection that tried to form a coup to take over our whole government, board Vice Chair Charles Nash said in supporting the resolution. This is something that people want us to speak out about. Silence is acceptance. All were doing is speaking out, and words do matter. Related: Michigan National Guard redeployed to Washington, D.C. after terror threat warning The resolution begins by noting commissioners oath to uphold the constitutions of the United States and the State of Michigan and acknowledges citizens right to free speech. It then denounces the events of Jan. 6 as a threat to the nation and expresses sadness for the loss of lives and outrage at those who stormed the Capitol. It goes on to recognize the deep divide in the country and the need for productive and civil discussion to achieve unity, and ends by denouncing the violence and destruction at the Capitol. The resolution does not pin blame on any particular group, but Commissioner Zach Lahring didnt see it that way. We all condemn violence. Every single one of us condemns violence, he said during an initial discussion of the resolution on Jan. 12. But this suggests that the Trump supporters were the ones creating acts of sedition and treason (which) is absurd. He warned that the resolution could open the commissioners up to claims of slander. This resolution condemning the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol was narrowly approved by the Muskegon County Board of Commissioners. Lahring also called the resolution lawless, saying it violated board rules by bypassing a committee during a time when there was no emergencyno threat to Muskegon County. But the countys attorney said board rules indicate such proclamation resolutions dont need to go to committee. Some of those who spoke against the resolution noted the county had not condemned last summers widespread violent protests over police brutality against Blacks. Dissenting commissioners interrupted Democrat Marcia Hovey-Wright as she argued in favor of the resolution and against comparing the Capitol attack to protests organized by the Black Lives Matter movement. What were talking about in this resolution rises above anything that happened this summer, Hovey-Wright said. This was an insurrection that happened against our Capitol. As she spoke, Commissioner Kim Cyr could be seen and heard making sounds and gestures of disagreement and then exclaiming What? when Hovey-Wright mentioned the insurrection. That mention also prompted Commissioner Malinda Pego to exclaim Has not been proven. Not true! to which Scolnik shouted Pego! and someone else said out of order. Hovey-Wright asserted her right to the floor and continued. This is much worse than anything, she started, interrupted by Cyrs utterance of exasperation with a hand to his forehead. I was almost in tears, Hovey-Wright continued. It was hard to imagine this could happen in our Capitol. She suggested the board consider a separate resolution condemning other acts of violence. In response, and without being given permission to speak, Pego exclaimed, Lets do a resolution about ripping unborn babies out of their mothers wombs! To which a visibly frustrated Scolnik shouted Pego, youre out of order. That has nothing to do with this. The resolution had been tabled on Jan. 12 when Lahring and Cyr, among other complaints, said it incorrectly called the events at the Capitol a threat to our nations core democratic principles. We are not a democracy, said Lahring. Were a constitutional republic. Similarly, Cyr at that time asserted that the United States is not a democracy. Its a representative republic, he said. The resolution brought back to the board Tuesday replaced the words core democratic principles with Constitutional Republic. Related: Michigan AG wants sanctions against lawyers who fueled the fire of distrust before Capitol riot Voting in favor of the resolution were Scolnik, Nash, Hovey-Wright, Democrat Rillastine Wilkins and Democrat Susie Hughes. Voting against it were Lahring, Pego, Cyr and Republican Doug Brown. At the bottom of the proposed resolution was a list of commissioners names. However, the final version will not have the names of Pego and Lahring, who made a motion to remove them. All but Nash and Wilkins agreed to leave their names off. The final resolution will note how each named commissioner voted on it. I do not want my name associated with this at all because you are not addressing any of the violence that has happened over the last year, Lahring said. The BLM ilk have destroyed this country from the East Coast to the West Coast, from the Canadian border to Dallas. Scolnik disagreed with Lahrings comparison of the events. When people break into our Capitol, thats different than somebody burning something in a city, he said. Its symbolic. Scolnik replaced Hughes as the county boards chair this year after Republicans won control in the November 2020 election. Pego beat incumbent Gary Foster in the August Republican primary and was unopposed in the general election. Brown replaced Republican I. John Snider who chose not to run for re-election in November. And Cyr beat incumbent Democrat Kenneth Mahoney, tipping the board in the Republicans favor. Also on MLive: Recovery from pandemic expected in Muskegon County by end of 2022, economist says He cant believe he got involved in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot, attorney says Heres how to join COVID-19 vaccine waiting lists in Muskegon, Ottawa counties New Location Marks Curaleaf's 97th Retail Location Nationwide, and the Company's 10th Store in the State WAKEFIELD, Mass., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CSE: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) ("Curaleaf" or the "Company"), a leading U.S. provider of consumer products in cannabis, announces the opening of the first Curaleaf-branded retail location in the Pennsylvania market with a new dispensary at 7040 Jonestown Road in Harrisburg, marking its 97th retail location nationwide. A ribbon cutting ceremony in partnership with the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & Capital Region Economic Development Corporation is scheduled during the store's Grand Opening on Tuesday, February 2 at 1:15 pm EST. Curaleaf's further expansion into Pennsylvania will provide increased access to high-quality medical cannabis products, innovative consumption formats, and leading national brands such as Grassroots and Select. Of the 23 qualifying conditions for the close to 504,000 registered patients in caregivers in the state, pain, anxiety and PTSD account for 80% of all certifications, making veteran access to cannabis a top priority. As such, Curaleaf offers discounts to veterans, seniors, and first-time patients alike. The new 2,750 square foot Curaleaf dispensary is situated in the greater Harrisburg area, strategically located directly off Route 22, the main thoroughfare between Harrisburg and Hershey, which will provide optimal patient access to all in the Dauphin County area. Formerly a bank with a drive through, the space allows for two lanes for curbside pick-up, a vital detail in assuring easy access for patients during COVID-19. As the state capital, Harrisburg and its surrounding cities make up the fourth most populated metropolitan area in the state. Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. closed on its acquisition of GR Companies, Inc. ("Grassroots") on July 23, 2020. In connection with that acquisition, nine Herbology retail locations in Pennsylvania will come under the Curaleaf umbrella and branding. The Company has plans for additional expansion in Pennsylvania's medical market throughout 2021. "We are excited to open a Curaleaf retail location in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, offering our unparalleled patient care and education, as well as our premium cannabis products," said Joe Bayern, Curaleaf President and Chief Executive Officer. "We look forward to serving this community and anticipate that demand will quickly surpass projected sales in this market, as cannabis continues to gain acceptance for a variety of health and wellness needs." In 2020, Curaleaf's Pennsylvania subsidiary was approved as a Clinical Registrant in Pennsylvania by the Commonwealth's Department of Health, Office of Medical Marijuana. This first-in-the-nation research program is shaping the future of medical cannabis treatment. As a Clinical Registrant, Curaleaf supports research initiatives into the potential medical benefits of cannabis by providing medical cannabis, expertise and distribution to patients participating in medical research studies. This designation builds upon Curaleaf's efforts to be a leading industry resource in education and advancement through advocacy. Curaleaf Harrisburg patients will benefit from the location's five point-of-sale stations, one waiting room and patient consultation room. Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and Sunday, 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. A portion of proceeds from opening day will be donated to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank as a continuation of Feed the Block, an initiative of Curaleaf's Corporate Social Responsibility program developed to combat and address food insecurity in the communities in it serves. During the COVID-19 pandemic, cannabis businesses have been deemed an essential service across the country, including in Pennsylvania. Curaleaf remains committed to serving patients and customers with the products they rely on while implementing heightened safety and hygienic measures for the safety of all team members and customers in all of its facilities. About Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CSE: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) ("Curaleaf") is a leading U.S. provider of consumer products in cannabis, with a mission to improve lives by providing clarity around cannabis and confidence around consumption. As a vertically integrated, high-growth cannabis operator known for quality, expertise and reliability, the company and its brands, including Curaleaf, Select and Grassroots, provide industry-leading service, product selection and accessibility across the medical and adult-use markets. Curaleaf currently operates in 23 states with 97 dispensaries, 23 cultivation sites and over 30 processing sites, and employs over 3,800 team members across the United States. Curaleaf is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol CURA and trades on the OTCQX market under the symbol CURLF. For more information please visit www.curaleaf.com INVESTOR CONTACT Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. Finance and Investor Relations [email protected] MEDIA CONTACT Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. Tracy Brady, VP Corporate Communications [email protected] FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This media advisory contains forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forwardlooking statements or information. Generally, forward-looking statements and information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", " expects" or, "proposed", "is expected", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forwardlooking statements and information concerning the retail expansion of Curaleaf in Pennsylvania. Such forward-looking statements and information reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the company with respect to the matter described in this new release. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which are based on current expectations as of the date of this release and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Additional information about these assumptions and risks and uncertainties is contained under "Risk Factors and Uncertainties" in the Company's latest annual information form filed September 25, 2020, which is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and in other filings that the Company has made and may make with applicable securities authorities in the future. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as to the date of this press release and we undertake no 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. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release. SOURCE Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. Related Links https://www.curaleaf.com LA JOLLA, Calif., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- National University, a nonprofit university celebrating its 50-year history of serving working adult learners, educators, and veterans, today announced the launch of two new courses that will train law enforcement personnel on the importance of community policing and organizational wellness. The University received two grants totaling $700,000 from the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to develop the new courses in an effort to enhance current community partnerships and to foster new ones. "This past year has been an undeniably challenging time in the history of policing across our country, but with every challenge comes an opportunity," said Shelley Zimmerman, a Chancellor appointee at National University and former San Diego Chief of Police. "As law enforcement leaders in our honorable and noble profession, it is critically important to provide best practice 21st Century training to increase the overall effectiveness of police services furthering a shared goal of healthier and safer communities." Zimmerman, a decorated law enforcement executive of 35 years and pioneer in police management as the first female chief in the San Diego Police Department's history, joined National University following her tenure with the department. She teaches and guest lectures on a variety of public safety and leadership topics to expand educational opportunities for public safety professionals, including law enforcement officers and civilian personnel, through the University's Public Safety Promise initiative. Dr. Susan Zukowski, Vice President of Workforce Education Solutions Training and Development for National University System, lead the efforts to receive the grant and build the programs, engaging with law enforcement and community leaders and members to identify opportunities and challenges related to community policing and organizational wellness. "In developing these courses, we wanted to contribute to law enforcement and community building in a way that could have a lasting impact, to be a catalyst for long-term change. We did this through listening to the voices of over 100 members of law enforcement and the community to try to infuse multiple perspectives into developing engaging curriculum." Faculty experts at National University in collaboration with law enforcement and The Institute for Violence, Abuse, and Trauma developed the course curriculum following the statewide listening tour that included civic, religious, public health and civil rights groups. Over the eight-hour course on community policing, California law enforcement personnel will learn fundamentals of community policing, an evidence-based theory of law enforcement focused on building proactive and collaborative relationships between the civilian community and law enforcement agencies. During the nine-hour program on organizational wellness, participants will learn to apply these practices through real-world scenarios and receive training on wellness issues that affect interactions with members of the community and within agencies, such as mental health, unconscious bias, and the impact of poverty, violence, and trauma in the community. Coursework will be conducted through self-paced, asynchronous courses, and participants will be able to select live sessions that are convenient for them, making the course more accessible to active-duty law enforcement officers with complex schedules. "This initiative is a powerful example of how we can meet the complex training needs of public service professionals, while contributing to the health and well-being of the very communities they serve," said Chris Graham, president of Workforce Education Solutions at National University System. "Developed with guidance from law enforcement professionals and public health experts, it will bring real-world and relevant training to hundreds of California police officers." About National University National University (NU), a veteran-founded nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of hard-working adults by providing accessible, affordable, achievable higher education opportunities since 1971. As San Diego's largest private nonprofit university, NU offers over 75 online and on-campus programs and flexible four-week courses designed to help students reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding, the NU community has grown to over 25,000 students and 180,000 alumni around the globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business, education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal justice. Learn more at NU.edu. About the National University System The National University System (NUS) is a network of accredited nonprofit education institutions serving a diverse population of students including Pre-K-12 students and working professionals. NUS higher-education institutions serve more than 45,000 students through National University, Northcentral University, and City University of Seattle. NUS education-focused initiatives include Workforce Education Solutions and the Sanford Programs. Learn more at nusystem.org. SOURCE National University Related Links https://www.nu.edu EDITORS NOTE: NJ Cannabis Insider is hosting a two-day business and networking conference March 9-10, featuring some of the states most prominent industry leaders. Early-bird registration is open. Tickets are limited. As lawmakers and Gov. Phil Murphy debate change to a bill that will launch legal marijuana sales in New Jersey, one Republican senator has introduced a bill that would allow residents to grow up to six weed plants at home. Sen. Gerald Cardinale, R-Bergen, is the primary sponsor of S3407, introduced Thursday. The bill legalizes possession of six or fewer marijuana plants once Murphy signs a legalization bill into law. The people of New Jersey made it clear in November that they want to lift the prohibition on cannabis, Cardinale said in a statement. Since then, the Legislature has spent three months fumbling around with what should have been a simple task, and complicated the legalization effort with countless fees, licensing and extra layers of bureaucracy. Medical marijuana patients have long called for the state to allow them to grow their own plants. The strained medical cannabis program in New Jersey has led to high prices and product shortages, and those who want to grow their own medicine see it as a work around for the programs hurdles. But Democratic lawmakers, while pursuing legalization, have said they do not want to allow home grow just yet. Cardinales bill would affect not just medical patients, but allow growing for personal use, too. Currently, growing five plants or less can result in three to five years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Many states with medical marijuana programs allow patients to grow their own cannabis at home. Cardinales bill is subject to Murphy signing the legalization bill (S21). Lawmakers passed it in December, but the governor has held off on signing until fixes are made to establish civil penalties, like fines and warnings, for those under 21 caught with marijuana. The senator has not supported legalization, but has spoken up about allowing home grow in recent months. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the legalization bill in November, Cardinale asked why lawmakers were not considering home grow. I was against home growing, he said, noting his initial stance. But weve had a referendum. The referendum made it a legal substance, he said. I can understand when it was an illegal substance. But why do we prevent people from growing marijuana? The bill has yet to be scheduled for legislative hearings. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Amanda Hoover may be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) heads to the floor of the Senate in Washington, on Jan. 26, 2021. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images) McConnell Heavily Criticizes Bidens Energy Policy, Calls It Piecemeal Green New Deal Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday heavily criticized the Biden administrations actions on energy policy that he collectively dubbed a piecemeal green new deal. McConnell said at a Senate session on Thursday that the Biden administrations actions so far are the wrong prescription, including the decision to revoke authorization for the Keystone pipeline, the decision to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord, and other actions taken in the name of addressing climate change. Theres nothing green about a tsunami of pink slips for American workers, or carting Canadian crude around in trucks and trains instead of a pipeline, McConnell said. This piecemeal green new deal is the wrong prescription. Wrong for the environment, wrong for national security. And most of all for the working Americans who will soon be formerly working Americans if this keeps up. He added, China, Russia, and our other competitors must be thrilled, absolutely thrilled, that our new government is essentially declaring war on some of our own economic foundations to satisfy a craving for symbolic gesture. Wilfully throwing our own people out of work, reducing our domestic energy security, raising costs and prices for working familiesall for no meaningful impact on global temperatures. The Republican senator praised the policies of the Trump administration saying, The last four years prove that growing our prosperity, reducing emissions, and expanding domestic energy are actually not in tensionwe can achieve all three. The White House didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Keystone XL Oil Pipeline McConnell called Bidens decision to revoke the permit on the Keystone XL oil pipeline a massive setback for energy security in North America. Former President Donald Trump had in 2017 permitted the completion of the pipeline. A Canadian leader last week called Bidens decision to halt the completion of the oil pipeline system in Canada and the United States a gut punch, McConnell noted. Id imagine the 11,000 American workers, including 8,000 union workers who were counting on that work, feel the same way, he added, saying that Biden effectively closed the door on thousands of American jobs with a stroke of a pen. Bidens executive order that paused the pipelines construction said that in 2015, the Department of State and former President Barack Obama determined that approving the proposed Keystone XL pipeline would not serve the U.S. national interest. The same analysis had said that the country must prioritize the development of a clean energy economy, which will in turn create good jobs. It also said that the pipeline would have a limited impact on U.S. energy security, and that approval of the pipeline would undermine U.S. climate leadership by undercutting the credibility and influence of the United States in urging other countries to take ambitious climate action. Paris Climate Accord Separately, McConnell said that Bidens decision on Jan. 20 to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord will only bring Americans serious pain. Weve headed back into an international pact that wouldve self inflict[ed] serious pain on working families, that failed to curb Chinas emissions, and without which our own emissions have been dropping anyway, he said. John Kerry, former secretary of state under the Obama-Biden administration and now Bidens top environmental policy adviser, admitted yesterday that even if the United States somehow brought our carbon emissions to zero, it wouldnt make much difference in the global picture, McConnell pointed out. Thats because our competitors, including China, have already gone roaring past us. The United States formally left the climate agreement on Nov. 4, 2020. Former President Donald Trump first announced in 2017 his intention to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, calling the United Nations framework to tackle climate change a total disaster for the U.S. economy that was too lenient towards communist China and its greenhouse gas emissions. Read More Experts Warn of Devastating Economic Impact of Rejoining Paris Climate Accord Chinese workers commute as smoke billows from a coal fired power plant in Shanxi, China, on Nov. 25, 2015. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) China has become the worlds largest greenhouse-gas emitter, contributing 26.8 percent. Both China and India, which contributes 7 percent, pledged in the international pact to reduce their emissions intensity relative to GDP by 2030. This means their emissions will continue to increase in the next decade due to economic growth and also would not contribute to reducing global emissions by 50 percent by 2030, according to the Universal Ecological Fund. U.S. participation in the agreement would cost the average family $20,000 and the national GDP $2.5 trillion by 2035, as well as an overall loss of nearly 400,000 jobs, half of which would be in manufacturing, according to a 2019 report published by the Heritage Foundation. The United States contributes 13.1 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions. Ban on Oil, Gas Development on Public Land McConnell also questioned Bidens Wednesday decision to halt oil and natural gas development on public lands. Yesterday, the administration slammed the brakes on further domestic energy development on the huge swaths of land owned by the federal government, the senator said Thursday. No new oil, gas or coal leases on federal land. Our responsible use of these lands accounts for more than a fifth, one fifth, of our domestic productionabout 2.8 million barrels per day. That is almost the equivalent of Kuwaits daily oil production from our federal lands alone. Plus more than 10 [percent] of domestic natural gas, he noted. But some left-wing elites are not happy that the United States in 2019 for the first time since the 1950s ran an energy surplus and its exports surpassed imports, he said. The sources of this affordable domestic energy are not sufficiently trending, McConnell said. As John Kerry explained yesterday on behalf of the administration, he wants the large numbers of American workers in those sectors to find better choices. Better choices than their good jobs to treat their families and strengthen our independence? he questioned. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, on Jan. 27, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Kerry on Wednesday said that Biden wants to make sure workers in the energy industry have better choices in jobs that pay better and are cleaner, giving the example of being a solar power technician instead of being a miner. Kerry also asserted that its a false notion that dealing with climate is coming at the expense of energy workers. He added that there is a lot of money to be made in the creation of new healthier jobs in sectors such as green hydrogen, geothermal heat, and other renewables. Read More Al Gore Endorses Biden Presidency on Earth Day but Is Criticized by Michael Moore McConnell noted on Thursday that a study (pdf) by energy consulting firm OnLocation concluded that a leasing and development ban on federal land and waters would mean the loss of nearly 1 million jobs by 2022. One million lost jobs by next year alone. Goes a heck of a way to kick off a presidencymass layoffs of our own citizens, he emphasized. McConnell said that states which have much of their oil and natural gas production tied to federal land will suffer significant job losses by next year, with estimates suggesting at least 16,000 jobs are at stake in New Mexico and 3,000 jobs in Colorado if Bidens federal ban persists. McConnell added, Working Americans in other sectors will pay as well. According to the study, the decision on federal lands could mean that U.S. households could spend a cumulative $19 billion more on energy by 2030. Four House Democrats from Texas urged Biden to rescind his order, saying it will lead to job losses, squeeze budgetary revenues, undercut American energy independence, and will hurt an already suffering community. Western Energy Alliance, a group representing fossil fuel producers on federal lands, sued the Biden administration on Wednesday over the order saying the president exceeded his authority. Earlier this week, the news broke that a wealthy Canadian couple illegally snuck into a vaccination clinic in a remote Yukon community. Rod and Ekaterina Baker, a casino executive and actress who appear to be worth millions, are alleged to have traveled to Canadas northern Yukon territory, chartered a small plane into the tiny town of Beaver Creek, home to the White River First Nation, and presented themselves at the mobile vaccine clinic, posing as newly arrived hotel workers. The couple received their first doses of the Moderna vaccine but raised suspicions when they asked for a ride back to the airport afterward. They were later intercepted, ticketed, and charged under the Yukons Civil Emergency Measures Act for violating the territorys mandatory self-isolation orders upon arrival. The act allows for a punishment of up to six months in jail, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are investigating further. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Yukon has seen low case counts throughout the pandemic: There have been just 70 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one reported death, out of 35,000 residents. The government implemented travel restrictions, among other measures, early on, an approach driven in part by the territorys vulnerability and limited medical infrastructure. Most Yukon communities have only a nursing station at most, and even in Whitehorse, the small capital city where I live, the hospital has only a handful of ICU beds and a limited oxygen supply. Critically ill patients are often put on medevac flights to southern hospitals. Thats meant that even when the virus seemed to be entirely absent from the region, people remained on guard; our vulnerability is also the reason why Canadas federal government has prioritized the three northern territories for vaccination. The territory, in turn, has put remote, predominantly Indigenous communities like Beaver Creek, home to high-risk Elders and knowledge keepers, at the front of the line. Advertisement Jackie Hong, a reporter at CBC Yukon, was the first to break the story of the incursion last Friday. On Monday, Haley Ritchie of the Yukon News was the first to name the Bakers. The story has since traveled around the world. I asked Hong and Ritchie, two of my colleagues in the Yukon press corps, how they got their scoops, what its been like to see their reporting spread so far, and how the pandemic has affected their work. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Advertisement Slate: How did you first become aware of this story? Hong: We received a tip from someone who was made aware of the tickets and gave CBC Yukon a little nudge, saying, Hey, you should look into this. So thats how it started. Advertisement What were your first steps? Hong: I put in a request with Health and Social Services first, but they directed me to Cabinet communications, so I sent a message to them, and they said they would follow up. Then my next call was to the White River First NationI spoke to, I guess, the person who answers the phone at the front desk, and she said she hadnt heard anything like that. She passed me on to the executive director who told me about the same and said there had been a few contractors in town, but they had been hired by White River and given permission to get vaccines, so he thought that maybe it was just a community rumor spun out of control. And then he gave me the number for the person who runs the Beaver Creek airport. I called her as well and she said she had no idea what I was talking about, there were only three flights in that day, and there were no non-Yukoners on any of those flights. Advertisement Advertisement So at first I thought, like the executive director said, that this was just a rumor. It wasnt until a couple of hours later when I heard back from [Yukon Minister of Community Services John Streicker] that I realized it was real. Haley, was the first you heard about it Jackies Twitter thread on Friday, or did you get a tip too? Ritchie: It was Jackies Twitter thread. We [at the Yukon News] knew we would have to match the story, so I wanted to get started on that Friday. I contacted the courthouse to see if we could get copies of the tickets, so we could do some of our own reporting. You both had copies of the tickets issued to the Bakers by Friday afternoon. And then what? Advertisement Hong: The weekend was definitely spent doing a lot of internet trawling and cross-checking. [The Bakers had] a pretty big social media presence that got pulled down, I think, by Monday, but on the weekend there was still a ton of stuff online. Ritchie: Saturday morning I spent quite a bit of time just downloading [their social media histories] because I was pretty sure it was going to disappear quickly. I was cross-referencing their birth dates, which I had from the ticket, with that social media information, and also the date of their marriage just to make sure that this was the right couple. Advertisement Hong: Same here. Because he was the CEO of this casino company, there were stories with photos of him and his age from industry events, so that really helped to nail down that this was the guy with more confidence. Advertisement Was there any discussion in either of your newsrooms about dropping the names on Friday, or was the plan always to find out more and make a fuller profile before making the names public? Ritchie: We were pretty solid to wait until MondayI wanted to be very, very sure. It would have been a problem if I hadnt gotten it right, so I needed some time. Hong: On my end, we had received the confirmation from the minister before receiving the tickets, so we already had the main story up. And like Haley said, we wanted to make sure we got it right. Just the reaction to the initial storythe last thing you want to do in this kind of situation is put up a photo of the wrong person, especially when the reaction is so visceral. I cant repeat some of the things that people were saying in the comments, and that was before we had named them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the names were public, were you surprised by how far the story traveled? Hong: I think I knew that it had the potential to blow up, because it hits so many hot-button topics right now. Especially in the context of the pandemic, and not just in the Yukon but Canada-wide and possibly even worldwide. Ritchie: There was a lot of speculation about who they were, why they could have done this, and then when the actual truth came out, its almost cartoon-y. It struck a nerve but also, the whole plot is bizarre. I can understand why people are upset about it, not just in White River First Nation but around the world. People have made so many sacrifices. Its frustrating to see that not everyone is willing to make those sacrifices. Advertisement They did turn out to be maximum cartoon villains, didnt they? [LAUGHTER] What has it been like covering the pandemic more broadly, in a region that is relatively unaffected but high-stakes in terms of its vulnerability? Ritchie: I kind of miss scrums, to be honest. News-gathering is different. Hong: I know its so much worse in big centers, but it feels like even a small development here hits harder because its such a small community. I was at the press conference when they announced Yukons first two cases, and I know its a cliche, but it really was a bombshell. It felt like we were in this little island of safety and then all of a sudden, no, its here. What happens to us? We have basically one real hospital. So its been an interesting mix of feeling like youre in a little bubble of safety, watching everything happen down south, but at the same time its so scary. Advertisement Do you think theres a benefit for local reporters specifically, or local news generally, when a story like this goes really big? Does it help the cause of local news, or your careers? Or is it more like: Your mentions are crazy for a few days, you keep doing your job, and life goes on? Hong: I am not sure. Like you said, my Twitter notifications are basically unusable right now, but I dont know in the long term if that will make people appreciate having reporters on the ground more, or if its just kind of, oh, great job, see you never! Ive been getting a lot of kudos from my friends but I dont know if my career has advanced in the past four or five days necessarily. Ritchie: Yeah, I havent gotten any job offers. [laughs] For me its meaningful when people in our industry, reporters who I admire, tweet out the story. But I find sometimes these things are kind of a flash in the pan. Hong: I think the story just really illustrates the power and the value of having reporters on the ground. Were two local reporters based in Whitehorse, and we broke a story that the world is chasing now. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Former St. Joseph County Prosecutor Pleads Guilty to Driving While Visibly Impaired Former St. Joseph County Prosecutor Pleads Guilty to Driving While Visibly Impaired Ryan Jarvi 517-599-2746 Attorney General January 29, 2021 LANSING Following an incident last year in Lockport Township, former St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough has pleaded guilty to driving while visibly impaired and was sentenced to one year probation. McDonough appeared Thursday before Judge Vincent Westra in Kalamazoo County 8th District Court. McDonough was previously charged by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessels office with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and having open intoxicants inside a motor vehicle. Those charges have been dropped due to McDonoughs plea. The original charges stem from a May 11 incident in Lockport Township where McDonough allegedly crossed the centerline, veered off the roadway and crashed into a fence. The St. Joseph County Sheriffs Department responded to the scene and conducted the investigation. The results of a breath test for McDonoughs blood alcohol content conducted at the time of the incident were .06 and .07 percent. The fair and unbiased prosecution of crimes committed by elected and other public officials remains a top priority for Nessel, who has made public integrity a focus throughout her term as Attorney General. McDonoughs case is just one of several involving public officials and members of law enforcement that Nessels office has prosecuted due to requests from other agencies and prosecutors to avoid conflicts of interest. Haiti - News : Zapping... Cap-Haitien : 4 bandits killed by the PNH At midday Thursday, 4 bandits were killed in Cap-Haitien, during an exchange of fire with the police in the Fougerolle neighborhood. They are said to be members of the "Agi Vit" Gang who took refuge in this area after the destruction of Chanda 1 and 2 neighborhoods where their stronghold was located. These individuals would be specialized in the robbery. Unconfirmed testimony claims several people were also injured. General transport strike announced Transport unions announce a general strike on Monday and Tuesday February 2, 2021 to protest against insecurity. EDH apologizes The Peligre dam will be shut down on January 29 from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during the reloading work, which is essential for stabilizing the network. EDH apologizes to its customers and reassures them that production will resume after 5:00 pm with a generator that will produce 18 MW. Injection of 12 million dollars into the foreign exchange market On Thursday the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) injected 12 million US dollars into the foreign exchange market. Of this amount, a maximum of one thousand dollars can be sold to households without constraint of transfer abroad provided that the transaction is carried out on account (not in cash). "Plant Avni" project Today, I was happy to officially launch the 'Plant Avni' (Planting the Future) project, because my dream is to support coffee production all over the country. Thank you to the inhabitants of Saint Louis du Nord who welcomed this fantastic project. We will not stop. That coffee production returns to the 10 departments of the country as in the past. Plant Avni, se lespwa pou demen miyo ," First Lady Martine Moise. Inauguration of the 5th Plant Propagation Center This Friday, January 29, will take place the inauguration of the Center for plant propagation in the North, in Grand-Pre commune Quartier Morin. With a production capacity of 4.5 million seedlings per year. This Center is the 5th of its kind inaugurated by President Jovenel Moise https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31909-haiti-environment-inauguration-of-the-4th-plant-propagation-center.html See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24034-icihaiti-environment-towards-the-construction-of-the-7th-plant-propagation-center.html HL/ HaitiLibre China toughened its language toward Taiwan yesterday, warning after recent military activities near the island that independence means war and that its armed forces were acting in response to provocation and foreign interference. Taiwan, claimed by China as its own territory, reported multiple Chinese fighter jets and bombers entering its air defence identification zone last weekend, prompting Washington to urge Beijing to stop pressuring Taiwan. China believes Taiwans democratically elected government is moving the island towards formal independence, though Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has repeatedly said it is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its formal name. Asked about the air forces recent activities, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. The military activities carried out by the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army in the Taiwan Strait are necessary actions to address the current security situation and to safeguard national sovereignty and security, he said. Read More They are a solemn response to external interference and provocations by Taiwan independence forces, he added. Mr Wu said a handful of people in Taiwan were seeking the islands independence. We warn those Taiwan independence elements: those who play with fire will burn themselves, and Taiwan independence means war, he added. While China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, it is unusual for Beijing to make such overt, verbal threats of conflict. Taiwans Defence Ministry reported six Chinese aircraft flew in its air defence zone , close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands at the top end of the South China Sea. The weekend Chinese incursions coincided with a US carrier battle group entering the disputed South China Sea to promote freedom of the seas. China routinely describes Taiwan as its most important and sensitive issue in relations with the US, which under Donald Trumps government ramped up support for the island with arms sales and senior officials visiting Taipei. President Joe Biden has reaffirmed the US commitment to Taiwan as being rock solid, potentially causing further strains with Beijing. UTICA, N.Y. Republican Claudia Tenney increased her lead over Democrat Anthony Brindisi in New Yorks 22nd Congressional District race when more than 300 votes were salvaged after a mistake by Oneida County elections staff. Tenney is now ahead by 122 votes, up from 29 votes, in the race over Brindisi of 312,066 cast for the two candidates in the race. The 22nd Congressional race is the only undecided House race in the country, nearly three months after Election Day. Its been beleaguered by errors that have caused delays and is an exceptionally close race, so both candidates are fighting for every ballot in a State Supreme Court case. State Supreme Court Justice Scott DelConte is presiding over hearings in which hell rule on ballots being contested by either candidate. Recently, the judge learned of a mistake by Oneida County staff in which more than 2,400 people applied to register to vote in Oneida County on time via the Department of Motor Vehicles. However, elections staff failed to process their applications, so those voters would have been told they werent registered on Election Day. As a result of the error, DelConte ordered a review of about 1,100 affidavit ballots that might have been from voters who applied on time via the DMV. Elections staff and campaign representatives spent the last few days reviewing the ballots. Of them, they determined that 393 belonged to voters who registered on time. Of those, 139 went to Brindisi, 232 went to Tenney and two went to Keith Price, a third-party candidate. The other 20 ballots were not added to the tally because campaign representatives challenged them based on unrelated issues, and the judge will determine what will happen with them. Brindisis team is appealing the judges decision to have these 1,100 ballots reviewed and, as a result, the 373 ballots added to the count. The appeal is pending. Contact reporter Patrick Lohmann at PLohmann@Syracuse.com or (315)766-6670. MORE ON THE NY-22 ELECTION In NY 22nd, judges suggests there are no great options to fix Oneida County mistake Whats next in Brindisi-Tenney House race? Appeals, recount, could delay decision for months 700 votes were tossed in Oneida County. Officials ignored state law in latest mess up Oneida County botched 2,400 voter signups, preventing their votes in Brindisi-Tenney race At least 63 voters who did everything right could see votes nixed in Brindisi-Tenney race Court case to decide winner in NY-22 House race to take at least another week Trump refers to Brindisi-Tenney House race as he pushes baseless voter fraud claims 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 Court blocks Vermont from barring religious school students from tuition program Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of Catholic high school students who sued Vermont over a policy barring students who attend religious high schools from accessing a high school tuition program. The U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals issued an emergency injunction pending resolution before a three-judge panel, barring the state from preventing students who attend religious high schools from accessing the states Town Tuitioning Program. The program provides students living in towns that dont have access to public high schools with tuition funds to use at a private school of their choice. But the state has prevented the use of those funds to pay for students to attend faith-based institutions. The 2nd Circuit ruled last Friday that the appellants have established a substantial likelihood that they will prevail on the merits of their Free Exercise claims against the School Defendants. School Defendants denied tuition reimbursement payments to RMHS solely because of its religious affiliation, the order authored by Court Clerk Catherine OHagan Wolfe states. The case, A.H. v. French, was brought on by four Catholic high school students, their parents and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington. They are represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a prominent national legal nonprofit that focuses on religious liberty and free speech cases. ADF Legal Counsel Paul Schmitt argues that people of faith deserve their equal share of generally available public benefits. Because Vermont decided to provide funds for private education when public schools arent readily available, it cannot refuse to allow families to use those funds at some schools just because they are religious, Schmitt said in a statement. The government cant discriminate against religious students and their families by refusing to give them the same benefit that their neighbors receive. Schmitt contended that the order is consistent with the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in the 2017 case of Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer. The Supreme Court ruled by a vote of 7-2 that Missouri could not prevent a church daycare from accessing a secular aid program to help make playgrounds safer for children because it is a religious organization. [This] helps ensure that Vermont families who choose a faith-based education can enjoy the same publicly available opportunities as other families while this lawsuit moves forward, Schmitt said. Last June, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue that religious schools can qualify for a state tax credit program even when the state constitution prevents tax dollars from going to religious institutions. A State need not subsidize private education. But once a State decides to do so, it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because they are religious, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the opinion. Vermonts tuition program is the oldest publicly funded school choice system and dates back to the early 1800s. Last October, the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Maine parents who sued the state over a policy that excludes religious schools from its state tuition program despite the Supreme Courts earlier ruling that year striking down similar restrictions in Montana. Maines tuition program is the second-oldest in the country. [T]he Supreme Court of the United States has decided two cases that the plaintiffs contend require us now to reverse course. Even accounting for that fresh precedent. However, we see no reason to do so, the panels ruling, authored by Judge David Barron, an Obama appointee, reads. In December, another lawsuit was filed against Vermont, the states secretary of education, the state board of education and four of Vermonts public school districts by parents represented by the Chicago-based Liberty Justice Center. The nonprofit focuses on legal cases related to school choice. The lawsuit argues that the program is unfair because it allows children residing in certain school districts to attend the schools of their choosing, while it denies this same right to students in other school districts. Vermonts Town Tuitioning system works well for the favored few who happen to live in a location where it is available, Brian Kelsey, senior attorney at the Liberty Justice Center, said in a statement. Unfortunately, only 17 percent of Vermont school children are afforded some form of choice under the present system. Those who are ineligible are at a distinct, and unconstitutional, disadvantage. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Nigeria suspended its plan to begin exporting sorghum to the United Kingdom in 2020, as a result of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the country representative of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hakeem Ajeigbe, has said. Mr Ajeigbe told PREMIUM TIMES in March 2020 that potential buyers of the beverage-making cereal had already been contacted in the UK, sales were to start shortly. Very soon we will be exporting malted sorghum to Britain, Mr Ajeigbe had said. I have already linked the major market to some of our sorghum off-takers in Nigeria, they will malt the sorghum and then send it to Britain, there is a market there, there is somebody who wants to buy. By now, they should have finished with the deal. I have made the linkage that means that our farmers will be exporting malted sorghum this year, not next year. Actually, the thing is even in some weeks time, malted sorghum will be exported outside the country. He told this newspaper on Tuesday that the pandemic scattered everything just as the implementation of the plan was getting underway. The derivatives there was almost like agreed with the guy who is going to buy it in the United Kingdom. He was supposed to come and then this COVID embargo on travel just put it on hold but we are hoping this will improve and we will start again, Mr Ajeigbe said. Sorghum in Nigeria Nigeria produces large amounts of sorghum, a cereal that can be used as a replacement for maize, wheat, millet and even for rice and all kinds of food. In Nigeria, sorghum is the third most widely grown cereal after maize and millet. The grain can be popped, boiled, roasted or ground to make flour for pastry and baking. It is used for the production of flatbreads, porridge, pancakes, alcoholic beverages including beer and liquors. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Nigeria is the largest producer of sorghum in West Africa, accounting for about 71 per cent of the total regional sorghum output and ranks the second largest producer of sorghum in the world. It is mainly produced in the northern parts of the country, in Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Gombe, Bauchi, Zamfara, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa and Taraba States. The crop has contributed to about 30 per cent of calories intake per capita among all cereal crops consumed in the country over the past two decades, according to the FAO. We are promoting it for industrial use now and once we start using it for industrial activities the demand will go up and thats what we are hoping, Mr Ajeigbe said. When the demand goes up the good thing for sorghum is you can easily increase the production without even increasing the land area, we can increase our production by at least 40 per cent easily. Many of the Nigerian flour mills who are the owner of Northern Nigeria Flour Mills are using sorghum now, he said. They are putting about 10-20 per cent sorghum in those wheat flour and they are also milling sorghum as a whole. He said Nigeria would have been the largest producer in the world but for the crisis in the North East. The crop is grown mostly in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, the birthplace of the terrorist group, Boko Haram. The institute, ICRISAT, is doing a lot to promote the crop and is partnering with the government, he said. ADVERTISEMENT During the time of Obasanjo, we are promoting cassava bread but you can do sorghum bread without looking for all those enzymes that are needed for the cassava bread. We work hand in hand with the federal ministry of agric. Anyway, the minister is planning a sorghum rebranding, lets see how it works, he added. Chery's new Tiggo 7 (Tiggo 7 Pro in some countries) has been a major success in China (+360% YoY in 2020 compared to the old shape) With the exception of the low volume Karry brand, each of Chery Auto's divisions had a great 2020, Chery itself becoming China's 12th most popular make, a y-o-y gain of five places. Nine consecutive months of expansion for the market, plus a wave of fresh vehicles has powered that progress. There's a lot more to come for not only the company's namesake make but for Cowin, Jetour and Exeed too, although there's a question mark over the future of the Cos brand. Chery Home market wholesale deliveries of 453,858 Chery brand passenger vehicles represented a year-on-year rise of 14.6 per cent. Hyundai (446,009, -35%) was one of the many names which Chery sailed past thanks to investments in many new models. The Tiggo 8, a new SUV, was the brand's top seller (136,182) in 2020. Having been launched in May 2018, this 4,722 mm long SUV is due for a facelift in 9-12 months' time. The upscale Tiggo 8 Plus variant announced in August last year (it premiered at the following month's Beijing motor show) will also receive the styling changes. All versions are then due to be replaced in 2025, most likely by an EV. The brand also has plans for multiple additional EVs well before then, including a circa-4.7 m long sedan which might be called Ant Ruiteng 01. Images of prototypes appeared on the web back in August and earlier this week, patent images surfaced. The car, which would be aimed at Tesla's Model 3 and others in that size class, will have a series of screens stretching across its dashboard, in the style of the Honda e. Due for launch in perhaps August, this model will be manufactured by Chery Shijiazhuang New Energy Automobile. The partners in that JV are Hebei Ruiteng New Energy Automobile Company and Chery New Energy Automobile Technology Company. The Ant part of the car's name signifies that it's an EV. As yet there is no official information on the capacity of the battery pack, only that Chery is said to be aiming for an NEDC range of up to 600 km. A motor with outputs of 175 hp and 280 Nm is rumoured. It is believed that like the Ant eQ5 (also known as eQ5 Ant), this model will be based on the company's new RWD electric vehicles architecture. The Ant eQ5 is a 4,630 mm long rear-wheel drive electric crossover which became available at dealers in China five months ago. It resembles the Lynk & Co 01 in some ways, especially at the front. Chery Auto says the model, developed with the codename S61, uses its EV-specific LSF architecture. The vehicle should be facelifted in 2024 and replaced in 2027. Cos Another brand which enjoyed a healthy year-on-year gain was Cos, wholesale deliveries expanding by 24% and reaching 15,809 vehicles on 31 December. Whether that's enough to justify the division's continued existence is another question. Model specifics can be found in PLDB: see the link at the end of this report. Cowin (Kaiyi) Wholesale deliveries of Cowin vehicles rose by exactly a third in 2020, to 33,277. It had been rumoured that Chery would phase out this brand but now it seems that a new strategy will be explored: switching to the Chinese name, which is Kaiyi. The move will reportedly be announced in April, timed to coincide with the debut of a design study at Auto Shanghai. The Kaiyi SUV-coupe concept, with its enormous grille and low roof, will inevitably be spoken of being inspired by the Lexus RX. A production model will likely follow in 2022. At the moment, Cowin's E5 (launched in 2011), E3 (2013) and X5 (2017) are all doing small volume but the X3 (2016) sells fairly well. However it's the far newer Xuanjie which makes up the majority of the brand's volume. Also called Showjet, this model joined the range in May last year. Closely related to the Chery Tiggo 5x and built at the Cowin Yibin Smart Factory, this SUV uses Chery Auto's T1X platform. It should be facelifted in late 2023 and replaced in 2027. Jetour With 130,703 deliveries in 2020, Jetour more than proved itself as an inspired piece of brand creation, coming in at 32nd place just behind Tesla. This year should bring at least one additional SUV along with a facelift for the soon to be three years old launch model, the X70. Twelve months ago, Chery said it would be adding two more X70 variants by year-end, these being the X70M and X70S. One of these turned out to instead be called X70 Plus when it premiered at the Beijing motor show in September. Sales commenced during the following month. An X70 Coupe is also on the way. Full details of these vehicles as well as the brand's other models, the X90 and X95, are in PLDB. Exeed A high flyer from the day of its debut in early 2019, Exeed didn't so much crash to earth in 2020, level flight being more of an accurate description, having risen briskly in the final quarter. The division sold 18,263 vehicles, a year-on-year gain of 14% which nonetheless was enough to lift overall performance to 58th place in the home market's brand rankings from 67th in 2019. That meant it was slightly less successful than Citroen (-60% to 20,068) or Jaguar (+4% to 20,151). Exeed hammered both in December though, deliveries shooting up by 26% to 2,527. Joining the existing TX, TXL and LX this year (see PLDB) will be the VX, delayed from a launch that was supposed to have happened in 2020. The five-metre long seven-seat SUV is expected to have a standard a 145 kW and 290 Nm 1.6-litre petrol turbo engine driving through a seven-speed DCT. Vantas The Exeed VX will be one of two models for Vantas, a brand which HAAH Automotive Holdings told the media in February 2020 that it intends to use for certain Chery Exeed models in the USA and Canada. The company, which had also reached an agreement with *Zotye Auto to sell SUVs to Americans, says Vantas vehicles will be US-assembled from SKD kits. HAAH displayed the Vantas VX and Vantas TXL at last year's NADA gathering as examples of what it has planned for the brand. The models shown in Las Vegas at the 2020 edition of the National Automobile Dealers' Association show had modified front ends and the word VANTAS above the grilles. Duke Hale, the chief executive of HAAH, told the media at NADA 2020 that some 80 dealers had at that point signed up to take on a franchise. Four months ago, Hale noted in an interview that his firm would also be marketing certain vehicles under another brand, T-Go, likely commencing in late 2022. Further details are awaited although the T-Go models are likely to be locally assembled and modified versions of certain Chery Tiggo SUVs, positioned below Vantas vehicles. *in May 2020, HAAH told the media that it had 'suspended' plans to import Zotye vehicles after the Chinese firm got into difficulties with cashflow Reports for many other manufacturers' future models are grouped in the OEM product strategy summaries section of just-auto.com. Future platform intelligence More detail on past, current and forthcoming models can be found in PLDB, the future vehicles database which is part of GlobalData's Automotive Intelligence Center. FAW will be the next OEM to have its brands looked at, these being Bestune and the rapidly rising luxury division, Hongqi (Red Flag). India and Bangladesh will hold extensive deliberations on Friday at the next round of Foreign Office Consultations on key issues such as cooperation in combating COVID-19, border management and security as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to the neighbouring country. The Indian side will be led by Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and the Bangladeshi side by his counterpart Masud Bin Momen. The Foreign Office Consultations will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including cooperation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, border management and security, trade and investment, connectivity, energy, water resources, development partnership and regional and multilateral issues, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said. "Both sides will also discuss joint activities to be held throughout the year as the two countries celebrate 50 years of their diplomatic ties," he said. Preparations for the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Modi to Bangladesh will also be discussed, Srivastava said. Prime Minister Modi will visit Bangladesh in March this year to join the celebrations to mark 50 years of Bangladesh's Independence and India-Bangladesh diplomatic relations. Bangladesh is one of the key pillars of India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and both countries have comprehensive cooperation through more than 60 bilateral mechanisms. the MEA said in a statement. During his visit, the Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary will also call on the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Meanwhile, the 2nd India-Bangladesh Consular Dialogue was held on Thursday with Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Secretary (CPV & OIA) heading the Indian delegation, while Ambassador Mashfee Binte Shams, Secretary (East), Bangladesh foreign ministry, leading the Bangladeshi side. Consular dialogue mechanism between the two countries was instituted in 2017 to discuss issues related to consular, visa, and mutual legal assistance matters. The two sides had wide-ranging discussions on mechanisms to strengthen coordination and cooperation on Consular issues, the MEA said. The discussions included finalisation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for consular access, verification of nationality and release of detainees, particularly early release of detained fishermen, it said. "It was agreed that implementation of provisions under the Revised Travel Arrangements (2018) relating to tourist, student and business visas and further liberalization of visa formalities and entry and exit norms would further enhance ease of travel," the MEA said. Both sides welcomed the close cooperation between agencies to deal with terrorism and cross-boundary crimes and on legal assistance, it said. The two sides reiterated their commitment to continue to work towards citizen-centric consular mechanisms. Noting the special bond between the two countries and the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, they agreed to further strengthen the bilateral relations and promote greater people-to-people exchanges. The next Consular Dialogue will be scheduled in Dhaka, the MEA said. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Excerpted from Children's Health Defense's The Defender with permission: By John Stone and Dr. Meryl Nass, MD On Jan. 13, California health officials issued a hold on 330,000 doses of Modernas COVID-19 vaccine after fewer than 10 people at San Diegos Petco Park stadium vaccine clinic suffered allergic reactions to the vaccine. Santa Clara County officials lifted the hold on the vaccine lot in question on Jan. 21. One day later, on Jan. 22, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Morbidity Mortality Weekly early release report on Modernas COVID-19 vaccine. For the report, the CDC used data reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) between Dec. 21, 2020 Jan. 10, 2021 to investigate cases of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction, following injections of Modernas vaccine. The CDCs choice to use VAERS data to calculate the rate of anaphylaxis associated with Modernas vaccine is idiosyncratic and troubling. Why? First, VAERS is a passive reporting system, which results in a high degree of underreporting. In fact, a 2010 study (Lazarus et al, 2010) commissioned by the CDC, concluded that fewer than 1% of vaccine injuries are reported to VAERS. A 2015 study (Shimabukuro et al, 2015) similarly concluded that vaccine adverse events are underreported. The other problem with VAERS? Reports often get filed only weeks or months after the event, which means the data is not current. There are other reporting systems that the CDC could have used to calculate anaphylactic reactions to Modernas vaccine. For example, the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) data, which the CDC used to calculate its overall rate of 1.3 events per million doses, updates in real time. So does the V-safe database, which was created specifically to assess the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. V-safe sends text message prompts to vaccine recipients on a daily basis for a week after a person is vaccinated, and occasionally thereafter. The prompts urge vaccine recipients to report any side effects directly using a cell phone app. CDC notified the public of six cases of anaphylaxis following Pfizers COVID vaccine during the first week of the vaccination program. Its information came from the V-safe active surveillance data. Both the Vaccine Safety Datalink and V-safe are considered active surveillance systems, sensitive for identifying events and fit for calculating event rates in a vaccinated population. However, unlike VAERS, neither systems contents are available for public scrutiny. CDCs Jan. 22 report on the Moderna reactions surprisingly asserted that reporting efficiency to VAERS is believed to be high, and VAERS is likely sensitive at capturing anaphylaxis cases occurring after COVID-19 vaccinations. Read more at The Defender. The sanction list has not been published yet. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree to enact a decision taken by the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine on January 28, 2021, on the introduction of new personal sanctions. This was reported on the website of the Office of the President of Ukraine. Read alsoNew U.S. Secretary of State doesn't rule out new sanctions against Russia At the same time, the sanctions list was not made public, and one clause of the NSDC decision is classified. "Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall inform the relevant authorities of the European Union, the United States of America and other states about the imposition of sanctions and request similar restrictive measures," the NSDC's document says. NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov will be in charge of the implementation of the NSDC decision. The decree became effective on the day of its publication. Sanctions imposed by Ukraine: Known facts At its meeting on January 27, the Ukrainian government initiated the introduction of sanctions against Russian airlines that, in violation of Ukrainian legislation, carry out flights to Russia-occupied Crimea. In keeping with the procedure, sanctions lists in Ukraine shall be endorsed by the NSDC and enacted by the President of Ukraine. At the moment, there are 786 legal entities and 1,759 individuals on the Ukrainian sanction list. Reporting by UNIAN Register with JOC.com and receive 5 free pieces of content for the first thirty days. After thirty days, you will receive 3 pieces of content and after sixty days you will receive 1 piece of content. To receive full access, Subscribe Today . You can also subscribe to our daily newsletter. Register A U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot a man attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border Friday, officials said. The incident occurred around 7:38 a.m. about one mile away from the Hidalgo Port of Entry, 240 miles south of San Antonio. An agent responding to a report of several illegal entries fired his weapon while trying to arrest a man, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The man was transported to a local hospital with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at 9 a.m. The agent was not injured. The incident is under investigation by the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility, DHS Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Garnice Robertson wants accountability for her mothers death from COVID-19 caught while she was living at a Kansas nursing home that allegedly failed to prevent an outbreak of the disease. An unexpected legal hurdle stands in her way. The nursing home argues it has complete legal immunity for lawsuits like Robertsons stemming from COVID-19. It cites recent changes to a 2005 law by the former Trump administration that had been sought by the senior care industry. The law known as the PREP Act was originally designed to encourage production of emergency vaccines during an epidemic by granting legal immunity to drug developers. Riverbend Post-Acute Rehabilitation of Kansas City, Kansas, where Robertsons mother allegedly became infected, is one of at least 36 nursing homes and senior living facilities that have cited the law as a defense. Facilities across 14 states, where more than 650 residents died, have argued they should be immune from wrongful death cases an early sign of how the PREP Act could be used by a range of businesses to fend off lawsuits resulting from the pandemic. No judge has yet adopted the nursing homes view of the law, but those arguments, and disputes over which court should hear the case federal or state have led to months of delays, preventing Robertsons lawyers from getting records and interviewing witnesses critical to her case, the lawyers said. Robertson, whose lawsuit was moved to federal court in Topeka, Kansas by Riverbend, said she was upset by the nursing homes use of the law. If Im feeling the way I feel, how do you think all these other people feel? she said. Its just not right. Riverbend, which is affiliated with the publicly traded Ensign Group Inc, and its lawyers did not respond to a request for comment. Immunity Extended to Fight Covid The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act was originally meant to jumpstart U.S. defenses against a possible avian flu epidemic or bioterrorist attack. It authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), during a public health emergency, to shield from liability makers of countermeasures such as diagnostic tests, protective gear and vaccines like those developed by Pfizer Inc, Germanys BioNTech and Moderna Inc. The PREP Act does not apply in instances of serious injury or death caused by willful misconduct. When the PREP Act shield applies, the injured person instead can seek compensation from a government fund, although most claims are denied. Former HHS Secretary Alex Azar invoked the PREP Act in March in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and since then the agency has issued amendments and guidance as recently as Jan. 12 to broaden the reach of the law. The agency guidance included criticism of rulings that went against defendants, including Riverbend. They have made the arguments for the defendants better than the existing defense lawyers, said Jonathan Steele, Robertsons lawyer, of the HHS guidance. Its unprecedented. Some changes were sought by the type of facility operators now defending against lawsuits. In August, in response to a query from a lawyer at a lobbying firm, then-HHS general counsel Robert Charrow wrote that senior living facilities were covered by the PREP Act if they were using approved products to fight the pandemic. HHS also said in recent months the PREP Act applied in situations where, while trying to comply with health regulations, an organization failed to take an action such as testing which is an allegation in most of the nursing home lawsuits. LeadingAge, a group that represents non-profit nursing homes and other service providers, sought the clarification in March, when masks and other protective gear were in short supply. LeadingAge, one of several elder care groups that called for greater protection, declined to comment. The group does not represent Ensign. HHS has said it wants to provide legal certainty to organizations that they will be immune from good-faith mistakes when trying to comply with health guidelines and ensure a unified national response against the spread of COVID-19. HHS did not respond to a request for comment regarding the agencys plans under a Biden administration. Acting HHS Secretary Norris Cochran said in a letter to state governors on Friday that they could expect continued use of PREP Act declarations to support the fight against the pandemic. More than 100,000 residents of U.S. nursing homes and senior living facilities have died from COVID-19. Some attorneys said that without some form of immunity, litigation over a novel airborne illness that could be spread by asymptomatic carriers could swamp the industry. Buying Time? So far, seven federal judges have issued preliminary rulings, and all of them sided with the plaintiffs and ordered the cases returned to state court, Reuters found. Six of the rulings were issued before HHS amended the PREP Act in December to declare that for consistent interpretation of the law the cases should be heard in federal court, which was reshaped by former President Donald Trump and is seen as more favorable to companies. Only a few of the rulings touched on the question of PREP Act immunity, which nursing homes can still use as a defense in state court. Just raising the PREP Act defense can complicate procedures in a way that could impact future cases, said Mike Duff, a professor at the University of Wyoming College of Law. Time is money and complexity is time and the more complexity in a case means the less likely the wrongful death claimants will find lawyers to represent them, he said. Nursing homes have used that HHS guidance to try to move cases from state court, adding delays. For example, the family of Vincent Martin sued Hollywood Premier Healthcare Center of Los Angeles in state court a month after Martin died of COVID-19 in April. The nursing home, where at least 11 residents died, cited the PREP Act to have the lawsuit moved to federal court. The federal judge, however, sided with the family and sent it back to state court. In January, armed with fresh guidance from HHS, Hollywood had the case moved back to federal court a second time, where it is pending. U.S. District Court Judge Dale Fischer said Hollywoods request to stay proceedings while it appealed the order sending the case back to state court raised a serious possibility of such removals being used in a cynical, strategic way to stall cases and to extract concessions from opposing plaintiffs. Hollywood and other facilities are not unreasonably delaying discovery, but are applying the law and HHS guidance which makes clear the cases belong in federal court, said Kim Cruz, a lawyer for Hollywood, in an email. Unfair Tactics Robertson, whose case has been similarly removed to federal court, called Riverbends legal tactics unfair and she is waiting to gets answers about her mothers care. Her mother, Georgia Clardy, had been a resident since 2017 at Riverbend. She was taken to a hospital in March for a broken femur and, during her absence, Robertson said coronavirus entered and spread within the Riverbend facility. The lawsuit alleges Riverbends negligence included a lack of adequate staff, allowing infected employees to enter the facility and a failure to adopt social distancing. Robertson said she would have brought her mother home from the hospital rather than returning her to Riverbend if the facility had told her there was an outbreak. Once I found out she was diagnosed with COVID nobody wanted to talk about it, said Robertson. That was very disturbing for me. The judge in Robertsons case has set the next hearing for February. Actor Anthony Hopkins, 83, has shared the moment he received the COVID-19 vaccination after a year of 'self-imposed quarantine.' The Silence Of The Lambs actor wore a face shield and mask as he got vaccinated from inside his car at the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. Hopkins called the moment the 'light at the end of the tunnel' as he posted video of the injection to his Twitter account on Friday. 'Light at the end of the tunnel': Actor Anthony Hopkins, 83, has shared the moment he received the COVID-19 vaccination after a year of 'self-imposed quarantine' The video begins with Hopkins sitting in the passenger seat of his car, as a healthcare worker begins the injection process. 'Here we go,' she says, before inserting the needle into his upper arm. Within seconds, the process was complete. 'All done! Let me just put a band-aid, and I need to hand you over your vaccination card,' she says. 'Here we go': The video begins with Hopkins sitting in the passenger seat of his car, as a healthcare worker begins the injection process Good for him! Hopkins sat patiently in the passenger seat of the car as the vaccine was injected into his upper right arm Appreciation: Hopkins was effusive in his gratitude for the healthcare system as he posted the video to his Twitter account 'Thank you,' Hopkins tells her. 'You okay? You didn't pass out on me, right?' she asks jokingly. 'No!' Hopkins replies. Hopkins was effusive in his gratitude for the healthcare system as he posted the video to his Twitter account. 'You didn't pass out on me?' The healthcare worker jokingly asked after the injection was complete Tragic milestone: In California, where Hopkins was vaccinated, there have been a total of over 3 million coronavirus cases and 38,961 deaths 'THANK YOU (prayer hands emoji) PublicHealth.LA.Gov, CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, and my dear friend, Dr. Maria Teresa Ochoa,' he wrote. 'Light at the end of the tunnel (after one year of self imposed quarantine).' In California, where Hopkins was vaccinated, there have been a total of over 3 million coronavirus cases and 38,961 deaths. Since entering his self-imposed quarantine, Hopkins has been entertaining Twitter followers with silly videos of himself on the brink of losing it as he counts down the days until the end of the pandemic. Losing it: Hopkins has been entertaining his Twitter followers with silly videos of himself on the brink of losing it as he counts down the days until the end of the pandemic In November, he shared a video of himself manically laughing as he endured yet another day in isolation. 'Day 253 in quarantine... I'm beginning to feel it's side effects. What do you think?' he asked. The actor shared yet another video of himself cracking under quarantine as he painted away on his canvas over the summer. '174 days in quarantine. And on to 175 days in quarantine. And tomorrow. And tomorrow. And tomorrow,' he repeated, before eliciting a creepy chuckle. 'Maybe not so sane,' he joked in the tweet. My grandpa left Glasgow in 1905 and sailed to America and brought his thirteen children up as Americans and so I havent yet taken a position on Scottish independence but with the resounding victory of the Scottish National Party in elections last week, I suppose Ill have to. I like to invo While 2020 was a difficult year in which COVID-19 claimed the lives of so many, University Transplant Center pushed forward, as generous organ donors allowed us to save lives through the miracle of transplant surgery. Last year marked a half-century since our programs first transplant in 1970, when a team led by Dr. J. Bradley Aust performed the surgery that gave two new kidneys to Joan Glicksman Wish, allowing her to live many additional years. Fifty years later, University Transplant Center, which is located in University Hospital, has reached an extremely important milestone: our 5,000th solid organ transplant. This would not have been possible without our teams incredible commitment to our patients and the beautiful partnership between University Health and UT Health San Antonio that defines our program. University Health has provided the resources and leadership support to allow the program to grow and stay on the leading edge of innovation. UT Health San Antonio has allowed our faculty to succeed academically, and make scientific and scholarly contributions to our profession. Importantly, the 5,000th lifesaving transplant would not have been possible without our predecessors who laid the foundation for our future and our many generous supporters who enable our sustainable success. Its only fitting that we acknowledge some of the many milestones for South Texas that weve reached along the way. The late 1980s featured the programs first heart-double lung transplant, first pediatric kidney transplant and first pediatric heart transplant, as well as the first lung transplant in the world to treat pulmonary hypertension. Top hits: Get San Antonio Express-News stories sent directly to your inbox In the 1990s, innovation continued with the programs first adult liver transplant, the first civilian split-liver transplant in South Texas and the programs first pediatric liver transplant. In 1999, we performed the first laparoscopic kidney donor surgery in San Antonio and the first adult-to-adult living donor liver transplant. Fast forward to 2019: University Transplant Center was the first in the nation to perform a living donor liver exchange in which two donors were matched with recipients other than their intended loved ones, enabling more lives to be saved. Our success has enabled us to recruit some of the best surgeons and physicians in the United States and made us the second-largest living donor liver transplant program in the nation. Every day they pave the way for patients to have successful transplant outcomes. In 2020, we again reached new highs despite the COVID-19 pandemic that put many things on hold. An all-woman surgical team, something unthinkable 50 years ago and still uncommon today, performed our 5,000th solid organ transplant. They transplanted a mothers kidney into her 14-year old son whose own kidneys were failing. This accomplishment represents our centers commitment to diversity in both gender and ethnicity, among physicians and staff. Women serve as our top program leaders, and faculty and staff represent the many cultures present in our community. I am so very proud that we continue to set an example for culturally competent health care. Our patients come from many backgrounds. There is a sense of trust that comes from being cared for by health care professionals with whom they share values and experiences. We know patient outcomes are better when everyone is at the table. As we embark upon 2021, I am grateful to the many donors who make organ transplantation possible, and to our brave patients who entrust us with their lives and futures. The next 50 years will be even more exciting as we embrace innovation, continue to attract the best and the brightest, and commit ourselves to serving the many donors and patients who entrust us with their survival. Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa is director of the University Transplant Center and occupies the Carlos and Malu Alvarez Distinguished University Chair in Pediatric Transplant Surgery at UT Health San Antonio. 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 29, 2021] Dune Real Estate Partners Announces Promotions Dune Real Estate Partners LP ("Dune"), a leading New York-based real estate investment firm, today announced a series of five promotions across the organization: Brad Caracausa was promoted to Managing Director in acquisitions and has joined the Investment Committee; was promoted to in acquisitions and has joined the Investment Committee; Chad Redding was promoted to Director in acquisitions; was promoted to in acquisitions; Monica Scieszka was promoted to Vice President in acquisitions; was promoted to in acquisitions; Paul McLaughlin was promoted to Manager - Portfolio Analytics in the finance and accounting group; and was promoted to in the finance and accounting group; and Meher Desai was promoted to Fund Controller in the finance and accounting group. "We are pleased to recognize the meaningful contributions to Dune's growth and success that each of these team members has made," said Cia Buckley Marakovits, President of Dune. "We congratulate them on their well-deserved promotions and are confident that they will continue to thrive in their new and expanded roles." Team Biographies Brad Caracausa, Managing Director. Mr. Brad Caracausa is responsible for sourcing and evaluating new investment opportunities and executing value creation strategies and is a Member of the Investment Committee at Dune. Prior to joining Dune in 2018, Mr. Caracausa co-sponsored a middle-market real estate investment firm from 2016 to 2017. From 2011 to 2016, Mr. Caracausa was a Director at Westbrook Partners focused on the firm's acquisition and investment management activities in the New York City and Washington, DC markets. Prior to that, Mr. Caracausa worked at Rubenstein Partners as an Analyst focused on equity and debt investments in commercial real estate. Mr. Caracausa began his career as an Analyst in the investment banking division of Deutsche Bank's Real Estate, Gaming, Lodging and Leisure group from 2008 to 2010. Mr. Caracausa received a B.A. in Eonomics from Columbia University in 2007. Chad Redding, Director. Mr. Chad Redding is responsible for sourcing, evaluating and structuring new investment opportunities and executing value creation strategies at Dune. Prior to joining Dune in 2016, Mr. Redding was a Senior Acquisitions Analyst at Morgan Stanley in the Real Estate Investing Group focused on acquisition and investment management activities for the North Haven Real Estate Funds (formerly MSREF) and Prime Property Fund from 2012 to 2014. From 2010 to 2012, Mr. Redding was an Originations Analyst at PGIM Real Estate Finance (formerly Prudential Mortgage Capital Company) focused on whole loan, agency and CMBS originations. Mr. Redding received an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 2016 and a B.B.A. (with Distinction) from the University of Wisconsin in 2010. Monica Scieszka, Vice President. Ms. Scieszka is responsible for evaluating, underwriting and leading the due diligence process for new investments and helping to execute the business plans and value creation strategies for Dune's existing investments. Prior to joining Dune in 2019, Ms. Scieszka was an Associate at Walton Street Capital focused on the acquisition of commercial real estate. Ms. Scieszka received a B.B.A. (High Distinction) in 2016 from The University of Michigan - Ross School of Business. Paul McLaughlin, Manager - Portfolio Analytics. Mr. McLaughlin is primarily responsible for recommending quarterly valuations of fund investments and preparing various fund-level portfolio analytics. Prior to joining Dune in early 2019, Mr. McLaughlin was a Consultant on the Real Estate Valuation team at Deloitte (News - Alert) where he advised clients to effectively procure, manage, and value investments in real estate to maximize returns and reduce risk. Prior to joining Deloitte, Mr. McLaughlin was a Project Manager at Blue Sunsets LLC focusing on investment returns across the company's real estate portfolio. Mr. McLaughlin received an M.B.A. from Georgetown University in 2015 and a B.A. in Mathematics from the College of the Holy Cross in 2011. Meher Desai, Fund Controller. Ms. Desai is primarily responsible for review and reconciliation of the financial and capital statement reporting for certain Dune Funds. Prior to joining Dune in 2019, Ms. Desai was an Assistant Manager for Real estate and Private Equity Funds at SS&C Technologies. Ms. Desai also worked for KPMG's Asset Management Group in New York. Ms. Desai has vast international work experience as Manager for Shared Services for Ericsson (News - Alert) Dubai and significant audit experience for various audit firms in Mumbai including Deloitte and Kalyaniwalla & Mistry LLP. Ms. Desai received a Bachelors Degree of Commerce and a Masters Degree of Commerce from the Mumbai University. About Dune Real Estate Partners Dune Real Estate Partners is a New York City-based real estate investment firm executing an investment strategy that focuses on distressed, deep value-add and contrarian investing balanced by region, sector, and risk profile. Dune manages the Dune Real Estate Funds, which were launched by Mr. Daniel M. Neidich in 2005 and have raised approximately $4.2 billion of equity capital to date. Dune invests on behalf of pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and other large institutions and individuals. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005035/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 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. BOSTON - A U.S. judge on Thursday cleared the way for the extradition of an American father and son wanted by Japan for smuggling former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn out of the country while he was awaiting trial. FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2020, file photo, former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn holds a press conference at the Maronite Christian Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, as he launches an initiative to help Lebanon that is undergoing a severe economic and financial crisis, in Kaslik, north of Beirut, Lebanon. A U.S. judge on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021 cleared the way for the extradition of an American father and son wanted by Japan for smuggling former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn out of the country while he was awaiting trial. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani rejected a request to block the U.S. from handing Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, over to Japan. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File) BOSTON - A U.S. judge on Thursday cleared the way for the extradition of an American father and son wanted by Japan for smuggling former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn out of the country while he was awaiting trial. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani rejected a request to block the U.S. from handing Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, over to Japan. Her ruling comes three months after the U.S. State Department said it had approved their extradition. Talwani had put their extradition on hold in October after their lawyers filed an emergency petition. The judge said in her ruling on Thursday that U.S. authorities have sufficiently established that that the actions the Taylors are accused of making amount to an extraditable offence. The mens lawyers, which included former Trump White House attorney Ty Cobb, had been lobbying officials within the State Department and White House to block the extradition. Another one of their lawyers, Paul Kelly, declined to comment on Thursday. The Taylors' legal team said in court papers that they plan to appeal to the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. This distinguished former member of the U.S. Army Special Forces and his son did not commit any crime and are being pursued by Japan in an effort to save face after the departure of Carlos Ghosn from their country, Cobb and attorney Paul Kelly said in an emailed statement after the State Departments October decision. The Taylors are wanted by Japan so they can be tried on charges that they helped the former Nissan chairman flee the country last year with Ghosn tucked away in a box on a private jet. Ghosn had been out on bail and awaiting trial on allegations that he under-reported his future income and committed a breach of trust by diverting Nissan money for his personal gain. Ghosn, who led Japanese automaker Nissan for two decades, rescuing it from near-bankruptcy, denies any wrongdoing. He said he fled because he could not expect a fair trial, was subjected to unfair conditions in detention and was barred from meeting his wife under his bail conditions. Ghosn is now in Lebanon, where he has citizenship but which has no extradition treaty with Japan. The Taylors have not denied helping Ghosn flee but insist they cant be extradited because they say what they are accused of isnt a crime under Japan law. They have been behind bars in Massachusetts since their arrest in May. Prosecutors have described it as one of the most brazen and well-orchestrated escape acts in recent history, involving a dizzying array of luxury hotel meetups, fake personas, bullet train travel and the chartering of a private jet. Michael Taylor flew into Osaka on a chartered jet from Dubai with another man, George-Antoine Zayek, carrying two large black boxes and told airport employees they were musicians carrying audio equipment on Dec. 29, 2019, authorities said. Meanwhile, Ghosn headed to the Grand Hyatt in Tokyo and met up with Peter Taylor, who was already in Japan. The elder Taylor and Zayek joined after a brief stop to rent a separate room near the airport. Soon after their arrival, the group left the Grand Hyatt and split up. Peter Taylor hopped on a flight to China, authorities say. The others got on a bullet train and went back to a hotel where Taylor and Zayek had booked a room. They all went in; only two were seen walking out. Authorities say Ghosn was inside one of the big black boxes, lugged by the two men to Japans Kansai International Airport, authorities said. The boxes passed through a security checkpoint without being checked and were loaded onto a private jet headed for Turkey, officials said in court documents. A storm system will move into southern Michigan Saturday night and continue Sunday. Heres how much snow our area can expect. The storm system that should bring us snow for the second half of the weekend is the powerful storm hitting California right now. While all of the data is very consistent on the weather outcome here, please check in this weekend for snow forecast updates. The snow will be heaviest as you go south and west of Grand Rapids, with the heaviest snow in Michigan falling over the far southwest corner. We should still get a few inches of snow in our area. Heres the snowfall forecast as of 6 a.m. Friday, January 29. This forecast comes from the National Weather Service and lines up closely with all of the various computer models we use to forecast snow. Total snow forecast through 7 p.m. Sunday, January 31, 2021 Right now Id call it a two inch to four inch snow across the Grand Rapids area. Id lean toward the lower end of the range on the north side of Grand Rapids, and the higher end south of Grand Rapids, towards Kalamazoo. The snow starts before midnight Saturday night, and continues off and on Sunday. Snowfall rates should be light to maybe occasionally moderate. The energy from this storm system will quickly shift to the East Coast during the day Sunday, making the snow taper down to light snow by Sunday afternoon. Keep an eye on the late weekend snow with me and MLive. TO STAY UP ON MICHGANS WEATHER, BOOKMARK THIS LINK. President Joe Biden and Georgia Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock were the first candidates in decades to win statewide federal elections in Georgia, but without intervention by the Democratic majority in Congress, a Republican-led crackdown on voting rights could also make them the last to do so for just as long. Days after most news organizations projected Biden to be last Novembers winner, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham told Fox News that the GOP needed to challenge and change the US election system in the wake of Trumps loss. "Mitch McConnell and I need to come up with an oversight of mail-in balloting, Graham said. If we don't do something about voting by mail, we are going to lose the ability to elect a Republican in this country." Georgia Senate Republicans echoed his sentiments several weeks later, in a press release vowing to reform our election laws to secure our electoral process by eliminating at-will absentee voting, a practice the GOP-led legislature legalized nearly two decades ago but has become radioactive to Republicans thanks to a year-long campaign by now-former president Donald Trump and his allies. And just one week after Biden, Ossoff and Warnock were sworn into office, they are following through. On Wednesday, Georgia State Senator Jason Anavitare introduced legislation to require absentee voters to submit two printed copies of approved identification one when applying for an absentee ballot and a second copy when sending in the ballot itself in order for their votes to be counted. In addition, the bill limits who can assist a voter with applying for or submitting their absentee ballot. A spokesperson for Fair Fight, the Georgia-based voting rights advocacy group founded by 2018 gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams who many have credited with enabling Democrats 2020 victories in Georgia wrote on Twitter that Republicans are trying to change the rules of GA elections because they were humiliated on November 3 and again on January 5, and they know their only chance at winning future elections is to prevent eligible Georgians from casting their ballots. For former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele, Georgia Republicans efforts are the latest chapter in a long story. It is consistent with what we've seen from some members of my party in various states over the last 10 years or so, if not more, he said. This is an extension of the fear that Republicans have that they can't win without tipping the scales in their favor, whether its draconian measures on voter ID and voter registration, the locations of polling places, or absentee balloting. Democrats have frequently decried Republican efforts to make it more difficult for predominantly Democratic groups to vote, whether by enacting voter ID laws that accept gun permits but not student identification, onerous signature-matching requirements, or other measures that began making their way into state law books after Barack Obamas 2008 election victory. Such measures have spread like wildfire in GOP-dominated southern states since 2013, when the Supreme Court invalidated parts of the 1965 Voting Rights Act which required states with a history of racial discrimination in voting to pre-clear changes in election laws with the Department of Justice. But twelve years since Obamas meteoric rise to the presidency touched off a wave of voter suppression and resentment that culminated in Trumps election as his successor, Democrats have a chance to do something about it and head off a GOP retrenchment in the 2022 midterms. Now in control of both the House and Senate, top Dems are hoping to move two pieces of voting rights legislation that passed the House during the 116th Congress but sat idle in Mitch McConnells Senate. The first is the For the People Act, a sweeping overhaul of federal election laws that would create automatic voter registration systems nationwide, prohibit states from denying voting rights to felons who have completed their sentences, and expand early and absentee voting. It would also strengthen many of the federal conflict-of-interest and ethics laws that were so frequently and flagrantly violated during Donald Trumps presidency, while implementing new restrictions on money in politics. The second, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act named for the legendary Georgia Representative and civil rights leader would restore the 1965 Voting Rights Act pre-clearance provisions with a new formula that is meant to pass Supreme Court muster. Steele said expanding such oversight to all 50 states would absolutely be a major accomplishment for Democrats and the Biden administration and would stop Republican voter suppression efforts cold if Senate Democrats can flex the procedural muscles needed to get it done. Right now, what Republicans are doing, they're doing because they can and there's no one watching them, he said. Democratic strategist Michael Starr Hopkins predicted that Democrats fate in 2022 will be tied to their success or failure when it comes to enacting legislation meant to restore and renew democracy after four years of Trump. I think that there will be a lot of Democrats who will be disenchanted and disappointed if much of the Democratic agenda doesn't make its way through, he said. Hopkins added that he doesnt see voting rights as a party line issue if it gets to a floor vote in either the House or Senate, positing that there will be a need for one or two Republicans on both the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. But whether or not either passes with Republican support, the most important supporter of both might be the person residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. When that was Trump, both were little more than aspirational messaging bills, buried in Mitch McConnells legislative graveyard. But these days, newly in-control Congressional Democrats and the Biden administration appear equally committed to ensuring they are both enacted into law. As for when that might happen, top Democrats on Capitol Hill are keeping mum so far. Asked when work on either bill might begin, a spokesperson for House Majority Header Steny Hoyer said neither have been scheduled for action at this time, but stressed that the Maryland Democrat is looking forward to bringing both to the House floor. On the Senate side, a representative for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had not yet responded to a request for comment before this article was submitted for publication. But whenever Congress gets around to moving voting rights legislation, the White House is fully on board. According to a White House official, the administration views the For the People Act as a landmark bill that aims to strengthen and reform our democracy. We are glad to see Congress taking important steps to address such core issues. And we look forward to close collaboration with its sponsors as it moves through Congress, they said. As the President made clear throughout the campaign, he supports meaningful democracy reform from restoring the voting rights act, to getting private money out of campaigns, to strengthening our ethics laws so we ensure federal officials serve the American people not their own interests. The President looks forward to working with Congress to enact meaningful voting rights and democracy reform legislation. Yet even with a bare majority in the Senate, the House, and the White House under Democrats control, mustering the institutional energy to move what would amount to the most sweeping expansion of voting rights in a half-century will push inter-party relations in the upper chamber to the brink. When Democrats introduced similar legislation after taking control of the House in 2019, then-Senate Majority Leader McConnell decried the bill as a power grab. "Their proposal is simply a naked attempt to change the rules of American politics to benefit one party," he wrote in a Washington Post op-ed. "It should be called the Democrat Politician Protection Act." McConnell would spend the next two years using every procedural tool in his tool chest to block nearly every piece of election-related introduced in the Senate even limited election security measures with bipartisan support. And though the new Democratic Senate majority can control the Senates calendar and bring bills to the floor for debate, McConnell is banking on the support of moderate Dems such as West Virginias Joe Manchin and Arizonas Krysten Sinema to maintain the 60-vote threshold he has used to block legislation when he was previously the Senates minority leader. Steele, the former GOP Chair, isnt so sure that the filibuster used by southern segregationists to block civil rights legislation for decades before 1964 will survive a modern-day fight over voting rights. McConnell thinks he may have won the day, just because he's gotten his agreement that the Democrats aren't going to touch the filibuster, but I guarantee you when the you-know-what hits the fan, Manchin and other Democrats who are who are lukewarm on or in opposition to ending it are going to be under enormous amounts of pressure to get an important piece of legislation passed, even if McConnell is holding the whole thing hostage, he said. According to another former GOP elected official, the Senate minority leaders hardline opposition to expanding voting rights is not likely to change or be open to negotiation. Joe Walsh, who served in the House from 2011 to 2013 and now hosts a conservative radio talk show, said that one of the issues his constituents would frequently raise with him was the specter of widespread voter fraud. They hear from their base all the time: Oh, my God, voter fraud is a huge f**king problem, he explained. It was always one of the biggest issues with my constituents, and its still one of the most animating issues for Republican base voters. Walsh noted that such beliefs persist despite the lack of evidence for widespread fraud in either in-person or absentee voting, and are a significant reason that former president Trump was able to convince a majority of Republican voters to believe that the 2020 election was stolen from him. He posited that such mass delusions are unlikely to abate, and will continue to drive Republican opposition to any attempt to make it easier for Americans to vote, because they are ultimately faith-based rather than grounded in any sort of evidence, and have been reinforced by Trumps lies about Bidens 2020 victory. It's an article of faith, and I have found that it's impossible to move most of these people off of it, he said. What happened in 2020 just reinforced all of that s**t for them. Some North Dakota lawmakers are pushing legislation aimed at shielding businesses and health care facilities from lawsuits over customers or employees COVID-19 exposure, despite criticism that it may be unconstitutional and could relax protections for workers. The House Industry, Business and Labor Committee held hearings on Jan. 27 on a pair of bills aimed at limiting coronavirus-related liability lawsuits. One, HB1376, is backed by Republicans and would give immunity to businesses, unless an employer caused damage or an injury due to willful misconduct or infliction of harm. The other, HB 1175, is a bipartisan measure that is broader and limits exposure of health care facilities from lawsuits relating to COVID-19 exposure. Committee Chairman Mike Lefor told The Associated Press it was likely the two bills would be combined. The committee did not take immediate action of the legislation. Officials representing business and hospital groups spoke in favor of the legislation, while some attorneys and a union leader opposed it. Without your action, businesses here in North Dakota, trying to do the right things, remain unprotected and exposed to frivolous civil lawsuits, said Arik Spencer, CEO and president of the Greater North Dakota Chamber, the states largest business organization. Landis Larson, president of the North Dakota AFL-CIO, told the committee that many employers are doing the best they can to protect workers but some are not. Shielding these bad actors from litigation would only encourage them to ignore the scant guidelines on infectious diseases while giving employees and their families no legal recourse, he said. The North Dakota Association for Justice, a state organization of attorneys who fight for individual and civil rights, opposes the legislation. Some attorneys testified that the legislation is not needed because existing laws already protect employers. Why are we creating laws that arent necessary? Bismarck attorney David Schweigert said. We dont need to pass needless laws. Fargo attorney Tim OKeeffe called the legislation redundant and potentially unconstitutional. OKeeffe warned that passing the legislation could clog up the court systems by those challenging it. Several states have passed or are considering similar laws after a federal proposal led by Senate Republicans failed to win approval last year. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits North Dakota 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. Various steps have been taken by the Income Tax Department over the past few years for simplifying the ITR filing process, from the launch of a separate portal for the online filing of income tax returns to the simplification of forms. The range of changes in the income tax system has allowed the taxpayers to complete the filing process within minutes without any hassle. The IT department has also made it mandatory for individual assessees, with the exception of senior citizens, to file their income tax returns online. The number of returns filed online has increased multifold. Here are some changes to Income Tax e-filing over the years: -The e-filing system was launched in 2006 as a pilot project and was developed and expanded to individual assessees over the years. -The e-filing scheme has benefited the taxpayer and Income Tax Department alike that was aimed at enabling the taxpayer to submit documents to the authorities through the internet or direct connection. -The returns can be filed from anywhere, faster processing of return and the issue of refunds, and easy excess of past data online are some of the key benefits of the e-filing project. -On voluntary basis, the e-filing of income returns was introduced in September 2004 and was made mandatory from financial year 2006-07 for companies and other taxpayers whose accounts were required to be audited. -The Income Tax Department introduced two simpler income tax return forms for individual taxpayers from the financial year 2010-11. The form ITR-1 (Sahaj) was meant for salaried individuals, the form ITR-4S (Sugam) was interned for small business taxpayers falling within the presumptive taxation category. -To track the status of refunds and credit for prepaid taxes including an online facility, the taxman subsequently took a number of measures towards efficient tax administration, including an online facility for taxpayers. -The taxman launched TRACES or TDS Reconciliation, Accounting and Correction Enabling System to serve as an integrated one-stop platform to facilitate TDS operations in the financial year 2011-12. -The taxman made it compulsory for individuals and non-corporate assessees earning more than Rs 5 lakh a year to file returns through the e-filing process. In other words, manual filing of ITR was no longer available for these assessees in the financial year 2012-13. -In ITR forms, the disclosure of assets and liabilities for individuals whose income exceeds Rs 25 lakh was introduced. -The taxman started crediting the income tax refunds directly to the taxpayers' bank accounts through the Electronic Clearance Service (ECS), discontinuing the practice of remitting cheques by post from the financial year 2013-14. Now, you get the refund directly credited in your account within a month of filing return... The digital transfer and timely payment of refunds emerged as the biggest positive step to encourage the assessees to file income tax returns. -The Income Tax Department launched a national website www.incometaxindia.gov.in with enhanced features and content. -The electronic tax credit statement - or Form 26AS - contains details on payments involving tax deducted at source (TDS) by the taxpayer. Previously, the 26AS was only available in physical form. -Electronic verification code (EVC) was introduced as an option instead of sending ITR-V (by mail) to Centralized Processing Centre (CPC) Bengaluru, in order to simplify the process of verification. Aadhaar number and net banking can be utilised for generation of EVC from the financial year 2014-15. -The Income Tax Department presently offers seven forms to the assessees for filing their income tax returns, and one form - ITR-V - for electronic verification. -To reduce the compliance cost for assessees, especially small taxpayers, the taxman expanded the "e-Sahyog" pilot initiative in 2016. To resolve mismatches in ITRs without requiring taxpayers to visit the income tax office, the project was aimed at providing an online mechanism. -Due to heavy traffic on the last day of submission, the income tax portal has often got temporarily jammed in the past few years. -The Income Tax Department launched a "lite" e-filing facility on its e-filing portal, aimed at easing the filing of returns in August 2019. It provides essential links for e-filing ITR and 26AS (for TDS) forms and it is a lighter version of the portal. General Motors (GM) is racing to prepare itself for a president and a world that takes climate change more seriously and putting the Trump era behind them in the process. Driving the news: GM yesterday announced an ambitious plan to end global sales of internal combustion vehicles by 2035. It's part of their wider new pledge to be carbon neutral by 2040. Why it matters: Pulling it off would require an utterly massive transformation of GM's fleet over 15 years. Consider that last year, GM sold roughly 2.6 million vehicles in the U.S. but sales of its Chevy Bolt electric vehicle totaled under 21,000. They're planning to offer 30 all-electric models globally by the mid-2020s, but the 2035 target if accomplished would still mean a sea-change from even the evolution they see over the next half-decade. And it's not a very Trump-y pledge the former president was dismissive of global warming and sought to slow down vehicle emissions rules that were supportive of electric cars. The big picture: GM was already greatly expanding its EV efforts during the Trump era, and its share price has been rising over the past year or so in the process. But President Biden's election win and pro-EV posture create a less fraught environment for the automaker, which no longer has to tiptoe around Trump and his Twitter feed. The Detroit News summed up GM's announcement yesterday by noting it "reflects a newly Democratic-controlled capital pivoting to an aggressive climate agenda." Flashback: In another stark sign of the new regime, after the election, GM abandoned litigation aimed at thwarting California's effort to impose tougher standards than federal rules. The company had been siding with the Trump administration in the case. The company, in a letter to environmental groups, said it was confident that Biden, California and the industry could sing from the same song sheet on national emissions rules. "If Trump had won the election, I'd say there is a lesser chance of GM pulling out [of] the lawsuit as it's in the interest of any large automaker to find ways to work with the current presidential administration," Edmunds analyst Jessica Caldwell says. Yes, but: It's too soon to say how much harmony is in store for GM and the Biden administration. That will become more apparent when Biden's regulators start unveiling specific rules around mileage and emissions standards. The U.S. Postal Service says its Syracuse operations have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, with at least 17 postal workers absent this week after testing positive for Covid-19. The absences have contributed to delays delivering letters and packages throughout Central New York, said Maureen Marion, a Postal Service spokesperson. The Syracuse operation is deeply hit with Covid illnesses and related absences, impacting sorting, retail and delivery functions, Marion told syracuse.com in response to an inquiry about mail delays. The 17 postal workers who tested positive for Covid-19 had delivered mail or worked as clerks at Syracuse area post offices, Marion said. All of the offices have zip codes beginning with 132 and include communities beyond the geographic boundaries of the city. An additional 36 local postal workers were out on sick leave, including some who are under quarantine because of potential exposure to the coronavirus. And 25 other positions remained vacant due to planned retirements or scheduled absences, Marion said. All told, that means 78 of the nearly 300 postal employees who work in the Syracuse operations have been absent, a reduction of more than 25% of the workforce. None of the employees with Covid-19 worked at the Postal Service sorting plant at Taft Road in North Syracuse, the main mail processing facility for Central New York. The Postal Service has experienced similar problems across New York state, with staff shortages driven by the pandemic, Marion said. As of last week, 241 Postal Service employees in the state were off the job, either in quarantine or being treated for Covid-19 after testing positive for the virus. The staff shortages hit at a particularly bad time. The Postal Service had to clear a holiday backlog of packages this month, while mail volume doubled last week after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday when post offices are closed. Postal officials said they couldnt provide any estimate of how long letters and packages might be delayed. The last quarterly performance report issued by the U.S. Postal Service found sharp declines in on-time delivery of first-class mail across the nation. Only 72.1% of first-class mail was delivered within the promised three to five days nationwide, an on-time performance that was down 15.7% from the same quarter in 2019. In the Postal Services Albany region, which includes Central New York, first-class mail was delivered within three to five days 75.8% of the time from July 1 through Sept. 30, 2020, a little better than the national average. New figures measuring performance through Dec. 31 will not be available until later next month. To make up for the absences in Syracuse, letter carriers often take on extra route assignments in addition to their assigned routes, a process that can lead to more delays, Marion said. We are making every effort to stretch, but we just cannot stretch enough, she said. Local leadership is making day-to-day decisions based on conditions. I cannot say this will change in the near term. She thanked customers for their support and patience in the face of record high mail volumes, fed by a surge in online orders and deliveries during the pandemic. Package shipments increased 30% over 2019 during the holiday season, continuing a surge that began at the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Tom Dlugolenski, union president of the Syracuse branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers, said the higher shipping volumes, staff shortages and reduced availability of commercial airline flights have all contributed to the delivery delays. The Postal Service relies on commercial airlines to ship parcels long distances since it does not have its own fleet of planes. Most airlines reduced the number of daily flights as passenger demand dropped during the pandemic. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources The real Covid death toll at nursing homes, and the staggering heartache in NY (exclusive) Cuomo lifts nearly all Covid cluster zones, including those in Central NY Color-coded Covid zones lifted in CNY: What that means for restaurants Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Mark Weiner anytime by: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 To me, all this points to a contradictory entanglement involving science, belief, and state policy when ideally such contradictory entanglements should not take place. by Sasanka Perera (Following essay based on the authors recent speech as a guest speaker to the National Academy of Sciences ) In present times, there is an intriguing, but at times seemingly dangerous entanglement between science, belief and state policy or government action. This kind of phenomena range from the governments sudden ban of Glyphosate in 2015; the state sponsorship of a conference on the air power of the mythical king Ravana to the layers of stories surrounding the advent of what is now popularly known as the Dammika Peniya. These are merely three well-known phenomena from a whole series of such phenomena in the country with varying impacts on social life, politics and commerce. As a collective of occurrences with their own structure of associated events, these phenomena have not been reckoned with seriously. We have not carefully reflected upon them and asked ourselves why they are more evident now, and what their broader consequences and reasons for manifestation might be. As a result, we do not have credible sociological explanations for these phenomena that goes beyond popular rhetoric. These phenomena are seemingly dangerous too, because many of them defy what we might think of as commonsense and leads in the direction of collective chaos and counter-productive action on the part of the state. And in this journey, science is one of the most obvious casualties. To me, all this points to a contradictory entanglement involving science, belief, and state policy when ideally such contradictory entanglements should not take place. By science I do not merely mean the vast systems of knowledge that originated in the west, which now have global hegemony including in our country. Instead, science is any system of knowledge concerned with the physical world and phenomena emanating from this world along with formal observations and systematic experimentation.i In other words, a science involves a pursuit of knowledge that covers general truths as well as the operations of fundamental laws.ii In this sense, Ayurveda, Unnani, present day engineering, allopathic medicine or any other system of formal knowledge are mostly matters of science though the bases for their fundamentals would vary considerably from the more dominant post-enlightenment sciences to much older systems of knowledge. Similarly, by belief, I mean not only matters of faith rooted in religion and tradition but also contemporary beliefs that are created by the repetitive circulation of ideas across media whether they are based on fact and science or not. Often, these ideas address contemporary issues and politics though they might be camouflaged in a rhetoric of the past, resort to specific conventions, and identity politics. And these associations are quite important today given the propensity for fake news and the enhanced ability of people to accept these ideas easily without being formally countered. In the same sense, state policy and actions linked to such policies are expected to be based on formal legal principles and empirical facts, and ideally should have nothing to do with matters of faith or untested assumptions and should benefit the polity. Generally, I consider science, belief, and state policy to be independent discourses with their own epistemological routes and purposes though there will be close and necessary interactions among these such as between science and state policy. At other times, as we are seeing now, this association can be between belief and state policy where science might be eclipsed. My intention today is to simply place in context three recent phenomena of this kind that are structurally very similar but contextually very different, which I think would explain to some extent how this amalgamation of discourses function, and the ways in which their politics manifest. As far as I am concerned, what I have to say today are simply preliminary thoughts about which I would like to think further and theorize. Phenomenon 1: Glyphosate Ban The use of the weedicide glyphosate was banned by presidential order in 2015. In a paper published in the same year, Jayasumana, Gunatilake and Siribaddana note that people in areas where kidney disease has become endemic have been exposed to multiple heavy metals and glyphosate.iii Their conclusion as far as I could see as a non-expert, was very vague, which amounted to the following observation: Although we could not localize a single nephrotoxin as the culprit multiple heavy metals and glyphosates may play a role in the pathogenesis.iv This is one of several public articulations related to this matter that has some semblance of what I may call scientific noise, but clearly inconclusive. The ban was quite sudden and was implemented following on the heels of intense lobbying by Member of Parliament and Presidential Advisor, Reverend Athuraliye Rathana. He argued along with his supporters that this chemical caused chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in the North Central and Uva Provinces. But what is clear is no reliable and specific scientific evidence was offered by him or the Presidents Office as the basis for the ban. In this overall process, it does not seem that the Registrar of Pesticides; Fertilizer Secretariat; Medical Research Institute and Tea Research Institute, all of whom could have presented valuable and more formal input into the decision were consulted. It almost seems that the ban found its genesis in the popular belief that chemicals are bad. The fact that there is considerable prevalence of kidney disease in parts of the country is a fact, which needs to be more rigorously studied to work out its causes. Personally, I am not a supporter of excessive use of chemicals for anything including agriculture, and to the extent possible, I have made changes in my personal lifestyle to address this anxiety. But that kind of personal, emotional or popular anxieties cannot be the foundation for state level decision-making, particularly if the government and the people both subscribe to the idea of commercial agriculture and the eradication of hunger. The consequences of the ban have been substantial in monetary terms. It caused production costs to increase substantially and the industry, particularly the tea sector, incurred losses up to 10-20 billion rupees annually while the ban lasted. Though the ban was eventually partially lifted, even at that time, no credible and conclusive data supporting the ban existed. So, it appears, that the ban was solely based on a popular and largely correct general belief of the negative impacts of chemicals, tempered by political rhetoric emanating from matters of faith and popular beliefs. I am sure we can all agree, while we can entertain popular beliefs or even conspiracy theories among people, if they are injected into broader politics and formation of state policy, that would have serious consequences as this event has shown. Part of the problem here is not only the undue credence given to freely circulating popular notions without situating them in the context of formal and reliable knowledge, information and science, but the ability of popular political leaders to convert untested ideas into practices of state policy and action without facing consequences. Phenomenon 2: The States Embrace of Ravana People of my generation will know that Ravana and his flying machine were merely elements in an interesting story in our youth while in some parts of the country specific local stories linked to this myth circulated. Unlike India and elsewhere in South Asia and in the east right up to Bali, there is no evidence of Ramayana performances which may have included a dramatization of the Ravana narrative in Sinhala cultural lore. But this situation has dramatically changed in recent times where Ravanas popularity has rapidly increased among a cross section of the people, while his name and alleged historicity have also been openly embraced by the state. By 2019, the story of Ravana had been directly appropriated by the Sri Lankan state and engrossed in a highly superficial but allegedly scientific discourse on aviation. In July 2019, Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lankan organized a conference of civil aviation experts, historians, archaeologists, scientists and geologists in Katunayake.v The Authoritys Vice Chairman at the time, Shashi Danatunge told Indian media, King Ravana was a genius. He was the first person to fly. He was an aviator. This is not mythology; its a fact. There needs to be a detailed research on this. In the next five years, we will prove this.vi He further noted, they had irrefutable facts to prove that Ravana was the pioneer and the first to fly using an aircraft.vii The conferences main conclusion was that Ravana first flew from Sri Lanka to todays India 5,000 years ago and came back.viii Many conference participants in their own peculiar wisdom, dismissed the powerful stories narrating Ravanas kidnapping of Lord Ramas wife Sita, as a mere Indian version.ix For them, this was not possible because Ravana was a noble king.x Intriguingly, one part of the myth cluster became a fact while another became fiction based simply on nothing more concrete than emotional and nationalist appeal. The ideas expressed in public on this matter were not private articulations of individuals. Particularly the Vice Chairman of Civil Aviation was speaking as a representative of a state agency. Also, the general conclusions of the conference and the acceptance of the Ravana story as historical fact could simply not be entrained by formal historiography and archaeology. By 2020, the same agency took its sense of scientificity of these claims even further by launching a research project looking for evidence of Ravanas flying and his aviation routes.xi The theme of the project was, King Ravana and the ancient domination of aerial routes now lost.xii Towards this, the Civil Aviation Authority placed advertisements in national newspapers asking people to send in evidence they may have. The purported scientific objective and the reason for the Civil Aviation Authority central involvement in this state-sponsored effort was explained as follows: 1) Because the Civil Aviation Authority was the main aviation regulatory authority in Sri Lanka, it was the most logical entity to host such and effort, and 2) Because there are multiple stories over the years about Ravana flying aircrafts and covering these routes there was a necessity to study this matter.xiii Though there are seemingly rational and seemingly scientific noises in this episode, the entire exercise is enveloped in taking myth as fact, and that too, with the direct participation of the state. Phenomenon 3: The Advent of the Dammika Peniya Now we come to the advent of the Dammika Peniya which is formally known as (Shri Vira Bhdradhamma Corona Nivaranana Prathishakthi Jiva Panaya). According to its inventor, Mr Dammika Bandara, the formula for the syrup was given to him by Goddess Kali in a dream. This is a crucial point in which the genesis of this syrup differs from the more formal discourses of knowledge in Ayurveda and Sinhala medicine, within which this claim is located. It was a claim protected by rhetoric of local medical superiority, power of ancient knowledge and very loud articulations of cultural and political nationalism. But certain things need to be understood clearly. Even within the structure of faith and belief in Sinhala culture, goddess Kali, the alleged ultimate progenitor of the syrup is not known for healing. She is seen more as a powerful deity but with considerable destructive potential. More typically associated with healing is goddess Pattini. So, the claim seems to be out of place even in the context of conventional Sinhala myth and belief. Second, though Ayurveda and Sinhala medicine have associations with faith and ritual, the bulk of their formal discourses on medicine are based on experimentation, repetitive practice and fine-tuning and formally scripted knowledge or that which is handed over word of mouth across generations. My maternal grandfather wrote two books in the early 1970s after he had retired from his Ayurvedic practice and teaching. The first was called Rasayana saha Vajikarana ( ) in which he presented a specific body of knowledge already known to his field, but with fine-tuning offered by his own practice and studies. The second, called Avinishchitha Aushada ( ) was very different. It dealt with a series of plants whose medical utility was unknown or unsure. In it, he dealt with the unknown, based on both generations of institutionalized uncertainty as well as conjecture on his part, but based on his long years of practice and observation. Both these point to the nature of the scientific discourse of contemporary Ayurveda. Compared to this kind of background, Mr Bandara offers a set of contradictions. He is not a medical practitioner, but a mason by profession who runs a small Kali shrine in his neighborhood. However, his claim over having invented a treatment for Corona received massive publicity via media outlets supportive of the state and unreserved public support from numerous local and national political leaders including the Minister of Health and the Speaker of Parliament all of whom consumed the concoction in public along with some of their colleagues. This does not tantamount to formal state support as in the other two cases. But such open adulation and support by senior members of the government is a public performance of confidence for an untested medication with a dubious claim. These actions played a major role in ensuring large numbers of people flocking to Mr Bandaras house in Kegalle in search of this miracle drug in the midst of a pandemic. This is not a general condemnation of traditional medicine. In the 1950s, the establishment of the Ayurvedic Research Institute was to offer traditional medicine a sound research and dissemination base and bring it on par with formal understanding of science. But Dammika Peniya has no such provenance; it simply came from a dream according to its inventor himself, and such provenance simply cannot be the basis for its public adulation by political leaders. Most criticisms of the concoction and its provenance were vociferously put down in public as acts of anti-nationalism and lack of respect for traditional culture. A dubious study involving several colleagues of the Wathupitiwala Hospital and a handful of test cases had taken place though it is not clear to me if this exercise even had ethical clearance. A committee consisting of medical professionals has now been appointed to undertake a clinical study of the concoction using acceptable clinical trial criteria and practices. Its results have not yet been published. What does all this mean? All these three incidents have several obvious things in common: the core notions in all stories are based on popular assumptions and untested ideas; they all have powerful political and state support directly or indirectly; their main arguments are governed by belief whether tempered by faith or by the mere repetition of mass circulating non-facts; and in all cases, science in the formal sense from allopathic medicine, Ayurveda and natural sciences to archaeology and history have been dispelled even though such input could have more sensibly impacted these discourses if they were formally made available. Moreover, the public manifestation and power of these discourses became possible due to the very clear inability of the public services directly associated with these contexts to be guided by formally collected data and scientific conclusions and their inability to advise their political Masters, and withstand the pressures of political interference. Such political interference is obviously not based on advice from subject experts or from a clear political vision, but from short-term political agendas for popular mobilization. This main conditionality allowed these unstable claims to become part of national politics and in some cases become policy or in the very least lead to actions sanctioned by the state. But how does one explain the massive public support especially for the last two incidents. I have noticed for many years that people in our country, and particularly the Sinhalas seem to have a desperate urge to be part of grand historical claims and narratives. But I have not yet been able to gather adequate data or theorize what might be going on. But one can tentatively make some observations. The rediscovery of Ravana and brining him from the pages of myth and epic narrative of the Ramayana to state-sponsored formal discourses of populist and non-empirical historicization, and therefore formal reiteration of myth itself shows the urge to control what might be thought of as a popular and powerful narrative of the past. The way in which Sinhalas have reinvented Ravana over the last decade or so is not only as an aviator, but also as an engineer, medical expert, inventor, scientist and scholar. And this is done within an idiom of nationalist discourse that insists a pre-Vijayan and wholly Sri Lankan civilization once existed in which Ravana is a central attraction. These claims also assert this civilization was somehow superior to the cultural landscape across the ocean in the rest of South Asia. This seems to me to be more like what anthropologists would call millenarian mythmaking where Ravana appears at least in part as a millenarian hero. Generally, millenarian stories, beliefs and heroes have to do with delivering a society from danger, introduction of new ideas and technologies to ensure the safety of a collective, and so on. Such stories generally manifest in times of crisis. In the case of the Ravana story, the preoccupation is to recreate an important place for Lanka in the broader political history of South Asia in the context of a politically unstable present. Even the story of the Dammika Peniya has some of these millenarian features. After all, it was presented as a very local remedy for COVID 19 based on a lost Sri Lankan body of scientific knowledge delivered directly by a goddess in a dream. And that too at a time when people were desperate to be safe and keen to protect their livelihoods from the vagaries of Corona virus at a time the states effort at controlling it appeared to be faltering. The Peniya seemed to be a sign of miraculous deliverance from the islands past glory emerging in the midst of its chaotic present. To end this preliminary sketch let me refer to a final comment. It seems to me, these kinds of stories emerge in times of crises be these emotional, social, or political crises. This is not unique to Sri Lanka, and can also be seen in many other parts of the world in structurally similar circumstances. These stories have their genesis in realms of conjecture. I am not objecting to the deployment of conjecture as such. Most good ideas in all our disciplines would often begin with conjecture. As we know, the philosophy of science has shown us the importance of assumptions, foundations, methods and implications of science.xiv Reflections in philosophy of science also indicate the efforts to distinguish between what is considered science and what is thought of as non-science.xv It is in the latter domain where untested conjecture would generally be located until they can be given a basis in science or dispelled. In this general context, it seems to me, these stories allow people to be part of a more powerful and often a winning idea of history and hyper-real present even though that domain of belief might have very little or nothing to do with lived reality as such. Partly, these can also be seen as coping mechanisms in difficult and turbulent times. But these are clearly not remedies for very real socio-political or public health issues that can be utilized brazenly by the state as long as their core ideas remain in domains of belief and conjecture. The collective failure that typifies our situation is the inability of many people to understand this commonsense and as a result, become dangerously entangled in the internal logic of these stories, which have no external empirical foundations except for the real-life calamities some of them might generate. It is also likely our political leaders consciously and deliberately promote these stories and phenomena to divert peoples attention from evolving crises. In this situation, I find it unfortunate that Sri Lankan social sciences have not yet spent the time to collect these stories and study them more carefully in their border social and political contexts and offer a more coherent, empirically-based, and nuanced theoretical explanation. (Sasanka Perera is a trained anthropologist and is a professor at South Asian University in New Delhi. This is the text of a guest lecture delivered at the Induction Ceremony of the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka on 22 January 2021) Mountains on the seafloor come into focus thanks to open data sharing within the maritime community. Credit: State of the Planet Humanity knows more about the surface of the Moon than we know about our own planet's seafloor. Ocean explorer Vicki Ferrini is on a mission to change that. Ferrini's work focuses on seabed mapping and characterization, and ensuring that marine geoscience data are accessible to scientists and to the public. Ferrini leads a division of the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project, which is pursuing an ambitious goal: to chart the entire global ocean floor by 2030. When this project began in 2017, only about 6% of the ocean was mapped in detail. By last summer, Ferrini and colleagues had brought together data shared by numerous organizations and projects around the world to create a new map in which roughly 20% of the seafloor is based on detailed observations. This work and her remarkable career garnered special recognition this week. The Lamont-Doherty senior research scientist, ocean geophysicist, and geoinformatics expert was selected among a pool of hundreds of nominees as one of the "Explorers Club 50: Fifty People Changing the World the World Needs to Know About." The new honor was created by the 117-year-old organization to "not only reflect the great diversity of exploration, but to give a voice to these trailblazing explorers, scientists, and activists doing incredible work." In the Q&A below, Ferrini speaks about her transformative work and this honor. The Explorers Club has spent more than century celebrating the courageous game-changers of the world, and counts among its members the first to the North Pole, first to the South Pole, first to the summit of Mount Everest, first to the deepest point in the ocean, first to the surface of the moon. How do you feel about being among the inaugural class of its Fifty People Changing the World? It's a very exciting and inspiring organization and group of people. To be recognized by that group is especially nice. What feels particularly good for me is that they are recognizing the kind of work I do. I am not a traditional scientist interested in studying particular processes. My work focuses on mapping the seafloor and making marine geoscience data accessible. So, with this recognition, I get to sort of sing my song about the importance of this work and have that be heard. Really exciting! The Explorers Club described the EC50 program as a way to increase diversity and inclusion within its community. Do you see this as an effective way to do that? Yes. They're casting a different net with this, looking at activism and different aspects of exploration that touch on diversity and inclusion, which is timely. There's so much more we can do by actually pursuing more diversity and inclusion and recognizing different contributions people make to everything, and especially in this case, exploration. The Explorers Club recognized you in part because of your leadership on the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project. How is this work changing the world? I think of it as a movement and a call to action, because we're really trying to figure out how to get everyone who is in this space, and all of the assets that exist, and new technology that's coming on line, to come together to solve a very complex puzzle. It's a data puzzle, it's a geospatial puzzle, and it's a social puzzle. Historically, the academic communities have done a lot in terms of sharing data and bringing it together. A lot of governments have done the same. There's been good coordination and partnership between academia and government in many countries, but now we're really trying to extend that to the private sector and private citizens. In theory, anyone who can acquire data can contribute. Everyone in the world can also benefit from the work we're doing. Why is making sure the project "brings the whole world along," in your words, such an important piece of the project? I often talk about how, sitting in the U.S., with a lot of policies and procedures in place that make it easy for me to access data, is a very privileged place to sit. We are required to make data available; it's become part of our culture. Other parts of the world are not as free to do that. Some countries have laws that prevent them from sharing data. People can't be as fully open. So really trying to figure out how to bring everyone to the table with what they are able and willing to share and to find mutual benefit is particularly exciting. What is it about the work that you find especially gratifying? I explore the ocean not just by going to sea. I explore it every day with data. While I'm doing all the work with digital data, I'm also building a mental map. I can tell you what different parts of the seafloor look like in detail because it's in my head. This story is republished courtesy of Earth Institute, Columbia University http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low near 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. 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 angry father-of-two who launched a furious rant at a Virginia school board over the plight of his children has told Tucker Carlson about the frustration that led to his angry outburst. Brandon Michon spoke to the Fox News host after lambasting school bosses who have kept his children out of the classroom since December because schools have been closed due to coronavirus. In Virginia, schools have been conducting online learning since December 2020, and were also closed from March 2020 until the end of the school year. Virginia recorded 3,137 new coronavirus cases today among its 8.5m population. The state has the nation's ninth worst outbreak measured by cases per 100,000 and 6,397 people have died from the virus since the start of the pandemic. Footage of Michon, whose children are five and eight, raging at members of the Loudoun County school board on Tuesday has since gone viral. The father-of-two told Carlson he attended school board meetings for months and his 'blood started boiling' during the speech because they had been ignoring parents' concerns. He said it was essential to get children back in school, because they are 'the most important asset in our life'. Their education is 'all we have to look forward to, because they're going to be taking care of us when we're old', he added. Carlson told Michon that the clip 'really got a lot of people going' and asked him:' 'Why did you do that, what moved it to do that?' Michon replied: 'I had gone for months to the school board meetings and as parents you know our voice wasn't being out heard. 'What you didn't see that video was my five -year-old and eight -year-old speaking and after they spoke there was no acknowledgment of that from the school board members who are trying to move you onto the next thing 'When I got up there you know my blood start a boil a little bit and as I began speaking I said look I want to you to hear me and I want you to look up and pay attention. And I think we've got some acknowledgment from that.' Virginia Father-of-two Brandon Michon told Carlson he attended school board meetings for months and his 'blood started boiling' during the speech because they had been ignoring parents' concerns. Virginia father-of-two Brandon Michon is pictured as he launches a verbal attack on members of the Loudoun County schoolboard on Tuesday Virginia has the ninth highest caseload in the US, with 500 -749 cases per 100,000 people He admitted that teachers were 'thrown into these circumstances' and were trying their best to manage the current situation. 'This is about the children, this isn't about a political party, he added. 'The teachers themselves, they're trying their best they were thrown in these circumstances and I feel for them. 'We're all trying to figure out this out together children teachers what we want isn't back in school learning and being children Tucker said: 'Every parent who has watched it, I think feels the way that you do. Do you think that the administrators of the union leaders understand it now?' Michon urged parents across America to, 'Phone in. Write an email', to have their voices heard. 'You know look, we have elected officials we bring them in and they're supposed to have a job to do. 'If you're not going to lead this country that was built on strong leaders, take a step to the side that's OK - and let other people step in to that void. Make a plan and execute it.' 'We vote' we speak out and we can make change. So go to your local school board meeting, look it up see what it is go and see them. Write some thing. Phone and write an email. 'If you're not going to lead this country that was built on strong leaders, take a step to the side that's OK - and let other people step in to that void. Make a plan and execute it.' 'Them learning and being mentored and being educated is all we have to look forward to because they're gonna be taking care of us when we're when we're old. 'If some parents want to keep their kids at home that is great, if some parents want to put their kids in school give them that option as well. But kids need to be kids, and parents need to let them let them grow and let the educators and the teachers who want to be there with them either virtually or in person. Tucker signed off by telling Michon: I hope you are celebrated and I appreciate'. During the outburst Michon, who is visibly angry throughout the video, called board members 'cowards' who should 'hang your heads in shame' for failing to keep schools open during the Covid pandemic. 'You should all be fired from your day jobs,' he said. 'Because if your employers knew you were more inefficient than the DMV you would be replaced in a heartbeat.' 'You're a bunch of cowards, hiding behind our children as an excuse for keeping school's closed', Michon added. 'You think you're some sort of martyrs [sic] for the decisions you're making [...]'. Michon raises his voice as he tells the board his trash collectors risk their lives 'far more than anyone in this school system'. 'Figure it out! Or get off the podium,' he shouts. 'Because you know what? There are people like me and a lot of other people out there who will gladly take your seat and figure it out. It's not a high bar. Raise the freakin' bar!' After finishing his speech, as he is leaving the room, a woman says someone should wipe down the microphone Michon was speaking into. Michon speaks but is told that his time is up. He said he will return for future meetings. 'Open the freakin' schools', he shouts, off camera. New national reports released by the Biden administration show the severity of Covid outbreaks across the country. Virginia currently has the 34th worst Covid fatality rate in the US Michon, pictured during his outburst, said he was angry because he'd been attending meetings for weeks but no one was listening to parents' concerns Local news site WTOP said some teachers said they don't feel comfortable returning to schools until they're vaccinated. Loudoun Interim Superintendent Scott Ziegler said people have phoned, emailed and sent messages containing 'inflammatory messages' to teachers since the outburst. 'We may disagree on the methods and timetable ... but I would like us to agree that we all have our students' best interests at heart,' Ziegler said. A vote is set for Tuesday on a plan to allow students from pre-K to fifth grade to be back in school by 16 February, as long as they're signed up to the hybrid model. The school board hopes to have middle and high schoolers in classrooms for a couple of days each week by 3 March. In December, Loudoun County announced its schools will return to online learning after the county recorded a 14 per cent Covid-19 positivity rate. Virginia schools were closed from March until the end of the 2020 school year. Elsewhere, in Florida, officials have previously promised to keep schools open during Spring, moving into the summer. Earlier this month, New York officials announced learning would switch back to being online in the nation's largest school system. The 13th National Party Congress (Photo: CPV) On January 26, Xinhua News Agency reported that the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) had opened. It quoted Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc as saying that the congress focused on summarizing the implementation of the 12th National Party Congress resolution, evaluating 35 years of conducting the renewal process, putting forth directions and tasks for socio-economic development in the five years 2021-2025, and electing the Party Central Committee term XIII. People's Daily Online Newspaper quoted Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong presenting the summary report of the 12th National Party Congress. According to the newspaper, Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized that Vietnam's overall development goal in the coming term is improving the leadership and combativeness of the Party; building a clean and strong Party and political system; consolidating people's trust in the Party, the State and the socialist regime; building and firmly protecting the fatherland, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; and striving to help Vietnam become a socialist-oriented developed country by the mid-21st century. Kyodo news agency reported that the 13th National Party Congress is the most important political event in this Southeast Asian country. The congress will discuss personnel issues and strategies in politics, diplomacy and economics. According to Kyodo, under the leadership of the Communist Party, Vietnam has successfully controlled the COVID-19 pandemic and achieved an economic growth rate of 2.91% in 2020. NHK Radio and Television reported on the opening ceremony of the congress, Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong said that over the past 5 years, Vietnam had maintained an average growth rate of 5.9%. According to the Party General Secretary and State President, Vietnam's economic growth rate of 2.91% in 2020 made it one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Vietnam is recognized by the world as a bright spot in the successful implementation of the "dual goal" of both preventing the COVID-19 pandemic and recovering economic development, ensuring peoples life and safety. The Bangkok Post (Thailand) newspaper reported on the opening ceremony of the congress, highlighting Vietnam's economic achievements in 2020 and successful control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Malaysia's The Star newspaper quoted Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc saying that the congress is a congress of "Solidarity - Democracy - Discipline - Creativity - Development", showing bravery, resilience and determination to go towards a nation of rich people; a strong country; a democratic, equitable and advanced society./. Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Matti Maasikas says that the rules for the procurement of medicines and medical supplies in Ukraine are among the conditions for EUs macro-financial assistance related to COVID-19. Transferring all centralized procurement to the Agency is also a condition for EUs macro-financial assistance, Maasikas posted on Twitter. The diplomat also attached an article by Atlantic Council regarding the challenges facing coronavirus vaccination in Ukraine. In particular, it mentions a conflict over the procurement of vaccines between the Ministry of Health and the Medical Procurement Agency. In Ukraine, centralized procurement of medicines at public expense occurs through international organizations and the State Enterprise Medical Procurement. In early January, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov accused the Medical Procurement Agency of ineffective work. According to him, the Health Ministry instructed this state-owned enterprise to procure 483 units of medicines during 2020, but as of December 31, 2020, tenders for 103 units were failed. At an extraordinary meeting on January 15, the Cabinet of Ministers made a decision allowing the British agency Crown Agents to purchase COVID-19 vaccines for Ukraine. In April, the European Commission decided to provide Ukraine with EUR 1.2 billion in macro-financial assistance in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, the European Commission already decided to allocate an aid package worth EUR 190 million to support Ukraines healthcare system, economy, small and medium-sized businesses, and vulnerable groups. Separately, the EU allocated EUR 13 million for the humanitarian needs of Donbas. ish Denton, TX (76205) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- One of the nations largest automakers has committed to new initiatives aimed at minimizing the negative impact on the environment. General Motors (GM) announced Thursday that the company is planning for an all-electric future, with plans to only sell emission-free light-duty vehicles by 2035. With this extraordinary step forward, GM is making it crystal clear that taking action to eliminate pollution from all new light-duty vehicles by 2035 is an essential element of any automakers business plan, said Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp. GM is the largest auto manufacturer in the United States, with millions of vehicles sales each year across its four core brands: Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac. The company has assured customers that it will offer emission-free vehicles at varying price points, ensuring that those seeking cheaper options are not priced out of a new car as GM transitions to electric and other zero-emission vehicles. GM has committed $27 billion toward electric and autonomous vehicles over the next five years, with plans to offer 30 all-electric vehicle models globally by the end of 2025. By then, 40% of the companys U.S. models are expected to be all-electric. In addition to the companys plans to sell exclusively emission-free vehicles by 2035, GM has committed to achieving full carbon neutrality across all global products and operations by 2040. To help reach carbon neutrality, GM will source 100% renewable energy at all U.S. sites by 2030 and all global sites by 2035. The company plans to offset any remaining emissions through carbon credits. General Motors is joining governments and companies around the globe working to establish a safer, greener and better world, said Mary Barra, GM chairman and CEO. We encourage others to follow suit and make a significant impact on our industry and on the economy as a whole. ELECTRIFICATION IN NYC Decision-makers at GM arent the only ones focused on an all-electric future to reduce carbon emissions, with New York City in the midst of transitioning its municipal fleet and installing high-powered vehicle charging stations throughout the city. On Tuesday, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) announced that it has opened a handful of fast electric vehicle charging stations for public use, including two on Staten Island. The two, new electric vehicle charging stations are located at Midland Beach, in Parking Lot 8. The state-of-the-art fast charging stations are capable of charging electric vehicles up to seven times faster than traditional charging stations, allowing for up to 120 miles of driving from a one-hour charge. Use of the electric vehicle chargers is limited to 60 minutes per vehicle. To charge up, drivers will need to download the ChargePoint mobile app and create an account. Currently, pricing is set at $0.25/kWh on weekdays from 12 a.m. to 7:59 a.m., from 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. and all day on weekends. Pricing is set at $0.30/kWh on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 9:59 p.m. DCAS will be assessing this initiative and may change access or fees, according to the devices user interface. The city also announced the installation of three fast electric vehicle charging stations for public use at Randalls Island, with plans to install additional stations across the city by June 2021. In addition to the five public use stations, DCAS announced on Tuesday it has opened 58 fast electric vehicle charging stations to power the citys growing fleet of electric vehicles. The installation of the new charging stations are part of larger initiative by the mayor to convert the citys entire fleet to electric vehicles by 2040. Currently, New York City has more than 2,700 electric vehicles, with plans to have over 100 fast charging stations operational by the end of 2021. DCAS is looking to expand the citys electric vehicle fleet, with the department currently in the process of procuring electric garbage trucks for the citys Parks Department, as well as electric vans and pick-up trucks. The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. [January 29, 2021] Statement Pursuant to Section 19(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940: DDF CUSIP #: 245915103 On January 29, 2021, Delaware Investments Dividend and Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE: DDF) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund, paid a monthly distribution on its common stock of $0.0585 per share to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 22, 2021. The following table sets forth the estimated amount of the sources of distribution for purposes of Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the related rules adopted thereunder. The Fund estimates the following percentages, of the total distribution amount per share, attributable to (i) net investment income, (ii) net realized short-term capital gain, (iii) net realized long-term capital gain and (iv) return of capital or other capital source. These percentages are disclosed for the current distribution as well as the fiscal year-to-date cumulative distribution amount per share for the Fund. Current Distribution from: Per Share ($) % Net Investment Income 0.0165 28.2% Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gain 0.0109 18.6% Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gain 0.0167 28.6% Return of Capital or other Capital Source (News - Alert) 0.0144 24.6% Total (per common share) 0.0585 100.00% Fiscal Year-to-Date Cumulative Distributions from: Per Share ($) % Net Investment Income 0.0429 37.3% Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gain 0.0141 12.3% Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gain 0.0315 27.4% Return of Capital or other Capital Source 0.0265 23.0% Total (per common share) 0.1150 100.00% Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution policy. The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this 19(a) Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. Subject to the foregoing, the Fund estimates (as of the date hereof) that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2021; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with 'yield' or 'income.' Presented below are return figures, based on the change in the Fund's Net Asset Value per share ("NAV"), compared to the annualized distribution rate for this current distribution as a percentage of the NAV on the last business day of the month prior to distribution record date. Fund Performance & Distribution Information Fiscal Year to Date (12/01/2020 through 12/31/2020) Annualized Distribution Rate as a Percentage of NAV^ 7.07% Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV^^ 1.16% Cumulative Total Return on NAV* 4.39% Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 12/31/2020** 8.09% ^ Based on the Fund's NAV as of December 31, 2020. ^^ Cumulative distribution rate is the cumulative amount of distributions paid during the Fund's fiscal year ending November 30, 2021 based on the Fund's NAV as of December 31, 2020. *Cumulative total return is based on the change in NAV including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of these distributions for the period December 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. **The 5 year average annual total return is based on change in NAV including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of these distributions and is through the last business day of the month prior to the month of the current distribution record date. While the NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. About DDF The Fund's primary investment objective is to seek high current income; capital appreciation is a secondary objective. The Fund seeks to achieve its objectives by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 65% of its total assets in income-generating equity securities, including dividend-paying common stocks, convertible securities, preferred stocks, and other equity-related securities, which may include up to 25% in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate industry operating companies. Up to 35% of the Fund's total assets may be invested in nonconvertible debt securities consisting primarily of high-yield, high-risk corporate bonds. In addition, the Fund utilizes leveraging techniques in an attempt to obtain a higher return for the Fund. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. The Fund has implemented a managed distribution policy. Under the policy, the Fund is managed with a goal of generating as much of the distribution as possible from net investment income and short-term capital gains. The balance of the distribution will then come from long-term capital gains to the extent permitted, and if necessary, a return of capital. Even though the Fund may realize current year capital gains, such gains may be offset, in whole or in part, by the Fund's capital loss carryovers from prior years. Currently under the Fund's managed distribution policy, the Fund makes monthly distributions to common shareholders at a targeted annual distribution rate of 7.5% of the Fund's average net asset value ("NAV") per share. The Fund will calculate the average NAV per share from the previous three full months immediately prior to the distribution based on the number of business days in those three months on which the NAV is calculated. The distribution will be calculated as 7.5% of the prior three month's average NAV per share, divided by 12. The Fund will generally distribute amounts necessary to satisfy the Fund's managed distribution policy and the requirements prescribed by excise tax rules and Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. This distribution methodology is intended to provide shareholders with a consistent, but not guaranteed, income stream and a targeted annual distribution rate and is intended to narrow the discount between the market price and the NAV of the Fund's common shares, but there is no assurance that the policy will be successful in doing so. The methodology for determining monthly distributions under the Fund's managed distribution policy will be reviewed at least annually by the Fund's Board of Directors, and the Fund will continue to evaluate its distribution in light of ongoing market conditions. The payment of dividend distributions in accordance with the managed distribution policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expenses and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The managed distribution policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the dividend distribution. The managed distribution policy may, under certain circumstances, cause the amounts of taxable distributions to exceed the amount minimally required to be distributed under the tax rules, such excess will be taxable as ordinary income to the extent loss carry forwards reduce the required amount of capital gains distributions in that year. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state, and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances. About Macquarie Investment Management Macquarie Investment Management, a member of Macquarie Group, includes the former Delaware Investments and is a global asset manager with offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. As active managers, we prioritize autonomy and accountability at the team level in pursuit of opportunities that matter for clients. Macquarie Investment Management is supported by the resources of Macquarie Group (ASX: MQG; ADR: MQBKY), a global provider of asset management, investment, banking, financial and advisory services. Advisory services are provided by Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust, a registered investment advisor. Macquarie Group refers to Macquarie Group Limited and its subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. For more information about Delaware Funds by Macquarie, visit delawarefunds.com or call 800 523-1918. Other than Macquarie Bank Limited (MBL), none of the entities referred to in this document are authorized deposit-taking institutions for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Commonwealth of Australia). The obligations of these entities do not represent deposits or other liabilities of MBL, a subsidiary of Macquarie Group Limited and an affiliate of Macquarie Investment Management. MBL does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of these entities, unless noted otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005420/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The rescuers of Artsakh have found 8 more bodies of fallen servicemen during the search operations in the battle zones on January 28, the State Emergency Service told Armenpress. The bodies have not been identified, forensic examination will be carried out. So far, a total of 1329 bodies have been found as a result of the search operations, 15 of which are civilians according to preliminary data. Today the search operations continue in Martuni, Hadrut and Jrakan (Jabrayil) sections, the statement said. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan SHANGHAI and SYDNEY, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Novotech Health Holdings ("Novotech Holdings"), the largest biotech specialist contract research organization (CRO) in Asia, today announced the appointment of Andy Liu as Head of China. Andy will be responsible for developing Novotech Holding's business in China to better serve local and multinational biotech companies operating in the region. Operating under the PPC brand, Novotech's China business incorporates a full service CRO, clinical trial site management organisation (SMO) services, Phase 1 units and bioanalytical laboratories. China is one of the fastest growing markets for clinical research services globally. Andy brings strong operational experience in the CRO industry and a deep understanding of the regional market. Andy worked at Covance, Inc., a global CRO, for more than 10 years in a number of executive positions. Most recently, he was General Manager of Covance's Central Laboratory Service, Asia Pacific, where he led a large multi-functional team of around 500 employees across multiple sites in APAC. Andy holds an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, an MS in Electrical Engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Tsinghua University. John Moller, CEO of Novotech Holdings said: "An increasing number of multinational biotech companies are turning to China to conduct their clinical trials driven by progressive regulatory changes, increased R&D spending and access to large treatment-naive patient populations. At the same time, Chinese biotech companies are looking to experienced CROs to conduct research in relevant neighbouring regions. The appointment of Andy will allow us to build on the strong foundation we have established in China to accelerate our growth and strengthen partnerships with both local and international clients." On joining Novotech Holdings, Andy Liu said, "I am excited to have the opportunity to lead Novotech Holdings in China as we look to increase the quality and efficiency of our operations to better support drug innovation across Greater China. I look forward to working with a highly professional team to deliver an end-to-end suite of services to both local and multinational biotechnology companies." ABOUT NOVOTECH HEALTH HOLDINGS Novotech Health Holdings ("Novotech Holdings") is the leading Asian biotech CRO and consists of two operating brands, Novotech and PPC. Novotech Holdings is a full-service CRO with integrated labs and phase I facilities providing drug development consulting and clinical development services. It has been instrumental in the success of approximately 3,700 clinical trials across all trial phases and therapeutic areas. Novotech Holdings is uniquely positioned to serve biopharmaceutical clients conducting clinical trials in Asia and globally. Novotech Holdings employs approximately 1,550 people in 21 offices across 12 geographies including Greater China, South Korea, South East Asia, India and ANZ. Novotech Holdings is majority owned by TPG Capital Asia funds. ABOUT TPG TPG is a leading global alternative asset firm founded in 1992 with approximately $85 billion of assets under management and offices in Austin, Beijing, Fort Worth, Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Melbourne, Moscow, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore, and Washington, DC. TPG's investment platforms are across a wide range of asset classes, including private equity, growth equity, impact investing, real estate, and public equity. TPG aims to build dynamic products and options for its investors while also instituting discipline and operational excellence across the investment strategy and performance of its portfolio. For more information, visit www.tpg.com on Twitter @TPG. SOURCE Novotech Health Holdings 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. W&M Charter Day comedic conversation to feature SNLs Pete Davidson Comedian Pete Davidson, a regular on Saturday Night Live, will participate in a virtual conversation with the William & Mary community at 8 p.m. Feb. 12 as part of the universitys Charter Day celebration. The event, hosted by Alma Mater Productions, will held via Zoom and is only open to students, faculty and staff with William & Mary email addresses; it is not open to the public. Those interested in participating must register via a form on AMPs TribeLink or Facebook pages. The show will be limited to the first 1,000 people to sign up with a William & Mary email address. A Virtual Conversation with Pete Davidson will include a 25-minute conversation moderated by a W&M student followed by a 25-minute audience question-and-answer session. Participants will be able to submit possible questions for that segment when registering for the show. A link for access will be sent to registered participants the day to the event. No recording is allowed. In addition to SNL, Davidson is known for his work on such projects as The King of Staten Island, Big Time Adolescence and the Netflix comedy special Pete Davidson: Alive from New York. The comedic conversation is scheduled for the day after the universitys Charter Day ceremony, which will be held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual event marks the day on which the university received its royal charter in 1693. As part of the universitys 2021 Charter Day activities, students will also be able to participate in an adventure race competition on campus or virtually on Feb. 12, led by AVAdventure with prizes provided in part by Auxiliary Services. 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. AS the white pirogue drifted in the waters just off Belle Garden in Tobago early yesterday morning, fishermen working nearby knew something was wrong. What they saw in the small vessel stunned them. Fourteen bodies, all of them male, along with a skull and other skeletal remains, were piled inside the vessel as it floated four miles off Belle Garden, police confirmed. The bodies were all clad in tracksuits and green rain jackets and were severely decomposed, police investigators said. The Telegraph Imagine there was a trigger for weight which caused you to pile on the pounds on average two and a half stone heavier than you otherwise would be. Sometimes much more. Now imagine that such a trigger exists, but it is not greed, or fecklessness. Instead it is a gene, a strip of chemical coding in our DNA, which revolutionises some peoples very perception of food while leaving others untouched. Would that cause you to look at obesity differently? Or reconsider, even, what is within individual human control, and what lies beyond? These are the fundamental questions raised by research published this week. A team from the University of Cambridge has discovered that mutations in a single gene called MC4R are capable of scrambling the brains perception of food and fullness. MC4R stands for melanocortin 4 receptor; melanocortin is a vital part of the critical system that the body uses to sense and determine fat stores. MC4Rs job is to tell you to stop eating after a meal, says Sadaf Farooqi, Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital. If its not working you dont get that signal. The impact on fat mass and weight of a malfunctioning MC4R are, the paper notes, detectable as early as five years old. By the time carriers of the same broken gene hit 18, they are 18kg heavier than those with a working MC4R. MC4R is the volume dial, says Farooqi. If its not working even partially people gain weight; if its not working completely people gain a lot of weight. Some of its impact, says Farooqi, is on how efficiently the body burns calories. But the vast majority of its effect is on perception. Predominantly its about how much you want to eat. That, says Dr Giles Yeo, also an author of the paper, is like a pilot having a malfunctioning altimeter. The pilot thinks and responds as if they are cruising normally at 30,000ft, when in fact they are dangerously close to the ground. So the person with the disrupted MC4R thinks they need to eat more, and feels hungry, when in fact their body requires no more food. We all have those moments when you feel hungry and wander downstairs to stare into the fridge, he says. Its that level of hunger. Except all the time. AUSTIN, Minn. Pleading guilty to child porn crimes results in probation for a Rochester man. Matthew William Garrison, 32, was charged in Mower County in May 2019 with seven counts of possession of child pornography by a predatory offender. He pleaded guilty to two counts in August 2020 and was sentenced Thursday to 15 years of supervised probation. Authorities say Garrison was on probation in November 2018 when a Community Corrections officer confronted him about tampering with the internet monitoring software on Garrisons computer. Court records state Garrison admitted the software was no longer working and he had viewed child porn on his computer. Austin police say a search of the computer found about 2 videos and 70 images of child porn. Garrisons criminal record shows an adjudication of delinquency for 2nd degree criminal sexual conduct in December 2005 in Dodge County and a conviction for possession of child porn in August 2014 in Dodge County. A woman appointed by the Victorian government to provide religious counselling to accused paedophile Malka Leifer while she is in custody has been removed after it was revealed she knew two of Ms Leifers alleged victims. Sources close to the alleged victims have told The Age that the chaplain, Shani Aron, has been stood aside by Corrections Victoria following complaints from members of the Jewish community over a perceived conflict of interest. Alleged paedophile Malka Leifer returned to Melbourne on Wednesday after 13 years. Credit:Getty Images, AP The revelations raise serious questions over how Corrections Victorias vetting process allowed Ms Aron, a member of the ultra-orthodox Yeshivah community, to take on the role, which would have involved regular meetings with Ms Leifer in prison. Ms Leifer fled Australia in 2008 after sisters Elly Sapper, Dassi Erlich and Nicole Meyer accused their then teacher of sexually abusing them at the ultra-orthodox Adass Israel school between 2004 and 2008. Coronavirus vaccines are in short supply in Pennsylvania but Botox injections must be readily available. Otherwise, leaders of Republican majorities in both houses of the Legislature would not have been able to keep straight faces Wednesday while solemnly declaring that there is nothing political about their effort to vastly reduce the governors emergency powers. This is not political at all. You can laugh all you want, but this is practical, said Republican Rep. Russ Diamond of Lebanon. Under state law, the governor has the authority to issue or rescind executive orders, suspend laws and regulations pertaining to state agencies, and access stockpiles of supplies and equipment because, you know, its an emergency. Under the practical constitutional amendment advanced by the Republican majorities, the Legislature could lift an emergency order with a two-thirds vote and would have to recertify the declared emergency every 21 days. To be sure, the administrations handling of the COVID-19 emergency has not been perfect. Some of the restrictions on business activity, especially early in the crisis, were inconsistent and not fully transparent regarding waivers. But its also true that Gov. Tom Wolf has acted based on guidance derived from epidemiology and other relevant public health specialties. The pandemic-driven restrictions have had a major impact on a wide array of businesses and workers. Republicans attempting to decentralize emergency management are responding to those economic issues rather than to public health needs. Given the deadly impact of the pandemic in Pennsylvania 824,405 cases and 21,105 deaths as of Thursday one can only imagine what the toll would be if the states response were dependent on lawmakers responding to narrow interests rather than scientific guidance. Its all the more chilling considering that the majority caucuses are riddled with an unhealthy number of science deniers who hinder effective public policy even in normal times. The amendment will be on the ballot in May. Since this surely is not the last pandemic, voters should reject the amendment if they want the state to mount science-based, rather than politically based, responses in the future. 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. Human lung cells (blue) infected with SARS-CoV-2 (red). Courtesy of Hekman, et al. Credit: Hekman, et al. What if scientists knew exactly what impact the SARS-CoV-2 virus had inside our lung cells, within the first few hours of being infected? Could they use that information to find drugs that would disrupt the virus' replication process before it ever gets fully underway? The discovery that several existing FDA-approved drugsincluding some originally designed to fight cancercan stop coronavirus in its tracks indicates the answer is a resounding yes. A team of Boston University researchershailing from BU's National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), the Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM) at BU's Medical Campus, and BU's Center for Network Systems Biology (CNSB)embarked on a months-long, collaborative and interdisciplinary quest, combining multiple areas of expertise in virology, stem cell-derived lung tissue engineering, and deep molecular sequencing to begin answering those questions. They simultaneously infected tens of thousands of human lung cells with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and then tracked precisely what happens in all of those cells during the first few moments after infection. As if that was not complicated enough, the team had to cool their entire high-containment research facility inside the NEIDL to a brisk 61 degrees Fahrenheit. The result of that challenging and massive undertaking? The BU team has revealed the most comprehensive map to date of all the molecular activities that are triggered inside lung cells at the onset of coronavirus infection. They also discovered there are at least 18 existing, FDA-approved drugs that could potentially be repurposed to combat COVID-19 infections shortly after a person becomes infected. Experimentally, five of those drugs reduced coronavirus spread in human lung cells by more than 90 percent. Their findings were recently published in Molecular Cell. Now, academic and industry collaborators from around the world are in contact with the team about next steps to move their findings from bench to bedside, the researchers say. (Although COVID-19 vaccines are starting to be rolled out, it's expected to take the better part of a year for enough people to be vaccinated to create herd immunity. And there are no guarantees that the current vaccine formulations will be as effective against future SARS-CoV-2 strains that could emerge over time.) More effective and well-timed therapeutic interventions could help reduce the overall number of deaths related to COVID-19 infections. "What makes this research unusual is that we looked at very early time points [of infection], at just one hour after the virus infects lung cells. It was scary to see that the virus already starts to damage the cells so early during infection," says Elke Muhlberger, one of the study's senior investigators and a virologist at BU's NEIDL. She typically works with some of the world's most lethal viruses like Ebola and Marburg. "The most striking aspect is how many molecular pathways are impacted by the virus," says Andrew Emili, another of the study's senior investigators, and the director of BU's CNSB, which specializes in proteomics and deep sequencing of molecular interactions. "The virus does wholesale remodeling of the lung cellsit's amazing the degree to which the virus commandeers the cells it infects." Viruses can't replicate themselves because they lack the molecular machinery for manufacturing proteinsthat's why they rely on infecting cells to hijack the cells' internal machinery and use it to spread their own genetic material. When SARS-CoV-2 takes over, it completely changes the cells' metabolic processes, Emili says, and even damages the cells' nuclear membranes within three to six hours after infection, which the team found surprising. In contrast, "cells infected with the deadly Ebola virus don't show any obvious structural changes at these early time points of infection, and even at late stages of infection, the nuclear membrane is still intact," Muhlberger says. The nuclear membrane surrounds the nucleus, which holds the majority of a cell's genetic information and controls and regulates normal cellular functions. With the cell nucleus compromised by SARS-CoV-2, things rapidly take a bad turn for the entire cell. Under siege, the cellswhich normally play a role in maintaining the essential gas exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide that occurs when we breathedie. As the cells die, they also emit distress signals that boost inflammation, triggering a cascade of biological activity that speeds up cell death and can eventually lead to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, and lung failure. "I couldn't have predicted a lot of these pathways, most of them were news to me," says Andrew Wilson, one of the study's senior authors, a CReM scientist, and a pulmonologist at Boston Medical Center (BMC), BU's teaching hospital. At BMC, Boston's safety net hospital, Wilson has been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020, trying to treat and save the sickest patients in the hospital's ICU. "That's why our [experimental] model is so valuable." The team leveraged the CReM's organoid expertise to grow human lung air sac cells, the type of cell that lines the inside of lungs. Air sac cells are usually difficult to grow and maintain in traditional culture and difficult to extract directly from patients for research purposes. That's why much coronavirus research to date by other labs has relied on the use of more readily available cell types, like kidney cells from monkeys. The problem with that is kidney cells from monkeys don't react the same way to coronavirus infection as lung cells from humans do, making them a poor model for studying the viruswhatever is learned from them doesn't easily translate into clinically relevant findings for treating human patients. "Our organoids, developed by our CReM faculty, are engineered from stem cellsthey're not identical to the living, breathing cells inside our bodies, but they are the closest thing to it," says Darrell Kotton, one of the study's senior authors. He is a director of the CReM and a pulmonologist at BMC, where he has worked alongside Wilson in the ICU treating COVID-19 patients. The two of them often collaborated with Muhlberger, Emili, and other members of their research team via Zoom calls that they managed to join during brief moments of calm in the ICU. In another recent study using the CReM's engineered human lung cells, the research team confirmed that existing drugs remdesivir and camostat are effective in combating the virus, though neither is a perfect fix for controlling the inflammation that COVID-19 causes. Remdesivir, a broad-use antiviral, has already been used clinically in coronavirus patients. But based on the new study's findings that the virus does serious damage to cells within hours, setting off inflammation, the researchers say there's likely not much that antiviral drugs like remdesivir can do once an infection has advanced to the point where someone would need to be put on a ventilator in the ICU. "[Giving remdesivir] can't save lives if the disease has already progressed," Emili says. Seeing how masterfully SARS-CoV-2 commandeers human cells and subverts them to do the manufacturing work of replicating the viral genome, it reminded the researchers of another deadly invader. "I was surprised that there are so many similarities between cancer cells and SARS-CoV-2-infected cells," Muhlberger says. The team screened a number of cancer drugs as part of their study and found that several of them are able to block SARS-CoV-2 from multiplying. Like viruses, cancer cells want to replicate their own genomes, dividing over and over again. To do that, they need to produce a lot of pyrimidine, a basic building block for genetic material. Interrupting the production of pyrimidineusing a cancer drug designed for that purposealso blocks the SARS-CoV-2 genome from being built. But Muhlberger cautions that cancer drugs typically have a lot of side effects. "Do we really want to use that heavy stuff against a virus?" she says. More studies will be needed to weigh the pros and cons of such an approach. The findings of their latest study took the four senior investigators and scientists, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students from their laboratories almost four months, working nearly around the clock, to complete the research. Of critical importance to the team's leaders was making sure that the experimental setup had rock-solid foundations in mimicking what's actually happening when the SARS-CoV-2 virus infects people. "Science is the answerif we use science to ask the lung cells what goes wrong when they are infected with coronavirus, the cells will tell us," Kotton says. "Objective scientific data gives us hints at what to do and has lessons to teach us. It can reveal a path out of this pandemic." He's particularly excited about the outreach the team has received from collaborators around the world. "People with expertise in supercomputers and machine learning are excited about using those tools and the datasets from our publication to identify the most promising drug targets [for treating COVID-19]," he says. Kotton says the theme that's become obvious among COVID-19 clinicians and scientists is understanding that timing is key. "Once a patient is on a ventilator in the ICU, we feel limited in what we can do for their body," he says. "Timing is everything, it's crucial to identify early windows of opportunity for intervention. You can keep guessing and hope we get luckyor you [do the research] to actually understand the infection from its inception, and take the guesswork out of drug development." Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak More information: Ryan M. Hekman et al, Actionable Cytopathogenic Host Responses of Human Alveolar Type 2 Cells to SARS-CoV-2, Molecular Cell (2020). Journal information: Molecular Cell Ryan M. Hekman et al, Actionable Cytopathogenic Host Responses of Human Alveolar Type 2 Cells to SARS-CoV-2,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.11.028 Georgia Kousoulou shared a sweet ultrasound scan picture of her baby on Thursday. The TOWIE star, 29, who is due to welcome her first child with her boyfriend Tommy Mallett, 28, in May, took to her Instagram Story to post the photo. Georgia sweetly captioned the ultrasound scan picture with: 'We got to see our little baby today' followed by star and heart emojis. Mama-to-be! Georgia Kousoulou shared a sweet ultrasound scan picture of her baby on Thursday (pictured last week) In the photo, the reality star's growing baby bump could be seen in a grey tracksuit as she held the scan picture in her lap. It comes after the TOWIE veteran detailed her 'weird but lovely' pregnancy in an Instagram Q&A on Wednesday evening. Georgia revealed she's been suffering from back pains in recent weeks as she insisted: 'Some days are better than others'. Mother-to-be Georgia also admitted she's been eating six meals a day as she's 'always starving', and has already picked out a name for her baby. Sweet: The TOWIE star, 29, who is due to welcome her first child with her boyfriend Tommy Mallett, 28, in May, took to her Instagram Story to post the photo Explaining how her body has transformed since falling pregnant, the influencer said: 'My sciatica has started in the last couple of weeks, it's so painful. Some days better than others though. 'I quite like having a bump but it's starting to get in the way a bit and I'm not even big yet. It's weird but lovely. I've really enjoyed being pregnant, I think it's such a magical thing.' Sciatica is a nerve inflammation that affects the lower back and legs, and symptoms may worsen when moving, sneezing or coughing. The media personality went on to touch on her eating habits as she told her followers: 'I feel like nowadays I'm always starving. Normally I have three meals a day but now I'm on six meals. I went off tea but still ate a lot. Candid: It comes after the TOWIE veteran detailed her 'weird but lovely' pregnancy in an Instagram Q&A on Wednesday evening 'So what if I put on weight?' Mother-to-be Georgia also admitted she's been eating six meals a day as she's 'always starving', and has already picked out a name for her baby 'I'm not worried as it's the one time in life where you can eat loads. I'm growing a human, so what if I put on weight? I do love a takeaway, but now I'm eating better.' Georgia - who is expected to reveal her baby's gender within the next week - added that she and her long-term beau have decided on their child's moniker, stating: 'I literally have my baby name, I'm just praying that I don't go off of it by May.' The TV star later confessed that while she's 'excited and nervous for the next journey of my life', she finds being pregnant in lockdown 'hard and lonely' - an experience she's set to expand on in the coming weeks. She said: 'I didn't think I was ready [to be a mother] and I still don't know if I am. Are we ever ready? I was super anxious during the first 12 weeks and to be fair, I've been super anxious the whole time. I know I'll be a really good mum and I'll try my best.' Exciting times ahead: The influencer is due to welcome her first child with her boyfriend Tommy Mallett, 28, in May 'I'm just praying that I don't go off of it by May': The TV star added that she and her long-term beau have decided on their child's moniker During the clip, the Dementia UK ambassador - who will return to TOWIE filming in March - also shared her plans to have 'two or three children with an age gap of two to three years' and said she aims to move into her new home by March. Last month, the influencer and her businessman boyfriend, revealed they already know the gender of their baby after having a private Harmony blood test. The pair, who have been dating for over six years, have also bagged their own ITVBe spin-off series that will give fans the chance to watch them as they become parents for the first time. Unlike some of the show's couples that have had their relationships plagued with drama, the duo have stood by each other and maintained a strong romance over the years. Expanding her family: During the clip, the Dementia UK ambassador also shared her plans to have 'two or three children with an age gap of two to three years' Georgia supported Tommy through his battle with mental health in 2018, when the entrepreneur admitted to not being able to leave the house amid his toughest days. While they are not yet engaged, they did discuss the prospect of getting married during the latest series of TOWIE. Social media star Georgia said: 'God, I'm with you for the rest of my life, that's mental isn't it? Like we're actually going to be together forever, that's long.' Tommy added: 'I come in handy sometimes George. I'm needed in other ways, kids, marriage, you're not going to get married by yourself, are you?' to which Georgia replied: 'No and I am happy about it.' If you are someone who is into stock investing, you might have noticed the stories doing rounds about the US company called Gamestop. The stock price of this video game retail company surged a massive 1,900% in a brief period of one month. It has surged from $17 on 4 January, 2021 to $348 on 27 January. What is more interesting is the reason behind the surge. Basically, members of a Reddit group called WallStreetBets came together to manipulate the price of the company. They started to buy shares of the company as they came to know that a hedge fund is holding big short positions in the stock. This led to a short squeeze kind of situation and led to huge losses for the hedge fund which is filing for bankruptcy. So, the question that arises is can something like this happen in India? Before we get to that lets first understand two terms- short-selling and short squeeze. Short selling It basically means selling a stock at current price without holding that stock. So, is that possible? Basically, the trader borrows (from brokers or others) the shares and short sells it. By short selling a stock the trader is hoping that its price will fall in future and he will be able to pay back the broker or from whomever he has borrowed. So, lets understand with an example. You short sell a stock at 15. So now to cover a position you need to buy the stock. So suppose the stock price goes down to 10, you buy it and give it at 10 to your broker. You earn a profit of 5. But suppose the price of the stock goes up to 20, now to pay back your broker you have to buy the stock 20. So, your loss will be equal to 5. So, as the price increases, your losses go up. Short squeeze It is basically is a phenomenon in which the trader who has short sold the shares buys the stock at a higher price to cover the losses. A buying by the short seller further pushes the price of the stock leading to a situation called short squeeze. This is exactly what happened in case of the company Gamestop.The traders anticipated a short squeeze situation in the stock. So now the question is can this happen in India? There are basically two aspects in it. One do the derivative market regulations allow such trade to happen in India and second what are the legal implications of it. The experts Mint spoke to were of the view given the regulations put in place by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), it is very difficult to carry out such trade in India. There are a few reasons behind it. One, in US brokers are allowed to lend shares to the traders. So, they keep shares in a pooled account, which makes lending possible. However, In India the shares are kept in the demat account of the particular trader and brokers are not allowed to use them for lending. In India the regulatory environment is stricter. Lending in stocks has to be done through an Exchange platform called Stock Lending and Borrowing Mechanism (SLBM). SLBM is regulated but is not yet very popular among retail investors in India." said Vikas Singhania, Executive Director, TradeSmart, a discount broking firm. Plus borrowing or lending is allowed in around 350 stocks which are generally liquid stocks," said Singhania. Another important deterrent for such things happening in India is a SEBI regulation called Market Wide Position Limit (MWPL) in India. This regulation limits the net position including the futures and the SLBM to 20% of the free float market capitalisation of the company," added Singhania. Also, legally there are regulations which prevent traders from manipulating stock prices. SEBI has regulation under the Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices relating to the Securities Market, which defines manipulative and unfair trade practices and prohibits a trader or investor from carrying out such practices," said Shyam Pandya, Partner, Stratage Law Partners.If SEBI establishes that an activity is conducted for the purpose of manipulating the stock price of a company, such persons can be liable under the law," he added. Experts believe that SEBI has a good surveillance mechanism in place to prevent such practices happening in India. It is impossible to create that kind of short squeeze in India. SEBI and stock exchanges closely regulate Stock Lending and Borrowing Mechanism (SLBM) which itself is reviewed half-yearly. Also, SEBI and Stock Exchanges have robust surveillance systems and any concentration in stock or F&O is keenly watched through limits on market-wide position limit (MWPL). SEBI routinely issues inquiry letters as well as notices under SEBI (Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices) Regulations, 2003," said Sumit Agrawal, Partner, Regstreet Law Advisors & former SEBIofficer. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. [January 29, 2021] CBRE Acquisition Holdings, Inc. Announces Separate Trading of its Shares of Class A Common Stock and Warrants, Commencing February 1, 2021 CBRE Acquisition Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CBAH.U) today announced that, commencing February 1, 2021, holders of its SAIL (Stakeholder Aligned Initial Listing) securities sold in its initial public offering of 40,250,000 SAIL securities may elect to separately trade the shares of Class A common stock and warrants included in the SAIL securities. The SAIL securities not separated will continue to trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol "CBAH.U." The shares of Class A common stock and warrants that are separated will trade on NYSE under the symbols "CBAH" and "CBAH WS," respectively. Holders of SAIL securities will need to have their brokers contact Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the company's transfer agent, to separate the SAIL securities into shares of Class A common stock and warrants. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. CBRE Acquisition Holdings, Inc. is a newly organized blank-check company formed by CBRE Acquisition Sponsor, LLC, a subsidiary of CBRE Group, Inc., for the purpose of entering into a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or assets. CBRE Group, Inc. is a global commercial real estate services and investment firm. This press release will not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdictio in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. The offering of these securities was made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained for free by visiting EDGAR on the Securities and Exchange Commission's (" SEC (News - Alert) ") website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies of the prospectus may be obtained from Morgan Stanley, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10014. Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the company's management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the company's filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the company's registration statement on Form S-1 and prospectus relating to the company's offering filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. The company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005490/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Thai martial artist-actor Tony admires Bollywood stars Tiger Shroff and Vidyut Jammwal for creating their own unique style in action and stunts. Jaa, who is known world over for his martial arts techniques and received international recognition with Thai film Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, said it is important to represent one's culture. Tiger Shroff is great, I met him in Thailand. I also met Vidyut Jammwal and I know him really well. He''s crazy. He is doing his own stunts. It is really good to see stars do it all on their own because you have to represent your own culture, represent something special like (about) you, Jaa, 44, told PTI during a group interview on Zoom. Citing the example of his popular Ong-Bak franchise, Jaa said, through this film he felt happy to represent his culture, his learnings of martial arts. This is from my heart. I can't believe the movie is really a success and people know Tony Jaa and know my country. I am very proud. That is how it should be, he said. Jaa said he was inspired to learn martial arts after watching films of legendary martial artist-actors Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. Jaa started his training Muay Thai, a combat sport at the age of ten. He acted as a stunt double in Thai movies and later appeared in Hollywood movies with James Wans and was also part of Vin Diesel-starrer XXX: Return of Xander Cage. The 'Power' movie 2021 cast boasts of Shruti Haasan, Vidyut Jammwal and more Vidyut Jammwal announces his next Vidyut Jammwal recently announced his next project with producer Vipul Shah. The actor took to Instagram and shared a poster of the upcoming film Sanak. The film is expected to be an emotional action thriller that will be helmed by Kanishk Varma and will feature the actor in a different avatar. The poster showed a bed stained with blood and a machine gun kept on it. Vidyut captioned the post and wrote, SANAKNA zaroori hai, coming tomorrow! Ab Sankegi! Film critic and trade analyst, Tran Adarsh revealed that the film will feature Bengali actress Rukmini Maitra opposite the actor as the female lead. Tiger Shroff shares BTS video from 'Casanova', flaunts his 'love for long takes' Meanwhile, on the work front, Tiger Shroff was last seen in the film Baaghi 3, in which he played the role of Ronnie. He was seen with actors Riteish Deshmukh, Shraddha Kapoor, and Ankita Lokhande in the lead roles. As mentioned in his Instagram story, during the QA round, Tiger Shroff is currently prepping for his role in his upcoming movie Heropanti 2, a sequel to his debut movie. (with PTI inputs) Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment. Today, the company gets all its electricity from the 2,000 solar panels atop its 75,000-square-foot building. And Kloss figures the firm will annually save roughly $70,000 beginning in about five years. In the interim, he said he wont lose any money because hell continue to pay his usual energy bill to offset the cost of the panels, installation and consultant work. Highly impossible for a single man to gag, denude and rape without scuffle: Bombay HC India oi-Briti Roy Barman Mumbai, Jan 29: While acquitting a 26-year-old man in a rape case, Bombay High Court judge, Justice Pushpa Ganediwala ruled it seemed highly impossible for a single man to gag, denude and rape the complainant without any scuffle. "Had it been a case of forcible intercourse, there would have been a scuffle...In medical report, no injuries of scuffle could be seen," she added. "The defence of consensual physical relations does appear probable," the judge noted. A bench of Justice Pushpa Ganediwala said, "A perusal of the testimony of the victim, does not inspire the confidence of the Court as the incident, as narrated, does not appeal to the reason as it is against the natural human conduct." "Undisputedly, the accused is the neighbour of the victim. It seems highly impossible for a single man to gag the mouth of the victim and remove her clothes and his clothes and to perform the forcible sexual act, without any scuffle," the judge added. PM Modi on what to expect from Union Budget 2021 | Oneindia News The judge further took into account the girl's statement, wherein she had stated that she wouldn't have had filed the FIR if her mother did not enter the house. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 14:43 [IST] NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Music Masterworks today announced the launch of XXIM RECORDS, an all-new imprint focused on the development of innovative, progressive instrumental music around the world. Pronounced 'Twenty-One M', XXIM features a bespoke roster of a new generation of artists whose work explores and integrates neo-classical, post-rock, electronic, and ambient sounds among others. The label is based in Berlin with additional A&R support in New York and arrives with an impressive, international line up of highly talented musicians. It includes compelling newcomers EYDIS EVENSEN, an Icelandic pianist and composer, and UELE LAMORE, a Franco-American composer, conductor, producer and arranger, as well as the genre-bending Icelandic band HUGAR and the Berlin electro-acoustic duo STIMMING X LAMBERT. News of additional signings will follow. Says Per Hauber, President of Sony Classical and Co-Head of Sony Music Masterworks, "The intersection of acoustic instrumentation and electronic sounds is presenting exciting new creative avenues for artists and attracting increasing numbers of fans around the world. We are pleased to be launching XXIM Records to support our growing roster of artists in fulfilling their creative vision and connecting with the passionate global fan community for progressive instrumental music." Alexander Buhr, Senior Vice President of International A&R and Business Opportunities for Sony Classical, will oversee XXIM's creative operations working closely with Hauber. Buhr previously founded the post classical label Mercury KX, and has worked with a number of leading acts in the progressive instrumental scene including Olafur Arnalds, Anoushka Shankar, Lambert and Jean-Michel Blais. Says Buhr, "In a musical universe that has, for the most part, moved beyond the confinements of genre, it is expression and values which tie musicians together. With XXIM we are creating a place to bring together likeminded acts whose visions we share, to support them in their musical and visual adventures, and to help them connect with the biggest possible audience. Our ambition is to create a strong, worldwide platform for highly individual, creative artists." At the heart of XXIM's ethos lie experimentation and collaboration, with the ultimate goal of furnishing a strong platform for creative development. EYDIS EVENSEN was recently selected by The Line Of Best Fit as one of their 'Artists On The Rise 2021' and will open the XXIM catalogue with the release of her first single 'BROTIN' on 29th January. The deeply felt piano instrumental is taken from her exceptional debut album, BYLUR, due to arrive in the spring of 2021. UELE LAMORE, described by i-D magazine as "an artist as unclassifiable as she is essential" has been an associate conductor, orchestrator and arranger for the London Contemporary Orchestra (LCO) since 2019. She will announce details of her debut album for the label soon. HUGAR's most recent album, The Vasulka Effect: Music for the Motion Picture, was released in late 2020, and the band has been praised by Rolling Stone for their "quietly unfolding post-rock impressionism with an assuring melodic spell". Details for a forthcoming album will be announced soon. STIMMING X LAMBERT was formed by Hamburg- based electronic composer and producer Martin Stimming, who was awarded a German Music Authors' Prize in 2018, and fellow Hamburg native, the enduringly masked pianist and composer Lambert. Information on a new album will be shared soon. Sony Music Masterworks comprises Masterworks, Sony Classical, XXIM Records, Milan Records, OKeh, Portrait, and Masterworks Broadway imprints. For email updates and information, please visit www.sonymusicmasterworks.com/. For more information and upcoming announcements, follow XXIM Records: Website: www.xximrecords.com Facebook: @XXIMRecords Instagram: @XXIMRecords Twitter: @XXIMRecords TikTok: @XXIMRecords YouTube: @XXIMRecords MEDIA CONTACT: Larissa Slezak | Sony Music Masterworks [email protected] SOURCE Sony Music Masterworks / XXIM RECORDS Related Links http://www.sonymusicmasterworks.com That escalated quickly. New York Mets owner Steve Cohen found himself in a Twitter war with Barstools Dave Portnoy over selling short GameStop stock. And then suddenly, it was over. Lets see if we can break this down in simple terms (because I am not a stock broker). Selling short is the concept of buying a stock, betting that the share price will go down. Thats what Cohen was doing through his hedge fund, Point72 Asset Management. But instead of the share price going down, it went up. Way up. Per Business Insider: In the case of GameStop, Melvin Capital and Citron Research were among the list of short sellers, and theyve lost their bet, by a lot. Members of the subReddit group, which has more than 2 million users, have been bidding up GameStop shares in the past weeks, causing the stock to skyrocket more than 1,200% since mid-January. And short sellers have lost billions. Point72 invested heavily in Melvin Capital, which invested in GameStop. Therein lies Cohens exposure. Now, its important to note that Cohen was worth more than $14 billion before this began. So Mets fans need not worry about a meltdown like the one experienced by the Wilpons in the Bernie Madoff scandal. Enter Portnoy, who turned to Twitter Thursday to express his outrage over the market manipulation of GameStops stock: PRISON TIME. Dems and Republicans havent agreed on 1 issue till this. Thats how blatant, illegal, unfathomable todays events are. It also shows how untouchable @RobinhoodApp @StevenACohen2C Citadel Point72 all think they are. Fines arent enough. Prison or bust. To which Cohen responded: Hey Dave , Whats your beef with me. Im just trying to make a living just like you. Happy to take this offline. Portnoy: I dont do offline. Thats where shady s--t happens. You bailed out Melvin cause hes youre boy along with Citadel. I think you had strong hand in todays criminal events to save hedge funds at the cost of ordinary people. Do you unequivocally deny that? Cohen: What are you talking about? I unequivocally deny that accusation. I had zero to do with what happened today Btw, If I want to make an additional investment with somebody that is my right if its in the best interest of my investors. Chill out. Portnoy: Then in your professional option why was trading halted on $amc $gme $nok $sndl $nakd ? Id be very curious? Cohen: Good question. Those questions should be directed at Robin Hood etc. Im a trader just like your like you are. When you find out give me a holler. Portnoy: Either @RobinhoodApp allows free trading or its the end of Robinhood. Period. Cohen: I do think the brokers should make a statement. Seems reasonable. Portnoy: At least you are speaking and trying to answer. That is appreciated. Cohen: Legitimate questions that deserve answers. My guess is they were protecting their own hide if stocks burst and people couldnt put up margin. It happens in commodity markets all the time. They dont have to lend money if they dont want to. And just like that, the beef is over. Even if GameStops financial mess isnt. Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. The co-chair of Taiwans Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee says Australia should send a clear signal to Beijing that threats to Taiwan will not be tolerated, warning conflict over the island puts the entire Indo-Pacific in peril. Wang Ting-yu called on all democratic countries to send a message to China days after the Peoples Liberation Army sent dozens of fighter jets and bombers over the Taiwan Strait in a sharp escalation of military incursions in the region. Members of Taiwans armed forces during a military exercise in Hukou, Hsinchu County, Taiwan, last week. Credit:Bloomberg Australia should send a clear signal that this is a red line, he said in an interview from the Legislative Yuan, the islands one-chamber parliament, in Taipei. You can increase your countrys power but dont harass, bully or intimidate your neighbour in a military way. Senior colonel Wu Qian, a spokesman for Chinas Ministry of National Defence, ratcheted up Beijings threats to Taipei on Thursday night. He said Chinas military drills in the area were aimed at provocation by separatist forces and foreign interference. On Jan. 26, the day Al-Monitor ran an article describing hints of a military option against Iran that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was directing at the new US administration, the chief of the Israel Defense Forces, Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, delivered his annual address at Tel Aviv Universitys Institute for National Security Studies. His remarks shocked Israels political-defense establishment and likely reverberated in Washington and Tehran. Contrary to the position taken by two of Kochavis predecessors, Lt. Gen. (res.) Benny Gantz and Lt. Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi, who currently serve as Israels ministers of defense and foreign affairs, respectively, Kochavi launched a direct attack on the Barack Obama administrations 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and delivered thinly veiled hints to the new Democratic administration. If the 2015 nuclear deal had [remained in place], Iran would have gotten itself a bomb," Israels top soldier said. A return to the 2015 nuclear agreement, or even if it is a similar accord with several improvements, is bad and wrong from an operational and strategic point of view. Operationally, because it would enable Iran to enrich quantities of uranium, develop centrifuges to the point of a nuclear breakout. Strategically, it will drag the Middle East into a nuclear race, Kochavi warned. Anything similar to the current agreement is bad and must not be allowed. Todays Iran is not the Iran of 2015. Todays Iran is under tremendous pressure, economic pressures. Decisive action is required to deprive Iran of any breakout capability." He went on, "I have instructed the IDF to prepare a number of operational plans in addition to those already in place. We are focused on preparing these plans in the coming year. It will be up to the political leadership, of course, to decide on implementation, but these plans need to be on the table. The timing of his remarks could not have been more sensitive, two days before the first working visit to Israel by US CENTCOM Commander Gen. Kenneth McKenzie and just one week after the Joe Biden administration took office. Kochavi did not give the Americans the usual 100 days of grace and did not leave the messaging to the politicians. Instead of an intimate dialogue behind closed doors, he fired off alarmist rhetoric and barely veiled hints in the style of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He surprised everyone his direct boss, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, was furious the top IDF brass and all the way to the prime minister's office. Did he coordinate his remarks in advance with Netanyahu? It seems unlikely. Netanyahu, too, appeared taken by surprise, though he did not condemn the military chief, confirming off the record that Kochavis remarks reflect his own position. Nonetheless, Netanyahu associates were quick to issue a clarification, as diplomatic affairs analyst Barak Ravid reported immediately following Kochavis appearance, emphasizing that the prime minister is not interested at this stage in a confrontation with the US administration and is in fact seeking to develop an intimate dialogue with the Americans allowing him to present his position. Netanyahu is pleased that unlike during the Obama administration era, senior US officials are declaring their intention to consult with US allies, including Israel, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at his Senate confirmation hearing. Netanyahu intends to exhaust this option, a source close to the prime minister told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. Associates of Gantz and Ashkenazi were less laid back. Both spoke with their American counterparts shortly afterward, Ashkenazi with Blinken and Gantz with incoming Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Al-Monitor has learned that both ministers assuaged their counterparts concerns, explaining that Kochavi was not expressing an official Israeli position and that Israel seeks a productive, professional dialogue with the administration to bridge the gaps between them and ensure the closest coordination possible. These clarifications notwithstanding, the military chief has not retracted his remarks, nor did not claim he had been misunderstood. He even disseminated the full text of his speech to all the top IDF brass the following day. His relations with Gantz continue to deteriorate. Kochavis position collides head on with the understandings that Gantz, Ashkenazi and probably Netanyahu are trying to develop along the Washington-Jerusalem axis. What is Kochavi up to? He is one of the most experienced and talented commanders the IDF has had in modern times. When he assumed his position two years ago, he was more prepared than almost all his predecessors. He is sensitive to the delicate fabric of relations between the military and political echelons, especially in the international arena. His address was not cleared with his superiors, the security cabinet or the government. As head of military intelligence, Kochavi was among those who argued that the agreement taking shape between Iran and world powers was the the lesser of two evils, opposed an Israeli strike on Iran and understood the many advantages of the agreement as well as its drawbacks. Kochavis position runs counter to that of most senior Israeli defense and intelligence officials (except for Mossad director Yossi Cohen, whose views are equally militant), who contend that the absence of a nuclear agreement with Iran is more of a threat to Israel than the deal from which the United States withdrew in 2018. Kochavis associates claim he changed his mind on the issue over a year ago. But was the shift professional or shaped by political considerations? Kochavis abilities and charisma make him a natural candidate for Israels leadership after the Netanyahu era. In trying to depict himself as more Netanyahu than Netanyahu, he could be signaling that such is indeed his goal, trying to curry favor with the prime minister and score points ahead of Gantz and Netanyahu's decision on whether to extend his three-year term by a year, as has been the norm with almost all IDF chiefs. Kochavi is an officer, but he is also a political being and knows full well which way the wind is blowing. He is building himself up as a defense hawk, a position that has been Netanyahus winning card for years. He may also be trying to emulate Cohen, another talented security hawk. What we saw this week could have been a tactical move to prepare for the future struggle on the day after Netanyahu between these two talented men, a senior political source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. The first shot but not the last in the future race for Israels premiership between Yossi Cohen and Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi. Kochavis first shot, however, was not his personal best. He will surely learn his lesson and improve his aim next time. The Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) on Friday inducted 60 new members into its professional fold. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inducted directors were endorsed into the filmmaking guild at various levels of associate and full membership. The DGN President, Fred Amata, who addressed the inductees in Lagos, said the 60 successful filmmakers had excelled in the 2018 to 2021 screening exercises. Mr Amata said the event would usher in the guilds Annual General Meeting which usually leads to the DGN presidential election. Induction is the process for welcoming newly admitted workforce and supporting them to adjust to their new roles and working environments. As inductees, youre entitled to the rights and privileges of the Guild of elites and intellectuals in the hierarchy of production where the director is the head of creativity. There is a need to work hard and be of exemplary character at all times. We are here for you, and we will be responding to your needs. I want to remind you that the Guild is here to protect you. DGN is the custodian of the film art of Nigeria and we pride ourselves in that. Our members are top professionals in their fields, united in a belief in standard working conditions, compensation, and benefits. I emphasis the need for commitment. As members, you must abide by the rules of membership, your job description, legal and ethical responsibilities, and according to the constitution. You are advised to engage in continuous professional practices in the area of specialisation to keep pace with current global standards of the profession, he said. The guild president also advised members to adhere to COVID-19 precautions and help provide some safety and stability during the pandemic. All of the creations youve worked on are so necessary to entertain and will provide relief to so many. We hope you and your families remain safe, he said. He charged them to be leaders of excellent behaviour and embrace the challenges of being a member of the DGN. Earlier, Matthias Obahiagbon, Chairman, DGN Screening Committee, who presented the inductees before the president for induction and orientation, had also advised them to be good ambassadors. One of the inductees, Eriamiantoe Osaigbovo, commended the guild for its effort in developing the movie industry and also encouraged other stakeholders to do the same. I thank God for making my dream come true as I am filled with anxiety and excited to be here after a few years of trying. I will abide by the rules and develop my art and crafts in filmmaking through the guild, she said. Also present at the induction were Mac Collins Chidebe, the Vice President, Directors Guild of Nigeria; Uchenna Agbo, DGN National Secretary; Tony Akposheri, DGN Director of Finance; and Perekeme Odon, DGN PRO. Others include Victor Okhai, Yinka Akanbi, Famous Otakponmwen, and Nigerian video director and entrepreneur, Adasa Cookey. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT Mexico has asked for help from the Biden administration when it comes to getting guns off its streets. Guns used in crimes in Mexico are also tied to the United States, the Mexican government says. It says about 70 percent of crimes committed with guns in Mexico are linked to guns that came from the U.S. And of those, more than 40 percent come from Texas alone. Fabian Medina, chief of the Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, said Thursday that there have been at least 2.5 million to 3 million illegal firearms smuggled into the country during the last 10 years. Mexico is already ramping up its efforts to seek more cooperation from its U.S. counterparts with the incoming Biden administration in fighting the illegal weapons, according to Border Report. 'The Mexican government is going to propose specific actions to U.S. authorities, including intrusive and non-intrusive inspections of vehicles at the border, as well as the use of technology to stop arms trafficking,' Fabian said in an online forum. A Mexican soldier destroys weapons seized from alleged drug traffickers or handed in by residents at a military zone in Mexico City in 2016. Fabian Medina, chief of the Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, said Thursday that there have been at least 2.5 million to 3 million illegal firearms smuggled into the country during the last 10 years Mexican soldiers dismantle weapons seized from alleged drug traffickers at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense in Mexico City in 2010. Some of the weapons (pictured) that were used in the June 2020 failed plot to kill Mexico City's police chief were smuggled from the United States, Mexican authorities say A study released in December by the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection said of the guns traced back to the United States that were used in crimes in Mexico, 41 percent could be tied back to Texas, one of the states the country shares the 1,954-mile border with. As many as 19 percent of weapons were ferried in from California and an additional 15% were smuggled from Arizona. The rest of the United States contributed to 25 percent of guns and rifles that illegally crossed over the border. The flow of illegal weapons into Mexico stems in part because of Mexico's inability to check every single vehicle that crosses via the roads and bridges that connect both nations. Mexican soldiers stand guard next to weapons seized from alleged drug traffickers or handed in by residents before they are destroyed at a military zone in Mexico City in 2016 For example, Mexican border authorities inspect one out of every 20 vehicles. Immigration authorities at the Bridge of America have only one X-ray machine to process the inspection of vehicles going into Ciudad Juarez. Most of the weapons are trafficked through the southern Texas cities of McAllen, El Paso, Eagle Pass and Laredo. Mexico has also slammed the ease of purchasing weapons in the U.S. - especially in states that are close to its border. The four border states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas are home to 22,689 gun shops, the Mexico government said. Mexico allows its citizens to carry limited firearms, but with strict regulations. Josiah Heyman, professor of anthropology and director of the Center for Interamerican and Border Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso, said during the online conference that gun trafficking rings have been able to take advantage of the lax security by shipping weapons across the border in small quantities. According to a Houston Chronicle report, a cartel received 27 guns that were moved from Houston to the nearby northeastern Mexican city of Coahuila during a stretch of six months. Another trafficking scheme involved a cache of weapons that were smuggled from El Paso into Ciudad Juarez before landing in the hands of criminal groups in Chihuahua. Weapons also used by the cartel in a failed plot to assassinate Mexico City security chief Omar Garcia Harfuch on June 26, 2020, had been smuggled from the United States. Heyman called on both governments to sit at the table and find a better solution to the problem. Los Angeles: Oscar-nominated filmmakerNoah Baumbachhas signed a multi-year deal with streamer Netflix. As part of the new deal, the filmmakers next feature for the streamer is White Noise", an adaptation of Don DeLillos seminal novel of the same name. The movie, which will reportedly star Baumbachs partner Greta Gerwig and Marriage Story" actor Adam Driver, will start production later this year. Baumbach will produce the project alongside David Heyman, with whom he also produced2019s Marriage Story". When I started in the film industry I dreamed of having a home. It took me about 25 years but it was worth the wait. I couldnt be more thrilled to be making movies with Ted and Scott and everyone at Netflix, who are wonderful collaborators and friends and family," he said in a statement. Ted Sarandos, Co-CEO and Chief Content Officer at Netflix, hailed Baumbach for making some of the most personal and influential films in American cinema". When we started to work together almost 4 years ago, he immediately felt like family and Im thrilled were finally making it official," he added. Baumbachs collaboration with Netflix started with The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)",starring Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller and Emma Thompson. The movie had premiered to rave reviews from the critics at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. The filmmaker followed it up with Marriage Story", starring Driver and Scarlett Johansson in the lead. The critically-lauded movie was nominated for six Academy Awards at the 2020 Oscars, including two for Baumbach. Actor Laura Dern had bagged the best supporting actress award at the ceremony for her portrayal of lawyer Nora Fanshaw in the movie. New Zealand has been slammed for siding with China as the Communist superpower escalates its trade war with Australia. The Kiwi Trade Minister Damien O'Connor stirred Trans-Tasman tensions on Thursday when he suggested Australia needed to show more respect to Xi Jinping's authoritarian regime. 'I can't speak for Australia and the way it runs its diplomatic relationships, but clearly if they were to follow us and show respect, I guess a little more diplomacy from time to time and be cautious with wording, then they too could hopefully be in a similar situation,' he told the American CNBC. Scroll down for video New Zealand has been slammed for sliding with China as the Communist superpower escalates its trade war with Australia. Pictured is NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Beijing in April 2019 Liberal MP Dave Sharma, a former diplomat, was scathing days after New Zealand upgraded its trade ties with China. 'Expected a little more ... so much for Trans-Tasman solidarity,' he tweeted. Sydney radio 2GB broadcaster Ben Fordham accused New Zealand's Labour government of 'sucking up' to Communist China. 'Damien is an imbecile,' he said. 'You can cozy up to a ruthless dictatorship, mate, but here in Australia we stand up to bullies. 'The Kiwis, on the other hand, are sucking up like sycophants.' Mr O'Connor released a statement on Friday after speaking with his Australian counterpart Dan Tehan, another former diplomat. 'We do not speak for Australia on this or any other matter,' he said. Last night, New Zealand's Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta tried some damage control, declining to endorse her cabinet colleague's comments about Australia. 'Oh, look, the bilateral relationships of any other country is a matter for those countries,' she told the ABC's 7.30 program on Thursday night. The Kiwi Trade Minister Damien O'Connor stirred Trans-Tasman tensions on Thursday when he suggested Australia needed to show more respect to Xi Jinping's authoritarian regime 'Certainly in terms of the China-Australia relationship - that is really not something that we can or should comment on, and is a matter are for Australia and China to work through.' Nonetheless Japan, Australia's biggest trading partner from 1967 to 2008 until China replaced it, has endorsed Australia's assertiveness against China's wolf warrior diplomacy. Shingo Yamagami, who last month take over as Japan's Ambassador to Australia, said he had admiration for Australia standing up to China. 'This is a trying time for Japan's friends in Australia. The fact of the matter is the world's eyes are now on Australia,' he told The Australian Financial Review. 'In this regard some might be able to say this is a golden opportunity for Australia to demonstrate to the international community what kind of country Australia is. 'Whether you know Australia is willing to show its steadfastness and resilience, and in what way, I dont think this is to be dictated or influenced by others.' Last night, New Zealand's Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta tried some damage control, declining to endorse her cabinet colleague's comments about Australia Like Australia, New Zealand has China as its number one trading partner and both Trans-Tasman nations have bilateral trade deals with the Asian superpower. Australia, however, has more trade leverage with iron exports exports surging by 21 per cent in December as China turbo-charged its Covid recovery building program. Brazil, the world's only other major exporter of the steel-making commodity, struggles two years on from the Vale tailings dam collapse. Australia still managed to have a $9billion trade surplus in December - the fourth biggest on record even though hostile China bought 38 per cent of Australia's exports, Australian Bureau of Statistics trade data showed. This also occurred after China slapped 80 per cent tariffs on Australian barley and 212 per cent import taxes on Australian wine as revenge for Prime Minister Scott Morrison in April calling for an inquiry into the origins of Covid. Shingo Yamagami, who last month take over as Japan's Ambassador to Australia, said he had admiration for Australia standing up to China China has refused to take phone calls from Australian trade ministers despite holding up Australian shipments of coal, lobsters, timber, beef and lamb. New Zealand is a major exporter of dairy products, with Chinese consumers preferring Kiwi baby formula for being of higher quality. The small nation in the Pacific this week formalised an upgraded free trade agreement with China. Ms Mahuta, who last month offered to broker a truce between Australia and China, said the new bilateral deal resembled the 2015 China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. 'People will remember that we were the first to have a free trade agreement with China and the upgrade actually puts us on par with what Australia had agreed in their own free trade agreement with China,' she said. Over the past few years, the Ford Motor Company and Continental have started to get closer. The increasing collaboration between them has already proven detrimental to BFGoodrich because General Grabber is now supplying tires for the Raptors built at Silverton Assembly.Our tires were subjected to a punishing range of tests before being selected as the OE tire for all Ranger Raptors produced at Silverton for domestic sales and export markets around the world, said general manager of manufacturing JJ Dowling. Taking into consideration how many off-road bakkies are manufactured in South Africa for the local market and Europe, this can only be described as a huge blow for Michelin-owned BFGoodrich.There is, however, something that needs to be highlighted. Retail-wise, the General Grabber AT3 is more affordable than the T/A KO2. Now imagine what kind of discount the Blue Oval received from Continental over this supply deal, and youll understand why Ford switched brands. Also worthy of note, the Dearborn-based automaker is currently in the middle of a turnaround plan that will shutter Brazilian production by the end of the year.Local sourcing of an OE tire provides additional benefits for the Ford Motor Company in terms of increased local content, along with higher volumes to meet its production targets, added Dowling. It further strengthens Continentals exclusive status as the only tire company that supplies seven of the major vehicle manufacturers in South Africa.Developed for exceptional on-road grip and traction off the beaten path, the AT3 features the M+S designation for mud and snow. The three-peak mountain snowflake also needs to be mentioned, but do remember that all-terrains cannot match the performance of winter tires in winter conditions. A 4.5metre crocodile has been shot dead by traditional owners in the Northern Territory because of the risk to people swimming nearby - but the locals' worries are far from over. The enormous predator was killed at Kerrk Kerrk Creek and dragged to the roadside about 1km outside of Gunbalanya, where local kids posed for photos with it. 'It was shot for safety reasons. A large crocodile that size poses a risk to the community,' Gunbalanya Community School teacher Dan McLaren told Daily Mail Australia. 'Crocodiles in that area have taken dogs lately,' McLaren said, adding that his own dog, a Caterhoula called Bonnie, was taken by a crocodile in the area. Gunbalanya, about three hours east of Darwin, is an 'island in the middle of an inland sea' because it's the wet season. Local boys Layden Garnarradj, Stanley Kerr and Japheth Nawirrdj pose beside a crocodile estimated at 4.5 in length which was shot by traditional owners because of the risk it posed Dan McLaren, Learning on Country Coordinator for Gunbalanya Community School, who teaches 'croc safe' education to students, lost his beloved Caterhoula Bonnie to to a crocodile last year Crocodiles take over the waterways when this happens. The only way in and out of the community of about 1,000 people is by charter flight. McLaren said the area can be cut off by road for up to six months - making it a crocodile paradise. So being 'croc safe' becomes an essential theme for teachers and students. That includes ensuring children know not to swim in creeks and billabongs without an adult present. McLaren says many local elders have memories of swimming unsupervised - but that was when crocodiles were hunted 'almost to extinction'. 'Now crocodile numbers are back up to the levels of before they were hunted. They're everywhere.' Gunbalanya in the dry season. It is currently wet season, turning the area into 'an island in an inland sea' and the crocodiles are loving it Gunbalanya is a few minutes drive from the infamous Cahill's Crossing which is considered one of the most dangerous road crossings in the world because crocodiles wait at the point vehicles cross the East Alligator River 'In the dry, you see crocodiles walking through the middle of the town to reach the next billabong and the dogs chase them and hassle them.' 'They're pretty vulnerable out of the water and they won't hunt.' McLaren, who is from Canberra, isn't scared of crocodiles though he chooses carefully where he swims. 'I admire crocodiles. It'd be nice to be able to swim carefree anywhere, but you can't. The only way to avoid them is don't go in or near the water.' Gunbalanya is a few minutes drive from the infamous Cahill's Crossing which is considered one of the most dangerous road crossings in the world because crocodiles wait at the point vehicles cross the East Alligator River. The scenic road is known to attract hundreds of tourists each year, including dozens of bold drivers who attempt to make the daring journey across the East Alligator River In September, a driver unknowingly ran over a crocodile at Cahill's Crossing. The car started to shake as though it had run over something, then a crocodile's tail thrashed in the water as it swam under the car after lurking beneath the surface. 'You've just run over a crocodile,' the woman can be heard to say in footage taken at the time. More Alabama cities have been added to the list of places where a man has left harassing letters at businesses, mostly delivered in broad daylight. The letters are rambling and have anti-Semitic, racist and homophobic overtones. Tuscaloosa police Tuesday morning posted on Facebook photos of the man and his vehicle, saying they believe he left packages that included letters at several downtown businesses and at least one church in the area of Highway 82 East. The photo released Tuesday was taken around lunchtime Saturday. Jasper police on Jan. 12 posted photos of the same man, saying only that they were looking for him in connection with a criminal investigation. Tuscaloosa police on Thursday said they are now working with investigators in multiple jurisdictions to find the letter writer. At least 10 businesses and two churches in Tuscaloosa have received the letters. Many of the people who received the letters are concerned not just by the disturbing content,' police said, but the fact that they were hand-delivered. Tuscaloosa authorities didnt say which additional agencies are now in on the probe, but the same letters have been found in Homewood and Birmingham. Homewood police Sgt. John Carr confirmed that at least four letters have been found there. One of the letters was found at Homewood Fire Station #1, another at Standifer Animal Clinic, a third at a medical office on Central Avenue and a fourth, found Wednesday, at a business on Crescent Avenue. Carr, like other law enforcement agencies, said the letters did not contain threats but they are of concern. The Rev. Julie Conrady of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Birmingham said she was first made aware of the letters one week ago, when someone found one in one of the free library boxes stationed around Homewood. Someone told me someone mentioned our church so of course I wanted to see it,' she said. Conrady read the letter and found it beyond concerning. She went to her church the following day to install added security as a precaution, and there she found a letter in the door of the church. She said while there was no overt threat, We obviously contacted the police, the FBI, and the SPLC,' she said. She was also concerned that news reports only mentioned Tuscaloosa and Jasper. In an effort to find this individual and allow police to question him, which is all theyre wanting to do at this point, I thought it would behoove Birmingham residents to let them know they should be looking next door as well,' Conrady said. The author of the letters wrote this, in part: I have occasionally visited an extremely progressive Unitarian Association. They dont call themselves a church anymore, but it is. Unitarians are known for their high education levels and income. Out of congregation of 11-120, there will be about seven elementary age kids. Three of those will be out-sourced from the 3rd world (adopted). Conrady call the contents of the letter abhorrent. I reject everything except what was written about my church,' she said. For that Im really proud that we have a multicultural diverse community that we love. We embrace families of all types and kinds and that was clearly offense to this person, she said, but to me a great compliment that we have a community where folks and families feel welcome regardless of how they came together. Anyone with information is asked to call Tuscaloosa police at 205-349-2121 or 205-752-STOP (7867). Jasper police can be reached at 205-221-6790 or via Crime Stoppers 205-254-7777. This year marks the 50th anniversary for the Commemorative Air Forces Minnesota Wing, one of the most active units within the organization. The unit formed on July 3rd, 1971 at historic Fleming Field in South Saint Paul. The Minnesota Wing was the very first charter unit of the National Headquarters Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). Originally a maintenance unit, it supported the CAFs mission and maintained its ever-growing fleet of vintage military aircraft, vehicles, and historic artifacts. The units original 25 members provided maintenance to CAF aircraft and traveled extensively in the performance of their duties. Gene Andreotti served as the Maintenance Squadron Commander. The Minnesota Wing didnt start out with any aircraft of its own, however, over time, they acquired about half a dozen significant airframes: a B-25J Mitchell, P-51C Mustang (now part of the Red Tail Squadron), a Harvard Mk IV, an L-5 Sentinel, a BT-13A Valiant, a PT-22 Recruit, an L-17 Navion, and two PBY Catalinas (now assigned to the CAF-Lake Superior Squadron in Duluth). In addition to maintaining its assigned aircraft, the Minnesota Wing acquired and restored several WWII-era military vehicles: a 1942 Ford GTB Burma Truck, a 1941 Willys Jeep, with -ton trailer, a 1952 Willys Jeep, and a 1954 M-37 Weapons Carrier. The Minnesota Wing has certainly had a lot of amazing moments over the years, from Miss Mitchell taking her first, post-restoration flight on April 18th, 1992 (50 years to the day after the famed Doolittle Raid on Tokyo) and then the honor of being the only B-25 to perform a flyover for General James H. Doolittles funeral in 1993. Interestingly, Lt Col Richard Cole, General Doolittles copilot on the Doolittle Raid, flew in Miss Mitchell to Oshkosh in 2014. Today, the Minnesota Wing is home to six aircraft, a large motor pool fleet, and a unique collection of World War II artifacts, which are on display at the units hangar. The queen of the fleet is, without a doubt, North American B-25J Mitchell 44-29869 Miss Mitchell, which exemplifies a pristine example for what a dedicated group of volunteers can accomplish. Donated to the Minnesota Wing in the 1980s, volunteers immediately began a complete ground-up restoration of this versatile medium bomber. Today Miss Mitchell represents one of the most authentic restorations in the warbird circuit. Other airplanes in the collection include an L-5 Sentinel, a BT-13 Valiant, an L-17 Navion and a Ryan PT-22. The CAF Minnesota Wings hangar s located at Fleming Field. Prior to WWII, Fleming Field was known colloquially as The Hook-Em-Cow Flying Club. In 1939, the flying club was little more than a grass field. However, the U.S. Navy purchased the airfield in 1942, officially opening it on July 20th, 1943 to provide support for nearby NAS Minneapolis. The bases name dedication ceremony took place on January 3, 1944 in memory of Captain Richard E. Fleming (USMCR) who died during the Battle of Midway on June 5th, 1942. Congress posthumously awarded Captain Fleming the Medal of Honor for his actions that day, and his fellow sailors chose to name the Minnesota airfield to honor his heroic sacrifice in the defense of Midway Island. Fleming Field served as a training base for Navy pilots during WWII, one of whom would later become President of the United States. In 1971, the Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing (then the Southern Minnesota Wing) moved into Hangar 3 at Fleming Field, now a civilian run airport. Continuing their tradition of great firsts, in 2021 the Minnesota Wing will become the first CAF Charter unit to celebrate 50 years of service. Their first celebration will involve an Open House and History Flight Day on July 10th. Anyone interested in flying in a historic aircraft that day, may find out further details at the following link: https://www.cafmn.org/history-flights.html The Wings other significant event taking place at Fleming Field this year will be a Hops & Props celebration on August 14th, 2021. This will bring local breweries, wineries, and cideries together for the community to toast the Minnesota Wing in style. To learn more about the Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing, visit www.cafmn.org This article is part of the Free Speech Project, a collaboration between Future Tense and the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law that examines the ways technology is influencing how we think about speech. Facebooks Oversight Board unveiled its first round of decisions on Thursday, the first concrete actions in an experiment intended to bring more checks and balance to Big Tech. The Oversight Board, announced by Mark Zuckerberg in 2018, was created with the promise to uphold the principle of giving people a voice while also recognizing the reality of keeping people safe. Six months later, the board was formed as an independent body of 20 experts from all over the world and in a variety of fields, including journalists and judges. Although the board governs independently from Facebook (and Instagram), early critics worried it would amount to nothing more than a PR stint. Out of more than 150,000 cases submitted, six were chosen in December. The cases were emblematic of bigger, thematic issues in content moderation, such as censorship of hate speech, female nudity, and COVID-19 misinformation. Five decisions were released today. All are binding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the board, the cases were debated by five-member panels, each of which included a representative from the place where the post in question was written. The panel sometimes requested public comments and integrated them into their decision. Before finalizing a decision, a majority of the board had to agree. Michael McConnell, who is director of Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School, said he agreed to join the board because it recently dawned on him that the real decisions about what people can say and how they can say it in our world are no longer based on Supreme Court decisions, but by companies like Facebook instead. McConnell, who used to be federal judge, felt that joining this board was like joining a judiciary committee for modern times. Advertisement Of the five rulings shared Thursday and detailed below, four were in favor of overturning Facebooks original decision to remove a post. 1. The post: A user in Myanmar shared viral photos of Syrian toddlers who drowned on the beach and a comment, written in Burmese, that seemed to say Muslim men are psychologically damaged. The post contrasted some the silence around the treatment of Muslims in Myanmar with the killing of people in France over cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. Advertisement The decision: Even though the beginning of the post featured hate language, the board suggested that when the whole post is considered, it is actually a commentary on the apparent inconsistency between Muslims reactions to events in France and in China. The board re-translated the post, which provided a slightly different meaning than Facebooks original translation, and after consulting experts on the nuances of anti-Muslim hate speech, ruled that the post be restored. Advertisement 2. The post: A picture of churches in Baku, Azerbaijan, was posted with a caption, in Russian, that asserted Armenians had historical ties with Baku that Azerbaijanis didnt. The post used the term taziks to refer to Azerbaijanis, which is considered a dehumanizing slur attacking national origin. The decision: Considering the violence between the two countries and the language of the post, the board upheld Facebooks removal of the post, agreeing that it has harmful intentions. While Facebook takes Voice as a paramount value, the companys values also include Safety and Dignity, the board wrote. Given the context of the post, the board said Facebook should, in this case, value the latter. 3. The post: A series of photographs of breast cancer symptomsincluding pictures of female nipplesposted with the clear intentions to raise awareness of the disease during Pink October. The post was initially removed automatically by Facebook in October and then restored by Facebook after an internal review found it was indeed in line with community guidelines. Facebook requested that the case be dropped, declaring it moot but the board still saw the value in reviewing it, claiming that the incorrect removal of this post indicates the lack of proper human oversight which raises human rights concerns, including freedom of expression, especially for women. Advertisement Advertisement The decision: The fact that Facebooks automated system failed to recognize the Portuguese words for breast cancer raised concern for the board. It requested that the post be restored and suggested that Facebook clarify when automated forces are monitoring users and make sure a human being is reachable for appeals. The board also recommended that Instagram implement guidelines detailing that nipples may be shown in breast cancer awareness posts. (Its worth noting that Facebook has different protocols for male and female nipples.) 4. The post: A quote, misattributed to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels, that said arguments appealing to pathos are more important than the truth. The account user claimed the post was supposed to serve as a commentary on Donald Trump. Advertisement The decision: The board agreed that post wasnt displaying support for Goebbels, so freedom of expression reigned first. Suggestions were made for Facebook to clarify that if one is posting about a dangerous individual, the user must make clear that they are not praising or supporting them. 5. The post: A user implied that a French agency wasnt authorizing hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin for the treatment of COVID-19, even though it was harmless and could be a cure. The post was originally removed for spreading COVID-19 misinformation that this drug cocktail could cure the virus. Advertisement The decision: The board determined that since these drugs require a prescription in France, the misinformation could only cause minimal harm. The board ruled to restore the post and suggested that Facebook should fix how it approaches misinformation, such as correcting it instead of removing it. Advertisement Facebook will have seven days to restore the posts. The company released a statement acknowledging the binding nature of these decisions and said that it has already restored the posts. Their recommendations will have a lasting impact on how we structure our policies, vice president of content policy Monika Bickert wrote. The boards decisions and recommendations will not only apply to the five posts above, but also posts that have identical content with parallel context. One caveat to this was noted in reference to the COVID-19 misinformation case. Facebook wrote that its decision to remove COVID-19 misinformation is in accordance with advice from the CDC and WHO, so it wont change this approach. The Oversight Boards rulings seemed to value free speech above all else. Yet Nate Persily, co-director of Stanfords Cyber Policy Center, noted on Twitter, This is not where most public opinion is, of course. Whether in the U.S. or the world, most observers think the problem with FB is that it takes down too little speech, not too much. McConnell remarked that these free speech decisions were made carefully, and with great difficulty, because the boards priority to uphold freedom of expression had to be held in considerationand tensionwith the harm that can take place as a result of social media activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Real Facebook Oversight Board, a citizen campaign against the board, released a statement featuring quotes from advocates, claiming that the boards decision to restore posts of hate speech could lead to a troubling precedent for human rights. Next up on the boards agenda comes its biggest case to date: Should Donald Trump be allowed back on Facebook? The conclusion wont be revealed for more than 80 days. But based on these recent decisions, speculation is rampant. I dont think we can read too much into it, but what we do know is that they are willing to overturn decisions by Facebook, Persily said of the board. And so, we should not be surprised if they do reinstate Trump. Although future decisions will continue to come out, including one more in the next few days, McConnell believes that we wont understand the implications of Facebooks Oversight Board until many years in the future. Yet, what McConnell knows now is that he and his fellow board members will fight for transparency and to hold Facebook accountable. And I think to have a group like that looking over Facebooks shoulder can only do good. How much good it will do, I dont know. But its got to do some good. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. A blast outside Isreal Embassy in New Delhi has been reported on Friday, January 29. According to the police, some cars have been damaged. Initial reports suggested that no person was injured in the blast. According to the police, the blast took place on the pavement outside the Israel embassy building. The blast smashed the windscreen of a few cars which were parked outside the embassy. Delhi Police Special Cell has already reached the site and has started its investigation. The entire area has been cordoned off. "A very low-intensity improvised device went off at 5.05pm near 5 APJ Abdul Kalam Road near Jindal house. No injury to any person is there and nor any damage to property was witnessed, except window panes of three vehicles parked nearby," the Delhi Police said in a statement. "Initial impressions suggest a mischievous attempt to create a sensation," the Police statement added. This blast has occurred on the 29th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relation between Israel and India. The blast took place less than 2 km away from Vijay Chowk, where the Beating Retreat ceremony was taking place. The ceremony is being attended by President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others. The blast has occurred at a very high-security site in the National Capital. Fire tenders have already reached the site while the bomb disposal squad is on its way, according to India Today. The police have recovered an envelope from near the blast spot, which says to "Israel Embassy Ambassador". The letter has been collected for analysis, according to India Today. The initial investigation by the authorities has revealed that the IED wrapped in plastic was thrown outside the Israel Embassy from a moving car. CCTV footage from the around the area is being analysed for further clues about the suspect and the vehicle. New Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs on Friday called for a peaceful resolution of the conflict on the Bhutan-China border in relations to Chinese excursion in Bhutanese territory. Furthermore, India denied the allegations that its troops ventured into the Chinese territory. Instead, India claimed, that on 16 June, a PLA construction party entered the Doklam area and attempted to construct a road, which led to subsequent efforts to push them back by Bhutanese and Indian forces. "India is deeply concerned at the recent Chinese actions and has conveyed to the Chinese Government that such construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for India," the MEA statement said. "In this context, the Indian side has underlined that the two Governments had in 2012 reached agreement that the tri-junction boundary points between India, China and the third countries will be finalised in consultation with the concerned countries. Any attempt, therefore, to unilaterally determine tri-junction points is in violation of this understanding," it added. On the issue of Sikkim boundary, India asserted that the two nations reached an understanding in 2012 reconfirming their mutual agreement on the "basis of the alignment. "It is essential that all parties concerned display utmost restraint and abide by their respective bilateral understandings not to change the status quo unilaterally. It is also important that the consensus reached between India and China through the Special Representatives process is scrupulously respected by both sides," the statement said. Read | Amid Sikkim standoff, Chinese Army tests battle tank in Tibet near Indian border Full statement by MEA on the recent development in Doklam area The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a statement on 26 June 2017 alleging that Indian border troops crossed the boundary line in the Sikkim sector of the China-India boundary and entered Chinese territory. This has been reiterated since then in other Chinese official briefings. The facts of the matter are as follows: i.On 16 June, a PLA construction party entered the Doklam area and attempted to construct a road. It is our understanding that a Royal Bhutan Army patrol attempted to dissuade them from this unilateral activity. The Ambassador of the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB) has publicly stated that it lodged a protest with the Chinese Government through their Embassy in New Delhi on 20 June. ii.Yesterday, the Foreign Ministry of Bhutan has also issued a statement underlining that the construction of the road inside Bhutanese territory is a direct violation of the 1988 and 1998 agreements between Bhutan and China and affects the process of demarcating the boundary between these two countries. They have urged a return to the status quo as before 16 June 2017. iii.In keeping with their tradition of maintaining close consultation on matters of mutual interest, RGOB and the Government of India have been in continuous contact through the unfolding of these developments. iv.In coordination with the RGOB, Indian personnel, who were present at general area Doka La, approached the Chinese construction party and urged them to desist from changing the status quo. These efforts continue. v.The matter has been under discussion between India and China at the diplomatic level in the Foreign Ministries since then, both in New Delhi and Beijing. It was also the subject of a Border Personnel Meeting at Nathu La on 20 June. India is deeply concerned at the recent Chinese actions and has conveyed to the Chinese Government that such construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for India. In this context, the Indian side has underlined that the two Governments had in 2012 reached agreement that the tri-junction boundary points between India, China and third countries will be finalised in consultation with the concerned countries. Any attempt, therefore, to unilaterally determine tri-junction points is in violation of this understanding. Where the boundary in the Sikkim sector is concerned, India and China had reached an understanding also in 2012 reconfirming their mutual agreement on the "basis of the alignment. Further discussions regarding finalisation of the boundary have been taking place under the Special Representatives framework. It is essential that all parties concerned display utmost restraint and abide by their respective bilateral understandings not to change the status quo unilaterally. It is also important that the consensus reached between India and China through the Special Representatives process is scrupulously respected by both sides. India has consistently taken a positive approach to the settlement of its own boundary with China, along with the associated issue of the tri-junctions.India cherishes peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas. It has not come easily. Both sides have worked hard to establish an institutional framework to discuss all issues to ensure peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas. India is committed to working with China to find a peaceful resolution of all issues in the border areas through dialogue. Read | China says construction of road in Sikkim sector legitimate as the territory neither belongs to India nor Bhutan For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A battle over voting by mail is again being waged in an electoral contest. But now its Amazon that opposes a mail-ballot election in order to thwart a unionization effort at an Alabama fulfillment center. In November, Jeff Bezos, Amazons chief executive, rejected Donald Trumps falsehoods about voter fraud, writing on Instagram just after the election, By voting in record numbers, the American people proved again that our democracy is strong. Now, however, Amazons opposition to mail balloting threatens to undermine workplace democracy. In the era of Covid-19, it also endangers public health. The voters in the election are nearly 6,000 warehouse employees at an Amazon Robotics sortable fulfillment center in Bessemer, Ala., a Birmingham suburb that was once a center of steel production. They receive, sort and package goods delivered across the South. They will cast ballots to decide whether to be represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, a part of the United Food and Commercial Workers. With 40 coronavirus cases recently found at the warehouse, the union sought a mail-ballot election. The ballots are currently scheduled to be sent out on Feb. 8 and must be received by March 29. The co-chair of Taiwans Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee says Australia should send a clear signal to Beijing that threats to Taiwan will not be tolerated, warning conflict over the island puts the entire Indo-Pacific in peril. Wang Ting-yu called on all democratic countries to send a message to China days after the Peoples Liberation Army sent dozens of fighter jets and bombers over the Taiwan Strait in a sharp escalation of military incursions in the region. Members of Taiwans armed forces during a military exercise in Hukou, Hsinchu County, Taiwan, last week. Credit:Bloomberg Australia should send a clear signal that this is a red line, he said in an interview from the Legislative Yuan, the islands one-chamber parliament, in Taipei. You can increase your countrys power but dont harass, bully or intimidate your neighbour in a military way. Senior colonel Wu Qian, a spokesman for Chinas Ministry of National Defence, ratcheted up Beijings threats to Taipei on Thursday night. He said Chinas military drills in the area were aimed at provocation by separatist forces and foreign interference. 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 Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low near 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Sikkim government asks schools to introduce 11 local languages in curriculum India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Sikkim, Jan 29: In a recent development, the Sikkim government has asked all schools in the state to introduce 11 vernaculars in their curriculum from the next academic session for students to pick one as second language, an education department official said. Currently, students in state-run schools are given Bhutia, Nepali, Lepcha and Limbu as options for second language, and seven more would be added to the list. Budget 2021: An important decade for the first future of India says PM Modi Meanwhile, private schools will have to ensure that all 11 local languages, including Tamang, Gurung, Mangar, Sherpa, Mukhia, Rai and Newar, are made a part of the curriculum, the official stated on Friday. "This is for the information to all concerned that the state government has adopted the three-language formula in the following manner to be implemented in all schools within the state. The first language, being the medium of instruction, English will be the first language. The second language will be any one of the state government-recognised 11 languages and Hindi will be the third language," according to a government notification. Farmers Protest: RLD chief Ajit Singh speaks to Tikait brothers, announces support to BKU PM Modi on what to expect from Union Budget 2021 | Oneindia News The private schools have been told to submit a compliance letter with proper evidence to the director, exam cell, for renewal of their provisional registration before the start of the new semester, the official added. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 29, 2021, 12:56 [IST] NEW DELHI : The government expects India's air passenger traffic to reach its pre-covid level during early-2021, according to the Economic Survey 2020-21, which was tabled in the Parliament on Friday. "Air passenger travel and aircraft movements are predicted to reach pre-COVID level in early 2021 as a result of swift and decisive interventions and effective measures put in place by the Government," the survey said. Also Read | Covid vaccination faces slow start "Government has also entered into air-links or air transport bubble arrangements with 23 countries to facilitate the movement of passengers between the respective countries and India," it added. The survey also stated that the total aircraft fleet strength of Indian airlines is set to increase to 713 by the end of the current fiscal, up from 669 at the end of fiscal year 2020, despite a steep demand in passenger traffic. All major airlines continue to take delivery of aircraft due to the long term potential of the sector. During April-December 2020, Indian airports saw 64.83 million passengers, down 75% from the year-ago period, due to the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, according to data from Airports authority of India. During this period, domestic air traffic dropped 61.4% while international air traffic fell 73.8%. "Aviation and tourism declined sharply in 2020. Only 2.46 million foreign tourists arrived in India during January-June 2020 as compared to 5.29 million during January-June last year," the survey said. "Consequently, foreign exchange earnings from tourism declined to US$ 6.16 billion during the first six months of 2020 as compared to US$ 14.19 billion during the corresponding period last year," it added. The government had suspended domestic passenger flights between 25 March and 24 May 2020 to contain the pandemic. Domestic airline operations were allowed to resume from 25 May. Airlines were allowed to initially operate only 33% of their pre-covid capacity, which has now been increased to 80%. However, despite the severe challenges posed by Covid-19, the Indian aviation industry has persevered through the crisis and demonstrated long-term resilience and full commitment to serve, the survey said adding that India is expected to become the third largest overall aviation market by the fiscal year 2025. However, scheduled commercial international flights -- barring cargo flights and those specifically allowed by the civil aviation regulator such as flights under the bilateral air bubble pacts with select countries -- remain suspended at least till 28 February. India currently has bilateral air bubble agreement countries like Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ukraine, the UAE, UK, and the US. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Restaurants Ten Must-try Traditional and Delicious Mexican Dishes Mexican food is some of the most flavorful and colorful around. If you haven't tried these yet then you're missing out. Mexican food is world-famous and goes beyond the traditionally simple food featured in U.S. restaurant chains such as Chipotle. There is a lot more to Mexican food than simple tacos and burritos and there is so much for tourists in Mexico to experience. So, without further ado, here are 10 Mexican dishes everyone should try. 10. Tamales Tamales are a traditional Mexican staple that is made of corn dough called masa. This steamed masa is filled with a variety of ingredients such as meats like chicken or pork or simply vegetables. In addition to the meats, cheeses, vegetables, fruits and even peppers, can be added to these steamed pockets. Following the filling process, tamales are then wrapped inside of a dried corn husk and steamed to perfection. The end result is a delicious corn crust filled with juicy ingredients. Tamales are eaten by discarding the corn husk and can be enjoyed with side dishes and sauces as well. 9. Birria Next up on this list is a dish known as birria. Birria is certainly not a popular dish outside of Mexico and chances are you have never even heard of this dish, but it is one of the best Mexican dishes that everyone should try. In its essence, birria is a simple stew-like food that usually involves meat such as goat or mutton which is then simmered slowly in a sauce rich with spices. The final result of this process is a delicious stew with tender, juicy meat in it. While poultry, beef or port is not usually used, it can be. 8. Carnitas In Spanish, carnitas means 'little meats,' which in a sense can be construed as true. Carnitas refer to pork that has been cooked to a point of tenderness that it can be torn away with a fork into tinier pieces of meat. Carnitas is a food that is well known outside of Mexico and is featured in popular U.S. restaurant chains such as Chipotle who use this tender concoction to stuff tacos and burritos. Along with the tenderness, the carnitas is usually fried prior to serving so parts are often crispy on the outside while remaining juicy. Carnitas make for perfect taco stuffing. 7. Molcajete Following carnitas is a dish known as Molcajete. Molcajete is often referred to as a lava bowl due to the way it is presented for consumption. For starters, a molcajete is a bowl of steaming vegetables and meat, it can even be referred to as a stew. Molcajete is served in a steaming hot bowl that is actually a mortar and pestle, and both the dish and the food are hot to the touch. Due to the extreme temperature of this dish, it is advised that tourists do not consume this dish on a hot day unless in AC. 6. Mole Next up is a food referred to as a mole. While most people choose to describe this dish as Mexican curry, in reality, it refers to a family of sauces which are produced in different colors. These different colors each have different tastes and even come in different spice levels. The preparation of each of these sauces starts with the same basics, a chili pepper of some sort is used as the base of this sauce and many other spices are added on later. Some moles even contain traces of chocolate to add a tinge of sweetness. 5. Tacos Next on this list are tacos. Tacos are a popular Mexican food all around the world and for good reason. Tacos are essentially tortillas filled with cheeses, sauces, and fillings such as meats or beans or even vegetables, but the classic Mexican street vendor taco differs greatly from the Americanized version of it. For starters, street vendor tacos aren't prepared with fancy condiments such as sour cream, guacamole, lettuce or cheese, but these ingredients are usually available for you to add for yourself. What they all they contain is one ingredient, meat. If you are wondering how these simple dishes get their taste, it's in the preparation of the meat and the spices. 4. Enchiladas Next up on this list is another Mexican food that is common in restaurants and homes all across America, Enchiladas. Enchiladas make for a great dinner, especially when combined with a drink such as a root beer, and are fitting for cheese lovers. An enchilada is a large tortilla that is stuffed with meat, usually chicken, pork or beef, and sometimes even beans or vegetables. This roll is then placed in a baking pan and covered with a special sauce and a blanket of cheese. This concoction is then baked until the cheese is melted and enjoyed with sour cream, and guacamole. 3. Chilaquiles Next up on the list are chilaquiles. Chilaquiles is another dish that involves a tortilla as its primary ingredient. Chilaquiles are made by slicing up tortillas into thin strips and then they are deep-fried to act as the base of the dish. After the frying, the corn strips are placed on a plate and a second layer is added. The second layer involves a salsa or a mole sauce which is left to simmer on top of the tortillas to make them a bit softer. The dish is topped off with foods such as eggs, cheese, chicken and sour cream. 2. Fruit With Chili Powder Following is a food which isn't exactly difficult to make, and nor are they specific to Mexico, but they are definitely more abundant south of the border. If touring Mexico, you will undoubtedly find a street vendor who sells fruit in a cup, topped with a little chili powder that adds a hint of spice and contrasts the sweetness of the fruit in a delicious manner. What sets these street vendors apart from the general public who can make this dish at home is their use of fresh fruits grown locally, such as melon, papaya, mango, pineapple and more. 1. Arroz Con Leche Last, but not least, is Arroz Con Leche, which translated into English means "rice with milk." This dish is actually more than rice and milk, it's a pudding involving those two ingredients as its key components. This traditional dish no longer remains exclusive to Mexico due to its popularity around the world. Arroz con Leche is an extremely easy to make dessert and can be made at home with little effort and a short list of ingredients, the main ones being rice, sugar, milk, and cinnamon, but this simple dish is one of the best. Source: The Travel Mexico is a traveler's paradise, crammed with a multitude of things to discover. Mexican culture consists of incredibly lavish traditions and festivals, and much of the landscape in this beautiful country features a warm and tropical climate. But one of the best things about Mexico is undoubtedly its food.Mexican food is world-famous and goes beyond the traditionally simple food featured in U.S. restaurant chains such as Chipotle. There is a lot more to Mexican food than simple tacos and burritos and there is so much for tourists in Mexico to experience.So, without further ado, here are 10 Mexican dishes everyone should try.Tamales are a traditional Mexican staple that is made of corn dough called masa. This steamed masa is filled with a variety of ingredients such as meats like chicken or pork or simply vegetables. In addition to the meats, cheeses, vegetables, fruits and even peppers, can be added to these steamed pockets. Following the filling process, tamales are then wrapped inside of a dried corn husk and steamed to perfection. The end result is a delicious corn crust filled with juicy ingredients. Tamales are eaten by discarding the corn husk and can be enjoyed with side dishes and sauces as well.Next up on this list is a dish known as birria. Birria is certainly not a popular dish outside of Mexico and chances are you have never even heard of this dish, but it is one of the best Mexican dishes that everyone should try. In its essence, birria is a simple stew-like food that usually involves meat such as goat or mutton which is then simmered slowly in a sauce rich with spices. The final result of this process is a delicious stew with tender, juicy meat in it. While poultry, beef or port is not usually used, it can be.In Spanish, carnitas means 'little meats,' which in a sense can be construed as true. Carnitas refer to pork that has been cooked to a point of tenderness that it can be torn away with a fork into tinier pieces of meat. Carnitas is a food that is well known outside of Mexico and is featured in popular U.S. restaurant chains such as Chipotle who use this tender concoction to stuff tacos and burritos. Along with the tenderness, the carnitas is usually fried prior to serving so parts are often crispy on the outside while remaining juicy. Carnitas make for perfect taco stuffing.Following carnitas is a dish known as Molcajete. Molcajete is often referred to as a lava bowl due to the way it is presented for consumption. For starters, a molcajete is a bowl of steaming vegetables and meat, it can even be referred to as a stew. Molcajete is served in a steaming hot bowl that is actually a mortar and pestle, and both the dish and the food are hot to the touch. Due to the extreme temperature of this dish, it is advised that tourists do not consume this dish on a hot day unless in AC.Next up is a food referred to as a mole. While most people choose to describe this dish as Mexican curry, in reality, it refers to a family of sauces which are produced in different colors. These different colors each have different tastes and even come in different spice levels. The preparation of each of these sauces starts with the same basics, a chili pepper of some sort is used as the base of this sauce and many other spices are added on later. Some moles even contain traces of chocolate to add a tinge of sweetness.Next on this list are tacos. Tacos are a popular Mexican food all around the world and for good reason. Tacos are essentially tortillas filled with cheeses, sauces, and fillings such as meats or beans or even vegetables, but the classic Mexican street vendor taco differs greatly from the Americanized version of it. For starters, street vendor tacos aren't prepared with fancy condiments such as sour cream, guacamole, lettuce or cheese, but these ingredients are usually available for you to add for yourself. What they all they contain is one ingredient, meat. If you are wondering how these simple dishes get their taste, it's in the preparation of the meat and the spices.Next up on this list is another Mexican food that is common in restaurants and homes all across America, Enchiladas. Enchiladas make for a great dinner, especially when combined with a drink such as a root beer, and are fitting for cheese lovers. An enchilada is a large tortilla that is stuffed with meat, usually chicken, pork or beef, and sometimes even beans or vegetables. This roll is then placed in a baking pan and covered with a special sauce and a blanket of cheese. This concoction is then baked until the cheese is melted and enjoyed with sour cream, and guacamole.Next up on the list are chilaquiles. Chilaquiles is another dish that involves a tortilla as its primary ingredient. Chilaquiles are made by slicing up tortillas into thin strips and then they are deep-fried to act as the base of the dish. After the frying, the corn strips are placed on a plate and a second layer is added. The second layer involves a salsa or a mole sauce which is left to simmer on top of the tortillas to make them a bit softer. The dish is topped off with foods such as eggs, cheese, chicken and sour cream.Following is a food which isn't exactly difficult to make, and nor are they specific to Mexico, but they are definitely more abundant south of the border. If touring Mexico, you will undoubtedly find a street vendor who sells fruit in a cup, topped with a little chili powder that adds a hint of spice and contrasts the sweetness of the fruit in a delicious manner. What sets these street vendors apart from the general public who can make this dish at home is their use of fresh fruits grown locally, such as melon, papaya, mango, pineapple and more.Last, but not least, is Arroz Con Leche, which translated into English means "rice with milk." This dish is actually more than rice and milk, it's a pudding involving those two ingredients as its key components. This traditional dish no longer remains exclusive to Mexico due to its popularity around the world. Arroz con Leche is an extremely easy to make dessert and can be made at home with little effort and a short list of ingredients, the main ones being rice, sugar, milk, and cinnamon, but this simple dish is one of the best. Site Map Print this Page Email Us Top Posted Friday, January 29, 2021 9:35 am Suzi LeVine, the departing head of Washington's Employment Security Department (ESD), will serve as interim leader of the federal agency that helps states manage unemployment benefits, according to a media report Friday morning. LeVine, whose departure from ESD was announced late last week, will reportedly serve as "interim political head" of the Employment and Training Administration (ETA), which is part of the Labor Department, according to Bloomberg Law. LeVine, who declined last week to detail her new role with the Biden administration, also did not respond Friday to questions about the Bloomberg story. Bloomberg said the post was temporary and that it wasn't yet known whether LeVine also was in the running for a permanent role as assistant secretary at ETA, which would require confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Biden hasn't nominated anyone for that post, Bloomberg reported. The ETA "administers federal government job training and worker dislocation programs, federal grants to states for public employment service programs, and unemployment insurance benefits," according to the ETA website. The Bloomberg reported that the ETA "is poised to wield immense authority in executing President Joe Biden's mission to rapidly repair a labor market reeling from the virus-induced surge of layoffs and structural damage." Britains stand-off with Brussels over vaccines intensified today as the EU took on powers to block the export of Covid-19 jabs in a move that could interrupt the delivery of millions of life-saving doses to the UK. And there was fury in London that the new transparency and authorisation mechanism requiring companies to seek the approval of European authorities before shipping vaccines out of the 27-nation bloc will apply to Northern Ireland even though the region is treated as part of the EU customs union under the Brexit divorce deal. The Cabinet Office minister, Michael Gove, raised concerns with the European Commissions vice president, Maros Sefcovic, over the lack of prior notification of the action, which entailed Brussels invoking a special safeguard mechanism in the Northern Ireland protocol. The UK government is urgently seeking an explanation from the bloc over the move, which the Commission said was being taken because it was not possible to impose controls over goods moving on from Northern Ireland to mainland Britain. Labour called on Brussels to reverse course, with the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, Louise Haigh, describing the development as deeply destabilising. Downing Street warned the EU that as a friend it should not try to disrupt the delivery of jabs to the UK. A No 10 spokesman said: "The UK has legally-binding agreements with vaccine suppliers and it would not expect the EU, as a friend and ally, to do anything to disrupt the fulfilment of these contracts. He added that the prime minister had raised concerned during a conversation with Irish taoiseach Micheal Martin over the EUs use of Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol. He had urged the EU to urgently clarify its intentions and what steps it plans to take to ensure its own commitments with regards to Northern Ireland are fully honoured, the spokesman said. Although Brussels insisted that the new mechanism was not directed at any particular country, the UK was the only one of the EUs neighbours not to be included on an exemption list from the mechanism, widely seen as a precursor to a possible export ban if the bloc runs short of vaccines. Mutual mistrust was fuelled by the suggestion of the EU justice commissioner, Didier Reynders, that maybe the UK wants to start a vaccine war. There were fears the mechanism could be used to halt the delivery of 3.5 million jabs that are due to be sent to the UK from Pfizers plant in Belgium over the coming weeks. The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said: The pandemic is having devastating effects in Europe and all around the world. Protecting the health of our citizens remains our utmost priority, and we must put in place the necessary measures to ensure we achieve this. The move came as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) gave its long-awaited approval for the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed at Oxford University, to be used across the EU, amid a furious row with its manufacturer over supply levels. But the French president, Emmanuel Macron, threw doubt on the value of the Oxford jab, describing it as quasi-ineffective for over-65s, despite the EMAs assurance that it could be used safely on the elderly. Germany also confirmed that it will only give the vaccine to people aged 18-64. Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, insisted that the AstraZeneca jab can be used on all ages and would deliver similar immune responses among both older and younger adults. Mr Macron claimed the jab doesn't work the way we were expecting to and also questioned the decision of countries such as the UK to leave a long gap between the initial and booster doses of the vaccine. The goal is not to have the biggest number of first injections, said the French president. When you have all the medical agencies and the industrialists who say you need two injections for it to work, a maximum of 28 days apart, which is the case with Pfizer/BioNTech; and you have countries whose vaccine strategy is to only administer one jab, I'm not sure that its very serious. The health secretary, Matt Hancock, welcomed the EMAs approval of the AstraZeneca vaccine on a dosing schedule of up to 12 weeks, which he said showed that British science and global collaboration is saving lives. But there was growing anger in the UK over the EUs demand for the company to divert doses produced in Oxford and Keele to make up for a shortfall. The European Commission published a partial copy of the contract it signed last year with the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical giant, which stated that AstraZeneca must use its best reasonable efforts to manufacture 300 million vaccine doses for the EU, with an option for 100 million more. The 41-page document said that capacity for production would be at manufacturing sites located within the EU (which for the purpose of this section shall include the United Kingdom). Ms Von der Leyen said that this amounted to binding orders to deliver in full, while AstraZeneca insists that it is not committed to any timetable and that its separate contract with the UK gives Britain first claim on vaccines produced domestically. Downing Street made clear that Britain is not willing to accept interruptions to its supplies, saying it expected all contracts for vaccines that it has struck to be facilitated. Conservative MP Peter Bone accused Brussels of bullying, telling The Independent: The EU is in a big hole because of its own incompetence and instead of trying to work with the vaccine companies, it is digging itself deeper. They are not cutting off supplies, but there is an implied threat there. I call that bullying and the only way to deal with bullies is to stand up them. Eurosceptic former cabinet minister David Jones said: The EU have a dispute with AstraZeneca Sweden, so decide to respond by blocking the supply of vaccines to the UK, which is not a party to the dispute. Do the EU not care that they are trashing their international reputation? They were once so keen to talk about the rule of law. And European elder statesman Carl Bildt, the former prime minister of Sweden and current co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, said: I had hoped not to see the EU leading the world down the destructive path of vaccine nationalism. Our continents entire history of success has been one of open global value chains. AstraZenecas chief executive, Pascal Soriot, said the company was working 24/7 to improve supplies to the EU, after being forced to slash planned deliveries from 80 million to 31 million for the first quarter of 2021 because of production problems at a Belgian factory. Mr Soriot said: We have millions of doses that we are ready to start shipping to the EU over the next few days and weeks. We have identified additional sources of drug substance that we are redeploying from other parts of the world so we can top up the supply in Europe and make sure we can vaccinate as many people as we can as quickly as we can. (JTA) 70 Faces Media, the publisher of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, has acquired the New York Jewish Week brand. In a deal completed late last month, the 45-year-old Jewish Week will join the growing stable of brands at 70 Faces Media, which also publishes Alma, Kveller, My Jewish Learning and JTA Hebrew. The Jewish Week will retain a focus on Jewish New York, while drawing on 70 Faces Medias experience and resources as North Americas largest and most diverse Jewish media organization. We look forward to building on the esteemed history of the New York Jewish Week and develop... President Mnangagwa has launched a personal bursary programme the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa University of Zambia Scholarship Programme (ED-UNZA) that is set to benefit students from both Zimbabwe and Zambia. Ten students drawn each from the countrys provinces were seen off by the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Professor Amon Murwira at the University of Zimbabwe, where the ED-UNZA Scholarship Programme was launched today. The 10 students are expected to leave for the neighboring country tomorrow, five students from Zambia are expected in the country soon to start their studies at the university of their choice. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global Melengestrol Acetate API Market report offers a comprehensive analysis of current trends and future opportunities. This report is responsible for quantitative estimation and foreseen future for upcoming years based on the recent companies strategic moves and historical data. Further, the market report is categorized into different segments, regions, and countries level. This report also provides competitor analysis with its market share and developments. The final report will cover the impact of COVID-19 on this industry. The global Melengestrol Acetate API market report presents a complete research-based study of the industry including details such as company shares, forecast data, in-depth analysis and an outlook of the market on a worldwide platform. The report further highlights the market drivers, restraints and the top manufacturers at the global and regional levels. For a thorough understanding, the report also offers market segmentation and regional analysis for the forecast period from 2020 to 2025. Click here to get a Sample PDF Copy of the Melengestrol Acetate API Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/ask-questions-31508 According to this study, over the next five years, the Melengestrol Acetate API market will register an xx% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach $ xx million by 2025, from $ xx million in 2020. In particular, this report presents the global market share (sales and revenue) of key companies in the Melengestrol Acetate API business, shared in Chapter 3. This Melengestrol Acetate API market report also splits the market by regions: Americas (United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil), APAC (China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, Australia), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain), Middle East & Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Turkey, GCC Countries). This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of the Melengestrol Acetate API market by type, application, key manufacturers, key regions, and countries. The key manufacturers covered in this report: Breakdown data in Chapter 3. Tecoland FCDA Pharmaffiliates Hairuichem Alfa Chemistry Hangzhou Keying Chem Zhejiang Xianju Xianle Pharmaceutical Wuhan Jayusion pharmaceutical technology Haorui Others To inquire about report customization, feel free to reach out to our team of expert analysts @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/ask-questions-31508 This study considers the Melengestrol Acetate API value and volume generated from the sales of the following segments: Segmentation by type: breakdown data from 2015 to 2020, in Section 2.3; and forecast to 2025 in section 11.7. Min Purity Less Than 98% Min Purity 98%-99% Min Purity More Than 99% Segmentation by application: breakdown data from 2015 to 2020, in Section 2.4; and forecast to 2025 in section 11.8. Research Pharmaceutical In addition, this report discusses the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, challenges, and the risks faced by key manufacturers and the market as a whole. It also analyzes key emerging trends and their impact on present and future development. Purchase the Complete Global Melengestrol Acetate API Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-31508 Research Objectives To study and analyze the global Melengestrol Acetate API consumption (value & volume) by key regions/countries, type and application, history data from 2015 to 2019, and forecast to 2025. To understand the structure of the Melengestrol Acetate API market by identifying its various subsegments. Focuses on the key global Melengestrol Acetate API manufacturers, to define, describe, and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in the next few years. To analyze the Melengestrol Acetate API with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market. To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks). To project the consumption of Melengestrol Acetate API submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries). To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. About Us: DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research report provider, enriching decision-makers, and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research reports, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains. Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed. For more details: DecisionDatabases.com E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.com Phone: +91 90 28 057900 Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ Reference Source: https://www.topnewscorner.com/melengestrol-acetate-api-market-2020-analysis-by-latest-trends-growth-opportunities-with-potential-impact-of-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. SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Families will have the opportunity to meet San Antonio-area schools online, receive free application help, and even win raffle prizes during Families Empowered's "Virtual School Fair" on Saturday, Jan. 30. WHAT: Bilingual school fair featuring variety of pre-K-12th grade San Antonio schools and secure, one-on-one application assistance schools and secure, one-on-one application assistance All-day livestream featuring San Antonio Charter Moms, Families Empowered, SA School Finder, MindshiftED, and National School Choice Week Celebration of National School Choice Week WHO: Parents, school representatives, and Success Specialists from Families Empowered WHEN: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday , Jan. 30 WHERE: Register and access the virtual school fair at www.saschoolfair.org National School Choice Week shines a spotlight on effective K-12 education options for children. As a not-for-profit effort, the Week focuses equally on traditional public, charter, magnet, online, private, and home education options. Every January, participants plan tens of thousands of events and activities such as school fairs, open houses, and student showcases to raise awareness about school choice across all 50 states. Year-round, National School Choice Week develops resources and guides to assist families searching for schools or learning environments for their children. The effort is nonpolitical and nonpartisan and does not advocate for legislation. For more information visit schoolchoiceweek.com. SOURCE National School Choice Week Related Links www.schoolchoiceweek.com Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. As the Biden administration weighs next steps with Iran, the Pentagon is reassuring regional partners that deterrence remains central to US strategy toward Iran. Iran continues to be a malign actor in the region, continues to support terrorism throughout the Middle East, and they still pose threats to our partners and friends there, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters in his first press briefing under the new US administration Thursday. They still have an active ballistic missile program and they have been recently re-spinning centrifuges, Kirby said, adding, We still have national security interests in the Middle East and in the Persian Gulf specifically. The US military will continue its efforts to shield Washingtons partner states from the acts of terrorism that Iran continues to propagate throughout the region, Kirby said. To the degree that we have capabilities to try to deter that activity, I think you can expect we are going to use it, he said. The Pentagons message appears aimed at reassuring officials in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel and elsewhere in the region, where the Biden administrations planned shift toward a more diplomatic approach to Iran has heightened concerns over security. Kirbys statement comes one day after the State Department acknowledged it had temporarily frozen major Trump administration arms deals, among them precision munition sales to Saudi Arabia and a $23 billion sale of 50 F-35 fighter jets and 18 armed MQ-9B drones to the UAE. The Trump administration skirted Congress to push weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, even as United Nations warned that Washington may be complicit in war crimes for the Gulf coalitions indiscriminate killing of civilians in Yemens civil war. As a presidential candidate, Biden promised to pursue a different track, threatening to sever US support for the Saudi-led coalitions intervention in Yemens war. Officials with the new administration, however, have said that they may to continue to pursue a Trump-era initiative to convince Arab leaders to normalize ties with Israel, despite there being no resolution in sight to Israel's more than seven-decade conflict with the Palestinians. American officials are hoping the Abraham Accords will allow the United States to shore up regional defense cooperation to stabilize the Middle East and dissuade Iran from expanding its influence via proxy militias and ballistic missiles. That way, the United States can continue to shift its focus to countering China, which has emerged as a top strategic priority for Washington in the coming decades. The commander of US forces in the Middle East, Gen. Kenneth Frank McKenzie, landed in Israel on Thursday to discuss Iran and US regional policy with senior defense officials. His arrival, which marks the Biden administrations first official visit to Israel, follows a stop in Saudi Arabia earlier this week and coincides with a flurry of high-level calls between senior US and Israeli officials. Some members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus camp are again raising the specter of a highly risky unilateral strike against Iran if the Biden Administration returns to the original 2015 nuclear deal a proposal widely seen in Washington as a pressure tactic. Most notable was just such a statement on Tuesday by Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Avi Kochavi, who previously voiced approval for the Iran deal as chief of military intelligence in 2015. Gen. McKenzie met with Kochavi and Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Thursday, their first meeting since CENTCOM was ordered to incorporate Israel into its geographic region of responsibility by the Trump White House earlier this month. This shift will afford Israel opportunity to deepen cooperation with new regional partners and broaden operative horizons, Gantz said to McKenzie, according to a statement from Gantz' office provided to Al-Monitor. The pair briefed McKenzie on Israels current defense policy and regional threats, chiefly Iran, the statement read. The CENTCOM commander also reportedly met with Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, who is expected in Washington in the coming weeks to share intelligence with the Biden administration officials regarding the Islamic Republic's latest activities. Earlier this week, US Central Command launched one more round-trip sortie of B-52 nuclear-capable bombers to the region, continuing its unsubtle signal to Tehran. The flight is the sixth such deployment since November. Fighter aircraft from the Jordanian and Saudi Royal Air Forces flew alongside the Stratofortresses for part of the flight, building on a handful of recent joint US training drills with militaries in the region in recent weeks. Qatars Rafale fighter jets purchased earlier this year from France practiced linking up with and defending an American KC-135 Stratotanker for the two countries first ever joint midair refueling exercise. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned that a renewed agreement with Iran would take some time. Were not there yet, to say the least, he said. Blinken and his Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, have both stated in the last 36 hours that the other side must return to compliance with the deal first before any agreement is possible, setting up what appeared to be an early impasse as both governments continued to posture diplomatically and militarily. Bigg Boss season 14 contestant Vikas Guptas family feud has gone very much public over the course of the show. The television producer has talked about his troubled relationship with his parents, who he believes are after his property in Dehradun. However, in a recent interview, Vikass mother Sharda Gupta has clarified her position and expressed her support and love for his son. Speaking to The Times of India, Sharda Gupta said that every family has its fights and it is completely normal. She further said that keeping all the personal grudges aside she wants to meet her son and surprise him. Sharda wants her son to move on from everything that is in the past and live happily in life. She also says that she does not want him to come under anybodys influence. It can be speculated that Sharda is pointing towards Vikass fellow housemate Arshi Khan, who claimed on the show that she has spoken to her. The 32-year-old television personality has been in and out of the Bigg Boss show quite a few times and in his latest stint. He recently got involved in a personal fight with Arshi after she taunted him for not paying the bills of his mothers treatment. However, in a recent episode this week, the television screenwriter cleared the air regarding this rumour and said that there was a point in his life when he had to sell his house and called his mother to talk about it. He accuses that instead of supporting him, his mother told him that she was busy on a trip and will talk to him ten days later. At that point Vikas told his mother that he does not have the finances to bear the cost of her medical treatment. He then asked Sharda to sell their house in Dehradun, and instead of giving him his share, use it for her treatment. Vikas said that he had no other option since he had massive loans amounting to 1.8 crore. Vikas also mentioned that his parents are not going against him in public as they want to take over his property. Vikas claims that his parents are putting on a show in front of the media so that they can gain public sympathy and also a share in his property. He even mentioned that his parents have said that if they support Arshi Khan then they would lose the claim on his property. In-demand coronavirus items, such as face masks, medications and vaccines, are being flogged on dark web marketplaces, a new study reveals. Opportunistic con-artists are also using the dark web to sell ventilators and guides on how to scam people during the pandemic. Prices vary depending on item, with PPE and coronavirus-specific website names, like 'covid-testing.in' and 'coronavintheworld.com', being the cheapest at just $5. But this increases to $33 for medicines, $250 for tests and ventilators costing up to $1,400. Guides on scamming are being sold for $75, fake medical records for $130 and medical frauds including fake vaccines for around $275. The first sham inoculations appeared for sale as early as March, despite the first legitimate vaccine not being approved until December. The researchers say policymakers should use this data to investigate the risks covert marketplaces pose to public health, which they say is even more pertinent now considering the global vaccine rollout. Pictured, the number of listings for items of PPE throughout 2020 on dark web marketplaces. PPE listings spiked in May when the pandemic began to ravage much of the world, including the UK and the US, the two nations with the largest number of imports and exports, and legal sources failed to keep up with soaring demand Four peaks in public attention towards touted medications (pictured) were detected after four declarations from President Trump about hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine and azithromycin What is the dark web? The dark web is part of the internet which hides away from conventional means of tracking and traffic. It is undetectable from search engines and can only be accessed via specialist software, called Tor. This software hides a person's identifying features, such as their IP address. This allows people to anonymously communicate with others in small networks, which has led to marketplaces opening up. However, the nature of the dark web means there is no verification or guarantees of legitimacy. As a result it is rife with people buying and selling illegal items, including weapons, drugs, stolen personal details and malware. Advertisement Mathematicians from City, University of London, and the Alan Turing Institute published their findings in the journal EPJ Data Science. 'We were surprised by the diverse offering we found on dark markets,' Dr Andrea Baronchelli, lead author of the study, told MailOnline. 'The other thing that surprised us is the rapidity with which dark markets react to fads and misinformation. 'We saw this clearly for example in the case of hydroxychloroquine, for which we found 65 listings, a number that grew rapidly when Trump mentioned the drug.' The study monitored 30 dark web forums between January 1 and November 16, 2020, finding 851,199 listings. A total of 788 on 13 sites were deemed to be specific to Covid-19 and there were 9,464 total listings. The cumulative cost of all the coronavirus items detected as part of the research surpassed half a million US dollars. The most prolific site on the dark web which was selling Covid-related items was DarkBay, which is 'regarded as the eBay of the dark web because it offers more listings categories than other dark web marketplaces', the researchers say in their study. DarkBay contained 425 (54 per cent) of all Covid listings, with more than half of these (293) pertaining to PPE. DarkBay remained online for longer than rival dark web sites, with it accessible 80 per cent of the time. The largest dark website in the world, known as Empire, had an uptime of just 77 per cent in comparison, the researchers say. Empire shut down in August, but was home to 94 listings before it closed. There were 50 in MagBO, 49 in DarkMarket, 48 in The Canadian Headquarters, 42 in White House, and 35 in Yellow Brick, the study shows. Most people selling pandemic-related items on the dark web had only a handful of listings, with 80 per cent of vendors selling less than five different items. Pictured, a graphical breakdown of the distribution of active listings found by researchers on the dark web Pictured, the number of listings for PPE and medicines on the dark web throughout 2020, on a logarithmic scale 'This may imply that vendors of COVID-19 related products have a focus on a specific product category, or are just creating one-off listings to try to make quick money,' the researchers say. The data shows trends in the clandestine sale of coronavirus items, with the first Covid-related item appearing for sale on January 28, following the Wuhan lockdown. PPE listings spiked in May when the pandemic hit much of the world and legal sources failed to keep up with soaring demand; the UK and the US were the two nations with the largest number of imports and exports, the study found. There was then a sudden decrease in PPE listings after July, as PPE gradually became more available worldwide through legitimate businesses. Covid-19 items on sale on the dark web Category Listings Total observations Vendors PPE 355 5660 88 Medicines 228 1917 106 Scamming guides 99 1244 40 Web domains 50 189 15 Medical frauds 34 316 23 Tests 17 51 13 Fake medical records 3 9 3 Ventilators 2 78 2 Covid 788 9464 252 The trends for medicine listings was more convoluted and directly linked to misinformation spread by prominent voices, including Donald Trump. 'Covid-19 medicines remained approximately stable throughout [summer], with a peak after USA president Donald Trump first referred to chloroquine,' the authors write. 'Four peaks in public attention were detected after four declarations from President Trump about [medicines hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine and azithromycin].' The researchers now hope to build on their findings by looking at more dark web marketplaces as well as looking at more wide-reaching implications of the pandemic, such as on drugs, weapons and malware. 'By revealing that DWMs listings of goods related to COVID-19 exist and are correlated with public attention, we highlight the need for a close monitoring of the online shadow economy in the future months, in order to control and anticipate dangerous effects of the COVID-19 'infodemic',' the researchers say. NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Exxon Mobil Corporation ("Exxon" or the "Company") (NYSE: XOM) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, and docketed under 21-cv-000194, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise, acquired Exxon securities between November 6, 2019 and January 14, 2021, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials. If you are a shareholder who purchased Exxon securities during the Class Period, you have until March 29, 2021 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] Exxon explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas in the U.S. and abroad. One of the Company's most important oil and gas properties is in the Permian Basin, which is currently the highest-producing oil field in the U.S. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements, and failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operational, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and failed to disclose to investors that: (i) Exxon forced its employees to use unrealistic assumptions regarding the timelines for well drilling in the Permian Basin; (ii) the foregoing assumptions served to artificially inflate the value of the Company's well operations in the Permian Basin; (iii) the foregoing conduct, when revealed, subjected Exxon to a heightened risk of regulatory investigation and oversight; and (iv) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On January 15, 2021, pre-market, the Wall Street Journal published an article entitled "Exxon Draws SEC Probe Over Permian Basin Asset Valuation." The article reported that the SEC probe stemmed from a whistleblower complaint that, during a 2019 internal assessment, workers were forced to use unrealistic assumptions about how quickly wells in the Permian Basin could be drilled to reach a higher valuation, and that at least one worker who complained about the assumptions was fired. On this news, Exxon's stock price fell $2.42 per share, or 4.81%, to close at $47.89 per share on January 15, 2021. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP Related Links www.pomerantzlaw.com (Des Moines) -- Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a bill that would require K-12 schools to offer 100% in-person learning by February 15th. Reynolds signed Senate File 160 into law Friday at the State Capitol Rotunda after she told lawmakers in her Condition of the State Address that it was the first bill she wanted to sign this year. She says giving all children a chance to learn in the classroom is a key part in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Iowa was one of the few states that reopened its schools in the fall and the vast majority of our districts welcomed their students back for a full-time, in-person learning in August," said Reynolds. "I commend those school districts from their leadership and board members to their teachers and staff for doing what was necessary to bring kids back to the classroom and allow the families that they serve to choose whats best for their children. Statewide, 15 public school districts and one non-public school are only offering a hybrid learning model. Many other districts across the state are offering both in-person and hybrid or virtual learning. Those districts will be allowed to keep their hybrid models, as long as an in-person option is available. We now have the benefit of months of evidence that shows schools are the safest place for our kids to be, said Reynolds. Transmission among our students is low and spread isnt occurring due to contact in schools. Opponents of the bill argued that some districts do not have space to social distance if all students returned in person and others suggested waiting until teachers and staff could be vaccinated against COVID-19. Reynolds says the state is using $310 million of federal CARES Act money to help districts return to the classrooms. She says they are also offering districts personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies if they request it. "We've provided 21,000 gallons of disinfectant, 3,700 gallons of hand sanitizer, more than 110,000 face shields, 660,000 facemasks and 2,600 thermometers," said Reynolds. "We'll continue to fulfill requests from any school that needs PPE and supplies to implement public health measures." The bill does include a provision that would suspend in-person instruction in a district with a waiver from the Department of Education or through a public health measure signed by the governor. The bill only applies to the rest of this school year. Federal officials have sued the owner of a Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Corpus Christi, Texas, for firing a temporary employee because she was pregnant, Awon Phie LLC, doing business as the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Corpus Christi, violated federal law when it fired the temporary employee placed by a staffing company because she was pregnant, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit. According to the EEOCs lawsuit, the companys operations manager told an employee that she noticed her stomach, referring to her being pregnant. The companys operations manager told the employee she was a liability because of her pregnancy and fired her, stating that she could not allow a pregnant woman to work for the employer, the EEOC charged. Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which prohibits employers from discriminating against pregnant employees. The EEOC filed its lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Corpus Christi Division (EEOC v. Awon Phie LLC d/b/a Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Case No. 2:21-cv-00012) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. In this case, the EEOC seeks back pay and compensatory and punitive damages for the employee, as well as injunctive relief, including requiring that the company revise its anti-discrimination policies to include Title VIIs protections against sex discrimination on the basis of pregnancy. Source: EEOC Topics Lawsuits Texas 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. Sydney Universitys acting vice-chancellor Stephen Garton says the sector needs a second financial rescue package to prop up research if international students cannot return to Australia this year. Professor Garton, who will preside over the university until a permanent chief is chosen, warned the country would lose its best researchers if universities could not afford the staff or equipment they needed. International student fees fund about a quarter of university research, but when students were stuck at home due to border closures the federal government allocated $1 billion in the budget last October to prop up research until their return. Stephen Garton will act as Sydney University vice-chancellor until a new VC is appointed. Credit:Louise Kennerley At the time, universities hoped overseas students would return in significant numbers by second semester 2021. But new COVID-19 clusters, dangerous variants of the virus and uncertainty over the vaccine roll-out now threaten to push their arrival to 2022. The farmers' protest on Delhi borders for over two months echoed in Parliament on Friday as Congress MP Ravneet Bittu raised slogans in their favour during President Ram Nath Kovind address. Bittu earlier arrived in the Central Hall and took a seat. During the President's address to the members of both the Houses, he first shot videos on his mobile phone and then stood up to assert that "what is happening with farmers is not good". The Lok Sabha MP from Ludhiana in Punjab spoke about the government's policies related to farmers, mentioning the three new farm laws enacted in September 2020. He then appealed to the Union government to repeal the three laws, one of the main demands of the protesters. After speaking for some time, Bittu twice raised the slogan 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan'. Before moving out of the Central Hall, he again shouted 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan'. Along with the Congress, 17 opposition parties had announced boycott of Kovind's address during Parliament's Budget Session to express solidarity with farmers, who have been protesting on the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and other places since November 26 in support of their demands. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that no seat was allotted in Bittu's name. "He entered the Central Hall by saying that his party MPs have reserved seats for the event," Joshi alleged. ADVERTISEMENT The Delta State Government has imposed curfew in the state to check the surge in COVID-19 infections. The curfew would be from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. daily, from January 29, the state government said in a statement signed by the Secretary to State Government, Chiedu Ebie. The statement said the action was in line with a nationwide curfew imposed by the federal government for the same hours. In view of this, the State Government wishes to reiterate that the guidelines earlier issued on the closure of night clubs across the state still subsists and should be complied with, the statement said. President Muhammadu Buhari, a few days ago, signed a law prescribing a six-month jail term for anyone caught violating COVID-19 protocols which includes the mandatory wearing of a face mask in public. The Delta State Government vowed to strictly enforce the new law as a result of the incidence of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Delta State is 2,300 as of January 28, according to data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The state is 10th among the states with high COVID-19 cases in Nigeria and 52 people in the state have so far died from the viral infection. Three US military veterans were involved in advanced planning and recruitment for the storming of the US Capitol that took place on January 6, according to a federal indictment released on Wednesday. The defendants are alleged members of the fascistic Oath Keepers militia, which was involved in the storming of the Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the presidential election. The indictment charges that planning for the assault began shortly after the November 3 election, including recruitment and training exercises in multiple states in order to be fighting fit by inauguration. Federal prosecutors allege that US Army veteran Jessica Marie Watkins, 38, Marine veteran Donovan Ray Crowl, 50, both from Woodstock, Ohio, and retired Navy commander Thomas E. Caldwell, 66, from Berryville, Virginia, set up training exercises and base camps in Ohio and North Carolina to prepare for the January 6 coup attempt. All three face multiple charges, including conspiring to obstruct Congress, which could result in a 20-year prison sentence. Tear Gas outside the Capitol, Jan. 6 (Wikimedia/Tyler Merbler) Watkins, the commander of the so-called Ohio State Regular Militia, is alleged to have begun recruiting members to join fellow Oath Keepers in an assault on the Capitol on November 9. Watkins is alleged to have set up a basic training camp outside Columbus, Ohio, in early January. Prosecutors allege that Watkins also participated in a leadership only conference call via an encrypted app, although with whom is left unsaid. The documents also allege that Navy veteran Caldwell had made arrangements for a busload of over 40 conspirators, with unspecified weaponry, to arrive in Washington D.C. ahead of the January 6 assault. The documents also allege that in December, Crowl attended a training camp with an unspecified number of militia members in North Carolina, while at the same time, Caldwell and Watkins organized forces in Northern Virginia. In an interview with the Loudoun Times-Mirror, Virginia Republican state delegate Dave LaRock confirmed that Caldwell was very active in local Republican politics and had even been chosen as a delegate to Loudoun Countys Republican convention in Berryville last March. LaRock, who admitted to being with the mob at the Capitol on January 6, but claimed to have not entered the Capitol, said he was shocked and amazed to learn that Caldwell had been arrested. LaRock told the Times-Mirror, Tom is a wonderful man. He and Sharon have been very supportive of me. Larock added that, Tom has served our country in a long and distinguished career in the US military. I think very highly of Tom and Sharon. In earlier charging documents, prosecutors cited a Facebook video that was allegedly posted at 7:47 p.m. on January 6 in which Caldwell boasts, Us storming the castle. Please share. Sharon is right with me! I am such an instigator! She was ready for it man! Didnt even mind the tear gas. According to an FBI agents affidavit submitted in connection with the indictment, after breaking into the Capitol, Caldwell received information from an unnamed person on the whereabouts of members of Congress, via Facebook messages. One of them read: All members are in the tunnels under capital seal them in, and Go through back house chamber doors facing N left down hallway down steps. This evidence potentially substantiates charges that right-wing Republican members of Congress were directly coordinating with militia leaders storming of the Capitol. The newly unsealed documents also hint at higher-level coordination between Oath Keepers members and the leader and founder of the group, Stewart Rhodes. While not formally named in the new charging documents, previous documents had referred to [Person One] as Stewie. The new documents allege Caldwell wrote to Watkins, Dont know what [Person One] is cooking up but I am hearing rumblings of another MAGA march 12 December. I dont know what will happen but like you I am very worried about the future of our country I believe we will have to get violent to stop this. Caldwell added, you are my kinda person and we may have to fight next time. On December 12, leader of the Proud Boys and recently revealed confidential federal informant Enrique Tarrio took a public tour of the White House, before he and his street gang attended a pro-Trump Stop the Steal rally that featured as speakers former national security adviser Michael Flynn, My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, and right-wing commentator Jack Posobiec. After the speeches and once night fell, clashes and fights between Proud Boys and counterprotesters left four people stabbed and 33 arrested. In another message allegedly sent on December 30, Caldwell told Watkins, If [Person One] isnt making plans, Ill take charge myself, and get the ball rolling, after which Caldwell allegedly added, I dont know if [Person One] has even got out his call to arms, but its [sic] a little friggin late. This one we do on our own. This one we are doing on our own. In an interview with the Washington Post last week, Oath Keepers leader Rhodes admitted that Caldwell helped corral Stop the Steal protesters but denied that Caldwell is a dues paying member of the Oath Keepers or that he held a leadership position in the fascist militia. Rhodes claimed he wasnt aware of any action Caldwell was taking on January 6 on behalf of the Oath Keepers, but he did admit that Watkins was a member. Prosecutors also revealed alleged messages that show the group were incited by Trump and thought they were doing their patriotic duty by storming the Capitol. Trump wants all able-bodied Patriots to come to the Stop the Steal rally, Watkins messaged on December 29. Watkins added that, If Trump activates the Insurrection Act, Id hate to miss it. The documents once again underscore that what happened on January 6 was not the result of an out-of-control mob that just happened to overrun a suspiciously unprepared, poorly equipped and under-staffed Capitol police force, but the result of coordinated action and planning between fascist right-wing militias, police agencies, the military-intelligence apparatus, wealthy benefactors and substantial sections of the Republican Party, to overthrow democratic forms of rule in the US and install Trump as president-dictator. The indictment cites a message to Watkins from an unidentified man over the app Zello that stated: You are executing a citizens arrest. Arrest this assembly, we have probable cause for acts of treason, election fraud. This suggests plans for the kidnapping of members of Congress, potentially holding them hostage to force the overturning of the election. It is imperative that all communications, including text messages and phone calls between Oath Keepers, police, military and Republican officials, be made public. These necessary actions will not happen if left to President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party, who are doing everything they can to suppress and downplay the events in order to achieve unity with their Republican colleagues. The ongoing danger of fascistic violence was underscored by the recent plea deal agreed with Ty Garbin, one of the five men arrested in October and charged with plotting to kidnap Democratic Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. On Wednesday, Garbin turned states witness against eight others accused of taking part in the plan and pleaded guilty to kidnapping conspiracy charges. The plea deal asserts that Garbin, Daniel Harris, Kaleb Franks, Brandon Caserta and Adam Dean Fox began planning to kidnap and hang Whitmer in early June 2020. By mid-June, Fox, seeking to grow the operation, also coordinated with Barry Croft to attend a meeting in Dublin, Ohio, of like minded individuals where they discussed removing tyrants from office. At this point, the group was planning, in a preview of the events of January 6, to storm the Michigan state capitol after setting off a diversionary explosion in another location to divert law enforcement and use tasers and zip ties to neutralize their asset for detaining and extraction. Similarly, two pipe bombs, one at the Republican, the other at the Democratic National Committee headquarters, were found during the fascist assault on the Capitol, along with zip ties and tasers. According to the plea deal, the group practiced shooting a modified AR-15 type semi-automatic assault rifle that had a 37-millimeter projectile launcher and attempted to build bombs during a July 1213 FTX or field training exercise held in Cambria, Wisconsin. The group prepared on the property of 70-year-old Michael Jung, a self-described member of the Oath Keepers and III Percenters, who has yet to be charged. By July 18, Garbin, Fox, Croft, Franks, Harris and others attended a meeting of militia leaders from several states in Peebles, Ohio. It was at this meeting that the group decided the assault on the Michigan Capitol would be too difficult and to begin planning to kidnap Whitmer at her vacation home. Iowa and Ohio team finds strategy to protect developing brain from prenatal stress in mice New research from the University of Iowa and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center demonstrates that offspring can be protected from the effects of prenatal stress by administering a neuroprotective compound during pregnancy. Working in a mouse model, Rachel Schroeder, a student in the UI Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, drew a connection between the work of her two mentors, Hanna Stevens, MD, PhD, UI associate professor of psychiatry and Ida P. Haller Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Andrew A. Pieper, MD, PhD, a former UI faculty member, now Morley-Mather Chair of Neuropsychiatry at Case Western Reserve University and Investigator and Director of the Neurotherapeutics Center at the Harrington Discovery Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. Stevens's lab studies the long-lasting impact of stress during pregnancy, which can lead to neuropsychiatric impairment in offspring during early life and in adulthood. Pieper's lab focuses on discovery of neuroprotective treatments, exemplified by the pharmacologic agent used here, known as P7C3-A20, which has previously been shown to protect the adult brain from injury. Schroeder spent time in both labs early in her graduate school career and was inspired to bring the two lines of research together in her own work, investigating the potential impact that P7C3-A20 might have in protecting the embryonic brain during adverse events in pregnancy. Her work is the first to explore the therapeutic potential of prenatal exposure to P7C3 compounds. "Prenatal stress increases the risk for offspring to have neurodevelopmental problems," Schroeder said. "We wanted to know whether the P7C3-A20 compound protected the embryonic brain from damage. Our results show that offspring are protected from the negative effects of stress when the mothers are treated with P7C3-A20 during the same time." The research was published online this week in the journal Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. Previous work by Pieper's lab has shown that P7C3-A20 enables nerve cells to maintain normal levels of an energy molecule known as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), under toxic or injury conditions that are otherwise overwhelming and energy-depleting for the cell. Schroeder's research showed that chronic prenatal stress in mice disrupted the embryonic brain's NAD+-synthesis machinery, which led to degeneration of nerve cell axons, learning deficits, and depression-like behavior when the offspring reached adulthood. Schroeder demonstrated that when prenatally-stressed pregnant mice were simultaneously treated with P7C3-A20, their offspring were protected from these negative effects. "By stabilizing critical NAD+-producing mechanisms, we enabled the developing embryonic brain to continue developing normally despite the stress," Schroeder said. "Though there are many challenges associated with administering medicines during pregnancy, Rachel Schroeder's discovery represents an exciting move forward in understanding how prenatal stress harms the brain, and strategies for protecting the developing embryo," said Pieper, who is also a psychiatrist at the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center in Cleveland. This study represents an important proof of concept for a new approach to early prevention of neuropsychiatric problems, Stevens said. "Neuropsychiatric problems are the most common chronic illnesses of young people, which means we need many more ways to protect the brain as it develops. Our lab is focused on mechanisms of brain development prenatally, a critical time when we could make a difference." ### In addition to Schroeder, Pieper and Stevens, the research team included Lynn Nguyen and Alexandra Loren in the Stevens Lab at the UI; Preethy Sridharan, Coral J. Cintron-Perez, and Edwin Vazquez-Rosa in the Pieper Lab at the Harrington Discovery Institute; and Noelle S. Williams and Kavitha P. Kettimuthu at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Funding was provided by the Brockman Foundation, the Elizabeth Ring Mather & William Gwinn Mather Fund, S. Livingston Samuel Mather Trust, G.R. Lincoln Family Foundation, Wick Foundation, Gordon & Evie Safran, the Leonard Krieger Fund of the Cleveland Foundation, the Maxine and Lester Stoller Parkinson's Research Fund, the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center resources and facilities, Project 19PABH134580006-AHA/Allen Initiative in Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment, a Junior Research Program of Excellence from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, Nellie Ball Trust, the National Institute for Mental Health, UI Environmental Health Science Research Center, and the UI Graduate College. About University of Iowa Health Care University of Iowa Health Care is the state's only comprehensive academic medical center, dedicated to providing world-class health care and health-related outreach services to all Iowans. Based in Iowa City, UI Health Care includes University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, and University of Iowa Physicians, the state's most comprehensive multi-specialty physician group practice. About Harrington Discovery Institute The Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, OH--part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development--aims to advance medicine and society by enabling our nation's most inventive scientists to turn their discoveries into medicines that improve human health. The institute was created in 2012 with a $50 million founding gift from the Harrington family and instantiates the commitment they share with University Hospitals to a Vision for a 'Better World'. For more information, visit: HarringtonDiscovery.org. About University Hospitals / Cleveland, Ohio Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 19 hospitals, more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system's flagship academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, located in Cleveland's University Circle, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The main campus also includes University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children's hospitals in the nation; University Hospitals MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, a high-volume national referral center for complex cardiovascular procedures; and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, including cancer, pediatrics, women's health, orthopedics, radiology, neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, digestive health, transplantation and urology. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including "America's Best Hospitals" from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals - part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development. UH is one of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with 28,000 physicians and employees. Advancing the Science of Health and the Art of Compassion is UH's vision for benefitting its patients into the future, and the organization's unwavering mission is To Heal. To Teach. To Discover. Follow UH on LinkedIn, Facebook @UniversityHospitals and Twitter @UHhospitals. For more information, visit UHhospitals.org. Case Western Reserve University is one of the country's leading private research institutions. Located in Cleveland, we offer a unique combination of forward-thinking educational opportunities in an inspiring cultural setting. Our leading-edge faculty engage in teaching and research in a collaborative, hands-on environment. Our nationally recognized programs include arts and sciences, dental medicine, engineering, law, management, medicine, nursing and social work. About 5,100 undergraduate and 6,700 graduate students comprise our student body. Visit case.edu to see how Case Western Reserve thinks beyond the possible. Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center is the hub of VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System, providing and coordinating primary, acute and specialty care. Focusing on treating the whole Veteran through health promotion and disease prevention, VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System delivers comprehensive, seamless health care and social services for more than 112,000 Veterans at 18 locations across Northeast Ohio. VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System contributes to the future of medicine through education, training and research programs. For more information visit http://www. cleveland. va. gov . This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. In August 2020, Uber announced that it would buy a British company that had positioned itself as the taxi industrys answer to ride-hailing. Today, the UKs competition regulator said that it would examine the proposed deal and its impact upon the commercial landscape. In a statement, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said that it would check if the deal would cause a substantial lessening of competition. Autocab, which has provided taxi equipment since 1991, built the iGo Everywhere platform as a rival to Uber and Lyft. The cloud-based scheduling platform enabled local taxi firms to put their logo on an Autocab-made app, and market their services just like a ride-sharing service. We profiled Autocab in 2017, and the company made it clear that its intention was to build a UK-wide network of local taxi firms. CMA investigates Uber purchase of Autocab, a UK rival minicab booking platform pic.twitter.com/iXJUc6xGv9 Rory Cellan-Jones (@ruskin147) January 29, 2021 When the deal was announced, Uber said that it would expand its ride-sharing footprint across the parts of the UK it had yet to enter. Through Autocabs iGo marketplace, Uber will be able to connect [its] riders with local operators who choose to take their booking. In return, these local players would be able to hook up to Ubers platform to access additional revenue opportunities, such as delivery. At the time, Uber said that the company would remain independent with its own board, focused exclusively on providing technology to the taxi and private hire industry around the world. The concern, however, is that the iGo network (which Uber described as a marketplace) would be rolled into Ubers. The CMA has now begun the first phase of its process, and has opened its mailbox for public comment, before deciding wether to continue with its investigation on or before March 26th, 2021. 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: US tech giant Google's endeavour to have a diversified workforce in all respects by making strategic investments and initiating new projects has reaped huge dividends but its latest diversity report shows that it still must make more efforts. While female staff now comprise 31 percent of its total employees, they comprise only 20 percent of the company's technical workforce. Furthermore, only one percent of its tech roles comprise of African American Googlers, who make up only five percent of the company's total number of employees. Although the number of women in tech and the number of Hispanic Googlers has increased by one percent from last year's, it's obvious that the company is still significantly white and male. Mountain View is at least aware it must make more efforts in this domain, and that may be the reason it has employed Danielle Brown recently as its new VP of Diversity. Brown used to be Intel's VP and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer and will supervise Google's diversity and inclusion strategy. Intel isn't more diverse than the big G, according to its 2016 report, 25.8 percent of its employees only are women and Black employees are even less (3.73 percent of population). However, Brown will provide fresh eyes, which maybe is what is required by Google to attain better results. To emphasise why diversity is essential Eileen Naughton, Google's VP of operations, related the story of how Pixel's creative chief was inspired by Mexico City to design the "Really Blue" edition: "For all of our communities of color, we're working to make sure our culture is rewarding and welcoming through events, town halls, employee resource groups, and ensuring fairness in the promotion process. We know this is critical to making it safe for everyone to bring their best and most innovative ideas to the table. For example, the idea for our Really Blue Pixel came from Alberto Villarreal, the phone's creative lead and industrial design manager, who derived the color from the Mexico City of his youth. The phone was released in October and sold out within minutes. Alberto is part of a vibrant community of Hispanic Googlers, whose contributions are essential to our ability to reflect the world around us, especially here at our California HQ." Google hires Intels VP with aim to increase employee diversity US tech giant Google's endeavour to have a diversifed work force in all respects by making investments and initiating new projects has reaped hugh dividends but its latest diversity report shows that it still must make more efforts. While female staff now comprise 31 percent of its total employees, they comprise only 20 percent of the company's technical workforce. Furthermore, only one percent of its tech roles comprise of African American Googlers, who make up only five percent of the company's total number of employees. Although, the number of women in tech and the number of Hispanic Googlers have increased by one percent from last year's, but it's obvious that the company is still significantly white and male. Mountain View is at least aware it must make more efforts in this domain, and that may be the reason it has employed Danielle Brown recently as its new VP of Diversity. Brown used to be Intel's VP and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer and will supervise Google's diversity and inclusion strategy. Intel isn't more diverse than the big G -- according to its 2016 report, 25.8 percent of its employees only are women and Black employees are even less (3.73 percent of population). However, Brown will provide fresh eyes, which maybe is what is required by Google to attain better results. To emphasize why diversity is essential Eileen Naughton, Google's VP of operations, related the story of how Pixel's creative chief was inspired by Mexico City to design the "Really Blue" edition: "For all of our communities of color, we're working to make sure our culture is rewarding and welcoming through events, town halls, employee resource groups, and ensuring fairness in the promotion process. We know this is critical to making it safe for everyone to bring their best and most innovative ideas to the table. For example, the idea for our Really Blue Pixel came from Alberto Villarreal, the phone's creative lead and industrial design manager, who derived the color from the Mexico City of his youth. The phone was released in October and sold out within minutes. Alberto is part of a vibrant community of Hispanic Googlers, whose contributions are essential to our ability to reflect the world around us, especially here at our California HQ." For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The 'Stansted 15' protesters who stormed the airport to ground a flight deporting 25 criminals to Africa crowed today after their convictions were overturned by Court of Appeal judges - because it ruled they were wrongly charged as terrorists. The group cut through the Essex airport's perimeter fence in March 2017 and took smiling selfies as they locked themselves together around a Boeing 767 jet chartered by the Home Office to transport people from UK detention centres for repatriation. Thousands were delayed as airport security and police needed more than an hour to remove them before they were arrested. Flights to Stansted had to be diverted including arrivals from Ibiza, Warsaw, Belfast, Bilbao, Murcia, Dublin and Berlin. 60 people were taken off the repatriation flight heading to Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, including 25 criminals who had been imprisoned in the UK for offences including murder, child rape and grievous bodily harm. The so-called 'Stansted 15' were convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court in December 2018 of an offence arising out of the March 2017 incident. Three were given suspended jail sentences and the other 12 were handed community orders. But today they had those convictions for endangering the safety of an aerodrome overturned after judges said legislation they were prosecuted under was meant for terrorists rather than protesters. At the time Jeremy Wright QC was the Attorney General. Last night it appeared the legal battle was not over as the CPS said it would carefully consider the judgement as others called for new charges to be brought. Terror and extremism expert Colonel Richard Kemp, who chaired the government's Cobra Intelligence Group, said he believed the protestors should be punished. He told MailOnline: 'A lot of terrorism is to do with intent. I am surprised they got charged with a terrorism offence. 'But they should be punished in my view, if they can charge them with another offence. 'It sounds like the charge was wrong and the CPS made a mistake they could have avoided this disaster by doing the right thing.' In a tweet after the judgment was published, one of the protesters, Ben Smoke, wearing a jumper emblazoned with 'ex-terrorist', said: 'WON OUR APPEAL!! I'm so happy. I can't stop crying. We f***ing did it!!!' Lyndsay Burtonshaw, said: 'We got the judgement from our appeal for our terrorism-related conviction for the #Stansted15 action. WE WON!' Raj Chada, head of criminal defence at Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors, the law firm representing the Stansted 15, said: 'It should be a matter of great shame to the Crown Prosecution Service and the Attorney General that terror-related legislation was used against peaceful protesters. 'Both have questions to answer as to why they authorised such an unprecedented charge.' The 'Stansted 15' protesters are celebrating today with one member Ben Smoke wearing a jumper emblazoned with 'ex-terrorist' after they had their convictions overturned for grounding a flight due to deport dozens of criminals to Africa The group locked themselves together around a Boeing 767 jet chartered by the Home Office to transport people from UK detention centres for repatriation to Africa in March 2017 (above) Six members of the 'Stansted 15' (left to right) May MacKeith, Ben Smoke, Helen Brewer, Emma Hughes, Mel Evans, and Ruth Potts, outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London during the appeal in November In a judgment published on Friday, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett, sitting with Mr Justice Jay and Mrs Justice Whipple, axed the Stansted 15's convictions. Activists were wrongly convicted under law brought in after Lockerbie bombing The 15 protesters were convicted two years ago of intentional disruption of services at an aerodrome, contrary to section 1(2)(b) of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act (Amse) 1990. The 15 protesters were convicted two years ago of intentional disruption of services at an aerodrome, contrary to section 1(2)(b) of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act (Amse) 1990. The law states that is an 'offence for any person by means of any device, substance or weapon unlawfully and intentionally' to 'disrupt the services of such an aerodrome, in such a way as to endanger or be likely to endanger the safe operation of the aerodrome or the safety of persons at the aerodrome'. The legislation was introduced soon after the Lockerbie bombing in 1988. The activists' lawyers claim the law was 'introduced in order to enact into domestic legislation the provisions of an international counter-terrorism convention, which is terror related and in our view should not have been used against peaceful protesters'. The Amse law was used mostly recently to detain seven people after military forces stormed an oil tanker off the Isle of Wight last month. They were arrested on suspicion of seizing or exercising control of a ship by use of threats or force. Advertisement A CPS spokesperson said: 'We will consider the judgment carefully in the next 28 days'. Lord Burnett said the protestors 'should not have been prosecuted for the extremely serious offence ... because their conduct did not satisfy the various elements of the offence. There was, in truth, no case to answer.' In documents before the court, the Stansted 15's barristers argued this law is intended to deal with violence of the 'utmost seriousness', such as terrorism, not demonstrators. They argued that Amsa is not concerned with risks of 'a health and safety-type nature' posed by those who have trespassed at an airport without causing or intending to pose 'a direct risk of endangerment' to the operation of the airport, or people there. The papers said that, instead, the law relates to 'an offence of unlawful violence of the utmost seriousness, directed at individuals who intentionally and unlawfully deploy offensive devices, substances and/or weapons, intending by that deployment to disrupt airport services in such a way as to endanger or to be likely to endanger the safe operation of the airport as a whole or the safety of the body of persons at such airport.' Lawyers for the group also argued that the Attorney General - who is required to sign off on the use of this legislation - should not have granted consent for the law to be used in this case, that the Crown Court judge, Judge Christopher Morgan, made errors in summing up the case, and there were errors in directions given to the jury. In their written argument, barristers representing the Crown said the convictions are safe and that the trial judge was correct. For the Crown, Tony Badenoch QC told the court: 'We don't accept that the Act is constrained to terrorism and nothing else.' The plane had been chartered by the Home Office to remove 60 people to Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone. Those due to be removed included 25 criminals who had been imprisoned in UK jails for serious offences including murder, rape of a minor and grievous bodily harm. At the time of the planned charter flight, no individuals on the flight had any outstanding legal claims that would have prevented their removal. Of the original 60 individuals, 49 were subsequently removed and 11 individuals including six foreign national offenders currently remain in the UK following or pending appeal. The group smiled as they posed for pictures after chaining themselves together in March 2017 How one criminal being deported had stabbed a man to death in London One of those on the flight was murderer Quam Ogumbiyi, who was jailed in 2004 for stabbing a man to death in front of his family in Harringay, North London. Ogumbiyi, then 23, plunged a knife into Ibrahim Asik's chest after wrongly accusing him of burgling his girlfriend's flat. Cemasik Asik, 32, one of Ibrahim's sons, told last year how his father's murder had a devastating impact on his family, leaving him and his two brothers homeless. In 2011, Ogumbiyi was given an additional life sentence after he and two others carried out a knife attack on Bosnian war criminal Radislav Krstic in prison. It is understood Ogumbiyi was deported to Nigeria two days after the protesters stopped the Stansted flight. Advertisement Figures in court papers said that as of March 2019, 11 of the deportees on the flight grounded by the protest group's actions were still in the UK, with two confirmed as victims of modern day slavery and a third granted asylum on human rights grounds. In a statement on behalf of the group, May MacKeith, one of the protesters, said: 'The nightmare of this bogus charge, a ten-week trial and the threat of prison has dominated our lives for four years. 'Despite the draconian response we know our actions were justified. '11 people, including survivors of trafficking, who would have been deported that night are still in the UK. 'Mothers, fathers, colleagues, friends and family members are rebuilding lives the Government attempted to destroy.' Lana Adamou, lawyer for civil liberties group Liberty, said: 'These charges were an attack on our right to express dissent and it is good news for all of us they have been overturned. 'The prosecutions of the Stansted 15 are part of a bigger picture. The Government is trying to weaken and water down our right to protest and, by extension, to chip away at the ways we can stand up to power. 'All too often it is the most marginalised in society, and those acting in solidarity with them, who bear the brunt of over-zealous policing and crackdowns on protest, making it even more important for the Government to take steps to facilitate protest and ensure these voices are heard, rather than find ways to suppress them.' Erin Scott / Bloomberg While Senator Ted Cruz has faced scrutiny most of the month for his recent moves in Congress, a local group is ending January with rally in support of him. The Republican Party of Bexar County, with Allen West as chairman, is tied to the Republican National Committee. The local installment is planning the rally outside the headquarters at 12000 Starcrest Drive on Jan. 30. JCVI deputy chairman Professor Anthony Harndern predicts the WHO will come into line with UK guidance Britain's four chief medical officers back the strategy, and supporters say it will save lives by providing more people with some level of protection sooner A decision to leave 12 weeks between vaccine doses to stretch out UK supplies could be backed up by the World Health Organisation, it has been claimed. The controversial recommendation had been made by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) for people's second jabs to be delivered up to three months after the first. Britain's four chief medical officers back the strategy, and supporters say it will save lives by providing more people with some level of protection sooner. But critics include the British Medical Association, whose council chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul has said the level of protection from delaying a second dose was not known. Yesterday, however, the deputy chairman of the JCVI suggested the strategy could soon be adopted by the World Health Organisation (WHO). A decision to leave 12 weeks between vaccine doses to stretch out UK supplies could be backed up by the World Health Organisation, it has been claimed. Pictured: A World Health Organization building in Geneva, Switzerland [File photo] Britain's four chief medical officers back the strategy to delay giving people a second dose of the vaccine by up to three months after the first, and supporters say it will save lives by providing more people with some level of protection sooner. Pictured: A woman receives a dose of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine at Acklam Road pharmacy in Middlesbrough on Thursday Professor Anthony Harnden, from the University of Oxford, said: 'Now I happen to know that WHO are looking at this at the moment.. because there's a couple of WHO committee members that sit on JCVI - and looking very, very carefully at what the UK are doing. 'And my prediction will be - this is my personal prediction - that the WHO will actually come into line with what the UK are doing. 'I think that won't be too long before that happens. 'And so the more that we see the data reassuring us that we're making the right decision, the more likely it is that WHO will come into line.' Currently the WHO recommends a maximum of six weeks between doses of the Pfizer jab, although its position is that it will reconsider this if more evidence becomes available. 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 recent report reveals politically charged curriculum from Kansas City's partially accredited school district. Check-it . . . KSHB: KCPS adds Black Heritage, Latinx courses to high school curriculum Deets . . . According to course descriptions, the Black Heritage course will aim to develop an understanding of the Black experience and its influence on Kansas City, the country and world. The Latinx course will aim to focus on the history of Latinx people in the U.S., emphasizing how they have contributed and shaped experiences as well as cultural imagination among different Latinx communities. KCPS said students will examine pre-Hispanic cultures, the colonial era, Latin American independence from Spain, the revolutions, 20th-century political parties, current economic inequality, ethnic and linguistic diversity within the Latinx course. The only problem . . . THE TERM LATINX HAS BEEN UNIVERSALLY REJECTED!!! AFTER YEARS OF TRYING BY ACTIVISTS & EDUCATORS, MOST LATINOS REPUDIATE THE PROGRESSIVE TAG!!! Sadly, its likely this will be just another fallacy taught by the partially accredited school district that suffers from a dwindling student population and long-term institutional FAIL. Reality . . . This is simply another reason for parents of every demographic to research home school, private school or any option to remove their youngsters from this ongoing disaster. Researched evidence of Latinx unpopularity . . . LMT: Over 90% of Hispanics and Latinos dont like to be called Latinx PWR: About One-in-Four U.S. Hispanics Have Heard of Latinx, but Just 3% Use It Developing . . . A mother who lost her daughter in a drunken car crash has taken another one of her children to court over the tragedy. Sharon Gousteris is seeking more than $408,000 in damages from Candice Chmieluk and her insurance company Allianz Australia over the death of Sammy-Jo Chmieluk. The 24-year-old was killed in May 2016 after she went for a drink with her older sister Candice at a Gold Coast venue. Candice Chmieluk (pictured right) is being sued by her mother after a fatal car crash in 2016 Sharon Gousteris (pictured above) has filed a law suit against her daughter Candice Chmieluk The pair left the Currumbin surf club in a 4WD, which was driven by Candice, who was 29 at the time, on a suspended driver's licence. Her car hit a traffic light on the Gold Coast Highway at Palm Beach at such velocity that it tore the 4WD in two. Police said it had been driven at 100km/h in a 60km/h zone. Sammy-Jo Chmieluk (pictured above, middle) was killed instantly in 2016 in a car driven by her sister Candice (pictured left) The civil claim from follows Kristy Chmieluk (right with Sammy-Jo) launching legal proceedings against her sister Candice A test found Candice was driving while more than four times the legal blood-alcohol limit. Documents filed in the Southport District Court this month revealed the sisters' mother, Ms Gousteris, has been left in 'considerable psychiatric pain and discomfort' following Sammy-Jo's death, Gold Coast Bulletin reported. She also is said to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and mood disorder. Candice (pictured) pleaded guilty to to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death while adversely affected by alcohol in 2018 Their surviving sister Kristy, 38, begun proceedings against Candice and her insurer, Allianz Australia, last year. Despite previously saying she had forgiven her sister, Kristy filed a civil suit, saying she was left psychologically scarred after her sister's death, and had been required to inspect her body in a morgue. 'The plaintiff was so shocked and distressed discovering the death of Sammy-Jo Chmieluk and subsequently developed post-traumatic stress disorder with panic attacks and social avoidance,' the suit stated. Sammy-Jo (pictured) was killed instantly during the crash, which her brother admitted has 'ripped the family apart' Lawyers for Kristy (pictured) said she had been left suffering with PTSD and panic attacks which made it impossible for her to return to work after her sister Sammy-Jo died in a car crash in 2016 The $1.2million suit claimed Kristy suffers PSTD and panic attacks, and had been unable to work since the death of their beloved sister. The money was claimed for economic loss after she was unable to return to her $1,130-a-week job, as well as ongoing medical bills. It also alleged Candice owed a duty of care both to Sammy-Jo and her surviving sister and should have exercised caution while driving. The civil claim was resolved privately. Candice pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death while adversely affected by alcohol in the Southport District Court in 2018. She was sentenced to five years, to be suspended after spending three months in jail. Candice was driving four times over the legal alcohol limite when her 4WD smashed into a traffic light in May 2016 (pictured) and killed her little sister 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 Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 United Way of Greater Chattanooga announces that the Restore Hope Fund has assisted 1,132 households, including 1,719 adults and 1,505 children, in the greater Chattanooga area. In March of 2020, the Restore Hope Fund was launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support the greater Chattanooga community. The fund was designed to assist individuals and households experiencing lost wages or other adverse circumstances due to the COVID-19 crisis. United Way partnered with 12 local nonprofit agencies to support the needs of those directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including La Paz, Boys and Girls Club of Chattanooga, Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga, Rock Bridge Community Church, Helen Ross McNabb Center, Clinica Medicos, Bethlehem Center, Chattanooga Area Command, Northside Neighborhood House, Partnership for Families, Children and Adults, Signal Centers, United Way of Rhea County and the Walker County Heartbeat Fund. Coordinating with United Way, these nonprofits allocated Restore Hope grants directly back to households and individuals to meet basic needs like rent or utility payments. The Restore Hope Fund was supported by dozens of community members and organizations such as Truist, Maclellan Foundation, Chattanooga Whiskey, First Horizon, HamiCo Inc., Chattanooga Gas, Southtree and Pinnacle Financial Partners, as well as EPB and TVA, which generously offered to match donations made to the Fund up to $50,000. By the end of the campaign, EPB and TVA increased their participation to $160,000 each, resulting in a $320,000 investment to support local economic recovery, and EPB employees donated an additional $20,000 to the effort. Because of these organizations and donors throughout the city, $788,905.99 has been raised. As part of our mission to serve the community, we were proud to partner with United Way and the network of local non-profits which came together to provide support for our neighbors in need during this unprecedented crisis, said David Wade, president and CEO of EPB. This effort would not have been possible without the essential nonprofit partners here in Chattanooga, said TVA President and CEO Jeff Lyash. This pandemic has impacted hundreds of thousands of our neighbors, and while this fight is not over yet, its encouraging to see how big of an impact we can make as a community. "Our community stepped up like never before to help our neighbors, said Lesley Scearce, CEO and president of United Way of Greater Chattanooga. It has been made more than clear that in the midst of a crisis, collaboration is essential. We are so proud of the meaningful impact that has come from the generous, ongoing support of our community. Roughly 98 percent of the fund has been distributed to-date. Due to the continued impact of COVID-19, United Way will keep the fund open for the public to continue to give. To donate and learn more, please visit https://unitedwaycha.org/restorehopeimpact/. A US judge has cleared the way for the extradition of an American father and son accused of sneaking ex-Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn out of Japan in a box. The US State Department said in October that it had agreed to hand Michael Taylor, 59, and Peter Taylor, 27, over to Japan but US District Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts put their extradition on hold after their lawyers filed an emergency petition. Ms Talwani wrote in a ruling issued on Thursday that the extradition could move forward. Lawyers for the men said in court papers that they plan to appeal to the Boston-based federal appeals court. The lawyers had previously argued that bail jumping is not a crime in Japan and, therefore, helping someone evade their bail conditions is not a crime either. The Taylors were arrested in May in the town of Harvard, Massachusetts. Authorities say the pair helped sneak Mr Ghosn out of Japan on a private jet with the former Nissan boss hidden in a large box. The flight went first to Turkey and then Lebanon, where Mr Ghosn has citizenship and which has no extradition treaty with Japan. Mr Ghosn said he fled because he could not expect a fair trial, was subjected to unfair conditions in detention and was barred from meeting his wife under his bail conditions. Mr Ghosn has said he is innocent of allegations he under-reported his future income and committed a breach of trust by diverting Nissan money for his personal gain. He says the compensation was never decided on or received, and that the Nissan payments were for legitimate business purposes. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Scammers are using people's desperation for COVID-19 vaccines in the midst of a pandemic as a bargaining chip to steal money and personal information. Though it doesn't appear to be a widespread problem in Michigan, the state Attorney General's Office told the Free Press Thursday that it has gotten one report of a fraudster offering a coronavirus vaccine in exchange for money. "I hope that can be seen as a good sign that people are contacting the proper sources for the vaccine and being cautious about who they provide their personal information to," said Ryan Jarvi, a spokesperson for Attorney General Dana Nessel. Eligible for COVID-19 vaccines right now in Michigan are health care workers, residents and employees of long-term care facilities, people ages 65 and older, teachers, child care workers, first-responders, law enforcement and corrections officers. Anybody offering a chance to jump ahead on the statewide priority list for a vaccination in exchange for money is a scammer, the Federal Trade Commission warns. "You can't pay to get your name on a list to get the vaccine," the agency said in a consumer blog post. "That's a scam. You can't pay to get early access to the vaccine. That's a scam. Nobody legit will call about the vaccine and ask for your Social Security, bank account or credit card number. That's a scam." An FTC spokesman said Thursday that because the COVID-19 vaccines are so newboth Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines were approved in mid-Decemberdata about the prevalence of these scams isn't available yet. Still, the agency issued preemptive warnings about the possibility for fraud around the vaccines, which are in high demand in a nation that has reported 25.3 million coronavirus cases and more than 423,000 deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So did the Henry Ford Health System. Bob Riney, the Detroit-based health system's president of health care operations and COO, made this statement Thursday: "People should be extremely vigilant and wary of vaccination offers that don't come from trusted sources like their doctor, health care provider or local health department. "The plain fact is that there is no charge to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, which is being paid for by the federal government. You can't pay to put your name on a list to get the vaccine, or to get early access, and you don't need to provide sensitive personal information over the phone. Anyone promising that is trying to steal your personal or financial information, and very likely, your money." A Henry Ford spokesman said Thursday that the health system isn't aware of any specific claims of fraud around COVID-19 vaccines in Michigan, but "we wanted to get this message out to let people know that these scams are out there and to be aware." Riney cautioned people to be wary of any the following: Offers for early access to a vaccine upon payment of a deposit or fee. Requests asking for a payment to get a shot or to put your name on a COVID-19 vaccine waiting list. Unsolicited emails, telephone calls, or texts from someone claiming to be from a medical office, insurance company or COVID-19 vaccine center requesting personal, financial and/or medical information to determine your eligibility to participate in clinical vaccine trials or obtain the vaccine. Claims of Food and Drug Administration approval for a vaccine that cannot be verified. Ads for vaccines through social media platforms, email, telephone calls, online, or from unsolicited/unknown sources. A phone call or email telling you the government or government officials require you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. People also should be aware that some tricksters may pretend to be health care workers to try to get access to valuable information, calling, texting or even knocking on doors to try to fool people who are eager to get a vaccine that's in short supply, he said. "Our team members would never call to ask for your sensitive personal and financial information," Riney said. "Anyone who receives a call like this from someone who identifies themselves as being from Henry Ford should just hang up." Complaints of fraud can be reported to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or through the state Attorney General's Office at www.michigan.gov/ag. The FTC offers these tips: 1.) Contact a trusted source for information. Check with state or local health departments, your health care provider or pharmacist to learn when and how to get the COVID-19 vaccine. 2.) Don't pay to sign up for the vaccine. Anyone who asks for a payment to put you on a list, to make an appointment for you, or reserve a spot in line is a scammer. 3.) Ignore sales ads for the COVID-19 vaccine. You can't buy a vaccine. It is only available at federal- and state-approved locations. 4.) Watch for unexpected or unusual texts. If your health care provider or pharmacist has used text messages to contact you in the past, you might get a text message about a COVID-19 vaccine. If you get a text, call your health care provider or pharmacist directly to make sure the message is legitimate. Scammers are texting, too. So don't click on links in text messagesespecially messages you didn't expect. 5.) Don't open emails, attachments, or links from people you don't know or that come unexpectedly. You could download dangerous malware onto your computer or phone. 6.) Don't share information with people you don't know. No one from a vaccine distribution site, health care provider's office, pharmacy, insurance company or Medicare, will call, text, or email you asking for your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number to sign you up to get the vaccine. In Michigan, there are several ways to register to get a coronavirus vaccine when you are eligible. A federal pharmacy partnership with CVS and Walgreens pharmacies are handling immunizations for living and working in long-term care facilities. For senior citizens ages 65 and older, health officials suggest the best way to register for a vaccine is to sign up through your local hospital system using an online patient portal, such as My Chart, through a Meijer or Kroger pharmacy, or through your local health department. Hospitals are handling COVID-19 immunizations for their employees and county health departments and hospitals are also vaccinating people who work in private practice or offices independent of hospitals. Vaccines for teachers, law enforcement officers and other first-responders are being handled by their employers in conjunction with local health departments. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak (c) 2021 Detroit Free Press, MCT House Bill 133 aims to extend Medicaid coverage to eligible new mothers. The House version of the bill calls for a one-year extension, whereas the Senate version calls for a six-month extension. Advocates say the bill could reduce the states maternal mortality rate. Currently, the state offers Medicaid for two months after giving birth. Should Texas extend Medicaid for eligible new mothers for six months or one year? You voted: Its so rewarding to see our franchise owners be recognized for their hard work to provide consumers with safe and superior services during these unprecedented times. ASP Americas Swimming Pool Company, (https://www.asppoolco.com/) a national swimming pool service franchise, recently ranked No. 150 in Entrepreneur magazines Franchise 500. Over its 42 years in existence, the Franchise 500 has become a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry making it one of the companys most competitive rankings ever. We are thrilled to have continued success throughout the past year despite the difficulties many experienced at the hands of the pandemic, said Stewart C. Vernon, founder and COO of Americas Swimming Pool Company. Its so rewarding to see our franchise owners be recognized for their hard work to provide consumers with safe and superior services during these unprecedented times. According to Entrepreneur Magazine, this years list includes 76 maintenance franchises, which is partially due to the fact that many were deemed essential businesses and could easily accommodate social distancing and other COVID-19 recommendations. Of these maintenance franchises, ASP stood out and ranked No. 1 in the Pool Maintenance category for the 7th consecutive year. When faced with the challenge of how to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic, ASP continued to make all decisions by keeping every individual franchisee in-mind while simultaneously navigating the pandemic and its guidelines. The brand provided access to resources and information to help franchise owners maintain a smooth and successful operation, which was crucial to the companys success in 2020. 2020 was a challenging year for everyone, but it was also a year of unusual opportunity, says Jason Feifer, Entrepreneur editor-in-chief. Franchises were able to be nimble and innovative, serving the needs of franchisees and customers in ways that will resonate for many years to come. We believe that, when we eventually look back on this time, well see it as a moment when many brands defined themselves for the future. Since 2002, ASP has successfully set a higher standard of performance and stability to what has been a fragmented, unreliable industry. Pool owners choose ASP for affordable, reliable and knowledgeable service they can trust, worry-free. With 115 franchise owners operating in 22 states, the companys experienced professionals service more than 420 million gallons of water each week. ASP is currently looking for qualified individuals who are ready to dive into a successful swimming pool service franchise opportunity. The company has regularly been featured as a best franchise to buy and publicly recognized for its leadership, performance, and growth. Franchise opportunities are available in markets throughout the United States. For more information and to find an open ASP market by state, visit aspfranchising.com/available-territories or call 855-979-7665. To view Americas Swimming Pool Company in the full ranking, visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500. Results can also be seen in the January/February 2021 issue of Entrepreneur. # # # About ASP ASP is the largest swimming pool cleaning, repair, and renovation franchise system in the nation. Founded in 2002 by Stewart C. Vernon, the company is based on the belief that by providing a higher quality pool service at a reasonable price, the brand would raise the industry standards for pool service. In 2005, ASP began franchising and now covers more than 400 cities in 22 states across the nation. For more information on ASPs swimming pool franchise opportunities, visit https://www.aspfranchising.com/. For more information on ASP - America's Swimming Pool Company, visit the website https://www.asppoolco.com/ or find us on Facebook @asppoolco. About Authority Brands Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, Authority Brands companies include nine leading home service franchisors, America's Swimming Pool Company, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, The Cleaning Authority, Homewatch CareGivers, Mister Sparky, Monster Tree Service, Mosquito Squad, One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning, and STOP Restoration. Together, these brands provide home services through more than 1,900 territories operated by more than 1,000 franchise owners in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Kenya, and Indonesia. Authority Brands is dedicated to supporting individual franchise owner growth by providing strong marketing, technology, and operational support. See http://www.theauthoritybrands.com for more information. The National Weather Service in Birmingham has spent the past few days tracing the path of the EF-3 tornado that devastated parts of northern Jefferson County. The twister had winds up to 150 mph at times and was 900 yards wide as it carved up a 9.5-mile-long track through the cities of Fultondale and Center Point, killing one person and causing significant damage. The weather service released its preliminary storm survey report on the storm this week and on Thursday made available an interactive map that traces the tornados track. NOW AVAILABLE: Interactive track map for the #Fultondale tornado has been added to the webpage. #alwx Event page -> https://t.co/8oFsiKsLRR Larger Map -> https://t.co/gDi5VisnLu pic.twitter.com/m1iNF7eJJM NWS Birmingham (@NWSBirmingham) January 28, 2021 See the map here. Users can zoom in to see the neighborhoods and roadways affected and see where the tornado peaked in intensity. The track begins along Chapel Hills Parkway in Fultondale and ends near Highway 75 in Center Point. The weather service believes the tornado peaked in intensity in Fultondale in an area from Lykes Boulevard to Meida Circle to New Castle Road on the eastern side of the city. The map allows users to click on specific points where damage was noted by the storm surveyors. One person, 14-year-old Elliott Arizaga-Hernandez, was killed in the storm, and more than 30 others were injured. The storm caused significant damage in Fultondale when it hit around 10:30 p.m. Monday. It is the first confirmed tornado of 2021 in Alabama. Los Angeles, Jan 29 : Actress Laverne Cox, who is known for her role on the popular show Orange Is The New Black, said she is back in the dating business and has found love. Laverne spoke on the Ellen DeGeneres show, shooting remotely, Eonline.com reported. "Laverne is in love again. It feels amazing," she shared with Ellen DeGeneres and "Love is an incredible thing. It's literally this chemical thing that's awesome." While the actress did not reveal the identity of her boyfriend, she is clearly smitten by him. "He's a really great guy. I didn't expect it. I thought he was just gonna be this hot dude I was gonna be hanging out with and then it just kind of happened," Laverne said. The actress added: "We've been hanging out for six months and we went really slowly... The word 'love' just sort of happened around November/December." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text [January 29, 2021] Digital Guardian Named One of the Country's Top Places to Work Digital Guardian, a leader in data loss prevention (DLP) and Managed Detection and Response (MDR), today announced that it has been recognized as a Top Workplaces USA company by Energage, an independent employee engagement and retention company. Award recipients were based solely on employee satisfaction. Digital Guardian also distinguished itself by earning Top Workplaces' Industry Award for Technology. Energage announced all Top Workplaces USA winners at its 2021 National Top Workplaces Virtual Celebration Event on January 27. "Being named a top place to work in the USA is one of our company's greatest achievements and to do it during a global pandemic makes me incredibly proud of the entire team," said Mordecai Rosen, Chief Executive Officer, Digital Guardian. "In March 2019 I sent all our employees home and we haven't been back in the office since. I worried this might result in some employees feeling unsupported and disconnected; instead the entire DG team rolled up their sleeves and engaged with our customers, the business and with their job responsibilities like never before. This award is great validation of all we do to create a great culture and successful company." News of Digital Guardian's latest company accolades comes shortly after being recognized by The Boston Globe as a 2020 Top Place to Work in Massachusetts. Notably, Digital Guardian was lauded as the top cybersecurity firm in the medium-sized company category. Digital Guardian helps organizations discover where sensitive data resides, track how it is used, and apply protections accordingly. The cloud-delivered Digital Guardian (DG) Data Protection Platform simplifies management and reduces the number of resources required to manage an effective Data Loss Prevention (DLP) program. Importantly, the platform puts an organization's most sensitive information assets at the center of all data protection, activity monitoring, and threat prevention, detection, and response activities. Resource-constrained organizations can also take advantage of Managed Security Programs for DLP and Managed Detection and Response (MDR), in which Digital Guardian's cybersecurity experts handle all alerts, incidents, workflow, and mitigate external and internal attacks before they can put an organization's sensitive data at risk. Top Workplaces USA winners are determined by comparing anonymous employee feedback across one uniform engagement survey comprising research-based statements - including 15 Culture Drivers that are proven to predict a high-performance culture. The results are based on employee feedback alone, with no subjective elements to the judging process. Built on 14 years of culture research and the results from 22 million employees surveyed across more than 66,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. About Digital Guardian Digital Guardian is no-compromise data protection. The company's cloud-delivered data protection platform is purpose-built to stop data loss by both insiders and outsiders on Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. The Digital Guardian Data Protection Platform performs across the corporate network, traditional endpoints, and cloud applications. For more than 15 years, we have enabled data-rich organizations to protect their most valuable assets with a choice of SaaS (News - Alert) or fully managed deployment. Digital Guardian's unique policy-less data visibility and flexible controls enable organizations to protect data without slowing the pace of their business. To learn more please visit: https://digitalguardian.com/ About Energage Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 14 years of culture research and the results from 22 million employees surveyed across more than 66,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210129005036/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 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. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Syracuse, N.Y. A year ago, a 13-year-old boy admitted his role in the execution-style murder of two men inside an Eastwood apartment. Brendell Elmore avoided a criminal record after testifying that his older brother pulled the trigger and his older sister set up the 2018 homicide. The older siblings went to prison, while Brendell settled his case in Family Court, avoiding an adult conviction and getting a second chance someday as a free adult. Brendells case is the closest in recent Syracuse history to Wednesdays arrest of a 14-year-old teen in the murder of 84-year-old retired schoolteacher, Eva Fuld. RELATED: 84-year-old woman stabbed to death in Syracuse remembered as kind, quirky French teacher But if convicted in Fulds death, Jahkim Robinson, 14, wont get the benefit of the doubt that Brendell, 13, did: the one year difference in their ages changes everything. Thats because a 13-year-old cannot be charged with murder, under state law, unless he physically kills someone. A 14-year-old, however, can be charged as an accomplice to murder. That means if Jahkim is convicted of participating in a robbery at the victims apartment, then he can also be convicted of murder, even if he didnt actually attack the woman. Brendell could not be charged in the same way. Those legal nuances are potentially life-changing. Brendell wont have a criminal record when hes freed from juvenile detention as an adult. Jakhim, if convicted of murder, will be required to spend years in state prison, with the possibility of life behind bars. His record wont be sealed, either. The winding path for young murder suspects through the courts has been charted by a combination of Raise the Age initiatives and preexisting laws regarding the punishment of young offenders. The drastic difference between the way 13- and 14-year-olds are punished stems from state law going back to the late 1970s. Jahkim was arrested Wednesday after police found him in possession of a car belonging to a murdered 84-year-old, Eva Fuld, police said. The accused killer and victim lived in the same Grant Village apartment building, but were strangers, authorities have said. Jahkims involvement in Fulds stabbing and beating death is not known. But the fact that she died during a robbery, allegedly committed by Jahkim and others, was enough for his murder charge. And even if his exact role is never determined, Jahkim can be convicted of murder if proven he was part of the group that robbed her that day. Again, Brendell could not have faced such a fate. Like all young criminal defendants locally, Jahkim started his journey through the system before acting County Court Judge Vanessa Bogan. She runs the countys Youth Part, a special court set up through the states recent Raise the Age initiative. Its designed to keep young accused offenders regardless of crime separate from their older counterparts in the county jail. From there, Jahkims case will head to adult criminal court, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick confirmed to Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. That includes an indictment from a grand jury, then appearances before a felony court judge, just like an adult. In essence, Jahkims case will proceed much the same way as it would if he were an adult. Hell prepare for trial and could face a jury. Here are three ways his case will be different: Raise the Age: Requires that he appear in court separate from adult defendants. He will still be judged by an adult court judge, in the same courtroom as if he were an adult. Juvenile detention: Because of his age, hell be kept in custody at Hillbrook Detention Center, not the county jail. State law regarding juvenile offenders: Hell still face a public murder charge, but will be eligible for parole in far less time if convicted. (The exact minimum sentence, if convicted, will be five or seven years, depending upon the facts of the case.) Staff writer Douglass Dowty can be reached at ddowty@syracuse.com or 315-470-6070. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal Thaniel Lentz didnt let his 13-year-old nerves get the better of him. The seventh-grader admits there were some butterflies before interviewing Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. After all, Fauci has become a household name as the expert the nation has turned to during the COVID-19 pandemic. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ But Lentz had a job to do. I was a little (nervous), but its something that needs to be done, the Albuquerque student told the Journal. Lentz was among 12 New Mexico children who talked to Fauci for The Childrens Hour radio show, asking questions they thought their peers needed to know as the novel coronavirus remains a critical issue. Fellow crew member Lucas Griego, 11, said the Pandemic Schooling episode is an important one for students to listen to, even if the subject matter is heavy. This is a pandemic and he is the leading expert on the subject, and I think that people should know the truth, even if it is a little scary, the sixth-grader said. Plus, Fauci was approachable and fun, he said. Dr. Fauci is always telling people about coronavirus and stuff, but he smiled a lot and I think he was going fun-grandpa mode on us, Griego said. Along with Fauci, the child volunteers, known as the Kids Crew, interviewed state Education Secretary Ryan Stewart for the show. A big part of a kids life is their education, and their schools and the classroom environment. And I think kids should really know when they will go back to school and how they will go back to school, Griego said. This episode will air on public radio stations across the state on Jan. 30 and Jan. 31. Childrenshour.org will also have it in podcast form. We asked them a lot about when kids will get the vaccine and how do we know that its safe for kids to get the vaccine, Griego said. Because The Childrens Hour is a radio show for kids by kids, we wanted to let kids have the information that they might not get from news sources that are mainly (aimed) towards adults. For Lentz, getting answers from the experts helped ease some of the panic hes been feeling during the pandemic. Right now in the world, lots of scary things are happening and its just really hard to find people you can turn to, Lentz said. Both of them are very knowledgeable sources. They can help us get through this. These are the people we can turn to in a crisis. A tornado touched down near the airport in Floridas capital city Wednesday, flipping at least one small plane over and knocking out weather radar before moving east into residential neighborhoods, the National Weather Service said. A few thousand were without power. The city of Tallahassee tweeted photos at Tallahassee International Airport showing the flipped plane and a damaged hangar. Officials closed the airport to assess damage but reopened one runway more than two hours later, according to the airports Twitter account. The other runway remained closed to allow workers to remove debris. There were no reported injuries at the facility. A few thousand customers were without power, according to the city. The tornado also caused damage in the citys Southwood community, where several state offices are located, as well as in scattered neighborhoods south of downtown, said National Weather Service meteorologist Jasmine Montgomery. Weather radar at the airport was still intermittent as the storm moved to counties east of Tallahassee, but Montgomery said the weather service had other radar available to keep watch on the system. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Florida Windstorm Aviation WASHINGTON - Weeks after their jogging routes and day care drop-offs were interrupted by a mob storming the U.S. Capitol, the residents of a quiet neighborhood nestled amid the national monuments are wrestling with life in a fortress, where checkpoints abut corner stores and armed soldiers are new neighbors. Some residents on Capitol Hill have rallied behind the thousands of National Guard members stationed nearby, bringing them wagons full of snacks and hot coffee to express gratitude for their service. Other locals have gone to great lengths to avoid the encampment, saying the presence of armed troops and fencing topped with razor wire makes them feel even more on edge in their own neighborhood. The polarizing positions have laid bare the personal toll that the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol has taken on D.C. residents who have to live with the aftermath of the insurrection and the militarization of their home. "This is our land, and many of us are attached to this land because it's made us who we are," said Anthony Lorenzo Green, a Ward 7 Advisory Neighborhood Commission representative who remembers visiting D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) in the U.S. Capitol when he was 7-years-old. "Now we have the feeling of being occupied." The heightened security measures are not going away anytime soon. More than 9,500 National Guard members from 19 states were on duty in D.C. on Wednesday, officials said. While that number will fall below 6,000 by mid-March, National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Daniel Hokanson has said the Guard's presence in Washington is expected to endure. D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) has requested that 500 locally-based troops remain activated through March 12 for the upcoming impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden's February speech to Congress and potential extremist activity March 4. And U.S. Capitol Police on Thursday proposed permanent fencing around the Capitol and "the availability of ready, backup forces" in proximity. The controversial recommendation immediately drew condemnation from D.C. officials and members of Congress. This new militarized normal in the District, and in particular on Capitol Hill, has forced locals to interact with soldiers on a daily basis. Camouflage-clad troops are not only stationed at checkpoints along almost all major roads near federal buildings, but they have also become regulars at area pizza joints and coffee shops. Since arriving in D.C., Sgt. Travin Moore, an artillery crewman in the Kansas National Guard, has toured the Capitol building, stood underneath the Washington Monument and swung by Target for the essentials - workout sweats and a pair of headphones - when he has not been stationed outside the Library of Congress with an M4 rifle strapped across his chest. Thomas Warth, a lieutenant colonel also with the Kansas National Guard, sat outside Le Bon Cafe on Second Street SE Wednesday afternoon with a cup of coffee and a club sandwich. "They've been great neighbors and we are just incredibly appreciative of them," said Patrick Savoy, a 34-year-old government consultant who lives on Capitol Hill. Savoy, like many who live on his block, said he was relieved when thousands of troops descended on his neighborhood in advance of Biden's inauguration. He had run through clusters of police cars and blaring sirens on Jan. 6 to pick up his 1-year-old son, Noah, from day care three miles from the U.S. Capitol. The armed guards made him feel protected. Over the last three weeks, Savoy has made a point to express his gratitude to the soldiers and police by bringing them bags of chips and drinks during his daily walks. On Monday night, Noah bounded toward officers at New Jersey and D streets clutching a blue Powerade bottle that rivaled him in height. He twisted his hand through a gap in the fence and waved at the officers, who crouched down and smiled. "Thank you bud. We appreciate you," said a Capitol Police officer, taking the drink. She handed Noah a Capitol Police sticker to add to his jacket, which was already adorned with patches and pins from National Guard members and U.S. Capitol Police officers. The outpouring of support was so large that it created its own headache. Well-meaning citizens delivered food and set up online fundraisers after photos of troops sleeping in the Capitol went viral, prompting Guard officials to warn they were "not logistically able" to accept donations and asked them to stop. Not all residents have been as comfortable with the military presence. Maurice Cook, executive director of Ward 6 Mutual Aid, also lives and works on Capitol Hill. But he said he tries to avoid the fence-lined areas interspersed with law enforcement. "No part of me feels safer having them around," Cook, who is Black, said. "I feel vulnerable." Cook said that the federal government's decision to boost security in the predominantly White neighborhood of Capitol Hill while gun violence tears through a historically Black community just across the Anacostia River shows that the heightened safety measures are not actually meant to protect him. On Tuesday night, while thousands of federal troops watched over quiet streets near the U.S. Capitol, a 15-year-old middle school student was shot and killed in Southeast Washington. "Who are they keeping safe?" Cook said. "Because it's not people like me." Green, who is also a core organizer with Black Lives Matter D.C., said the fallout from Jan. 6 should call attention to the importance of D.C. statehood "This is the price that we pay as stateless people in the nation's capital. We are people who are constantly asked to show up and clean up the mess, show up and fight in the wars, show up and pay our taxes, but our country has yet to show up for us to give us full voting rights and statehood," he said. Patrice Sulton, executive director of the D.C. Justice Lab, said that the encampment around the U.S. Capitol may be chilling for people who are "fearful and skeptical and cynical of the government having too much and showing so much power." "We want to protect our safety, but we also want to protect our liberties and our values," she added. "When I think about that show of force, it's an indication of our failure to address our liberties." Still, many of the troops standing guard on Capitol Hill said they have rarely felt so appreciated for their service. Warth, who left his wife and three kids in Kansas for a now months-long stay in D.C., said he has seen locals offer his troops coffee and food. He said one person drove by a checkpoint with a stack of Starbucks gift cards. "It reminds me of the Shia community in Baghdad when people would invite us in for tea," Warth said, recalling his deployment to Iraq from February 2007 to April 2008. "Though it is sad to make those kinds of comparisons." In addition to snack and coffee runs, local establishments have staged a community-wide effort to provide free local meals to the troops and officers around their neighborhood. We, The Pizza, a restaurant on Capitol Hill, has raised over $40,000 in donations to send meals to the soldiers after photos of the Guard members with their pizza boxes went viral in the wake of the insurrection. They have since partnered with over 30 Washington-area restaurants to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner to U.S. Capitol Police and members of the National Guard. "January 6 was a sucker punch to businesses on Capitol Hill," said Michelle Mendelsohn, one of the owners of the pizzeria. "That we are able to do some good now, bring restaurants together and thank the police that are not only guarding the Capitol building but also our backyards, it is really beautiful." Korea Fair Trade Commission Chairperson Joh Sung-wook speaks during a press briefing at the government complex building in Sejong City, on Dec. 28, 2020. / Korea Times file By Kim Jae-heun A new bill proposed by the Korea Fair Trade Commission's (KFTC) to regulate platform operators such as Google, Naver and Coupang has triggered controversy, with the Korea Communication Commission (KCC) saying the regulation is redundant, and the companies claiming it is excessive. The so-called "Online Platform Fairness Act" targets up to 30 domestic and international firms here whose income generated by commission fees exceeds 10 billion won ($9.05 million). The antitrust watchdog's punitive measure aims to curb unfair business activity by online platform operators against contractors or consumers. If the bill is passed, the new law will require platform operators to draw up contracts on a physical document with its business partners. They will also be prevented from forcing contractors usually small merchants to provide economic benefits to them, or passing on responsibilities when an accident takes place. The IT firms can be punished for interfering in contractors' business management or taking retaliatory action against them. According to the proposal, those who commit unfair business activities and do not follow a corrective order given by the antitrust watchdog can face a maximum fine of 1 billion won. Woowa Brothers, which operates the No. 1 food delivery service Baedal Minjok, as well as Yanolja and Kakao are also subject to the new bill. The platform operators argue that the scope of the regulation is too vast. "In Europe and Japan, the law targets IT giants such as Google or Facebook. But the proposed domestic law also regulates startups that enjoyed rising sales over a short period of time," an industry source said. "Also, I am not sure if we will be able to write up all the contracts for each online trade that takes place every second." The KCC voiced concerns over the KFTC's regulation on platform operators overlapping with its Telecommunications Business Act. Recently, Rep. Jun Hye-sook of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea also proposed a bill to protect customers of online platforms. This has only intensified conflict between them over regulating the sector. KFTC Secretary General Shin Bong-sam said he was not worried that the bills will overlap with one another. However, a KCC official said the agency expects a reasonable level of legislation to eliminate overlapping regulatory issues that are of concern to the industry. Meanwhile, the KFTC's bill has been passed by the Cabinet and will be submitted to the National Assembly this week. If lawmakers approve the proposal, the relevant law will come into effect from the first half of next year. The need for the bill was prompted by the growing clout of platform operators amid a surge in online transactions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Small merchants and restaurant owners registered on platforms to operate business online became vulnerable to potential abuses of power. The country's No.2 food delivery app Yogiyo was fined 470 million won for banning restaurant owners from selling food at lower prices on other food delivery platforms last year. Naver was also hit for abusing its power in the online search market for unfair business practices in its online shopping platform. The IT giant allegedly prioritized its business members by putting their products at the top of search results when people search for certain items. The beneficiaries were sellers registered as members of Naver Pay or Smart Store, Naver's online shopping mall for small dealers. Posted Friday, January 29, 2021 9:43 am Washington's top education official and Kaiser Permanente Washington are expected to announce a plan Friday to vaccinate the state's teachers and school staff. Chris Reykdal, the state superintendent, and the insurance and medical care provider offered few details about the plan in a statement released late Thursday afternoon. But Katy Payne, spokesperson for the state's education department, said the partnership would make it easier for school districts to set up vaccine clinics on school grounds. The state's education department has no control over the vaccine timeline, she added. The announcement came hours after Gov. Jay Inslee said in an interview that he didn't have immediate plans to speed delivery of available vaccines to K-12 employees. The state would continue to prioritize older Washingtonians, he said, who are among those most vulnerable to the coronavirus's effects. "I can double darn guarantee you that teachers would get vaccines by noon tomorrow if I had 7 million doses. But I don't," he said. The push to get the state's approximately 153,000 public school employees vaccinated has moved in fits and starts. A few weeks ago, state health officials outlined a plan to vaccinate about 40% of the state's school workforce those ages 50 and older beginning in February. That plan put younger employees further down the vaccine priority list; they wouldn't qualify until April. The Washington Education Association educators union and state lawmakers have called on Inslee and health officials to speed up the vaccination of teachers and last week, those guidelines seemed to change. In an email, state Department of Health officials said they recently told providers they should start by vaccinating employees over age 50, but were permitted to vaccinate younger employees sooner than April. "Our goal is to reach the highest risk teachers in February those over 50 years of age," a DOH spokesperson wrote. "We know that this doesn't include everyone at high risk in a school environment but since supply is limited, we must make difficult decisions about which groups get the vaccine first. We are working to get through these early groups as quickly as possible and are making progress daily." Health officials said that if providers start vaccinating younger employees, they should start with people who work at schools with the highest percentage of children who qualify for free or reduced lunch, a proxy for coming from a low-income home. They should also prioritize those who work with children with health care needs. Several local teachers unions including Bellevue's have rebuffed their districts' attempts to resume in-person learning before widespread availability of a vaccine for teachers. Other districts, such as Spokane, have made plans to set up vaccine clinics for educators beginning early next month. In neighboring Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown has put K-12 teachers in front of people who are 65 and older in the vaccine queue. ___ (c)2021 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Majority of evangelicals sympathize with, back Christian nationalism: researcher Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment While Christian nationalism is found in all sectors of society, evangelical Protestants are more likely than any other religious group to sympathize with and accept it, according to notable academic researcher Andrew Whitehead. An associate professor of Sociology at Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis, Whitehead was part of a webinar titled Democracy and Faith Under Siege: Responding to Christian Nationalism, which took place on Wednesday. He shared polling information about the extent to which people in the United States sympathized with the worldview and moral framework of Christian nationalism. Whitehead defined Christian nationalism as a cultural framework that idealizes and advocates a fusion of Christianity with American civic life, with Christianity in this case being more cultural and tribal than spiritual. He divided Americans into four categories, including "rejecters," those who completely reject Christian Nationalism; "resisters," those who mostly reject it but hold some sympathies; "accommodators," those who sympathize with it but do not fall into the category: and "ambassadors," who largely if not completely accept Christian Nationalism. Whitehead and his fellow researcher, Samuel L. Perry, associate professor of Sociology at the University of Oklahoma, found that nearly 20% of Americans were ambassadors, while 32.1% were accommodators, 26.56% were resisters, and 21.52% were rejecters. Rather than being monolithic, Whitehead explained that there were high numbers of accommodators and ambassadors from diverse religious and regional backgrounds. For example, accommodators are the major classification for four out of five educational groups, namely less than high school, high school graduate, some college, and college graduate, while post-graduate respondents were slightly more likely to be ambassadors than college graduates. Also, while evangelical Protestants had the largest percentage of ambassadors than all the other religious categories, black Protestants and Catholics had higher percentages of accommodators than evangelical Protestants. We see that almost 80% of evangelical Protestants are at least accommodators or ambassadors of Christian Nationalism, so very prevalent, said Whitehead. But even in mainline Protestantism, we see that over 30% are accommodators and just under 20% are ambassadors, so half of mainline Protestants in the U.S. are, again, friendly towards Christian nationalism. Whitehead mentioned the presence of Christian nationalism at the Jan. 6 riot on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., showing photos from the protest of a group of people praying before a large cross and others holding Jesus 2020 signs. In order to make sense of this riot, while Christian nationalism is not the only explanation, it is a key part of understanding what took place, said Whitehead. Christian nationalism is pervasive across all segments of U.S. society, within different religious traditions as well, and is influential in shaping Americans behaviors and attitudes, he concluded. So it is absolutely a threat to a pluralistic, democratic society and something that needs to be wrestled with in order to move forward and not repeat the events of January 6. The webinar also featured comments from the Most Rev. Michael Curry, presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, and the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. During his remarks, Bishop Curry said he believes that there are innocent forms of Christian nationalism, pointing to an example from his childhood in the 1960s. Curry explained that at his childhood church, there were many members who came from the West Indies and so some disputed whether the sanctuary should display the American flag or the United Kingdom flag. The compromise was that both the American flag and the Union Jack were both put up on a balcony, he recalled. They werent up front where the altar was. After reiterating that this was probably, fairly innocent, Curry then talked about the more virulent or dangerous kind that involves people viewing their country as the best out of believing they are Gods favorite. That borders on blasphemy, idolatry, argued Curry. That kind of nationalism is dangerous. It is dangerous to civic health; it is dangerous to the health of Christianity. Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, moderated the webinar panel, describing Christian nationalism in her introductory remarks as a troubling ideology that was on the rise and that threatens religious freedom for all. Christian nationalism is not new, but the frequency of violent acts inspired by Christian nationalism and a resurgent in attempts to legislate and govern from a position infused with Christian nationalism has been on a dramatic uptick in recent years, she stated. We believe that Christians bear a special responsibility to understand and to root out Christian nationalism, not just in its most obvious and extreme forms, but in the pervasive, deeply ingrained manifestations in our culture, our churches, and ourselves. The webinar was hosted by the website Christians Against Christian Nationalism, which features a statement signed by more than 19,000 individuals. While some have argued that American churches need to tackle Christian nationalism, others have argued that the phrase was a way to marginalize conservative Christians. In a Breakpoint column, John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, and Timothy D. Padgett argued that Christian nationalism was being used as a scare label to dismiss any policy or person more conservative than whoever is using the term. As an example, they pointed to a recent article by the United Kingdom-based publication The Guardian quoting experts as saying assorted proposed pro-life bills were Christian nationalist in nature. As seen in The Guardian, were all but guaranteed for the near future that anything vaguely traditional or moral, and any appeal to anything higher than the latest cultural fad, will be smeared with this label. Its silly. Even more, its dangerous, they wrote. Even so, Christians must not abandon the public square just because people say mean things about us. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-29 18:33:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- China will no longer recognize the so-called British National Overseas (BNO) passport as a travel document and ID document from Jan. 31, and reserves the right to take further actions, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a regular news briefing Friday. The decision was made after the British government announced that it will begin accepting citizenship applications for BNO-eligible Hong Kong residents starting from Sunday. Ignoring the fact that Hong Kong has been returned to China for 24 years and China's solemn position, the British side blatantly violated its commitment and insisted on issuing the so-called "tailored policy" for Hong Kong residents with BNO passports to stay and naturalize in Britain, and has repeatedly expanded the scope of application, Zhao said. He pointed out that such a move, in an attempt to turn a large number of Hong Kong people into second-class British citizens, has completely changed the original BNO nature agreed between the Chinese and British sides. "This has seriously violated China's sovereignty, grossly interfered with Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs, and seriously breached international law and the basic norms governing international relations," Zhao said, expressing China's strong indignation and firm opposition to the British side's move. Enditem Its a day to be emotional, as Una Mannion sees it. From her family cottage by Strandhill Beach, the Philadelphia-born writer is feeling the glow of relief emanating across the Atlantic from Washington DC. I feel intensely American right now, she says, becoming slightly overwhelmed as she recalls her hometowns key role in turning the election result the way of Joe Biden. Philadelphia people went out on the streets and dressed up as postboxes and danced outside the counting centres, and I just thought, These are my people. She would normally visit home regularly from Sligo. While it has been hard to watch over the last four years, Trumpism, she feels, has had a consolidating effect on those who might have been otherwise politically apathetic, engaging people in a way she didnt see growing up in Reaganite Pennsylvania. They got politicised over the last four years, including women I went to high school with who were trying to build bridges. They went to the womens march in DC, theyve become community activists, they worked their districts for this election, they cared about Black Lives Matter. What was happening to America with Trumps bully tactics and the degradation of language and decency, it brought out something really quite human in peoples response. Mannion has always straddled Ireland and the US. Born to Irish parents, she grew up in Philadelphia but was constantly back and forth to Connacht. The term Irish-American was not one her family used to describe themselves. There was never that layer of disconnection, she says, because a foot was always planted here. Just American will do, something she maintains after 30-odd years here with a Sligo husband and three children. In fact, she explains, it was the regular stints in Ireland that allowed her to see America more vividly. Its no surprise, then, to find that A Crooked Tree, her debut novel, is full of grainy, early-1980s Spielbergian nostalgia, a place where plucky kids in leafy US suburbs come of age in the face of formidable challenges. Theres definitely something about distance and longing, the 54-year-old nods, when youve lost something or youre not part of something any more, of yearning for it. Ive heard several people say that were always trying to write our way back home, trying to compensate maybe for things in the past or make sense of them. A Crooked Tree is told through the eyes of 15-year-old Libby, whose family are struggling to pick up the pieces after the death of her father. There is a heated row during a car journey and her younger sister is kicked out at the side of the road in rural Pennsylvania, resulting in a chain of events that will change their lives. It is a novel that manages to be both propulsive and contemplative, dark and yet homely, and it announces Mannion as the latest in a seemingly unstoppable run of mighty debuts by female Irish fiction writers. There is no overnight success here, however. Before A Crooked Tree, before the many awards that she won prior to that (including a Hennessy New Irish Writing Poetry Award, Cuirt International Short Fiction Award, Doolin short story prize, Ambit fiction award, Allingham short fiction prize), Mannion had to get over herself, as she puts it. That fear of exposing yourself or showing work was definitely a huge part of my inability to write, she says, even though it was something Id wanted to do for a long time. I just started to get sick of hearing myself, and didnt want to carry that grief that I could have tried but never did. Following a tip-off form a friend, Mannion joined a writing class in 2013 given at the Galway Arts Centre. When the tutor asked who would like to submit first, the notoriously self-doubting Mannion found her hand going up in the air. The following week, she was physically nauseous at the idea of presenting her work to the entire class. The tremors were soothed, however, by the gorgeous little group that she found at the class, and an inspirational tutor in the form of Dara O Foghlu. When the course had finished, the group continued to meet, but the long drives down to Galway and back after a full day of teaching in Sligo each Monday became unfeasible. Mannion started her own more local writing group. This has yielded some major items of fruit besides her own work. There was a chef by the name of Louise Kennedy who had never written a thing, but was recently the subject of a nine-way bidding war for her debut short story collection. Another was Niamh Mac Cabe, who would go on to become one of the most decorated short story writers in the country (and, coincidentally, the writer of this months winning New Irish Writing short story). In 2018, meanwhile, Mannion helped launch literary journal The Cormorant, which she co-edits with Kennedy and emerald noir legend Eoin McNamee. That was also the year she decided to get serious about her long-held novel ambitions. She recalls watching sci-fi drama Stranger Things with her three kids while writing the novel, and how the shows nostalgic air and the derring-do and candour of the young characters rubbed off on her story. Amusingly, she notes, it was not the fanciful dimension-jumping in the show that her children (aged 15, 17, and 20) found hard to swallow. It was the long-leash attitude to parenting that existed in those days, one that is all but extinct today. They couldnt suspend disbelief, Mannion chuckles. For those kids to be out without the parents just didnt ring authentic to them. I thought that was really funny because, to me, thats how we were. There is something about that freedom to make mistakes and to wander into danger or mix with the wrong people. Its healthy, thats life, and weve lost that. I live in a remote area. My kids are totally dependent on me for lifts. I would change that in the morning to give them more freedom. There was no phones back then, no one knew where you were, until you arrived. I guess I would be losing my mind now if I couldnt figure out where one of my kids was for a full day, but when I was a child, we would do that. You could be miles from home. The Wi-Fi is patchy at home in Strandhill, a tricky thing with both a Leaving Cert student and a transition year pupil trying to learn remotely. Her oldest has been exiled back home from Trinity College Dublin, while musician husband Michael is unable to tour. The house, not far from the ancestral parish of Mannionstown (wouldnt you know it), has not been as full for a while. But places mean stories and connectivity, things that clearly nourish Mannions creative soul. The setting in the book is a place that I love because I did grow up there, she says. In the book Im writing at the moment, theres a lake which is probably from right here Im about 20ft from the high-tide line while Im talking to you. I love that thing in Ireland about the lore of place, that tradition of evoking place and place-naming. It provides us with so much. Expand Close A Crooked Tree by Una Mannion / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Crooked Tree by Una Mannion A Crooked Tree by Una Mannion, published by Faber & Faber, is out now President Joe Biden plans to keep his letter from Donald Trump private, the White House said on Friday, and revealed the two men still haven't spoken. 'There are no calls to report,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at her briefing. 'I don't have any update on the letter.' 'He plans to keep it private,' she said of the note. Trump honored the presidential tradition of leaving a letter in the Oval Office for his successor. It was unclear if he was going to do so given his challenges to the election results and his false claims it was stolen from him. But there was a letter waiting for Biden on the resolute desk when he entered the Oval Office on January 20th. 'The president wrote a very generous letter,' Biden said at the time. 'Because it was private, I won't talk about it until I talk to him. But it was generous.' The letter will eventually become public - all notes outgoing presidents leave for their successors become archived under The Presidential Records Act and go to the National Archives and Records Administration. President Joe Biden plans to keep his letter from Donald Trump private Donald Trump followed presidential tradition and left a letter for his successor to Oval Office White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday that President Biden still hasn't spoken to former President Donald Trump The two men, however, haven't spoken. It's believed the last time they spoke was at their final presidential debate on October 22. Trump, however, called his predecessor, Barack Obama, to thank him for the letter left when he took office. He told ABC News he appreciated the letter from Obama, saying: 'It was long. It was complex. It was thoughtful. And it took time to do it. And I appreciated it. And I called him and thanked him.' But the outgoing President Trump eschewed the traditional trappings that come with a peaceful transfer of power. Trump did not host Biden at the White House for coffee after the election and did not greet him at residence's front door ahead of the inauguration ceremony. Additionally, Trump did not mention his successor by name in any of his farewell address. He never formally conceded the election and merely acknowledged a 'new administration' is coming into the White House. He did not attend Biden's swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol and was at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida by the time Biden took the oath of office. The tradition of the presidential note goes back to President Ronald Reagan, who left one for his successor George H.W. Bush. Reagan left a short, pithy note on stationary that read 'Don't let the turkeys get you down' - with an illustration of an elephant surrounded by turkeys. 'George, I treasure the memories we share and I wish you all the very best. You'll be in my prayers,' he wrote. George H.W. Bush's note to the man who defeated him, Bill Clinton, has been held up as example of graciousness and bipartisan unity. 'There will be very tough times, made even more difficult by criticism you may not think is fair. I'm not a very good one to give advice; but just don't let the critics discourage you or push you off course,' he wrote. 'You will be our President when you read this note. I wish you well. I wish your family well. Your success now is our country's success. I am rooting hard for you,' he added. Ronald Reagan's note to George H.W. Bush started the presidential tradition of the outgoing president leaving a note for his successor George H.W. Bush's note to Bill Clinton Bill Clinton's note to George W. Bush George W. Bush's note to Barack Obama Clinton left just a gracious note for his successor, Bush's son George W. Bush: 'You lead a proud, decent, good people. And from this day you are President of all of us. I salute you and wish you success and much happiness.' W. Bush, in return, wrote to Barack Obama: 'There will be trying moments. The critics will rage. Your 'friends' will disappoint you. But, you will have an Almighty God to comfort you, a family who loves you, and a country that is pulling for you, including me. No matter what comes, you will be inspired by the character and compassion of the people you now lead. And Obama wrote to Donald Trump: 'Congratulations on a remarkable run. Millions have placed their hopes in you, and all of us, regardless of party, should hope for expanded prosperity and security during your tenure.' He added about the importance of civic institutions: 'Regardless of the push and pull of daily politics, it's up to us to leave those instruments of our democracy at least as strong as we found them.' Yves here. Even though a lot of the messaging on the petitions for Gavin Newsoms recall are heavy on right-wing tropes, there are plenty of Democrats that are unhappy with the governor, as this California Healthline/KHN article shows. Weve pointed out that the Biden Administrations fate hinged on if it can make enough headway against the virus in the next few months. Bidens statement that his team could have no impact may have been an effort to manage expectations down, but it came off at an abdication of duty. It didnt help when the incoming CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said the government didnt know how many vaccine doses the US has. By Angela Hart, Correspondent for California Healthline, covers California health politics and policy in Sacramento and around the state, with a focus on the governor, the legislature and key elections. Previously, she covered health policy and politics for Politico and previously worked for The Sacramento Bee and Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline Joyce Hanson was thrilled when she heard Gov. Gavin Newsom announce Jan. 13 that Californians age 65 and older would be eligible to get vaccinated against covid-19. Infections and hospitalizations had been surging in California, and Hanson knew a simple trip to the grocery store put her at greater risk of getting sick and dying. Plus, she hadnt seen her daughter in more than a year, so she immediately began making plans to visit her in the San Francisco Bay Area. I felt this huge weight lifted off my heart when the governor said me and my husband could get vaccinated, said Hanson, 69, a San Bernardino resident and registered Democrat who voted for Newsom in 2018. She jumped online to book an appointment, frantically searching San Bernardino city and county websites for openings. Next she called pharmacies all over Southern California, then hospitals and her local health department. No luck. Its very frustrating, said Hanson, who is among a growing number of Californians becoming disillusioned with Newsom including some of his fellow Democrats over Californias erratic vaccination rollout, which has been riddled with mixed messages, shifting priorities and poor communication. The messaging hasnt been very clear, she said. If were not going to actually be able to get the vaccine until March or April, I can deal with that, but just be honest and tell us that its not realistic yet. Since October, Newsom has touted his administrations readiness to vaccinate the states 40 million residents, while repeatedly assuring them that hope is on the horizon. He has vowed that California would lead the nation with a fair and efficient system of delivering vaccines. Instead, the situation has devolved into chaos and confusion, as vulnerable older people, teachers and others in essential industries scramble to find a vaccine appointment often without help or direction from state or local officials. Newsom, who emerged as an early leader in the pandemic when he issued the nations first statewide stay-at-home order, is desperately trying to turn the situation around and political strategists say he must do so quickly because his political future depends on it. He is facing a Republican-driven effort to recall him from office, with supporters gaining momentum from the vaccine problems. Even some in his Democratic base are beginning to question his leadership. This is not going well. You just cannot have these kinds of disparities were seeing all over California. The governor has got to get control of this vaccination effort, said Los Angeles-based Democratic strategist Garry South, who ran the gubernatorial campaigns of former Democratic Gov. Gray Davis, recalled by voters in 2003 and replaced by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. If the vaccination process is not carried out smoothly and efficiently, a lot of voters will blame him, regardless of whether its actually his fault or not, South said. People did not blame Gray Davis for starting the electricity crisis, but they did blame him for failing to solve the problem. Recall organizers have until March 17 to gather the roughly 1.5 million valid signatures needed to put the question before voters. As of Jan. 6, the California secretary of states office had received nearly 724,000 signatures. Were in a mad dash to get enough, said Orrin Heatlie, a retired Yolo County Sheriffs Department sergeant, who is leading the recall campaign. The dark path to getting vaccinated is not why we started this, but the governors mishandling of it is causing real harm and has only furthered our momentum. Newsom campaign spokesperson Dan Newman dismissed the recall effort as expected background noise and argued that Newsom is focused on ending the pandemic. His obsessive and relentless focus is on vaccinations, and economic relief and recovery. Newsom has enjoyed relatively high ratings, with 58% of Californians approving of his job performance, according to the latest job approval poll by the Public Policy Institute of California. That poll was conducted in October, before any covid vaccines had been cleared for use. While the governor cannot control the supply of vaccine flowing to California a major limiting factor in the states ability to distribute doses he is leading the statewide vaccination strategy that was submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in October. We have long been in the vaccination business, Newsom boasted in a news conference on Oct. 19, saying Californias experience with mass vaccination campaigns has prepared it to undertake one now, complete with public service announcements, cutting-edge technology and state support for local efforts. Just consider 19 million annual flu shots typically distributed here in the state of California. Newsoms vaccine strategy mirrors his approach to the pandemic so far: It hands primary responsibility for administering the vaccine to the states 58 counties, which have different plans for who gets the shot first, how they will be notified when its their turn and where they will be vaccinated. Chronically underfunded county health departments which are drowning under other pandemic-related duties, such as covid testing, contact tracing and enforcing local restrictions on businesses have struggled to keep up with the additional responsibilities. In many cases, they have failed to communicate effectively with the public or provide vaccines quickly and efficiently. Dr. Phuong Luu, the health officer for Yuba and Sutter counties in rural Northern California, said overworked public health workers are spending an immense amount of time fielding phone calls from people demanding shots. Its an extreme amount of pressure, she said. People are angry and theyre calling saying, No, the governor said that Im eligible. Why arent you accommodating me? In the Bay Areas suburban Contra Costa County, health officer Dr. Chris Farnitano said the county cannot accommodate everyone 65 and older. It is focusing on people 75 and up, and supplies are dwindling so quickly that officials cant promise a timely second dose. CA is significantly increasing our efforts to get vaccines out. This week, we launched mass vaccination sites across the state. Today, we're announcing that Californians 65 and older are eligible to receive the vaccine.#EndThePandemic pic.twitter.com/PtuJKx5VcH Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 13, 2021 California is consistently at the bottom nationally in percentage of shots administered, with about half of doses used as of Thursday, compared with 81.6% in West Virginia and 80.8% in North Dakota, according to an analysisof state and federal vaccine data. Texas, the state closest to California in population, has administered 60% of its shots. Overall, 5.8% of Californians have received their first dose, compared with 6.8% of people nationally. States that rely heavily on counties have faced bigger challenges, said Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF. The more layers that this implementation has to pass through, the more challenging it seems to get. (KHN, which produces California Healthline, is an editorially independent program of KFF.) A bipartisan group of 47 state legislators sent Newsom a letter this month blasting the vaccination chaos. We are all aware of the limited number of vaccines that have been made available to the states, but we believe that we need to plan for a more effective and efficient rollout, they wrote. Newsom has acknowledged that he must remedy the situation, pledging on Jan. 6 to administer 1 million additional vaccines in 10 days. He fell short on that promise but characterized the effort as a success, with 900,000 additional vaccinations administered by Jan. 15. This week, he released a planto speed and centralizethe vaccination distribution process by mid-February, and he unveiled a website called My Turn, which eventually will inform Californians when they are eligible and allow them to make appointments. Widespread frustration is not unique to California. Nearly 60% of adults 65 and older in the U.S. say they dont know when or where they will get vaccinated, and nearly three-quarters of Americans say theyre either frustrated with the status of vaccinations or flat-out angry, according to a new KFF poll. But in California, that anger presents political difficulty for Newsom. Hes got more crises on his plate than any previous governor, former governor Davis told California Healthline. At the moment, people in California are upset, so accelerating the administration of those vaccines should be the first, and most important, thing that every public elected official does every day. Newsom may appear safe from a Republican-led effort in a state that votes overwhelmingly Democratic, but unlike aspects of the pandemic that have disproportionately hurt small-business owners or Black and Latino communities, the vaccination issue touches nearly all Californians. Newsoms handling of the crisis may not be what qualifies it for the ballot, said Dan Schnur, who teaches political communication at the University of Southern California and the University of California-Berkeley. But if the recall does qualify, how the vaccination process was handled is going to be the primary basis on which voters make their decision on whether to keep him in office or not. Some voters say Newsoms vaccination rollout shows its time for new political blood. You hear him on the news saying were doing better and we see light at the end of the tunnel, but this isnt going well, said Scott Hunyadi, 31, of San Dimas, who voted for Newsom in 2018. Id never vote for a Republican, but given the opportunity, Id certainly vote to recall Newsom and install a better Democratic candidate if one was on the ballot. Hanson, who still hasnt found an appointment, places most of the blame on former President Donald Trump. But she said Newsom has acted as a cheerleader for his administration rather than being honest about his missteps. I know hes trying, but honestly, at this point, Im so soured, she said. Theres no guarantee that anyone could do a better job, but Id certainly look at a Democratic challenger if there was one. NuZee also announced that current directors Shanoop Kothari (who also serves as the Company's Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer) and Allen S. Morton were not nominated for re-election, and their terms will expire at the Annual Meeting if their successors are elected. As previously disclosed, the Company has planned to identify a suitable candidate as a fourth independent director on the Board. Accordingly, Mr. Kothari will continue to serve as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Nobuki Kurita's background includes serving as President and Chief Operating Officer of Restar Holdings Corporation, a company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and a manufacturer of semiconductor products, from September 2017 until his retirement in March 2020. Prior to that, Mr. Kurita served as President of Sony China Co., Ltd from April 2012 to June 2016. David G. Robson has served on the board of directors of Payference, a software business, since February 2020. Mr. Robson served as the CFO and Chief Compliance Officer of Farmer Brothers Co., a publicly traded national distributor of coffee, tea, and culinary products from February 2017 to November 2019. Previously, Mr. Robson served as the CFO of PIRCH, a curator and retailer of kitchen, bath, and outdoor home brands, from September 2014 to September 2016. From January 2012 to September 2014, Mr. Robson was the CFO of U.S. AutoParts. Prior to that, he served as the EVP and CFO of Mervyns LLC, a former discount department store chain, from 2007 to 2011. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements regarding expectations, hopes, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements. NuZee cautions you that such statements are only predictions and actual events or results may differ materially. These statements reflect NuZee's current expectations, and NuZee does not undertake to update or revise these forward looking statements, even if experience or future changes make it clear that any projected results expressed or implied in this or other NuZee statements will not be realized. Further, these statements involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond NuZee's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include: the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations and general economic conditions, general market acceptance of and demand for our products, and our need for substantial additional funds. For a description of additional factors that may cause NuZee's actual results, performance or expectations to differ from any forward-looking statements, please review the information set forth in the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of the Company's public reports filed with the SEC. About NuZee and Coffee Blenders NuZee, Inc. (d/b/a Coffee Blenders) is a specialty coffee company and a leading U.S. single-serve pour-over coffee producer and co-packer. We own sophisticated packing equipment developed in Asia for single serve pour over coffee production. We co-pack single-serve pour-over coffee products for customers in the U.S. market and also co-pack for the Korean market. Important Additional Information and Where to Find It The Company, the Board, and the two new director nominees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders in connection with the Annual Meeting. On January 27, 2021, the Company filed its definitive proxy statement (the "2021 Proxy Statement") with the SEC in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Annual Meeting. The Company will furnish to its stockholders the 2021 Proxy Statement, together with a form of proxy. STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE 2021 PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT THE COMPANY MAY FILE WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY, AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Additional information regarding the identity of these potential participants and their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is set forth in the 2021 Proxy Statement. Stockholders may obtain, free of charge, copies of the 2021 Proxy Statement, any amendments or supplements thereto and any other documents (including the form of proxy) filed by the Company with the SEC in connection with the Annual Meeting at the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov), at the Company's website (https://mynuzee.com/annual-meeting-information), or by directing a request by mail to NuZee, Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, 1401 Capital Avenue, Suite B, Plano, Texas 75074. SOURCE NuZee, Inc. Related Links https://mynuzee.com/ With the Budget session of Parliament commencing from today, all eyes are on the Union Budget 2021-22 that will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Coming out of a year severely disrupted by the global pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, the industry is looking for growth impetus from the Budget. Ashish Bhasin, CEO - APAC and Chairman - India, Dentsu, is certain that the growth in India will come from rural areas and not just from urban pockets or societys privileged sections. He said, I would like to see more money directly flowing into consumers pockets through tax incentives or other means so that they have more money to spend. Also, clients need to be incentivised to spend more on advertising since that would create a demand and spur the economy. He also expects the Union Budget to allocate funds toward investments in infrastructure. I am very bullish about India to flourish as an economy. However, to achieve our ambitions, we need a strong infrastructure, and this is the right time for us to be investing heavily in that, he added. When it comes to the taxation policies that advertising agencies are liable for, Bhasin believes that agencies dont mind the taxes. However, he added, the taxation process is encumbered by complexities. It wastes too much time. The rationalisation of taxes, combined with smoothened transactions by a more simplified process, will go a long way in benefitting our industry, he felt. Adding further, Bhasin noted, Around April last year, the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) had made a few appeals to the Government. There was a lot of money stuck with the Government and the liquidity situation was too tight owing to the lockdown, at the time. While I am not certain whether it had had an impact on them, but there was a partial response from the Government, wherein some of the funds held by the state governments were released. Nevertheless, now is the time to see if they would consider the much-needed tax incentives. I am hoping that the upcoming Budget would be a growth-oriented one, which indirectly helps advertising and we know that advertising generates demand. The music is the heart of FitzGeralds, and the food should respect that, says Manion. Barbecue is the only thing that fits. He notes that you should expect the usual suspects, like smoked brisket and pork shoulder, along with some unique dishes like a pork belly dish that flirts with bacon and a slowly smoked whole head of cauliflower. In addition, look out for Creole-inspired dishes, and a collection of bar-friendly bites. (CNN) Taking an afternoon snooze could keep your brain sharp, a new study has said. Adults ages 60 and older who took afternoon naps showed signs of better mental agility compared to those who didn't nap, according to a study published in General Psychiatry earlier this week. Researchers analyzed napping habits in 2,214 older Chinese people and measured their cognitive abilities using several cognitive tests. The participants were divided into two categories, those who took regular naps and those who didn't. The study defined naps as a period of sleep taken after lunch lasting between five minutes and two hours. Nappers scored higher Participants took the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Beijing version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, both of which test for memory, language and other cognitive abilities. Results showed that napping positively affected older adults' mental abilities, said lead study author Cai Han, geriatric psychiatrist at The Fourth People's Hospital of Wuhu in China. In every category listed in the study, nappers tested statistically higher on average compared to their non-napping counterparts. "This study found that a proper nap is beneficial to the maintenance of cognitive function, so we encourage the elderly to take a proper nap," Han said. Unintentional nappers performed worse on the word recall test than non-nappers and intentional nappers, the study noted. Many factors can affect sleep Researchers did not gather data from people under 60, so a correlation cannot be drawn between afternoon napping and younger generations. The study also noted that there are conflicting studies about the benefits and risks of napping. Sleeping behaviors can be affected by a multitude of factors, said Dr. David Neubauer, associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Daily routines, medication use, environmental factors, lifestyle choices and sleep disorders can all play a role in how frequently someone takes a nap, he said. In the future, Han wants to study the effects of different lifestyles on cognitive function. The study didn't gather specific data on the length of time each participant took a nap within the five-minute-to-two-hour range or what time in the afternoon they slept. Here's how to power nap Neubauer recommended taking a shorter "power nap" of up to 20 minutes to decrease the chances of transitioning into slow-wave sleep, which makes people feel groggy when they wake up. Naps should also be taken earlier in the afternoon to limit their possible negative impact on the following night's sleep, he said. Napping can be a healthy part of an older adult's day, Neubauer acknowledged, but make sure sleepiness isn't due to a treatable nighttime sleep disorder. "Older individuals who want to do all they can to preserve their cognitive functioning should prioritize nighttime sleep," Neubauer said. This story was first published on CNN.com An afternoon nap could improve your cognitive abilities, study says New Delhi: The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) will issue notification for the recruitment of RRB VI post at its official websitie in July. The notification will be made available on the official website IBPS for the aspirants. Like every year the bank is all set to release the notification for recruitment of RRB exam notification for over 1000 posts 2017 in July. But before this a notification has gone viral on social media that has mentioned exam dates etc. As per a leading media house, the notification is fake and the IBPS is in the process to release the official notification. According to the annual examination calendar published by the IPBS on January this year, the online examination for the next Common Recruitment Process for RRBs (CRP RRBs VI) for recruitment of Group "A"-Officers (Scale-I, II & III) and Group "B"-Office Assistant (Multipurpose) will be conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) tentatively between September and November 2017. The interviews for recruitment of Group "A"- Officers (Scale-I, II & III) under the same process will be coordinated by the Nodal Regional Rural Banks with the help of NABARD and IBPS in consultation with appropriate authority tentatively in the month of December 2017, said a notification which is viral on social media now. Know the schedule here Exam dates: September 9- 10, September 16- 17, September 23- 24, 2017 CWE RRB-VI Officer Scale I and Office Assistants Preliminary examination October 7- 8, October 14- 15, 2017 CWE PO/MT-VII Preliminary Examination November 5, 2017 CWE RRB-VI Officers Scale I, II & III Single Examination November 12, 2017 CWE RRB-VI Office Assistants Main Examination November 26, 2017 CWE PO/MT-VII Main Examination December 2- 3, December 9- 10, 2017 CWE CLERK-VII Preliminary Examination December 30- 31, 2017 CWE SPL-VII Preliminary Examination January 1, 2018 CWE CLERK-VII Main Examination January 28, 2018 CWE SPL-VII Main ExaminationThe interviews for recruitment of Group A Officers (Scale-I, II & III) is handled by the Nodal Regional Rural Banks with the help of NABARD and IBPS. For all the Latest Education News, Jobs News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A dog owner has slammed Network Rail after he dog was left lying on tracks for three nights after being hit by a train. Georgina Hart was walking her 10-year-old pooch Toto on Tuesday when the dog ran off from Exwick playing fields, near Exeter. When she failed to return, Georgina decided to go home and look for Toto there, only to later discover her dog had managed to get stuck behind a fence separating the fields from the train tracks. Ms Hart said she was left 'heartbroken,' after hearing Toto had been hit by a train and killed, but she is calling for greater effort from Network Rail after she had to wait two days for the body to be removed. Georgina Hart was left heartbroken after her beloved dog Toto was hit by a train on Tuesday - with the Jack Russell's body left lying on the tracks in Exeter for three nights The proud dog lover says she took her eyes off Toto for a couple of minutes before realising she had gone. She said: 'She must have been running and back and forth across the line trying to get out before she was hit. 'It's been such a distressing time and Network Rail have handled this so poorly, they wouldn't even remove Toto's body - she was left on the line for three nights.' Ms Hart added: 'I took her out in the late afternoon for a walk. It's a really popular dog walking spot. 'I let Toto off like I normally do as she is so obedient, she usually has a sniff around but always comes back when I call her.' Ms Hart said Toto vanished while out for a walk in Exwick playing fields on Tuesday, before managing to get herself stuck behind a fence separating the tracks from the park (pictured) Network Rail insists there are no holes in the fence which divides the park and tracks, but Ms Hart is calling for greater effort to protect dogs and their owners from future heartbreak Upon noticing that Toto had wandered off, Georgina checked around the park for her dog, but was unsuccessful. She said: 'I made the decision to go home thinking that Toto would have taken herself back to the house. 'I got home and she was not there so I got onto my bike and went straight back to the park. 'I was asking other dog walkers if they had seen her and one woman said she had seen her on the train line.' After learning that her dog had been sighted, Ms Hart contacted British Transport Police who told her she would have to wait until the following day, before anyone can check the lines for Toto. She said: 'The following day I got in touch with Network Rail and a spokesperson confirmed my worst nightmare - Toto had been found dead on the railway line and they needed to go through relevant authorities before her body could be removed. 'I am just heartbroken - she must have been trying to get out from behind the fence as I kept calling her name. 'If I had known that she was there then I wouldn't have called her.' The following evening she received a call confirming Toto's body was still lying on the railway line whilst trains were still operating. She said: 'Network rail have handled this terribly - nobody removed my family pet from the railway line and clearly I was not allowed to go and get her. Ms Hart, pictured with Toto, had her 'worst nightmare' confirmed on Wednesday, but it wasn't until the next day that her beloved dog's remains were moved and taken to a crematorium 'After being given the run around - and even having one man tell me he couldn't find Toto's body on the line - a kind gentleman from Network Rail rang me and said he would personally go and remove Toto, and drop her off to the crematorium.' Angry with how the situation has been handled, Ms Hart says she wants to to campaign for Network Rail to ensure animals can't get through the fences and onto the railway line - particularly popular dog walking spots which are in close proximity. She said: 'There are holes under the fence made by foxes and gaps due to poor maintenance, dog owners need to be vigilant. 'I have spoken with a number of other dog owners who have said a similar thing has happened to their pets in the same area. 'Network Rail need to lay out strict protocols so this can be avoided in the future.' Following the upsetting incident, a spokesperson for Network Rail said: 'We can confirm a dog sadly died on Tuesday, January 26 after being hit by a train between Exeter St Davids and Exeter St Thomas. 'We have reviewed the fence line along the path by the railway in this area and have found no holes or faults. 'We understand the loss of a beloved pet is extremely distressing and our thoughts and condolences are with the pet owner.' Digitalization will be widely used for the reformation of the agency. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that the reform of the State Customs Service needs to be accelerated as part of the war on corruption and smuggling. "The reform of the State Customs Service needs to be accelerated. The Ukrainian customs should cease to be a gravy train for small and large corrupt officials and a gateway for smugglers. It must become a transparent, understandable and convenient service for entrepreneurs and citizens," the president said while meeting State Customs Service chief Pavlo Ryabikin, according to the presidential press service. Read alsoSBU blocks major scheme of smuggling from occupied Donbas Ryabikin, in turn, said that the reform envisages, in particular, the transition to the latest technologies and digitization, simplification and harmonization of customs procedures, duty rates with European legislation, training and testing of personnel, improvement of material and technical base and more. According to him, the law of Ukraine on the introduction of the authorized economic operator (AEO) has already entered into force. The introduction of the AEO contributes to the approximation of Ukrainian customs legislation to European standards, simplifies and facilitates international trade, increases the competitiveness of Ukrainian AEOs in both domestic and foreign markets. Work is underway to accede to the European Convention on a Common Transit Procedure. In November 2020, Ukraine launched the pilot application of a new computerized transit system (NCTS), the use of which is a prerequisite for Ukraine's accession to the Convention. It is the basis for the movement of goods between EU member states. The first stage of the pilot project will last until March 16, 2021. This will facilitate the movement of goods between the countries that have acceded to the Convention on a Common Transit Procedure. Earlier developments In December 2018, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to reorganize the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine by splitting it into the state tax and customs services. The State Customs Service officially started working on December 8, 2019. Its performance was criticized for the failure to collect enough budget revenue. On April 24, 2020, the Cabinet of Ministers dismissed Customs Service chief Max Nefyodov and his three deputies. After that, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko announced a reboot for the State Customs Service and the State Tax Service. Reporting by UNIAN The Taliban has used small commercial drone aircraft in recent years for reconnaissance and to make propaganda videos of attacks. But now, the militant group is deploying the remote-controlled devices as a new weapon against Afghan security forces. Using a tactic of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in Iraq and Syria, Taliban fighters are rigging low-cost, over-the-counter drones with explosives and dropping them on targets. Since October, the Taliban has carried out weaponized drone attacks in at least six of Afghanistans 34 provinces. Some have killed and wounded Afghan security personnel. Others have damaged military infrastructure. It is unclear why the Taliban only recently weaponized the commercial drones at its disposal. But the move has coincided with intensified attacks against Afghan forces despite ongoing peace talks between the warring sides. Observers say the rigged drones could enhance the Talibans battlefield capabilities and provide the militants with a potent propaganda tool. Battlefield Impact So far, Taliban drones have not had a significant impact on the battlefield. But experts say the threat posed by drones could be significant if the devices are used properly and under optimal conditions. These drones have relatively small firepower: one or two grenade-sized munitions, says Nick Waters, an analyst with Britains open-source research group Bellingcat. However, they are quite accurate and, if dropped in the right place, they can have considerable effect. Waters, a former British Army officer, told RFE/RL the Taliban could use weaponized drones to target commanders, groups of soldiers, vehicles, and ammunition depots. He says they can also guide Taliban suicide bombers, direct artillery fire, and provide situational awareness for tactical commanders. Several different tactics have been used in other war zones to try to neutralize the threat of weaponized commercial drones. They include shooting drones down, using directional jammers, and physically intercepting them with nets or even birds of prey. But observers say many of these tactics require the ability to first identify a drone. If you're being attacked by a very small drone 1,000 feet up in the air, then it's actually quite difficult to work out where to point your weapon, Waters says. Propaganda PsyOps Taliban drone attacks also have propaganda value for the militants as psychological operations -- or "PsyOps." In recent months, Taliban fighters and pro-Taliban accounts have uploaded videos and photos on social media boasting of their new capabilities. There is undoubtedly an element of psychological operations in their use, says Jonathan Schroden, a security expert with the U.S.-based nonprofit research and analysis organization CNA. Military experts cite Taliban propaganda about its so-called Red Unit -- a commando-style Taliban force blamed for deadly attacks on Afghan troops. Better trained and armed than ordinary Taliban fighters, the Red Unit has been described as an elite Taliban special forces group. Tactical drones are another way for the Taliban to try and portray that theyre a stronger force than the Afghan forces, Schroden told RFE/RL. It also helps them mitigate views of their primary disadvantage relative to the Afghan forces, which is their lack of technologically advanced equipment. The Talibans arsenal mainly consists of rockets, mortars, small arms, improvised explosives devices (IEDs), and explosive-laden cars, or what military experts call suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (SVBIEDs). There is irony in the Talibans efforts to weaponize small commercial drones. The U.S. military has employed large unmanned Predator and Reaper drones armed with powerful Hellfire missiles to kill militants in Afghanistan. Those drones, which each cost more than $4 million, can fly up to 740 kilometers and linger overhead for up to 14 hours. The controversial program also has been blamed for killing civilians. The Talibans use of drones comes as it ramps up attacks against beleaguered Afghan forces despite signing a deal with the United States in February 2020 aimed at ending the war. Under the agreement, all foreign troops are meant to leave Afghanistan in exchange for counterterrorism guarantees from the Taliban, which pledged to launch talks with the internationally recognized government in Kabul about a permanent cease-fire and political settlement. Military analysts say the Taliban is employing a fight-and-talk strategy, seeking to increase its leverage in peace talks through gains on the battlefield. Sold In The Market Afghan intelligence chief Ahmad Zia Shiraj told lawmakers in November that the Taliban was using off-the-shelf drones and rigging them with explosives. The drones they are using are sold in the market, he said. They are basically camera drones. Shirajs remarks came a month after the Taliban dropped explosives from a weaponized drone inside the governors compound in the northern province of Kunduz, killing at least four people and wounded eight others. It was the first known Taliban drone attack in Afghanistan. Since then, rigged Taliban drones have been reported in the provinces of Baghlan, Balkh, Paktia, Logar, and Faryab. In one of the most recent attacks, the Taliban used a drone on January 15 to drop explosives inside a military base in Kunduz. The blast wounded two Afghan soldiers and damaged a military helicopter. Earlier in January, the government banned the use of any type of drones over the presidential palace in Kabul. Seek Overhead Cover Analysts say the Taliban drone tactics have been adopted from IS militants in Iraq and Syria. IS also initially used drones for reconnaissance before weaponizing them for attacks against Iraqi and Syrian troops. Those drones either dropped bombs from the air or were rigged with explosives to detonate on the ground. The United States was so concerned by the threat of IS drones that, in 2017, it launched a $700 million program to develop tactics and technology against the extremist groups vast fleet of drones -- many of them quadcopters. Waters says IS militants deployed weaponized drones most effectively in Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city, which was overrun by the group in 2015. Two years later, U.S.-backed Iraqi forces recaptured the city following a protracted and devastating campaign. These drones were so prevalent it was reported they helped to slow and even pause the assault on the city until the drones could be neutralized, Waters says. It got to the point where the sound of the drone alone became a weapon: when fighters heard a drone above them they would immediately seek overhead cover because of the threat. But experts say it would be difficult for the Taliban in Afghanistan to replicate the exact tactics used by IS militants, which targeted positions in urban areas. Afghan security forces are spread out across the country with more than 10,000 small checkpoints, many of which are in rural areas. Itll be harder to achieve a surprise attack on a small checkpoint in open terrain if Afghan forces are cued to the possibility of the threat, which they should now be, Schroden says. Still, the drones have the potential to be a threat to any unsuspecting checkpoints as well as larger installations and those in urban or cluttered terrain, he concludes. Vietnams exports to Poland were close to 1.77 billion USD in 2020, a year-on-year rise of 18.4 percent (Photo: VNA) HCM City - Effectively exploiting the Polish market is one of the ways to help Vietnamese goods make inroads into the EU market, experts told a workshop held by the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC) on January 28 on the prospects for Vietnams exports to the EU through the Polish gateway. According to ITPC Vice Director Tran Phu Lu, Poland is an important and dynamic market in the heart of central Europe, allowing easy access to the 500-million-strong EU market. Poland is the largest market among the new member states of the EU and the sixth largest in the EU. It is currently the 23rd-largest exporter in the world and the 20th-largest importer. This means that goods exported to Poland have the opportunity to access other markets through transitional exports. Lu said the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which officially took effect on August 1, 2020, has brought many advantages and opportunities to further boost trade between Vietnam and Poland. Despite COVID-19, Vietnam - Poland trade in 2020 reached over 2.1 billion USD, up 17.6 percent against 2019. Vietnams exports to the country were close to 1.77 billion USD, a year-on-year rise of 18.4 percent, while it spent 341 million USD on importing goods from the country. Piotr Harasimowicz, head of the representative office of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency in HCM City, said Vietnam is the 19th-largest exporter of goods to Poland, with major items being computers, electronics and spare parts, garment-textiles, coffee, and footwear. The elimination of tariffs on Vietnams exports to the EU under the EVFTA will help its goods conquer the Polish market in particular and the EU market in general in the time ahead, he said. Dang Thai Thien, from the municipal Department of Customs, noted the need for Vietnamese businesses to meet standards in quarantine and food safety, technical barriers, and origin of goods, as well as regulations in the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (VPA/FLEGT) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and those related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing if they want to promote exports to the EU. In order to fully tap the advantages brought about by the EVFTA and further promote exports to the EU, businesses need to synchronously carry out solutions relating to market surveys and the renovation of production to bolster trust among importers, Thien said. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... HALTOM CITY, Texas A judge ruled Thursday that two 14-year-old boys charged with capital murder will remain in custody for allegedly killing a mother of three who was delivering an Uber Eats order to an apartment building in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Ryan Graham, 31, was delivering food Saturday to a Haltom City apartment complex and was fatally stabbed in her neck during a robbery, police said Thursday. The defendants were arrested Wednesday, and their names are withheld because theyre juveniles. The defendants appeared separately for a virtual detention hearing Thursday in Tarrant County Juvenile Court. Officials said during the hearing that a confidential informant tipped authorities of the defendants connection to the murder and their plans to skip town. Tarrant County Judge Alex Kim said the defendants indicated in an interrogation that they attacked Graham because they were trying to steal her car. When they couldnt find the keys, one of them stabbed her in the neck. At this point, Im very concerned about the safety of the community if I was to release you, Kim said to one of the defendants during the hearing. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Haltom City investigators said they found evidence linking the two juveniles to the killing, and they were arrested in a Fort Worth apartment building. They were taken to the Tarrant County Juvenile Justice Center in Fort Worth. A resident of the building where the murder occurred told police that he found Graham on Saturday around 9:30 p.m. in the buildings breezeway in the front of his home. Graham did not reach the customers door before she was killed, and she died on the scene. Graham, who was from Fort Worth, was delivering food for Uber Eats as a side job. A GoFundMe page raising money for her funeral expenses has exceeded the $30,000 goal, reaching more than $55,000 as of Thursday late afternoon. On Monday, CPS Energy was set to release a document laying out what it would cost to close the utilitys Spruce coal plant earlier than planned information that environmental activists had long clamored for. Yet city-owned CPS wound up keeping its lengthy new resource plan under wraps. Thats because Trustee Ed Kelley convinced others on the utilitys five-member governing board to hold off on the releasing the document, arguing that it contained confidential information about CPS. Mayor Ron Nirenberg, a board member, resisted Kelleys push Monday. Now hes calling on CPS to release the plan after trustees have had a chance to study it. The plan is a public document, and it should be released, Nirenberg said. However, since the board did not receive the document until shortly before the meeting, as a matter of courtesy, we are giving members the opportunity to read the report before it is made public. But the delay must be short and the document made public quickly, he said. In addition to cost estimates for shutting down the Spruce plant ahead of schedule, the plan details how much it would cost to accelerate CPS shift to clean energy. On ExpressNews.com: CPS Energy to consider closing coal plant, but withholds details The Spruce coal plant, located on Calaveras Lake in Southeast Bexar County, is among the highest carbon dioxide-emitting power plants in Texas. CPS officials said they want to set up public meetings to discuss potential scenarios to close the plant. However, the utility owes more than $1 billion on the facility. To mothball it, CPS would have to find a way to pay off that debt while it also spends money on new electricity generation. The resource plan details how the utility might do that without dramatically increasing ratepayers bills. Despite Nirenbergs objection Monday and after the trustees went into a closed session during the meeting they emerged saying they needed more time to review the document. The move by trustees to withhold the resource plan angered environmental and community organizers. On ExpressNews.com: Facing legal challenge and lacking signatures, Recall CPS petition campaign comes to an end The environmental community has been asking to have this discussion for years, said Mario Bravo, a project manager with the Environmental Defense Fund and a candidate for the District 1 City Council seat. CPS has a lot of work to do in terms of earning the publics trust. DeeDee Belmares, a climate justice advocate with Public Citizen, said the utilitys decision to begin discussing closing the Spruce plant is a step in the right direction. But unless the public has knowledge of whats in the report, then its pointless information, she said. In presentations to the board, CPS officials aired some details about potential alternatives for closing Spruce. However, they said the utility hasnt committed to closing the plant and is only exploring possible options. The resource plan is not saying, Weve decided that coal comes out, CPS chief executive Paula Gold-Williams said. It is an option of consideration. CPS is also considering closing five natural gas plants, all built in the 1960s and 1970s. Under a conceptual timeline presented by Chief Operating Officer Cris Eugster, the utility would close those five plants between the end of 2024 and the end of 2028. Under the same timeline, CPS would convert the Spruce 2 coal-fired unit to a natural gas-fired power plant by the end of 2027, which would reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 40 percent, Eugster said. Switching the plant to burn natural gas would cost about $40 million. Utility officials estimate that would be cheaper than upgrading the coal plant to meet updated environmental standards. To convert it to gas and not have to do some of those environmental retrofits is actually more attractive, Eugster said. There may be ways to additionally reduce the carbon footprint of a converted Spruce 2 plant. The Spruce 1 coal unit would be closed at the end of 2028 and replaced with a blend of energy sources such as renewable electricity, battery storage and natural gas. CPS officials said trustees could discuss the plan at their Feb. 22 meeting. Its disturbing that CPS is telling customers they might have to have a rate increase, but theyre not going to tell us how they came to that conclusion, Belmares said. Why withhold information from the public? diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net Maxine Cheshire applied for her first reporting job in her hometown of Harlan, Ky. "I know everything that goes on in this town," Cheshire told the editor during her interview, "and if you give me a job so will you." Her father was a lawyer in the tough coal-mining town in eastern Kentucky and represented the mineworkers union. Because of repeated assassination attempts, he wore a bulletproof vest to work every day. Her mother kept a gun in the house and had to use it on more than one occasion. Cheshire knew a lot about Harlan, but she didn't get the job. Of course, she was only 5 at the time. Sixteen years later, she did become a reporter at the Harlan Daily Enterprise, one of the first steps in a journalism career that ultimately led her to The Washington Post, where she was a tenacious reporter and society columnist for more than 25 years. Cheshire, who took a hard-news approach to what was often seen as a superficial beat, embarrassed occupants of the White House, uncovered the "Koreagate" influence-peddling scandal of the 1970s and faced the fury of at least one peeved Hollywood star, died Dec. 31 at her home in McAllen, Texas. She was 90. The cause was cardiovascular disease, said a son, Marc Cheshire. Cheshire came to The Post in 1954 as a reporter for the section then known as the "women's pages." She covered social gatherings, embassy parties and the lives of women in Washington, but she approached the beat as if she were reporting from a murder scene. "Some women are interested in needlepoint," she told Time magazine in 1977. "I'm interested in organized crime." Cheshire, who had four children, insisted on a flexible work schedule, and often worked late hours from her cluttered office or from her car, a repainted Checker cab. She ran up annual telephone bills of $25,000. "I once told an editor at The Post," she wrote in a memoir, "that all I need to get a story is a roll of dimes and a telephone booth - I can find out anything with a telephone." In the early 1960s, Cheshire wrote about a White House remodeling effort overseen by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Cheshire looked behind the curtains to find some questionable arrangements with donors and dealers. In an eight-part series in The Post, Cheshire showed that some items purporting to be antiques were fakes and that the White House had spent far more on the furnishings than it had admitted. President John F. Kennedy called Post publisher Philip Graham to complain. "Maxine Cheshire has reduced my wife to tears," Kennedy said. "Listen to her," as the first lady sobbed in the background. "I probably spent more time dousing fires ignited by Maxine than any other journalist except those that [Bob] Woodward and [Carl] Bernstein would ignite in 1972," former Post editor Ben Bradlee wrote in his autobiography, "A Good Life." "But she was fun to work with and awesome to watch once she sank her teeth in someone's flank." A former Post managing editor, Eugene Patterson, once said Cheshire had "the guts of a cat burglar." In the 1970s, Cheshire revealed that government officials, including President Richard M. Nixon's family, had kept millions of dollars in gifts from foreign governments in violation of federal law. In 1976 and 1977, she began to question the growing Washington presence of Tongsun Park, who purported to be a Korean businessman. In a series of front-page stories, she and other reporters depicted a far-reaching scandal that implicated Korean intelligence services and lawmakers on Capitol Hill. "The question in this town is, 'Where does the money come from?' " Cheshire said in 1977. "When somebody starts throwing money around, you start wondering who's paying for it all." One of her most celebrated confrontations occurred on the night of Jan. 20, 1973, Nixon's second inauguration. Among the celebrities in Washington for the event was Frank Sinatra, who had become friendly with Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. A year earlier, Cheshire had asked Sinatra, "Do you think your Mafia ties might prove embarrassing to the vice president?" When she ran into him again at a midnight breakfast at the Fairfax Hotel, it was clear that Sinatra had not forgotten. "Get away from me, you scum," he said, according to a Post story. "Go home and take a bath. Print that, Miss Cheshire. I don't want to talk to you." With about 30 bystanders watching, Sinatra continued his tirade: "You're nothing but a $2 broad, you know that," he said, using an obscene epithet. He pulled two $1 bills from his pocket and put them in Cheshire's empty glass, saying, "Here's $2, baby. That's what you're used to," before getting in his limousine and disappearing into the night. Cheshire took the glass home and put it on her mantelpiece. She threatened a defamation lawsuit, saying, "If Sinatra had attacked me as a reporter I would have taken it, but he attacked me as a woman." Agnew's usually loquacious spokesman Vic Gold was momentarily at a loss for words, when asked to describe his dealings with Cheshire. Finally, he said, "Maxine Cheshire has a carapace of an armadillo." Cheshire's plan to preserve the Sinatra glass as a battlefield trophy was foiled, her son said, when another of her children took the $2. Maxine Hall was born April 5, 1930, in Harlan. Her mother worked as a legal assistant with Cheshire's father. Cheshire aspired to be a lawyer, but when her father died in 1951 she was forced to drop out of Union College in Barbourville, Ky. She worked at newspapers in Barbourville, Harlan and Knoxville, Tenn., before joining The Post. Her memoir, "Maxine Cheshire, Reporter," appeared in 1977. She retired from The Post in 1981. Her marriage to journalist Herbert Cheshire ended in divorce. In 1982, she married Jasper "Jack" Warren, the owner of a Texas oil-drilling company, and settled in Houston. He died in 2013. Survivors include four children from her first marriage, Marc Cheshire, Hall Cheshire, Gideon Cheshire and Leigh Wooldridge; and four grandchildren. One of Cheshire's most dramatic reporting escapades came in 1968, when she learned that Jacqueline Kennedy was planning to marry Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. Her editor sent her off to Greece, with a notebook and $2,000. The remote island where the wedding was to take place was closed to air travel and was protected by the Greek navy. Cheshire found a group of journalists renting a boat, she told Ladies' Home Journal in 1970, and "I jumped into a man's lap, twisted my fingers into his hair, wrapped my legs around his and said I was going. We went." Still, she could not get close enough to witness the ceremony itself, sustaining a sprained ankle in the process. Back in Athens, she went to a doctor for treatment and admired some antiques in his office. He told her that the antiques shop was nearby, and Cheshire went to visit the dealer. It turned out that he was part of the Kennedy-Onassis wedding party and had pictures to prove it. "He told me every detail," Cheshire wrote in her memoir. "He was the most poetic, the most eloquent source I ever had. I'm sure he remembered more than Jackie did." Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- Hedge funds often measure their investments in minutes, not decades; but for Anchorage Capital Group, its long-held stake in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. is proving that patience can also be profitable.The New York-based money manager stands to make roughly $2 billion on its investment in the film and TV producer, one that began almost 11 years ago with MGM in bankruptcy court. Amazon.com Inc. agreed to buy the company for $8.45 billion Wednesday, a price that includes just under $2 billion in debt.The deal is in many ways a vindication for Kevin Ulrich, the former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. trader who co-founded Anchorage in 2003 and was part of a group of distressed debt investors that took control of MGM as it went through the restructuring process. In recent years the stake looked to be an albatross for the fund, one that came with significant drama in its own right.Ulrich brought in and later fired a high-profile chief executive officer, resisted efforts by activist investor Carl Icahn to take control, and held out for a bigger payday after years of considering various exit strategies. By selling now, as demand for media content from entertainment and technology companies alike is booming, hes proving his long-held faith in the investment was justified.There was a lot of maneuvering, a lot of financial engineering, said Steven Azarbad, chief investment officer at New Yorks Maglan Capital, an MGM investor who sold his shares four years ago. But theyve done great.A representative for Anchorage declined to comment.When Ulrich first invested in MGM, he was new to Hollywood. He helped pick Gary Barber, a South African-born producer of films such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective as chief executive officer of the storied but debt-laden studio. Barber brought to the table a shrewd business sense, and connections into a world Ulrich long admired from afar.Barber shepherded MGMs development of The Hobbit franchise, a co-production with Warner Bros., that became a global smash hit. He helmed the release of the James Bond film, Skyfall, which generated over $1 billion at the box office, and he revived the studios work in television. Barber also brokered a deal to bring on TV super producer Mark Burnett, which gave MGM access to reality show hits like Survivor and The Apprentice, but would ultimately become personally troublesome.In 2012 the company bought back Icahns stock for $590 million. It also filed paperwork for a possible public offering of shares, and considered other options, such as a sale.As Barber boosted MGMs film and TV pipeline, Ulrich was increasingly entranced by the allure of Hollywood. He became a regular at movie premieres in Los Angeles and New York, and frequented industry parties in the Hamptons and elsewhere. He became active in creative decisions after becoming chair of MGMs board -- somewhat unusual for a non-executive lacking Hollywood experience -- even getting involved with business granularities like casting.Growing RiftBut over the following years a rift began to open up between Barber and Ulrich. When it was time to renew Barbers contract in 2017, Ulrich conducted an extensive search for a new CEO. When it ended, he ultimately chose to sign Barber to a new five-year deal. Yet around the same time, the pair split on whether to sell the company, with Ulrich wanting to hang on to the studio and Barber saying it was time to find a buyer.The company would hold buyout talks with Apple Inc. as well as Chinese investors that would ultimately prove fruitless.Only months after renewing Barbers deal, Ulrich fired him. The shock departure meant the company had to pay Barber for five years of salary and buy out his equity, a package totaling $260 million. In the three years since Barber left, Ulrich hasnt replaced him, instead operating an office of the chief executive officer, comprised of various people that each have their personal vision for MGM.Barber declined to comment via his spokesperson.Bounce BackAfter the initial period of success following the restructuring, the gains became harder to come by, as they did in Anchorages overall credit-focused business. Two senior managers left the firm in January 2020, and another in November. Anchorages flagship strategy, with about $8.5 billion under management, returned just 0.6% in 2018, 1.5% in 2019 and 4.4% in 2020, according to people familiar with the matter.In December, MGM hired investment bankers for a potential sale.MGM only released one film in theaters in 2020. Its biggest potential hit, the latest Bond film, No Time to Die, was pushed from last year to this October as a result of the pandemic.Yet the value of MGMs library rose as everyone from media companies to technology giants have sought to build video streaming platforms that can compete with industry leader Netflix Inc. Earnings jumped 48% last year, to about $307 million, even as sales declined.Anchorage holds a roughly 30% stake in MGM, worth about $2.5 billion in the sale, said people with knowledge of the matter. Anchorage invested around $500 million in the company more than a decade ago. Including the MGM stake, Anchorages flagship fund is up 18% this year, the people added. The fund has gained about 8% in 2021 not counting the studio.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... BERLIN A far-right extremist in Germany was convicted Thursday and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a regional politician who had advocated helping refugees a brazen killing that shocked the country. In its verdict against 47-year-old Stephan Ernst, the Frankfurt state court noted the particular severity of the crime, meaning that he will likely not be eligible for release after 15 years as is typical under German law, the dpa news agency reported. During his trial, Ernst admitted to the June 1, 2019 shooting of Walter Luebcke, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkels party who led the regional administration in the Kassel area of central Germany though he gave three different versions of events. Luebcke was targeted because he had been outspoken in favor of helping refugees. Prosecutors said Ernst had attended a 2015 town hall event where the politician had defended the German governments decision to allow hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers into the country. The court found that Ernst projected xenophobia onto Dr. Luebcke. Ernst shot Luebcke on the politicians porch and he died hours later. The German government warned after the Luebcke killing and other attacks including one on a synagogue on Yom Kippur, Judaisms holiest day, in October 2019 that far-right extremism posed a significant security threat in the country. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ An accomplice who prosecutors alleged was with Ernst at the scene of the crime, identified only as Markus H. due to German privacy laws, was convicted of weapons violations and sentenced to 18 months probation. H. had been charged with being an accessory to murder, but his attorney argued he wasnt involved and he was only found guilty of the lesser charge. Ernst was cleared of separate charges of stabbing and seriously wounding an Iraqi refugee in 2016. Presiding Judge Thomas Sagebiel said there are circumstances that point to him as the perpetrator, but no sustainable evidence. Todays verdict encourages me and at the same time is a reminder to us all we will not let our country be destroyed by right-wing terrorists and their intellectual instigators, said Armin Laschet, the leader of Merkels Christian Democratic Union party. Laschet said that the slaying of Walter Luebcke was not just an abhorrent, inhuman crime against an individual, but an attack on us all. He added that its important to stand behind other local politicians who are exposed to personal hostility. Welcome to Pandemic Problems, an advice column from The Chronicles engagement reporters that aims to help Bay Area residents solve their pandemic-related conundrums personal, practical or professional. Send your questions and issues to pandemicproblems@sfchronicle.com. Todays question is fielded by The Chronicles Kellie Hwang. Dear Advice Team: I am overdue for a dental exam and cleaning. I dont have acute problems but am prone to dental issues with a mouth full of crowns, root canals and fillings. I also have underlying cardiac issues that put me at higher risk for both dental infections and COVID-19. I scheduled an appointment, but with cases on the rise, I am jittery. What do I do? Part of me wants to take the gamble that I can make it until after the pandemic (which I do not expect to be until at least 2022), and that I should only take the risk of going to a dentist if there is an acute emergency. No one else has given me any useful guidance. Can you? Dear Reader: I recently struggled with the same issue as you! Before the pandemic, I was going to the dentist three times a year for care because of ongoing dental issues. But I also have a preexisting condition, so Ive been very hesitant about going to any routine health appointments, especially the dentist, where you must go maskless during appointments. A couple months ago, I finally got back into the dentist chair. I was very nervous, but the dental hygienist and doctor were all wearing N95 masks with surgical masks and face shields over them. I booked the first appointment of the day just to be extra cautious. My exam revealed a few problems that needed to be addressed, so Im personally glad I didnt put off care any longer. Now, coronavirus cases are surging across the Bay Area, so many may wonder if its worth going in for an appointment. In its guidance for dental settings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that dentists monitor local trends and consider if non-urgent outpatient visits and elective procedures should be postponed, depending on the patient and their risk factors Local factors should definitely be taken into consideration, said Lisa Berens, professor at the UCSF School of Dentistry and chair for the Division of Oral Epidemiology and Dental Public Health. But so should your oral health. Back in March, when dental practices were mostly shuttered except to handle emergency procedures, COVID-19 protocols and guidelines hadnt been established yet. More Information About Pandemic Problems Send your questions and issues to pandemicproblems@sfchronicle.com. We cannot respond to all questions, but your submission will be read and considered. Please be as specific as possible, but try to keep it concise. We may edit your submission for space, clarity or spelling and grammar. Keep the people and situations in your letter anonymous by changing the names (including yours) and details. We will remove any identifying information. Emails, letters, tweets or other messages you send become the property of The Chronicle and may be published online and in print. Important: This column cannot address immediate risks to your health and safety. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 to reach a counselor at a locally operated crisis center 24 hours a day for free. Text "Connect" to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor any time for free. Emails or other communications you send become the property of The Chronicle and may be published online and in print. By submitting a question, you agree to The Chronicle's Terms of Use, which are available for review at https://www.sfchronicle.com/terms_of_use/ , and acknowledge its Privacy Notice, which is available for review at https://www.sfchronicle.com/privacy_policy/. The advice offered in this column is intended for informational purposes only. Use of this column is not intended to replace or substitute for any professional, financial, medical, legal, or other professional advice. If you have specific concerns or a situation in which you require professional, psychological or medical help, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified specialist. The opinions or views expressed in this column are not intended to treat or diagnose; nor are they meant to replace the treatment and care that you may be receiving from a licensed professional, physician or mental health professional. This column, its authors, the newspaper and publisher are not responsible for the outcome or results of following any advice in any given situation. You, and only you, are completely responsible for your actions. See More Collapse We have all of that now, she said. Despite this uptick, I still recommend people go and get dental care. Its considered an essential health care. In a study conducted by the American Dental Association Science & Research Institute and Health Policy Institute, fewer than 1% of the 2,195 dentists surveyed reported having a confirmed or probable COVID-19 infection. Berens said in San Francisco, there have been no reported cases of transmission in dental offices. Berens said its better to go in for the simpler routine checkup and cleaning, so that a more complicated problem doesnt arise down the line. When we dont go to regular and routine appointments, we could very well find ourselves in a situation in urgent need, and mostly likely need dental procedures that up the COVID risk such as aerosol generating procedures, she said. For a person with a lot of dental work and who is at high risk for dental problems, its all the more important for that person to continue to get the routine care. George Rutherford, an infectious disease expert at UCSF, said people shouldnt put off routine care, even in the pandemic. Dentists have learned to be super careful about infection control over the last 40 years, and I think theyre certainly safe enough, he said. Specifically, if you need serious dental work, dont put off getting it because of worries about COVID-19. He said delaying more serious dental work can cause bigger problems such as a bacterial infection in the bloodstream. Per CDC guidelines, aerosol-generating procedures should be avoided when possible. If they are needed, the CDC recommends tools such as high-evacuation suction devices that collect aerosols, or dental dams. For example, cleanings usually involve ultrasonic scalers, but many dentists have gone back using manual instruments during the pandemic. Some dentists - like most surgeons - require patients to have a negative COVID test before they come in, Rutherford said. I think this is a reasonable precaution, but its designed to protect dentists and their staffs, more than patients. Other measures include a COVID-19 pre-screening questionnaire for patients, limiting the number of patients seen at a time and waiting for appointments (some offices require patients to wait in their cars), spacing out waiting room seats so they are 6 feet or farther apart, and installing barriers between patients in waiting rooms and on dentist chairs. For those who are particularly concerned, Berens suggests starting with a virtual visit, which might be all you need. If you do need to go in for an in-person visit, ask lots of questions about safety practices beforehand. Dentists should be proactively reassuring their patients, she said. If you as a patient have to ask for their safety practices and it takes them a long time to get you an answer or send you a document, that is a red flag to me. Dental offices should be prepared to demonstrate safety and health precautions. Berens shares some key questions to get you started: Can you describe to me what safety measures are in place to assure my safety as a patient? What sort of PPE does the staff wear? Do you screen all patients for COVID-19? Am I getting an aerosol procedure? If so, what additional precautions are being taken? How often do you disinfect surfaces and equipment? Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang Pandemic Problems is written by Chronicle Advice Team members Annie Vainshtein and Kellie Hwang, combining thorough reporting and guidance from Bay Area experts to help get answers and find a way forward. Shattered loved ones of a pregnant couple who were killed in a horror car crash have broken their silence to reveal the parents-to-be were planning to call their unborn son Miles. Kate Leadbetter, 31, and her boyfriend Matthew Field, 37, died after they were allegedly hit by a teenage driver in Alexandra Hills in Redlands, outside of Brisbane on the evening of Australia Day. The pair were out for a walk with their dogs when the 17-year-old - allegedly high on drugs and driving a stolen 4WD - ploughed into a truck before rolling and hitting the couple. Speaking out about the tragedy for the first time on Friday, the inconsolable families of Ms Leadbetter and Mr Field said the pair were so excited about becoming parents they had already set up a nursery for their little boy. Kate Leadbetter, 31, and her boyfriend Matthew Field, 37, died after they were allegedly hit by a teenage driver in Alexandra Hills on the evening of Australia Day Speaking out about the accident for the first time on Friday, the inconsolable families of Ms Leadbetter and Mr Field said they were 'forever heartbroken' 'To have lost three cherished members of our families in such a senseless and sudden way is beyond our comprehension,' one of the family members said. 'For us to sit here today without our beautiful son Matt and our darling daughter Kate is unbearable. 'We are grief stricken that they never got to experience the birth of their baby boy who we discovered in recent weeks was to be named Miles.' 'There is a nursery created by Kate and Matt with joy and love and anticipation that our little grandson, Miles, will never occupy.' The family members stood arm-in-arm and held back tears as they expressed how distraught they were that Ms Leadbetter and Mr Field had their dreams of parenthood taken away. Described as 'talented and funny and such good company', the couple had recently shared an ultrasound of their unborn son. Ms Leadbetter was due in just a few months. The family also gave thanks to the overwhelming support of the community in the wake of the crash - including those who searched tirelessly for the couple's beloved dog Frankie who fled the scene. 'To everyone who left flowers, messages, and other tokens of good will, to all who spent hours searching the streets and parklands of Alexandra Hills and Wellington Point for our poor frightened Frankie, we are so grateful,' the families said. 'I love spending time with you, you fill my cup' was the last words Ms Leadbetter told her friend in the days before she was killed Ms Leadbetter and Mr Field (pictured) had been dating for more than four years and were expecting their first child A close friend of Ms Leadbetter has also revealed the final words she told her just days before she was killed. The friend known as Leith left a note behind at the mural set up for the young couple at the intersection where they died. 'My heart feels like it has been broken into a million pieces,' the note read. 'When I left your place on Sunday, your last words to me were ''I love spending time with you, you fill my cup''. 'I will hold onto those last words forever.' The 17-year-old who was allegedly behind the wheel was remanded in custody on numerous charges including two counts of murder at Brisbane Children's Court on Wednesday. His case will be heard again in court at the end of March. Danielle Leadbetter, the aunt of Ms Leadbetter, earlier said her father was so traumatised by the accident that he was unable to speak. 'John is just in shock - he can't even talk,' Danielle Leadbetter told the Courier Mail. 'The whole family is in exactly the same state. It's a state of shock.' She said the toughest part was knowing her family never got to say goodbye to Kate. 'If someone is sick and you know that they're going to die, you can prepare for that. You can't prepare for a tragedy like this,' she said. The couple's dog Frankie fled the scene and disappeared following the crash at about 5.30pm on Tuesday. As Frankie vanished, as many as 1,300 locals banded together to track her down with some searching well into the night - amid fears she would die without life-saving medication she is given daily. BRISBANE CAR CRASH TRAGEDY: A TIMELINE January 26 5.20pm - Teenager allegedly seen driving erratically through Alexandra Hills in Redlands, just outside of Brisbane. Shocking footage shows the teen allegedly driving into another car minutes before the tragedy 5.30pm - Teen driver allegedly ploughs into a tow truck causing his car to roll into Kate Leadbetter and partner Matthew Field who were out walking their dogs. Both die at the scene Teenager allegedly flees the scene but is arrested a short time later Frankie, the couple's traumatised dog runs away from the intersection where the couple were killed January 27 Teen is charged with two counts of murder 11.30am - Frankie the dog is found by search party after she was missing for more than 12 hours and taken to the vet 6pm - Vigil held for the young couple at the corner of Finucane and Vienna Road January 29 Families of victims speak about the tragedy for the first time and reveal the couple had planned to name their unborn son Miles Advertisement The Toyota LandCruiser that the teenager was allegedly driving lies damaged at the scene of the horror crash around 5.20pm on Tuesday. Moments earlier it had allegedly been used in a road rage incident on a nearby road In a small win for the couple's loved ones in an otherwise tragic story, the traumatised animal was found hiding in dense bushland at about 11.30am on Wednesday. Frankie suffers from Addison's disease which means she requires daily medication and is now being cared for by Dr Ray Baxter at the SuperVets clinic. Dr Baxter said despite countless offers from the community to cover the cost of her medical bills, the clinic had waived the fees for looking after Frankie. Frankie (pictured) was missing for more than 12 hours after the horrific incident on Australia Day L to R: Bobby Mohanty, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Maldives in Mumbai, with Abdulla Shahid, Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives New Delhi [India], January 29 (ANI/BusinessWire India): The President of the Republic of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, its Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid and Consul (Mumbai) of the Republic of Maldives Bobby Mohanty have expressed sincere gratitude and appreciation, praising Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi for providing COVID-19 vaccine to their country. Bobby Mohanty called it a noble and memorable Republic Day gift. India has supplied 100,000 doses of CoviShield (Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine) manufactured by SII (Serum Institute) to the Maldives. The Maldives is the among the first countries to receive COVID-19 vaccines from India. In his address to the nation on 20th January 2021, President of the Republic of the Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih announced the arrival of the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines in the Maldives from India. In his address and tweet, President Solih thanked the Indian people, its government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the generosity. "A short while ago, a flight from India with 100,000 doses of the CoviShield vaccine arrived in the Maldives, renewing our hopes for a resolution to the COVID-19 crisis soon. Our heartfelt thanks to PM @narendramodi, Indian government and people of India for this most generous gift," he tweeted. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid tweeted, "The Maldives extends deep and profound appreciation to PM @narendramodi & EAM @DrSJaishankar for their commitment to address the needs of India's neighbours, and for its special regard for the Maldives, at all times. Maldives is happy to receive as grant, 100,000 doses of CoviShield developed by Serum Institute of India - among the first countries to receive vaccines from India. As always, India stands strong & steadfast, by our side, as first responder in any crisis. When we needed to stock up on essential food items and medicine - India was there. It is unquestionable, that India is our number one first-responder, in times of critical need, especially during this global pandemic." "It is heartening to see India walking the extra mile to extend its friendship with Maldives. The decision of India to choose Maldives as the first country for the generous supply Covid-19 vaccine is not only noble but the most memorable Republic Day gesture," said Bobby Mohanty, Consul (Mumbai), Republic of Maldives. Maldives has been the biggest beneficiary of India's COVID relief. Prior to this, in December 2020, India even contributed BCG vaccines to the Maldives where Consul Bobby Mohanty's office played a vital role in managing the logistics along with various agencies. As part of its Neighbourhood First policy, India 'urgently dispatched' the vaccine, administered to babies to prevent tuberculosis, to bridge a shortfall in the National Immunization Programme of the Maldives. India had dispatched 30,000 doses of the Measles Rubella vaccine in January 2020. Besides, Maldives is planning to attract investment in areas such as core infrastructure, travel and tourism, maritime/ marine, medical tourism, education, healthcare, defence, technology and emerging businesses. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seguin, Texas (78155) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. COVID-19 imapct & Outbreak: on new Antimony Trioxide Market Report, offering growth, trends, and forecast for each segment along with regional and country analysis. The study has done with respect to Moisture Meter market share, size, trends, growth, outlook, estimation and forecast period 2021-2027. The entire antimony trioxide market has been sub-categorized into end use industry, function and application. The report provides an analysis of these subsets with respect to the geographical segmentation. This research study will keep marketer informed and helps to identify the target demographics for a product or service. 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This section includes a holistic view of the competitive landscape that includes various strategic developments such as key mergers & acquisitions, future capacities, partnerships, financial overviews, collaborations, new product developments, new product launches, and other developments. This section covers regional segmentation which accentuates on current and future demand for antimony trioxide market across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Further, the report focuses on demand for individual application segment across all the prominent regions. Purchase complete Global Antimony Trioxide Market Research Report At: https://www.valuemarketresearch.com/contact/antimony-trioxide-market/buy-now About Us: Value Market Research was established with the vision to ease decision making and empower the strategists by providing them with holistic market information. We facilitate clients with syndicate research reports and customized research reports on 25+ industries with global as well as regional coverage. Contact: Value Market Research 401/402, TFM, Nagras Road, Aundh, Pune-7. Maharashtra, INDIA. Tel: +1-888-294-1147 Email: sales@valuemarketresearch.com Website: https://www.valuemarketresearch.com Bond Reduction Denied for Mayfield Rape Suspect By West Kentucky Star Staff Thirty-nine-year-old Hasan Saxton appeared in Graves Circuit Court on Thursday for a bond hearing. The motion to reduce his bond was denied. Saxton will be back in court on Feb. 15, at which time a new trial date will be set. His trial was originally scheduled to begin on May 18. Saxton was arrested last July after Mayfield police responded to a domestic assault call. An investigation showed that Saxton had allegedly physically and sexually assaulted a woman. Officers said Saxton also tried to hide a bag of marijuana under the seat of a police cruiser while detained. Saxton was charged with first degree rape-domestic violence, first degree strangulation, fourth degree assault-domestic violence minor injury, third degree criminal mischief, tampering with physical evidence, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. MAYFIELD - A Mayfield man arrested last summer on rape, drug, and other charges is getting a new trial date. Hip-hop artist, ASAPH from Bulawayo, is one of only two Zimbabweans who will represent the country at the upcoming MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA), in Uganda, next month. Nominees for MAMA - the equivalent of the U.S. Grammys for Africa are chosen by the general public who vote online for the artist of their choice. Using the hashtag #ASAPH4MAMA which trended for several days on Twitter, ASAPH, real name Tafadzwa Tarukwana, won the support of many voters, who chose him over other big names like Gemma Griffiths, Winky D and Jah Prayzah in an online competition facilitated by ZIFM in partnership with MTV MAMAs. ASAPH, who is one of 20 contenders in the Listeners Choice Category, says he is grateful for the support from his fellow Zimbabweans and hopes to beat some of the biggest names in music in Africa including Focalistic of South Africa, Tiwa Savage (Nigeria), Malome Vector (Lesotho), RayVanny (Tanzania), and others. Speaking on VOA Zimbabwe Livetalk program The Connection, where he was a guest, ASAPH said the MAMA nomination had a special significance for him being a hip-hop artist from Bulawayo and Zimbabwe. This nomination is very exciting for me because it is a first for Zimbabwean hip-hop and it is a first for an artist coming from Bulawayo, so I feel like I am making history twice, it is such an honor representing Zimbabwe on a continental level. This must be how Kirsty Coventry felt like when she was representing Zimbabwe at the Olympics, said ASAPH. A multiple-award winning musician whose accolades include the 2020 Zimbabwe Hip Hop Awards and Mgcini Nhliziyo Outstanding HipHop Award at the 2020 Bulawayo Arts Awards, ASAPH attributed voters selection of him over other big names to a hunger for something new. I feel like a lot of people are tired of the same old, they are really dying to see new faces pushed out there. It was pretty exciting the way people are rallying behind me, said ASAPH. He credits his use of social media to attract a strong following. During that week leading to the announcement, the hashtag #ASAPH4MAMAs trended a couple of times, so I was pretty excited, even though I was going up against people with a huge following, I was confident because I was seeing online that there were a lot of people behind me saying I am going to vote 50 times to make sure you win, he said. Asked if his nomination would lead to artists from Bulawayo receiving more recognition, ASAPH said his nomination simply proves what is possible. This nomination will not create a free pass for artists from Bulawayo, no, it only will come if you put in the work. For more artists from my region to receive this kind of recognition, I think a lot more has to happen in terms of the people granting opportunities to artists from the region, even from the artists side, a lot needs to happen in terms of being consistent year after year, says ASAPH. There are 17 categories at this years MAMA awards, which will be hosted by U.S. based DJ and record executive, DJ Khaled. Zimbabwean musician Charmaine Shamiso Mapimbiro, popularly known as Sha Sha, was also nominated for the Breakthrough Act Category. Hailing from Mutare, Zimbabwes third largest city, Sha Sha is the first Zimbabwean to win a BET Award. To vote either vote for Sha Sha or ASAPH, visit the MTV Africa Music Awards website or click on the link below:- https://www.mtvmama.com/info/aljvas/vote The MTV Africa Music Awards, according to the proprietors website, has recognised the talent of musicians, achievers and personalities from across Africa, rewarding iconic artists and gamechangers such as 2Face Idibia, AKA, Anselmo Ralph, Big Nuz, Cassper Nyovest, Clarence Peters, Cabo Snoop, Davido, D'Banj, Diamond Platnumz, Flavour, Gangs of Ballet, HHP, Fally Ipupa, Liquideep, Lira, Lupita Nyong'o, Mafikizolo Nameless, P-Square, Sarkodie, Tiwa Savage, Toofan, Trevor Noah, Uhuru, Wahu, Wizkid, Yemi Alade, Zebra & Giraffe and many more. But rights groups say they are concerned for his health and safety under continued restrictions. An exiled Tibetan walks past a banner demanding the release of Tashi Wangchuk in Dharmsala, India, in a file photo. Chinese authorities on Thursday released Tibetan activist Tashi Wangchuk from prison after he completed a five-year term for discussing language restrictions with Western media, but rights groups expressed concerns about his health and safety amid ongoing controls on his freedom. One of Wangchuks lawyers, Liang Xiaojun, announced in a tweet that staffers from the Justice Bureau had taken the activist to his sisters home in Trindu (in Chinese, Chenduo) county, in Qinghai provinces Yulshul (Yushu) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and that his family members said, hes in good health. However, Liang noted that he had been unable to meet with Wangchuk or directly contact his family and had not seen a photo of him after his release, and therefore is unsure whether or not he is fully free. With the completion of his jail term, Wangchukwho is around 35 years oldnow begins a five-year deprivation of his rights to free expression, association, assembly, publication, vote, and to stand in elections. Although in practice few of these rights actually exist in Tibet, Wangchuk will be subject to near-constant monitoring by authorities. A shopkeeper from the Yulshul township of Jyekundo, also called Gyegu, Wangchuk was arrested in January 2016 after giving and interview to The New York Times about his inability to secure the right for children in Tibet to learn the Tibetan language as guaranteed in Chinas constitution, despite filing a formal complaint with authorities in Beijing. He was detained for two years before appearing in court to face charges of inciting separatism and in May 2018 was sentenced to five years in Dongchuan Prison, in Qinghais provincial capital, Xining. According to his lawyers, Wangchuk was repeatedly tortured while being interrogated during his early days in detention, endured threats to the safety of his family, and was denied the right to see legal representatives on multiple occasionsboth prior to and after his trial. Multiple human rights groups and Western governments have spoken out against his arrest and imprisonment, as well human rights experts from the United Nations. While China claims to uphold the rights of all minorities to access a bilingual education, Tibetan-language schools have been forced to shut down and kindergarten-aged children regularly only receive instruction in Mandarin Chinese. Observers say such policies are aimed at eliminating the next generation of Tibetan speakers and part of a broader effort by the government to destroy Tibetans cultural identity. Similar policies are deployed against Mongolians in Inner Mongolia and Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Concerns over health and safety U.S. lawmakers and The New York Times welcomed Wangchuks release on Thursday, but slammed Beijing for arresting him in the first place. Representative James McGovern and Senator Marco Rubio, co-chairs of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), called Wangchuks detention arbitrary and said he should never have spent a single day behind bars. We will be monitoring Tashi Wangchuks condition and call on Chinese authorities to ensure that he is fully free from all post-release restrictions the lawmakers said in a joint statement, that also expressed concern over Beijings language policies. A spokesperson for The New York Times applauded Wangchuks release in an emailed statement to RFAs Tibetan Service, adding that his imprisonment was an action that appeared intended to silence critics, impede the free flow of information, and ultimately deprive Chinese citizens of information. Rights groups questioned whether Wangchuk is truly free, given his ongoing deprivation of rights. While we are pleased that Tashi can finally return home to his family after five years, no one should view his release as a victory, Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said in a statement. The Chinese government falsely charged Tashi with breaking the law, held him for years despite an international call for his release, subjected him to a sham prosecution and caused him unimaginable physical and psychological damage, all while refusing to address his legitimate concerns about Tibetans language rights. ICT also expressed concerns about Wangchuks long-term health and safety, noting that some Tibetans have died after their release from prison as a result of the beatings they have received as inmates, while others have been re-arrested. John Jones, campaign manager for London-based Free Tibet, called it an outrage that Wangchuk was ever jailed in the first place. It is further galling that he will now have his rights further curtailed and repressed, Jones said, adding that governments should take joint action calling on authorities to immediately lift all restrictions on him. Tenzin Tselha, campaigns officer for San Francisco-based International Tibet Network, noted that Wangchuk remains unfree amid his deprivation of political rights that will see his every action surveilled. Tashis only crime was to peacefully call for the right of Tibetans to learn in their own language and governments must take strong, assertive action calling for his human rights to be upheld following his release, she said. Sophie Richardson, China Director at New York-based Human Rights Watch, said Wangchuks complaint was lodged peacefully and according to both Chinese and international law. It is clear that the Chinese government doesnt want anybody reporting on Tibet, Xinjiang or other human rights violations, she said. The international community must not only focus on defending people like Tashi Wangchuk and the importance of press freedom and freedom of expression, but they should focus on holding Chinese officials accountable who are responsible for these human rights violations. Non-Release Release A day ahead of Wangchuks release, rights group Safeguard Defenders issued a report entitled Chinas False Freedom which details the practice of Non-Release Release (NRR) in which prisoners, once freed from jail or a detention center, are arbitrarily detained by the police at their home, at a hotel or in a secret location for weeks, months or even years. In a statement accompanying the report, Safeguard Defenders said the study of how China places released prisoners and detainees into an illegal form of house arrest entirely outside of the judicial system could not be more timely as the world now watches what will happen to Tibetan activist Tashi Wangchuk upon his release. It is widely expected that Tashi will be not be freed, the statement predicted. Rather, police will likely spirit him into some form of NRR. Peter Dahlin, founder and director of Safeguard Defenders, called NRR yet another example of systematic illegal behaviour by Chinese police that make a mockery of Chinas justice system. It renders serving your sentence or being released on bail meaningless, when being freed simply means being moved into another form of imprisonment. Reported by RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Tenzin Dickyi. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. (JNS) For most of the Israeli right, U.S. President Donald Trumps pro-Israel legacy will far outlive the marred reputation of the last days of the presidency. Pro-Trump leaders, activists and analysts said that the Jan. 6 mob invasion of the U.S. Capitol, for the most part, will not change the nationalist camps high regard for the Trump administrations pro-Israel achievements, which include moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem; recognizing Israels sovereignty of the Golan Heights and the legitimacy of Jewish settlements in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria); and the brokering... Over recent years the insurance industry has undergone an exciting transformation into a career with vibrant prospects based on innovation and development, with technology at its core. In 2021, The Insurance Institute, along with LIA (Life Insurance Association), is continuing to reach out to the next generation of talent and encouraging ambitious individuals to realise the opportunities the industry presents. At a time when recruitment and retention have become an issue for many employers, The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship ticks all the boxes in offering apprentices the chance of a bright future. Set up in 2016, the Earn and Learn programme was Irelands first degree-level apprenticeship and enables apprentices to work full-time for an insurance employer, whilst earning a salary and studying for a BA Hons in Insurance Practice. We have three apprentices at present, and their contribution to the business has been immense their enthusiasm, new ideas and their capacity for hard work is exceptional, says Paul Lee, Director, Kevin Condon Financial Brokers. We especially see their familiarity with social media as a huge positive and it has impacted significantly on our business. The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship helps companies find better candidates, says Paul Lee, Director, Kevin Condon Financial Brokers, pictured near the office at Blackpool Retail Park, Cork. Picture: Denis Minihane "While we had already been using social media to a certain extent in the company when we delegated its development to one of the apprentices it really took off. We also have a mortgage side of the business and the way they utilised social media in this department has resulted in a lot of new business coming our way. More than just a job, The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship provides not only the opportunity for a career in a thriving industry along with a third level qualification, it is also hugely beneficial for the insurance employer, allowing access to quality employees who are highly motivated and hardworking. When we first became aware of the apprenticeship we could see its advantages immediately, mainly because we had been looking to hire new people, Paul explains. In fact, prior to us getting involved with The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship it had been a challenge for us to find the right candidates for the jobs we had available. Insurance employers can also avail of the option whereby an existing member of staff can join the programme, allowing any junior who is looking to advance their career to do so within a well-defined education programme. The apprenticeship is a cost-effective way to ensure the employee/apprentice is receiving the best possible training and means that on a daily basis they are putting into practise everything they are learning from their studies. A good apprentice needs dedication as part of their skill set, they also need to have an appetite for hard work as well as ambition. Having a belief in their own abilities is also important, but from our perspective, we invest a lot of time in their development as well and so this confidence is something which comes in time. Paul is also very clear that apprentices have an advantage over employees hired straight out of college: We find the programme is fantastic for the progression of apprentices and it certainly works more efficiently and is less time-intensive than if we hired graduates straight out of college. For Paul and his colleagues at Kevin Condon Financial Brokers, the apprenticeship programme has been a solid success. It has worked far better than we expected, and indeed we would have no hesitation in signing up again. Apprenticeship programme fills the skills gap Gillian OLeary, Group HR Manager, McCarthy Insurance Group, currently has one apprentice who is in first year. The main advantage of the Apprenticeship Programme is definitely that it fills a skills gap, she explains. We have 16 offices and we do find it difficult to recruit in the more regional areas, and it not only successfully solves our skills gap needs, but also creates employment in these regional areas. The apprentices receive the best in class in terms of training and education which is hugely advantageous for our business and also reduces our training costs. Weve also found that the programme promotes a learning culture within the organisation and this has been an unexpected but positive outcome," Gillian believes. Our overall aim is that these apprentices, who on completion of the programme will be highly skilled with a formal qualification, will stay on with us and be included in our succession plans. We, therefore, see the apprenticeship programme as an investment not only in our apprentices future, but in the future of our business. Given that McCarthy Insurance was established in 1952, the addition of new blood through apprenticeships helps to balance the age profile of the company as existing staff heading towards retirement are bolstered by a new generation coming along. The apprentices receive the best in class in terms of training and education which is hugely advantageous for our business and also reduces our training costs," says Gillian OLeary, Group HR Manager, McCarthy Insurance Group. Picture: Larry Cummins The apprentices academic learning is extremely diverse and consists of a broad mix of modules which have been developed by industry leaders and so incorporates the most relevant and up to date information available therefore they are constantly bringing new learning and ideas to our business. We have found that having a mix of age groups within a team has been hugely beneficial with the older generation having the experience and the new generation bringing their recent training to the table, it has worked extremely well for us. Gillian, who is also the companys West Cork Area Manager, lists commitment and motivation amongst the attributes needed for apprentices to forge successful careers within the industry, allied to good organisational skills. The first year can be very overwhelming because not only have the apprentices to start a new job, but they also have to learn all the processes and procedures that go with that. Working whilst studying and preparing for exams, requires good time management, planning and of course sacrifice. This programme is not for everyone, it takes great dedication, but the rewards are immeasurable and having the opportunity to earn a living whilst working towards a third level qualification is an exceptional opportunity. Both Gillian OLeary and Paul Lee are strong advocates for the apprenticeship and they, along with many other employers across the country, have realised the benefits the programme presents. The Governments Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme is an attractive option for employers interested in getting involved in the 2021 Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship. The scheme provides employers who hire an apprentice with a grant of 3,000 and is viewed by many, including The Insurance Institute, as a hugely positive initiative. If you are a prospective employer or an apprentice interested in learning more about the 2021 Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship, please visit www.earnandlearn.ie for more information. Many small businesses are sitting ducks for cyberattacks. While large companies may be more likely to face advanced persistent threat (APT) hackers or more complex attacks, many have invested substantial resources in preventing them. Small firms simply lack the security infrastructure of large corporations. They're also more likely to outsource certain functions to third-party vendors, which can also fall victim to cybercrime. Which is why it isn't a surprise that the influx of cyberattacks during the pandemic disproportionately targeted small businesses. Luckily, there are steps small companies can take to protect themselves from breaches. Inc. spoke to Adam Hunt, chief technology officer and chief data scientist at RiskIQ, and Phyllis Newhouse, the founder and CEO of cybersecurity firm Xtreme Solutions, in a recent Inc. stream event to find out more. 1. Don't underestimate your company's value to hackers. Small companies may kid themselves into believing their operation isn't big enough to merit a full-scale security solution. But cyberattacks have not only become more common, they've also grown more sophisticated. Some hackers will steal one company's identity in order to gain access to another company, for example. Small businesses can also stand to lose intellectual property, research, or sensitive customer data. "There are two types of companies," says Newhouse. "One that's been hacked, and one that's about to get hacked." 2. Back up everything. Ransomware attacks, in which hackers use a type of malware that will prevent companies from accessing their system unless they pay a hefty ransom, have been steadily on the rise. Since 2016, ransomware attacks have risen by 6,000 percent globally, according to a study by IBM. They've continued to only increase in the wake of the pandemic, with hackers now targeting hospital or health care IT systems. Companies are still getting locked out of their information because they're not properly backing it up, Hunt says. "Make sure that you have copies of everything that you cannot live without," he urges. 3. Perform tabletop exercises. Small businesses should put their cyber readiness to the test. One way firms can do this is by performing a tabletop exercise, or a simulation, of an actual cybercrisis. "You wanna know how bad your people are? Do a tabletop exercise today, and it will tell you," says Newhouse. Maybe a large chunk of employees neglect to change their passwords every 30 days, or maybe many of your workers are fooled by a simple phishing scam. Newhouse says that data breaches happen oftentimes because companies are neglecting to follow proper cyber hygiene. Tabletop exercises will help companies realize the weaknesses in their own systems and what they can do to improve. 4. Your cybersecurity budget should reflect your exposure. Many small companies have limited resources to spend on cybersecurity. When deciding how much to invest in cybersecurity, companies should take into account how much they stand to lose if their data is stolen. Newhouse gave the example of a small law firm that was the victim of a cyberattack. The firm had one IT employee on staff who had no cyber background. It ended up paying out roughly $2 million in ransom payments. "But if you look at the real loss for them in terms of the intellectual property and the research, et cetera, it would have been worth the investment to either have an external firm work with them to make sure the data was secure or hire someone within," says Newhouse. 5. Invest in a scanning tool. Hunt suggests that companies invest in a vulnerability scanner, which is automated software that regularly scans your networks, web servers, and applications. Such a tool will give firms an idea of what their weaknesses are, so they know what security holes are in their infrastructure. "Understanding what [small businesses] look like to their attackers is by far the most important thing they should be aware of," says Hunt. Keep in mind that cybersecurity firms are a high-value target for hackers. While investing in cybersecurity tools may give firms a sense of security, it's important to also hold vendors accountable. 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. Google has agreed to pay 120 French media companies 90 million ($142 million) over three years to participate in its new journalism product, in a sign its proposal to sidestep new Australian regulations may fall short of publisher expectations. Industry sources told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age Google would pay some of Frances biggest publishers between 25 million and 30 million a year to participate in its soon-to-launch Google News Showcase product. Google France signed a licensing deal with French publishers last week. Credit:AP The revelation comes as Google attempts to convince the federal government the Showcase product would be a better way to pay media companies for news in Australia, as it fights back against tough new government proposals to regulate its relationships with publishers. The governments new media bargaining code, deemed unworkable by Google and Facebook, would force the two digital giants into binding commercial agreements to pay Australian news businesses or risk steep fines of up to 10 per cent of their annual revenues. It will be debated again by a Senate committee next week. The Presidents Representative at the Ministry of Education. Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh received the actor Rahim Banda, who is a Free SHS ambassador at his office on Monday. Dr. Prempeh thanked Mr. Banda for accepting, at no fee, to support the Presidents vision of Free SHS, despite insistence by some sections of the public to the contrary. Ms. F Bintu Ibrahim-Banda, a member of the actors Free SHS Ambassador team, expressed her delight at the opportunity given to Mr. Banda to be a part of this important policy in his own way. She expressed the view that every Ministry needs an ambassador to help propagate its message. On his part, Mr. Banda stated that not many people understood what the policy was about and that his duty was to help create public awareness. The actor presented a citation to the Dr. Prempeh to convey his appreciation for his achievements, successfully implementing the Free SHS programme and to bid him farewell as he heads to the Ministry of Energy as the substantive Minister, subject to parliamentary approval. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Armenia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ara Aivazian commented on the results of the meeting with French Secretary of State Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne in an interview with Armenian Public Television. Question: What was the emphasis of the meeting, and what results do we have? Ara Aivazian: First of all, this is the 5th visit of Mr. Lemoyne to Armenia, and the second visit within the last two months. We all remember that in our most crucial times, recently,we had a consistent flow of delegations from France, which proves once again that there are privileged relations between France and Armenia. It was once again reaffirmed that France supports the interests of Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian people. This visit is also very important because it takes place as an implementation of the agreements reached between President Emanuel Macron and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The purpose of this visit is to expand our economic agenda. And the Secretary of State arrived in Armenia with a very large representative delegation, which has been here for several days, consisting of representatives of the French Development Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and Directorate General of the Treasury. And we had discussions about possible future investment programs for Armenia`s development. The two Ministries of Foreign Affairs have a lot to do in order to implement this important mission and to clarify our joint steps. Naturally, we have touched upon the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, and I must specifically underline that France has shown its clear, impartial position from the very first day of the war. I mean, first of all, the targeted statements of President Macron and Foreign Minister Le Drian, that demonstrated which country has unleashed aggression against Artsakh. As well as for highlighting the danger of Turkey's involvement, especially taking into consideration the involvement of foreign terrorist fighters and mercenaries in the region, which endanger international peace and stability. Of course, we addressed the issues that need to be addressed immediately, first of all the issue of the immediate repatriation of the prisoners of war. Both France and the French officials pay great attention to the speedy solution of these humanitarian issues. We express our gratitude for the efforts paid. I hope that Azerbaijan will soon resort from this policy of taking hostages, otherwise it will create problems for the official Baku. We have also discussed the protection of our cultural heritage. Once again I would like to express my gratitude to President of France Macron and Foreig Minister Le Drian for their support, both bilaterally and multilaterally, particularly in UNESCO. And we have certainly had very interesting discussions on regional developments, stability, peace. I am confident that our effective dialogue will continue in the future. I think that this year we will have a very active dialogue, and visits, as well as good results. Question: Mr. Aivazian, regarding the cultural heritage; Mr. Lemoyne noted that certain steps will be undertaken in the near future. I would like you to clarify about the emphasis and the certainty? Ara Aivazian: First of all, I want to emphasize that the historical-cultural heritage of Artsakh is part of the regional, but also of the worlds cultural heritage. Our monuments, which are more than 1,400 and remained in those Armenian territories fallen under the Azerbaijani control, are crucial evidence on the presence, identity, culture and creation of the indigenous Armenian people. Unfortunately, we all know that these monuments are in danger. We had a very tragic precedent in Nakhichevan in the past, and during the war the international community also saw the attempts of destruction, falsification and embezzlement. France has also played a very active role in addressing this issue within UNESCO. The new Secretary of State informed me that, in the near future, France is planning to send a special mission to the region, specifically Artsakh, in order to apply fact-finding mechanisms, which will provide some guarantees for its protection. Thank you. The U.S. Air Force is finalizing the decision on where to host its new electromagnetic spectrum, or EMS, warfare wing and will debut a comprehensive electronic warfare strategy in the spring, according to the service's top general. Chief of Staff Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown said the efforts are a fresh start for the service, which has "been asleep at the wheel for the past 25 to 30 years" when it comes to offensive measures and protecting its equipment across the electromagnetic spectrum. "The Air Force is showing several efforts to ensure a competitive advantage in the spectrum, but I really think we need to move faster," he said during a Jan. 27 virtual event hosted by the Association of Old Crows. Read Next: Navy Destroyer CO Fired After Trying to Make His Crew a Plaque with Seized AK-47 Details on the wing's location will be revealed "soon," Brown said, adding that the service's EMS warfare plan, which will coincide with the Pentagon's larger EMS road map and implementation plan, will be published in coming weeks. The Defense Department unveiled its EMS strategic goals in October. Officials have said it's possible the department may move to create an EMS combatant command if the road map calls for one. As outlined in his "Accelerate Change or Lose" strategy paper published in August, Brown emphasized that electronic warfare operations could be a cheaper enemy deterrent than missiles. "The Air Force must provide EMS capabilities at the right time, at the right place to benefit the joint force," he said, adding that it's an area where the services can "upgrade and change fairly quickly." During an Air Force Association event last fall, then-Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen W. "Seve" Wilson told audiences that the EMS wing would likely fall under the 16th Air Force. Formed in 2019 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas, the 16th Air Force is responsible for cyber; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; electronic warfare; and information operations. But in November, Lt. Gen. Chris Weggeman, deputy commander of Air Combat Command, or ACC, said during an AFCEA conference that the service has set its sights on the Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Both units are part of ACC. Wilson, who retired in November, was instrumental in launching a study to understand where the Air Force -- and the DoD as a whole -- has seen gaps in EW operations over the last two decades. In 2017, he helped spearhead the Electronic Warfare Enterprise Capability Collaboration Team, or ECCT, which studied where and how an attack manifests on the electromagnetic spectrum and how best to deny an adversary. "We need to know what part of the spectrum is being denied and be able to get the data out from whatever or wherever it is, through whatever means at the time or the place that [we] can," Wilson said during a 2018 interview. "We are dependent on the spectrum for everything that we do. You can use any domain. And the spectrum is critical to the use of that domain." Officials say jamming techniques used by Russia against Ukraine and in Syria show how the threat has evolved. Russian-backed separatists have jammed signals to misdirect or destroy commercial drones used by Ukrainian soldiers to conduct aerial surveillance. The move, first observed in 2014 following Russia's annexation of Crimea, caused U.S. troops to be more aware as they trained Ukrainian guardsmen on the western side of the country. Russia has also jammed radio frequency bands and frequently targeted Ukrainian soldiers' smartphones, blocking cellphone signals as far as 20 miles from their frontline positions. "We can no longer solely depend on defensive capability and expect to be successful," Brown said Wednesday. "Bottom line, we are not deterring our adversaries like we need to. Our advantage is eroding, and the competition is increasing, [so] we need to change now." -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: A New Fitness Culture and the Future of Force Design: Gen. CQ Brown Lays Out Way Ahead for the Air Force He sometimes caught eels in a creek among the stones and brought them to the Heywood pub to sell, and he trapped rabbits for their meat and sold their pelts stretched on wire. He split posts and built fences for farmers. He had been a champion runner until a block of wood he was splitting ripped open his leg. He treated the wound the old way, letting maggots clean out the infection. He followed the shows, too, and boxed in the tents, standing on the board by the big bass drum, daring all comers. But then, one winters day in 1954, a policeman drove out to the mission and met two of Montys daughters, Gloria, 13, and Eunice, nine, as they walked home from their bush school. The girls were ordered into the police car and the officer set to hunting down their little brother, Ronnie, aged six. As word spread around the mission, one of the childrens numerous aunts hid the child under her bed until, according to Eunice, the policeman threatened the woman that if she did not hand over Ronnie, her own children would be removed. A cross stands on the site of the Lake Condah Missions church, destroyed in 1957. Credit:Leanne Pickett The three Foster children were taken to Heywood and spent the night in a police cell before facing the magistrates court, charged with being neglected. The authorities had chosen their moment. The childrens mother, Lyall Foster, was away in Hamilton, being treated for tuberculosis. Their father, Monty, was rabbiting on a property at Yambuk, near Port Fairy. The extended family - Saunders, Kings, Lovetts, Ardens and others - filled the courtroom, aunties insisting that the children were receiving proper care and would continue to receive it. Uncles stood along the walls, offering support, the Lovett men dressed in the military uniforms they had famously worn to the Western Front and Palestine during World War I and on the battlefields of World War II. But the ruling was inevitable. Officialdom was trying to remove the last residents from the Lake Condah Mission. It was supposed to have been closed since 1918, but several Indigenous families - with nowhere else to go - had continued occupying the old place. A surefire way to break a familys spirit was to take the children. Guarded by a policewoman, the Foster children were bundled off to the Hamilton police station and then to Melbournes Royal Park Receiving Centre for Children, where the girls were split from their brother. Eventually they were all assigned to a large orphanage in Ballarat. Relatives had sent an urgent message to Monty, but by the time he reached Heywood the court was adjourned. His children were gone. Over the next couple of years, whenever he could raise a bit of cash, he took to hitch-hiking to Ballarat and bringing them little gifts. But he could never persuade the authorities to release his family. His wife, Lyall, could not bear to return to the emptiness of the familys lodging at Lake Condah, moving away to Melbourne. And then, one day in 1957 or 58, I was among the people of Heywood who watched Monty Fosters final, desperate dance. If he appeared crazed, it was because that is what he had become. He was dancing as if there were no tomorrow because for him, there really was no tomorrow. Though the memory of it followed me from childhood into adulthood, I did not know for many years what had become of Monty Foster. His daughter, Eunice, learned it all too well, and wanted the world to know. She shared it with her own children and with the researchers who compiled the Bringing Them Home report of 1997 that began opening Australian eyes to the tragedy that was the policy of removing Indigenous children from their families. Eunice Wright, daughter of Monty Foster, on the steps of Parliament House in 2019. The loss of his children was too much for Monty Foster. His dance in the street was that of a man suffering a massive emotional breakdown. He was transported to the psychiatric ward of Prince Henrys Hospital, which stood in Melbournes St Kilda Road until 1991. There he was placed in a padded cell. Later this man who had laboured hard and fought in the tents was moved to what was known at the time as the Kew Mental Hospital. Foster died there in January 1959. His death certificate, his family discovered much later, showed he had died of malnutrition and bed sores. He had no real rights to the end: because he had been born Aboriginal, he was still officially a ward of a paternalistic state. He was 53. The fates, however, were not finished with him. The hospital did not bother informing his wife, Lyall, or anyone in the extended family, though Lyall had left a phone number for emergencies. Foster was buried in a paupers grave, with no one from his people to send him on his way. The children were released from the Ballarat Orphanage when, one by one, they reached the age of 15. They drifted apart. Eunice, however, reunited with her mother. Within a few years, she met the man who would become her husband, Jimmy Wright, an Indigenous man from up Sydney way who had come south labouring. They set about building a life and a family together and eventually would have four children, 14 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Eunice Wright (centre, with red, yellow and black blanket on her knees) and her mob outside her childhood dormitory at the Lake Condah Mission. Her family was her world, her daughter Tina says. Eunice was so protective of her children, and so suspicious of authority figures, that her family remembered her reluctance to even allow a doctor near them. Robbed of her own childhood, at the age of 40 she became a childcare worker and for 12 years was employed in the Yappera Childrens Service Co-Operative, in the Melbourne suburb of Thornbury. All the while, her country called to her. Jimmy and Eunice eventually bought a house in Branxholme, not far from the old Condah Mission. But neither could shake the vision of Monty lying in a paupers grave far away. In the early 1990s they took a bank loan, had Montys remains disinterred, and brought him back to the old mission. Charles Montgomery Foster - for that was his full name - finally had a proper grave in the Lake Condah Mission Cemetery. Montys wife, Lyall, died days later, and lies beside him in the cemetery. Their headstones reveal they shared a date till the end; both died on January 22 - Monty in 1959, Lyall in 1992. remaining of Thank you for reading! This is your last free article before you will be asked to subscribe. Already have a paid subscription? Sign in Victoria and other states have asked the federal government to continue to prop up some of the industries hit hardest by the pandemic after the JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme ends in late March. State Treasurer Tim Pallas confirmed on Friday that discussions were underway at departmental and ministerial level about continued post-JobKeeper support for the aviation, tourism, arts and other sectors. Treasurer Tim Pallas on Friday. Credit:Penny Stephens He also told The Age that he expected Victorias budget deficits this financial year and next year to be substantially less than the $23 billion and $13 billion, respectively, forecast in November. Mr Pallas did not provide figures for the revised deficits, which will be revealed in the next state budget in May. CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Coventry PEACE Campus has launched a campaign, 100 Thousand for 100 Years, in which it is seeking $100,000 in donations to help support the arts, education and community service center based in the former Coventry Elementary School. Funds gained from the campaign will help Coventry PEACE Inc. (CPC) improve the building, 2843 Washington Blvd., while working toward a 99-year lease agreement with its owner, Heights Libraries. CPC and Heights Libraries signed an initial 15-month lease extension in October. The terms of the lease pose a challenge, in that CPC, in addition to covering all of the buildings costs, is expected to pay escalating rent over the next 10 years while also funding capital improvements. Current tenants rent covers the cost of utilities and minor maintenance. Contributions to the campaign will allow CPC to continue to attract creative partner organizations by keeping rents as low as possible and to be prepared for larger maintenance issues as they arise. The building and its nonprofit tenants had an uncertain future until Heights Libraries bought the building for $1 from the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District in February 2018. The current lease is in effect through Dec. 31 of this year. Prior to the new lease agreement, tenants had been on a month-to-month lease. Tenants include Ensemble Theatre, ARTFUL, Lake Erie Ink, FutureHeights, Reaching Heights, Cleveland Heights Teachers Union, Building Bridges Arts Collaborative and artist Robin VanLear. Were so excited about whats to come with the Coventry PEACE Campus, which is an arts, education and community center, said CPC Board President Krista Hawthorne, who is also executive director of Reaching Heights. I think there are a lot of people who have emotional connection to this corner of Cleveland Heights, and especially to this building that was the former Coventry Elementary School. The CPC is noting in its campaign literature that the six-acre campus, at Coventry Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard, which also includes a playground, has served for more than 100 years as an educational and gathering spot for the community. The site had been the home of a school building since 1917, when the original Coventry School opened. The current building first opened as a public school in 1976. One of the great things about Coventry Elementary School was they had an integrated arts team, Hawthorne said, so that arts and programming was integrated into the education. And I think this is a great connection to the Coventry PEACE Campus and the mission of this campus, to have arts integrated into the life of everybody in the community. Its part of the education, its part of the community development and its a great connection to the slogan of Cleveland Heights, which is Home to the Arts. Were working to make this campus all it can be, and we hope there are a lot of people who feel strongly about it, too, and can support us with small donations or large donations, so we can really start off the next 100 years as strong as possible, Hawthorne said. The idea is, eventually through this process were working on, that the Library will hand over responsibility of the building to the collaborative in the building, the Coventry PEACE Campus, she said. The 100 Thousand for 100 Years comes from us trying to secure the building for the next 100 years. Lets start by kicking it off with $100,000. There will be other funds well be raising for other things, but this will be our first campaign. According to the lease, the Library will maintain the playground. The Library is committed to stewardship, operation and improving the park as a part of the library programming and community asset, said Heights Library Director Nancy Levin. We hope to start planning later in the year for needed replacement of the playground structure and other improvements. As for the big picture, Levin said: We are committed to working with Coventry PEACE Campus as a partner. We have a long-term agreement that we feel is good for both entities; more importantly, to the community. We realize that outside support is important to the success of that plan. In a release, ARTFULs Brady Dindia, who is also CPC board secretary, stated that CPC, founded in the 1990s to build and maintain the Coventry PEACE Playground, is actively recruiting more tenants and community board members. In 2017, (CPCs) mission was expanded to pursue the vision of an integrated campus where everyone can create, show, learn and grow,' Dindia stated in the release. CPC is building the capacity to develop a unique arts, education, recreation and community service hub that is even greater than the sum of its parts, an arts incubator and economic contributor to the Coventry business district and Cleveland Heights, Home of the Arts. Donations are tax deductible as a charitable contribution. To donate online, visit here. To download a mail-in donation form, visit here. Read more from the Sun Press. RTHK: Botticelli masterpiece sells for $92mn at US auction A portrait by Italian renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli sold for US$92 million at an online Sotheby's auction on Thursday, smashing the record price for the artist. "Young Man Holding a Roundel," believed to have been painted in the 1470s or 1480s, is considered one of Botticelli's finest portraits and is the highlight of Sotheby's Masters Week sale in New York. "This is a work that transcends time and categories. Now we really do know the price of beauty," said George Wachter, co-chairman of old master paintings at Sotheby's. The 23-inch by 15.5-inch (58-centimetre by 39-centimetre) painting shows a man in his late teenage years with long golden hair sitting holding a disc featuring a bearded saint. The roundel, which depicts the saint with his right hand raised, is an original 14th-century artwork attributed to Sienese painter Bartolommeo Bulgarini. Art historians suspect the Botticelli depicts a nobleman proudly showing off the earlier artwork. "This image symbolises and exemplifies the Renaissance in Florence," Christopher Apostle, Sotheby's senior vice president, said ahead of the auction. "We haven't seen anything like it in my lifetime," he added, describing it as "a masterpiece." The auction, which took place virtually and was streamed live online because of the coronavirus pandemic, saw fierce bidding between Sotheby's representatives in New York and London, with a buyer directing orders through London winning out. Sotheby's said the final price, including fees and commissions, was US$92.2 million after it sold under the hammer for US$80 million. The price establishes the work as one of the most significant portraits to have ever sold at auction. It becomes the second most valuable old master painting ever auctioned after Leonardo da Vinci's "Salvator Mundi" went for US$450.3 million at a Christie's sale in 2017. Thursday's price ranks alongside Gustav Klimt's "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II," which sold for US$87.9 million in 2006 and Vincent Van Gogh's "Portrait of Dr Gachet," which fetched US$82.5 million in 1990. It is also the highest auction sale for a work of art in almost two years since Claude Monet's "Grainstacks," sold for US$110.7 million in May 2019. The previous record for a Botticelli was set in 2013 when "Madonna and Child with Young Saint John the Baptist" sold for US$10.4 million. "Young Man Holding a Roundel" was handed down through several generations of an aristocratic family in Wales for around 200 years. Art scholars were unaware of the painting's existence until it first appeared on the market in the early 20th century. It has spent much of the last 40 years on public display since New York real estate magnate Sheldon Solow acquired it in 1982 for just 810,000 pounds (US$1.1 million at 2021 rates). It has appeared at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery in London and elsewhere. The auction house said "Young Man Holding a Roundel" is as significant as Botticelli's "Portrait of a Man with a Medal of Cosimo the Elder" and "Portrait of Giuliano de' Medici." Botticelli, who lived from the 1440s to 1510, is one of the most celebrated painters of the early Renaissance period, but only about a dozen examples of his work survive today. His best-known works are "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera." "I think we underestimate how groundbreaking he was," said Apostle. The Sotheby's sale was also due to sell Rembrandt's "Abraham and the Angels" for up to US$30 million but it was withdrawn shortly before the auction. It has been in private collections for 150 years and last sold at auction in 1848, for a mere US$64. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2021-01-28. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Thirteen-year-old Estrella Roman and her mother have made the 30-minute walk to Rogers Park Middle School in Danbury several times during the pandemic, even while the school has been closed for in-person learning. Thats because the schools on-site health center is where Estrella, who emigrated with her family from Ecuador in 2019, receives routine vaccinations, wellness care and treatment for headaches, among other health services. Estrellas mother, Katherine, who doesnt speak English, said through Estrella that shes very grateful for the teachers who told her that Estrella could still receive care there even when schools were closed. She praised the school nurse as patient and Spanish-speaking and said she would not have known where to seek care if not for the school-based health center. During their three decades in operation, Connecticuts school-based health centers defined by the state as fully-licensed primary care facilities have become a critical health care delivery option, especially for children who have limited access to regular medical care. Of the 92 school health programs funded by the state Department of Public Health, located in 27 communities throughout the state, 80 are designated school-based health centers and provide full health care services, including diagnosis and treatment of acute injuries or illnesses; managing chronic diseases; physical exams; immunizations; prescribing and dispensing medication; reproductive health; laboratory testing; crisis intervention; individual, group and family counseling; oral health; referral for specialty care; and links to community providers. The other 12 expanded school health programs offer limited services. According to the DPH, 20,216 students made 62,159 medical visits to a school-based health center in 2018-19, an average of 3.1 visits per student. A total of 4,589 students made 60,697 mental/behavioral health visits, an average of 13.2 visits per student, while 3,814 students made 9,557 dental visits, an average of 2.5 visits per student. Since last March, as Connecticut public schools have fluctuated between closed, open and somewhere in-between, the health centers have worked hard to continue providing services uninterrupted. During COVID, all the school-based health centers have continued to offer medical and behavioral health care through a mix of on-site and telehealth visits, said Laurie Collins, executive director of the Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers. Telemedicine has enabled New Haven Public Schools 16 health centers to continue providing mental health visits at pre-pandemic levels, according to Sue Peters, director of the districts school-based health centers and dental clinics. In a typical year, she said, the centers would welcome nearly 7,000 visits for students medical, behavioral and dental needs, or about 60 percent of the student body. She said she cant yet calculate how many students utilized the centers in 2020 because theres too many factors to consider. The change hasnt been easy, according to health center personnel. A lack of daily access to students has had a negative impact on drop-in visits and follow-up appointments. Dental care, which makes up a large part of many of the centers treatment services, has been on hold during the pandemic due to the threat of COVID-19 transmission. But creativity and flexibility have enabled health center personnel to continue performing certain vital health care services for students and, in some instances, adding new COVID-19-related resources. Nurse practitioner Jolene Henion described the health center at Rogers Park Middle School, where she works, as typically busy, providing a mix of physicals, vaccines and acute care to students. Rogers Park turned to remote learning in March. At that time, the schools health center transitioned to telehealth. But in June, when the center got the go-ahead to return to the building part-time, staff began to set up regular on-site drive-through vaccination clinics for children. The need was pressing. The state didnt waive routine immunization requirements during the pandemic, and the drive-through clinics present a safe option for families who dont feel comfortable going into a doctors office during the pandemic. The clinics also serve families new to the area. In recent months, Danbury has experienced an influx of immigrants, mainly from Central and South America, whose immunization schedules differ from those in the U.S. They dont qualify for health insurance, but we can at least get them registered for school, said Henion, who noted that proof of up-to-date vaccinations is a prerequisite for school enrollment. Health center personnel also work to keep students up to date on annual physicals. Henion calls families to remind them if their children are due for one. When students come in the center has been open four days a week for wellness visits since August 2020 many show signs of pandemic-related weariness. Im having kids complain about back pain. Theyre sitting all day, and not necessarily at a chair. Many are in bed, hunched over a computer, Henion said. Theyre sedentary. Theyve all gained weight. Mental health issues also are skyrocketing. Im seeing a huge uptick in anxiety and depression, said Clare Gelissen, a licensed therapist who works at the health center on the campus of Danburys Henry Abbott Technical High School. Currently, the school operates in a hybrid format, with daily in-person student attendance at 25 percent. But despite the barely inhabited campus, Gelissen said shes been busier than ever. Were definitely seeing an increase in kids, she said. The addition of telemedicine has made it easy for Gelissen to stay busy; the effects of the pandemic have made it necessary. These kids are so isolated from their primary source of social interaction, she said. The states health centers also have taken on new roles during the pandemic. Many are involved in COVID-19 testing, according to Collins. Since December, Rogers Park Middle School has offered COVID-19 testing clinics multiple times each week, staffed by health center personnel. Any member of the school community experiencing symptoms can attend the clinic free of charge. But despite this and other ways health centers have remained relevant during the pandemic, it hasnt been without downsides. New Havens Peters noted that typically their centers follow-up care is close to 100 percent. Now, she said, Its a struggle to get students to come in. This, she said, despite the current safety protocols, whereby appointments are spaced out and few people are in the buildings at one time. Henion agreed. Were so used to having such great access to kids. Normally, I can track them down any time, she said. Shes particularly concerned about uninsured students who arent connected to a primary care provider in their community. Theyre the ones I worry about, Henion said. Im desperate to get the kids back. This story was reported under a partnership with the Conn. Health I-Team (c-hit.org), a nonprofit health news website. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Days after the state abruptly canceled COVID-19 vaccine clinics for hundreds of Rio Rancho and Albuquerque teachers because its not their turn yet, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced districts can go to in-person classes Feb. 8. Meanwhile, the mayor of Albuquerque quietly got his shot even though many police officers and firefighters have not. While reports of a smooth vaccination process at The Pit abound, the way New Mexico is queuing up or not does little to instill public confidence in the prioritizing protocol. Rio Rancho Public Schools, Bernalillo Public Schools, Sandoval Regional Medical Center and others had worked with the state Department of Health and been cleared for the event only to have the state pull the plug with less than 24 hours notice. RRPS superintendent V. Sue Cleveland said we have a lot of people very distraught, a lot of people crying and pointed out teachers in Hobbs, Taos and Santa Fe have been vaccinated. Sen. Craig Brandt, R-Rio Rancho, added the irresponsible decision of NMDOH to cancel these potentially life-saving vaccines will do lasting damage. Union officials called the cancellation cruel and short-sighted. We call upon the New Mexico Department of Health to fully account for the shameful breakdown of this process and for an increased transparency about access and availability of the COVID-19 vaccine to New Mexicos hard-working educators, said a statement signed by Billie Helean, local union president, and state union leaders. DOH admitted it mistakenly approved the event. But since it had OKd the clinic and had the vaccines, wouldnt it have made sense to go ahead and vaccinate nearly 2,000 educators as planned? Granted, the state would have taken heat from senior citizens upset teachers were moving ahead. But just last week, President Biden said getting kids back in classrooms should be a priority, and based on her school announcement Tuesday, the governor obviously agrees. To do that safely, it seems teachers should move up in line and Rio Rancho has been a leader in providing in-person learning. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Meanwhile, staffers for the city of Albuquerque said the state gave the green light for Mayor Tim Keller and some of his top staff to be vaccinated, which happened without fanfare a contrast to his frequent press events. Yet as of Jan. 22, the city said 317 firefighters and 218 police officers had received the vaccine, a fraction of the citys forces. Like teachers, these are men and women who dont get to decide in advance who they meet with, unlike the mayor and his administration. In a slap to transparency, the city would not provide a priority list it was using to make decisions on distribution or reveal who among the citys top leaders have received the vaccine. A case can be made for some officials getting the shots, but they should be up front about it. Kudos to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who has said she will wait her turn to get the vaccine. Yet New Mexicans deserve a rationale for randomly selecting recipients from the Phase 1A and 1B groups that include medical first responders, those over age 75 and those with high-risk conditions. Shouldnt an 85-year-old with multiple health issues get priority over a 24-year-old with one? Shouldnt essential front-line workers like teachers and police be higher on the list to open schools and protect communities? DOH Secretary Tracie Collins deserves slack because of her short tenure, and shes apologized for the Rio Rancho mess while saying the state is not getting as many vaccines as it can capably administer. That shortfall, in-person school a little over a week away, make it essential New Mexico reassesses who its vaccinating, and in what order. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-30 05:10:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ALGIERS, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Algeria on Friday reported 277 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total infections in the North African country to 106,887. The death toll from the virus in Algeria rose to 2,884 after three new fatalities were added, said the Algerian Ministry of Health in a statement. Meanwhile, 211 patients recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of recoveries in the country to 73,016, the ministry statement added. The official APS news agency on Friday quoted the government spokesman, Ammar Belhimer, as saying that Algeria received the first batch of COVID-19 vaccine from Russia on Friday. He stressed that the vaccination operation will begin in the province of Blida on Saturday and then will be carried out nationwide on Sunday. Enditem A German man has been deported from Australia after pleading guilty to drug charges related to an illegal rave on New Years Eve in Queensland. The 27-year-old is the second foreign national to have his visa cancelled, after a 29-year-old Frenchman who allegedly organised the rave was sent home last week. A second man has been deported over the illegal rave held in a Queensland forest during COVID-19 restrictions. Credit:Australian Border Force The rave was held at a national state forest near Gympie, about 110 kilometres north of Brisbane, on New Years Eve while COVID-19 restrictions were in place. At the time a maximum of 50 people were allowed to gather in homes and public spaces and up to 1500 for outdoor events if they had a COVID-safe checklist. 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. Researchers create powerful unipolar carbon nanotube muscles For more than 15 years, researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas and their collaborators in the U.S., Australia, South Korea and China have fabricated artificial muscles by twisting and coiling carbon nanotube or polymer yarns. When thermally powered, these muscles actuate by contracting their length when heated and returning to their initial length when cooled. Such thermally driven artificial muscles, however, have limitations. Electrochemically driven carbon nanotube (CNT) muscles provide an alternative approach to meet the growing need for fast, powerful, large-stroke artificial muscles for applications ranging from robotics and heart pumps to morphing clothing. "Electrochemically driven muscles are especially promising, since their energy conversion efficiencies are not restricted by the thermodynamic heat engine limit of thermal muscles, and they can maintain large contractile strokes while supporting heavy loads without consuming significant energy," said Dr. Ray Baughman, the Robert A. Welch Distinguished Chair in Chemistry and director of the Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute at UT Dallas. "In contrast, human muscles and thermally powered muscles need a large amount of input energy to support heavy loads even when not accomplishing mechanical work." In a study posted online Jan. 28 in the journal Science, the researchers describe creating powerful, unipolar electrochemical yarn muscles that contract more when driven faster, thereby solving important problems that have limited the applications for these muscles. Electrochemically powered CNT yarn muscles are actuated by applying a voltage between the muscle and a counter electrode, which drives ions from a surrounding electrolyte into the muscle. But there are limitations to electrochemical CNT muscles. First, the muscle actuation is bipolar, which means that muscle movement - either expansion or contraction - switches direction during a potential scan. The potential at which the stroke switches direction is the potential of zero charge, and the rate at which the potential changes over time is the potential scan rate. Another issue: A given electrolyte is stable only over a particular range of voltages. Outside this range, the electrolyte breaks down. "Previous yarn muscles cannot use the full stability range of the electrolyte," said Baughman, a corresponding author of the study. "Also, the muscle's capacitance - its ability to store the charge needed for actuation - decreases with increasing potential scan rate, causing the muscle's stroke to dramatically decrease with increasing actuation rate." To solve these problems, the researchers discovered that the interior surfaces of coiled carbon nanotube yarns could be coated with a suitable ionically conducting polymer that contains either positively or negatively charged chemical groups. "This polymer coating converts the normal bipolar actuation of carbon nanotube yarns to unipolar actuation, where the muscle actuates in one direction over the entire stability range of the electrolyte," Baughman said. "This long-sought behavior has surprising consequences that make electrochemical carbon nanotube muscles much faster and more powerful." Chemistry doctoral student Zhong Wang, a co-first author of the study, explained the underlying science: "The dipolar field of the polymer shifts the potential of zero charge - which is where the electronic charge on the nanotubes changes sign - to outside the electrolyte's stability range. Hence, ions of only one sign are electrochemically injected to compensate this electronic charge, and the muscle's stroke changes in one direction over this entire useable potential scan range." Dr. Jiuke Mu, associate research professor in the UT Dallas NanoTech Institute and a co-first author, said the polymer coating helps solve the capacitance problem of electrochemical yarn muscles. "The number of solvent molecules pumped into the muscle by each ion increases with increasing potential scan rate for some unipolar muscles, which increases the effective ion size that drives actuation," Mu said. "Thus, muscle stroke can increase by a factor of 3.8 with increasing potential scan rate, while the stroke of carbon nanotube yarn muscles without the polymer coating decreases by a factor of 4.2 for the same changes in potential scan rate." The advances provide electrochemical unipolar muscles that contract to generate a maximum average output mechanical power per muscle weight of 2.9 watts/gram, which is about 10 times the typical capability of human muscle and about 2.2 times the weight-normalized power capability of a turbocharged V-8 diesel engine. The polymer coating used to produce these results was poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), which is approved for drug use and inexpensive enough for use in water softening. Incorporation of this polymer guest enabled practical operation of a carbon nanotube muscle from high temperatures to below minus 30 degrees Celsius. Wang said the team also discovered that unipolar behavior, without scan-rate enhanced strokes, could be obtained when graphene oxide nanoplatelets were incorporated within the yarn muscle using a biscrolling process that UT Dallas researchers created and patented. "Use of this guest to provide the dipolar fields needed for unipolar behavior increased the maximum average contractile mechanical power output from the muscle to a remarkable 8.2 watts/gram, which is 29 times the maximum capability of the same weight human muscle and about 6.2 times that of a turbocharged V-8 diesel engine," Wang said. "We also discovered that two different types of unipolar yarn muscles, each with scan-rate-enhanced strokes, can be combined to make a dual-electrode, all-solid-state yarn muscle, thereby eliminating the need for a liquid electrolyte bath," Wang said. "A solid-state electrolyte is used to laterally interconnect two coiled carbon nanotube yarns that contain different polymer guests, one having negatively charged substituents and the other having positively charged substituents. Both yarns contract during charging to additively contribute to actuation, because of the injection of positive and negative ions, respectively. These dual electrode unipolar muscles were woven to make actuating textiles that could be used for morphing clothing." ### The inventors have applied for a provisional U.S. patent on the technology. In addition to Baughman, Wang and Mu, study authors currently affiliated with UT Dallas include Dr. Shaoli Fang, associate research professor, and Dr. Jiyoung Oh, research scientist, both in the NanoTech Institute; Dr. Kyeongjae Cho, professor of materials science and engineering; Dr. Steven Nielsen, associate professor of chemistry; and doctoral students Patrick Conlin in materials science and engineering, and Kevin Alberto in chemistry. In addition to Baughman, corresponding authors are Dr. Jianning Ding of Jiangsu University and Dr. Jinsong Leng of Harbin Institute of Technology. The first author, Dr. Hetao Chu, is currently at Sichuan University. Additional author affiliations include the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Changzhou University, Hanyang University, Seoul National University, Deakin University, University of Wollongong, Opus 12 and MilliporeSigma. The research in the U.S. was supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Welch Foundation, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's SHort-Range Independent Microrobotic Platforms (SHRIMP). This story has been published on: 2021-01-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. (Newser) In April of this year, 75-year-old Ron Deprez became the second person to use Maine's new assisted-suicide law to end his life. That's the short version. But in a lengthy and moving piece for Bloomberg, daughter Esme Deprez fills in the details about her father's life and deathand what it was like to help him die. In life, Deprez had both a vibrant mind and body. "He could wire a house, tile a floor, bag a duck, skin a deer, ride a motorcycle, and helm a boat," writes his daughter. "His life testified to the notion that if you work hard enough, you can do just about anything." In the last few years, however, his worsening (and incurable) ALS robbed him of the ability to care for himself. He texted his daughter in March that it was time, and she traveled from New York to Maine to help. story continues below "On April 17, I found myself behind the wheel of his black truck, driving the 20 minutes to a pharmacy in Portland, the only one in the state that sold the necessary drugs," writes Esme. "I paid $365 and clutched the white paper bag like a precious heirloom." Along with her brother and husband, she spent a nice night with her father drinking wine and reminiscing, and the next afternoon they followed the instructions for the drugsone for nausea, another to slowly stop his heart, sedatives. Not to mention shots of fancy Irish whiskey he'd been saving. After all that, her father closed his eyes for the final time. "Critics would call my dad's death a suicide," writes Esme. "But he wanted to live. He was going to die from his illness, regardless of whether he used lethal drugs to hasten it. The word 'suicide' never felt like it fit." Read the full story. (Read more Longform stories.) Italy on Friday opted to ease coronavirus restrictions in most of its regions, despite warnings from public health experts that such a move may be rash. A source in the health ministry said all but five of Italy's regions would now be considered "yellow", according to a colour-coded system of yellow, orange and red that indicates coronavirus risk. A "yellow" zone allows for the daytime reopening of bars and restaurants and greater freedom to travel. Italy's islands of Sicily and Sardinia, as well as its regions of Umbria, Puglia and the autonomous province of South Tyrol will be considered "orange", the source said. The changes come as other countries in Europe are mulling hardening restrictions. The World Health Organization's European branch warned on Thursday that it was "too early to ease up" due to a "still very high" presence of the virus. "Yes, Italy is bucking the trend," said Walter Ricciardi, a public health expert who advises Italy's health minister on the pandemic. He told AFP lockdown measures adopted in Italy over Christmas and New Year helped stabilise virus numbers, without lowering them. Nevertheless, "right now it is extremely difficult to propose stricter measures due to resistance from both politicians and public opinion", Ricciardi said. France meanwhile is looking at a possible third lockdown, with President Emmanuel Macron expected to make an announcement on new measures over the weekend or on Monday. - 'This is war' - Italy was one of the first countries to have been hit by the coronavirus, with devastating consequences. Nearly 88,000 people have died, and the economy has plunged into a record recession. KOS GROUP/AFP Even if politically unpalatable, Ricciardi said the country would benefit from a "brief stiffening" of virus rules, as well as more centralised decision-making on the pandemic. According to GIMBE, an independent think tank, Italy had 799 virus cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the January 20-26 period. Until that number is brought to below 50 cases, it would be impossible to ensure effective virus test and tracing procedures, Ricciardi warned. He also suggested that Italy's largely decentralised response to the pandemic -- with regions left in charge of vaccinations, with mixed results -- needed fixing. "We need a clearer chain of command... a decisive step-change in management with a government fully in charge, ready to centralise decisions in its hands," Ricciardi said. Politicians are currently preoccupied with the government crisis triggered by this week's resignation of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. His cabinet remains in charge, but only in a caretaker function. "This is a war ... and if we were to compare it to World War II, we are not in 1945, but in 1941," Ricciardi said, warning that victory was still far off, and that the political crisis needed to be solved quickly. "If we don't have a government with full powers... it is clear that the situation in Italy risks becoming even more critical," he added. This week Britain passed the grim milestone of 1,00,000 Covid-19 deaths. That figure has been rising by more than a thousand a day for several days now. On Friday, the death toll stood at 1,03,126. To put that number into a better context for Indians reading this, if Indias death rate based on its population would have been similar to Britains, there would have been 2.2 million deaths in India by now. Indias actual death toll is about 1,54,000. Till Friday, Britain had recorded 3.75 million Covid-positive cases. The Indian equivalence of that would have been 80 million cases, or roughly the entire populations of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir. So what went wrong in Britain? Just about everything that a government could do wrong, the British government did, all of last year. The year is dotted with milestones signposting the wrong way - all leading to the big milestone passed this week. It was at the end of January last year that two Covid cases were first reported in Britain, after weeks of belief promoted by government ministers that Britain had little to worry about. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Britain is well prepared to handle any incidence of coronavirus. He said the UK has developed a world leading test for the virus. But the officially perceived risk was raised from very low to low. Lethal Progress On March 2, 40 cases were reported in a day. Two weeks later, 616. The numbers suggested by the supposedly world leading test were wildly short of the actual incidence. The virus was at the time ripping through Britain. The world leading test may itself have been world leading, but it wasnt being conducted. From about March 10, demands for a lockdown began to grow. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it would be considered at the right time when that time was passing, and being lost, by the day. The chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance announced that a lockdown was not being rushed because it leads to fatigue with it. It became clear only later that fatigue later was preferable to deaths now. The UK government eventually imposed a lockdown only on March 23, by which time the virus was killing people all over, particularly in care homes. Past that peak of deaths, Boris Johnson ordered a world beating test and trace system. It didnt work, the government acknowledged within weeks that it was not working as expected, and certainly as announced. Eat Out Over the summer, the lockdown was eased and cases came under control. Thats when the government began to encourage people to go out and mix. It ordered an eat out to help out scheme under which it paid restaurants 1.5 billion pounds to serve people at half price up to a point. This was Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunaks brainchild. Soon after this scheme - and the gathering of people for long stretches in confined space that this had to bring - cases began to rise again. In October, the government introduced limited restrictions in regional tiers. Again, this was far too slow a response when leading independent scientists were demanding a new lockdown. That did follow eventually and this time feebly. The opposition Labour Party called it yet another instance of the governments Covid policy of too little too late. In December, cases began skyrocketing, fed by a new strain that has become notorious as the UK strain. By mid-December, the health secretary and London mayor Sadiq Khan were both saying that the spread of the virus was now out of control. And yet the government did not impose a lockdown, only regionally tiered measures that were never going to halt its advance. On Christmas day, movement of people was still allowed in several areas despite sharp warnings from health institutions. The number of cases snowballed after Christmas. It was only on January 4 that a lockdown, the third, was announced. This new lockdown will last at least until the middle of February, and almost certainly longer. Schools will not reopen at least until March 8, and again very likely not even on that date. This time, finally, the government is being careful. Right at Last What the UK has got right, and far ahead of others, is foresight in pre-ordering vaccines from several institutions and companies the government has ordered close to 400 million doses for a population of 65 million. Enough stock has arrived for rapid distribution and inoculation currently at 200 shots a minute on average. Boris Johnson is counting on these last decisions to put Britain ahead, not behind. But he will forever carry the legacy of tens of thousands of deaths that could have been avoided had his government done better and faster. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) The restriction on foreign nationals coming from 36 areas with confirmed cases of more transmissible COVID-19 variants will end on Sunday, Jan. 31, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Friday. He did not say if new travel orders will be issued after the ban lapses. "The restriction remains until January 31, 2021 and would lapse after the aforesaid date," he added. The COVID-19 task force started to impose the travel ban on passengers coming from United Kingdom in late December to prevent the entry of new, more transmissible COVID-19 variants. It was later expanded to cover 36 jurisdictions with confirmed cases of emerging variants. The Philippines has at least 17 confirmed cases of the UK variant, some of them Filipinos who have returned from overseas. Roque said that. starting Feb. 1, foreign nationals arriving in the country should have valid visas at the time of entry, except for those covered by the Balikbayan Program. They should also have a pre-booked accommodation for at least seven nights in an accredited quarantine hotel. They also need to undergo COVID-19 testing on their sixth day of quarantine. Those holding tourist visas are still prohibited to enter the country. OCTA Research Fellow Guido David acknowledged that a travel ban cannot remain permanently, so instead the focus should be on border control. "May mga nakakalusot na people from other countries na minsan they initially test negative and after a few days, they were actually positive," David told CNN Philippines' News.PH. [Translation: There are some people from other countries that get away with initially testing negative and after a few days they were actually positive.] He suggested continuing sanctions on people bringing fake test results and testing incoming visitors twice. "Kasi minsan initially negative sila kasi mababa pa 'yung viral load nila, but they build up the viral load in a few days, nagiging positive," he explained. [Translation: Because sometimes, they initially test negative because their viral load is still low but they build up the viral load in a few days and later become positive.] HIAWATHA, Iowa (AP) The Linn County Attorney says no one will be charged in the shooting death of a Hiawatha man that also wounded three other people. Joshua Lathrop died in May at a shootout at a mobile home in Hiawatha. KCRG-TV reported Friday that County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden ruled the people who shot Lathrop were acting in self-defense. Investigators say two brothers carrying weapons went to the trailer park after hearing a woman had been attacked. An intoxicated Lathrop confronted the brothers and hit one of them. A gun battle involving up to 25 shots ensued and Lathrop was shot. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) specialist Blue Bear Systems Research, a UK Small to Medium Enterprise, has formed a seven-strong consortium to develop a next-generation, all-electric propulsion module to enhance aircraft performance while reducing operating costs. The propulsion module is a scalable design and is the first in a range of products that can be used for aircraft less than 5 tonnes in the near term. The projectIntegrated Flight Control, Energy Storage and Propulsion Technologies for Electric Aircraft (InCEPTion)is supported and co-funded by the UKs Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK and was launched this month. The 24-month project will deliver a highly power-dense, quiet and efficient propulsion module with zero emissions out. The future electrification of aircraft propulsion will have a significant positive environmental effect, helping to reduce emissions and lower the carbon footprint of aviation. The InCEPTion consortiums propulsion module will bring game-changing technology to manned and unmanned aviation, delivering unrivalled performance and value in this newly emerging sector. Yoge Patel, CEO of Blue Bear The propulsion module will be inherently scalable, enabling different combinations of the same module to power multiple aircraft concepts, such as large cargo drones, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), general aviation aircraft and sub-regional aircraft. This will enable a broad range of new mobility services across the UK, from large cargo delivery to regional commuting. Integrated Propulsion Module Blue Bear Systems Research will lead the consortium which includes: Dowty Propellers Electrified powertrain specialists, Drive System Design Electrified propulsion systems and thermal management, Ricardo Materials specialists, M&I Materials University of Cambridges Whittle Laboratory University of Salfords Acoustics Research Center The project is supported by the ATI Program, a joint Government and industry investment to maintain and grow the UKs competitive position in civil aerospace design and manufacture. The program, delivered through a partnership between the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Innovate UK, addresses technology, capability and supply chain challenges. Blue Bear is also a member of the recently announced The Airspace of the Future (AoF) Consortium, which also comprises Thales, Cranfield University, Cranfield Airport Operations, Inmarsat, Altitude Angel, Ocado Group, Satellite Applications Catapult, and Connected Places Catapult. The group, which will work to integrate drone services within the wider UK transport ecosystem, has been formed in response to UK Research and Innovations (UKRI) Future Flight Challenge (FFC). The FFC supports the development of new technologies in the UK, including freight-carrying drones, urban air vehicles, and hybrid-electric regional aircraft. It is funded by 125 million from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, which is, in turn, expected to be matched by up to 175 million from industry. The group will work to integrate quieter, more efficient, and less polluting aircraft within the rest of the transport infrastructure, ensuring aircraft can fly to and from a cost-effective network of small operating bases. The group will also develop the supporting ground infrastructure, regulation and control systems required to use these new aircraft practically and safely, whilst the value of a mixed-use airspace will be demonstrated through innovative simulation and real-world applications. BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - Today's Daily Dose brings you news about encouraging results of Novavax' Covid-19 vaccine candidate; FDA lifting the clinical hold on Bellicum's BPX-601 study; and near-term catalysts of Ayala Pharma and AzurRx. Read on. 1. Will Ayala Pharma's Tenacity Pay Off? Ayala Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AYLA) has dosed the first patient in its phase II clinical trial of AL101 for the treatment of patients with Notch-activated recurrent or metastatic (R/M) triple negative breast cancer. The trial, dubbed TENACITY, is expected to initially enroll up to 26 patients with Notch-activated R/M TNBC whose disease has recurred or progressed after three or fewer lines of prior therapy. The preliminary data from the trial is expected to be reported by the end of 2021. AYLA closed Thursday's trading at $12.94, down 4.85%. 2. AzurRx BioPharma to Report OPTION 2 extension study Data in Q1 AzurRx BioPharma Inc. (AZRX) has completed patient enrollment in the first cohort of its phase 2b OPTION 2 extension study evaluating immediate-release capsules of MS1819 for the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) in patients with cystic fibrosis. The Phase 2b OPTION 2 trial extension arm is currently dosing patients at clinical trial sites in the U.S. and Europe who have participated in the previous arms of the OPTION 2 trial. The company expects to report topline data by the end of first quarter 2021. AZRX closed Thursday's trading at $1.50, down 8.54%. 3. FDA Lifts Clinical Hold on Bellicum's BPX-601 Trial The FDA has lifted the clinical hold on Bellicum Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s (BLCM) phase I/II dose-escalation clinical trial evaluating BPX-601 and Rimiducid in patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic or prostate cancer. The phase I/II dose-escalation trial of BPX-601 was slapped with a clinical hold last month, following the death of a pancreatic cancer patient in the study. The patient death was classified as unrelated to BPX-601 by the company then. Now, with the company satisfactorily addressing all clinical hold issues, the trial hold has been lifted, paving way for Bellicum to resume enrollment without modification to the current study protocol. The company plans to work with clinical investigators to resume patient enrollment. Last October, Bellicum announced interim data from its BPX-601 Cohort 5C dose-escalation phase I/II clinical trial in patients with relapsed/refractory metastatic pancreatic cancer. BPX-601 followed by repeat Rimiducid dosing was tolerated and exhibited evidence of Rimiducid-mediated CAR-T cell activation in the first four patients treated, according to the company. However, clinically meaningful efficacy as measured by RECIST criteria was not observed. BLCM closed Thursday's trading at $3.84, down 1.03%. In after-hours, the stock was up 65.89% at $6.37. 4. Novavax Covid-19 Jab Hits Key Goal Shares of Novavax Inc. (NVAX) were up nearly 27% in extended trading Thursday, on news that its protein-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate, NVX-CoV2373, met the primary endpoint in a phase III trial conducted in the UK. The study enrolled more than 15,000 participants between 18-84 years of age, including 27% over the age of 65. In the treatment group, two doses of NVX-CoV2373 were administered 21 days apart. According to the first interim analysis, 56 cases of COVID-19 were observed in the placebo group compared to 6 cases that were reported in the NVX-CoV2373 group, resulting in an efficacy rate of 89.3%. The UK variant strain was detected in over 50% of the symptomatic cases (32 UK variant, 24 non-variant, 6 unknown). The efficacy of the vaccine candidate by strain was calculated to be 95.6% against the original COVID-19 strain and 85.6% against the UK variant strain, the company added. Novavax also announced encouraging results of its phase IIb study of NVX-CoV2373 vaccine conducted in South Africa. This study enrolled over 4,400 patients beginning in August 2020, and approximately 1/3 of the patients enrolled were seropositive, demonstrating prior COVID-19 infection at baseline. According to the trial results, 60% efficacy for the prevention of mild, moderate and severe COVID-19 disease was observed in the 94% of the study population that was HIV-negative. Twenty-nine cases were observed in the placebo group and 15 in the vaccine group. One severe case occurred in the placebo group and all other cases were mild or moderate. The clinical trial also achieved its primary efficacy endpoint in the overall trial population, including HIV-positive and HIV-negative subjects - demonstrating an efficacy of 49.4%. Another phase III trial evaluating NVX-CoV2373 with Matrix-M in subjects 18 years of age and older compared with placebo, dubbed PREVENT-19, is underway in the US and Mexico. The company expects to complete its targeted enrollment of 30,000 patients in the PREVENT-19 trial in first half of February. NVAX closed Thursday's trading at $134.01, up 2.16%. In after-hours, the stock was up 26.93% at $170.10. 5. Stocks That Gained/Lost The Most Lianluo Smart Limited (LLIT) closed Thursday's trading at $9.98, up 59.94%. Armata Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ARMP) closed at $5.07, up 37.77%. Cancer Genetics Inc. (CGIX) closed at $4.80, up 37.14%. Accelerate Diagnostics, Inc. (AXDX) closed at $10.33, down 31.11%. CEL-SCI Corporation (CVM) closed at $19.44, down 22.40%. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX NOVAVAX-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Gardai say a man has been arrested after a quantity of suspected cocaine wrapped in little bags was seized during a raid on a house in Mullingar. Gardai in Westmeath posted this pictures of the suspected drugs wrapped in a number of little bags that were discovered during the search of a house in the Fairgreen area on Tuesday (January 26). Under the picture gardai wrote: On the 26th of January 2021 gardai from the Westmeath divisional drug unit searched a house in the Fairgreen area of Mullingar. In the course of the search they located approximately 2,700 worth of suspected cocaine. One man was arrested and will be before the courts shortly. The Garda Press Office confirmed that a man has been charged in relation to the seizure. They also said that he had been subsequently released and will appear before the courts on February 12. In a statement they said: On January 26, Westmeath Gardai executed a search warrant at a house in Mullingar where they recovered approximately 2,700 in suspected illegal drugs. One male aged in his early 30s was arrested and charged in relation with this seizure. "He has since been released and is due to appear before Mullingar District Court on the 12th of February 2021. GATES MILLS: Ohio Crash: Mayfield Road A vehicle drove across the median and crashed into a split-rail fence on the south side of the road around 11 a.m. Jan. 21. When officers arrived, the vehicle was found unattended. Witnesses said the driver was picked up by another vehicle that was traveling behind his. Moments later, a 50-year-old woman called from her workplace in Kirtland and claimed to have been driving the car. Investigation revealed that she made a false statement, and that her 31-year-old son was driving the car. The man was driving under suspension and had active warrants. Charges are pending against the woman and her son. Suspicion: Gates Mill Estates A resident reported at 8 p.m. Jan. 17 that his video doorbell had alerted him to an unknown vehicle in his driveway. Responding officers discovered that an Amazon package had been delivered. Fraud: Chagrin River Road Two residents filed reports Jan. 18 regarding unemployment benefits being fraudulently filed in their names. Suspicion: Blackberry Lane A resident reported Jan. 21 that she had sent her daughter medication in the mail to New York. She said the medication was not received despite the tracking number showing that it had been delivered. The incident was referred to the postal service. Suspicion: Epping Road Officers responded at 3:45 p.m. Jan. 22 to the area near Sudbury Drive for a report of possible gunshots fired. They found no evidence of shots being fired and remained in the area briefly. Read more from the Sun Messenger. PHOENIX, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Families are invited to buckle up for a weekend drive-in movie night celebrating National School Choice Week. The event is hosted by Choose a School Arizona, which helps families find the best education for their children and helps quality schools tell their stories and find students. WHAT: Film screening of " Miss Virginia " on Jan. 30 " on Free popcorn, candy bars, and water bottles WHO: Several hundred students, parents, and community members Guests will be asked to stay in their cars to ensure social distancing WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at **Note: One of the two initially announced screenings, tonight's screening of "Mary Poppins Returns" has been rescheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Saturday , Feb. 6. WHERE: Vertuccio Farms, located at 4011 S. Power Rd. National School Choice Week shines a spotlight on effective K-12 education options for children. As a not-for-profit effort, the Week focuses equally on traditional public, charter, magnet, online, private, and home education options. Every January, participants plan tens of thousands of events and activities such as school fairs, open houses, and student showcases to raise awareness about school choice across all 50 states. Year-round, National School Choice Week develops resources and guides to assist families searching for schools or learning environments for their children. The effort is nonpolitical and nonpartisan and does not advocate for legislation. For more information visit schoolchoiceweek.com. SOURCE National School Choice Week Related Links www.schoolchoiceweek.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. Algeria: Covid vaccination campaign kicks off Saturday Vaccines arriving from Russia, China and other countries (ANSA) - ALGIERS, 29 GEN - The first doses of the Russian "Sputnik V" Covid vaccine will arrive Friday in Algeria, and the coronavirus vaccination campaign will start Saturday in Blida, in central Algeria, the first epicentre of the pandemic last March. "The vaccination campaign will start symbolically Saturday in Blida," said Algerian Communication Minister Ammar Belhimer, cited by the official news agency Algerian Press Service (APS). APS said the operation will mainly involve medical personnel, the elderly, and the chronically ill. The first Russian lot of the vaccine will arrive Friday afternoon at the Boufarik military airport in the prefecture of Blida. The number of doses provided has not been specified. At the end of December, the Algerian government said it had ordered 500,000 doses of the vaccine from its Russian ally. The largest country in the Maghreb, with 44 million residents, will also receive a vaccine lot from China, another traditional partner of Algeria. "Other vaccines will soon arrive from China, India, and other countries," said Belhimer. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, currently in Germany receiving treatment for his foot due to post-Covid complications, charged the government with speeding up the acquisition of the vaccine and starting vaccination operations in January. The overall budget for the vaccination campaign is expected to reach 20 billion dinars (122 million euros), according to the country's scientific committee to monitor the evolution of the pandemic. The official number of registered Covid-19 infections in Algeria is over 106,000, with nearly 2,900 deaths, according to the most recent report by the Algerian health ministry.(ANSAmed). (ANSA). In this Jan. 2, 2021 file photo a vial of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and U.K.-based drugmaker AstraZeneca is checked as they arrive at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, England. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday Jan. 29, 2021 to authorize use of the vaccine AstraZeneca developed with Oxford University. It would be the third cleared for use in the EU, after the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (Gareth Fuller/Pool via AP, File) Germany's health minister said he expects the European Union's drug regulator to authorize a coronavirus vaccine made by AstraZeneca on Friday, but it may not be recommended for older adults because of insufficient data. Jens Spahn said it wasn't clear whether the decision by the European Medicines Agency would explicitly recommend against using the vaccine in people over 65, or whether it would merely note the lack of data for older people, meaning "no restrictions but caution in certain areas." Germany will adjust its own guidance once it sees the EMA's decision. "We don't expect an unrestricted approval," Spahn told reporters in Berlin. "The data available for older people, and that's been the debate in recent days, isn't sufficient for that." While the AstraZeneca vaccine has been authorized for all adults in other countries, only 12% of the participants in its research were over 55 and they were enrolled later, so there hasn't been enough time to get results. A recommendation that only people under 65 get the vaccine could complicate the rollout in many European countries that have focused on giving shots to older people first. Whatever the recommendation, the 3 million doses Germany expects to receive from AstraZeneca next month would be used, but perhaps for younger people, Spahn said. In this Monday, Jan. 4, 2021 file photo, 82-year-old Brian Pinker receives the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from nurse Sam Foster at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford, England. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday Jan. 29, 2021 to authorize use of the vaccine AstraZeneca developed with Oxford University. It would be the third cleared for use in the EU, after the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (Steve Parsons/Pool Photo via AP, File) On Thursday, a draft recommendation from Germany's vaccination advisory committee said the AstraZeneca vaccine should only be given to people aged 18-64 for now. Britain's medicines regulatory agency also acknowledged the limited data in older people but still cleared the shot last month for all adults, with some caution for pregnant women. A separate study testing the AstraZeneca vaccine in the U.S. is still underway. Julian Tang, a virologist at the University of Leicester, said he thought any recommendation to limit the vaccine's use to people under 65 was understandable, but "overly cautious." He said that although data on the vaccine's effectiveness in older populations was limited, it was reasonable to extrapolate that it would help protect older people against COVID-19, even though there are not yet enough numbers of older people enrolled in trials to know for certain. In this Jan. 11, 2021 file photo a paramedic draws a syringe of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine at the mass vaccination centre in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday Jan. 29, 2021 to authorize use of the vaccine AstraZeneca developed with Oxford University. It would be the third cleared for use in the EU, after the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell, File) "The vaccine clearly offers some protection and since the older 65's are your most vulnerable population, I'd think you want to get some vaccine into them sooner rather than later," he said. "If Europe and the Germans want to be nitpicky, they can restrict its use, but I think giving older people this vaccine is better than nothing." The AstraZeneca shot would be the third COVID-19 vaccine given the greenlight by the EMA, after ones made by Pfizer and Moderna. Those were authorized for all adults. The expected authorization of the AstraZeneca vaccine comes amid a bitter dispute between the drugmaker and the 27-nation bloc over expected supply delays. Earlier this week, the EU lashed out at the British-Swedish drugmaker after it said it would sharply reduce initial deliveries from 80 million doses to 31 million, blaming manufacturing problems. The EU then threatened to stop any vaccines made in Europe from leaving its borders. In this Saturday, July 18, 2020 file photo a general view of AstraZeneca offices and the corporate logo in Cambridge, England. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday Jan. 29, 2021 to authorize use of the vaccine AstraZeneca developed with Oxford University. It would be the third cleared for use in the EU, after the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File) Many countries on the continent have been struggling to vaccinate people as quickly as Britain, Israel, the U.S. and elsewhere. While politicians have blamed supply problems for the slow rollout, other factors, like onerous paperwork and poor planning, have also played a role. The AstraZeneca vaccine has already been authorized in several countries, including Britain, India, Argentina and Mexico. The World Health Organization is also reviewing it; a recommendation from the U.N. health agency would allow its purchase and distribution to developing countries from a global program known as COVAX. Separately, the EMA said Friday that no new side effects linked to the coronavirus vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech were identified in the regulator's first safety update. Its expert committee assessed reports of people who died after getting the vaccine and said their review "did not suggest a safety concern." Earlier this month, Norwegian officials amended their vaccination advice to say that doctors should assess frail and severely ill elderly people to decide if they should be immunized. In this Jan. 11, 2021 file photo Mary Williams, right, receives an injection of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine at the mass vaccination centre in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday Jan. 29, 2021 to authorize use of the vaccine AstraZeneca developed with Oxford University. It would be the third cleared for use in the EU, after the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell, File) In this Dec. 1, 2020, file photo the exterior of the European Medicines Agency is seen in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The European Medicines Agency is expected on Friday Jan. 29, 2021 to authorize use of the vaccine AstraZeneca developed with Oxford University. It would be the third cleared for use in the EU, after the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File) The EMA concluded that safety data collected on the Pfizer vaccine are "consistent with the known safety profile of the vaccine" and noted that severe allergic reactions are a known, rare side effect. The EMA authorized the Pfizer vaccine on Dec. 21 and granted it a conditional license; Pfizer and BioNTech must submit safety reports every month in line with a heightened monitoring process. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. According to Russian Satellite Network reports, on the 26th local time, Russian President Putin and US President Biden had a call. This was the first call between the two parties after Biden took office. The Kremlin Information Bureau announced that Putin congratulated Biden on his beginning as US President. Putin said that the normalization of Russia-US relations is in the interests of both countries. According to the report, the two sides also discussed the possibility of cooperation in the fight against the new crown epidemic and economic and trade cooperation. Affected by the Putin talks with Biden, the tantalum diboride market is changing rapidly. These changes are indicators of market growth. This year-on-year upward trend in the market indicates that the next February 2021-2026 will show an oval but steady growth. If you are looking for tantalum diboride or buy tantalum diboride in bulk, please send an email to: sales1@nanotrun.com. The price of tantalum diboride continues to be affected by factors such as market growth momentum, various opportunities and challenges. However, during the forecast period from 2020 to 2026, the global tantalum diboride sales market is expected to continue to be above average. The growth rate will continue to increase. It is expected that from today to next week, the price of tantalum diboride will drop to a certain extent. Due to changes in consumer demand, import and export conditions, and various investigations on the development of tantalum diboride, the cost of tantalum diboride is constantly changing. Taking into account the current market macroeconomic parameters, value chain analysis, channel partners, demand and supply, the cost of tantalum diboride will also be affected to a certain extent. It is estimated that the cost of tantalum diboride will drop slightly from today to next week. And, TRUNNANO provides high purity tantalum diboride with reasonable price. In order to feedback to old customers, the company is still in full operations to provide tantalum diboride with competitive price. said Olina, sales manager of TRUNNANO. About TRUNNANO TRUNNANO (aka. Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology Co. Ltd.) is a trusted global chemical material supplier & manufacturer with over 12 years experience in providing super high-quality chemicals and Nanomaterials. As a leading nanotechnology development and tantalum diboride manufacturer, Luoyang Tongrun dominates the market. Our professional work team provides perfect solutions to help improve the efficiency of various industries, create value, and easily cope with various challenges. If you are looking for tantalum diboride, please send an email to: sales1@nanotrun.com. OR go to the following link: nanotrun.com US Secretary of State on Thursday spoke with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani regarding the US commitment to an enduring US-Afghan partnership. "The Secretary highlighted robust diplomatic support for the peace process focused on helping the parties to the conflict achieve a durable and just political settlement and permanent and comprehensive ceasefire that benefits all Afghans," Secretary Department Spokesperson Ned Price said. Blinken shared that the United States is reviewing the February 2020 US- agreement and whether the are living up to their commitments to cut ties with terrorist groups, to reduce violence in Afghanistan, and to engage in meaningful negotiations with the Afghan government and other stakeholders. The Secretary reiterated his desire for all Afghan leaders to support this historic opportunity for peace while preserving the progress made over the last 20 years with regard to human rights, civil liberties, and the role of women in Afghan society. Blinken committed to consultations with the Government of Afghanistan, NATO allies, and partners regarding a collective strategy to support a stable, sovereign, democratic, and secure future for The newly appointed Secretary of State during a press conference on Wednesday had said Zalmay Khalilzad was offered to stay in his capacity of United States Special Representative for Reconciliation in the Biden administration, which is conducting a review of previous agreements reached with the "Yes, we have asked him to continue the vital work that he is performing," Blinken said. Blinken also said that agreements the United States reached a year ago with the Taliban opposition movement are currently being studied by the new Biden administration. The deal kick-started an intra-Afghan reconciliation process and allowed the United States to reduce its military presence in to 2,500 servicemen, Sputnik reported. 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. America Talks: Join us and #ListenFirst in a virtual conversation with another American Paradise problems! Wells Adams shut down any possibility of tying the knot with fiancee Sarah Hyland on reality TV. Read article The Bachelor in Paradise bartender, 36, told Kaitlyn Bristowe on the Thursday, January 28, episode of her Off the Vine podcast whether he would go for a free wedding on the Bachelor spinoff. No, thank you, Adams said. Hard pass. ABC/Craig Sjodin; Broadimage/Shutterstock The Your Favorite Thing podcast cohost, who showed up on Season 16 of The Bachelorette in Palm Springs, California, in 2020, also gave an update on the possibility of another season of Bachelor in Paradise. I think theyre hoping it just goes back to how it normally used to be in the summer, Adams said. I think if they can, theyre gonna do it in Mexico. If not, they can just do it stateside. Read article The Wells Cast podcast host explained the thought process behind moving forward with BiP amid the coronavirus pandemic, saying, I think the thought is that by the summertime enough people will have been vaccinated that they can go down and do it? I dont know. Although Adams and Hyland, 30, had to postpone their nuptials amid the pandemic, the pair celebrated their original wedding date in August 2020. It was my first time out of my house in quarantine, and we went to a winery and we went with all of our friends all of us got tested our family, our best man, maid of honor, the Modern Family alum told Ellen DeGeneres in October 2020. I brought a white dress and a veil I got on Etsy and my bridesmaids got a real wedding bouquet and surprised me and we took fake wedding pictures for fun! The couple, who got engaged in July 2019, had planned to tie the knot on August 8, 2020, but arent panicking about the delay. One year engaged to my best friend, Hyland wrote via Instagram in July 2020, celebrating the duos engagement anniversary. So grateful to be quarantined with the love of my life. One day well get married, but for now, Ill take eating junk food and Netflix all day every day. I love you to Pluto and back baby. A month prior, the Vampire Academy actress confirmed that the pair had put their wedding on hold because of distance and safety. Read article All of my family is mostly on the East Coast, so for them to fly out and just ages and of course with my health risks, we want to be as safe as possible, she told Chris Harrison on The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons Ever! When the couple does walk down the aisle, Adams has one non-negotiable the after-party food. I want a taco truck there for late night when everyones just trashed, he exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2020. Who doesnt want a taco? Claremont killer Bradley Edwards has just days remaining to appeal his double-murder conviction after the state rejected his application to provide him legal aid. Edwards was sentenced in late December to a minimum 40 years jail over the abduction and murders of Jane Rimmer, 23, and Ciara Glennon, 27, in the mid-1990s, and two separate sex attacks on other women. Bradley Edwards. His defence, spearheaded by Paul Yovich SC and funded by Legal Aid, cost more than $3.5 million and included a mammoth 95-day trial, three years of pre-trial hearings and poring over 2.1 terabytes worth of evidence. Within hours of the 51-year-old being convicted of the two murders in September, his family members were already contacting Perth lawyers for advice on launching an appeal. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/29/2021 -- HTF MI Analyst have added a new research study on Title Global PSD2 and Open Banking Market Report 2020 by Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Market Size, Forecast to 2026 (Based on 2020 COVID-19 Worldwide Spread) with detailed information of Product Types [, Cloud & On-premises], Applications [Fintechs, Telecoms, Retailers & Banks] & Key Players Such as WSO2, Microsoft, Ping Identity & Temenos AG etc. The Study provides in-depth comprehensive analysis for regional segments that covers North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World with Global Outlook and includes Clear Market definitions, classifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures, development policies and plans. The facts and data are well presented in the report using diagrams, graphs, pie charts, and other pictorial representations with respect to its Current Trends, Dynamics, and Business Scope & Key Statistics. If you are a PSD2 and Open Banking manufacturer and deals in exports imports then this article will help you understand the Sales Volume with Impacting Trends. Click To get SAMPLE PDF (Including Full TOC, Table & Figures)@ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/2996847-global-psd2-and-open-banking-market-report-2020-by-key-players-types-applications-countries-market-size-forecast-to-2026 Covid-19 Impact Update Global PSD2 and Open Banking Market Research Analysts at HTF MI constantly monitor the industry impacts of current events in real-time here is an update of how this industry is likely to be impacted as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic: Demand from top notch companies and government agencies is expected to rise as they seek more information on COVID-19. Check Demand Determinants section for more information. Key Highlights from PSD2 and Open Banking Market Study. Revenue and Sales Estimation Historical Revenue and sales volume is presented and further data is triangulated with top-down and bottom-up approaches to forecast complete market size and to estimate forecast numbers for key regions covered in the report along with classified and well recognized Types and end-use industry. Additionally macroeconomic factor and regulatory policies are ascertained in PSD2 and Open Banking industry evolution and predictive analysis. Manufacturing Analysis the report is currently analyzed concerning various product type and application. The PSD2 and Open Banking market provides a chapter highlighting manufacturing process analysis validated via primary information collected through Industry experts and Key officials of profiled companies. FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS: In order to better understand Market condition five forces analysis is conducted that includes Bargaining power of buyers, Bargaining power of suppliers, Threat of new entrants, Threat of substitutes, Threat of rivalry. Competition Leading players have been studied depending on their company profile, product portfolio, capacity, product/service price, sales, and cost/profit. Demand & Supply and Effectiveness PSD2 and Open Banking report additionally provides distribution, Production, Consumption & EXIM** (Export & Import). ** If applicable Have Any Query? Ask Our Expert @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/2996847-global-psd2-and-open-banking-market-report-2020-by-key-players-types-applications-countries-market-size-forecast-to-2026 Geographically, the following regions together with the listed national/local markets are fully investigated: - APAC (Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, India, and Rest of APAC; Rest of APAC is further segmented into Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, New Zealand, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka) - Europe (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Rest of Europe; Rest of Europe is further segmented into Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania) - North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico) - South America (Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Rest of South America) - MEA (Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa) The Latest Trends, Product Portfolio, Demographics, Geographical segmentation, and Regulatory Framework of the PSD2 and Open Banking Market have also been included in the study. Market Growth by Applications: Fintechs, Telecoms, Retailers & Banks Heat map Analysis, 3-Year Financial and Detailed Company Profiles of Key & Emerging Players: WSO2, Microsoft, Ping Identity & Temenos AG Market Growth by Types: , Cloud & On-premises Book Latest Edition of Study Global PSD2 and Open Banking Market With COVID-19 Impact Analysis @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=2996847 Introduction about Global PSD2 and Open Banking Global PSD2 and Open Banking Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) [, Cloud & On-premises] in 2018 PSD2 and Open Banking Market by Application/End Users [Fintechs, Telecoms, Retailers & Banks] Global PSD2 and Open Banking Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications Global Global PSD2 and Open Banking Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2025) PSD2 and Open Banking Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application PSD2 and Open Banking (Volume, Value and Sales Price) table defined for each geographic region defined. Global PSD2 and Open Banking Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data Key Raw Materials Analysis & Price Trends Supply Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers, Industrial Chain Analysis ........and view more in complete table of Contents Check Complete Report Details @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/2996847-global-psd2-and-open-banking-market-report-2020-by-key-players-types-applications-countries-market-size-forecast-to-2026 Thanks for reading this article; HTF also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research according to clientele objectives. Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report like North America, Europe or Asia Commentary Political Ghosts Come Back to Haunt Myanmar Myanmar military commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing (center) and deputy commander-in-chief Vice Senior General Soe Win (behind the senior general, to the left) attend the 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference in Naypyitaw in 2018. / The Irrawaddy A familiar political specter is haunting Myanmarthe possibility of a coup detat. A military coup is never the right solution to a political problem, but the countrys powerful military leader has been thinking aloud lately, and the possibility appears to be on his mind. Fear, anger and tension have intruded into all walks of life here since the armed forces spokesperson refused to rule out a coup after the militarys allegations of electoral fraud were ignored. Remarks made by military commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing during a speech the next day intensified the publics fears and further inflamed tensions between the government and the military. The Constitution is the mother law. We have to follow the Constitution. If the law is not obeyed, we must abolish it. Even if it is the Constitution, we must abolish it, the military chief told trainee officers on Wednesday. He also referred to the revocation of two previous constitutions following military coups in 1962 and 1988. His point was clear enough: The current Constitution could be abolished after a coup. Endorsing the possibility of doing away with the Constitution represents a U-turn for the military chief and his armed forces. It also comes as a shock to the public. For the Tatmadaw, it means sinking ones own ship. The military chief is reversing the militarys role as guardian of the Constitution, which until now has provided the primary justification for the armed forces continued political role. Drafted by the previous military regime led by Senior General Than Shwethe mentor of the current military chiefthe Constitution enshrined the militarys grand design for continued political supremacy, granting the commander-in-chief exclusive authority to appoint a vice president, three key ministerial positions and 25 percent of lawmakers in Parliament. Why the about-face? The militarys official reason is that the government ignored its claim that Novembers general electionwhich the ruling National League for Democracy won by a landslidewas unfair and marred by mass fraud. Its ally the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and a handful of other parties are in line with the military on the issue. But the vast majority of the public do not believe that mass electoral fraud occurred. On Friday morning, diplomatic missions in the country, including those of the US, EU and UK, issued a joint statement opposing any attempt to alter the outcome of the election or impede the countrys democratic transition. The embassies also said they look forward to the peaceful convening of the new Parliament on Feb. 1 and the election of the president and speakers as scheduled. So will Myanmar face another military coup? On this Earth, there is only one person who surely knows the answer: Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, who will call the shots on whether to strike or not. Also on Thursday, the political tension prompted a rare meeting between representatives of the government and the military in Naypyitaw. It turned out to be fruitless, and the situation remains in a stalemate. Reportedly, the military demanded that the government abolish the election body, the Union Election Commission; that it recount all votes cast in the Nov. 8 election with the militarys assistance; and that it postpone the opening of the new Parliament. To many, the military is making demands in areas that are none of its business. De facto national leader State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi reportedly rejected all of the demands. Critics say the military has overstepped its bounds. Simply, its duties do not include investigating election resultsthat is a widespread view here. But the tension shows no sign of easing. And it could easily escalate in the coming days. Many people are wondering now what will happen tonight, over the weekend, and especially on Feb. 1, when the new Parliament is schedule to meet for the first timesomething the military has demanded be postponed. Anything can happen. How can the situation be resolved? Very few solutions present themselves. Many observers have openly urged government and military leaders to hold talks in order to de-escalate tensions and avoid a military coup. The question is: on what grounds? The main reason for the militarys objections to the election seems purely politicaltogether with their USDP allies, they cant accept the result. Then, what? The situation bears a striking resemblance to the scenario Donald Trump created in the US. So what is the best way to resolve such a problem here in Myanmar? What will the military do if the government continues to reject its demands? A military coup is no solution. It will only bring about another dark age for the country. Quite simply, it is possible they might step up with one of the following three options: to boycott the Parliament session on Feb. 1; to join Parliament but refuse to nominate the ministers of Defense, Home Affairs and Border Affairs (the three ministries are under military control and the Constitution requires that the military chief name them) for the union cabinet; or the worst-case scenarioto stage a military coup. All of these options defy the peoples will and democratic norms. All would be aimed at thwarting the outcome of the November election, in which 27 million voters cast ballots. So will Myanmar face another military coup? On this Earth, there is only one person who surely knows the answer: Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, who will call the shots on whether to strike or not. Unfortunately, if he decides, as the previous coup leaders did, that it is a reasonable course of action, the country will see its fourth military takeover. History will repeat itself as we enter another period of military rule, following the previous three, which lasted for a combined 51 yearstwo periods under General Ne Win, from 1958 to 1960 (2 years) and 1962 to 1988 (26 years), and the period under the leaders of the most recent coup, Generals Saw Maung, Than Shwe and Khin Nyunt, which lasted from 1988 to 2011 (23 years). How long will it be this time? Whatever the answers to the above questions, what we can say is that the current process of democratization will fall into a black hole. All hope for Myanmar, among its citizens and internationally, will be gone. A military coup is no solution. It will only bring about another dark age for the country. Again, it depends on the military chief. But one cant help but wonder why the countrys military leaderseven if its not all of themremain stuck in the same mindset that brought about the countrys first military coup 63 years ago. You may also like these stories: A Military Coup in Myanmar Is Unlikely, But. Myanmar Military Refuses to Rule Out Coup as It Presses Claim of Fraud in Nov. Election Myanmar Election Observers Urge Military to Accept Election Results Meeting Between Myanmar Govt, Military Fails to Resolve Crisis Over Election Myanmars Political Drama What Episode Are You Watching Now? The coffee cup is up at the new home of Morning Call Coffee Stand. Soon its beignets will be back, too, alongside burgers slathered with hickory smoke sauce from Buds Broiler just next door. Work has been gradually progressing on a new development at Canal Boulevard and City Park Avenue, where the two well-known local brands will be neighbors. That progress took a highly visible step Thursday when Morning Calls classic neon-lined coffee cup sign was installed at the busy intersection. +5 Photos: With Morning Call sign back up, historic New Orleans cafe prepares to return A promising sign for beignet lovers: the Morning Call Coffee Stand has a long history in New Orleans, going back to the French Market in the 1 Morning Call co-owner Bob Hennessey said he hopes to have the cafe open around mid-February, pending the final round of work inside the new site and city approvals. Next door, Buds Broiler owner Melvin Zeigler said his location is on a similar track, aiming to open in about three weeks. Inside Buds, the brands distinctive brick-lined grill was installed this week, and its own sign should appear over its door soon. Plans have been in the works since 2019 for the two old New Orleans brands to open locations side by side at 5101 Canal Blvd., on the border between the Navarre neighborhood and Mid-City. The opening will mark a different sort of return to the area for each brand. Famous for its coffee and beignets, Morning Call has roots going back to the French Market in the 19th century. But the family-run business has been homeless for two years. Morning Call closed its longtime Metairie location in 2018. The following year, it lost its lease for a City Park location after a contentious lease bidding battle for the site, which was ultimately won by Cafe du Monde. Buds Broiler, known for charbroiled burgers and an old-school appeal, has locations around the metro area. But the local burger joint was best known for its vintage location a few blocks down City Park Avenue. This Bud's dated back to 1953. It closed late in 2018 during a legal dispute with a franchisee. Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Plans for that historic location, 500 City Park Ave., are unclear. New Orleans rapper Curren$y announced plans to develop a restaurant called Life Burger there in 2019, though the address has remained largely idle since. Representatives for that project couldnt be reached. The new building for Morning Call and Buds occupies a property that had previously been a parking lot. The two separate businesses take up the entire building. Both have broad banks of windows fronted by a long covered patio, for outdoor tables and countertop dining areas facing Canal Boulevard. Morning Call is incorporating architectural elements that Hennessey has kept in storage since closing its previous locations, such as a distinctive, arch-shaped counter, old mirrors and swivel stools. The new cafe will also have a takeout window. Buds Broiler is bringing along some familiar touches, too, right down to wooden tables where customers are welcome to carve their names or initials. When it opens, the restaurant will also stock new retail products Buds has developed, including jars of its hickory smoke sauce and packaged smoked sausage for home. Both locations plan to eventually operate 24/7 when coronavirus business rules allow for those hours. +12 For a Mardi Gras without parades, New Orleans restaurants find new roles As if there was any doubt, the Mardi Gras spirit is manifestly clear at Commanders Palace now that the restaurant has joined the growing rank +5 'Sal the Fruit Man,' New Orleans street vendor who fed the needy, dies at 85 Anyone who called Sal the Fruit Man a friend knew he could be a prickly pear. They could also confirm if you peeled back the layers you'd fi [January 29, 2021] 1Digital? Agency Provides World-Class Digital Marketing for Toys PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 1Digital? Agency is a marketing agency that offers world class SEO services for a wide range of industries, including digital marketing for the Toy industry. 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Media Contact: 1Digital Agency Dan Kogan Phone: 215-809-1567 Email: info@1digitalagency.com Related Links Bigcommerce Designers Shopify Plus Expert View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/1digital-agency-provides-world-class-digital-marketing-for-toys-301218242.html SOURCE 1Digital Agency [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Denton, TX (76205) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Russias media watchdog urges Google to lift restrictions on playback of national anthem RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 12:37 29/01/2021 MOSCOW, January 29 (RAPSI) A demand to lift restrictions on the publication of materials containing the Russian Anthem has been send to Google LLC, the press service of Roskomnadzor, Russias media watchdog informs RAPSI on Friday. YouTube said that the measure was introduced to protect copyright; Roskomnadzor observes that the anthem, similarly to other state symbols, is not subjected to those. The blocking of the Russian Anthem by YouTube is an open and inadmissible act of low conduct towards all citizens of the country, the body says in its statement calling upon Russian owners of YouTube channels to think about feasibility to move their content to Russian video sharing platforms. Flash Another 28,680 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 3,743,734, according to official figures released Thursday. The country also reported another 1,239 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 103,126, the data showed. The latest data were revealed amid a continuing row between the European Union (EU) and the British-based multinational pharma company AstraZeneca over vaccine supply shortages. Earlier Thursday, British Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said that there "will be no interruption" to Britain's vaccine supplies after the EU urged AstraZeneca to divert the UK-made jabs to the regional bloc to fulfil contractual obligations. "We must make sure that we continue with the effective acceleration of our vaccination programme. That relies on the supply schedule that has been agreed to be honored. That's the first and most important thing," Gove said. "But secondarily I'm sure we all want to do everything possible to make sure that as many people in countries which are our friends and neighbors are vaccinated and I think we best achieve that through dialogue and co-operation and friendship," he told the BBC. Jeremy Farrar, a member of the British government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said it was in Britain's "national interests" to ensure as many people in the world as possible are vaccinated, adding that vaccine nationalism should be avoided. "It's something that we absolutely have to negotiate, we have to avoid, and it doesn't serve anybody to have these fights over vaccine supply," he told the BBC. More than 7.4 million people in Britain have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures. England is currently under the third national lockdown since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country. Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. Alumni in the spotlight Catch up on recent achievements, promotions and newsmakers. Appointments Brenda Berlin (BCom 1986, BAcc 1987) was appointed as CFO of PPC, moving from her position as action CFO of MC Mining. She completed her articles at PwC, she joined MC Mining from Impala Platinum Holdings where she was group CFO. Maria Ramos (BCom 1987, BCom Hons 1988) was named chair of AngloGold Ashanti, after being CEO of Absa for a decade and director at the gold miner since 2019. Hylton Kallner (BEconSc 1996) was appointed as CEO of Discovery Bank from January 2021. He started his career at Liberty Life in the actuarial division. He joined Discovery in 1996 and spent more than 24 years in key roles in the company. Peter Tshisevhe (BProc 1995, LLB 1997, LLM 1999, PGDLaw 2013) was appointed to the interim SAA board. He is a mergers and acquisitions lawyer with extensive experience in transaction advisory services. He is director and partner at TGR Attorneys, a leading commercial law firm in Johannesburg. He is also a part-time lecturer at Wits and has been retained from the previous board to provide continuity. Gary Nagle (BCom 1996, BAcc 1997) will step in to take over the reins from Glencore Plc CEO Ivan Glasenburg. Dr Aquina Thulare (MBA 2003) was appointed to the new council for the Council for Medical Schemes which takes into account the interests of members and medical schemes. She holds the position of technical specialist for the National Health Insurance in the Department of Health. The term of Council is three years from the date of appointment and there are 14 other members. The University of Venda appointed Edward Lambani (LLM 1994) as its new Registrar. Paul Edey (BA 1979, PDipEd 1979) stepped down as 15th executive headmaster of St Johns College, moving on as the Southern African Heads of Independent Schools Associations (SAHISA) Stakeholder Representative. He will be at the interface of SAHISA and the Independent Schools Association of South Africa. Dr Jonathan Witt (BA Hons 2006, MBBCh 2010) and Lesley-Anne Gatter (BA 1996, BA Hons 1997, MA 2007) were elected to serve on the Executive Committee of Convocation at Wits. Prof Mbulaheni Simon Nemutandani (MSc Dent 2007, MSc Med 2009) has been appointed as President of the Health Professionals Council of South Africa. In 2016 he joined Wits as CEO of the Wits Oral Health Centre and Head of Oral Health Sciences. Zakhele Mbhele (BA 2007) replaced Phumzilie van Damme as a shadow minister for the DA. Emilia Nghikembua (MA 2020) has been appointed as Chief Executive of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia effective 1 January 2021. She has extensive knowledge in law, ICT policy, regulation, management and governance. She aims to use ICTs to improve socio-economic development in Namibia. Selwyn Blieden (BA 1993, BA Hons 1994) has been appointed as non-executive director of African Dawn Capital and will be member of both the audit, risk and remuneration committees. He holds a PhD in Mathematics from Cambridge. He was also a former research fellow and member of the Faculty of Mathematics at Cambridge. He currently serves as a partner and co-head of Caleo Private Equity, an investment management firm that provides capital to startup companies. Awards and honours Hannelie Coetzee (PGDA 1988) was a finalist in the 2020 African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum Awards in the Creative Industry Award category. Humphry Tlou (BSc 2016, BSc Hons 2017, MSc 2019) was awarded the CERN Atlas PhD grant. His award was initiated by Fabiola Gianotti, the Director General of CERN, and Peter Jenni, the founder of the ATLAS experiment, following their award from the Fundamental Physics Prize Foundation in 2013. The ATLAS experiment currently hosts over 1 200 PhD students. The grant aims to encourage and support high-calibre doctoral students in particle physics research from all over the world, allowing them to obtain world-class exposure, supervision, and training within the ATLAS collaboration. Professor Laetitia Rispel was awarded one of the five 2020 Senior AfOx Fellowship at Oxford. For a period of six to nine months she will share her expertise as well as build on long-term collaborations with Oxford researchers. Rising Star Awards 2020, which recognise, celebrate and connect talented people in the workplace aged 28-40 who display leadership, a capacity for achievement, success and make a valuable difference was awarded to the following Witsies: Innocentia Mahlangu (BSc Eng 2011, MSc 2018) project manager and civil engineer for Hatch, won 2020 Rising Star Award: Construction and Industrials category; Devandre Lawrence (BA 2013), GM: People Operations at Nandos in the Tourism, Retail and Hospitality category; Lusani Nemalili (BA Hons 2020), Specialist in public policy and engagement, corporate affairs at Vodacom, won the ICT category. Sir Sydney Kentridge (BA 1942, LLD honoris causa 2000) received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Absa Jewish Achiever Awards 2020. He was acknowledged for his years of service to South Africa and the UK. Dr Jonathan Broomberg (MBBCh 1984) Discovery chief executive of Vitality Health International was appointed as head of healthcare for South Africas Solidarity Fund. He received the Absa Business Leadership in the time of COVID Award. While Professor Mervyn Mer (MBBCh 1984, MSc Med 2001, PhD 2013) is the principal specialist and head of intensive care at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. He was awarded the Absa Professional Excellence in Time of COVID Award. He was pivotal in equipping the hospital to battle the virus before it hit. He drew up health protocols and doubled the size of ICU spaces in record time. Professor Barry Schoub (MBBCh 1967, DSc Med 1992) who is Emeritus Professor in Virology at Wits and former director of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, was awarded the Kia Community Service Award. Professor Michael Mervyn Katz (BCom 1965, LLB 1967, LLD honoris causa 1998) received the Absa Business Icon Award. He was tasked by the president to be a board member of the national Solidarity Fund, set up to support the medical response, contribute to relief efforts and mobilise the countrys fight against the pandemic. Manqoba Kubheka (BCom 2010) is general manager of the licensing division at the South African Music Rights Organisation (Samro) where he is responsible for music rights body receiving R500 million in revenue for the first time since its inception since 1962. He was awarded the 2020 Game Changer award from the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, honouring the countrys top under 35s. Wits alumna Millycent Mashele (BCom 2007) was also among the finalists. At the Annual South African CFO Awards, which recognises CFOs of listed companies, large corporations, state-owned entities and government institutions, and award them for outstanding performance and leadership. Alumnus Shabeer Khan (BCom 2002) was awarded the Public Sector CFO of the Year, Young CFO of the Year and a Compliance and Governance Awards. Khan has been in the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition since 2013 and assisted in it obtaining clean audits. Prior to this he served as senior manager in the office of the Auditor General for nine years. Newsmakers The BBC profiled Sumayya Vally (BArch Hons 2014, MArch 2015) on how the pandemic is changing architecture. The South African Literary Journal included a poem by Athol Williams (BSc Mech Eng 1992) to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the journal. The special edition includes works by many South African literary greats. He has also released his fifth poetry collection Fragile (Theart Press, 2020) which is a collaboration with 65 South African artists. All proceeds from his book sales go to Read to Rise so that children in Mitchells Plain and Soweto can get access to new story books. Williams has also been in the news as a whistleblower. He was formerly an employee of Bain, the global management consulting firm, and will testify at the Zondo Commission into State Capture in February. He has had to resign from his job as senior lecturer at Allan Gray Centre for Values-Based Leadership in the Graduate School of Business at UCT. Read why hes calling for companies involved in State Capture to be prosecuted. In memoriam Alumni Relations extends condolences to family and friends of the following alumni: Dawn Lindberg (BA FA 1967), Professor Belinda Bozzoli (BA 1967, BA Hons 1970), Dr Rashid Ahmed Mahmood Salojee (MBBCh 1958), Yvonne Huskisson (BMus 1951, BA Hons 1952, M Mus 1956, PhD 1959, Dr Arnold Beukes (BDS 1953), Coomarasamy Nithanathan Pillay (MBBCh 1954), Irvin Alexander Lampert (MBBCh 1964), Richard Mankowski (PhD Mech Eng 1983), Dr Praneel Ruplal (MM 2008, PhD 2018), Andrew Williamson (BA 1963, LLB 1965, HDipTax Law 1974), Clive Chipkin (BArch 1955, DArch honoris causa 2013), Dolly Mokgatle (LLB 1983, HDip Tax Law 1991), Dr Joseph Sonnabend (MBBCh 1956) See more here. A former Afghan translator who worked with British forces on the frontline has been assassinated by the Taliban, who boasted that he had 'died like a dog'. Feda Mohammad, 42, was shot several times at point blank range after reportedly driving into an ambush in an area known for attacks by insurgents. His devastated family said yesterday that he had been killed by gunmen in a 'revenge attack' because he had worked for Nato forces against the Taliban. His brother Wali said Mr Mohammad had received repeated death threats and had died in a 'targeted killing' near the border with Pakistan in Afghanistan's eastern Paktia province as he went to work at a training facility for police cadets. He said Taliban gunmen had been waiting for the opportunity to kill the former English teacher and had struck at the entrance to the city of Gardez, the provincial capital. Feda Mohammad, 42, was shot several times at point blank range in a 'revenge attack,' because he had worked for Nato forces against the Taliban After the murder, Taliban supporters posted a picture of Mr Mohammad claiming he had died 'like a dog', a particularly derogatory description in Afghan culture. It also warned that he had been killed because he had worked as an interpreter for the 'occupying infidel forces' and had helped in the training of forces that worked for the 'infidel'. Mr Mohammad is the second translator to be shot dead in the past week and the third this year in what interpreters believe is a stepping-up in targeted killings of those who worked for foreign forces. Translators with UK forces who worked alongside Mr Mohammad in Helmand province and at an RAF base in the city of Kandahar said he had not been entitled to apply to the British authorities for sanctuary under any of the relocation schemes because he had not worked directly for them, but with them through a private company on behalf of Nato forces. This newspaper's award-winning Betrayal of the Brave campaign has repeatedly highlighted death threats and attacks on translators and their families, which have increased as an emboldened Taliban have gained greater control and influence across the country. Under pressure from the campaign and military veterans, the Government has introduced policies opening the way for hundreds of translators and their families to apply for relocation in the UK. But interpreters under threat warn that the process is too limited and too slow. They called on the Government to speed up relocations, pointing out that under changes announced six months ago no one has yet arrived in the UK. One of the two other Taliban victims over the last week was a former translator for the US military called Mangal, who was shot dead on the street near his home in the Afghan capital Kabul. Mr Mohammad is the second translator to be shot dead in the past week and the third this year in what interpreters believe is a stepping-up in targeted killings of those who worked for foreign forces. File picture of British Army forces in Afghanistan's Helmand province in 2007 It followed the shooting of another interpreter, Noor, who worked for Nato forces in a village near the border with Pakistan. His brother had also been killed by insurgents. Colonel Simon Diggins, former military attache at the British embassy in Kabul, who campaigns for translators, said the murder was part of a 'campaign to assassinate former interpreters'. Former Major General Charlie Herbert, who was senior Nato adviser to the Afghan National Police in 2017 and 2018, said: 'There is no doubt that all former employees of the UK are in grave danger the Taliban have repeatedly made threats against them, on social media and often directly. 'The targeted murder of Feda was dreadful proof of this, and evidence of the reach that the Taliban have against former interpreters.' He added: 'We really must do more to help the remainder they played a huge part in supporting the Army in Helmand and we owe it to them, morally and ethically.' Earlier this week another translator survived an attack in Kabul and a second former interpreter who worked for UK forces discovered a mine outside his front door. Another interpreter, Najeeb, who worked for UK forces and has been told he does not qualify to come to the UK, said: 'Feda reported death threats to the authorities. He feared this would happen.' FILE - In this Aug. 23, 2020 file photo, police in riot gear stand guard in Kenosha, Wis. According to police officials, two police officers who were on the scene when a white officer shot and partially paralyzed a Black man in Wisconsin, triggering several nights of violent protests, have returned to duty. The update announced Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, comes as Officer Rusten Sheskey, who shot Jacob Blake seven times on Aug. 23, in Kenosha, remains on administrative leave while a police review board examines the case. (Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, File) The high schoolers turned scientists published their findings this week, thanks to a research mentorship program at the Center for Astrophysics; Harvard and Smithsonian They may be the youngest astronomers to make a discovery yet. This week, 16-year-old Kartik Pingle and 18-year-old Jasmine Wright have co-authored a peer-reviewed paper in The Astronomical Journal describing the discovery of four new exoplanets about 200-light-years away from Earth. The high schoolers participated in the research through the Student Research Mentoring Program (SRMP) at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Directed by astrochemist Clara Sousa-Silva, the SRMP connects local high schoolers who are interested in research with real-world scientists at Harvard and MIT. The students then work with their mentors on a year-long research project. "It's a steep learning curve," says Sousa-Silva, but it's worth it. "By the end of the program, the students can say they've done active, state-of-the-art research in astrophysics." Pingle and Wright's particular achievement is rare. High schoolers seldom publish research, Sousa-Silva says. "Although that is one of the goals of the SRMP, it is highly unusual for high-schoolers to be co-authors on journal papers." With guidance from mentor Tansu Daylan, a postdoc at the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, the students studied and analyzed data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). TESS is a space-based satellite that orbits around Earth and surveys nearby bright stars with the ultimate goal of discovering new planets. The team focused on TESS Object of Interest (TOI) 1233, a nearby, bright Sun-like star. To perceive if planets were orbiting around the star, they narrowed in on TOI-1233's light. "We were looking to see changes in light over time," Pingle explains. "The idea being that if the planet transits the star, or passes in front of it, it would [periodically] cover up the star and decrease its brightness." To the team's surprise, they discovered not one but four planets orbiting around TOI-1233. "I was very excited and very shocked," Wright says. "We knew this was the goal of Daylan's research, but to actually find a multiplanetary system, and be part of the discovering team, was really cool." Three of the planets are considered "sub-Neptunes," gaseous planets that are smaller than, but similar to our own solar system's Neptune. It takes between 6 and 19.5 days for each of them to orbit around TOI-1233. The fourth planet is labeled a "super-Earth" for its large size and rockiness; it orbits around the star in just under four days. Daylan hopes to study the planets even closer in the coming year. "Our species has long been contemplating planets beyond our solar system and with multi-planetary systems, you're kind of hitting the jackpot," he says. "The planets originated from the same disk of matter around the same star, but they ended up being different planets with different atmospheres and different climates due to their different orbits. So, we would like to understand the fundamental processes of planet formation and evolution using this planetary system." Daylan adds that it was a "win-win" to work with Pingle and Wright on the study. "As a researcher, I really enjoy interacting with young brains that are open to experimentation and learning and have minimal bias," he says. "I also think it is very beneficial to high school students, since they get exposure to cutting-edge research and this prepares them quickly for a research career." The SRMP was established in 2016 by Or Graur, a former postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Astrophysics |Harvard & Smithsonian. The program accepts about a dozen students per year with priority given to underrepresented minorities. Thanks to a partnership with the City of Cambridge, the students are paid four hours per week for the research they complete. "They are salaried scientists," Sousa-Silva says. "We want to encourage them that pursuing an academic career is enjoyable and rewarding--no matter what they end up pursuing in life." ### Pingle, a junior in high school, is considering studying applied mathematics or astrophysics after graduation. Wright has just been accepted into a five-year Master of Astrophysics program at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. About the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian is a collaboration between Harvard and the Smithsonian designed to ask--and ultimately answer--humanity's greatest unresolved questions about the nature of the universe. The Center for Astrophysics is headquartered in Cambridge, MA, with research facilities across the U.S. and around the world. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. The defense motion said Mr. Howard had systematically worked to strip Mr. Rolfe of a fair trial. It accused him of making ethically inappropriate statements to the public and said he had a conflict of interest because of the investigation by the G.B.I. into his actions. Mr. Howard said that when district attorneys transferred police killing cases out of their offices, it was a tactic to avoid accountability. Youll see all kinds of invented reasons that prosecutors come up with, he said. If the D.A. cannot prosecute the police, how can the D.A. prosecute fairly the other people in the community? While Mr. Howard would not directly say whether he stood by his decision to file charges against the officers in Mr. Brookss killing, he said the video evidence was plain to see. What happened in the Rayshard Brooks case is frozen in time, he said. There is nothing that you could do or perform afterwards that could change what happened. L. Chris Stewart, a lawyer representing Mr. Brookss family, said they were caught off guard by the news that the case might be transferred. Shock, Mr. Stewart said, describing how he and the family felt after learning about the request through the news media. We had never received even a phone call from the new district attorney or her office, letting us know she was contemplating that. Nicole Kidman is set to star in an adaptation of the Norwegian family drama Hope. The Aussie actress, 53, will also executive produce the project, which will turn director Maria Sdahl's Oscar hopeful into a series. Kidman's Blossom Films banner will be working with Amazon Studios, who has a first look deal with the studio. Dramatic role: Nicole Kidman is starring and executive producing a new series with Amazon Studios based on the Norwegian family drama Hope The series is being described as a emotionally complicated drama about a blended-family. The film focused on the drama surrounding 12 days of the family spending Christmas together, during which time a marriage unravels. The original Hope starred Andrea Brin Hovig and Stellan Skarsgard. It was a critical success, winning European Cinemas Label award for best film in the Berlin Film Festivals Panorama section. It was also nominated for best director and best actress at the 2020 European Academy Awards. Family matters: The series is being described as a emotionally complicated drama about a blended-family. The original film starred Andrea Brin Hovig and Stellan Skarsgard Having a ball! News of the project comes at a busy time for Kidman, who just broke her silence on accepting the coveted role of Lucille Ball Alice Bell will be adapting the show and serving as executive producer. She's currently working with Amazon and Blossom writing and EPing the upcoming series The Expatriates, which is in pre-production. It is set to be directed by Lulu Wang and star Kidman. News of the project comes at a busy time for Kidman, who just broke her silence on accepting the coveted role of Lucille Ball. 'I love Lucille, having looked now and delved into her,' Nicole told Variety, adding that part of her preparation has been to screen old I Love Lucy episodes. The lady herself: Rumors began flying around earlier this month that she had been cast as Lucille Ball opposite Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz; Lucille is pictured 'She's an amazing woman. I'm very excited for people to see what Aaron found out about her and the way hes interpreted Desi and Lucy and the way that it's so rich. I didnt know any of this,' she confessed. Rumors began flying around earlier this month that she had been cast as Lucille Ball opposite Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz. Aaron Sorkin is writing and directing the upcoming biopic Being The Ricardos for Amazon after his streaming success with The Trial Of The Chicago 7 for Netflix. Desi, who played Lucy's bandleader husband Ricky Ricardo on their program, had a tumultuous marriage to her in real life. Hunk: While Nicole is said to be the pick for Lucy, Javier Bardem (pictured) is in talks for the role of her husband and co-star Desi Arnaz, Deadline reported She filed for divorce for the first time in 1944, reportedly over his philandering and drinking, but they got back together before splitting up permanently in 1960. In the meantime they produced two children and the sitcom that etched them into TV legend, running from 1951 to 1957. They also starred in movies together throughout their marriage, including Forever, Darling and the Vincente Minnelli comedy The Long, Long Trailer. Despite their divorce, in which she called their marriage 'a nightmare,' Lucy and Desi remained publicly amicable for the rest of his life. Blended family: Lucy married Borscht Belt comic Gary Morton in 1961 and stayed with him until her death in 1989; the couple are pictured with Lucie and Desi Jr. in 1965 Lucy married Borscht Belt comic Gary Morton in 1961 and stayed with him until her death in 1989, while Desi married one Edith Hirsch in 1963. Edith and Desi both died of cancer one year apart - she passed on in 1985 and her husband, who loved cigars from his native Cuba, succumbed to lung cancer in 1986. Aaron Sorkin's new biopic is about a single week spent making an episode of I Love Lucy during which Lucy and Desi's marriage is shaken. The turbulent week, reportedly running from the table read to the taping in front of a studio audience, is said to include a professional landmine for the couple as well. Group of US Congress members threaten Azerbaijans Aliyev regime with sanctions Chicago mayor is sued for allegedly refusing interview with white reporter Iran exports oil to US for first time after long interval "Armenia" bloc top 50 MP candidates are announced 42 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Sri Lanka public beach is covered in charred plastic pellets due to fire in container ship US preparing list of targeted sanctions on Belarus authorities China believes it will own America by 2035, Biden says 15 al-Shabab militants killed in Somalia Newspaper: Armenia political forces that applied for running in election impatiently await CEC decision Newspaper: Changes are expected in Artsakh California prisoner who considers himself Satanist beheads cellmate, dismembers his body Newspaper: Armenia acting PM's "mutually beneficial" proposal to collapse state system? Armenia National Security Service Reserve Officers' Union members meet with His Holiness Karekin II EU is ready to help Armenia and Azerbaijan with border delimitation and demarcation ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason Iran President hails brotherly ties with Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan on years of his leadership in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border is still tense, more on COVID-19 in Armenia, May 28 digest "Armenia" alliance of political parties paying tribute to founder of First Republic Aram Manukyan Yerevan.today: Armenia acting PM not greeted at ruling party's headquarters, citizens call him 'capitulator' Russia MOD reports on maintenance of ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia acting MOD meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow Armenia 2nd President: I see possibility of restoring borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast We can provide our army with some key, modernized weapons, says Armenia ex-President Kocharyan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Captives issue is not one that any opposition force can resolve OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs release statement on detention of 6 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan Armenian acting Deputy PM: Discussion on issues possible only after withdrawal of Azeri troops from Armenia's territory Armenia acting PM on Syunik roads, Russian military posts: This is only place where there are working nuances Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections Putin congratulates Aliyev on Republic Day Josep Borrell: A group of EU Ministers will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Armenia acting PM: We're not going to escalate situation for 30% of Sev Lake Armenia 3rd President visits Vanadzor, pays tribute to heroes of Battle of Gharakilisa (PHOTOS) Armenia ex-President Kocharyan lays flowers at Battle of Karakilisa memorial (PHOTOS) Armenia acting PM: Solution to captives issue is matter of time Shoygu to Harutyunyan: Russia, Armenia strengthen military cooperation Armenia acting premier: We are 100% honest toward our country Artsakh President pays tribute at Stepanakert memorial, Shushi Tank-Monument Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan on Meghri corridor plan: Not beneficial to us now to discuss it as "corridor" Acting PM: "Cement," "fittings" were stolen while constructing Armenia state "building" Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Catholicos of All Armenians visits Sardarapat Memorial, again separate from state officials MOD dismisses Azerbaijan statement on Armenia army firing toward Nakhchivan Jerusalem Post: Israel prepares for a new war with Hamas France, UN World Food Programme partner to support displaced people in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: Today we are not full-fledged negotiating party Norwegian prime minister opposes series of NATO reforms Armenia deputy FM briefs UN, Red Cross leaders on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Artsakh NATO Secretary-General: Afghans must take full responsibility for peace and stability in their country 104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia acting premier: Our sovereignty, independence cannot be subject of discussion Karabakh state-finance minister announces resignation Artsakh MFA: Sardarapat victory has inspired all Armenians for over a century Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: In contrast to kneeling, disgraceful authorities of the day, we have determination Armenia President: Today we stand on threshold of Sardarapat of morality, dignity Catholicos of All Armenians: Our people shall find strength to overcome this ordeal as well Armenia First Republic Day event is held under very modest conditions Newspaper: Armenia authorities claiming to be popular close off First Republic Day event to public Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: Now or never! Armenia President, then acting premier arrive at Sardarapat Memorial Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan's new "cleverness?" France ambassador: I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace, prosperity Bashar al-Assad wins Syria presidential election Reporters not allowed entering Sardarapat Memorial of Armenia US continues to face very serious problems in trade and economic relations with China Armenia 1st President: There is a risk of civil war Scenes of apprehension of Azerbaijani who attacked Armenian in Moscow disseminated on the Internet Germany, France, Netherlands urge tech giants to test start-up purchases Armenia 1st President: There has never been such rough dialogue between Armenian and Azeri leaders as there is now Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan military fired several shots at border area of Gegharkunik Province village 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 PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- LZMicro is a leading integrated circuit design company and ZK-as-a-service provider, made up of experienced doctors from Harvard and Maryland Universities, offering a new category of computing hardware for cloud, edge and IoT industries called Privacy-Preserved Processing Unit (PPU). LZMicro has offices and teams in Silicon Valley, Shanghai and Beijing. Findora Foundation Regarding the investment grant given by Findora to LZ Micro, the Findora team pointed out "to be very excited to be able to support a startup that has a very clear mission of the existing needs in the market for reliable data transactions in the new digital economy of which Findora is part of it." "Their business approach and their innovation to offer new, more efficient hardware products focused on privacy, are some of the technological pillars that convinced us of LZ Micro to support them." With this new investment, FINDORA expects to provide the world's first confidential ledger products under the name "zkLDB," which comes preloaded with a comprehensive suite of privacy-preserving auditing tools that are fully compliant and enable advanced auditability. The FINDORA's open financial network has been built from the ground up to address many of the "pain points" of traditional finance. This is achieved using a vast and advanced tech stack based partly on blockchain, featuring the latest zero-knowledge proofs (zk-SNARKS, ZK-Rollup), accumulators (RSA) and Pederson homomorphic commitments and much more. About FINDORA Founded 2017, FINDORA is backed by the research of renowned academic institutions such as Stanford University and was founded by the late John Powers, a visionary who previously served as CEO of Stanford University's $25b endowment fund. A market leader in zero-knowledge proof and multi-party computation technologies with strong distributed system engineering capability, FINDORA's core mission is to power confidential and auditable applications with breakthroughs in cryptography, blockchain, and efficient authenticated data structures. About LZMicro Founded in 2020, LZMicro has a mission to be the world's first reliable full-stack computing IC and solution provider. Its innovative PPU and PPU platform can be widely used in various markets, such as finance, banking, insurance, government regulation, healthcare, pharmacy, and IoT. Its founding team includes renowned chip design experts who have the resources to establish LZMicro as an industry benchmark. Media contact: Findora Foundation [email protected] 415-674-9383 SOURCE Findora Foundation